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 . ARTful Home Tour set COLUMBUS -- The Columbus Arts Council's ARTful Home Tour is scheduled from 5:30-8 p.m. Thursday. Those attending will visit several interesting homes in Columbus, shop for unique art, visit with artists and sample Nebraska chocolate and wine pairings. Tickets are $25 per person and must be purchased in advance. Tickets may be purchased at the Columbus Art Gallery on lower level of the library or by calling Lisa Rosendahl at 402-563-1016. ESL and GED classes slated COLUMBUS -- Central Community College will offer English as a second language (ESL) classes in Columbus, Schuyler and St. Edward and GED classes in Columbus. Individuals who want to take ESL classes in Columbus must register and pay the $20 fee by Thursday. Registration may be completed from 9 a.m.-noon Mondays through Fridays and 1-4 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays at the Columbus Family Resource Center, 3020 18th Ave., Suite 3. Placement testing for all students is by appointment only and will begin July 5. Orientation classes will begin July 18. Individuals who want to take GED classes must pay the $20 fee by Thursday at the student accounts office at CCC-Columbus. Registration may be completed at the GED orientations, which will be held at 9:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. July 11 at the Columbus Family Resource Center. ESL/civics classes also are available at the Schuyler and St. Edward public libraries. For more information or to enroll in these classes, contact CCC Adult Education Coordinator Mary Wiegand at 402-562-1432; toll-free at 1-877-222-0780, ext. 1432; or email marywiegand@cccneb.edu. Superheroes event Saturday COLUMBUS -- Super Saver will host a play day for supporters of Sammys Superheroes and the Columbus community from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday. Activities for the whole family are planned in the Super Saver parking lot, including a burger bash, dunk tank, bounce house, petting zoo and games. Sammys Superheroes Foundation gear will also be available to purchase in the Super Saver pharmacy. All proceeds from the days events will go toward the mission of Sammys Superheroes Foundation: to raise awareness of childhood cancer and fund life-saving, child-specific cancer treatments. For more information, visit www.sammyssuperheroes.org. Ag banquet Thursday MADISON -- Tickets are on sale for the second annual Northeast Nebraska Ag Banquet to be held beginning at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the Madison County Fairgrounds. For more information, contact Jeny Albin with the Norfolk Chamber at 402-371-4862 or jalbin@norfolkareachamber.com; or Gina Eisenmenger with the Madison Chamber of Commerce at 402-454-2251 or madisonchamber@telebeep.com. A hacked 42-page Democrat National Committee memo released on Monday reveals the dizzying array of Clinton Foundation scandal facts the DNC considers vulnerabilities for presumptive Democratic Party presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. (Article by Stephen K. Bannon, republished from //www.breitbart.com/2016-presidential-race/2016/06/21/secret-memo-42-page-leaked-dnc-document-reveals-clinton-foundation-scandal-vulnerabilities-hillary-clinton/) The secret document, titled Clinton Foundation Vulnerabilities Master Doc FINAL, is one of several newly released internal memos obtained by the hacker known as Guccifer 2.0. Totaling over 22,000 words in length, the DNC vulnerabilities dossier paints a portrait of a political party besieged by media coverage of foreign Clinton Foundation donations spawned by the investigative New York Times bestselling book, Clinton Cash. The document chronicles hundreds of news reports of Clinton Foundation malfeasance featured under devastating headings created by DNC staffers themselves. Track-change comments featured inside the document contain the names Lauren Smith and Jeremy Brinster, both of whom are listed as former or current DNC research staffers. The DNCs own descriptive headings, which are backed up by mainstream media reports, demonstrate how politically toxic the DNC considers the Clinton Foundations acceptance of foreign donations during Hillary Clintons tenure as Sec. of State. In the section titled, CLINTON FOUNDATION INDIVIDUAL FOREIGN DONORS, the DNC vulnerabilities memo reports the following: THE CLINTON FOUNDATION RECEIVED DONATIONS FROM INDIVIDUALS TIED TO SAUDI ARABIA WHILE CLINTON SERVED AS SECRETARY OF STATE INDIAN POLITICIAN AMAR SINGH, WHO HAD DONATED AT LEAST $1 MILLION TO THE CLINTON FOUNDATION, MET WITH HILLARY CLINTON IN SEPTEMBER 2008 TO DISCUSS AN INDIA-U.S. CIVIL NUCLEAR AGREEMENT BILLIONAIRE STEEL EXECUTIVE AND MEMBER OF THE FOREIGN INVESTMENT COUNCIL IN KAZAKHSTAN LAKSHMI MITTAL GAVE $1 MILLION TO $5 MILLION TO THE CLINTON FOUNDATION BEFORE CLINTON BECAME SECRETARY OF STATE SOON AFTER SECRETARY CLINTON LEFT THE STATE DEPARTMENT, THE CLINTON FOUNDATION RECEIVED A LARGE DONATION FROM A CONGLOMERATE RUN BY A MEMBER OF CHINAS NATIONAL PEOPLES CONGRESS A GERMAN INVESTOR WHO HAS LOBBIED CHANCELLOR MERKELS ADMINISTRATION GAVE BETWEEN $1 MILLION AND $5 MILLION TO THE CLINTON FOUNDATION, SOME OF WHICH WAS DURING MRS. CLINTONS TENURE AT THE STATE DEPARTMENT A VENEZUELAN MEDIA MOGUL WHO WAS ACTIVE IN VENEZUELAN POLITICS DONATED TO THE CLINTON FOUNDATION DURING CLINTONS TENURE AS SECRETARY OF STATE AN EMBATTLED BUSINESSMAN WITH TIES TO BAHRAINS STATE-OWNED ALUMINUM COMPANY GAVE BETWEEN $1 MILLION AND $5 MILLION TO THE CLINTON FOUNDATION DURING CLINTONS TENURE AS SECRETARY OF STATE, A FORMER CLINTON POLLSTER REGISTERED AS A LOBBYIST FOR PINCHUK AND TOOK MEETINGS WITH CLINTON AIDES ABOUT ISSUES IN THE UKRAINE The Clintons role in dispersing billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars in the Haitian disaster relief debacle is also noted as a core vulnerability: THE CLINTONS BECAME EXTENSIVELY INVOLVED IN HAITI REBUILDING AFTER THE 2010 EARTHQUAKE THROUGH THE STATE DEPARTMENT, THE UNITED NATIONS, THE FOUNDATION, AND SEPARATE AID FUNDS AND SOME HAVE CRITICIZED THEM FOR PERCEIVED SLOW PROGRESS ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVESINCLUDING THE MUCH-HYPED CARACOL INDUSTRIAL PARK THAT SECRETARY CLINTON PERSONALLY PUSHED SOME OF CRITICIZED CLINTON HAITI INITIATIVES FOR A LACK OF FOCUS ON HAITIS WORST-OFF CITIZENS Other hacked documents released on Monday included internal memos from embattled Clinton campaign spokesman Brian Fallon seeking to calm Democrats fears over the bookClinton Cash. In an April 23, 2015 memo from Fallon to Friends and Allies, Hillarys spokesman promises Clinton supporters that bit by bit, the truth will come to light. Unfortunately for the Clinton campaign, myriad mainstream and liberal news outletsconfirmed and corroborated the books myriad investigative revelations. A highly anticipated and critically acclaimed documentary film based on Clinton Cash is slated for global release the week of the Democratic National Convention. COLUMBUS With planning underway for a Costco-owned poultry processing plant outside Fremont, area farmers may be considering going into chicken production. But a coalition of farmers' organizations is holding meetings across eastern Nebraska, warning producers to proceed with caution and read the fine print. Nebraska Farmers Union President John Hansen opened the informational meeting Tuesday in Columbus, saying Lincoln Premium Poultry the name the business will be operated under has an opportunity to change an industry that, especially in the southern and southeastern parts of the U.S., has a reputation for mistreating farmers. Hansen met with Lincoln Premium Poultry CEO Walt Shafer on Monday morning. They're saying all the right things. They're saying publicly, We're going to do things better. We're going to do things different,'" said Hansen. But Hansen stressed that farmers need to carefully read and consult with experts before entering a contract with a chicken processing company. In most poultry arrangements, farmers go into a direct contract with a company where they have to build facilities to specifications and the company provides birds, feed and medication. The exact terms of how much a farmer puts at risk and how much theyre guaranteed by the company can be the difference between a barn full of healthy chickens and an entire farm being foreclosed on by a lender. Lynn Hayes, senior attorney and program director of the Farmers Legal Action Group Inc., presented a series of questions to ask before signing a poultry contract based on problems theyve seen with the typical boilerplate agreement. Hayes pointed out that chicken barns are single-use and if a producers arrangement with Lincoln Premium Poultry doesnt pan out, there isnt another company in the area for them to turn to. So growers need to know theyll be able to pay off the cost of their chicken houses. You need to be assured when youre putting up $1.5 million that youre going to keep birds in those barns, said Hayes. The other thing to be really careful about is, what are you putting up for collateral to build those barns, to secure those loans? Because most of the time they're required to put up not just the 20 acres the barns are on, but your entire farm and your home if you're living on that farm. That is the traditional model. Since farmers would be entering the project from the front end, they may have greater bargaining power, especially if done collectively. Rarely can an individual, when they're dealing with a large company, have enough power to really be able to negotiate terms of the contract on their own, said Hayes. But, Hayes added, the farmers could work together as a group to renegotiate a contract if the terms aren't appealing. Most poultry contracts are take-it-or-leave-it and once a farmers in, their debt load from building chicken houses makes it extremely difficult financially to get out. Mike Weaver, a poultry and cattle producer in West Virginia and president of the Poultry Growers Association of the Virginias, is very vocal about how some companies treat their growers. Weaver said he put all the money he made on chickens back into that side of his operation and it still took him 15 years to pay down the loan he took out for his facilities. These big corporations don't benefit the farmers. Last year, Pilgrim's paid out a $1.5 billion dividend to their stockholders and its been almost 20 years since they've given their growers an increase in base pay, said Weaver. This year they've already paid out a $700 million dividend to their stockholders, still no increase in base pay to their growers. Near the end of the event, an audience member asked Weaver if he would enter into his poultry agreement knowing what he knows now. No, Weaver responded. The reason being, they dont treat us fairly. Hansen said representatives of Costco and Lincoln Premium Poultry have publicly stated theyll do business differently and more fairly with their growers than other poultry companies. But its impossible to know if thats true until farmers, lawyers and other organizations have a chance to read the actual contracts. Youre saying a lot of the right things, that things are going to be different, that things are going to be better, Hansen said. But the devils in the details and we need to know what those details are. Bill Gates took part in criminally negligent vaccine experiments on poor Indian children Bill Gates is one of the most iconic businessmen of all time. For years, his name has been synonymous with success. And now, his name is synonymous with evil. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has been hit with a lawsuit for testing vaccines on poor, tribal children in India. This, of course, is highly illegal, not to mention completely immoral. How any human being could justify testing such a product on innocent children is unfathomable, and yet the Gates Foundation has done just that. The organization administered a research study where a small group of children were used as guinea pigs for an experimental Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine. The Economic Times India reports that after being given the vaccine, many girls started falling ill and by 2010 five of them died. Two more deaths were reported from Vadodara, Gujarat, where an estimated 14,000 children studying in schools meant for tribal children were also vaccinated with another brand of HPV vaccine, Cervarix, manufactured by GSK. Its an absolutely terrifying thought. One of the most successful and powerful men on the planet is involved in these disturbing experiments that have left numerous children dead. Considering the nature of their location, how many more are there that havent been reported? Why is testing vaccines on human beings considered acceptable? Its clear that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation doesnt consider the lives of tribal children to be important, since theyve colluded to have them used as test subjects. A report that was allegedly funded by the Gates Foundation claims that the deaths were caused by non-vaccine-related factors, but how reputable is that? This rabbit hole seems endlessly corrupt. In life, you must be held accountable for your actions. Bill Gates hefty bank account shouldnt make him exempt from that rule. Sources: Natural News Labiotech The Economic Times India Vaccines.news Submit a correction >> After getting let off a few years ago with a rap on the knuckles, a former Euro Pacific broker will now have to pay nearly $1 million after a judge ruled that testimony he gave in court during a Securities and Exchange Commission insider trading case differed from earlier statements to investigators. Thomas Conradt was a broker in the New York City office of Euro Pacific, which has its head office in Westport, with the firms founder Peter Schiff having vied unsuccessfully in 2010 for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate seat won by Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.). The SEC accused Conradt of using inside information to trade stock in advance of IBMs 2009 acquisition of SPSS while tipping off four others who were co-workers at Euro Pacific. Conradt had heard an acquisition was in the offing from a former New York City roommate and UBS employee Trent Martin, who passed what he heard on the deal from another friend who was an attorney. A parallel U.S. Department of Justice case in federal court had been dismissed after a December 2014 appeals court precedent that to prove insider trading, the original source of a tip must be shown to have benefited. To settle the SEC investigation, Conradt had agreed to pay back $2,500, matching the profit he made on his own trades, and to testify against fellow Euro Pacific traders Daryl Payton and Benjamin Durant, with a jury finding they violated insider trading rules following a February court proceeding. In its lawsuit, the SEC described a series of texts the commission said flew back and forth between Conradt and fellow Euro Pacific broker David Weinhaus, with the latter texting dude horsey is moving ... horsey can run! in reference to SPSS shares spiking more than 40 percent after IBM (NYSE: IBM) announced the $1.2 billion acquisition, with Conradt texting im setting this deal up for everyone ... makin everyone rich (sic). The SEC made Conradts original $2,500 penalty contingent on his testifying truthfully at trial. That did not occur, the commission stated Tuesday, citing a judges determination that Conradt materially varied from (his) testimony at his deposition in ways that indicate that Conradt was intentionally watering down his prior testimony in contravention of his cooperation agreement and . . . in contravention of the truth. Conradt is now saddled with a $980,000 penalty. Alex.Soule@scni.com; 203-354-1047; www.twitter.com/casoulman DANBURY Richard Gemming believes a visit to the doctor should be a positive experience for both the patient and physician. Gemming, the new executive director of the Western Connecticut Medical Group, is focusing his efforts on making visits to any of the groups 63 locations a mutually pleasant and professional experience. He will also serve as the vice president of the Western Connecticut Medical Network, which includes the hospitals in Danbury, New Milford and Norwalk. I want physicians to get back to taking care of patients, Gemming said. I dont want them to have hours of paperwork at the end of the day. (Our group locations) should be the best place to come for care and the best place to work. While he wants the physicians to thrive, Gemming knows the patients experience is the key to future success for the group. (The physicians) are very focused on keeping the patient first and I look forward to growing that patient-centered culture in our new work together, he said. Gemming previously worked at New York Presbyterian Healthcare Systems and led its primary and specialty care physician network. Prior to that he was COO of the Center for Interventional Vascular Therapies at Columbia University. Richard has an excellent reputation for both his business acumen and clinical leadership in a variety of settings, John Murphy, president and CEO of Western Connecticut Medical Network, said. His unique combination of skills and experience will lead to improved patient experiences, increased physician satisfaction and great innovation, especially in the primary care arena. Gemming, in line with the overall philosophy of Western Connecticut Medical Network, said he has a strong interest in preventative care. The goal is to keep people out of the hospital, he said, citing the high cost of lengthy hospital stays. They used to put patients in beds, now hospitals are trying to keep patients out. It is the first major hiring announcement for the Western Connecticut Medical Network since the resignation in May of Dan DeBarba, the president of Danbury and New Milford hospitals. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Unlike other places, charitable donors in Fairfield County dont focus their giving in one particular area, instead contributing to a wide range of causes. That was the conclusion drawn by Fidelity Charitable, the countrys second-largest grant maker, in its analysis of the causes supported by different areas represented within its donor base of 132,000 people. In a ranking of the top cities that support eight philanthropic sectors, the Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk metropolitan area, which makes up all of Fairfield County, came out in the top 10 in six of the sectors. Because the area showed up so often, it really shows a wide interest range in a number of categories, said Matt Nash, senior vice president of donor engagement at Fidelity. We could maybe say your population is very well-rounded. Instead of giving directly to a cause, Fidelitys donors place their funds in an account and then decide where their charitable dollars will go. Fidelity handles 83,000 accounts and looked at metropolitan areas with at least 400 accounts. In Fidelitys ranking, released for the first time Wednesday as part of its annual giving report, the local metro area came in first in its support of education, followed by areas around Boston, New York City, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. Nash attributed that ranking to Fairfield Countys highly educated workforce, combined with the number of nearby universities. The county also made the top five in arts and culture, the environment and animals, health, human services, and society benefit. It ranked 13th in international affairs, but didnt make the list in giving to religion. Nancy von Euler, vice president of programs for Fairfield Countys Community Foundation, said the foundation has also seen a wide range of causes supported within the organization. We see that among our donors, our Giving Day participants and even our board members, she said. Culture, education, youth development, animals and human services seem to top their lists, von Euler added. Those categories received nearly 13,000 donations in the recent Giving Day, totaling more than $981,000. Maggie Gunther Osborn, president of the Connecticut Council for Philanthropy, the needs in Fairfield County are broad and diverse. But she cautioned that just because the area ranked highly in these categories doesnt mean Connecticut charities benefited, noting that almost 60 percent of donations given through foundations based in Connecticut leave the state. The councils own annual report, released late last year, showed grant makers in Fairfield County disbursed the majority of grant dollars in the state, at 73.8 percent, and with 894 foundations serves as the home of more than half of the states foundations. The local report also showed education received the largest share of grant dollars in Connecticut. ktorres@hearstmediact.com; 203-330-6227 This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Richard Shotwell/INVL Show More Show Less 3 of 3 Anton Yelchin's untimely death over the weekend reminds us that no one, not even a celebrity, is immune to tragedy. The actor, who was best known for his role of Chekov in the "Star Trek" reboot, was found pinned between a brick mailbox pillar and a security fence after his car rolled backwards down a steep driveway at his Los Angeles home early Sunday morning. Yelchin was 27 years old. 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 BROOKFIELD Two more GOP officials are asking the town to cover their legal expenses related to a lawsuit filed by resident Jane Miller, who was kicked out of the Republican Party in 2015. In a letter to First Selectman Steve Dunn, the attorney defending ex-town GOP Chairman Matt Grimes and ex-Vice Chairman George Walker in a federal lawsuit filed by Miller said his clients legal expenses should be covered by the towns liability insurance. Former Republican voter registrar Tom Dunkerton and the town are also battling over payment of his legal fees, but so far Dunn has refused to pay. The first selectman said Wednesday that he also opposes the town paying for Walkers and Grimes expenses, though it will be up to the insurance company to decide. I believe they have the right to ask for coverage," Dunn said. That, however, is a far cry from believing the town's insurance should cover them. In the letter, Walkers and Grimes lawyer, Nathaniel J. Gentile, wrote that his clients might be entitled to coverage because of their previously held elected positions. We write because the plaintiffs recent filing makes clear that her claims arise from conduct that purportedly occurred when Mr. Walker was a member of the Board of Selectmen and Mr. Grimes was a member of the Zoning Commission, wrote Gentile. Because our clients appear to be entitled to payment of their legal costs and indemnification, we respectfully request that you provide us with the following documents, he added, listing the selectmens 2013 liability insurance policy and the similar policy for the Zoning Commission from 2013 to 2015. In 2015 Dunkerton and Grimes, then the party chairman, voted to boot Miller from the GOP following a hearing at which the registrar deemed she was not a good-faith party member. At the time, Dunkerton and Grimes cited Millers unsuccessful 2013 run for the Board of Finance on the Democratic ticket and her support of other Democrats as reasons to kick her out of the party. In 2013 Grimes was a member of the Zoning Commission and Walker was concluding his two-year term as a selectman. Grimes lost his seat on the panel in November 2015, and he and Walker were not re-elected to the Republican Town Committee in March. The lawsuit claims that Grimes, Walker, Dunkerton and incumbent Selectman Marty Flynn, who was also a RTC officer, conspired against Miller to remove her from the Republican Party voting rolls. The suit seeks more than $1 million and argues that her removal from the party violated her constitutional rights by denying her ability to vote in the presidential primary and other Republican elections. In testimony during a separate state lawsuit filed against him by Miller last year, Dunkerton said that he had had conversations about Miller with Walker while he was a selectman." Dunkerton also said he discussed Miller with Flynn. Brookfield maintains an insurance policy for its public officials because Connecticut law mandates their protection from personal liability in certain circumstances," Gentile said Wednesday. Our clients who have served the Brookfield community for years most likely qualify for coverage in this case. Millers attorney, former Connecticut Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz, declined to comment. Flynn and Dunkerton, who stepped down as registrar earlier this month, are already covered by Brookfields policy. Millers earlier state suit against Dunkerton was rejected by a judge, but she has since appealed the decision to state superior court. Dunkertons attorney in that case, Ward Mazzucco, has said the town is obligated to pay his bills because his client was acting in his official capacity as registrar. But Dunn has refused to pay the more than $24,000, saying that Millers expulsion from the party is strictly a Republican Party matter that should not be subsidized by taxpayers. Last month Dunkerton sued the town over the unpaid bills, but the town has not yet responded to the suit. awolff@newstimes.com; 203-731-3333; @awolffster 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. Related: What a 'Best Butt' Award Says About Bad Corporate Culture 3 Traits Cultural Keepers Must Possess Scientists Can Identify Our Emotions Based on the Air We Breathe. Can That Help Marketers? Copyright 2016 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved COLUMBUS Land acquisition is underway for the 12th Avenue viaduct project slated to begin in about two years. Notice to proceed with the purchase of property was granted by the state Tuesday, which was also the day a public information meeting was held for the construction of viaducts on 12th and Third avenues and a pedestrian overpass on 18th Avenue. The meeting held in the City Council Chambers had city officials, as well as representatives from the Nebraska Department of Roads, Federal Highway Administration and project engineers on hand to answer questions. Construction of the three structures is on the horizon. The Third Avenue viaduct and pedestrian overpass are scheduled to begin in 2017, with the 12th Avenue viaduct to follow. Voters first approved the viaducts plan in January 2008. During the open house meeting, the public was able to look at plans and ask questions about the three structures that will be built over the Union Pacific Railroad tracks. We are just reviewing with interested parties what the structures will look like, answer questions and try to refresh their memories with how the projects are going to impact their properties if they are in the neighborhood, said City Administrator Joe Mangiamelli. Final plans have been prepared for the 18th Avenue pedestrian overpass and Third Avenue viaduct. The 12th Avenue project is to the point where property acquisitions can begin. There are about 30 properties, including houses and easements, that will be affected by the 12th Avenue viaduct project, said Jack Borgmeyer with Omaha-based Midwest Right of Way Services Inc., the company handling the acquisitions. It could take months for the properties to be bought. It is going to depend when the people being displaced are going to be able to find a replacement to get in because we dont want to put them out on the street. We wont do that, Borgmeyer said. He said compensation for acquisitions is based on the appraised value for the real estate and other benefits like relocation expenses. Several of those at the meeting own property along 12th Avenue, like Deb Miller, who lives in a house at 1209 11th St. She is among those who will be moving because of the project. It was a possibility she kept in mind when she bought the house in 1998 because the construction of a viaduct was a topic back then. Miller said she was pleased when the viaduct plan was finally passed, though she is concerned about the time it has taken to see progress. The frustration level has been high, she said, adding that it is a difficult choice deciding to make improvements to her property not knowing what she will get in return. She is taking a wait-and-see approach to the process. Though frustrated with the delays, Miller said the viaducts will be positive for Columbus. I think it will be good for the community. With the train traffic, Ive watched the trains stop and have seen the traffic backed up clear to Eighth Street. The town definitely needs to do something, she said. Improving traffic flow is one of the reasons for the viaduct and overpass, as well as improved safety with the closure of at-grade railroad crossings at 25th, 21st, 18th, 12th and Third avenues. The only ones to remain open will be downtown at 23rd, 25th and 26th avenues. Mangiamelli said the closings will hopefully make travel safer and quieter because it will cut down on the sound of train whistles. Some residents do still have apprehension about the plans. Joan Morris, who lives at 12th Avenue and 17th Street, said she's concerned with the amount of traffic that will filter to 16th Street because of the 12th Avenue viaduct. Weve always had traffic, she said, adding that the project could add even more. Along with the viaduct and overpass plans, an aesthetic plan has also been developed to create visual enhancements to the structures. The plan includes curvilinear pier shapes, decorative pylons, natural-tone color staining on concrete surfaces, form liners and colored vinyl chain-link fencing. The cost for the projects is estimated at $3.6 million for the 18th Avenue pedestrian overpass, $9.9 million for the 12th Avenue viaduct and $6.9 million for the Third Avenue viaduct. The projects will be paid for with federal, state, city and Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) funding. The following are details of each of the projects. All of the projects will also include grading, utility relocation, embankment stabilization and other work. The 18th Avenue pedestrian overpass will be about 120 feet long and 10 feet wide. A chain-link fence will extend approximately 1,000 feet east and 1,000 west of the overpass on both the northern and southern sides of the Union Pacific right of way. An access gate to the right of way will be installed along the fence to the north. The 12th Avenue viaduct will be about 900 feet long and include two 12-feet-wide lanes. The west side will have a 10-feet-wide pedestrian walkway. The viaduct will be constructed on a shifted alignment to the west. The Third Avenue viaduct will be 350 feet long and have two 12-feet-wide lanes. A 10-feet-wide sidewalk will be on the west side. It will be constructed on a shifted alignment to the east. TORONTO, June 21, 2016 /CNW/ On this National Aboriginal Day, the Canadian Race Relations Foundation (CRRF) joins in the celebration of Indigenous cultures in Canada while renewing its commitment as a national contributor to the ongoing efforts regarding reconciliation. "June 21 is a day set aside to celebrate the unique cultures and traditions of the Aboriginal peoples of CanadaFirst Nations, Inuit and Metis," said Albert Lo, Chairperson, CRRF. "These celebrations are an important expression of honoring the human dignity that was so long denied. Set within National Aboriginal History Month, this is a time to refresh our commitment to move forward on issues around reconciliation and transformation. We call on all Canadians to redouble our efforts and determination to foster a kinder and more cohesive society for all." Anita Bromberg, Executive Director of the CRRF added, "CRRF initiatives and surveys remind us why we must not only continue to celebrate Indigenous cultures, but also find ways to heal past wrongs and move toward a more inclusive society. The need to continue our work as a national voice to bring communities together was highlighted in our recent national survey conducted in partnership with the Canadian Institute for Identities and Migration, which pointed to growing concerns around relations between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples." To mark National Aboriginal Day, the CRRF will launch a week-long social media campaign focusing on Indigenous cultures and the need for reconciliation. The CRRF will highlight stories and interviews on social media featuring Indigenous leaders who have participated in CRRF initiatives and events, including 150 Stories, eRACE Virtual Book Club, Cross-Canada Workshops, Roundtables: The Urban Agenda and the Living Together Symposia. The CRRF is urging the public to join the conversation. Let us know: How are you celebrating National Aboriginal Day and contributing to the conversation on reconciliation? Follow the hashtag #NADCanada, our @CRRF Twitter account and the Canadian Race Relations Foundation Facebook page to take part in the conversation, and to see all of our posts for National Aboriginal Day. A video of the 2016 Diversity Expo panel, titled "Bringing Communities together through Reconciliation," will be also available on the CRRF website. About the Canadian Race Relations Foundation The Canadian Race Relations Foundation (CRRF) is a Crown Corporation dedicated to working towards the elimination of racial discrimination. Its mission is to advance Canadian identity in the pursuit of positive race relations, equity, fairness, social harmony and dignity for all Canadians. The CRRF does this by providing independent, outspoken national leadership, informing national policies and public conversation, and acting as a resource and facilitator. SOURCE Canadian Race Relations Foundation For further information: Anita Bromberg, Executive Director, CRRF [email protected], 416-508-9033 OTTAWA, June 22, 2016 /CNW/ - Hydro Ottawa Holding Inc.'s Bryce Conrad, President and Chief Executive Officer and Jim Durrell, C.M., Chair, Board of Directors, presented the company's 2015 Annual Report before City Council today, highlighting the company's strong financial performance and growth in its renewable energy generation business. They also presented Hydro Ottawa's new 2016-2020 Strategic Plan, which provides an overview of the company's business strategy and financial projections for the next five years. It is designed to inform the shareholder and all other stakeholders about the most important trends shaping the business environment, and how the company intends to respond to them. Hydro Ottawa's core mission and mandate remain the same: to continue to provide a safe, reliable, affordable and sustainable supply of electricity to more than 325,000 homes and businesses that rely upon it every day; and to ensure a more sustainable energy future for its community. Quick Facts Hydro Ottawa's 2015 net income of $32.4 million resulted in a dividend to the city of $19.4 million that will be used by the city to fund municipal programs and services. 2015 net income of resulted in a dividend to the city of that will be used by the city to fund municipal programs and services. On average, customers saw a decrease in the number of power outages, with an average outage of 0.75 (less than one) in 2015. Renewable generation capacity has increased by more than 300%, from 22 megawatts to 79 megawatts between 2012 and 2015. Hydro Ottawa's strong financial performance for 2015 was achieved in large part through cost containment and multi-year strategic growth in its renewable generation business. strong financial performance for 2015 was achieved in large part through cost containment and multi-year strategic growth in its renewable generation business. Hydro Ottawa earned $2.3 million in financial incentives for achieving its four-year Conservation and Demand Management program targets set out by the province. earned in financial incentives for achieving its four-year Conservation and Demand Management program targets set out by the province. Hydro Ottawa also continued to be a responsible and engaged corporate citizen by helping customers conserve energy, educating more than 20,000 local elementary students about electricity safety and conservation, and raising a record $295,360 for United Way Ottawa. Quotes "Our focus on operational excellence has meant some big investments across our service territory. That in turn has improved reliability, and reduced the occurrence of power interruptions for our customers. We're proud to be contributing to our community and helping to lead the way to a smart energy future." - Bryce Conrad, President and Chief Executive Officer "By advancing key elements of its business strategy, Hydro Ottawa has exceeded the financial targets set out in our 2012 Strategic Direction each year. In the new 2016-2020 Strategic Direction, we have charted a course to continue this success. We will continue to provide excellent service and value for our customers, our community and our shareholder." - Jim Durrell, C.M., Chair, Board of Directors 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 MARKHAM, ON, June 22, 2016 /CNW/ - NetSupport's classroom management software, NetSupport School, has been selected as the solution of choice to be pre-installed on over 695,000 education devices as part of the Digital Literacy Programme in Kenya. A Ministry of Education-led initiative, it aims to place free technology into the hands of primary school pupils across the country to educate them using the benefits of computer-led learning. With the pilot project now complete, the programme is launching across Kenya. Responsible for implementing the full project, Portuguese technology design company, JP - Inspiring Knowledge (JP-IK), has chosen the award-winning NetSupport School to be bundled with the devices to allow the Kenyan schools to provide a high-quality learning environment for their students in technology-led teaching and learning as well as being able to support and manage school devices via the built-in Technicians' Console. As a complete classroom management solution, NetSupport School provides teachers with a range of tools to help maintain students' focus and enhance their learning experience. With monitor and control features such as blocking and viewing students' screens, to encouraging collaboration with screen sharing, group chats, file distribution and more, NetSupport School provides a complete set of tools to ensure both teachers and students benefit from the technology. The collection of dedicated assessment options includes the unique Q+A module which allows one-to-one, group and peer assessment for teachers to assess students' understanding plus the Student Journal revision aid helps with post-lesson review or can be shared with absent students to ensure they do not miss out on any key learning points. Jorge Sa Couto, Chairman of JP-IK said: "NetSupport School was an obvious choice to include in our Education software offer, mainly because of its feature-rich content. Throughout the pilot trial, the teachers found the real-time interactive features incredibly useful, especially when collaborating with students. In addition, the assessment tools are invaluable in creating different dynamics within the classroom. NetSupport School is the most suitable solution for JP-IK and Digital Literacy Program". Commenting on NetSupport School's inclusion in the project, Managing Director of NetSupport, Al Kingsley, said: "We are delighted to be assisting JP-IK in helping schools in Kenya maximise the benefits of computer-led learning. NetSupport School is a perfect fit for the bundle and already we are receiving great feedback from the schools." By the end of the project in March 2017, the bundle will have been installed by JP-IK in over 13,500 classrooms; they will have prepared and trained approximately 33,000 teachers; and will have impacted over 695,000 students. To learn more about NetSupport School, visit www.netsupportschool.com and download a free 40-PC trial. Notes to editors About NetSupport Headquartered in the UK, and with a 27-year development pedigree, NetSupport is an award- winning developer of Classroom Management, IT Asset Management, Desktop Security, ITIL ServiceDesk and Desktop Alerting software. NetSupport solutions and their derivatives are sold worldwide and enjoy market-leading status in many countries. Its flagship classroom management solution, NetSupport School, has been named a finalist at the prestigious Bett Awards 2016 and NetSupport itself was awarded the title of Global Education Supplier of the Year at the 2015 GESS Awards in Dubai. For more information about NetSupport, visit www.netsupport-canada.com. About JP inspiring knowledge (JP-IK) As a long-time visionary for the best contribution of IT in people's lives, JP-IK was founded 27 years ago, being a Portuguese firm dedicated to the design, development and distribution of Technological Solutions. Since 2008, JP-IK leads a pioneer initiative for IT-based Education. The know-how acquired in projects developed worldwide make JP-IK the referral partner to integrate technology in Education. JP-IK is present in over 70 countries, with more than 20 large-scale Education Projects implemented and 12 million educational devices deployed. The Inspiring Knowledge Ecosystem encompasses the key dimensions of a technology-based educational project: Engineering, Technology and Training. For more information about JP-IK, visit www.jp-ik.com SOURCE NetSupport Canada Inc. Image with caption: "NetSupport (CNW Group/NetSupport Canada Inc.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160622_C4549_PHOTO_EN_719837.jpg For further information: Press Contact: For further information or to schedule an interview, please contact Heather Vaters VP Canada, at NetSupport, Email: [email protected], Tel: 1-888-901-7474 Event to focus on understanding and advancing reconciliation TORONTO, June 22, 2016 /CNW/ - The Law Society is hosting a Celebration of Indigenous Peoples event on June 23 in recognition of National Aboriginal History Month. The event will feature presentations and a discussion about what reconciliation means to all of us. Panelists include: Jefferey Hewit , Osgoode Hall Law School , Osgoode Hall Law School Sarah Morales , University of Ottawa , Faculty of Law , , Faculty of Law Andree Boisselle , Osgoode Hall Law School , Osgoode Hall Law School Deborah McGregor , Osgoode Hall Law School The panel discussion will be moderated by Dianne Corbiere, Law Society Bencher and Vice-chair of the Equity and Aboriginal Issues Committee. Panelists will examine the following topics: What are law schools and the Law Society doing to respond to the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action? How can training promote Intercultural competence? How do we understand Indigenous legal perspectives as a basis for achieving reconciliation? Is reconciliation grounded in the land? How can you advance reconciliation through the practice of law? As well, Kathleen Lickers, Chair of the Indigenous Advisory Group, to the Law Society, will talk about the newly established Indigenous Advisory Group. A reception will follow. Details Date: June 23, 2016 Panel Discussion: 3:00 5:00 p.m. Reception: 5:00 6:00 p.m. Lamont Learning Centre Osgoode Hall, 130 Queen St. W., Toronto (Please enter via east doors facing City Hall) Public registration for the event is now closed. Interested media outlets are invited to contact the Law Society (see information and media protocol below) to arrange for their attendance, or watch via simultaneous webcast by registering online. Photographs taken at this public event will be used in Law Society and partner organization print and online publications. Media protocol for attending media: Please be advised that the purpose of this program is to provide a safe environment for members of the legal professions and the public to engage in frank and open dialogue. While we welcome your attendance, we ask that you respect this environment and not photograph or film the audience. If you wish to directly quote any identified audience participants about their comments during today's discussion, please obtain their permission to do so following the session. Your co-operation is appreciated. SOURCE The Law Society of Upper Canada For further information: Media contact: Susan Tonkin, Communications Advisor - Media Relations, [email protected], or 416-947-7605. Thank you for confirming your attendance in advance. PIC MOBERT FIRST NATION, ON, June 21, 2016 /CNW/ - Today, the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs, the Honourable Carolyn Bennett, and Chief Wayne Sabourin of the Pic Mobert First Nation announced the grand opening of the community's new water treatment plant. The new centralized water treatment plant brings an end to two boil water advisories and ensures that members of Pic Mobert First Nation can safely consume water flowing into their community. The Government of Canada provided over $13 million toward the design and construction of the new water treatment plant. The First Nation contributed $61,250 toward this cost-shared project. The Government of Canada is moving forward with a new long-term strategy to address important water, wastewater and solid waste infrastructure issues in First Nations communities. Over the next five years, the Government proposes to improve on-reserve water and wastewater infrastructure by providing $1.8 billion to First Nations communities to address health and safety needs, ensure proper facility operation and maintenance, and end long-term boil water advisories on reserves. Quotes "All Canadians should expect access to safe, clean and reliable drinking water. I would like to congratulate Pic Mobert First Nation on the grand opening of its new water treatment plant today. We look forward to working with First Nation communities across Canada to address water and wastewater issues and fulfill our commitment to end long-term drinking water advisories on reserves within five years." The Honourable Carolyn Bennett, M.D., P.C., M.P. Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs "The new water treatment plant will provide a safe and reliable source of water for the community, and will help to bring real change and improvements for our residents." Chief Wayne Sabourin Pic Mobert First Nation Quick Facts The new water treatment plant includes a below ground reservoir, pumping facilities and fire pump. Existing water treatment facilities were decommissioned as part of the project. Associated Links 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 may contact: Sabrina Williams, Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Carolyn Bennett, 819-997-0002; Media Relations, Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, 819-953-1160; Stay connected, Follow us on Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and Flickr. Fast Growing AgTech Company Takes Big Data To The Farm; Will Remain Based In New Brunswick; Adds San Jose Office FREDERICTON, June 22, 2016 /CNW/ - Resson, a fast-growing data-driven agriculture technology company, today announced that McCain Foods Limited is now a strategic partner and is part of a $US 11 million (about $CDN 14 million) Series B investment round in the company. Other investors in Resson's Series B round include Build Ventures, Rho Canada Ventures, New Brunswick Innovation Foundation, BDC Capital and East Valley Ventures. The New Brunswick, Canada-based Resson helps large and small agriculture companies and agricultural service providers boost productivity and profits with near real-time predictive analysis for crop management. "Having one of the largest names in the global agriculture business back our vision for Resson is a clear indication that the company is on the right track in this multi-trillion dollar industry," said Jeff Grammer, Resson Executive Chairman and Partner at Rho Canada Ventures. "With this investment and the hands-on support from agriculture partners focused on data solutions, we are well positioned for future success." The company's Resson Agricultural Management and Analytics System (RAMAS) integrates large-scale cloud-based data analytics with sensor fusion and robotic platforms to provide agricultural producers with an unequalled view of crop production and field conditions. "We have worked with Resson from the earliest days of the company and have seen the tremendous potential to improve our operations by using their predictive analytics technology," said Dirk Van de Put, McCain President and CEO. "We continue to work with Resson towards the implementation of their breakthrough technology and are excited by the prospects it brings to the community of potato professionals." "McCain has deep roots in New Brunswick and we have a long history of partnering with local businesses, including Fiddlehead Technology in Moncton, and the non-profit organization Enactus Canada to create social businesses in the region. In addition, we are committed to strengthening economic activity in the Florenceville area which was evidenced in 2015 when we announced our partnership with IBM to establish a technology service centre there to serve McCain and a number of other Canadian companies." The Series B funding will allow Resson to expand its product development and sales and marketing efforts. The company will maintain its head office and an expanded technical development team in Fredericton while also adding a business office in San Jose, California. About Resson Resson is a bioinformatics and predictive analytics company that uses large scale data analytics, together with drones and swarm robotics, to help major agricultural producers create efficiencies to maximize production and profit margins. Find out more at www.resson.com About McCain Foods Limited McCain Foods Limited was founded in 1957 by brothers, Harrison and Wallace McCain, in their hometown of Florenceville, New Brunswick, Canada. Since its humble beginnings, McCain Foods has become one of the world's largest manufacturers of frozen french fries and potato specialties. McCain Foods now employs more than 17,000 people with global sales of CDN$7.6 billion. The company operates across six continents with 42 sites, working with 3,200 farmers and using 6.5 million tonnes of potatoes every year. To find out more, visit www.mccain.com. Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Information: Certain statements contained in this release are "forward-looking statements," such as statements concerning the company's anticipated financial results, current and future product performance, regulatory approvals, business and financial plans and other non-historical facts. These statements are based on current expectations and currently available information. However, since these statements are based on factors that involve risks and uncertainties, the company's actual performance and results may differ materially from those described or implied by such forward-looking statements. Undue reliance should not be placed on these forward-looking statements, which are current only as of the date of this release. The companies herein disclaim any current intention or obligation to update any forward-looking statements or any of the factors that may affect actual results. SOURCE Resson For further information: Elizabeth Grant, Bonfire Communications, +1 506-214-5599, [email protected] QUEBEC CITY, June 21, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ - "The contribution of Aboriginal peoples to Quebec's vitality and identity is tremendous, and it is essential that we promote all of its aspects through all available means. We must take the opportunity on National Aboriginal Day to express our solidarity with and commitment to preserving and protecting the culture of Aboriginal peoples," Premier Philippe Couillard declared today, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of National Aboriginal Day. The Premier and the Minister responsible for Native Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Kelley, would like to invite all Quebecers to participate in the festivities surrounding this event, and discover the richness of the traditions, customs, songs and music of Aboriginal communities, which are important contributions to the province of Quebec's cultural life. "For hundreds of years, the culture of First Nations and the Inuit people has greatly contributed to the enrichment of our collective life. National Aboriginal Day is a genuine invitation to share this diversity. This year's anniversary is a great opportunity to maintain the momentum we have achieved, to continue our efforts to work together with Aboriginal peoples on issues of importance to their communities, and to encourage Quebecers to learn more about the richness of Quebec's Aboriginal cultures," stated Minister Kelley. The Secretariat aux Affaires autochtones is pleased to support many initiatives to celebrate National Aboriginal Day, and is a proud partner of the celebrations organized by the Chibougamau, Quebec City and Val-d'Or Native Friendship Centres, as well as at the Shaputuan Museum (located in Uashat-Maliotenam), and in the community of Unamen Shipu. Minister Kelley also wished to point out that the public service will be receiving training today to help them to better understand the unique realities of Aboriginal peoples. This training session is organized by the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, in collaboration with the Secretariat aux Affaires autochtones. This initiative takes place in the wake of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which invited all levels of government to ensure that their employees are adequately informed about the history of Aboriginal peoples and the realities they face. For the occasion, the Red Memory exhibit will be presented in order to share the tragedy that was the Indian Residential Schools program. About National Aboriginal Day National Aboriginal Day was proclaimed in 1996 by the federal government. Since then, the first day of summer, June 21, marks a day of celebration for the Aboriginal peoples of Quebec and the rest of Canada. National Aboriginal Day is also a special occasion to celebrate, across the country, the unique heritage, diverse cultures and outstanding accomplishments of Aboriginal peoples. SOURCE Cabinet du premier ministre For further information: Source: Harold Fortin, Spokesman for the Premier, Director of Communications, Office of the Premier of Quebec, 418 643-5321; Chantal Gauvin, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister responsible for Native Affairs, 418 643-3166 AJAX, ON, June 22, 2016 /CNW/ - During its annual shareholders' meeting held today in Ajax, Veridian Corporation ("Veridian") Chair Adrian Foster alongside President and CEO Michael Angemeer provided shareholders with an update on the company's financial results and business operations. They announced that the utility achieved consolidated net earnings of $9.6 million in 2015. "Veridian's history of strong financial performance and solid fiscal management continued in 2015," said Foster. "Distribution revenue remained steady, dividends paid to our shareholder communities increased, and we successfully negotiated financing that is lowering our overall borrowing costs over the next decade." Highlights from Veridian's 2015 financial results include: A total of $8.4 million in dividends and interest payments to shareholders. in dividends and interest payments to shareholders. Shareholder equity has increased $16.0 million , or an average of four per cent annually, since 2011. , or an average of four per cent annually, since 2011. The Board of Directors approved a dividend policy for the years 2012 to 2016 with base dividends of $4.7 million each year, subject to certain provisions. each year, subject to certain provisions. Veridian maintained its "A" stable trend credit rating, supported by the strength of its financial profile and balance sheet. Adding to Veridian's strong financial results, Angemeer reported that the company recorded exceptional operational performance in a number of key areas in 2015. "Our employees continue to be industry leaders when it comes to customer service and workplace safety recording a 90 per cent customer satisfaction rating and reaching 1 million hours without a lost-time injury. These are outstanding achievements that demonstrate the passion and commitment to service excellence and workplace safety among our employees repeated year over year, with previous customer service ratings over 90 per cent and a previous lost time injury record of over ten years." He added, "The theme of this year's annual report is In Their Words where we are thrilled to highlight customer and stakeholder testimonials of what they think of Veridian." Angemeer also pointed out the recognition the company received in 2015. "We were excited to be named one of Canada's Greenest Employers for a sixth consecutive year a designation that recognizes our leadership in creating a culture of environmental awareness in our workplace, and honoured to have received the Smart Commute Workplace Silver designation for our commitment to promoting and supporting sustainable transportation options for our employees." He went on to say, "In a carbon constrained world, with increasingly valuable uses for clean electricity, existing and new employees attracted by our passion for protecting the environment will help make the company even more successful." Both Foster and Angemeer briefly discussed the potential merger with Oshawa Power and Utilities Corporation and Whitby Hydro Energy Corporation. Both strongly agree that merging the three utilities has the potential to achieve greater shareholder value and optimize services and value for customers. "If the business case review currently underway proves positive, the proposed consolidation would enable us to assure greater resilience and sustainability of our electricity distribution systems for the future, while achieving new synergies to benefit shareholder communities as well as the residents and businesses the utilities serve," said Foster. Foster and Angemeer are committed to keeping Veridian on its path to providing reliable, efficient and sustainable energy services to its customers, while ensuring the company continues to deliver optimal return on investment to shareholders and promoting economic growth in the communities that it serves. They are also excited at the opportunities that lie ahead for Veridian, particularly the development of the Seaton community in north Pickering, opportunities in renewable generation and combined heat and power, and the microgrid pilot project that's underway at the company's corporate headquarters in Ajax. They thanked a progressive board, executive and all staff for all of their efforts to make Veridian a great company. A pdf copy of Veridian's annual report is available online at: veridiancorporation.ca and veridian.on.ca. About Veridian Corporation Veridian Corporation owns and operates Veridian Connections, a subsidiary company that distributes electricity, generates power and provides energy services to more than 119,000 customers. The City of Pickering, the Town of Ajax, the Municipality of Clarington and the City of Belleville jointly own Veridian Corporation. The utility is about to become the fifth largest municipally owned electric utility in Ontario after the merger of large utilities west of Toronto is completed. Veridian has a successful history of effective growth through two mergers and five acquisitions, and now serves nine communities east and north of Toronto more efficiently than any other large non-contiguous utility in Ontario. Veridian has a keen focus on reliability, customer communication and helping to lower customers' electricity bills through the delivery of innovative conservation programs and reasonable rates. Veridian not only contributes to local communities through industry leading financial returns, but also helps build stronger communities through the support of youth, health, economic development, education, the arts, the environment and the disadvantaged. Industry leading employee and public safety, environmental programs and a focus on employee engagement has created an environment that has attracted seven consecutive Canada's Greenest Employer awards and one Top GTA Employer award. Veridian has now diversified into renewable energy, and will be establishing other value added offerings for its customers. Follow us on Twitter: @VeridianTweets SOURCE Veridian Image with caption: "Veridian (CNW Group/Veridian)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160622_C1781_PHOTO_EN_720056.jpg For further information: Chris Mace, [email protected], Corporate Communications Representative, Veridian Connections Inc., 905-427-9870, extension 2218 OTTAWA, June 22, 2016 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada is committed to eliminating systemic barriers and delivering equality of opportunity to all Canadians living with disabilities. Today, the Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities announced the launch of a national consultation process to inform the development of planned legislation that will transform how the Government of Canada addresses accessibility. Minister Qualtrough highlighted the critical importance of accessibility and affirmed the Government of Canada's commitment to ensuring all Canadians are able to participate equally in their communities and workplaces. She outlined that many Canadians continue to face barriers that affect their ability to participate in daily activities that most people take for granted. Barriers could include: physical, architectural and electronic barriers that impact the ability of people with disabilities to move freely in the built environment, to use public transportation or to access information or use technology; attitudes, beliefs and misconceptions that some people may have about people with disabilities and what they can and cannot do; and outdated policies and practices that do not take into account the varying abilities and disabilities that people may have. The Government of Canada is seeking input for this planned legislation, including: feedback on the overall goal and approach; to whom would apply; what accessibility issues and barriers it could address; how it could be monitored and enforced; and what else the Government of Canada could do to improve accessibility. Canadians from around the country have already begun sharing their views on what an accessible Canada means to them. Minister Qualtrough encouraged all Canadians to have their say in the consultation process, either by attending an in-person engagement session or by participating in the online consultation which will be launched in the coming weeks. In-person consultations, including roundtables and town halls, will start in September across Canada. Canadians are also encouraged to follow @AccessibleGC on Twitter, Accessible Canada on Facebook and to follow the #AccessibleCanada hashtag. The consultation process will run until February 2017. Quick Facts The Government of Canada has launched a consultation process that will be open until February 2017 . Canadians are encouraged to participate in the consultation by visiting Canada.ca/Accessible-Canada. has launched a consultation process that will be open until . Canadians are encouraged to participate in the consultation by visiting Canada.ca/Accessible-Canada. Approximately 14% of Canadians aged 15 years or older reported having a disability that limited them in their daily activities. There are approximately 411,600 working-aged Canadians with disabilities who are not working but whose disability does not prevent them from doing so; almost half of these potential workers are post-secondary graduates. Many Canadians with disabilities and functional limitations face challenges that other Canadians do not in accessing buildings and services from the Government of Canada and organizations within federal jurisdiction. For example, between 2011 and 2015, disability-related complaints represented just over half of all the discrimination complaints received by the Canadian Human Rights Commission. Of these, at least six percent touched on issues of accessibility in service delivery. and organizations within federal jurisdiction. For example, between 2011 and 2015, disability-related complaints represented just over half of all the discrimination complaints received by the Canadian Human Rights Commission. Of these, at least six percent touched on issues of accessibility in service delivery. More broadly, an analysis of data from the 2012 Canadian Survey on Disability found that, approximately 2.1 million Canadians aged 15 years or older are at risk of facing barriers in the built environment and/or in relation to information and communications. The Government of Canada's Enabling Accessibility Fund (EAF) provides funding for projects in Canadian communities and workplaces to help improve accessibility. Since the creation of the EAF, the Government of Canada has funded over 2,300 projects, helping thousands of Canadians gain access to their communities' programs, services and workplaces. The program has an annual budget of $15 million . Budget 2016 committed to providing an additional $4 million over two years, starting in 2016-17. A Call for proposals is presently open until Tuesday, July 26 th . Enabling Accessibility Fund (EAF) provides funding for projects in Canadian communities and workplaces to help improve accessibility. Since the creation of the EAF, the Government of has funded over 2,300 projects, helping thousands of Canadians gain access to their communities' programs, services and workplaces. The program has an annual budget of . Budget 2016 committed to providing an additional over two years, starting in 2016-17. A Call for proposals is presently open until . Bill C-11 An Act to Amend the Copyright Act will make changes to the Copyright Act to ensure that it is fully in line with the Marrakesh Treaty and to enable Canada to accede to the treaty. This treaty aims to bring the global community together to better address the universal challenge of ensuring timely access to, and wider availability of, alternate-format published materials for those with print disabilities. Quote "We have made considerable progress in making our society more inclusive, but there is still work to do. Canadians with disabilities continue to face barriers in their daily lives. What does an accessible Canada mean to you? Please take the time to participate in our online consultation or to attend one of our public sessions in person. Together, we will make history." The Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities Associated Links Accessibility Legislation Enabling Accessibility Fund Marrakesh Treaty #AccessibleCanada Backgrounder Consultation to Inform Planned Accessibility Legislation Minister Qualtrough, Canada's first Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities, has been mandated by the Prime Minister to lead an engagement process with Canadians, including Canadians with disabilities, provinces, territories, municipalities, and other stakeholders, that would inform planned legislation that will transform how the Government of Canada addresses accessibility. The consultation process will be open from June 2016 until February 2017. Starting in July, Canadians will be able to participate in the online consultation by completing a questionnaire, replying to questions, or by submitting videos in the language of their choice (English, French, American Sign Language or Langue du signe du Quebec). Canadians can also participate through telephone, mail, email fax or telephone. Starting in September, in-person public consultations are planned to take place in the following cities: St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador and Halifax, Nova Scotia Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island Moncton, New Brunswick Quebec City, Quebec Montreal, Quebec Ottawa, Ontario Toronto, Ontario Thunder Bay, Ontario Winnipeg, Manitoba Regina, Saskatchewan Calgary, Alberta Edmonton, Alberta Vancouver, British Columbia Victoria, British Columbia Iqaluit, Nunavut Yellowknife, Northwest Territories Whitehorse , Yukon . As well, Minister Qualtrough is planning a number of more focused roundtable discussions with key stakeholders, as well as a National Youth Forum that will engage youth with disabilities to engage in the policy discussion. For the most up-to-date information on in-person venues and dates, and to participate online, please visit www.Canada.ca/Accessible-Canada Enabling Accessibility Fund The Enabling Accessibility Fund (EAF) was originally announced as a three-year, $45-million program to support community-based projects across Canada. It was then renewed for another three years prior to being renewed on an ongoing basis at $15 million per year to continue to improve accessibility for Canadians with disabilities. Since its creation, the EAF has funded over 2,300 projects. The EAF offers up to $50,000 in funding. Project costs will be shared between the recipient and government. Contributions equal to or greater than 35 percent of the total eligible costs of the project must be provided by sources other than the federal government (which can include the applicant's own organization). This call for proposals will close on July 26, 2016. For more information about how to submit proposals, please visit: Canada.ca/accessibility-fund The Marrakesh Treaty The Government of Canada is providing $2 million in funding this year to CNIB through the Social Development Partnerships Program Disability component to continue to support CNIB in its production of alternate format published materials for people with print disabilities. People with print disabilities include those with visual impairments, people with impairments which affect reading comprehension (such as learning disabilities), and people who are unable to hold or turn the pages of a book. The Disability Component of the Social Development Partnerships Program supports projects intended to improve the participation and integration of people with disabilities in all aspects of Canadian society. More specifically, the Program supports not-for-profit organizations across Canada in tackling barriers faced by people with disabilities with respect to social inclusion. SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada For further information: Ashley Michnowski, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Sport and Persons with Disabilities,819-934-1122 / TTY: 1-866-702-6967; Media Relations Office, Employment and Social Development Canada, 819-994-5559, [email protected], Follow us on Twitter At least 41 Nigerians were on Wednesday deported from the United States for drug, police and immigration related offences. NigerianEy... At least 41 Nigerians were on Wednesday deported from the United States for drug, police and immigration related offences.gathered that the deportees, all males according to Immigration sources were flown in aboard a chartered aircraft operated by Miami Air International marked with registration number N733MA, which arrived the Lagos international airport at 12.20pm.According to the source nine of the deportees were brought back for drug offences, 26 for police offences while six had immigration related problems.Only last week about 163 Nigerians stranded in Libya voluntarily returned home. Mrs Aisha Buhari (not president's wife), the woman who shares same name with President's wife has finally broken silence on her... (CLICK HERE FOR THE DOCUMENTS) Mrs Aisha Buhari (not president's wife), the woman who shares same name with President's wife has finally broken silence on her alleged involvement in the Halliburton bribery scandal.Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti state had Monday accused the wife of the President of involvement in the halliburton scandal which an American member of Congress was jailed for 13 years in 2009.However, she said she was not the person referred to in the bribery scandal.Ms Buhari, speaking exclusively withTuesday night, said she was never involved in the scandal and linking her name with it was most malicious and wicked.Ms Buhari reportedly stressed that though she shares the same name with the Presidents wife, Mrs Aisha Buhari, she's neither the person referred to in the bribery scandal by the Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose nor by the ex-EFCC boss, Ibrahim Lamorde.Ms Buhari was further reported to have maintained that involving her name in the scandal for political reasons were not only malicious but wicked.This is like pouring water on a sleeping person. I have never done anything with Halliburton, I dont know the colour of the company. I am not in the line of business with Halliburton, so linking me with the bribery is wicked, Ms Buhari stated.Continuing, she said, They are desperate to cover their dirty track and link my name with the scandal that they have to first of all steal my passport. My passport was stolen early this year. And to give credibility to their story, details from the passport were used. They should come to the US, to find out If they are curious about the case.If somebody commits crime in the US, he or she must face trial. Have you heard I am being tried in the US? Let them stop this malicious allegation against me that they do not have proof of, I hate people who do not cross check facts before talking, they should find out in the US the kind of person I am because I belong to organisations there.If they think they are politician and can break the law and go free, they should realise that nobody is above the laws of a country including me,, she disclosed.On Monday, June 20, 2016, Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose accused the Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari and his wife, Aisha Buhari of corrupt practices following EFCC's action on his bank account, Aminu Gwadabe, president of the Association of Bureau De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON), On Wednesday said the BDC will close the gap... Aminu Gwadabe, president of the Association of Bureau De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON), On Wednesday said the BDC will close the gap between parallel and interbank market rates of the naira if the central bank makes it a primary dealer.Speaking on Business Morning, a programme on Channels Television, Gwadabe said the scenario in the country is not new, explaining that Charles Soludo, former CBN governor, consulted the association in 2006 when a similar situation occurred.He said the collaboration brought about a solution in less than a month, recommending the same approach to the apex bank.Remember, in 2006, we had this kind of scenario, by then the leadership of professor Charles Soludo brought the BDCs into the window, it did not take the BDCs more than one month to crash the rate between the official and parallel market, he said.What we are seeing now has been practised before, it is creating cartel, there is the need to involve larger participants.The introduction of the bureau de change will definitely reduce that gap or eliminate it completely. It is easier to say its bureau de change that causes the spike, but BDCs have been totally shut from the market.Gwadabe said not all banks have what it takes to be primary dealers, alleging that this factor has been causing disaffection among banks.Before the kick off on Monday, we were told that only four have qualified. From four to eight, so we are beginning to see some modification, he said.Like I rightly said, not all the banks can meet that standardization, not all the banks can boast of $600 billion asset to make the list. So there is a growing disaffection even among the banks.He said the BDCs, which remain a potent tool for closing the gap better official rate and parallel market rate, will be meeting with CBN on Wednesday to discuss the way forward.You know there are 3,000 BDCs in Nigeria, we are looking at the possibility, we are talking to the CBN already on how to also secure our primary dealership licence, so we can cater for our members, he said.There is going to be an interactive session between CBN management and the BDC operators on Wednesday, June, 29. There are many reasons why the central bank should allow BDCs to participate in that market. If you look at the present players, they are sharing partners of the central bank.The distribution is not potent like the BDC, the convenience is not as potent as that of the BDCs, the potential is not as potent as that of the bureau de change. The BDCs service the critical sector of the economy.You want to buy $200, you cannot go to the bank and queue, you have to look for nearby BDC. You just flew into the country at 3am, you cannot see any bank that is operating, the option you have is BDC.He said BDCs have contributed over $30 billion inflow to the Indian economy, adding that in Dubai, UAE, it is the Bureau de change that supplies the cash needs of banks. Hillary Clinton's campaign is going all in on what it believes is a winning political strategy against Donald Trump: Paint him as a ... Hillary Clinton's campaign is going all in on what it believes is a winning political strategy against Donald Trump: Paint him as a dangerous menace to the country.After slamming Trump for days as a disaster on national security in the aftermath of last weekend's Orlando massacre, Clinton unleashed a similar attack on her Republican rival this time, on the economy.The former secretary of state delivered her first general election economic speech in Columbus, Ohio, Tuesday morning, in remarks that once again attempted to dismantle Trump's policy prescriptions and cast the businessman as a danger to the U.S. economy."You might think that because he has spent his life as a businessman, he'd be better prepared to handle the economy. Well, it turns out, he's dangerous there, too," Clinton told supporters here. "Just like he shouldn't have his finger on the button, he shouldn't have his hands on our economy."In lengthy remarks, Clinton challenged Trump's policy proposals point by point, from his suggestion to pay off the national debt by printing money to his stance on Wall Street reform to his tax plan. She warned: "Our nation's economy isn't a game.""Every day we see how reckless and careless Trump is. He's proud of it," she said. "Well, that's his choice, except when he's asking to be president. Then it's our choice."The speech was filled with memorable zingers. Slamming Trump for lacking a substantive strategy on job-creation, Clinton said: "But maybe we shouldn't expect better from someone whose famous words are: 'You're fired.'"And as Clinton went after Trump's business record, she mused: "He's written a lot of books about business. They all seem to end at Chapter 11."Clinton's pivot to the economy comes at a moment of peril for the Trump campaign. The embattled National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Ali modu Sheriff, has said the partys governorship primar... The embattled National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Ali modu Sheriff, has said the partys governorship primary in Edo State is illegal.Sheriff voided the primary, which was held on Monday by the Ahmed Makarfi-led caretaker committee, saying it was a contraption by an illegal caretaker committee.The former Borno State governor urged party members to disregard the primary.A letter on the primary by Sheriff and PDP National Secretary, Prof Wale Oladipo, was addressed to the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).The duo urged INEC to avoid legitimising the Edo primary, saying the party would conduct a proper primary to nominate a candidate.Sheriff released a scheduled congress in the state to between June 23 and 29 with the inauguration of a congress committee scheduled for Thursday.The embattled chairman warned the partys state chapter chairmen and other officers to desist from holding meetings with the Makarfi committee.He added that such actions would attract sanctions. The sides have only met three times before, with Austria winning once and the other two games drawn. Those three games produced a total of just five goals. The most recent encounter was a friendly in Innsbruck in May 2014 when Kolbeinn Sigthorsson cancelled out Marcel Sabitzer's opener for Austria. The only competitive encounters between the countries came in qualifying for the 1990 World Cup. The sides drew 0-0 in Reykjavik with Austria winning 2-1 in Salzburg. Iceland have made fewer successful passes (298) than any other side at Euro 2016. Five of Gylfi Sigurdsson's last seven goals for Iceland have come from the penalty spot. Iceland's only previous visit to the Stade de France ended in a 3-2 defeat against France in October 1999. Eidur Gudjohnsen came on as a second-half substitute in that game. Iceland have only lost one of their last eight competitive matches (W3, D4). Austria have not progressed from the group stage of a major tournament since reaching the second round at the 1982 World Cup. They were eliminated at the group stage at the World Cup in 1990 and 1998 and at Euro 2008. None of Austria's last 32 shots at the European Championships have found the back of the net. David Alaba has been successful with just 52 of 73 (71%) attempted passes so far for Austria. His passing accuracy for Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga in 2015-16 was 92%. Iceland were denied a first win at a major tournament following Birkir Svarsson's 87th minute own goal against Hungary, but the minnows know a win against Austria - and possibly even a draw - will take them through to the last 16. It would be a remarkable achievement for a country with a population of just over 330,000.They could again look to play on the counter-attack against an Austrian side who must go on the offensive - anything but a win will eliminate Marcel Koller's team.Austria rode their luck in the goalless draw against Portugal - who missed a host of chances, including a late penalty by Cristiano Ronaldo, and boss Koller believes that could be a turning point in their campaign."If this ball had gone in we could have returned home to Austria," Koller claimed (although his side would not have been eliminated had they lost). "After the last game [against Hungary] we were frustrated and now the reality is different.Iceland captain Aron Gunnarsson is expected to be available to play against Austria despite a groin problem.Johann Gudmundsson, Alfred Finnbogason and Birkir Saevarsson are one booking from a ban.Austria must decide whether to recall centre-back Aleksandar Dragovic, who has completed a one-game ban following his red card against Hungary.Playmaker Zlatko Junuzovic could again miss out because of an ankle injury.A win will guarantee that Iceland qualify for the last 16 as one of the top two teams in Group F. Five points could be enough for Iceland to win the group - that would depend on them ranking above Hungary or Portugal on goal difference; goals scored; or fair play ranking.A draw will send Iceland through in second place if Portugal lose. Regardless of Portugal's result, a draw guarantees Iceland finish at least third - giving them a chance of ending as one of the best third-placed teams.An Austria win would send them through - anything else and they're out.: Halldorsson; Svarsson, R Sigurdsson, Arnason, Skulason; Gudmundsson, Gunnarsson, G Sigurdsson, B Bjarnason; Sigthorsson, Bodvarsson.Almer; Klein, Prodl, Dragovic, Fuchs; Baumgartlinger, Alaba; Harnik, Schopf, Arnautovic; Janko. Radja Nainggolan scored a late goal to give Belgium a 1-0 win versus Sweden to send Zlatan Ibrahimovic's team home from Euro 2016 and secure second spot for Marc Wilmots' team in Group E.Both teams had quality chances throughout a scoreless first half. A lively Kevin De Bruyne found Romelu Lukaku in the sixth minute, but the Everton striker's shot was blocked away to safety.Knowing nothing but a win would do, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Sweden pushed players forward to decent effect in the first 45 minutes. Ibra's cheeky effort at a volley from 10 yards out was blocked by the Belgian defence in the 22nd minute.The Swedish talisman was at it again minutes later, with a well-struck shot from distance blazing just wide of Thibaut Courtois' goal.Eden Hazard continued to help keep Belgium threatening in the attack, with the Chelsea man finding De Bruyne for a shot from distance that was gathered up by Andreas Isaksson.Ibra found Markus Berg in the Belgium penalty area in the 53rd minute, but Berg's wayward first touch cost him a chance to shoot. Berg recollected the ball and passed to Albin Ekdal, whose first-time shot was on target but easily handled by Courtois.Sweden thought they had their first in the 63rd minute, but Berg had been whistled for a dangerous play before the ball found its way into the net.De Bruyne chipped nicely to Lukaku in the 64th minute, but the big Belgian could not get his volleyed attempt on target from eight yards.A Sweden giveaway at midfield led to another chance for De Bruyne a minute later, but the Man City midfielder's well-struck line drive was saved by Isaksson.De Bruyne then played Lukaku in on goal with a pinpoint through ball giving the striker a clear path to the Sweden goal, but Isaksson again saved from a deft outside-of-the-foot effort.In the 75th minute, Ibrahimovic had a golden chance from a free kick, but a well-hit dipping shot from 25 yards out was blocked away by Courtois.Lukaku collected the ball at the top of the penalty area in the 79th minute and quickly turned to his left to shoot only to see the ball sail over the crossbar.With Sweden chasing a goal, Belgium again got free on a counter-attack once again, and this time Nainggolan made no doubt about it. The Roma player received the ball from Hazard and lashed a powerful shot that took a kind deflection to beat Isakson.Sweden failed to score a goal and finished last in their group as Ibrahimovic's international career comes to an end.Belgium will face Group F winner Hungary in the round of 16 on June 26 in ToulouseCredit: ESPN The Presidency yesterday faulted an attempt by Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose to link President Muhammadu Buharis wife, Aisha, to Unit... The Presidency yesterday faulted an attempt by Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose to link President Muhammadu Buharis wife, Aisha, to United States (U.S.) Congressman William Jeffersons bribery scandal.Jefferson was convicted for the offence in 2009.According to a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, Fayoses position was shameless and blatant distortion of facts.He said the Presidency would ordinarily have ignored Fayose as he is a man childishly obsessed with the desire to grab the headlines and insulting people at will because of his incurably boorish instinctsBut the Presidency, he said, decided to react on the issue in order not to allow Fayose mislead innocent Nigerians.He added that ignoring the governor risked giving traction and credibility to outright and brazen falsehoods inconsistent with the status of anybody that calls himself a governor or leader.The presidential aide explained that Mrs. Aisha Buhari had no direct, indirect or the remotest connection with William Jeffersons corruption scandal in the U.S.He challenged 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 Buharis wife.He urged the governor to produce evidence from the records of investigation and subsequent trial of Jefferson to prove that the presidents wife was in anyway linked to that scandal.The presidential aide asked Fayose to show proof when and where Mrs. Buhari was invited for interrogation in connection with the Congressmans bribery scandal, let alone indicted for a crime locally or abroad.Shehu explained that common names alone were not enough to automatically link innocent people to crimes or scandals, especially in an era of identity thieves.He said free speech did not entitle Fayose to falsely accuse innocent people of crimes they knew nothing about.He said Mrs. Buhari was entitled to protect her reputation from being recklessly maligned, stressing that political opposition was not a licence to attack peoples reputation brazenly without legal consequences. President Mohammadu Buhari has cried out, saying that leading the people of Nigeria was a huge task. In a manner that suggested that the ... President Mohammadu Buhari has cried out, saying that leading the people of Nigeria was a huge task. In a manner that suggested that the weight of the present challenges facing the Nigerian State was telling on his leadership, the president urged his Ministers and indeed, Nigerians to pray for the country.He however said that instilling patriotic spirit in the people for the benefit of especially posterity was a task that must be done.He noted the month of Ramadan as a special time when God listened and answered prayers of the faithful.The President spoke Tuesday night while breaking fast with members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) who were mainly his Ministers at the presidential banquet hall of the Aso Villa, Abuja.He said: It strengthens our resolve to build our country to make it stronger and to make sure that the incoming generations are sufficiently motivated to be patriotic. It is no news that we are the biggest country in Africa, we are the economy engine of Africa, which are true by the way. But, we must always be patriotic in our dealings with others.This (Ramadan) month of prayers and service to God, let us keep on these prayers all the times, believing that God in His infinite mercy will listen to our prayers, give us peace, security and better the economy once more, so that we can quickly rebuild and even do more for the country. Let me assure that the time of Ramadan is making us more conscious of what leaders at every level ought to do, and leading the people is not a joke.It means accepting responsibilities for good or wrong, he said. Recalling the economic challenges and the agitations for the sovereign state of Biafra, President Buhari reminded the people of the Nigerian Civil war that claimed over 2 million lives. We need a lot of prayer. Certainly, with the nations economy going down.Havent developed the agriculture, we are still trying to talk on those who will come and develop the solid mineral for us. The militants in their various homes. We need to reflect very seriously on what happened between 1967 and 1970 where about two millions Nigerians lost their lives.And at that time, as young military officers, you hardly heard of anything about petroleum or whatever money you got from it. Look at what Gen. Gowon said; `To keep Nigeria one is a task that must be done and every soldier whether he has been to school or not knew what the General meant. But, we were quarreling with our brothers, we were not fighting an enemy and then somebody is saying that once again he wants Biafra.I think this is because he was not born when there was Biafra. We have to reflect on the historical antecedent to appreciate what is before us now and what we intend to leave for our children and our grand children, he warned. President Buhari thanked the ministers and other members of the cabinet who have identified with his government despite all odds.Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, who spoke on behalf of members of the FEC, expressed gratitude to the President for inviting them to break the fast with him. Ayodele Fayose, governor of Ekiti state, says it is obvious that he has become the headache of the government of President Muhammadu Bu... He accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of acting a movie scripted President Buhari just to silence him, challenging the anti-graft agency to go after Sahara Energy which allegedly donated $60 million to the campaign of the All Progressives Congress (APC) before the election.Fayose denied receiving any money from the office of Sambo Dasuki, former national security adviser, and Musiliu Obanikoro, former minister of defence, for his election.I have no financial transaction whatsoever with the office of the national security adviser (ONSA) under Col Sambo Dasuki (rtd) and former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro either by cash, cheque or electronic transfer, he said in a statement signed on his behalf by Idowu Adelusi, his chief press secretary.It is obvious I have become the main headache of President Buharis government what they are doing now is part of their grand plots to intimidate and harass me into submission but I am not someone that can be cowed by threats of incarceration and death.I make bold to state that in the overall interest of democracy and well-being of Nigerians, I will continue to speak my mind on issues bordering on governance in Nigeria. I will not be intimidated!I advise that they should keep their gun pounder dry and wait till the end of my tenure in 2018 and I want to assure them that I will be available to answer any of their questions, no matter how unreasonable.On the alleged involvement of Buharis wife in the Halliburton scam, the governor challenged her to visit the US to convince Nigerians that she was not the Aisha Buhari mentioned in the judgment convicting William Jefferson.He alleged that she had been running away from America, saying Buhari has gone to the country thrice in the last one year, without taking his wife, adding that Aisha delegated Toyin Saraki, wife of the senate president to a programme she was supposed to attend in the US.It is on record that the President has visited USA three times and his wife did not travel with him. Equally, she ought to have visited USA last year September to chair a United Nation programme but she sent wife of the Senate President, Mrs Toyin Saraki to represent her, the statement read.Fayose said Zenith Bank sponsored his election, but has now turned against him because of the current battle with the EFCC.He threatened to name names if those who bankrolled his election are now sacred as a result of the recent developments.The management of Zenith Bank, which majorly funded my election, called me to a meeting where I was assured that fund will be provided for my election. I was asked to nomine a trusted ally to be related with and I nominated Mr Abiodun Agbele, he said.All the payments into Abiodun Agbeles account domiciled in Zenith Bank were directly from Zenith Bank. In actual fact, the account was opened by Zenith Bank hurriedly at that time and Abiodun Agbeles identity card which ought to have been collected before the account was opened was only collected last week in the banks desperation to perfect the account obviously after submitting to the intimidation and harassment of the EFCC.Most of the funds posted into Agbeles account were through the Ibadan, Akure and Lagos branches of the Zenith Bank and sometimes; they brought cash.Assuming but not conceding that cash moved from Lagos to Akure as being claimed by the EFCC in its usual manner of media trial, was meant for my election in Ekiti, why was the cash not moved to Ado Ekiti branch of Zenith Bank or the cash handed to me directly? Why was it deposited into Zenith Bank, Akure and did the bank make any report on the transaction to the appropriate authorities? Why did the bank send its bullion van to move the money from Akure Airport to their Akure branch if it was illegal money?I must say it categorically that I dont have any link financially with Obanikoro and I know as a fact that he (Obanikoro) has not; and cannot mention my name, as beneficiary of whatever money any company in which he has interest could have gotten from the ONSA if truly Obanikoro collected money from the ONSA as being claimed by the EFCC.Therefore, bringing Obanikoro and his sons narrative or that the Zenith Bank is telling different stories, having been blackmailed and coerced into submission by the EFCC is a joke that will not fly.I wish to state further that if it becomes evidently clear that those who willingly provided money for my election can no longer stand by what did, may be because of threat from the EFCC, I will not hesitate to name names. The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, his wife Olori Wuraola and members of his entourage visited the Smithsonian Mus... The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, his wife Olori Wuraola and members of his entourage visited the Smithsonian Museum of African Art, in Washington DC yesterday June 21st.During a visit, Shango worshipers on his delegation performed a traditional rite that involved fire and smoke. The US Fire Service were alerted and they immediately responded by arriving at the scene. An explanation on what was actually going on pacified the firefighters but they still stood on stand to observe and prevent any incident from occurring. See more photos after the cut... Senator Buruji Kashamu, Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, has lashed at Governor Ayo Fayose of... Senator Buruji Kashamu, Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, has lashed at Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti state for attacking Aisha Buhari, wife of President Muhammadu Buhari.A statement issued by Kashamu on Tuesday evening read, ''It is interesting that Mr. Fayose is talking about the rule of law and the need to do things within the ambit of the law. I never knew that he has ever heard of the concept of the Rule of Law. When he trampled on other peoples rights in a bid to abrogate their tenure in office where was the Rule of Law? Now he is crying out because he is afraid he might have to get a taste of his own medicine because a man must certainly reap whatever he sows.Mr. Fayose is talking about the fact that he enjoys immunity under the law. If I may ask: can a governor who disobeys the law with reckless abandon seek protection under the law? You cannot say because immunity covers you, you should not be investigated if you are suspected to have benefitted from the funds that were meant to buy arms for the protection of Nigerians. I think it is high time that we, as a people and government, address the issue of people committing crimes and hiding under the immunity clause.Fayose must stop chasing shadows and address the allegations against him. It is preposterous that he suddenly remembered that someone was involved in the Halliburton scandal at exactly the same time that he is being investigated over the funds he allegedly collected from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).The questions are: Was he a beneficiary of the ONSA funds? Is it true that over N300million was frozen in three accounts traced to him? Were suspicious cash deposits made into the accounts in 2014, in clear violation of the Money Laundering Act and other enabling laws?It is said that you can fool some people all of the time but you cannot fool all the people all of the time. Nigerians can now see that what is playing out is a confirmation of my earlier position that the loudest among us are not necessarily the most pious. If he is being asked questions about his campaign funds, he should be bold enough to give explanations without necessarily casting aspersion on anyone. He should allow necessary investigations to go on unimpeded.''That will not only help to prove his innocence or otherwise but could possibly boost his rating. He could even choose to waive his immunity to aid the investigation if he does not have anything to hide. Immunity does not preclude any public officer even a governor from explaining how he funded his election campaign or the source (s) of deposits made into his account (s).The reality that Mr. Fayose must come to terms with is that the allegations against him are too grave to be sidelined for a seemingly spurious allegation against the wife of the president. Months of workers salaries are yet to be paid in Ekiti State; development partners have abandoned state, just as families are languishing as a result of his ill-advised political scheming.This current campaign of calumny and juvenile tantrums cannot sweep the issue of corruption under the carpet; neither can it kick enough dirt to make any right-thinking Nigerian to shut his or her eyes to the truth. This is not about party affiliation or dog eating dog. It is about the plundering of our commonwealth and there should be no sacred cows in the fight against corruption. This is a fight that all patriotic Nigerians should lend their weight without any primordial sentiments or prejudice. An Argentine fan ran to the pitch to paid homage to Argentina captain Lionel Messi during their 4-0 Copa America triumph against USA on Tuesday.At the start of the second half, a young man ran onto the field with a pen in hand, in an effort to get Messis autograph on his Argentina jersey.With security nowhere to be seen, Messi signed the guys shirt, but that was just the beginning.The man sunk to his knees, before he waved his arms down at Messi to indicate hes a god.The Barcelona star looked slightly embarrassed by the adulation, and he tried to pacify the fan by getting close to him.The upshot was the pitch invader embraced Messi in a long hug, before they separated, only for the fan to bag a second big hug with his idol.Watch the footage below. Many people have been feared killed and several others trapped after a tanker exploded around Mowe-Ibafo, Ogun State. Many people have been feared killed and several others trapped after a tanker exploded around Mowe-Ibafo, Ogun State.The explosion which occurred at about 1am on Wednesday was said to have affected mostly residents who went to scoop petrol from a fallen tanker.It was gathered that the explosion resulted to heavy gridlock on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, forcing people to flee their vehicles.The Nation gathered that many vehicles were engulfed by the fire. New militant group, Niger Delta Volunteers (NDV), yesterday announced its presence in Akwa Ibom State. In a statement by its spokesman ... New militant group, Niger Delta Volunteers (NDV), yesterday announced its presence in Akwa Ibom State.In a statement by its spokesman Commander Ekpo Ekpo, NDV claimed responsibility for last weeks attack on gas pipeline belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Nigeria Gas Company (NGC), which supplies gas to ALSCON at Ikot Abasi in Akwa Ibom State.The pipeline was attacked last Thursday but the Akwa Ibom State Government and Police Commissioner Murtala Mani claimed it was a leakage.NDV said its professionals attacked the pipeline at 11:45 a.m to welcome President Muhammadu Buhari, who was on a 10-day vacation in the United Kingdom (UK), back in the country that day.The group said the current dialogue between the Federal Government and Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) should be extended to Akwa Ibom State, if the government did not want it to shut down some major platforms and flowlines in the state.It also vowed to move after some selfish paramount rulers, who it accused of conniving with oil companies to allegedly siphon money meant for community development.NDV said it would soon unveil its website, twitter handle and Facebook account.The statement reads: We, the Niger Delta Volunteers, have condemned the recent claim by Akwa Ibom State Government that the attack on NNPC gas line was a leakage.The gas pipeline belonging to NNPC/NGC and supplying gas to ALSCON at Ikot Abasi, was attacked by our professionals at exactly 11.45 a.m on Thursday, June 16, as a welcome to Mr. President. who was due in the country that Thursday, to record our grievances and announce the presence of the Niger Delta Volunteers in Akwa Ibom State to fight injustice, marginalisation and oppression for the common people.It is very sad that the governor we worked for and delivered could deceive the world that the attack was a leakage; even the community around that axis can testify that it was an explosion and not a leakage, as claim.It is not surprising because the government is full of deceits. We urge the state government and the State Executive Council (Exco) to deliver dividends of democracy to the people, instead of deceiving them.We were shocked that the Akwa Ibom State Government, which has been crying that there is no money to pay salaries, could pay for over seven pages in The Nation on Monday, June 20 (pages 33 to 39), which is worth millions of naira, just to deceive the country about projects that are not in existence.We demand that the ongoing dialogue between the Federal Government and Niger Delta militants should be extended to Akwa Ibom State; otherwise, we will shut down some major platforms and flow lines in our state.Very soon, we will move after some selfish paramount rulers who connive with oil companies to siphon money meant for community development. Enough is enough.Soon, we will unveil our website, twitter and facebook.Mani had told reporters that the rumoured bombing was not a militant attack.But a highly placed source, who spoke in confidence at the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Jubilee in Ikot Abasi, Akwa Ibom State, confirmed the attack on the NNPC pipeline.The source said: Yes, there was an attack on the pipeline between Akwa Ibom and Rivers states boundary on Ikot AbasiPort Harcourt Road.Right now, engineers from NNPCs Port Harcourt office are there working on the pipelines. Our officers and other security agencies are also there.Also, the state government has debunked rumours of pipeline bombing at Ikot Osute in Oruk Anam Local Government Area.It called for calm among the residents, who might have been troubled by the rumour.Information and Communications Commissioner Aniekan Umanah said: There is no iota of truth in the claims making rounds in the social media.He said what happened was an eruption occasioned by a leakage in an old pipeline of the NGC, which traversed the area.Umanah added: No pipeline has been bombed in Akwa Ibom State. Those peddling such rumours are ignorant of the true situation in the affected area.As at Thursday morning, when security operatives and officials of the state government visited Ikot Osute, the Ministry of Environment, NGC personnel and other gas companies operating the area were on site, working round the clock to ensure safety in the area.The commissioner advised all to remain calm and go about their businesses without fear. Ten months after the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) caucus in the upper chamber of the national assembly declared support for the governm... Ten months after the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) caucus in the upper chamber of the national assembly declared support for the government of President Muhammadu Buhari, the opposition lawmakers have backed down.The legislators announced their decision at the end of plenary on Wednesday.In a statement read by Emmanuel Bawcha, deputy minority leader, the PDP senators said the reason for their decision was because of the belligerent stance of the All Progressives Congress (APC) government.We condemn the plot to remove the senate president and his deputy through illegal means, Bawcha said. We will no longer cooperate with the APC government until they cease their belligerent acts.The senators also described the freezing of the bank account of Ayodele Fayose, Ekiti state governor, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), as a political witch-hunt, and advised the government to act with caution.The freezing of account of Ekiti state governor is a clear political witch-hunt, he said.We wish the government to act with caution and desist from acts of lawlessness.Back in August, Godswill Akpabio, minority leader, joined 48 of his PDP colleagues to express their determination to support the president.The PDP senate caucus reiterates its support to Mr President Muhammadu Buhari and his quest to bring about a greater Nigeria, Akpabio had said.The PDP senate caucus, despite its formidable strength, has resolved to offer only credible opposition that would lead to the building of a better Nigeria. The caucus will give him all the needed support to ensure his success as president. The senate has summoned Babachir Lawal, secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), and Geoffrey Onyeama, foreign affairs ministe... The senate has summoned Babachir Lawal, secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), and Geoffrey Onyeama, foreign affairs minister, over alleged irregularities in the ambassadorial list.On June 9, President Muhammadu Buhari sent a list of 47 ambassadorial nominees to the senate for confirmation.But the list generated much controversy owing to alleged irregularities in the process of nominating the yet-to-be confirmed ambassadors.Raising a point of order, Joshua Dariye, a senator from Plateau state, urged the senate to invite the SGF and the minister to explain the cause of the alleged irregularities in the list.Senate President Bukola Saraki put Dariyes request to a voice vote after a brief debate, and members voted in favour of summoning the duo.Afterwards, the upper legislative chamber directed its committee on foreign affairs to invite the SGF and the minister.Speaking on the issue, Saraki said: On career ambassadors we must ensure that the process is transparent.It is important the senate committee invite the SGF and minister of foreign affairs to explain the processes the names came about.The federal government has filed charges of criminal conspiracy and forgery against Saraki and Ike Ekweremadu, deputy senate president, at an Abuja high court for allegedly forging the senate standing order, 2015.The senate views the governments action as an attempt to weaken the legislature. Donald Trump went on a blistering offensive against Hillary Clinton on Wednesday, calling her disqualified to run for president and savagi... Donald Trump went on a blistering offensive against Hillary Clinton on Wednesday, calling her disqualified to run for president and savaging her record on trade, foreign policy, human rights and immigration.The billionaire Republican candidate for president, who has denounced Clintons $42 million war chest as blood money, sharpened his attacks on the polarizing Democratic nominee after disastrous headlines have fueled speculation that his controversial campaign is unravelling.Hillary Clinton may be the most corrupt person ever to seek the presidency, he said in a speech at Trump SoHo, his five-star hotel in Manhattan to shouts of Trump, Trump, Trump from supporters.He said the stakes in the November general election could not be higher, presenting himself as an innovative thinker who could get things done and protect voters from an economic and political system rigged against them by career politicians, Clinton included.Trump attacked Clinton as a world-class liar who had perfected the politics of personal profit and theft and lacked the judgment to be Americas first woman commander-in-chief.She ran the State Department like her own personal hedge fund doing favors for repressive regimes, and many others, in exchange for cash, he alleged of her tenure as Americas top diplomat.He alleged that her disgraceful foreign policy had cost America thousands of lives and trillions and trillions of dollars in reference to her support for the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq.In just four years, secretary Clinton managed to almost single-handedly destabilize the entire Middle East, he added, calling the Islamic State extremist group a threat because of her decisions.On economics, he assaulted her support for trade deals, saying they had wrought total devastation for working Americans and cost the country nearly a third of its manufacturing jobs.Americas trade deficit with China had soared by 40 percent while she was secretary of state, he said: Hillary Clinton gave China millions of jobs and in exchange Hillary Clinton got rich.Trump claimed that Clinton and her husband, former president Bill Clinton, had made $153 million in speeches to lobbyists, foreign governments and CEOs since 2001 and castigated her for refusing to release the transcripts of her closed-door speeches to Wall Street.He also claimed that her familys Clinton Foundation had taken millions from countries in the Middle East that abuse women and members of the LGBT community. PARAMUS -- A bear was captured after he climbed a tree Wednesday in Paramus. The bear had been spotted in Paramus and surrounding towns over the past few days, Carol Tyler, senior animal control officer for the borough, said. Police chased the bear into a tree in a backyard on Stella Court Wednesday morning. Officials from the state division of Fish and Wildlife tranquilized the bear and captured it in a net. The bear, a 1-year-old male, is now headed to western New Jersey. The bear appeared to have been limping after possibly being struck by a car Thursday, Tyler said. However, it was healthy enough to climb a tree, and to survive in the wild, she said. Closeup look at 119 lb yearling bear rescued from tree in Paramus @NBCNewYork pic.twitter.com/4uzYAAjzTX Brian Thompson (@brian4NY) June 22, 2016 Myles Ma may be reached at mma@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MylesMaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook. NEWARK - A Bergenfield woman pleaded guilty Wednesday to her role in a conspiracy to traffic about two kilograms of cocaine, which prosecutors say she received in the mail from Puerto Rico. Sasha Melendez, 37, admitted to conspiring with a co-defendant from New York to distribute cocaine, according to U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman. She was arrested on March 24, 2015 when she accepted the drug, contained in a parcel in the mail, Fishman said. Melendez pleaded guilty Wednesday to one count of conspiring to distribute. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine, Fishman said. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 4. Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook. joint-base-brush-fire.jpg A brush fire at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst is prompting evacuations of home in the Browns Mills section of Pemberton Township in Burlington County on Wednesday. The overhead image shown was captured by helicopter and provided by 6ABC.com. (6ABC.com) UPDATE: N.J. military base forest fire spreads to 220 acres JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST -- Burlington County residents were evacuated from their homes Wednesday afternoon due to a forest fire at nearby Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. Base officials said the evacuations in the Browns Mills section of Pemberton Township are a precautionary measure until the blaze can be contained. "Tri-base officials are aggressively working with the Burlington Fire Department and the New Jersey Forest Fire Service to contain the fire," Senior Airman Lauren Pitts said. "The cause of this fire is still under investigation," Pitts said. "It's not uncommon for this to happen." Residents forced from their homes were being sent to a senior center on Dearborn Road, according to 6ABC.com, which had a helicopter overhead. Pitts says that in the past routine training exercises have resulted in fires. Hot and windy weather combined with the firing of weapons or heated bullet casings are a common recipe for brush fires. Roughly 2,000 acres burned in a wildfire last week that started on a training range and was visible for miles. Base service members regularly train to fight the fires that arise as a result of training and are well-prepared to battle the blaze, said Pitts. Officials do not yet have an estimate on size of the fire. Greg Wright may be reached at gwright@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregTheWright. Find NJ.com on Facebook. COLLINGSWOOD -- The borough chef arrested last summer on child pornography charges seeks release from incarceration and transfer to his parents' Collingswood home because of the "substantial danger" he currently faces. Alex Capasso (Star-Ledger File Photo In court papers filed Monday, 42-year-old Alexander Capasso -- who previously opened and operated restaurants in Collingswood and Philadelphia -- is attempting to negotiate a bail package. In December, a federal judge ordered he be held without bail and he's currently in a detention center in Philadelphia. The package would include "location monitoring, restricted computer access and third-party custodians," according to the request filed by Capasso's lawyer, Gilbert J. Scutti. Those custodians would be Capasso's retired parents who, according to the lawsuit, have lived in Collingswood for 30 years and are "prepared to take 24-hour supervision of their son if he is released and permitted to reside with them." Capasso was arrested last July alongside an ex-girlfriend after undercover FBI investigators allegedly had online conversations with him, which included trading sexually explicit photos of minors. Some of those photos appeared to show young family members, including a niece and 10-year-old boy. He later denied knowing the female pictured in the photos, but authorities later found additional photos of her. Capasso is facing charges of sexual exploitation of a child, distribution of child pornography and child pornography possession. Per the lawsuit, he is "prepared to show that he is not a danger to the community, but instead, his current community poses a substantial danger to him." It continues to say that Capasso has never been convicted of anything beyond a disorderly persons offense and that his flight risk is "reduced to the point of zero" due to location monitoring and third-party custodians. The request will be heard in federal court in Camden on July 11, according to the Courier-Post. Greg Adomaitis may be reached at gadomaitis@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregAdomaitis. Find NJ.com on Facebook. MIDDLE TWP. -- A microburst was responsible for the heavy damage and power outages throughout Cape May County Tuesday afternoon, officials from the National Weather Service confirmed Wednesday. After many residents questioned if a tornado had in fact touched down in South Jersey, the National Weather Service was out surveying areas intensely hit by severe storms Tuesday afternoon. Officials from National Weather Service determined the storm to be a microburst -- which is a downburst of very strong winds between 70 and 80 mph, according to Mitchell Gaines, with National Weather Service in Mount Holly. More than 8,000 Atlantic City Electric customers are still without power as of Wednesday afternoon -- 6,160 customers in Lower Township and 1,582 in Middle Township. At the peak of the storm, more than 32,000 were without power. "We have seen a considerable amount of trees taken down. We've also seen some poles and power lines taken down in the localized area. We've accumulated information from residents to help make the determination as well," Gaines said. A tornado warning was issued at 3:40 p.m. by the NWS. While that type of storm isn't what happened in South Jersey, Gaines explained the damage of the microburst showed all the trees pointing in the same direction. Had it been a tornado, a lot of trees would have likely snapped at the top, according to Gaines. "We did not see a lot of trees snapped at the top, which would be an indication of a funnel or circular motion in the clouds," Gaines added. In a case of a tornado warning, residents are reminded to immediately seek shelter. Resident Jason Vilimas has lived in his Green Creek home for just a few months and has been cleaning up since the storm struck Tuesday afternoon. "We started cleaning up after it happened -- a lot out in the front yard. The power lines got ripped right up. It started out as a little rainstorm and the next thing you know, it's a downpour and almost all the trees were at 90 degree angles," Vilimas recalled. "It was wicked, it was definitely wicked," Vilimas continued. Other residents were left cleaning up throughout the day, including Dianna Bart, also of Green Creek. Bart has lived in her home for about 14 years, but said she never experienced a storm like this. "The wind and rain was just amazing. It didn't last long but I heard the trees snap. We have had hurricanes, and I've watched storms, but never anything like this," Bart said. As clean-up continues, officials at National Weather Service are looking at a risk of severe thunderstorms tonight from the Philadelphia area heading south and then gusty winds and downpours Thursday. More information will be released later today by the National Weather Service. Brittany Wehner may be reached at bwehner@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @brittanymwehner. Find NJ.com on Facebook. TRENTON -- New Jersey's top Republican lawmakers say they will back Gov. Chris Christie's plan to lower property taxes for most state residents by reducing state aid to urban and low-income school districts. Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean Jr. (R-Union) announced Wednesday he will co-sponsor Christie's proposal along with Sen. Michael Doherty (R-Warren). Assembly Minority Leader Jon Bramnick (R-Union) already praised the proposal Tuesday and said he will sponsor it in the state Assembly. Doherty, who will be the primary sponsor of Christie's proposal in Senate, previously proposed a concept similar to Christie's "fairness formula," which would give every school the same amount of state aid per student. "When some districts continue to fail decade after decade, it's clear that money is not the answer," Doherty said. Christie on Tuesday proposed a major overhaul of the state's funding formula, which currently gives districts extra money per pupil for students who historically need extra support, including students from low-income families and students who don't speak English as their first language. The governor pointed to low graduation rates in certain school districts as a sign that the increased aid isn't helping. The money saved by cutting off extra funding for those students would be allocated toward property tax relief for 75 percent of the state's school districts, Christie said. Christie wants his plan, which would require a state constitutional amendment, to be presented to voters as a ballot question next fall, an election that will decide the next governor. But he acknowledged Tuesday that he faces an uphill battle in getting Democrats to vote for placing the question on the ballot. State Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester) and Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto (D-Hudson) quickly denounced the proposal as unfair to urban districts. Christie hopes to put pressure on Democratic lawmakers by holding town hall meetings across the state to drum up public support for the plan, he said. Adam Clark may be reached at adam_clark@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on twitter at @realAdamClark. Find NJ.com on Facebook. NEWARK -- For the second time this year, concerns have been raised about children's exposure to lead in the state's largest city - this time thanks to a national study indicating high blood lead levels in Newark kids. According to statistics gathered by Quest Diagnostics researchers, elevated levels of lead were found in the blood of Newark children at a rate that's about three times higher than that of the state overall. According to the data - which studied blood lead levels in thousands of children under 6 years old over a six-year period beginning in May 2009 - about 2.74 percent of children in New Jersey showed blood lead levels above 5 micrograms per deciliter, the threshold blood lead level the Centers for Disease Control considers unsafe for children. In the three-digit zip code area in and around Newark, 5.23 percent of children were found to have the elevated blood level. About 1.17 percent of children in Newark were found to have blood lead levels above 10 micrograms per deciliter, an amount researchers said is considered "very high." Only about 0.44 percent of children statewide were found to have blood lead levels above 10 mcg/dL, researchers said. Lead Resources What you need to know about your lead risks: Where is there lead in New Jersey? See The CDC and EPA identify lead paint as one of the main risk factors of lead exposure, especially in homes that were built before 1978, when federal laws prohibited the sale of lead-based paints to consumers. See Even if there is no lead in your municipal water supply, it can seep into drinking water from pipes, faucets, or other infrastructure that is made from lead. What impact does the lead in New Jersey have on our kids? Elevated blood lead levels in children have been linked to developmental, behavioral, and other disorders. Despite a lead crisis in Flint, Mich. that reignited a national conversation on existing lead hazards, "it's not top of mind," said Dr. Harvey Kaufman, one of the co-authors of the study, "Blood Lead Levels in Young Children: US, 2009-2015," which was published in the Journal of Pediatrics Monday. "We have made progress, but (this study shows) there is still more to go." The study, which is believed to be the largest analysis of blood lead level test results in children in the United States, examined 5,266,408 samples taken from kids in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., researchers said. Nationwide, the percentage of children found to have elevated levels was about 2.95 percent, higher than the overall rate in New Jersey. Regions in New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, were found to have the highest concentrated rates in the country, with more than 14 percent of children with elevated BLLs. Though New Jersey overall was identified as low, compared to other states that reported percentages as high as 10.28 (which was found in Minnesota), Kaufman said the rates found in Newark were cause for "concern." The city has been grappling with the fallout of revelations earlier this year that more than 30 public school buildings had elevated levels of lead in their water fountains and faucets. District officials have been working to remediate the issue, which they said was caused by aging pipe and solder infrastructure, since March. A school district spokeswoman did not respond to a request for comment on the study Tuesday. Officials, doctors and researchers have said that though no amount of lead exposure is good for children, the amounts present in lead paint - which is still present in many homes and apartment buildings constructed before 1978 - are much higher than those found in other sources of lead, like water and soil. Still, Kaufman said the study should act as a warning to parents, who can have their homes tested for lead, pediatricians, who he said should test at-risk populations for elevated blood lead levels, and policy makers, who can work to eliminate exposure. City officials said Tuesday that the results of the study were not a surprise. "This report tells us what we already know: Newark and most major cities have serious lead problems," Mayor Ras Baraka said in a statement to NJ Advance Media. "The problem in Newark comes mostly from lead paint in old buildings. The cost of lead remediation and protecting our children is far beyond what cities can afford on our own. Together with the Essex County state legislative delegation and our federal representatives, we continue to fight for the funding we need to safeguard our children." Jessica Mazzola may be reached at jmazzola@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessMazzola. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Wayne Wright aboard Eight Thirty.jpg.jpeg Wayne Wright aboard Eight Thirty. (Photo courtesy the National Racing Museum and Hall of Fame) SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. -- Jockey Wayne D. Wright and the 19th century racehorse Tom Ochiltree have been elected to the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame by the Museum's Historic Review Committee. Wright and Tom Ochiltree join contemporary selections Rachel Alexandra, Zenyatta, Ramon Dominguez and Steve Asmussen in the Hall of Fame Class of 2016 along with the Pillars of Turf. The induction ceremony takes place Friday, Aug. 12 at 10:30 a.m. at the Fasig-Tipton sales pavilion. Wright was born Aug. 21, 1916 in Rexburg, Idaho. He began riding at the age of 15 in 1932, winning his first race in Reno, Nev. Wright finished sixth nationally in wins that year with 146. In 1933, Wright won 228 races to finish second to Hall of Famer Jack Westrope (301). His earnings of $168,225 placed fourth nationally and marked the first of six consecutive years Wright finished in the top five nationally in earnings. In 1934, Wright led all riders in earnings with $287,185 and was fifth in wins (174). He won his first Triple Crown race that year at the age of 17 when he piloted Joseph E. Widener's Peace Chance to win the Belmont Stakes, defeating that year's Preakness winner, High Quest. In 1942, Wright won the Kentucky Derby aboard Greentree Stable's Shut Out and added a victory in the Preakness Stakes three years later with Polynesian for owner Gertrude T. Widener. Consistently among the top riders of his era, Wright He finished in the top 15 in earnings eight times overall. He also finished in the top 10 in wins in four consecutive years from 1932 through 1935. Along with his wins in the Triple Crown races, Wright won three races aboard Triple Crown winner War Admiral, including the Whitney Handicap and Jockey Club Gold Cup. He also won the Dwyer and Arlington Classic with Triple Crown winner Omaha. He rode a third Hall of Famer, Eight Thirty, to victory in the 1938 Flash Stakes. Other major wins for Wright included two editions each of the Champagne Stakes (1934, 1935), Arlington Classic (1935, 1938), Dwyer Stakes (1935, 1940), Fashion Stakes (1938, 1939), Rosedale Handicap (1933, 1939), Saranac Handicap (1934, 1945), Withers Stakes (1935, 1945) and Yonkers Handicap (1940, 1945). Wright also won the Travers Stakes (1937), Santa Anita Derby (1936), Santa Anita Handicap (1936), Saratoga Cup (1935), Wood Memorial (1942), Saratoga Special (1945), Spinaway Stakes (1935), Sanford Stakes (1938), Chicago Derby (1933), Comely Stakes (1945), Continental Handicap (1942), Delaware Handicap (1934), Demoiselle Handicap (1938), Excelsior Handicap (1938), Flamingo Stakes (1936), Futurity Stakes (1934), Gazelle Stakes (1936), Great American Stakes (1945), Jerome Handicap (1940), Jersey Handicap (1944), Manhattan Handicap (1937), Matron Stakes (1940), Narragansett Special (1935), Pimlico Futurity (1939), Potomac Handicap (1939), Remsen Handicap (1943), Rhode Island Handicap (1940) and Toboggan Handicap (1938). Wright retired as a rider in 1950 with 1,492 career wins from 9,764 mounts (15.3 percent). He worked as a trainer from 1950 through 1956. Wright died in Yerington, Nev., at age 86 in 2003. 19th century racehorse, Tom Ochiltree (Photo courtesy the National Racing Museum and Hall of Fame) Tom Ochiltree Racing from 1875 through 1877, Tom Ochiltree was a bay colt foaled at Kentucky's famed Woodburn Stud in 1872. A son of the celebrated sire Lexington out of the Voucher mare Katona, Tom Ochiltree was named for Col. Thomas P. Ochiltree, who fought for the Confederacy during the Civil War and later became a United Sates Congressman. The equine Tom Ochiltree started 33 times and posted a record of 21-5-3 with earnings of $41,445. Originally purchased for $500 by J. F. Chamberlain, Tom Ochiltree did not race as a 2-year-old while growing into his massive frame. Arriving at the races as a 3-year-old in May of 1875, Tom Ochiltree won his career debut at Pimlico. Two days later, he followed with a victory in the third running of the Preakness Stakes at 11/2 miles for trainer future Hall of Fame trainer R. W. Walden and future Hall of Fame jockey Lloyd Hughes. Following the Preakness, however, Tom Ochiltree wasn't the same. He finished behind Calvin and Aristides in the Belmont Stakes and could not catch Calvin and Chesapeake in the Jersey Derby. After finishing last and appearing disinterested in the Ocean Hotel Stakes in July, Tom Ochiltree was given some time off. When he returned in October, in the care of new trainer Anthony Taylor, Tom Ochiltree was rejuvenated, winning the Annual Stakes and Dixie Stakes before closing out the year by finishing third in the Breckenridge Stakes. Prior to the 1876 racing season, Chamberlain sold the promising Tom Ochiltree for $5,000 to the famous sportsman George Lorillard, who put the horse back in the barn of conditioner Walden. Tom Ochiltree proceeded to become arguably the best thoroughbred in the East, winning seven of nine starts as a 4-year-old, including the Baltimore Cup (21/4 miles), Jockey Club Handicap (2 miles), Centennial Cup (23/4 miles), Capital Stakes (3 miles) and Saratoga Cup (defeating Parole at 21/4 miles while carrying 21 pounds more than his rival), all prior to the conclusion of July. After a well-deserved rest, Tom Ochiltree returned in the fall to win the Maturity Stakes (3 miles) and the Centennial Cup (4 miles) and finished the year with a record of 8-1-1 from 10 starts. Tom Ochiltree continued to excel as a 5-year-old in 1877. His wins included the Westchester Cup (21/4 miles), Grand National Handicap (defeating Parole while carrying high weight), All-Aged Sweepstakes (again defeating Parole while carrying high weight) and a second Baltimore Cup (21/4 miles). Tom Ochiltree started 14 times that year, posting a record of 9-4-1. At ages 4 and 5, he raced against the future Hall of Fame member Parole six times and finished ahead of his rival in four of those contests, carrying higher weigh each time. Tom Ochiltree concluded his career by finishing third behind Parole and Ten Broeck, another future Hall of Fame member, in a celebrated sweepstakes at Pimlico in October of 1877. The Historic Review Committee is chaired by Michael Veitch and includes racing historians Edward L. Bowen, Al Carter, Jane Goldstein, Ken Grayson, Steve Haskin, Jay Hovdey, Bill Mooney, Bill Nack, Mary Simon, Jon von Stade and Gary West. For current equestrian news see Horse News or check out the online version of the print edition. Horse News covers everything equestrian in the mid-Atlantic area and can be reached at horsenews@hcdemocrat.com To subscribe to the print edition call 908-237-7310. For advertising e-mail mchapman@N.J.advancemedia.com. Find Horse News on Facebook JERSEY CITY -- The three people allegedly found with a cache of guns and body armor outside the Holland Tunnel Tuesday are due in court in Hudson County Wednesday. Pennsylvania residents John Cramsey, 50, and Dean Smith, 53, both of Zionsville; and Kimberly Arendt, 29, of Lehighton, were arrested outside the tunnel Tuesday morning on charges that they were in possession of five pistols, an assault rifle, a 12-gauge shotgun, marijuana and a marijuana pipe, authorities said. Here's what we know, so far, about the incident: Authorities don't believe it was terrorism. Authorities haven't commented on why they may have been carrying the guns. They were driving a funky car. They may have been headed to Brooklyn. They are in jail. Steve Strunsky may be reached at sstrunsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteveStrunsky. Find NJ.com on Facebook. HOBOKEN -- As authorities in Las Vegas prepare for an initial appearance next month by the 19-year-old accused of attempting to assassinate Donald Trump, police in New Jersey are working to figure out whether or not the man ever lived here. After saying that he was skeptical of Michael Steven Sandford's story that he lived in Hoboken before driving to Las Vegas to allegedly carry out the attempted assassination, city Police Chief Kenneth Ferrante said Tuesday afternoon that his department had been able to find an address used by Sandford on at least one occasion "for identification purposes." He declined to elaborate, or to provide the address. Ferrante said investigators had not been able to confirm whether Sandford had actually been living there, or for how long. Ferrante said his office had been contacted over the weekend by the Secret Service, whose investigators were told by Sandford that he had lived in Hoboken. "We can confirm an address that he has used for identification purposes, but we're still trying to determine whether he actually lived there," Ferrante said. The federal criminal complaint against Sandford says he told investigators he had lived in Hoboken after arriving in the United States a year and a half ago, before driving out west in his BMW. The complaint did not specify how long Sandford said he had been living in Hoboken. Natalie Collins, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney's office in Las Vegas, said Sandford was ordered held without bail Monday by Federal Magistrate Judge George Foley, after he was deemed a flight risk. Collins said Sandford was due back in U.S. District Court in Las Vegas on July 5. The Federal Public Defender's office in Las Vegas declined to comment. According to an Associated Press report, Sandford's federal public defender, Heather Fraley, said in court Monday that her client has autism and previously attempted suicide. Fraley said Sandford does not have a job, and that his 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, the AP reported. Fraley told the judge her client should go to a halfway house because he didn't have a criminal history, but the judge said he should stay behind bars, the AP reported. Steve Strunsky may be reached at sstrunsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteveStrunsky. Find NJ.com on Facebook. JERSEY CITY -- The attorneys for three people arrested after police found a cache of guns in their SUV outside the Holland Tunnel said Wednesday their clients were pulled over only because of a pro-Second Amendment rights sticker on their car. John Cramsey, 50, and Dean Smith, 53, both of Zionsville, Pa., and Kimberly Arendt, 29, of Lehighton, Pa., were arrested outside the tunnel Tuesday morning on charges of being in possession of five pistols, an assault rifle, a 12-gauge shotgun, marijuana and a marijuana pipe, authorities said. Port Authority police said they initially pulled the truck over because of a cracked windshield. But the three attorneys representing the trio argued in a brief appearance in Hudson County's central judicial processing court that the political statements on the car prompted the stop. "They didn't stop the car because of his cracked windshield," James Lisa, the attorney representing Cramsey, told Judge Sheila Venable Wednesday. "They stopped the car because of what was on the car." BREAKING: Three people were arrested with a cache of firearms and body armor at the Holland Tunnel https://t.co/j4wb76f1wo New York Post (@nypost) June 21, 2016 The brightly colored car was apparently wrapped in logos for multiple businesses - including that of Higher Ground Tactical, an indoor shooting range and gun dealership in Upper Milford Township that Cramsey owns. The car, Lisa said, also had pro-Second Amendment and other gun-related stickers and messages on it. The three attorneys said they may seek to suppress the evidence in the case, arguing that it was obtained illegally, based on the motivation for the traffic stop. The lawyers also argued against the $75,000 cash only bail that had been set for all three. "It's a regular gun case," argued attorney Mario Blanch, who represented Smith. But Venable denied the request, noting that the charges against the three include transporting an assault rifle with a high capacity magazine. Lisa said he might seek further appeal of the bail later Wednesday. Arendt's public defender, Amanda Hickey, agreed, telling the judge, "It's just an ordinary possession case." But Assistant Hudson County Prosecutor Tom Zuppa said the nature of the weaponry and ammunition found in the car made the case anything but ordinary. "The transportation of an assault rifle with a high-capacity magazine shows this case had the potential to cause widespread harm," Zuppa said. To which Lisa responded, "We don't lock people up for potential." But Judge Sheila Venable was unmoved, and said guidelines permitted the judge who had set bail on Tuesday to consider the nature of the weapons found in the car. Lisa said after the hearing that he would ask Judge Mark Nelson, who had originally set bail at $75,000 cash, to lower bail later on Wednesday. According to a Facebook post, Cramsey said he was headed to Brooklyn, N.Y., to pick up a girl who was at a party where a person died of a heroin overdose. The attorneys Wednesday refused to comment on where the trio was headed. Steve Strunsky may be reached at sstrunsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteveStrunsky. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Attorneys for two of the four Jersey City motorcycle squad cops who are the subject of a 107-count indictment alleging official misconduct say their clients are victims of political retaliation. Lt. Kelly Chesler and retired Capt. Joseph Ascolese are whistleblowers being punished for revealing misconduct in the Jersey City Police Department, the pair's attorneys told The Jersey Journal today. "Captain Ascolese looks forward to a trial in this matter where we can expose the charges for what they really are -- retaliatory falsehoods that have absolutely no merit whatsoever," said his attorney, Robert E Lytle. Ascolese and Chesler, who along with two officers were indicted by county prosecutors last week on charges that include allegedly falsifying timesheets, filed a lawsuit against the city in federal court in March 2015. The two allege Chesler was the victim of sexual harassment and police brass did nothing about the complaints. "When she uncovered misconduct in the Jersey City Police Department she did what the public would expect a sworn officer to do; she reported it," Jeff Garrigan, Chesler's attorney, said in a statement to The Jersey Journal. "Instead of conducting a proper investigation, however, Jersey City brass targeted her and began a campaign of retaliation." Garrigan also said the indictment is an attempt to deny Chesler, a 17-year veteran of the police force, a promotion to captain "which she richly deserves." Mayor Steve Fulop has said the case is an illustration of his administration's attempts to "root out corruption." A request for comment from Fulop's spokeswoman was not immediately returned today. Michael A. Maietti and Michael O'Neill are the other two cops named in last week's indictment. The four face charges of conspiracy, theft by deception, falsifying records, official misconduct and pattern of official misconduct. O'Neill, an officer for 22 years, is "collateral damage in some larger and unrelated dispute," his attorney, Charles Sciarra, said in an email to The Jersey Journal. "He was in the motorcycle unit, which is at the center of this calamity, for a short time and vehemently denies any wrongdoing," Sciarra said. "His family, friends and colleagues know him for his decency and integrity, and that reputation will be in tact when he is exonerated in this matter." Maietti's attorney could not be reached to comment. A spokesman for the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office declined to comment. Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at tmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. JERSEY CITY -- In the middle of deliberations this morning, the jury in the trial of a man accused of murdering and decapitating two men in 2013 asked about the distinction between robbery and theft. Yusuf Ibrahim is charged with 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. The jury sent a note to Hudson County Superior Court Judge Mitzy Galis-Menendez this morning seeking clarification about the additional charge of robbery against Ibrahim, which alleges he killed the men at least in part to steal their money and jewelry. Galis-Menendez told the jurors that in order to find Ibrahim guilty of robbery, they must conclude that he had the intention to take their valuables before or while shooting them. If the jurors believe Ibrahim decided to take the money and jewelry only after he shot the men, that would constitute theft, not robbery, the judge said. Within minutes, the jury sent another note to Galis-Menendez asking whether the Mercedes Benz should be considered part of the robbery charge. The judge told them it shouldn't, after siding with Ibrahim's defense attorney Roy Greenman that Ibrahim has not been charged by the state with stealing the car but only the money and jewelry. 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. Jonathan Lin may be reached at jlin@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @jlin_jj. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. JERSEY CITY -- More than three years after his arrest, a 31-year-old man was found guilty this afternoon of murdering two men and hacking off their heads and hands. Rejecting Yusuf Ibrahim's claim that he acted in self-defense, jurors in his trial found that him shooting the two men on Feb. 5, 2013 after an argument inside one of the victim's Mercedes Benz constituted murder. The jury also found the Jersey City man guilty of desecrating both bodies, in line with prosecutors' grisly account of him sawing off the men's heads and hands before burying their remains in a shallow grave in Buena Vista Township. At his sentencing slated for Sept. 22, Ibrahim faces up to two life terms in prison on the murder convictions, plus 20 years on the desecration convictions. 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. Today, as the jury foreperson responded "guilty" to the core charges made by prosecutors, Ibrahim -- who was wearing a gray blazer, dress shirt, tie and black pants -- had no visible reaction besides having a quick word with his defense attorney. As sheriff's officers led him out of the courtroom in handcuffs, he yawned. Earlier this month, the jury listened to Ibrahim's confession that 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. He was also found guilty of theft, weapons offenses, hindering apprehension and tampering with physical evidence. Ibrahim was found not guilty on the charges of kidnapping, felony murder and robbery. The jury came to a verdict on their second day of deliberations. Ibrahim's defense attorney, Roy Greenman, said he was "disappointed" by the outcome of the case, which Hudson County Superior Court Judge Mitzy Galis-Menendez presided over. "We pursued the case the best way we could," Greenman said. Prosecutors from the state Attorney General's Office Frank Morano and Vincent Militello declined to comment on the verdict, directing all questions to a media spokesman. Jonathan Lin may be reached at jlin@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @jlin_jj. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook. JERSEY CITY -- The Jersey City man who attacked his mother with a knife late last night was shot by police after he lunged at the officers with the same knife, the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office said this morning. Christopher J. Matthew is in stable condition at the Jersey City Medical Center, said HCPO spokesman Ray Worrall. Matthew, 25, was shot in the arm and the leg, Worrall said. Matthew has been charged with six counts of aggravated assault and related weapons offenses, Worrall said. Police responded last night to reports of a man choking his mother inside a home on Lembeck Avenue near Woodland Avenue and found Matthew and his mother in a bathroom, police said in radio transmissions. Worrall said that one officer shot Matthew twice when the 25-year-old lunged at the three officers who tried to halt the assault of the mother. Matthew's mother was treated for minor injuries at the scene, but was otherwise unharmed, Worrall said. The three officers who responded were taken to the Jersey City Medical Center to be evaluated, as is standard procedure after police shoot a suspect. One of the officers was having trouble breathing, police in radio transmissions. All were treated and released, Worrall said. This morning no one answered any of the doors at the Lembeck Ave. building, which appears to a multi-family home. A woman who answered the phone at the home asked for the media to "respect our privacy." This is the second person shot by a police officer in Jersey City this year. On Jan. 28, 36-year-old Lamont Robinson was critically wounded after police opened fire during an attempted traffic stop on Virginia Avenue. Officials said Robinson, a Jersey City resident, tried fleeing the scene in a stolen car and dragged an officer alongside the vehicle. Robinson was later charged with aggravated assault, aggravated assault of a police officer, eluding, and receiving stolen property. After being released from jail on bail, Robinson was arrested again in April for allegedly leading police on a chase through the south side of the city in another stolen vehicle. Journal Staff Writer Caitlin Mota contributed to this report. TRENTON -- The state is hoping that the lure of $33.6 million in tax credits will persuade a Trenton-based company to stay put rather than relocate to Pennsylvania. Earlier this month, The Hibbert Group was awarded the 10-year credits under the Economic Development Authority's Grow New Jersey program. It was faced with two options: renovate its century-old building on Pennington Avenue across from the Trenton YMCA or lease out a larger facility in Langhorne, Pennsylvania. A move would mean the loss of 259 New Jersey jobs. Hibbert, which was founded in Trenton in 1881, is an integrated marketing solutions provider with clients in the life sciences, telecommunications and semiconductor industries. In its application, the company said that the newer, single-story building would offer a better workflow than its four-story, 260,000-square-foot facility that's in need of significant renovations. The company also said that the tax credits would be a "material factor" in its decision since staying in New Jersey would be the more expensive option. "We are pleased to be in discussions with the state to upgrade our corporate center facility in Trenton and create a pleasant working environment for our employees and customers," CEO Timothy Moonan said in a statement Tuesday. If Hibbert chooses to stay, it would receive $3,367,000 over 10 years. The amount of the credit depends on location, the size of the work force, wages and other criteria. The company, for example, received increases for being in a deep poverty pocket and for being a manufacturing business. EDA estimates that the state would see a net benefit of $3.7 million over 30 years. Hibbert also has distribution centers in Robbinsville, Delaware and Colorado. Hibbert was one of 12 companies that were approved for incentive programs at the EDA's June 14 meeting. The others are One Cooper Residential Urban Renewal LLC; Parking Authority of the City of Camden; CompoSecure LLC; Edison Lithographing & Printing Corp.; Greener Cleaner Inc.; H&M Hennes & Mauritz LP; iCIMS, Inc.; Manhattan Telecommunications Corporation; Nobel Biocare Procera, LLC; PuraCap Pharmaceutical LLC; and US Mobile Phones, Inc. Cristina Rojas may be reached at crojas@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @CristinaRojasTT. Find NJ.com on Facebook. EAST BRUNSWICK -- Four individuals have been arrested in a circuitous case full of twists and turns of two alleged incidents of credit card fraud. Late last week, the wallets of two employees at the Best Tile East Brunswick on Route 18 were allegedly stolen after a customer, later identified as 30-year-old Deisha Bennett, of Brooklyn, had asked the employees for help in the corner of the store, according to a statement by police. While the employees were distracted, a man later identified as 27-year-old Travis Haynes, also of Brooklyn, then allegedly stole the wallets out of the employees' purses A short time later, police were alerted that the victim's credit cards had been used at the Best Buy in East Brunswick. However, when police arrived the two suspects had already fled in a silver Ford with a Texas registration. In an odd twist, however, police then apprehended two different individuals at the Best buy who were "attempting to fraudulently use credit cards" in the store, the statement said. Those individuals, 31-year-old Kwane Dower and 23-year-old Jeffrey Hunt, both of Brooklyn, had attempted to purchase roughly $1,400 worth of merchandise each. Dower and Hunt were taken into custody and charged with theft of credit cards, fraudulent use of credit cards and identity theft, according to officials. Their bail was set at $10,000 with a ten percent option on each. Hunt posted bail while Dower was taken to the Middlesex County Adult Corrections Center in lieu of bail. Sometime later, one of the employees from the Best Tile East Brunswick contacted authorities after receiving an alert "that her credit card was just used at the Target on Ryders Lane in Milltown" -- at which point Milltown police were notified and responded to the scene. When authorities arrived, they found the two original suspects, Bennett and Haynes, leaving the Target, and the two fled on foot toward the Brunswick Grove on Milltown Road. Police ultimately apprehended Bennett and Haynes and took them into custody. They were found in possession of the credit cards of both Best Tile employees. They were charged with theft of credit cards, fraudulent use of credit cards and identity theft. Their bail was set at $7,500 and they were taken to the Middlesex County Adult Corrections Center in lieu of bail. Spencer Kent may be reached at skent@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerMKent. Find the Find NJ.com on Facebook. BUTLER -- Graduation-blue cap on his head, Joseph Fiorilla wondered if the diploma he was about to receive would lead to a pay-raise. The 81-year-old Fiorilla joked with family members that, as a soon to be high school graduate, he would love a boost in income, however small. On Tuesday, Fiorilla was one of 10 veterans who were awarded diplomas at the Butler High School graduation ceremony, more than a half a century after most of them left school to serve in the armed forces. "This is really crazy, I never anticipated this," said Joseph's wife, Marilyn Fiorilla, a 1955 graduate of Butler High. "Although he didn't graduate, he worked hard all his life and I'm proud of him." These ten veterans earned their degrees thanks to Operation Recognition, an initiative started in 2000 by the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs and the Department of Education to award diplomas to people who attended high school in state and enlisted in the military before graduating. The program was expanded from World War II vets to include Korean and Vietnam War vets. Since 2003, more than 1,300 veterans have been awarded diplomas as part of the program, according to Kryn Westhoven, a spokesperson for the State Department of Military and Veteran's affairs. Joseph Fiorilla, a former Airman First Class in the Air Force, left school just three months before he was set to graduate in 1953 to serve in the Korean War, where he was stationed in Guam for four years. "It's something I felt that I should've done and I've never regretted it," said Fiorilla on his decision to leave school. "In four years I got to see a lot of the country." After coming back from the Air Force he started a family and worked for almost 60 years as a safety inspector for Oak Ridge-based Eastern Propane. Although he officially retired in 2002, the Hawley, Pa. resident still inspects the company's plants once a month. "My kids are more excited than me," said 89-year-old Gordon Beck, echoing a similar sentiment as Fiorilla. As a Butler High School student, Beck originally tried to join the Army when he was 15 years old but was denied due to a heart condition. Beck eventually left Butler High School as a junior in 1945 on the tail end of World War II, where he was stationed in Panama with the military police. "What a sacrifice and what patriotism they displayed," said Roger Fields, a Vietnam Veteran who worked the color guard for the ceremony. "Some of these guys weren't even of age to serve when they enlisted." On his return, the Bloomingdale resident earned his GED, took a number of vocational classes where he earned a boiler operator's license and was a local union president, said Bruce Beck, Gordon's son. The elder Beck worked at a number of places until he was 75 years old, including William Paterson College. "I'm very proud of him," said Bruce Beck, who is also a Butler High graduate and Navy veteran. "He came from a big family and back then you couldn't do what you wanted, you did what you had too." Butler High School Principal, Martin Wall, said the school decided to include the veterans in this year's graduation as part of a veterans' project they are running. As part of the project, the school is looking to raise $50,000 for a monument on the corner of Bartholdi and Hasbrouck Avenues that will honor all service members who attended the school. "We are presenting these veterans with diplomas, which is something that they sacrificed to serve our country," said Wall. "It brings closure to some of them." Seventy years ago, Helen Louis Micklitz graduated from Butler High School. On Tuesday, Micklitz accepted a diploma posthumously for her deceased husband, William Micklitz, who served in Germany as Private First Class during WW II. "This is quite an honor," said 88-year-old Micklitz. "I hope he's looking down today." Other veterans who received their diploma Tuesday were Navy Seaman Second Class Garrie Elliot, Army Corporal Francis Rhinesmith, Navy Seaman Robert Townsend, Army Private First Class Thornton Maher, Army Staff Sergeant Frank Hallas, Navy Seaman George Lee, and Marines Sergeant Major Charles Kotlowski. With resounding applause from attendees, the honorees -- or their families -- walked across Memorial Field and received their diplomas. A cheerful Beck got out of his wheelchair and pushed his walker, adorned with an American flag bow, to the stage. When asked if he was going to college next, Fiorilla said not a chance. "No, I'm going back to the Poconos." Fausto Giovanny Pinto may be reached at fpinto@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @FGPreporting. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Cory Booker.JPG Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) has been dropped from a lawsuit that claiming he shared responsibility for the collapse of the Newark Watershed Conservation and Development Corp. (Aristide Economopoulos | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) NEWARK--A federal judge has dismissed a case against U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) that charged he failed to properly oversee Newark's now bankrupt watershed corporation when he served as mayor of New Jersey's largest city. However, U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Vincent F. Papalia let stand a civil complaint against Vaughn McKoy, the former board vice chairman of the Newark Watershed Conservation and Development Corp. The ruling on Tuesday came in the wake of a lawsuit filed last year by the provisional trustees of the agency against Booker and McKoy, along with former executive director Linda Watkins-Brashear and more than a dozen others, following allegations that the non-profit corporation had bilked millions of dollars from taxpayers. Created in 1973, the agency was formed to manage Newark's vast watershed properties in Morris, Passaic and Sussex counties, and later expanded its reach to manage the city's Pequannock water treatment facility and manage Newark's reservoirs. The corporation operated under the radar screen for decades, until it came under fire in a scathing report issued in 2014 by the state Comptroller's Office, which accused the former director of the agency and her cohorts of siphoning off millions of city dollars in illegal payments, insider deals and risky stock ventures. Watkins-Brashear later pleaded guilty to federal charges in December in connection with the soliciting nearly $1 million in bribes from businesses in return for overinflated and no-work contracts. The civil lawsuit by trustees for the agency, which is now in federal bankruptcy court, argued that Booker and other officials with oversight responsibilities must also share financial responsibility for the scandal--even if they were caught off guard by the corporation's ultimate collapse--because their inattention to matters allowed it to happen. Papalia, however, said as a public employee, Booker was immune from liability under the Tort Claims Act. "Booker's alleged actions or inactions were taken in the exercise of 'judgment or discretion' and or were legislative in nature," wrote the judge in a 39-page opinion. The trustees had argued that Booker was not entitled to the immunity afforded a public employee under the Tort Claims Act because the statute was meant to protect a public employee from a private suit for damages, not to protect a public employee from a claim made by a public entity. The judge rejected the argument, saying that nowhere in the Tort Claims Act did it state that claims by public entities were excluded. "Making Booker potentially liable for actions or inactions taken by these various and numerous entities would be directly contrary to many of the act's central purposes," wrote the judge, who said it would fail to protect him from a legal jeopardy for his official functions and also fail to recognize the breadth of his public responsibilities. He added that finding the exception to immunity urged by the watershed corporation "would endorse a piecemeal approach to public employee liability that would, in this court's view, result in disorder and, more importantly, discourage public service." Booker's attorney, Marc Elias, called the lawsuit frivolous. "We hope the trustees will stop wasting watershed resources and respect the decision," he said in a statement. "As we told the court, Senator Booker faithfully executed his duties as they related to the watershed, and we hope that the court's agreement brings this bizarre legal chapter to a conclusion." The Newark Water Group, a citizen's organization that first shed light on the abuses at the watershed agency, said called the decision unfortunate. In a statement, the group said despite the senator's dismissal from the suit, it was undisputed that the level of corruption uncovered inside the Newark Watershed Conservation and Development Corp. occurred during Booker's tenure as Newark's mayor. "Booker never attended even one NWCDC meeting to make certain its dealings were above board," the group said. "Had Booker's plan to turn the NWCDC into a municipal utility authority been approved, the NWCDC corruption would have been institutionalized and continued for years to come." The trustee's case against McKoy will continue. The judge said the former board chairman was present during the time which the alleged misconduct began to occur with regularity, found the trustees set forth "a plausible claim" that he failed to act in good faith. Although McKoy maintained he was unaware of the alleged misconduct, which surfaced two years after he resigned, the judge said they were issues entitled to be explored through pre-trial discovery by the trustees. An attorney for McKoy did not respond to a request for comment. Ted Sherman may be reached at tsherman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TedShermanSL. Find NJ.com on Facebook. stolen cars.jpg Stolen cars that were loaded into a shipping container in Englewood, and later sent to buyers in Hong Kong, according to federal prosecutors. (Evidence photo | U.S. Attorney's office) CAMDEN--The high-end cars--a Porsche Panamera stolen from Colts Neck, and two Mercedes-Benz S550s stolen weeks earlier in New York--had been packed tightly into a shipping container at a parking lot in Englewood. The Porsche was sent in first, suspended inside the container so that the other two cars could fit underneath. Two of the vehicles carried altered identification numbers and fake Georgia titles. The third was listed on shipping documents as "personal effects." A few days later, the container was hoisted aboard a ship, bound for Hong Kong. On Tuesday, two New Jersey brothers convicted of setting up the shipment were sentenced to long prison terms for their roles in a widespread scheme to send stolen luxury cars to customers overseas. Andrew Clarke, 43 of Irvington, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler in Camden federal court to 25 years in prison. His brother Llewellyn, 42 of North Plainfield, received a 16-year sentence. Both were convicted last year on four counts charging each with one count of conspiracy to transport stolen motor vehicles and transportation of stolen motor vehicles. According to federal prosecutors, the brothers purchased high-end stolen cars from thieves operating in northern New Jersey and New York, recruiting others to "re-tag" the cars with fake vehicle identification numbers in an effort to mask the fact that they were hot. Forged title documents from Georgia and Arizona were also created to allow the vehicles to be shipped. Authorities said when Llewellyn Clark's apartment was searched, they found additional fraudulent titles purportedly issued by the state of Georgia, one of which was blank and ready to be filled out. Stolen cars valued at nearly $1 million were shipped from New Jersey to Hong Kong, while other vehicles were sent to Georgia, Maryland and elsewhere, where they were then re-sold, some to unsuspecting buyers, said U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman. The ring was ultimately cracked by a federal task force led by Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations, officials said. Ted Sherman may be reached at tsherman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TedShermanSL. Find NJ.com on Facebook. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close This alleyway entrance off the 3300 block of Danneel Street leads to the spot where 43-year-old Trenice Fedison's body was found on Nov. 26, 2014, stuffed inside a city garbage can near four abandoned apartments hidden from street view. CHAPPELL A Deuel County sheriff's deputy who lost his family health insurance after he was shot four times while serving arrest warrants will get $1,500 from the county. Mike Hutchinson said Tuesday that he'll use the one-time stipend to buy coverage through the Affordable Care Act. Hutchinson was injured Dec. 3 while trying to arrest a suspect in Big Springs. The suspect was subsequently killed by another officer. Hutchinson left a hospital Feb. 22 and has been recovering since. But he lost his group plan coverage May 31. The Nebraska Association of County Officials, which provides the county's group health plan, said Hutchinson's reduction in hours of employment triggered the termination of his family coverage. He appealed to the county commissioners at their June 7 meeting for the county to either pay for temporary group coverage or coverage through the federal marketplace. "He's still an employee. He'd work if he could," his attorney, Randy Fair, said at the meeting. "When you've been shot four times, it's a long road to recovery." But officials have said the coverage rules aren't set by the county. They also have said Hutchinson's medical bills from the shooting have been covered by workers' compensation insurance. Several law enforcement officers attended Tuesday's meeting to support Hutchinson, who previously served with the David City Police Department and sheriff's offices in Merrick and Butler counties, and serve as a reminder of his and other officers' service to their communities. "Officers nationwide have (their) eyes on your decision today. They really do," said Rob Pride, representing a police union chapter in Loveland, Colorado. After discussion, the board voted to approve an idea from Hutchinson's attorney, Fair, for a stipend. Hutchinson's wife, Carol, was not pleased. "I think that it's the least they can do and I mean that is literally the least they could do," she said. Hutchinson said he bore no hostility toward the commissioners, noting "they have a very hard job to do." 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. 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. 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. JavaScript is disabled on your browser. CORDIS website requires JavaScript enabled in order to work properly. Please enable JavaScript. Four weeks in and the boys are letting their hair down in the house. Matt Gorman has been known to be a bit of a prankster, as Dave woke up with a squeal after seeing a spider in a box. Everyone got around Jordan as he celebrated his 21st birthday and a special video message from his parents made the youngsters day. However, a birthday dance from Dave came in a close second with Reece describing it as "hairy and horrendous". The boys swapped a footy for a haystack when they visited Calmsley Hill City Farm for the week's Captain's Challenge. The country boys were in their element and it was Lou "The Sheep Whisperer" Goodwin who managed to shepherd the flock into the pen, in less than one minute as well. This meant he would skipper the NRL Rookies for the third time in a row a fantastic effort! While stepping onto the immaculate AAMI Park surface, the boys were greeted by two Storm legends in Billy Slater and Robbie Kearns and before too long, they were strapped and ready to take on the Storm Holden Cup side. Although their opposition were only 20 or younger, they were far bigger and played at a much faster pace than the rookies were used to. As a result, the boys got off to a slow start and Matt Gorman struggled in particular. The second half told a different story as the NRL Rookies threw the ball around and played more as a team, precisely what Freddy was after. Peter Lee stamped himself as a real contender after some damaging dummy-half running and a try from the scrum base. Lou Goodwin yet again proved to be one of the best of the bunch. However, it was Reece Joyce who scored the try of series so far after an offload by Elias Power went through five sets of hands and he found himself under the posts. Another individual effort from long-range saw the explosive Jordan Martin dive over in the corner with a spectacular finish, but in the process he pulled a tendon in his shoulder. The thought of going home prematurely was gut-wrenching for the birthday boy, but again the team got behind him to support their mate. NRL Rookie Doctor, Adrian Cohen said Jordan is "50-50" at this stage with the fullback's future depending on rehab and a bit of luck. In the meantime, the NRL Rookies continued to weather the Holden Cup Storm with a 28-4 victory which would make the weekly 'Shed' session all the more difficult, as the majority had solid games. The boys did not hold back in the 'Shed' however, with Elias yet again rubbing the rookies up the wrong way as the theme of selfishness returned. Matt Gorman was also singled out for not looking for the ball, while Dave's apparent lack of mental toughness proved to be his downfall. As a result, they were voted the bottom three and could be considered regulars now that Dave and Elias had been there twice before and Matt Gorman for all three weeks. At 'The Cut', Lou proved last week how much impact altering the bottom three had, so he decided to leave it unchanged. In the end, Matt's lack of consistency and ability to shine in the match took its toll, which ultimately led to his elimination. Although unfortunate, one thing that could not be disputed was his mental toughness and devotion to the dream. However, the dream is alive for the remaining contestants. The dream of playing in front of a sold out stadium, in front of fans at home the dream of being an NRL player. Only one can achieve this and be contracted to an NRL team and by doing this, be crowned the NRL Rookie. Head to NRLROOKIE.COM to watch full catch up episodes of the NRL Rookie as well as online exclusive extras. Follow The NRL Rookie on Facebook Follow The NRL Rookie on Twitter AUSTRALIAN BROADCAST DETAILS: Each episode will air five times during the 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 time may vary from week to week so be sure to check your local guides. 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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 GREENFIELD, Ind. A church bus driver who allegedly used cocaine before a crash near Indianapolis that killed a 6-year-old boy and injured 11 other people has been convicted of two traffic charges and acquitted of reckless homicide. Charles Goodman, 54, of Chicago, faces a possible sentence of two to 12 years in prison when he's sentenced next month. A Hancock County, Indiana, jury found him guilty Tuesday of driving while intoxicated and with a suspended license, according to the Greenfield Daily Reporter. Goodman was driving a group from Gary's St. Jude Deliverance Center to a religious convention in Ohio last July 28 when the 15-passenger bus went out of control, left Interstate 70, struck some trees and overturned. The crash killed Jacob Williams, of Gary. Goodman broke his arm and jaw in the crash. Goodman used cocaine within a day of the crash, experts testified during his two-day trial. The drug tends to dissolve quickly once it enters a person's bloodstream, said Sheila Arnold, a forensic toxicologist with the Indiana Department of Toxicology. When scientists tested the blood about 20 days after the crash, only trace amounts remained, but it was enough to suggest Goodman had used cocaine before he took over driving the van from someone else, Arnold testified. Goodman told police immediately after the accident he had fallen asleep behind the wheel, state troopers testified. Deputy Hancock County Prosecutor John Keiffner told jurors during his closing argument that even Goodman's driving while sleepy was reckless. "And the cocaine didn't help, either," he said. Goodman's attorneys portrayed him as a trusted member of the church, tasked with driving a bus that experienced a mechanical failure during the trip. No one on the bus that day was fearful of Goodman, and there were no 911 calls referencing an erratic bus driver before the crash, defense attorney Bonnie Wooten said. The lead pastor of the church, The Rev. Louise Hill, testified for the defense, saying Goodman was a helpful handyman, eager to assist with different jobs around the church. She said she did not notice anything odd about Goodman's behavior before trip to Ohio and was certain her parishioners would have come forward if Goodman was acting strangely or driving dangerously. MICHIGAN CITY Police have arrested two Michigan City men they say are responsible for at least 10 business burglaries in Michigan City, LaPorte and The Pines. Charles Rogers is charged with three counts of felony burglary and one felony count of attempted burglary. Robert Granzo is charged with five felony counts of aiding, inducing or causing burglary. The pair are accused of carrying out "smash and grab" style burglaries, including a May 17 incident at a local Domino's Pizza restaurant, police said. Police said there have been no additional businesses burglarized in Michigan City since the pair's arrest. HAMMOND Three men were indicted Tuesday for their involvement in a house-flipping scheme, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorneys Office. Sergio Garcia Sr., 46, of Chicago, and Sergio Garcia Jr., 27, of Lowell, were indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and 10 substantive counts of mail fraud. Timothy D. Greene, 29, of Lansing, has been charged with submitting fraudulent information to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The men are accused of offering to buy more than 40 HUD homes in nearly two dozen cities and towns in Illinois and Indiana including Gary, Hammond, East Chicago and Hobart with the intent to sell soon after for profit. The men are also accused of placing "for sale signs outside HUD homes before purchases had occurred. According to the release, the men allegedly told HUD they were purchasing properties as investors, and that they would pay with cash or other means. To support those claims, they send fraudulent letters purporting they had access to funds. Many of the letters claimed they were written by a private venture capital business, stating the individuals had a credit line up to $500,000. However, according to the release, these letters were altered, forged and counterfeited; the lines of credit referenced did not exist; and the signatures were forged and unauthorized, according to the news release. Unable to find subsequent home buyers, the three men allowed purchase contracts with HUD to expire. They also are accused of filing false liens on the homes, hindering HUD from selling the homes to other buyers. PORTAGE Two Lake County men were arrested Tuesday afternoon after police said they were caught stealing and then attempting to return merchandise for cash at Walmart, 6087 U.S. 6. According to police, Matthew Newbolds, 28, of Lake Station, stuffed two Braun razor heads, valued at $85, down his pants and left the store without paying. A loss prevention officer watched Newbolds go to a car in the parking lot and hand them to another man, identified at Michael Lawson, 25, of Gary. Lawson then entered the store and attempted to return the items. According to police, both men admitted they intended to steal and return merchandise for cash. Lawson was charged with misdemeanor theft while Newbolds was charged with level 6 felony theft because of a prior conviction. Both were transported to Porter County Jail. CROWN POINT Calling the arrest of a 20-year-old accused of dealing pills to area high school students the tip of the iceberg, Lake County Sheriff John Buncich announced Wednesday the uncovering of a massive drug trafficking operation centered around Crown Point High School. Petar Velkov, of Crown Point, was arrested Feb. 27 for his alleged involvement in the drug trafficking operation. Velkov was believed to be working with a network of others, both juveniles and adults, to supply marijuana, narcotics and other pills to area students, and on university campuses statewide and in the Region. It has mushroomed to the point where its somewhat unbelievable the amount of drugs that were sold, Buncich said during a news conference Wednesday. He pointed to a clear bag on the table in front of him, filled with about 5,000 Xanax tablets recovered during the investigation. It's believed high school students bought Xanax pills for anywhere between $10 to $20 each, he said. Velvok in February was charged with dealing in narcotic drugs, a class 2 felony. He was later charged in May for dealing in a controlled substance, a class four felony. Since Velkovs arrest, the Lake County Sheriffs Drug Task Force has uncovered additional evidence and suspects. Its frightening that this is going on in our schools that this individual and his cohorts, who are still under investigation, had such a volume of business. Its thousands and thousands of dollars, Buncich said. The investigation so far has led to the seizure of more than $65,000 in drugs and cash. Police seized more than five pounds of marijuana, 300 grams of THC oil, about 5,000 Xanax pills, 100 other pills, and more than $20,000 in U.S. currency associated with the crimes. Velkov allegedly bought the drugs by mail order. Drugs were shipped to Indiana from as far as Georgia, California and Washington, Buncich said. The 20-year-old is also accused of taking part in drug peddling to students at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Purdue University Lafayette, and Indiana University in Bloomington. This is not just a kid buying a joint or something, Buncich said. The time has come for an intense investigation. Three juveniles have also been arrested in connection with the sale of narcotics in and around the high school, he said. More arrests are expected. Crown Point Police Chief Peter Land said Wednesday his officers periodically conduct K-9 sweeps of Crown Point High School in cooperation with the administration, he said. But I could have never envisioned this massive [trafficking operation] taking place, Land said. Since January, the sheriff's drug task force has tallied more than 230 arrests and charges, recovered 21 firearms relating to drug and gang activity, and seized drugs estimated to be worth more than $457,000. CROWN POINT A Lake Superior Court jury has awarded $9.5 million to a DeMotte family whose father died under the care of a rehabilitation center. Jurors late last week found in favor of the family of Joseph Lowery, who filed the lawsuit against Vibra Healthcare LLC, of Merrillville, and Citiria Porter, a nurse there. Kenneth Allen, a Merrillville attorney representing the Lowery family, said the verdict was an Indiana record amount for a wrongful death and recognized the enormity of his loss. He was on a disability pension, but was a valuable asset to the family and the community. It was wonderful the jury saw that despite the fact he wasnt a high-wage earner, his life had high value. Munster attorney Joseph Stalmack, who defended Vibra and Porter, couldnt be reached for comment. Allen said the 49-year-old Lowery, a former school maintenance man, injured his leg in late 2011 while working at home, but didnt seek medical care until weeks later when he became so ill he was hospitalized for pneumonia caused by an infection in his leg. Allen said after a week in the hospital, Lowery was released to Vibra to continue rehabilitation of his leg wound. A doctor discovered on Dec. 9, 2011, that Lowery, who was on a blood thinner, was bleeding internally and told the Vibra staff to return Lowery to the hospital immediately. Allen said Vibra chose to do more testing at their facility. He was eventually moved to a hospital emergency room, but died later that day They didnt do what the doctor told them. They kept him there and as a consequence he died, Allen said. EAST CHICAGO Police are seeking information about the identity of a boy found Wednesday morning walking alone in his underwear. Police located the child about 5:45 a.m. after being dispatched to the area of 148th Street and Huish Drive, Lt. Marguerite Wilder said. The boy was unable to tell officers his name, his parents' names or where he lives, she said. He's estimated to be between 3 and 5 years old. Child Protective Services was notified. The child has been placed in the department's custody as officials continue to attempt to locate his parents, Wilder said. Anyone with information about the child's identity is asked to call Detective Isaac Washington (219) 391-8318. MERRILLVILLE Leann Dommer, of the Porter County Prosecutors Office Child Support Division, one of 12 professionals whose jobs ensure that children receive financial support from noncustodial parents, was honored by her peers earlier this month at the 2016 Indiana Child Support Conference in Merrillville. The conference marks the 40th anniversary of the federal child support program and attracted 627 Indiana child support workers. Dommer received the Indiana Prosecutors KID (Kudos for Inspiration and Dedication) Award, given in recognition of child support enforcement caseworkers who have performed their duties in an exemplary fashion. She was nominated as a 12-year employee who volunteers to take on new challenges and contributes new ideas. Prosecutor Brian Gensel said of Leann, I am proud of the accomplishments of all my Child Support Staff in pursuing child support for Indianas children. The KID award recognizing Leanns work is well deserved. GARY Despite published reports and Facebook posts, St. Mark Roman Catholic Church will not close its doors on Sunday. The final Mass said in English will be celebrated at 9 a.m. Sunday at the historic church at 505 W. Ridge Road, said the Rev. David Kime, who serves as pastor of St. Mark as well as at St. Francis Xavier in Lake Station. Associate Pastor the Rev. Frank Torres will celebrate Sundays final Mass in English at the church with Deacon Christopher McIntire also in attendance, Kime said. Masses in Spanish will continue to be celebrated through the end of December, he said. The reason is that several events including weddings and quinceaneras have been planned, and the invitations have gone out, Kime said. A final bilingual Mass will be celebrated at the end of December prior to the official closing of the church. Kime said Bishop Donald J. Hying will be invited to that final Mass. Founded in 1921, St. Mark Church is no longer viable, Kime said. He cited the age of the building and the extensive repairs needed to maintain it as among the reasons for the decision by the Diocese of Gary to close the church. There are also a diminishing number of parishioners and a diminishing number of priests, Kime said. The demographic shifts over the last 30 years from Gary to the southern suburbs are well documented. Churches in southern Lake County communities such as St. John the Evangelist in St. John and St. Michael in Schererville are huge churches that house 1,000 to 1,500 at one service, he said. While not mega-churches, they are still very large, he noted. The ethnic churches, founded by immigrant populations who settled in Northwest Indiana during the last 100-plus years, are being replaced, Kime said. We used to have Polish churches, German churches, Hungarian churches, he said. When St. Mark officially closes, the parish will merge with another Glen Park parish, St. Joseph the Worker at 333 E. 45th Ave. The new parish will be renamed at some point. In March 2015, Hying announced the closing of St. Mary of the Lake in Garys Miller neighborhood. However, parishioners organized an Outreach Evangelization Team, reaching out to the community and holding fundraisers to pay off more than $100,000 in debt. Earlier this year, Hying told the congregation the church will remain open. On April 2, the South Shore Line commuter railroad began allowing bikes on trains during weekends. So on a sunny Sunday in early June, joined by Times photographer Damian Rico, I took my bike to downtown Chicago to see what the ride was like. I'm a newbie when it comes to both riding the train and the bike, which I purchased last summer. I love riding Chicago's Lakefront Trail, so I wanted to experience what it was like to bring a bike to Chicago on the South Shore Line, which as of last year was the only commuter railroad in the United States that banned bikes. I arrived at Dune Park station in Chesterton to catch the 9:01 a.m. train. Dune Park has a bike-ready, high-level platform as do South Bend, East Chicago, Hammond and all Illinois stations. I drove my Jeep, bike stowed inside, to the station where, unlike on weekdays, parking was plentiful. I walked my bike up a ramp to the train platform and went to purchase a round-trip ticket to Millennium Station, the last stop on the line. Both ticket machines in the main station were not working, so I went to the east end of the boarding platform where machines were in order and I was able to purchase my $16 two-way ticket. I met another passenger bringing his bike on the train for the first time. Chris Kirby lives in Indianapolis but visits and bikes in the Region. Normally he would have his wife drop him and his bike off in downtown Chicago and he would ride the Lakefront trail back to Indiana. But with bikes being allowed on the train, he hopes he's found a new option. "Hopefully this takes off," said Kirby, who was staying in Portage. "The way they have the bike trails set up you can almost ride all the way back on the trails." Loading our bikes onto the bike racks on the train cars was easy (as was unloading them). There was only one other bike on the two rack-equipped cars, but the conductor told us bike traffic has been "picking up." There was some confusion when we departed the train with our bikes at the Millennium stop. We weren't sure if we could follow pedestrians through the station. A conductor recommended exiting at a bus pick up/drop off area at a lower level service road or what I'll call "lower Randolph." You can take your bike east down the road and when it comes to an end directly under the Harbor Point condominium buildings, turn left and you'll find what probably is a little-known path (except for condo residents) to the Lakefront Trail. You'll exit at DuSable Harbor next to a little cafe and the hustle and bustle of the trail. This is about the center of the Lakefront Trail. You can either go north toward Navy Pier and Oak Street Beach, or south toward the museum campus. I did a little of each. Going south was a little rougher because there was a charity walk going on and they took up a good, long portion of the trail. But there are sections where the trail breaks into two trails one closer to the lake and the other along Lakeshore Drive. It gives you the option to pick whatever looks less congested. After the trip I talked to John Parsons, planning and marketing director for Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District, who said passengers with bikes are allowed to follow pedestrians through the station and head to the lakefront (or anywhere else) that way. I'll probably still use the service road, however: less congestion. After my lakefront ride I caught the 1:35 p.m. train back to Dune Park. Although there were no bikes on the first two cars (the ones with bike racks), the seating was nearly full. Despite there being plenty of seating on other non-bike cars. John Parsons explained this to me too later, that the 500 series trains terminate in South Bend, which has a 1 1/2 car-length platform so passengers like to be in the first two cars so they don't have to walk through the car to exit the train at South Bend. My advice for guaranteeing a seat near your bike (you have to stay in the same car as your bike, and why wouldn't you, anyway?) is to arrive early and board the train as soon as possible. Despite the initial confusion at Millennium Station, taking my bike on the train to Chicago was a simple, fun experience. It's great for someone who wants to tackle the Lakefront Trail one-way only, or if you want to bike anywhere else in Chicago. Prior to this train trip, I would pack my bike in my Jeep and drive to the area around the South Shore Cultural Center (see sidebar), park, and begin my ride. I'm sure more experienced riders would access the Lakefront Trail from the trails and streets of Northwest Indiana. And to reiterate what officials and others have said, I can easily see the draw of Chicago residents wanting to take their bikes east on the South Shore to enjoy the Dunes or Region bike trails. Visit the NICTD website at www.nictd.com for more information on the program, including a full schedule. Once the highest-ranking uniformed officer in the NYPD, retired Chief Philip Banks finds himself entangled in a federal investigation of the NYPD and Mayor de Blasio's fundraising. NY1 Criminal Justice Reporter Dean Meminger has this follow to Monday's arrests of several officers. This week's arrest of two police commanders on corruption charges sent shock waves through the NYPD. In a federal criminal complaint, businessmen Jeremy Reichberg and Jona Rechnitz are charged with lavishing the top cops with more than $100,000 in gifts in return for police favors. But the complaint lists another commander, an unnamed 'Chief 1'. It says the men built a relationship with 'Chief 1,' hoping to have a "one stop shop" for assistance at the NYPD. That unnamed chief is Philip Banks, the retired chief of department The Police Commissioner would not say much when asked about Banks at Monday's news conference. "I can't speak to anything as it relates to former Chief of Department Philip Banks," Bratton said. After 28 years on the force, Banks retired in 2014, as the highest-ranking uniformed officer. The criminal complaint says the businessmen met Banks through one of the commanders arrested Monday, Deputy Chief Michael Harrington, the Number Two in Banks' office. The complaint says Rechnitz took Harrington and Banks to dinner at least once or twice a week, paying the tab of $400 to $500 per meal. Sources close to the chiefs say that's an extreme exaggeration. Rechnitz is cooperating with the feds, hoping for leniency in his case. The complaint alleges no criminal wrongdoing by Banks, and Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara on Monday would not say if more arrests are coming. "I don't know if you should expect more or not," he said. "The case is on going and the investigation continues. We have not closed the investigation." Banks' attorney, Ben Brafman, told NY1 the retired chief has never been interviewed, contacted or subpoenaed in this investigation. He said Banks did not intentionally violate any laws and nothing has changed that. Early this month, when Correction Union President Norman Seabrook was arrested on bribery charges, Bharara said Seabrook and an unnamed NYPD officer traveled to Israel for free with Reichberg and Rechnitz, at the businessmens' expense. That NYPD officer is said to be Banks. Sources close to Bankis said while there he met with counterterrorism officials. After attending a campaign fundraiser in Midtown, presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump delivered a pointed speech Wednesday morning aimed at Hillary Clinton, addressing what he called her failed policies and bad judgment. Grace Rauh filed the following report. Donald Trump assailed his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton in a speech designed to undercut her campaign and rally Republicans to his side. "Hillary Clinton may be the most corrupt person ever to seek the presidency of the United States," Trump said. He argued that Clinton has gotten rich making people poor, echoing an accusation she has lobbed at him. "She and her husband made $153 million giving speeches to lobbyists, CEOs and foreign governments since 2001. They totally own her," he said. The speech was riddled with false statements, including about his position on the Iraq war. He knocked Clinton for having supported the invasion and said he was criticizing the rush to war even before it started. But in a radio interview Trump did about six months before the invasion, he said he was in favor of it. Later in the day, Clinton hit back, painting the presumptive Republican nominee as a lightweight who will not be able to get things done. "It takes more than stern words or a flashy slogan. It takes a plan, and it takes experience and the ability to work with both parties to get results," she said. Before Trump's speech, he held a fundraiser in Midtown. The latest campaign finance filings show he has just $1.3 million in the bank, a drop in the bucket compared to the $42 million Clinton's team has at its disposal. His remarks, delivered at the Trump SoHo hotel, were aggressive but not nearly as fiery as we've come to expect from him. "She is a world-class liar," he said. At the end of the speech, Trump summed things up this way: He said Clinton's message is old and tired, and he said she thinks change can't happen. He says it has to. As the mayor was hosting a fundraiser, a potential Republican challenger held one of his own just a few blocks away. NY1's Courtney Gross has that story. Queens City Councilman Eric Ulrich is not exactly a household name. Nonetheless, he thinks he would make a great mayor. "If you ask me do I think I can do a better job than Bill de Blasio," Ulrich said. "Of course I can." The 31-year-old Republican councilman held his first fundraiser for a potential mayoral candidacy Tuesday night. He says hizzoner has divided the city. The councilman says he is the one who can unify it. "When you are mayor of the city it's about the people," Ulrich said. "All New Yorkers. He writes people off. He dismisses people he has a very arrogant way of governing. He always has the right answers. He always knows best. He has very thin skin. "What he does lack is political maturity." Ulrich has not declared his candidacy, and he says he is merely exploring a run. The media were not allowed inside this gathering. From NY1's vantage point there appeared to be a few dozen attendees. One of them was the Republican Party candidate who faced de Blasio in 2013 Joe Lhota, who gave his endorsement of an Ulrich candidacy. "I think he would make a wonderful," said Lhota. "I think he would make a wonderful mayor. I think he has the stamina and the ideas and the ability to be a great mayor just like he's a great council member Question: How do you think our current occupant of city hall is doing? "I make it a point to not comment about Bill." Other attendees told us de Blasio deserved to go. And it was time for the five boroughs to shift right. "You look at what's going on in this city," said personal injury attorney Keith Sullivan. "You look at the headlines that are being captured by this de blasio administration and quite frankly it's embedding." Ulrich did not give us a clear timeline on when he would make a decision about 2017. He said he had to discuss it with friends and family. Mayor de Blasio is forging ahead with his reelection bid even amid a flurry of investigations into his political activities. He held a fundraiser Tuesday night in Battery Park City to rally some of his longtime supporters. Political Reporter Grace Rauh has the story. The mayor is having a tough time. On Monday, three top NYPD officials were arrested for allegedly accepting bribes from a de Blasio fundraiser. And there are multiple investigations into the mayor's own fundraising and political activities. But despite the challenges, he is raising money for his reelection campaign. He held a fundraiser Tuesday night with supporters. "I think he's really trying to fulfill what is the philosophy that he put forth and has always stood for," said Joyce Brown, president of the Fashion Institute of Technology. There are plenty of Democrats mentioned as potential challengers to de Blasio in 2017: City Comptroller Scott Stringer, Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams, Public Advocate Letitia James, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. and Congressman Hakeem Jeffries. But at this point it's just chatter none of them has jumped into the ring. "I think the mayor has a lot of strong support," said Queens College Professor Ron Hayduk." I think it's unfortunate that some of his enemies have taken him unduly to task." The mayor's fundraiser was closed to the press but the windows of the restaurant were wide open, so we were able to listen in. "The reason we were able to achieve full day pre-k for all our kids and after school and paid sick leave and so many other things was the people felt the urgency for change and helped us make those changes," the mayor told his supporters. "And it's a lesson that gets it seems to me forgotten year after year and we have to be reminded of it." Tickets went for as little as $100. It is the first of a dozen small-scale, low-dollar fundraisers the mayor plans to hold over the coming weeks. As part of that, three City Council members and an Assemblyman will host fundraising events for him in their districts. Critics of the mayor are privately saying that the investigations are making it difficult for him to raise money. When we asked whether that was the case, a campaign aide noted that a large fundraiser the mayor held last month pulled in $500,000 when public matching funds are included in the tally. The mayor's latest campaign finance filing, which was done in January, showed he had $890,000 in his reelection war chest. In the artistic Manhattan of the 1960s, when the small worlds of experimental poetry, film, theater, visual art and dance bled into one another, an animated figure seemed to appear everywhere at once. Bill Berkson, poet and art critic, was the ever-present third man from the left in the group photographs that chronicle the era. Inevitably, he appeared at gatherings of the poets of the New York School, at the gallery openings of artists like Jasper Johns and Larry Rivers, and at the downtown powwows where argonauts of the avant-garde like Rudy Burckhardt, Merce Cunningham and John Cage breathed the same rarefied air. Mr. Berkson moved easily in this heady milieu, his striking good looks and insatiable appetite for the new affording him instant entree. His friends were legion, an endless roll call of the geniuses, provocateurs and poseurs who gave the decade its distinctive cultural tang. I am almost certainly the only person who was at both the Woodstock Music Festival and Truman Capotes Black and White Masked Ball at the Plaza Hotel in 1966, he wrote in his memoir, Since When, to be published by Coffee House Press on a date to be announced The death of the actor Anton Yelchin, killed when his Jeep Grand Cherokee rolled backward down a driveway and crushed him against a mailbox pillar last weekend, has cast a public spotlight on a problem with some models of Jeeps and other Fiat Chrysler vehicles. But for the company, there is nothing new about the issue which federal regulators first flagged last August. The question is why, nearly a year later, Fiat Chrysler has still not come up with a fix for the problem, which has now been linked to hundreds of accidents, dozens of injuries and now potentially a well-publicized death. The company, which issued a recall notice on more than one million affected vehicles in April, will say only it is still working on a solution, there was no decision about a recall until this year and there has been no delay. It has written to federal regulators that the remedy will include a software change and an additional mechanism to mitigate the effect of operator error. David T. Morgenthaler, a mechanical engineer who became an early figure in the modern venture capital industry, died on June 17 in Cleveland. He was 96. His death was confirmed by his son Gary. Intrepid and intellectually curious, Mr. Morgenthaler (pronounced morgan-THAY-ler) worked in jet engine manufacturing and industrial metallurgy before he moved into investing, supporting nascent companies and entrepreneurs with his own money. He later opened his fund to outside investors. He founded his firm, Morgenthaler Ventures, in 1968, making early investments in several companies, including Apple Computer. But it was Mr. Morgenthalers investment in Manufacturing Data Systems, which provided programs to run machine tools, that netted him his fortune. He invested $200,000 in the new business in 1969, a stake that became worth $20 million after the company went public in 1976. He helped orchestrate the companys sale to the oil-field services giant Schlumberger for just shy of $200 million in 1981. GEORGETOWN, Del. In March, Brad Whitehurst, head of tax at Energy Transfer, the pipeline operator, discovered there might be a problem with the $38 billion merger his company had signed with the Williams Companies six months earlier. He had misunderstood the terms of the deal, and with the rapid decline of Energy Transfers shares in the intervening months, the transaction no longer appeared to be tax-free. The problem was that the completion of the merger required the assurance that it would not incur a tax liability. Mr. Whitehurst immediately called Latham & Watkins, Energy Transfers outside legal counsel. After parsing through the details again, lawyers at the white-shoe law firm also determined they had made a mistake in structuring the deal and could no longer provide the necessary opinion letter to close. Williamss outside lawyers, from Cravath, Swaine & Moore, considered Lathams argument to be bogus and presented two proposals to restructure the deal. Both were promptly rejected by the lawyers at Latham. Generations of Brooklyn commanders, particularly in the precincts serving Borough Park and Crown Heights, have made or broken their careers by doing the right favors. One night in December 1978, hundreds of Hasidic protesters swarmed into the 66th Precinct station house in Borough Park, destroyed a Teletype machine, flung thousands of files onto the floor and got into a pitched battle with police reinforcements summoned by the four officers who were overwhelmed by the mob. In the end, 60 police officers were injured. No one was arrested. A T-shirt was created by patrol officers with a new nickname for the precinct: Fort Surrender. In the same neighborhood two decades later, on an evening in June 1997, thousands of Hasidim chased off deputy sheriffs who had gotten into a scuffle with a scofflaw whose car they were trying to tow. However, the two-star police chief in charge of Brooklyn South, George Brown, refused to immediately release the young man from custody, despite the demands of community leaders and politicians. Whether principled or stubborn, this was not the tactic of a clever careerist: Chief Brown was transferred two weeks later to Police Headquarters to a job doing nothing. And for good measure, in keeping with the Fort Surrender tradition, Mayor Rudolph W. Giulianis administration suspended the towing program in Borough Park for months, resuming it only when the suspension was publicly reported. First, though, the mayor announced that the sheriffs would be sent out for sensitivity training, a precaution apparently unnecessary elsewhere in the city. Im going to respect the rules for the moment, Mr. Aldea, 40, said. The City Council voted to rein in the performers this year after complaints that they were too aggressive in asking pedestrians for tips. Mayor Bill de Blasio, a Democrat, signed the Councils bill, which allowed the New York City Transportation Department to create new rules for pedestrian plazas. In recent weeks, workers began painting the teal activity zones in Times Square between 42nd and 47th Streets. Costumed characters and ticket sellers are supposed to stay in the 8-by-50-foot boxes when they solicit money. Passers-by are directed to walk in pedestrian flow zones. Signs remind tourists that tips are optional. If performers break the rules, they can be issued a criminal summons or even be arrested. As sunshine spilled across the busy plazas on Tuesday afternoon, tourists occasionally stopped for a photo along 42nd Street, where more than a dozen characters were loitering. When one of Robin Smiths relatives paid two Spider-Men $5 after taking their photo, Ms. Smith approached them and said she wanted a follow-up performance for that high a fee. The Spider-Men began to dance, drawing laughs from her group. Ms. Smith, 48, who was visiting from North Carolina, said she appreciated the new rules because she did not like being followed in the past by people who were selling tour-bus tickets. Now the decision was hers. We dont feel like were being harassed, Ms. Smith said. As he walked through Times Square, Alex Diner said the performers did not bother him. He works in the neighborhood and believes the area has become too clean and too organized. These are all good efforts, but a patchwork solution is not enough. Anyone who cannot buy a gun in one state can simply drive to the next to find looser laws. The Orlando massacre only made clearer the need for national legislation. Yet in a familiar scene on Monday, four separate measures in the Senate to block people with suspected terrorist ties from buying guns and to close loopholes in background check laws were defeated. On Tuesday, Senator Susan Collins, Republican of Maine, introduced a bipartisan bill that would give the attorney general the authority to bar gun sales to people on either of two watch lists the no-fly list and the selectee list, which includes those who are subject to extra security screening before boarding a plane. About 2,700 Americans are on these lists. The bill would also alert the F.B.I. of any attempted gun purchase by someone who has been listed on the broader terrorist watch list in the past five years as the Orlando killer was. Those who believed they had been wrongly denied a gun could appeal directly to a federal court. Senator Collinss bill would be one small step forward on a long road. This does not need to be so difficult. By strong and sometimes overwhelming majorities, Americans including gun owners and members of the National Rifle Association support stronger gun laws, including universal background checks, preventing suspected terrorists from buying guns and limiting magazine capacities. Only by taking action on measures like these can members of Congress show that they care more about the wishes of their constituents than of the gun lobby. Its a question fit for Donald Trump himself: Can Republicans fire this guy? Mondays news that Mr. Trumps campaign is turning over the couch cushions for cash and has built next to nothing in terms of a national organization was just the latest reason for Republicans to worry that they have a historic loser on their hands. Mr. Trumps racist comments about the federal judge presiding over a lawsuit against Trump University, his congratulating himself on predicting the mass shooting in Orlando, Fla., and his insinuating that the nations Muslims and President Obama were somehow involved in domestic terrorist plots have persuaded many Republicans that Mr. Trump will never fulfill their hopes of becoming a more judicious presidential candidate. Fully 70 percent of registered voters now say they dislike Mr. Trump, including more than three-quarters of women and nearly 90 percent of nonwhite people, according to a new Washington Post/ABC News poll. Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democratic nominee, has opened a double-digit lead in some national polls. Small wonder that yet another group of Republicans has mounted yet another long-shot effort to deprive Mr. Trump of the nomination. Called Free the Delegates, its an initiative to rally convention delegates to vote against Mr. Trump in Cleveland next month. Kendal Unruh, one of the groups founders and a Colorado delegate, told The Washington Post that this can be done by passing a conscience clause before the convention that would allow delegates from states that Mr. Trump won to abstain or vote for another candidate. Courageous Conservatives PAC, whose founder, Chris Ekstrom, is a pro-Ted Cruz Dallas businessman, backs the group. The conservative pundit Bill Kristol has voiced support for the movement, too, having failed so far to recruit a kindred spirit to start a third-party campaign against Mr. Trump. Republicans in Congress have reacted to the Orlando, Fla., tragedy with a meanspirited and illogical proposal to ban all refugees to the United States indefinitely. The impulse to slam the door shut on some of the worlds most vulnerable people is not new. In recent years, congressional Republicans have tried to limit the numbers of refugees coming into the country from conflict zones like Syria. Meanwhile, officials in states such as Indiana and Texas have tried to bar resettlement of Syrian refugees, although, so far, none have succeeded. Donald Trump, the partys presumptive presidential nominee, has given xenophobic sentiments a megaphone by endorsing a ban on all Muslims coming to this country, whether refugees or not, and building a wall to keep out Mexicans. Since Orlando, he declared his intention to suspend immigration from areas of the world when there is a proven history of terrorism against the United States and its allies. On Sunday, he called for racial profiling as a preventive tactic against terrorism. The latest legislative proposal, by Representative Brian Babin, Republican of Texas, would place an immediate moratorium on all refugee resettlement programs. In a letter to other members of Congress, he said that in light of the attacks in Paris, San Bernardino and Orlando, it is imperative that we do everything in our power to keep Americans safe and defend our national security. San Jose, Calif. ILL never forget the first piece of safety advice I got when I began my transition from the male body in which I was born to the female body I now occupy: Carry a whistle. If I was attacked, I was supposed to blow it in hopes it would alert some do-gooder to dash into a dark alley to break up a brutal hate crime. The idea was not only preposterous, it was also insulting. The implication was that I, being transgender, wouldnt be able to save myself. But I didnt need a whistle; I had a gun. Since the attack in Orlando, Fla., many L.G.B.T. groups have been calling loudly for laws restricting gun ownership. But if anyone should be concerned about protecting the individual right to bear arms, its L.G.B.T. people. We need to stop preaching nonviolence and voting for politicians who dont protect us. Violence toward L.G.B.T. people is real. We are victimized at far greater rates than other minority groups. We often face multiple assailants. The attacks are frenzied and quickly escalate from harassment, to fists, to something altogether different. People die. INTERNATIONAL The Memo From France article on May 23, about the soul-searching that followed the resignation of the French National Assemblys vice president, Denis Baupin, after several female colleagues claimed sexual harassment, quoted incorrectly, in some editions, from an essay by 16 prominent Frenchwomen in the newspaper Journal du Dimanche. They wrote, Omerta and the law of silence are no longer possible (not are longer possible). An article on May 23 about Ecuadors appointment of Africa Berdonces as the new director of the Galapagos National Park and Marine Reserve misstated part of the name of a threatened species of bird native to the islands. It is the flightless cormorant, not the flightless albatross. A reporting credit on May 22 with an article about the United States opportunities for a partnership with Vietnam as President Obama prepared to visit misstated, in some editions, the location of one of the reporters. David E. Sanger reported from Naypyidaw, Myanmar not from Washington. NATIONAL An article on Tuesday about the Senates rejection of four measures intended to control gun safety misstated the focus of an amendment offered by Senator Christopher S. Murphy, Democrat of Connecticut. His measure sought to tighten background checks for all gun buyers, not just for gun buyers at gun shows and on the internet. The Cassini spacecraft is dancing toward death and NASA wants to make sure it doesnt take any alien life with it. Since 2004 the probe has twirled around Saturn, studying the gas giants rings, storms and moons. But it has recently started preparing for next year, when it will plunge into the planets atmosphere and vaporize. NASA chose the ringed planet as Cassinis final resting place because the space agency doesnt want to risk contaminating a potentially habitable world with hardy microbes that may be aboard the craft. Saturn, with its gaseous surface consumed by hydrogen and helium, is inhospitable to life. The same may not be true for some of its moons. Titan, the biggest Saturnian satellite, has an atmosphere that is much less hostile than its overlords. It is a wet world similar to Earth, but unlike our planet, it is awash in methane. Opened just in time for the start of mens fashion shows (and soon, couture) in Paris, the two-month-old restaurant Le Petit Keller offers a fresh perspective on healthy cuisine. The Japanese menu was designed by Kaori Endo, who was a chef at Rose Carrarinis Rose Bakery in the late aughts before launching Nanashi in 2010, a Parisian bento empire that drew in an equally fashionable crowd for its wholesome bentos and delicate desserts. And Endo co-owns Le Petit Keller with her husband, the wine shop owner Michael Lemasle, who curated the restaurants list of small-production, natural French bottles. Endo explains that the kind of winemakers they support extract something interesting and alive from the land and the natural environment. I like to cook like that, too, she says. I like to stay very simple. In the gently refurbished space on rue Keller, plates include mackerel donburi sprinkled with bluebottle flowers, cucumbers beside a miso mayo dip and shittake mushrooms marinated in syrah vinegar. Meats, like tender beef nerves or roasted lamb shoulder, are plated to share and play a mostly supporting role to the vegetables. I think of cuisine first as something beneficial, not as a method of explaining ones art or ones ego, Endo says. I think always of the person whos eating, and Id like it to do him or her well. Its a sentiment shared by her husband: I like wines that are simple and digestible, which work well with Kaoris cuisine, he says. In the 13 years since opening his cramped wine shop Crus & Decouvertes, Lemasle has seen steadily growing interest in the additive-free, unfiltered, low-sulfur wines he began to champion in the early 2000s. He rarely has to explain what natural wine is anymore. At Le Petit Keller, his more than 40 selections all sourced directly from the winemakers are as light as Endos simple, French-inflected Japanese home cooking. NORTHWEST Washington: No Charges In Immigrants Killing Federal prosecutors will not file charges against three police officers in Pasco, Wash., who shot and killed a mentally ill man last year, sparking weeks of protests. United States Attorney Michael Ormsby said Tuesday that there was insufficient evidence that the officers violated the civil rights of the man, Antonio Zambrano-Montes, when they fired 17 bullets at him on Feb. 10, 2015. Mr. Zambrano-Montes, 35, an orchard worker from Mexico, was shot as he threw rocks at the police at a busy downtown intersection. An autopsy showed he had methamphetamine in his system. He also had a history of mental illness and previous interactions with the police. Local prosecutors had previously cleared the officers, Adrian Alaniz, Ryan Flanagan, and Adam Wright. When he then turned to surrender, they shot him to death, Mr. Zambrano-Montess mother, Agapita Montes Rivera, of Parotita, Mexico, said in the statement. Where is justice for my son? she said. The parents have filed a lawsuit in federal court contending the officers used excessive force. (AP) WEST California: Two Convicted of Trying to Aid Terror Two 25-year-old men were convicted Tuesday of trying to become fighters for the Islamic State. Nader Elhuzayel and Muhanad Badawi, both of Anaheim, Calif., schemed last year for Mr. Elhuzayel to fly to the Middle East to fight for the Islamic State, federal officials said. Mr. Badawi, a college engineering student, also was convicted of aiding and abetting an attempt to provide support for terrorists and financial aid fraud. Authorities say he used a federal college grant to support the cause. Mr. Elhuzayel also was convicted of 26 counts of bank fraud. Federal officials said he deposited stolen checks in his bank accounts and withdrew money, intending to use the cash to fight in Syria. The F.B.I. said the men shared their support for the Islamic State in conversation and on social media. Their lawyers say their comments were offensive but not criminal. Mr. Badawis lawyer said he never actually intended to fight for the Islamic State but was a lot of talk and absolutely no action. (AP) At two other occasions, though, he said he could see that some relatives were ashamed: That they would have preferred to deal with this privately and that nobody had to know that their son or daughter was gay. I can see it and I can feel it. And I just want to hug them and hold them and tell them that there is nothing wrong with this. On Tuesday, Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch visited some of the people injured in the attack and the relatives of some who were slain. She spoke of those who might choose to hide their sexuality out of fear of such violence in the future. Let me say to our L.G.B.T. friends and family, particularly to anyone who might view this tragedy as an indication that their identities their essential selves might somehow be better left unexpressed or in the shadows: This Department of Justice and your country stands with you in the light, she said. Cory Richards, 24, spent the early hours of June 12 dancing under the strobe lights at Pulse with his boyfriend, Enrique L. Rios Jr. Neither man had told his parents he was gay. But around 9 a.m., as Mr. Richards emerged from the carnage, he cried into his phone to his father. I cant find my baby, Mr. Richards recalled saying. I cant find my baby. What? his father responded. Thats my boyfriend, thats not my friend, Mr. Richards said he told him of Mr. Rios. Thats my boyfriend. I dont care what you are, he recalled his father saying. Youre my son. I didnt know, but I accept it. Donald J. Trump met privately with evangelicals on Tuesday in New York, asking for their support and questioning Hillary Clintons faith. Before meeting with a larger group, Mr. Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, spoke to a small number of evangelical leaders from around the country, and, according to video posted to Twitter by a minister in attendance, Mr. Trump said that we dont know anything about Hillary in terms of religion. Now, shes been in the public eye for years and years, and yet theres no theres nothing out there. In response to Mr. Trumps comment, the Clinton campaign released a statement from Deborah Fikes, who had been an executive adviser to the World Evangelical Alliance. Mr. Trumps proposals are not just un-Christian theyre un-American and at odds with the values our country holds dearest, her statement read. WASHINGTON After six years of vague talk about a conservative alternative to the Affordable Care Act, House Republicans on Tuesday finally laid out the replacement for a repealed health law a package of proposals that they said would slow the growth of health spending and relax federal rules for health insurance. Opponents began the repeal and replace mantra almost as soon as the Affordable Care Act was signed in 2010, and while they have voted dozens of times to repeal the health law, the replacement has been elusive. In finally presenting one, Speaker Paul D. Ryan of Wisconsin and his Republican team did not provide a cost estimate or legislative language. But they did issue a 20,000-word plan that provides the most extensive description of their health care alternative to date. Many of the ideas for health savings accounts, high-risk pools and sales of insurance across state lines are familiar. Democrats in and out of Congress have for weeks been rehearsing their lines of attack. WASHINGTON Signaling a possible breakthrough in the long stalemate in Congress over tightening the nations gun laws, a bipartisan group of senators called on Tuesday for banning gun sales to terrorism suspects on the governments no-fly list. The proposed measure, while modest, puts new muscle and momentum behind what would be one of the few restrictions placed on gun ownership in the past 20 years. The push for the compromise bill, led by Senator Susan Collins, Republican of Maine, and Senator Heidi Heitkamp, Democrat of North Dakota, came a day after the Senate refused to advance any of four measures intended to make it harder for suspected terrorists to buy guns. Ms. Collins and the lawmakers who joined her, including Senator Tim Kaine, Democrat of Virginia, who is frequently mentioned as a potential running mate for Hillary Clinton, voiced deepening exasperation over the failure of Congress to take any action to prevent shootings like the massacre this month in Orlando, Fla. WASHINGTON The eight midlevel Foreign Service officers stepped into John Kerrys formal outer office at the State Department on Tuesday a room that few of them had ever entered before to tell him that he was pursuing a path in Syria that would never bring an end to a gruesome civil war. The argument was not new to Mr. Kerry he, in fact, has offered versions of it himself in the Situation Room and the Oval Office. But for half an hour, according to several participants, the secretary of state and the eight officials engaged in a surprisingly cordial conversation about whether there was a way, in the last six months of the Obama presidency, to use American military force to help end a conflict that by some estimates has claimed 500,000 lives. The eight were among 51 State Department employees who signed a dissent channel cable to Mr. Kerry last week, a letter that was leaked so quickly that it appeared clearly intended to send a message to President Obama that his own diplomats could not back his cautious policy. Mr. Kerry, several participants said, was careful to never explicitly agree with their critique, or let on that he, too, has argued that President Bashar al-Assad of Syria will continue to bomb, starve and blockade his own people unless negotiations are backed by some form of military pressure. Born and raised in China, Rowena Xiaoqing He is best known for her research on the 1989 Tiananmen democracy movement. In 2010, she created a freshman seminar at Harvard called Rebels With a Cause: Tiananmen in History and Memory, and in 2014, she published Tiananmen Exiles: Voices of the Struggle for Democracy in China. In 2015, she joined the faculty of St. Michaels College in Vermont, where she continues to offer the seminar. While her work has won respect from fellow scholars, it has made her a target of attacks by young patriotic Chinese. Her current research explores the development of such nationalistic sentiments in China after the military suppression of the protests on June 4, 1989. What prompted you to research the Tiananmen movement? Our generation grew up in an atmosphere of idealism. In 1989, I joined students across the country and participated in demonstrations in Guangdong Province. We took to the streets not because of hatred and despair, but because of love and hope. The sense of historical responsibility and faith in reform among intellectuals in the 1980s were crushed overnight. June 4 remains a taboo banned from open discussions. We have been bearing this open wound up to the present. June 4 is a watershed and the root of major social problems in China, including cynicism, nationalism and materialism. Its impossible to understand todays China without understanding the spring of 1989. Whats the biggest challenge teaching Tiananmen? As a result of the governments cover-up, the history of 1989 has become obscured. But the biggest challenge in my teaching experience was not just about facts, but values. The facts are relatively straightforward. But, swayed by the rationale that the crackdown was necessary to thwart a Western conspiracy to divide and weaken China and hence paved the way for Chinas rise, many of the younger generation tend to identify with the governments twisted reasoning. For most American students, the argument that human lives could be sacrificed for economic development and a strong nation is strange, but it has become accepted by many Chinese. How did you deal with this? Presenting evidence. I tell my students that June 4 is like a puzzle. We need to put together the pieces to restore a true and complete picture. For example, it was argued that there was no Tiananmen massacre because no one was killed in Tiananmen Square. One student decided to let history speak for itself by translating a chapter in Ding Zilins In Search of the Victims of June 4 about a victim being shot and killed by the flagpole in Tiananmen Square. Of course, the massacre cant be denied based on the number of casualties in the square. Just as the Tiananmen movement wasnt confined to Tiananmen Square, but instead a nationwide movement, the Tiananmen massacre didnt just take place within Tiananmen Square, but included killings throughout central Beijing. The two maps that we use one pinpointing where victims were killed and the other where bodies were found are self-evident. When North Korea fired its midrange Rodong missile from an inland launch site toward the sea off its east coast in March, the missile flew 500 miles, less than its normal range of 620 to 810 miles. Kim Dong-yup, an analyst at the Institute for Far Eastern Studies at Kyungnam University in Seoul, said that North Korea was launching the Musudan to test its ability to build a nuclear warhead that could survive the extreme heat and friction that it would encounter crashing through the earths atmosphere from a high altitude. The North has been struggling to master the so-called warhead re-entry technology needed to build an intercontinental ballistic missile. I dont believe North Korea failed again and again in testing the Musudan itself, which it had deployed 10 years ago, Mr. Kim said. What it has been trying to do with such difficulty was to use the Musudan as a vehicle to test the re-entry and detonation system for an I.C.B.M., he added, referring to an intercontinental ballistic missile. The Japanese Defense Ministry said it believed that the test showed that the Norths missile technology was advancing. The second of the two missiles fired on Wednesday reached an altitude of 620 miles, it said, indicating a degree of capability as a midrange ballistic missile. Mr. Kim said that the North appeared to have fired its Musudan at a steeper angle to avoid Japanese airspace as well as to achieve an altitude high enough to test re-entry technology for an intercontinental ballistic missile. He said the altitude of 620 miles was close to that reached by those projectiles. The United States Strategic Command said that the two Musudan missiles fired on Wednesday posed no threat to North America. We are in fact drowning in intelligence, said Alain Bauer, a professor of criminology at the National Conservatory of Arts and Crafts in Paris. He and others said there were structural problems, including the fact that Frances so-called S List, a database of people believed to have been radicalized, has over 10,000 names and is not ranked according to threat level. Though most on the list never commit violence, others have now been responsible for gruesome headlines. Eight of the 10 men who staged the deadliest European terrorist attack in over a decade the Paris killings on Nov. 13 were on the S List and several had spent time behind bars, yet were able to sneak back into France and Belgium from Syria. Another suspect on the list, Amedy Coulibaly, had also been imprisoned on a terrorism conviction. Eight months after his electronic bracelet was removed by the French authorities, he killed a police officer and opened fire in a kosher supermarket in Paris in January 2015, leaving four more people dead in the Islamic States name. If you take your daily agenda, and you were to note down the birthday of every single person you know, it would be unmanageable to try to wish them all a happy birthday, Mr. Bauer said. You need to make a selection. We dont know how to do that with the profiles of these people. Those kinds of suspects have created an awkward middle ground for the French authorities, and after a series of plots or attacks linked to the Islamic State over the past two years, there is more urgency to find new legal tools to deal with the problem. After Mr. Abballa killed the couple in Magnanville, France, last week, a deputy in Parliament, Eric Ciotti, introduced a bill creating the status of administrative detention for those representing a security threat. In effect, he was calling for rapid prioritization of the S List, and he said the bill would be aimed at immediately detaining hundreds of those deemed to pose the highest risk, placing them under house arrest or in a detention center. Victor Stanculescu, an agile former Romanian general who arranged the escape of the Communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu in 1989, then joined the insurgent government and engineered Mr. Ceausescus trial and execution three days later, died on Sunday in Saftica, in southern Romania. He was 88. His death was announced by his lawyer, Catalin Dancu. General Stanculescu (pronounced stahn-kul-ESS-ko) was first deputy defense minister when he was dispatched by Mr. Ceausescu to Timisoara, in western Romania, to suppress a pro-democracy protest. But after ordering security forces to fire on unarmed dissidents on Dec. 17, 1989, Mr. Ceausescu, the countrys last Communist leader and its brutally Stalinist head of state for two decades, lost control of his army as the revolt spread. Nearly 100 civilians were killed in Timisoara alone. It was late April, and the ballerina Alessandra Ferri was rehearsing the balcony pas de deux from Kenneth MacMillans Romeo and Juliet with Herman Cornejo in American Ballet Theaters Lower Manhattan studios. The liquid fluidity, gorgeously arched feet and dramatic intensity that have characterized Ms. Ferris long career were all in evidence, and onlookers were watching with rapt appreciation. Then, suddenly, the pair tangled up during a complicated lift. Ms. Ferri slid awkwardly down Mr. Cornejos back, landing in a heap. What happened? she called out with a laugh, her feet in the air. Its my fault, Mr. Cornejo said. You know what youre doing! Ms. Ferri does know what she is doing. On Thursday night, she is returning, at 53, to the Metropolitan Opera House stage to dance, for just one performance, the teenage Juliet probably her most famous role which she first danced at 21, in 1984, as a principal at the Royal Ballet. Picassos Femme Assise, painted in the summer of 1909 when the artist traveled to the remote Spanish village of Horta de Ebro, which could only be reached by mule sold for $63.7 million at Sothebys in London on Tuesday, making it the most expensive Cubist painting ever sold at auction. It has been decades since a Cubist painting of this caliber has been offered at auction, Helena Newman, a global co-head of Impressionist and Modern art at Sothebys, said in a statement. Virtually all the significant works of this period are in international museums and institutions. The painting, which depicts Picassos lover and model Fernande Olivier, was last sold at auction in 1973 at Sothebys in London for about $500,000 in todays dollars. The work was bought on behalf of a telephone bidder by Adam Chinn, part of Art Agency, Partners, an art advisory company that was recently acquired by Sotheby's. The overall record for a Picasso was set last year with the sale of the 1955 painting Les Femmes dAlger (Version O) for $179.4 million at Christies. Ile Saint-Louis would become one of the first examples of urban planning in France, with elegant townhouses and mansions built in the 17th century. In a nod to modernity, some looked outward toward the Seine, rather than inward toward courtyards and interior streets. Most of the old neighborhoods on Ile de la Cite were demolished by Baron Haussmann, the 19th-century prefect of the Seine department, as part of his rebuilding of Paris in the name of progress. He expropriated and razed medieval houses to build a new headquarters for the Paris Guard and the Fire Brigade, a massive structure still occupied by the Paris police. (Thankfully, the Cathedral of Notre-Dame and the Conciergerie were not on his list.) On the southwest edge of Paris is Ile Seguin, home for most of the 20th century to the automaker Renault, which built what would become the largest factory in France there, with 30,000 employees. (During World War II, it produced trucks for the occupying Germans and was the target of allied bombings.) The factory was closed in 1992, and its buildings razed in 2004 and 2005 following extensive soil decontamination and asbestos removal. The French architect Jean Nouvel is directing a sustainable development project for the island that will include offices, shops, transportation and recreational activities, and will feature green roofs and the reuse of rainwater. Ile de la Grande Jatte to the west of Paris was the subject of Georges Seurats pointillist masterpiece A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte. The painting was the inspiration for the Sondheim musical Sunday in the Park with George; Sesame Street and The Simpsons have parodied it; Playboy once featured a version of the painting on its cover. Carnegie Hall announced on Wednesday that it was renaming its first level of boxes the Blavatnik Family First Tier in recognition of a $25 million gift from Len Blavatnik, a trustee there since 2014, and his family foundation. It was a coda of sorts to the boardroom drama that erupted last year when Ronald O. Perelman abruptly stepped down as Carnegies chairman after clashing with the halls administrative staff and other board members. One flash point came when he questioned the halls involvement with a $100,000 prize given out by Warner Music. The company is owned by a firm founded by Mr. Blavatnik, which had beaten out a bid that Mr. Perelman was involved with. Mr. Perelman questioned whether the prize, which was to go to a young musician who had played at Carnegie, had been sufficiently vetted for potential conflicts, since it involved a business controlled by a board member. A legal review Carnegie commissioned later concluded that the episode had not raised governance concerns. Mr. Perelman, who had given generously to Carnegie in the past and had been expected to donate another $30 million, left after less than a year in the position. The hall, whose goal was to raise $125 million to support its artistic, educational and digital initiatives by May, when it celebrated its 125th anniversary, extended its fund-raising timeline to the end of next June. The English-language wing of American television has had a small but steady appetite for telenovela adaptations. Ugly Betty, Devious Maids and Jane the Virgin, based on Colombian, Mexican and Venezuelan originals, have all lasted for multiple seasons in the United States. Those shows, despite an abundance of melodramatic twists, are essentially comic. That may be the secret to their success the breathless plotting and over-the-top emotions of the originals translate fairly easily into the more knowing, self-referential style of comedy that dominates American TV. But most telenovelas dont go for laughs, and adapting a more serious Spanish-language soap opera is a different challenge there isnt as clear an analogue in American TV drama, which has become a pretty self-serious place. You can see that tension constantly at play in the first episode (the only one made available to critics in advance) of Queen of the South, the new USA series adapted from the blockbuster telenovela La Reina del Sur. The piles of cocaine, the explosions, the car chases, the bullets in the skull all say grim drama. But then what are we to make of the scene in which the drug-dealing heroine is lectured by her elegantly dressed future self while being raped by a cartel thug? A moment like this, it defines your future, the stiletto-heeled apparition tells her. This sort of thing doesnt happen in Narcos. Facebook shareholders sent a curious message about the social networks governance this week. More than half of Facebook owners not named Mark Zuckerberg clicked the corporate equivalent of a Like button for just three of the companys directors. Weirdly, shareholders seemed to prefer the venture capitalist Peter Thiel over top executives like Sheryl Sandberg, the companys chief operating officer, and Mr. Zuckerberg himself. It is a brainteaser that suggests institutional investors are more inclined to tick boxes than follow their heads. First, some background: In the weeks before Mondays annual meeting, it was revealed that Mr. Thiel had bankrolled Hulk Hogans lawsuit against Gawker, the gossip website founded by Nick Denton. The wrester, whose real name is Terry Bollea, sued Gawker for posting a sex video that involved him. A Florida jury awarded Mr. Bollea $140 million, and Gawker has since filed for bankruptcy. Mr. Thiels personal vendetta against Gawker, which previously revealed that he is gay, raised important questions about his First Amendment bona fides. That matters because Facebook is diving headlong into the publishing business, where constitutional protections on free speech are critical. Indeed, The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday that Facebook is paying more than $50 million to media organizations, including The New York Times, to produce videos for its live-streaming feed. Mr. Rahman also said that he tapped an online security firm a year ago to help the bank bulk up its defenses but that it had been hired only after the theft because of bureaucratic delays. Mr. Rahmans comments go to the heart of fears in the international banking community. The theft exposed weaknesses in the way the worlds banks, companies and other financial institutions transfer money around the globe. Swift the system they use to move that money and through which the money was transferred out of the New York Fed has since said it has seen other such attempts to steal money from the global banking system. In the case of Bangladesh Bank, the thieves used stolen credentials to try to transfer nearly $1 billion of the central banks money at the New York Fed to accounts around the world. About $81 million was ultimately transferred to casinos in the Philippines, where much of it disappeared. A spokeswoman for the New York Fed declined to comment on Mr. Rahmans remarks but said that the theft had not been the result of a breach of its computer systems. Some experts have said the theft was the result of weaknesses in Bangladesh Bank itself. Local news reports have said the bank used $10 routers and no firewalls. But Mr. Rahman disputed the notion that the banks digital security was lax. The market hates the idea of Tesla Motors acquiring SolarCity. After Teslas announcement on Tuesday of a $2.8 billion offer to acquire SolarCity, Teslas stock was down more than 8 percent early Wednesday morning, more than the total market capitalization of SolarCity itself. The market is ascribing a negative value to this possible acquisition. The reaction reflects two things. Solar City is a maker of solar energy products, basically home and business solar panels. Tesla is a maker of battery-powered cars, though some view the companys battery-making component as its bigger future. To Elon Musk, the chairman of SolarCity and the chief executive of Tesla, putting together these two different businesses is blindingly obvious and a no-brainer. A blog post on the Tesla website explained the reasons: We would be the worlds only vertically integrated energy company offering end-to-end clean energy products to our customers. This would start with the car that you drive and the energy that you use to charge it, and would extend to how everything else in your home or business is powered. In other words, the deal makes sense because people who buy Teslas cars also want solar power. In a combined company, they can get it in the same place. The market is not buying it. To investors, it is as if the Walt Disney Company bought a birthing center business to offer end-to-end service for its parent customers. Its not clear that Tesla owners will really want to buy solar panels, or that if they did, it would be in sufficient number. TOKYO Mitsubishi Motors said Wednesday that it expected to incur a loss of 145 billion yen, or $1.39 billion, this year as it faces the fallout from a scandal over falsified fuel-economy ratings. The net loss, forecast for the fiscal year to March, would be Mitsubishis first in eight years. The scandal prompted Mitsubishi to seek a $2.2 billion rescue from its fellow Japanese automaker Nissan Motor last month as it struggled with falling sales and the rising cost of compensating customers. The episode has already cost Mitsubishi a significant amount of independence. The carmaker gave up about one-third of the company in return for its financial lifeline, becoming part of a global automotive group centered on Nissan and Renault of France. In April, Mitsubishi admitted using unapproved mileage tests on cars it sells in Japan, which exaggerated the vehicles stated fuel performance. The company said that it had been cheating on its mileage tests for a quarter-century and that all models in its domestic lineup were affected. Its chief executive has since stepped down. Mr. Scotts story highlights one patients success. Yet it also underscores the difficulties that the Obama administration and public health officials face in reducing the widespread use of painkillers like OxyContin and Percocet. The use and abuse of the drugs has led to a national epidemic of overdose deaths, addiction and poor patient outcomes. In recent months, federal agencies and state health officials have urged doctors to first treat pain without using opioids, and some have announced plans to restrict how many pain pills a doctor can prescribe. But getting the millions of people with chronic pain to turn to alternative treatments is a daunting task, one that must overcome inconsistent insurance coverage as well as some resistance from patients and their doctors, who know the ease and effectiveness of pain medications. We are all culpable, said Dr. David Deitz, a former insurance industry executive and a consultant on pain treatment issues. I dont care whether you are a doctor, an insurer or a patient. Alternative treatments for pain may include chiropractic and osteopathic manipulation, meditation, massage, yoga, acupuncture and cognitive behavioral therapy, which helps people cope with pain by changing how they think about it. Insurance plans may not cover all of these treatments, which vary widely in cost, or impose strict limits on them. Comprehensive programs such as the one Mr. Scott attended are expensive, charging $20,000 or more. After years of operating within a regimented chain of command, many veterans are ready to become their own bosses. Many would-be business owners are finding that the skills and experiences honed in the military are directly translating into start-up ideas. Veterans are comfortable operating in high-pressure environments that are changing rapidly, where theyre constantly forced to make decisions with incomplete information, said Zachary Scheel, a former civil engineer for the United States Navy and a co-founder of a construction technology start-up, Rhumbix. These veterans are adapting tools and strategies they learned during their service for civilian applications, and some have been inspired to start companies to address problems they witnessed on the battlefield. Veterans have a long tradition of starting businesses. Nearly 50 percent of World War II veterans owned and operated businesses after leaving military service, according to research from the Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University. College is becoming less and less affordable to more and more families higher and higher on the socioeconomic ladder. As tuition and other fees have climbed and state funding of public institutions has failed to keep pace with rising costs and growing enrollment, a college education is being priced out of the reach of middle-class and even upper-middle-class families. According to a recent report from researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and Vanderbilt University, families earning 48,001 to $75,000 a year had to pay a significant portion of their gross income to send a student to a public four-year nondoctoral institution. On average, it cost 16 percent (in Alaska) to 33 percent (in New Jersey) of their income in 2013, the latest year for which complete statistics were available for the report. The burden was higher at public research universities, according to the report, 2016 College Affordability Diagnosis. Families would have had to pay, on average, 17 percent (Wyoming) to 31 percent (Alabama) of their income to enroll in such state-run institutions as the University of Wyoming or the University of Alabama. John Palfrey, head of the Phillips Academy in Andover, Mass., an elite residential secondary school, said his school had successfully teamed up with the Khan Academy, a major participant in online K-12 education, to teach high-level calculus. But he warned that online learning had its limitations it is highly useful in math and science, less so in history and English. For many fields, technology doesnt have an application, he said. In others, it has enormous importance and it would be malpractice not to use it. One of the major challenges is overcoming digital inequality, Mr. Palfrey said. The problem is not so much the devices themselves most students these days have access to computers and smartphones but the level of sophistication in using these devices to conduct research. One way to address that, he said, is to incorporate the issue into existing class curriculums, such as by examining how a Wikipedia page is created and how it differs from, say, an article in Nature or Smithsonian magazine. And teachers need to be brought up to speed on the use of technology as well, Mr. Ryan said. Schools need to do a better job teaching teachers. Image Joni Finney of the University of Pennsylvania said the nations next president has to be serious about college affordability. Credit... Brian Ach/Getty Images for The New York Times Inequality dominated much of the discussion about the direction of higher education. Completion is a huge national challenge, said John B. King Jr., the secretary of education. His statement was confirmed by the many hands that were raised by administrators and educators in the audience when asked how many students at their institutions take longer than two or four years to obtain a degree. For most of its history, America ignored the talents and potential of most Americans. We will never know what great progress might have been made in science, medicine, business and many other fields if we had taken advantage of the brainpower and abilities of all our people regardless of gender, race, ethnicity or income level. And people from low-income families continue to face enormous obstacles. A 2014 White House report, Increasing College Opportunity for Low-Income Students, states: While half of all people from high-income families have a bachelors degree by age 25, just one in 10 people from low-income families do. These low-income students lack money, dont get adequate counseling in high school and face many other barriers that more affluent students never encounter. To enable more low-income students to get a higher education, colleges should make socioeconomic diversity a priority. They should encourage outstanding low-income students to apply, simplify the application process and make transparent the actual tuition price and financial aid possibilities for students from struggling families. In addition, colleges should devote more financial aid to those who need it and less to those who dont, by reducing so-called merit scholarships. Colleges should also re-examine their policies of giving preferential admissions to the children of alumni. With student activism sweeping the country over issues that include sexual assault, police brutality and racial inequality, American higher education is at a crossroads, as it was in the 1960s when college students were galvanized by the Vietnam War and the civil rights movement. We must ask ourselves now, as educators did then, how best to serve a generation of students as they face evolving challenges that stem from changing demographics, rising income inequality, political tumult and doubts about whether the nation can overcome its deepest divides. How do educators sustain the standards of excellence that have made American higher education an international model, while adapting to changing circumstance? How can the value of liberal arts be demonstrated when public discourse increasingly defines educational value in terms of initial income? Can you give some examples of what you did? President Napolitano: Centralizing payroll; that doesnt sound very sexy, but its huge and complicated. Universities, because of all the different types of funding streams from grants, from general endowments, from different types of endowments theyre really complicated. We had 13 payroll systems, and now we are unifying into one system for the entire University of California. Do you know how much it will save? President Napolitano: I cant say that yet. It will be done over the next several years. Arent you worried that state residents will say, Aha! We knew there was all sorts of fat that could be cut from these budgets and assume that you dont need the additional state funding youre asking for? President Napolitano: When you run a public institution, youre always struggling to do more with less. But at a certain point, you dont do more with less; you have to do less with less. Classes are larger. Housing is harder to get. Students are feeling it. What else is being done? Chancellor Gray-Little: Were looking at online education. We started that about three years ago, as a way to have additional students and additional revenue without having to build larger classrooms. In 2013, we announced a partnership to bring 15 graduate degree and certificate programs online over the next few years. In 2014, the school of education began offering its first course online: its top-ranked special education graduate program. Today, the school of education offers eight online programs, with 600 active students. We expect to add another 150 in fall 2016. Our school of business now offers an online M.B.A. and M.B.A. certificate program. President Napolitano, the University of California system recently faced criticism for taking in more out-of-state and international students to help raise revenue, as they pay substantially more in tuition than in-state students. Systemwide, of freshmen applicants, 9 percent were out-of-state students and 3 percent international in 1994. The latest figures for 2015 show 19 percent out of state and 16 percent international. And for the top campuses, such as Berkeley, U.C.L.A. and San Diego, its higher than that. How do you respond to such criticism? President Napolitano: If you go back to the darkest days, the Board of Regents and the president of the university basically had three choices. Faced with an almost one-third cut to state support for their core operating budget the part of the budget that students feel they could have reduced overall enrollment. They could have continued to raise tuition. Or they could find another source of revenue. One of the most important issues that educators in institutions of higher learning must face is skepticism about the efficacy of liberal arts education in an era that seems to be pushing what educators call STEM science, technology, engineering and math as the answer to everything. This is not just happening in the United States, of course. Calls to cut support for students who want to study literature, history or other so-called soft disciplines are also made in Europe and Asia. But on our own shores, just recently, the governor of Connecticut used his line item veto power to cut support for the humanities in the state. While not directly aimed at higher education, this creates a climate in which people who want to study the humanities are told that their interests are worthless. We seem to be rejecting the idea that it is essential for the good health of any society to have people who are broadly educated, who learn to investigate, analyze and present their findings in a logical and clear fashion even without the aid of numbers or code. I was a member of the Commission on the Humanities and Social Sciences, put together by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. The report we produced, The Heart of the Matter, discussed this issue in depth, outlining three goals that Americas educational institutions should advance: Educating Americans in the knowledge, skills and understanding that they need to thrive in a 21st century democracy; fostering a society that is innovative, competitive and strong; and equipping the nation for leadership in an interconnected world. The commission took the position and I agree wholeheartedly that these goals cannot be achieved by science alone. Campus rape is finally receiving the attention it merits. But efforts to address the problem are developing in too scattershot a fashion, largely because of widespread confusion about the role of the university in responding to sexual assault. Institutions of higher education cannot substitute for a functioning criminal justice system, where the interests of the state are vindicated. Nor should they try to replicate the civil justice model, in which plaintiffs sue defendants to vindicate their own interests. Rather, universities have interests that are distinct. Their response to sexual assault demands a focus on their core mission: providing education in a manner that does not discriminate based on sex. This imperative should guide comprehensive institutional reform. For example, because colleges have an obligation to provide an environment in which all students are able to learn, preventing sexual assault and, for that matter, gender-based misconduct of any kind is critical. The goal is not to place the burden of prevention on women by instructing them how to behave; this approach only exacerbates inequality on campus. Universities must instead commit to eradicating gender violence along with the racism and sexism that sustain it. Offer students a less confusing array of courses. Require fewer remedial classes to improve students basic math and English skills. Or find a way to pair these not-for-credit courses with others that would provide progress toward a degree. Provide more personal advice. And lower the cost. While some of these steps might seem more obvious than others, they are among the changes community colleges across the country are making in hopes of ensuring that more students graduate. Confronted with evidence built up over years of research that community colleges are too often failing their mission of educating all comers, college leaders are embracing a reform movement that calls for a fundamental overhaul of the structure of community colleges and the way students choose and follow a route to a degree, said Thomas Bailey, a professor of economics and education at Teachers College at Columbia University and director of the Community College Research Center. That research makes a compelling case for change. Studies show that the traditional way the countrys thousand-plus community colleges have operated by offering a wide cafeteria-style mixture of classes and majors, and by placing large numbers of students into noncredit remedial classes to bolster their basic skills is failing. Recently, I visited my hometown, Birmingham, Ala., to recognize high-achieving eighth graders from the citys public schools. I found myself reflecting on my own experiences as a 12-year-old in that city, participating in the Childrens March of 1963 to fight for access to a better education. As I sat there, I kept wondering: Just how far have we come? Today, only about half of the students who began college have earned a degree six years later, and the completion rates are much lower for students of color. For example, among students who start at a four-year college or university, about 59 percent graduate from that institution within six years, while only 40 percent of African-Americans do so. The gap is equally striking by income. More than 80 percent of Americans from families in the top income quartile have attained a bachelors degree by age 24, compared with fewer than 10 percent of those from families in the bottom income quartile. Its clear that increasing access to college is not enough. Ensuring that more students succeed will require a host of strategies, from better understanding our students strengths and challenges to supporting teacher and faculty development. Any solution must start with this mind-set we must agree that it is not acceptable for such a large number of students to work hard to earn a college education, often going into debt, not to succeed. As a society, we must be willing to look in the mirror, and we need to listen to students and their families as we craft strategies. Most important, we need caring communities in which residents view student success as a collective responsibility. I learned in Birmingham and I see at my university that young people need adults who can support them by setting expectations and helping them develop critical thinking skills and a sense of self. We need comprehensive public policies that encourage leaders and practitioners across all sectors pre-K-12, two-year and four-year institutions, businesses, government agencies and nonprofits to work together. As we grapple with issues of inequality in education, there are no quick fixes. There also werent quick fixes 50 years ago. But through decades of commitment and hard work, we have made progress. Although the university cleared Ms. Quenette of violating its nondiscrimination policies, it denied her bid for tenure and said it would not employ her after next May. Joseph Monaco, a university spokesman, said in a statement that the decision was a personnel matter unrelated to the racial issues, but he did not elaborate. Ms. Quenette and her husband, Scott, a software engineer, have joined a chorus of voices calling for stronger support for free expression on campuses even as students themselves are often seeking some curbs on speech they deem offensive. According to a poll recently released by the Gallup Organization, 78 percent of 3,072 students from 32 four-year private and public colleges believed their campuses should strive to create an open environment where they would be exposed to a range of speech and views. Twenty-two percent noted that colleges should prohibit biased or offensive speech in the furtherance of a positive learning environment. But 69 percent favored limitations on speech when it came to language that was deliberately upsetting to some groups. An October 2015 survey of 800 students nationwide, sponsored by the William F. Buckley, Jr. Program at Yale, reported that 63 percent favored requiring professors to use trigger warnings to alert students to subject matter that might be unsettling. By a 51 percent to 36 percent margin, students also supported speech codes to regulate speech for students and faculty. The controversy has brought disruption to many campuses. In February, a student at Gettysburg College, a small liberal arts institution in Pennsylvania, hung posters featuring a photo of a baby and the sentence, Abortion is the number one killer of black lives in the United States. It ended with the hashtag, Black Lives Matter. Some students demonstrated, saying that the posters singled out African-American women in an effort to promote an anti-abortion campaign. They also said the posters made misleading use of the Black Lives Matter slogan. In April, the school revised its Freedom of Expression policy, re-emphasizing the schools commitment to free speech even when the speech may be offensive. The $1.2 trillion that borrowers and their parents owe on student loans for college is an eye-popping number one that some policy analysts, pundits and journalists often cite in declaring a student loan crisis. But a related challenge deserves greater attention: the college completion challenge. President Obama has called for America to once again lead the world in college graduation. And Americans are indeed earning more degrees than ever before. Still, far too many students start college but do not finish, with students of color and first-generation and low-income students dropping out at higher rates than their white or better-off peers. If students have to borrow, they may not earn enough money to repay their loans. The typical defaulter owes less than $9,000. The bottom line is this: Debt without a degree often leads to default. Colleges, states and the federal government can work to change this. The Obama administration has made college more affordable by adding tens of billions of dollars in student aid and creating tax credits for college tuition, made it easier for students to repay their loans, and encouraged graduating on time. Across the country, innovative leaders are showcasing strategies that work. The University of Hawaiis graduation rate has improved significantly since the university began giving students incentives to attend class full time. Ah, the lecture. Certainly, many dazzling orators still exist. But anyone who has attended college has probably also experienced the dry-as-dust lecturer, the professor reading aloud from the textbook, the instructor who stands, back to the class, writing definitions or equations on the board. Todays college classroom is, or should be, a much different place, according to Dr. Reder and his counterparts at the 566 institutions represented in the Professional and Organizational Development Network in Higher Education, whose mission is to help improve teaching in colleges. The traditional style of classroom is one where its a full-on lecture for the entire time, and theres some level of information transmission that happens there, depending on whether students are awake, said Kevin Barry, president of the group and director of the Kaneb Center for Teaching and Learning at the University of Notre Dame. But the processing of that information happens outside of class. What the research shows now is that if we can move that processing into the classroom, for at least part of the class time, well get better results in terms of learning. Flipping the classroom is the term. That doesnt necessarily mean that 2,000 years of the Socratic learning tradition are flipped. One of the things that emerges from the research is that theres not one way to be an effective teacher, said Cassandra Volpe Horii, the director of the California Institute of Technologys Center for Teaching, Learning & Outreach. Lectures not necessarily bad. It depends on how its implemented. Rather than simply talking to students for an hour straight, she said, it is more effective to intersperse questions and allow pauses for them to reflect on and process the information. Allowing time to work in small groups to analyze or experiment with the material and using the classroom time not just to introduce concepts but to apply or think critically about them are some approaches in favor today. The idea of being told how to teach more effectively doesnt sit well with all faculty members, said Cathleen Cuppett, professor of Spanish at Coker College in Hartsville, S.C., and the chairwoman of her colleges Committee for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. There are faculty members who feel that all this pedagogy and education stuff is claptrap and balderdash, she said. There are also those who believe that good teachers are born, not made. That may be true, but I do think everybody can improve. At Coker, which has an enrollment of 1,165 students, Professor Cuppetts five-person committee offers programs similar to those in the teaching centers at larger schools, such as periodic lunches where faculty members discuss what is working and what isnt in their classrooms. She and her committee suggest books on education theory and teaching (this years list includes Adult Learners in the Academy, by Lee Bash, about effective methods for teaching the growing number of older students). But Professor Cuppett also wonders whether teaching remains a secondary consideration when it comes to the prospects for advancement. Whether or not teaching is used in promotion and tenure decisions, particularly at Level 1 research institutions, is an entirely different question, she said. So, Mayhoola for Investments the Qatari sovereign wealth fund that owns Valentino, Anya Hindmarch and Pal Zileri, and that is backed by Qatars royal family has bought Balmain, the Paris fashion house backed by the Kardashians (well, not exactly backed, but they are its biggest cheerleaders). This could have big repercussions on what we all wear. Since 2005, when the designer Christophe Decarnin transformed the couture house to haute rock n roll hotness, Balmain has been a brand whose buzz with its own name, Balmainia is significantly bigger than its bite of the market. Mr. Decarnin left in 2011 (reportedly because of stress), after convincing numerous women that they really, really desired a pair of wildly expensive crystal-bedecked ripped jeans. Olivier Rousteing, then 24, took the reins, altering the balance between glitz and grunge in favor of the former. Orders for abortion pills by women in seven Latin American countries with Zika outbreaks increased after health officials in those countries warned that the virus might cause severe birth defects, according to a womens organization supplying such pills. Orders from women in Brazil, Ecuador and Venezuela roughly doubled, while those from Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador and Honduras went up by from 36 percent to 76 percent, researchers said in a study published Wednesday by The New England Journal of Medicine. The authors of the study included a leader of the group based in Amsterdam that is supplying the pills, Women on Web, a nonprofit staffed by doctors helping women from countries where abortion is illegal or restricted to terminate unwanted pregnancies. Even with the increase in demand for abortion pills, the number of orders received by Women on Web from Latin America and the Caribbean in that time period was small: slightly more than 2,300 in the region, with about 1,600 of those in countries where health authorities had warned about Zikas potential to cause brain damage. In the countries where Zika warnings were issued, there are typically about 3.5 million abortions per year, said Gilda Sedgh, the principal research scientist at the Guttmacher Institute, a reproductive health research organization which was not involved in the study. But on Saturday the troop will meet for the last time. After more than 80 years as an active member of the Boy Scouts of America, Mr. Balde is retiring and disbanding the troop. His daughter, Anita Balde, estimated that more than 1,000 boys have been part of the troop, which meets weekly at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in the Ironbound section of the city. On Friday, his 95th birthday, Mr. Balde said that the best thing about all those years was when these kids grow up and they still think of you as their second father. When Mr. Balde started in scouting, he had to learn how to tie nine knots; now, he requires his scouts to learn just four. In the 1960s, more than 100 boys belonged to the troop. Today, there are only six members, and four of them are graduating from high school this month. Though Mr. Baldes mind is sharp, he said that his physical health reflected his age and that his doctors had advised him to slow down. A day after the massacre in a gay nightclub in Orlando, Fla., thousands of gay and transgender men and women gathered outside the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village for a vigil where Mayor Bill de Blasio, among others, was to speak before the names of the dead were to be read. It was an opportunity for the mayor to solidify his relationship with a constituency that should be an unassailable base of support for his administration. But as the speeches dragged on, some in the crowd chanted over the mayor and his wife, Chirlane McCray, demanding that the victims names be read. When the police commissioner, William J. Bratton, took the stage, some broke into loud boos and heckling. The briefly rancorous scene, unusual for a somber event in the immediate aftermath of a terrorist attack, laid bare the rifts in New York Citys polyglot gay and transgender community, and underscored the degree to which it has yet to fully embrace Mr. de Blasio. Some take issue with the mayors strong backing of Mr. Bratton, who despite his welcoming posture toward gay officers at Police Headquarters a department video features officers proclaiming themselves out and proud is still seen by some as the architect of punitive policies that disproportionately affect gay and transgender young people, particularly minorities. There is a lot of work that needs to be done, Mr. Christie told reporters last week. There is a lot of show-me that has to be done. But as you know, at the end of any session, miracles happen. Several Republican lawmakers have already expressed support for the proposal. Democrats, who control both the Senate and the Assembly, hope to pull together enough votes to override a potential Christie veto. Now that the fund is set to become insolvent, youve really seen a considerable shift in public opinion, but also political will in the Legislature in terms of coming up with some kind of compromise solution, Brigid Callahan Harrison, a professor of political science and law at Montclair State University, said. At 14.5 cents per gallon, New Jerseys gas tax is the second-lowest in the country; the figure includes a 10.5-cent motor fuels tax that has not increased since 1988 and a 4-cent petroleum products tax first approved in 1990. The Democrats are proposing raising the tax to about 37.5 cents per gallon, still less than New York States gas tax. Image A gas station in Secaucus, N.J. Democrats are proposing raising the gas tax to about 37.5 cents per gallon, from 14.5 cents. Credit... Christopher Occhicone for The New York Times New Jerseys deteriorating infrastructure recently received a D-plus grade in a report by the American Society of Civil Engineers, which classified more than 550 of the states bridges as structurally deficient and in need of major repairs. Over the last few years, state transportation officials have closed several bridges for emergency repairs, including the Route 206 bridge in Princeton in February when a wall collapsed. After engineers found cracks in the stone arches of the bridge, which dates to 1792, more extensive repairs were planned for later this year. To the Editor: Re Why I Was Wrong About Welfare Reform (column, June 19): Im glad to see Nicholas Kristof acknowledge his mistake, but there are still a few things he doesnt address. What most people seem not to understand is that even when single mothers work, they must pay either babysitters or day care providers, and both are expensive. Years ago I learned this after my divorce when I had to care for my 1-year-old daughter. I worked part time but had to pay a babysitter almost as much as I made. Even had I worked full time, I still would not have had enough left over to pay for rent, food, etc. And I wanted to be my daughters primary caregiver. Welfare saved my life. At that time, in the early 1970s, I was able to attend graduate school (Harvard and the University of Chicago) and still receive Aid to Families With Dependent Children. Along with part-time work and scholarship aid, I earned a Ph.D. in cultural anthropology and got a job teaching at Stanford. In one year I paid back in taxes the total amount I had received during three years on welfare. Welfare should be not just about forcing women into the work force, but also about helping them continue their education so that it might lead to a better job. In addition, the legal system needs to make it easier to pursue the fathers of the children for child support. After all, it is not just women who have children! Now that commercial drones have navigated Washington, they should be headed for a town or work site near you. What then? As Cecilia Kang writes, the Federal Aviation Administration has issued rules for how companies can use unmanned aircraft. There is nothing too surprising in the long-awaited rules you have to be over 16, pass a written test and cant fly too high or near an airport but just having them means companies can start making small and cheap vehicles a part of ordinary working life. Expectations are for uses like aerial photography or the inspection of building sites and pipelines, but technology frequently has a way of trumping expectations. Maybe drones will fly over parking lots and map the heat of parked cars, to tell how long people are shopping. Maybe some kind of quadcopter crop or animal management is in the offing. If a lot of uses arise, without too many problems, its likely the government will allow for additional drone uses, like package delivery or emergency rescue with larger vehicles. Laws and regulations, after all, tend to reflect changing social expectations. CHILDREN are usually forced to pick just one or two of their beloved stuffed animals to take with them on summer vacation. Adults should consider doing the same with their electronic devices. You dont want to weigh down your travel bag with gear you will barely use. And you probably should leave your more expensive gadgets at home, unless you want to become a target for muggers. What to do? My personal packing starts with devices that are compact and lightweight. The price tag should not exceed $500, and if my smartphone can capably perform a task, I dont bother with something that does the same thing. Here is a guide to products that I have found useful on an airplane, in a rental car, in a hotel, in an Airbnb house rental and outdoors, or traveling overseas. I have tested all of the items in the last few years, and some of them were purchased through The Wirecutter, a product recommendations website and creative partner of The New York Times. Donald Trump keeps making promises that experts dont think he can possibly fulfill. It might seem that he has people fooled by his implausible claims, which include pledges to make Mexico pay for a border wall and to bring manufacturing jobs back to the United States. The psychologist David Dunning, for instance, has suggested that many voters are backing Mr. Trump because they lack the expertise to recognize his mistakes. But in some news reports, his supporters sound more realistic about what Mr. Trump, the presumptive G.O.P. nominee, could accomplish as president. One voter told The Washington Post: I mean, a physical wall? Its just such a strong vision and idea, but I just care about the border being secure. Similarly, NPR interviewed a retired steelworker who conceded that his industrys jobs were probably gone forever, but said of Mr. Trump, If he accomplishes 10 percent of what he says hes going to do, then thats 10 percent more than anybody else is going to do. Virginia has used algorithms in its sentencing process for more than a decade. But legal tests have been few. A prison sentence involving Compas was previously appealed in Wisconsin and upheld. In Indiana, the State Supreme Court ruled in 2010 that judges could consider risk assessments as one of several factors in handing down sentences. Are the algorithms used only for sentencing? Many law enforcement agencies use software to predict potential crime hot spots, and the police in Kansas City, Mo., and other places have used data to identify potential criminals and to try to intervene. This is just the next innovation of crime analysis trying to get ahead of the problem, trying to predict where problems occur before they actually occur, said Eric L. Piza, an assistant professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice who studies predictive policing. In Chicago, where there has been a sharp rise in violent crime this year, the police have used an algorithm to compile a list of people most likely to shoot or be shot. Over Memorial Day weekend, when 64 people were shot in Chicago, the police said 50 of the victims were on that list. Algorithms like Compas are also used commonly in prison systems to identify the types of supervision inmates might need, the most appropriate type of incarceration and the risk of committing another crime if released on bail or parole. In Wisconsin, Tristan Cook, a spokesman for the states Department of Corrections, said Compas scores were used to help with inmate classification and release planning and were also available to sentencing judges upon request. Why use algorithms? There is general support for identifying people who pose little threat to the community, so they could be taken out of Americas crowded prison systems. Such algorithms are also seen as a way to dispense justice in a more efficient way that relies more on numerical evidence than on personal judgments. Those watching the Senate this week saw lawmakers vote down attempts to advance four gun safety measures, two offered by Democrats and two by Republicans. Those proposals were just a sample of the contentious amendments lawmakers are trying to tack on to a measure funding the Commerce and Justice Departments, a bill that is often a magnet for constitutional and national security skirmishes. For example, Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona, is championing a provision that would expand the authority of the F.B.I. to obtain electronic records without judicial review in the course of security investigations. Mr. McCain also seeks to make permanent existing authorities under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to monitor so-called lone-wolf terrorist attackers. He went to the Senate floor to defend his ideas in the context of the shooting in Orlando, Fla., and he was strongly opposed by Senator Ron Wyden, Democrat of Oregon, a privacy advocate. Flints mayor, Karen Weaver, said that she was alarmed at hearing that the companies may have been at fault, and appreciative of the continuing investigations. Its disturbing to hear that companies hired to ensure the safety of the citys water supply may not have done what they were paid to do, she said, adding that the city is still under contract with LAN, an engineering company based in Houston, which she said had received nearly $3.5 million from the city for work before, during and after the switch to the Flint River. Veolia, an international water management company that is a subsidiary of a France-based company, had a $40,000 contract, a city spokeswoman said, and also received about $15,000 for work a few years earlier. Advocates for the environment said Veolia had been accused of violations elsewhere, including polluting waterways and overbilling customers, leading to lawsuits filed in courts across the country. Residents were skeptical of the quality of its work in Flint. I dont have a Ph.D., but I know that if the water is brown, that means the pipes are getting torn up and something is causing the pipes to be torn up, said Melissa Mays, a Flint resident who has protested the water conditions. They should have figured out what it was. The two companies denied the attorney generals characterization of events and defended their efforts in Flint, though neither company made executives available to be interviewed. The leader of a polygamous breakaway sect of the Mormon Church has gone on the run less than two weeks after he was released from jail and confined to a home in Salt Lake City pending a trial on fraud and money laundering charges, officials said. Lyle Jeffs, 56, the de facto leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was discovered to be missing on Sunday, said Sandra Yi Barker, an F.B.I. spokeswoman in Salt Lake City. Ms. Barker said that the F.B.I. had received several tips since Mr. Jeffss disappearance and that he was possibly seeking shelter in communities of the sect outside Utah, including those in Canada or Mexico. She warned that he was considered armed and dangerous. Mr. Jeffs was ordered to wear a GPS device and stay at a Salt Lake City home after he was released from jail on June 9 by Judge Ted Stewart of the United States District Court of Utah. Ms. Barker declined to comment on how Mr. Jeffs may have escaped. Senator Bernie Sanders came one step closer to accepting defeat on Wednesday, telling C-SPAN in an hourlong interview that he most likely would not be the Democratic presidential nominee. For weeks, Mr. Sanders has insisted that he is still running against Hillary Clinton, though she clinched the number of delegates needed to secure the nomination on June 6. But when C-SPANs Steve Scully asked Mr. Sanders about speaking at the Democratic National Convention next month, the senator acknowledged that he was unlikely to best Mrs. Clinton, who has already been endorsed by a number of Democratic leaders, including President Obama. It doesnt appear that Im going to be the nominee, so Im not going to be determining the scope of the convention, Mr. Sanders said, adding that he has reached no agreement to endorse Mrs. Clinton but has been negotiating with her campaign. What our job is now is to have her listen to what millions of people in this country who supported me want to see happen. Well see how that evolves. Republicans arriving in Cleveland next month to nominate Donald J. Trump will be greeted by as many as 6,000 protesters on the first day, a noisy coalition of dozens of groups, including Black Lives Matter and the Workers World Party. The demonstrators intend to ignore restrictions keeping them far from the delegates, raising fears the violence that accompanied some of Mr. Trumps rallies will be magnified on a mass scale. Two marches along routes the city has not authorized are planned for the conventions opening day, July 18. Organizers say they want to avoid violence. But they are also gearing up for confrontation with the police, including training in civil disobedience. If there are people willing to put themselves on the line to be arrested, so be it, said Deb Kline, a leader of Cleveland Jobs With Justice, one of the groups that will march. A week later, as Democrats pour into Philadelphia, so will an army of Bernie Sanders supporters planning Occupy Wall Street-style protests against what they call the fraudulent nomination of Hillary Clinton. One group, Occupy DNC Convention, is circulating information about protecting oneself from tear gas by wearing a vinegar-soaked bandanna and swim goggles. Hillary Clinton has officially started her search for a running mate, and no potential candidate has evoked more speculation, and, depending on who is asked, wistfulness or dread, than Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts. Last week, Ms. Warren had a secret meeting in her Washington condominium with James Hamilton, the lawyer leading the Clinton campaigns vetting of potential vice-presidential candidates, according to two Democrats briefed on the conversation who requested anonymity to discuss a private conversation. While the selection of Ms. Warren could help mollify liberal supporters of Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, there are ample reasons a Clinton-Warren ticket is unlikely to come to fruition. Personal Chemistry Although they have tried to display sisterly solidarity in recent days, Mrs. Clinton and Ms. Warren have had a frosty relationship in the past. WASHINGTON A Democratic protest demanding votes on gun-control legislation led to pandemonium in the House chamber that did not end until early Thursday, when Speaker Paul D. Ryan and his fellow Republicans reclaimed control long enough to force through a major spending bill. They then abruptly adjourned and left the Capitol. Furious Democrats remained on the House floor, where they huddled around their leader, Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, who praised their stand as a discussion heard around the world. Ms. Pelosi expressed bewilderment at the Republican position. What could they be thinking? she asked. Whatever it is, they dont want to tell anybody about it. Thats why they left in the dead of night. The standoff, which began with a Democratic sit-in on the House floor just before noon on Wednesday, did not end until about 3 a.m. Thursday when Mr. Ryan barreling over Democrats objections took the rare and provocative step of calling a vote on a major appropriations bill in the wee hours and without any debate. He then adjourned the House, with no legislative votes scheduled until July 5. WASHINGTON A federal judge on Tuesday night struck down an Obama administration regulation on the use of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, for oil and gas on public lands, a blow to President Obamas muscular stand on the extraction of fossil fuels on government lands. The rule, released by the Interior Department in March of last year and scheduled to take effect this Friday, was designed to increase the safety of fracking. It would have required companies to comply with federal safety standards in the construction of fracking wells, and to disclose the use of some chemicals in the fracking process. Judge Scott W. Skavdahl of Federal District Court in Wyoming ruled that the Interior Department lacked the authority from Congress to issue the regulation, and also noted that fracking was already subject to other regulations under state and federal law. The decision comes amid a heated political debate over fracking, which involves the injection of water, gravel and chemicals underground to extract oil and gas. The technology has produced an oil and gas boom in the United States, but environmentalists say fracking can contaminate groundwater and lead to the leaking of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. WASHINGTON Members of the Supreme Court took scores of trips paid for by private sponsors last year, according to the financial disclosure forms of eight justices released Wednesday. No information was provided concerning Justice Antonin Scalia, who died in February while on a hunting trip in Texas. He had been staying without charge at a hunting lodge owned by John Poindexter, a businessman whose company had recently had a matter before the Supreme Court. Justice Scalia was an enthusiastic traveler, taking more than 250 privately funded trips from 2004 to 2014. A few weeks before he died, he visited Singapore and Hong Kong. A court spokeswoman said there would be no disclosure form detailing Justice Scalias travels in 2015. The forms that were released offered a cursory overview of the other justices finances and activities, but they did provide a glimpse of their often demanding schedules of extrajudicial appearances. Senator Marco Rubio of Florida said Wednesday that he would run for re-election, abandoning plans to pursue a more lucrative career in the private sector and jolting a competitive race that is crucial to Democrats plans to retake control of the Senate. Mr. Rubio, 45, who had told associates of his reluctance to give up the high profile and political power that a Senate seat offers, will enter the race with the formidable advantages of incumbency, national name recognition and strong ties to the Republican Partys donor base. But he faces numerous hurdles, the most difficult of which may be his history of talking down the Senate as unfulfilling and frustrating at times. He is also coming off a bruising run for president that ended with an embarrassing 18-point loss to Donald J. Trump in his home state on March 15 a contest that focused in no small part on Mr. Rubios frequent absence from the Senate and from his duties in Florida as he campaigned nationally. In a preview of what is expected to be one of the most bitter and most expensive Senate races in the country, within minutes of Mr. Rubios announcement on Wednesday, Democrats accused him of political opportunism and hypocrisy. WASHINGTON The Obama administration said Wednesday that the financial outlook for Medicares hospital insurance trust fund had deteriorated slightly in the last year and that Social Security still faced serious long-term financial problems. The report, from the trustees of the two programs, could inject a note of fiscal reality into a presidential campaign that has given scant attention to the governments fiscal challenges as the population ages. Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, has proposed increasing Social Security benefits and allowing people age 55 to 64 to buy into Medicare, while Donald J. Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, has repeatedly said he would not cut either program. Under existing law, the trustees said Wednesday, Medicares hospital trust fund would be depleted in 2028, two years earlier than projected in last years report. In addition, they said, the Social Security trust funds for old-age benefits and disability insurance, taken together, could be depleted in 2034, the same year projected in last years report. Tax collections would then be sufficient to pay about three-fourths of promised benefits through 2090, they said. Donald J. Trump delivered a blistering attack on Wednesday against Hillary Clinton, calling her unreliable and more concerned with herself than with the American people as he sought to regain his footing after a tumultuous month that imperiled his candidacy. In a 41-minute speech seeking to build his case against the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee by labeling her a world-class liar, Mr. Trump moved to soothe concerns among Republicans alarmed by gaping self-inflicted wounds after his racial attacks on a federal judge and his self-congratulatory boast after the terrorist shooting in Orlando, Fla. He said Mrs. Clinton would not create jobs, portraying her as a scandal-tarnished former secretary of state who may be the most corrupt person ever to seek the presidency. The choice in this election is a choice between taking our government back from the special interests, or surrendering our last scrap of independence to their total and complete control, Mr. Trump said. The professionalized presentation, with two teleprompters flanking the lectern in a third-floor ballroom of the Trump SoHo hotel in Manhattan, represented a stark contrast to how Mr. Trump has handled the last month of his campaign, and came two days after he fired his much-maligned campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski. Officials at the Transportation Security Administration thought they had the solution for long lines at airports: PreCheck, a program that allowed people to move through security without taking off their shoes or removing electronics from their luggage. It has not worked as planned. Customers who apply for the program, which requires a fee of $85 and a background check, say they continue to face long waits to obtain the PreCheck clearance. Such delays could grow worse because the number of people signing up for PreCheck has more than tripled in the last few months, climbing to 16,000 a day on average in May, agency officials said. That surge has led to long delays in processing applications. Dozens of passengers who have recently tried to sign up for PreCheck say they have been given appointments for the in-person interviews needed to complete the process that are weeks or even months away. Vance Hiner of St. Louis said he was put on a three-month waiting list at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport to complete his enrollment. The Colombian government and the countrys largest rebel group said Wednesday that they had agreed to a cease-fire, clearing a major hurdle in the effort to end one of the worlds longest-running conflicts. In a joint statement, the two sides said that they had overcome some of the most intractable parts of a peace deal, which they have been negotiating in Havana since 2012. In addition to a cease-fire, the rebels known as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or the FARC agreed to lay down their arms. The two sides said they would hold a ceremony in Havana on Thursday to mark the cease-fire, attended by Colombias president, Juan Manuel Santos, the FARC leader Rodrigo Londono and other Latin American leaders. Negotiators hope a final peace deal will be reached in the days or weeks to come. JUCHITAN DE ZARAGOZA, Mexico To the people of this town in southern Oaxaca State, the existence of a third gender is as much a part of life as the ancient Zapotec language they speak and the huge, spiny iguanas that laze in the trees. Here, the muxes people born with male bodies but who identify as neither male nor female are part of the social fabric, admired for their embroidery, hairstyling, handicrafts and cooking. They even have a grand ball every autumn, and their queen is crowned by the mayor. But now this town of fishermen, farmers and extravagant fiestas about 30 miles from the Pacific Ocean faces a challenge to its expansive notion of gender: the transgender community and its bathroom rights. On a recent sweltering night, three muxes (pronounced MOO-shays) in brightly embroidered dresses waited outside a womens portable toilet at one of Juchitans annual outdoor fiestas. Men whistled at them and pointed to the dark corner that served as their restroom. A rescue flight has landed at the South Pole, battling temperatures of minus 70 degrees Fahrenheit and round-the-clock darkness to evacuate a sick worker from a United States-run research station, the National Science Foundation said. The aircraft, a propeller-driven Twin Otter, which used skis to land on the snow and ice on Tuesday, was to remain at the facility, the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, for about 10 hours while the flight crew rested, the National Science Foundation said on its Facebook page. The plane flew about 1,500 miles to the southernmost point on earth from the Rothera Research Station, run by Britain, off the Antarctic Peninsula. A second Twin Otter remained at Rothera to help, if needed, for search and rescue. The crew was to monitor the weather before returning to Rothera with the sick worker, the foundation said. The South Pole is in the middle of its six-month night, when a lack of sunlight drives the frigid temperatures even colder. The high over the past day at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station was minus 63 degrees Fahrenheit, with a low of minus 76. Wind, which can blow at gale force across the snow and ice, was relatively calm though, with gusts up to 14 miles per hour. NEW DELHI Farmers in India have been fervently awaiting this years monsoon season after two consecutive years of inadequate rains. But they were ill prepared for the lightning. In what may be a record, lightning strikes that punctuated the seasons inaugural heavy rains killed more than 70 people in India on Tuesday and Wednesday, disaster management officials said. Some reports in the Indian news media put the toll at nearly 100. Many of those fatally struck were agricultural workers and shepherds in open areas with little or no protection. An unspecified number were injured. More than half the fatalities were in the northeastern state of Bihar, but many were hit in the neighboring states of Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand. Locals described the strikes as some of the worst they had ever seen. Solomon Sopher, president of the Indian Jewish Congress, who helped Mr. Samuel with the petition, said that the recognition should have been granted years earlier, when Indias government was led by the Indian National Congress party, but that officials at that time dragged their feet. The contribution of the Jews was no less than what the Parsees did for India, Mr. Sopher said, referring to another religious minority. So it was an important matter and the Congress government didnt take it seriously. Mr. Samuel added that he was pleased by how quickly the current government, led by the Bharatiya Janata Party, had acted on the request. The Jews feel very connected to India, which is our motherland, while Israel is our fatherland, Mr. Samuel said. Our loyalty also lies with India, this being the country that accepted us almost 2,500 years ago, and one of the only countries in the world which never persecuted the Jews in all these years. Minority status ensures that Jews are separately counted by the census, and it grants other benefits and concessions, though some Jewish leaders were not certain what they might be. We at least feel that we are accepted officially by the government, and the main benefit is the observance of our High Holidays, Mr. Sopher said. Other Jewish leaders suggested that the state government would subsidize trips to Jerusalem; contribute to the maintenance of cemeteries and synagogues; provide scholarships for Jewish children; allow the reservation of seats for Jews applying to educational institutes run by their own community; and ease registrations of birth, deaths and marriages. SEOUL, South Korea A day after North Korea launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile into high altitude after five consecutive launch failures the countrys state-run media proclaimed the test a success on Thursday, and quoted Kim Jong-un, North Koreas leader, as boasting that his arsenal could strike United States forces in the Pacific. The projectile took off from Wonsan, a port city east of Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, and flew about 250 miles over the sea between North Korea and Japan, South Koreas Office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement. According to the Norths media reports, Mr. Kim attended the launch of the Hwasong-10 missile, known to the outside world as the Musudan. The reports included photographs of the blastoff from a mobile launch vehicle. The test, confirmed and condemned by the United States and its allies, demonstrated that North Korea was making progress at posing a direct threat to Japan, South Korea and American troops in the Pacific. Mr. Kim said the test marked an important occasion in further strengthening the nuclear attack capacity of his country, according to the Norths official Korean Central News Agency. LONDON, ENGLAND, UK (JUNE 22, 2016) (UK POOL - ACCESS ALL) // (SOUNDBITE) (English) PROMINENT CONSERVATIVE POLITICIAN AND BREXIT CAMPAIGNER BORIS JOHNSON, SAYING: Im afraid we didnt get anything in that deal in February, there was no real change to our border arrangements, no real change to any of the ways in which Brussels runs our lives. Sixty percent of our laws coming from Brussels, our entire fisheries controlled by Brussels. Youve got the EU commissions sitting instead of us, deciding how our UK fish are going to be parcelled up. So you take back control and I think it will be a big big moment for democracy in our country and around Europe. // (SOUNDBITE) (English) UKIP LEADER, NIGEL FARAGE, SAYING: Tomorrow we can vote for real change. Tomorrow we can vote to put power back in the hands of people, we can vote to take control of our country back, we can vote to get our borders back, we can vote to get our pride and self-respect as a nation and in who we are as a people back. I want us tomorrow to vote for Britain to become independent. I want us to vote for us to become democratic. I want us to vote for us to become a normal country, because normal countries make their own laws, normal countries are in charge of their destiny and their future. // BRISTOL, ENGLAND, UK (JUNE 22, 2016) (UK POOL - ACCESS ALL) // (SOUNDBITE) (English) FORMER PRIME MINISTER JOHN MAJOR, SAYING: We British like to spread our influence around the world. We like to have power, we do not like to be an irrelevant bystander when there is international difficulties, and that is a further reason why we need to remain within the grouping of the European Union. // (SOUNDBITE) (English) BRITISH PRIME MINISTER DAVID CAMERON, SAYING: Think of one word that brings it all into one, which is together. Because frankly if we want a bigger economy and more jobs, were better if we do it together. If we want to fight climate change were better if we do it together. If we want to win against the terrorists and keep our country safe, were better if we do it together. So please give it everything youve got in these last hours to make sure that people go out and vote tomorrow. Go out and vote remain, go out and vote remain for a bigger, better Britain inside a reformed European Union, stronger, safer, better off. A day to go, lets do it, thank you very much. LONDON Battle lines have been sharply drawn ahead of the vote on Thursday about whether Britain should remain a member of the European Union. The intense debate over the referendum, widely known by its shorthand, Brexit, has pitted neighbors and relatives against one another. It has spilled over to Twitter, where in moments of tension users often turn to pet memes. Last week, Lilian Edwards, a law professor in Scotland, posted a picture of her cat on Twitter, curled up on a pillow and looking slightly sad, and added the hashtag #CatsAgainstBrexit, asking other cat owners to join her. FALLUJA, Iraq As Iraqi forces move through Falluja, the city is yielding the grim remnants of more than two years of Islamic State rule. Beheaded and decaying bodies. Clumps of facial hair from fighters who shaved their beards to blend in with fleeing civilians. A prison where detainees were held in cages suitable for a medium-sized dog. The forces have found books on Wahhabism, the extreme version of Sunni Islam from which the Islamic State draws inspiration, and on Saddam Hussein, whose rule by fear and secrecy the group has replicated. Yet even as the picture of what life was like inside Falluja under the Islamic State is becoming clearer, a visit over the weekend to areas of the city taken by pro-government forces made clear that there is still heavy fighting. Days after Iraqi forces raised the national flag over the main government compound and declared victory, the battle has moved to western neighborhoods, where some Islamic State fighters, many of them foreigners, remain, officials said. Moral imperative or do-somethingism? 4. (SBU) With over 400,000 people dead, hundreds of thousands still at risk from regime sieges, and 12 million people from a population of 23 million displaced from their homes, 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 regimes actions directly result in broader instability and undermine the international system responsible for protection of civilians, prevention of mass atrocities, and accountability for grave violations. The strategic imperatives for taking steps to end the bloodshed are numerous and equally compelling. This line indicates both why these diplomats are speaking up and why their dissent is being met with skepticism. Because the White House has chosen to emphasize diplomacy, the State Department is being asked to pursue a strategy it does not fully support. Citing the wars toll is a way for the diplomats to express their frustration with that arrangement. It is also a way to draw attention to the costs of allowing the status quo to continue. However, opponents of intervention argue that just because the status quo is bad does not mean that bombing Syrian government forces would improve things. Some accuse State Department officials like these dissenters of do-somethingism: a reasoning that the situation is so awful that something must be done, and airstrikes are something, therefore airstrikes are a good policy. Forcing a stalemate 5. (SBU) First, with the regime deploying tactics that overwhelmingly target civilians (barrel bombs and air strikes in cities) to achieve battlefield objectives and undermine support for the moderate opposition, impeding or ending such atrocities will not only save lives but further our political objectives. While the regime maintains the advantage, an undeterred Asad will resist compromises sought by almost all opposition factions and regional actors. Shifting the tide of the conflict against the regime will increase the chances for peace by sending a clear signal to the regime and its backers that there will not be a military solution to the conflict. This statement argues that airstrikes will entrench Syria in an unsolvable stalemate, thereby giving the Syrian leader no choice but to negotiate. The latest peace efforts have gone nowhere at a time when Mr. Assad, backed by Russian forces, is winning on the battlefield. If Mr. Obama wants to negotiate an end to the conflict, the dissenters say, the United States and its allies have to show a willingness to match Russian muscle and give Mr. Assad a clear signal that he cannot win a meaningful victory solely on the ground. This approach risks worsening the wars toll in the short term, and there is no guarantee that the United States could break the Syrian presidents will soon. But the memo highlights the fact that Russias expanded military involvement changed the status quo, and the United States has not found a way to change it back, leaving the administration with less leverage. Striking Assad to defeat ISIS 6. (SBU) Secondly, a more assertive U.S. role to protect and preserve opposition-held communities, by defending them from Asads air force and artillery, presents the best chance for defeating Daesh in Syria. The prospects for rolling back Daeshs hold on territory are bleak without the Sunni Arabs, who the regime continues to bomb and starve. A de facto alliance with the regime against Daesh would not guarantee success: Asads military is undermanned and exhausted. Kurdish YPG fighters cannot and should not be expected to project power and hold terrain deep into non-Kurdish areas. And, crucially, Syrias Sunni population continues to view the Asad regime as the primary enemy in the conflict. If we are to remain committed to countering Daesh in the Levant without committing ground forces, the best option is to protect and empower the moderate Syrian opposition. Tolerating the Asad regimes gross human rights violations against the Syrian people undermines, both morally and materially, the unity of the anti-Daesh coalition, particularly among Sunni Arab partners. Failure to stem Asads flagrant abuses will only bolster the ideological appeal of groups such as Daesh, even as they endure tactical setbacks on the battlefield. As brutal as Daesh is, it is the Asad regime that is responsible for the vast majority of the thousands of victims in this conflict. Airstrikes against Syrian government forces, the memo argues, would also help defeat the Islamic State. Most analysts agree that Mr. Assads abuses and the Syrian civil war have both fueled the Islamic States rise, as the memo says. In the state of Chihuahua in Mexico, an eatery is churning out Donald Trump tacos. Theyre made with a lot of tongue, a dash of pig snout and just a little bit of cow brain. Masks of Mr. Trumps face, topped by tufts of artificial blond hair, are rolling off the lines at a factory in Cuernavaca a recent batch numbered 10,000. At the town of Otumbas annual May Day celebration, 40,000 visitors were treated to a donkey dressed as him. This is Mexicos return volley in its informal war of words with Mr. Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, who fired the opening salvo the day he began his campaign, calling Mexican immigrants rapists. If Burger, as chief justice, had a defining project, it was to loosen the Warren courts constraints on the conduct of the police, the discretion of prosecutors and the use, in trials, of confessions and other evidence obtained illegally. Like many Americans, Burger blamed decisions like Miranda v. Arizona which required police to read suspects their rights for crippling law enforcement and contributing to a surge in crime. Burgers inability to overrule Miranda and other key decisions is central to the story line of the counterrevolution that wasnt, as one book title put it. But that assessment, Graetz and Greenhouse argue, is wrong. The precedents were left standing, but hollowed out a forest of dead timber. The court eviscerated Miranda, carving out exceptions; it gutted the Fourth Amendments guarantee against unreasonable searches and seizures, granted police officers wide leeway when they are said to have acted reasonably and in good faith, and curtailed the rights of prisoners to challenge their convictions on such grounds. In other rulings, the Burger court effectively ended judicial oversight of plea bargaining and sentencing, leaving both in the hands of prosecutors and state legislatures, neither of which are known for restraint. While not equally persuasive across all areas of law, the book establishes a similar pattern in cases concerning race, the separation of church and state, employment discrimination and other issues: on the surface, moderation; underneath, and in the aggregate, an erosion of fundamental rights. Though all nine justices, for example, endorsed busing as a remedy for school segregation in a 1971 ruling, a few years later a five-man majority, in the name of local control, freed suburbs from responsibility for integrating public schools. In another closely divided decision, the court entrenched property values as the principal basis for education funding ensuring that the vast majority of poor children would go to poor schools. Thus was Brown v. Board of Education the Warren courts historic triumph rendered another Potemkin precedent, an empty promise in light of starkly separate and grossly unequal public schools. Graetz and Greenhouse acknowledge that womens rights, including reproductive rights, appear a glaring exception to the Burger courts conservatism. They recount how these nine male justices, somewhat despite themselves, edged their way toward an expansive definition of sex equality. Beginning with Reed v. Reed, in 1971, the Equal Protection Clause was seen to cover women; gender discrimination was now constitutionally suspect. And abortion, after Roe v. Wade, that much-lauded, much-maligned 1973 decision, was no longer a criminal act. The book takes note of these victories, but seems not to put much stock in them; the authors condemn the courts wary and partial embrace of gender equality and its refusal to apply strict scrutiny to classifications based on sex. It is certainly true that these constitutional half-steps have left women, even decades later, less than equal to men in the eyes of the law. Yet it is also true that by the standard of its times, the Burger court moved farther and faster in this direction than might have been expected. In 1985, near the end of Warren Burgers long tenure as chief justice, William Rehnquist gave an interview in which he compared the Burger court with the Warren court: I dont think that the Burger court has as wide a sense of mission, Rehnquist said. Perhaps it doesnt have any sense of mission at all. In key regards, he was right: The court under Burger was too fractious, and most of the justices too pragmatic, to provide an ideological counterweight to the court that preceded it. The Burger court issued many consequential decisions, but few sweeping or ringing ones. Still, as this important book makes clear, courts, given time, can accomplish or demolish a great deal by degrees, leaving their successors to finish the job. The Burger Court and the Rise of the Judicial Right is full of references to doors left open, pathways marked out, foundations laid, doctrinal tools provided opportunities eagerly taken up by the Rehnquist court and, now, the Roberts court. In this sense, as the authors conclude, the Burger court was just the opening act. The next president, perhaps, will straighten that place out. We tease him about being the next husband, but we are seriously scared that if the infatuation continues, and she will do her best to see that it does, she will manipulate him into changing his will or we could find ourselves with a new stepmother. Nobody wants to hurt Dad, so we say nothing. What is the ethical thing to do? Name Withheld Life seldom gives us the sharp lines we look for. In particular, as we get older and our cognitive capacities fade, theres no sharp line between being able to look after ourselves and needing other people to take over. Your father sounds as though he is approaching that transition, while remaining on the better side of it, at least most of the time. So you can surely take these issues up with him. Have you told him all you know about his friend? You dont say. If you have, he may well think that youre just wrong about her motives. And he does, after all, know her better than you do. It is worrying, I agree, that she has been breaching the terms of her employment and taking some of his drugs. But reporting the dalliance to her employers or the OxyContin episode to the authorities would be profoundly disrespectful to your father. In relationships, of course, the truth matters. However much fun they have together, theres something badly wrong if she is thinking of him fundamentally as a source of funds and he doesnt know this. But fun matters, too, and your father could be willing to accept her attentions while knowing that her affections are tinctured by venal motives. If that is the case, they may each, to some extent, be playing the other. What about your own motives? You express two related concerns: that his will may be changed in a way unfavorable to you or that you will end up with a new stepmother. But while your father is compos mentis, each outcome is within his legal and moral rights. (If he isnt competent when testamentary decisions are made, you can challenge the will.) As for dealing with a new stepmother? Given that, as you suggest, they are happy together, she is unlikely to try to keep you away from him. So theres no reason to doubt that you can continue to play a loving, supportive role in his life. I am a 52-year-old professional who recently began wearing hearing aids to assist with mild degenerative hearing loss. The devices are fairly inconspicuous, but even so, they occasionally cause raised eyebrows and what I, at least, register as pity. (Its surprising that when someone my age wears glasses, it doesnt get the same negative reaction.) I am contemplating a career move. Would it be ethical for me to interview without wearing the hearing aids so as not to harm my chances of securing a new job? My hearing is obviously better with the devices in, but Im willing to forgo them if it will help me land a new position. Before announcing the suspects, Moreno-Ocampo met with Kenyans including investigators and lawyers at the Serena Hotel in Nairobi. The lawyers approved of his desire to combat impunity and prevent political violence during the next election in Kenya. But they warned him that Kenya wasnt Sudan or Congo. Its politicians were just as ruthless but more sophisticated. The suspects would try to kill the cases and discredit the I.C.C. So would President Kibakis government. Kenyatta, elevated to deputy prime minister after the postelection violence, was his protege. Theyre going to fight back very, very hard, James Gondi, a Kenyan lawyer who had interned at the I.C.C., told Moreno-Ocampo. But the prosecutor seemed unconcerned. He pointed out that hed put away generals in Argentina. Later, some questioned whether Kenyatta was as culpable as the case against him claimed. George Kegoro, the Waki Commission secretary, told me that when Kenyatta was questioned by the commission, he saw himself as a peacemaker. Pascal Kambale, the Waki commissioner, said that irrespective of Kenyattas involvement, Mungiki was going to do what they did. In the I.C.C. system at the time, the prosecutors office collected enough evidence for the court to hold pretrial hearings, in which the judges would decide whether there were sufficient grounds to confirm the charges. If they did, the cases proceeded. This gave defendants ample time to destroy evidence and interfere with witnesses, a recurring problem. By the time Moreno-Ocampos team got moving in Kenya, more than two years had elapsed since the postelection violence. Their investigation, which would go on for over four years, was far more rigorous than those in Congo or Sudan. They interviewed hundreds of victims and suspected perpetrators. But many witnesses who had opened up to the Kenyan commissions were no longer willing to speak. Faced with a dwindling pool of evidence, Moreno-Ocampos team approached General Alis attorney with a possible offer: If Ali testified against Kenyatta and Muthaura, the charges against him might be dismissed. The Kenyan commissions had gathered strong evidence against Ali, but circumstances had changed. The attorney general had forbidden the police to speak to the I.C.C. According to Kenyan investigators with whom I spoke, other police officers who were involved in the violence had been killed. Ali turned down the offer. The judges didnt confirm the charges against him. The prosecutors office later withdrew the cases against Muthaura and Odingas party chairman. There was one group willing to help the court: Mungiki. Many gang members were gone killed or forcibly disappeared in an apparent cleanup operation, the prosecution claimed but some were still alive and willing to testify. Especially crucial were three confidential Mungiki linkage witnesses. One claimed he saw Kenyatta at meetings where attacks were planned; another, that he was told of these meetings, though he wasnt present; and a third, that he met with Kenyatta beforehand to discuss violence. The case hinged on these men. But some people in the prosecutors office worried about their reliability. Kenyattas attorney claimed in court that the first two witnesses tried to extort him in exchange for information that could aid the defense, and when he refused, threatened him. He showed little evidence of the claim, but neither did the prosecution dispute it. (It strikes me as entirely plausible, Benjamin Gumpert, an I.C.C. lawyer who worked on the Kenyatta case, told me.) Kenyans who knew the third witness, meanwhile, not only doubted his account but also questioned whether he was in Mungiki. Maina Njengas former lieutenant says the witness was never in the gang. There were arguments in The Hague over whether to use him. The former court attorney told me it appeared the man would say anything to get into the courts protection program. But the case against Kenyatta was too thin to sacrifice him. I was 30,000 feet in the air and halfway through the November issue of Fortean Times before I considered what it must look like to the woman sitting to my left. On the cover of the magazine lurked a giant Lizard Man, with a rippling reptilian 14-pack, orange eyes with vertical-slit pupils, a forked tongue, a jaw lined with needle teeth. He was wading between lily pads in standing water, before a moonlit, misty backdrop. There was a tangle of seaweed draped over his scaly biceps. To the left of his head, in a typeface straight off a B-movie poster: Attack of the Lizard Man! The Car-Chewing Monster of the South Carolina Swamps. My neighbor and I had exchanged pleasantries at the beginning of the flight, but after the magazine came out, we didnt speak again. Let me be clear: I am not, as a rule, a believer. Ive long since parted ways with Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy and most everything I learned in Catholic school. But that has only made me more attuned to the tucked-away part of my brain ruled more by instinct than by logic the part that lights up at the creak of a footstep from an unoccupied room, the stranger on the train who looks exactly like your mother and just about anything that happens in the nebulous place where your peripheral vision ends and the unknown begins. Its these neurons that fire ecstatically when I read Fortean Times, a 43-year-old British magazine that describes its focus as the world of strange phenomena. The name refers to Charles Fort, an influential early-20th-century writer best remembered for his meticulous research into bizarre happenings that resisted, or defied, scientific explanation. He was a real-life Fox Mulder, if you subtract the bone structure of David Duchovny and add the walrus mustache of Teddy Roosevelt. In fact, the X-Files character even claimed to be a fan of Forts. Like Mulder, Fort tirelessly sought out evidence of the anomalies that obsessed him. He spent most of his days at the New York Public Library for the better part of a decade, amassing tens of thousands of notes on paper scraps, cataloging uncanny coincidences and improbable oddities. He called this his data of the damned. Throughout the process, Mr. Graham and Ms. Rourke have worked to honor the opinions of their interviewees while also giving the play a dramatic spine and its actors plenty of rein. Ewen MacAskill, The Guardians defense and intelligence correspondent and one of the first journalists to have met with Mr. Snowden, is the rare figure to turn up in both the London and New York versions. Watching the London production, Mr. MacAskill was impressed with how the play uses humor and audience involvement to make accessible the complex arguments around surveillance, he wrote in an email. At first he squirmed while an actor portrayed him, but he came to feel that the character felt like me. His paunch was a bit more pronounced than mine but the rest of it was pretty accurate, Mr. MacAskill wrote. Though Ms. Rourke and Mr. Graham said they were pleased by the enthusiastic response to the play in London, neither considered it finished. Ms. Rourke acknowledged that the original piece had been written with an incredibly tight deadline and that there were notes in the margins that we didnt get to address. To help the piece to resonate with New Yorkers, theyve now interviewed some two-dozen United States experts. Ms. Rourke noted that, Generally, the British are unconcerned about the state having their data but reluctant to share their personal histories. In America its been the opposite. The number of audience interactions have been increased and there is a more graceful emphasis on the connections between the personal choices each individual makes (what to reveal to another person, what to disseminate online) and larger political trade-offs between liberty and security. During the London run, some critics complained that the play was ultimately too diffuse, that it didnt advocate strongly enough for any particular stance. Thats one element that Mr. Graham and Ms. Rourke have chosen not to alter, in part because theyre still making up their minds. If they are sometimes suspicious of technology, they are also reliant on it and sometimes excited and consoled by it. Besides, as Mr. Graham explained, the conversation around privacy and technology is moving at such light speed and its going to evolve and change over the course of our lives. He has no interest in writing the kind of play that makes its audience think weve lost our freedoms, weve lost our privacy, Im going to go down into the basement and wear a tin hat and never interact with anyone again, he said. Rather, he wants to spark discussion and debate. The conversation around privacy clearly engages Mr. Radcliffe, 26. Having been cast in the Harry Potter franchise as a preadolescent, the continuum between the private and the public is very real for him. Suncorp has lost another member of its executive team to a rival. Anna Lenahan, chief risk and legal officer for Suncorp, has announced her resignation as she will take up a senior role at Commonwealth Bank in September. The departure of Lenahan follows that of former chief information officer, Matt Pancino, who also left Suncorp for Commonwealth earlier this year. While disappointing, I can understand why Anna has been attracted to this opportunity, Suncorp Group CEO Michael Cameron said in a statement. On behalf of Suncorp, Id like to thank Anna for her contribution and wish her well for the future. Lenahan joined the business in March 2011 as executive general manager Group general counsel and company secretary and has led the legal and company secretariat teams across the Group for five years. During her time with Suncorp, Lenahan has been involved in a number of key initiatives for the business including a strategic review program, various capital raising initiatives and the resolution of the non-core bank portfolio. Anna has been responsible for streamlining the Groups legal partners panel, establishing an industry-leading capability framework for the team, as well as managing a high performing legal and risk function, Cameron continued. An internal and external search is underway for Lenahans replacement. This article is from our sister site Insurance Business NZ. Swastikas painted on sidewalks and walkways. Anti-Semitic taunts in a middle school campus, on a public bus, in the street. Harassing anti-Semitic voice mails. These are just a few examples of hateful messages that made it to the Anti-Defamation Leagues 2015 Audit of Anti-Semitic Incidents. The report released Wednesday shows California near the top of the list of states with the most hate incidents, second only to New York. Though California saw a slight decline in anti-Semitic speech and actions from 184 in 2014 to 175 in 2015 the numbers still concern to Amanda Susskind, the ADLs Pacific Southwest regional director. In 2014, we saw a huge spike, probably because of the (Israeli) military incursion in Gaza, she said. But the numbers didnt drop by much in 2015, which is disturbing. Since 1979, ADL has tracked both hate crimes and hate incidents by state. In California, there were 69 reports of vandalism (up from 54 in 2014) and 105 harassment incidents (down from 127). Nationwide, there were 56 physical assaults against Jewish people last year, up by 50 percent from 2014. The report also found that college campuses increasingly are a flashpoint for anti-Semitism. There were 90 such incidents on 60 campuses last year, according to the report, up from 47 incidents on 43 campuses in 2014. Susskind suggested a national political climate rife with anti-minority rhetoric might be a trigger for hate incidents. Theres no question that the polarization of our country is contributing to a general increase in the acceptability of hate. But, I hesitate to draw the line from what one person says to this kind of hate. Susskind said the ADL does not track hateful comments online because Internet hate is just the norm now. But she said the group does look at specific posts targeting certain people. One post on the college-centric social media site Yik Yak targets the Jewish students group, Hillel, at Pierce College in the San Fernando Valley, referring to Zionist pigs and adding Someone call ISIS for pest management. Another Yik Yak post that circulated at one of the Claremont Colleges targeted a local protest by Jewish students, referring to them as enemies stating: Mein Fuhrer, heat the oven. Susskind also mentioned the relatively new Neo-Nazi practice of targeting Jewish journalists with the triple parentheses or echo signs on Twitter. Though the ADL doesnt yet track the practice, the parentheses are considered the digital equivalent of the yellow star, the symbol Jews were forced to wear in Nazi Germany. Several Jewish journalists have voluntarily placed the parentheses around their own names on Twitter as a way of diminishing or mocking the practice. Susskind said the triple parentheses trend probably will make next years report. Though the ADL report doesnt break down data on a local level, other organizations do. In Orange County, there were slightly more anti-Semitic hate crimes in 2015, seven compared to six in 2014, said Rusty Kennedy, executive director of the Orange County Human Relations Commission. The Jewish community in Orange County is the most frequently targeted religious group when it comes to hate crimes, he said. They are right up there with the African-American and LGBT communities. Kennedy added Muslims to that list as well. Though he said his organization is compiling data on anti-Muslim speech and crimes as part of a report to be released next month, he said Muslims were frequent targets in the past year, particularly after the terror attacks in Paris and San Bernardino. Contact the writer: 714-796-7909 or dbharath@ocregister.com When you live in Southern California, you dont have to get on a plane to see your out-of-town relatives. Theyll be happy to come and visit you, especially in the summer, when the beaches here look like a postcard and the mosquitoes in other parts of the country are the size of Kansas. My brother and his family recently came to visit from Utah, indulging in that odd ritual known as camping at the beach. Otherwise sane people some of whom make a ton of money think its fun to spend a week shoved up like sardines next to total strangers, listening to their conversations, hearing their drunken laughter, trying to block out the noise of their big RV generators, just to be a hundred feet or so from crashing waves. Beach camping has elements of a Third World experience, what with the lack of electricity, running water and nearby toilets; tending the communal fire; and the need to desperately shove tokens in the common shower, hoping to get a few minutes of hot water to wash. In the interest of full disclosure, I must confess that I have been a beach camper many times, though Ive been going through a 12-step program since I hit middle age. My brother and his family, all six of them, found themselves last week wedged into a campsite at Doheny State Beach that can only be described as microscopic. In fact, their tent literally would not fit onto it. They had to borrow space from the larger campsite next door. Family togetherness was not an issue, because there was no room to be apart. Luckily, they all get along. And the beach was only one minute away. Now, my brother makes good money as a software engineer, and he lives in a capacious house with a mountain view in Utah. He loves to go camping, but usually in remote, pastoral areas with lots of space around him. The sight of his so-called campsite at Doheny about the size of a parking space for a Lincoln Navigator sent him into a state of shock that took awhile to wear off. Fortunately, the six trains that go by every night on tracks that run alongside the campground were enough to snap him out of it. Yes, I said six trains. Headed to San Diego. So why were my relatives there, along with what seemed like 1.2 million other people? Oh, yes. Those golden, golden sandy beaches and the blue water that glistens in the sun. The roar of the waves, serenading you to sleep. Personally, I always like the nightly campfires. After a couple of glasses of wine, you can learn a lot of deep dark secrets about people around a campfire that can be useful blackmail fodder later. When people dont have access to television or Wi-Fi, its amazing what theyll tell you, especially if tequila is involved. Plus, with enough tequila, you wont really hear those six trains going by every night. Lots of people, of course, like to bring their big RVs to campgrounds like this, and they have lots of advantages, including helping drown out the sound of the trains. Plus, you have your own bathroom, and dont need tokens for your shower. But I havent personally succumbed to the siren song of the RV, not really wanting to drive anything that costs more than my house, gets eight miles to the gallon and backs up like a trash truck. Plus, I actually like sleeping in a tent, especially when I make my teenagers assemble my Bubba cot for me. Its not really called a Bubba cot in the catalog, but its an enormous cot with a mattress the size of a twin bed, and I can just imagine some deer hunter named Bubba sleeping on it in the deep woods of Alabama. Its heavy and a pain to use, sort of like an RV, but once its assembled, I still get to sleep in a tent. On a bed. If this sounds appealing, its actually called an Outfitter XL and I bought it from Cabelas, after trying it out at the store near my brothers house in Utah. Mostly, Ive used it in Big Sur. Im not sure if Ill ever be crazy enough to camp at Doheny State Beach. There may not be enough tequila in the world for that, especially in campsite 107. Plus, theres a very nice Doubletree hotel right across the street. They have good cookies, too. And you probably dont need tokens for the shower. Thats my kind of ritual. Contact the writer: mfisher@ocregister.com or 714-796-7994 Read more Frumpy Middle-age Mom. Its 42% better than real life! The city of Placentias motto of A Pleasant Place to Live allegedly was taken way too seriously to the tune of more than $5 million (and counting) by the citys former financial services manager, Michael Minh Nguyen. He was charged in April with 17 counts of misappropriation of public funds. Then last week, reported the Register, Orange County Deputy District Attorney Marc Labreche, during a hearing at the Fullerton courthouse, said the former city worker will face another 19 counts of the same charge and 66 new felony counts of money laundering. Most of the money is expected to be recovered. As a result, City Administrator Damien Arrula wrote in a statement, The city has implemented new policies and procedures. Of course, it would have been better had such policies already been in place. Public officials are public fiduciaries and we delegate authority to them to be stewards of the public trust as well as of public funds, Hana Callaghan told us; shes the director of government ethics at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University. To prevent such abuses by other government bodies, she said, whats needed is more transparency, accountability and open government. Also important are whistleblower protections for folks who see wrongdoing, so they can be willing to come forward. Mr. Nguyen is presumed innocent and will have his day in court. But this is a cautionary tale for other cities and government bodies to make sure their operations are open and accountable. SANTA ANA Orange Countys public city employees earned $144,817 on average last year, amounting to a 3 percent raise from the year prior, according to data released Tuesday by an open-records advocacy group. The records, which include public data for all but two of the countys 34 cities, revealed that much of that pay often comes from total compensation packages, not base pay, with 41 percent of average total annual pay coming from benefits, overtime and other payments. Tuesdays report was released by the conservative-leaning group Transparent California. At $453,092, Santa Ana City Manager David Cavazos compensation package was the highest of any city worker in the county and the sixth-highest among city managers in the state, according to the data. His $341,710 base salary is top among all city managers in the state. The average total pay for a city manager in Orange County was $279,000 last year. Related: See the top paid employee in each Orange County city Cavazos received a 5 percent, $17,000 bonus from Santa Ana in January amid reports he was being investigated for having a relationship with a subordinate city employee. The following month, the City Council extended Cavazos contract until February 2019 instead of October 2017. The city manager said he hasnt been able to analyze the report, but obviously I am very grateful for the wages and benefits that I have. Im glad that Im so important, he joked, adding that his base salary is pretty much equivalent to what he earned as Phoenix city manager prior to being hired by Santa Ana. Cavazos also said his lifetime pension from Phoenix is the second-highest retirement benefit in the Arizona citys history. But he said his ex-wife gets 45 percent while he gets 55 percent his portion being $125,000 annually Though overtime pay dropped 5 percent countywide from 2014, the report notes several city employees who earned more than double their base salary by working large amounts of overtime in 2015. In Anaheim, firefighter Daniel Lambert earned $156,693 in overtime on top of his $102,065 salary, and fire engineer Brian Pollema made $156,191 from overtime in addition to his $113,218 salary. In all, 18 Anaheim city employees earned more than $100,000 in overtime last year. Robert Fellner, Transparent Californias research director, said such high overtime was dangerous for public safety workers. Sgt. Daron Wyatt, spokesman for Anaheim police and fire departments, questioned Fellners knowledge of fire department operations, pointing out that firefighter shifts are 24 hours long but typically include time to rest and that the city doesnt allow firefights to work more than five straight shifts. He said high fire seasons and minimum staffing requirements provide many opportunities to work overtime and that some firefighters volunteer more than others. We are not going to put someone in a position that is dangerous to them or endanger the publics lives, Wyatt said. Santa Anas 27 percent increase in overtime payments last year was the highest of any Orange County city, according to the report. Among all city employees, Costa Mesa workers had the highest average salary, earning $165,388 in total compensation. Newport Beach employees were second with $165,025 on average, followed by Huntington Beach workers, who earned $162,713 on average. Costa Mesa spokesman Tony Dodero called Fellners analysis an apples-to-oranges comparison, because Huntington Beach, Newport Beach and Costa Mesa all have their own police and fire departments, while many other Orange County cities contract out for those services. Police officers and firefighters tend to have higher benefit packages than other employees and to work more overtime. Transparent California also released reports Tuesday on employee compensation in Los Angeles and San Diego counties, though the cities of Los Angeles and San Diego were not included in those reports. In Los Angeles County, public city employees earned $131,600 on average last year. In San Diego County, they made $122,614. Among Orange County cities, employee payment records for Placentia and Laguna Beach were not available on Transparent Californias website. Contact the writer: jgraham@ocregister.com or 714-796-7960 IRVINE The City Council has decided to start releasing all the city attorneys written legal opinions sought by individual council members to the rest of the council, a move some say would open a can of worms. With a majority vote, the council could also choose to release such documents to the public. An important check on our actions as council members is transparency and the publics right to know how decisions are being made, and how business is being conducted, Mayor Pro Tem Lynn Schott wrote in her proposal to the council. The council will vote June 28 to finalize the changes to the city code. Schott made her proposal after the latest discussion about fellow Councilwoman Christina Shea and her communications with city staff on behalf of KIA Motors America, a consulting client of hers. Shea has come under fire from investigative news nonprofit Voice of OC and Councilman Jeff Lalloway after reaching out last spring via emails and text messages to city staff on behalf of the Korean car maker about proposals for a renovation, outdoor smoking area and changes to an illuminated sign. State law bans public officials from using their position to influence a governmental decision in which the official has a financial interest. Shea said the correspondence between herself and city staff shows no evidence of an attempt to influence governmental decisions and was merely an attempt to link KIA staff with the right city staffers and get questions answered. She said the City Attorneys office assured her that she had violated no city laws. At the May 24 meeting, Lalloway requested that the council release to the public the city attorneys legal opinion issued to Shea about the matter. He said Shea had mischaracterized the city attorneys statement to the public. He didnt get a second on his motion after heated discussion. Schott brought up a similar proposal at the June 14 meeting, where the council voted 4-1 to make the city attorneys legal opinion to Shea available to the public. Shea voted against it. This whole issue about transparency, its just really a joke here because you are not asking for transparency, Shea said. You are asking for one particular document. City Attorney Jeff Melching said theres no attorney-client privilege between him and individual council members because his office represents the whole city. However, there has been an expectation of privacy for their communications, he said. In his emails to Shea dated Nov. 24 and 25 of last year, obtained by the Register on Tuesday, Melching stated there is no apparent violation of the Citys Ethics and Lobbying Ordinances based on his review of Sheas emails. In a separate motion on June 14, the council also approved Schotts proposal to automatically release all written legal opinions sought by individual council members to the rest of the council. Shea and Councilwoman Beth Krom dissented, saying they worried council members would stop talking to the city attorney. I will have to go to my private attorney for any public law information I need, Shea said. This will set a precedence throughout the state and Im going to tell you, its going to be a huge problem. City spokeswoman Kim Mohr said Tuesday the new rule would apply only to future communications between the city attorney and council members. Contact the writer: 949-445-6397 or tshimura@ocregister.com 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 which Clinton tried to undercut Trumps foreign policy credentials. This time, 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. Trump responded on Twitter: 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 home server while she was secretary of state. Clinton also seized on a report Monday by Moodys Analytics that found Trumps plans would lead to a lengthy recession, costing nearly 3.5 million American jobs. More than 10 million years ago, when the hills just east of Irvine were thousands of feet under the ocean depths and the shoreline was near Corona, a sperm whale died and settled into the mud. A month ago, a paleontologist monitoring work at the Frank R. Bowerman Landfill nearly 1,300 feet above sea level, saw a small bone fragment sticking out of the dirt where crews were cutting a road. The bones had been preserved in the dirt even as the land there rose thousands of feet because of geologic processes. The paleontologist, Melissa Marcias, who works for engineering and environmental consulting company Psomas and was monitoring the site as required by state and county law, started searching for more bones in the area, at first to no avail. She nearly gave up when she stumbled upon what turned out to be 18 teeth, two pieces of skull, part of a jaw and a flipper bone. http://launch.newsinc.com/js/embed.js var _ndnq = _ndnq || []; _ndnq.push([embed]); A crew of three to four people spent the next several days excavating the site, digging out the fossils and wrapping them in plaster jackets. Normally when you find whales, its an isolated rib or a vertebrate, Marcias said Tuesday, as the discoveries were unveiled. Its pretty exciting. The fossilized whale, found in an area only 10 feet across and six feet back into the hillside, was likely at least 40 feet long. Today, sperm whales are 60 feet. Thats the biggest sperm whale weve found in the county, expect the bigger sperm whales, which are swimming around offshore, said Jere Lipps, director of the Cooper Center, which stores and curates fossils found in Orange County. Through the millennia, both baleen and toothed whales, like the sperm whale, have grown bigger, Lipps said. Before 8 to 10 million years ago, short pigmy whales roamed the oceans in areas near present-day Orange County. But ocean cooling that began 14 million years ago prompted whales to evolve bigger. Cooling ocean waters at that time increased the temperature difference between the poles and equatorial regions, which prompted the water circulation to quicken. That caused an increase in upwelling from the deep ocean near present-day Southern California, and an increase in nutrients for plankton to feed on. The whole food chain became more resource-rich, allowing whales to grow bigger, and even diversify into more species, Lipps said. Fossil whales are among the most commonly discovered animals in Orange County. One complete baleen whale was found in 1986 near a residential construction site in Dana Point, and another was discovered in 1980 in San Clemente. The fossils are frequently found on road cuts, construction sites and other sites where large volumes of dirt are getting moved. Construction is a real boon for paleontology because it opens up large areas we would never see, said Mark Roeder, the senior paleontologist at Psomas. A lot of times the bones are well preserved because theyre not at the surface where they would weather. Theyre buried. Before the 1970s, major fossil discoveries at construction sites would shut down projects, as crews worked to preserve the bones. To prevent that from happening, paleontologists negotiated with developers and county officials to write new guidelines. So they could protect the resources, but also the project would get done, Roeder said. On-site paleontologists now monitor construction, and fossil finds are marked off while construction work continues around them. Orange Countys requirement for on-site monitors was the first in the country. Around the same time, Orange County officials also passed a resolution requiring fossils found in the county to remain here. Until about five years ago, those fossils languished in storage, many of them unprocessed and uncategorized. Then, the county established the Cooper Center in Santa Ana, where fossils managed by Cal State Fullerton are stored and processed. Some fossils are displayed at the Cooper Center, while others are taken to sites around the county, such as Ralph B. Clark Park in Buena Park. Once the whale fossil is cleaned, stabilized and logged in a database, it will be displayed at the Bowerman landfill office. Contact the writer: aorlowski@ocregister.com. Twitter: @aaronorlowski A defense lawyer involved in a courthouse altercation this year with an Orange County District Attorneys Office investigator wants $10 million from the county. County officials have rejected his official damage claim, setting the stage for a lawsuit, according to his attorney. Lawyer James Crawford says he suffered a sinus fracture and blunt trauma to the head, face and left eye in the March 9 altercation with investigator Dillon Alley. The fight, in a hallway at Orange County Superior Court, came on the heels of Crawfords victory in a case involving Orange Countys jailhouse snitch controversy. Crawfords claim says that he was brutally battered by Alley outside a 10th-floor courtroom. He alleges that Alley slammed his head into a bench and punched his face 10 times, before Alley was pulled away by sheriffs and district attorneys employees. Officials for the District Attorneys Office declined to comment because of the pending litigation. Alley could not be reached for comment, but prosecutors and union officials have said Crawford started the confrontation and is overstating what transpired. It is clear criminal defense attorney James Crawfords only interest is lining his pockets with taxpayer dollars, said Tom Dominguez, president of the union representing Alley. Crawford was allowed to get away with attacking a sworn peace officer without any consequences. The fight has heated up Orange Countys informant crisis, a nearly 3-year-old battle over the misuse of jailhouse informants by police and prosecutors to get confessions from targeted inmates. The misuse of a snitch helped Crawford win a new trial for a man twice convicted in the murder of a pregnant Fullerton woman. Before the fight, Crawford and Alley traded words on how prosecutors cheated in their use of jailhouse informants, Crawford has said. State Attorney General Kamala Harris declined to file charges against either party in the fight, saying it was unclear who the initial aggressor was. Both men had witnesses who supported his side of the story, Harris office said. One witness employed by the District Attorneys Office told state investigators that Crawford slapped Alley first. The fight was not captured by the courts surveillance cameras. While Harris could not meet the beyond-a-reasonable-doubt level of proof necessary to file criminal charges in the altercation, the bar is lower for civil cases. Mario Mainero, a professor at Chapman University Dale E. Fowler School of Law, said Crawfords attorney just has to show a preponderance of evidence, or that it is more likely than not that Alley was the aggressor. Crawfords attorney, Jerry Steering, said he is preparing to file a lawsuit against the county. Contact the writer: tsaavedra@ocregister.com During their Saturday date day, Kylie Webster, 22, of Seal Beach, right, tries to coax her five-year old Golden Retriever Cooper out from under the shade of a table as Scott Hascup, 21, of Torrance finishes up his ear of grilled corn at Tanaka Farms in Irvine. The sixth annual event, Walk the Farm, is helping raise money for Japanese farmers affected by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami. The Orange County Fire Authority credited the arrest of an arsonist who started a 70-acre wildfire in San Juan Capistrano to a tip that resulted from coverage of the fire in the Orange County Register. This is the second time in as many months that the news media played a vital role in helping our investigations division break an active arson case, OCFA spokesman Larry Kurtz said in a statement. A lot of effort is put into the investigation of these incidents, and if not for the medias help in bringing the publics attention to these fires, its possible that the trail may have gone cold. The alleged arsonist, a 17-year-old boy, confessed to authorities that he started the fire with a cigarette lighter, according to the Orange County Fire Authority. He was released into the custody of his mother. The fire that was set June 15 affected a stretch of hills in San Juan Capistrano near Laguna Niguel, and slowed traffic along the nearby 5 freeway. Some 135 firefighters responded to the fire that lasted three hours. No homes were damaged, and no one was injured in the fire. Contact the writer: lwilliams@ocregister.com, 714-796-2286 Police have arrested a 30-year-old man on suspicion of killing a food truck operator who investigators say was possibly the wrong target of a Santa Ana gang rivalry. On Sunday evening, 52-year-old Eliu Armando Gramajo was shot and killed while working in his food truck in the 1700 block of South Evergreen Street, according to the Santa Ana Police Department. Gramajo was not a gang member. Investigators have said they think the killing may have been a case of mistaken identity. Jose De Jesus Gomez Ochoa of Tustin was arrested Monday in connection with the killing. Though Gomez Ochoa lived in Tustin, he was active in a Santa Ana gang, police said. At the time of his arrest, Gomez Ochoa was wanted as a parolee at large. He was booked into jail. Contact the writer: 714-796-7865 or afausto@ocregister.com St. Joseph Health and Providence Health and Services have received regulatory approval for a merger that will create the nations third-largest nonprofit health system, officials said Wednesday. The California Attorney Generals office signed off on the deal between the two nonprofit Catholic hospital chains. The new entity, Providence St. Joseph Health, will include 16 St. Joseph hospitals, including five in Orange County, and 34 Providence hospitals, including six in Los Angeles County. Providence is based in Renton, Wash. The companies sought a partnership in order to expand services and improve clinical outcomes through shared expertise. Mireille Jacobson, director of the Center for Health Care Management and Policy at UCIs Paul Merage School of Business, said the merger could be a draw for employers and insurers. St Joes is in Orange County but employees of a firm that contracts with St. Joes, for example, may not live in Orange County, Jacobson said in an email. Their network is more attractive if it now includes Providence facilities in the South Bay. These systems may complement each other in other ways but geography is a key way. Irvine-based St. Joseph issued a statement praising the decision but declined to comment further, saying it would take time to review the conditions carefully and have more information to share soon. The attorney generals office released a 385-page document outlining requirements for the deal, including that Providence St. Joseph Health launch a three-year, $30 million mental health initiative in California that will address depression, addiction, homelessness and other issues. The merger includes hospitals in Northern California, Texas, New Mexico, Alaska, Montana, Oregon and Washington. The Orange County hospitals are St. Joseph in Orange, Mission in Mission Viejo and Laguna Beach, St. Jude Medical Center in Fullerton, and Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach and Irvine. Providence owns Little Company of Mary Hospital in San Pedro and Little Company of Mary Medical Center in Torrance. Contact the writer: cperkes@ocregister.com 714-796-3686 FULLERTON City Council members on Tuesday unanimously agreed to wait until after the November election to make a decision on permitting the cultivation of medical marijuana within city limits. Costa Mesa has on its November ballot two measures that include the regulation of medical marijuana dispensaries and the permitting of cultivation facilities. Laguna Beach voters will decide whether to allow dispensaries. Fullerton will continue allowing only qualified patients and primary caregivers to grow plants for personal consumption. All other uses of medical marijuana will remain banned. Several residents opposed to the proposed measure voiced concerns Tuesday night about potential abuse of the drug if suddenly made available. Others feared the impact allowing the sale and cultivation of medical marijuana locally would have on the citys youth. Longtime Fullerton resident Dan Komaromi called his hometown an education community, the center of developing young minds. The 43-year-old earned a degree in neuroscience from UCLA, and said the debilitating effects marijuana has on the brain are indisputable. Father to a 3-year-old son, Komaromi felt the need to attend his first council meeting on behalf of children throughout the city. If Im going to raise my 3-year-old in Fullerton, he said, I dont want him to feel pressure at 12 to smoke marijuana because he wants to be in the cool group. Legalizing the drug in Fullerton, Komaromi said, would expose young kids to the underworld of delivering the drug in various methods such as pills. At least two people attending the meeting, however, discussed the medical benefits of marijuana and cannabis. Californians in November will vote on whether to allow recreational marijuana use. Medical marijuana already is legal in the state. Santa Ana and Laguna Woods are the only Orange County cities that dont ban medical marijuana operations. Last month, the Placentia City Council approved a city ordinance allowing the growing and selling of medical marijuana, but reversed course this month after public outcry. Contact the writer: 714-796-7724 or bwhitehead@ocregister.com Most students graduating from high school with a 4.4 or so GPA harbor Ivy or UC dreams. Maybe a Stanford or Michigan pedigree. But Maria Mirza, who recently graduated from Huntington Beach High, wants to get her hands dirty for awhile. Mirza hopes to spend a year in Ecuador. The 17-year-old plans to take a bridge or gap year with the nonprofit Global Citizen Year doing Peace Corps-type work, before continuing to college. I always knew I wanted to spend a year abroad, Mirza said. And Global Citizen Year, which has programs in Brazil, Ecuador, Senegal and India, was pretty much perfect. I want to get away from all technologies, Mirza said. I want to go somewhere completely rural, either in the rainforest farming or with kids with disabilities. Mirza is already something of a global citizen. She was born and raised in Pakistan to a Pakistani father and an American mother and has a younger sister, Alina, who will start her sophomore year as an Oiler in the fall. The family moved to the United States when Mirza was in seventh grade. In Pakistan she attended British day school, where she learned to speak English, Spanish and Urdu. Part of Mirzas interest in global ideas and issues comes from her involvement in the schools Model United Nations. Through the program, Mirza said Ive met people from around the world. Its really fun. This year, Mirza was a mentor and instructor to 38 undergrads in the class. Part of her wanderlust is also fueled by traveling extensively with her parents and not always to high-end and tourist areas. My parents have taken me all around the world, so the way I see things is so different from other young people, she said. Life is not like it is in Orange County. Thats not to say Mirza didnt immediately take to the Orange County lifestyle. She has spent the last four years as part of the Huntington Beach High surf team. Although she says shes not good enough to compete, I just love being out on the water before school. Contact the writer: As the nuclear age comes to an unexpectedly sudden close in California, the fate of the deadly waste it has produced will be debated, again, in San Juan Capistrano on Wednesday night. John F. Kotek, the U.S. Department of Energys acting assistant secretary for nuclear energy, will detail a new federal push to place interim storage sites for nuclear waste in places allegedly eager for the business, such as Texas and New Mexico. Kotek will speak with the San Onofre Community Engagement Panel from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the San Juan Capistrano Community Center. The action will be streamed live online. The idea is to move spent nuclear fuel from the past half century off about 75 sites including the beaches of San Onofre and, now, Diablo Canyon in central California while the feds try to figure out where to put it permanently. After battling for years for a license renewal for Diablo Canyon, Californias last operating commercial nuclear power plant, operator Pacific Gas and Electric announced Tuesday that Diablo will be shuttered in 2025 and replaced with renewable energy. Newly discovered faults near Diablo made it a menace, critics have been arguing, and the fight to keep Diablo operating became expensive for PG&E, both in dollars and public relations. The closing of San Onofre in 2013, after unexpected tube wear was discovered in its brand-new steam generators, can be chalked up to much the same thing. This is not just the end of the nuclear era in California, its the end of the nuclear era in America, said Mark Cooper, senior research fellow for economic analysis at the Institute for Energy and the Environment at the Vermont Law School, who testified against Diablos license renewal. You just dont need nuclear to keep the lights on or the computers running. The simple fact is that wind and solar and a variety of good management techniques can deliver lower-cost, low-carbon, equally reliable electricity. Central Californians may learn what Southern Californians learned after San Onofre shut down: The fate of the highly radioactive waste that has piled up for decades moves passionately to center stage. WHAT NOW? Technically, nuclear waste is the federal governments problem. To encourage the industrys growth, the feds promised to accept and permanently dispose of spent fuel from commercial reactors by 1998. In return, utilities operating those reactors made payments into a Nuclear Waste Fund to pay for disposal. That fund collected about $750 million a year for a total of about $40 billion but the Department of Energy has been unable to find a permanent repository, so it hasnt accepted any waste. In the interim, it has piled up at sites such as San Onofre nationwide. Utilities sued the federal government for breach of contract and won: The DOE has had to pay more than $3.7 billion for this failure, and taxpayers could fork over an additional $21 billion before the problem is solved, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office. As a result of that paralysis, San Onofres operator, Southern California Edison, contracted with Holtec International to build a robust underground system to hold San Onofres waste for decades while the federal government tries to figure it out. Holtecs underground system features corrosion-resistant, stainless steel fuel canisters encased in a concrete monolith topped with a 24,000-pound steel and concrete lid. San Onofres decommissioning plan sets aside $1.27 billion for management of future spent fuel. All waste now cooling in San Onofres spent fuel pools is slated to move to dry storage in Holtecs system by 2019. Critics fear that the canisters are dangerously close to shore, and that our region has been saddled with a beachfront nuclear waste dump. CONSENT-BASED The new federal push, to be discussed tonight, could move that waste out earlier than planned. Several consent-based sites could be up and running even as the question of locating a permanent repository is hashed out. That could mean moving the fuel from San Onofre by 2039, a decade earlier than currently envisioned, and perhaps sooner, David Victor has said. He chairs the San Onofre Community Engagement Panel, a volunteer group that advises Edison on San Onofres decommissioning. While Victor was cautiously optimistic about the new federal push, others remain skeptical. The question has lingered for 50 years, and critics dont expect a solid answer now. A commission appointed by President Barack Obama recommended that the task be taken away from the DOE. That move, said Rochelle Becker, executive director of Alliance for Nuclear Responsibility, a nonprofit citizens group, would go a long way toward restoring trust. But Becker and other activists worry about logistics. Even if the feds manage to get interim waste sites up and running, will the radioactive material be stable enough to move? And if so, how will it be transported? Others, however, savored Diablo Canyons coming demise. This is a historic agreement, said Erich Pica, president of Friends of the Earth. It lays out an effective road map for a nuclear phase-out in the worlds sixth-largest economy, while assuring a green energy replacement plan to make California a global leader in fighting climate change. Nuclear power once provided about 20 percent of Californias electricity. In less than 10 years, it will provide zero. The news that nuclear power will be replaced by renewables is heartening, Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-California, said. Cooper, the analyst at the Vermont Law School, predicted the wave of nuclear plant closures years ago. Cheap oil and natural gas have been nuclears death knell, he has said, along with a growing consensus that renewable energy is the path to the future. Contact the writer: tsforza@ocregister.com SANTA ANA A 38-year-old Los Angeles man was charged Tuesday with murder, kidnapping and domestic battery for allegedly kidnapping and stabbing his ex-girlfriend and killing a man she was with in Santa Ana. At about 1:30 a.m. Saturday, Teodoro Bernal Nunez drove his SUV to a home in Santa Ana, where he pulled out a 12-inch knife and stabbed his former girlfriend in the abdomen and then 27-year-old Omar Castillo in the chest, the Orange County District Attorneys Office said. Castillo died from his injuries. Nunez forced the woman into his SUV and fled but was pulled over by a police officer in Brea for a traffic violation. The officer saw the victim bleeding and arrested Nunez, prosecutors said. The woman survived. Prosecutors said Nunez has a prior conviction for domestic battery and is also charged with violating a protective order. If convicted, he faces up to 41 years in state prison. Contact the writer: kpuente@ocregister.com 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. A military spokeswoman said later Tuesday that the military police investigation unit was examining all aspects of the episode, presumably including whether the soldiers involved had opened fire according to protocol. The shooting comes as an Israeli sergeant, Elor Azaria, is standing trial in a military court on a manslaughter charge after he fatally shot a wounded and disarmed Palestinian assailant in the West Bank city of Hebron. Saeb Erekat, a senior Palestinian official, described the killing of the Palestinian youth as a coldblooded assassination, adding in a statement, The international community has the responsibility to stop allowing Israels impunity for the crimes it commits against the occupied land and people of Palestine. Muhammad Badran, the father of one of the injured Palestinian teenagers from Beit Ur al-Tahta, Majed, said that his son had decided to go swimming with his cousins and friends in the nearby village of Beit Sira after breaking the Ramadan fast Monday night, and that they had left in a taxi. As they were driving home, he said by telephone, shots were fired at their vehicle. I dont know if it was soldiers or settlers who opened fire and hurt our children, he said. Badran, who works as a building contractor in Israel, said that after receiving a call from a resident of the village around 1:45 a.m., he rushed down to the road and saw the wounded teenagers on the ground, bleeding. He said that soldiers had put his son and one of the other teenagers in a jeep and had driven off, and that he had not received any more information about his sons whereabouts. The Israeli military said that three of the injured Palestinian youths had been taken to a hospital in Ramallah and that the fourth, apparently Majed, had been taken to the Hadassah Medical Center, an Israeli hospital in Ein Kerem, on the outskirts of Jerusalem. The Palestinian Health Ministry said that the three teenagers in the Palestine Medical Complex in Ramallah had been shot in the head and chest, and had sustained serious injuries. The three civilians who were believed to have been wounded by rocks were taken to Shaare Tzedek Medical Center in Jerusalem for treatment. A hospital spokeswoman said the wounded included two Israeli men who also hold other citizenships and a pregnant Belgian. All three had light injuries and were released from the hospital after a few hours. The roughly 10-mile stretch of Route 443 that runs through the West Bank, constructed on land that was expropriated from the Palestinian villages, has a military checkpoint at each end, and for many Palestinians it has become a symbol of the injustices of Israeli occupation. SANTA ANA Downtown will be festooned in the colors of the rainbow on Saturday as it hosts the local gay pride parade. But as revelers prepare to celebrate, organizers are paying extra attention to safety after the deadly attack on a gay nightclub in Orlando. Organizers say theyre partnering with law enforcement to beef up security, and, last week, a safety workshop was held for participants. Safety is always a top priority, said Steve Romero, the director of parades for Orange County LGBT Pride, in an email. Fortunately, there have been no threats made against Orange County Pride. We are working closely with the city and Police Department to ensure Pride is safe for everyone to enjoy. Santa Ana Cpl. Anthony Bertagna echoed Romeros remarks, saying there would be an increased police presence but declined to detail what safety measures would be taken. The parade, with the theme Live Your Life!, kicks off at 11 a.m. Saturday at Main Street, between Washington Avenue and First Street in downtown Santa Ana. Parading will be groups, from one person to 100, including a local coalition representing LGBT-accepting churches, and drag queens. Afterward, a festival, from noon to 10 p.m., will play out at the nearby Yost Theater, with music, vendor booths, free HIV testing, and food trucks. We hope everyone can join us for our parade and festival to honor those we have lost and those who have fought for LGBT rights in Orange County, Romero said. The festivities were first held in 1989, in Santa Ana, when revelers and anti-LGBT protestors clashed and the fight that ensued nearly shut down the event. Laguna Beachs mayor at the time, Bob Gentry, wore a bulletproof vest beneath his suit at the urging of his citys police chief. It was exciting and frightening, Gentry said. The exciting part was for the first time the community in Orange County came together and put together such an event. Contact the writer: lwilliams@ocregister.com, 714-796-2286 BAGHDAD 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 forces and Islamic State 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 Iraqs special forces, said his troops controlled 80 percent of the city. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said Friday that Fallujah had returned to the embrace of the nation and that remaining Islamic State pockets would be cleaned out within hours. But in recent days, persistent clashes between Iraqi forces and Islamic State fighters holed up in dense residential neighborhoods have taken place along the citys northern edge. What it looks like is (an Islamic State) 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. 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 said Tuesday. He said Iraqi military engineers were clearing the streets and buildings of leftover bombs. The operation has fueled an exodus 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 and appealed for more aid donations. Donald Trump regularly boasts that he is self-funding his presidential bid, but new campaign finance filings show that he is also shifting plenty of money back to himself in the process. According to documents submitted to the Federal Election Commission, Trump, whose campaign has just $1.3 million cash on hand, paid at least $1.1 million to his businesses and family members in May for expenses associated with events and travel costs. The total represents nearly a fifth of the $6 million that his campaign spent in the month. The spending raised eyebrows among campaign finance experts and some of Trumps critics who have questioned whether the presumptive Republican nominee, who points to his business acumen as a case for his candidacy, is trying to do what he has suggested he would in 2000 when he mulled making an independent run: Its very possible that I could be the first presidential candidate to run and make money on it. He could end up turning a profit if he repaid himself for the campaign loans, said Paul S. Ryan, a campaign finance expert with the Campaign Legal Center. He could get all his money back plus the profit margin for what his campaign has paid himself for goods and services. While most candidates list an array of vendors providing goods and services on their FEC filings, Trumps is packed with payments to his various clubs and buildings, his fleet of planes and his family. The self-proclaimed billionaire is required by law to account for his spending this way to prevent his companies from making illegal corporate donations to his campaign. In 2015, about $2.7 million was paid to at least seven companies Trump owns or to people who work for his real estate and branding empire, repaying them for services provided to his campaign. In May, the biggest-ticket item was Trumps use of the Mar-a-Lago Club, his Florida resort, which was paid $423,000. The campaign paid $350,000 to TAG Air for his private airplanes, $125,000 to Trump Restaurants and more than $170,000 to Trump Tower, the Manhattan skyscraper that houses the campaigns headquarters. Trumps family also profited from the campaign last month, with his son Erics Virginia wine business taking in about $1,300. And Trump, who has said he will not take a salary if he is elected president, paid himself $3,085 in May. The disbursements are related to travel expenses, according to the filings. Ryan said that the extent to which Trump was utilizing his own businesses for his run was unprecedented and that because of his unique financial circumstances, he was wading into territory that went beyond the FECs guidance. We dont have clear answers, Ryan said. Historically, candidates would separate themselves from their business interests when running for office. Trump has done the opposite by promoting his businesses while running for office. Whether Trump could end up profiting from his campaign remains a subject of speculation; some have questioned if he will eventually ask for the more than $40 million that he has lent to his campaign to be repaid. The eventual effect of the campaign on Trumps personal brand, which he has said represents a large part of his wealth, also remains unclear. Democrats on Tuesday tried to seize on the payments Trump made to his businesses as evidence of hypocrisy. Commenters on the liberal website Daily Kos ridiculed Trump for running a scampaign and overstating the personal investment he was making in his campaign by funneling the money back to his empire. Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democratic nominee and Trumps main rival this fall, also piled on, taking to Twitter on Tuesday to jab him over the expenditures and his relatively paltry fundraising sum in one swipe. What is Trump spending his meager campaign resources on? she said. Why, himself, of course. North Korea may be one of the worlds least tourist-friendly countries on Earth, but its strategic location along the avian East Asian Australasian Flyway and complete lack of development is preventing the extinction of several once plentiful species of migratory birds. Around fifty million birds, from tiny song birds to cranes, journey across the East Asian Australasian Flyway every year, and eight million of them are shorebirds or waders. For many of these, North Koreas west coast is the only stop for tens of thousands of miles, which means that without it, they would probably couldnt finish their epic trip. But what makes this otherwise inhospitable place so important to birds? A group of New Zealand bird watchers asked permission from the North Korean government to enter the country and observe the migratory birds. Armed with binoculars, powerful telescopes and cameras they counted the birds making their stop from the southern hemisphere all the way to the top of the northern one. As we lose habitat elsewhere, the birds are going to get more and more pushed into remaining habitat, which by default means North Korea, birder David Melville told the BBC. Because the shorelines of neighboring countries China and South Korea have witnessed rapid developments, with most of the mudflats having been converted to dry land for agriculture and industrial projects, the birds have virtually no place to stop and refuel. Photo: Pukorokoro Miranda Shorebird Centre/Facebook Shorebird ecology expert Richard Fuller of the University of Queensland, Australia, estimates that of the total Yellow Sea mudflat habitat that existed 50 years ago, only a third still remains today, and most of it is in North Korea. The lack of development in the communist country means that these mudflats are largely intact, and bird conservationists claim that migratory birds also benefit from the fact that there are few factories polluting the rivers and lower levels of agricultural pesticides flowing from the land into the marine environment. Thus the mudflats are rich in molluscs, marine worms and crustaceans, on which the birds depend for sustenance. The East Asian Australasian Flyways largest shorebird, the Far Eastern curlew, has declined in number by over 80% in the last five decades, and without the mudflats of North Korea, theyd probably abandon the migratory route completely. They and other shorebirds spend about one month in the spring and three in the autumn gorging on invertebrates and building up strength for the return trip. Photo: Pukorokoro Miranda Shorebird Centre/Facebook But the virgin mudflats are especially important for a particular subspecies of the bar-tailed godwit, which only stops in North Korea and few other places around the Yellow Sea before completing an eight- or nine-day journey of about 12,000km in one go. It is the only bird in the world that can fly such a distance non-stop, and it can do it thanks to North Korea. via BBC Ronn Torossian Last week was a hard one for Disney: even though they successfully opened their 43-percent-owned Shanghai Disney in China, that bit of good news was overshadowed by the recent problems in Orlando. Between the shooting at the Pulse nightclub not owned by Disney and the tragic alligator incident that left two-year-old Lane Graves dead, Disney was put on a hard road toward reputation recovery. Then the rumors that the Pulse nightclub terrorist, Omar Mateen, previously considered and scouted Disney World as a possible target cause Disney to almost turn into Grimms fairy tales overnight. Barring another major tragedy, Disney will get through this with very little loss to its bottom line. The reason for that is centered on Disney's always-proactive efforts to create a positive experience for its visitors. It could be expected that visiting a theme park the size of any Disney facility is likely to be good medicine for a resounding majority of visitors, but Disney makes the extra effort at every turn. First, Disney is aware of the communities where their parks are located and actively look for ways to contribute. When problems strike, they double up on those efforts. So almost immediately after the Pulse shooting, Disney established a $1 million fund to help those who had been affected. They also tightened security and added metal detectors to their parks all around the world. As headlines arrived regarding a little boy snatched by an alligator at the Seven Seas Lagoon, Disney closed all their beaches immediately, and within two days had a plan for new warning signs for the area. Disney CEO Bob Iger issued a statement from China, stating that as a parent and a grandparent, my heart goes out to the Graves family during this time of devastating loss. No one is going to make it better for the Graves family, but Disney has always created their parks with safety and a fun family experience in mind. Behind the scenes, they have security and protocols in place to assure that being the case for almost every imaginable situation. There are monitors, cameras and tunnels. As terrorism expert David Firester recently noted, This is a company which deals with millions of people annually, and knows how to handle the unpredictable behaviors of millions. They monitor individuals from the moment they enter the parks. Disney may be big and it may tout itself as being the happiest place on earth but it doesnt take its reputation lightly and because of this, Disney should weather this storm and move beyond it better than most. This provides a lesson for all companies. Some of the best protection for your brand is building a great reputation long before any crisis happens. That way, people know your strengths even when your brand may seem to be at its weakest. * * * Ronn Torossian is CEO of 5WPR, and has been named Public Relations executive of the year by the American Business Awards. 22/06/2016 - Governments must act faster to help people and firms to make greater use of the Internet and remove regulatory barriers to digital innovation or else risk missing out on the potentially huge economic and social benefits of the digital economy, the OECD told ministers and high-level officials from almost 40 countries today. Opening the Organisations 2016 Digital Economy Ministerial Meeting in Cancun, Mexico, OECD Secretary-General Angel Gurria said national legislation and policies in everything from education to investment were not keeping up with the rapid pace of digital innovation. Countries should address a slowdown in investment in internet and communication technology (ICT), extend high-speed Internet infrastructure and improve digital skills in order to narrow the gap between digital haves and have-nots. (Link to live Webcast) Too many countries are taking a 20th Century approach to a 21st Century technology that is moving faster than any other the world has seen, Mr Gurria said. The Internet is profoundly transforming the way we live and work, but we could be getting a lot more out of it. The longer we dither on the digital economy, the less benefit we will get out of it as societies. (Read the speech) The digital transformation crossed a critical threshold in 2013 as high-speed Internet reached 80% of people in advanced economies and smartphone shipments overtook conventional mobile phones. This has unleashed an era of ubiquitous mobile computing that has accelerated e-banking, e-commerce and digital platforms for services like ride-sharing or home rental to the point where it is urgent that we act collectively to assess how to best exploit these opportunities. Four billion people still have no Internet access, and the United Nations has made it a global goal to connect them by 2020. Too few businesses are adopting advanced digital technologies like supply chain management tools that can boost efficiency and innovation. For example, less than 30 percent of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in OECD countries use cloud computing. Prices of access to digital infrastructure and data and concerns over security risks and privacy rights are factors discouraging investment. While 27 of the OECDs 34 member countries have a national digital strategy, there has not been enough consultation across borders in drawing them up. More coordination could help resolve difficult issues such as security, privacy and regulatory barriers to peer-platform businesses or services like telemedicine. The level of Internet openness will also affect the digital economys potential. According to the Global Commission on Internet Governance (GCIG) "One Internet" report, presented at the Ministerial, an open and accessible Internet should generate several trillions of dollars a year in economic benefits. A fragmented Internet on the other hand would weigh on investment, trade and GDP, as well as on the right to free expression and access to knowledge. Digital economy facts and figures: As of end-2015, 43% of the worlds population has regular Internet access but 4 billion people remain offline, around three-quarters of them in 20 countries, according to the GCIG. The next billion people will likely get connected via mobile devices. Denmark, Iceland and Norway are leaders in terms of connectivity, with at least 95% of adults going online in 2014. (Read more: Stimulating Digital Innovation for Growth and Inclusiveness) Over 2001-13, ICT investment in OECD countries, including spending on infrastructure, transmission facilities and firm-level software, fell to 2.7% of GDP from 3.4% (13.5% from 14.8% of total investment.) Firm-level studies by the OECD show that to be effective, ICT spending must be accompanied by skills training and parallel investments to integrate advanced digital technologies into business models and processes. (Read more: New Markets and New Jobs) As of 2014, almost 95% of businesses in OECD countries have broadband, 76% have a website and 50% carry out e-commerce. Cloud computing is used by 40% of businesses with over 250 employees but by less than 30% of SMEs. This is a concern since a slowdown in the spread of new technologies and knowledge from frontier to lagging firms may be a source of todays productivity slowdown. OECD studies show that firms using data and data analytics, e.g. via sensors on machinery, can boost labour productivity by 5-10%. (Read more: Stimulating Digital Innovation for Growth and Inclusiveness) There is an average of 28.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants in OECD countries, ranging from 50.5 per 100 in Switzerland to 11.2 per 100 in Mexico. (Excel data file with fixed & wireless broadband subscriptions, June 2015) There is an average of 85.5 mobile broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants in OECD countries, ranging from 138.8 per 100 in Finland to 34.4 per 100 in Hungary. (Excel data file with fixed & wireless broadband subscriptions, June 2015) The share of fibre connections in fixed broadband subscriptions in OECD countries is 17.9%, versus 31.5% for cable and 47.6% for DSL. The share of fibre ranges from 72.6% of broadband connections in Japan to 0.2% in Greece. (Excel data file with the share of fibre in broadband subscriptions, June 2015) See more OECD data and charts on the digital economy OECD Ministerial background papers OECD Broadband Portal OECD Principles for Internet Policy Making For further information, or to talk to OECD digital economy analysts, please contact media officers Catherine Bremer or Carolina Ziehl in Cancun or Elvira Berrueta-Imaz in Paris. 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. LESS than four years since standard three bedroomed semi-detached houses in Offaly were selling for in excess of 250,000, no fewer than 13 houses across the county are available for 60,00 or under. LESS than four years since standard three bedroomed semi-detached houses in Offaly were selling for in excess of 250,000, no fewer than 13 houses across the county are available for 60,00 or under. A trawl of the major property websites and the websites of local auctioneers shows that three of the houses priced at 60,000 are in the one area in Clara in developments built during the building boom. The cheapest house in the county is also in Clara. Described as a two bedroomed, modernised terraced house, close to Clara town centre, 115 Lakeview Clara is on sale for just 42,000 through Cowen Auctioneers. The sales pitch says the house has oil fired central heating, PVC Windows and doors, has an overall floor area of 861 Sq Feet and the seller is open to offers. Offalys second cheapest property is similar to the first but this time is located in the south of the county. The two-bedroom property comprises of living room, kitchen, shower room, one double bedroom and one single bedroom is located centrally at 7 Moorpark Street, Birr. The end of terrace house is on the market for 44,500 with Hoolan England Auctioneers the selling agents. The overall floor area is 377 Sq Feet and it has an outside fuel shed and solid fuel central heating. To find the third cheapest house in Offaly you have to travel to the west of the county to Leamonaghan, Ballycumber. On sale through Heffernan Auctioneers, this detached cottage is located on a 3/4 acre site is priced at just 45,000 however it is described as being in need of complete renovation. The fourth and final house offered for less than 50,000 is in the south of the county in Dunkerrin. With an address at Loughane, Dunkerrin the semi-detached house is on sale through Central Auctioneers, Birr at 49,950. While being a one bedroomed house, it is situated on a circa one acre sight and has double-glazed windows and doors and solid fuel heating. Rounding out the top five cheapest houses in Offaly is another property in need of complete refurbishment. Located on St Marys Road, Edenderry and on sale through Eugene Byrne & Sons Ltd, the property is priced at 50,000. Described as being in an excellent location across from schools, the three bedroomed house is noted as having great potential. Offalys cheapest houses 1: 115 Lakeview, Clara - 42,000 2: 7 Moorpark Street, Birr - 44,500 3: Leamonaghan, Ballycumber - 45,000 4: Loughane, Dunkerrin - 49,950 5: St Marys Road, Edenderry - 50,000 6: 202 Churchview Heights, Edenderry - 55,000 7: 7 Railway View, Clara - 55,000 8: Brosna Road, Shinrone - 59,950 9: Killeen, Daingean - 60,000 9: Bunsalla, Daingean - 60,000 9: 4 Kilbride Manor, Kilbride Gardens - 60,000 9: 11 Kilbride Manor, Kilbride Gardens - 60,000 9: 4 Kilbride Way, Kilbride Gardens - 60,000 Next week we look at the cheapest houses available on the market in Tullamore Efforts are underway to address recent pressures at the Emergency Department at Midlands Regional Hospital Tullamore. The plan outlines a number of developments which have been introduced or are currently underway at the hospital. All initiatives are intended to increase treatment capacity, expand services and improve patient care at the hospital. Tullamore Hospital currently treats over 70,000 outpatients, nearly 34,000 day cases and 32,000 emergency presentations in 2015. The Hospital is the regional centre for a number of key specialities including orthopaedics, renal, oncology, ears, nose and throat and rheumatology for the midlands region of Offaly, Laois, Longford and Westmeath. 84 million has been allocated to the hospital for service provision in 2016. There is an almost 5% increase in ED activity year to date at Tullamore Hospital which is in line with the national Emergency Department trends. Compared to last year (up to the end of March) there is an overall increase of 6.9% in the number of people attending Emergency Departments across the country. Every effort is being made to improve the patient experience in Tullamore Emergency Department. By its very nature emergency departments are busy environments and staff are working very hard to ensure those most in need of care are seen in a timely manner. There is a number of measures being undertaken by the Hospital to address this issue on a daily basis and these include the opening of additional beds where there is capacity, day-of-surgery admissions, working with community health colleagues to enable proactive discharge planning, and access to homecare packages and long term care as required. Notwithstanding, it is acknowledged that there still remains significant pressures including increased patient demands, inpatient bed capacity and recruitment of staff. However, the Hospital is hopeful that the following key developments will contribute to an improved overall hospital performance for 2016. These include: New MRI Unit Work on a new MRI Unit incorporating ultrasound rooms and consulting rooms commenced in May. The Unit is expected to be completed during Q2, 2017. The project represents a 5 million investment, which includes a new MRI machine costing 1.9 million Acute Medical Assessment Unit (AMAU) MRHT has opened a new AMAU within the existing Emergency Department to improve patient flow and to ensure faster patient discharges, where appropriate. The AMAU is already achieving results. The AMAU has already seen and treated 300 patients, who might otherwise have had to wait in the ED for treatment The successful acquisition of second CT scanner A second CT scanner has recently been procured by the hospital management following approval by the Estates Department The Scott Building Redevelopment - The redeveloped Scott Building was opened on a phased basis earlier this year and provides community mental health services, a centre for education, library, on call accommodation and administrative offices. The development includes a medical academic facility which has enhanced the ability of the Hospital to attract high-quality healthcare staff Short-stay ward Planning is currently underway for the development of a new short stay unit at the hospital and this is subject to 2017 service planning Recruitment - Conversion of agency staff to MRHT staff posts across all areas of the hospital including radiology and physiotherapy, in addition approval for 5.5 extra nurses was secured in recent days A Virtual Fracture Clinic - The Hospitals Orthopaedic Unit is the first in Ireland to introduce this innovative model of treating minor orthopaedic injuries. Patients with some minor orthopaedic injuries, can be reviewed and treated virtually. Following initial attendance at the hospitals emergency department, patient X-rays are subsequently reviewed by an orthopaedic consultant. The patient, after discharge, then receives a phone consultation at their home to advise of care/follow up treatment requirements. The model delivers a number of significant benefits such as reducing the number of hospital appointments required by patients and allowing patients get the necessary medical advice without having to leave their home Management The hospitals management structures have also been strengthened in recent months with a number of key appointments including a new General Manager, a permanent Director of Nursing, a Quality Manager and a Clinical Risk Manager Commenting on activity at the hospital, Orlagh Claffey General Manager of MRHT noted: "There are a lot of very significant and positive developments happening at our hospital. Its an exciting time for the hospital and a mark of confidence in its staff that the hospital continues to expand its services. Of course like all hospitals across Ireland we have been challenged by an increasing number of patients attending our Emergency Department. This winter alone saw an increase of 5% in the numbers attending MRHT ED. In addition, we treated a growing number of patients with respiratory issues and also experienced a very long flu season which ran to the end of April. Notwithstanding, delivering high, quality care to the Midlands region is our priority; the ongoing investment in the hospital, its services and staffing allows us to realise this objective. Our immediate focus is now on developing the new MRI Unit at the hospital, which has just commenced initial works. In addition we are working with the Hospital Group and the SDU to improve patient flow and this is a very welcomed engagement for the hospital which will over time benefit our patients," added Ms. Claffey. Trevor OCallaghan, Chief Operating Officer for the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group said, The Dublin Midlands Hospital Group in conjunction with the management team at Tullamore hospital is working with the Special Delivery Unit (SDU) and Clinical Care Programmes to further review pathway and process improvements with particular emphasis and business planning to address the increased capacity needs for the hospital into the future. We are committed to improving the patient experience in Tullamore Hospital and wish to acknowledge the significant work of the staff at the hospital who on a daily basis is addressing these significant pressures. Loading... OilVoice will be with you shortly... This week, in a Sarpy County classroom, a man who may know more about how to stop mass killers than any other Nebraskan taught police officers and school officials how to identify violent threats before they become Orlando-style reality. Professor Mario Scaloras ideas are not as blood-boiling as a Facebook debate about gun control a debate that, for the time being, seems likely to result in little or no actual gun control by our esteemed House and Senate. And theyre not as provocative as Donald Trumps call for an immigration ban on Muslims an idea both wildly unconstitutional and wildly unpopular with most foreign policy and security experts, who think it will make the United States less safe. Mario Scaloras ideas are not sexy, but they are important. A forensic psychologist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Scalora does security research funded by the Department of Defense and the U.S. Capitol Police. He says there are things we can do to make our country less exposed to future attacks like the one that claimed 49 lives at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida. But these things are hard, he says. They require sustained commitment. Every single one of them. This isnt a fair fight, Scalora said of trying to stop mass killers like Omar Mateen. There is nothing about any of this that is fair. But there are some significant open policy questions that are frankly getting ignored because of political squabbling. The first and most promising, to Scalora, stems from this fact: In nearly every case of mass violence in American history, the person or people who committed that violence told someone beforehand. Scalora runs UNLs Targeted Research Team, which has studied the ways that homegrown terrorists and mass murderers indirectly or directly tell those close to them loved ones, acquaintances, even their entire Facebook friend group when they are close to committing a heinous act. Lets be blunt you arent going to go through all that effort, risk your life or end your life, and not tell anybody why you did it, Scalora says. So the dilemma becomes this: How do we make it more likely that one of those loved ones, acquaintances or Facebook friends tells the FBI, a local police officer, a school assistant principal or a boss about the threat before it becomes reality? Scalora likens the problem to child abuse reporting four decades ago. It took a concerted effort, over a period of years, before Americans started telling authority figures when they suspected that a child was being harmed. We had to get past the notion that it wasnt any of our business, he says. If we can do it with child abuse, we can do it with violent threats, Scalora says, by making it easier to contact the proper authorities and just as important making sure those authorities act fairly and reasonably once they are contacted. For this to happen, the United States needs to invest in far more training of local law enforcement, Scalora says. There are 20,000 different law enforcement agencies in the United States, he says, and they vary wildly in how much they actually know about threat assessment and counterterrorism. How do we get comfortable coming forward, but do it in a way that doesnt push Big Brother government? But of course in Mateens case, the FBI was contacted and actually interviewed him twice before his crime. You can improve reporting of potential killers all you want, but we still need to get better at identifying actual threats. Now, we dont live in the world of Minority Report, where simply thinking bad thoughts is a crime, and we shouldnt want to live in that world, Scalora thinks. But to balance Americans privacy concerns with security, we do need to be able to differentiate between those who are just talking and those who will actually act. Scalora didnt want to go too much into threat assessment during our conversation, for security reasons. But he did say that he and others have begun to develop tools that will give us a better understanding about who is a real threat and who is a howler. Thats the topic he was teaching during his two-day threat-assessment seminar in Sarpy County this week. Keep in mind that this isnt any sort of profiling, he says, but rather a clear-eyed assessment of behavior. Who has the alleged dangerous person aired their grievances to? What is the nature and intensity of those perceived grievances? Finally, I wanted to ask Scalora about security. What, if anything, can a smaller venue like a movie theater or a club do to keep its patrons safe? The expert doesnt think the answer is necessarily more metal detectors or heavily armed guards. Too much of that, he thinks, and we actually take away our own freedom. No one wants to go dancing inside an armed camp, he says. But what the owner of a business like a club can do is spend the money to hire good staff and then drill repeatedly on how to react during a fire, during a tornado and yes, during an armed attack. Who is responsible for being the first line of defense at the door? Are these security guards actually trained, well-paid employees, or are they minimum-wage workers wearing special T-shirts? Where are the security cameras? They should be in plain sight because research shows that well-placed, obvious surveillance actually deters attacks. Who is watching those cameras? Where are the alternate exits? How do we quickly and calmly direct the crowd out those exits? Its amazing, Scalora thinks, how many attacks have been deterred by the actions of one person outside a stadium or club. Frequently, that person doesnt have a big gun, he says. Frequently, that person isnt a police officer. Rather, that person notices something suspicious and momentarily halts the flow of traffic into the venue a seemingly small move that often disrupts a potential mass murderers plans. Those are the attempted mass murders that we never hear about, he says the human equivalent of a tornado that just misses a city or a hurricane that weakens just before it hits land. We can make it more likely that these tornadoes and hurricanes miss their targets, Mario Scalora told me. But its only possible if we continue to do the hard, boring work that can make all the difference. Californias insurance commissioner ruled this week that two affiliates of Omaha-based Berkshire Hathaway Inc. broke California law with a complex insurance scheme that boosted their profits while raising costs for a family-owned laundry. California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones said Applied Underwriters and California Insurance Co. designed a workers compensation program called EquityComp to circumvent his departments review, to the disadvantage of small- and medium-sized businesses. The arrangement meant smaller businesses would risk high costs as workers comp claims occurred, rather than paying steady rates based on past claims. The decision resulted from a complaint by the 60-employee Shasta Linen Supply Inc. of Sacramento. Applied Underwriters, acquired by Berkshire in 2006, employs about 650 people in Omaha and is part of the same Berkshire insurance group as California Insurance. Applied Underwriters referred questions about the decision to an attorney in Los Angeles, who did not respond immediately to a phone call or an email. Berkshires headquarters in Omaha did not return a request for comment. According to Jones summary of the dispute, California Insurance had argued that EquityComp is an agreement between Applied Underwriters and Shasta, not an insurance policy, and that because it doesnt alter the rates or terms of an insurance policy, it isnt subject to state regulators review. California employers should be able to trust that their insurance companies are doing business by the book and not exploiting them in the name of profit, Jones said in a statement. Insurance to cover workers injuries on the job is mandatory in California. In his ruling, which is subject to court appeal, Jones said: California Insurance, the states seventh-largest workers comp insurer, properly filed its insurance policies and rates with the State Insurance Department before selling a policy to Shasta, the laundry, in 2009. Then California Insurance had Applied Underwriters sell Shasta a reinsurance participation agreement, or retroactive non-linear insurance policy, called EquityComp, which had lower rates. The first policy had a guaranteed cost based on past claims, so its rates would remain steady for the duration of the policy. But EquityComp based its rates partly on current claims making it loss-sensitive and raised rates as claims occurred, essentially shifting the risk of claims from the insurance company to Shasta. (Larger firms are better able to cope with such risks than small- or medium-sized companies, Jones said.) EquityComp, which carries a U.S. patent, locked Shasta into the higher payments for seven years, not the three-year period of the policy or the one-year period of a typical guaranteed-cost policy. California Insurances profits went from an annual average of $16 million to $55 million after it began using EquityComp four years ago. Instead of claims making up 77.7 percent of premiums and fees, close to the industrys 80 percent average, claims under EquityComp were between 19 and 30 percent of premiums and fees, meaning more profits. EquityComp also raised penalties for canceling the policies, in one instance boosting a potential penalty from $114,000 to $1.1 million. The EquityComp agreement also said Shasta couldnt appeal a dispute to the California Insurance Department but had to resolve disputes under Nebraska law through arbitration in the British Virgin Islands. Shasta bought EquityComp because other insurers offered policies costing up to $445,000 a year and EquityComp said its premiums would be between $107,500 and $322,600. But extra costs based on claims over three years added nearly $500,000 beyond the maximum premiums. Shasta filed a complaint with Jones office in August 2014, seeking to have the policy voided and money refunded. In his ruling, Jones said that the reinsurance participation agreement is void and that EquityComp does modify the first insurance policys rates and obligations, making it subject to his departments review. He said California Insurance and Applied Underwriters created EquityComp to avoid state governments review of the workers compensation coverage. Because the EquityComp agreement is void, Jones ruled, Shasta doesnt need to make additional EquityComp payments and California Insurance must refund money that Shasta paid in excess of its guaranteed-cost policy. The California State Insurance Department will review whether Berkshire and other companies also are selling workers compensation policies that havent been reviewed by the department. Berkshire Hathaway Inc. owns the Omaha World-Herald. United Continental Holdings says it will find $3.1 billion in savings and extra revenue by 2018 as it tries to close a persistent profit gap with competing airlines. The carriers plan calls for sales gains of $1.5 billion by adding new fare levels, increasing the number of higher-priced seats and stepping-up management of ticket prices, Chief Executive Officer Oscar Munoz said Tuesday in a conference call with analysts and investors. Cost cuts and operational improvements will save or generate an additional $1.6 billion, the Chicago-based carrier said. Fiat Chrysler takes step to limit air bag inflator use By next week, Fiat Chrysler plans to stop producing new vehicles in North America with the most dangerous type of Takata air bag inflators. The company said its factories will stop using inflators that dont have a chemical drying agent. Inflators with a drying agent have been shown in tests to be much safer. Takata inflators can explode with too much force and send shrapnel into drivers and passengers. At least 11 people have died worldwide due to the problem. Mitsubishi mileage overstated by up to 16%, government says The Japanese government said Tuesday that Mitsubishi Motors Corp. overstated mileage on its vehicles by up to 16 percent, but stopped short of slapping further penalties on the company. The Transport Ministry said the figure came from its own tests investigating cheating by the Japanese automaker on its minicar models. Tokyo-based Mitsubishi Motors has said it did not lie about mileage on models sold abroad. Mitsubishi is under orders to submit repaired data to the Japanese government. Californias largest utility and environmental groups struck a deal Tuesday to shut the last nuclear power plant in the state. The move marks the end of Californias era of nuclear power plants. Operators of the countrys aging nuclear facilities confront rising repair bills at a time when sources of clean, safer energy cost less. The 31-year-old Diablo Canyon plant between Los Angeles and San Francisco will shut down by 2025, decades after its location near seismic faults on ocean bluffs helped spark the environmental movement against nuclear power. Pacific Gas & Electric Co. announced plans to build the plant in the 1960s. The agreement will mean the end of nuclear power generated within the nations most populous state, an energy source once called essential to meeting Californias growing needs. However, Southern California still receives some of its electricity from a nuclear plant across the border in Arizona. With more efficient energy use and an emphasis on renewable energy in California, theres just not going to be enough need to have to run your nuclear plant, PG&E President Tony Earley said Tuesday. The utility will save more money closing Diablo Canyon than running it through 2044 as planned, Earley said. The plant supplies 9 percent 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 650 yards from the plants twin reactors. 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. FedEx posts $70 million loss but tops expectations DALLAS FedEx Corp. lost $70 million in the latest quarter because of large pension and acquisition items, and the delivery giant gave a cautious outlook for the next 12 months. The companys fiscal fourth-quarter results Tuesday still beat Wall Street expectations, as FedEx and other delivery companies continue to benefit from consumers doing more shopping online. The growth in e-commerce, however, has strained the networks of companies like FedEx and United Parcel Service Inc. To keep up, FedEx plans capital spending of $5.1 billion in the fiscal year that just started. FedEx will use the money to expand its ground network and buy more aircraft. In deal, Trader Joes agrees to reduce emissions WASHINGTON Trader Joes, the popular California-based supermarket chain, agreed in court to spend about $2 million to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from its refrigeration equipment. 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 in court Tuesday. Officials said stopping the coolant leaks will eliminate as much greenhouse gases as about 6,500 cars produce each year. John Cruden, the governments top environmental lawyer, said 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. ConAgra Foods has been in talks to sell its frozen potato unit to cereal maker Post Holdings, according to a report. The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that the talks had stalled but could revive. The report cited unidentified sources. If a deal went through, it would be one of the largest recent mergers in the consumer goods industry and the largest yet for St. Louis-based Post, which has been on a run of acquisitions. ConAgra said last year that it would spin off the Lamb Weston potato unit into a new company, called Lamb Weston, with ConAgra shareholders getting shares in the new company. Under a deal with Post, ConAgra shareholders could alternatively end up with Post shares. Analysts and spinoff experts told The World-Herald in December that many proposed spinoffs end up getting bought up before the spin happens. Still, ConAgra management has insisted that a spin was in the works, even as some analysts and investors have said it was more likely that the business would be sold outright. Chief Executive Sean Connolly told analysts during an April conference call that a spinoff is clearly the best way to maximize value. A ConAgra spokesman said Tuesday that the company wouldnt comment on rumor or speculation. The company has been slimming down as it prepares to relocate its headquarters to Chicago from Omaha to focus mainly on its core business of selling branded packaged food to grocery retailers. ConAgras stock is up nearly 13 percent so far this year. It closed Tuesday up about 0.81 percent, outpacing gains in the broader market, at $47.46 a share on the New York Stock Exchange. The stock has been at record highs in recent days. ConAgra will report fiscal fourth-quarter earnings on June 30. Contact the writer: 402-444-1336, barbara.soderlin@owh.com FREMONT Retailer Costco would own and develop the chicken plant complex that it proposes to build here, while contracting with a Georgia company to operate the plant and manage a network of farmers, Costco told the Fremont City Council. The company offered these and other new details Tuesday about its plans for an industrial agriculture operation that has some area residents fearful and others eager for a piece of an expected $1.2 billion economic impact. The information was not enough to satisfy critics, who demanded more study of the projects impact on the environment, economy and community, and even called for a voter referendum. We still dont have any details to latch onto, said attorney Greg Barton, who represents the Nebraska Communities United group, which opposes the project. But supporters of the proposed plant urged city officials to smooth the path, saying its an opportunity that Fremont cant pass up if it wants to grow, even if there are still unknowns. We dont have to know every detail, Fremont resident Virgil Wagner said. We do have to trust one another and not sabotage this project. Fremonts future is at risk, said Dave Mitchell, 30-year Fremont resident and board member of the Greater Fremont Development Council, which recruited the plant. Opposition to the project has painted Fremont as intolerant, giving it a bad reputation, he said, among national consultants who scout locations for potential developments. This is a five-star, international company that has decided Fremont is the place it would like to grow, he said. Dave Fachman, who said he lives near the proposed site, also spoke out against opposition based on the assumed race and religion of plant workers. Some opponents of the project have decried the possible influx of immigrant workers, saying they could be Muslim or of Latino descent and saying that either would be a negative for the community. What are we showing to the rest of Nebraska? by saying things like that, Fachman asked. Costco brought experts to address residents questions. A University of Georgia professor said poultry waste is a solid and wont get into groundwater from farmers barns. A poultry industry research veterinarian assured the crowd that measures would be taken to prevent avian flu. A Deloitte consultant said his studies show an ample labor supply. That didnt convince opponents, including 34-year Hormel production plant worker Rodney Hansen. He doubted that workers would drive from Omaha for a chicken plant job. Hormel has a plant in Fremont. This is not a career opportunity, said Hansen of the proposed plant. Others want more time to discuss the project and accused the city of a lack of transparency. Costco didnt identify itself when the project was first floated. Did I just miss that we were having town hall meetings where we just got together and just talked? said Susan Larson of Fremont. City officials invited testimony from the State Departments of Roads and Environmental Quality, whose officials said they are working with Costco to ensure that regulations are followed. A Fremont school district official said the schools are well-positioned for growth. And the city utilities director said the addition of the plant to its systems would generate sales and stabilize rates. On Tuesday, in addition to hearing from many in a crowd of about 200, the City Council voted essentially to consider annexing several parcels associated with the plant, and to consider rezoning one parcel. Final votes on those matters will take place at future meetings. Public meetings on the proposed plant continue Monday, when the City Planning Commission may vote to recommend that an area including the proposed plant be deemed blighted and substandard. That designation is necessary for the project to qualify for tax-increment financing, an incentive that some opponents say is corporate welfare. Contact the writer: 402-444-1336, barbara.soderlin@owh.com CENTRAL CITY, Neb. History placed Nebraskans Earl Brandes, Ed Guthrie and Lawrence Osterbuhr in Honolulu on that infamous date in 1941 when Japanese planes laid waste to the Navys battleship row at Pearl Harbor. Nearly 75 years later, history reunited the three men Wednesday back in their home state: Brandes, 95, of Central City; Guthrie, 97, of Omaha; and Osterbuhr, 96, of Hildreth. They were longtime members of the Nebraska Chapter of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association. As many as 50 Nebraskans used to attend the chapters meetings. Now the three are believed to be the last Pearl Harbor survivors living in the state. Were really comrades, Brandes said. Theres not too many people left our age. The national survivors group disbanded on Dec. 31, 2011, because too few members of the organization were still around to keep it going. The Nebraska chapter followed suit. But the Sons & Daughters Pearl Harbor Survivors has stepped forward to carry on the memory of the Dec. 7, 1941, attack, which killed 2,408 U.S. service members and 68 civilians. About 80,000 uniformed personnel survived. The Sons & Daughters wanted to make sure nobody forgot about Pearl Harbor, said Peg Murphy, Guthries daughter and the leader of the Nebraska chapter. She organized Wednesdays lunch reunion in Central City, at the retirement home where Brandes lives. First, though, the men gathered at the towns Heartland Veterans Memorial for a short ceremony. Gary Berry, the Merrick County veterans service officer, presented all three with commemorative medallions marking the coming 75th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack. It brought back a lot of memories, Guthrie said. The ceremony took place at the new $200,000 veterans memorial, built over the last three years through the efforts of a group of local veterans including Brandes and Berry. The three Pearl Harbor survivors sat next to a wall that described the history of World War II, in front of a crowd of about 60 family members and well-wishers. Its great, Brandes said. Its been about four years since we got together. On that Sunday morning in 1941, Guthrie was a Navy electricians mate aboard a destroyer tender, the USS Whitney, anchored between two destroyers. He was relaxing on deck, reading a comic book, when the first bombs fell on nearby Ford Island, just before 8 a.m. Two minutes later, the first Japanese plane flew overhead. They were flying so low you could see the smiles on faces and their scarves, Guthrie said of the Japanese pilots. Within 10 minutes, a well-placed bomb had struck the forward magazine of the battleship USS Arizona. The powerful blast killed 1,177 of 1,512 sailors aboard. You could feel the explosion from the Arizona all over the harbor, Guthrie said. It was something you couldnt believe. The water was black with diesel fuel. People came out of the water like they were coated in tar. He remembers the chaos after the attack, and spending several days retrieving survivors and bodies from the oily harbor. Later, Guthrie was assigned to the USS Banner transport ship and witnessed the Pacific nuclear tests at Bikini Atoll in 1946, less than a year after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki killed at least 129,000 people and led to Japans surrender. Going through that, I felt sorry for the Japanese people, Guthrie said. After the war, he returned home and worked for Omaha Public Power District until retiring in 1981. Osterbuhr in 1941 was serving in the Coast Guard aboard the CGC Kukui, a 190-foot buoy tender anchored in Honolulu Harbor. In an account written down years later by his daughter, Osterbuhr said he was sunning himself on deck when he saw the smoke from Pearl Harbor, about 6 miles away, and heard the air raid sirens. The crew began loading ammunition for their .30-caliber machine guns. High-level Japanese planes flew over, and the nearest bomb fell across the street, he said. We could hear the whistling sound of the bomb dropping before it hit. Before noon, the Kukui left the harbor, working all night to put out buoy lights around Maui and Molokai because of the wartime blackout. Osterbuhr spent two more years in Hawaii, then was transferred to St. Louis for duty on the Mississippi River. There he met his wife, Connie. They married in April 1945 and later returned to his home in Hildreth to farm after he finished his Coast Guard service in the Philippines. They were married more than 70 years, until she died a few months ago. Brandes in 1941 was a Marine who had arrived in Hawaii about a month before the attack. His engineering unit had been building a camp near Honolulu. On the fateful morning, he was reading a newspaper in his tent across the channel from Battleship Row when the attack began. Hearing explosions, he hurried outside and saw thick smoke hanging over the harbor. He saw a plane flying low, a red circle on it. Between the first and second wave of attacks, he was able to get his rifle, but it was of little use against the Japanese air assault. When the smoke cleared, Brandes couldnt believe the destruction. After Pearl Harbor, Brandes returned to the continental United States for training. He later was sent back to the South Pacific and spent time in Guadalcanal, Guam and Iwo Jima. After the war, he returned to Nebraska, married wife Alice and farmed near Central City for decades. She died last year. The three men never met until years after the war that shaped their lives. They say they dont talk much about World War II or Pearl Harbor. They dont need to. They have a special bond, said Sandi Einspahr, Osterbuhrs daughter. The extended families of all three Nebraska survivors plan to travel to Hawaii for Pearl Harbor 75th-anniversary ceremonies in December. Brandes and Guthrie plan to go, health permitting. Osterbuhr, who said he has been to 18 such ceremonies over the years, isnt sure he wants to make the long trip this time. But his family said theyll try to talk him into attending what could be the last major commemoration at which survivors will be present. Thats the purpose to keep it alive, Murphy said. Its such a special thing that they went through. Contact the writer: 402-444-1186, steve.liewer@owh.com Tuesday is now No Meeting Day in Haryana and officers to be with people on Friday Punjab polls: AAP delays nomination, to release manifesto first Chandigarh oi-Sandra Marina Fernandes New Delhi, June 22: Trying out a different approach in Punjab, AAP said that it would release the party's manifesto first and then declare the candidates for the Punjab Assembly elections scheduled next year. The party had earlier said that it would give tickets to candidates by June. However now they have decided to release the manifesto first. Udta Punjab: Arvind Kejriwal slams Badals for drug menace in state Party convenor and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal will release the manifesto on July 3. On the other hand, AAP is looking to fight unemployment, drug abuse and price rise in the state. AAP is looking to repeat its Delhi victory in Punjab in the Assembly polls scheduled early next year. The party has been vigourously campaigning in the state. AAP has already launched its door-to-door campaign in the state, where party volunteers will meet people and hear out their problems. AAP aims to reach the most rural side of the state. Meanwhile, Kejriwal referring to the film Udta Punjab, slammed Punjab chief minsiter last week and said: "Just watched Udta Punjab. V powerful. Badals must watch it to see what they have done to Punjab." OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, June 22, 2016, 15:50 [IST] Fall of ISIS in Syria will see increase in lone wolf attacks across the world Feature oi-Vicky By Vicky The joint operations against the ISIS in Iraq and Syria has seen the outfit take a bad hit. While this is something to rejoice about, there is a lurking danger of such a scenario leading to more lone wolf attacks. The rise in lone wolf attacks is thanks to the propaganda material that the group has posted online. The outfit has ensured that while its base continues to dwindle, its ideology in the minds of the several youth remained intact. It quotes the aggression by the US and the European nations to provoke the youth to carry out lone wolf attacks. Ideology intact Since day one, experts and intelligence bureau officials have warned of a rapid spread in the ISIS ideology. The Caliphate being declared was a marketing tool by the ISIS which undoubtedly captured the imagination of several persons. The ISIS was ready for such a scenario. The outfit was fully aware that it did not have the capability of defending itself against the might of so many nations which are jointly fighting it. In the past couple of months the outfit has been active on the social media with propaganda material being uploaded every minute. In addition to this it has been ensuring that a lot of the foreign fighters who had left their countries returned to their home land to carry out attacks. This scenario was witnessed during both the Paris and Belgium attack. The returnees were the ones who executed these attacks. The Orlando attack is an example of how a self radicalised youth can attack a mighty nation like the US without even seeking the support of the ISIS. He was clearly radicalised on the web and during the attack he pledged his allegiance to the ISIS. Intelligence Bureau officials warn that in the days to come, one would witness more such incidents. India too faces a similar danger. There have been several calls to establish the Caliphate in India. The states and the centre are in coordination with each other in a bid to thwart any such attempt by a lone wolf terrorist. For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, June 22, 2016, 16:38 [IST] Quotes from Pranab Mukherjees Speech at the India-Ghana Business Forum Feature oi-Lisa By Lisa President Pranab Mukherjee who was in Ghana addressed the India-Ghana Business Forum and said that Ghana is a trusted friend of India. Mr. Mukherjee's visit to the African nation is said to have been a huge boost for developing better ties between the two nations. Also it is said that it will help with better economic ties too. Mr. Mukherjee's speeches it is said have played a wonderful role in bringing warmth to the ties with African nations. Here are some quotes from President's speech at India-Ghana Business Forum. #Accra : President Pranab Mukherjee participating in the India-Ghana Business Forum Meetings #AIRPics : Anand pic.twitter.com/ZsNqMgCxWT All India Radio News (@airnewsalerts) June 14, 2016 President Mukherjee said that both the countries have had a similar political history and today, as developing economies, both have a shared vision for their people. President also reaffirmed that India values Ghana's friendship and is committed to partnering Ghana in achieving its goals of sustained development and growth. Ghana can always count on India's hand of friendship and co-operation #PresidentMukherjee President of India (@RashtrapatiBhvn) June 13, 2016 The meet was jointly organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) and Ghana Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Here are some quotable quotes from President Mukherjee's speech: "Indian businessmen and entrepreneurs, due to their long association with this country and their similar experience know what their counterparts in Ghana are seeking. They, like you, have only recently transitioned from a protected business environment in post-Independence India to succeed as global giants today, competing with the best in the world. They are familiar with the challenges faced in developing economies." India-Ghana brotherhood is anchored in our similar experiences & nurtured by the shared aspirations of our peoples #PresidentMukherjee President of India (@RashtrapatiBhvn) June 13, 2016 "India is one of the few countries where Small and Medium Enterprises thrive alongside large conglomerates, creating jobs and ensuring wealth distribution on the one hand and infrastructure development, indigenisation and external business linkages, on the other." "Indian entrepreneurs know that developing countries need to prioritise relevant and eco-friendly technologies that are in sync with the state of economic development of the country as well as its social needs. We have learned that calibrated foreign investments are the key to rapid growth in a developing nation. Indian businesses have learned adaptability and would be happy to share their experience with their Ghanaian counterparts." The Government of India and the Indian corporate world recognize the rich potential of the Ghanaian economy #PresidentMukherjee President of India (@RashtrapatiBhvn) June 13, 2016 "'Brand India' is a trusted name today across the developing as well as the developed world. It is trusted because it adds value to the resources of the host countries; it is welcomed because it works and grows together with the local companies; it brings appropriate technologies which create jobs and has the adaptability to absorb local talent; it rejuvenates and invigorates local industry without constraining their growth in any way." Indian companies would be happy to invest in Ghana if the right opportunities are given to them #PresidentMukherjee President of India (@RashtrapatiBhvn) June 13, 2016 "Wherever there is a possibility for public-private-partnerships, Government of India will not hesitate to support such projects to further strengthen the excellent bilateral relations between our two countries." We look forward to working with Ghana to realise the full potential of our synergies to our mutual benefit #PresidentMukherjee President of India (@RashtrapatiBhvn) June 13, 2016 President promised Ghana that, "If a conducive environment is facilitated, the Indian Government would be ready to work with you in key sectors and areas of common interest and encourage Indian private as well as public entrepreneurs to bring more investments into Ghana. I am confident that the representatives of 'Brand India' who are today will reach out to Ghanaian business and industry to forge mutually beneficial partnerships. I have no doubt that both sides recognise the potential and the synergies that are waiting to be exploited". For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Tuesday, June 21, 2016, 19:14 [IST] This Diwali, UP CM Yogi asks govt employees to celebrate festival with needy, deprived families Man booked for rape of 12-year-old after video of injured girl surfaces on internet Rajnath Singh distributes Aids and Assistive Devices in Lucknow Feature oi-Lisa By Lisa Union Minister for Home Affairs Rajnath Singh recently commended the Department for organising the Mega ADIP Camp successfully in his Parliamentary Constituency, Lucknow. Distributed assistive devices to 'Divyangjan' in Lucknow. We need to make India more accessible for 'Divyangjan' pic.twitter.com/7r7EdDWwXq Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) June 10, 2016 In this Camp 40 Motorised tricycle, 322 tricycle, 54 Folding wheel chair, 09 CP Chair, 264 crutches, 22 walking sticks, 14 for visually impaired, 184 Smart Phone, 93 Daisy Player, 69 Folding sticks, 27 Braille Slate, 34 Braille Kit, 273 behind-the-ear hearing aids worth Rs. 1 Crore were distributed to 115 pre-identified beneficiaries. Before distributing Aids and assistive devices the minister also inaugurated facilities like High Speed Wi-Fi and integrated security system at Lucknow Railway Station. Inaugurated facilities like High Speed Wi-Fi and Integrated Security Security System at Lucknow junction today. pic.twitter.com/cesRfVruTv Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) June 10, 2016 Rajnath Singh on the occasion: He said such Camps are crucial to the integration of Persons with Disabilities (PwD) in to the mainstream and a sensitive government like the current government under the leadership of Narendra Modi will always relentlessly work towards achieving the goal of empowerment of Divyangjans. He further added that the state-of-the-art Aids and Assistive Devices provided by ALIMCO will equip PwDs and will also be crucial in achieving the objectives of 'Make in India' programme. Thawar Chand Gehlot on the occasion: Elaborating further on the role of ADIP Camps Thawar Chand Gehlot said that the central government has brought transparency to the ADIP Scheme and the massive response and success of the scheme has added to the popularity of this initiative by the Ministry. He said that the current government remains committed towards the inclusion and empowerment of the marginalised through a corruption-free system. He said that the 'Make in India' objective of the government is also being achieved through ALIMCO's active collaboration with German manufacturers 'Ottobock' and UK-based manufacturers 'Motivation'. He also informed that 352 successful Cochlear implants have been carried out by the Ministry in the past two years. What is Brexit and why is it important? Feature oi-Shubham Ghosh The UK on Thursday (June 23) will decide in a referendum whether to stay in the European Union (EU) or not. The episode is being termed as Brexit. But why is a section of Brits wanting their country to pull out of the EU? Here are a few things to know before the crucial event that could change the future of the EU: What is Brexit? The term Brexit comes from the combination of two words: Britain and exit. It means the Brits may leave the EU by voting. There is an equally strong opinion against doing so and it will all ultimately come down to the referendum which UK Prime Minister David Cameron had promised during the general election last year. The potential exit of Greece from Eurozone was given a similar name of Grexit. [Will India gain if UK exits EU?] What is Great Britain and what's its difference with UK? Though we use the names interchangeably, but the UK and Great Britain are not the same. Great Britain is the island that includes England, Scotland and Wales. The UK, on the other hand, includes Northern Ireland besides Great Britain. England is the biggest of all and the most populous part of the UK. [Could Brexit see a Domino effect in Europe?] Why is Brexit important? For a European country: A Brexit will change the world. Economically, half of the UK's exports go to the EU while over half of its imports come from the rest of the Union. A Brexit will mean all that will undergo a fresh negotiation. In external affairs, too, the UK has been a big player in the EU. Its exit will mean the EU loses a heavyweight. For a Nato member country: The UK is a country which makes major military expenditure after the US. Without it, the EU will be a less powerful entity. For the US: The US is a major partner of the UK---be it in terms of trade or military. The UK's exit from the EU and the subsequent weakening of the EU will not be a great news for the US and its scheme of things like war against terrorists and tyrants. For other countries: The UK is the fifth largest economy in the world and its exit from the EU could leave the market uncertain. Some countries could face advantage in exporting goods to the UK for the strict EU laws will not be applicable any more but what if the post-Brexit government in the UK pursues strict immigration laws and import policies? What is EU? The EU is a regional body which comprises 28 nations. Under the EU, members of any of these states can travel to each other's territory and trade with each other without facing any legal hurdle. The idea started taking shape after the Second World War which had left the continent devastated. The countries, despite being enemies in the past, started forming partnerships to revive their economy and through a number of bodies, the EU finally surfaced in the 1990s. Its economic integration has been one of the biggest success stories of regionalism in international relations. What's UK's problem with the EU? The UK has always had some problems in the EU. One, for instance, the use of a common currency, the Euro which the UK doesn't use. Moreover, the pro-leave camp is not okay with the amount of money (it paid $16.3 billion in 2014) it pays to the EU saying it is too high a fee and can be used for other purposes. The pro-leave camp also has reservations with the EU's rules and regulations. Cameron got a special status for his country earlier this year which exempts the UK from many of those rules. But it hasn't satisfied all quarters. The Brits did not have any say since 1975 when it had decided to stay in the EU in a referendum The UK also has problem with the immigration laws of the EU. Since citizens of the EU country can live and work in any member state, the UK has turned out to be the biggest crowd-puller and that many Brits feel, is putting pressure on basic services like healthcare and education and affects employment prospects. The ongoing Syrian refugee crisis has also given birth to worries and the leave camp favours the exit so that the UK can manage its own borders. A Brexit will, however, be not have smooth repercussions as it could affect the economy and currency, jobs and security. Moreover, if the UK exits the EU today, Scotland, one of its member states which saw its bid for independence in 2014 failing, could again call for a referendum seeking independence so that it could join the EU. UK PM Cameron himself is in the stay camp because of all these possible challenges in the post-Brexit era. Has any country left EU earlier? No, the UK will be the first if the referendum goes in that direction. Greece has also thought of it but for different reasons. But the UK's departure could see a domino effect as more members might think of leaving the EU, paving way for its collapse. 34 per cent voter turnout in Anantnag India oi-PTI Srinagar, Jun 22: Ignoring boycott calls from separatists and militant groups, nearly 34 per cent electorate today exercised their franchise in the bypoll in Anantnag Assembly constituency where Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and seven other candidates are in the fray. The voter turnout was five per cent less than the last Assembly elections. The polling, which began early this morning on a dull note apparently due to the ongoing holy fasting month of Ramadan, picked up pace as the day progressed with the final poll percentage standing at 34 per cent. The bypoll in the constituency was necessitated by the demise of former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on January 7 this year. The polling ended peacefully, Chief Electoral officer (CEO) Shantmau said. Out of total 84067 electors, including 4229 migrants voters, a total of 28446 cast their votes during the polling period which started at 7 am and concluded at 6 pm, he said. He said out of 42840 male voters and 41227 female voters, 15384 male, 13062 female and 638 migrant voters exercised their franchise. Shantmanu said 13 polling booths were also set up at Jammu for migrant voters, one each at Udhampur and Delhi, adding that three additional Observers were also deployed for these three locations. The Chief Electoral Officer said the Election Commission of India had deployed four observers including two General Observers, one Expenditure Observer and one Police and Security Observer for monitoring. He said 118 EVMs were used for the polling on 117 polling booths, saying that one EVM was replaced at Gangyal Jammu before start of poll as it developed technical snag. As many as 582 personnel were detailed for election duty, he said. Shantmanu said that 102 polling booths were setup at 61 designated locations which included 52 hypersensitive and 50 sensitive polling stations. Twenty polling stations were set up as model polling stations equipped with necessary facilities, he said adding 77 Micro Observers were deployed on the booths to ensure free and fair polls. He said that webcasting facility at 20 polling booths and videography at five polling booths was also available to cover the poll process. Postal ballots were also dispatched to migrants, service voters and detainees and under trials at different places. About 93 per cent voter slips were distributed among the voters, he added. The CEO said the polling was held in a peaceful atmosphere and so far no case of violation and untoward incident was reported from any part of the constituency. Counting of votes shall be held on June 25. He expressed his gratitude to the police and civil administration, central security forces and media for extending their help for conducting smooth, free, fair and incident free bypolls. He also thanked political parties for cooperation in the poll process. PTI 7th Pay Commission: Govt doctors meet Jaitley, demand review of 'increment proposal' India oi-Mukul Kumar Mishra New Delhi, June 22: It looks like Government doctors are not happy with the present form of the Seventh Pay Commission recommendations. Seventh Pay Commission: Govt staff to get six months arrears in one installment; likely in October Reportedly, Representatives of the Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) and JACSDO (Joint Action Council of Service Doctor Organisation) on Tuesday met Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and expressed their concern. Terming Pay Commission as "discriminating to doctors", they urged Jaitley to revise 'increment' proposal. "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. 7th Pay Comm:Good news!Starting salary likely to be recommended at Rs 23,000; fitment factor to rise "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. Seventh Pay Commission: Cabinet approval delayed, expected in July "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. OneIndia News (With inputs from PTI) For me, my family & wife come first, worried husband Robert Vadra on Priyanka Gandhi's arrest Bikaner land deal case: Robert Vadra's company gets ED notice India oi-Mukul Kumar Mishra New Delhi, June 22: Congress president Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law, Robert Vadra could be in deep trouble soon as Enforcement Directorate has issued notice to his company. Reportedly, ED sent notice to his firm Skylight Hospitality in connection with alleged money laundering in a land deal in Bikaner district, Rajashthan. Sources said that notice was issued to the company under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The firm has also been asked to submit certain financial statements and other documents to the Investigating Officer (IO) of the case, the sources said. The Enforcement Directorate had conducted extensive searches in this case in Rajasthan and other places last month and had claimed to have seized a number of documents. 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 last year on the basis of FIRs filed by the state police after the local tehsildar had made a complaint. The Enforcement Directorate 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 cognizance of reports that had referred to a firm allegedly linked to Vadra which had purchased some of these Bikaner located lands. 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 last year. Last year, BJP govt had cancelled the mutation Rajasthan government had in January last year 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. The Enforcement Directorate 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 last year. OneIndia News (With inputs from PTI) Prashant Kishor claims Nitish Kumar in touch with BJP says don't be surprised if he joins hands with it again BJP lashes out at Shiv Sena- "Show courage and walk out." India oi-Vicky New Delhi, June 22: After being constantly criticised by the Shiv Sena, the BJP decided that enough was enough. A hard hitting article in the BJP's fortnightly, Manogat has paid the Shiv Sena back in its own coin. The article is written by the Maharashtra BJP spokesperson, Madhav Bhandari and is it titled, " when are you taking Talaq Mr. Raut. Ever since the Maharashtra government was formed, the Shiv Sena has been taking pot shots at its alliance partners. The Shiv Sena has issued statements of a variety of issues which include policy decisions of the BJP to ties with Pakistan. Accept the changing political situation: The article says that the Shiv Sena must accept the change in the political situation. Quoting the 1995 elections, the article says that the BJP won 65. In the 2009 elections despite contesting from lesser seats, the BJP won 2 seats more than the Sena. They are frustrated as they are on the downfall, the article also reads. The article also takes a strong view of the constant references made by Sanjay Raut of the Sena comparing the BJP to the rule of the Nizam. This is where the article asks the question, " when are you taking Talaaq or Divorce from the Nizam?" The article further notes that the Sena eats biriyani in the plate that has been given by the Nizam and then they openly criticise the BJP. They enjoy the perks because of the favour done to them by the BJP which has given them berths both in the centre and the state. Why can't they show courage and walk out instead of criticising? OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, June 22, 2016, 9:19 [IST] Blow to Nitish Kumar as 5 of 6 MLAs from JD(U) join BJP in Manipur General knowledge book 'offensive'; banned in Manipur India oi-IANS By Ians English Imphal, June 22 (IANS) The Kangleipak Students' Association (KSA) in Manipur has banned the sale of "R. Gupta's General Knowledge Book 2017", describing the book as "offensive". "No book shop shall stock, display or sell the offensive book," S. Bidyananda, secretary general of KSA, told the media on Tuesday. The book is published by Ramesh Publishing House in New Delhi. "The book describes Lai Haraoba, the ancient Manipur religious dance, as a dance of Shiva, Durga and other gods and goddesses," he said. He argued that the Hindu religion came to Manipur in the 18th century whereas Manipur's religion has been there for generations. "There are wrong photo captions, spellings and misleading descriptions. Rishang Keishing, a former Chief Minister of Manipur who recently retired as the oldest Rajya sabha MP, was described as a freedom fighter," he said. --IANS il/py/bg In a relief to the poor, Govt extends free ration programme by 3 months Excise duty hike on petrol, diesel put off by a month Government asks CJI Umesh Lalit to name his successor: Sources Italy begins negotiations on forming new government MP CM hosts Diwali party for over 400 children orphaned by COVID Govt approves Rs 2,272 cr highway project in Karnataka India oi-PTI New Delhi, June 22: The government on Wednesday,June 22 approved a Rs 2,272 crore highway project in Karnataka. "CCEA approves development of four-laning of Hubli-Hospet Section of NH-63 in Karnataka," an official spokesperson said after the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) meeting. The project pertains to widening of the 144 km stretch. "Four-laning would cost Rs 2,272.20 crore, and the total length is approximately 144 km," he said. PTI Two arrested for firing at a person in north Delhi Chhath Puja fasting rules: What one must keep in mind during the 4-day festival Narendra Modi thanks Chinese people for participating in yoga events India oi-PTI New Delhi/Beijing, June 22: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed his gratitude to the Chinese people who turned up in large numbers to participate in yoga events on the International Day of Yoga. "Glimpses of International Day of Yoga celebrations across China. My gratitude to all those who joined these celebrations in large numbers," he posted on Chinese microblog Weibo which is akin to Twitter. Yoga-Tai Chi 'jugalbandi' marks International Day of Yoga in China "I joined a Yoga Day programme in the city of Chandigarh, where I spoke about the benefits of yoga," he said. Modi has thousands of followers in his Weibo post, opened ahead of his visit to China last year. Over the years, yoga has become immensely popular in China. Indian Embassy and Consulates in Shanghai and Guangzhou in association with local yoga centres organised scores of events in number of cities. A large group of enthusiasts of Yoga and ancient Chinese martial art Tai-Chi took part in a 'Jugalbandi' exercise at the Great Wall organised by the Indian Embassy and the Chinese state-run Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), climaxing a host of yoga events held across China in the run up to the International Yoga Day. PTI India's NSG bid: Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar leaves for Seoul India oi-Vicky New Delhi, June 22: In a bid to make a last pitch ahead of the Nuclear Suppliers Group meet Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar has left for Seoul. He will make a last minute push at Seoul for India' entry into the NSG. There were indications yesterday that the foreign secretary would fly in esrly to Seoul to make a last minute push. India is making every effort to be part of the NSG. Assessments are being made and the idea is to be realistic and understand every hurdle that may come India's way, an official in New Delhi informed OneIndia. The meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on June 23 too will be a crucial one. The two are scheduled to meet on June 23 on the sidelines of the SCO summit at Tashkent and Modi will bring up the NSG issue. Indian officials are confident, but also say that they are keeping the approach realistic. It can go down to the wire too and we are making all efforts, officials working on the issue point out. Apart from China, there are chances of opposition from countries such as Ireland, New Zealand and Austria. These nations have always expressed reservations of countries which are non-NPT members being part of the NSG. On Monday the US called on the NSG members to back India. However China said that discussions should also focus on whether the rules can be changed. The Chinese also said that it was the US which came up with rule in the first place which states that non-NPT countries cannot be part of the NSG. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, June 22, 2016, 12:22 [IST] Read: An open letter to Salman Khan by a gang-rape survivor India oi-Reetu New Delhi,June 22: Amidst uproar over Salman Khan's 'raped woman' analogy, everyone has criticised the actor for the same. Amidst all this, a gang-rape survivor Sunitha Krishnan, a Padma Shri awardee social activist, has written an open letter to the actor. According to a ANI report, Sunitha has written a scathing letter in the wake of the controversy . Read the letter here: I do not wish to take the name of the person in question because I feel it would be an act of giving him too much respect. The fact that he could easily compare himself to being raped shows how badly he has trivialised rape and rape culture. The harsh truth is that good looks and some talent made him the star that he is and he takes this role very lightly. With such fame, comes responsibility. Salman Khan lands in soup for his 'raped woman' analogy Instead of being aware of this, he has basically compared the scars, trauma and abuse of a rape victim to his role in a movie. I keep hearing men and women making such remarks and recently too, I found a woman who made a joke along these lines. She used to say I was raped by this' or I was raped by that' with no thought on the repercussions of these statements. "What we need to remember is rape culture is around us and all of these trivialising remarks add to it. As far as I can say, only perverts can make such statements. He is a disgrace." OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, June 22, 2016, 18:22 [IST] Dalai Lama to speak in Salt Lake City International oi-PTI Salt Lake City, June 21: The Dalai Lama is set to speak about compassion and universal responsibility at the University of Utah on Wednesday,June 22. 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. PTI How Pakistan plotted collapse of NSA talks International oi-Vicky New Delhi, June 22: The phones have gone silent and what looked like a promising start turned out to be a damp squib. Following the visit by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to Pakistan, there was a lot of promise where the ties between the two countries were concerned. The National Security Advisor (NSA) of India Ajit Doval engaged heavily with his Pakistan counterpart Nasir Khan Januja and just when things were looking up, the Pathankot attack took place. The calls between the two NSAs did not stop and India hoped that it could still get Pakistan to act. However the last straw for India was the Khulbhushan Jhadhav episode in which Pakistan said that this Indian spy was being handled by Doval. Army still the boss: Despite the attack at Pathankot, the advise by Doval was calling off talks is never a good option and Pakistan must be engaged. Terror attacks and baseless allegations emanate out of Pakistan only with one single intention and that is to derail the peace process. During the talks with Jung, Doval emphasised on the need to take action against the Pathankot attackers. Januja at first did show some amount of promise and it did appear that Pakistan was acting. However for Januja the other problem was his loyalty to the army chief General Raheel Sharrif who pretty much calls the shots in Pakistan. India-Pakistan NSA level talks on track For Pakistan it had become increasingly difficult to act against the Jaish-e-Mohammad and its boss Maulana Masood Azhar. While the narrative in the Pakistan media began changing about the evidence India had shared on the other hand Pakistan constantly raised the Kashmir bogey knowing fully well that it could be fatal to the talks. Even a meeting between the foreign secretaries of the two countries yielded no result. Pakistan was systematically doing all it could to derail the talks while India on the other hand wanted to keep them engaged. However for India the last straw the Kulbhushan Jhadhav episode. Pakistan arrested him and claimed that he was India's spy at Baluchistan. When India sought more details, Pakistan refused to share it. Instead they went on to term Doval as one of his handlers. India took a very serious view of these. It was clearly a ploy by Pakistan to anger India and ensure that the talks do not take place. The problem for Pakistan is that when India talks it demands action an this puts them in an extremely uncomfortable position. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, June 22, 2016, 15:13 [IST] A Shippensburg man was sentenced to 14 years imprisonment for his role in heroin trafficking, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Jonathan Santana, 35, was sentenced Wednesday to 14 years imprisonment by U.S. District Court Judge Sylvia H. Rambo in Harrisburg. According to U.S. Attorney Peter Smith, Santana pleaded guilty on Jan. 13 to distributing more than 100 grams of heroin and criminal conspiracy. Co-defendants Angelo Harrison and Dorothy Washington, also of Shippensburg, have also pleaded guilty in federal court and are both awaiting sentencing, Smith said in a news release. The investigation was conducted by the DEA offices in Harrisburg and Hagerstown, Maryland, as well as by the Pennsylvania State Police and Cumberland and Franklin county drug task forces. The case was brought as part of a district-wide initiative to combat the heroin epidemic. Will Brexit make UK's security vulnerable? International oi-Shubham Ghosh London, June 22: If the United Kingdom (UK) really leaves the European Union, what will be the ramifications for its security? This could be another big question doing the rounds, besides those on the possible consequences for the country's currency and economy and immigration laws. [What is Brexit and why is it important?] The UK, barring the brutal murder of one of its Labour lawmakers Jo Cox just days ahead of the referendum, has not seen any attack by the radical Islamists, something France has seen in recent times. Neither has it seen anything horrendous like the mass shooting in a gay nightclub in Orlando in the US which saw death of 49 people. [Could Brexit see a Domino effect in Europe?] But what if the UK had witnessed a similar mass execution in the run up to the key referendum? [Will India gain or lose from Brexit?] Both the pro- and anti-exit camps have made security a key issue of their respective logic. The pro-exit camp says if the UK controls the immigration, the threat of radical Islam will be reduced. The anti-exit camp says on the other hand that EU acts as a warning against terrorists, an outer defence, and hence gives the UK a chance to prepare itself. The anti-exit voices feel the coordination that takes place within the EU goes to a big extent to serve the security interests of the UK, like through sharing of data and other information. There are also voices that feel that those procedures would continue and that the Interpol's database is larger than that of the Europol's. Hence, the arguments and counter-arguments stand close with none of the two sides gaining any decisive lead. The UK's security concerns also don't end with terrorism. Its Prime Minister David Cameron, who is an anti-exit man, recently apprehended that Brexit could see war breaking out across Europe, something which has often taken place in the past. Cameron, though, was accused of using fear tactics ahead of the referendum but his concerns reflected some of the great leaders of the past as well. The stakes in the security debate are too high and the camp which would win this debate could win the referendum as well. Chhath Puja fasting rules: What one must keep in mind during the 4-day festival After Rajan's exit, Swamy seeks ouster of two Arvinds New Delhi oi-Shubham Ghosh New Delhi, June 22: BJP Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy on Wednesday (June 22) fired a series of tweets targeting the NDA government's Chief Economic Adviser (CEA) Subramanian. Buouyed by the recent announcement of Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan to not opt for a second term, Swamy sought the CEA's ouster after a report cited a Bloomberg News Survey hinting at Subramanian as the top choice to succeed Rajan among the five candidates who are in the reckoning. [From RSS to Swamy top crony capitalists: The entire system ousted Rajan] As Swamy had opposed Rajan as a man who was not mentally a complete Indian, he also targeted Subramanian saying the latter too is a green-card holder and had told the US Congress in 2013 that the US should act against India to defend its pharmaceutical assets. Subramanian had worked with Rajan in the International Monetary Fund. Was AS deposing before US Cong Committee against India as a US citizen or Indian? Does any PT know? Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) June 22, 2016 Guess who encouraged Congi to become rigid on GST clauses ? Jaitely's economic adviser Arvind Subramanian of Washington DC Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) June 22, 2016 Who said to US Cong on 13/3/13 the US should act against India to defend US Pharmaceuticals interests? Arvind Subramanian MoF !! Sack him!!! Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) June 22, 2016 Swamy said he is also working to expose 27 people in the party. Swamy targeted Delhi L-G and the other Arvind too The veteran MP also recently spoke on targeting Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung, accusing him of protecting the opposition Mps from the Arvind Kejriwal government's attack. Swamy said this after joining the protest by BJP MP Maheish Girri outside the residence of Chief Minister Kejriwal. He also alleged that Jung took guidance from Ahmed Patel, the political secretary of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi. Swamy also targeted the other Arvind, saying the Delhi government would survive if Kejriwal apologised and that the state government should be dismissed in the interest of the country. Swamy said he had "dismissed" four state governments as the Union Law Minister in 1991 and the decision of the then government was backed by the Supreme Court and Parliament. Saying Kejriwal has done fraud all his life, Swamy said he would expose the history of the former's admission in the IIT. He said he could not take up the issues of Kejriwal and Jung so far because he was busy chasing Rajan. Oneindia News Chhath Puja fasting rules: What one must keep in mind during the 4-day festival India making realistic assessments on NSG: Discussions could go down to the wire New Delhi oi-Vicky New Delhi, June 22: Can the United States of America swing for India the membership into the NSG. China which has been the prime opponent appears to have toned down its opposition and Pakistan on the other hand has claimed that it has blocked India's entry into the NSG. The phones lines are working full time with both the US and Japan trying to convince all members to let India gain entry into the NSG. Will India make it to the NSG by end of 2016? On the other hand, China is also trying to push Pakistan's case and this could well be a ploy to prevent a consensus. The US is bound to oppose an entry for Pakistan owing to its track record. Will go down to the wire India is making every effort to be part of the NSG. Assessments are being made and the idea is to be realistic and understand every hurdle that may come India's way, an official in New Delhi informed OneIndia. The meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping too will be a crucial one. The two are scheduled to meet on June 23 on the sidelines of the SCO summit at Tashkent and Modi will bring up the NSG issue. Indian officials are confident, but also say that they are keeping the approach realistic. It can go down to the wire too and we are making all efforts, officials working on the issue point out. Apart from China, there are chances of opposition from countries such as Ireland, New Zealand and Austria. These nations have always expressed reservations of countries which are non-NPT members being part of the NSG. On Monday the US called on the NSG members to back India. However China said that discussions should also focus on whether the rules can be changed. The Chinese also said that it was the US which came up with rule in the first place which states that non-NPT countries cannot be part of the NSG. The next few days will be extremely crucial. A lot would depend on the meeting between the Indian Prime Minister and the Chinese President. China is unlikely to change its position easily, but India continues to be hopeful. OneIndia News For Breaking News and Instant Updates Allow Notifications Story first published: Wednesday, June 22, 2016, 10:15 [IST] 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. Modi has made 40 foreign trips in the last two years. The new aircraft will be fitted with the latest technology and security features. the aircraft will be equipped with hi-tech security equipment. 2008-2022 One News Page Ltd. All rights reserved. One News is a registered trademark of One News Page Ltd. Rumble 06 Apr 2022 Credits to the Daily wire for this video. Original can be found on the following link. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVQeicBftmQ bizjournals 17 Jun 2022 To the Women Who Mean Business class of 2022: With all the historic challenges we are facing, consider these leadership lessons.. Upworthy 23 Oct 2022 As House Democrats' top three leaders all in their 80s face calls for generational change, a new, younger guard campaigns.. Mashable 26 Oct 2022 Apple will finally switch from Lightning to USB-C port on its iPhones. The company did not officially announce anything,.. The state House gave its approval to new restrictions on elective abortions, and Gov. Tom Wolf is threatening a veto if the proposal gets out of the Senate. State representatives voted 132 to 65 on Tuesday for the bill to ban the procedure after 20 weeks, compared to 24 weeks in current law. The bill also would criminalize procedures that cause the deaths of fetuses by removing their body parts. Supporters in the Republican-majority House say the bill reflects medical advances that make fetuses viable on their own at earlier stages of pregnancy. Opponents say it was pushed through without hearings and is part of an agenda to eventually ban abortion outright. Wolf calls it a step back for the state and for women. Newsy 26 Oct 2022 Watch VideoPresident Joe Biden rolled up his sleeve again today, and received his second COVID-19 booster. The president took the.. Rumble 02 Sep 2022 President Biden said that conservatives are enemies to America. All that from a president started with Obama, not Biden Hull Daily Mail 20 Jun 2022 Paramount+ will be available from this week - and is being launched with a bang with a magnificent drone show featuring over 600.. Komfie Manalo, Opalesque Asia: Vowing to pressure from its two main shareholders, Swiss listed multi-strategy fund of hedge fund ALTIN AG on Wednesday announced it would postpone plans to delist from the London Stock Exchange (LSE) and at the same time replaced Tony Morrongiello as its CEO. The announcement came after the companys June 21 Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) that was requested by Alpine Select AG and Absolute Invest AG, which directly and indirectly hold 58.5% of ALTIN shares. The firm said in a statement, "ALTIN AG shareholders have accepted, by a significant margin, the proposals brought forward by Alpine Select AG and Absolute Invest AG. The Board of Directors also announces that (Tony) Morrongiello will be stepping down from his role as CEO, with Claudia Habermacher named as replacement. Furthermore, the Board of Directors has decided to postpone the intended delisting of ALTIN shares from the LSE to the end of September 2016." However, Morrongiello has agreed to make himself available to assist ALTIN AG in the short term, particularly in connection with the forthcoming delisting from the LSE. The board said that Habermacher, who currently serves as CEO of Alpine Select AG, has extensive experience in investment funds, having previously held roles with creInvest Ltd and GAM Anlagefonds AG. ALTIN AG added, "Furthermore, the Board of Directors announces that after careful consideration and i...................... To view our full article Click here Komfie Manalo, Opalesque Asia: Members of the News Guild and workers at Digital First Media (DFM) as well as advocates for responsible and quality journalism have launched a U.S.-wide on-line campaign, accompanied by demonstrations across the country, against hedge fund Alden Capital, which they describe as an entity that devours newspapers. Bernie Lunzer, president of News Guild-CWA said in an e-mail to union activists, "Were declaring war. A few years ago a secretive Wall Street hedge fund called Alden Global Capital bought up Digital First Media, the company that employs nearly 900 people at 12 papers, in units that once had at least a thousand more Guild-CWA members. DFM is the second largest newspaper company in the country, and highly profitable." He added, "Yet some members havent seen raises in 10 years and many have lost their jobs -- all while Wall Street vulture hedge fund Alden enriches the coffers of a privileged few by plundering the 200 newspapers it owns...gutting news coverage in those communities." Lunzer said that Alden began to devour newspapers back in 2009 when it purchased DFM newspapers and properties. Since then, Alden has been seizing the assets of Digital First Media newspapers: selling real estate, slashing newsroom staff, and outsourcing work to drive up profits for privileged investors. Aldens actions are affecting local and community coverage and diversity in newsrooms and on the ...................... To view our full article Click here Benedicte Gravrand, Opalesque London: Most people in the City of London are inclined to vote for the UK to remain in the European Union (EU) on 23 June. However, some are not so keen, as they have bitter memories of the way the last financial crisis was handled and the way the European Commission targeted hedge funds, which it saw as responsible. It went on to draft the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (AIFMD) in 2009. So wrote Paul Marshall, founding partner and CIO of Marshall Wace, in the Financial Times a while back. "The commission largely ignored the issue of bank leverage, focusing instead on hedge funds," he wrote. "Why did Brussels indulge in such a great act of displacement activity? One hedge consultant received the explanation from a Belgian MEP. "It is simple," he said. "If you are in a bar and a fight breaks out, you do not hit the person who started the fight but the person you have always wanted to hit."" Since then, 110 executives from Britain's financial services industry, including hedge fund managers Crispin Odey of Odey Asset Management and Marshall, have signed a letter backing Britain's withdrawal from the EU. "There is scant evidence that the EU will foster or support the kind of innovation which is essential if Europeans are to compete with the rest of the world," the ...................... To view our full article Click here Opalesque Industry Update - Betty Tay, Managing Director and Head of the External Managers Department at GIC, Singapores Sovereign Wealth Fund, has joined the board of the Hedge Fund Standards Board (HFSB), the global standard-setting body for the hedge fund industry. In addition, the HFSB has established an Asia-Pacific (APAC) Committee which will include: APAC-based HFSB Trustees Betty Tay of GIC, Chris Gradel of PAG and David George of Future Fund; and senior APAC-based industry executives Richard Johnston of Albourne Partners and Ted Lee of Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB). Additional hedge fund manager representatives will be announced in due course. The APAC Committee will help the HFSB establish a more dedicated effort in the region by assisting with the HFSBs dialogue and relationships with regulators, hedge fund managers and investors, and ensuring that Asia-Pacific regional and local issues and needs are addressed as the HFSB develops standards and guidance. Ms. Tays appointment and the APAC Committee reflect the importance of Asia-Pacific hedge fund managers and investors to the global hedge fund community, and also the HFSBs increasing presence in the region. Dymon Asia Capital, a leading Asia-focused alternative investment manager based in Singapore, and Income Partners, a leading Asian fixed income manager based in Hong Kong, became HFSB signatories in May and June, respectively. Additionally, in April, the HFSB established a Mutual Observer relationship with the International Forum of Sovereign Wealth Funds (IFSWF), a global network of sovereign wealth funds which includes several of the largest in the Asia-Pacific region. Dame Amelia Fawcett, Chairman of the HFSB, said: We welcome Betty to the Board and look forward to her counsel and perspectives as a senior representative of one of the worlds largest investment organisations. We are also very glad that she has agreed to join the APAC Committee. Were excited about the launch of the APAC Committee and are grateful for the support of the industry leaders who are serving as its members. The Committee will be instrumental in coordinating the HFSBs APAC efforts, including fostering the dialogue between investors and managers on industry standards and practices. Betty Tay said: Im looking forward to working more closely with the HFSB on its initiatives in Asia as well as around the world. As a global investor, having agreed standards that are applicable across all regions facilitates our due diligence and raises the quality of manager practices and operations, especially in areas such as transparency and alignment of interests. Ms. Tays appointment and the APAC Committee are being announced to HFSB members attending the HFSBs Hong Kong Institutional Investor Roundtable on 22 June 2016, at which approximately 60 representatives from major hedge fund managers and institutional investors are gathering to discuss topics, including alignment of interests, hedge fund standards, and cyber security. Ms. Tay joined GIC in July 1999 as a Senior Portfolio Manager. She served as a Portfolio Manager within the Emerging Markets Group from 1999 to 2002. In this capacity, Ms. Tay was posted to GICs London office, and was instrumental in developing portfolio management expertise in non-Asia emerging markets. In 2002, she joined the External Managers Group. Ms Tay graduated from the National University of Singapore in 1991 with a BSc in Mathematics. She also holds both Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst (CAIA) designations. She completed the Stanford Executive Program and is a member of the Investment Advisory Committee for the Lee Kuan Yew Fund for Bilingualism Limited. GIC, formerly known as Government of Singapore Investment Corporation, is a sovereign wealth fund established by the Government of Singapore in 1981 to manage Singapore's foreign reserves. It is one of the largest investment management organizations in the world, with over 1000 people, investing well over US$100 billion in multiple asset classes in more than 40 countries. The HFSB was formed in January 2008 as the standard-setting body for the hedge fund industry, bringing together managers and investors globally to help determine how the hedge fund industry should operate. It is custodian of the Hedge Fund Standards, which create a framework of transparency, integrity and good governance for the industry, facilitate investor due diligence and complement public policy. The HFSB is supported by more than 120 hedge fund managers with $800 billion in aggregate assets, and by more than 60 institutional investors investing $600 billion in hedge funds. Reprinted from Paul Craig Roberts Website If you read the presstitute media, Brexit -- the referendum tomorrow on the UK's exit from the EU -- is about racism. According to the story line, angry right-wing racists of violent inclinations want to leave the EU to avoid having to accept more dark-skinned immigrants into England. Despite the constant propaganda against exit, polls indicated that more favored leaving the EU than remaining until a female member of Parliament, Jo Cox, was killed by a man that a witness said shouted "Brexit." Cox was an opponent of leaving the EU. The UK government and presstitute media used Cox's murder to drive home the propaganda that violent racists were behind Brexit. However, other witnesses gave a different report. The Guardian, which led with the propaganda line, did report later in its account that "Other witnesses said the attack was launched after the MP became involved in an altercation involving two men near where she held her weekly surgery." Of course, we will never know, because Cox's murder is too valuable of a weapon against Brexit. There is no doubt that many in the UK are disturbed at the transformation of their country. One doesn't have to be a racist to feel that one's country is being stolen from them by people of alien cultures. The British have a long history of fighting off invaders, and many believe they are experiencing an invasion, although not an armed one. An armed one, of course, would not have the government's and media's support. When British people hear pundits pronounce that immigrants contribute more to the UK than they absorb in social payments, what they hear is inconsistent with their experience. Moreover, many British are tired of having to avoid entire sections of their cities, including London, because of safety concerns. It is a propaganda choice to call these concerns racism rather than cultural defense, and the UK political establishment has made that propaganda choice. Little wonder so many British citizens no longer believe that the British Establishment represents Britain. But let's give the propagandists the benefit of the doubt and for sake of argument assume that Brexit is about racism. What is the opposition to Brexit really about? Most certainly it is not about helping the refugees from Washington's wars that the UK government has enabled. If the British establishment cared so much for the Muslims seeking refuge from America's invasions, bombs, and drones, the British establishment would not have supported Washington's attacks on these people. Opposition to Brexit is based on two powerful interests of Washington. One is the interests of the New York banks and Wall Street to eliminate the UK as a financial center competitor. This blatant fact has escaped the notice of the City and the Bank of England. The British have forgotten that they only have one foot in the EU, because the UK was permitted to keep its own currency. The UK does not use the euro and, thus, retains the power to finance the British government. Greece, Portugal, Spain, Italy, France, Germany, etc., do not have this capability. They are dependent on private banks for financing. In order to trick the UK into joining the EU, the British were given special privileges. However, these privileges cannot last forever. The EU process is one of political integration. As I reported years ago, Jean-Claude Trichet, at that time the president of the European Central Bank, said that to complete the political integration of Europe, the fiscal policies of member states would be centralized. It is impossible to centralize fiscal policies if the UK is an independent financial center with its own central bank and currency. Wall Street understands that the defeat of Brexit means a shortened lifespan for London as a financial center, as it is impossible to be a financial center unless a country has its own currency and central bank. As it is impossible for the UK to be a member of the EU and not operate under the European Central Bank, once the Brexit referendum is defeated, the process of gradually forcing the UK into the euro will begin. The other powerful interest is the interest of Washington to prevent one country's exit from leading to the exit of other countries. As CIA documents found in the US National Archives make clear, the EU was a CIA initiative, the purpose of which is to make it easy for Washington to exercise political control over Europe. It is much easier for Washington to control the EU than 28 separate countries. Moreover, if the EU unravels, so likely would NATO, which is the necessary cover for Washington's aggression. The EU serves Washington and the One Percent. It serves no one else. The EU is a murderer of sovereignty and peoples. The intent is for the British, French, Germans, Italians, Greeks, Spanish, and all the rest to disappear as peoples. Brexit is the last chance to defeat this hidden agenda, and apparently the British will vote tomorrow without having a clue as to what is at stake and what the vote is about. Aadhaar to be linked with caste, domicile certificates Published: June 22, 2016 Union Government has asked all state governments to link Aadhaar with caste and domicile certificates to be issued to school students. It is the first-of-its-kind initiative to be undertaken by Union Government to issue these certificates to the students within 60 days when they are studying in Class V or VIII. Key facts Union Government is seeking support of state governments to link Aadhaar with caste and domicile certificates to curb harassment faced by citizens to obtain these certificates. It will also help to timely grant of scholarship to students belonging to the Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) without any delays. State government may also try to get the information of students if feasible to fed it into the meta data to be made online that may be further linked to Aadhaar enabled data. Why caste or tribe or domicile certificates are issued? The responsibility for issuance of residency (domicile) and caste certificates rests with the States and Union territories. These certificates are issued to facilitate access of bona-fide to candidates belonging to the SC/ST categories to the reserved posts and services under the Central and State governments. They also serve important document to secure admission in educational institutions and get other facilities. About Aadhaar Aadhaar is a 12-digit number which acts as a proof of identity and address anywhere in the country. It is considered as the worlds largest national identification project. Its objective is to collect the biometric and demographic data of residents, store them in a centralised database. The Aadhaar number is issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI). Month: Current Affairs - June, 2016 Topics: Aadhaar National UIDAI Latest E-Books Reprinted from Truthdig With less than seven months left in his presidency, Barack Obama has failed in his plans to close the prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. For more than 14 years, Guantanamo has been the symbol of everything that is wrong with the United States' so-called war on terror. It is a living example of a fundamental disrespect for human rights, civil liberties and the Constitution of the United States. The U.S. is supposed to be a nation of laws. But those laws are ignored at Guantanamo. We are supposed to be a nation of civil liberties. But those liberties are denied at Guantanamo. We are supposed to be a nation that has a living, breathing Constitution that protects the rights of all of us--not just American citizens, but anybody under U.S. jurisdiction. But that Constitution means nothing at Guantanamo. Instead, it is a "secret" prison, in that almost nobody is allowed to see its inner workings. It's a place where people who have never been formally accused of a crime, let alone convicted of one, are held incommunicado and indefinitely. Meanwhile, the cowards who are our elected officials in Congress have passed a law preventing the executive branch from transferring any Guantanamo prisoners to prisons in the U.S. -- even to maximum-security penitentiaries. These morons apparently are afraid of having prisoners as dangerous as those at Guantanamo on U.S. soil. They obviously have never heard of the Unabomber, The Blind Sheikh, Charles Manson, John Wayne Gacy or Timothy McVeigh. These same members of Congress also ignore the well-documented fact that Guantanamo is one of the best recruiting tools for extremist groups abroad. Indeed, an al-Qaida fighter in Iraq told Arizona Sen. John McCain that the U.S. use of torture and the continued operation of Guantanamo helped to fuel the insurgency there. It continues to be a rallying point for our enemies. Congress has mandated since the Carter administration that the State Department produce a human rights report every year for every country in the world with which the U.S. has diplomatic relations. Those reports often have very positive effects on human rights in countries that otherwise might ignore them. I was the human rights officer at the U.S. Embassy in Manama, Bahrain, during 1995-96, and I can attest that the Bahrainis bristled at our coverage of their human rights practices. They didn't like it, but they often admitted that it forced greater openness and respect for human rights there. But how can we, with a straight face, tell other countries what they can and cannot do when we maintain an extra-judicial and extra-constitutional prison like Guantanamo, when we have tortured prisoners, when we have run a system of secret prisons around the world, when we have sent prisoners to Third World countries to be tortured? Just before the 2008 presidential election, McCain said, "What is the moral superiority of the United States of America if we torture prisoners?" He was right. We lack any moral authority to criticize other countries so long as Guantanamo remains open. Obama has said similar things. Yet Guantanamo remains open. Of course, there are bad people being held in Guantanamo. Sept. 11 conspiracy theorists notwithstanding, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed was the mastermind of the attacks. He has the blood of 3,000 Americans on his hands. Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri, Ramzi bin al-Shibh and Abu Zubaydah were all deeply involved in the planning of attacks against the U.S. and U.S. interests or in assisting with the logistics supporting those attacks. They're bad men. They should be tried for their crimes. With that said, if they are not going to be tried, if they are not going to face their accusers in court, if they will not be allowed to offer evidence in their own defenses, they should be released. And Guantanamo should be closed forever. The Dalai Lama greets members of legislature, California capitol, 20 June 2016 (Image by Shawn Hamilton) Details DMCA Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalia Lama, opened his June 20thaddress to the California legislature (15:30) acknowledging "respected leaders" and the general audience as "brothers and sisters". He kidded the legislators about their official formality before presenting a major theme of his talk--that we should concern ourselves with the welfare the 7 billion-member family called humanity. Mentally, emotionally, and physically, he said, we are all the same, and assuring others' happiness is key to our own. He said he'd talked with scientists who had demonstrated that compassion is the natural state of humankind. Anger, jealously, and the other "poisons", as they're referred to in certain Buddhist teachings, arise out of "disturbance[s] of mind" rather than being innate qualities of a healthy human being. It's an important point. Anger and violence, greed, jealousy, etc. are not normal modes of being no matter how much we rationalize and justify the actions that spring from them. This is a cause for hope, the Dalai Lama said, reminding us that happiness and peace are internal states, which external riches, titles, influence, etc. can't ultimately provide. Again he seemed to subtly let some air out of some inflated legislative egos when he said that even homeless people can be happy if they are surrounded by a community of friends who care about them--"happier even than successful businessmen or politicians," he said smiling. "My number one commitment is [the] promotion of human love and compassion, irrespective of whether someone is a believer or non-believer, or between this believer and that believer," he said. A particularly interesting part of his talk comes at about 29:15. He specifically defends Muslims, apparently trying to coax listeners out of their prejudices. "More than five decades I spent in India. In India you can see [different types of] believers live together," the Dalai Lama said. He admitted that occasionally there are some problems, but he said (a twinkle in his eye) that it is understandable, considering there is over a billion people living there. There are bound to be a few problems. "India's not heaven," he said. "It's part of the world. Some mischievous people must be there." He went on to make his larger point that religious harmony in India is generally pretty good. "Indian Muslims [are] wonderful. It is wrong [to persecute Muslims]. We create some bad impression [that[ "Muslims" [and] "Islam" are "militant. I have a number of friends from the Muslim community. Wonderful people! All religious traditions have [the] same potential--to create a sensible human being, a compassionate human being," he said. The Dalai Lama also spoke about the importance of protecting the global environment. "This planet is the only place we can live happily, "breathe happily," he said, adding that the moon is beautiful, but we can't live there. Our only hope is to take care of Earth. "There's no other choice except [to] fully protect our own home," he said, taking the opportunity to say that those working for the benefit of the environment are engaged in something very important and necessary. One controversial topic the Dalai Lama mentioned was gun control. "Real gun control must start here," he said, pointing to his heart. He said that in order to demilitarize the world, there must be inner disarmament, an inner demilitarization. He cites anger and jealousy as examples of two internal causes of external violence. He showed a serious and firm side of himself when he mentioned how people sometimes exploit religious faiths as a rationale for killing: "Unthinkable! In the 20th century our way of thinking is [that] whenever we have some differences, some conflict, we always think [we can] solve this by force. That way of thinking is out of date," he insisted. "In this century, any problem [has to be] solved through talk[ing], meet[ing]--face to face. Now some of these people who create some sort of problems--so-called terrorists--these [problems] also have to be solved through human contact. [Keeping a] distance and using force, I don't think, is the proper solution. That's my belief," he said, adding, "It's our problem and our responsibility. Make some contribution for a better world, a happier humanity." (Article changed on June 26, 2016 at 03:51) With the end of the presidential primary season, what was also mercifully halted was the media holding pattern over the last weeks of the campaign. Every week's post-primary talking-head blather about the Democratic race ended up circling the same drain--into the inevitable electoral "math." Every week, the same narrative. Watching CNN was like watching "Groundhog Day." The media knew from the very beginning of the campaign that the establishment preferred their tested and loyal servant, Hillary Clinton, as the next US president, and so operated in their usual way throughout--that is, with highly refined public relations tactics--to deliver the goods. For example, there are few more effective propaganda tools than the concept of "inevitability." What has been truly absurd about the post-primary coverage has been the media's effort to reassure the public that the system is in no way "rigged." Rules are rules, and Bernie knew that when he got into it, they say--even on the official left. A little lesson we can learn from history is that, in the Third Reich, the media was not controlled by the state, but "coordinated," under propaganda minister Josef Goebbels' direction (Goebbels, by the way, got most of his ideas from American advertising). Hitler hated reading the same thing in every newspaper. He wanted the press to carry the same Nazi message, of course, but expressed in individual voices, to make the message seem less like propaganda. There was even a Jewish newspaper publishing in Berlin until the very end of the war--relentlessly on message. The US mainstream media fulfills a similar function today, broadcasting a coordinated narrative on behalf of the transnational elites who control our political, economic and mass media systems. True to form, Bernie Sanders remained a principled (perhaps too principled) prophet of political revolution and economic and social justice for all Americans throughout the campaign and into its closing moves. His livestream speech to his supporters two days after the last primary was a brilliant pivot to the next phase of that revolution, both within the Democratic party and out into the grassroots. His call for progressives to concentrate efforts and magnify their influence in state and local governments is precisely the message his supporters need to hear. If there is any hope of reclaiming democracy in America, it absolutely depends on scrubbing as much corporate influence as possible from state legislatures before the 2020 census, after which the entire nation will be redistricted. Who controls state legislatures in 2020 is of paramount importance, if the populist revolution now under way in America is to remain nonviolent. Personally, I'm disappointed that Bernie didn't choose to join forces with Jill Stein and run on the Green party ticket. He certainly doesn't owe the Democratic party--which seemed to do just about everything in its power, officially and otherwise, to guarantee a Clinton nomination--his loyalty. And I think, by running against the two most unpopula r politicians ever to be major party nominees, he would have an excellent chance of being the next president running in a party that's already on the ballot in almost every state, and winning easy pluralities in enough states to carry the electoral college. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Reprinted from Consortium News In an internal "dissent channel cable," 51 State Department officers called for "targeted military strikes" against the government of Bashar al-Assad in Syria, a proposal that President Barack Obama has thus far resisted. However, were he to accept the cable's advice, he would risk a dangerous -- possibly catastrophic -- confrontation with Russia. And, such a use of military force in Syria would violate U.S. and international law. While the cable decries "the Russian and Iranian governments' cynical and destabilizing deployment of significant military power to bolster the Assad regime," the cable calls for the United States to protect and empower "the moderate Syrian opposition," seeking to overthrow the Syrian government. However, Assad's government is the only legitimate government in Syria and, as the sovereign, has the legal right to seek international support as it has from Russia and Iran. There is no such legal right for the United States and other countries, such as Saudi Arabia and Turkey, to arm Syrian rebels to attack Assad's government. The dissent cable advocates what it calls "the judicious use of stand-off and air weapons," which, the signatories write, "would undergird and drive a more focused and hardnosed US-led diplomatic process." Inside Syria, both the United States and Russia are battling the Islamic State (also known as ISIS) as ISIS and other jihadist groups seek to overthrow the Assad government. But while the U.S. is supporting rebel forces (including some fighting ISIS and some fighting Assad), Russia is backing Assad (and waging a broader fight against "terrorists," including Al Qaeda's Nusra Front). Reuters reports the U.S. has about 300 special operations forces in Syria for its "counter-terrorism mission against Islamic State militants but is not targeting the Assad government." The policy outlined in the dissent cable would change that balance, by having the U.S. military bomb Syrian soldiers who have been at the forefront of the fight against both ISIS and Nusra. But that policy shift "would lead to a war with Russia, would kill greater numbers of civilians, would sunder the Geneva peace process, and would result in greater gains for the radical Sunni 'rebels' who are the principal opponents of the Assad regime," analyst James Carden wrote at Consortiumnews.com. Journalist Robert Parry added that the authors of the cable came from the State Department's "den of armchair warriors possessed of imperial delusions," looking toward a Hillary Clinton administration which will likely pursue "no-fly-zones" and "safe zones" leading to more slaughter in Syria and risking a confrontation with Russia. As we should have learned from the "no-fly zone" that preceded the Libyan "regime change" that the U.S. government engineered in 2011, a similar strategy in Syria would create a vacuum in which ISIS and Al Qaeda's Nusra Front would flourish. Violating U.S. and International Law The strategy set forth in the cable would also violate both U.S. and international law. Saudi King Salman bids farewell to President Barack Obama at Erga Palace after a state visit to Saudi Arabia on Jan. 27, 2015. (Image by (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)) Details DMCA Under the War Powers Resolution (WPR), the President can introduce U.S. troops into hostilities, or into situations "where imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated by the circumstances," only (1) after a Congressional declaration of war, (2) with "specific statutory authorization," or (3) in "a national emergency created by attack upon the United States, its territories or possessions, or its armed forces." None of three conditions that would allow the president to use military force in Syria is present at this time. First, Congress has not declared war. Second, neither the 2001 Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF), which George W. Bush used to invade Afghanistan, nor the 2002 AUMF, which Bush used to invade Iraq would provide a legal basis for an attack on Syria at the present time. Third, there has been no attack on the United States or U.S. armed forces. Thus, an armed attack on Syria would violate the WPR. Even if a military attack on Syria did not run afoul of the WPR, it would violate the United Nations Charter, a treaty the U.S. has ratified, making it part of U.S. law under the Constitution's Supremacy Clause. Article 2(4) of the Charter says that states "shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state." The Charter only allows a military attack on another country in the case of self-defense or when the Security Council authorizes it; neither has occurred in this case. Assad's government has not attacked the United States, and the Council has not approved military strikes on Syria. 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QY Market Research is the comprehensive collection of market intelligence products and services available on air.Contact us:3422 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@qymarketresearch.com Report on Global Osteoarthritis Pain Market highlights the growth in North America, Europe, Asia region to 2020 just published http://www.marketintelreports.com/report/gdhc3293ctidb/osteoarthritis-pain-global-clinical-trials-review-h1-2016 http://www.marketintelreports.com/pdfdownload.php?id=gdhc3293ctidb www.marketintelreports.com Summary of the report:Osteoarthritis Pain Global Clinical Trials Review, H1, 2016 ()" provides an overview of Osteoarthritis Pain clinical trials scenario. This report provides top line data relating to the clinical trials on Osteoarthritis Pain. 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The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.A key driver of market growth is the high numbers of unmet medical needs. There are a number of unmet medical needs in this market due to the chronic nature of osteoarthritis and the absence of curative therapies. With drugs such as NSAID's, simple analgesics, corticosteroids, and opioids proving effective for individuals with early-to-mid stages of osteoarthritis pain, the competition in the market is strong.However, these options do not provide adequate pain relief in the late stages of osteoarthritis. Ultimately, effective treatment of osteoarthritis pain requires an improved anti-inflammatory molecule, which gives reason for R&D to develop new drugs with better MOA and minimal adverse effects. Thus, absence of effective and safe long-term treatment for creates numerous opportunities for pharmaceutical companies.Avail a Sample Market Brochure @Scope of report: The report provides a snapshot of the global clinical trials landscape Report provides top level data related to the clinical trials by Region, Country (G7 & E7), Trial Status, Trial Phase, Sponsor Type and End point status The report reviews top companies involved and enlists all trials (Trial title, Phase, and Status) pertaining to the company The report provides all the unaccomplished trials (Terminated, Suspended and Withdrawn) with reason for unaccomplishment The Report provides enrollment trends for the past five years Report provides latest news for the past three monthsThe report will enable you to: Assists in formulating key business strategies with regards to investment Helps in identifying prominent locations for conducting clinical trials which saves time and cost Provides top level analysis of Global Clinical Trials Market which helps in identifying key business opportunities Supports understanding of trials count and enrollment trends by country in global therapeutics market Aids in interpreting the success rates of clinical trials by providing a comparative scenario of completed and uncompleted (terminated, suspended or withdrawn) trials Facilitates clinical trial assessment of the indication on a global, regional and country levelAbout us:MarketIntelReports (MIR) aim to empower our clients to successfully manage and outperform in their business decisions, we do this by providing Premium Market Intelligence, Strategic Insights and Databases from a range of Global Publishers.A group of industry veterans who are well experienced in reputed international consulting firms after identifying the sourcing needs of MNCs for market intelligence, have together started this business savior MarketIntelReports.Contact us:Sales ManagerMayur Ssales@marketintelreports.comTelephone: 1-302-684-6088 FOURMIDABLE Named to National Affordable Housing Management Associations (NAHMA) Affordable 100 List www.fourmidable.com For the second consecutive year, FOURMIDABLE, a Michigan-based national real estate management and brokerage company, has been named to the National Affordable Housing Management Associations (NAHMA) Affordable 100 List. 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This report provides top line data relating to the clinical trials on Inflammatory Pain. Report includes an overview of trial numbers and their average enrollment in top countries conducted across the globe. The report offers coverage of disease clinical trials by region, country (G7 & E7), phase, trial status, end points status and sponsor type. Report also provides prominent drugs for in-progress trials (based on number of ongoing trials).Our Clinical Trial Reports are generated using our proprietary database - Pharma eTrack Clinical trials database. Clinical trials are collated from 80+ different clinical trial registries, conferences, journals, news etc across the globe.Clinical trials database undergoes periodic update by dynamic process.The report enhances the decision making capabilities and helps to create an effective counter strategies to gain competitive advantage.Scope of report: The report provides a snapshot of the global clinical trials landscape Report provides top level data related to the clinical trials by Region, Country (G7 & E7), Trial Status, Trial Phase, Sponsor Type and End point status The report reviews top companies involved and enlists all trials (Trial title, Phase, and Status) pertaining to the company The report provides all the unaccomplished trials (Terminated, Suspended and Withdrawn) with reason for unaccomplishment The Report provides enrollment trends for the past five years Report provides latest news for the past three monthsThis report will enable you to: Assists in formulating key business strategies with regards to investment Helps in identifying prominent locations for conducting clinical trials which saves time and cost Provides top level analysis of Global Clinical Trials Market which helps in identifying key business opportunities Supports understanding of trials count and enrollment trends by country in global therapeutics market Aids in interpreting the success rates of clinical trials by providing a comparative scenario of completed and uncompleted (terminated, suspended or withdrawn) trials Facilitates clinical trial assessment of the indication on a global, regional and country levelAvail a Sample Market Brochure @About us:MarketIntelReports (MIR) aim to empower our clients to successfully manage and outperform in their business decisions, we do this by providing Premium Market Intelligence, Strategic Insights and Databases from a range of Global Publishers.A group of industry veterans who are well experienced in reputed international consulting firms after identifying the sourcing needs of MNCs for market intelligence, have together started this business savior MarketIntelReports.Contact us:Sales ManagerMayur Ssales@marketintelreports.comTelephone: 1-302-684-6088 Healthcare Services Global Market Briefing Released By The Business Research Company http://www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/our-research/healthcare/healthcare-services-global-market-briefing-2016/ Healthcare services deal with medical and remedial care service. Healthcare services also include furnishing medicine, medical or surgical treatment, nursing, hospital service, dental service, optometric service and other complementary health services.Healthcare services comprise hospitals, nursing and community care facilities; home healthcare services, ; medical and diagnostic laboratories; veterinary services and residential mental health centres. It also includes offices of dentists, physicians and healthcare practitioners.The market segments in the healthcare services sector were hospitals and outpatient care centers, physicians and other healthcare practitioners, home healthcare and residential nursing care services, medical and diagnostic laboratories, dental services, substance abuse and residential mental health and Veterinary servicesIncrease in Bundle Payments Bundle payments as the model for financial transactions relating to healthcare are seeing a rapid increase. Bundle payments group all payments a patient receives during a phase of health condition. They include conditions that require pre- and post-hospital care under a single fee. Bundle payments can help ensure better coordination between physicians, nurses, specialists and acute care providers and will increase the service quality delivered to customers. For example, Arkansas Medicaid program has mandatory bundle payment programs in place for ten different conditions, with additional procedures coming into this program each yearDigital Tools Usage Digital technology has become important for hospitals and doctors to deliver quality care. Digital tools such as telemedicine, apps, and portals for patients and doctors are making healthcare services more efficient and cost-effective. According to a PWC study, doctors felt that more than 10% of in-office appointments can be replaced by e-visits and roughly 75% of doctors said they will prescribe an app to help patients manage chronic diseases.Description The Healthcare Services Global Market Briefing Report from the Business Research Company covers market characteristics, size and growth, segmentation, regional breakdowns, competitive landscape, market shares, trends and strategies for this market. The market characteristics section of the report defines and explains the market. The market size section gives the healthcare services market revenues, covering both the historic growth of the market and forecasting the future. Drivers and restraints looks at the external factors supporting and controlling the growth of the market. Market segmentations break down the key sub sectors which make up the market. The regional breakdowns section gives the size of the market geographically. Competitive landscape gives a description of the competitive nature of the market, market shares, and a description of the leading companies. Key financial deals which have shaped the market in the last three years are identified. The trends and strategies section highlights the likely future developments in the healthcare services market and suggests approachesReasons to Purchase Get up to date information available on the healthcare services market globally. Identify growth segments and opportunities. Facilitate decision making on the basis of historic and forecast data and understand the drivers and restraints on the market. Develop strategies based on likely future developments. Gain a global perspective on the development of the market.ScopeMarkets Covered: Healthcare Services, Pharmaceutical, and Medical Equipment.Companies Mentioned: DaVita, Mayo Clinic Scottsdale AZ, Laboratory Corporation of America, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Quest Diagnostics, Inc., Cleveland Clinic, Brookdale Senior Living, M D Anderson Cancer Center, Sonic Healthcare Limited, Encompass Home Health, National Health Service and Others.Geographic scope: Americas, Europe, Asia, Middle East and Africa, Oceania.Time series: Five years historic and forecast.Data: Market value in $ billions.Data segmentations: Regional breakdowns, market share of competitors, key sub segments.Sourcing and Referencing: Data and analysis throughout the report is sourced using end notes.Table of Contents Introduction 5 Healthcare Services Market Characteristics 6 Healthcare Services Market Historic Growth 8 Drivers of the Market 8 Restraints on the Market 9 Healthcare Services Market Forecast Growth 10 Drivers of the Market 10 Restraints on the Market 11 Healthcare Services Market Regional And Country Comparison 13 Healthcare Services Market, 2015, By Region 13 Healthcare Services Market Segmentation 16 Healthcare Services Competitive Landscape 18 National Health Service (NHS) 19 DaVita 19 Mayo Clinic 20 LabCorp 21 Johns Hopkins Medicine 21 Quest Diagnostics 22 Cleveland Clinic 23 Key Mergers And Acquisitions In The Healthcare Services Market 24 Healthcare Services Market Trends And Strategies 26 Appendix 27 NAICS Definitions Of Industry Covered In This Report 27 Abbreviations 29 Currencies 29 Research Inquiries 29 The Business Research Company 29List of TablesTable 1: Global Healthcare Services Market Historic Market Size, 2011 2015, $ Billion 7Table 2: Global Healthcare Services Market Forecast Market Size, 2015 2019, $ Billion 9Table 3: Global Healthcare Services Market, Split By Region, 2015, $ Billion 12Table 4: Global Healthcare Market, 2015, Split By Segments, $ Billion 15Table 5: Global Healthcare services Market, Key Competitor Shares, 2015, Percentage (%) 16Table of FiguresFigure 1: Global Healthcare Services Market Historic Market Size, 2011 2015, $ Billion 7Figure 2: Global Healthcare Services Market Forecast Market Size, 2015 2019, $ Billion 9Figure 3: Global Healthcare Services Market, Split By Region, 2015, $ Billion 12Figure 4: Global Healthcare Services Market, 2015, Split By Segments, $ Billion 14Figure 5: Global Healthcare Services Market, Key Competitor Shares, 2015, Percentage (%) 16Buy Now Healthcare services Global Market Briefing is a detailed report giving a unique insight into this market. The report is priced at $1000 for an individual user. To use across your office the price is $1500 and $2000 if you wish to use across a multinational company. Clients are able to input on the design of the report and highlight points of special interest.About The Business Research CompanyVisit TheBusinessResearchCompany.com, mail info@tbrc.info or call +447443439350 or +918897263534 or +919160996838 for more information on this and many other titles.The Business Research Company is a market research and intelligence company which excels in company, market and consumer research.It has research professionals at its offices in the UK, India and the US as well a network of trained researchers globally. It has specialist consultants in a wide range of industries including manufacturing, healthcare, chemicals and technology.The Business Research Company's management have more than 20 years of varied business research experience. They have delivered hundreds of research projects to the senior management of some of the world's largest organizations.The Business Research Company,Horizon Avenue,8-2-603/b/s/1/2Road Number 10Banjara HillsHyderabad (India)+91 8897263534 THINOPTICS EXPANDS LINE OF PORTABLE GLASSES WITH NEW KEYCHAIN PRODUCT AT CE WEEK 2016 www.thinoptics.com www.thinoptics.com NEW YORK (June 21, 2016) ThinOPTICS, creators of revolutionary, Always with You reading glasses, will be launching its new keychain model at this years Consumer Electronics Week (CE Week). ThinOPTICS will be exhibiting its current line of stemless reading glasses in addition to giving attendees the first look at its groundbreaking keychain model. CE Week is one of the leading consumer technology tradeshows, attracting thousands of attendees and exhibitors in the industry.The latest innovation in mobile eyewear, the new ThinOPTICS keychain case carries the one-of-a-kind stemless reading glasses in a sleek pod that easily hooks onto your keyring. With a simple swipe of a finger, the ThinOPTICS glasses are gently ejected so users can seamlessly grab their readers for perusing emails on your phone, reading literature and more. The keychain case weighs less than a AA battery and is the latest addition to the ThinOPTICS portfolio of solutions enabling reading glasses to be Always with You. Utilizing ThinOPTICS original award-winning technology, the glasses are as thin as two credit cards and come equipped with bulletproof lenses and tensile polycarbonate frames. The glasses are so durable and indestructible that the company backs them with a Free Replacement Forever policy. The keychain case is available in silver and black, with multiple strength options including Low Range (+1.50), Mid Range (+2.00) and High Range (+2.50).CE Week is the ideal forum to launch our new keychain case and show attendees why mobile reading glasses solutions are a necessity for consumers who can no longer be bothered with having to remember their reading glasses, said Darren Lancaster, VP of Marketing and cofounder of ThinOPTICS. ThinOPTICS are an incredibly vital innovation for 25% of people over the age of 45 who are dealing with the problem of forgotten reading glasses.ThinOPTICS will be showcasing its new keychain, which retails for $24.95, at booth 237. CE Week takes place from June 21-23, at the Metropolitan Pavilion located at 125 W 18th Street, New York, NY 10011. ThinOPTICS offers a lifetime guarantee that provides free replacement glasses forever. For more information on ThinOPTICS, please visit###About ThinOPTICSThinOPTICS entered the market in 2014 and was launched by a passionate team who believes that reading glasses users should be able to access their glasses at any given time. After 200 prototypes and countless trials, the ThinOPTICS team created the stick anywhere, go everywhere reading glasses that are as thin as two credit cards, weigh less than a nickel and easily attach to phones or can be slipped into a wallet, purse or pockets. The ThinOPTICS reading glasses, which currently come in a Universal Pod as well as Apple and Samsung Cases, are available on the companys website, Target, Amazon, Bed Bath & Beyond, Safeway, Fred Meyer and select CVS locations throughout the U.S. ThinOPTICS was recently named Best in Class Iconic Design by Inc., Best of CES 2015 by PCWorld and has been featured on CBS News Sunday Morning, Yahoo! Tech, FOX News, Real Simple, Refinery29 and more. For additional information on ThinOPTICS, please visit888 S Figueroa StreetSuite 1000Los AngelesCA 90017 India, Thailand sign 2 agreements to boost ties Published: June 21, 2016 India and Thailand have signed two agreements in culture and educational sectors to boost bilateral ties. The agreements were signed in New Delhi during the three day official state visit of Thailand Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha to Indian. Signed agreements are Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Indias Nagaland University and Thailands Chiang Mai University. Agreement for to extension of the Cultural Exchange Programme (CEP) between both countries for 2016-19. Besides, both Prime Ministers held wide-ranging talks on a wide range of bilateral, regional and multilateral issues that are of concern for both the countries and the region as a whole. Both countries also issued a joint statement to ramp up cooperation in the fields of economy, cyber security, counter terrorism and human trafficking besides forging closer ties in maritime security and defence. Month: Current Affairs - June, 2016 Topics: Culture Education National Latest E-Books Driver, the App Bringing Uber, Licensed Taxis and Independents Together Ontario, Canada: Gencapp, the worlds first geo-commerce platform, designed to include the decentralized internet of things, today announces the pre-release of its Driver App.Driver differentiates itself from other ride sharing or taxi apps by presenting users with a fully integrated marketplace for people transportation services. Driver allows Uber, Taxis, and independents alike to compete for the end users business. Unlike existing user apps that naturally favour one of the players, Driver is one of the emerging distributed marketplaces that creates a level playing field for all competitors.Driver adds powerful security features that benefit both the users and the drivers. Geo-Fencing of the route Any significant deviation from the agreed route causes a notification to be sent to the users mobile phone. If the user does not confirm the notification a secondary notification is sent to a designated person, with a link to real-time tracking of the users position. Arrival Time If the user does not arrive on time (within a predetermined, allowable variation), the designated person is notified. General broadcast alert If either the Geo-fencing or Arrival Time alerts are sent, or both the user and drivers phones are switched off, the users location will be posted on the general Gencapp map to allow other Gencapp or Driver users to lend assistance if they are nearby. Smart Contracts Rides are captured in smart contracts, to prevent either the user or the driver from financial abuse such as additional charges or refusing to pay a fare. Identity Verification Gencapps social verification background check can be utilized by users and drivers to ensure they know who they are dealing with.The notification features can also be set by the user to alert local emergency services as to possible problems.The Gencapp Driver App requires the user to indicate the pickup and end-destinations on the local map when requesting a ride. The user is then presented with the competing drivers, showing they type of driver (Uber, Licensed Taxi or Independent), along with their bid prices and available times. The user can then make a selection. The driver is notified and can accept or reject, or negotiate the fare.Drivers enter their profiles, including their initial fare, and a pricing table based on distance and/or time. An estimation algorithm then calculates and presents the fare for any requested rides.Gencapp's idea was conceived in September of 2015 and began production in October of 2015. Nearly 10 months into production, Gencapp is releasing it's beta and several applications complimenting Gencapp. Due to the complexity of all the apps undergoing production, the main developing team created the company Vision Ear Inc. (January 2016) as the software development company for Gencapp and all the related applications. Because Vision Ears Inc. is VC and angel free, we can maintain our ideologies of decentralization and the Internet-Of-Things (IOT).Vision Ears, Inc.1416-111 Riverside Dr. EastWindsor, OntarioCanadaN9a-2S6Kyle Langloiskyle@visionears.ca1-519-841-4052 Report: Wound Closure Devices Market to Rise Rapidly in Upcoming Years http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=179 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/wound-closure-devices-market.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ Wound closure devices are apparatus that help in closing a wound by pulling the edges of the wound tissue together and aid in healing. Devices such as sutures, staples, adhesives, mechanical wound closure devices and strips aid in lending strength and tissue to the wound tissue, minimize tissue trauma and reduce risk of infection and excess scaring.Get a Free Sample PDF Brochure:We cover the global wound closure devices market, discussing a detailed overview of the industry, its emergence, development and forecast. The industry has grown with the evolution of medical science and technology, and TMRs report tracks the growth of the market at its various stages. It highlights the major factors that have strongly influenced the market and helped increase its popularity and demand. It also identifies the challenges faced, while offering strategies and suggestions to overcome the same.The report segments the market based on products, applications and geography, and also lists leading companies that operate in the global wounds closure devices market along with their financial and sales profiles.Overview of the global wound closure devices marketEach device has its own functions and needs, and may vary in design and size. Sutures, both absorbable and non-absorbable, dominate the wound closure devices market since they are used in almost every form of surgery. Sutures can be divided into two categories: braided and monofilament. While braided sutures are more commonly used due to better knot security, monofilaments are more popular in cardiovascular, neurological and ophthalmic surgeries. Companies have made constant efforts to come up with innovations to improve the quality of life for a patient. Firms that have headed the campaign for innovations include Abbott Vasculars ProGlide, Perclose and Prostar suture-mediated devices.Stapler devices have evolved from sutures, and though they possess the same function as sutures, the surgical procedure becomes easier and quicker using a stapling device. The market for stapler products has grown over the years since they are more precise, provide better safety and offer reduced recovery time than traditional sutures.Browse Report:In terms of demand, mechanical wound closure devices follow after sutures in the global market.However, with the demand for minimally invasive surgeries on the rise, the prospects for wound closure devices have dimmed. Minimal invasion means reduced usage of sutures, wound strips as well as mechanical wound closure devices. Minimally invasive surgeries also reduce the size of incisions made, thereby lowering the number of sutures required for closing otherwise large incisions.Transparency Market Research (TMR) is a next-generation provider of syndicated research, customized research, and consulting services. TMRs global and regional market intelligence coverage includes industries such as pharmaceutical, chemicals and materials, technology and media, food and beverages, and consumer goods, among others. Each TMR research report provides clients with a 360-degree view of the market with statistical forecasts, competitive landscape, detailed segmentation, key trends, and strategic recommendations.Mr. Sudip. S90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Capes Sokol Recruits Prominent Estate Planning Attorneys for New Practice Group http://www.capessokol.com The law firm of Capes Sokol announced the creation of a Trusts and Estates practice group with the hiring of Harvard W. Muhm and Lisa M. Adams.June 13, 2016, St. Louis, MissouriHarvard W. Muhm and Lisa M. Adams join Capes Sokol from Muhm & Reilly, a boutique private wealth planning law firm Mr. Muhm founded in 2005. Mr. Muhm, who has more than two decades of experience working with high-net-worth clients, will lead the new Trusts and Estates practice group.I am proud to welcome Harvard and Lisa to the firm, said Jeffrey A. Cohen, Managing Shareholder of Capes Sokol. They bring a dynamic skill set to our new Trusts and Estates practice group. Their extensive experience with estate planning will significantly augment the firms ability to serve our clients needs.The establishment of the Trusts and Estates practice group at Capes Sokol follows a years-long strategy of calculated growth focused on practice areas that collaborate with each other. The group will advise clients regarding estate planning and taxation. Projects will range from relatively simple planning to complex intergenerational, international structures designed to achieve income and transfer tax savings.Capes Sokol brings our clients a much greater depth of expertise, said Harvard W. Muhm. Our practices are complementary, and the capabilities of Capes Sokol will benefit all of our clients enormously. We are very attracted to the firms collaborative approach to service we are all in for all our clients. And while the practice areas of the attorneys in this firm will expand our competencies, we will still be able to provide practical and economical results with excellent service.Mr. Muhm earned his Master of Laws in Taxation from Washington University School of Law in 1995, his Juris Doctor from the University Of Missouri School Of Law in 1994 and his Bachelors Degree in Political Science from Trinity University in 1991. Mr. Muhm is admitted to the Missouri Bar and is licensed to practice in the U.S. Tax Court. He is a member of the American Bar Association, the Missouri Bar Association and the Bar Association of Metropolitan St. Louis.Mr. Muhm has been listed in Best Lawyers in the Trusts and Estates Practice category since 2011. In addition to his active practice, Mr. Muhm served on the Board of Directors of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Eastern Missouri and the Board of Directors of Craft Alliance, on which he served in an executive capacity from 20032006.Ms. Adams also comes from an estate planning background as a principal with Muhm & Reilly and began her career working in real estate and corporate law. Ms. Adams earned her Master of Laws in Taxation from Boston University in 2000, her Juris Doctor from the University Of Missouri School Of Law in 1999 and her Bachelors Degree in English from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 1996. She is admitted to the Kansas, Massachusetts and Missouri Bars.About Capes SokolCapes Sokol is a St. Louis-based law firm focusing on business, commercial and intellectual property litigation; estate planning; white collar and other criminal defense matters; tax litigation and controversy; and corporate and real estate matters.Capes Sokol is located at Pierre Laclede Center, 7701 Forsyth Boulevard, Twelfth Floor, St. Louis (Clayton), Missouri 63105. Phone: 314.721.7701. Website:For more information about this topic, please contact Alexandra W. Schenk at 3145055492 or email at schenk@capessokol.com.***Capes Sokol is a St. Louis-based law firm focusing on business, commercial and intellectual property litigation; estate planning; white collar and other criminal defense matters; tax litigation and controversy; and corporate and real estate matters.Alexandra W. SchenkCapes Sokol12th Floor7701 Forsyth BoulevardSt. Louis, Missouri 63105Phone 314 721 7701 Cosmetic Dentist Bharat Agravat to Host Aesthetic Dentistry Certificate Courses in Ahmedabad, Gujarat http://www.drbharat.agravat.com/one-day-cosmetic-dentistry-courses-ahmedabad-india http://www.drbharat.agravat.com/ http://www.smileinhour.com/ India's renowned cosmetic dentist Dr. Bharat Agravat is going to arrange a one-day Aesthetic Dentistry Certification Course on 7th August (Sunday), 2016 in Ahmedabad, Gujarat for BDS degree holders.Dr. Bharat Agravat is highly-experienced, well-qualified and award winning cosmetic and dental implant surgeon, who has been working in this field since 1999, is going to host this certification course with a view to celebrating his 17th years of dentistry practicing.This course has been designed both for amateur and professional dentists who dream to pursue a successful dental career like Dr. Bharat Agravat's Cosmetic and Dental Implants Dentistry career. The One-Day Cosmetic Dentistry certificate course is clinically focused on and untrained stress on cosmetic dentistry procedures as well as clinical demos relatively than theory and consist of state-of-the-art training strategies like multimedia animated demo.The faculty of this Aesthetic dentistry one-day certificate course will include Dr. Bharat Agravat - Dr. Vaibhav Parrek - Specialized Orthodontist, Dr. Dhaval Charan - Oral Diagnosis & Oral Cancer Specialist, Dr. Charmi Jain - Coordinator, and Naimik Sukhdia - Course assistant. Dr. Bharat Agravat, together with his team has specially designed this course so that its attendees may get maximum knowledge within minimum time.Dr. Bharat Agravat says, "The course will be pleasurable for the novices as well as the professionals to learn the most important concepts of Aesthetic Dentistry practically from these specialized and popular cosmetic and dental implant surgeons. The numbers of seats are limited, so be hurry to register as early as possible."Candidates, who will register before 18 July 2016, will be awarded the following certificates and avail Cosmetic Dentistry Materials (worth Rs 9000/-) also many more early bird offers on registration:1. Two Cosmetic Applia Teeth Whitening Paint-On Applicator - Photosensitive Gel Syringe from Smile Labs- USA (Worth RS 5000/-)2. Composite Restorative Syringe (worth Rs 1200/-)3. Clear Path Invisible Braces Gift Voucher (Worth Rs 1000/-)4. Trident Dental Lab (valid in lab work) Gift Voucher (worth Rs 500/-)5. Direct Composite Veneer Anterior Procedure Video CD6. Certificate from Clear Path Healthcare Services PVT LTD7. Dr. Bharat Agravat Dental Academy CertificateFor further information and details about Dr. Bharat Agravat's Aesthetic dentistry one-day certificate course, please visitAbout Dr. Bharat Agravat:Dr. Bharat Agravat, India's iconic cosmetic implant dentist, who reached the zenith of this field in Ahmadabad Gujarat. This award winning Cosmetic and Dental Implant Surgeon offers comprehensive Cosmetic, Dental Implants procedures, and Instant smile makeover at affordable rates in his clinic.Dr. Bharat AgravatCosmetic Implants DentistMohini Complex, First Floor, Beside Pride Hotel. Near Judges Bungalow Road, Satellite, Bodakdev.Email: dragravat9@rediffmail.comMobile/WhatsApp: +91 98257 63666Website:Best Cosmetic Implant Dentist India:Ultimate Instant Dental Smile Makeover India:Affordable dental implants cost in Ahmedabad India: dentalimplant.agravat.com/ Global Energy Sector Composites Industry 2016 Market Analysis, Environmental Survey, In-depth Research & Emerging Applications http://www.qyresearchreports.com/report/global-energy-sector-composites-consumption-industry-2016-market-research-report.htm http://www.qyresearchreports.com Every company needs to transform itself and diversify its perceptions in order to stay relevant to its loyal consumer base. To embrace change, the ones heralding operations have to re-strategize and rework plans to adapt to the ever-changing needs and evolve with them. In order to do so, understanding the market is exceptionally important. For the same purpose, the global Energy Sector Composites market research report provides its readers a chance to evaluate the global Energy Sector Composites market and understand the various trend and dynamics that are likely to impact it, in the coming years.Investments are an integral part of a markets growth. They play a defining role in its success and its trajectory. To understand their impact in the global Energy Sector Composites market, the researchers have studied the flow investments in this market and estimated growth they are likely to create. Furthermore, the research report also segments the global Energy Sector Composites market on the basis of technology, geography, application, and end users to understand the elements that are supporting the segments and sub-segments as well as the ones hampering their growth.For understanding the segments in greater depth, the researchers have used a SWOT analysis that identifies the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats shaping the future of these segments of the global Energy Sector Composites marketThe industry experts have also provided a fair analysis of the competitive landscape of the global Energy Sector Composites market. To elucidate this point, the researchers have profiled the key players operating in the overall market and sheds light on details such as their financial overview, research and development activities, investment outlook, business and marketing strategies, and expansion plans for the near future. This thoroughly research document promises to be instrumental to making ground-breaking business strategies for its readers who envision brighter futures.Browse Complete Report with TOC @QYresearchreports.com delivers the latest strategic market intelligence to build a successful business footprint in China. Our syndicated and customized research reports provide companies with vital background information of the market and in-depth analysis on the Chinese trade and investment framework, which directly affects their business operations. Reports from QYReseachReports.com feature valuable recommendations on how to navigate in the extremely unpredictable yet highly attractive Chinese market.QYResearchReports1820 AvenueM Suite #1047Brooklyn, NY 11230United StatesToll Free: 866-997-4948 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-518-618-1030Web:Email: sales@qyresearchreports.com TatvaSoft added competitive benefits by remodelling and modernizing IconEdit Tool for its client TatvaSoft, a CMMI ML3 Software Development Company from Melbourne, has restructured a clients existing IconEdit tool to serve them with competitive advantages. The re-designed IconEdit is a fast and lightweight tool that allows creating and modifying icon files. The tool is available for both novice and professional graphic designer to unleash their creativity. IconEdit is a user-friendly tool loaded with various editing features and other effects to enhance an icon.This IconEdit tool is a Microsoft Windows application that facilitates the graphic designers enrich icons without spending hefty fees on outsourcing their project. The designed tool is an ideal option for all business sizes to work on different icons in their project. Since icons hold importance in a software appearance, therefore having such a tool that easily turn the business ideas to quality icon benefits organization.IconEdit is a versatile tool available to edit icon using 20 drawing tools like pen, brush, gradient, text, color box and other customized options etc. Availability of this tool has helped the client in creating, loading, editing and saving rich icons in multiple formats. User can modify multiple icons in a single icon file. Rich icon include features like blur, drop shadow, outer glow, smooth and noise removal.This version of IconEdit supports multiple icon sizes of 16x16, 24x24, 32x32, 48x48, 64x64, and 128x128 in addition to custom size pixels. This also includes color depth of 1 bit (Monochromatic), 4 bit, 8 bit (256 color), 24 bit (True Color), and 32-bit images (also known as Windows XP Icons with alpha channel). The layers of the image enable the users to work on the specific portion without disturbing other parts of the icon. This tool also supports XP style icons.Having such IconEdit tool benefits the clients to stay ahead in the competition and design the icons meeting their business requirements. Creating high quality icons have become much easier for the client. The icon can be scaled perfectly and saved in three different formats. A common and widely use format is (.iep) file where the image is saved in multiple layers so that designer can edit it later. The second format is (.ico) where the image is saved as a single icon. The last format is bitmap (.bmp) where only the current image is saved excluding saving multiple images of the same icon.The IconEdit tool helps business to create their custom icons or edit any of their stock icons and use accordingly. It has helped the clients in increasing speed of their development process and launch the final product image with the image rich icon. Now, instead of spending long hours in designing image, using the IconEdit tool save designers time, hence increased their productivity.TatvaSoft Australia Pty Ltd is a Software Development Company based in Melbourne & Sydney. Our 14+ years of experience and vast global customer base helped us to be positioned as one of the most acknowledged software, web & mobile app development service provider. We expertise in varied technologies like .Net, Java, PHP, BizTalk server, Open Source, SharePoint, BI and Mobile.We bring the peace of mind & reliability of an Australian company, along with cost benefits & flexibility as we have a development centre in India. We cater to clients across the industries and different sizes right from SMEs to large corporate houses. Our relationship with our clients is built on mutual trust, respect and benefit.Level 23, HWT Tower, 40 City Road, Southbank Melbourne VIC 3006 BRIC In Vitro Diagnostics Market Driven by Increasing Investments in Healthcare Sector http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/bric-in-vitro-diagnostics.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=1168 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ Transparency Market Research (TMR) has announced a new market study in their catalog of market reports on the medical devices industry. The report covers the market for in vitro diagnostics in BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) and presents complete forecasts regarding the markets trajectory in the forecast period from 2012 to 2018. The report is titled BRIC In-Vitro Diagnostics (IVD) Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2012 - 2018 and is available for sale on TMRs official website.To access full report, please visit :In vitro diagnostics comprises various diagnostic tests done on samples in a controlled environment. In contrast to in vivo testing, in vitro diagnostics is marked by the testing being conducted outside a living organism. The market for in vitro diagnostics is growing in BRIC economies along with the booming medical devices and healthcare industry in the dynamic countries. This is a major growth driver for the BRIC in vitro diagnostics market and is expected to remain so in the coming years.The booming economies of BRIC countries have led to an increase in healthcare expenditure, along with a steady expansion of medical facilities to extend the availability of top-notch medical services in rural regions. This is a prime driver for the BRIC in vitro diagnostics market. The booming economies of these countries have also given the masses the disposable income required to avail advanced medical services, driving the demand for in vitro diagnostics. The increasing awareness about healthcare among the increasing urban population in these countries has also provided a major boost to the in vitro diagnostics market.The lack of widespread medical services in BRIC countries at present has been recognized by global healthcare market players as a promising opportunity in the coming years. As a result, investment in the healthcare market in BRIC countries from foreign multinational companies is increasing rapidly. This is another crucial driver for the BRIC in vitro diagnostics market.On the other hand, the undeveloped healthcare sector in these regions means the regulatory framework will need some time to incorporate the various guidelines and contingencies arising in in vitro diagnostics. This is expected to be a key restraint on the BRIC in vitro diagnostics market in the forecast period.By application, clinical chemistry emerged as the largest segment of the BRIC in vitro diagnostics market in 2011. However, molecular diagnostics is expected to exhibit the fastest growth rate of all application segments of the BRIC in vitro diagnostics market in the forecast period. Apart from these two, other major applications of in vitro diagnostics are cytology, immunology, hematology, cardiac markers, and microbiology.Request A Sample Of This Report:Regionally, China is expected to be the largest segment of the BRIC in vitro diagnostics market in the coming years. Major players profiled in the report include Becton, Dickinson, and Co., Beckman Coulter Inc., Abbott Diagnostics, and Roche Diagnostics Ltd.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.Contact us:Mr. Sudip STransparency Market Research90 State Street,Suite 700,AlbanyNY - 12207United StatesTel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free 866-552-3453Email:A sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Global Secure Web Gateway Market Size, Share, Trends, Growth and Forecast 2021 - Acute Market Reports http://www.acutemarketreports.com/report/global-secure-web-gateway-market http://www.acutemarketreports.com/category/ict-market http://www.acutemarketreports.com The global secure web gateway market is estimated to reach $6 billion by 2021 growing at the CAGR of 21% during 2015-2021. The growing internet penetration and the extensive use of internet have given rise to incidence of malware threats. Other major driver is the rising demand among businesses for enhancing productivity through secure data transfer across mobile devices. Moreover, adherence to various data security standards, restore the need to adopt various secure web gateway solutions. However, the market is witnessing various challenges such as lack of awareness for secure web gateway solutions and lack of adoption among enterprises. Some of the major players in the global secure web gateway market include Check Point Software Technologies, Sophos Ltd., Microsoft Corporation, Dell, Citrix, IBM Corporation, Trend Micro, Inc., Cisco Systems, Inc., Symantec Corporation, and Intel Corporation and so on.Browse Full Report Visit -Organizations are rapidly deploying cloud computing into their business models. Almost all the industrial sectors such as telecom & IT, BFSI, education, healthcare, government, and retail are integrating their data in cloud. This has created a significant threat for data security. Thus, they are rapidly deploying secure web gateway solutions for secure intelligence and enhanced network optimization. Currently IT and communications secure over 20% market share in 2014. However, Healthcare is expected to be the fastest growing segment during 2015-2021. Healthcare organizations are rapidly moving their data into cloud which has created a significant opportunity for the adoption of secure web gateways solution in the sector.The report segmented secure web gateway market on the basis of software solutions, services, deployment type, applications and region. The country level analysis of each geographical region is the USP of our report. The analysis of the report is based on various parameters such as Growing incidences of cyber crime, Growing number of internet users, growing incidence of data breaches across geography and so on. The data is collected through primary and secondary research. The report provides detailed analysis of key market players and their strategies.Company Profiles1. Symantec Corporation2. Intel Corporation (McAfee)3. IBM Corporation4. Cisco Systems, Inc.5. Check Point Software Technologies6. Microsoft Corporation7. Dell8. Citrix9. Trend Micro, Inc.10. Sophos Ltd.11. Websense12. Blue Coat Systems13. Barracuda Networks14. F5 Networks, Inc.15. Trustwave Holdings, Inc.16. Ancoris Ltd.17. Riverbed Technology18. Zscaler, Inc.19. Finjan Holdings, Inc.20. ClearswiftBrowse All Reports of This Category -This Acute Market Reports covers1. Historical data2. Revenue forecasts, growth rates and CAGR up to 20213. Industry Analysis4. Competitive Analysis5. Key geographic growth data1. Executive summary1.1. Market estimation methodology2. Market overview2.1. Market definition & scope2.2. Key findings2.3. Parametric analysis2.3.1. Growing incidences of cyber crime2.3.2. Growing number of internet users2.3.3. Growing incidence of data breaches across geography2.4. Key market insights2.4.1. Top 3 emerging countries2.4.2. Top solutions adopted in business2.4.3. Top 3 emerging applications2.4.4. Winning strategy of the market2.5. Porters five forces analysis2.5.1. Threat from existing rivalriesAbout - Acute Market Reports :Acute Market Reports is the most sufficient collection of market intelligence services online. It is your only source that can fulfill all your market research requirements.We provide online reports from over 100 best publishers and upgrade our collection regularly to offer you direct online access to the worlds most comprehensive and recent database with expert perceptions on worldwide industries, products, establishments and trends.Our team consists of highly motivated market research professionals and they are accountable for creating the groundbreaking technology that we utilize in our search engine operations to easily recognize the most current market research reports online.Contact Us :Chris PaulACUTE MARKET REPORTSOffice No 101, 1st Floor ,Aditi Mall, Baner,Pune, MH, 411045IndiaToll Free(US/CANADA): +1-855-455-8662India: +91 7755981103Email : sales@acutemarketreports.comWebsite : Tequila Market In The US Will Grow At A CAGR Of 3.67% By Revenue During The Period 2016-2020 http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=729257 http://www.researchmoz.us/tequila-market-in-us-2016-2020-report.html http://www.researchmoz.us/latest-report.html http://www.researchmoz.us/ http://bit.ly/1TBmnVG Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Tequila Market in US 2016-2020" to its huge collection of research reports.Tequila is distilled from the blue agave plant, which native to Mexico. It is made either from 51% or 100% agave, and the resultant spirit is priced accordingly. Tequila usually contains 38%-40% alcohol content depending on the government regulations or laws. The tequila market in the US accounts for a small market share in the global alcohol industry.Technavios analysts forecast the tequila market in the US to grow at a CAGR of 3.67% by revenue during the period 2016-2020.To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @Covered in this reportThe report covers the present scenario and the growth prospects of the tequila market in the US for 2016-2020. To calculate the market size, the report considers revenue generated from the retail sales of tequila in terms of revenue and volume.New report, Tequila Market in the US 2016-2020, has been prepared based on an in-depth market analysis with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the market landscape and its growth prospects over the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market.Key vendorsBeam SuntoryBrown-FormanDiageoTequila Cuervo la RojeaThe Patrn Spirits CompanyBrowse Detail Report With TOC @Other prominent vendorsArta TequilaCia Tequilera Los ValoresHacienda La CapillaJuarez TequilaPernod RicardProximo SpiritsBorco InternationalTequila CazadoresTequila QuioteMarket driverGrowing cocktail cultureFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket challengeAvailability of counterfeit products and adulterated drinksFor a full, detailed list, view our reportMarket trendNew product launchesFor a full, detailed list, view our reportKey questions answered in this reportWhat will the market size be in 2020 and what will the growth rate be?What are the key market trends?What is driving this market?What are the challenges to market growth?Who are the key vendors in this market space?What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the key vendors?What are the strengths and weaknesses of the key vendors?For Market Research Latest Reports Visit @About ResearchMozResearchMoz is the one stop online destination to find and buy market research reports & Industry Analysis. We fulfill all your research needs spanning across industry verticals with our huge collection of market research reports. We provide our services to all sizes of organizations and across all industry verticals and markets. Our Research Coordinators have in-depth knowledge of reports as well as publishers and will assist you in making an informed decision by giving you unbiased and deep insights on which reports will satisfy your needs at the best price.Mr. NachiketState Tower,90 State Street,Suite 700,Albany NY - 12207United StatesWebsite @Tel: 866-997-4948 (Us-Canada Toll Free)Tel: +1-518-621-2074Follow us on LinkedIn @ Growing adoption of High-Availability Servers Across the Banking and Financial Services Sector http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=11333 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Global High-Availability Server Market:High-availability systems are capable of working over long durations without any breakdown or failure. Due to the generation of a large amount of critical data in present times, high-availability servers are in demand as they offer higher stability, flexibility, reliability, and speed along with almost zero probability of system failure. The various hardware and software components in high-availability servers are specifically designed and thoroughly tested to serve over extended periods of time. The global high-availability server market is expected to witness positive growth with the rising demand for these servers across various end-use industries, where system failures can lead to huge losses.High-availability servers are extensively used across various sectors such as telecommunications, banking, financial services, and insurance (BFSI), retail, manufacturing, medical, health care, and public. The demand for high-availability servers from the BFSI sector is particularly high owing to the growing requirement to store a large amount of critical data. In terms of operating system, high-availability servers can be classified into Linux, UNIX, Windows, FreeBSD, and others including Debian, CentOS, and Fedora. Currently, the demand for Windows operating system-based high-availability servers is the highest.On the basis of availability level, the global high-availability server market has been segmented into availability level 1, availability level 2, availability level 3, availability level 4, and availability level 5. These levels are based on the configuration of servers including storage capacity of HDD, number of virtual CPUs, and size of Random Access Memory (RAM). The configuration of high-availability servers varies according to their applications across different sectors.Global High-Availability Server Market: OverviewThe growing adoption of high-availability servers across the banking and financial services sector has propelled the growth of the global high-availability server market. In the banking sector, a large amount of confidential and critical data needs to be stored and accessed round the clock. As a result, high-availability servers are widely used to ensure the security of data. These high-availability servers ensure low or almost zero risk of system failure, thereby letting organizations run their business smoothly without any interruptions in accessing business applications and data resources. Extensive research activities dedicated toward the development of advanced and true fault tolerant infrastructure have further augmented the growth of the market. For data storage, the redundant array of independent disk (RAID) approach is used widely in high-availability servers. Furthermore, the storage area network (SAN) approach has been lately introduced for the effective functioning of high-availability servers.Get More Information :However, the installation costs of high availability servers are high and this is expected to negatively affect the growth of the global high-availability server market. Lack of awareness about high-availability servers has also restrained the markets growth. The overall market has a huge scope to grow with rising demand from small and medium enterprises.Global High-Availability Server Market: Region-wise OutlookThe global high-availability server market has been segmented into four key geographical segments: Europe, North America, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World. So far, North America has been a dominant region in the global market. However, during the forecast period, Asia Pacific is expected to drive the growth of the market owing to the rising demand from various end-use sectors such as banking and financial services.Some of the key players in the global high-availability server market are International Business Machines (IBM) Corporation, CenterServ, Dell Inc., NEC Corporation, HP Development Company, L.P., Oracle Corporation, and Unisys Global Technologies. The market players are focusing on emerging economies where the rapid growth of industries has led to a growing demand for high-availability servers.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 insights for 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, TMR employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.ContactMr. Sudip. S90 State Street Suite 700Albany NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Maharashtra Government grants minority status to Jews Published: June 22, 2016 Maharashtra Government has accorded minority status to Jews in the state as per the provisions of the Maharashtra State Minorities Commission Act, 2004. Decision in this regard was taken at the state cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in Mumbai. With this, Maharashtra becomes second state in the country to accord minority status to Jews after West Bengal. Key Facts As per the 2001 population census, there are 4,650 Jews in the country of whom 2,466 are based in Maharashtra. With minority status, the Jews in the state can be counted independently as a religious minority along with Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Sikhs, Parsis and Jains. The status will now make the community eligible to avail various development schemes that the state launches for the minority community. The community will now get benefits of merit-cum-means scholarship, post-matric scholarship, pre-matric scholarship, coaching and allied schemes and multi-sectoral development programme that the government runs for minorities. Educational institutes run by Jews now will be eligible to get benefit of minority status including reserving seats for members of their own community. The Maharashtra State Minorities Commission Act, 2004 empowers the state government to declare a community minority. Earlier in October 2006, the state government had declared Christians, Sikhs, Muslims, Buddhists, Jains and Parsees religious minorities. Month: Current Affairs - June, 2016 Topics: Jews Maharashtra minority States Latest E-Books Remote SIM Provisioning Market: provides Secure and Authenticated access to Mobile Networks http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=11510 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com Global Remote SIM Provisioning Market: OverviewSubscriber identity module (SIM) provides secure and authenticated access to mobile networks. Remote SIM provisioning is built on existing SIM technology to support emerging technological advancements. Remote SIM provisioning can be updated over-the-air (OTA) and it stores one or more network operator profiles. It enables swapping and switching from one network provider to another without physically changing the SIM.It allows mobile operators to provide reliable, scalable and secure connectivity. It unites the operator, SIM suppliers with a single specification to avoid fragmented and incompatible technical solutions. It assists selection and download of mobile network operator profile with fast activation of services.Global remote SIM provisioning technology is a step towards digitization. It allows end users to centrally manage all of their connected devices. Few of these include connected cars, M2M devices and consumer electronics such as, headsets, wearable electronics and tablets.Global Remote SIM Provisioning Market: DriversMobile connected devices are expected to increase the remote SIM provisioning market as currently mobile network is being used to connect various types of devices/products such as intelligent connectivity of commercial vehicles to access navigation, automated reading of utility meters and home security and assisted living. Need for simplified remote management of relevant subscribers in M2M devices is the need of hour and hence remote Sim provisioning fulfills the gap. The GSMA Embedded SIM Specification provides a standard mechanism for remote SIM management and provisioning of M2M devices connecting over-the-air (OTA) which includes seamless mobile connections for all types of connected machines. It enables switching from one operator subscription to another thereby reducing the possible theft through SIM card integration within device.Get More Information :The flexibility offered by remote SIM provisioning enables M2M device manufacturers to achieve high production volumes efficiently. Initially designed for the automotive sector, the GSMA Embedded SIM Specification has found wide adoption and became the main approach for embedded SIMs in M2M devices.The drivers for global remote SIM provisioning market are limitation of traditional SIM such as manual SIM card switching for B2B customers, optimize manufacturing process (by giving global product with local provisioning when deployed in the field), profile interoperability and ability to manage M2M devices located remotely.Global Remote SIM Provisioning Market: OpportunitiesThe opportunities for global remote SIM provisioning market are emerging technology such as M2M connected devices, consumer electronics sector and IoT (Smart appliances, variety of future data-sensor applications and Wearable gadgets collectively referred as the Internet of Things). Automotive market is expected to contribute to the remote SIM provisioning market growth as integration of SIM management and provisioning with automotive devices is anticipated to have strong demand over the coming years.Wearable device market currently use connecting technologies (such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, NFC) method however remote SIM provisioning is expected to grow as it would eliminate the need of including SIM housing components and help maximize the space available in the device and thus creating more embedded devices..Global Remote SIM Provisioning Market: Competitive InsightOne of the major consumer electronic giants has recently adopted the SIM provisioning system in their smart devices. Apple, Inc. shifted from traditional SIM to remote SIM provisioning by launching iPad Air and iPad Mini models with remote SIM provisioning, helping consumers to purchase prepaid data packages from more than one operator and select which package to use at different time and location through device settings. The key players include; for SIM and chipset vendors Gemalto, Giesecke & Devrient, Morpho (Safran), Oasis Smart SIM, Oberthur Technologies, Qualcomm, STMicroelectronics, and Valid. For ODM; Apple, Huawei, LG, Microsoft, Samsung and Sony and telecom equipment Nokia, Ericsson, Huawei, ZTE and Cisco Systems.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 insights for 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, TMR employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques to develop distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.ContactMr. Sudip. S90 State Street Suite 700Albany NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: System Health Checker improved security and performance of the hardware and software system in a connected network TatvaSoft, a leading Software Development Company based in New Jersey, USA has helped one of its Italy based clients with a System Health Checker solution. The system was developed using the Microsoft Technology that provides the broad assessment of the software and hardware malfunctioning which are connected in an IT network. This has helped the client in identifying the potential errors in the system and rectify them before they actually evoke.The system examined the running efficiency of the software and hardware is a network at the peak time. It helped the user in assessing the system and identify the areas that need improvement. The ultimate goal is to optimize the systems connected in the network which will help to achieve the company objectives. A complete analysis of the system (Software, Hardware, and Network) is done by the deployment of the 60 plug-ins in every facet of the system. The result of this analysis is presented in the asset module.The system has a Software Distribution module which distributes the system desktop version. To ensure that the system analysis does not consume much power, a Power Management module is available that helps in saving power and energy. The system also facilitates a complete tracking of their users request. Availability of the Health Checker System has resulted in managing and controlling the performance of the clients system. This performance monitoring system has centralized all client-servers which resulted in detecting any possible anomalies.A complete control is given to the system to detect the presence of any service and start/stop it as and when required. The client has got a complete inventory system to identify the number of hardware and software installed in the premises. The system performs 60 items check at a regular periodic interval and generate a report to display the status of each.With this expert system, the user can remotely control and manage machines. A central interface performs multiple operations like processes interruption, real time checks, services restart and system reboot. Also, user can set the power saving parameters for their workstations where they can turn off the power when not required. The client got the facility to recognize the challenges that can emerge with their system. They can now diagnose the issue in more detail and optimize the system performance. With the periodic check using the System Health Checker, now the complete system can perform a high level of the task.TatvaSoft is a CMMi Level 3 and Microsoft Gold Certified Software Development Company offering custom software development services on diverse technology platforms, like Microsoft .NET, SharePoint, Java, PHP, Open Source, Big Data, BI, and Mobile.With the rich and varied experience of 14+ years in software development and stringent quality standards, we offer utmost qualitative, on-time and cost-effective software solutions. We serve clientele across the industries and globe with offices in US, Canada, UK, Australia, and Development Center in India with a workforce of 500+ IT professionals. We have successfully completed 1600+ projects with 700+ SMEs and Fortune 500 companies.33 Wood Avenue South, Suite 630, Iselin, New Jersey, USA 08830 QYResearch:United States Gel Batteries Industry Market Research Report 2016 http://qyresearchglobal.com/ https://www.facebook.com/QYResearch.Lemon/ https://twitter.com/QYResearchLemon http://qyresearchglobal.com/ Report SummaryThe United States Gel Batteries Industry Market Research Report 2016 is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Gel Batteries industry.The report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Gel Batteries market analysis is provided for the United States markets including development trends, competitive landscape analysis, and key regions development status.Development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and Bill of Materials cost structures are also analyzed. This report also states import/export consumption, supply and demand Figures, cost, price, revenue and gross margins.The report focuses on United States major leading industry players providing information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, capacity, production, price, cost, revenue and contact information. Upstream raw materials and equipment and downstream demand analysis is also carried out. The Gel Batteries industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed. Finally the feasibility of new investment projects are assessed and overall research conclusions offered.With 188 tables and figures the report provides key statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market.Ask a sample or any question, please email to:lemon@qyresearchglobal.com or lemon@qyresearch.comKey Topics Covered:Chapter One Industry OverviewChapter Two Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Gel BatteriesChapter Three Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants AnalysisChapter Four Production Analysis of Gel Batteries by Regions, Technology, and ApplicationsChapter Five Sales and Revenue Analysis of Gel Batteries by RegionsChapter Six Analysis of Gel Batteries Production, Supply, Sales and Market Status 2010-2016Chapter Seven Analysis of Gel Batteries Industry Key ManufacturersChapter Eight Price and Gross Margin AnalysisChapter Nine Marketing Trader or Distributor Analysis of Gel BatteriesChapter Ten Development Trend of Gel Batteries Industry 2016-2020Chapter Eleven Industry Chain Suppliers of Gel Batteries with Contact InformationChapter Twelve New Project Investment Feasibility Analysis of Gel BatteriesChapter Thirteen Conclusion of the United States Gel Batteries Industry Report 2016Main Chapter Showed7 Analysis of Gel Batteries Industry Key Manufacturers7.1 EXIDE7.1.1 Company Profile7.1.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.1.2.1 Type I7.1.2.2 Type II7.1.2.3 Type III7.1.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.1.4 Contact Information7.2 Enersys7.2.1 Company Profile7.2.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.2.2.1 Type I7.2.2.2 Type II7.2.2.3 Type III7.2.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.2.4 Contact Information7.3 Sacred Sun7.3.1 Company Profile7.3.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.3.2.1 Type I7.3.2.2 Type II7.3.2.3 Type III7.3.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.3.4 Contact Information7.4 VISION7.4.1 Company Profile7.4.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.4.2.1 Type I7.4.2.2 Type II7.4.2.3 Type III7.4.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.4.4 Contact Information7.5 Shoto7.5.1 Company Profile7.5.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.5.2.1 Type I7.5.2.2 Type II7.5.2.3 Type III7.5.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.5.4 Contact Information7.6 FIAMM7.6.1 Company Profile7.6.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.6.2.1 Type I7.6.2.2 Type II7.6.2.3 Type III7.6.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.6.4 Contact Information7.7 HUAFU7.7.1 Company Profile7.7.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.7.2.1 Type I7.7.2.2 Type II7.7.2.3 Type III7.7.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.7.4 Contact Information7.8 Hoppecke7.8.1 Company Profile7.8.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.8.2.1 Type I7.8.2.2 Type II7.8.2.3 Type III7.8.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.8.4 Contact Information7.9 DYNAVOLT7.9.1 Company Profile7.9.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.9.2.1 Type I7.9.2.2 Type II7.9.2.3 Type III7.9.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.9.4 Contact Information7.10 LEOCH7.10.1 Company Profile7.10.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.10.2.1 Type I7.10.2.2 Type II7.10.2.3 Type III7.10.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.10.4 Contact Information7.11 Coslight7.11.1 Company Profile7.11.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.11.2.1 Type I7.11.2.2 Type II7.11.2.3 Type III7.11.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.11.4 Contact Information7.12 C&D Technologies7.12.1 Company Profile7.12.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.12.2.1 Type I7.12.2.2 Type II7.12.2.3 Type III7.12.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.12.4 Contact Information7.13 East Penn7.13.1 Company Profile7.13.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.13.2.1 Type I7.13.2.2 Type II7.13.2.3 Type III7.13.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.13.4 Contact Information7.14 Trojan7.14.1 Company Profile7.14.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.14.2.1 Type I7.14.2.2 Type II7.14.2.3 Type III7.14.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.14.4 Contact Information7.15 FENGFAN7.15.1 Company Profile7.15.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.15.2.1 Type I7.15.2.2 Type II7.15.2.3 Type III7.15.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.15.4 Contact Information7.16 SEC7.16.1 Company Profile7.16.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.16.2.1 Type I7.16.2.2 Type II7.16.2.3 Type III7.16.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.16.4 Contact Information...Related Reports:Global Gel Batteries Industry Market Research Report 2016China Gel Batteries Industry Market Research Report 2016Europe Gel Batteries Industry Market Research Report 2016Japan Gel Batteries Industry Market Research Report 2016India Gel Batteries Industry Market Research Report 2016Would like to place an order or any question, please feel free to contact me~O(_)O~Contact : LemonMoblie No: +86-13660469419Email: lemon@qyresearchglobal.comWeb:Facebook:Twitter :About QYResearch LtdQYResearch Focus on Market Survey and ResearchQYResearch established in 2007, focus on custom research, management consulting, IPO consulting, industry chain research, data base and seminar services. the company owned a large basic data base (such as National Bureau of statistics database, Customs import and export database, Industry Association Database etc), experts resources (included energy automotive chemical medical ICT consumer goods etc industries experts who own more than 10 years experiences on marketing or R&D), professional survey team (the team member with more than 3 years market survey experience and more than 2 years depth expert interview experience). Excellent data analysis team (SPSS statistics and PPT graphics process team).Contact : LemonApt 1408 1785 Riverside Drive Ottawa, ON, K1G 3T7 CanadaMoblie No: +86-13660469419Email: lemon@qyresearchglobal.comWeb: QYResearch- United States Lauric Acid Industry Market Research Report 2016 http://qyresearchglobal.com/ https://www.facebook.com/QYResearch.Lemon/ https://twitter.com/QYResearchLemon http://qyresearchglobal.com/ https://www.facebook.com/QYResearch.Lemon/ https://twitter.com/QYResearchLemon Report SummaryThe United States Lauric Acid Industry Market Research Report 2016 is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the Lauric Acid industry.The report provides a basic overview of the industry including definitions, classifications, applications and industry chain structure. The Lauric Acid market analysis is provided for the United States markets including development trends, competitive landscape analysis, and key regions development status.Development policies and plans are discussed as well as manufacturing processes and Bill of Materials cost structures are also analyzed. This report also states import/export consumption, supply and demand Figures, cost, price, revenue and gross margins.The report focuses on United States major leading industry players providing information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, capacity, production, price, cost, revenue and contact information. Upstream raw materials and equipment and downstream demand analysis is also carried out. The Lauric Acid industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed. Finally the feasibility of new investment projects are assessed and overall research conclusions offered.With 188 tables and figures the report provides key statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market.Ask a sample or any question, please email to:lemon@qyresearchglobal.com or lemon@qyresearch.comKey Topics Covered:Chapter One Industry OverviewChapter Two Manufacturing Cost Structure Analysis of Lauric AcidChapter Three Technical Data and Manufacturing Plants AnalysisChapter Four Production Analysis of Lauric Acid by Regions, Technology, and ApplicationsChapter Five Sales and Revenue Analysis of Lauric Acid by RegionsChapter Six Analysis of Lauric Acid Production, Supply, Sales and Market Status 2010-2016Chapter Seven Analysis of Lauric Acid Industry Key ManufacturersChapter Eight Price and Gross Margin AnalysisChapter Nine Marketing Trader or Distributor Analysis of Lauric AcidChapter Ten Development Trend of Lauric Acid Industry 2016-2020Chapter Eleven Industry Chain Suppliers of Lauric Acid with Contact InformationChapter Twelve New Project Investment Feasibility Analysis of Lauric AcidChapter Thirteen Conclusion of the United States Lauric Acid Industry Report 2016Main Chapter Showed7 Analysis of Lauric Acid Industry Key Manufacturers7.1 Wilmar7.1.1 Company Profile7.1.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.1.2.1 Type I7.1.2.2 Type II7.1.2.3 Type III7.1.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.1.4 Contact Information7.2 KLK OLEO7.2.1 Company Profile7.2.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.2.2.1 Type I7.2.2.2 Type II7.2.2.3 Type III7.2.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.2.4 Contact Information7.3 IOI Oleochemicals7.3.1 Company Profile7.3.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.3.2.1 Type I7.3.2.2 Type II7.3.2.3 Type III7.3.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.3.4 Contact Information7.4 Musim Mas7.4.1 Company Profile7.4.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.4.2.1 Type I7.4.2.2 Type II7.4.2.3 Type III7.4.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.4.4 Contact Information7.5 Oleon7.5.1 Company Profile7.5.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.5.2.1 Type I7.5.2.2 Type II7.5.2.3 Type III7.5.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.5.4 Contact Information7.6 KAO7.6.1 Company Profile7.6.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.6.2.1 Type I7.6.2.2 Type II7.6.2.3 Type III7.6.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.6.4 Contact Information7.7 Permata Hijau7.7.1 Company Profile7.7.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.7.2.1 Type I7.7.2.2 Type II7.7.2.3 Type III7.7.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.7.4 Contact Information7.8 Pacific Oleochemicals7.8.1 Company Profile7.8.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.8.2.1 Type I7.8.2.2 Type II7.8.2.3 Type III7.8.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.8.4 Contact Information7.9 PT.Cisadane Raya7.9.1 Company Profile7.9.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.9.2.1 Type I7.9.2.2 Type II7.9.2.3 Type III7.9.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.9.4 Contact Information7.10 Emery7.10.1 Company Profile7.10.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.10.2.1 Type I7.10.2.2 Type II7.10.2.3 Type III7.10.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.10.4 Contact Information7.11 PT.SUMI ASIH7.11.1 Company Profile7.11.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.11.2.1 Type I7.11.2.2 Type II7.11.2.3 Type III7.11.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.11.4 Contact Information7.12 Bakrie Group7.12.1 Company Profile7.12.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.12.2.1 Type I7.12.2.2 Type II7.12.2.3 Type III7.12.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.12.4 Contact Information7.13 SOCI7.13.1 Company Profile7.13.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.13.2.1 Type I7.13.2.2 Type II7.13.2.3 Type III7.13.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.13.4 Contact Information7.14 Godrej Industries7.14.1 Company Profile7.14.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.14.2.1 Type I7.14.2.2 Type II7.14.2.3 Type III7.14.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.14.4 Contact Information7.15 AAK AB7.15.1 Company Profile7.15.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.15.2.1 Type I7.15.2.2 Type II7.15.2.3 Type III7.15.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.15.4 Contact Information7.16 VVF7.16.1 Company Profile7.16.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.16.2.1 Type I7.16.2.2 Type II7.16.2.3 Type III7.16.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.16.4 Contact Information...Related Reports:Global Lauric Acid Industry Market Research Report 2016China Lauric Acid Industry Market Research Report 2016Europe Lauric Acid Industry Market Research Report 2016Japan Lauric Acid Industry Market Research Report 2016India Lauric Acid Industry Market Research Report 2016Would like to place an order or any question, please feel free to contact me~O(_)O~Contact : LemonMoblie No: +86-13660469419Email: lemon@qyresearchglobal.comWeb:Facebook:Twitter :About QYResearch LtdQYResearch Focus on Market Survey and ResearchQYResearch established in 2007, focus on custom research, management consulting, IPO consulting, industry chain research, data base and seminar services. the company owned a large basic data base (such as National Bureau of statistics database, Customs import and export database, Industry Association Database etc), experts resources (included energy automotive chemical medical ICT consumer goods etc industries experts who own more than 10 years experiences on marketing or R&D), professional survey team (the team member with more than 3 years market survey experience and more than 2 years depth expert interview experience). Excellent data analysis team (SPSS statistics and PPT graphics process team).Contact : LemonApt 1408 1785 Riverside Drive Ottawa, ON, K1G 3T7 CanadaMoblie No: +86-13660469419Email: lemon@qyresearchglobal.comWeb:Facebook:Twitter : Global Baby Safety Products Market 2016 Industry Trends, Sales, Supply, Forecast 2025 Baby Safety Products http://www.qymarketresearch.com/report/72779#request-sample A market study based on the " Baby Safety Products market " across the globe, recently added to the repository of QY Market research, is titled Global Baby Safety Products Market 2016. The research report analyzes the historical as well as present performance of the global Baby Safety Products Market , and makes predictions on the future status of Baby Safety Products market on the basis of this analysis.The report studies the market for Baby Safety Products across the globe taking the existing industry chain, the import and export statistics in Baby Safety Products market & dynamics of demand and supply of Baby Safety Products into consideration.Get Free Sample Of Report :The ' Baby Safety Products 'research study covers each and every aspect of the Baby Safety Products market globally, which starts from the definition of the Baby Safety Products market and develops towards Baby Safety Products market segmentations. Further, every segment of the Baby Safety Products market is classified and analyzed on the basis of product types, application, and the end-use industries of the Baby Safety Products market. The geographical segmentation of the Baby Safety Products market has also been covered at length in this report.The competitive landscape of the global market for Baby Safety Products is determined by evaluating the various market participants, production capacity, Baby Safety Products market's production chain, and the revenue generated by each manufacturer in the Baby Safety Products market worldwide.The global Baby Safety Products market 2016 is also analyzed on the basis of product pricing, Baby Safety Products production volume, data regarding demand and Baby Safety Products 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 Baby Safety Products 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 JohnSuite #8138, 3422 SW 15 Street,Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442United StatesToll Free: +1-855-465-4651 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-386-310-3803Website: QY Market ResearchEmail: sales@qymarketresearch.com Global Conference Room Tables for Cffices Market 2016 Industry Trends, Supply, Demand, Analysis 2025 Conference Room Tables for Cffices http://goo.gl/770bHI https://goo.gl/Rv7x9z A market study based on the " Conference Room Tables for Cffices market " across the globe, recently added to the repository of QY Market research, is titled Global Conference Room Tables for Cffices Market 2016. The research report analyzes the historical as well as present performance of the global Conference Room Tables for Cffices Market , and makes predictions on the future status of Conference Room Tables for Cffices market on the basis of this analysis.The report studies the market for Conference Room Tables for Cffices across the globe taking the existing industry chain, the import and export statistics in Conference Room Tables for Cffices market & dynamics of demand and supply of Conference Room Tables for Cffices into consideration.Get Free Sample Of Report :The ' Conference Room Tables for Cffices 'research study covers each and every aspect of the Conference Room Tables for Cffices market globally, which starts from the definition of the Conference Room Tables for Cffices market and develops towards Conference Room Tables for Cffices market segmentations. Further, every segment of the Conference Room Tables for Cffices market is classified and analyzed on the basis of product types, application, and the end-use industries of the Conference Room Tables for Cffices market. The geographical segmentation of the Conference Room Tables for Cffices market has also been covered at length in this report.The competitive landscape of the global market for Conference Room Tables for Cffices is determined by evaluating the various market participants, production capacity, Conference Room Tables for Cffices market's production chain, and the revenue generated by each manufacturer in the Conference Room Tables for Cffices market worldwide.Visit More Reports :The global Conference Room Tables for Cffices market 2016 is also analyzed on the basis of product pricing, Conference Room Tables for Cffices production volume, data regarding demand and Conference Room Tables for Cffices 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 Conference Room Tables for Cffices 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 JohnSuite #8138, 3422 SW 15 Street,Deerfield Beach, Florida 33442United StatesToll Free: +1-855-465-4651 (USA-CANADA)Tel: +1-386-310-3803 Medical Tourism Market to Expand at an Impressive 17.90% CAGR in Coming Years http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=900 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/medical-tourism.html http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com A market study on the global tourism market, recently published by Transparency Market Research (TMR) estimates this market to rise at an exceptional CAGR of 17.90% over the period from 2013 to 2019 and reach a value US$32.5 bn by the end of the forecast period.The research report, titled Medical Tourism Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2013 - 2019, states that the worldwide medical tourism market attained a value of US$10.5 bn in 2012.Industry Research Brochure:Medical tourism is defined as traveling from one location to another with a purpose to gain medical assistance. Generally, people from developing nations travel to developed countries for medical treatments that are unavailable in their own countries due to poor medical and healthcare infrastructure. However, in recent years, people residing in developed economies have also begun travelling to lesser developed countries in order to gain cost-efficient medical assistance.According to this study, the falling cost of medical procedures in the Philippines, India, Singapore, Thailand, Mexico, Malaysia, Brazil, Turkey, Taiwan, South Korea, Poland, Costa Rica, and Dubai is encouraging people to travel to these countries for their treatment and, in turn, is propelling the global medical tourism market significantly.In addition, the widening range of medical treatments available in these nations, coupled with technical advancements in the field of medical and healthcare, is likely to boost this market greatly during the forecast period, states the market report.In this study, the global medical tourism market is analyzed on the basis of its regional spread. India, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Brazil, Mexico, Turkey, Taiwan, and South Korea are the major medical tourism markets across the world.Download Report:Thailand has emerged as the most popular destination for cosmetic surgeries among the medical tourists from Western Europe. In 2012, this country had welcomed around 2.5 million foreign patients, accounting for approximately 45% of the overall number of foreign medical tourists arrived in Asia. However, Malaysia is likely to dominate the global medical tourism market in the coming years.Almost 0.7 million patients were treated in this nation in 2012. Analysts expect around 2 mn patients to gain medical assistance in Malaysia by the end of the forecast period, notes the research report.Transparency 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.Mr.Sudip S90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Global Snap Gauges Industry Driven by High Demand from Manufacturing Sector Market Research Hub http://www.marketresearchhub.com/report/global-snap-gauges-industry-2016-trends-and-forecast-report-report.html http://www.marketresearchhub.com/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=716420 http://www.marketresearchhub.com/ ALBANY, New York, June 22, 2016: Market Research Hub (MRH) has announced the addition of a new market study on the global snap gauges market. The report is titled Global Snap Gauges Industry 2016, Trends and Forecast Report. The report provides an in-depth market analysis of the snap gauges market which includes the growth prospects, the key trends, drivers, and opportunities. A comprehensive overview of the snap gauges market and its demographics has been included.The report introduces snap gauge basics such as definition, classification, and application. The industry chain overview, product specifications, and industry policies and plans are included. The manufacturing process and cost structure are studied in detail. The product price, profit, capacity utilization, demand, supply, and the industry growth rate have been analyzed. The investment feasibility and investment return analysis have also been included.Browse Full Report with TOC @A snap gauge is a type of go/no gauge which is a limit gauge with a permanently or temporarily fixed measurement aperture. A snap gauge is generally used to confirm if the dimension of a part matches a preset dimension or falls within predefined tolerances. A snap gauge has four jaws or anvils, where the outer pair is set to check the upper limit of a part and the inner pair is set to be adjusted to check the lower limit of a part.Snap gauges enable the manufacture of interchangeable parts. A snap gauge is an integral part of the quality process in a manufacturing industry. Snap gauges ensure interchangeability of parts between processes and between different manufacturers. These components do not return the actual size but to a state that is either acceptable (or within the tolerance level) or unacceptable. The unacceptable part is to be rejected and the acceptable part can be used as an interchangeable part.The snap gauge market is driven by high demand from the production sectors. Snap gauges are used extensively in factories as they require minimal skills in order to be used effectively. The high demand from the manufacturing industry is boosting the global snap gauges market. Snap gauges are often used when there is a huge quantity of work pieces to be inspected. Snap gauges increase the production speed of parts and are thus in demand.Request for Sample Report with TOC in a PDF Format:The report focuses on the regions such as North America, Europe, and Asia, covering countries such as U.S., Germany, China, and Japan. The leading players operating in the global snap gauge market have been profiled in the report. Details about key players such as business overview, financial overview, and recent developments have been given. The strategies adopted by the companies and the challenges faced by them are also stated.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 : North American flue gas desulphurization (FGD) market estimated to grow at a CAGR of 4.5% till 2019 http://www.micromarketmonitor.com/market/north-america-flue-gas-desulphurization-fgd-6655372270.html http://www.micromarketmonitor.com/contact/6655372270-download_pdf_brochure.html According to North America Flue Gas Desulphurization Market By Type (Wet FGD & Dry FGD), By Application (Power Generation, Chemical, Cement Manufacture, Iron and Steel & Others), By Countries - Regional Trend & Forecast to 2019, the North American flue gas desulphurization (FGD) market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 4.5% during the forecast period of 2014 to 2019.The burning of fossil fuel results in emission of flue gases, which mainly consist of nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, and particulate matter, among others. Sulphur dioxide is dangerous to human health and environment into, when it is released. Thus, to reduce environmental degradation and human health concerns, the regulation of air pollution has become mandatory across all regions worldwide, especially North America.The increasing environmental concerns have led to stringent air pollution control regulations, which is a major driver for the growth of the flue gas desulphurization market. Moreover, marketable byproducts and increasing industrialization are also driving the growth of flue gas desulphurization market in North America.The U.S. is the largest contributor to the North America flue gas desulphurization market owing to the stringent government regulations in the country regarding the treatment of flue gases. The growing energy demand is fueling the energy production in the region, and hence burning of fossil fuels is on the rise, thereby resulting in emission of air pollutants containing flue gas.Among the types of FGD, the wet FGD is preferred over dry FGD due to the higher efficiency of wet FGD in the treatment of sulphur dioxide. The wet FGD segment accounted for a share of over 85.0% of the North America market in 2013. However, the dry FGD market segment is projected to grow at a faster CAGR than the wet FGD segment in the coming years, due to its lower installation costs than wet FGD.The analysis is given by North America Flue Gas Desulphurization Market Report by Application, Type & Geography 2019, which categorizes the market by Type (Wet FGD & Dry FGD), By Application (Power Generation, Chemical, Cement Manufacture, Iron and Steel & Others), By Countries Regional Trend & Forecast to 2019.Know more at -PDF brochure of this research -About Report Publisher:MicroMarket Monitor identifies and attends to various unmet needs of different industrial verticals, which include value chain impact analysis. The company publishes about 12000 Market Research Reports on various Micro Markets across the world. The graphical nature and multidimensional analysis of these reports provide advanced Business Intelligence Tools to the clients in that particular target market.Contact:Mr. Priyank TiwariUNIT no 802, Tower No. 7, SEZMagarpatta City, HadapsarPune, Maharashtra 411013, IndiaTel - +1-888-502-0539 Global Soy and Milk Protein Ingredients Market to Exhibit 6% CAGR 2010-2018 Owing to High Demand among Health Conscious People http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=S&rep_id=746 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com The global soy and milk protein ingredients market is witnessing increased popularity these days, thanks to the numerous health benefits of these products and the rising awareness about the potential adverse health effects of animal proteins. The market and its crucial elements have been examined in a recent market research report published by Transparency Market Research. The report states that the market will exhibit a healthy 6% CAGR over the period from 2010 through 2018, and rise to a valuation of US$13000 mn by 2018 from US$8500 mn in 2010.The market is, however, expected to be restrained to a certain extent by issues regarding allergies and other health concerns arising from the use of genetically modified soy, and the inclusion of pea and certain animal proteins in products.The report is titled Global Soy & Milk Protein Ingredients Market - Industry Analysis, Market Size, Share, Growth And Forecast 2010 - 2018, and is available on the company website for sale.Download Free exclusive Sample of this report:Soy and milk protein ingredients make an important segment of the overall proteins market. These organic protein supplements are witnessing significant demand from the worlds health conscious demographic owing to the several economic and functional benefits of these products. Demand for soy protein ingredients, which are considered a satisfactory alternative to milk proteins, has also increased in the past few years owing to the rising numbers of lactose intolerant people across the globe.The report segments the global soy and milk protein ingredient market on the basis of three broad criteria: Ingredient type, application, and geography.On the basis of ingredient type, the market for soy protein ingredients has been segmented into soy isolates, soy protein hydrolysates, soy protein concentrates, soy flours, and other varieties. On the basis of application, the market for soy protein ingredients has been segmented into meat alternatives, bakery and confectionary, meat alternatives, dairy replacement, infant food, and functional food.The market for milk protein ingredients has been segmented into casein/caseinates, whey protein isolates, skimmed milk powder, whey protein hydrolysates, milk protein concentrates and isolates, and whey protein concentrates. From a geographical perspective, the market has been analyzed for North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, and Rest of the World.Of the key regional markets for soy and milk protein ingredients examined in the report, North America and Europe are presently the biggest consumers of these products. The market for soy and milk protein ingredients is progressing towards maturity in these regions. Over the forecast period, the market is expected to witness major expansion in Asia Pacific as the region has demonstrated huge demand for milk protein ingredients in the past years. The low cost and usage flexibility provided by milk protein concentrates is the major factor driving the demand for milk protein ingredients in the region.The report also gives an expansive account of the competitive landscape of the global soy and milk protein market. Some of the major vendors operating in the market profiled in the report are Solbar Ltd., Cargill Inc., ADM Inc., Scoular Company, and DuPont-Solae.Global Soy and Milk Protein Ingredients Market has been segmented as:Global Soy Protein Ingredients Market, by typesSoy Protein IsolatesSoy Protein ConcentratesSoy Protein HydrolysatesSoy FloursOthersGlobal Soy Protein Ingredients Market, by applicationsBakery and ConfectionaryMeat AlternativesFunctional FoodsDairy ReplacementInfant FoodsOthersGlobal Milk Protein Ingredients Market, by types:Milk Protein Concentrates and IsolatesCasein/ CaseinatesWhey Protein ConcentratesWhey Protein IsolatesWhey Protein HydrolysatesSkimmed Milk PowderOtherGlobal Soy and Milk Protein Ingredients Market, by Geography:North AmericaEuropeAsia-PacificRest of the World (RoW)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 S90 State Street, Suite 700Albany, NY 12207Tel: +1-518-618-1030USA - Canada Toll Free: 866-552-3453Email: sales@transparencymarketresearch.comWebsite: Union Government bans use of cancer causing chemical potassium bromate as food additive Published: June 21, 2016 The Union Government has banned use of potassium bromate (KbrO3) as a food additive as it is carcinogenic. Decision in this regard was taken by Union Health Ministry based on the recommendation of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). FSSAI had recommended the Health Ministry to remove potassium bromate from the list of permissible food additives after a study by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) found out that it is widely prevalent in bread and refined flour Background The study of CSE had found that 84% of 38 commonly available brands of pre-packaged breads, including buns and pav tested positive for potassium bromate and potassium iodate. These two food additives are banned in many countries and listed as hazardous for public health. However, FSSAI has banned use of potassium bromate and not potassium iodate. But as far as potassium iodate is concerned, it has been referred to a scientific panel. How and Why Potassium bromate is used? Potassium bromate is used as chemical additive in food items in the form of white crystals or powder. It is added to aid baking process as it strengthens the bread dough in order to raise it higher. The KbrO3 powder bleaches the bread dough and increases its elasticity by making tiny bubbles that help the bread rise. In India, the legal permissible limit to add Potassium bromate as chemical additive in food is 50 parts per million (ppm). But, high dosages of it are harmful. How it is harmful? A study conducted in Japan in 1982 has found that potassium bromate causes cancer. Following this, many countries including Japan, China, Australia and UK etc. have banned it. Some studies also have showed that potassium bromate is a genotoxic carcinogen i.e. a chemical agent that can damage genetic information, causing mutations. Month: Current Affairs - June, 2016 Topics: Food industry FSSAI Potassium bromate Public health Science and Technology Latest E-Books Asset Castle Investments Follows South Africa's Amplats Warn H1 Profit To Fall At Least 20 Percent Asset Castle Investments Closely Follows South Africas Amplats Warn H1 Profit To Fall At Least 20 Percent 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 AmericanAmplats, 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.Now that the oversupply worries and growth concerns in China the recent drop in platinum prices will surely be affected when the demands from the larger Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union are revealed stated investment analyst Jeremy Finch 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 Espire Infolabs Sponsors The Digital Customer Experience Strategies Summit, Europe www.espire.com London - June 22, 2016: Customer experience (CX) has emerged as the most powerful competitive differentiator for businesses today. Reason is the new age digital-savvy customer who does not hesitate to switch loyalties for better CX and services. As a result, global businesses are struggling to deliver compelling CX across multiple customer communication channels and in turn build strong customer loyalty.The Digital Customer Experience Strategies Summit, Europe brings together business leaders across the globe under one roof, to find answers to such complex new age customer engagement challenges. To be held from 30th June to 1st July 2016 at 8 Fenchurch Place, Central London, UK, this summit would see coming together of Chief Marketing Officers and senior leaders spearheading digital customer experience strategy, design, management and implementation across various industry verticals.Espire Infolabs is a sponsor of Digital Customer Experience Strategies Summit, Europe. Here, Espire would be showcasing its innovative digital experience solutions, which are empowering global businesses through its deep capabilities in Multi-Channel Customer Communication Management (MCCCM) and Digital Content Management (DCM).With Espires MCCCM solutions, businesses are reinventing delivery of their high volume on-demand, interactive, personalised and transactional multi-channel customer communications. And Espires DCM expertise is enabling businesses to enhance their brand value through its capabilities in designing and developing intranet, extranet, e-commerce or public facing websites and effortless digital content migrations to other platforms. Espire also offers mobile and cloud enablement and also managed support for all its MCCCM and DCM services.Espires customer experience transformation expertise extends to a wide range of tools and technologies including GMC Software, HP Exstream, Pitney Bowes, Doxee, Prinova, Sitecore, SDL, SharePoint, Drupal and Umbraco.To know how to make the right digital investments for your CX strategy that can boost customer acquisition and engagement for your business, meet Espires CX experts at their exclusive booth at the summit.To set up a meeting with Espires CX experts, write to enquiries@espire.comAbout Espire InfolabsEspire Infolabs is a global technology company empowering businesses to drive growth and customer engagement with exceptional digital experience solutions through digital content management, multi-channel customer communication management, enterprise applications and IT infrastructure solutions. It is a SEI CMMI Level 5 Ver 1.3 (Dev + SVC) Appraised, ISO 27001:2013 & ISO 9001:2008 Certified and ITIL & ISO 20000 Compliant Company. Espire Infolabs has offices in USA, Canada, UK, Australia, Singapore, New Zealand and Development Centers in India. For more information, please visitPravin Patel (Regional Head - UK & Europe)Espire Infolabs LimitedPortland House, Bressenden Place, London, SW1E 5RSenquiries@espire.com Hydrogel Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends, and Forecast 2016 2024 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=12497 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ http://globalresearchanalysis.blogspot.in/ Global Hydrogel Market: OverviewHydrogels refer to a group of polymeric materials possessing a hydrophilic structure that makes them capable of retaining a large volume of water in the three-dimensional network. These products are widely employed across a number of environmental and industrial applications. Hydrogels are present in the nature in form of collagen, silk, gelatin, fibrin, chitosan, hyaluronic acid, alginate, and dextran.Hydrogels based on naturally derived polymers display biodegradability and biocompatibility. However, these natural hydrogels are difficult to modify owing to their fragile nature and complex structures. Hence, synthetic hydrogels are in high demand as they have higher water absorption capacity and can be synthesized from a wide range of raw chemical resources.Hydrogels based on synthetic polymers such as polylactic acid (PLA) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) are highly versatile in controlling polymer architecture and chemical structure. Hydrogels can be also formed in situ with the help of hydrophobic interactions and ionic interactions. Bioactive macromolecules such as proteins and peptides can be encapsulated by mixing with polymer solutions to form hybrid hydrogels.Get FREE PDF Brochure For More Professional And Technical Insights :On the basis of composition, the global hydrogel market has been segmented into polyacrylamide, polyacrylate, agar, silicone-modified hydrogels, and others (including PEG, gelatin, and other polysaccharides). Hydrogel products include amorphous gels, semicrystalline buttons, films and matrices, impregnated gauze, and hydrogel sheets. According to the form in which hydrogel is used, the market has been categorized into semicrystalline hydrogels and amorphous hydrogels. The key end-user applications of hydrogel products are wound care, contact lens, hygiene products, tissue engineering, drug delivery, agriculture, research, and forensics.Global Hydrogel Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe growing adoption of hydrogel products for various applications has supported the growth of the global hydrogel market. Hydrogel technologies can be applied to agriculture, sealing, coal dewatering, pharmaceuticals, regenerative medicines, biological adhesions, and artificial snow. Owing to the structural similarities of hydrogels to the body tissues, hydrogels have been widely studied as biomaterials.Hydrogel-based drug delivery system can lead to reduction of toxicity and side effects, and ensure targeted delivery. Hydrogels can retain a large amount of water in their polymer network, thereby retaining the activity of proteins and preventing them from denaturation. The proven benefits of hydrogel products over conventional substitutes such as improved water retention ability, preservation of stored components, and controlled release have further augmented the markets growth. Hydrogels are used in the manufacturing of soft contact lens, wound care products, diapers, and drug delivery patches. The growing demand for synthetic hydrogels has led to extensive research activities.However, the high cost of development of hydrogels is expected hamper the growth of the market. Potential environmental hazards associated with the decomposition of synthetic hydrogels might restrain the markets growth during the forecast period.Global Hydrogel Market: Region-wise OutlookThe global hydrogel market has been segmented into four key regions: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World. In developed economies, the rapid growth of the health care sector has boosted the demand for hydrogel products for various hygiene products, contact lens, drug delivery, and others. In the coming years, the emerging economies in Asia Pacific are anticipated to contribute significantly toward the growth of the market.Some of the key players in the global hydrogel market are Smith & Nephew plc, 3M Company, ConvaTec Inc., Johnson & Johnson, Alliqua BioMedical, Inc., BSN Medical GmbH, Procyon Corp, H.B. Fuller Company, AMBU, Altergon Italia, and The Cooper Companies. The market players are focusing on research and development activities to expand their portfolio of hydrogel products. In 2015, CooperVision Inc. announced the launch of Biofinity XR contact lens brandin On the other hand, AQUACEL, a sterile dressing to cover chronic and acute wound ulcers, has been introduced by ConvaTec.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 market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMR's experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.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 : Bioactive Materials Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2013 - 2019 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/sample/sample.php?flag=B&rep_id=1908 http://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/ http://globalresearchanalysis.blogspot.in/ Bioactive materials react with body tissue for adherence and are used with the purpose of tissue repair and remodeling. Bioactive materials are used in dental care, medical care, pharmaceuticals, cosmeticsand antibacterial products. Bioactive materials bind with tissue through various types of attachment namely, mechanical interlocks, biological fixation, bioactive fixation and replacement with tissues.On the basis of the type of material used, bioactive materials market is classified as follows:-Alumina-Zirconia-Polyethylene (PE)-Hydroxyapatite (HA)-Bioactive glasses-Bioactive glass ceramics-Tricalcium phosphate-Polylactic acid (PLA)-Glass-Ceramics-OthersBased on application areas, this market is further classified into:-Tissue replacement and repair-Allografts-Autografts-Synthetic materials-Xenografts-Implants-Dentistry and periodontics-Bioengineering-Pharmaceuticals-OthersGet Free PDF Brochure for more Professional and Technical insights :Use of bioactive materials is gradually increasing in the field of surgical procedures mainly those intended to treat elderly population. Considering aging of population globally, and rising demand of tissue replacement therapy, market for bioactive material shows promising growth in the near future. High cost of new technologies emerging in the market is the major factor that is restraining the growth of bioactive materials market.Geographically, the global bioactive materials market can be segmented as follows:-North America-Europe-Asia Pacific-Rest of the WorldCurrently, North America dominates the global bioactive materialsmarket and is followed by Europe due to higher healthcare spending and early adoption of newer healthcare technologies available in the market. Asia-Pacific is a promising market for bioactive materials and is expected to undergo rapid market growth due to rapidly developing medical tourism industry, increasing purchasing power, rapidly improving healthcare infrastructure and increased awareness about overall healthcare and the available treatments. Some of the major companies contributing to global bioactive materials areBiomet, Inc. DePuySynthes, Medtronic, Inc., Stryker Corporation and Zimmer Holdings, Inc.This research report analyzes this market depending on its market segments, major geographies, and current market trends. Geographies analyzed under this research report include-North America-Asia Pacific-Europe-Rest of the WorldThis report provides comprehensive analysis of-Market growth drivers-Factors limiting market growth-Current market trends-Market structure-Market projections for upcoming yearsThis report is a complete study of current trends in the market, industry growth drivers, and restraints. It provides market projections for the coming years. It includes analysis of recent developments in technology, Porters five force model analysis and detailed profiles of top industry players. The report also includes a review of micro and macro factors essential for the existing market players and new entrants along with detailed value chain analysis.About UsTransparency Market Research (TMR) is a market intelligence company, providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. TMR's experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants, use proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather and analyze information.Our data repository is continuously updated and revised by a team of research experts, so that it always reflects the latest trends and information. With a broad research and analysis capability, Transparency Market Research employs rigorous primary and secondary research techniques in developing distinctive data sets and research material for business reports.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 : Badging and transitioning from e-Reading to e-Everything a look into the future of e-learning www.exact-learning.com Bryan Eldridge, Senior Business Consultant with the global learning company, eXact learning solutions, is speaking at EDULEARN16, in Spain, in July.Looking critically into the future of e-learning, the titles of Bryans two sessions are: E-learning 2.0: is your organization ready to transition from e-Reading to e-Everything? and lessons learned for creating an organizational digital badging strategy.Bryan advocates that organizations develop a Model of Instruction (MOI) - the conceptual representation, via templates and activities, of an instructional strategy intended to effectively support a given learning outcome or competency within a specific context across both formal and formal contexts.An MOI approach provides a systematic strategy to ensure that the organizations overarching learning and training goals are integrated regardless of the components, said Bryan. It helps the organization to move from an e-Reading to an e-Everything model - and provides a framework for incorporating and supporting both formal and informal activities.Bryans second presentation focuses on the importance of badges within e-learning paths and processes.EDULEARN, the eighth annual International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies, is being held in Barcelona, Spain, from 4th to 6th July. Those unable to be present at EDULEARN to hear Bryans radical and forward-looking views on the future of online learning, can obtain a precis of his views by contacting eXact learning solutions.EDULEARN is one of the largest international education conferences for lecturers, researchers, technologists and professionals from the educational sector. After eight years, it has become a reference event where more than 700 experts from 80 countries gather to present their projects and share their knowledge on teaching and learning methodologies, as well as educational innovations.About eXact learning solutionseXact learning solutions is a leading business solution provider in the field of Digital Learning Content Management. Its content lifecycle care solutions include modular and interoperable tools enabling, supporting and optimizing specific processes within a Digital Learning Content ecosystem: collaborative content creation; structured and workflow-based content management, and multiple output delivery of content in any desired format, channel, device and language, with any look & feel.The eXact learning Suite comprises a fully-fledged, enterprise-wide Learning Content Management System (eXact learning LCMS), a professional template-based authoring environment, comprising an advanced, local client application and a 100% web-based tool (eXact learning Packager and Online Editor) as well as an app to manage, deliver and track learning content through iOS and Android-based mobile devices (eXact learning Mobile). The eXact learning solutions end-to-end provisioning is completed by a set of high level professional services including consulting, training and technical support in the field of Digital Learning Content Management.eXact learning solutions is a sister company of LATTANZIO Group, a holding company based in Italy which integrates knowledge-intensive business services blending management consulting, IT services, training and e-learning, market research and communication.eXact learning solutionsPiazza della Vittoria, 11/A (16121) Genoa, ItalyPhone: +39.010.81.77.500; WebPR contact: Bob Little, Bob Little Press & PR, Office +44 (0)1727 860405; email press.pr@exactls.com United States Waterborne Architectural Coatings Industry Report 2016 Global QY Research http://globalqyresearch.com/united-states-waterborne-architectural-coatings-industry-2016 http://globalqyresearch.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/global-qy-research The recently published report titled United States Waterborne Architectural Coatings Industry 2016 Market Research Report is an in depth study providing complete analysis of the industry for the period 2016 2021. It provides complete overview of United States Waterborne Architectural Coatings market considering all the major industry trends, market dynamics and competitive scenario.The United States Waterborne Architectural Coatings Industry Report 2016 is an in depth study analyzing the current state of the United States Waterborne Architectural Coatings market. It provides brief overview of the market focusing on definitions, market segmentation, end-use applications and industry chain analysis. The study on United States Waterborne Architectural Coatings market provides analysis of market covering the industry trends, recent developments in the market and competitive landscape. Competitive analysis includes competitive information of leading players in market, their company profiles, product portfolio, capacity, production, and company financials. In addition, report also provides upstream raw material analysis and downstream demand analysis along with the key development trends and sales channel analysis. Research study on United States Waterborne Architectural Coatings market also discusses the opportunity areas for investors.View Full Report With Complete TOC, List Of Figure and Table:With 153 tables and figures, the report provides key statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market.7 Analysis of Waterborne Architectural Coatings Industry Key Manufacturers7.1 Akzo Nobel7.1.1 Company Profile7.1.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.1.2.1 Type I7.1.2.2 Type II7.1.2.3 Type III7.1.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.1.4 Contact Information7.2 Asian Paints7.2.1 Company Profile7.2.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.2.2.1 Type I7.2.2.2 Type II7.2.2.3 Type III7.2.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.2.4 Contact Information7.3 BASF7.3.1 Company Profile7.3.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.3.2.1 Type I7.3.2.2 Type II7.3.2.3 Type III7.3.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.3.4 Contact Information7.4 Benjamin Moore7.4.1 Company Profile7.4.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.4.2.1 Type I7.4.2.2 Type II7.4.2.3 Type III7.4.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.4.4 Contact Information7.5 DAW7.5.1 Company Profile7.5.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.5.2.1 Type I7.5.2.2 Type II7.5.2.3 Type III7.5.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.5.4 Contact Information7.6 Masco7.6.1 Company Profile7.6.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.6.2.1 Type I7.6.2.2 Type II7.6.2.3 Type III7.6.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.6.4 Contact Information7.7 Nippon Paint7.7.1 Company Profile7.7.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.7.2.1 Type I7.7.2.2 Type II7.7.2.3 Type III7.7.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.7.4 Contact Information7.8 PPG Industries7.8.1 Company Profile7.8.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.8.2.1 Type I7.8.2.2 Type II7.8.2.3 Type III7.8.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.8.4 Contact Information7.9 Sherwin-Williams7.9.1 Company Profile7.9.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.9.2.1 Type I7.9.2.2 Type II7.9.2.3 Type III7.9.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.9.4 Contact Information7.10 Valspar7.10.1 Company Profile7.10.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.10.2.1 Type I7.10.2.2 Type II7.10.2.3 Type III7.10.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.10.4 Contact Information7.11 Adex7.11.1 Company Profile7.11.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.11.2.1 Type I7.11.2.2 Type II7.11.2.3 Type III7.11.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.11.4 Contact Information7.12 Axalta7.12.1 Company Profile7.12.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.12.2.1 Type I7.12.2.2 Type II7.12.2.3 Type III7.12.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.12.4 Contact Information7.13 Berger Paints7.13.1 Company Profile7.13.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.13.2.1 Type I7.13.2.2 Type II7.13.2.3 Type III7.13.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.13.4 Contact Information7.14 Brillux7.14.1 Company Profile7.14.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.14.2.1 Type I7.14.2.2 Type II7.14.2.3 Type III7.14.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.14.4 Contact Information7.15 Colorado Paint7.15.1 Company Profile7.15.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.15.2.1 Type I7.15.2.2 Type II7.15.2.3 Type III7.15.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.15.4 Contact Information7.16 Dulux Australia7.16.1 Company Profile7.16.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.16.2.1 Type I7.16.2.2 Type II7.16.2.3 Type III7.16.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.16.4 Contact Information7.17 Dunn-Edwards7.17.1 Company Profile7.17.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.17.2.1 Type I7.17.2.2 Type II7.17.2.3 Type III7.17.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.17.4 Contact Information7.18 IFS Coatings7.18.1 Company Profile7.18.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.18.2.1 Type I7.18.2.2 Type II7.18.2.3 Type III7.18.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.18.4 Contact Information7.19 Jotun7.19.1 Company Profile7.19.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.19.2.1 Type I7.19.2.2 Type II7.19.2.3 Type III7.19.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.19.4 Contact Information7.20 Kansai7.20.1 Company Profile7.20.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.20.2.1 Type I7.20.2.2 Type II7.20.2.3 Type III7.20.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.20.4 Contact Information7.21 KEIM Mineral Coatings of America7.21.1 Company Profile7.21.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.21.2.1 Type I7.21.2.2 Type II7.21.2.3 Type III7.21.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.21.4 Contact Information7.22 Kelly-Moore Paints7.22.1 Company Profile7.22.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.22.2.1 Type I7.22.2.2 Type II7.22.2.3 Type III7.22.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.22.4 Contact Information7.23 Materis7.23.1 Company Profile7.23.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.23.2.1 Type I7.23.2.2 Type II7.23.2.3 Type III7.23.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.23.4 Contact Information7.24 Meffert7.24.1 Company Profile7.24.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.24.2.1 Type I7.24.2.2 Type II7.24.2.3 Type III7.24.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.24.4 Contact Information7.25 Morrells7.25.1 Company Profile7.25.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.25.2.1 Type I7.25.2.2 Type II7.25.2.3 Type III7.25.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.25.4 Contact Information7.26 Pintuco7.26.1 Company Profile7.26.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.26.2.1 Type I7.26.2.2 Type II7.26.2.3 Type III7.26.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.26.4 Contact Information7.27 RPM International7.27.1 Company Profile7.27.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.27.2.1 Type I7.27.2.2 Type II7.27.2.3 Type III7.27.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.27.4 Contact Information7.28 Schaepman7.28.1 Company Profile7.28.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.28.2.1 Type I7.28.2.2 Type II7.28.2.3 Type III7.28.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.28.4 Contact Information7.29 Tikkurila7.29.1 Company Profile7.29.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.29.2.1 Type I7.29.2.2 Type II7.29.2.3 Type III7.29.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.29.4 Contact Information7.30 Tnemec7.30.1 Company Profile7.30.2 Product Picture and Specifications7.30.2.1 Type I7.30.2.2 Type II7.30.2.3 Type III7.30.3 Capacity, Production, Price, Cost, Gross and Revenue7.30.4 Contact InformationAbout UsGlobal QY Research () is the one spot destination for all your research needs. Global QY Research holds the repository of quality research reports from numerous publishers across the globe. Our inventory of research reports caters to various industry verticals including Healthcare, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Technology and Media, Chemicals, Materials, Energy, Heavy Industry, etc. With the complete information about the publishers and the industries they cater to for developing market research reports, we help our clients in making purchase decision by understanding their requirements and suggesting best possible collection matching their needs.Contact Us:Unit 1, 26 Cleveland Road,South Woodford, London,E182AN, United Kingdomsales@globalqyresearch.com Happiness Index reveals worlds happiest, best paid and most optimistic travel professionals Progressive Personnel Happiness Index http://surveys.progressive-personnel.com/ http://surveys.progressive-personnel.com/ https://www.progressive-personnel.com/ North Americans are the worlds happiest, most satisfied and motivated travel professionals, and enjoy the best work balance and remuneration among their global counterparts.This was revealed in the recent Happiness Index study conducted by global travel and hospitality recruitment leader, Progressive Personnel, aimed at assessing the general satisfaction of international travel and hospitality staff in the workplace.Launched mid-May, the survey, the first of its kind in the global hospitality and travel environment, was distributed to travel and hospitality professionals in key global markets, probing their happiness in three key areas: Happiness at Work Work/Life Balance Future ProspectsAmong those questions for which we sought answers, says General Manager James Roberts, were how motivated staff felt at work, whether they were being remunerated adequately and whether they felt respected and valued in their job.We also looked at how stressful they believed their job to be, how often they worked outside contracted hours and what their prospects were for promotion, growth and development, not to mention whether they would recommend working in travel and hospitality.The survey was conducted in a rating scale format from 1 (least) to 10 (highest) and was segmented by geographic location, gender and generation.The Top 10 highlights revealed in Progressive Personnels 2016 Happiness Index: Male travel professionals are happier than their female counterparts. Baby Boomers are the happiest generation of travel professionals. South African Millennials are the least happy travel professionals. Australian travel professionals believe themselves to be the least fairly remunerated travel professionals globally. British travel professionals are the least capable of developing new skills at work. Travel professionals in the Middle East believe there to be fewer equal opportunities in the workplace compared with the global average. British and Australian travel professionals feel less valued and respected in their job than their global counterparts. Australian travel professionals work more overtime than their global counterparts. South African travel professionals perceive their jobs to be the most stressful. North American travel professionals are most likely to stay in travel in future.Nolan Burris, President of Future Proof Travel, says he was thrilled when he first heard about the Happiness Index. Travel is all about happiness! Holidays are about experiencing happiness! Even corporate travel is about happiness when you consider the desires of the business traveller to close their own sales, make great presentations, and come home to enjoy time with their families.In my opinion, selling anything related to happiness is a lot more effective when done by happy people. Grumpy people may generate bookings, but but their negative vibe is almost certainly going to be felt by their happiness-seeking clients.Comprehensive highlights of the Happiness Indexs results for the world, as well as each region polled, by gender and generation, can be viewed in an infographic format on Progressive Personnels website (). The results will also be available on Progressive Personnels Facebook Page and Linkedin Company Page.We are very pleased with the participation from travel professionals globally in helping us compile what we believe will become the definitive annual survey into the happiness of the worlds travel and hospitality staff. We hope the results will give professionals key insights into motivating, retaining, developing and recruiting talent, concludes Roberts.For more information, contact Natalia Rosa on Natalia@bigambitions.co.za or visit website ().**ENDS**About Progressive PersonnelProgressive Personnel is the leading travel recruitment agency worldwide. We pride ourselves on our ability to match people quickly and accurately with jobs. Because everyone at Progressive Personnel has worked in the travel and hospitality industries, we know the requirements and challenges of these sectors and our clients trust us to get it right first time. Our broad international experience allows us to fine-tune appointments at all levels from entry to managerial, all over the world, ensuring happy outcomes for both clients and candidates.To find out more about Progressive Personnel, please visitNatalia RosaBig AmbitionsWillowbridge, Tygervalley Centre Service Rd, Bellville Park, Cape Town, 7530Mobile: 021 839 4498 Book For 3 Nights, Get 4th Night Stay Free At Orange Beach Resort In the month of September the Sea chase condos resort is offering Autumn vacation discount to the visitors. Sea chase giving special offer on 3 nights stay, visitors will get the fourth night stay absolutely free. on the price of five stays you will get the seven nights stay in Sea Chase condos rental resort. This offer is valid till the end of September.In the month of September, the orange beach remain warm and humid as Autumns are long here. Visitors can stay at Sea Chase in more peace and calm as there is less crowd of the vacationers in the falls.For the song writer or the persons who love to sing their own composition September is the perfect month to visit the Orange beach and stay at Luxuries Orange Beach Resort, The L.A. Songwriters Festival,one of the fabulous events held at Orange beach of Gulf-shore in the 2nd week of September. The festival is celebration of original music that is played by the composers on the intimate indoor Hall Stage in Fair hope.The Sea chase offers 20% discount to the event songwriters at stay in rental condos and on the price of 2 nights stay, 3rd night stay absolutely free. This was a perfect deal for the participants of the event as the event was of 3 days and the sea chase offers them the best deal to stay in Orange beach during the event.After spending the whole day in the Orange beach L.A. Songwriter's Festival, the participants get relaxed and rest at luxurious condos of Sea Chase.Sea Chase condos offers home like comfort and all luxurious amenities that you find in any luxurious hotel. It is a perfect place for spending vacations with family at sea cost of Orange beach.Sea Chase condos offers home like comfort and all luxurious amenities that you find in any luxurious hotel. It is a perfect place for spending vacations with family at sea cost of Orange beach.5240 Perdido Beach Boulevard,Orange Beach, Alabama 36561| info@seachase.com | (855) 858-6952 | Virginia Raggi became first female mayor of Rome Published: June 21, 2016 Leading member of the populist anti-corruption Five Star Movement (M5S) of Italy, Virginia Raggi (38) was elected as first female mayor of capital city Rome. She also becomes the 65th and youngest mayor in Romes history and also the first candidate from M5S party to get elected to Mayor of Rome. In the mayoral election, Raggi won 67% of the vote in a runoff ballot against the Democratic Partys (PD) Roberto Giachetti. With this win in Rome, the M5S party has emerged as the main opposition to centre-left Prime Minister, Matteo Renzi. Apart from Virginia Raggi, another M5S candidate Chiara Appendino also won the mayoral elections in Turin. Virginia Raggi is a lawyer and local councillor. As a lawyer she specialises in judicial and extrajudicial civil law. In the 2013 municipal election of Rome, Raggi was one of four members of the M5S elected as councillor to city council. Month: Current Affairs - June, 2016 Topics: Elections International Italy Persons in News Places in News Virginia Raggi Latest E-Books Prchard Parks Maya Clinard Orchard Parks Maya Clinard, far right, took runner-up in singles at this past weekends Section VI Girls Tennis Championships at... Boys soccer peaking into sectionals It was not an ideal start to the 2022 season for the Orchard Park boys soccer team, dropping its first... WARRENSBURG During a stop at the University of Central Missouri Thursday, Gov. Jay Nixon signed Senate Bill 997, a higher-education bill which will help more Missouri undergraduates complete their degrees. Among its provisions, the bill will enable more students to take dual-credit courses while they are in high school, make it easier to transfer college credits between public higher education institutions, and require the development of additional policies and pilot programs to encourage degree completion. Standing with the bills sponsor, state Sen. David Pearce (R-Warrensburg) and UCM President Chuck Ambrose, Gov. Nixon said the new law strengthens Missouris leadership in this area. Over the last several years, Missouri has become a national leader to enable students to complete their higher education degrees, and this bill helps us continue to lead, Gov. Nixon said. These provisions are good for students, theyre good for our colleges and universities, and theyre good for our economy because education is the best economic development tool there is. UCM was the site of Missouris first Innovation Campus, a collaboration of businesses and public education institutions launched by Gov. Nixon in 2012 as a way for Missouri students to earn affordable, fast-track degrees in high-demand fields. The Innovation Campus was recognized by President Obama during a visit to UCM in 2013 as an innovative way to control college costs. Recognizing the cost of a higher education and the time it takes to earn a degree have a significant impact on college affordability and student debt, the University of Central Missouri created the Learning to a Greater Degree contract for student access, completion and success three years ago with a central provision that rewards a 15 to Finish Scholarship for taking the right 15 hours per semester to complete a four-year degree on time, President Ambrose said. We are grateful to Gov. Nixon for signing Senate Bill 997, and legislators who made it possible, knowing the 15 to Finish Act will promote on-time degree completion, and ultimately help all students in Missouri to reduce their college debt burden. Under Senate Bill 997, the Coordinating Board for Higher Education will work with Missouris public colleges and universities to develop a 42-credit-hour block of foundational courses that can be transferred to any other public higher education institution in the state. This will help students in getting credit for classes theyve already taken, the Governor said. The bill also creates a scholarship fund to help low-income students take dual-credit courses while they are still in high school, giving them a head start on higher education and saving them money on college costs. Senate Bill 997 requires the Coordinating Board and public colleges and universities to jointly develop additional policies and pilot programs that assist in degree completion, such as encouraging full-time enrollment and helping students map out a pathway to attaining their degrees. Those policies will include 15 to Finish, which focuses on keeping students on track for a degree by giving them a strong start on taking the needed number of credit hours per semester in order to graduate in four years. UCM is already a leader in the area of degree completion, offering 15 to Finish scholarships since 2013. Senate Bill 997 is only one of the achievements made for public higher education and students through Gov. Nixons leadership: The Show-Me State has led the nation in holding down tuition increases for in-state students at Missouris public universities over the past seven years, and an agreement between Gov. Nixon and college and universities will keep tuition flat again for the next 2016-2017 school year. That affordability has resulted in a 36 percent increase in the number of Missouri students some 50,000 earning a higher education degree since Gov. Nixon took office; In 2015, the General Assembly following the Governors recommendation by passing the most significant state bonding investment in higher education in more than 20 years. The Building Affordability initiative is putting more than $200 million in building projects on college campuses throughout the state, including a $12.2 million renovation of the Wilson C. Morris Science Building on the UCM campus; Since 2009, funding for scholarship programs has increased, including for Fiscal Year 2017 an additional $4 million for Access Missouri, an additional $2.5 million for A+ Scholarships, and an additional $500,000 for Bright Flight. Missouris A+ programs also has expanded by more than 250 high schools to become available in more than 99 percent of public high schools in the state; and Targeted strategic initiatives such as Caring for Missourians, MoHeathWINS and MoManufacturingWINS have produced more graduates to help meet the ongoing need for skilled professionals in high-paying and fast-growing career fields. A Portland jury Tuesday afternoon awarded $1.2 million to a 57-year-old engineer who contended he was fired from Daimler Trucks North America in Portland because of his age. Josef Loczi had worked at the Swan Island headquarters of the nation's largest truck maker for 16 years and always received positive performance reviews, he testified. During the nearly 11-day trial in Multnomah County Circuit Court, CEO Martin Daum testified that Loczi was cut from the workforce not because of his age, but because of his performance. Loczi's attorneys argued that Daimler illegally targeted Loczi because it was concerned about its aging workforce and wanted fresh, younger workers. Loczi testified that he felt like he'd been punched in the gut on Nov. 7, 2013, when he was called into a meeting and told his position was being eliminated. Loczi said he had until the end of the year to find another job within the company, and that he pleaded for two extensions. He was ultimately fired on Feb. 14, 2014, after applying for 16 internal positions and receiving no offers, he said. On his last day of work, he was asked to sign a waiver stating he wouldn't try to work for the company again, he said. That's when it was clear that Daimler's "charade" was over -- that the company never intended to hire the graying Loczi, his attorney Sam T. Smith told the jury during closing arguments. "He was in absolute disbelief," Smith said. "He looks inside himself and says, 'Did I do something to cause this to happen?' He did not do something to cause this to happen. "He did not want to believe that after 16 years, they would just chuck him out on the sidewalk," Smith said. "You heard him say, 'I am not an old toy to be thrown away.'" Loczi testified that he didn't have a way home on his last day of work, so he waited inside for his adult daughter to pick him up. But he said when a manager asked him what he was still doing there, he felt unwelcomed and waited outside in the rain. One of Daimler's attorneys, Susan Eggum, however, said in closing arguments that Loczi's story was false. Eggum said the manager had testified that when she saw Loczi waiting, she stepped outside and waited with him under an overhang for 10 to 15 minutes as she made small talk. Last Thursday, Judge Michael Greenlick said he wouldn't allow Daimler to proceed with its defense that the company hadn't committed age discrimination. That's because the judge sanctioned Daimler after finding that the company had "acted in bad faith" by "willfully" failing to hand over evidence -- PowerPoint presentations about tactics for reducing its workforce -- to Loczi's side before trial, said Loczi's attorneys. The judge instructed jurors that Daimler was liable in the case, and that they were to determine how much to award Loczi. During closing arguments, Daimler's lawyers could only try to soften the blow to the company, by arguing that Loczi didn't deserve what he sought: About $336,000 in economic damages for lost wages and benefits, and $3 million in non-economic damages for mental anguish and suffering. Jurors ended up awarding $200,000 for economic damages and $1 million in non-economic damages. Eggum, the lawyer for Daimler, had contended that Loczi's problems existed long before he was laid off -- that his psychiatrist's treatment notes say that he had sleep problems, had an anxious mood and ruminated about work in the years before he was laid off. Loczi's case will continue with a punitive damages trial that hasn't yet been scheduled. One of Loczi's attorneys, Anne Foster, told The Oregonian/OregonLive Tuesday that she plans to argue that Loczi was among a larger group of older workers who were targeted because of his age and that the company should be punished monetarily for its behavior. Loczi, now 59, got a new job with Boeing several months after he lost his job at Daimler. But his attorneys argued that the psychological effect on him is lasting -- that he still worries about being discriminated against because of his age. After Tuesday's verdict, Daimler's general counsel, Brian Burton, released this statement: "Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA) is disappointed that the Circuit Court Judge denied DTNA its right to defend against plaintiff's claims after accepting plaintiff's counsel's unsupportable assertion that documents not produced before trial were detrimental to plaintiff's case. The Court refused to enter any lesser sanction than the ultimate sanction of a verdict in favor of plaintiff on all claims. While DTNA was not able to defend itself at the trial, the fact remains that the plainitff's position was eliminated for reasons wholly unrelated to his age. DTNA will appeal the verdict and will utilize all legal means to obtain justice." -- Aimee Green 503-294-5119 Oregon State Beavers show off for fans at spring game Oregon State Beavers head coach Gary Andersen signals a fan's field goal kick good as the Beavers played their spring game, the first in Corvallis for new head coach Gary Andersen, in front of fans at Reser Stadium on April 18, 2015. Randy L. Rasmussen/Staff (Randy L. Rasmussen) The hint came just before the announcement. Oregon State director of player personnel Vincent Guinta used Twitter to announce the Beavers had added prospects from California and Georgia, adding to the haul that began earlier Tuesday with the commitment of Rivals three-star running back Isaiah Miller: Yes!!! Air Traffic Control from Coast to Coast. Two more ballers join the family. #BeaverNation #BuildTheDam pic.twitter.com/KiZtKnNTVO Vincent Guinta (@VincentGuinta) June 22, 2016 The guessing game didn't last long for Beaver Nation, however, as Shiloh High School (Snellville, Georgia) cornerback Justin Gardner announced his commitment to Oregon State via Twitter: Blessed and humbled to be apart of the recruiting process. But thankful to say that Im verbally to Oregon State University. #gobeaves! JG (@Justin__G23) June 22, 2016 "I'm really blessed committing to Oregon State," he said. "The coaching staff was unbelievable. They were nice and were good, reliable coaches that believed in me when they saw me." The 6-foot-2, 160-pound prospect, who fits Oregon State's pattern of taller defensive backs, committed to the Beavers over offers from Fresno State, Georgia State and Miami (Ohio). -- Andrew Nemec anemec@oregonian.com @AndrewNemec For years, whenever any American thought about the U.S. Secret Service, it was Tim McCarthy who came to mind. In 1981, the 31-year-old agent was outside Washington D.C.'s Hilton Hotel with President Ronald Reagan when he heard shots. Without hesitation, McCarthy turned toward the popping sounds, and moved directly into the line of fire to shield the president. The heroic agent took a bullet to the abdomen, quite possibly saving Reagan's life. McCarthy survived the attack and remained on the job for another decade. It's been mostly downhill for the Secret Service's standing since then. The federal law-enforcement agency has endured a variety of scandals in recent years, including a blockbuster one in 2012 about agents allegedly hiring prostitutes while on duty in Colombia. Now their reputation for discretion while on the White House detail is gone, too. Gary J. Byrne was a uniformed Secret Service officer serving in the White House in the 1990s. Byrne is releasing a book, "Crisis of Character: A White House Secret Service Officer Discloses His Firsthand Experience with Hillary, Bill, and How They Operate." Yes, there's plenty here about Monica Lewinsky, the intern whose affair with Bill Clinton led to the president's impeachment in 1998. But Lewinsky was only one of many women with whom Clinton sullied the Oval Office, Byrne writes. He alleges, for example, that the president had a fling with TV talker Eleanor Mondale, the late daughter of Jimmy Carter's vice president, Walter Mondale. "There before us was E! Network host Eleanor Mondale . . . and President Clinton in a compromising position, that is, making out on the Map Room table," Byrne writes in an excerpt published in the New York Post. Can any of this be believed? The Secret Service is refusing to comment on "Crisis of Character." But a group representing retired agents says the book is a crock. A statement from The Association of Former Agents of the United States Secret Service, obtained by Politico, says its members "strongly denounce" Byrne. It adds: "There is no place for any self-moralizing narratives, particularly those with an underlying motive." Former agents who served during the Clinton administration told Politico that Byrne is lying in the book, insisting he was a low-ranking officer who did not have the kind of access to the president that would have allowed him to witness the dalliances he claims to have seen. "One must question the veracity and content of any book which implies that its author played such an integral part of so many [alleged] incidents," the statement says. "Any critique of management by one who has never managed personnel or programs resounds hollow. Additionally, why would an employee wait in excess of ten years after terminating his employment with the Service to make his allegations public?" It's expected that Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump will use the book to attack Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democratic nominee and, of course, Bill's wife. Last month Trump tweeted out: "Amazing that Crooked Hillary can do a hit ad on me concerning women when her husband was the WORST abuser of woman in U.S. political history." -- Douglas Perry jamie.shupe.jpg An Oregon judge ruled earlier this month that a transgender person can legally change their sex to "non-binary" rather than male or female, in a move that legal experts believe is a first in the United States. Now, the Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles is sorting through the ramifications of adding a third gender option to the state's driver's licenses. "We have statutory and administrative rule changes, we have to change our computer systems and contact our external partners," said David House, a spokesman for the DMV. "It's not as simple as flipping a switch." The DMV currently only recognizes gender designations of "M" or "F" and, while they have made it easier for transgender people to transition from one to the other, they don't have any protocols in place for a non-binary option. The myriad changes required could be in place in as short as a few weeks or as long as a few months, House said. "As far as I know, this is a first in the country," House said. "This is all new territory." Lake Perriguey, who represented Jamie Shupe in the case that brought about the change, said he understands that the change is not a simple one. "What Jamie has done is unique," Perriguey told The Oregonian/OregonLive by phone Wednesday. "I don't see how a person's gender has anything to do with driving, it doesn't, but biometric data is used to track people, for better or worse." The DMV has made similar changes in the past, House said, most recently when they added a designation for veterans, but many of those came with advance notice. Perriguey said he informed the agency roughly six weeks before the ruling and again once it was issued, but he doesn't see anything nefarious in the delay. "I don't see it as a pretext for discrimination or as a way to not recognize Jamie," Perriguey said, noting that he was looking forward to an update on progress from the DMV expected in early July. House said the agency was working hard to implement the necessary changes as quickly as possible. "Right now we have more questions than answers," he said. "We don't have a deadline, but we're going to work on it as fast as we can." -- Kale Williams kwilliams@oregonian.com 503-294-4048 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. Staff representing the U.S. Forest Service, Mark Twain National Forest, Potosi Fredericktown Ranger District presented the preliminary findings concerning Crane Lake in Iron County from privately contracted engineering, design, and construction firm, URS Corporation. Amy Wilson and Amy Crews, U.S. Forest Service engineers relayed these results during a public open house, June 16 in Arcadia Valley. Studies regarding the integrity of the dam and its supporting structures have been underway since last fall . The feasibility study shows that Crane Lake does not meet federal seismic regulations, Crews said. There are cost prohibitions, also. Crews further explained potential seismic activity is of concern since the lake sits so close to the New Madrid fault line. The cost issues relate to the large amounts of concrete needed to rebuild or repair the dam and then getting it to the site. Getting concrete to such a remote location adds cost to the repairs, Crews said. The lake's drawdown has revealed numerous cracks, fissures, and heavily rusted rebar in the concrete. The water flow regulation system (stop logs) was ineffective and will need replacing. Both Wilson and Crews agreed the studies are ongoing based on a lake that is 50 to 100 acres. The forest service is evaluating all the options with regard to solutions to the aged dam and corresponding structures. We dont expect the lake to go away, both Crews and Wilson emphasized. Officials from Missouri Department of Conservation are partnering with the U.S. Forest Service in order to maintain accessibility to Crane Lake for hunting, fishing, hiking, and other recreational pursuits. These amendments include trail improvements, a new boat ramp, and maintenance of a healthy fish population. Mike Reed, fisheries management biologist, said the lake has always been known as a quality site to catch sunfish and catfish. He stated his commitment to keeping the fish healthy. A draw down preceded the studies and began slowly in July of 2015 resulting in the current size of the lake at approximately 50 acres. According to forest service staff, this is close to its original size. The lake was this size when the dam was built by a private owner in 1971. It reached a size of near 100 acres as it was expanded over the years and remained at that capacity until the recent drawdown. Forest service staff remains open to helpful commentary on the Crane Lake and dam issue and can be contacted via their website at www.fs.fed.us. June 25, 1950, an estimated 25,000 troops of the North Korean People's Army crossed the 38th Parallel, invading the Republic of South Korea and triggering the first military action of the Cold War. The battleship USS Missouri, on whose decks World War II had ended fewer than five years earlier, was already on its way to support U.N. troops on the Korean coast. Missouri's own President Harry S. Truman, who had authorized the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki that brought that war to an end, vowed that the United States would not let South Korea fall to the unprovoked communist invasion. And so, 66 years ago this month, began an armed conflict in which more than 5 million people -- including 40,000 U.S. troops -- would be killed, Another 100,000 U.S. troops would be wounded and nearly 8,000 would be listed as missing in action. The battleship Missouri -- The Mighty Mo -- would be the heavy hitter of naval support throughout the three years of armed engagement in Korea. The ship was called into action for two separate tours in that conflict. In September 1950, the battleship fired support for the landing at Inchon, an amphibious invasion of 75,000 troops involving more than 250 vessels. The invasion led to a decisive victory for America and her U.N. allies and led to the recapture of South Korea's capital, Seoul. In October, China entered the war, trapping American and U.N. forces at the Chosin Reservoir. Poorly equipped and without winter gear, troops suffered bitter sub-zero temperatures. December 23, the USS Missouri began firing support for those troops trapped at Chosin, continuing to shell until the evacuation was completed three days later. The Missouri continued coastal bombardments until March 1951, when it was relived of duty, the great battleship was recalled for a second tour of duty in October 1952 to fire support for troops ashore. It continued to engage enemy targets and supply lines until March 1953. A model of the Missouri is featured in the Missouri Capitol, along with the ship's massive bell. While the USS Missouri engaged in battle, the president from Missouri faced a unique battle of his own. The Korean War began as a defensive rescue -- to drive the North Korean forces out of South Korea. The entry of China into the war -- and with the Russians supporting both communist countries militarily -- the conflict risked escalation the Truman administration wanted to avoid. The allied commander, General Douglas MacArthur, had led troops to victory in World War II. MacArthur wanted full-scale war with China. MacArthur wrote a letter declaring, "there is no substitute for victory against international communism to the House Republican leader, who supported the general's position. The letter was leaked to the press; Truman fired the popular general for insubordination in March 1951 Thousands of Missourians served in the military during the Korean conflict. Tragically, approximately 900 Missourians were killed in that engagement. Three of those Missourians who gave their lives displayed valor that earned them the Congressional Medal of Honor In 2003, the Missouri General Assembly established a special award to honor Missouri veterans of the Korean conflict. The medals are awarded by the Missouri National Guard. More than 17,000 of the Korean War Medallions have been awarded. Armed engagement in the Korean conflict lasted three years and was ended by a truce signed in July 1953. But the truce did not end the hostilities. For the last six decades, U.S. troops have remained in south Korea, along a demilitarized zone that separates the free south from the communist north. For 66 years, those troops have served to make good on a promise made by Missouri's President Harry S. Truman that South Korea would not fall to an unprovoked communist invasion -- a promise that continues to stand to this day. Thursday 23 June 2016 11:39am Professor Jim Mann (left) and Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce A new partnership comprising the Healthier Lives National Science Challenge, the Ministry of Health and the Health Research Council of New Zealand (HRC) has been formed to invest in research that will improve understanding, treatment and prevention of long term conditions. A total funding pool of approximately $7.9 million (exclusive of GST) is available for allocation. The funding partners invite applications for funding of up to $2.5 million (fully-costed, exclusive of GST) and duration of approximately three years. Healthier Lives has a mandate to reduce the burden of four long term conditions cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity and also to improve equity in healthcare. Its Director, Prof Jim Mann, is excited about the opportunities the new partnership offers for pursuing the Challenges vision of healthier Lives for all New Zealanders. The Challenge and the Ministry of Health have both adopted the WHO target of reducing the burden of NCDs by 25% by 2025 and therefore have common interests. This partnership provides an opportunity to undertake more ambitious research than might otherwise have been the case, especially in the area of diabetes prevention, as well as to extend our involvement in other activities aimed at achieving our shared goals. Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce, launched Healthier Lives at the Otakou Marae in December last year, applauding its ambition to place New Zealand as a world leader in the delivery of equitable healthcare for NCDs. The Challenge has already funded research in four of the five areas where it has identified opportunities to undertake cutting edge research aimed specifically at New Zealands health needs. The fifth area, slowing the progression of prediabetes to diabetes, remains a high priority for funding and will be addressed through the new partnership. Endocrinologist and diabetes specialist, Associate Professor Jeremy Krebs of University of Otago, Wellington, a member of the Healthier Lives science leadership team, welcomes this opportunity to focus on a disease that has reached epidemic proportions. Two in three New Zealanders are overweight or obese and eight percent of our population has type 2 diabetes. For Maori and Pacific Peoples the figures are even starker. We urgently need innovative interventions for the prevention of diabetes in high risk populations in New Zealand. As part of this we need a much better understanding of the costs and effectiveness of different types of interventions." His fellow endocrinologist, diabetes specialist and colleague on the Healthier Lives science leadership team, Dr Rinki Murphy of University of Auckland, endorses this. There is tremendous inequality in the uptake of screening to prevent diabetes and other long term conditions such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. Patients suffering from multiple long term conditions face particular problems in receiving the right preventions and treatments. We need research that will provide evidence for better delivery of diagnostic and therapeutic care in the New Zealand health system. Further details on the scope, timeframes and funding available for this initiative is included in the Request for Proposals (RFP). All research funded under the Long Term Conditions Partnership will be fully contestable. The RFP and all associated documentation will be released on the HRC website and on the Government Electronic Tenders Service (GETS) on Wednesday 22 June 2016. Healthier Lives research projects funded to date: Working with Maori and Pasifika communities to develop and test the effects of a lifestyle-focused personalised support programme delivered by mobile phone on risk factors. Principal Investigators: Professor Cliona Ni Mhurchu (University of Auckland), Dr Ridvan Firestone (Massey University), Dr Lisa Te Morenga (University of Otago) Establishing a new type of genomic blood test that detects tumour-derived DNA in the blood, to help identify the right treatment for patients with bowel cancer and malignant melanoma, two of New Zealands most serious cancers. Principal Investigators: Professor Parry Guilford (University of Otago), Professor Cristin Print (University of Auckland), Dr Chris Jackson (University of Otago) Analysing big data to identify the reasons underlying greater heart disease and diabetes risk in Maori, Pacific and Indian subcontinent peoples, in order to develop strategies for improved clinical management and reduced inequities. Principal Investigators: Professor Vicky Cameron (University of Otago, Christchurch), Professor Rod Jackson (University of Auckland) Exploring the role of culture, community engagement, and cross-sectoral partnerships in improving the effectiveness of interventions and health outcomes in diabetes for Maori. Principal Investigators: Maui Hudson (University of Waikato), Terry Ehau (Te Roopu Mate Huka), Dr Nina Scott (University of Auckland/Waikato DHB) Contributing to the Virtual Health Information Network that will use New Zealands health datasets and bring together researchers to answer a range of questions, such as, What impact did the Christchurch earthquake have on cardiovascular hospitalisations? and What is the impact on future income earnings of a cardiovascular disease event? Principal Investigator: Professor Tony Blakely (University of Otago, Wellington) For more information, please contact: Professor Jim Mann Director, Healthier Lives Jim.mann@otago.ac.nz Fiona Kenning Project Manager, Research Partnerships, Health Research Council of NZ fkenning@hrc.govt.nz Over the weekend a photo of a female corrections officer from the Eastern Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center (ERDCC) in Bonne Terre circulated Facebook showing her bruised and swollen face accompanied with a comment that stated, I will live, they wont get the best of me!. The photo was originally posted Saturday morning and has since been removed from social media. Missouri Department of Corrections Communications Director David Owen gave a written statement to the media and it said a female corrections officer sustained injuries after being assaulted Friday by an offender at the ERDCC in Bonne Terre. She received outside medical attention for her injuries, wrote Owen. The incident is currently under investigation and the department does not comment on matters under investigation. He added an institutional lockdown was initiated Friday to ensure the safety of the staff and offender population. Offender privileges are limited and offenders are restricted to their cells during the lockdown, but visitations did occur over the weekend. The lockdown is still in effect. As always, the safety and security of the public, staff and offenders is the highest priority of the department, wrote Owen. Any incident of violence against staff or offenders is taken seriously and reviewed to make sure all the appropriate actions are taken, as well as criminal charges sought against perpetrators. As of press time there had been no charges filed regarding the assault against the officer. Jacob Hamilton BAY CITY, Mich. (AP) Regional tourism officials have proposed the construction of a building near the Veterans Memorial Bridge with an observation tower to welcome travelers to Bay City. The Bay City Visitors Bureau currently operates out of an office at the Doubletree Hotel downtown. It previously occupied the Pere Marquette Depot and the Delta College Planetarium. Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy At a nature-based preschool, theres no such thing as bad weather just bad clothing. So believes Rachel Larimore, director of education at the Chippewa Nature Center. Since the preschool opened at CNC in 2007 under her leadership, kids have learned while getting down and dirty. For a typical preschool session, the kids arrive in mud boots and full body rainsuits, if needed. We start outside in the play area, and they will immediately go to the sandbox or ride the tricycle or climb on logs, Larimore said. We have a tree that needed to be cut down, and we left the log there. They put together pine boughs and sticks and leaves and water from rain barrels and made it into a beaver dam and had this incredible play and discussion related to this beaver dam they were making. In the nature preschool playground, theres not a slide or teeter totter in sight. While the childrens play is a little different every day, outdoor time is always an hour in the first part of the 3- and 4-year-olds preschool session. They will head out on a hike. Somedays it is very clearly nature focused, like going to the pond and looking for frogs. Some days we go off and explore and just see what we will find, Larimore said. Other days its a more literacy-focused hike like reading a story as we move along the trail. Or in the fall, we have them sign in, and my R is gone and you have to call me Achel instead of Rachel, and the letters are out in the woods, and we have to go find them and reconnect the letters to the right people. So we are out learning in nature. The first year, the CNC preschool was 75 percent full with 27 kids. Year two was full with a waiting list. Preschool was held at CNCs Nature Study building for those two years. In year three, the new Margaret Ann Ranny Riecker Nature Preschool Center opened adjacent to the CNC Visitors Center. A third classroom was added for the 2015-16 year, with two at the newer building and a third classroom of students back at the Nature Study Building. Capacity for the 2016-2017 school year is 140 kids, and it is almost full already. There are nine full-time teachers, one office manager and the education director. When we first opened in 2007, there were about a dozen nature preschools in the country, Larimore said. Most of them are at nature centers. In Michigan, theres just ours in Midland, one in Jackson, Kalamazoo and one in the Holland area. Now, depending on whom you ask, the numbers nationally are well over 100. They are not necessarily at nature centers. Most are now privately operated. Larimore has become a national expert who is much in demand as a speaker at conferences to address the topic of a book she authored, Establishing a Nature-Based Preschool. It was published in 2011 by the National Association for Interpretation. She has been working on a Ph.D. part-time but intends to leave CNC in the fall to pursue her Ph.D. full-time at Michigan State University in the Department of Curriculum Instruction and Teacher Education. She will be focusing on nature-based early childhood education. In the fall, she will have been at CNC for 15 years. Chippewa Nature Center wouldnt have a Nature Preschool without Rachels vision and passion for early childhood education, said Dick Touvell, executive director of CNC. Her tenacity to plan and create the preschool will stand out as one of the milestones in CNCs history, impacting young children, their families and Nature Center programming. Further growth, awareness and partnership building for CNC has occurred because of the successful work being done with preschoolers. Since 2011, we have offered four-day summer teacher training called the Nature Preschool Institute, Larimore said. Now each summer, we have about 20 teachers who come for four days and really get immersed in what we do, and they can see our teachers and kids in action. In 2012, CNC partnered with the Bullock Creek School system and opened its first nature kindergarten at Floyd Elementary. Its the parents who pressured us! Larimore said with obvious delight. They didnt want nature-based education to end with preschool. In year two, nature kindergarten was also expanded to Pine River Elementary. Then the parents wanted nature first grade. So in 2015-2016, nature first grade began in three classrooms at Floyd Elementary. Its very cool to see the involvement of parents, Larimore said. They really see the value of having their kids be outside and have learning be more interactive and hands-on. Now they want second grade! All third, fourth and fifth graders from Bullock Creek Schools also go to CNC for one week for a nature-based approach to learning. Learning about and learning in nature are important distinctions to make in this field, Larimore said. In nature-based education, its not just all about science. Math can be done outside. Reading can be done outside. Floyd Elementary has built a couple of outdoor learning spaces. They have a math space marked off with birch logs, with beads for an abacus hanging between trees. And they bring lots of natural materials back into the classroom to become manipulatives. So instead of counting plastic beads, they count acorns. The fourth graders were studying branches of government, and they were studying for a test by hanging quiz question prompts on trees, Larimore said. They were outside, getting fresh air and physical movement. In their writing exercises, their explanations are so much richer because they have stories to tell, like this frog I grabbed and how slimy it felt. Being in nature just helps bring learning to life. The preschool operation has had an impact on other CNC programs, too. Preschool graduates are now being enrolled by their parents right into Nature Day Camp for the summer. We used to struggle to fill those younger camps, but preschoolers are going there and staying with Nature Center programs, Larimore said. Larimore has visited a large number of nature preschools around the country by now, and she might be biased. But she said that CNCs is the best preschool Ive ever seen. Its high quality early childhood education. Its a natural experience that allows kids to truly play, get dirty and jump in puddles. It supports their whole development. They get to be kids. Its play based, using real materials and real experiences. And its just plain old fun. The public is invited to an open house from 4 to 6 p.m. on June 30 at the Chippewa Nature Center Visitor Center to say goodbye to Larimore and wish her luck as she leaves CNC . 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. Chainsaw Man Season 1: The anime community is now buzzing about Chainsaw Man. Although the manga has been out for Read more ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia Only one degree of separation, not the more common six, is needed to link the nation of Mongolia to the state of Tennessee. That degree of separation is Adm. Harry Harris, Commander of U.S. Pacific Command, and a special honor bestowed by Maj. Gen. Dulamsuren Davaa, Chief of the General Staff of Mongolia. The honor: an official gift of a horse to be named by Harris. The horses new name: Volunteer. Harriss home state: Tennessee. Harris received this rare privilege during a recent trip to Mongolia where he observed training related to the multinational peacekeeping exercise Khaan Quest 2016, which is co-hosted by U.S. Pacific Command and held annually in Mongolia. After the opening ceremony, Harris was given a tour of the training area, a vast open countryside where free-roaming horses are commonplace. He was surprised when his hosts presented him with his own horse and asked him to name it. Harris immediately had a name in mind. It seemed fitting that I name the chestnut orange horse Volunteer, said Harris. It represents the willingness of our Mongolian partners to volunteer in vital peacekeeping missions around the world. It represents their willingness to host 47 nations during this years exercise Khaan Quest. And since its a traditional custom for me to give the horse a permanent name that matters to me personally, I chose one that represents the spirit of my home state. Tennessee is known as the Volunteer State from the willingness of citizens to volunteer for the War of 1812, the Texas Revolution, and the Mexican-American War. Fittingly, Volunteers is the mascot name for the University of Tennessee, which is located in East Tennessee where Harris was raised. This spirit of voluntary service is a common trait in Mongolia as well. Mongolia has been a leading supporter of United Nations (U.N.) peacekeeping missions in the Indo-Asia Pacific region. Considering the wide open spaces of landlocked Mongolias grassland plains, horses have always been prized animals and an essential part of Mongol culture. It is Mongolian tradition to present special dignitaries a horse. Harris is now in the esteemed company of others who have received a ceremonial horse, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. Khaan Quest was the capstone exercise for this years Global Peace Operations Initiative (GPOI) program, which provides pre-deployment training to partner countries preparing to support U.N. peacekeeping missions. The exercise took place May 22-June 4 and was the largest Khaan Quest to date, with more than 1,500 participants from 47 nations. In 2003, Khaan Quest began as a joint training endeavor between Mongolia and the U.S., said Harris in his remarks at the opening ceremony. Now, its a premier peacekeeping exercise involving dozens of nations from around the world. This is a testament to the power of partnership. Volunteer will remain in Mongolia with his herder; Harris will be able to visit his horse any time he is in the country. The horse can be proud of his Mongolian heritage and the Tennessee spirit of service and support for which he was named. Linking Research and Development to the Operator By Maj. Troy John "T.J." Naputi 403rd Army Field Support Brigade RODRIGUEZ LIVE FIRE COMPLEX, Republic of Korea -- At the end of every Army platform is a warrior who needs a functional, practical and tested system. The Army Materiel Command encompasses a large enterprise dedicated to keeping the warfighter operational, and that enterprise looks for feedback from the Soldiers to ensure it meets their needs. To that end, the 403rd Army Field Support Brigade invited representatives from the Research, Development and Engineering Command (RDECOM) Field Assistance in Science and Technology (FAST) to conduct surveys with the 4th (Attack Reconnaissance) Battalion, 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade during gunnery training at Rodriguez Live Fire Complex (RLFC). This opportunity helped the FAST team reach a large audience, capturing input from 4-2 aviators in South Korea that could affect future helicopter technologies developed by RDECOM's scientists and engineers. "Our main goal is to get direct input from the pilots and use it to develop long lead-time technologies which will meet up with emerging requirements from the aviation community," said Lt. Col. Marc Meeker, technology adviser for U.S. Forces Korea and FAST team lead. "The challenges they tell us about today will define what the pilot of the future has at his disposal." The FAST team held meetings directly after live-fire training so the pilots' feedback about user interfaces, navigation, engine performance and weapon systems like the 30 mm (lightweight) cannon and 2.75" rockets they had just used at RLFC was fresh. RDECOM's FAST team routinely moves around the Korean Peninsula to interact directly with Soldiers, linking the Soldiers with over 10,000 scientists and engineers at locations such as Picatinny Arsenal, Aberdeen Proving Ground and, in this instance, the Aviation/Missile Research, Development, and Engineering Center in Huntsville, Alabama. "We have six research centers that tie to every system that the Army has in the field, and our engineers work hand-in-hand with Program Executive Offices and Army Sustainment Command to meet the technological requirements of the Soldier," said Meeker. "I have been fortunate enough to take part in many of these sessions over the course of my career, and it is very rewarding when I see some of the ideas and concepts fielded to the warfighter," said Maj. Philip Singleton, operations officer, 4-2 ARB. "These visits are critical to make sure that the soldiers on the ground get the right equipment with the right capability in time to make a tactical impact. These sessions will save lives." Capt. John Polchinski, commander, A Co., 4-2 ARB, commended the 403rd AFSB Brigade Logistics Support Team and the RDECOM FAST team for their efforts in gathering this information. "Surveys like this, with RDECOM, are pivotal in shaping the future of operations and training in the Republic of Korea," he said. -- History was made June 17 pierside at Naval Base San Diego during a touching reunion 50 years in the making.Sailors aboard guided-missile destroyer USS Howard (DDG 83) were treated to a firsthand account history lesson from the remaining survivors of the Battle of Hill 488, a conflict from the Vietnam War.Bill Norman, Joe Kosoglow, Dan Mulvihill, and Ray Hildreth -- Marine Corps veterans and members of 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division -- shared their stories with Howard's Sailors and the "Howard sisters", who are the daughters of 1st Sgt. Jimmie E. Howard, the ship's namesake.The small platoon was serving under Howard's charge during the Battle of Hill 488, the Vietnam mission where he earned the Medal of Honor.The visit coincided with the 50th anniversary of the June 15, 1966 battle and was the first time in nearly 50 years members of the group have seen each other since the war."We are truly honored to have been able to take part in this event," said Cmdr. Amy McInnis, Howard commanding officer. "The events that transpired at Hill 488 are still very present in the minds of all of our Sailors."During the visit, the members of the platoon gathered in he ship's wardroom alongside the Howard sisters -- Yvonne, Yvette, Barbara, Linette, and Darlene Howard -- and the crew to shared their fondest memories of the battle hero and the tremendous events of the historic battle.According to the Medal of Honor citation presented by President Lyndon Johnson, Howard, along with an 18-man platoon, was manning an observation post atop Hill 488 when an estimated battalion-sized enemy force launched an attack."Reacting swiftly and fearlessly in the face of the overwhelming odds, G/Sgt. Howard skillfully organized his small but determined force into a tight perimeter defense and calmly moved from position to position to direct his men's fire," read the citation. "Through his extraordinary courage and resolute fighting spirit, G/Sgt. Howard was largely responsible for preventing the loss of his entire platoon."Darlene Howard expressed her gratitude for the reunion and history lesson stating, "This is an opportunity for us to be grateful to the Sailors because they honor our father and our country.""And it's very humbling for us that they carry on all of this, and my dad would be so proud," Barbara added.The guests were also treated to a tour of the ship, which included stops on the ship's bridge, boat deck, forecastle, helicopter hanger, and flight deck. The last stop on the tour was the Medal of Honor Passageway -- a hallway within the ship which houses the history of USS Howard, including memorabilia from Howard's military career."It was a tremendous honor to serve under Sergeant Howard," said Mulvihill during an emotional recount of his time as a lance corporal."I probably would not be here if it were not for him," Hildreth added.As the group traveled down the passageway, the mood intensified as each guest studied the mementoes lining the bulkhead. From the medals and photos to the brightly colored red deck, selected to pay homage to the Marine Corps, each guest seemed to soak up the almost tangible spirit of honor that filled the space."Being a part of this today kind of puts things into perspective about where we are right now and what could happen," said Damage Controlman 2nd Class Greg Schwartz. "It just reminds me to be prepared for anything."The visit concluded at the ship quarterdeck where McInnis traded hugs, handshakes and farewells with the Howard family and the Hill 488 veterans. As the groups parted ways, McInnis remained confident the service carried out on Hill 488 and the memories created during the visit would endure with the crew."We hope that we can honor the memories of those that served there [at Hill 488] in all of our future endeavors," she said.USS Howard is assigned to Commander, Destroyer Squadron 9 and is homeported in San Diego.For more information, visit http://www.navy.mil/ http://www.facebook.com/usnavy/ , or http://www.twitter.com/usnavy/ To read the Medal of Honor citation for 1st Sgt. Howard visit, http://www.public.navy.mil/surfor/ddg83/Pages/namesake.aspx/ For more information on USS Howard, visit http://www.public.navy.mil/surfor/ddg83/ Pacific Partnership 2016 departed Timor Leste June 21, after completing two weeks of subject matter expert exchanges (SMEE) in civil-military disaster response preparedness, cooperative health engagements (CHE) and engineering projects."At every level we've continued to build upon the partnerships we began 10 years ago when Pacific Partnership first visited Timor Leste," said Commodore Tom Williams, Pacific Partnership 2016 mission commander. "We've forged new relationships, increased the scope of our mission with our Timor Leste partners and our collective capacity to respond to disaster in the region. The teamwork I've seen in Timor Leste gives me great confidence that as we leave here we are all better prepared to respond when disaster strikes."A key event of this mission stop was the five-day Humanitarian Assistance Disaster Relief (HADR) symposium, which was cohosted by the Falantil-Forca Defeza Timor Leste (F-FDTL) and Pacific Partnership. Civilians and military personnel from partner nations and humanitarian organizations participated in discussions, workshops and a tabletop exercise to focus on civil-military coordination to support a collaborative, rapid response to natural disasters in Timor Leste. The symposium also integrated discussions of women's role in disaster response planning and execution.Engineering projects, conducted by Timorese soldiers, U.S. Navy Seabees, U.S. Marines and Australian engineers, included the renovation of Maneluana Primary School and Aimutin School, which also serve as civilian shelters during disasters.Medical teams conducted various engagements in Timor Leste and aboard hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19), including SMEEs and CHEs for surgery, dentistry, antenatal and postnatal care, women's health, blood bank administration, biomedical repair, children's health, nutrition, industrial hygiene infection control, and veterinary services."A lot of us had not been to Timor Leste before, so we didn't know as a team what to expect," said Lt. Cmdr. Pete Bradford, director for surgical and medical services aboard Mercy. "But we have had a lot of opportunity to share our expertise and they have had an opportunity to share their expertise. It has been satisfying because we are definitely in our element when we are in the operating room and all of our team comes together."Community relations events were also held throughout Dili, bringing the local people and children together with Pacific Partnership 2016 personnel through sporting events and a cultural exposition. U.S. Pacific Fleet Band members performed at several venues, including a live broadcast of Televizaun Timor Leste (TVTL), reaching up to 600,000 viewers.According to Yeoman 2nd Class Ashli Defraties, an administrative assistant aboard Mercy, the community relation events provided an additional opportunity for Pacific Partnership personnel to engage with the local community."We are here to work, but we also are here to have a good time with the Timorese people," said Defraties.After Timor Leste, Mercy will conduct mission stops in the Republic of the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia.Pacific Partnership 2016 is focused on enhancing relationships and multinational interoperability through knowledge exchange and cooperative training, ensuring partner nations are prepared to collectively and effectively respond when disaster strikes. The joint mission includes military and civilian personnel from Australia, Canada, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Republic of Korea, Singapore, the United Kingdom and the United States."[This mission stop] has given us a great opportunity to provide the support we are capable of providing, and I feel humbled by the wonderful acceptance of the community and the willingness of the citizens of Timor Leste to work with us," said Capt. Mike Spruce, Royal Australian Navy Reserve, Pacific Partnership 2016 deputy mission commander. "The Pacific Partnership team as a whole has melded together to provide an extraordinary example of friendship and work ethic alongside their Timorese counterparts."For more information on Pacific Partnership 2016 follow us on Facebook and twitter: http://www.facebook.com/pacificpartnership/ and @PacificPartnershipFor 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 73, visit http://www.navy.mil/local/ctf73/ JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii -- More than 50 members of the Hawaii Air National Guard (HIANG) and three KC-135 Stratotankers, based at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam (JBPH-H) have returned home following a four-month deployment in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. The three KC-135 Stratotankers belonging to the 203rd Air Refueling Squadron, along with flight and maintenance crews and other support personnel were part of the 18-Nation air Coalition in the fight against Daesh or ISIS. Two tankers and most of the Airmen arrived today at JB PH-H following the long flight from Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar. They were greeted by 154th Wing Commander Brig. Gen. Gregory Woodrow. One tanker returned home on Thursday. The HIANG Airmen were deployed for four months as part of an Air Expeditionary Force rotation. The unit has deployed to the U.S. Central Command (US CENTCOM) Area of Responsibility numerous times. Aerial refueling makes it possible to extend the range and persistence of Coalition air operations in Iraq and Syria, enabling U.S. and other Coalition aircraft to maintain a 24/7 presence over areas Daesh operates in, holding targets they value at risk. All of the HIANG Airmen who deployed are part of the 154th Wing, the largest Air National Guard wing in the nation. The Hawaii Air National Guard is comprised of nearly 2,500 Airmen whose federal mission is to be trained and available for active duty Air Force operational missions. FLICK LITE. Our latest listings, as offered by the readers and your own resident Lite Boy: Latest reminder its a crazy world everywhere Sign posted at Super Wal-Mart: IT IS ILLEGAL TO SET OFF FIREWORKS INSIDE BUILDING' Most innovative way yet to get a date Last month in Palestine, in Crawford County southeast of Champaign, 17-year-old John Sheil and his girlfriend, Shaelyn Wilber both juniors at Palestine High were driving one of the main roads in the town of 1,400 when Sheil saw flashing lights in his mirror and pulled over, to be given a traffic citation by one of the towns police officers, Brandon Carpenter. Looking remorseful, a bit shaken, Sheil showed the citation to Shaelyn. That's when she read across the front of the ticket, in large, bold, black-inked letters: Will you go to Prom with me? Young John and Officer Carpenter had pre-arranged the traffic stop. It was all an act. Even better, Shaelyn Wilber said yes. That wasn't an act. No word if a traffic ticket is now cheaper than a night at the prom. Newest way to get your attention Don't know how much more garage-sale business the sign (pictured) got along Florence Street in Bloomington but it might win most creative, as well as best way to advertise it. Latest way to know B-N is growing in many ways In a town that already has American, Mexican, Italian, Tex-Mex, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Guatemalan, Cuban and Asian cuisine, opening the other day along Hershey Road in Bloomington was "Mavarati." Its listed as Hindu. Best Name Club Rick Ridings. Owns a Central Illinois car dealership. Tamika Catchings. Is a WNBA player. Emilee Schwing. From Fisher, she was the MVP of this years Pantagraph All-Star softball classic. Schwing! Latest greatest algorithm placement Even with todays highly sophisticated digital technology, a computer nonetheless cannot sense irony. Like recently, on this newspapers website, where there was a story on a Republicans hope of retaining a seat on the Republican-dominated McLean County Board that, quoting the Republican Party chairman, gives Republicans an excellent opportunity to keep the seat in Republican hands. Coincidentally, next to the story on the web page, was an ad with a picture for the sale of an Overstock.com item. It was a $20 Sterling Silver Democrat Donkey Charm. Four More Fun Places To Visit, If Only For Their Names (As offered by the readers:) Johnnycake, W.Va. Mount Healthy, Indiana. Aimwell, Louisiana. Boody, Illinois (" ... shake, shake, shake ... shake your Boody ..."). Newest inadvertent non-technological tongue slip On one recent Sunday morning on WJBC-AM, Bloomington, was Steve Fast who referred to an app on his smartphone but unfortunately tangled tongue and referred to it instead as his "phartsmone." Recognizing the error, and the humor, Fast said it had been a long time since he'd had an experience like that. Got an item for Lite? Send to: Flick Lite, 301 W. Washington St., Bloomington, 61702; by e-mail; or to the Bill Flick page on Facebook. Our June board of contributors: Diane Johnston, Jo Ann Duncan, Mike Stanton, Jim Stahly, Sr., Lee Templeton, John Smithson and Bev Gale, Bloomington; Roger Miller and Cathy Ferme, Normal; Mark Angel and Greg Bilbrey, Robinson; Ellen Lambert, Pontiac; Bob Drake, Mahomet. BLOOMINGTON Boys & Girls Club of Bloomington-Normal thanks to community donations has met its annual Great Futures Campaign fundraising goal of $125,000. But an additional challenge gift of $10,000 means the club is asking the community for another $10,000 by June 30, Boys & Girls Club CEO Grant Anderson said Wednesday. "We are continually humbled by our community's generosity," Anderson said in a statement. "Raising additional funds allows us to serve more children more often with more impact." Boys & Girls Club, at 1615 W. Illinois St., serves more than 800 at-risk youth annually with after-school and summer programs. With an annual membership fee of $25 per child, the club relies on community donations to support the programs for children and teens ages 6 through 18. Earlier this month, Willie Brown and Duane and Toni Farrington issued a combined $10,000 challenge gift and asked McLean County residents to donate another $10,000 to help the club reach its campaign goal of $125,000 by June 30. Campaign Co-chairs Mary Bennett-Henrichs and Kevin Birlingmair announced Wednesday the goal had been met. Meanwhile, Terry Dodds, president of Dodds Law Office and a former Boys & Girls Club board president, has offered another $10,000 challenge to support teen programs. If the community raises another $10,000 by June 30, Dodds will match that amount. The additional money would go toward creating a program for 25 teenagers focusing on leadership and career development. Checks can be sent to Boys & Girls Club, 1615 W. Illinois St., Bloomington, Ill., 61701, or donations may be made at www.bgcbn.org. NORMAL The ongoing budget stalemate is having a negative impact on the state's higher education system that could be long lasting, the Illinois Board of Higher Education was told Tuesday. At the start of the meeting, held at Illinois State University's Bone Student Center, IBHE Chairman Tom Cross noted that schools have backed up into survival mode. Instead, he urged them to play offense and remind people what great universities we have in this state. Several members of the panel, which included Heartland Community College President Rob Widmer, said the situation is summed up by "uncertainty, and that is leading to problems. Eric Zarnikow, executive director of the Illinois Student Assistance Commission, said fewer students are filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid part of the process for receiving assistance through the state's Monetary Award Program with uncertainty about whether MAP grants will be awarded. Widmer said the uncertainty undermines a lot of what we've tried to accomplish in terms of retaining students. Schools have had to make a lot of decisions on the fly, Widmer said, as they wait to see what the state will do. As this persists, it's going to be much harder to avoid an impact on students, Widmer said. The uncertainty is affecting faculty as well as students. James Applegate, IBHE executive director, said the University of Illinois recently reported loss of tenured faculty. We're seeing more people go for the exits, said Randy Dunn, president of Southern Illinois University. The best of the best who have options are exercising them, leaving big holes in some areas that will be tough to fill. For SIU, those gaps include faculty for engineering, energy and medical school programs. Many students are heading out of state. Dunn said a school in Kentucky has had a 40 percent increase in applicants from Illinois. Other students, particularly those who come from lower income families, are postponing or dropping out of college, panelists said. Middle-class families will find a way, said Duane Bonifer, executive director of communications and marketing for Monmouth College. He said the focus need to be on those students on the margin. But attracting and retaining those students becomes difficult when outreach and student support services fall victim to budget cutting, said Dunn and others. Schools have attempted to ease the impact of the MAP funding gap by covering those students who have been awarded grants and hoping the money comes later However, Bonifer noted, diverting money to cover MAP grants hinders the ability to hire faculty and expand programs. There are just so many levels and so many ways it has an impact on our colleges, Bonifer said. Not all schools have been fully able to cover what the MAP grant would pay. And, because of how the federal student loan program operates, students cannot borrow money after the school year starts, Zarnikow said. He said the situation is particularly frustrating because there is bipartisan support for the Monetary Award Program, but a lack of action, beyond a stopgap measure that essentially funded only the fall 2015 semester. BLOOMINGTON A flash flood watch has expired for much of the area, but the National Weather Service said storms might return later in the day. The thunderstorms that arrived in the area overnight lingered in the Twin City area until late Wednesday morning when the clouds began to part. The weather service reports the sky could darken again late in the afternoon and evening, with the main threat in area northeast of Interstate 74 that could bring wind gusts of 70 mph, and 2-inch hail. The high temperature on Wednesday will be around 90 degrees. Milder weather a mostly sunny sky and high temperatures in the mid-80s should move into the area for Thursday and Friday, said the weather service. This story will be updated. NORMAL The Heartland Community College board of trustees approved a tentative operating budget of $33.5 million Tuesday night amid continued uncertainty concerning state funding. Historically, the college has approved a tentative budget in June, then a final version in September after fall enrollment figures are in, President Rob Widmer explained. Tuition and fees are responsible for about 46.5 percent of operating revenue. The tentative budget includes projected operating revenue of $34.2 million, which means the plan is balanced and includes money for reserves. The college drew from its reserves during fiscal year 2016. Among the big questions is how much money the district will get from the state. College officials are projecting $2.5 million in state support, a decrease of 2.3 percent from the FY16 budget. However, the college received less than $700,000 in operating grant funds from the state this fiscal year, not the $2.6 million it had budgeted based on previous appropriations. In presenting the tentative budget, Doug Minter, vice president of business services, said, We believe the state can and should fund us as they have in the past. Widmer said the $2.5 million in state aid is an appropriate amount, adding, to say anything less would be to minimize our concerns. The college does not anticipate receiving any more funding for FY16, now that attention seems focused on next year's state budget. That means the state only contributed about 2 percent of the district's overall operating revenue. Budget managers are being told to continue aggressive cost containment efforts in the absence of a state budget, said Minter. While some community colleges have seen enrollment declines, Heartland has fared better. Officials are anticipating steady enrollment, which when combined with a $2 per credit hour tuition increase would bring in about $15.9 million in tuition and fees, a 1.2 percent increase over the FY16 budget. Although the district's tax base has been slowly increasing, officials expressed concern that the recent closure of the Mitsubishi Motors auto assembly plant will have a negative impact. As the state approaches the start of a second fiscal year without a budget, there is continuing talk about a stopgap budget to get Illinois through the election, Widmer noted. I will believe it when I see it, he told board members. I was optimistic too many times last fiscal year. We learn from experience. Board Chairman Gregg Chadwick asked if the district will have to dip into reserves if state funding doesn't come through. Widmer replied, As we get further into the fiscal year, it will likely be a conversation. It's certainly not out of the question. But Widmer said after the meeting that tapping into reserves is not a sustainable long-term strategy. In addition to his consistent blurring of the bright line between people of the Muslim faith and terrorists who cloak their destructive actions in terms of Islamist extremism, Donald Trump recently suggested that Muslims aren't doing their part to prevent tragedies like the nightclub massacre in Orlando. "We have to form a partnership with our Muslim communities," Trump said during a speech at Saint Anselm College in New Hampshire. "We have Muslim communities in this country that are great (but) ... they have to work with us, they have to cooperate with law enforcement and turn in the people who they know are bad. And they know it. And they have to do it and they have to do it forthwith." Blechhhh. This is just lazy thinking. And it's not even new thinking in the years since illegal-immigration hysteria has been on the rise, Hispanics have been cornered by people angry about illegal immigration with accusations that they, personally, have failed to address the problem. I have been asked: "Isn't it in your own best interest to report illegals in your community to the feds? Why don't you do it?" Um, what, do I have a special immigration-status detector? I'm supposed to just definitively know which of the brown-skinned, Spanish-speaking people in my community are here visiting on tourist visas, which of them have overstayed those visas, which ones were smuggled in across the Mexican border, which are permanent legal residents and which are naturalized citizens? Of course not. But the idea that I should know other Hispanics' personal business in this case, their legal status stems from the assumptions made by people who believe the country is overrun by "illegals." Mainly that most Hispanics are residing in the country illegally, that we all know everyone else and their status. And, therefore, I should be a good citizen and go to the immigration police to get the unlawfully present ne'er-do-wells removed. By this ridiculous logic, should Muslims deputize themselves? Make it their business to single out the quiet, weird, shy or nervous-seeming people who worship in their mosques, live in their neighborhoods or frequent their local halal grocery stores and go to the police with ... what, exactly? Misgivings? Suspicions? Heebie-jeebies? In a March episode of the Latino political podcast "In the Thick," independent journalist Wajahat Ali addressed this issue of others' expectations of Muslims. "It's troubling that (to politicians calling on Muslims to 'cooperate') the only utility and worth of the American Muslim community is to 'quote-unquote' provide information. It's the securitization of 4 million people," said Ali. "That's what I always joke about. ... You always expect me to fight ISIS, like what do you want my mom to do? Like, make really spicy chicken tandoori, poison it and send a batch to ISIS? The entire utility and worth of American Muslims who have been in this country for 500 years (shouldn't be) 'What are you doing to help law enforcement and national security and fight ISIS?' And I'm like, 'Dude, I don't know. I don't have specialized knowledge of law enforcement and I don't know how to fight ISIS, I don't know these people.'" Ali continued, "That's the troubling aspect of it, the fact that there is the 'good' Muslim and the 'bad' Muslim. The good Muslim is he who is appointed the moderate, safe Muslim who's helping law enforcement and anyone who's seen as suspect is automatically a bad Muslim. ... It's so reductive and it handicaps the full breadth and diversity and utility and worth and narratives of American Muslims and American Islam that, I think, is ultimately very damaging to how this country views its 4 million American Muslim citizens." If you don't understand why Hispanics or Muslims or any other group would feel insulted by insinuations that we should police our own communities, think of it this way: Why don't politicians hold the families and church or school communities of white perpetrators of mass violence accountable for not having brought them to the attention of law enforcement before their acts? When white Americans do something horrible injure or kill their own children, rape or murder fellow community members why isn't there a knee-jerk reaction against those people's friends, families and neighbors as somehow complicit in the crime? Simple: Because it's wrong. Casting blame on those who surround a perpetrator might feel good but it's ineffective, wrongheaded and plainly un-American. While vacationing in Mexico, a nine-year-old girl suffered from acid-like burns and looked like someone has sprayed acid on her after she applied sunscreen, which is said to be a popular brand. The mother of the child, identified as Louise Nickles from Exeter, a city in Devon, England, said that the name of the sunscreen she used on her daughter is Banana Boat Ultramist Kids SPF 50. She and her daughter, identified as Olivia Bennett, went to a vacation in Mexico earlier this June when the incident took place. Nickles said that her daughter's legs broke out in blisters and is now asking for the product to be removed from stores where it is being distributed and displayed, Fashion IE reported. She shared that it was supposed to be her daughter's trip of a lifetime but instead got acid burns and cold be scarred for life. She added, "I really want it just taken off the shelves, and for other people to be aware of it." Nickles noted that she frantically tried to wash the sun lotion from the legs of her daughter after she noticed that some spots of her legs turned bright red and were blistering. Bennett was then forced to wear leggings for the entirety of their trip in the tropical head at Playa de Carmen and is now embarrassed by her scars she got from using the sun screen. She also refuses to wear shorts and skirts due to how her legs look. Banana Boat has released a statement regarding the matter and stood firm with their claim that the quality of their products is at its best. The firm said that their products undergo "rigorous internal and independent testing to ensure they are appropriately labelled, including for SPF, and meet all relevant regulations." Nickles is still weighing whether or not they will be making a legal action against the company. A mother from Ohio, United States, identified as Krista Temple, said that her son also became red and bumpy after using the same brand of sunscreen. The Ohio mother said that it took almost a week for the reaction of the sunscreen on her six-year-old son's skin to die down. In 2012, several Banana Boat sun car products were removed from shelves due to a potential risk of the product igniting on a user's skin. Accordingly, this could happen if and when it came into contact with a source of ignition before the product was completely tried on the user's skin. Marvel has yet to officially announce if "Iron Man 4" is under development even though several fans are clamoring for another sequel. As a matter of fact, "Iron Man" actor Robert Downey Jr. has also expressed his willingness to reprise his role as the renegade billionaire superhero Tony Stark. What's really interesting, however, are the "Iron Man 4" that recently circulated. Even though Downey Jr. is more than willing to do another installment as he admitted during his interviews, Marvel fans still have to wait until 2020 for a potential "Iron Man" stand-alone movie. 'Iron Man 4' Happening In 2020? It is no secret that the future of "Iron Man 4" to materialize soon remains uncertain but fans need not worry. The reason? Robert Downey Jr. will reportedly appear in three more movies as Tony Stark aka Iron Man. In the next three years, Downey Jr. will make a big screen appearance in "Spider-Man: Homecoming," which is expected to be released in July 2017. He will also be a part of the "Avengers: Infinity War" part 1 and 2, which will be released in 2018 and 2019 respectively, Christian Daily notes. Given the movie projects schedule of Marvel, "Iron Man 4" might be released in 2020, after Downey Jr. is done on his previous commitments. Despite the three-year timetable for upcoming Marvel films, Downey Jr. is still willing to do another "Iron Man" sequel. "I don't know how long I'll do it for. I'll keep playing Iron Man for a couple more years, I guess," the 51-year-old "Sherlock Holmes" actor told The Daily Star. 'Iron Man 4' Rumors Details regarding the much-anticipated "Iron Man 4" sequel have been scarce but latest rumors claimed Marvel might recast Robert Downey Jr.'s role for a woman. In fact, rumors have it that Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow (played by actress Scarlett Johansson) will be the one wearing the "Iron Man" suit. In spite of the fact that this rumored "Iron Man 4" concept may sound absurd, the suggestion reportedly has a basis. According to Christian Times, the concept is based on the story in a Marvel's "Ultimate" comic book where Tony Stark gave Natasha Romanoff her own Iron Man suit during the time when they're still a couple. Unfortunately, Stark and Romanoff's love story did not end well. The reason? Romanoff became a conspirator who's working against the Ultimates. She's also responsible for killing Jarvis, Stark's butler. Robert Downey Jr. Other Movie Plans Meanwhile, "Iron Man 4" seems unlikely to materialize soon since Robert Downey Jr. reportedly has other movie plans with his good friend and veteran actor Mel Gibson. Even though it has previously reported that "Iron Man 4" will be directed by Gibson, Downey Jr. said he and his pal have other projects in mind. "It was an offhanded remark to a journalist and friend," Downey Jr. explained in a Reddit AMA post. "I have other projects in mind for Mel and I - sooner than later the Marvel Roster will be made public and all questions will be answered." What do you think about the latest "Iron Man 4" rumors? Share your thoughts below and follow Parent Herald for more news and updates. A mom in the United Kingdom has launched a movement for parents and she is choosing to use a purple butterfly as its symbol. The image is becoming a familiar fixture at Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU), but what does this actually stand for? It was a bittersweet moment when Milli Smith gave birth to her twin daughters, Callie and Skye, at the Kingston Hospital. Within three hours after they were born, Skye didn't make it due to a condition she developed while still in the womb, per Babble. Doctors told Milli Smith on her twelfth week of pregnancy that one of the babies had anencephaly. According to the Genetic Home Reference, the condition means that the baby is missing her skull bones, cerebrum and cerebellum. These parts of the brain are crucial to coordination, thinking, emotion, hearing and vision. Milli Smith was advised the baby will not survive a day outside of the womb. But because the other baby was still fighting to live, she and her partner, Lewis Cann, proceeded with the pregnancy. While it was tough knowing that she is carrying the babies to full term when one of them was dying, Milli Smith did her best to enjoy the unusual pregnancy. She went into early labor at 30 weeks and relished her short moments with baby Skye before she died. But as the mom was watching over Callie at the NICU, someone made an innocent comment that she's lucky not to be having twins. Still grieving, Milli Smith didn't have the energy to correct the person. But that experience made her come up with the purple butterfly stickers. At NICU hospitals, purple butterfly stickers are placed in baby carriages to indicate that the newborn was part of a set. It signifies the loss of an infant in a twin birth or multiple birth, per Scary Mommy. #purplebutterfly A photo posted by @pinksuicide82 on Jun 18, 2016 at 7:02pm PDT Milli Smith has also opened a crowdfunding site, Skye's Wish, to support bereaved families who are coping with the loss of a child. Milli was placed in a special delivery room when she gave birth to her twins, as the death was already anticipated. She also had the care and guidance of a bereavement midwife at the hospital who helped her arrange Skye's funeral at such a difficult period. The fund she hopes to raise is for the stickers, as well as to give back to families who may need the same services. Learn more about Skye's Wish here. Lane Graves' funeral was recently held and the parents of the boy, who was attacked by an alligator at the man-made lake at Disney World's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa last week, has set up a memorial foundation to honor the toddler. The boy was playing near the lake and his father wrestled with the alligator but failed to save his son. The funeral service for Graves was scheduled on Tuesday morning in Nebraska, Time reported. The service took place at St. Patrick's Church in Elkhorn. In the website of the Lane Graves foundation, the parents of Graves, Matt and Melissa, wrote that after the tragic loss of their two-year-old son, they created the foundation to honor his memory. They continued, "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." If people would like to honor Graves, they could donate on behalf of the foundation at the Omaha Community Foundation. The parents of Graves assured that the funds will be used to make direct donations to various charitable organizations. You can check the website here: https://www.omahagives24.org/lanethomasfund. Graves was vacationing in the area with his mother, his father, and his four-year-old sister when he was killed. The alligator was said to be as long as seven feet and snatched Graves as he was playing in shallow water in the man-made lake. His body was recovered a day later in the same area he was last seen playing before the attack. The parents of Graves also said that they are overwhelmed by the support they have received amid the backlash from other people blaming the parents for not looking after the child. They said in a statement that they appreciate the support and love from their friends in their community and the people from around the country. The death of Graves came days after The Voice former contestant Christina Grimmie was shot dead by a supposed stalker. The tragic incident involving the boy also came days after the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history where 50 people died when a gunman opened fire at a gay club called Pulse. Health experts are saying that Zika virus could actually be transferred via kissing unless it's just a quick kiss and does not involve the exchange of saliva. The new reports come after the vaccine for the virus has been given a green light to be tested on humans and be further studies. Dr. John Brooks, a senior medical adviser at the Office of Infectious Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said that Zika can live in saliva as long as it persists in one person's blood, which could reach up to seven days, CNN reported. Dr. William Schaffner, the medical director at the National Foundation for Infectious Disease, however, said, "But we're talking about deep kissing, or French kissing, where a lot of saliva is exchanged and the tongue goes into the partner's mouth. It would have to be what I call passionate kissing." Brooks pointed out that these new reports will not stop him from giving his wife a kiss as there have been no reports about deep kissing alone significantly affecting the transmission of the disease. Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, echoed Brooks' sentiments saying that it can be transmitted via saliva is "going way past probability." Fauci pointed out that although it is possible, it is a very rare event if it ever occurs at all adding that a mosquito bite is still the main way for the virus to be transmitted. The question about kissing playing a role in the spread of Zika virus was brought up by a recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. In it, it was explained that a 24-year-old woman living in Paris tested positive for Zika after having a sexual contact with her boyfriend, who recently returned from Rio de Janeiro. Brazil is facing an outbreak of the disease. The man reportedly had Zika-like symptoms such as rash, fever, and body aches while in Brazil. When he returned to Paris, he and his girlfriend had sexual intercourse seven times with "ejaculation only during oral sex and not during vaginal sex." Accordingly, the woman's urine and saliva tested positive for Zika but a vaginal swab tested negative. The lead author of the case study, Dr. Eric D'Ortenzio, said that the transmission was most likely semen via oral sex. However, researchers could not rule out the possibility that other bodily fluids such as pre-ejaculate secretions and saliva exchange via deep kissing might have caused the transmission of the disease. A British man was detained after attempting to seize a gun from an officer at a Las Vegas rally in order to kill Donald Trump on Saturday. Michael Steven Sandford, approached a Las Vegas Metropolitan police officer who was stationed at the event to get Donald Trump's autograph. Without a warning, he grabbed the officer's firearm from his hip, authorities said on Monday. He was charged with an act of violence in a restricted area. He said he had been planning to kill Donald Trump for about a year but only when he finally felt confident enough and decided to act on it. He was expecting to be killed during the attempt on Mr. Trump's life and that he would only be able to fire once or twice, BBC News reported. According to the court papers, Sandford went to a gun range called Battlefield Vegas on 17 June in order to learn how to shoot. There he had the first time to fire a gun using a Glock 9mm pistol and fired 20 rounds. Then he drove to Las Vegas from California to do the deed, as per The Guardian. MORE: The 20yo who said he wanted to shoot Donald Trump is charged with an act of violence "on restricted grounds". pic.twitter.com/1FUCuADafz NBS Television (@nbstv) June 21, 2016 Sandford told authorities that if he were able to escape, he would try it again. In fact, he already booked tickets for a Trump rally in Phoenix, Arizona and would have tried to kill Trump there again. He claimed he had lived in the US for almost a year and a half, originally to see a girlfriend. The 20-year-old Briton appeared in court on Monday in handcuffs before a judge in Nevada but did not enter a plea that a danger and risk of non-appearance and was ordered that he be held in custody without bail until his preliminary hearing on the 5th of July. It is confiirmed that Sandford is a British citizen, according to a spokesperson for the Department of Justice. Investigation showed he has been living in the US illegally, unemployed and living out of his car. He had autism and had attempted suicide, said a federal public defender. Child safety is an essential right, yet there are instances when even one's own government is questioned in its stand towards ensuring this humane right. As a reminder, Australian child safety group Bravehearts has constantly lobbied the country's family court system, which they highlighted is experiencing a crisis. Bravehearts' Abbey's Report is a clear example of what the Family Court System is putting the lives of these children through, by sending them to convicted sex offenders as families, ABC AU reported. The 277-page report about the life of a young girl (who ultimately got driven to commit suicide) and her desperate call for help in the hands of her sexually abusive father has the child safety group hoping on that needed change in family court system rulings. Bravehearts founder Hetty Johnston said that the advocacy group has analyzed over 15 case studies to support their call for a royal commission to look into the country's 'dysfunctional' system on ensuring child safety. She adds that many lawyers hesitate to raise child sexual abuse claims in Family Court as the accusing parent was seen as cruel towards the accused other half. In a related Yahoo!7 post, Bravehearts also notes the gripping admissions by a mother, whose son was sexually abused by his father when he was 5 to 7 years old, remembers the unjustifiable treatment that Family Court has shown to her and her son in a 2012 trial. She recalled being belittled and made to feel like a deranged individual for two days during the entire trial. Another case was that of child safety officers concluding that it was obvious for a boy who admitted being drugged and sexually abused in the hands of a parent/guardian as being instructed by the mother to secure custody of the children. "We just really want today's politicians to prioritize children," Bravehearts founder Johnston said. Rumors have been going on for quite some time now about Jamie Foxx and Katie Holmes' secret romance. Just recently, "Real Housewives of Atlanta" star and Foxx's friend Claudia Jordan confirmed that the two are really dating. Jordan revealed the news during an appearance on the "Allegedly" podcast on Tuesday. When asked about the "Django Unchained" actor, Jordan said that they are good friends and that Foxx is "very happy" with Holmes, E! News reported. How Foxx And Holmes Met The confirmation comes after the couple's engagement rumors surfaced in January, when Holmes was seen wearing an engagement ring on her finger. Speculations about Foxx and Holmes' romance sparked in 2013 after they were photographed dancing together at a charity event in the Hamptons. Afterwards, unconfirmed reports claimed that Foxx is spending plenty of time at Holmes' apartment in NYC, according to ET. Tom Cruise, who Holmes shares a daughter named Suri with, starred with Foxx in the 2004 film "Collateral." Holmes filed for divorce from Cruise in 2012 after six years of marriage. Meanwhile, Foxx, 48, continued to deny his romantic relationship with the 37-year-old "Touched with Fire" actress, adding that they are just friends and that they were working on an upcoming animated series called "Amber Alert." That animated project, however, wasn't listed on either of Foxx and Holmes' IMDb pages, ET noted. Secret Romance Going On For Years Now Another rumor also surfaced about Holmes' alleged pregnancy with Foxx's child, which was denied vehemently by the actor and his representative. Aside from the pregnancy rumor, there were also claims about a planned wedding that Foxx is postponing "until they'd settle into life with a new baby," CBS News reported. Foxx, meanwhile, said tabloids and the internet are "thirsty" for stories and outrageous gossips. However, there are claims that Foxx and Holmes' romance has been going on for years now and that their close friends are privy with the two's relationship, E! News reported from insiders. The two are also careful to stay out of the public's scrutinizing gaze and have "strategically coordinate their arrivals and departures" in places to avoid unwanted attention, the news outlet noted. In March 2015, a grainy snapshot surfaced on the tabloids featuring Foxx and Holmes seemingly holding hands in the actor's home recording studio, ET added. Us Weekly reported that the couple's involvement began as a fling but eventually turned into a "long-term attraction." Do you think Foxx and Holmes are really in a serious relationship? Comment below. "The Big Bang Theory" Season 10 already has stars Kaley Cuoco, who plays Penny, and Jim Parsons, who plays Sheldon Cooper, disagreeing over the baby Bernadette Rostenkowski (Melissa Rauch) and Howard Wolowitz (Simon Helberg) will have. Luckily, despite the disagreement, Kaley Cuoco and Jim Parsons may have longer than "The Big Bang Theory" Season 10 to find the common ground. The pregnancy surprise was sprung by Bernadette first to her rabbit Valentino and then to Howard in "The Big Bang Theory" Season 9. This got shared shock and mixed reception among "The Big Bang Theory" viewers. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, producer Steve Molaro described the reaction behind the scenes by "The Big Bang Theory" cast. Naturally, an addition of pregnancy subplot in S9 all the way to "The Big Bang Theory" Season 10 would change a lot of the show's dynamics. Steve Molaro, however, says that "The Big Bang Theory" Season 9 surprise mirrors a more common real-life pregnancy occurrence in that it takes everyone by surprise. According to "The Big Bang Theory" producer, this potentially opens up the show for more storyline possibilities. CinemaBlend reports that Jim Parsons, who admits a lack of natural affinity for children, is alright with seeing a baby in "The Big Bang Theory" Season 10. Jim Parsons hopes, however, that Sheldon would not be happy that Bernadette Rostenkowski and Howard Wolowitz will have a little one so that he would not have to have a lot of baby time in "The Big Bang Theory" Season 10. According to the media outlet, "The Big Bang Theory" Season 10 won't give Jim Parsons baby time for Sheldon just yet as "TBBT" will explore the pregnancy plot for now. AOL reports, on the other hand, that Kaley Cuoco is not as ready as Jim Parsons for the baby addition in "The Big Bang Theory" Season 10. In this, Kaley Cuoco gives a hint of "The Big Bang Theory" cast mindset about Season 10 and reports on cancellation. As far as Kaley Cuoco is concerned, she would like Bernadette to continue pregnancy all the way after "The Big Bang Theory" Season 10 - two seasons after, in fact. While it was a casual comment, Kaley Cuoco shows that no behind-the-scenes pep talk on making "The Big Bang Theory" Season 10 a memorable series ender has yet happened. Which, legitimately allows "The Big Bang Theory" fans to keep hoping for more. In the meantime, more of the controversial baby and Bernadette's pregnancy will resume with "The Big Bang Theory" Season 10 premiere on October 27. Fans will be able to observe if "The Big Bang Theory" Season 10 will give Kaley Cuoco and Jim Parsons time to get excited over pregnancies and babies. "Sleepy Hollow" Season 4 will not see participation by "One Day" actor Tom Mison, who plays Ichabod Crane, sat the 2016 San Diego Comic Con. Is the reason for missing "Sleepy Hollow" Season 4 promotion at the Comic Con because of the unpopular exit of "Jacob's Ladder" actress Nicole Beharie as Abbie Mills? TVLine reports that "Sleepy Hollow" joins "American Horror Story" in non-participation at the 2016 San Diego Comic Con. Carter Matte points out that "Sleepy Hollow" Season 4 is missing out on the valuable opportunity to restore the bond with loyal followers following Abbie Mills' death. As it is, the "Sleepy Hollow" Season 3 finale, fan buzz had been loud about boycotting S4 because Abbie Mills is gone. The media outlet proposes that the 2016 San Diego Comic Con would have been, so to speak, an avenue of reconciliation among fans and "Sleepy Hollow" Season 4 after Abbie Mills' exit. Tom Mison did make an appearance at the 2016 MCM London Comic Con, so the SDDC 2016 miss may not have been an intentional miss over Abbie Mills. "Sleepy Hollow" Season 4 may actually already be continuing the tale of Ichabod Crane after being orphaned by his partner, co-Witness and friend Abbie Mills. The 2016 San Diego Comic Con schedule may have coincided once more with "Sleepy Hollow" production work as it did last year. IGN reports that in 2015, "Sleepy Hollow" skipped the San Diego Comic Con as well because the series had early production work for S3 conflicting with SDCC. If so, then Tom Mison has begun the long trek for Ichabod Crane to find his bearings in a "Sleepy Hollow" world without Abbie Mills as his mentor and teacher. According to E! News, "Sleepy Hollow" Season 4 will see Tom Mison take Ichabod Crane to Washington where the Witness will join a new organization. Release date for "Sleepy Hollow" Season 4 is yet to be announced. The powers that be, however, say that "Sleepy Hollow" Season 4 will be quite different from the previous years. Recent investigation revealed that the Orlando nightclub gunman, Omar Mateen begged a gay man to date him. Another witness also revealed that he spotted the gunman several times in the club prior to the shooting. With the recent updates being revealed, Radar noted that Omar Mateen was not a homophobe, as he himself was said due to several evidence that surfaced. As revelations revealed, the gunman's intentions seem to get more confusing as he previously claimed that he was affiliated to ISIS as well. As of the most recent revelation, the gunman's ex-wife, Sitora Yusufiy noted that Mateen displayed several bisexual tendencies. She then added that she spotted several signs that he was indeed gay. As the case progressed, a new insider surfaced claiming that the gunman wanted to meet up with him several times which he continually declines. A 29-year-old insider named Kevin stated that he met the gunman though a gay app Jack'd. he then added that Mateen would frequently go to Orlando and even go to Pulse. "We talked on and off," Kevin said. "He said he came to Orlando frequently and would I like to meet him for drinks. I wasn't attracted to him but we kept talking as friends - I thought." On the day of the shootout, Kevin stated that he saw Mateen walk past him, he did say hi, but the gunman didn't respond. Kevin then added that the gunman didn't bring any weapon when he walked past him. Another mind-boggling revelation also surfaced which noted that Mateen was seen several times in Pulse. A witness, Ty Smith, stated that Mateen would often drink by himself, and would get too loud when his drunk. According to Orlando Sentinel, Smith also added that the gunman would often talk about his father, wife and kids. Other Pulse regular also identified Mateen stating that they have seen him several times. As more witnesses surfaced, it seems like his motives are becoming broad. Do let us know your thoughts about Omar Mateen. Feel free to share your opinions through the comment section below. Educators can have a hard time addressing horrible events and handling emotionally traumatized students. In the classroom, high school teachers are being taught some tips on how to help emotionally traumatized pupils cope with their experiences and the horrific events they see through the media. Mass shootings like the most recent one in a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida are being discussed in high school hallways and classrooms by teachers and students alike. Benjamin Fernandez, lead school psychologist for Loudoun County Public Schools in Virginia, said educators should discuss what happened before a class started. But prior to that, high school teachers should try to understand the situation first, according to the U.S. News & World Report. By understanding the issue first, teachers will be able to display composed and proper coping skills that can inspire students. Youngsters tend to model their reactions on difficult events after what adults exhibit. Fernandez said dismissing a horrible event can make students shut down and close themselves off. Talking about it with someone else can reduce their anger and hate and inspire harmony. Discussing Facts Is Important Fernandez said high school teachers should stick to discussing the facts of a traumatic event. Samantha Haviland, director of counseling support services for Denver Public Schools, said teenagers are exposed to misinformation on the internet so they need the knowledge of expert adults. Elementary school pupils, meanwhile, are still young and may be unable to comprehend what has happened yet. High school students, on the other hand, tend to feel a situation deeper. Young people struggling with trauma display signs like nightmares, sleeping difficulties and changes in eating habits, Emporia Gazette listed. They also have recurring fears about another traumatic event happening. Educators also need to take students' beliefs, cultures and family dynamics into account when discussing traumatic events. Aside from teachers, parents, school counselors and administrators should also join discussions about horrible situations. Placating Teenagers' Fears After a traumatic event, high school students feel fear, sadness, curiosity and concern about a similar situation happening in their community, Live 5 News reported. For instance, some teenagers are worried about going to a party and a person starts shooting people. Dr. Martha Durham of North Main Counseling said parents and educators are responsible for placating those fears. Telling teens that bad things will not happen to them is wrong because that isn't guaranteed. Instead, adults should come up with "the ways we make it less likely and if it does happen here's how we get help and you really highlight the people helping each other," the news outlet added. Bethenny Frankel from the "Real Housewives of New York" is back on the headlines as it was reported that she might be asked to leave the shoe. Bethenny Frankel was placed under fire last week as she was also caught in a feud with another RHONY cast member, Sonja Morgan. Radar reported that the producers of "RHONY" are furious as Bethenny Frankel continually cause havoc on the show's behind the scenes. It was mentioned that Frankel would openly make commands on her co-stars as to how they should act behind the scenes. She seems to push everybody else around as if she has authority over them, an insider told Radar. It was mentioned that Bethenny Frankel is posing as a threat as she might eventually start her own show. The insider then noted that the producers are eventually fed up with the way she acts. It was cited that her biggest mistake would be thinking that she can produce her own show. "Producers aren't happy with her," the insider said. "They believe she is self-producing the show and they are fed up! She has led all the cast members to believe she has serious control of the show given her celeb status." The insider also added that Bethenny Frankel also refused to film with her other cast mates. One of the people that Bethenny Frankel refused to work with is Sonja Morgan, whom she clashed with earlier this month. Sonja Morgan got into a feud with Bethenney Frankel as it was reported that Sonja Morgan will soon launch her prosecco line, though it may seem far out, the only problem is the fact that she will also add in a restaurant. According to People, Sonja Morgan's decision to open a restaurant didn't impress her co-stars, especially Bethenney Frankel. It first started when Bethenney Frankel blocked Sonja's brand "Tippy Girl" as it might cause confusion with "Skinny Girl" consumers. With Bethenney Frankel's never ending drama, will she be ousted from the "RHONY" series? Do let us know about your thoughts on Bethenney Frankel. Do you want her out of the series too? Do let us know your thoughts on the comment section below. United States President Barack Obama emphasized climate change as he spent the weekend on vacation with his family by visiting national parks. The Obama family visited Carlsbad Caverns National Park and Yosemite National Park. At Yosemite, Obama said that protecting national parks is important. "And the biggest challenge we're going to face in protecting this place is climate change. Make no mistake, climate change is no longer just a threat, it's already a reality," Obama said, as quoted by Think Progress. JUST IN: Obama urges action on climate change while speaking at Yosemite Park https://t.co/vU6nc6yyNg pic.twitter.com/ypRjpkH0HF The Hill (@thehill) June 18, 2016 Climate Change Already Taking Effect Obama said that rangers have told him that Yosemite's meadows are drying up and birds have flocked northward. Besides birds, alpine mammals have also reportedly went further north to escape rising temperatures in the park while Yosemite's glacier has melted considerably. According to SF Gate, the Obama family had last gone on vacation to national parks in 2009. In that year, the Obama family toured Yellowstone National Park and the Grand Canyon. The Obama family's visit to national parks this year coincides with the centennial anniversary of the National Park Service. Budget Woes On National Parks Besides climate change, NBC News reported that national parks all over the country are also facing the threat of budget cuts. It was noted that 52 percent of the budget of the National Forest Service is being spent to address forest fires which research has found to be aggravated by climate change. The report also said that the maintenance of national parks costs $820 million dollars every year but funding continues to decrease every year. National parks in the United States are said to be suffering from a $12 billion maintenance backlog. How should the government address both climate change and budget cuts so as to not threaten the country's national parks? Share your thoughts below. Ranwa Yehia and her husband Ali has taken their son to every pediatrician and child development specialist they could find in order to find out what's wrong with their boy. Until one educational psychologist from Cairo, Dahlia Soliman was able to tell them the answer. Now they are spreading autism awareness all over Egypt by lighting the pyramids blue. Npr.com featured the story of Nadeem, a boy 3 years of age. It was an unusual thing to observe for the mother Ranwa, when for the last three months that Nadeem was able to mention the word "cat." He couldn't say it anymore. Soon enough, they are not sending their son to school without a shadow teacher next to him. When he was being assessed, the questions asked of his parents were, "Does he point with his feet often?" Does he respond to requests?" How often does he hug you during the day?" These specific questions later on gave the conclusion that Nadeem is on the Spectrum. Autism spectrum is a condition that Yehia had heard before, but she knew so little about it. To add insult to injury, autism in the Egyptian society is pretty much a tough issue. People in the part of the globe according to their beliefs is that his condition is a curse. However, an Egyptian Leader Mohab Mamish, told the public that his grandson has autism. It stunned them of course but it has created awareness. Thanks to Dahlia Soliman, now people in Egypt have a better understanding about the Autism Spectrum Disorder. Before they only thought of it as a mental disorder. Now, Egypt was able to celebrate, Autism Awareness Month. Just because of the story of this little boy. Egypt Independent also printed an article about this little boy and Dahlia Soliman. Every April on the year, the Pyramids of Giza would light up in Blue. The advocacy helped in encouraging President Adbel, Fattah el-Sisi to build more autism centers all over Egypt. It's the 3rd year in a row; parents of Daniel Nicastro would send out invitations to his classmates for his birthday party. Yet, they were already ready for the outcome because as usual nobody RSVP'd This is a touching story from Today. Daniel Nicastro is a boy with autism. Social interaction is usually hard for kids like him, although in reality kids on the autism spectrum, want to be around people that they can call friends. What his parents did in order to compensate for the loss of RSVP is they hand delivered an invitation to their local police department in North Port, Florida as Daniel consideres them be his super heroes. They explained to them that the family is planning on a birthday bash for Daniel as he is turning 8 soon and that it would be such a great surprise if they could should the invited classmates will not come. To Daniel's surprise, they sure did! More than half a dozen cars lined up in the Nicastro drive way and the police officers went to attend the birthday. After Daniel was able to warm up, he greeted everyone. He didn't even notice that his classmates weren't even there anymore. Seven officers gave him a gifts. There were loose leafs and hard bound Marvel comics and a Marvel Avenger wristwatch. Daniel's face lit up, he's never been so happy. According to Daniel's mom, they weren't really expecting anything. She added that she would already have been thankful of one or two officers would show up. This was one big surprise that no words could express on how grateful she was for all those police officers that showed up for Daniel's party. As for Sgt. Paul Neugebauer, he and the other officers just wanted to simply stop by to make Daniel's birthday. To them it wasn't such a big deal, but to the boy it made his birthday extra special. The world is currently facing a worsening refugee crisis, where roughly 1.1 million people, who fled their homes due to violence, drought and food insecurity, are needed to be relocated this year. Fortunately, United Nations is making efforts to raise awareness about refugees, particularly in refugee education and learning. Previous researches on education technology (EdTech) have underscored its potential to revolutionize the opportunity limits and access of less fortunate students to education through the influence of new digital tools as educational resources. That's why experts believed that education technology can help transform and improve children refugees' education. Education Technology Revolutionizes Education For Children Refugees For refugees, technology is currently a luxury that will allow them to contact their families and relatives in other parts of the world. But technology is also a profound necessity that can have a positive influence in their lives, especially in education. It is not a surprise that several schools in refugee camps have inadequate educational resources. In fact, student refugees don't have access to most if not all tools needed for learning and development. Hence, education technology-based learning is seen as an effective solution to provide the much-needed educational resources in refugee camp schools. The Positive Impact Of Education Technology In Refugee Education According to Huffington Post, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has collaborated with Vodafone Foundation to launch the education technology-based teaching called, Instant Network Schools program. Ever since the program was introduced in Kenya's Dadaab refugee camp, one of the world's largest refugee settlements with 350,000 inhabitants, teachers have reported a positive change in students. Education is crucial for refugee children who have already lost so much https://t.co/wJKOhO9GHi #EducationCannotWait pic.twitter.com/ef8Am3A2aO UNICEF Education (@UNICEFEducation) June 22, 2016 Teachers noticed that education technology-based programs have improved the overall well-being of students. Their confidence level also increased as EdTech learning model encourages child-centered education. In addition, school enrolment and attendance levels have also risen, noting the eagerness of students to go to class on-time or earlier. EdTech also motivated students to learn with excitement as interactive resources provide better and up-to-date information compared to outdated textbooks. Education technology-based learning also helped Vodafone's Instant Network Schools, mobile classrooms in refugee camps. Even though language barrier for both students and teachers has been a major factor that affects education and learning in refugee camps, EdTech was able to provide better communication and more effective teaching styles through the help of translation apps. The Significance Of Education Technology In Refugee Learning With the worsening refugee crisis in the world today, almost 30 million children are deprived of education due to violence and conflict that destroyed the infrastructures in their respective areas. Due to war, children were left with little or no access to education. Fortunately, digital technologies such as education technology-based programs are perceived to be a way of making education more available to children displaced by violence and war. UNICEF's Global Innovation Center's Product Content Strategist Becky Telford highlighted the major advantage of education technology, which is making education more accessible to refugees. "A key benefit is that digital approaches to education can provide access in places where access wouldn't otherwise be possible," Telford told Deutsche Welle. "There is a huge number of children in the classroom with very little additional resources. Being able to put things together digitally would mean... you can provide resources like textbooks and teacher tools very quickly, as well as resources that children can use as enrichment." Telford, however, emphasized that access to education is not the only important thing that education technology can provide. Aside from access, Telford said EdTech can also offer great projects that can help integrate psychosocial support and life skills into educational resources, citing UNICEF and War Child Holland's collaborative project called Can't Wait to Learn, a gamified version of basic literacy and numeracy that also provide identity and psychosocial support so students can take charge and make positive choices. Major Challenges Of Education Technology Projects In Refugee Schools The introduction of education technology has also brought major challenges before it can be successful and effective. In fact, EdTech projects are complicated and time-consuming to design, not to mention expensive. But Telford said the effective strategy when it comes to digital innovation principles is not always on building something new but on boosting existing ideas and projects. Do you think education technology can help children refugees' education? Sound off below and follow Parent Herald for more news and updates. 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 Generally speaking, the young professionals, whether they are in jobs or managing their own business or industry, are experiencing lots of stress day in and day out in varying degrees across the globe. Undoubtedly, the competition is huge and cutthroat. Consequently, they often get tired and indisposed too rather more frequently, which badly affect their self-confidence, general health/well-being and productivity at their work place. It also impacts their family life adversely. In fact, medical experts have been noticing an abnormal increase in the number of young professionals falling prey to psychosomatic ailments which involve both our body and mind. In majority of cases, it is the fall out of perpetual stress and tension. Ultimately, the person starts suffering from medical disorders such as headache, migraine, ulcer, hypertension, diabetes etc. This is not a happy situation for any individual and his or her family. The question is how to cope up with this situation on an on-going basis without visiting a doctor and without taking medicine on every such occasion? The simple and very effective solution is practicing Yoga sincerely and regularly. In an address given at Gandhi memorial College, Bhopal, on 28th February, 1979, Swami Satyananda Saraswati, the founder of world famous 'Bihar School of Yoga' said, "Today, the thinking people, who have eyes to see and who are able to understand the secrets of yoga with an open mind, have come to the conclusion that the science of yoga has a definite, clear and indisputable solution for the difficulties of man. The science of yoga covers a great range of human problems. It not only solves the problems of spiritual life, but it can also help to ease the problems of our day to day illnesses. The science of Yogasanas, Pranayama, Mudras and Bandhas, including Hatha Yoga - the science of physiological balance and physical purification- has brought to us the knowledge that diseases can be relieved by the practice of yoga." To say in plain words, through regular practice of yoga, preferably in the early morning hours in a relatively open space, we gradually learn to look inside, explore our latent potential, achieve higher level of mindfulness in our every action and thereby gain control over our body and mind. In reality, besides achieving a better physical fitness level, we do improve our power of concentration and the capacity to remain calm and quiet even in moments of distress and indisposition. As a result, we become far more capable to handle and manage any hardship we normally confront in the journey of our life and become more productive and satisfied most of the time. So, the simple prescription is to spare minimum 30 minutes out of 1440 minutes in a day to practice yoga every morning to manage your stress significantly and hence keep yourself healthier and happier now and always. Finally before signing off, let us enjoy the motivating lines of Swami Vivekananda, 'All power is within you. You can do anything and everything. Believe in that.' Milan Sinha has worked in senior positions in financial sector for three decades following three years of active writing in various newspapers and magazines. He is a post graduate in Chemistry from Patna University and also a graduate with Economics. Presently, besides being a freelance writer / a regular contributor to newspapers & magazines, also engaged as a Stress Management, Lifestyle Management & Wellness consultant, Motivational Speaker and Awareness campaigner. Moblie: +919608708344, Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. News and commentary on organized crime, street crime, white collar crime, cyber crime, sex crime, crime fiction, crime prevention, espionage and terrorism. Students suspended for dancing at University event in Iran 06/22/16 Source: Radio Zamaneh Dancing at a university event precipitated the suspension of a group of students at University of Sistan and Baluchistan last week. A video circulated social media and various sites last week showing a number of students dancing on stage at a University of Sistan and Baluchistan event. The clip also showed some people among the audience joining in the dance. The University of Sistan and Baluchistan has been hosting the Festival of Iranian Ethnic Groups aimed at introducing the many Iranian ethnic groups to the student body and the province. The month long events began late May in the city of Zahedan in south eastern Iran, and were winding toward the end of the festival, when the video of dancing students raised controversy. After the video clip was posted on line, Hosseinali Shariyari, Zahedan representative in the Iranian parliament slammed the event saying the scenes captured were "shameful and inexcusable". He maintained that he had seen the recording of the event and stated that "the dance cannot be passed as folk dance" and was rather a "vulgar demonstration, alien to the local culture". The Zahedan MP has indicated that he is planning on meeting with the university president, who is currently abroad, to discuss the incident. He added that the Minister of Science and Technology may also be consulted on the matter. cartoon by Nader Rahmani, Ghanoon daily Reports indicate that the university public relations office has issued a statement expressing concern that the incident has occurred "despite all measures taken to prevent such interminglings". Despite the statement, Zahedan prosecutor has filed charges against the university and has added that more charges may be laid. Meanwhile the university disciplinary committee has issued a preliminary decision suspending seven students for varying terms. Asr Taodol website reports that five students have received suspensions for two terms and another two for one term for their connection to the dancing incident at the university. The website reports that one of the students has informed them of the suspension adding that they intend to appeal the decision. In recent weeks many young Iranians have been arrested for attending parties with participants of both sexes. Iranian government does not allow socializing between members of the opposite sex unless they are legally married or immediate family. The Islamic government has progressively outlawed all forms of dancing; however, on some occasions folk dances representing traditions of Iran's many ethnic groups have been issued permits for public performance by the ministry of culture. In the past year, a conservative backlash has led to local decision makers overturning permits issued by the ministry of culture for music events and concerts being cancelled at the eleventh hour. Iranian Authorities Reverse Decision to Release Detained Dual National Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe 06/22/16 Source: International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran Richard Ratcliffes hopes were dashed when he found out that his wife Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a British-Iranian dual national who has been detained in Iran without legal representation since April 3, 2016, wasnt going to be released after all. Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe Ratcliffe told the International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran that Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe had telephoned her family in Iran on June 9, 2016 informing them that she had been told she was going to be released and then, after she did that, someone called her parents and said: there has been a mistake, we are changing things, and she is being transferred. So it seems to me like there was a fight within the Revolutionary Guards about what to do, said Ratcliffe, whose wife was arrested at Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport on her way back home to the UK on April 3, 2016. Their infant child, Gabriella Zaghari-Ratcliffe-who was in her mothers care at the time of Zaghari-Ratcliffes arrest-has since been living with her grandparents in Tehran. The passport of the baby, who only holds British citizenship, was confiscated when she was separated from her mother at the airport. Zaghari-Ratcliffe had been transferred from Kerman Prison to Evin Prison in Tehran on June 6 and was allowed visitation with her daughter and mother on the same day, Ratcliffe told the Campaign. The first time Zaghari-Ratcliffe was allowed to see her family along with her 22-month old baby was during the second week of May 2016, well over a month after her imprisonment. They were taken to a hotel, and [Zaghari-Ratcliffe] was actually brought to the hotel to meet them, he said. When she met [her family] at that hotel, she wasnt able to stand up she was so weak. She couldnt walk without getting a blackout. She wasnt able to pick up her baby, and our baby had to be put on her lap, she was so weak. I think she was stronger after that, he said. Ratcliffe added that although a lawyer who has agreed to represent his wife has been introduced to the Revolutionary Guards for approval, Zaghari-Ratcliffe has still not been granted access to legal counsel. Her father has talked to a lawyer...but I dont think she has had access to that lawyer yet, he said. She was given the name of a lawyer, and she took the name of the lawyer to the Revolutionary Guards, and they said they were going to check to see if they would approve it or not. It seems to me like this is not a legal process at all, just a political one, he added. I think she is being used as a pawn in the political games between different parties in the government. Accused of Plotting Regime Change Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a project coordinator for the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the news agencys charitable arm, was returning to the UK with her 22-month-old daughter when she was arrested at Tehrans main international airport on April 3, 2016. She had travelled to Iran on March 17, 2016 to visit her family during the Persian New Year holiday. The 37-year-old new mother has since been accused of partaking in a plot to overthrow the Iranian government. Its crazy that they would accuse a woman with a baby of being the mastermind of anything! Ratcliffe told the Campaign. In a statement issued on June 15, 2016, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Sarallah Headquarters in Kerman Province said that Through membership in foreign companies and institutions, [Zaghari-Ratcliffe] was participating in the design and implementation of media and cyber projects [aiming for the] soft overthrow of the sacred Islamic Republic. The statement also alleged that Zaghari-Ratcliffe headed one of the main obstinate networks that have continued their criminal activities during the past few years, under the guidance and support of media and foreign government spy services. In conclusion, it should be noted that during her detention period Ms. Zaghari was held inside a suite in the Kerman Prison, and was allowed regular telephone calls and visitations with her family, continued the statement. Presently her case has been sent to Tehran for judicial processing, and the IRGC Intelligence Organization agents are currently conducting additional investigations. A source from the UK Foreign Office told Reuters on June 15 that the British government was urgently seeking information from the Iranian authorities and had raised this case repeatedly and at the highest levels and will continue to do so at every available opportunity. Asked whether he was aware of any efforts by the British government to secure his wifes release Ratcliffe said: I dont think the British authorities have made any contact with [Irans] Judiciary yet, they have only made contact with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, so they havent heard from the Judiciary, said Ratcliffe. Next week I will be going to... London to see what they can tell me. Targeting Dual Nationals Following Zaghari-Ratcliffes arrest, the arrest of Iranian-Canadian scholar Homa Hoodfar on June 6, 2016, also a dual national, was the latest in a string of arrests and prolonged detainments of dual nationals who have travelled to Iran. The things they said about her [Homa Hoodfar] are similar [to my wifes] case, Ratcliffe told the Campaign. There appears to be a lot of cut and paste... Three women [Nazanin Zaghari, Nazak Afshar, and Homa Hoodfar] were taken while on holiday. [Their arrests] had nothing to do with what any of them had done, he added. [My wife] went to Iran four times since our baby was born, seven or eight times over the past five to six years, and had no issues before this. Its just clear fantasy, he said. Commentary: Iran's Foreign Minister Toes the Supreme Leader's Line on Human Rights 06/22/16 Source: International Campaign for Human Rights in Iran ICHRI- When Irans Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif recently tried to side-step questions about the countrys abysmal human rights record, he yet again exposed his governments inability-or reluctance-to face the issue even though President Hassan Rouhani came to power in 2013 promising to improve it. Irans Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif At a press conference in Norway on June 13, 2016, Mahmood Amiry Moghaddam, the co-founder and spokesman of Iran Human Rights, tried to put Zarif on the hot seat: You mentioned that in the last election many young people voted for Mr. Rouhani because they wanted the raemoval of sanctions and engagement [with other countries]. But among the main reasons youth voted were [Rouhanis] promises to improve human rights and release political prisoners. Now, about three years later, we see that unfortunately the situation of human rights has not improved. In some cases, it has even gotten worse, like with the death penalty. Last year probably saw the highest number of annual executions in more than 30 years. So, when it comes to civil society [in Iran], the crackdown continues. He continued: The human rights defender Narges Mohammadi was sentenced to 16 years in prison, 10 years for simply establishing an anti-death penalty campaign, which was peaceful. Arash Sadeghi was meanwhile sentenced to 19 years in prison for peaceful civil activities. When it comes to the cultural crackdown, recently the police attacked a graduation party of some young students, boys and girls, and they were lashed 99 times because they were partying together. So, my questions to you are: 1) When will human rights be improved now that the engagement [with other countries] has started and the nuclear deal has been achieved? 2) How stable and secure is a state that cannot tolerate peaceful civil activities or even a bunch of students partying together? Zarif shot back: Actually, I think the people of Iran, who went to the polls to vote for members of Parliament only two months ago [February 2016], have shown that at least back home in Iran they are happier than you are here looking from a distance... So, I hope that you can change your glasses and look at Iran again. There is, however, no evidence to suggest that peoples participation in elections indicates their approval of their governments human rights record. The Islamic Republic cannot justify the continuing crackdown on civil rights activists, religious minorities and journalists, and the mistreatment of women as second-class citizens by citing the high voter turnout in its recent elections. As the front man of Irans foreign policy, Zarif can help reform his countrys human rights record from his perch in the international arena. He can listen to criticism from human rights organizations and pass it on to the relevant Iranian authorities. Instead he has consistently avoided the topic or tried to justify Irans deplorable record of crushing plurality and dissent. No Problem, No Change We do not jail people for their opinions, Zarif told American talk show host Charlie Rose on April 28, 2015, in response to a question about the recent wave of arrests of journalists in Iran. The government has a plan to improve [and] enhance human rights in the country, as every government should. And I believe we have an obligation as a government to our own people to do that. But people who commit crimes, who violate the laws of the country, cannot hide behind being a journalist or being a political activist. People have to observe the law. A year earlier Zarif had resorted to denying even knowing about the case of prominent student leader Majid Tavakoli, who, along with many of his peers, was imprisoned for leading peaceful protests during Irans widely contested 2009 presidential election and has remained imprisoned during the Rouhani administration. Zarifs ongoing denials of Irans poor human rights record has earned the ire of many Iranian journalists who have been imprisoned because of their articles and opinions. I spent weeks under duress inside Ward 209 of Evin Prison, [where I was pressured] to take responsibility for the news articles and reports I had written, said Siamak Ghaderhi, a journalist who was imprisoned for four years in 2010 for publishing posts critical of the government on his blogs. Why I did I go to prison for four years, Mr. Zarif? Since Iran and the P5+1 (China, France, Russia, UK, US, plus Germany) signed the nuclear deal in July 2015, the Foreign Ministry, which is led by Zarif, has increasingly handled Irans human rights dossier in international forums-a task that was previously managed by the Judiciary. Rights activists accordingly expressed worry that Zarif would toe the official line set by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who favors a heavily monitored and restricted society and has repeatedly warned that Iran should not submit to foreign pressure on any issue. Meanwhile, conservative extremists have publicly doubted Zarifs ability to uphold the Islamic Republics values and image because they see him as being too soft on the West. In February 2014, Irans state television-which is controlled by Khameneis supporters-complained that Zarif was increasingly assuming responsibility for handling human rights cases involving Iran in international forums, such as the UN, instead of deferring to the Judiciary (as representatives of the government of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad had done). The report claimed that, according to a decision by Irans Supreme National Security Council, the only body in charge of such cases is the Judiciarys Human Rights Council. But the Foreign Ministry has continued to address these issues on the international stage, including at the nuclear talks with the P5+1 countries. Yet the Zarif-led Foreign Ministry has not treated the issue very differently than the Judiciary. When confronted with criticism, Zarif uses the same dismissive language and accuses Western governments of using human rights as a tool to take down their opponents while turning a blind eye to abuses committed by their allies. In a meeting with his Belarusian counterpart in June 2015, Zarif claimed Western countries expose their double standard on human rights by responding differently to human rights issues in Iraq and Syria, and called on independent states to reject Western-backed UN resolutions on human rights. A month later he criticized the Wests obvious double-standards in a meeting with the Serbian foreign minister, and a few months later told his Australian counterpart that human rights should not be used as leverage against other countries. Zarif has expressed willingness to discuss the topic with European governments, most recently in a speech at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). I am prepared to enter talks with Europe on human right issues and have bilateral talks with [EU Foreign Minister Federica Mogherini], he said on June 15, 2016. But he has so far mainly resorted to bringing up the high voter turnouts in Irans 2013 presidential election and 2016 parliamentary elections to deflect any substantial discussion of specific cases involving human rights. Meanwhile, simply agreeing in principle to talk about human rights with foreign governments has resulted in Irans conservatives accusing the Rouhani administration of capitulating to Western demands. If we allow a new game called human rights to become an issue in the same exact way as the 13-year nuclear game that was played by the P5+1 nations, wont we be betraying our principles? opined Fatemeh Taheri in the ultra-conservative Risheh website on June 14, 2016. Taheri also reminded her readers that the supreme leader has warned the Rouhani government against engaging with the West on any topic that interferes with Irans internal affairs. During his presidential campaign in 2013, Rouhani gave speeches about expanding freedoms and freeing political prisoners. But it has become clear that Irans foreign minister is not only deferring to the supreme leader on these issues, but also following his guidelines regarding engaging with the West on human rights. There are few other explanations for Zarifs blatantly false and misleading statements on the topic. Commentary: One Year In, the Iran Nuclear Deal Is Working 06/22/16 By Barbara Slavin, VOA European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif announce a landmark deal to curb Iran's nuclear program in exchange for relief from international sanctions in Vienna, Austria, July 14, 2015. (photo by Mehdi Ghasemi, ISNA) Nearly a year after Iran and a U.S.-led international community reached a landmark nuclear deal, the good news is that there almost isnt any news about Irans nuclear program. In its second report since the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) was implemented Jan. 16, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) found no evidence that Iran has failed to comply with its pledges to restrict its nuclear activities. Stringent IAEA monitoring is one reason why it is extremely unlikely that Iran could build a nuclear weapon undetected. The United Nations, European Union and the United States have also fulfilled their obligations to lift nuclear-related sanctions and as a result, the Iranian economy is slowly picking up steam. At a symposium on Iran at the Atlantic Council last week, John Smith, the acting director of the Treasury Departments Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), cited Iranian statistics showing that the country had received $3.4 billion in foreign investment since January and had boosted oil production to 3.5 million barrels a day and exports to 2.3 million barrels - more than twice the figure under sanctions. Smith also noted deals to sell Iran 230 new civilian aircraft, including a $17 billion sale of more than 100 planes by Boeing. Contrary to Iranian complaints that the United States has failed to lift required sanctions, Smith said Iran has already reaped significant benefits.. Even though major foreign banks are still shy about returning to Iran, Irans banking system has been reconnected to the SWIFT system of electronic transactions and Iran has opened 350 new correspondent accounts, he said. OFAC, which for decades was in the business of discouraging commerce with Iran, has shifted gears since the JCPOA was signed. Smith said U.S. officials have gone to more than two dozen countries to explain what sanctions have been relieved and has published nearly 100 pages of guidance on the OFAC website. While most U.S. business with Iran - apart from the sale of commercial airliners, food, medicine and medical devices - remains barred because of Irans support for groups regarded as terrorist, its missile program and its abuse of human rights, non-U.S. firms are free to return to the Iranian market. Smith said foreigners have only two things to watch out for: doing business with a person or entity among 200 still on a specially designated sanctions list and that transactions dont involve a U.S. citizen or the U.S. financial system. Even the second caveat has an important loophole. Responding to a question from this analyst, Smith said Boeing could use an American bank to process payments for its planes, assuming the deal is authorized by his department (OFAC). The banking for that can be an authorized part of the transaction, Smith said. Many non U.S. firms have been wary of business with Iran because of huge fines levied in the past against banks such as BNP Paribas and Credit Suisse for sanctions violations. Smith said that those banks had committed egregious and obvious violations, such as falsifying the nature of transactions. OFAC will not be playing gotcha for companies that conducted the appropriate due diligence [but] unwittingly find themselves doing business with a still-sanctioned entity, such as a front company for Irans Revolutionary Guards, Smith said. The fact that foreign companies have been slow to return to Iran could actually be helpful in putting pressure on Iranian authorities to limit the role of the Guards in the economy and to improve transparency in the banking sector. A major factor that has held banks back from Iran is that Iran is one of only two countries - along with North Korea - in the high risk category for money laundering and terrorism financing in the view of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), a Paris-based multilateral watchdog. The Barack Obama administration could do more to bolster the Iran deal by allowing U.S. Treasury Department experts to advise the Iranians on steps necessary to get off the FATF blacklist. OFAC could also issue a general license permitting Americans who work for foreign banks in senior positions to supervise Iranian compliance with international banking regulations and norms. Experts say the Iranian government, in its eagerness to sell the nuclear deal, oversold its benefits and that it has taken time for Iranians to readjust their expectations for an immediate windfall. The Boeing deal, assuming it gets approved, would be a particular boon to the government of President Hassan Rouhani, providing tangible evidence that the JCPOA is making a difference in the lives of ordinary Iranians. Many Iranian planes are antiquated and the country has suffered numerous crashes because of an inability to buy modern aircraft. OFAC approval is also necessary for Iran to complete the purchase of 118 planes from Airbus because the planes have engines made by General Electric. These deals are to last for many years - nearly a decade in the case of Boeing - and could provide added insurance that the JCPOA will survive beyond the Obama administration. Deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes told the Atlantic Council audience that he doubted Obamas successor would tear up the JCPOA, even if that successor was Donald Trump, who has harshly criticized the agreement. You would precipitate a crisis, in all likelihood, and Iran would then be advancing once more towards potentially having a nuclear weapons capacity, Rhodes said. You would be alienating the United States from all of our key allies who helped us negotiate this deal... Having worked for a president who had to come into office with enough problems, I think the basic principle is you dont come into office and create a massive new problem for yourself. San Francisco State University announces $5 million gift to establish the Center for Iranian Diaspora Studies 06/22/16 Source: San Francisco State University Center to explore impact of mass migration through arts & culture "Mass migration is one of the most pressing global challenges of the 21st century," says SF State alumna and Iranian-American philanthropist Neda Nobari. "Mass migration is one of the most pressing global challenges of the 21st century," says SF State alumna and Iranian-American philanthropist Neda Nobari. San Francisco State University has received a $5 million gift from alumna and Iranian-American philanthropist Neda Nobari to establish the Center for Iranian Diaspora Studies (CIDS). This endowment establishes SF State as an academic pioneer in the field of Iranian diaspora research. Under the leadership of the Neda Nobari Distinguished Chair, CIDS will create a vigorous, dynamic and fresh approach to the study of and research about Iranian diaspora communities, their development, contributions to host societies and impact on Iranian identity. The Center will be a platform for new academic programs that foster intellectual engagement with local and global Iranian communities across numerous disciplines. It will model new methods of research and scholarship, and develop collaborative interdisciplinary opportunities for faculty and students across the SF State campus, as well as with universities across the U.S. and internationally. "This generous gift from Neda Nobari will have an enormous impact on the University's mission to prepare globally minded students for the 21st century, and we are honored to launch the first center of its kind," said SF State President Les Wong. "The Center will prepare a new generation of policy makers, business leaders, artists and cultural ambassadors to effectively understand and engage with people of Iranian heritage. San Francisco State University is the perfect home for such a bold initiative since it represents a very diverse community and has a legacy of supporting progressive, innovative and under-studied fields." "Mass migration is one of the most pressing global challenges of the 21st century," said Nobari. "It's also an opportunity to learn. Nearly 37 years have passed since the Iranian Revolution and migration of Iranians across the globe. The diversity of these cross-national communities and their cultural evolution provides a window for scholarship and research into their impact on the Iranian socio-cultural identity and the relationship between individuals and different communities around the world. This center will be a catalyst for understanding and studying the Iranian diaspora in the larger global context." Nobari emigrated from Iran to the United States in 1978 at the age of 15. She graduated from SF State in 1984 with a bachelor's degree in computer science and earned a master's degree in liberal studies from Dartmouth College in 2015. Her graduate research at Dartmouth focused on the intersection of diaspora and cultural identity of Iranian-American women. From 1985 to 2006, Nobari served as the director and vice chair of bebe stores, Inc. After transitioning away from the for-profit sector, she established the Neda Nobari Foundation. As founder and president, Nobari guides the private foundation in supporting organizations and initiatives associated with the arts, film and education in service of social justice and cultural awareness. In addition to her philanthropic support, Nobari also serves on the board of directors of the San Francisco State University Foundation. 19 Soldiers Die As Bus Plunges Into Ravine in Southern Iran 06/22/16 Source: Tehran Times 19 people died and dozens more were injured when a bus carrying soldiers plunged into aavine early Wednesday on a road linking the cities of Shiraz and Kerman in southern Iran, ISNA reported. According to the reports, all the passengers were soldiers who were coming back from a garrison in Kerman and were heading to the southern city of Ahvaz. Morteza Salimi, an official with the Rescue and Relief Organization, announced that 16 of the passengers died at the scene of the accident and three of them at the hospital. Moreover, Mojtaba Khaledi, Iran's Emergency Services spokesman said that 8 of the passengers are in a critical condition. Some of the soldiers injured in the accident Iran's chief of road police Mohammad Hossein Hamidi explained that the bus driver's incompetence in controlling the vehicle coupled with the road's bad condition resulted in such a dreadful accident. The best 2-in-1 laptop 2022: our picks of the best convertible laptops These are the best 2-in-1 laptops you can buy right now Mobile World Congress, arguably the most important mobile tech trade show in the world, is coming to the U.S. Trade groups GSMA and CTIA are joining forces to bring a smaller version of the event to the U.S. in 2017. GSMA Mobile World Congress Americas will debut Sept. 12 to 14, 2017, in San Francisco and will replace U.S. trade group CTIAs Super Mobility conference. Super Mobility will continue this year in Las Vegas from Sept. 7 to 9. The new conference will be the first truly global wireless event in the Americas, CTIA President and CEO Meredith Attwell Baker said in a press release. The new trade show, however, will apparently be more focused, spotlighting the leading innovations from the North American mobile industry, John Hofman, CEO of GSMA, said in a press release. The trade groups expect about 30,000 attendees and 1,000 exhibitors at the 2017 trade show, similar to the numbers from CTIAs Super Mobility conference. GSMAs Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, earlier this year drew more than 100,000 attendees and 2,200 exhibitors. The 2017 Barcelona event will take place from Feb. 27 to March 2. The new Mobile World Congress Americas will feature C-level speakers, exhibits featuring the latest mobile technologies, and a regulatory and public policy program. One of the main goals of SDN (software-defined networking) is to make networks more agile to meet the changing demands of applications. A new Silicon Valley startup, Apstra, says it has an easier way to do the same thing. Rather than control the guts of individual network devices through software that makes them more programmable, Apstra says it can deal with those devices as they are and shape the network from a higher level. The result is a new approach that might let IT departments bypass some of the complex technologies and politics of SDN and still make their networks more responsive to users needs. Its due to go on sale by August. Network programmability has been a mixed blessing, Apstra Founder and CEO Mansour Karam said. The network engineer needs to become a software developer in order to take advantage of this programmability layer at the device level, he said. That is an unrealistic expectation. Apstras aim is to let them be network engineers but not use the traditional tools of networking like CLIs (command-line interfaces). The company approaches the problem of agile networking from the top down where SDN has come at it from the bottom up, Karam said. SDN initiatives like OpenFlow take the functions of network devices like switches and figure out how to realize those in controller software. Apstra looks at what an organization wants its network to accomplish and figures out how to make the switches do that, he said. The result is simpler and more agile, the company claims. But it can also coexist with classic SDN, current resource management systems like Infoblox, and network telemetry platforms like Ciscos recently announced Tetration Analytics, Apstra says. The companys product, called Apstra Operating System (AOS), takes policies based on the enterprises intent and automatically translates them into settings on network devices from multiple vendors. When the IT department wants to add a new component to the data center, AOS is designed to figure out what needed changes would flow from that addition and carry them out. The distributed OS is vendor agnostic. It will work with devices from Cisco Systems, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Juniper Networks, Cumulus Networks, the Open Compute Project and others. AOS takes advantage of APIs (application programming interfaces) for network devices that didnt even exist until a few years ago when networking began to open up, Karam said. It can also work with Linux-based container environments. The system uses real-time telemetry that can detect and show whether the network is carrying out policies as intended. That visibility will be critical for network engineers to embrace a system like AOS, said IDC analyst Brad Casemore. Many businesses want network automation, but networkers are wary of it because they trust the tools theyve always used, like CLIs. If they can closely monitor whats going on, theyll be more likely to trust automation, he said. Thats part of whats driving the current trend in network telemetry, which is producing other systems like Ciscos Tetration Analytics and Voyance from startup Nyansa, Casemore said. They dont all do the same things, but they aim to satisfy a hunger for information about whats going on in increasingly complex IT environments that combine elements like cloud, virtualization and mobility. Microsoft believes its refusal to turn over email held in Ireland to the U.S. government got a boost from an opinion of the Supreme Court on Monday, which upheld that U.S. laws cannot apply extraterritorially unless Congress has explicitly provided for it. In a decision Monday in a separate case on the extraterritorial application of a provision of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), the Supreme Court set out the ground rules for its analysis, pointing out that absent clearly expressed congressional intent to the contrary, federal laws will be construed to have only domestic application. The court was applying a canon of statutory construction known as the presumption against extraterritoriality. It stated that the the question is not whether we think Congress would have wanted a statute to apply to foreign conduct if it had thought of the situation before the court, but whether Congress has affirmatively and unmistakably instructed that the statute will do so. The statements by the Supreme Court, which were cited on Tuesday in a notice of supplemental authority in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit by Microsofts lawyer, E. Joshua Rosenkranz, appear to be in accordance with Microsofts own argument that nowhere did the U.S. Congress say that the Electronics Communications Privacy Act should reach private emails stored on providers computers in foreign countries. The proceedings in this high-profile lawsuit have been rather slow, although a decision by the court is eagerly awaited because of its far-reaching implications. Microsoft provided non-content information held on its U.S. servers in response to the search warrant, but tried to quash the warrant when it concluded that the account and the content of the mails were hosted in Dublin. The company favors instead an inter-governmental resolution to the U.S. demand for access to the emails, through the use of mutual legal assistance treaties that the U.S. has with other countries including Ireland. In an earlier decision, U.S. Magistrate Judge James C. Francis IV of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York had ruled that the warrant under the Stored Communications Act, a part of the ECPA, was a hybrid: part search warrant and part subpoena. It is executed like a subpoena in that it is served on the Internet service provider, which is required to provide the information from its servers wherever located, but does not involve government officials entering the premises, Judge Francis ruled. The government has argued that the MLAT procedure through inter-government collaboration is time-consuming, even though Ireland has offered to consider a request for the data under the treaty. Microsoft wants that Congress should be asked for a decision on whether warrants under the ECPA can be executed abroad. The Supreme Court in its opinion on Monday also adopted a view that appears to tally with the stand taken by Microsoft and its backers on the international implications of a decision against the company. The court noted that there are several reasons for the presumption that a statute does not have an extraterritorial implication if it gives no clear indication of one, including that it serves to avoid the international discord that can result when U.S. law is applied to conduct in foreign countries. Although the risk of conflict between an American statute and a foreign law is not a prerequisite for applying the presumption against extraterritoriality, where such a risk is evident, the need to enforce the presumption is at its apex, the court observed elsewhere in its opinion. Tech companies are worried that if the appeals court decides against Microsoft, it would scare European cloud and other customers who would be wary of the long arm of U.S. law, particularly after revelations by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden about large-scale domestic and foreign surveillance by the U.S. The case before the Supreme Court arose from allegations that tobacco and food company RJR Nabisco and related entities participated in a global money-laundering scheme in association with various organized crime groups. The European Community and 26 of its member states first sued RJR in the Eastern District of New York in 2000, alleging that RJR had violated RICO. Nothing in the text of RICO establishes that Congress meant to allow a provision for private lawsuits to recover for injuries outside the U.S., the Supreme Court ruled. A private RICO plaintiff therefore must allege and prove a domestic injury to its business or property, it added. IBM is warming up to the idea of adding servers using its Power processors and the OpenCompute open design to its product portfolio. Im going to bring OpenCompute servers into my portfolio at some point so that Im offering directly to the marketplace if theres a demand for it, said Doug Balog, general manager for Power Systems at IBM. An OpenCompute-based Power server will be based on open designs, and provide an alternative to IBMs integrated systems like PurePower. Itll also provide customers more flexibility on the components used inside systems. A Power-based OpenCompute server will also be an alternative to open server designs based on x86 chips. One target for such Power servers is hyperscale vendors, who may be looking for an alternative to Intel chips, which now dominate data centers. Balog didnt say when servers would be added to the Power lineup. But Google and Rackspace are building a server called Zaius based on IBMs upcoming Power9 chip, which will ultimately be submitted to OpenCompute. Rackspace in the past developed a Power8 server called Barreleye, and that design was submitted to OpenCompute. OpenCompute started in 2011 and provides open server designs. Its members include Facebook and Google, which are building mega-data centers and largely designing servers in-house to meet their specific needs. Those servers are made by companies like Foxconn and Wistron and supplied directly to the companies. That can be cheaper than buying servers through vendors like Dell or Hewlett Packard Enterprise. Most servers that ship today are based on Intel chips, but IBM believes it has a more powerful alternative with its Power processors and it has a good fit with OpenCompute. There is no doubt we want Power to be a first-class member from a processing standpoint as part of the OpenCompute architecture, Balog said. More companies, especially in the financial sector which are big customers of Power servers are moving to servers based on OpenCompute architecture, Balog said. Three years ago, IBM formed the OpenPower Foundation which boasts members like Google, Samsung, and Nvidia to open up the Power architecture and promote hardware and software development. As a result, other server makers are offering systems with Power chips. If not buying from IBM, companies can also tap into that OpenPower ecosystem to get servers based on OpenCompute designs, Balog said. IBM wants to mainly sell Power servers costing more than US $6,000, while letting other server makers offer low-end systems. Some of those vendors, like Tyan, are based in China. Another company offering Power servers is Supermicro, which has its headquarters in San Jose but has a big China presence. Original design manufacturers like Wistron, which make custom servers based on OpenCompute designs, are also members of OpenPower Foundation, Balog said. IBM currently ships servers based on the Power8 architecture. Servers based on the Power9 architecture are expected to ship in the second half of next year. Power9 has new features like support for NVLink, a new throughput mechanism that is five times faster than PCI-Express 3.0. There are countless as-a-Service offerings on the market today, and typically they live in the cloud. Back in 2014, startup BlueData blazed a different trail by launching its EPIC Enterprise big-data-as-a-service offering on-premises instead. On Wednesday, BlueData announced that the software can now run on Amazon Web Services (AWS) and other public clouds, making it the first BDaaS platform to work both ways, the company says. The future of Big Data analytics will be neither 100 percent on-premises nor 100 percent in the cloud, said Kumar Sreekanti, CEO of BlueData. Were seeing more multicloud and hybrid deployments, with data both on-prem and in the cloud. BlueData provides the only solution that can meet the realities of these mixed environments in the enterprise. BlueDatas EPIC (short for Elastic Private Instant Clusters) platform taps embedded Docker container technology to let businesses spin up virtual Hadoop or Spark clusters within minutes on their existing infrastructure, the company says, giving data scientists on-demand access to the applications, data, and infrastructure. BlueData has offered a free community edition of BlueData EPIC running on AWS since last year, but until now the enterprise edition was available only for on-premises deployments. With the new flexibility to run in hybrid and multicloud environments, customers can eliminate data movement by keeping data on-premises while running compute in the cloud. At the same time, theres a single pane of glass for creating and managing big-data environments, BlueData says. The Docker images for Hadoop, Spark, and other big data applications will be the same regardless of the underlying infrastructure or cloud service. As of Wednesday theres limited availability on AWS, with general availability there - as well as on Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform, and other public cloud services - due in the coming months. Pricing on the public cloud will include usage-based and annual subscription options. Also on Wednesday, BlueData introduced the summer release of its EPIC platform. With roots at VMware, BlueData last year forged a partnership with Intel and announced a fresh $20 million in funding. The BDaaS market is expected to be worth $7 billion by 2020, according to research firm MarketsandMarkets. 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Ireland United States Minor Outlying Islands United States of America Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe As Microsoft hurtles towards the release of its major Windows 10 Anniversary Update, the company has introduced a tool thats supposed to help PC owners resolve problems with activating the operating system on their computers. Microsoft has a complex system in place to ensure people are using a copy of Windows that hasnt been pirated. But that system sometimes gets too aggressive and ends up dinging people with authorized copies of Windows. The new Activation Troubleshooter is supposed to help. It should make it easier for people to reactivate their computers after changing hardware, such as swapping out their motherboard or hard drive. Right now, its available only to members of the Windows Insider Programs Fast ring, who got a new beta build of Windows 10 to play around with on Wednesday. Microsoft hasnt said that the tool will be available to everyone with the forthcoming Anniversary Update, but that seems likely. Using the Activation Troubleshooter, users can associate a digital Windows 10 license with their Microsoft account. After that, they can change out hardware on their PC and re-activate Windows with the license that they associated with their account. In a reference document, Microsoft said that there would be a limit to the number of times that users can re-activate a device using the same license, but didnt say what the limit is. A representative for Microsoft didnt respond to a request for comment by press time. In addition, the Troubleshooter is supposed to help users who reinstall Windows 10 on their device get back to the right edition of Microsofts new operating system. If they previously had a digital license for Windows 10 Pro (for example, though upgrading from Windows 8.1 Pro) and then installed Windows 10 Home on the same system, the Activation Troubleshooter will walk them through getting back to the Pro version. The tool is important, since Microsoft will no longer be offering free upgrades to Windows 10 after the end of July. Users who have taken Microsoft up on the free upgrade offer (whether intentionally or not) will be authorized to keep their computers running Windows 10 for a good long while. This tool will help them handle the at times convoluted process of staying on Microsofts good side. It comes alongside a bunch of bug fixes and minor tweaks released to beta testers in build 14371 of Windows 10. Microsoft is slated to release the Windows 10 Anniversary Update soon, and is currently in the process of squashing bugs so that the update is ready for release. UPDATE (1:25 p.m.): CONGRESS: Social media huge for sit-in, Aguilar says Democrats continued their hours-long occupation of the House floor to demand consideration of two gun-related bills even as Republican leaders held a vote on an unrelated measure. Amid shouts of no bill, no break from Democrats occupying the well of the House, Republican leaders unsuccessfully tried to override President Barack Obamas veto of a bill that would block the administrations recently issued fiduciary rule. The tally was 239-180, short of the two-thirds majority needed to override the veto. The spontaneous protest began shortly before noon Wednesday. Nearly 100 Democrats led by Georgia Rep. John Lewis demanded a vote on measures to expand background checks and block gun purchases by some suspected terrorists in the aftermath of last weeks massacre in Orlando, Fla., that killed 49 people in a gay nightclub. It was the worst shooting in modern U.S. history. No bill, no break, shouted Democrats, who demanded that Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., keep the House in session through its planned weeklong recess next week to debate and vote on gun legislation. This is nothing more than a publicity stunt, Ryan said on CNN Wednesday evening. This is not a way to try to bring up legislation. Democrats accused Republicans of political cowardice by failing to schedule a vote. Are they more afraid than the children at Sandy Hook? asked Rep. Mike Thompson, D-Calif., referring to the 2012 shooting that killed 26 people, including 20 elementary school children, in Newtown, Connecticut. What is so scary about having a vote? Lewis, a veteran civil rights leader revered by Democrats, said action on gun violence is long overdue. We have lost hundreds and thousands of innocent people to gun violence, Lewis said as he urged fellow Democrats to stand with him in the area near the podium, known as the well. About 30 minutes after the sit-in began, Rep. Ted Poe, R-Texas, tried to start the Houses work at noon. The customary prayer and pledge of allegiance went ahead, but Poe was forced to recess the House when dozens of Democrats refused to leave the well. All four Democrats from the Inland congressional delegation joined the sit-in, including Rep. Mark Takano, D-Riverside. The goal of the sit-in is to prevent the House majority from treating mass shootings as business as usual, Takano spokesman Josh Weisz said. Congress has a responsibility to act. In an emailed statement, Rep. Norma Torres, D-Riverside, said: The gun violence epidemic is a complicated issue, and there arent easy answers, but doing nothing is not an option I am determined to do what I can so that we dont let one more mass shooting go by without taking action. Reps. Pete Aguilar, D-Redlands, and Raul Ruiz, D-Palm Desert, also joined the sit-in. Joining @repjohnlewis & @HouseDemocrats to demand a vote to end #gunviolence. #NoBillNoBreak #SitIn, tweeted Aguilar, whose district was the site of the Dec. 2 terror attack in San Bernardino. In a telephone interview, Ruiz recalled instances as an emergency-room physician in which he had to save the lives of gunshot victims. I have performed procedures that required me to massage the heart to keep them alive, put a finger in a bullet hole to stop the bleeding, put in chest tubes to drain blood from lungs (and) perform CPR to keep them alive, he said. I saved some and I lost some but they all suffered. Ruiz added that while there is no cure-all for gun violence, These are common-sense measures that Democrats, Republicans, NRA members (and) the vast majority of Americans agree with. We are demanding a vote so that terrorists are not able to buy a gun in America. We are demanding action to keep Americans safe. Republican leaders, in an effort to regain control of the House floor, planned an evening vote on a measure to override President Barack Obamas veto of a law that would block the administrations recently issued fiduciary law, several House lawmakers said Wednesday evening. The vote appears to be an attempt to force Democrats to participate in regular House business, because if Democrats abstained, Republicans could get the necessary two-thirds majority of those present and voting to send the override measure to the Senate. I suspect that well have that vote. Itll probably be loud and itll probably be noisy, said Representative Charlie Dent, a Pennsylvania Republican. I cant predict what will happen. All I say is you might want to get in the gallery and watch the show. Although the cameras were turned off, lawmakers including Takano relied on social media to transmit photos and video of their protest, using Facebook, Twitter and Periscope. C-SPAN used Periscope video from Rep. Scott Peters, D-Calif., to provide coverage of the protest. Rep. John Larson, D-Conn., said lawmakers were calling for the simple dignity of a vote. Joining the protest were several Democratic senators, including Massachusetts Elizabeth Warren and Connecticuts Chris Murphy, who had waged a nearly 15-hour filibuster last week to force votes in the Senate on gun legislation. Those votes failed on Monday night. Ryan said Wednesday that House leaders were waiting to see what the Senate does before proceeding on gun legislation, including a possible compromise that Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, is seeking. Larson and other Democrats cited polls showing broad public support for expanding background checks for firearms purchases and blocking suspected terrorists from buying guns. Rise up Democrats, rise up Americans, Larson said. We will occupy this chamber. Among those protesting on the House floor was Rep. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., an Iraq war veteran who lost both her legs in combat. She got out of a wheelchair and sat on the House floor with other lawmakers. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said the House needs to act on gun legislation, rather than continually hold moments of silence in memory of victims of gun violence. We truly believe that if there were a vote that we would win the vote, because 85 to 90 percent of the American people support responsible background checks legislation, which is bipartisan, and the no-fly, no-buy legislation, which is bipartisan, Pelosi said. White House press secretary Josh Earnest said House Democrats were showing the kind of frustration and even anger that people around the country have about the inability of the Republican-led Congress to take common-sense steps that would protect the American people. C-SPAN, a cable network that provides continual coverage of House and Senate floor proceedings, does not control the cameras. Theyre run on authorization by legislative leaders. They can turn off all the TV they want, but they cant stop us from doing what we know is the right thing here in this well, Larson said of GOP leaders. I am willing to stay here until hell freezes over, added Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif. As the protest continued, lawmakers briefly sang We Shall Not Be Moved. The rooftop panels and churning turbines of booming solar and wind energy are helping make U.S. nuclear power plants, with all the safety fears and rising costs they bring, obsolete, some experts say. So much so that Californias largest utility and environmental groups struck a deal Tuesday to shutter the last facility in the state. The move marks the end of Californias era of nuclear-power plants and comes as the operators of the countrys aging nuclear facilities confront rising repair bills at a time when sources of clean, safer energy cost less. Competition from a glut of natural gas and surging solar and wind production also has dampened enthusiasm in Europe for nuclear power. So did the 2011 disaster in Fukushima, Japan, when an earthquake and tsunami led to meltdowns and radioactive releases at a nuclear plant. But China is among the countries still building nuclear power plants, and a U.S. industry group says nuclear remains a vital power source despite Californias deal. The 31-year-old Diablo Canyon plant between Los Angeles and San Francisco will shut down by 2025, decades after its location near seismic faults on ocean bluffs helped spark the environmental movement against nuclear power. Pacific Gas & Electric Co. announced plans for the facility in the 1960s. Conservationists said the success of the Diablo Canyon deal could show the way forward for the countrys 60 other commercially operating nuclear plants, most of them more than 30 years old. They said it demonstrates the choice was not between nuclear power and climate-changing fossil fuels. For years, we heard you cant fight climate change without nuclear power. Thats wrong, of course, said Rhea Suh, president of the Natural Resources Defense Council, one of the environmental groups that negotiated the accord with PG&E. Were clearly on our way. The agreement will mean the end of nuclear power generated within the nations most populous state, an energy source once called essential to meeting its growing needs. However, Southern California still receives some of its electricity from a nuclear plant across the border in Arizona. With more efficient energy use and an emphasis on renewable energy in California, theres just not going to be enough need to have to run your nuclear plant, PG&E President Tony Earley told reporters Tuesday. The utility will save more money closing Diablo Canyon than running it through 2044 as planned, Earley said. The plant supplies 9 percent 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 650 yards from the plants twin reactors. 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. The terrific news is that risk will cease in 2025, said Daniel Hirsch, director of the Program on Environmental and Nuclear Policy at the University of California, Santa Cruz. The troubling news is that the risk will continue until 2025. The agreement still requires approval from state agencies. Earley and the environmental groups said neither the state nor federal governments were involved. Gov. Jerry Brown declined to comment immediately. A national nuclear-power industry group said the circumstances that produced Tuesdays deal are unique to California, where Brown has pushed to move away from fossil fuels, with their climate-changing emissions. For the rest of the country, nuclear energy is a vital part of a balanced energy portfolio, the Nuclear Energy Institute said in a statement. 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. Southern California Edisons San Onofre nuclear plant, between San Diego and Los Angeles, shut down 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. California already has banned construction of new facilities until the federal government finds a permanent disposal site for radioactive waste. Having worked for more than three decades as a tour manager or production designer for Kanye West, Annie Lennox and everyone in between, Simon Sidi knows what a rock concert sounds like. It was the same reaction he got when watching a live taping of Political Gabfest, a podcast for the online magazine Slate. The reaction they were discussing a Supreme Court decision, he thinks inspired Sidi, a native of Britain, to create Politicon, a convention billed as the Comic-con of politics. The second-ever Politicon takes place Saturday and Sunday, June 25 and 26 at the Pasadena Convention Center. Think Campaign-Chella. Imagine rooms full of people paying to immerse themselves in all things partisan and polarized. And theyre especially amped up this year, with the ever-more-volatile November presidential election drawing nearer. For some, those folks who reach for the dial when they come into the room to tune in anything but CNN, this would be misery. For an increasing number of Americans, its bliss. Politicon is unique not only in its approach to politics, but whos in the lineup. Conservative icons like Sarah Palin, Ann Coulter and Glenn Beck will share the same buildings and sometimes the same stage as outspoken liberals like Cenk Uygur and Democratic talking heads like James Carville and Paul Begala. Throw in high-profile politicians California Sen. Barbara Boxer, former Mexican President Vicente Fox and a possible Hillary Clinton running mate are scheduled to attend artwork displays, live podcast tapings, comedic performances, film screenings and book signings and you get a non-partisan event intended to be a political junkies nirvana. You can watch all these people on Fox News or CNN, Sidi said. But youre going to see them in real life. This is for the people who cant stop watching Fox or CNN or MSNBC, he added. Theyre noodling around on The Huffington Post or The Daily Beast. They read a newspaper every day. I love the give-and-take of conferences like this, saidJohn Berry, a cabinet member of the Redlands Tea Party Patriots. He wont be able to go due to prior commitments, but he said he was salivating as he looked at the lineup. Its really for the inside crowd but God, Id go to it if I could. DEMOCRACY ON STEROIDS The first Politicon took place last October at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Among the highlights was an act that fooled people into thinking that famed National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden had returned to American soil from his Russian exile to attend the convention. About 9,500 people attended the first Politicon. Organizers said the event moved to Pasadena because the LA center was booked. This weekends event starts both days with DJs. Former New Mexico governor and 2016 Libertarian Party presidential candidate Gary Johnson will give the introduction. From there, Politicon splits into a series of events, some more serious than others. While gun control and abortion will be discussed and theres a panel called Is Donald Trump a Psychopath?, theres also The Lady Parts Justice Comedy Troupe and a focus group promoted as democracy on steroids the good kind. If you ever wanted to see Trump and Bernie Sanders debate, youre in luck, sort of. Actors portraying the two candidates will debate the issues. Some events feature showdowns between political opposites. Coulter, known for her provocative comments on minorities, liberals and well, a lot of things, will debate former Obama White House official and environmental activist Van Jones in Ann Coulter vs. Van Jones. Palin, a former Alaska governor and the 2008 GOP vice presidential candidate, will be interviewed by Carville, who was Bill Clintons chief political strategist. And if you want to meet the founding fathers, theyve time traveled to Politicon. Want to know how to get to Mars? Scientist and TV personality Bill Nye will be part of a panel on the subject. Fox, whos not shy about voicing his contempt for Trump, will take part in a conversation that includes The Daily Show contributor Al Madrigal. Adding to the political intrigue was an announcement Wednesday, June 20, that Julian Castro, the Department of Housing and Urban Development secretary rumored to be on the short list for Clintons vice presidential pick, would join Fox in a Sunday evening panel. Both evenings end with comedy hours. Sundays features Saturday Night Live veterans Darrell Hammond and Jay Pharoah, known for their impressions of Bill Clinton and Ben Carson, respectively. All this will take place in rooms renamed for the occasion. Theres Liberty Hall, The Washington Room and K Street Lobby, among others. IT ALL DEPENDS Uygur, host of the left-of-center online commentary series The Young Turks, will debate conservative filmmaker Dinesh DSouza. In a telephone interview, Uygur said its uncommon for political opposites to be in the same room for events like this. That exchange of ideas is wonderful and hopefully fruitful, he said. Even if its an exchange thats a little bit more aggressive its still better than a five-minute talking point contest. Its an hour long and by the end of the hour the audience gets to know thats where he stands and thats where she stands and thats where I stand. When you get left and right together, It could be heated argument. It could be raucous laughter, Sidi said. It all depends. David Barrett, a political science professor at Villanova University, said American politics has long had a spectator-sport element to it. When Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas sparred in the 1858 Senate campaign, there was serious debate going on, he said. But there was also a lot of making points for the crowd (and) a lot of crowd reaction boos, cheers and laughter. While entertainment is a goal of Politicon, I think I want people to take away the fact that people can have conversations, Sidi said. They might disagree politically. But at least they can talk about it. Contact the writer: 951-368-9547 or jhorseman@pressenterprise.com On the heels of a report showing close to one in 10 Cal State University students are homeless or face housing instability, officials met this week in Long Beach to come up with solutions to help students. I think were going to start getting some greater awareness across this country because of Cal State because of our size and importance is raising this issue across the nation, and were not alone in doing so, Chancellor Timothy P. White said at the outset of the two-day meeting at the Chancellors Office. The meeting followed a report earlier this year estimating that 8.7 percent of CSU students face housing instability and 21 percent experience food insecurity. White commissioned the study in February 2015 to examine what campuses in the 23-school system were doing to address the issue. Students struggling to find stable housing and adequate food reported high levels of stress and the need for campus contacts to guide them to services. Rashida Crutchfield, an assistant professor in social work at Cal State Long Beach, co-authored the study with Jennifer Maguire, an assistant professor in social work at Humboldt State University. They looked at unstable housing, defined as living in places not designated as places for residential living, such as cars, hotels, shelters, transitional housing or couch surfing. The U.S. Agriculture Department says food insecurity occurs where consistent access to adequate food is limited by a lack of money and other resources at times during the year. In a CSU system of 470,000 students, nearly 41,000 experience housing instability, and those worried about hunger are estimated at 98,700. There has never been a study nor a system-wide response as large as this, Crutchfield said. While 56,588 students nationally and about 10,000 students in California identified themselves as independent homeless youth on financial aid paperwork in 2013-14, Crutchfield said that likely is a very low count, as students are not required to report if they are homeless. In many cases, students see homelessness only as living on the street, Crutchfield said at the meeting. The numbers in the report should inspire more CSU work to combat the problem, Crutchfield said. For us, seeing the big picture is really helpful, she said The report revealed that 11 campuses had programs for food insecure students, ranging from small pantries to large food programs and services. One campus had a program directed at housing displacement, and five campuses incorporate student needs as a part of student success directives and the university mission. Program examples include: Cal State Long Beachs Student Emergency Intervention Program provides meals, short-term temporary housing, emergency funds, and linkages to on and off campus support services. CSU San Bernardinos Delivering Emergency Nourishment is a food pantry stocked by contributions from the community. CSU Dominguez Hills in Carson offers a food pantry and Hot Meal Card program. Jessica Sutherland, president and co-founder of Homeless to HigherEd, a nonprofit raising awareness about the issue of homeless students and helping that population graduate, said many such students dont know where to turn for help, even if campuses offer programs. Id love to see these kind of resources be listed and be as popular as LGBTQ centers, as disability/accessibility groups are, Sutherland said. Sutherland endured homelessness near Cleveland, Ohio, and thanks mentors for helping her graduate from Cleveland State University in 2006. She went on to earn her masters degree in fine arts from the University of Southern California. White, who revealed that he also used food stamps and county-supported housing while attending then-Fresno State College in the 1960s, said CSU is investing another $300,000 to continue to study the issue across all campuses, with the aim to launch more campus-based intervention programs, and establish system-wide policies. Getting this right is something that we just simply have to do, White said. Contact the writer: josh.dulaney@langnews.com, @JoshDulaney on Twitter Lake Elsinore Mayor Brian Tisdale announced late Tuesday, June 21, that he was taking a leave of absence from the city and his Riverside County job in the wake of his arrest Monday on suspicion of battery on a former companion and vandalism. Riverside County Sheriffs deputies arrested Tisdale around 1:30 a.m. and booked him into jail, according to Riverside County booking logs. He was later released on bail. Tisdale, 53, was arrested at his Lake Elsinore home and released later that day after posting $5,000 bail, online jail records show. Tisdale is scheduled to appear in court Aug. 15 at the Southwest Justice Center in French Valley. In his statement, he said the incident was between he and his wife. Im just dealing with some tough family issues, Tisdale said in a brief interview Tuesday. He declined further comment. A sheriffs spokesman said deputies from the departments Lake Elsinore station responded to a call concerning an alleged domestic disturbance at a residence in southeastern Lake Elsinore. After an investigation, the deputies took Tisdale into custody. A former Riverside County disaster preparations manager, Tisdale now works as an aide to 3rd District Riverside County Supervisor Chuck Washington. Washington announced that as of Monday afternoon, he had taken steps to place Tisdale on administrative leave. This matter will now be handled by the justice system and the county Human Resources Department, Washington said in an announcement. Voters elected Tisdale to the City Council in 2010 and in 2014, they gave him a second term, which will expire in 2018. In the councils rotating mayor system, Tisdale served one year as mayor in 2012 before being renamed to the office early this year. City Manager Grant Yates responded to an inquiry concerning Tisdale with an emailed statement. This is a private matter and out of respect of those involved, the City has no comment, Yates said. Tisdale is the first Lake Elsinore council member arrested since Thomas Buckley was detained on suspicion of driving under the influence in November 2009. Buckley pleaded guilty to the charge in April 2010 and in November of that year was defeated in the election in which Tisdale won a seat. The most recent arrest of a sitting councilman in Riverside County came in October 2014, when Murrietas then-mayor, Alan Long, was arrested for driving under the influence following an accident in which several teenagers were injured. Long eventually pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor DUI charge. He resigned his council seat after his arrest, but was elected back on the council just weeks later. He is currently on the dais. Staff writer Alex Groves contributed to this report. Contact the writer: 951-368-9690 or michaelwilliams@pressenterprise.com Its been a rough few weeks for Donald Trump. Now an Inland congressman and one of his most ardent backers in the House of Representatives says hes done trying to answer for the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Alpine, recently told reporters hes done trying to articulate or explain or answer for what Donald Trump says. I think hell be a great president, Hunter was quoted as saying in The Washington Post. I think hell make good decisions on the economy, on the border, on national security, but it doesnt mean we endorse what he says. I think what he says and what hell do are two different things. The San Diego Union-Tribune reported this week that Hunter, who represents Temecula, plans to skip the Republican National Convention in Cleveland next month: I think its going to be mayhem and riots and hooligans and thugs and police forces. And thats just the actual convention, Hunter said at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront. He said he expects there to be some sort of political battle to change procedures or rules to block Trumps path to the nomination. I think its going to be a madhouse, really, he said. Hunter was one of the first congressmen to endorse Trump. And he serves on Trumps House Leadership Committee. Hunter has other challenges beyond helping Trump win. He continues to face questions over his campaign expenses, which are being reviewed by the Federal Election Commission. The Public Agenda has uncovered yet another reflection of the hard economic times that Ghanaian businesses are confronted with. This is the inability of most businesses to meet their statutory obligations to make contributions to the pensions of their employees, as required by the National Pensions Act, 2008 (Act 766). In a media encounter last week, the Takoradi Area Manager of SSNIT, Dr. Prosper Ayisah, disclosed that, as at the end of April 2016, the Takoradi Office had a total of 4,406 registered employers with a total labour force of 62,347. However, only 1,639 employers representing 37.2% made contributions on behalf of 27,979 representing 44.9% employees. The revelation reinforces the widespread view that the existing Ghanaian business climate is stifling employers and deterring the recruitment of new staff, as such recruitment imposes additional cost burden on the businesses. A Graphiconline report posted last year disclosed that business surveys conducted by the Bank of Ghana (BoG), Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) and the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) had revealed increasing concerns over the deteriorating business environment and the worsening state of business confidence leading to job losses. The BoG business confidence index, according to the report, showed a dip from 99.2 per cent in December 2014 to 88.9 per cent in March 2015. For the AGI, its 2015 first quarter Business Barometer Survey showed a dip in business confidence by 13 points from 98.0 to 85.0, signaling a potential for a lot more job losses. The AGI survey revealed that, businesses were neither absorbing job-seekers nor were they sure of doing so. About 50 per cent of CEOs interviewed said their employment levels would remain the same, while 27 per cent said they are sure to lay-off workers. The Institute of Economic Affairs survey was even more revealing, as thirty-four per cent of businesses in the country were reported to have laid-off workers in the preceding six months due to the power crisis, overburdening taxation, and the cedis depreciation. Dr Ayisas encounter with the media was to afford SSNITs stakeholders in the Takoradi metropolis the opportunity to know more about social security issues and also to entrench the culture of pension contributions in the country. It also afforded the media the opportunity to ask all the relevant questions relating to the operations of the first tier pension scheme. The SSNIT Area Manager for Takoradi disclosed that, his outfit has instituted innovative and aggressive measures to reduce establishment indebtedness to the barest minimum. He explained that, defaulting employers would be prosecuted in the various courts, adding, it would improve compliance by discouraging employers who have defaulted in registration, contributions, report submission and payment. Public Agendas independent investigations into the reasons for the mass default in respect of SSNIT contributions however revealed that a large number of employers were struggling to pay salaries. In some instances, salaries have been in arrears for a year or more. The dilemma for some of the employers interviewed by the paper had to do with the choice they had to make between paying some of the outstanding salaries or honouring the statutory obligations such as taxes and pension contributions at the expense of salaries whenever they got some money, especially as the cash flow for most of the businesses were highly constrained and not able to meet both expenditure obligations. Dr Ayisa however contended that, SSNIT exists primarily to collect contributions from employers on behalf of workers and pay benefits as and when they fall due, and that, they were not ready to renege on their responsibilities. He disclosed that, as at the end of April 2016, there were 19,569 pensioners within the Takoradi area out of the total of 161.054 nationwide. These pensioners, he said are paid from the returns on the investments that SSNIT makes and also from workers contributions. Currently, he said, employers have multiple channels for submission of contributions reports and billing, regular feedback mechanisms to improve processing time and multiple payments points, which he said marked a departure from what pertained about a year ago. He assured the public that, work processes in all core and non-core areas of SSNITs operations have been automated, enabling the optimisation of financial business processes and ICT environment for prompt and accurate payment of benefits. Source: newsghana 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 Technical Review Committee set up to review the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) has suggested to government to implement free maternal and child health package at all levels. The service can be accessed using any national identification card aside the usual NHI card. The committee also proposed to government to universally guarantee primary healthcare package for all Ghanaians using the limited resources of the country. These recommendations were made at the opening session of a two-day Stakeholders Consultative Meeting of the NHIS under the theme Towards a more Sustainable and Accountable NHIS. The Chairman of the Review Committee, Dr Chris Atim, noted that when primary healthcare package for all residents of the country is ensured, possession of the NHI card will no longer be necessary to access healthcare, though identification will still be required. Dr Atim again appealed to government to empower NHIS beneficiaries and members, and further improve governance of a more accountable and efficientlyrun NHIS. He recounted that a seven-member committee began a first-ever root-and-branch review of the National Health Insurance Scheme, which was targeted at reviewing the scheme to ensure that it is robust enough to cater for the health needs of the country. He detailed that the nine-month process entailed extensive desk reviews, meetings with individual stakeholder groups and key informants, public fora in the three zones of the country, and fact-finding visits to more regions and districts where there were extensive interactions with facilities and NHIA staff, as well as patients and scheme members. In addition to these activities, our review involved setting up seven technical sub-committees, comprised of some of the best and brightest brains of our country, to analyse and advise us on the various thematic areas, he added. Mr Kwesi Amissah-Arthur, Vice-President of the Republic of Ghana, in his keynote address, stated that health financing is a global issue and often burdens health schemes if not addressed. He acknowledged the fact that the consultative meeting will elicit a broad range of views that would be used to strengthen the scheme to meet its basic mandate of enabling easy access to healthcare. Though financing is an important issue, focus should not be shifted to just getting funds but rather other areas such as improving the quality of healthcare being given to members, among others. The Vice-President seized the opportunity to charge the authority to come out with innovative ways to address some of the issues the scheme is battling with. Mr Amissah-Arthur assured the gathering that the government would do its utmost best to forge the scheme into a robust entity that would readily address healthcare issues. Mr Seth Terkper, Minister of Finance, stated that the health of a population of any country has a significant correlation to the economic development of any country. This is the reason health featured prominently in the erstwhile Millennium Development Goals (MDGs); at least three of the eight goals have a direct focus on improving health of the population, he added. Mr Terkper noted that for Ghana to have value for its money in investing in the health sector, there is the need to ensure sustainability and accountability, adding that wider and more equitable coverage of health services can be achieved through more effective and efficient application of resources. Minister of Health, Mr Alex Segbefia noted that the recommendations would be scrutinised properly and a final one forwarded to government for assent. He stressed that pertinent issues would receive immediate attention. Mrs Dela Sowah, Deputy Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, reiterated the need to make the scheme robust to cater for the vulnerable and all other marginalised groups. 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 Founder and Leader of the Heavens Gate Ministries, Nicholas Osei, popularly known as Prophet Kumchacha has stated that convicted criminals will face death by firing squad if he is elected president of Ghana. He is of the view that persons who are jailed rather come out of prison hardened instead of getting reformed and it would therefore be prudent for them to be eliminated in order not to pose a threat to law-abiding citizens. I dont see why convicted people should be given a second chance to languish in prison after court proceedings when they can easily be eliminated. Keeping them in the cells means state resources are being wasted and that is why I will make sure they are killed by firing squad if I become the president of Ghana he stressed. Prophet Kumchacha has formed a political party to contest the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections. According to him, it is time for the church to take over the high office of the land to ensure Gods promise for Ghana is fulfilled. KUM 1 Party, the controversial prophet said, will work to save Ghana from unbelievers who have plunged Ghana into idolism. It is time for pastors to take over the presidency of this country; the unbelievers are too much that is why Ghana is not progressing he fumed. Prophet Kumchacha who made this known in an interview on Adom News said he has begun the process of picking up certification forms from the Electoral Commission (EC) to enable him contest the general elections. In a further interview on Accra based Okay FM Wednesday, the prophet dismissed suggestions that he may not have the necessary educational qualification to ascend the highest office in the land. I know Im not so educated but I have no problem with the English Language because I know God has given me wisdom and that is what I will be using to rule the country if elected president he said. Source: Adomonline 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 President John Dramani Mahama appears to be jittery about his personal safety, in spite of the heavy security detail he has at his disposal 24 hours a day as he has requested for a pistol to protect himself. The reason for the acquisition is not yet known but this may lead to the ordinary citizen also applying to own guns, especially when robbery attacks have been the order of the day in recent times, with even policemen dying in the line of duty from the hands of armed robbers. Mr Mahama is said to have imported a pistol and subsequently applied for licence from the Arms and Ammunition Unit of the Police Criminal Investigations Department (CID). This is evident in a letter written and signed by the deputy Interior Minister, James Agalga, and addressed to the Director of Police CID dated August 27, 2015. In that letter headlined, Permission to import and license a pistol, a copy of which has been stumbled upon by DAILY GUIDE Mr Agalga sought to approve the request by the president to enable him import and use the pistol. Permission is hereby granted to H.E John Dramani Mahama to import and license one pistol and two hundred (200) rounds of ammunition, he stated. The purpose, he noted, is to request you to issue H.E John Dramani Mahama with a permit to import and license the items. The letter, which was copied to the Commissioner of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) at its headquarters, the officer in-charge of the Customs Division (of the GRA) at the Kotoka International Airport, the Director of the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), the National Security Coordinator and President Mahama himself, was supposed to expire on December 31, 2015. The reasons for importing a pistol for the president was not stated but the letter indicated that the permit was not transferable. But Deputy Interior, James Agalga who signed the letter is not forthcoming with information. When DAILY GUIDE called him yesterday for explanation, he declined to comment. Instead, he sought to know why the paper was asking him the question as to whether or not he issued the permit. Not even the explanation that the paper had stumbled on a letter to that effect could suffice as he still asked, Why are you asking that question? Comment declined. Pressed further, he reacted with rage, asking rhetorically, Do you want to put me under investigation? Do you want to put my office under investigation? while noting with emphasis, Whatever responses you want, you cant get. It is not certain whether this state of insecurity compelled some of the security details of the president to use wild dogs during his recent tours in some parts of the country. During some of those visits, some of the presidents close security guards who were seen in khaki uniforms rather than the regular uniforms used by the police and the military, were seen handling huge dogs, thereby raising questions as to what had necessitated the use of such wild dogs to protect the president. However, sources told DAILY GUIDE last night that presidents are taken through security drills, including handling of weapons, but had not seen them owning any. Source: Daily Guide Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Audio Attachment: Listen to the exchanges between Kwesi Pratt and Nana Boakye A discussion on the New Patriotic Party's promise to put up a factory in every district across the country turned into a war of words when one of the panelists on PeaceFM's "Kokrokoo" show Tuesday, accused the other of defending the ruling party, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) better than its (NDC) Communicators and losing his self-acclaimed socialist principles. The free-for-all verbal exchange broke out when member of the NPP's Communication Team, Henry Nana Boakye, did not take kindly to assertions by Managing Editor of the Insight Newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr., that the "1-district, 1-factory" idea being espoused by the opposition party is not feasible. The NPP Communicator had pointed out that the setting up of these factories across the country, will not only kick-start the accelerated industrialization of Ghanas economy, but will also result in the creation of numerous jobs for Ghanaians. The only way to free ourselves from the shackles of poverty is by fixing our monetary system. If we are to do this, our monetary system must be stable and strong....This is the only way we can empower Ghanaians. We want to help the private sector to flourish, and we will help establish factories in every district to help create jobs for the people, he said. Nana B, as he is affectionately called, told host Kwami Sefa Kayi that per the NPP's plans, Nana Addo will set up a Fufu Processing Factory in areas where the community are into cassava farming. But just before he could conclude advancing his argument on fufu processing factories, Kwesi Pratt guffawed at the remark; perhaps finding the idea ludicrous. The Senior Journalist's hearty laugh continued unabated for a couple of minutes causing a heated verbal altercation to ensue between the two. Nana Boakye wondered the reason for that particular reaction and accused him (Pratt) of having lost his principles and allowing himself to be influenced by the ruling party. You have lost your principles in defending NDCYou are defending NDC because Nana Addo has made promises. All what you are saying is NDC argument. In fact, you do even better than NDC CommunicatorsEven I am very disappointed in you," he stated. But the Senior Journalist, in a sharp riposte, sought to know which portions of his contributions indicated that he (Pratt) supports the NDC, but the NPP activist dismissively pointed out that the attempt to ridicule the idea of the NPP flagbearer amounted to him (Pratt) rubbishing the ideas of Kwame Nkrumah which was to help with the industrialization of the country. Everything youre saying is in support of the NDC. Youre rubbishing Nkrumahs policy in defense of NDCWhen President Nkrumah then promised 350 factories under the Work & Happiness plan industrialization and you (Pratt) have admitted that we had about 400 factories before he was overthrownYou said its not possible. You have said its not possible," Nana Boakye stressed. Clearly stung by the accusation, Mr Pratt furiously challenged Nana B to show which of Nkrumahs ideas he has rubbished stressing that he has "never and would never rubbish the ideas of Nkrumah". Nkrumah never made the same promises Nana Addo is claimingit was in the five-year development plan and later in the 7-year development plan but where is your plan?...You are misbehaving and I am not going to allow you to misbehaveI am not going to tolerate misbehavior from you. You have been misbehaving in this studio the whole day and Im not going to tolerate this misbehavior from you," he fumed. Im not misbehavingIve stated the obvious truth. If youre not happy, thats your cup of tea," Nana Boakye shot back. "If I say that a project has to be backed by feasibility, is that an NDC position? How can you just come here and make statements anyhow and just walk away? And then you call me unprincipled? And you say Im unprincipled because Im supporting NDC?" Pratt rebutted. Audio Attachment: Listen to the exchanges between Kwesi Pratt and Nana Boakye Nana Boakye a.k.a Nana B Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video President John Mahama has resumed his accounting to the people tour of the Greater Accra Region with a promise to build a hospital, a Senior High School and a market for the people of Madina. The president had to cut short his tour following the sudden demise of his mother last week but resumed, Tuesday after the mother was buried according to Muslim traditions on Friday. The president was welcomed by tens of spirited supporters of the party at the Madina market car park. President Mahama told the supporters that Madina is so dear to him because he spent most of his adult life in the area and is aware of the challenges the people face. Myjoyonline's Abubakar Ibrahim who was present at the tour reported the president as saying the Madina Polyclinic expansion project will soon be completed as stated in his state of the nation address. The president however added that a new, bigger hospital is being built at Atomic to cater for the health needs of the growing population. He added that the Madina roads will be asphalted in the coming weeks and a new market will be built under a Private Public Partnership agreement as was done in Ho, Cape Coast and Kumasi. To cater for the education needs of the residents, the president said a new Senior High School will be built for the residents at Danfa. The president had early on paid a visit to the chief at Madina Zongo who demanded a completion of the hospital at the Kekeli park. The Regional Minister Nii Afotey Agbo who embarked on the tour with the president donated some provisions, bags of rice and sugar to the Zongo chief before later addressing the gathering. Speaking in Ga, Mr Agbo asked for the support and prayers for the government going into the elections. He said Ghana needs peace so they should remember the nation and the party as the Muslims are fasting. Madina is a suburb of Accra and in the La-Nkwantanang-Madina Municipal Assembly, a district in the Greater Accra Region of southeastern Ghana. Madina is next to the University of Ghana and houses the Institute of Local Government. 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 A former President of Ghana, Jerry John Rawlings, has disclosed that he did not enjoy being in office, but had to stay on to help stabilise the country. The founder of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) who marks his 69th birthday today, Wednesday, June 22, told Starr FM that being a president was a very demanding job which he does not miss anymore. ...It was a very tasking situation for all of us...some of us didnt enjoy being in office...but we had to work hard and after 10 years of that kind of work during the revolution period you want to break along but you are forced to come back because you can see foolish promises are being made in the air so you stay on to help consolidate, the former president said. Peaceful elections The former military ruler also said Ghana has made progress with infrastructural developments but the majority of Ghanaians still find themselves in hardships. According to him, it is his hope that the living conditions of Ghanaians will improve in the coming months so people can have a little respite. He also urged Ghanaians to ensure that the November 7 presidential and parliamentary elections are conducted in a peaceful atmosphere. Flight Lieutenant, Jerry John Rawlings ( RTD.) was born 22 June 1947. He was Head of State and 1st President of Ghana of the 4th Republic from 1993 to 2001. He is married to Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings and they have three daughters namely Ezanetor Rawlings, Yaa Asantewaa Rawlings, Amina Rawlings and a son, Kimathi Rawlings. In October 2013, he received an Honorary degree, Doctorate of Letters from the University for Development studies. Source: Starr FM 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 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. The Supreme Court has ordered the Attorney Generals Department to make an in-camera presentation to the Court, the agreement between Government of Ghana and the United States of America Government warranting the resettlement of two ex-Guantanamo Bay detainees. The SCs orders follow an interlocutory application by plaintiffs for Government of Ghana to produce the agreement which brought the two men, Mahmud Umar Muhammad Bin Atef and Khalid Muhammad Salih Al-Dhuby, into the country. The A-Gs Department, which was represented in Court Wednesday by Acting Solicitor General, Helen Ziwu, informed the court that there was no formal or written agreement between Ghana and the US before the two ex-Al Qaeda militants were accepted into the country. According to her, there was however a diplomatic exchange of notes with no legal backing ahead of the two being flown into Ghana. Not satisfied with the explanation, the apex court granted the application and ordered the A-Gs Department to produce the agreement in camera at the next sitting, which is slated for July 6, 2016. The A-Gs Department was forced to make an appearance in court Wednesday after the nine panel of judges threatened to rule on the case if the Department fails to be present again. The Court had on Tuesday descended heavily on the A-Gs Department for failing once again to appear before it to defend the writ filed against the state on the resettlement of the two ex-Guantanamo detainees in the country. To this end, Mr. Justice William Atuguba, president of the five-member panel of Judges, declared that the court would proceed to hear the case despite the delay tactics employed by the AGs department. He said that, he did not understand why Mr. Sylvester Williams, Chief State Attorney and the representative of the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice who was in court at the last adjourned date, failed to appear yesterday without assigning any reasons for his absence. He, therefore, told Mrs. Dorothy Afriyie-Ansah, a Chief State Attorney who played the Devils Advocate that the court would go ahead to hear the case regardless of the inaction of the State prosecutors, and adjourned the case to today (Wednesday). In view of the importance of the issue involved, the court has reluctantly adjourned the case to tomorrow (Wednesday) for the Attorney-General Department, to put its house in order. In default, the court will proceed: You are here so you are at our service, Justice Atuguba told Mrs. Afriyie-Ansah who made fruitless attempts to save her colleague, Mr. Sylvester Williams. A panel member, Mrs Justice Sophia Akuffo who did not take kindly to the conduct of the AGs Department said I will continue to comment on the shabby manner you are representing the people of Ghana. The only Ministry that is mentioned in the 1992 Constitution, is that of the Ministry of Justice and Attorney-General, and the sooner the matter is laid to rest in one way or the other, the better. The Supreme Court was scheduled to hear a motion filed by Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, counsel for the two plaintiffs, Mrs. Margaret Banful and Henry Nana Boakye, asking the court to order the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice together with the Minister of the Interior to produce the Diplomatic Agreement signed between the two countries. According to the lawyer, his clients (plaintiffs) thought the unilateral decision of President John Dramani Mahama to have accepted these two former terrorists, into the country without recourse to Parliament was unconstitutional and a breach of Article 75 of the 1992 Constitution The AGs Department has filed its statement of case in opposition to the writ filed by Mrs. Margaret Banful and Henry Nana Boakye, calling for the deportation of the Gitmo 2 from Ghana since their continuous stay threatened national security. Before Justice Atuguba could adjourn the case to today, Nana Baffuor Awuah drew the courts attention to the conduct of the AGs Department which had culminated in the delay in hearing the case. The court action by the two Ghanaians came at a time when there was a high public uproar over President Mahamas decision to host the two former terror suspects. Many Ghanaians say they pose a threat to national security, a claim both governments (Ghana and the United States) have denied. Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana with additional files from Ghanaian Times 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 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. Heres the bloody thing. Conservative commentators, politicians, and policy makers abhor the term homophobia, or homophobe largely because of the suffix -phobia and its pre-conceived notion that that equates to a fear of LGBTQIA people. And that their actions and words are the result of that fear. But, as a refresher, lets check the dictionary. Conservative politicians consistently denying access to equal marriage rights, for example? Thats prejudicial. Railing against Safe Schools because it links to a website that links to a website that links to a website that links to something else that might promote the joy of two men kissing? Thats an exhibited dislike of a subset of people. Thats what you call factual evidence, and its a term thrown around at will in Senator Cory Bernardis latest blog of self-appointed common sense. In an email blast sent out to followers, Bernardi took party leader Malcolm Turnbull to task over comments the Prime Minister made Monday night whilst appearing on the ABCs flagship pissing contest Q&A. The sole guest on the panel, Turnbull was questioned by an audience member over the vile homophobic remarks made by controversial Sheikh Shady Al-Suleiman who labelled homosexuality an evil act. The audience member asked how those comments are any more abhorrent than those made by Bernardi or George Christensen in the past. Turnbulls response, in part, read: I reject and condemn any comments which disparage any group of Australians, whether on the basis of their race, their religion, their sexuality, their gender. You know, we have a very diverse and very successful and relatively harmonious multicultural society and its diverse its a very diverse we are a very diverse nation. I think it is one of our greatest strengths, if not our greatest strength. But the foundation of that is mutual respect and that of which one of our guests here spoke a moment ago. That mutual respect is absolutely critical and so I condemn remarks which disparage Australians, whoever makes them, on the basis of their sexuality or on the basis of their religion or their gender or their ethnic background. When pressed further by host Tony Jones as to whether or not Turnbull had stated this directly to Bernardi, he was reasonably clear in his assertion: Ive had firm discussions with a number of colleagues, yes. Bernardi, in his blog, practically seethed at that remark, refuting it with the kind of staunch insolence only he is seemingly able to get away with. By saying hed had firm discussions with a number of colleagues, Turnbull gave implicit support to the claim that myself and other Coalition MPs are homophobic and implied that hed had a conversation with me about homophobia. For the record I have never had such a conversation with any of my colleagues because they know that any such claims cannot be backed with facts. Facts. Factual evidence. Its a line Bernardi falls back on to often in the blog, which is an extended defence of his own reductive beliefs; ones that are increasingly out-of-step with the Australian public, polls have shown. The advocates for change have determined that anyone opposed to changing the definition of one of our oldest social institutions is a homophobe. It is a term that has been levelled at me hundreds of times over the years and yet not one of my critics has been able to substantiate the slur with any factual evidence. Sure, there are people who will disagree with my stance but simply disagreeing doesnt constitute a phobia of any description. Some seek to misquote my historical words back to me in a further smear but once again, they are relying on falsehoods to justify their cause. Youve gotta wonder at which point actively opposing legislation that would allow subsets of people access to legally binding contracts that have on-flowing familial, medical, financial, and taxation benefits ceases being factual evidence of prejudicial behaviour. Furthermore, Bernardis line some seek to misquote my historical words back to me in a further smear is an informal reference to the Q&A audience member bringing up Bernardis infamous linking of same-sex marriage to bestiality; a direct link that Bernardi himself has denied making. Though its hard to look at the actual factual evidence and draw a conclusion of anything else, as Bernardis own unabridged words from 2012 will attest: The next step, quite frankly, is having three people or four people that love each other being able to enter into a permanent union endorsed by society or any other type of relationship. There are even some creepy people out there [who] say it is OK to have consensual sexual relations between humans and animals. Will that be a future step? In the future will we say, These two creatures love each other and maybe they should be able to be joined in a union. I think that these things are the next step. And its not like the ensuing years have softened the mind of Bernardi, who in writing off the citation of his own remarks as falsehoods and misrepresentation, went full circle and reconfirmed them in the very next sentence. An audience member sought to challenge the homophobia within the Coalition, once again without providing any evidence, instead choosing to deliberately misrepresent my previous statements that redefining marriage to include same-sex couples will only lead to further calls for other changes down the track. Its the lived experience overseas and wed be foolish to think it wouldnt happen here too. The lived experience overseas, ay? Now whos lacking factual evidence. Citation needed, Cory. Fortunate wed be if the blog merely ended there. But Bernardis keyboard copped further abuse, as his attentions then turned to the sorry state of affairs we are currently in, even dragging fellow-South Australian senator Penny Wong into the mix. It wasnt that long ago that the entire Australian parliament agreed on what marriage was. According to the abusive militants they all must have been homophobes which I am sure is news to the likes of Penny Wong. Yes thats right, she voted (along with a majority of senators) to keep marriage as it always has been when codified by the parliament in 2004. She went even further during a television interview in 2010 when she said: On the issue of marriage I think the reality is there is a cultural, religious, historical view around that which we have to respect that is an institution that is between a man and a woman. Tell me, dear Cory. Would cherry picking quotes, cutting out context, and ignoring external facts count as falsehoods and misrepresentation? LET ME COUNT THE WAYS. Penny Wongs quote-in-question came in 2010, prior to the Labor Party allowing their members a conscience vote on the issue of same-sex marriage; a decision that was ratified as party policy in 2011. In the interview, aired on Channel Ten, Wongs words *in full* read as follows: On the issue of marriage, I think the reality is there is a cultural, religious and historical view around that which we have to respect. The partys position is very clear and that [it] is an institution between a man a woman. Does that sound like a politician standing in direct opposition of same-sex marriage? Or like one bound by party rules to toe what was the company line at the time? Its words on a piece of paper published some four years ago, but even now you can practically see the clenched teeth those words were delivered through. And its from there that Bernardis post devolves into stock-standard leftish bashing, bemoaning the fact that the continual denying of equal marriage rights has caused the social justice warrior to resort to factually accurate name-calling of homophobe and bigot. The demand for tolerance by leftists is nothing more than a thinly veiled insistence that you surrender your views, your values and your beliefs in favour of theirs. If you dont, the name calling starts. You instantly become a phobe, a bigot or worse. Again, citation needed. This is not, even at all, what the crux of the marriage equality argument is. It does not seek to erase traditional values of marriage, or steal its cultural or religious significance out of the hands of the heterosexual population. Its an extension of inclusiveness, of (shock bloody horror) equality to all who wish to express their love to the person they want to spend the rest of their life with. Its not an attack on anyones religious beliefs. Its simply stating that just as Carol and Wesley can get married in a Christian ceremony in a Church, just as Sheila and Abraham can be wed in a Synagogue, just as Nidhi and Lovepreet can take the seven sacred steps in front of a fire, so to should Steven and Nick, or Kristen and Melanie be able to gaze lovingly into each others eyes and say I do as the sun sets on a beautiful beach somewhere. Thats reasoned discussion. And actively campaigning for legislation that denies that is the dictionary definition of prejudicial behaviour. The one thing Bernardi does get absolutely right throughout the course of his little spiel, is this: The country deserves better. We need political and community leadership that wont meekly surrender to the voices who shout the loudest. We need public policy determined by the national interest rather than the narrow band of self-interest. Most importantly of all, if we are to make any inroads at all in restoring confidence in our political system, we need to confront the truth. Couldnt agree more. And with Simon Birmingham overtaking Bernardi for the top billing on the Liberal Partys South Australian senatorial ticket a state where the Liberal party holds a second seat by such a wafer-thin margin that any significant swing against the party to either Labor or the rampaging Nick Xenophon Team will see that second seat be the first to go come July 2nd, we might actually bloody well get it. Source: Cory Bernardi. Photo: Cory Bernardi. There are two indisputable inevitabilities in a federal election campaign. Firstly, any interview with Kyle Sandilands will likely veer wildly from the realm of actual policy discussion. Secondly, a Labor leader will be quizzed on their history with strip clubs. We all know the Kevin Rudd yarn: he went to a New York strip club named Scores while on a United Nations junket back in 2003, accompanied by none other than Rupert Murdoch confidante and former editor of the New York Post Col Allan. It was a minor controversy during the 2007 election, but eventually receded into the realm of who gives a shit. Now, Bill Shorten is in the gentlemans club firing line. He was wrangled into a game of never have I ever while appearing with Kyle & Jackie O (questionable idea), at which point he confirmed that he had been in a strip club. Unbelievable. Of course, he couldnt just let that one linger. He said hed only been to one many, many years ago, and he left immediately as soon as he realised what it was. Once or twice, back in my uni days, Shorten said. I left once I realised what it was. Okay mate. Im going to pull you up on this one. At what point after entering the club did it become immediately apparent that you hadnt entered, say, a supermarket? Did the flashing neon signs outside the venue perhaps indicate that it wasnt a library? All good though. We trust ya, mate. Well await Turnbulls reply on the same question, but we assume whatever gentlemens clubs hes been to are so secretive and elite that only Illuminati members are invited. Source: The New Daily. Photo: Getty Images. In further proof that 2016 is not a good year for captive animals, celebrities, or captive celebrity animals, a jaguar that was being used for an Olympic torch ceremony in Brazil has been shot dead after it broke free of trainers and bolted. A Brazilian soldier shot the sedated animal after it escaped while it was being shepherded into its cage. It is alleged that the animal was first shot with tranquilisers. When that didnt work, the jaguar was shot in the head with a pistol. As you might imagine, this has caused some concern among animal rights groups, who are wondering why the hell a live animal especially a nearly threatened one needed to be used in an Olympic event. The Olympic torch is currently travelling through Brazil in the lead-up to the August 5 opening event. We made a mistake in permitting the Olympic torch, a symbol of peace and unity, to be exhibited alongside a chained wild animal. This image goes against our beliefs and our values, the local Olympic organising committee Rio 2016 said in a statement. Ipaam, the Amazonas state government environmental authority, claim that the use of the animal was actually illegal, and that they are investigating the matter. The incident happened due to the simple fact that it was a jaguar and wild animals will always be wild animals, said Diogo Lagroteria, a government veterinarian. There is no way to predict their reaction to this kind of situation. Source: AP. Photo: Nine News. Add this one to the yeah, righto mate pile. Treasurer Scott Morrison, who is one of the more powerful social conservatives in the Liberal Party, has never been a big fan of same-sex marriage. Hes a devout Christian representing Sydneys second Bible Belt, so the prospect of him being a same-sex marriage supporter were never going to be particularly high. But some of his rhetoric, geez. He appeared on RN Breakfast this morning, chatting the plebiscite. A bit of background: the conservatives in the Coalition are mad at Penny Wong at the moment for suggesting that opposition to same-sex marriage is motivated by homophobia. Morrison reckons he understands Wongs concerns perfectly, because hes faced bigotry for being against same-sex marriage: I know it from personal experience. I have been exposed to that sort of hatred and bigotry for the views I have taken from others who have a different view to me but I think the best way is for all of us to have a say on this, deal with it and move on. Look, someone needs to tell Morrison to dry his tears hes one of the most powerful people in the country by the very nature of his job, and copping it for not letting LGBT couples get married probably doesnt constitute hatred and bigotry. I respect Pennys fears that she has raised. Equally, there are many who have a different view to Penny and to others over what should happen to same sex marriage. I have a different view to that and people have strong religious views, they have also been subject to quite strong hate speech as well. It is not confined to one side of the debate. That said, I have a bigger view of the Australian people more broadly which says we can once and for all deal with this issue where everybody gets their say. Strong hate speech isnt confined to one side of the debate, guys. This plebiscite is gonna be a real shit time, hey? Source: ABC RN. Photo: Getty Images / Stefan Postles. Yesterday we reported on stories circulating about actress Selma Blair being removed from a flight to Los Angeles after an emotional outburst. TMZ originally reported the story, saying that witnesses saw Blair mix something into a glass of wine. Shortly after this, she burst into tears, and was yelling, He burns my private parts. He wont let me eat or drink. He beats me. Hes going to kill me. She was treated by medical staff when the flight landed, and was taken off the plane on a stretcher and rushed to a nearby hospital. She was travelling home from Cancun after spending Fathers Day with her son Arthur Saint Bleick and his father, her ex-partner Jason Bleick. She had previously posted an image to Instagram on a flight to Mexico a few days earlier, seeming in good spirits: Were leaving on a jet plane. Dad is already asleep. Not for long. Bwahahahha . #fathersdayweekend A photo posted by Selma Blair (@therealselmablair) on Jun 16, 2016 at 1:46pm PDT Shes now made a statement exclusively to Vanity Fair, apologising for her actions: 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. 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. I am a flawed human being who makes mistakes and am filled with shame over this incident. I am truly very sorry. Source: Vanity Fair. Photo: Jon Kopaloff / Getty. Gun safety a priority at Higher Ground Tactical in Upper Milford Township, Pa. John Cramsey, owner of Higher Ground Tactical in Upper Milford Township, was among three people arrested with weapons at the Holland Tunnel Tuesday. Cramsey's daughter died of a heroin overdose, and the three reportedly were headed to Brooklyn to "rescue" a girl from heroin. (LehighValleyLive.com/file) NEW YORK (AP) -- A Pennsylvania man who lost his daughter to a heroin overdose earlier this year was arrested with two other people after they were stopped while trying to drive through the Holland Tunnel with a cache of weapons on their way to "rescue" a teenage girl involved with drugs in New York, according to officials and social media posts from two of the men. One of the people told investigators that they were headed to Brooklyn to "rescue" a teenage girl before they were stopped in Jersey City, according to a law enforcement official. The official spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because of the ongoing investigation. John Cramsey, 50, and Dean Smith, 53, both of Zionsville, Pa., and Kimberly Arendt, 29, of Lehighton, each face several weapons charges. They remained in custody Tuesday night and could not be reached for comment; officials say they didn't know if any of the three had retained an attorney who could speak on their behalf. Three Pennsylvanians were arrested with weapons in N.Y.'s Holland Tunnel, reportedly on their way to "rescue" a girl from heroin. 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. In a post on a Facebook group called "Enough is Enough," someone identifying himself as Cramsey said he was headed to Brooklyn to save a Wilkes-Barre girl. Cramsey's 20-year-old daughter died from a heroin overdose four months ago, and he has since attended town hall meetings around the Allentown area to voice his concerns over the drug epidemic. Cramsey is a gun dealer, according to LehighValleyLive.com. The (Allentown) Morning Call reported: Around 7:40 a.m. (Tuesday), Port Authority police stopped Cramsey's truck on the New Jersey side of the tunnel after spotting a cracked windshield. Police found weapons in the vehicle -- five pistols, an AR-15 rifle and a 12-gauge shotgun -- as well as marijuana and a marijuana pipe, according to a news release from the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Authorities also found body armor and knives. Some of the weapons were loaded, authorities said. A Port Authority photo, obtained by media outlets, also showed officers found a large amount of ammunition, a military-grade helmet and night-vision goggles. A bag with the words "Firearms Instructor" and box with the phrase "Shoot Your Local Heroin Dealer" were also in the vehicle. 3 heavily armed people arrested near Holland Tunnel in NJ en route to NYC https://t.co/vBgPUkHQK0 pic.twitter.com/4Sl1QlgHBb WSFA 12 News (@wsfa12news) June 22, 2016 The brightly colored Dodge van carried the name of a Pennsylvania gun range. The gun shop is registered to the same Zionsville address listed as Cramsey's address, according to records. Attempts to reach the business Tuesday were unsuccessful. The Port Authority said there was no link to terrorism. Amanda Strous A brief 911 call has been released in the case of the former York County woman who police say was murdered last weekend in her Charlotte, North Carolina, apartment. The recording from June 18 was released by Charlotte-Mecklenburg police, who have apprehended Mathew Thomas Benner, 28, of Charlotte, on warrants for murder and arson. Charlotte-Mecklenburg police have not identified the man speaking on the recording. A man is heard reporting the fire. He stammers times before saying the word "Fire," and then begins to say "I..." and several unintelligible words, before the recording stops. Benner is accused of killing Amanda Strous, 27, a Dallastown Area High School and Shippensburg University graduate who was planning to marry July 30. Benner was arrested Monday by sheriffs and U.S. marshals in Nye County, Nevada. He waived extradition Tuesday, and is expected to taken to Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, for charging within 20 days. The Charlotte Fire Department's report of the June 18 incident says the fire at Strous' apartment was arson. Strous was pulled from the fire and taken to Carolinas Medical Center-Steele Creek, where she was pronounced dead. Keith Trietley, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police spokesman, said no further information is being released at this time. He said the investigation continues, and as information is developed it will be released. Anyone with information about the crime is asked to call 704-432-8477 and speak with Detective Tom Grosse, call Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600, or visit the Crime Stoppers website. MIDDLE BURG -- Charges against the man accused of robbing a bank in Snyder County June 13 include kidnaping because police say he forced a teller at gunpoint to go the drive-through area to get money. Gregory Null, 35, of Meadowlands, Washington County, will face a slew of charges when he is returned from Georgia where he was arrested Friday. The arrest affidavit obtained Tuesday provides an account of the robbery from a teller working a lobby station and drive-through window of the Swineford National Bank in Middleburg. Her version is: A man wearing black hoodie entered the lobby about 2 p.m. and, in response to her asking how she could help him, he placed a gun on the counter holding it in his right hand. Pointing the weapon at her mid-section, he said: "You're going to give me all the money in your drawer, you're going to keep quiet, you're not going to push your button, you're not going to call police or I will kill you." When she told him there was no money in her lobby drawer he gave her permission to go to the drive-through area to get some but he kept the gun pointed at her and again told her to keep quiet. "Give me $10s and $20s," he told her. She gave him bills from $1 to $100, he said "thank you" and left the bank. The charges do not state a total amount. Immediately after the robbery, police said they were notified of a motorist driving from behind the bank in a reckless manner and later nearly striking two vehicles. The same car was observed stopping at store along Route 522 in Kreamer and then speeding off, they said. Police said the description of the man who bought cigarettes at the store matched that of the person observed in bank security videos. Null was identified after the surveillance pictures were made public, police said. An acquaintance reported seeing him with a hand gun and a large amount of money, they said. Null, who police said had previously lived in Snyder and Northumberland counties, was arrested Friday at the Barrow Regional Medical Center in Winder, Ga., where he was being treated for a burn. Barrow County sheriff's deputies said they had been alerted Null was in the hospital. Null is being detained in Georgia pending extradition to Pennsylvania to face charges of robbery, theft, receiving stolen property, kidnapping, unlawful restraint, false imprisonment, possession of a firearm without a license, possession of an instrument of crime, aggravated assault and terroristic threats. HARRISBURG - The East Shore and the West Shore -- more than a river divides them. But if you're just moving here from California, you probably don't know that. "Why do you live there?" Brant Hansen remembers friends around the office in Lemoyne asking him when he first moved here in September. Coming from the hermetically sealed suburbs of Sacramento, where two-car garage doors barricaded folks from their neighbors, Hansen and his wife wanted a sense of community in their new home. They looked around online and found a home that seemed to fit the bill in Harrisburg - in the 1700 block of Green Street, to be more specific. "We love it here," Hansen said. "We can't go outside without talking to our neighbors." Though many of the duplexes have similar brick exteriors, the makeup of a family inside one home is different than the next and the next. They have cookouts and cocktails. They share baked goods. And they revel in the diversity. City life as they hoped it would be. And seemingly, there was little crime in that section of midtown, making what happened to Hansen's wife in April look like a strange, isolated incident. That was until a 31-year-old man was beaten to death on his way home from a wedding celebration early Sunday. That happened just five blocks from Hansen's house and only two blocks from where someone threw a hammer at Hansen's wife. They're hopeful something will be done, thankful that police are now acting. But he doesn't forget that while his wife escaped harm, an innocent man walking home from a wedding was killed just down the street. "Now, it doesn't seem like an outlying incident," Hansen said. And he hopes it doesn't become a part of the city life he sought. shawn mccoy Shawn McCoy (Provided photo) With visible and tearful reluctance, a Harrisburg woman testified Wednesday that she led a city police officer on a high-speed car chase in April 2015 while her boyfriend, Shawn McCoy, fired a pistol out the window. First Assistant District Attorney Fran Chardo nearly had to pry that testimony out of Sharyne Cook, who already has been sentenced to 2 to 4 years in state prison after pleading guilty to participating in the crime. Sharyne Cook Long pauses, sighs and sobs followed each time Chardo asked Cook a question as she sat shackled on the witness stand in the Dauphin County courtroom where McCoy is being tried on charges including robbery and attempted murder. Investigators claim the pursuit began when Officer Angel Diaz spotted the rented white Hyundai Cook was driving. Moments earlier, a witness reported seeing that car leave the scene of an armed robbery on Verbeke Street. Chardo asked Cook what happened when the officer activated his cruiser's lights and tried to pull her over. "I took him on a high-speed chase," Cook said. "At some point did somebody start shooting?" Chardo continued. After a pause, Cook answered, "Yes." "Who started shooting?" the prosecutor asked. Cook paused again and sighed. "Shawn McCoy?" Chardo asked. Cook nodded, then finally said, "Yes." "I remember he shot four times," Cook said. Diaz wasn't injured and didn't fire back during the chase early on April 8, 2015. His car was hit by gunfire, disabling the transmission. Police said Cook and Yusef Chandler-Blake, who also has pleaded guilty to charges in the incident, were arrested soon after the Hyundai spun out near Italian Lake. McCoy later surrendered to city police Chief Thomas Carter. Chardo is seeking convictions that would send McCoy to state prison. Defense attorney Paul Kovatch has been questioning the truthfulness of the prosecution's witnesses. Another of those witnesses, Autum Sloane, who said she also was McCoy's girlfriend in April 2015, testified earlier Wednesday that McCoy gave her money to buy a pistol at the local Bass Pro Shop about two weeks before the robbery and chase. Sloane said she last saw that gun on the evening of April 7, 2015, when McCoy had it. Police did not recover a gun after the chase. Both Sloane and Cook testified that McCoy goes by the street name "Shizz." One of the two men police claim were robbed by McCoy and Blake testified Tuesday that he heard one robber call the other Shizz. Cook also testified that she was wearing sunglasses on the night of the robbery and chase to hide a black eye that McCoy had given her. Kovatch is to cross-examine Cook when the trial resumes Thursday in Judge Scott A. Evans' courtroom. Also on Wednesday, Ut Dinh, a state police forensic scientist, testified that items found in the Hyundai after the pursuit, including two soda bottles, contained McCoy's DNA. Jabree Chambers.png Jabree Chambers, 22, eluded officers as they attempted to catch him in uptown Harrisburg Tuesday afternoon, police said. Chambers, who was already wanted for escape, ran from the Cadillac he was driving when officers pulled him over, police said. (Harrisburg Bureau of Police. ) The suspect who eluded police during a manhunt in uptown Harrisburg Tuesday afternoon was wanted on escape charges. Police said officers saw 22-year-old Jabree Chambers driving a gold Cadillac near North Sixth and Oxford streets just after 4 p.m. Knowing a warrant was out for Chambers' arrest, the officers pulled the Cadillac over. Chambers didn't pull out his license and registration and give it to police, though. He jumped out of the car and took off on foot. A state police helicopter happened to be in the area at the time, so it assisted in the search for Chambers near Schuylkill and Reel streets, where he ran by a PennLive reporter as officers were in pursuit. Police flooded the area, but Chambers still got away. He was last seen near Schuylkill Street and Atlas Alley. Chambers is facing yet another escape charge, and a charge of flight to avoid apprehension. he is described as a light-skinned black male who was wearing a red shirts and white shorts. Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Chambers is asked to call police at 717-558-6900. Anonymous tips also can be shared on the Dauphin County Crime Watch website. Harrisburg schools soon could have police officers patrolling the halls. Harrisburg School Board's Community Relations Committee will hold a meeting Wednesday night seeking input on a city proposal to place school resource officers in schools. The committee is asking parents, students, staff, residents and community leaders to attend the meeting, which will take place at the school board meeting room at the Lincoln Administration Building at 6 p.m. In a written statement, the district said the proposal is "critically important to the process of enhancing the safety and security of schools." Capt. Gabriel Olivera of the Harrisburg Bureau of Police will speak during the meeting. IF YOU GO: WHAT: Community Meeting on the city's proposal to place police in Harrisburg schools. WHERE: School board meeting room, Lincoln Administration Building, 1601 State St., Harrisburg. WHEN: 6 p.m., Wednesday. sitin.png House Democrats are staging a sit-in on the floor of the chamber to demand a vote on gun legislation. (Screen grab from Twitter) House Democrats are staging a site in on the chamber floor demanding that laws intended to address gun violence be brought to a vote. Rep. James Clyburn, D-South Carolina, on Tuesday tried to put forward two measures for a vote -- one that expanded background checks and a measure to prevent anyone on the FBI's "No Fly" list from purchasing a gun. Republicans blocked his efforts, prompting Democratics to begin yelling "No bill, no break," Politico reported. The outburst lasted only a few minutes, but this morning, at roughly 11 a.m., the sit-in began. NBC News reported that the protest is not being televised because the House has not been gaveled into session. But news of the protest was being spread via social media: Democrats are literally sitting in the well of the House. THEY ARE DOING A SIT-IN ON THE HOUSE FLOOR. Matt Fuller (@MEPFuller) June 22, 2016 Just watched House Republicans shut down House as @HouseDemocrats began to sit down on floor to say #NoBillNoBreak. Amazing. Chris Murphy (@ChrisMurphyCT) June 22, 2016 JUST IN: Democrats staging sit-in on US House floor, reading the names of victims of gun violence - @LukeRussert pic.twitter.com/8bx3o6kjQc NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt (@NBCNightlyNews) June 22, 2016 GOP leadership have recessed to cut video but @HouseDemocrats remain on the floor - watch live: https://t.co/nc4LMX3pB5 Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) June 22, 2016 Rep. John Lewis, D-Georgia, is leading the protest: You could watch live on https://t.co/MoUFo3FAkY, but cameras controlled by House Speaker Paul Ryan are turned off. https://t.co/cCfR0DziD1 Vox (@voxdotcom) June 22, 2016 On my way to join @repjohnlewis & my Dem colleagues to sit-in on House floor until we get a vote to address gun violence #NoBillNoBreak Eleanor Holmes Norton (@EleanorNorton) June 22, 2016 We're here on the floor to speak for the many victims of gun violence who cannot! Like the 14 men & women killed in #SanBernardino Judy Chu (@RepJudyChu) June 22, 2016 We have to disturb the order of things to build a world at peace with itself #goodtrouble https://t.co/vWdwtVFcUr John Lewis (@repjohnlewis) June 22, 2016 #NoBillNoBreak: We cannot allow blind allegiance to the NRA to get in the way of passing gun laws a majority of Americans support #Enough Senator Ben Cardin (@SenatorCardin) June 22, 2016 Lewis led sit-in the tip of iceberg. House Ds planning disruption campaign for the next two days https://t.co/ImQVVLIakh w/ @jbendery Sam Stein (@samstein) June 22, 2016 Currently protesting on the House floor-our nation deserves a vote on gun control legislation including my bill supporting local gun laws. Bob Brady (@BobBradyPhilly) June 22, 2016 John Quigley wasn't out of work very long. Pennsylvania's Secretary of Environmental Protection in Gov. Tom Wolf 's cabinet resigned May 20 in the aftermath of an abrasive email in which he criticized the environmental community for failing to fight back against the Legislature's rejection of more stringent oil and gas regulations. The Kleinman Center for Energy Policy at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Design announced Wednesday that it was welcoming Quigley as a Senior Fellow effective July 1. Said Dr. Mark Alan Hughes, professor of practice and Kleinman Center director, in a press release: "Policy research benefits from the insights of a leader like John who boldly stands at the intersection of energy and the environment. Through his leadership in Pennsylvania at the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Department of Environmental Protection, John brings a wealth of policy expertise to Penn's students and faculty." In the fall, Quigley will give a public lecture on Pennsylvania's energy and environmental policy challenges. The lecture, hosted by the Kleinman Center, will be held in the Kleinman Energy Forum. "PennDesign has a long tradition of bringing together the worlds of research and practice around matters of crucial public interest, especially those centered on the environment and natural resources," Dr. Frederick Steiner, incoming Dean and Paley Professor at PennDesign, said in the release. "In the tradition of Ian McHarg, the Kleinman Center extends that leadership role with the exciting appointment of Secretary Quigley." Quigley also will teach a spring seminar as part of a Kleinman Center's Topics in Energy Policy sequence and will write blog posts and policy digests to frame important energy policy issues for regional and national audiences, the release said. "I'm excited to join the thought leaders at the Kleinman Center, and more broadly, the Penn community," Quigley said. "Throughout my career, I have been committed to connecting the protection of public health, the environment, and natural resources to robust, sustainable economic growth. I look forward to writing, speaking, and contributing to the Center's thought leadership on energy policy innovation, sustainability, and smart pathways to a low-pollution, high-growth, zero carbon future." A former Hazleton mayor, Quigley was confirmed June 3, 2015, as Wolf's pick for environmental secretary. His annual salary was $152,657. A Bucks County Judge says there has been no gag order imposed in the case of a Feasterville man charged with having an illegal sexual relationship with a teen, one of 12 girls found living at his home late last week. Instead, Judge Robert J. Mellon's office says it was a dependency hearing that took place Tuesday morning and which was closed to the public. Dependency hearings usually involve issues of child custody in cases of abuse or neglect. "There has not been a gag order issued in this case," Christian Benz, a spokesperson for Judge Mellon's office told PennLive Tuesday afternoon. "The whole issue here is today's hearing with Judge Mellon was a dependency proceeding and pursuant to Pennsylvania law it was a closed proceeding. Everyone in the court was not authorized to discuss what happened in the hearing today because it has nothing to do with the criminal case or criminal law. Today's hearing was entirely private." The criminal case referenced by Benz involves the discovery of 12 girls -- ranging in age from 6 months to 18 years -- at 51-year-old Lee Kaplan's Old Street Road home on Thursday. Some were cowering in the basement of the home and others hiding inside a chicken coop when police stormed the property following complaints from concerned neighbors. Kaplan was charged with sexual assault for his alleged improper relationship with the eldest of the females who police said was "gifted" to Kaplan by her ex-Amish parents, Daniel and Savilla Stoltzfus of Quarryville in Lancaster County, at the age of 14. Authorities say the "gift" came after Kaplan helped the Stoltzfus family out financially. Kaplan's relationship with the teen bore two children and now criminal charges against him and both Stoltzfus parents. The case has also rocked the tiny, working class community of Feasterville and prompted scrutiny of local officials and their response to previous complaints about Kaplan's home. Officials have said there was nothing more they could have done given the nature of the tips and Kaplan's unwillingness to cooperate. Interviews of the 12 girls were underway Monday, as law enforcement began work to determine what exactly took place behind the closed doors of Kaplan's home in his residential neighborhood, and how each of the females were involved. Kaplan has so far only been charged with having had a sexual relationship with one of the girls. He and the Stoltzfuses remain confined to Bucks County Jail on $1 million bail. Kaplan is facing a number of charges including statutory sexual assault and aggravated indecent assault. Daniel Stoltzfus is charged with conspiracy to commit statutory sexual assault and child endangerment. His wife, Savilla Stoltzfus, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child, as well. Family members of the Stoltzfuses told PennLive over the weekend that Kaplan may have brainwashed the couple, noting drastic changes in Daniel Stoltzfus's beliefs and behavior after he first met Kaplan at an Erie equipment sale in 2003. That same year, the Stoltzfuses renounced their Amish faith during a dispute with church elders. They were eventually evicted from their home due to what they claimed were predatory and abusive tactics employed by private charities serving members of the Amish church. The Stoltzfuses had used the charities to take out a $300,000 loan in an attempt to save the family metal-working business. They filed a lawsuit in federal court in 2009 which was later dismissed. At some point, police say, Kaplan intervened, saving the Stoltzfuses from financial ruin. It was a favor they claimed to have repaid with the "gifting" of their 14-year-old daughter who police say went on to have a years-long sexual relationship with the 51-year-old, beginning in 2012. Daniel Stoltzfus claimed he thought the arrangement was legal, previously published reports indicate. Preliminary hearings in all 3 cases are scheduled for Aug. 2 in a Bucks County District Court. A Lebanon woman has pleaded guilty after she was charged with helping her boyfriend escape when he was accused of stabbing another man to death. Crystal A. Shultz, 28, pleaded guilty in Lebanon County Court Tuesday to charges that include hindering apprehension, court documents indicate. She was charged after police say she helped her boyfriend, William Culbreath, escape after he was accused of killing another man, the Lebanon Daily News is reporting. Police charged Culbreath, 34, after they say he fatally stabbed 35-year-old Travis Farrell in the neck during a fight outside of the Silver Dollar Bar on 9th and Willow streets in November. Culbreath fled and has not yet been captured. Shultz was subsequently charged with arranging for another man to drive Culbreath out of town, according to the Lebanon Daily News. Court records show Shultz pleaded guilty to two counts of hindering apprehension. And in unrelated cases, she also pleaded guilty to endangering the welfare of children, possession of drug paraphernalia, and theft of leased property. Shultz is scheduled for sentencing Aug. 17. A Lancaster man is accused of robbing a pizza delivery man Monday night and slashing his tires after an argument over a credit card. Adrian Manuel Santiago, 33, of the 500 block of South Prince Street, was accused of pushing and punching the pizza delivery man, and then using a knife to puncture two tires on the man's vehicle. The victim was making a delivery at 8:20 p.m. Monday when he got into an argument with a customer over the credit card he was trying to use for payment, police said. He said the customer pushed and punched him, causing him to fall down and drop the food he was carrying. The customer picked up the food, slashed his tires with a knife and went into his house without paying, the victim told police. The victim said the man left his home a few minutes later with an infant, and bent up the license plate on his vehicle so it was unreadable. Police tried to pull over the vehicle a short time later, and the driver accelerated and tried to elude them. He was apprehended after he got out of the vehicle and tried to flee on foot, police. Santiago was charged with robbery, theft, fleeing from police, child endangerment, drug charges and more, and was placed in Lancaster County prison on $20,000 bail. Rozzi Rep. Mark Rozzi (D-Berks), seen here at a victims rally at the Capitol earlier this year, has asked the Senate Judiciary Committee to allow him to address the panel at its voting meeting on a child sex crime reform bill. Rozzi, a survivor of clergy sex abuse, led an effort to pass House Bill 1947 in the House in April. ( Mark Pynes | mpynes@pennlive.com) UPDATE: The Senate Judiciary Committee was set to vote on House Bill 1947 on Wednesday but pulled the hearing, which was set for 2 p.m. This report has been updated to reflect the information. A state House lawmaker who has become the defacto leader in the General Assembly for an effort to reform child sex crime laws has asked a Senate panel to invite him to its voting meeting for a proposed legislation that would reform the law. Rep. Mark Rozzi (D-Berks) on Monday sent Sen. Stewart Greenleaf, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, a letter in which writes: "As the maker of the revival amendment that was the subject of last Monday's Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing, I respectfully request to be invited to the voting meeting on House Bill 1947 in order to address the committee on the merits of my amendment as to the intent and effect on House Bill 1947." In an email to PennLive, a spokesman Greenleaf (R-Montgomery), noted general procedural policy that only the prime sponsor of the legislation be invited to address the committee at a voting meeting. "Representative Rozzi is welcome to submit written remarks to the committee, and Senator Greenleaf will disseminate them to the committee members in advance of the meeting and make them part of the official record," said Aaron Zappia, spokesman for Greenleaf. House Bill 1947 was sponsored in the House by Rep. Ron Marsico (R-Dauphin). The Senate, which returns to session on Wednesday, had advertised its intention to vote on the bill but pulled the hearing sometime around 5 p.m. on Tuesday. The committee last week held a hearing on the bill, inviting a number of expert witnesses to testify on the legal viability of the bill. The bill, which would eliminate criminal statutes on most child sex crimes going forward, would also amend civil statutes, including retroactively extending the window of opportunity for victims to file claims up until age 50. That limit is now set at 30. Of the five experts who testified last week before the Senate panel, four argued that the the Pennsylvania Constitution prohibits the General Assembly from retroactively altering expired statutes of limitations. Rozzi, who was sexually abused by a priest as a teenager, has in recent years led a mounting effort to reform the state child sex crimes laws to expand time parameters to allow victims whose legal rights have expired to seek legal recourse. Rozzi, whose statute of limitations had expired by the time he was ready to come forth about his abuse, has argued, along with other victims and advocates that child sex abuse is so traumatic most victims require a lifetime before they are ready to share their stories. This spring, Rozzi led a successful effort in the House to pass HB1947. The bill passed with a 180-15 vote. At the conclusion of last week's hearing, Greenleaf told members of the media that he would invite anyone who wanted to testify before the committee to do so. Greenleaf has long promised to give the bill a fair look. House Bill 1947 - should it pass the Senate and proceed to Gov. Tom Wolf's desk - would put Pennsylvania among the ranks of states that have amended laws to protect victims - even past ones. It would go into effect 60 days after being signed by the governor. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form In this undated photo provided by the American Kennel Club, a pumi is shown. The high-energy Hungarian herding dog is the latest new breed headed to the Westminster Kennel Club and many other U.S. dog shows. The American Kennel Club is announcing Wednesday, June 22, 2016, that it is recognizing the pumi (POOM'-ee). It's the 190th breed to join the roster of the nation's oldest purebred dog registry. (Thomas Pitera/The American Kennel Club via AP) 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. Venezuela guilty of oil sector 'malpractice' - Senior U.S. diplomat Amos J Hochstein currently serves as the Special Envoy and Coordinator for International Energy Affairs leading the Bureau of Energy Resources (ENR) at the U.S. Department of State. BUENOS AIRES Petroleumworld.com 06 22 2016 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. Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA often blames power outages or equipment malfunctions on saboteurs seeking to subvert the government. The company's president Eulogio Del Pino said this month that Venezuela's output was rising again. Saudi Arabia, U.S. and Russia call shots on oil markets - Rosneft's Sechin Russian oil chief Igor Sechin: OPEC unity effectively extinct MOSCOW Petroleumworld.com 06 22 2016 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. He said Rosneft has held not talks with Chinese or Indian companies about privatisation. Pigmeat imports from Poland are steadily increasing their presence on the UK market, a trends which seems set to continue, according to AHDB Pork. There has been a steady growth for processed products, notably canned hams, following Polands accession to the EU in 2004, while imports of fresh pork have started to take off, said AHDB Pork in an extended analysis of the development. Imports of processed hams and shoulders amounted to 36,000 tonnes in 2015. That means that since 2007, when the trade started to develop, volumes have more than trebled. Sausages also account for a significant quantity of imports, reaching 17,000 tonnes in 2015. Such product is generally branded and sold not only through Polish retail outlets but increasingly through mainstream outlets, said AHDB Pork. For example, the ASDA website includes Authentic Polish Foods, with a wide range of processed pigmeat products. Other multiples also sell a range of Polish processed meats. The number of UK residents born in Poland now amounts to 850,000, although the true figure for the Polish population will be higher, as families will have children born in the UK. Therefore, this accounts for a growing market for those customers seeking indigenous foodstuffs from the country in which they were born. All of which means that UK imports of fresh/frozen Polish pork more than doubled in 2015, reaching 11,300 tonnes. This compares with Polish imports of only 750 tonnes as recently as 2010. This pork is destined for secondary processing and mainly consists of chilled boneless cuts and bellies, said AHDB Pork. However, one major Polish meat processor, ZM Wierzejki, which has 170 retail outlets in Poland, opened its first shop in East Acton, West London, at the end of last year. Its statements also indicate plans to open a dozen new stores and attract not just Polish consumers. The meat-processing sector in Poland is sourcing its raw material from both domestic producers and imported product, some of which is subsequently re-exported. Major investment is taking place, including by Scandinavian companies, some of which has yet to come on stream. According to IFIP in France, much of this investment is geared towards supplying the UK market and the premium prices that it can offer. This includes investment in cutting plants and further processing facilities. Although Poland is still not yet a major player on the UK market, with a market share of all pigmeat imports of just 7%, AHDB Pork says the country is certainly a major player on the EU market. Even if its pigmeat production (in Poland) is no longer expanding, its low labour rates and increased investment in processing is sucking in more imported product for subsequent re-export, including to the UK, it said. Volumes of processed products have been rising year-on-year, and increasing investment would suggest that this is set to continue. Access full report Get Our E-Newsletter - Pig World's best stories in your in-box twice a week See e-newsletter example Will be used in accordance with our Privacy Policy I put enough time on Magura's Vyron eLECT dropper post to assess its mechanical performance and its potential attributes, but I won't speculate on its long-term reliability. The only aspect of its performance that I did not completely come to terms with was establishing a mid-stroke saddle position, which required hovering over the saddle at my preferred height, waiting for the eLECT valve to close while the bike was bouncing down the trail. More time on the bike may have mitigated that process, but that was the recurring Vyron moment that had me wishing for the instant locking action of a mechanically-actuated dropper post. Riders who never use an intermediate saddle position, however, will never experience that issue, which brings me back to the positive attributes of Magura's wireless dropper. Magura's $500 asking price is offset by the fact that you only need one dropper post for all of your bikes, so long as they share the same seat tube diameter. The control console is fixed with an elastic O-ring, so it can be quickly transferred to another handlebar, and a hex key is all you need to switch out the seatpost. Divide $500 by how many bikes you own and that represents a substantial discount. Pedally DH race? Pop the Vyron on your downhill bike and be the boss. Taking your cross-country race bike out for a trail ride? Slide the Vyron dropper into that carbon hardtail and hit the hard lines on the downs. Travelling to another country? Bring your Vyron dropper and pop it into your rental. Magura's wireless eLECT dropper post provides much more than a cleaner looking mountain bike, and while the Vyron would not be my first choice for my all-mountain style of riding, it offers useful options that a mechanical post simply cannot match - attributes which should earn a lot of fans for Magura. - RC So far, the named scientific payload elements include: Relay satellite: There will be a low-frequency radio spectrometer provided by the Netherlands, which also seems to have an element on the lander. According to Wang and Liu, the payload may include an impact flash camera and a sodium emission monitoring camera, either "developed from scratch or acquired through international cooperation." Lander: Two of the instruments will be the same as for Chang'e 3: descent camera and topography camera. On Chang'e 3, the topography camera failed in the first lunar night; I wonder if they will be able to modify it to last longer, or if it will be the same instrument. New instruments include "a Lunar Dust Analyser (LDA) for lunar dust physical characteristics measurements, an Electric Field Analyser (EFA) to measure magnitude of electric field at different elevations, a Plasma and Magnetic Field Observation Package (PMFOP), a Lunar Seismometer (LS) for lunar internal structure and impact investigations, [and] a VLF Radio Interferometer (VRI) for radio astronomical observation." The seismometer is mentioned only in the Wang and Liu paper, not in the media reports. There will also be a neutron dosimeter to take measurements relevant to future human exploration, to be contributed by Germany for the lander. According to the Kiel University press release, the dosimeter is a thermal neutron spectrometer and therefore could measure water content of the regolith beneath the lander. Rover: The rover will carry three of the four Yutu instruments, including panoramic camera, ground-penetrating radar, and an infrared spectrometer. It will, however, not carry an alpha-particle X-ray spectrometer. While I was at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in March, I learned that the APXS is being removed because the Chang'e 4 rover will not have a robotic arm to place it. New instruments include "an Active Source Hammer (ASH) for active source seismic experiments, and a second VLF Radio Receiver (VRR)." Again, the seismology-related instrument is mentioned in the Wang and Liu paper but not in the media reports. There will also be an energetic neutral atom analyzer, to be contributed by Sweden for the rover. It has heritage from a similar instrument flown in lunar orbit on Chandrayaan-1. Finally, as reported here before, two instruments will be selected from a public competition. According to Xinhua news, the public competition has yielded 257 submissions. The results of the competition will be announced in September. Lunar geologists worldwide have been pushing for a landing on the lunar farside -- and, even better, sample return -- for a long time. Much of the farside is covered by a feature called the South Pole-Aitken Basin. It is an enormous impact basin, stretching between the south pole and Aitken crater, that is the oldest discernible feature on the Moon and among the largest impact basins in the whole solar system. Analysis of data from orbital missions suggests that its rocks are unique and have likely not been sampled by any previous lunar landing. The rocks may have a unique composition because they have sampled lunar mantle, or because they represent the composition of what would have been an enormous sheet of impact melt, or some other reason. Although the Chang'e 4 mission has a stated goal to "study regional geochemistry", the removal of the APXS from the Chang'e 3 Yutu instrument package -- and the lack of any replacement instrument that can get at the elemental composition of the surface -- will make it hard to do geochemistry. There is still a visible and near-infrared spectrometer, but it's not easy to get to mineralogy from spectrometry without some help from elemental chemistry. I was in a room with lunar geologists receiving a briefing on Chang'e 4 at the Lunar and Planetary Science Conference in March, and I think it's not too strong a statement to say the scientists present were dismayed by the thought of a lander being sent to the south pole-Aitken basin without such an instrument. Instead, Chang'e 4's robust science package has more of a physics focus. It may have a seismology station with a mobile roving hammer, and ground-penetrating radar to look at the subsurface, and several instruments focused on the farside space environment, taking advantage of the bulk of the Moon to shield its sensitive radio instruments from radio frequency interference from Earth. Hopefully Chang'e 4 can set a precedent for farside lunar landings, and we'll get our dedicated geology mission someday, from China or NASA or somebody else. While I'm daydreaming: maybe successes of Chang'e 4 and Chang'e 5 will pave the way for a future farside sample return mission -- a future Chang'e lander? or something like MoonRise? We can do lunar geochemistry much more effectively with returned samples than with the limited capabilities of a lander. On that note, one other interesting items from the Wang and Liu article: The relay satellite will use "standard CCSDS protocols...to ensure international compatibility," and they suggest that other nations could use it for relay in future missions. It wouldn't be the United States, because federal funding can't be used for cooperation with China. But it could be available for anyone else. Save Come get Merry on Main Audio Article The 2022 Merry on Main committee is busy preparing for the annual two-day Christmas festival held at the Pleasanton River... Out and About Audio Article Dia De Las Fresas on Oct. 29 One-day fall festival event hosted by Poteet Strawberry Festival Association. Live music from... Online auction site PropertyRoom.com recently 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. This grant supports the furthering of education of law enforcement officers to honor the late Chief Daryl Gates of the Los Angeles Police Department. Gates dedicated his career to education for both law enforcement and the public community. He is best known as an originator of the D.A.R.E. program. In addition, Gates was also a senior advisor and mentor to PropertyRoom.com since their start in 1999. PropertyRoom.com markets and auctions both unclaimed and surplus assets on behalf of law enforcement agencies. The site offers a wide range of products, including electronics, jewelry, clothing, and even vehicles. Hundreds of new auctions are listed daily. For more information visit PropertyRoom.com. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print 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 weeks 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 thats likely something that well 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. Its 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 Mondays 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 Investigations 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) Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Hillary Clinton hammered Donald Trump with one sentence that destroyed his image and highlighted the GOP nominees deadbeat ways. Video: https://youtu.be/6-_C3X8Nf70 Former Sec. Clinton said: Donald Trump has a different approach. He calls himself the King of Debt. And his tax plan sure lives up to that name. According to the independent Tax Policy Center, it would increase the national debt by more than $30 trillion over 20 years. Thats trillion with a t. Its much, much more than any nominee of either party has ever proposed. An economist described it with words not even in the universe of the realistic. And how would he pay for all this debt? He said, and I quote, I would borrow, knowing if the economy crashed, you could make a deal. Its like, you know, you make a deal before you go into a poker game. Well actually, its not like that at all. The full faith and credit of the United States is not something we just gamble away. That could cause an economic catastrophe. And it would break 225 years of ironclad trust if the American economy has with Americans and the rest of the world. Alexander Hamilton would be rolling in his grave. You see, we pay our debts thats why investors come here even when everything else in the world goes wrong. You dont have to take it from me. Ronald Reagan said it, We have a well-earned reputation for reliability and credibility two things that set us apart from much of the world. Now maybe Donald feels differently because he made a fortune filing bankruptcies and stiffing his creditors. Ill get to his business practices in a minute, but the United States of America doesnt do business Trumps way. And it matters, it matters when a presidential candidate talks like this, because 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. Trump is running his presidential campaign in the same manner that he would run the country. He expects the Republican Party to pick up the tab, while he is funneling money from the campaign into his own businesses. Trump has already promised not wall off his private businesses from his public duties if he wins the White House, so it is clear that Trump would use the presidency to make more money for himself. Clinton nailed it with one sentence. Donald Trumps way of doing business is not to pay his bills. America cant stiff its creditors. If every American behaved like Trump has, the US economy would collapse. Hillary Clinton is taking apart Trump piece by piece, and by the time she is done all that will be left of Trumps legacy will be a tarnished brand name and some reruns of The Apprentice. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print *The following is an opinion column by R Muse * Anyone who follows politics and is even remotely aware of 20th Century history would be loath to disagree that there is a definite American movement that seems Hell-bent on repeating the atrocities committed by Nazi Germany. Of course, the movement is firmly ensconced in the conservative movement with willing participation by the religious right that is as close in proximity to the leanings of Adolf Hitler as neo-conservatives in the Republican Party. It seems there is no demographic in America that is safe from conservatives whether they are the poor, people of color, women, the LGBT community and particularly non-Christians. In fact, over the course of the past ten years no group has absorbed more hatred and vitriol than Muslim adherents and that was long before Republican presumptive presidential nominee Donald Trump came on the scene. No matter how harsh and hateful Donald Trump has been in portraying Muslims as the epitome of evil, he has not called for a final solution to rid the world of a billion or so adherents to one of the worlds three Abrahamic religions. As if Trumps hateful rhetoric against Muslims was inadequate to express some Americans bigotry, ignorance and sheer hate, an Oklahoma Republican has come up with the final solution to Islam that entails the Nazi-like final solution to the existence of Jews. The Republican monster, some hate-monger from Oklahoma by the name of Pat Ownbey, is a state representative from Ardmore and he came up with a final solution to deal with Muslims that would give even Donald Trump reason to pause. Ownbey posted on Facebook and promoted an article over the weekend calling for a final solution regarding radical Islam. The article proffered an incredibly lame argument that the 1,400-year-old Islamic faith is not a religion and therefore its adherents or the religion is not afforded any protections under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. According to Think Progress, Ownbey re-published an article entitled Radical Islam The Final Solution. Apparently Ownbey copy-and-pasted the original article published by Paul R. Hollrah, a fellow Oklahoman claiming to be a former government relations executive, whatever that means. Think Progress implied that the author was not aware that final solution was the Nazi term for what the rest of the world knows as the Holocaust, but that is as absurd an assumption as saying that Republicans are unaware that easy access to battlefield assault weapons contributes to the massacres of innocent Americans on a regular basis. However, kudos to Think Progress for not presuming the worst where religious bigotry and ignorance is concerned. This author is not so restrained by such comity, especially not where religious bigotry is concerned. According to Ownbeys re-published article, since an anti-LGBT man who was also a Muslim slaughtered 49 people at a gay nightclub, Islam can no longer be categorized as a religion in America or the rest of the Western world for that matter. The article states: if we in the west are to protect our children and grandchildren from the horrors of a worldwide Islamic caliphate, we must first dispense with the cruel fiction that Islam is just another religious denomination, subject to all of the legal protections afforded legitimate religious sects. Islam is not a religion, subject to First Amendment protections. The articles original author also contends that Donald Trumps opposition to allowing Muslims to emigrate to America falls well short of the final solution and took the low road by assailing Christian denominations such as the Catholic Church for welcoming Muslims; he said Catholics and Christians are monumentally naive; likely for following Jesus Christs commandments . In fact, the author also said that Trumps proposed ban on Muslims is no different than the Communist Control Act (1954) and insisted that it was time for the West to quarantine all Muslims away from civilization. It is noteworthy that just citing the word Muslim is admitting that Islam is a religion, but thats an insignificant detail to the purveyors of religiously-driven hate. As nasty as Ownbey is for promoting a hate-inspired religious screed as a final solution, there was a glimmer of a damn good idea that he or the original author never set upon. This author is not so inclined. According to Ownbeys re-published article, Since the 95% of Muslims who are described as either moderate or un-radicalized appear unwilling to play an active role in keeping their radicalized brethren in check, we have no long term alternative but to quarantine them prohibiting them from residing anywhere within the civilized nations of the Earth. Now, on its face that does sound a tad harsh to most people, quarantining all Muslims from living in any civilized nation because they cannot keep their radicalized brethren in check. However, if being unwilling, or unable, to keep the radical fundamentalists in check is the standard for quarantining a particular faiths entire population, then America should begin rounding up and quarantining every Christian in America and send them away from civilization to the most remote, deepest and darkest part of Africa. Throughout recorded history un-radicalized Christians have shown themselves to be unwilling to play an active role in keeping their radicalized brethren in check whether it was during the Crusades, Europeans invading America, Brits colonizing Australia, Hitler in Nazi Germany, George W. Bushs crusade in Iraq, or the anti-everyone evangelical sect decimating freedoms and equality in 21st Century America. What is stunning really is the insinuation that Islam is not a religion but simply a political ideology. This is sheer ignorance and little else. Obviously the malcontent that penned the original article has no comprehension that Islam is, like Christianity and Judaism, an Abrahamic religion founded on the deity of the Old and New Testament and reveres the likes of Adam, Noah, King David, Moses, Solomon, the prophets and Jesus Christ on the same level as the Prophet Mohammed. The fact that some Islamic adherents are violent is no different than the lot of American Christians who believe war is good, killing innocent civilians is godly and actively reject Jesus Christs commandment to love thy neighbor. It is unclear exactly who in America bestowed authority on a couple of Oklahoma Republicans to decide what is, and what is not, a real religion. The Founding Fathers certainly made no distinction in writing the First Amendment. They did, however, state by unanimous consent that not only was America not in any sense, founded on the Christian religion, but that this country was not at war and bore no enmity towards the Islamic religion. If Americans who want all Muslims banned from America, or quarantined away from Western civilization, or held accountable for the actions of a few maniacs with a Hitler-esque final solution had an ounce of humanity, they would insist on banning all religious maniacs from the country. Now that is a final solution no small number of Americans would support enthusiastically except for that pesky First Amendment that grants freedom of religion to all Americans including Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, Heathens and even those hateful, bigoted, and inherently violent evangelical fundamentalists. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Donald Trump tried to attack Hillary Clinton with major speech, but his speech was a bungled unintentionally hilarious attempt at running for the White House that was based on right wing conspiracy theories and lies. On top of it all, Trump sounded sedated and completely clueless in what played like a bad SNL sketch that ran too long. Trump said that only he could fix Americas problems. He blamed Clinton for creating the nations problems and rigging the political system. Trump then asked Bernie Sanders voters to join his movement so that the system can be fixed. Trump said that Clinton is a world class liar. He pointed to her email server, and her claim that she was under attack in Bosnia. Trump repeated his lies that he started off with a small loan and built a business that is worth $10 billion. The loan was a $200 million inheritance, and Trump has greatly overinflated his net worth. Donald Trump vowed to end the special interest monopoly in DC. He repeated his claim that Hillary Clinton ran the State Department like her pwn personal hedge fund. Trump said that Clinton made $21 million giving speeches to Wall Street, and said that Wall Street totally owns Clinton and that will never ever change. The Republican nominee painted himself as the candidate who is against the special interests and claimed that Clinton lacks the temperament to be president. The most laugh out loud moment of the speech was when Trump claimed that Clinton thinks the campaign is all about her when he knows that it is all about you. Trump railed about globalism and went on to compare himself to George Washington. He claimed that Hillary Clinton was to blame for all trade policies. Trump went on to quote from the conspiracy book Clinton Cash, which the author even admitted contains no evidence of Clinton crimes. Trump went full blown conspiracy theorist by claiming that there was a conspiracy behind Clintons emails. Donald Trump blamed Clinton for Benghazi and then floated the widely debunked Benghazi conspiracy theory. Trump blamed Clinton, not Bushs Iraq war, for destabilizing the Middle East. The Trump campaign seems to believe that by placing Trump behind a teleprompter and having him speak more softly equals presidential. The speech itself was a total bomb. Trump rehashed the same conspiracy theories that the Republican Party has been tossing around for decades. Donald Trumps speech was like watching your parent who gets all their information from Fox News giving a speech about the presidential campaign. At various points, Trump claimed that Clinton is unqualified, a criminal, corrupt, and belongs in prison. The negative attacks that many Democrats were worried Trump would unleash on Clinton have not materialized because Donald Trump is totally incompetent as a presidential candidate. His speech revealed everything that is wrong with the Trump campaign. Trump took every character flaw that has been mentioned about him and applied to Hillary Clinton. Trumps speech was a childish attempt at retaliation. Donald Trump refuses to release his tax returns, but he called Hillary Clinton the most corrupt person ever to seek the presidency of the United States. The facts for Trumps speech came from right-wing Clinton conspiracy books. The premise behind the speech that Trump is a change agent who is fighting for the American people was laughable, because of the existence of four decades of evidence that Donald Trump is only interested in himself. The speech was pathetic, and if this is the best that Donald Trump can do, Republicans have no chance of winning the White House in November. Israel officially received today the first of 33 F-35A ADIR joint strike fighters ordered for the Israel Air & Space Force (IAF). The new aircraft will be one of two F-35A fighters expected to arrive in Israel before years end. The advanced capabilities maintained by the new fighter jet will provide means Israel will be able to continue maintaining air dominance in the region, despite the growing threat of advanced air defenses. Of the original nine partner countries Australia, Canada, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States six have received their first jets and had pilots and maintainers in training. Israel, one of three Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers, received its first F-35A today. Japan, the second FMS customer, is also expected to take delivery of its first jets this year. Suppliers in all nine of the programs partner countries are producing F-35 components for all aircraft, not just those for their country. And in addition to the Fort Worth plant, there are two Final Assembly and Check Out (FACO) facilities outside the United States: one in Cameri, Italy, where the first jet was delivered in December 2015; another facility in Nagoya, Japan, will produce the first jets for Japan. Israeli suppliers are responsible for parts of the helmet display system and also produce the outer wings for Lockheed Martin. Israel became the first country to select the F-35 through the United States governments Foreign Military Sales process on Oct. 7, 2010. The Israeli Air Force gave the F-35 the Hebrew name Adir which, according to the Times of Israel, denotes awesomeness in modern Hebrew. The aircraft rolled out today is the first of 33 F-35A fighters ordered by Israel at an average cost of US$110 million per plane. The first two will arrive in Israel in December 2016. Aside from the two that will arrive in Israel in December, six ADIRs are expected to arrive there through 2017. The Nevatim Airbase in the Negev Desert will serve as the home for the first Adir squadron. with additional six each in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021. Israel also received a generous industrial cooperation package worth $5.4 billion, of which Israeli industries have already received $775 million orders. The Israel Air Force is already asking for additional 17, bringing the total number ordered to 50. If this request will be approved by the Israeli government and US administration, deliveries could commence in the years 2022-2024. The Israel Air Force is already asking for additional 17, bringing the total number ordered to 50. The Israel defense Forces (IDF) Chief of the General Staff, Lt. Gen. Gadi Eizenkot approved the IAFs recommendation to raise the number of Israeli F-35 jets to 50. If this request will be approved by the Israeli government and US administration, (as part of the increase in US military aid to Israel, planned for 2019-2029), deliveries could commence in the years 2022-2024. The Head of the IAF Chief of Air Staff, Brig. Gen. Tal Kelman, sees the first 50 jets as an intermediate phase. We want to reach 75 jets, Kelman said, The Israeli F-35 is the first 5th generation fighter to arrive in the Middle East, and it will allow us to open a significant gap in our abilities when facing all of the elements in the area. According to Kelman, the IAF is also examining the F-35B model equipped with the capacity to take off from very short runways and land vertically. We want the first 50 jets to be A models, but beyond this, we are examining the options. The F-35B may be limited relatively to the A model regarding a number of munitions it can carry, but has other advantages that may aid us in different scenarios. Unique adaptations have been made to facilitate the integration of Adir with the IAF operational fleet. One of the most critical elements was the introduction of command, control and communications applications necessary to operate the new fighter within the IAF indigenous Command and Control environment. The development of this application has been completed at IAIs labs and is now in production for the aircraft destined for Israel. As first batch of 19 aircraft Israel is expected to receive will be the standard model operated by the US Air Force and other partner nations, it is expected to carry a limited weapons load comprising of two Boeing GBU-31s (JDAM) and two Lockheed Martin GBU-12s (Paveway laser guided bombs) or two Raytheon AMRAAM beyond visual range (BVR) air/air missiles. All will be carried internally. Further adaptations expected to mature for the second batch will include the integration of certain ordnance types operated by the IAF, such as the Rafael Spice 1000 guided weapons. The more complex task is the integration of weapons carried in the internal weapon bay, thus maintaining full stealth capability of the aircraft. Other types can be taken as external stores, must also go through the lengthy integration process. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Every Democrat remembers crazy Michele Bachmann. Now she will join her craziness to the insanity of Donald J. Trump as Trump assembles a Evangelical Executive Advisory Board, which includes not only ex-Rep. Michele Bachmann, but Focus on the Family founder James Dobson and televangelist Kenneth Copeland. Copeland is a remarkable choice because he proclaimed that God told him Ted Cruz would be president. But hey, if ever a campaign was tailor made to be welcoming of false prophets, it was Trumps. Trump said, in selecting these people, I have such tremendous respect and admiration for this group and I look forward to continuing to talk about the issues important to Evangelicals, and all Americans, and the common sense solutions I will implement when I am President. Oh dear. Yes. With such delusions, theyre going to get along together really well. Bachmann, whom Trump ranks as wise counsel, is an interesting choice as well. Trump likes to refer to Clinton as Crooked Hillary and accuse her of all sorts of crimes, while Bachmann, you will remember, was forced to leave Congress because of a campaign scandal. Trump makes hay with the FBI and Hillary Clintons emails, but we can point to Michele Bachmann being under FBI investigation for several federal crimes, even while she was calling President Obama lawless. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) put Bachmann on their list of the Most Corrupt Members of Congress, but it is unlikely Trump will call her any bad names, figuring she will bring a few votes with her. This decision to form an evangelical advisory group shows that Trump seems to have decided to redouble his efforts among the only constituency still likely to vote for him, now that he has eliminated anyone darker-skinned than Ted Nugent. Bachmann is certainly a canny choice if hes looking for the more disturbed among Fox News white Christian American demographic. After all, look at some of Bachmanns past gems: There was 2015s Jesus is Coming Soon and its Time to Convert the Jews. This is sure to resonate with all those anti-Semitic white supremacists flocking around Trump. If thats not to their taste, how about the time she said God will do us like Sodom? Thats a winner for sure. The Religious Right has proven it cannot function without the fantastical threat of our immanent demise at the hands of a wrathful lord. Certainly one moment that epitomizes her time in Congress is when she said she wanted Obama spanked and his perpetual magic wand taken away. This all sorts of creepy statement is something that could have come straight out of Trumps mouth. One of my personal favorites is from 2014 when in time for Christmas, Bachmann managed to get both Bible and Constitution wrong in her final speech. There is a certain satisfying symmetry to her career in Congress, Mendacious Michele coming in a liar and going out the same way, in a blaze of brazen dishonesty. This is the same Michele Bachmann who told Bill OReilly that the Obama administration lives in a fantasy world. James Dobson will also be a nice fit for Trump. Hes the guy who said Sandy Hook was Gods judgment on America. This is sure to sit well with the NRA crowd, as it gives them something to point to besides their AR-15 Penis Substitutes. Hey, wait a minute, somebody get David Barton on the phone! Didnt Bachmann already say 9/11 was God judgment on America? How many judgments do we need? What about the Bible-inspired Constitutions Fifth Amendment Double Jeopardy Clause? nor shall any person be subject for the same offence to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb. And werent we told Hurricane Katrina was also Gods judgment on America? Dobson is also the guy who rationalized away Obamas victory in 2012 by saying God had apparently decided he could make use of Obama. Trump may like the votes Dobson represents, and hes sure to represent a few, because CRAZY, but we can all rest assured that in January 2017, Dobson will be rationalizing Clintons victory in the same way, by saying God had decided he had a use for Hillary. The Religious Rights version of Christianity is nothing if not flexible. We cant step away without looking Kenneth Copeland. As PFAWs Brian Tashman writes, Like Trump, Copeland has been implicated in financial scandals and preaches against vaccines, which may have been a reason that one of his churches suffered a measles outbreak. Tashman also reminds us that Copeland claims the ability to cure PTSD but didnt David Barton assure us that the Bible (Numbers 32) rules out Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD? If thats not enough, Copeland says he can cure Ebola too. Increasingly, the 2016 Election Cycle is becoming less a struggle between Republicans and Democrats, but crazy people and sane people. Trump has shown quite clearly where he stands, by attaching not only haters of all stripes, but every stray lunatic he can to his cause. It doesnt matter that all their messages conflict and contradict, because not only is Trumps rhetoric, but the Bible itself, full of contradictions. Here is the list of people Trump has put on his board. Notice another name that says corruption: former Republican kingmaker Ralph Reed, the guy who invokes MLKs fight for freedom in his right to oppress. Michele Bachmann Former Congresswoman A.R. Bernard Senior Pastor and CEO, Christian Cultural Center Mark Burns Pastor, Harvest Praise and Worship Center Tim Clinton President, American Association of Christian Counselors Kenneth and Gloria Copeland Founders, Kenneth Copeland Ministries James Dobson Author, Psychologist and Host, My Family Talk Jerry Falwell, Jr. President, Liberty University Ronnie Floyd Senior Pastor, Cross Church Jentezen Franklin Senior Pastor, Free Chapel Jack Graham Senior Pastor, Prestonwood Baptist Church Harry Jackson Senior Pastor, Hope Christian Church Robert Jeffress Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church of Dallas David Jeremiah Senior Pastor, Shadow Mountain Community Church Richard Land President, Southern Evangelical Seminary James MacDonald Founder and Senior Pastor, Harvest Bible Chapel Johnnie Moore Author, President of The KAIROS Company Robert Morris Senior Pastor, Gateway Church Tom Mullins Senior Pastor, Christ Fellowship Ralph Reed Founder, Faith and Freedom Coalition James Robison Founder, Life OUTREACH International Tony Suarez Executive Vice President, National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference Jay Strack President, Student Leadership University Paula White Senior Pastor, New Destiny Christian Center Tom Winters Attorney, Winters and King, Inc. Sealy Yates Attorney, Yates and Yates Conservatives are conditioned to live with contradictions. It is an ideology where multiple realities can co-exist even if they cannot all be true. Where reason and logic and worse, science, have ceased to hold sway, we descend into a realm of magic, where the laws of the universe are lost to a murky belief that what they want takes precedence over what is. Many of them hauled kicking and screaming to the altar (like Copeland), these crazies may have found the perfect candidate in Donald Trump. He has certainly found the perfect advisers in Michele Bachmann. Portfolio English Edition's premium content is available only for subscribers Learn about the hottest news of the day, along with immediate follow-up analyses and 1000's of exclusive articles with full access to the premium content. Register and apply for a 14 days free trial period. MANKATO -- With a new brand and the support of hundreds of businesses, the south-central Minnesota and northern Iowa region is set to become the next Silicon Valley for agricultural business, local leaders say. GreenSeam, the new identity for a project launched by Greater Mankato Growth two years ago, was officially unveiled at a celebration Monday at Riverfront Park. About 500 people representing at least 300 groups from banks to Monsanto to South Central College to the state Pork Board attended the celebration. GreenSeam is the result of about nine months of rebranding work with the Minneapolis firm Capsule. The original project, called Project Agriculture Business Epicenter, was launched in November 2014 to market the roughly 28-county region as a growing hub for agricultural commerce. "The way we position ourselves and market this region is our collective responsibility," Sheryl Meshke, co-president and CEO of Associated Milk Producers in New Ulm, said just before the green logo was unveiled. The name is intended to represent the green lushness of rolling farms as well as the green of economic prosperity, said Jonathan Zierdt, president and CEO of Greater Mankato Growth. ADVERTISEMENT "The natural rainfall that blesses us in this region positions us as one of the most sustainable producers in the entire world," he said. "Green had to reflected in the name." "Seam" is intended to represent a strong unity of natural resources and people. "A seam joins us; it brings us together," Zierdt said. The logo's design could represent to some people crop rows, conservation terracing, a leaf or an electronic circuit board. The "G" or "L" that can be seen in the logo can represent both global and local, just as the shades of colors can represent the diversity of groups that are part of the effort. The 28-county region has about 9.5 million acres of crop production, 9,500 livestock operations, and 19,300 crop operations, as of 2012 data. Total sales are around $11.7 billion in the region, which has an overall economic impact of $14.825 billion on industry purchases, according to an analysis by GMG. Sam Ziegler, who became director of the project last year, said it was exciting to see the wealth of ideas converge. A committee of about a dozen people worked together on the logo and name. The 131 company with the GreenSeam logo flying at Monday's event represent vast support for the effort, Ziegler said. When Project ABE launched, GMG committed to invest about $370,000 over the next three years to work on building the region's agricultural business prominence. About $250,000 of the additional funding was to come from the chamber's reserves with the remaining generated through new revenue and external funding. The goal within five years is for people to want to locate here, much the same way the name recognition of Silicon Valley or the Research Triangle draws companies and motivated entrepreneurs, Ziegler said. "People around the world would go, 'I want to be part of manufacturing that has a touch with ag or technology that has a touch with ag or I want to be an attorney that knows a lot about ag, I want to locate in southern Minnesota,'" he said. For John Considine, director of regional business intelligence for GMG, success will be when companies put GreenSeam on their letterheads for proposals and daily business. ADVERTISEMENT That will show how the brand "helps people associate with agricultural success and really builds out their own strengths," Considine said. Partnerships are key to help educational institutions meet the needs of the evolving workforce, said Brian Martensen, a member of the GreenSeam steering committee and the dean of College of Science, Engineering & Technology at Minnesota State University. "There's all these careers that are connected to ag that you wouldn't necessarily think when you first hear the word ag," he said. Going forward, the education team of GreenSeam has three goals: serving a pipeline from high school to higher education to industry, determining the biggest industry needs, and supporting and fine-tuning existing programs based on needs and student interest. Part of that is working to partner with regional educational institutions such as Riverland Community College, South Central College, Minnesota State University and Southwest Minnesota State University. Expanded opportunities for partnerships will help companies like Monsanto, said Aaron Kramer, site lead for Redwood Falls company. "I think we need to rely on other companies that maybe haven't been our normal partners to take that next step into the digital age," he said. Oct. 18, 1919 June 19, 2016 Betty Udell, 96, of Lebanon died Sunday, June 19, at her home. Betty was born Oct. 18, 1919, in Enterprise, Oregon, to John F and Gertrude L. (Davidson) Winniford. Her early years were spent on a homestead in the Snake River Canyon with brother Robert S. Winniford. She started school in Enterprise. Then the family moved to Acequia, Idaho, where Betty graduated from high school. She moved to Oregon graduating in 1941 from Oregon State College (OSU) with a degree in business. In 1941, Betty married her college sweetheart Bert Wesley Udell who became her life partner. They moved to Lebanon where Betty worked at the Lebanon Express. In 1946 Bert and Betty formed their own logging engineering consulting and land surveying firm. She was bookkeeper and office manager for their business. In their 69-years of marriage they included their family in their love for forestry and community involvement. Their Happy Valley Tree Farm near Lebanon was recognized as Oregons first national tree farm in 1982. This award was presented to them personally by President Reagan. For 26 years they sponsored a tree day on their tree farm inviting the public to come and learn about tree farming through fun events. Their tree farm continues to serve the community hosting outdoor schools, Boy and Girl Scout camps, 4-H activities and educational tours. Betty and Bert traveled to countries learning new forestry techniques at each opportunity and applying these new ideas to their property. Betty was a 4-H leader for 54 years teaching Food and Clothing projects for the Neat and Nifty club. She was inducted into the Oregon 4-H Hall of Fame. Betty learned many of her homemaking skills through the Linn County Extension Service Homemakers' club. She was also actively involved with Business Professional Women, other clubs include Altrusia, Rebecca's, and Chamber of Commerce. She served as president of the Linn County Chapter of Oregon Small Woodlands Association. Betty enjoyed playing cards with the Albany Pinochle Club and cribbage and pinochle at the Lebanon Senior Center. Betty attended the Lebanon Church of Christ. She is survived by her three children, Fay (Sherm) Sallee, Jim (Linda) Udell and Janet Udell; seven grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and six great-great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be at 1 p.m. Wednesday, June 29, at Huston-Jost Funeral Home. A reception will follow the service at the Lebanon Senior Center. Private family burial was at Bellinger Cemetery. Contributions in her memory may be made to the OSU Extension Linn County 4-H or Lebanon Church of Christ and sent in care of Huston-Jost Funeral Home, 86 W. Grant St., Lebanon, OR 97355. LOST LAKE Yellowstone National Park has Old Faithful. Arizona has the Grand Canyon. Linn County has Lost Lake, an 85-acre body of water near the Santiam Pass that has a 6-foot hole in its bottom and virtually disappears every summer. Lost Lake is about 75 miles east of Albany on Highway 20. The phenomenon has repeated itself for centuries, according to Jude McHugh, spokeswoman for the Willamette National Forest. This area has seen repeated volcanic eruptions that have occurred over the last 12,000 years, he said. There are layers of interbedded ash, lava and glacial gravels. Originally, it was believed the hole was the entrance of an old lava tube, but Forest Service geologists now say it is mostly caused by fractures in the rock. McHugh said the hole feeds groundwater that eventually flows into Clear Lake and eventually into the McKenzie River. Scientists tracked radioisotopes in the water that showed it might take three to seven years for water to travel from Lost Lake to Clear Lake, he said. Lost Lake begins to fill in the late fall, when the amount of rain coming in starts exceeding the ability of the holes to drain off the water and continues to fill all winter long in a series of rain or snowstorms, McHugh explained. As the rainy season peters out, the 9-foot-deep lake loses its water source, and water disappears down the hole, he said. The lake's fill/drain cycle repeats annually. Lost Lake isnt the only high-mountain lake with a drain hole. Nearby Fish lake has one, too, McHugh said. Unfortunately, over the years, some people have tried to fill up the hole, McHugh said. U.S. Forest Service staff have found car parts including engines in the hole. Its not safe, and modifying natural features is poor outdoor ethics, McHugh said. And, she adds, if the holes were plugged, with several small streams feeding the shallow lake, it could cause water to overflow onto Highway 20. McHugh also asked that persons interested in viewing the hole draining, tread lightly. There are frogs, snakes and other creatures who make their home there and trampling them would be unfortunate. Native Americans originally called the lake Kwoneksamach or unknown, but Europeans later renamed it Lost Lake in the 1870s. The lake is home to eastern brook trout and rainbow trout. Angling is permitted until September 1 because as the water level decreases, fish tend to group up. No motor boats are allowed. The Forest Service operates a rustic campground that includes picnic tables and toilets on the west shore of the lake. It operates from June through November. Single campsites are $8 per night. According to the Atlas of Oregon Lakes, Lost Lake is one of 14 Lost Lakes in Oregon, including another one in the Mount Hood National Forest. WINONA A Winona man is behind bars after allegedly assaulting and threatening an ex-girlfriend, authorities say. Deshane Von Crutcher-Blass Jr., 22, has been charged with felony counts of second-degree assault, false imprisonment and domestic assault by strangulation, in addition to one count of gross misdemeanor domestic assault. His initial appearance is June 29 in Winona County District Court. He remains in custody in lieu of $100,000 unconditional bond. The investigation began June 16, when several 911 calls reported a female running across the intersection of U.S. Highway 61 and Minnesota Highway 43; she was bleeding and a vehicle appeared to be chasing her in an attempt to hit her, court documents say. The woman was taken to the hospital, where she refused to name her assailant, then provided the name "Terrell," and a description inconsistent with what witnesses told police. She eventually agreed to give officers a "thumbs-up" if officers found the man. ADVERTISEMENT Authorities knew the victim had requested a stand-by in April as she retrieved her belongings from a residence rented by Crutcher-Blass; it was the same address she gave as "Terrell's." The woman allegedly told officers "he's going to kill me for calling the cops," "even if I tell you who did this, it's not going to matter; it's going to be worse on me," and "I'm not safe right now." The victim said she'd run into her ex-boyfriend and gave him a ride; she refused to name him, but said they'd broken up in April. As the two talked in her parked car, the ex-boyfriend asked if they could reconcile. When the woman told him no, he began to hit her in the face, the complaint says. She scrambled into the back cargo area of the vehicle; the man followed her and hit her in the head with two bottles. When she climbed into the middle passenger area of the vehicle, the man again followed her and choked her until she nearly lost consciousness. During the assault, he reportedly told her, "I don't want to hit you. Why do you make me do this?" According to the complaint, when the assault ended, the ex-boyfriend said, "I don't want to hurt you. I don't want to kill you," and told the woman he'd take her to the hospital. The woman jumped out of the vehicle at a stoplight and ran along the highway. The man tried to pull in front of her and accelerated toward her, court documents say; the woman told officers he would have run her over if she hadn't run between two vehicles in a nearby parking lot. When she ran inside a business, the ex-boyfriend drove off in her vehicle. While officers searched for the man, hospital staff called to say a man had come to see the victim. When they arrived, they identified Crutcher-Blass, who refused to speak with them and denied knowing anything about a man named "Terrell." The two left the hospital together on foot with an officer following in an unmarked squad. Crutcher-Blass "appeared to be checking to see if they were being watched," court documents say, and led the woman right to her vehicle. ADVERTISEMENT He was arrested at the vehicle; after he was in custody, the victim gave an officer a "thumbs up" and whispered, "thank you." She later told authorities she'd messaged Crutcher-Blass to come to the hospital because she felt it was the only way police would catch him, then admitted he was the man who'd assaulted her. The woman allegedly said there had been past abuse and she was afraid she was going to die. Crutcher-Blass called the victim from jail, the complaint says, telling her "I need you to fix this," "get me out," and "they're going to make me rot for years." He reportedly asked her to lie about the incident, and told her she needed to start listening to him. A review of his criminal history reveals Crutcher-Blass is on felony probation, pursuant to a stay of adjudication for domestic assault by strangulation. A 19-year-old man who agreed to pay for sex with a 15-year-old female was placed on unsupervised probation for a year, and his case has been continued for dismissal. Ochan Okello Ochan, of Rochester, was charged with the felony in November. On Friday, Olmsted County District Court Judge Christina Stevens handed down the sentence; if Ochan has no violations during his probationary year, the charge will be dismissed. The case began Nov. 2, when a member of the Rochester police street crimes unit placed an advertisement in the escort section of Backpage.com, a website that contains a section for adult services. Members of the unit often monitor the site and place false ads to target people involved in prostitution, or respond to ads placed by others. The phone number in the ad was linked to a phone an undercover officer was using. About two hours after the ad was placed, a man later identified as Ochan called and asked about services. The officer said she was busy, but had a 15-year-old friend who was available; according to the complaint, Ochan was told at least three other times that the friend was 15. ADVERTISEMENT Ochan agreed to meet and pay the 15-year-old $50 for sexual services, court documents say. He was arrested at the meeting place and searched; officers allegedly found $50 in cash and a condom in his pocket. Ochan reportedly admitted he planned to have sex with the girl, but thought she was 18. He eventually acknowledged that he'd been told the girl was 15, the complaint says, and that he'd found the ad on Backpage.com. A Rochester man made his initial appearance Tuesday in Olmsted County District Court, where he's accused of slapping a 90-year-old woman in his care. Douglas Geoffrey Kolb, 33, has been charged with one count of fourth-degree assault of a vulnerable adult, a gross misdemeanor, and two counts of misdemeanor fifth-degree assault. He was released on his own recognizance and is due back in court Aug. 23. The investigation began Feb. 29, when a man called Rochester police about an assault. He said his 90-year-old mother, who lives at Samaritan Bethany Home, told him a male nurse had slapped her in the face the night before. The woman said the nurse who responded later identified as Kolb was upset because she pushed her call button repeatedly. The nurse "shushed" the victim, the complaint says, and slapped her once or twice on the right side of her face with an open hand. The next morning she called her son, told him of the incident and said she was afraid of the nurse. Her right eye was sore; the woman believed Kolb's finger may have poked her in the eye when she was slapped, court documents say. ADVERTISEMENT The son said his mother does not have any issues with memory loss. The victim's eye was watering and leaking mucus, another nurse told investigators, which was unusual. Kolb acknowledged he'd responded to the woman's room several times, and helped her into the bathroom. He said he may have adjusted her oxygen tube, but denied slapping her. A Wykoff man has been ordered to repay more than $66,000 in a case that accuses him, his son and his daughter-in-law of bilking another family member out of nearly $400,000. Donald George Polikowsky, 64, pleaded guilty in April in Olmsted County District Court to one count of aiding and abetting the financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult, a felony. In exchange for the plea, three identical counts were dismissed at Tuesday's sentencing. He was placed on probation for five years and ordered to pay $350 monthly until the sale of his property, the proceeds of which will go toward the $66,230 restitution, court documents say. Jessica Lynn Polikowsky, 38, and Jason Donald Polikowsky, 30, both of Chatfield, have each been charged with 14 felony counts of financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult. They've both pleaded not guilty to all counts; a jury trial has been set for June 27. ADVERTISEMENT The case began Nov. 29, 2012, when the Olmsted County Adult Protection team received information about a possible exploitation. A witness from a financial advisement company told the alleged victim's daughter that Jessica Polikowsky had been accessing the victim's accounts frequently and had taken out large amounts. The victim had been diagnosed with dementia-Alzheimer's in 2009. The financial consultant called the victim to talk about it, the complaint says, and she "seemed confused and didn't understand what was being talked about." Jessica Polikowsky then contacted the consultant and told him to send information directly to her, not the woman. Criminal complaints against the Polikowskys pieced together the events that allegedly occurred from July 28, 2011 the day Donald Polikowsky and his daughter-in-law Jessica Polikowsky were appointed powers of attorney for his mother until an emergency conservatorship was granted to Olmsted County Adult Protection in January 2013. The list of things the Polikowskys are accused of spending money on includes more than $150,000 in cash "gifts;" $75,000 for a down payment on a house for Jessica and Jason; and more than $21,000 for purchases of business equipment and recreational vehicles. The mortgage on the house lists only the alleged victim on the promissory note, making her solely responsible for the payment. The mortgage was recorded Jan. 20, 2012; on Nov. 26, 2012, the vulnerable adult received a letter saying the mortgage payment was late and the account was in default. The couple had allegedly not made any house payments since January 2012, making the victim responsible. The investigator discovered the trio had cashed out multiple investment and insurance policies, court documents say; whenever there were large deposits made from the life insurance checks, large checks were issued on the same day to Donald and Jason Polikowsky. The annuity surrenders totaled $219,693.93, resulting in federal tax liability of more than $32,000, the report says. ADVERTISEMENT Reviews of financial records show that in 2011, Jason and Jessica Polikowsky received a total of $203,975.85. In 2012, they received $120,300. That year, Donald Polikowsky received $66,145 In December 2012, an investigator spoke to Jessica Polikowsky regarding the large checks being written on the account. Polikowsky acted like she didn't know what was going on with the accounts and checks, the complaint says, and stated she would look into the matter and get back to the investigator, but never did. When interviewed in January 2013, Polikowsky said the woman wanted them to have the money and wanted them to have the new house. The second of two brothers accused of robbing and assaulting another man has been sentenced to jail time already served and ordered to undergo a mental health evaluation. Ukash Ali Abdulle, 29, of Rochester, pleaded guilty in April to one count of third-degree assault. In exchange for the plea, additional counts of first-degree aggravated robbery and second-degree assault, aid and abet, were dismissed. All are felonies. He must also complete 100 hours of community work service. His brother, Alin Ali Abdulle, 24, also pleaded guilty in April to one count of third-degree assault. In exchange for the plea, additional counts of first-degree aggravated robbery, second-degree assault and fifth-degree drug sale, all felonies, were dismissed. He was sentenced earlier this month to 94 days in jail, with credit for 94 days served, five years probation, 100 hours of community work service and 50 hours of anger management or counseling. In addition, Alin Abdulle was ordered to complete a chemical assessment and psychiatric evaluation/treatment. ADVERTISEMENT The case began about 9 p.m. Jan. 26, when police were sent to 1508 Fourth Ave. SE for a report of several people fighting outside with sticks and chairs. When officers arrived, no one was around. A few minutes later, a medical call came from a business a few blocks away; a man there was bleeding from his forehead and the top of his head, the report says. The man said he'd been near Meadow Park Apartments, 412 14th St. SE, when he confronted a man who goes by "Jungle" about crashing the victim's car last summer. "Jungle" was with two other men, known as "Okash" and "Gutter," the report says; as the victim spoke with "Jungle," Okash circled behind him and "Gutter" hit the man in the face with a glass bottle. When the victim turned away, Okash hit him with a second bottle; as the victim began to run away, "Jungle" threw a bottle that hit him in the back of the head, knocking him down, court documents say. Abdulle goes by the street name "Gutter." While the man was on the ground, the suspects allegedly began to punch and kick him, then Okash took $100 from the victim's pockets. The man's head wounds required 10 stitches to close. After the assault, some of the people involved left in a black vehicle. As another officer approached the area, he spotted a vehicle matching the description given. The driver told the officer he was coming from Meadow Park Apartments. Alin Abdulle was in the back seat; Abdulle was taken into custody. A search of his clothing reportedly turned up 12 individually wrapped plastic bags of marijuana, with about a gram of the drug in each. Officers cleared in fatal Burnsville shooting BURNSVILLE A grand jury in Dakota County has concluded a fatal shooting by police in Burnsville was justified. Thirty-eight-year-old Map Kong, of Chaska, was fatally shot in the parking lot of a McDonald's restaurant March 17. Authorities say Kong was armed with a knife and ignored repeated orders by police to drop his weapon. Officers twice used a stun gun on Kong, but it failed to stop him. Police Chief Eric Gieseke said officers decided to shoot Kong when he ran toward traffic on Highway 13, still armed with his large dagger. Officers Taylor Jacobs, John Mott and Maksim Yakovlev fired their weapons. Kong died of multiple gunshot wounds. ADVERTISEMENT Associated Press UND officer suspended after squad car stolen, crashed GRAND FORKS A University of North Dakota police officer whose squad car was stolen and crashed has been suspended 40 hours without pay. UND spokesman Peter Johnson confirmed that officer Jake Schiller also was put on six months of probation by chief Eric Plummer, who said Schiller had left his squad car unsecured in a parking lot. A Missouri woman who is not a student at UND is accused of stealing the vehicle on May 22 and crashing it in a ditch across the Minnesota border near Crookston. The vehicle was totaled. A home telephone listing for Schiller could not be found. Associated Press Man found floating in Clear Lake dies ADVERTISEMENT MASON CITY, Iowa Authorities say a Mason City man found floating in Clear Lake has died. The Cerro Gordo County Sheriff's Office says boaters found 85-year-old George Baker afloat near the McIntosh Woods State Park ramp a little before 9:30 p.m. Tuesday. The sheriff's office suspects Baker slipped or fell while trying to move his boat out of the water. The boat was found about 300 feet from shore. The sheriff's office says Baker was pronounced dead on arrival at Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa. Associated Press Higher trailer and RV sales boosts Winnebago profit FOREST CITY, Iowa People are hitting the road and buying trailers and recreational vehicles, helping Winnebago Industries report better-than-expected financial results for the previous quarter. The RV maker also was able to cut its expenses by 20 percent in the quarter, helping boost its profit by 25 percent. Shares of Winnebago rose almost 9 percent before the stock market opened Wednesday. ADVERTISEMENT Travel trailers that attach to the back of a vehicle were in high demand, Winnebago CEO Michael Happe said in a statement. He said the company also was able to deliver more trailers and RVs after a "heavy" backlog of orders it had in the spring. The company reported fiscal third-quarter net income of $14.4 million, or 53 cents per share, in the three months ending May 28, compared with $11.5 million, or 43 cents per share, in the same quarter a year ago. The results beat Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of four analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 46 cents per share. The Forest City, Iowa-based company said revenue rose 2 percent to $272.1 million in the period, also topping Street forecasts. Four analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $270 million. Shares of Winnebago Industries Inc. rose $1.91, or 8.8 percent, to $23.52 in premarket trading Wednesday. The stock has risen nearly 9 percent in the last 12 months. Associated Press City to sign lease with Apple for laptop program LA CROSSE, Wis. -- The La Crosse School District will pay Apple $800,000 per year to provide all high school students with new laptops. The district's board of education approved the four-year lease with the technology giant at Monday's meeting. The agreement will provide a new laptop for each student and staff member, as well as more powerful desktops in the schools' technical education, art and business education programs and shared iPads for science, technical education and special education classrooms. The lease will cost $814,378 per year, with the option to buy the laptops at the end for $1 apiece, and will be paid for using about $325,000 in supply budget savings the district has come up with in recent years, as well as operating referendum dollars, which superintendent Randy Nelson said have been used to fund technology purchases in the past. The district operates with a $4.175 million referendum voters approved in April 2014. The district has been focusing on putting mobile technology in students' hands for the past five years, updating computers and implementing a 1:1 iPad program in the middle schools and adding fifth-grade last year. The lease agreement approved Monday doubles the number of grades that provide students their own device. Shaded under a large white tent from the summer sun, 38 children, aided by some parents, were learning how to paint the American flag. Some were focusing hard, trying to be as accurate as possible, while some haphazardly flung their brushes across their individual canvases. Looking around the tent at the many canvases, one can see individual personalities coming out from the uniform assignment. One child even decided to put his own spin on things by painting the stars with the blue banner in the middle of the flag. The tent was set up as part of Rochesterfest's Tuesday midday theme: "Arts at the Fest." Stationed in the middle of Soldiers Field Park, several tents were set up for children and adults alike to get creative on the hot summer day. This included kid-size murals, intricate adult pages, and a chance for children to learn how to paint from a skilled instructor. With about four dozen children from Rochester and surrounding communities painting as fast as they could on their canvases, Nicki Novotne ran around the tent with paint in her hands, frantically trying to refill the red, white and blue paints that seemed to disappear faster than the average person could paint. Novotne is the owner and artist of Art on the Go, a traveling art studio in Rochester that was started in 2013. Supplying everything that one needs to paint, Novotne visits both public and private events, such as business team building, bachelorette parties, birthday parties, and fundraisers, teaching people how to create their own works of art. ADVERTISEMENT Novotne started painting four years ago when she attended a social painting class. From there, painting went from simply being a hobby to being so much more. "It was a fun passion that turned into a career," she said. The idea for Art on the Go came about when one of Novotne's friends asked her to come to her house to teach her to paint. "I thought, 'OK, I'd be happy to come to your house,' " said Novotne. "I was very confused, but I thought, fine." Novotne soon learned that she was going to teach seven people. When she talked to her other friend about it, she gave Novotne a piece of advice that ended up bringing easy-to-learn art to Rochester. "She said. 'Well, start a business,' " Novotne said. "And that's how I started my business." Novotne said that it is important for everyone, not just kids, to learn to paint because it's a great relaxing tool and it helps people step out of the ordinary and get creative. "It gives them confidence and it's encouraging them to be able to do something that maybe their neighbor isn't doing the same way," Novotne said. "So it gives them a kind of creativity that they might not have ever come up with on their own." ADVERTISEMENT When she asked if she would be involved in Rochesterfest this year, Novotne said that she jumped at the chance to further be a part of the community. A Rochester native, Novotne said that she has always enjoyed going to Rochesterfest and remembers going often when she was growing up. Now, she can experience Rochesterfest in a whole other way. "'I've never done anything like this," she said. "This is pretty amazing." To learn about the midday themes and other events at Rochesterfest, visit http://www.rochesterfest.com/home.php. Rochester Public Schools announced the resignation of Friedell Principal Oscar Uribe last week. No reason was given for the resignation. During Tuesday night's school board meeting, the board directly addressed the resignation, but didn't provide much detail as why Uribe quit. School board chairman Gary Smith pulled the human resources action approval off the consent agenda, on which was Uribe's resignation, to provide a little more explanation. The district said it could not comment further on the issue because it's a personnel matter. "The board has received "many, many" emails asking the board to consider not accepting the resignation of Mr. Uribe," Smith said. "I'd just like the public to know that there were some concerns raised by Mr. Uribe that required the district to conduct an investigation. We had an independent third party who completed an investigation in response to those concerns and after that was completed, Mr. Uribe voluntarily resigned his position from the district." ADVERTISEMENT "On behalf of the board, I'd want to wish Mr. Uribe well in any of his future endeavors," Smith said. RED WING More than a year in the making, the Goodhue County Board of Commissioners adopted a new comprehensive plan Tuesday at the county board meeting. The new plan, the first major update since the last plan was enacted in 2004, speaks to several topics that were not envisioned in the last version or given little direction. "The last comprehensive plan had one sentence saying, 'We encourage wind energy,'" said Goodhue County Land Use Management Director Lisa Hanni. "We did not anticipate the scale of it." "The biggest thing is updating us to the 2016-year world," said Commissioner Dan Rechtzigel. Goodhue County is still dominated by agriculture, he said but the nature of that agriculture is changing. "It used to be cows, pigs and soy beans. Now we're getting vineyards and apple orchards and organic vegetables." From a comprehensive plan standpoint, that means those small farmers who raise crops, put up a sign at the end of their driveway and invite the public in to buy food are welcome to do so. That was not the case under the 2004 plan, Rechtzigel said ADVERTISEMENT . "The old comprehensive plan didn't address that," he said. "People started doing, and then we'd find out about it. But we didn't want to shut it down." The plan, passed unanimously, came after a year of meetings, input from planning and land use management, public hearings and a survey of county residents, Hanni said. All that data was used to guide the process. For example, the survey, which logged 72 full responses, most coming from the townships, saw county-wide support for agriculture including a more open acceptance of non-traditional agriculture such as wineries, bee-keeping and orchards. No issue was of greater importance to the residents than maintaining county roads and bridges. Rechtzigel said the plan is not meant to provide the final word on all issues but simply be a framework going forward. "So, say, some new land use like a Zip Rail comes up," Rechtzigel said, eliciting laughs from those in the room. "It doesn't mean the county is for it." In fact, he noted, the executive summary of the plan twice noted that "Any new or proposed rail system must benefit Goodhue County." Along with zip rail, the new plan puts a watchful eye on several other issues within the county such as housing developments in the townships, environmental and sustainable farming practices, and the need to promote rural broadband. Commissioner Brad Anderson noted that many rural landowners are frustrated with the inability to develop township land for housing due to regulations not allowing for less restrictive use in townships than in cities. That, however, can lead to the creation of "mini-cities," said Commissioner Ron Allen. "That puts a burden on the sheriff's department," he said. "Because they need police protection." ADVERTISEMENT If large housing developments are being proposed in township lands, Hanni said, it will become an issue the county board must address. However, the aging demographics of the county the growth in housing will be moderate. The survey results showed the county residents are not looking for an overall increase in the rate of subdivision development. When it comes to land use and development in rural areas, Rechtzigel said, residents seem to be polarized on the issue. "People feel passionately and strong about it." he said. People who want development feel the county should allow new subdivisions wherever they can be sold. "And people who have moved into rural areas to get away from the rat race, and they feel very strongly about it." In other business, the board gave its support to the city of Red Wing's plan for realignment of the intersection of Twin Bluff Road and Pioneer Road. The city's plan, which does not use any county money, would incorporate a single roundabout with Twin Bluff Road coming to a "T" at Pioneer Road from the south. The board also authorized the negotiated purchase of a section of former railroad bed west of Goodhue County Road 18. The 10.3-acre tract will be used for a planned bike and walking trail to connect Red Wing to Hastings. The board also heard from Zumbrota veterinarian Dan Nietz, who is asking for a tax abatement agreement with the county totaling $35,000 to help with the building cost of his new veterinary clinic in Zumbrota. The city of Zumbrota has already approved a separate tax abatement agreement for $35,000. The new 4,900-square-foot clinic will cost an estimated $733,000. The project will help Nietz hire a second veterinarian and two veterinary technicians, said County Administrator Scott Arenson. The board took no action, but will vote on the proposal at its July 1 meeting at the Cannon Valley Fair. A NOTE FROM JENNIFER KOSKI: Next week marks my son's 17th birthday. In honor of this milestone and they all feel like milestones, reader-friends I'm reprinting the column I wrote for him three years ago. It holds just as true today. Christian: You are horrified, no doubt, that I am writing about you on your birthday. Perhaps if I were a better mother, I'd save this letter, give it to you privately. But I'm your mother, some days better than other days, and today, while you sleep upstairs and your dad and I wrap your gifts headphones, running clothes, a pull-up bar for your doorway I think about all the things I want to say to you, and they come spilling out of my fingertips onto the keyboard. Did you know that when you were 2 years old, you clapped liked a crazy man on my birthday? Every candle I blew out, every gift I opened, you clapped and clapped in excitement. I don't remember what the cake looked like. I don't remember what gifts I received. I just remember your smiling face, your happy eyes, your blonde hair. It was my best birthday ever. My gosh, I loved you then. When you were 3, you hugged me and asked me if I missed my mommy because she lived so far away. And I said, yes, I missed her very much. And it was the most thoughtful, insightful thing anyone had said to me in a very long time, and my heart filled with wonder that you'd produce that sentiment at such a young age. When you were 4, we ran through the sprinkler in the backyard, drenching our clothes, and afterward, I heard you tell your friend that you had a "fun mom." And in that moment, I felt that if I could make you that proud of me for the rest of your life, that's all I'd ever need to do. ADVERTISEMENT When you were 7, we walked home from the school bus and you talked, so fast, about your teacher and your class and your first-grade reading log. About how, if you read lots and lots and lots, your school could read a million minutes. And my heart filled to share that excitement about reading and learning. And I hoped, in that moment, that maybe I was doing something right. When you were 8, I parked across the street from the playground on the first day of school and watched you walk your little brother to his kindergarten line when the bell rang. Watched you make sure he found his class, his teacher, before you found yours. And I was in awe of your compassion and sense of responsibility. When you were 9, we had a fight and, frustrated, I went to my room and closed my door and told you that I wanted to be alone. And I laid on my bed, trying to figure out how to mother a growing boy with ideas and opinions of his own, how to make everything all right. And when you walked into my room, I asked you what you were doing, and I wasn't kind. And I said, "I don't know what to do about this." And you said, "Maybe we could forgive each other." And that remains the most humbling moment of my life. My gosh, I loved you then and felt unworthy of being the mother of this boy. When you were 11, you made a difficult decision, on your own, to start middle school at a school where none of your friends were going, where you'd know no one because it felt like the right school for you. And I knew that I would never have been brave enough to do that at your age. That I wasn't even brave enough to do it when I was choosing a college at 18. My respect for you has never been greater. Tonight, your last day of 13, I sat beside your bed and told you the story of when we brought you home from the hospital. And how, until then, I was just a girl married to a boy. And that you made me a mom. And that you made being a mom easy. And you laid, your body taller than mine now, your arms stronger than mine now, the shoes at the foot of your bed bigger than mine now, your head on your pillow, and you said ... nothing. As is so often the case now. You, quiet, learning how to be a man while still being a boy. Sometimes needing me and sometimes not. And now, tomorrow, at 3:13 p.m., you will be 14. And we're going to figure this out, you and me. You're going to figure out how to grow up. And I'm going to figure out how to parent you as you do. Just as we have for these 14 years. And we're going to mess up, you and me. We're going to make mistakes. Sometimes, when I should ruffle your hair, I'm going to swallow you in a hug and not let go. And sometimes, when you should say the kind thing, you're going to make a joke or hold your words. ADVERTISEMENT And we're going to forgive each other. And we are going to survive this. Because, my gosh, I love you in this moment. A report obtained Monday by the Post-Bulletin has revealed details about an investigation into Rochester Police Department Officer Ben Schlag, who was sanctioned for posting offensive material to his personal Facebook page. The investigation was initiated Feb. 19 following two complaints filed by citizen groups. A citizen group, Me to We Racial Healing, filed the original complaint dated Feb. 17. A second citizen group, Rochester 4 Justice, filed a subsequent complaint Feb. 19. The complaints included screen shots of Schlag's Facebook posts. In all, 12 posts were included as evidence in the investigation. The posts are detailed in the report and contain material deemed to be racially charged and offensive. Findings The report found it was undisputed, based on records and confirmation from Schlag, that Schlag published the posts from April 27 to Dec. 23 last year. The report also found none of the posts were created by Schlag but were posts created by others and shared by Schlag around times of contentious regional or national events involving police and minorities. ADVERTISEMENT The report found Schlag's Facebook page associated him with Rochester Police Department, it was publicly accessible and posts were perceived as racially charged and offensive. No racial hostility During interviews with an independent investigator, Michelle Soldo, and a union representative, Schlag: "acknowledged that some (not all) of the Facebook posts considered in isolation by an uninformed observer could be perceived as racially charged and offensive," according to the report. "However, Officer Schlag said the perception is inaccurate," the report states. "He does not harbor any actual racial animus and his posts do not reflect any actual race-based animus on his part." Posts believed to be private Schlag said it was not his intent to offend the complainants and he believed his Facebook posts were private and accessible only to his approved Facebook friends, which include 72 city employees. Schlag also believed his Facebook activity was off-duty conduct. A portion of the public report is redacted. The report states Schlag in June or July of this year and was told by (redacted name and title) that the police department does not have a social media policy and that Facebook activity would be considered off-duty conduct not subject to department oversight and scrutiny. The posts did violate city policy by reflecting negatively on Schlag in his role as a city of Rochester police officer and the Rochester Police Department generally. ADVERTISEMENT No social media activity Schlag apologized to the city and the department for the negative attention his Facebook posts received. He said he will not participate in any social media use in the future and will work to educate others on potential "employment-related pitfalls of the activity," according to the report. Outcomes of investigation Schlag was sanctioned with 10 days of unpaid leave. He is participating in racial sensitivity training at his own expense and on his own time. Another department employee, former professional standards manager Scott Hildebrand, was also investigated and resigned his position June 1. Hildebrand's report will not become public information, according to Human Resources Director Linda Hillenbrand, because the department took no disciplinary action as a result of Hildebrand's investigation. His decision to resign is considered part of protected personnel records. Read the full report here . Rochester Public Schools is pumping more money into its gifted and talented programming . The district officially approved its $275 million 2016-17 budget at Tuesday's school board meeting , which will add two full-time teachers and one part-time teacher to the program people who will make a big difference in the program, say school leaders. The district's population of gifted and talented students has tripled in the last ten years, but staffing just hasn't kept pace. "I think it's largely because we're a very big district and we have many needs and the pocketbook doesn't always fulfill all of those needs," said Monica Bowler, principal on special assignment for gifted services and staff development. "And so I think the day has come now when we really need to look at this particular need." The district currently has 8.3 teachers dedicated to gifted and talented programming, with 5.25 of those at the elementary school level, Bowler said. After a staffing analysis, district leaders said they realized "just how thinly they were spread," with some of the district's gifted and talented teachers splitting their time among four buildings. ADVERTISEMENT "It was like trying to put a baby crib sheet on a king-size bed, is what it felt like," Bowler said. The teachers will be split among the district's 16 elementary school sites none of which currently have a full-time gifted and talented teacher, but travel from school to school. Bowler said the shift will allow teachers to be more effective by being at fewer schools. Additional teachers will be concentrated at the elementary school level because there are other options, Bowler said, like CTECH and AP courses that allow high school-aged kids to challenge themselves and explore career options. Students identified as gifted and talented are pulled out of the classroom, but teachers also do lessons in class for all students. Primary Education Thinking Skills curriculum, or PETS, is what the district currently uses. But it will be used a bit differently, but teachers go into regular classrooms and basically teaches a critical teaching lesson. Students participate in an activity as a follow up, and monitor which kids respond and "rise to the top and become critical thinkers." "Some kids come from a very enriched home environment where they're exposed to many different opportunities, while others do not," Bowler said, noting oftentimes, students taking more challenging courses in high school are from wealthier families. "But my thought is, no, let's keep trying, let's keep coming at everybody." Identifying students that are gifted and talented can be a "moving target," according to Bowler. They are identified throughout the year, and in a variety of ways, ranging from test scores, to teacher observation. Students can also submit a portfolio of work that can be reviewed by a blind panel of gifted specialists, because not all student test well, Bowler said. "If we want to develop all kids to their full potential, which we do, I think we have to start early," Bowler said. "And there is a lot of differentiation in programming at the middle school and high school level." ADVERTISEMENT The district will receive about $242,000 in state aid for its Gifted and Talented programs, but will budget $1.2 million overall for the program next year. While advocates for gifted education like Melissa Amundsen, vice president with GATEway, the Rochester chapter of the Minnesota Council for the Gifted and Talented , think it's a step in the right direction, she said in reality it's not a huge enhancement, but more of a "re-balancing," following budget cuts made in the past. She said fluctuations in funding for the programming over the years led to general decreases in funding and the ebb and flow of budget cycles have resulted in. "They think it's an extra, rather than an integral part of education," Amundsen said. "But for those gifted kids that really is their meat and potatoes, not their dessert." Amundsen pointed to communities like Austin, where Hormel provides money to Austin Public Schools to help with similar programming. Amundsen said based on the community in Rochester, we should be a leader in this type of programming. "We should be enhancing the education of those kids who really need more content and advancement to keep them happy in school," she said. Two people were injured Tuesday in crashes in the Zumbrota-Zumbro Falls area, the State Patrol reports. The first, reported at 1:12 a.m., sent a juvenile to Mayo Clinic Health System - Lake City. The patrol said the teenage male, who was not identified, was driving a car eastbound on Minnesota State Highway 60 a few miles east of Zumbro Falls when he came to a curve, lost control, went into the north ditch and rolled. His injuries were not believed to be serious, the patrol said. The second crah, reported at 9:59 p.m., sent a passenger in a tractor to Mayo Clinic Hospital - Saint Marys Campus in Rochester, the patrol said. The patrol report said that John R. Flipp, 38, of Pine Island was driving a tractor pulling a hay wagon on southbound Minnesota State Highway 58 when it was hit from the rear by a car driven by Ta Lao, 60, of Rochester. ADVERTISEMENT Janet C. Kimmel, 40, of Pine Island, a passenger in the tractor, was injured and taken to the hospital, the patrol said. She is in fair condition today, according to a Mayo spokeswoman. Flipp, Lao, a second passenger in the tractor and one in Lao's car had no apparent injuries, the patrol said. WASHINGTON Hillary Clinton rattled off a series of claims about Donald Trump on Tuesday that seemed too strange to be true. Some were. Some weren't. Yes, he once described climate change as a hoax invented by China. But her suggestion that he might sell the Statue of Liberty or Yosemite National Park veered toward the fantastical. Clinton took liberties with her own record as well as Trump's when she delivered a broadside against her Republican presidential opponent in an Ohio speech. A look at some of her claims and how they compare with the facts: CLINTON:"Donald Trump ... has no serious plan to encourage manufacturing, innovation or job creation in America." ADVERTISEMENT THE FACTS:Serious is in the eye of the beholder, but Trump's proposal to sharply cut the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 15 percent is intended to encourage more businesses to remain in the U.S. rather than move overseas. Trump's proposed cut is steeper than most but the idea of cutting corporate taxes has widespread support among economists. President Barack Obama proposed cutting the rate to 28 percent from 35 percent in 2012. ___ CLINTON:"The Trump campaign said that, if worst came to worst, we could just sell off America's assets. Really? Even if we sold all our aircraft carriers and the Statue of Liberty even if we let some billionaire turn Yosemite into a private country club we still wouldn't even get close. That's how much debt he'd run up." THE FACTS:First, Trump and his team weren't talking about paying off debt that "he'd run up." They were talking about eliminating the $19 trillion in debt on the books from previous years. Trump himself talked about doing this through robust economic and job growth, not stripping the U.S. of what the government calls "heritage treasures" like parks and monuments. To be sure, economists of various stripes say it's impossible to eliminate an enormous debt built up over generations simply with strong growth. Trump's fiscal numbers don't add up. But he has never suggested a fire sale on Lady Liberty. Clinton's claim is rooted in a statement by a Trump campaign adviser, Barry Bennett, who said Trump could "do all kinds of things to extract value from the assets we hold," like selling unused government buildings and leasing more federal land. She's right that unloading excess inventory would fall far short of erasing the country's debt. ___ CLINTON:"One of John McCain's former economic advisers actually calculated what would happen to our country if Trump gets his way. ... We would lose three and a half million jobs, incomes would stagnate, debt would explode, and stock prices would plummet." ADVERTISEMENT THE FACTS:That was a selective reference to an economist who has given money to her own campaign. Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Analytics, released an analysis deeply negative about Trump's economic proposals on Monday. Zandi did advise McCain during his 2008 Republican presidential campaign. But he also produced research supportive of Obama's stimulus program. And he donated money to Clinton's campaign last year. That doesn't mean Moody's analysis is wrong. Most economists are highly critical of Trump's proposals to slap large tariffs on imports from China and Mexico, to remove everyone in the country illegally and to implement massive tax cuts that probably would balloon the deficit. ___ CLINTON:"I believe we can compete and win in the global economy. To do that, we should renegotiate deals that aren't working for Americans, and reject any agreements like the Trans-Pacific Partnership that don't meet my high bar for raising wages or creating good-paying jobs. " THE FACTS: She was actually a leading champion of the Trans-Pacific Partnership when serving as Obama's secretary of state, calling it the "gold standard" of trade agreements in a 2012 speech in Australia and echoing that sentiment across the world stage. She flipped against it in her primary campaign against Bernie Sanders, who blames past free trade agreements for undercutting U.S. manufacturing and jobs. Clinton said in an October debate with Sanders that details of the liberalized trade deal among Pacific nations, completed in the fall, "didn't meet my standards" despite her earlier words of praise. The final agreement, however, dropped or changed some provisions that liberal activist groups the wing of the party she was courting in the primaries had strongly criticized. ___ CLINTON:"He said, and I quote, 'Having a low minimum wage is not a bad thing for this country,' at a time when millions working full-time are still living in poverty." ADVERTISEMENT THE FACTS:True enough, but just as Clinton changed her position on the Pacific trade deal, Trump has appeared to change his mind on the minimum wage. In August he said a low minimum wage, while "nasty," is not a bad thing because a high base wage would cost jobs in this global economy. In a November debate he said the federal minimum wage should be left at $7.25. But in May, he told "Meet the Press" he didn't know "how people make it on" the current minimum and said it should be increased. He did not say by how much, instead saying the level should be left to the states. ___ CLINTON:"The Republican primary featured the Trump immigration plan: round up and deport more than 11 million people almost all of whom are employed or are children going to school then build a wall across our border and force Mexico to pay for it." THE FACTS:It's highly unlikely "almost all" the people who are in the country illegally are working or going to school. A majority appears to be, but by nature of their status, such immigrants are under the radar and defy precise counting. The Migration Policy Institute, a Washington think tank, estimates 64 percent of people in the country illegally (age 16 or older) work. When the estimated number of children in school and young adults in post-secondary education is added, it appears that a little over 70 percent of people in the country illegally are thought to be either working or in school. That's a rough estimation, but probably a ceiling, and far short of "almost all." ___ CLINTON:"He just says that climate change is a hoax invented by the Chinese." THE FACTS:He did, in a 2012 tweet: "The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make U.S. manufacturing non-competitive." And in 2014 he tweeted about the "GLOBAL WARMING HOAX?" He's evolved slightly. He's said the comment about China was a joke. Yet in the campaign he's said "a lot" of climate change is a hoax and China benefits by not doing anything about it. ___ Associated Press writers Jeff Horwitz and Alicia A. Caldwell contributed to this report. I've been traveling around to the most economically stressed parts of this country. You see a lot of dislocation on a trip like this. In New Mexico, for example, I met some kids who lost their parents to drugs, death, deportation or something else. They get run through a bunch of systems, including homeless shelter, foster care, mental health and often juvenile justice. They're like any kids they turn hungrily to any beam of friendship. But for these kids, life has been a series of temporary stops at impersonal places. They sometimes have only the vaguest idea where they are going next month. "I'm going back into the foster care system," one teenager told me, without affect either way. You meet people who are uncomfortable with the basics of the modern economy. I met a woman in West Virginia who had just learned, to great relief, that she didn't have to give an anticipated speech at church. "We're not word people," she explained. Those words hang in the air. A lot of wonderful people speak through acts of service, but it's hard to thrive in the information age if you don't feel comfortable with verbal communication. ADVERTISEMENT You see the ravages of drugs everywhere. I ran into a guy in Pittsburgh who hires people for his small plant. He has to give them drug tests because they're operating heavy equipment. If he pulls in 100 possible hires, most of them either fail the drug test or don't show up for it because they know they will fail. But this kind of tour is mostly uplifting, not depressing. Let me just describe two people I met on Saturday in Albuquerque. At the New Day Youth and Family Services program I was introduced to an 18-year-old woman who'd been born to heroin and meth addicts. She'd spent her early girlhood riding along as they trafficked drugs from Mexico. When they were unable to take care of her, she cycled through other homes where she was physically abused. She fell into relationships with men who mistreated her, was hounded in school for being (supposedly) obese and was sent to psych wards for depression. Yet this woman glows with joy and good cheer. She'd built a family out of her friendships. She'd completed high school, learned to express her moods through poetry and novellas, found a place to live through New Day's Transitional Living Program, found a job and had plans to go to community college. I have no idea how a person this beautiful can emerge from a past that hard, and yet you meet people like this all the time. Their portion of good luck may have been small, but their capacity for gratitude is infinite. Earlier in the day I'd met Jade Bock. When she was 17, Bock lost her father to a workplace accident. Now she's found her calling directing the Children's Grief Center. This is a center for kids who, given the stress and poverty all around, have often lost their fathers to suicide, drugs or accidents. The young kids are anxious about who is going to die next. They don't really understand what death is and wonder if their loved one is going to be wet and cold if it's raining on his grave. ADVERTISEMENT The older kids are sometimes trapped in magical thinking: Maybe if I'd gotten better grades, he wouldn't be gone. Sometimes they will start dressing, talking and acting like the deceased. Many teenagers don't want the other kids in school to know, so they go through life as if nothing is wrong. Then three years later when they suffer some breakup or setback, it all comes barreling out because it hasn't been processed up until now. Along with a hundred other volunteers and staff members, Bock gets these kids to process their grief. She sits with them in group after group, tender but in a realistic no-nonsense sort of way. She'll cry and be present, but she won't let you escape the task of moving though it. If it's mentionable it's manageable. Pain that is not transformed is transmitted. The social fabric is tearing across this country, but everywhere it seems healers are rising up to repair their small piece of it. They are going into hollow places and creating community, building intimate relationships that change lives one by one. I know everybody's in a bad mood about the country. But the more time you spend in the hardest places, the more amazed you become. There's some movement arising that is suspicious of consumerism but is not socialist. It's suspicious of impersonal state systems but is not libertarian. It believes in the small moments of connection. I remember watching an after-school counselor in Texas sitting in a circle of little girls who had nowhere else to go. She offered them a tongue twister: "OK," she said chirpily, "who can say 'Unique New York' six times fast?" David Brooks is a columnist for the New York Times. Should high school starting time change? Our high school starts at 7:40 a.m., which triggers awakening between 5:30 and 6 a.m. for timely arrival. Assuming a bedtime of 10:30 to 11 pm, students receive about 7.5 hours of sleep on school nights, which is simply not enough. The National Sleep Foundation recommends between eight and nine hours of sleep for adolescents. Insufficient sleep impairs the attention span of our teens, makes them more emotional and lowers academic performance. It delays motor reaction time, thus increasing vulnerability to accidents. As a pediatric sleep specialist, I am concerned about the health hazard that insufficient sleep poses to our teens. The neurological consequences of sleep deprivation are almost similar to those of alcohol intoxication. Delaying the school start time to 8:10 to 8:20 a.m. for facilitating more restful, early morning sleep poses a logistical challenge, but it can be implemented. ADVERTISEMENT The Edina school district in Minneapolis saw improved student mood and academic performance after delaying the starting time. For the same reason, the American Academy of Pediatrics and Centers for Disease Control are now recommending later high school start times. Our high school authorities, teachers and parents should start a dialogue on delaying the school start time to 8:15 a.m. It is in the best interests of the children. Suresh Kotagal Rochester I have been a resident of the Arches near Farmer's Park for 30 years. My family had always enjoyed pristine well water until 2008-2009 when the the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources completed the Highway 14 improvement project. A part of the project included blasting so that the side of the bluff could be removed. Every blast created reverberations through the valley and in our home. When we called the Environmental Protection Agency with concerns about our well, we were told it was not their jurisdiction. When the DNR was contacted they said there would be no effect to area wells. During the project sand and other particles started showing up in our water, and we now need to filter our water. Coincidence? Not likely. According to a report distributed by Wisconsin DNR in January 2012 with the title "Silica Sand Mining in Wisconsin," blasting at frac-sand mines may be conducted as frequently as every day. One of the proposed frac-sand mines in Winona County is located in Warren Township, about a quarter mile from my neighborhood atop a bluff. This is deeply concerning and is not an environment we should be subject to live in. ADVERTISEMENT Winona County commissioners need to be proactive, take action now and ban any additional mining, handling or processing of frac-sand in the county. Nancy Wagner Lewiston Watching the coming Trump Train Wreck rumble down the tracks, I seek to detach and achieve a comic perspective. From Adams versus Jefferson in 1800 we have descended to Clinton versus Trump a couple centuries later. Darwin was wrong! Far down on my long list of worries is the alleged fascism of Donald Trump. In todays Wall Street Journal, James Freeman considers the competition (accessible here via Google): The facts suggest that Mrs. Clinton is more likely to abuse liberties than Mr. Trump. Only one candidate in this election cycle has run for president while refusing to cooperate with a federal investigation into her conduct in a previous office. Only one candidate is on record opposing the First Amendments guarantee of free speech. Only one candidate condemns the Supreme Court for allowing a movie critical of her to be distributed and advertised. Besides seeking to silence critics, another hallmark of authoritarians is that they abhor honest, fair elections. Mr. Trump, unlike the Democratic National Committee of the Bill Clinton era, has never had to return more than $1 million in donations because they were tied to foreign sources and likely illegal. America managed to survive Mr. Clintons two terms, so it can stand the far less vulgar Mr. Trump. The question is how long it can survive if it elects presidents with a record of opposing constitutional rule of law. Freeman also makes the point that we dont have to conjure a dreaded future. Its here: Americans dont have to imagine the abuses of the Obama administration. Mr. Obama falsely claimed the power to determine when Congress is in recess. He asserted the ability to waive immigration law for millions of people. Does using the IRS against philosophical opponents count as authoritarian? No evidence has been uncovered tying Mr. Obama to the IRS targeting scandal. But since he proclaimed that it involved not even a smidgen of corruption long before his government had finished investigating, and has made no serious effort to reform the agency, he now bears some responsibility. Barack Obama: He is the man our founders warned against. In the rosy dawn of a Clinton presidency we will undoubtedly hear the variation on the old joke. They warned me that if I voted for Trump Only it wont be funny, and not just because its getting old. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau was designed by the Obama administration, under the leadership of Elizabeth Warren, pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Act. One of its purposes is to root out discrimination in financial markets. But many women and minorities who work at the CFPC believe that the agency discriminates against them on the basis of gender or race. This the finding of the Government Accounting Office (GAO), which surveyed CFPC employees. Twenty five percent of black, Asian and female employees of the bureau told the GAO that they had been discriminated against at the CFPB. The same percentage of black employees and 20 percent of Hispanic employees told the GAO that racial differences are not respected or valued by the bureaus top officials. Now, its important to note that believing one has been discriminated against is not the same thing as actually experiencing actual discrimination (I know Im being hopeless old-fashioned here). Similarly, it may be that top officials at CFPC fully respect and value diversity even though a sizable minority of Black and Hispanic employees dont believe this. Its easy to holler discrimination. Sometimes the complaints are justified; sometimes not. It seems significant, however, that the GAO found allegations of employment discrimination to be especially acute in CFPBs Supervision, Enforcement and Fair Lending Division (SELF). This office, the bureaus largest division, is the shop that sanctions businesses for discriminatory practices in the financial marketplace. The irony is obvious. Moreover, there is no apparent reason why employees in this office should be more prone to whining than those in other parts of the CFPC. Thus, there is good reason to believe that, at least in this large unit, a real problem exists in the treatment of minorities and women. Why would that be? One possibility, mooted by Christian Adams, is that the white radical liberals who run the show have contempt for minorities; theyre patronizing. Liberal racism. You could write a book about it. A related explanation is arrogance. The CFPB enforcers have a reputation for bullying and high-handedness. Richard Pollock of the Daily Caller says that a number of businesses filed suit against the bureau. They charge that part of CFPBs arrogance stems from the fact that the agency is not accountable to Congress or the executive branch. This sort of arrogance, coupled with liberal self-righteousness, can cause government officials to believe they are above the law, including anti-discrimination law. Congress is not amused by the GAOs findings. House Financial Services Committee Chairman Rep. Jeb Hensarling says he considers the CFPBs discriminatory practices inexcusable. He criticized CFPB Director Richard Cordrays half-hearted attempts to deal remedy the problem. Hensarling is not inclined to give the benefit of any doubt to the CFPB bullies when it comes to discrimination claims against them. Call it poetic justice. Today Donald Trump delivered a major speech attacking Hillary Clinton. We may have more to say about the speech later, but for now I want to highlight one of the more remarkable instances of media bias in a long time. The Associated Press has historically been regarded as a straight, relatively non-partisan news source. That has changed in recent years, because of stories like this one on Trumps speech, by Julie Pace and Jill Colvin. It begins: Donald Trump launched a broad rebuke of his presidential rival Hillary Clinton Wednesday, accusing her of being a world class liar who personally profited from her tenure at the State Department. She gets rich making you poor, Trump said. Seeking to steady his campaign after a difficult stretch, the presumptive Republican nominee cast himself as the White House candidate best positioned to address Americans economic interests. This election will decide whether were ruled by the people or the politicians, Trump said during an address at his hotel in New Yorks SoHo neighborhood. He made his arguments in a pointed yet measured tone, less loud and strident than has been typical in most previous campaign speeches. The AP cant wait any longer before telling the reader: dont you believe it! Yet his remarks included erroneous statements and distortions about Clintons record, and he frequently referenced sources of information that have been widely questioned, including the book Clinton Cash by Peter Schweizer. Wow! Nothing like a little up-front editorializing. Curiously, however, the AP fails to cite a single alleged instance of an erroneous statement by Trump. And Schweizers book is meticulously researched; it is the definitive work on Bill and Hillary Clintons corruption. Has it been questioned? Well, sure: by Hillary. I think the media campaign to defeat Donald Trump and elect Hillary Clinton will exceed anything we have ever seen. If you want to learn more about Clinton Cash, check out our podcast interview with Peter. The embattled chairman of the Transition Monitoring Group, a coalition of over 400 civic organisations working for the entrenchment of democracy and good governance in Nigeria, has attributed his alleged removal by some board members as an instance of corruption fighting back. Ibrahim Zikirullahi said the characters who passed a resolution last Sunday suspending him as TMG boss provided no documentary evidence to prove the allegations of financial impropriety against him. The alleged sack only exists in the imagination of some disgruntled and mischievous Board members, Mr. Zikirullahi said at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday. These elements are the minions of political interests out to smear the image of TMG, given the sterling roles it (TMG) has been playing to support the democratic and governance process in Nigeria. I must also stress that the allegations about financial impropriety are wild and unsubstantiated. But in a swift response, the board members told PREMIUM TIMES they agreed to a meeting in Abuja after TMGs principal funder raised questions about finance impropriety in the organization. Last Sunday, eight of the 16 member board of the TMG met at the Purple Tulip Hotel, Abuja, to pass a resolution purportedly relieving Mr. Zikirullahi of his duties over allegations that he claimed several reimbursements that were later found to be fictitious. The signatories to the resolution include Eddy Ezurike (Owerri), Osita Ogbu (Enugu), Rommy Mom (Benue), Adejor Abel (Kaduna), Kyanta Giwa (Abuja), Ibrahim Shuni (Sokoto), Inih Achibong, and Bisi Yomi-Layinka (Ibadan). Among the allegations include claiming a weekly reimbursement of N350,000, spending N80,000 for airline tickets from Kano to Abuja, and diverting up to N58 million in United Nations Development Programme grants to projects in his native northwest zone. On Tuesday, Mr. Zikirullahi said his decision to hold the press conference at TMGs premises in Gwarimpa, Abuja, was a deliberate move to clear the air about who calls the shots at the organisation. To the many adversaries who have been circulating false and malicious statements, purporting to have removed my humble self as TMG Chairman, we now know who is in charge, he told journalists at the press briefing he titled Paying The Price for Leadership: Corruption Fighting Back in TMG. The characters making these claims have provided no documentary evidence to support them. For avoidance of doubt, Section 10 (ii) of the TMG Constitution, empowers the Chairman to summon meetings of the Board. In the absence of the Chairman, the only other official designated to call Board meetings is the Vice Chair. It therefore amounts to sheer lawlessness for any other official of the group to attempt to hijack the powers to call a Board meeting of the TMG. I, Comrade Ibrahim M. Zikirullahi remains TMG Chairman, anything to you have heard to the contrary, is false and mischievous. TMG calls on its members, partners and general public to discountenance the resort to jungle antics by the disgruntled and discredited Board members. The N2billion controversy Mr. Zikirullahi said due to the activist role TMG played in the run-up to the 2015 general elections, certain politicians had become hell-bent on undermining the organisation. Desperate politicians are always on our trail, as they seek to either compromise us or undermine the work we do, he said. Having failed severally in their bid to induce us, they have now resorted to blackmail, using weak characters from within our Board. In the build up to 2015 general elections for instance, I was offered the sum of N2billion by the immediate past Presidency to compromise our stand on credible polls. I stoutly rejected that ungodly offer. But alas, when I reported this situation to the Board, all the Board members now maligning me were visibly upset. To them, TMG should have met to consider the illicit offer. Such is the character of the men and women, who have been going about peddling falsehood that I have been involved in financial impropriety. The TMG boss also accused his colleagues of having accountability issues based on how they had discharged their mandate within the organisation. It is therefore not a coincidence that all those in the TMG Legal Committee, which we set up to recover TMGs property, who failed to discharge this responsibility, are currently among those trying to tar us, Mr. Zikirullahi said. For clarity, in 2007, TMG purchased a house for which it made part payment of N15 million. Till date, that transaction is caught in a web of conspiracies as TMG has neither be given the property nor has its initial deposit been returned. On allegations of financial impropriety, Mr. Zikirullahi said TMG is not a mushroom organisation where the helmsman could just have access to the funds of the organisation. There are proper financial controls, as well as mechanisms to ensure due process is followed, he said. Hard evidence can only be adduced when there is documentary evidence. My traducers have not been able to point to one document, which implicates me in any financial misdemeanour. At the end of every fiscal year, project financial records are audited by external auditors appointed by the funders of the project. As of the last audit, TMG was given a clean bill of health. TMG also appoints external auditors of its own to do a composite audit. Suspension is legal In their defence, Mr. Adejor, one of the Board members, said the meeting to suspend Mr. Zikirullahi was agreed upon by all the members of the Coordinating Committee. Sequel to the series of allegations leveled against the Chairman coupled with a mail from one principal funder of TMG, the entire Coordinating Committee (CC) members agreed to meet in Abuja, Mr. Adejor said in an email response to PREMIUM TIMES enquiry. Each member of the CC was sponsor (to) him or herself to the meeting. A date was muted and agreed upon. The Chair agreed initially but later declined. The meeting was not an illegal meeting as mails were exchanged between all the coordinating committee members. Mr. Adejor said they were unable to meet at TMGs Abuja office because Mr. Zikirullahi locked up the place, and on Monday, staff were asked to stay away from work due to security threat. The CC is made up of members representing the various thematic areas, eight of the members met (on Sunday) while four sent in apologies. Those were absent at the meeting include Mr. Zikirullahi, the treasurer, and the national coordinator (whose office is vacant). One of the Board members had earlier been suspended, according to Mr. Adejor. The Board member also denied the claim that they were upset with Mr. Zikirullahis rejection of N2 billion before the election. As a Board, we have not been carried along in the affairs of TMG, he said. I am not surprised that he can lay such allegations and we must respond by stating what we know. The N2 billion allegation was not discussed in any formal meeting of the CC neither was it discussed privately with us. In the first place as a board nobody got wind of the two billion until some of us read it online. This is an allegation that must be substantiated and those involved in the discussion must be made public for the purpose of accountability and fair play. President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday urged Nigerian workers to dedicate themselves more to their duties than yield to the temptation of taking government property. The president, who was speaking with presidential villa staff in Abuja said anyone planning to make such a move had better learnt from the experiences of those currently facing prosecution over various allegations. We havent touched anybody who did not touch public funds, you should behave yourself, the president told the workers. If you dont have houses in Abuja and the whole of Europe, you will sleep soundly. You and your family will earn respect. But, if you short-change the treasury, you will be caught and I pity your family, because people will be abusing them. People will be calling you big thieves; that how did you raise money to build all the houses in Abuja and Europe with your meagre salary. I think personal integrity is something to be encouraged. I assure you that I am absolutely dedicated to serve Nigeria. Those who behave themselves will never regret. But, those who dont behave themselves, is their problem. The president, who was meeting closely with Aso Rock staff for the first time, told them all fraudulent activities must stop, saying those in doubt about the efficacy of his administrations anti-corruption war should ask those caught so far with public funds. This exercise (anti-corruption war) will continue as long as this leadership is here. Whoever takes anything that does not belong to him, or that he is not entitled to, it will be documented and the person will be taken to court. This is the only way I think we can bail ourselves out, the president said. Mr. Buhari said it was a disgrace that 27 out of the 36 states cannot pay salaries of their workers, despite all the income they have been getting over the years. On the security challenge in the country, the president expressed regrets that the situation in other parts of the country, particularly in the Niger Delta region, was competing with the Northeast and capable of doing more damage to the country, the oil companies and the oil wells. He decried the state of the power sector, which he said had made no remarkable improvement from 1999 till date, despite huge investments. On diversification of the economy, President Buhari said although Nigeria decided to return to the farm as an alternative to oil, because of the prices, nothing much could be done this year. We have to quickly go back to the farm. It is too late for this year. But, next year, we will make a better arrangement to make sure next year, we can feed ourselves, he said. Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Tuesday urged Nigerians to see the current difficult times the country was going through as opportunity to do the right things to bring a turnaround for all. The Vice President was speaking when the Australian Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary, African Branch, Mathew Neuhaus, visited him in Abuja. He was accompanied on the visit by the countrys High Commissioner in Nigeria, Paul Lehmann. He said although the country might be experiencing difficulties at the moment, the Buhari administration would ensure that the Nigerians derived the greatest benefits from her resources. 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, Mr. Osinbajo said. He called attention to the steps the presidency was making in the areas of security, good governance, anti-corruption and growth of the economy. Apart from the liberalization of the downstream sector of the oil and gas industry, the VP also pointed at the flexible foreign exchange policy just unveiled by the Central Bank of Nigeria to encourage foreign investment. He told his guest that the country was looking forward to the benefits of the new foreign exchange policy to attract new investment to the country. Commending the Australian government for its excellent support in the fight against insurgency in the North east part of the country, the Vice President noted the significant progress so far made militarily to downgrade Boko Haram. We have already dealt with Boko Haram militarily. We now have to deal with the ideology (of terror) and this is something that the entire world has to also deal with. The terrorists basically reject any engagement, simply preaching hate and murder. It is a new kind of threat, the ideology and motivation is what we-the global community- have to find a way to deal with, Mr. Osinbajo said. In his speech, Mr. Neuhaus, who had earlier served as his countrys High Commissioner in Nigeria, congratulated the Buhari administration for its achievement so far, noting that the presidency was off to a good start. Mr. Neuhaus praised the steps taken so far by the administration, describing some of them as easy, adding that Australia was looking forward to doing more with the government and working very closely with Nigeria. In particular, he mentioned closer relationship with Nigeria to develop the mining sector and investment, as well as cooperating with the Commonwealth and the United Nations to ensure the countrys development. The 224 Light Tank Battalion of the Nigerian Army in Gusau says it has killed nine bandits in Madaka village in Dansadau Emirate of Zamfara. The Commanding Officer of the battalion,Adamu Aliyu, a Lt.-Col. , who made the disclosure while addressing journalists on Wednesday, said the bandits were killed during exchange of gunfire with soldiers on Monday. He also said soldiers were combing suspected black spots in search of those who escaped with bullet wounds. Mr. Aliyu said three AK 47 rifles, four magazines, five rounds of ammunition and one machete were recovered from the fleeing bandits. The soldiers also destroyed 14 out of the 24 motorcycles seized from the bandits. The command would sustain the combing the entire area to apprehend them and bring to an end their menace, he added. (NAN) The All Progressives Congress has asked senators of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party to face their legislative business and come to terms with the reality that they cannot determine how the Buhari administration fights corruption. The APC, via a statement signed by its National Secretary, Mala Buni on Wednesday, said this in response to the PDP Senators declaration of suspension of support for President Muhammadu Buharis government. The PDP senate caucus, earlier on Wednesday, said its position followed belligerent attitude of the APC government towards the opposition members, alleging bias in Mr. Buharis anti-corruption campaign. But APC said PDP lawmakers should rather face their lawmaking business in the interest of the nation. The attention of the National Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been drawn to a statement credited to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Senate Caucus stating that the Caucus has withdrawn its support for the government of President Muhammadu Buhari over the administrations hugely successful war against corruption, the statement said. The PDP Caucus must be reminded of their primary responsibility of lawmaking and representation of their constituents at the National Assembly. The APC advises the PDP Senate Caucus not to allow political shenanigans to becloud overall national interest. For the umpteenth time, the PDP and their agents do not have the luxury of dictating how the current administration and anti-corruption agencies carries out its legitimate duty of investigating and prosecuting cases of corruption, as long as it conforms to the rule of law. On allegations of selective prosecution of the anti-corruption war, the APC asked the PDP to approach anti-graft agencies with petitions against anybody suspected to have indulged in corrupt practices. The PDP Caucus allegations of a selective anti-corruption fight and belligerent stance of the current administration is hogwash and baseless, Mr. Buni said. If the PDP and its agents have proof of corruption against anybody, the APC advises that they approach anti-graft agencies constitutionally mandated to handle such cases instead of declaring innocence on newspaper pages and other media outlets. Further, the ruling party urged anti-corruption agencies not to be stampeded and blackmailed by this new plot and continue to employ all legitimate avenues in investigating and prosecuting ongoing corruption cases. The statement added that, The generality of Nigerians clamour for all looters of public funds to be brought to book. The APC assures Nigerians that the political will and sincerity of purpose of the current administration to tackle corruption remains resolute. The chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, has distanced himself from a newspaper report linking him to arms fraud. In a statement issued by Wilson Uwujaren, EFCCs head of Media and Publicity, Mr. Magu urged the Presidency to set up a high-powered inquiry to verify the claims of the report in view of the gravity of the issues. The committee should also investigate those who had made it their sole business to impugn the integrity of others and cast doubt on the credibility of the anti-corruption war, the EFCC boss said. Thisday newspaper reported on Monday that the State Security Service (SSS) had arrested a member of the Presidential Investigative Committee on Arms Procurement, Umar Muhammed, a retired Air Commodore, for alleged fraudulent deals involving top government officials. The newspaper, quoting a reliable source, alleged that Mr. Muhammed was fronting for some high ranking officials within the EFCC and security agencies to carry out unwholesome activities. At the end of their five-hour search on Mr. Muhammeds Maitama residence in Abuja, the SSS seized $1.5 million in cash and various high-end cars, according to the Thisday report. Mr. Magu is the only non-military member of the 13-man Presidential Arms Procurement Investigative Panel set up by President Muhammadu Buhari in August last year under the supervision of the Office of the National Security Adviser. Mr. Magu said the report stopped short of mentioning him as the official of the anti-graft agency whom Mr. Muhammed was allegedly fronting for. The EFCC views with grave concern this spirited attempt to create doubts in the minds of less discerning Nigerians and member of the international community regarding the integrity of its acting Chairman, the EFCC statement said. To all intent and purposes, this devious report is another avenue of corruption fighting back as some people have been uncomfortable with the uncompromising stance of the Acting EFCC Chairman in the fight against corruption. The EFCC stated that no official in the agency is directly or remotely connected with the work of the Arms Procurement Committee nor had had any dealings that verge on fraud with Mr. Muhammed or any other member of the Committee. It challenged anybody with contrary information to come forward with the evidence. The EFCC as a body upholds zero tolerance for corruption and will not condone any act that amount to corruption, the statement continued. If Muhammed is established to have engaged in any illegal activity, he should be held liable. No matter the distraction and attempt by dark forces to derail its work through negative propaganda, the Commission will continue to discharge the mandate freely given to it by the Nigerian people to hold all public officers accountable. A senior U.S. military general on Wednesday said the terrorist group, Boko Haram, had fractured internally. Thomas Waldhauser, a Lieut.-Gen. and the nominee to lead U.S. militarys Africa Command, said this in Washington during his nomination hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee. He said the problem in the group resulted from some members splitting from the leader, Abubakar Shekau, over his failure to adhere to guidance from the Iraq and Syria-based Islamic State. Mr. Waldhauser said the internal division was illustrative of limits of Islamic States influence over Boko Haram so far, in spite of the West African groups pledge of allegiance to it last year. Several months ago, about half of Boko Haram broke off to a separate group because they were not happy with the amount of buy-in, if you will, from Boko Haram into the ISIL brand, he explained. He said Shekau had not fallen into line with Islamic States instructions, including ignoring calls for Boko Haram to stop using children as suicide bombers. Hes been told by ISIL to stop doing that, but he has not done so, and thats one of the reasons why this splinter group has broken off. But, the Islamic State was trying to reconcile those two groups, he said. The military chief said there was no evidence that Boko Haram had so far received significant operational support or financing from Islamic State. He said the assessment suggested that Boko Harams loyalty pledge had so far, mostly been a branding exercise. Mr. Waldhauser acknowledged differing opinions about how much influence Islamic State actually had over Boko Haram, which won global infamy for its 2014 kidnapping of 276 Chibok school girls. They certainly have not given them a lot of financial assistance. So, the point could be that it is perhaps in improvement in tradecraft, in training and the like, he said. Mr. Waldauser said that Shekaus local focus and voiced concern was about whether a splinter group may act more in concert with Islamic States trans-regional ambitions. What concerns me is the break-off group of Boko Haram, which wants to be more ISIL-like, and consequently buy into the ISIL-brand of attacking western interests, he said. Meanwhile, an army officer in Niger said that a multinational force had begun operations against Boko Haram along the border between the country and Nigeria. Abdou Sidikou-Issa, a Brig.-Gen. and the Tactical Chief of Staff for Troops, based in Nigers southern zone of Diffa, on Wednesday in Niamey said that troops from Chad and Nigeria were involved in the operation. (Reuters/NAN) The outgoing Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase, has handed over the leadership of the force to newly-appointed acting IG, Ibrahim Idris. Mr. Idris is the 19th Indigenous police IG since the establishment of the force on April 18, 1964. He took over from Mr. Arase, whose tenure as the head of the police lasted 14 months. Speaking Tuesday during the inauguration ceremony, Mr. Idris said the police will be guided by internationally acceptable standards. He said the force will no longer tolerate the handling of complaints by citizens with levity, and will tackle internal corruption as a yardstick for overcoming the war on corruption within the country. He said the force will provide forensic libraries in all the geopolitical zones of the country, as well as establish joint operation centers with other security agencies at all police commands. Mr. Idris pledged his administrations willingness to establish a criminal data base in police commands to enhance investigations into criminal matters and make working uniforms available to staff, in a bid to improve physical comportment of officers. Mr. Idris said the force will ensure greater participation of female police officers. The Senate has resolved to summon the minister of foreign affairs, Geoffrey Onyema, and the secretary to government of the federation, Babachir Lawal, over complaints of irregularities surrounding the list of ambassadorial nominees. At its session Wednesday, the senate also asked its committee on foreign affairs to address the complaints before screening the nominees. President Muhammadu Buhari, weeks ago, had sent a list of ambassadorial nominees, consisting of 47 names, to the National Assembly, requesting screening and confirmation of the nominees to head various Nigerias foreign missions. But there have been allegations of exclusion of a number of states, like Bayels. At the Senate session Wednesday, Joshua Dariye (PDP-Plateau) urged the Senate to summon the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Onyeama. Seconding the motion, Senate Whip, Sola Adeyeye (APC-Osun), said he had been receiving complaints by those who felt shortchanged. Sonni Ogbuoji (PDP-Ebonyi) alleged that the list comprised Assistant Directors, while qualified Directors were shut out. Also speaking, Foster Ogola (PDP-Bayelsa), complained that some states, including his own Bayelsa State, have no representation on the list. He suggested the list be returned to the president, requesting that all states be represented. Sheu Sani (APC-Kaduna) also noted the complaints coming in the wake of the public release of the list. He said the Senate had the option of screening the nominees while waiting for a second list before screening. Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has denied allegations by the Economic and a Financial Crimes Commission, linking him with funds from the Office of the National Security Adviser, saying his 2014 election was funded by Zenith Bank Plc, fund raisers, donations from friends and associates as well as sales of campaign souvenirs. I have no financial transaction whatsoever with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) under Col Sambo Dasuki (rtd) and former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro either by cash, cheque or electronic transfer, Mr. Fayose declared in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi. He challenged the EFCC to publish statements made by Musiliu Obanikoro, his son or other persons associated with funds from the NSAs supposedly used for his governorship election. EFCC is only acting a movie scripted, produced and directed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) government of President Mohammadu Buhari just to silence me being a major opposition voice in the country, he said. The EFCC, in justifying its restriction on the account of the governor, said it had traced funds from the office of the NSA to the accounts of Messrs Fayose and Obanikoro. The commission said the funds, amounting to about N4.7billion, was moved from accounts operated by two of Mr. Obanikoros sons where it was transferred to Mr. Fayoses Zenith Bank Account in Ado-Ekiti. On the alleged involvement of President Buharis wife, Aisha, in the Williams Jefferson scam, the governor challenged the presidents wife to visit the United States of America to convince Nigerians that she was not the Aisha Buhari mentioned in the judgment. It is on record that the President has visited USA three times and his wife did not travel with him. Equally, Mr. Fayose said. She ought to have visited USA last year September to chair a United Nation programme but she sent the wife of the Senate President, Mrs Toyin Saraki to represent her. Speaking further on funds for his election, the governor said the management of Zenith Bank, which largely funded his election, had in a meeting prior to his election gave him assurance that funds would be provided for the election. I was asked to nominate a trusted ally to be related with and I nominated Mr Abiodun Agbele, the governor stated. All the payments into Abiodun Agbeles account domiciled in Zenith Bank were directly from Zenith Bank. In actual fact, the account was opened by Zenith Bank hurriedly at that time and Abiodun Agbeles identity card which ought to have been collected before the account was opened was only collected last week in the banks desperation to perfect the account obviously after submitting to the intimidation and harassment of the EFCC. Most of the funds posted into Agbeles account were through the Ibadan, Akure and Lagos branches of the Zenith Bank and sometimes they brought cash. Assuming but not conceding that cash moved from Lagos to Akure as being claimed by the EFCC in its usual manner of media trial, was meant for my election in Ekiti, why was the cash not moved to Ado Ekiti branch of Zenith Bank or the cash handed to me directly? Why was it deposited into Zenith Bank, Akure and did the bank make any report on the transaction to the appropriate authorities? Why did the bank send its bullion van to move the money from Akure Airport to their Akure branch if it was illegal money? I must say it categorically that I dont have any link financially with Obanikoro and I know as a fact that he (Obanikoro) has not; and cannot mention my name, as beneficiary of whatever money any company in which he has interest could have gotten from the ONSA if truly Obanikoro collected money from the ONSA as being claimed by the EFCC. Therefore, bringing Obanikoro and his sons narrative or that the Zenith Bank is telling different stories, having been blackmailed and coerced into submission by the EFCC is a joke that will not fly. I wish to state further that if it becomes evidently clear that those who willingly provided money for my election can no longer stand by what they did, may be because of threat from the EFCC, I will not hesitate to name names. The governor, challenged the EFCC to also beam its searchlights on the funding of APC elections, especially that of President Buhari. Since we are now in the era in which financial assistance from Nigerians to fund elections is being criminalised, the international community, especially those funding EFCC must insist that the commission probes the funding of APC elections before further funds are released to the commission, he demanded. Most importantly, Nigerians are interested in the $60 million allegedly donated to the APC campaign by Sahara Energy, on which EFCC has been forced to suspend investigation. Mr. Fayose pointed out that the action of the commission was a plot to intimidate and harass him into submission, but vowed that he would not be cowed by threats of incarceration and death. I advise that they should keep their gun pounder dry and wait till the end of my tenure in 2018 and I want to assure them that I will be available to answer any of their questions, no matter how unreasonable, he said. Furthermore, Nigerians should know that I have been persecuted by the EFCC before, using phantom N1.2 billion poultry scam and I came out victorious. I was not only acquitted, I got N10 million judgment against the EFCC and my impeachment that was orchestrated by the EFCC was quashed by the Supreme Court. Nigerians should recall that it was part of this plot to get back at me because of my critical stance on Buharis government that the Ekiti State House of Assembly was invaded by men of the Department of State Service (DSS), placement of travel ban on me and lately, illegal frozen of my account by the EFCC. I therefore make bold to state that in the overall interest of democracy and well-being of Nigerians, I will continue to speak my mind on issues bordering on governance in Nigeria. I will not be intimidated. Zenith Bank was not available for comments as at the time of this report. Its spokesperson, Victor Adojie, did not answer or return calls. He is also yet to respond to a text message seeking comment. Following the appointment of Ibrahim Idris as the acting Inspector General of Police by President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday, seven Deputy Inspectors General of the Force as well as several Assistant Inspectors General are to be retired. By convention, senior officers of the police or other armed step down if a junior colleague is appointed head of the force. Mr. Idris was an assistant inspector general in charge of operations. Currently, there are seven deputy inspectors general who worked under the retired IGP, Solomon Arase. The DIGs are Danazumi Doma, in charge of Finance and Administration, Sotonye Wakama, in charge of Operations and Mamman Tsafe, who is in charge of Logistics and Supplies. Others include, Kakwe Tsatso, Criminal Investigations and Intelligence; Hashimu Argungu, Training; Jubril Adeniji, Research and Planning; and Chintua Amajor-Onu, in charge of Information and Communication Technologies. A source at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, told PREMIUM TIMES that apart from the DIGs, several Assistant Inspectors General, AIGs, will also resign. You know we have over 30 AIGs and most if not all would definitively go because they were senior to the Acting IG, he said. Our source added that most officers were in the dark regarding who will succeed Mr. Arase, including the retired IG himself because there was no sign or signal as to who would emerge from the presidency as it used to be in the past he said. Sources in the presidency said Mr. Idris was selected to take over from Mr. Arase because he came tops in an integrity check conducted by the presidency in the quest to name a new IG. Investigators found out that the new IG was living in a three bedroom mortgage flat in Abuja while the only other house he own was a modest personal house in his village in Niger state. The new acting IG had on Tuesday, shortly after taking over from Mr. Arase, said the police under him would be guided by internationally acceptable standards. He said the force will no longer tolerate the handling of complaints by citizens with levity, and will tackle internal corruption as a yardstick for overcoming the war on corruption within the country. He said the force will provide forensic libraries in all the geopolitical zones of the country, as well as establish joint operation centers with other security agencies at all police commands. Mr. Idris pledged his administrations willingness to establish a criminal data base in police commands to enhance investigations into criminal matters and make working uniforms available to staff, in a bid to improve physical comportment of officers. The Nigerian Senate on Wednesday began the consideration of the National Grazing Reserves Bill, which seeks to establish grazing reserves for pastoralists in the country. The senate had earlier denied it received the bill, amid intense opposition from its members and many Nigerians. The bill, which had earlier been presented at the House of Representatives, passed the first reading in the senate. It is sponsored by Rabiu Kwankwoso, who represents Kano Central Senatorial District. The House of Representatives version, which is being sponsored by a Kogi lawmaker, Sunday Karim, passed the second reading as at March. Abia State Senator, Enyinnaya Abaribe, who is one of the senators opposed to the bill, on Wednesday said the legislation was dead on arrival. Mr. Abaribe had in April kicked against the bill and sought to confirm whether it was indeed before the senate. But the senate president, Bukola Saraki, told him no such bill existed. The bill came amid recent spate of clashes between herdsmen and farmers mostly in southern and central parts of the country. Many Nigerians are opposed to any plan to create grazing reserves in the middle and southern parts of the country. The Aisha Buhari mentioned in the bribery scandal of a former United States congressman, William Jefferson, was an impostor who was peddling influence with the name of President Muhammadu Buhari, a former chairman of the EFCC, Nuhu Ribadu, has told PREMIUM TIMES. Mr. Ribadu narrated how the EFCC during his tenure, in conjunction with U.S. authorities, almost arrested the impostor. She is a different person and has lived in the U.S. for years. She is hardly in Nigeria. The EFCC was working with U.S. authorities on the investigations. One of my plans was to arrest her before I left the commission. Our suspicion then was that she was using the Buhari name for influence. The EFCC laid ambush to see if she would come into the country so she could be arrested. I didnt know what happened to the plan to arrest her after I left, he said. Mr. Ribadu however said if Nigerian authorities were still interested in the case it was easy to establish her real identity. He said this should not be a problem for investigators because she recently renewed her passport at the Nigerian embassy in Washington and that they should still have a file on her. Mr. Ribadus successor at the EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde, had earlier told this newspaper that President Buharis wife was not the person mentioned in the scandal as alleged by the governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose. Mr. Fayose had distributed a link to the U.S. Department of Justice website holding court documents where a certain 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, 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. 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. But Mr. Lamorde told PREMIUM TIMES that the Aisha Buhari in the Jefferson bribery scandal was not the Presidents wife. I can tell you authoritatively that the Aisha Buhari named in that case is not President Buharis wife. It is another Aisha Buhari entirely, Mr. Lamorde said. I was the director of operations at the EFCC at the time so I know about the case very well. I can tell you that it is not her (President Buharis wife). That much we established. The Nigerian military has scrapped its joint military task force in the restive Niger Delta. The task force, nicknamed Operation Pulo Shield, is to be replaced by Operation Delta Safe, the director of defense information, said in a statement. He said the new operation would be carried out under three sub-bases located in Ondo, Akwa Ibom and the entire Niger Delta. General Rabes statement reads: The OPERATION PULO SHIELD in Niger Delta has been scrapped with immediate effect and replaced with OPERATION DELTA SAFE. This is in line with the Defence Headquarters initiative to restructure the Joint Task Force for better service delivery, efficiency and effectiveness in line with the vision and mission of the Chief of Defence Staff to contain the current security challenges in the Niger Delta especially protection of critical national assets and provision of security in the area. Under this arrangement, the Joint Operational Areas of the new outfit have been delineated into 3 sectors and 5 Operational Bases covering the entire Niger Delta, Ondo and Akwa Ibom States. The Headquarters of OPERATION DELTA SAFE would be in Yenagoa. This development, according to Chief of Defence Staff, General Gabriel Olonisakin, becomes expedient in order to inject new tactics and robust operational initiative to tackle the emerging security challenges in the Niger Delta region such as piracy, bunkering, vandalism and other criminalities prevalent in the area. Members of the People Democratic Party in the senate say they have suspended their support for the All Progressives Congress government of President Muhammadu Buhari, because of the administrations belligerent attitude. The PDP Senate caucus said this on Wednesday. The PDP caucus wish to reiterate that we will no longer support APC government until they cease the belligerent attitude towards PDP members, said the opposition lawmakers in a communique. The speech was signed by the minority leader, Godswill Akpabio; deputy minority leader, Emmanuel Bwacha; minority whip, Phillip Aduda, and his deputy, Abiodun Olujimi. Their position came as a response to the alleged plot to remove the senate president, Bukola Saraki, and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu. The deployment of state instrument of coercion to intimidate an independent arm of government like the legislature is now a major threat to the survival of our democracy, read the communique. They also based their decision on the glaring witch hunt of perceived opposition elements which they considered invitation to anarchy. The war on corruption should not be selective, must be fought with sincerity and not politics that is being played now. We therefore condemn in strong terms the sentiments displayed in fighting corruption e.g freezing account of the Ekiti State Governor is clearly a political witch hunt, the group said. They said since war against corruption had devolved into probing of campaign funds, the government should extend the probe to APCs campaign funds and other parties too. The PDP Senate caucus wish to warn the Executive arm of government to act with caution on matters that have the potency to subvert our democracy. The Executive arm must therefore desist from these acts of lawlessness that are typical military dictatorship, they said. Separately, the South East caucus in the House of Representatives issued a statement on Tuesday saying that criminal charges of conspiracy and forgery slammed on Mr. Ekweremadu were birthed by incurable hatred for the Ndigbo. They said the government was plotting to remove Mr. Ekweremadu at all cost. Mr. Ekweremadu and three others Mr. Saraki, former Clerk to the National Assembly, Salisu Maikasu, and his deputy, Benedict Efeturi are to be arraigned on June 27 for allegdly forging the Senate Standing Rules used to elect the Senate presiding officers last year. A Federal High Court in Yenagoa on Wednesday barred journalists and parents of Ese Oruru from witnessing her testimony in court. Ese Oruru, 14, was allegedly abducted by Yunusa Dahiru, who is facing a five-count charge of criminal abduction, illicit sex, sexual exploitation and unlawful carnal knowledge of a minor. The Prosecuting Counsel, James Amate, had told the court that Ese Oruru had been delivered off a baby girl on May 26, and was available to give evidence. She was brought into the court at 3 p.m. The judge, Aliya Nganjiwa, took her evidence in camera after all cases for the day were dispensed with. Nganjiwa ordered everybody, including Eses parent and journalist to out of the courtroom. Kayode Olaosebekan, represented the accused and Mrs Dise Ogbise from the Federation of Women Lawyers, appeared for Eses parents. (NAN) The Ekiti State governor, Ayo Fayose, has threatened to name those who financed his governorship election in 2014 if they fail to stand up to the harassment of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. In a statement in response to EFCCs allegation that he benefited from the illegal largesse from the office of the National Security Adviser under Sambo Dasuki, Mr. Fayose, on Wednesday, gave indications as to the sources of finances for his election. According to him, Zenith Bank Plc largely funded his election, along with friends and associates who donated to his campaign. The EFCC, in justifying its restriction on the account of the governor, said it had traced funds from the office of the NSA to the accounts of Mr. Fayose and, Musiliu Obanikoro, who is a former Minister of State for Defence. The commission said the funds, amounting to about N4.7billion, was moved from accounts operated by two of Mr. Obanikoros sons where it was transferred to Mr. Fayoses Zenith Bank account. But the governor denied the allegation, saying he had no link with monies from the NSAs office for which Mr. Dasuki and other leaders in the last PDP government are currently facing trial. I wish to state further that if it becomes evidently clear that those who willingly provided money for my election can no longer stand by what they did, may be because of threat from the EFCC, I will not hesitate to name names, he said. The governor also hinted that the bank only last week collected the identity card of Abiodun Agbele, the holder of the account through which it funded his campaign, in desperation to perfect the account apparently after submitting to the harassment of the EFCC. I must say it categorically that I dont have any link financially with Obanikoro and I know as a fact that he (Obanikoro) has not; and cannot mention my name, as beneficiary of whatever money any company in which he has interest could have gotten from the ONSA if truly Obanikoro collected money from the ONSA as being claimed by the EFCC, the governor declared. Therefore, bringing Obanikoro and his sons narrative or that the Zenith Bank is telling different stories, having been blackmailed and coerced into submission by the EFCC is a joke that will not fly. Mr. Fayose also alleged that the bank opened the account for the purpose of the election, and requested him to present a trusted ally with which it would relate with. In actual fact, the account was opened by Zenith Bank hurriedly at that time and Abiodun Agbeles identity card which ought to have been collected before the account was opened was only collected last week in the banks desperation to perfect the account obviously after submitting to the intimidation and harassment of the EFCC, he said. The governor described the EFCCs case against him as persecution and a violation of his immunity, urging the anti-graft agency to also beam its searchlights on the funding of the campaigns of the campaigns of President Muhammadu Buhari. The PDP Governors Forum has rallied behind Mr. Fayose condemning the action of the EFCC, particularly the restriction placed on the governors bank account. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC has arraigned a judge on a three-count charge bordering on conspiracy and obtaining money through false pretense. Justice Suleiman Elkana, who is an area court judge in Adamawa State, is accused of receiving N58.55 million fraudulently. He was arraigned on Friday before Justice Balkisu Aliyu of the Federal High Court Yola, Adamawa State on The secretary of a group, Justice Multi-purpose Cooperative Society Ltd, Adamawa State, Solomon Philip, was also arraigned. The complainant, Israel Nwagbo, of Coscharis motors, said he entered into a contract with the co-operative society for the supply of 1,846 units of TVC motorcycles for its members with payment to be made from monthly deductions from the members. He said the accused persons diverted the amount for their personal use. One charge says that the judge, Solomon Phillip, and Amina Musa (now deceased), in September, 2010, obtained by false pretense 446 units of TVC motorcycles valued at N57. 98 million from Coscharis motors limited. The two accused persons pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to them. The prosecution counsel, Israel Akande, asked for a trial date while the defense counsel, Desmond Adebole, moved an application for bail of the accused persons. Justice Aliyu granted bail to the accused persons at N5 million each. Each accused is to also provide a reliable surety each who must live within the jurisdiction. The mater was adjourned to 26, 27 and 28 September for trial. Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has accused his Delta State counterpart, Ifeanyi Okowa, of planning to recruit thugs and hooligans to register as voters in Edo State ahead of the September 10 governorship election. In a statement by the Edo State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Kassim Afegbua, on Wednesday, the governor alleged that Mr. Okowa connived with the Edo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party to send political thugs to the fringe villages between the two states to fraudulently register as eligible voters with the intention to use them to cause mayhem before and during the election. But in a swift reaction, the Delta State governor dismissed the allegation, describing it as laughable and baseless. Edo and Delta States were formerly known as Bendel State until the 1991 state creation exercise, when it was split into two. While Mr. Oshiomhole belongs to the All Progressives Congress, Mr. Okowa is of the PDP. Both parties recently picked their candidates for the governorship election, with Godwin Obaseki emerging as the APC flag bearer and Osagie Ise-Iyamu as that of the PDP. The Delta State governor attended the June 20 Edo PDP primary election in Benin City, the Edo State capital where he said, For the government and all of us in Delta State, we promise you our support. With the one sprit I am seeing in us today, we will win the election come September. The statement by the Edo State government said, It has come to our knowledge that following the commencement of the Continuous Voters Registration exercise in Edo state preparatory to the September 10 gubernatorial election in the state, the Peoples Democratic Party in connivance with the Delta state Government, has started recruiting thugs and hooligans from Delta State to register as voters in communities sharing border with Edo state. We had earlier taken the information with levity when we received it a few days ago, but we now have it on good authority that indeed the PDP Governor of Delta state, His Excellency, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa is involved in this sinister move to send political thugs to the fringe villages between the two states to fraudulently register as eligible voters with the intention to use them to cause untold mayhem before and during the elections, on September 10th. According to information at our disposal, forty political thugs have been dispatched to each of these border villages with the sole aim of registering them as voters before engaging their services to perpetrate violence during the September 10 election. The statement said it had put the security agencies on notice of the alleged plan by the Delta State government and its Edo PDP collaborators to cause a breach of security in Edo state. It warned, The fact that our people are generally known to be peace-loving should not be misconstrued as a sign of weakness, it is just to make the point that we believe wholesomely that democracy is a game of contestation of ideas and not one of contestation with guns and bullets. The statement also said the Edo government had put the people of the state on notice to keep an eagle eye on their environment and resist any infiltration or attempt to undermine the peace and security of the state. But Mr. Okowa, in a statement by his media aide, Charles Aniagwu, denied the allegation, describing it as baseless and indicative of loss of confidence of the APC-led government to woo voters based on track records of its achievement. The statement said it was preposterous for the Edo State government to expect that Deltans would leave their constituencies and embark on a wild goose chase of registering to vote in Edo state. It noted that the Edo State Government had betrayed its ignorance of the workings of the Permanent Voter Card which makes multiple registrations impossible and asked the APC in the state to restrict itself to issues rather than resort to name- calling. Governor Okowa is too refined to engage in such clandestine activities to the extent of decimating his own support base by encouraging his constituents to register in another state, the statement said. What becomes of the fate of Delta political stakeholders who would rely on the votes of those people in subsequent elections? This is laughable and is gradually becoming a character of the APC in Edo State to believe that it can scare opponents through smear campaign. Governor Okowa declared publicly that he would support the PDP candidate both morally and logistically to win the September 10, 2016 governorship election in Edo State and no amount of browbeating would stop him. The statement said the governor recalled Mr. Oshiomholes outburst, some weeks ago, against the PDP governors in the southern part of the country, for pledging their support for the PDP in Edo State. It said Mr. Okowa wondered when it became an offence to declare support for members of ones party. Governor Oshiomhole boasted that he could win election against Governor Okowa in Delta state. Why is the Edo State APC getting fidgety for a mere declaration of support for the PDP candidate by Governor Okowa, the statement said. It also said Mr. Okowa had called on the security agencies to intensify their surveillance on all the electoral processes to ensure that those who cried the wolves where there was none did not find a chink to rig the polls. Ondo State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to caution the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, following the restriction placed on the account of Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose. He described the action of the EFCC as an abuse of the Constitution. Mr. Mimiko who spoke in his capacity as Chairman of PDP Governors Forum, condemned the freezing of Mr. Fayose s bank account. Mr. Fayose raised the alarm on Monday that his Zenith Bank account had been frozen by the EFCC. The commission also confirmed the development and justified its action. But Mr. Mimiko, who was reacting to the development in a statement in Akure on Tuesday, said the action of the anti-graft agency had portrayed the nation as one in crisis. Mr. Mimiko said the EFCC had no power to interfere with the account of a sitting governor. He said the action would not find comfort with the position of Section 308 of the Nigerian Constitution. According to him, if the intention is to suggest any criminal infraction or fraud against the governor, the agency should have waited until he vacates office. What has happened is a blatant and violent infraction on the provision of the Constitution and our democracy, Mr. Mimiko said. It is an attempt to subvert the constitution and it is fascist. The intention is to achieve a penal sanction without going through the due criminal procedure and criminal proceedings. Governor Mimiko argued that the essence of Section 308 of the Constitution of the country was to save governors in the country from distractions. What they have done now is to distract the Governor of Ekiti and this is not good for our democracy, he said. The governor further argued that immunity was part of the constitution which must be respected whether anybody likes it or not. He also contended that the EFCCs action violated Section 96 of the 1999 constitution as amended which confer on every individual the right of fair hearing. He warned that the country was beginning to manifest the signs of totalitarianism adding that the account of any individual could only be frozen after a court of competent jurisdiction had so ruled or an interim order by a court of competent jurisdiction was granted to the anti graft agency . Mr. Fayose has however vowed to challenge the restriction on his account appropriately. Weighed by the five months salary arrears owed workers in the state, the Ondo State governor, Olusegun Mimiko, urged workers to come up with a sharing formula on how to pay workers with the accumulated revenue of N3.4 billion now in the states account. At a town hall meeting with the workers on Tuesday at the conference centre in Akure on Tuesday, Mr. Mimiko said the states monthly wage bill totaled N3.9 billion, but what had accrued to the government so far, including internally generated revenue, was only N3.4 billion. As I speak with you, we have a minimum of N3.4 billion in the bank to be paid out to workers, either local government workers, school teachers or health workers, he told the workers. I suggested that we pay health workers with a N670 million wage bill, some said no, so you should tell us how to go about it so you can return to work. Mr. Mimiko noted that whatever the option by the workers, the state had almost lost N600 million to the strike as that was the IGR benchmark for every month. He however noted that from what was available, it would be impossible to talk about paying teachers salaries which is about N1.3 billion monthly. I did not mention teachers, because if I mention teachers, I will be wasting my time, we will not be able to pay teachers, because their wage bill is N1.3 billion, Mr. Mimiko said. Mr. Mimiko warned that although he was reluctant to consider the option of retrenchment or privatization, these options could be the easier way out for state governments in the coming months. He said the only permanent solution to the problem was for the restructuring of the federal system being operated by Nigeria. He called on labour to make it a cardinal agenda to get the government at the centre to consider the option of restructuring the federation. Mr. Mimiko told the workers that there was no formula that could see a wage bill of N3.9 billion being paid with a total revenue of N1.3 billion monthly. He urged the workers to return to work so that together they could get the economy of the state back on track. However, leaders of the labour unions did not attend the meeting, which was well attended by the workers. While they listened, they also murmured and refused to clap even when the governor encouraged them to clap for themselves for being part of the success story of the various milestones of his administration. Some of the workers said the session was a mere briefing and not a dialogue, because the governor only told them what he had always said. The reaction of labour was being awaited at the time of filing this report. ( Read 10264 Times) Mumbai, The oldest organized Yoga centre in the world, The Yoga Institute, Santacruz, has lined up a series of programmes on the occasion of International Yoga Day on 21st June 2016. The programmes at The Yoga Institute, Santacruz (Prabhat Colony next to Santacruz station), start from 9.30 am onwards till 6 pm. A free Serbior Citizens Camp starts from 10 am till 1 pm. Kohinoor Hospital is organizing a free medical checkup camp from 10 am to 2 pm. There is a free womens camp from 1:30 am to 430 pm. The Jetking Corporate Camp starts at 930 am till 12.30 pm. The Excise & Customs Department is organizing a special camp for 400 senior officer participants from 4 pm to 6 pm.The list of locations where The Yoga Institute, Santacruz, is organizing other programmes during the day are: Mantralaya; BSNL Juhu; Nuclear Power Corporation of India, BARC, Anushakti Nagar, Deonar; University of Mumbai Kalina; Siemens Worli; Kiprosh; Dedicated Healthcare Services TPA (India) Pvt. Ltd.; The Commissioner Of Customs (Gen), Air Cargo Complex, Sahar, Andheri (East); Silvassa Gujarat; Crosswords (Turner Road, Kemps Corner, Vashi - Inorbit Mall); India Rare Earth Ltd.; Bank of India Main branch Fort, Hutatma Chowk, Mumbai; Indian Bank, 18th Floor, Maker Tower, Cuffe Parade; Ali Yavar Jung, Deaf and Dumb School Bandra; Poddar School Santacruz; The Pr. Accountant General (Audit)-I, Indian Audit and Accounts Department; Food Corporation of India; Airport Special Cargo Commissionerate; My Care Health Solutions Pvt. Ltd.; ONGC High Building; Gujarati School; Dr. M. L. Dhawale Memorial Homeopathic Institute, Palghar; Western Railway, Mumbai Central; HUDCO, NTPC, Bharat Diamond Bourse, BKC; KES International School, S. V. Road , Khar (West); Exim Bank, World Trade Centre; NSIC Dadar W; National College, Mumbai Green Chapter, Bandra; Enforcement Directorate, Ballard Estate; St. Johns Universal School Goregaon W; Swami Vivekanand International School and Junior college, Kandivali W; Jamnabai Narsee School Juhu; Lions Club, Najma Heptullah Hall, Anand Nagar Beside Reliance Energy Office, Santacruz (E); Lions Club Khar Pupils School, SV Road, Near khar police station; CNM School Santacruz E; Indian Education Society New English School Near Kherwadi police station, Bandra East; Oriental Bank of Commerce Prabhadevi; Swami Vivekanand International School and Junior college Gorai; Billabong Juhu; Central Excise Intelligence Ballard Estate; and Ryan International School Malad (W) amongst others.The Yoga Institute, Santacruz, the oldest organized Yoga Centre in the world, was founded on 25th December, 1918 by the Founder Shri Yogendraji. It found a permanent base in Santacruz, Mumbai, in 1948. Spread over one acre of land amidst nature, with three buildings dedicated to Yogic activities, this non-profit organization has been running on its own strength for 9 decades now. About 1000 persons visit the Institute every day for training, health benefits and consultations. The Yoga Institute, Santacruz, has spearheaded the Yoga for the Householder movement in the world. Over the last 9 decades, it has been in the forefront of spreading the benefits of classical Yoga to the common man. Its work includes significant research programmes on heartcare, hypertension, respiratory problems, diabetes, orthopaedic conditions and stress related problems. Over 1,000 people visit The Yoga Institute and various courses every day. It has also developed pioneering programmes for women including offering guidance for harmony in marital life, pregnancy ante-natal and post-natal classes. To make the practice of Yoga fit into todays lifestyle milieu, it simplifies Asanas, Kriyas, Pranayamas, meditation, etc. It catalyzes the Yoga movement and makes the benefit available to large sections of the population, who cannot physically visit the premises.SMT. HANSAJI JAYADEVA YOGENDRA (DIRECTOR OF THE YOGA INSTITUTE)A dynamic and charismatic personality, Smt. Hansaji, wife of Dr. Jayadeva Yogendra and present Director of The Yoga Institute, has dedicated her life to the running of the Institute and to teaching yoga as a way of life in a completely practical way. Smt. Hansaji Jayadeva has been selected as Woman of the Year 2000 by the American Biographical Institute, U.S.A. for her outstanding accomplishment and the noble example she has set for her peers and entire community. She is perhaps best known throughout the nation due to her involvement in the popular television series Yoga for Better Living, first aired in 1980. She was recognized for her contribution to Womens Health through the award presented by SPARC. She has conducted several seminars and lecture tours in India and in Europe, Australia, Canada, Pakistan, Hong Kong and United States of America. She has also authored many Yoga books and articles. She was invited by the National Council for Education Research and Training along with Dr. Jayadeva to advise on formulating a Yoga education syllabus for schools nationwide.Smt. Hansaji Jayadeva Yogendra has been in forefront of The yoga movement in the last four decades, as a teacher, teacher-educator, an excellent communicator in the Television medium, and as an author of several books on Yoga. She lends a patient ear to anyone who takes his/her problem to her and provides an insight which helps the person to get a grip and find a satisfactory solution. Thus she is a caring counsellor too.Born in 1947, Smt Hansaji was a frequent visitor to The Yoga Institute even while she was studying for B.Sc. and later, for a degree in Law. When she married Dr. Jayadeva Yogendra, it was a turning point in Hansajis life. With her innate charm and capacity, she brought about dramatic changes in the Institute. The ladies wing was expanded and she enthused a dynamism and radiance to all the activities. She took over as the Director at The Yoga Institute in the year 1997. She brings a special energy wherever she goes and is a popular orator throughout the country. She has authored several Yoga books in English and Gujarati. The television serial, Yoga for Better Living has been aired three times on the National network and is very well appreciated. She, together with her illustrious husband has travelled widely and shares her knowledge with all selflessly and with grace. She has also been the President of International Board of Yoga. Local authorities in Vietnam have misspent about VND1.3 trillion ($58.7 million) this year, mostly on heavy construction investments, putting the country at risk of missing its deficit reduction target for the year, according to the State Audit. The State Audit has conducted an annual bond audit to examine how local authorities have administered and used funds raised from bonds. The audit statistics show the Vietnamese government so far this year has raised VND248 trillion ($11 billion) through bond auctions, of which 40 percent has been allocated to local authorities. Local authorities are keen to build infrastructure in order to establish a stable source of their future budget revenues. Many have been caught up in fierce competition to attract infrastructure projects to their localities, sometimes at a cost to the national economy. They tend to overestimate project costs as the central government distribute funds to local levels after taking into account local development plans. According to the audit, the real cost of these projects often turns out to be much lower than the estimates. For instance, auditors found out that a project to enlarge the Hau River in Vietnams Mekong Delta actually cost VND622 billion, only 39 percent of the estimated cost of VND 1.88 trillion. State auditors pointed out that through heavy investments in building projects, local governments might also run the risk of living beyond their means. Workers assemble steel reinforced bars at a construction site in Hanoi. Vietnams public debt nearly doubled to VND2,608 trillion ($116 billion) in 2015 from VND1,393 trillion in 2011, according to official statistics. Photo by Reuters/Nguyen Huy Kham. Vietnam has adopted the fiscal decentralization system in which the central government always lays out budget plan every three or five years and gives local authorities freedom to manage their own budget, including revenues and expenditures. Vietnam plans to raise VND220 trillion this year via government bond auctions. Bonds have been an important source of funds for government spending. The World Bank forecasts that Vietnams public debt in 2016 will be 63.8 percent of gross domestic, significantly up from 59.6 percent in 2014. Rising public debts will put mounting pressure on Vietnam to seek more loans to offset the state budget. Last year, in an attempt to reduce the pressure of debt repayments, Vietnamese lawmakers decided to set new rules on the trading volume of government bonds. According to the new regulations, the State Treasury, which holds weekly bond auctions at the Hanoi Stock Exchange, has offered more long-term bonds and cut the trading volume of short-term bonds on the domestic debt market so that the proportion of bonds with tenures of five years or more will increase to 46 percent of the gross debt. Vietnams public debt nearly doubled to VND2,608 trillion ($116 billion) in 2015 from VND1,393 trillion in 2011, according to official statistics. Related news: > Vietnam posts $177 mln trade deficit in May: customs office > PM: Vietnam targets to control budget deficit, public debt > Vietnam's Q1 budget deficit widens to $2.1 billion With more brands slapping on eco-friendly promises that may, or may not be true, can sustainable marketing be a bigger part of the solution ... By PrintWeek Team The JCB Prize for Literature announced the shortlist for the 2022 edition of the award, and in a history-making turn, all the five sports we... 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. Daewoo Engineering & Construction Co. (Daewoo E&C) has just announced that it will proceed with the official construction of its first high-end villa project in Hanoi from July 4. The Star Lake New City" project will make Daewoo E&C the first private Korean company to receive approval from the Vietnamese government for an independent housing project, according to Business Korea. Star Lake will be constructed on the prime real estate near West Lake covering 1.86 million square meters. The project will be wholly owned by Daewoo E&C's subsidiary in Vietnam, THT Development Co. An artist's impression of Daewoo E&C's Star Lake New City project near West Lake in Hanoi. Photo from businesskorea.co.kr The projects total investment is estimated at $2.2 billion, of which $1.2 billion will be disbursed in the first stage. Daewoo E&C will start the sale of its first 182 four-storey villas in 2016 with prices ranging from $720,000 to $2.35 million. The Korean construction firm plans to launch the second sale of 600 villas in 2017. House buyers will be able to move into their new homes in July 2017. A Daewoo E&C official said: Since Vietnamese lawmakers approved the revised Law on Housing in July last year allowing foreign ownership of houses or apartments, demand has been rising. Local real estate developers and Korean investors are focusing more on this market. Established in 1973, Daewoo E&C is one of Korea's largest construction firms and operates in nearly 50 nations worldwide. In Vietnam, Daewoo E&C was the main investor in the Daeha Business Center and a five star hotel complex in a prime location in Hanoi, and the general contractor for the Daewoo-Cleve project in the southwest of the city. Having constructed two manufacturing plants in Vietnam, Samsung is still looking for local enterprises that can provide the company with quality spare parts, said Han Myoungsup, general director of the Samsung manufacturing complex. In 2015, the number of local suppliers working with Samsung tripled on-year to 190, of which three provided electronic components while the rest specialized in packaging for smartphones and tablets. Nguyen Cam Tu, deputy minister of Industry and Trade, said that these figures were fairly humble. The majority of Vietnamese enterprises that have joined the Samsung manufacturing chain are at the low-value end; just a few are able to provide high-tech components. Han Myoungsup said: We realize that Vietnamese companies have great potential and capabilities. The only matter is finding suitable development methods. The director added that Samsung is willing to cooperate with local suppliers provided they meet requirements in terms of technology, quality, financial status and price. In addition, companies will go through a three-month period of supervision and improvement before becoming one of Samsungs partners. Director of Goldsun Joint Stock Company Pham Quang Vinh, who beat 300 rivals to become the packaging supplier for Samsung, said: In just three months, we increased our rate of flawless products to 94 percent, while the error rate was slashed by 72 percent. Moreover, prompt delivery and reasonable prices have made us the official supplier for Samsung Vietnam. Using Goldsun as an example, Han Myoungsup suggested that Vietnam should invest in technical engineers to improve product quality. The director added that Samsung will offer Vietnam training programs to help local companies increase their competitiveness in the support industry. At present, Vietnam's support industries remain weak, with 90 percent of raw materials, spare parts and components imported form external sources, according to Pham Tuan Anh, deputy head of the Heavy Industries Department under the Ministry of Industry and Trade. Related news: > Vietnam to shake up supporting industriesto seize TPP opportunities THE HAGUE, the Netherlands, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Shareholders were given the opportunity to choose between receiving the 2015 final dividend in cash or in stock. The cash dividend amounts to EUR 0.13 per common share and will be payable as of June 24, 2016. 43% of shareholders elected to receive the stock dividend. Those who elected for a stock dividend will receive one Aegon common share for every 30 common shares held. The stock fraction is based on Aegon's average share price as quoted on Euronext Amsterdam, using the high and low of each of the five trading days from June 13 up to and including June 17, 2016. The average share price calculated on this basis amounted to EUR 3.9057. The stock dividend and the cash dividend are approximately equal in value. Aegon intends to neutralize the dilutive effect of the stock dividend on earnings per share. Disclaimers Forward-looking statements The statements contained in this document that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined in the US Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The following are words that identify such forward-looking statements: aim, believe, estimate, target, intend, may, expect, anticipate, predict, project, counting on, plan, continue, want, forecast, goal, should, would, is confident, will, and similar expressions as they relate to Aegon. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Aegon undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which merely reflect company expectations at the time of writing. Actual results may differ materially from expectations conveyed in forward-looking statements due to changes caused by various risks and uncertainties. Such risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to the following: Changes in general economic conditions, particularly in the United States , the Netherlands and the United Kingdom ; , and the ; Changes in the performance of financial markets, including emerging markets, such as with regard to: The frequency and severity of defaults by issuers in Aegon's fixed income investment portfolios; The effects of corporate bankruptcies and/or accounting restatements on the financial markets and the resulting decline in the value of equity and debt securities Aegon holds; and The effects of declining creditworthiness of certain private sector securities and the resulting decline in the value of sovereign exposure that Aegon holds; Changes in the performance of Aegon's investment portfolio and decline in ratings of Aegon's counterparties; Consequences of a potential (partial) break-up of the euro or the potential exit of the United Kingdom and/or Greece from the European Union; and/or from the European Union; The frequency and severity of insured loss events; Changes affecting longevity, mortality, morbidity, persistence and other factors that may impact the profitability of Aegon's insurance products; Reinsurers to whom Aegon has ceded significant underwriting risks may fail to meet their obligations; Changes affecting interest rate levels and continuing low or rapidly changing interest rate levels; Changes affecting currency exchange rates, in particular the EUR/USD and EUR/GBP exchange rates; Changes in the availability of, and costs associated with, liquidity sources such as bank and capital markets funding, as well as conditions in the credit markets in general such as changes in borrower and counterparty creditworthiness; Increasing levels of competition in the United States , the Netherlands , the United Kingdom and emerging markets; , , the and emerging markets; Changes in laws and regulations, particularly those affecting Aegon's operations' ability to hire and retain key personnel, the products Aegon sells, and the attractiveness of certain products to its consumers; Regulatory changes relating to the pensions, investment, and insurance industries in the jurisdictions in which Aegon operates; Standard setting initiatives of supranational standard setting bodies such as the Financial Stability Board and the International Association of Insurance Supervisors or changes to such standards that may have an impact on regional (such as EU), national or US federal or state level financial regulation or the application thereof to Aegon, including the designation of Aegon by the Financial Stability Board as a Global Systemically Important Insurer (G-SII). Changes in customer behavior and public opinion in general related to, among other things, the type of products also Aegon sells, including legal, regulatory or commercial necessity to meet changing customer expectations; Acts of God, acts of terrorism, acts of war and pandemics; Changes in the policies of central banks and/or governments; Lowering of one or more of Aegon's debt ratings issued by recognized rating organizations and the adverse impact such action may have on Aegon's ability to raise capital and on its liquidity and financial condition; Lowering of one or more of insurer financial strength ratings of Aegon's insurance subsidiaries and the adverse impact such action may have on the premium writings, policy retention, profitability and liquidity of its insurance subsidiaries; The effect of the European Union's Solvency II requirements and other regulations in other jurisdictions affecting the capital Aegon is required to maintain; Litigation or regulatory action that could require Aegon to pay significant damages or change the way Aegon does business; As Aegon's operations support complex transactions and are highly dependent on the proper functioning of information technology, a computer system failure or security breach may disrupt Aegon's business, damage its reputation and adversely affect its results of operations, financial condition and cash flows; Customer responsiveness to both new products and distribution channels; Competitive, legal, regulatory, or tax changes that affect profitability, the distribution cost of or demand for Aegon's products; Changes in accounting regulations and policies or a change by Aegon in applying such regulations and policies, voluntarily or otherwise, which may affect Aegon's reported results and shareholders' equity; The impact of acquisitions and divestitures, restructurings, product withdrawals and other unusual items, including Aegon's ability to integrate acquisitions and to obtain the anticipated results and synergies from acquisitions; Catastrophic events, either manmade or by nature, could result in material losses and significantly interrupt Aegon's business; and Aegon's failure to achieve anticipated levels of earnings or operational efficiencies as well as other cost saving and excess capital and leverage ratio management initiatives. Further details of potential risks and uncertainties affecting Aegon are described in its filings with the Netherlands Authority for the Financial Markets and the US Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Annual Report. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this document. Except as required by any applicable law or regulation, Aegon expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in Aegon's expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based. Aegon's roots go back more than 170 years - to the first half of the nineteenth century. Since then, Aegon has grown into an international company, with businesses in more than 20 countries in the Americas, Europe and Asia. Today, Aegon is one of the world's leading financial services organizations, providing life insurance, pensions and asset management. Aegon's purpose is to help people achieve a lifetime of financial security. More information: aegon.com. Media relations Debora de Laaf +31-(0)-70-344-8730 gcc@aegon.com Investor relations Willem van den Berg +31-(0)-70-344-8405 ir@aegon.com PRN NLD SOURCE Aegon N.V. Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue has urged government agencies to speed up the disbursement of state budget for public investment projects, Vietnamese government portal reported yesterday. According to Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI), the total budget approved by the National Assembly for 2016 is VND254.9 trillion ($11.5 billion). Government agencies have so far disbursed over VND83 trillion (3.73 billion USD), equivalent to 33.14 percent of the 2016 budget. Disbursement of capital raised via government bond sales in this period also remained low compared to the plan, with around VND6.081 trillion ($273.6 million) spent, equivalent to only 15.42 percent of the year's plan. The Ministry of Transport, the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang and Hanoi were reported to be lagging behind, with disbursement rates of 6.2 percent, four percent and three percent respectively. Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung said the low disbursement rate in the first five months of the year were due to projects under national target programs not having been officially approved. Dung attributed the situation to several reasons, including slow submission of budget plans and incomplete government guidelines on project assessment and approval. Difficulties in land clearance, and incompetent contractors were also behind the situation, Dung added. Meanwhile, leaders of the State Treasury said there is no shortage of money to disburse government bonds. For the new public investment projects, the State Treasury said there have been up to 200 local projects which have been allocated funds. However, many local projects have yet to establish their management boards to come to the State Treasury for transactions and account registration. Concluding the meeting, Deputy Hue asked the government agencies to find solutions to accelerate budget disbursement, such as by further cutting red tape and simplifying the tender system. He asked the MPI and Finance Ministry to examine and revise project guidelines and inspect the quality of public investment projects. Hue also requested the MPI to report results to the government at the regular meeting in June, 2016. BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Ahead of his upcoming visit to Armenia, Azerbaijan has urged Pope Francis to call upon the Armenian government to end its illegal occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding Azerbaijani provinces and take public responsibility for the Khojali massacre in which over 600 men, women and children were killed in 1992. "We wish to express our profound concern regarding potential issues that might be addressed during your upcoming visit to Armenia, including misleading efforts by Armenian authorities to justify their illegal occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and other adjacent Azerbaijani territories," the President of the Association for Civil Society Development in Azerbaijan Elkhan Suleymanov noted in his letter to the pontiff. About 20 per cent of Azerbaijani territory was occupied by Armenia during the post-Soviet power vacuum in the early 1990s. In his letter, Suleymanov stressed the resolutions by the United Nations and - earlier this year - Resolution 2085 (2016) passed by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, calling for the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Armenian troops from the territories. Most recently, the White House too issued a statement stressing the importance of "the return of the territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh to Azerbaijan's control." "In light of this, we wish to appeal to the spiritual and moral responsibility bestowed upon the Holy See and to call upon Your Holiness to address in Yerevan the tragedies that have taken place in Nagorno-Karabakh, and to urge Armenian authorities to comply with the conclusions drawn by the international community, in particular the return of all occupied Azerbaijani territories in accordance with United Nations and Council of Europe resolutions," Suleymanov wrote. He also referred to the close relations enjoyed by the Vatican and Azerbaijan and statements made by the former Foreign Minister of the Holy Sea, Giovanni Lajolo, praising Azerbaijan's religious tolerance. "We are certain Your Holiness is well aware of the deep-rooted tradition of religious and ethnic tolerance that has guided the people of Azerbaijan for many centuries, leading to the peaceful co-existence of Christians, Jews and Muslims," Suleymanov noted, adding that the people of Azerbaijan remain committed to this tolerance, "encouraging respect and solidarity between all citizen despite this ongoing injustice and terrible turmoil that has so unfortunately engulfed our country and our region for the past decades." Pope Francis' three-day visit to Armenia is scheduled June 24-26. SOURCE Azerbaijan Monitor LONDON, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The financial services sector is changing, particularly for banks, constantly struggling to adapt their customer experience strategies to meet the changing demands of today's millennial customer. And in 2016 we're now seeing a battle of the banks, with the traditional vs the challenger vs the disruptor - but which banks will withstand the test of time? Does one size fit all or will banks be forced to specialise their customer experience strategies? These are the critical questions financial services leaders including Ugur Sungur, VP, Internet Channels, ING Bank Turkey; Iain Kirkpatrick, MD Retail, Metro Bank; Stewart Bromley, COO, Atom Bank answered in this just released report: Battle of the Banks: The Traditional vs The Challenger vs The Disruptor. Iain Kirkpatrick, MD Retail, Metro Bank discusses the change in the industry and the shift in power to the consumer: "I think lots of customers have been through a difficult journey over the last five or seven years and banks have a very different perception now than they used to have. There's a lot more transparency and people realise there's an alternative now." Kate Erb, Chief Customer Officer, Oakbrook Finance underlines disruptors and their influence on the marketplace as the one to watch: "With the increasing focus on customer experience, it will be interesting to see how strategies of incumbents change. Also with disruptors like Atom Bank, I'm personally very excited about their proposition and intrigued about how the market will respond to that. I think it's going to be incredibly interesting and one to watch." So, what have these industry leaders highlighted as the forces driving change and what will the industry look like in 5 years time? How are senior executives ensuring their CX strategies withstand the test of time and the increased competition? And who holds the key to the future of the financial services in a millennial world? You can find out all of this and much more by downloading the complimentary eBook Battle of the Banks: The Traditional vs The Challenger vs The Disruptor created by the Customer Experience Exchange for Financial Services EU, ahead of this years' senior level, strategic meeting which will be held in Berlin on the 13 - 14 September, 2016. For more information or to request your invitation to attend the Customer Experience Exchange for Financial Services EU (13 - 14 September 2016, Berlin, Germany) where 70 C-level executives and VPs/Directors of Customer Experience, Marketing and Digital Strategy from across the financial services industry will be gathering to discuss the practicalities of increasing customer retention and loyalty in this hyper-competitive market, visit http://bit.ly/28Mn8yM call +44(0)207-368-9484 or email exchangeinfo@iqpc.com. SOURCE Customer Experience Exchange for Financial Services EU Applications are being accepted through Aug. 20 WASHINGTON, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The World Legacy Awards Call for Entries was announced today. Applications are being accepted now through Aug. 20, 2016, at nationalgeographic.com/worldlegacyawards. Celebrating National Geographic's mission of inspiring people to care about the planet, the World Legacy Awards honor today's leading sustainable tourism destinations, organizations and businesses, and share their stories with travelers around the world. Any travel and tourism company, organization or destinationranging from airlines to hotels, from cities to countries, and from luxury tour operators to adventure travel outfittersis eligible to apply for the awards in one of the five categories. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160622/382445LOGO The World Legacy Awards are a groundbreaking collaboration between two giants in the world of travel: National Geographic and ITB Berlin. The awards are unprecedented in their international visibility and promotion, reaching National Geographic's global audience of more than 700 million people worldwide each month through its media platforms, products and events. ITB Berlin is the largest travel gathering on the planet, attended annually by nearly 200,000 delegates and, for the third year, will host the 2017 awards ceremony. In addition to being recognized at ITB Berlin during the March 2017 awards ceremony, winners and finalists of the World Legacy Awards will be featured in National Geographic Traveler magazine and across other National Geographic global media platforms. "For many companies, campaigning for sustainable tourism has become an indispensable part of their work," said Dr. Christian Goeke, CEO of Messe Berlin. "By presenting the World Legacy Awards, together with National Geographic, we wish to underline how important social responsibility and protecting nature and wildlife are in today's tourism industry. As the world's leading travel trade show, we are proud to help raise awareness for sustainable tourism and to draw attention with these awards to the impressive work of hotels, destinations and travel." "One day there will be no need for awards that recognize sustainable tourism best practices. Care for local people and the planet will become part of the everyday fabric for how travel businesses operate and destinations thrive. Until then, the World Legacy Awards are shining a light on the travel leaders of today who are transforming tourism in positive ways to help protect cultural and natural heritage for future generations," said Costas Christ, National Geographic Traveler Editor at Large and Chairman of the World Legacy Awards. Applications are being accepted in five categories: Earth Changers Recognizing cutting-edge leadership in environmentally friendly business practices and green technology, from renewable energy and water conservation to zero-waste systems and carbon-emission reduction. Sense of Place Recognizing excellence in enhancing sense of place and authenticity, including using vernacular architecture and design, and support for the protection of historical monuments, archaeological sites, cultural events, indigenous heritage and artistic traditions. Conserving the Natural World Recognizing outstanding support for the preservation of nature, restoring natural habitat and protecting rare and endangered species, whether on land or in the oceans. Engaging Communities Recognizing direct and tangible economic and social benefits that improve local livelihoods, including training and capacity building, fair wages and benefits, community development, health care and education. Destination Leadership Recognizing destination leadership, including cities, provinces, states, countries and regions that are demonstrating environmental best practices, protection of cultural and natural heritage, benefits to local communities and educating travelers on the principles of sustainability. Finalists will be announced by National Geographic in December 2016, and the winners will be announced in March 2017 at ITB Berlin during a special awards ceremony and also participate in related events. For more information about the World Legacy Awards and how to apply, visit nationalgeographic.com/worldlegacyawards. The exclusive destination sponsor for the 2017 World Legacy Awards is Botswana Tourism. Botswana is best known for its rich cultural heritage and contrasting ecosystems of the white sands of the Kalahari Desert and the lush Okavango Delta and offers an authentic wildlife and cultural African experience. The TreadRight Foundation, a not-for-profit working to ensure the environment and communities it visits remain vibrant for generations to come, returns for year three, continuing to support the mission of the World Legacy Awards. Also returning for a third year of sponsorship is Adventure World, a company that has championed responsible tourism for more than 35 years and is proud to support an awards program that aims to make the world a better place. About National Geographic Partners LLC National Geographic Partners LLC, a joint venture between National Geographic Society and 21st Century Fox, combines National Geographic television channels with National Geographic's media and consumer-oriented assets, including National Geographic magazines; National Geographic Studios; related digital and social media platforms; books; maps; children's media; and ancillary activities that include travel, global experiences and events, archival sales, catalog, licensing and e-commerce businesses. A portion of the proceeds from National Geographic Partners LLC will be used to fund science, exploration, conservation and education through significant ongoing contributions to the work of the National Geographic Society. For more information, visit www.nationalgeographic.com and find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, YouTube, LinkedIn and Pinterest. About ITB Berlin and the ITB Berlin Convention ITB Berlin 2017 will take place from Wednesday to Sunday, 8 to 12 March. From Wednesday to Friday ITB Berlin is open to trade visitors only. Parallel with the trade show the ITB Berlin Convention, the world's largest tourism convention, will be held from Wednesday, 8 to Saturday, 11 March 2017. More details are available at www.itb-convention.com. ITB Berlin is the global travel industry's leading trade show. In 2016 a total of 10,000 companies and organisations from 187 countries exhibited their products and services to 180,000 visitors, who included 120,000 trade visitors. Join the ITB Press Network at www.linkedin.com. CONTACT: Heather Wyatt, pressroom@ngs.org Related Links http://www.nationalgeographic.com SOURCE National Geographic New Resource Timing Data Collocation, Automated Alerts and Enhanced Data Granularity Provides DevOps Professionals with an Industry Leading Solution for Comprehensive Internet Network and Website Performance Monitoring PORTLAND, Oregon, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Cedexis, a leader in internet performance monitoring and optimization, today announced a range of unique new capabilities and services that are immediately available to the thousands of websites that participate in the Cedexis Radar Community, the world's largest internet performance monitoring community. The new services being released include, website "resource timing" performance monitoring and reporting, customizable performance alerts and deeper Radar reporting granularity. Cedexis Impact Resource Timing Beta Cedexis Impact Resource Timing Report: Comparison of CDN Resource Delivery Performance Cedexis Radar Community Automated Performance Alert The Cedexis Impact resource timing Beta program is available for free to all Radar Community members. Distinguishing itself from other real user monitoring (RUM) solutions, Cedexis Impact resource timing collects data for every website visit, without sampling, and aggregates the data into easy-to-understand reports on resource performance. "With Resource Timing data collection available on almost every major browser, any Cedexis Radar participating website can now use the Cedexis Radar tag to collect performance metrics for every object on a downloaded web page, and correlate the performance of these objects to the cloud, server or CDN that served them," said Rob Malnati, vice president Marketing & Business Development for Cedexis. "The addition of resource timing performance monitoring, to Cedexis Radar network, cloud and CDN performance monitoring, provides an unparalleled, end-to-end, view that DevOps teams can use to continuously improve end user experience, and trouble shoot issues as they arise." Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160620/381607 Cedexis Radar Real Time Features And Long Term Trending Enhancements In addition to the Cedexis Impact Resource Timing Beta program Cedexis also announced the availability of a range of new Radar RUM features. Radar automated alerts provide web operations teams real time awareness of internet performance issues, speeding issue identification and enabling more informed responses. To aid in issue analysis, Radar data granularity is being significantly expanded, enabling investigation of events for days after an occurrence. All new Radar functions continue to provide insight by cloud, CDN, ISP, country and performance metric type. Additionally, Radar data retention is also being extended to 13 months, allowing longer term trend analysis of cloud and CDN platform performance over daily, monthly, quarterly and annual time periods. Information on Radar is available at http://www.cedexis.com/radar/real-user-measurement.html. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160620/381608 All Radar capabilities are being demonstrated at the Velocity Exhibition Hall, booth #610, June 22 and 23. For more information on Cedexis, please visit the company's website and follow Cedexis on Twitter at @cedexis. About Cedexis Cedexis provides web-scale, end-user-experience monitoring and real-time traffic routing across multiple clouds and networks. Cedexis Radar crowd sources billions of real user measurements (RUM) a day from a community of 1,000s of popular websites and mobile apps, with traffic routing services based on the insights this data provides, for the best performance, availability, or cost. . Trusted by nearly 1,000 global brands including Accor Hotels, Airbus, Cartier, Comcast, LinkedIn, Mozilla, Nissan and Shutterstock. Cedexis is headquartered in Portland, Oregon with offices in Paris, France, San Francisco, CA, Brooklyn, NY and London. Related Links http://www.cedexis.com SOURCE Cedexis STOCKHOLM, Sweden, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Acquires 64 DeLaval VMS Fundo El Risquillo, a large farm in Chile with 6500 dairy cows, has just signed an agreement to install 64 DeLaval VMS milking robots making it the world's largest robotic milking farm. (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160622/810188 ) The farm, owned by Agricola Ancali and part of the Bethia Group, already has 16 DeLaval VMS installed and has been able to see the results; an average yield of 45.2 litres for the 920 cows going through the robotic milking system today. That is a 10% increase in milk production from before as well as a reduction in labour costs. It is all about doing more with less "The benefits have been remarkable," says Pedro Heller, CEO at Ancali Agricola. "More production, better animal welfare conditions and less stress for the cows. This project included two stages. Firstly, we compared the benefits of using DeLaval VMS systems versus rotary milking system. We started using robots for 500 cows, and when we saw the economic benefits and we realized that it was possible to improve production per cow by 10% and reduce the stress of the cow we decided to further explore. During the second stage we decided to modify the farm, changing our conventional milking system for an automatic milking system. Plan is to have our best 4500 cows milked by DeLaval VMS and we believe we have a perfect set up should we decide to grow more in the future." The barn today also includes a range of other cow comfort solutions from DeLaval such as ventilation systems, cow cooling, rubber flooring, swinging cow brushes, water troughs and illumination. When the new installation is complete, 4,500 cows will be milked robotically while one rotary will remain for fresh and special needs cows. There are currently four rotaries in operation today. While many farmers see DeLaval VMS as a robot for a smaller operation, CEO Pedro Heller calculated easily after the first installation that there was a clear return on investment together with the other cow comfort solutions. The first DeLaval VMS installation took place with eight milking robots in October 2014. By early 2017, 64 DeLaval VMS's will be installed making this farm the largest robotic milking farm on the planet and one of the most productive. The El Fundo Risquillo farm is located 500km south of Santiago and is part of a larger operation including a beef farming operation and a stud farm. About DeLaval DeLaval is a worldwide leader in milking equipment and solutions for dairy farmers, which make sustainable food production possible, warranting milk quality and animal health. Our solutions are used by millions of dairy farmers around the globe every day. DeLaval was founded more than 130 years ago in Sweden, when the visionary Gustaf de Laval patented the cream separator. Today, DeLaval has 4,500 employees and operates in more than 100 markets. DeLaval, alongside Tetra Pak and Sidel, is part of the Tetra Laval Group. See more at www.delavalcorporate.com For more information: Kristina Hunter Nilsson Manager External Communications +46 72 5099992 kristina.hunter-nilsson@delaval.com SOURCE DeLaval LONDON, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Chubb today announced that Jeremy Miles, Head of Distribution for UK and Ireland, has been promoted to the role of Senior Vice President, Personal Risk Services, Europe. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160121/324916LOGO In this role, Jeremy will have responsibility for the performance of the company's high net worth personal lines business in Europe and its further development and expansion into new markets within the region. Jeremy has 32 years of insurance industry experience, including over 20 at Chubb. Before assuming his current role in January 2016, Jeremy served as UK and Ireland Manager for legacy Chubb. Prior to this, he served as the company's London Manager and as Specialty Insurance Manager. Jeremy joined Chubb in 1996 as a senior executive protection underwriter and he has held several underwriting and broking positions within financial lines during his extensive career. The appointment is effective immediately. Jeremy will join Chubb's European executive committee and will continue to be based in London, reporting to Jalil Rehman, Executive Vice President and Chief Business Operations Officer, Europe with a matrix reporting line to Darryl Page, Vice President, Chubb Group and Division President, International Personal Lines. Jeremy assumes the European responsibilities of Simon Mobey, who has decided to leave the company. Jalil Rehman, Executive Vice President and Chief Business Operations Officer, Europe, said: "I am thrilled to welcome such a seasoned insurance professional as Jeremy to this important role for Chubb. Gained over more than three decades, Jeremy's mix of underwriting and sales experience, combined with his strong broker and market relationships, will be great assets for the business. "Delivering a superior insurance proposition and exceptional claims service for our high net worth clients remain our top priorities and, under Jeremy's leadership, this strategy remains in safe hands. Together with our highly experienced team of personal lines specialists, Jeremy will also ensure that we work even more closely with our broker partners to create new opportunities for mutual growth, including expansion into new markets such as Switzerland and Monaco. "Simon leaves with our sincere thanks for his contribution over the past two decades and our very best wishes for the future." About Chubb Chubb is the world's largest publicly traded property and casualty insurance company. With operations in 54 countries, Chubb provides commercial and personal property and casualty insurance, personal accident and supplemental health insurance, reinsurance and life insurance to a diverse group of clients. The company is distinguished by its extensive product and service offerings, broad distribution capabilities, exceptional financial strength, underwriting excellence, superior claims handling expertise and local operations globally. Parent company Chubb Limited is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: CB) and is a component of the S&P 500 index. Chubb maintains executive offices in Zurich, New York, London and other locations, and employs approximately 31,000 people worldwide. Additional information can be found at: new.chubb.com Related Links http://new.chubb.com/en/us SOURCE Chubb Heller Industries is focused on reducing the total cost of ownership for its customers MOUNTAIN VIEW, California, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Based on its recent analysis of the surface mount technology (SMT) reflow soldering equipment market, Frost & Sullivan recognizes Heller Industries, Inc. with the 2016 Global Frost & Sullivan Award for Growth Excellence Leadership. Heller Industries has made remarkable improvements to its product and technology portfolios over the last 10 years to emerge a top participant in the SMT reflow soldering equipment market. The company's decisions to adopt a competitive pricing strategy and fulfil every client's requirements, no matter how unusual or unique, have proven to be winning moves. Heller Industries Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160620/381193 Heller Industries recognized the growing importance of Industry 4.0 and anticipated that its customers would require their SMT reflow soldering equipment to offer increased connectivity and automation. The company is looking to fortify its already strong R&D divisions spanning the United States, South Korea, and China in order to address all customer requests. In addition, Heller Industries is focusing on expanding in Europe and Asia. "The company strongly believes its long-term growth sustainability is linked to its ability to expand its product portfolio and global footprint, as well as recruit top talent that can implement its vision," said Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Apoorva Ravikrishnan. "To attract customers from all segments, it has ensured that its innovative and reliable SMT reflow soldering equipment is available at affordable prices." In line with its goal of rolling out products with a low total cost of ownership, Heller Industries has collaborated with IBM Microelectronics to develop fluxless mass reflow furnace equipment that eliminates the need for pre-reflow fluxing and post-reflow flux cleanup steps. Such partnerships have gone a long way in helping the company win new customers and retain existing ones. Heller Industries' R&D engineers are constantly improving the SMT reflow soldering equipment to handle the demands of Industry 4.0 while reducing the equipment's nitrogen and power consumption. The company's equipment currently operates below 10 kilowatts (kW), making it more power-efficient than most competing products. Its design engineers are working to bring this within the 8 kW to 9 kW range. Heller Industries works closely with its customers to ensure that its products are designed to suit the latters' unique needs. The company has implemented an extensive feedback system, wherein customer feedback is registered and reviewed every month, and that any design reconfiguration is addressed immediately across all relevant products. "Heller Industries is also quick to offer extended support services to its customers," noted Apoorva. "This is possible because it has a service center in all of its operating regions globally. In rare cases where no service center is available, it uses a third-party service provider that has been trained to work with the company's equipment." Furthermore, to harness the huge demand stoked by Industry 4.0, the company is leaving no stone unturned to promote its technological capabilities. It has employed aggressive marketing on a global scale to build the brand name to be synonymous with innovation. Overall, Heller Industries' long-term plan to sustain growth and leverage top talent in the SMT reflow soldering equipment market, along providing with an excellent price-performance value, gives it an edge over other market participants. Each year, Frost & Sullivan bestows this award upon the company that has demonstrated excellence in growth and customer value. It recognizes the superiority of the product/service as well as the overall customer, purchase, ownership, and service experience offered, which has resulted in the recipient company seeing above-market growth and greater share of wallet. The award lauds the growth, diversification and sustainability strategies of the company. Frost & Sullivan Best Practices awards recognize companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis, and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry. About Heller Industries, Inc. Heller Industries is a global industry-leading supplier of thermal process solutions for the Semiconductor, SMT and Solar markets. Heller has pioneered many significant technology innovations in the reflow and curing processes. www.hellerindustries.com. For additional information: contact Heller Industries, Inc. 4 Vreeland Road, Florham Park, NJ 07932, USA Contact: Marc Peo E-mail: mpeo@hellerindustries.com Tel: +1-973-377-6800 EXT 313 Fax: +1-973-377-3862 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 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 Us: Start the discussion Join Us: Join our community Subscribe: Newsletter on "the next big thing" Register: Gain access to visionary innovation Contact: Chiara Carella P: +44 (0) 207.343.8314 F: 210.348.1003 E: chiara.carella@frost.com Related Links http://www.frost.com SOURCE Frost & Sullivan DUBLIN, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Dairy Herd Management Market by Product, Application, and Region - Global Forecast to 2021" report to their offering. The global dairy herd management market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 7.8% during the forecast period to reach USD 2.90 Billion by 2021 The market is broadly categorized into hardware & systems and standalone software. The hardware & systems segment includes milk management systems, fertility management systems, feeding management systems, cattle management systems, and accessories, whereas the standalone software segment includes on-premise software and web-based/cloud-based software. The hardware & systems segment is estimated to account for the largest share of the dairy herd management market in 2016; this large share is attributed to the rising demand for herd management systems as well as dairy products, increasing preference for automated hardware and systems, technological advancements, and increasing number of dairy cattle globally. Increasing herd size of dairy farms and growing production & consumption of milk and dairy products across various regions are the major factors driving the growth of the market. In addition, factors such as substantial cost savings associated with dairy herd management and key benefits offered by the implementation of smart farming techniques are further stimulating the growth of the market. However, the dearth of trained dairy professionals across the globe and ongoing campaigns to save dairy animals from unethical practices are restraining the growth of the market. The key players in the dairy herd management market includes Afimilk Ltd. (Kibbutz, Israel), GEA Group AG (Germany), DeLaval (Sweden), Dairy Master (Ireland), BouMatic (U.S.), Infovet (India), Lely Holdings S.A.R.L (Netherlands), SCR Dairy, Inc. (Israel), Sum-It Computer Systems, Ltd. (U.K.), and Valley Agriculture Software (U.S.). The major stakeholders of the dairy herd management market include: - Dairy herd management hardware and system manufacturers and vendors - Associations related to dairy herd management, medium-scale, and large-scale dairy farms - Research and consulting firms - Dairy herd management software manufacturers and vendors Scope of the Report Global Dairy Herd Management Market, by Product - Hardware and Systems -- Milk Management Systems -- Fertility Management Systems -- Feeding Management Systems -- Cattle Management Systems -- Accessories - Standalone Software - On-premise Software - Web-based/Cloud-based Software Global Dairy Herd Management Market, by Application - Milk Harvesting - Reproduction Management - Animal Comfort - Feeding Management - Heat Stress Management - Calf Management - Others Companies Mentioned - Afimilk Ltd. - Boumatic - Dairymaster - Delaval (A Key Subsidiary of Tetra Laval International, S.A.) - GEA Group AG - Infovet - Lely Holding S.A.R.L - SCR Dairy, Inc. (An Independent Division of Allflex Group) - Sum-It Computer Systems, Ltd. - Valley Agriculture Software For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/s8qhzz/dairy_herd 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 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "DNA Repair Drugs: Focus on PARP Inhibitors, 2016-2026" report to their offering. The DNA Repair Drugs: Focus on PARP Inhibitors, 2016-2026 report is an elaborate study of drugs targeting DNA damage and repair systems, particularly, the enzyme PARP. DNA, the repository of genetic information, is susceptible to damage caused by several environmental and synthetic agents. DNA damage leads to the incorporation of defects and aberrations in the genome that often result in functional mutations. When these mutations occur in genes coding for vital proteins and/or enzymes, it leads to the development of genetic diseases. However, our biological system is equipped with a robust repair mechanism capable of correcting damaged DNA sequences. PARP inhibitors and other similar therapeutics are designed to augment the body's innate DNA repair mechanism and aid in the treatment of diseases associated with genetic aberrations. So far, this emerging class of drugs has only been evaluated across a niche population segment. This has led to increased efforts in the development of therapeutics targeting cells that harbor defects in their repair systems. There are several targets, other than PARP, that are also under clinical evaluation. The PARP inhibitors market consists of a thin but promising pipeline of products targeting various indications. Since its serendipitous discovery, the developmental history of these candidate therapeutics has been full of ups and downs. The recalling of the late stage molecule, iniparib, and the termination of several other candidate therapeutics significantly impacted the growth of this segment of the industry. However, it has picked up pace after the commercialization of LynparzaTM (olaparib), the only marketed PARP inhibitor till date. It is important to highlight the role of companion diagnostics, which have significantly contributed to growth in this segment. These molecular tools enabled therapy developers to accurately identify eligible patient groups. Encouraging clinical results demonstrating prolonged PFS and overall survival rates have also accelerated the progress of this drug class. One of the key objectives of this study was to review and quantify the opportunities laid by the academia/industry players involved in this space. Considering the success of olaparib and clinical data from other active late stage development programs, we have presented an opinion on the anticipated success of PARP inhibitors. Example Highlights - Overall, we have identified 11 unique PARP inhibitors under clinical/preclinical development; of these, eight (73%) are being developed for oncological indications, two (18%) are under development for stroke and one (9%) is being developed for smoke inhalation injury and primary graft dysfunction. - Four drugs are in late phase (phase III) of development; veliparib (AbbVie), talazoparib (Medivation), niraparib (Tesaro) and rucaparib (Clovis Oncology). - Myriad Genetics and Foundation Medicine have emerged as the major diagnostic developers to actively join hands with PARP inhibitor developers. A companion diagnostic kit called BRACAnalysis CDx, developed by Myriad Genetics, has been approved to be used with olaparib to detect mutations in the BRCA genes. - We anticipate the PARP inhibitors market to grow aggressively at a healthy annual growth rate of 42% between 2016 and 2026. In the longer term, we expect the market to continue to rise steadily with high adoption rates of marketed drugs and approval of new drugs and indications. - The overall opportunity will certainly face credible competition from several other classes of DNA repair inhibitors that are currently under development. Some prominent examples include APE inhibitors, nucleotide excision repair (NER) pathway inhibitors, O(6)-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) inhibitors, DNA-protein kinase (DNA-PK) inhibitors, histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors, cyclin dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors and checkpoint kinase (CHK1) inhibitors. Key Topics Covered: 1. Preface 2. Executive Summary 3. Dna Damage And Repair Systems 4. Poly Adp-Ribose Polymerase Inhibitors 5. History Of Development 6. Market Landscape 7. Drug Profiles 8. Market Forecast 9. Publication Analysis 10. Competing Classes 11. Conclusion 12. Appendix I: Tabulated Data 13. Appendix II: List Of Companies And Organizations Companies Mentioned - 35 of the 150+ Companies - 4SC AG - ARCAGY/ GINECO GROUP - AbbVie - Agouron Pharmaceuticals - Almac Group - American Association for Cancer Research - American Society of Clinical Oncology - Array BioPharma - Ascopharm Groupe Novasco - Astellas - Astex Pharmaceuticals - AstraZeneca - BeiGene - Beijing Cancer Hospital - Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center - BiPar Sciences - BioMarin Pharmaceuticals - Br.E.A.S.T. -Data Center & Operational Office Institut Jules Bordet - Breast Cancer Research Foundation - Breast International Group - Bristol Myers Squibb - British Columbia Cancer Agency - Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust - Cancer Research UK - Cedars-Sinai Medical Center - Celgene - Cephalon - Checkpoint Therapeutics - ChemPartners (Service unit of ShangPharma) - Christie Hospital NHS Foundation Trust - Clovis Oncology - Cooperative Ovarian Cancer Group for Immunotherapy - Cyclacel Pharmaceuticals - Cyteir Therapeutics - Dana-Farber Cancer Institute For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/3jhrv4/dna_repair_drugs 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 - 27% of executives believe digitalization is the greatest disruptor to their core business - 49% of executives are focused on strategic transactions and alliances to drive growth than half are pursuing deals in adjacent markets LONDON, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Customer behavior and digital disruption are driving dealmaking intentions in the global telecommunications sector, according to EY's 14th biannual Telecommunications Global Capital Confidence Barometer (CCB). The report surveyed 110 telco industry leaders around the world; 59% of them were CEOs, CFOs and other C-level executives. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160620/381362LOGO For 27% of executives, advances in technology and digitalization present the greatest disruption to their core business. As a result, 49% of sector leaders are looking for strategic acquisitions and alliances that allow them to address changing consumer preferences, while 45% seek to make better use of emerging digital and analytics technologies to compete more effectively with nimble and disruptive industry players. Gaeron McClure, EY Global Telecommunications Leader, Transaction Advisory Services, says: "Some telecommunications companies have seized on alliance opportunities with auto makers to provide end-to-end solutions that connect the Internet of Things (IoT) to the connected car for premium buyers. Others have worked with banks to deliver mobile banking and micropayment options to their customers, while some are teaming with media or technology companies to bring new products and services to market. We expect to see many more alliances of this nature as emerging technologies become ubiquitous." Following a wave of industry consolidation in 2015, overall deal intentions have stabilized, but the M&A market remains robust 43% of global telecommunications executives plan to actively pursue acquisitions in the next 12 months and 62% have three or more deals in the pipeline. According to the report, digital disruption and changing consumer preferences have telecommunications executives considering deals outside of the telco sector. More than a third (34%) of respondents are pursuing cross-sector deals to gain access to new materials or digital technologies, while 30% are pursuing adjacent market deals that address changes in customer behavior. Seventy-three percent of telco sector executives are looking outside of their home markets for deal opportunities, with the US, the UK and Canada topping executives' list of top destinations to pursue an acquisition in the next 12 months. In terms of emerging markets, Brazil and India represent the top two choices, according to the report. McClure says: "In a mature industry and facing a host of opportunities and risks from digital disruption, telecommunications companies are shrewdly considering deals domestically and abroad that will help them create new experiences in an effort to retain existing customers and entice new ones in an increasingly crowded business landscape." For a full copy of Telecommunications Global Capital Confidence Barometer, visit ey.com/ccb/telecommunications. About EY EY is a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services. The insights and quality services we deliver help build trust and confidence in the capital markets and in economies the world over. We develop outstanding leaders who team to deliver on our promises to all of our stakeholders. In so doing, we play a critical role in building a better working world for our people, for our clients and for our communities. EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more, of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com. This news release has been issued by EYGM Limited, a member of the global EY organization that also does not provide any services to clients. About EY's Global Telecommunications Sector Telecommunications operators are facing a rapidly transforming business model. Competition from technology companies is creating challenges around customer ownership. Service innovation, pricing pressures and network capacity are intensifying scrutiny of the return on investments. In addition, regulatory pressures and shareholder expectations require agility and cost efficiency. If you are facing these challenges, we can provide a sector-based perspective on addressing your assurance, advisory, transaction and tax needs. Our Global Telecommunications Sector is a virtual hub that brings together people, cultures and leading ideas from across the world. Whatever your need, we can help you improve the performance of your business.Visit us at ey.com/telecommunications and follow us on Twitter @EY_Telecoms. About EY's Global Capital Confidence Barometer The Global Capital Confidence Barometer gauges corporate confidence in the economic outlook and identifies boardroom trends and practices in the way companies manage their Capital Agendas EY's framework for strategically managing capital. The Barometer is a regular survey of senior executives from large companies around the world, from many industries, conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). In February 2016 and March 2016, we surveyed more than 1,700 executives in 45 countries. In this survey, we had 110 respondents from telecommunications companies, of which 59% were CEOs, CFOs and other C-level executives. A full copy of the report is available at ey.com/ccb/telecommunications. Virginia Milazzo EY Global Media Relations +1 212 360 9261 virginia.milazzo@ey.com Related Links http://www.ey.com SOURCE EY Lotte suspected of using shell company in Vietnam for slush funds Lotte Group has come under suspicion of creating a slush fund in the process of investing in real estate in Vietnam through a paper company, involving several affiliates, sources with knowledge of the matter said Tuesday. Lotte Engineering & Construction Co., a construction unit under the retail giant, in 2014 built a 65-story skyscraper in the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi, which also involves a five-star hotel, a department store, residences and offices. For the $400 million project, Lotte Asset Development, the group's real estate investment arm, bought Coralis, a special purpose company based in Luxembourg, for 69.7 billion won ($60.2 million). Luxembourg is known as one of the world's major tax havens. Later, Lotte Shopping and Hotel Lotte, two major affiliates of Lotte Group, each bought a 45 percent stake, lowering Lotte Asset Development's ownership to 10 percent. But Coralis logged a net loss of 55.1 billion won last year, which lead to suspicions that Lotte pushed for the project despite financial burden on the group. The entrance of Lotte Group's headquarters in central Seoul is seen, Friday. Prosecutors raided the building as well as other group affiliates and residences of key executives to collect evidence of the group's alleged slush funds and illegal lobbying activities. Photo by Korea Times/ Bae Woo-han Prosecutors suspect Lotte Group has overestimated expenses of the paper company to exaggerate losses as a way to create a slush fund for the owner family, according to multiple sources. Lotte has denied such allegations, saying it bought the paper company to acquire the right to do business and lease land in Vietnam. "Establishing a special purpose company is a business strategy adopted by most companies when they invest overseas or push for development projects to apply under local regulations and improve operational efficiency," a senior Lotte official said. Company Adds Management Bench Depth to Ensure Customer Success REDWOOD CITY, California, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- i2c, a global provider of smarter payments and integrated commerce solutions, today announced the expansion of its worldwide customer success organization, with key additions to its Global Client Success team and its product marketing and management leadership. i2c continues to strengthen its management team in support of accelerating demand for its credit and prepaid card processing services. Stephen Diamond, vice president, Client Engagement, i2c Inc. Lisa Fugate, vice president of credit processing, i2c inc. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151020/278944LOGO Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160617/380900 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160617/380901 The company appointed payments industry veteran Stephen Diamond as vice president Client Engagement, leading the global Client Engagement team. Mr. Diamond and his team are chartered with helping clients succeed through exceptional service and support across all phases of their interaction with i2c. Mr. Diamond brings over 30 years of experience in all facets of the payments industry, including 16 years of experience in supporting global prepaid solutions. In a prior role at Visa, Mr. Diamond was a leader in the development of the prepaid category in the United States. "i2c is on a sharp growth trajectory, adding Fortune 1000 customers with more complex programs," said Cathy Corby Iannuzzelli, senior vice president of Global Client Success at i2c. "It is essential that we continue to provide the industry's best support and services to ensure our customers' success. Steve has an outstanding record of doing just that. He and his Client Engagement team are the ambassadors of i2c, representing us at all levels in client organizations and partnering closely with them to grow their programs and businesses." The company also added additional key talent to scale its Global Client Success team. Ayesha Haque joins as director, client management, and Jake Posey joins as director, program management. Reporting to Mr. Diamond, Ms. Haque leads the AP/MENA Client Account Management team and brings more than 14 years' experience leading account and support teams serving global customer bases. Mr. Posey oversees Program Management Services and comes with a decade of experience in prepaid program management, notably with FSV, a processor that is now a division of US Bank. Product Management, Marketing, and Operations i2c also added veteran credit and payments industry talent to its product management and marketing teams. Lisa Fugate joins as vice president of credit processing. Reporting to i2c's CEO Amir Wain, Ms. Fugate is responsible for the development and growth of the company's credit processing solution. With over 16 years of leadership experience in product management, marketing, and sales, Ms. Fugate comes to i2c from First Data, where she held senior positions supporting product, sales, and marketing in the company's Financial Services business. Ginger Sayor joins i2c as vice president of global product marketing. Ms. Sayor held marketing leadership roles at First Data where she was responsible for small business solutions and supported the ecommerce and security businesses. Stewart Yeung joins as director of finance. Reporting to the company's CFO, Mr. Yeung is based in i2c's global operations center in Montreal, where he will also help oversee administration, staffing, and human resources. He previously held financial leadership roles with payments processor Optimal Payments, Kitco Metals, and IT solutions provider Quadbridge. With these and other personnel additions, i2c has a growing workforce of over 570 professionals. About i2c Inc. From its Silicon Valley headquarters, i2c provides smarter payments and integrated commerce solutions that financial institutions, corporations, brands, and governments around the world rely on to deliver high impact, personalized experiences today's consumers expect. i2c's single, global cloud-based platform supports virtually any card payment program in plastic, virtual, or mobile form. Our customers use the i2c platform to deliver profitable credit, debit, and prepaid solutions that meet the highly differentiated needs of cardholders in 216 countries and territories. For more information, visit www.i2cinc.com. Related Links http://www.i2cinc.com SOURCE i2c Inc. MUNICH, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Today marks the start of ees Europe 2016. At Europe's largest exhibition for batteries and energy storage systems, exhibitors from all around the world are set to showcase the most up-to-date products, services and solutions in renewable energy storage until June 24, 2016. This year, ees Europe is taking place in parallel with Intersolar Europe, the world's leading exhibition for the solar industry and its partners. Replacing large-scale nuclear and fossil fuel power stations, power is increasingly being supplied by decentralized, regenerative energy producers. Working in combination with these different forms of electricity generation, intelligent storage solutions play a crucial role in guaranteeing supply safety. No wonder then, that the energy storage industry is booming. This growth is also fueled by falling prices in the industry. According to a recent survey conducted by ees and Intersolar Europe together with the German Solar Association (BSW-Solar), the purchasing costs for turnkey solar storage systems for private homes have fallen by over 30% in the last 24 months, due to economies of scale and technical developments. The consequence: Domestic storage systems for solar power in particular are becoming increasingly cost-efficient, which is leading to greater investment in these technologies. Numerous companies are taking advantage of the considerable momentum in the market to expand their business - or to enter the market for the first time, such as Daimler AG for example, who announced the foundation of the Mercedes-Benz Energy GmbH at the start of June 2016. Nissan has reported entering a partnership with Eaton this year to capture the domestic storage system market, and Tesla Energy and the BMW Group have also moved into the market. E-mobility is another important factor driving the energy storage market forward. Electric cars are not just a low-emission form of transport: As mobile energy storage units, they are one of the mainstays in the grid of the future. A few weeks ago, Norway took a pioneering step in this direction and is aiming to rely entirely on electric cars by 2025. Germany is also advocating e-mobility. The German government has set itself the target of bringing one million electric cars onto the country's roads by 2020 and has set up an incentive program in order to achieve this. The conditions are therefore extremely favorable for ees Europe, which opens its doors today for the third time. Exhibitors are presenting their innovations, solutions and services in the area of efficient and sustainable energy storage from June 22-24. ees Europe's success story ees Europe has developed impressively since 2014: Even after the exhibition recorded significant growth in 2015, the exhibition space increased again by 40% to over 12,000 sqm in 2016. Here, 213 battery and energy storage manufacturers are set to showcase their products and services - representing an increase of 35% compared with last year. Together with Intersolar Europe, which takes place at the same time, 369 of the total 1,077 exhibitors are presenting energy storage solutions. Many exhibitors have expanded their exhibition segment and are displaying an even broader range of new products, in comparison with previous years. In a remarkably short period of time, the event has established itself as a leading exhibition in Europe. Special exhibits: Wind meets Solar and Storage and E-Mobility & Renewable Energy Visitors can find out about the current trends in the industry at two special exhibits. At the exhibition space Wind meets Solar and Storage (hall B2, booth B2.290), researchers from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) will be demonstrating how different technologies for power generation and energy storage are connected to consumers in a smart energy system that utilizes the most up-to-date information technologies. One of the centerpieces of the special exhibit is the prototype of an energy storage device measuring almost 100 cubic meters. The exhibition demonstrates how batteries can work in combination with a PV installation and a wind turbine to guarantee the optimal supply safety and grid stability. Along these lines, sessions titled Integration Strategies and Virtual Power Plants are taking place at the Smart Renewable Energy Forum on Thursday, June 23, starting at 1:00pm (hall B2, booth B2.131). The special exhibit E-Mobility & Renewable Energy showcases intelligent solutions for integrating electric vehicles and presents new vehicle concepts and innovative charging technologies in hall B1, booth B1.190. It plays host to innovations from companies such as Tesla, Nissan, GridSense and Parkstrom until June 24. The ees AWARD, ees Forum and ees Conference For the third time in a row, the ees AWARD is set to pay tribute to outstanding innovations in energy storage on the first day of the exhibition. All companies who exhibited at an ees or Intersolar event around the world in 2016 were able to make a submission. The winners will be announced at an official award ceremony today at the Innovation and Application Forum (4:30pm, hall A2, booth A2.530). Another important feature of the exhibition's accompanying program: the ees Forum. In hall B1, booth B1.151 on all three exhibition days, industry experts will be speaking about their experiences in the manufacturing, sales, installation and application of batteries and energy storage systems. Following the successful premiere last year, the ees Conference is taking place again in 2016. From June 21-22, 2016, the presentations held by expert panels at ICM - Internationales Congress Center Munchen - offer visitors the opportunity to find out about the latest advancements in the field of storage devices and storage management, as well as how to use storage systems economically. They will be discussing topical issues in the industry, ranging from political conditions and financing, to new technical accomplishments. ees Europe 2016 takes place alongside Intersolar Europe at Messe Munchen from June 22-24, 2016. Further information on ees Europe 2016 can be found at http://www.ees-europe.com About ees The global ees exhibition series is the industry meeting point, bringing together manufacturers, distributors, users and suppliers of stationary and mobile electricity storage systems. The ees exhibitions are co-organized with Intersolar, the leading exhibition series for the solar industry. The ees exhibitions and accompanying ees Conferences are dedicated to renewable energy storage solutions, from residential and commercial applications to large-scale storage systems for stabilizing the grid. Other focal points are products and solutions for smart renewable energy, energy management, e-mobility and uninterruptible power supply (UPS). With ees Europe in Munich, ees North America in San Francisco and ees India in Mumbai, ees is represented on three continents. ees Europe is the continent's largest exhibition with the greatest number of visitors for the battery and energy storage industry. More than 158 exhibitors took part in ees Europe 2015 (326 companies together with energy storage exhibitors at Intersolar Europe) and approx. 38,000 visitors from 165 countries flocked to Munich. Partners of ees Europe ZVEI (German Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers' Association), EUROBAT (the Association of European Automotive and Industrial Battery Manufacturers), Naatbatt (the National Alliance for Advanced Technology Batteries), and BSW-Solar (German Solar Association). For more information on ees Europe, please visit: http://www.ees-europe.com ees Europe is organized by Solar Promotion GmbH, Pforzheim and Freiburg Wirtschaft Touristik und Messe GmbH & Co. KG (FWTM). Contact: Solar Promotion GmbH | Postfach 100 170 | 75101 Pforzheim Horst Dufner | Tel: +49-7231-58598-0 | Fax: +49-7231-58598-28 | info@ees-europe.com Press contact: fischerAppelt, relations | Infanteriestrae 11a | 80797 Munchen Robert Schwarzenbock | Tel: +49-89-747466-23 | Fax: +49-89-747466-66 | rs@fischerAppelt.de SOURCE Intersolar Europe and ees Europe The Company Goes the Extra Mile to Reach Patients Across the Globe RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, North Carolina, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- As the diverse landscape for clinical trials continues to evolve, Marken implements new solutions which allow their clients to reach new patients in remote locations of the world. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110930/NY78064LOGO The company is extending its reach to areas such as Iran, Mongolia, the Azores, the South Pacific Islands and the most remote territories in Eastern Europe and Africa. It has also demonstrated its ability to deliver into and out of cities impacted by war, labor strikes, hurricanes, volcano eruptions and earthquakes. However, moving medical supplies and biologic samples into and out of these areas comes with significant challenges which include qualifying reliable transportation, defining import and export requirements and monitoring shipments continuously until they arrive on time and within stability. Many of the most remote territories which Marken operates in are closely tied to clinical campaigns where children and adults are in need of routine immunizations and vaccines. The World Health Organization (WHO) recently endorsed a plan to "close the immunization gap" worldwide for preventable diseases in "underserved remote areas, in deprived urban settings and in fragile states."* Marken has assured its customers that it will always find a way to service these locations. Recent advances in technology provide the opportunity for more patients to participate in trials, regardless of location. Likewise, the introduction of remote monitoring allows for coverage in rural areas. Marken utilizes innovative tracking technology, such as the Sentry device and Maestro software, to secure data and shipments thus making it possible to conduct clinical trials in these regions. "At the end of the day, our focus has always been to help our clients improve patient outcomes as a supply chain solutions provider," said Wes Wheeler, Chief Executive Officer of Marken. He further commented that Marken "is always looking ahead to the next frontier of research. We routinely work side by side with our clients to ensure continuity of their business. However, we are especially proud to serve when they have special needs in remote locations. We rarely, if ever, decline a challenge posed by our clients and will always do our part to keep the pace of clinical trials moving on time." ABOUT MARKEN Marken is the only patient-centric supply chain organization 100% dedicated to the pharmaceutical and life sciences industries. Marken maintains the leading position for Direct to Patient services and biological sample shipments, and offers a state of the art GMP-compliant depot network and logistic hubs in 43 locations worldwide. Marken's 630 staff members manage 50,000 drug and biological shipments every month at all temperature ranges in more than 150 countries. Additional services such as biological kit production, ancillary material sourcing, storage and distribution, shipment lane verification and qualifications, as well as GDP, regulatory and compliance consultancy add to Marken's unique position in the pharma and logistics industry. * www.who.int Related Links http://www.marken.com SOURCE Marken Watson Health Medical Imaging Collaborative Attracts Sixteen Leading Health Systems, Academic Medical Centers, Radiology Providers and Imaging Technology Companies CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced it has formed a Watson Health medical imaging collaborative, a global initiative comprised of more than fifteen leading health systems, academic medical centers, ambulatory radiology providers and imaging technology companies. The collaborative aims to bring cognitive imaging into daily practice to help doctors address breast, lung, and other cancers; diabetes; eye health; brain disease; and heart disease and related conditions, such as stroke. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090416/IBMLOGO Members of the collaborative plan to put Watson to work to extract insights from previously 'invisible' unstructured imaging data and combine that with a broad variety of data from other sources. In doing so, the efforts may help physicians make personalized care decisions relevant to a specific patient while building a body of knowledge to benefit broader patient populations. This information may include data from electronic health records, radiology and pathology reports, lab results, doctors' progress notes, medical journals, clinical care guidelines and published outcomes studies. Foundational members for the collaborative include Agfa HealthCare, Anne Arundel Medical Center, Baptist Health South Florida, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Hologic, Inc., ifa systems AG, inoveon, Radiology Associates of South Florida, Sentara Healthcare, Sheridan Healthcare, Topcon, UC San Diego Health, University of Miami Health System, University of Vermont Health Network and vRad, a MEDNAX (NYSE: MD) company as well as Merge Healthcare, an IBM company. As the work of the collaborative evolves Watson's rationale and insights will evolve, informed by the latest combined wisdom of these organizations. Initial plans include training Watson and evaluating potential new offerings in a variety of patient care environments ranging from stand-alone ambulatory settings to integrated health delivery networks. The aim in doing so is to gather data based on diverse real-world experience and to share findings to inform how the medical community might reduce operational and financial inefficiencies, improve physician workflows, and adopt a patient-focused approach to improving patient care and outcomes. Further, medical experts could determine how to integrate Watson into the existing health IT systems of the imaging technology companies in the collaborative. For example, integrating with electronic health records and PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication Systems) to deliver cognitive insights to providers within existing clinical workflows. "There is strong potential for systems like Watson to help to make radiologists more productive, diagnoses more accurate, decisions more sound, and costs more manageable," said Nadim Michel Daher, a medical imaging and informatics analyst for Frost & Sullivan. "This is the type of collaborative initiative needed to produce the real-world evidence and examples to advance the field of medical imaging and address patient care needs across large and growing disease states." Recent studies reveal that inadequate, unnecessary, uncoordinated, and inefficient care and suboptimal business processes eat up at least 35%and maybe over 50%of the more than $3 trillion the United States spends annually on healthcare. That suggests more than $1 trillion is being squandered.1 Watson Health aims to help healthcare professionals improve care and reduce waste by enabling enhanced utilization of medical imaging data and providing cognitive offerings and services that support a doctor's ability to make tailored medical recommendations personalized to each patient's unique needs. "With the ability to draw insights from massive volumes of integrated structured and unstructured data sources, cognitive computing could transform how clinicians diagnose, treat and monitor patients," said Anne Le Grand, who recently joined IBM as vice president of Imaging for Watson Health. Ms. Le Grand brings more than 30 years' experience building global businesses that operate at the intersection of imaging, informatics, diagnostics and professional services. "Through IBM's medical imaging collaborative, Watson may create opportunities for clinicians to extract greater insights and value from imaging data while better managing costs." How Watson's Ability to Analyze Image Data Could Transform Care Members of the collaborative are expected to team with Watson Health cognitive computing experts to train Watson on cardiovascular disease, eye health and other conditions using data provided by the members of the collaborative or from population-based disease registries, which house millions of de-identified cases from around the world. To help create new solutions powered by Watson, the industry members of the collaborative could integrate Watson into their workflow systems or image management software. For example, members of the collaborative could train Watson to detect cardiovascular disease early and identify commonly overlooked heart health conditions such as congestive heart failure or myocardial infarction (heart attack). For early disease detection, Watson could be trained to analyze and 'score' a coronary angiogram (a video image of a beating heart) for physician review. This score, commonly known as a SYNTAX score, is one factor used by physicians to decide to refer a patient with coronary artery disease to a minimally invasive stent procedure or a coronary artery bypass graft procedure. In regard to commonly overlooked heart conditions, Watson could be trained to identify congestive heart failure early by 'learning' how patients' hearts are likely to start failing and then monitoring disease progression. Further, Watson could aid physicians in discerning chest pain likely to indicate a future heart attack from chest pain related to a different health condition. Chest pain is a leading reason people visit a hospital emergency room each year, yet of the estimated 7 million people with chest pain who make it to an ER2 as much as 2% may suffer a heart attack at home after a hospital discharge because signs of imminent heart attack were missed3. Eye health is another area of focus for the collaborative. Members involved in this work may undertake projects to develop an evidence-based clinical decision support system for ophthalmologists and optometrists. For example, offerings could take the form of an online tool for eye clinics and ophthalmic practices that enables early detection and monitoring of common eye diseases among high-risk patient populations, such as detecting diabetic retinopathy among people with pre-diabetes or diabetes and people with obesity or heart disease. The Watson Health medical imaging collaborative furthers IBM's commitment to work in close concert with healthcare professionals to develop offerings for the medical community. Watson for Oncology and Watson Clinic Trial Matching are examples of this approach, as are relationships with the American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association and American Heart Association. IBM will open the first Watson Health European Center of Excellence in Milan near the Human Technopole Italy 2040 research campus, supporting the government of Italy's initiative to establish an international hub for the advancement of genomics, big data, aging, and nutrition. About IBM Watson Health Watson is the first commercially available cognitive computing capability representing a new era in computing. The system, delivered through the cloud, analyzes high volumes of data, understands complex questions posed in natural language, and proposes evidence-based answers. Watson continuously learns, gaining in value and knowledge over time, from previous interactions. In April 2015, the company launched IBM Watson Health and the Watson Health Cloud platform. The new unit will help improve the ability of doctors, researchers and insurers to innovate by surfacing insights from the massive amount of personal health data being created and shared daily. The Watson Health Cloud will allow this information to be de-identified, shared and combined with a dynamic and constantly growing aggregated view of clinical, research and social health data. For more information on IBM Watson, visit: ibm.com/watson. For more information on IBM Watson Health, visit: ibm.com/watsonhealth. Check out the IBM Watson press kit at: http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/presskit/27297.wss. Join the conversation at #ibmwatson and #watsonhealth. Follow Watson on Facebook and see Watson on YouTube and Flickr. Media Contact Lorie Fiber IBM Communications Phone: 646-318-0575 E-mail: lfiber@us.ibm.com 1 https://hbr.org/2016/07/the-case-for-capitation (July/August 2016 issue) 2 Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. "Many people in emergency department for chest pain don't need admitted." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 18 May 2015. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/05/150518121155.htm. 3 Pope J.H., Aufderheide T.P., Ruthazer R., et al; Missed diagnoses of acute cardiac ischemia in the emergency department. N Engl J Med. 2000;342:1163-1170. Related Links http://ibm.com SOURCE IBM LONDON, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The fashion supply chain is both complex and agile. The advent of global supply, "fast fashion", eCommerce, mobile commerce, social media and other digital trends means that the time from design to sale has reduced dramatically and that consumer choice and expectation has grown accordingly. Consumers are driving changes in the industry and the ability to listen to them and respond quickly while managing an ever-evolving supply chain is a huge challenge for fashion companies. The position that an organisation holds in this chain, as well as the nature of its offering, will determine the challenges it faces and the technology and business process solutions that it needs. Lumenia Consulting's latest white paper ERP and Business Systems for the Fashion Industry addresses the factors that fashion and apparel companies need to consider when investing in new or replacement business systems to support their product development, supply chain, retail and back office operations. The white paper examines the different perspectives that companies might need to consider based on supply chain position, organisation or group structure, geographical spread, brand offering (quality and price point) and whether the organisation owns and develops its own brands or markets others. Also discussed are what types of systems can fulfil the needs of fashion companies, from specialist point solutions to integrated fashion focused ERP systems. As part of this discussion the key functional requirements that are important to fashion businesses in comparison to other businesses are outlined. "The fashion industry has diverse and dynamic business systems requirements. If you are looking to modernise or replace your systems this white paper will prove invaluable reading," commented Ian O'Toole, Principal Consultant at Lumenia Consulting. To obtain a copy of this white paper please visit the Lumenia website at http://www.lumeniaconsulting.com where you can download a copy for free or send an email to info@lumeniaconsulting.com Lumenia Consulting is an independent, boutique management consulting organisation, specialising in the development of business systems strategy and the selection and implementation of enterprise applications - particularly Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems. Operating from offices in Ireland and the UK, Lumenia have delivered ERP or CRM projects in well over 100 organisations across the world. SOURCE Lumenia Consulting DUBLIN, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Fish Processing Market by Category (Frozen, Preserved, Others), Species (Fish, Crustaceans, Mollusks, Others), Application (Food & Non-food), Source (Marine & Inland), Equipment, and by Region - Global Forecast to 2021" report to their offering. The global market for fish processing has been growing steadily during the last few decades. In terms of value, the market is projected to reach USD 222.71 Billion by 2021, at a CAGR of 3.8% from 2016 to 2021 and is projected to reach 37,194.98 KT in terms of volume by 2021, at a CAGR of 2.2%. The fish processing market was dominated by the Asia-Pacific region in 2015. It is projected to be the fastest-growing market from 2016 to 2021. Economic growth and the shift of the preferences of the consumers toward value-added processed fish products have led to the market growth in this region. In Europe, countries such as Germany, U.K., France, Italy, Portugal, and Poland have shown increment in the capture rate of marine fish catering to the increased demand for processed fish products. The increasing prices of raw materials are adversely affecting the fish processing industry. The raw materials used in fish processing are a variety of fishes and other marine products. The prices of these raw materials are rising owing to the increase in the cost of aquaculture. Feed is the main input for any aquaculture and the prices of feed are continuously increasing due to which aquaculture is costly to maintain. The key players in this market have adopted various strategies to expand their global presence and increase their market share. Partnerships, agreements, collaborations, acquisitions, and new product launches are some of the key strategies adopted by market players to achieve growth in the global fish processing industry. The rising demand for processed fish products as well as high growth rate of fisheries and aquaculture in emerging countries has encouraged companies to adopt these strategies. Market players are focusing on entering into collaborations to share technical know-how related to biotechnology that can improve marine productivity. Charoen Pokphand Foods PCL (Thailand), Maruha Nichiro Corporation (Japan), and Nippon Suisan Kaisha, Ltd. (Japan) are some of the leading market players that adopted this strategy in order to develop their business. Fish Processing Market Report Scope Based on fish processing Category, the market has been segmented as follows: - Frozen - Preserved - Others (which includes cured, dried, smoked, salted, and surimi) Based on Application, the market has been segmented as follows: - Food - Non-food Based on Source, the market has been segmented as follows: - Marine - Inland Based on Species, the market has been segmented as follows: - Fish - Crustaceans - Mollusks - Others (which includes turtles and urchins) Based on Equipment, the market has been segmented as follows: - Slaughtering - Gutting - Scaling - Filleting - Deboning - Skinning - Curing & Smoking - Others (which includes packing and storing machines) Companies Mentioned - Charoen Pokphand Foods PCL - High Liner Foods Incorporated - Leroy Seafood Group ASA - Marine Harvest ASA - Maruha Nichiro Corporation - Nippon Suisan Kaisha, Ltd. - Norway Pelagic ASA - Pesconova S.A. - Royal Greenland A/S - Thai Union Frozen Products Public Company Limited For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/qqhlm2/fish_processing 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 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Global Wind Turbine Rotor Blade Market Analysis 2016 - Forecast to 2022" report to their offering. The report contains up to date financial data derived from varied research sources to present unique and reliable analysis of the global wind turbine rotor blade market. Assessment of major trends with potential impact on the market during the next five years, including a deep dive analysis of market segmentation which comprises of sub markets, regional and country level analysis. The report provides a comprehensive outlook about the market share along with strategic recommendations based on the emerging segments. This report analyzes the global markets for "Wind Turbine Rotor". The market assessment is performed through standard and the tailored research methodology approach. The market overview offers in depth analysis at the regional and country level, for instance North America (U.S., Canada and Mexico), Europe (Germany, France, Italy, U.K. and Spain), Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, India, Australia, South Korea and Rest of APAC) and Rest of the World (Middle East, Africa and Latin America). Annual estimations and forecasts are provided from the year 2013 to 2022 for each given segments and sub segments. Market data derived from the authenticated and reliable sources subjected to validation from the industry experts. The report also analyzes the market by discussing market dynamics such as drivers, constraints, opportunities, threats, challenges and other market trends. Competitive landscaping provides the recent activities performed by the active players in the market. Activities such as product launch, agreements, joint ventures, partnerships, acquisitions and mergers, and other activities. This report provides: Market Sizing estimations and forecasts for a minimum of 6 years of all the given segments, sub segments and the regional markets Identifying market dynamics (Drivers, Constraints, Opportunities, Threats, Challenges, Investment Opportunities, and recommendations) Strategic recommendations in key business segments based on the market estimations Regional and country level market analysis Competitive landscaping mapping the key common trends Company profiling covering the financials, recent activities and the future strategies Supply chain trends mapping the recent advancements Strategic recommendations for the new entrants Companies Mentioned: SINOI GmbH FlexSys General Electric Company Wuxi Turbine Blade Co., Ltd. Acciona, S.A. Technique Polytechnic Institute Nordex SE Gamesa Corporacion Tecnologica Sinomatech Wind Power Blade Co.,Ltd China National Materials Co., Ltd Acciona, S.A. INOX Wind Limited PowerBlades GmbH Zhong Hang Huiteng Wind Power Equipment Co., Ltd DeWind Siemens Wind Power Guodian United Power Technology MFG.com Suzlon Energy Limited, LM Windpower Goldwind Vestas Wind Systems A/S Aeroblade Enercon GmbH Report Structure: 1 Introduction 2 Executive Summary 3 Market Analysis 4 Porters Five Force Analysis 5 Wind Turbine Rotor Blade Market by Application 6 Wind Turbine Rotor Blade Market by Blade lengths 7 Wind Turbine Rotor Blade Market by Material type 8 Geographical Segmentation 9 Vendor Landscaping 10 Company Profiles 11 Appendix 12 Disclaimer For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/pvmbqd/global_wind 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 -- PCHA's Continua Design Guidelines Cited as the "leading open framework" for Interoperability in Personal Connected Health -- BRUSSELS and ARLINGTON, Virginia, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Health ministries and their agencies responsible for ICT systems from Austria, Catalonia, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden today delivered a joint letter to the eHealth Network endorsing large scale deployment of telehealth systems, outlining challenges to implementation, and requesting support to address telehealth challenges related to enabling technology and interoperability. All have made a commitment to open standards and interoperability, and to use the Continua Design Guidelines (CDGs) as part of advanced planning or deployment of their telehealth programs. The signers acknowledged the CDGs, published by the Personal Connected Health Alliance (PCHA), as 'the leading open framework for many technical interoperability aspects of personal connected health.' Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151110/285845LOGO The letter was signed by Dr. Stefan Sauermann, Interoperability/Standards Consultant to the Austrian Ministry of Health; Francesc Garcia Cuyas, Director of the TicSalut Foundation of the Catalan Ministry of Health; Lisbeth Nielsen, CEO of the Danish Health Data Authority; Annakaisa Iivari, Director of Social and Health Services at the Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health; Roar Olsen, Division Director at The Norwegian Directorate of eHealth; and Sara Meunier, Chief Technology Officer of Inera/Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions in Sweden. "Telehealth has demonstrated considerable potential as an approach for empowering citizens with timely personalized health data and improving health and quality of life for our people," said Sara Meunier, Chief Technology Officer of Inera/SALAR, the agency responsible for coordinating the joint eHealth activities across Sweden's county councils and municipalities; and member of PCHA. "Our letter appeals to the eHealth Network and its Member States to help us overcome gridlock in the industry and advance the adoption of open standards for interoperable personal connected health." The eHealth Network convenes 28 national responsible authorities on eHealth (27 EU Member States and Norway) and the European Commission to coordinate eHealth policies. Co-chaired by the Member States and the European Commission, it advances cooperation and joint initiatives in areas that the Member States deem in their common interest, including in the interoperability between electronic health systems for the continuity of care. The letter expresses the signers' continued confidence in the benefits of telehealth and commitment to open standards and interoperability, and details their experiences and observations with regard to open interoperable telehealth, including: technical challenges in moving legacy ICT systems towards telehealth need for stronger demand for the Continua Design Guidelines in the public sector to overcome industry inertia and advance open interoperability importance of ancillary measures to promote the market for interoperable devices The full letter is available here. "The Continua Design Guidelines were developed and are updated annually to support open, interoperable health data exchange that goes hand in hand with the public sector mission for convenient, personalized and high quality healthcare," said Rob Havasy, Executive Director, Continua; and Vice President, PCHA. "We are grateful for the pioneering work of these government agencies, that are paving the way for improved healthcare access, quality and outcomes through telehealth and personal connected health." The Personal Connected Health Alliance (PCHA) works collaboratively with health, technology and life sciences, public policy, research and advocacy groups to support a new norm of personal health engagement, positive behavior change and improved wellbeing and health outcomes. PCHA is focused on driving the agenda, creating an evidence base and mobilizing collective action to achieve personal connected health for all. PCHA hosts the annual Connected Health Conference, an international forum and expo for networking and showcasing advancements in research, innovations and opportunities in personal connected health. PCHA is a division of HIMSS and home to Continua, which publishes the annual Continua Design Guidelines. Continua is recognized as the international standard for user friendly end-to-end interoperability of personal connected health devices and systems. Related Links http://www.pchalliance.org SOURCE Personal Connected Health Alliance TENERIFE, Canary Islands, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The international aviation industry will gather in Tenerife this weekend for the 11th annual Routes Africa air service development forum (26-28 June). (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150730/250177LOGO ) Routes Africa is dedicated to improving air connectivity across the African continent. It stimulates the African aviation industry by bringing together airlines, airports and tourism authorities to discuss new air services. Tenerife Tourism Corporation is hosting the event with support from the Canary Islands Government. Closer to the African continent than the European mainland, Tenerife aims to become a connecting aviation hub or 'logistical stepping stone' between Africa and the Americas and Europe. Nearly six million tourists a year travel to the largest Canary Island for its beautiful beaches, national park, historical towns and warm climate. Routes Africa will provide Tenerife with a unique opportunity to showcase these attractions and make the case for introducing new air services. Investment in Tenerife's infrastructure will support further growth in the tourist sector. A new cruise terminal will open at Santa Cruz Port in September, five new five-star hotels will open over the next two years and there are plans to invest 120 million in a new terminal at Tenerife South Airport. The African aviation market also presents significant development opportunities. International Air Transport Association (IATA) figures predict that it will grow by 4.7% to 294 million passengers a year by 2034, and that seven of the world's ten fastest growing markets will be in Africa (Malawi, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Central African Republic, Tanzania, Uganda and Ethiopia). Some of the most senior network planners in the industry will attend Routes Africa to capitalise on the predicted growth of the market, including representatives from South African Airways, Royal Air Maroc, Malawian Airlines, Fastjet and major European carriers such as Iberia, Norwegian and Alitalia. Around 200 professionals are expected to attend the event. Delegates will also get the chance to hear industry leaders discussing the latest issues and trends at the 'Strategy Summit' conference. The speakers include Richard Bodin, chief commercial officer at Fastjet; Elijah Chingosho, secretary general at African Airlines Association (AFRAA) and Fernando Estrada, chief strategy officer at Vueling. Adrian Newton, group director at UBM EMEA (the organiser of Routes events) said: "Routes Africa has an important role to play in the development of the African aviation market. As the host of this year's event, Tenerife is in a great position to demonstrate the key role it can play in the development of air connectivity within the region." The president of theTenerife Government, Carlos Alonso, highlights: "Tenerife is very keen to improve its air connectivity with Africa and serve as an Atlantic platform for three continents, so holding Routes Africa on the island will be a unique opportunity for us to demonstrate the island's potential to senior representatives of the world's major airlines." For more information about Routes Africa 2016, go to the event website: http://www.routesonline.com/events/185/routes-africa-2016/ Routes Africa 2016, Gran Hotel Bahia del Duque, Costa Adeje, Tenerife, 26-28 June 2016. Notes to Editors About Routes Routes events are unique forums dedicated to the development of new air services. Five 'regional' route development forums are held between February and July in the Americas, Asia , Europe , Africa / Middle East and Silk Road/Russian Commonwealth, and the flagship World Routes event takes place in September. http://www.routesonline.com The events revolve around pre-scheduled meetings and an exhibition and conference which are delivered in partnership with host stakeholders. Hosts tend to be a collaboration between airports, tourism authorities and investment partners (the bidding process takes place two to three years before the event takes place). Routes was founded in 1995 and is part of the EMEA division of UBM plc. For further information contact: Karen Reeves Communications & Content Marketing Manager Routes, UBM EMEA T: +44(0)161-234-2721 M: +44(0)796-6405-105 E: Karen.Reeves@ubm.com Karen Blanchard Communication Tenerife Tourism Corporation T: +34-663-014-452 E: karen@webtenerife.com SOURCE Routes FLEET, Hampshire, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The FAST-OTA Capability Enables CTIA Approved Laboratory to Speed up MIMO OTA Testing of Mobile Devices by More Than Ten Times Anite, a global leader in wireless equipment testing technology, has today announced that Verkotan laboratory has recently selected Anite's Propsim F32 Channel Emulator to enable faster MIMO OTA testing in Verkotan's advanced wireless performance laboratory. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151109/285077LOGO ) (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160621/810160 ) Based in Finland, the laboratory includes a state-of-the art anechoic chamber large enough to test laptops as well as base stations aimed for deployment in 5G networks. Verkotan works closely with major mobile operators and manufacturers of wireless equipment, including wearables, seeking to outsource its testing needs to a high-end laboratory equipped to handle a wide range of testing requirements such as those mandated by CTIA. Anite's Propsim F32 enables Verkotan to verify that mobile devices with the latest technology features, including multiple antenna configurations and carrier aggregation, perform as expected. In August last year, CTIA released a standardised MIMO OTA performance test plan, which many manufacturers and mobile operators aim to conform with to ensure high levels of end-user experience. Propsim's FAST-OTA capability enables Verkotan to accelerate MIMO OTA testing of mobile devices by more than ten times compared to conventional testing methods. Anite's Propsim F32 Channel Emulator is the only single unit channel emulator that supports the minimum requirement of eight dual polarized antennas for MIMO OTA testing in an anechoic chamber. It can be expanded to support 16 dual polarized antennas (required for testing larger devices), making it a future-proof solution for upcoming technologies and device formats. Kari Komonen, CEO of Verkotan: "As a key standard in the mobile industry, MIMO OTA is vital to our growth potential. We selected Anite and its FAST MIMO OTA capability as our preferred supplier of channel emulation solutions to enable us to speed up MIMO OTA R&D and CTIA pre-certification testing." Paul Beaver, Products Director at Anite's Device & Infrastructure Testing business commented: "We are pleased to continue our collaboration with Verkotan, once part of a large European OEM. Their selection of Propsim underlines how much one of the world's most advanced MIMO OTA laboratories values channel emulation solutions with leading propagation characteristics for accurate and quick verification of devices." About Anite Anite is a leading supplier of test and measurement solutions to the international wireless market. It provides testing, measurement, optimisation and analytics systems based on its specialist sector knowledge and its proprietary software and hardware products. Customers include major manufacturers of mobile devices, chipsets and network equipment, mobile network operators, regulatory authorities, and independent test houses. Its 500+ staff work from offices in 15 countries across Europe, the Americas, Asia and the Middle East. Anite is now part of Keysight Technologies. For more information, please visit the company's website: www.anite.com About Verkotan Verkotan Oy is a CTIA accredited OTA (Over-The-Air) test house Based in Finland. It offers OTA, SAR and GPS test, analysis, high quality expertise and certification services to the customers from multiple business areas related to wireless performance. Verkotan is the only ISO17025 accredited test house in the world with its own in-house developed test system. Verkotan's sophisticated software and test laboratory capability provides totally new test methods creating unique value for the customers. For more information, please visit the company's website: www.verkotan.com For further information, please contact: Karolina Eklund, Anite, Tel: +44 (0)1252 775245, Email: karolina.eklund@anite.com Matt Humphries, Babel PR, Tel: +44 (0)207 434 5550, Email: anite@babelpr.com Kari Komonen, CEO, Tel: +358 40 5001241, Email: kari.komonen@verkotan.com SOURCE Anite 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. WASHINGTON, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc., a nonprofit educational organization honoring the achievements of outstanding individuals and encouraging youth to pursue their dreams through higher education, today announced that 44 high school graduates in Central California will receive the Horatio AlgerJobRedi Grant in the amount of $10,000 per grant. These young men and women are recognized for their tenacity to obtain vocational certification despite facing adversity. The grant is funded by the Cortopassi Family's JobRedi Foundation to provide financial support for vocational and technical certification. Qualifying applicants for the Horatio AlgerJobRedi Grant Program must be under the age of 35 and have graduated from high school. Each must currently reside in, or have graduated from high school, in San Joaquin or Stanislaus counties, and must enroll as a full-time student in an approved four-semester certificate program at a qualifying community college. "Entering our third year in partnership with Horatio Alger Association, JobRedi Foundation is pleased to financially assist young men and women of limited means pursue a pathway to vocational technical certification," said Dino Cortopassi, 2005 Horatio Alger Member. "Despite difficult personal challenges, JobRedi grantees demonstrate the desire to enter the work force better equipped for career success. I am convinced vocational certification is of significant benefit in the workplace and will continue to grow rapidly. The JobRedi Foundation is pleased to have pioneered the vocational certificate program in California and we look forward to supporting these individuals as they pursue their educational goals." Founded in 1947, Horatio Alger Association administers one of the nation's largest privately-funded, need-based scholarship programs. Since 1984, the Association has awarded more than $125 million in undergraduate, graduate and specialized scholarships to students from across the United States (including all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico) and Canada. In 2000, 16 years after the establishment of its National Scholarship Program, Horatio Alger Members began funding scholarships concentrated in each state to further the Association's mission of helping deserving young people pursue their collegiate goals. "My fellow Members and I are thankful for the incredible generosity of Mr. Cortopassi and his family," said Tony Novelly, chairman, Horatio Alger Association. "In partnership with the JobRedi Foundation, Horatio Alger Association is committed to ensuring that worthy individuals are not restricted by financial constraints as they seek to further their education. Together, we are helping to protect the American Dream for generations to come and this support of career and technical education has proven an important avenue for pursuing that Dream." Grant recipients in good standing towards career and technical certification will receive $2,500 per semester for up to four consecutive semesters ($10,000 maximum). Qualifying schools include: American River College Sacramento, CA * * Butte College Oroville, CA College of the Sequoias Visalia, CA Cosumnes River College Sacramento, CA * * Folsom Lake College Folsom, CA Fresno City College Fresno, CA Merced College Merced, CA * * Modesto Junior College Modesto, CA * * Porterville College Porterville, CA Reedley College Reedley, CA College Sacramento City College Sacramento, CA * * San Joaquin Delta College Stockton, CA * * West Hills College Coalinga Coalinga, CA West Hills College Lemoore Lemoore, CA Woodland College Woodland, CA College Yuba College Marysville, CA *Denotes schools with 2016 grant recipients For a complete list of the 2016 Horatio AlgerJobRedi Grant recipients, please click here. For more information about Horatio Alger Association please visit https://www.horatioalger.org. For more information about the JobRedi Foundation please visit www.jobredifoundation.org. To engage on social media, please "Like" the organization on Facebook (www.Facebook.com/HoratioAlgerUS). About Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans: Founded in 1947, the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc. is dedicated to the simple but powerful belief that hard work, honesty and determination can conquer all obstacles. The Association honors the achievements of outstanding leaders who have accomplished remarkable successes in spite of adversity by bestowing upon them the Horatio Alger Award and inducting them as lifetime Members. Horatio Alger Members support promising young people with the resources and confidence needed to overcome adversity in pursuit of their dreams through higher education. Through the generosity of its Members and friends, the Association awards more than $12 million annually in undergraduate and graduate need-based scholarships across the United States and Canada and provides college support and mentoring services to its Scholars. Since 1984, the Association has awarded more than $125 million in college scholarships to more than 22,000 deserving young people. For more information, please visit www.horatioalger.org. CONTACT: McKenna Young 484-385-2913 (office) [email protected] SOURCE Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc. Related Links http://www.horatioalger.org ATLANTA, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Aaron's, Inc. (NYSE: AAN), a leader in the sales and lease ownership and specialty retailing of furniture, consumer electronics, home appliances and accessories, announced the Aaron's "Own Your Summer" Camp Scholarship Program today which will provide 100 underserved youths from Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, North Carolina and Tennessee with scholarships to attend overnight summer camp. Aaron's "Own Your Summer" Camp Scholarship Program was designed to provide underserved youth with an opportunity to learn the life lessons of developing confidence, team work and decision-making skills that happen during overnight summer camp experiences. The Aaron's Foundation, Inc. announced the Aaron's "Own Your Summer" Camp Scholarship Program today which will provide 100 underserved youths from Georgia, Louisiana, Massachusetts, North Carolina and Tennessee with scholarships to attend overnight summer camp. "There are many benefits that overnight summer camps provide young people with including new opportunities to learn and grow while developing the leadership skills needed to become successful, community-building adults," said Andrea Freeman, Vice President of Marketing, Aaron's, Inc. "While attending overnight summer camp, these young people will learn to make choices without the aid of their parents, helping them build self-reliance, develop active lifestyle habits that promote good health and learn pro-social behaviors. They will develop friends for life and learn to how to live cooperatively with other youths. With this scholarship program, we're providing 100 youths with an opportunity to grow these needed life skills, offering them a better outlook on life." Research conducted by the American Camp Association (www.acacamps.org) shows that summer camps build skills that prepare campers to develop roles as successful adults. Studies show that youths learn key developmental skills at summer camp including 1) leadership, communication and participation as social skills; 2) responsibility, resourcefulness and resilience as self-respect and character building skills; and 3) caring, fairness, citizenship and trustworthiness as community living and service skills. The following camps located in five states will each receive approximately $10,000 from Aaron's Foundation, Inc. providing 100 underserved youths an experience away from home with their peers to focus on building lifetime friendships and unplugged learning through exploring nature: 1) The Camp Grace ( http://thecampgrace.com/ ) : Located outside of Macon, Georgia, Camp Grace's 300-acre retreat has established an environment that creates dreams, changes hearts and inspires life change. Camp Grace and its partners are dedicated to transforming the lives of urban youth in their communities by working with campers year-round after attending summer camp. 2) Camp Atwater ( www.campatwater.org ) : Serving youth for 96 years, Camp Atwater is a residential summer camp for boys and girls, ages 8-15 years, and located in North Brookfield, Massachusetts. Camp Atwater's mission is to assist in the academic and social growth and development of youth by offering a quality residential camp experience within a safe, nurturing and Afrocentric environment. 3) YMCA Camp Harrison ( www.campharrison.org ) : YMCA Camp Harrison is a co-ed resident overnight camp for kids ages 6-16 and is located in the lush, serene North Carolina mountains, 90 miles from Charlotte. With 2,000 acres of woods, streams, and trails centered around a private lake, Camp Harrison is the perfect retreat for youths to explore nature and make new friends and in a fun, safe environment. 4) Girl Scouts Louisiana East Camps ( www.gsle.org/camp ): Girl Scouts Louisiana East owns and operates two summer resident camps in southeast Louisiana. Camp Marydale and Camp Whispering Pines provides adventure, self-esteem, leadership skills, friends and fun for girls entering 1st through 12th grade with activities ranging from canoeing, kayaking, swimming, horseback riding, high/low ropes, building campfires, investigating a mystery and moonlit scavenger hunts. 5) YMCA Camp Widjiwagan ( www.campwidji.org ) : Located on 320 beautiful acres on Percy Priest Lake just outside Nashville, YMCA Camp Widjiwagan is owned and operated by the YMCA of Middle Tennessee. YMCA Camp Widjiwagan's Overnight Camp is the heart and soul of the summer camp experience where imagination comes alive. Campers participate in exciting programs focused on developing various skills of their own choosing. Aaron's has a long legacy of giving back, a commitment that was started by founder Charlie Loudermilk and continues today through Aaron's Gives (www.AaronsGives.com) philanthropic efforts including Aaron's Foundation, Inc. and the Aaron's Community Outreach Program (ACORP). The Aaron's Foundation, Inc. mission is to commit to strengthening the communities in which Aaron's operates, with a focus on improving the life prospects of at-risk youth. Aaron's provides at-risk youth with the tools, resources and skills to achieve their goals and to become productive, contributing members of their communities. Visit Aaron's on Facebook (www.facebook.com/aaronsinc) and on Twitter (www.twitter.com/AaronsInc) for more information. About Aaron's, Inc. Headquartered in Atlanta, Aaron's, Inc. (NYSE: AAN) is a leader in the sales and lease ownership and specialty retailing of furniture, consumer electronics, home appliances and accessories, and currently has more than 1,940 Company-operated and franchised stores in 47 states and Canada. Progressive Leasing, a leading virtual lease-to-own company, provides lease-purchase solutions through approximately 16,000 retail locations in 46 states. Dent-A-Med, Inc., d/b/a the HELPcard, provides a variety of second-look credit products that are originated through a federally insured bank. Aaron's was founded in 1955, has been publicly traded since 1982 and owns the Aarons.com, ProgLeasing.com, and HELPcard.com brands. For more information, visit www.aarons.com. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160622/382465-INFO Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130826/CL69318LOGO SOURCE Aaron's, Inc. Related Links http://www.aaronsinc.com FORT LEE, N.J., June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- ABnote, a leading global card manufacturer and provider of financial and secure credentialing solutions announced today that ABnote was honored with an Elan Award at this year's International Card Manufacturer's Association EXPO. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160622/382359 The First Finalist for Manufacturing Excellence Award in the category of ID and Access Control Cards recognizes ABnote's design and execution of the Illinois Medical Cannabis ID Card, which was manufactured for Creative Information Technology, Incorporated. The winning card was designed, engineered, and produced by ABnote's design and production team in Boston, Massachusetts. The Award was presented at the 19th Annual ICMA Elan Awards Ceremony, held on Wednesday, April 6th, 2016 in Orlando, Florida, during the 26th Annual ICMA EXPO. Jorge Ojeda, ABnote's Creative Director, explained, "This project involved the participation of four state departments - Agriculture, Financial and Professional Regulation, Public Health, and Law Enforcement. The card incorporates security features to avoid tampering and counterfeiting and also incorporates a holographic overlay. Our team created and presented an original design that met a challenging collection of aesthetic and functional requirements with final approval granted upon first review by our customer." About ABnote: American Banknote Corporation ("ABnote") pioneered secure credential solutions, with its counterfeit-resistant currency back in 1795 and today continues to provide clients around the globe peace-of-mind with innovative secure credentials including payment, access and identification solutions. ABnote is a world leader in providing secure payment, identity, access and retail cards, vital record and transaction documents, systems and services to clients within the financial, government and commercial markets. No company in history matches ABnote's reputation for providing and protecting critical documents, sensitive information and state-of-the art solutions. Based in Fort Lee, New Jersey, ABnote has offices and manufacturing facilities in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, China, Germany, United Arab Emirates and South Africa. About Elan Awards: In the global arena of world-class cards, the ICMA Elan Awards for Card Manufacturing Excellence celebrates the pinnacle of design innovation, security, and technical achievements in the industry by leading manufacturers from around the globe. Winners of this prestigious competition tap the power of industry recognition and promotional opportunity. About ICMA: Based in Princeton Junction, NJ, ICMA is a nonprofit association of card manufacturers, personalizers, suppliers and related industry participants. With more than 240 members globally, ICMA acts as a resource for industry issues, including the production, technology, application, security and environmental issues of cards. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners. For more information: Karen Brooker 617-363-4343 [email protected] www.abnote.com This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com SOURCE ABnote Related Links http://www.abnote.com MUNICH, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- EES Europe Booth B1 181 Hybrid Energy Storage System by AEG Power Solutions (PRNewsFoto/AEG Power Solutions) The new platform is a unique system combining battery energy storage with Power-to-Heat technology The solution targets the primary control reserve power reducing capital expenditure by 30 % and possibly more, depending on installation AEG Power Solutions, a global provider of power electronic systems and solutions for industrial power supplies and renewable energy applications, today announced it has developed a unique Hybrid Energy Storage System which combines standard battery storage with power-to-heat technology to reduce the total cost of energy storage operation. (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160622/382313 ) The solution can be installed in any type of facility which uses thermal processes, including local heat networks in combination with an electrical distribution network. With the Hybrid Energy Storage solution from AEG PS, the power conversion system (PCS) becomes the central key element operating the power management and controls both the battery as well as the heating system. The PCS and all equipment required for grid connection (e.g. transformer and switch gear) therefore are used for both the batteries and the heater. The platform allows for all typical applications of standard battery energy storage in particular, frequency regulation; bby combining both systems, the capacity of the thermal storage adds up to the battery storage capacity. "Technically, in a stand-alone battery energy storage system, explains Andreas Becker, Product Manager at AEG Power Solutions, it's necessary to keep a battery charge stable at the 50% level in order to provide grid frequency regulation. By combining it with a power to heat system, we allow extra energy to go to the thermal process. The battery can then operate at 100% capacity." This in fact leads to dividing the battery total capacity required by almost two. Taking into account that they represent usually around 70% of an energy storage installation, the economic benefit of the innovation is obvious and the payback period of the investment is approximately 3 years faster in a primary control power market. AEG Power Solutions engineers the complete solution and provides the key components such as the power conversion hardware and the power management software. AEG PS is an innovator in energy storage and management thanks to its many decades of experience in the world of UPS, power electronics, batteries as well as international grid connection compliance. This unique combination of know-how has been leveraged to design products and solutions for energy storage. Visit AEG PS at EES Europe Booth B1 181 and on the web at: http://www.battery-energy-storage.com/ About AEG Power Solutions AEG Power Solutions (AEG PS) Group is a global provider of power electronics systems and solutions for all industrial and demanding commercial power requirements offering one of the most comprehensive product and service portfolios in the area of uninterruptible power supply and power management. Thanks to its distinctive expertise bridging both AC and DC power technologies and spanning the worlds of both conventional and renewable energy, the company creates innovative solutions for next generation distributed power generation. AEG Power Solutions Group is the sole subsidiary of the holding company 3W Power S.A. (WKN A114Z9) / ISINLU1072910919), based in Luxembourg. The Group is headquartered in Zwanenburg in the Netherlands. The shares of 3W Power are admitted to trading on Frankfurt Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: 3W9K). For more information, visit http://www.aegps.com. This communication does not constitute an offer or the solicitation of an offer to buy, sell or exchange any securities of 3W Power. This communication contains forward-looking statements which include, inter alia, statements expressing our expectations, intentions, projections, estimates, and assumptions. These forward-looking statements are based on the reasonable evaluation and opinion of the management but are subject to risks and uncertainties which are beyond the control of 3W Power and, as a general rule, difficult to predict. The management and the company cannot and do not, under any circumstances, guarantee future results or performance of 3W Power and the actual results of 3W Power may materially differ from the information expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. As a result, investors are cautioned against relying on the forward-looking statements contained herein as a basis for their investment decisions regarding 3W Power. 3W Power undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement contained herein. For further information, please contact: Claire Pairault Corporate Communications AEG Power Solutions Mobile: +33-6-19-60-91-64 Email: [email protected] Andreas Becker Product Manager AEG Power Solutions Phone +49-2902-763-231 Email: [email protected] SOURCE AEG Power Solutions MORTSEL, Belgium, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Collaborative brings together clinical and industry participants to develop cognitive technologies in imaging for multiple clinical service lines As a member, Agfa HealthCare will put Watson to work to extract insights from previously 'invisible' unstructured imaging data Agfa HealthCare has joined the Watson Health medical imaging collaborative, a global initiative comprised of more than fifteen leading health systems, academic medical centers, ambulatory radiology providers and imaging technology companies. The collaborative aims to bring cognitive imaging into daily practice to help doctors address breast, lung, and other cancers; diabetes; eye health; brain disease; and heart disease and related conditions, such as stroke. The role of the collaborative Members of the collaborative plan to put Watson to work to extract insights from previously 'invisible' unstructured imaging data and combine that with a broad variety of data from other sources. In doing so, the efforts may help physicians make personalized care decisions relevant to a specific patient while building a body of knowledge to benefit broader patient populations. This information may include data from electronic health records, radiology and pathology reports, lab results, doctors' progress notes, medical journals, clinical care guidelines and published outcomes studies. Initial plans include training Watson and evaluating potential new offerings in a variety of patient care environments ranging from stand-alone ambulatory settings to integrated health delivery networks. The aim in doing so is to gather data based on diverse real-world experience and to share findings to inform how the medical community might reduce operational and financial inefficiencies, improve physician workflows, and adopt a patient-focused approach to improving patient care and outcomes. "With an ability to draw insights from massive volumes of integrated structured and unstructured data sources, cognitive computing could transform how clinicians diagnose, treat and monitor patients," said Anne Le Grand, vice president of Imaging for Watson Health. "Through IBMs medical imaging collaborative, Watson may create opportunities for radiologists to extract greater insights and value from imaging data while better managing costs." Expertise and technology James Jay, Vice President Imaging IT and Integrated Care Solutions businesses at Agfa HealthCare, elaborates: "We are very excited about the opportunity to collaborate with IBM and Watson. Healthcare systems are under enormous pressure to improve productivity; our combined expertise has the capability to harness the untapped power of technology to deliver the gains that have so far only been achieved in isolated use cases. Together we will look for ways to advance our customers' ability to leverage the analytics power of Watson united with our own Enterprise Imaging platform, to assure that the right knowledge is available, at the right time, to help diagnose and treat their patients. We will be diving into specific use cases to turn the power of big data into real, tangible applications focused on specific improvements in either speed or accuracy of decisions." Luc Thijs, President of Agfa HealthCare, explains, "we will contribute to the success of Watson for three reasons. One, we are present in one out of two hospitals worldwide. Second, we develop leading e-Health platforms for Enterprise Imaging, Integrated Care, Population Health Management and Analytics. Last but not least, there is the clinical expertise of our people, an integral part of our company DNA." For more information, click here About IBM Watson Health Watson is the first commercially available cognitive computing capability representing a new era in computing. The system, delivered through the cloud, analyzes high volumes of data, understands complex questions posed in natural language, and proposes evidence-based answers. Watson continuously learns, gaining in value and knowledge over time, from previous interactions. In April 2015, the company launched IBM Watson Health and the Watson Health Cloud platform. The new unit will help improve the ability of doctors, researchers and insurers to innovate by surfacing insights from the massive amount of personal health data being created and shared daily. The Watson Health Cloud allows this information to be de-identified, shared and combined with a dynamic and constantly growing aggregated view of clinical, research and social health data. For more information on IBM Watson, visit: ibm.com/watson. For more information on IBM Watson Health, visit: ibm.com/watsonhealth. About Agfa HealthCare Agfa HealthCare, present in one hospital out of two, is a leading provider of eHealth & Digital Imaging solutions. Care organizations in over 100 countries rely on Agfa HealthCare to optimize their efficiency and improve patient care. Agfa and the Agfa rhombus are trademarks of Agfa-Gevaert N.V. Belgium or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Marc De Fre Global Marcom Director Agfa HealthCare T: +32(0)3-444-73-19 marc [email protected] SOURCE Agfa HealthCare PALO ALTO, Calif., June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- AirXpanders, Inc., a company developing a novel technology for women undergoing tissue expansion for breast reconstruction following a mastectomy, recently showcased its AeroForm patient-controlled tissue expander at three prestigious plastic surgery conferences held across Europe and Australia. AirXpanders' AeroForm technology is available in Australia and Europe, and is currently under review with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. May 2-6, 2016, AirXpanders attended the Royal Australian College of Surgeons (RACS) Annual Scientific Congress (ASC), the largest annual multi-disciplinary surgical meeting in Australia. The event attracted over 2,000 surgeons, surgical trainees and other health professionals. At the conference, AirXpanders sponsored the Level 1 Oncoplastic Breast Surgery Workshop for breast surgeons and introduced them to AeroForm. May 19-21, 2016, AirXpanders exhibited at the Paris Breast Rendez-Vous Conference, an event dedicated to reconstructive, oncologic and aesthetic breast surgery. The conference featured more than 500 plastic and reconstructive surgeons, medical oncologists, geneticists and other experts from around the world, meeting to discuss the latest innovations in breast surgery. Dr. Jeffery Ascherman, chief of the division of plastic surgery at Columbia University and principal investigator of the XPAND trial, spoke about his experience with AeroForm in breast reconstruction procedures. He also shared positive clinical results from the XPAND trial, which is the pivotal clinical trial evaluating AeroForm compared to saline expanders. The following week, on May 25-28, 2016, AirXpanders was at the EURAPS Meeting in Brussels, an event focused on breast surgery and several other areas within the specialty of plastic and reconstructive procedures. AeroForm was showcased, allowing plastic surgeons to gain familiarity with the new technology. "We believe there is growing momentum around AeroForm during this important phase for the company," said Scott Dodson, AirXpanders president and CEO. "These three events allowed our team to connect with a strong network of experts globally, and we look forward to capitalizing on this increasing interest and excitement as we work toward continued growth both internationally and, post approval, in the United States." For more information on AeroForm, and to stay up to date on company updates, please visit http://www.airxpanders.com. About AirXpanders AirXpanders, Inc. (www.airxpanders.com) is a tissue expansion company focused on the area of breast reconstruction. By employing a revolutionary patient-controlled expander, activated by a wireless remote control, the often painful process of reclaiming one's body after cancer can potentially be eased with this needle-free technology. This technology is easy to use and may enable the patient to proceed to a permanent implant much faster than the current standard of care. AirXpanders is a publically listed company on the Australian Stock Exchange under the symbol AXP and is backed by Vivo Ventures, GBS Venture Partners, Prolog Ventures, Heron Capital, Shalon Ventures, Correlation Ventures, Western Technology Investments and a number of leading investment firms in Australia, Hong Kong and Singapore. The AeroForm Tissue Expander System is not cleared or approved for use in the United States and is for investigational use only. AeroForm is cleared for commercialization in Europe and in Australia. Forward Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, statements related to the process and timing of anticipated future development of AeroForm, including the XPAND clinical trial results; potential approval of AeroForm by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, or FDA; and the increased awareness of and commercial potential of AeroForm. These forward-looking statements are based on AirXpanders' current expectations and inherently involve significant risks and uncertainties. AirXpanders' actual results and timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements, and as a result of these risks and uncertainties, which include, without limitation, risks related to any delays or inability to obtain and maintain regulatory approval of AeroForm in the United States; the uncertain clinical development process, including adverse events or the fact that the FDA may dispute or interpret differently clinical results obtained to date from the XPAND trial; or the market potential for AeroForm. AirXpanders undertakes no duty or obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information, future events or changes in its expectations. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141205/162738LOGO SOURCE AirXpanders, Inc. Related Links http://www.airxpanders.com PHOENIX, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- American Housing Income Trust, Inc., a Maryland corporation ("AHIT" or the "Company") (OTCQB: AHIT) announced today that it is commencing its $9,000,000 direct public offering. The Company is carrying out a direct public offering of 3,000,000 shares at $3.00 per share. The Company's intent is to expand its single-family residence portfolio through equity financing. The Company's President and Chief Executive Officer, Jeff Howard stated: "The Company is proud to announce that its patience and fiscal discipline has taken American Housing Income Trust to the verge of equity expansion and asset growth into 2016 and beyond. We have every intention of continuing with the implementation of our business strategies in connection with our offering." Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer Sean Zarinegar stated, "The commencement of the offering is the result of months of strategic planning and corroboration inside and outside the Company. We're excited to move forward with our DPO as it will bring opportunity for future growth through further acquisitions to our company. Our investors will be pleased." The offering is being conducted pursuant to a Registration Statement on Form S-11, declared effective by the SEC as of June 23, 2016. Please email [email protected] or call the Company at (623) 551-5808 if you have any questions. Interested parties may obtain a written prospectus for the offering by contacting the Company at the foregoing email address and phone number .You may also find more information regarding the offering at http://ahitrust.com/Public-Offering.asp. In order to subscribe, you must execute a subscription agreement that can be found on the company website under "Investment Documents." About American Housing Income Trust, Inc. American Housing Income Trust Inc., is incorporated in the State of Maryland owns and operates single family rentals in Arizona, Nevada and Texas and has plans to scale its operations nationally. American Housing Income Trust Inc. is a publicly traded company on OTC Markets Group Inc. OTCQB listing venue as a compliant, fully reporting entity with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company's focus is on employing a disciplined acquisition strategy, operational efficiencies, as well as maintaining a full understanding of local, regional, and national housing fundamentals. As part of its marketing strategy, it promotes the benefits of single-family rental living compared to apartment dwelling. The company intends to qualify as a REIT for federal income tax purposes and would not be subject to federal income tax to the extent that it distributes at least 90% of its taxable income to its shareholders. American Housing Income Trust Inc. has incorporated the assets of its subsidiaries that launched their initial business plan to acquire portfolios of SFR's in 2010 and is headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona through its wholly-owned subsidiary, American Realty Partners, LLC. For information on American Housing Income Trust, visit www.ahitrust.com. Forward Looking Statement This press release contains forward-looking statements that relate to expectations, beliefs, projections, future plans and strategies, anticipated events and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements may be identified by use of words such as "may," "will," "should," "expects," "intends," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "estimates," or "potential" or similar words or phrases which are predictions of or indicate future events or trends. Statements such as those concerning potential acquisition activity, investment objectives, strategies, opportunities, other plans and objectives for future operations or economic performance are based on the Company's current expectations, plans, estimates, assumptions and beliefs that involve numerous risks and uncertainties. Any of these statements could prove to be inaccurate and actual events or investments and results of operations could differ materially from those expressed or implied, including the ability of the Company to qualify and operate as a REIT. To the extent that the Company's assumptions differ from actual results, the Company's ability to meet such forward-looking statements, including its ability to invest in a diversified portfolio of quality real estate investments and to qualify and operate as a REIT, may be significantly and negatively impacted. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements and the Company disclaims any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement to reflect changes in underlying assumptions or factors, new information, future events or other changes. Please refer to Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission for further information. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151202/292640LOGO SOURCE American Housing Income Trust, Inc. Related Links http://www.ahitrust.com SINGAPORE, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Anthony Fok has achieved celebrity status in Singapore as a 'superstar' tutor for A-level Economics. In 2012, he founded JCEconomics.com, an A-level Economics tuition center that has consistently produced top-scoring students. Fok has received major media coverage and an entry in the Singapore Book of Records as the highest earning Economics tutor (S$800,000 last year). He has also written 13 Economics guidebooks. Fok started making headlines eight years ago, when he became sought after as a 'super tutor', with the ability to deliver excellent results. Having previously worked as a tax consultant, Fok felt the call to teach, eventually finding that private tutoring enabled him to reach students from a wider range of backgrounds. He is currently studying for a PhD in education. Among other newspaper and media articles, which featured his extremely high income, Fok was also quoted in a Straits Times' 'Home' piece on national exams and education. "Many students try to memorize answers when preparing for exams but in recent years, exam questions have not tended to be repeated," stated Fok. "There is no way of assuring a passing grade even if a student memorizes all the questions and answers. Consequently, students at JCEconomics.com are taught by linking economic theories to real-world scenarios using newspaper and magazine articles." In the same newspaper, Fok was also featured last year for his unusual and inspirational career path, going from 'number cruncher' to super tutor, to founder of a hugely successful tuition business, to doctoral candidate. He has also been interviewed by Today for his views on how tuition classes can complement the traditional school curriculum and was described as "an inspirational and dedicated teacher." Other media recognition includes his advice on money and economics on Official938LIVE radio's 'Money and Sense' segment, and various features in magazines such as: Singapore Business Review, Popular, Teenage, Singapore's Child and Today's Parents. "When students achieve distinctions, I don't take all the credit," says Fok. "Achieving distinctions is never a given. My formula to success is being genuinely passionate about teaching and putting 100% effort into helping students improve. Hard work, hard work and hard work!" For more information, visit www.jceconomicstutor.com. This press release was issued through 24-7PressRelease.com. For further information, visit http://www.24-7pressrelease.com. SOURCE Anthony Fok Related Links http://www.jceconomicstutor.com CALGARY, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ - Bankers Petroleum Ltd. ("Bankers" or the "Company") (TSX: BNK, AIM: BNK) is pleased to announce that the proposed plan of arrangement (the "Arrangement") with affiliates of Geo-Jade Petroleum Corporation ("Geo-Jade") has received Ministerial approval under the Investment Canada Act. Pursuant to the Arrangement, Geo-Jade will acquire all the issued and outstanding common shares of Bankers ("Bankers Shares") through its affiliates at a cash price of C$2.20 per Bankers Share. Completion of the Arrangement is subject to the outstanding regulatory approval of the Chinese State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE). Bankers anticipates receipt of this approval in the coming weeks and closing of the Arrangement to occur shortly thereafter in July. Following a successful completion of the Arrangement the Bankers Shares will be delisted from the Toronto Stock Exchange ("TSX") and the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange. ------------ About Bankers Petroleum Ltd. Bankers Petroleum Ltd. is a Canadian-based oil and gas exploration and production company focused on developing large oil and gas reserves in Albania and Eastern Europe. In Albania, Bankers operates and has the full rights to develop the Patos-Marinza heavy oilfield, has a 100% interest in the Kucova oilfield, and a 100% interest in Exploration Block "F". In 2015 Bankers acquired an 85% interest in the rights to explore the Puspokladany Block concession within the Pannonian Basin located in north eastern Hungary. The Bankers Shares are traded on the TSX and the AIM Market in London, England under the stock symbol BNK. Caution Regarding Forward-looking Information Certain information set forth in this press release, including information and statements which may contain words such as "could", "plans", "intends" "should", "anticipate", "expects", "will", "propose", "opportunity", "future", "continue", and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts, contain forward-looking statements, including but not limited to statements regarding: the proposed Arrangement and the anticipated timing of closing, the timing of receipt of required regulatory approvals and the delisting of the Bankers Shares following completion of the Arrangement. By their nature, forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, some of which are beyond Bankers' control. Completion of the Arrangement is subject to a number of conditions, including receipt of the approvals required by the People's Republic of China and the competition authority of Albania, and other conditions which are typical for transactions of this nature. Failure to satisfy any of these conditions, the emergence of a superior proposal or the failure to obtain approval of Bankers' shareholders may result in the termination of the arrangement agreement dated March 19, 2016 providing for the Arrangement. The foregoing list is not exhaustive. Additional information on these and other risks that could affect completion of the Arrangement is set forth in the Management Information Circular, which is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Readers are cautioned that the assumptions used in the preparation of such information, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. The actual results, performance or achievement of Bankers could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements and, accordingly, no assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will transpire or occur, or if any of them do so, what benefits that Bankers will derive therefrom. Bankers 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 securities laws. SOURCE Bankers Petroleum Ltd. PetroVietnams PV Oil is considering jointly investing in a condensate processing plant in Cambodia while a Chinese contractor has secured a deal to set up a refinery in the kingdom. Natural-gas condensate, or simply condensate, is a low-density mixture of hydrocarbon liquids that are present as gaseous components in the raw natural gas produced from many natural gas fields. The $40- million project is expected to have capacity of 220 tons/year and will be invested by PV Oil Cambodia, a 51:49 joint venture between PV Oil and local Overseas Cambodia Investment Corp. (OCIC), according to PetroVietnam. The condensate for the plant will be imported from Vietnam. Its products include gasoline RON 92, diesel and LPG, PetroVietnam said. Part of Vietnam's Dung Quat refinery in Quang Ngai. Photo by VnExpress/Tri Tin Vietnams government in March last year sent a letter asking Cambodian government to consider granting permission for the project. Three months later, Cambodian government allowed PV Oil Cambodia to conduct a feasibility study for the project and submit it within a year for approval. PV Oil Cambodia is working with the Cambodian government for extension of the deadline for the FS as it is talks to secure condensate supply contracts with field owners in Vietnam. PV Oil has also not completed necessary procedures to transfer capital for the project from Vietnam to Cambodia, according to PetroVietnam. Meanwhile, China National Petroleum Corp. (CNPC) Northeast Refining & Chemical Engineering Company on May 4 this year signed an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract with Cambodian Petrochemical Company to build Cambodias first refinery in Preah Sihanouk province, Xinhua reported May 4. The first phase of the project will cost $620 million. It will have capacity of two million tons/year and will be completed in end-2018. The capacity will be raised to 5 million tons/year in the next phases with total investment of $3 billion, Xinhua said, citing Hann Khieng, managing director of Cambodian Petrochemical Company, the investor of the project. Cambodia imported 2.55 million tons of oil products in 2015, Xinhua said. Related news: > Russian oil giant to supply nearly 100 million tons of oil to Petrovietnam > PetroVietnam, Petronas extend joint upstream oil and gas project to 2027 > PetroVietnam-Gazprom venture pumps billions of cubic meters from East Sea gas fields LUDWIGSHAFEN, Germany and NORTHBOROUGH, Mass., June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- BASF SE ("BASF") and Aspen Aerogels, Inc. ("Aspen") (NYSE: ASPN) announced today the expansion of their strategic partnership with the signing of an exclusive supply agreement and a joint development agreement. The agreements are designed to increase market penetration, enhance product profitability and facilitate the development of next generation materials. As part of the supply agreement, Aspen will commit to the exclusive supply of its Spaceloft A2 product for incorporation within BASF's aerogel enhanced Slentex wall system for the building materials market. In turn, BASF will make a low double-digit million investment in the construction of Aspen's new manufacturing plant and BASF will become a base load customer for Aspen's capacity expansion. In addition, BASF will provide technical support to Aspen targeting manufacturing productivity, product cost and profit margins. Initially, the supply agreement will support BASF's efforts to drive growth in the global building materials market of its Slentex wall system incorporating Aspen's patented technology. BASF may also directly sell or incorporate Spaceloft A2 into other systems for applications in certain building, transportation, consumer and industrial markets worldwide. The agreement will run through 2027. "We chose to partner with Aspen because of their superior aerogel technology platform, which we can enhance as partners in various ways," said Raimar Jahn, President of BASF's Performance Materials division. "The new agreements will accelerate adoption of aerogel technology as an eco-efficient insulation material globally." The Joint Development Agreement establishes a framework to develop new aerogel products and technologies. The agreement will give BASF targeted access to Aspen's world leading technology platform while Aspen will gain access to BASF's technical expertise, sales channels and financial resources. The partnership will both further Aspen's market diversification and growth strategy and support BASF's objective to provide innovative solutions to meet current and future customer needs. "BASF has played an important role in our development as a company and this next phase of our relationship will support us technically, commercially and financially and will accelerate our diversification into the building materials market," said Don Young, President and CEO of Aspen. "As our track record in the energy infrastructure and subsea markets has demonstrated, our preferred model is to partner with industry leaders to benefit from their technical, commercial, and financial resources. BASF is a world class company dedicated to promoting energy efficiency by delivering next generation products to the global marketplace. For these reasons, BASF is a perfect partner for Aspen Aerogels." The origin of the partnership dates to 2010 when BASF Venture Capital made an equity investment in Aspen and the two companies began to explore technology development and commercialization opportunities within the building materials market. This work led to the development of Aspen's Spaceloft A2 insulation product. About BASF 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 70 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. About Aspen Aerogels, Inc. Aspen Aerogels is an aerogel technology company that designs, develops and manufactures innovative, high-performance aerogel insulation used primarily in the energy infrastructure and building materials markets where thermal energy efficiency is at a premium and Aspen's products offer unique value. Headquartered in Northborough, Mass., Aspen Aerogels manufactures its Cryogel, Pyrogel and Spaceloft products at its East Providence, R.I. facility. Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking and Cautionary Statements This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to be materially different from historical results or from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These statements are not historical facts but rather are based on Aspen Aerogels' current expectations, estimates and projections regarding Aspen Aerogels' business, operations and other factors relating thereto. Words such as "may," "will," "could," "would," "should," "anticipate," "predict," "potential," "continue," "expects," "intends," "plans," "projects," "believes," "estimates," "outlook," and similar expressions are used to identify these forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements include statements regarding, among other things: (i) Aspen Aerogels' strategic partnership with BASF and the potential benefits of such a relationship, including the potential for it to create new product and market opportunities; (ii) Aspen Aerogels' supply agreement with BASF ("SA"), Aspen Aerogels' exclusive supply to BASF of its Spaceloft A2 product, the potential for future cash advances from BASF under the SA (payment of which are subject to certain conditions) to provide a source of financing for some portion of the cost of the planned construction of Aspen's Aerogels' proposed manufacturing plant expected to be located in Statesboro, Georgia (the "Proposed Plant Two"), and the potential for BASF to become a significant customer for Aspen Aerogel's products, including with respect to the additional product to be produced as a result of the expected capacity expansion at the Proposed Plant Two; and (iii) Aspen Aerogels' joint development agreement with BASF ("JDA"), the potential for it to support the development of new aerogel products and technologies, and the potential for it to assist Aspen Aerogels' market diversification and growth strategy. All such forward-looking statements are based on management's present expectations and are subject to certain factors, risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, outcome of events, timing and performance to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the following: (i) the fact that BASF has not yet placed any orders for product under the SA, that there can be no assurance that BASF will ever do so, and that even if BASF were to place orders, there can be no assurance that BASF will ever be a significant customer for Aspen Aerogels' products; (ii) any inability by Aspen Aerogels' to meet the conditions to which the potential future cash advances by BASF under the SA are subject, including with respect to the finalization of certain aspects of the product specification and the progress of the financing and construction of the Proposed Plant Two, including securing a debt commitment from a third party lender for at least $30 million; and (iii) the potential for any of the following risks and uncertainties to impact negatively Aspen Aerogels' relationship with BASF, Aspen Aerogels' and BASF's ability to perform under the SA or the JDA, and Aspen Aerogels' ability to achieve its goals with respect to its relationship with BASF, the SA and the JDA, including creating new product and market opportunities (including in the building and construction market) and developing a potential source of financing: any sustained downturn in the energy industry and/or energy prices; any disruption or inability to achieve expected capacity levels in any of our three production lines or the manufacturing facility in which they are located; any failure to achieve an increase in production capacity that Aspen Aerogels' growth plan requires in a timely manner; any failure of demand for Aspen Aerogels' products; any failure to achieve expected average selling prices for Aspen Aerogels' products; the failure to obtain significant additional capital to pursue Aspen Aerogels' growth strategy; the failure of our products to become widely adopted; the competition Aspen Aerogels faces in its business; the failure to manage Aspen Aerogels' growth, and the demands that growth places on Aspen Aerogels' management systems and infrastructure; any failure of Aspen Aerogels' products to meet applicable specifications and other performance, safety, technical and delivery requirements; the failure of Aspen Aerogels to achieve anticipated improvement in profit margins; the general economic conditions and cyclical demands in the markets that Aspen Aerogels serves; the economic, operational and political risks associated with sales and expansion of operations in foreign countries; the loss of any direct customer, including distributors, contractors and OEMs; compliance with health and safety laws and regulations; shortages of raw materials; the maintenance and development of distribution channels; and the other risk factors discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 and filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on March 4, 2016, as well as any updates to those risk factors filed from time to time in our subsequent periodic and current reports filed with the SEC. In addition, this press release is qualified in its entirety by the Form 8-K filed by Aspen Aerogels with the SEC on the date hereof and the descriptions of the SA and JDA contained therein. All statements contained in this press release are made only as of the date of this press release, and Aspen Aerogels does not intend to update this information unless required by law. SOURCE Aspen Aerogels, Inc. Related Links http://www.aerogel.com NEW YORK, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- BCM One, a leading technology solutions provider, announced today that CRN, a brand of The Channel Company, has named BCM One to its 2016 Solution Provider 500 list (SP500). The SP500 list is CRN's annual ranking of the largest technology integrators, solution providers and IT consultants in North America by revenue. BCM One ranked #330 on CRN's predominant channel partner award list, serving as the industry standard for recognition of the most successful solution provider companies in the channel. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160622/382513 BCM One provides a single source for truly integrated technology solutions that help advance a company's business objectives. Through partnerships with over 50 leading technology suppliers, BCM One offers managed solutions for organizations including unified communications, cloud solutions, telecom expense management and connectivity solutions. Businesses regard BCM One as their trusted technology consultant providing ONE end-to-end solution delivering reliable and secure critical business applications. "We are honored to be recognized by CRN as a top Solution Provider for the channel," stated Frank Ahearn, Co-CEO of BCM One. "BCM One handpicks our technology suppliers and has recently invested in new strategic partnerships for innovative cloud platform offerings, unified communications and networking services, offering cutting edge and quality solutions for our channel partners," added Ahearn. "The 2016 Solution Provider 500 represent a total, combined revenue of over $334 billiona testament to their success in keeping pace with the rapidly changing demands of today's IT market," said Robert Faletra, CEO, The Channel Company. "This prestigious list recognizes those companies with the highest revenue and serves as a valuable industry resource for vendors seeking out top solution providers to partner with. We congratulate each of the Solution Provider 500 companies and look forward to their continued success." A sampling from the 2016 Solution Provider 500 list is featured in the June issue of CRN Magazine and at www.CRN.com/sp500. ABOUT BCM ONE Founded and headquartered in New York City in 1992, BCM One provides a single source for truly integrated technology solutions that help advance a company's business objectives. Through partnerships with over 50 leading technology suppliers, BCM One offers managed solutions for organizations including unified communications, cloud solutions, telecom expense management and connectivity solutions. Companies engage with BCM One for the planning, network design, deployment and/or management of their technology solutions. For more information about BCM One, visit www.bcmone.com and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn. For Media Inquiries: Paula Como Kauth Senior Director, Marketing 212.906.7255 | [email protected] About The Channel Company The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education, and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers and end users. Backed by more than 30 years of unequaled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative new solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace. www.thechannelco.com For Media Inquiries: Melanie Turpin The Channel Company (508) 416-1195 | [email protected] This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com SOURCE BCM One Related Links http://www.bcmone.com AURORA, Colo., June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- American Sentinel University's new three-part blog 'Patient Advocacy Series' is available at http://www.americansentinel.edu/blog/tag/patient-advocacy-series/ as part of the university's 'The Sentinel Watch' healthcare blog. The series examines the three core values that form the basis of patient advocacy in the American Nurses Association (ANA) Code of Ethics. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160621/381965 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160621/381964LOGO The blog series dissects how nursing has moved beyond just the delivery of patient care. Because nurses have the most frequent and direct interaction with patients, they are in an ideal position to advocate for each patient on an individual basis, and they have a duty to do so. "As nurses, we are educated and passionate about the health and safety of our patients and willingly accept our role as advocates for our patients," says Judy Burckhardt, Ph.D., MAEd, MSN, RN, Dean and Professor, Nursing and Healthcare Programs at American Sentinel University. "Since we are with patients around the clock, we are best suited for this role. Our knowledge and skills allow us to effectively 'translate' information about medical diagnoses, procedures and medications into terms our patients can understand." The Patient Advocate blog series will run through June 28, 2016, and covers these important patient advocacy topics of interest for nurses: -Preserving Human Dignity: the importance of having a clear vision to see patients as human beings, not room numbers, and to strive to keep their dignity intact; -Promoting Patient Equality: continuing the role of caring for underserved and vulnerable populations with a focus on practices that may help end disparities; -Ensuring Freedom from Suffering: the holistic focus of nursing and why nurses should not focus entirely on the patients' physical condition. Dr. Burckhardt says that nurses as patient advocates have an individual responsibility to their patients. It is important to remember that nurses have more clout if they approach an issue as a group. "The key to being an effective patient advocate requires more than just passion and knowledge. Advanced education and training help develop critical thinking, organizational and communication skills. These enhance nurse's effectiveness and open the door to new opportunities in their expanded role of patient and health advocates," she adds. To learn more about the three core values that form the basis of nursing patient advocacy, visit the 'Patient Advocacy Series' on American Sentinel University's 'The Sentinel Watch' healthcare blog. Learn more about American Sentinel University's accredited online Nursing programs (RN to BSN, MSN, or DNP) at http://www.americansentinel.edu/nursing or call 866.922.5690. About American Sentinel University American Sentinel University delivers accredited online degree programs in nursing (BSN, MSN, and DNP) and healthcare management (MBA Healthcare, M.S. Information Systems Management, and M.S. Business Intelligence and Analytics). Its affordable, flexible bachelor's and master's nursing degree programs are accredited by the Commission for the Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE), of One Dupont Circle, NW Suite 530, Washington, D.C., 20036. The DNP program is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) of 3343 Peachtree Road NE, Suite 850, Atlanta, Ga., 30326. The University is accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission, DEAC, 1101 17th Street NW, Suite 808, Washington, D.C. 20036, (202) 234-5100, www.deac.org For required student consumer information, please visit: www.americansentinel.edu/doe Contact: Renee Hewitt Hewitt PR for American Sentinel University 845.382.9152 Email SOURCE American Sentinel University Related Links http://www.deac.org BOSTON, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- BV Investment Partners ("BV"), a middle-market private equity firm focused on the information, business services and communications sectors, today announced that it has made a sizable investment in C.F. Stinson, a tech-enabled designer and marketer of textiles to the commercial interiors industry. BV is investing in partnership with Keith and Glenn Stinson, the third generation of family ownership. Keith and Glenn will continue to run the business and maintain a significant ownership interest in the Company. Founded in 1952 and based in Rochester Hills, Michigan, Stinson is a leading tech-enabled and value-added designer and marketer of fabric to the commercial interiors industry. Central to its business and its success, Stinson leverages a patented, tech-enabled sample system developed by its wholly owned subsidiary, Sample Technologies. This system allows customers at all levels of the supply chain to easily access Stinson's fabrics and order samples which is integral to the design and specification process across multiple market segments. Andrew C. Davis, Managing Director of BV, said, "Stinson is the Fund's third investment with a tech-enabled distribution theme and has a number of attractive characteristics that align well with BV's investment strategy and philosophy. The Company is mission critical to its suppliers and customers, uniquely positioning it within the textile supply chain. Furthermore, Stinson serves diverse commercial markets including the attractive hospitality and healthcare industries, with a substantial percentage of its business derived from the growing demands of the U.S. healthcare delivery industry. We are thrilled with this opportunity to invest in an exceptional business and partner with industry veterans and true domain experts, Keith and Glenn." Keith Stinson, President and CEO, said, "As third-generation family owners, my brother and I were careful in selecting a financial partner that aligns with our culture, values and vision for the future. It is clear to us we have found this in BV and we look forward to collaborating with the BV team to continue to accelerate the growth of C.F. Stinson." Glenn Stinson, Vice President and COO, added, "BV has experience within the tech-enabled distribution segment and has a long and successful track record of working with market leading firms. We are looking forward to the next phase of Stinson's growth in partnership with BV and we are confident the BV team will help us continue to better serve our customers, suppliers and employees." Sean Wilder, Principal of BV, said, "Stinson has a very strong brand and reputation in its industry, established over the course of several decades. We are honored and thrilled to be partnered with Keith, Glenn and the rest of the Stinson team to help build upon Stinson's strong legacy and success to date. Stinson is a pioneer and leader when it comes to leveraging data and technology to efficiently and reliably deliver best-in-class services. BV's successful investments in ECRM and Plasco ID represent B2B, software-driven businesses that we have helped grow exponentially, both organically and through acquisition, and we look forward to pursuing and accomplishing similar results with C.F. Stinson." About BV BV Investment Partners is currently investing its eighth private equity fund. The firm is one of the oldest and most experienced sector-focused private equity firms in North America. Since its founding in 1983, the firm has invested over $2.7 billion in 84 companies, actively targeting investments in the information and business services and communications industries. For more information, please visit www.bvlp.com. About C.F. Stinson Established in 1952, C.F. Stinson purveys innovative commercial textiles that exceed customer expectations for design, performance, value, sustainability and service. For more information, please visit www.cfstinson.com. Contact: Chris Tofalli Chris Tofalli Public Relations, LLC 914-834-4334 SOURCE BV Investment Partners Related Links http://www.bvlp.com WASHINGTON, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The World Legacy Awards Call for Entries was announced today. Applications are being accepted now through Aug. 20, 2016, at nationalgeographic.com/worldlegacyawards. Celebrating National Geographic's mission of inspiring people to care about the planet, the World Legacy Awards honor today's leading sustainable tourism destinations, organizations and businesses, and share their stories with travelers around the world. Any travel and tourism company, organization or destinationranging from airlines to hotels, from cities to countries, and from luxury tour operators to adventure travel outfittersis eligible to apply for the awards in one of the five categories. The World Legacy Awards are a groundbreaking collaboration between two giants in the world of travel: National Geographic and ITB Berlin. The awards are unprecedented in their international visibility and promotion, reaching National Geographic's global audience of more than 700 million people worldwide each month through its media platforms, products and events. ITB Berlin is the largest travel gathering on the planet, attended annually by nearly 200,000 delegates and, for the third year, will host the 2017 awards ceremony. In addition to being recognized at ITB Berlin during the March 2017 awards ceremony, winners and finalists of the World Legacy Awards will be featured in National Geographic Traveler magazine and across other National Geographic global media platforms. "For many companies, campaigning for sustainable tourism has become an indispensable part of their work," said Dr. Christian Goeke, CEO of Messe Berlin. "By presenting the World Legacy Awards, together with National Geographic, we wish to underline how important social responsibility and protecting nature and wildlife are in today's tourism industry. As the world's leading travel trade show, we are proud to help raise awareness for sustainable tourism and to draw attention with these awards to the impressive work of hotels, destinations and travel." "One day there will be no need for awards that recognize sustainable tourism best practices. Care for local people and the planet will become part of the everyday fabric for how travel businesses operate and destinations thrive. Until then, the World Legacy Awards are shining a light on the travel leaders of today who are transforming tourism in positive ways to help protect cultural and natural heritage for future generations," said Costas Christ, National Geographic Traveler Editor at Large and Chairman of the World Legacy Awards. Applications are being accepted in five categories: Earth Changers Recognizing cutting-edge leadership in environmentally friendly business practices and green technology, from renewable energy and water conservation to zero-waste systems and carbon-emission reduction. Sense of Place Recognizing excellence in enhancing sense of place and authenticity, including using vernacular architecture and design, and support for the protection of historical monuments, archaeological sites, cultural events, indigenous heritage and artistic traditions. Conserving the Natural World Recognizing outstanding support for the preservation of nature, restoring natural habitat and protecting rare and endangered species, whether on land or in the oceans. Engaging Communities Recognizing direct and tangible economic and social benefits that improve local livelihoods, including training and capacity building, fair wages and benefits, community development, health care and education. Destination Leadership Recognizing destination leadership, including cities, provinces, states, countries and regions that are demonstrating environmental best practices, protection of cultural and natural heritage, benefits to local communities and educating travelers on the principles of sustainability. Finalists will be announced by National Geographic in December 2016, and the winners will be announced in March 2017 at ITB Berlin during a special awards ceremony and also participate in related events. For more information about the World Legacy Awards and how to apply, visit nationalgeographic.com/worldlegacyawards. The exclusive destination sponsor for the 2017 World Legacy Awards is Botswana Tourism. Botswana is best known for its rich cultural heritage and contrasting ecosystems of the white sands of the Kalahari Desert and the lush Okavango Delta and offers an authentic wildlife and cultural African experience. The TreadRight Foundation, a not-for-profit working to ensure the environment and communities it visits remain vibrant for generations to come, returns for year three, continuing to support the mission of the World Legacy Awards. Also returning for a third year of sponsorship is Adventure World, a company that has championed responsible tourism for more than 35 years and is proud to support an awards program that aims to make the world a better place. About National Geographic Partners LLC National Geographic Partners LLC, a joint venture between National Geographic Society and 21st Century Fox, combines National Geographic television channels with National Geographic's media and consumer-oriented assets, including National Geographic magazines; National Geographic Studios; related digital and social media platforms; books; maps; children's media; and ancillary activities that include travel, global experiences and events, archival sales, catalog, licensing and e-commerce businesses. A portion of the proceeds from National Geographic Partners LLC will be used to fund science, exploration, conservation and education through significant ongoing contributions to the work of the National Geographic Society. For more information, visit www.nationalgeographic.com and find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, YouTube, LinkedIn and Pinterest. About ITB Berlin and the ITB Berlin Convention ITB Berlin 2017 will take place from Wednesday to Sunday, 8 to 12 March. From Wednesday to Friday ITB Berlin is open to trade visitors only. Parallel with the trade show the ITB Berlin Convention, the world's largest tourism convention, will be held from Wednesday, 8 to Saturday, 11 March 2017. More details are available at www.itb-convention.com. ITB Berlin is the global travel industry's leading trade show. In 2016 a total of 10,000 companies and organisations from 187 countries exhibited their products and services to 180,000 visitors, who included 120,000 trade visitors. Join the ITB Press Network at www.linkedin.com. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160622/382445LOGO SOURCE National Geographic Related Links http://www.nationalgeographic.com AMSTERDAM, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Nominations for Excellence in Research in the Field of Engineering and Innovation Accepted Through September 1, 2016 Nominations opened today for the Elsevier Foundation Awards for Early-Career Women Scientists in the Developing World , a high-profile honor for scientific and career achievements by women from developing countries in five regions: Latin America and the Caribbean, the Arab region, Sub-Saharan Africa, Central and South Asia; and East and South-East Asia and the Pacific. The theme for 2017 will be engineering and innovation. Nominations will be accepted through September 1, 2016. The awards are sponsored and organized by The Elsevier Foundation, the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD) and The World Academy of Sciences for the advancement of science in developing countries (TWAS). The competition will be judged by a distinguished panel of international scientists; one winner from each region will be announced in February 2017 at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in Boston. The five winners will each receive a cash prize of US$5,000 and all-expenses paid attendance at the AAAS meeting. The winners will also receive one-year access to Elsevier's ScienceDirect and Scopus. The Elsevier Foundation Awards for Early-Career Women Scientists rotate annually between disciplines (biological sciences, engineering sciences, and physical sciences) to ensure optimal exposure and networking synergies. Previous winners say the awards have had a powerful impact, enhancing the visibility of their research and creating new opportunities for the future. Dr. Ethel Nakimuli-Mpungu, the 2016 African winner and psychiatric epidemiologist at Makerere University College of Health Sciences in Kampala, Uganda, noted, "Winning the Elsevier Foundation Award was an honor beyond measure. Finally, my ten years of research received the recognition it deserved. The award resulted in more visibility for my research nationally and internationally. It opened doors to more research collaborations and increased opportunities, as well as invitations to high-level global meetings." Dr. Mpungu's research focuses on mental health interventions for HIV/AIDS patients suffering from depression. After receiving her award, she was recognized with a Presidential Medal on International Women's Day as one of the Women Achievers in Uganda. Nominations for the 2017 awards will be accepted for early-career women scientists working in engineering who have received their PhDs within the past 10 years and live in one of the 81 scientifically lagging countries as defined by TWAS. All nominations will be reviewed by a committee of eminent researchers who represent the five regions, including members of TWAS and OWSD, and chaired by OWSD President, Jennifer Thompson. Discussing the awards, Thompson commented, "I urge all young women working in these fields to make sure you are nominated. The voices and perspectives of women are sorely lacking in these areas of science. You can make a difference!" Romain Murenzi, Executive Director of TWAS, said, "It's very exciting that the Elsevier Foundation Awards, for the first time, will focus on engineering." Engineering is essential for achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals - in areas as diverse as energy and water, industrial development, and in building cities of the future. The 2017 Elsevier Foundation Awards will show us the excellent results women are achieving in engineering and encourage women's future work in these fields." "We have worked with OWSD and TWAS to develop these awards over the past five years - and we're really starting to see the benefits that recognition and role models have on women scientists from developing countries. Our award winners from past years are truly emerging as leaders both in their fields and among their own communities of women scientists," commented David Ruth, Executive Director of the Elsevier Foundation. Read more on Elsevier Connect. Notes for editors Nomination applications can be downloaded from the OWSD website and submitted through September 1, 2016 to [email protected] . About TWAS: The World Academy of Sciences works to advance innovation and sustainable prosperity in the developing world through research, education, policy and diplomacy. TWAS was founded in 1983 by a distinguished group of scientists under the leadership of Abdus Salam, the Pakistani physicist and Nobel Prize winner. Today, the academy has some 1,175 elected fellows from 90 countries; 16 of them are Nobel laureates. Throughout its history, its mission has focused on supporting and promoting excellence in research in the developing world and applying science and engineering to global challenges. TWAS receives core funding from the Government of Italy. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) administer TWAS funds and personnel. The academy is based in Trieste, Italy. http://www.twas.org About OWSD: The Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD) is an international organization affiliated with TWAS. Headed by eminent women scientists from the South, OWSD has more than 4,000 members. The central role is to promote women's access to science and technology, and their greater involvement in decision-making processes for the development of their countries and in the international scientific community. Created in 1989, OWSD's overall goal is to bridge the gender gap in science and technology. OWSD promotes leadership and provides networking opportunities for women scientists as well as exploring and improving strategies for increasing female participation in science. http://www.owsd.net About the Elsevier Foundation: The Elsevier Foundation provides grants to knowledge centered institutions around the world, with a focus on diversity in STM, health information delivery, research in developing countries, nurse leadership and sustainability. Since its inception, the foundation has awarded more than 100 grants worth over $5 million to non-profit organizations working in these fields. Through gift-matching, the foundation also supports the efforts of Elsevier employees to play a positive role in their local and global communities. The Elsevier Foundation is a corporate not-for-profit 501(c)(3), funded by Elsevier , a global provider of scientific, technical and medical information products and services.http://www.elsevierfoundation.org About Elsevier: Elsevier is a world-leading provider of information solutions that enhance the performance of science, health, and technology professionals, empowering them to make better decisions, deliver better care, and sometimes make ground-breaking discoveries that advance the boundaries of knowledge and human progress. Elsevier provides web-based, digital solutions - among them ScienceDirect, Scopus, Elsevier Research Intelligence and ClinicalKey - and publishes over 2,500 journals, including The Lancet and Cell, and more than 35,000 book titles, including a number of iconic reference works. Elsevier is part of RELX Group, a world-leading provider of information and analytics for professional and business customers across industries. http://www.elsevier.com Media contact: Edward Lempinen TWAS Public Information Officer +39-040-224-0512 [email protected] Ylann Schemm Program Director Elsevier Foundation +31-623-982-359 [email protected] SOURCE Elsevier NEW YORK, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Carnegie Hall today announced that, in recognition of a leading gift of $25 million from Len Blavatnik and the Blavatnik Family Foundation, the Hall's first-level seating tier in its historic main auditorium will be named the Blavatnik Family First Tier from the start of its 20162017 season. A Carnegie Hall trustee since 2014, Len Blavatnik has been a major supporter of Carnegie Hall for more than ten years, and a Founding Patron of the National Youth Orchestra of the United States of America, a program created by Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute in 2013. The Blavatnik Family Foundation's $25 million commitment to Carnegie Hall's ongoing 125th Anniversary campaign will fund the continued growth of the Hall's artistic, educational, and digital initiatives as they are expanded over the next decade. Other key supporters of this campaign include the Fund II Foundation, founded and led by Carnegie Hall Chairman Robert F. Smith, as well as trustees Beatrice Santo Domingo and Nicola Bulgari. The newly-named Blavatnik Family First Tier in Carnegie Hall's Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage will be unveiled with a pre-concert celebration at Carnegie Hall's Opening Night Gala on Thursday, October 6, a festive evening featuring a performance by Gustavo Dudamel and the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela. The tier will hold this special name and designation for the next 50 years. Len Blavatnik said, "Carnegie Hall is the world's premier music destination, the place where all of the finest artists have aspired to perform. It is important to me and my family that the Hall continue to thrive, bringing together artists and audiences for exceptional musical experiences and creating programs to engage and inspire the next generation of musicians and music lovers. We are proud to support Carnegie Hall as it enters its next 125 years." Robert F. Smith, Chairman of Carnegie Hall's Board of Trustees, said, "On behalf of Carnegie Hall's trustees, it is my pleasure to thank Len Blavatnik and the Blavatnik Family Foundation for this important gift, one that provides strong momentum to our anniversary campaign, ensuring a vibrant, enduring future for Carnegie Hall. We greatly appreciate Len's leadership and his deep commitment to our institution." Clive Gillinson, Carnegie Hall's Executive and Artistic Director, said, "Music means a lot to Len's family and we know that Carnegie Hall has always held a special place in his heart. We are immensely grateful for his shared belief in the transformational role that Carnegie Hall can play in serving today's artists and audiences, advancing the future of music. This gift will have a significant impact on our work, enabling us to greatly expand on our focus in recent years: creating artistic programming of the highest quality, developing innovative education programs that engage people from all walks of life; and leveraging technology in ways that make Carnegie Hall even more accessible to audiences around the world." Len Blavatnik, a major American industrialist and philanthropist, is the founder and chairman of Access Industries, Inc., a privately-held US industrial group with global strategic investments in four key sectors: natural resources and chemicals; media and telecommunications; technology and e-commerce; and real estate. Raised in Russia, Mr. Blavatnik immigrated to the US in 1978 and became a US citizen in 1984. He studied in Moscow as an undergraduate and later received his master's degree in computer science from Columbia University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. He sits on various corporate boards, among them Warner Music Group, which is wholly-owned by Access and is the sponsor of the Warner Music Prize, recognizing exceptional young classical musicians. Mr. Blavatnik also sits on boards at Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, and Tel Aviv universities and numerous charitable organizations including The Mariinsky Foundation of America. Mr. Blavatnik and the Blavatnik Family Foundation have supported many leading educational, cultural, and scientific institutions in the US, Europe, Russia, and Israel, including the founding of the Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford. In 2007, Mr. Blavatnik, together with the New York Academy of Sciences, established the annual Blavatnik National Awards for Young Scientists to celebrate noteworthy young scientists and engineers and to recognize highly innovative and interdisciplinary scientific accomplishments. For more information, visit accessindustries.com About Carnegie Hall Since 1891, Carnegie Hall has set the international standard for excellence in performance as the aspirational destination for the world's finest musicians. Having just completed its 125th anniversary season, the Hall today presents a wide range of performances each season on its three stagesthe renowned Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage, intimate Weill Recital Hall, and innovative Zankel Hallincluding concert series curated by acclaimed artists and composers; citywide festivals featuring collaborations with leading New York City cultural institutions; orchestral performances, chamber music, new music concerts, and recitals; and the best in jazz, world, and popular music. Complementing these performance activities, Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute creates extensive music education and community programs that will serve 600,000 people in the New York City area, nationally, and internationally next season, playing a central role in Carnegie Hall's commitment to making great music accessible to as many people as possible. For more information, visit carnegiehall.org. SOURCE Carnegie Hall Related Links http://www.carnegiehall.org LOS ANGELES, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Twenty years after a civil war and genocide in Guatemala, USC Shoah Foundation Center for Advanced Genocide Research will host an international conference that will shed light on this little-known atrocity. "A Conflict? Genocide and Resistance in Guatemala," will run from Sept. 11-14 and feature 23 scholars from around the world who conduct research in multiple disciplines. They will discuss the history and impact of the systematic mass violence that during the early 1980s left 200,000 mostly Mayan Guatemalans dead and more than 1.5 million displaced without basic resources a genocide hidden under the cover of a 36-year civil war that ended in 1996 with a peace accord. The conference is being organized by Wolf Gruner, founding director of the Center for Advanced Genocide Research, and Victoria Sanford, founding director of the Center for Human Rights and Peace Studies at Lehman College, City University of New York. "The Guatemalan genocide has for too long been overlooked," Gruner said. "By hosting this conference, we hope to spark conversation, gain insight and bring attention to the victims of this terrible piece of history that took place here in the Americas. If we can learn the lessons from genocides and the resistance to them, perhaps we can stop them in the future." The conference comes as USC Shoah Foundation adds testimony from survivors of the Guatemalan Genocide to its Visual History Archive, a repository of 53,000 testimonies from survivors of 20th century genocides, including the Holocaust, the Armenian Genocide and the 1994 Genocide Against the Tutsi in Rwanda. The Institute worked with the Guatemalan forensics organization La Fundacion de Antropologia Forense de Guatemala (FAFG) to collect 150 testimonies of survivors and witnesses of the Guatemalan genocide, some of them speaking in their native K'iche'. "This conference, like the addition of the Guatemalan survivor testimonies to USC Shoah Foundation's Visual History Archive, comes at a critical moment in Guatemalan history," said Sanford. "With ongoing genocide trials in the midst of contentious public debates and genocide denial, this conference offers a reasoned analysis of the depth and breadth of the Guatemalan Genocide." The conference coincides with ongoing efforts to bring accused perpetrators to trial. In May, a court in Guatemala ruled that former military dictator Efrain Rios Montt will be retried for his important role in the genocide. In a historic decision, Rios Montt was found guilty in 2013 for his participation in the genocide, but the conviction was quickly overturned on a technicality on the heels of a massive "No Hubo Genocidio" (There was No Genocide) public relations campaign supported by powerful national economic interests. A retrial began in January of 2015 but was suspended within hours after the defense team accused a judge of bias. Much of the evidence brought to bear against Rios Montt came from FAFG's fieldwork. FAFG has spent the past 20 years locating and unearthing mass graves and carrying out forensic investigations into the mass killings of rural villagers and others. Using technology developed after 9/11, the organization has identified hundreds of victims by comparing DNA samples extracted from their exhumed remains to DNA samples of surviving blood relatives. "This gathering is the first of its kind in international history," said Stephen Smith, executive director of USC Shoah Foundation. "By convening this group of thought leaders, we not only deepen awareness and understanding of an under-examined chapter of history, we also help to combat silence and ignorance, the two best friends of mass murderers." The conference kicks off Sunday, Sept. 11, with a welcoming reception, followed by three days of panel discussions, lectures and workshops. Each will feature simultaneous translation in English or Spanish as needed. In addition to scholarly panel discussions during the day, the conference will also include evening events for the general public and members of the Guatemalan community. For scholars, students and members of the public interested in attending the conference, please contact [email protected] or visit the conference website at http://sfi.usc.edu/cagr/conferences/2016_international. About USC Shoah Foundation USC Shoah Foundation The Institute for Visual History and Education is dedicated to making audio- visual interviews with survivors and other witnesses of the Holocaust and other genocides, a compelling voice for education and action. The Institute's current collection of more than 53,000 eyewitness testimonies contained within its Visual History Archive preserves history as told by the people who lived it, and lived through it. Housed at the University of Southern California, within the Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, the Institute works with partners around the world to advance scholarship and research, to provide resources and online tools for educators, and to disseminate the testimonies for educational purposes. Visual History Archive is a registered trademark of USC Shoah Foundation The Institute for Visual History and Education Reg. U.S. Pat & Tm. Off. About Center for Advanced Genocide Research The USC Shoah Foundation Center for Advanced Genocide Research is dedicated to advancing new areas of interdisciplinary research on the Holocaust and other genocides. One area of research addresses the fundamental question of what enables people to oppose or resist racist ideologies, state discrimination practices, or the active participation in mass atrocities. Other research interests include Research on Violence, Emotion and Behavioral Change and Digital Genocide Studies. Contact: Josh Grossberg 213-740-6065 [email protected] Rob Kuznia 213-740-0965 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150218/176374LOGO SOURCE USC Shoah Foundation NEW YORK, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Centinel Spine, Inc., (Centinel Spine), the pioneer of the No-Profile, Integrated Interbody fusion device market, is granted clearance for STALIF L No-Profile, Lateral Lumbar Integrated Interbody system by the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration. Centinel Spine STALIF L Lateral, Integrated Interbody Technology "This clearance expands our International No-Profile, Integrated Interbody market," said John J. Viscogliosi, Chairman & CEO, Centinel Spine. "STALIF has enjoyed a long successful history in Australia and now STALIF L exemplifies our continued commitment to being the gold standard in Integrated Interbody devices. We are excited to bring the STALIF advantage to minimally-invasive spinal fusion surgery in Australia," Mr. Viscogliosi continued. STALIF L continues the thirty-year STALIF heritage of innovation as STALIF L is the only lateral device to offer the benefits of no-profile, compressive lag fixation with proprietary anti-backout technology and 12-degrees of lordosis. In addition to the above-mentioned STALIF benefits, STALIF L also offers a large chamber for bone graft to support fusion, optimized fixation with easily placed self-drilling, self-tapping screws and a variety of cage sizes to match patient anatomy. Sam Scott-Young, Managing Director, Orthotech Orthopaedics Holdings, Ltd, Pty, exclaimed, "Orthotech is proud to represent Centinel Spine in Australia. We are excited to receive the STALIF L clearance enabling us to provide this innovative technology to our surgeon customers and their spine surgery patients." Mr. Scott-Young continued, "The entire STALIF product portfolio, including the new STALIF L, and the Ti-ACTIVE technology, a texturized, titanium coating, allows our surgeon customers to offer their patients the most up-to-date spinal technologies with a heritage of more than 25 years of proven clinical success as a treatment for degenerative spinal pathologies." Centinel Spine also develops, manufactures, markets and sells the complete STALIF product family, which includes STALIF C, STALIF C-Ti, MIDLINE II and MIDLINE II-Ti. STALIF C-Ti and MIDLINE II-Ti merge the proven clinical success of STALIF Integrated Interbody technology with Ti-ACTIVE, a texturized titanium coating developed with over 15 years of science and engineering experience. Recently, Centinel Spine received FDA clearance for ALTOS PCT, a posterior cervical stabilization system specifically designed for use in either the cervical lateral masses or cervical-thoracic pedicles. For more information on STALIF L, please visit lateral.centinelspine.com. About Centinel Spine, Inc. Centinel Spine, Inc. is a privately-held spinal device company leading the development and commercialization of the No-Profile, Integrated Interbody fusion technologies. For more information on Centinel Spine products and technologies, please visit the Company's web site at www.centinelspine.com. The company began operations in August 2008, through the merger-acquisition of two pioneering medical device companies: Raymedica LLC and Surgicraft LTD. Today, Centinel Spine still embraces the pioneering culture developed at both originating companies and continues its corporate mission of becoming the leading anterior column support spine franchise, providing elegantly simple implants and instruments that are tissue-sparing and generate superior clinical outcomes. Centinel Spine derived its name from the "Sentinel Sign" the radiographic confirmation of a successful fusion anterior to the interbody device. This information in this press release is intended for audiences in Australia. For more information, please contact: John Parry Centinel Spine, Inc. 900 Airport Road, Suite 3B West Chester, PA 19380 Phone: 484.887.8813 Email: [email protected] LBL230 R01 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160620/381085 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160523/370654LOGO SOURCE Centinel Spine, Inc. Related Links http://www.centinelspine.com NEW YORK, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly 40 percent of American adults believe that CEOs have a responsibility to speak out on hot-button issues, according to a new survey, "The Dawn of CEO Activism," released today and commissioned by global communications and engagement firm Weber Shandwick in partnership with KRC Research. Credit Weber Shandwick However, the survey also showed that chief executives need to show caution with the topics about which they choose to speak out on, as three in 10 (32 percent) of those adults have a less favorable opinion of CEOs who speak out on issues that are not tied to their companies' respective line of business. With CEO activism in its early stages, companies and their leaders need to proceed with a healthy dose of caution if they engage deeply on issues that are squarely and controversially in the public realm. "As more CEOs begin to take public stands on current hot-button issues, we wanted to take the pulse on where Americans stand on this revolutionary shift," said Micho Spring, chair of Weber Shandwick's Global Corporate practice. "We gathered data to better counsel companies on how to engage and protect their brand health and reputations." CEO activism has at times been very effective. In the past year or so, a number of CEOs have spoken out about social and environmental issues such as climate change, income fairness, same-sex marriage, immigration, gun control and discrimination all issues that are not necessarily tied to the bottom line. This onrush of public announcements has been so evident that one CEO declared a "third [political] party emerging in this country, which is the party of CEOs."1 Such activism by America's business leaders has the potential to shape not only the reputation of CEOs but also that of their companies and the likelihood that consumers will buy or not buy their brands. Activism Encouraged But Not Always a Plus As noted above, a sizeable segment of Americans (38 percent) believe CEOs have a responsibility to speak out on hotly debated issues. The belief that CEOs carry such a responsibility is most likely to translate to favorable opinion toward CEOs who do speak out. When respondents are asked their opinion of CEOs who take public positions on hot button issues, the scales tip in favor of the CEO (31 percent more favorable vs. 22 percent less favorable). Yet, when the issues are not directly linked to a company's bottom line, the reverse is true and Americans feel less favorable (32 percent less favorable vs. 20 percent more favorable). Favorability is thus dependent on how strongly an issue's link is to the bottom line, the data showed. Favorability toward CEOs Taking Public Positions on Hotly Debated Current Issues (% Total Americans) Opinion of CEOs who take a public position In general When issue is NOT tied to company business More favorable 31% 20% Makes no difference 34% 32% Less favorable 22% 32% Don't know 13% 16% CEO Activism Influences Purchase Intent A CEO's stance on controversial issues can also work for or against the company when it comes to sales. While four in 10 Americans (40 percent) say they are more likely to buy from a company when they agree with the CEO on an issue, a comparable segment (45 percent) say they are less likely to buy if they disagree with the CEO's position. Since a CEO's external stance may affect behavior as basic as buying a product, companies need to have a firm understanding of the attitudes of key customers and other stakeholders before CEO activism goes public. Americans Unsure of Motivation The public does not fully credit CEOs' motives for taking public positions on hotly debated issues. Americans believe the top reason for CEO activism is "to get media attention" (36 percent). Four other reasons tie for second place with 21 percent of respondents saying each of the following: "to build a CEO's reputation," "to sell more products or services," "to be open and honest about how the issue aligns with company values" and "to be open and honest about how they personally feel about an issue." Among these top five cited reasons, only the last two demonstrate trust in CEO activism motives. Adding to the skepticism, only 14 percent cite "to do what is right for society" and fewer (11 percent) cite "to speak up on behalf of the company's employees and customers." At the bottom of the list is "to attract and retain the best employees" (7 percent). Clearly, if CEOs want to signal that the well-being of employees is at the heart of their activism, their message is not resonating loud enough. (Note: Respondents were permitted to select multiple reasons and therefore the results add to more than 100%.) Media attention, of course, may not necessarily be a total negative since activist CEOs are attempting to bring attention to an issue that they wish to influence and about which they feel passionately. Still, many Americans think that CEOs speak up out of self-interest, whether it be seeking media coverage or building personal reputations. CEOs need to make their rationale for participation in this type of public dialogue crystal clear in an attempt to alleviate such doubts about CEO motives. According to Weber Shandwick's chief reputation strategist Leslie Gaines-Ross, "As the world grows more complex, polarized and politically-charged, our research provides an early roadmap for CEO activists to consider when speaking up on pressing societal issues. It is understood that CEOs have to carefully balance many constituencies but they will find themselves increasingly in the spotlight as they try to make a difference in a world that requires them to stand up and be counted. This new strain of CEO activism requires leaders to articulate their positions in a straightforward, unambiguous and meaningful way in order to be fully understood." Millennials Are On Board More Millennials (18-35 year olds) are the generation more inclined to favor CEO activism. They are more likely than other Americans to be aware of CEOs having taken public positions on controversial issues, to feel favorably toward CEOs who speak out, and to say that they will buy from companies whose CEOs take a public position they agree with. For companies looking to appeal to the next generation, CEO activism might just be the right course of action. Generational Attitudes toward CEO Activism (% Total Americans) Millennials (18-35) Gen Xers (36-51) Boomers (52-70) Have heard/read about CEOs taking public positions on hotly debated current issues 39% 33% 29% Are more favorable toward CEOs taking public positions on hotly debated current issues 35% 29% 27% Would be much more likely to buy from company whose CEO takes public position on issue you AGREE with 46% 40% 35% Guiding Principles for CEO Activists Without a doubt, companies and their leaders need to deliberate whether to speak out on controversial issues of the day and to decide which issues should be addressed. Weber Shandwick's report provides 12 guidelines for leaders and their companies to consider. Following are several rules of the road: Recognize that CEO activism is an emerging dynamic that is only going to increase as CEOs become more deeply engaged in the new world order. Carefully evaluate the impact of the CEO's stance among key stakeholders. Establish a link between the issue and the company's values and business. Consider employees. Assess how it will impact them and gauge their support. If some employees disagree with the CEO's stance, will they feel excluded, less productive, less loyal? Look in the mirror. Make sure there are no skeletons in the closet related to the issue. This is a good time to put one's house in order. Consider the channels, messages and tone of voice used. Ensure that the reasons behind the public stance are clearly and transparently articulated and voiced over time, not just one time when the issue first appears in the news. Have a crisis preparedness plan ready for a media, stakeholder or social media backlash. Click here to access The Dawn of CEO Activism report. About the Research The Dawn of CEO Activism was an online survey commissioned by Weber Shandwick and conducted by KRC Research. The survey sampled 1,027 U.S. adults 18 years of age and older and interviewed them in May 2016. About Weber Shandwick Weber Shandwick is a leading global communications and engagement firm in 78 cities across 34 countries with a network extending to 126 cities in 81 countries. The firm's diverse team of strategists, analysts, producers, designers, developers and campaign activators has won the most prestigious awards in the world for innovative, creative approaches and impactful work, including being honored as PRWeek's Global Agency of the Year in 2015 and 2016, an Ad Age A-List Agency in 2014 and 2015, and The Holmes Report's Global Agency of the Year in 2010, 2012, 2014 and 2015. Weber Shandwick and its Prime unit have won a combined 31 Cannes Lions since 2009. Weber Shandwick was also named a Best Place to Work by Ad Age in 2014 and 2015 and PRWeek in 2013 and 2014. The firm deploys deep expertise across sectors and specialty areas, including consumer marketing, corporate reputation, healthcare, technology, public affairs, financial services, corporate social responsibility, financial communications and crisis management, using proprietary social, digital and analytics methodologies. Weber Shandwick is part of the Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG). For more information, visit http://www.webershandwick.com. About KRC Research KRC Research is a global full-service nonpartisan opinion research and strategy firm. A unit of the Interpublic Group of Companies (NYSE: IPG), KRC Research offers the quality and custom service of a small firm with the reach of a global organization. For over 30 years, KRC Research has worked on behalf of corporations, governments, not-for-profits and the communications firms that represent them. Staffed with multidisciplinary research professionals, KRC combines sophisticated research tools with real-world communications experience. For more information, visit www.krcresearch.com 1 Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, CNN, June 12, 2015 Contact: Michelle Giuda Company: Weber Shandwick Phone: 212.445.8088 Email: [email protected] Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160621/382090 SOURCE Weber Shandwick Related Links http://webershandwick.com Hanoi saw the rate of gender imbalance soar to 114.4 boys per 100 girls in the first five months of 2016, according to a post on the city's government news portal on June 22. Nguyen Dinh Lan, deputy director of the Hanoi Population and Family Planning Branch, said that the citys gender imbalance rate is always higher than the national average. In 2015, Hanoi hit a 10-year low when the rate reached 114/110, but that still surpassed the national average of 112.7/100. More seriously, the figures bounced back to 114.4/100 in the first five months of this year. The deputy director added that the gender imbalance rate has risen while the number of new babies appears to have fallen. Data from the branch showed there were more than 37,000 babies born in Hanoi in the first five months, down nearly four percent on-year. In addition, 7.53 percent of families had a third child. Many families want to have a boy so they decide to have a third child. This will push up Hanois gender imbalance rate for the rest of this year, said Lan. To solve the problem, Ta Quang Huy, director of the Hanoi Population and Family Planning Branch, said that the city will conduct spot inspections of hospitals and clinics that provide gender tests for pregnant women. Huy said that last year, the city handled two cases related to fetal gender testing, one of which was penalized VND40 million ($1,800) and suspended. Recently, Hanoi also fined Hong Ngoc Private Hospital VND3 million ($135) for advertising gender selection services on its website. CHICAGO, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Marguerite Dixen, president of Third Coast Underwriters (3CU), has been named to the Board of Directors of the Chicago Debate Commission (CDC). "We are thrilled to add Marguerite to our Board. As president of a thriving company, Marguerite brings business savvy and a can-do attitude to the table," said Edie Canter, executive director, Chicago Debate Commission. "She is passionate about the CDC's mission to transform the lives of Chicago's at-risk youth through debate, and she understands the power of debate to create a pipeline of strategic and analytical thinkers for business and community leadership. The CDC will undoubtedly flourish with her leadership and support." "The skills I developed through my personal debate experience have been integral in my business career and I am honored to assist Chicago's youth in their pursuit of those same vital skills," said Dixen. "Participation in debate helps students develop critical research, thinking, and public speaking competencies that can transform their education and truly change their lives. An investment in the CDC not only improves the academic performance of the participants, but nurtures the next generation of leaders for Chicago and beyond." The Chicago Debate Commission was founded in 1995 to advance the academic achievement, life success and community contributions of urban youth by providing them with powerful skills in reading, research, critical thinking, civic engagement, teamwork and communications all through the mechanism of academic debate. In 1997, in partnership with Chicago Public Schools, the CDC launched debate in Chicago with five high schools and 35 students. Now, the program has grown to 72 schools with 1,400 students. It is the largest program of its kind in the country and a model for urban debate leagues nationwide. Third Coast Underwriters specializes in workers' compensation and is dedicated to understanding and actively managing workers' compensation risk with an unwavering attention to service. 3CU specializes in higher hazard, complex risks including construction, transportation, emerging markets, gas & oil, USL&H, and mergers & acquisitions. About Third Coast Underwriters Third Coast Underwriters is a division of AF Group. All policies are underwritten by a licensed subsidiary of AF Group. 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 NEW YORK, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Concordia is pleased to announce that it has received a gift of $1 million from the Arnall Family Foundation. "We are truly grateful to the Arnall Family Foundation for their generous support of Concordia and our mission to create a more prosperous future by building partnerships across sectors," said Concordia's Co-Founder and CEO, Matthew A. Swift. These funds will support Concordia's social impact work and enable the organization to expand our Campaign arm. Concordia Campaigns narrow our programmatic, research, and networking focus to tackle a particularly pressing global problem. A Campaign draws attention to an issue and catalyzes action for maximum social impact around that issue. Concordia's Campaign Against Labor Trafficking was launched in July 2015 to fight labor trafficking in corporate supply chains, specifically in the Thai fishing industry. "After witnessing the impact that Concordia has had in the countries and industries where it has focused its Campaigns, I felt as if they truly could change the world with a little more support. I am very happy to give them this support," remarked Sue Ann Arnall, President of the Arnall Family Foundation. With the generous gift from the Arnall Family Foundation, Concordia will be able to launch a series of Campaigns focusing on other pressing global issues to leverage our platform for positive social change. "There is no issue too large or too complex we can't tackle if we work together. The Arnall Family Foundation allows us to maximize Concordia's ability to facilitate partnerships for positive, lasting social impact," Concordia's Co-Founder and Chairman of the Board, Nicholas M. Logothetis, explained. The Arnall Family Foundation empowers a community of partners through high impact programs that improve the lives of disadvantaged youth and companion animals. Sue Ann Arnall, President of the Arnall Family Foundation, has also joined Concordia's Board of Directors. Her commitment to philanthropy will guide Concordia's long-term vision of enabling effective public-private partnerships for positive societal impact. Concordia enables public-private partnerships to create a more prosperous and sustainable future. It is a platform for leaders who are passionate about public- private partnerships (P3s). Through programming, research, and issue-based campaigns, Concordia raises the visibility of P3s and demonstrates how they can be used to help solve the world's most pressing challenges. Nicholas M. Logothetis and Matthew A. Swift founded Concordia in 2011. For more information please visit www.concordia.net. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150910/265486LOGO SOURCE Concordia BOSTON, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Delphi Technology, Inc., the recognized leader in technology solutions for medical professional liability insurance and an emerging provider of technology solutions for property and casualty insurance, today announced the latest release of Delphi Accelerator. Built on the new Delphi Velocity technology platform, Delphi Accelerator makes it easier for P&C insurers to leverage ISO Electronic Rating Content (ERC) to streamline, automate, and accelerate product development to maintain their competitive edge. Product managers can download and import ISO electronic rating content directly into their own content libraries in a matter of minutes instead of days, weeks, or months. They can define products for their target markets, desired lines of business, states, and issuing companies by adopting ISO ERC content and combining it with their own intellectual property seamlessly from a browser. "Delphi Accelerator, used in conjunction with ERC, will greatly reduce the cost and time it now takes insurance carriers to institute circular changes," said John J. Flavin, Senior Vice President and Chief Business Development Officer of Delphi Technology. "Delphi Accelerator gives insurers the ability to radically improve product development speed and enhance product capability to pursue new opportunities and accommodate market demands." Delphi Accelerator includes: ISO ERC Import Import ISO ERC in minutes without having to deal with its complex XML structure Import ISO ERC in minutes without having to deal with its complex XML structure Content Categorization Turn ISO ERC into business user-friendly coverages, forms, rules, rates, rate tables, etc. Turn ISO ERC into business user-friendly coverages, forms, rules, rates, rate tables, etc. Content Publication Publish content to Delphi Policy or any policy administration system Publish content to Delphi Policy or any policy administration system Product Design Ecosystem Delphi Accelerator can interface seamlessly with any policy administration and data warehouse / business intelligence system Delphi Accelerator can interface seamlessly with any policy administration and data warehouse / business intelligence system Product Definition Workflows Product definition workflows allow insurance products to be created, modified, and managed through their filing lifecycles Product definition workflows allow insurance products to be created, modified, and managed through their filing lifecycles Global Searchable Content Search all insurance content in the content libraries Search all insurance content in the content libraries Product-centric Content Adoption Flexible content adoption workflows allow product managers to freely use content from ISO ERC and their own content libraries Flexible content adoption workflows allow product managers to freely use content from ISO ERC and their own content libraries Content Comparison Content comparison highlights potential and possible product changes Content comparison highlights potential and possible product changes Content Change Impact Analysis Impact analysis through integration with any policy administration system, Delphi Policy, and Delphi Reporting & Analytics enables product managers to gain insight into possible premium changes on books of business through designing what-if scenarios and carrying out simulations "The true power of Delphi Accelerator lies in its ability to provide instant visibility into ISO content. Product managers can compare their products to any version of content from ISO ERC or their own content libraries and differences in rates, rules, forms, and coverages can be highlighted to support product definition decisions," said Rex James, Delphi's Vice President of P&C Sales. "They can also leverage the comparison and impact analysis functionality to perform product "what-if" scenarios for any combination of rates, rules, and forms from their own unique content libraries enabling them to tailor their product offerings to proactively evolve their market with unprecedented agility." About Delphi Technology, Inc. For more than 20 years, Delphi Technology has been the recognized leader in providing business software solutions to the healthcare professional liability market. Delphi delivers a comprehensive range of proven software solutions including underwriting, policy management, claims management, financial management, business intelligence, and predictive analytics. Leveraging a highly flexible technology platform, Delphi enables companies to streamline their operations, optimize their business processes, and respond to changing business needs resulting in reduced costs, increased operational efficiency, and improved business intelligence. Delphi Technology utilizes a proven implementation methodology ensuring the transfer of critical technical, business, and market and expertise throughout the deployment process resulting in successful implementations that come in on schedule and on budget. Headquartered in Boston, MA, Delphi Technology has offices throughout North America and in Shanghai, China. For more information, please visit www.Delphi-Tech.com or call 617-259-1200. Contact: Bonnie Clark, Vice President of Marketing Delphi Technology, Inc. [email protected] 732-353-3519 SOURCE Delphi Technology, Inc. Related Links http://www.delphi-tech.com SAN CLEMENTE, Calif., June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Dr. Tonmoy Sharma, Sovereign Health's Chief Executive Officer (CEO), speaks out about the Orlando tragedy in newly-released footage. The senseless shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando took place in the early morning hours of June 12, 2016, in what's now the deadliest mass shooting in United States history. Dr. Tonmoy Sharma, Sovereign Health CEO Dr. Sharma has launched the Orlando Hotline to provide support to survivors, victims' families and loved ones, and to residents of the Orlando area who may be struggling with the repercussions from the shooting. The Hotline is open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. ET and is a source of information and referrals to a broad range of behavioral health treatment providers and other support services. Hotline operators are standing by to receive calls at 888-376-3032. "At this time of national tragedy and mourning, as a leading provider of behavioral health treatment services and a member of the Florida healthcare community, Sovereign Health is committed to providing support to the citizens of Orlando," says Dr. Sharma. Callers will receive information about the grief process and intervention assistance, along with referrals to behavioral health treatment providers and other support services. Sovereign Health is a national behavioral health treatment service provider and the Hotline's phones will be answered by volunteer operators who are Sovereign employees and work at the company's call centers and treatment facilities. Dr. Sharma noted: "The Hotline volunteers do not only come from our facilities in Fort Myers and Pompano Beach, Florida, but also come from our facilities and offices all over the United States. We are grateful to our volunteers who stand ready to support those who have been affected by this unthinkable tragedy and to provide compassionate and accepting responses to those whose lives have been shattered by hatred and bigotry." For those interested in helping Pulse survivors and their families, there is a need for volunteers, blood donors and monetary donations. Click HERE for more information and a list of organizations working to provide services to those in need. About Sovereign Health Sovereign Health's mission is to provide a broad spectrum of high-quality behavioral health treatment services for adults and adolescents, including support services for family members. One factor that differentiates Sovereign from other treatment providers has been the company's ability to offer separate mental health and addiction or dual diagnosis treatment programs at its facilities. For more information, visit www.sovhealth.com. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160622/382569 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150814/258633LOGO SOURCE Sovereign Health Related Links http://www.sovhealth.com SAN DIEGO, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- KAABOO Del Mar, the ultimate weekend getaway, is excited to announce the expansion of this year's culinary programming and gourmet cuisine offerings. The KAABOO culinary lineup is presented in partnership with The Infatuation, KAABOO's official culinary media partner. In addition to KAABOO's impressive music lineup and hilarious comedians, which include Jimmy Buffett & The Coral Reefer Band, Aerosmith, Jack Johnson, Fall Out Boy, Daryl Hall and John Oates, plus comedians including The Cast of Silicon Valley, Dana Carvey, and Cheech and Chong, the spread at this year's culinary experience has been enhanced in every way possible from the number of participating restaurant and chef partners to an even higher level of gourmet cuisine. Not your typical festival fare ... PALATE is an upscale culinary environment within the KAABOO "mix-perience," where you can sample local and regional delicacies from a variety of carefully selected palate-pleasing artisans. Pair any mouthwatering delectable with libations from exclusive wineries, craft distilleries, and local craft breweries for a true taste of San Diego. Discover new flavors, while learning tips and tricks from a variety of culinary rock stars! Appearing on the LOCALE Magazine PALATE Stage, relocated outside for expanded capacity and better viewing capabilities, hungry guests will find their favorite celebrity chefs giving mouth-watering demonstrations plus surprise musical performances. Returning this year, the LOCALE Magazine PALATE stage will host the expanded Rockin' Chef Competition, presented by Chef's Roll, on September 17th. Six chefs selected from three regional competitions taking place this summer in Palm Springs, Phoenix and an additional location to be announced, will have the chance to go head-to-head in two rounds of the contest in front of a panel of expert judges and KAABOO guests in a "winner-takes-all" challenge. If they have what it takes, they will earn the top spot and will be crowned KAABOO's reigning "Rockin' Chef." Beyond PALATE, KAABOO guests can find notable pop-up shops on the fairgrounds for a quick indulgence to satisfy any craving! For the first time, a fully stocked Dylan's Candy Bar will be set up to satisfy your sweet tooth, while CaliBurger, Momenti Spirited Ice Creams, and Swell Coffee will have you covered for a treat between acts. See below for a full list of participating PALATE Restaurants, Featured Celebrity Chefs and Pop-Up Shops. Featured Chefs : Richard Blais Perhaps most recognizable as the winner of Bravo's Top Chef All-Stars, Richard Blais is a successful chef, restaurateur, cookbook author and television personality. Brian Malarkey In just four years, Chef Brian Malarkey has created seven wildly successful restaurants, including Searsucker and Herringbone, with more expansion plans in the works for the coming year. Josiah Citrin A veteran of Los Angeles' gourmet dining industry, Josiah Citrin is Chef/Owner of highly-acclaimed Melisse Restaurant in Santa Monica, CA , and co-owner of Lemon Moon Cafe in nearby West Los Angeles . Citrin has been featured on various television food shows and his restaurant and recipes have been written up in numerous national food publications. Marcel Vigneron Runner up of Top Chef Season 2, Vigneron has appeared on several reality television cooking competitions including Top Chef: All Stars, Food Network's Iron Chef America and Guys Grocery Games. Timothy Hollingsworth Chef and restaurateur, Hollingsworth is the chef and owner of both Otium in Los Angeles and Barrel & Ashes in Studio City, CA. He has won multiple awards throughout his career from the James Beard Foundation's Rising Chef of the Year Award in 2010, to the most prominent Bocuse d'Or championship in 2009. Ray Garcia Chef Ray Garcia is a native Angeleno, who draws his culinary inspiration from the city's rich culture, the wealth of Southern California produce, and classic training. Michael Fiorelli Chef Michael Fiorelli is the chef owner at Love and Salt in Manhattan Beach, CA. An avid reader, his pursuit of all things literary led him to cookbooks, which captured his imagination and fostered a passion for food . . Steve Samson Chef Steve Samson is the chef owner of Sotto restaurant in Los Angeles, CA. Opened in 2011, Sotto achieved immediate acclaim, being named one of Esquire Magazine's "Best New Restaurants in America" and Los Angeles Magazines #1 "Best New Restaurant". Plus more to be announced Participating Palate Restaurants : Alforon (Flat Breads, San Diego, CA) JSix (American, San Diego, CA) Angel's Salumi & Truffles (Charcuterie, Carlsbad, CA) The Lanai (Island Fusion, Encintas, CA) BCN (Gourmet Sandwiches, Los Angeles, CA) Poseidon on the Beach (Seafood, Del Mar, CA) Beerfish (Seafood, North Park, CA) Puesto (Mexico, San Diego, CA) Bobboi Natural Gelato (Gelato, La Jolla, CA) Roti Rolls (Asian Fusion, Charleston, SC) Bottega Americano (Italian American Fusion, San Diego) Saiko Sushi (Japanese, San Diego, CA) Bugsy BBQ (Barbecue, San Diego, CA) Searsucker Del Mar (New American, Del Mar, CA) Buona Forchetta (Italian, San Diego, CA) Cardiff Seaside Market (California Fresh, Cardiff, CA) Ca'Momi (Italian Pizza, Napa, CA) So Rich Chocolate (Hand-made Dessert, Vista, CA) Chef Javier Plascencia (Baja Fresh, San Diego, CA) The Milk Bar (Craft Milkshakes, San Diego, CA) Cream (Ice Cream, San Diego, CA) Tostadas North Park (Mexican, San Diego, CA) JINYA Ramen Bar (Japanese, Burbank, CA) City Tacos (Mexican, San Diego, CA) Featured Pop-Up Shops : Dylan's Candy Bar : The largest confectionary emporium and lifestyle brand has merged the worlds of art, fashion and pop culture with candy, to innovate the way we see and experience candy today! The largest confectionary emporium and lifestyle brand has merged the worlds of art, fashion and pop culture with candy, to innovate the way we see and experience candy today! Cali Burger: Takes the sunny Southern California style burger around the globe, conquering taste buds with every Cali Double and Seasoned Fries, and now they are coming back with a new store in Pasadena, CA opening in June! Takes the sunny style burger around the globe, conquering taste buds with every Cali Double and Seasoned Fries, and now they are coming back with a new store in opening in June! Momenti Spirited Ice Creams: Provides happiness while giving back to the greater good. Enjoy these signature handcrafted craft-liqueur-infused ice creams! Provides happiness while giving back to the greater good. Enjoy these signature handcrafted craft-liqueur-infused ice creams! Swell Coffee: The flavorful work of the craftsmen and women who attend to every step in the process, from the farm to the roaster and to the cup, features Trade coffees from around the world. 3-day passes are on sale now and can be purchased through KAABOODelMar.com/passes. For the most updated information, including the full music and comedy lineups, please visit the KAABOO website: www.KAABOODelMar.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. About KAABOO KAABOO is a three-day "mix-perience" and the perfect weekend escape, curated as a fully immersive live music experience without the rough qualities of a traditional outdoor event. It combines a diverse mix of music, high quality culinary offerings, the very best craft libations, visually inspiring art exhibitions, comedy, dancing and all of the indulgent amenities you could hope for, together in one place. Located at the historic Del Mar Racetrack + Fairgrounds, just north of San Diego on the Southern California coast. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160601/374293LOGO SOURCE KAABOO Del Mar Related Links http://www.kaaboodelmar.com DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Touted as the next big thing in the world of patisseries, Eclair - La Petite Duchesse, is ready to embark on a worldwide expansion campaign through franchising. In order to streamline its strategic growth plan, Eclair teamed up with Francorp, the US-based franchise consulting firm through its regional office in Dubai. The Franchise Program Development is a year-long rigorous process of strategic planning, operational standardization, and documentation that formulates a winning structure for franchising excellence. Launched in Dubai in 2013, Eclair serves premium French eclairs in multiple sizes and flavors from its state of the art production facility aptly called "The Eclairium". As the hype of Cupcakes and Macaroons fades away, eclairs are the upcoming new trend in the dessert world. With the growing consumer affinity towards authentic French eclairs and increasing popularity among food enthusiasts worldwide, Eclair - La Petite Duchesse endeavors to become the best house of eclairs across the globe. Founder and Owner, Mrs. Dianne Salem declares, 'Our goal is to open as many as 200 retail outlets across the globe in the next 5 years. We are currently in talks with several potential investors from Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait & Lebanon and looking forward to meet interested individuals and businesses for mutually beneficial franchising partnerships. With our comprehensive operations manuals, training programs and franchisee support systems, we are confident that our franchisees will enjoy a profitable, hassle-free operation, low barrier to entry, and highest product quality at all times." She further adds, "Our eclairs are special. We use the highest quality ingredients mostly imported from France and fresh fruits to create the richness of the flavor. A key differentiator of Eclair's eclairs is the fact that they are not filled with the regular creme Fraiche like the traditional ones, but rather with the rich mousse of each flavor. We want to focus on producing the best eclairs in the world by centralizing all production to ensure we always have the highest quality eclairs all over the world". Full information on Eclair franchise opportunity including franchise fees and training can be found on Francorp's website: http://info.francorpme.com/eclair-franchise-opportunities Francorp Vice President, Ms. Chirine Ajami exclaims, "We are so excited to present this amazing opportunity to the franchising world. Eclair has all the ingredients of a great franchise system - great concept opening up a completely untapped niche opportunity with strong management and infrastructure, and excellent marketing program to support its expansion and operations. With this partnership, we look forward to creating another success story for a brand born in Dubai." ABOUT Eclair - La Petite Duchesse: Eclair is a unique patisserie concept, entirely dedicated to the world of eclairs. Established in 2013, Eclair has two retail outlets in Dubai in JLT and City Walk Boulevard, and a central production facility also in JLT. The logo of Eclair and the tagline La Petite Duchesse, are registered trademarks. FOR FURTHER INQUIRIES, PLEASE CONTACT: Mrs. Dianne Salem Eclair - La Petite Duchesse Tel: +971-4-427-9901 Website: http://www.eclairworld.com ABOUT FRANCORP MIDDLE EAST: Francorp Middle East is the largest franchise consulting firm in the MENA region. Established in 1976 in Chicago, United States, Francorp provides comprehensive franchise consulting services through the seamless and coordinated efforts of an in-house team of expert Franchise Consultants. Over the years, Francorp has assisted more than 14,000 companies plan for expansion and have developed more than 5000 full franchise programs. FOR FURTHER INQUIRIES, PLEASE CONTACT: Mr. Zac Pagin Marketing Analyst Francorp Middle East Phone: +971-43465000 [email protected] Website: http://www.francorpme.com SOURCE Francorp Middle East MEMPHIS, Tenn., June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- EdR (NYSE: EDR), one of the nation's largest developers, owners and managers of high-quality collegiate housing communities, today celebrated the commencement of construction on a residence hall at Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, W.Va. with a groundbreaking ceremony. Rendering of EdR's new on-campus housing development at Shepherd University As previously announced, EdR was selected and hired by the Shepherd University Foundation Supporting Organization (SUFSO) to oversee all the aspects of this third-party development including financing, design and construction. Raymond James Financial, Inc. assisted EdR and the Shepherd University Foundation with the funding for this $22 million project. There will be a mix of single and double suite-style units for a total of 298 beds in the new five-story residence hall. Amenities will include a food service and dining area, classroom, student lounges and study rooms along with robust internet and Wi-Fi capabilities throughout the community. Upon completion in summer 2017, the SUFSO will own the building and the university will provide management services. At the groundbreaking celebration, assembled students and faculty were able to hear from university administrators about the development and get their first glimpse of renderings, which were met with great excitement. "This residence hall is a noteworthy example of Shepherd's commitment to strategically navigate with a purpose," said Shepherd University president Mary J.C. Hendrix. "This new addition will inspire student development, beautify the campus and stimulate the economy in Shepherdstown and the entire region, which are all pathways we are following to advance our premiere liberal arts university." President Hendrix invited EdR president Tom Trubiana, Chancellor Paul Hill, Shepherd Board of Governors chair Dr. Marcia Brand, Shepherd vice president for administration James Vigil, SUFSO board member Tim McShea and other executives to join her in the footprint of this planned community to turn over the first shovels of dirt on the project. "EdR is honored to be selected to work with Shepherd University on this on-campus community," said Tom Trubiana, EdR president. "High quality residential experiences not only improve the lives of students, but also help the university attract and retain top-caliber students." About EdR One of America's largest owners, developers and managers of collegiate housing, EdR (NYSE:EDR) is a self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust that owns or manages 81 communities with more than 42,000 beds serving 52 universities in 24 states. EdR is a member of the Russell 2000 Index, the S&P MidCap 400 and the Morgan Stanley REIT indices. For details, please visit the company's Web site at www.EdRtrust.com. Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 Statements about the company's business that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements." Forward-looking statements are based on current expectations. You should not rely on our forward-looking statements because the matters they describe are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause the company's future results, performance, or achievements to differ significantly from the results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. Such risks are set forth under the captions "Item 1A. Risk Factors" and "Forward-Looking Statements" in our annual report on Form 10-K and under the caption "Item 2. Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" (or similar captions) in our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and as described in our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the dates on which they are made, and the company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any guidance or other forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments, or otherwise, unless required by law. Investor Relations: Drew Koester, [email protected], 1-901-259-2523 Media Contact: Susan Jennings, [email protected], 1-901-259-2506 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160620/381395 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160201/328115LOGO SOURCE EdR Related Links http://www.edrtrust.com MUNICH, Germany, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Intersolar Europe Munich, June 22-24, 2016 With the solar industry currently experiencing a wave of innovations, numerous companies are presenting the results of their intensive research and development. Intersolar Europe 2016, as the world's leading exhibition for the solar industry and its partners, is the ideal platform for this purpose. The exhibition opened its doors today with the Intersolar AWARD, marking the ninth year in a row the prize has been presented to especially groundbreaking solutions. In the Photovoltaics category, the coveted award went to LG Electronics Deutschland GmbH, M10 Industries AG and SolarEdge Technologies Inc., while projects submitted by Jakson Engineers Limited, ME SOLshare Ltd., Schneider Electric SE, SMA Sunbelt Energy GmbH and S.O.L.I.D. Gesellschaft fur Solarinstallation und Design mbH impressed the panel in the new category of Outstanding Solar Projects. This year, the Intersolar AWARD received a record number of submissions, with 149 projects going head to head to win the prestigious prize. Exhibiting companies from all Intersolar and ees exhibitions around the world were invited to take part. Applicants could only put forward products, projects, services and solutions which were undergoing testing or which were already in use (and were making their first appearance) or which showed significant developments to existing technologies at the time of submission. In addition to the innovations put forward, 2016 brought with it another first: The Intersolar AWARD was expanded to include the category of Outstanding Solar Projects. This new category recognizes projects from around the world that make an exceptional contribution to driving forward the energy transition. For the first time, owners of solar projects were also able to take part. The panel's assessment criteria reflected the challenges posed by the market. The experts examined the degree of technological innovation, the benefit for industry, the environment and society as well as the economic viability of the solution. Winners in the Photovoltaics category Higher system output and easy to install - a highly efficient, bifacial solar module Electronics manufacturer LG Electronics Deutschland GmbH is continuously expanding its business activities in the PV industry. Its new, highly efficient, bifacial solar module LG NeON 2 BiFacial significantly boosts energy yields and features NeON cell technology and 12-wire CELLO cell connection. In outdoor tests carried out and documented by LG Electronics under various, typical conditions, the modules were shown to increase yields by around 10%. The conventional, simple junction boxes are divided into three smaller boxes located outside the cell area, thus avoiding shading and heat build-up on the back of the module. The module is also relatively lightweight, making it easier to install. "Bifacial modules require less material and space for the same system output. This makes them a worthy winner of the Intersolar AWARD 2016," said the panel. The next logical step for module technology The Germany-based company M10 Industries AG develops, produces and maintains manufacturing systems for the solar industry. As the only stringer in the world able to solder up to 5,000 solar cells per hour, the Kubus multi-tray stringer increases capacities dramatically. The Kubus system connects an entire module in a single soldering process, eliminates the need to insert individual strings and significantly minimizes cell handling. All components can be exchanged without interrupting the production process, which considerably reduces the amount of downtime. The same system can be used to process numerous cell concepts with a different number of busbars, and can even be integrated into existing production lines. If the global energy transition is to succeed, the production costs of photovoltaics need to be reduced further to increase its share in the market. The panel of judges praised the innovation for its performance, low material consumption and the fact that it can be operated by just one person - all of which are factors that help to reduce the costs of photovoltaics. Inverter with record-breaking efficiency SolarEdge Technologies Inc. (Israel) is a supplier of inverter solutions for the international photovoltaics market. The company aims to increase the availability of solar energy. SolarEdge's HD Wave technology has enabled the development of a compact, lightweight inverter with a record-breaking efficiency of up to 99%. It uses multi-level technology with distributed switches to generate voltages that come very close to the sine wave of the grid voltage. This considerably reduces the number of magnetic components required. The silicon MOSFETs used for the multi-level switching ensure low switching and conduction losses, thus reducing cooling requirements. This allowed power density to be increased, whilst reducing the size of the inverter to around half that of most standard devices. SolarEdge anticipates lower production costs, thus considerably reducing the costs of one of the main components of a PV installation. The innovation won the Intersolar AWARD because the panel agreed that the innovation would have an impact on the entire PV value-added chain. Winners in the Outstanding Solar Projects category Solar village powered by centralized and decentralized renewable energy Jakson Engineers Limited from India offers a diverse range of energy solutions promoting sustainable growth. For the Intersolar AWARD 2016, the company submitted a project that sees the Indian village of Baripatha (Odisha) powered completely by solar energy through centralized and individual installations. This has considerably improved the quality of life of all inhabitants in the rural village, who are also responsible for cleaning the solar panels and checking the water levels in the batteries. In the event of cyclones or strong wind, the solar installation can be dismantled and stowed away in just two minutes. Micro-financing was a decisive factor during the implementation phase, and positively influenced the project's long-term success. The off-grid installation is easy to reproduce, thus helping to protect the environment and reduce the inhabitants' dependency on oil. It was the project's outstanding combination of impacts for society and the environment that won over the panel of judges. Innovative business model for rural electrification - peer-to-peer energy sharing ME SOLshare Ltd. from Germany provides low-income earners in rural areas of Bangladesh with a platform for sustainable, affordable access to electricity. The smart PV DC village microgrid in Shariatpur is the world's first peer-to-peer network to allow energy to be shared between private solar installations. Bidirectional metering devices allow users to buy and sell electricity via the power grid. Households that do not have their own solar installation can now purchase electricity from their neighbors. The expansion of solar energy in the village is reducing fossil fuel consumption and facilitating the inhabitants' access to electricity. "These kinds of local solar power markets are groundbreaking. The decentralized bottom-up approach improves power supplies as it is based on a system controlled by supply and demand. This new business model can be easily applied to other villages," praised the panel. PV installations and battery storage units in 170 schools and 11 public health centers Solar company Schneider Electric SE from France offers solutions for the entire energy chain. Thanks to its project in Lagos, Nigeria, diesel generators have been replaced by solar technology on a large scale, despite the country's geographically difficult location. The solution includes a charge controller which enables the PV installation to operate at high voltage with less cables, a plug-and-play communication gateway, robust products that can withstand the tough environmental conditions in Africa, and a system designed for a prefabricated container. The panel of judges was impressed with the project's considerable social benefits. The sustainable plug-and-play installation is based on an interplay of technology, progress, competence and financing. The project is proof that this technology pays off and can stabilize supply safety in remote, rural areas. Hybrid power supply in the Caribbean SMA Sunbelt Energy GmbH from Germany is a subsidiary of SMA Solar Technology AG involved in PV hybrid projects across the entire world. The company is behind the large-scale hybrid project for solar power generation and storage on St. Eustatius Island. This project, the first of its kind and size in the Caribbean, is reducing the island's dependency on diesel generators. It serves as an example of technical feasibility for a large target group and promotes further investment. Thanks in particular to the storage device used, the panel of judges found the project to be a revolutionary solution for replacing diesel generators. It integrates large quantities of solar power into a diesel solar power grid, reducing operating costs, CO2 emissions as well as dependency on diesel fuel. The solution's storage component increases stability thanks to its frequency control, ability to limit fluctuations in performance caused by the weather and optimization of diesel generator operation. The amount of diesel used and resulting emissions are drastically reduced. Solar cooling - an educational project on environmental awareness for the local population S.O.L.I.D. Gesellschaft fur Solarinstallation und Design mbH is a solar technology company from Austria specializing in large-scale solar thermal systems. The company designed the largest solar cooling system of its kind at Mountain High School in Scottsdale, Arizona, USA. The installation heats a single-effect lithium bromide adsorption chiller. Although temperatures in Scottsdale can rise to 43C in the summer, the installation meets all of the school's cooling requirements. It also serves as an educational project on environmental awareness for 2,600 students and the local population. This large-scale project shows the effectiveness of a business model that uses tried-and-tested technology, lowers fossil fuel consumption and drastically reduces CO2 emissions. "The significant energy savings achieved by the installation highlight the feasibility and refinancing prospects of a solar thermal system of this size, especially in regions with high cooling requirements," says the panel, explaining its decision to present the project with the Intersolar AWARD 2016. Intersolar Europe 2016 takes place at Messe Munchen until June 24 Visitors have up until this Friday, June 24 to find out more about the winners and many other exciting solutions at Intersolar Europe, where around 1,100 exhibitors are presenting their products, solutions and services. 40,000 visitors from 165 countries are expected to attend this year. ees Europe, the continent's largest exhibition for batteries and energy storage systems, takes place in parallel to Intersolar Europe. Intersolar Europe 2016 takes place from June 22-24, 2016 at Messe Munchen. Further information on Intersolar Europe can be found at http://www.intersolar.de/en Partners of Intersolar Europe Intersolar Europe is supported by the leading solar industry associations: the German Solar Association (BSW-Solar) as an exclusive partner, the German Solar Energy Society (DGS), SolarPower Europe (formerly EPIA), the European Solar Thermal Industry Federation (ESTIF), the International Solar Energy Society (ISES), SEMI (Europe), and the platform for photovoltaic production equipment within the German Engineering Association (VDMA-PV). About Intersolar With events spanning four continents, Intersolar is the world's leading exhibition series for the solar industry and its partners. It unites people and companies from around the world with the aim of increasing the share of solar power in our energy supply. Intersolar Europe is the world's leading exhibition for the solar industry and its partners. It takes place annually at the Messe Munchen exhibition center in Munich, Germany and focuses on the areas of photovoltaics, energy storage and renewable heating, as well as on products and solutions for smart renewable energy. The accompanying Intersolar Europe Conference consolidates selected exhibition topics and showcases international markets, financing and pioneering technologies. Since being founded, Intersolar Europe has become the most important industry platform for manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, service providers and partners in the global solar industry. With 25 years of experience, Intersolar has the unique ability to bring together members of the solar industry from across the world's most influential markets. Intersolar exhibitions and conferences are held in Munich, San Francisco, Mumbai, Sao Paulo and Dubai. These global events are complemented by the Intersolar Summits, which take place in emerging and growing solar markets worldwide. In 2016, ees Europe, Europe's Largest Exhibition for Batteries and Energy Storage Systems, takes place in parallel to Intersolar Europe for the third time. Together with the accompanying ees Europe Conference, the exhibition covers the entire value chain of innovative battery and energy storage technologies. For more information on Intersolar Europe, please visit: http://www.intersolar.de/en Intersolar Europe is organized by Solar Promotion GmbH, Pforzheim and Freiburg Wirtschaft Touristik und Messe GmbH & Co. KG (FWTM). Contact: Solar Promotion GmbH | P.O. Box 100 170 | 75101 Pforzheim, Germany Horst Dufner | Tel.: +49-7231-58598-0 | Fax: +49-7231-58598-28 | [email protected] Press contact: fischerAppelt, relations | Infanteriestrae 11a | 80797 Munich, Germany Robert Schwarzenbock | Tel.: +49-89-747466-23 | Fax: +49-89-747466-66 | [email protected] SOURCE Intersolar Europe ROCKLAND, Mass., June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- EMD Serono, the U.S. and Canada biopharma business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, today announced its award of a patient education grant to The Skin Cancer Foundation, the only international organization solely devoted to skin cancer prevention, early detection and treatment. While skin cancer is the most common cancer in the U.S., with nearly 3.3 million people diagnosed each yeari, there remained a need for educational resources about rare and lesser-known forms of the disease, including Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC). The Skin Cancer Foundation used the grant funds to further develop its patient education materials on MCC on its website, SkinCancer.org. The site is the number one online resource for skin cancer education, with nearly 10 million people visiting the website annually. MCC is a very aggressive form of skin cancerii with high rates of recurrenceiii, and is more frequently fatal than melanomaiv, a more well-known skin cancer. While still rare, the number of reported cases of MCC in the U.S. has tripled in the last 20 yearsv to approximately 1,500 new cases each yearvi. The five-year survival rate for patients with metastatic MCC is less than 20 percentvii viii. It primarily affects people who have sustained exposure to an excessive amount of natural or artificial sunlight, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems, such as people living with HIV or transplant recipientsix. "Merkel cell carcinoma is extremely rare, but very dangerous," said Deborah S. Sarnoff, MD, senior vice president of The Skin Cancer Foundation. "Not many people know about it, so they're not aware of their risk. As leaders in the fight against skin cancer, we have a responsibility to fill this education gap so that we can prevent some of the deaths that result from a lack of knowledge." "As with many rare cancers, there is a lack of resources for people to understand and learn about Merkel cell carcinoma," said Zhen Su, Vice President and Head of Global Medical Affairs, Oncology, EMD Serono. "Our company is working to help people with cancers where there remains a significant need, and we are proud to support The Skin Cancer Foundation to help educate people about this relatively unknown and devastating cancer." Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany which operates as EMD Serono in the U.S. and Canada and Pfizer, Inc. formed a global strategic alliance in 2014 focusing on developing high-priority international clinical programs to investigate immunotherapy regimens, and is striving to find new ways to treat cancer, including Merkel cell carcinoma. About EMD Serono, Inc. EMD Serono is the North America biopharma business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany a leading science and technology company focused exclusively on specialty care. For more than 40 years, the business has integrated cutting-edge science, innovative products and industry-leading patient support and access programs. EMD Serono has deep expertise in neurology, fertility and endocrinology, as well as a robust pipeline of potential therapies in oncology, immuno-oncology and immunology as R&D focus areas. Today, the business has more than 1,100 employees around the country with commercial, clinical and research operations based in the company's home state of Massachusetts. www.emdserono.com About Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany All Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, press releases are distributed by e-mail at the same time they become available on the EMD Group Website. In case you are a resident of the USA or Canada please go to www.emdgroup.com/subscribe to register again for your online subscription of this service as our newly introduced geo-targeting requires new links in the email. You may later change your selection or discontinue this service. Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany is a leading science and technology company in healthcare, life science and performance materials. Around 50,000 employees work to further develop technologies that improve and enhance life from biopharmaceutical therapies to treat cancer or multiple sclerosis, cutting-edge systems for scientific research and production, to liquid crystals for smartphones and LCD televisions. In 2015, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany generated sales of 12.85 billion in 66 countries. Founded in 1668, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany is the world's oldest pharmaceutical and chemical company. The founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed corporate group. Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany operates as EMD Serono, MilliporeSigma and EMD Performance Materials in the United States and Canada. About the Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany and Pfizer Alliance Immuno-oncology is a top priority for Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, and Pfizer Inc. The global strategic alliance between Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, and Pfizer Inc., New York, U.S., enables the companies to benefit from each other's strengths and capabilities and further explore the therapeutic potential of immunotherapy. The alliance is focused on developing high-priority international clinical programs to investigate immunotherapy regimens, and is striving to find new ways to treat cancer. About The Skin Cancer Foundation The Skin Cancer Foundation is the only global organization solely devoted to the prevention, early detection and treatment of skin cancer. The mission of the Foundation is to decrease the incidence of skin cancer through public and professional education and research. Since its inception in 1979, the Foundation has recommended following a complete sun protection regimen that includes seeking shade and covering up with clothing, including a wide-brimmed hat and UV-blocking sunglasses, in addition to daily sunscreen use. For more information, visit SkinCancer.org. Media Contact: EMD Serono Melissa Lauer 781-738-5673 [email protected] The Skin Cancer Foundation Becky Kamowitz 212-725-5177 [email protected] References: i American Cancer Society. Skin Cancer Facts. Available at http://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancercauses/sunanduvexposure/skin-cancer-facts. Accessed May 12, 2016. ii Poulsen M. Merkel-Cell Carcinoma of the Skin. The Lancet Oncology. 2004;5(10):593-599. iii Wolff K, et al. Merkel Cell Carcinoma. Fitzpatrick's Dermatology in General Medicine. 2006: 7th Edition. iv Wolff K, et al. Merkel Cell Carcinoma. Fitzpatrick's Dermatology in General Medicine. 2006: 7th Edition. v Wolff K, et al. Merkel Cell Carcinoma. Fitzpatrick's Dermatology in General Medicine. 2006: 7th Edition. vi American Cancer Society. What are they key statistics about Merkel cell carcinoma? Available at http://www.cancer.org/cancer/skincancer-merkelcell/detailedguide/skin-cancer-merkel-cell-carcinoma-key-statistics. Accessed May 12, 2016. vii NCCN Merkel Cell Carcinoma Guidelines version I. 2016. Available from: www.nccn.org/professionals/physician_gls/PDF/mcc.pdf. Accessed April 2016. viii Iyer JG, Blom A, Doumani R, et al. Response Rate and Durability of Chemotherapy for Metastatic Merkel Cell Carcinoma Among 62 Patients. Abstract. Presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting (ASCO) 2014. ix American Cancer Society. What are risk factors for Merkel cell carcinoma? Available at http://www.cancer.org/cancer/skincancer-merkelcell/detailedguide/skin-cancer-merkel-cell-carcinoma-risk-factors. Accessed May 12, 2016. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160118/323343LOGO SOURCE EMD Serono Related Links http://www.emdserono.com JUNO BEACH, Fla., June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) today announced it was named the winner of the Florida Governor's Sterling Award during the 24th Annual Florida Sterling Conference, hosted earlier this month in Orlando. The conference's annual showcase provides a forum for teams to demonstrate principles and techniques to improve organizational performance through employee participation. "At FPL, we're committed to delivering reliable service for our customers and that includes making continued investments in advanced technology to make our grid stronger and smarter," said Eric Silagy, president and CEO of FPL. "Leveraging smart grid data retrieved from the more than 4.8 million smart meters in our system, our team has developed a unique proactive notification process to help predict and in some cases prevent power outages. When an outage does occur, our smart meters help us reduce the impact to customers -- enabling us to provide improved reliability in good weather and bad." FPL's "Powerful Predictors" team demonstrated the benefits of the company's proactive ticket notification system by using smart grid data to predict when a customer is about to experience an outage, enabling crews to proactively deploy to an affected area and, in many cases, resolve the issue before a customer is even aware he or she had a problem. Through the prediction and repair of intermittent power outages, FPL's team avoided more than 3,000 single customer outages in 2015. For these respective outages, the team decreased the average interruption duration by approximately 50 minutes, and achieved 70 percent cost savings by minimizing wait and travel time due to outages. "This predictive tool is a game changer. It allows us to detect problems and alert crews to issues on the grid, directing them to the right location faster even before a customer is aware they may soon experience an outage," said Manny Miranda, senior vice president of Power Delivery for FPL. "Through solutions like the proactive ticket notification system, which offer us even greater visibility on the health of our energy grid, our team is able to deliver exceptional service reliability to our customers." FPL began modernizing its system in 2010 with the widespread installation of smart meters. Since then, FPL has installed more than 4.8 million smart meters in customers' homes and businesses, and more than 36,000 intelligent devices and automated smart switches, which help monitor and manage the electric system, detect and prevent power issues, and get life back to normal faster when outages occur. In 2015, FPL customers benefited from $46 million in smart grid operational savings due to efficiencies enabled by smart meters. Part of these savings are also due to the avoidance of restoration trips, and along with them, unnecessary costs associated with dispatching trucks and other related costs that ultimately are paid for by customers more than 200,000 fewer field visits since 2012. The Florida Sterling Council is the sole provider of Florida's Governor's Sterling Award endorsed by the Governor, the National Baldrige Program and the State Alliance. This award comes on the heels of FPL's nuclear power plants being recognized with the Nuclear Energy Institute's 2016 top innovation award for pioneering a unique program that significantly improves plant performance. For more information, visit FPL.com/smartgrid. Florida Power & Light Company Florida Power & Light Company is the third-largest electric utility in the United States, serving more than 4.8 million customer accounts or more than 10 million people across nearly half of the state of Florida. FPL's typical 1,000-kWh residential customer bill is approximately 30 percent lower than the latest national average and, in 2015, was the lowest in Florida among reporting utilities for the sixth year in a row. FPL's service reliability is better than 99.98 percent, and its highly fuel-efficient power plant fleet is one of the cleanest among all utilities nationwide. The company was recognized in 2015 as one of the most trusted U.S. electric utilities by Market Strategies International. A leading Florida employer with approximately 8,800 employees, FPL is a subsidiary of Juno Beach, Fla.-based NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE), a clean energy company widely recognized for its efforts in sustainability, ethics and diversity, and has been ranked No. 1 in the electric and gas utilities industry in Fortune's 2016 list of "World's Most Admired Companies." NextEra Energy is also the parent company of NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, which, together with its affiliated entities, is the world's largest generator of renewable energy from the wind and sun. For more information, visit these websites: www.NextEraEnergy.com, www.FPL.com, www.NextEraEnergyResources.com. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120301/FL62738LOGO SOURCE Florida Power & Light Company Related Links http://www.FPL.com Any approved slaugherhouses found to commit animal cruelty will be prone to a permanent ban from Australia, said Australian Livestock Exporters Council (ALEC) in its media release dated June 17. Australian livestock exporters agreed to stop supplying livestock to approved slaughterhouses found to commit animal cruelty in Vietnam and to launch a three-month independent inquiry into the traceability and livestock control system following consideration by its Department of Agriculture & Water Resources. Last week, a feedlot and several slaughterhouses in Vietnam have been suspended from receiving livestock from Australian exporters due to alleged animal cruelty after footage showing a Vietnamese abattoir slaughtering cows with a sledgehammer was aired in a documentary on Australia-based ABC News last Thursday. According to the Meat & Livestock Australia Limited, Viet Nam was the second largest live cattle importer of Australia in the fiscal year 2014-2015 with 309,505 heads, valued at AUD328 million. Related news: > Australia blocks Vietnam slaughterhouses for animal cruelty MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Based on its recent analysis of the surface mount technology (SMT) reflow soldering equipment market, Frost & Sullivan recognizes Heller Industries, Inc. with the 2016 Global Frost & Sullivan Award for Growth Excellence Leadership. Heller Industries has made remarkable improvements to its product and technology portfolios over the last 10 years to emerge a top participant in the SMT reflow soldering equipment market. The company's decisions to adopt a competitive pricing strategy and fulfil every client's requirements, no matter how unusual or unique, have proven to be winning moves. Heller Industries Heller Industries recognized the growing importance of Industry 4.0 and anticipated that its customers would require their SMT reflow soldering equipment to offer increased connectivity and automation. The company is looking to fortify its already strong R&D divisions spanning the United States, South Korea, and China in order to address all customer requests. In addition, Heller Industries is focusing on expanding in Europe and Asia. "The company strongly believes its long-term growth sustainability is linked to its ability to expand its product portfolio and global footprint, as well as recruit top talent that can implement its vision," said Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Apoorva Ravikrishnan. "To attract customers from all segments, it has ensured that its innovative and reliable SMT reflow soldering equipment is available at affordable prices." In line with its goal of rolling out products with a low total cost of ownership, Heller Industries has collaborated with IBM Microelectronics to develop fluxless mass reflow furnace equipment that eliminates the need for pre-reflow fluxing and post-reflow flux cleanup steps. Such partnerships have gone a long way in helping the company win new customers and retain existing ones. Heller Industries' R&D engineers are constantly improving the SMT reflow soldering equipment to handle the demands of Industry 4.0 while reducing the equipment's nitrogen and power consumption. The company's equipment currently operates below 10 kilowatts (kW), making it more power-efficient than most competing products. Its design engineers are working to bring this within the 8 kW to 9 kW range. Heller Industries works closely with its customers to ensure that its products are designed to suit the latters' unique needs. The company has implemented an extensive feedback system, wherein customer feedback is registered and reviewed every month, and that any design reconfiguration is addressed immediately across all relevant products. "Heller Industries is also quick to offer extended support services to its customers," noted Apoorva. "This is possible because it has a service center in all of its operating regions globally. In rare cases where no service center is available, it uses a third-party service provider that has been trained to work with the company's equipment." Furthermore, to harness the huge demand stoked by Industry 4.0, the company is leaving no stone unturned to promote its technological capabilities. It has employed aggressive marketing on a global scale to build the brand name to be synonymous with innovation. Overall, Heller Industries' long-term plan to sustain growth and leverage top talent in the SMT reflow soldering equipment market, along providing with an excellent price-performance value, gives it an edge over other market participants. Each year, Frost & Sullivan bestows this award upon the company that has demonstrated excellence in growth and customer value. It recognizes the superiority of the product/service as well as the overall customer, purchase, ownership, and service experience offered, which has resulted in the recipient company seeing above-market growth and greater share of wallet. The award lauds the growth, diversification and sustainability strategies of the company. Frost & Sullivan Best Practices awards recognize companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis, and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry. About Heller Industries, Inc. Heller Industries is a global industry-leading supplier of thermal process solutions for the Semiconductor, SMT and Solar markets. Heller has pioneered many significant technology innovations in the reflow and curing processes. www.hellerindustries.com. For additional information: contact Heller Industries, Inc. 4 Vreeland Road, Florham Park, NJ 07932, USA Contact: Marc Peo E-mail: [email protected] Tel: +1-973-377-6800 EXT 313 Fax: +1-973-377-3862 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 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 Us: Start the discussion Join Us: Join our community Subscribe: Newsletter on "the next big thing" Register: Gain access to visionary innovation Contact: Chiara Carella P: +44 (0) 207.343.8314 F: 210.348.1003 E: [email protected] Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160620/381193 SOURCE Frost & Sullivan Related Links http://www.frost.com MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Based on its recent analysis of the ultrasonic non-destructive testing (NDT) scanners market, Frost & Sullivan recognizes Zetec with the 2016 Global Frost & Sullivan Award for New Product Innovation. Zetec has set a new market benchmark for corrosion mapping with the Paintbrush, an extremely agile scanner that can operate on both flat and curved surfaces, providing the confidence of 100% area coverage. Its two encoded wheels that track the position of the scanner in real time allow the operator to visually identify areas that have not been covered. Coupled with the industry-leading TOPAZ ultrasonic instrument family and UltraVision software, Zetec's NDT Paintbrush is the best solution available for corrosion and wall-thickness mapping. Since conventional X-Y scanners and arm scanners present an X-Y map of the area or a map over two axes, they cannot work on curved surfaces; if the test area is bigger than the arms of the X-Y or the arm scanner; full area coverage is not possible. Wheel probe scanners, on the other hand, can work on curved and flat surfaces seamlessly but they are unable to encode the second axis, resulting in mapping misalignment and inaccuracy. "Zetec's NDT Paintbrush ultrasonic scanner is the only solution available in the market that is flexible enough to offer precise and thorough coverage of both flat and curved surfaces, with no misalignment," said Frost & Sullivan Principal Lead Nikhil Jain. "The Paintbrush, along with its powerful phased array ultrasonic instrument family, TOPAZ, identifies the real-time location of the probe, ensuring 100-percent coverage has been achieved." The Paintbrush offers many innovative features that significantly improve inspection performance. One example is around coverage - If there is overlap, the software takes into account the minimum thickness at the same position. If a portion of the test area has not been scanned, a real-time image will be displayed on the scanner. It boasts the highest accuracy of pitting, corrosion, and erosion detection. A strength of Zetec's Paintbrush is its agility. The scanner is designed with magnetic wheels that stick to a metallic surface for easier use. For non-metallic surfaces, the wheels can be detached and replaced with composite dedicated wheels. The product's intuitive design makes user operation simple and quick. The Paintbrush, when used in conjunction with Zetec's high performance TOPAZ32 instrument, becomes a very powerful solution for corrosion mapping: no other fully integrated ultrasonic instrument in the market can match TOPAZ32 processing power. TOPAZ32 can produce reports in half the time of other instruments, for even faster inspections. "Zetec's UltraVision software integrated with TOPAZ instruments is also among the most advanced, intuitive, and easy to use in the market," noted Jain. "UltraVision 3D is an extension, and when integrated with the Paintbrush, can provide a 3D plot of the corrosion data. This enables depth reading, delivering actionable information to customers." Overall, Zetec has done a remarkable job of understanding customer needs in the ultrasonic NDT scanners market and developing an innovative product to address those needs. Its Paintbrush is uniquely positioned for sustained success because it addresses the core issues of quality, functionality, and reliability. Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents this award to the company that has developed an innovative element in a product by leveraging leading-edge technologies. The award recognizes the value-added features/benefits of the product and the increased return on investment that it offers customers, which improves customer acquisition and overall market penetration potential. Frost & Sullivan Best Practices awards recognize companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis, and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry. About Zetec Zetec is a global leader in nondestructive testing (NDT) solutions for the critical inspection needs of industries the world counts on every dayincluding power generation, oil and gas, transportation, heavy industry and manufacturing. We serve as a single source for high-performance solutions in both eddy current and ultrasonic technologies. For nearly 50 years, we have advanced NDT standards and science, providing new insight and control through inspection solutions that protect our customers' most important assets and ensure the quality of their products. By integrating design and engineering with our own manufacturing, Zetec delivers solutions that optimize productivity, safety and total cost of ownership. Zetec is a subsidiary of Roper Technologies, Inc., with global engineering and manufacturing centers in Quebec City and at our corporate headquarters in Snoqualmie, Washington. Zetec support spans the globe, with Centers of Excellence in Houston, Paris, Seoul, Shanghai and Tokyo. For more information about Zetec, visit: www.zetec.com and follow us on Linkedin. "Zetec", "UltraVision"and "Topaz" are registered trademarks or trademarks of Zetec in the United States and/or other countries. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners. 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 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 Us: Start the discussion Join Us: Join our community Subscribe: Newsletter on "the next big thing" Register: Gain access to visionary innovation Contact: Chiara Carella P: +44 (0) 207.343.8314 F: 210.348.1003 E: [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160531/373646LOGO SOURCE Frost & Sullivan Related Links http://www.frost.com MORRISTOWN, New Jersey, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Enterprise Mobility Exchange (EME), the global online resource for senior-level enterprise mobility IT professionals, continued their growth strategy by opening a U.S. office, adding seasoned industry professionals in key positions and launching new events. The new U.S. office is located in Morristown, NJ and is run by Dorene Rettas, EME's Global Director, Head of U.S. Joining her team in lead roles are long time media professionals Scott Vetter and Karen Tramposch. Vetter, a 20-year media industry veteran, has been appointed EME's Portfolio Director. His duties include global business development for the online portal and select events, client relations and account management. Vetter will also help solution providers engage EME's audience through targeted solutions designed to exceed their marketing objectives. Tramposch has been appointed EME's Digital Marketing Manager and will lead strategy around audience engagement and growth, optimization of digital assets, and increasing brand awareness, as well as supporting EME's sponsored marketing efforts. "Globalization is in high gear today and enterprises need a trusted entity, not only for news on the latest trends and opportunities in the mobile space, but also a community that allows networking and peer-to-peer idea-sharing," explained Rettas. "EME's combination of live events, webinars and online information provides mobility leaders with exactly that to help them overcome their most common challenges and stay one step ahead of their business needs." EME's U.S. branch is also excited to announce the launch of a new event focused on Mobile Cloud Computing & Security. This two-day event will feature roundtable discussions, case studies, and workshops in which attendees will explore the benefits of mobile cloud computing, the risk versus reward factors, and how to overcome security fears and issues. Taking place in Miami, FL in October 2016, the event will follow the same successful format as the other familiar EME global Exchanges. About Enterprise Mobility Exchange Enterprise Mobility Exchange is an online community for global professionals and business leaders who seek to leverage mobile technology and services to improve operational efficiency, increase customer acquisition and loyalty, and drive profits across the entire enterprise. EME's multi-pronged approach to the enterprise mobility space provides industry news, expert commentary and resources from industry insiders, along with invitation-only peer-to-peer events for high-level, global mobility professionals. These events bring together senior IT decision-makers from some of the industry's most respected global brands. http://www.EnterpriseMobilityExchange.com Contacts: Dorene Rettas +1-973-867-7744 [email protected] SOURCE Enterprise Mobility Exchange NEW YORK, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) and its licensing agency, The Wildflower Group, today announced that they have been honored by The International Licensing Industry Merchandisers' Association (LIMA) with a 2016 LIMA Licensing Excellence Award for Best Corporate Brand Program of the Year. GSUSA and the Wildflower Group received the honor during the 2016 LIMA Licensing Excellence Awards ceremony at the industry's primary annual event, the Licensing Expo, in Las Vegas on June 21. "It is truly an honor to be recognized by LIMA and our licensing industry colleagues as the Best Corporate Brand Program of the Year," said Brian Crawford, chief licensing executive at GSUSA. "We've worked diligently throughout the past year to expand our licensing program and include many best-in-class manufacturers on top of the already robust lineup of companies to which we license our brand. Winning a LIMA Licensing Excellence Award truly demonstrates the impact of our work in promoting and protecting the Girl Scout brand and the millions of girls and volunteers who make up the Girl Scout Movement." "The Girl Scout brand thrives, and is universally recognized, in large part thanks to the work of our licensing team, and the vital role they play connecting the ideals and values of our Movement to consumers across the United States," said Barry Horowitz, chief revenue officer at GSUSA. "As always, we would like to thank The Wildflower Group, and all of the companies with which we have licensing agreements, for working with us to expand public awareness of Girl Scouts. We are thrilled and honored to be recognized by LIMA for the work we do on behalf of Girl Scouts everywhere." In 2015, Girl Scouts licensed their iconic brand to a broad range of products and companies, including: Yankee Candle, Good Humor, Bigelow Tea, The Quaker Oats Company, and Wicked Cool Toys. Retail sales of licensed Girl Scout merchandise totaled over $225 million for the fiscal year. The portion of sales Girl Scouts receives as royalties goes to fund Girl Scout programming, including camps, financial literacy, STEM, and many others. Products could be found at Walmart, Target, major grocery chains and supermarkets, and specialty shops nationwide. Marketing efforts by the licensees, including PR, digital and print campaigns, a national TV commercial, signage, endcaps, and in-store displays, resulted in over 1 billion impressions. Girl Scouts recruitment was also promoted through messaging on packaging and marketing materials. "It is very gratifying that our team's hard work and dedication to the Girl Scouts of the USA brand has been recognized by LIMA and the overall licensing community," said Michael Carlisle, Principal, The Wildflower Group. "We are delighted to be working with Girl Scouts on their venerable brand and extending its footprint in new and exciting ways for consumers everywhere." In addition to its win for Best Corporate Brand Program of the Year, the Girl Scouts brand was also nominated best licensed product in the Toys/Games/Novelties/Role-Play category for the Wicked Cool Toys Girl Scouts Cookie Oven, and nominated best licensed product in the Food/Beverage category for The Quaker Oats Company's Quaker Chewy Girl Scouts Granola Bars. The LIMA Licensing Excellence Award is the industry's most prestigious prize, and it serves as an opportunity for licensing professionals to honor the best and brightest in their field. LIMA members cast their votes online to decide winners in all categories. We're Girl Scouts of the USA We're 2.7 million strong1.9 million girls and 800,000 adults who believe girls can change the world. It began over 100 years ago with one woman, Girl Scouts' founder Juliette Gordon "Daisy" Low, who believed in the power of every girl. She organized the first Girl Scout troop on March 12, 1912, in Savannah, Georgia, and every year since, we've made her vision a reality, helping girls discover their strengths, passions, and talents. Today we continue the Girl Scout mission of building girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. We're the preeminent leadership development organization for girls. And with programs for girls from coast to coast and across the globe, Girl Scouts offers every girl a chance to do something amazing. To volunteer, reconnect, donate, or join, visit www.girlscouts.org. About The Wildflower Group The Wildflower Group (TWG) is an award-winning, full-service licensing agency delivering best-in-class product extensions for the brands it represents. Formed in January 2001, TWG is headed by licensing industry veteran, Michael Carlisle, and provides comprehensive licensing services to both brand owners and manufacturers, including strategic planning, licensing sales and marketing, creative development, and legal and finance support. TWG's current client portfolio includes Girl Scouts of the USA, Rodale, The New York Times, Campari America, Rapala, Matthew Berry's Fantasy Life, and Bombay. SOURCE Girl Scouts of the USA Related Links http://www.girlscouts.org SEATTLE, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The world's largest, fastest, and longest-range firefighting aircraft landed at Boeing Field today. This B747-400, a Very Large Air Tanker (VLAT), has been created from a converted freighter, and now shines in its current role as an aerial platform for wildland and marine firefighting, as well as oil spill remediation. Global SuperTanker's Spirit of John Muir Jim Wheeler, President and CEO of Global SuperTanker Services, LLC remarked, "We are especially proud to showcase the capabilities of our SuperTanker, the Spirit of John Muir, at Boeing Field, the birthplace of this incredible aircraft. Boeing and the Washington community have been very supportive of the concept, and now the reality, of the world's largest aerial tanker." Flying at nearly 600 miles per hour and carrying twice the load of the next largest tanker, the Spirit of John Muir can leave its home base in Colorado Springs and reach a mission in the Washington Cascades in less than three hours. In addition, the range and speed of the B747-400 permits it the ability to arrive anywhere in the world in 20 hours with a single fuel stop. "Here in the birthplace of this great aircraft, we are proud to have been able to develop and deliver the SuperTanker's large scale, lowest cost firefighting capabilities," said Harry Toll, Managing Partner of Alterna Capital Partners LLC, whose portfolio company, Cyterna Air, LLC, owns Global SuperTanker. "We are honored to be able to support the valiant firefighting efforts not only in Washington, but in locations all over the world," continued Toll. The Spirit of John Muir is the world's youngest VLAT, and has almost twice the capacity of the next biggest aerial tanker. The John Muir is capable of delivering single or multiple drops of nearly 20,000 gallons of water or fire retardant, either of which can be released at variable rates, producing a tailored response to the firefighting need. In addition, the SuperTanker is the only VLAT certified by the USDA for use in oil spill remediation: not only capable of responding to wildland fires, the Spirit of John Muir can also assist with the management of offshore ship fires, oil and gas platform fires, and dispersing oil spills. The SuperTanker is in the final approval process by the FAA and the USFS, and will be available for service in early July of this year. For video footage of the Spirit of John Muir, please contact Darrell Wilson. [email protected] For more information about the Spirit of John Muir's Boeing Field visit on 22 June, and/or about Global SuperTanker Services, LLC, please contact Moira Whalen. [email protected] (203.299.7696) Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160622/382381 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160427/360845LOGO SOURCE Global SuperTanker Services, LLC PUNE, India, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new market research report " Healthcare BPO Market Provider (Billing), Payer (Claims Management), Pharmaceutical (R&D, Non-Clinical (SCM, Sales and Marketing (Forecasting, Analytics))), Outsourcing Approaches (Bundled), & Models (Multisourcing, Captives) - Global Forecasts to 2021", published by MarketsandMarkets, the market is projected to reach USD 276.79 Billion by 2021 from USD 170.47 Billion in 2016, growing at a CAGR of 10.2% during the forecast period (2016-2021). (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 ) Browse 93 market data Tables with 56 Figures spread through 170 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Healthcare BPO Market" http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/healthcare-outsourcing-bpo-market-472.html Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report. The report provides a detailed overview of the major drivers, restraints, challenges, opportunities, current market trends, and strategies impacting the healthcare BPO market along with the estimates and forecasts of the revenue. The pressure to reduce healthcare delivery costs, consolidation of healthcare systems, enactment of PPACA, stringent regulatory requirements, and complex clinical trial protocols are the major drivers for the healthcare BPO market. Mandatory implementation of ICD-10 codes in the U.S. and several pharmaceutical companies facing patent cliffs are expected to further drive the growth of the healthcare BPO market. However, fear of losing control over the outsourced process and doubts over service quality will restrain the growth of this market. The healthcare BPO market is broadly segmented on the type of healthcare services outsourced into provider services, payer services, and pharmaceutical services. The provider services segment is further segmented into medical billing, medical coding, medical transcription, and finance and accounts. The medical billing subsegment is expected to account for the largest share of the provider services segment in 2016, owing to an increase in the number of people insured and seeking medical services. On the basis of payer services, the healthcare BPO market is categorized into claims management, front-end/back-office operations, member management, provider management, finance and accounts, analytics and fraud management, and HR services. The claims management segment is expected to account for the largest share of the healthcare BPO market in 2016. Factors such as enactment of PPACA and pressure to make healthcare more affordable are driving the growth of this segment. The pharmaceutical segment of the healthcare BPO market is segmented into R&D, manufacturing, and non-clinical services. The manufacturing segment is estimated to account for the largest share in 2016. The non-clinical services segment is further classified into SCM and logistics, sales and marketing, and other non-clinical services. The sales and marketing subsegment is estimated to account for the largest share in 2016. Talk to our Experts: http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/speaktoanalyst.asp?id=472 Major players in the Healthcare BPO Market include Accenture PLC (U.S.), Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation (U.S.), Infosys BPO Ltd. (India), Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. (India), and Xerox Corporation (U.S.). Browse Related Reports: Healthcare Payer Services Market by Service Type (BPO, ITO, KPO), By Application (Claims, Provider, Member management, HR services, Analytics & Fraud, Billing & Accounts) & by End Users (Public & Private Payers) - Analysis and Global Forecast to 2020 http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/healthcare-payer-services-market-67115151.html U.S. Healthcare BPO Market - Payer (Claims Processing, HR Services, and Finance and Accounts), Provider (Medical Billing and Coding), and Pharmaceutical (Clinical Trials, Contract Manufacturing, and Non-Clinical Services) - Trends and Global Forecasts to 2018 http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/us-healthcare-bpo-market-1218.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 1-888-600-6441 Email: [email protected] Visit MarketsandMarkets Blog @ http://mnmblog.org/market-research/healthcare/healthcareit Connect with us on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets SOURCE MarketsandMarkets BROOKLYN, N.Y., June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Hispanic Information and Telecommunications Network (HITN), a Pay TV network dedicated to offering content relevant to Spanish-speaking audiences in the US and Puerto Rico, will premiere for the first time in U.S. Cable TV history, the documentary 'La Gran Falacia' (The Great Fallacy) this Sunday, June 26. 'La Gran Falacia' is the first documentary by a television network dedicated to analyzing the current political, economic and social situation in Puerto Rico. It features exclusive interviews with leading historians and politicians, who examine the island's recent history and explore possible solutions to the crisis. Among the important issues addressed are Puerto Rico's default on its public debt and the island's complicated legal status as a commonwealth of the United States, which obliges it to comply with US economic regulations but prevents it from declaring an orderly bankruptcy, much less pursue a financial bailout. "HITN-TV is pleased to present the premiere of this important documentary about the situation in Puerto Rico and the debate in Congress to determine the island's economic future," HITN-TV General Manager Eric Turpin remarked. Under the slogan "every nation is responsible for its own destiny," the documentary aims to inform and raise awareness of the issues while urging Puerto Ricans to stay strong in the face of crisis. 'La Gran Falacia' was produced by Paco Vazquez and directed by Paco Vazquez, Teresa Velez and Felo DeBoriken. It will premiere on HITN-TV Sunday, June 26 at 9:00 pm, ET / 6:00 pm PT. To learn more about the documentary, please visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cqI4TdbD-Ihttps://www.facebook.com/Jibaro-Media-Group-400539839986703/info/?tab=page_info. For more information about The Hispanic Information and Telecommunication Network (HITN, Inc.), please visit: http://www.hitn.org/en/about-us . What: HITN-TV to Debut 'The Great Fallacy,' a Documentary about the Crisis in Puerto Rico When: June 26, 2016 Where: HITN-TV ( www.hitn.org/donde-ver-hitn ) Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160314/344200LOGO SOURCE HITN-TV Related Links http://www.hitn.org MUSCATINE, Iowa, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- HNI Corporation (NYSE: HNI) will host its quarterly conference call for investors to discuss second quarter fiscal 2016 results on: Friday, July 22, 2016 11:00 a.m. Eastern 10:00 a.m. Central 8:00 a.m. Pacific To participate in the call, please dial: 1-877-512-9166 (Toll-free) Conference ID: 30192037 Assistance is available throughout the teleconference meeting. Press *0 to request Operator Assistance. A live webcast of the call will be available on HNI Corporation's website at http://www.hnicorp.com (under Investors News Releases and Events). A replay of the webcast will be made available at the website address above and a replay of the call will be available from Friday, July 22, 2016, 1:00 p.m. (Central) through Friday, July 29, 2016, 10:59 p.m. (Central). To access a replay of the call, please dial 1-855-859-2056 or 1-404-537-3406 Conference ID: 30192037. HNI Corporation plans to release its second quarter fiscal 2016 results on Thursday, July 21, 2016 after market close. If you have any questions, please contact HNI Corporation's Investor Relations Department at [email protected]. About HNI Corporation HNI Corporation is a NYSE traded company (ticker symbol: HNI) providing products and solutions for the home and workplace environments. HNI Corporation is a leading global office furniture manufacturer and is the nation's leading manufacturer of hearth products. The Corporation's strong brands have leading positions in their markets. More information can be found on the Corporation's website at www.hnicorp.com. For Information Contact: Kurt A. Tjaden, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (563) 272-7400 Jack Herring, Manager, Investor Relations (563) 506-9783 SOURCE HNI Corporation Related Links http://www.hnicorp.com WASHINGTON, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- This week, Teamsters that work at the US Foods [NYSE: USFD] distribution facilities outside Philadelphia and Minneapolis refused to cross extended picket lines of Teamsters from Severn, Md., who began an unfair labor practice strike against the company in April. Teamsters from the US Foods Severn location extended picket lines to the Philadelphia area Monday afternoon in Swedesboro, N.J. and Bridgeport, N.J., Monday morning and Tuesday afternoon. Warehouse workers represented by Local 628 in Swedesboro and drivers and warehouse workers represented by Locals 107 and 169 in Bridgeport, honored the picket and stood in solidarity with the Severn members. In all, more than 300 workers refused to cross. Today, 325 US Foods drivers, warehouse, yard and maintenance workers and office staff represented by Local 120 in Minneapolis, Minn., joined their Philadelphia brothers and sisters by honoring an extended picket line from the Severn workers. This was the second time in the last three weeks that the Local 120 US Foods workers honored a Severn picket line. These were just the latest group of US Foods workers to honor a picket line in support of the striking Maryland workers. They join US Foods workers in New Jersey, Indiana, Colorado, Michigan, Washington, Illinois, New York, Ohio and Minnesota who took similar action over the last month. The Maryland workers are on strike to protest allegations that US Foods violated federal law that protects workers' rights. Other actions also took place across Southern California and in Phoenix in May. In all, more than 3,300 Teamsters employed by US Foods have either gone out on strike or honored workers' picket lines at some point since late April. US Foods is the nation's second-largest foodservice provider. It is owned by Wall Street private equity behemoths KKR and CD&R, which added nearly $5 billion of debt to US Foods' books when they bought it in 2007. In an IPO on May 25, US Foods raised $1.02 billion from investors, announcing it will use the funds to pay off some of its debt. In January 2016, KKR and CD&R took nearly $670 million in cash out of the company to distribute to its two owners half of it borrowed even though it is already operating under a mountain of debt. Since its purchase by the two private equity firms nine years ago, US Foods has engaged in a systematic campaign of harassment and intimidation against its workers, both union and non-union. "US Foods has established a pattern of anti-union and anti-worker behavior," said Steve Vairma, Teamsters International Vice President and Director of the Teamsters' Warehouse Division. "US Foods management signs off on wage and hiring freezes across the company while extracting hundreds of millions of dollars out of the coffers for ownership. We will not let the company's private equity vultures get rich on the backs of Teamster employees and families. Our members at US Foods across the country will continue to stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters from the Severn facility in their fight for justice." The current labor disputes are not new to US Foods. In February, more than 200 Teamsters at the Phoenix facility went on a four-day unfair labor practice strike. In 2011, an unfair labor practice strike by maintenance employees in Streator, Ill. was extended to more than 10 US Foods facilities across America. More than 2,000 Teamsters honored extended picket lines during the 2011 strike. US Foods provides 350,000 products and services to 200,000 customers including restaurants, hospitals, schools, military bases and hotels. US Foods has 25,000 employees and 75 distribution facilities. The Teamsters represent 4,300 US Foods employees, with 44 contracts at 29 facilities. Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Visit www.teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and "like" us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/teamsters. Contact: Galen Munroe, (202) 624-6911 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100127/IBTLOGO SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters Related Links http://www.teamster.org LOS ANGELES, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) provider Infinitely Virtual today announced a new best-in-class email protection and archiving solution, powered by Proofpoint Essentials, from market leader Proofpoint. The new offering effectively replaces McAfee SaaS Email Protection and Archiving, now undergoing end-of-life phase-out. Adam Stern Proofpoint, an innovative security-as-a-service vendor, delivers data protection solutions that help organizations protect their data from attack and enable them to effectively meet the complex and evolving regulatory compliance and data governance mandates arising from highly publicized data breaches. Infinitely Virtual's new anti-spam offering, powered by Proofpoint Essentials, provides a comprehensive defense against today's email threats for small and mid-size businesses. "All good things come to an end, but they're occasionally followed by even better things," said Adam Stern, CEO, Infinitely Virtual. "The Intel/McAfee end-of-life phase-out has enabled us to greatly enhance our offering in email security. For our existing customers, the transition will be seamless and the solution even better than its predecessor." Well in advance of the announced phase-out of McAfee, Infinitely Virtual surveyed the marketplace and tested a battery of IaaS/SaaS anti-spam products. Proofpoint Essentials harnesses the capabilities of Proofpoint's enterprise security technology and infrastructure, used by some of the world's largest and most security conscious companies, and combines this with expert knowledge and understanding of the needs of the smaller enterprise. "We recognize that in order to address today's advanced email security requirements, an effective email solution requires accurate threat detection, an IaaS infrastructure that offers control and flexibility and proven methods of keeping business email up and running 24x7x365," Stern said. Proofpoint Essentials enhances security with spam and phishing detection, multi-layer anti-virus, a robust filter rules engine, email continuity with emergency inbox, policy-enforced encryption, an email archive based in the cloud and managed in a simple and intuitive user interface. Proofpoint Essentials leverages a variety of techniques for its approach: Advanced protection against malicious URLs and attachments Secure sensitive data leaving the organization Intelligent content filtering Search and eDiscovery cloud email archive Redeliver any inbound email lost or deleted in the last 30 days Protection of social media properties from spam and malware Emergency inbox for 24/7 email continuity. Image-scanning technology to remove illicit images For additional information, visit www.infinitelyvirtual.com. About Infinitely Virtual Infinitely Virtual is a leading provider of high quality and affordable Cloud Server technology, capable of delivering services to any type of business, via terminal servers, SharePoint servers and SQL servers all based on Cloud Servers. Named to the Talkin' Cloud 100 as one of the industry's premier hosting providers, Infinitely Virtual has earned the highest rating of "Enterprise-Ready" in Skyhigh Networks' CloudTrust Program for four of its offerings -- Cloud Server Hosting, InfiniteVault, InfiniteProtect and Virtual Terminal Server. The company recently took the #1 spot in HostReview's Ranking of VPS hosting providers. Infinitely Virtual was established as a subsidiary of Altay Corporation, and through this partnership, Infinitely Virtual provides customers with expert 247 technical support. More information about Infinitely Virtual can be found at: http://www.infinitelyvirtual.com, @iv_cloudhosting, or call 866-257-8455. Media Contact: Ken Greenberg Edge Communications, Inc. 323-469-3397 [email protected] Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160621/382019 SOURCE Infinitely Virtual Related Links http://www.infinitelyvirtual.com Police in the Japanese prefecture of Chiba arrested six Vietnamese men for stealing 112 unripe melons from a farm in the remote eastern tip of the Boso Pensinsula on June 20, according to the Asashi Shimbun newspaper. The men made off with the melons in the middle of the night on June 18, officers from the Asahi police station said. The haul was valued at VND14 milion ($640). Five of the men admitted the crime, saying they intended to eat the melons, but one denied any involvement. The stolen melons on display. Photo by Asashi Shimbun/Yoshifumi Fukuda The men targeted a brand of melon called Iioka Takami, a specialty of Asahi City, the police said. Takami melons are usually harvested between the end of June and the beginning of July, and the stolen melons would have been too green to eat, according to a representative of the Iioka Melon Department of the Japan Agricultural Cooperatives Chibamidori. Vietnamese people are gaining an unwanted reputation in Japan for crime. According to Japan Today, among the 5,000 thefts reported in the first six months in Japan, nearly 700 cases involved Vietnamese, the second highest number after China. BINGEN, Wash., June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Insitu is pleased to announce it has been awarded the Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) Lot V contract for RQ-21A Blackjack. The $71 million follow-on contract award includes six LRIP systems with options for two additional LRIP systems. This contract also includes an option year for nine Full Rate Production (FRP) systems. The FRP decision review is expected this fall. RQ-21A Blackjack recovers aboard the USS Mesa Verde "This contract award paves the road for Blackjack's continued and future fleet integration," said Col. Eldon Metzger, program manager for the Navy and Marine Corps Small Tactical Unmanned Aircraft Systems Program Office. "It is at the tactical edge for Marine and Navy units and the foundation to support future system enhancements." "Blackjack delivers an organic intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance UAS that is runway-independent and founded on an open architecture that allows for implementation of innovative payloads to meet critical operational demands," said Ryan M. Hartman, Insitu's president and CEO. "We are proud to provide the Sailors and Marines with reliable, capable systems that support their warfighting needs." RQ-21A has significantly larger payload mass, volume and power than other small UAS currently being used in theater. The system includes electro-optic and mid-wave infrared sensors with a laser rangefinder and infrared marker. Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) awarded the STUAS Engineering Manufacturing Development contract to Insitu in 2010 to begin the development of RQ-21A Blackjack, a variant of the company's Integrator unmanned system. The program achieved Milestone C in 2013, delivered the first LRIP system in 2014, and achieved initial operational capability in January. Insitu is an industry-leading provider of information for superior decision making. With offices in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia, the company creates and supports unmanned systems and software technology that deliver end-to-end solutions for collecting, processing and delivering superior information. We proudly serve the diverse needs of our global customers in the military, commercial and civil industries. Insitu is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Boeing Company. For more information, visit insitu.com. Follow us on Vimeo, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Contact: Jenny Beloy Insitu Media Relations +1 509.637.6196 [email protected] Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160621/382083 SOURCE Insitu Related Links http://www.insitu.com NEW YORK, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Anticipated Economic Revival Due to Lifting of Sanctions by the Western Countries Coupled with Expanding Automotive Fleet to Drive Sales of Tires in Iran. New Age TechSci Research Logo (PRNewsFoto/New Age TechSci Research) According to recently released TechSci Research report, "Iran Tire Market Forecast & Opportunities, 2021", tire market in Iran is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of over 12% during 2016-2021. Anticipated growth in the automobile production and sales is one of the major factors expected to boost tire sales over the next five years in the country. Moreover, lifting of sanctions by the western countries and anticipated economic revival are further anticipated to augment demand for tires in the country through 2021. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140117/663730 ) Browse 6 market data Tables and 23 Figures spread through 92 Pages and an in-depth TOC on "Iran Tire Market " http://www.techsciresearch.com/report/iran-tire-market-forecast-and-opportunities-2021/705.html The UN Security Council and P5+1 nations (China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States; plus Germany) imposed various sanctions on the country after Iran refused to suspend its uranium enrichment program. Freedom to export and import automobiles and tires was restricted for Iran with the imposition of these sanctions. However, due to Multilateral Talks between Iran and P5+1 nations, most of the sanctions on the country have been lifted, and a Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) has been signed by both the sides in July 2015. This move is expected to boost the automobile as well as tire market in Iran in the coming years. In Iran, construction sector is forecast to grow during 2016-2021, which is being backed by various major projects slated for completion in the coming years and having a cumulative worth of US$ 200 billion. Moreover, housing demand in the country is forecast to reach 1.2 million units by 2020. Besides that, the country's motorization rate, which stood at 170 vehicles per 1000 individuals in 2014, is expected to grow in the coming years, with the overall automobile fleet in the country having increased at a CAGR of 5.75% during 2010-2014. All these factors are expected to positively influence tire market in Iran over the next five years. Download Sample Report @ http://www.techsciresearch.com/sample-report.aspx?cid=705 Customers can also request for 10% free customization on this report. "Barez, Goldstone, Yazd and Kavir are few of the major domestic tire manufacturing companies, while Hankook, Kumho, Continental, Bridgestone and Michelin are the major global tire companies operating in Iran. Owing to restrictions on the operations of various major international tire brands in Iran, domestic tire brands dominated the country's tire market during 2011-2015. However, with the lifting of sanctions, various global companies are planning to enter or re-enter the country's tire market, which is a huge positive for the country's automobile industry, including the tire market.", said Mr. Karan Chechi, Research Director with TechSci Research, a research based global management consulting firm. "Iran Tire Market Forecast & Opportunities, 2021" has evaluated the future growth potential of tire market in Iran, and provides statistics and information on market structure, imports and trends. 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 Iran tire market. Browse Related Reports: Global OTR Tire Market By Vehicle Type (Mining, Construction and Industrial Equipment, Agriculture Vehicles, and Others), By Demand Category (OEM Vs. Replacement), By Region, Competition Forecast and Opportunities, 2011 - 2021 http://www.techsciresearch.com/report/global-otr-tire-market-by-vehicle-type-mining-construction-and-industrial-equipment-agriculture-vehicles-and-others-by-demand-category-oem-vs-replacement-by-region-competition-forecast-and-opportunities-2011-2021/637.html Saudi Arabia Tyre Market Forecast and Opportunities, 2020 http://www.techsciresearch.com/report/saudi-arabia-tyre-market-forecast-and-opportunities-2020/129.html UAE Tyre Market Forecast and Opportunities, 2020 http://www.techsciresearch.com/report/uae-tyre-market-forecast-and-opportunities-2020/227.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 NOVI, Mich., June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- At the ITC Holdings Corp. ("ITC") (NYSE: ITC) Special Meeting of Shareholders held today in Novi, Michigan, shareholders approved the acquisition of ITC by Fortis Inc. ("Fortis") (TSX: FTS). "We are very pleased with the solid support from our shareholders for this transformative transaction," said Joseph L. Welch, Chairman, President and CEO of ITC. "Fortis is an outstanding company with a proven track record of successfully acquiring and managing U.S. based utilities in a decentralized manner. This transaction accomplishes our objectives by better positioning the company to fulfill our long-term strategy of investing in transmission opportunities that improve reliability, expand access to power markets and allow new generating resources to interconnect to transmission systems while lowering the overall cost of delivered energy for customers." "Our investors will receive an attractive premium for their investment and will also benefit from the opportunity to participate in any potential upside of the combination, including future value creation and a growing dividend program," added Welch. "Today is another important milestone for Fortis and ITC. The strong results of the ITC and Fortis shareholder votes, as well as the agreement with minority investor GIC Private Limited, demonstrates confidence in this strategic acquisition," said Barry Perry, President and CEO of Fortis. "We remain focused on closing the transaction by the end of this year." Under the terms of the transaction, ITC shareholders will receive US$22.57 in cash and 0.7520 of a Fortis common share for each ITC common share. Based on the February 8, 2016 closing price for Fortis common shares and the US$/C$ exchange rate on that date, the per share consideration offered by Fortis represents a premium of 33% over ITC's unaffected closing share price on November 27, 2015 and a 37% premium to ITC's unaffected average closing price over the 30-day period prior to November 27, 2015. The Fortis-ITC transaction was valued at approximately US$11.3 billion as of the close of markets on February 8, 2016. The closing of the acquisition of ITC is expected to occur in late 2016 and is subject to receipt of certain regulatory approvals, including the approval of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, and the United States Federal Trade Commission/Department of Justice under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as well as various state approvals, among others. About ITC ITC is the largest independent electric transmission company in the United States. Based in Novi, Michigan, ITC invests in the electric transmission grid to improve reliability, expand access to markets, allow new generating resources to interconnect to its transmission systems and lower the overall cost of delivered energy. Through its regulated operating subsidiaries ITCTransmission, Michigan Electric Transmission Company, ITC Midwest and ITC Great Plains, ITC owns and operates high-voltage transmission facilities in Michigan, Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma, serving a combined peak load exceeding 26,000 megawatts along approximately 15,700 circuit miles of transmission line. ITC's grid development focus includes growth through regulated infrastructure investment as well as domestic and international expansion through merchant and other commercial development opportunities. (ITC-itc-F). Additional information can be accessed at www.itc-holdings.com or www.edgar.com. About Fortis Fortis is a leader in the North American electric and gas utility business, with total assets of approximately CAD$28 billion and fiscal 2015 revenue of CAD$6.7 billion. The Corporation's asset mix is approximately 96% regulated (70% electric, 26% gas), with the remaining 4% comprised of non-regulated energy infrastructure. The Corporation's regulated utilities serve more than 3 million customers across Canada, the United States and the Caribbean. Fortis shares are listed on the TSX and trade under the symbol FTS. Additional information can be accessed at www.fortisinc.com, www.sedar.com, or www.edgar.com. About GIC GIC is a leading global investment firm with well over US$100 billion in assets under management. Established in 1981 to secure the financial future of Singapore, the firm manages Singapore's foreign reserves. With its disciplined long-term value approach, GIC is uniquely positioned to invest in both the public and private markets, including equities, fixed income, real estate, private equity and infrastructure. GIC employs over 1,300 people across offices in Singapore, Beijing, London, Mumbai, New York, San Francisco, Sao Paulo, Seoul, Shanghai, and Tokyo. For more information, please visit www.gic.com.sg. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws including the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements included in this media release reflect expectations of Fortis management and ITC management regarding future growth, results of operations, performance and business prospects and opportunities. Wherever possible, words such as "anticipates", "believes", "budgets", "could", "estimates", "expects", "forecasts", "intends", "may", "might", "plans", "projects", "schedule", "should", "target", "will", "would" and the negative of these terms and other similar terminology or expressions have been used to identify the forward-looking statements, which include, without limitation, those statements related to the acquisition, the expected timing of the acquisition, and the satisfaction of the conditions precedent to the closing of the acquisition of ITC, including regulatory and governmental approvals. These statements reflect the current beliefs and are based on information currently available to Fortis' and ITC's management. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Certain material factors or assumptions have been applied in drawing the conclusions contained in the forward-looking statements. These factors or assumptions are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties surrounding future expectations generally, including those identified from time-to-time in the forward-looking statements. Such risk factors or assumptions include, but are not limited to, the risks and uncertainties disclosed in Fortis' filings with the Canadian securities regulators and ITC's annual report on Form 10-K and ITC's quarterly reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, risks relating to failure to complete the acquisition and the timing thereof, the risk that conditions to the acquisition may not be satisfied, and risks relating to the potential decline in the Fortis share price negatively impacting the value of the consideration offered to ITC shareholders. Fortis and ITC each caution readers that a number of factors could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from the results discussed or implied in the forward-looking statements. These factors should be considered carefully and undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements. For additional information with respect to certain of these risks or factors, reference should be made to the continuous disclosure materials filed from time to time by Fortis with Canadian and American securities regulatory authorities and by ITC with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Fortis and ITC each disclaim any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additional Information and Where to Find It Fortis filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") a registration statement on Form F-4 including a proxy statement of ITC and a prospectus of Fortis, and other documents in connection with the acquisition by Fortis of ITC, which was declared effective by the SEC on May 16, 2016. This communication is not a substitute for the registration statement, definitive proxy statement/prospectus or any other document that Fortis and/or ITC has filed or may file with the SEC in connection with the acquisition. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS OF FORTIS AND ITC ARE URGED TO READ THE DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS, AND ANY OTHER FILINGS THAT MAY BE MADE WITH THE SEC IN CONNECTION WITH THE ACQUISITION WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE, AS THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE ACQUISITION. The registration statement and proxy statement/prospectus containing the definitive proxy statement/prospectus and other documents filed by Fortis and/or ITC with the SEC are available free of charge at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov, on Fortis' website at www.fortisinc.com or by contacting Fortis' Investor Relations department. Copies of the document filed with the SEC by ITC can also be obtained free of charge from ITC upon written request to ITC at ITC, Investor Relations, 27175 Energy Way, Novi, MI 48377. You may also read and copy any reports, statements and other information filed by Fortis and ITC with the SEC at the SEC public reference room at 100 F Street N.E., Room 1580, Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at (800) 732-0330 or visit the SEC's website for further information on its public reference room. This communication does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, or a solicitation of any vote or approval, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to appropriate registration or qualification under the securities laws of such jurisdiction. No offering of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and otherwise in accordance with applicable law. SOURCE ITC Holdings Corp. Related Links http://www.itc-holdings.com NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J., June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) today announced that Louise Mehrotra, Vice President of Investor Relations for Johnson & Johnson, will retire in January 2017, after a transition period with her successor. Louise first joined the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies in 1980, and has led Investor Relations for more than 10 years. "Louise has been a constant advocate for transparency and credibility in our financial communications, a trusted advisor to company management, and her commitment to excellence has led to the development of a best-in-class IR team," said Dominic J. Caruso, Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer of Johnson & Johnson. "We sincerely thank her for more than 35 years of service, and for her leadership in helping develop a strong and diverse Finance organization at Johnson & Johnson." Joseph Wolk will replace Mehrotra as Vice President, Investor Relations, effective August 1. Wolk will continue to report to Dominic Caruso. "Joe is a proven leader in our Finance organization, and we are confident he will continue our commitment to transparent and credible engagement with the investment community. His cross-sector expertise, prudent financial management and focus on talent development will ensure the investor relations function at Johnson & Johnson remains best-in-class," said Caruso. Wolk was previously Vice President, Group Finance for the Pharmaceuticals Group of Johnson & Johnson, where he provided finance leadership, supporting Worldwide Chairman, Pharmaceuticals Joaquin Duato, and Chief Scientific Officer Paul Stoffels, as a member of the Pharmaceuticals Group Operating Committee. Prior to that role, he held other finance leadership positions at Johnson & Johnson as Vice President of Finance for the Medical Devices Global Supply Chain, and as Chief Financial Officer of the North America Pharmaceuticals Group, responsible for Centocor Ortho Biotech Inc., as well as U.S. Pricing Strategy and Compliance. Wolk joined Johnson & Johnson in 1998 as a Finance Manager in the Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical organization. Prior to joining Johnson & Johnson, Wolk held multiple positions of increasing responsibility at Ametek, Inc. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from St. Joseph's University, where he currently serves on the Haub School of Business Board of Visitors, and he also holds a Juris Doctor degree from Temple University School of Law and is a Certified Public Accountant. For a complete list of Johnson & Johnson Investor Relations contacts, please visit www.investor.jnj.com. 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 HENDERSON, Nevada, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- K2 has engineered an improved power cell built on the company's proprietary K2|LiFePO4 chemistry and proven safe technology. The cells in the Ultra line will offer increased energy density at a lower internal resistance and impedance, without compromising the safety or longevity. The first to be released from the K2 Ultra Line is the Next Generation Ultra Power Cell and is available in two form factors the 18650UP, a 3.3 volt -1.35 amp hour cell, and the 26650UP, a 3.3 volt -2.85 amp hour cell. These cells offer both higher power and greater energy to meet the needs of users across a broad spectrum of devices and operations. "We're constantly looking for ways to improve our products for consumers," said Joe Turner, K2 Energy Senior Development Manager. "We're pleased to introduce the Ultra line of products to provide our customers with an even safer, longer lasting product." The innovations that led to the Ultra Line were researched and developed at K2 Energy's advanced battery labs, in Henderson Nevada. These improvements result in a more powerful, higher energy, safer, and more reliable product than conventional batteries. K2's cells, packs, and systems do not experience thermal runaway as compared to traditional lithium-ion batteries making them safer for consumers, especially while charging. K2's cells can also perform safely in extreme temperatures, ranging from -40 degrees Celsius to 85 degrees Celsius. "The Next Generation Ultra Power Cell can be used in a wide variety of applications, including aeronautics, maritime, power tools and electric or mild hybrid vehicles," said Turner. "K2 engineered batteries and systems are perfect for large industrial projects, grid scale stabilization and distributed 'behind-the-meter' energy storage solutions. Our R&D team has spent a lot of time working to perfect this product and is confident that it will offer customers a better choice for their high power needs." For those interested in purchasing a Next Generation Ultra Power Cell, visit. Furthermore, K2 plans to add to the innovative Ultra Line by announcing its new Ultra Energy Cell soon. K2 Energy was founded in the growing technology hub of Henderson, Nevada in 2006, and is a leading developer and producer of Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries, which are used in many advanced medical and military applications and for powering electric vehicles. The company produces both energy-optimized and power-optimized products, which have a multitude of consumer, product, safety, and environmental benefits compared to traditional lead acid batteries. Recently, K2 has cemented its status as a leader in the field with its work on prestigious projects including powering the Blue Origin New Shepard space vehicle to orbit and being named the sole source battery provider for the Naval Sea Systems Command's (NAVSEA) electromagnetic railgun. K2 has received multiple awards recognizing its business and technical achievements. K2 Contact: Lysle Oliveros, K2 Marketing: 702-478-3590; [email protected] Media Contact: Kelsey Hand, Trosper Communications: 702-965-1617 x 129; [email protected] This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. For more info visit: http://www.newswire.com SOURCE K2 Energy NEW YORK, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- According to Kalorama Information, the dominant trends in the growing next generation sequencing (NGS) market include significant efforts in automation as well as rapid adoption of smaller sequencers. More accessible and affordable sequencers, say the healthcare market research firm, has led to growing demand for consumables including sample prep materials. The healthcare market research company's report, The Market for Sample Preparation for Next Generation Sequencing (NGS), highlights major trends taking place in the market for library preparation and target enrichment for NGS, which includes the hardware and consumables. The market for sample preparation for next generation sequencing reached $415 million in 2015, according to the report and size of instrumentation and new competitors are among the areas of rapid change. The Market for Sample Preparation for Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) can be found at Kalorama Information: http://www.kaloramainformation.com/Sample-Preparation-Generation-10027181/. "The usual benefits of automation are reproducibility and reduced contamination, while the ability to miniaturize most often results in reduced costs," said Bruce Carlson, Publisher of Kalorama Information. "Also, the introduction of smaller, cheaper benchtop NGS systems has expanded the market into smaller labs that could not afford the earlier, more expensive systems." The promise of DNA sequencing via NGS alone has already attracted many companies, researchers, and investors. Recent significant efforts in automation and miniaturization have produced a further uptick in the introductions of automated systems across the range of sample preparation areas. Examples include the following systems and products: 10X Genomics' Chromium system, Becton Dickinson's CLiC system, Fluidigm's Library Prep IFCs and C1 mRNA Seq HT IFC, and Illumina's NeoPrep Library Prep System and SeqLab. Sequencers have been introduced that require less ancillary equipment or are tightly integrated with their automated sample preparation instruments. Kits are also increasingly providing improvements that reduce the number of steps. Most companies have stated their intentions to continue the development of more streamlined end-to-end workflows. In addition to the benefits already noted, developments such as these bring the added benefits of reducing labor and time. For some large experiments, automation or miniaturization is the only way to scale projects. In other areas such as single cell analysis, it can allow small labs to avoid the need for expensive, specialized systems. Smaller systems, due to their lower throughput, are suitable for a variety of applications but not for most whole genome sequencing. These systems are largely being used for amplicon sequencing and targeted sequencing, as well as RNA or small/micro RNA sequencing. The science is also evolving to the point where labs are often designing their experiments to generate only the data that they expect to need. The rapid rate of adoption of these benchtop systems has fueled the growth for reagents and kits for these various applications. In particular, there has been a great demand for panels of genes related to specific disease areas. With the high performance provided by these smaller systems, the sales do not appear to be slowing down and the trend is expected to continue as the price of benchtop instruments falls further. The Market for Sample Preparation for Next Generation Sequencing focuses on the market for NGS sample preparation products. The report discusses trends, challenges, strategies, companies, and products, and provides estimates of market share and revenue growth for the market, including NGS sample preparation revenues and growth rate, 2015-2020; revenues by region, 2015 (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, rest-of-world); revenues by product type, 2015 (enrichment, library prep kits, panels, etc.; automation/ hardware; nucleic acid extraction); and NGS sample preparation leading company revenues and market shares, 2015. The competitive situation, deals, and litigation are also covered in respective chapters. The Market for Sample Preparation for Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) can be found at Kalorama Information: http://www.kaloramainformation.com/Sample-Preparation-Generation-10027181/. About Kalorama Information Kalorama Information, a division of MarketResearch.com, supplies the latest in independent medical market research in diagnostics, biotech, pharmaceuticals, medical devices and healthcare; as well as a full range of custom research services. Reports can be purchased through Kalorama's website and are also available on www.marketresearch.com and www.profound.com. We routinely assist the media with healthcare topics. Follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and our blog at www.kaloramainformation.com. Contact: Bruce Carlson (212) 807-2622 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150831/262422LOGO SOURCE Kalorama Information Related Links http://www.kaloramainformation.com LOS GATOS, Calif., June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Kyvos Insights, a big data analytics company, today announced general availability of the next major version of Kyvos a massively scalable, self-service analytics solution designed to make big data lakes ready for BI analysts. Building upon its native integration and support for the Hadoop platform, the new release incorporates enterprise-grade functionality to improve analysts access to the data lake, including advanced security support, improved performance and scalability, and integration with additional BI tools. "Once you have all your data in the big data lake, the challenge lies in how your organization derives value from the data without sacrificing the security and performance of the analysis and results," said Wayne Eckerson, founder and principal consultant at Eckerson Group. "Many companies turn to OLAP-on-Hadoop products once they discover that other approaches to big data analytics don't work. The patent-pending solution from Kyvos Insights allows enterprises to create a BI consumption layer on their data lake, which enables business users to access and interact with their data in real time and perform their analysis more effectively at the speed-of-thought." With a Kyvos BI Consumption Layer directly on Hadoop, analysts can use their existing BI tools for multi-dimensional analytics at any scale, with no learning curve or programming required. Kyvos enables businesses to convert raw data into insights, leading to more meaningful customer understanding, targeted marketing, efficient operations and increased profitability. Allowing more analysts to access the data lake means that access control and security are more important than ever before for the Hadoop ecosystem. The new version of Kyvos includes row- and column-level security for fine-grained access control, giving access to only those data fields that employees are authorized. It also provides companies integration with enterprise security infrastructures, so organizations are confident that their data is secure. The solution also supports all major Hadoop distributions including Apache Hadoop, Cloudera, Hortonworks (HDP) and MapR, giving enterprise customers the flexibility to use Kyvos, independent of their Hadoop vendor. Key new features of Kyvos 2.0 include: Row- and column-level security Providing granular security down to the row and column level through the use of access controls, including support for strong authentication and single sign-on. Providing granular security down to the row and column level through the use of access controls, including support for strong authentication and single sign-on. Improved performance and scalability Performance testing with Star Schema Benchmark data shows query times are on an average 100 times faster than native SQL queries on Hadoop. Performance testing with Star Schema Benchmark data shows query times are on an average 100 times faster than native SQL queries on Hadoop. Zero footprint installation on Hadoop Providing enterprises with the convenience and accessibility of compliance with any Hadoop infrastructure, with no changes required. Providing enterprises with the convenience and accessibility of compliance with any Hadoop infrastructure, with no changes required. Enhanced integration with cloud service providers , including expanded support for Amazon Web Services with the addition of the Simple Storage Service (S3) data source, which offers users a convenient, highly-scalable, reliable and low-latency data storage infrastructure. Kyvos is also available on Microsoft Azure HDInsight. , including expanded support for Amazon Web Services with the addition of the Simple Storage Service (S3) data source, which offers users a convenient, highly-scalable, reliable and low-latency data storage infrastructure. Kyvos is also available on Microsoft Azure HDInsight. Full integration to all major BI tools , including Business Objects, IBM Cognos, Microsoft Excel, Microstrategy, Tableau and TIBCO Spotfire. , including Business Objects, IBM Cognos, Microsoft Excel, Microstrategy, Tableau and TIBCO Spotfire. Custom visualization framework Providing the ability to visualize data using custom graphics. "The new version of Kyvos is even more enterprise-ready than before, giving organizations the security, performance and scalability they need for their big data projects. The Kyvos BI Consumption Layer makes access to the data lake seamless for business users," said Ajay Anand, vice president of products at Kyvos Insights. "Kyvos 2.0 is truly changing the way business users can interact with big data by bringing self-service interactive analytics to Hadoop and giving users instant query response times so they can make decisions quickly to gain a competitive edge." Kyvos Insights will be demonstrating the capabilities of Kyvos 2.0 at the Hadoop Summit, taking place June 28-30 at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center in San Jose, California. To book a meeting with the company at the conference to learn more, visit: http://www.kyvosinsights.com/hadoop-summit-2016. Members of the media and analyst communities interested in meeting with the company at the conference should contact [email protected]. About Kyvos Insights Kyvos Insights is committed to unlocking the power of big data analytics with its unique "OLAP on Hadoop" technology. Backed by years of analytics expertise and a passion for big data, the company aims to revolutionize big data analytics by providing business users with the ability to visualize, explore and analyze big data interactively, working directly on Hadoop. Headquartered in Los Gatos, California, Kyvos Insights was formed by a team of veterans from Yahoo!, Impetus and Intellicus Technologies. The company has partnered with companies including Cloudera, Hortonworks, MapR and Tableau. For more information, visit www.kyvosinsights.com or connect with us on Twitter @kyvosinsights and LinkedIn at: http://linkd.in/1Fg3lNr. Media Contact Meghan Locke LEWIS 781-418-2434 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160621/382133LOGO SOURCE Kyvos Insights Related Links http://www.kyvosinsights.com CHICAGO, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Leo Burnett Madrid secured a Grand Prix in the Cyber category for the Spanish Lottery's animated short film "Justino" at the 63rd Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. See the winning work here: https://youtu.be/tY3vQTrCn7I "We feel incredibly lucky and privileged to have a client that had the bravery to bring 'Justino' to life. We will always be thankful for such a gift," said Juan Garcia-Escudero, general creative director of Leo Burnett Madrid. Leo Burnett Wins Cyber Grand Prix for "Justino" The animated film features a security guard working the nightshift at a mannequin factory who creates comical and touching situations with the figures to interact with his daytime colleagues, whom he never encounters. This campaign kicked off the annual Christmas Lottery in Spain, a national tradition since 1812, by delivering the message, "There's no bigger prize than sharing." It almost instantly became the No.1 trending topic on Twitter in Spain and eventually No. 5 in the world, with more than 1 million video views in its first 24 hours. The campaign increased the average Christmas lottery spending to an amazing 55 euro per person, while increasing sales for a second year in a row. "To win the highly coveted Cannes Grand Prix in Cyber is an outstanding achievement. It demonstrates magic, the alchemy of creativity and technology," said Publicis Communications Global Creative Chairman and Leo Burnett Worldwide Chief Creative Officer Mark Tutssel. "I am delighted for Leo Burnett Madrid. This is a rare Grand Prix for Spain." This recognition marks the seventh Cannes Lions Grand Prix in the past three years for the global agency network. This year, Leo Burnett also won a Glass Lion for Kafa's "Legally Bride" by the network's Beirut office. This is the third Glass Lion for Leo Burnett since its inception last year. Leo Burnett Chicago's "VanGoghBnb" for the Art Institute of Chicago continues to win Lions across categories. Today, the campaign added three more, a gold in Cyber and two silver in Media, totaling 14 Lions to date with seven gold and seven silver. Additional categories include Direct, Promo & Activation, Outdoor, Design and Public Relations. Samsung, the Cannes Lions Creative Marketer of the Year, has earned 12 Lions for Leo Burnett campaigns to date, including: Six for Leo Burnett Sydney's "brainBand" in Promo & Activation (2), Health & Pharma, Digital Craft (2) and Creative Data "brainBand" in Promo & Activation (2), Health & Pharma, Digital Craft (2) and Creative Data Three for Leo Burnett Sydney's "Celebrity Tantrum" in Promo & Activation, Media and Mobile "Celebrity Tantrum" in Promo & Activation, Media and Mobile Two for Leo Burnett Budapest's "#SeeColors" in Digital Craft and Mobile One for Leo Burnett Chicago's "Voices of Life" in Cyber This is the third time in the past four years a Leo Burnett client has been named Cannes Lions Creative Marketer of the Year. Past winners are Coca-Cola (2013) and McDonald's (2014). Keep up with Leo Burnett at Cannes at http://leoburnett.com/ and use #LeoCannes on social media channels. About Leo Burnett Leo Burnett Worldwide believes in using creativity to drive dynamic business change for its clients. Through a HumanKind approach to marketing, the agency puts a brand's purpose at the center of communications to transform human behavior. Part of the Publicis Groupe, Leo Burnett Worldwide is one of the world's largest agency networks with 85 offices and more than 8,000 employees. The global agency works with some of the world's most valued brands including Coca-Cola, Fiat, Firestone, Kellogg's, Kraft, McDonald's, Nintendo, P&G, Samsung and Tata among others. For the past six years, Leo Burnett has been ranked #1 in "New World Thinking" by The Gunn Report and was named an Agency to Watch on Advertising Age's 2015 A-List. In 2015, Leo Burnett was named "Network of the Year" at the International ANDY Awards and ADC Awards. To learn more about Leo Burnett Worldwide and its rich, 80-year history of creating iconic brands, visit our site, Facebook page and follow us via @leoburnett Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160622/382482 SOURCE Leo Burnett Related Links http://leoburnett.com SANTA ROSA, Calif., June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Altus Equity Group, a prominent alternative asset firm, recognized as a consistent provider of above market returns through disciplined due diligence, shrewd acquisition, and exemplary management, is excited to announce its newest acquisition in the south-central United States, the $4 Million Dollar - 98 unit Sunset Ridge complex located in Edmond, Oklahoma, a suburb of Oklahoma City. Sunset Ridge, combined with this year's earlier large acquisition of Oklahoma City's Rockwell Plaza, brings Altus Equity Group's total number of units purchased in the Oklahoma City Metro area to over five hundred in addition to 200 units in California bringing company holdings to over $50 Million. Forrest Jinks, Altus Equity CEO, believes that Oklahoma Citywhich boasts Forbes Magazine ranking as "#1 America's Most Affordable City," as well as Forbes top 10 for "Best Big Cities for Jobs" represents opportunity and market potential moving forward. Learn more about Jinks and Altus Equity projects at: www.altusequity.com or call 707-932-5887. Jinks' powerful vision is to be an active part of up and coming communities - the area has had an unprecedented 39% in growth in tech talent over the last few years being labeled a top "momentum market" posting a growth rate that rivals established markets like San Francisco. According to the Greater Oklahoma City Partnership this trend will not only continue but gain more and more momentum. The extension into Sunset Ridge is a significant increase in Altus Equity Group's holdings in the area, also signaling big growth for the firm. "Sunset Ridge is a natural follow-up to the 304 unit Rockwell Plaza complex we purchased in January. Like Rockwell, Sunset Ridge needs full repositioning, and we have the best team already in place to do the work, and like Rockwell, the facility will be a huge asset in a neighborhood where we look forward to owning for a long time," says Jinks. The Sunset Ridge property, located at 930 S Boulevard, is a neighborhood that was also listed on MSNBC's "Ten Perfect Suburbs" list, and is comprised of nearly one hundred units situated along a major corridor in the growing suburb of Edmond. Altus Equity Group is committed to giving the property a long-overdue facelift, including interior and exterior upgrades already in the works. They also plan on instituting a tenant retention program to enhance quality of life in the up-and-coming complex. Sunset Ridge is positioned to become an indispensable part of Edmond's infrastructure after its enhancements, as the city has placed a moratorium on new apartment construction despite population growth of over 1% per year, and anticipated job growth of 39% over the next decade. About Altus Equity Group Altus has a sixteen-year history focused on opportunities within various real estate asset classes, including single family residences, multifamily, office and commercial. In contrast to most Alternative Asset firms, Altus Equity creates indisputable alignment between all related parties. Altus Equity has completed more than $100 million in real estate transactions with average annual returns to investors in excess of 17%. Altus also offers exceptional transparency to all investors through real time open access of all property documents including financial and banking records. Altus is headed by Forrest Jinks, Founder and CEO who as an entrepreneur from an early age demonstrated a solid foundation of business acumen. Jinks acquired his first real estate property at a very young age, and grew that initial acquisition into Altus Equity Group, a formidable Real Estate Private Equity enterprise. Jinks has been the lead investor and led Altus Equity to diversify over various asset classes including single family, multi-family, commercial and retail involving development, repositioning, opportunistic and value add projects. He engages progressive, yet calculated business scaling, contingent upon the firm's ability to go after larger projects with discipline. He is recognized for his constant finessing of detail, systems and communications. For additional information about this and other projects visit: www.altusequity.com or call 707-932-5887. Contact: Kristy Brooks [email protected] 707-932-5887 SOURCE Altus Equity Group Related Links http://www.altusequity.com LONDON, June 23, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Capital leads the way but more work to be done as one in ten tech teams have no female employees UBM Live Logo (PRNewsFoto/) Mayor of London Sadiq Khan champions greater representation for women during London Technology Week 2016 London's tech community offers the greatest opportunities for British women in tech with 40 per cent of the entire country's female tech workforce employed in the capital, according to research released during London Technology Week, and coinciding with Computer Weekly's top 50 UK Women in Technology awards. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130723/629764-a ) The survey of over 3700 working professionals across Britain by the technology recruitment firm Mortimer Spinks, also reveals that London is the best location in the UK for women to build a business, and that women tech workers in London are 2.5 times more likely to work for a tech start up, than their counterparts in the rest of the UK [1] . London's tech companies also lead the way in promoting better opportunities for women with almost a third saying they have formal initiatives in place to recruit more women to the workforce, compared to less than a quarter in the rest of the country[1]. Despite the tech industry's progress, the findings also suggest there is still a lot of work to be done. One in 10 tech teams in London have no female employees and more than half say that less than 15 per cent of their teams are women[1]. The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has stated that he wants the sector to be open to all Londoners and aims to reverse the under-representation of women in the industry. The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said: "London Technology Week has shown how the capital is the most important tech hub in Europe with its vibrant mix of investors, talent and creativity. Although the sector is flourishing, it is vital that we actively encourage more girls to work in digital and tech to reverse the under-representation of women in this industry. Our current female tech pioneers are the role models for the next generation and as the father of two teenage girls, I want them to have the same opportunities and aspirations. I am determined to work hand-in-hand with individuals and employers like these to nurture more young female entrepreneurs that will contribute to London's economic prosperity." According to research from Tech London Advocates, London's tech companies also lead the way in promoting better opportunities for women with almost a third saying they have formal initiatives in place to recruit more women to the workforce, compared to less than a quarter in the rest of the country[2]. However, London's tech community is making good progress, with a fifth (21 per cent) of tech companies involved in the research claiming to have a female chief executive[2]. Russ Shaw founder of Tech London Advocates said: "Technology's gender problem is the industry's guilty secret that we need to address. Despite a range of highly successful female founders and CEOs in London, senior roles and management teams at digital businesses have more of a 'boys club' factor. For a sector driven by the need for highly skilled and creative talent, failing to harness those currently under-represented makes bad business sense." "London Technology Week is an opportunity to celebrate the opportunities technology companies hold for all Londoners, cutting across age, gender, ethnicity and background. The private sector must come together to expand diversity initiatives and work with local communities to make technology careers accessible and attractive to everyone." Female founders are an important driver of growth for London and the UK's economy. According to recent research from Founders4Schools, women-led businesses make up 11 per cent of UK SMEs. Last month the Mayor's International Business Programme helped lead a female-founders trade mission to Silicon Valley designed to help the founders maximise opportunities to expand their business and secure extra funding from the US market. The trade mission was led by London & Partners, the Mayor's official promotional company in partnership with Silicon Valley Comes to the UK (SVC2UK), the Mayor's International Business Programme and the British Consulate General in San Francisco. Jessica Butcher, Co-founder and Director of Blippar commented on the outcome of the trade mission: "The mission was a fabulous experience bringing together some of the best British female entrepreneurs to both network with each other and learn about how to scale our tech businesses faster to better compete on the global stage. We came home invigorated and suffused with energy and practical advice, plus as a 'tribe' - committed to each other's success and resolved to step up more publicly as role models to encourage more young women into the technology sector." Janet Coyle, Principal Adviser on the Mayor's International Business Programme and MD SVC2UK at London & Partners, added: "We chose only women led high growth companies (growing at an average of 230% per annum) for the Trade Mission which meant we could open doors with senior leaders in Facebook, Google, Linkedin, Uber and others. It was a great opportunity to showcase London's talent as well as helping our female entrepreneurs to connect and seek new business and investment. We are continuing to attract more female entrepreneurs into our programme and will continue to provide them with mentors, networks and bespoke opportunities to help them expand internationally." London Technology Week 2016 will see a record number of over 300 events take place across the capital from 20-26th June. This year's festival of events has seen a large focus on promoting diversity across the tech sector including Tech London Advocates Advocating Inclusivity event at the London Stock Exchange, the BBC's Women in Technology networking event and the unveiling of Computer Weekly's Top 50 UK women in tech, to be announced on Thursday. Kevin Pearce, London Technology Week Event Director, UBM EMEA London said: "London has long been heralded as one of the most diverse cities in the world. But being the best, does not excuse us from our duty to do more. The rapid growth of our thriving tech sector has shined a spotlight on our need for talent, skills and creativity from all backgrounds. That spotlight has also shown that even within our most progressive digital industries, there are imbalances in development and opportunities. Having introduced a dedicated 'Talent & Inclusion' events stream to the London Technology Week 2016 programme, I am delighted to see so many activities across the week addressing this theme." Notes to editors [1] Research conducted by Mortimer Spinks and ComputerWeekly.com. Online survey of 3706 UK respondents (1189 from Greater London). [2] Survey of 433 members of Tech London Advocates conducted via SurveyMonkey in May 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 visit http://www.londonandpartners.com About Tech London Advocates Tech London Advocates is a private sector led coalition of over 3,000 expert individuals from the tech sector and broader community who have committed to championing London's potential as a world-class hub for tech and digital businesses. It strives to support London's tech start-ups and high growth businesses in finding new investment new talent and continued success. Tech London Advocates is an independent not-for-profit organisation, sponsored by City of London Corporation, Penningtons Manches LLP, Russell Reynolds Associates, London First, Here East, MassChallenge, Breakthrough Funding, Cocoon Networks and Hewlett Packard. 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 events and has welcomed delegations from around the world. For more information about London Technology Week, visit: http://londontechnologyweek.co.uk/ SOURCE London Technology Week Vietnamese authorities have revoked the business license of the Nha Trang-based Chinese tourism agency Silent Bay for using fake documents to register the company and illegally employing Chinese workers. On June 21, the director general of the Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism signed the decision to revoke Silent Bay's international tourism license in Khanh Hoa Province for multiple violations of regulations for international tour companies. According to the inspection report compiled from June 17-18, the company failed to complete documents in accordance with regulations, and did not apply for a new license when it replaced its legal representative. Inspectors also found that the company used fake documents to apply for its tourism license. Silent Bay also illegally employed Chinese workers and changed headquarters without informing the authorities. Truong Dang Vu Thuy, the manager of Silent Bay, said the company was established at the end of 2015 but has only been operating for three months. He also explained that a poor understanding of the regulations had made things difficult. Silent Bay is also accused of attempting to extort $500,000 from a tourism agency based in China to bring tourists from China to Nha Trang. The case is being investigated by authorities in Nha Trang. The national administration has asked for a further investigation into the illegal employment of foreign workers at Silent Bay and the rest of Khanh Hoa Province. RICHMOND, Calif., June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Lotus Foods is honored and proud to extend its line of exceptional heirloom, organic and specialty rices with an authentic Indian basmati Dehraduni basmati. Dehraduni's famed flavor, fragrance and elongation are what elevated basmati rice to one of the world's most recognized and best-loved rices. Dehraduni basmati is a long slender, aromatic grain that almost doubles in length when cooked. The word 'basmati' comes from the Sanskrit word for 'fragrant.' Dehraduni basmati is recognized as the 'mother of all basmati.' It is a landrace, which means it is a locally adapted variety with a distinct identity of historical origin and lacks any formal crop improvement. Landraces are often genetically diverse and associated with traditional farming systems. They are closely associated with traditional uses, knowledge, habits, dialects and celebrations of the people who developed and continue to grow them. Dehraduni basmati gets its name from the city of Dehradun, capital of the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand, in the foothills of the Himalayas, where it has been grown for centuries on small family farms. However, in recent years, farmers have been abandoning the rice to get higher yields from hybrid rices. To counteract this trend, Lotus Foods is sourcing Dehraduni basmati from farmers who have adopted More Crop Per Drop (System of Rice Intensification) methods. With this method of organic rice intensification farmers can increase their yields 40-50% with 30-40% less water. And because they need 80-90% less seed than with conventional practices their actual yield is even higher and their production costs significantly lower. "Providing these innovative farmers with a market and organic premiums will make Dehraduni basmati production profitable," says Ken Lee, Lotus Foods Co-Founder/Co-CEO. "We hope that consumers will join us in helping to preserve this traditional basmati and at the same time scale adoption and spread of More Crop Per Drop practices, which reduce women's toil, conserve water and cut methane emissions." The company's introduction of the Dehraduni basmati coincides with the launch of their 'Do the Rice Thing' campaign, which will draw attention to the benefits of More Crop Per Drop growing methods for water and women. It will be available in bulk initially, and in both polished white and whole grain brown rice options. Since 1995, Lotus Foods has been partnering in fair trade with small family farmers around the world who are growing rice more sustainably and preserving heirloom and specialty rices. Lotus Foods' product line is unique in delivering consumers healthier, versatile rice and rice-based foods that respect their multiple concerns for the highest standards of taste together with social and environmental ethics. SOURCE Lotus Foods AMBLER, Pa., June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center opened its doors to a new state-of-the-art Neurocritical Care Unit that includes a Moberg CNS Monitor in each room. The CNS Monitor provides bedside data displays that support timely intervention by caregivers. The CNS Monitor provides clinicians with the opportunity to personalize treatment for neurocritical care patients: physicians and nurses can make individualized decisions based on the unique data trend for each patient. The information environment in the neuro ICU is very complex, where clinicians need to interpret data and make decisions quickly. The CNS Monitor collects a wide array of data from separate devices, records it and displays it on one screen. Clinicians can use the CNS system to view a comprehensive picture of the brain status and the results of their interventions. Data collected by the CNS Monitor is presented at the bedside in user-friendly displays, similar to a conventional vital signs monitor, and can be reviewed without stopping data collection, for example during shift change. Data can also be archived for retrospective review. The CNS Monitor, the CNS system's core component, is the premier platform for multimodal monitoring and serves as the monitoring "data hub" in patient rooms. It currently collects over 140 measurements from 30 monitoring and therapeutic devices, and the list is growing. It is popular for research and clinical applications. It is the only commercial platform that enables multimodal data to be integrated into clinical decision-making tools developed by Moberg and third parties. Utilization of this pathway for clinical data is critical for optimization of outcomes. Dick Moberg, President & CEO of Moberg Research, Inc. commented on the implementation of the CNS technology, "Right now, the need for integrated neuro data is crucial to improving patient care and outcomes. The Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center installation is incredibly advanced and is likely to have a major impact on the future of the field." About Moberg Research, Inc. Moberg Research, Inc. is a privately owned medical device manufacturing company specializing in neurological patient monitoring solutions for acute care. Moberg Research was founded in 1998 and is located in Ambler, PA in the greater Philadelphia area. For more information visit www.moberg.com. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160621/382028LOGO SOURCE Moberg Research, Inc. Related Links https://www.moberg.com Shares Issued and Outstanding: 159,778,833 TSX: MPV NYSE MKT: MDM TORONTO AND NEW YORK, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ - Mountain Province Diamonds Inc. ("Mountain Province", the "Company") (TSX: MPV, NYSE MKT: MDM) is pleased to announce that the nominees listed in the management proxy circular for the 2016 Annual General & Special Meeting of Shareholders ("Annual Meeting") were elected as directors of the Company. Detailed results of the vote for the election of directors held at the Annual Meeting in Vancouver on June 21, 2016 are set out below. Nominee Votes For % For Votes Withheld % Withheld Jonathan Comerford 86,138,778 91.47 8,031,212 8.53 Patrick Evans 90,131,649 95.71 4,038,341 4.29 Bruce Dresner 83,583,093 88.76 10,586,897 11.24 Peeyush Varshney 62,832,934 66.72 31,337,056 33.28 Carl Verley 79,247,060 84.15 14,922,930 15.85 David Whittle 85,790,777 91.10 8,379,213 8.90 At the Annual Meeting, KPMG LLP were re-appointed as auditor of the Company at remuneration to be fixed by the directors. The Company's Long Term Equity Incentive Plan was approved by a majority of shareholders. Mountain Province Diamonds is a 49% participant with De Beers Canada in the Gahcho Kue diamond mine located in Canada's Northwest Territories. Gahcho Kue is the world's largest new diamond mine and projected to be amongst the highest margin diamond mines due to the high grade and open-pit nature of the operation. The Gahcho Kue Project consists of a cluster of four diamondiferous kimberlites, three of which have a probable mineral reserve of 35.4 million tonnes grading 1.57 carats per tonne for total diamond content of 55.5 million carats. A 2014 NI 43-101 feasibility study report filed by Mountain Province (available on SEDAR) indicates that the Gahcho Kue project has an IRR of 32.6%. The Gahcho Kue diamond mine is expected to produce an average of 4.5 million carats a year over a 12 year mine life. Qualified Person This news release has been prepared under the supervision of Carl G. Verley, P.Geo., who serves as the qualified person under National Instrument 43-101. Forward-Looking Statements This news release includes certain information that may constitute "forward-looking information" under applicable Canadian and US securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, the Company's strategic plans, future operations, future work programs and objectives. Forward-looking information is necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results and future events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information. 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. All forward-looking information contained in this press release is given as of the date hereof and is based upon the opinions and estimates of management and information available to management as at the date hereof. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. SOURCE Mountain Province Diamonds Inc. Related Links http://www.mountainprovince.com WASHINGTON, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Puerto Rican Coalition (NPRC) applauds U.S. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada and Senator Robert Menendez for committing to amend to the flawed Puerto Rico Oversight, Management and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA). "Majority Leader Harry Reid's commitment to support an open amendment process with PROMESA is welcomed. At the NPRC, we are gravely concerned with numerous parts of the bill and, in particular, the unelected control board that will be equivalent to establishing a colonial overlord over Puerto Rico. "Senator Menendez has shown leadership, and he should be commended. Now the Senate must 'do everything [it] can procedurally to make sure we have amendments' to the current, 'neo-colonial' PROMESA bill as Senator Menendez recently stated. "There are eight million American Citizens of Puerto Rican origin; now is not the time for America's leaders to sit back and watch Republican leadership and the Administration hastily cram through such poor legislation that could have devastating effects on the people of Puerto Rico. "Senate Democrats must stand up and vote 'NO' on the current version of PROMESA; the Senate must find a balanced solution to the Puerto Rico crisis that promotes fiscal discipline and respects the rights of the Americans living in Puerto Rico." For more information about NPRC's efforts regarding 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 IRVINE, Calif., June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Neudesic today announced it has been named a finalist of the 2016 Microsoft Data Analytics Partner of the Year Award. The company was honored among a global field of top Microsoft partners for demonstrating excellence in innovation and implementation of customer solutions based on Microsoft technology. Neudesic "We are honored to recognize Neudesic as this year's finalist of the 2016 Microsoft Data Analytics Partner of the Year Award," said Gavriella Schuster, general manager, Worldwide Partner Group, Microsoft Corp. "Neudesic is a prime example of the excellent talent we see in our Microsoft partner community to deliver innovative and transformative solutions to our mutual customers." Awards were presented in several categories, with winners chosen from a set of more than 2,000 entrants from 119 countries worldwide. Neudesic's award-winning solutions combine features of Microsoft's Cortana Intelligence Suite of Services and the Azure cloud to provide an extremely convenient, scalable and fast platform for prototyping, testing, and deploying predictive models. "This recognition reinforces our commitment to building a uniquely talented group of advanced analytics and data science professionals to help our clients make predictive insights in the most cost-effective way possible," said Orion Gebremedhin, director of technology, Neudesic. "The value that these data and analytics solutions provide for our clients is a testament to the innovative spirit that drives each member of the Neudesic family." Already at work in the power and utilities industry, Neudesic's predictive visualization and cloud bursting solution uses the advanced capabilities of Azure ML or on premise R Server to enable faster iterative exploration of customer usage data using Power BI. This allows for definition of models in hours instead of days to quickly reduce error and accurately predict tomorrow's energy demand. In response to growing demand for education regarding advanced analytics solutions, Neudesic has partnered with Microsoft to launch the 2016 Big Data and Advanced Analytics Roadshow, highlighting a series of technology solutions and architectures that support the enterprise shift to predictive and prescriptive analytics. Registration is now open for select cities across the United States. About Neudesic Neudesic is the trusted technology partner in business innovation, delivering impactful business results to clients through leading-edge technologies, innovative solutions and strategic alliances. Headquartered in Irvine, Calif., Neudesic is a privately held company, serving clients globally from offices in the United States and India. For more information, visit http://www.neudesic.com/. Contact: Mike Rossi Senior Marketing Manager, Solutions 949-754-4553 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140715/127289 SOURCE Neudesic Related Links http://www.neudesic.com SAN FRANCISCO, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Penton's IoT Institute, a new business unit focused on the rapidly-growing world of the Internet of Things (IoT), today unveiled new research which finds privacy and organizational readiness are the primary challenges of implementing IoT. New Research from Penton's IoT Institute Finds Privacy & Organizational Readiness are the Primary Challenges of Implementing IoT "While security and data privacy were cited as key concerns, the majority of respondents view IoT as an opportunity to achieve multiple business outcomes, including insights from data analytics, improving customer service & engagement, improving productivity uptime, faster response times to urgent situations and operational efficiency via asset tracking and automation of manual processes," said Paul Miller, Group President, Penton. "With only a third of industry professionals very or extremely familiar with IoT, the IoT Institute and our upcoming event IoT Emerge will provide the industry with best practices and insights to drive practical and measurable results." Additional key findings include: Cross functional teams including IT, Executives, Operations, Engineering, Consultants/System Integrators and Facilities/Building Managers are critical for IoT success. Networking and M2M communications are the most commonly used technologies for IoT applications, followed by cloud computing and data analytics. IT professionals are interested in IoT education to achieve business outcomes. Seventy one percent would like to learn about the relevance and value of IoT for their organizations, while 65% believe that organizations that leverage IoT will have a significant advantage. The study surveyed nearly 1,000 executives, technical & operations professionals across several vertical markets to take a benchmark pulse on the IoT business and public sector markets. The top vertical markets surveyed were manufacturing, engineering, IT, government, energy, aviation and professional services. The objective of the study is to gain insight into familiarity and involvement levels with the IoT, the collaborative IoT evaluation and buying process, obstacles to adoption rates and viewpoints about the benefits and opportunity with the IoT. Market research is a core element of IoT Institute's portfolio of information services and education for Industrial IoT, Smart Cities, Smart Buildings and Energy and IoT Engineering. The IoT Institute will unveil additional research in 2016 on Industrial IoT, IoT for Buildings, IoT Engineering and IoT Standards & Interoperability. To set an appointment to review the full details from the research study, contact Will Wise, IoT Institute Managing Director at [email protected]. IoT Emerge is a new event in Chicago this November 2-4 that addresses the Industrial IoT and Smart Cities opportunities and challenges posed by IoT devices, systems and services. IoT Emerge will offer real-world education and insights, hands-on experience of IoT enabled businesses through local tours, live demos, and case studies. To learn more and to register, visit: www.IoTEmerge.com. Stay connected with Penton IoT Institute on Twitter @IoTiPenton, Facebook: IoT Institute and LinkedIn Group: The IoT Institute. To sign up for the IoT Institute weekly IoTi Informer newsletter, visit: http://www.ioti.com . About Penton's IoT Institute Penton's IoT Institute is an online community and live events franchise focused on practical B2B applications in the rapidly-growing world of the Internet of Things (IoT). The IoT Institute provides actionable case studies, insights, research, and e-learning on the industrial and cultural phenomenon that's changing the shape of business and cities today. The IoT Institute's mission is to enable cross-industry and cross-job function learning to drive business performance. ABOUT PENTON Penton is an innovative information services company that empowers nearly 20 million business decision makers in markets that drive more than 12 trillion dollars in purchases each year. Our products inform with rich industry insights and workflow tools; engage through dynamic events, education and networking; and advance business with powerful marketing services programs. Penton is the way smart businesses buy, sell and grow. Headquartered in New York, Penton is privately owned by MidOcean Partners and Wasserstein & Co., LP. For more information, visit http://www.penton.com or follow us on Twitter @PentonNow. MEDIA CONTACT Bibi Jackson Penton IoT [email protected] (510) 423-0345 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160621/382015-INFO SOURCE Penton Related Links http://www.penton.com ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill., June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- IonTuition.com, the leading education-fintech company specializing in helping borrowers monitor and manage their student loans, today announced the results of a new survey confirming that employers see the need for student loan repayment assistance as part of their employee benefits package. IonTuition surveyed more than 400 middle managers to evaluate their perspectives on student loan assistance programs as an employee benefit. The results of the survey were clear: employers see value in helping employees manage their student debt and are willing to offer programs that lessen the financial stress. Nearly all respondents believe employees with student loans would take advantage of a student loan repayment benefit and that this benefit would improve employees' morale, productivity and general well-being, while providing the company with a talent recruitment and retention advantage. Respondents also said employees would appreciate the convenience of making their student loan payments via payroll deductions. Click here for survey report. Selected survey results: Stress test: More than 90 percent of respondents recognize that student loan debt creates stress for employees. Approximately 80 percent are aware that this financial stress decreases employee productivity. More than of respondents recognize that student loan debt creates stress for employees. Approximately are aware that this financial stress decreases employee productivity. Show me the benefits: More than half of respondents know that prospective employees view benefits as the most important aspect of a company, taking priority over company culture, commute and reputation, when evaluating a job offer. Almost 85 percent of respondents think employees would take advantage of a student loan repayment assistance benefit. of respondents know that prospective employees view benefits as the most important aspect of a company, taking priority over company culture, commute and reputation, when evaluating a job offer. Almost of respondents think employees would take advantage of a student loan repayment assistance benefit. Attract and retain: Nearly 80 percent of respondents believe offering a student loan repayment program would support talent recruitment. Also, 70 percent of respondents believe that offering such a program would improve employee retention and morale. Nearly of respondents believe offering a student loan repayment program would support talent recruitment. Also, of respondents believe that offering such a program would improve employee retention and morale. Plan for the future: Student loan assistance helps employees save and plan for the future. Nearly 75 percent of respondents think that employees contribute less money to their 401(k) because of their student loans. Nearly 85 percent of respondents stated that employees would appreciate the option of making their student loan payments via automatic payroll deductions. "Student loan debt connects employers and employees in a very meaningful fashion. Just like healthcare and retirement plans, student debt repayment assistance is applicable to more employees than tuition reimbursement or 401(k) plans in today's context. It is great to see so many employers step up and become early adopters," said Balaji "Raj" Rajan, CEO of IonTuition. The IonTuition.com portal provides employers with an elective benefit for their employees, helping them set up student loan payments via payroll deduction, establish optimal repayment strategies and monitor their student loans. The company delivers interactive, user-friendly tools that guide current and former college students through the education finance process, customized to fit the evolving goals and life circumstances of each and every user. IonTuition users can call a toll free number, email or chat online with trained student loan counselors for more complex resolutions. For partnership inquiries, visit iontuition.com/Partnership/Employers or call 888.853.8323. About IonTuition IonTuition provides employers and colleges with a web-based student loan management tool their employees and students can use to better understand, manage and pay their student loans. IonTuition displays loans both federal and private in a user-friendly dashboard, eliminating the need to log in to multiple loan servicer sites to make loan payments. In addition to an ROI-based college selection tool and member discount program, users are connected to expert student loan counselors, financial literacy content and a monitoring service that keeps them aware of critical changes to their loans via email, text, and mobile app alerts. Learn more at IonTuition.com All trademarks and product names are the property of their respective companies. Media Contact: Alexandra Naess FortyThree, Inc. 831.401.3175 [email protected] SOURCE Iontuition.com Related Links http://www.iontuition.com JERSEY CITY, N.J., June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Commemorating its 3rd Anniversary in Port Liberte (Jersey City, NJ), The Place for Learning expands by opening Jersey City's newest AMS Certified Montessori School this September 2016. With amazing views of New York City, Liberty Montessori is now enrolling a small class of 17 children, 3-6 years of age. It was the vision of the owner, Ivonne Barreras to open a Montessori school. Through all of her doctoral research, she realized the Montessori Method of Education represents a complex interconnection of elements that all work together to assist children in becoming self-motivated, independent, compassionate, responsible, critical-thinking individuals. Of this methodology, Ms. Barreras says, "This scientifically validated approach enables children to become caring, compassionate, self-directed, and lifelong learners who will thoughtfully contribute to our global community." Ms. Erica Blanco, a well-known, certified Montessori teacher, will be leading the Primary Classroom for three to six year olds. She says, "In the Montessori Method, the child is observed on an academic, social, emotional, and physical level and we, as teachers, look at the child as a whole, making sure the child is progressing on multiple levels." Currently, the school has well-regarded Nursery and Toddler programs. In addition to serving Port Liberte's residents, The Place for Learning serves families who commute from parts of downtown Jersey City, Bayonne and Denville, NJ. By opening Liberty Montessori - its first Montessori primary classroomparents will be able to keep their children in a safe, nurturing, educational environment from the ages of 6 weeks to 6 years! The school provides families with full access to closed circuit cameras, and is conveniently located to a free park and ride to New York via NY Waterway or the Grove Street Shuttle. Presently, the school administration and teachers are busy creating an organized, prepared environment so each child will have the tools to succeed. In addition, for families who need before and after school programs, The Place for Learning's Liberty Montessori program will offer workshops in Music, Language (Mandarin), Chess, and Programming. Come visit the school and become a part of its growing family by attending an open house on either Mondays or Wednesdays. To schedule an appointment, call 201-985-8745. The school is offering introductory rates for families who enroll before July 31, 2016. 6-8 Chapel Avenue Jersey City NJ 07305 SOURCE The Place for Learning CYPRESS, Texas, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- North Cypress Medical Center has been awarded a resounding legal victory in a case against Aetna Life Insurance Company. In a decision issued on June 15, 2016, the United States Senior Judge, Kenneth Hoyt of the Southern District of Texas, found no merit in Aetna's allegations that North Cypress Medical Center had committed common law fraud, healthcare fraud or misrepresentations in over 44,000 claims at issue. The allegations were fully rejected by the Court, and the Court refused to award any of the $225 million in damages sought by Aetna from North Cypress. The Court found that there is not "a scintilla of evidence of fraud" on the hospital's part and that North Cypress Medical Center did "not engage in fraudulent conduct." Dr. Robert A. Behar, M.D., North Cypress Founder and Chief Executive Officer In North Cypress Medical Center, et al. v. Aetna Life Insurance Company, Aetna was sued for the improper reimbursement of healthcare claims by a general acute care hospital and in response, Aetna counterclaimed for alleged overpayments on more than 44,000 claims amounting to over $225 million. This three-week jury trial was completed on May 6, 2016. After hearing the testimony of nine witnesses and reviewing over 600 trial exhibits, the United States District Court ruled that: There was no fraud on the part of North Cypress with regard to any health claims submitted to Aetna (not "a scintilla of evidence"). with regard to any health claims submitted to Aetna (not "a scintilla of evidence"). North Cypress made no misrepresentations of fact to Aetna at any time. made no misrepresentations of fact to Aetna at any time. North Cypress' Prompt Pay Discount Policy does not violate any federal or state laws and was fully and properly disclosed to Aetna. Prompt Pay Discount Policy does not violate any federal or state laws and was fully and properly disclosed to Aetna. North Cypress violated no state or federal laws with regard to any of its business practices, and Aetna suffered no losses or damages with regard to the 44,000+ health claims submitted by North Cypress to Aetna over the four-year period at issue. violated no state or federal laws with regard to any of its business practices, and Aetna suffered no losses or damages with regard to the 44,000+ health claims submitted by to Aetna over the four-year period at issue. All of Aetna's claims were dismissed by the Court with prejudice. "After an all-out, specious legal assault by Aetna against our ten-year-old general acute care hospital, the Court has affirmed what we knew all along: North Cypress' administrative and management practices do not violate any federal or state laws," said North Cypress Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Robert A. Behar, M.D. "Truth and facts were our defense." "This was a classic case of overreach and corporate bullying by a national insurance company intent on forcing healthcare providers to bend to its money-grabbing tactics, disallowing charges, inventing new rules suddenly and moving the goal posts regularly on us. On behalf of our patients, payers and talented medical staff, North Cypress refused to comply with Aetna's unethical demands and we aggressively and successfully defended our management practices and quality healthcare delivery principles," continued Behar. In an interesting trial rebuke, the Court "struck" the expert testimony and opinions of Mary Beth Edwards, a representative and consultant with Navigant Consulting, Inc. in Washington, D.C. Edwards was hired by Aetna to present a damage model of Aetna's alleged, calculated damages. The record indicates that Navigant charged more than $300,000 for the work performed by Edwards and others at Navigant. The Court in its ruling said Edwards' testimony was "truly prejudicial and as established by her testimony a built-in bias that had nothing to do with the evidence presented." North Cypress Medical Center's litigation team is composed of lead counsel, J. Douglas Sutter of Kelly, Sutter & Kendrick, P.C. and Neil L. Prupis of Wilson, Elser, Moskowitz, Edelman and Dicker LLP. About North Cypress Medical Center North Cypress Medical Center is a 175-bed physician-owned, general acute care hospital, founded by local physicians who wanted to create a sophisticated, upscale, patient-friendly healthcare environment for their community. Services include the latest, state-of-the-art medical technology and equipment, well-respected area physicians, and an upscale 5-star hotel-like patient experience. About Robert A. Behar, M.D. Dr. Robert A. Behar is the Founder, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of North Cypress Medical Center. North Cypress is a Tertiary General Acute Care Hospital located in Northwest Harris County. Dr. Behar has grown this entity over ten years from a startup to a comprehensive medical center with over $2 billion in revenues and 1,200,000 square feet of improvements on 60 acres of land on four separate campuses. In addition to managing the hospital, Dr. Behar practices medicine and serves as Director of the hospital's Cancer Center. A respected leader in his field, Dr. Behar earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Chicago with Honors (at the age of 19) and went on to become the youngest medical student in his class at the University of Chicago's Pritzker School of Medicine. He went on to intern at Northwestern University and completed his residency in Radiation Oncology at Stanford University where he was also the Chief Resident and named the American Cancer Society Research Fellow in Clinical Oncology. Dr. Behar has been involved in many Houston medical "firsts" such as Ultrasound Guided Transperineal Radioactive Palladium Seed Implants for Prostate Cancer, Photon Knife Radiosurgery for Inoperable Brain Tumors and Stereotactic Body Radiosurgery to cure previously untreatable cancers throughout the body. Dr. Behar also holds a MBA with Honors in Finance from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. CONTACT: Scott Dunaway [email protected] (512) 344-2611 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160621/382029 SOURCE North Cypress Medical Center Related Links http://www.ncmc-hospital.com CHICAGO, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyde Park has a new tenant at City Hyde Park, 5118 S. Lake Park Ave., as the 30,000SF store breaks bread and opens its 26th Chicagoland store this morning. The new store features a "secret society intellectual theme" that pays homage to the University of Chicago neighborhood. This is highlighted by a dark blue and brass color-scheme, walnut wood throughout, professors' office doors on restroom stalls, and University symbolism embedded in the decor. The project scope also included installing a sophisticated mechanical system with fluid coolers, VRFs and air handlers. The underground parking garage and the apartment complex above the store were designed by famed architect, Jeanne Gang. Prior to today's Opening, Chicago Mayor, Rahm Emmanuel, toured the store, noting the jobs it created and crediting Whole Foods Market with honoring its commitment to be in all parts of the city. Whole Foods is also known for utilizing a number of local vendors to supply their stores with the products highlighting the neighborhood's local flavor and unique or historical traits, as well as supporting the community philanthropically. Tomorrow, Whole Foods will donate a portion of its net sales to the youth bicycle training program, Blackstone Bicycle Works. This Novak project was led by Director, Steve Bykowski, and included Superintendent, Dan Evans; Sr. Project Manager, Karen Rugh; Project Manager, Mimi Novak; Contract Administrator, Angela Campisi; and, Project Accountant, Mark Weiner. ABOUT NOVAK CONSTRUCTION Celebrating its 36th year, Novak Construction (www.novakconstruction.com) is a nationally-recognized General Contractor and Construction Management firm known for its well-rounded portfolio in the retail, industrial, corporate, institutional, healthcare, hospitality and multi-family/mixed-use sectors. Novak Construction is consistently one of Chicago's Top General Contractors. ABOUT WHOLE FOODS MARKET Founded in 1980 in Austin, Texas, Whole Foods Market (wholefoodsmarket.com) is the leading retailer of natural and organic foods, and America's first national "Certified Organic" grocer. In fiscal year 2013, the Company had sales of approximately $13 billion and currently has over 370 stores in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Whole Foods Market has been ranked for 17 consecutive years as one of the "100 Best Companies to Work For in America" by Fortune magazine. SOURCE Novak Construction Related Links http://www.novakconstruction.com A Vietnam Coast Guard commander this morning said search and rescue teams looking for the missing CASA-212-40 patrol plane which went missing on June 14 are determined to recover the aircrafts black box today. The Coast Guard told VnExpress they have already zoned in on the location where the CASA crashed, which is near the delimitation line in the Gulf of Tonkin. At of 10:30 a.m. today, they were searching for the plane but yet to find the black box. We have mobilized a large number of forces today and we are using the most advanced equipment to salvage the black box, said Major General Nguyen Quang Dam, commander of the Coast Guard. The aircraft crashed in waters 60 meters deep, and clear weather should help the search operation, Dam added. Robots and divers have also been deployed. According to Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Nhat, Airbus - the maker of the sea patrol plane - will cooperate with Vietnam to identify the reasons behind the incident. The company has asked for data from the black box and CASAs cockpit recordings to be transfered to Airbuss office in Madrid (Spain) so they can reconstruct the accident for investigation. Technical specialists install a black box detector. Photo by VnExpress. Over the last few days, units under the Ministry of Transport have been working with other forces under the leadership of the National Steering Committee for Search and Rescue to find the nine missing people who were on board the sea patrol plane and the black box from the Su-30 fighter jet it was looking for. A team from the Coordination Center for Aviation Search and Rescue equipped with two sets of new generation black box detectors has joined the search for the fighter jet off the coast of the central province of Nghe An. The new generation black box detector, tagged STI - 350. Photo by VnExpress. 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. > Airbus to help investigate crash of missing Vietnamese CASA plane > Search for missing aircraft, pilots expanded to eight localities > China deploys 8 vessels, 2 helicopters to search for Vietnams missing plane LOS ANGELES, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Los Angeles area students who earned their high school diplomas through the full-time, online charter school iQ Academy California Los Angeles, will close their books, power down their computers and gather in-person to celebrate their academic achievements. Operating since 2010, students enrolled in iQ Academy California Los Angeles are able to learn at their own pace, explore their interests, and achieve their academic potential. More than 30 students are part of the graduating class of 2016. Graduates of the class of 2016 will be attending two-year and four-year universities, including: Azusa Pacific University, University of California San Diego, University of California Santa Cruz, Simpson University, Walla Walla University and many other Southern California community colleges. "Graduation is a wonderful time for our staff, students and families to celebrate the hard work and many accomplishments over the school years," said Mike Thatcher, Director of iQ Academy California Los Angeles. "But it is hard to say goodbye to so many amazing students who have become part of the iQ family. We are all so proud of them and excited to see what their futures hold." Through in-person outings and weekly online live help sessions with California credentialed teachers, iQ Academy California Los Angeles students work toward graduation with individualized learning plans to accommodate and foster different learning styles. Media is invited to attend the celebration and event details are provided below. iQ Academy Los Angeles Graduation Ceremony Brea Community Center 659 Madison Avenue; Brea, CA 92821 June 22, 2:00 P.M. More About iQ AcademyLos Angeles iQ AcademyLos Angeles is a full-time, online public school, for grades K12 authorized by the Rowland Unified School District. California-credentialed teachers deliver lessons in an online classroom platform provided by K12 Inc. (NYSE: LRN) with a combination of engaging online and offline courseworkincluding a wide variety of books, CDs, videos, and hands-on materials that make learning come alive. Available to students who reside in Los Angeles, Kern, Orange, San Bernardino and Ventura counties, iQ Academy offers the individualized support students need to succeed. Learn more at http://losangeles.iqacademy.com. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150331/195878LOGO SOURCE iQ Academy California - Los Angeles Related Links http://losangeles.iqacademy.com/ MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif., June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- L.A. Aloe LLC, makers of a fast-growing line of certified organic aloe water beverages called Aloe Gloe, today announced an investment from the Venturing & Emerging Brands (VEB) unit of The Coca-Cola Company. Aloe Gloe is available in four delicious flavors: Crisp Aloe, Coconut, Lemonade and White Grape. Aloe Gloe is certified organic, non-GMO, kosher and gluten free. Aloe Gloe was introduced in 2012 and has had a two-year growth rate of 64%, according to Nielsen research. The idea for the product originated when co-founder Danny Stepper gashed open his forehead while surfing in Manhattan Beach, Calif. Stepper needed stitches; his doctor prescribed topical aloe vera and recommended that he also drink an aloe beverage. Stepper wasn't satisfied with the options available. But Stepper and his business partners happened to be entrepreneurs who are veterans of the beverage business. They used their experience and expertise to create Aloe Gloe, an aloe water beverage low in sugar and calories that is produced sustainably. Aloe Gloe rapidly gained consumer adoption. Based on its early success, Coca-Cola soon saw an opportunity to expand distribution of the product to Southern California and the New York area. Aloe Gloe now has a major presence in those areas and is also available in 20,000 stores nationwide including Sprouts, Kroger, Safeway and many independent grocers and convenience stores. The investment by Coca-Cola deepens the Company's existing relationship with Aloe Gloe. "From the start, our goal was to create a unique aloe beverage that could be accessible to everyone," said Aloe Gloe co-founder and CEO Dino Sarti. "This partnership with Coca-Cola will allow us broader access to consumers who will be able to experience this amazing organic product. We are proud to offer a high-quality, 18-calorie per serving organic option at an affordable price and are eager to revolutionize the organic beverage market to be more inclusive of all consumers." VEB focuses on identifying and nurturing brands with billion-dollar potential. "Our minority investment in Aloe Gloe gives VEB a further entry in the emerging market segment for plant-based beverages," said VEB President Scott Uzzell. "We look forward to partnering with Aloe Gloe to help them capture growth from this exciting consumer trend." About L.A. Aloe LLC Founded in 2011, L.A. Aloe LLC is based in Southern California and sells Aloe Gloe in the United States and Canada direct to retailers and via its strategic direct-store-delivery partner, Coca-Cola Refreshments. Aloe Gloe is produced locally in Southern California and represented at retail by L.A. Libations, the nation's premier beverage incubator. L.A. Aloe LLC has partnered with Relativity Media LLC to market and build awareness for Aloe Gloe. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160621/382098LOGO SOURCE L.A. Aloe LLC LONDON, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Forecasts By Material (Flexible Plastic, Rigid Plastic, Glass, Metal, Paper/Cardboard, Other), Segmentation By Application (Hair Care, Bath & Shower, Oral Care, Skin Care, Other) & Analysis of Jars, Containers, Ampoules, Closures, Squeezable Tubes, Boxes, Bottles, Airless Dispensers, Sachets, Sprays, Pumps & Dispensers The global personal care packaging market is expected to reach $55.7bn in 2016 and develop dynamically over the forecast period, driven by emerging economies. Visiongain scrutinises the 10 leading national markets revealing where the business opportunities are: China, US, Japan, France, Russia, Germany, India, Brazil, the UK and Italy, as well as the rest of the world market. Furthermore, the personal care packaging market will be driven by a growth in sustainable packaging, a higher demand by males for personal care products, customised applications that match customers' values and identity, a higher expenditure by ageing populations, greater consumption by millennials and more demand for premium products. This report answers questions such as: How is the personal care packaging market evolving? What is driving and restraining personal care packaging market dynamics? What are the market shares of the materials / applications that make up the personal care packaging submarkets in 2016? How will each material / application submarket grow over the forecast period and how much revenue will these submarkets account for in 2026? Which trends and developments will prevail and how will these shifts be responded to? How will political and regulatory factors influence the regional markets and submarkets? Will leading national personal care packaging markets broadly follow the macroeconomic dynamics, or will individual country sectors outperform the rest of the economy? Who are the leading players and what are their prospects over the forecast period? What are the predictions for M&A activity, consolidation for existing players and the potential prospects for new market entrants? Reasons why you must order and read this report today: 1. The report provides detailed profiles of 10 leading companies operating within the personal care packaging market:- Albea - Amcor - Aptar Group, Inc. - Crown Holdings, Inc - Fusion Packaging - HCP Packaging - HCT Packaging Inc - Mondi Plc - RPC Group - WestRock Co. 2. Our report also forecasts the Global Personal Care Packaging Market 2016-2026 - Personal Care Packaging Market: Drivers and Restraints. - Personal Care Packaging Submarkets Share Forecast By Material 2016-2026 (%) - Personal Care Packaging Submarkets Share Forecast By Application 2016-2026 (%) - Personal Care Packaging Regional Share Forecast 2016-2026 (%) 3. The study reveals the personal care packaging market forecast by leading national markets from 2016 to 2026: - Brazil - China - France - Germany - India - Italy - Japan - Russia - UK - USA - Rest Of the World 4. Our analysis also forecasts the personal care packaging market by material 2016-2026 - Flexible Plastic Personal Care Packaging Submarket Forecast - Rigid Plastic Personal Care Packaging Submarket Forecast - Glass Personal Care Packaging Submarket Forecast - Metal Personal Care Packaging Submarket Forecast - Paper/Cardboard Personal Care Packaging Submarket Forecast - Other Personal Care Packaging Materials Submarket Forecast 5. Our overview also forecasts the personal care packaging market by application 2016-2026 - Hair Care Personal Care Packaging Submarket Forecast - Bath & Shower Personal Care Packaging Submarket Forecast - Oral Care Personal Care Packaging Submarket Forecast - Skin Care Personal Care Packaging Submarket Forecast - Other Personal Care Packaging Materials Submarket Forecast How will you benefit from this report? This comprehensive report will: Enhance your strategic decision making Allow you to understand the potential business opportunities in the market Show which emerging market opportunities to focus upon. Increase your Industry knowledge and positioning in the market Run a successful new marketing strategy Build new partnerships available in the market Keep you up to date with crucial market developments and issues Allow you to develop informed growth strategies Build your technical and management market insight Illustrate trends to develop new business opportunities Strengthen your analysis of competitors' innovation and market penetration. Provide risk analysis, helping you avoid the pitfalls other companies could make Ultimately, engage effectively with your stakeholders - internal and external Competitive advantage This independent, 208 page report guarantees you will remain better informed than your competition. With 173 tables, charts & graphs examining in detail the prospects for the global personal care packaging market. The report gives you an immediate, one-step breakdown of your market. As well as analysis, from 2016-2026 keeping your knowledge that one-step ahead of your rivals. Don't miss out This report is essential reading for you or anyone in the personal care packaging sector with an interest such as: to stand out of the competitors, looking for investment opportunities, to develop new marketing strategies within the industry having a better knowledge of the personal care packaging market drivers. Find new business and market opportunities within our new report now. Companies Mentioned 3D Packaging Ltd Akey group Albea Alcan Group Alcan Packaging Beauty Amore Pacific Aperio Group Aptar Group Arsmetallo Australasia and Packaging Distribution (AAPD) Aveda Avon Products, Inc. Axe Axilone Ball Corporation Bapco Closures Beiersdorf AG Berlin Packaging BETTS Bisioprogetti Boots (Boots UK Ltd) Bozzano Brivaplast Capital Management L.P. CCL Industries Cenveo Packaging Chanel Cindy Crawford Colgate-Palmolive Co. Collcap Packaging Copalstsrl Coradin Corpak Cosmogen CosterTecnologieSpeciali S.p.A. Coty CPL Packaging Crown Holdings Derjin Dermalogica Design plus Detmold DS Smith Packaging DuPont Duropack GmbH Elizabeth Arden Energy Partners S.A. EsselPropack Estee Lauder Ever Rich Fountain Enterprise Co., LTD Express Tubes Eyyelematic Fasten Friesland Campina FS Korea Fusion Packaging GARNIER Giflor Glaspray Graham Packaging Company Graphic Packaging's Bags Harrods HCP Packaging HCT Packaging Inc Heineken N.V. Hindustan Unilever Ltd. Hypermarcas S.A Ileos Group Inca Packaging InduPlast Inn_FlexS.r.L. & David Tomasin (Intercell) John Frieda Johnson Kanebo, Shiseido and Kao Kao Corporation Kate Somerville Kraft Paper Mill L'Occitane L'Oreal L4Belle La Prairie Lameplast Group Laura Mercier Leo Luxe Lesford Newsprint Limited LG Household & Health Care Ltd. Libo Cosmetics Lo Mei Cosmetics Loire Plastic Industrie LOreal SA Louvrette LVMH M&H Plastics Mary Kay Menshen MivisaEnvases MJS Packaging Modulpac Mold-rite Plastics Molpack Mondi Swiecie S.A. Multi-Packaging, Ltd Murad Natura Neopac The Tube Nest Filler Neville Ningbo Jinzhou NIVEA Obeck PET Verpackungen Packsys Global Paixao Pak 2000 Paltac Corp. Partnerplus Packaging Peter Thomas Roth Plastiape Plasticum PlastopiavePiQu Prevage Printpack Inc (Printpack) Procter & Gamble (P&G) Promens Pujolasos Pum-Tech Quadpack Qualipac Reedpack Ltd REN Revlon Rexam Personal Care Rexam Plc Rieke Packaging Systems Rio Tinto PLC Roberts Container RPC Group RPC Manuplastics Saturn Management Sp. Z SC SCA Seacliff Beauty Sealed Air Corp Selective Packaging Selfridges SGD Group SHB Packaging Shiseido Co., Ltd. Skin Ceuticals Sone Products Sonoco Products Sons India Private Limited SR Packaging StakPlast Ltd. Stull Technologies Sun Capital Partners Private Equity Superdrugs Superior Multi-Packaging, Ltd SvenskaCellulosaAktiebolaget (SCA) Tesem TEX Texen The Martland Holdings Topline Products Toyo Seikan Group Holdings Tu-Plast Tube producing Ltd Unilever Urban Decay Urovetrocap Verbeeck Packaging Group Vetro Elite Virospack Walki oy World Wide Packaging YC Packaging ZignagoVetro Group To request an exec summary of this report please email Sara Peerun at [email protected] or call Tel: +44(0)20-7336-6100 Or click on https://www.visiongain.com/Report/1663/Personal-Care-Packaging-Market-Report-2016-2026 SOURCE Visiongain Ltd ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Phase One (www.pocg.com) has been awarded a 2016 Top Workplaces honor by The Washington Post. In its third annual survey, The Washington Post invited more than 3,000 companies to participate and more than 52,000 employees responded to survey questionnaires. Top Workplaces list spotlights private, public, nonprofit and government agencies with the highest ratings from their employees in a survey conducted by Workplace Dynamics. "A great place to work isn't about foosball tables and yoga rooms...it's about doing really interesting work and valuing those who bring their 'A Game,' day in and day out. Doing special work with special people is ultimately what makes a workplace special," says Jerad Speigel, CEO of Phase One. "I was excited to learn that Phase One was awarded Top Workplaces and that The Washington Post was able to see what I see every day working here. We have a great group of talented people and with the growth we've been experiencing, everyone is invested in continuing to make sure our culture continues to evolve along with the company," says Tiffany Ballve, Sr. Director of Talent Acquisition at Phase One. Phase One was recognized for this achievement at a gala banquet on Thursday, June 16 at The Washington Post headquarters in downtown Washington DC. To read more about The Washington Post's 2016 Top Workplaces, visit wapo.st/TopWorkplaces2016 ABOUT PHASE ONE Phase One is a Gold level Salesforce.com partner and global provider of technology solutions that seeks to radically change the way IT is planned and deployed. As a leader in IT planning, Agile development, and PaaS applications, Phase One is focused on implementing modern technologies that enable modern societies. Media Contact: Collin Klamper (718) 606-2642 [email protected] SOURCE Phase One Related Links http://www.pocg.com MEMPHIS, Tenn. and EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa., June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- In an effort to proactively address the issue of hospital-acquired infections and to bolster its existing strong commitment to patient safety, Pocono Medical Center has invested in a germ-eliminating robot called Tru-D SmartUVC. Pocono Medical Center, a not-for-profit regional leader in healthcare for Monroe County, Pennsylvania and surrounding residents, delivers a full continuum of care from clinical, specialized and acute care services with industry-leading technology and a robust team of over 300 providers and physicians. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160621/381863 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160621/381862LOGO "Pocono Medical Center is dedicated to providing the safest hospital environment possible through the adoption of cutting-edge technologies and protocols," said Dr. William Cors, Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at Pocono Medical Center. "Tru-D technology takes an extra step toward hospital-acquired infection prevention while providing confidence for both our patients and staff that we are committed to their safety." Tru-D provides enhanced terminal room disinfection through the use of UVC light energy. After environmental services staff cleans a room using traditional methods, Tru-D is brought in to complete the disinfection process. The 5-foot-5 robot operates from a single position and administers a single cycle of UV light, killing up to 99.9 percent of C. diff, MRSA, MERS, Ebola and many other harmful pathogens. Short for "total room ultraviolet disinfection," Tru-D takes the minimum time necessary to disinfect an entire room, including shadowed areas. Once the cleaning cycle is complete, Tru-D automatically shuts down and sends an audio and/or text message alert to the operator that disinfection is complete. Leading researchers and infection preventionists have begun to stress the importance of the use of UV in terminal room cleaning strategies. At the recent APIC annual conference, Dr. William A. Rutala from the University of North Carolina Health Care spoke on the need for no-touch room disinfection methods such as Tru-D. As more independent studies emerge, including the first-ever randomized clinical trial on UVthe Benefits of Enhanced Terminal Room Disinfection (BETR-D) study the use of UV disinfection devices will become more widely adopted, if not mandated. Hospital Safety Scores assign A, B, C, D and F letter grades to hospitals nationwide and provides the most complete picture of patient safety in the U.S. health care system. For the first time, the Hospital Safety Score includes five measures of patient-reported experience with the hospital as well as two of the most common infections, C.diff and MRSA. Grades were recently announced by The Leapfrog Group, the nation's premier advocate for patient safety, naming Pocono Medical Center as one of only 33 hospitals in Pennsylvania to receive an 'A' rating from the Leapfrog Group. In addition, Pocono Medical Center achieved the Healthgrades 2016 Patient Safety Excellence Award, a designation that recognizes superior performance in hospitals that have prevented the occurrence of serious, potentially avoidable complications for patients during hospital stays. This distinction places Pocono Medical Center among the top 10 percent of hospitals in the nation for its excellent performance as evaluated by Healthgrades as well as among the top 10 percent of hospitals in Pennsylvania by U.S. News and World Report. The pioneer in UV disinfection, Tru-D was the only device of its kind selected for the first-ever randomized, clinical trial on UVC disinfection because of its Sensor360 technology that eliminates any chance of human error in the disinfection process. Results of the landmark BETR-D study proved that enhanced terminal room disinfection strategies decreased the cumulative incidence of multidrug-resistant organisms by up to 30 percent, and the largest decreases were seen when Tru-D was added to the standard cleaning strategy. For more information, visit Tru-D.com. About Tru-D SmartUVC Tru-D SmartUVC is the only UV disinfection device backed by a CDC-funded, randomized clinical trial to show that it is capable of reducing the transmission of health care-associated infections by up to 30 percent. More Tru-Ds have been deployed to disinfect hospitals across the globe than all other competing look-alike offerings, fighting deadly pathogens such as C. diff, MRSA, CRE, VRE, MERS, Ebola and many more. An effective and innovative technology backed by sound science, Tru-D SmartUVC is on a mission to eradicate HAIs making hospitals safer places for patients and staff. For information and links to independent studies on Tru-D, visit Tru-D.com. About Pocono Medical Center Pocono Medical Center has served the Pocono Mountain region for over 100 years, marking it as one of Monroe County's largest employers with more than 230 physicians and now over 2,000 staff employees. Pocono Medical Center has three comprehensive healthcare centers located in Bartonsville, Tobyhanna, and Brodheadsville each offering imaging and lab services. In addition, Pocono Medical Center has 19 primary and specialty care physician practices throughout the region. Pocono Medical Center offers a full continuum of care from clinical and acute care services to specialized services ranging from endocrinology, neonatology and perinatology to pulmonary, neurology, bariatric, general, orthopedic, and even minimally-invasive surgery with our da Vinci robotic surgery. Homecare and hospice services are also available through the Pocono Health System Visiting Nurse and Hospice. U.S. News & World Report recently named Pocono Medical Center among the top 10% of hospitals in Pennsylvania and as a Best Regional Hospital including two High-Performing Hospital recognitions in both heart failure and heart bypass surgery. In addition, Pocono Medical Center serves as one of only 33 hospitals in Pennsylvania to receive an "A" rating from the Leapfrog Group the nation's premier advocates for patient safety. Pocono Medical Center's ESSA Heart and Vascular Institute offers a full breadth and depth of cardiovascular services, including diagnostic cardiac catheterization, cardiac angioplasty, open-heart surgery, and minimally invasive heart procedures as well as vascular surgery and cardiac rehabilitation services. The Dale and Frances Hughes Cancer Center at Pocono Medical Center offers a variety of treatments and modalities, including state-of-the-art radiation therapy equipment and medical oncology. Pocono Medical Center is a designated, accredited Primary Stroke Center providing stroke care via telemedicine. In addition to Pocono Medical Center serving as one of the busiest emergency departments in the state, it is also the only fully accredited Level III Trauma Center in the Commonwealth as well as the sole Trauma Center program for all of Monroe County and its surrounding communities. For more information or to learn more, please visit our website at poconohealthsystem.org, or visit our Facebook page at facebook.com/poconomedicalcenter. Christin Yates Tru-D Public Relations 901-774-5771 Email Brendon Abbazio, Community Relations Specialist Pocono Medical Center 570-426-2966 Email SOURCE Tru-D SmartUVC Related Links http://www.tru-d.com NEW YORK, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Released this week, the June-July 2016 issue of Premier Traveler Worldwide Magazine (www.ptwwonline.com) includes a multi-page re-cap of the magazine's Best of 2015 Awards, which were voted on by over 30,000 of the magazine's readers via a detailed write-in questionnaire. Among the honorees were the oneworld frequent flier program and several oneworld member airlines, which picked-up such awards as Best Transcontinental Service, Best North American First Class Service, and Airline of the Yearmany for the third or fourth year in a row. The oneworld program itself was awarded Best Airline Alliance for the third consecutive year. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160622/382511 Winners were announced in a gala ceremony in Los Angeles by actress Cloie Wyatt Taylor ("Grey's Anatomy," "Brothers and Sisters") and Features Editor, Janet Forman. The main portion of the lively event kicked off with the presentation of Best International Frequent Flier Program to airberlin. A oneworld member since 2013, Germany's second largest airline currently serves 135 destinations worldwide, operating from hubs in Berlin, Dusseldorf, Vienna, and Palma de Mallorca. Citing increased interest in travel to Cuba, in May 2016, the airline announced new twice-weekly service from Dusseldorf to Havana, along with expanded summer service to the resort area of Varadero. Best Transatlantic Business Class Service went to British Airways, whose LAX Airport Manager was on hand to accept the honors. One of the founding members of oneworld, BA serves close to 200 destinations in nearly 90 countries worldwide from its primary hub at London Heathrow. May 2016 was a big month for the airline, with the sold-out launch of its first-ever flights from London Stanstead, marking the addition of a fourth airport to its London network. BA also recently revealed what will be its longest direct long-haul flight: the 14-hour, 40-minute service from London to Santiago, Chile will commence in January 2017, operating four times a week on a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner with four classes of service (including a new First cabin.) An alliance member since 2013, Qatar Airways was next called to the stage to accept awards for Best Airline to the Middle East and Best Business Class Service in the World. (Its hub, Hamad International Airport, was also named Airport of the Year.) Cited as one of the world's fastest-growing carriers, with a modern fleet of over 160 aircrafts, Qatar Airways links over 150 business and leisure destinations around the globe, and recently announced increased codeshare partnerships with fellow oneworld members Royal Jordanian and SriLankan Airlines to further expand its reach. American Airlines, also a oneworld founding member, was honored by PT readers with three titles: Best North American Airline for First Class Service, Best Transcontinental Service, and Best Airline to South America. With hubs across the U.S., including DFW and MIA, American connects travelers to more than 330 destinations in 50 countries. In May 2016, the carrier announced major changes to its AAdvantage Frequent Flyer Program, which was the first airline loyalty program in the world when it launched in 1981; changes will take effect for the 2017 qualifying year. Also big news is the Department of Transportation's approval of American Airlines service from Miami to five cities in Cuba; flights to Camaguey, Cienfuegos, Holguin, Santa Clara and Varadero are expected to commence this September. Fellow founding member Qantasthe only Australian airline in any global alliance programwas next up to take home the honors for Best Airline to Australia/New Zealand/South Pacific and Best A380 Layout. In addition to connecting almost 80 destinations in 20 countries to the land Down Under, Qantas also offers extensive domestic service. Beginning in late-2016, the airline will outfit its domestic fleet of A330s and B737s with a new broadband network that will provide on-board WiFi at speeds up to 10 times faster than current industry standards. Other domestic perks include a new multimillion-dollar Premium Lounge at Brisbane International, set to be unveiled in stages beginning in early-2017. Culminating the individual airline awards, oneworld founding member Cathay Pacific Airways was then named by Premier Traveler readers as Best Airline to China, Best International Airport Lounges, and the coveted Airline of the Year. Launched in 1946 and serving more than 90 destinations in 35 countries, the venerable airline is not one to rest on its laurels, instead rolling out state-of-the-art lounges around the globe, and launching partnerships with luxury hotel brands like The Langham and Hyatt for elevated on-board dining experiences. As a testament to all its stellar members, oneworld was named Best Airline Alliance for the third year running. Launched in 1999, the frequent flier program now boasts 15 member airlines, which together help connect travelers to the best the globe has to offer. Following its honor from Premier Traveler readers, the alliance continues to garner distinctions this year, including a nod for Best Alliance for On-Time Flights from FlightStats, Inc., and Best Airline Alliance for In-Flight Wine from an international panel of judges. About Premier Traveler Worldwide (PT): Premier Traveler was created as an outlet for its readers' voices to be heard. Perpetually on-the-go (both domestically and abroad), with high expectations and a taste for luxury, PT readers always have something to sharea personal experience, an opinion, a suggestion, a questionand the magazine was designed to listen to them, and seek the answers they need. The open dialogue doesn't stop with letters and emails from readers: the magazine goes one step engaging readers via questionnaires on a variety of topics, allowing the editorial team to inject the magazine's content with valuable and relevant insights. This is one example of what elevates Premier Traveler beyond just another magazine to one that shares a personal connection with its readers. www.ptwwonline.com. 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 Premier Traveler Worldwide Related Links http://www.ptwwonline.com NEW YORK, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Below are experts from the ProfNet network who are available to discuss timely issues in your coverage area. You can also submit a query to the hundreds of thousands of experts in our network it's easy and free! Just fill out the query form to get started: http://prn.to/alertswire. EXPERT ALERTS Iraqi and Syrian Christians Persecuted for Their Faith The Truth Behind Brexit Actor's Death Shows Lack of Auto Industry Urgency Drought-Related Fire Hazard and Environment Impact/Issues Causes of Wildfires and Environmental Impacts of Drought Deaf-Blind Awareness Week Begins June 26 MEDIA JOBS Senior Multimedia Writer/Producer Oxygen (NY) Digital Journalist PGA.com (GA) Associate Producer CNBC (NJ) OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES How to Make More Money With Your Content Marketing Writing How to Sign up for Official Democratic and Republication Convention News Media 411: Tips for Assignment Editors EXPERT ALERTS: Iraqi and Syrian Christians Persecuted for Their Faith Juliana Taimoorazy Founder and President Iraqi Christian Relief Council "The refugee crisis has been an important topic of discussion during the U.S. election season, but the plight of Iraqi and Syrian Christians persecuted for the faith remains largely untold. Since 2003, Iraqi and Syrian Christians have experienced multiple displacement. They live in terrible conditions, their children are not being educated, and they are dying of simple diseases due to lack of medicine." Taimoorazy is a former refugee and human rights advocate who is well versed in the refugee crisis and U.S. policy in the Middle East. She is able to address human rights, religious freedom and nation building. She has a master's degree from Northeastern Illinois University; was granted the prestigious Philos Project fellowship in 2015; and is a sought-after speaker and expert with media appearances/interviews that include Varney and Company, WSJ TV, New York Post, and "The Sean Hannity Show." Based in Chicago, Taimoorazy travels extensively and is frequently in Washington, D.C., and New York. She is fluent in Italian, Farsi and Assyrian. Website: http://iraqichristianrelief.org Contact: Karen Swim, [email protected] The Truth Behind Brexit Jonathan Citrin Financial Advisor Ameriprise Financial "Brexit is grabbing global headlines due to the very nature of the decision. But let's be clear, this is not a vote on economics or even finance. This referendum is about something even bigger and everyone from voters to investors to policy-makers are wise to know the truth." Examining the issue from a behavioral perspective, Citrin can share his thoughts on what Britain's landmark referendum says about voter and investor psychology and what Brexit could mean to financial markets. He is a prominent commentator in the media, for outlets such MarketWatch and CNBC, and has been a contributor to numerous publications, including Investopedia and the Wall Street Journal. He was recently quoted in an article on Brexit for U.S. News & World Report: http://tinyurl.com/h9pk23n ProfNet Profile: http://www.profnetconnect.com/jonathancitrin Website: http://www.JonathanCitrin.com Contact: William Citrin, [email protected] Actor's Death Shows Lack of Auto Industry Urgency Wes Ball Automotive Defect Attorney Farrar & Ball, Houston Disturbing new details are emerging in the tragic death of actor Anton Yelchin, who was killed when his Chrysler Jeep Cherokee unexpectedly rolled down his inclined driveway, pinning him against a brick pillar. Yelchin's 2015 Grand Cherokee SUV is one of the models recently recalled by federal regulators for a gear shift lever that can slip out of gear and was designed to operate in a way that regulators say could be confusing. Automakers need to show more urgency when dangerous defects become apparent. Says Ball: "What we see over and over again in these situations is that automakers are aware of product defects, but they alert consumers only after injuries mount and regulators finally step in to force a recall. Once recalls are issued, these global corporations show a shameful lack of urgency in making sure vehicle owners are aware of the dangers. While investigators are calling this a 'tragic accident,' it's clear that Jeep should be doing a much better job warning motorists of the potential problems that could cause their vehicles to roll away like this." Contact: Robert Tharp, [email protected] Drought-Related Fire Hazard and Environment Impact/Issues Timothy Krantz Professor, Environmental Studies University of Redlands "One has a situation where the past decade of average or below-average precipitation has resulted in a cumulative fire risk. In our mountains, poor forest lands management in our urban forest communities, such as Big Bear, Running Springs and Lake Arrowhead (building foundations within drip lines or right up to the trunks, trees growing through decks, paving over treed areas, etc.), has weakened trees and caused an exacerbation of bark beetle populations even in average rainfall years. The trees' natural means of expelling bark beetles is to pump sap, literally blocking the beetles in their bore holes. With the drought, the trees can't produce enough sap and the bark beetle populations have exploded from the urban forest areas out into the natural forestlands, devastating some areas with high numbers of tree mortalities. These standing dead trees are like match sticks, waiting for a spark or lightning strike." Website: http://www.redlands.edu Contact: Jennifer Dobbs, [email protected] Causes of Wildfires and Environmental Impacts of Drought Wendy McIntyre Professor, Environmental Studies University of Redlands "The drought is the most important reason that fire season is growing each year. Weather does play a role, especially when rain or snow changes the susceptibility of ecosystems to fire, and how the rain or snow falls -- i.e., do we get rains in huge downpours (which mostly runs off) or in slower steady showers that can soak into the ground and be available to plants to keep them growing and less fire-prone." Website: http://www.redlands.edu Contact: Jennifer Dobbs, [email protected] Deaf-Blind Awareness Week Begins June 26 Beth Kennedy Director of DeafBlind Central Central Michigan University "Deafblindness is a disability of access. An intervener works one-on-one with a child who is deafblind to provide access and support. They foster growth within the student, assist them in making social connections and help them access the curriculum. They are a bridge between the student and teacher." Kennedy developed CMU's new online Deafblind Intervener Certificate Program. She is available to discuss deafblindness, working with deafblind children and the training of deafblind interveners -- professionals who improve educational outcomes for those who are deafblind. She is an expert in working with deafblind children, helping to provide access, foster communication growth and help the student reach their potential. CMU offers only one of only two deafblind intervener programs in the nation. Website: http://cmich.edu/news Contact: Rachel Esterline Perkins, [email protected] MEDIA JOBS: Following are links to job listings for staff and freelance writers, editors and producers. You can view these and more job listings on our Job Board: https://prnmedia.prnewswire.com/community/jobs/ Senior Multimedia Writer/Producer Oxygen (NY) Digital Journalist PGA.com (GA) Associate Producer CNBC (NJ) OTHER NEWS & RESOURCES: Following are links to other news and resources we think you might find useful. If you have an item you think other reporters would be interested in and would like us to include in a future alert, please drop us a line. HOW TO MAKE MORE MONEY WITH YOUR CONTENT MARKETING WRITING. Want to make more money with your content marketing writing? (Who doesn't?!?) Experts from OPENForum, Wall Street Journal Custom Studios, T Brand Studio at New York Times , and Contently share their insight: http://prn.to/1tm688B , and Contently share their insight: http://prn.to/1tm688B HOW TO SIGN UP FOR OFFICIAL DEMOCRATIC AND REPUBLICAN CONVENTION NEWS. The Democratic and Republication conventions are around the corner, and the world will be watching closely to see what shakes out of Philadelphia and Cleveland . Want to stay on top of the latest news from the conventions? Here's how: http://prn.to/24UrANH and . Want to stay on top of the latest news from the conventions? Here's how: http://prn.to/24UrANH MEDIA 411: TIPS FOR ASSIGNMENT EDITORS. Being a journalist is tough -- stress and responsibility are an everyday thing. Just ask any assignment editor. They're the heart of a newsroom and where almost every story begins. They find the stories by fielding calls from the public, listening to scanners, reading news releases (yes, it still happens), planning the stories and assigning them to a reporter. They're producers and troubleshooters and also make the suggestions as to whether or not a story should be covered. Here's some advice for assignment editors from NewsLab: http://prn.to/1RZjhZw PROFNET is an exclusive service of PR Newswire. SOURCE ProfNet Related Links http://www.profnet.com DENVER, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Recondo Technology (Recondo), a leading provider of cloud-based revenue cycle applications bringing automation and denial mitigation for more than 900 U.S. hospitals and health systems, is partnering with key clients to highlight revenue cycle successes at HFMA's ANI 2016 Conference in Las Vegas, June 26-29. Recondo clients will be on-hand at ANI in Recondo's booth #1056 to share their experience using the company's full suite of "touchless" revenue cycle management tools. Recondo automates millions of revenue cycle transactions each year, in the process helping some of the nation's largest healthcare organizations streamline and improve pre- and post-service collections and denial reduction. Using Recondo's unmatched Authorization, Claim Status, Eligibility and pre-service collection tools (for patient estimations and price transparency) with integration to every major health information system driving both front-end and business office workflow customers have experienced an average of 47% decrease in denials; a 28% increase in upfront collections; and more than an 80% increase on touchless claims. "Hospitals today need all the help they can get to streamline their revenue processes through automation, resulting in increased accuracy and the reduction of manual labor costs. Some competitors rely solely on EDI transaction sets in key areas or have just recently announced new product initiatives, while Recondo has years of achieving great results with our customers," said Jay Deady, CEO of Recondo. " I'm excited that a number of our clients achieving these results, like Promedica, St. Francis Hospital and Trinity Mother Francis Health System, feel so strongly about their Recondo client experience that they are joining us in our booth at ANI to speak directly with other providers and answer questions on how they have achieved superior industry results with Recondo solutions." At ANI, Recondo and its customers will demonstrate the differentiating success of its integrated pre-and post-service collection solutions including Auth-DP, automating the authorization of service; ClaimStatusPlus, automating claim status follow-up and accelerating payment; SurePayHealth, producing reliably correct patient estimates prior to or at the point of service; and MySurePayHealth, delivering self-service, provider-centric price transparency for patients. Taking Authorization Management Out of Manual Mode Authorization management is a 100% manual process and a universal challenge for providers. There's a reason why Recondo has been the lone vendor in this space for so long it's not an easy problem to solve. However six years, 590,000+ rules and millions of authorizations later, Recondo understand better than any vendor in this space what it takes to help providers overcome this challenge. Missing authorizations often account for significant portions of all payer-denied claims, and can result in a loss of 3-5 percent of a hospital's net revenue. Hospitals can little afford to write off millions of dollars every year. Yet too many rely on staff to log into payer websites or place phone calls to address the problem. Recondo's Auth-DP solution takes authorization out of manual mode by managing the ever-changing authorization requirement rules and automatically querying payer websites for authorization information by payer/patient/procedure. It quickly returns with authorization status, number and expiration date in a fraction of the time required for manual checking. Hundreds of hospitals across the country use AuthDP to significantly reduce denials and write-offs; accelerate their cash flow; increase net revenue; optimize staff time; and improve patient satisfaction. Auth-DP features: 590,000 authorization rules, helping to drive 5.5 million authorization status checks per year. Removing 90 Percent of Claims from Manual Follow-up Claims remittances communications from payers indicating whether a claim will be paid or not - commonly take up to 40 days or longer to arrive. Meanwhile, payment for services rendered sits in limbo. Hospitals have few options beyond passively waiting for the remittance, or pursuing costly fixes such as staffing up internally or hiring expensive third party call centers to follow up with payers on missing claims. Recondo's ClaimStatusPlus provides customers with additional claim status information that resolves common delays in payment while streamlining workflow. ClaimStatusPlus leverages Recondo's patented and proven Reconbot technology to automatically query payer websites and then retrieve, normalize and present critical information about claim status. Regardless of how, where or in which system hospitals process claims, ClaimStatusPlus operates as a data feed, delivering detailed and timely answers on claims status including the precise reason for denial. And it eliminates manual follow-up on approximately 90 percent of claims that have already been approved, freeing staff to focus on remediation rather than follow-up. As a result, customers can achieve meaningful reductions in write offs, denied claims, and A/R Days, along with higher staff productivity driven by exceptions-based processing. ClaimStatusPlus delivers: 2 million claim web-based status checks per month Access to more than 160 payers in 30 states Accurate Calculation of Patient Estimates for Patient Access and Pre-Service Collection Patient Access professionals have long sought greater efficiency in producing patient payment estimates. Manually, getting a patient estimate requires staff to visit payer websites and perform a lengthy search for information per patient and without tools to retrieve charge and contract information. Recondo eliminates this manual process which in turn allows providers to focus on collections, not estimate creation. Recondo's SurePayHealth and MySurePayHealth solutions provide the automated patient estimate intelligence feed that produces reliably correct patient estimates prior to or at the point of service. Together, the solutions are driving up cash collections for hundreds of hospitals around the countryfor many, by as much as 40 percent. SurePayHealth draws on the three data sources necessary to create an estimate charges, contract rates and patient benefit information. In contrast to manual efforts to obtain this level of detailwhich typically require numerous visits to the payer's websites and calls to the payer--Recondo's ReconBot technology retrieves this data on the provider's behalf, enabling automated patient estimates. Working in tandem with Auth-DP, SurePayHealth also confirms the patient's eligibility coverage for services. MySurePayHealth, the patient self-service version of SurePayHealth, reduces the FTE burden to providers of price estimation by enabling patients to self-generate accurate out-of-pocket expense estimates. Working in tandem with SurePayHealth, MySurePayHealth calculates out-of-pocket estimates based on the patient's individual benefit data (contracted rates with payers and fluctuating year-to-date benefits usage). Consumers can access MySurePayHealth through a healthcare organization's website and it requires minimal patient input data to get price information in real-time. Recondo's pre-service solutions generated: 11 million patient payment estimates in 2015 $3.3 billion in patient out-of-pocket pay obligation About Recondo Technology Recondo's cloud-based solutions deliver financial clarity to all participants within the healthcare revenue cycle. Named the No. 1 hottest company in healthcare by Modern Healthcare in 2013 and a Cool Vendor for Healthcare Providers 2015 by Gartner, Recondo empowers more than 900 hospitals and health systems with solutions that connect providers with over 90% of the nation's payers and their patients to ensure proper and accelerated payments across the care continuum. The company's software and expertise streamline operations and achieve efficiencies and cost savings from patient access through claim status to payment processinga continuum today where inaccuracy and inefficiencies currently cost U.S. healthcare a staggering $480 billion per year. Visit us at www.recondotech.com. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20141109/157498LOGO SOURCE Recondo Technology Related Links http://www.recondotech.com ORLANDO, Fla., June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Richard Arrighi, the Florida Architect, is known for his work at Disney World in Orlando, but he is looking to use his creative talents for a project outside of Disney. The architect has been under the radar of most prominent architects in the United States because of his undeniable creativity and vision. His additions to Disney World were well-received and added a sense of timelessness to the entire park. But, to paraphrase Arrighi, Disney is just part of his story. The young architect is only 28 years of age and already wants to tackle a subdivision project somewhere in Orlando. Needless to say, many people are paying attention. But the fact is that there is not much information about what he is planning. This is not because he is attempting to keep the project under wraps but rather because he does not like to start designing without first finding the location. Arrighi believes that the best way to start any architectural project is to get a feel of the location. Understanding the location and letting it guide the design should ensure that the project blends with the environment. Richard Arrighi architect dislikes designs that feel as if they invade a particular space. What he wants is for his designs to feel like they belong to the space they occupy. He will attempt to do this with the subdivision project. He is planning to incorporate the natural setting of the location into the design. This could mean anything from the plants that grow around it to the way the town functions. The young architect credits this design theory to his childhood in Lenox, which is a small town in Massachusetts before embarking to Montverde. The town was designed in such a way that it highlighted the natural setting around the town. This is the theory that Arrighi has been championing since the beginning of his young career. All eyes are on what this talented designer will come up with. Richard Arrighi Architect said that he wants the residents of this subdivision to feel as if they escaped the normalities of life and entered into a whole new region. Richard Arrighi Lead Architect Richard Arrighi Architects 4075829193101 [email protected] This release was issued through WebWire(R). For more information visit http://www.webwire.com. SOURCE Richard Arrighi Florida Architects CHICAGO, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- On June 16, 2016 at 5:30 PM (CT), Road to Status, in collaboration with FWD.us, launched their company at an Immigrant Heritage Month celebration at WHISK Chicago. Road to Status presented Ricky and David Rodriguez, Chefs and Owners of WHISK, with an immigrant entrepreneurship award recognizing their contributions to the local community and economy. As part of the I Am An Immigrant movement, event attendees took photos with the "I Am An Immigrant" photobooth - celebrating their own immigrant heritage stories and standing in solidarity with new Americans and those arriving to our country today. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160621/382056 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160621/382057LOGO "We were honored that Road to Status chose WHISK for their launch event during Immigrant Heritage Month. It was a great event and we are thankful to receive the first-annual Road to Status Immigrant Entrepreneurship Award. It is good to see that they are helping to make the immigration paperwork process easier and more attainable." Ricky Rodriguez, Chef and Owner, WHISK "We are overwhelmed by the turnout and support that was displayed here tonight. So many great folks came out to help celebrate the launch of Road To Status and the official kick off of Immigrant Heritage Month here in Chicago. FWD.us has been a tremendous partner and we look forward to helping them drive meaningful dialogue in support of common sense immigration reform. It was a fantastic evening full of inspiring personal stories and we couldn't be more pleased with the event!" John Paul Demirdjian, Road to Status, Chief Operating Officer "I can think of no better way to celebrate the launch of a technology company that helps immigrants than to honor a successful immigrant business like Whisk." Javad Khazaeli, Road to Status, Co-Founder "Millions of individuals have made our country diverse, vibrant, and strong, and they all have unique stories to tell about their families' and communities' heritage. Now, more than ever, it is important to demonstrate how America's diversity fueled in great part by immigrants makes us stronger and more connected as a nation." Todd Schulte, FWD.us President FWD.us is an advocacy organization created to help organize the broader tech community to promote a bipartisan policy agenda including commonsense immigration reform. Learn more at www.FWD.us. Road to Status, LLC - Officially launched in June 2016, Road to Status provides applicants high quality, affordable immigration tools and attorney review services that are easy to use, secure, and accessible anywhere on any device. Road to Status has created world-class online tools and services that simplify and streamline complicated immigration applications for the self-filing user and the attorneys who serve them. Intuitive web-based applications are making it easier and less expensive to identify, complete, and file the necessary forms accurately the first time, every time, avoiding costly delays. Social responsibility is at the core of Road to Status' mission and they provide their technology for free to certain, qualified non-profit organizations. For more about: Road to Status Immigrant Heritage Month FWD.us WHISK Chicago Media Contact: John Paul Demirdjian Email 857-600-0972 www.roadtostatus.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/roadtostatus Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/roadtostatus Blog: https://www.roadtostatus.com/blog/ SOURCE Road to Status, LLC Related Links http://www.roadtostatus.com/ Vietnamese government has awarded the Navys Submarine Brigade 189 the third class Medal for Fatherland Protection in a ceremony to celebrate its five years of establishment, a government statement released Tuesday showed. Brigade 189 was founded in June 20, 2011 and is based in Cam Ranh Naval Base in the central province of Khanh Hoa. It is in charge of operating the diesel-powered 636 Varshavyanka (kilo)-class submarines that Vietnam in 2009 inked deals to buy from Russia to enhance the country's capacity to defend its territorial waters. Russia has already handed over five out of the total six submarines. Up to now the Brigade has fully mastered the five submarines, the Vietnamese government statement said. Two submarines in a military parade in Cam Ranh in May 2015. Photo by VnExpress/An Nhon, Hong Phuc The first submarine, the Hanoi, arrived in Cam Ranh in January 2014. The 73.8m-long submarine can operate at a maximum depth of 300 meters and at a range of 6,000-7,500 nautical miles for 45 days and nights with 52 crew members. It has the quietest engine in the world and is the best choice for reconnaissance and patrols. The other fours are named as Ho Chi Minh, Hai Phong, Khanh Hoa and Da Nang. A submarine (R) in a military parade in Cam Ranh in May 2015. Photo by VnExpress/An Nhon, Hong Phuc The last one, the Ba Ria Vung Tau, is expected to be delivered to Vietnam in the end of this year. Related news: > Vietnam Navy opens General Giap Park in Spratly Islands > France to hold military exercise with Vietnam Navy > U.S. Navy and Marine Corps Commanders Visit Vietnam SAN DIEGO, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- SmartDrive Systems, a leader in driving performance solutions that reduce collisions and improve fuel efficiency, today announced that the San Diego Business Journal has named SmartDrive one of San Diego's best places to work for the second year in a row and one of San Diego's fastest growing private companies. Inclusion in the Best Places to Work list recognizes SmartDrive's contributions to the county's economy, workforce and businesses, while selection as one of San Diego's fastest growing private companies is based on revenue growth from 2013 to 2015. SmartDrive logo Best Places to Work in San Diego is a survey and awards program designed to identify, recognize, and honor the best employers in San Diego. This list comprises 100 employers and SmartDrive is one of 28 medium size companies (50-249 employees) included. Among the requirements for participation in the awards program, companies must have a facility in San Diego and have been in business for at least one year. SmartDrive is headquartered in San Diego and was founded in 2004. The San Diego Business Journal's 2016 Fastest Growing Private Companies honors 150 businesses that are role models for entrepreneurs who seek to turn their ideas into big results. Inclusion in the list is based on SmartDrive's impressive 88 percent revenue growth over two years. "We're honored to be recognized by San Diego Business Journal for both our corporate culture and significant business growth, both of which reflect the hard work and results achieved by our outstanding employees," stated Steve Mitgang, CEO of SmartDrive. "Attracting and retaining top talent is critical to our success and it's gratifying to have third-party validation of our commitment to creating a work environment that values and empowers employees, without whom our substantial growth would not be possible." Companies from across San Diego County entered the Best Places to Work in San Diego survey process. The first part entailed evaluating each nominated company's workplace policies, practices, philosophy, systems, and demographics. The second part consisted of an employee survey to measure the employee experience. Combined survey scores determined the top companies and the final ranking. List-making companies will be honored at an awards ceremony on Aug. 11. Fastest Growing Private Companies are determined based on gross fiscal year revenues for 2013, 2014 and 2015. A total of 150 companies are included in the 2016 list and will be recognized at a reception on July 13. For more information on the Best Places to Work in San Diego andFastest Growing Private Companies 2016 programs, visit San Diego Business Journal. For more information on SmartDrive Systems, please visit www.smartdrive.net. About SmartDrive Systems SmartDrive Systems gives fleets and drivers unprecedented driving performance insight and analysis, helping save fuel, expenses and lives. Its video analysis, predictive analytics and personalized performance program help fleets improve driving skills, lower operating costs and deliver significant ROI. With an easy-to-use managed service, fleets and drivers can access and self-manage driving performance anytime, anywhere. The Company has compiled the world's largest storehouse of more than 100 million analyzed risky-driving events. SmartDrive Systems is based in San Diego, Calif., and employs over 400 people worldwide. Contact and Follow SmartDrive at: Email - [email protected] Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/smartdrivesystemsinc Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/smartdriveinc YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/smartdrivesystemsinc LinkedIn - http://www.linkedin.com/company/smartdrive-systems Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140923/148038 SOURCE SmartDrive Systems Related Links http://www.smartdrive.net WASHINGTON, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Small Business Administration, in cooperation with the White House, will host the 2016 Hispanic-American Entrepreneurship Summit at the U.S. Institute of Peace on Tuesday, June 28th. The event will include keynote addresses and panel discussions with participation from members of President Obama's Cabinet and many other senior administration officials and private sector leaders. Hispanic-Americans are one of the fastest growing segments of the U.S. population. At more than 55 million strong, Hispanic-Americans represent 17% of the U.S. population and play a critical role in the nation's economy and prospects for future growth. There are also more than 3.3 million Hispanic-owned businesses in the U.S., a number that is growing at a rate 15 times that of the population overall. The summit will explore the role of Hispanic-American entrepreneurs in advancing U.S. economic growth and encourage strategic discussion about the nation's entrepreneurship environment as an economic imperative for greater inclusivity. What: Hispanic-American Entrepreneurship Summit When: June 28, 2016 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Where: U.S. Institute of Peace 2301 Constitution Ave. NW. Washington, D.C. Who: SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet and the Honorable Ken Salazar ( 8:30 a.m. ) and the Honorable Ken Salazar ( ) Jason Furman , Chairman, Council of Economic Advisors ( 9 a.m. ) , Chairman, Council of Economic Advisors ( ) Chiqui Cartagena , Senior Vice President, Political and Advocacy Group Univision ( 9 a.m. ) , Senior Vice President, Political and Advocacy Group Univision ( ) Mark Hugo Lopez , Director of Hispanic Research, Pew Hispanic Research Center ( 9 a.m. ) , Director of Hispanic Research, Pew Hispanic Research Center ( ) Remy Arteaga , Executive Director, Entrepreneurship Center, Latino Business Action Network at Stanford University ( 9 a.m. ) , Executive Director, Entrepreneurship Center, Latino Business Action Network at ( ) Denis McDonough , White House Chief of Staff ( 10 a.m. ) , White House Chief of Staff ( ) Diana Farrell , Founding President and CEO JP Morgan Chase Institute ( 10:45 a.m. ) , Founding President and CEO JP Morgan Chase Institute ( ) Secretary Sally Jewel , Department of the Interior ( 10:45 a.m. ) , Department of the Interior ( ) Administrator Gina McCarthy , Environmental Protection Agency ( 10:45 a.m. ) , Environmental Protection Agency ( ) Cecilia Munoz Assistant to the President and Director of the Domestic Policy Council ( 10:45 a.m. ) ) Secretary Penny Pritzker , U.S. Department of Commerce ( 11:45 a.m. ) , U.S. Department of Commerce ( ) Javier Saade , Managing Director, Fenway Summer Ventures ( 11:45 a.m. ) , Managing Director, Fenway Summer Ventures ( ) Juan Sabater , Partner, Valor Capital ( 11:45 a.m. ) , Partner, Valor Capital ( ) J. Alberto Yepez, Managing Director, Trident Capital Jose Andres, Celebrity Chef and Entrepreneur (12:45) Secretary Tom Perez , U.S. Department of Labor ( 2 p.m. ) , U.S. Department of Labor ( ) Jeff Zients , Director of the National Economic Council and Assistant to the President on Economic Policy ( 3 p.m. ) , Director of the National Economic Council and Assistant to the President on Economic Policy ( ) Jason Marczak , Director, Latin America Economic Growth Initiative, Atlantic Council ( 3:15 p.m. ) , Director, Latin America Economic Growth Initiative, Atlantic Council ( ) Secretary Tom Vilsack , U.S. Department of Agriculture ( 3:15 p.m. ) , U.S. Department of Agriculture ( ) Ambassador Michael Froman , U.S. Trade Representative ( 3:15 p.m. ) , U.S. Trade Representative ( ) Luis Alberto Moreno , President Inter-American Development Bank ( 3:15 p.m. ) , President Inter-American Development Bank ( ) Secretary Jack Lew , U.S Department of the Treasury ( 4 p.m. ) , U.S Department of the Treasury ( ) Antonia Hernandez, President, California Community Foundation ( 4:15 p.m. ) ) Maria T. Cardona , Principal, The Dewey Square Group ( 4:15 p.m. ) , Principal, The Dewey Square Group ( ) Lance Rios , Founder & CEO, Being Latino ( 4:15 p.m. ) , Founder & CEO, Being Latino ( ) SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet ( 4:50 p.m. ) Media Registration (https://sbasummit.eventbrite.com/?access=PRESS). The full agenda and more information on the event are online at: https://www.sba.gov/HispanicAmericanEntrepreneurshipSummit. ABOUT THE U.S. SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) was created in 1953 and since January 13, 2012 has served as a Cabinet-level agency of the federal government to aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small business concerns, to preserve free competitive enterprise and to maintain and strengthen the overall economy of our nation. The SBA helps Americans start, build and grow businesses. Through an extensive network of field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations, the SBA delivers its services to people throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam. www.sba.gov Advisory Number: MA16-34 Contact: Terry Sutherland, (202) 205-6919 Internet Address: http://www.sba.gov/news Follow us on Twitter, Facebook & Blogs Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110909/DC65875LOGO SOURCE U.S. Small Business Administration Related Links http://www.sba.gov CARMEL, Ind., June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Schlage, a brand of Allegion that has created stylish, innovative door hardware for more than 95 years, is expanding its design footprint by spearheading the ELEVATE Design Collective. A first-of-its-kind design alliance, ELEVATE consists of six industry-leading home design brands, Delta Faucet, Formica Corporation, Hunter Fan, JELD-WEN, KitchenAid and Schlage, to highlight home accents within style and interior design conversations. Schlage - ELEVATE Schlage recognized the opportunity to bring like-minded, home accent brands together to make a larger contribution to the interior design industry and educate influencers and consumers alike on the latest styles and trends in home design. In collaboration with creative partners Young & Laramore and Havas Formula, Schlage formed the ELEVATE Design Collective to elevate these industry-leading home accent brands to the forefront of the design conversation. To bring the concept to life, the ELEVATE Design Collective unveiled the custom ELEVATE Pantone ColorSingle Maltin a distinct urban loft in SoHo during New York Design Week, showcasing custom products from each of the participating brands featuring the new color. Traditionally thought of as a finishing touch added at the end of the design process, these products were instead used as the starting point, with Single Malt as the thread to tie the products together while bringing warmth to the loft's Scandinavian design. With an overarching design vision from interior designer Jennifer Wagner Schmidt of JWS Interiors and kitchen design consultant Mary Jo Peterson of Mary Jo Peterson, Inc., the Single Malt color and design theme was carried throughout each room in the loft. Creating the first touch point and first impression of the renovated loft, a custom Schlage L-Series mortise lock was installed on the front door. Each interior door was outfitted with Schlage's modern Northbrook lever with Upland trim in the sleek Matte Black finish, incorporating the Single Malt color as an accent on each piece. This look was signature to the ELEVATE Design Collective loft, but these Schlage products are available in a variety of different styles and finishes. "Our goal in the ELEVATE Design Collective loft was to use subtle instances of the Single Malt colorfrom the faucets, kitchen appliances and countertops to the door hardware, doors and fansto create a strong, cohesive overall design statement," said Tamara Douce, influencer marketing manager, Schlage. "The custom door hardware carried the design theme from room to room, showing that hardware alone makes a strong design statement. When paired with other accent pieces, it elevates the overall design of a space." As a style and technology leader, Schlage is dedicated to creating quality door hardware that stands the test of time and complements consumers' continually evolving tastes. The brand offers thousands of timeless combinations with unique designs and finishesincluding the recently released Satin Brass and Polished Nickel finishesthat combine traditional, transitional and contemporary styles. The modern Northbrook lever featured in the ELEVATE Design Collective loft can be purchased in Satin Nickel in select stores nationally and online, priced from $35.99. To learn more about this product and other styles and finishes from Schlage, please visit www.schlage.com. To learn more about the ELEVATE Design Collective, the urban loft and the participating brands, visit ELEVATE Design Collective; sign up to receive updates and join the conversation on the ELEVATE Instagram and Facebook pages. About Allegion Allegion (NYSE: ALLE) is a global pioneer in the field of safety and security. We keep people and their property safe, wherever they are, bringing together simple solutions and advanced technology. Allegion is a $2 billion company, with products sold in almost 130 countries. For more, visit www.allegion.com. About The ELEVATE Design Collective The ELEVATE Design Collective is a first-of-its-kind alliance of industry-leading brands that have come together to bring home accents to the forefront of the style and design conversation in home remodeling and renovation. The 2016 ELEVATE Design Collective is transforming the look and feel of the entire home with brands including Delta, Formica Corporation, Hunter Fan, JELD-WEN , KitchenAid and Schlage. For more information, visit ELEVATE Design Collective and join the conversation on the ELEVATE Instagram and Facebook pages. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160621/381951 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160509/365424LOGO SOURCE Schlage Related Links http://www.schlage.com MIAMI, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Researchers attempting the world's largest-ever survey of shark populations have reached their first 100 reefs, collecting exciting footage along the way. Deploying baited remote underwater video (BRUV) equipment, researchers are catching the ocean's top predators, including sharks and rays, on camera in their natural habitats. Nearly a quarter of these predators are threatened with extinction, yet the lack of comprehensive and up-to-date data on species abundance and distribution is hindering efforts to protect them. The project, dubbed Global FinPrint, is focusing on coral reef habitats worldwide. In the first year, the researchers have experienced a few surprises. In some regions of the world, they are seeing more sharks and rays than ever expected, leading the researchers to start a friendly competition on Twitter #BRUVbattle for the most sharks in a single screengrab. The current record holder is the team from Australia with 12 gray reef sharks caught on camera along Jarvis Reef in the Pacific Ocean. "Our international team has deployed more than 5,000 BRUVs and collected more than 5,000 hours of footage," said FinPrint lead scientist Demian Chapman, an associate professor of marine sciences at FIU. He says at least 30 species of sharks and rays have been observed so far. While some of the early findings are promising, others are concerning. In some locations, cameras rolled for hours with little to no signs of sharks. For one location off the coast of Malaysia, the researchers collected more than 100 videos. Their efforts resulted in a single shark sighting. In Jamaica a similar number of videos yielded no sharks at all. The researchers hope to reach more than 200 reefs by the end of 2017 and include about 400 reefs in the final analysis of the three-year project. The FinPrint research already shows that existing data on shark and ray abundance in some parts of the world is inaccurate. "The early results are really impressive," said FIU Marine Biologist and FinPrint researcher Mike Heithaus, who also serves as the dean of FIU's College of Arts, Sciences & Education. "With a global network of collaborators, we are going to be able to help prioritize areas for conservation. This information will help ensure we are able to effectively manage these amazing animals and their hugely important ecosystems." While informative, the BRUVs have also captured some exciting moments along the reefs including a hammerhead flipping one camera and a battle between a feisty crab and a hungry octopus for the bait from a BRUV. The crab won. With support from philanthropist Paul G. Allen, Global FinPrint is one of several initiatives within the Microsoft co-founder's portfolio of ocean health programs. The new data will be consolidated with thousands of hours of existing video data to form a single dataset for analysis, producing the first global standardized survey of sharks and rays in coral reef environments. For a list of FIU shark experts, click here. Media Contact: JoAnn Adkins 305-348-0398 [email protected] news.fiu.edu @FIUNews SOURCE Florida International University Related Links http://fiu.edu BOSTON, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- SiteSpect, Inc., a leading provider of digital optimization, including testing, targeting and personalization solutions, today announced the inaugural meeting of the SiteSpect Customer Advisory Board. The purpose of the advisory board will be to drive the next generation of SiteSpect's solution and technology portfolio, and to provide insight to meet the current and future challenges of digital optimization. The meeting will be held at SiteSpect's Global Headquarters in Boston and include leading digital companies such as: Intuit, Fanatics, Coolblue and more. The Customer Advisory Board members will discuss SiteSpect's vision and business strategy, and participants will have the opportunity to engage in guiding future development and investments. The formation of the board will help SiteSpect ensure that its products and services continue to contribute to its customers' successes. Discussion topics will include such issues as the rising importance of mobile and creating a seamless omnichannel experience. The goal is to have serious discussions about the future of the industry that are rooted in data and fact. For example, recent research from comScore found that smartphone internet consumption grew by 78 percent between December 2013 and December 2015, and mobile devices now account for nearly two of every three minutes spent online. "The SiteSpect Customer Advisory Board is one of the many ways we're working to examine and address top industry trends," said Justin Bougher, VP of Product, SiteSpect. "By diving deeper into both business and technology challenges facing our customers, they have a voice in shaping the solution, which is critical to ensuring that SiteSpect remains their partner for website optimization and continues its leadership position in optimization." About SiteSpect SiteSpect is leading the advancement of testing, targeting and personalization software that empowers the world's most successful digital businesses to drive revenue growth, deepen customer engagements, and sharpen their competitive edge. Only the SiteSpect digital optimization solution enables customers to test the entire user experience, from the front-end "look and feel" to the back-end functionality, and centrally manage those tests across channels, product lines, and business units. SiteSpect's patented technology and professional services are used by top digital companies such as WalMart, Target, Eddie Bauer, Urban Outfitters, Wayfair, Trulia, Overstock.com and leading financial services and media companies. For more information, visit www.sitespect.com or call 617-859-1900. Media Contact Laura Paine InkHouse for SiteSpect 781-966-4124 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160422/358928LOGO SOURCE SiteSpect Related Links http://www.sitespect.com LOS ANGELES, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the makers of SMIRNOFF vodka announced support of the third-annual Immigrant Heritage Month taking place throughout the month of June. In celebration of the month, SMIRNOFF will be bringing the SMIRNOFF Global Street Art Project to the United States. The SMIRNOFF Global Art Project launched in March 2016 in Tokyo, Japan and gathers some of the most innovative names in the world of street art to stage a dialogue around inclusivity. Immigrant Heritage Month is celebrated in June and is an initiative to partner community organizations, elected officials, corporations, artists and thought leaders to gather and share inspirational stories of American immigration. For the U.S. activation of the Global Street Art Project, SMIRNOFF is teaming up with Los Angeles street artist, Morley, to show that the world is better when we break down walls and unite all cultures together. "We want to bring the SMIRNOFF brand purpose of inclusivity to life in a way that demonstrates why the American story of immigration is one to be proud of and one that makes the United States a unique place to live," said Jay Sethi, Vice President of Marketing, SMIRNOFF. "By working with Morley, we will visually share how individuals with interesting immigration stories have positively impacted the growth of our country." During the month of June, SMIRNOFF and Morley will be identifying 10 individuals who each have unique perspectives and ties to immigration. The stories that these individuals share will be interpreted into pieces of art, created by Morley, and then displayed throughout the city of Los Angeles. Morley's artwork will be displayed starting on June 29th through July 24th at 20 bus shelters across the city. One large-sized piece will also be prominently displayed in the Venice Beach area. Instead of highlighting differences as a way to cause separation, SMIRNOFF believes that we should celebrate our differences as a way to come together and contribute to the growing culture around us. SMIRNOFF also reminds consumers that, whenever celebrating with friends over a drink, to please do so responsibly. About SMIRNOFF The SMIRNOFF brand, the world's number-one selling premium spirit and the top-selling vodka by volume, in the United States, traces its heritage back to 19th century Russia. As the most awarded vodka brand in the world, SMIRNOFF has always been known for quality and is enjoyed responsibly in 130 countries around the world. For more information, log on to www.smirnoff.com. About Welcome.us Welcome.us, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, has since 2014 coordinated Immigrant Heritage Month every June. Immigrant Heritage Month honors the ways in which America and the immigrants who have built our country are linked in a shared, productive history. Learn more about the campaign and Immigrant Heritage Month by visiting Welcome.us. About Diageo Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands including Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, Bulleit and Buchanan's whiskies, Smirnoff, Ciroc and Ketel One vodkas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Don Julio, Tanqueray and Guinness. Diageo is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (DGE) and our products are sold in more than 180 countries around the world. For more information about Diageo, our people, our brands, and performance, visit us at www.diageo.com. Visit Diageo's global responsible drinking resource, www.DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives, and ways to share best practice. Follow us on Twitter for news and information about Diageo North America: @Diageo_NA. Coming together to celebrate our differences. Please drink responsibly. MEDIA CONTACTS: Jim Sias Carla Clunis Diageo Taylor [email protected] [email protected] 646-223-2305 212-714-5772 Logo - https://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160414/355518LOGO SOURCE SMIRNOFF Related Links http://www.smirnoff.com SAN FRANCISCO, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The global smoking cessation and nicotine de-addiction market is expected to reach over USD 21.8 billion by 2024 according to a new report by Grand View Research, Inc. Grand View Research Logo (PRNewsFoto/Grand View Research_ Inc_) (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150105/723757 ) The base of population addicted to smoking is rapidly increasing across the globe. This population subset majorly includes teenagers and the working population. Smoking-related mortality is very high. The increasing desire to quit smoking and the numerous health complications associated with smoking serve as strong incentives for companies to introduce novel smoking cessation products, such as Revolymer, which has introduced the next generation nicotine gums to help smokers quit smoking. The launch of these improved and innovative nicotine replacement therapy products is to serve as a high impact rendering driver for the growth of the smoking cessation and nicotine de-addiction market. The growing incidence of target diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, cardiac diseases, and lung cancer, and the increasing awareness pertaining to the hazardous side-effects of smoking are the factors expected to promote market expansion. Educational institutions remain active in organizing various campaigns and programs to spread information about the harmful effects and consequences of smoking so as to increase young population awareness. Browse full research report with TOC on "Smoking Cessation And Nicotine De-addiction Market Analysis By Product (Nicotine Replacement Therapy, Inhalers, Gums, Patches, Lozenges, Sprays, Sublingual Tablets, Varenicline, Bupropione, Drug therapy, E-cigarettes) And Segment Forecasts To 2024" at: http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/smoking-cessation-and-nicotine-de-addiction-products-market Further key findings from the study suggest: Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) dominated the smoking cessation and de-nicotine addiction product market in 2015. Majorly used NRT products include nicotine chewing gums and the transdermal patches. Increased availability and the introduction of the ingestible nicotine products with different flavors are the factors responsible for its large market share. The e-cigarette segment is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of19.0% over the forecast period. The major factors responsible for the growth of the E-cigarette market include the introduction of second and third generation e-cigarettes, the availability of various flavored products, the presence of numerous vendors operating and selling e-cigarettes under different brand names. North America held a large market share of over 35.0% in 2015 owing to the high awareness levels of nicotine de-addiction products with around 90% of the U.S. population were identified as aware of e-cigarettes in 2015 held a large market share of over 35.0% in 2015 owing to the high awareness levels of nicotine de-addiction products with around 90% of the U.S. population were identified as aware of e-cigarettes in 2015 Asia Pacific is the fastest growing market. The registration of nicotine de-addiction products and e-cigarettes as well as the strengthening of the company distribution channels in countries, such as China , India , and Australia are expected to support the growth over the forecast period is the fastest growing market. The registration of nicotine de-addiction products and e-cigarettes as well as the strengthening of the company distribution channels in countries, such as , , and are expected to support the growth over the forecast period Some key players of this market are Pfizer, Inc., Cipla Ltd., Novartis International AG, GlaxoSmithKline plc, Takeda pharmaceutical Company Ltd., McNeil AB, Revolymer plc, Imperial Tobacco Ltd., and VMR products, LLC The market players are making slow but steady progress in the e-cigarette market by focusing on the development, commercialization, and distribution of the FDA approved nicotine products. For instance, in 2014, Victory Electronic Cigarettes Corporation acquired Ten Motives Ltd. with an aim to expand their distribution channels and attain wider market coverage. Grand View Research has segmented the smoking cessation and nicotine de-addiction market on the basis of product and region. Global Smoking Cessation and Nicotine De-addiction Market Product Outlook, by Revenue (USD Million, 2015 - 2024) Nicotine Replacement Therapy Nicotine Spray Nicotine Inhalers Nicotine Gum Nicotine Transdermal Patches Nicotine Sublingual Tablets Nicotine Lozenges Drug Therapy Varenicline Zyban Nicorette Buccal E-cigarettes Smoking Cessation and Nicotine De-addiction Market Regional Outlook, by Revenue (USD Million, 2015 - 2024) North America U.S. Canada Europe UK Germany Asia Pacific Japan China Latin America Brazil MEA South Africa Browse related reports by Grand View Research: Orthobiological Products Market - http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/orthobiological-products-market Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) Market - http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/active-pharmaceutical-ingredients-market Bone Morphogenetic Proteins (BMP) Market - http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/bone-morphogenetic-proteins-market Biotechnology Reagents Market - http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/biotechnology-reagent-market About Grand View Research Grand View Research, Inc. is a U.S. based market research and consulting company, registered in the State of California and headquartered in San Francisco. The company provides syndicated research reports, customized research reports, and consulting services. To help clients make informed business decisions, we offer market intelligence studies ensuring relevant and fact-based research across a range of industries, from technology to chemicals, materials and healthcare. Read Our Blogs - ni2014.org , grandviewresearch.com/blogs/healthcare Contact: Sherry James Corporate Sales Specialist, USA Grand View Research, Inc Phone: 1-415-349-0058 Toll Free: 1-888-202-9519 Email: [email protected] Web: http://www.grandviewresearch.com SOURCE Grand View Research, Inc. WASHINGTON, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Society of Chemical Manufacturers & Affiliates (SOCMA) today praised President Obama as he signed into law a major piece of legislation that should improve public confidence in the way the United States evaluates industrial chemicals. The bill will provide the Environmental Protection Agency with additional tools to review chemicals and increase transparency. SOCMA member Beth Bosley, President of Boron Specialties, who has been a champion of TSCA reform and testified numerous times before Congress on behalf of small chemical manufacturers, was on hand for today's signing at the White House. Reform of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) of 1976 has been a longstanding effort that some thought would never happen. "Today, that has all changed," said SOCMA President and CEO Lawrence D. Sloan. "Enactment of TSCA reform legislation is a culmination of many years of hard work, and nothing short of remarkable, especially given the broad support it has mustered. It is an obvious improvement over the status quo, and I am thrilled to be around for this truly historic moment." SOCMA has been a major stakeholder in the TSCA reform effort and now looks forward to working with EPA as it begins implementation. SOCMA is hopeful the new law will be implemented in a way that keeps U.S. specialty chemical manufacturers, as well as small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), at the forefront of chemical innovation. About SOCMA Since 1921, SOCMA has represented a diverse membership of small, medium and large chemical companies located around the world bringing world-class support uniquely tailored to enhance the operational excellence of our member companies. SOCMA is the only U.S.-based trade association dedicated solely to the specialty chemical industry, making us the leading authority on this sector. www.socma.com. Contact: Jenny Gaines Director, Communications and Public Relations (202) 721-4123 [email protected] SOURCE Society of Chemical Manufacturers and Affiliates Related Links http://www.socma.com AMELIA, Ohio, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- With summer finally here, families across the country will be taking off for long-awaited vacations and weekend getaways. While planning where to go and what to pack, it is also important to create a plan to protect your home while you're away. That's because burglars are making summer plans, too. According to the US Department of Justice, the highest percentage of burglaries occurs during the summer months, and thieves aren't just after what's inside your home. "Empty homes offer thieves the perfect opportunity to steal valuable goods, even if they don't step foot in your house," said Heather Bolyard, AVP of claims support for American Modern Insurance Group, a leader in specialty insurance. "Some of the most sought after items for burglars are actually located outside of the physical confines of your home, from air conditioning units and pool pumps, to recreational belongings such as bicycles." An American Modern survey of more than 500 adults living in the US, indicated that 31% do not take proactive steps to secure property and personal items located on the outside of the home. Additionally, the survey indicated that respondents were most likely to take steps to protect their electronics (42%), as well as jewelry and watches (23%) inside their homes, and less likely to do so with outdoor/recreational items (18%). The survey was conducted through Google in June 2016. Bolyard said, "Some thieves are after materials that can be sold to scrappers or recyclers for quick cash, while others want moderately expensive items that can be sold online before an owner realizes they're gone. These items can include bicycles, sporting equipment, pool pumps and copper coils from air conditioning units." According to the FBI, over two million home burglaries are reported each year in the United States. American Modern Insurance Group notes there are cost-effective measures that can be taken to reduce the risk, including: Install strong door locks and deadbolts. Choose a lock that is proven to withstand drilling or picking. Reinforce doorjambs and strike plates. Most often, structural failures occur when strike plates separate from doorframes. Apply window security film. This prevents glass breakage and can deter a smash-and-grab. Lock your windows. If your windows don't already have locks, add them. Or, drill small holes into the upper and lower sashes at their overlap point and insert removable eyebolts. Close and lock your shed and garage every night. Make sure your vehicles are under cover and secure before you head out of town. On a smaller scale, stolen tools and lawn equipment are also a lucrative theft item, so ensure these items are securely stored away. The garage can also serve as a common entry point for burglars. When away from home, don't advertise your absence. Put temporary holds on mail and newspaper delivery, or have a trusted neighbor collect them. Put lights on staggered timers. Also, avoid posting on social media about your travel plans, which can increase the risk of burglaries and break-ins while you are away from your property. Keep valuables outside the bedroom. Thieves on the hunt for valuables will likely make the master bedroom their first stop to scout out jewelry or cash. Keep these items in a different room instead. Put in motion-activated outdoor lighting. Make sure entry points are especially well-lit. Organize a Neighborhood Watch. Meet your neighbors and deter theft! Vehicles and items left in them. Most vehicle-related thefts take place in under 20 seconds. Never leave loose items on the seats or dash; lock them in the trunk or, better yet, take them inside with you. If you have a garage at home, use it. If you must park on the street, install a loud alarm system with a visible, blinking dash light. For more tips to help prevent home theft, see the two downloadable tip sheets from American Modern: Tips for Better Securing Your Home and Rethinking the Word "Valuables". About American Modern Insurance Group American Modern is a specialty insurance leader that delivers products and services for residential property like manufactured homes and specialty dwellings and for consumers in the recreational market, including owners of boats, personal watercraft, classic cars, motorcycles, ATVs and snowmobiles. American Modern is licensed in all 50 states through six property and casualty companies, which are part of an insurance group that enjoys an A+ (superior) rating by the A.M. Best Company, a leading independent insurance analyst. These companies insure more than one million policyholders countrywide and have been recognized as a Best Place to Work by the Cincinnati Business Courier and a Top Workplace by the Cincinnati Enquirer. Policies are written by one of the licensed insurers of American Modern Insurance Group, Inc., including American Modern Home Insurance company d/b/a in CA as American Modern Insurance Company (Lic.No. 2222-8). Contact Sharon Cooper [email protected] 1-609-243-8821 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151021/279393LOGO SOURCE American Modern Insurance Group Related Links http://www.amig.com Here is a sampling of interactive Taiwan Excellence products visitors to SummerFest will have an opportunity to see and experience: computer hardware like the 805 Infinity chassis, home goods including Aervana - the world's first electronic wine aerator, and incredible light-weight folding bicycles that open and fold in just seconds!! Americans who love bikes can experience a few outstanding choices including the Pacific Cycles NEW REACH folding bike and the STRiDA EVO folding bike; gamers should be sure to check out the eSPORTS Theron plus Smart Mouse and other gaming accessories; musicians will enjoy instruments like the LC Saxophone; and even children's toys will be displayed, including the Mozbii stylus. (View product sampling at: http://origin-qps.onstreammedia.com/origin/multivu_archive/ENR/TaiwanExcellence.pdf) In addition to Milwaukee, Taiwan Excellence will visit Pomona, New York, New Delhi, Taipei, the Philippines, and Mumbai. Mr. Sun adds, "We want the world to know of the Taiwan Excellence Products - we are very proud!" The Taiwan Excellence exhibit will be situated near the Marcus Amphitheater on the south end of Henry Maier Festival Park throughout the second-half of SummerFest, July 5-10. For more about Taiwan Excellence and to view all 69 innovative products on display at SummerFest, visit www.taiwanexcellence.org. CONTACT: Pre-Event: Dori Wilson Public Relations, 312-951-7575, [email protected] On Site: Max Dease, 331-234-0298 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160622/382337 SOURCE Taiwan Excellence Related Links http://www.taiwanexcellence.org In a kingdom of caves like Quang Binh, there is no gurantee that even the worlds biggest known cave Son Doong will hold on to its title for long. 57 new cave entrances, a five-million-year-old underwater cave and transparent fish and crustaceans have recently been explored in the area surrounding Son Doong, and may hold the answer to where the water that created the vast cave system originated from. The British Cave Research Association (BCRA) announced the surprise result of their eight-day expedition in Quang Binh province today. Howard Limbert, a British caving expert credited with finding the now famous Son Doong Cave, believes more search in the Vietnamese central province is likely to lead to discovery of even a more beautiful and bigger cave than Son Doong. The entrance to Hoa Huong cave The expedition team found the origin of the water in Son Doong Cave and Phong Nha Cave in a new cave named Hoa Huong, which is said by Limbert to have formed at the bottom of an ancient giant lake five million years ago. The cave measures 2,876 meters long, the longest of all 57 caves surveyed. The team surveyed 57 entrances to new caves located by local people in 14 areas lying mostly in Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park. The caves are located on difficult terrain, and some were even untouched by humans and required specialized equipment to access. The expeditors learn from the locals to drink water from indigenous trees. These caves have been pinpointed using GPS and added to a cave map of Quang Binh. Hoa Huong Cave, named after the couple that found it. Together with new caves, many vertical sinkholes were also found, with one in Km 17 Cave dropping 150 meters deep, the deepest one surveyed this time. New species of fishes and scorpions with transparent shells and bodies were also discovered during the expedition. Since 1990, cave expert Howard Limbert has led 17 expeditions in Quang Binh, mapping 311 caves with a total length of up to 200 kilometers. Tien Cave in Minh Hoa District is 2,519 meters long. Photos by British Cave Research Association Related news: > Son Doong: the world's largest cave has photographer in awe > Ambassadors embark on five-day expedition into Son Doong Cave > Son Doong nominated as world largest natural cave GREENSBORO, N.C., June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc. (NYSE: SKT) announced today that its financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2016 will be released Tuesday evening, July 26, 2016 after the market close. The company will host its conference call for analysts, investors and other interested parties on Wednesday, July 27, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time. To access the conference call on Wednesday, July 27, 2016, listeners should dial 1-877-277-5113, conference ID # 7901237. Alternatively, a live audio webcast of this call will be available to the public on Tanger's Investor Relations website investors.tangeroutlet.com, hosted by SNL IR Solutions. SNL subscribers may also access the webcast via the SNL database at www.snl.com. A telephone replay of the call will be available from July 27, 2016 at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time through 11:59 p.m. on August 10, 2016 by dialing 1-855-859-2056, conference ID # 7901237. An online archive of the webcast will also be available through August 10, 2016. About Tanger Factory Outlet Centers Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc. (NYSE:SKT), is a publicly-traded REIT headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina that presently operates and owns, or has an ownership interest in, a portfolio of 42 upscale outlet shopping centers and 2 additional centers currently under construction. Tanger's operating properties are located in 21 states coast to coast and in Canada, totaling approximately 14.4 million square feet, leased to over 3,000 stores which are operated by more than 480 different brand name companies. The company has more than 35 years of experience in the outlet industry. Tanger Outlet Centers continue to attract more than 185 million shoppers annually. For more information on Tanger Outlet Centers, call 1-800-4TANGER or visit the company's web site at www.tangeroutlets.com. Contact: Jim Williams SVP and CFO (336) 834-6800 [email protected] Cyndi Holt Vice President of Investor Relations (336) 834-6892 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120907/CL70706LOGO-b SOURCE Tanger Factory Outlet Centers, Inc. Related Links http://www.tangeroutlet.com WILLIAMSBURG, Va., June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Tempus Applied Solutions announced today that it has begun flight operations for NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Tempus' FAA-certified Gulfstream IV aircraft is now integrated with the Portable Remote Imaging SpectroMeter (PRISM), a specialized hyperspectral sensor developed by NASA/JPL, which has a high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), response uniformity and has been optimized for coastal ocean science. The first flights are to survey the condition of coral reef systems as part of NASA's Earth Venture Suborbital COral Reef Airborne Laboratory (CORAL) field campaign. Operations began on June 17 off the coast of Maine before moving to Hawaii, for a total mission duration of approximately three weeks. The Tempus Gulfstream IV will operate a total of 223 science flight hours globally while supporting the data collection efforts of NASA/JPL over the next 12 months. After returning from Hawaii in July, the next survey mission is scheduled for September and October in Australia, to survey the Great Barrier Reef. "Tempus is honored to have the opportunity to support NASA/JPL on this mission," said Tempus CEO Scott Terry. "This is a great opportunity to participate in a project that will provide critical environmental insights related to the condition of our world's oceans, and we hope to continue partnering with NASA on similar projects in the future." NASA intends to develop a business jet into a multi-mission, multiple sensor platform for optimum utility for future NASA earth science remote sensing missions. Tempus was awarded the aircraft modification contract with NASA/JPL in April, 2016. Tempus designed, engineered, modified and received FAA certification of its Gulfstream IV integrated with NASA/JPL's PRISM technology. Tempus' engineering support team provided more than 5,000 hours of engineering support for the modification project. Tempus has applied for an FAA Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for this unique modification and expects to receive the certification approval and intellectual property rights later this year. NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center (AFRC) approved Tempus' engineering and modification under NASA flight clearance authorization. The contract value for the flight operations portion of the mission is $1.4 million during 2016. For more information on Tempus, visit tempus-as.com. MEDIA CONTACT: Katherine Terry, public relations manager [email protected] | +1 864.901.8114 ABOUT TEMPUS APPLIED SOLUTIONS HOLDINGS INC. (OTC: TMPS): Tempus provides design, engineering, systems integration and flight operations solutions that support critical aviation mission requirements for a variety of customers including the United States Department of Defense, other U.S. government agencies, foreign governments and select corporations and individuals in the private sector. Our experienced team of professionals provides efficient, economical and flexible service that responds to the most challenging demands facing the aviation industry today. Our commitment to safety and security has earned us a reputation as one of the most forward-thinking aviation companies worldwide. We are headquartered in Williamsburg, Virginia. FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS: This communication contains forward-looking statements that involve a number of judgments, risks and uncertainties concerning Tempus Applied Solutions Holdings Inc., its subsidiaries and their expected financial and operating performance and plans. Actual events or results could differ materially from those described or implied herein, including as a result of risks described in reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission by Tempus Applied Solutions Holdings Inc., and other risks and uncertainties. We do not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements to reflect events or results after the date they were made, whether as a result of new information, new circumstances or otherwise, except as may be required under applicable laws. TEMPUS APPLIED SOLUTIONS HOLDINGS INC. 133 Waller Mill Road | Suite 100 | Williamsburg, VA 23185 +1 757.969.6188 | +1 800.281.4468 | [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151029/282048LOGO SOURCE Tempus Applied Solutions Holdings Inc. Related Links http://tempus-as.com HOUSTON, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Texas Children's Hospital is excited to announce it ranks as the best place for children to receive pulmonary care in the nation by U.S. News & World Report in their 2016-17 edition of Best Children's Hospitals. Watch a video about Texas Children's U.S. News ranking in pulmonology: youtu.be/nIquiuhCgeU. "This survey result demonstrates what we already know, Texas Children's is one of the best places in the country for children in need of pulmonary care," says Dr. Peter Hiatt, chief of pulmonary medicine at Texas Children's and associate professor at Baylor College of Medicine. "Our team's steadfast commitment to providing the most innovative treatments possible to our patients and families is what motivates us every single day to do better, to be better, with the ultimate goal of providing life-changing and life-saving treatments to children in need." Each year, U.S. News ranks pediatric hospitals overall, as well as ranks the top 50 pediatric hospitals across 10 major subspecialties. These rankings are the result of a methodology that weighs a combination of outcome and care-related measures such as nursing care, advanced technology, credentialing, outcomes, best practices, infection prevention, and reputation, among other factors. In U.S. News' 2016-17 edition of Best Children's Hospitals, Texas Children's ranks fourth overall and the hospital's pulmonary service ranks as the best within its subspecialty. Offering services to treat children dealing with any pulmonary issue, the team at Texas Children's is involved in researching a wide range of common and rare pulmonary disorders and offers specialty clinics focused on severe asthma, cystic fibrosis, pulmonary hypertension, tracheostomy and ventilator issues, aerodigestive multispecialty clinics, sickle-cell focused pulmonary issues and more. One of the specialty clinics that sets Texas Children's apart is the Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Care Center which provides comprehensive clinical services to help patients, families and referring physicians deal with the many problems cystic fibrosis causes. In fact, Texas Children's is the only accredited pediatric CF center in Southeast Texas. Additionally, since 2001, the Texas Children's Pulmonary Hypertension Program has been diagnosing and treating patients with pediatric pulmonary hypertension. This program is one of the few pulmonary hypertension programs in the United States dedicated to treating children; because of this, Texas Children's has extensive training in the diagnosis and treatment of infants, children and teens with this rare condition. Texas Children's also has a dedicated Asthma Center to help families learn more about what may be triggering asthma problems for their child and what their goals are for asthma control. The multidisciplinary team, staffed by experts in both pediatric allergy and immunology and pulmonary medicine, works together with the family and referring physician to create a tailored daily management and acute rescue plan to prevent asthma episodes. In addition, Texas Children's has one of the largest and most successful pediatric lung transplant programs in the world and is one of only two institutions worldwide that performs more than 10 pediatric lung transplants each year. With a median wait time of less than four months, Texas Children's offers a shorter wait time than most other pediatric programs and has transplanted children from all areas of the United States. The 2016-17 edition of Best Children's Hospitals is available online at usnews.com/childrenshospitals. To learn more about the excellent pulmonary care delivered at Texas Children's, visit texaschildrens.org/pulmonology. About Texas Children's Hospital Texas Children's Hospital, a not-for-profit health care organization, is committed to creating a healthier future for children and women throughout the global community by leading in patient care, education and research. Consistently ranked as the best children's hospital in Texas, and among the top in the nation, Texas Children's has garnered widespread recognition for its expertise and breakthroughs in pediatric and women's health. The hospital includes the Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute; the Feigin Center for pediatric research; Texas Children's Pavilion for Women, a comprehensive obstetrics/gynecology facility focusing on high-risk births; Texas Children's Hospital West Campus, a community hospital in suburban West Houston; and Texas Children's Hospital The Woodlands, a second community hospital planned to open in 2017. The organization also created the nation's first HMO for children, has the largest pediatric primary care network in the country and a global health program that's channeling care to children and women all over the world. Texas Children's Hospital is affiliated with Baylor College of Medicine. For more information, go to www.texaschildrens.org. Get the latest news by visiting the online newsroom and Twitter at twitter.com/texaschildrens. Contact: Jenn Jacome 832-824-2679 [email protected] SOURCE Texas Children's Hospital Related Links http://www.texaschildrens.org NEW YORK, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- ADCOLOR announced today 2016 Honorees and Nominees for the 10th Annual ADCOLOR Awards as well as the 2016 Class of ADCOLOR FUTURES. The 10th Annual ADCOLOR Awards on Wednesday, September 21, 2016, highlight and honor the achievements of African-American, American Indian/Native American, Asian Pacific-American, Hispanic/Latino, LGBT professionals and diversity and inclusion champions in creative industries. The 10th Annual ADCOLOR Conference and Awards will take place in Boca Raton, where the awards started, at The Boca Raton Resort & Club from September 18-21, 2016. "This year we are excited not only to honor our industry peers for their efforts to increase diversity in their respective fields, but to bring the 10th Annual ADCOLOR Awards back to where they started, in Boca Raton. We are acknowledging and honoring exceptional professionals of color and diversity champions that many say don't exist," Tiffany R. Warren, Founder and President, ADCOLOR said. Each year, the ADCOLOR Award nominees and honorees are selected based on criteria surrounding ADCOLOR's motto "Rise Up and Reach Back". Those honored not only excel in their own careers, but also give back to the community and support their peers. Their goal is to create a network of diverse professionals to encourage and celebrate one another. "I am so honored to be receiving the CATALYST Award from this incredible organization, their work is truly impactful in increasing diversity and inclusion by recognizing and supporting those who innovate, inspire and advocate for change," Anjula Acharia, partner, Trinity Ventures said. Anjula Acharia, partner, Trinity Ventures, co-founder, Desi Hits! is receiving one of this year's top awards, the CATALYST Award, which is given to individuals that use their platform to serve as the voice of a cause or community. An entrepreneur herself, Anjula founded Desi Hits!, which introduced top artists (including Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, 50 Cent) to India. She now mentors start-ups and works to increase diversity in the technology sector. About ADCOLOR ADCOLOR is a not-for-profit 501(c)(6) organization whose mission is to celebrate and champion diversity in the creative industries. Our process is twofold. First, we help individuals and organizations RISE UP, letting their accomplishments and ideas shine. Then we teach these new leaders and would-be-mentors how to REACH BACK and find others who deserve to be noticed and promoted. Our goal is to create a community of diverse professionals who are here to support and celebrate one another. For more info, visit www.adcolor.org Following please find a list of the ADCOLOR 2016 Award Honorees and Nominees: Honorees THE LEGEND AWARDS The ADCOLOR Legend Award is presented to a trailblazer who isn't afraid to be different and who showed brilliance in his/her actions, a singular leader in their industry. HONOREES: Christy Haubegger, Executive, CAA Lucinda Martinez, SVP, Multicultural Marketing, HBO, Inc. THE MVP AWARD The ADCOLOR MVP Award is presented to two or more companies that work together to provide exceptional and highly effective diversity solutions within their organizations and industries. They may be an agency, marketer, media company or diverse supplier with NMSDC or WBENC certification that team up for short or long-term projects that promote diversity and inclusion in the creative industries. HONOREE: TBWA\ Chiat Day & MAL & Park Pictures THE ONE CLUB|ADCOLOR CREATIVE AWARDS The One Club|ADCOLOR Creative Award is presented to a creative professional of multicultural background who has demonstrated noteworthy talent and achievement within the media, creative, digital and traditional advertising disciplines. These recipients are chosen by The One Club Board of Directors. HONOREES: Caprice Yu, EVP, Executive Creative Director, McCann New York Terence Reynolds, Principal/Creative Director, The Richards Group THE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS The Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to inductees into the AAF Advertising Hall of Achievement or individuals who are seasoned industry veterans who pushed the boundaries and created positive change, setting the stage for generations to come to take the opportunities made by these icons, even further. HONOREES: Daisy Exposito-Ulla, Chairman/CEO, d exposito & Partners, LLC Bill Imada, Chairman & Chief Collaboration Officer, IW Group, Inc. J. Melvin Muse, Chairman & Chief Creative Officer, MUSE, INC. THE CATALYST AWARD The ADCOLOR Catalyst Award is presented to an individual of note who uses his or her platform to serve as the voice of a cause or community. Their provocative courage, professional brilliance and selfless community outreach have sparked change and propelled progress within their respective industries and the world. HONOREE: Anjula Acharia, Partner, Trinity Ventures THE ADVOCATE AWARD The ADCOLOR Advocate Award is presented to an LGBT advertising, marketing or media professional who increases awareness of LGBT causes within and outside of the creative industries. HONOREE: Pamela Stewart, Vice President, National Retail Sales, The Coca-Cola Company THE ADCOLOR in TECH AWARD The ADCOLOR in Tech Award is presented to an individual who has championed diversity & inclusion in the tech industries. HONOREE: Tristan Walker, Founder & CEO, Walker & Company, Co-Founder & Chairman, CODE2040 Nominees Following please find a list of the ADCOLOR Awards 2016 Nominees. One finalist will be chosen from each category and will be announced as an honoree on September 21, 2016, at the ADCOLOR Awards: THE RISING STAR AWARD The ADCOLOR Rising Star Award is presented to an up-and-coming young gun with less than seven years of experience. The Rising Star honoree is someone who stands out among their peers as someone who is raising the bar of excellence as they move forward in their career. THE NOMINEES ARE: Christopher Corales, Associate Manager, Consumer Insights, Dr. Pepper Snapple Group Babette Sullivan Puebla, Senior Copywriter, The Integer Group Haywood R. Watkins III, Associate Creative Director, Group SJR THE ROCK STAR AWARD The ADCOLOR Rock Star Award is presented to an outstanding professional who, whether through their primary role or extracurricular activities, stands out as a leader and visionary in the industry. THE NOMINEES ARE: Keith Clinkscales, Chief Executive Officer, REVOLT Media & TV Erika Bennett, Vice President, African American Marketing, Allied Moxy Luvvie Ajayi, Writer/Speaker, Awesomely Luvvie THE INNOVATOR AWARD The ADCOLOR Innovator Awards is presented to a remarkable professional who embodies progress and imagination. Someone who stands out among peers as a game changer and pioneer in their role, creating breakthrough developments and/or improvements, whether tangible or intangible. THE NOMINEES ARE: Stacey Hightower, Chief Operating Officer of Group E, DAS Group of Companies Sheila Marmon, Founder & CEO, Mirror Digital Marion Dickson, Global Head of YouTube Social & Influencer Marketing, YouTube THE AD OF THE YEAR AWARD The ADCOLOR Ad of the Year Award is given to a campaign or single execution that pushes boundaries, promotes conversation and highlights the lives of multicultural, LGBT and/or other under-represented Americans in the mass media. THE NOMINEES ARE: "Greenlight A Vet" Saatchi & Saatchi NY, Walmart "INSIDE OUT" Walton Isaacson, Lexus "How Do You See Me" Saatchi & Saatchi NY, Coor Down "This is Wholesome" Droga 5, Honeymaid "Turn Ignorance Around" Walton Isaacson, CHIRLA Action Fund THE CHANGE AGENT AWARD The ADCOLOR Change Agent Award is presented to an individual within a company who is using their talents and position to enhance the corporate culture and create a more inclusive environment. This can be part of or beyond the scope of that person's primary role. THE NOMINEES ARE: Tiffany Smith-Anoa'i, Executive Vice President, Diversity, Inclusion & Communications, CBS Kiran Chaudhri Lenz, Associate Director, Operations Program Management, GTB John Seifert, Worldwide CEO, Ogilvy & Mather FUTURES ADCOLOR FUTURES is a unique program that is dedicated to identifying and nurturing the next generation of leaders in the creative industries. Brittany Allen, Assistant Account Executive at WONGDOODY - Marcus Graham Project Benigno Bacolores, Advertising at Syracuse University - AAF MPMS Marianne Bellorin, Product Development Strategist at Team Detroit - Marcus Graham Project Kamerin Chambers, Assistant Creative Services Project Manager at Guggenheim Partners The LAGRANT Foundation Vanessa Charcas, Associate Account Executive at TwoxFour - AAF MPMS Phillip Cheng, Associate Producer at FCB Health - 4A's MAIP Selena Davant, Creative Intern at Carol H. Williams Agency - Marcus Graham Project Toni Dawkins, Integrated Strategist at Grey, NYC - 4A's MAIP Diamia Foster, Associate Media Planner and New Business Assistant at Identity Worldwide - 4A's MAIP Mel Gray, Junior Creative Strategist at DigitasLBi - AAF MAFA Krystal Hawkins, Assistant Media Planner at GSD&M - The One Club Simone Jackson, Account Services Intern, Nike at Wieden + Kennedy - AAF MPMS Mylan Kimbrough, Strategy Associate at Starcom Mediavest Group - AAF MAFA Jessalin Lam, Relationship Manager at Hyper Island - i'mPART - The Advertising Club of New York Laura Linthicum, Copywriter at Arnold Worldwide - AAF MPMS Courtney Mccall, Graphic Designer at Plante Moran, Detroit - 4A's MAIP Elvia Ortiz, Account Executive at BBDO - Madison's Browne Fellowship Sade Powell, Programming Coordinator at BET Networks - 4A's MAIP Dzidzoli Quist, Manager, Digital Brand Activation & Media at Live Nation - 4A's MAIP Reema Rao, Brand Strategist at Leo Burnett - AAF MPMS Jermaine Richards, Integrated Digital Production Intern at Deutsch NY - IAM - High School Innovation in Advertising & Marketing Rayvon Shelton II, HR Liaison / Social Media Strategist at Broadview Park District - Marcus Graham Project Allison Slaughter, Assistant Account Executive at FCB Chicago - AAF MAFA EJ Stancil, Project Manager at DigitasLBi - 4A's MAIP Juwan Wedderburn, Strategy Intern at WONGDOODY - The One Club Carlton Wilcoxson, Account Coordinator at McGarrah Jessee - 4A's MAIP Andrea Windmeyer, Digital Designer at Unique Influence - The One Club William Yu, Associate, Marketing Strategy & Analysis at SapientNitro - 4A's MAIP To register for the 10th Annual ADCOLOR Conference & Awards, please visit www.adcolor.org Presenting Sponsor Omnicom Group Diamond Sponsors DIAGEO NA, GSD&M, Microsoft Platinum Sponsors DAS Group of Companies, FACEBOOK, Revolt TV Gold Sponsors BBDO New York, BET Networks, DDB Worldwide, Wieden+Kennedy, Google Silver Sponsors TBWA\ Worldwide, YAHOO! Supporting Sponsors Omnicom Media Group, Omnicom Health Group, Publicis Groupe Corporate Members The Advertising Club of New York, American Advertising Federation, DIAGEO NA, Edelman, Facebook, GTM, Inc., Omnicom Group, Stephen J. Kim, Sticky Docs, Wieden+Kennedy Preferred Partners Adrianne Lipscomb Graphic Design, Akande Music, Edelman, GSD&M, STAMP Event Management, Squeaky Wheel Media, The STUDIO NYC SOURCE ADCOLOR Related Links http://www.adcolor.org PRINCETON, N.J., June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In letters to the Institute for Advanced Study, two respected British military heritage organizations joined the chorus of voices opposing plans by the Institute to build faculty housing on a key part of the Princeton Battlefield known as Maxwell's Field. The site is where George Washington staged a daring charge against the British Army to win the 1777 Battle of Princeton. The Battlefields Trust is a United Kingdom-based charity dedicated to the preservation, research and interpretation of battlefields as educational and historical resources. The organization campaigns to defend the battlefields of Great Britain from inappropriate development. These battlefields are the final resting place for thousands of unknown soldiers who forged the British nation. The Battlefields Trust was joined in its opposition by The Royal Tigers' Association, the veterans' organization of the Royal Leicestershire Regiment. The association is composed of men of one of the most famous fighting units to ever serve in the British Army. The regiment, then identified as the 17th Regiment of Foot, served throughout the American Revolutionary War. The regiment's stand during the Battle of Princeton was commemorated with the addition of an unbroken laurel wreath to its unit insignia. In their letters to the Institute for Advanced Study, the Battlefields Trust and The Royal Tigers' Association urged the Institute to abandon its plans to build 15 faculty houses on the most historically sensitive part of the 22-acre Maxwell's Field property. The site, identified as core battlefield land by the US National Park Service, is where the right wing of George Washington's counterattack against the 17th Regiment of Foot, standing alone, first struck British lines. In its letter, the Battlefields Trust noted that an institution with its own rich history should be mindful of preserving other historic places. "The Battlefields Trust is therefore disappointed that an organisation which cherishes its own history is acting in a way that seemingly ignores the unique historic value of a battlefield site in which it acts as custodian for the people of the US and UK." Both organizations will join the Save Princeton Coalition, an alliance of historic preservation organizations to protect the Princeton Battlefield. The 12 member organizations of the Save Princeton Coalition are: American Association for State and Local History; American Revolution Institute of the Society of the Cincinnati; Battlefields Trust; Civil War Trust; Cultural Landscape Foundation; National Coalition for History; National Parks Conservation Association; National Trust for Historic Preservation; Preservation Maryland; Princeton Battlefield Society; Royal Leicestershire Regiment Association; and New Jersey Chapter of the Sierra Club. Read more from the Associated Press. SOURCE Save Princeton Coalition MUNICH, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Intersolar Europe Munich, June 22-24, 2016 Intersolar Europe 2016 opens its doors today Today marks the opening of the world's leading exhibition for the solar industry and its partners in Munich. Over the next few days, 1,077 exhibitors are set to present their solutions and innovations from the entire value-added chain of the solar industry. The number of exhibitors has risen by 7% compared with last year, while occupied space at the exhibition has increased by 8.4%. 40,000 international visitors are expected to attend. Up until June 24, 2016, Intersolar Europe and the accompanying ees Europe, the continent's largest exhibition for batteries and energy storage systems, offer visitors the opportunity to talk to experts and exhibitors and find out about the latest products, services and solutions from around the world. With a special exhibit on smart renewable energy and a forum of the same name, this year's exhibitions are focusing very much on the new, digital energy world. Together with ees Europe, this year's Intersolar Europe has proven to be hugely successful. As early as two months before the start of the exhibition, the exhibition space was already fully booked - a positive sign for the photovoltaics market, and a great achievement for a very special year. 2016 sees Intersolar Europe celebrate its 25th anniversary. The exhibition has continually developed its content over the last few years. One example of this is the addition of ees Europe to provide a prominent platform for the topic of energy storage. In 2016, Intersolar Europe's latest pioneering development sees it combine the themes of energy management, storage, grid integration and energy management under the key topic of smart renewable energy. Smart technologies that analyze and optimize power generation and consumption as well as interconnect various pieces of technical equipment all help to create smart concepts for managing and storing renewable energy. Visitors to Intersolar Europe can immerse themselves in this world over the next three days in hall B2. Smart Renewable Energy Forum The global energy transition is continuing to progress, with many countries already demonstrating success. Germany, for example, met a whopping 87% of its electricity needs with energy from renewable sources on Sunday, May 8. While this is a milestone for the energy transition, it represents a challenge for grid operators. As old power plants in particular are difficult to regulate, such times cause a surplus of energy in the grid, resulting in negative electricity prices. Taking place until Friday, the Smart Renewable Energy Forum at Intersolar Europe will be presenting solutions for overcoming this challenge. Wednesday is dedicated to the topics of optimizing on-site consumption for households and businesses. On Thursday, the forum will focus on digital networking and integration, while model regions will be presented on Friday. Intersolar AWARD Intersolar Europe kicks off today with a special highlight. This year marks the ninth time the Intersolar AWARD will be presented in the category of Photovoltaics. Each year, the submissions act as a trend barometer for the industry. This year's applicants have highlighted the entire range of potential solar energy applications. 2016 also brings with it an Intersolar AWARD debut. For the first time, winners will also be selected in the category of Outstanding Solar Projects. The winners of the coveted award will be announced this Wednesday at 4:30pm at the Innovation and Application Forum (hall A2, booth A2.530), where visitors have until 3:45pm to see the finalists present their products and projects. Highlights of the exhibition forums Thursday's focus will be on the operation & maintenance of PV installations and see SolarPower Europe present its corresponding Operation and Maintenance Guidelines (room B12 accessed through hall B1 - for media representatives). Visitors can also learn about the topic at the Innovation and Application Forum starting at 10:30am. Following the tremendous success enjoyed in 2015, the Off-Grid Power Forum will also take place this year, featuring interesting presentations and discussions surrounding off-grid energy supply in developing and emerging countries. From financing through energy supply on islands to storage, the three exhibition days will shed insights into essential topics relating to off-grid energy supply. Intersolar Europe Conference The Intersolar Europe Conference has been running at the ICM - Internationales Congress Center Munchen since June 21. The conference picks up and consolidates the topics of the exhibition, shedding light on the latest trends, state-of-the-art applications and the future of international markets. The main topics discussed yesterday were financing, the operation and maintenance of PV installations and the presentation of different PV regions. This Wednesday, the conference will once again shine the spotlight on financing models, digital networking and smart renewable energy. Parallel event - ees Europe This year, ees Europe, the continent's largest exhibition for batteries and energy storage systems, is taking place in parallel to Intersolar Europe for the third time. Here, 213 battery and energy storage manufacturers are set to showcase their products and services - representing an increase of 35% compared with last year. Together with Intersolar Europe, which takes place at the same time, an impressive 369 of the total 1,077 exhibitors are presenting energy storage solutions. The growing significance of this topic is showing no signs of abating, since as the proportion of electricity generated from renewable sources continues to increase, so too does the need for energy storage devices to absorb peaks in production and relieve the load on the power grid. The special exhibit Wind meets Solar and Storage (hall B2, booth B2.131) looks at how an intelligent interplay of PV installations, wind turbines and energy storage systems can shape the future of our energy supply, while the special exhibit entitled E-Mobility & Renewable Energy (hall B1, booth 190) highlights the role of electric cars in the future power grid. Intersolar Europe 2016 takes place from June 22-24, 2016 at Messe Munchen. Further information on Intersolar Europe can be found at http://www.intersolar.de/en Partners of Intersolar Europe Intersolar Europe is supported by the leading solar industry associations: the German Solar Association (BSW-Solar) as an exclusive partner, the German Solar Energy Society (DGS), SolarPower Europe (formerly EPIA), the European Solar Thermal Industry Federation (ESTIF), the International Solar Energy Society (ISES), SEMI (Europe), and the platform for photovoltaic production equipment within the German Engineering Association (VDMA-PV). About Intersolar With events spanning four continents, Intersolar is the world's leading exhibition series for the solar industry and its partners. It unites people and companies from around the world with the aim of increasing the share of solar power in our energy supply. Intersolar Europe is the world's leading exhibition for the solar industry and its partners. It takes place annually at the Messe Munchen exhibition center in Munich, Germany and focuses on the areas of photovoltaics, energy storage and renewable heating, as well as on products and solutions for smart renewable energy. The accompanying Intersolar Europe Conference consolidates selected exhibition topics and showcases international markets, financing and pioneering technologies. Since being founded, Intersolar Europe has become the most important industry platform for manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, service providers and partners in the global solar industry. With 25 years of experience, Intersolar has the unique ability to bring together members of the solar industry from across the world's most influential markets. Intersolar exhibitions and conferences are held in Munich, San Francisco, Mumbai, Sao Paulo and Dubai. These global events are complemented by the Intersolar Summits, which take place in emerging and growing solar markets worldwide. In 2016, ees Europe, Europe's Largest Exhibition for Batteries and Energy Storage Systems, takes place in parallel to Intersolar Europe for the third time. Together with the accompanying ees Europe Conference, the exhibition covers the entire value chain of innovative battery and energy storage technologies. For more information on Intersolar Europe, please visit: http://www.intersolar.de/en Intersolar Europe is organized by Solar Promotion GmbH, Pforzheim and Freiburg Wirtschaft Touristik und Messe GmbH & Co. KG (FWTM). Contact: Solar Promotion GmbH | P.O. Box 100 170 | 75101 Pforzheim, Germany Horst Dufner | Tel.: +49-7231-58598-0 | Fax: +49-7231-58598-28 | [email protected] Press contact: fischerAppelt, relations | Infanteriestrae 11a | 80797 Munich, Germany Robert Schwarzenbock | Tel.: +49-89-747466-23 | Fax: +49-89-747466-66 | [email protected] SOURCE Intersolar Europe BOSTON, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Tivoli Audio releases limited edition portable Bluetooth radio that is as fun as it is functional. The PALBT Glo is a clear frosted LED illuminated version of the company's popular portable radio, the PALBT. "Light and sound are two traits that have been pleasuring our senses and illuminating our imagination for as long as we can remember, so we decided to mix these two traits together to create the PALBT Glo," says Paul DePasquale, VP of Development. The new take on the classic product doesn't stop with the LED lights, which are adjustable to set the right mood; they also added a leather carry strap to make the unit truly portable. "This is a perfect summertime item, which allows you to take your music whenever and wherever you want, and to share music with family and friends," says DePasquale. The limited edition PAL BT Glo will bring enjoyment to your summer days and nights. This clear frosted LED illuminated portable radio and Bluetooth speaker brightens any music listening experience and enhance the senses. Tivoli Audio is lighting up the summer with the limited edition PAL BT GLO, clear frosted LED illuminated portable radio and bluetooth speaker. The PALBT Glo will be a limited edition batch, only producing 5000 pieces worldwide, and each unit will be individually numbered. The PALBT Glo is the first product release we have seen from Tivoli Audio this year, as they are planning to announce a new series of products late summer of 2016. PALBT GLO Features Adjustable LED illumination provides just the right amount of light. Portability built right in with a leather carry handle and up to 10 hours of play back via the included NiMH battery pack Switch it on and wirelessly connect via Bluetooth to start playing without complicated set up. AM/FM analog tuner, Bluetooth streaming, and Auxiliary input so you can play music from any source Weather-resistant housing to stand up to any environment Exceptional sound from 2.5" treated full range long-throw driver Pricing and Availability The PALBT Glo will be available June 2016 from Tivoli Audio (www.tivoliaudio.com) for $199.99. For more information regarding Tivoli Audio, visit tivoliaudio.com Video - http://origin-qps.onstreammedia.com/origin/multivu_archive/PRNA/ENR/Tivoli-Audio-video.mp4 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160621/381947 SOURCE Tivoli Audio Related Links https://www.tivoliaudio.com MISGAV, Israel, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Trendlines Group Ltd. (SGX:42T, OTC: TRNLY), a leading Israeli company focused on innovation commercialization, announced today that its 26.5%-owned associated company, E.T.View Medical Ltd. (TASE: ETVW), has signed a definitive agreement for its sale to Ambu A/S (CPH: AMBU-B), a Danish medical device company. E.T.View Medical Ltd. ("E.T.View") develops and manufactures a portfolio of products that provide continuous visualization and ventilation of the airway during thoracic surgical procedures. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151125/290970LOGO ) According to the agreement, Ambu A/S ("Ambu") will acquire E.T.View in a "reverse triangular merger" valued at US$16 million, less about US$3.4 million in transaction costs, employee bonuses, and the assumption of certain debts, liabilities and expenses. Following the sale, E.T.View will be delisted from the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange and will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Ambu. The Board of Directors of E.T.View unamiously approved the agreement on 21 June 2016. The fair value of The Trendlines Group's holdings in E.T.View was approximately US$1.3 million as at 31 March 2016. Trendlines estimates that it will receive net proceeds of approximately US$3.3 million resulting in a pre-tax gain from the sale of approximately US$2.0 million. Commenting on the sale, Trendlines Chairman and CEO Todd Dollinger, who also serves as Chairman of E.T.View, said, "Through the intensive work of E.T.View's staff, with the support of the Trendlines team, E.T.View has become a global leader in lung isolation airway management with sales in North America, South America, Europe, Asia and Africa. Ambu's proposed acquisition of E.T.View recognizes the importance of E.T.View's innovative technology for thoracic surgeons and anesthesiologists. We are very pleased to to place E.T.View in Ambu's hands and expect tremendous growth under Ambu to the benefit of patients and the medical community." Commenting on the significance of the transaction to The Trendlines Group, Mr. Dollinger added, "The sale of E.T.View marks the first exit that Trendlines has completed since listing on Singapore Stock Exchange (SGX) on 26 November 2015. Trendlines is committed to supporting the growth of its portfolio companies and realizing the value of its portfolio companies at appropriate times." The Trendlines Group, listed on the Singapore Stock Exchange (SGX:42T) and with an ADR program in the U.S. (OTC:TRNLY), is an innovation commercialization company that invents, discovers, invests in, and incubates innovation-based medical and agricultural technologies to fulfill its mission to improve the human condition. As intensely hands-on investors, Trendlines is involved in all aspects of its portfolio companies from technology development through business building. Forward-looking statements This press release may contain statements that constitute forward-looking statements which involve risks and uncertainties. These statements include descriptions regarding the intent, belief or current expectations of the Company or its officers with respect to the results of business operations and financial condition, industry, environment and future events and plans of the Company. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results, performance or achievements. Actual results, performance or achievements of the Company may differ from those expressed in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors and assumptions, such as known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including those risk factors discussed in our Offer Document dated 16 November 2015 and in our other filings with the SGXNET. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties because they relate to events and depend on circumstances that may or may not occur in the future. In light of these risks and uncertainties, actual events, results and developments could differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Reliance should not be placed on these forward-looking statements, which reflect the view of the Company or its officers as of the date of this presentation only. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any of the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. For more investor information, contact: Judith Kleinman, Director Investor Relations & Corporate Communications, [email protected] SOURCE The Trendlines Group Ltd. ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of its continued commitment to give back to the community, Valpak is proud to announce the winner of its first annual Rock the Block Contest: Congratulations to Theresa LaMoria of Stockton, Kansas! The grand prize is an all-inclusive neighborhood block party for her and 100 of her closest friends. This is the first year of the national contest that will now take place every year as one of Valpak's latest initiatives to give back to communities across America. The goal of sponsoring a neighborhood block party is to help support neighbors getting to know one another and to strengthen community ties, reinforcing Valpak's long-standing tradition of helping neighborhoods thrive. "Neighborhoods are at the center of everything we do here at Valpak," said Lisa Sullivan, vice president of marketing at Valpak. "We are the people who live and work in your community so we truly understand the importance of unity among neighbors. This is why we could not be more excited to bring a block party to such a deserving mother who has worked so hard to achieve her dreams and to such a deserving neighborhood!" LaMoria and her two children, ages 8 and 15, who relocated from Tucson, AZ to the small Kansas farm town 10 years ago to fulfill her dreams of owning a home where she could raise her kids. After searching online, she immediately fell in love with an old farmhouse listed for an affordable $18,000. So, she and her kids packed up and headed to the Midwest. She has since taken her dream one step further and opened her own small business, called The Enchanted Cottage. "This town turned out to be a piece of heaven. It was like stepping back in time," said LaMoria. "As soon as I moved in, I had neighbors showing up with pies. People are friendly, honest and trustworthy here. No one locks their cars or homes, nor are there any locks on any of the kid's bikes or lockers down at the school. No one steals anything. Neighbors help neighbors. I am so thankful that Valpak has given me the opportunity to express my gratitude to my community with this block party." LaMoria was one of over 2,000 essay submissions received last fall when the contest was first announced on Valpak envelopes, valpak.com and via social media. Submissions required an original essay detailing what makes their neighborhood awesome and why they wanted to throw a block party. Before the winner was selected, a random drawing was held to narrow entries down to 50 finalists. Then, a grand prize winner was selected based on creativity, originality, relevance and overall impression. The grand prize, valued at over $9,000, was planned with a theme of the winner's choice, and Valpak will cover all event costs, including: event venue; band/DJ; food; drinks; and decor. The block party will be held from 5 p.m. until midnight on Saturday, June 25. For more information, visit Valpak.com/party to prep, plan and clean up after your next party, plus details on how you could rock your block this year, too! About Valpak Based in St. Petersburg, FL, Valpak is one of the leading direct marketing companies in the U.S. and Canada. We provide print and digital advertising through a network of 160 local franchises. From mailbox to mobile phone, Valpak brings exciting local business offers and opportunities to millions of consumers. Each month, our well-known Blue Envelope of savings is mailed to about 39 million demographically targeted households in 45 states and in four Canadian provinces. Our digital suite of products, including valpak.com, reaches more than 110 million users. Founded in 1968, Valpak is owned by Cox Target Media, a subsidiary of Cox Media Group in Atlanta. CONTACT: Samantha Rego Valpak 727-399-3139 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20080107/CLM009LOGO-b SOURCE Valpak SAN DIEGO, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- ViaCyte, Inc., a privately-held regenerative medicine company with the first pluripotent stem cell-derived islet replacement therapy for the treatment of diabetes in clinical-stage development, today announced two presentations at ISSCR 2016 Annual Meeting. ISSCR 2016, the Global Stem Cell Event, is taking place June 22nd to 25th at Moscone West in San Francisco. Details of the presentations are as follows: Event: Focus Session: Tools for Basic and Applied Stem Cell Biology - Panel discussion on pluripotent stem cell-based therapies Speaker: Dr. Kevin D'Amour, Vice President, Research, and Chief Scientific Officer Date/Time: June 22, 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. PDT Poster: In vitro generation of insulin producing cells with insulin secretion kinetics and mitochondrial respiration similar to adult human islets [Poster T2190] Speaker: Dr. Alireza Rezania, Senior Director, Discovery Date/Time: June 23, 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., PDT The work on insulin-producing cells with characteristics of mature human beta cells that is being reported in the poster presentation originated within the Janssen BetaLogics group. In February 2016, the assets of the Janssen BetaLogics group were consolidated into ViaCyte. "The results being presented at ISSCR demonstrate the continued progress we are making towards the development of important new treatments for insulin-dependent diabetes," said Paul Laikind, PhD, President and CEO of ViaCyte. "In particular, Dr. Rezania, who joined us as part of the BetaLogics asset consolidation, is reporting on advances that further bolster our leadership position in the field of stem cell-derived cell replacement therapy." For more information about ViaCyte's participation in industry events, please visit: http://viacyte.com/news-events-2/viactye-events/ About ViaCyte ViaCyte is a privately-held regenerative medicine company developing novel cell replacement therapies as potential long-term diabetes treatments to reduce the risk of hypoglycemia and diabetes-related complications. ViaCyte's product candidates are based on the derivation of pancreatic progenitor cells, which are then implanted in a durable and retrievable encapsulation device. Once implanted and matured, these cells are designed to secrete insulin and other regulatory factors in response to blood glucose levels. ViaCyte has two products in development. PEC-Direct product candidate delivers the pancreatic progenitor cells in a non-immunoprotective device and is being developed for type 1 diabetes patients that have severe hypoglycemic episodes, extreme glycemic lability, and/or impaired awareness of hypoglycemia. The PEC-EnCap (formerly VC-01) product candidate delivers pancreatic progenitor cells in an immunoprotective device and is currently being evaluated in a Phase 1/2 trial in patients with type 1 diabetes who have minimal to no insulin-producing beta cell function. ViaCyte is headquartered in San Diego, California with additional operations in Athens, Georgia. The Company is funded in part by the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) and JDRF. For more information on the clinical trial, called STEP ONE, please visit https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02239354. For more information on ViaCyte, please visit www.viacyte.com and connect with ViaCyte here: www.twitter.com/viacyte and www.facebook.com/viacyte. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121026/LA00871LOGO-a SOURCE ViaCyte, Inc. Related Links http://www.viacyte.com ASPEN, Colo., June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of State John Kerry, Attorney General Loretta Lynch, Former Governor Mitt Romney, Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Matthews Burwell, National Security Advisor Susan Rice, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, and Facebook CPO Chris Cox, are among the more than 300 speakers to join the 2016 Aspen Ideas Festival and Spotlight Health, which runs from June 23-July 2. At this pivotal juncture in US and global politics-- an unprecedented presidential election, a possible "Brexit," new terror threats at home as order in the Middle East continues to crumble-- the leaders and decision-makers at the center of it all will engage in candid conversations on the most pressing issues of the day. Spotlight Health kicks off June 23 and will feature conversations on the cutting-edge health issues of our times. The Festival begins June 26 and will feature ten topic tracks, diving into such areas as the 2016 elections, national security, reimagining capitalism, crime and punishment, sex in America, the future of food, and the changing landscape of higher education. A complete agenda for both is available at AspenIdeas.org. A limited number of press passes are still available. To apply, please fill out the form here: http://www.aspenideas.org/festival/press. To inquire about video coverage, please be in touch with Douglas Farrar by email at [email protected] For those not able to attend in person, there are a variety of ways to join in on the Aspen Ideas Festival conversation online. A feature of this year's Festival, The Atlantic and the Aspen Institute will host daily interactive Facebook Live discussions with many of the Festival's most interesting speakers. Other ways to engage with the Festival include: Twitter : Follow @AspenIdeas and @Atlantic_LIVE, and tweet your thoughts using #SpotlightHealth and #AspenIdeas. (Spotlight Health will run from June 23-26 and the Aspen Ideas Festival will take place June 26-July 2 .) : Follow @AspenIdeas and @Atlantic_LIVE, and tweet your thoughts using #SpotlightHealth and #AspenIdeas. (Spotlight Health will run from and the Aspen Ideas Festival will take place .) Facebook : Like us at Facebook.com/AspenIdeas and Facebook.com/TheAtlantic, and follow Facebook.com/AtlanticLIVE and Facebook.com/AspenInstitute. : Like us at Facebook.com/AspenIdeas and Facebook.com/TheAtlantic, and follow Facebook.com/AtlanticLIVE and Facebook.com/AspenInstitute. Instagram : See our behind-the-scenes photos and videos, plus show us your point of view using #SpotlightHealth and #AspenIdeas. Instagram.com/AspenInstitute and Instagram.com/AtlanticLive : See our behind-the-scenes photos and videos, plus show us your point of view using #SpotlightHealth and #AspenIdeas. Instagram.com/AspenInstitute and Instagram.com/AtlanticLive Snapchat : Find us on Snapchat at "aspeninstitute" and check out behind-the-scenes, exclusive video content : Find us on Snapchat at "aspeninstitute" and check out behind-the-scenes, exclusive video content YouTube : Subscribe to watch highlights from your favorite discussions or catch full sessions you missed. YouTube.com/AspenInstitute and YouTube.com/AtlanticLIVEvideo : Subscribe to watch highlights from your favorite discussions or catch full sessions you missed. YouTube.com/AspenInstitute and YouTube.com/AtlanticLIVEvideo LinkedIn : Get advice from speakers, hear from leading Institute experts, and more on the official LinkedIn Aspen Ideas Festival channel: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/channel/aspenideas : Get advice from speakers, hear from leading Institute experts, and more on the official LinkedIn Aspen Ideas Festival channel: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/channel/aspenideas Reddit : Ask our speakers anything during our AMAs with Festival speakers. Look for notifications of AMAs on twitter @AspenIdeas : Ask our speakers anything during our AMAs with Festival speakers. Look for notifications of AMAs on twitter @AspenIdeas Periscope : Follow the Aspen Institute and Atlantic Live for behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with speakers throughout the week by downloading the Periscope app on your mobile device. : Follow the Aspen Institute and Atlantic Live for behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with speakers throughout the week by downloading the Periscope app on your mobile device. Podcasts: Listen to memorable moments from the Festival with the Aspen Ideas To Go podcast. http://as.pn/ideastogo Listen to memorable moments from the Festival with the Aspen Ideas To Go podcast. http://as.pn/ideastogo Websites: Video, audio, and transcripts from Aspen Ideas can be viewed at www.aspenideas.org and select sessions will also be made available on www.theatlantic.com/live. Throughout Spotlight Health and the Aspen Ideas Festival, The Atlantic's reporters will be providing insight and analysis of Festival topics, ideas, and speakers in its annual "Ideas Report" at TheAtlantic.com. Copies of The Atlantic's new July/August 2016 magazine issue, online now, will be available throughout the campus. The issue is led by the cover story, "How American Politics Went Insane," an exploration into the upheaval of U.S. politics. Other media outlets currently planning to report and present from the Festival include the following (watch for local listings and airtimes): CNBC's "Closing Bell," Bloomberg TV, PBS's "Point Taken" with Carlos Watson, Sirius XM's "Stand Up! with Pete Dominick" on channel 121, "The Perri Peltz Show" on channel 109, and "Aspen Institute Radio" on channel 121, CCTV America, Minnesota Public Radio, and Aspen Public Radio. Presenting underwriters for the 2016 Aspen Ideas Festival are Allstate, Booz Allen Hamilton, Comcast NBCUniversal, Mount Sinai Health System, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Southern Company, Toyota, U.S. Trust, Bank of America Private Wealth Management, and Walton Family Foundation. Supporting Level underwriters are the American Federation of Teachers, Consumer Reports, EY, Monsanto, Pearson and the Rockefeller Foundation. PBS is a Contributing Level underwriter. Additional support provided by Microsoft and The Wonderful Company. Presenting underwriters for Spotlight Health 2016 are Booz Allen Hamilton, Mount Sinai Health System, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the SCAN Foundation and Welltower. Supporting underwriters include the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Children's National Health System, and Consumer Reports. American Osteopathic Association, Annenberg Center for Health Sciences, Bristol-Myers Squibb, CDC Foundation, Pfizer, the Rockefeller Foundation and Truth Initiative are contributing underwriters. About The Atlantic Founded in 1857 and today one of the fastest growing media platforms in the industry, The Atlantic has throughout its history championed the power of big ideas and continues to shape global debate across print, digital, events, and video platforms. With its award-winning digital presence TheAtlantic.com and CityLab.com on cities around the world, The Atlantic is a multimedia forum on the most critical issues of our timesfrom politics, business, urban affairs, and the economy, to technology, arts, and culture. The Atlantic is the 2016 National Magazine of the Year. Bob Cohn is President of The Atlantic. About the Aspen Institute The Aspen Institute is an educational and policy studies organization based in Washington, DC. Its mission is to foster leadership based on enduring values and to provide a nonpartisan venue for dealing with critical issues. The Institute is based in Washington, DC; Aspen, Colorado; and on the Wye River on Maryland's Eastern Shore. It also has offices in New York City and an international network of partners. For more information, visit www.aspeninstitute.org. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130417/DC96489LOGO SOURCE The Aspen Institute Related Links http://www.aspeninstitute.org NEW YORK, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Zandre Campos, CEO of Angola Capital Investments (ACI), a leading international investment firm headquartered in Angola, announced a major investment through one of their major holding companies Bluoshen, in Hotel Casa Rosa. Located in Benguela, Angola, the hotel officially opened in February 2016 and offers guests the opportunity to experience Angola. Zandre Campos announces Casa Rosa The hotel currently has accommodations of 20 suites including a presidential suite. It boasts amenities that include a swimming pool, barbecue, kitchen, fishing equipment, a covered parking area, bicycles, and free Wi-Fi. The hotel is closely located to The Blue Bay Beach and Chimalavera Regional Park, both known for their blue waters and ideal conditions for relaxation and outdoor activities. "This investment comes at a time that is crucial to developing diverse economic opportunities in Angola," said Zandre Campos, CEO of ACI. "As the seventh largest country in Africa with more than 1,000 miles of beautiful beach coastline and other various climates and landscapes, Angola has great potential to develop its tourism sector." Casa Rosa is an iconic construction in Lobito, Benguela and is approximately a 7-hour drive or 1-hour flight from the capital of Luanda. The hotel is often frequented by state officials while visiting Angola and is located near several restaurants including Benamor, Restaurante Ferro Velho, and bodona. "Angola is an amazing country full of beautiful sights and wonderful experiences. Tourism is a an important investment so that more people can experience everything the country has to offer," added Mr. Campos. For more information on Hotel Casa Rosa, please visit: www.hotelcasarosalobito.co.ao About Angola Capital Investments Angola Capital Investments (ACI) is an international investment firm that invests in companies in the healthcare, technology, energy, transportation, hospitality, and real estate sectors throughout Africa. The mission of ACI is to create global value for developing countries in Africa, while contributing to their economic development. About Zandre Campos Zandre de Campos Finda is one of the great, innovative business leaders and global entrepreneurs emerging out of Africa. Currently, he is chairman and CEO of Angola Capital Investments (ACI), an international investment firm headquartered in Angola with holdings throughout Africa and Europe. Prior to founding ACI, Mr. Campos was CEO of Nazaki Oil & Gaz S.A. He has held the positions of CEO of the mobile phone company Movicel Telecommunications and an executive in the office of the president of SONAIR, S.A., a subsidiary of Sonangol, Angola's state-owned oil company that oversees oil and gas production. He began his career as a legal advisor with Sonangol Holdings. Mr. Campos also sits on the board of Sphera Bluoshen S.A., a subsidiary of Oshen Group and part of Sphera Global Healthcare. Sphera is committed to bringing high-quality healthcare services to nations around the globe with current activities in Angola, Morocco, and Rwanda. Sphera is dedicated to healthcare equality and accessibility. He is also a board member in Bluoshen S.A. and Boost - Communication & Strategy, S.A. and other organizations across the globe. Mr. Campos graduated from Lusiada University, Lisbon, with a degree in Law. Mr. Campos has dedicated his career to helping advance Angola and other developing nations. His work makes him one of the most socially forward and conscientious business leaders of our time. Through his entrepreneurial spirit and diverse business portfolio that is ever-expanding, Mr. Campos is creating thousands of new job opportunities and building stronger communities. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160622/382320 SOURCE Angola Capital Investments Related Links http://www.hotelcasarosalobito.co.ao The Document is a first step to launch national and European debates about how to better connect the scientific and policymaking communities. Kolkata, June 17 : Tea exports from India breached the 230 million kg mark after 35 years as the country exported 232.92 million kg of tea, valued at Rs 4,493.10 crore, in 2015-16, the Tea Board of India said on Friday. "Indian tea achieved another milestone during the financial year 2015-16 when it registered export figures of 232.92 million kgs valued at Rs 4,493.10 crore, breaching the 230 million kg mark after 35 years," the board said. The board said that the quantity of tea exports in 2015-16 increased by 33.84 million kg or, 17 per cent over the previous year, while in value terms, the increase is by Rs 669.46 crore or, 17.51 per cent. It said that India had exported 231.74 million kg in 1980-81. Prior to that, during 1976-77 and 1956-57, the country exported 242.42 and 233.09 million kg respectively. Increase of tea exports were registered mainly to Russia, Iran, Germany, Pakistan, Bangladesh, UAE and Poland. Tea production in India rose three per cent to 1,233.14 million kg during the last fiscal as compared to 1197.18 million kg produced in 2014-15. According to the Tea Board, the increase in production of tea was mainly due to increase in production in North India by 52.74 million kg (5.52 per cent). However, South India's production declined by 16.78 million kg (-6.95 per cent) due to adverse climatic conditions and labour issues in Kerala. The all-India production of tea estates increased by 1.62 per cent, while the production of the bought leaf factory (BLF) sector increased by 5.81 per cent, which indicates increase of small tea growers' share in production. About 33.85 per cent of the total tea production is being contributed by small growers. CTC tea production which constitutes 90.93 per cent of the total production was at 1121.35 million kg, increasing by 23.19 million kg compared to last year. Orthodox production constituting 7.51 per cent of total production stood at 92.60 million kg, increasing by 8.47 million kg as against last year. Green tea production constitutes 1.56 per cent and stood at 19.19 million kg, increasing by 4.30 million kg. The average price realisation and quantity sold at tea auctions throughout India also registered an increase of 8.05 per cent and 17.82 per cent respectively as compared to the last financial year. Cairo, June 18 : Former Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi was on Saturday handed down life imprisonment by a Cairo criminal court on charges of espionage. The sentencing of Morsi came during the final ruling in the trial of 11 people, including two Al Jazeera journalists, on leaking state secrets to Qatar. Morsi was sentenced to 15 years in prison by the Cairo court. The court also confirmed a ruling from May 7, when six of the defendants were sentenced to death. After that initial verdict, the court had to seek the advice of Egypt's Grand Mufti Shawqi Allam, the highest religious leader in the country, to be able to finalise the verdicts. Egyptian law requires the mufti to sign off on death sentences. His opinion is not binding but usually respected by courts. Those sentenced to death include Ibrahim Helal, former director of news at Al Jazeera's Arabic channel. He is not in Egypt and was tried in absentia. The others sentenced to death - political activist Ahmed Afifi, flight attendant Mohamed Kilani, and academic Ahmed Ismail - were in state custody. The verdicts can be appealed in Egypt's Court of Cassation. Steven Ellis, the director of advocacy and communications at International Press Institute told Al Jazeera that he was "disappointed" with the verdict but not entirely surprised "given the climate towards press freedom in Egypt". "We are extremely disappointed to hear this verdict and hope that Interpol and foreign governments, in the event that a warrant for extradition is issued, do not honour those warrants because this was a sham case that was politically motivated. There was extremely thin if any evidence tying these journalists to the alleged crimes that happened." Proscribed Muslim Brotherhood (MB)-backed Morsi was overthrown by the military in July 2013 after mass protests a year after he took office. Senior leaders in the MB and their followers have been sentenced to death in different cases since military leader Abdel Fattah el-Sisi overthrew Morsi's government. The Muslim Brotherhood, which has since been banned, has dismissed the sentences and other harsh verdicts as politically motivated. The Egyptian government has repeatedly said that the country's courts operate independently. New Delhi, June 19 : The Himalyan countries, including India, are likely to face an unprecedented food crisis unless they strengthen regional collaboration for the development of inclusive climate resilience in the region, experts have warned. The collaboration needs to be strengthened to address the food, water and energy issues in the Himalyan region, they say. "We need to work hard to make sure that mountain issues and their downstream linkages are well reflected in regional and global discussions. We need new knowledge in this area to guide us in the development of effective adaptation strategies in the region," said David Molden, Director General of International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), based in Kathmandu. He was speaking at the 'Knowledge Forum on Climate Resilient Development in Himalayan and Downstream Regions' in New Delhi, which concluded on Sunday. The event was jointly organised by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, ICIMOD, and New Delhi-based Institute of Economic Growth (IEG). The event brought together policy-makers, scientists and development practitioners from the Himalayan and downstream countries, including Bangladesh, China, India and Nepal. The challenge to food, water and energy security is immense in Himalyan region countries as more than 40 percent of the world's poor live there and about 51 per cent of their population is food-energy deficient. "Feeding more than 700 million people in the Himalyan region, about two-thirds of the world population, is something we need to think about very seriously," ICIMOD's livelihood expert Golam Rasul said. IEG Director Manoj Panda said regional collaboration is needed on knowledge in specific sectors and research on single issues. "Climate change is not uniform in the region and might be very diverse and the impact is more on low-income areas of all nations," Panda said. "Hill people have managed their resources in micro-watershed for centuries despite absence of appropriate administrative units in watersheds. We must communicate knowledge of the mountains and hills to downstream region," Indian Institute of Public Administration Director Tishyarakshit Chatterjee said. Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad, a leading economist of Bangladesh, said the region needs to build social capital institutionally and individually at the local, regional and national levels. "We need equity and equitable development that lets all men, women and children benefit equally," he said. Australia's High Commissioner to India Harinder Sidhu said her country is ready to share its experience and expertise in three Himalayan river basins of the Ganga, Indus and Brahmaputra to address the issue. Molden said he hoped that the region will one day have its own 'Himalayan Council', like the Arctic Council, a notion echoed by Ahmad and Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change Secretary Ajay Narayan Jha. Jammu, June 20 : Tension gripped a village in Jammu region's Poonch district on Monday as members of one community tried to prevent use of loudspeakers by the other community. Members of the majority Muslim community reportedly objected to the use of loudspeakers in a Hindu temple in Jhulas village. Police said youth led by a local woman tried to intervene physically to prevent the use of the loudspeaker by temple management, but their entry was resisted after which the members of the two communities started sloganeering against each other in the village. Attempts are ongoing to defuse the tension. Rio De Janeiro, June 22 : Rio 2016 organisers issued an apology on Tuesday after a jaguar that featured in an Olympic torch ceremony was shot dead in the Amazonian city of Manaus. The jaguar, which had earlier been tranquilised, was killed by a single gun shot from a soldier after it escaped from handlers, the Brazilian army said in a statement. The army said the soldier had been forced to shoot the animal to protect himself from being mauled, Xinhua reported. "We made a mistake in permitting the Olympic torch, a symbol of peace and unity, to be exhibited alongside a chained wild animal," Rio 2016 said 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." The jaguar, named Juma, was the real-life version of Brazil's Olympic team toy mascot, known as Ginga. Animal rights groups questioned why Juma was used in the ceremony. Moments before being fatally wounded, the animal featured in photographs alongside the Olympic torch while shackled by chains. "When will people (and institutions) stop with this sick need to show power and control by confining, taming and showcasing wild animals?" Brazilian animal rights group Animal Freedom Union said on Facebook. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the jaguar is an endangered species in the Americas. It's population has fallen by 30 per cent since the mid-1980s. Ipaam, Brazil's Amazonas state environmental authority, said it had launched an investigation in the incident. "No request was made to authorise the participation of the jaguar 'Juma' in the event of the Olympic torch," Ipaam said in a statement. Anantnag, June 22 : Voting for the by-elections to this south Kashmir assembly seat started Wednesday morning on a dull note. An overcast sky and the urge to sleep longer than usual after the morning prayers during the ongoing month of Ramadan kept most people indoors. Voters were seen in twos and fours walking leisurely towards the polling stations. Reports from the rural areas also said early voter enthusiasm and queues of people outside polling stations were conspicuous by their absence. Authorities, however, said voting was likely to pick up as the day progresses. Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti is contesting elections from Anantnag to enter the state legislature -- a mandatory requirement for any chief minister of the state to fulfil within six months of being sworn in. There are seven other candidates in the fray here including Hilal Ahmad Shah of the Congress and Iftikhar Hussain Misgar of the regional National Conference. The seat fell vacant due to the passing away of the former Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed who represented the constituency till his death on January 7. All separatist leaders and guerrilla outfits operating under the Muzaffarabad-based United Jehad Council (UJC) have asked people to boycott the polls. Voting started at 7 a.m. and will end at 6 p.m. Votes will be counted on June 25 and results announced the same day. Lucknow, June 22 : Over 40 persons were killed in the heavy rains and related incidents across Uttar Pradesh, an official said on Wednesday. Heavy rains accompanied by lightning hit many parts of the state on Tuesday. Officials said two dozen people were killed in the Varanasi and Azamgarh divisions while 11 died in Basti and Gorakhpur divisions. Three persons died in Kanpur after being struck by lightning and four people were killed in the Lucknow division, he further informed. Maximum casualties have been reported from Ballia (eight) followed by Ghazipur (six), Jaunpur (three), Mau (two), Sonbhadra (one). One person each was killed in Azamgarh, Chandauli and Varanasi. Three persons were struck by lightning at Bharwalia village in Siddharthanagar. Maharajganj reported one death, Deoria two persons and Kushinagar four. Officials said relief operations were undertaken by district administrations and that compensation as per laid down norms and rules in cases of death due to natural calamities will be paid to the families of those who have died. New Delhi : Even before the entry into force of the Paris climate agreement that saw global jubilation just six months ago, we are faced with the possible risk of exit by referendum from the pledge of an ambitious reduction in the emission of Green House Gases (GHGs). The United Kingdom, one of the 28 countries of the European Union (EU) that collectively pledged the ambitious reduction of at least 40 percent by 2030 compared to 1990, is holding a yes-no referendum on June 23 to determine if it wants to be part of the Union. Brexit, an exotic word coined by the media to describe "British exit", is likely to deal a huge blow to the carefully and successfully negotiated Paris agreement, turning the euphoria generated to EU-phobia. Brexit is making global headlines. Not only the British and European elite but world renowned politicians, heads of the state, Nobel laureate economists, the IMF chief, academia and media have written and opined about possible impact of Brexit. Such impact analysis has remained confined to the flow of immigrants, economic growth, employment potential, market, trade, foreign investment, EU regulations and constraints and Britain's global image. Many experts, including those from India, have analysed the impact of Brexit on their own countries. It is strange, and even inexplicable, that the impact of Brexit on the Paris deal and global warming has been minimal. The economic impact has been quantified by well-known consultancy agencies but not the climate impact. Even US President Barack Obama, who was in Britain on the day the world leaders gathered in New York to sign the Paris pact, campaigned against Brexit side-by-side with Prime Minister David Cameron. He highlighted the loss of trade opportunities and degradation of Britain's privileged global image. The media, that was ecstatic in reporting the deal, now focussed mainly on the adverse impact on Britain's energy access than on the climate deal. The British people, who will stamp on the yes-no ballot, are unclear on what happens to the Paris deal if Britain, the EU's second biggest GHG emitter, leaves. The referendum is taking place with scant regard to the future impact on the Paris deal, about which Cameron had said: "The whole world now signed-up to play its part in halting climate change. What is so special about this deal is that it puts the onus on every country to play its part." The issues of immigrants, trade and economic growth overshadow the impact of Brexit on climate change. Under the Paris agreement, all parties, including regional economic organizations like EU and their member states, each member state individually and the EU as a whole, will be responsible for the allocated emission level. Brexit would mean that EU, as well as Britain, has to notify its revised pledge. This would mean renewed consultations with the remaining 27 EU countries and a new exercise within Britain of determining its national contribution. Till now, 177 member states have signed the Paris agreement but only 17 have ratified it through their national legal process. Its entry into force will be when 55 Parties to the Convention, accounting for at least an estimated 55 per cent of the total GHG emissions, have ratified the Protocol. The 17 Parties - nearly all of them small island countries - that have ratified the pact represent only 0.04 percent of the total global GHG emissions. There is a long way to go before the Paris agreement enters into force and the legal implementation begins. China and the US together account for nearly 40 percent of global GHG emissions. The EU, which has a 10 percent share, is therefore key to making the Paris agreement work. The process of revising pledges is likely to delay this at a time when urgency and ambition to address climate change is of paramount importance. But the scenario after Brexit -- as of today the yes-no votes seem to be running neck-and-neck -- may be even more scary than just delay in operationalising the Paris agreement. Hard core conservationists, right wingers who are doggedly fighting with a fear-fuelled drive against immigration -- are not far from the likes of Australia's Tony Abbott or Canada's Stephen Harper, who had just walked out of the Kyoto Protocol -- 15 years after its implementation began. We also saw the dastardly personification of that extremism when British MP Joe Cox was murdered in broad daylight. Coxit had shown that Brexit could even be Climexit for the UK. Coming at the time when 14 of the last 15 years were the hottest in human history and May 2016 was the hottest month on records, Brexit would be the first and even fatal blow to the Paris agreement. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, towards the end of the Paris meeting on December 12, 2015, stated: "Today the world is united in the fight against climate change. Today the world gets a lifeline." Not sure if the world in united, but the UK is divided. And world indeed needs a lifeline -- if the referendum results into Brexit. (22.06.2016 - Rajendra Shende, an IIT-alumnus, is Chairman of the TERRE Policy Centre and a former Director of the UNEP. The views expressed are personal. He can be contacted at shende.rajendra@gmail.com ) New Delhi, June 22 : BJP leader Subramaniam Swamy on Wednesday targeted Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian and asked the government to "sack" him. In a series of tweets, Swamy wrote, "Who said to US Cong on 13/3/13 the US should act against India to defend US Pharmaceuticals interests? Arvind Subramanian MoF (Ministry of Finance)!! Sack him!" Subramanian had taken charge in October 2014 succeeding Raghuram Rajan. In another tweet, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said, "Guess who encouraged Congress to become rigid on GST clauses? Jaitely's economic adviser Arvind Subramanian of Washington DC." The Rajya Sabha MP also wondered why the core economic sectors could not perform in the two years rule of the Narendra Modi government and said: "Now PTs (Patriotic Tweeples) can understand why our core economic sectors could not perform last two years. Trojan horses galore in MoF/ Finance Institutions." "Was AS (Arvind Subramanian) deposing before US Congress Committee against India as a US citizen or Indian? Does any PT know?" Swamy had also criticised Rajan, accusing the RBI Governor of derailing the Indian economy by keeping the lending rates high. Rajan has decided to return to academics at the end of his term in September. Sriharikota (Andhra Pradesh), June 22 : The launch by India of satellites belonging to American companies Terra Bella - a Google company - and Planet Labs on Wednesday need not be an one-time affair, space agency officials said. "We are in discussions with Planet Labs and other companies for the launch of their satellites," S. Rakesh, Director, ISRO Propulsion Centre and Chairman-cum-Managing Director of Antrix Corporation told reporters here. Antrix Corporation is the commercial arm of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). On Wednesday, an Indian Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) put into orbit 20 satellites including Terra Bella's SkySat Gen2-1, twelve of the Planet Lab's Dove Satellites, each weighing 4.7 kg, and also the main cargo India's own Cartosat satellite. The 110 kg SkySat Gen2-1 belonging to Terra Bella, is a small earth imaging satellite capable of capturing sub-metre resolution imagery and high definition video. Both the companies have plans to launch a series of satellites. With the earth observation satellites going down in size globally, the ISRO has been reducing the size of its earth observation satellites, said A.S.Kiran Kumar, Chairman, ISRO. "We can't take the private company's approach. There has to be certain minimum requirements for our government needs," he added. Queried about ISRO five year plan for launch of satellites, Kumar said as per estimation around 70 satellites are needed to be put into orbit. Currently, there are 34 satellites in orbit comprising communication, earth observation, navigation and space science satellites. When asked about the need for a third launch pad to increase the launch frequency, Kumar said the space agency is building a new vehicle/rocket assembly building that would speed up the assembling of rockets. "Once the existing bottlenecks are removed and if there is a need for new facilities we will go for that," Kumar added. According to him, the next PSLV rocket will put into orbit a weather monitoring and forecasting satellite Scatsat. He said the South East Asian satellite built by India is likely to be launched between December 2016-March 2017. On India's plans to have a space station of its own, Kumar said it depends on the long term plan of ISRO, the funding received from the government and other aspects. Brussels, June 22 : Yoga is not just about physical exercise and it seeks to bring harmony in one's environment, Indian spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar told the European Parliament here. "Though yoga was born in the Indian sub-continent, it belongs to the world," the Art of Living founder told European Parliament members as well as European Union officials here on Tuesday. Ravi Shankar was speaking on the occasions of the International Yoga Day. "Is yoga only a physical exercise? No! Yoga is bringing rhythm in life," he said. "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." Participating members of the European Parliament included Geoffrey van Orden, Neena Gill, Jo Leinen, Nirj Deva, Jakob von Weizsaker and Cora van Neiuwenhuizen. Ravi Shankar later interacted with Parliament members, answering their questions and through a guided meditation at the Yehudi Menuhin Hall. Meanwhile, an Art of Living statement said millions from 156 countries joined the group in celebrating the second International Day of Yoga all over India on Tuesday. A month-long free yoga camps concluded in all major districts of the country, it said. Yoga sessions based on a common protocol were held in prisons, corporate offices (about 1,000 locations), on cargo ships, schools for specially-abled children, the India-Pakistan border, public parks and many different locations, the statement said. Ravi Shankar will also lead a series of public events on the importance and relevance of meditation in the cities of Washington, Boston, Columbus, Minnesota, San Francisco, Portland and Seattle, it said. New Delhi, June 22 : itel Mobile that entered India recently has broken into top 100 "Most Admired Brands in Africa" in 2015, the company said on Wednesday. Ranked 51st, itel was launched by China-based 'Transsion Holdings' with a focus on delivering cost effective and high-specification mobile devices. "Being named amongst the 'Most Admired Brands in Africa' highlights the difference we have made to the continent's consumers by bridging the technological gap between the urban and rural geographies," said Sudhir Kumar, CEO, itel Mobile India, in a statement. itel has sold more than 70 million handsets worldwide since its inception, and was previously ranked 72nd in the 2014 list of "Most Admired Brands in Africa". Transsion Holdings recently unveiled its flagship brand itel with three smartphones and three feature phones varients in India. The feature phones -- SmartSelfie, SmartPower and Shine series -- will be strategically priced below Rs.2,000 while smartphones SelfiePro, PowerPro and Wish series will be available at prices below Rs.10,000. Mumbai, June 22 : Actor Hrithik Roshan, whose "Mohenjo Daro" trailer has been lauded for its scale, is happy about getting a positive feedback for it from his fans. "We all have worked very hard on this film and so we were super excited to present our trailer to the audiences. My fans mean the world to me and getting a thumbs up from them is all I ever aim for," Hrithik said in a statement. The "Bang Bang!" star says he is "truly humbled with the response and all the lovely messages" that have come his way. Hrithik shines in the trailer as Sarman, an indigo farmer in search of his association with the town of Mohenjo Daro. His look and the attention given to the minute details like the skin tone and appearance have been appreciated by the audience. Produced by Siddharth Roy Kapur and Sunita Gowariker, "Mohenjo Daro" is directed by Ashutosh Gowariker and is slated to release on August 12. New Delhi, June 22 : India's cabinet on Wednesday approved a package for the textiles sector with measures such as tax sops and relaxation of labour laws, with a three-year target of 10 million more jobs, $30 billion additional exports and $11 billion fresh investment. The package was approved at a meeting of the cabinet presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which took note of India's falling share in the global textile exports to Bangladesh and Vietnam, yet with the potential to grab the market being ceded by China. Briefing reporters later, officials said the package includes full burden of provident fund on government, reduction in yearly working days for calculation of income tax rebate and additional subsidy for machinery under the amended technology upgradation fund scheme. As per official data, the textiles and apparel sector already contributes 14 per cent to India's factory output, 4 per cent to its GDP and 13 per cent, or nearly $40 billion, to exports. With 45 million people engaged in it, it is also among the largest sources of employment in the country. Officials said the new package was mainly aimed at women empowerment since they constitute 70 per cent of the workforce in the garment industry. This apart, the measures are labour-friendly and will create jobs and economies of scale and boost exports, they said Bhopal, June 22 : The Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan police have decided to join forces to combat inter-state border crime. This was decided at a border meeting held between the two forces in Mandsaur, in Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday. According to sources in the Police Headquarters, the meeting was attended by police superintendents from the districts of Neemuch, Ratlam and Mandsaur and from Rajasthan's Pratapgarh and Chittorgarh districts. The meeting focused on enhancing coordination between the inter-state border areas. Discussions also focused on tackling the inter-state drug mafia and alcohol peddling and organised gangs, and to strengthen the security of important religious places. They also focused on how to tackle rain-related problems. New Delhi, June 22 : The government has full confidence in its Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said on Wednesday. "The government has full confidence in Arvind Subramanian," Jaitley told the media, hours after BJP's Rajya Sabha member Subramanian Swamy asked the government to sack the Chief Economic Adviser. Earlier in a series of tweets, Swamy wrote: "Who said to US Cong on 13/3/13 the US should act against India to defend US pharmaceutical interests? Arvind Subramanian MoF (Ministry of Finance)!! Sack him!" However, Jaitley countered that demand. "Arvind Subramanian's advice to the government from time to time has been of great value. In fact, the presentation made on textile and garment sector is also prepared in active consultation with him," Jaitley said referring to a presentation made by Textile Secretary Rashmi Verma. The finance minister also made it clear that neither the Bharatiya Janata party nor the government shared Swamy's views. "The party has said it doesn't share Swamy's view. I will also add one more fact from the point of view of discipline of Indian politicians... to what extent should we attack those, the discipline and constraint of whose offices prevent them from responding and this has happened more than once," he said. New Delhi, June 22 : Prime Minister Narendra Modi leaves for Tashkent on Thursday to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit with India set to become a member of the China-led grouping. Modi is also to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines during which he is expected to take up India's membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit will be held in Tashkent from June 23-24. The decision on India's admission to the six-member bloc was taken last year at Ufa, Russia. Sujata Mehta, Secretary (West), Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), said that at the upcoming Summit, the process of India's accession to the SCO will start with a signature on the based document which is called the Memorandum of Obligations. The SCO is a regional grouping comprising China, Russia and four Central Asian Republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. At the summit, for the first time, the SCO will be expanded to accommodate new countries and make them permanent members of the group. Both India and Pakistan are to be made members. Afghanistan, Iran and Mongolia are observers at the SCO. Membership of the SCO will give a fillip to India's energy cooperation with the Central Asian members. "SCO is a major group in terms of countries that have huge potential in terms of energy. There is also a talk of an SCO energy club emerging," Mehta said. On the question of India's full-time membership to SCO, Mehta said: "There is a schedule laid down for us to sign up to the other documents that are required that India needs to accede to and this is a process for which there is a schedule. That will happen as the year goes by. "We have been in discussion with the SCO about the documents themselves that have to be signed. There is Memorandum of Obligation which is the base document, and there are more than 30 other documents that are required to be acceded to. They have to be gone through and reviewed. We basically commit to undertaking everything," she said. "When you join an international organisation you have to commit to implementing all the obligations that other members have undertaken till that point," she added. Apart from Jinping, Modi will also meet Russian President Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the summit. Asked if India's membership of the NSG will figure in the meeting with Jinping, Mehta said: "Yes there will be a meeting with the President of China. There will also be a meeting with the President of Russia and couple of others as well. On the issue of bilateral talks with Pakistan at the Summit, she said: "We don't have a formal communication on who is representing Pakistan at the summit." China had said on Wednesday that India's entry into the bloc was not on the agenda of the Seoul plenary as New Delhi is not a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). "Cooperation in the area of security is a part of the subject matter of the SCO. In fact there is a regional anti-terrorism mechanism that is formally established within the SCO and we too will be part of that," Mehta added. On February 14th, the Haitian National Assembly elected Jocelerme Privert as Haitis interim President, one week after former President Michel Martelly departed without a successor. Mr. Privert served as interim President for 120 days, but elections scheduled for April 24, following the February 5 Accord between Haitian stakeholders to preserve institutional continuity and further the electoral process, were not held. Mr. Priverts 120-day interim period ended June 14, and the United States and its international partners are calling on the National Assembly to take swift action and reach a solution to facilitate the return to constitutional order through the holding of elections and seating of a president-elect without further delay. In a statement issued June 15, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the other members of the international community in Haiti represented in the "Core Group" (the Ambassadors of Brazil, Canada, France, Spain, the United States of America, the European Union, and the Special Representative of the Organization of American States) expressed concern that no measures were taken to ensure institutional continuity beyond June 13 as provided for in the February 5 Accord, and called on the National Assembly to take action and reach a solution which avoids an institutional vacuum, and facilitate the return to constitutional order through the holding of elections without further delay. The statement also urged all actors, political parties, candidates and their supporters and others to maintain calm and to refrain from violence. The Provisional Electoral Councils decision to restart the presidential elections from the first round was a setback for Haitian democracy. It will increase time and resources needed to complete the 2015 electoral process and further delay installation of a constitutionally elected president. The Haitian people deserve to have their voices heard, not deferred. The United States regrets that the electoral process is extended yet again. For its part, the United States looks forward to the prompt seating of a democratically elected president who can work with the United States and with other partners to address the many challenges facing Haiti. Paris, June 22 : On the eve of the NSG plenary in Seoul, South Korea, France on Wednesday strongly supported India's bid for a membership in the bloc that controls global atomic trade and technology, saying New Delhi's inclusion "will bolster global efforts against (nuclear) proliferation". French Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that India's entry into atomic control regimes "will help better regulate the export of sensitive goods, whether they are nuclear, chemical, biological, ballistic or conventional materials or technologies". "In line with its active and long-standing support to India's entry to the NSG as a full-fledged member, France calls on its members, who are meeting on June 23 in Seoul, to take a positive decision." The statement said that India and France have been strategic partners since 1998 and "share common goals regarding the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems". The French support came even as China ruled out that India's application was on the NSG agenda at a June 23-24 meeting in the South Korean capital. Anantnag, June 22 : Polling in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag assembly constituency on Wednesday ended peacefully and nearly 34 per cent voter turned out was recorded as both men and women of the area came out to exercise their franchise. "Polling ended peacefully in Anantnag assembly constituency today where 33.84 per cent voter turnout was recorded against 40 per cent during the 2014 general elections," the state's Chief Electoral Officer Shantmanu said here. He said 117 polling stations had been set up in the constituency while 13 polling stations were installed outside the constituency for migrant voters. "Counting of votes will start at 8 a.m. at Degree College Anantnag on June 25", Shantmanu told reporters. When voting started at 7 a.m., fewer people lined up outside polling stations. A mere four per cent turnout was recorded during the first one hour. But the morning's shy trickle of voters gradually changed into small queues in rural areas even as the turnout in urban areas was still very low. Peace prevailed in the town and adjoining areas though militants and separatists had asked people not to vote. "Voting continued at all the polling stations smoothly through the day and there has been no militancy related incident anywhere," the official said. In both the urban and rural segments, women voters outnumbered men, the official said. At the Khanabal High School in Anantnag town, where two polling centres were set up, burqa clad women formed the bulk of voters. The story was the same at Rambirpora, Krangsoo, Kehribal and several other places. It seemed women were determined to defy the separatists' calls to boycott the elections. After Mehbooba Mufti was sworn-in as Jammu and Kashmir's first woman chief minister on April 4, it became mandatory for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader to become a member of either house of the bicameral legislature. Anantnag was represented in the 87-member Legislative Assembly by her late father and then Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed till he passed away on January 7 in New Delhi. Police and paramilitary forces were deployed in strength to prevent any untoward from interfering with the election process. The army was deployed in what is known as "area domination" duty in the periphery of the constituency to ensure an incident-free poll. There was a complete shutdown in Anantnag town following the boycott call. Wednesday was declared a public holiday in Anantnag constituency. Traffic on the Srinagar-Jammu highway, which passes through this town, moved normally. Movement of vehicles carrying tourists to the Pahalgam health resort was also normal. Mehbooba Mufti visited a number of polling stations. But she refused to speak to the media, at Rambirpora village, where journalists sought her comments, she said: "I will speak to you when I have something to say." There are seven other candidates in the fray, including Hilal Ahmad Shah of the Congress and Iftikhar Hussain Misgar of the National Conference. Speaking to IANS after voting, few people aired doubts about Mehbooba Mufti's victory. "We know she will not solve international issues but will definitely address unemployment, education, healthcare and give us better roads, and she will also empower women," said Shafeeqa Begum, 45. Shafeeqa, however, believes -- like many others -- that a narrow victory margin could dent Mehbooba Mufti's image as a popular chief minister whose PDP has its base in the south Kashmir districts of Anantnag, Pulwama, Shopian and Kulgam. The Muftis belong to the neighbouring Bijbehara town. Kolkata, June 22 : In a sudden development, Aveek Sarkar on Wednesday resigned as Editor of The Telegraph and Anandabazar Patrika and as Chief Editor of the ABP Group of Publications. His brother Arup Sarkar has taken over as the new Group Chief Editor, a top company official said. "Aveek Sarkar has resigned as Editor of The Telegraph and Anandabazar Patrika. Arup Sarkar has taken over as new Group Chief Editor," ABP Chief Executive Officer and Managing Editor Dipankar Das Purkayastha told IANS. Arup Sarkar was the Chief Editor (Bengali magazines) of the group. Anirban Chattopadhyay will be the new Editor of the largest circulated Bengali daily Anandabazar Patrika and the group's Bengali tabloid Ebela. R. Rajagopal is the new Editor of The Telegraph, said Purkayastha. Aveek Sarkar would now play an advisory role as Editor (Emeritus) and vice chairman of the company. The decisions were communicated to the employees in the form of a brief notIce signed by Purkayastha, that said the changes would come into effect immediately and were part of the "ongoing process of streamlining news operations". Both Chattopadhyay and Rajagopal would report to the new Group Chief Editor. "He (Aveek Sarkar) will be supporting the news operations of the group in an advisory role, but will continue to lead digital and other initiatives of the Group," said Purkayastha. The move comes in the backdrop of the group's strident opposition to Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee and her party during the recent assembly polls which she won comfortably. However, Purkayastha said there was no connect between Sarkar's decision and the Trinamool. "He is 71 years old and wants to give a chance to others. This is the succession programme which is being implemented," said Purkayastha. Aveek Sarkar, one of the most prominent personalities in the Indian publishing scene, was tutored by the legendary Harold Evans, then the editor of The Sunday Times. He was the moving force behind the transformation of the ABP Group from a regional house into a prominent national group and also led the group's entry into television. New Delhi, June 22 : After his no-holds barred attack on the RBI Governor, BJP MP Subramanian Swamy on Wednesday picked on a new target -- demanding the removal of Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian. However, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley came out in strong defence of the noted economist while the BJP distanced itself from Swamy's remarks. The Congress termed Swamy the 'undeclared spokesperson' of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and noted that Jaitley was the real target of Swamy as he wanted to be Finance Minister. Swamy had publicly attacked RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan, saying he was "mentally not fully Indian" and also written to the Prime Minister demanding that he be denied an extension. Last week, Rajan announced that he was not taking a second term. On Wednesday, Swamy created a flutter with his tweets demanding sacking of Subramanian. "Who said to US Cong on 13/3/13 the US should act against India to defend US Pharmaceuticals interests? Arvind Subramanian MoF (Ministry of Finance)!! Sack him!" "Guess who encouraged Congress to become rigid on GST clauses? Jaitley's economic adviser Arvind Subramanian of Washington DC." He also wondered why the core economic sectors could not perform in the two years rule of the Narendra Modi government and said: "Now PTs (Patriotic Tweeples) can understand why our core economic sectors could not perform last two years. Trojan horses galore in MoF/ Finance Institutions." "Was AS (Arvind Subramanian) deposing before US Congress Committee against India as a US citizen or Indian? Does any PT know?" Subramanian had taken charge as chief economic advisor to finance ministry in October 2014 succeeding Raghuram Rajan. Both the BJP and Jaitley sought to end any speculation over Swamy's fresh attack. "The government has full confidence in Arvind Subramanian," Jaitley said answering a query at a media briefing. "Arvind Subramanian's advice to the government from time to time has been of great value. In fact, the presentation made on textile and garment sector is also prepared in active consultation with him," Jaitley said. Jaitley went a step further and asked if politicians should attack officials who cannot respond to allegations. "The party has said it doesn't share Swamy's view. I will also add one more fact from the point of view of discipline of Indian politicians... to what extent should we attack those, the discipline and constraint of whose offices prevent them from responding and this has happened more than once," he said. Asked why the government did not defend the RBI governor when Swamy attacked him, Jaitley said: "The party (BJP) had distanced itself from the remark at that time as well." Jaitley, in response to another question, said it was for the BJP to decide if there should be any action against Swamy. BJP national secretary Shrikant Sharma said the party does not agree with Swamy. "It is his personal opinion and BJP doesn't have anything to do with this. We don't agree with it," Sharma said. Congress spokesperson P.L. Punia questioned Modi's silence over Swamy's remarks. "A nominated member of Rajya Sabha with BJP's backing has launched a scathing attack on the Chief Economic Advisor of the Prime Minister, Arvind Subramanian and has described him as an agent of US Pharma companies. But the Prime Minister has not uttered a word on this issue," he said. "Swamy has always attacked the political opponents and adversaries of the Prime Minister and Modi who has been speaking at length on various issues has never spoken on Swamy's statements. This shows that Subramanian Swamy is an unofficial spokesperson of Prime Minister Modi," Punia said, asserting that Swamy's attacks on people have suited Modi. "Swamy is doing all this because he wants to be the country's Finance Minister," Punia said insisting that the primary target of Swamy's attack is Jaitley. Congress leader Digvijaya Singh, in a tweet, also said that Swamy's target was Jaitley. "Subramanian Swamy now guns for Arvind Subramanian Economic Advisor to NDA. Target is Arun Jaitley not Arvind Subramanian," Singh tweeted. "Is Modi handing over Finance Ministry to Subramanian Swamy," he asked. Havana, June 23 : The Colombian government and the FARC guerrilla group announced on Wednesday they have reached a deal on a definitive bilateral ceasefire, marking a major step towards ending a half-century conflict. In a joint statement, they said they were committed to ending the civil war in the South American nation and this agreement would be a "historical announcement" for Colombia. The pact will be signed on Thursday in Havana by Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and Timoleon Jimenez, the top leader of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), the country' s biggest rebel group, Xinhua reported. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will witness the signing of the agreement, along with Cuban President Raul Castro, the statement said. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Chilean President Michelle Bachelet and Norwegian Foreign Minister Borge Brende will also be present at the signing ceremony, it added. Both sides in January tasked the United Nations with monitoring an eventual ceasefire and resolving disputes emerging from the expected demobilization of at least 7,000 armed rebels. Santos said earlier this week he hoped to ink a final deal by July 20, when Colombia celebrates its declaration of independence from Spain. Once a deal is reached, Colombians will hold a referendum on whether to endorse the agreements made in Cuba between the FARC rebels and the government. Negotiations that began in Havana in November 2012 have produced agreements on mechanisms for access to land for poor peasants, transforming the guerrillas to a political party, justice, counter narcotics, mine clearance and search for missing persons. Colombia's conflict has killed more than 220,000 people and displaced millions since 1964. Average private sector rents increased by 0.2% in the 12 months to May 2018 but are rising much faster in Edinburgh and the Lothians, up 3.1%, the latest index data shows. The average rent per calendar month is now 572 with the highest recorded in Edinburgh at 677 per month, according to the figures from the Scotland rental tracker report from Your Move. But other areas of the country are also seeing strong rental growth with the Highlands and Islands region recording an annual rise of 10.6%, taking the average rent 667 per calendar month, just 10 behind the capital. The report says that the main reason behind rising rents in the Highlands is that demand is outstripping supply. It suggests that potential buyers are moving to the Highlands with a try before you buy approach, initially renting before deciding to buy in popular areas like Elgin and Dingwall. In Inverness, rental growth is mainly attributed to the University of Highlands and Islands, and also an influx of doctors from Edinburgh and Aberdeen to Raigmore Hospital. With higher demand for available properties, this has led to rental yields increasing, particularly on two bedroom properties with parking spaces. At the other end of the scale, the East of Scotland continues to have the cheapest rents at 530, down 1.8% in the last year. The only other areas to see rents drop was the South of Scotland, where prices fell by 3.5% in the year to May to an average monthly rent of 547. The report also shows that yields for landlords are stable at an average of 4.7% in May, unchanged from April, and slightly higher than the 4.4% average in England and Wales. The only regions of England to post stronger returns than the Scottish average were the North East at 5% and the North West at 4.8%. Capital cities often attract people from all over the country and Scotland is no different. The lure of the big city has increased demand for properties in Edinburgh and rents have risen accordingly, said Brian Moran, lettings director of Your Move Scotland. He pointed out that Scotlands other big city, Glasgow, also recorded strong growth while more rural parts of Southern Scotland saw prices cool. Despite these changes, landlords across all areas of the country continue to see strong returns on their investment, he added. In early June, the U.S. Department of State announced the designation of the extremist group Yarmouk Martyrs Brigade, as a Foreign Terrorist Organization under Section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, and as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist entity under Executive Order 13224. This means that any assets belonging to the groups members or affiliates that are within U.S. reach are immediately frozen, and Yarmouk Martyrs Brigade is effectively locked out of the global financial network. No U.S. citizen or company may conduct business with this group, or any of its affiliates. Further, no U.S. entity or citizen may knowingly provide, or even attempt to provide, material support or resources to the Yarmouk Martyrs Brigade. The group formed four years ago in the south Syrian city of Deraa. Active primarily in southern Syria and along the countrys borders with Jordan and Israel, the Yarmouk Martyrs Brigade was responsible for a number of kidnappings, particularly targeting UN personnel. In March 2013, the group abducted 21 Filipino UN peacekeepers. Two months later, they kidnapped another four Filipino peacekeepers from the Golan Heights. For the first two or three years of its existence, the Yarmouk Martyrs Brigade teamed up with other groups, particularly the al-Nusrah Front, to conduct a series of operations. This includes the take-over of an air defense base, a number of military checkpoints and a border crossing near Deraa, which gave the Yarmouk Martyrs Brigade control of the border from Golan Heights to Jordan. In late 2015, the Yarmouk Martyrs Brigade had a falling out with al-Nusrah, and declared its allegiance to ISIL, also known as Daesh, which was eager to gain influence in southern Syria. The imposition of sanctions by the United States against terrorists is a powerful tool. Todays action serves notice to the U.S. public and the international community that the Yarmouk Martyrs Brigade is actively engaged in terrorism. By designating the Yarmouk Martyrs Brigade, the United States is taking a decisive step toward disrupting the groups ability to execute its deadly agendas. Momentum in global property leasing markets slowed moderately in the first quarter of 2016 as occupiers carefully reconsidered relocation and expansionary plans, the latest research shows. Overall leasing volumes were marginally lower, down 1% on a year on year basis but volumes in both Europe and Asia Pacific held up well, increasing by 14% and 7% respectively year on year. The data from international real estate company JLL also show that leasing volumes in the United States fell by 10% year on year to the lowest level since the global financial crisis as concerns over the economys stability grew. In the context of a weaker than expected first quarter, JLL has revised down its global projections for the full year and now forecast that 2016 leasing volumes will broadly match 2015 levels, with some upside potential of up to 5%. Asia Pacific is projected to outperform the other regions, with volumes growing by around 10% to 15% in 2016. The report says that a fear of a near term recession spooked many US tenants in the first quarter and, as a result, expansion plans were put on hold. Nevertheless, many corporates are still keen to move in order to accommodate record-level employment and changing workplace preferences. Overall leasing activity across the US was dominated by technology and financial services firms in the first quarter. Tech rich markets such as Seattle, Silicon Valley and Austin saw the strongest net absorption, with many of the largest technology companies like Facebook, LinkedIn, Microsoft and Oracle moving forward with expansion plans. Most telling of the current office market trends in the US, however, is the continued expansion of shared office space. WeWork and Regus were very active during the quarter, as were several smaller players. The first quarter saw a continued improvement in occupier market activity across most of Europe, with office leasing volumes totalling 2.65 million square metres, up 14% year on year and the strongest first quarter since 2011. Germany was again the star performer in Europe, with the combined first quarter take-up for its five largest markets 16% higher year on year and Berlin continues to be one of the key outperformers with volumes more than double the 10 year average, while Frankfurt, which has so far lagged the other key cities, experienced a strong start to the year. Leasing volumes in Paris during the first three months of the year increased by 19% compared with the first quarter of 2015 with the continued increase in occupier requirements and overall demand for office space pointing towards a more sustained market recovery, after a relatively lacklustre performance in 2013/2014. Meanwhile, office take-up in London increased by 2% year on year. However, there has been a dip in take-up in the City submarket, which is likely to continue into the second quarter of the year as space under offer has decreased over the last six months. Londons overall volumes for the full year 2016 are likely to be lower than the near record levels of 2015. The report also shows that Asian markets are holding up relatively well, but Australia had a weak quarter. Overall gross leasing activity was up 7% year on year in the region with the strongest leasing activity found in Bengaluru, Tokyo, Delhi and Manila. Bengaluru saw the highest leasing volumes in Asia Pacific and Tokyo saw good pre-commitments on upcoming supply. However, new leasing was down in Beijing and Shanghai, partly due to the timing of new supply and less available space. Otherwise, demand for office space in Chinas Tier 1 markets was largely sustained despite slowing growth in the countrys economy. But effects are being felt elsewhere in the region with the resources centric economies in some Australian cities suffering from Chinas slowdown. Australias leasing volumes dropped by 24% year on year with all markets down except Melbourne. Demand in Sydney remained healthy, underpinned by education and IT sectors but activity by the tech sector was less than a year earlier and this contributed to lower volumes. At a global level, 2016 is expected to represent the peak of the office development cycle with 16.8 million square metres of new deliveries anticipated. Current projections suggest that completions will then diminish to around 15.8 million square metres by 2018. JLL points out that these levels are still well below the previous development peaks of 2001 and 2008. The global office vacancy rate has edged up slightly for the first time since 2012, rising by 10 basis points to 12.2%. This is largely due to marginal increases in the Americas to 14.7% and Asia Pacific to 10.9%. Meanwhile the vacancy rate has continued its steady decline in Europe to 8.6%. The global office vacancy rate is expected to hover at around 12% for the remainder of the year, with falls in the US vacancy rate balanced by a modest rise in Asia Pacific to around 11.7%. Vacancy is expected to be broadly stable in Europe. Despite a slightly more subdued picture for global office demand during the first quarter, supply shortages and limited new deliveries have kept the leasing environment highly competitive in many of the worlds dominant office markets. Prime office rents across 26 major markets increased by 4.4% year on year in the first quarter of 2016, led by Dubai DIFC, Stockholm, Sydney, Hong Kong, Los Angeles and Shanghai. A pace of about 3% to 4% annual rental growth is expected to continue this year, led by Sydney. By contrast Singapore, Sao Paulo and Mexico City are projected to register further declines in 2016. US Coast Guard Helicopter at the Aviation Education and Career Expo This money is life changing to many students... ProJet Aviation will host the 11th annual Aviation Education & Career Expo on Friday, October 28th, 2016 at the Leesburg Executive Airport. More than 600 students, educators, and parents are expected to attend the Expo, which is designed to showcase exciting careers in aviation and aerospace to young adults (ages 16-22). This free event features keynote speakers, live demonstrations, and static displays with representatives from over 50 aviation organizations, including the US military, emergency medical airlift, law enforcement, maintenance and avionics repair, government agencies, private aviation, in-flight catering, and more. We will award over $137,000 in aviation education scholarships and flight training awards this year, said ProJet Aviation's Julie OBrien, Cofounder of the event. This money is life changing to many students. We rely completely on corporate funds and donations to make this day happen. In addition to ProJet Aviation, key sponsors include: The Hoxton Agency, Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association (AOPA), Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, USAIG, Shell Eastern Aviation, Liberty University, National Agricultural Aviation Association, Toth Financial, NATA, Women in Aviation, Aviation Institute of Maintenance, Paramount Business Jets, Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics, Air Culinaire, Aviation Adventures, Aviation Week, Averett University, Av-Ed Flight School, Avemco Insurance, Bowling Green State University, Frederick Flight Center, Harris Teeter, Community College of Baltimore County, Easy FBO, Open Air, GIF-E North America, GWBAA, Kansas State University, Marywood University, Paragon Detailing, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Sugarloaf and Old Dominion 99s, Vaughn College of Technology, and General Dynamics. The Aviation Education and Career Expo is a unique opportunity for students interested in the aviation/aerospace industry to explore numerous exciting career paths. This years line-up of guest speakers and demonstrators include: Tony Springer, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineer, NASA Heidi Moats, Air Safety Investigator, NTSB The US Air Force Honor Guard Drill Team K-9 Demonstration by Metro Washington Airport Authority Drone Demonstration by Caleb & James Mashburn National Agricultural Aviation Aerial Demonstration by Matt Crabbe Remote Control Aircraft Demonstration by Kwong Ko Registration for students and scholarship applications can be accessed through the event website http://www.aveducationexpo.com. About The Aviation Education & Career Expo The Aviation Education & Career Expo is one of the largest and most successful aviation education events in the United States, awarding hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships to high school students pursuing careers in the aviation and aerospace since its inception in 2005. Over 600 students attend the event each year, which features keynote presentations by industry leaders, static and live aviation demonstrations, and scholarship awards from universities, small businesses, and corporate sponsors. Cofounded by aviation professionals Julie OBrien and Sarah Thompson, the Expo is committed to helping high school and college level students explore the many career opportunities available to them through the world of flight. The Aviation Education & Career Expo is hosted by ProJet Aviation at Leesburg Executive Airport (KJYO), in Leesburg, VA. About ProJet Aviation ProJet Aviation is the DC metro region's premier aviation hospitality company, dedicated to helping people accomplish extraordinary things through the wonder of private flight. ProJets fully integrated services include aircraft management, worldwide charter, and flight support (FBO). The company operates ProJet Center FBO at Leesburg Executive Airport (KJYO), general aviations gateway to Washington DC, Dulles, and Virginia's Horse & Wine Country. Established in 2007 as a partnership between former airline pilot and entrepreneur Shye Gilad and noted entrepreneur and philanthropist Sheila C. Johnson, Founder & CEO of Salamander Hotels and Resorts, ProJet Aviation combines the operational integrity of the worlds best airlines with the refined service of a world-class resort. ProJet is a member of the Air Charter Safety Foundation (ACSF), holds an ARGUS safety rating, and is one of the few operators certified to conduct charter flights into Washington Reagan National Airport (KDCA). ProJets numerous accolades include recognition as a Washington Business Journals Best Place to Work, Loudoun County Chambers Service Business of the Year, and an Inc. 500/5000 Fastest Growing Company. Through the technology road map, we will help companies understand what technologies are most likely to impact their particular business and provide training guidance. The Quad Cities Manufacturing Innovation Hub (the Hub - http://www.quadcitieschamber.com/locate-start-grow/grow/manufacturing-innovation-hub), an initiative of the Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce, is beginning a new study which will result in a technology road map that will outline the regions strengths in manufacturing related technology, and propose which new technologies would be most beneficial for companies in the Quad Cities to adopt. The second study will produce a strategy to diversify the regions manufacturing supply chain. The Quad Cities Manufacturing Innovation Hub focuses in three areas helping manufacturers improve operations today, prepare for tomorrow, and grow in a sustained fashion that is receptive to new disruptive technologies, says Curt Burnett, Executive Director, Quad Cities Manufacturing Innovation Hub. Through the technology road map, we will help companies understand what technologies are most likely to impact their particular business and provide training guidance. In addition to charting a technology road map, the Chamber is also studying the regional supply chain and developing an industry diversification strategy. We want to know how dependent local suppliers are on the areas largest manufacturing firms, and then develop a strategy to help them diversify so that their revenues are based on a large number of customers. This will help regional suppliers be more resilient to changes in the economic climate, says Burnett. The Quad Cities Chamber and its consultants will work with regional manufacturers over the next six months to gather data. Following that, the data will be aggregated to provide a snapshot of the regions strengths and opportunities in technology, as well as areas for diversification. As the community conversation around Q2030: A Regional Action Plan continues to take shape, the Chamber is deep in the work of advancing a prosperous economy one of the core pillars of Q2030, says Tara Barney, President and CEO, Quad Cities Chamber. The Quad Cities Manufacturing Innovation Hub is a big part of this work; its our strategy to ensure that the regions largest industry sector stays competitive and diversified, and that the Quad Cities maintains its reputation as leading location in the manufacturing industry. In December 2015, the Quad Cities Chamber partnered with the University of Illinois to receive a $5.5 million grant from the Department of Defense (DoD) to support economic revitalization in Illinois and the bi-state Quad cities region. The supply chain mapping is part of the initial phase of the project, involving a comprehensive data-collection initiative that will identify the full scope of defense assets across the state (http://www.quadcitieschamber.com/locate-start-grow/locate/targeted-growth-sectors/advanced-metals-and-materials), as well as industries that are part of the military supply chain, including manufacturers. The Quad Cities Chamber is a champion for business and community growth in the region. HydraWedge stops a 15,000 lb. truck racing at 50 mph in the ASTM crash test. It exceeds almost all competitor wedge specifications including fast cycle time, high cycle capacity for traffic control, and real-time breach detection and reporting. Government Security News (GSN) announced in June that HySecuritys HydraWedge SM50 won the Best Fencing, Gates, & Barriers award in their Airport, Seaport, & Border program. See http://gsnmagazine.com/node/46657?c=airport_aviation_security. The GSN program awards product innovations that defend against very serious national and international threats in land, sea and air, says lead judge Chuck Brooks. Its an impressive winners list of outstanding national and international leaders in new technologies and innovative security solutions in air, land and sea protection. HydraWedge SM50 won its first award this year in the Security Industry Association (SIA) New Product Showcase in April. It won in the Outdoor Perimeter Protection category. See SIA Awards at: http://www.iscwest.com/SIANPS/2016-Award-Winners/ HydraWedge SM50 is a next generation anti-terrorist vehicle barrier, unique for its extremely shallow, 9-inch reinforced concrete foundation, real-time perimeter breach reporting, and short, two-day installation. The next HydraWedge SM50s will be installed at a high security financial processing center in the northeast. Were grateful for the industry recognition of this breakthrough product, says HySecurity Marketing VP Richard Woltjer. We were convinced that we had a market winner when we introduced HydraWedge SM50 this year. It exceeds almost all competitor wedge specifications including fast cycle time, high cycle capacity for traffic control, real-time breach detection, and UPS battery backup. Its gratifying that security professionals have come to that conclusion independently. See product specification: http://bit.ly/HWSpecPR HydraWedge SM50 perfectly matches the perimeter protection demands of international airports, ports, borders, government agencies, military, petrochemical, server farms, and utilities. Get your free HydraWedge SM50 crash test poster while supplies last at: http://bit.ly/HWPosterPR1 HySecurity Gate Inc. (https://www.hysecurity.com) designs and manufactures premium and highest-reliability commercial, industrial and high security swing, slide, barrier arm and crash gate operators at their factory in Seattle, Washington. This equipment secures The United Nations, The Pentagon, most U.S. embassies, most U.S. International Airports, petrochemical facilities, utilities, data centers, and high security assets of every type. HySecurity provides access control point design and specification support to end users, specifiers, architects and engineers. For more information, contact HySecurity at 800-321-9947 or at sales(at)hysecurity(dot)com. 2016 Snow Industry Benchmark Report This is the fourth year weve completed the Snow Industry Benchmark Report. We do it because we want to help snow businesses identify trends that may impact their business. According to the recently released 2016 Snow Industry Benchmark Report, the 2015-16 snow season showed just how dependent a typical snow business is on the weather. Because nearly 40% of survey respondents experienced a 20+% decrease in snow events, 22% of survey respondents saw snow revenues decline by more than 20% year-over-year. These findings are reported in the 2016 Snow Industry Benchmark Report recently released by the snow removal software provider, HindSite Software. The report is the culmination of a month-long surveying effort and reflects the challenges and outlook expressed by more than 100 survey respondents who provide snow removal services. This is the fourth year weve completed the Snow Industry Benchmark Report, explains HindSites Marketing Manager, Chad Reinholz. We do it because we want to help snow businesses identify trends that may impact their business. Despite the decrease in revenue that many contractors experienced, profit margins remained healthy, with 27% of respondents reporting profit margins in excess of 30%. The lack of snow also hasnt dampened expected business investment. Two-thirds of respondents expect to increase spending on equipment in software in the next year, up 11% from last years findings. Increased litigation is another frustrating trend for many snow businesses. Last year, 81% of respondents didnt experience any slip and fall claims in the past year. That dropped to 65% this year. Even worse, the number of claims against the typical contractor has increased year-over-year as well. Among the other key findings: Government regulation is becoming a more pronounced threat to the typical snow business. Last year, just 3% of respondents indicated government regulation was the biggest threat to their business. Thats up to 14% this year. The use of GPS tracking has exploded in the past three years. 50% of respondents use GPS tracking software, nearly double what was reported in 2014. Its a must for a large business, with 70% of businesses with more than 10 employees using GPS software. Labor shortages are forcing more contractors to hire subcontractors, with 60% of respondents using subcontractors. Theyre also using more, with 35% using more than 5 subcontractors during a typical snow event. Though word of mouth is still the primary source of new customers for the typical snow removal business, digital marketing is starting to drive results. 23% of respondents selected either their website, email marketing, social media or their blog as the primary source for new business. Software makes snow businesses more profitable. Contractors who use field service software like HindSite are more than 10% more likely to experience profit margins in excess of 20% than those that dont. This years report also featured a new section dedicated to stories from four snow removal businesses. Ippolito Snow Services, Edenscape, LCS Landscapes and Belknap Landscapes are profiled in the report. The data in the report is great, explains Reinholz. But we wanted to introduce a human element to the benchmark report this year. As a result, weve created four snow removal contractor spotlights that combines with the data to tell an even better story about the snow industry. HindSite recently improved their Snow Event Manager to simplify subcontractor data management. The solution enables subcontractors to use a field app or a dedicated web portal to enter time records, snow depth information and more. In addition to faster invoicing, the solution streamlines subcontractor payment. The 2016 Snow Industry Benchmark Report is available for free at http://info.hindsitesoftware.com/en-us/2016-snow-industry-benchmark-report. About HindSite Software HindSite Software has helped contractors better manage and grow their business with field service software since 2001. Initially designed as irrigation software, HindSite today assists service businesses with scheduling and billing, contact and contract management (e.g. field service CRM), field data collection, and invoicing in QuickBooks and Sage50. This paperless field service management software has been proven to increase efficiency and organization, meaning greater profit potential with less administrative time. "We are thrilled to have such a distinguished financial leader joining our board," -- Neil Sterling, Founder and CEO of SRG Technology SRG Technology (SRGT) announces that Rich Johns, President and Chief Investment Officer of SouthOcean Capital Partners, has been elected to join SRGTs Board of Managers. We are thrilled to have such a distinguished financial leader joining our board, said SRGTs Founder and CEO Neil Sterling. Rich Johns has devoted his career to growing businesses that have had a positive impact on the world, and we look forward to learning from him. Johns has had a distinguished career. His current position at SouthOcean Capital Partners, a long established Fort Lauderdale, Fla. company, is active in real estate, hedge fund and private equity investments. Prior to SouthOcean, Johns previously held the position of Chief Investment Officer (CIO) of WLD Enterprises, Inc. where he allocated capital to a broad spectrum of investment opportunities. Before joining WLD in 2012, he served as CIO for eight years at an institutional-sized family office in Virginia with a heavy focus on alternative assets. Prior to that Johns worked as a consultant with McKinsey & Company in Washington D.C. Johns began his career as an officer onboard U.S. Navy Nuclear submarines. He received a BS in engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy, where he graduated with distinction; an MS in nuclear engineering from Pennsylvania State University; and an MBA with honors from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. Johns shares Sterlings enthusiasm. Being a part of a Board of Managers and company that strives to use innovation to make positive advancements in multiple business sectors is very exciting for me, Johns said. I look forward to working with all the members of the SRGT team and Board to push Blender to the forefront of all its markets. The entire Board of Managers and team is eager to welcome Johns to SRGT. The company is sure to benefit from his insights and gain from his experience. About SRG Technology Founded in 2007, SRG Technology developed Blender a suite of cutting-edge software solutions designed to drive performance improvements through enhanced data collection and analysis; personalized recommendations; and the creation of individualized action plans. SRG Technology is focused on elevating performance, increasing productivity and ultimately improving end-user outcomes in education with BlenderLearn; healthcare with TopCare powered by Blender; geo-positional security with BlenderRM; and consumer engagement and outreach with BlenderConnect. SRGT is poised to set the benchmark for innovative, disruptive technology solutions that elevate performance, increase productivity, and make a difference in our daily lives. The United States is committed to promoting sustainable development in the Americas, said U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in a speech to the Organization of American States. But he noted that this will only be possible if the fundamental pillars of "human rights, good governance, security development, and democracy" are upheld. Civil society across the Americas is critical to amplifying the voices of the governed and weaving an inclusive social fabric. That's why the decision to exclude civil society from OAS proceedings is very disappointing, said Secretary Kerry: "Transparency and citizen participation are, frankly, not optional within democracies, and they are not prerogatives of only a host government." The United States supports establishing a permanent, public, consultative role for civil society in future Summits of the Americas. The U.S. also supports protecting and advancing human rights in the Americas and is redoubling its commitment to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. There are some encouraging trends with respect to transparency and accountability in the Hemisphere. More and more citizens are saying no to corruption within their governments, and are working to increase openness, expose abuses, and hold leaders to a higher standard. To support anti-corruption measures, the United States will contribute more than $5 million to the OAS mission against corruption and impunity in Honduras. Like all people of the Americas, Venezuelans have the right to express their will in a peaceful and a democratic manner. The United States joins with Secretary General Luis Almagro and others in the international community in calling on the Venezuelan Government to release political prisoners, to respect freedom of expression and assembly, to alleviate shortages of food and medicine, and to honor the call for a fair and timely constitutional recall referendum. And in Haiti, the people deserve the chance to express their will and elect a president without further delay. The United States will continue to support a unified OAS as means of promoting a peaceful, prosperous, and inclusive hemisphere. ...the efficiencies and security of eWizPro made it a good fit for all sized properties. We are proud that it is in use in major Las Vegas casinos to small casinos throughout the US, Canada, and the Virgin Islands. When initially introduced, eWizPro represented the first major technology leap from the manual, labor-intensive fill/credit process that many casinos have used, and still use today. Customer need was the driving force behind our development of the eWizPro solution, said Jim Holtz, Data Financial, Inc. President and CEO. The need for a stand-alone fill and credit audit system strongly exists, and will for years to come. Customers have told us they are tired of machine jams, custom forms and lack of controls. The eWizPro product addresses all of these concerns at a very economical cost, Holtz said. Data Financial, Inc. earned approval from the Nevada Gaming Control Board for eWizPro in 2008 and has provided the system to casinos throughout the US. After introducing this solution, Holtz continued, we quickly realized the efficiencies and security of eWizPro made it a good fit for all sized properties. We are proud that it is in use in major Las Vegas casinos to small casinos throughout the US, Canada, and the Virgin Islands. The eWizPro hardware and software solution was designed and built to adhere to the strictest gaming security standards. Secure printers safeguard fill and credit receipts. Casino employees are required to log in to the system with a unique pin number. eWizPro prints two, logo-imprinted copies of the fill/credit slip for processing, while a third copy is printed and stored within the secure printer. All data is stored on the eWizPros internal hard drive, and can be exported to other applications and systems for review. System features include: Easy-to-Use Menus. A touch-screen display is used to enter fills and credits. The user-friendly screen replaces custom-imprinted forms and hand-written data entry. The system can be easily and quickly integrated into the casino environment. Security. The eWizPro was designed and built to adhere to the strictest gaming security standards. A custom locked journal printer safeguards fill and credit receipts, and casino staff members are required to log into the system with a unique PIN number. Advanced Auditing Functions. Built-in auditing functions improve accuracy and efficiency. Daily reports are generated automatically and specific transactions can be queried with ease. The paper and electronic audit trail relieve the tedious work of audit functions. For complete product specifications, to schedule a web demonstration, or request a trial, contact John Malaczynski at 1-800-334-8334 or email jmal(at)datafinancial(dot)com. About Data Financial, Inc. Founded in 1983, Data Financial, Inc. provides products, systems solutions, and custom software to gaming, banking and commercial customers. The company offers consultation, custom software, and a wide selection of casino products to the gaming industry. From integrated systems for table games processing and complex solutions for coin and currency handling, to game tables and playing cards, Data Financial, Inc. represents most major manufacturers and offers technical support throughout the United States. ExamFX and NAPA Announce E&O Partnership Offering a preferred E&O program along with the educational component provides a critical level of protection and knowledge for agents completing our courses. We are thrilled to be doing this program with NAPA. The National Association of Professional Agents (NAPA) is pleased to announce a partnership with ExamFX, the industry leader in online training for insurance licensing and securities exams. This partnership gives ExamFX customers access to a preferred risk Errors and Omissions (E&O) program specifically designed for newly licensed life and health insurance agents entering the industry. NAPA and ExamFX strive to educate insurance agents about the importance of E&O coverage, how to avoid claims and the reality of litigation in the insurance industry. ExamFX customers will enjoy exclusive pricing with rates starting at $29 per month for newly licensed agents.This E&O program offers comprehensive coverage options that meet the unique professional liability needs of insurance agents. The policy is a duty to defend contract underwritten by CNA rated A+ XV by A.M. Best. NAPAs fast online enrollment with simplified underwriting and instant certificate of insurance make it easy and affordable for newly licensed agents just starting out in the industry to get the professional liability protection they need, comments Senior Risk Consultant, Ted Baran. We are excited to provide a well-rounded, superior E&O product to ExamFX customers and further their risk management education. Mistakes and errors happen. Its the nature of the business. Offering a preferred E&O program along with the educational component provides a critical level of protection and knowledge for agents completing our courses. We are thrilled to be doing this program with a longtime supporter of the insurance agents like NAPA. says Executive Vice President of ExamFX, Chad Schimke. Since 1989, NAPA has been a trusted provider of professional liability insurance for financial and insurance professionals. Currently serving over 100,000 clients, NAPA has a unique understanding of the new and complex liability exposures facing financial and insurance professionals. To learn more about the NAPA E&O Insurance program for ExamFX customers, please visit http://www.napa-benefits.org/examfx/errors-and-omissions or call (800) 593-7657. About ExamFX: ExamFX helps insurance and financial services companies license their employees and is the industry leader in online training for insurance licensing and securities exams. As a nationally-approved education provider, our course content is constantly being updated to align with the ever-changing information presented in state exams. The very best. Fully open source. Actively maintained. Crazy fast capable and accurate. That's new @Suricata_IDS 3.1. The Open Information Security Foundation is pleased to release Suricata 3.1 to the community. This newest release of Suricata brings significant performance improvements including Hyperscan integration for Multi-Pattern Matcher, NETMAP usability enhancements, and simplifying rule grouping. Exciting improvements were also made Suricata's packet capture including of AF_PACKET support for tpacket-v3 (experimental) and NETMAP usability improvements, especially on FreeBSD. "The very best. Fully open source. Actively maintained. Crazy fast capable and accurate. That's new @Suricata_IDS 3.1," Michal Purzynski, Mozilla Corporation. Suricata is a high-performance Network IDS, IPS, and Network Security Monitoring engine; open source and owned by the community-run non-profit organization, The Open Information Security Foundation (OISF). Since 2009, OISF has relied on a dedicated community of volunteers and industry supporters that contribute time, feedback, and code to Suricata. The success of Suricata and OISF is a direct result of their commitment. To get Suricata 3.1 visit https://suricata-ids.org/download/. About OISF: The Open Information Security Foundation (OISF), led by world-class security experts, programmers and others dedicated to open source security technologies, is committed to open source security technologies and the communities that keep them thriving is unwavering. OISF welcomes participation from the community large and small through working groups, mailing lists, training events, and the annual Suricata User Conference. OISF is a U.S. 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Funding for OISF comes from the donations received from world-class security organizations committed to their mission. A list of these organizations is available at http://oisf.net/consortium-members/. With Patrick and Joyce joining the team we have in place, we look forward to producing the leading information resource for food and beverage processors. PMMI Media Group, a division of PMMI, the Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, recently welcomed two industry heavyweights to their growing roster of business-to-business media professionals. Patrick Young, the former Publisher of Food Engineering, and Joyce Fassl, the former Editor-in-Chief of Food Engineering, have joined the Chicago-based company to launch a new media brand called ProFood World. The new brand, debuting this summer, will cover news, innovations, products and technologies for the global food and beverage processing industry. Patrick Young brings over three decades of related experience to his new position. He has been with BNP Media for the past 15 years, most recently Publisher of BNPs Food Engineering Network, which includes Food Engineering, Food Master, Refrigerated & Frozen Foods, related websites and Food Engineerings Food Automation & Manufacturing Conference. Prior experience includes sales and sales management positions at McGraw-Hills Healthcare Information Group and the Chilton Company. In his new role as Publisher of ProFood World, Patrick will also work closely with PMMIs ProFood Tech team. ProFood Tech (April 4-6, 2017, Chicago) is a new food and beverage processing exposition, powered by PACK EXPO, Anuga and the International Dairy Foods Association. Additionally, Patrick will be working with PMMIs OpX Leadership Network, a community of manufacturing, engineering and operations professionals. Through open dialogue between CPG manufacturers and OEMs, OpX Leadership Network provides a forum for solving common operational challenges. Joyce Fassl has covered the food and beverage processing industry for over 20 years, most recently as Editor-in-Chief of Food Engineering. In addition to her responsibilities as chief editor, Fassl was program director for Food Engineerings Food Automation & Manufacturing Conference. Previous to her work at BNP Media, she oversaw content development for the debut of Packexpo.com. As the new ProFood World Editor-in-Chief, Joyce will oversee coverage of news, trends, products and technologies in food safety, automation, processing, packaging, material handling and sustainability for food and beverage processing professionals. Joyce will also continue as a well-respected speaker and moderator for various food processing events. A website, newsletters and other digital products will be produced under the ProFood World brand, edited for manufacturing, engineering, operation and supply chain/logistics executives. PMMI Media Group President, Joe Angel, shares his enthusiasm: Were excited to welcome two of the most knowledgeable and experienced professionals in the food industry press to PMMI Media Group. With Patrick and Joyce joining the team we have in place, we look forward to producing the leading information resource for food and beverage processors. ProFood World will be powered by PMMI Media Groups proven expertise in serving business-to-business markets, and by the resources of PMMI, co-producers of the upcoming ProFood Tech show. More information about ProFood World will be announced this Summer. About PMMI Media Group PMMI Media Group is a market-leading B-to-B media platform that produces information for processing and packaging professionals, bringing together solution providers and end-users and facilitating connectivity throughout the supply chain. Its world class media brands Packaging World, Automation World, Healthcare Packaging, Contract Packaging, Packaging + Processing OEM and ProFood World are proven leaders in covering this diverse and dynamic marketplace, and its digital products incorporate leading edge media technologies to deliver informed, actionable business intelligence to the industry. PMMI Media Group also produces the Automation Conference & Expo, an annual education and networking forum, taking place in Chicago each spring. PMMI Media Group is a part of PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, a trade association representing more than 700 companies that provide a full range of processing and packaging machinery, materials, components and containers. Learn more at PMMI Media Group, PMMI and PACK EXPO. Order any product with the push of a button kwik has the potential to fundamentally change the relationship people have with major brands, said Ofer Klein, CEO and Co-Founder, kwik. As the very first open click and deliver service, we can work with any brand, retailer, or delivery service." kwik, a service that allows customers to re-order their favorite products at the push of a button, announced today that it has closed a $3 million round of seed funding by Norwest Venture Partners, along with other institutional and individual investors. Kwik, an NFX Guild company, will use the funds to accelerate market availability via rigorous business development with brands, retailers, and home delivery services across the United States. kwik has the potential to fundamentally change the relationship people have with major brands, said Ofer Klein, CEO and Co-Founder, kwik. As the very first open click and deliver service, we can work with any brand, retailer, payments processor, or delivery service, making it possible for all brands to better understand the needs of and develop deeper direct relationships with their consumers. kwik won the opportunity to engage in a pilot program with Anheuser-Busch during the AB InBev & ZX Ventures Startup Pitch Competition at SxSW. The one-tap button from kwik makes the order process easy and painless, and ensures that our brand is always top of mind for our customers, said Mike Raspatello, Former Director, Digital Innovation and Strategy AB InBev and current Global Director, Partnerships at ZX Ventures. We are delighted to bring kwik to our home delivery partners to roll out the first beer button. Launched in 2015, kwik provides one-tap delivery for Dominos Pizza, Huggies Diapers (Kimberly Clark), and Eden Springs Water in Israel. Customers simply register for a button, connect it to their home WiFi, choose their default product(s), and push the button to place their order. In seconds, a text message arrives for confirmation, and the product arrives shortly thereafter. Changing the order is also very simple, by clicking the edit in the confirmation message. kwik is entering this market at the right time, said Sergio Monsalve, Partner, Norwest Venture Partners. The concept of pushing a branded smart button to re-order a product has already been popularized by the Amazon Dash Button, but now the market is ready for more choice. kwiks value proposition is that it takes an open approach to the order and delivery process, which provides consumers with a wider selection of home delivery options and brands with a turnkey way to implement direct to consumer delivery. Were excited about their expansion in the US, and looking forward to seeing them take it to the next level. Ofer and the team at kwik were in the NFX Guild Winter 2016 class and developed a unique open ecosystem that gives them network effects," said James Currier, Managing Partner, NFX Guild. "kwik lets brands interact directly with consumers in their homes while partners support them all along the supply chain. That open marketplace approach allows kwik to be a one-stop shop and empower many other companies to grow their businesses. kwik will participate in the Plug and Play Tech Centers IoT Expo in Sunnyvale on June 23, 2016. About kwik kwik allows people to order their favorite product with a push of a button. Unlike existing solutions, orders can be delivered directly from ANY brand, retailer or home delivery service. kwiks open end-to-end solution includes a smart IoT button, interface to payment and delivery systems, and analytics dashboard that enables brands to develop direct relationships with their consumers. Current customers include Dominos, Huggies (Kimberly Clark), and Anheuser Busch. Headquartered in Sunnyvale, CA with R&D in Tel Aviv, Israel, kwik is in advanced negotiations with some of the largest consumer packaged goods, food delivery, and retailers in the US. kwik is funded by Norwest Venture Partners, Plug and Play, SeventySix Capital, Correlation Ventures, Ecosystem Ventures, and other institutional and private investors. Learn more at kwik.me. Enchante Boutique Hotel and the city of Los Altos Destination for Dog Lovers Enchante in Los Altos makes it easy for owners to travel this summer with their four legged canine companions Enchante Boutique Hotel warmly welcomes dogs and their owners with first class luxury accommodations through their signature pet program. Enchante offers chef-made organic dog treats and exclusive custom pet products for purchase in the hotel's gift shop. Los Altos is one of the Bay Area's top dog friendly communities with numerous parks, pet salons, and friendly restaurants. The owner built this dog-friendly hotel with her pets Fleur de Lis and Paris in mind from the onset. At Enchante, you might say we are a different 'breed' making it easy for owners to travel with their four-legged family members. The hotel has 19 rooms, each thematically decorated with stylish combinations of French antiques and modern decor. Enchante features a select number of dog-friendly rooms including the Chateau du Chien (translated, "Dog Castle") and the Toile de Jouy room, which has an outdoor patio for afternoon snoozing in the sun. All dogs receive a welcome amenity upon arrival filled with homemade organic biscuits, filtered water, and bowls for both, and the right size pet bed from our selection. Pet-friendly Downtown Los Altos: Enchante benefits from its downtown location, steps away from exciting boutiques, restaurants and salons, many of which offer water and dog biscuits. Specifically oriented to pets: Since 1992 The Barking Lot, is an upscale grooming salon offering pawdicures and coiffeurs using natural ingredients such as lavender, aloe vera, and oatmeal. Patio dining for you and your dog is offered at a dozen downtown restaurants. Enchante's Parisian style outdoor plaza, which is attached to the hotel's Bistro, is perfect for guests to enjoy a light snack or their complimentary breakfast with their canine companions. Los Altos' Village Park, located just across the street from Enchante, provides a serene space for dogs to stretch their legs on accented paths and relaxing grassy areas. From 5-15 minutes: Redwood Grove - A 6-acre creek-side park with boardwalks, observation decks, and hillside trails. Shoup Park - This 4-acre kid-friendly park is home to the Garden House and Patriot Corner Picnic Area. Village Green Dog Park - This new dog park is designed with canine themed art installments. Hidden Villa - 1600 acres of open space in the foothills of the Santa Cruz mountains has plenty of space for your dogs to roam. Made in Los Altos, Sold at Enchante - Exclusive Artisan Dog Products and Specialty Services: As a beloved dog owner herself, Enchante's hotelier has partnered with the local community to extend VIP access to the following specialty services and products: Jimi Dixon, dog behaviorist, specializes in teaching owners to interpret and properly respond to their dog's behavior and body language. She hosts periodic workshops at the hotel, private lessons, pet sitting, and walking services. Dixon's credentials include (APDT), (IACP), and(CGC). Exclusive to Enchante, is a line of locally made artisan dog collars and leashes with a special feature for interchangeable designs. The designs are easily removable, without changing the collars, with many styles to suit your or your dog's personality. Customizable monogrammed dog beds and pillows for sale at the hotel. Sue Milani will cater her designs to the guest's specific needs. One of her signature beds is created by refurbishing old wine crates into a showpiece bed with wood framing and a plush pillow topper. Professional pet photographer Heather Lussier (CPP) delivers photo prints and customizable art, capturing the perfect pout on your pooch. Her work adorns the walls of local pet hospitals showcasing each pet's individual story. Her studio, POSH Pooch Portraits is a block away from the hotel where she orchestrates all poses, lighting and wardrobe capturing each pet's unique personality. With all of these activities and services Enchante's pet program is a leader for the San Francisco Bay area and sets the property apart from the rest of the pack. The hotel's staff is eager to assist as your personal canine concierge. Special Events: Enchante sponsors community events throughout the year specifically for owners and their pets. Come-Sit-Stay - This recurring event includes chef prepared dog cupcakes and biscuits, monogrammed beds, custom leashes and collars, and designer clothing and costumes from Coco Couture. Cover your K-9 - An ongoing fundraiser supported by Enchante Boutique Hotel raises money for lifesaving equipment for California Police and working dogs. The Los Altos police dog, Lord, recently made an appearance at Enchante to help raise funds and visibility for the professional canines. Tax deductible donations go towards bullet proof vests, oxygen mask, trauma kits, and emergency care. Guests and visitors who donate receive a special dog themed gift. For more information on the Police & Working K-9 Foundation, visit coveryourk9.com Please check facebook.com/enchantehotel for more furry events. About Enchante Boutique Hotel: Enchante opened in March 2015 as Silicon Valleys first luxury, romantic hotel offering a chic destination close to tech companies, wineries, tourist spots, and music venues. Enchante fulfills a 100-year-old promise made by the founders of Los Altos that the downtown area would feature a bank, a mercantile, and a hotel. Enchante features a blend of contemporary French style with vintage artwork and antiques. The property sits at the gateway to downtown Los Altos, a family oriented village which has grown into a beautiful setting for a unique getaway. The owner built this dog-friendly hotel with her pets Fleur de Lis and Paris in mind from the onset. At Enchante, you might say we are a different 'breed' making it easy for owners to travel with their four-legged family members. The hotel has 19 rooms, each thematically decorated with stylish combinations of French antiques and modern decor. Enchante features a select number of dog-friendly rooms including the Chateau du Chien (translated, "Dog Castle") and the Toile de Jouy room, which has an outdoor patio for afternoon snoozing in the sun. All dogs receive a welcome amenity upon arrival filled with homemade organic biscuits, filtered water, and bowls for both, and the right size pet bed from our selection. http://www.enchantehotel.com Global Education Day at ISTE "We believe that every student should have an equitable, quality education, which is why we are honored to be a part of this important event". -David Young, VIF International Education The Global Education Conference Network, along with its leadership team and supporters, believes in the power of globally connected teaching and learning to change the world. The GEC Network annually presents face-to-face and virtual opportunities for education stakeholders for the purposes of fostering professional development, improving educational outcomes, and increasing global understanding and collaboration. ln addition to the virtual Global Education Conference which takes place every November, co-chairs Lucy Gray and Steve Hargadon are the creators of Global Collaboration Day, Global Leadership Week and the upcoming Global Education Day. The fifth annual Global Education Day event takes place Sunday, June 26th, from 2 PM to 5 PM at the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) conference in Denver, Colorado. Globally minded educators, organizations and companies will share innovative ideas and best practices during this meeting. Global Education Day presents the perfect opportunity for educators and organizations to create authentic connections and partnerships enabling global action and increased empathy in classrooms throughout the world. Every year the profile and attendance of Global Education Day continues to grow and we couldnt be more thrilled, said VIF CEO David Young. We believe that every student should have an equitable, quality education, which is why we are honored to be a part of this important event. This participatory and interactive Global Education Day will feature inspirational ignite talks by noted leaders and organizations, round-table discussions on related topics, and a cool tools showdown in which the best resources for designing powerful global experiences for students will be shared. Featured ignite speakers include: Nicky Bourgeois, the Wonderment Tia Lendo, Google for Education Niccolina Clements Mangro, Edmodo Michael Furdyk, TakingITGlobal Jennifer Klein and Ross Wehner, World Leadership School Jim Knight, TES Chelsea Waite, Digital Promise Global Cleary Vaughan-Lee, Global Oneness Project David Young, VIF International Education Additionally, the Global Education Conference Network is expected to announce the Great Global Project Challenge at this event. The Challenge will encourage educators to design global projects to be implemented in schools around the world during the 2016-2017 school year. These projects will kick off in September. Global Education Day is made possible by innovative organizations committed to the mission of the Global Education Conference Network. Sponsors include industry leaders Edmodo, Google For Education, iEARN-USA, TES, VIF International Education, and the Wonderment. SignWave TD10 Digital Door Card By combining IoT technologies into the digital signage spectrum, we now have the capability to adapt and expand real-time communications for businesses in ways that was previously impossible. For the last three years, SignWave digital door cards by Keywest Technology have found a home in corporate America and higher education venues, where the single-purpose meeting room sign added a lot of expediency and efficiency to managing ever-changing room schedules and events. Today, SignWave continues the tradition of being a practical plug & play conference room event display device, but it looks to the future with newly integrated features that give it a purpose beyond the meeting, conference, or training room into an Internet-of-Things (IoT) future. The future proofing comes in the form of incorporating advanced features within the all-new SignWave TD10 10 LCD display panel. This includes the integration of both BLE Beacon and NFC technologies, which enables users to build an instant communication network that messages customers, visitors, or guests in designated hotspot areas. This opens many possibilities to multichannel integration that reach from fixed signage to mobile messaging. According to Nick Nichols, company president and director of research and development, Our 3rd generation SignWave is not a step but a leap into the future for our clients. By combining IoT technologies into the digital signage spectrum, we now have the capability to adapt and expand real-time communications for businesses in ways that was previously impossible. To capitalize on the future, SignWave TD10 also uses a new operating system, which adds significant flexibility to where and how it is used. The original SignWave (still available) uses premises-based software, meaning that it requires a server to be on location. But SignWave TD10 is a widget powered by Keywest Technologys cloud-based Breeze 2.0 digital signage system. Working as a widget, it can be used solely as a door card, or it may be used as a media source within a zone of the Breeze editor. Finally, it can also be used in conjunction with the Breeze 2.0 readerboard widget. Along with the advanced communication features that SignWave now supports, it remains compatible with room scheduling enterprise software such as Microsoft Exchange Server / Outlook, Newmarket Delphi EMS, MICROS Fidelio Opera PMS, and Dean Evans EMS. Furthermore, the 3rd generation SignWave adds support for Google Calendar, broadening its appeal to businesses using cloud-based productivity tools. Not to be left behind, even the SignWave display housing and components have been revamped to accommodate streamlined installation and practicality. SignWaves original two-piece design has been combined into an ultra thin all-in-one display housing with only a 1 depth. The LCD display now measures 10.1 and includes built-in PoE+, an all-new VESA mount that adheres to any surface including glass, and now for the first time on SignWave, a LED light bar on each side of the chassis to provide visual cues to meeting room availability. Interested parties and system integrators are encouraged to contact Keywest Technology (800-331-2019) for a free demonstration. SignWave is sold and distributed through Keywests network of professional AV and IT resellers. Additional product information may be found on the SignWave product page. About Keywest Technology Keywest Technology is an authentic developer of digital signage technology and a full-service provider offering solutions from simple playback to large multi-sign and interactive networks. Keywest builds marketing communication systems with a holistic approach that includes key software technologies, creative design, system design, and comprehensive network-managed services. Based in Lenexa, Kansas, the company is dedicated to making business communication as enjoyable as a day at the beach. For more information, visit http://www.KeywestTechnology.com. Today, PistolStar Inc., is pleased to announce that it has been recognized by two different leading trade journals (SC Magazine and Network World) regarding the performance, support and value of its flagship authentication platform, PortalGuard. PortalGuard is an all-in-one authentication extension that easily enables web-based single sign-on, two-factor authentication, and self-service password management. PortalGuard reduces expense associated with everyday user logins, and relieves the pain that users endure when forgetting or managing different passwords for multiple applications. After rigorous real-world testing, SC Magazine awarded PortalGuard a Five Star rating noting its overall ease of installation and configuration along with its detailed documentation and solid performance. Tom Hoey, PistolStars CEO was very pleased by what the evaluators had to say regarding the overall performance and value that PortalGuard provides: this is the second consecutive year that our solution has received their highest rating and it validates our efforts in providing our clients a product that is robust and well designed. In a separate review conducted by Network World Magazine, PortalGuard was compared to eight other two-factor authentication solutions and earned the following praise from the comparison articles author David Strom: PortalGuard: The best of single sign-on and multi-factor authentication. Hoey went on to say: For us, this validates what we have always believed about our product; that its a well thought out and executed solution that delivers tremendous security and usability value to our clients. Our development team continues to add features that are important to our customers, while our support staff continues to focus on making sure that our customers needs are always the highest priority. PortalGuard also provides flexible integration with a fully customizable and responsive user interface. Customers are able to brand any aspect of the software to reduce end-user training or confusion within the environment. The close adherence to industry standards such as ODBC, LDAP, SAML, WS-Fed, CAS and Shibboleth, means that PortalGuard easily integrates with both current and future products. Longevity is a proactive measure that PortalGuard implements from its inception. PortalGuard provides a long-lasting solution that is end-user friendly and fiscally sensible for any industry. For more information about PortalGuard, your ideal identity solutions experience, visit: http://www.PortalGuard.com. About SC Magazine SC Magazine is a well-established magazine, both here in the United States, as well as overseas in the United Kingdom. It is well respected in terms of bringing unbiased information to Information security professionals in various industries. Their focus is on arming information security professionals with the in-depth, unbiased business and technical information they need to tackle the countless security challenges they face. Find out more at http://www.scmagazine.com. About Network World Magazine Network World is the premier provider of information, intelligence and insight for Network and IT Executives. With an editorial focus on delivering news, opinion and analytical tools for key decision makers who architect, deploy and manage business solutions, Network World offers a unique and powerful combination of audiences and resources across Online and Events to meet your marketing objectives. NetworkWorld.com is a part of the IDG (International Data Group) company. About PistolStar, Inc. PistolStar, Inc. is an authority on authentication software with a focus on delivering high quality authentication solutions that focus on maintaining a balance between usability and security. PistolStar, Inc.s mission is to help you build a more adaptive, customer-centric business through innovative authentication solutions. Learn more at http://www.pistolstar.com. PortalGuard Contact Information: PistolStar, Inc Like Us on Facebook: PortalGuard.Authentication Follow us on Twitter: @PortalGuard Connect with us on LinkedIn: PortalGuard Tyler Dannat Marketing Manager PistolStar, Inc tdannat(at)portalguard(dot)com 603-547-1213 At the invitation of the Cambodian government, the United States and Cambodia militaries conducted humanitarian assistance events and military-to-military subject matter expert changes in Kampot Province, Cambodia, as part of Pacific Angel 2016. During this mission, approximately 80 U.S. Cambodian servicemen and women, along with personnel from Australia, Vietnam and Thailand, worked together in partnership with local NGOs to provide humanitarian assistance to the residents of Kampot Province. Pacific Angel is a joint and combined humanitarian assistance mission conducted in various countries throughout the Indo-Asia-Pacific region with the active participation and leadership of the U.S. Air Force. Pacific Angel includes general health, dental, optometry, pediatrics, physical therapy, and engineering programs as well as various humanitarian aid and disaster relief subject matter expert exchanges. The mission enhances participating nations humanitarian assistance and disaster relief capabilities while providing needed services to people throughout the region. In Cambodia, engineers worked on reconstruction projects for four local schools and two health centers in the city of Kampot, and medical service providers conducted health service outreach in the Tuek Chhou and Kampong Trach districts in Kampot Province. The subject matter expert exchanges between the two militaries focused on public health emergencies and humanitarian aid and disaster response. Since 2007, Pacific Angel missions have improved the lives of tens of thousands of people across the region while ensuring that the regions militaries are prepared to work together to address humanitarian crises. This was the fourth Pacific Angel mission conducted in Cambodia. The United States is proud to work with its partner Cambodia to help improve the lives of people in Cambodia and throughout the region. 3GC Group, the leading consulting firm on Converged Network Technologies, today is proud to announce that it has won the IT Service Partner of the Year Award during the 2016 CTO Awards ceremony held by the Los Angeles Business Journal at Santa Monica, Casa del Mar Hotel. The event was held on June 7th with over 200 CIOs attending the event. The CTO Awards is held every year honoring Chief Technology Officers, or more broadly, those in the top IT positions within their organizations. Nominations are submitted by those who believe that these exceptional individuals and teams play vital roles in making Los Angeles businesses, institutions and nonprofit groups successful. We are so honored to be awarded the IT Service Partner of the Year Award by the Los Angeles Business Journal. It is an incredible feeling to be recognized by the industry. We are grateful to our clients and employees who make this all possible, said Henry Park, CEO of 3GC Group. We absolutely love what we do and are inspired to work harder for our clients. About 3GC Group 3GC Group is a consulting firm, value added reseller and managed services provider focused on Converged Networks Technologies servicing enterprise organizations locally and globally. 3GC Group provides system design, implementation, integration and management services for a complete end to end turnkey solution. 3GC Group is headquartered in Los Angeles, CA with a global presence and expertise in all areas of business communications infrastructure from VoIP to FMC, IP PBX to Call Center Systems, video conferencing to cloud bridging as well as IT network infrastructure and security, IP Video Surveillance, Access Control systems as well as Point-to-Point, Point-to-Multipoint and Mesh wireless network solutions. For more information, visit http://www.3gcgroup.com # # # Media contact Joana Kim 213-985-1765 jyung(at)3gcgroup(dot)com Moving our Value Add production lines to our new North Georgia location both increases our capacity and streamlines the overall production process. DEUTZ Corporation recently moved its Value Add production operation from Norcross, GA to a facility with a larger, 60,000-square-foot production area in Pendergrass, GA. As a result, DEUTZ has been able to increase the number of Value Add production lines from one to three. While the company already manufactures thousands of engines annually through its Value Add operation, the expansion will allow DEUTZ to increase production and serve even more OEM partners. Our Value Add lines allow us to provide customers with a high-value, customized engine solution, said Jim Smith, director of production operations at DEUTZ Corporation. Moving our Value Add production lines to our new North Georgia location both increases our capacity and streamlines the overall production process. The DEUTZ Corporation Value Add production operation uses base engines delivered from Germany and provides modification adjustments according to each OEM customers specific requirements. OEMs can choose to provide their own design specifications, or rely on the expertise of DEUTZs engineering team to design a custom-engineered solution. Whether it be a customer design or a DEUTZ Corporation custom-engineered solution, DEUTZ engineers work closely with the OEM partners engineers throughout the entire process, optimizing customer resources while reducing design complexity and risk. To make the process more efficient, weve introduced a number of important lean manufacturing, waste-reducing concepts to help to take the operation from a batch-build operation to a one-piece-flow operation, Smith added. Our redesigned work stations ensure that the necessary tools, materials, and documentation are close at hand. This has reduced cycle times by twenty-five percent and increased the lines ability to run a wider variety of products. The Value Add lines one-piece flow operation benefits the OEMs assembly line, reducing the amount of labor that would otherwise be required to prepare the engine for the machine. And, as part of the DEUTZ Value Add package, customers receive not only the engine, but service, warranty and aftermarket support as well. We purchase a significant amount of components and parts each year, said Robert Mann, president and CEO of DEUTZ Corporation. By relocating our operation to Pendergrass, were now able to offer additional expertise and cost savings to an even greater number of our OEM partners. And, because were able to manage many of the complex manufacturing aspects, our customers can focus all their attention on their own products, rather than on the engine manufacturing and installation process. To learn more about DEUTZs Value Add production, or any of the companys many other engine products and services, visit http://www.deutzamericas.com. ABOUT DEUTZ CORPORATION: For more than 150 years, DEUTZ engines have supplied customized, cost-effective power to a broad array of machine types and market segments. The 9 millionth DEUTZ engine was produced in 2015. From its headquarters in Norcross, GA, DEUTZ Corporation, a subsidiary of DEUTZ AG, supports its product range of 30- to 700-hp diesel and natural gas engines. The company is committed to providing optimized power solutions from the drawing board to prototype to production release. The organization serves as a sales, service, parts, and application engineering center for the Americas, employing nearly 200 people. DEUTZ Corporation also operates a value-added production facility for some of its key OEM partners, as well as an engine remanufacturing facility in Pendergrass, Georgia. Strategically located DEUTZ Power Centers and Service Centers are designed uniquely support both OEM partners and end users. For more information, visit http://www.deutzamericas.com New Jersey SAFE Conference is in its second year. Cam is a great personality for Second Amendment advocates nationwide, and Evan is well-known as New Jersey's "Gun Lawyer". Cam Edwards, host of Cam & Company on NRA News, will be a keynote speaker at the New Jersey Second Amendment & Firearms Education Conference. Edwards will address the challenges faced by New Jersey Gun Owners, along with other recognized experts including Attorney Evan Nappen, National Shooting Champion and ANJRPC President Kathy Chatterton, Attorney Daniel Schmutter, and clinical psychologist Dr. Gianni Pirelli. They are among the more than a dozen speakers who will address the Conference. Registration is now open for the Conference, which will be hosted at the Hilton Parsippany on Saturday July 30th, 2016. This is New Jersey's annual Second Amendment conference, last year attracting nearly 300 attendees, features a full day of education, networking, and engagement in the Second Amendment community. Edwards and other speakers will share their experience and expertise on a range of topics including New Jersey Firearms Law, Introducing People to the Shooting Sports, and the Psychological Perspective of Firearms and Mental Health. The conference encourages attendees to engage in a greater role in being a force for change in their communities. We are thrilled to be joined by Cam Edwards, Evan Nappen and our other speakers at this years Conference, said John Willett, Founder of New Jersey SAFE Conference. Cam is a great personality for Second Amendment advocates nationally, and Evan is well-known as New Jersey's 'Gun Lawyer'. The Conference is also offering a Continuing Legal Education course for lawyers on Friday July 29th, 2016. This course is open to everyone, but will provide 6.5 credit hours of New Jersey CLE credit for attorneys. The SAFE Conference showcases speakers dedicated to improving New Jersey's gun laws, while an onsite Exhibit Hall hosts organizations and companies with products or services that appeal to gun owners. The New Jersey SAFE Conference is presented by Bold Departure Productions LLC. It is also generously underwritten by several organizations including Gun for Hire LLC, RTSP, Henry Repeating Arms, Bullet Hole, Association of New Jersey Rifle & Pistol Clubs, Liberty Office Suites, and U.S. Law Shield. Admission to the conference is $20. To register or learn more about the New Jersey SAFE Conference, explore our website, follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/NJ_SAFE or like our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/njsafecon. To apply for media credentials, please contact the Conference at: media(at)njsafecon(dot)net Our new Scandit Flow mobile platform provides the best way for companies across the supply chain to bring their data capture process into the modern age on the latest smartphones. Scandit, developer of leading software-based barcode scanning solutions for smartphones, tablets, and wearable devices, today announced the launch of Scandit Flow, a mobile data capture development platform that supports a wide variety of barcode-scanning intensive workflows across the supply chain, including Proof of Delivery, Inventory Management and Asset Management. Companies interested in trying Scandit Flow can sign up for a free 30-day trial. Scandit Flow makes it easy to migrate data capture solutions from expensive dedicated hardware scanners and outdated Windows CE devices to the latest iOS and Android devices, while significantly reducing the upfront investment in hardware and software. Flow allows customers to build, deploy, run and manage mobile applications faster by providing out-of-the-box scanning workflows and pre-built solution accelerators built with supply chain operations in mind. Customers can also run and deploy their own HTML and JavaScript to enable custom workflows and integrate with existing IT systems leveraging modules for barcode scanning, signature capture, image storage, offline database, native maps and more. Key Features Seamlessly distribute via the Scandit Flow Container App or use CloudBuild to distribute a branded application in only a few clicks The Flow Dashboard allows customers to control access at the device or user level; Flow supports all major third-party authentication providers, such as Active Directory, Google Apps or Salesforce Pre-built, integration-ready workflows employ best practices of mobile user interaction and serve as accelerators Compatible with enterprise backend systems, e.g. SAP, SAP hybris, Salesforce, NetSuite and many more Built-in security features such as remote wipe, point-to-point and local encryption Scandit Flow uses Scandits patented barcode scanning technology, which provides high performance, speed and accuracy in a variety of adverse scanning conditions (damaged labels, blurry barcodes, glare, low light). It offers equivalent scanning performance at a fraction of the cost of dedicated scanners. Users of Scandit Flow will benefit from the same technology that is transforming business operations for some of the worlds top brands, including Scandit customers Verizon Wireless, Saks Fifth Avenue and Capital One. Our new Scandit Flow mobile platform provides the best way for companies across the supply chain to bring their data capture process into the modern age on the latest smartphones, said Samuel Mueller, CEO of Scandit. Whether you get started with our out-of-the-box workflows or develop your own solutions, youre going to save time and money while expanding possibilities for your business. Links About Scandit Scandit is the leading enterprise mobility and data capture company, specializing in barcode scanning solutions that transform business processes across industries including healthcare, logistics, manufacturing and retail. Through its software technologies and cloud services, Scandit empowers organizations to rapidly build, deploy and manage mobile apps for smartphones, tablets and wearable devices. The resulting solutions offer a lower total cost of ownership than traditional, dedicated devices. Scandits solutions portfolio includes patented, software-based optical data capture technology, an innovative iPhone Case and rapidly deployable enterprise mobile apps. Built on its Flow Mobile Application Development Platform (MADP) for Data Capture, the companys cloud-based mobility solutions are enabling business transformation for thousands of businesses worldwide, including top brands Cardinal Health, Coop, Louis Vuitton, The Home Depot, NASA, and Verizon Wireless. For more information visit http://www.scandit.com. DANA SENG, acclaimed jewelry designer, recently announced the launch of the new Birthstone & Initial Collection with a stunning array of bangles, necklaces, and rings available in 14k white, rose, and yellow gold. Conceived to provide women with the ideal way to personalize their jewelry, the pieces come in the twelve monthly birthstones as well as customizable letters from A to Z to assemble any two or three name initials. Birthstones that correspond to the month of ones birth have a historic connection to astrological signs and a tradition of bringing luck to the wearer, making pieces from the collection a wonderful gift to anyone. Pieces range in price from $565 for bracelets, $595 for necklaces and rings, and $1250 for bangles. More than just adornment, I consider jewelry to be potent symbols of who we are, says Ms. Seng. This collection underscores that even further, making each piece a deeply personal statement. Impeccable craftsmanship and care are attributes that have made the companys collections sought-after by women all over the world. The companys catalog represents a full range of items including cocktail rings, wedding rings, earrings, bracelets, cuffs, and necklaces using the finest stones set against an array of meticulously selected metals. Ms. Seng admits her passion for jewelry has been a constant for her entire life. She explains, When I design, I consider each piece as a challenge of finding ways to express a meaningful message both from the person who gives it and to woman who wears it. And I hope that the result makes them feel exactly as I do once these are worn. Ms. Seng says, I know these pieces from the Birthstone & Intial Collection will win a special and permanent place in the hearts of those who are fortunate enough to wear them. About DANA SENG Designer Dana Seng conceived her namesake brand from having grown up amidst her familys jewelry business in her native Cambodia. She relocated to the US to expand her knowledge and experience by working tirelessly in the industry and taking courses in design and manufacturing to learn every aspect of the business. It was inevitable that she would meet and marry a man who was also in jewelry. She eventually began managing her husbands jewelry company while expressing her artistry by designing custom engagement rings. This allowed her to truly understand her customers on a personal level to create the kind of pieces that were the realizations of their hopes and dreams. The experience served as her inspiration to launch the brand with the Eternity Collection. Classic and feminine styles of diamond rings and bangles in white, rose and yellow gold make up this initial collection. As the name suggest, The Eternity Collections style never expires, explains Ms.Seng. Each piece represents the important things that stay in ones heart forever. The Dana Seng Jewelry Collection is available from at http://www.danasengjewelry.com. The Jaipur Literature Festival at Boulder The audience is invited to listen in on intriguing conversations sparked when some of the worlds leading authors, from storytellers to scientists, discuss todays most relevant global topics." Rich with words and ideas, the festival invites participants to join together in examining the depth and breadth of the human experience through the reflections and imaginations of more than 80 distinguished contemporary authors and speakers from around the world. In these critical times, the penetrating, intercultural dialogue exchanged at this festival of ideas speaks deeply to individuals and gives rise to the joy of community. The festival provides a platform for creative collision of remarkable literary minds, says Jules Levinson, Festival Advisor, for JLF at Boulder. The audience is invited to listen in on intriguing conversations sparked when some of the worlds leading authors, from storytellers to scientists, discuss todays most relevant global topics. Youll come away with a feeling that suddenly the world is very different than you thought it was. Specific themes at JLF at Boulder 2016 will include immigration, politics, and conflict; environmental concerns such as fracking, climate change, the declining bee population, famine, and water conservation; poetic imagination; and contemporary Native American life. Special guest speakers in Boulder this year include Viet Thanh Nguyen, the Vietnamese American 2016 Pulitzer Prize winning author of The Sympathizer, and David Goulson, author of the bestselling A Sting in the Tale and A Buzz in the Meadow and the founder of Englands Bumblebee Conservation Trust. More details and additional confirmed speakers can be found online at https://jaipurliteraturefestival.org/boulder. ; In its 9th year, Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF) India is the worlds largest free literature festival, drawing some 330,000 people to Diggi Palace in the Rajasthani capital this past January. The festival serves as a beacon of free speech around the world, giving rise to more than 200 other literature festivals, both in India and other countries. Dubbed the greatest literary show on Earth, JLF successfully expanded to London in 2014, and sought a US location for 2015. After meetings with major US cities including New York, Chicago and Seattle, festival organizers chose picturesque Boulder, CO, with a population of just over 105,000, as its only location in the United States. Voted the USs brainiest (more Ph.D.s per capita than any other US city) happiest and foodiest city, the festival was wildly successful in its first year in Boulder in 2015. Festival organizers expect 15,000 people to attend this year from throughout the country and around the world. Boulder is a perfect host city to explore new ideas, debate contentious issues from race and religion to history and philosophy, said Sanjoy Roy, Festival Producer. We were delighted with the success in year one and look forward to an exciting second year. There is no admission fee, but attendees must register. For more information and registration visit https://jaipurliteraturefestival.org/boulder. UnitedHealthcare will host a virtual job fair Monday Thursday, June 20-23, with the goal to hire 120 new care provider customer service representatives, customer service advocates and claims representatives in Frederick who will help customers and care providers across the country who are covered by or interested in UnitedHealthcare health insurance plans. Candidates will have 96 hours to apply for jobs that will begin two weeks after the virtual job fair ends. All of the positions will be based at UnitedHealthcares office at 800 Oak St. in Frederick. The first training sessions for those hired will begin on July 5, 2016 just two weeks after the close of the virtual job fair. The UnitedHealth Group family of businesses is committed to hiring military veterans. In partnership with 100,000 Jobs Mission, a public-private partnership among major U.S. corporations to hire veterans who have served the nation, UnitedHealth Group encourages military veterans who are interested in a position to apply. Interested candidates can apply online 24 hours a day beginning June 20th through June 23rd at http://uhg.hr/FrederickVHE A UnitedHealthcare representative will be at Frederick Coffee Company and Carroll Creek Amphitheatre where candidates can apply and get answers to questions about the open positions. WHEN: Thursday, June 23, 2016 10:00AM 3:00PM WHERE: Carroll Creek Amphitheater Carroll Creek Park Downtown Frederick Frederick, MD 21701 CONTACT: Mary McElrath-Jones UnitedHealthcare 914-552-4671 mary_r_mcelrath-jones(at)uhc(dot)com About UnitedHealthcare UnitedHealthcare is dedicated to helping people nationwide live healthier lives by simplifying the health care experience, meeting consumer health and wellness needs, and sustaining trusted relationships with care providers. The company offers the full spectrum of health benefit programs for individuals, employers, military service members, retirees and their families, and Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, and contracts directly with 1 million physicians and care professionals, and 6,000 hospitals and other care facilities nationwide. UnitedHealthcare is one of the businesses of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), a diversified Fortune 50 health and well-being company. For more information, visit UnitedHealthcare at http://www.uhc.com or follow @myUHC on Twitter. According to the Kids In Need Foundation, more than 16 million kids live in extreme poverty in the U.S. and arrive on the first day of school without the supplies they need to learn. Magnovo Training Group, a professional development and team building company located in the heart of Indianapolis, launches Mission: Kids Care for local families in need. This innovative team building program provides area businesses with the opportunity to give back during the back-to-school season. Magnovo Training Group recognizes that many families in the community struggle to afford the basic supplies needed to send their children to school. Each fall as kids in the area head back to school, a large number of families will not have the financial ability to purchase basic items like backpacks, paper, pencils, and scissor. According to the Kids In Need Foundation, more than 16 million kids live in extreme poverty in the U.S. and arrive on the first day of school without the supplies they need to learn. Often teachers end up paying for these items out of their own pocket or the children go without. This team building program has businesses coming together to assemble backpack kits for local children in need. Backpacks will be packed with everything thats required to start the new school year off right. Once the backpacks are assembled, Magnovo Training Group will arrange for a donation to a shelter or charitable organization within the Indianapolis region. A Magnovo Charity Coordinator can even arrange for a donation ceremony at the end of the team building event. We designed this program to build relationships between co-workers and to make positive changes within the community. Indianapolis families benefit, your team benefits, and thats how real change happens. says Rob Jackson, president and founder of the company. Magnovo workshop developers have more than 20 years experience in the business, so they know what works. The charitable dimension of Mission: Kids Care adds a phenomenal dose of motivation to any meeting or workshop. Magnovo Training Group also knows that designing hands-on activities which drive home lessons will produce tangible results for participants and in the case of Mission: Kids Care, make the back-to-school season a bit easier for local families. About Magnovo Training Group Magnovo Training Group is a professional development company dedicated to creating meeting experiences that matter with an extensive range of customized workshops, charity team building, and performance consulting throughout the Indianapolis region, as well as across the U.S., Canada, and Europe. Offering workshops that focus on leadership, public speaking, and team building activities, the company features an energized group of soft-skills experts. Magnovo Training Group strives to inspire positive change for clients. Every workshop is tailored to the clients needs in order to create impactful, experience-based events that educate, inspire leaders, and develop teams. The company emphasizes philanthropy: each of its team building workshops contribute to the community. For more information, please visit http://www.magnovo.com. We realize it is the culture of a company that encourages and values the performance and achievements of women as leaders. We commend both of these companies for their commitment to advancing womens leadership. AWESOME (Achieving Womens Excellence in Supply Chain, Operations, Management and Education), the leadership initiative launched in early 2013 to advance women supply chain leaders, has selected two businesses to receive the 2016 Company Leadership Award. Intel Corporation and Schneider Electric were chosen for creating an environment that supports diverse talent development and the advancement of women leaders. According to Dr. Nancy Nix, AWESOME Executive Director, We realize it is the culture of a company that encourages and values the performance and achievements of women as leaders. We commend both of these companies for their commitment to advancing womens leadership. The Company Leadership Award was announced at the Fourth Annual AWESOME Symposium in April, where two executives, one each from Intel Corporation and Schneider Electric, received the 2016 AWESOME Legendary Leadership Award -- the "ALL" Award -- for their extraordinary professional accomplishments. The ALL Award recipients are Jackie Sturm, vice president, technology and manufacturing group, general manager of global supply management, Intel Corporation, and Annette Clayton, recently promoted to CEO and president and continuing chief supply chain officer, Schneider Electric. Over the past three years, the AWESOME network has grown to include more than 800 senior-level leaders representing the full spectrum of supply chain organizations and leadership roles. The organizations next events will take place at the Annual Conference of CSCMP (Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals) September 25 28, 2016, in Orlando, Florida, and the 2017 AWESOME Symposium is set for May 3-4. Host Partners for the past two symposiums have been Johnson & Johnson in 2015 and NIKE, Inc. in 2016. ABOUT AWESOME AWESOME is a leadership initiative focused on advancing women supply chain leaders and transforming the future of supply chain leadership. The AWESOME network has grown to include more than 800 senior-level leaders representing the full spectrum of supply chain organizations and leadership roles. The AWESOME mission includes advancing progress for womens supply chain leadership through networking, collaboration, awareness, recognition, learning and inspiration. AWESOME was launched in 2013 by Ann Drake, CEO of DSC Logistics. Recognizing that the supply chain field is at a critical point to realize the full potential of women as leaders, she set out to transform the leadership landscape. Through AWESOME, Drake and other leaders serve as role models and strong proponents of the advancement of women in logistics and supply chain management and related fields. For more information: http://www.awesomeleaders.org. ### Michael Gaynor, the former CEO of BidClerk, Inc., filed suit in Delaware Chancery Court seeking damages for breach of contract, fraudulent inducement and other related relief against Genstar Capital Partners on May 4, 2016. The suit relates to a Merger Agreement that closed in October of 2014. In the Merger, Genstar acquired iSqFt (now known as Construct Connect) and BidClerk -- information companies that acquire, package and sell data to those in the construction industry, including contractors, subcontractors, and building product manufacturers. The suit alleges that as part of the Merger agreement, BidClerk agreed to accept reduced base merger consideration, in exchange for an earnout to be paid post-closing after the surviving entity hit certain promised EBITDA targets. The suit further alleges that in order to induce the former shareholders to accept the earnout, Genstar promised to enact a series of cost saving measures and synergies in the surviving entity. The suit names David Conway, the former CEO of iSqFt, as a Defendant. Genstar filed a motion for confidential treatment asking the Chancery Court to redact large portions of Gaynors complaint and entire exhibits. Following an opposition to the motion from Gaynors attorneys, Genstar proposed more limited redactions which the parties agreed to. For more information: Gaynor v. iSqFt sub, Inc, Genstar Capital Partners and David W. Conway, CA 12297 VCS (Delaware Court of Chancery) https://www.scribd.com/doc/316268100/Verified-Complaint-Exhibits-Redacted . . . Yooz Logo Streamlining our T&E workflow with Yooz was so easy, quick and intuitive that we look forward to providing the same great functionality to the general managers at all our properties by the end of this year. Yooz, the cloud service that lets businesses streamline their entire accounts payable (AP) workflow end-to-end, today announced that Aimbridge Hospitality, the countrys largest independent hotel management firm, is expanding the handling of travel and expense (T&E) reports powered by Yooz across its entire portfolio of more than 450 properties in the U.S. and abroad. Seamless T&E automation by Yooz is a key element of Aimbridges transition to cloud-based processes since it lets the firm quickly and efficiently capture and approve documents as it adds more properties to its global footprint. Aimbridge corporate staff has been using the T&E workflow, which is part of a full AP automation suite by Yooz, since 2015 to capture, file, review and approve T&E-related documents, as well as initiate reimbursement payments. By rolling out this T&E function to its managers at all of its properties in the U.S. and three other countries, the Company will realize significant time savings and improve timeliness and visibility within its profit and loss reporting. Aimbridge currently manages more than 450 hotels, varying from limited service hotels to full-scale resorts and covering brands such as Hilton, InterContinental, Marriott, Starwood, Hyatt, Hard Rock Cafe and Wyndham. Just in the past year, Aimbridge acquired three other management companies, effectively doubling its portfolio of properties. Streamlining our T&E workflow with Yooz was so easy, quick and intuitive that we look forward to providing the same great functionality to the general managers at all our properties by the end of this year. We are growing rapidly, and Yooz enables us to add new hotels in a matter of minutes. Automation in the cloud has cut our cycle time to file, review and reimburse T&E reports from four to five weeks down to a couple of days. Besides speed, T&E invoices processed in Yooz are now more timely captured in the P&L statement of each property, said Kevin Detz, Senior Vice President and Controller of Aimbridge Hospitality. Yooz lets companies update the time-consuming, manual entry of travel and expenses reports, bringing almost instant gains in efficiency and visibility to the financial workflow. As a pure cloud-based service with no upfront investment in new hardware or software, Yooz is the most cost-effective and efficient way to capture all relevant documents, including purchase orders and paper invoices. Traveling staff can capture and submit T&E documents with a mobile device, as well as review them to monitor processing activities and managers approvals anytime, anywhere. We are proud that Yooz has quickly become an important part of Aimbridges strategic transition to cloud-based processes. AP automation does more than just cut cycle times and processing costs, particularly in the very competitive hospitality industry with many employees and operators spread out across many locations and often countries. Moving to the cloud and going paperless can also have a tangible effect on the bottom line, said Laurent Charpentier, Chief Innovation Officer, Yooz North America. Companies can see a Yooz demonstration during the HITEC Conference from June 20-23 in New Orleans, LA, booth #1657. About Yooz: Yooz brings intelligence to AP automation. It is designed and built for the era of cloud computing, empowering SMEs to streamline their financial workflow in order to save time and money. Yooz was initially developed and launched by ITESOFT (PARIS: ITE), a European company that has for more than 30 years been a leader in intelligent document capture and process automation. Yooz is now an independent company within ITESOFT-Yooz Group and has more than 1,500 customers. For more information, visit http://www.justyoozit.com and follow us @justyoozit. About Aimbridge: Aimbridge Hospitality is the nations largest independent hotel management company with a proven track record for delivering superior returns for its strategic partners in a variety of markets and economic cycles. Aimbridge provides property management, asset management, development, renovation and consulting services. Based in Plano, Texas, Aimbridge currently owns and/or manages approximately 450 independent and branded hotels across the United States and the Caribbean, including such affiliations as Marriott, Hilton, Starwood, Hyatt, Wyndham, and Choice Hotels. For more information about Aimbridge visit http://www.aimbridgehospitality.com. "I rely on Cytegic not only to manage daily operations but to ensure county business occurs online in a secure, efficient manner," said Chen Heffer, CSO of Douglas County, Colorado. Cytegic, a provider of cybersecurity management and decision support solutions, announced that it has added the government of Douglas County, Colorado to its customer roster. Cytegics security management platform enables Douglas Countys Cyber Security Officer (CSO) to proactively manage cybersecurity operations and modify its security posture in response to changes in todays highly dynamic threat landscape. Douglas County Government is committed to maintaining an open, transparent and accountable government - which drove our decision to deploy Cytegics Cybersecurity Management Solution, said Chen Heffer, CSO of Douglas County, Colorado. As Douglas Countys CSO, I rely on Cytegic not only to manage daily operations but to ensure county business occurs online in a secure, efficient manner. Cytegic has not only provided us with unprecedented visibility into and control over our IT security posture, it enables Douglas County to craft a realistic, effective cybersecurity strategy. Cytegics solution was implemented to provide the Douglas County with a strong capability to assess its susceptibility to cyber-attacks. Cytegics innovative approach provides it with a standardized approach for assessing cyber risk and the ability to prioritize remediation efforts based on the probability of attack. When it comes to cyber security, Douglas County is an extremely innovative, forward thinking organization, said Shay Zandani, CEO, Cytegic. Chen is using our solution how it is meant to be used to improve daily security operations while implementing a proactive approach for managing and mitigating cyber risk. We are delighted to add Douglas County to our customer list and look forward to a long and fruitful partnership. About Cytegic Cytegic has developed the industrys first comprehensive cyber risk management and decision support platform, purpose built to enable Information Security leaders to assess, manage and communicate the business impact of cyber risk to any business stakeholder. Cytegic provides a single pane of glass for CISOs to identify, prioritize and respond to cyber risks with unprecedented clarity and agility. Founded in 2012, Cytegic is privately funded. Its customers include Bank Leumi, PwC and some of the largest banking institutions. For more information, visit http://www.cytegic.com. Chamberlain, Hrdlicka, White, Williams & Aughtry We are very proud to see our attorneys honored for their professional accomplishments and the outstanding service they provide to our clients. Philip Karter and Herbert Odell, of the Philadelphia office of national law firm Chamberlain, Hrdlicka, White, Williams & Aughtry, have been ranked among the top federal tax controversy attorneys nationwide in Chambers USAs 2016 Guide to the Worlds Best Legal Professionals and Law Firms. Karter and Odell are the only federal tax controversy attorneys based in Pennsylvania to receive national recognition from the prestigious ranking publication. Chambers & Partners also has ranked Chamberlain Hrdlicka as one of the top tax controversy law firms in the United States for the ninth consecutive year. Six attorneys from the firms Houston, Philadelphia and Atlanta offices achieved individual rankings in the areas of tax controversy and tax fraud. We are very proud to see our attorneys honored for their professional accomplishments and the outstanding service they provide to our clients, said Wayne Risoli, managing partner, Chamberlain Hrdlicka. Chambers & Partners is a respected benchmark in the legal community, and our continued ranking demonstrates the deep expertise our firm has in complex bet the company civil and criminal tax controversy and litigation matters. Karter and Odell, shareholders in the firms Philadelphia office, consistently have been ranked by Chambers among the best tax controversy attorneys nationwide. Karter regularly litigates tax controversies before the U.S. Tax Court, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims and federal district courts. Clients interviewed by Chambers during the research process said Karter "knows how to handle a controversy without stoking the fire and deals with things in a professional, straightforward manner. Odell is recommended for his "great instincts for litigation strategy" and is "fantastic to work with," according to clients. Chambers noted his extensive experience with trials, IRS appeals and U.S. Tax Court claims. Published by worldwide legal ranking guide Chambers & Partners, Chambers USA is an annual list of the top attorneys in the United States according to practice area. Designed as a comprehensive guide for clients, the publication identifies and ranks leading law firms and attorneys based on thousands of interviews conducted by researchers with clients and lawyers worldwide. About Chamberlain Hrdlicka Chamberlain Hrdlicka is a diversified business law firm with offices in Houston, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Denver and San Antonio. The firm represents both public and private companies as well as individuals and family-owned businesses across the nation. In addition to tax planning and tax controversy, the firm offers corporate, securities and finance, employment law and employee benefits, energy law, estate planning and administration, intellectual property, international and immigration law, commercial and business litigation, real estate and construction law. BlumShapiro Recognized by When Work Works BlumShapiros culture supports employee health, well-being and engagement both in the workplace and in their personal lives, said Joseph A. Kask, chief executive officer of BlumShapiro. BlumShapiro, the largest regional business advisory firm based in New England, today announced it has been honored with a 2016 When Work Works Award for its use of effective workplace strategies to increase business and employee success. This prestigious award, part of the national When Work Works project administered by the Families and Work Institute (FWI) and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), recognizes employers of all sizes and types in New England and across the country. BlumShapiros culture supports employee health, well-being and engagement both in the workplace and in their personal lives, said Joseph A. Kask, chief executive officer of BlumShapiro. Developing and retaining a best-in-class organization is a top priority at BlumShapiro. Our job is to ensure they have the knowledge and skills, plus the necessary mentoring and training to unlock their true potential. We are committed to providing our employees with opportunities for growth and helping them advance their careers in an environment that treats everyone equally, while respecting diversity. The award is the result of a rigorous assessment. Worksites must first qualify by ranking in the top 20 percent of the country based on a nationally representative sample of employers. Two-thirds of the evaluation of applicants comes from an employee survey. Applicants are evaluated on six research-based ingredients of an effective workplace: opportunities for learning; a culture of trust; work/life fit; supervisor support for work success; autonomy; and satisfaction with earnings, benefits and opportunities for advancement all factors associated with employee health, well-being and engagement. These employers have excelled at creating effective workplaces yielding tremendously positive results for business success, as well as for their employees well-being and productivity, said Ellen Galinsky, president of FWI. Effective workplaces recognize that employees are an organizations greatest resource and make a critical difference in the organizations ability to not only survive, but to thrive. The 2016 When Work Works Award winners confirm that leading employers are continuing the movement toward effective workplace strategies that benefit both business and employees, said Lisa Horn, director of SHRMs workplace flexibility initiative. These innovative strategies are what sets these organizations apart, allowing them to attract and retain top talent, giving them a competitive advantage. To learn more, check out this interactive map, which includes winning organizations by state: http://www.whenworkworks.org/be-effective/2016-when-work-works-award-winners-state-listing. When Work Works is a national project that shares research results on what makes an effective and flexible workplace with the business community. For more information about the When Work Works initiative and the When Work Works Award, visit http://www.whenworkworks.org. ### BlumShapiro is the largest regional business advisory firm based in New England, with offices in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The firm, with over 400 professionals and staff, offers a diversity of services which includes auditing, accounting, tax and business advisory services. In addition, BlumShapiro provides a variety of specialized consulting services such as succession and estate planning, business technology services, employee benefit plan audits and litigation support and valuation. The firm serves a wide range of privately held companies, government and non-profit organizations and provides non-audit services for publicly traded companies. When Work Works is a national initiative, led by the partnership of the Families and Work Institute (FWI) and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), to help businesses of all sizes and types become more successful by transforming the way they view and adopt effective and flexible workplaces. When Work Works is one of the foremost providers of resources, rigorous research and best practices on workplace effectiveness and flexibility in the nation. The initiative administers the prestigious annual When Work Works Award, which recognizes exemplary employers for creating effective workplaces to increase business and employee success. Visit http://www.whenworkworks.org and follow us on Twitter @WhenWorkWorks @FWINews and @SHRMPress, and join the workflex conversation on Facebook.com/FWINews. I want to help you reach millionaire status, even get rich, if you believe that you deserve to be the person in the room that writes the check for a million dollars. Grant Cardone Grant Cardone, NY Times bestselling author, and international sales expert has just finished writing The Millionaire Booklet: How to Get Super Rich which has already been translated it into 47 different languages. There are only 48 books in existence that have been translated into more than 47 languagesincluding the Bible, the Quran, Sherlock Holmes, Harry Potter, and Alice in Wonderland to name a few. In comparison, the hit novel The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown was translated into 44 languages and The Great Gatsby was translated into only 42 languages. The Millionaire Booklet was written as a step-by-step guide to building new millionaires. With over half a million people reaching millionaire status in the US last year alone, Cardone encourages more people to get control of their finances and to get rich. The Millionaire Booklet explains that anyone can get super rich if they simply follow Grants plan. Readers come away with easy to digest concepts that they can use confidently and successfully to get rich themselves. Cardone, who has accumulated over $100 million himself, codified how he got rich and shows others exactly how they can duplicate it. No get rich quick. No overnight success. This isn't the lottery or some fantasy story. This is hard work, commitment, and repeated actions proven to work. According to Cardone, becoming a millionaire is a necessity in 2016 and beyond. People now more than ever must get out of the middle class to take care of their families and finance their dreams. Cardone was inspired to write The Millionaire Booklet after attending a charity event where the goal was to raise $2 million, but only $1 million was raised. Everyone wanted to give more but nobody was able tothey just didnt have enough money to hit the mark. One individual at the event stepped up to personally donate the last million. It was miraculous how the event changed at that moment. There was not a person in the room who didnt want to be the guy who gave that last million. I want to help you reach millionaire status, even get rich, if you believe that you deserve to be the person in the room that writes the check for a million dollars. Grant Cardone Just a few of the languages that The Millionaire Booklet is being translated into includes Spanish, Hebrew, Greek, French, Italian, Japanese, Swedish, Turkish, Gaelic, Chinese, Dutch, Arabic, Telugu, Korean, and Russian among others. Copies are available for purchase at http://www.millionairebooklet.com About Grant Cardone: Grant Cardone is a business strategist, marketing and branding expert, the leading international sales expert in the world and best-selling author of five books. Cardone owns multiple companies; Cardone Training Technologies , Inc., Cardone Group (a software and technology business), Grant Cardone TV (online media network--GrantCardoneTV.com), and Cardone Acquisitions, a national real estate company which currently owns over 3,500 units throughout the United States. Cardone is the world's top sales training expert with the most viewed online sales training site in the world today with over 1500 segments of content used by companies like Ashley, Aflac, All State, Google, MIT, Inside Sales, Udemy, Chrysler, Toyota, Morgan Stanley, T-Mobile, AT&T, Sprint, Fran Tarkenton Companies and thousands more. You can follow Cardone on Twitter @GrantCardone or visit http://www.GrantCardone.com ---- For further press information on Grant Cardone please contact Vaughn Reynolds: Vaughn Reynolds Public Relations Vaughn(at)GrantCardone(dot)com Cardone Training Technologies, Inc Phone: 310.777.0255 Fax: 310.777.0256 Web: http://www.grantcardone.com Mabel brought people from all over the world to Taos at a time where there were no airports and no paved roads to get here -Mayor Barrone In conjunction with the debut opening of the Mabel Dodge Luhan & Company: American Moderns and the West exhibition, Taos Mayor Daniel Barrone has declared the third Saturday in June as Mabel Dodge Luhan Day. Luhan is being honored for her many accomplishments as an art collector, writer, political and social activist, mentor and patron of the arts. She is known for bringing many well-known artists and thinkers to area, such as: D.H. Lawrence, Carl Jung, Georgia OKeeffe, Ansel Adams, Dorothy Brett and Martha Graham. Mabel brought people from all over the world to Taos at a time where there were no airports and no paved roads to get here, said Mayor Barrone. She cherished and promoted the uniqueness of our three cultures and the rich artistic, architectural, musical, craft and inspirational contributions of each, separately and when blended together. The proclamation reads as follows: WHEREAS, Mabel Dodge Luhan was a world renowned writer, humanitarian, and mentor of the arts that brought prominence and notoriety to the Town of Taos and Northern New Mexico, and WHEREAS, Mabel Dodge Luhan was a driving force in bringing together the talents, styles, artists, inspiration and markets that created the modern American art movement, popularized it throughout the world and served to position Taos as a creative center for the arts, and WHEREAS, Mabel Dodge Luhan introduced the world to the unique inspirational beauty, hospitality, and cultural diversity of Taos, laying the foundations of our modern tourism and arts industries, and WHEREAS, Mabel Dodge Luhan was one of, if not the most prominent and globally known resident of our community from 1918 to 1962, serving as our unofficial ambassador, mentor and host to the arts, to the outside world and to many of the most talented, influential and well know figures of her lifetime, and WHEREAS, Mabel Dodge Luhan advocated, promoted and symbolized in her lifetime many of the humanitarian ideals of economic, racial and social equality, as well as the independent, entrepreneurial, yet tolerant and compassionate principles that we pride ourselves on and identify ourselves with as Taosenos, and WHEREAS, we as a grateful and appreciative community wish to recognize the many talents and accomplishments of this unique member of our community and her contributions and importance to our history and our present place in the world, Daniel R. Barrone, as Mayor of the Town of Taos and on behalf of its elected leaders and community members due hereby recognize Mabel Dodge Luhan by declaring the third Saturday of June (June 18th, 2016), for here and forever more as Mabel Dodge Luhan Day. The Mabel Dodge Luhan & Company: American Moderns and the West exhibition is on view from now until September 11, 2016. It will then travel to The Albuquerque Museum of Art and History from October 29, 2016 January 22, 2017, and then to the Burchfield Penney Art Center in Buffalo, NY from March 10 May 28, 2017. For more information on the exhibition and upcoming events, please visit http://www.mabeldodgeluhan.org. ### ABOUT THE HARWOOD MUSEUM OF ART: The Harwood Museum of Art was formed in 1923 by Lucy Harwood and members of the Taos Society of Artists and is the second oldest museum in New Mexico. Affiliated with the University of New Mexico since 1935, the Harwood houses the internationally acclaimed Agnes Martin Gallery, galleries exhibiting highlights from the Museum's collection of work by the Taos Society of Artists, Taos Moderns, Hispanic Traditions, contemporary artists working in Taos, and changing exhibitions that fulfill the Harwood's vision to "Bring Taos Arts to the World and World Arts to Taos. For additional information, please visit HarwoodMuseum.org. Larry Chiavaro The Marketplace Lending Securitization Seminar is an opportunity for industry participants to discuss the growth and direction of our market. I look forward to an engaging conversation regarding recent market developments. First Associates Loan Servicing, LLC, the nations fastest growing loan servicing company, announced today that EVP Larry Chiavaro will be the featured speaker at Structured Credit Investors (SCI) Marketplace Lending Securitization Seminar. The seminar offers an in-depth examination of industry best practices for successful marketplace lending securitization. The panel, entitled Platform Differentiation, features Chiavaro and other industry experts who will share insights on the different capital market strategies required for marketplace lending vs. online lending, and offers best practices for cyber security, compliance management and managing reputational risk. The Marketplace Lending Securitization Seminar is an opportunity for industry participants to discuss the growth and direction of our market, Chiavaro said. I look forward to an engaging conversation regarding recent market developments. A recognized leader in the online lending industry, Chiavaro brings over two decades of progressive experience in consumer finance, having worked with marketplace lenders, investment banks, consumer finance companies, and auto/powersports finance companies. The SCI Marketplace Lending Securitization Seminar is June 28, 2016 at the offices of Kaye Scholer in New York. About First Associates Loan Servicing, LLC First Associates Loan Servicing is the fastest-growing third-party loan and lease servicer in the United States. With thirty years of experience in the consumer finance industry, First Associates is the countrys leading marketplace lending loan servicer. The company, based in San Diego, works with a wide range of asset classes, including marketplace lending, automotive, purchase finance, powersports, and small business. The company also offers a variety of support solutions, including backup servicing and custodial functions. For more information, visit http://www.1stassociates.com. About Structured Credit Investor Structured Credit Investor (SCI) is an independent media company providing an impartial perspective on the global securitization markets. SCI covers all aspects of securitization and its constituent asset classes - ABS, CDOs, CLOs, CMBS and RMBS - through a powerful combination of News, Market Data and Events. SCI hosts well-established seminars in London and New York that have individually tailored programs covering the most important and relevant current issues to participants, through panel discussions with leading market figures and audience-driven Q&As. For more information, visit http://www.structuredcreditinvestor.com. # # # Copper River sockeye salmon gravlax prepared to cure and freeze. Our fleet of 569 family fishermen puts a very high priority on quality. The Copper River sockeye salmon season is well under way and as of the fishing period that closed June 17, 550,022 sockeye were harvested. Renowned both domestically and internationally, this rich wild Alaska salmon is coveted for its pristine freshness, deep red color and luscious flavor profile. Harvested by independent commercial fishermen, Copper River sockeye is available fresh between May and August each year and lends itself to grilling, baking, sauteing and even curing. Savvy seafood lovers know that a six-ounce portion of this wild salmon cooks in well under ten minutes and they ask for this nutritional powerhouse by name. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game carefully regulates the fishery as mandated by Alaska State Constitution and they report that the 2016 run has arrived somewhat smaller than anticipated. At about 5 pounds each, sockeye this season are smaller than the typical 6 pound average. Regardless of the size of the run and fish, the consumer demand for Copper River sockeye has remained strong throughout the 2016 season and the Copper River fleet has maintained their longstanding commitment to quality, carefully handling each fish as it is caught. Executive Director Christa Hoover says, Our fleet of 569 family fishermen puts a very high priority on quality. Its the gold standard in our fishery and all fish are bled and chilled immediately after catch. This ensures that the inherent characteristics of this coveted resource are honored and in essence preserved for the consumer, creating the ultimate eating experience at home and in restaurants. This attention to details pays off at the seafood counter where Copper River sockeye sits on flaked ice and holds center stage during the summer months. Seattles Metropolitan Market has been featuring Copper River salmon every summer for thirty years now and they are proud to be part of the fisherys legacy. Larry Heigaard, Fresh Director of Seattles Metropolitan Market says, We were the first grocery store to carry Copper River fresh and to us it signals the start of salmon season. We love both the king and the sockeye, but the sockeye are excellent and definitely easier for some people to handle. Customers love the high fat content, great flavor and the deep red color and Heigaard says, Its a show stopper. Our customers start calling and asking for it in May. They just cant wait. The Copper River/Prince William Sound Marketing Association, a fisherman funded regional seafood development association, works on behalf of the 500 plus commercial salmon fisherman of Coastal South Central Alaska. The association works to build brand awareness for wild Copper River king, sockeye and coho as well as Prince William Sound sockeye, keta, and pink salmon. For additional information contact: Christa Hoover, Executive Director info(at)copperrivermarketing(dot)org http://www.copperriversalmon.org Copper River/PWS Marketing Association Box 199, Cordova, Alaska 99574 t: 907-424-3459:: f: 907-424-3430 (Clockwise) Health Council students host an anti-bullying talk, attend a conference in May, present anti-smoking posters to the city and county mayors and spread notes of kindness to their classmates. Its a really active group to be a part of, and I like spending time with people who have both similar and different points of view Members of Chester County High Schools Health Council spent the academic year spreading acts of kindness, sharing anti-bullying messages and launching an anti-smoking campaign throughout the community. In early May, student members of the council Emily Eads, Lauren Rogers, Grant Matthews, Daniel Scott, Presley Connor and Blake Catlett presented a session and debuted their promotional video at a statewide conference hosted by the Tennessee Coordinated School Health Institute in Murfreesboro. The students did a wonderful job. Several of the participants asked for the video link, so they could show it in their counties, said Heather Griffin, a sponsor of the council. The students also delivered anti-smoking posters to Henderson Mayor Bobby King and Chester County Mayor Dwain Seaton and spoke before several community leaders prior to their presentation in Murfreesboro. The Student Health Council began in 2008 to promote five areas of total personal fitness mental, physical, social, emotional and spiritual. Students are selected to participate based on teacher recommendations. We were really looking for the kind of kids that werent already involved in every sport or every club, Griffin said. Maybe the teacher might have thought they had some leadership potential. Amy Eads, who is also a council sponsor, said the program seeks dedicated students who want to make an impact on their school and would see through big projects that weve approached them with or that theyve approached us with. Rising juniors Presley Connor and Emily Eads have been members of the health council since junior high school. Its a really active group to be a part of, and I like spending time with people who have both similar and different points of view, Connor said. Eads credits her involvement in the council with helping her to feel more comfortable reaching out to people she normally would not. Members of the council will participate in the Tennessee Teen Institute in June, where they will brainstorm new health, safety and anti-drug messages for the 2016-17 school year. CCHS Principal Ricky Catlett called members of the health council great models of character. They bring awareness to the dangers of tobacco use and bullying, and were excited to have them represent our community, he said. The students meet regularly, even during the summer, to plan activities. Located in Henderson, Tennessee, Chester County High School is part of the Chester County School System. Troy Kilzer II serves as director of schools. For more information, visit http://chestercountyschools.org/. USClaims provides the resources to help plaintiffs and their attorneys stand up against corporations that otherwise stand to gain from their losses. USClaims, a leading supporter of personal injury victims and their attorneys, celebrates 20 years of successful operations with the unveiling of a new look for the company. The change in its brand and website reflects its rapid growth and expansion. USClaims is proud to mark its 20th year of helping personal injury victims cope with life expenses while pursuing a just outcome of their case. We are extremely proud of the work we have accomplished over these many years at USClaims, said Darryl Levine, president and founder of USClaims. Working with victims of personal injury cases and their attorneys to ensure they have a chance for a fair settlement has been gratifying and humbling. USClaims provides the resources to help plaintiffs and their attorneys stand up against corporations that otherwise stand to gain from their losses. Over the years, USClaims has been honored for its pre-settlement funding capabilities by publications such as the New Jersey Law Journal and The Legal Intelligencer. Earlier this year, the company was named the No. 1 Litigation Funding Provider by readers of the National Law Journal for the fourth year in a row. Founded in 1996, USClaims is the longest continuously operating pre-settlement funding firm in the United States. It operates by purchasing a portion of the anticipated proceeds of a legal claim and is repaid only if a case is won. In 2014, the business was acquired by DRB Financial Solutions, LLC, (DRB) a move that has enabled USClaims to assist more customers than ever before. Jim Terlizzi, DRBs Executive Chairman commented, USClaims is an essential piece of our growth strategy. We are gratified at the rapid expansion of the business and delivering on the USClaims promise to plaintiffs and attorneys across America. With the updated branding and expanded infrastructure, we look forward to meaningful growth over the next 20 years. About USClaims: Since 1996, USClaims has provided non-recourse cash advances to personal injury victims who have suffered catastrophic injuries from defective products, unsafe premises, motor vehicle accidents, medical malpractice and vaccinations. USClaims also funds individuals who have been wrongfully convicted and victims of civil rights violations. A longtime member of the industry trade group the American Legal Finance Association (ALFA), USClaims supports injured plaintiffs and their attorneys by purchasing a portion of the anticipated recovery, thereby providing the injured plaintiff the means to pay bills and endure the often long and arduous litigation process. About DRB Financial Solutions, LLC: The DRB Financial Solutions family of companies is a leading purchaser of annuity payments and other illiquid cash flows. Through DRB Capital, DRB offers liquidity and optionality to prospective sellers in need of cash who have guaranteed or life-contingent structured settlements or other annuity payments. Through USClaims, DRB is a leading provider of advances to personal injury victims and their families and, through its recently-launched OptiMed Funding business, DRB provides liquidity and lien management to surgical centers, chiropractors and other healthcare professionals which care for personal injury victims. Through CRG Financial, DRB offers offers cash certain to creditors of entities that have entered bankruptcy protection while eliminating the difficulties, risks and uncertainty of payment. DRB Financial The Liquidity Solutions People. Executive Chairman for the event is Dr. Wilfried Achenbach, Senior Vice President, Engineering & Technology, Daimler Trucks North America. Four Executive Panel discussions are slated for the SAE 2016 Commercial Vehicle Engineering Congress, which will be held Oct. 4-6, 2016, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Ill. The Executive Panels will include: Telematics - History, Present and the Future (Tuesday, Oct. 4, 9:30 a.m.) The application of telematics has already brought significant value to the commercial vehicle industry, in both On Road and Off Road applications. Yet, this is only the beginning! Telematics will play an increasing role in the connectivity of the vehicle to the business operation, and to the rest of the world - Enabling added uptime, increased vehicle efficiency, reduced maintenance, and other value we haven't yet thought of. This executive panel will review where we've been in the telematics journey and allow major industry players to give insight into their use and future aspirations for telematics in commercial vehicles. Commercial Vehicles and the Industrial Internet of Things (IoT) (Thursday, Oct. 6, 8:30 a.m.) The tech world is abuzz with the Internet of Things (IoT). The projected benefits of connecting personal and household items to the IoT are huge. Industrial is the fundamental difference between the IoT and IIoT. Manufacturers and owners of complex, high value, capital-intensive pieces of commercial equipment are applying instrumentation to capture sensory and telemetry data. The term Big Data refers to the large datasets that are gathered and analyzed to improve performance, avoid unplanned downtime, avoid safety events, increase fuel efficiency, reduce GHG, comply with regulations, and improve future products. Because of the high value of commercial equipment assets, analytics delivering these benefits can quickly produce large financial paybacks. The goal of this panel is to discuss the present, near term, and future applications of the IIoT, the benefits derived, and to make predictions about the future of the IIoT. Connectivity from the Customer Perspective (Thursday, Oct. 6, 10:30 a.m.) Vehicle connectivity is permeating the market but how deeply "connected" are our customers' vehicles today? Where do they see connectivity adding value now and in the future? These are questions we will explore with an executive panel representing end users, industry, and academia across Commercial Vehicle sectors. The panelists will provide valuable insights of how customers are using telematics in their machines and business operations, with focus on driver safety and operational efficiency. We will explore the value gained from vehicle connectivity as well as the challenges customers want to overcome. Vehicle connectivity is only as valuable as our customers will adopt and embrace the added functionality. Hearing these customer voices will be critical to moving the industry ahead to provide even further value with connectivity. A-maze-ing Connections (Thursday, Oct. 6, 2 p.m.) Mobility is about connecting people with each other and with the things they want. Just as people may take a circuitous path, technology must traverse a maze of issues to reach its goals. This session will explore the early results, trials, and tribulations of vehicle OEMs, government incentives and regulations, academic field trials, and municipalities that are working to bring to life the benefits of vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) and vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) technologies. The panel will discuss the issues and provide clear signals for reaching the connected future of mobility. With a theme of Connectivity, the SAE 2016 Commercial Vehicle Engineering Congress & Exhibition, brings together a global assembly of both on- and off-road professionals, providing solid, profitable interaction with engineers, supply managers and executives. Executive Chairman for the event is Dr. Wilfried Achenbach, Senior Vice President, Engineering & Technology, Daimler Trucks North America. To learn more about the Executive Panels, visit http://www.sae.org/events/cve/attend/program/. To learn more about the SAE 2016 Commercial Vehicle Engineering Congress & Exhibition, visit http://www.sae.org/events/cve/. To request media credentials, email pr(at)sae(dot)org or call 1-724-772-8522. SAE International is a global association committed to being the ultimate knowledge source for the engineering profession. By uniting over 127,000 engineers and technical experts, we drive knowledge and expertise across a broad spectrum of industries. We act on two priorities: encouraging a lifetime of learning for mobility engineering professionals and setting the standards for industry engineering. We strive for a better world through the work of our philanthropic SAE Foundation, including programs like A World in Motion and the Collegiate Design Series. http://www.sae.org Libman "Embrace Life's Messes Van The Libman Company, a U.S. manufacturer of household and commercial cleaning products, wants consumers to know that they dont need to worry about everyday cleaning messes as long as theres a Libman product on hand to help them out. In celebration of its 120th anniversary this year, The Libman Companys Embrace Lifes Messes tour will travel to 109 retail locations in 14 cities this summer, giving away product and special prizes in order to encourage consumers to embrace lifes messes by letting Libman help do the work. The eight-week Embrace Lifes Messes tour is an experiential marketing campaign that is an extension of Libmans 2016 television and print ad campaign whose message reminds consumers to Remember the Moment, even when those moments can create a physical mess. Whether its baking cookies together or letting the kids dabble in finger paint and glitter, the message Libman wants to communicate is that Libman has consumers covered so they can enjoy the moment rather than fret about the mess. The Libman Embrace Lifes Messes tour will kick off in Louisville, Ky. on Thursday, June 23 and end in Chicago on August 18. At the helm of the tour is a team of two individuals serving as Libman brand ambassadors, who will drive the Libman-branded Ford Transit van to store openings, retail locations, local events, and national historic landmarks in 15 states. At the retail stops, shoppers will have the opportunity to see in-store product demos and participate in games to win Libman prizes. The tour will be documented throughout the eight weeks with blog posts, photos and videos of the duos adventures on social media sites and on http://www.embracelifesmesses.com. Additionally, Libman will run a 120th Anniversary online sweepstakes Embrace Lifes Messes over the course of 12 weeks that will give away 120 Libman product prize packages worth $120 each, and culminate with a grand prize that awards $1,200 to one lucky winner. The sweepstakes begins on June 26 and runs through September 17. The Libman Company started in 1896 with one mission: to make the finest, most durable wire-wound corn brooms. The family left Lithuania for the United States in the 1890s, landed in Chicago, and started life in the New World by peddling sundries from a pushcart, selling everything from brooms to clothes-pins. The old-fashioned corn broom was a top seller. Today, Libman has a 1.1 million square foot facility located in Central Illinois. With the fourth generation of Libmans who have come on board, they are as committed as their predecessors to providing high-quality, American-made cleaning products including mops, brushes, cleaning tools, and brooms. About The Libman Company The Libman Company is a family-owned company that has been making quality cleaning tools since 1896. The company manufactures products from brooms and mops to more specialized tools for kitchen and bathroom cleaning and industrial uses. Libman proudly manufactures most of their products in the United States, including the companys well-known Wonder Mop. For more information about the Libman Company, please visit http://www.libman.com. # # # We are so proud to honor our local girls at the State level on the occasion of the Centennial of the Gold Award, said Gina Jaeger, CEO of Girl Scouts of Californias Central Coast. Girl Scouts of Californias Central Coast (GSCCC) is celebrating the Women's Caucus Gold Award Centennial Event on June 22 -23 in Sacramento, California. GSCCC will be joining Girl Scouts from all across California at the State Capitol for an empowering celebration of the organizations highest award. Jody Skenderian, Chief Development Officer of Girl Scouts of Californias Central Coast, will be attending alongside three central coast girls invited to participate in the national celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Girl Scout Gold Award. Representing GSCCC will be Carleigh Ornelas of Santa Barbara; Skye Schwellenbach of Los Osos; and April Hoberg of Moorpark. The girls will travel to the California State Capitol in Sacramento to attend the June 22-23 Women's Caucus Gold Award Centennial Event, meet with District Representatives and receive a proclamation during this two-day celebration. We are so proud to honor our local girls at the State level on the occasion of the Centennial of the Gold Award, said Gina Jaeger, CEO of Girl Scouts of Californias Central Coast. Each girl has created her project based on a need in the community, demonstrating her ability to help make the world a better place. The girls will also meet with members of the California Legislative Womens Caucus and have the opportunity to shadow select legislators at the State Capitol and network with influential women business leaders over two days in Sacramento. The event at the State Capitol mirrors events all over the country this year, as Girl Scout troops and councils are Celebrating 100 Years of Changing the World through the Gold Award. On June 14, GSCCC traveled to Washington, D.C. with Centennial Gold Award Recipient Cory Williams of Santa Barbara, to meet state legislators on Capitol Hill. Over the years, Gold Award recipients have improved the lives of tens of thousands of people throughout the world through projects such as building libraries to help teach new immigrants English literacy skills, constructing hospitals that serve women and children in war-torn regions of the world, and encouraging sustainable food growth and consumption in local communities, among many other beneficial projects. Earning a Gold Award requires girls to take action in a sustainable way by identifying issues in their communities or the world and working to resolve them for future generations. Like earning Boy Scouts Eagle Scout designation, earning the Girl Scout Gold Award is a powerful and transformative experience that could entitle girls to college scholarships or an advanced rank when entering the military. About Girl Scouts of the USA: We're 2.7 million strong1.9 million girls and 800,000 adults who believe girls can change the world. It began over 100 years ago with one woman, Girl Scouts' founder Juliette Gordon "Daisy" Low, who believed in the power of every girl. She organized the first Girl Scout troop on March 12, 1912, in Savannah, Georgia, and every year since, we've made her vision a reality, helping girls discover their strengths, passions, and talents. Today we continue the Girl Scout mission of building girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. We're the preeminent leadership development organization for girls. And with programs for girls from coast to coast and across the globe, Girl Scouts offers every girl a chance to do something amazing. To volunteer, reconnect, donate, or join, visit http://www.girlscouts.org. About Girl Scouts of Californias Central Coast Girl Scouts of California's Central Coast serves over 10,700 girls across six counties and is committed to making Girl Scouting available to girls in ways that impact their lives both in the moment and into the future. Girls participate in troops, individual projects, council events, day camps, and more. A variety of leadership, outdoor skills, and Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM) based programs and events provide girls with opportunities to learn and explore in fun and informative ways. To join or volunteer in Santa Cruz, San Benito, Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara or Ventura County, visit: http://www.girlscoutsccc.org. # # # Quantitative Radiology Solutions, the newest company to join the University City Science Centers Port business incubator and current participant in the Phase 1 Ventures program, is leveraging regional and federal resources to disrupt radiation therapy and treatment for cancer patients. Quantitative Radiology Solutions helps physicians make better treatment decisions by quantifying medical imaging using a tool called Automated Anatomy Recognition (AAR). This system quickly identifies and delineates anatomical structures in multiple body regions using MRI, CT, and PET/CT images. This technology will have a significant impact on radiology, oncology, and surgery. Thanks to the body-wide AAR system, what previously took hours to map can be done within minutes, reducing time, costs, and variation. Quantitative Radiology Solutions was launched through the University of Pennsylvanias UPStart program. As a resident of the Port business incubator, Quantitative Radiology Solutions will be plugged into a rich network of resources where they can access the programs, the people and the support that can help grow businesses. Phase 1 Ventures (P1V) will allow the early-stage company to test its business feasibility in a low-risk environment thanks to funding and direct access to business expertise offered by the program. Since its official launch earlier this year, P1V has already assisted several newly-formed companies. Quantitative Radiology Solutions joins the inaugural cohort that also includes PolyCore Therapeutics, a spinout of Drexel University and a fellow resident of the business incubator. The Science Center recently selected the second cohort of P1V projects. These four projects have ties to Lehigh University; Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey; and Temple University. P1V provides early-stage businesses with direct funding up to $450,000, and also helps them secure public and private funding. Quantitative Radiology Solutions received $213,000 of direct financing from P1V, and received grants from National Institute of Health and National Science Foundation. PolyCore Therapeutics, which is developing a new drug to manage the side effects of treating Parkinsons and other neurological diseases, received $250,000 from P1V. The Port business incubator helps emerging life sciences, physical sciences, and digital technology companies operate and grow through a suite of related programs and facilities. The Port provides coworking spaces, cubicles, fully furnished offices, and wet and dry labs directly in the heart of the Science Centers legacy campus at uCity Square. The Port also connects its residents to Greater Philadelphias diverse and supportive innovation ecosystem. About the Science Center Located in the heart of uCity Square, the University City Science Center is a dynamic hub for innovation, and entrepreneurship and technology development in the Greater Philadelphia region. Founded in 1963 as the nations first urban research park, it provides business incubation, programming, lab and office facilities, and support services for entrepreneurs, start-ups, and growing and established companies. Graduate firms and current residents of the Science Centers business incubator support one out of every 100 jobs in Greater Philadelphia and drive $12.9 billion in economic activity in the region annually. For more information about the Science Center, go to http://www.sciencecenter.org. Human Resource Executive, in a report researched by the Lawdragon organization, recognized six Greenberg Traurig, LLP shareholders for their work in employment, traditional labor, and immigration law. In 2014, Peter W. Zinober was named to the Hall of Fame, the publications most coveted honor. Additionally, for the sixth consecutive year, the Nations Top 20 Lawyers in Immigration Law list includes Laura Foote Reiff. Since 2013, the Nations Most Powerful Employment Attorneys list includes Charles S. Birenbaum and James N. Boudreau. For the second consecutive year, Todd D. Wozniak appears on the publications 40 Up and Comers in Employment Law list. Jonathan L. Sulds and Terence P. McCourt, making their debut on the list, were recognized among the Nations Top 20 Lawyers in Traditional Labor & Employment Law. According to Human Resource Executive, Lawdragon, a networking site for lawyers and clients, conducts the research for the list created to identify the most powerful attorneys for employment law, benefits law, traditional labor and employment law, and immigration law. Zinober is co-chair of the firms Global Labor & Employment Practice. He specializes in the defense of employment discrimination cases in state and federal court, both jury and non-jury, as well as wage and hour, disability discrimination, Sarbanes-Oxley, Dodd-Frank, and other whistleblower defense, age, and all other types of employment litigation. He also specializes in "traditional" labor management relations law, including the representation of employers in connection with unfair labor practice and representation case proceedings before the National Labor Relations Board, labor and non-union arbitrations, collective bargaining, and counseling. Chair of Greenberg Traurigs Northern California offices, Birenbaum is an experienced labor and employment attorney who focuses his practice on traditional labor and employment law matters, and has wide-ranging experience litigating in state and federal courts as well as various administrative agencies. He has testified on proposed legislation impacting entire industries before state legislative committees, and has interfaced and negotiated with labor organizations, politicians, regulators, and industry leaders to resolve complex issues for his clients in the health care, energy, construction, and other industries. Boudreau is co-chair of the Labor & Employment Practice's Class and Collective Action Group. He represents management in class action and complex employment litigation and devotes the majority of his practice to managing teams of attorneys and paralegals in nationwide class and collective actions from receipt of the complaint through discovery, class certification, and trial. He also has first chair experience in restrictive covenant/trade secret litigation, having handled such matters in jurisdictions throughout the country. In addition to his complex litigation practice, Boudreau regularly advises employers on all forms of labor and employment issues and related compliance matters. McCourt is managing shareholder of the Boston office and chair of its Labor & Employment Practice. He is also the co-chair of the firms Labor & Employment Practices NLRA Collective Bargaining, Arbitration, NLRA Pre-Emption Group. He represents a broad range of organizations in all facets of management-side labor and employment law. During more than two decades of practice, he has gained a national reputation for his practical, solution-oriented approach to employment law issues. With wide-ranging litigation experience, McCourt handles diverse employment matters, including employment discrimination and wrongful termination cases in state and federal courts, wage and hour compliance, labor arbitration cases, non-competition cases, internal corporate investigations, and National Labor Relations Board proceedings. Reiff, co-chair of the Business Immigration & Compliance Practice and co-managing shareholder of the firms Northern Virginia office, advises corporations on a variety of compliance-related issues, particularly related to Form I-9 alien employment verification matters. She has been involved in audits and internal investigations and has successfully minimized monetary exposure as well as civil and criminal liabilities on behalf of her clients. Reiff also represents many businesses in creating, managing, and using Regional Centers that can create indirect jobs toward the 10 new U.S. jobs whose creation can give rise to EB-5 permanent residence for investment. Sulds is co-chair of the firm's Global Labor & Employment Practice. He has been representing leading employers since 1974 in virtually every aspect of their engagement, protection, management, and reward of workforce resources. Sulds regularly represents employers in the areas of collective bargaining and traditional labor relations, Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) litigation, wage and hour matters, discrimination complaints, restrictive covenant, duty of loyalty and trade secret litigation, Sarbanes-Oxley, Dodd-Frank and other whistleblower matters, global and domestic executive employment arrangements, and corporate campaigns. He is also involved in the labor and employment aspects of corporate transactions and class and collective actions that arise in these contexts. Wozniak is a trial lawyer who defends companies and public institutions throughout the United States in labor and employment, ERISA, and business disputes. He is co-chair of the firms Labor & Employment Practices ERISA Litigation team and is experienced in ERISA and employee benefits litigation. He is also experienced in wage and hour litigation, state and federal whistleblower statutes, non-discrimination laws, plant closing and mass layoff laws, collective bargaining and traditional labor relations, executive contracts and compensation, non-compete and trade secrets litigation, and partnership/business disputes. During his career, Wozniak has defended more than a dozen class or collective actions and tried more than 40 cases or arbitrations to verdict. About Greenberg Traurigs Labor & Employment Practice Greenberg Traurigs Global Labor & Employment Practice serves clients from offices throughout the United States, Latin America, Europe, and Asia. Members of the practice have had numerous trial wins and are frequently called upon to handle complex, bet-the-company, and large high-stake cases, including class and collective actions. On the labor side, a leading group of lawyers regularly represents management with labor-relations matters. Labor & Employment team members assist clients with complex employment issues, and design practical, proactive strategies that can be readily implemented by todays human resources professionals. The practice has been recognized by Law360 as Practice Group of the Year for Labor & Employment (2011 and 2013), and has received a regional award from American Lawyer affiliate, Daily Report, for Litigation Department of the Year in Georgia (Labor & Employment 2015). In addition, the practice is recognized by The Legal 500 United States in the areas of Labor and Employment Litigation, Workplace & Employment Counseling, Labor-Management Relations, and Trade Secrets Litigation. Visit Greenberg Traurigs Labor & Employment Blog for insights and analysis of the latest labor and employment developments, including legislation, regulations, cases, policies, and trends. About Greenberg Traurig, LLP Greenberg Traurig, LLP is an international, multi-practice law firm with approximately 1900 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, third largest in the U.S. on the 2015 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/. A mobile ad for the brand positioning campaign. This presentation will highlight how we repositioned Portneuf as a collaborative, community-focused provider of better healthcare. Hospital marketing strategist and Smith & Jones CEO Mark Shipley will join forces with Portneuf Health Partners Director of Marketing Todd Blackinton to present a case study, Thursday, at the Hospital Marketing National Conference in San Diego, CA. The duo will outline a brand positioning campaign Smith & Jones helped launch earlier this year for Portneuf Medical Center, a community hospital in Pocatello, Idaho. The campaign focuses on aligning the organization's core values with those of the community, leveraging TV and web video that features Pocatello community members, many of its iconic landmarks, and other beautiful scenery. The presentation will demonstrate how small community hospitals can stand out from large medical centers, and how storytelling can change perceptions of your hospital brand. We work with hospitals and health systems that compete with larger organizations with bigger budgets, and that means having to act smarter and more strategic," Smith & Jones CEO Mark Shipley said. This presentation will highlight how we repositioned Portneuf as a collaborative, community-focused provider of better healthcare. Hospital Marketing National Conferences feature key thought leaders in the marketing and advertising fields. Topics such as media buying, service line marketing, and creative storytelling are slated for this years conference. Todd is in charge of all the marketing and public relations at Portneuf Health Partners. Before taking on his role at the hospital, he worked as a marketing strategist at Idaho Central Credit Union and as a news director at a local broadcast news station. Hes a graduate of Brigham Young University and occasional presenter at other healthcare marketing conferences. Mark is the CEO and Strategy Directory of Smith & Jones. He translates insight into strategy and ensures that communications reinforce our clients brand positions. Under his direction, the agencys work has won Best of Show in the Healthcare Advertising Awards, as well as being recognized by The Aster Awards, the American Marketing Association, One Club, New York Festivals, and The London International Awards. Mark is also a guest speaker at healthcare marketing conferences, most recently the World Congress Hospital Marketing Conference in Boston. Mark and Todd will present Thursday at 11:45 a.m at the Andaz Hotel. About Smith & Jones Smith & Jones is the marketing communications agency exclusively focused on hospitals and health systems that compete with larger medical centers. We imagine an America where healthcare is truly personal, where everyone has local access to a superior customer and clinical experience, and as a result, people live healthier lives. We contribute to that vision by helping our clients create meaningful and desirable healthcare brands, align their internal teams, engage new and existing patients, and drive downstream revenue. Together, we change the outcomes. guestrev The improved communication between our property management and revenue management systems has saved us time and helped Beaver Run Resort better capitalize on revenue opportunities. Hot news for revenue managers: two of the hospitality industrys leading technology solutions, The Rainmaker Group and Springer-Miller Systems, are now seamlessly integrating data. The newly enhanced connection allows for a new level of dynamic pricing controls, with two-way integration of data between Rainmakers guestrev pricing and forecasting solution and Springer-Miller Systems (SMS) SMS|Host Hospitality Management System. Through the new interface, Rainmaker is able to upload proposals for both best available rates and derived rates to the SMS|Host Hospitality Management System in a fully-automated environment. This creates a dynamic yearly pricing strategy for the hotel in a fraction of the time, as revenue managers no longer need to manually input changes to daily rates, reducing the integration process from days to mere minutes. We are delighted to be able to offer a full two-way interface between our systems, and the benefit it will bring to our shared customer base said Rainmaker Co-founder and President Tammy Farley. 2016 is a year of great growth for our business, and the enhanced connection with Springer-Miller Systems is among the ways Rainmaker is improving its models and the client experience. Rainmakers guestrev solution uses proven forecasting and optimization algorithms to deliver both top- and bottom-line growth and rapid ROI after implementation. It factors total guest value into the optimization process, considering potential revenue from food and beverage, spa and other profit centers alongside room revenue to ensure rates are developed with the total profitability of each guest segment in mind. The two-way data integration of Springer-Miller and guestrev frees hotel executives to optimize rate decisions via other Rainmaker solutions like revcaster, a competitive rate-shopping tool that provides deep-dive local knowledge and analysis so hoteliers can monitor parity, maximize ADR and drive higher profits. Bruce Horii, Director of Sales and Marketing for Beaver Run Resort and Conference Center in Breckenridge, Colo., has seen the benefits of the new integration first-hand. He remarked, The improved communication between our property management and revenue management systems has saved us time and helped Beaver Run Resort better capitalize on revenue opportunities. Its a great added value that Rainmaker and Springer-Miller Systems two of our key technology resources are working together and in sync. This expanded connection will allow our mutual customers to manage their business more effectively and more efficiently, added Chris Donahue, Director of Product Management for Springer-Miller Systems. Were excited to be able to add this two-way integration with Rainmakers to our robust hospitality management software offering. Springer-Miller Systems provides premier software solutions for the finest hotels, resorts and spas worldwide. The company offers the SMS|Host Hospitality Management System, the first guest-centric and fully integrated property management system, and SpaSoft, a dynamic activities management and scheduling software solution for luxury spas. About Rainmaker Headquartered in Alpharetta, Georgia, Rainmaker is the premier provider of profit optimization and demand-cycle solutions to the hospitality and multifamily housing industries. Since its founding in 1998, the company has focused solely on delivering the highest revenue returns possible through the development and cultivation of a suite of products and consulting services designed to streamline operational efficiencies, enhance revenue optimization processes, improve lead performance and generate greater demand. Recognized as one of the top privately held companies in the United States, Rainmaker has been named to Inc. 5000s Fastest Growing Privately Held Companies for the last five years and was named to the Atlanta Business Chronicles List of the 100 Fastest Growing Companies in Atlanta. To learn more about Rainmaker and its suite of profit and demand optimization solutions, please visit http://www.LetItRain.com, and follow Rainmaker on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. Kaitlyn R. Maxwell, of the international law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP, is speaking June 22 on Odor Modeling and Regulation and is participating as a panelist on the Odor Regulation and Litigation: Government and Industry Perspective Panel at the Air & Waste Management Associations 109th Annual Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Air & Waste Management Association (A&WMA) works with more than 50 public power utilities nationwide to optimize the value of generation and load in wholesale energy markets. Its annual conference brings together over 1,500 leading environmental professionals from around the world and is recognized as a leading platform for information exchange, networking opportunities, and business development. Maxwell will speak about litigation issues surrounding federal and local odor regulations. She will be joined by an industry representative who has been the target of odor regulation, a regulator who has drafted regulation on the topic, and a consultant who will share experiences with odor regulatory statutes and challenges of measuring and verifying ambient odor concentrations. Maxwell focuses her practice on general environmental and energy matters. Her work includes litigation of major contamination cases under the hazardous waste and Superfund laws. About Greenberg Traurigs Environmental Practice Greenberg Traurigs Environmental Practice assists clients with issues under the environmental and natural resource laws that affect their businesses. The firms environmental attorneys assist with securing permits and approvals; negotiate and close transactions; defend clients in enforcement actions; handle a broad range of environmental and toxic tort litigation; ensure the understanding and satisfaction of regulatory requirements; prepare for and respond to emergencies; craft approaches for legacy cleanup issues; and develop solutions for product regulation, market access, and environmental policy challenges. About Greenberg Traurigs Philadelphia Office Founded in 1997, Greenberg Traurigs Philadelphia office is now home to approximately 35 attorneys and 11 practices including Business Reorganization & Financial Restructuring, Corporate & Securities, Emerging Technology, Environmental, Business Immigration & Compliance, Investment Regulation, Labor & Employment, Litigation, Public Finance, Real Estate, and Tax. The Philadelphia office represents clients in the manufacturing, health care, real estate, energy, financial, and insurance industries, state and local governments, professional service, and energy firms, and individuals. 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, third largest in the U.S. on the 2015 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. BraunAbility joins sister company Permobil to improve the interface between wheelchairs and wheelchair accessible vehicles. Now our paths have converged, and we are confident the result will be technology that empowers our customers with unprecedented freedom and the autonomy to more fully experience and enjoy life. BraunAbility, the leading global manufacturer of accessible vehicles, and Permobil, the worldwide leader in power and manual wheelchairs, as well as seating and positioning products, have announced a joint research and development venture to improve the interface between wheelchairs and wheelchair accessible vehicles. The two organizations will collaborate on technical research and engineering with the ultimate goal of increasing independence and improving the total mobility experience for individuals with physical disabilities. The partnership will lead to breakthrough concepts that offer greater freedom and improve everyday life for their mutual customers. Permobil has exceptional research and development capabilities, and we share a commitment to innovation and a sharp focus on customer experience, said BraunAbility CEO Nick Gutwein. Individually our brands have contributed huge advancements in mobility over our long histories. Now our paths have converged, and we are confident the result will be technology that empowers our customers with unprecedented freedom and the autonomy to more fully experience and enjoy life. There is an approach called "working backwards" that is widely used at Permobil. We try to work backwards from the customer, rather than starting with an idea for a product and trying to bolt customers onto it. While working backwards can be applied to any specific product decision, using this approach is especially important when developing new products or features. BraunAbility and Permobil share this customer centric philosophy, and together our teams will revolutionize the interfaces between chairs and vehicles, said Permobil President Larry Jackson. Together, the two companies represent the most-trusted and extensive portfolio of technology products for individuals with physical disabilities. BraunAbility is a principal stakeholder in Autoadapt, the Sweden-based provider of safe mobility solutions. Additionally, over the last two years, Permobil has acquired TiLite, a leading manufacturer of customized manual wheelchairs and ROHO, the global leader in skin protection and positioning solutions for wheelchair users. BraunAbility and Permobil are sister companies both owned by the same parent company Investor AB, a Sweden-based investment company founded by the Wallenberg family. Investor AB will celebrate their 100 year anniversary this year. About BraunAbility BraunAbility is the world's leading manufacturer of wheelchair accessible vehicles and wheelchair lifts in the mobility industry. Founded nearly 50 years ago by Ralph Braun, the corporation was built on the age-old adage, "Necessity is the mother of invention." Ralph Braun was a young man who used a wheelchair and had no reliable transportation to and from his place of work. He built his first wheelchair accessible vehicle in 1972, and since then the company has grown into the most well-known and trusted name in the mobility industry, bringing independence to millions of individuals across the world. For more information about BraunAbility, please visit http://www.braunability.com About Permobil Permobil, TiLite, and ROHO. Three brands. One Mission. Together there is over 90 years of business experience in complex seating and mobility products. And together, these companies are better able to innovate and create healthcare solutions. Permobil founder, Dr. Per Udden stated over 40 years ago: "Every disabled person has the right to have his or her handicap compensated as far as possible by aids with the same technical standard as those we all use in our everyday lives." By focusing on this mission of using technology to meet their users needs, Permobil continues to lead the industry with a diverse line of innovative, complex rehabilitation solutions. This includes the user-focused process of custom fitting and configuration of TiLite manual wheelchairs, the ground breaking anterior tilt technology of the Permobil F-Series, and the decades of research demonstrating the effectiveness of ROHO DRY FLOTATION Technology. Its not just the power of mobility anymore, its a broad commitment to healthcare solutions. For more information please visit http://www.permobil.com. All of us ought to be challenged with giving hope to people; a person like Evelyn represents what can be achieved when you believe and when you're determined to accomplish your dreams, said Chris Bartlett, CEO, GEM Advertising This week GEM Advertising was proud to award a deserving Gateway Community College student with the GEM Advertising Entrepreneurial Scholarship. The scholarship was awarded to Evelyn Viera of New Haven, CT, at the Gateway Community College Foundations Eighth Annual Donor/Scholarship Luncheon. The luncheon was held at the New Haven Lawn Club. GEM Advertising was honored to have Evelyn as this years GEM Advertising Entrepreneurial Scholarship recipient. Evelyn is currently enrolled in Gateways Entrepreneurial Studies program and is a mother, grandmother, and great grand-mother who at one point in her life had her own small business. Unfortunately, she fell on hard times, lost the business and became homeless. It was during this tough period that Evelyn said she never wanted to be hungry again and decided to go back to school and enroll at Gateway Community College to pursue her education. Shes been committed to school ever since and today is living in New Haven and thriving at Gateway. To lift and support others in their pursuit of bettering their lives is my why; the reason I push out every day to reach my own capabilities. All of us ought to be challenged with giving hope to people; a person like Evelyn represents what can be achieved when you believe and when you're determined to accomplish your dreams, said Chris Bartlett, CEO GEM Advertising. The foundation awarded over 100 Gateway students with scholarships from such generous donors as First Niagara Bank, Comcast, Yale-New Haven Hospital, AT&T, and Murtha Cullina, LLP. About GEM Advertising GEM is a full-service, international, communications and marketing agency. With nine in-house departments, GEM produces and polishes multifaceted branding campaigns that spark love affairs between brands and their customer-advocates. GEM sees the highest potential in their clients and works with a feverish degree of passion and clarity to drive that potential into existence using human and technology resources of the highest integrity. GEM Advertising has offices in New Haven, CT; Vancouver, British Columbia; Boston, MA; and Chicago, IL. To learn more about GEM Advertising, please visit: http://www.GEM-Advertising.com. About the Gateway Community College Foundation The Gateway Community College Foundation, Inc., incorporated 1993, is non-profit organization whose sole purpose is to support Gateway Community College and its mission. Its Board of Director is comprised of volunteers from Greater New Havens business, education, government and health care sectors who generously donate their time and expertise to support Gateway through fundraising, scholarship and other volunteer activities. Money raised by the Foundation funds student scholarships, helps purchase state-of-the-art classroom equipment and materials, and provides professional development opportunities for college educators and personnel. Standing Board of Director Committees include Finance, Scholarship, Nominating, and Resource Development. Visit the GCCF online at http://www.gatewayfdn.org. ELKO Elko County commissioners have approved Sheriff Jim Pitts request to designate the undersheriff position as critical labor shortage status. I want to fill the undersheriffs position and being its mid-term, Im having a real hard time doing that with qualified people that want to take a risk on maybe a year-and-a-half, two-year commitment to a job, Pitts told the commission Monday. Being designated as critical labor allows Pitts to hire someone who is already drawing from the Public Employees Retirement System of Nevada, said Elko County Assistant Manager Cash Minor. The undersheriff position has been vacant since April 15. Kevin McKinney has been acting undersheriff since Clair Morris retired from the position. The countys resolution states the vacancy leaves a dangerous gap in the management of the public safety officers for the citizens of Elko County. In the past 17 years the sheriffs office has had seven undersheriffs, with the average stay being 2.42 years, according to the resolution. This is less than a full term for a sheriff, which is four years. Through the years, recruitment of qualified and experienced public safety officers to fill the undersheriff position has faced great difficulty to attract suitable candidates, the resolution states. Since the undersheriff is someone who is in charge and makes decisions that can affect the sheriffs career as an elected official, this person has to be someone the sheriff knows and trusts, the resolution states. Chief Civil District Attorney Kristin McQueary told Pitts the Countys approval is the first step. Public Employees Retirement System of Nevada also has to approve the designation. Commissioners Glen Guttry, Cliff Eklund and Demar Dahl approved the resolution. Commissioners Delmo Andreozzi and Rex Steninger were not present. This is one of the first studies to evaluate the ability to conduct traditional clinical trial visits remotely directly in a participants home, AMC Health, a leading provider of telehealth solutions, and University of Rochester Medical Center announced today that they have enrolled their first patient in a remote clinical trial in patients with Parkinsons disease. The study is part of a larger Phase III clinical trial, and will integrate the use of video, biometric data collection, and onscreen assessments. This is one of the first studies to evaluate the ability to conduct traditional clinical trial visits remotely directly in a participants home, said URMC neurologist Kevin Biglan, M.D., the principal investigator of the REACT-PD study. If successful, the study will help lay the foundation for the virtual conduct of increasing proportions of clinical trials, reduce the travel and time burdens on research participants and their families, and increasingly allow anyone anywhere to participate in research. Approximately 40 participants at 10 clinical research sites will be enrolled. The sites were chosen based on the number of eligible participants and their willingness to participate. Participants will complete several virtual visits over the course of the study in conjunction with their in-person visits in the larger study. Virtual visits will be conducted via the telehealth platform developed by AMC Health which deploys a mobile solution including a smart phone and biometric sensor devices to collect a range of data. The study will measure the feasibility to conduct remote assessments, the reliability of remote assessments compared to the in-person assessment, the value of virtual research visits as measured by time and travel saved, and the preference of patients to participate in remote visits. This study is another example of telehealths capability to remove the logistical barriers for patients participating in clinical trials, while ensuring the quality of the data collected said Michael OBrien, President, Clinical Trials Division, AMC Health. The life of a Parkinsons patient can be challenging enough. Telehealth can decrease the burden on these patients and their caregivers by allowing clinical trial visits to be conducted in the comfort of their home. AMC Health has been performing groundbreaking work in remote patient monitoring and engagement since its founding in 2002. Launching its Clinical Trials division in 2013, the company continues to leverage its expertise in telehealth across the healthcare continuum to advance innovation in clinical trials. AMC Healths Clinical Trials platform is a 21 CFR Part 11 compliant solution to manage the complexities of clinical trial data collection. REACT-PD will be the first sub-study within an ongoing, randomized, double blind, multi-site clinical trial to evaluate the ability to conduct a virtual clinical trial visit directly in the participants home in comparison to in-person visits. The results will inform the feasibility, reliability and value of conducting clinical trials virtually and can serve as a model for increasing access, participation and retention in future clinical trials. The study is being led by researchers at the University of Rochester with support from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. AMC Healths e-Visit solution allows study subjects to participate in video visits from home, which enables research sites to collect biometric and subjective data, remotely. This will allow patients who live far from a traditional clinical trial site to participate via virtual visits in place of, or as a complement to, face-to-face site visits. Among its many benefits, virtual visits can expand the geographic recruitment area by reducing the travel and time burden on patients. Click to Tweet: @AMCHealth and @UR_Med deploy #virtualvisit for Parkinsons Phase III clinical study: REACT-PD #telehealth #clinicaltrials #evisit About AMC Health AMC Healths Clinical Trials division provides a suite of solutions on a telehealth platform for Study Sponsors, CROs and Sites, to remotely collect biometric, observational and subjective data from study subjects at home, for use in clinical trials. AMC Healths Clinical Trials platform is a 21 CFR Part 11 compliant solution to manage the complexities of clinical trial data collection. The platform utilizes a toolkit of Bluetooth-sensor devices, smartphone mobile applications and bi-directional video to create an e-visit to replace or augment traditional study visits. For more information, visit http://www.amchealth.com/solutions/clinical-trials.php About University of Rochester Medical Center One of the nations top academic medical centers, URMC forms the centerpiece of the Universitys health research, teaching, patient care, and community outreach missions. Over the last 5 years, URMC has garnered more than $1.28 billion in biomedical research, landing the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry in the top one-quarter of U.S. medical centers in federal research funding. Mark Michaud, University of Rochester Medical Center Phone: 585.273.4790 Email: mark_michaud(at)urmc.rochester(dot)edu Ziegler is pleased to have had the opportunity to finance this new campus development in Stillwater, OK which will provide a continuum of care to local residents. The local community has waited 20 years for this community... Ziegler, a specialty investment bank, is pleased to announce the successful closing of the $110,960,000 unrated, tax-exempt, fixed-rate Series 2016 Bond issue for Epworth Living at The Ranch (The Ranch). The Ranch is an Oklahoma not-for-profit community incorporated for the purpose of owning and operating a 380,000 sq. ft. continuing care retirement community (CCRC) on a 55-acre site in Stillwater, Oklahoma. Stillwater is located approximately 65 miles north of Oklahoma City and is the home of Oklahoma State University (OSU). The Ranch will consist of 114 independent living apartments, 23 independent living villas, 48 assisted living apartments, 20 memory support suites, and 40 skilled nursing beds. The Ranch is supported by an endorsement with the OSU Alumni Association, which provides The Ranch marketing opportunities to alumni. The Ranch was 70.1% presold at the time of pricing. The Ranch is sponsored by Epworth Living, a long-standing Ziegler client, is an Oklahoma not-for-profit corporation formed in 2012 to be the parent company for The Ranch and Epworth Villa, a CCRC in Oklahoma City. The Series 2016 Bonds will be used to (i) fund the construction & development of The Ranch, (ii) refinance a $6.75 million predevelopment loan, (iii) fund interest for 24 months, (iv) establish debt service reserve funds, and (v) pay a portion of issuance costs. Epworth Living is contributing $2.03 million as equity to the financing. Liquidity Support Agreements (LSAs) total $4.5 million and consist of the following: (i) $2.0 million from The Weitz Company (the Construction Manager), $1.0 million from the OSU Alumni Association, and $1.5 million from Herman Meinders (the provider of the predevelopment loan). Unique to this financing is a replacement of the Weitz LSA through an intercept in the Entrance Fee Waterfall: after funding the $9.0 million Working Capital Fund and $2.5 million Operating Reserve Fund, the next $2.0 million is used to fund The Ranchs own LSA prior to the redemption of the Temporary Debt. The 2016A Bonds ($88,460,000) mature in 2051 and comprise the Permanent Debt of The Ranch; the average yield is 6.85%. The Temporary Debt is comprised of $4,250,000 of 2016C Taxable MPS, 10,750,000 of Series 2016B-2 TEMPS-60, and $7,500,000 of 2016B-1 TEMPS-75, expected to be redeemed at 38%, 60%, and 75% occupancy of the independent living units, respectively. John C. Harned, President and CEO of Epworth Living, Inc., stated, We are grateful to Ziegler for their work on this successful financing which will bring a dynamic and vibrant full service Continuing Care Retirement Community to the residents of Stillwater, Oklahoma and surrounding communities. This is the fulfillment of a 20 plus year dream of many including the retired faculty, staff and alumni of Oklahoma State University and Ziegler played an integral role in helping us achieve this milestone. Ziegler is pleased to have had the opportunity to finance this new campus development in Stillwater, OK which will provide a continuum of care to local residents. The local community has waited 20 years for this community and Ziegler has been involved for over 15 years, serving as a resource to management, developers and local Board members in bringing this development to a successful conclusion, commented, Will Carney, Managing Director in Zieglers senior living practice. Ziegler is one of the nation's leading underwriters of financing for not-for-profit senior living providers. Ziegler offers creative, tailored solutions to its senior living clientele, including investment banking, financial risk management, merger and acquisition services, investment management, seed capital, FHA/HUD, capital and strategic planning as well as senior living research, education, and communication. For further information on the structure and use of this issue, please see the Official Statement located on the Electronic Municipal Market Access system's Document Archive. For more information about Ziegler, please visit us at http://www.Ziegler.com. About Ziegler: The Ziegler Companies, Inc., together with its affiliates (Ziegler), is a privately held, specialty investment bank with unique expertise in complex credit structures and advisory services. Nationally, Ziegler is ranked as one of the leading investment banking firms in its specialty sectors of healthcare, senior living, religion, and education, as well as general municipal and structured finance. Headquartered in Chicago, IL with regional and branch offices throughout the U.S., Ziegler provides its clients with capital raising, corporate finance, FHA/HUD, strategic advisory services and research. Ziegler serves institutional and individual investors through its wealth management and capital markets distribution channels. Certain comments in this news release represent forward-looking statements made pursuant to the provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. This clients experience may not be representative of the experience of other clients, nor is it indicative of future performance or success. The forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, in particular, the overall financial health of the securities industry, the strength of the healthcare sector of the U.S. economy and the municipal securities marketplace, the ability of the Company to underwrite and distribute securities, the market value of mutual fund portfolios and separate account portfolios advised by the Company, the volume of sales by its retail brokers, the outcome of pending litigation, and the ability to attract and retain qualified employees. # # # Disaster Restoration in Feasterville, PA ServiceMaster TEAM has been providing trusted disaster restoration and cleaning services to the towns of Bucks and Montgomery counties in Pennsylvania, as well as Northeast Philadelphia, since 2004. Recently, RestorationMaster added ServiceMaster TEAM to RestorationMasterFinder.com (RMF) to help boost their online marketing campaign within their service areas. Each of their new micro-sites on RMF are built to generate more local internet traffic and sales leads to improve their conversion rate. The new micro-sites on RMF for ServiceMaster TEAM are built for their main service areas of Newtown, Yardley, Buckingham, and Doylestown, PA with service pages that include water damage restoration, fire damage restoration, biohazard and trauma scene cleaning, and carpet cleaning among others. These pages will help attract more local search traffic from users looking for these services which will help boost their number of calls and conversions in these areas. ServiceMaster TEAM is dedicated to serving their local community with quality disaster restoration and cleaning services that live up to the reputation of the ServiceMaster name. About RestorationMasterFinder.com RestorationMasterFinder.com is a lead generation website that helps attract local search traffic to the micro-sites of listed businesses. RMF was built by Proceed Innovative to generate cost effective leads for businesses of the disaster restoration, furniture restoration, and cleaning industry, to increase their number of calls for a higher conversion rate. This website is highly optimized and visible on major search engines including Google, Yahoo, and Bing in addition to local, vertical and social media web portals. RMF is also able to adapt to new trends and technologies so that it is always performing at its best. About ServiceMaster TEAM ServiceMaster TEAM is located in the Philadelphia suburb of Feasterville, PA and they provide reliable disaster restoration and cleaning services to the homes and businesses of Newtown, Yardley, Doylestown, Buckingham, and other surrounding suburbs. Their technicians are certified and committed to serving their local community, participating in many local disaster restoration projects to restore everything from homes to churches. ServiceMaster TEAM has been awarded for their quality work and excellent customer service with the Achiever Award in Disaster Restoration and the Presidential Achievement Recognition award. They are available 24 hours a day at (215) 399-4866 to respond with emergency disaster restoration services. These results are incredibly exciting and have changed the outlook for our patients with HRNB. A study funded primarily by the Beat Nb Cancer Foundation found that oral therapy with DFMO reduces the rate of relapse and significantly increases survival for children with high-risk neuroblastoma (HRNB). The trial was performed through the Neuroblastoma and Medulloblastoma Translational Research Consortium (NMTRC), led by Giselle Sholler, MD MSC and NMTRC chair. Sholler presented the results of the study today at the ANR 2016 conference in Queensland, Australia. HRNB remains a challenge in pediatric oncology, accounting for 15% of all pediatric cancer deaths. Current treatment protocols include harsh therapies which have significant long term side effects for patients. While most patients are able to attain remission, the natural history of HRNB is well documented with about 50% of patients relapsing after completion of therapy. The study, which ran from June 2012 to February 2016, used targeted oral therapy of an ODC inhibitor, difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), as a maintenance therapy to prevent relapse in HRNB patients after standard therapy. DFMO works by targeting specific cancer stem cell pathways and turning off the cells, thereby preventing the cancer from growing back. 101 children took part in the study, receiving oral DFMO over a two-year period, with minimal side effects reported. At the completion of the study, the event-free survival (EFS)* rate for the children who participated was 88%. Thats nearly a 20% increase from the typical EFS rate for children two years into remission. In addition, the study demonstrated a 99% overall survival rate at 2 years. These results are incredibly exciting and have changed the outlook for our patients with HRNB, Sholler said. In this first study, by using DFMO for two years after finishing conventional therapy, were seeing the overall survival rate for these kids at 99%. More work needs to be done to further study this. We would not be able to fund studies like this without the support of groups like Beat Nb, who are committed to changing the treatment paradigm for kids with neuroblastoma. Established in 2010, Beat Nb funds the discovery of new, effective therapies to increase survival and decrease the mortality associated with neuroblastoma. Results like these are why Beat Nb exists, said Kyle Matthews, executive director of Beat Nb. Thanks to the work of Dr. Sholler and her colleagues at the NMTRC, were changing the story for kids with neuroblastoma. This study confirms how well DFMO works in reducing the typically high relapse rate for kids with HRNB and shows a vast improvement in overall survival rates. "Not only that, its an oral treatment thats gentle on kids its like night and day from the difficult therapies so many of them have to undergo. Its crucial that we keep raising funds to get this groundbreaking research out of the lab and into our local hospitals, so we can help the families battling this disease today and keep working towards a cure. For more information or to find out how you can help save kids with cancer, visit https://beatnb.org. *Event-free survival (EFS): No progression of illness or other complications About Beat Nb Beat Nb is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt public charity dedicated to funding research and clinical trials focused on helping save the lives of children with neuroblastoma an extraordinarily deadly cancer that most often strikes children under 5. Neuroblastoma is a nervous system tumor, and the most common cancer in infants and toddlers. Beat Nb funds the groundbreaking research and trials of the Neuroblastoma and Medulloblastoma Translational Research Consortium (NMTRC) a national consortium of hospitals focused on saving kids fighting to stay alive. Beat Nb is led by Kyle Matthews (Ezra's dad) as Executive Director; founded by Patrick Lacey (Will's dad). Both fathers of sons with neuroblastoma, they directed two separate nonprofits with a shared mission before merging in June of 2016. Their shared passion has driven nearly $5m in research dollars to help fund the discovery of new, effective therapies to increase survival and decrease the mortality associated with neuroblastoma. To learn more, visit https://beatnb.org. About NMTRC The Neuroblastoma and Medulloblastoma Translational Research Consortium (NMTRC) is a group of 25 universities and childrens hospitals, headquartered at the Helen DeVos Childrens Hospital in Grand Rapids, MI, that offer a nationwide network of childhood cancer clinical trials. These trials are based on the research from a group of closely collaborating investigators who are linked with laboratory programs developing novel therapies for high-risk neuroblastoma and medulloblastoma. NMTRCs mission is to create a national collaborative effort of researchers, oncologists and family advocates to bring forward new therapies for children with relapsed neuroblastoma and medulloblastoma with the goal of improving quality of life and survival of children with neuroblastoma and medulloblastoma. More information on NMTRC can be found at https://nmtrc.org. Recovery Point Systems, a leading national provider of integrated business resiliency solutions, announced today that it achieved a prominent ranking in Gartners newly released 2016 Magic Quadrant for Disaster Recovery as a Service. "All of us at Recovery Point are pleased to have earned an outstanding position in Gartners industry defining report among a very high caliber field of competitors, said Marc Langer, Recovery Point President. In particular, Recovery Point is proud to be ranked among the top 5 in ability to execute for its clients. Langer noted that only 20 of the hundreds of DRaaS providers even gained inclusion in the 2016 Magic Quadrant. We are especially pleased to rank so highly and to be recognized for our high satisfaction scores from clients, Langer said. Gartner also recognized Recovery Point as one of the few DRaaS service providers capable of supporting complex data center configurations, including mainframe, Linux, AIX and iSeries, as well as the windows based solutions commonly supported by the typical DRaaS vendors. Gartner also cited Recovery Points no-cost Proof of Concept Trials as one of the companys strengths. Gartners commentary on Recovery Points strengths included: Experience in Complex Environments Recovery Point is well positioned to support heterogeneous configurations that contain combinations of VMware, Microsoft Hyper-V and Open Virtual Machine Format (OVF) virtual machines, as well as IBM AIX LPARS, IBM iSeries LPARS and mainframe z/VM, z/Linux and z/OS LPARS. As such, it is one of only a few providers with years of experience with supporting large complex data center configurations. High Customer Satisfaction Recovery Point received high satisfaction scores from its reference customers for secure operations, service quality and quality of technical support. Some of this satisfaction is attributed to the fact that it does not oversubscribe its facility space and that the services are concurrently maintainable allowing it to provide a 100% uptime guarantee without the need for maintenance window exceptions. Proof of Concept Trials The sales cycle is hands-on. It involves credentialed technicians and network assessments to help ensure a low cost of ownership, as well as PoC implementations to prove the viability of a complex solution. About Recovery Point Recovery Point Systems is a nationwide leader in helping customers quickly and successfully resume operations following any interruption in their IT environment. Serving commercial organizations ranging from the Fortune 500 to SMBs, as well as Federal, state and local governments, Recovery Point delivers a comprehensive suite of IT resilience and disaster recovery solutions for heterogeneous environments ranging from mainframe to desktops. Recovery Point was ranked in the top five providers in Gartners 2016 Magic Quadrant for DRaaS for its ability to execute for clients. Media Contact Dick Fordham, Director Strategy and Marketing, Recovery Point (P) 240 632 7000 (F) 301 548 0682 http://www.recoverypoint.com Scotiabank customers in Canada and Mexico will be able to apply for and access a small business loan, up to $100,000, in as little as seven minutes through a new partnership with Kabbage, a leading financial technology and data company and disruptor in the online lending business. Access to Scotiabank business loans, powered by Kabbage, will combine the convenience of a six-month (Canada) and 12- month (Mexico) term loan, with the flexibility of a line of credit. Scotiabank will leverage Kabbages data and technology platform to provide fully automated onboarding, underwriting, servicing and ongoing monitoring throughout the entire customer lifecycle. The Bank is piloting the new lending program in Canada and Mexico through a phased-in approach, beginning by offering the service to its more than 100,000 current non borrowing small business customers in the two launch markets. Seven facts about the Scotiabank-Kabbage partnership: More than 80% of Canadian start-ups used personal financing to finance their new businesses in 2014 because they lacked the credit history or collateral to secure a loan. Scotiabank small business customers will be able to apply for a small business loan online and receive a decision and access to funds in minutes, using key business data sources and account information. The platform will be available through Scotiabank online banking sites in Canada and Mexico. Once approved, customers will have the flexibility to draw the funds as individual term loans, from $1,000 (specific to Canada), up to the approved loan amount. Each loan can have its own repayment terms. Scotiabank is the 3rd international bank and the 1st in Canada to select the Kabbage platform, in the past six months, reinforcing the importance of fueling small business growth across the world, with an unmatched customer experience. In October 2015, Kabbage announced that Scotiabank invested in the companys growth. This is another example of the Banks commitment to providing customers with a digital banking experience, and an example of the work being done at the Scotiabank Digital Factory. Existing small business customers, currently not borrowing from Scotiabank, will be able to apply for a Scotiabank Fastline for business, powered by Kabbage loan, beginning July 2016. Scotiabank Mexico customers will be able to apply for a Scotiabank Kabbage loan beginning August 2016. Quotes: The Scotiabank-Kabbage partnership is another significant milestone in the Banks digital transformation. Scotiabank is embracing technologies that drive new and improved experiences for its customers worldwide. Small businesses are a very important customer segment in our journey, and this partnership is an example of how banks and FinTechs are working together to provide customers with a better banking experience. James O Sullivan, Group Head, Canadian Banking, Scotiabank Scotiabank combines the agility of a progressive and technology forward company with the strength and stability of its position as a leading global bank. Todays announcement further demonstrates the scalability of Kabbage to power lending for organizations worldwide. Working in markets as diverse as Canada and Latin America together with the U.S., Europe and Australia cements our position as the most advanced data and technology platform in lending. Rob Frohwein, Co-founder and CEO, Kabbage Our partnership with Kabbage will provide our small business customers in Canada and Mexico with a new digital lending experience. This partnership will allow us to learn from each other and to adapt our value proposition to meet the needs of small business customers. Scotiabank is undergoing a digital transformation and we are delighted to work with Kabbage to accelerate our digital strategy. Nacho Deschamps, Group Head, International Banking and Digital Transformation, Scotiabank Canada Small Business Facts: Employing more than 8.2 million Canadians, small businesses represent 97.9% of Canadas employer businesses. Borrowing activity by Canadian small businesses fell for the 5th consecutive month in April according to data from PayNet. Source: Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (June 2016) Mexico Small Business Facts: SME segment is an important engine for Mexicos GDP. According to 2014 Economic Census in Mexico, Small Businesses generate 40% of the GDP and 60% of formal employments in the country. According to the National Institute of Statistics and Geography in Mexico (INEGI), from the ~5 million enterprises in Mexico, over 90% are small businesses. About Scotiabank Scotiabank is Canadas international bank and a leading financial services provider in North America, Latin America, the Caribbean and Central America, and Asia-Pacific. We are dedicated to helping our 23 million customers become better off through a broad range of advice, products and services, including personal and commercial banking, wealth management and private banking, corporate and investment banking, and capital markets. With a team of more than 89,000 employees and assets of $895 billion (as at April 30, 2016), Scotiabank trades on the Toronto (TSX: BNS) and New York Exchanges (NYSE: BNS). Scotiabank distributes the Banks media releases using Marketwired. For more information, please visit http://www.scotiabank.com and follow us on Twitter @ScotiabankViews. About the Digital Factory The Digital Factory is a hub for creation and incubation of new and partner-led ideas to deliver game-changing solutions for Scotiabank customers. The Digital Factory is a cornerstone of Scotiabanks digital transformation, and is focused on reinventing how banking serves people by first reinventing the way we work. Visit us at http://www.scotiabank.com/digitalfactory/. Follow us on Twitter @Scotia_df /Instagram @Scotia_df / Facebook at Scotiabank Digital Factory. About Kabbage Kabbage Inc., headquartered in Atlanta, has pioneered the first financial services data and technology platform to provide fully automated funding to small businesses in minutes. Kabbage leverages data generated through business activity such as accounting data, online sales, shipping and dozens of other sources to understand performance and deliver fast, flexible funding in real time. Kabbage is funded and backed by leading investors including Reverence Capital Partners, SoftBank Capital, Thomvest Ventures, Mohr Davidow Ventures, BlueRun Ventures, the UPS Strategic Enterprise Fund, ING, Santander InnoVentures, Scotiabank, and TCW/Craton. All Kabbage and Karrot U.S.-based loans are issued by Celtic Bank, a Utah-Chartered Industrial Bank, Member FDIC. For more information, please visit http://www.kabbage.com. BTI Direct Insurance, an independent P&C insurance brokerage, has announced today its plans to release a mobile app called MyBTI Insurance to extend its customer service capabilities to mobile users. The app is powered by Applied MobileInsured, the industrys first mobile app that allows brokerages to extend self-service to their insured. MyBTI Insurance allows customers to view their policies and documents. This month, BTI Direct rebranded themselves and launched a new website, http://www.btidirect.ca, that includes a chat function, an online quote engine and a desktop version of MyBTI Insurance, which allows customers to view and export their policies, request changes, or initiate a claim. These features are in development for the MyBTI Insurance app. A mobile app is another important step in deploying our digital strategy that aims to provide our clients with outstanding customer service and unparalleled flexibility in managing their insurance, says Lolita Wong, Vice President, at BTI Direct Insurance. The MyBTI Insurance application will be available in the App Store and Google Play app store free of charge. Customers can log in from their phone to present their pink slip, access documents, or to view their current coverage. Being able to start a claim request immediately, an upcoming feature, will also be helpful. The faster a claim is initiated, the faster it is settled. We have a very clear vision of where we want to be and what we believe will make life easier for our customers, and we are well on our way to achieving this vision thanks to our comprehensive digital strategy, including our latest mobile app, says Jean-Francois LeBlanc, VP, Strategy. Consumer demand for anywhere, anytime access to information continues to grow, said Jeff Purdy, senior vice president of International Operations, Applied Systems. We are excited to support BTI Directs launch of their client application via Applied MobileInsured, the first brokerage in Canada, and look forward to supporting additional brokerages mobile and customer experience strategies. About BTI Direct BTI Direct Insurance, formerly known as Prime40 Insurance, is a multilingual P&C brokerage located in Richmond Hill, Ontario that offers auto, home and travel insurance to hundreds of customers in the Greater Metropolitan Toronto area. About Applied Systems Applied Systems is the leading global provider of cloud-based software that powers the business of insurance. Recognized as a pioneer in insurance automation and data exchange between brokerages, insurers and their clients, Applied is the worlds largest provider of agency and brokerage management systems, serving customers throughout the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. By automating the insurance lifecycle, Applied enables millions of people around the world to safeguard and protect what matters most. For more information, please contact Fiona Yeung, Marketing Department, via fiona.yeung(at)brokerteam(dot)ca. With completion expected in September 2017, Mission Chateau Senior Living Community will span 18.4 acres to offer the newest, country-club style retirement living community in North Johnson County. We are grateful for the persevering support weve received to determine a plan that is best for everyone. Its exciting to officially break ground to bring the highest quality standards in luxury senior living to Prairie Village, Kansas. Tutera Senior Living & Health Care will break ground on the new $40 million Mission Chateau Senior Living Community in Prairie Village, a suburb of North Johnson County, Kan. (85th Street and Mission Road). A groundbreaking event for the luxury development with local dignitaries is scheduled at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, June 22. With completion expected in September 2017, Mission Chateau Senior Living Community will span 18.4 acres to offer the newest, country-club style retirement living community in North Johnson County. To meet the diverse lifestyle and health care needs of seniors, the rental-based community will offer independent living, assisted living and memory care residential options that exemplify the highest standards in senior living and wellness design, including: Luxurious one and two-bedroom apartment homes with upscale architectural finishes and amenities, including high-end appliances, vaulted ceilings and large windows Large villas (averaging 3,500 sq. ft.) featuring private garages and private patios Multiple restaurant-style dining options with healthy menus created by in-house chefs, as well as a bistro, bar pub, and indoor and outdoor spaces for reserved, intimate gatherings Mind-body spa featuring indoor and outdoor heated pools, whirlpools, massage, yoga and other wellness classes and services State-of-the-art fitness center, group classes and individual training Indoor greenhouse and gardening center Concierge and valet services for residents and guests Convenient access to The Village shopping district with diverse retail, restaurant and entertainment venues When complete, Mission Chateau Senior Living Community will include more than 200 residential units independent living, assisted living and memory care offering upscale, living options and personalized services. Mission Chateau represents Tuteras inspired by you mission to offer high-quality residential options suited to seniors varied lifestyles while also offering residents seamless access to Tuteras integrated health care support services throughout the Kansas City metro area, said Randy Bloom, Ph.D., president and chief operating officer of Tutera Senior Living & Health Care. To ensure the most innovative design for Mission Chateau Senior Living Community, Tutera utilized its 30 years of experience in providing quality senior living lifestyles throughout the country. Most importantly, Tutera asked its residents and staff what they valued most in terms of specialized services and designed those features into the facility. In addition, Tutera hired studioSIX5, an award-winning interior design firm that specializes in creating enlightened lifestyles for seniors, as well as the local firms of Nearing Staats Prelogar & Jones Architects (Prairie Village, Kan.) and BHC RHODES (Overland Park, Kan.). We are grateful for the persevering support weve received to determine a plan that is best for everyone. Its exciting to officially break ground to bring the highest quality standards in luxury senior living to Prairie Village, said Joe Tutera, chief executive officer of Tutera Senior Living & Health Care. In addition to building a beautiful community to meet the diverse needs of seniors, Mission Chateau is based on a rental option unlike other senior communities that require a buy-in or large upfront payment to give residents more choice and flexibility. Tutera Senior Living & Healthcare is bringing rental-based and continuum-of-care communities to the Kansas City metropolitan area, both through construction of new facilities like Tiffany Springs Senior Living Community in North Kansas City, Mo., which broke ground on May 25, and through expansion and upgrade plans for its existing Kansas City metro area communities, including Stratford Commons Rehabilitation & Health Care Center in Overland Park, Kan., Carnegie Village Rehabilitation & Health Care Center in Belton, Mo. and The Atriums Rehabilitation & Health Care Center in Overland Park, Kan. "I am very happy to see Mission Chateau moving forward after significant resident input and compromise by all involved, said Laura Wassmer, mayor of Prairie Village. Our seniors and their families will benefit from having another quality choice for senior living in Prairie Village. About Tutera Senior Living & Health Care Tutera Senior Living & Health Care is a locally-owned diversified post-acute senior health care provider operating 47 senior living communities in 13 states throughout the United States. As one of the nations premier senior care providers, Tutera Senior Living & Health Care offers its residents independent living, assisted living, skilled nursing, post-surgery rehabilitation, memory care and home health and hospice care. In 1983, Dominic F. Tutera MD founded Tutera to provide compassionate patient care with the uncompromising values of integrity, accountability and commitment. Tutera Senior Living & Health Care still embodies those values today. Tutera is committed to making a positive difference in the lives of its residents and their families through senior living and health care experts who inspire and promote individuality and personal happiness. For more information, visit http://www.Tutera.com. ### NAfME has been on the forefront of advocacy for music education. Hill Day events will begin at 8:30AM with a briefing in the Hart Senate Office Building room 902. The National Association for Music Education (NAfME) kicks off its annual Collegiate Advocacy Summit and Hill Day event this Thursday, June 23. NAfME state leaders will present asks on music education access under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) in meetings with senators and representatives. In addition to our state leaders from all 50 states, about 100 collegiate members who are pre-service music educators will advocate for music education when they visit legislators on Capitol Hill. Last year NAfME members sent more than 20,000 letters and phone calls to Capitol Hill calling for the passage of ESSA, including the enumeration of music as a part of the well-rounded education provision. Now NAfME is leading in the regulatory process and preparing music educators and other stakeholders as ESSA begins implementation this August. (More here: http://bit.ly/NCLBends) Joining NAfME will be the 2016 Stand for Music award winner, Crossroads Quartet. With Barbershop Harmony Society, Crossroads promotes the value of lifelong singing, and the necessity of ensuring all students have that opportunity to learn music to take advantage of those social, emotional, educational benefits of singing. CMA country artists Kristian Bush and Charlie Worsham and CMA Foundation board members will also join NAfME state delegations on Capitol Hill June 23. The Hill Day events will begin at 8:30AM with a briefing in the Hart Senate Office Building room 902, where NAfME will present Stand for Music awards to Sen. Lamar Alexander (TN) and Sen. Patty Murray (WA), recognizing their leadership in passing ESSA and including music education as a stand-alone subject for the first time in history. 2016 GRAMMY Music EducatorTM of the Year Phillip Riggs, a NAfME member from North Carolina will also offer remarks along with Kristian Bush and Charlie Worsham. There will be opportunity for press to ask questions at the end. NAfME has been on the forefront of advocacy for music education. The association is a founding member of the Title IV, Part A Coalition, and recently hosted an event on the Hill calling for full funding of the new block grant under ESSA: Sen. Baldwin, and Reps. Bonamici, Clark, and Roybal-Allard spoke, as well as arts administrator and NAfME member Brian Schneckenburger of Baltimore City Public Schools, and the Western High School Choir. Last month, as the only arts education group that is a member of the Committee for Education Funding (CEF), NAfME co-sponsored the CEF Presidential Forum at the Newseum. This event was moderated by Candy Crowley. The CEF Presidential Forum was an opportunity for presidential candidates and their campaigns to highlight and discuss their education policy agendasincluding but not limited to education funding matters. CEF is a coalition of more than 120 institutions and organizations representing early education through postsecondary education committed to advocating for increased federal investments in education programs. NAfME has been a member of CEF since 2010, and continues to maintain an active role as the only organization that represents the music and arts community within the coalition. ### National Association for Music Education, among the worlds largest arts education organizations, is the only association that addresses all aspects of music education. NAfME advocates at the local, state, and national levels; provides resources for teachers, parents, and administrators; hosts professional development events; and offers a variety of opportunities for students and teachers. The Association orchestrates success for millions of students nationwide and has supported music educators at all teaching levels for more than a century. With more than 60,000 members, the organization is the national voice of music education in the United States. Follow NAfME on Twitter (twitter.com/nafme) and on Facebook (facebook.com/nafme). For additional information, contact Catherina Hurlburt at catherinah(at)nafme(dot)org or 703-860-4000, ext. 216. Crist Chiropractic was established in 1999 and has helped over 14,000 patients. The practice has evolved throughout the years but still prides itself on taking a patient-centered approach to wellness. (2011) The Tennessee Chiropractic Association (TCA) awarded Dr. Jason Crist of Franklin, Tennessee, with one of the associations highest honors, Chiropractor of the Year. The Chiropractor of the Year award is presented to a Tennessee chiropractor in practice 10 or more years who has demonstrated a significant commitment of time and talent to the TCA and the chiropractic profession. Dr. Crist was recognized at the TCA Annual Convention & EXPO in Murfreesboro. This award is given to a doctor who demonstrates a strong commitment to their profession, the TCA and their community, Tiffany Stevens, executive director of the Tennessee Chiropractic Association, said. Our organization is proud to honor such a dedicated chiropractic physician. This years recipient can always be counted on, serving his profession, association and community through constant and unwavering support. A Minnesota native, Dr. Crist first discovered Chiropractic as a teenager. While training to win a Natural Bodybuilding Competition, he suffered an injury and was told he needed back surgery. In an effort to avoid an invasive procedure and a lengthy, painful recovery, he sought chiropractic care. Through this life-changing decision, not only did he avoid surgery and receive complete healing, but he also discovered his passion for natural, holistic care and went on to study at Northwestern College of Chiropractic. After graduation, Dr. Crist traveled to Tennessee and found his home in Franklin. Throughout his 16 years of practice, this physician has remained committed to the foundations of chiropractic philosophy, treating patients from 1 week old to age 99. Dr. Crists contributions encompass numerous areas, from serving as a chiropractic ambassador at his local Chamber of Commerce to his unfailing support of the chiropractic profession through association membership. With his unending energy, genuine compassion for others, and tell it like it is demeanor, Dr. Crist has built a solid foundation for both his patients and his staff. In the words of one of his staff members, He truly cares for his employees like family, and he leads the team with unwavering ethics. It is a joy and honor to work for a man who goes above and beyond for each person he encounters daily. The Tennessee Chiropractic Association is a dynamic advocate for chiropractic - driven to support all of Tennessees licensed physicians, their practices, and the patients they represent. As an association, the TCA works toward equal recognition and participation for chiropractic in government health care programs, in private insurance plans, and in all other health care arenas which impact the delivery of health care to the people of Tennessee. Contact: Kayce Kiningham, Media & Event Coordinator Tennessee Chiropractic Association 2123 8th Avenue South * Nashville, TN 37204 * phone (615) 383-6231 * fax (615) 383-6233 E-mail: kayce(at)tnchiro(dot)com * Website: http://www.tnchiro.com This is why they are called spoilsports. A group calling itself Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility is raising a ruckus over plans by the Bureau of Land Management to route a portion of a desert race from Las Vegas to Reno through a short span of the newly minted 700,000-acre Basin and Range National Monument. The race, called the General Tire Las Vegas to Reno race, is said to be the longest off-highway race in the country, about 640 miles, and usually has about 300 motorcycles, trucks, dune buggies and assorted all-terrain vehicles competing each year. It has been run annually for 20 years by the Best in the Desert Racing Association. It starts near Alamo, has an overnight stop in Tonopah and ends near Dayton. BLMs race plan makes a mockery out of President Obamas monument declaration, PEER Executive Director Jeff Ruch said in a statement. BLM is playing fast and loose with its legal obligations in order to let hundreds of vehicles roar through fragile desert before the monuments protections can be solidified. President Obama created the national monument this past July by executive fiat under the authority given to him in the Antiquities Act of 1906, even though the Constitution only empowers Congress to make all rules regarding public land. A complaint sent to the White House and the Secretary of the Interior by PEER accuses the BLM of flouting the presidential monument proclamation directive that motorized vehicle use in the monument shall be permitted only on roads existing as of the date of this proclamation. The Las Vegas newspaper carried an Associated Press account of the objection, but added that it contacted Basin and Range National Monument manager Alicia Styles, who told the paper the proposed route for the race crosses about 40 miles of the monument all of it on existing dirt roads. According to the Federal Register account of the Basin and Range National Monument designation, Except for emergency or authorized administrative purposes, motorized vehicle use in the monument shall be permitted only on roads existing as of the date of this proclamation. So whats the beef? The road exists now. So far as weve heard, neither PEER nor any other self-styled environmentalists has raised any objections to the paragraph that precedes that statement about existing roads: Nothing in this proclamation shall be deemed to limit the authority of the Secretary, under applicable law other than this proclamation, to undertake or authorize activities on public land in the vicinity of the sculpture City for the purpose of preventing harm to the artwork, including activities to improve drainage and to prevent erosion, consistent with the care and management of the objects identified above. The management plan for the monument shall provide for reasonable use of existing roads within the monument to facilitate public access to City. Art is good? Sport is bad? City is just a lot of bulldozed dirt, rocks and concrete that is supposed to be reminiscent of a ceremonial Mesoamerican city stretching across an expanse of desert nearly the size of the Mall in Washington. Construction has been going on for nearly 50 years on private land inside what is now a national monument. Some mounds are 80 feet high on a tract more than a mile long and a quarter mile wide. One of the reasons given by Nevada Sen. Harry Reid in recommending to Obama the creation of the national monument was to provide a buffer to this City artwork. Reid gushed to the Washington Post about seeing the mounds of dirt: I became a convert. You have this magnificent work of art that this man spent half a century working on. And thats quite a story. Both Reps. Mark Amodei and Cresent Hardy opposed the monument designation, as have elected officials in Nye and Lincoln counties where the Basin and Range National Monument lies, fearing it would retard economic development. Though the monument designation specifically requires public access to City, the art is not yet open to the public, just to VIPs like Reid, and its completion date, if ever, is unknown. Apparently, all those holes and mounds in City do not damage the fragile desert, as PEER calls it, while driving a few bikes and trucks over an existing road for a couple of hours one day a year is devastating. Michael Brody Waite He impressed me not only with his business success but also with his character and his thoughts about the future of the EC. - Mr. John Ingram, Chairman of The Nashville Entrepreneur Center John R. Ingram, Chairman of the Board of Directors of The Nashville Entrepreneur Center, said today Michael Brody-Waite, former CEO of InQuicker.com, will be the ECs new CEO, effective August 1, 2016. Todays announcement follows a search of several months that considered candidates both from Nashville and around the U.S., Mr. Ingram noted. Going into this process, I did not know Michael, but he impressed me not only with his business success but also with his character and his thoughts about the future of the EC, Mr. Ingram said. Mr. Ingram co-chaired the search committee with Beth R. Chase, the CEO of c3/consulting and Chair-elect of the EC Board. Mike brings a great mix of entrepreneurial and big company success, at a time when those talents are a great fit for the EC, Ms. Chase said. He is excited about the strategic direction of the EC and has a passion for leading teams and organizations to the next level. I am looking forward to working with him to do just that. Mr. Brody-Waite began his career at Dell Inc., working in sales. In 2009, he was co-founder and CEO of Nashville-based InQuicker, an EC alumnus. He shepherded the company through extensive growth until it was acquired in 2015. Mr. Brody-Waite said today the EC has an important future of service to the city of Nashville and to all entrepreneurs pursuing their dreams. It's a unique opportunity to be able to inherit an organization that is already succeeding and being effective, he said. I see my role as a facilitator - to make it an excellent place to work, to preserve and enhance a world-class culture based on giving back, and to help other people achieve their dreams." At the EC, Mr. Brody-Waite will succeed former CEO Stuart McWhorter, who stepped down in April, after the passing of his father, to return to Clayton Associates, the company he started with his father in 1996. Michael is an entrepreneur and understands what it takes to succeed, said Mr. McWhorter. With his previous company he was able to see first hand what the EC can offer to a young business and entrepreneur. His leadership will provide others the kind of opportunity that he has had - to create, launch and grow something very meaningful. Mr. Brody-Waite attended the University of California-Davis. ABOUT THE NASHVILLE ENTREPRENEUR CENTER The Nashville Entrepreneur Center (EC), a not-for-profit 501(c)3 public-private partnership, was founded in 2010 as an economic development initiative of the Nashville business community with a vision to become the best place in America for entrepreneurship. The ECs mission is to connect entrepreneurs with the critical resources to create, launch and grow businesses. The EC community includes over 325 alumni and more than 750 members. The Centers advisor program connects entrepreneurs to over 250 mentors, service providers and industry experts. Core programming includes community events, entrepreneur education and tech focused industry-immersion accelerator programs in healthcare, music and content publishing. For more information visit http://www.ec.co. Contact: Zach Hunt (615) 321-3110 / zach(at)tsgnashville(dot)com -end- Resource Furniture will feature the new Oslo wall bed and Wally space saving table at Dwell on Design Resource Furniture, named the biggest retailer in the multifunctional space by The Wall Street Journal, is excited to introduce brand new products during Dwell on Design, June 24-26 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Visitors will be the first to see the latest additions to the Resource Furniture collection including Oslo wall bed, the latest innovation from Clei, the Italian leader in multifunctional bed systems for over fifty years. Resource Furniture pieces will also be featured in the Dwell Monogram Modern Home. Along with the Oslo wall bed, new items to be unveiled include Wally space saving table and Kali Sofa twin wall bed. In addition, Resource Furniture will showcase popular favorites like the Flex sofa, Plurimo expanding table and more, alongside the latest innovations from Sony features their latest innovations. Oslo is the latest queen wall bed system in the Clei collection and features storage in the sofa seat to maximize space. The back cushions do not need to be removed when pulling the bed down, making it even easier to transform from day to night. Wally is the ultimate space-saving table. With just a light touch of the fingers, Wally releases from an upright position and lowers down to function as a table. Just lift Wally up when not in use to clear the way for other activities. It also features shelving for additional storage! Kali Sofa is a horizontally opening, twin-size space saving wall bed that features a 7-foot sofa to maximize space and transform from day to night. Flex is a modular sofa system that can be easily re-arranged into a variety of configurations with movable backrests that maximize comfort and allow the Flex to transform into a lounge or free-standing bed. Plurimo is a new concept in extension tables. It uniquely expands in both width and length with hidden extensions and self-storing leaves. Available in five sizes, the Plurimo table also comes in three heights to suit any space: standard, counter and bar. To enhance the lifestyle experience, Resource Furniture is partnering with Sony to introduce the new design-driven line Life Space UX. The Portable Ultra Short Throw Projector, LED Bulb Speaker and Glass Sound Speaker, all part of the Life Space UX line, will be exhibited in the space. Dwells Monogram Modern Home will be open for tours during Dwell on Design. The 600 square foot pre-fab home was built by Method Homes and features all the latest Monogram appliances as well as the Atoll wall bed and Plurimo transforming table from Resource Furniture. Visit Resource Furniture and Sony in booth 1811. For more information and high resolution images, please contact Laura Anderson at laura(at)resourcefurniture(dot)com. Attendees can register and view the full schedule of events by visiting dwellondesign.com. # # # ABOUT RESOURCE FURNITURE Resource Furniture is the original and largest - source for cutting-edge, multi-functional living systems, offering the most inspired and innovative furniture solutions available in the world for more than 15 years. With nine showrooms in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington D.C., Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal and Mexico City Resource Furniture continues to define and revolutionize the industry by offering the most technologically innovative, space-saving and sustainable products in the world, all of which transform any space with both beauty and functionality. http://www.resourcefurniture.com ABOUT SONY LIFE SPACE UX A revolutionary spatial experience concept from Sony, Life Space UX harmoniously removes the barrier between technology and interior design. It aims to enhance existing spaces by enriching peoples experiences within them. Sony is creating a variety of products for Life Space UX which provides transformative sensorial impact, with lights, sounds and visuals applied in unexpected ways. Learn more about Life Space UX at http://www.sony.com/lifespace Press Contact Laura Anderson PR Manager laura(at)resourcefurniture(dot)com 212-753-2039 This is the very purpose of having delegates as a safeguard in the first place: to prevent the hijacking of the party by a dangerously rouge loose canon leading an angry mob. --James Lamb, DelegateRevolt.com Spokesman Moments after U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-Florida), announced his decision to run for re-election, a former Rubio fundraising agent issued an independent statement today about the release of his new website, http://www.DelegateRevolt.com, a site aimed at denying the Republican "presumptive nominee" the presidential nomination at the convention. The website specifically disclaims being affiliated with the Republican National Committee or any particular candidate. Website founder and spokesman James Lamb, who served the Rubio campaign as a volunteer "bundler" during the Senator's recent campaign for president from April 2015-March 2016, published remarks this week on the DelegateRevolt.com facebook page: "Character and decency matter and the silent majority is tired of being silent," Lamb wrote. "DelegateRevolt.com is a grassroots campaign to encourage 2016 Republican delegates to revolt against the "presumptive nominee," and enable themselves to vote their conscience to nominate a true conservative with the character and leadership worthy of the position of President of the United States of America," Lamb said. Lamb suggested that the delegate process in place specifically exists to deal with political situations like this gone awry, calling the delegates "champions of decency" and "guardians of the party's platform and reputation:" "This is the very purpose of having delegates as a safeguard in the first place: to prevent the hijacking of the party by a dangerously rouge loose canon leading an angry mob. Indeed, the delegates are the RNC's Quality Assurance team and our best line of defense against a hostile takeover by nothing more than a common street bully," Lamb said, referring to New York billionaire businessman and reality television star Donald Trump. Lamb, a political activist also from New York, spelled out the case for the revolt during an interview with Duke Machado on the "Patriot Insight" blog talk radio program last Sunday night. The playback is available here. Lamb said his site was immediately embraced by hundreds of disgruntled Republicans, mostly his Rubio supporter followers, on social media and that he expected the numbers to quickly rise into the tens of thousands as site supporters help build the movement's momentum. He asked, however, that the media spotlight stay on the courageous delegates who are actually leading the charge: "I want to make something perfectly clear, here," Lamb said. "DelegateRevolt.com is a grassroots site offered in an auxiliary capacity in furtherance of the efforts of the delegates who are leading this charge like Kendal Casey Unruh and Regina Thompson. This battle can only be fought from within by the delegates themselves at the Convention. We are non-delegates with a vested interest in the outcome of this process who are supporting the more broad "Free the Delegates" movement for the delegates to Dump Trump at the RNC Convention in Cleveland starting July 18th. Our aim is to encourage all delegates to get on the Dump Trump Bandwagon for the party's sake and America's sake," Lamb said. Lamb confronted anticipated charges of orchestrating to 'steal' the election from Trump head on: "Mr. Trump chose to run as a Republican rather than an Independent. With that decision, comes a two step process. (1) He needed to secure victories in the primaries; and (2) he needed maintain the confidence of the delegates to secure the nomination. The delegates each have a conscience and are not there to blindly rubber stamp against their own personal convictions given such an unusual scenario. This has been a unique cycle and Mr. Trump is a unique candidate, to say the least. Through his demeanor and temperament, he has simply lost the confidence of many delegates. Of course, if the party does decline to give him the nomination in July, he is free to run as an independent from then until the November election, but that would probably result in a Clinton victory. But that may have been the plan all along," Lamb said. Andrews Federal staff and volunteers worked hard to assist with the shredding over more than 7,400lbs of confidential information during their Shred Day event. Andrews Federal Credit Union recently hosted a Shred Day at its Headquarters location. Credit Union members, as well as members of the local community, were able to safely dispose of their old personal records in an effort to combat identity theft and fraud. We were happy to be able to give our members and the community an opportunity to dispose of confidential documents, while also being environmentally conscious, said Jim Hayes, President & CEO. Additionally, we want to continue to do our part to reduce our carbon footprint, minimize the amount of waste sent to a landfill and do business in a sustainable way. A total of 7,400lbs or 3.7 tons were shredded at the event. Environmentally, it equates to more than 7 barrels of oil, nearly 63 trees and almost 26,000 gallons of water. Needless to say, Andrews Federal is doing its part to contribute to environmental sustainability. About Andrews Federal Credit Union Andrews Federal Credit Union was founded in 1948 to serve the needs of military and civilian personnel by providing a vast array of financial products and services. With over $1 billion in assets, Andrews Federal has grown to serve more than 116,000 members in the District of Columbia, Joint Base Andrews (MD), Springfield, Virginia (VA), Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (NJ), and military installations in central Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands. In addition, the Credit Union serves as a financial partner with many select employee groups in Maryland, the District of Columbia, Virginia and New Jersey. To learn more about Andrews Federal Credit Union and its community involvement, or to become a member, call 800.487.5500 or visit http://www.andrewsfcu.org. The New American Rum Revolution seminar at the 2016 Tales of the Cocktail convention in New Orleans will be hosted by the editors of Robs Rum Guide. It's nothing short of a rum revolution -- presenting rum in a most favorable light by emphasizing the quality aspects of small production. The 2016 Tales Of The Cocktail convention in new Orleans will present a seminar hosted by the editors of Robs Rum Guide featuring great American rum producers. Details of The New American Rum Revolution seminar have recently been released. The 90 minute program is designed to provide a perspective on American rum's past, present and future with shared insight from some of the most successful American rum producers. "In the past few years, more national, regional and local rum distillers are gaining well-deserved attention -- with many making their mark as true artisan spirits by winning awards and setting new standards for authentic, hand-made rum," said Robert A. Burr, publisher of Robs Rum Guide. "It's nothing short of a rum revolution -- changing the American rum industry, bringing back the art of craft distilling, presenting American rum in a most favorable light by emphasizing the quality aspects of small production." Before the American revolution, more than 8,000 distilleries in the American colonies were producing rum from the plentiful supply of molasses available through trade with Caribbean islands. Most ceased production by the time prohibition decimated the American spirits industry. According to the editors of Robs Rum Guide, the number of distilleries now producing rum in the United States is growing at a incredible rate, igniting what what can only be described as The New American Rum Revolution. The trend has sparked a tasting seminar at the upcoming Tales Of The Cocktail festival in New Orleans in July where bartenders and professionals in the spirits trade gather to learn more about their industry. Among the seminar panelists are Trey Litel of Louisiana Spirits (Bayou Rum), Bob Gunter of the Koloa Rum Company and Steven Gubb of Paradise Imports (Gubba Rum). Robert V. Burr will lead an informative and entertaining sampling of notable American rums with details about each of the producers unique qualities. Select tastings of rums from featured American distilleries include Koloa Kauai Coffee, Gubba Gold, Bayou Select, Taildragger Amber, St. George California Reserve Agricole, St. Augustine Pot Distilled, Montanya Exclusiva, Maggie's Farm Queen's Share Rye Barrel, Richland Single Estate Old Georgia Rum, and Siesta Key Toasted Coconut. The New American Rum Revolution seminar takes place in New Orleans at 3:30pm on Wednesday, July 20 at the Fleur de Lis Suite of the Royal Sonesta Hotel on Bourbon Street. For information about this global gathering of the spirits industry, or tickets for this seminar, visit the Tales Of The Cocktail web site. https://talesofthecocktail.com/ We are so excited to be a part of this great city of Chicago, and to be furthering our long-standing relationship with the Denos family. -- Christopher Guy Harrison, chief designer and founder of Christopher Guy Global luxury lifestyle brand Christopher Guy and successful entrepreneur Jim Denos today announced the official launch of the new Christopher Guy Showroom at the Chicago Luxury Furniture Centre. The CG showroom encompasses three floors in the 40,000 square foot, six-story building which Mr. Denos personally redesigned and owns. Other brands at the same address include Atelier and Clive Christian. The official Grand Opening of the CG showroom is July 28 from 6:00pm until 9:00pm at the Chicago Luxury Furniture Centre, in the hub of the River North Design District. Attendees will enjoy a red carpet welcome, champagne, and hors doeuvres while perusing beautiful designs in the newly renovated showroom. The new showroom builds upon the successful eight-year partnership between Christopher Guy and the Denos family, as both parties believe in offering a personal touch to each and every customer. Mr. Denos, was born and raised in Chicago, and his partnership is highly regarded by Christopher Guy. Chicago is my home and I love this city. I love reimagining homes and am so proud of creating a unique design space for the Midwest. Our showroom and brands have always provided a milieu for Chicagos design professionals and homeowners, said Mr. Denos. It is a huge honor for us to celebrate this launch and to present many famous pieces from Christopher Guys collectionseen in films like Casino Royale and The Devil Wears Prada, not to mention inspiring the look of the TV series, Empire. Each piece is like a piece of art. We cannot wait for customers to see the beautiful new furniture from CGs latest collection. While the Midwest is mostly traditional in design, CG pieces offer both timeless elegance and transition pieces that can add just a touch of fresh air while working with tradition, said Christopher Guy Harrison, chief designer and founder of Christopher Guy. We are so excited to be a part of this great city of Chicago, and to be furthering our long-standing relationship with the Denos family. Event details: Thursday, July 28th from 6:00pm 9:00pm Christopher Guy Showroom Chicago Luxury Furniture Centre 371 Ontario, Chicago, Illinois ADVANCE PRESS CREDENTIALS REQUIRED RSVP: Birgit Muller, birgit(at)brandamb(dot)com , (323) 332-9520 Press credentials are required for the event. A limited number of openings are available for an exclusive interview with Mr. Denos and Mr. Harrison. To arrange a time for a one-on-one, media must arrange the interview by Tuesday, July 26. For more information, to attend the event, or to arrange an interview with Mr. Denos or Mr. Harrison, please contact Ms. Birgit Muller at + 1 (323) 332-9520, or birgit(at)brandamb(dot)com, or Mr. James Desborough at pr(at)brandamb(dot)com. Contact information: Birgit Muller Brand Ambassador for Christopher Guy +1 (323) 332-9520 birgit(at)brandamb(dot)com ### VidCon (vidcon.com), the worlds largest online video conference for fans, creatives and industry professionals, today announced its first-ever international expansion. VidCon Europe will debut April 8-9, 2017, at the RAI Amsterdam Convention Centre, while VidCon Australia will launch September 9-10, 2017, at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. The original VidCon will return to the Anaheim Convention Center in the summer of 2017. The new events will welcome approximately 7,500 fans and creators, with a custom experience designed to celebrate the online video world. The growth of online video, and the ability for creators like myself to have such enjoyable careers, is due to a passionate and engaged community that is truly global, said Hank Green, co-founder of VidCon, online video creator, and internet entrepreneur. We are excited that we can bring the VidCon experience to Europe and Australia, where the fan and creator communities are so strong and truly thriving. Similar to the flagship Anaheim event, VidCon Europe and VidCon Australia will feature keynotes, breakout panels, performances, a robust exhibit floor, and a signing hall where fans can meet their favorite online video creators. And just as the 2016 VidCon features a variety of both endemic and non-endemic sponsors and exhibitors including YouTube, Kia Motors, Mars Inc., Facebook, Taco Bell, Samsung, Warner Bros, NBC and more - the VidCon team will create a number of opportunities for local and global brands to participate at each show, and to engage with the fans and creators in attendance. Sponsorship and exhibition inquiries can be made by emailing EuropeSponsors(at)vidcon(dot)com or AustraliaSponsors(at)vidcon(dot)com. Amsterdam was chosen for VidCon Europe due to its centralized location and easy access via plane, rail and car, relative to the large pockets of online video fans across Western Europe. The RAI Amsterdam Convention Centre also is an ideal location for an event that VidCon expects to grow year to year. We are proud that VidCon is coming to the RAI, says Maurits van der Sluis, COO at the RAI Amsterdam Convention Centre. We strongly believe that events like VidCon are an important part of the future of events: innovative face to face gatherings with a strong focus on content as well as technology. With strong cooperation between Amsterdams local government and its business and service sectors, we are highly committed to making VidCon Europe a resounding success. Melbourne is the ideal location for VidCon Australia, both due to its large concentration of online video fans, and the support of Melbourne Convention Bureau. Fan registration for the new events will open approximately six months prior to each show. We are delighted to be the first ever city in Australia, and among the first two cities ever outside of North America, to host VidCon, said Melbourne Convention Bureaus Chief Executive Officer, Karen Bolinger. Melbourne is Australias leading technology hub and home to more than half of Australias top technology companies. Melbourne produces more ICT graduates than any other Australian city, with the countrys largest pipeline of fresh talent, fed by our world-class universities and advanced technical colleges. The industry is thriving and the ICT community will be buzzing when they hear the news of VidCons arrival in Melbourne, Ms Bolinger said. Over the past several years, we have seen tremendous demand to take the VidCon experience overseas, and we are excited to give European and Australian fans and creators the opportunity to take part in what has become such a special experience, said Michael Gardner and Colin Hickey, VidCons Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director, respectively. Anyone intrested in learning more may sign up to receive updates at vidcon.com/europe and vidcon.com/australia. About VidCon VidCon is the worlds largest conference for and about online video. VidCon assembles fans, veteran and amateur creators, working professionals, and industry thought-leaders for three days of celebration, introspection, and discussion. Hank and John Green founded VidCon in 2010, and total attendance in 2015 was 21,000. For the fourth year in a row, YouTube has signed on as the title sponsor of VidCon Anaheim. VidCon Anaheim programming follows a three-track format, designed to appeal to everyone from the biggest media companies to the most passionate fans. The Industry Track features keynotes, fireside chats, seminars, and product demonstrations geared toward attendees working in the online video industry. The Creator Track serves attendees looking to make better content, grow their online presence, enter the industry, meet fellow creators, and learn the ins-and-outs of online video culture. The Community Track engages attendees interested in experiencing the online video culture through Q&As, discussions, concerts, interviews, movie nights, meet-ups, and games. Held June 23-25, 2016, the 7th annual VidCon will gather 25,000 people who love and are a part of this new culture. Join the fun at vidcon.com. Press Contact: Julie Walsh PR VidCon julie(at)vidcon(dot)com 2017 Sponsorships/Exhibition Contacts: Anaheim: sponsors(at)vidcon(dot)com Europe: EuropeSponsors(at)vidcon(dot)com Australia: AustraliaSponsors(at)vidcon(dot)com Jo Ellen Bleavins, President of Gardant Management Solutions Jo Ellen brings more than 22 years of administrative experience in Assisted Living, Supportive Living, Independent Living, Memory Care and Long-Term Care to her new position with LeadingAge . Jo Ellen Bleavins, President of Gardant Management Solutions, has been elected President of the Supportive Living Cabinet and will serve on the Board of Directors for LeadingAge Illinois. LeadingAge Illinois represents more than 500 organizations that provide services to thousands of seniors in Illinois. The group, which is nationally recognized for innovative programs, leadership and expertise on issues related to long-term care and senior housing services, is the state affiliate for LeadingAge and Argentum. The Supportive Living Cabinet focuses on the affordable assisted living communities in the state. Gardant manages dozens of communities that operate through the Illinois Supportive Living Program, which allows the communities to serve seniors and adults ages 22 to 64 with physical disabilities, regardless of their income. Last summer, Gardant held a landmark national summit with senior and assisted living leaders to discuss the future of affordable assisted living. Bleavins brings more than 22 years of administrative experience in Assisted Living, Supportive Living, Independent Living, Memory Care and Long-Term Care to her new position with LeadingAge . She has been at Gardant since 2003, and plays a pivotal role in leading operations for the company and has led the opening or acquisition of more than 50 communities. Bleavins also has a complimentary background with several positions held throughout her career, ranging from community-level administrator and nursing director to chief operating officer. Prior to her appointment, Bleavins served on the Supportive Living Cabinet for LeadingAge Illinois. She is a member of Argentums COO Roundtable and a member of Vistage, an international executive development group. Bleavins attended the University of Illinois and Millikin University. She holds an undergraduate nursing degree and a masters degree in business administration. Teresa Wester-Peters, Director of Operations for Gardant, also continues to serve as an at-large board member for LeadingAge Illinois. Gardant Management Solutions is the largest provider of assisted living in Illinois. It operates more than 40 assisted living, senior living and memory care communities in Chicago and surrounding suburbs, the Metro East area of St. Louis, and other locations in northern, central and southern Illinois. The company recently expanded its portfolio, adding properties in Georgia and Indiana. Gardant ranks as the 14th largest provider of assisted living in the country, according to Senior Living Executive, a publication of Argentum. For more information about Gardant Management Solutions or the assisted living, senior living and memory care communities the company operates, visit http://www.gardant.com or call 1-877-882-1495 toll-free. The panel included some of the leading voices in law enforcement, probation, maximum security prisons and the criminal justice systems in the U.K. and South Africa. If we dont want to let the cycle of destruction continue, then we must break it not get used to it. A groundbreaking forum on such timely topics as criminal justice reform, peace education and breaking the cycle of crime was convened at the British Film Institute last week, following the U.K. premiere of the multi-award-winning documentary film Inside Peace. Led by Lord Tom McNally, Chair, Youth Justice Board and Liberal Democrat member of the House of Lords, and Peter Clarke, Her Majestys Chief Inspector of Prisons and former head of the anti-terrorist branch at New Scotland Yard, the panel included some of the leading voices in law enforcement, probation, maximum security prisons and the criminal justice systems in the UK and in South Africa. The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) and the Tutu Foundation UK co-hosted the event, which was emceed by Paul Bloomfield, attorney and governor of the Sir John Cass Foundation. In framing the costs of crime and incarceration to society, emcee Bloomfield brought some significant statistics to bear on the discourse: just this month, the Global Peace Index was published by the Institute of Economics and Peace, one of the worlds top think tanks. It calculates the annual cost of conflict in the world at $13.6 trillion dollars 13.3 percent of the worlds GDP, or $1,800 for every man, woman and child on the planet, to say nothing of the incalculable human costs of violence. Crime and incarceration form a significant part of that cost. Yet a more hopeful calculation estimates that just a two-percent reduction in those costs could pay for the entire UN Millennium Development goals, eradicating extreme poverty and disease throughout the world. It was also noted that in California the cost to the state for each inmate incarcerated is $65,000 which ironically is roughly the same average salary of a schoolteacher. The forum highlighted the potential of the Peace Education Program (PEP) to reduce inmate recidivism and associated costs. A signature initiative of TPRF, the Peace Education Program is an innovative free multimedia course available in 68 countries that helps people discover inner resources such as strength, choice and hope. The course has been offered at 195 correctional facilities around the globe and several panelists discussed the positive impact it has had on the inmates they oversee. John Biggin, former manager of three prison systems, including Englands HMP Thameside, is an official on the front lines of the battle to reduce recidivism and he described his position and its challenges thus: My job is to get prisoners to the right place and give them the support and help they need to motivate them to want to change. So, programs like the Peace Education Program are really likely to fulfill that, adding that they are now on the sixth PEP at Thameside and that it is fully integrated and embedded into their reducing re-offending strategy. Panelist Deon Du Preez, former head of the maximum security unit at Zonderwater Prison in South Africa, enthusiastically touted the Peace Education Program at the correctional facility: Im using PEP for my restorative justice. I personally think, when you have peace in yourself, if you have hope, then we can start the process. Im here in London to tell you that PEP is working in South Africa. Du Preez also commented on a related challenge in the prisons, noting that 30 percent of the prison population cannot read or write. However, he has created and planned for a program called Reading for Redemption to be implemented beginning in 2017, which will link PEP there into the process to motivate inmates to start reading, thus increasing the tools available to them to transform their lives. Central to the forum was the screening of Inside Peace, which chronicles how PEP has a profound impact on the lives of several inmates both inside a Texas Jail as well as in their lives following release as they try to change their ways. The film was received with great enthusiasm for its message of redemption and the possibility of lasting change in the lives of inmates as well as in society, and prompted some powerful and poignant commentary on the topics of reform and restorative justice. Several of the panelists took note of the power of the medium of film to impact beliefs on complex issues such as crime and how to mitigate the effects of violence. Peter Clarke, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, commented, that extraordinarily powerful film that we watched earlier will have an impact on the way in which I look at every prison I inspect in the coming months and years. Immediately following the screening, international peace advocate Prem Rawat presented his vision of peace based on the development of inner resources that PEP aims to cultivate. He challenged the audience not to just accept the inevitability of crime and the debilitating societal conditions associated with it. If we dont want to let the cycle of destruction continue, then we must break it not get used to it, he said. The forum was broadcast via live video stream to thousands of people across the globe. Learn more about the TPRF Peace Education Program. Learn more about Inside Peace. ... through our (JNF) partnership with shiva.com we are there to assist during times of grief Shiva.com and JNF, is strengthening their alliance by delivering information and guidance on the traditions associated with Jewish mourning to JNFs donors and supporters, expanding the organizations dedication to honoring and commemorating loved ones. Shiva.coms mission to help educate, guide, and inform individuals and families about Jewish traditions, customs, and appropriate expressions of sympathy is accomplished through its Learning and Planning Centers. In addition, shiva.com offers valuable tools and resources to assist with both traditional and modern ways to honor, commemorate, and memorialize loved ones through its Yahrzeit and Kaddish Center. We are excited to deepen our partnership and directly integrate shiva.com with Jewish National Fund to provide meaningful information and resources on the traditions of shiva, says Michael Schimmel, CEO and founder of shiva.com. We look forward to our continued relationship to help millions of individuals and groups honor and commemorate the memory of loved ones each year. JNFs partnership with shiva.com reinforces the emphasis it places on providing valuable and relevant resources for its community. There is a high degree of sensitivity for individuals seeking to understand loss, in particular within Judaism. This partnership also focuses on educating individuals with ways to celebrate and memorialize loved ones according to the customs of shiva and Jewish tradition. Since JNFs creation, we endeavor to better serve the Jewish community and through our partnership with shiva.com we are there to assist during times of grief, said Russell F. Robinson, CEO of JNF. About shiva.com Shiva.com provides an easy-to-use resource to help family members, friends, colleagues and acquaintances honor the passing of loved ones. The site carefully blends centuries-old religious traditions with modern-day customs to help support, communicate and mourn. Shiva.com provides information as well as guidance about appropriate items to send and words to express condolences in a respectable and understanding way. JEWISH NATIONAL FUND (JNF) began in 1901 as a dream and vision to reestablish a homeland in Israel for Jewish people everywhere. Jews the world over collected coins in iconic JNF Blue Boxes, purchasing land and planting trees until ultimately, their dream of a Jewish homeland was a reality. JNF gives all generations of Jews a unique voice in building a prosperous future for the land of Israel and its people. JNF embodies both heart and action; our work is varied in scope but singular in benefit. We strive to bring an enhanced quality of life to all of Israels residents, and translate these advancements to the world beyond. JNF is greening the desert with millions of trees, building thousands of parks, creating new communities and cities for generations of Israelis to call home, bolstering Israels water supply, helping develop innovative arid-agriculture techniques, and educating both young and old about the founding and importance of Israel and Zionism. JNF is a registered 501(c)(3) organization and United Nations NGO, which continuously earns top ratings from charity overseers. 2016 shiva.com, LLC. All rights reserved. shiva.com and the shiva.com logo are trademarks of shiva.com, LLC. HomeRock logo After attending the educational conference and learning about these statistics, the team at Homerock was inspired to set a new company goal: to acquire 1,000 single family home rentals by the end of 2016. Past News Releases RSS Aaron Amuchastegui Relaunches... Aaron Amuchastegui and his team from Homerock recently attended the IMN 4th Annual Single Family Rental Investment Forum in Miami to network, discuss and brainstorm about the industry with other like-minded operators. Amuchastegui was a speaker at the industry-leading event that brought together key market participants including REITs, Funds, Aggregators, Fix and Flippers, Note Buyers, ABS & REIT Investors, property management and technology companies, as well as several companies that provide short-term and long-term financing for single family home flips and rentals. Both privately held and publicly traded companies were represented, as they discussed the best ways to maximize shareholder value and growth strategies. Amuchastegui, who has been transitioning the fix and flip company Homerock to longer term rental holds over the past 2 years, provided input during the event during several break-out sessions. After speaking during the "New Fund Challenges" break-out session, he says several groups approached him about combining their existing housing inventory with the current Homerock fund. Amuchastegui says one part of the forum that he found to be eye-opening was a report by Keefe, Bruyette, & Woods and RentRange, provided by IMN at the beginning of the conference. The report stated that there are only 18 companies in the United States with more than 1,000 single family homes in their inventory. Among those are four REIT companies and 14 privately held companies. Amuchastegui says that after attending the educational conference and learning about these statistics, the team at Homerock was inspired to set a new company goal: to acquire 1,000 single family home rentals by the end of 2016. "We left the event with an enhanced short-term company goal. We plan to be the 19th home on that list within the next year, he says. To meet this goal, the company is seeking out local operators throughout the country with current rental pools between $3-$5M in value, operating at a net return of 9% and above. We are hoping to consolidate and merge inventories with other operators to get us to 400 to 500 homes very quickly, then establish ongoing acquisition teams for the remainder of the year, Amuchastegui says. For more information, visit http://www.aaronamuchastegui.net; or to see the list of company affiliates, visit http://www.amaconstruct.com. To contact Aaron Amuchastegui regarding purchasing properties, email aaron(at)homerock(dot)com. Follow on Twitter at: twitter.com/amaconstruct. # # # If you are new to iQ you can schedule a demo and learn more about this opportunity. PSFK iQ - Where Innovators Turn for Research. Our professional-grade research platform is designed specifically for Retail and CX leaders who want to know whats next. Whether youre staying current on trends or need a real-time research partner to help you get ahead, count on PSFK iQ to deliver the info you need to make your next move. PSOE secretary general Pedro Sanchez. ULY MARTIN With five days to go before a new general election in Spain, Socialist candidate Pedro Sanchez and his campaign team made a stop in the southern Madrid town of Fuenlabrada on their way to Extremadura. Despite the dire forecasts predicting that he will come in third behind the conservative Popular Party (PP) and Unidos Podemos, the new leftist alliance headed by Pablo Iglesias, Sanchez does not look demoralized. On the contrary, he appears determined and methodical about his expectations to do better on Sunday than the polls are predicting. But one can almost imagine an Iglesias voodoo doll full of pins and needles sitting secretly inside his coat pocket. The PSOEs challenge is to provide an answer to the generational inequality, to the unfulfilled expectations Question: If the Socialist Party (PSOE) will not support the PP, will not support Podemos and will not force a new election, can Pedro Sanchez become the next prime minister? Answer: We are headed for a fragmented parliament. Nobody will be able to govern alone. And that invalidates Mariano Rajoy as prime minister. It is useless to vote for Rajoy. And it is useless to vote for Iglesias because he has demonstrated an inability to negotiate. That is why I feel that the PSOE guarantees change and mutual agreement. Q. Will Pedro Sanchez become the prime minister? 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. A: Yes, of course. On March 2 and 4, I was refused by Rajoy and Iglesias in Congress, but this third time round Spaniards will say yes to the PSOE. And so I will be the prime minister. More than ever, the PSOE is the antidote against the extremes. Q. Is Pedro Sanchez incompatible with Pablo Iglesias? A. We are separated in terms of form and in content. To me, the left represents tolerance, compromise. Not hubris and intransigence, as we have seen over the last six months. Spain does not deserve to be run by individuals who create a lot of rejection among the public. And surveys show that the two leaders who are most strongly rejected are Rajoy and Iglesias. Also, to me, the left is international in its outlook, not separatist. The left defends liberties, it does not question them. I wont allow social democracy to be used like this. Iglesias defends it while he embraces [former communist leader] Julio Anguita. Iglesias new social democracy is neither new nor is it a social democracy. Q. Why has Podemos taken the PSOEs place in terms of left-wing voter enthusiasm? A. There is a generational gap. The transformation of the welfare state has created inequality among our young people, whose opportunities are limited by cuts to education, science, research...The labor reform exploits our young people with ornamental scholarships and precarious contracts. The PSOEs challenge is to provide an answer to this generational inequality, to these unfulfilled expectations. We are headed for a fragmented parliament. Nobody will be able to govern alone. And that invalidates Mariano Rajoy as prime minister Q. Has the PSOE lost its appeal to these disappointed youngsters? A. Yes. We need to get it back. Thats the challenge. Q. Are you really aware of the gravity of what polls are suggesting? A. I grant them the credibility they deserve. Spaniards treat the PSOE better than pollsters do. You have to look at them and extract conclusions. Nobody is going to run this country on their own. There is going to be a change. And I am going to encourage mutual understanding. Q. But dont you have the impression that the PSOEs real power is restricted to making a diabolical choice? Either support Rajoy and let him become prime minister, or support Iglesias and let him become prime minister. A. No. That is what the opposite extremes want, in their shared strategy of attacking the PSOE. The next government will depend on the PSOE because it will depend on Socialist voters going to the polls on Sunday. They are the real protagonists of change. English version by Susana Urra. Podemos official Inigo Errejon at a rally in Andalusia. PEPE TORRES (EFE) The Venezuelan National Assembly is asking Spain for help in its investigation of Podemos, the Spanish leftist party that could come in second at Sundays general elections. Venezuelas legislative chamber, which is controlled by opponents of the Nicolas Maduro administration, is examining allegations that Podemos may have been funded with money from Maduros predecessor, the late Hugo Chavez. The anti-austerity party has denied any ties between its own financing and the Latin American government. But Venezuelan legislators want to know if the 7.16 million allegedly paid by Chavez to a Spanish foundation between 2003 and 2011 for advisory work was really an undercover way of funding a party with chavista sympathies in Spain. We are not accusing them, we are not prosecutors Freddy Guevara, Venezuelan National Assembly According to documents accessed by EL PAIS, the National Assembly has sent letters to the Spanish Treasury department, the national police unit specializing in financial crimes (UDEF), the judiciary police and the company register, requesting their assistance in the investigation. Venezuelan lawmakers have also called in Podemos officials for statements, including party founders Pablo Iglesias, Inigo Errejon and Juan Carlos Monedero. The letters ask them to be present at the National Assembly on July 6. Last week, Freddy Guevara, president of the National Assemblys Comptroller Commission, launched an investigation into payments by the former Venezuelan administration to Centro de Estudios Politicos y Sociales (Center for Political and Social Studies, or CEPS), a foundation whose board members included leading Podemos officials. 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 money transfers ended in 2011. Chavez himself died in March 2013, and Podemos was founded in 2014. Guevara has stated that we analyzed whether the type of tasks entrusted to the foundation bore any relation to the amount of money it was paid, and the answer was no, it was an exorbitant amount of money. Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias has already said he will not be going to Venezuela to provide explanations. He denied any financial ties between his party and the Venezuelan government, and noted that any probes into such matters fall to the Spanish courts. Guevara, for his part, said he is ready to go to the courts if his requests for cooperation are unmet. For someone to refuse to cooperate is a very clear indication that something did happen. We could initiate a court proceeding right now, said Guevara in a telephone conversation with EL PAIS. Lets recall that foreign citizens can be asked to testify in other countries. [] We are not asking them what they did with funding obtained in Spain, or with the money made from teaching, we are asking what they did with Venezuelan money. Countries have international treaties against corruption and they must cooperate. We have the duty to activate all available mechanisms. Pablo Iglesias has already said he will not be going to Venezuela to testify in the investigation. Alvaro Barrientos (AP) Guevara has asked the Spanish Treasury department for information on CEPS income tax statements between 2002 and 2016. The UDEF and judiciary police are being asked for transcripts of statements made by a former Venezuelan finance minister, Rafael Isea, to the effect that the Venezuelan executive paid out large amounts of money to CEPS. The story was picked up by the Spanish newspaper Abc, which reported on a document signed by Hugo Chavez releasing 7 million to create in Spain political forces and social movements, propitiating political changes in that country with greater affinities with the Bolivarian government. We are looking for information that will tell us whether that outlay existed, whether there was a transfer from the foundation to the party, and whether things that were said to have one destination ended up somewhere else, said Guevara. We are trying to ascertain whether that money was declared, and under what category. If any illegal action took place, there must have been some attempt at legitimizing or laundering the money, and that is why we need information from Spanish authorities to guide us on this matter. We are not accusing them, we are not prosecutors, added the Venezuelan deputy. But it would reflect very poorly on Pablo Iglesias if he refused to answer an institution that is sister to the one he sits in, about money obtained from public funds. English version by Susana Urra. Cookies What are cookies ? How do we use cookies? How to control cookies? 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You can delete all cookies that are already on your computer and you can set most browsers to prevent them from being placed.Most browsers allow you to:If you chose to delete cookies, you should be aware that any preferences will be lost. Also, if you block cookies completely many websites (including ours) will not work properly and webcasts will not work at all. For these reasons, we do not recommend turning cookies off when using our webcasting services. The Karmapa Lands at Wisdom Wisdom publications acquired U.S., Canadian, and open market rights to a working title by Ogyen Trinley Dorje, His Holiness the Karmapa, to be published in February 2017. The Karmapa is the head of the Karma Kagyu, the largest sub-school of the Kagyu, which is one of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism. Drawing on the Karmapas Buddhist training, Interconnected: Living Wisely in a Global Society will use accessible terms to show how harnessing the power of our thoughts and emotions can make us far more effective as agents of positive social transformation, according to the publisher. Karen Ehman Re-Ups With Zondervan Bestselling author and Proverbs 31 Ministries speaker Karen Ehman (Pressing Pause and Keep It Shut) signed a new two-book deal with Zondervan. The yet-to-be-titled books, which will publish in February of 2018 and August of 2019, were acquired by Sandra Vander Zicht, associate publisher and executive editor of Zondervan, and Ehmans agent Meredith Brock brokered the deal. The new titles will join Ehmans Listen, Love, Repeat and Zip It, coming from Zondervan in November 2016 and February 2017, respectively. Big Mama Closes Double at Zondervan Melanie Shankle, founder of the popular Big Mama blog and whose past books on parenting, marriage and friendship published by Tyndale have sold about 67,000 print units according to Nielsen BookScan, sold a new trade book to Zondervan. The yet-to-be titled book is set to release in August 2017 and offers "women of all ages the grace to embrace what it means to live a seemingly small, yet incredibly meaningful life," according to the publisher. Further, Shankle has signed up for a second trade book, a DVD curriculum, and a gift devotional with Zondervan. Shankles upcoming trade titles were acquired by Carolyn McCready, executive editor for Zondervan. Lisa Jackson of Alive Literary is Shankles literary agent. RWW Nabs The Dalai Lama, Pope Francis Red Wheel/Weisers (RWW) editor Greg Brandenburgh acquired world rights to The Dalai Lamas Little Book of Mysticism, edited by Renuka Singh. The small-format book, slated to publish in October 2017, collects the Dalai Lamas thoughts on the mystical life and includes quotes from His Holiness as well as an introduction and a glossary. The publishing house also acquired North American rights from HarperCollins U.K. to Pope Francis Little Book of Compassion, edited by Andrea Kirk Assaf. The follow-up to Pope Francis Little Book of Wisdom, the gift book is a collection of Pope Francis teachings on the topics of mercy, compassion, and forgiveness. Pope Francis Little Book of Compassion is slated to publish in March 2017. Bass Sticks With HarperOne Diana Butler Bass, author of Christianity After Religion and Grounded, both published at HarperOne, signed with the publisher once more in a two-book deal. Foundry Literary + Media's Roger Freet brokered the agreement with editor Kathryn Renz Hamilton. The first book, Deeply Grateful, is scheduled to publish in April 2018 and will "pinpoint the gap between our desire to live grateful lives and the inconsistency in our behavior," according to the publisher. Four Deals for FaithWords Debut author Shauna Letellier sold world rights to her Remarkable Faith series to FaithWords in a two-book deal. Dan Balow of the Steve Laube Agency represented Letellier and brokered the deal with FaithWords editor Adrienne Ingrum. Letellier, the founder of the Permission to be Real blog, shares experiences of characters from the Bible in an effort to inspire and encourage Christians who wonder if their faith is a disappointment to God because they're not performing "ark-building, sea-crossing" acts of faith. The first book in the Remarkable Faith series is expected to publish in May 2017. In a world rights deal, International Latino Book Award nominee Karen Valentin signed a two-book contract with Faithwords. Book one, entitled The Mother God Made Me to Be, will release in trade paperback in April 2017, while the untitled second book will release in September 2017. The Mother God Made Me to Be chronicles Valentins experiences, first with marriage and motherhood, and then with single motherhood, detailing how each change deepened her faith. Set to publish in time to commemorate the 400th anniversary year of William Shakespeares death, Faithwords acquired Holy Shakespeare! 101 Bible Verses That Appear in Shakespeares Plays, Poems, and Sonnets by Maisie Sparks. The book, which will publish on October 4, features 101 passages from Shakespeare's works paired with the Scripture it refers to. Sparks is also the author of 101 Things God Cant Do and 101 Things the Devil Cant Do (Thomas Nelson). In a fourth deal at FaithWords, Bible publishing veteran Doris Rikkers sold world rights to an untitled book on the Holy Spirit, slated for publication in June 2017. Rikkers developed and edited all NIV Bibles released by Zondervan from 1977 to 1994, and her book will feature stories from the Bible that show the Spirit at work and what they reveal about God, according to FaithWords. Baker's Academic Imprint Adds Yale Professor Brazos Press, a division of Baker Publishing Group, signed a one-book deal with Miroslav Volf, the Henry B. Wright Professor of Theology at Yale Divinity School and founding director of Yale Center for Faith & Culture (YCFC). Co-authored by Matthew Croasmun, associate research scholar at YCFC, the book argues "that theology is today the very discipline we need most in order to address our most urgent questions," according to Robert N. Hosack, executive editor at Brazos Press. HarperOne Picks Up 'How to Pray' Michael Maudlin at Harper One acquired a new title by James Martin, the Jesuit priest who served as Official Chaplain of the Colbert Nation on The Colbert Report and the author of Seven Last Words. Set to publish in March 2018, the new book, How to Pray, "explores how prayer impacts us personally, socially, and spiritually," according to the publisher. The deal was brokered by Donald Cutler at Bookmark Literary Agency. In her first book, Christianity Todays managing editor Katelyn Beaty calls women to work in A Womans Place. Also among the big religion and spirituality books publishing in July is the movie tie-in to the remake of Ben-Hur, written by Lew Wallaces great-great-granddaughter. Nonfiction July 1 A Ceremony Called Life by Tehya Sky (Sounds True, $16.95 paper; ISBN 978-1-6220-3713-1) encourages readers to being a greater sense of purpose and connection to ordinary moments. Bipolar Faith: A Black Woman's Journey with Depression and Faith by Monica A. Coleman (Fortress, $26.99; ISBN 978-1-5064-0859-0) is part spiritual biography and part memoir on the struggles of living with bipolar disorder. How Would Buddha Think? by Barbara Kipfer (New Harbinger, $16.95 paper; ISBN 978-1-6262-5315-5) is a modern guide to the Buddhist teaching of Right Intentionthe belief that our intentions drive our actions. The Wired Soul: Finding Spiritual Balance in a Hyperconnected Age by Tricia Rhodes (NavPress, $14.99 paper; ISBN 978-1-6314-6512-3) combats the digital distractions of today by reintroducing classic practices for growing in faith, including reading the Bible, meditating, and praying. July 12 Walking with Plato by Gary Hayden (OneWorld, $19.99 paper, ISBN 978-1-780746-56-2). Recalling Jean-Jacques Rousseaus reverie, Bertrand Russells misery, Epicuruss joy in simplicity, and Henry David Thoreaus love of the wilderness, Hayden offers a breath of fresh, country air for anyone craving an escape from everyday life. Relig-ish: Soulful Living in a Spiritual-But-Not-Religious World by Rachelle Mee-Chapman (Chalice, $14.99 paper; ISBN 978-0-8272-0302-0). Geared toward the spiritual-but-not-religious reader, this book is a guide to choosing a religion outside of ordained ministries. The Four Questions by Katie Byron (TarcherPerigee, $16, ISBN 978-0-3991-7424-7) is written for children and adults alike and features a modern retelling of the classic folk tale Chicken Little. July 13 Four Testaments by Brian Brown (Rowman & Littlefield, $55; ISBN 978-1-4422-6577-6) is an introduction to four foundational texts from world religionsthe Tao Te Ching, Dhammapada, Analects of Confucius, and Bhagavad Gita that helps readers explore possible points of connection and divergence, and to better understand people who practice these traditions. July 19 Mormonism for Beginners by Stephen Carter, illus. by Jett Atwood (For Beginners, $15.95 paper, ISBN 978-1-939994-52-3). An introduction to the history, tenets, practices, traditions, debates, and controversies of Mormonism. Ben Hur Collectors Edition: A Tale of the Christ by Carol Wallace (Tyndale, $25.99; ISBN 978-1-4964-1107-5). This new take on Lew Wallaces classic was written by his great-great-granddaughter, and it serves as the book tie-in to the film Ben-Hur, in theaters in August. A Woman's Place by Katelyn Beaty (Howard, $22.99; ISBN 978-1-4767-9409-9) analyzes Christian womens views of work, in and outside the home, and calls churches and peers to offer more support to working women. You Are Not Alone: Hope for Hurting Parents of Troubled Kids by Dena Yohe (WaterBrook, $15.99 paper; ISBN 978-1-6014-2837-0) offers words of encouragement, advice, prayers, and exercises for parents of children dealing with mental illness, depression, bullying, and more. July 26 Mary in Early Christian Faith and Devotion by Stephen J. Shoemaker (Yale Univ., $38, ISBN 978-0-300217-21-6). Through extensive research, Shoemaker provides background on the appeal of Mary and a study that challenges many conventional beliefs surrounding the subject of the mother of God. Fiction July 1 Sarahs Surrender by Vickie McDonough (Barbour/Shiloh Run, $14.99 paper, ISBN 978-1-628369-53-3). When Sarah Worley rejects Luke McNeils proposal to pursue property in the 1901 Oklahoma Territory land lottery, the ranch hand pulls up stakes and goes to get her. The Promise of Jesse Woods by Chris Fabry (Tyndale, $14.99 paper; ISBN 978-1-4143-8777-2). A childhood promise leads to a dangerous secret that severs the bond between Matt, a pastors kid, and Jesse, a tough-as-nails girl. July 5 The Second Half by Lauraine Snelling (Faithwords, $14.99 paper, ISBN 978-1-4555-8617-2) follows a couple who put their plans for retirement on hold to assume guardianship of their young grandchildren. 50,000-copy announced first printing. July 12 The Loyal Heart (A Lone Star Hero's Love Story) by Shelley Shepard Gray (Zondervan, $15.99 paper; ISBN 978-0-3103-4539-8). Robert came to Galveston, Texas, to fulfill his promise to a dying man and look after his widow, but finds love instead. July 19 In America by Nina Romano (Turner Publishing, $17.95 paper; ISBN 978-1-6302-6911-1). Marcella Scimenti comes of age in 1920s Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, amid new friendships, promising suitors, a looming economic depression, and a family secret. The Witnesses by Robert Whitlow (Thomas Nelson, $15.99 paper; ISBN 978-1-4016-8890-5). Young lawyer Parker House is on the riseuntil his grandfathers mysterious past puts both of their lives in danger. Premium online access is only available tosubscribers. If you have an active subscription and need to set up or change your password, please click here New to PW? To set up immediate access, click here. NOTE: If you had a previous PW subscription, click here to reactivate your immediate access. PW site license members have access to PWs subscriber-only website content. If working at an office location and you are not "logged in", simply close and relaunch your preferred browser. For off-site access, click here. To find out more about PWs site license subscription options, please email Mike Popalardo at: mike@nextstepsmarketing.com. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Pablo Ibar in a file photo. EFE More information El Estado de Florida vuelve a pedir la pena de muerte para Pablo Ibar The State of Florida has announced its decision to ask for capital punishment for Pablo Ibar, despite the Florida Supreme Court having vacated a death penalty sentence from the year 2000 and ordered a new trial. Ibar, a Spanish citizen of Basque descent, was convicted of a 1994 triple homicide of a nightclub owner and two models. He has already served 22 years in prison, 16 of them on death row. Andres Krakenberger, a spokesman for the Pablo Ibar Association Against the Death Penalty, told reporters at a news conference on Tuesday that the defense had received the states notification. He said the decision was predictable, though it has caused profound disappointment, given that the prosecution is pressing charges against someone who has clear proof of his innocence. A spokesman for Ibar claims that he was wrongly convicted and has already had to serve 16 years on death row Krakenberger said Ibar was wrongly convicted and has already had to serve 16 years on death row, while the Florida Supreme Court agrees that the scant evidence against him is weak. The court vacated the conviction in February saying: Ibars DNA was not found on a blue t-shirt recovered from the crime scene that was allegedly used to partially cover the face of the perpetrator, whom the state claimed to have been Ibar. [...] Ibar never confessed to the crime as he steadfastly proclaimed his innocence [and] presented an alibi as to his whereabouts. The spokesman criticized the coldness of the notification the defense received. Krakenberger said it shows that capital punishment is seen as a procedure in the United States despite the fact that it is cruel, inhumane and degrading and has no place in the 21st century. 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. Krakenberger told reporters that Ibar, who was transferred from death row to a county jail earlier this month, received the news with a certain resignation, though he said, speaking broadly, that he was in good spirits because his situation has improved. Ibars defense team needs $1.3 million to mount their case. They still need to raise $590,000. The defendant has received $50,000 for his legal fees from the Basque Country government, regional organizations and private individuals who have donated to the cause through the associations website. English version by Dyane Jean Francois. NEW YORK (AP) Fifty years ago, when a small group of activists founded the National Organization for Women, the immediate issue that motivated them was sex discrimination in employment. They were irate that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission was refusing to ban "Help Wanted Male" and "Help Wanted Female" job advertising. Typical were ads seeking a "well-groomed gal" for a job as a receptionist. Flash forward to today: Women comprise close to 50 percent of enrollment in U.S. medical schools and law schools. One-third of federal judges are women, compared to just a handful in the 1960s. The U.S military is opening all combat jobs to women. At NOW and elsewhere in the diverse ranks of the feminist movement, there's deep pride in these changes, but also a consensus that the 50th anniversary to be celebrated June 23 is not an occasion to declare victory. "The battle goes on," said Eleanor Smeal, a former president of NOW who heads the Feminist Majority Foundation. "So many of the things we fought for have been achieved, but we still do not have full equality." Among the issues viewed as unfinished business: a wage gap that favors men over women, the persistent scourge of sexual assault and domestic violence, and the push in many states to reduce access to legal abortion. Once virtually alone as a national, multi-issue feminist group, NOW shares the activist stage today with a multitude of other players ranging from youthful online organizers to groups focused on specific issues such as abortion rights, campus rape and workplace equity. NOW's membership and revenues are down from its peak years, and some younger feminists wonder if it is losing some relevance. It was different back in 1966. NOW's founding was a pivotal moment in the rebuilding of a vibrant U.S. feminist movement after a period of relative dormancy in the 1940s and '50s. "The momentum of the feminist movement that won suffrage and expanded women's rights in the early 20th century had waned," says NOW in its own history. "A negative media blitz proclaimed the death of feminism and celebrated the happy, suburban housewife." The so-called "second wave" of U.S. feminism gained momentum in part because of "The Feminine Mystique," Betty Friedan's 1963 book that gave a voice to women frustrated by the gender inequities of the status quo. Friedan was among NOW's co-founders and was chosen as its first president at an organizing conference in October 1966. She also wrote the Statement of Purpose adopted by NOW at that conference. It vowed "to break through the silken curtain of prejudice and discrimination against women" in every field of importance in American society. Fifty years later, only patches of that silken curtain remain, and Hillary Clinton hopes to add the ultimate breakthrough by becoming the first woman elected president. NOW has eagerly endorsed her. For many years, NOW drew large crowds to rallies. An estimated 100,000 people turned out for a 1977 march in Washington in favor of the Equal Rights Amendment; far larger crowds assembled for abortion-rights marches in 1989 and 1992. In subsequent years, there have been only a few mass mobilizations of feminists. NOW's president, Terry O'Neill, says the drop-off in revenues and dues-paying membership resulted in part from a drop in engagement by activists who, after a 1992 Supreme Court ruling, perceived less of a threat to abortion rights. O'Neill declined to provide financial details, but said NOW's national headquarters in Washington is down to a staff of 11, about a third of the size 25 years ago. Some younger feminists question NOW's tactical skills and its demographics. O'Neill, a 63-year-old white woman, says NOW would like to further diversify its membership, but acknowledged that its activist base is largely middle class or upper middle class. Racial diversity "is a continuing issue," O'Neill said, citing NOW's outreach to black sororities at U.S. colleges and its calls to tackle the racial wage gap as well as the gender wage gap. Jamia Wilson, an African-American feminist writer in New York, said NOW and other long-established women's groups "paved the way for many of us." However, Wilson, 35, said these groups should make "bold moves" to recruit more women of color into leadership positions and work more closely with marginalized communities, such as transgender women and women who served time behind bars. Jessica Valenti, a New York-based author who founded the popular blog Feministing in 2004, said younger feminists, acting individually or in small groups, have become adept at online organizing and activism. "That doesn't mean the big national organizations are unnecessary," said Valenti, 37. "I would love to see them continue to get funding and do work, but my hope is that they take cues from younger organizers and that their work evolves with us." It's never been easy to quantify America's feminist movement many women consider themselves feminists to a degree yet don't share some core beliefs of militant activists. According to a recent national survey by the Washington Post and Kaiser Family Foundation, six of 10 women and one-third of men in the U.S. depict themselves as feminists. However, four in 10 respondents viewed the feminist movement as "angry," and a similar portion said it unfairly blames men for women's challenges. Among the critics of contemporary feminism is Christina Hoff Sommers, a former philosophy professor who is a resident scholar at the conservative American Enterprise Institute. In an interview, Sommers hailed NOW's original mission statement as "an inspiring document" with goals that have mostly been achieved. "It seems the more things improve for women, the more aggrieved many feminists become," Sommer said. "There's never a time when they say, 'We've done it. It's time to celebrate.'" In some respects, the United States lags behind other nations on women's issues. According to a U.N. report, it is one of only three countries worldwide along with Oman and Papua New Guinea without a nationwide policy of paid maternity leave. While efforts proceed to support women in unglamorous professions waitresses and home health aides, for example there's also been a popularization of feminism at the other end of the social spectrum. Among the pop culture icons embracing the term are Beyonce, Taylor Swift and even the Muppets' Miss Piggy. Andi Zeisler, co-founder and editorial director of Bitch Media, warily analyzes this phenomenon in a new book, "We Were Feminists Once." She worries that feminism is becoming a feel-good consumer brand. "The problem is the problem has always been that feminism is not fun," Zeisler writes. "It's complex and hard and it pisses people off. It's serious because it is about people demanding that their humanity be recognized as valuable." Just as the rest of the country, I am left saddened, angered and confused by the horrific shootings in the Orlando nightclub last week. I am saddened, of course, by the senseless loss of life and by the heartbreaking grief experienced by those who lost loved ones in the carnage. I am angered by the fact that there seems to be no specific target for retribution, as the shooter was killed in the end. And I am confused as to why these things happen and what could be done to prevent this from ever happening again. I have one additional feeling that is rather difficult to come to peace with: a peculiar, perverse sort of begrudging respect for the shooter. Absolutely I do not mean to confuse respect with approval or sympathy or any other positive attribute. Like everyone else, I think what he did was despicable. The worst pure evil I can imagine. Clearly he was a very sick person. But the respect I mention is a respect I would afford to anyone willing to die for what he truly, 100 percent believes in his heart is what his God demands of him, no matter how heartbreakingly wrong it may be. I am not sure if I have that kind of belief. I would hope that I do. To me, the only way to stop these murderous rampages is to work to destroy the idea that any God would have his followers commit murder in His name. Several years ago a Mosque opened across the street from where I was living in Moline. An invitation was posted outside inviting non-Muslims to visit and learn more about the Islamic faith. I made a couple of visits to learn more about their faith and community. I learned that Islam is very much a peaceful religion. It, therefore, strikes me as obscene to condemn an entire faith community for the acts of a very few individuals as some politicians seem more than willing to do. However, I do think that there may be some things that the Islamic community could be doing, or doing more vigorously, to improve the situation and help minimize these atrocities. Think for a moment what sort of reward it would take for someone to be willing to sacrifice his or her own life in a suicide bombing or any other action that takes the lives of innocent people. My simple mind comes to only one conclusion: It must be the belief that the afterlife will be so much better than earthly life. Are there really 60 virgins awaiting this murderous soul? I simply cannot believe that. But my thinking is that the shooter did believe that. Do the majority of peace-loving Muslims believe this persons soul is reveling in glory or suffering in hell? I have to believe it is the latter. If it is not, perhaps there is no hope for us all. So why do we not see every Islamic cleric and every Mosque screaming out every single day that this sort of senseless killing of innocent people is not being done in the name of, or with the blessing of, Allah and that there is no reward in heaven for those who commit these crimes against humanity. In fact, those who perpetrate these acts will be suffering in hell that very day! Perhaps this is being done and I am not seeing it or the press is not reporting it. I feel great sympathy for the overwhelming majority of peace-loving Muslims at having their religion stolen from them and changed into something that is unrecognizable to them. And to then be used as a justification to commit terror in the world. Let me be very clear that if the world were confronting radicalized terrorists operating under the banner of any organized religion, my thoughts would be exactly the same towards its leaders; be they Christian, Jewish, Buddhist or any other. If we really want to eliminate terrorist attacks, we have to remove the perceived eternal rewards perpetrators anticipate and replace them with anticipation of eternal suffering in hell. Unfortunately, today the majority of that burden falls upon the Islamic community. Without this sort of support, I fear anything else we attempt may prove futile. 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... Acting interior minister Jorge Fernandez Diaz. JAVIER SORIANO (AFP) With four days to go before Spain holds a fresh general election, the countrys political scene is being roiled by a scandal affecting acting Interior Minister Jorge Fernandez Diaz. A left-leaning online newspaper, Publico, has revealed secret recordings of two-year-old conversations between the Popular Party (PP) official and the head of the Anti-Fraud Office of Catalonia (OAC), in which both men discuss the possibility of targeting Catalan pro-independence politicians or their close relatives in corruption probes. Candidates speak out Pedro Sanchez (PSOE): "Mr Fernandez Diaz has to quit politics immediately. He cannot remain in his position." Pablo Iglesias (Podemos): "This is one of the gravest things to ever have happened in this country." Albert Rivera (Ciudadanos): "In a democracy, the police is at the service of democracy, not at the service of political parties." The candidates for the Socialist Party (PSOE), Podemos and Ciudadanos on Wednesday asked for the ministers resignation over his alleged attempt to seek criminal charges against members of Convergencia and the Catalan Republican Left (ERC) for political reasons. But acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy said it is all part of a politically motivated move against the PP, which polls suggest will win the Sunday election again while falling short of a parliamentary majority. This is the same old story: were four days away from the end of the campaign and there are those who are trying to make the most of it, by fishing in troubled waters to see what they pull out, he said at an event in Soller, in the Balearic Islands. Rajoy added that he has full confidence in his minister. Meanwhile, Fernandez Diaz himself has said that accusing me of conspiring to commit a crime is injurious, slanderous and stupid. 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 only conspiracy we can talk about is the fact of recording a conversation and releasing it two years later. These days, its shoot first and ask later, added the acting minister. Most Catalan parties have also demanded Fernandez Diazs resignation, as well as that of Daniel de Alfonso, the man who headed the Anti-Fraud Office at the time and who is heard in talks with the minister. The main unions representing law enforcement officers in Spain have also issued a release requesting that Fernandez Diaz be removed from his post. De Alfonso has denied the charges and said it is false that he and Fernandez Diaz were conspiring to act as a political police of sorts. Both conversations took place a couple of years ago and did not result in any report or any proceeding. They amounted to nothing, he told Catalunya Radio. The recordings date from October 2 and 16, 2014, according to Publico. Catalonia held a non-binding referendum on independence on November 9, 2014 which the PP government at the time fiercely opposed. The cases discussed in the recorded talks involve Roger Junqueras, brother to ERC leader Oriol Junqueras, who also serves as Catalan deputy premier. Roger worked at Cespa when this company won a contract from the Catalan government. Another name mentioned in the conversations was Felip Puig, a senior official at Convergencia and an office holder in the Catalan government on several occasions. English version by Susana Urra. G'day! It's Murray here. I've put together a little quiz to test your musical knowledge. Think you can score top marks in Murray's Magic Music Quiz? Give it a go now! The 18m light rail extension is part of a wider Interchange project that is funded by the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership, City of Wolverhampton Council and the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA). Formal approval for the extension was given by Britain's secretary of state for transport, Mr Patrick McLoughlin, and follows a Transport and Works Act Order public inquiry last summer. Expected to create 1400 jobs and be finished in 2019, the route will take LRVs along Pipers Row, stopping directly outside the bus station before continuing on to the railway station, which will also be redeveloped as part of the Wolverhampton Interchange Project. The scheme is being carried out by Transport for West Midlands (TfWM), the transport arm of the West Midlands Combined Authority, in partnership with the City of Wolverhampton Council and Neptune Developments. "Today's approval is excellent news because the extension can play a key role in unlocking further investment and jobs not just in Wolverhampton but also other parts of the Black Country," says Mr Roger Lawrence, leader of the City of Wolverhampton Council and West Midlands lead on transport. The Midland Metro currently has an annual ridership of 4.4 million, is 21km long, and has 26 stations with nine more awaiting construction. The decision follows MTR's announcement on June 16 that it will form a joint venture with First Group to bid for the new South Western franchise, which starts in June 2017. The two remaining bidders for the West Midlands franchise are Govia subsidiary London and West Midlands Railway and West Midlands Trains, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Abellio Transport Group with East Japan Railway Company (JR East) and Mitsui as minority partners. An invitation to tender is due to be issued to the two candidates by the Department for Transport (DfT) next month and the contract is due to be awarded in June 2017, with the new franchise starting in October 2017. The West Midlands franchise is currently operated by London Midland, a joint venture between Go-Ahead (65%) and Keolis (35%). The franchise carries around 64 million passengers per year and covers an 867km network with 146 stations, encompassing suburban and regional services radiating from Birmingham as well as suburban, regional and inter-regional services from London Euston to Milton Keynes, Northampton, Birmingham, Crewe, and Liverpool via the West Coast Main Line. London Midland has operated the franchise since November 2007 and was awarded a two-year interim franchise last December. LIVE: Problems Facing Graduates of Childrens Homes in Armenia (video) June 22, 2016, at 11:00, Yerevan, Armenia: The Institute for War & Peace Reporting (IWPR), in cooperation with the Public Journalism Club (PJC) and the Media Center, is hosting a discussion, entitledProblems Facing Graduates of Childrens Homes in Armenia. According to UNICEF, around 4,000 children live in Armenias 42 state and private orphanages, boarding and special schools. About 80 percent either still have one parent or come from socially disadvantaged families. Since 2003, they remain in state care until they are 23 and are provided with lodging. But housing remains a problem, and dozens of orphanage graduates are currently on a waiting list to receive lodging. NGOs have tried to fill this gap by setting up transition homes and a handful of these, spread throughout the country, host orphanage graduates from 18 to 23. Some experts say that aside from the housing problem, orphanage graduates also face challenges related to employment. Due to the widespread stereotyped image of orphanage graduates, potential employers have preconceived ideas about people who grew up in orphanages and therefore often fail to follow the procedures related to labor rights. IWPR has attempted to bring up the challenges facing graduates of orphanages in Armenia in an article published on May 27, which is available here - https://goo.gl/TY5dbu. We intend to give the issue wide publicity by organizing a round table discussion and shedding light on what has changed after reforming the system in Armenia for the last ten years and what impact the changes might have. The Armenian speakers of the discussion event are: Lena Hayrapetyan, head of the Department of Family, Women and Children Issues at the Ministry of Social Affairs, Hayk Khemchyan, Child Protection Officer at UNICEF Grigori Hovhannisyan, National Program Development Director at SOS Children's Villages Armenia Mira Antonyan, Chairwoman of Armenia's Child Protection Network and Fund for Armenian Relief Children's Support Centre This event is part of IWPRs Strengthening Capacities, Bridging Divides Reducing Tensions across the South Caucasus project, supported by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The event is implemented in cooperation with the Public Journalism Clubs Media Center. Illinois Department of Transportation (Idot) awarded Siemens a $US 228m contract in 2014 to supply 32 of the 200km/h diesel-electric locomotives for use on Amtrak services in the states of Illinois, California, Michigan, Missouri and Washington. The locomotives are being assembled at Siemens' plant in Sacramento, California and the first units are due to be accepted by Idot in December. The first options for additional units were exercised in November 2015, when the states of California, Illinois and Maryland ordered a total of 34 locomotives. In September 2014 All Aboard Florida ordered 10 Charger locomotives to operate its Brightline passenger service from Miami to Fort Lauderdale and Orlando, which is due to be launched next year. Assembly of these locomotives is now underway at Sacramento. The four-axle ac traction Charger is the first locomotive to be equipped with Cummins' QSK 95 power unit. The 95-litre 16 cylinder engine is rated at 3.28MW and is equipped with Cummins' Modular Common Rail Fuel System (MCRS) with quad-turbocharging. The QSK95 is also equipped with Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) exhaust aftertreatment, enabling it to meet US Envirnomental Protection Agency (EPA) Tier 4 emissions standards. At a time when polemics is delivering knockout blows to civil discourse and collaboration, a 78-year-old former amateur boxerstill punching above his weighthas advice on peaceful dispute resolution that lawmakers, regulators, rail executives and labor leaders would do well to read, mark and inwardly digest. Yes, meet Democrat Jim Florio, a former New Jersey governor, 15 years in Congress and principal author of the 1980 Staggers Rail Act while chairman of the House Transportation Subcommittee. Florio now teaches public policy at Rutgers University amidst practicing law, promoting public-private partnershipsincluding one affecting Amtrakand appearing at New Jersey Transit board meetings. Well before alternative dispute resolution earned wide acceptance, Florio stapled himself into railroad history by focusing disparate parties on a shared goal of preserving railroads as private-sector, taxpaying entities able to meet shipper demands, improve productivity and provide solid middle-class wages and benefits. Collaborating with Illinois House Republican Ed Madigan, Florio persuaded squabbling shipper, labor and carrier parties to embrace a framework for partial economic deregulation that salvaged a then overregulated and underfinanced rail industry from a least desired nationalization alternative. The stakeholders were hard talking, frequently adversarial, larger than life personalitiessome of them zealots, Florio says in describing the struggle he superintended to craft a bipartisan rational solution (the Staggers Rail Act) to the industrys ills. Florio views the current ideological-fueled political environment as destroying synergies of interest. He says former Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich polarized Congress beginning in 1995 by instructing House Republicans systematically to pronounce Democrats as the enemy and term as evil all Democratic proposals. You cant be reasonable with unreasonable people, Florio says. Such a corrosive environment, Florio says, frustrates development of effective policies to deal with the rapid pace of economic and social change. He says the 2008 financial crisis exposed a legislative void impotent to deal with problematic credit default swaps. And current political fisticuffs, he says, prevent a nonbelligerent revision of Americas healthcare insurance model that compels U.S. manufacturers to include in the cost of goods producedvirtually alone among developed nationsemployee healthcare insurance premiums, rendering American exporters less competitive. Supportive of free markets and reduced trade barriers, Florio targets protectionism as a prescription for lower living standards. Similar restraints on technological advancements retard productivity and consumer well-being, although the downside is job losses. The solution, he says, is public policy to deal positively with those left behind in an increasingly knowledge-based economy. It is unlikely that manufacturing jobs will return to our shores, and even more jobs will be eliminated as artificial intelligence and robotics proliferate. Opinion leaders and decision makers are discussing a Universal Basic Incomea stipend much like Social Securityto ensure a minimum standard of living. Equally important, Florio says, are business-financed strategies to instruct workers in new, marketable skills. Consider remote control locomotives and Positive Train Control (PTC), two productivity generating technologies that are unsettling for their headcount reductions. Railroad management, he says, must educate employees on the plusses and minuses of options. As technology improves productivity, and enhanced productivity improves profits, business must reciprocate by investing in education and training for future jobs, Florio says. On rail labors opposition to one-person train crews, Florio advocates exploring with employees the consequences of resistanceespecially with the emergence of self-driving highway vehicles that will dramatically shift the competitive balance in favor of trucks. Then there is the Washington-Boston Northeast Corridor (NEC), hosting Amtrak and New Jersey Transitequivalent in New Jersey to a human bodys carotid artery, yet decaying under the burden of $52 billion in deferred maintenance. The current Amtrak model is unsustainable, Florio says. His alternative is a public-private partnership to separate infrastructure from train operation, with a private entity funding and managing the NEC (Is Robert Serlin Amtraks Merlin, RA, February 2016). In Congress, Florio often counseled, Nothing happens until the pain of the status quo exceeds the pain of change. He now may add, The time has come for usagainto reason together. First Siemens Charger locomotives head to TTCI Written by Keith The first two Siemens SC-44 Charger diesel passenger locomotives have arrived in Colorado for the start of testing at TTCIs Pueblo, Colo., facility. Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) awarded Siemens a $228 million contract in 2014 to supply 32 of the 125-mph diesel-electric locomotives for use on Amtrak services in the states of Illinois, California, Michigan, Missouri and Washington. The locomotives are being assembled at the Siemens plant in Sacramento, Calif., and the first units are due to be accepted by IDOT in December. The first options for additional units were exercised in November 2015, when the states of California, Illinois and Maryland ordered a total of 34 locomotives. In September 2014, Florida East Coast Industries subsidiary All Aboard Florida ordered 10 Charger locomotives to operate its Brightline higher-speed passenger service from Miami to Fort Lauderdale and Orlando, which is due to be launched next year. Assembly of these locomotives is now under way at Sacramento. The four-axle, AC-traction Charger is the first locomotive to be equipped with the Cummins QSK95 prime-mover. The 95-litre, 16 cylinder engine is rated at 4,400 hp (3.28 MW) and is equipped with Cummins Modular Common Rail Fuel System (MCRS) with quad-turbocharging. The QSK95 is also equipped with Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) exhaust aftertreatment, enabling it to meet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Tier 4 emissions standards. 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 At the heart of policy analysis is cause and effect: How can we determine or quantify the actual impact of an action or policy? Without proper methods, recklessly inferring cause and effect from observed relationships can inform unhelpful policies at best, and dangerous ones at worst. Thats where the Center for Causal Inference comes in. We innovate analytic approaches to yield estimates of causal relationships based on nonexperimental or observational data. And we recognize that even experimental data may require causal analysis. Casual inference is involved in nearly every RAND research project, so its important that we get it right. Our goals are to provide frameworks and estimation methods that reflect causality in the inferences we make, and to define what assumptions are necessary for those estimation methods to increase the certainty that we are drawing accurate conclusions. Our Center develops, applies, and disseminates a toolbox of robust methodologies to ensure causal inferences are sound, and we offer training in those methods. We also provide seed funds to researchers to develop and improve upon causal inference methodsand in turn improve our ability to effectively analyze policy. French music video network Trace TV has acquired the pan-African video-on-demand (VOD) service Buni.tv, ahead of launching its own digital platform Trace Play later this year. Part of the Restless Global studio, Buni.tv was launched in 2012 and has grown to become one of Africas largest VOD services.Trace and Buni.tv share the same strategic vision in that we believe that VOD is the future of television. We also share the same analysis that the success of any VOD service in Africa will depend on whether it can source and offer high quality original African content, said Olivier Laouchez, CEO, Trace.The deal includes the pay-TV and VOD rights to Nigerian comedy Ogas at the Top and Kenyan political satire The XYZ Show, from Buni.tvs production arm, Buni Media.Buni.tvs existing subscribers will be able to access all the African and international content on Trace Play when the service launches later in 2016. The latter will deliver original and curated content related to urban and black culture via the Web and iOS and Android devices.Marie Lora-Mungai, CEO, Buni.tv, said: We are excited by [Traces] ongoing expansion into film and scripted television as well as into VOD with Trace Play, which is central to their ambition to become the first studio focused on black urban cultures across Africa, the Caribbean, and large diaspora markets.As pioneers of VOD on the African market, were looking forward to sharing Buni.tvs experience with them as they enter this new phase of growth.Lora-Mungai will join Trace to consult on its content development strategy for Africa.Arkena is developing an end-to-end over-the-top (OTT) platform to support the Trace Play subscription VOD (SVOD) service. As part of an agreement with digital engagement technology solutions provider SONIFI Solutions, TV5MONDE has launched Voyage, a lifestyle network geared to travellers. The French-language HD channel is subtitled in English and will be available nationally in the majority of Americas four- and five-star hotels, representing approximately 280,000 rooms.We are thrilled to partner with SONIFI Solutions to bring a taste of the TV5MONDE to travellers who stay at these prominent hotel brands across America, said TV5MONDE GM Yves Bigot. Our hope is that when they get back to their homes within the US, they will want to continue to watch our programming.SONIFI is always looking for opportunities that provide the best content to our diverse guest base, said Shivan Sihota, director of programming at SONIFI Partnering with TV5MONDE gives SONIFI the ability to provide premium French content to both existing TV5MONDE viewers as well as guests who can discover this channel for the first time.Part of the in-room package, TV5MONDE Voyage will air programming focusing on the categories of fashion, lifestyles, gastronomy and travel found on the flagship network TV5MONDE USA.As part of TV5MONDE s agreement with SONIFI, a branded video-on-demand channel has also been launched, dubbed TV5MONDE Cinema providing travellers with the best in recently released French films.Added Bigot: The launch of TV5MONDE Cinema further reinforces TV5MONDEs leadership position in bringing the best of French feature films to US television viewing audiences. The interest in and the influence of the French-language cinema remains very strong, making this the perfect time to premiere of this new on-demand platform. Assets of Vladivostok mayor accused of bribery seized MOSCOW, June 22 (RAPSI) The Basmanny District Court of Moscow has ordered the seizure of assets belonging to Vladivostok Mayor Igor Pushkarev charged with abuse of office and commercial bribery, RIA Novosti reported on Wednesday. On June 2, the court ordered the detention of Pushkarev until July 31. Pushkarev has pleaded not guilty to charges brought against him and expressed his willingness to cooperate with investigators. Earlier, official representative for Russias Investigative Committee Vladimir Markin announced that between 2009 and 2014 Pushkarev from mercenary or other personal motives organized the acquisition by Roads of Vladivostok of a large volume of construction materials from the group of companies Vostokcement allegedly controlled by his relatives. Investigators believe that construction materials have been purchased at inflated prices. Pushkarev has received upwards of 45 million rubles ($701,200) for this. The damage allegedly caused by Pushkarev has been estimated at more than 158 million rubles ($2.5 million), according to investigation. Moreover, in the period from 2012 to 2014, the mayor of Vladivostok funneled about 1.4 million rubles ($22,000) to Andrey Lushnikov, the CEO of the municipal unitary enterprise Roads of Vladivostok, supposedly controlled by the City Administration. Lushikov in turn organized purchase of building materials at overcharge price, investigators claim. Victims in Domodedovo terror attack case withdraw all lawsuits against airports managers MOSCOW, June 22 (RAPSI) Victims in the criminal case over Domodedovo terror attack in 2011 have withdrawn all lawsuits over damages compensations against the airports management, lawyer Igor Trunov told RAPSI on Wednesday. All victims have withdrawn the lawsuits. Overall 64 motions to dismiss the material claims against management of Domodedovo airport have been filed with the investigative authorities, the lawyer said. On June 7, Domodedovo airport reported start of payments to the injured persons through a specially established charity fund. However, investigation into top management of the airport is underway because withdrawal of lawsuits does not serve as a ground for closing of this criminal case. The Domodedovo airport owner Dmitriy Kamenshchik and several other ex-managers have been charged in the case over 2011 terrorist attack. According to investigators, they have not provided sufficient security level that let the suicide bomber freely enter the arrival lounge and set off an explosive. A suicide bomber detonated a bomb in the Domodedovo Airports international arrivals hall, killing 37 people and injuring 172, on January 24, 2011. Doku Umarov, Russias most wanted terrorist at the time, claimed responsibility for the attack. Altogether, 28 men connected with the terrorist organization called the Caucasus Emirate were linked to the attack, according to the investigators. Seventeen of them were killed in special operations in 2011, and four were detained. In November 2013, a Moscow Region court sentenced three men to life in prison and a fourth man to 10 years for their role in the suicide bombing. 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 Stockholm Arbitration dismisses Lithuanias 1.4 bln claim against Gazprom MOSCOW, June 22 (RAPSI) The Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce has dismissed a claim lodged by Lithuania seeking about EUR 1.4 billion in compensation from Russias Gazprom for allegedly unfair gas prices, RIA Novosti reported Wednesday citing Lithuanias Energy Minister Rokas Masiulis. The Stockholm arbitration has not detected violations by the Russian company, the agency quoted Masiulis as having said. In October 2012, Lithuania filed a EUR 1.4 billion claim against Gazprom with the Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce. The Lithuanian Energy Ministry claimed that Gazprom agreed to supply natural gas to Lithuania at fair prices based on a price formula stipulated in a gas supply and privatization contract signed by Lietuvos Dujos and Gazprom in 2004. However, gas prices increased considerably between 2004 and 2012, as the formula for the prices were allegedly changed in violation of the privatization contract. Gazprom was opposed to these claims. 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 Britain's approaching referendum has led to rampant speculation about the economic and financial consequences of a vote to leave the European Union. And indeed, in the wake of a Brexit, uncertainty the archenemy of economic growth and financial stability would abound. But 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. The Franco-German alliance is the cornerstone on which European power dynamics rest. Conflict between the two drove three Continental wars between 1870 and 1945; its resolution facilitated peace after World War II, planting the seeds of eventual integration through the European Union. But France and Germany are not the only countries shaping Europe's course. A third actor plays the role of power broker between the two, stabilizing their relationship and, by extension, the Continent: the United Kingdom. When France and West Germany founded the European Economic Community (EEC), the European Union's predecessor, in the 1950s, they had two goals. The first was to create a political and economic structure that would bind the two states together, reducing the chances of another war breaking out in Europe. The second was to facilitate trade and investment to rejuvenate Europe's war-weary economies. Both were pleased with the solution they found: France felt it had neutralized its eastern neighbor while maintaining control of Continental politics, and Germany had successfully reconciled with the West. Meanwhile, the United Kingdom's relationship with the European project was somewhat ambiguous. As an island nation, Britain historically had been shielded from events unfolding on the mainland. If the United Kingdom intervened in Continental affairs, it was usually to ensure that power remained balanced and yet dispersed enough to keep Britain safe. When the EEC was born, London initially reacted with skepticism, wary of any project that would transfer more sovereignty from the British Parliament to unelected technocrats in Brussels. France, moreover, was eager to keep Britain out of the bloc; it was concerned about granting EEC membership to a country Charles de Gaulle described as "an American Trojan Horse in Europe." De Gaulle was also reluctant to include the only country in Western Europe capable of competing with France for leadership of the bloc. It came as no surprise when, in the 1960s, France vetoed Britain's membership twice. But in the early 1970s, things changed. De Gaulle was no longer France's president, and both Paris and Berlin were quickly realizing the geopolitical importance of expanding the EEC's membership. Across the English Channel, London had lost its empire and was in the midst of reassessing its international priorities and trade relationships. Though it saw EEC membership as an opportunity to influence the process of Continental integration, Britain's interest in accessing the common market far outweighed its aspirations of building a federal Europe. Unlike France and Germany, Britain had little enthusiasm for transforming the Continent into a United States of Europe. These motives formed the basis of Britain's modern relationship with Europe, which was largely established during the administration of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Under the Tory leader, Britain simultaneously pushed to lower its contribution to the EEC budget and eliminate trade barriers inside the bloc. In Thatcher's now-famous Bruges Speech, she dismissed the notion of a federal Europe, instead describing the Continental organization as an agreement among sovereign states to establish free trade. A few years later her successor, John Major, negotiated Britain's opt-out from the eurozone. Thatcher also advocated enlarging the EEC to the east, a strategy Labour Party Prime Minister Tony Blair continued in the early 2000s. Bringing the former communist states under the Continental umbrella not only sped up their transition to market economies but also created new demand for British exports. As an added perk for London, the bloc's expansion into a larger and more loosely connected entity helped to dilute France and Germany's hold over Europe. But Britain's approach has produced only mixed results. Few new EU members have joined the eurozone, showing the limits of the federal union, and many share Thatcher's view of the bloc as a pact among sovereign states. At the same time, the admission of countries such as Poland and Romania has led to a significant increase in immigration to the United Kingdom, a development that Brexit supporters consider a primary reason for leaving the bloc. Upsetting the Balance of Power If Britain quits the European Union, though, it risks disrupting the base of power the bloc has come to rest on. Germany relies on Britain's backing when it comes to promoting free trade in the face of France's protectionist tendencies. France sees Britain as not only a key defense partner but also a potential counterweight to German influence. Removing Britain from the equation would shatter this tenuous arrangement at a particularly dangerous time for the deeply fragmented Europe, when neither Germany nor France is satisfied with the status quo. Should the "leave" camp win the British referendum, tension would rise between the Continent's north and south. Countries in Southern Europe want to turn the European Union into a transfer union that redistributes wealth from the relatively rich north to the less developed south and shares risk equally among members. Northern Europe, by comparison, is eager to protect its affluence and would agree to share risk only if the bloc assumed greater control over the south's ability to borrow and spend. The regions also disagree on how the European Union should use its funds. Southern Europe advocates generous subsidies for agriculture and development, a view most Eastern European states share, but Northern Europe would prefer to freeze or even reduce the bloc's budget. As a net contributor to the European Union's budget, Britain has been particularly vocal on these issues. According to VoteWatch Europe, the country was on the losing side of votes related to EU spending more often than any other member between 2009 and 2015. Generally speaking, Northern European states such as Sweden, the Netherlands and Denmark tend to vote alongside Britain. Germany also usually sees see eye to eye with Britain on certain topics, such as Europe's common market, though the two tend to disagree on issues like the environment. But regardless of other members' stances, Britain has proved more willing than any of its peers to openly voice opposition to EU decisions. Without it, the European Union would be short a liberalizing and market-friendly member, and the bloc's political balance would shift in the favor of protectionist countries in Southern Europe such as France, Italy and Spain. As fears of a takeover by this Mediterranean group grow among Northern European governments, they would probably become more resistant to the process of Continental integration. After all, the European Union is already deeply divided over related issues such as the eurozone and Schengen Agreement, which have little to do with Britain since it is not a member of either. The looming referendum has only revealed more points of contention within the bloc that would be aggravated by a Brexit. The Dutch government, for example, recently argued for limiting membership in the Schengen zone to a handful of countries in Northern Europe, while the right-wing Alternative for Germany party proposed the creation of a "northern eurozone." The north-south divide would not be the only gulf to widen on the Continent, either. Should Britain leave, the European Union would split between east and west, too. Countries in Central and Eastern Europe see Britain as the defender of non-eurozone members' interests, and many share London's views on the sovereignty of member states. Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic, for instance, are generally supportive of the European Union but suspicious of Brussels' attempts to interfere with their domestic affairs. In particular, these countries have sympathized with British Prime Minister David Cameron's campaign to give national parliaments more power to block EU legislation. Poland and the Baltic states also see Britain as a critical partner on the issue of Russia, since London has fought for a tough European stance against Moscow in response to its annexation of Crimea. In the event that Britain leaves the Continental bloc, its Central and Eastern European allies may eventually become more isolated from Brussels. Weakening Europe's Influence Abroad The loss of one of the few EU members that is able to operate on a global scale would undermine the bloc's external strength as well. Only France can match the international presence Britain has, thanks to London's vast political and economic connections and its considerable military prowess. Though a Brexit would not keep Britain from cooperating with Europe completely, given its continued NATO membership and shared security interests with France and Germany, its collaboration with the Continent would be limited. As a result, Europe's ability to cope with challenges abroad whether the migrant crisis, international terrorism or a more assertive Russia would diminish. Germany's and France's recent calls for the European Union to deepen its military and security cooperation seem to suggest the two are concerned about this very outcome. Berlin has steadfastly avoided taking on the more active role in world affairs that a Brexit would require. Since the start of the European financial crisis, Germany has reluctantly shouldered the burden of leading the bloc's political and economic policymaking, but assuming a prominent military role is another matter. France, for one, would accept it only within the framework of an EU-wide military union, something that would be difficult to achieve amid the atmosphere of isolationism that has settled over the Continent. The political calculations of French and German leaders preparing for general elections in 2017 would make such cooperation even harder to come by. No matter what British voters choose, the damage to Europe has already been done. If Britain leaves the European Union, it would throw the Continent into yet another political and economic crisis, giving Euroskeptic forces greater ammunition against the bloc and voters fewer reasons to defend it. But if Britain keeps its membership, it would have proved to other European governments that it is possible to demand concessions from Brussels while winning support at home. And so, regardless of what happens June 23, Britain has set a precedent that Brussels cannot stop other EU members from following. This piece was created in collaboration with Geopolitical Futures. George Friedman is the Founder and Chairman of Geopolitical Futures. The views expressed are the author's own. There is great consternation about the possibility that Britain might leave the European Union. How the vote goes is far less important than most people think. What matters is that a referendum is taking place, and that at this late date the result remains unclear. It is similar to the referendum on Scottish independence. That the Scots voted down independence should comfort no one who wants the United Kingdom to stay intact. The Scots were sufficiently troubled to want to vote on the question of secession, and 45 percent voted to secede. On the surface, nothing has changed. Underneath, the idea of secession is likely a permanent feature of Scottish political culture, and every political step taken in Britain will include an awareness of the United Kingdoms fragility. The same can be said for the European Union, save that British secession is only one of the challenges to the Union. No matter which side wins, a substantial part of the population of one of Europes major powers thinks so badly of the European experiment that they want to leave. The mere fact that a large portion of the public in such a country is so disillusioned with the European Union that an exit is possible is a blow to the idea of a united Europe. Back in 2006, a forecast that a major European power would hold a referendum on EU membership whose outcome is too close to call would have been amazing. But it would not have been surprising that the major power would be Britain. The European Union has been catastrophically managed since 2008, and to a great extent its apparatchiks have refused to acknowledge how badly they have done. Eight years after the 2008 crisis, unemployment in the Mediterranean region still stands over 20 percent. In Germany, unemployment is 4.5 percent. The idea that an entity dedicated to peace and prosperity can hold together in the face of this massive divergence of fates is difficult to take seriously. And nothing captures the depths to which Europe has fallen better than the fact that the Eurocratic political elite and the leadership of the European Unions technocratic apparatus do not see the situation as untenable. They still periodically congratulate themselves for having done so well, and extraordinarily, they believe it. Britain has never been comfortable with its membership in the European Union. When there was discussion of the creation of a European Community dedicated to increasing integration and coordination, Britain founded a competing group, the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). This group was committed to free trade, but not to the kind of integration the French and Germans were talking about. EFTA resembled the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, in that it permitted free trade but left national sovereignty intact. The EFTA foundered over the fact that it consisted of one major power, and six other fairly minor economic powers. The sheer weight of the European Economic Community broke them. Even so, while Britain joined the others in what became the EU, it refused to adopt the euro. That would have required giving up too much sovereignty. Britains national strategy stretches back for centuries. It protects itself from Europe by supporting competing parties on the Continent, pushing them to balance and block each other. The more Germany dominates the decision-making process in Europe, the more this strategy breaks down. Germany is the worlds fourth largest economy and the largest in Europe. It was inevitable that its voice would become decisive. Germany was the key player in the 2008 crisis response strategy of imposing austerity on Southern Europe and on countries elsewhere in a weakened position. The assumption was that this would yield economic health. But in the end that wasnt what the Germans cared most about. Their concern was their own national interest. They did not want to underwrite the economic recovery of Southern Europe. To do that was politically impossible in Germany -- its population would not accept such a decision. Because of this policy, Germany remained prosperous while other parts of Europe went into depression, and the European Union fragmented. A faction in Britain wants to get out. They see two things. One, obviously, is that the European Union is simply not working. For them, the argument that remaining linked to Europe is central to British prosperity seems dubious. How could a link to an entity that is failing economically help the British economy? It seems more likely to drag Britain down. But it is the second point this faction sees as decisive. In looking at EU decision-making in areas outside of economic matters, it seems to them that the less effective the European Union is, the more it intrudes into a countrys internal decision-making. The refugee crisis is the very large straw that broke the camels back. The European Union, heavily influenced by Germany, began to issue edicts on what nations must and must not do with the refugees coming from the Middle East and North Africa. This is not an economic problem. One of the fundamental rights of a nation-state is the right to national self-determination. This means that the citizens have the authority to create governments that follow their wishes. Among the things that remain under their authority seemed to be the right to determine who may enter their country. The European Union is now making rulings that appeared to have been under the authority of the nation-states and their voters. From the standpoint of some Britons, if they no longer had the right to determine who to give refuge to, they had lost too much sovereignty. Nothing in European history gives this faction the comfort that ceding some sovereignty to Europe would protect British interests. The British have a very long history with the Continent, and an instinctual wariness is well deserved on both sides. The constant pressure of the EU regulatory system on them, particularly on trivial matters, gives a sense that, in things large and small, Britain would become what it had always avoided: a nation dominated not just by the Continent, but by Germany. Those who oppose a Brexit assert that leaving the EU would lead to economic catastrophe for Britain. That is hard to believe. Germany sells an enormous quantity of goods to Britain and is not in a position to do without those sales, given how dependent it is on exports. If Germany wants to export to Britain, it will not be able to interfere with British exports. They will go on as before, and if the EU were to throw up tariff barriers, Britain would reciprocate. There have also been threats that banks might leave Britain and move to Frankfurt. That could happen even if Britain stayed in the European Union. And if Britain left the EU, why would the banks then leave? European borrowers will go where the money is. One of the reasons the money is in London is because American investors are far more comfortable there than in Frankfurt. So are Chinese and Middle Eastern investors. Patterns of international investment depend on the taste of investors. Empirically, they prefer London. Going to the expense and discomfort of relocating to the Continent would be considered if the Europeans placed blocks on capital from Britain. But the Europeans cant afford to to do that. So they wont. The economic relations between Europe and Britain are rational and sustainable and exist whether or not Britain is a member of the European Union. It is not so much a Brexit that is the danger, as an irrational reaction from Europe. What would, however, be adjusted is the right of British self-determination and the limits of EU involvement in the internal affairs of Britain. It is clear why this is a vital issue for the Europeans. If Britain leaves without consequences, then so can others, particularly in countries where anti-EU sentiment is high, such as Italy. And if others leave, what will be left of the EU? And if little is left, what happens to free trade? For a country like Germany, which exports almost 50 percent of its gross domestic product, that is an existential question. And then follows the most important question of all: Without the EU, what will happen to the peace that has been the European reality -- excluding Yugoslavia, Armenia and Azerbaijan, and Ukraine -- since 1945? That in the end is the fundamental question. But it was always assumed that peace would follow prosperity and prosperity would follow the EU. What happens to peace without prosperity? If prosperity disappears, and Europe returns to its brutal past, then it becomes doubly important to protect national sovereignty to give room for maneuver. I have no idea what will be the outcome of the Thursday referendum. The polls are close, but they have been off in Britain of late. It is important to understand the viewpoint of the Brexit supporters, because they will be nearly half of Britains voters, and they will likely not go away even if they lose. They are posing the fundamental challenge to the EU. That question, ultimately, is what is the European publics view on how the EU is doing. That judgment appears to be harsh, at least for a very large minority. Or perhaps, over time, for the majority. 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 By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 06/22/2016 ADVERTISEMENT Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade. 's eighteenth season will feature all new house decor as well as several unexpected twists, including a new weekly competition.When premieres Wednesday, June 22 at 8PM ET/PT on CBS, the houseguests will move into the house renovated to fit a new theme -- "Best Summer Vacation Destinations."The house will celebrate travel and feature exotically decorated bedrooms and living areas in addition to a completely redesigned backyard complete with a new pool, hot tub and gym equipment."We are loving how the house theme plays into the twists and turns that the houseguests will face this summer," show executive producer Allison Grodner said in a statement. "I don't want to give too much away, but there are quite a few things in the house that are more than just decorations.""This season we're creating the craziest summer vacation ever inside the house," added executive producer Rich Meehan. "It's going to be 99 days of twists and turns, with a few secrets along the way. But we're most looking forward to those moments that even surprise us... because it wouldn't be without unexpected 'showmances,' meltdowns and blindsides."Although CBS has yet to formally announce any of this season's twists, the network teased that they will be revealed during the two-night premiere on June 22 and June 23. The new weekly competition will be unveiled in the first Sunday episode on June 26 at 8PM ET/PT.The houseguests will be living in the house together outfitted with 87 HD cameras -- seven more than last year -- and more than 100 microphones, recording their every move 24 hours a day.The houseguests will kick off their experience in an ultra-modern air terminal/living room where a "Departures" sign lists the exotic destinations featured throughout the house.The air-travel theme continues in the kitchen, with an island built from the cowling of a 727 jet engine. There will also be souvenir-themed plates, glasses and snow globes.In an African safari-themed room, houseguests can lounge inside a "glamping tent." In the bustling Shibuya section of Tokyo, there will be a pop-art graphic mural and neon signs. London will be represented through a cobblestone floor and Union Jack fabric in the bedrooms.A bright yellow and red phone booth serves as a passageway between the Tokyo and London rooms. The working phon can connect the houseguests with whomever is in the Head of Household suite. The house will also boast Caribbean-inspired bathrooms, bringing the beach indoors.The HoH suite is set up like Honolulu, HI, with a laser-cut hibiscus room divider, tiki pilasters and a headboard built from a massive saltwater aquarium, with seven tropical fish -- one for each of the seven seas.In addition, this season's chess set is custom built with 3D-printed scale replicas of famous landmarks in Chicago and New York City, and the backyard will celebrate U.S. national parks.One houseguest will be evicted from the house each week, and one lucky individual will end up winning the $500,000 grand prize.After Dark premieres Thursday, June 23 at 1AM ET/PT on Pop. The After Show series, hosted by Jeff Schroeder , will air exclusively on CBS All Access every Friday beginning on July 1. Schroeder will take questions directly from fans via social media, interview Houseguests and welcome surprise guests. Pres. Erdogan may have to resign If his College diploma is fake - Harut Sassounian BY HARUT SASSOUNIAN PUBLISHER, THE CALIFORNIA COURIER www.TheCaliforniaCourier.com As if Turkish President Rejep Erdogan did not have enough headaches, he now faces a new accusation that he may have forged his college diploma. If true, he would be forced to resign from his presidential seat and possibly go to jail or into exile. Rumors have been circulating for some time that Erdogan may not have a college degree which would disqualify him from his presidential position according to Article 101 of the Turkish constitution which requires that presidential candidates have completed higher education. Journalist Cengis Candar, in an Al-Monitor.com June 15 article titled: Is Erdogans university diploma forged? exposes the serious suspicions regarding the validity of the Turkish Presidents college diploma. As Candar explains, Erdogan went to an imam-hatip school, a high school-level institution that educates religious preachers. During the 1970s and 1980s, graduates of those schools could pursue their higher education only in theology. Nonetheless, when Erdogan ran for President in August 2014, he presented to the Higher Electoral Board a photocopy of his diploma claiming to have received a college degree in 1981 from the Dept. of Economic and Administrative Sciences of Marmara University. The problem here is that Marmara University was founded only in 1982, making it impossible for Erdogan to have graduated a year before the University came into existence. Since the Dept. of Economics was established only in 1983, Erdogan could not have graduated from that department in 1981, as he claimed. Unfortunately, none of these suspected allegations can be thoroughly investigated in Turkey by the media or civil society in view of the dictatorial nature of the Erdogan regime which routinely shuts down newspapers and prosecutes all opponents. The Presidents aides are adamant that the accusations against Erdogan are not valid, as they emanate from members of opposition parties. The first complaint came from former judge Omer Faruk Eminagaoglu who presented to the Higher Electoral Board his suspicion that Erdogan did not have a college degree because of the existing discrepancies in the photocopy of his diploma. The Electoral Board promptly rejected the judges appeal. A second challenge was mounted by extreme Turkish nationalist Gokce Firat who presented detailed arguments to support the claim that Erdogans diploma is a forgery. Firat demanded to see Erdogans original diploma rather than the photocopy he had submitted to the Higher Electoral Board. The Turkish nationalist accused the President and Dean of Marmara University of aiding and abetting in the crime of forging Erdogans diploma. He claimed that the signatures of the President and Dean of Marmara University seen on the copy of Erdogans diploma do not match the ones on Firats own diploma from the same university. He also questioned the validity of the sequence of the number found on Erdogans diploma. Finally, Firat claimed that even the design of the Turkish Presidents diploma is different from the ones held by other graduates. Earlier this month, the pro-Kurdish HDP Party submitted an official parliamentary inquiry, asking Education Minister Ismet Yilmaz to clarify the mystery surrounding the validity of Erdogans university diploma. In response to a similar request to the Higher Electoral Board, the HDP received a notarized copy of the Turkish Presidents diploma. However, the HDP announced that it will continue to challenge the validity of the diploma. In his article, Cengiz Candar raised serious concerns about Erdogans legitimacy as President of Turkey should it be proven that his diploma is forged: If taken seriously, the follow-up to the controversy could create monumental legal questions in Turkey. If it turns out Erdogan was never qualified to be elected president, whatever he has signed or implemented would have to be considered null and void from a purely legal point of view. Politically, it would provide an armory of ammunition to his critics whose numbers abroad are rapidly increasing. And if Erdogans university diploma proves to be a forgery, that would naturally provide ammunition to his international opponents to bring up the argument of whether his title is legitimate. While Pres. Erdogan is demanding a DNA test to verify the ethnic origins of the 11 Turkish members of the German Parliament who voted to recognize the Armenian Genocide, it may be more appropriate to carry out a chemical analysis of his diploma. Erdogan should also undergo a psychological examination to evaluate his persistently irrational psychotic behavior! Starting July 1, Michael's Law will go into effect and prevent those under the age of 21 from working as a bouncer. The law will also tighten regulations on bars and will require counties to report alcohol license violations in a more timely manner. ADVANCE FOR USE MONDAY, JUNE 20, 2016 AND THEREAFTER -FILE - In this Monday, April 18, 2016 file photo, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, center, waves to the crowd during a Women for Hillary event in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) SHARE By DAVID CRARY, AP National Writer NEW YORK (AP) Fifty years ago, when a small group of activists founded the National Organization for Women, the immediate issue that motivated them was sex discrimination in employment. They were irate that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission was refusing to ban "Help Wanted Male" and "Help Wanted Female" job advertising. Typical were ads seeking a "well-groomed gal" for a job as a receptionist. Flash forward to today: Women comprise close to 50 percent of enrollment in U.S. medical schools and law schools. One-third of federal judges are women, compared to just a handful in the 1960s. The U.S military is opening all combat jobs to women. At NOW and elsewhere in the diverse ranks of the feminist movement, there's deep pride in these changes, but also a consensus that the 50th anniversary to be celebrated June 23 is not an occasion to declare victory. "The battle goes on," said Eleanor Smeal, a former president of NOW who heads the Feminist Majority Foundation. "So many of the things we fought for have been achieved, but we still do not have full equality." Among the issues viewed as unfinished business: a wage gap that favors men over women, the persistent scourge of sexual assault and domestic violence, and the push in many states to reduce access to legal abortion. Once virtually alone as a national, multi-issue feminist group, NOW shares the activist stage today with a multitude of other players ranging from youthful online organizers to groups focused on specific issues such as abortion rights, campus rape and workplace equity. NOW's membership and revenues are down from its peak years, and some younger feminists wonder if it is losing some relevance. It was different back in 1966. NOW's founding was a pivotal moment in the rebuilding of a vibrant U.S. feminist movement after a period of relative dormancy in the 1940s and '50s. "The momentum of the feminist movement that won suffrage and expanded women's rights in the early 20th century had waned," says NOW in its own history. "A negative media blitz proclaimed the death of feminism and celebrated the happy, suburban housewife." The so-called "second wave" of U.S. feminism gained momentum in part because of "The Feminine Mystique," Betty Friedan's 1963 book that gave a voice to women frustrated by the gender inequities of the status quo. Friedan was among NOW's co-founders and was chosen as its first president at an organizing conference in October 1966. She also wrote the Statement of Purpose adopted by NOW at that conference. It vowed "to break through the silken curtain of prejudice and discrimination against women" in every field of importance in American society. Fifty years later, only patches of that silken curtain remain, and Hillary Clinton hopes to add the ultimate breakthrough by becoming the first woman elected president. NOW has eagerly endorsed her. For many years, NOW drew large crowds to rallies. An estimated 100,000 people turned out for a 1977 march in Washington in favor of the Equal Rights Amendment; far larger crowds assembled for abortion-rights marches in 1989 and 1992. In subsequent years, there have been only a few mass mobilizations of feminists. NOW's president, Terry O'Neill, says the drop-off in revenues and dues-paying membership resulted in part from a drop in engagement by activists who, after a 1992 Supreme Court ruling, perceived less of a threat to abortion rights. O'Neill declined to provide financial details, but said NOW's national headquarters in Washington is down to a staff of 11, about a third of the size 25 years ago. Some younger feminists question NOW's tactical skills and its demographics. O'Neill, a 63-year-old white woman, says NOW would like to further diversify its membership, but acknowledged that its activist base is largely middle class or upper middle class. Racial diversity "is a continuing issue," O'Neill said, citing NOW's outreach to black sororities at U.S. colleges and its calls to tackle the racial wage gap as well as the gender wage gap. Jamia Wilson, an African-American feminist writer in New York, said NOW and other long-established women's groups "paved the way for many of us." However, Wilson, 35, said these groups should make "bold moves" to recruit more women of color into leadership positions and work more closely with marginalized communities, such as transgender women and women who served time behind bars. Jessica Valenti, a New York-based author who founded the popular blog Feministing in 2004, said younger feminists, acting individually or in small groups, have become adept at online organizing and activism. "That doesn't mean the big national organizations are unnecessary," said Valenti, 37. "I would love to see them continue to get funding and do work, but my hope is that they take cues from younger organizers and that their work evolves with us." It's never been easy to quantify America's feminist movement many women consider themselves feminists to a degree yet don't share some core beliefs of militant activists. According to a recent national survey by the Washington Post and Kaiser Family Foundation, six of 10 women and one-third of men in the U.S. depict themselves as feminists. However, four in 10 respondents viewed the feminist movement as "angry," and a similar portion said it unfairly blames men for women's challenges. Among the critics of contemporary feminism is Christina Hoff Sommers, a former philosophy professor who is a resident scholar at the conservative American Enterprise Institute. In an interview, Sommers hailed NOW's original mission statement as "an inspiring document" with goals that have mostly been achieved. "It seems the more things improve for women, the more aggrieved many feminists become," Sommer said. "There's never a time when they say, 'We've done it. It's time to celebrate.'" In some respects, the United States lags behind other nations on women's issues. According to a U.N. report, it is one of only three countries worldwide along with Oman and Papua New Guinea without a nationwide policy of paid maternity leave. While efforts proceed to support women in unglamorous professions waitresses and home health aides, for example there's also been a popularization of feminism at the other end of the social spectrum. Among the pop culture icons embracing the term are Beyonce, Taylor Swift and even the Muppets' Miss Piggy. Andi Zeisler, co-founder and editorial director of Bitch Media, warily analyzes this phenomenon in a new book, "We Were Feminists Once." She worries that feminism is becoming a feel-good consumer brand. "The problem is the problem has always been that feminism is not fun," Zeisler writes. "It's complex and hard and it pisses people off. It's serious because it is about people demanding that their humanity be recognized as valuable." Jim Schultz/Record Searchlight John Casiday of Redding pleaded not guilty Tuesday in Shasta County Superior Court to a misdemeanor count of carrying a concealed dirk or dagger. SHARE Jim Schultz/Record Searchlight More than a dozen people showed their support Tuesday of John Casiday shortly before his arraignment in Shasta County Superior Court. By Jim Schultz of the Redding Record Searchlight A Redding man arrested at gunpoint by police Friday night at Cinemark Movies 14 after some theater patrons grew alarmed when they spotted him wearing a military-style tactical vest and a holster pleaded not guilty Tuesday to a misdemeanor count of carrying a concealed dirk or dagger. John Brentley Casiday, 31, of Redding, who is being represented for free by Redding defense attorney John Kucera, entered his not guilty plea to the single misdemeanor count during a brief arraignment in Shasta County Superior Court. Retired Superior Court Judge James Ruggiero also ordered Casiday, a U.S. Marine Corps combat veteran who moved to Redding about four months ago, to be released from Shasta County Jail without having to post bail. His bail had been $10,000. Casiday is due to appear back in Superior Court on July 25 for a settlement conference. Beforehand, more than a dozen supporters, some waving signs showing their support of him and veterans, gathered on the street outside the Shasta County Courthouse to condemn his arrest and prosecution. Casiday's brother-in-law, Sean Merritt, said the theater incident was "blown out of proportion" and his relative did nothing wrong, had no intent to hurt anyone and who should never have been arrested. Casiday, who served two tours in Iraq, has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and suffers from a severe head injury not related to his duty in Iraq, often wears the tactical vest because as a "coping mechanism" and because it makes him feel safe, said Merritt, a U.S. Army veteran. But, he said, it's not a bullet-proof vest, noting it offers no protection and has no steel plates in it. Police officer Audrey Sterrett confirmed in a police report filed Tuesday in Superior Court that Casiday wears the vest because he does not feel safe in public. "He wears this (vest) to be protected due to all of the active shooter incidents that have been occurring," she wrote in her police report. According to family and a Redding Police report, Casiday was at the movies Friday night with his brother-in-law and his sister, Alexis, to watch "The Conjuring 2." But police were called to the theater after receiving telephone calls that a "suspicious" man was seen wearing a black bullet-proof vest and a holster on his right thigh. It was unknown at that time whether there was a gun in the holster, according to the police report. It was later discovered following Casiday's arrest that he was not armed with a gun. But, the police report said, officers found a knife with a 3-inch blade in the holster, as well as a 6- to 7-inch-long fixed-blade knife. Friday night's incident reportedly caused a panic in a screening room that was showing the movie "Finding Dory." That panic was caused when an unknown woman reportedly told theatergoers there of an armed hostage situation in the screening room next door. Merritt blames the spread of that incorrect information for sparking the entire episode. "She's the one who caused this whole panic," he said. SHARE By Bartholomew Sullivan, USA TODAY WASHINGTON Some forest fires should be considered natural disasters and their damage paid for like hurricanes and tornadoes, according to the chief of the U.S. Forest Service, who laments that 56 percent of his budget is going to suppressing fires. As fire ravages parts of Arizona and Southern California this week, chief Thomas L. Tidwell sat down to discuss changes in wildfire fighting practices and the constrained budget that reduces the impact of other forestry programs to battle fires. "There is an understanding and a strong commitment that this needs to be fixed," said Tidwell, a 39-year veteran of the forest service. He said fire programs constituted 16 percent of the forest service budget in 1998 and are projected to consume 67 percent by 2025 if the funding mechanism isn't changed. Funding for trail maintenance, recreational and campground facilities, fisheries management, and wildlife habitat all go begging because the money is transferred to fighting fires. The Forest Service budget for the current fiscal year is $5.6 billion, of which $3.2 billion will go to fire suppression. Last year was one of the worst wildfire years since at least 1960, according to records kept by the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho. More than 10.1 million acres were charred in 68,151 incidents. That compares to 3.5 million acres in 2014 and 4.3 million in 2013. Tidwell predicts certain parts of the country including Arizona, with four large, uncontained fires burning this week, and Southern California, where the Sherpa fire is threatening an oil refinery and U.S. 101 in Santa Barbara County will have active fire seasons, like Washington state and California did last year. The U.S. Forest Service concentrates its resources on the potential for fire in the millions of acres of "wildland-urban interface" where houses and other structures are close to the woods. "We've significantly increased the number of acres we treat every year, especially for hazardous fuels," Tidwell said, referring to efforts to reduce the concentration of dead wood on the ground in areas susceptible to especially intense fires. "Last year we treated 2.5 million acres through a combination of burning and mechanical treatment. The challenge is we have about 58 million (wildland-urban) acres just in the national forests that need some form of treatment." The effect of such treatment, according to a study of 1,400 places where it has been done since 2006, is a reduction in the severity of fires, the amount of damage they do and "most importantly, it makes it safer for our firefighters," Tidwell said. In back country fires caused by lightning, the Forest Service is making increased use of a fire management technique that allows fires to burn within a watershed up to established fire lines created by back burning, he said. The practice, used on about 500,000 acres a year, improves the overall health of forests for which fire has always been part of the ecosystem, he said. Tidwell said an active fire season now after years of drought, dying trees and insect infestation, as well as higher temperatures is much more active than those earlier in his career. And when fires get away from the initial attack and become established, they can't be suppressed. It takes a change in fuel conditions or a change in the weather to stop them, he said. Andy Stahl, executive director of the Forest Service Employees for Environmental Ethics in Eugene, Ore., said national forest management practices have improved in recent years. As for allowing forests to burn in remote areas far from human habitation, as many environmentalists advocate, Stahl also sees a shift. "There has been a quiet but significant change in most places in the Forest Service in the culture of how we approach wildland fire as a natural part of the environment," he said. "The change is not the result of an embrace of nature but instead an antipathy to killing firefighters. Instead of putting firefighters directly on the fire line and telling them to stamp out that roaring blaze that's about, at any moment, to overwhelm them and fry them, we're allowing fires to burn within topographic features" like ridgelines or bare spots. Stahl said roughly 40 percent of the acreage burned in national forests is set intentionally to consume the forest between a natural or man-made break and the approaching fire. The Forest Service's firefighting budget is based on a 10-year average, but costs have exceeded that average in eight of the past 10 years, Tidwell noted. A bill pending in the House would allow for supplemental appropriations, like those made for natural disasters like hurricanes, as needed. Tidwell said the agency would gladly work with Congress to set the criteria for the 1 or 2 percent of fires he'd like to see handled as natural disasters. The bill, introduced by Idaho Republican Mike Simpson and Oregon Democrat Kurt Schrader, has 147 bipartisan co-sponsors, including North State Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Richvale. "The constant diversion of forest management funding to fire suppression is a double-edged sword, preventing current needs from being met and exacerbating the already poor conditions in our National Forests," LaMalfa said Tuesday. "HR 167 is a key reform that ends this vicious cycle by making major forest fires eligible for federal funds, just as earthquakes, hurricanes and other natural disasters are. The House has also passed HR 2647, a comprehensive forest management reform bill that streamlines planning, limits frivolous litigation, and reforms the fire borrowing system in the same manner as HR 167." Another co-sponsor, Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara, visited some of the more than 2,100 personnel last week battling the Sherpa fire in her district. "The Sherpa fire is a prime example of what can be accomplished when our firefighters are well-equipped and operate as one swift unit," Capps said this week. "We are currently seeing multilevel departments work in tandem to contain the Sherpa wildfire and save lives." At the time the bill was introduced, Schrader said: "Each year, critical forestry programs face unnecessary budget cuts because they are forced to transfer funds from successful forest management practices to pay for wildfire suppression. Freeing up those financial resources to enhance catastrophic fire prevention programs will ultimately reduce costs on the federal government and help us better prevent wildfires in the future." Step away from the Netflix marathon and find your way into one of these local theaters for a belly laugh this week. Your guide to Chicago's affordable and under-the-radar comedy scene awaits. Thursday, June 23 It's All True! Live! Farewell Edition Advertisement @North Bar 1637 W. North Ave. 773-697-3563 Advertisement Tim Barnes is skipping town for New York, but first, the comedian named one of the city's best by Chicago Magazine is hosting one last live recording of his popular podcast, "It's All True!" Barnes interviews fellow comedians, authors, musicians and other interesting figures about their funniest true stories. This week's guests include musicians Ric Wilson and Natalie Grace Alford, anti-Trump activist Arish Singh and author Lily Be. 8 p.m. $8-$12. Tickets: liveatnorthbar.com Very Much Forever The Annoyance Theatre and Bar 851 W. Belmont Ave. 773-697-9693 Things get dark and weird in this one-man sketch show starring Ben Larrisonthe same guy who challenged Sheryl Swoopes to a dunk contest and crowdfunded those #SquirrelTruth CTA adsbut its a laugh-out-loud kind of dark and weird. 8 p.m. $8. Tickets: theannoyance.com Friday, June 24 Star Whores: The Pride Awakens The Playground Theater 3209 N. Halsted St. 773-871-3793 LGBT comedy troupe GayCo Productions celebrates Pride Weekend with an improv show from a galaxy far, far away based on stories told by a different LGBT performer at each show. 10:30 p.m. $15. Tickets: gayco.com Advertisement Saturday, June 25 Snubfest Storytelling Under the Gun Theater 956 W. Newport Ave. 773-270-3440 For the 10th year, comedians who've been rejected from other festivals band together for a weekend of solo performances, stand-up, sketch shows and storytelling events. 9 p.m. $15. Tickets: undertheguntheater.com Windy City Burlesque Fest Pop Culture Show Stage 773 Advertisement Eat. Watch. Do. Weekly What to eat. What to watch. What you need to live your best life ... now. > 1225 W. Belmont Ave. 773-327-5252 Headliner Lou Henry Hoover from Seattle and host Sammy Tramp are bringing sexy back with a night of teasing, tassels and dance. 8 p.m. $25. Tickets: windycityburlesquefest.com Sunday, June 26 Kevin McDonald CIC Theater 1422 W. Irving Park Road After leading a morning comedy workshop, "Kids in the Hall" alum and actor Kevin McDonald delivers a stand-up set, directs an improv show and performs sketches with CIC comedians. 8 p.m. $12. Tickets: cictheater.com Advertisement Gwendolyn Purdom is a RedEye contributor. For about four hours, Nikesh Arora patiently answered all questions and responded to remarks and observations. IMAGE: Masayoshi Son (R), founder and chief executive officer of Japan's SoftBank Corp with Nikesh Arora. Photograph: Reuters Its rare for resignations by corporate bosses to go viral on social media. Its rarer for honchos to actually break the news themselves on social media and then interact with the followers. SoftBank Group President Nikesh Arora did both, and in style. Nikesh Arora was trending on Twitter for more than six hours after the former Google executive, handpicked by the Japanese companys founder as his successor, announced his decision to step down. Masa (Masayoshi Son) 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 posted on Twitter. Within minutes, the news spread like fire. In the next four hours or so, Arora posted 100-plus tweets, interacting with his fans and followers. Arora said he was not sad about resigning from SoftBank. I am not sad. I learnt a lot, sitting with Masa (the chairman) at dinner and chatting about life in the future, he said in a tweet. He said hed be supporting SoftBank for at least another year. Plan to support them for an year; hence, continuing as advisor. Start-up bosses such as Paytms Vijay Shekhar Sharma, media personnel and tweeple asked him all sorts of questions. He said he decided to quit because Son wanted to continue as the top boss for 5-10 years. On being asked if it was the Special Committee review that made him take the decision he said, No, didnt want to be CEO-in-waiting past my sell-by date. In a jovial mood, Arora laughed it off when a Twitter user indicated hed resigned just in time to be the next Reserve Bank of India Governor. Paytms Sharma said in a tweet: Why o why? Thats a big setback for Indian start-up ecosystem. Best wishes and hoping even bigger impact next. To this, Arora said: Going to continue to support the Indian start-up ecosystem cant change faith if you change jobs. While speculations were rife over Arora putting in his papers only 24 hours after a clean chit at SoftBanks Special Committee review, he said hed never doubted that outcome. Never had a doubt. My father was a man with the highest integrity; if there was one thing he taught me, that was it, he tweeted. Asked if he would still continue to be involved in the India portfolio, he said he supported everyone SoftBank has invested in. Masa and I are still in love with each other. I will support everyone I invested in, and they know that, he replied. While Arora kept saying he had no plan as of now, at one point in a cryptic reply to what he might be doing next, he indicated it might be with an entity which used to be a computer company a while ago. On whether he regretted any investments, he said: The nature of investing is wins and losses. As long as wins overweight losses, you win. Cant regret the loss. Subramanian Swamy now wants Arvind Subramanian, one of the front runners for the post of the new RBI governor to be sacked. After targeting RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan, BJP leader Subramanian Swamy has now trained his guns on Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian and demanded his sacking. "Who said to US Cong on 13/3/13 the US should act against India to defend US Pharmaceuticals interests? Arvind Subramanian MoF !! Sack him!!!," he tweeted. Swamy's attack comes in the wake of reports of Arvind Subramanian being among the probable successors of Rajan as the country's central bank chief. "Guess who encouraged Congi to become rigid on GST clauses? Jaitley's economic adviser Arvind Subramanian of Washington DC," Swamy tweeted, saying he is "helping Jaitely to recognise the enemies in our camp". In a series of tweets attacking the chief economic adviser, who is an NRI, he said, "Now PTs (Patriotic Tweeples) can understand why our core economic sectors could not perform last two years. Trojan horses galore in MoF/Fin Institutions." "Was AS (Arvind Subramanian) deposing before US Cong Committee against India as a US citizen or Indian? Does any PT know?," he asked. Reacting to the attack, Congress leader Divijaya Singh said his target is not Arvind Subramanian but Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and asked whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi is handing over Finance Ministry to Swamy. "Subramanian Swamy now guns for Arvind Subramanian Economic Advisor to NDA. Target is Arun Jaitley not Arvind Subramanian. "Is Modi handing over Finance Ministry to Subramanian Swamy? "He has been claiming that PM has assured him as quid pro quo if he targeted Nehru Gandhi family," Singh said in a series of tweets. Swamy had earlier launched a scathing attack on Rajan, who announced last week that he would return to academics after his current tenure as RBI Governor ends on September 4. Swamy had attacked Rajan, saying he is 'unfit' for the job and is 'mentally not fully Indian'. Incidentally, both Rajan and Arvind Subramanian have worked at the IMF. While Rajan was a UPA appointee, Arvind Subramanian was appointed by the Narendra Modi government. In a communication to the Prime Ministers Office, Swamy expressed his opposition to the Goods and Services Tax. Listing out the negative sides of GST, he is likely to abstain from voting in the Rajya Sabha. Earlier too, he had stated that GST is not a game changer and it will not impact the economy significantly. FinMin officials defend CEA's appointment As BJP leader Subramanian Swamy went after his new target Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian, Finance Ministry defended his appointment, saying it knew of his stance on key issues like IPR beforehand. Government had taken a considered view when it appointed the former IMF economist as CEA, sources in the ministry said. The Finance Ministry knew of his stance on key issues like Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) before choosing him, they said adding the ministry was not giving credence to Swamy's remarks on Subrmananian. The BJP government had in October, 2014 appointed IIM-Ahmedabad alumnus Subramanian as CEA in the Finance Ministry. The son of an Indian Air Force officer, Nikesh Arora worked for a brief period at Wipro, selling computers. Raghu Krishnan profiles the flamboyant business star. IMAGE: Nikesh Arora and wife Ayesha Thapar. Photograph: Kind courtesy Ayesha Thapar/Facebook Nikesh Arora has a rock star image in Indian start-up world. As president and chief operating officer at Softbank, Arora wrote unprecedented cheques to Indian start-ups Oyo Rooms, Housing, Ola Cabs, Grofers and Snapdeal. The size of his investments has only been matched by Lee Fixel, who heads the private equity and venture arm of Tiger Global. While Fixel rarely opens up, Arora has a flamboyant personality. Son of an Indian Air Force officer, Arora, who studied at various places across India, has an engineering degree in electronics and worked for a brief period at Wipro, selling computers. He then moved to the US to do his MBA and then joined Fidelity Investments as an analyst. From there, Arora shifted to Putnam Investments to track the telecom sector and quit it to start a venture in 2000 to provide value-added services to German telecom operator T-Motion. In two years, his firm was acquired by T-Motion, which became T-Mobile after merging with Deutsche Telecom. Arora, an aggressive seller, rose to the board of the company. IMAGE: Nikesh Arora with Google's Larry Page. Photograph: Reuters In 2004, while he was looking at starting another venture, a discussion with a friend got him to meet Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, who were looking for someone to head the European operations. He quickly rose to become Google's head of global sales and chief business officer. In 2013, his annual compensation package was $57.1 million or Rs 344 crore (almost Rs 1 crore/Rs 10 million per day). The following year, Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son poached Arora from Google at a mind-boggling annual compensation of Rs 850 crore (Rs 8.5 billion). Around the same time, Arora married Ayesha Thapar, a wedding which was attended by the Who's Who of Silicon Valley and Hollywood stars Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. Son, who looks at early trends in technology and an early investor in Alibaba, had declared that Arora would be his successor. Soon after this, Arora stepped up his investments in India. His investments include Housing.com, Oyo Rooms, Snapdeal and Ola Cabs. No wonder, Softbank became the single largest investor in India's start-up ecosystem with a commitment of over $1 billion. Arora was being mobbed by budding entrepreneurs at events, including the Startup India event hosted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Arora also brought Son to India and convinced him to commit long-term investment. He also helped sign a three-way joint venture between Bharti Enterprises, Foxconn and Softbank to get into renewable energy space in India. IMAGE: Nikesh is a unique leader with unparalleled skills around strategy and execution. Photograph: PTI As the winter in start-up investments began in late 2015, Arora said there was need for consolidation in the e-commerce space in India, a statement that reverberated in the industry and start-ups began struggling to raise fresh funds. As belts tightened globally, investors began scrutiny of investments made in start-ups. The flamboyant salesman's actions were also questioned. In April, Softbank investors asked for a probe into Aroras investments, particularly in Oyo Rooms and Housing, charging that he was overpaid. An internal probe on Monday absolved Arora of charges with Son reiterating his belief in his deputy. The charges also seem to have shaken Son, who had earlier thought of retiring early. 'Masa wanted to be CEO for longer, I did as promised, time to move on,' Arora posted on Twitter on Tuesday. Son, in a statement, said: 'Nikesh is a unique leader with unparalleled skills around strategy and execution. He should be 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.' Arora will be in an advisory role in SoftBank for another year. SoftBank's Founder-Chairman Masayoshi Son has had strong lieutenants in the past who have faded from view in no time, says Shyamal Majumdar. IMAGE: Masayoshi Son would like to stay on for 10 years, leaving Nikesh Arora with no other option but to quit SoftBank. Photograph kind courtesy: Nikesh Arora/Twitter 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. The 49-year-old, who was Founder-Chairman Masayoshi Sons pick to lead SoftBanks expansion outside Japan, earned a whopping $135 million in 2014 and $73 million the next year. But money wasnt the only reason why Arora, once the fourth-most important global executive at Google, was feeling on top of the world at SoftBank. Son, not known for his generosity with words, spoke more than once about his belief that Arora, who was 10 years younger than him, had better abilities and was the most likely candidate to succeed him. IMAGE: Its impossible that Son did not know that Arora would be left with no other option but to quit. Photograph: Reuters Arora was seen grinning ear to ear and even told media that he feels very relaxed at SoftBank and that he would he here for at least the next 10 years. He was obviously sure that Son would make him CEO after he reaches the age of 60 in two years. The trust seemed mutual. Arora had pumped in an enormous chunk of his personal savings into SoftBank. He purchased SoftBank Groups shares worth over $482 million. Things have obviously changed dramatically. Son now says he is a bit too young to retire and would like to stay on for five to 10 years, leading Arora with no other option but to quit SoftBank. IMAGE: The India-born executive had made his ambition to reach the peak of the corporate ladder quite clear several times in the past. Photograph: Reuters The terse press release from the company, acknowledging the differences in perceptions between Son and Arora, said it all. Add to that the fact that Softbank didnt lose any time to name Aroras successor. Its impossible that Son did not know that Arora would be left with no other option but to quit. The India-born executive had made his ambition to reach the peak of the corporate ladder quite clear several times in the past. For example, Arora told Business Standard (he was still with Google at that time) that he is a bad person for maintenance situations. Asked whether he would stay on in Google for long as even the founders were much younger than him and are in no mood to give the top job to anybody else, Arora said he loves to do things to undo the pattern every time his life takes on a steady pattern. Its difficult to say why Son did what he did, especially a day after his company announced that a special committee formed to investigate alleged wrongdoings by Arora found no merit in the allegations. IMAGE: Since joining SoftBank, Arora has spent nearly $4 billion investing in start-ups around the world . Photograph: Reuters Arora was earlier this year accused of making bad deals, earning too much money and having potential conflicts of interest tied to his role as an adviser to a private equity firm. The unconfirmed theory doing the rounds is that Sons advisors didnt want Arora to continue on the ground that a person who holds such an important position in Softbank should be like Caesars wife that is beyond suspicion. The other theory is that Son was fed up with the constant barbs about paying Arora an astronomical amount without commensurate returns. Since joining SoftBank, Arora has spent nearly $4 billion investing in start-ups around the world in a hunt for a break-through technology company capable of driving future growth. Many said Arora was speed-dating with start-ups at a time when there is a perception that valuations are getting out of hand and a shakeout looms. IMAGE: Masayoshi Son and Nikesh Arora with Sunil Bharti Mittal, chairman of Bharti Enterprises. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters Yet another theory is that Son was getting uncomfortable with Aroras ambitions. Nobody knows the actual reason for his sudden exit, but Arora should have known better. Son has had strong lieutenants in the past who faded from view in no time. Yoshitaka Kitao, Sons right-hand man during the dotcom era, had suddenly left the company. In a blog post, Kitao had said, Nikesh Arora is not necessarily secure and its too early to appoint his successor. Education: Master of Science in Finance from Boston College; an MBA in marketing from Northeastern University. He has a bachelor's in electrical and electronics engineering from Banaras Hindu University (IIT) Career: Arora was poached by Softbank Chairman and CEO Masayoshi Son from Google, where he was the chief business officer. He was earlier the chief marketing officer of T Mobile. Salary: With annual compensation of over Rs 850 crore, he was among the highest earning Indians globally With Nikesh Arora's exit from Softbank, Indian start-ups have lost one of its biggest supporters. IMAGE: Nikesh Arora with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Photograph kind courtesy: Nikesh Arora/Twitter Under Aroras leadership, SoftBanks investments in Indian companies zoomed to record highs. Arora, who took over as president of SoftBank in May 2015, was considered heir apparent to CEO Masayoshi Son. Softbank which has invested around $2 billion in Indian firms in the last one year, is looking at scaling up investment to $10 billion in the coming year. However, Arora had to face shareholders wrath as some on these bets turned risky. The investments in Housing.com, OYO rooms and Grofers were dampeners that questioned his investment skills. Aroras investment strategy appears to be nothing more than throwing a dart at a dartboard. How many more millions of dollars of shareholder value must be wasted before the board realizes something must be done? anonymous shareholders wrote to the company. Though the companys enquiry gave him a clean chit, Arora decided to quit as he was not offered the top post, which was earlier promised by Masayoshi Son. Take a look at big-ticket investments in India led by Nikesh Arora Housing.com November 2014 One of Softbanks riskiest bets was investing $100-million in Housing.com. Despite the top management scuffle and layoffs at Housing.com, SoftBank again invested $14.7 million in January 2016. InMobi December 2014 Softbank invested $5 million in mobile ad network InMobi. The company also offered to invest $25 million more if new investors join in. Ola April 2015 Softbank led a $500-million Series-E fundraising by taxi aggregator Ola, which also saw investments by DST Global, Tiger Global, Steadview Capital, Accel, ABG Capital, Mauritius Investments, Falcon Edge Capital and GIC SBG Cleantech June 2015 SoftBank announced a joint venture with Bharti Enterprises and Taiwan's Foxconn Technology Group to generate 20 gigawatts of renewable energy, with each of the partners investing about $20 billion. Snapdeal August 2015 Softbank led a $500-million fundraising round by Snapdeal OYO Rooms August 2015: Softbank led a $100-million fundraising by OYO Rooms. In April, OYO again raised $100 million from SoftBank, Greenoaks, Sequoia and Lightspeed. Grofers November 2015 Led a $120-million Series-C fundraising by Grofers last year. Since then, Grofers has shut operations in nine cities. If China's behaviour in the past on ticklish issues is any indication then China could eventually support India's NSG application, says Rup Narayan Das. At a time when India's chances of getting to the high table of the exclusive Nuclear Suppliers Group seems to be round the corner, China's ambiguous attitude continues to create anxiety. China's position is that a country like India which is not a member of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty cannot be an NSG member. India has cited the example of France which became an NSG member before signing the NPT. Given the strategic rivalry between the two countries and the China-Pakistan nexus, China's stance on the issue is understandable. While India has explained the rationale behind India's application for NSG membership, New Delhi has embarked upon diplomatic exercises to reach out to NSG member countries, hoping for a softening of China's stance. If China's strategic behaviour in the past with regard to such ticklish issues is any indication then it can't be ruled out that China eventually may support India's application, particularly at a time when more and more countries have started extending support to India. One can cite, if not many, at least a few, instances of Chinese strategic behaviour, when it subsequently changed its rigid stand including on India's nuclear policy. China didn't recognise India's sovereignty over Sikkim till 2003. It was during Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's visit to China that Beijing recognised Sikkim as an integral part of India. China continued the practice of stapled visas for Indian citizens from Jammu and Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh. When Prime Minister Manmohan Singh travelled to Sanya, China, to participate in the BRICS summit in April 2011, the Chinese embassy in New Delhi issued proper visas dispensing with the practice of stapled visas to journalists from Jammu and Kashmir. Since then, it has not reversed the policy, although it continues with the practice of stapled visas to Indian citizens from Arunachal Pradesh. China criticised India's nuclear tests and tried to obstruct the waiver of the India-US nuclear deal at the NSG in Vienna in September 2008. Later it extended its support at the behest of the United States, when US President George W Bush telephoned Chinese President Hu Jintao. Earlier, in January 2008, when the two countries signed the Vision Document, the two sides pledged 'to promote bilateral cooperation in civil nuclear energy, consistent with their respective international commitments, which will contribute to energy security,' anticipating the inevitability of fruition of the India-US nuclear deal. It is against this background that President Pranab Mukherjee during his visit to China last month pleaded that like many developing countries India suffered from an acute energy shortage. The President emphasised that as India expands power generation, India also has to be mindful of climate change. He requested Chinese President Xi Jinping for his personal intervention for Chinese support for India's NSG application. In a very thoughtful manner, he recalled India's constant public support through the 1960s and the 1970s for China's admission to the UN Security Council. It was a clear signal to China for its support to India's bid for NSG membership. As India's then foreign minister Mukherjee played a critical role when a waiver was sought for the India-US nuclear deal at the NSG's Vienna meeting in 2008. It is indeed a hazardous guess if China will rescind its stance on the issue, particularly in the context of the present comprehensive engagement between the two countries, when both nations are connected in a web of bilateral and multilateral institutional framework like BRICS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, the Asian Infrastructure Bank, besides the bilateral trade and investment in each other's country. While the BRICS Bank is located in Shanghai, its current chairman is India. India will host the BRICS summit in Goa in October. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will travel to China later this month to participate in the AIDB's annual board of governors meeting. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is travelling to Russia to participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting on June 23-24, where he will meet President Xi. The SCO coincides with the crucial NSG meeting in Seoul. China has to take cognisance of all these while taking a decision with regard to India's application for NSG membership. Diplomacy always banks on hope. India expects China to soften its stance on India's membership of the NSG. Rup Narayan Das is a Delhi-based China scholar and a former senior fellow at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses. 'Gujaratis, among all Indians, are supposed to be born businessmen, but if more than 80% of them do not have the ability to do basic arithmetic, the future is grim.' 'The big issues are in society and they cannot be changed by an HRD minister no matter how brilliant she may be or think of herself as being,' says Aakar Patel. IMAGE: Children on their way back home from school in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh. Photograph: Parivartan Sharma/Reuters India's first education minister was Abul Kalam Azad. He was a serious intellectual and one of the best read men in politics anywhere in the world. He is called maulana because of his knowledge of religion. His work simplifying the Quran is still the standard text followed by maulvis in India and Pakistan. His knowledge of history and literature was unmatched in the Congress. In 1931, when Nehru wrote the beautiful 900 page Glimpses of World History from jail, he had no reference books to check facts and dates. But he had Azad and his encyclopaedic knowledge about everything from the history of ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome to tea in China. As education minister in independent India, Azad founded the Sahitya Akademi. My point is saying all this is to show that many great people have held this office in the past. Today, the education ministry has a different name. It is called the ministry of human resource development and it is headed by the actress Smriti Irani. She believes she has been doing a good job as minister though even some supporters of Narendra Modi think she is not, because they see her lacking in education and experience. A few days ago, Irani listed some of her achievements which included the following: Over 4 lakh (400,000) school toilets made in one year; focused interventions to improve maths and science levels and focused interventions to improve reading and writing levels. She claimed many of these things were being done for the first time under her direction. She listed many other things, including installation of statues and innovations in recording attendance and so on, but for now let us look at these. What is the problem of education in India? The biggest one is the quality of primary education. Almost everything is going wrong here. There are no proper facilities, teachers often do not show up, the free food served is so casually prepared that children sometimes die of food poisoning. The government has failed to do this vital work properly, forcing even the poor to send their children to private schools. In 2006, fewer than 20% of students were in private schools, and 10 years later it is more than 30%. Even here, the quality is variable and many private schools are worse than government schools. The result is that a majority of students produced by our schools are not educated. The best annual survey of education in India is conducted by the organisation Pratham. It will be instructive to look at its findings for Gujarat. In 2014, only 22% of Class 7 students in rural Gujarat could read a sentence in English. This number was 37% in 2007 and so the education standard is actually falling, even in a state which most Indians believe had good governance. Of the Class 5 students tested, the number was 6% meaning that 94% of Gujarat's students aged 10 could not read a single sentence in English. I should add here that over 20,000 students were surveyed so the sample size is very big. Less than half (44%) of students in Class 5 had Class 3 level reading ability in Gujarati. This number also had deteriorated over the years. Only one third (35%) of students in Class 3 had Class 1 reading ability in Gujarati and this number had deteriorated by 10% since 2007. The data is from government schools, but even the numbers from private schools are similar. For example, 13% of Class 5 students in government schools could do division. The number for private schools was only 16%. Gujaratis, among all Indians, are supposed to be born businessmen, but if more than 80% of them do not have the ability to do basic arithmetic, the future is grim. Some of the blame can be put down to a lack of resource. The government of the United States spends $115,000 on the education of each American child from age 6 to 15. This means that Rs 7 lakh (Rs 700,000) is spent per child per year. This is unimaginable in India. We will require 100 years to reach that level. But we must also accept that there are poor countries that do not have our problems. Education in Zimbabwe, which has a per capita income lower than India's, is superior to ours. The issue is not only a lack of money. I often write that the problems of India are only partly those of government. The big issues are in society and they cannot be changed by a minister no matter how brilliant she may be or think of herself as being. India is producing barely literate and unemployable citizens. They will not be productive and, for no fault of their own, will not be equipped to work in the modern economy. We are failing to develop our human resource. It is something our human resource development minister should accept with humility because it is not her fault. Even though she believes new things are being done for the first time under her, many great people have done the job she is doing today and all have failed. Aakar Patel is Executive Director, Amnesty International India. The views expressed here are his own. It is important the SCO focus strongly on economic development and regional integration that leads to greater benefits for the least developed regions of member-countries, writes Sana Hashmi. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi (7th from left, back row) with heads of state of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation member countries, observers and dialogue partners at the summit in Ufa, Russia, on July 10, 2015. Photograph: PIB. On June 23-24, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, to participate in the 16th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit, the second time Prime Minister Modi would be in attendance for the SCO summit. Prior to the 15th SCO summit in Ufa, Russia, in July 2015, the summit used to be attended by India's minister of external affairs. The PM's presence indicates how much importance India has started attaching to the SCO, which is arguably the premier institutional mechanism of the Eurasian region. The SCO is a regional grouping comprising China, Russia and the four central Asian Republics namely, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. This summit holds immense significance as for the first time, the SCO will be expanded to accommodate new countries and make them permanent members of the group. With both India and Pakistan up for membership, it is evident that the geographical scope of the SCO is going to expand from the Eurasian space to the Indian subcontinent. It may be mentioned that Afghanistan, Iran and Mongolia still retain the status of observer states in SCO. The SCO was started as the 'Shanghai Five' by China and four post-Soviet states -- Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. The primary objective behind the establishment of Shanghai Five was to 'peacefully resolve the boundary dispute, which existed among China and the five countries and; to ensure stability along the borders'. After the peaceful resolution of the boundary disputes, Uzbekistan was brought into the grouping and the member countries adopted the 'Shanghai Convention on Combating Terrorism, Separatism and Extremism', and rechristened the Shanghai Five as the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation in 2001. In 2005, India was granted the status of observer and in 2014, after nine years, a formal application to become a full-fledged member of the SCO was submitted by India which was accepted by the grouping in the 15th SCO summit. Apart from India, Pakistan was also inducted as the eighth member. However, a few procedures need to be undertaken before the formal induction of these two south Asian countries. Before going any further, it is noteworthy to highlight the importance of the SCO for India. First, being one of the most important groupings of the region, membership in the SCO will take India closer to the countries of the central Asian region. Proximity to these countries will allow India to step up its economic, security and, most importantly, energy cooperation with the central Asian members. It might also expedite the construction of TAPI (Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India) pipeline. Second, one of the major objectives of the SCO has been to fight 'three evils', a term given by the Chinese government to terrorism, separatism and extremism. India's inclusion in the SCO will enable her to gain the support of the countries of the group for tackling the menace of terrorism at the regional level. The SCO has a council to deal with these three evils, known as the Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure. From time to time, under the aegis of RATS, member countries engage in counter-terrorism exercises. In October 2015, they held the first-ever joint online counter-terrorism exercise in Xiamen, China. While the membership in SCO looks promising for India, there are still a few inherent challenges. First, the focus of the upcoming summit will be on strengthening regional connectivity and it is evident that all other member countries have endorsed China's One Belt, One Road, a key policy to connect trading partners along the ancient Silk Road. However, India has not yet given its consent to be a part of OBOR. One of India's major concerns has been the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which passes through the disputed territories between India and Pakistan. The proposed corridor will link Kashgar in Xinjiang, China, to the Gwadar port. Being in the SCO, India would not be able to stay out of Chinas proposed connectivity and infrastructural projects. India needs to devise a plan which neither hampers the functioning of the grouping nor snub its apprehensions vis-a-vis OBOR and the CPEC. Second, differences between India and Pakistan on the issue of connecting south Asia with central Asia might hamper the functioning of the SCO as it has halted the growth of south Asias own regional organisation -- the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation or SAARC. Pakistan has not been supportive of Indias attempts to physically link with Afghanistan for trade and humanitarian assistance purposes. Under such circumstances, it would be difficult for India to overcome the 'burden of geography', and make tangible gains in terms of trans-regional connectivity. While there are still some concerns over the issue of membership, which might slow down the process, it is clear that Indias entry will eventually prove beneficial for other members and the group. For instance, the growth of the SCO is not as satisfactory as other groupings of which China is a major member. For instance, the implementation of the SCO bank is utterly slow, while other China-led initiatives such as Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and BRICS's New Development Bank are growing at a rapid pace. Keeping in view the necessities of the SCO and its member countries, it is important that the focus be strongly on economic development and regional integration, which leads to greater benefits for the least developed sub-regions of these countries. Trans-national projects on issues such as energy production, infrastructure linkages, human resources development etc are vital in that regard. On security issues, it is of vital importance that trans-national issues are given due attention. More counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency exercises would be a welcome step. Chinas refusal to support India on nabbing the 26/11 terror mastermind Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi did not go down well with the Indian government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already voiced concerns over China's move to veto UN action against Pakistan for releasing Lakhvi. It is highly likely that he would raise the issue again during the SCO summit. In that context, it is essential that China looks at the issue of terrorism from a broader perspective rather than being too focused on its own domestic challenges. It is equally important for the SCO to change itself with the new geopolitical and economic realities of our times. The writer is a research scholar at Centre for East Asian Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University. 'Nehru was singularly clear sighted about the international political situation.' IMAGE: Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first prime minister, does yoga. During the launch of his book, A Life in Diplomacy, former foreign secretary M K Rasgotra said that had then prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru accepted then US President John F Kennedy's offer of helping India detonate a nuclear device much before China did in 1964, India would not need to fight so hard for NSG membership today. "There is a strong disinformation campaign about Nehru's rejecting an offer to make India a permanent member of the Security Council... Rasgotra's words will be used by those who want to tarnish Nehru's image," K P Fabian, former ambassador to Qatar and Italy, tells Manavi Kapur. How far are Rasgotra's claims about Kennedy and Nehru true? What are your views about the other claims he makes in his book? I must make a point of clarification about Rasgotra's narration. He chaired a meeting in 2014 to mark the centenary of G Parthasarathy's birth when (his son) Ashok Parthasarathy presented a paper on Kennedy's offer to help India conduct a nuclear test before China did. Rasgotra himself had earlier vaguely heard of such an offer, but had not seen any evidence. Rasgotra has narrated the circumstances under which Nehru rejected the offer on the advice of Parthasarathy, entirely based on Ashok's paper. I have not seen that paper, but I do trust Rasgotra's summing up of it. Ashok has told Rasgotra that the handwritten letter from Kennedy was among his father's papers, he had seen it, and that while shifting houses, it was lost. Well, in a rational world, the paper should have been with the PMO (Prime Minister's Office) or MEA (ministry of external affairs). I do not distrust Ashok, but I would have found it easier to believe the story in full if it had been based on Rasgotra's own personal knowledge. Rasgotra has made a few interesting claims and I trust him. For example, when he came in as foreign secretary in 1981, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had received an invitation in writing from President Ronald Reagan. She wanted to accept it, but P V Narasimha Rao (then external affairs minister), P C Alexander (then principal secretary to the prime minister), and Parthasarathi were against the prime minister going to the US. Rasgotra spoke to the three, but failed to convince them. He sent a long note to Indira Gandhi recommending she accept the invitation and she approved it. The visit was a great success. Incidentally, this also shows that if the foreign secretary has direct access to the prime minister, others cannot stand in the way. What was the geopolitical environment in the 1960s? Did Nehru make grave mistakes with lasting consequences? Or was he an astute leader who understood the global political climate well? The geopolitical environment in the early 1960s was rather bleak. The Cuban Missile Crisis was in October 1962. In fact, Mao took that into account in timing the invasion of India in the same month. Nehru's major mistake was in believing that China will not attack India. And consequently, he failed to prepare the army to be in a position of strength to respond to such an attack. A man of Nehru's grasp of international relations should have known that unless he sent back the Dalai Lama to Tibet, Mao will be vengeful. Mao himself told a Nepalese delegation post-1962 that the war was not about the border, but about Tibet. China is paranoid about Tibet and, to an extent, Nehru knew it. But I do not think that it was politically feasible to send the Dalai Lama back. Nehru was singularly clear sighted about the general international political situation. For example, he was probably the first to anticipate the split between China and the Soviet Union. He mentioned this to (US) Ambassador Chester Bowles in 1951. To take another example, in September 1950, Nehru transmitted to the US a warning from China not to cross the 38th Parallel (during the Korean War). Nehru was ignored, but after three years and five million deaths -- civilian and military -- the cease-fire was on the same 38th Parallel. Bruce Riedel, author of JFK's Forgotten Crisis, has said that he is 'sceptical that Kennedy made any such offer' and that 'he was firmly against nuclear proliferation.' Do you agree? Riedel is right about Kennedy's being against proliferation. But that is only a part of the big picture. Let us not forget that for years there was a belief in the West that India and China were giving Asia and even the rest of the so-called Third World two different options, a democratic one and a dictatorial one, and the West wanted India to emerge as a beacon for the Third World. Is this an extension of a seeming effort to discredit Nehru's political legacy? I would not say that what Rasgotra has said is part of the growing industry of 'Nehru bashing.' But his words will be used by those who want to tarnish Nehru's image. There is a strong disinformation campaign about Nehru's rejecting an offer to make India a permanent member of the (United Nations) Security Council. IMAGE: Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron speaks about the EU referendum outside 10 Downing Street in London. Photograph: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters Prime Minister David Cameron on Tuesday made a last-ditch direct and personal appeal to British voters to vote in favour of remaining within the European Union, pleading them to think of the consequences of their "momentous decision" on the "hopes and dreams" of their children and grandchildren. Speaking from the doorsteps of his 10 Downing Street office in a hastily organised 10-minute televised statement, Cameron stressed that voting to remain within the 28-nation economic bloc in Thursday's referendum would make the United Kingdom safer and more prosperous. The 49-year-old described his statement as a "pause" to speak "directly, and personally, about the momentous decision that this country faces in just two days' time." "Britain does not quit, we get involved, take a lead, make a difference and get things done. 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. "I believe very deeply from my years of experience that we will be stronger, we will be safer, we will be better off inside Europe." In reference to the minors who do not have a vote in the June 23 referendum, he added: "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." Cameron warned that future generations would be left with a damaged, diminished economy if Britain became the first country to withdraw from the EU in the bloc's 60-year history. "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, and the next generation will have to live with the consequences far longer than the rest of us." On a personal note, Cameron said he had been honoured to serve as the prime minister for six years and believes "very deeply, from my years of experience, that we'll be stronger, well be safer, we'll be better off inside Europe." His near emotional plea came as another latest opinion poll on Tuesday afternoon reflected a slight edge for the Remain camp over Vote Leave. A Survation poll for trading company IG gave Remain a one-point lead, on 45 per cent to Brexitiers at 44 per cent. Those still undecided accounted for 11 per cent of those surveyed in the telephone poll and once they were taken out of the calculation, the new poll suggests 51 per cent of people are planning to vote for Britain to stay within the EU and 49 for a Brexit. Both sides are making their final appeals to undecided voters ahead of the last TV referendum debate of the campaign. Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar rushed to Seoul ahead of the crucial plenary meet even as China said that Indias bid was not on the agenda. Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar on Wednesday headed for Seoul ahead of the crucial Nuclear Suppliers Group Plenary from Thursday, where India is hoping to clinch membership, which is being strongly opposed by China and some other countries. Jaishankhar, who was closely monitoring the goings-on during the officials level meet of the 48-nation grouping which started on Monday, left for the South Korean capital to lobby with members to boost Indias prospects of getting membership. 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 Indias case, sources said. However, China continues to stonewall Indias bid for NSG membership with the members divided over the entry of a non-NPT signatory country like India. The NSG works under the principle of unanimity and even one countrys vote against India will scuttle its bid. 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. However, it has been batting for its close ally Pakistans entry if NSG extends any exemption for India. 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 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. Meanwhile, in an apparent climb down, China said it will play a constructive role in the discussions on Indias bid for membership of the 48-member NSG but at the same maintained that the issue was not on the agenda of the NSG meeting in Seoul. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said that NSG members had three rounds of unofficial discussions on the entry of India and Pakistan into the grouping. China hopes to discuss further this issue and will play a constructive role in the discussions, she said. Although parties are yet to see eye-to-eye on this issue, such discussions help them better understand each other, she said. At the same time, Hua said the entry of India and Pakistan is not on the agenda of the NSG groupings meeting in Seoul. Deliberation on the entry of specific countries is on the agenda of the Seoul Plenary meeting. However, it is worth noting that the NSG Plenary meeting in Seoul is only to deliberate on the entry of members who signed the NPT, she said. As for the entry of non-NPT countries, the group has never put that on its meeting agenda. Based on what we have at hand, the agenda of this years Seoul Plenary Meeting circulated by the Chair does not include this issue either, she said. China on Tuesday 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. The US, which has been supporting Indias NSG bid, has said New Delhi is ready for NSG membership and asked participating governments to support its application at the plenary session of NSG in Seoul. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will arrive in Tashkent on Thursday to attend the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, a China-dominated six-nation grouping, which is likely to focus on exploring ways to enhance security cooperation to combat terrorism. India, along with Pakistan, is set to be inducted as full members into the bloc, which mainly deals with issues relating to security and defence. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin will attend the two-day 16th annual summit of the bloc to be held in the Uzbek capital. Pakistan will be represented by President Mamnoon Hussain. Modi is likely to have a bilateral meeting with Xi on Thursday on the sidelines of the summit. In the meeting, Modi is expected to seek Chinas support for India's membership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group. The two-day annual plenary session of the NSG will begin in Seoul on Thursday during which Indias application for membership may come up for deliberation. In the SCO summit, the leaders are expected to explore ways to deepen security cooperation and intelligence sharing. Membership of the grouping will help India have a greater say in issues relating to security and defence. Ensuring peace, stability and security in the region, building a just and rational international political and economic order and combating terrorism and extremism have been the major focus areas of the SCO in the last few years. With majority of the SCO countries having huge reserves of oil and gas, India is expected to get greater access to major hydrocarbon projects in Central Asia after its entry into the bloc. The SCO had set the ball rolling to make India a member of the bloc during its summit in Ufa, Russia in July last year when administrative hurdles were cleared to grant membership to India, Pakistan and Iran. The 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 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 favouring permanent SCO membership for India while China pushed for induction of Pakistan. Even as Pakistan continues to urge the international community to accept its membership to the Nuclear Suppliers Group, highly placed sources in the United States who are involved with the tracking of nuclear commerce have claimed that Islamabad is still selling nuclear materials to North Korea. In making this dramatic revelation, the sources said that entities of the Pakistan Energy Commission have been continuing to supply restricted items such as Monel (a nickel-copper alloy with high tensile strength and resistance to corrosion) and ' Inconel (an alloy of nickel containing chromium and iron, resistant to corrosion at high temperatures) material to North Korea in violation of UN sanctions. The sources said that nuclear materials supplied to the PAEC by Chinese entities have also found their way to North Korea, with the China Atomic Energy Authority recently receiving a written complaint that supplies of a Chinese company, Beijing Suntech Technology Company Limited, to Pakistan were being diverted to North Korea by the Pakistani authorities. The Chinese government hushed up the matter, as it could have consequences for Beijing's bid to support Pakistan at the NSG. But this information leaked out of North Korea and came to the knowledge Of Western governments who are members of the NSG. In another alarming revelation, informed sources said Pakistan has been giving North Korea equipment which has a direct bearing On producing nuclear weapons. Sources said the Beijing Suntech Technology Company Limited manufactures Vacuum Induction Melting furnaces, which find application in refining hard metals such as uranium and plutonium, which are used in making nuclear warhead cores. Pakistan is known to have procured these items from China and has passed them along to North Korea. When asked if this evidence of Pakistan's illicit nuclear trade with North Korea has been brought to the notice of NSG nations, US sources said all evidences which confirm the violation of sanctions against North Korea and more so the ongoing dangerous nuclear trade has been brought to the notice of "those who need to be informed at the NSG level." Behind the scenes, Pakistan is aware that its nuclear trade with North Korea has been uncovered, but is counting on China to keep the global pressure at bay, said sources. Giving details of North Korea's nuclear commerce links with Pakistan, informed sources mentioned that two North Korean diplomats -- Kim Yong Choi and Jang Yong Son -- posted in the North Korean Embassy in Tehran visited Pakistan eight times between 2012 and 2015. They were associated With the Korea Mining Development Trading Corporation -- an entity sanctioned several times by the United Nations Security Council since 2005 for its involvement in North Korea's Weapons of Mass Destruction programme. These diplomats met Pakistani officers involved in the nuclear programme. They were tracked and investigated by the Western authorities as yet another proof of Pakistan's continuing nuclear links with North Korea. Based on Western inputs on these links, the United Nations Security Council 1718 Committee, which is monitoring the implementation of sanctions against North Korea, sought information from Pakistan in November 2015 regarding the frequent visits of the two North Korean diplomats from Tehran to Islamabad and Karachi. At first, say informed sources, Pakistan denied it, but when confronted with photographs and other recorded evidence, Pakistan acknowledged that the two North Korean officials under investigation had indeed visited Islamabad and Karachi. Highly-placed sources said that the West has so far kept this information under wraps in recognition of Pakistan's value in the war against terror. But now, when Pakistan has gone into overdrive to upset the equilibrium of the NSG, Western nations of the grouping are saying that Islamabad needs to "look at itself in the mirror " and ask "how can it run with the hare and hunt with the foxes", meaning it can't claim to fulfill the NSG's requirements, and at the same time, sell nuclear weapons materials to North Korea. On the eve of the crucial Nuclear Suppliers Group meeting in Seoul over India and Pakistan's membership in the elite group, Pakistan's former permanent representative at the United Nations in Geneva Zamir Akram has said that Islamabad was only opposed to the "exclusive membership" of India. According to Dawn newspaper, Akram was speaking at a roundtable discussion organised by the Strategic Vision Institute, on the implications of the upcoming plenary session of the NSG on June 23-24 in Seoul, South Korea, where deliberations will be held on membership for non-Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty states, including Pakistan and India. "Pakistan supports the evolution of criteria that can be applied across the board," Akram said. Speaking at the roundtable, Akram warned about the likely implications if India alone was admitted into the NSG, including dimming of future prospects for Pakistan's entry into the club and likely growth in Indian nuclear arsenal. SVI President Dr Zafar Iqbal Cheema said that India's entry alone into the NSG would put back Pakistani efforts for developing its infrastructure and industry by decades. These comments follow the statement by Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj that India does not object to any country, including Pakistan to join the NSG. China is the leading challenger to the West-supported bid to get India into the 48-member nuclear trade cartel. According to the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying, "China maintains that the NSG fully discuss the accession of non-NPT countries and make decisions based on consultation in a way acceptable to all". Sefilyan charged with illegal qeapons procurement - Investigative Committee Jirayr Sefilyan, an opposition activist and Karabakh War veteran, who was arrested on June 20, has been officially charged with Article 235.2 of Armenias Criminal Code: illegal procurement, transportation or carrying of weapons, ammunition, explosives or explosive devices. In a statement released on June 22, Armenias Investigative Committee (IC) said that adequate evidence had been collected proving that Sefilyan had organized the procurement of arms and armament by a group of individuals and that the items had been stored in various locations. Sefilyan kept in touch with the group members and instructed them to keep the aforesaid arms and armament or transport them upon his order. The IC says that as part of investigation, Sefilyans house and workplace have been searched and that computers and documents have been seized. The IC also says it has petitioned the court to issue pre-trial detention for Sefilyan, considering the risks posed by his actions. The Investigative Committee says that there are eight other individuals involved in the case. One of them is on the run. Serzh Sargsyan receives President of National Bank of Argentine Serzh Sargsyan received the President of the National Bank of Argentine Carlos Melconian. The President welcomed the guest to our country and using the opportunity once again congratulated him on his appointment as President of the National Bank of Argentine. Serzh Sargsyan wished Carlos Melconian all the best on that responsible position. The President of Armenia noted that in Armenia we always respond with joy and pride to the achievements of our compatriots residing abroad because their accomplishments bring honor and good reputation to the entire nation, promoting and deepening also our bilateral relations. According to the President, in the strengthening of the Armenian-Argentinean high level relations the role of prominent representatives of the Armenian community is significant and among them the input of the famous businessman Eduardo Ernekian. Serzh Sargsyan expressed hope that the visit of the President of the National Bank of Argentine will contribute to the establishment of a close cooperation between the banking systems of Armenia and Argentine. The interlocutors stressed the importance of such visits which, according to the parties, give a new impetus to the bilateral relations and provide a good opportunity to discuss various issues pertinent to the interstate cooperation. Carlos Melconian conveyed to the President of Armenia warm greetings from the President of Argentine Mauricio Macri and his great desire and readiness to deepen and strengthen the Armenian-Argentinean relations. At the meeting, the President hailed the significant contribution of the people and authorities of Argentine to the international recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide. In the context of the bilateral cooperation, the President of Armenia and President of National Bank of Argentine stressed the importance of expanding and enhancing the bilateral trade and economic ties. They concurred that towards that end the National Bank of Argentine can play a considerable role. Carlos Melconian noted that the visit to Armenia was important for him not only from the professional and ceremonial points of view, but also emotionally since he was visiting the land of his ancestors who at the beginning of the previous century as a result of the Armenian Genocide had been forced to find refuge in the distant Argentine. The President of the National Bank of Argentine spoke with pride about the Armenians residing in Argentine who, according to Carlos Melconian, enjoy great respect and influence in the Argentinean society. Armenian FM: Azerbaijan must implement agreements reached in Vienna and St. Petersburg In an interview with Armenpress, Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian said no agreement has been reached over the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement during the St. Petersburg summit. Deputy head of Azerbaijans Presidential staff Novruz Mammadov has never participated in any negotiations. The St. Petersburg summit was also not an exception. Deputy head of Azerbaijans Presidential staff Novruz Mammadov made comments on St. Petersburg meeting. What would you say on this? That official, Novruz Mammadov, has never participated in any negotiations. The St. Petersburg summit was not an exception. At the last meeting, he only participated in the working dinner during which only the issues related to the installation of investigation mechanisms of incidents and the increase of the scope of responsibilities of team of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office were discussed. As for the settlement package of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, first of all, as it was repeatedly stated, it should be based on the recognition of the NKR peoples right to self-determination by Azerbaijan. No agreement on the conflict settlement was reached at the St Petersburg summit. At this stage, Azerbaijan must unconditionally implement the agreements reached and reaffirmed in Vienna and St. Petersburg summits which are the followings: first of all, the peaceful settlement of the conflict, the implementation of 1994-1995 trilateral termless ceasefire agreements, the installation of investigation mechanisms of incidents, as well as the increase of the capabilities of the team of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office. This will enable to establish appropriate conditions for the resumption of negotiations aimed to settle the conflict. UNHCR warns of Iraq funding crunch as thousands flee Falluja Publisher UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Publication Date 21 June 2016 Cite as UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), UNHCR warns of Iraq funding crunch as thousands flee Falluja, 21 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576a35ed4.html [accessed 26 October 2022] UNHCR is urgently seeking US$17.5 million to meet the immediate needs of the tens of thousands of civilians pouring out of Iraq's Falluja in recent days. More than 85,000 people have fled Falluja and the surrounding area since a government military offensive to retake the city from extremists began a month ago, on 23 May. About 60,000 of these fled over a period of just three days last week, between 15 to 18 June. Thousands more could still be planning to leave the city. 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. We also need funds to provide psycho-social and other support to this exhausted and deeply traumatised population. UNHCR and partners have been providing tents and relief aid to displaced families in Amiriyat al Falluja, Al Khalidiya and Habbaniyah Tourist City (HTC) - all within 20 to 30 kilometres of Falluja. But with last week's surge in arrivals the overcrowding is growing. Two and sometimes three families are having 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. These escalating needs have pushed UNHCR funding into crisis levels. Almost half way through the year, we have received only 21 per cent our requirements for Iraq and the surrounding region - one of the world's biggest internal displacement and refugee situations. Only USD 127.7 million has been received against the projected needs of US$584 million in 2016. We are exhausting available resources in Iraq to deal with the rapid developments in Falluja. Six camps have already been established in Amiriyat and Falluja. We're building three more in Khalidya and Habbaniya Tourist City and expanding two others. But we expect that 20 more will be needed over the coming weeks to house 30,000 people. Funds are also urgently needed for blankets, mattresses and jerry cans as well as other support. As well as Falluja, UNHCR is responding to the displacement over the past three months of over 20,000 people from Mosul and surrounding districts due to renewed offensives there. In the past few days, close to 3,000 people arrived in the already crowded Debaga camp in Erbil Governorate, pushing the population there and in a nearby stadium to 10,000. The new arrivals are staying in a severely overcrowded reception centre, now seven times above its capacity. There are few latrines, and drinking water is in short supply. It is estimated that more than a million people still live in Mosul and any large offensive against the city could result in the displacement of up to 600,000 more people. In all, there are more than 3.3 million people internally displaced in Iraq who have fled their homes since January 2014, on top of a million more people still displaced since the sectarian conflicts of the mid-2000s. A further 230,000 Iraqi refugees have sought refuge in other countries in the region. Of these refugees, some 6,700 Iraqis from in and around Mosul have taken the extraordinary step of fleeing into Al-Hasakeh Governorate, in the north-east of war-torn Syria. Ban condemns terrorist attack against Jordanian guard post at Syrian border Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 21 June 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Ban condemns terrorist attack against Jordanian guard post at Syrian border, 21 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576a43e9411.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. 21 June 2016 - Condemning today's terrorist attack against a Jordanian border guard post at the north-eastern border with Syria, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon offered his condolences to the families of the victims and reiterates his solidarity with the Government and people of Jordan. "The Secretary-General is particularly concerned that the attack took place opposite an encampment where Syrian asylum seekers await entry into Jordan," said a statement issued by Mr. Ban's spokesman in which the UN chief commended Jordan for its continued commitment and efforts to uphold humanitarian principles. Further to the statement, the Secretary-General urged all Governments to strengthen their efforts to combat the scourge of terrorism and violent extremism, and to support the Government of Jordan in this context. South Sudan: Special investigation into Malakal violence completed, says UN Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 21 June 2016 Cite as UN News Service, South Sudan: Special investigation into Malakal violence completed, says UN, 21 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576a44a340d.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. 21 June 2016 - A United Nations independent high-level board of inquiry has completed a special in-depth investigation into how the UN responded this past February to deadly violence in a protection of civilians site in the town of Malakal, in northern South Sudan. In a note to correspondents, the Office of the Spokesperson for Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said that a special investigation and a UN Headquarters board of inquiry were convened to review the circumstances of the violence that erupted in the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) protection of civilians site in Malakal from 17 to 18 February, in which at least 30 internally displaced persons (IDPs) were killed, 123 others were wounded, and a significant portion of the camp was destroyed. The special investigation, which was tasked with examining the external factors that led to the incident, has identified several factors as having contributed to the attacks, including deep-rooted historical land disputes, the '28 States' Order and the Eastern Nile State Administrative order of 1 February, which dismissed all Shilluk and Nuer civil servants, according to the note. The investigation determined that the immediate trigger for the attacks was an attempt by two Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA) soldiers to smuggle ammunition into the site on 16 February. The investigation also concluded that external armed elements, some in SPLA uniforms, entered the protection of civilians site during the period and took part in the violence and destruction of parts of the site. The investigation team requested that the Transitional Government of National Unity hold the individuals responsible accountable for the violence. The team also provided a number of recommendations to the Government, regional and international actors - including the UN - aimed at preventing such attacks in the future, the note said. A UN Headquarters-led board of inquiry, which was tasked to look into the Mission's response to the incident, is being finalized. The preliminary report of the board mentions, inter alia, that a number of issues contributed to the incident, according to the note. On the UNMISS response, in particular, there was confusion with respect to command and control and rules of engagement, and a lack of coordination among the various civilian and uniformed peacekeepers in Malakal at the time of the crisis, the note said. Further to the note, the board also mentioned that there were unrealistic expectations as to the level of protection that UNMISS could feasibly provide to the 48,000 internally displaced persons in Malakal at the time of the incident. UN Headquarters is reviewing a number of recommendations made by the board in order to minimize the recurrence of such incidents, including a review of the concept of protection of civilians sites and the performance of troop- and police-contributing countries. The UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations is engaging on the way forward with concerned troop-contributing countries, the note said. The spokesperson's office added that the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Herve Ladsous, and the Under-Secretary-General for Field Support, Atul Khare, will brief the Security Council in this regard tomorrow. Progress on economy, improving security is imperative for Afghanistan, UN envoy reports Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 21 June 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Progress on economy, improving security is imperative for Afghanistan, UN envoy reports, 21 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576a44cf411.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. 21 June 2016 - Progress on the economy and improving security is imperative so that Afghans have confidence in their Government, the United Nations envoy in Afghanistan said today. In a briefing to the Security Council, Nicholas Haysom, the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Afghanistan, said that on the security front, there has been a "deliberate response" by the Afghan security forces to the lessons learned from the dynamics and developments of the past year. "The battlefield in many areas is in a state of flux, with gains and reversals but with neither side effecting clear dominance," said Mr. Haysom, who is also head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). "The security forces continue to face serious challenges, including in addressing questions of morale, leadership, attrition and logistics. For now, though, they are holding their ground," he added. Mr. Haysom said he remains deeply concerned about the impact that the high level of violence is having on the civilian population. "There has been no let-up during Ramadan, during which period there have been some reports of disturbing brutality, including attacks on worshippers," he said. The envoy emphasized that only yesterday, an incident in Badakhshan had caused the death of 10 civilians, among them several children. "Civilian casualty levels remain high and conflict-related displacement continues. I am especially concerned about the trend of targeted attacks on civilians working in the judicial sector, and on journalists," Mr. Haysom said. Yesterday, an improvised explosive device in a market area killed and injured dozens of civilians, including children, in the Kishem district of Badakhshan province, while in Kabul, a suicide attack in a crowded area killed and injured a number of Nepalese contractors, including diplomatic security guards, as well as Afghan civilians. In another attack yesterday, several civilians, including a provincial council member, were injured. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned the attacks and called on those responsible to be brought to justice. Mr. Haysom also told the Council that, in his view, there is a risk that the conflict in Afghanistan may enter a new phase that could see retaliatory acts of vengeance and an escalating spiral of violence. On the economic front, Mr. Haysom noted there has been progress in revenue collection and in developing thoughtful medium-term plans for reform. The UN envoy praised the establishment by President Ghani of the High Council of Governance, Justice and Anti-Corruption, among other initiatives, as a positive step towards demonstrating results in the everyday lives of Afghans. Regarding the establishment of a viable peace process, with the failure so far of the Quadrilateral Coordination Group to midwife such a process, and the recent death of Taliban leader Akhtar Mohammad Mansour, the UN envoy said such a process "seems unlikely" in the short term. "We believe, however, that there are elements within the Taliban movement who are questioning whether they can win militarily, at least in the short term, and wonder whether a purely military goal is desirable," Mr. Haysom said, stressing that peace is not a luxury, but a necessity, without which Afghanistan is not sustainable. "I am disappointed that there has been not yet any traction on peace efforts, but remain optimistic that such a process will eventually emerge," he said. Looking forward, Mr. Haysom said he remains optimistic that Afghans can meet the challenges that confront them. "It is possible for Afghanistan not only to survive in 2016, but to grow stronger as a result," he said. Niger: UNICEF reports more than 240,000 uprooted from homes in Diffa region Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 21 June 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Niger: UNICEF reports more than 240,000 uprooted from homes in Diffa region, 21 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576a45c640c.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. 21 June 2016 - More than 240,000 people, or a third of the population, in Niger's Diffa region have been uprooted from their homes since 3 June attacks by Boko Haram insurgents, the single largest displacement since 2013, a senior United Nations official said today. According to Viviane Van Steirteghem, representative of the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Niger, many have been settling along Route Nationale 01, the main road crossing the region. After 3 June, the sites along that road had received an additional 60,000 to 70,000 people, resulting in increased pressure on water resources, she said. The newcomers, settling in three of the main sites, had arrived with their families and with their cattle. Those sites had initially been quite homogeneous in terms of linguistic groups and occupations of the inhabitants, but it was no longer the case. There are additional tensions now. Ms. Van Steirteghem, who visited Diffa twice in the past 14 days, said UNICEF's assistance focused on the coordination of the water response, initially water trucking, and now drilling, as people were expected to settle on the sites for quite some time. In Bosso, women and children make up the majority at the displaced persons' sites. There had been cases of measles reported, despite a massive vaccination campaign in December 2015. Since they lived in temporary housing, they were extremely vulnerable when the rainy season arrived, she said. An increase in diarrheal diseases and respiratory tract diseases was feared, as well as cases of importation of cholera, for which preparedness was difficult to operationalize in the current conditions, she warned. Malaria was also a corollary of the rainy season, and with the Ministry of Health and the support of a number of non-governmental organization partners, UNICEF was planning a massive distribution of mosquito nets to help families protect themselves. Women and children on the sites are highly vulnerable. Some children had come unaccompanied. Many of them had been traumatized. Protection services were being offered to allow children to express what they felt and relieve some of their stress. Women going to get water at night were very vulnerable to gender-based violence and UNICEF was preparing messaging to help them strategize and go in groups to avoid being targeted. The school year had just finished and all the children would be able to take their examinations in the neighbouring town. UNICEF was preparing for the next school year, taking into account the increase in the number of children. Ms. Van Steirteghem said that the appeal for the Diffa crisis was 25 per cent funded out of the required $74 million. 'Credibility of international community at risk' as Syria war grinds on senior UN officials Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 21 June 2016 Cite as UN News Service, 'Credibility of international community at risk' as Syria war grinds on senior UN officials, 21 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576a45e340b.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. 21 June 2016 - With the conflict in Syria now well into its fifth year, and the country dealing with a grinding crisis that has brought death, displacement and regional instability, the international community must not lose momentum in attaining a comprehensive and concrete political solution, senior United Nations officials emphasized today. At an informal meeting at UN Headquarters in New York today, the General Assembly was briefed by Stephen O'Brien, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator; the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, who spoke via video conference; and the Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, Ivan Simonovic. Opening the meeting, the President of the General Assembly, Mogens Lykketoft, recalled that in December 2015, the global community was encouraged to hear that a new diplomatic effort launched in Vienna was providing a "glimmer of hope" for a solution to the crisis in Syria, but that since then, there has been "progress alongside setbacks." "The momentum to achieve these goals and others, including those on humanitarian access, must not be lost," he said. "We must not fail the people of Syria any longer." Noting that the international community had marked World Refugee Day, Mr. Lykketoft said it is worth bearing in mind that the crisis in Syria accounts for almost 17 per cent of those displaced across the globe today. "In this context and given the role which the General Assembly has played on this crisis as far back as 2012, I believe it is critical that this Assembly remains fully abreast of the most recent developments in Syria," he stressed. 'We must show the people of Syria the world has not forgotten them' In that vein, Mr. O'Brien underscored that while the UN remains committed and ready to deliver humanitarian aid for civilians in need, such action cannot be a substitute for political action. Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Stephen O'Brien addresses an informal meeting of the General Assembly plenary to hear a briefing on the situation in Syria. UN Photo/Manuel Elias "We must show the people of Syria that the world has not forgotten them or their plight and indeed of their country. Not through more words of solidarity, but through immediate and concrete political action that brings an end to this futile cycle of violence and misery. And hard cash for meeting immediate needs - humanitarian needs - is now needed," he said. "The future of this and coming generations is on the line. The credibility of the international community is at stake," he added. As such, Mr. O'Brien highlighted that the international community must demonstrate its collective leadership in ensuring the protection of civilians and civilian infrastructure, and in bringing an end to the sieges and ensuring freedom of movement for civilians. He said that the international community must also ensure that the parties to the conflict abide by their international legal obligations and Security Council resolutions to facilitate humanitarian access to all people in need without discrimination, as well as consider all possible avenues to ensure accountability to show perpetrators of violence that such action in Syria or elsewhere will not be tolerated. In addition, the global community must step up financial support to the humanitarian response, and respect the non-political nature of humanitarian aid, Mr. O'Brien said. "We remain committed and ready to deliver humanitarian aid - through any possible modality - for civilians in desperate need. However, let me be clear that humanitarian action cannot be a substitute for political action: only a negotiated political settlement will and can resolve this crisis," he said. Mr. O'Brien said that the civil unrest that began in Syria in March 2011 has since transformed into an "ugly and brutal war" characterized by extreme levels of violence committed against civilians in a climate devoid of protection in many parts of the country. "In the Syria crisis, the facts speak for themselves: hundreds of thousands killed; and well over a million injured. Life expectancy in Syria has dropped by wait for it - imagine this - 20 years," he said. Noting that about half of the population has been forcibly displaced, 6.5 million of them inside the country, in addition to the half-million Palestinian refugees, Mr. O'Brien said that, overall, 13.5 million people are left in urgent need of humanitarian and protection assistance. "The conflict in Syria has destroyed the country's social and economic fabric, eroding development gains made over several generations: 80 per cent of Syrians now live in poverty, nearly nine million Syrians are food insecure amidst rising prices and food shortages, and two million children have been forced out of school altogether," he said. "We should never lose sight of the immeasurable human impact of this crisis; the trauma and emotional toll on civilians, particularly young people, too long exposed to living in a climate of violence and fear. A generation lost to the normalcy of violence and hatred, and no access to education which is the only route out and to hope," he added. Highlighting that aid agencies are doing all they can to assist millions of Syrians affected by the conflict, Mr. O'Brien said that up to 5.8 million people had been reached with food assistance per month during this year alone. However, he urged donors and others to step up their financial support to the humanitarian response. "Pledges are one thing - but frankly it's your cash that matters," he said. "It's that which buys the programmes and services that actually save and protect innocent lives; and following London we're heavy on pledges and promised words, but frankly light on cash, hard real cash i.e. we need your pledges to convert to cash now," he stressed. A crisis 'rooted in human rights violations' For his part, Mr. Simonovic underscored that the crisis in Syria is rooted in human rights violations, with parties to the conflict blatantly disregarding such rights by launching indiscriminate attacks, using disproportionate force, and destroying protected sites and medical units. Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Ivan Simonovic addresses an informal meeting of the General Assembly plenary to hear a briefing on the situation in Syria. UN Photo/Manuel Elias "This is the sixth year of horror for Syrians. So many have suffered torture, destruction and death, their story is no longer 'news'. It may be difficult to grasp the effect of millions of rights violations in the Syrian conflict - but it is plain to see they must be stopped," he said. Mr. Simonovic said that across Syria, many people are being subjected to arbitrary detention and the deprivation of liberty in the "most appalling conditions." Many are tortured and many die while in detention, while the fate of several thousand missing persons must be clarified. "These descriptions are the living nightmare of Syria's people today," he said. "The only way to instil hope for tomorrow is to insist on full respect for human rights as we press for a political solution." The release of hostages and unlawfully detained persons, including women and children, would open new avenues of trust, as would the exchange of information on missing persons, Mr. Simonovic said. Indeed, such processes could provide a sound framework for an incremental approach to concession-making. "To be sustainable, peace in Syria must deliver tangible benefits for all communities. It must provide a democratic, dignified and peaceful framework for managing Syria's multicultural and multi-religious diversity," Mr. Simonovic said. "Human rights should never, ever be seen as an obstacle to a successful negotiation. The opposite is true: human rights are a key enabler of a successful negotiation. And they are a safeguard for sustainable peace," he added. Despite positive talks, delays over peace roadmap 'needlessly extending Yemen's agony' UN envoy Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 21 June 2016 Related Document(s) Security Council resolution 2216 (2015) [on cessation of violence in Yemen and the reinforcement of sanctions imposed by resolution 2104 (2014)] Cite as UN News Service, Despite positive talks, delays over peace roadmap 'needlessly extending Yemen's agony' UN envoy, 21 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576a461e40b.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. 21 June 2016 - The United Nations-supported Yemeni peace talks under way in Kuwait have progressed "slowly, yet constructively," over the last two months, with agreement still to be reached on the sequencing of the various steps proposed, including the timing of establishing a national unity government, the UN envoy for the country said today. "In short, the general atmosphere continues to be positive although difficulties remain which need to be addressed," Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, UN Special Envoy for Yemen, told the Security Council via video link. Over the previous period of the talks, the parties unanimously agreed on the necessity of reaching a peaceful solution to put an end to the conflict in Yemen, he noted. A number of prisoners and detainees, including children, have been released. The cessation of hostilities has allowed humanitarian aid to reach areas that were previously not accessible. The participants have discussed the most delicate issues, including military withdrawals, security arrangements and the handover of weapons, sensitive political issues and ways to improve the economic and humanitarian situation, as well as the release of prisoners and detainees, he said. After intense talks with both parties, the envoy has presented a roadmap outlining a practical plan to end the conflict in Yemen. It provides for implementation of the security arrangements specified in Security Council resolution 2216 (2015) and the establishment of a national unity government that would ensure the delivery of basic services and address the recovery of the Yemeni economy. According to the proposed roadmap, the national unity government would also be responsible for preparing a political dialogue to define the remaining steps for a comprehensive political solution, including the electoral law, the mandate of the institutions, which would oversee the transition period and the completion of the draft constitution. The delegations have responded positively to the proposals, but have not yet reached agreement on the sequencing of the different steps provided for in the roadmap. Questions need to be answered as to when the unity government would be created and what to do if particular provisions of the roadmap are implemented and others are not. The cessation of hostilities declared on 10 April has continued to provide relief from violence in many parts of Yemen, but unfortunately, serious violations have occurred, such as the shelling of a popular market in Taiz on 4 June, which resulted in 18 civilian deaths and tens of injuries, he said. In addition, there were violations of the truce in Marib, al Jawf, Taiz and in the border areas with Saudi Arabia. The failure to provide basic services over the last year has had a devastating impact, Mr. Ould Cheikh Ahmed noted. High temperatures and the lack of electricity in Aden, Hodayda and elsewhere have exacerbated the health crisis in these areas and caused a number of preventable deaths. Since the beginning of 2016, Yemen's gross domestic product (GDP) shrank by more than 30 per cent. To address this alarming situation, the Central Bank has continued to ensure the import of basic commodities such as rice, wheat and medicines. Mr. Ould Cheikh Ahmed welcomed the release of prisoners that took place since the beginning of Ramadan, but tragically, that positive step had still been accompanied by continued and systematic persecution of civilians, including journalists and civil society activists in Yemen. These acts of intimidation and harassment are a clear violation of the international instruments on Human Rights, he said. "Yemen is on the path to an agreement and each day of delay needlessly extends the country's agony," he said, stressing that the unwavering unity of this Council has been a key factor supporting progress in the talks. ICC sentences former Congolese vice-president Bemba to 18 years in prison for war crimes Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 21 June 2016 Cite as UN News Service, ICC sentences former Congolese vice-president Bemba to 18 years in prison for war crimes, 21 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576a466b40c.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. 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 United Nations-backed 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. International Criminal Court (ICC) Presiding Judge Sylvia Steiner (Brazil), at the sentencing hearing of former Congolese vice-president, Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo. Photo: ICC-CPI 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). 'Permission-based' public life regime has nearly paralyzed civic freedoms in Belarus UN expert Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 21 June 2016 Related Document(s) Report of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus Cite as UN News Service, 'Permission-based' public life regime has nearly paralyzed civic freedoms in Belarus UN expert, 21 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576a46bd40d.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. 21 June 2016 - A senior United Nations expert on human rights in Belarus warned today that several generations have grown up in the country "with no experience of what the words 'pluralism,' 'labour rights,' 'free enterprise,' 'free artistic creation' or 'free media' mean in reality." As such, Miklos Haraszti told the Geneva-based UN human Rights Council that the current level of international scrutiny of compliance with international human rights obligations must remain steady. While welcoming the absence of law enforcement violence during the presidential election of October 2015, as well as the release of political prisoners, he stressed that since then, these "openings" have not led to any systemic change in the "permission-based" regime of public life that has been the main cause of the practically complete paralysis of civic freedoms in the country. He also said that any public activity remains subject to prior authorization through an arbitrary registration process and media associations, or gatherings are not only forbidden but criminalized if not preliminarily authorized by the government. In his report, the Special Rapporteur also highlighted the continuing use of capital punishment in Belarus, the only State in Europe where it is still applied. He said that despite the President having the authority to put an end to this denial of right to life, no death penalties have been commuted to prison sentences, due to lack of political will. In view of the upcoming parliamentary elections of September 2016, Mr. Haraszti expressed worries that only two out of 30 of the recommendations made by the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) after the presidential election of October 2015 would be taken on board. The expert also drew attention to the lack of economic and labour rights. He noted that a recently adopted decree on "parasitism" introduces punishments for the unemployed, in fact servicing forced labour obliged by the government. The report also assesses Belarus's level of compliance with recommendations of the UN human rights mechanisms. It noted no significant co-operation since the mandate of the Special Rapporteur was established by the UN Human Rights Council in 2012. "I reiterate my call towards the authorities to engage with the mandate, even in an incremental way," Mr. Haraszti said. "I am ready to assist the Government towards a dialogue with the rights defenders inside the country who do their work under often forbidding difficulties." Independent experts or special rapporteurs are appointed by the Geneva-based Human Rights Council to examine and report back on a country situation or a specific human rights theme. The positions are honorary and the experts are not UN staff, nor are they paid for their work. UN agencies warn of alleged rights violations, funding shortfall in embattled Fallujah Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 21 June 2016 Cite as UN News Service, UN agencies warn of alleged rights violations, funding shortfall in embattled Fallujah, 21 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576a471940b.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. 21 June 2016 - Amid ongoing fighting in the embattled Iraqi city of Fallujah, the United Nations human rights office today warned of continuing allegations of serious rights violations, as the Organization's refugee agency reported a funding crunch to meet the immediate needs of the thousands of civilians who continue to flee the area. At the regular bi-weekly press briefing in Geneva earlier today, Cecile Pouilly, spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), said her Office is "deeply concerned" about continuing allegations of serious human rights violations and abuses against civilians fleeing Fallujah by armed groups operating in support of Iraqi security forces. "We've received shocking footage showing the body of a man being dragged at speed by a military truck while a man wearing a military uniform hits his disfigured and bloodied head," Ms. Pouilly said. "Another video shows people being struck with a rifle and kicked in the head by men wearing military uniforms while they exit a truck. Although we are not in a position to authenticate these videos, they depict violations which have been reported to us by several sources and which we've previously condemned," she added. The spokesperson said that on 12 June, a committee set up by the Anbar Governor to investigate violations perpetrated against civilians during the military operations in Anbar stated that 49 people had been killed and that at least 600 men had disappeared after being taken into custody by armed groups operating in support of Iraqi security forces. It also found that the people taken into custody by these groups were ill-treated and/or tortured. These violations allegedly occurred from 2 to 4 June near a cemetery in the Saqlawiya area, northwest of Fallujah, and in the al-Mazra'ah area, east of Fallujah, Ms. Pouilly said. "We welcome these initial findings and hope that the committee's investigations will be pursued rigorously and extended to cover all such alleged violations. Following the announcement by the Iraqi Defence Minister that four army members have been arrested, we call on the Iraqi authorities to ensure that there is no impunity for the very grave violations and abuses that have been reported," the spokesperson said. "While we acknowledge the measures taken by the Government of Iraq, including the establishment of another committee by the Iraqi Prime Minister on 6 June, we wish to emphasize the urgent need for Iraqi leaders - across political and sectarian divides - to articulate and publicly commit to a shared, concrete, deliverable road map towards building a truly inclusive, prosperous and peaceful society," she added. Humanitarian workers interact with newly-displaced people displaced from Fallujah in Amiriyat Al Fallujah camp. Photo: UNICEF/Mark Beresford In other news, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said that with tens of thousands of civilians pouring out of Fallujah in recent days, $17.5 million is urgently needed to meet their immediate needs. "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 in Geneva. "We also need funds to provide psycho-social and other support to this exhausted and deeply traumatized population." More than 85,000 people have fled Fallujah and the surrounding area since a Government military offensive to retake the city from extremists began a month ago, on May 23. About 60,000 of those people fled over a period of just three days last week, between 15 to 18 June, and thousands more could still be planning to leave the city, the spokesperson said. 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 kilometres of Fallujah. But with last week's surge in arrivals the overcrowding is growing, Ms. Rummery said. "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," she said. These escalating needs have pushed UNHCR funding into crisis levels. Almost half-way through the year, UNHCR has received only 21 per cent of funds needed for Iraq and the surrounding region, according to the spokesperson. Only $127.7 million has been received against the projected needs of $584 million in 2016, and UNHCR is exhausting available resources in Iraq to deal with the rapid developments in Fallujah, the spokesperson said. Six camps have already been established in Amiriyat and Fallujah. Three more are being built in Khalidya and Habbaniya Tourist City, while two others are being expanded. UNHCR expects that 20 more will be needed over the coming weeks to house 30,000 people. Ms. Rummery added that funds are also urgently needed for blankets, mattresses and jerry cans, as well as other support. In addition to Fallujah, UNHCR is responding to the displacement over the past three months of more than 20,000 people from Mosul and surrounding districts due to renewed offensives there. In the past few days, close to 3,000 people arrived in the already crowded Debaga camp in Erbil Governorate, pushing the population there and in a nearby stadium to 10,000, Ms. Rummery said. The new arrivals are staying in a severely overcrowded reception centre, now seven times above its capacity. Bahrain: UN rights office concerned at crackdown on human rights and political opposition groups Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 21 June 2016 Cite as UN News Service, Bahrain: UN rights office concerned at crackdown on human rights and political opposition groups, 21 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576a4743411.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. 21 June 2016 - Concerned at the intensification of a crackdown on free expression and association, and the right to a nationality in Bahrain, the United Nations human rights office today urged the Government to ensure those rights are protected in line with the country's obligations under international law and that civil society activists do not face undue pressure, intimidation or reprisals for their work. This call comes after the 16 June statement issued by a spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, expressing concerns at the situation in Bahrain and noting that such actions by the State authorities could potentially damage the human rights situation in the country as well as undermine the reforms undertaken by King Hamad ibn Isa Al Khalifa. Briefing to reporters in Geneva today, Ravina Shamdasani, spokesperson for the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), said Bahraini authorities have in recent weeks detained a prominent human rights defender and subjected several others to travel bans, deprived individuals of their nationality, and dissolved three organisations. Noting recent incidents in the country, Ms. Shamdasani said that yesterday, Sheikh Issa Qassem, the highest Shia authority in Bahrain, was stripped of his citizenship. He is the latest of at least 250 people who have had their nationalities revoked since July 2014, when an amendment to the citizenship law gave powers to the Interior Ministry to revoke the citizenship of an individual who "aids or is involved in the services of a hostile State" or "causes harm to the interests of the Kingdom or acts in a way that contravenes his duty of loyalty to it." She also said that last week, five Shia clerics were interrogated, and Friday prayers by Shia mosques were suspended until further notice, as mosque leaders said they felt "unsafe." This followed the sentencing of Sheikh Ali Salman, the leader of al-Wefaq, the country's largest opposition political grouping, to nine years' imprisonment on 30 May. Two other non-profit associations were also suspended on claims of illegal fundraising and money-laundering. She further said that on 13 June, a prominent human rights defender Nabeel Rajab was arrested for "spreading false news and rumours about the internal situation in a bid to discredit Bahrain," adding that prior to his latest arrest, Rajab had been subject to a travel ban since at least January 2015. Ms. Shamdasani further noted that there appears to be a "media campaign against human rights defenders" in the country and that travel bans have been also issued against other rights defenders, including five who were reportedly planning to attend the current session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. Protests have also taken place against some of these actions. For instance, since last night, a mass protest has been taking place outside the house of Sheikh Issa Qassem in the northwest port village of Diraz. The human rights office has called on the protesters to exercise their rights peacefully and refrain from any violent acts. "It is unfortunate that instead of pressing forward with the recommendations made by the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry, which was appointed by the King in 2011, the Government has instead sought to undermine the enjoyment of civil and political rights in the country," said Ms. Shamdasani. "We call on the Government to take immediate confidence-building measures, including the release of all those who have been detained for the exercise of their human rights," she added. More than half of Yemen's population now food insecure UN Publisher UN News Service Publication Date 21 June 2016 Cite as UN News Service, More than half of Yemen's population now food insecure UN, 21 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576a476540b.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. 21 June 2016 - Vast swathes of war-torn Yemen - 19 out of 22 governorates - are facing severe food insecurity, and the situation within affected areas is likely to deteriorate if conflict persists, according to a new assessment by the United Nations and partners. The latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis confirms that over half the country's population is living in 'emergency' or 'crisis' levels of food insecurity, with some governorates seeing as much as 70 per cent of their population struggling to feed themselves. At least seven million people, a quarter of the population, are living under 'emergency' levels of food insecurity, or 'phase 4' on the five-tier IPC scale. This reflects a 15-per cent increase since June 2015. Another 7.1 million people are in a state of 'crisis,' or 'phase 3.' "The IPC results 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." Drivers of food insecurity Fuel shortages and import restrictions have reduced availability of essential food commodities in the country, which imports some 90 per cent of its staple foods. Food and fuel imports in March 2016 were the lowest since October 2015. Fuel imports satisfied only 12 per cent of the country's needs. Shortages of seeds and fertilizers have crippled crop production across Yemen, where around 50 per cent of the labour force earns their living from the agriculture sector and related activities. Two cyclones in November 2015, plus flash floods and locust swarms in April 2016 further plagued already struggling communities, limiting their ability to produce and access food. Food distribution in Yemen. Photo: WFP "Ongoing conflict, displacement and limited access to farmland and fishing sites continue to cause significant losses to agriculture and threaten farmers' livelihoods," said Salah El Hajj Hassan, Yemen Representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), stressing that it is now essential to help communities feed themselves through back-yard farming and small poultry production, among other interventions. "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, Country Director of the World Food Programme (WFP), urging parties to ensure unrestricted access for the delivery of humanitarian assistance to affected people. Malnutrition Some three million children under the age of five, and pregnant or nursing women, require services to treat or prevent acute malnutrition, the report said, citing data from the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF). Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) is at an alarming stage in most of the country's governorates, reaching levels of 25.1 per cent in Taiz Lowland and 21.7 in Al Hodeidah. The same areas have seen a significant decrease in traditional fishing - by about 75 per cent in Taiz and Al Hodeidah. In other governorates fishing operations have halved compared with 2014. Under these circumstances, both food and agricultural assistance are critical to saving lives and livelihoods across Yemen. "From January to 30 April 2016, about 3.6 million people received emergency food assistance, but the overall response is significantly underfunded," said Mr. McGoldrick, urging donors to increase humanitarian funding. Eritrea: Immediately and unconditionally release prisoners of conscience Publisher Amnesty International Publication Date 21 June 2016 Cite as Amnesty International, Eritrea: Immediately and unconditionally release prisoners of conscience, 21 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576a47b34.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. The Eritrean foreign minister's confirmation that all politicians and journalists arbitrarily arrested in 2001 are alive is welcome news but they must now be immediately and unconditionally released, said Amnesty International. In a Radio France Internationale (RFI) interview broadcast on 20 June, Foreign Minister Osman Saleh referred to the detainees as political prisoners and said "all of them are alive" and will be tried "when the government decides". The detainees, who were arrested in September 2001, included 11 politicians and 10 journalists. Until now the Eritrean authorities have refused to disclose their whereabouts or their health status to their families. "Amnesty International considers all 21 prisoners of conscience and has campaigned for their release since they were arrested 15 years ago. It is a travesty of justice that they have been held incommunicado for so long without charge or trial," said Sarah Jackson, Amnesty International's Deputy Director for East Africa, the Horn and the Great Lakes. "They must be immediately and unconditionally released as they should never have been locked up in jail in the first place." The 11 politicians - all former members of the Central Council of the ruling People's Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ) including former Foreign Minister Petros Solomon (above) - were arrested after they published an open letter to the government and President Isaias Afewerki in September 2001 calling for reform and "democratic dialogue". The journalists were arrested over the following week. "All prisoners of conscience in Eritrea must be immediately and unconditionally released. Anyone suspected of a criminal offence must be charged with a recognizable crime and tried promptly before a civilian court in accordance with international fair trial standards, or released," said Sarah Jackson. Background On the same day that the politicians were arrested, the government announced the deregistration of the entire privately-owned press, and over the following week 10 leading journalists were also arrested. Nine of the politicians and four journalists Dawit Isaak, Dawit Habtemichael, Mattewos Habteab and Wedi Itay, have previously been reported to have died in detention. The Eritrean regime has always refused to confirm these reports. 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UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. The government of Singapore should rescind its call for foreign corporations to cease sponsorship of a lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) diversity event, Human Rights Watch said today in a letter to the home affairs minister. The government's June 2016 warning to companies that sponsor the PinkDot festival, an annual LGBT gathering, sends a discriminatory message contrary to basic rights and global business standards. On June 4, thousands gathered in Singapore for the festival, an annual celebration of LGBT diversity carried out since 2009 under Singapore's stringent public assembly laws. On June 7, 2016, Singapore's Home Affairs Ministry called on corporate sponsors of the event to cease their support, saying that, "foreign entities should not interfere in our domestic issues, especially political issues or controversial social issues with political overtones LGBTI issues are one such example." "Singapore's demand that foreign companies stop sponsoring PinkDot encourages corporations to discriminate against LGBT people," said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "This is not only reprehensible toward LGBT people, but to corporations that have pledged to eliminate bias in their corporate practices." The Singapore government's statement runs counter to the responsibilities that corporations have under the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, Human Rights Watch said. Singapore is home to a growing number of companies from Asia, Europe, North America, and Latin America that recognize LGBT rights and have incorporated them into their corporate non-discrimination policies. Some of the corporations that sponsored the 2016 PinkDot festival have already responded to the government's statement by reaffirming their commitment to LGBT inclusion and nondiscrimination. In the wake of the violent attack on a gay nightclub in Orlando in the United States on June 12, in which 49 people died and over 50 were injured, a group of Singaporeans held a vigil at the place where PinkDot was held the week before. One of the organizers told the crowd: "In Singapore we have absolutely no protection from any form of discrimination or even possible hate crimes committed in the future. But you know what we are still here We won't be cast aside." On June 15, in response to the Orlando attack, Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam told reporters: "The government's duty is to protect everyone. Their race, their religion, their sexual orientation, they are not relevant in terms of the government's duty to protect." The deputy prime minister and coordinating minister for national security, Teo Chee Hean, also said on June 13: "Let us treasure the peace and harmony we enjoy in Singapore, and focus on the common humanity we share." "The government's June 7 statement to companies not only encourages discrimination against LGBT people, it threatens the fundamental rights of all Singaporeans," Adams said. "Such incitement to discrimination is a stain on the country's reputation as a welcome home for international business." Copyright notice: Copyright, Human Rights Watch Thailand: Junta Bans Referendum Monitoring Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 21 June 2016 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Thailand: Junta Bans Referendum Monitoring, 21 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576a49f74.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. Thailand's junta has forcibly blocked opposition efforts to monitor the nationwide referendum on a new constitution scheduled for August 7, 2016, Human Rights Watch said today. Prime Minister Gen. Prayut Chan-ocha, who chairs the ruling National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), indicated that anyone monitoring support for the referendum would be subject to arrest and trial before a military court. Thailand's junta should immediately revoke its arbitrary restrictions on free expression, permit open discussion of the draft constitution, and ensure a fair referendum, Human Rights Watch said. "The Thai junta is using threats and intimidation to bludgeon people into supporting a constitution that would prolong military rule," said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "The generals expect the Thai people to just shut up, obey their orders, and approve their draft constitution without any discussion or debate." The government reacted strongly to a plan by the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), known as the "Red Shirts," to set up referendum monitoring centers throughout the country. On June 18, General Prayut told the media: "I insist that those [referendum monitoring] centers can't be opened. If they open, the authorities will arrest them [UDD members]. Gatherings of more than five persons are not allowed Violation of the NCPO's order will not be tolerated." The next day, police stormed the UDD headquarters in Bangkok and forced the cancellation of a ceremony to open the nationwide monitoring campaign, claiming that the event violated the junta's ban on political gatherings. Elsewhere across Thailand, police and soldiers shut down the UDD's referendum monitoring centers. Military officers summoned some local UDD leaders and ordered them not to engage in referendum monitoring activities or face charges before military courts. International human rights law protects the rights of Thai people to express publicly their views on the draft constitution and to vote freely, Human Rights Watch said. But the conditions for the upcoming referendum hinder fair public discussion. For many Thais the only source of information about the draft constitution comes from the junta-appointed Constitution Drafting Commission, the military, the Election Commission, and other government agencies all of which have taken the position that the proposed constitution would benefit the Thai people. At the same time, the junta has refused to allow most seminars, conferences, and other public events that would encourage meaningful public discussion and debate about the draft constitution. The NCPO has also actively suppressed the views of those who are openly critical of the draft constitution, Human Rights Watch said. On April 19, General Prayut said that opponents of the draft constitution "have no rights to say that they disagree I don't allow anyone to debate or hold a press conference about the draft constitution. Yet they still disobey my orders. They will be arrested and jailed for 10 years. No one will be exempted when the Referendum Act becomes effective. Not even the media." On April 18, the authorities arrested Watana Muangsook, a prominent Pheu Thai party member and former government minister, for posting commentary on his Facebook page that he would reject the draft constitution. The election commissioner of Thailand, Somchai Srisuthiyakorn, said on June 9 that more than 20 anti-junta activists performing in a music video urging voters to reject the draft constitution might be arrested. On June 18, General Prayut told the media that he had ordered the authorities to consider taking legal action against anyone who wears T-shirts or posts Facebook messages saying that they reject the constitution. The junta's intolerance for opposition to the draft constitution raises concerns of heightened repression prior to the referendum, Human Rights Watch said. Since the military coup in May 2014, the junta has broadly and arbitrarily interpreted peaceful criticism and dissenting opinion to be "false information" and a threat to national security. Article 61 of the 2016 Referendum Act, which governs the referendum process, criminalizes "anyone who disseminates text, pictures or sounds that are inconsistent with the truth or in a violent, aggressive, rude, inciting or threatening manner aimed at preventing a voter from casting a ballot or vote in any direction or to not vote." Violators face imprisonment up to 10 years, fines up to 200,000 baht (US$5,600), and loss of voting rights for 10 years. On June 6, the Office of the Ombudsmen filed a case with the Constitutional Court to rule on whether this article violates the right to freedom of expression endorsed in the 2014 interim constitution. A decision is expected by mid-July. "The UN and Thailand's friends around the world should publicly make clear to Bangkok that they will only recognize a referendum that meets international standards," Adams said. "A free and fair referendum affecting Thailand's future can't be held when the rights of people to speak and exchange their views is suppressed." Copyright notice: Copyright, Human Rights Watch Bahrain: Senior Cleric Faces Deportation Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 22 June 2016 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Bahrain: Senior Cleric Faces Deportation, 22 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576a4bcb4.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. Bahraini authorities should reverse their decision to arbitrarily strip the citizenship of a senior cleric. They should also immediately release a prominent rights activist jailed on June 13, on charges that clearly violate freedom of expression. In a Bahrain News Agency statement on June 20, 2016, the Interior Ministry said it was revoking the citizenship of Sheikh Isa Qasim, considered the spiritual leader of the main opposition group, Al Wifaq. It accused him of "creating an extremist sectarian environment" and saying he had "encouraged sectarianism and violence." "Bahrain's government and ruling family are slamming shut the door on political reform, while simultaneously stoking dissent," said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director. "Bahrain's allies in Washington and London should be unequivocal and public in their condemnation and make it clear that these provocations will have an impact on military assistance and strategic relations." On June 21, a public prosecutor extended the detention of Nabeel Rajab, the rights activist, for eight days. He faces charges of "spreading false newsin a bid to discredit Bahrain" under article 134 of the penal code. The authorities have not made clear what comments form the basis for the charges. On June 14, Bahraini authorities issued an "expedited" ruling to close Al Wifaq's headquarters, seize its funds, and suspend its activities. The authorities have produced no evidence to support their allegations against Sheikh Qasim, nor have they produced evidence to support the decision to dissolve Al Wifaq, which was a leading signatory of a declaration of non-violence, issued in 2012 by Bahrain's opposition groups. The group's leaders regularly urge protesters to remain peaceful and condemn violent attacks against security forces. A vaguely-worded 2014 amendment to article 10 of the Bahraini citizenship law of 1963 allows the Interior Ministry to revoke citizenship from any person who "caused harm to the interests of the Kingdom or behaved in a way inimical with the duty of loyalty to it." In December 2015, Bahrain's courts effectively granted the Interior Ministry full discretion to revoke the citizenship of any Bahraini, stating that "it is established that the decision to revoke citizenship may be proved by any incident or evidence without a requirement for a specific means of proof." Rajab is a member of the Human Rights Watch Middle East advisory committee. His family told Human Rights Watch that his jailors are keeping him in solitary confinement in Riffa police station in an unsanitary prison cell that is affecting his health and well-being. "The authorities clearly intend to punish Nabeel Rajab by isolating him as if he were a dangerous criminal, and in degrading conditions," Stork said. Rajab could also face two outstanding charges: one for "offending national institutions," under article 216 of Bahrain's penal code, based on his social media comments in March 2015, about the alleged torture of detainees in Jaw Prison; and the other for allegedly "disseminating false rumors in times of war," under article 133, based on his social media posts criticizing air strikes in Yemen by the Saudi-led coalition, which includes Bahrain. Violations of article 134 carry a minimum sentence of three months in prison; violations of article 133 carry a possible sentence of up to 10 years in prison; and article 216 violations carry a sentence of up to three years. All of these charges manifestly violate Rajab's right to freedom of expression, and Bahrain's obligations under the International Covenant for Civil and Political Rights. Rajab had earlier been imprisoned from April 2, 2014, to July 13, 2014, on charges of "offending national institutions," which related to his criticism of the government on social media. A public prosecutor imposed a travel ban on Rajab on the day King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa pardoned him. Since the beginning of 2015, authorities have stripped more than 200 Bahrainis of their citizenship, leaving many of them stateless. They include more than 30 human rights defenders, political activists, journalists, doctors, and religious scholars, as well as people convicted of terrorism and others who have fought for the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. Article 29 of the Arab Charter on Human Rights, which Bahrain has ratified, states that "Every person has the right to a nationality, and no citizen shall be deprived of his nationality without a legally valid reason." "It will not be difficult for historians to pinpoint the escalation of abuses that marked the end of Bahrain's claim that it has any regard for fundamental rights," Stork said. Copyright notice: Copyright, Human Rights Watch Moldova: Reject 'Gay Propaganda' Law Publisher Human Rights Watch Publication Date 21 June 2016 Cite as Human Rights Watch, Moldova: Reject 'Gay Propaganda' Law, 21 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576a4c6e4.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. The Moldovan parliament should reject a bill to introduce discriminatory anti-gay "propaganda" clauses in national law, Human Rights Watch said today in a letter to lawmakers. The bill is similar to those proposed in other countries in recent years that have been roundly criticized by regional and international human rights bodies. "Moldovan legislators should put the need to protect people from bias, as well as the country's constitution, and international law ahead of their personal views," said Boris Dittrich, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) rights advocacy director at Human Rights Watch. "By rejecting this bill, Moldova can demonstrate to its citizens and international partners that there is no place for prejudice in its laws." The draft legislation pending in parliament would amend two national laws. It would add a paragraph to Article 21 of the Law on the Rights of a Child that reads: "The state ensures protection of a child from the propaganda of homosexuality for any purpose and under any form." It would also amend Article 88 of the Code of Administrative Offenses to define "propaganda of homosexuality" as: "Propaganda of homosexual relations among minors by means of assemblies, mass media, Internet, brochures, booklets, images, audio-video clips, films and/or audio-video recordings, via sound recording, amplifiers or other means of sound amplification." The bill would impose fines for individuals and organizations found in violation, and would be primarily enforced by the police. The provisions of the bill would violate the rights to freedom of expression and assembly, as well as create an environment of state-promoted discrimination against LGBT people, Human Rights Watch said. This would include discrimination against LGBT children, by restricting their access to information necessary for them to make critical decisions about their lives and health. Moldova's parliament has previously amendednational laws to include other clauses similar to those currently under debate. In 2013, parliament passed a bill to amend the Code of Administrative Offenses featuring language that activists felt could be interpreted as a prohibition on the dissemination of information about sexual orientation and gender identity, namely: "propagation of any other relations than those related to marriage or family." Three months after it was passed, in October 2013, parliament annulled the bill, removing the discriminatory clauses. In May 2016, representatives from Moldova's Education Ministry attended UNESCO's inter-ministerial conference in Paris. Moldova was one of 27 countries there to publicly call for an end to school-based violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. "Rhetoric about 'protecting children' around this ill-conceived bill, cynically misuses children's rights to perpetuate the falsehood that to be gay or lesbian is to be a danger to children," Dittrich said. "This way of thinking ignores the rights and needs of children themselves, including LGBT children, to access information about themselves and indeed that positive, affirming information about sexual orientation and gender identity can be life-saving." Copyright notice: Copyright, Human Rights Watch Should I stay or should I go? Publisher IRIN Author David Doyle Publication Date 20 June 2016 Cite as IRIN, Should I stay or should I go?, 20 June 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/576a50504.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. The aroma of roasting coffee beans filters through Jladdy's hut, nestled into a jungle-covered hill in the Mae La refugee camp in northern Thailand. Crouched over the roasting tin, he laughs when he recalls his arrival more than 20 years ago. "I thought we would stay here for a week, not years," says Jladdy, who fled across the border in 1994 when government soldiers arrived in his ethnic Karen village in Myanmar. He is one of 105,261 refugees from Myanmar that the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, says remain in nine camps in Thailand after escaping the ethnic wars that have bedevilled their home country for six decades. Their long stay in Thailand may now be coming to an end. Myanmar's new government has told IRIN it will soon announce a plan to repatriate the refugees in Thailand. This plan is timely as international donations and resettlement spots in other countries are drying up due to other refugee crises around the world. Zaw Htay, a spokesman for the office of President Htin Kyaw, said the plan will be made public after Foreign Minister and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi visits the refugee camps later this week "to find out more about their issues, difficulties, and concerns". "Wait for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to visit, and we will announce more after that," he told IRIN. Big changes, little trust Aung San Suu Kyi is likely to discover that the refugees do not want to go home - at least not yet. The past few years have seen historic changes in Myanmar. After almost half a century of unbroken military rule, the generals running the country initiated sweeping political and economic reforms in 2011. Once persecuted and imprisoned for their struggle against the military, Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy party swept elections last November and now run the government. The reforms have their limits, however. The constitution drafted by the military in 2008 grants a quarter of parliamentary seats to serving officers, as well as control over key ministries. The military also retains leadership over the peace process, which is meant to resolve conflicts with about two dozen ethnic armies. Only eight of the 15 groups invited to sign a "nationwide ceasefire agreement" last October did so, while scores were excluded. Fighting still rages in many ethnic areas where government troops are accused of committing abuses against civilians. "I cannot trust what Aung San Suu Kyi says, as the military also has power," said Jladdy. The Karen National Union, which fought the ethnic Bama-dominated military, did sign the ceasefire agreement, and fighting has stopped in Jladdy's homeland of Karen State. But that provides little reassurance in the long term. "In my opinion, in the future there will be more war," he said. "It won't be better." Many refugees share that scepticism, according to a survey carried out by UNHCR in 2014. Most respondents said they did not want to return to Myanmar, instead preferring to stay in Thailand or be resettled to a different country. "Words alone won't encourage people," said Sally Thompson, executive director of The Border Consortium, one of the largest NGOs working across the nine camps. "They need to see real change on the ground. They fled from the military and suspicions still run deep." Fewer options But the refugees are running out of options. The Border Consortium has seen international donations fall from 820 million Thai baht (about $23 million) over 2015 to an estimated 605 million Thai baht for 2016 - a fall of 26 percent. One consequence of reduced support is that the refugees now receive less food: rice rations have declined from 16 kilograms per person each month to nine kilograms. "If we reduced it any further then we would have nutritional concerns, health concerns," said Thompson. Faced with an unprecedented global refugee crisis, donors are directing funding to other areas and resettlement spaces are running out for Myanmar refugees, especially in light of the recent reforms. With ongoing conflicts in countries including Syria, Yemen, and Afghanistan, global displacement has hit a record high, UNHCR said in an annual report today. There are 65.3 million people displaced worldwide, of whom 21.3 million are refugees. The rest are displaced within the borders of their home countries. There were also more new asylum claims in 2015 than in any previous year. "In a situation where there are only a certain number of resettlement places available, countries have to examine factors such as humanitarian need, and then they have to prioritise," explained David John, a senior regional programme coordinator with the International Organization for Migration in Thailand. After Afghanistan, Myanmar is the second-largest source of refugees and internally displaced people in Asia, with almost one million in total, according to the UNHCR report. And yet, due to the political progress in their home country, Myanmar refugees are now less likely than ever to have their asylum claims accepted. The United States, which refers to Myanmar by its former name, Burma, has taken in 85,000 refugees over the years. But a State Department spokesperson told IRIN that it is winding down its resettlement programme. "We have reached the natural conclusion of the programme that has specific eligibility criteria for Burmese refugees," said the spokesperson. Tough choices At IOM's resettlement processing centre, south of Mae La, refugees boarded a double-decker bus, the first leg of their journey to a new life in the US. "Burma does not feel like home; the camp does not feel like home," said Doh Htoo. "We will go to America and try to make this our home." He and his family were lucky enough to have been registered as refugees in 2005 and processed for resettlement. But they are among the very last who will have that opportunity. Instead, refugees who remain in Thailand have two options: stay in the camps as funding and services dry up, or return to Myanmar and face an uncertain future. Community leaders discuss future of mental health services in Morgan County A large crowd gathered at First Christian Church to learn about local efforts that are underway to manage growing mental health pressures facing the city and all of Morgan County. UPDATE: Stetson Bigham donated $426, raised over two days from his lemonade stand, to the United Methodist Food Pantry Tuesday evening. The donation will buy nearly 3,000 pounds of food according to Executive Director Jean Butler. ORIGINAL STORY: Ten-year-old Stetson Bigham's thirst-quenching lemonade is going a long way to fight hunger. The Wylie fifth-grader is giving all the proceeds from his lemonade stand at his home to the United Methodist Food Pantry. The stand is no longer in operation, but thanks to social media and publicity, Stetson raised a total of about $400 Monday and Tuesday. 'Originally, I wasn't going to do this for charity,' Stetson said. 'But then I decided to do it for the food pantry. It makes me feel good to help.' His mother, Misty Bigham, said she was 'really proud of him to do this, to do something to help others out.' Stetson has become somewhat of a celebrity since an Abilene police officer stopped by and visited with Stetson, and his brother Pearce, 4, and sister Taryn Rea, 2. The officer left a nice donation for the cause. A neighbor posted on Facebook about the visit and since then Stetson has been interviewed on television. The publicity helped the cause. Misty Bigham said people have come from Coleman to get lemonade and a man was waiting at the door before the stand opened Tuesday morning. As for the lemonade, Stetson said, 'I think it tasted very good.' Victor Cristales/Reporter-News James Griffing crosses the intersection of S. La Salle Drive and Waldemar St on his way home from school on Thursday, April 8, 2010. Readers who responded to our survey about their experiences with roads in Abilene indentified Waldemar as one of the worst. Griffing, who travels the street regularly, said he took a tumble when he hit a pothole while riding his bicycle on it in October of last year. SHARE By Brooke Crum of the Abilene Reporter News Several Abilene residents and council members at Tuesday night's City Council meeting balked at a proposed street maintenance fee that would be added to water bills to fund road repairs. With already "high" water bills, councilmen and those who spoke during the public hearing at the special called meeting said adding an extra fee could hurt residents living on fixed incomes and that perhaps the issue should be decided by voters. Without voting on the proposal, the board agreed that the first step in addressing Abilene's infrastructure needs will be a pavement management study to determine the condition of the city's streets. "This tool will give us a blueprint on our street conditions," City Manager Robert Hanna said. "Every street in Abilene will be assigned a grade. Then there will be a dollar amount that we extrapolate that to." The pavement management study will allow the city to estimate the "real cost of the street maintenance program," which in turn will help the city calculate whether it has adequate staff to complete the repairs that arise, Hanna said. Then the city could determine how long the repairs would take and split up the costs over several years, if necessary. The City Council authorized funds for the pavement management study in April, said James Childers, assistant city manager. A cost estimate was not available at that time. Childers said the city issued a request June 12 for proposals for vendors to conduct the study. He said he expects to receive responses in a few weeks, but the study likely would not be completed until March or April. Several Texas cities, ranging in population size, have implemented a street maintenance fee, Childers said, including Austin, Corpus Christi and Bryan. Each city calculates the fee differently for residential and commercial properties. But not many cities have adopted such a fee, he said. The four Abilenians who spoke during the public hearing said they were reluctant to have another fee added to their water bills. Marian Whitehurst said she was speaking for many "senior citizens" in her neighborhood who have fixed incomes. She asked the council to consider them when discussing this potential fee, given the fact that water bills and property taxes continue to increase, she said. Ryan Marrs, a former candidate for City Council, said he "questioned the wisdom of adding another fee or tax" to pay for something that already should have been budgeted for. Kevin Cooper said he agreed the streets in Abilene are "atrocious," but the city should be certain it can spend the funds it collects through the fees, should they be adopted. He said he did not want to be taxed to feed a "war chest." "If I'm going to give you a fee to do that, you need to spend it for that purpose, and you need to spend it all every single year," Cooper said. "If people don't see what's going on, where's the trust going to go?" Cooper said he thought the decision should be put to the voters. Councilmen Steve Savage and Shane Price agreed, although Savage said he was not in favor of any new taxes or fees. "Giving the voters the opportunity to provide us direction on that is important as this is a change in how we fund the streets," Price said. The council will conduct its regular meeting at 8:30 a.m. Thursday. Twitter: BrookeCrum_ARN As the Abilene City Council considers a potential ordinance to ban texting while driving, cities that have instituted such a ban including San Angelo, Snyder, Stephenville and Sweetwater are evaluating the effectiveness of their ordinances. Sweetwater Police Chief Brian Frieda said his officers primarily are focused on educating the public about the city's ordinance, which has been in effect since September 2015. 'It's definitely not about the money,' said Frieda, who noted that violators face up to a $200 fine if cited for texting while driving. 'We are trying to educate first, then cite as needed. We want to educate the motoring public about what we do when we are behind the wheel, and then encourage them to pull over where it is safe to take care of the issue.' Frieda said his department has yet to issue a citation for violation of the ban. Stephenville's ban on texting while driving has been in effect since April 2010, but a police official said the ordinance, though important, can be challenging to enforce. 'Unless we can tie it to the likely cause of a traffic accident, the only way we can give a warning or write a citation is if the officer actually observes the person texting and driving,' said Sgt. Sha King, public information officer for the Stephenville Police Department. King noted that in 2015, the department issued six warnings and six citations. 'So far this year, we've issued only two warnings and two citations,' King said. The city of San Angelo approved a ban on texting while driving in January. According to the ordinance, it is illegal to compose or read a text message or email while driving even when stopped at a red light. Drivers are, however, still allowed to use their phone to make and receive phone calls or use GPS navigation. 'The only way we can stop a possible offender for violation of the ordinance is to observe them in violation,' said Officer Tracy Gonzales, public information officer for the San Angelo Police Department. 'If we believe there is cause to suspect texting (while) driving contributed to an accident, we can also issue a warning or citation.' In San Angelo, violating the ordinance can result in a fine of up to $500. Melanie Mitchell, municipal court administrator, said no citations have been issued since the ordinance became effective; 14 warnings have been issued. In Snyder, Police Chief Terry Luecke said the city's ordinance, which went into effect in December 2014, has had a positive impact on texting while driving. 'While it is tough at times to tell if they are just making a call versus texting, I rarely see anyone using their phone in a manner that would cause me to wonder if they were texting,' Luecke said. Luecke said the department has issued no citations or warnings for texting outside school zones. Thirty-four citations, however, have been issued for violations inside school zones. Education drivers about the ordinance also has proved to be a lengthy process, officials said. In Stephenville, there are no street signs outside the school zones notifying drivers of the ban. In Sweetwater, Frieda said it took some time, but city officials worked with the Texas Department of Transportation to get approval to put up signs at each point where a U.S. or state highway enters the city limits. 'The ordinance has been well-received, and I believe it is making an impact, simply by having the law on the books,' Frieda said. 'Ultimately, we really just want people to think before they pick up their phones to text or email. Safety is the key.' CNN, in what we hope will be a trend, is hosting a town hall Wednesday with the Libertarian ticket, former New Mexico governor Gary Johnson and former Massachusetts governor Bill Weld. Considering how poorly Donald Trump is doing, the Libertarian ticket stands to gain a record share of the vote and offers voters from both major parties an alternative to 'holding their noses' or not voting for president. The Libertarians deserve real, substantive questions (as opposed to 'Do you really think you can win?'). For one thing, they differ with both major-party candidates on several issues that deserve exploration. Why is free trade a good thing for our economy? What can you tell workers displaced in certain industries? You want to legalize marijuana. What about sales to children? Why not heroin? On foreign policy, what should we do if Iran proceeds to build a nuclear weapon? Short of military action, what steps would you favor to curtail its support for terrorism and its regional aggression? Doesn't the emergence of failed states and the burgeoning of the Islamic State under President Barack Obama suggest that when we withdraw, dangerous vacuums emerge that become havens and launchpads for the Islamic State? If Congress voted for it, would you support a war with limited numbers of troops in conjunction with larger numbers of Arab troops to root out the terrorists and thereby eliminate the inspiration for lone wolves? Why should we spend less on defense when the threats to America are multiplying? Do you favor hiring more FBI investigators to question and track suspected terrorists? Should those suspected and questioned about potential terrorism be allowed to buy a gun? Do you favor curtailing existing background checks? Much more interesting may be hearing their critiques of the two other candidates. Neither have been entirely forthcoming (Hillary Clinton on her speeches, Trump on his taxes) and both have long-standing ties to Wall Street. A number of questions would be illuminating: Will you release your tax returns? Should RNC delegates demand Trump release his tax returns? Is there a problem electing a multimillionaire or a purported billionaire as president? What do these candidates not understand that you do about 'everyday Americans'? What examples of cronyism in government would you eliminate? Finally, this would be a time to discuss some of the fundamentals of Libertarians and some of the assumptions on which the party is built. Libertarians such as Richard Epstein argue that a robust foreign policy and military are not inconsistent with libertarian philosophy since these are areas of government spelled out in the Constitution and which states and individuals cannot undertake on their own. Is he right? In a post-9/11 world, is it a necessity to have a proactive foreign policy aimed at eradicating terrorists overseas before they come to our shores? Do you think trade and mutual understanding are real solutions to jihadists or to aggressive states such as Russia and Iran? What social safety net should the federal government have? A thriving economy does not necessarily eliminate poverty. Should we do more, and if so, what? Neither of the major-party candidates is proposing entitlement reform or budget discipline. That alone should invite some discussion with the Libertarian ticket: How much government do we need? Can we afford? In contrast with the presumptive GOP nominee, they may have something enlightening to say. Jennifer Rubin writes for The Washington Post Writers Group. SHARE Twelve people already are scheduled for visits to the dentist this weekend. The 12 are veterans, and for six hours Saturday, Aspen Dental will be giving each one free procedure. Locations across the country are participating about 300 did last year, when the program began. This is the first year the local office, located northwest from the Mall of Abilene and open since December 2012, is participating. "We want to take care of veterans since they have taken care of us," office manager Brett Dobbs told us Tuesday. A release to the media stated that less than half of veterans are enrolled in benefits programs through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. That coverage for many who are enrolled does not cover dental care. A dentist from Lubbock will be in Abilene for the service. He will be in New York on Friday, Dobbs said, and is flying back to Texas to see patients here. This is not a checkup. The patients, for the most part from Abilene, has some sort of pain issue that will be taken care of Saturday. Hopefully, there is a candidate from this group to be outfitted later with free dentures. Services offered Saturday include X-rays, fillings and extractions. The office typically is open one Saturday a month. That day already has come, so this is a second day of weekend service. Veterans were asked to call 844-277-3646 to schedule an appointment. For those who could not be seen Saturday, now that the schedule is full, Dobbs advised to call anyway and be worked in when there are openings during regular days of operation. Dental offices in Abilene have a reputation for offering free services to ensure oral health. This includes youngsters, the uninsured and now veterans. It should put a smile on all our faces. It would take something major to miss high school graduation and something major was happening in the life of Corbin Cabrera the day his Cooper High School classmates walked the stage. Instead of hearing his name called May 28 at the Taylor County Coliseum, Corbin was in Washington, D.C., participating in a program for people who lost a loved one in battle. Lt. Col. David Cabrera, Corbin's father, was killed in a suicide bombing incident in Afghanistan Oct. 29, 2011, just a month after arriving with his Army unit. Corbin knew for a long time that his high school graduation would fall on the same weekend as the annual meeting of the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), which was founded in 1994 to offer support to people who lost a loved one in military service. He also knew for a long time that he would choose the TAPS meeting, his third consecutive time to attend and his last as the one on the receiving end. Beginning next year, Corbin will serve as a mentor at the camp, which is held Memorial Day weekend every year. He didn't even have to give his decision much thought. 'I was going to miss graduation for TAPS no matter what,' he said. As it turned out, Corbin and two other graduating seniors at the TAPS camp didn't miss out entirely. Thanks to Corbin's mentor, a man he admires and wants to model his service after, something special happened at the three-day camp. Daniel Davenport, a 31-year-old staff sergeant in the Army, was paired with Corbin two years ago, Corbin's first year to attend the camp. Davenport, who is assigned to the White House Communications Agency, knew Corbin would be graduating this year he just didn't realize it was the same weekend as the TAPS camp. He called Corbin in Abilene, wanting to know when the graduation would be so that he could attend. He couldn't believe what he heard. 'It was surprising,' Davenport said of the coinciding dates. Davenport started checking with other mentors and found out that three of the 18 seniors at the camp would be missing graduation. He got on the phone with TAPS officials and told them they had to do something extra for those campers. 'That's like a pillar in everyone's life,' Davenport said of high school graduation. So, when the graduating seniors arrived for camp, they learned that each of the three days would feature something special just for them. They had a luau party, they got special T-shirts and caps and gowns. 'We had a walking-across-the stage ceremony,' Davenport said. Once Corbin returned home to Abilene, he got his Cooper High School diploma in the mail. He also 'graduated' out of the TAPS program. In the future, he will be a mentor like Davenport. And, he has the full backing of Davenport, someone he plans to stay in touch with the rest of his life. 'I think he's going to do great,' Davenport said. Also attending the TAPS camp were Corbin's mother, Angela Cabrera, and his sister, Gillian Cabrera, who will be a senior at Cooper in the fall. This was the first year for them to attend and they were impressed with what they saw. 'It's nice being around people who have gone through the same thing we have,' Gillian said. Corbin and Gillian were students at Madison Middle School in 2011, the year their father was killed. Their parents had divorced in 2000 and it was their father's wife who called and left a message for Angela to get in touch. 'I could tell by her voice that something was wrong,' Angela recalled. 'I don't know if she had to say the words.' Corbin and Gillian, 13 and 12 at the time, also knew something was wrong when their mother returned the call, even though she did so in the privacy of her bedroom. 'We kind of knew what had happened,' Corbin said, but they thought one of their grandparents had died, not their father. A casualty officer and a chaplain from the Army soon arrived at their doorstep to begin the grief process and to assist as they could. The family chose Arlington National Cemetery for the burial, although that wouldn't take place until June 2012, following several memorial services in various places. David Cabrera was a 1992 graduate of Texas A&M University, with a degree in psychology. He later earned a degree in social work from the University of Texas at Arlington and found a job in Florida. That was followed by joining the Army in 1996, serving as a psychologist. After basic training at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Cabrera was assigned to a stint in Germany. Corbin was born there in 1998 and Gillian in 1999. The year Gillian was born, they were transferred to Fort Lewis in Washington state. Following the divorce in 2000, Angela and the two children returned to Abilene, home of Angela's parents, Jim and Mary Pizzorno. Two years ago, the family learned about TAPS and Corbin agreed to attend the camp. He wasn't enthusiastic about it to begin with, thinking it would be 'stupid,' but that changed quickly. 'I went,' he said, 'and I loved it.' The three-day 'Good Grief' camp mixes fun outings with group sessions where the youngsters learn how to cope with the loss of a parent. Nothing is held back. The youngsters are encouraged to talk about their experience, helping themselves and one another. 'It just gets everything out there,' Corbin said. Another benefit Corbin learned about through TAPS is a scholarship available to all children of someone killed in action. The scholarship, named for Marine Gunnery Sgt. John D. Fry, covers up to $17,500 in state tuition, an allowance of up to $1,000 a year for books, a stipend, and 36 months of benefits. Corbin will use his scholarship at Texas A&M, following in his dad's footsteps. He plans to major in business and minor in psychology, eventually earning a doctorate in psychology. Because of his own experience, he plans to work with children who have lost a parent in the military. He will get some experience mentoring those children beginning next Memorial Day weekend, when he will return to Washington, D.C., as a mentor with TAPS. He wants to connect with a child and continue that connection for a lifetime, like the one he has with his mentor. 'The connection is really the best thing,' he said of his TAPS experience. Gillian Cabrera understands that sentiment and already sees herself following in her brother's footsteps. Cooper High School graduation is scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday, May 27, 2017, the beginning of the Memorial Day weekend. Like her brother, Gillian will just have to get her high school diploma in the mail. 'I'm going to TAPS,' she said. Beginning Friday, Taylor County deputies will be working overtime patrolling rural roads to ensure motorists stay safe. According to a news release from the TCSO, officers working in the Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (STEP) will be using radar to detect and apprehend drivers traveling unsafe speeds on local roadways. At the same time, they will also watch for drivers who appear to be impaired, and are suspected of driving while intoxicated. The Texas Department of Transportation provided a grant for the additional patrols which will last through July 5. Its website notes that a person is hurt or killed in Texas every 20 minutes in an alcohol-involved crash. A driver in Texas found to have a 0.08 blood or breath alcohol concentration (BAC) has committed the offense of DWI, and faces a range of punishment, depending on how many times they've been convicted of DWI and other factors. A first offense DWI brings with it three to 180 days in jail and a $2,000 fine. Additionally, the person's driver's license is suspended for up to a year. A third offense can result in two to 10 years in prison, a $10,000 fine, and a DL suspension for up to two years. After two or more DWI convictions in five years, the person must install a restrictive ignition switch in their vehicle, which prevents the vehicle from being operated by a driver who has been drinking an alcoholic beverage. 'Additionally, a driver impaired by drugs, illegal or otherwise, is also committing the offense of DWI,' said Lt. John Cummins of the Taylor County Sheriff's Office.' Our officers continue to make arrests of drivers for DWI, where they don't have a BAC but are found to be intoxicated due to illegal drug use. The bottom line is that before getting behind the wheel of a vehicle, people need to make sure they're not impaired in any way.' Advertisement - Continue Reading Below This just in... The ruling Chinese Communist Party's powerful propaganda department has issued a directive to all media outlets and websites ordering them to delete news stories, photos and video of the protests, which were sparked by the arrest of Lin Zuluan, a former village chief who spearheaded earlier protests over lost farmland in 2011. "Regarding former village committee chief of Wukan, Guangdong, Lin Zuluan being investigated and admitting his guilt, websites are strictly prohibited from releasing or republishing any news, photos, video, or information related to the mass incident in the village," a June 21 leaked propaganda directive, translated by the U.S.-based China Digital Times website, said. "All websites are to strictly control related commentary, firmly punish the accounts of those who maliciously distribute information, and report progress to superiors," the order said. The ban comes as authorities on the ground in Wukan declared all reporting in Wukan to be "illegal." A leaked internal document from the propaganda department of the Guangdong provincial government accused overseas media outlets including Hong Kong's pro-democracy Apple Daily newspaper, CNN, the BBC and the Associated Press of "fabricating rumors" from the scene. And an official from Lufeng city, which administers Wukan but was overruled by provincial authorities during the 2011 protests, accused Apple Daily and other media of "directing, planning and inciting" the recent protests. Fourth day of protests Protests in Wukan on Wednesday entered their fourth day following Lin's detention in a surprise raid on his home by armed police last Friday. Tensions remain high as riot police encircled the village, where recent demonstrations have reignited a bitter land dispute that saw days of street protests and clashes in 2011. "It's very hard to get into the village now, because they are stopping anyone from coming in, and also from leaving," a Wukan resident surnamed Chen told RFA on Wednesday. "They won't even let you top up your cell phone credit," he said. "There are no more top-up cards on sale here." Lin's grandson Lin Liyi was also detained on Monday, before being released 12 hours later after speaking to overseas journalists who have been blamed by local officials for "inciting, planning and directing" the protests in Wukan. Residents of Wukan, a fishing village that lost much of its land to private development under the rule of its former party secretary, rejected Lin's televised "confession" to bribery, with around 1,000 people taking to the streets on Wednesday despite of sweltering heat, local sources said. Photos taken by eyewitnesses and sent to RFA showed dozens of primary school children waving banners on the village streets. Public wants more details Fujian-based online commentator Zhuang Lei said many Chinese people want to know morenot lessdetail about whats going on in Wukan. "As citizens, we want fairness, justice and transparency to prevail in the Wukan incident," Zhuang said. "These fellow citizens of ours have already suffered enough, and we feel a great deal of compassion for them." "But now the authorities have clamped down so hard on it that we have no way of finding out what's going on," he said. "If we have got something wrong, then the official media ought to clarify the situation and provide more information, not less." Beijing-based rights activist Hu Jia said there is scant news in the Chinese media after a concerted ideological campaign launched by President Xi Jinping earlier this year, and amid an ever-widening crackdown on anyone who criticizes the government. "News has been eradicated," Hu said, drawing parallels with Nazi-era Germany. "It's all just propaganda now." "The role of the media in China has been defined by, distorted by, its role as the mouthpiece of the party," he said. Taking to the streets Lin was detained ahead of a planned public meeting to discuss further protests over farmland which has yet to be returned to local residents despite promises made following clashes in 2011. Some 3,000 local residents took to the streets last Sunday, waving banners and signing petitions for his release, as well as continuing the campaign for the return of their lost land. 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. Reported by Wen Yuqing for RFA's Cantonese Service, and by Xin Lin for the Mandarin Service. Translated and written in English by Luisetta Mudie. Fears are growing for Zhao Suli, the wife of detained opposition party member and rights activist Qin Yongmin, Qin's lawyer said on Wednesday. Zhao disappeared several weeks after the couple were detained in January 2015 and hasn't been seen for months, the lawyer said. Qin Yongmin, a founder member of the banned opposition China Democracy Party (CDP), is being held at a police-run detention center in the central city of Wuhan on suspicion of "incitement to subvert state power," defense lawyer Li Chunhua said after meeting with him on Monday for the first time since his detention 17 months ago. "He was in pretty good health, and he's getting five or six hours of exercise a day," Li said of Qin. But he raised concerns about the well-being of Qin's wife Zhao, who was initially detained alongside her husband. "I went to ask the Wuhan prosecutor's office about Zhao Suli, but they said they haven't got a case file with her name in it, which means that her case hasn't got as far as prosecution," Li said. "Qin Yongmin was under the impression that Zhao Suli had returned home after they were split up on March 30, 2015, so he doesn't know where she is," he said. 'Very worried' Qin's brother Qin Yongchang said he is very worried about his sister-in-law. "For the first 70 days of their detention, my brother was held with Zhao Suli, but then they transferred her somewhere else," Qin Yongchang said, adding that Qin Yongmin was sent to the Wuhan No. 2 Detention Center, his current location, at the same time. "He thought Zhao Suli had gone home, but actually she has disappeared," he said. Activist Xu Qin, who works for the China Human Rights Observer group founded by Qin Yongmin, said Zhao's disappearance is very worrying. "We have no evidence to show that Zhao Suli is even alive," Xu said. "Her family are in a state of emotional collapse, because she has been gone for more than a year." "Of course they are suspicious," he said. Xu said that two officers from the Wuhan state security police and some local police had visited Zhao Suli's sister on April 6 to tell her that Zhao Suli hadn't come home. "It is likely that something bad has happened to her, and they were trying to cover their backs." Push for information The visit came after a concerted campaign by Zhao's sister and lawyers to demand information on her whereabouts from the local authorities, Xu said. "The authorities have all along denied that they know anything about Zhao Suli's whereabouts, until eventually the stability maintenance team admitted that they had the couple in detention," he said. "They agreed to allow Zhao Suli's sister to write her a note, but when she showed up at the stability maintenance office to ask for her sister's reply, they told her that Zhao Suli didn't want to write a message back." Calls to the Wuhan municipal police department rang unanswered during office hours on Wednesday. Meanwhile, lawyer Li says the prosecution is dragging its feet on releasing Qin's case files to his defense team. "They haven't let me read the case files yet ... even though I call them on a daily basis," Li said. "They just give me excuses, saying that the chief prosecutor isn't in the office right now." 'Disappeared' status Amnesty International China researcher Patrick Poon called on the ruling Chinese Communist Party to make public Zhao's whereabouts as soon as possible. "She should be allowed to exercise her basic right to see a lawyer and to receive visits from family members," Poon said. "It seems as if her status is indeed 'disappeared.'" Qin and Zhao were initially reported missing on Jan. 19, 2015, amid unconfirmed reports that he had been tried in secret. But Qin's family and fellow activists have continued to hunt for him, and his lawyers last month tracked him down to an anonymous, numbered entry in a logbook at the Wuhan No. 2 Detention Center. The family has received no official notification of Qin's detention, and only discovered where he is being held because a lawyer they hired made a speculative application to meet with him at the detention center. Jailed before A contemporary of exiled dissident Wei Jingsheng, Qin was sentenced to eight years in prison for "counterrevolutionary propaganda and subversion" in the wake of China's Democracy Wall movement in 1981. He served a further two years' "re-education through labor" in 1993 after he penned a controversial document titled the "Peace Charter." Qin then served a 12-year jail term for subversion after he helped found the CDP in 1998 in spite of a ban on opposition political parties. According to the Civil Rights and Livelihood Watch group, China detained or placed under surveillance more than 260 people last month under its ongoing "stability maintenance" regime that seeks to clamp down on activists before they act. A draconian new National Security Law passed in July 2015 has allowed detainees to be held for up to six months at an unknown location with no contact with relatives or lawyers in cases involving subversion or spying. But rights groups say the definitions of such crimes are broad enough to allow police to use them against political dissidents and peaceful rights activists, and to place detainees at risk of torture and ill-treatment. Reported by Qiao Long for RFA's Mandarin Service, and by Hai Nan for the Cantonese Service. Translated and written in English by Luisetta Mudie. A memorandum of understanding on migrant labor that Myanmar State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi will sign with the Thai government later this week will make it easier for Myanmar migrants to work legally in Thailand, according to a copy of the documents provisions obtained by BenarNews, a sister entity of RFA. Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmars de facto leader, will begin an official three-day visit to neighboring Thailand on Thursday, during which she will meet with Thai Prime Minister General Prayuth Chan-o-cha the following day to discuss issues related to refugee repatriation and bilateral relations, especially labor and development cooperation. The two will sign a Memorandum of Understanding on the Labor Cooperation Agreement on Employment of Workers and Agreement on Border Crossing, according to Thailands Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The agreement reduces the current work-break period from three years to one month so that migrant workers will not have to return to Myanmar after working four years in Thailand, and then spend three years in their home country before they can return to work in Thailand, where they earn higher wages. Another provision specifies that Thailand will issue a certificate of identity for migrant workers at designated nationality verification centers in Myanmar to allow unimpeded travel within Thailand and between the country and Myanmar. The Migrant Workers Rights Network (MWRN), an organization for migrant workers from Myanmar who live and work mainly in Thailand, opposes the issuance of the certificates, arguing the process will be costly and prone to corruption. After officials from Myanmar and Thailand met in February, Thailand began reissuing temporary pink cards to undocumented migrant workers and to those whose passports and work visas were about to expire, the Myanmar Times reported. They extended the validity of the cards for two years with a possible two-year renewal, giving migrants more time to obtain permanent legal documents from Myanmar. The MOU also says the two countries will improve protections provided to Myanmar migrant workers entering Thailand legally, and will create a committee to finalize processes on the issuance of documents for migrant workers, migration costs, and measures to prevent exploitation. The agreement also calls for the establishment of entry and departure centers to educate Myanmar migrant workers on Thailands customs, culture, and laws, and for migrant coordination centers to assist abused workers according to Thai law and procedures. Myanmar puts the number of migrant workers living in Thailand at 4 million with only half legally registered to work there, while Thailands Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare puts the number at more than 1.4 million, with most from the Karen, Mon, and Shan ethnic minority groups. Many migrant workers are at risk in Thailand of being trafficked as sex workers or for hard labor on fishing boats. Granting the largely undocumented Myanmar workforce in Thailand permanent status has been the subject of negotiations between the two countries. Seafood industry workers Aung San Suu Kyi, who also holds the title of foreign minister and minister of the Presidents Office, will begin her three-day state visit in the Thai capital Bangkok. She will then go to the heavily Myanmar-populated Mahachai district of central Thailands Samut Sakhon province outside Bangkok to address about 3,000 migrant laborers who work in the seafood industry. Thirteen Thailand-based activist groups for workers have arranged for the migrant laborers to attend the meeting and ask Aung San Suu Kyi questions. About 500 people will be permitted inside the hall where she will speak, while the rest will watch her on large screens outside. Many workers in Mahachai, one of Thailands main seafood distribution centers, are taking off work to hear Aung San Suu Kyis address and tell her that they want to be able to renew their passports in Thailand rather than have to travel back home to do so. The workers say that the combined trip and renewal fee are costly, and that some have lost their jobs in Mahachai waiting for their documents to be processed in Myanmar. In the meantime, local Thai authorities have cancelled Aung San Suu Kyis visit on Saturday to the Tham Hin refugee camp in Ratchaburi province, west of Bangkok, the online journal The Irrawaddy reported, citing sources close to the camp administration, who declined to be named because of the sensitivity of issues concerning the camp. No reason was given for the cancellation of the camp visit, the report said. More than 6,000 Myanmar refugees live at the camp, which is the second-smallest of nine refugee camps along the Thailand-Myanmar border, it said. Reported by RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. U.N. Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar Yanghee Lee (C) speaks at a press conference prior to her departure from Yangon, July 26, 2014. A United Nations human rights envoy to Myanmar met on Wednesday with Muslim and Buddhist residents of the countrys troubled Rakhine state at the airport in the state capital Sittwe, though the states dominant local political party turned down her invitation for a discussion. I come here as I did on my very first trip as a true friend of Rakhine, said Yanghee Lee, the U.N.s special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar. Lee is on a 12-day visit to the country through July 1 to address a range of human rights issues with authorities and various stakeholders and compile information for a report she will submit to the U.N. in September. I come here with sincerity, and I am here to facilitate the process here so that everybody benefits from the new changes here, she said. This is Lees fourth mission to Myanmar since she was appointed as the U.N. envoy to the country in 2014. Since her last trip in August 2015, Aung San Suu Kyis National League for Democracy (NLD) party has come to power and created a committee to work on peace and development in Rakhine. The government also plans to spend more than 70 billion kyats (U.S. $5.9 million) to finance goods and services that promote human resources there. During her visit, Lee will observe the situation of Myanmars 1.1 million stateless and persecuted Rohingya Muslims, tens of thousands of whom have lived in squalid conditions in internment camps after they were displaced by communal violence with majority Buddhists in 2012. 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. Buddhists call the Rohingya Bengalis because they consider them illegal migrants from neighboring Bangladesh, though many have lived in Myanmar for generations. Rakhine has also suffered from fighting between armed ethnic groups and the Myanmar military, forcing thousands of residents from their homes. Development aid Lee told Rakhine State Chief Minister Nyi Pu that she will help people there obtain development aid. In response, Nyi Pyu said all stakeholders must offer support to ensure peace and development in Rakhine. Yang Hee Lee also met with Muslims living in Ponnagyun and Kyauktaw townships, who have refused to accept new government-issued national verification cards, or green cards, as part of a citizenship verification pilot program in three predominantly Muslim townships in the state. They object to the omission of their race and religion on the cards, and fear they will lose the right to become citizens. Lee wanted to meet with leaders from the Arakan National Party (ANP), which represents the interests of the Rakhine people in the state, but they turned down her invitation in a statement issued Wednesday. Yanghee Lee has been constantly favoring the Muslims since 2012, said ANP chairwoman Aye Nu Sein. We dont believe she will submit a fair report in Geneva even if we were to meet her this time, she said. We have met with many representatives from the U.N., and they have ignored our feelings and opinions, she said. If they had considered what we told them and made fair decisions, then we wouldnt have this kind of situation where we refuse to meet her. On Tuesday, the ANP rejected a government order mandating use of the phrase Muslim community in Rakhine to refer to the Rohingyaa divisive termduring Lees visit. Instead, the ANP said it would continue using Bengalis, even though the governments order also forbade the use of this word. Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmars de facto national leader, told Lee during a face-to-face meeting on Monday in Naypyidaw that the government would avoid using the word and refer to the Rohingya as the Muslim community in Rakhine state. [Lee] submitted the phrase Muslim community in Rakhine state to the U.N. [Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights] in Geneva, [Switzerland], and Myanmars information minister has asked the media to use this phrase," Aye Nu Sein said. We feel like it causes the ethnic Rakhine people to lose their name. On Thursday, Lee will meet with Rakhine and Muslim leaders in Sittwe and visit displaced persons camps in the township. Reported by Min Thein Aung and Khet Mar for RFAs Myanmar Service. Translated by Khet Mar. Written in English by Roseanne Gerin. Authorities in southwestern Chinas Sichuan province have called a temporary halt to mining activities near a sacred mountain in the face of continuing Tibetan protests demanding that the work be stopped, according to a local source. Tibetans living in Akhore town in the Ngaba (in Chinese, Aba) Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefectures Chuchen (Jinchuan) county had for weeks blockaded construction of a road they feared would support mining operations in the area. Now, all work related to the project has been temporarily halted, due probably to the strength of local resistance and coverage of the protests by international media, a Tibetan resident of the area told RFAs Tibetan Service this week. Appeals by Tibetans in Akhore town to local and central authorities may also have played a role, RFAs source said, speaking on condition of anonymity. In any case, authorities have stopped all mining in the area for now, he said. Tibetans living in the area remain skeptical, though, that the work has been halted for good, he said. They know very well that the mining project on the sacred mountain near Akhore is a part of Chinas broader mining plans, and that they can resume mining in the area whenever they choose to do so. 'Serious consequences' Police had warned Tibetan protesters on May 20 not to block construction of road work in the area, threatening them with serious consequences if they failed to comply, sources told RFA in earlier reports. Two months before, police had clashed with community members protesting authorities failure to respond to their concerns over the work, one source said. Police randomly beat up Tibetan protesters, including an old man in his 60s during the March 28 protest, the source said. They also took away seven Tibetans who were detained for seven to 20 days and then released. Several among them suffered serious injuries. Tibet has become an important source of minerals needed for Chinas economic growth, and Chinese mining operations in Tibetan areas have often led to widespread environmental damage, including the pollution of water sources for livestock and humans and the disruption of sacred sites, experts say. Reported by Sonam Wangdu for RFAs Tibetan Service. Translated by Karma Dorjee. Written in English by Richard Finney. Development assistance provided to Vietnam by foreign governments and banks helps to support security forces repressing the Vietnamese people and should be tied in future to improvements in the one-party communist states rights record, a group of six Vietnamese civil society organizations said in an open letter this week. Much of that money is also lost to corruption, the group said in its June 20 letter sent to the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the Asian Development Bank, the European Union, and the governments of Japan, Australia, and the United States. In 2016, New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) reported Vietnams rights situation as critical, the groups letter said. Rights activists and dissident bloggers face constant harassment and intimidation, including physical assault and imprisonment. Farmers have lost land to development projects without adequate compensation, and there is an absence of independent unions for workers. About 150 political prisoners are currently imprisoned by the regime, the letter said, citing HRW figures and signed by the Independent Journalist Association of Vietnam, Former Vietnamese Prisoners of Conscience, Brotherhood for Democracy, Delegation of Vietnamese United Buddhists Church, Hoa Hao Buddhists Church Purity, and the Vietnam-US Lutheran Church Alliance. Police, military support Speaking to RFAs Vietnamese Service, Pham Chi Dunga representative of the Independent Journalist Association of Vietnam and signatory to the lettersaid we have known for quite some time that part of the national budget comes from foreign loans. This is used not just for infrastructure and development, but for administrative expenses and for the military and police, Dung said. In Vietnam, anti-China protesters and citizens protesting environmental pollution have been cracked down on by the police, and even brutally beaten, he said. International financial institutions and foreign governments have inadvertently helped the Vietnamese government to do bad things to its people, and this is why we civil society organizations think that it is time to raise our voice, Dung said. We are asking them to attach human-rights conditions to their loans, demanding that the government of Vietnam show evidence of improvements on human rights before those loans are made, he said. Calls seeking comment from Vietnamese government representatives rang unanswered Tuesday. Failed commitments Though donor countries require transparency and accountability in Vietnams handling of Official Development Assistance (ODA), Hanoi has failed in its commitments, the group letter said. The Vietnamese people are never informed about projects and there have been no debates about injustice and corruption in ODA. As a result, the governments of Denmark, Sweden, and Australia have decided to cut down sharply on their ODA to Vietnam, the letter said. Over the last 20 years, Vietnam has received about U.S. $80 billion in ODA assistance, and now that some ODA loans are set to end, Vietnam may look to secure other, low-interest support such as International Development Association loans made by the World Bank, Dung said. These loans are for poverty reduction, but Vietnam has announced that it has already eliminated poverty, he said. Embargoes on loans have been applied in some cases in the past to put pressure on repressive governments, but such embargoes may not work in Vietnamespecially following U.S. President Obamas recent strengthening of ties between the two countries, Dung said. I think that loans can still be made to Vietnam, but those loans must have human rights conditions. Reported by Hoa Ai for RFAs Vietnamese Service. Translated by Viet Ha. Written in English by Richard Finney. Afghan officials say a roadside bombing in an eastern provincial capital killed a police officer and a civilian on June 22. Abass Sadat, the deputy police chief of Nangarhar Province, said the explosion in the city of Jalalabad also wounded two civilians. Sadat said the bomb was probably detonated by remote control after being planted near a police checkpoint. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. The top United Nations official in the country, Nicholas Haysom, warned on June 22 that Afghanistan could face "retaliatory acts of vengeance and an escalating spiral of violence." He said his concerns were fueled by a series of attacks against civilians in recent months and deadly violence that has continued during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Based on reporting by AP and Reuters Afghan officials said on June 22 that the Taliban has freed 23 men who were kidnapped a day earlier by militants in southern Afghanistan. Omar Zwak, a spokesman for Helmand's governor, said representatives of the governors office worked with tribal elders to intervene and "negotiated the issue with the Taliban, which resulted in them setting most hostages free. Zwak said 25 men initially had been taken captive, and that authorities hope that two remaining hostages would be set free soon. Afghan military officials said the abductees were freed after military operation late on June 21 against a Taliban stronghold in the Marja district of Helmand Province. But Taliban spokesman Qari Yusuf Ahmadi on June 22 denied the claim and gave different numbers, saying a total of 21 hostages had been released after militants determined they did not work for Afghanistans Western-backed government. The Taliban spokesman said a total of 27 men had been seized from three vehicles on a highway in Helmand's Washer district. Ahmadi said six remaining hostages would face what the Taliban calls Islamic justice. With reporting by AFP and dpa 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 Voting has ended in Britain's referendum on whether or not to stay in the European Union, in the first referendum on the countrys links with Europe in more than four decades. Results expected in the morning of June 24. Opinion polls were too close to call after a divisive campaign that dominated headlines for months as politicians on the "leave" and "remain" sides sought to sway the U.K.'s 46.5 million eligible voters. An online survey taken on polling day of 5,000 people suggests the "remain" side running at 52 percent of the vote, to "leave's 48 percent. British Prime Minister David Cameron issued an impassioned appeal to national resilience to reject a so-called Brexit, telling the nation that "Brits don't quit." Much of the debate has hinged on the economy, immigration, and what some perceive as overbearing EU bureaucratic control over issues better left to individual states. An average of polls compiled this week by What UK Thinks showed the "remain" camp with a razor-thin lead -- 51 percent versus 49 percent for "leave" among those who have decided. The issue emerged in the run-up to last years general election, when Cameron promised a referendum on EU membership if he won reelection. His pledge came in response to growing calls from his own Conservatives and the populist and anti-immigration U.K. Independence Party (UKIP), who argued the country had not held a public consultation on the issue since 1975. On June 22, Cameron outlined his vision for a future with Britain retaining its place in the 28-nation bloc of more than 500 million people. Cameron has repeatedly criticized the EU for losing touch with British citizens, but has said he favors Britain helping reform the EU from within. WATCH: One Last Bid For Votes On Last Day Of U.K.'s EU Referendum On June 22, he flatly rejected the charge that the EU is outdated. "We are not shackled to a corpse," Cameron told the BBC. "You can see the European economy's recovery. It's the largest single market in the world." In the event of a "remain" vote, Cameron predicted an investment surge into Britain. Meanwhile, a late rift appeared among Brexit advocates, with one of the most prominent campaigners of the "leave" side, former London Mayor Boris Johnson, distancing himself from the anti-immigration UKIP and its firebrand leader, Nigel Farage. Johnson on June 21 voiced disapproval of a controversial UKIP poster showing a column of nonwhite migrants massed at a European border alongside the words "Breaking Point." Johnson told British media that the poster -- an allusion to the refugee inflow that has left the EU coping with more than 1 million migrants since last year -- had "xenophobic undertones." Johnson insisted the "Vote Leave" campaign, which he officially represents, has nothing to do with it. Britain joined what was then called the Economic European Community (EEC) in 1973, following parliamentary approval and the signing of an accession act the previous year, without popular consultation. Two years later, in 1975, Britain held a first referendum on its membership in the EEC, which at the time had only nine members. The 1975 referendum showed support of more than 67 percent for EEC membership. The result of the June 23 poll is not legally binding, and the British Parliament would have to vote to repeal the law that brought Britain into the bloc in the first place. What one newspaper called "the most divisive, vile, and unpleasant political campaign in living memory" was further marred by the killing last week of lawmaker Jo Cox, a pro-EU campaigner and vocal advocate of diversity and immigrants' rights. Cox, who would have been 42 on June 22, was shot and stabbed to death in northern England as she was campaigning for the "remain" camp. The suspect gave his name during his first court appearance as "Death to traitors, freedom for Britain. UKIP leader Farage told a news conference on June 22 that the slaying was a "horrendous incident" but called on Brits to vote "to get our borders back." Many world leaders, including U.S. President Barack Obama, Chinese President Xi Jinping, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and NATO and Commonwealth allies, have urged Britain to remain in the EU. And European leaders have chimed in, urging British voters to think carefully before choosing to leave the European Union. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said the outcome would be final and "out is out." French President Francois Hollande warned an exit would be "irreversible," adding that it could seriously jeopardize Britain's access to the bloc's single market for trade in goods and services. According to Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, a so-called Brexit would be "a mistake for which you the voters primarily would pay the price." And NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg warned that "a fragmented Europe will add to instability and unpredictability." The official result is due on the morning of June 24 and will be preceded by partial results and turnout figures from 382 counting centers. With reporting by Reuters, BBC, AP, and AFP A resolution passed by the State Duma yesterday compared the ban of Russia's track-and-field athletes from this year's Summer Olympics for doping to -- get this -- "the Spanish Inquisition." Really, the Spanish Inquisition! You know, the one where they tortured people with thumbscrews, broke them on the rack, and burned them at the stake. Yeah, that's the one. A bit over the top? Well, sure. But it's also par for the course. Back in early 2000, shortly after Vladimir Putin came to power, a Foreign Ministry official in Moscow told me with a straight face that Estonia's treatment of ethnic Russians constituted "apartheid." During Russia's war with Georgia in 2008, Russian state media persistently accused Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili of committing "genocide" in South Ossetia And, of course, when a popular uprising in Ukraine overthrew the corrupt pro-Moscow regime of Viktor Yanukovych, the Kremlin described it as a "putsch" by a "fascist junta." Inquisitions, apartheids, genocides, and fascists -- oh my! By using the most odious terms available to describe its adversaries, the Putin regime is not only demeaning the victims of actual inquisitions, apartheids, genocides, and fascist juntas -- it is also speaking volumes about itself. The Kremlin is demonstrating its complete and utter disingenuousness. And it is also exposing the degree to which it has completely lost the plot and is now residing in its own manufactured reality -- one where Russia is always the victim and its enemies are always monsters. Keep telling me what you think on The Power Vertical's Twitter feed and on our Facebook page. Germany says it has arrested a Tajik man suspected of joining the Islamic State (IS) extremist group in Syria. Prosecutors said in a statement on June 22 that Mukhamadsaid S., whose full name wasn't given, had been arrested in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The 30-year-old is accused of traveling from Tajikistan to Syria in April 2015, where prosecutors said he joined the IS group. The man is alleged to have fought alongside IS militants and to have appeared in videos urging his countrymen to join the extremist group. Prosecutors said Mukhamadsaid S. left Syria no later than the beginning of September 2015, and then ended up in Germany. IS fighters captured large swaths of Syrian and Iraqi territory in a lightning-fast offensive in 2014. Based on reporting by AP Saparmamed Nepeskuliev, a contributor to RFE/RLs Turkmen Service since 2015, produced photojournalism and short videos that provided local audiences with uncensored news and information about their communities and their lives. His reporting about poverty, official privilege, failing infrastructure, and deficient schools was unique in a country long recognized as being among the most repressive in the world. Nepeskuliev was detained by agents of Turkmenistans National Security Ministry on July 7, 2015 in the western city of Avaza while he was on assignment photographing sites in the coastal resort. A former detainee who shared a cell with him in a detention facility in the nearby city of Akdash has recounted how police placed illegal opiates in his luggage and rigged a drug test to produce evidence of drug possession and use. He was convicted on narcotics charges in closed proceedings in a Turkmenbashi city court on August 31, 2015. Nepeskulievs last known communication was with the cellmate in late September, 2015 when they were both transferred to the Lebap provinces prison colony LBK-12, a facility notorious for its deadly conditions. It is believed that Nepeskuliev was subsequently transferred back to the countrys western Balkan province to the BL-D/5 facility, but despite numerous appeals, authorities have failed to confirm either his whereabouts or his well-being. RFE/RL Editor in Chief Nenad Pejic has demanded his release, calling his imprisonment a brutal attempt to silence a journalist and a violation of every human right and humanitarian standard. He added, There has been no communication with him since September last year--we cannot even be sure hes alive. Calls For Release International organizations have condemned Nepeskulievs detention and demanded his release on grounds that his disappearance, incommunicado detention, denial of family access, and the lack of due process in the adjudication of his case constitute flagrant violations of international law. The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention in 2015 designated his detention arbitrary and called for his immediate release, declaring that the [Turkmen] Government failed to demonstrate that Mr. Nepeskuliev was tried, convicted and sentenced in a due process. The Working Group also called the governments account of the case confusing, drawing particular attention to its inability to establish the location of Nepeskulievs original arrest. The Working Group expressed concerns about torture allegations, referring them to the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture. Nepeskulievs case was recently raised by European Union officials in the context of annual bilateral human rights talks with Turkmenistan in May, 2016. Citing unlawful detention, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatovic called for his release in August, 2015. The U.S. - based Committee to Protect Journalists demanded his release in a letter to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry last fall. Amnesty International launched an urgent action in August, 2015 demanding that Turkmen authorities declare where Nepeskuliev is being held. Freedom House, the Norwegian Helsinki Committee, Human Rights Watch, the Cotton Campaign, the Alternative Turkmen News, the World Movement for Democracy, Reporters Without Borders, and RFE/RL sent a collective appeal to Turkmen Ambassador to the U.S. Meret Orazov and Turkmen Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov in October, 2015 demanding Nepeskulievs release. Media Freedom In Turkmenistan Freedom House has labelled Turkmenistan among the Worst of the Worst of the worlds human rights offenders for each of the last 13 years, ranking it 198 out of 199 countries surveyed in its Freedom of the Press 2016 report. Reporters Without Borders has ranked it 178 out of 180 countries in its 2016 World Press Freedom Index. Human Rights Watch describes Turkmenistans human rights record as atrocious and extremely repressive, documenting the use of imprisonment and torture as forms of political retaliation. Even by these standards, Nepeskulievs detention marks an intensification of the governments suppression of the media. In the nine months prior to his arrest, six of nine correspondents with RFE/RLs Turkmen Service were forced to resign from their jobs in response to a targeted intimidation campaign. Authorities staged public shamings aimed at humiliating them in their communities for reporting that was not sufficiently patriotic, and accused them of being spies; orchestrated the firing of their relatives from jobs; and interrogated their family members, including children. Says Turkmen Service Director Muhammad Tahir, Nepeskulievs imprisonment was only the most ruthless part of a campaign by the authorities to systematically destroy the countrys only independent reporting network. The Service continues to operate, with online audiences in the millions, but according to Tahir, the government is determined to stop any communication or engagement with citizens that it doesnt control. BISHKEK -- Kyrgyzstan's parliament has given initial approval to a bill banning foreign individuals and organizations from owning and establishing media outlets in the country. The proposed legislation also bans activities in the country of media outlets financially supported by foreign countries. Lawmakers approved the first reading of the bill on June 22 by a vote of 79-30. The text needs to be approved by parliament in its second and third readings and signed by the president before coming into force. Civil right activists have protested the bill, saying its main goal is to close RFE/RL's bureau in Bishkek, which has been a major independent source of information in the Central Asian country for decades and is also broadcast by the country's main state broadcaster. RFE/RL is funded by the U.S. Congress. The Macedonian parliament 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 a motion to open impeachment proceedings but did not secure the required two-third majority needed to succeed. Parliament rejected the initiative by 47 to 35 on June 21. Stefan Bogojev of the Social Democrats said Ivanov "does not deserve to be called the president" after pardoning 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. Both the ruling VMRO 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. Based on reporting by AP and Reuters Moldova's jailed former Prime Minister Vlad Filat has brought an end to a 20-day hunger strike that he launched to protest corruption charges against him. Moldova's Penitentiaries Department says Filat ended his 20-day hunger strike on June 21 at around 6 p.m. after he fainted during a courtroom hearing. Medical personnel were called into the courtroom to examine Filat and the hearing was adjourned. Filat's lawyer, Igor Popa, said his client was no longer able to take part in his trial due to the precarious state of his health. But Filat was in the court on June 22 when prosecutors asked for him to be jailed for 19 years if he is convicted. The next hearing in his case is scheduled for June 27. Filat, who was Moldova's prime minister in 2009-2013, was arrested in mid-October and charged with taking bribes in a $1 billion bank fraud case. Filat has denied wrongdoing and says the case against him is politically motivated. Based on reporting by bloknot-moldova.md and Interfax Moscow has signed an agreement with a Los Angeles company to explore building a futuristic, high-speed transportation system known as a Hyperloop in the Russian capital. The system made by Hyperloop One uses magnets to levitate pods inside an airless tube, creating conditions in which the floating pods could shuttle people and cargo at speeds of up to 750 miles per hour. "Hyperloop can improve life dramatically for the 16 million people in the greater Moscow area, cutting their commute to a fraction of what it is today," said Shervin Pishevar, co-founder of Hyperloop One, said on June 21. "Our longer term vision is to work with Russia to implement a transformative new Silk Road: a cargo Hyperloop that whisks freight containers from China to Europe in a day," he said. Hyperloop One Chief Executive Officer Rob Lloyd said it is unclear how much it will cost to build a Hyperloop in Moscow, and the system would not necessarily travel at its top speed in a metropolitan area like Moscow. A memorandum of understanding was signed at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum by Hyperloop One, the city of Moscow, and Russian firm The Summa Group, which invests in infrastructure projects. Summa Group owner Ziyavudin Magomedov said "this tube will go across the railroads, above motor roads. That means that it's a quite big technological flexibility which will make it possible to cut routes, distances and make them cheaper." Russian Transport Minister Maksim Sokolov said that his ministry would invite China to invest in the Hyperloop project in Russia. He said the cost of a pilot section of the Hyperloop freight railway, which would connect China to Russia's far eastern port Zarubino, is estimated at $455.4 million to $607.2 million. Russian Railways is involved in the test project to use high-speed Hyperloop trains for freight cars, as is the Caspian VC Partners venture fund set up by Summa's Magomedov. Hyperloop One has ambitious plans to take its technology to the world. It is backed by U.S. venture capitalists and railway investors and has feasibility studies under way in Finland, Sweden, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Dubai, the Port of Los Angeles, and the United Kingdom, in addition to Russia, Pishevar said. The Hyperloop concept originated in a paper by Tesla Motors Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk in 2013, who envisioned it whisking passengers from Los Angeles to San Francisco in 30 minutes. There are currently no functioning Hyperloops anywhere in the world, and skeptics wonder if the technology can ever make the leap from science fiction to reality. To successfully transport passengers, designers will have to overcome challenges including motion sickness and public fear of traveling at high speeds in a sealed tube. Despite the challenges, Hyperloop One's Lloyd last month said the company will build a system capable of transporting cargo by 2019 and passengers by 2021. It is unclear where the first Hyperloop One project will be built. The company has set up a competition asking people to submit ideas for areas of the world where a Hyperloop could meet a region's transportation needs. Since the competition was announced last month, the company has received more than 225 registrants from 45 countries. With reporting by Reuters and TASS Alternative Turkmenistan News (ATN), based in the Netherlands, has interviewed a Kazakh man who claimed he shared a jail cell with Saparmamed Nepeskuliev, a contributor to RFE/RL's Turkmen Service and other independent outlets, who has been held at an undisclosed location for almost a year on charges that are widely believed to have been fabricated. Nepeskuliev, 35, went missing in July while visiting the Caspian coastal resort area of Avaza. His relatives later tracked him down at a detention center in a settlement near Avaza. Authorities at the facility said he was being held for possessing "narcotic" pills. Nepeskuliev's relatives told RFE/RL in September 2015 that they had learned that he had been sentenced to three years in prison on August 31. The man in the video -- whose name is given as Yerik Supushev -- said that he had been charged with contraband by a Turkmen court in 2015 before being released in January. He says that he and Nepeskuliev were treated harshly in prison because of Nepeskuliev's work as a journalist for RFE/RL and that Nepeskuliev failed a drugs test because he had been set up by authorities after innocently taking medicine for a stomachache. (The full video can be seen here.) Reporters Without Borders has long called on Turkmen authorities to provide full details about Nepeskuliev's current status "and to free him without delay." Turkmenistan consistently ranks at the bottom of world rankings for press freedom. The commander of the U.S. Army Europe says NATO would currently be unable to protect the Baltics against a Russian attack. Russian forces could capture Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania "quicker than we could get there to defend them," Lieutenant General Ben Hodges said in an interview with Germany's Die Zeit. The article from the newspaper's June 22 edition also quotes Hodges as saying he agreed with an assessment by military analysts that says Russian forces could seize the capitals of the Baltic states within 36 to 60 hours. NATO announced last week that it would deploy four battalions to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland to counter a more assertive Russia, ahead of a summit in Warsaw next month. Russia says the presence of NATO troops close to its borders is a threat to its security. Relations between NATO and Moscow have reached their lowest point since the Cold War over Russia's annexation of Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in March 2014 and its support for separatists in the country's east. Based on reporting by AP and AFP On the evening of March 31, Aleksandr Markov heard the doorbell and rushed to open the door of his St. Petersburg apartment. But instead of the guest he had been expecting, Markov was surprised to see several strangers on his doorstep. Then came the blow. "I was hit in the eye," he tells RFE/RL. "I found myself in the staircase. Someone pushed me from behind and I fell over. They started kicking me." The assailants fled the scene only after Markov screamed for someone to call the police. The incident is one of the latest in what appears to be a string of assaults and arson attacks targeting Russians who have openly criticized their government on social-networking sites. Markov co-administers an opposition group called Criminal Authorities on VKontakte, Russia's largest social network. The group has about 14,000 members and openly denounces Kremlin policies, including those pertaining to Ukraine. "Since November, there has clearly been a deepening crackdown on what people are writing, especially on VKontakte," says Andrei Soldatov, a noted Russian security expert. "It's obvious that VKontakte is under close scrutiny." In addition to being assaulted, Markov has also been harassed online for weeks. A VKontakte account recently created under the name Aleksandr Petrogradsky offers to send viewers detailed information about him. Meanwhile, Markov's brother has received a threatening message from an anonymous user. "We have long talked about Aleksandr Markov, a former DJ at a gay club," the message reads. "Sometimes he's beaten up. When will normal guys finally see this 'artwork.' (sic) I know three of them, but they are currently on an expedition. They said they will return and deprive Markov of something that will never grow back." 'Blacklist Law' Soldatov says online freedoms have been under threat in Russia since the adoption of tough legislation regulating the Internet, dubbed by some the "blacklist law" and passed early in Vladimir Putin's third term as president, in 2012. Although authorities insist that the legislation is aimed at combating child pornography and websites that promote drug use and teen suicides, its critics say the law is being used to enforce government censorship over the Internet. In December, a blogger was sentenced to five years in a Siberian jail after he criticized Russia's military intervention in Ukraine on videos he posted VKontakte and YouTube. Vadim Tyumentsev was also barred from publishing any content online after serving his sentence. Rafis Kashapov, an activist from Tatarstan, was also jailed for three years in 2015 for denouncing Russia's support of separatists in eastern Ukraine and its illegal annexation of Crimea in online posts. The latest jailing came in May, when Andrei Bubeyev was sentenced to two years and three months in prison for two reposts critical of authorities -- one an article titled Crimea Is Ukraine and the other an image showing a toothpaste tube with the words "Squeeze Russia out of yourself." Physical violence against Internet users, however, has only recently emerged as a new trend. Observers have suggested the assailants are either acting at someone else's behest or are lone wolves emboldened by the repressive new Internet legislation. "For the first three years, the system was based on intimidation, on suspended sentences," says Soldatov. "Since last November, there have been a series of real sentences, people are being sent to prison just for sharing images. So repressions for what people write on social networks are definitely intensifying." Another administrator of Criminal Authorities on VKontakte, Yegor Alekseyev, was assaulted on June 9. Alekseyev, who also lives in St. Petersburg, says two men crept up from behind as he walked down a quiet street and beat him up for about five minutes. They did not steal anything. He suffered a broken nose, a concussion, and a skull fracture. Alekseyev says he believes that his assailants knew his schedule and itinerary, and that the attack was carefully planned by individuals with special training. He says he has been receiving e-mail and phone threats for the past three years over his involvement in the dissident group on VKontakte. At least one more person connected to the group, Yulia -- who declines to give her surname for safety reasons -- has recently suffered unpleasant incidents that she believes are retaliation for her online activities. Suspicious Visit A St. Petersburg resident who regularly contributes posts to the group, Yulia received a suspicious visit in mid-April. Two men showed up at her front door, told her they were her new neighbors, and said something about a store that was going to open up in her building. The pair struck her as dubious, but she thought nothing of it until her car was torched overnight a few weeks later. She shared her story on VKontakte and posted pictures of the two men who had showed up at her door. The friend whom Markov had been expecting on March 31 identified them as the same men he had seen exiting Markov's building after the attack. Yulia stresses that she has no connection to Markov and Alekseyev other than their involvement in the Criminal Authorities group. "They weren't on my friends list, we weren't members of the same [online] groups," she tells RFE/RL. "We have completely different backgrounds with no links to each other." Shortly before her car was burned down, Yulia also discovered that her name was mentioned in several disparaging comments published on an unfamiliar VKontakte account. The posts mostly criticized her opposition views. The account was registered under the name Aleksandr Aleksandrov and featured a photograph of her husband as its avatar. An unknown user had posted several photographs of Yulia's husband taken outside their home. The account was deleted after Yulia filed a complaint with VKontakte. While there is currently no evidence that the attacks are politically motivated, the list of people who have landed in trouble after publishing posts critical of authorities is growing quickly. In January, Danila Aleksandrov, an opposition activist, received a greeting on VKontakte from a user registered as Aleksandrov Danila-Abu-Ilyas. The fake account contained a series of covert photos of Aleksandrov showing him walking his dog. Nine days later, after receiving the ominous message, Aleksandrov was assaulted in the street and beaten up. He was hospitalized for one week. On April 20, the wife of Ruslan Starostin received a friend request from an unknown VKontakte member calling himself Yevgeny Krestovsky. The account initially used a picture of Starostin and his wife as its profile photo. The anonymous user shared one of Starostin's own posts -- an image poking fun at Putin -- accompanied by a threat. "You think you can freely take the piss, rally giggling morons around you, and get away with it?" the comment said. Several hours later, Starostin's car was torched. The latest suspicious assault came on June 12, when unidentified men attacked a VKontakte employee known for his occasional antigovernment posts. The attackers broke three of his fingers and called their victim a "traitor," a "Jew," and a member of the "fifth column" -- a term frequently used by Russian state media to describe the opposition. Aleksandr Gorokhov is a correspondent for Mediazona based in Moscow President Vladimir Putin told Russia's State Duma on June 22 that the country "must think about its own security" when confronted by what he called "NATO's aggressive actions near Russia's borders." Putin told lawmakers at the final plenary session of the current State Duma that Russian officials have a "duty to give special attention to resolving tasks associated with increasing the defense potential" of the country in response to what he called NATO "aggression" and "aggressive rhetoric." Putin also said that the world should confront international terrorism by creating what he described as a security system that transcends existing alliances. He said Russia is "ready for dialogue" on creating such a security system. Putin praised lawmakers in the lower chamber of parliament for supporting Russia's 2014 annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region. Although June 22 is the final plenary session for the 6th State Duma, the five-year term of office for deputies formally ends in September. Legislative elections in Russia, originally planned for December 4, have been brought forward to September 18 with all 450 seats in the State Duma at stake. In Russia, not all scientific projects get financial backing from the government -- but teleportation does. On June 22, a special interagency working group, along with Russian Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich, discussed the countrys scientific and technological plans drawn up by the Russian Strategic Initiatives Agency. The document, described in detail by Kommersant newspaper, lists innovations Russian scientists plan to accomplish by 2035. Among them are a Russia-based coding language, a 5G mobile network, "smart" buildings, medical implants -- and teleportation. The concept of people teleporting from one place to another remains in the realm of fantasy, but scientists have already proven the possibility of teleportation on a quantum level. As presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov explained, the document implies quantum teleportation, not physical. The Russian scientific plans, therefore, are not as far-fetched as they may seem. But this didnt stop the Russian Twittersphere from poking fun at the countrys scientific ambitions. Presidents Thoughts, a popular satirical account, suggested that teleportation may be useful in solving Russian social issues, including the needs of retired pensioners. Another Twitter account found a different use for the technology. "If there is teleportation, who needs the Kerch bridge?" the tweet reads, referring to the ongoing construction of a bridge that is supposed to connect Russia with the annexed Ukrainian peninsula of Crimea. The multibillion-dollar project has been under construction for a year now. Many argued that teleportation has existed in Russia for awhile. One user provided proof by way of a clip on the Russian video-sharing website Coub showing Russian street scenes with a voiceover from the Hollywood science-fiction movie Interstellar. Another Twitter user pointed out that the technology is already in place -- billions of dollars were successfully teleported to offshore accounts in Panama, he tweeted, in an apparent reference to a data leak that tied billions of dollars in offshore money to friends of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Others resorted to darker humor. "Teleportation is when you live in [the Russian city of] Syzran, but your battalion dies in Donbas, even though you are not there," one user tweeted, alluding to constant Russian government denials of involvement in fighting in eastern Ukraine. Another user shared a screenshot of an article from November 2015 that reported that local government in Russia's Kostroma region had ordered special equipment for making holes in ice so that people living nearby could do their laundry in the river. "And by 2035 we will have teleportation!" the tweet reads. Ilya Massukh, head of the Informational Democracy Fund NGO, told Kommersant that because of sciences rapid development it is necessary to make plans 15 to 20 years in advance. "It is important to have intermediate goals to have an opportunity to correct the road map and its realization in order not to get involved in knowingly utopian spheres," he said. Russia says the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) will discuss a "very tense situation" in Afghanistan when the grouping holds its summit in Uzbekistan this week. Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov said on June 22 that an estimated 60,000 "armed extremists" were fighting in Afghanistan, including 10,000 under the flag of the Islamic State group. Leaders of the security and cooperation body -- which also includes China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan -- are meeting in Tashkent on June 23-24. Iran's accession to the grouping will be discussed, Ushakov said, adding that "Russia believes there is no reason to refrain from accepting this country to the organization." India and Pakistan are expected to become SCO members at the summit next year, he added. Based on reporting by Reuters, TASS, and Interfax Turkish authorities have arrested two Russians and a Turkish national, saying they are suspected members of the so-called Islamic State (IS), after an investigation into a planned attack against a transgender rights rally. Turkey's Dogan news agency reported on June 22 that the suspects, including two Russians from the Dagestan region, were arrested in Istanbul late on June 21 after authorities received information that they were planning an attack against a "Trans Pride" rally on June 19. Police said the three suspects had traveled to territory in war zones that are under control of IS militants, but did not specify where. Their arrests came after police confiscated suicide vests and other materials during raids in two Istanbul suburbs on June 17. Authorities banned the transgender rights rally, citing security concerns. Police on June 19 fired tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse about 50 people who showed up for the demonstration. Based on reporting by Reuters, AFP, and Dogan France says a four-way summit on Ukraine is "feasible" next month in the light of "progress" in the crisis. Government spokesman Stephane Le Foll quoted President Francois Hollande as making the comments at a cabinet meeting on June 22. Le Foll did not give any details about the progress that the president said had been made. Hollande referred to the so-called Normandy format for the summit on Ukraine that would involve the leaders of France, Germany, Russia, and Ukraine. The previous such meeting took place in June 2014. In Moscow, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov expressed reservations about organizing a summit on Ukraine now, saying "the premises for valuable work of this kind have not been fulfilled." Fighting between government forces and Russia-backed separatists has killed more than 9,300 people in eastern Ukraine since April 2014. The February 2015 Minsk agreement calls for a cease-fire and a range of other measures to end the conflict, but violence in the region occurs almost daily. Based on reporting by AFP and Interfax The interactive version of this info-graphic is not available on your device The president of Randolph-Macon College on Tuesday night lambasted a proposal from the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation to build a parking lot for train commuters on campus as well as an elevated train platform that would bisect it. President Robert Lindgren said he learned in a meeting less than two weeks ago about the proposed platform that would start at College Avenue and extend 850 feet down Center Street. The parking lot is proposed for Henry Clay Road and Center Street. This is a plan that if it were to happen, will surely unalterably change the character of our historic downtown and physically divide our historic campus, said Lindgren, who spoke for more than 20 minutes during public comment at the council meeting. If this is built, our visitors psychological takeaway from Randolph-Macon will be, Thats the place with a huge railway platform stuck right in the middle of its campus. He said the platform and parking lot are being considered as part of a larger study that is examining options for high-speed rail that would link Washington and Richmond. Emily Stock, manager of rail planning for DRPT, could not be reached for comment Tuesday night. Adding a train platform is akin to Staples Milling our downtown, Lindgren said, referring to the Staples Mill Amtrak station in Henrico County. Lindgren also blasted the Town Council for failing to inform the college about the plan, despite having knowledge of the proposal weeks before, adding that he was told by the DRPT project leader that the college is being eyed for the parking lot and platform at the explicit direction of the Town Council. Mayor George Spagna a professor at the college and other council members strongly denied that the Town Council in any way supported plans for the platform and parking lot. The council, he said, learned about the plans two weeks before the college did, and he insisted that DRPT meet and share them with Randolph-Macon. This council did not approve the plan. This council did not ask for the plan. This council is not in favor of Staples Milling the downtown. Were with you, Spagna said. It was sprung on us. I told them, when I saw them, that the college is not going to like them. And I guess I was right. Responding to concern from Lindgren that the town was not firm enough in opposing the plans during the meeting with the college and DRPT, Spagna said after the meeting, I think DRPT knows our position. Hes right, at that meeting, I didnt jump up and down and say, No way, but I said at the beginning of that meeting that I was going to listen. He called the meeting a forum for the college to meet with the state agency, with the town serving as an intermediary. At Tuesdays meeting, several council members also sharply criticized how DRPT has handled communicating the towns viewpoint on the plans for high-speed rail as well as its communication with people who could be affected by potential construction. The agency is also in the process of studying the possibility of adding a third track through the town of Ashland or a bypass west of it, both of which have drawn public ire. Council member James Murray an audiovisual specialist for the college, according to its website said each meeting with DRPT has included miscommunication and misstatement. More than a decade ago, Harvey Derrick Glanton crushed the skull of Daniel B. Balbaugh, believing the man he had killed was a chicken. A psychologist determined Glanton was psychotic and delusional at the time, and Glanton was found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity. On Tuesday, 13 years and two months after Glanton bludgeoned Balbaugh 20 times in the head with a cast-iron pot lid, he was released from supervision. Noting the social and psychiatric progress that Glanton was said to have made, Chesterfield County Circuit Judge Herbert C. Gill Jr. set Glanton free from his oversight and the supervision of mental health workers with the Chesterfield County Community Services Board. Im going to release you because youve done everything youve been asked to do, Gill told Glanton, now 58, referencing a glowing report from Glantons case worker, who said he has shown model behavior and remains psychiatrically stable. I wish you well, the judge added, after warning Glanton to stay on his regimen of medications. Good luck. At Glantons 2004 trial, psychologist Evan S. Nelson testified that Glanton believed Balbaugh was a chicken when he encountered Balbaugh outside the victims mobile home at the James River Marina. Nelson explained that Glanton lost an eye in a fight about 25 years earlier and developed the delusion that the eye had magical powers that protected him from aliens who were taking over the world by converting people to chickens. Prosecutors have reservations about Glanton not being under supervision. In opposing Glantons release, Chesterfield Deputy Commonwealths Attorney John Childrey acknowledged that Glanton appears to have made great progress over the years in a structured environment, but reminded the court that Glanton committed a vicious, horrific crime against a stranger on April 23, 2003. Although Glanton seems to have the best intentions for self-rehabilitation and continued good behavior, without structure, this is an extremely dangerous individual based on the slaying and other misdeeds he committed dating to the 1970s, Childrey said. Releasing him from supervision would be a risky proposition and untether him from the court, the prosecutor said. But defense attorney John Rockecharlie noted that Glanton has excelled by every measure and has met or exceeded expectations set by county mental health authorities over the years. Rockecharlie credited Gill, who presided over Glantons trial a dozen years ago, with saving his life. He is not nearly the person he was 13 years ago, Rocke-charlie said, noting his clients then-extreme psychosis. Glanton was released in 2009 from Central State Hospital, a state psychiatric facility in Dinwiddie County, and transitioned to a group home, where he lived for two years, Rockecharlie said. He was then allowed to live independently in an apartment in Chesterfield, but under continued close supervision. He also has strong family support, and two of his relatives were in attendance Tuesday. He was employed for several years at a Home Depot store in Chesterfield, working three to four hours a day, five days a week. But he lost the job despite being named employee of the month several times after the victims family learned of his employment during a similar review hearing last year and complained to store management. Glantons case worker, Acacia Hendricks, testified that Glanton is self-sufficient and takes his prescribed medications on his own. After he lost his job last year, Glanton continued to stay productive and participated in various programs and counseling sessions offered by the Community Services Board, Hendricks said. We do think hell easily be employed, Hendricks told the judge. Now that Glanton has been released from supervision, prosecutors no longer will be required to notify Balbaughs family of his employment. Balbaughs family did not attend Tuesdays proceedings, and they could not immediately be reached for comment. During Glantons annual review hearing last year, family members raised strong objections to Glantons release, presenting a petition with 166 signatures urging the court not to release him. Demand to keep a killer in a mental hospital, the petition read. Six of Balbaughs relatives testified against his release last May. They are fearful the court may release him and didnt want to be here if that occurred, Childrey told the court about the familys absence Tuesday. According to evidence presented at his trial, Glanton, then a forklift driver from Atlanta, was convinced he had to get to Washington to warn the government that aliens were taking over the world by converting people to chickens, so he took a taxicab from Atlanta to Augusta, Ga., where he caught a bus. The bus driver kicked him off the bus in Rocky Mount, N.C., because he was awakening passengers and talking gibberish. Glanton hitchhiked and walked to Petersburg, where police put him in a cab to the Richmond bus station on North Boulevard. He called a sister in Atlanta about 2 a.m. on April 23, 2003, and told her that he felt as if everyone was in a conspiracy against him and that he was afraid to get on the bus. She told him to come home, but Glanton saw someone who looked like him get off a bus, and he believed the aliens had already replaced him with a duplicate, Nelson, the psychologist, testified. So Glanton apparently walked south 11 miles along Interstate 95 until he arrived at a mobile home at the James River Marina at Chippenham Parkway near where Falling Creek spills into the James River. Balbaugh, 41, worked at the marina and lived in the mobile home, which doubled as an office. Glanton could see the mobile home and Balbaughs pickup truck just over the guardrail. Apparently, Glanton tried to take the truck, and Balbaugh confronted him. Balbaugh was struck at least 20 times in the head and died. Glanton was arrested later that morning when police responded to a complaint that he was trying to steal a truck near the Shops at Willow Lawn. Nelson testified at trial that Glanton provided a tremendous amount of detail in describing his delusional thinking and behavior, much of it supported by co-workers in Atlanta, his landlord and family members. For example, the landlord recalled that he saw Glanton walking on a sidewalk, flapping his arms and standing on one leg periodically. Glanton told Nelson that was so the aliens would think he had already been converted to a chicken. Nelson and another psychologist, Mariah T. Travis, agreed that Glanton was insane when he killed Balbaugh because he did not understand the character, nature and consequences of his actions. Balbaughs family members could hardly believe it. He is a murderer, Balbaughs sister, Linda Balbaugh-Delahoyde, said at the time. He did not murder a chicken he murdered a man who was a brother, father, grandfather and uncle. Balbaugh-Delahoyde said her family has no compassion for this convenient psychotic episode. She contended that enough time had elapsed between his arrest and the psychological evaluations for Glanton to calm himself and compose this fairy tale. On Wednesday, Glanton, speaking in a calm and steady manner, answered several questions on the witness stand, saying he has developed firm roots in Chesterfield, is ready to go back to work, and the mental health support he has received over the years has made me a better person. Im deeply sorry for the whole situation, he said. A man described as living an exemplary life both personally and professionally before killing two Hanover County sisters in a drunken, 100-mph crash last year on Interstate 64 will spend the next six years in a state prison. After a sentencing hearing Tuesday in Goochland County Circuit Court, Judge Timothy K. Sanner sentenced Andrew N. Chavis, 25, to 20 years in prison with 14 years suspended for two counts of involuntary manslaughter in the March 1, 2015, deaths of Sheila P. McCowan, 51, and her sister Yolanda McCowan, 49, who lived together in Rockville. The two women were returning home from a baby shower. It was a painful case, said Goochland Deputy Commonwealths Attorney D. Michael Caudill. Chavis has an exemplary background. He was an accomplished student, athlete, a hard worker and comes from a good family. He had everything going for him. But the overriding fact is that there were two ladies coming home from a baby shower who were killed, the prosecutor said. This all could have been prevented. The judge sentenced Chavis, a fraud-recovery coordinator for Capital One, to a prison term above discretionary state sentencing guidelines but below what the prosecution sought. The guidelines called for an active prison term of between 1 year and four months at the low end, and 3 years and 8 months at the high end. Caudill asked for a prison term of 20 years with 10 years suspended. Chavis was found guilty in the deaths after an all-day trial April 7. The McCowan sisters were returning from a baby shower at the West Broad Street Shoneys restaurant, where Yolanda McCowan had worked for 20 years. According to evidence, Chavis was returning home after spending the preceding two hours at the Plaza Azteca restaurant at West Broad Street and Glenside Drive, where he consumed at least two medium-sized mango margaritas. A toxicologist for the prosecution testified at trial that Chavis blood-alcohol level was well above the legal limit to drive and registered from 0.13 to 0.17 percent, based on various calculations and the time the samples were taken. Stipulated evidence from a restaurant waitress said Chavis drank the two beverages each with 1 ounces of tequila between 6 and 8 p.m. But the toxicologist testified that if Chavis had drunk the two margaritas and nothing more, his blood-alcohol level should have been only 0.02 or 0.03 percent. The data event recorder, or black box, inside Chavis 2011 Hyundai Sonata indicated he was traveling 122 mph about the time of the crash. Chavis was driving west on I-64, just west of state Route 288, when he slammed into the rear of a 2012 Nissan Sentra driven by Sheila McCowan, with her son and sister as occupants, according to trial evidence and testimony. The impact was of such force that it essentially obliterated the trunk of the sisters car, Caudill said. The impact forced the victims vehicle to spin off the interstate and strike a large tree on the drivers side, which creased the entire left side of the car, killing both women instantly. Sheila McCowans 16-year-old son was not seriously hurt. The crash occurred after Sheila McCowan had made a lane change from the fast lane to the slow lane, and the defense argued that Chavis collided with the car only after she pulled in front of him. But the prosecution said a combination of bad decisions by Chavis led to the crash: He was driving under the influence and at an excessive speed on a road that was somewhat wet, and was inattentive because he was talking on his cellphone when he slammed into the sisters car. The law, Caudill said, requires drivers to pay attention and keep a proper lookout, and Chavis should have been able to have avoided the collision. McCowan didnt realize how fast Chavis was coming up behind her when she made the lane change, Caudill said. These were two people who died unnecessarily, the prosecutor said. Vandals spray-painted the exteriors of several buildings and set fire to a trash can Tuesday at Monacan High School, Chesterfield County police said. Police were called about 1:30 p.m. to the school at 11501 Smoketree Drive. Officers found graffiti spray-painted on the school and two storage buildings, police said. In addition, a small fire had been set in a trash can that was put in a ditch near one of the storage buildings, police said. A major redevelopment project in Richmonds East End will receive a $2.5 million grant from the state, Gov. Terry McAuliffe announced Wednesday. At an event on the lawn of the old Armstrong High School building, McAuliffe said the Richmond project will be one of the first beneficiaries of a new funding program to support affordable and mixed-income housing. This is the first check were giving out, McAuliffe said before presenting a group of city officials with an oversized check. Well deserved. This is a community-based effort. State and local coming together to do what we need to do for our communities. The mixed-income development planned for the Armstrong site, part of a larger effort to break up poverty in the East End, will include 40 town houses for sale and 240 rental units for seniors and families. Some rental units will serve as replacement housing for residents of the Creighton Court public housing site. McAuliffe announced that another $2.5 million grant will go to a similar mixed-income housing project in Montgomery County at the site of a former elementary school. Richmond Mayor Dwight C. Jones, nearing his final months in office, said the East End project will help bring an end to the tale of two cities in Richmond by bringing new investment to a predominantly African-American neighborhood with a high concentration of poverty. He called on mayoral candidates running to replace him to continue the work thats underway. I also want the people who are running for office to recognize that this place matters, Jones said. Not only does this place matter, but these people matter. The revitalization effort, expected to cost roughly $40 million, involves the city, the Richmond Redevelopment and Housing Authority, and The Community Builders, a Boston-based development company that focuses on projects involving public housing. Police found the male victim about 12:15 a.m. in the 1200 block of Brook Road with a gunshot wound in his right shoulder. The victim told police he had been in the 400 block of Calhoun Street nearby when he heard gunfire and then felt pain in his right arm. Plans for the further development of the Henrico Doctors Hospital off Skipwith Road are moving forward, with a few changes. The Henrico County Planning Commission unanimously approved the development and lighting plan for the hospital at its Wednesday meeting. Two residents who live near the facility voiced opposition to the plan, which the commission addressed in its discussion and decision. The proposal is to construct a four-story medical office building on the hospitals current campus. The first floor of the addition would provide oncology services, while floors two through four would be medical office space. The expansion would be near Three Chopt Elementary School. The purchase of the property for $3.2 million hasnt been completed yet as its contingent on the zoning and planning process. Construction could start as early as October if the plans are all approved and the land is successfully acquired. The 7.64-acre site would be home to the 98,400-square-foot building. About 4.5 of the acres are school property zoned residential and part of a school nature trail is on the site. On Wednesday, Jeff Grieves and Ginny Jones, two Henrico residents who live behind the would-be building, raised issues with the lighting, landscaping and potential water runoff . Grieves raised issue with the outside lighting in the plan and called for motion-sensor lights to be used in the buffer zone between the building and the Tuckahoe Creek Apartments. The plan currently states that there will be LED lights on 22-foot poles and parking lot lighting will be reduced to security lighting after hours. Malachi Mills, the engineer who served as the representative for the proposal, said the applicants are deferring to police as to the best course of action with the motion-sensor lights and are awaiting that recommendation. The plan could change depending on that proposal. Grieves concerns over potential runoff, from snowfall in particular, were addressed in that the plan accounts for the problem with storm maintenance pipes between the building and the apartments. There is about 15 feet of bamboo in the buffer between the apartments and the proposal that commission member Sandra M. Marshall said shed like saved. The engineers and hospital obliged, saying theyd save the bamboo. Jones was concerned about the inside lighting of the building and added that shed like to see timer lights. There would be motion-sensor lights inside, which is in line with county policy. After hearing from the opposition and the applicants, the commission moved to approve the plan with the stipulations that the bamboo be saved as part of the landscape plan, which is set to be presented at a later date. The planning commission also approved a one-story medical office building at 4008 E. Parham Road in Henrico. A plan for a one-story, 25,812-square-foot indoor recreation facility in the Towne Center West shopping center was also approved. The site was originally constructed to be strip retail space but will now house Boomerang Air Sports. Police are looking for three suspects who forced their way into a home in eastern Henrico County. According to police, three male suspects pushed their way into a home in the 1800 block of Doron Lane about 9:30 p.m Tuesday after a female resident opened the door. A male resident who came home while the suspects were inside the house was shot while trying to run away. He was taken to a hospital with wounds that weren't considered life-threatening, police said. A federal judge has denied a motion to compel more cooperation from Jackie in a heated defamation lawsuit between Rolling Stone magazine and a University of Virginia associate dean. Attorneys for Nicole Eramo, the UVa administrator suing Rolling Stone magazine for $7.85 million, were in Charlottesvilles federal court on Monday to argue that Jackie, a third party in the suit, had not yet fulfilled a federal order to hand over documents deemed relevant to the lawsuit. Jackies account of her own brutal gang rape at a UVa fraternity house served as the centerpiece of a controversial Rolling Stone article that stirred widespread condemnation of the university and its Greek life; the details of her story fell apart under scrutiny, and the article was retracted in April 2015. Eramo, an administrator tasked with providing support for student survivors of sexual assault, filed her lawsuit a month later, alleging that her career, reputation and personal health suffered after the article inaccurately depicted her in a negative light. Attorneys for Eramo have sought cooperation from Jackie since last July, but did not receive any until a federal judge ordered Jackie last January to turn over all communications related to her alleged rape and to sit for a deposition. That order has led to a maelstrom of terse emails and strained negotiations between Eramo and Jackies legal teams; Eramo has asked to throw out statements made in Jackies deposition, while Jackie has insisted that she is a third-party to the suit, as well as a sexual assault victim, who should be not have to participate in the legal proceedings. Judge Joel C. Hoppe noted the tension between the legal teams in Mondays hearing, where he took up a motion from Eramo seeking documents penned from an email address said to belong to Haven Monahan, a man identified in the article as having allegedly brought Jackie to the fraternity house and participated in her assault. In their own investigation into Jackies claims, Charlottesville police said they found no evidence that Monahan ever existed, and Eramos attorneys have long contended that Monahan was a moniker created by Jackie to engender romantic feelings in one of Jackies love interests. In court, Eramos attorneys said that a subpoena of Yahoo! Inc. conclusively proved that Jackie had created the email address and that Jackies attorneys had accessed that email account in recent months. In their motion, Eramos counsel demanded that Jackie turn over documents known to exist and to have been produced from that email address, or at least provide an explanation for why those documents may no longer be in her possession. Jackies counsel rebuffed the notion that they were withholding those documents, and insisted that they had complied with the federal order to the fullest extent that they were able. After admonishing each side to be more communicative with one another, Hoppe said he would take time to review the case. The following Tuesday, Hoppe ruled in favor of Jackie, denying Eramos motion and concluding the steps taken by Jackies counsel were relatively straight forward and appear to have exhausted all known areas of inquiry for responsive communications currently in Jackies possession. Plaintiffs evidence that Jackie may have once possessed documents responsive to Demand No. 15 does not lead the Court to conclude that further explanation from Jackie or her counsel will to lead to the discovery of additional unproduced documents, Hoppe wrote. Thus, any further explanation of the Respondents search process is unnecessary and not calculated to lead to a stone unturned. Rolling Stone is facing two other lawsuits related to the retracted article - one from the UVa chapter of Phi Kappa Psi and another from three alumni fraternity members. Tomorrow voters in the United Kingdom will decide whether to stay in the European Union. The assassination of Jo Cox, a Labour member of Parliament who supported the UKs membership in the union, has overshadowed the referendum although it probably will not affect the outcome. The exit side is associated with factions within the Conservative Party, but debate does not split along neat partisan or ideological lines. Tories who want to leave fear a loss of sovereignty. They also believe that Britain boasts a better economic record than a European Union dominated by Germany. Labourites who want to leave say international finance dominates the system. Workers receive short shrift. Supporters of continued membership say Britain has prospered from the existing arrangement. They cite the uncertainty an exit would create. This is one question the multitude of candidates for Richmonds mayor will not need to answer. The outcome has no implications for a baseball stadium on Boulevard. The Times-Dispatch does not have a dog in the fight, either. We would cast a bored vote to stay, however. The UK has done well in the union; it has retained its own currency. The pound is the euros equal. The dollar tops both. London vies with New York as the worlds financial capital. Membership has not brought the doom skeptics predicted. It looks like nothing was found at this location. Maybe try a search? Search for: Search A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. Looking back on her year serving as Miss Virginia, Savannah Lane said she is forever changed. I knew that it would be rewarding, she said. But I never quite understood how meaningful it is to hear someone say, Because of you, Im not going to give up on my dream. When Lane heard her name called as the winner of the Miss Virginia 2015 pageant last summer, she said it felt amazing. But her real fairy-tale ending had come almost three months earlier when her twin sister, Hailey, survived a serious medical scare. On March 23, 2015, Hailey, a second-year cadet at the Air Force Academy, went into massive cardiac arrest while working out at her gym and fell into a coma for weeks. Lane said doctors couldnt explain what caused the arrest and gave Hailey a 2 percent chance of survival. I never thought I was going to hear her voice again, Lane said. I never thought I would see her eyes open again. This is my twin sister, my other half, and she was leaving the world, and you could feel it. There were moments in the weeks following Haileys collapse when the Lane family thought they would have to plan a funeral. But on Easter Sunday, Hailey miraculously woke up. Now, after months in the hospital recovering, Hailey is back at the Air Force Academy, where she is waiting to hear if she is still eligible for commission. The fact that she was alive and well was better than anything I could have ever wanted in my life, Lane said. When I went to Miss Virginia, I had a newfound sense of purpose and perspective, especially relating to this job, because I knew what it meant to go through tragedy and what it meant to know heartbreak. Power of the crown As Miss Virginia, Lane was an ambassador for Childrens Miracle Network Hospitals, the national platform of the Miss America Organization. She advocated for the children, served as a voice for the voiceless and worked to raise funds. Lane said some of her favorite memories were visiting the kids, where she was able to use her newfound perspective to relate to their experiences. Lane remembered wanting something to distract her while her sister was in a coma, so she did her best to be a distraction for the children. Ill do anything to make them laugh, she said. Ive done jokes where Ill talk with my mouth closed and do ventriloquist stuff, and Ill do the Whip and Nae Nae, whatever they want. If they request it, Ill do it, because I know what it feels like to be desperate for happiness and desperate for some kind of hope in a dark situation, like in a hospital. Lane said shes humbled to be able to work with organizations such as the Virginia ABC, promoting a drug- and alcohol-free lifestyle to elementary school students; and the USO, thanking those who serve in the military. They call it the power of the crown, she said. These opportunities would have never been awarded to me had I not been Miss Virginia. In fact, opportunities like these are the reason Lane started competing in pageants when she was 17. She had been volunteering with people in her community with disabilities and wanted to take it further. Its difficult to get into really vulnerable locations, hospitals, Alzheimers units, without an organization of excellence backing you, she said. And I found that organization of excellence in the Miss America program. Music as a universal language Lane found inspiration in her older sister, Brianna, who has autism. When we were younger we found, in our family, solace and comfort in music, despite different levels of ages and disabilities and abilities, Lane said. So we found that it was kind of a neutralizing factor for our family. Her love of music started when she was 8 years old and has stayed with her through her time as Miss Virginia. Her platform, the Power of Performance, has two components: educating students on the importance of finding a passion to utilize, and performing that passion. As Miss Virginia, Lane has performed all over the state, singing to veterans and children in hospitals and schools. People often think of music as a universal language, and obviously it is, but I like to think of it as a step further, as a universal language despite abilities or disabilities, despite economic success or underserving economic centers, its just a unifying factor, she said. Last September, she placed in the top 15 at the Miss America pageant in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Its surreal to think that I was even on that stage, she said. Part of the Miss America pageant is the Show Me Your Shoes Parade, in which contestants ride around with a shoe or outfit that represents their state. Lane was dressed in a bedazzled equestrian outfit. Im thinking, Wow, this is really glitzy and glam, which is fun, but Im going to be really hot, she said. And lo and behold, it was pouring rain. Every parade that Lane has been in as Miss Virginia has been pouring rain, she said. She jokingly attributes this to the song she performs for her talent: Barbra Streisands Dont Rain on My Parade. Lane said the song is representative of her attitude. You have the capability to create the legacy that you want, and you cant let other outside influences impact that, she said. It really inspired me. Despite everything that we had gone through, I was going to put on a good show, and I was going to have fun with it, too. Walk the walk, talk the talk Lane has faced several challenges during her time as Miss Virginia. A major challenge, she said, is lack of sleep. I dont think people understand this is a full-time job, she said, stressing that she would never complain about it and didnt want to sound ungrateful. You have to be ready to handle the job the second the crown is placed on your head. Lane also said it can be lonely. Youre with thousands of people some days, and you make friends quickly, she said. But once the event is over, you drive by yourself. You go home to your apartment by yourself. Lane also has to be ready to defend the Miss Virginia program to those who look down on the pageant industry. You have to prove to people what you are about and how you walk the walk and talk the talk, she said. When people say pageants arent relevant, I say, How did you pay for your college education? Because I paid for mine through scholarships. Lane has received $37,000 in scholarships from the Miss America Organization. She is majoring in foreign affairs at the University of Virginia, but took a year off to fulfill her Miss Virginia duties. She said UVa was very willing to work with her and that she was able to take off a year with no problem. Lane said that after the crowning of Miss Virginia 2016 on Saturday, shell be done competing in pageants. I think that this is the highest caliber organization, she said. I think the crown jewel of any pageant would be to aspire to be Miss Virginia and Miss America. So I will hang up the heels and the crown and sash. Lane said she will always stay involved with the pageant, but shes also excited to go back to school. She hopes to one day become an FBI agent, and then run for Congress. Dream come true comes to a close For now, Lane is looking forward to this weeks pageant. She will sing two duets with her older sister, Caitlin, and one with her 11-year-old brother, Brennan. Lane was involved in the Miss Virginia Organizations recording of Virginias new state song, Our Great Virginia. Lane is one of five returning Miss Virginias who collaborated on the track. Its a beautiful tribute to Virginia, she said. To be a part of that with a few of the other Forever, as we call them, Miss Virginias was really exciting. The idea for the song came from Dr. James Robertson of Virginia Tech. I wanted a musical tribute, Robertson said. It had to be inspirational enough to become Virginias state song. Getting my wonderful state its own official and moving anthem was my goal from the start. With the songwriting help of Mike Greenly and Jim Papoulis, Our Great Virginia was approved by Virginias House and Senate in early 2015, and became the official state song July 1 that year, after Gov. Terry McAuliffe signed it into law. The Miss Virginia version of the song will be played as the soundtrack to a video honoring returning Miss Virginias during the pageant Friday night. It is available for download from iTunes and Amazon. All proceeds go to the Miss Virginia Scholarship Fund. Also new at the pageant this year will be a red carpet, organized by Matt Schreier, the youth advisory representative, where folks inside the pageant already can watch people arrive via Apple TV. Schreier said hes trying to make sure the Miss Virginia pageant keeps up with technological trends to attract younger people. Were dealing with something thats been around for a very long time. We want to show people that its not just a beauty pageant, its an experience, he said. Mark Schreier, Matts father and director of marketing, fundraising and production, said this year there will be a new spin on the evening wear competition, but declined to go into details. There will also be a live Childrens Miracle Network fundraiser via cell phone, and a quilt made of T-shirts from the contestants colleges will be raffled off. The pageant will be co-hosted by Tiffany Haas and Meghan Shanley, Miss Virginia 2001. Miss Virginia 2014 Courtney Garrett will perform Forever on the Air, a tribute song to WDBJ journalists Allison Parker and Adam Ward, who were killed last summer. Lane said that although her final days as Miss Virginia are bittersweet, shes excited for the next girl to get the same opportunity. Come Sunday morning after the crowning, I think that Im going to definitely need a pick-me-up, she said. This is a dream come true, as cliche as it sounds. Its a dream come true, and its coming to a close now. RICHMOND Domestic abusers will have to surrender their firearms within 24 hours of being served a civil, family abuse final protective order or face felony charges, under a law scheduled to take effect July 1. The firearms surrender provision is part of a far-reaching gun rights and gun control legislative compromise reached in February between Republican legislative leaders and the administration of Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe. As part of the deal, Virginia will recognize concealed-carry firearms permits issued by other states. The superintendent of the Virginia State Police and the Virginia attorney general have 60 days to enter into reciprocal agreements with states that require an agreement before recognizing a Virginia gun permit. In exchange for maintaining firearms reciprocity with other states, the new law will require a Virginia State Police trooper to be available at all gun shows in the commonwealth to do voluntary background checks on firearms purchases. Public safety officials from the administration held a news briefing Tuesday to outline the protective order provision of the new law, and said that 53 law enforcement agencies in the commonwealth have agreed to accept and store firearms surrendered under the law. The law does not apply to temporary or emergency orders, which do not require a judicial determination or personal service of the order. Nor does the law require a person subject to a permanent order to surrender their firearms to a law enforcement agency; they only need to hand the firearms over to a third party, which may include a friend or family member who is not prohibited from possessing a firearm. The law simply requires that a person subject to the protective order may not possess a weapon for the duration of the order, which can last up to two years. Some of the largest jurisdictions in the state including Fairfax County, Arlington County, Norfolk and Newport News have signed on. In the Roanoke and New River valleys, Blacksburg, Boones Mill, Radford and Wytheville police departments will accept firearms. Secretary of Public Safety Brian Moran said Virginia is one of only 17 states that require firearms forfeiture subject to family abuse final protective orders and one of only four states that require surrender in 24 hours and make violators subject to a felony charge. He called it one of the toughest domestic violence laws in the nation, if not the toughest. While Moran said that he would like people subject to the order to turn their weapons over to law enforcement, he said that a number of agencies expressed concern about having the necessary storage capacity and assuming liability for the guns safekeeping. There are more than 150 law enforcement agencies responsible for public safety in the commonwealths 133 localities. Moran said the Department of Criminal Justice Services would be providing a total of $300,000 in grants for law enforcement to help implement the law. There are legitimate concerns, and we want to get them from no to yes in accepting surrendered firearms, he said. We are committed to making this work. Asked whether he was concerned that most people forced to surrender firearms would simply choose to hand them over to a friend or family member rather than law enforcement, even if that option were available, Moran said: Im concerned that there is too much gun violence in Virginia. This is an important step. In 2014, 66 people were killed in Virginia by guns in incidents classified as family and intimate partner homicide. Women are five times more likely to die in domestic violence events in which firearms are involved. According to the administration, there were 5,271 family abuse final protective orders issued in Virginia in 2015. Moran said he expects that more victims of abuse will use the new law to pursue permanent protective orders that remove guns from abusers rather than temporary or emergency orders, which do not require surrender of firearms. Hugh Eldridge Brown Jr., of Roanoke, Va., died peacefully on Monday morning, June 20, 2016, following a loving Father's Day celebration with his family the previous day. He was a senior gentleman of 85 years.Reared and raised from fine southern families, Hugh was the son of Mr. Hugh E. Brown Sr. of Norfolk, Va., and Emily Ricks Brown of Tarboro, N.C. Hugh was a direct descendant of the great Civil War General and North Carolina Southern Commander, William Dorsey Pender.Hugh, born in Danville, Va., and coming of age in Roanoke, Va., was a graduate of Jefferson High School, Class of 1949. He attained degrees from Virginia Tech including a BS in Business Administration and a Master of Science in Education. Following tours as a teacher in Danville, Va., and Roanoke, Va., he supervised the Distribute Education, Business Education and Adult Education programs for the Roanoke City Public Schools for over 20 years until his retirement in 1991. A beloved teacher, leader and colleague, his teachers, staff, administrators and colleagues gave him a rousing farewell celebration dinner and "roast" for a retirement celebration in the spring of 1991.Hugh was a veteran of the United States Military, serving in the U.S. Army in Europe following the Second World War and part of the reconstruction program in Europe.In retirement, Hugh continued his dedicated service to his beloved Roanoke and Shenandoah Valley. He volunteered for almost 25 years for the Roanoke Visitor Center and the Mill Mountain Nature Center. Hugh was a passionate conservationist and member of the Sierra Club and Roanoke Bird Club. He was a member of the Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway (Hugh and his wife, Jody, counted Blowing Rock, N.C., as a second home, visiting often), the Roanoke History Society, and the Big Lick Breakfast Club, serving as a past President of the Club. A true nature devotee, Hugh was part of a conservation team that cared for the birds of Woodpecker Ridge for many decades.A dedicated Christian and Episcopalian, Hugh grew up in Christ Church in Roanoke, and then was a key parish lay leader, Vestryman, Sunday school teacher and Scout Leader at St. Elizabeth's Episcopal Church in Roanoke for over 50 years.Hugh was a first class, old school Southern Gentleman, a devoted citizen and compassionate, loving father and grandfather. His family describes him "a gentle soul," who was always ready to lend a caring hand to a neighbor in need and was revered by all who came to know him. He will be sorely missed as one of Roanoke's fine citizens and by his family who loved him and was loved by him. He is described by one of his grandchildren as "the best pappy one could have."Hugh is survived by his loving wife of 58 years, Josephine Garrett Brown of Roanoke, Va.; his son, The Rev. Hugh E. Brown III of Princeton, N.J.; his daughter, Mary Van Brown of Roanoke, Va.; his sister, Margaret Brown of Roanoke, Va.; three grandchildren, Heather, Morgan Brown, and Garrett Brown; and his beloved cat, Mac.The family welcomes all to a simple, Graveside Memorial Service at 11 a.m. on this Thursday, June 23, 2016, at the Evergreen Burial Park/ Cemetery in Southwest Roanoke, 1307 Summit Ave., SW., officiated by The Rev. George R. Pruitt of Roanoke, Va., and assisted by the Rev. Jonathan F. Harris, Rector of St. Elizabeth's Roanoke, and the Rev. Hugh E. Brown III, Rector of All Saint's Church, Princeton, N.J.In lieu of flowers, the family requests that gifts be made in Hugh's honor to Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway at P.O. Box 20986, Roanoke, VA 24018. Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.oakeys.com. Dr. Claudia Ann Huddleston, 65, of Roanoke, Va., went to be with her Lord and Savior on Tuesday, June 21, 2016. Claudia was born September 15, 1950. The oldest of three children, she was raised in Archdale, N.C.She graduated from nursing school in 1970 and then started her work as a medical missionary in Pusan, South Korea. There she developed an ICU at Wallace Memorial Baptist Hospital; starting with just three beds, it now has over 50 beds. After several years in South Korea, she eventually made her way to Roanoke. There, she worked as the head nurse of the Emergency Room for Community Hospital. She also established the paramedic program at the College of Health Sciences, now known as Jefferson College.It was while also serving on the Roanoke Life Saving Crew that she met her husband, Marvin Huddleston.Claudia went on to receive her Master's degree from Virginia Tech and her Doctorate from Liberty University. Throughout her long career, she remained passionate about serving others from a medical, educational and spiritual standpoint. In line with this passion, she took many medical mission trips to underserved areas in countries throughout the world including Burkina Faso, Egypt, Zambia, Ghana, Albania, Moldova, Mexico, Haiti, as well as national locations such as the Windswept Academy in South Dakota. It was her goal on these mission trips to not only serve others spiritually and medically, but to educate them in ways that would allow them to be more self-sustainable during their absences from outside help. Each location was dear to her heart, and she made many friends throughout these trips.When not traveling or working, Claudia enjoyed singing in the choir at First Baptist Church, fishing at the beach with her husband, spending time with her family and playing with her baby grandson. She treasured her friends and will be missed by many all across the world.Claudia is survived by her husband of 35 years, Marvin; her children, Amy and her husband, Josh Richards, and Neil Huddleston; and her grandson, Noah Richards. She is also survived by her mother, Jean Frick; her grandmother, Florence Frick; her brothers, Gil and Ted Williams; and many nieces and nephews.The family would like to thank the oncology team at Blue Ridge Cancer Care for their support of Claudia. They are especially grateful to Dr. Daniel Temeles for his care and friendship over the last 23 years.A Funeral Service will be held at 1 p.m. on Friday, June 24, 2016, at the Faith Chapel of First Baptist Church. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. on Thursday, June 23, 2016, at Oakey's South Chapel.In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Purchase Line Church of the Brethren, 3711 Purchase Line Road, Clymer, PA 15728, Attention: Skip King. All donations will be used to advance God's Kingdom in Haiti, as Claudia was especially passionate about her work there. Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.oakeys.com. Polished trading in the Indian diamond market during the month of May was sufficiently brisk, while rough trading was just normal paced. Production in the cutting centres was in full swing throughout the month, despite it being summer holiday time. Most factories and SMEs remained in operation throughout the month, due to good demand presumably. Overseas demand was good, especially from the US and Middle East including demand from the Indian domestic market. The Indian diamond industry is slowly recovering from the past rather dismal export performance, thanks to the economic revival in consuming countries. The countrys cut & polished diamond exports for the month of Apl. 2016 amounted to $1.78 bn as against $1.64 bn in Apl. 15, a rise of 8.85 percent, according to provisional data announced by the Gem & Jewellery Export promotion Council (GJEPC) of India. The Indian diamond industry, which had been severely hit by the global slowdown for many months, is finally improving. Rough diamond imports recorded an increase of 37.22 percent to $ 1.88 bn for Apl 16 as against $ 1.37 bn in Apl 15. Rough exports decreased by 23 percent, registering $ 86.14 mn for Apl 16 as against $ 111.83 mn for Apl 15. Cut & polished diamonds imports declined by 8.63 percent recording about $ 223.05 mn as against $ 244.13 mn in Apl 15. This augurs well for the local cutting & polishing centres which are left holding inventories, which is proving costly, depriving them of the already wafer-thin profits. The Indian government is succeeding gradually in its attempt to curb polished diamond imports, in support of the diamond cutting & polishing centres in the country. The domestic gem & jewellery sector picked up momemtum from the recent strike by the jewelers. But, demand on the auspicious day of 'Akshaya Tritiya' remained quiet due to high prices of gold. However, despite the low sales volume jewellers across the country feels that Akshaya Tritiya 2016 has provided the much needed boost to the sector. Jewellers in Mumbai and Pune did good sales, especially in light-weight jewellery and gold bullion, despite increased gold prices. Jewellers in South India as well as the northern part of the country did good business in jewellery compared to bullion. That people were making purchases even amid high gold prices, shows that the sentiment attached to the yellow metal is still strong and the nature of buying gold will not change in India. The diamond market in Mumbai was abuzz when news, that four polished diamond traders operating from Bharat Diamond Bourse (BDB) at Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), Mumbai had defaulted on payments to the tune of over $22.55 mn, made the rounds. According to media reports, dozens of traders and small manufacturers in Surat were left in the lurch. The reason was due to a Chinese firm that had defaulted on the payment to the Mumbai-based parties. Following a series of defaults that rocked the industry since January 2016, involving amount to the tune of over $60mn by parties in Mumbai and Surat, Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) regional chairman Dinesh Navadiya, said "We have urged diamond traders and manufacturers to implement KYC norms when they strike a deal in precious diamonds with anyone. The month of April also brought some good news for the Indian industry.The World Federation of Diamond Bourses (WFDB) added the Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC) as a member among its 31-member bourses across the globe. The decision was taken at the ongoing 37th World Diamond Congress at Dubai recently. The next Presidents Meeting in 2017 will be hosted by the Bharat Diamond Bourse. Thats not all, the European Union and India, which participated in the KP Intersessional, made a co-ordinated proposal on 26th May, under which EU will assume responsibility as KP Vice-Chair in 2017 and as KP Chair in 2018; while India will become KP Vice-Chair in 2018 and assume the position of KP Chair in 2019. While numerous initiatives are constantly being chalked out here for the industry, Gems & Jewellery Skill Council of India launched the RPL Program (Recognition of Prior Learning) as the first step to uplift the Karigars (artisans) in the Indian Gems & Jewellery Sector along with an awareness Ad Film during a conference at Indian Merchants Chamber in Mumbai. Also, the Indian Institute of Gems and Jewellery (IIGJ), a GJEPC initiative, will now offer a 3 year Graduate Program in Jewellery Design & Management Techniques in collaboration with Welingkar Institute of Management. The GJEPCs efforts to further the industry is an ongoing process, Recently, the committee members met with a delegation from the Consulate General of Belgium and Brussels Airlines today to discuss the proposal of Brussels Airlines to start direct flights from Mumbai to Brussels. In another meeting, representatives of GJEPC and the Bharat Diamond Bourse (BDB) met with a US delegation in Mumbai to discuss compliance issues. Some events during the month that made the Indian industry proud ----Indian company Kiran Gems, the worlds largest diamond manufacturer, was a warded the FIEO (Federation of Indian Export Organisations) "Niryat Shree Gold Trophy" in the Gems and Jewellery-Non-MSME category. The event was held on the evening 4th of May 2016, at Vigyan Bhavan- Delhi, India. In addition, three Indian jewellery companies Titan, Gitanjali Gems and PC Jewellers have been ranked among the 100 largest luxury goods companies globally by Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited in its latest Global Powers of Luxury Goods 2016. The listing is based on publicly available data for consolidated sales of luxury goods in the 12 month period ending 30 June 2015. The Indian retail chain, Kalyan Jewellers is eyeing a turnover of around $1954 mn this fiscal (FY-17) banking primarily on its $135 mn retail expansion plans through 20 stores in India and in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The online space is becoming crowded by the day, with new start-ups as well as established companies coming together for mutual benefit. Titan, the Indian watch and jewellery maker, entered the online jewellery space last week by acquiring a majority stake in an online company CaratLane for an undisclosed sum. This is about to set an interesting precedence for ecommerce in the country. Aruna Gaitonde, Editor-in-Chief of Asian Bureau, Rough&Polished Gemfields, which conducted its sixth auction of rough rubies and corundum from Montepuez in Singapore, has generated record total revenues of $ 44.3 million at an average realised price of $29.21 per carat. It said 1,516,459 carats were sold out of the total of 1,601,145 carats offered from its 75 percent-owned Mozambique mine. The auction offered high and commercial grade rough rubies in both untreated and treated form. "We are pleased with the results of Gemfields' sixth Montepuez ruby auction. The prices achieved and the high percentage of goods sold fully support our analysis of the market conditions, the quality of Mozambique's rubies and the increasing levels of demand across various markets and categories, said company chief executive Ian Harebottle. Our commitment to further building the coloured gemstone sector continues with the launch of a new global marketing campaign focussing on Mozambican rubies. The five ruby and emerald auctions Gemfields has hosted so far this financial year have yielded aggregate revenues of $174.4 million. Gemfields' auctions of rough gemstones from Kagem, the world's largest producing emerald mine, located in Zambia, and Montepuez have now generated $621 million in total revenues. Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished Investigations into the alleged looting of Marange diamonds in Zimbabwe should be expedited and culprits brought to book, a cabinet minister has said. The Herald newspaper quoted local government minister Saviour Kasukuwere as saying that Harare was behind mines minister Walter Chidhakwas ongoing investigations on the alleged looting to ensure the matter was brought to finality. He also said government had allowed companies that were operating in Marange to loot proceeds from diamond mining while the villagers continued wallowing in abject poverty. "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 is a lot of theories on what could have happened to our diamonds, he said. "Why should the people of Marange remain poor when some people siphoned their riches to foreign countries? We did let down the people of this region. Now we are behind the Government through the Ministry of Mines in the investigation into the looting of the proceeds from Chiadzwa. A British peer, Lord David Chidgey, told the House of Lords recently that billions of dollars from proceeds of Zimbabwe's diamonds were stashed in London. Harare said it would follow up on this allegation. Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished Union Pacific plans to invest $9.9 million in 2016 to improve its infrastructure in Minnesota, enhancing employee, community and customer safety and increasing rail operating efficiency. UPs planned investment covers a range of initiatives including $9.1 million to maintain railroad track and more than $800,000 to maintain bridges in the state. Key projects include a $3.3-million investment between Mankato and St. James to replace more than 21,000 ties and a more than $800,000-investment to replace nearly 5,000 ties on yard and industry tracks in St. Paul and South St. Paul. This years planned $9.9 million capital expenditure in Minnesota is part of an ongoing investment strategy. From 2011 to 2015, UP invested more than $50 million strengthening Minnesotas transportation infrastructure. The Class 1 plans to spend $3.75 billion across its network this year and has detailed state plans for Wyoming, Utah, Washington state, New Mexico, Idaho, Oregon, Iowa, Arizona, Missouri, Louisiana, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Illinois, Arkansas, California and Texas. Ontario is extending GO Transit's Lakeshore East rail corridor to offer new GO train service from Oshawa to Bowmanville, extending the GO train network by nearly 20 kilometers (12 miles) and building four new stations. Through Metrolinx, Ontario is working with Canadian Pacific on infrastructure and service planning for the extension, a portion of which will use CP s existing corridor north of Highway 401. Our government is listening to local needs and this is great news for commuters in Bowmanville and Durham Region. This expansion will provide a direct rail connection to the broader GO network, stated Steven Del Duca, Ontarios minister of Transportation. Province officials say expanded rail service will provide Durham Region with more direct connections to the larger GO Transit network, helping to reduce congestion in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) and connecting people to jobs. This will also help minimize greenhouse gas pollution by reducing car trips and improve travel times. Currently, GO trains on the Lakeshore East corridor go as far as Oshawa and GO provides bus service between Oshawa and Bowmanville every 30 minutes, with increased frequency at peak hours. Since 2013, Metrolinx has added 171 new weekly GO train trips and 167 new weekly GO bus trips for residents in Durham Region. The new GO rail service is expected to begin by 2023-24. The four new stations will be at Thornton Road in Oshawa, Ritson Road in Oshawa, Courtice Road in Courtice and Martin Road in Bowmanville. Expanding GO train service in Durham Region will make a real difference to peoples lives and Ontarios economy. We want people, communities and business to be seamlessly connected to one another and prosper together. This is what our record investments in infrastructure are building for Ontario, said Kathleen Wynne, premier of Ontario. Last week, Canadian National and Metrolinx reached an agreement-in-principle that would allow GO Transit to expand service to the Waterloo Region. 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. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Ardelyx Inc. (ARDX) announced that, based on the positive outcome of a recent End-of-Phase 2 or EoP2 meeting held with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, its ongoing Phase 2b clinical trial evaluating tenapanor for the treatment of hyperphosphatemia for end-stage renal disease or ESRD patients on dialysis, may serve as the first of two registration trials to support the filing of a new drug application or NDA. Additionally, the company announced the results of a pharmacodynamic or PD study evaluating once daily (QD) dosing of its product candidate, RDX227675, for the treatment of hyperkalemia. With these positive results, Ardelyx is accelerating its plans to commence a time to onset clinical trial in patients with hyperkalemia. Ardelyx recently met with the FDA for an EoP2 meeting regarding tenapanor for the treatment of hyperphosphatemia for ESRD patients on dialysis. The FDA guided Ardelyx to use the results of the placebo-controlled randomized withdrawal portion of the trial as the primary endpoint for its ongoing clinical trial, rather than as a secondary endpoint, in order for the trial to serve as one of two well-controlled studies to support the registration of tenapanor for the treatment of hyperphosphatemia for ESRD patients on dialysis. The overall study design will not be changed, but the Company is increasing the number of patients to be enrolled in the trial from 150 to 200 to further strengthen the trial and maintain a power of 90%. The FDA has accepted the new statistical analysis plan submitted to reflect certian changes. As a result of the increase in enrollment, Ardelyx now expects results from the ongoing trial to be reported in the first quarter of 2017, as compared to prior guidance of the second half of 2016. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Mitsubishi Motors Corp. (7211,MMTOF.PK), which expects hefty charge on fuel-cheat scandal, Wednesday said it sees fiscal year net loss of $1.4 billion or 145 billion Japanese Yen. This is for the first time in the last eight years that the company reports a loss. Last year, it had recorded profit of 89.1 billion yen. The Japanese motor giant expects net sales to fall by 16 percent to 1.91 trillion yen, with a decline of eight percent or 86 thousand units in total sales to 962 thousand units for fiscal 2016. In the previous year, net sales were 2.27 trillion. On April 20, the company had revealed a fraud in fuel consumption test, and taking the responsibility, President Tetsuro Aikawa had resigned. Chairman Osamu Masuko replaced him temporarily. The company had said it was using fuel- testing methods that were not in compliance with Japanese regulation. Mitsubishi expects fuel test impact of 205 billion yen in fiscal year of which, 150 billion yen is earmarked for one time fuel test charges. Further, it has decided to pay 100 thousand yen or $960 each to car owners affected by fuel-cheat scandal. The individual compensation would come to 50 billion yen or $480 million. Nissan Motor Co., which has agreed to own 34 percent stake in Mitsubishi, has been selling mini cars under the brand Dayz and Dayz Roox. Mitsubishi has offered 100 billion yen in compensation to Nissan. Regional sales in Japan is expected to be down 41 percent, while two percent decline is expected in North America. The company forecasts nine percent and three percent decline in Europe and Asia sales respectively, while 13 percent drop is projected to other regions. Osamu Masuko has announced that the company would resume production of minicars, and the financial impact would not be carried to next fiscal periods. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News World's second largest mining company Rio Tinto announced a major shake up in top ranks. There are also rumors in the air that it is planning a spin-off. Jean-Sebastien Jacques, who will soon be replacing Andrew Harding as CEO, ordered for revamp of its four key divisions, namely Aluminium, Copper & Diamonds, Energy & Minerals, as well as Iron ore. Chris Salisbury will be the new chief executive of Iron Ore based in Perth. He has been acting as Copper & Coal chief executive. Arnaud Soirat is named the new chief executive of Copper & Coal, based in London. Alan Davies, who was chief executive of Diamonds & Minerals has given responsibility of Coal, Uranium, Salt, Borates and Titanium as chief executive of Energy and Minerals. Joanne Farrell will be the group executive of Health, Safety & Environment, based in Perth. He will also serve as Managing director of Australia. Alfred Barrios will continue to be the chief executive of Aluminium business. Iron ore chief executive Andrew Harding will leave the company, effective July 1, after 25 years of service. Jean-Sebastien Jacques said "In the face of testing times for the industry, Rio Tinto is performing remarkably well. Our ambition is to deliver superior performance day-in and day-out so that we create value for our shareholders and communities now and over the long term." In May last year, mining giant BHP Billiton Ltd. Has announced the de-merger of its Manganese, Coal, Alumina and Nickel assets to create South32 Ltd. The shares of the de-merged company were distributed to BHP Billiton Ltd and BHP Billiton Plc shareholders and trading independently. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News Even when they are registering heavy losses due to lockdown, automakers are going out of their way to help customers Jaguar Land Rover India has adopted the same approach, as it has extended service and warranty schedules for its customers. This scheme will be beneficial for JLR vehicle owners who may not have been able to get their vehicles serviced or claim warranty during the lockdown period from March 25 to May 3. Auto dealerships have been completely shut across the country during the lockdown. There was no way customers could have utilized the service and warranty options during this period. Also Read 2020 Jaguar F-Type Facelift India Launch Soon As per the scheme, JLR India has extended service schedule intervals by two months / 3,200 km. The company has directed all its dealers to honour the extended service and warranty schedules. This will be applicable in all cases where repairs were not possible due to lockdown and the warranty was expiring during this period. JLR vehicle owners with extended warranties that are expiring between start and end of lockdown period also stand to gain. Such customers will have the option to claim warranty on repairs, limited to up to 1000 km or within 30 days after lockdown is lifted. Another benefit for JLR customers is that the company has kept its roadside assistance services operational even during the lockdown period. In case of emergency situations, customers can readily get help from JLRs roadside assistance teams. Even when facing significant challenges in its global business, JLR appears to be bullish on the Indian market. Earlier this year in January, JLR had launched 2nd gen Range Rover Evoque in India. Available in two variants, S and R-Dynamic SE, second generation Range Rover Evoque retails at a starting price of Rs 54.94 lakh (ex-showroom, pan-India). Engine options include BS6 compliant petrol and diesel units. The 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine is equipped with a 48V mild-hybrid system, capable of delivering 249 hp of max power. The 2.0-litre turbo diesel unit makes 180hp and 430Nm. Also Read Land Rover Defender Electric Powered by Tesla In February, the company had launched the heavily facelifted Discovery Sport at a starting price of Rs 57.06 lakh (ex-showroom, pan-India). The SUV comes with refreshed exteriors as can be seen with the updated front grille, headlights, front and rear bumpers and tail lamps. New features include 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system, fully-digital instrument cluster, heated door mirrors, leather upholstery and Meridian audio system. Engine options are same as Range Rover Evoque. Once the lockdown is lifted and the situation normalizes, JLR will be launching new Defender SUV in India. Available in 3-door and 5-door variants, Land Rover Defender is priced in the range of Rs 69.99 lakh to Rs 86.27 lakh. Powering the SUV will be a 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine that makes 300hp / 400 Nm. Engine is mated to an 8-speed automatic gearbox. Land Rover Defender will be imported in India via the CBU route. 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 ... 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. The irony is inescapable. Although weve said this before, in light of whats happening today, its worth repeating. You see; its hard to ignore the feeling that something is just not right somewhere. Which brings us to the point that there is nothing worse than someone who thinks theyre moving forward when in reality theyre going backwards. Sometimes, it feels like that in this country today. Let me explain. People talk so much about progress, the high rises in Apia and what have you. Every day we hear terms such as the promise of a better future, a roadmap to prosperity, transformative plans among others being tossed back and forth. They sound wonderful and they sure tick all the boxes if youre looking for all the right words to say in this day and age. Indeed they are noble goals, ideals we should all aspire to achieve. I mean who would be foolish enough not to want them? Prosperity, transformation, better future and all that these terms entail is something everyone wants - and plenty of it. Thats because prosperity is a wonderful thing and there are many individuals in this community who can testify about how that is so. And yet when you scratch a bit deeper what you will find is bound to alarm you. Deep beneath all the facade there is a sense of sadness, bitterness. Something just doesnt add up, it doesnt make sense. What it is exactly is hard to put a finger on. But the signs are there. Were talking about the rise in petty crimes, the poor standard of living among some people, the deteriorating state of our morals, values and our culture, the qualities that define who we really are. They are slowly but surely eroding. Take the simple principle of honesty, for example. Judging by the number of theft cases in this country today, we believe we have a serious problem that needs to be addressed. Look at those Courts and Police reports; they are alarming. It appears that theft has become part and parcel of life on these shores. Last week for example, a woman who worked as a Legal Secretary for a top Law Firm in Samoa was jailed for stealing from her place of work. The woman had apparently arranged to meet clients and collect money from them and instead of passing the money to the Firms Accounts Department, she would make up excuses for not being able to provide receipts and later used the money. According to the Police summary of facts, the Legal Secretary committed the offense no less than 18 times over a period of nine months. In Court, Justice Vui made a very telling comment. From experience, this offence has become very common in Samoa but sadly its affecting young married females, Justice Vui said. Because of the seriousness of this offence, a jail term should be imposed by the Court so that the message should be sent out to those who are committing this offence that the result is Tafaigata. Its heart-breaking to say the least. In a country where we pride ourselves on our cultural and religious values, its a crying shame. The question is: Has stealing somehow become an accepted part of life in Samoa? Have we become so immune to the stories of stealing we are told from left, right and centre every day that we no longer care? We say this because according to a number of business people who spoke with this column, petty theft is one of their biggest problems. They say some employees would steal everything and anything, that in some work places, if they could steal the toilet bowl, they would. Isnt that a sad indication of how low morality and the standard of life has become for many people? Dont we care anymore about the Bible and its teachings? Have we forgotten that God is watching no matter what? Are we becoming a nation that is no longer God-fearing? We appreciate that these are tough and troubling questions but weve got to ask ourselves. In some cases, its almost like certain people dont care about the truth. All they are concerned about is what is politically correct and what others will say about them. This is extremely disheartening. The truth is that if the growing number of theft cases as one example of the many problems - is anything to judge by, this country is surely heading for a future we do not want. We believe honesty is the first victim of theft. You see, the moment someone decides to steal, honesty immediately disappears from their vocabulary. It doesnt matter whether its a pen, a phone, a lavalava or taking credit from someones mobile phone. There is no such thing as a black and white crime. They are all the same. But thats not all which worries us about this country today. Lets talk about hard drugs, money laundering and alcohol abuse. The reality is that if you have lots of money and if you know the right people, you will find your hard drugs on these shores. The Courts have shown us time and time again that ice is widely available. As youre reading this piece, the Police have declared war on ice in Samoa and they have been hauling in several people in relation to this. What about money laundering? Can it happen in Samoa? Of course. It has already happened. Its just as chilling when you think about the wide availability of illegal guns, growing number of alcohol abuse cases and the occurrences of sexual-related crimes. Now, it was only a few years ago that this country experienced its first case of armed robbery. Since then, weve seen several cases of armed robberies including one on the big island of Savaii some time ago. Now, think about poverty. Think about corruption. In Samoa, most of our leaders especially the government - dont believe the two exist. Whereas poverty is something that belongs in Africa, they will tell you that corruption in Samoa is peanuts compared to other countries. The point is that if we want a bright future, we cannot continue to turn a blind eye to the fact corruption is breeding poverty in this country. And poverty is responsible for a class of citizens who are so desperate they will do anything and everything including the unimaginable theft of things like the toilet bowl to get by. What do you think? Write and share your thoughts with us! Dear Editor, The Samoa Observer did not encourage whatever led to the tragic death. The Samoa Observer is a reputable media and surely doing its job to report, inform, educate and disseminate the news; its core service for Samoa in Samoa and those abroad. I cannot see the logic why the weak minds are going jumping up in jubilation to count wrong and point the finger while a log is in their own eyes of sins and God knows what is blurring their sight? If you are so immaculate; if you are so purer; if you are so, so perfect; for you are the accusers of that pure woman: They dragged a supposedly prostitute and dropped her before Jesus. One of her accusers addressed the issue and handed the Master a rock and cheerfully suggested, Jesus! The Son of God the King of Kings you throw the first rock! The Evangelists reported that Jesus then looked at the woman and examined the rock then turned to the accuser and said: Here! You throw my rock if you think you are so pure without sin. Go on! Throw my rock if you think that you are so perfect without a single mistake in life; sorry Samoa Observer made a mistake. Soia ia toute fia mama tau le pua ma lafo ile Samoa Observer e afe ma afe tou agasala ma tou amio leaga mataga e fai i luma ole Atua. Tofaeono Misatauveve Joseph Hollywood Siumu Standing in the middle of a circle made up of scraps of paper, Fealofani Brunn used both, her hands and feet to describe how navigation was done before the times of G.P.S. or even compasses. The skipper of the Gaualofa, a vaatele, or traditional sailing double hulled canoe, spent the morning together with her crew at the Museum of Samoa to share her knowledge about the art of navigation and traditional sailing with visiting students of the Martin Hautus Institute of Learning. During their two-hour long training at the museum, the thirty students learned a lot about what had determined the everyday-life of their ancestors centuries ago. The students learn about what we do with Gaualofa, from navigating to the actual process of sailing, told Xavier Lui, crew member of the traditional sailing boat. We are trying to reteach what weve almost lost in our modern cultural life, that is the traditional skills that our ancestors had in the days. Thankfully, with the passed on knowledge and our canoe, we can now try to revive all of that. The revival of old traditions has a special meaning for the boats crew, as they were able to prove during their presentations at the museum: We want these kids to be proud of who they are. As Samoans, these stories of their ancestors hopefully help us by doing so. If you have a closer look at our language, you will understand that it is actually based on the way of traditional navigation. Everything is based around this ancient time of the navigators and the importance of the ocean for us. Because of these connections, the crews endeavour does not simply end with just passing on the knowledge, as the Gaualofas skipper Fealofani Brunn could promise the students of the Martin Hautus Institute of Learning: Everytime we showcase ourselves, we follow it up with a special tour on the canoe or even an actual sail on the canoe. It is simply not enough to just talk about, you have to touch beyond and feel it. The opportunity to not just listen to how their ancestors lived but to actually take part in this very old way of living was given in many ways to the visiting students at the Museum of Samoa. For us as students it is always great to learn something new, but in this case, it has a special meaning to us because we can actually see how things work, rather than just hearing about it. As Samoans, it is also important for us to actually know more about our own heritage, Laiva Lilomaiava said when asked about her experience at the training. Together with her classmates, she had visited the museum in the context of a tourism course led by her teacher Christabelle Schuster, who also pointed out that the knowledge about their ancestors could be something the students will be able to benefit from in many different ways: Of course, this knowledge has an important value for the students in order to identify themselves with their own culture. But also in terms of tourism, they need to have this knowledge so that they can be able to tell overseas visitors more about our country. If they want to become for instance tour guides, they will benefit from this visit, but of course, this is also an enrichment for their general knowledge as well. The visit, that was initiated by the Museum of Samoa, was not the first of its kind, as the institutions principal officer, Lumepa Apelu, told Samoa Observer: We did an exhibition with the crew of the Gaualofa before and theyre also volunteers of our Museum. They come in and help whenever we ask them to do so and one of their tasks includes the teaching of the students. But the knowledge about sailing and navigation was not the only tradition the students learnt about. Just in front of the building, Ului Lalomilo had together with her daughter set up a table on which she acquainted the visitors with the old tradition of elei making. During this process, the students used a template of a traditional Samoan pattern to apply colour to a piece of fabric. As Lalomilo told, her part of the training was especially well received by the visiting students: They are really enjoying it, because it is always good to do something with your own hands, and this is what they can learn here. With the offering of these traditional Samoan cultural practices, the Museum followed the important task to preserve the countrys very own culture, which hopefully can be done for the many years to come. Aoga Fiamalamalama is having a Trivia Night tonight at the Home Cafe at Malifa to fundraise for a new school bus. The Trivia night is an initiative by the volunteers who are working at Aoga Fiamalamalama, the board members and the Parents Teachers Association. Principal Sharon Suhren said most of the school activities rely on the school bus. We still have the old bus which is more than ten years old and there are times that the bus breaks down, she said. And when that happens, it is very difficult for them because they fear for the safety of the children especially the ones that their parents expect the school to drop off at their doorsteps. The bus is used to transport the students to school every day and to their school activities, she added. Mrs. Suhren thanked all the businesses who have come forward to support the school and have donated items and monetary donations. She also thanked the owner of the Home Cafe, Horace Evans, for the generous offer allowing them to use the venue free of charge. The Parents Teachers Association are working hard to ensure that tonight will be a successful event for the school and all proceeds will go towards funding of their new school bus. The Trivia night will start at 6pm tonight with lots of fun activities and lots of prizes to be won for just $30 entry. The Aoga Fiamalamalama is a nongovernmental school established in 1979 to meet the needs of Samoas intellectually disabled children. With their mission being Equality and quality life for all persons with disability, the school works to promote the physical, educational, economical and social welfare of the intellectually disabled. They also support the development of the total person in a caring environment rooted in Christian values and free from discrimination based on age, gender, race, religion or disability. The school works with parents in promoting the welfare of their children, informing parents of the help and support that is available, as well as increasing the awareness and the inclusion of the intellectually disabled in the family and the wider community. Aoga Fiamalamalama was established by a group of parents from Sogi Preschool because there was a lack of higher education for special needs and intellectually disabled children in Samoa at the time. The governments $894 million budget for 2016/2017 came under the microscope when Parliament convened at Tuanaimato yesterday. Tabled by the new Minister of Finance, Sili Epa Tuioti last month, the budget called on everyone in the community to pay their fair share in contributing to the revenue needed to ensure benefits are shared equitably. And judging from the speakers who took the floor yesterday, Silis first major assignment was widely embraced. New Member of Parliament for Faleaseela and Lefaga, Toleafoa Ken Poutoa, first took the floor and applauded the budget. Toleafoa thanked Sili for focusing on education and health, saying that this is where the future of our country lies. He said the young people are expected to be well educated and to have access to good health as they are the future leaders of Samoa. With $28.2 million being set aside for the Ministry of Works, Transport and Infrastructure, Toleafoa asked the Minister of Works Papalii Niko Lee Hang that his constituency needs good roads. He said two villages in his constituency Tafagamanu and Falease'ela dont have access roads they can use to evacuate in terms of natural disasters, especially a tsunami. We witnessed the damage caused by the 2009 Tsunami and people of these villages have nowhere to run to because there is no emergency road to higher grounds. Another new member of Parliament from Aiga ile Tai, Tautaiolevao Tautala Asovale supported the Minister of Finances budget. Like Toleafoa, Tautaiolevao reminded the Minister of Works that his constituency needs good access roads so that the people can access their plantations. Tautaiolevao asked the Minister of Health, Tuitama Dr. Talalelei Tuitama, for a new hospital for Manono Tai. He said during bad weather and tropical cyclones, it is very dangerous to travel between the islands. Aumua Isaia Lameko, Member of Parliament for Falealili West, supported the Ministers budget. Aumua praised the governments decision to prioritise education and health. But he asked for more textbooks for both teachers and students. He reminded the Minister of Health that his constituency needs a doctor at the district hospital. But the support for Silis maiden budget was not confined to government M.P.s. Tautua Samoa member and Aana Alofi No. 2 M.P., Ili Setefano Taateo also strongly supported the budget. He thanked Sili for a job well done and acknowledged that it is a good budget that should benefit all Samoans. According to the Minister of Finance, the budget can be summed up as responsible; fair and visionary. This budget is responsible. It recognizes that we have work to do to consolidate our public finances, and keeping expenditure under control is a key feature, Sili said in his address at the time. It is fair. The Government has maintained a strong focus on education and health, ensuring that we continue to provide the best possible access to quality essential services across our nation. It is visionary because it plans for the future, The Government is determined to continue to build the enabling environment needed to support sustainable economic growth. That is why the theme of the next Strategy for the Development of Samoa will be Accelerating Sustainable Development and Creating Opportunities for All. This budget contributes through its commitment to sound and responsible economic and financial management. Education is a key part of the way forward and the Minister has allocated $91.2million for the sector. A sum of $71.7million from education will go towards the Ministrys normal operations inclusive of the third and final phase of the reclassification of the Teachers Salary. Compared to the 2015/2016 budget, theres been an increase of $12.2million where the sector was only given $79.07million. Next on the priority list is the Health sector with a slice of $86.8million representing 17.6% of total expenditure programs. From that amount $70.7million grant is provided for the national health services hospital operations. The allocated fund is an additional $7.5million compared to the previous budget. According to the Minister of Finance, the increase from the budget is attributed to an estimated 47.3percent rise in development programs and infrastructure projects that will commence in 2016/2017. Moving on to Infrastructure, $28.2million is set aside for the Ministry of Works, Transport and Infrastructure. It includes $11.3million grant to the E.P.C. for VAGST payments and community service obligations. From the $28.2million an estimate of $13million grant will go towards the Samoa Water Authority to meet community service obligations and support key investment under the European Union budget support. Another $18.3million is for the Land and Transport Authority to support its operation. According to the budget statement, $8.1million has been allocated to the telecommunications sector comprising $4.87million for the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology and $3.2million funding for the Office of the Regulator. The Ministry of Agriculture on the other hand gets $13.3million a drop of $0.3million from last years budget. As for the Trade, Commerce and Manufacturing, $6.8million will assist the Ministry of Commerce and its operation and only $9million for the Samoa Tourism Authority. Another $450,000 is put aside to support the Small Business Enterprise Center and $200,000 for general support to the private sector. A provision of $14.8million tala has been provided to cover unforeseen expenditures that may arise during the course of the next fiscal year. The budget debate continued into the evening last night. A young man from Aele is fighting for his life at the National Hospital at Motootua. It follows an incident where he was allegedly attacked and stabbed several times. The incident was confirmed by the boys uncle, Tautea Koyo, who said the victim is in a serious condition. He told the Samoa Observer that he went with another family member to a shop when another man from their village attacked him. The reason for the attack is not known. My nephew was stabbed from the back, he said. There are two deep cuts on his head, he was rushed to the hospital where he remains in a critical condition as of today. Hes in a serious state now and were not so sure what might happen in the next few days. Mr. Koyo described the stabbing as "scary" and "horrible. Looking at him all covered with blood on that night was devastating, he said. Our family is gutted. We wouldnt want anyone else to suffer from such a fate. The uncle said the Police are investigating the matter. Were very disappointed. At the same time, we need to forgive the one who did this to my nephew. We also believe that justice will come in God's time. Weve already reported the matter to the police and all were praying now for is our sons life. The young man underwent surgery on Saturday. The report from the hospital tells us that hes in serious condition now hes suffering brain damage and internal bleeding. It was not possible to get an official comment from the Police or the hospital yesterday. The Chairman of the National Council of Churches (N.C.C.), Deacon Kasiano Leaupepe, has bemoaned the loss of family values and the erosion of what he termed tough love for the moral decay in Samoa. As a country, I look on with sadness because we have lost our core values based on the faasamoa, he told the Samoa Observer yesterday. We have lost the respect that the brother has for the sister, the children to the parents and the young ones to their elders. These values have eroded and we need to revive and restore those values to solve a lot of these problems. Deacon Leaupepe made the comment in response to questions from the Samoa Observer about the growing social problems involving young people including fights, theft, murder, rape and others. According to the Deacon, suicide is another issue that has not been given enough attention, saying that it affects more people than we think. Asked what he thinks is the root of the problem, Deacon Leaupepe pointed to the loss of core family values. Back in the days, the brother protects the sister, she is the pupil of his eye. Nowadays that respect has gone, he said. Why? Because we decided to bring in the palagi ways rather than continuing with our culture and the faasamoa. We have ignored our vatapuia and the ava fatafata. Deacon Leaupepe also attacked the push for human rights, especially among young people. Im telling you this is one of the main causes of these problems, he said. This ideology has allowed our children to think that they can do whatever they want. Whats happening is that when we as parents spank them, they (our children) go and call the police. This has made everything so complicated. But our country doesnt need this because it was through the sasa (light smack) by our parents that we are who we are today. Nobody was pronounced dead back in my days from being sasa by their parents. As a matter of fact we became better people because of our parents sasa. Asked if it is not necessary for Samoa to embrace human rights for all, Deacon Leaupepe said there is a need for balance. Personally, we dont need this human rights idea, he said, adding that Samoa has always had its ways of addressing social issues. The Chairman went on to say that the other problem is poor parenting. The parents are being careless in looking after their children, he said. Hence this is why such bad behaviours are spreading like like a wildfire. Parents are not doing their job, they are too proud of their children and that has blinded them with what they are suppose to do. They should teach them, educate them about proper values and morals. The foundation of the upbringing of a child is breaking apart and so parents need to rekindle and revive our traditions and culture. But where is the church in all this? What is it doing? Deacon Leaupepe said the church is still playing its role, which is preaching and reminding people about what God wants. Some people they blame the ministers and the churches but we are doing our part that God has called us to do, he said. We are here to preach the word of God. We are here to advice and look after the church that is all. We can give advice and advice but if the people are too stubborn to listen then there is nothing the church can do about it. All we can do is pray for the people and make sure that they are walking according to Gods will that is all we can do. But at the end of the day it is up to the people if they want to listen or not. Again it comes back to this human rights thing where people can decided whatever they want to do. When NASAs New Horizons robotic spacecraft flew by Pluto in July 2015, it revealed clues that the enigmatic dwarf planet might have or had at one time a liquid ocean under its frozen surface. According to a new study published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, such an underground ocean likely still exists today. The study, which used a thermal evolution model for Pluto, found that if the dwarf planets ocean had frozen into oblivion millions or billions of years ago, it would have caused the entire planet to shrink. But there are no signs of a global contraction to be found on Plutos surface. On the contrary, New Horizons showed signs that Pluto has been expanding. Thanks to the incredible data returned by New Horizons, we were able to observe tectonic features on Plutos surface, update our thermal evolution model with new data and infer that Pluto most likely has a subsurface ocean today, said lead author Noah Hammond from Brown University. The images New Horizons beamed back from its close encounter with Pluto showed that the dwarf planet was much more than a simple snowball in space. It has a surface made from different types of exotic ices water, nitrogen and methane. It has mountains hundreds of feet high and a vast heart-shaped plain. It also has giant tectonic features sinuous faults hundreds of miles long as deep as 2.5 miles (4 km). It was those tectonic features that got planetary researchers thinking that a subsurface ocean was a real possibility for Pluto. What New Horizons showed was that there are extensional tectonic features, which indicate that Pluto underwent a period of global expansion, Hammond said. A subsurface ocean that was slowly freezing over would cause this kind of expansion. But if Pluto had an ocean, what is its fate today? Could the freezing process still be going on, or did the ocean freeze solid a billion years ago? Thats where the thermal evolution model run by Hammond and co-authors comes in. The model includes updated data from New Horizons on Plutos diameter and density, key parameters in understanding the dynamics in Plutos interior. The model showed that because of the low temperatures and high pressure within Pluto, an ocean that had completely frozen over would quickly convert from the normal ice we all know to a different phase called ice II. Ice II has a more compact crystalline structure than standard ice, so an ocean frozen to ice II would occupy a smaller volume and lead to a global contraction on Pluto, rather than an expansion. We dont see the things on the surface wed expect if there had been a global contraction. So we conclude that ice II has not formed, and therefore that the ocean hasnt completely frozen, Hammond said. There are a few caveats. The formation of ice II is dependent on the thickness of Plutos ice shell, the scientists said. Ice II only forms if the shell is 160 miles (260 km) thick or more. If the shell is thinner than that, the ocean could have frozen without forming ice II. And if that were the case the ocean could have frozen completely without causing contraction. However, theres good reason to believe that the ice shell is more than 160 miles. The teams model suggests that Plutos ice shell is actually closer to 186 or more miles (300 km) thick. In addition, the nitrogen and methane ices that New Horizons found on the surface bolster the case for a thick ice shell. Those exotic ices are actually good insulators. They may be helping Pluto from losing more of its heat to space, Hammond said. Taken together, the new model bolsters the case for an ocean environment in the furthest reaches of the Solar System. _____ Noah P. Hammond et al. Recent Tectonic Activity on Pluto Driven by Phase Changes in the Ice Shell. Geophysical Research Letters, published online June 15, 2016; doi: 10.1002/2016GL069220 The country must stop marginalising the scientists it needs to deal with Zika, pollution and recession, says Creso Sa. The uproar around the impeachment of President Dilma Rousseff has pushed to the sidelines three major crises that Brazil faces and the fact that the country is undermining its ability to deal with them. To fully recover that ability, the federal government must move science from a low-priority policy file in Brasilias realpolitik to the centre of the national development agenda. The three crises The first crisis was the worst environmental disaster in Brazils history, both in terms of the area affected and costs of the damage. The failure of three dams in the state of Minas Gerais in late 2015 released 62 million cubic metres of mine waste into three rivers, destroying ecosystems and depriving local fishing communities of their livelihoods. Recovery will take decades. The second is Brazils biggest annual economic contraction in a quarter century: a 3.8 per cent drop in GDP (gross domestic product) in 2015, with a similar fall likely this year. Unemployment has reached 11 per cent. The low-value-added exports that previously ensured economic growth, will not suffice to raise the country out of this sinkhole so longstanding calls for greater industrial innovation become more pressing. The economic downturn undoubtedly played a role in the cuts but the federal government has had a hand in it too, repeatedly demonstrating a lack of priority for science. Creso Sa Finally, Brazil needs to deal with the Zika virus epidemic. More than 1,330 cases of foetal abnormalities linked to Zika have been confirmed and some 3,330 are under investigation. Those affected need healthcare and social assistance. And with Zika cases reported in other countries, not to mention concerns about the forthcoming Olympic Games in Rio increasing the risk of its spread, this is a global health threat, adding to the pressure on Brazil to act. These disparate problems have something in common: solving them will require tapping scientific and technical expertise in public agencies, research institutes, universities and industry. Will the federal government under Interim President Michel Temer (or, less likely, under an absolved President Rousseff) be capable of leading the charge? Diverted funding To judge from how science has fared in Brazil recently, and from the early moves of the interim president, there is no reason for optimism. Last year, science suffered severe budget cuts. The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation has lost a third of its budget over the past two years. Approved research projects have not received promised money, funding competitions have been suspended and large investments in a new set of science and technology institutes have been delayed. Public universities and research institutes have lacked the money for basic running costs. The economic downturn undoubtedly played a role in the cuts but the federal government has had a hand in it too, repeatedly demonstrating a lack of priority for science. For instance, legislation in 2014 reallocated funding that had been earmarked for science towards social spending. Similarly, 6.4 billion reals (US$1.9 billion) were switched from scientific research and infrastructure to fund a single initiative the Science Without Borders exchange programme, an initiative created in 2011 by President Rousseff that has since been suspended after severe criticism. Things took a turn for the worse with recent political events. Upon becoming interim president, Temer merged the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation with the Ministry of Communications, puzzling and frustrating the scientific community. He considered an evangelical, creationist bishop to lead the new ministry, before appointing Gilberto Kassab, a former Sao Paulo mayor without any background in science governance. He is the fourth science minister in less than two years. Short-term thinking Frustration with the deteriorating science environment led prominent neuroscientist Suzana Herculano-Houzel to make public her decision to leave the country for a job at Vanderbilt University in the United States in May. Her vocal criticism hit a nerve and was widely reported and discussed on social media. The Temer administrations justification for these moves has centred on the need to control public spending and national debt. This poses an obvious obstacle to reinvesting in science but the fundamental issue is the persistent lack of a vision for the role of science as a national asset. Scientists are viewed as a peripheral special interest, not a stakeholder in the countrys development debate. But serious science is not done in spurts and starts. Research agendas that support national challenges, lead to impactful discoveries and train scientific talent happen over years and even decades. None will flourish spontaneously if scientists cannot plan ahead or simply keep basic operations running. Although important, a dedicated science ministry is not enough. Brazilian science needs stable governance. That will only happen with strong political support to federal science agencies and institutions. The scientific community including organisations such as the Brazilian Academy of Science and the Brazilian Society for the Advancement of Science has been vocal in these debates and vehemently condemned the merger of the science ministry. These efforts are important, but more must be done to wrestle science away from its marginalised position. Scientists at large need to make their voices heard too and engage with political representatives at local and state levels. Stories must be told about local accomplishments and the results they can deliver. Science can no longer be seen as a remote and disconnected sector vying for support. Brazil needs to cultivate sophisticated knowledge and expertise to address its environmental, health and economic tragedies. Creso Sa is a professor at the University of Toronto, Canada. He writes on science policy and higher education. His latest book, The entrepreneurship movement and the university, was published in 2015. Sa can be contacted via cresosa.com and at [email protected] When a chameleon color change, it is due to the shift in emotions or temperatures. Their colors are not just camouflage. Based on a study made by evolutionary geneticist Eli Greenbaum at the University of Texas, El Paso, male chameleons become emotional when they compete for habitats or females and also when they see themselves in a mirror. The chameleon color change mechanism could be explained in a chameleon color change gif that illustrates how a male panther chameleon, which is found in Madagascar, responds to another male. According to biophysicist Michel C. Milikovitch at the University of Geneva, when it sees a "male rival", the male chameleon gets excited and changes its color from camo green to a chameleon color change gene of yellow, red and orange, Wired reported. In 2015, Milinkovitch, along with his team, discovered the distinct process behind the chameleon changing color science. Instead of finding pigment cells, they discovered that a grid of nanocrystals within the other skin cell layer changes to reflect the light in a unique way. When they are calm, the chameleons' nanocrystals are close together, reflecting green and blue light that gives the green color of the reptiles, Live Science reported. However, the gap between these nanocrystals expands when agitated, which enables additional light with bigger wavelengths like orange and red, helping the male chameleon stand out. On the other hand, one of the chameleon color change markers indicate a defeated male chameleon in the form of darker color that sends the message "leave me alone." As for the female chameleons, a study conducted in 1998 indicates that this group of species changes its color to express their sexual status. Female Mediterranean chameleons, specifically, show yellow spots to emphasize their sexual receptivity, Live Science reported. However, this chameleon color change chemistry signals from females could be much less, since they are the ones who select, and males compete with each other in order to be selected. When they look in the mirror, it is likely to be more subdued than the response of the male response, according to Wired. More than 32 million Americans suffer from migraines and 70 percent of them are women. It is also estimated that about 40,000 people in the U.S. do not retort to existing treatments and many turn to alternative therapies. Dr. J. Ned Pruitt II, Professor and Vice Chair of neurology at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University said that about 36 million Americans suffer from incapacitating headaches. He further said that the symptoms can be harsh, requiring bed rest, disrupting daily activities and potentially lasting for days. On the other hand, he added that not one should go it alone. The month of June is the National Migraine and Headache Awareness Month. In recognition of this event, Dr. Pruitt advises that you must see a doctor if your headaches are draining and occurs more than three times in a month. In case you start having regular headaches at the aged of 50 or above, you must also consult a doctor. This may cause inflammation in the arteries leading to the brain. He added that your primary doctor will assess your headaches and may refer you to a neurologist if it is warranted. The significant part of treatment is identifying what triggers your migraine. Dr. Pruitt said that by avoiding triggers, you can avoid headaches and eventually taper off medications. The migraine triggers include stress, poor sleep habits, skip meals, aged cheese, cured meats, chocolate, too much or withdrawal of caffeine, alcohol, artificial sweeteners, depression, dehydration, too much exercise, dried fish, eyestrain, among others. In other rare cases, a headache could also be a symptom of severe illness. If your headache is associated with a sensation of spinning, vision loss in one or both eyes, weakness on one side of the body or slurred speech or clumsiness you should go to an emergency room right away. Pruitt said that these could be signs of a stroke. You must seek treatment right away if you suspect stroke because time plays a huge role in stroke recovery. One sign of bleeding in the brain is that when headaches start abruptly and become severe quickly in less than 10 or 15 minutes. Health experts suggest that you must see your doctor right away if you have persistent headaches so that you can take back control of your life. LAKE CITY, S.C. On several fronts, Lake City officials are moving forward in their plans of transforming the small Florence County city. In mid-May officials heard the preliminary results of surveys and saw drawings of what could be coming in the next few years along the citys Main Street. City officials, the Community Development Organization, and TSW, a southeastern architecture and planning firm, have been working together to survey interests and needs in their efforts to determine and develop a long-term plan for Lake City's downtown. After gleaning information from those surveys and community meetings, the results are available online for all to see. Visit the visitlakecitysc.com website and follow the links to the report and presentation. There is information about the projects overall intentions and a timeline for the renovation plan. Survey materials distributed by TWS during the Cultivate Lake City planning process said the group seeks to leverage history and arts in the downtown to attract jobs and residences. Several TSW staff members and principals were on hand to talk with citizens about the proposals. The company is based in Atlanta. Tom Walsh, Bill Tunnell and Sarah McColley, among others from the company, were on hand during the presentation. Downtowns master plan will help revitalize the center of Lake City, and affects streets and neighborhoods and business five to four to five blocks on each of the east and west sides of the railroad tracks and on each side of Main Street. A prime area to be redeveloped with a culinary arts school, in conjunction with Florence Darlington Technical College, is the block on the north side of Main between McAllister and Morris Street. That area is called The Quad. There is a plan to redevelop Sauls Street, to possibly offer solutions to storm water runoff drainage issues, an offer of curbless streets, and an idea of improvements that could be made at the Main Street crossing of the railroad, to make pedestrian travel easier. TSW unveiled their plans in May at meeting in the Bean Market on Henry Street, through a PowerPoint presentation. That presentation is online on the VisitLakeCitySC site. We have ideas on how to use vacant space, McColley said. We will encourage housing, Tunnell said. You have a truck issue, Walsh said. There are too many coming through your downtown. We need to encourage them to go elsewhere, he said. Next steps, the report said, is to have a public open house to more formally reveal development plans in July or August. Final adoption of the plan is expected by City Council in September or October and implementation begins in 2017. Planning goals will see that FDTC opens a school in the property on Main Street that is currently anchored by Pizza Roma and the U.S. Post Office. It is likely both of those will be relocated. The businesses in the complex behind those businesses will also be relocated, Walsh said. Our vision, the consultants said, is to encourage the development of quality, affordable housing in the downtown, recruit additional retail businesses, grow the existing arts community and tourism and redevelop vacant land. To help redevelop land, the city was informed this past month that it has been selected to receive a Brownfields Assessment, Cleanup and Revolving Loan Fund Grant. EPA will be issuing the Region 4 grant to the City of Lake City, Shawn Bell, administrator, said. We were unsuccessful last year by three points so we applied again, Bell said. It is for $400,000 and it pays for Phase 1 and Phase 2 environmental assessments. While its too soon to say which sites will need environmental assessments, it is safe to say the grant will help in the redevelop roadblocks that are often caused by previous land usages. This grant application was submitted in December 2015, the Cultivate Lake City report said, to address brownfields in the city, particularly those leftover from the tobacco and textile industries, many of which are in the Cultivate Lake City study area. Additionally, it said, The grant application emphasizes the public health, environmental justice, economic distress, and security challenges that the brownfields cause in the Lake City community. Detailed concerns noted in the application included, according to the report, conditions underneath the Lake City Plaza, because a gas station may have been located on an out-parcel in the past; an antiquated sewer system that backs up when heavy rains occur; long- and short -term consequences of frequent flooding; blight, decay, and crime associated with vacant brownfield sites; high asthma and cancer rates when compared to the county and state; and more. One site noted for this type of development is the former Imperial Tobacco Warehouse, located on South Acline Avenue in the Cultivate Lake City area, the report said. A traffic roundabout at the corner of McAllister and Main, like the one set to be put in at Main and Church streets, will help manage traffic flow, TSW consultants said, showing their rendering of what The Quad and roundabout would look like. A proposed Lake City Performing Arts Center is also slated for The Quad area, as is mixed-use residential buildings. Cultivate Lake Citys report said the city and countys development of a lake park off Church Street will become a significant public amenity for the Lake City Community. In among its report, TSW gave, in this draft report posted online, an assessment of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. While Lake City has much going for it and much that can be used to propel it forward, crime, rampant drug use and lack of future leadership are seen as some of the threats to its future. KINGSTREE, S.C. Marys Angels Independent Living for Young Women hosted the fourth-annual Miss Williamsburg County Scholarship Pageant on June 10 at the Williamsburg County Alex Chatman Complex. The judges crowned Dionna McFadden as Miss Williamsburg County 2017 and and Kinandah Williams as Miss Williamsburg County Teen 2017/ Seven contestants competed, ranging in age from 15 to 18. Brianna Dozier was crowned the first runner-up for Miss Williamsburg County, while Jada Gorham was crowned first runner-up for Miss Williamsburg County Teen. Tazaya Ceasar won the Miss Williamsburg County Peoples Choice Award, conducted through a popular vote facilitated through the pageant's website. Members of Williamsburg County Council gave an annual donation to support the pageant and provide scholarship funds for the title holders. The local chapter of the NAACP sponsored three of the contestants, supporting continued efforts to provide services and opportunities to local young men and women. The contestants put on a show under the direction of lead choreographer Dominique Walters. Carletta Shaw of Atlanta served as host for the event. Juantia Green, the local executive director and founder of Mary's Angels, and Shadi McFadden, the marketing and communications consultant, worked behind the scenes. They also introduced a new member of the Miss Williamsburg County Scholarship Pageant committee, D'Asia Green, in public relations and community outreach. Miss Williamsburg County Teen 2015, Chyna Hickman, as well as Miss Williamsburg County Teen 2016, Na-Dya Gamble, were also in attendance. Gamble, who gave her farewell speech and final walk, was on hand to crown the winners, with assistance from her princess Kayla Harvin. Gamble will go on to compete at the 2016 Miss South Carolina Teen Pageant, which started Tuesday and concludes Friday. Preliminary nights and Teen finals of the Miss South Carolina competition will be live streamed via the website miss-sc.org. Marys Angels Independent Living for Young Women is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of young women. The Miss Williamsburg County Scholarship Pageant is a preliminary to the Miss South Carolina Scholarship Pageant. For more information about the Miss Williamsburg County Scholarship Pageant, visitmisswilliamsburgcounty.weebly.com or Facebook.com/MissWilliamsburgCounty. LAKE CITY, S.C. Help 4 Kids Florence President Diane Welsh and Vice Presidnet Allie Walker visited the Lake City Community Forum meeting in May. There, the Lake City group, which has been aiding school children with their food needs, pledged to partner with the group to continue helping students in Florence County School District 3 in their fight against hunger. Welsh, a former teacher told the group that she realized as a teacher that students learn better when they are no hugry. Because children get food during the school year on campus, Help 4 Kids was founded to help give children food for the weekend so when they arrived at school on Monday there was a less of hunger gap. The program has been successful in meeting the children's needs, she said and has grown. Likewise, Lake City Community Forum group has been doing similar work for children in District 3 schools, Carla Angus said. A partnership between the two will help increase the level of help in the district. The Florence-based nonprofit organization has a warehouse on Hoffmeyer Road and is always seeking volunteers to help pack and deliver, Welsh said. The students are referred to as "food insecure." Volunteers serve in several capacities, from packing food bags, sorting food, to delivering food bags to schools, serving at food drives and donating. Currently, Help 4 Kids Florence is distributing 1,495 bags of food each week for children in Florence County. Approximately $2,500 will provide a bag of food for 1,000 children one weekend, Walker said. A donation of $100 can feed one child each weekend for one school year, Walker said. Fruit grain or cereal bars, applesauce and fruit cups, instant oatmeal and grits packages, macaroni and cheese cups, pop tarts, and pop-top cans of individual servings of Vienna sausages, Beanie Weaniees, or pasta dishes are needed. Lake City Community Forum, made up of local pastors and lay people interested in helping others and the community to improve their circumstances, started getting food on the weekends to 10 children. They now are helping 200-300 children. "We think of hunger as an 'over there' program," Welsh said, but it's local too. The Help4Kids literature says "hunger doesn't take the weekend off." For information about the program individuals may call 843-580-4111, email help4kidsflorence@gmail.com or visit help4kidsflorence.org. For information about Community Forum, contact Angus at yvet20@yahoo.com. The Lake City group will meet July 19, Sept. 20 and Nov. 15 at 10:30 a.m. in the Lake City Library. DARLINGTON, S.C. The TEACH Foundation continued its financial support of the Darlington County School Districts Summer Reading Camp recently with a $28,600 donation. The donation marked the third consecutive year the TEACH Foundation supported the program, which began this year on June 6 and will run for six weeks at Thornwell School for the Arts. Matthew Ferguson, English/language arts and social studies coordinator for the Darlington County School District, said the donation is vital to the summer reading programs success. The TEACH Foundation has been an indispensable partner in expanding Darlington County School Districts Summer Reading Camp, Ferguson said. All students who participate in this summer opportunity experience gains in reading. Many even enter the next academic year reading on grade-level. Our partnership with the TEACH Foundation has made great strides in placing these students on the path of career and college readiness. The summer reading camp, this year following along with the Darlington County Library Systems theme of Ready, Set, Read, provides extensive instructional time for young students who were reading below grade level at the end of the school year. Sharman Poplava, executive director for the TEACH Foundation, said the foundation is thankful young students have the opportunity to attend the summer reading camp. Students who make achievement gains during the school year often experience loss in achievement over the summer, Poplava said. Research shows that young children can lose up to two to three months of reading ability over a summer break. The TEACH Foundation commends the Darlington County School District for making this camp available to our children. The TEACH Foundation is the nonprofit administrative arm for PULSE, a comprehensive scholastic excellence program that expands curriculum opportunities to further improve student achievement in Hartsville public schools. The initiative involves a collaboration between Coker College, Darlington County School District, the S.C. Governors School for Science and Mathematics and Sonoco, the latter of which funded the initiative through a $5 million grant. For more information about the TEACH Foundation, visit teachfoundation.org. COIG, via its indirect wholly-owned China Ocean Logistics, entered into an investment agreement on Tuesday with Zhongguan Hongan and Shougang Lujie for the establishment of NewCo to invest in intelligent parking management and value-added parking management services. COIG will contribute RMB20.65m ($3.14m) to take 45.89% stake in NewCo, while Zhongguan Hongan and Shougang Lujie will contribute RMB24.35m in total to own the remaining shares. Zhongguan Hongans main business is in the operation and management of intelligent parking systems, while Shougang Lujie, owned by state-run Shougang Corporation, is involved in investment and management of infrastructure, high technology and new energy projects. Over the past six months, COIG has been diversifying into the car parking business by investing in Shandong Ruitong (Hong Kong) Parking Management Services Co and forming a joint venture with Zhongan Anchan Technology Development. In view of the favourable policies promulgated by the PRC authorities to support and encourage the car parking industry, the directors are of the view that the group should expand its car parking business to grasp the growing market, COIG said. The move into the car parking industry is also due to the prolonged challenging operating environment in the shipbuilding sector, marked by widespread bankruptcy of shipyards impacted by dearth of shipbuilding orders, tight cashflow, contract defaults and rising costs. COIG had also changed its name from the previous China Ocean Shipbuilding Industry to better reflect the companys future business development. The South Korean shipbuilder stated it may spin-off a facility-assistance business division as the group continues to carry through with a self-imposed restructuring program, Yonhap reported. The labour union, however, was against the plan as the spin-off of the division with a workforce of 994 would eventually lead to job cuts. HHI has mapped out a KRW3.5trn ($3bn) worth of self-rehabilitation plan including sale of assets and reduction in workforce, amid the groups lack of new orders to sustain its income. Compatriot yards Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) and Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) are also going through restructuring, as urged by their creditor banks. The Marchese Negrone, who established the company in 1972, was an outstanding representative and service partner for publishers and event organisers in the marine, cruise, yachting and defence sectors. A great communicator, who spoke five languages fluently, he well understood how to align the varied interests of his many international clients with those of Italian industry to the benefit of all. His association with Seatrade goes back to the mid-seventies, when he became Italian agent for all Seatrade publications. He played a major role in the location of the first Seatrade Mediterranean Cruise Convention in Genoa in the nineties. The relationship between Seatrade and Ediconsult continues to this day. A gifted marketeer, he was also a highly cultured man. One of his great interests was the history of Italy and, in particular, that of the Genoese Republic, in which the Negrone family have played an important role over many centuries. Seatrade Chairman Chris Hayman said: Vittorio was a great partner, and we will all miss his shrewd judgements and business integrity. I will remember him as a friend over many years, whose very particular sense of humour made him a great companion. All of us at Seatrade send our deep sympathy to his family and to the management team at Ediconsult. The turbulent, controversy-wracked history of nuclear power in California may soon end. Pacific Gas and Electric, in a joint agreement with labor and environmental groups, is proposing a shutdown of the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant in San Luis Obispo County, the last remaining nuke facility in the state, by 2025. Over the next nine years, the 2,150 megawatts that the plant generates -- enough to power 1.7 million homes in central and northern California -- gradually will be replaced by renewable energy sources such as solar and wind, or else offset by improvements in energy efficiency. RELATED: Japan to Build Ice Wall Around Fukushima The decision is a reversal for PG&E. In 2009, the utility applied for an extension of the 31-year-old facility's license from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which would have allowed it to keep running until at least 2045. The company cited a state law enacted last year, which requires utilities to transition to 50 percent renewable sources by 2030, as a major factor in the decision. But a renewal would have faced strident opposition from antinuclear activists, who've argued for years that the plant would be vulnerable to a devastating accident in the event of an earthquake. The investigative publication TruthDig has called Diablo Canyon "California's Fukushima in waiting," a reference to the meltdown of three Japanese nuclear reactors after a 2011 earthquake and ensuing tsunami disabled their cooling systems. (PG&E has claimed that the plant's design would protect it against such an event.) According to a 2015 San Francisco Chronicle article, the plant has had an ill-starred history. Ironically, PG&E picked the location for Diablo Canyon as a fallback after construction of a nuke plant at Bodega Bay, 40 miles northwest of San Francisco. The project had to be halted in 1964, after excavators dug into what turned out to be a portion of the San Andreas Fault. But in 1971, three years after construction of Diablo Canyon had begun, geologists discovered that it was near the offshore Hosgri Fault, which is capable of generating a.7.5 magnitude quake. RELATED: Japanese Nuke Disaster LIkely to Kill 130 That revelation forced a major redesign of the plant, and the addition of braces, support struts and concrete buttresses to strengthen its walls. But in 1981, PG&E learned that some of the new supports had been installed backward, necessitating fixes that added an estimated $3 billion to the plant's cost, which soared in the course of construction from $600 million to $5.8 billion. Environmental critics also have found fault with Diablo Canyon's cooling system, which pulls in 2.5 billion gallons of seawater per day and afterward returns the water to the Pacific 18.5 degrees warmer. That kills 1.5 billion fish eggs and larvae each year, according to the Chronicle. On the plus side, PG&E's website claims that the plant has helped reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 6 to 7 million tons per year, based on the assumption that fossil fuels would have been burned to generate the electricity. WATCH VIDEO: Which Power Source Is Most Efficient? For the first-time, scientists have confirmed the existence of a previously-hypothesized form of movement in Earth's crust surrounding the San Andreas Fault system. That the crust around the fault -- an 800-mile stretch of California where the Pacific and North American tectonic plates rub up against each other -- is capable of movement is hardly a revelation. Just check out photographs of San Francisco on April 18, 1906. Or ask The Rock. The northern part of the fault, which ruptured along 300 miles and killed between 700 and 2,800 people in 1906, experienced its most recent notable temblor in the form of the 1989 Loma Prieta quake, which struck during Game 3 of the World Series and, more seriously, injured more than 3,000 people and took the lives of 63. The southern segment of the fault, however, has not experienced a major release of energy since 1857, and the most southerly portion of that southern segment hasn't suffered a major quake since 1690. It is the thought of so much seismic energy building up over the course of centuries that feeds anxieties about the prospect of the imminent arrival of "The Big One." Such anxieties are shared by some experts, too; in May, Thomas Jordan of the Southern California Earthquake Center observed that, "The springs on the San Andreas system have been wound very, very tight. And the southern San Andreas fault, in particular, looks like it's locked, loaded and ready to go." RELATED: Four California Faults Are Ready to Rupture Unfortunately, scientists are unable to predict earthquakes; furthermore, there is no consensus as to whether they ever will be able to. The best that researchers can do in the meantime is continue to gather as much information as they possibly can about the geology and seismology of fault lines; and several million San Franciscans and Los Angelenos are hanging anxiously on their every utterance. Hence the interest in a recent paper in the journal Nature Geoscience, which revealed a little bit more information about the way the earth is moving around the San Andreas Fault. The fault is what's known as a strike slip, or transform, fault: the two plates are pushing horizontally against each other. But modelling of the plates' horizontal movements suggested that there should also be a small amount of ongoing vertical motion, as well. Such movements have been difficult to detect, but through careful analysis of data from GPS sensor arrays deployed around the fault, researchers from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, University of Washington and Scripps Institution of Oceanography have now succeeded in doing so. The movements are not large: around 2 millimeters a year. But they are spread out over a large area, in the form of 125-mile-wide "lobes" of uplift and subsidence. Notwithstanding some overly dramatic tabloid headlines, the new paper says nothing about the likelihood or likely scale of "The Big One." But it does add more knowledge and understanding of the way the crust around the fault moves and may help scientists calculate some of the likely impacts when and if The Big One eventually strikes. WATCH VIDEO: How Well Can We Predict Earthquakes? Following the mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, U.S. health officials are under increasing pressure to remove restrictions keeping most gay and bisexual men from donating blood. Thousands of men in the gay community turned out to donate after the tragedy, only to be told that federal law prevented them from doing so. So why is it that gay men are subjected to different rules? Trace Dominguez explains in today's DNews report. First of all, contrary to a popular misconception recently back in circulation, gay men can donate blood under current FDA regulations. But it gets confusing fast: The current rules stipulate that men who have sex with men (designated as MSM) must wait 12 months after sexual contact before they can give blood. (The rule also applies to women and transgender persons who have had sex with MSM). The 12-month waiting period rule was enacted just last December, replacing a much broader ban that had been in place since the 1980s. During the AIDS epidemic the FDA imposed a lifetime ban on blood donation from any man who had ever had sex with another man. This was in the early days of the AIDS crisis, when very little was known about transmission of the HIV virus. RELATED: Does Giving Blood Make You Healthier? That ban remained in place all the way through to 2015, despite improved blood screening technology. In fact, HIV blood screening tests have become nearly 100 percent accurate in recent years, on par with hepatitis screening. But the MSM population was still singled out under the earlier ban. Statistics were cited as part of the reason why. Anal intercourse is up to 18 times more risky than vaginal intercourse, in terms of HIV transmission. And 72 percent of new HIV infections occur in gay men, even though they make up only two percent of the population. For decades now, critics of the policy have rightfully pointed out that women can have anal sex, too, and can carry and transmit the HIV virus. And, of course, not everyone in the MSM community has anal sex, or unprotected sex, or HIV for that matter. And what about gay, bisexual or transgender people who are abstinent entirely, or in long-term monogamous relationships? Clearly, the original FDA rules -- and the recently imposed 12-month deferment -- are insufficient at best, and essentially prejudicial. The Orlando massacre has highlighted the issue once again, and some lawmakers have already called for a wholesale lifting of the ban. But according to a recent Reuters report, the FDA maintains there is still not enough scientific evidence to remove the restrictions. "We empathize with those who might wish to donate, but reiterate that at this time no one who needs blood is doing without it," spokeswoman Tara Goodin said in a statement. "That being said, the FDA is committed to continuing to reevaluate its blood donor deferral policies as new scientific information becomes available." -- Glenn McDonald Learn More: CDC: HIV and AIDS --- United States, 1981-2000 CDC: HIV Among Gay and Bisexual Men CNN: FDA Lifts Lifetime Ban On Gay Men Donating Blood American Association of Blood Banks: Joint Statement on ACBTSA Recommendation to Change MSM Deferral Policy Bam: Gina will fight for our environment A lawmaker welcomed the appointment of Regina "Gina" Lopez as secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), saying she will do a good job owing to her background as a staunch environment advocate. "She will do a good job because she has been fighting for the environment for decades," said Sen. Bam Aquino, a member of the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. Aquino believes that Lopez's decades-long advocacy will be an important asset to the Duterte's administration drive to protect the environment. "Akma si Gina sa posisyon dahil alam niya ang ugat ng mga problema at marami siyang solusyon na maaaring ipanukala at ipatupad para sa proteksiyon ng ating kalikasan," the senator said. A strong advocate of children and education and protection of the environment, Lopez is the chairperson of the ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation Inc., the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission, and vice chairperson of the ABS-CBN Bayan Foundation. Lopez also launched Bantay Kalikasan, which seeks to promote environmental protection and education and eco-tourism. Sen. Bam is pushing for the development of the bamboo industry as means to protect the environment, saying it will help rehabilitate degraded watersheds, sequester carbon dioxide, assist in mitigation of climate change and provide livelihood to communities at the same time. Press Release June 22, 2016 Legarda: We Must Develop a Culture of Disaster Preparedness Senator Loren Legarda today renewed her call for the nation to develop a culture of safety and preparedness to prevent natural hazards, such as earthquakes, from turning into disasters. Legarda, Global Champion for Resilience of the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR), made the statement following the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority's (MMDA) 2nd Metro Manila Shake Drill--a simulation of conditions that can occur if and when a 7.2 magnitude earthquake hits Metro Manila. "Everyone should be ready when the 'Big One' occurs. Government agencies and all public institutions must be prepared. There should be an effective early warning system and massive information and education campaign to equip us with knowledge on what to do before, during and after such disasters," she explained. She added that there should be regular evaluation and retrofitting of public and private infrastructure to ensure that buildings, bridges and other similar structures can withstand strong earthquakes. Local government units (LGUs), including barangay officials, must determine open spaces for safe refuge when earthquakes occur and craft evacuation plans that would help the people find out the fastest and safest way to reach open spaces and other safe areas. In the incoming 17th Congress, Legarda will file a bill that will mandate the regular conduct of fire and earthquake drills in all public establishments, especially in schools and hospitals. The drills should include practice and instructions concerning the location, use and operation of emergency exits, fire escapes, doors and fire extinguishers and other facilities provided for such purpose in buildings as well as the proper evacuation of buildings by persons in the event of fires and earthquakes. The Senator also said that there should be an effective early warning system like the "5pm chime" of Minato City in Japan. Everyday, at 5:00 in the afternoon, the instrumental version of the Japanese folk song "Yuyaku Koyake" is heard in speakers all around Minato City. This is a way to ensure that the broadcast system and speakers are working correctly because the speaker network is used to warn people of emergency situations, especially disaster warnings. "We also need to have this kind of early warning system in the country, so that wherever people are they are informed of important announcements especially in emergency situations, thereby reducing risks, casualties and damages," she said. Legarda reminded that disaster risk reduction and preparedness can significantly reduce the impacts projected in the 2004 Metro Manila Earthquake Impact Reduction Study (MMEIRS), which revealed that without the necessary interventions, a 7.2-magnitude earthquake in Metro Manila could destroy 40% of residential buildings, damage 35% of all public buildings, kill 34,000 people, injure 114,000 individuals, and the ensuing fires will also result in 18,000 additional fatalities. Press Release June 22, 2016 Senate participates in 2nd Metrowide shake drill The third floor of the Senate building had completely collapsed. Teams of firefighters and rescue personnel rushed to reach and save stranded employees on the fourth and fifth floors. Hundreds of other personnel who rushed out of the building were evacuated by ambulances and buses. This was the scenario played by officials and employees of the Philippine Senate led by Senate Secretary Oscar Yabes during the 2nd Metro Manila Shake Drill and 2nd Nationwide Simultaneous Earthquake Drill. "We are participating in the MMDA's 2nd metrowide shake drill which anticipates a 7.2 magnitude quake hitting the metropolis. We are holding this practice so employees will know what to do and where to go in case of an earthquake," Yabes said. During the drill, employees poured out of the building assisted by policemen and security personnel. Employees "stranded" on the fourth and fifth levels were assisted by personnel of the Office of the Senate Sergeant-At-Arms and the police to the helipad where they awaited rescue. Senate employees and officials who reached the ground showed readiness to move out to an evacuation center set up by the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) in Villamor Airbase, Pasay City. "I am more than satisfied with the outcome. Our employees are now more familiar with what to expect in case a big quake will hit us. We also had personnel from the Philippine National Police and the Bureau of Fire Protection participating in the event. Aside from this drill we have regular fire drills so I would say that we are familiar with the routine by now," Yabes said. Yabes gave a lecture on the dos and don'ts during an earthquake, instructing employees to stay away from glass windows and looking for shelter under tables in case of falling debris. "We have two helipads where you can go and await rescue. We have ambulances and buses on the ground to transport you to evacuation centers. Our medics will be here to treat injuries," he told employees. Employees returned to work after the exercise was over, which lasted around an hour. The MMDA coordinated with government agencies and members of the private sector for the drill. Under the improved disaster assessment plan named Oplan Metro Yakal Plus, the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Bulacan, and Rizal will also be tapped to conduct similar drills and help victims of natural disasters. "Hopefully, the second quake drill would pave the way for the institutionalization of the shake drill," MMDA Chairman Emerson Carlos said. When AIDS activists sat down on the Golden Gate Bridge to block traffic on Jan. 31, 1989, Rick Gerharter had received an inside tip and was the only print photographer on the span. His exclusive images of that famous action by the group Stop AIDS Now Or Else went out on the wires and Gerharter, a freelance news photographer embedded in the war for gay rights, was on his way. But just not that far, as it turned out. For 28 years, hes been covering the Castro neighborhood and for 28 years, Ive never been able to afford to live in the Castro, he says, laughing at his own expense. When asked if those bridge photos raised his profile he says, Not really. Nothing has. Until now. While organizing the group show LGBTQ Chronicled: 1933-2016 at the Harvey Milk Photo Center, curator Dave Christensen got an inside tip of his own about an unknown photographer holed up in a top-floor office in the Mission District. Christensen barged in on short notice to find, pinned to the walls, exactly the works he was searching for. It was a pure discovery to find so much information in this tiny space, recalls Christensen, who started pulling pins and borrowing images. Gerharters work is now part of LGBTQ Chronicled, which opened Saturday in the free gallery at the Photo Center, a Recreation and Park facility at the top of Duboce Park. The exhibition provides a historic overview of the LGBT experience as captured through the lens of 25 photographers represented by more than 100 images. Sixteen of the rarest images came from the Hormel Center at the Main Library, and 15 were added after the show was hung, to chronicle the Castro vigil June 12 for the Orlando shooting victims. Since last Sundays horrible event, the display of these images are even more vital because they echo the positive human will, Christensen says. The show is really about freedom and humanity. Major photographers Every major Bay Area photographer, both gay and straight, who shot the Bay Area scene is represented. These range from the closeted Minor Whites 1950s landscapes to way-out Hal Fischers 1977 images of coding through street fashion. There are 25 images of Pride parades and marches by husband-and-wife documentarians Saul Bromberger and Sandra Hoover, and a project on queer youth by Pulitzer Prize winner Preston Gannaway. And right there among those names is Gerharter. Not only was the subject matter quintessential to the time period he was covering, Christensen says, but the way he approached the subject has this intimacy that the viewer is part of the scene. That registered with me like 5 million mega-volts. Though only six of Gerharters black-and-white gelatin silver prints and two color blow-ups made the show, there is bigger exposure coming because Christensen plans to feature him in a solo exhibition next year. To do it justice, Christensen will have to box up Gerharters entire studio because the photographs in metal cabinets are just part of it. In glass display cases Gerharter has a roomful of miniature cameras, toy cameras, camera figurines, camera lighters and cups, and camera-shape Christmas ornaments. He even has a Ken doll as a photographer student, his girlfriend, Barbie, as a fashion photographer, and her friend Becky, a school photographer, all in their original boxes. Treasure trove His collection is just this treasure trove of a bohemian artist that is a well-kept secret and needs to be put in the spotlight, Christensen says. Gerharter started collecting photography knickknacks at about the same time that he started taking pictures in the mid-1980s. Having grown up on a farm in Aberdeen, S.D., he escaped to San Francisco in 1977. After 10 years in graphic design, he became a photographer and darkroom tech through two years of study at City College. My timing was quite good, he says. I started taking photographs at the time that ACT UP and AIDS activism happened so it gave me an international market and it gave me lots to photograph and thats what has sustained me. His main outlet all these years has been the Bay Area Reporter, a free weekly. Hes lived in Bernal Heights, the Mission, Upper Market, the Haight and the lower Haight, staying one step ahead of gentrification. He doesnt mind bouncing around, but it is hard on his four metal filing cabinets full of prints and negatives. So after his most recent eviction, he rented office space. He doesnt live here, but it looks like he could, cozy as it is with Oriental carpeting and an easy chair in the window looking out on the Mission. He moves around quietly in shorts and bare feet, and upon request he can pull up a date, a digital image, and usually a film negative for about everything that has happened in the San Francisco LGBT scene since the 1980s. My form of activism, the best that I can do, he says, was to take these photographs and circulate them and document it so that there is a history that has been preserved. Sam Whiting is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: swhiting@sfchronicle.com Instagram: @sfchronicle_art LGBTQ Chronicled: 1933-2016: Weekends noon to 5 p.m., Tues-Thur. 4 to 9 p.m. Through July 16. Free. Harvey Milk Photo Center, 50 Scott St., S.F. (415) 554-9522. www.harveymilkphotocenter.org Progressive San Francisco Supervisor Jane Kims come-from-behind surge in the state Senate primary was boosted, in part, by a last-minute, $40,000 ad campaign paid for by a political action committee whose key contributor was Pacific Gas and Electric Co. And hows this for a coincidence? Kims chief political consultant in the Senate race, Storefront Political Media founder Eric Jaye, is also a paid adviser to PG&E on political matters as is Joe Zago, spokesman for the Golden State Leadership, the independent expenditure committee that paid for the Kim ad mailings. Independent expenditure committees arent subject to the same donor or spending limits as individual candidates campaigns. There is one big rule, however: By law, such committees cannot coordinate their activities or their spending with a candidate or a candidates campaign staff. Kim nosed ahead of her main rival in the June 7 primary, fellow Supervisor Scott Wiener, just this week as the city continued counting provisional ballots. Her strong showing was a big surprise and a definite momentum boost going into the November general election rematch with Wiener. Kim benefited in the final weeks of the primary campaign from a mass mailing effort by the Golden State Leadership Fund PAC, whose major contributor in the June election cycle was PG&E. The effort consisted of a pair of ads aimed in part at Asian American voters, one of which said, This daughter of immigrants will fight for you in Sacramento. As is common with PAC campaigns, the donors names were nowhere to be found in the mailers. For years, San Franciscos progressives have viewed PG&E as a corporate pariah. Long before the 2010 explosion of one of the utilitys gas lines in San Bruno killed eight people, progressives and the utility were engaged in hand-to-hand combat over such issues as public power and setting up a municipal, green energy program independent of PG&E. Jayes political consulting for PG&E included working against a 2008 city measure that would have allowed San Francisco to set up a clean-energy program to compete with the company. The measure failed, but the city subsequently set up a similar program. Jaye told us that he never talked with PG&E about backing his client Kim in the primary. Any suggestion to the contrary is simply not true, he said. Kim did not return our calls for comment. PG&E made two donations to the Golden State Leadership PAC in December, totaling $39,675, state finance records show. That accounted for about 80 percent of the groups funding for the June election cycle. Zago, the PAC spokesman and adviser to the Kim campaign, said Golden State has raised money from lots of other business and labor groups at other times. He said the fact that Golden States coffers were flush with PG&E money at the time the PAC funded an independent campaign on Kims behalf was a coincidence. The PAC makes that decision on its own, Zago said. PG&E said, We simply did not, and cannot, coordinate or direct any contribution. Oddly enough, it was Kim who first raised the issue of corporate-backed PACs being involved in the state Senate race, when she blasted Wiener for having been helped by more than $300,000 in independent spending by corporate interests such as Chevron, Airbnb and statewide labor and trade organizations. In an online posting, the Kim campaign laid out how money from big players had made its way to help Wiener through various political action committees. One of those PACs was California for Jobs and a Strong Economy, which cut big checks to Equality California, a gay PAC that helped Wiener. Turns out theres a connection on Wieners side, too: His chief fundraiser for the state Senate campaign, the McKinley Pillows firm in Sacramento, also raises money for California for Jobs and a Strong Economy. Wiener declined to comment, referring comment to his campaign manager, Maggie Muir. McKinley Pillows is a fundraising firm, not a campaign strategy firm, Muir said. The firm helps us and many other candidates with fundraising, but has no input into strategy decisions. Similarly, McKinley Pillows raises money for California for Jobs and a Strong Economy but has no participation whatsoever in that group's strategic decisions, she 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. Maybe, but it is interesting how all these coincidences happen. Stalled: Swing state Ohio is going to beat out true blue San Francisco this election year in a bid to become a multimillion-dollar testing ground for driverless cars and other cutting-edge transportation technology. San Francisco was among seven cities selected as finalists by the U.S. Department of Transportation for a $50 million Smart City Challenge Grant to study technology that could change the way we get around town. As part of San Franciscos bid, 70 companies offered to put up $150 million worth of cars and other in-kind donations. Alas, now comes word that Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx will announce the winner will be Columbus, Ohio. Probably has nothing to do with the fact that Ohio is crucial to Democrat Hillary Clintons presidential aspirations in November. First the NBA championship, now the Smart City Challenge, Deirdre Hussey, spokeswoman for Mayor Ed Lee, said when we told her of the feds decision. Ohio has something going on. San Francisco Chronicle columnists Phillip Matier and Andrew Ross appear Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays. Matier can be seen on the KPIX TV morning and evening news. He can also be heard on KCBS radio Monday through Friday at 7:50 a.m. and 5:50 p.m. Got a tip? Call (415) 777-8815, or email matierandross@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @matierandross Four gun control measures were up for a vote in the U.S. Senate on Monday, all of them related to matters on which Americans overwhelmingly agree. A new poll from CNN shows that 92 percent of Americans support expanded background checks and 85 percent support banning gun purchases by people on terror watch lists. In a breathtaking display of cowardice, the Senate ignored what the voters want. It failed to pass any of the measures. The votes fell almost entirely along party lines. Democrats torpedoed two Republican measures on the charge that they were ineffective. They had a point. An amendment by Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, that would open lines of communication between background check agencies and direct the attorney general to conduct a study on the psychological factors of mass shootings was underwhelming. An amendment from Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, to give federal officials 72 hours to convince a judge that a suspect on the terror watch list shouldnt buy a gun also failed. It had previously been dismissed by Attorney General Loretta Lynch as being unworkable. The Democratic measures didnt get much further. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., led a 14-hour filibuster last week only to watch his amendment to require a federal background check before every gun purchase die on a 48-50 vote. Meanwhile, Californias Sen. Dianne Feinstein pushed again for a ban on gun purchases from people on the FBIs various terror watch lists. Again, she watched her amendment fail, because Republicans believed the bill would take away due process for people who want to buy a gun immediately. (Under Feinsteins amendment, people who have been banned from buying a gun could have challenged the denial in court.) Today, we couldnt even agree to prevent known and suspected terrorists from buying guns, said an understandably disgusted Feinstein at a press conference following the vote. The power of the gun lobby over certain members of the Senate seems boundless. In Washington, D.C., the gun lobby is indeed far too powerful. There is no other explanation for the repeated failure of sensible measures expanding background checks and preventing suspected terrorists from buying lethal weapons. The response of too many politicians who sing in the gun lobbys choir is to simply wait for the next massacre to offer their thoughts and prayers and excuses for failing to do something about it. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 5 1 of 5 Courtesy Ferris Plock Show More Show Less 2 of 5 Courtesy Ferris Plock Show More Show Less 3 of 5 4 of 5 Courtesy Ferris Plock Show More Show Less 5 of 5 San Francisco artist Ferris Plock has made a name for himself with intricate, color-splashed and pattern-happy paintings informed by cartoons, street/skate culture and Japanese ukiyo-e. But his first book, the art cookbook Food Faces, takes that fun-loving perspective to the next edible level. The Food Faces book had some pretty humble roots. I was just trying to get my sons excited about eating new types of food, says Plock of his children, Brixton and Angus, his sons with his wife, kindred artist and KeFe collaborator Kelly Tunstall. I found when I made these food faces that the kids both engaged with their mealtime; there was something there for them to interact with. Of course, being a character artist helps. SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KCRA) The property manager of Verity Baptist Church asked the organization to leave the Northgate Business Park due to comments made by one of their pastors praising the Orlando massacre. In a statement released to KCRA Tuesday, Harsch Investment Properties said while they respect free speech, "we will not tolerate tenants who advocate hatred and the taking of innocent lives." Harsch Investment Properties said the company has many places of worship on the properties it manages and their occupancy rights are protected in their leases. "We communicated our views to Verity Baptist Church, and while their lease does not expire until 3/31/17, we have asked them to consider moving out of our business park, and we would immediately cancel their lease without any penalty to them," Harsch Investment Properties said in the statement. During a sermon immediately following the Orlando shooting, where 49 people were killed at a gay nightclub, Pastor Roger Jimenez said he wasn't sad the people were killed. "I'm kind of upset that he didn't finish the job because these people are predators," Jimenez said. The sermon was recorded and posted on YouTube. His comments gained national attention and backlash from communities not just in the Sacramento area, but across the country. Jimenez would not respond to questions about the property manager's request to move. Instead, he requested time for a live, uninterrupted statement on KCRA 3 News, terms our station did not accept. At least two protests were held on the property, the most recent one was on Sunday. At least 1,000 people chanted "shame on you" and "love conquers hate" Sunday morning. The statement from Harsch Investment Properties is being applauded by those who condemned Jimenez, including Beverly Kearney, who helped organize protests against the church. "I think it's amazing that, you know, the property management company is supportive of our community, that they clearly do not condone Pastor Jimenez's comments," Kearney said. While the landlord's statement is only a request, it may also have legal standing. Sacramento lawyer Jessica Warne, who specializes in real estate law, said any illegal activity could violate the lease. "It's a first amendment issue, he has the right to speak freely, but he doesn't have the right to incite people to violence and that is a crime under California law," Warne said. Kearney believes the landlord's response is a step in the right direction. "Obviously, we wish they could just be like you're gone," she said. "But, we understand that there are legal issues surrounding that." ---- READ the full statement from Harsch Investment Properties below: Harsch Investment Properties, the owner of the Northgate Business Park, and all our staff are shocked and saddened by the tragic events in Orlando. Like all Americans, we grieve for the fallen and injured. In the 66 years since our company was founded, we have stood for the rights of all individuals, regardless of race, religion, gender or sexual orientation, to live their lives and follow their dreams. We stand with those who make their voices heard: Intolerance and hate are not the values that have made our country great. We respect the right of every individual's free speech, even when we disagree with their views. This is certainly the case with our tenant Verity Baptist Church and its Pastor Roger Jimenez. We have many places of worship and other religious organizations in the properties we manage. Like all our tenants, their occupancy rights are protected in their leases, but we will not tolerate tenants who advocate hatred and the taking of innocent lives. We communicated our views to Verity Baptist Church, and while their lease does not expire until 3/31/17, we have asked them to consider moving out of our business park, and we would immediately cancel their lease without any penalty to them. Just as we respect the right of individuals to speak their views, as distasteful as they may be, we also respect the right of others to protest as a reflection of their values. We would ask that any protest be peaceful, have proper permits and respect the rights of all of our tenants at Northgate Business Park. Please do not take this as any less of a commitment on the part of our company to continue to work with Verity Baptist Church to move out of our park. For decades, the owners and staff at Harsch Investment Properties have supported the LGBTQ community and many other organizations whose missions are to further respect, dignity and the ability for all individuals to live their lives as they wish. __ KCRA's Tom Miller and Maneeza Iqbal contributed to this story. This story originally appeared on KCRA.com. Federal regulators have publicly spelled out utility companies obligations to limit pressure in their gas pipelines, a government engineer testified Tuesday at Pacific Gas and Electric Co.s trial on pipeline-safety charges, contradicting PG&Es argument that the rules are vague and self-defeating. One of those rules exempts some older pipelines from the numerical limits set by federal law for pipeline gas pressure, and instead sets their limits as the maximum pressure they had safely managed in the previous five years. PG&E contends its a loosely worded rule that gives utilities an odd incentive to pump up their pressures every five years, but a prosecution witness said the regulation was far from obscure: It was publicly announced in 2003, discussed at workshops attended by utility representatives, and explained in frequently asked questions on a federal agencys website in 2004. The rule applies only to pipelines built before 1970 and doesnt exempt their operators from their obligation to test pipes, monitor their pressure closely and keep accurate records, said Steven Nanney, an engineer with the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, testifying in federal court in San Francisco. Utilities must give top priority to testing and repairing lines in which pressure exceeds the federal maximum levels by any amount, Nanney told the jury. One of the charges against PG&E is that it tried to hide a longtime policy of testing its lines only when they exceeded federally allowed levels by more than 10 percent. The company denies ever having such a policy. PG&E is accused of criminal violations of laws requiring accurate record keeping, inspection and testing of pipelines, charges arising from a federal investigation of the deadly September 2010 gas pipe explosion and fire in San Bruno. If convicted of all charges, the company could be fined $562 million, a penalty that would be paid by its shareholders rather than ratepayers. PG&E contends it did its best to comply with unclear regulations. During opening statements Friday, PG&E attorney Steven Bauer singled out the rule allowing utilities with pipelines constructed before 1970 to increase gas pressure to the maximum level used during safe operations in the previous five years. It was an exception to the numerical limits imposed on other pipes by law. The exception also applies to the older pipelines in the first five years after population increases in surrounding areas that increase the potential harm from an accident. The rule, as PG&E understood it, encourages pipeline operators to increase pipeline pressure to the previous maximum every five years so they wont be held to a lower limit like telling a driver you cant drive any faster than you did last week, Bauer told the jury. Nanney, the second witness called by the prosecution, has been an engineer at the federal pipeline agency since 2004 after 28 years with pipeline companies. He spent the entire second day of the trial on the witness stand, leading jurors through the pipeline regulations and operators duties to test lines after indication of potential problems. Bauer, during cross-examination, pointed out that you only know regulations from the standpoint of being a regulator, and Nanney agreed. PG&E has also argued that there was no evidence it deliberately destroyed any of its records. But at the outset of Tuesdays session, U.S. District Judge Thelton Henderson told the jury that contrary to Bauers opening statement prosecutors do not have to prove that the company deliberately destroyed any records, only that it intentionally failed to preserve them. One of the documents that prosecutors say the company shredded was a record of the alleged policy to test pipelines only when pressure was more than 10 percent above the federal maximum level. Henderson agreed with PG&E Tuesday that he had misstated that charge by describing it as obstruction of justice. It is actually obstruction of an agency proceeding, he said. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @egelko The hero of this book did what he could to thwart his future biographer, and it is a credit to Karl Jacobys scholarly detective work that we know anything about William Henry Ellis amazing and improbable life. Born a slave near the Texas border with Mexico in 1864, Ellis triumphed over the entrenched racism of Gilded Age America by passing or slipping between the gaps of the countrys coercive but ambiguous racial categories and becoming a rich entrepreneur in New York. To protect his new guise, however, he had to conceal his past, spread false stories, destroy documents and avoid photographers. There are very few records about slaves or most freedmen, and little is known about Ellis origins: He had a number of (anonymous) white ancestors; his parents settled and worked in the town of Victoria in southeastern Texas, where he was born, and thus avoided the sharecropping fate of most African Americans in the regions cotton-growing belt. Most important for his future was that he went to school and also picked up fluent Spanish. Ellis facility with the language and an early job with a local merchant allowed him to enter into cross-border trade with Mexico, and by 1888 he was a dealer in hides, wool, and cotton in San Antonio. This is also when he first crossed a far more daunting divide and started calling himself Guillermo Enrique Eliseo: His appearance allowed him to claim that he was an ethnic Mexican and that his American name was a translation. Subsequent attempts at passing became much easier, and soon Ellis was capitalizing on his business success, charisma and flair for language to begin a (brief) career in Texas politics. But Ellis also had greater ambitions that were motivated in part by his desire to improve the lives of African Americans, whom he could not ignore even as he escaped their lot. In 1889, together with a partner, he signed a contract with the Mexican government to settle 20,000 African Americans in Mexico. Unable to raise funds for this revolutionary plan, he tried again several years later, continuing to believe that emigration was the only solution to the race problem in the United States. The second colonization scheme did manage to settle some 800 African Americans in northern Mexico for a while before it also ended in failure. Undaunted, Ellis reinvented himself once again, eventually landing in New York. His life became a kaleidoscope of entrepreneurial ingenuity, unrealized plans, dissimulation and, ultimately, unprecedented financial success. He developed a project for a railroad across Panama, bought a furniture company in Mexico City and became the Mexican representative for a French weapons manufacturer. He claimed that he was from Cuba or, briefly, from Hawaii, and that he had helped Cubans revolt against Spain. By 1899 he had become the president of a corporation worth millions, with interests in reservoirs, pumping stations and real estate, and offices on Wall Street next door to the eras premier investment firm of J.P. Morgan and Co. Shortly after marrying a white woman (and inventing a story that she descended from English nobility), Ellis outdid himself yet again by hatching an extraordinary plan to head the economic development of Ethiopia. He made two trips to Addis Ababa, met the emperor and succeeded in attaching himself to an official American government mission to Ethiopia. Upon his return he debriefed the State Department and President Theodore Roosevelt at the White House. However, by 1906, the Ethiopian plans had collapsed and Ellis situation began to deteriorate because of financial and legal problems. He continued to invent new schemes for lucrative deals in Mexico, but revolutionary turmoil there eliminated the connections he had long cultivated. Unable to find a solution and his health deteriorating, he died in Mexico City on Sept. 24, 1923, surprising his wife by leaving only $5,000 to her and their children. Because Ellis was mostly successful in concealing aspects of his past, this elegantly written book is actually both less and more than the biography of a remarkable man, which also makes its title somewhat misleading. Not only are there gaps in the information about Ellis, but Jacoby often has to speculate about what happened to him or what made him tick. And although Jacobys inferences are entirely plausible, what we get in the end is more like a fascinating silhouette of Ellis than a fleshed-out portrait. This is not for Jacobys lack of trying: he is a professor of history at Columbia, and his notes and bibliography run to more than 75 pages. To supplement his story, Jacoby broadens his focus from one forgotten individual to a larger account of the evolution of the US-Mexican borderlands. Thus we also get a fine-grained history of the region and of related developments in the two countries, as well as illuminating surveys of the complex social, economic, demographic and inevitably racial issues that affected black and white Americans and their Mexican neighbors. Any biography must include such frames, but Jacobys are so wide and intricately carved that at times they overshadow his hero. As Jacoby suggestively puts it, Ellis passing bears the hallmark of the trickster from African-American folklore charisma, deflection, improvisation. Ironically, these traits are also what allowed Ellis to become that American ideal a self-made man. Vladimir Alexandrov is the author of the biography The Black Russian. Email: books@sfchronicle.com The Strange Career of William Ellis The Texas Slave Who Became a Mexican Millionaire By Karl Jacoby (Norton; 304 pages; $27.95) Number of the day 500 million Instagram says it has 500 million users more than 300 million who use the photo-sharing network every day. It also said in the Tuesday announcement that more than 80 percent of its users live outside of the United States. Instagram, which is owned by Facebook, commended users for forming varied and diverse communities. Whether youre an illustrator, a sneakerhead or an astronaut on the International Space Station, every photo and video you share helps bring people closer to friends and interests, broadens perspectives and inspires a sense of wonder. First lady connects Michelle Obama has joined social media app Snapchat to promote her upcoming trip to Africa and Europe to encourage girls education. The White House says the account will make it easy for students to keep tabs on her travels by following her at MichelleObama. The first lady plans to spend next week highlighting the fact that an estimated 62 million adolescent girls around the world arent attending school. She has stops in Liberia, Morocco and Spain. Actresses Meryl Streep and Freida Pinto are scheduled to join her in Africa. Mrs. Obama is quite active on social media, with accounts on Twitter, Instagram and Medium. Mop and dust, robot Elon Musk and other leaders of the nonprofit artificial intelligence group Open AI say in a blog post that they are working to enable a physical robot ... to perform basic housework, CNN reported. The blog post, signed by Musk and Sam Altman, president of Y Combinator, says they hope to build a robot that can be asked to perform a task and ask for clarification if it doesn't understand the request. In 2014, Musk warned against summoning the demon through AI. The Daily Briefing is compiled from San Francisco Chronicle staff and news services. See more items and links at www.sfgate.com Twitter: @techbriefing Uber and Airbnb have set their sights on global expansion. Theyre about to face a global response. Mayors from New York to Paris to Seoul think theyve found the trick to coping with sharing economy apps working together. Several markets are jointly preparing a unified rule book in a bid to leverage their combined size to promote clearer ground rules. These companies have been used to dealing with regulators, but theyve done so mostly on a city-by-city basis. Thats about to change: Representatives for cities that also include Athens, Barcelona and Toronto, have started their first concerted effort to produce a common framework. While theres no white paper or policy drawn up yet, city representatives met for the first time last month in Amsterdam for discussions. Paris is calling for a first publication by October. Having the 20 or 30 biggest urban markets of the world all operating under entirely different rules doesnt do much good for anyone, said Wiley Norvell, spokesman for New York Mayor Bill de Blasios deputy for housing and economic development. We want consumers and tourists to have some consistency, city to city, he said, to leverage the size of markets, which together are enormous, so that the voice of cities will actually make an impact. Regulation is one of the biggest hurdles for companies like Uber and Airbnb as they expand. They need to persuade lawmakers to side with them amid backlash from well-established, more traditional competitors, and debate about the apps impact on cities. Both companies have argued that their applications have a positive influence on cities or create jobs, and pledged to negotiate with officials to ensure their businesses operate within local laws. Were all grappling with the same issues around safety, equity, economic opportunity and sustainability, Norvell said about the worlds biggest markets for these apps. Until now, responses from governments have been uneven. In New York, challenges have ranged from a lawsuit that accuses Uber of running an antitrust scheme, to criticism over Airbnb becoming a platform for unregulated hotels. In France, Uber has faced everything from rioting during taxi strikes to its executives being fined by a judge. Airbnb has had a smoother ride there so far. Other places, including Lisbon, have taken steps to ease regulation. New Yorks de Blasio has discussed the pros and cons of sharing economy services with several mayors, including Paris chief Anne Hidalgo last year. Balancing housing needs and new services for tourists is one aspect shes especially concerned with, said Ian Brossat, whos in charge of that issue in the French capital. A spokesman for Uber declined to comment. An Airbnb spokesman said in an email that the company would welcome any chance to educate more cities about the benefits of home sharing and look forward to continuing to work with officials around the world. Airbnb has collected $85 million in taxes and helped thousands of people pay their bills and stay in their homes, he said. Every city is different, but weve seen how cities around the world are embracing Airbnb and we will continue to partner with individual cities to address their unique policy needs. Marie Mawad, Helene Fouquet and Henry Goldman are Bloomberg writers. Email: mmawad1@bloomberg.net, hfouquet1@bloomberg.net, hgoldman@bloomberg.net Impax Laboratories will buy a portfolio of drugs from Teva Pharmaceutical Industries and Allergan for $586 million, as the two larger pharmaceutical companies divest products to gain antitrust approval for their own deal. The Hayward company will add 15 generic drugs that are already for sale and others that are in development. The drugs generated $150 million in revenue and about $100 million in gross profit last year, Impax said in announcing the deal. WASHINGTON The Senate on Wednesday blocked an expansion of the governments power to investigate suspected terrorists, a victory for civil libertarians and privacy advocates emboldened after a National Security Agency contractors revelations forced changes in how the communications of Americans are monitored. After the massacre at a gay nightclub in Orlando, senior Republicans had pressed to allow the FBI to obtain a persons digital fingerprints without first securing a judges permission. The mass shooting in Orlando on June 12 left 49 dead and 53 injured. The gunman had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State and other militant groups. But the Senate rejected the amendment 58-38, two votes short of the 60 necessary to move ahead with the measure that would give federal law enforcement direct access to email and text message logs, Internet browsing histories and other potentially sensitive online data. We arent asking for content, were asking for usage, said Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., in defense of the amendment that, if passed, would have been added to a Justice Department spending bill. This is an important tool. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., opposed the amendment and decried what he said was the hypocrisy of defending gun rights while pushing for a measure that would undermine the constitutional prohibition against unlawful search and seizures. The Senate on Monday rejected plans to curb firearms, with many Republicans refusing to approve any legislation that would infringe on the broad right to bear arms. Due process ought to apply as it relates to guns, but due process wouldnt apply as it relates to the Internet activity of millions of Americans, Wyden said. Three years ago, former NSA contractor Edward Snowdens revelations about the agencys bulk collection of millions of Americans phone records set off a fierce debate, pitting civil libertarians concerned about privacy against more hawkish lawmakers fearful about losing tools to combat terrorism. Democrats and libertarian-leaning Republicans pushed through a reauthorization of the Patriot Act last year that ended the program. The House last week rejected a measure that would have prohibited the government from searching the online communications of Americans without a warrant. The chairman of the House Intelligence Committee and other opponents of the measure cautioned it would compromise the investigation into the Orlando gunman, Omar Mateen, and the ability to disrupt other terrorist plots. Just a year earlier before the horror in Orlando and the mass shooting in San Bernardino the amendment easily cleared the House by a wide margin. But it was later stripped out of a government-wide spending bill. The Senate amendment was backed by McCain, who chairs the Armed Services Committee, Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, and the Senates top two Republicans: Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Majority Whip John Cornyn of Texas. A handful of Republicans voted against the amendment, including Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, Mike Lee of Utah and Dean Heller of Nevada. Burr said he expects there will be another opportunity soon to vote on the amendment. The Central Intelligence Agency director last week testified before my committee that the Islamic State has called for intensified attacks against the West, he said. We cannot sit idly by while more Americans are endangered. McCain said FBI Director James Comey requested the authority, which McCain said builds on the agencys existing ability to get financial and telephone billing records by using so-called national security letters. The letters are essentially secret administrative subpoenas that compel telecommunications companies, banks and other businesses to hand over customer data. The content of a persons private messages would not be collected, according to amendments backers, but the data may allow the FBI to head off a terrorist attack. The nonprofit Center for Democracy and Technology criticized the amendments dragnet approach. Most concerning, the group said, is that the FBI would be able to obtain Internet protocol addresses and routing or transmission information. Number of the day 10 percent Thats how much the stock of Palo Altos Tesla Motors fell Wednesday, the day after CEO Elon Musk presented a $2.86 billion plan to combine Tesla with SolarCity, where he is chairman. Although shareholders are concerned that the company is spreading itself too thin, Wednesdays result is actually better than what happened in extended trading Tuesday, when Tesla stock fell as much as 14 percent. Top tweet Twitter announced they will let advertisers target users based on the emojis they tweet. Bring it on, poop companies. Conan OBrien , who just might have summed up the entire Twitter universe and the U.S. economy in fewer than 140 characters. Aid for software engineers Atlassian says it is giving $1 million to Coursera, Women Who Code and Code2040 to help provide technical skills for aspiring software engineers. In a blog post, the software company says it is teaming up with Coursera, which offers online education in combination with more than 140 top universities, to pay half the tuition for computer science courses for a limited time this month. The company is also offering support to Code2040 and Women Who Code, which promote diversity in tech. The Daily Briefing is compiled from San Francisco Chronicle staff and news services. See more items and links at www.sfgate.com. Twitter: @techbriefing Hailing a ride with a smartphone app in many cities is coming down to a fight over fingerprints. Following incidents where Uber drivers were found to have criminal records, many state and local officials have proposed fingerprint background checks for ride-hailing drivers often with the support of taxi companies. Uber and chief rival Lyft have fought those checks, contending their method of vetting drivers is just as safe. Their political muscle showed in the past week. The Chicago City Council passed ride-hailing regulations Wednesday that exclude fingerprint checks after an alderman removed the requirement when Uber and Lyft threatened to leave the city. Rhode Island on Saturday passed regulations without fingerprint checks, which also are under consideration in Atlanta, New Jersey, California and Massachusetts. Uber and Lyft have recently made good on threats to vacate cities that impose fingerprint checks, such as Austin, Texas, leaving drivers without jobs and riders without an alternative to taxis. Agreeing to the checks, as Uber did in Houston, slows the pace of hiring and increases pickup times. If passengers have to wait too long, the companies say, they give up on ride hailing. Uber and Lyft hire private background companies that run a drivers name, license and Social Security number through local court records, national criminal databases and a federal sex offender registry. Searches can take as little as 24 hours. Lyft rechecks drivers each year, but Uber does not. Fingerprint checks, run through the FBIs national database, can take a few days longer. But experts say fingerprinting catches people who lie about their names. The accuracy of a fingerprint check is eons beyond what you could do in a name check, said Jay Wachtel, a criminal justice lecturer at Cal State Fullerton and retired Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agent. In a lawsuit against Uber, prosecutors in Los Angeles and San Francisco found 25 drivers who passed Ubers checks despite having criminal histories, including a driver convicted of felony sexual exploitation of a minor. Uber paid $25 million to settle the case in April. Lyft paid a smaller amount, and both agreed to stop implying that their background checks were safer. Both companies have enlisted high-powered supporters to fight fingerprinting. This month, former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, whose law firm advises Uber, sent letters to New Jersey and Chicago lawmakers saying fingerprints are unfair and potentially discriminatory. Uber, after just six years, completes 150 million rides per month in nearly 450 cities worldwide. Lyft, which started four years ago, does 11 million rides per month in more than 200 U.S. cities. The companies need thousands of drivers to make the model work. Chicago passenger Giovanni Thurman, 33, says he feels safe using Lyft and Uber because apps give you the drivers picture, name and other information. Thurman runs a consulting business and works with a nonprofit that helps ex-convicts, including some who have gotten back on their feet by driving for the companies. Those drug dealers that I knew, they drive Uber because its an option to not go back to dealing, he said. If you impose all of those background checks ... then now youve cut off another way. The San Francisco companies pulled out of Austin last month after voters decided against overturning a city ordinance that requires fingerprinting. The companies say around 10,000 full- and part-time drivers lost work, and tens of thousands of riders were stranded. But Austin Councilwoman Ann Kitchen says smaller ride-hailing companies which agreed to fingerprints have helped make up the difference, along with roughly 900 registered taxis. In Chicago, Alderman Anthony Beale agreed to delay fingerprinting for at least six months to allow more time to study that requirement. Sam Abuelsamid, transportation analyst with Navigant Research, thinks Uber and Lyft will eventually agree to fingerprint drivers if they get something in return, like a promise that drivers will remain independent contractors and not employees. Such a promise could insulate the companies from liability. Uber and Lyft blame taxi companies for the fingerprint push. Cab drivers in most major cities are fingerprinted and even drug-tested. The ride-hailing companies say their drivers almost all part-time are squeezed for time and cash and dont want additional hurdles. Stephen Saltzburg, a George Washington University law professor, cautions that neither check is foolproof. Private background checks have improved, but FBI records may lack data on whether a person was convicted of a crime. Saltzburg says that ideally, the companies would do both. The driver is in a pretty good position to engage in criminal acts, Saltzburg says. The car is moving, the doors lock. Three East Bay men were arrested in San Francisco on suspicion of committing four separate robberies in three different parts of the city, police said Tuesday. Alfredo Meza, 18, of Stockton, David Gonzalez, 22, of Livermore and 20-year-old Oakland resident Jose Garcia were booked on felony robbery, felony attempted robbery and felony conspiracy charges, police said. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A legal loophole that allowed former Stanford University student Brock Allen Turner to get a six-month county jail sentence for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman last year would be closed under legislation proposed Wednesday by Santa Clara County prosecutors. Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen said his office has written a bill to ensure that anyone convicted of sexual assault in California will have to serve a state prison term and will not be eligible for probation. Rosen noted that under state law, perpetrators who sexually assault a conscious person must serve time in state prison, not county jail, and are ineligible for probation. Those who assault an unconscious person, however, can get a relatively light county jail sentence or even probation the sentence that Turners defense attorneys requested for him after he was convicted of three felonies for assaulting an unconscious woman outside a Stanford fraternity party in January 2015. The judge gave the wrong sentence, but he had the legal right to give it, Rosen said at a news conference on the steps of Santa Clara County Superior Court in Palo Alto, where Turner was convicted and sentenced. His prosecutors sought a six-year term for Turner in state prison. The current legal discrepancy between sexually assaulting a conscious versus an unconscious person stems from whether the attacker uses force. State law dictates that a perpetrators use of force in an assault involving penetration triggers a mandatory prison sentence. However, when a victim is unconscious, he or she is unable to resist and the perpetrator therefore does not have to use force. So a perpetrator at a college party who chooses to forcibly rape a conscious victim will go to prison, Rosen said. However, a different perpetrator at the same party who chooses to watch and wait for a victim to pass out from intoxication before sexually assaulting her can get probation. The proposed legislation would change the law so that someone convicted of assaulting an unconscious person would have to be sentenced to state prison. The bill, AB2888, is sponsored by state Sen. Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo, and Assemblymen Bill Dodd, D-Napa, and Evan Low, D-Campbell. Current law actually incentivizes rapists to get their victims intoxicated before assaulting them, Low said in a statement. While we cant go back and change what happened, we can make sure it never happens again. Public reaction was swift when Judge Aaron Persky handed down a six-month sentence for Turner, 20, earlier this month. A change.org petition garnered more than 1 million signatures urging the judges removal from the bench. Rosen recently had Persky removed from a case involving a nurse accused of sexually assaulting a sedated patient, citing a lack of confidence that the judge could fairly participate. However, Rosen says he does not support efforts to recall the judge. The woman assaulted by Turner supports the legislation, according to Rosen. While announcing the bill, Rosen quoted from the letter the woman read to Turner during sentencing: The seriousness of rape has to be communicated clearly. We should not create a culture that suggests that we learn that rape is wrong through trial and error. The consequences of sexual assault need to be severe enough that people feel enough fear to exercise good judgment, even if they are drunk, severe enough to be preventative. Rosen said, Weve read her letter now lets give her back something beyond worldwide sympathy and anger. Lets give her a legacy that will send the next Brock Turner to prison, Rosen said. Libby Rainey is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: lrainey@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @rainey_l This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The gunman who shot and killed 49 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando this month bought plane tickets to travel to San Francisco one day before the massacre, according to media reports. Omar Mateen bought tickets for himself, his wife Noor Zahi Salman, and his child to travel to San Francisco from West Palm Beach in July, CNN reported Tuesday. A day after the purchase, he killed 49 people and left 53 injured after he opened fire at the Pulse Orlando nightclub on June 12. Mateen, 29, died during an exchange of gunfire with police. It was not clear why Mateen made travel plans beforehand. Mateens wife is a Bay Area native who grew up in Rodeo. Salman married Mateen, her second husband, around 2013 and moved with him to Fort Pierce, Fla., an Atlantic Coast town 120 miles southeast of Orlando. She was being investigated by the FBI in connection with the shooting. Salman, 30, had been living in Chicago, but moved back to Rodeo shortly before her 2009 divorce, according to Contra Costa County Superior Court records. She studied at the now-defunct Heald College, a for-profit business school, and later worked at Kmart in Pinole and a grocery store in Richmond until 2010, according to her online resume. A neighbor, Sarwan Kaur, said Salmans mother was upset that her daughter almost never visited after her marriage to Mateen. Mateens first wife, Sitora Yusifiy, has told reporters that he was abusive and mentally unstable. Salman reportedly told investigators she did not know about the planned attack. She also said she pleaded with Mateen to stay before he left their Fort Pierce home carrying a bag of guns before the shooting, according to CNN. San Francisco Chronicle staff writers Kimberly Veklerov and Evan Sernoffsky contributed to this report. Jenna Lyons is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jlyons@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @JennaJourno At imprecisely 10:30 a.m. June 26, the world-famous Dykes on Bikes will rev up their motorcycle engines and roar down Market Street, kicking into gear the 46th annual San Francisco LGBT Pride Parade. The weekend-long San Francisco Pride Celebration, where people from all over the world descend on the city, is the Bay Areas version of Mardi Gras, and over the years, it has attained bucket-list status for gay and straight folks alike. As the centerpiece of this celebration, the parade and its ubiquitous rainbow flags offer one of the most colorful symbols of acceptance on the planet. Thats why its a destination event, said parade manager Marsha Levine. There is more acceptance from society, and that changing mood within our allied community has carried over into the parade. It brings out everyone in our city. There will be an endless array of weekend events, ranging from the somber to the silly, and the multitude of choices can be overwhelming to the uninitiated even to the initiated. So weve come up with a guide to enjoying (and surviving) Pride Weekend: the parade, the parties, the commemorations, the films, the food, the transportation everything except your costume, which you will have to provide yourself. But first, a little history. The parade started off as a small march on Polk Street in 1970, marking the first anniversary of New Yorks Stonewall riots, generally regarded as the beginning of the gay rights movement. Within two years, the event had attracted a few thousand marchers, many of them wearing outrageous outfits or nothing at all. The images went global, and so did the march. Last year, the parade attracted more than 1 million people. Since the beginning, it has always been a combination of the political and the celebratory, but the weight of those factors has depended on the times. The LGBT Pride Parade was very celebratory from 1972 to 1976, said Greg Pennington, a founder of the GLBT Historical Society. It became more political in 1977 to 1979 because of the Anita Bryant campaign to repeal gay rights ordinances and the Briggs Initiative (an unsuccessful 1978 California ballot measure) to ban gay schoolteachers. In 1980 there were carnival rides in Civic Center for the festival for the only time, and many railed at the lack of a political focus that year. From 1982 to 1985, the parade was focused on the AIDS crisis. With the advent of same-sex marriage and increased public acceptance of LGBT rights, the tone has been decidedly celebratory and corporate, as more firms realize that supporting LGBT causes is good business. But this year, expect a lot more than just sequins and company logos. The theme of this years parade is For Racial and Economic Quality. The Black Lives Matter organization has been selected as a community grand marshal, and there is heated political opposition to bathroom laws that target transgender people in North Carolina. Most dramatically, the nation is reeling from the June 12 massacre at a gay nightclub in Orlando and a remembrance of the victims will be an important, heartfelt feature of the weekend. Brandon Chew/The Chronicle If history is any indication, love, unity and a measure of defiance will be the order of the day, as LGBT folks and their allies bring home the message that even epic acts of hate wont stop the huge strides that have been made for LGBT rights. That is the power of the parade, bringing together weekenders of all stripes in a celebration of the power of diversity. Beyond current events, Pride Weekend will be affected in other ways this year. One of the biggest changes will be the official absence of the Pink Party (formerly known as Pink Saturday), a nighttime bacchanal in the Castro District that has attracted massive crowds. The event got so popular and unruly that the neighborhood couldnt support it anymore, much like what happened with the huge Halloween celebration that took place every year in the gay enclave before the party was moved to Civic Center. And Civic Center is where much of the Pride action will be, as the area around City Hall morphs into a continuous party. Starting at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 25, more than a dozen stages and venues will entertain and enlighten the crowds. On June 26, the Civic Center festivities will double in size for the post-parade extravaganza, as prominent performers and speakers take center stage. Another pillar of the weekend and worth your while is the Dyke March on Saturday, which starts in the day with a rally in recently refurbished Dolores Park and ends with a late-afternoon march that winds through the area. For those who want to get even an earlier start to their Pride Weekend, the annual Trans March one of the largest trans events in the world will be held Friday, June 24. The Friday tradition, which started in 2004 and now draws 7,000 attendees, begins at Dolores Park and ends at Civic Center. One of the most dramatic hallmarks of Pride Weekend is the giant Pink Triangle that appears on Twin Peaks every year. The striking triangle serves both a somber and festive purpose: It commemorates a dark chapter of gay persecution during the Nazi era, yet it also sets an exuberant tone for the parade and the weekend to come. The parade is all about being yourself, doing your thing, said Patrick Carney, co-founder and yearly organizer of the Pink Triangle. Some dress conservatively. Some dress flamboyantly. Hopefully that freedom to be yourself will never change. David Lewis is a Bay Area freelance writer. The San Francisco LGBT Pride Parade When: 10:30 a.m., June 26. Where: The parade begins at Market and Beale streets and ends at Market and Eighth streets. Civic Center celebrations: Noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, June 25; 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. June 26. For more info: www.sfpride.org The Pink Triangle Visitors are welcome to attend the commemoration of the Pink Triangle, and volunteers are urged to help put it up and take it down. Where: Twin Peaks parking area, 100 Christmas Tree Point Road, S.F. Installation: 7 to 10 a.m. Saturday, June 25. Commemoration ceremony: 10:30 a.m. June 25. Deinstallation: 4:30 to 8 p.m. June 26. Note to volunteers: Bring a hammer and gloves. Free State of Jones: Matthew McConaughey portrays Newton Knight in this fact-based movie about how Knight led a group of Mississippi farmers and slaves to rebel against the Confederacy during the Civil War. Len and Company: Rhys Ifans is a punker in crisis in this comedy that also stars Juno Temple. Les Cowboys: This original take on John Fords The Searchers deals with a Frenchman whos a fan of Westerns and goes on his own search to find his daughter, who has become a Muslim. Independence Day: Resurgence: Those pesky aliens have returned, and Bill Pullman and Jeff Goldblum are among those back from the 1996 movie (no Will Smith, though) who try to stop another attempt to destroy the Earth. Kaili Blues: A mystical and mysterious story about two doctors from a country clinic in the Guizhou province of China. The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble: A documentary about the great cellist and his merry band of musicians who perform all over the world. Neon Demon: So you want to be a beautiful model in Hollywood? You may want to think again after seeing this film starring Elle Fanning, who finds herself going up against some pretty dangerous women. The Shallows: A surfer played by Blake Lively fights for her life when she ends up on a rock 200 yards from land with a great white shark. Therapy for a Vampire: Sigmund Freud uses his psychoanalysis on a vampire. We are pretty sure its fictional. Three: Johnny To directs this action film in which a criminal who is shot in the head tries to break out of a hospital. Expect lots of blood. Tickled: In this documentary, a journalist finds out about an online tickling competition and ends up uncovering things that arent always funny. Courtesy of Participant Media Theres an easygoing, shambling looseness about the Silk Road Ensemble, the multicultural pickup band that cellist Yo-Yo Ma assembled in 2000 with musicians from across Europe, Asia and the United States. That quality is attractive in a performing ensemble, but maybe less so in a documentary with a broad subject and not enough discipline or clarity to make sense of it. The Music of Strangers, a restless, shaggy effort by director Morgan Neville (20 Feet From Stardom), offers a profile of Mas project, more or less. Nevilles camera roams across the world, making stops at the Tanglewood Festival in western Massachusetts (where the scheme was first hatched), Iran, Syria, China, Spain and more sometimes leaping across oceans with head-spinning abruptness. There are archival episodes, musical interludes (exciting and all too brief), landscape videography and plenty of talking heads. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The Redford Center has announced a program to work with fledgling filmmakers, offering financing and guidance to five teams who have ideas for films with environmental topics. The purpose is to stoke awareness and action, and also to create films that can connect with the masses, said Redford Center chairman Jamie Redford. We found our instincts were pretty closely aligned with some of the sensibilities of the Millennials, he said. The thinking was that we would try to propagate this approach to livening up the environmental storytelling landscape by supporting up-and-coming filmmakers who relate to what it is were trying to do. The center, with offices in the Presidio in San Francisco, was co-founded in 2005 by Jamie and his actor-director father, Robert Redford. Redford Center Grants will provide $15,000 in funding to each filmmaker to create a demonstration reel, with the possibility of more help down the road. The program will also provide mentoring and guidance. Filmmakers will be invited to attend a retreat at the Sundance Mountain Resort in Utah. Redford Center Grants were funded by the New York Community Trust. The center is accepting applications on its website through Aug. 10. Past Redford Center productions include Watershed and Fighting Goliath: Texas Coal Wars, environmental films with an aim at making change. Jamie Redford said the grant program will complement some of the centers current goals, such as making environmental awareness compelling and also accessible including humor. Redford, a director of documentaries with environmental and medical topics, has a documentary about clean energy, Happening, scheduled for a 2017 release on HBO. Redford said the center isnt looking for just another depressing climate movie, and hopes the entries will include stories that resonate beyond environmental activism circles. Im not worried about the tight green circle, Redford said. Im worried about the people who have bills to pay and are driving the kids to school and have to get to the dentist. How do we give those people things that are helpful? Peter Hartlaub is The San Francisco Chronicles pop culture critic. Email: phartlaub@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @PeterHartlaub The first time Burger Records co-founder Lee Rickard met Total Trash Productions impresario Marc Ribak, the latter was on tour with his band Rock n Roll Adventure Kids and, in true do-it-yourself fashion, the groups tour bus was a Honda hatchback. The drums (were) on top, Rickard said. It was like a cartoon. Its that spirit that infuses every element of Burger Boogaloo, the two-day festival thats a collaboration between Ribaks production company and Rickard and Sean Bohrmans record label. It starts Saturday, June 25, at Oaklands Mosswood Park. From garage rock to the micro-budget early films of John Waters, the seventh edition of the festival has remained steadfastly independent-minded, no matter the commercial pressures. For Boogaloo, its What festival would we want to go see? Bohrman said. The 2016 lineup skews heavily toward classic acts, the types that Ribak, Rickard and Bohrman may have listened to while growing up. The Flamin Groovies formed in San Francisco in 1965 and celebrated their 50th anniversary (a touch late) this year at the Chapel. Garage rock progenitor Psycotic Pineapple started in 1974, and proto-punk band the Real Kids formed in 1972. That emphasis on the history of garage rock and punk continues throughout the lineup, with locals the Mummies (formed in 1988) returning for a second-straight Boogaloo, and the Trashwomen (formed in 1991) making their Burger debut. Finding the Mummies in the 90s, that was how I got into the music were doing at the event, Ribak said. It has this immediacy to it that the music of the 60s and late 50s had. The modern-day carriers of the DIY rock and punk torches will be represented by acts like King Khan and the Shrines, Shannon and the Clams, Death Valley Girls, and Thee Oh Sees. Baltimores finest merchant of filmed filth, Waters, will be host, and actress and recording artist Traci Lords and comedian/Andy Kaufman creation Tony Clifton will be on hand to help introduce acts and meet the crowd. The Boogaloo is one of three festivals that Burger Records hosts each year. Burgerama, featuring more of the labels own acts, and the Burger A-Go-Go, featuring female-fronted groups, take place at an Orange County club closer to the Burger Records store in a nondescript strip mall in Fullerton. But with Ribak being able to handle the logistical load in Northern California and a Bay Area audience receptive to the spirit of the label, holding Burgers longest-running event in Oakland makes perfect sense. In the Bay Area there are a lot of rock n roll lovers, Bohrman said. You can put the Real Kids and Angry Samoans onstage, these bands that young kids might not recognize, but theres going to be an audience. Its a rock n roll melting pot, Rickard added. People from all over the world gravitate toward the San Francisco area, and with good reason. Theres so much energy and personality, and theres always an underground happening. Robert Spuhler is a freelance writer who covers entertainment, travel, technology and the intersections thereof. Burger Boogaloo: Doors at noon Saturday-Sunday, June 25-26. $39-$49 per day. Mosswood Park, 3612 Webster St., Oakland. http://burgerboogaloo.com 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 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. 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. Suggesting the United States could default on its debt could cause a global panic, she added. DENVER Legal marijuana is giving Colorado a stinky conundrum. Visitors can buy the drug, but they cant use it in public. Or in a rental car. Or in most hotel rooms. The result is something marijuana advocates and opponents feared people toking up on sidewalks, in city parks, and in alleys behind bars and restaurants despite laws against doing so. And theyre getting dinged with public marijuana consumption tickets. From the capital city of Denver to mountain resorts like Aspen and Breckenridge, police wrote nearly 800 citations for the new crime of public consumption in 2014, the first year recreational sales began. Some legalization advocates believe they have a solution pot clubs. Denver voters may consider a ballot measure this fall to make the city the most populous place in the nation to expressly allow pot clubs. People need a place to go, said Teresa Wright of the Denver suburb of Lafayette. Wright was volunteering in Denver recently to gather signatures to ask voters this fall about allowing private pot clubs in the city. You can go out anywhere and see people using alcohol. To socialize, to relax. But not marijuana, Wright said. We deserve to have a place. Its a legal activity. But marijuana clubs have proven a harder sell here than legalizing the drug in the first place. The amendment that legalized marijuana doesnt give people the right to use it openly or publicly, a nod to critics who said legalization would lead to an explosion of Amsterdam-style clubs. But the Colorado Constitution doesnt ban public use, either, leading to a confusing patchwork of local policies on weed clubs. Denver and Colorado Springs have existing pot clubs, but the clubs operate somewhat underground with occasional police busts. The small northern Colorado town of Nederland regulates a club that advertises, out of state, out of country, and of course locals are welcome. In southern Colorado, Pueblo County allows clubs but has none. Things get even more complicated in the Denver suburb of Englewood, where city council members were apparently taken by surprise that the city had licensed a pot club. They then voted 7-0 this month to allow no more clubs. No other states with legal recreational pot have licensed clubs, either. Alaskas Marijuana Control Board voted last year to repeal an explicit ban on social marijuana clubs, but the state hasnt yet finished work on the potential to allow for people to use pot at certain stores that sell marijuana. Concerns about pot clubs mirror worries about legalizing the drug. Law enforcement officials have said the clubs could lead to more impaired driving, though theres no evidence that existing underground clubs have been linked to traffic accidents or crime. 1 Fire pollution: 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 was 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. 2 New Orleans jail: A compromise announced Tuesday in federal court in New Orleans will keep the local sheriff in charge of the citys long-troubled jail. However, the sheriff has agreed to appoint a new compliance director from nominees made by inmate advocates, the city of New Orleans and the Justice Department who will have broad powers over the jails management and budget. Inmates were moved from old, decaying jail into a new building last September, something the sheriff touted as a factor in improving conditions. But monitors say violence endangering inmates and staffers continues at the new facility. ORLANDO 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. The case underscores the challenges the government faces in countering the narrative of radical extremism, Lynch said in an interview. 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 Mateens 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 discounted witness reports suggesting Mateen might have been at Pulse before or had gay tendencies. We are still looking into that, and we are not ruling anything out, she said. In a 911 call from the club, Mateen pledged solidarity with the Islamic State, and Lynch said theres no doubt he had read and been interested in 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. This was clearly an act of terror and an act of hate, she told reporters later. She called the rampage a shattering attack, on our nation, on our people and on our most fundamental ideals. While in Orlando, Lynch visited a memorial, praised the actions of first responders and met with victims relatives and with prosecutors. Lynch 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. Her remarks at a news conference followed briefings by U.S. Attorney Lee Bentley and other law enforcement officials, including prosecutors assigned to the investigation. Lynch said the Justice Department will provide Florida $1 million in emergency funds to help with response costs. Floridas Republican Gov. Rick Scott had complained that Washington had turned down his request for $5 million to help pay for the states response. WASHINGTON President Obama signed the first major overhaul of toxic chemicals rules in 40 years into law on Wednesday, calling it proof that Washington can function despite intense polarization. In a White House signing ceremony, Obama praised both chemicals industry groups and environmentalists alike for finding consensus despite their usual differences of opinion. He was joined by a diverse group of U.S. lawmakers who helped pass the legislation, including House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco and Republican Sen. David Vitter of Louisiana. WASHINGTON Among the Senates most vulnerable Republicans, Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey stood firmly with the powerful National Rifle Association on the latest ill-fated attempts at gun control. So did Ohio Sen. Rob Portman and Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson. Not so Illinois Sen. Mark Kirk, who represents Chicago where so far this year, more than 1,780 people have been shot, leading to the vast majority of the citys 294 homicides, according to police. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate The attorney for a defendant in a shocking 2013 Oakland killing took the first steps Wednesday in trying to get the charges tossed after it was revealed last week that the lead detective in the case is under investigation for having his girlfriend help him write some of his reports. One of the reports veteran Oakland police Detective Sgt. Mike Gantt allegedly had his girlfriend transcribe was a record in the July 2013 slaying of 66-year-old Judy Salamon, a beloved pet nanny who was shot while driving in her Maxwell Park neighborhood. Gantt, who is on administrative leave, was fired by the department in 2004 for meddling in a rape case, but won his job back during arbitration and was only briefly suspended, his attorney, Michael Rains, wrote in a 2006 newsletter for the PORAC Legal Defense Fund. Rains did not immediately return phone calls or emails. Anne Beles, the attorney for 23-year-old Mario Floyd, one of the suspects in the Salamon slaying, went on the record Wednesday in Alameda County Superior Court saying she had learned Gantt was under investigation. Beles said she intends to file separate motions asking for records from the Alameda County district attorneys office and the Oakland Police Department to find out if the detectives cases were in any way compromised. She said she learned about the investigation through media reports and has not been contacted by prosecutors or police about the probe. Its the secrecy thats most problematic, she said outside court Wednesday. Im asking for the records that could reflect upon Gantts credibility, but I dont know what the facts are yet. Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf said in a written statement last week that she became aware of a detectives alleged criminal misconduct on June 11. The case against Gantt, she said, is unrelated to the sexual misconduct probe involving a teenage sex worker that has rocked the Oakland Police Department, which has seen one police chief and two acting police chiefs step down in recent weeks. Alameda County Public Defender Brendon Woods said he will review all the criminal cases Gantt has investigated. This officers credibility is in question, Woods said Friday after learning about the investigation from the district attorneys office. What cases has he testified to and sworn under oath were authored by him, and actually were authored by his girlfriend? Gantt was the lead investigator in the Salamon case and has already testified in a preliminary hearing. Floyd and co-defendant Stephon Lee, 25, were arrested and charged with special-circumstances in the July 24, 2013, slaying. They are both facing life without parole. Salamon was shot while driving on the 2400 block of Fern Street and crashed her Subaru Outback. At the time of the arrests, Gantt told The Chronicle that Salamon had encountered the men and recorded them with her cell phone because she believed they were involved in a burglary and was trying to gather evidence before she was shot. Salamon was a self-described pet nanny and beloved fixture of the neighborhood, where residents were stunned by her killing. Before that investigation, Gantt was terminated by the department in 2004 after an internal affairs investigation found he compromised a criminal rape case by showing his friend (the suspect) a copy of the OPD crime report (which Mike denied doing), Rains wrote. The termination was overturned in arbitration. Evan Sernoffsky is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: esernoffsky@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @EvanSernoffsky CRESSMAN, Fresno County The drought and a bark beetle epidemic have caused the largest die-off of Sierra Nevada forests in modern history, raising fears that trees could come crashing down on people or fuel deadly wildfires that could wipe out mountain communities. Aerial images show vast forests that have turned a rust color. An estimated 40 million trees since 2010 have died in the central and southern Sierra, and its spreading north. Officials who are cutting down and stacking the most dangerous dead trees in piles across six counties say they are stumped by how to get rid of them all. One solution is to fire up a fleet of 10 large, mechanized incinerators the state recently purchased. Promoters say they burn so hot that they spew little if any smoke, making them environmentally friendly. Environmentalists contend the burners undercut an emergency order by Gov. Jerry Brown considered a leader in the fight against climate change who called for sending the trees to biomass plants where they would be converted into energy. Ken Pimlott, who manages the states response to the die-off as director of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, defended the incinerators as one of many tools. He acknowledged they would contribute to air pollution, but much less than a large wildfire, which using the incinerators may help prevent. But Pimlott added that sending trees to electricity-generating plants remains a priority. We could have a catastrophic wildfire in any of these communities, Pimlott said. We have to be aggressive in terms of protecting life and property. New air burners Called air-curtain burners, the 20-foot-long, steel incinerators blast a sheet of air over the open top, disposing of up to eight trees an hour. The state bought them for roughly $1 million, part of a $5 million investment in equipment to deal with the tree die-off. A lack of visible smoke, however, doesnt mean the air burners are clean, said Chad Hanson, a forest ecologist at Earth Island Institutes John Muir Project. Youre still pumping a lot of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, Hanson said. Living trees absorb and store carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas, which is released again when the wood is burned. The burners do eliminate soot, another major contributor to climate change, according to Norbert Fuhrmann, vice president of Air Burners Inc., the devices manufacturer, based in Florida. Hanson called them a waste of taxpayer money and a misguided approach to managing Californias forests. He said he favors leaving the trees that need to be cut down on the forest floor to naturally decompose as wildlife habitat and urged Brown to withdraw the emergency declaration, fearing that it would increase logging of dead trees that forests need in order to be able to replenish. Hanson also contended that dead trees dont fuel more fierce wildfires, as commonly believed. Drought and beetles Last year alone, 29 million trees died at the height of Californias drought, now in its fifth year, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Officials say theyll soon release an updated count. Drought makes trees more vulnerable to damaging insects attacks, officials say. A bark beetle epidemic in Rocky Mountain forests was blamed in 2013 for contributing to Colorados second-largest wildfire, forcing entire communities to be evacuated, said Jeff Mai, an aerial survey manager for the U.S. Forest Service based in Colorado. Officials removed some trees throughout the region that threatened people, selling them as lumber products like fence posts. Most were left to decompose naturally. Mai said that in California, bark beetles have killed five times as much forest area than in Colorado. Its unclear how many trees in the Sierra will be cut down. Officials say the first job is removing those that threaten motorists and mountain communities. When he declared the emergency on Oct. 30, Brown formed a task force, including representatives of the energy industry and environmentalists. It is charged with carrying out the order, which emphasizes sending the trees to biomass plants that turn agricultural and forest waste into electricity. Urgency high That has moved slowly because Californias few remaining biomass plants are closing as utility companies turn to cheaper sources of solar and wind power. Another solution to turn the dead trees into lumber has hit obstacles because the wood quickly deteriorates and the bark beetles carry a fungus that stains the wood blue, diminishing its appeal for some markets. Urgency for residents at the heart of the tree epidemic remains high as California enters another potentially explosive wildfire season. One big fire in the wrong place will become very big, very fast, said Randy Hanvelt, a Tuolumne County supervisor. Im afraid people are going to die. Cal Fire plans to start running the air burners around the clock this fall. Jim McDougald, a Cal Fire division chief in Fresno County overseeing the burners, said he prefers turning the trees into energy, lumber or exploring undiscovered markets. This is bad, said McDougald, standing at a lookout point south of Yosemite, where a few patches of dead trees, dead for two years, dominate the vista. Itll never come back not in our lifetime. LOS ANGELES Former Los Angeles Sheriff Lee Baca has been diagnosed with early-stage Alzheimers disease, according to court documents filed Monday. The diagnosis was revealed less than a month before Bacas sentencing in federal court for lying to authorities investigating corruption in the Sheriffs Department. The 74-year-old Baca, who commanded the largest sheriffs 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 Bacas diagnosis, written by prosecutors, says the former sheriffs cognitive impairment is mild for now but that his long-term prognosis is bleak. Theyre asking that Baca be sentenced to six months in prison, the maximum allowed under his plea agreement. The government does not view defendants current condition as having any effect on his decision to lie to the federal government, according to their filing, which urged the judge in the case to consider the seriousness of Bacas crime. Baca signed a plea agreement in February that said he ordered deputies to intimidate an FBI agent investigating his department and do everything but put handcuffs on her. Baca later lied to federal prosecutors and the FBI that he wasnt privy to discussions about trying to derail the investigation into beatings by guards at the jail. Bacas lies show that corruption went all the way to the top of the sheriffs department, prosecutors wrote in Mondays filing, saying Baca lied either to avoid political fallout or to attempt to escape criminal liability. Instead of acting as a leader, Baca distanced himself from the actions of his subordinates, they wrote. Bacas attorney, Mike Zweiback, is arguing for a sentence of probation, saying prison would deteriorate his clients condition faster. Its wrong to incarcerate someone in this condition at any stage, Zweiback said Monday. What he does now in terms of taking care of his health is extremely critical in terms of the future progression of this disease. Though Baca began consulting a doctor about memory issues in May 2014, his diagnosis wasnt confirmed until earlier this year, Zweiback said. Twenty-one members of the Sheriffs Department have been convicted of federal crimes that include beating inmates, obstructing justice, bribery and conspiracy. The convictions stem from a grand jury investigation that began in 2010 into allegations of abuse and corruption at the downtown Mens Central Jail. Baca had said he was out of touch with what was going on and denied knowing about efforts to stifle the probe by hiding an inmate who was an FBI informant. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Police slammed the brakes on a group of teens rolling booze and drug wingding when they busted a party bus in Marin County that a 16-year-old boy rented online for less than $1,000 and no questions asked, officials said. The 33 teens, ranging in age from 15 to 17, had been cruising around San Francisco on Monday on what police described as a bus loaded with hard alcohol, marijuana and prescription drugs. The 63-year-old bus driver was arrested on a string of charges including felony child endangerment and possession of his own drugs, police said. Authorities were tipped off that the booze-fueled rager was rolling through the parking lot of the Larkspur Ferry Terminal, north of the Golden Gate Bridge around 5:40 p.m. Monday. When police got to the terminal, they spotted the large black and silver bus leaving the parking lot and turning west onto Sir Francis Drake Boulevard with its door swinging open, officials with the Central Marin Police Authority said. Officers pulled over the driver, identified as San Francisco resident James Greene, who told them he was taking the teens to their parents and was unaware his youngsters were consuming drugs and alcohol behind his back, police said. But when officers boarded the bus, they said they could smell alcohol and pot. A quick search revealed 30 bottles of hard liquor, a case of hard lemonade, a jar of weed and a pile of prescription drugs in one girls purse, police said. Officers also found empty alcohol bottles in the buss trash cans. Police then rifled through Greenes bags and said they found more drugs, drug paraphernalia, prescription drugs, and alcohol. The bus, operated by Richmond-based Fantastic Voyage Express Transportation, was rented online for $900 by one of Mondays passengers, a 16-year-old Tiburon resident, police said. He told officers he didnt have to produce any identification and paid cash to have the driver cruise around San Francisco and Marin for 6 hours. Representatives for the company showed up at the terminal to reclaim the bus. Police called the teens parents, who all live in towns around Marin County, including Mill Valley, Tiburon, Larkspur, San Rafael, San Anselmo, and Kentfield. The parents showed up at the scene to pick up their kids. The girl who had the purse full of prescription drugs was cited for possession of a controlled substance along with possession of a fake ID. Greene was arrested on suspicion of felony child cruelty and endangerment, possession of narcotics, controlled substances and drug paraphernalia. Police said he was also busted for having a switch blade. He was booked at Marin County Jail on $10,000 bail. Evan Sernoffsky is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: esernoffsky@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @EvanSernoffsky BAGHDAD 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 under way between Iraqi forces and Islamic State 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 Iraqs special forces, said 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 Islamic State pockets would be cleaned out within hours. But in recent days there have been persistent clashes between Iraqi forces and Islamic State fighters holed up in dense residential neighborhoods along the citys northern edge. What it looks like is (an Islamic State) 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. 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. Fallujah is the last Islamic State bastion in the sprawling Anbar province. "This is my rifle. There are many like it, but this one is mine." Rifleman's Creed The first time I fired an AR-15 I believe I was about 16 years old. It seemed undeniably cool, all in black and virtually jagged compared to the wooden stocked hunting rifles I was used to. We fired a couple of magazines worth of ammo through it, judged its accuracy at different ranges and then put it away. I don't recall firing one again until years later and not long after that I acquired one myself. At the time I'd intended to start pig hunting (wild pigs, mind you) down in Georgia or Texas where the invasive swine run wild and destroy indigenous habitat. Pigs can be notoriously difficult to kill and having a semi-automatic rifle seemed like the best tool for the job. But then I never ended up going pig hunting and the rifle now sits in a safe in my apartment. I don't fear the AR-15. I don't fear the Mini-14 either. I don't fear the AK-47. I am not intimidated by them. I know how to work them. I don't think of them as exclusively tools for human death. I think of them as machines. I am aware that AR-15s account for less than 1% of all gun murders in the United States. I am aware that pistols with standard capacity magazines make up 86% of the guns (PDF) used in the U.S. to commit crime and kill human beings. And yet, 49 people are dead in Orlando and they were shot to death with a weapon similar to an AR-15 (the Sig Sauer MCX) with a thirty round magazine. There's an argument that goes on continually between gun control advocates and people who believe there should be very little or no gun control. That argument is that the bulk of gun murders are committed with illegal weapons and that the people using them never submit themselves for a background check. The argument is that no gun laws would prevent the vast majority of murders committed among criminals in the commission of crimes. Most of the guns used to take lives in places like Chicago and Seattle are obtained illegally, either stolen or purchased from what are known as "straw purchasers". This is fact. And yet, 49 people lay dead in Orlando in the biggest mass shooting in American history and the shooter purchased his tools legally. There is an argument that says that a person intent on killing people in massive numbers will find a way to do it no matter what, as if the murderous are geniuses unable to be deterred by either difficulty or time. There is an argument that says that the U.S. Constitution grants American citizens unlimited access to as many weapons as we like so long as we do not break the law and mostly this interpretation is fine until it isn't. The number of law abiding gun owners does vastly outnumber those persons who possess firearms simply as a means of intimidation, mayhem, and murder. Almost all gun owners in the United States are law abiding people, even those, like me, who own AR-15s. The vast majority of us will never hurt anyone and wouldn't want to. And yet, the Orlando gunman fired over 200 rounds at Pulse and over four dozen mothers lost their sons and daughters. Four dozen, in one day, in only a few hours. There are people who believe in confiscation. There are people who believe in making gun owners pay for insurance for firearms. There are people who believe in required psych evaluations prior to purchasing a firearm. These ideas are bad and they are unworkable. They will not happen. They are also all illegal under the U.S. Constitution and changing the Second Amendment would be so divisive that to even try and implement any of them could cause bloodshed. "But Orlando is different. Shootings at schools are different. These events are acts of execution. ... And they are that way for one reason." And yet I've had enough. This is enough for all time. When criminals kill each other their families mourn. Their communities may mourn if they were young but everyone knows why they died. For the most part, they died because they took up the gun against other people who had taken up the gun. There is no mystery even if some say there is. But Orlando is different. Shootings at schools are different. These events are acts of execution, not battles. They are no different from the guillotine, one lined up after another and sent to the next world. And they are that way for one reason. Capacity. I can go out right now and buy a 100 round magazine for my AR-15. It costs only $119. I could buy two. For barely over $300 I could buy three and carry 300 rounds on me attached to a tactical vest. I would barely ever have to reload. I could hold off police. I could shoot anyone who charged me and tried to stop me. There would be no respite and break where I would have to take a few seconds to stop and change magazines. If they were close enough together then I could kill hundreds in minutes. See, this is the dirty secret that gun owners know. We know that, for the most part, non-gun owners don't understand guns. We know that you don't know how to deter these shootings. We know that non-gun owners will call for psych evals (the government can't force people to go to the doctor to exercise a constitutional right), insurance (you can't pass a law that alienates the poor from their constitutional rights), confiscation (who wants to be the first in line to confiscate 350 million weapons even if Congress did repeal the 2nd Amendment). We know that it is the things that cannot happen that will be the things gun control advocates will call for. But there's one thing that would put a dent in the number of mass shootings today and that's restricting magazine sizes for the AR-15 and other semiautomatic rifles to 10 rounds. No more. Ten. That requirement would have meant that the Orlando shooter would have had to carry 20 magazines on him and reload twenty times during his rampage to fire the 200+ rounds he fired. Instead he had several thirty round magazines and was able to afford himself both the time and space to carry out his murders. He was able to push people away from him with long bursts of gunfire and barely give his victims a chance to take that split second, when he was reloading, to leap on him and tear him apart. For those who haven't fired an AR-15 or similar weapons, you can't underestimate the importance of this. Extended magazines are the reason the San Bernardino killers were so brash and confident in the attack they carried out. They knew that no one could get near them, that there would barely be a moment when they would be vulnerable to an unarmed person grabbing them and stopping them. Give me three 100 round drum magazines and I could hold my whole block hostage for a day. Give me thirty 10 round magazines and someone will be able to stop me. I own an AR-15 and I am not ashamed of that. I am a Christian and I'm not ashamed of that. I have worked for the U.S. government overseas in Iraq and I'm not ashamed of that. I hunt and edited an entire book on the gun control debate and I'm not ashamed of that. But what I am ashamed of is the unwillingness on the part of so many gun owners to make this tiny concession that they know would have a dramatic impact on the outcomes of mass killings. What I am ashamed of is the press's unwillingness to report that this is the change we need to make. What I am ashamed of is that gun rights advocates know that this change would cost lawful owners little and would deter the insane or fanatical. There's a saying that goes "when seconds count the police are only minutes away." It's meant to enforce the truism that we are all ultimately responsible for our own defense when the chips are down. But what it really reinforces is the importance of time. Time matters immensely when you're defending yourself. You need time to do so. You need opportunity. Ban magazines over ten rounds. Give potential victims time and opportunity and in giving them that time we will deter murderers from attempting these mass shootings. They will fear that they won't be able to kill enough to make their point before they are crushed by their chosen victims. They are cowards. Give them reason to fear. This may seem too small. Many seem to think that only a multi-billion dollar government initiative can put a dent in this problem or, barring that, at least a brief victory in our ongoing culture wars. To them I would say it's not the size of the solution that matters. It is whether it works. This would work. Ban magazines over ten rounds. Do it soon or we will be digging more plots for young men and women before the leaves have begun to turn. This article originally appeared on Thought Catalog. Check out Thought Catalog and Quote Catalog for interesting and entertaining reading. Original article here. EDITORS' NOTE: The original post was written before the Associated Press correction that the gun used in Orlando was a Sig Sauer MCX not a similar weapon, the AR-15, as originally reported. This article reflects that distinction. Daniel Hayes is a staff writer at Thought Catalog. He is the editor of Guns, an anthology of essays that explores gun culture in America from all sides of the issue. Follow Daniel Hayes on Twitter @JamBBarnes Amit Botadkar The spirit moves the performers of Ross Dance Company, which hosts its annual dance concert at the Kala Art Institute in Berkeley on Saturday, June 25, capping off the Bay Area Praise Dance Conference. The lively East Bay company brings a heady blend of jazz, modern and African styles to their performances, along with a focus on the spiritual connection to a higher power that dancers find in movement and song. Reaching beyond liturgical dance, Ross Dance not only strives to bring the gospel to life, but it also inspires joy in the minds and spirits of dancers and watchers alike. Andrea Lafferty is an evangelical Christian who used to have reservations about Donald Trump. Not necessarily because of his three marriages or highly publicized philandering history or past support of abortion rights or indifference about about which bathroom transgender people choose to use. Lafferty, executive director of the Orange County-birthed Traditional Values Coalition, was more concerned about some coarse language Trump has used about women. Im not going to repeat it and I doubt youd print it anyways, Lafferty said Tuesday. She resolved those concerns back in March and is now even more firmly pro-Trump after being one of roughly 1,000 national evangelical leaders Trump met with Tuesday in New York. She plans to start a political action committee called Women for a Great America to organize female evangelicals, although she declined to say how much she planned to raise. But on Tuesday she was impressed with Trump. It was truly a conversation and a listening time, Lafferty said. It wasnt a typical rally. Trump needs the support of evangelical Christians, as they are among the most tireless grassroots activists in the conservative tent. Although evangelical Christians come in every political stripe, most white evangelicals vote Republican. But recent polls show they are supporting Trump in lower numbers than they have previous GOP nominees. Family Research Council President Tony Perkins, whose organization is considered to be a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, organized a series of meetings Tuesday among groups of evangelical leaders and Trump. Lafferty, now based in Washington, D.C., was among those impressed that Trump said he would nominate anti abortion-rights judges to the Supreme Court and would fight for religious freedom a sacrosanct issue to evangelicals. It enables them to claim religious exemptions to not comply with say, aspects of Obamacare or the nationwide same-sex marriage law because of their personal religious beliefs. As for concerns about how some aspects Trumps personal life might not reconcile with conservative values, Jerry Falwell Jr. son of the late conservative televangelist told the gathering Tuesday that everyone is a sinner, including King David. We are electing a president, Lafferty said. This wasnt board meeting where we elect a pastor. We dont need someone to bury and marry people. We need someone to answer the phone at 3 a.m. Laffertys organization was founded by her father, the Rev. Lou Sheldon,who has long been at the forefront of anti-gay rights campaigns in California and elsewhere. He is the author of The Agenda: the Homosexual Plan to Change America. Recently, Lafferty has called for a boycott of Target stores over their support for allowing transgender shoppers to use whatever bathroom corresponds with their gender identity. Last month Lafferty told Breitbart News Daily, Were now heading into bathing suit season. ... Do not let your young girls and teen girls buy their summer clothes or bathing suits at Target. Some prominent conservative evangelicals didnt participate in Tuesdays gathering. They included former Moral Majority leader Michael Farris, who called it the end of the Christian right. The premise of the (first Moral Majority meeting) in 1980 was that only candidates that reflected a biblical worldview and good character would gain our support, Farris wrote Tuesday in the Christian Post. Today, a candidate whose worldview is greed and whose god is his appetites (Philippians 3) is being tacitly endorsed by this throng. 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 Voters in a city long weary of seeing sidewalks filled with homeless camps will soon get the chance to prove just how willing they are to see them forcibly cleared. An initiative by San Francisco Supervisor Mark Farrell to allow authorities to remove an encampment, as long as its residents are given 24-hour written notice and the offer of a shelter bed or other form of housing, is among a number of initiatives headed for the November ballot. Tuesday was the deadline for supervisors to submit ballot initiatives. It is also the way supervisors try to enact laws they cant get passed at the board. That was the case Tuesday, as moderate supervisors submitted measures likely to be opposed by the boards progressive majority such as Farrells proposal. Also introduced Tuesday was another attempt to tax sugary beverages. Under Farrells homeless camp measure, the city could seize the personal property of people living in camps and would be required to hold it for 90 days, except if the property presented a health or safety risk. The city could dispose of the property if its not claimed within that time. The departments of Public Health, Public Works and Homelessness and Supportive Housing would be charged with enforcing the law. The initiative does not say how long the city has to offer people shelter before removing them from encampments. The signatures of four supervisors are required to place an initiative on the ballot, and Farrell was joined by Scott Wiener, Katy Tang and Malia Cohen. Supervisor John Avalos criticized Farrells measure as a political ploy. Its a fallacy There are not enough shelter beds for all the people living in encampments, Avalos said. We all know it. So why this legislation? Its a fallacy, and they are just politicizing the ballot in a desperate move to give moderates some issue to campaign on in November. Farrell countered: This is about the right policy for the city of San Francisco, and the reality is we are designating significant amounts of additional revenue in the budget for shelter and housing. He said allowing people to stay in tent camps is inherently unhealthy, incredibly dangerous. Avalos and the Coalition on Homelessness want the city to provide bathroom and garbage services to homeless camps. Avalos said he plans to introduce the legislation in the coming months. Cohen introduced a ballot measure to impose a tax of 1 cent per ounce on sugary beverages. In 2014, voters rejected a similar measure, but the tax was 2 cents per ounce. That measure required a two-thirds majority to pass because it was a designated tax the revenue would have gone to childrens nutrition and physical education programs. Cohens measure requires a simple majority to pass because the money would go into the citys general fund. Missed the deadline But there was drama even getting the measure on the November ballot. Its supporters worked for months to get the thousands of signatures needed to place it on the ballot but submitted them a day late and missed the May 11 deadline. So Cohen was forced to get the support of three colleagues. Farrell, Wiener and Eric Mar ultimately signed on. Several progressive supervisors oppose the sugar tax because they consider it regressive. In another ballot initiative backed by moderates, Wiener introduced a measure that would mandate that the police force operate a neighborhood crime unit of at least 60 officers to address an increase in break-ins, thefts from vehicles, vandalism and homeless encampments. Also placed on the ballot Tuesday were two measures identical to legislation before the Board of Supervisors, put there by moderate supervisors as bargaining chips for board negotiations. One, by Farrell, echoes his ordinance to legalize construction of rent-controlled in-law units. The ordinance is to counter one introduced by progressive Supervisor Aaron Peskin that seeks to do the same thing, but would allow fewer in-law units to be built and prevent any reduction of commercial space for their creation. Affordable housing Another measure, by Supervisor Katy Tang, echoes her legislation to allow 100 percent affordable housing projects to have three extra stories. The progressive supervisors, led by Peskin, have introduced a counterproposal, but with more restrictions. The two sides are at an impasse. Finally, Peskin introduced a measure to ban candidate-controlled general purpose committees, which collect contributions to support political causes or candidates. Compared with regular candidate committees, candidate-controlled general purpose committees have relatively few restrictions and disclosure requirements. Mayor Ed Lee was heavily criticized for relying on a general purpose committee leading up to his 2011 run for mayor. Emily Green is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: egreen@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @emilytgreen LONDON Politicians campaigning for and against British withdrawal from the European Union fanned out on Wednesday in a final, frenetic effort to build support on the eve of a referendum that could reshape the nations place in the world and upend the Continents dreams of closer integration. With polls showing a statistical dead heat, both sides went all-out to motivate their supporters to vote on Thursday, while financial markets and European leaders braced for the possibility that Britain could be the first nation to leave the 28-member bloc. Reflecting the stakes and the tension about the outcome, the tone of the campaigning remained negative to the end, complete with invocations of economic ruin and an allusion to the Nazis. A record number of voters just shy of 46.5 million have registered to take part. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. British time. The countrys Electoral Commission said it anticipated a result on Friday morning around breakfast time, but cautioned that there was considerable uncertainty around the timing. Prime Minister David Cameron closed out the campaign for remaining in the EU with an argument that Britain will be more prosperous if it stays in the single European market of 500 million people and he warned that there was no going back from a decision to leave. You cant jump out the airplane and then clamber back through the cockpit hatch, he told the BBC. In a last-minute controversy, Michael Gove, the justice secretary and a leader of the campaign to leave the bloc, likened economists who warned of the dire consequences of withdrawal to Nazi-financed researchers who once denounced Einstein. (Cameron said that Gove had lost it, and Gove apologized on Wednesday.) Some polls showed the Remain side with a slight edge and others showed the Leave side ahead, but in most cases surveys showed the race within the margin of sampling error. A poll of polls compiled by the Financial Times found that the campaign was ending close to a dead heat. YULIN, China A city in southern China went ahead with an annual dog-meat-eating festival 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 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 dissociate itself from the event, forbidding its employees from attending and limiting its size by shutting down some dog markets and slaughter houses. CAIRO An Egyptian court on Tuesday rejected 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 governments 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. THE HAGUE, Netherlands The International Criminal Court on Tuesday sentenced former Congolese 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 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 Central African Republic 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 Geraldine Mattioli Zeltner of Human Rights Watch. The sentence is the highest yet passed by the ICC, the worlds 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 Bembas forces, often with multiple soldiers raping women and girls in front of other family members. In one incident, a mans 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 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. JERUSALEM A few years ago, Mohammad Abu Taa 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 headquarters on the land. Abu Taa is fighting back to expose the shadowy land grab. 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 municipalitys 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 groups illegitimate property grab. This was my job, doing this stuff, said the U.S.-born Berman, 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 dont 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 Taa 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 Israels Channel 10 TV in February reported that Israeli police investigated 15 West Bank land acquisitions where settlement outposts were built and found that Amanas subsidiary had forged documents for 14 of them. The subsidiary denied the claims. 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 Israels Supreme Court. CHANDIGARH, India Millions of people twisted their bodies in complex positions in celebration of International Yoga Day on Tuesday. Indias 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 doesnt differentiate between the rich and poor, and is accessible to all. Wearing a white T-shirt and track pants, he proclaimed the 5,000 year-old Indian tradition to be the biggest mass movement in the world. 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 Yorks 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. SEOUL North Korea launched an intermediate-range ballistic missile into high altitude Wednesday, demonstrating that the country was making progress after five consecutive failures in just over two months, South Korean analysts said. The projectile, a Musudan missile, took off from Wonsan, a port city east of Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, and flew about 250 miles over the sea between North Korea and Japan, South Koreas Office of Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement. Although the missile fell far short of its estimated full range of more than 2,000 miles far enough to reach U.S. military bases in the Pacific the test is the first for the Musudan that was not immediately dismissed as a failure by the United States or South Korea. South Korea said that in the Norths previous five Musudan tests, including one earlier Wednesday, the projectiles had all crashed into the sea or exploded in midair soon after liftoff. The progress the North demonstrated with its sixth test was disconcerting enough for South Korea to convene a meeting of top security-related ministers later Wednesday to discuss the growing missile and nuclear threats. Jeong Joon-hee, a spokesman for the South Korean government, called the launch a clear provocation that violated U.N. Security Council resolutions banning the North from developing ballistic missile technology. In Washington, John Kirby, a State Department spokesman, said that the United States strongly condemned the tests and intended to discuss the Norths prohibited activities at the Security Council. The Japanese Defense Ministry said it believed that the test showed that the Norths missile technology was advancing. The second of the two missiles fired Wednesday had reached an altitude of 620 miles, it said, indicating a degree of capability as a mid-range ballistic missile. South Korean analysts said that North Korea appeared to have launched the second missile at a sharper angle to achieve a higher altitude and prevent it from flying over Japan. They said such an altitude was required to test a technology that protects a nuclear warhead from the extreme heat and friction that it would encounter upon crashing through the earths atmosphere. Analysts say the North has been struggling to master the warhead re-entry technology needed to build longer-range projectiles known as intercontinental ballistic missiles. The altitude reached Wednesday was the highest achieved by any North Korean missile and close to heights reached by intercontinental ballistic missiles, analysts said. JOHANNESBURG South African rioters blocked roads, looted shops and burned vehicles on Tuesday in several areas of the countrys capital, Pretoria, in a show of anger over the selection of the ruling partys mayoral candidate ahead of local elections. The violence raised concerns about security ahead of the Aug. 3 elections in South Africa, where periodic unrest over the lack of basic municipal services already stretches police in many poor communities. In the past year, violence and vandalism have also hit some universities and other schools as students protest high fees and voice other grievances. The unrest in Pretoria began Monday and affected several poor areas on the periphery of the city, including Mamelodi and Atteridgeville. Mamelodi resident Lucky Pule said people burning vehicles tried to stop others from filming it with their mobile phones. He described a chaotic scene. I was scared, especially when the other buss diesel tank started exploding. It exploded and then the fire was all over the place, Pule said. Nineteen buses were burned in Mamelodi, the transport ministry said. These actions paint a negative picture of our country and makes it a mockery in the eyes of the nation, the ministry said. Rioters stoned some emergency vehicles, and ambulances were unable to reach sick patients in some areas, reported the African News Agency, a South Africa media outlet. Authorities closed a section of a major highway north of Pretoria because of the violence. The South African government appealed for dialogue and condemned the violence, saying in a statement: Perpetrators will face the full might of the law. There were no immediate reports of casualties or arrests. Pretoria is home to government ministries and foreign embassies. Some residents said they had not been adequately consulted over the selection of Thoko Didiza, a former Cabinet minister from the coastal city of Durban, as mayoral candidate for the African National Congress in local elections. They want incumbent Kgosientso Ramokgopa to stay, though Ramokgopa has backed Didiza as his replacement, according to the African News Agency. Additionally, the ruling party has been under strain because of corruption allegations against President Jacob Zuma, who was instructed by the Constitutional Court to reimburse the state for a portion of more than $20 million in state spending on his private home. Many South Africans are also unsettled over allegations that a wealthy business family, the Guptas, has influenced some of Zumas Cabinet picks, though the president denies any inappropriate conduct. BEIRUT Air strikes in Syria targeting the Islamic State groups de facto capital of Raqqa killed at least 18 civilians, including two children, activists said Wednesday. The strikes, which the activists blamed on Russian and Syrian warplanes, came after an advance toward the city by government forces stalled, with the extremists taking back large areas in the surrounding province. Syrian President Bashar Assad meanwhile designated a new prime minister to form a government following Aprils parliamentary elections. The vote, held only in government-controlled areas, was dismissed by the opposition and much of the international community. Also on Wednesday, activists reported the release of a prominent Assyrian politician detained by the government for more than two years. The Assyrian Human Rights Network said on its Facebook page that Gabriel Moshe Kourieh had been detained since December 2013. He was based in Qamishli, in eastern Syria, and had been a vocal supporter of the revolt against Assad. The strikes on Raqqa took place on Tuesday evening. Activists from the group known as Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently, which relies on residents to smuggle news out of Islamic State-held territory, said the air raids killed 18 people and wounded 28. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights in Great Britain put the toll at 25 civilians, including six children. Different casualty tolls are common in reporting on Syrias civil war, now in its sixth year. Both activist groups blamed the Russian and Syrian air forces for the raids, saying Damascus and its ally Moscow were pummeling Islamic State out of frustration at government losses earlier this week. The U.S.-led coalition has also been bombing Raqqa, which is the de facto capital of the Islamic State groups self-styled caliphate. The Islamic State group retook large swaths of Raqqa province from government forces on Tuesday, just two days after Syrian troops managed briefly to seize Thawra, an Islamic State-held oil field, and threatened to retake the Tabqa air base from the militants. The governments highly publicized campaign to retake Raqqa began on June 2. On Sunday, Syrian government forces advanced to within 6 miles of the Tabqa base. The base, 28 miles from Raqqa, holds strategic and symbolic value in the government campaign. You are what you say you are. Im a curator, Niomi Fawn tells SFR. To curate is more than just putting art on walls. Its world bridging. Over the last 18 months, Fawn has emerged as a curatorial force in art spaces and businesses around the city, often working with LGBTQ artists. She has a growing reputation as the citys queer curator, but her projects are designed to empower a diverse cross section of individuals and communities. "When I think 'queer,' it means giving space to voices that need to be heard and are often just moved to the side," Fawn says. "That can mean people who identify many different ways." Fawn's company, Curate, just won a $10,000 grant from the Santa Fe Arts Commission for a public art project called HITCH. The multi-artist collaboration is her most ambitious venture yet and a culmination of a decade of activism in Santa Fe's creative community. Growing up in Hawaii and California, Fawn's first passion was surfing. She competed professionally during her teen and young adult years. Surf culture came hand-in-hand with the punk rock movement, and Fawn drew inspiration from Bikini Kill and other riot grrrl trailblazers in her own musical experiments. Between surfing competitions and band practice, she penned poetry-filled zines and dreamed up goth outfits a la Bauhaus to wear to the beach. Fawn was always in search of female surfing heroes, in reaction to the machismo of the 1990s surf community. "I remember being at a party in high school and having this guy back me into a corner and say, 'Girls should be skinny and sit on the shore. They shouldn't be in the water,'" Fawn says. "It was actually really scary. I was in a hypermasculine space in the surf world, so I found ways to reclaim safe space and my female body." Fawn started teaching surf classes for women and painted portraits of Gidget and other iconic female surfers on old surfboards. "My best vengeance was that I beat that guy at the next surf heat," she says. Fawn visited her mother's family in New Mexico every summer throughout her childhood. Rolling tamales with her grandmother and learning her family's migratory history, she developed a powerful connection with her Hispanic roots. Fawn has lived in Santa Fe intermittently for the past 10 years and has worked to carve out space for the city's alternative arts scene. In the early 2000s, when she was studying interior design at Santa Fe Community College, she organized a series of salons that connected the music and visual art communities. "I was throwing giant shows for so long with all of these bands, so I was actually curating people," she says. "You're curating bands, you're curating content." She got more serious about her visual art practice during a stint in North Carolina, a national capital of furniture design. Her interior design aspirations combined with a growing passion for graphic design, and by the time she returned to Santa Fe, she was ready to take a deeper dive into the visual art scene. Fawn joined Meow Wolf in 2009, as part of the second wave of artists to work with the collective. It was two years before the group's seminal installation, The Due Return, at the Center for Contemporary Arts. "Curating became more serious when I was in Meow Wolf, because you're creating space," says Fawn. "When someone gives you the space and the walls to say something, it's your job to take it seriously." She left Meow Wolf to found Curate in early 2015, just as plans for The House of Eternal Return were taking off. For her last official project with the collective, she curated a group show called Everything, Everything at Iconik Coffee Roasters. Since that first exhibition at Iconik, Fawn has embraced her role as official curator of the cafe. She's mounted 13 shows in all, using the space to break down barriers between the fine art world and the everyday lives of Iconik's patrons. Fawn also founded Hydra Collective, a three-person feminist art collaborative with Santa Fe artists Alicia Piller and Andrea Vargas-Mendoza. The group has showcased femme and lesbian artists at the AHA Festival of Progressive Arts and other events. "Femme as radical is such an underappreciated part of our community," Fawn says. "Because I can move through the hetero world in a more liminal way, it's my job to be an ambassador. I have the responsibility to speak louder and say, 'Your perceptions are not true. Let me educate you.' The same goes for curating." In September 2015, Fawn curated a group exhibition of local LGBTQ artists called Chronicles of the Future at Warehouse 21. It was a breakthrough moment: She appeared on KBAC's The Big Show with Honey Harris, and Mayor Javier Gonzales attended the opening reception. Her new project, HITCH, is another step forward in creating a platform for voices that are often silenced. Fawn will work with 10 local artists to retrofit parking meters with sculptural sleeves that support secure bicycle parking. Sandra Wang and Crockett Bodelson of SCUBA, Eliza Lutz and Frank Buffalo-Hyde are among the participating artists. "The bike was a really important moment in the history of women, as far as their own ability to move themselves through the world," Fawn says. "It's a classic feminist symbol." Similar to her curatorial work at Iconik, Fawn sees HITCH as a way to bring artand new narrativesdirectly to the community. It's also, quite simply, a response to the city's need for more bike racks. "There's an initiative for this city to become more bike friendly. Let's get on it, then," Fawn says. HITCH will debut at various locations in downtown Santa Fe and the Railyard Park beginning Aug. 4. Santa Fe Reporter The New Mexico Supreme Court issued a warning to judges this week: Be careful what you post on social media lest you impugn the notion of impartiality. An opinion filed on Monday reversed the murder and kidnapping convictions of a man charged in the 2010 death of Guadalupe Ashford in Albuquerque and called for a retrial, finding that a forensic analyst's testimony over Skype violated the defendant's right to confront an adverse witness. In the court's ruling, Chief Justice Charles Daniels also took the time to admonish former judge Samuel Winder for posts he made to a Facebook page set up for a 2012 re-election campaign. At the time, Winder was running to keep his seat on the 2nd Judicial District bench. He eventually lost. "I am on the third day of presiding over my 'first' first-degree murder trial as a judge," Winder wrote. In another post, written after the verdict, but before sentencing, Winder wrote, "In the trial I presided over, the jury returned guilty verdicts for first-degree murder and kidnapping just after lunch. Justice was served. Thank you for your prayers." Through his attorneys, accused murderer Truett Thomas said Winder's social media posts showed judicial bias. While the opinion does not rule on that assertion, the court took the opportunity to offer some best practices for judges who use Facebook and other social media platforms. "While we make no bright-line ban prohibiting judicial use of social media, we caution that 'friending,' online postings, and other activity can easily be misconstrued and create an appearance of impropriety," Daniels wrote. Specifically, the supreme court advised judges running for office not to post personal messages on campaign sites. They also added that judicial candidates shouldn't allow public comments or engage with commenters. Emil Kiehne, a lawyer who runs a law blog focusing on New Mexico appellate courts, says some of the guidelines go too far. Why should judges who are candidates be allowed to dialogue with voters in person, but not via social media? Kiehne writes, his first of six concerns over the courts opinion. Reached on the phone, Winder, who is now an Albuquerque-based private practice attorney, tells SFR, "No one questioned my impartiality during the trial or after. We've all learned from this new medium, and judges should never make any comments on Facebook." Santa Fe Reporter Since 2014, Ive penned a dozen stories about Phil Griego, a former state senator who now faces 10 felony corruption charges after SFR uncovered evidence the powerful chairman of the Senate Corporations and Transportation Committee financially benefited from legislation that enabled the sale of a historic state property in Santa Fe. Those stories and the original investigation questioned Griegos ethics and eventually led to the longtime lawmakers resignation from the Senate in March 2015just a few hours before a hearing to vote on expelling him from the upper chamber. When prosecutors first explained that I was "on the witness list" for the case I tried a simple request to exclude me from the list. But that went nowhere fast. After I turned down a request to be interviewed by one of the attorney general's investigators, a subpoena followed, explaining that prosecutors want me to authenticate Griegos voice on a recording I made with him during a long telephone call just a few weeks before Sold Out was published on July 22, 2014. Prosecutors also want me to affirm that the recording, published on Twitter, is an original unedited version. This is something an affidavit should be able to accomplish. Deputy Attorney General Sharon Pino and Assistant Attorney Generals Clara Moran and Zach Jones have also asked Loveless to compel me to testify about a conversation I had with Griego inside the Roundhouse after a Capital Building Planning Commission meeting two years ago. They contend Griego and I never intended to keep confidential the information from our conversation in the hallway. The subpoena and being named as a witness in a criminal case that results from a story presents a huge ethics problem for journalists everywhere. No reporter will ever agree to testify about material provided by a confidential source. In this situation, the record and published stories should speak for themselves. Attorney Colin Hunter, who represents me in the matter, agrees. Hes filed a motion to quash a motion compelling my testimony. Hunter's argument is that prosecutors haven't shown that Im needed to authenticate the recording, and more importantly, that any statements Griego made to me during the course of my reporting are protected. The states assertion that I have the burden to prove that journalistic privilege misses the point, according to Hunter, since Griego's first communication with me at the Roundhouse was a private conversation and not recorded. A First Amendment advocate, Hunter doesnt believe the reference to an unrecorded interview does not magically reclassify it from confidential to non-confidential just because it is briefly referenced in a subsequent recorded telephone interview. To win their argument and force me to take the stand, prosecutors will have to demonstrate that there is no privilege because the information is material and relevant to their case and that they have exhausted other means of discovering the information they want disclosed. They'll also need to persuade Loveless the information is so critical that it outweighs the publics interest in protecting the news medias confidential information and sources. Im not the first journalist to fight a subpoena in New Mexico. In 1973, the state Legislature passed a law granting journalists a privilege against disclosing their sources and unpublished notes, including film and audio recordings. Three years later, the New Mexico Supreme Court determined lawmakers could not create rules for the judicial branch and that there were no evidentiary rules granting journalists privilege. Less than a decade later, in 1982, the high court adopted a rule granting journalists the confidential source or information privilege. That rule remains in place today. So, for now, the only place this journalist expects to be during the Griego case is in the back row of the courts public seating, taking notes and covering the case I've been following for more than two years. Each day, as Don Schreiber goes out to work on his ranch in Northern New Mexico, where he experiments with sustainable cattle grazing, he wishes he could just hold his breath. Then he realizes that if he tried, hed be gasping for air before he passed the plume of air pollutants from the well sites on his land. Ranching on a classic split estate, where the federal government owns the mineral rights and leases them right out from under his grazing allotments, Schreiber and his wife, Jane, didnt have a choice about becoming two of the 12.4 million people in the country who live within half a mile of an oil and gas well. Such people are considered at increased risk for cancer and life-threatening respiratory ailments. "For Jane and I, it's been over 16 years now of dealing with these leaks, vents and flares on a daily basis. We cannot avoid them in our daily work on the ranch," he says. "You are shoved up against the pollution unavoidably. There's no way to occupy the land that you own or the land that you lease for your grazing permit without encountering leaks, vents and flares. We have that every time we step outside." And every time he steps outside, he says, "We just go on through that big, horrible smell and hope we're not causing ourselves harm." The oil and gas industry emits thousands of tons of formaldehyde, benzene, acetaldehyde and ethylbenzene each year. These pollutants have been linked to health impacts including cancer, anemia, brain damage, birth defects, respiratory irritation, and blood and neurological disorders. An map at oilandgasthreatmap.com, initiated by EarthWorks and completed with the help of the Clean Air Task Force and FracTracker, overlays oil and gas well locations, emissions information from the EPA's National Air Toxic Risk Assessment and census data. They found a "threat radius" larger than the state of California. "It's not a bright line; it doesn't mean that inside half a mile, you're doomed and outside half a mile, you're safe," says Alan Septoff, strategic communications director with EarthWorks. "It means that inside half a mile is where there are the most strongly correlated health impacts to living within oil and gas development. If you live within half a mile, you have serious cause for concern, and you should be checking." In the state of New Mexico, 145,608 people are considered threatened, and 9,000 square miles and 89 schools affected. Of 15 regions for oil and gas production analyzed by the Center for American Progress for a report released Monday, the San Juan Basin in New Mexico and Colorado took the lead in emissions per well. "It's just New Mexico topping another bad list," says Liliana Castillo, communications director for Conservation Voters New Mexico. Of the ranking, Castillo, adds, "There's value in knowing where a lot of emissions are coming from, but whether big or small, the impact to communities is still there, and that is still an important part, and it still needs to be addressed." The US Bureau of Land Management and the US Environmental Protection Agency have been working on a trio of rules to reduce emissions from oil and gas wells, specifically targeting methane, a potent greenhouse gas with 87 times the warming effect in 20 years as carbon dioxide. "This is a being-a-better-neighbor rule," says Camilla Feibelman, director of the Rio Grande Chapter of the Sierra Club. "It allows oil and gas to do the good work that they do for our communities, keeping the lights on and our vehicles moving, but at the same time doing it in a cleaner way that doesn't affect our communities as much." From a public health perspective, methane itself is not the big problem; it's the volatile organic compounds that come out of wells alongside it, says Dr. Robert Bernstein, a practicing physician in Santa Fe since 1979 and president of the New Mexico chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility. Volatile organic compounds react with the atmosphere and create ozone, and that's what fuels a host of chronic respiratory problems for people and has been linked to increased risk for heart disease. Benzene also comes from wells, and that's been tied to cancer. "So why do we pick on methane? The strategies these companies use to reduce methane reduce the other toxins equally," Bernstein says. New Mexico State Land Commissioner Aubrey Dunn has spoken out in opposition to the BLM rules. "The correlation is quite simple: Regulations cost money. If there were a cost-effective way for oil and gas producers to capture every molecule of natural gas that is currently being vented or flared, I believe that the industry would be doing it already," Dunn wrote in a commentary on nmpolitics.net. The commissioner predicted "large-scale abandonment" of wells along with "a wave of bankruptcies from small oil and gas companies" if the proposed rules are implemented. Income to the state from shut wells and closed business, he argued, is easy to calculate: zero. Yet, the Western Values Project estimates lost methane has cost the state $50 million in revenue over the last five years "The message that we bring from a business standpoint is that it is lost revenue, it's lost royalties, and hopefully that's the message that gets to the larger population in New Mexico. Some people in New Mexico may not care, strangely enough, that there's a methane cloud, but you may get their attention by saying, 'You know what, that's your money,'" says Glenn Schiffbauer, executive director of the Santa Fe Green Chamber of Commerce. "We can't continue as if it were the 1960s," Schreiber says, referencing that pre-Clean Air Act, pre-Clean Water Act era. It's like seatbelts, he explains. Manufacturers fought them as unnecessary and expensive and now, no one would think of stripping them from cars. "Jane said a couple nights ago, 'This just has to stop,'" Schreiber says. "The company, in our case ConocoPhillips, is making a profit at the expense of all these insults from their operations, whether they're health or environmental, in the climate, our loss of revenue, the taxpayer money wastedall of those. They make a profit out of all of that, and it just has to stop." Santa Fe Reporter Nina Roosevelt Gibson is the granddaughter of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, not to mention a distant relative of Teddy. Beneath a humble demeanor, Gibson embodies the Roosevelt spirit of compassion. As a psychologist, she spends much of her time fighting for the rights of abused children, drug addicts and others who dont have a voice. Gibson comes to La Fonda (100 E San Francisco St., 982-5511) on June 24 as a guest of the National New Deal Preservation Association, to discuss the enduring impact of FDRs groundbreaking social initiatives. How do you carry on the legacy of your grandparents? For my personal life, I have tried to give back to my country, my community just as a regular person, as a citizen of my community, not necessarily as a Roosevelt. Every now and then, I do something that does get national press or something like that and I will get phone calls. "Nina, you never told me that you were related to Roosevelt." [In 2010] the state of Arizona denied Medicaid transplant operations to 98 people who had been told they could get an organ transplant, and then the Arizona legislature denied them that operation, which was a death sentence. We banded together and we forced the Arizona legislature to rescind that law. It was very sad, because one person did die before we got it changed. In those instances, yes, people do know who I am and I have allowed the relationship to be made public because it's important. But otherwise, I have just kind of gone about my business. How did you take the lessons of your grandmother into your professional work? She was probably one of the most important people in my life, because she was such a warm, wonderful person and I feel she's relevant today. I do speak with various groups about her with the hopes that some of her ideas and some of her views on life, people will remember them and incorporate [them] into their own lives. The biggest lesson was, you don't know all the answers. If I listen to other people, I can always learn. And I can always hear something that I haven't heard before. There is almost no experience in life where I can't learn. How can the spirit of the New Deal be applied to the social issues of today? The New Deal was a time of people coming together to solve a very serious economic emergency, with the philosophy and the values of social justice for all. A lot of that needs to be upgraded, certainly in healthcare and various other things. We really need to keep going forward and not let the naysayers turn it around, because we have huge economic and social justice problems that we're still facing. It's not the New Deal in and of itself, those programs, because they may not work today, but it's the values and the philosophy of working together that I would love to see be implemented in our political climate today. Santa Fe Reporter Discovering who you are, thinking about who you want to be and determining how you want others to see you starts to take shape in your adolescent years. And then you search to find a place and a group of people for acceptance, support and encouragement. For Lilia Morris-Wright and other teens who don't neatly fit into the gender binary or who have sexuality that's difficult to define, the place is Santa Fe Mountain Center. The 16-year-old doesn't want to be called he or she, but prefers to use the pronoun "they." It's a distinction that requires far less explanation than one may think and is among the reasons why the work of the center's New Mexico Genders and Sexualities Alliance is so critical. "It gives you a network of people who you know support you in a very specific way," says the soon-to-be-11th grader at New Mexico School for the Arts. "As a young person, you are sort of just coming into the world and facing all of the craziness that comes with it, and when you are a queer or transgender, it can be very overwhelming; the alliance gives you a space where people understand that and have similar experiences to yours." Morris-Wright was invited to become a member of the youth council at the alliance after attending an overnight camp. Youth support from their peers in the LGBTQ community is the best kind: "You may have counselors or parents or people who are reaching out to support you, but they may not understand what you're going through the way other youth understand," Morris-Wright says. LuzMarina Serrano, a staff member at the Mountain Center who runs the alliance, says the group is especially important in times of tragedy, like the big blow from the Orlando nightclub shooting, she says. "I can't imagine being 15 years old and seeing something like that and thinking, Wow, that could be me." Sawyer Sverre-Harrell, 17, says he found the alliance at a time when "I was questioning my gender [and] wasn't sure who to reach out to," he tells SFR. "I found myself very at home," says Sverre-Harrell, a theater program student at NMSA. "It felt right to be there." That was two years ago, and he has been a part of the youth council ever since. "You can really find your true friends and family there, when you are kind of lacking that at home." "In New Mexico, there aren't a lot of resources for LGBTQ youth," adds Chloe Fox, who begins her junior year at Santa Fe Prep in the fall. "It creates a safe space for people to cultivate and express themselves without worry of being discriminated against." Read more Pride stories: Santa Fe Reporter Get ready for the rainbows, the glitter and the gyrating. Back downtown for the third year again after a foray to the Railyard, Santa Fe Prides 2016 celebrations this weekend are taking a few cues from bigger celebrations, with a five-part lineup on the Bandstand. SFR caught up with local organizer Richard Brethour-Bell, former board president for the Santa Fe Human Rights Alliance and also a regional director of InterPride, an international organization of Pride organizers that helped him visit Pride parties in other communities. Richard Brethour-Bell says that if the citys LGBT community wants another Pride, theyre going to have to get more involved in the group that puts on the show. (Julie Ann Grimm) SFR: Some objected to our use of the word "humble" to describe Santa Fe Pride. What do you think about that? RBB: I don't have any problem with that word at all. I think we can be quite sensitive at times, but I think there was nothing wrong with the word "humble." That didn't imply that it was insignificant. But when you compare it to LA Pride or New York Pride or San Francisco Pride, I think "humble" is a pretty nice way of describing our Pride. It's a small town. I think we get a lot of people from California, from Texas, from New York, who move here. This is what they are used to, these bigger Prides. So when they come here and see a smaller one, it can be an adjustment for them. Last year I think was probably the most successful Pride that we've had in Santa Fe. Because our tickets to the festival are free, we really don't know how many people were there, but the city told us that they would estimate a crowd of approximately 3,000 people. So for us, that's pretty good. For 3,000 people to be on the Plaza in a four- to five-hour period, that is pretty good. I am hoping that we have that if not more this year. Pride began as a commemoration of the Stonewall riots, where people rose up against police actions targeting gays. Is today's pride for the gay community or the community at large? I think what happens with marginalized communities is that when we are threatened in any way, we close ranks. And I understand that. We need to regroup and figure out what our next move is going to be. But we certainly don't want to exclude our allies. Or even people who are just interested. ... We have to also keep in mind their images of Pride are probably Prides from San Francisco and New York, and those are not necessarily Prides that you take small children to. So I can understand some trepidation. With our Pride, it's much more family friendly, family oriented. We certainly encourage straight people to come out to our Pride. There's been a lot of talk about gay clubs as sanctuary [see Music, page 23, for more], and Santa Fe's last gay club closed a year ago. Do you think that is particularly bad for our city? I do think it's a bad thing. I think the reason why we don't have a gay club here has more to do with the apathy of the LGBT community. It goes back to feeling these things are not necessary because we have reached certain rights and privileges that we don't need it anymore. But I have always found that a gay club is a sanctuary. It's a place I can go and dance with my husband and hold my husband's hand. There are clubs like Skylight who want to be inclusive and welcoming, and I think that's great, and I think they should exist. But for some of us, we still feel a little bit more comfortable in a gay-identified club. Is Santa Fe a place where you are still going to catch some heat for holding your husband's hand? Yes, it is. I think people are surprised to hear this, but I have mentioned before that at Prides in the past, I have been verbally assaulted. Here in Santa Fe, on the Plaza. Last year I wasn't even holding my husband's hand, and we were walking down the street, and someone yelled, "Fag" from a car. I have talked to young people who are attending school, and they are saying they are still being harassed, whether they are transgender or they are gay and open or simply being suspected of being gay because of their mannerisms. They are still receiving harassment. So even though Santa Fe is quite liberal, the harassment aimed at members of the LGBT community is still present. It's very real. What would you like to see the people of Santa Fe do to work on addressing this, to change that? I think we need a more united community, and this can't just be a gay thing. The civil rights movement wasn't successful simply because of black people. There are other groups that were involved. We can't do this all alone, and so we need our straight allies to confront hate speech and hate teaching when they hear it, whether young or old, and say, "That's not cool. That is unacceptable. It's not funny, it's not a joke. It's not anything to laugh at. This is dangerous behavior and dangerous talk, and we can't have that here." We have to speak up. Santa Fe HRA has had struggles for some time back. What is effect of that? Quite honestly, we do not know the future of HRA and of Santa Fe Pride, and I have said that if the LGBT community wants this, they have to be involved. I know of other organizations that have folded because of lack of support from within their own community, from within the LGBT community, and that is a very real possibility for the Santa Fe HRA. Pride 2016 Schedule Friday, June 24 Friends of Dorothy 5 pm, free, Cava Lounge at the Eldorado Hotel & Spa, 309 W San Francisco St., 988-4454 Putting on Pride isnt cheap. Join like-minded friends and neighbors for a night at the bar with no cover, just bring a donation (large or small, but preferrably large) for the Santa Fe Human Rights Alliance. Glitter 8 pm, $10, Skylight Santa Fe, 139 W San Francisco St., 982-0775 Music by DJ Oona Bender and the Go-Go Girls (Sierra and Boi Tasha) and lighting by Luis Lopez come together to entertain during the Queer Womens Dance Party. Saturday, June 25 Santa Fe Pride Parade 1 pm, the Roundhouse, down Old Santa Fe Trail, then north along Lincoln Avenue to Federal Place and into the Plaza Set up with the family along the parade route that starts at the Roundhouse and ends on the Plaza, with a party to follow. Support your community and show your love with the train of celebration, sure to feature sparkle and fun. Santa Fe Pride on the Plaza 1:30 pm, Plaza Bandstand Gather round the obelisk right after the parade for headliners Fantine and Scarlett Santana, performing on the Bandstand back-to-back-to-back with Jessie Lawrence, of American Idol fame. Local entertainers include dancers from Studio Nia and a performance from Bella Gigante. After Party 9 pm-1:45 am, $20, Skylight Santa Fe, 139 W San Francisco St., 982-0775 The Pride party doesnt stop, it just moves down the street to Skylight, where the 21+ dancing can continue into the wee hours with DJs Melanie Moore and Oona (see Music, page 23). Sunday, June 26 Pool Party 2-6 pm, $10, The Lodge, 750 N St. Francis Drive Santa Fes heat wave is likely to last through the weekend, so spend it near some cool water and a great party vibe. A limited number of tickets will be on sale Saturday at the HRA booth at Pride on the Plaza. Read more Pride stories: Santa Fe Reporter Russ Thornton is a Santa Fe local who has replaced his first passion, cooking, with a new love interest, the weekly SFR comic he's created called MetroGlyphs. Reach him at Letters to the Editor Mail letters to PO Box 4910 Santa Fe, NM 87502 or email them to editor[at]sfreporter.com. Letters (no more than 200 words) should refer to specic articles in the Reporter. Letters will be edited for space and clarity. AG, Auditor Probe MedPot Registration Delays The attorney general and state auditors offices confirmed they are looking into why health department regulators are after hearing about monthslong delays processing both new medical cannabis patient registrations and annual card renewals. Cards are required by statute to be approved or denied in 30 days or less, but patients have complained its taking up to 90 days. Dog Head Fire Update Today should be a big day for residents living near the Dog Head fire. Now that its more than , theyll be allowed to return home. Fire Chief Accused of Illegal Traffic Stops Valencia County Fire Chief Stephen Gonzales, already in trouble for racy pictures with an exotic dancer, is now for allegedly making traffic stops. Judges Get Schooled on Social Media Best Practices State like Facebook. SFRs Steven Hsieh reports a supreme court justice has provided jurists both a warning and a best practices guide. Taking a Stand Speaking of court, were , since statements the former lawmaker made to us are protected under the New Mexico News Media Confidential Source or Information Privilege, a rule that gives journalists the right to refuse to disclose their sources and any confidential information obtained in the course of pursuing a story. Trump Fundraising Falters Fundraising for Donald Trumps general election campaign isnt going well. In fact, Sandra Fish, the data reporter at New Mexico In Depth, discovered ; most of that appears to have been generated during his May 24 visit to Albuquerque. UNM Hospital Won't Renew Contract with Insurer Dennis Domrzalski reports, About 2,000 UnitedHealthcare of New Mexico Medicaid members who get their care at the University of New Mexico Hospital will have to find new providers as UNM said Tuesday that it has been with United to serve those patients. Investing in Nuclear Deterrence Admiral Cecil D Haney, commander of US Strategic Command, told about 250 people attending the on Tuesday, at Crowne Plaza Albuquerque, that the country needs to continue to invest in its nuclear weapons stockpile, missiles, submarines and bombers, in order to maintain its nuclear deterrence. Trunk Show Now that New Mexico residents will start having to , but the first one of the month, it might be a good time to check out the art at the Albuquerque Zoo. An elephant there is . Santa Fe Reporter The New Zealand dollar rose as polls showing there's a good chance Britain will vote to remain in the European Union this week helped restore risk appetite and underpinned equity markets, commodities and growth-linked currencies such as the kiwi and the Aussie dollar. The kiwi rose to 71.45 US cents from 71.12 cents late yesterday. The trade-weighted index rose to 75.87 from 75.40. A Survation poll this week had support for remaining in the EU on 45 percent to 44 percent wanting to leave, and 11 percent undecided. Support for remaining in the regional economic bloc has climbed and bookmakers Ladbrokes and Betfair have odds of a triumph for 'remain' voters at 73 percent. Staying in the EU could see risk sentiment climb on Friday after the vote closes at 10am NZ time, while a win for Brexit would see a surge in risk aversion, traders say. The kiwi "is benefitting from a little bit of positive risk sentiment leading into the Brexit vote - stocks and oil were higher overnight as well," said Mitchell McIntyre, a senior corporate FX dealer at NZForex. "We've seen the polls in the UK shift from a 'leave' towards a 'remain'." He expects results of the referendum will be clear during the New Zealand trading day on Friday but there was a risk of "choppy" trading in a thin market should the vote count dribble out. The importance of the vote was underlined by Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen overnight when she told the US 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. The kiwi didn't move much after government figures showed net inbound migration and tourism have held at record highs. Annual net migration reached a new record 68,400 in May. Overseas short-term visitor arrivals reached 3.29 million in the year ended May 31, up from 3.27 million in the year through April. The kiwi rose to 95.71 Australian cents from 95.04 cents yesterday. The local currency gained to 63.41 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 74.61 yen from 74.09 yen yesterday and gained to 4.7022 Chinese yuan from 4.6462 yuan. New Zealand's two-year swap rate rose 2 basis point to 2.31 percent and the 10-year swaps rose 4 basis points to 2.85 percent. 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 Michael Hill, the founder of the jewellery chain that bears his name, has outlined what is described as a "succession plan" for his family's controlling stake in the company, with 10 percent of the company to be transferred to trusts for daughter Emma and son Mark. The restructuring would see the family's holding through the Boxer Hill Trust reduce to 42.89 percent from 52.89 percent, while trusts established for the two children of Michael and Christine Hill would get 5 percent each. The changes are contingent on the company's shareholders approving a scheme of arrangement at a special meeting today that would see a new Australian parent acquire all of the existing shares on a one-for-one basis with a primary listing on the ASX. Australia is Michael Hill International's biggest market and its financial reports are in Australian dollars. Subject to shareholder approval, the shares will go into a trading halt tomorrow, with the conversion of shares to those of the new Australian parent to take place at 6pm Brisbane time on June 29. The existing shares would delist from the NZX at the market close on July 6 and the new shares, which will be listed on the ASX and the NZX, would begin trading on July 7. Emma Hill, who is company chair, said in April that the move to Australia over time "will provide the company with direct access to a wider group of investors than we currently enjoy and we believe this will be to the benefit of all of our shareholders. On a day-to-day basis, we will have all of our governance, executive and business operations operating in one jurisdiction and this will considerably simplify our structure. Michael Hill shares last traded at $1.15 and have gained 16 percent this year. The stock is rated a 'buy' based on the consensus of three analysts polled by Reuters. 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 The International Monetary Fund (IMF) regularly raises the issue of a retirement age increase in Ukraine, however the issue has not been included to the draft memorandum, Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine Pavlo Rozenko has said. "This topic is discussed regularly. However, we keep saying and informing the International Monetary Fund that our vision of pension reform is the following: a gap in the Pension Fund can be eliminated through changing the formula or parameters of the pension system and we have to do so," Rozenko said in an interview with Interfax-Ukraine on Wednesday He added that today the country could increase the Pension Fund's income through the withdrawal of returns from the shadow and increasing the number of unified social tax payers. "An increase in retirement age today won't give any real effect which could really cut the Pension Fund deficit," Rozenko said. He noted that the Ukrainian government was not considering such a possibility and intended to prove to the IMF that such step is unreasonable. "They keep raising the issue, but it has not been included to the memorandum. Negotiations continue and there is no final text, however we have reached a compromise and removed this tight connection to retirement age from the memorandum," Rozenko said. A memorandum of understanding between the Ukrainian regions and on the creation of the national tourism organization was signed in Kyiv on Tuesday by 13 regions that have tourism associations. "We will try to create the national tourism organization in shortest terms. It will be a platform for cooperation between the state, regions and business," Director of the tourism and resorts department at Economic Development and Trade Ministry Ivan Liptuha said during the signing of the memo at the destination branding conference. He said that Ukraine maybe the last country in the world that does not have the national tourism organization that consolidates the sector. Liptuha did not specify the concrete terms for the creation of the organization. There is no platform where the project could be launched: the state cannot support the tourism sector and no one can consolidate business. Deputy Economic Development and Trade Minister Yulia Klymenko said that the 2016 national budget did not include funds for tourism development: everything was done using donor and partner funds. As for 2017, the ministry intends to allocate around UAH 32 million to implement the tourism development program (the formation of Ukraine's image, participation in exhibitions). The ministry hopes that the Finance Ministry will support the program. Klymenko said that the number of tourists in Ukraine halved since 2013 from 25 million to 12 million a year and this is the small figure for the large country. The share of the tourism of Ukraine's GDP does not exceed 1%. Ukraine has a potential and resources required to develop the sector and achieve the indicators of most developed countries with upstanding tourism with 10% of GDP and each 11th job, she added. "Tourism should become a driver of small and medium businesses for the government and the country, a driver of the economy," Klymenko said. Liptuha said that visa liberalization (talks to remove visas with some countries (India, Iran) are being held for a year), the launch of the single tourism information portal and promotion of Ukraine across the world helps to do this. Klymenko said that the Economic Development and Trade Ministry will cooperate in tourism development with the Foreign Ministry and the Ukrainian diaspora in the world. World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) Secretary-General Taleb Rifai who was present at the conference said that Ukraine has a strong team ready to develop tourism. He said that UNWTO would provide support. BENGALURU: In India hundreds of cities, towns and roads had been renamed since independence to wipe out the footprints of foreign invaders. Based on the historical memories these places are continuously renamed now and then by various rulers. A patent has been passed to change the name of Aurangazeb Road as Dr A.P.J Abdul Kalam Road, on 28th August 2015. The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) passed this resolution as to express honor towards Indians former president. Here is a glimpse of eight cities in India who all are also been victim to rename their old name.. Gurgaon to Gurugram In April, 2016, Manohar Lal Khatta the Chief Minister of Harayana decided to change the city name by Gurugram. The official spokesperson says as per Bhagwat Gita, the Pandavas gifted the city to Guru Dronacharya as a gurudakshina, thus naming it Gururam. As time passed, with the influence of foreign invaders, the original name of the city got corrupted and it became Gurgaon. Supporting the re-naming, local administrators comment that no hazardous work is embracing by the rename. On the other side MNCs showed concern that the city is known as one of the hub of high tech industries in India and the new name is pretty outdated to compliment the citys image. Read Also: India Is Monitoring Brexit Development: Nirmala Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana launched in Odisha NEW DELHI: Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar on Wednesday flew to Seoul on a previously unannounced trip ahead of a crucial meeting of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) amid expectations that the club may consider India's application for membership. "While it is true that the Foreign Secretary has flown to Seoul, the NSG plenary hasn't even begun yet," a highly placed diplomatic source said here. The source said India's entry into the club "is a delicate and complex process" and nothing could be stated conclusively as of now. "At this point, let us not speculate," the source said. The Foreign Secretary's sudden visit comes amid hectic Indian lobbying with NSG member nations for its entry into the club that regulates global nuclear commerce despite China's opposition. The 48-nation grouping works on the principle of consensus and allows a new member only if all existing members agree. China insists that India, being a non-signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), cannot be allowed in unless there was a consensus in the grouping. Beijing says that if any concession was given to India, the same should apply to Pakistan. Some other countries also have reservations about India's membership. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is to leave for Tashkent for a two-day summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) -- a Eurasian political and economic bloc. Modi is likely to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and take up with him the issue of India's NSG membership. Read Also: Yoga Underscores Deep Ties Between India And The U.S.: WH Indian Companies in U.S. to Boost Strategic Partnership: John Kerry WASHINGTON: 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. Read Also: Read Also: Eight Popular Indian Cities Christened with their New Names Union Cabinet Approves the New Civil Aviation policy, Flying to Become Cheaper KOCHI: Kerala entrepreneur Shaffi Mather's MUrgency has won the third annual Challenge Cup 2016 among 3,000 start-ups from 59 cities across the world. It won the first prize of $50,000 and AUS $10,00,000 in fresh investments. There were 65 semi-finalists and eight finalists in the competition. MUrgency is using the power of mobile technology and networks to build One Global Emergency Response Network. The start-up provides an app which alerts the nearest available doctor, nurse or paramedic who come to the rescue of a patient within minutes. According to MUrgency founder and CEO Mather, with this latest win his start-up has won three of the largest tech competitions in the world this year. The other competitions were Startup Grind 2016, SXSW 2016 and 1776 Global Challenge Cup 2016.The emergency feature of the app has been launched in Punjab. The firm plans to reach out to rest of India in 2018 and around the world by 2020. "This validates our idea and the fact that emergency response sector is ready," said Mather who was economic adviser to former Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy. MUrgency recently received investments from Ratan Tata, and Infoys founders Kris Gopalakrishnan and SD Shibulal. MUrgency was launched in 2015 with membership in Business Call to Action at the UNDP, in academic partnership with Stanford Change Labs, Harvard Asia Center and MIT Global Health, and as an initiative of the World Economic Forum's Forum of Young Global Leaders Community. Read Also: Startups Get Much Awaited Tax Exemptions Zone Startups To Manage Barclays RISE Accelerator Program 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 campaign's contributions for the month were from women. Read Also: FDI Reforms To Push U.S.-India Trade Ties: USIBC India-U.S. Military Relationship Closer Than Ever: Carter Source: PTI STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation aims "to help America's military heroes regain their independence," and that is exactly what they're doing. About two dozen family and friends of veterans Larry Bailey and Eric Myers gathered in the Tunnel to Towers office Tuesday in Grasmere to ask questions and learn about the Smart Home Technology they'll receive in the coming months. To be considered for the non-profit's "Building for America's Bravest" program, vets need to be missing both legs and at least one arm. The smart homes operate on the Crestron Automation System. They control lighting, temperature, music, cabinetry, doors, shades and TVs, while also monitoring fires, burglary and medical concerns. All rooms, including kitchens and bathrooms have lifts and motorized control abilities. This type of home would be a drastic change for Bailey, who is renting an apartment with his wife and three month old baby for the time being. "I know they do make the homes comfortable, not just for the wounded, but for whoever they live with, and that's a great thing," said Bailey, a Woodbridge, Va., resident. He claims he is looking forward to the privacy factor as well. "It's your land to kinda do what you want," said Bailey. So far, 29 smart homes have been completed across America, two located in Staten Island; 21 more lucky veterans are expected to have their own smart homes within the year. "You can say there are a lot of organizations out there but not too many other do what Tunnels to Towers does," said Bailey. Myers and his wife, Laura, are excited to get started with the process. "He can't be independent in a house like that," Laura said of their current living conditions in North Carolina. "He can be independent in the house they are going to give him." "[Tunnels to Towers] is gonna give me the ability to, really, live a normal life," said Eric with a smile. "It's phenomenal what they do for, not just one guy, but for so many people." The couple came to the office to learn more about the program and preparation process. "These people here are true American's," said Myers as he stared across the table of veterans. "They've taken something, a tragedy, and turned it completely around into something that you can't really describe with words." May 12, 2012, was the day Myers' life forever changed. He was a sergeant in the US Army. He retired in 2014, ending a 13 year career. "Now, I'm in school, getting ready to get a new house, so life's looking up!" he said. -- For more information on The Steven Siller Tunnels to Towers Foundation, go onto Tunnel2Towers.org. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Elena and Richard Charles like to keep extra food on hand to feed the ducks and stray cats they find outside their Great Kills home. But when they peered out their bedroom window Tuesday, they were surprised to see four deer on their block. "My husband said, 'Come here,' and showed me four deer to the right of our house. I've never seen deer here before. We were amazed," said Elena. "They walked toward Richmond Avenue along the beach, but they couldn't go anywhere because of the rocks at the beach's edge," she added. "So they walked back up the beach, and walked right up Littlefield Avenue and made a left then walked along Tennyson Drive." Elena said she and her husband don't know how the deer got to the beach and can only guess that they may have come from Crooke's Point in Gateway National Recreation Area. There has been some controversy lately over how to control the deer population on Staten Island. The city has unveiled a plan to sterilize the male population. Capt. Kenneth Noonan Capt. Kenneth Noonan, commander of the 123rd Precinct, at a previous Community Council meeting. (Staten Island Advance/Shane DiMaio) STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The NYPD's 123rd Precinct will hold its monthly Community Council meeting Tuesday night. The public meeting will be held inside Messiah Lutheran Church, 199 Jefferson Blvd., Annadale at 7:30 p.m. Check back here in the comment section for live updates and to join in the discussion during the meeting. STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- A man who allegedly attempted to attack a judge at Staten Island Criminal Court on Tuesday was charged with four counts of assault for injuries he caused the court officers needed to restrain him. Esteban Martinez, 22, allegedly leapt onto a table, then off it, heading toward Judge Raymond Rodriguez at approximately 11:40 a.m., according to a criminal complaint. Multiple court officers restrained Martinez and in the process received various injuries from him resisting, the complaint says. Martinez was reportedly in court for discussions on a psychological exam, and is currently incarcerated on third-degree assault and harassment charges. The incident occurred after Martinez requested a note be read in open court and Judge Rodriguez announced the adjourment date and that the defendant was remanded. Martinez is also charged with obstructing governmental administration and criminal contempt. Bilateral consultations on the liberalization of air traffic between Ukraine and the European Union will continue after the parliamentary elections in Spain due on June 26. According to the press service of the Infrastructure Ministry of Ukraine, relevant arrangements were reached at a meeting between Deputy Infrastructure Minister of Ukraine Viktor Dovhan and European Commissioner for Transport Violeta Bulc during Dovhan's visit to the Netherlands on June 20-21. Dovhan held bilateral working consultations with Bulc regarding the signature of an agreement on a common aviation area with the EU, notably a consensus on Gibraltar airport. In addition, the Danube declaration on the development of inland waterways was signed as part of the deputy minister's participation in the international transport forum in the Netherlands. During a meeting of profile ministers of the Danube Region countries, Dovhan spoke about the ministry's plans to develop the river transport system and stressed the importance of Ukraine's integration with the Trans-European Transport Networks (TEN-T). Dovhan also held a working meeting with Bulgarian Transport Minister Ivaylo Moskovski to discuss prospects of concluding an agreement on railway and ferry connection. The Ukrainian official also held consultations with his Belarusian colleagues on increasing the number of flights between Kyiv and Minsk. TRUMP.jpg Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at the Trump Soho Hotel in New York, Wednesday, June 22, 2016. Trump's address at his hotel in New York's SoHo neighborhood marks his official opening salvo against Hillary Clinton, the prospective Democratic presidential nominee, in the general election. (Associated Press) NEW YORK -- Donald Trump launched a broad rebuke of his presidential rival Hillary Clinton Wednesday, accusing her of being "a world class liar" who personally profited from her tenure at the State Department. "She gets rich making you poor," Trump said. Seeking to steady his campaign after a difficult stretch, the presumptive Republican nominee cast himself as the White House candidate best positioned to address Americans' economic interests. "This election will decide whether we're ruled by the people or the politicians," Trump said during an address at his hotel SoHo. He made his arguments in a pointed yet measured tone, less loud and strident than has been typical in most previous campaign speeches. The speech marked an opening salvo against Clinton, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, in the general election campaign. It came as the real estate mogul faced growing questions about his readiness not just for the presidency, but for the campaign he will need to run to get there. Trump made a direct appeal to supporters of Clinton's primary rival Bernie Sanders, urging them to help him fix a "rigged system." He also argued his trade and immigration policies would be more beneficial than Clinton's for blacks and Hispanics, two groups that have overwhelmingly voted for Democrats in recent presidential elections. Still, the central goal of Trump's speech appeared to be uniting the Republican Party and appealing to people who may be skeptical of him but vigorously oppose Clinton. He unleashed a grab bag of Republicans' favorite criticisms of Clinton, including her use of a private email server while she was secretary of state, her response to the deadly 2012 attacks on Americans in Benghazi, Libya, and accusations that she and former President Bill Clinton profited from their family foundation. "Hillary Clinton may be the most corrupt person ever to seek the presidency," Trump said. The Republican candidate also argued that Clinton's opposition to a massive Asia-Pacific trade pact was an example of her political opportunism, noting that she had worked on the agreement while at the State Department and has previously backed free trade accords. And he took aim at her immigration policies, saying her call for providing those in the U.S. illegally with a path to citizenship amounted to "mass amnesty." Trump's remarks came one day after Clinton launched her own blistering attacks on her White House rival. She moved to undercut Trump's argument that his business record would help him create jobs as president, arguing instead that he had been "reckless" with his companies and "shouldn't have his hands on our economy." Trump also tried to turn Clinton's strengths into negatives. He spent much of his speech trying to undercut her foreign policy record, highlighting her early support of the 2003 invasion of Iraq, which she now says was a mistake, and linking the policies she promoted at the State Department to the rise of the Islamic State terror group. "The Hillary Clinton foreign policy has cost America thousands of lives and trillions of dollars and trillions of dollars and unleashed ISIS across the world," Trump said. Trump's speech came on the heels of his firing Monday of campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, a controversial figure who was seen as an impediment to efforts to build out a more robust campaign organization. A new fundraising report released hours after Lewandowski's firing underscored how much ground Trump has to make up: he started June with just $1.3 million in the bank. Trump allies cast Lewandowski's firing this week as the start of a new phase for the campaign. Paul Manafort, the campaign chairman and Lewandowski's internal rival, signaled on a conference call with aides that a rapid staffing expansion would be coming soon. Tennessee Republican Sen. Bob Corker, who has been seen as a potential vice presidential pick, said he was "pretty excited" to learn of the changes. "I think that what appears to be occurring over the last 24 hours is a movement in a direction that I think could be very, very positive," Corker said. Page Content I have taken notice of the recent news reports surrounding the Central Bank of Curacao and Sint Maarten. It is lamentable that confidential information obtained in the course of exercising the regulatory duties of the CBCS has been leaked to unauthorized persons. The publicity of this information is damaging to the reputation of the CBCS and sends the wrong message to local and international investors in terms of doing business in Curacao and Sint Maarten. Investors have to rely that confidential information provided to the Regulator remains confidential under all circumstances to maintain and guarantee a sound financial system. With this in mind the law dictates that certain information has to remain secret. The leaking of secret information protected by law is a serious crime and an investigation should be conducted to determine the source of the leak of this confidential information. The president of the CBCS meet from time to time with the ministers of Finance of the countries forming the monetary union to discuss a scala of topics residing under the authority of the Regulator. The CBCS exercises its regulatory duties as prescribed by law. I have full confidence that if solvency or other risks are discovered by the Regulator in any financial institution under its supervision that the Regulator will take the appropriate steps to have such threats corrected, including the withdrawal of the license of such a financial institution, as they have consistently done for decennia. Based on the information available to me to date I can conclude that the publicity surrounding the integrity of the President of the CBCS is steeped in rumor and innuendo and not based on facts. The stewardship of the President of the CBCS over the last 30 years has been stellar and in my view no facts exist to question the integrity of the President. As minister of Finance of Sint Maarten I am of the opinion that good governance and the application of the rule of law should be the basis on which the CBCS and its President should be judged. In the interest of the CBCS and the countries forming part of the monetary union it is my fervent hope that all parties will refrain from debasing the reputation of the regulator with rumors and innuendo. Deputy Energy and Coal Industry Minister of Ukraine Dmytro Labozhenko has discussed prospects of cooperation in modernization and technical refitting of state-run coal mines with a delegation of China Development Bank. The ministry's press service reported that the meeting was held in Kyiv on Tuesday. As reported, Ukraine earlier raised Chinese loans to modernize Melnykov Mine (Lysychanskvuhillia) after signing an $85 million long-term loan with China Development Bank in December 2011. In December 2012, Naftogaz Ukrainy signed a $3.656 billion government-secured loan agreement with the bank to implement projects to replace gas by coal. The credit line was opened for 19 years, including a five-year grace period for paying the principal of the loan. The loan has not yet been used. Ukraine proposed to the bank that the list of projects is changed and China gave its consent. Naftogaz Ukrainy in April 2016 reported that the holding proposes to finance modernization of heating systems in private houses of poor families and provide $1.7 billion for this purpose. $1.3 billion could be sent to build a thermal power plant in Kyiv and Lviv region to reduce gas imports and $400 million to buy equipment to increase gas production by Ukrgazvydobuvannia. The company submitted these four investment proposals to the Economic Development and Trade Ministry to assess their viability. Finance Minister Oleksandr Danyliuk opposed the project to modernize heating systems in private houses of poor consumers. China Development Bank is waiting an official letter with a list of projects that Ukraine seeks to finance using the loan from the Economic Development and Trade Ministry. By clicking Agree, you consent to Slates Terms of Service and Privacy Policy and the use of technologies such as cookies by Slate and our partners to deliver relevant advertising on our iOS app to personalize content and perform site analytics. Please see our Privacy Policy for more information about our use of data, your rights, and how to withdraw consent. Agree The German government has allocated around UAH 65 million on restoration of five houses, four schools and a kindergarten for internally displaced persons in Dnipropetrovsk region. Relevant tenders will be launched by the end of the summer. "We signed an agreement with the German government on restoration of housing for internally displaced persons as well as schools and kindergartens in five communities in Dnipropetrovsk region at the beginning of the year. Our foreign partners will grant around UAH 65 million. The towns and districts, which have been selected for the participation in the project, are completing preparations and drawing up design estimate documentation. Tenders will be launched soon to select contractors," Head of Dnipropetrovsk Regional State Administration Valentyn Reznichenko said. He added that the German government would transfer the allocated funds through KfW Development Bank. Ukrainian Social Investment Fund selected Zaporizhia, Kharkiv and Dnipropetrovsk regions for the implementation of the project. The towns of Pavlohrad, Kamianske, Verkhniodniprovsk, Vilnohirsk and the village of Chumaky in Dnipropetrovsky district will participate in the restoration project. The project will help to create additional 1,500 accommodations for internally displaced persons. According to official data, the region hosts around 80,000 internally displaced persons. The presence of 10,000 to 12,000 OSCE policemen is necessary to ensure security during elections in temporarily occupied Donetsk and Luhansk regions, advisor to Ukraine's interior minister Zorian Shkiriak has said. "I'd like to stress that in the current situation we need the presence of around 10,000-12,000 OSCE mission policemen to hold any elections in the territory of temporarily occupied Donetsk and Luhansk regions," the press service of the Interior Ministry quoted the advisor as saying. Shkiriak added that he saw no opportunity to hold elections in Donbas in the next two or three years. "No amendments to the constitution regarding the special status [of Donbas] can be adopted," he said. Shkiriak also stressed that no speculations on the amnesty issues are acceptable during negotiations. "No amnesty is possible for those whose hands are coated with Ukrainians' blood," he said adding that all "pro-Russian militant groups" must be disbanded, disarmed and "withdrawn to Russia along with the armor they have brought in our territory." He's not anti-war. U.S. spy drones had no trouble spotting the Taliban fighters. There were more than 20 figures snaking through sparsely wooded hills, trying to outflank the Afghan government commandos in the village below. In the starry darkness overhead, American helicopters loitered armed with precision-guided missiles, along with a flying gunship capable of drenching the area with cannon-fire. It would have been a hard shot to miss. But before they could fire, the Americans knew they would have to get past the lawyers. In the amorphous twilight of the Afghan war, it isn't enough to draw a bead on the enemy. Before they shoot, U.S. troops have to navigate a tricky legal and political question: When is it OK for them to kill Taliban? The operation late last month in Elbak, a flyspeck village in Kandahar province, exposed the complexity of implementing President Barack Obama's Afghan strategy in the mud-brick villages, steep mountains and vast poppy fields where the combat takes place. With their Afghan allies walking into a possible ambush that night, U.S. commanders, monitoring video feeds and radio traffic miles from the front, had to judge whether enemy fighters who weren't actually fighting constituted an imminent threat. Mr. Obama, who campaigned on a promise to extract the U.S. from its long wars, has declared an end to the American combat mission in Afghanistan and set guidelines for when the remaining 9,800 U.S. troops, many of them in elite special-operations units, may use lethal force. A man accused of historic sex offences against his two young nieces told police the allegations were a conspiracy against him sparked by family problems. The man, 68, has pleaded not guilty to two charges of indecent assault, committing an act of indecency on a girl younger than 10 and carnally knowing a girl younger than 10. He appeared in the ACT Magistrates Court on Wednesday when he was committed to stand trial. Court documents alleged the abuse began when two of the man's nieces stayed with him and their grandmother at a house in Canberra's inner south for a few weeks in 1980. One of the nieces claimed the man touched them inappropriately when he went into one of the bedrooms, where they slept on a mattress on the floor, to say goodnight. The AFL will today announce social change advocate Tanya Hosch as its new head of diversity. In a week the AFL's credibility on women has been hit, the creation of the new executive position general manager, inclusion and social policy - will mark the first time in VFL/AFL history that more than one woman at a time has sat on the historically male dominated executive: a dynamic CEO Gillon McLachlan vowed to address when he started two years ago. The AFL's new head of diversity, Tanya Hosch. Credit:Steve Christo Fairfax Media can reveal that Hosch has won the position that Nova Peris flagged interest in and will fill the vacancy left by Jason Mifsud in January. Significantly, it is an executive role reporting directing to McLachlan. "If you search for a cause to fit a narrative, eventually you'll convince yourself that you've stumbled onto something, as most of the cowardly excrement have. "Those excrement who have weighed into this I'd like to mention their names, but as nobody reads or listens to them because they're on second-tier media outlets. I won't bother. But if you spray excrement with perfume or put aftershave on a piece of excrement, at the end of the day, it's still a piece of excrement." Newman's Footy Show co-host, James Brayshaw, who was involved in the Triple M segment, said "you are entitled to your opinion, Sam". "I don't agree with, certainly, that last bit. "Some of the language used in that 30-second segment was off the pace, and for that reason, it was absolutely appropriate that we apologise. "Offence was taken and I can understand why." Keep digging, Sam Credit:Darrian Traynor Rebecca Maddern, Newman's female co-host, defended McGuire's reputation, but condemned his comments. "I do agree in part with Sam on this, that the men involved are all good men. I know how they feel about violence against women, and it's exactly how I feel. "These men made a mistake. They have acknowledged they made a mistake. They have apologised for that mistake, and that apology has been accepted. So we're at a point now where all we can do is move forward. We need to move forward in a positive way." "I think in the media, we have to be reminded that we are in a very privileged position. We have a voice. That voice is listened to by many people, and people absorb what we say. And in turn, because of that, we have a power to change the conversation and shape the public perception about certain issues," she said. Newman was reacting to the week-long controversy that has surrounded Pies president Eddie McGuire, after he told a radio audience he wanted to see her drown. McGuire has apologised several times and been censured by his club and the AFL. Some big-name Twitter users, including fellow Channel Nine star Lisa Wilkison, were quick to react to Newman's outburst. It comes as Newman conceded he was "probably not fair dinkum" about running for lord mayor of Melbourne, just hours after reports of the possible candidacy emerged. He told 3AW's Neil Mitchell that he planned to be "figurehead" if elected. "We would be delegating, delegating. We'd get someone else to run the joint," Newman said. The former Geelong player believes one of the key issues for Melbourne is its homeless people. "I have been asked a couple of times would you shove and move on the homeless people the unfortunate people. That always seems to be the main thing," he said. "This is by no means trying to pick up people that are less fortunate than ourselves and bundle them out of here. This is just an attempt to pacify or appease both sides of the equation, that's all." Mitchell also asked Newman about comments on the Eddie McGuire controversy. Newman said he understood why some women were offended by the but "if you have to tell us we have to tick a box to say were against women's violence, or violence against females, if you have to ask people that, that it is ridiculous". Ecology ministry gets several proposals from Canadian business to build clean energy plants in Chornobyl zone Ukraine's Ecology and Natural Resources Ministry has received several proposals from Canadian businessmen to build clean energy facilities in the Chornobyl zone, the ministry's press service has reported. "Canadian investors have showed their interest in a possibility of building biofuel plants and sustainable energy power plants (first of all solar power plants) on the territory of the Chornobyl zone. Canadian businessmen presented several realistic offers," Minister Ostap Semerak said. The ministry recalled that the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone has all equipment to connect plants to the power grid, but new legislation is required to approve to implement these projects. Medibank members who sought help from the Private Health Insurance Ombudsman about shock hospital bills after an alleged secret policy change say they were left to "fight it out" alone. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission launched court action against Medibank last week, accusing it of misleading policyholders by failing to notify them of slashed coverage of common hospital tests such as X-rays and CT scans. Since late 2014, when the policy changes were made, dozens of impacted customers lodged complaints with the ombudsman, only to be told to go back to Medibank, which it said was in the right. DEXUS Property is embarking on a $2 billion development program that will see it revamp a number of city-based office towers and rezone industrial assets into residential. The buildings are spread across Melbourne, Sydney central business districts, Parramatta in Western Sydney and Botany in the south. 3 Parramatta Square, which is to be developed by Walker Corp. This comes as Lang Walker's Walker Corporation has been appointed as the preferred developer of the $320 million project for the third tower at Parramatta Square. The architecture firm Johnson Pilton Walker (JPW) has also won an international design competition for 3 Parramatta Square, which is a 16-storey, 35,000-square-metre office tower. Ten ASX companies have been recognised for their charitable giving with up to 65 per cent of employees at some companies donating to charity on a regular basis. Chief executive of the Australian Charities Fund Jenny Geddes launched an online campaign in June which aims to encourage 1 million employees to donate to charity through workplace giving. The most recent national data from 2014 shows 156,000 Australians were giving money to charities through workplace initiatives that deduct pre-tax donations from pay packets. "We have always known that workplace giving is a sensible way to give and support charities," Ms Geddes said. "We launched the 1 million donors campaign to create an ambitious target for employers. Gender diversity in the senior ranks of the federal bureaucracy has become the talk of the town, with both major parties vying to demonstrate which is doing more to advance it. In April, the Coalition launched Balancing the Future: The Australian Public Service Gender Equality Strategy 2016-19, which focused on "changing culture through leadership, flexibility, and innovation". And more recently, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull called for a 50:50 split in the ranks of the senior executive service (women currently hold about 41 per cent of positions). Labor says it will implement a new gender equality program targeting the entire workforce if it wins office, and that it will charge the Office for Women with coordinating and leading those efforts. Aside from making blind hiring for graduate jobs a mandatory public service requirement, Labor's also set itself an ambitious target: ensuring that women make up 50 per cent or more of the boards of federal government agencies by the end of its first term. Senior bureaucrats, too, are also trumpeting the need for more women in their ranks, with Immigration Department secretary Michael Pezzullo recently telling a "women in leadership" conference that nothing less than "an insurgency and revolution" is required to disrupt male dominance within the SES. The solutions generally advanced for increasing the diversity of senior management ranks and boards are often binary: disruption of the kind hinted at by Mr Pezzullo or incremental change. Unsurprisingly, Labor leans towards disruption (or affirmative action) as a more effective approach, whereas the Coalition generally puts its faith in cultural or gradual change. Both approaches have drawbacks, however. For the past 10 years Australians have been subjected to exceptional rates of population growth. Now many voters are losing patience with its effects. During the election campaign both major parties have promised to improve infrastructure, but neither have mentioned the chief reason for the need to do so: growing numbers. Indeed the day before the election, July 1, the Turnbull government's new rules granting visas to international students as young as six, and their guardians, will come into effect. Guardians will be allowed to buy property, and pressure on primary schools in sought-after areas will increase. In November 2015, a survey commissioned by Sustainable Population Australia (SPA) found that 51 per cent of voters thought Australia did not need more people. Then in May this year a survey done for SBS TV found that 59 per cent thought that the level of immigration over the last 10 years had been too high. Elections are fought and won in middle Australia. Sadly it is no surprise that the most disadvantaged people in our country are not at the centre of political campaigns. The international human rights standards endorsed by Australia are a basic test of how well a government treats its people. After three years in power, a government seeking another term should first be held accountable for its human rights performance. The Turnbull/Abbott government can claim some achievements, like implementing Labor's National Disability Insurance Scheme, acting against gender violence, and resettling an extra 12,000 refugees from the Middle East. Ukrainian army positions in Donbas came under 28 attacks of Donbas militants in the past 24 hours, the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) press center wrote on Facebook on Wednesday morning. "Twenty-eight shelling incidents were observed over the past day, including 13 in each of the Donetsk and Mariupol sectors and two in the Luhansk sector," the report said. In the Donetsk sector, Ukrainian army fortifications near Avdiyivka and the Putylivska (Butovka) mine came under fire of large-caliber machineguns, grenade launchers and 82mm mortars, and 152mm heavy artillery began to bombard positions near Avdiyivka at around 10 p.m., the report said. Ukrainian army positions near Verkhniotoretske and Luhanske were attacked by use of automatic grenade launchers, and various types of mortars shelled positions near Troyitske. Ukrainian fortifications near Mayorsk and Mykolaivka Druha came under fire of 122mm self-propelled artillery. In the Mariupol sector, Ukrainian army positions were attacked by use of small arms near Krasnohorivka, Maryinka and Hnutove, and various types of grenade launchers near Novotroyitske, Vodiane, Talakivka and Taramchuk. Snipers were active near Krasnohorivka and Maryinka. Large-caliber machineguns, infantry combat vehicles and grenade launchers of the militants shelled Ukrainian army positions near Novozvanivka in the Luhansk sector. Three drones were seen flying along the contact line in the past 24 hours, the report said. There are all sorts of ways to cut the numbers. But whichever way you do, the amount of money Mike Baird's government will spend building prisons in the next few years is remarkable. The government will spend about $1.1 billion on capital works in corrective services next year. That is just shy of what it spent on capital works for the state's entire health sector last year - on emergency services rooms, outpatients facilities, hospital wards, mental health clinics and health and hospital teaching support. Or try education. The $1.1 billion to be spent on prison bars and prison beds next year is almost three times the $400 million the government spent on capital works across all the state's public primary and high schools last year. Sydney has a dire need for more school buildings and, by recent standards, this government is actually spending quite a bit to alleviate the problem. So it will spend $550 million on capital works at schools next year. In other words, the government will spend half on new school buildings as what it intends to spend on jails. Much as it must be frustrating having criticisms levelled at your faith, it doesn't compare to the kind of hatred and vitriol levelled at the LGBTQI community. The tone-deaf response by Treasurer Scott Morrison to Penny Wong's speech at the Lionel Murphy Memorial Lecture on Tuesday perfectly illuminates how little our (presumably) straight politicians understand about homophobia. Labor Frontbencher Penny Wong expressed concern that Australia's LGBTQI population would have to endure an insurmountable level of hatred and homophobia were a plebiscite on marriage equality to go ahead. Treasurer Scott Morrison responded that he has also been a victim of bigotry for his conservative views on gay marriage. And though he is "sensitive" to the concerns of the gay community, Morrison claimed to hold "a bigger view" about Australians' capacity for respectful debate. What is the shelf-life of a political crisis? Obviously, it depends on the circumstances. The 2009 OzCar scandal was so disastrous for Malcolm Turnbull it seemed terminal. Remember that one? As opposition leader, Turnbull relied on a forged email concocted by Treasury official Godwin Grech to falsely accuse Labor of offering favourable treatment to donors. The boat eventually moved on, Turnbull recovered, and six years later he became Prime Minister. Or there was the time March 2013, when Frankston MP Geoff Shaw resigned from the Victorian parliamentary Liberal Party, raising doubts as to whether the Coalition had the numbers in parliament needed to govern. It's one of the more startling transformations you can see on an opera stage. In less than 10 seconds, soprano Eva Kong transforms from a giant piece of fruit to an Orange Princess. "I'm positioned on stage in a kind of capsule," Kong says. "I'm inside a giant orange costume and when I'm revealed, inside is my princess costume. This is the most unusual costume I've ever worn. It's very heavy and I can't see anything when I'm in it. I have to be positioned on stage by dancers dressed as cacti." From left: Eva Kong (Princess Linetta), Joel Thomas (Cactus), Natasha Usmar (Rat) and Jay Johns (Drunk Monster) star in Opera Australia's The Love for Three Oranges. Credit:Edwina Pickles Kong is singing the role of Princes Linetta in Opera Australia's revival of its 2005 production of Sergei Prokofiev's fairytale The Love for Three Oranges. Originally created by Russian costume designer Tania Noginova for director Francesca Zambello, the costumes have been in store for more than 10 years and required substantial reworking for the new cast, says costume co-ordinator Sara Kolijn. The Department of Agriculture, responsible for monitoring and enforcing regulatory compliance with the trade, first became aware of these problems in 2013, with concerns reported again in 2015. Footage depicts a bull being sledgehammered to death in Vietnam. Credit:Animals Australia Instead of suspending the trade, the Australian government expedited the approval of dozens of facilities in Vietnam, and approved exports that effectively flooded the market with Australian animals. Even though the department was aware of endemic regulatory breaches, Vietnam was permitted to become Australia's second largest export market for live cows for slaughter, with more than half a million Australian animals exported over the past two years alone. The country now has almost 200 approved facilities, with more abattoirs than exist in Australia. A bull appearing to be wearing an Australian tag in footage filmed undercover in Vietnam. Credit:Animals Australia The rate of market expansion into Vietnam has made it virtually impossible for industry and government to monitor compliance with Australian standards, opposition agriculture spokesman Joel Fitzgibbon says. Blindly pursuing new export opportunities in countries without animal-welfare laws or slaughter standards is undoubtedly a contributing factor, but the problem is far more systemic, far more ingrained, in the live export regulatory system as a whole. After footage of the shocking abuse of cattle in Indonesia was broadcast on the ABC's Four Corners in 2011, the live export trade to that country was suspended and the Gillard government introduced the Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System (ESCAS) as a means of protecting animals along the supply chain. The system continues to be touted as "the world's best animal welfare system" by both major parties. ESCAS purports to hold exporters accountable and to trace Australian animals, from Australian paddock to overseas slaughterhouses, to ensure minimum standards are met. Importantly, the system also aims to resolve jurisdictional barriers that prevent the Australian government from imposing and enforcing Australian animal welfare standards on importing sovereign states. As indicated by repeated investigations, ESCAS has proved a monumental failure. Since its inception, there have been more than 100 regulatory breaches of ESCAS by Australian exporters, many of which resulting in abhorrent cruelty to Australian animals in importing countries. From a legal perspective, it's not difficult to see why the system has failed. ESCAS imposes obligations on exporters, even though the exporters have little direct control over animals once they leave Australian shores. It imposes minimum standards on importing countries, even though these standards are unenforceable and set a low threshold for welfare, such as permitting animals to be slaughtered without pre-stunning. And importantly, it's impossible to regulate away significant welfare issues inherent in the trade, such as the stress of prolonged transportation. Critically, laws are only effective if there is a willingness and ability to enforce them. Responsibility for enforcing live export regulations rests with the Department of Agriculture. In a clear conflict of interest, the department is also responsible for promoting and facilitating the industry. It is little wonder that the department has failed to sanction a single exporter for breaching the system - whether by means of a fine and/or revocation or suspension of an export licence. The system doesn't work. Sadly, after years of shocking live export investigations - of animals having their tendons slashed in Egypt, subject to traditional rope slaughter in Indonesia, or mutilated in the streets of Jordan - this is no longer news to the Australian public. We're now accustomed to activist footage of live export cruelty. And with every new investigation, the same industry and government lines are repeated as if for the first time: that these are isolated incidents; that Australia is better able to lift global welfare standards by continuing with the trade; that we must have faith in the system. But we know that these are not isolated incidents. We know that welfare standards cannot possibly be improved when exporters are flagrantly breaching regulations with impunity. And we know better than to have faith in a system that serves only to legitimise a trade that is indefensible. Politicians from both major parties must take action. It's time to bring an end to this trade, or at the very least, suspend exports to Vietnam pending a thorough and independent investigation of these systemic failings. Until such time as the trade is brought to an end, responsibility for enforcing the industry must be taken away from the Department of Agriculture, and reinvested in a truly independent office of animal welfare. Sydney's run of well-above average temperatures is about to come to a chilly halt that will please few save those headed for the snowfields. Every day this month has been warmer than the June average, with both day- and night-time temperatures about 3 degrees above normal. The powerful cold front that is raising flood risks to parts of South Australia and northern Tasmania will arrive in Sydney by Friday, bringing dry westerly winds of 30-50km/h to boost the wind-chill factor. Sydney can expect a top on Friday of 17 degrees, in line with the June average, according to updated forecasts from the Bureau of Meteorology. The government plans to privatise Medicare For the past two decades, it's Bob Hawke rather than Paul Keating who has been an asset to Labor oppositions. Retaining much residual goodwill, he keeps his public interventions to a minimum and uses his capital sparingly. Labor's Medicare privatisation advertisement, which features Hawke, is highly effective. So much so that the opposition has adopted his line as its mantra and panicked Turnbull into abandoning any possibility of privatising Medicare's payment system. Yes, the accusation is nonsense, but health, along with education and industrial relations, is the Liberal Party's soft underbelly. Like all big lies, this one possesses a grain of believability. Many voters recall the Liberals' unconcealed loathing of the very concept of socialised medicine from the early 1970s through to the mid 1990s. One suspects that deep in the breast of modern Liberals, particularly those who consider themselves economically dry perhaps even Turnbull himself remains a longing to tear open the public health system and expose it to the glories of the free market (see, for example, cabinet minister Kelly O'Dwyer ruminating among friends about universal health cover last year). Labor's housing policy will smash property values and the economy itself Everyone agrees that the cost of housing has risen more than has been desirable in recent decades. But tackling the issue so late in the piece, especially given that most voters own property, was always going to be risky. The distinction between moderating price increases and causing a fall in property values is too subtle for an election campaign. Labor threw caution to the wind and took a policy to an election anyway. No government in recent memory would have resisted such a big, juicy target. The Coalition is telling us Labor will smash the value of your home and investment properties. Mind you, the government claims to have plans, not yet outlined, to well, wreak havoc on ordinary mums' and dads' investment portfolios as well, but by other means, namely getting the states to increase land supply. It was deeply foolish of Labor to expose itself like this in a campaign rather than spring it on the electorate, as reform is usually implemented in this country. In fact, Labor's actions and the government's inevitable response have made it less likely that the issue will ever be addressed along the lines it has suggested. The Turnbull government will hike up the GST to 15 per cent Having won the 1993 election, and come close in 1998, mainly by opposing the introduction of the GST, Labor remains institutionally addicted to this particular tax as scare campaign fodder. And not just Labor; in 2004 and 2007 Liberal treasurer Peter Costello warned of wall-to-wall Labor governments hiking up the rate. It's questionable politics, with the potency of the message at least partly negated by the depletion of the stature of the politician doing the ranting, but it's no doubt backed up by expensive qualitative research. Yes, it's probable Turnbull and his colleagues would like to increase the GST. And so would many Labor frontbenchers. After all, the government does have a revenue problem. A Labor government would restart the people-smuggling trade Given Labor's disastrous record in this area when last in government, and the conviction within the political class that "border protection" is a potent election issue, this was always going to get a run. Again, it contains at least a kernel of reality. While there is little doubt Labor would retain boat turnbacks and offshore processing this time around, its general approach, and certainly its rhetoric, is likely to be less vicious than the Coalition's. Labor is, for example, more open to resettlement in developed countries like New Zealand and Canada, which in the brutal boats equation amounts to a "pull factor". Two thing are close to certain: if Labor wins government, the people smugglers will again chance their arms and, to show nothing has changed, the new government will display extra vigilance by intercepting and returning boats to Indonesia. Debt, deficits and budget numbers This has long been the site of the most outrageous misrepresentation, on both sides. The parties and their barrackers fiddle, cherry-pick and conflate to tell tales of disaster about their opponents. The Coalition started it in the sense that the tactic worked magnificently for it against the Rudd and Gillard governments and Labor in opposition quickly decided that what's good for the goose is good for the gander. Labor tut-tuts that the Coalition has not funded its $50 billion tax cuts, but then takes that $50 billion and spends it instead. The Coalition rants about Labor's higher taxes and greater debt, although one works against the other. The truth is that both major parties are putting a gloss on the fiscal situation. Whoever wins will have to face the unfortunate reality of Treasury forecasts. And this, I'm sorry to say, means breaking firm election commitments. A subset of the bipartisan fraud is the idea that each side's carefully constructed 10-year plans, under a decade of different leaders and, almost certainly, changes of government, should be taken seriously. In reality, governments change policies every year. A Labor candidate who is running in part on her impressive resume as a former human rights lecturer and British High Court lawyer has airbrushed the most recent three years of employment from her CV, during which she worked for two companies that recruit "charity muggers" - street corner fundraisers also known as "chuggers". Aoife Champion, who is standing against Liberal Angus Taylor in the NSW seat of Hume, is billed on the ALP's candidate list as a lawyer with international experience "having worked for several years representing the UK government in the High Court of Justice in London". Aoife Champion, left, with Chloe and Bill Shorten. Credit:Facebook The mother-of-two also previously lectured in human rights at University of NSW. But neither her Labor Party biography, candidate webpage nor Facebook profile mention anything about her past three years of employment. The newly-elected head of the Australian Medical Association says there is "no evidence at all" that the Turnbull government wants to privatise Medicare, rebuking a Labor scare campaign that has come to dominate the penultimate week of the election campaign. Michael Gannon, who took charge of the high-profile doctors' organisation last month, said that although there were several elements of Labor's health policy the AMA supported, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten had overreached on his claims about privatisation. "There is absolutely no evidence at all that the Liberal Party has any desire to privatise Medicare," he said. "They've traditionally been a greater friend of private medicine but that's a completely different issue." In Victoria, party insiders are pessimistic and not yet claiming any seats are in the bag while in regional Queensland, the ALP believes it will win Capricornia, Flynn and Dawson. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull during a press conference after he visited the Space start-up hub in Cairns on Wednesday. Credit:Andrew Meares In Western Australia, Labor claims big swings are headed its way because of disaffection with the Barnett state government and a popular promise to help fund the Perth Metronet rail project; however, WA is a Liberal stronghold and only Burt is considered a likely Labor gain. South Australian party insiders believe former MP Steve Georganas is on track to reclaim Hindmarsh, despite the complication of the likely strong showing of Nick Xenophon's NXT party and in Tasmania, the ultra-maringal Lyons is being marked down as a probable gain. Complicating this picture, the ALP is sweating on two seats - the inner-Melbourne seat of Batman, held by the embattled David Feeney, is considered a red-hot chance to fall to the Greens, and Kevin Rudd's former seat of Griffith, now held by ALP rising star Terri Butler, could also surprise and fall to the Coalition. This would deliver between 63 and 65 seats for Mr Shorten's team. If the Turnbull government were allocated 91 seats to begin with - assuming Clive Palmer's seat of Fairfax returns to the LNP - that would mean the Prime Minister would govern with a reduced majority of about 81 to 83 seats in the 150-member House. Labor strategists said the Medicare scare campaign was "working brilliantly" and gained significant traction, but few predicted victory. "After six-and-a-half weeks, that's the one we know is working, so we will stick with it," said one. "Bill doesn't win, but we could win a bunch of seats," said another. Despite the almost universal prediction that Labor would fall short, those same strategists remained optimistic and argued a hung Parliament was a distinct possibility. One scenario being war-gamed is one in which Labor picks up 69 seats, Senator Xenophon's party claims three and former independents Tony Windsor and Rob Oakeshott beat the Nationals' deputy prime minister, Barnaby Joyce, and backbencher Luke Hartsuyker. That would translate to a hung Parliament and 75 seats held by parties other than the Coalition. A second tier of about 15 seats are considered "in play", though by no certain gains, for Labor. In NSW, Page, Macarthur and Robertson are considered "in play" but trending Liberal; the Sydney seats of Macquarie and Lindsay now are considered unlikely to fall, while Reid and Banks are considered "write-offs". In Victoria, Labor believes that Corangamite and La Trobe could still break its way too The opposition is not tracking as well in Queensland's populous south-east corner since the switch from Tony Abbott to Mr Turnbull; Longman, Brisbane and, to a lesser extent, Forde and Petrie remain "in play" but are unlikely gains. Western Australia's Cowan and Hasluck are considered an outside chance for Labor, while swings are under way in Swan and Pearce but victory is unlikely. Party insiders believe Tasmania's Bass and Braddon remain "competitive", South Australia's Boothby remains a "smokey", and the volatile Northern Territory seat of Solomon could be picked off. As polling day approached, Mr Turnbull launched a scare campaign over Labor's asylum seeker policy, warning of "chaos" on Australia's borders if the ALP is elected on July 2. Mr Shorten, in turn, continued the scare campaign that Medicare would be smashed and privatised under a re-elected Turnbull government, despite Mr Turnbull having categorically and repeatedly ruled out such a decision. After three years of the Coalition refusing to reveal details of boat turn-back operations, Mr Turnbull revealed the details of one on Wednesday. He went on the political attack and confirmed 28 turn-backs had taken place in three years. He dismissed the fact that Labor formally changed its policy in 2015 to support turn-backs and argued the opposition "doesn't have the willpower to do it". Labor would "send an absolutely unequivocal signal to the people smugglers that under a Labor government, anyone who manages to get to Australia on a boat will be able to stay here permanently. "Imagine the chaos that we would be presented with under a Labor, Greens, independent government." No Ukrainian servicemen were killed or injured in the anti-terrorist operation (ATO) zone in Donbas over the past 24 hours, Andriy Lysenko, spokesman for the Ukrainian presidential administration on military operation issues, has said. "No Ukrainian servicemen were killed or injured over the past 24 hours," he told a press briefing in Kyiv on Wednesday. Lucy Turnbull has rushed to distance herself from a $3000-a-head fundraiser in which the Liberal Party used her powerful state government-appointed job as part of the lure for party donors. And in an extraordinary mea culpa, the Liberal Party has issued an unreserved apology to the Prime Minister's wife over the event and said it would donate the tens of thousands of dollars it raised to charity. Asked on Wednesday about the fundraiser, Ms Turnbull said she was unaware her apolitical role as the head of NSW Premier Mike Baird's Greater Sydney Commission had been used to promote an elite boardroom women-only lunch hosted by Senator Michaelia Cash, the federal Minister for Women. Treasurer Scott Morrison says that people like him, who hold conservative Christian views on same-sex marriage, battle hatred and bigotry similar to that experienced by LGBTI Australians. The morning after Labor frontbencher Penny Wong said straight politicians calling for a plebiscite on the issue don't understand homophobia and predicted the public vote would "license hate speech", Mr Morrison said he had personally experienced vitriol for advancing his views. And the Treasurer is not the only conservative MP rallying for the traditional marriage cause, with firebrand senator Cory Bernardi using his blog to accuse Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull of providing "implicit support" for attacks on him. They're putting the band back together - but Barnaby Joyce ain't buying tickets. Under pressure in his own seat from predecessor Tony Windsor, the Deputy Prime Minister used his pre-election address at the National Press Club to rail against independents, Greens and minor parties, deriding them as populists and rogues. "They stand outside the order of the nation. They play from the edges," Mr Joyce said. "They claim credit for virtually everything but [they're] not responsible for anything." Recent polls have shown the major parties struggling to retain support, with voters embracing independents, micro-parties and new forces, such as the Nick Xenophon Team. Caton appears in an online video, urging viewers to sign the Council's petition for the federal government to boost its contribution to legal assistance services, and to reverse planned cuts to community legal centres and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Services. Now Michael Caton, star of the 1990s cult movie The Castle, has joined the Law Council of Australia's campaign for greater funding for free legal help for disadvantaged Australians. As fictional Aussie battler Darryl Kerrigan, he enlisted the free help of a lawyer to fight for the "law of bloody common sense" in the High Court and save his family home. It was not until a friend approached him about the campaign that he realised how difficult it was for people who could not afford a lawyer to obtain free legal help. Actor Michael Caton who is advocating for more public access to legal aid. Credit:James Alcock The Productivity Commission has found that six of the 14 per cent of Australians living below the poverty line are no longer eligible for legal aid in family law battles and other civil disputes. Legal aid commissions in every state and territory have cut the number of people they will help in recent years, as government funding fails to keep up with rising demand. "Unfortunately justice doesn't come cheap," Caton said. People without "a bit of money in your kit" were being discouraged from going to court, while others were left to represent themselves against such well-resourced opponents as banks and insurance companies. "You're up against someone who's got unlimited access to legal opinion (with) the best silks and the best lawyers. And there's the little man up against all of that. What's all that about?" he said. "Let us suppose that someone has done the wrong thing for argument's sake," he said. Mr Abbott has also urged Liberals who are angry with the leadership coup against "getting even" with the new prime minister by voting against the Coalition. Tony Abbott has admitted he wants a job in Malcolm Turnbull's cabinet possibly the Defence portfolio with the former prime minister declaring: "I'm keen to serve." "Do you want to hurt the country in order to punish someone? Now I don't think that's a very sensible thing to do. You never try to get even with an individual if that means hurting the country." Still making headlines: former prime minister Tony Abbott. Asked by Sky News and News Corp conservative commentator Andrew Bolt about reports he is seeking the Defence job, Mr Abbott did not deny the charge. "Obviously I'm keen to serve, but I'm expecting to serve as the Member for Warringah that's what I'm expecting to do and that's what I'll be perfectly happy to do in this next term of parliament should I get the support of my electors on polling day, " he said. The Defence portfolio is currently held by the New South Wales moderate Senator Marise Payne, who after almost two decades in parliament was elevated to the cabinet by Mr Turnbull in the post-leadership change reshuffle. Among those disclosing party support, Coalition backers have shown the most notable shift, with 62 per cent saying they were either very or partly concerned about a warming world, up from 41 per cent in 2013 - at the height of the carbon tax debate. For Labor supporters, concern about climate change was 79 per cent, up from 63 per cent three years ago. Some 96 per cent of Greens supporters are either very or fairly worried about climate change, up from 84 per cent in 2013. Climate change issues have increasingly featured in the past year, including the 2015 Paris climate summit in which the Turnbull government signed up with other nations to commit to trying to stop global temperatures rising 1.5-2 degrees above pre-industrial levels. Those global temperatures, though, have been breaking monthly records for the past 13 months, US agencies say, with May the latest to set new highs. Australia has also had its warmest start to any year and autumn posted the biggest departure from long-term averages for any season on record, the Bureau of Meteorology said earlier this month. While the El Nino climate system has given global temperatures a boost in the past year, the spurt has been built on background warming as rising greenhouse gas levels trap more solar heat that would otherwise have radiated back to space. Cape Grim, the longest-running monitoring site in the southern hemisphere recorded 400 parts per million of carbon dioxide last month, up from about 280 in pre-industrial times and the highest for about four million years. Extreme weather events are among the triggers for increased voter concern about climate change, with two-in-three polled saying they believe such events will prompt increases in the cost of living, the Climate Institute survey found. About 60 per cent of Coalition supporters were concerned. The severe bleaching of the Great Barrier Reef this year which may have killed about a quarter of the corals, has also contributed to the climate concerns of two-thirds of those surveyed, although the share drops to 55 per cent for Coalition backers, the poll found. Voter doubts We've had the warmest start to any year. Credit:Leigh Henningham According to the Climate Institute survey, only about one in three Coalition supporters think their own parties have an effective plan to combat climate change. The government says Australia will cut carbon emissions by 26-28 per cent on 2005 levels by 2030. The Coalition is yet to announce what share of renewable energy Australia should have by 2030. The current bipartisan-backed 2020 Renewable Energy Target aims to deliver 33,000 gigawatt-hours a year of solar, wind or other renewable energy by the decades end. Labor's policy, which would aim to cut Australia's 2005-level carbon emissions by 45 per cent and derive 50 per cent of electricity by 2030, is considered effective by only 40 per cent of Labor supporters, the Climate Institute survey found. The Greens support cutting emissions by 63-82 per cent on 2005 levels by 2030 and net zero pollution by 2040. "Our research shows that all our political parties need to do more to develop policies that not only build credibility but also build community and investor confidence," John Connor, chief executive of the institute, said. The Lowy survey also found significant support for renewable energy, with 88 per cent of those polled saying use of fossil fuels "is in decline around the world and Australia should invest more in alternative energy sources or risk being left behind". (See chart below.) Selma Blair has apologised for her outburst on an international flight that led to her hospitalisation. Returning from a family holiday, the 43-year-old actor said she deeply regretted the incident, where she was stretchered off a plane from Cancun, Mexico to Los Angeles on Monday. In a statement issued to Vanity Fair, she said: "I made a big mistake [on Monday]. 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. A Labor government would also reduce the Higher Income Superannuation Charge threshold from $300,000 to $250,000 and the 30 per cent tax concession would be reduced to 15 per cent. Labor has promised that if elected, its proposed changes are "the final and only changes Labor will make to the tax treatment of superannuation". Common ground: Both the Coalition and Labor plan to increase the tax on contributions for those earning more than $250,000 a year, from 15 to 30 per cent. Income tax Coalition: The government's May budget made a modest attempt at reducing the impact of bracket creep for middle-income earners by increasing the 32.5 per cent tax threshold from $80,000 to $87,000 effective July 1. At present, those earning more than $80,000 pay a tax rate of 37 per cent. This represents a reduction in income tax of up to $315 a year for about 500,000 taxpayers. The government will scrap the 2 per cent temporary "Budget Repair" (or deficit) levy for high-income earners on more than $180,000 a year. The levy was introduced on July 1, 2014, and was intended to apply until the 2016-17 financial year. Labor: A Labor government would maintain the personal income tax breaks for middle-income earners if elected but would reinstate the 2 per cent deficit levy for high-income earners for a decade if elected. Negative gearing and capital gains tax Labor: A Shorten government would restrict negative gearing to investments in new houses from July 1, 2017. Real estate investments made before this date would not be affected by the proposed changes. Labor also proposes to halve the Capital Gains Tax (CGT) discount for all assets purchased after July 1, 2017, to 25 per cent. There will be no change to CGT rules on existing assets and the family home would remain CGT-exempt. The policy change would not affect investments made by superannuation funds. The existing CGT discount would remain for small business assets. Coalition: A re-elected Turnbull government would make no changes to either negative gearing or CGT. Family tax benefits Coalition: The government's revised proposals to phase out the Family Tax Benefit Part A (FTB A) supplements of up to $726 a child a year and the Family Tax Benefit Part B (FTB B) supplements of up to $354 a family a year introduced in the 2014 budget but stymied by the Senate are on hold pending the outcome of the election. The Coalition wants to phase out the supplements by 2018. The Coalition has promised to increase the maximum payment for the means-tested FTB A (up to $234 a child a fortnight) by $10 a child a fortnight if Parliament passes legislation to scrap the annual FTB supplements paid at the end of every financial year once parents have lodged their tax returns. Under the Coalition's plan, means-tested FTB B family payments (up to $153 a fortnight) will cut out when the youngest child in a family turns 13. Single parents over 60 and grandparent-carers will continue to get this payment until their youngest child turns 18. The annual FTB B payment for single-parent families with children aged 13 to 16 will be reduced from $1700 to $1000. Single-parent families whose youngest child is under 1 will receive an additional $1000 a year. Labor: Labor had vowed it would maintain the FTB A and B supplements if elected, arguing that low-income families depend on the additional support. But in a series of new savings measures aimed at "reducing the level of government debt in this country", the opposition announced it intends to halve the FTB A supplement for families earning $100,000 a year or more. Labor had already agreed to support the changes to the FTB B payments. Childcare Coalition: The government plans to streamline subsidies into a single means-tested subsidy. The Coalition says families with incomes of between $65,000 to and $170,000 will be about $30 a week better off. Families earning up to $65,700 a year would receive the highest subsidy (up to 85 per cent of childcare fees), families earning $170,000 or more would receive a subsidy covering 50 per cent of costs and families on annual incomes of $340,000 would receive the lowest subsidy of 20 per cent. Families earning up to $185,000 a year would have no annual cap on the amount of rebate provided but families earning more than $185,000 would be eligible for up to $10,000 in capped assistance a child a year. The Coalition's changes are subject to the new Senate passing cuts to family tax benefits to pay for the package. Introduction of the new childcare system is planned for July 2018. Labor: Labor's policy proposes to lift the cap on the childcare rebate from $7500 to $10,000 a child a year. A Shorten government would also increase the childcare benefit by 15 per cent, providing families with up to an extra $31 a week. Labor has promised a swifter timetable for the introduction of childcare relief than the Coalition, with a start date of January 2017. However, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has countered with the prospect of an earlier implementation date if the Coalition is returned and the family tax package is passed by the Senate. "If we can secure the passage of our legislation after Parliament gets back, assuming we are returned to government, and if we can start it earlier, then we will," Turnbull said. Paid parental leave Coalition: Eligible primary carers (who must meet work and residency criteria) who earn less than $150,000 a year are entitled to receive up to 18 weeks of parental leave pay at the minimum weekly wage of $657. This is in addition to the paid parental leave they receive from their employer. The Coalition says it would cut back the existing scheme and instead supplement employers' paid parental leave schemes to ensure new parents receive a total of 18 weeks of paid leave. Labor: No change to the existing policy. Private health insurance Coalition: Health Minister Sussan Ley has announced details of its plan to revamp the private health insurance sector if re-elected, including the introduction of "easy to understand" categories for insurance policies such as "gold, silver and bronze" to simplify the choice of policies by consumers. Ley also wants simpler billing and product disclosure statements to help consumers better understand what they are covered for. Ley says a re-elected Turnbull government would also require standard definitions for medical procedures from all insurers so consumers can better compare policies; simplify billing so consumers receive a single bill covering all costs of medical procedures; and ensure that insurers use "plain English" to disclose policy information. The Coalition also wants to see specialised rural insurance policies. Labor: A Shorten government would end the private health insurance rebate for natural therapies and maintain the pause on the indexation of private health and Medicare Levy surcharges. Medicare Coalition: The Turnbull government announced in the May budget that the freeze on rebates for all Medicare schedule fees introduced in 2014 when the Abbott government's hugely unpopular $7 GP co-payment was dropped would remain in place until 2020. Premier Mike Baird has introduced a regulation that terminates the redundancy entitlements of public servants who are transferred to the non-government sector. NSW Labor has moved to block the regulation and unions have vowed to fight the plan they say will treat public servants "like serfs". NSW Premier Mike Baird is facing a fight with unions over the new regulation. Credit:Peter Rae "Clearly, this regulation has been put through so the government can privatise public services and do it cheaply," Public Service Association general secretary Anne Gardiner said. "It's appalling that the biggest employer in the country would treat their workers like they are property and hand them over to the private sector without the employee having any say in the matter. These people are public servants, not public serfs, and the government should be the gold standard for employers." "The doctors and nurses just kept apologising," the health science student said. "They said if it were their decision they would have done it earlier. They said it was a political hold up." NSW Greens MP Mehreen Faruqi will introduce a new bill to Parliament to repeal the two subsections of the act. Credit:Fairfax Media Staff told her the hospital needed to make absolutely sure it wouldn't run afoul of NSW law, where abortion is a criminal offence. The NSW Crimes Act states "a woman with child" can be jailed for up to 10 years if she "unlawfully administers to herself any drug or noxious thing, or unlawfully uses any instrument or other means" to terminate her pregnancy. Anna Groth felt like she had no control over he body as she tried to complete her abortion. But for the first time on Thursday, a bill to decriminalise abortion will be introduced for debate in NSW parliament. Greens MP Mehreen Faruqi planned to call on her colleagues to support the decriminalisation of abortion, striking it from the NSW Crimes Act. But her second-reading speech covering her abortion reform bill - which was first in the order of precedence in parliament - was knocked off the running list. It's an issue the NSW Parliament has been avoiding for 100 years, Dr Faruqi said. "This bill would make it clear that women have the right to make decisions about their own bodies. "Decriminalising abortion is essential. Women and all people choosing to have an abortion as well as their doctors are not criminals and we need to remove the stigma and shame associated with it," she said. The bill also seeks to create a 150 metre buffer zone around abortion clinics to protect patient privacy, and allows doctors to conscientiously object provided they refer patients to another doctor who holds no objection, or a women's health service. With the exception of Queensland, all other states and territories have legislated to protect a woman's right to lawful abortion. A loophole added the the NSW Crime Act in 1971 stipulated abortion is not unlawful if a doctor believes it is necessary to save a woman's life, or protect her physical or mental health. The definition of "mental health" was expanded in 1995 to include economic or social stress. In practice abortions are frequently performed in NSW. But doctors and patients do so under threat of prosecution, with the possibility that a law court may decide the patient may not meet the criteria, said Sydney lawyer Julie Hamblin who specialises in reproductive rights. Abortion operates in a "grey zone"; almost always provided by private clinics at great expense, which can be prohibitive for many women, Ms Hamblin said. "We know it's still one of the most common medical procedures performed in Australia yet it has to be performed in this state of uncertainty in NSW. "[Decriminalisation] is long overdue. Really we shouldn't be arguing about it," she said. Paul Nattress, Practice Manager at The Private Clinic - a frequent target of anti-abortion protesters - said women often don't know abortion is a criminal offence until they need one. "They come in expecting abortion falls under the same medical guidelines as any other medical procedure," he said. Patients wonder why are being asked a litany of seemingly irrelevant questions as the doctor tries to establish whether there are mental health or socioeconomic grounds for an abortion. "Women should be trusted to make these decisions themselves without a doctor having to establish legal requirements," he said. Dr Faruqi still plans to lay out the case for law reform and present her finalised bill in her second-reading speech. With the potential for both major parties to offer member a conscience vote on the issue later this year, Dr Faruqi is hopeful the bill will pass. "I think the numbers in the Upper House are closer than people realise and there are supporters of this reform in all the major parties," she said. But conservative MPs could derail the bill. Christian Democrat Reverend Fred Nile has repeatedly, though unsuccessfully, sought to strengthen abortion laws. A separate private member's bill by Labor MP Penny Sharpe also seeks to create 150-metre anti-protest buffer zones around abortion clinics to protect patients from harassment. More than a year after Ms Groth paid $560 for her botched abortion, she is adamant decriminalisation would allow women to access safe, affordable abortions in a public system equipped to perform them routinely. "I was at the core of a political stalemate no one should have their physical health put at risk for this," she said. Update: Thursday 12pm Dr Faruqi said the development in parliament this morning that saw the second-reading of her bill struck of the running list was "completely unexpected and disappointing" and blamed the major parties for shutting it down. "We moved an amendment to restore the bill to be introduced today, which the major parties voted down," she said. But others in parliament have cast the blame on the Greens the failure of the bill to appear. A Greens representative failed to attend or, according to those in the party, was marginally late to a regular meeting of representatives of major and minor parties on Wednesday night to determine which proposals come before parliament. Without the Greens there it was agreed to debate other bills about the stolen generation and steel imports in favour of the abortion proposal. But one major party source, who said they supported in principle Dr Faruqi's bill, said it had been felled by a failure of planning. "This was a poorly thought through stunt," the source said. "There are lots of ways to get this on the agenda: she just didn't follow them". But the Greens say there was ample time to consider the bill which the major parties were reluctant to tackle. It will now next be slated for consideration in August. Abortion in NSW 1861: The Offences Against the Person Act 1961 stipulated a woman "being with child, who, with intent to procure her own miscarriage" will be "be kept in penal servitude for life . . ." 1971: The Levine court ruling amended the law to consider abortion lawful if it the pregnancy threatened a woman's life, physical or mental health. 1990: The NSW Crimes Act 1900: unlawful abortion was punishable by up to ten years imprisonment for women, doctors and anyone who assists. 1995: Definition of "Mental health" was expanded to include "the effects of economic or social stress that may pertain either during pregnancy or after birth" 2015: The Controversial Zoe's Law bill, which declared an unborn child a "legal person", was passed in the lower house, but was blocked in upper house. Abortion laws across Australia Queensland & NSW: A crime for women and doctors. Only legal when doctor believes a woman's physical and/or mental health is in serious danger. In NSW social, economic and medical factors fall under 'mental health'. South Australia: The first Australian state to legalise in 1969. Two doctors must agree that a woman's physical and/or mental health is endangered, or for serious foetal abnormality. Northern Territory: Legalised in 1974 up to 14 weeks if two doctors agree that woman's physical and/or mental health is endangered , or for serious foetal abnormality. Western Australia: Legalised in 1998 up to 20 weeks. Very restricted after 20 weeks. The Trilateral Contact Group for settling the situation in Donbas will hold another videoconference attended by representatives of the certain districts of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions at Ukraine's initiative on Thursday, Darya Olifer, the press secretary of former Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma representing Kyiv in the group, said on Facebook. "Tomorrow, on June 23, the Trilateral Contact Group will hold another videoconference attended by representatives of the certain districts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. The Skype meeting will be arranged at Ukraine's initiative," Olifer said. The videoconference will deal with the deterioration of the security situation in Donbas, the release of hostages, and "other clauses of the Minsk Agreements," she said. OSCE Special Envoy Martin Sajdik had told journalists following a Trilateral Contact Group meeting in Minsk on June 15, that the next meeting of the group was scheduled for June 29. The gun law reforms enacted after the Port Arthur massacre 20 years ago did not only bring about an uninterrupted hiatus on mass shootings in Australia, but precipitated a decline in all intentional deaths, including those that did not involve firearms. Research published in the prestigious American journal JAMA demonstrates fears that gun suicides would merely be replaced by other methods have proved misguided, with an initial spike in suicide deaths immediately following the buyback followed by a steady downward trend. The rate of homicide deaths, which were already in decline, declined further. University of Sydney Emeritus Professor Simon Chapman, who was the lead author of the paper, said while there had been 13 mass killings - defined as five or more victims - between 1979 and 1996, there had been none since. The trial of a Sydney man accused of helping men travel to Syria to fight has started, with the defence lawyer for Hamdi Alqudsi asking the jury to be open to other reasons why people might go to the war torn country. Mr Alqudsi, 41, of St Helens Park has pleaded not guilty to seven counts of performing services for a person with the intent to promote or support foreign hostile acts. Hamdi Alqudsi has pleaded not guilty to promoting services designed to help men travel to Syria. Credit:Daniel Munoz His defence lawyer, Scott Corish, said the Crown's case that Mr Alqudsi recruited seven men to fight in Syria was just a "theory" and that his client's intention was the "key issue". "As I expect you will hear in due course Syria isn't just full of people engaged in armed combat. There is possibly up to four million people, civilians, in need of humanitarian aid," Mr Corish said during his opening of the trial in the Supreme Court in Parramatta. Eddie Obeid "duped" a senior bureaucrat in the state maritime authority and was acting in his own interests "under the cloak" of representing constituents at Circular Quay, the Crown has told the jury in the former Labor MP's criminal trial. Crown prosecutor Peter Neil, SC, said in his closing address to the jury on Wednesday that Mr Obeid failed in his "duty to act in the public interest and only in the public interest" and should be convicted of misconduct in public office. Eddie Obeid with members of his family and legal team during the trial. Credit:Peter Rae Mr Obeid, supported in court by his wife and daughters, has pleaded not guilty to the charge. Jackson Baker bade farewell to some friends at a popular Newcastle nightclub and wandered into the darkness, keen to get home and back to his girlfriend, Mia Lowe. He had had a few drinks - but was nowhere near rotten drunk - and decided it best to meander back to the Carrington home they shared after having a tiny lovers' tiff earlier in the night. Jackson Baker, with girlfriend Mia Lowe. He never arrived, and after six days without any contact, Ms Lowe and his family are fearing the worst. Those fears are heightened by a sighting of Mr Baker near the entrance to Port Waratah Coal Services at Carrington about 1.30am, and reports from tugboat workers of an unidentified man swimming in Newcastle Harbour some 40 minutes later. NSW Member for Monaro, John Barilaro said the new station will meet operation needs into the future. In 2016-17, Queanbeyan Police Station will receive $2.4 million of $17 million planned for a new station. Member for Monaro John Barilaro is pleased with NSW's job rates. Credit:Louise Kennerley The budget was announced on Tuesday, June 22 by NSW treasurer Gladys Berejiklian in Sydney. Queanbeyan's police station and distance education school have both received funding in the recently released NSW budget. "It will be built on the current site and will be a modern, state-of-the-art facility which will improve service delivery to the local community." For education, $10 million will go towards upgrading Queanbeyan Distance Education. "The project will combine the distance education facilities at Queanbeyan Public School and Karabar High School into a new facility on the Queanbeyan High School site," Mr Barilaro said. The Queanbeyan Regional Education Hub will cater for kindergarten to year 12 and facilitate long distance education for around 950 students in south eastern NSW. A new security fence will also be built at Queanbeyan East Public School. Three levels of senior police command had three different ideas of what would trigger a storming of the Lindt cafe siege stronghold. An imminent risk of serious injury or death among hostages was the trigger, a tactical commander told an inquest on Wednesday. Assistant Commissioner Mark Jenkins. Credit:Daniel Munoz But other evidence suggested his deputy believed there were no specific triggers for the "emergency action" plan. "Shoot me, shoot me," teenager Jed Coates screamed moments before he was fatally shot with a rifle in Sydney's west after a fight on a State of Origin night two years ago. The man behind the trigger was high school acquaintance Matthew Perry, 23. Sydney teenager Jed Coates Credit:Facebook On Wednesday, Perry stood before the NSW Supreme Court and pleaded guilty to murder - eerily on the eve of another State of Origin game. He stood wearing a grey suit and shirt as he was formally convicted by acting Justice Jane Mathews. Opposition Leader Luke Foley will pledge to restore millions of dollars in funding to the NSW corruption watchdog cut by the Baird government as part of a package of measures to "integrity and transparency to NSW politics". The Opposition Leader will also promise more support for the electoral commission to investigate political donations via a "flying squad" in his budget reply speech in NSW Parliament on Thursday. NSW Opposition Leader Luke Foley. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer He will also say a Labor government he leads would "move to recognise modern community activism" by allowing e-petitions to be submitted to NSW Parliament, alongside paper versions. E-petitions are allowed in Queensland, Tasmania, the ACT and the Northern Territory and Mr Foley will argue it's time "to bring NSW into the 21st century". He will forever be remembered as the hero tug boat captain who could well have saved the Gateway Bridges from disaster during the 2011 Brisbane flood. Now, the late Peter Fenton has been honoured in a permanent underwater memorial, attached to the sunken barge on which he lost his life. Mr Fenton, 67, died 11 months after he made world headlines with his maritime heroics when he was crushed to death by a crate that fell on top of him on board the MDT 7 barge. Months earlier, Mr Fenton prevented potential disaster on the Brisbane River when he and colleague Doug Hislop successfully steered a dislodged 200-metre section of the Brisbane Riverwalk clear of the Gateway Bridge. Brisbane is now home to Australia's coldest fridge, worth a cool half a million, but warm beers are the last thing you would want to put in it. The cooling appliance is being housed at the University of Queensland and is hoped to help improve navigation capabilities for submarines, planes and ships within the next 10 years. From left: Professor Warwick Bowen and members of the UQ Superfluid Team with the new fridge. Credit:University of Queensland The Dilution Refrigerator can almost reach absolute zero (-273.15 degrees) and uses liquid helium, which runs on a closed-cycle system. ARC Centre of Excellence for Engineered Quantum Systems professor Warwick Bowen said the $500,000 fridge would further the study in superfluids, a unique quantum phenomenon where matter behaves like a wave and when stirred flows perpetually. Karabakh conflict settlement will begin with return to Azerbaijan of five occupied areas Gradual settlement of the Karabakh conflict envisages initial liberation of five occupied areas of Azerbaijan around Nagorno-Karabakh, Novruz Mamedov, deputy head of the Azeri presidential administration, said. "Gradual settlement envisages initial liberation of five areas of Azerbaijan, and then another two areas," Mamedov said in an interview with Azeri television on Wednesday. Whatever happens at the Republican National Convention next month, one thing is clear: It won't be brought to you by Apple. The firm won't be providing any funding or support for the convention, according to news reports. Apple has been more outspoken on public policy issues than many of its peers in Silicon Valley. A report from Politico said that its latest move is because of the rhetoric of presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. Many of Trump's positions, particularly on immigration, clash with the political stances of tech firms. Apple usually helps fund both the Republican and Democratic national conventions. Credit:Bloomberg Apple, which declined to comment on the reports, is arguably in a unique position among tech companies to take big political stands. Not only does its size insulate it against some backlash, but it is also protected because expressing political opinions does little damage to the reputation of its products. That's not true for many other tech titans. Facebook learned emphatically this election cycle that the appearance of impartiality counts. After the controversy with "Trending Topics" and accusations of conservative censorship accusations, it should be said, Facebook denies it makes sense that the firm would tread lightly to maintain a sense of neutrality. So, despite the fact that chief executive Mark Zuckerberg has taken a pretty clear and public swipe at Trump, Facebook itself is sticking to the central path. A Melbourne neurosurgeon who nearly died in a frenzied stabbing is happy his attacker will get the help he "desperately needs". Kareem Al-Salami, 49, has been sentenced to a nominal term of 25 years of supervised treatment at a secure forensic mental health hospital. Neurosurgeon Michael Wong. Credit:Patrick Scala Al-Salami attacked Michael Wong when the neurosurgeon arrived for work at Footscray's Western General Hospital in February 2014, but was found not guilty of attempted murder by reason of mental impairment. Al-Salami has been held in prison because there was no bed available in a secure psychiatric facility. By the age of six, Brandon* had been bullied so cruelly in the playground that he told his parents he wanted to die. His distraught parents, Travis and Samantha, battled the Education Department for years for support for their traumatised autistic son, and even submitted a complaint to the Australian Human Rights Commission. But finally, with help from the right school, his parents have turned their son's life around. Brandon* with his father Travis and mother Samantha. Credit:Simon Schluter Travis and Samantha want to speak out about their son's case to warn that his battle with mental health issues is not unique. Recent research has found that 75 per cent of children and teenagers on the autistic spectrum have depression or anxiety, and that children with autism are 28 times more likely to contemplate or try to take their own lives. Labor has been criticised for taking too long to regulate ridesharing despite widespread use in the state. The Opposition supports legalising Uber as does the Sex Party. The Andrews government will introduce legislation after the winter break to regulate ridesharing. Parliament rises on Thursday and does not return until August 16. Ridesharing, including popular service Uber, will finally be regulated in Victoria in the coming months. Sex Party Leader Fiona Patten had introduced a private member's bill in the upper house to legalise Uber but a deal has been struck to avoid a potentially embarrassing vote for the government this week. Uber finally looks set to get the green light in Victoria. Credit:4bc.com.au Under the deal Ms Patten's bill will be used as the foundation for regulation, with assurances given to the minor party that a "framework" will be tabled after the winter break. The process is similar to the way the Sex Party's push for protester buffer zones around abortion clinics was eventually introduced as a bill by Labor. Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan said details still needed to be worked through and the experiences of other states would be looked at. Bogota: Colombia's government and leftist FARC rebels have reached agreement on a definitive ceasefire that would end hostilities in the longest-running conflict in the Western Hemisphere. After more than three years of sometimes fraught negotiations, the agreement at peace talks in Havana marks the penultimate step to ending a war that has killed more than 220,000 people and displaced millions of others. "We have arrived with success at an agreement on the bilateral and definitive ceasefire and end to hostilities," both sides said in a statement read to media in the Cuban capital. The accord will be signed on Thursday in Havana by President Juan Manuel Santos and Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, rebel leader Rodrigo Londono, better known by his nom de guerre Timochenko. Beijing: Wukan was thrust into international prominence in 2011 after grassroots protests against corrupt land seizures won the sleepy coastal village the right to elect its own local leader. Held up as a symbolic victory for grassroots democracy in one-party China, the way provincial party leaders negotiated with local villagers in China's southern Guangdong province would even become known as the "Wukan model": a new, non-violent manual for handling dissent. Protesters hold pictures of the Wukan village's 70-year-old leader, Lin Zuluan, during a protest in Hong Kong on Tuesday. Credit:AP But nearly five years on, that cautious optimism now looks largely misplaced. On Saturday, Lin Zuluan, the democratically-elected and highly-popular party of Wukan village was arrested in a midnight raid days after he had made a public call for the village to stage a protest march to highlight the very problem they faced five years ago illegal land seizures. At least 93 people have been killed by lightning over the past two days in India, according to state officials. The deaths mostly farm labourers working in the fields during the monsoon season occurred in the states of Bihar, where 56 people died, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh. A boy who was hurt on Tuesday after being struck by lightning receives treatment at the district hospital in Ballia in India's Uttar Pradesh state. Credit:Press Trust of India/AP In Bihar, the victims included at least eight shepherds tending their sheep, said Vyasji, a disaster management official who uses only one name. He told reporters that he expects the death toll to go up as reports come in from more remote districts of the state, the Associated Press reported. Vyasji said scores of cattle also perished after being struck by lightning. Washington: This is the slugfest election - so Wednesday in the US was payback time as Donald Trump wiped the floor with Hillary Clinton; in pretty much the same fashion as she had wiped the floor with Trump on Tuesday...and again on Wednesday. Billing the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee as a 'world-class liar," Trump lashed out in New York, making wild unsubstantiated allegations and at the same time, using Clinton's record as a smorgasbord: "Just look at her pathetic email statements or her phony landing in Bosnia, where she said she was under attack, and the attack turned out to be young girls handing her flowers." Clinton, he claimed, had perfected the "politics of personal profit and even theft," doing favours for reprehensible regimes "in exchange for cash." Criticising her multi-million speaking fees, Trump charged: "[The big banks] totally own her. Records show Trump's campaign paid Draper Sterling the money in late April, but few details are available about the company and what services it provided for the presumptive Republican presidential nominee's campaign. "Draper" and "Sterling" are the last names of two characters in the television show Mad Men, a fictional drama about a 1950s advertising firm called Sterling Cooper. Londonderry, New Hampshire: A $US35,000 ($46,800) 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 Sterling is registered at an address in the town of Londonderry, New Hampshire, according to filings with the New Hampshire Secretary of State's office. It was created in late March, and the agent is listed as Jon Adkins. Records show Mr Adkins received a $US3000 payment for "field consulting" from Mr Trump's campaign in mid-May, as did a man named Paul Holzer who uses the same Londonderry address. Years of pain: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump's strategy is scaring economists. Credit:Ross Franklin The company has no website or list of available clients and does not appear to have an office outside of the residential home listed on the filings. A woman who answered the door at the home on Tuesday identified herself as Mr Adkins' mother-in-law but said he was in Boston for the day. Calls and an email to Mr Adkins were not returned. Mr Trump's spokeswoman, Hope Hicks, did not immediately respond to a request for comment about what Draper Sterling did for the campaign. Mr Adkins is also listed as the agent for a business called Grace's Grantham Cafe. A woman who answered the phone there on Tuesday said he was associated with the business but does not own it. She would not say who owns it or give her name. Washington: The Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton Foundation was among the organisations breached by suspected Russian hackers in a dragnet of the US political apparatus ahead of the November election, according to three people familiar with the matter. The attacks on the foundation's network, as well as those of the Democratic Party and Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, compound concerns about her digital security even as the FBI continues to investigate her use of a personal email server while she was secretary of state. Clinton Foundation officials said the organisation hadn't been notified of the breach and declined to comment further. The compromise of the foundation's computers was first identified by government investigators as recently as last week, the people familiar with the matter said. Agents monitor servers used by hackers to communicate with their targets, giving them a back-channel view of attacks, often even before the victims detect them. Nuland to discuss situation in Donbas in Kyiv, no meeting with Poroshenko planned U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland will discuss the situation in eastern Ukraine and the implementation of the Minsk Agreements with Ukrainian officials in Kyiv on Wednesday. Based on information possessed by Interfax-Ukraine, Nuland will meet with officials from the Ukrainian presidential office, likely including deputy presidential chief of staff Kostiantyn Yeliseyev, who is in charge of foreign policy issues. Interfax-Ukraine learned from sources that Nuland would not meet with President Petro Poroshenko, even though such a meeting had been previously planned. "At this moment, such a meeting is not planned, but Nuland will meet with an official from the presidential office," a source said. It was reported already that Nuland would meet with Verkhovna Rada Chairman Andriy Parubiy. She does not plan to negotiate with Ukrainian parliamentary factions. Interfax does not possess any confirmation that Nuland might have meetings at the Ukrainian Cabinet. The latest reports indicate that Nuland does not plan to talk with Ukrainian members of the press, although she might issue a statement dealing with the outcomes of the trip. The U.S. Department of State had reported earlier that Nuland would travel to Kyiv and then to Moscow to discuss the implementation of the Minsk Agreements. 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". Summarising 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". Boris Johnson, former mayor of London, rides a bicycle as he leaves his home in London on Tuesday. Credit:Bloomberg Cameron argues that the referendum had to be called to resolve the festering debate over Britain and the EU. As in the Scottish referendum on independence in 2014, he says, this vote represents a "great festival of democracy" on a very difficult and divisive topic. But if the Scottish referendum turned nasty, and kept the United Kingdom together, this one has become poisonous, with Cameron's own Cabinet colleagues and supposed friends saying that he has eroded trust in politics, portraying him as a liar and acting like a government in waiting. It has been a campaign punctuated by numerous claims that have little relationship to the facts, with sharp tones of xenophobia, racism, nativism and Islamophobia. And it was marked tragically last Thursday by the assassination of a young Labour member of Parliament, Jo Cox, who fiercely supported remaining in the union. A demonstrator for the "Leave" campaign holds a placard outside Houses of Parliament in London. Credit:Bloomberg "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 he's damaged either way." Cameron presumably thought it would be an easy win for the "Remain" forces, Fielding said. "But it's far tighter than anyone thought," he said, "and rather than a salve on the Tory party, it's made the fever worse". Brexit: UK Independence Party (UKIP) leader Nigel Farage tells a rally why he believes Britain should leave the EU. Credit:AP Tim Bale, a professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London, is slightly less harsh. "It's really a binary legacy" for Cameron, he said. "It is either one that ends in almost complete failure or one that seems pretty respectable in electoral and policy terms. I can't think of another prime minister who had so much riding on one decision." If the Remain campaign loses, "the chances of him staying on are pretty remote", Bale said. "He will go down as the person who miscalculated, taking us out of Europe almost by mistake, and then shuffled off the stage" in "a pretty ignominious exit." Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn leaves after paying his respects near to the scene of the murder of Jo Cox, the Labour MP who was murdered. Credit:Getty Images Even if Britain votes to stay in the bloc, Bale said, given Cameron's small parliamentary majority, "the number of hard-line eurosceptics and Cameron-haters, he'll be subject to defeats and blackmail until he steps down". There are those who support the contention that Cameron had to call this referendum in the face of Tory division and the rise of the UK Independence Party, or UKIP, and its leader, Nigel Farage. UKIP was cutting into the Conservative vote by arguing, as the "Leave" campaign does now, that Britain could limit immigration and control its own borders only by leaving the European Union. Former prime ministers Sir John Major and Tony Blair campaigning against Brexit. Credit:Getty Images Cameron, who had repeatedly pledged to get immigration down to the "tens of thousands" - even though last year net migration was some 330,000 people - never had a persuasive answer to the immigration question. To pacify the growing number of anti-European Union Tories, keep his leadership position and undermine UKIP, he promised this referendum if he won the 2015 election, which he did by a larger margin than expected. Netherlands/ PHILIPSBURG:--- As part of his working visit to the Netherlands, Minister Lee paid a courtesy visit to the Chairman of the permanent committee Kingdom Relations of Parliament, Mr. Jeroen Recourt. Minister Lee also met separately with a member of this committee, MP Andre Bosman. "As we investigate opportunities for possible cooperation on Health care between different countries within members of the kingdom, I felt it would be helpful to visit members of the second chamber (Parliament) to brief them on our discussions, vision and plans. Ultimately we share many common objectives, in particular in times when resources are limited. How do we control ever increasing costs of health care while ensuring the best quality of care possible." said Minister Lee. Minister Lee also mentioned, "Conversation with MP Recourt (PvdA) and MP Bosman (VVD) were open and very positive. It was an excellent opportunity to update the MP's on the plan of approach to possible cooperation on bringing affordable quality healthcare to the people of Sint Maarten, and by default for Saba and St. Eustatius as well. It is my sincere hope that the very open and transparent approach to the new hospital and Health care combined with improved communication between Kingdom partners can pave the way for improved relations and cooperation." The meetings furthermore proved their value because they caused the Sint Maarten delegation to obtain first hand points of view from Parliament where the transparent disclosure by Minister Lee of the plans are concerned. The dynamics of the meetings were positive and very constructive. In a bi-lateral meeting on the floor of the second chamber later that day between the Director of the Cabinet of the Minister Plenipotentiary, Mr. Perry Geerlings and critical parliamentarian Mr. Ronald van Raak (SP), Mr. van Raak expressed positive sentiments for the plans of Minister Lee. He found the approach and plans to be very professional and transparent while he expressed the necessity for parties involved to make use of the win-win opportunity the plans for a new hospital offers to both Sint Maarten and our sister-islands Saba and St. Eustatius (BES). In this context MP van Raak emphasized on the enormous costs for the Netherlands, related to off-island care of patients. If there is an opportunity to provide for specialist help for our patients closer to home, it would be puzzling if one would not further research the win-win opportunity given. In closing, Mr. van Raak is looking forward to be further informed through the Chairman of the Parliament Committee for Kingdom Relations. Overall a most worthy work-visit by minister Lee! A visit well received by the counter parts in The Hague, a visit which definitely created awareness in The Hague of the necessity for a more productive and sustainable work-relationship between Kingdom partners, said the Director of the Cabinet of the Ministry of Plenipotentiary , Mr. Perry Geerlings. PHILIPSBURG:--- On Wednesday June 22,2016Tthere will be a closed door meeting of the Ad Hoc Committee for the Preparation of the Construction of a new Building for Parliament, this meeting will be at 11:00 am. In addition another Plenary Session of Parliament will be held at 2.00pm in the General Assembly Chamber. The agenda points are: 1.Deliberation on the Ministry of Justice and its relationship within the Kingdom. This agenda point was requested by MP F.A. Meyers, MP T.E. Heyliger, MP T.E. Leonard, MP L.J. Richardson, MD, MP J.E. Leonard, MP V.H.C. de Weever and MP L.M. Marlin- Romeo. The Minister of Justice Mr. Kirindongo will be present for this meeting. Second agenda point will be: 2. Ratification Agreement Lists IPKO and Tripartite May-June 2016 (IS/816/2015-2016 dated June 3, 2016 and IS/824/2015-2016 dated June 6, 2016) Members of the public are invited to the House of Parliament to attend parliamentary deliberations. The House of Parliament is located across from the Court House in Philipsburg. The parliamentary session will be carried live on St. Maarten Cable TV Channel 120, via Pearl Radio FM 98.1, the audio via the Internet www.pearlfmradio.com and via www.sxmparliament.org. PHILIPSBURG:--- The Prosecutor's Office asked for 20 years in jail fully unconditional for the suspect Felix Floyd Crawford (38) born in St. Kitts. The suspect who appeared in court on Wednesday under tight security was charged with committing (9) burglaries on St. Maarten committed between 31st December 2010 and 21 October 2015. Among others he burglarized the homes of former Chief of Police Peter De Witte and former Minister of Justice Dennis Richardson. He is also accused of committing five armed burglaries, attempted manslaughter against a police officer, threatening a 14 year old boy, fencing and possession of an illegal firearm. According to the Prosecutor's Office the arrest of Felix Floyd Crawford meant that a "big fish" was caught. In 2015 alone 28 armed burglaries were reported while thus far in 2016 only two (2). During these burglaries Felix Floyd Crawford used brutal force leaving several victims injured. He mainly stole jewelry, cash money, electronics such as mobile phones and expensive perfumes. Media reports from Antigua indicate that there too Felix Floyd Crawford is sought for a series of robberies and shootings. The Court of First Instance will give its verdict on July 13. Also the victims will have the opportunity to submit claims for damages suffered. The Prosecutor's Office also announced that by then will also submit an order to recover proceeds of crime. Felix Floyd Crawford sold the stolen goods and earned money with it. "Crime dos not pay" the Prosecutor said. Willemstad:--- During a three-day visit to Curacao the Board of financial supervision for Curacao and Sint Maarten (Cft) concluded that the progress in the public finance has consolidated. The year 2015 finished with a surplus: this happened for the third year in a row. A number of important financial legislative processes were initiated in the recent months and now it is essential to round these off shortly, as well as the financial statements 2012 and 2013. During its three-day visit to Curacao on June 20, 21 and 22, Cft met with the Governor, the Council of Ministers, the Minister of Finance, the Financial Parliamentary Committee and the General Audit Chamber. The Board also paid a working visit to the Multi-Disciplinary Project Team on the future of the refinery. It further visited Cpost and the St. Elisabeth Hospital. During those discussions Cft concluded that significant steps have been made in the area of the public finances. The 2011 financial statements have been adopted and the 2012 and 2013 financial statements have been discussed in the Financial Parliamentary Committee. In addition, a start was made with the legislation process of a number of key financial and tax ordinances. Fiscal year 2015 ended positively, 2016 still on track The year 2015 ended with a slightly positive balance. For the third consecutive year the Curacao budget balanced out after a transfer to the swinging fund (schommelfonds). It appears however that public investment in 2015 failed to meet the budget. The Minister of Finance shall endeavor to assess the capital service more realistically in the future. This week the second budget amendment of 2015 is discussed in Parliament, making it possible for the 2015 financial statements to be prepared prior to September. In order to fully conclude the financial matters, it is important that Parliament addresses the other financial legislation soon, such as the Ordinance on the optimization of government-related entities and the financial statements of 2012 and 2013. Economic strengthening is still needed The economic development is improving in 2016 with a projected real economic growth of 0.5%. The 2015 Business Survey of the Central Bureau of Statistics show that the highest number of companies since four years invested in Curacao in the second half of 2015. Furthermore, Curacao presented the National Development Plan end of March, in which sustainable economic growth is emphasized. The Curacao economy continues to face significant challenges. Cft identifies with the preliminary conclusions resulting from the consultation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), recommending further diversification andincreased flexibility of the labor market. Also, the IMF endorses the recommendation to establish a long-term target for the national debt of 40% of GDP, with room for short-term deviation from the norm. Cpost International Cft visited Cpost International, which in recent years has been experiencing structural operational losses. In 2015 Cpost suffered an operational loss of ANG 5.2 million. The negative equity will therefore increase rapidly. During the visit, Cft discussed the progress of a number of measures which have already been put in motion by Cpost. For example a project on community boxes is ongoing; the concession amount for Cpost has been reduced, while the company intends in the future to focus more on the distribution of parcel post. "Careful finalizing required" Now that the parliamentary year is coming to an end, Cft advises the government to rapidly finalize the main financial activities. Cft Chairman Age Bakker: "For all parties it is important that the finances of Curacao are in order. To complete this government term it is also important to timely submit the draft 2017 budget to Parliament. Additionally we recommend finalizing the current discussions of the key financial and tax laws as well as the annual accounts 2012 and 2013 before the elections." 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 Avalara Captures Two Stevies in 2016 American Business Awards Competition SEATTLE, WA (Marketwired) 06/21/16 , Inc., a leading provider of tax compliance automation for business, was honored with two Stevie Awards in the 14th Annual American Business Awards competition held in New York on Monday night. The American Business Awards are the nations premier business awards program. All organizations operating in the U.S. are eligible to submit nominations public and private, for-profit and non-profit, large and small. 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. Avalara Founder and CEO Scott McFarlane was named a Silver Stevie Award Winner for Executive of the Year Computer Services. Avalaras TrustFile solution won a Bronze Award for New Product or Service of the Year Software Cloud Application/Service. According to panel of judges, McFarlane was selected for his drive, excellent accomplishments, and entrepreneurial spirit. Automating sales tax, while not flashy, is something so many businesses can benefit from, commented one panel member. McFarlane became a successful serial entrepreneur founding, growing and selling three different businesses over 30 years by blending strategic vision with rigorous operational discipline to create companies with one-of-a-kind cultures that disrupt the status quo and solve customer problems in large markets with significant unmet demand. McFarlane co-founded Avalara in 2004 to address a huge need and changed the nature of transactional tax automation forever by delivering the first SaaS transactional tax solution for businesses of all sizes. Its an honor for Avalara to be recognized alongside so many outstanding individuals and companies, said McFarlane. The Stevie Awards are an exceptional way to recognize those who do what they love and change the course of business in the process. Avalara launched TrustFile Online in 2015 to provide small businesses and ecommerce merchants with a simple, affordable sales tax reporting and filing solution. TrustFile was recognized with a Bronze Stevie Award for New Product or Service of the Year for addressing an overlooked need for small merchants in a growing space. Sales tax is a big headache for organizations, especially if they are operating in multiple states, commented one judge. Sales tax rules are complex to understand and keep changing from time to time. Avalara TrustFile can take care of an organizations sales tax-related issues and helps organizations to concentrate their energies on generating sales. Organizations of all sizes and in virtually every industry submitted more than 3,400 nominations this year for consideration in a wide range of categories. More than 250 professionals worldwide participated in the judging process to select this years Stevie Award winners. The judges were extremely impressed with the quality of entries we received this year. The competition was intense and every organization that has won should be proud, said Michael Gallagher, president and founder of the Stevie Awards. Details about The American Business Awards and the list of 2016 Stevie winners are available at . Avalara helps businesses of all sizes achieve compliance with transactional taxes, including VAT, sales and use, excise, communications, and other tax types by delivering comprehensive, automated, cloud-based solutions that are fast, accurate, and easy to use. Avalaras Compliance Cloud platform helps customers manage complicated and burdensome tax compliance obligations imposed by state, local, and other taxing authorities throughout the world. Avalara offers hundreds of pre-built connectors into leading accounting, ERP, ecommerce and other business applications. The company processes millions of tax transactions for customers and users every day, files hundreds of thousands of tax compliance documents and tax returns per year, and manages millions of exemption certificates and other compliance related documents. A privately held company, Avalara s venture capital investors include Sageview Capital, Battery Ventures, Warburg Pincus, Technology Crossover Ventures, Arthur Ventures, and other institutional and individual investors. Avalaras headquarters are in Seattle, WA and it has offices across the U.S. and London, England; Brussels, Belgium; and Pune, India. More information at: Stevie Awards are conferred in seven programs: the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, the German Stevie Awards, The American Business Awards, The International Business Awards, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, the Stevie Awards for Great Employers, and the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. Stevie Awards competitions receive more than 10,000 entries each year from organizations in more than 60 nations. Honoring organizations of all types and sizes and the people behind them, the Stevies recognize outstanding performances in the workplace worldwide. Learn more about the Stevie Awards at . Embedded Video Available: Sheri Renner Director of Corporate Communications HP Inc. Hosts Webcast to Update Its Printing Sales Model PALO ALTO, CA (Marketwired) 06/21/16 HP (NYSE: HPQ) HP Inc. will host a live audio webcast today at 1:30 p.m. PT to discuss a recently announced divestiture, investments in its Printing business and updates to its financial outlook for fiscal 2016. The call will include Dion Weisler, HPs President and Chief Executive Officer, Cathie Lesjak, HPs Chief Financial Officer and Enrique Lores, HPs President of Printing. The conference call is accessible via an audio webcast at . A replay of the webcast will be made available shortly after the call for approximately one year. For the fiscal 2016 third quarter, HP estimates non-GAAP diluted net earnings per share (EPS) from continuing operations to be in the range of $0.43 to $0.46 and GAAP diluted net EPS from continuing operations to be in the range of $0.40 to $0.43. Fiscal 2016 third quarter non-GAAP diluted net EPS from continuing operations estimates exclude $0.03 per share, related to restructuring charges, the amortization of intangible assets, non-operating retirement-related credits/charges and tax indemnification amounts. For the full year fiscal 2016, HP reaffirms non-GAAP diluted net EPS from continuing operations to be in the range of $1.59 to $1.65 and GAAP diluted net EPS from continuing operations to be in the range of $1.52 to $1.58. Fiscal 2016 non-GAAP diluted net EPS from continuing operations estimates exclude $0.07 per share, related to restructuring charges, the amortization of intangible assets, non-operating retirement-related credits/charges and tax indemnification amounts. For the full year fiscal 2016, HP estimates free cash flow to be in the range of $2.0 to $2.3 billion. With net capital expenditures expected to be $0.5 billion, cash provided by operating activities is estimated to be in the range of $2.5 to $2.8 billion. For more information, including an overview presentation, visit HPs Investor Relations website at . HP Inc. creates technology that makes life better for everyone, everywhere. Through our portfolio of printers, PCs, mobile devices, solutions, and services, we engineer experiences that amaze. More information about HP Inc. (NYSE: HPQ) is available at . To supplement HPs consolidated outlook presented on a generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) basis, HP provides net revenue on a constant currency basis as well as forecasts of non-GAAP diluted net earnings per share from continuing operations and free cash flow. A reconciliation of the adjustments to GAAP results is included in the materials accompanying this press release. In addition, an explanation of the ways in which HPs management uses these non-GAAP measures to evaluate its business, the substance behind HPs decision to use these non-GAAP measures, the material limitations associated with the use of these non-GAAP measures, the manner in which HPs management compensates for those limitations, and the substantive reasons why HPs management believes that these non-GAAP measures provide useful information to investors is included under Use of non-GAAP financial measures below. This additional non-GAAP financial information is not meant to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for diluted net earnings per share from continuing operations or cash flows from operating activities prepared in accordance with GAAP. This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. If the risks or uncertainties ever materialize or the assumptions prove incorrect, the results of HP may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and assumptions. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including but not limited to any projections of net revenue, margins, expenses, effective tax rates, net earnings, net earnings per share, cash flows, currency exchange rates or other financial items; any projections of the amount, timing or impact of cost savings or restructuring charges; any statements of the plans, strategies and objectives of management for future operations, including the execution of the restructuring plans and any resulting cost savings, revenue or profitability improvements; any statements concerning the expected development, performance, market share or competitive performance relating to products or services; any statements regarding current or future macroeconomic trends or events and the impact of those trends and events on HP and its financial performance; any statements regarding pending investigations, claims or disputes; any statements of expectation or belief; and any statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. Risks, uncertainties and assumptions include the need to address the many challenges facing HPs businesses; the competitive pressures faced by HPs businesses; risks associated with executing HPs strategy; the impact of macroeconomic and geopolitical trends and events; the need to manage third-party suppliers and the distribution of HPs products and the delivery of HPs services effectively; the protection of HPs intellectual property assets, including intellectual property licensed from third parties; risks associated with HPs international operations; the development and transition of new products and services and the enhancement of existing products and services to meet customer needs and respond to emerging technological trends; the execution and performance of contracts by HP and its suppliers, customers, clients and partners; the hiring and retention of key employees; integration and other risks associated with business combination and investment transactions; the results of the restructuring plans, including estimates and assumptions related to the cost (including any possible disruption of HPs business) and the anticipated benefits of the restructuring plans; the resolution of pending investigations, claims and disputes; and other risks that are described in HPs Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2015, HPs Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended April 30, 2016, and HPs other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. As in prior periods, the financial information set forth in this press release, including any tax-related items, reflects estimates based on information available at this time. These amounts could differ materially from the amounts that will ultimately be reported in HPs Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ending July 31, 2016 or Form 10-K for the fiscal year ending October 31, 2016. HP assumes no obligation and does not intend to update these forward-looking statements. HPs Investor Relations website at contains a significant amount of information about HP, including financial and other information for investors. HP encourages investors to visit its website from time to time, as information is updated and new information is posted. To supplement HPs outlook presented on a GAAP basis, HP provides net revenue on a constant currency basis as well as forecasts of non-GAAP diluted net earnings per share from continuing operations and free cash flow. These non-GAAP financial measures are not computed in accordance with, or as an alternative to, GAAP in the United States. Reconciliations of each of these non-GAAP financial measures to GAAP information are included in the materials accompanying this press release. Net revenue on a constant currency basis assumes no change in the foreign exchange rate from the prior-year period. Non-GAAP diluted net earnings per share from continuing operations consists of diluted net earnings per share from continuing operations excluding the effects of any charges relating to restructuring charges, the amortization of intangible assets, non-operating retirement-related credits/charges and tax indemnification amounts. In addition, non-GAAP diluted net earnings per share from continuing operations is adjusted by the amount of additional taxes or tax benefits associated with each non-GAAP item and other tax benefits or charges as a consequence of the separation transaction. HPs management uses this non-GAAP financial measure for purposes of evaluating HPs historical and prospective financial performance, as well as HPs performance relative to its competitors. HPs management also uses this non-GAAP measure to further its own understanding of HPs segment operating performance. HP believes that excluding the items mentioned above from this non-GAAP financial measure allows HPs management to better understand HPs consolidated financial performance in relation to the operating results of HPs segments, as HPs management does not believe that the excluded items are reflective of ongoing operating results. More specifically, HPs management excludes each of those items mentioned above for the following reasons: Restructuring charges are costs associated with a formal restructuring plan and are primarily related to (i) employee termination costs and benefits and (ii) costs to vacate duplicative facilities. HP excludes these restructuring costs (and any reversals of charges recorded in prior periods) for purposes of calculating these non-GAAP measures because it believes that these historical costs do not reflect expected future operating expenses and do not contribute to a meaningful evaluation of HPs current operating performance or comparisons to HPs operating performance in other periods. HP incurs charges relating to the amortization of intangible assets. Those charges are included in HPs GAAP earnings from operations, operating margin, net earnings from continuing operations and diluted net earnings per share from continuing operations. Such charges are significantly impacted by the timing and magnitude of HPs acquisitions, divestitures and any related impairment charges. Consequently, HP excludes these charges for purposes of calculating this non-GAAP measure to facilitate a more meaningful evaluation of HPs current operating performance and comparisons to HPs operating performance in other periods. Non-operating retirement-related credits/charges includes certain market-related factors such as interest cost, expected return on plan assets, amortized actuarial gains or losses, and impacts from other market-related factors associated with our defined benefit pension and post-retirement benefit plans. The market-driven retirement-related gains or costs are primarily due to the changes in pension plan assets and liabilities which are tied to financial market performance and the company considers these gains or costs to be outside the operational performance of the business. Non-operating retirement-related credits/(charges) also include certain plan curtailments, settlements and special termination benefits related to HPs defined benefit pension and post-retirement benefit plans. HP believes that eliminating such amounts for purposes of calculating non-GAAP measures facilitates a more meaningful evaluation of HPs current operating performance and provides better transparency into the segment operating results. HP incurred defined plan benefit settlement charges relating to the U.S. HP pension plan. The charges are associated with the net settlement and remeasurement resulting from voluntary lump sum payments offered to certain terminated vested participants. HP excludes these charges for the purpose of calculating this non-GAAP measure to facilitate a more meaningful evaluation of HPs current operating performance and comparisons to HPs operating performance in other periods. As part of separation, HP evaluates all tax uncertain positions to determine the indemnification amounts under the Tax Matters Agreement with Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company and records the adjustments as tax indemnifications amounts for the period. HP excludes these adjustments for the purpose of calculating this non-GAAP measure to facilitate a more meaningful evaluation of HPs current operating performance and comparisons to HPs operating performance in other periods. Free cash flow is a non-GAAP measure that is defined as cash flow from operations reduced by net capital expenditure. Net capital expenditure is computed as investments in property, plant and equipment less proceeds from the sale of property, plant and equipment. Because cash flow from operations does not include net capital expenditure, HP believes that free cash flow provides a helpful assessment of the amount of cash available for investment in HPs businesses, repurchasing stock and other purposes. These non-GAAP financial measures may have limitations as analytical tools, and these measures should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of HPs results as reported under GAAP. Some of the limitations in relying on these non-GAAP financial measures are: Items such as amortization of intangible assets, though not directly affecting HPs cash position, represent the loss in value of intangible assets over time. The expense associated with this change in value is not included in non-GAAP operating margin from continuing operations, non-GAAP net earnings from continuing operations or non-GAAP diluted net earnings per share from continuing operations, and therefore does not reflect the full economic effect of the change in value of those intangible assets. Items such as restructuring charges, defined benefit plan settlement charges, non-operating retirement-related credits/charges, tax indemnifications and net valuation allowance, separation taxes and adjustments that are excluded from non-GAAP operating margin from continuing operations, non-GAAP net earnings from continuing operations and non-GAAP diluted net earnings per share from continuing operations can have a material impact on the equivalent GAAP earnings measure and cash flows. Free cash flow, which includes net capital expenditures, does not represent the total increase or decrease in cash for the period. Other companies may calculate the non-GAAP financial measures differently than HP, limiting the usefulness of those measures for comparative purposes. HP compensates for the limitations on its use of non-GAAP financial measures by relying primarily on its GAAP results and using non-GAAP financial measures only supplementally. HP also provides robust and detailed reconciliations of each non-GAAP financial measure to its most directly comparable GAAP measure and in other written materials that include these non-GAAP financial measures, and HP encourages investors to review those reconciliations carefully. HP believes that providing revenue on a constant currency basis, non-GAAP diluted net earnings per share from continuing operations and free cash flow to investors in addition to the related GAAP measures provides investors with greater transparency to the information used by HPs management in its financial and operational decision making and allows investors to see HPs results through the eyes of management. HP further believes that providing this information better enables HPs investors to understand HPs operating performance and financial condition and to evaluate the efficacy of the methodology and information used by HPs management to evaluate and measure such performance and financial condition. Disclosure of these non-GAAP financial measures also facilitates comparisons of HPs operating performance with the performance of other companies in HPs industry that supplement their GAAP results with non-GAAP financial measures that may be calculated in a similar manner. Copyright 2015 HP Development Company, L.P. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. The only warranties for HP Inc. products and services are set forth in the express warranty statements accompanying such products and services. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an additional warranty. HP Inc. shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein. Editorial contacts Only continuation of intl sanctions against Russia gives Ukrainian political prisoners chance to be released Only continuation of the sanctions against Russia by the international community will help free Ukrainian political prisoners, Hennadiy Afanasyev, who returned to Ukraine after a long imprisonment in Russia, said. "There was an appeal to the whole of the global community to continue the sanctions, because they are working, so it is necessary to continue them. Then all our citizens will return home," he said at a press conference in Kyiv. Afanasyev spoke about the tortures that were applied to him in Russia, and expressed regret that he was forced to testify against Ukrainian filmmaker Oleh Sentsov and Oleksandr Kolchenko, who were also imprisoned and convicted in Russia. "They (the Russians) demanded I sign a confession of guilt, and did everything to achieve this... These people forced me to say that I am guilty, I am a terrorist, I was forced to give evidence against Sentsov and Kolchenko," he said. Afanasyev called on all political prisoners held in Russia to believe that Kyiv will do everything to return them to their homeland. He also said that his health has somewhat improved, however he said he is not undergoing rehabilitation. "I'm not undergoing rehabilitation," he said adding that he is taking medicine prescribed by doctors. Afanasyev also expressed regret that he cannot return home to Crimea. According to him, now he lives in Kyiv, he has already met with relatives of Ukrainian political prisoners held in Russia. Pyze Adds User Loyalty and Attrition Management Features to Growth Intelligence Platform, Reducing Churn REDWOOD CITY, CA (Marketwired) 06/22/16 , the first business intelligence platform enabling mobile app publishers of all sizes to maximize app growth and personalize engagement, today announced the addition of two new features loyalty and attrition management to its platform. These new features address the toughest challenges faced today by the mobile app industry growing and retaining users. According to , a select few apps account for 88 percent of smartphone owners total app usage, which means that most app publishers must fight an uphill battle for screen time. App publishers struggle to identify which aspects of their apps create stickiness and which user attributes lead to loyalty or attrition. Without this knowledge, they cannot make informed decisions about which product features to adjust to improve app stickiness, or how to target specific user sets with which messages, based one each user groups loyalty or attrition rates. As part of the Pyze Growth Intelligence platform, the uses machine learning to solve both of these problems. It enables real-time exploration to identify patterns and relationships between data, and unveil which user dimension attributes yield various types of app engagement. Such exploratory data analysis typically takes several weeks, as it requires exporting data into disparate systems and expert data scientists to reveal actionable insights. The Intelligence Explorer reduces this timeframe to mere seconds, so marketers can explore and take action on these data sets in real-time. As of today, the Intelligence Explorer now includes Attrition Risk and Loyalty dimensions that can be combined with previously available dimensions like engagement, recency or revenue to explore the entire user base, whether its ten thousand users, ten million or even more. Finding and reaching out to active loyal users in a specific cohort with low revenue is now as easy as identifying attrition risk users who joined two to four months ago. Another common challenge faced by mobile marketers and app publishers is engaging with the right users at the right time. To address this challenge, Pyze has added Engagement, Retention, and Resurrection capabilities in to reduce user churn and abandonment by automatically re-engaging with attrition risk users and resurrecting lost users at scale. Based on the data sets identified by the Intelligence Explorer, users can leverage the Growth Automation to engage with users based on workflows defined by behavior, actions and milestones. Together, the Intelligence Explorer and Growth Automation tools enable mobile marketers and app publishers to create meaningful relationships with users based on automated, customizable interactions. These new features are included in the core Pyze Growth Intelligence platform, which . Pyze Growth Intelligence is generally available free of charge, offering the same capabilities for which other vendors charge thousands of dollars per month. Deep understanding of user behavior that leads to loyalty or attrition has been a highly desired feature by our customers, said Dickey Singh, co-founder and CEO of Pyze. Were excited to integrate these new capabilities into our platform to not just provide deeper exploration across the entire user base, but also enable our customers to re-engage attrition-risk users and retain loyal users in the free game changer tier. Todays announcement provides the sophisticated marketing services all app publishers need to be successful in the app store. Were extremely excited about the ability to explore loyalty and attrition through the Intelligence Explorer to understand which product enhancements can make our apps stickier, said Nav Sandhu, CEO of Terafyle, a fast-growing service that allows users to manage media and content between remote computers and cloud storage services. The churn reduction capabilities being added to Pyze Growth Automation are extremely helpful in re-engaging at risk users. Until now, weve been doing a fair amount of manual analysis to identify users who have stopped using our app and then used third party tools to build campaigns for engaging those users. .@PyzeInc adds user loyalty and attrition features to Growth Intelligence Platform, reducing churn Founded in 2013, Pyze is the first business intelligence platform empowering all mobile app publishers to maximize growth and personalize engagement. Pyze provides behavior-based real-time insights and automated touch points to build a meaningful relationship with each user all without the time, effort and cost required by todays big data analytics solutions. Pyze delivers intelligence-driven marketing and recommendations to cultivate loyalty, increase engagement and grow monetization. Pyze is headquartered in Redwood City, CA. Connect with us at , on Twitter , our or . Tanaya Lukaszewski Kulesa Faul for Pyze (916) 712-3791 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 Kauf und Ubertragung einfach und sicher Uns vertrauen Kunden weltweit U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland arrived in Kyiv on June 22, the U.S. Embassy to Ukraine said. The embassy said on its official Facebook account that Nuland planned to meet with senior Ukrainian government officials to discuss bilateral and regional issues, including reform priorities and the Minsk agreements implementation. "She will then travel to Moscow, Russia to meet with senior Russian government officials to discuss the situation in eastern Ukraine and next steps to implement the Minsk agreements in support of the Normandy countries and the Trilateral Contact Group," the embassy said. Based on information possessed by Interfax-Ukraine, Nuland will meet with officials from the Ukrainian presidential office, likely including deputy presidential chief of staff Kostiantyn Yeliseyev, who is in charge of foreign policy issues. Interfax-Ukraine learned from sources that Nuland would not meet with President Petro Poroshenko, even though such a meeting had been previously planned. "At this moment, such a meeting is not planned, but Nuland will meet with an official from the presidential office," a source said. The Verkhovna Rada press service had reported earlier that Nuland would meet with Rada Chairman Andriy Parubiy during her visit. The Ukrainian presidential office has confirmed that President Petro Poroshenko does not plan to meet with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Victoria Nuland on Wednesday. "A meeting with Victoria Nuland is not planned in the president's schedule," the presidential press service told Interfax- Ukraine on Wednesday. It was reported earlier that Nuland arrived in Kyiv on June 22. According to the U.S. embassy to Ukraine, Nuland is expected to meet with senior Ukrainian government officials to discuss bilateral and regional issues, including reform priorities and Minsk implementation. "She will then travel to Moscow, Russia to meet with senior Russian government officials to discuss the situation in eastern Ukraine and next steps to implement the Minsk agreements in support of the Normandy countries and the Trilateral Contact Group," the embassy said. Based on information possessed by Interfax-Ukraine, Nuland will meet with officials from the Ukrainian presidential office, likely including deputy presidential chief of staff Kostiantyn Yeliseyev, who is in charge of foreign policy issues. The Verkhovna Rada press service had reported earlier that Nuland would meet with Rada Chairman Andriy Parubiy during her visit. Buoyed by the global attention surrounding Udta Punjab, a Bollywood thriller that showcases the drug menace in Punjab, a media house is looking at doing a similar production involving gangs and crime in Surrey. Cinemagoers thronged theatres as the controversial film, Udta Punjab, began screening last Friday after the Bombay High Court beat down government censors who had attempted to thwart the movies release ahead of elections in Punjab where the film is set. In the multi-billion international drug rackets busted by the Punjab Police in recent years , the names of sportspersons, police officers, politicians, non-resident Indians (NRIs) and smugglers have surfaced. Punjab state borders Pakistan and most of the drugs trafficked in the region originate from Afghanistan and are processed in Pakistan's tribal areas. Bollywood film producer Anurag Kashyap said his film was a realistic portrayal of the drug trade in Punjab. The controversy took a political twist with state legislature elections due early next year. Censor Board chief Pahlaj Nihalini said in a newspaper interview that the movie Udta Punjab wrongly depicts 70 percent of people of the state consuming drugs and defaming them. He told reporters that the censor board has approved the movie for screening in theaters with the cuts ordered. He accused producer Anurag Kashyap of whipping up a controversy to create interest in his film. Kashyap took his row with India's censor board to a court, challenging dozens of cuts and changes to a film that depicts the menace of drug abuse in the northern state of Punjab as other Bollywood producers and directors rallied behind Kashyap in his fight with the censor board. Compared to Hollywood, movie norms in India are extremely strict. Censorship authorities often order filmmakers - both Indian and foreign - to chop scenes deemed offensive. Films with graphic content can be barred completely. Last year, India's censor authorities ordered that kissing scenes in the James Bond movie, "Spectre," be shortened before it was released in the country. Kashyap said the censor board chief Nihalini demanded 89 cuts to the film and even asked him to drop the name of the state from the title, "Udta Punjab," or "Flying Punjab." The cuts suggested for Udta Punjab included removing the word Punjab throughout the film, deleting expletives or words like election and parliament, and bleeping out the name of a dog called Jackie Chan. Punjab goes to the polls next year and is a crucial state for Modi, whose nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party is junior partner to the regional party that runs it. Opposition parties such as the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party have accused the Modi government of obstructing the film to divert attention from what Congress leader Rahul Gandhi called Punjabs crippling drug problem. As Udta Punjab hit the screens, India West Canada Inc., a new Media Corporation in a Press Release by their Secretary Dr. Sahiba Kaur, said it was pledging $ 5 Million dollars to produce a similar movie called Udta Surrey BC. Surrey RCMP says most of those involved in the gun violence are typically young and working on the front-line of the local drug trade, meaning they take calls from customers, package drugs for street sales and make deliveries for the citys numerous dial-a-dope lines, The Vancouver Sun reported. Dozens of convictions, shootings and investigations involve Punjabi youth whose families immigrated to Canada. The violence comes from their battles over turf, personal disputes and the fact they have ready access to firearms even at the lowest rung of the drug business. Several of the 2016 shootings have been linked to two warring groups. India West Canada Inc., in a Press Release by their Secretary Dr. Sahiba Kaur said the Udta Punjab story line has the NRIs of Canada and United States, worried about their children, who are in the same boat as youth of Punjab. The company is planning to approach Creative BC, an independent agency that is responsible for promoting the development of creative industries in British Columbia, for tax credits to produce the movie in Vancouver, Surrey, Langley and Abbottsford, which have a large Indo-Canadian population. India West Canada Inc., said it has approached Balaji Motion Pictures and has invited Ekta Kapoor to Vancouver to sign the Joint Venture Agreement. Udta Surrey BC, the company said will star Shahid Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Diljit Dosanjh and Kareena Khan Kapoor, with a special role for Bollywood mega stars Amitabh Bachhan and Yograj Singh, stated its Press Release. The next NATO-Russia Council meeting may be held ahead of the NATO summit due in Warsaw, Director of the NATO Liaison Office in Ukraine Alexander Vinnikov said. "We recently held a NATO-Russia Council meeting. And we plan to hold another one, perhaps before the [NATO] summit or right after it," he said in Kyiv on Wednesday. YWCA, police use 11 questions to protect domestic violence victims The idea: See if a victim is at high risk of being seriously injured or killed. And if they are, hook them up with a shelter or services. NATO member states at a summit in Warsaw will confirm the political support for Ukraine's territorial integrity and call on Russia to stop destabilizing the country's east, Director of the NATO Liaison Office in Ukraine Alexander Vinnikov has said. "In Warsaw, we will reaffirm our strong political support to Ukraine. We will reaffirm our support for the sovereignty of Ukraine, its territorial integrity. The Allies do not recognize the annexation of Crimea. We call on Russia to stop the destabilization in Ukraine," Vinnikov said in Kyiv on Wednesday at a press briefing entitled "NATO Warsaw Summit 2016 and Ukraine" organized by the Lithuanian Embassy and the NATO Liaison Office in Ukraine. He also noted that there will be a call for the implementation of the Minsk agreements by all signatories. The NATO chief representative recalled that last week the defense ministers of the Allies agreed on an assistance package for Ukraine. "It should now be a statement at the level of heads of state and governments in Warsaw," he added. According to Vinnikov, Ukraine's progress in reforming its defense system will be also assessed at the summit. Ukraine hopes for the U.S. decision on the provision of lethal weapons, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Andriy Parubiy has said. "Once again I want to thank you for the help we receive from you: non-lethal equipment, joint drills of our military and the U.S. military, a very important assistance provided to our wounded military. Ukraine continues to hope for a decision on lethal weapons," Parubiy said at a meeting with U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland in Kyiv on Wednesday. He told the U.S. assistant secretary of state that Russian military have recently stepped up their activities in eastern Ukraine. "We're simply surprised by such an outbreak of aggression that has lasted for more than a month. In fact, we are deliberately provoked along the entire demarcation line," the speaker said. "And we need to say this out loud to the world that [Russian President Vladimir] Putin doesn't fulfill the Minsk agreements, and furthermore pointedly ignores them," Parubiy added. The parliament speaker thanked the U.S. for its active stance in support of Ukraine at the international level, which plays a key role in the issue of the extension of sanctions against Russia. "I am sure that this issue is important not only for Ukraine but also for the entire international community, that the one who violates our security system, should be held responsible, and be punished," he said. 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 Russian Human Rights Commissioner Tatyana Moskalkova or her regional representatives will visit Ukrainian citizens Mykola Karpiuk and Stanislav Klykh, who have been convicted in Russia, Mykhailo Chaplyha, a spokesman for Ukrainian Human Rights Commissioner Valeria Lutkovska, said on Hromadske Radio. Lutkovska and Moskalkova reached agreement on the matter at a meeting on June 21, Chaplyha said. "Either she [Moskalkova] personally or her regional representatives should visit them [Karpiuk and Klykh]. The situation should be assessed as impartially as possible, with the understanding that politics should be put aside, from the human rights standpoint. If there are reports on torture, competent agencies should be alerted, so as to conduct an efficient investigation, and also pay attention to procedural rights," Chaplyha said. Lutkovska managed to secure the release of 18 Ukrainian convicts from Crimea, although Ukraine's list contained about 40 such people, he said. The Chechen Supreme Court sentenced Karpiuk to 22.5 and Klykh to 20 years' imprisonment on May 26. The sentence stipulates that Karpiuk will spend the first 10 years and Klykh the first 9 years in jail, and then the two will serve the rest of their sentences in a strict security penitentiary. A jury earlier found Karpiuk and Klykh guilty of the charges brought against them. The Russian investigation claim that Klykh and Karpiuk had been members of the extremist organization Ukrainian National Assembly-Ukrainian People's Self-Defense (UNA-UNSO) and fought for armed units of the self-proclaimed republic of Ichkeria against Russian federal forces in 1994-1995. In particular, they were charged with fighting Russian troops in Grozny, including in the area of Minutka square and near the presidential palace. Images captured by NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, reveal that the surface of Deimos is mostly smoooth, marred only by recent impact craters. Mars is the only terrestrial planet to host multiple moons. The smaller of the two, the lumpy moon Deimos, bears more resemblance to an asteroid than to most of the moons in the solar system, a similarity that raises questions about its formation. Discovery and nomenclature On August 12, 1877, the focused search for Martian moons by American astronomer Asaph Hall resulted in the discovery of Deimos. Six days later, he identified the second Martian moon, Phobos. The existence of the moons had been suggested years before, when Johannes Kepler proposed that since Earth hosted one moon and Jupiter four (as only the Galilean moons were known at the time), Mars might have two moons in orbit around it. However, no signs of such moons existed until Hall undertook his careful search. Using a 26-inch refractor at the U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C., Hall made a methodical study of the region around the red planet. Peering closer to Mars than previous astronomers, he found Deimos circling only 14,576 miles (23,458 kilometers) from the center of the planet, traveling around its equator. Phobos orbited even closer in. Their close proximity and small size had kept them hidden in the glare from the planet. Like many objects in the solar system, the Martian moons take their names from Greek mythology. In Homer's ancient poem, "The Iliad," Deimos (Flight) and Phobos (Fear) were the twin sons of Mars (Ares to the Greeks), and accompany him into battle. Exploring the moons Deep space mission planners are eying Deimos, a moon of Mars, as an exploration target for humans. Here, the path to reach the Martian moon is laid out. (Image credit: Lockheed Martin ) It took almost another century for scientists to begin to understand the two tiny Martian moons. In 1971, NASA's Mariner 9 spacecraft became the first manmade satellite to orbit another planet. Images from the craft revealed that both Deimos and Phobos have lumpy, potato-like shapes, rather than being spherical like Earth's moon. Observations of Deimos were limited by the tidal locking of the moon to the planet, resulting in the same side always facing outward. As the exploration of continued, scientists were able to glean more information about the two tiny moons. The Viking orbiters flew by in the late 1970s, with the second orbiter passing within 19 miles (30 km) of Deimos. The Soviet Phobos 2 mission, NASA's Mars Global Surveyor, and the European Mars Express all provided more clues about the two curious moons. Rovers from the planet's surface even got in on the act, with Spirit and Opportunity and Curiosity all providing images from the ground. In 2024, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) plans to launch the Mars Moons eXploration (MMX) mission to visit both Phobos and Deimos. MMX will land on the surface of Phobos and collect samples to be returned to Earth in 2029. "Understanding how Phobos and Deimos formed has been a goal of the planetary science community for many years," David Lawrence, of the Applied Physics Laboratory, said in a statement. Lawrence leads the team to develop one of the instruments for MMX. In 2016, a low-cost Mars orbiter mission called PADME (Phobos And Deimos and Mars Environment) was proposed to visit the moons. Among its major aims is to characterize where Deimos and Phobos came from whether they were created at the same time as Mars, or captured from the asteroid belt, or somewhere else. PADME competed in NASA's Discovery Program but lost out to the Psyche and Lucy missions to visit asteroids. NASA is considering sending humans to Mars in the 2030s, which led some scientists to suggest a mission to one of its moons instead might be beneficial. It would reduce the complication of landing on a surface with an atmosphere, although humans would need to be tethered to the surface of Deimos or Phobos if they wanted to stay put. But future explorers may be in for a shock. Powerful solar eruptions could charge regions of the Martian moon to hundreds of volts, potentially affecting electronic equipment. "We found that astronauts or rovers could accumulate significant electric charges when traversing the night side of Phobos the side facing Mars during the Martian day," William Farrell of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, said in a statement. "While we don't expect these charges to be large enough to injure an astronaut, they are potentially large enough to affect sensitive equipment, so we would need to design spacesuits and equipment that minimizes any charging hazard." Formation and composition The dark moons are made up of material similar to Type I or II carbonaceous chondrites, the substance of asteroids and dwarf planets such as Ceres. They are tiny, with the smaller Deimos having a radius of only 3.9 miles (6.2 km). This, combined with their potato-like shape, hints that both moons might be asteroids, pushed by Jupiter from the asteroid belt and snatched up by the gravity of Mars. But this is far from conclusive. The close orbit of Deimos is nearly circular. It travels around the equatorial plane of Mars in 30 hours, a little over a Martian day. To reach such a stable orbit would require braking by the atmosphere, but the atmosphere on the red planet is thinner than on Earth. Another possible origin for the moons is that dust and rock could have accreted, or drawn together, while in orbit around Mars. A third possibility includes a collision, much like the one that formed Earth's moon, with most of the large debris being shed from the planet's orbit, leaving behind only Deimos and Phobos. A recent proposal combines the last two possibilities. According to researchers, a collision once scattered debris into a ring around Mars. As Phobos approaches the red planet, it will be torn into a ring again, scientists predict. "Solving the riddle of how Mars' moons came to be will help us better understand how planets formed around our sun and, in turn, around other stars," Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD), said in a statement. From the surface of Mars, the tiny moon appears star-like. At full moon, Deimos shines about as brightly as Venus. When the moon eclipses the sun, it appears as a small dot crossing its surface. But the pair won't shine in the sky forever. Within 100 million years, the closer Phobos will collide with the red planet. Deimos will suffer the opposite fate. Its orbit is slowly drawing it away from Mars, and eventually the moon will be cast off into space. Deimos has a number of craters caused by impact from meteorites. But craters on Deimos look different from those on most bodies in the solar system. When a rock collides with another body, material from the impact tends to fly up in the air and fall back to the surface, creating ejecta deposits. But the small size of the moon means that objects only need to travel 13 mph (20 km/h) to fly off into space. Although the moon is covered with regolith that may lie as deep as 328 feet (100 meters), it is created by meteorites pulverized by impact, rather than by castoff material. Only two of the craters on Deimos are named. In 1726, English author Jonathan Swift cited Kepler when he referred to two Martian moons in his fictional work, "Gulliver's Travels." A few years later, the French writer Voltaire referenced two moons in a short story. The two craters bear the names of these authors. Facts about Deimos: Radius of moon: 3.9 miles (6.2 km) Semi-major axis around Mars (distance from planet's center): 14,576 miles (23,458 km) Closest approach: 14,576 miles (23,458 km) Farthest approach: 14,576 miles (23,458 km) Orbit eccentricity: 0.0002 Orbit inclination: 1.788 degrees Time to make one orbit: 30 hours Mass: 1.4762 x 10 15 kg kg Density: 1.471 g/cm 3 Surface gravity: 0.003 m/s 2 Escape velocity: 13 mph (20 km/h) Follow Nola Taylor Redd at @NolaTRedd, Facebook, or Google+. Follow us at @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. The China Manned Space Agency plans to make major strides on its space station in the coming months with the inauguration of a new spaceport with the launch of the first Long March 7 rocket, shown in production here. A precursor laboratory will launch in September, followed by a two-member crew in October. China said it would welcome international participation in many forms. PARISThe Chinese government has agreed to help finance non-Chinese payloads and experiments to be operated from China's future space station through the United Nations as part of its attempt to internationalize the program, a senior Chinese space official told the U.N. The official said China is on track to inaugurate its fourth spaceport, the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center on Hainan Island, in the coming weeks with the launch of the first Long March 7 rocket. Wenchang is located at 9 degrees north latitude, which is the southernmost point on Chinese territory. Under the current schedule, a TianGong-2 orbiting laboratory module would be launched in September aboard a Long March 5B rocket to test technologies that will be needed for the space station. A manned ShenZhou-11 capsule is set to launch in October, carrying two astronauts, to rendezvous and dock with the TianGong-2 space station precursor facility in low Earth orbit. At cargo ship is scheduled for launch in the first half of 2017 to test in-orbit propellant refueling technologies. In 2018, the core module for the future station described as a "test core module" will be put into orbit. In-orbit assembly experiments will be conducted before the stations two experiment modules are launched, by Long March-5B rockets, from Wenchang. Full operations are scheduled to start in 2022. Addressing the U.N. Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space plenary conference June 14 in Vienna, Austria, Wu Ping, deputy director of the China Manned Space Agency, stressed China's openness to having non-Chinese experiments, payloads, astronauts and even complete space station modules become part of the Chinese facility. Wu said her office's director-general, Wang Zhaoyao, signed two agreements with the U.N. Office for Outer Space Affairs (OOSA) Director Simonetta Di Pippo on space station collaboration and that China would use these to solicit, evaluate, select and finance future experiments from foreign nationals. A selection of experiments would need to be accompanied by a bilateral cooperation agreement between China and the nation proposing the experiments. "This is an exciting opportunity to further build the space capacity of developing countries and increase understanding of the benefits space can bring to humankind, including for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. My office and I are looking forward to working with CMSA on these initiatives," Di Pippo said in a June 16 statement. The agreements are dated March 31 but apparently were not announced until Wu's speech to COPUOS. Wu pointed to existing agreements with the 22-nation European Space Agency and with Russia's Roscosmos space agency on space station cooperation. ESA officials have said they are preparing their future astronauts for visits to the Chinese facility, although no specific agreements have been concluded. The Chinese space station will be comprised of three modules, the core command module and two experiment modules, orbiting at between 340 and 450 kilometers in altitude at an inclination of 42-43 degrees relative to the equator. The international space station, with the United States, Russia, Japan, the European Space Agency and Canada as partners, flies at approximately the same altitude but with an inclination of 51.6 degrees. The higher inclination allows it to pass over Russia's mission control center in Korolev, Russia. Designed to operate for at least 10 years starting in 2022, with extensions possible depending on future maintenance requirements, the facility will house three full-time astronauts and up to six during rotation periods. The full-time crew will be rotated every six months. The CMSA is designing three types of unmanned cargo freighters, pressurized and unpressurized, which are to launch aboard Long March 7 rockets from Wenchang. Crews will launch aboard Long March 2F rockets from the Jiuquan spaceport, located in the Gobi Desert in Inner Mongolia. One of the distinguishing features of the Chinese facility, Wu said, is that it will be visited by a large-aperture astronomy telescope, designed to study dark matter, which will be able to dock at the space station for maintenance and hardware upgrades. Originally published on Space News. 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. An artist's illustration of two black holes merging to produce ripples similar to those spotted by LIGO last fall. Newly spotted ripples in space-time are making waves in the scientific community. The recent announcement of a second gravitational wave detection by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO) has sparked excitement and enthusiasm even among scientists not directly involved in studying these wrinkles in space and time. Space.com spoke with several astronomers at the 228th meeting of the American Astronomical Society (AAS) in San Diego, California, to gauge their reaction. "The first detection was like going from being blind to being able to see," said Meg Urry, president of the AAS and an astrophysicist at Yale University in Connecticut. "[The second] is like the image is getting less blurry." [Again! Gravitational Waves Detected from 2nd Black Hole Collision (Video)] Two is better than one In September 2015, after coming back online following a significant upgrade, the LIGO facilities (one in Louisiana and another in Washington state) detected gravitational waves rippling through space-time. This was the first direct detection of the space-time ripples, which Albert Einstein had predicted a century before in his theory of general relativity. LIGO's discovery was announced in February; on June 15, the LIGO team announced a second ripple, detected in December. A view from the air of the Livingston, Louisiana, LIGO detector. (Image credit: LIGO) "They were very lucky with their first detection," said David Helfand, a professor of astronomy at Columbia University in New York. The signal reported in February was larger than scientists had predicted, so large that LIGO scientist and spokesperson Gabriela Gonzalez said the team initially doubted the signal's reality. Helfand said the first signal was so pronounced in the LIGO data that it's presence was apparent even to astronomers who don't usually work with gravitational waves. Derek Buzasi, an astronomer at Florida Gulf Coast University, joked that one event makes an observation while two makes a statistic. He went on to say that multiple observations of objects and events help scientists to better understand the phenomena. As more detections pile up and "the unique events become routine, that will really be earth-shattering," he said. On that same note, other scientists at the meeting cautioned that drawing information from only two events should be done with care. Eric Hintz, an astronomer who studies variable stars at Brigham Young University in Utah, said he looks forward to a time when LIGO has made 50 to 100 detections from individual events. At that point, scientists will have a better understanding of the "common" characteristics among gravitational wave signals and those that exhibit unusual properties, he said. Having two detections occur so close together is also significant, scientists said. While gravitational waves are thought to pass through Earth multiple times each day, LIGO isn't sensitive enough to pick up all of them. The second detection should help gravitational wave scientists better estimate how often collisions between black holes occur, said Nancy Morrison, a retired astronomer who studied massive stars at the University of Toledo in Ohio. "It's exciting that this came so quickly after the first one," Morrison said. The observations open the door to learning more about black holes, which do not radiate light directly and therefore cannot be studied "directly" using traditional telescopes, said Meredith Rawls, a graduate student in astronomy at New Mexico State University. "Until now, we had to use light" for all observations, Rawls said. "Now we can use gravity. It's a new way to do astronomy." Francis Wilkin, an astronomer at Union College in New York, agreed with Rawls, saying the detection of gravitational waves opened up "a whole new window on the universe." From the fringes to the mainstream A growing number of detections could also help fuel excitement about gravitational waves, said one astrophysicist, who asked not to be identified. Gravitational wave science was previously viewed as being on the fringes of astronomy, he said. With the two confirmed detections, gravitational waves have become more "mainstream," the scientist said. He added that a growing number of signals detected by LIGO could boost the astronomy community's interest in future gravitational wave detectors. Every 10 years, the U.S. National Research Council produces a report called the Decadal Survey, in which the council makes suggestions for missions or areas of inquiry that the astrophysics community should focus on in the coming decade. This document typically influences how NASA chooses to spend its astrophysics budget. If LIGO continues to detect gravitational waves at such a rapid clip, it's possible that the upcoming report, which will be released in 2020, could recommend further investment in the newly spotted phenomena, the scientist said. "It's just such a significant moment," Urry said. "It's one of the things that makes you proud to be a scientist." Follow Nola Taylor Redd on Twitter @NolaTRedd or Google+. Follow us at @Spacedotcom, Facebookor Google+. Originally published on Space.com. SEATTLE Jeff Bezos, whose commercial space company Blue Origin recently completed another test flight of its New Shepard reusable suborbital vehicle, is the latest winner of the Heinlein Prize for commercial space achievements, previously won by an archrival. The Heinlein Prize Trust announced June 21 that Bezos will be the third recipient of the prize, established in the name of the late science fiction author Robert A. Heinlein, for his efforts to develop suborbital and orbital launch vehicles to make space more accessible. The award will be formally announced at the NewSpace 2016 conference here. "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, in a statement. "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." Blue Origin is currently developing the New Shepard suborbital vehicle, which conducted its latest test flight June 19 from the company's West Texas test site. That flight was the fourth consecutive flight of the same propulsion module, which makes a powered vertical landing and can be reused with only minor maintenance between flights. The company has indicated the vehicle could enter commercial service, carrying people and experiments, as soon as 2018. New Shepard is also a technology pathfinder for a future orbital launch vehicle. The first stage of that vehicle is designed to land and be reused, and be scaled up to even larger orbital vehicles. That vehicle will built at a new factory at Florida's Cape Canaveral and its first flight is expected around the end of the decade. That orbital vehicle will use a new engine, designated BE-4, in its first stage. Blue Origin is currently developing that engine for use in both that vehicle as well as United Launch Alliance's new Vulcan launch vehicle. ULA has yet to make a formal decision on whether to use that engine, but has previously acknowledged that it is the frontrunner to power the Vulcan's first stage. Bezos welcomed the award. "Robert Heinlein inspired millions with his visionary and incredibly entertaining stories, and it's an honor for all of us at Blue Origin to receive this award," he said in a statement. "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 winner of the prize, first awarded in 2006 to Peter Diamandis for establishing the X Prize that stimulated the development of commercial suborbital reusable launch vehicles. The second winner, in 2011, was SpaceX founder Elon Musk for his development of the now-retired Falcon 1. Musk, like Bezos, is also pursuing reusable launch vehicles, having successfully landed four Falcon 9 first stages on land or on ships for potential reuse. Bezos and Musk have in the past engaged in debates, primarily on Twitter, about the significance of their technical achievements. The prize comes with a cash award that, while not specified in the announcement, was $250,000 when Musk won the prize in 2011. Any cash prize is likely to be a token award for Bezos, whose net worth is estimated by Forbes magazine to be $62 billion. The prize also includes a unique award: a "Lady Vivamus" sword from the Heinlein novel Glory Road. A formal prize award ceremony is planned for Sept. 14 in Washington. Originally published on Space News. An artist's schematic impression of the distortion of space-time by a supermassive black hole. Smaller black holes are thought to be responsible for the distortions in space-time (known as gravitational waves) detected by the LIGO experiment. Take two massive stars, collapse them into black holes, bake for 10 billion years, and combine. That's the recipe scientists have cooked up to produce the first detected gravitational waves spotted last September, and one that produces the most recent detection, as well. New work shows that that the two stars the seeds for the first gravitational wave detection became black holes only a few million years after their birth, then merged more than 10 billion years later. The second pair followed a similar path. To figure out the primary ingredients of the gravitational waves detected by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) in 2015 (and reported this year), the team of scientists modeled pairs of stars throughout the lifetime of the universe. They found that most of the black hole mergers LIGO should expect to see would have happened only a few billion years after the Big Bang kicked off the universe 13.82 billion years ago. [LIGO's Gravitational Waves Discovery Enthusiastically Explained By Space Reporter (Video)] An artist's schematic impression of the distortion of space-time by a supermassive black hole. Smaller black holes are thought to be responsible for the distortions in space-time (known as gravitational waves) detected by the LIGO experiment. (Image credit: Felipe Esquivel Reed) Early universe collisions Black hole mergers start with a pair of stars, each ranging from 40 to 100 times the mass of the sun. Binary stars are common; more than half the stars in the universe are part of a stellar couple. The more massive star evolves faster, and begins to transfer material to its companion as it nears the end of its lifetime. What happens next is still unknown. Single stars with enough mass often explode as a supernova, blowing off excess material and leaving behind a dense core that collapses inward to form a black hole. But some studies have suggested that binary stars can jump straight to the black hole stage without the violent supernova stage, and this was incorporated into the models used by the new study's lead author Krzysztof Belczynski and his team. After one star becomes a black hole, the second star can inherited the expelled material from its companion, grow larger and interact with the black hole, shrinking the distance between the pair. Eventually, the second star also dies and forms a black hole. The stars that created the ripple spotted by LIGO formed when the universe was about 2 billion years old, Belczynski's research suggests, making them some of the oldest and brightest stars. It took only about 5 million years for the stellar couple to both become black holes, what Belczynski called "a blink on the universe time scale." But after the rapid changes came a period of waiting; it took just over 10 billion years for the pair to merge. The collision of the black holes produced waves in the space-time surrounding them, which were ultimately detected on Earth by LIGO. One way to determine the age of the original stars comes from understanding their metallicity, the amount of material other than hydrogen and helium the contain. Stars with additional ingredients have stronger winds carrying away their material, reducing their mass. The team found it more likely that stars with little pollution from other elements would interact to form black hole pairs. "Binaries at low metallicity survive interactions and form black hole-black hole mergers much more often than in high metallicity environments," Belczynski, an astronomer at Warsaw University in Poland, told Space.com by email. "It is about 50 to 100 times more likely that a massive binary will form a black hole-black hole merger at low metallicities than at high metallicity," he said. The first generations of stars in the universe were made up of hydrogen and helium, and fused other elements within their cores. When they exploded, they scattered the material into space, spreading the gas and dust that would build the next generation of stars. As a result, stars become more polluted with heavier elements over the lifetime of the universe. Therefore, most of the stars likely to produce black hole mergers most likely formed in the first generations, when the stars had lower metallicity. While LIGO probably didn't spot a collision between the very first stars, those first stars may have produced their own black hole mergers and subsequent gravitational waves. No direct observations have been made of the first stars, making them difficult to model. "We do not see these first stars, so we have no observational information on how they evolve, so it is hard to predict things for them," Belczynski said. His team focused on subsequent eras of stars, which scientists have observed. "For other, later generations of stars, we can see them and we can model them better, and the results are more secure," he said. According to J. J. Eldridge, a physicist at the University of Auckland in New Zealand, these stars would still have appeared relatively early in the unvierse's history, and could have played a role in lighting up the early universe during its Dark Ages. After the Big Bang, hydrogen created a curtain of darkness that kept certain wavelengths of light from passing through. Only after the first generations of stars heated up the hydrogen did light begin to shine in the early universe. The relatively early age of binary pairs that sent out the ripples detected by LIGO suggests that binary stars existed early in the universe, Eldridge said. This confirms work he and Elizabeth Stanway, at the University of Warwick in England, have done studying binary stars. "We suggested that binaries have to be common in the early universe," Eldridge said. "GW 150914 [LIGO's first detection] possibly coming from such a binary system at this time is a nice bit of extra evidence of how important binaries are to understanding the universe." According to Belczynski, some parts of the today's universe could still form stellar pairs that could wind up as colliding black holes down the road. "The pollution of the universe was not uniform, and even in present times, we have patches of stars and entire galaxies of low metallicity," Belczynski said. "This is why we also predict that some black hole-black hole mergers may form in the present universe." The research was published online in published online in the journal Nature (opens in new tab) June 22, along with Eldridge's accompanying perspective article. 'Black hole mosh pit' The early stars aren't the only ones capable of producing black hole mergers. Recent evidence also suggests that black holes could have formed in globular clusters, huge collections of stars that travel close together. "These are systems that pack stars very tightly," Frederic Rasio of Northwest University said last week during a news conference at the 228th meeting of the American Astronomical Society. The dense cluster pushes stars together. Rasio modeled what happened when two stars and a black hole danced together in a bizarre threesome. He found that, under the right circumstances, the star that started out with the black hole could wind up hurled into space, while the second star formed its own black hole that ultimately collided with its partner. The binary itself would find itself merged out of what he called "the black hole mosh pit." According to Belczynski's simulations, the rates of black hole mergers produced in the simulations are 40 times smaller than those formed through the combination of early, low-metallicity black holes, making it more likely that LIGO's observations caught a glimpse of the first combinations. Eldridge agreed that it was more likely, though he noted the formation of the first gravitational waves in a black hole mosh pit could not be ruled out. "I suspect that both channels contribute to the merger rate," Belczynski said. "Once we have lots and lots of LIGO detections, we will have mergers coming from both." Follow Nola Taylor Redd on Twitter @NolaTRedd or Google+. Follow us at @Spacedotcom, Facebook or Google+. Originally published on Space.com. In this artist's rendering, a disk of material has formed around a supermassive black hole after a star was shredded by the cosmic beast. The material heats up as it falls toward the black hole, and flashes of X-ray light near the center of the disk result in light echoes that allow astronomers to map the structure of the funnel-like flow. Using these light echoes, new research has revealed strong gravity effects around a normally quiet black hole. A sleeping giant at the center of a galaxy has awoken: A normally dormant, monster black hole has been found shredding a star that ventured too close to the cosmic beast. This stellar slaughter was spotted by scientists who study the X-rays bouncing around the swirling disk of matter surrounding the giant black hole. The method used to analyze this event named Swift J1644+57 could help solve the mystery of how the largest black holes in the universe grew to such enormous sizes, the authors of the new research said. At the core of almost every galaxy lies a monster black hole in some cases, the largest black holes in the universe, millions to billions of times the mass of the sun. Astronomers think vast amounts of energy from these supermassive black holes can influence the evolution of the galaxies in which they live. [The Strangest Black Holes in the Universe] Although nothing can escape a black hole after falling inside, not even light, it's possible for material around a black hole to radiate light that astronomers can see. Violent motion within the so-called accretion disks, the expanses of gas and dust swirling around black holes, can generate bright flares of light, as well as jets of material that shoot away from the black hole at nearly the speed of light. Most of what astronomers know about supermassive black holes comes from studying black holes that are actively devouring or accreting matter. However, these active giants make up only about 10 percent or less of supermassive black holes, the authors of the new paper told Space.com. In contrast, about 90 percent of known supermassive black holes are dormant, meaning that they are not actively consuming matter and, consequently, do not give off any detectable radiation. However, sometimes a star drifts too close to a dormant black hole, and the star's ensuing destruction, known as a tidal disruption event, triggers spectacular fireworks. These cataclysms can provide astronomers with information about this vast population of mysterious supermassive black holes. Any details from dormant black holes are potentially valuable to astronomers in their efforts to understand all types of black hole activity. Scientists would especially like to understand the rates of spin for both active and dormant supermassive black holes. This is because scientists have different theories about how black holes grow in size, and these different ideas predict different spins for the black holes, study lead author Erin Kara, an astrophysicist at the University of Maryland, College Park, told Space.com. "For instance, if black holes grow mostly by accretion of material through an accretion disk, then we would expect the black holes to be spun up over time, and then most of the black holes in the universe should have maximal spin," Kara said. "By contrast, if black holes grow only by mergers of smaller black holes into larger ones, then we should expect a more random distribution of black hole spins." Previous research into the light from active black holes revealed that many of the objects are spinning rapidly. Astronomers now want to measure the rate at which normally dormant black holes whirl; this will help researchers get a more complete picture of black hole spin, Kara said. For the new research, Kara and her colleagues examined a black hole that was caught in the act of swallowing a star that got too close (the first such discovery), using old high-energy X-ray data from NASA's public archives. Swift J1644+57, first detected in 2011, happened about 3.9 billion light-years from Earth in the direction of the constellation Draco. "Most tidal-disruption events don't emit much in the high-energy X-ray band. But there have been at least three known events that have, and this is the first and only such event that has been caught at its peak," Kara said in a statement from the University of Maryland. "NASA's Swift satellite saw it first and triggered the European Space Agency's XMM-Newton satellite and the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency and NASA's Suzaku satellite to target it for follow-up. So we have excellent data. We're lucky that the one event we have is showing us all these exciting new things." The researchers used a new technique called X-ray reverberation mapping to chart the inside of the black hole's accretion disk. This method resembles how dolphins and bats map their surroundings by emitting ultrasonic waves and measuring the amount of time it takes for the echoes to return. In X-ray reverberation, the astronomers investigated small delays in the arrival time of X-rays emitted within the disk that reflected off iron atoms in the disk. "We know how sound echoes in a large auditorium, for example. Because we know the speed of sound, we can use the time-delay information to calculate the shape of the auditorium," Kara said in the statement. "We are doing the same with X-ray radiation to map out the inner accretion disk. It's a cool, novel technique that has only been developed within the last six years." This new kind of analysis suggested the black hole is a few million times the mass of the sun. "The thing for me that was most surprising was that it actually worked," Kara said. "X-ray reverberation mapping was not developed for looking at tidal-disruption events, but we had an idea to try it out, and now it seems to be a promising way of understanding tidal-disruption events." In addition, the scientists unexpectedly discovered that the X-rays appear to come from deep within the accretion disk, very near the black hole, Kara said. Conventional wisdom among astronomers has long held that, during a tidal-disruption event, high-energy X-rays are created further away from the black hole in the relativistic jets powerful bursts of particles ejected from the black hole at nearly the speed of light. Furthermore, the researchers found the black hole was gorging on the star at a rate 100 times greater than a theoretical maximum known as the Eddington limit. This is the point at which the energy given off by matter rushing toward a black hole should curb the amount of matter feeding that black hole. Increasingly, research suggests black holes can overcome the Eddington limit for so-called super-Eddington growth rates. "In the case of Swift J1644+57, we think it can exceed the Eddington limit because most of the radiation is funneled out preferentially in one direction," Kara said. "Meanwhile, material is accreted inwards at very fast rates, unimpeded by the strong radiation force." So far, Kara and her colleagues have not actually been able to use X-ray reverberation mapping on a tidal-disruption event to measure dormant black-hole spin. Still, they say the method could directly measure the speed and direction of dormant black-hole spin in the near future. "Just as importantly, we can follow along after an event and watch how the accretion disk spins down and energy dissipates as the black hole returns to a quiescent state," study co-author Chris Reynolds, also at the University of Maryland, College Park, said in the statement. "We might finally be able to observe all of these various states that, so far, we only know from theory textbooks." In the future, the researchers want to attempt X-ray reverberation mapping on additional tidal-disruption events. "We just need to wait for them to happen," Kara said. "We've been waiting since 2011 for another one like Swift J1644+57." The scientists detailed their findings online (opens in new tab) June 22 in the journal Nature. Follow Charles Q. Choi on Twitter @cqchoi. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebookand Google+. Original article on Space.com. Interview with Ukrainian Business Initiative Association (UBI) co-founder, Ukrainian MP, former Head of Donetsk State Administration Serhiy TarutaI have been constantly saying that we have the format of the [Trilateral] Minsk Contact Group is wrong - there is no representative from Donbas. It's absolutely wrong. Why isn't Lukianchenko [Donetsk Mayor since 2002] included? He is respected there up to this day. Why aren't other important people involved? The Minsk platform is, unfortunately, a politically charged issue. Other platforms should operate under this political structure. I participate in the work of major international groups, which discuss the situation and look at statistics from the occupied territories, which most people are not aware of. Western organizations with experience in eliminating the consequences of such conflicts provide statistics on the level of medical and social security and living standards in Donbas.They are filled with horror at the sight of it. They offer to help. But we are all politicized, closed at the top level. The president does not let anyone interfere. He thinks that he can resolve the situation on his own. Well, let him work it out then. The situation shouldnt be frozen under any circumstances. The longer the situation is suspended, the more we destroy Ukraine. The sooner we resolve the conflict, the sooner we can move on.Today the Minsk agreements are negatively looked upon. But no one is going to make negotiations using other platforms. And we have to accept that all the countries that participate in the settlement of the Ukrainain issue do not even consider any alternative. The only way to restore peace in Donbas is the Minsk agreements. Within the framework of the Minsk agreement it is possible to improve the working structure, which will be coordinated either between presidents or foreign ministers. We're creating a huge problem, expecting that there will be some other format and delaying the resolution of the conflict. No one will reconsider the Minsk format. It is an axiom. But within the framework of the Minsk format, there are ways to change the political structure in its current form, to refine them and make easily guaranteed compromises. This is what is required to develop the so-called road map. It may not be public. That is a part of the settlement of all conflicts. Only the upper part of this iceberg is known, no one knows the bottom. Such a roadmap should be developed by platforms, they should unite around a clear strategy, which is, unfortunately, missing so far.Ukraine should pass those laws which are provided in the Minsk agreements, but which come into effect only if certain conditions are met. Thus, we would give a sign that we are ready for it. We do understand that the elections can be carried out only under certain conditions. Personally for me, as someone who knows the peculiarities of war, border control is important. This is a basic condition for conflict settlement. Configuration of mutual guarantees is fundamental. What should Ukraine do? We need to get away from adjusting policies to cater to the public mood. Negotiations should be ongoing. It is necessary to create additional platforms. A certain part of what is being agreed should be made public. I believe that a fully closed format without public access distorts the real understanding of agreements and of what is happening. If something is arranged, we should not be afraid to go to people and convince them of the correctness of such actions. The president should cooperate more closely with the parliament on the Donbas issue. There are those who may assist president in resolving this situation. Unfortunately, everything is closed on one person and is not delegated to anyone. So, the Minsk format doesnt work. The fact that [former representative of Ukraine in the Trilateral Contact Group in Minsk Roman] Bezsmertny refused to continue participating in the negotiation process is a result of ineffective actions, the absence of strategic guidance to resolve the situation [in the talks]. It is important for me that Ukraine has defined a clear strategy through time. We dont have much time. If we do not solve the conflict over Donbas until the end of the year, there wont be a clear strategy. This will be a crucial for our country.As for the hostages, one shouldn't raise this issue only on the presidential level, because by doing so we immediately raise the price of each manifold. They are, inter alia, the hostages of improper actions. People are suffering from it. In due time, we released hostages and made agreements. The release of some hostages was remunerated.Of course, it will. As soon as the release of the particular prisoner rises to the presidential level, we will immediately lose time and the release will be delayed. There are those whom you can negotiate with on the uncontrolled territories. As far as I know, now we are speaking about the "all for all" format. That should be quickly resolved both on the Minsk and presidential level and include other national leaders. That would be the best way.Today, we, unfortunately, have learned to do without a full range of operating enterprises. We thought that the enterprises were automatically obtaining funding from combined Russian-separatist groups. In fact, the militants received funding from other activities they were engaged in. Military operations in Donbas bring significant profits to certain groups of people on both sides of the conflict. It also concerns [head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic Oleksandr] Zakharchenko and [self-proclaimed leader of the so-called Luhansk People's Republic Igor] Plotnitsky. For them, every day of the war is the opportunity to earn money. Their wives control retail chains - it's a big business. And the naive hope that Zakharchenko wants to stop this war He will be shooting, and we will be dying economically. We have been losing a lot of money in our country for the last two years. The level of economic decline is among the most pronounced in the world. That is, every day people are getting poorer. And this process cannot be stopped until there is stabilization in Donbas. The biggest robbery has been committed. Many enterprises, which, unfortunately, were immediately brought to stop, and were cut into metal scrap. They won't recover even if we permit them to continue working. But as for the large city-forming enterprises, this is, surely, a sensitive issue. Apparently, the militants didn't have mandate on the destruction of such enterprises. On the other hand, they were afraid to provoke the population. With respect to these enterprises, we need to do our best to make them work. Non-operating enterprises will automatically increase the ranks of the militant army with those who are unemployed.Militants who were initially seizing power believed that this territory would become part of Russia and all that they captured will remain theirs. This situation stimulated them. But last autumn they received the task to make arrangements with Ukraine, because Russia will not take them. Today they understand that they have no other way. Anyway, these territories will remain Ukrainian. We need to make efforts for eliminating militant leaders in the negotiating group who are interested in business today and who will provoke the war to retain their business... The militants were also told that elections, though quasi-elections, would take place. I think they realize that elections will [eventually] take place. Its important for them not to allow them to take place, because it will open the door for people with solid reputation and influence. They need to eliminate the threat posed by powerful businessmen. After all, they have become businessmen themselves. Zakharchenko is a number one businessman there.No, I dont.The issue of Donbas and that of decentralization are two different issues. I am sure that it was intentionally interconnected, so that the pressure of Western partners on decisions taken in Donbas would help the president to push through the perverse model of decentralization, which actually gives a greater concentration of power in his hands. I did not vote in favor because of this. Decentralization in this form will not help us to give real powers to the public and wont create new investment opportunities for the country.That model of relations in the state, which was primarily established by representatives of big business, is a dead end for them. We have joined forces in order to change it, change the terms and conditions of conducting business in Ukraine, to establish new principles of interaction between business, government and society. These principles imply rejection of the oligarchic business: instead of backroom agreements an open dialogue, instead of buying political forces and individual politicians - a clear investment in the political process, the establishment of a new political culture. These efforts will eventually result in a new understanding of the country structure and a new social contract. UBI speaks out in favor of the creation of a new social contract. The civil sector should undertake this responsibility. We need to completely reformat the Constitution. Today, the country's construction is the collapse of the building structure. We are trying to put the shards back into a broken window, presenting the exercise as reform. But the construction is falling to pieces. The construction of our country with a post-Soviet Constitution is an anachronism. We have a chance to build a new structure. The UBI union spoke out in favor of a new country model where the responsible business together with the civil society will determine the appropriate governmental model. It is necessary to transfer maximum powers to localities and communities, to create a balanced representation, where the power isn't concentrated in the hands of one person.We need a parliamentary republic with two chambers of parliament. The government should be very small and functions delegated to localities. It is necessary to change the structure of state institutions. The structure of the new Constitution should be the basis of a new social contract.Before we talk about the content of the new Constitution, it is necessary to radically change the procedure to adopt it. Since the legitimacy of the Basic Law, the status of the country's supreme legal act, can only be achieved by maximum involvement of the society in its adoption. We have provided more than the current procedure for adopting the Basic Law. Its been written by constitutionalists - 15 active public figures have prepared a draft law, which has been initiated by some MPs. It states that the new Constitution should be passed at the constitutional assembly, which is formed on the basis of electoral districts, stipulating that politicians or officials shouldnt be delegated there. Representatives of the communities will be required to prepare the concept of the Basic Law, which will be put to a referendum. This will enable the dialogue. The task of the business community is to publicly help finance the development of the Constitution draft. The second task is a new economic model covering a 10-year term. I think UBI will publish the appropriate economic doctrine during the next ten days. The programs for achieving the relevant objectives will be based on the doctrine. The new Constitution and economic model are two main tasks. And we are ready to participate in their creation.The President acknowledged our platform. We had the third Hayatt meeting attended by the president, the prime minister, the head of the National Bank and the Finance Minister. The dialogue with the president as such did not take place, but we must be grateful that he came. We would like to be heard by the president. He understands a lot, but, unfortunately, is doing the opposite [of what he should do]... The premier tries to understand. We offered the premier our help in creating correct and fair economic model. But we see that routine is tedious. The prime minister requires a team of highly qualified professionals who understand not micromanagement but macro management. Unfortunately, he doesn't have such a team. He has his faithful people, but they represent micromanagement. I definitely do not expect great results from the current government, but we are ready to provide assistance from our side. We hope that the dialogue will take place. If there is no dialogue, the new Cabinet will be discredited and this will lead, ultimately, to the formation of another Cabinet.I believe that elections are a good, correct and civilized way for governing Ukraine. There are many worse scenarios than holding elections. Nevertheless, a 'restart' is required. The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2016 - Space Media Network. 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Any attempt to extort money from Space Media Network will be ignored and reported to Australian Law Enforcement Agencies as a potential case of financial fraud involving the use of a telephonic carriage device or postal service. 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. 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. Europe won't make things easy for the British, and for good reason. The pro-Brexit camp's belief that they can preserve the advantages of the single market without the responsibilities of membership is laughable. Firstly, because others don't have these advantages. Secondly, because Europe doesn't want to encourage potential copycats like Marine Le Pen, head of France's Front National. Le Pen has announced that, should she win the French presidential election next year - however unlikely that may be - she would hold a referendum of her own. The more gently the British are treated, the more appealing it will become for others to extort special rights. The new British-European relationship is likely to be modelled on the examples of Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein. The rules of the domestic market would largely still apply, though with the disadvantages that London would have no say in making the rules, would have to pay to enter the market, and would have to continue letting EU citizens enter the country. Should there be no agreement within two years, the statutes of the World Trade Organisation come into effect. The EU would impose tariffs on British imports and vice versa. Britain would be back to where it once was. In the 20th century. The truth is no one knows what will happen on June 24 if the British vote to leave. No one in Brussels, no one in London and no one in Berlin. German finance minister Wolfgang Schauble says no one can predict how the financial markets will react post-Brexit. "We are preparing for all possible scenarios to limit the risks," Schauble said in an interview with DER SPIEGEL. In the case of Brexit, he says, we must remain calm and offer the markets some orientation. "An exit would be more dangerous for Britain than for the rest of the EU," says one Social Democrat member of the German government. No one wants Brexit, the cabinet member argues, but if it happens, the opportunities it would present must be taken advantage of. The Social Democrats in particular are hoping for a shift towards closer EU integration. Some among chancellor Merkel's conservatives, by contrast, are considering whether to reopen negotiations with London in the case of Brexit and possibly making further concessions to the British. "Even if Britain, contrary to our expectations, votes in favour of Brexit, we shouldn't immediately slam the door shut, but instead sound out what might be possible to prevent an exit," says Jurgen Hardt, foreign policy spokesman for the conservatives in the German parliament. Of course, Brexit won't be followed by an apocalypse or a third world war as Cameron has insinuated. But Britain will be alone. The country will pivot away from Europe and there will be a process of mutual distancing. Europeans will find it more difficult to settle in the UK, to live and work there, and the same will go for Brits in Europe. That will be the most awkward consequence of Brexit - a creeping estrangement between friends. The British always wanted to make Europe more efficient and less top-heavy. They would be hurting themselves were they to throw away decades of work and weaken Europe at a moment when it is facing more problems than virtually ever before. The British would suffer from a weakened EU just as much as everyone else. The bizarre thing is that the Brexiteers aren't even making the effort to plan for life after the EU. They have no idea where the journey would lead. Their plan is: we are slamming the door and then we'll see what happens next. Michael Gove has said, in all seriousness, that Albania's status could make an attractive goal. They are also hoping for trade deals with India, China and the US, even though US president Barack Obama has said that Britain would have to go to the back of the queue. They hope that the world will open up the way it used to. They have no more to offer than hope and patriotism. As banal as it sounds, Britain is a European state. The separation is a fiction and the island mentality a myth. In the first century, England was a colony of the Roman empire, and when the Romans left, the Saxons settled there from today's northern Germany. The English Channel was never any greater an obstacle than the Rhine or the Alps. The early Britons profited from their location at a junction of several trade routes. Isolation, as historian Brendan Simms wrote, never really existed as an option for them. After the Norman conquest, England became a European power, a kingdom whose reach once stretched as far as the Pyrenees. Even Paris was once under English rule. And of course the crown deployed skillful marriage policies to weave itself together with other noble houses to stabilise the monarchy. George I, the Guelph king from Hanover, founded a German-English dynasty in 1714 that ruled Britain for nearly two centuries. That isn't merely royal folklore, but proof of the political, cultural, and social affinity between the Germans and the British. Of course we have an interest in Britain. We have shared experiences, including the experiences of conflict and war. Europe is a resonance chamber, and the British belong to it. Yes, the EU is bureaucratic, complacent and opaque. The Brexit camp is right about all that. Europe is often its own biggest enemy. Naivety and sentimentality have made the EU sluggish and prevented it from addressing crises with a single voice. That's exactly why the British are so important, as a force for reason, provided they identify their goals and fight resolutely for them. The battles in recent years have largely been the product of Cameron's clumsy EU policy. But the mood in Brussels has long since become more pragmatic. The British have a lot to gain if they stay. Last week, European council president Donald Tusk said that a federal Europe was no solution to the problem of how this fractured community could be rescued. "We failed to notice that ordinary people ... do not share our euro-enthusiasm," he said. "Disillusioned with the great visions of the future, they demand that we cope with the present reality better than we have been doing until now." That was both a blow to the idealists and a message to the island off the coast: a vote to remain in the EU would not be a vote for the status quo. Cameron has already said that he would not stand in the way of greater integration in the eurozone. This means that he at least would no longer block tighter cooperation among Europe's core states. Germany also has much to gain from Britain remaining in the EU. Firstly, the UK is an important ally to counter the southern states and France on issues like budget discipline and economic policy. Secondly, the UK provides vital support in the fight against the populists. Merkel has already announced that she will, just like Britain, cut child benefits for EU immigrants when the children don't live in Germany. Britain also helps stabilise Europe's power structures. Brexit could increase the perception of German dominance on the continent and provoke resistance from other states, says Hans Kundnani, foreign policy expert at the German Marshall Fund in Berlin. This, he argues, could result in opposing coalitions that would reduce Germany's influence: "Paradoxically, therefore, Germany could in reality be weaker in an EU without the UK." The whole of the continent also benefits from Britain when it comes to security and defence. It's true that Nato is still responsible for providing Europe's military deterrent. But in an era of hybrid warfare and provocations such as those that Putin has been pursuing for some time, Europe cannot rely solely on the US arsenal to protect it. Nato is increasingly reliant on a strong EU that can agree on the imposition of joint sanctions. Britain brings stability to the EU. It is key to the transatlantic relationship, binds the Commonwealth nations to Europe, and makes us more open and outward looking. London is Europe's most European city, a metropolis of diversity, and an urban model for the entire continent. That in itself makes the prospect of Brexit so absurd. The polling stations will open on June 23 at 7am and will close at 10pm. Britain is the nation of "common sense", and the British are not people to duck responsibility and flee difficult tasks. They will hopefully remember that when they vote on what their - and Europe's - future should look like. They have a choice between the 1950s retro-vision of splendid isolation as propagated by Johnson, Farage and Gove, and a Europe that is more ready than ever for renewal. It should not be a difficult choice. This referendum is the most momentous decision to be made in decades. Brexit would be a triumph of cynicism over reason. The 20th century showed that everyone benefits when Britain faces up to problems instead of running away. It's enough to make you want to drive around the island with a megaphone shouting: "Vote leave, and we'll all lose. If you remain, you will win." There's a well-meaning pro-European campaign by continental Europeans in London called "Hug a Brit". But there's nothing more embarrassing for a Briton than to be embraced by a European, not to mention a stranger. Better would be a firm handshake, coupled with an honest, straightforward appeal: remain. Algiers, June 22, 2016 (SPS) - United nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) representative in Algeria intends to call on international donors on July 12, in Geneva, for support to Saharawi refugees, according to the UN representative in Algeria. The announcement was made Monday evening on the occasion of the International Refugee Day, marked in Algiers by a fast-breaking meal at the Palace of Culture, in the presence of African refugees and humanitarian partners. The event was also attended by the minister of National Solidarity, Family and Women's Affairs, Mounia Meslem. "Meeting their needs in terms of humanitarian aid remains a must for the thousands of Saharawis living in deplorable humanitarian conditions," Hamdi Bukhari told APS. "A call giving details about those needs will be launched before the meeting of July 12." "Algeria and its government are taking care of the refugees," he stressed. "The Algerian authorities, whom I warmly thank, ensures access to health care and schooling for children," among other assistance to Saharawi refugees.SPS 125/090/700 However, the vast majority of Scotlands 950 remaining dairy farmers are a long way from a return to profitability. That means all milk buyers must waste no time in responding to these positive price signals, and delivering price rises back to farmers. NFU Scotland will use Scotlands biggest agricultural event, the Royal Highland Show to push milk processors and retailers on the need to drive milk prices upwards. Analysts estimate that UK production for April is down 3.5 percent and that production across Europe is declining, with production falls in key dairying nations such as Germany and Ireland. Global and European dairy commodity auctions have shown small but consistent improvements in recent weeks and the spot price for milk in the UK has increased by between 1p and 2p per litre. However, the majority of Scottish dairy farmers continue to receive a milk price less than 19p per litre with many receiving less than 16p for their milk. That leaves hard-working Scottish dairy farmers hugely exposed and efficient, family farms under considerable pressure. NFU Scotland President, Allan Bowie said: Lets be absolutely clear milk prices have a huge distance to go if they are to return Scottish dairy farmers to profitability and rebuild the damage to confidence in the future for milking cows. In these statistics, we have the strongest indication yet that the tide is starting to turn and the UK dairy chain must waste no time in responding through milk price improvements. The show which was due to take place on Sunsay 26th June 2016 has been cancelled due to the current ground conditions and the weather forecast for the coming days. At the moment, conditions across the showground at Borrowash Road, Elvaston, Near Derby are poor and the public car parks are waterlogged. A statement on the website by Chairman Edward Hicklin reads: "The Society Council feels it would not be safe or responsible to hold the Show given the amount of traffic that staging the event generates before, during and after the event . The Society realise this will have implications for members of the public who have purchased pre-show tickets and it is our intention that these tickets be saved and will remain valid for the 2017 Show, or they can be returned to the Secretary for a refund of the face value. The vendors put forward a healthy show of 19 milkers, and met with a much improved trade, suggesting green shoots of a recovery in the liquid milk trade. The show was sponsored by Trouw Nutrition, Woldmarsh and NMR, and was kindly judged by Andrew and Christine Morphett who farm dairy and sheep at Huby, near Leeds. They selected a newly calven pedigree heifer from Richard Walker of East Morton as best in show. The fortnight calved heifer, giving 32 litres, was sired by their stock bull Enchanted Ramshot which was brought at Skipton mart and was out of their homebred Morton Velux Queenie. The Walkers have been attending the mart for several years, and although theyve had plenty of reserve champions, this was their first overall winner. It sold for 1,750 to Ken and Lynne Throup of Woofa Bank, Silsden Moor. Sally Wellock of Oakworth took second and third with two sweet heifers, one making 1,600 and the other the best price of the day at 1,850. Both were competitively bid for, but eventually sold to John Howard of Heslaker. David Leeming of Burnt Yates near Harrogate topped the cow class and received reserve champion, with his 32 litre second calver reaching 1,500 and selling to the judges. Andrew Jennings of the Abbeyhouse Herd sold a sweet 31kg heifer to 1,400 to Frank Wrathall, and Peter Baul of Bishop Thornton saw his heifer just miss out on a prize but sell for a solid price of 1,680 to the Throup family. The incalf heifers were hard fought over, with Olivers of Darley taking first prize and a grand price of 1,380 for a July calving heifer when selling to David Shuttleworth The next Dairy Sale is July 4, with entries requested the week before for catalogue purposes. Rearing Calves good trade throughout the sale There was also a good show of 83 head in the weekly sale of calves, and they met a strong trade right the way through the sale. Graham France of Hightown had the pick of the trade with 10 Friesian Bulls between two and four weeks averaging 179.2 per head. He also topped the Black and White prices at 250, 230 and 205 against an average of 101.18. STAMFORD Building and Land Technologys Harbor Point development has agreed to pay $40,000 to settle a racial discrimination lawsuit filed by the Connecticut Fair Housing Center. BLT, Harbor Point and Prime Realty agreed in November to settle the complaint without admitting liability, the center said in a statement this week. As a company we have strived to build a community that is inclusive and offers opportunities for all and we firmly deny the allegations put forth in the complaint, which was settled with no finding or admission of discrimination, John Freeman, BLTs general counsel, said in a statement Thursday. Tamica McKune and Matthew Notice reported to the center in 2014 instances of racial discrimination in their dealings with BLT, Harbor Point and Prime Realty, specifically naming the high-end Yale and Towne building. McKune and Notice told the Connecticut Fair Housing Center that as affordable-housing applicants, they were not allowed to tour apartments before submitting applications. Several other similar complaints were also reported in 2014. The centers investigation found significant evidence of disparate treatment between below-market and market-rate applicants and unequal treatment based on race, even among the affordable-housing applicants. The center uncovered one instance when a black affordable-housing applicant was denied a tour at Harbor Point, while a white below-market-rate applicant was shown a unit without issue. This spurred the Connecticut Fair Housing Center to file a complaint with the Department of Housing and Urban Development, accusing the companies of violating the Fair Housing Acts prohibition on discrimination based on race. We handle thousands of lease applications for affordable and market rate units every year, and we are confident that our leasing process complies with the law, Freeman said. The announcement of the settlement comes as BLT hopes to receive final approvals for its contentious Davenport Landing boatyard. BLT violated the Harbor Point general development plan and the Coastal Area Management Act when it opted not to renew the Brewer Yacht Haven West lease and tore down the 14 buildings on the site in 2011. These violations resulted in a cease-and-desist order at the 14-acre site. BLTs general counsel, John Freeman, has said the developer has complied with all requirements of the cease-and-desist order by providing a proposal for a replacement boatyard, even though it is not at the same site. The developer hopes to amend the Harbor Point general development plan which requires 14 acres to be maintained for existing boat storage facilities so it can erect the Davenport Landing boatyard on a 4.4-acre site on Southfield Avenue. nora.naughton@scni.com; twitter.com/noranaughton This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 John Locher / Associated Press Show More Show Less 2 of 3 John Locher / Associated Press Show More Show Less 3 of 3 Connecticuts top Republican is trying to block taxpayer-funded candidates for the Legislature from using Donald Trumps name in attack ads or campaign fliers. State GOP Chairman J.R. Romano on Monday asked the state Elections Enforcement Commission whether recipients of campaign grants can target candidates for different offices with negative communications. Visitor view models of high-speed train at the exhibition "Modern Railways 2016" in Beijing, capital of China, June 20, 2016. The three-day exhibition kicked off here Monday. [Photo: Xinhua/Chen Yehua] The open tender for the construction of the Singapore-Malaysia high-speed railway will be started next year, Malaysia's Minister of Transport Liow Tiong Lai has revealed to a Chinese business newspaper China Business Journal. Several countries including China, Japan, South Korea and some located in Eastern Europe have expressed interest in the bid for the 375-km-long high-speed railway connecting Singapore and Malaysia's capital city Kuala Lumpur. "Malaysia welcomes China to bid for the project, because China has the most advanced technologies and we believe China could fuse the best technics of diverse countries. I have confidence in China's high-speed trail technic," Liow told the China Business Journal on Monday. The Singapore Straits Times said in an April report that China and Japan were tipped as favorites for the high-speed rail bid. "The real big fight will be between the railway firms from China and Japan," the report said. According to the report, Malaysia, which bears the majority share of the construction cost, is in favor of a Chinese firm because China's promise of easy funding for its trains and technology makes it less expensive than Japan's offer. Some media also reported Singapore is leaning towards a Japanese firm because it possesses abundant experience of train signaling systems. Hu Yishan, a researcher at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University said safety and cost are the two essential aspects that are being considered. "The shinkansen has been running for years in Japan. It's easy to believe that Japan's high-speed rail system is safe due to its mature technology." But China's high-speed technology overtakes Japan when its advantages of high efficiency and low cost are considered. It's hard for Malaysia to make the decision," said Hu. Trevor Wilkins learned discipline early on, thanks to a simple system: His parents gave him $10 for every A and $5 for every B on his report cards, but they made him pay back $20 for every C he earned. The Chicago native says that this approach was a major factor in his and his siblings' Ivy League educations. Studying sociology at Princeton, Wilkins says he saw firsthand the success students had when they had a supportive foundation at home. "I thought this might be able to help students all over the world," he tells Entrepreneur. Now 26, Wilkins co-founded Kudzoo, a startup looking to excite students about learning by combining tech they can't live without -- smartphones -- with incentives such as gift cards, discounts, scholarship opportunities and shadowing experiences. Related: 4 Ways Technology Is Making Education More Affordable and Available Wilkins and his co-founder, 25-year-old Logan Cohen, first met at a Phillies game when they were in college, and they have been working on the app for the last year and a half. Initially, the pair bootstrapped the company, until they received $75,000 in funding from the inaugural Princeton Alumni Entrepreneurs Fund. Cohen says that even though it seems like kids (and let's be honest, some adults) are attached to their phones and reject everything else around them, they deserve a lot more credit. "With the technology that they have now, they are used to getting their information instantaneously," he says. "Why not have empowerment, recognition and reward as part of that social media generation? We believe Kudzoo is filling that void." Related: One-to-One Teaching Platform Savvy Launches, Tapping a $105 Billion Market While they were developing the app, the duo taught a class to high school students once a week at the Science Leadership Academy in West Philadelphia, an experience they say was invaluable to the end product that is available for iOS and Android users today. "Half the class was teaching them that they can be their own boss, [things such as] what an elevator pitch was, and [the students] also served as a focus group for Kudzoo," Cohen says. "What was cool was that they were brutally honest. We would be so excited about a certain design and they kids would say 'Oh, Ms. Logan, we would never use that.'" Related: 5 Fascinating Edtech Companies From National Education Week In exchange for good grades, users receive Kudzoo Cash, which they can put towards rewards such as $10 Panera Bread gift cards, scholarship information and 30 percent off discounts at Levi's. The company had a soft launch in 2014 to test the technology, and about 5,000 students signed up for the service. The app officially launched at the start of the 2015-16 school year and now is approaching half a million active users. Wilkins explained that Kudzoo makes money by allowing brands to connect with students through ads, sponsorships and engagement opportunities on the platform. Kudzoo also sells Kudzoo Cash to schools and districts looking to reward their students. Related: Tell Us: Should Schools Still Use Pencils and Paper? He believes that the chance to take responsibility for their achievements is a message that resonates with users, and that sets Kudzoo apart from competitors. "Students are engaged with our brand. We go out of our way to engage students as much as possible to relate academic success with Kudzoo, not just rewards," he says. "They know they can get rewards with us, but they know we care about how they're doing as well." It's this demonstration of care that paves the way to make Kudzoo successful with students, says Jeff Livingston, an associate professor of economics at Bentley University in Waltham, Mass. Livingston notes that a lot of research has shown that incentives for improving grades dont have a significant effect, especially if students have to wait weeks or months to reap the rewards. Related: 6 Companies That Are Teaching Educators What Good 'Disruption' Means "Students these days communicate with each other and build communities through apps like Snapchat. These work because of the networks that form around the app, Livingston told Entrepreneur. The more people who use the app, the more successful it becomes. If incentives become more salient and exciting to students because they are all using the app, [Kudzoo] has the potential to be quite successful. Ultimately, Wilkins and Cohen view the app as a tool that can help any kid. "We're looking to appeal to all students within the bell curve," Wilkins explains. "Students that are at the bottom of it that definitely need the extra incentive, and then students at the other end of the spectrum who love school and this is another form of quantifying that." Related: 5 Reasons Why Entrepreneurs Should Get Serious About Online Education When asked what's next for Kudzoo, Wilkins responded, "the world," with a laugh. The duo say now is a prime time to cultivate an engaged user base. "We want to be a support system for students that may or may not have one," Cohen says. While Kudzoo started with grades as its main metric for success, Wilkins and Cohen plan to one day branch out and add extracurricular achievement as another barometer. "If students thank us for a reward," Cohen says, "we say, You earned this. This is your achievement." Related: Copyright 2016 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved 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. On June 20, 2016, CEO of Alibaba Jack Ma said at the 20th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum that his biggest mistake was that he made Alibaba. My biggest mistake was that I made Alibaba. I never thought this thing would change my life. I was just trying to run a small business, and it grew that big, it brought about that much responsibility and brought about so much trouble. Jack Ma said if there was a next life, he would never do a business as big as Alibaba, I want to be my own self, and I want to enjoy my life. During his trip to the forum, Ma also met with a representative of the Russian Government. Ma said it was a productive discussion and helped Alibaba to promote more business opportunities in Russia. I think the development of e-commerce will bring more job opportunities there. A representative of the Russian Government claims that Alibaba and Tmall will soon set up offices in Russia. Russia, Europe, and Southeast Asia are strategic priority areas for Alibaba. Ma points out that the company values a lot of the countries along one belt one road since these places do have many good products but are facing trouble with selling due to limited infrastructure. M ULTI-MILLIONAIRE vote Leave backer and hedge fund boss Crispin Odey today admitted that most of the capital had swung behind a Remain vote. With polls opening tomorrow, the high-profile hedge fund guru together with his wife, worth 900 million played down the chance of a Leave win and said the Brexit campaign had lost ground in recent days. Everyone felt the momentum had gone out of the Brexit camp on Friday. Theyve got to reaffirm that a vote for Remain is not a vote for the status quo. London is pretty Remain and the rest of the country is pretty Leave. Its lonely being a Brexiteer in London, the Mayfair-based investor told the Standard yesterday. Odey Asset Management and other Mayfair hedgies have commissioned private polls of the public and will be polling voters tomorrow. He said his private polls didnt show as big a move as the public polling and it looked much closer than the stock markets would have you know. The lobbying frenzy increased today as City grandees joined forces to urge Evening Standard readers to remain in the European Union. Sir Richard Branson, Sir Martin Sorrell and the head of one of Britains biggest house builder Berkeley argued the UK is better off in the EU. The Virgin boss said: As a member of the EU, London and the UK are much better off economically. They can trade without barriers or taxes. WPP chief Sorrell said: Isolationism is the antithesis of what this city is all about, and I am sure that will be reflected in this weeks vote. The economic case for Remain is irresistible. Berkeley managing director Rob Perrins said: If we leave the EU it will make the housing crisis worse, not better. After big gains in recent days the pound was virtually unmoved today in what looked likely to be the calm before the storm of Fridays result. The FTSE 100 was up just 0.04% at 6223.88 in thin trading volumes, but markets are braced for big price swings on Friday morning if a Leave vote prevails. Adam Jepsen, founder of spread betting firm Financial Spreads, said: Trading volumes are currently light, particularly in sterling-based markets. We could well be twiddling our thumbs between now and the small hours of Friday morning. The outcome of the vote is expected to be officially announced as markets open at 8am. T HE City has piled back into the Remain camp with a vengeance in recent days but heres an interesting angle for punters looking for some more attractive odds. Ladbrokes is dangling a tempting 8/11 on Ukip leader Nigel Farage to have stepped down within a few days of the EU referendum outcome. Farage, whose beer and fags bonhomie has been dented by a very bad week, is even money still to be in the job by next Tuesday. Forget Brexit. is a Nexit on the cards? Talking of various -exits, Spy remembers an enterprising City economist writing about the last referendum in Scotland and attempting to coin the phrase Sexit. Unfortunately, the research was blocked by the spam filters of dozens of clients suspecting naughty attachments... Bubb gives Shoe Zone a kicking No bargain brogues are likely to find their way to veteran retail analyst Nick Bubb. He was unimpressed by the management shake-up at cheap shoes outlet Shoe Zone that saw chairman and DFS boss Ian Filby out on his ear and chief executive Anthony Smith, a major shareholder with 28%, promoted to executive chairman. Bubb called it a cosy reshuffle that will raise eyebrows in corporate governance circles. The big questions IHS Global Insights Howard Archer says: Forget the EU referendum, the key question is when are Shrewsbury Town going to sign a 20-goal-a-season striker? In your world, Howard. Spicy intro Most first days at a new job include dull hours on the phone to IT, a quick tour to show you where the toilets are, where to go for a cigarette break and an unsubtle welcome from the boss warning of freezes on pay and expenses. So Spy was envious to hear that tech company Spicy Mango greets new employees with a hamper of fizz, chocolates, a phone and a parker pen. Trust those tech bods. Blackberry blow-up Ping! Chem-ring sends over results with highlights copied below in BlackBerry-friendly format. Erm, BlackBerry? Given the faltering phone firm only shifted 600,000 of them worldwide in its last-reported quarter, Chemring, which hit investors with another profit warning, might want to move with the times. T ELEVISIONS will become more expensive if the UK quits Europe, the boss of the UKs biggest electrical retailer has warned. Dixons Carphone boss Sebastian James, a close friend of David Cameron, said if the pound plummets after Brexit it will cost more to import electrical goods from abroad, driving up prices in British shops. All of our goods, 100% of our goods, are dollar denominated or yuan denominated. We buy them in China and the US and therefore it is inevitable we will have to see prices rise if the [sterling] currency devalues. Thats just a mathematical fact. That is quite likely, he told the Investor Relations Society conference yesterday. Dixons Carphone operates in eight EU countries, including the UK, plus Norway. James said he is a very passionate remainer and that most people who were open hearted and open minded were in the remain camp. He co-signed a letter in February from business leaders criticising Brexit. T wo of the most anticipated categories take the spotlight this week, as we preview our inaugural Evening Standard Business Awards which take place at Tobacco Dock on June 30. London is a haven for entrepreneurs who want to turn their bright spark of an idea into a multi-million-pound business, testing it out on a lucrative and intelligent consumer. At the other end of the scale, a string of corporate giants have pulled off eye-catching deals as the tectonic plates of their industries shift this year. Entrepreneur of the year Kieran ONeill Kieran ONeill: Web entrepreneur ONeill is the founder of Thread, a digital business that helps men to dress well without having to schlep down the High Street. It uses algorithms as well as human stylists to recommend the perfect outfit. Thread boasts 300,000 customers in the UK, with sales tripling so far this year. It works with big-name brands including Burberry, Paul Smith, Topman and Marks & Spencer to negotiate discounts through bulk buying. The start-up raised $8 million (5.6 million) from serial tech backer Balderton Capital last year. Bermuda-born ONeill founded one of the first video-sharing websites, HolyLemon.com, when he was 15 and sold it for $1.25 million four years later. Jo Malone: The entrepreneur sold her eponymous business to Estee Lauder for millions in 1999 after building up a reputation for offering quality, affordable scented-candles with eye-catching packaging. Malone discovered she had breast cancer in 2003 but battled back to health and launched another fragrance brand, Jo Loves, last year. Malone, who received an MBE in 2008, left school without any formal qualifications, and has proved that determination and a passion for business go a very long way. In her weekly column for the Evening Standard, the small-business agony aunt gives guidance to London start-ups. Jasper Cuppaidge: The grandson of an Australian brewer, Cuppaidge started the Camden Town Brewery from cellars beneath the Horseshoe pub in Hampstead. In 2010, he moved the business to railway arches in Camden Town, brewing speciality beers. The 40-year-old has ridden Londons craft beer wave and played a key part in shaping the capitals thriving scene. He started the business with three staff and was rewarded for rolling up his sleeves with an 85 million buyout from corporate giant Anheuser-Busch InBev last Christmas. He was accused of selling out on his independent roots, not least by rival BrewDog which delisted his brand, but Cuppaidge argued that the business needed a new investor to help increase sales and open a brewery in Enfield. Peter Roberts: A 70-year-old serial entrepreneur, Roberts built up budget operator Pure Gym before handing control to boss Humphrey Cobbold last year. Roberts has set up a string of leisure groups, including Langdale and Luminar. In 2000, he founded Golden Tulip Hotels, a budget group that was sold to Whitbread in 2008. With a mixture of cheaper tariffs and an absence of irritating and costly 12-month contracts, Pure Gym is offering a gym to many who would have previously shunned pumping iron and hitting the treadmill. Its presence in London was recently boosted by the acquisition of LA Fitness. Roberts was last year honoured in the EY Entrepreneur of the Year awards. Deal of the Year Winning ways: big deal maker EE sponsors Wembley Stadium BT/EE: BTs 12.5 billion deal to buy mobiles group EE was lauded as a sensible strategic move, taking the telecoms giant back into the mobile and allowing it to access a new, younger customer base. While rivals O2 and Three failed to get their merger past competition regulators, this tie-up was given the thumbs-up. Boss Gavin Patterson made a quick swoop which allows BT to get into quad play simultaneously offering mobile, landline, broadband and TV to customers. BT was advised on the deal by Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan and Perella Weinberg. IAG/Aer Lingus: The 961 million deal to buy Aer Lingus was a sweet one for IAG chief executive Willie Walsh, who is a former pilot and chief executive at the Irish airline. Walsh had to appear before an Irish select committee to argue his sides case and placate shareholder Ryanair to help the deal go through. He has promised to boost traffic at Aer Lingus from almost 10 million passengers a year now to 15 million in 2020. Deutsche Bank was adviser to IAG. SABMiller/Anheuser-Busch InBev: The battle for Peroni and Grolsch brewer SABMiller became one of the most fascinating in the City. SABMiller chairman Jan du Plessis played hardball for weeks, holding out in the bidding process with Belgian-Brazilian brewing giant and Stella maker Anheuser-Busch InBev before pushing up the bid price from 38 to 44 a share, valuing it at 68 billion. SABMiller, advised by Robey Warshaw, JPMorgan, Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs, also had to persuade the South African government, a minority shareholder. Tullett/Icap: The two historic City firms set aside their rivalries last year to agree a 1.1 billion merger of their voice broking operations. The combination of old-fashioned voice and newer electronic broking made logical sense and ensured the former discipline survived in London. Michael Spencers Icap has become one of the Square Miles most recognisable names, not least because of his annual charity day which this year played host to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. The deal will see his departure from the firm. The merger is being examined by regulators who are expected to order them to sell off some of their operations to reduce their dominance of the oil broking market. However, it is likely to complete later this year. Tullett is being advised by Rothschild, HSBC and Numis. Virgin Money is the headline sponsor for the Evening Standard Business Awards. For information on the personal finance services the firm provides, visit VirginMoney.com A UK hedge fund has won a high-stakes boardroom battle at boutique hotels chain NH Hotels after shareholders voted to boot out the chairman and three other members. Mayfair-based Oceanwood Capital led an activist campaign against the four, who it said had a conflict of interest because they were linked to the Spanish hotels companys biggest shareholder, Chinese firm HNA Group. Shareholders voted to replace the four members, including chairman Charles Mobus, at a meeting in Madrid yesterday. The board subsequently decided to remove NH Hotels chief executive, Federico Gonzalez. No replacement has been announced. HNA hit out, claiming Oceanwood was trying to coerce it into making a tender offer for the 71.5% of shares it does not own. Oceanwood said: We are backing a long-term incentive plan that will be linked to free cash flow, cost efficiency, deleverage and in turn, a sustainable dividend policy. We are committed to generating value for all shareholders and will ensure the highest standards of corporate governance are implemented going forwards. F ashion retailer H&M had its worst sales growth for three years, with second quarter net profit down 17% versus last year. The firm buys much of its materials in dollars and the strength of the currency has driven up costs for the high street favourite, pushing down profits. Pre-tax profits for the three months came in at 7 billion kroner for the period March to May, below investor expectations. The company has also blamed cold weather March and April for the dip in trading plus markdowns on products sold in store. It has been a challenging half-year for fashion retail in many markets, but we have great confidence going forward and are continuing to develop our offering further within all our brands, boss Karl-Johan Persson said. The chain, which has 4,000 stores around the world, said it planned to open 425 new stores during this financial year, pushing into previously untapped markets like Puerto Rico and New Zealand. A leading shareholder group attacked scandal-ridden Volkswagen today as the German cars giant faced down criticisms over corporate governance at its annual meeting in Hanover. Hermes Equity Ownership Services, representing around 20 pension fund investors, is calling for a radical overhaul of the group, which recently set aside 16.2 billion (12.5 billion) to pay for the debacle over fixing emissions tests and pushed it to its first loss for more than 20 years. The adviser wants reform of the supervisory board, which is supposed to monitor the main management board. But Hermes Hans-Christoph Hirt said the board was responsible for a culture in which the emissions scandal was able to unfold and remain undetected for many years. He claimed the board also lacked independence from major shareholders including the Porsche family, which endorsed the previous management today. Prosecutors are investigating former chief executive Martin Winterkorn and brand chief Herbert Diess over whether they effectively manipulated markets by delaying the release of information about the firms emissions test cheating. China and Poland agreed on Monday to upgrade their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership during Chinese President Xi Jinping's State visit to Poland. Xi and his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda made the announcement after holding talks at the Presidential Palace. Chinese Ambassador to Poland Xu Jian hailed the progress of China-Poland ties as triple jump. China and Poland established friendly cooperative partnership in 2004 and upgraded it to strategic partnership in 2011. He added that this current leap is set to injecting more positive energy into the cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries, as well as strengthening overall China-Europe ties. China and Poland are also now cooperative partners within Chinas Belt and Road initiative and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). Poland is the second stop of Xi's three-nation Eurasian tour. He visited Serbia, another CEE country, before Poland. During his stay in Serbia, Xi came to agreement with his Serbian counterpart Tomislav Nikolic to elevate ties between their two countries to a comprehensive strategic partnership from the strategic partnership established in 2009. Serbia is Chinas first strategic partner in the CEE region. In 2013, two countries signed a joint statement to deepen their strategic partnership, and in 2015, they inked a Memorandum of Understanding on promoting the Belt and Road initiative. Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic said that a closer friendship, increased mutual political trust and wide-range cooperation between Serbia and China are in the interests of the two countries. The Serbian government, valuing its ties with China, is dedicated to expanding cooperation with China, he added. Xis trip, hailed as a new chapter in China-CEE ties, has come amid increasingly closer bilateral cooperation between China and regional countries in recent years. Xi paid a state visit to the Czech Republic this March, during which he agreed with his Czech counterpart to upgrade bilateral ties to a strategic partnership. T omorrow we, the voters of Britain, have an alarming choice to make: to stay in the European Union or leave. In this poll every vote counts, which so many people know not to be the case in parliamentary elections, where most seats are safe for one party or another. This time each ballot paper matters. We all have to take an enormous responsibility, not only for our own country but for the future of Europe. That is quite a burden. In this referendum all party loyalties have been tossed up in the air. None of us has an easy fallback to a previously established position. This time it is not possible just to trust one leader or party more than another. This is a choice about our very identity. Nigel Farage may well come across to some as a comical Little Englander but that doesnt make the campaign he has led finally bringing about this day of destiny for our country wrong. Boris Johnson has shown unexpected mettle and poise as well as the charm we have come to expect in leading the Brexit movement to this surprising point, where nobody can confidently predict what the outcome will be on Friday morning. That we would be in this position was evidently not expected by David Cameron and George Osborne. Their resort to extravagant scaremongering and more or less open threats to Brexiteers has been unedifying. When they have such a preponderance of leaders from every area of life, from politicians abroad to the heads of every kind of institution, firmly backing the Remain case, such shrillness has only served to undermine their credibility. EU referendum - Sadiq Khan attacks Boris Johnson for 'campaign of hate' The problem for both sides is that this is a vote about the future there can be no certainties, no clinching arguments, only hopes and fears. Yes, the EU is wasteful, arrogant and unaccountable. The imposition of the euro has brought about desperation in southern Europe and may yet fail. The EU response to the migration crisis has been weak. It is extraordinary that the EU has proved to be so unable to acknowledge its mistakes, let alone alter its course. Meanwhile, across Europe, extremist parties have built up ever more momentum. Brexit bravado It is all too easy to understand the temptation for British voters to give the EU the ultimate shock, whatever the initial, or even enduring, economic cost. There is, perhaps secretly, an element of bravado about being a Brexiteer. There is also a very strong wish to use this referendum as a chance to give all parties a bloody nose over their recklessness and even dishonesty about the scale of immigration to this country, now running at a third of a million people a year. Such anger seems to have surprised our politicians but then they may be cushioned from the consequences for jobs, housing, schools, hospitals and transport. There is real public disquiet and it is not all to be dismissed as insular or racist. But EU migrants make up fewer than half the annual total still and all of us Londoners know how our lives are enriched on every front by incomers, as well as being made that bit more crowded. The referendum should not be forced into this detour. The alternative, to vote Remain, is not the dashing choice. After 43 years in the EU it can have little appeal to the heart, even for those who accept the irksome necessity. Yet the head dictates that it is the only responsible course. EU referendum campaign - in pictures 1 /45 EU referendum campaign - in pictures Boris Johnson (left) kisses a wild salmon as he is shown around Billingsgate Fish Market in London with porter Greg Essex, uncle of TV presenter Joey Essex, on the final day of campaigning Stefan Rousseau/PA A van displaying an advert saying 'Don't Wake Up With Nigel Next Friday' is driven through Westminster Jack Taylor/Getty Images Michael Gove speaks alongside Priti Patel (left) and Kate Hoey at a Vote Leave campaign event at Old Billingsgate market, London Dominic Lipinski/PA A passenger on a train reads the Evening Standard on the London Underground EPA Delia Smith during the Channel 4 EU referendum debate Dominic Lipinski/PA David Cameron appears on a special referendum edition of BBC One's Question Time, hosted by David Dimbleby Stefan Rousseau/PA Jayne-Anne Gadhia, CEO of Virgin Money, speaks to Sir Richard Branson about his views on the EU referendum Ben Pruchnie/PA JD Wetherspoon beer mats that have been printed by the pub chain with strong messages in favour of leaving the EU JD Wetherspoon/PA Ukip leader Nigel Farage and Kate Hoey on board a boat taking part in a Fishing for Leave pro-Brexit "flotilla" on the River Thames Stefan Rousseau/PA Liberal Democrats leader Tim Farron greets supporters after arriving in the Liberal Democrat Vote Remain campaign bus in east London Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty Images Boris Johnson MP visits Sam Cole Foods fish processing factory in Lowestoft, Suffolk, where he was campaigning on behalf of the Vote Leave EU campaign Stefan Rousseau/PA A boat carrying supporters for the Remain in the EU campaign, including Sir Bob Geldoff, shout and wave at Brexit fishing boats as they sail up the Thames Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty Images Yvette Cooper MP gives a helping hand to her husband and former shadow chancellor Ed Balls, as he gets up from a story time session, during a Vote Remain canvassing visit to Shadsworth Children's Centre in Blackburn. Christopher Furlong/Getty Images The Sun backs Brexit Daniel Sotrabji/AFP Getty Images Eddie Izzard campaigns for the Labour In campaign for the EU referendum Christopher Furlong/Getty Images Leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) Nigel Farage poses with the party's new EU referendum poster in Westminster Jack Taylor/Getty Images CBI director general Carolyn Fairbairn, Rohan Silva, Chuka Umunna, Sarah Sands, Munira Mirza and MEP Daniel Hannan at the Evening Standard Brexit Debate Nigel Howard The Vote Leave campaign bus passes a Vote Remain poster featuring Nigel Farage and Boris Johnson as it arrives for a visit to clothing and uniform manufacturers Simon Jersey in Accrington, Lancashire Stefan Rousseau/PA David Cameron makes a joint appearance with Mayor of London Sadiq Khan as they launch the Britain Stronger in Europe guarantee card at Roehampton University Yui Mok/Getty Image Prime Minister David Cameron recreates the famous Beatles Abbey Road album cover by walking across Abbey Road crossing with Tessa Jowell, former secretary of state for culture, media and sport, on May 20, 2016 in London, England. The Prime Minister is campaigning to 'Remain' in the European Union ahead of a referendum on June 23 to decide on whether or not to leave the European Union Jeremy Selwyn Leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) Nigel Farage holds aloft a UK Passport as he speaks during an anti-EU campaign event in Birmingham AFP/Getty Images Campaigners wear clothing bearing the slogans "I'm Turning My Back On The EU", and "I Want To Leave The European Union, Do You?" as they attend a an Anti-EU (European Union) United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) pro-Brexit campaign event, in Birmingham Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Image A British national receives her postal ballot paper AFP/Getty Images Boris Johnson MP takes to the wicket during a visit to Chester-Le-Street Cricket Club as part of the Brexit tour Ian Forsyth/Getty Images A campaigner with the pro-Europe campaign group called 'Irish4Europe', hands out leaflets to visitors to the London vs Mayo Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) football game at Ruislip GAA grounds in Ruislip, northwest London AFP/Getty Images Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn and former leader Ed Miliband (L) address supporters and members of the public in Doncaster town centre on May 27, 2016 in Doncaster, England. The Labour In campaign battle bus arrived in Doncaster today with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and Ed Miliband MP to canvass for votes and hope to persuade UK citizens to stay in the European Union when they vote in the EU Referendum on the June 23 Christopher Furlong/Getty Images Secretary of State for Justice, Michael Gove, leaves after attending a cabinet meeting at 10 Downing Street Carl Court/Getty Images A Vote to Leave campaigner holds a placard as Leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) Christopher Furlong/Getty Images The image of a sari-clad Asian woman exactly balanced on a see-saw with a shaven-headed "thug" was devised by advertising giant Saatchi and Saatchi for the Operation Black Vote campaign. OBV said the poster - which features the slogan "A vote is a vote" and is due to be displayed on 37 digital billboards in London and Manchester - highlighted the "demonisation of foreigners and people of colour" in the campaign Two pumps of Fuller's London Pride are branded with 'IN' and 'OUT' labels in the Red Lion Pub in Westminster Dan Kitwood/Getty Images People walk past a graffiti mural of Donald Trump and Boris Johnson kissing, which is sprayed on a disused building in the Stokes Croft area of Bristol. The image, called 'The Kiss of Death' and painted by pro-EU campaign group We Are Europe, highlights the upcoming deadline for voter registration for the referendum on 7th June Ben Birchall/PA The front page of The Sun newspaper on 9th March The Sun London Mayor Boris Johnson addresses supporters during a rally for the 'Vote Leave' campaign on April 15, 2016 in Manchester, England. Boris Johnson is taking part in a 48 hour 'Brexit Blitz' of campaigning in Northern England. Britain will vote either to leave or remain in the EU in a referendum on June 23 Christopher Furlong/Getty Images John Whittingdale, Theresa Villiers, Michael Gove, Chris Grayling, Iain Duncan Smith and Priti Patel attend the launch of the Vote Leave campaign at the group's headquarters in London Stefan Rousseau/Getty Images London has been transformed by our decades of EU membership into becoming the very heart of Europe, rather than Berlin, Paris or Brussels. The capital has led the way for business, for culture, for change and development as a social model for all of Europe. If we vote Leave we will be impoverishing ourselves not only economically but in our global standing, in our very history. Our choice is not just Leave or Remain but whether we want to smash up this union or stay in it and use our power to make it better. This paper believes there is only one responsible way to vote: Remain. T wenty years ago I was fortunate enough to be granted Enoch Powells last interview. I have lived into an age in which my ideas are now part of common intuition, part of a common fashion, he said. It has been a great experience, having given up so much, to find that there is now this range of opinion in all classes, that an agreement with the EEC is totally incompatible with normal parliamentary government. I asked Powell why this was so. He replied: The nation has returned to haunt us. Remarkably, what used to be called Powellism will win a famous victory tomorrow if, as is still possible, Leave prevails in the EU referendum. Though Remain has certainly surged in the past few days, the Telegraphs tracker poll, based on the average of the last six polls, suggests a dead heat. It would be foolish to predict the outcome. Let us, just for once, look at this great struggle in the broader context it deserves rather than as a Tory psychodrama in which ludicrously the future of the country is merely a proxy for the battle between David Cameron and Boris Johnson. Let us consider, once again, the legacy of Powell, who would not have been remotely surprised that immigration has played such a central part in the campaign. In his infamous speech on the subject, delivered in Birmingham on April 20, 1968, he foresaw the River Tiber foaming with much blood. He also quoted the fear expressed to him by a constituent that in this country in 15 or 20 years time the black man will have the whip hand over the white man. Anticipating the charge that it was irresponsible to repeat and publicise such a claim, Powell said: The answer is that I do not have the right not to do so. This is precisely the argument deployed by the champions of Brexit almost 50 years later. At the heart of their strategy is the claim that the political elite has lost control of immigration and so lost sight of the anxieties this causes ordinary working people. Vote Leave, the designated lead campaign on the Brexit side, insists that the UK Government cannot take meaningful action to limit immigration while Britain is a member of the EU. Nigel Farage has seized every demotic opportunity and last week caused great offence with his Breaking Point poster. This is perilous terrain, of course. Vote Leave cannot afford to be seen as the acceptable face of xenophobia. That said, it cannot succeed in this referendum without the votes that Farage seems so good at winning. To return to Powells claim in 1968 that I do not have the right not to repeat, amplify and broadcast the fears of his constituents. The Brexiteers insist in 2016 that they have no less a moral duty to confront and to dramatise the anxieties of todays voters. But consider: 15 or 20 years after the 1968 speech black Britons were light-years remote from having the whip hand over their white compatriots. Indeed, it was not until 1981 that the notorious sus laws was repealed. In the same year the Scarman report on the Brixton riots showed that, far from subjugating white people, Afro-Caribbean Britons faced racial disadvantage that might become an endemic, ineradicable disease threatening the very survival of our society. So much for the black man wielding the whip hand by 1983. These precedents merit citation because true statesmanship often lies not in repeating and oxygenating the publics fears but in addressing those concerns calmly and, where necessary, explaining that they are unfounded or lack perspective. Powell claimed that an honest parliamentarian was honour-bound to give voice to such anxieties. Yet, if the past half-century has a lesson about immigration and its consequences, it is that MPs have an even greater duty to explain. Yes, EU citizens are able to seek work in this country but, thanks to the special status secured by Cameron for the UK in February, will not be able to claim full access to certain benefits until they have worked here for up to four years. 'Do we retreat a little further from the global stage, resigning from one of its mightiest (albeit most flawed) clubs?' It is routinely claimed that only middle-class voters benefit from EU migration, hiring incomers as builders, cleaners and nannies. But all Britons benefit from the NHS in which 10 per cent of doctors are from the EU. For weeks Vote Leave has claimed (dubiously) that the money saved by Brexit could be spent on the NHS. But who would staff these shiny new facilities if we left the EU, and how quickly? And what about those 1.8 million Britons presently living in Europe? What will happen to them if the drawbridge is pulled up? Numbers, in any case, are only a small part of the story. The Remain campaign has depended far too much on inventories of statistics, as if the precise consequences of Brexit can be known at this stage. It is entirely plausible that leaving the EU would contract the British economy less trade, less investment, and less business, as George Osborne put it in April. But not even the eggheads at the Treasury can say how much this would cost per household, and it would have been better if they had not pretended otherwise. Yet these are minor quibbles when compared to the core question: what sort of country do we want to be? Do we choose control (Brexit) or influence in the wider world (Remain)? Do we retreat a little further from the global stage, resigning from one of its mightiest (albeit most flawed) clubs? In the end, it will be settled by heart, not head. Are we ready for Britain to accept the tidy, marginal status of a bonsai? Or do we still long be a great, sprawling oak in the omnishambles of the global forest? Powell was right about this much: the nation has indeed returned to haunt us. By Friday, we shall know what kind of nation it is. The public are being badly misinformed The letter from the taxi drivers saying they will vote to leave the EU highlights just how uninformed the public are in relation to the referendum [Letters, June 20]. They state their concerns about 350 million a week being sent to Brussels, yet it has been suggested that the true figure is nearer to 190 million. It is also claimed that we should not pay to build roads and bridges in Greece. This is actually handled by the European Investment Bank, which funds many similar projects in the UK. This is not a matter where people can afford to get their facts wrong. Surely it is decisions such as this that should be left to the MPs we have elected? Regardless of whether I think we should stay in or leave the EU I fear that the future of our country is in the hands of people who simply do not understand the repercussions of what they are voting for. Rob Johnson The electorate has been asked to answer the complex question of whether to remain or leave the EU with a simple yes or no. If we remain in we have some idea of what will happen in the immediate future: more in-fighting in the Conservative Party, problems with migration and the struggle for power in the EU. If we leave we simply do not know what will happen. How could an advanced, sophisticated democracy resort to a referendum that poses such a crude choice for the electorate? Why have we chosen to bypass our elected members of Parliament? It makes me wonder what we elected them for. Ian Jones To those who have criticised David Beckham for expressing his views on the EU referendum: everyone is entitled to their say in this crucial matter. Why is it that only the man on the street can have an opinion that is valid? Whether you agree with Beckham or not, merely trashing his opinion or attempting to belittle it because it comes from someone with wealth and fame shows the level of ignorance in our society. Stuart Harvey Like many people who support the Leave campaign, the black-cab drivers mistakenly trot out the inaccurate figure of 350 million paid by the UK to the EU per week. Yet this takes no account of Britains rebate or the financial benefits EU membership brings. For every 1 spent, both the CBI and the Office for Budget Responsibility estimate that the UK gets 10 back through lower prices, more trade and jobs, our rebate as well as the 66 million per day in direct investment from other EU countries. Even if the rate of return on our EU investment were only half of what it actually is, the maths would still tell us it is the right decision to vote Remain. Michael Collins Those who believe we have no say in EU matters should know that decisions are made by democratically elected government ministers from all member states and members of the European Parliament. And as for the bailout of Greece, dont forget that the UK benefits from significant EU funding as well. The money we have received to stimulate economic development and increase employment, particularly in poorer areas, has helped 24,767 new businesses and created 114,889 jobs in England, while in London 584 million was allocated by the EU to create jobs and promote enterprise. Joanna Griffiths Britain benefits from immigration When Boris Johnson opted to champion the Brexit campaign he very conveniently forgot that a significant majority of Londoners are pro-immigration. It is perhaps ironic, then, that amid the negative immigration rhetoric in this referendum campaign the area that absorbs the lions share of migrants in the UK is the same one that welcomes and values them the most. This openness is why over many centuries Britain has benefited hugely from migration from all over the world, not least Europe, where such tolerant attitudes have not always been in evidence (to the continents economic detriment). Iain West It would be wrong for UK to weaken the economy just to try and overcome issues with immigration. The issue will not just go away if we leave the EU. In fact, there could be further problems. The migration issue will only be overcome when the cause is dealt with. Richer countries need to support poorer nations, which in turn will become more able to buy our goods and services, thus benefiting both parties. A Brexit vote is an attempt to deal with the effect of the problem and is a selfish way out of the situation which could lead to isolation, rather than integration, an unknown future a lower quality of life and a much smaller voice in the world. The UK will be moving backwards as the rest of the world unites in much larger global markets. Is that really what we want? Tony Towell EU elites disregard for democracy Anyone still considering voting Remain in the forthcoming referendum should consider the recent comments from the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker. He said leaders are making life difficult because they spend too much time bowing to public opinion. In other words, Mr Juncker is berating European leaders for having the temerity to listen to the electorate, showing the Brussels elites complete disregard for the democratic process. This is not the first time Mr Junckers mask has slipped he has dismissed previous referendum results. If we decide to vote to leave the EU in tomorrows ballot we could end the unelected commissions ability to make our laws and put a stop to its attempted erosion of democracy in the UK. Alan Hobson Review at a glance W hen Henri Matisse bought a small painting by Paul Cezanne, Three Bathers, in Paris in 1899, it was far beyond his means. But he did everything he could to buy it his wife Amelie even pawned a cherished emerald ring. Once acquired, the Cezanne became a fixture of Matisses studio for 37 years. It was the first thing he would look at when he woke up. It changed his life and work. He later said: It has supported me morally at critical moments in my venture as an artist; I have drawn from it my faith and my perseverance. This magnificent painting is among the masterpieces in this show of works once owned by artists, from Anthony Van Dyck through Joshua Reynolds to Edgar Degas and Lucian Freud. I doubt any painting was as loved by its owner as Matisses Cezanne. The pictures collected by these artists were far more than just objects of affection and moral support. They used them to educate themselves and others, to pit themselves against their heroes and peers, to show off their connoisseurship, to decorate their show-homes. Painters Paintings offers the tantalising prospect of a glimpse behind the artists vision. The shows curators encourage this by showing paintings made by the artist-collectors alongside works they gathered. A self-portrait accompanies each one. For this approach to work, though, the comparisons need to be top-notch. The picture that prompted the show in the first place is Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corots Italian Woman, a work left by Lucian Freud to the National Gallery on his death in 2011. Its a beautiful little picture, marked by the monumentality yet delicacy of the figure and by Corots loose handling of paint, qualities shared by another picture Freud owned, John Constables Portrait of Laura Moubray. A favourite: Edouard Manet, Woman with a Cat, about 1880-2 (extract) was bought by Degas / Tate London Yet the Freud portraits here neither illuminate his response to his possessions nor show him in a good light amid his heroes. An etching that appears to have little to do with the Corot is offered as a spurious comparison, and a self-portrait from 2002 is Freud at his least fluent, its surface intense but horribly overworked, the paint limp and dry. Freud also owned a small early painting by Cezanne. His interest in this erotic scene which features nude figures in what might be a brothel amid dishevelled sheets, with a maid bringing in tea is understandable. He was attracted not just by its eroticism but by its awkwardness: he found it funny. And it is an odd picture, with so much flaccid flesh. Freud even made a huge painting in response to it. Sadly, that work is only shown as a black-and-white reproduction on a label. Instead, as a comparison we have another minor Freud nude evoking the Cezanne, its surface again overworked, a web of thick pentimenti undermining the final image. The Cezanne might be awkward in its forms but look closely at the delicacy of the Frenchmans handling, how he built up the surface in dabs and patches that belie the crudeness of the drawing. I suspect Freud would have found this wondrous, given how hard-won his own paintings always were. If the section devoted to Freud is a flawed opening (the show works backwards, chronologically), the three rooms that follow, one dedicated to Matisse and two to Degas, are the shows high points. As well as the startling Cezanne bathers, Matisse owned one of Cezannes portraits of his wife, a spellbinding Gauguin and the great Degas painting Combing the Hair, now a favourite in the National Gallery. These paintings possess, in different quantities, so much of what is best in Matisse: high colour and pure harmony, reduction and order, boldness in composition. There are also two of Matisses Picassos here including a brilliantly dark portrait of Dora Maar that Matisse kept in his Nice hotel room: a spur, a challenge by his most illustrious peer. Degas bought works by his contemporaries and followers in vast numbers, as well as numerous works by the artists of the generations immediately before him Delacroix, Ingres and Corot among them. Degas gave one floor of his Paris house over to his collection, the paintings standing on a forest of easels. The Degas rooms capture this voracious collecting and are a thrilling exhibition in themselves. The works evoke his position as a painter between the avant garde and the academy, between classical order and impressionist rupture. Middling works by minor painters only enhance our appreciation of Degass own: Georges Jeanniots Conscripts from 1894 is shown next to Degass Young Spartans, painted 30 years earlier. The Degas teems with light and colour, energy and ambition; the Jeanniot is leaden by comparison. Transcendent pairings abound: a Delacroix sky study next to Degass own; a Corot capturing the Roman campagna and Degass painting of the Bay of Naples. After the heights of such an inspired artist-collector as Degas, the show sags. The problem is that it is too bound by the works in the Nationals collection. It managed to buy numerous works from the sales of Degass collection after his death, hence the richness of that section. But it means the rooms that follow feel inadequate. Famous art in London 1 /18 Famous art in London The Water-Lily Pond, Claude Monet, 1899 National Gallery, WC2N, nationalgallery.org.uk This Monet masterpiece, painted in his garden in Giverny where he lived until his death, was painted during the early part of his iconic Water Lily series, before the great painter suffered from cataracts. A Japanese style bridge arches over shimmering greens and pinks, a view Monet painted 17 times in one year alone. The National Gallery, London The Fighting Temeraire tugged to her last berth to be broken up, JMW Turner, 1839 National Gallery, WC2N, nationalgallery.org.uk Political, but oh-so-beautiful: Turner shows the once-fearsome gun ship Temeraire headed away from the sunset, being tugged by a paddle boat to be broken up, while another tug ominously waits in the lower right hand corner. Turner is evoking a sense of loss, lamenting the decline of Britain's naval power. Messages aside, the painting itself is a gorgeous contrast of styles: details of the ship are finely done, the rigging lightly sketched, the paddles of the boat slicing the water, while the sky is a glorious explosion of colour, thick layers of oil paint, the sun and sky by turns silver and gold, red and purple. In 2005, it was chosen as the nation's favourite painting in a Radio 4 poll. The National Gallery, London Self-Portrait with Two Circles, Rembrandt, c. 1669 Kenwood House, NW3, english-heritage.org.uk Just look in the eyes for this one: Rembrandt, at the time an old man, showed every ounce of pain and heartbreak he'd endured with the blackness of his pupils, which seems to spill out over his worn-to-grey skin. At the time of painting, he'd lost his wife, three of his children, and his mistress. He sits upright, square-jawed, jaw set defiantly, if a little sourly it's a long way from his early, energetic, playful self-portraits. Four years later, after the loss of another son, he would by dead, having killed himself. The painting is a large one: give it some time. It's a peculiar experience to stand in front of it and sympathise with a stranger. Kenwood House Sunflowers, Vincent van Gogh, 1888 National Gallery, WC2N, nationalgallery.org.uk Van Gogh's series of Sunflowers caused an uproar when they were first presented: artist Henry de Groux declared them 'laughable', a remark which saw him only narrowly avoid a fist fight with Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec and Paul Signac. It's said van Gogh was spurred to paint the flowers in order to have new work to impress Paul Gauguin, whom he planned to share a studio with. On a diet of coffee and booze, he painted the first four in just six days. While visiting the Sunflowers, be sure to see his famous Chair; A Wheatfield, with Cypresses; and the magnetic 1899 painting Two Crabs, which sometimes, sadly, goes overlooked. The National Gallery, London Blue Nude II, Henri Matisse, 1952 London Print Studio, W10, londonprintstudio.org.uk Among his final ever work, Matisse's playful, vibrant cut-outs are a triumph of form. Too ill to paint, Matisse invented a new form with the cut-outs and the later Blue Nude series, as seen here, are deceptive: they seem simple, but the limbs swirl around each other, and Matisse captures something very human in the posture particularly noticeable here in the slight incline of the neck. Straightforward, but captivating. DACS Venus, Sandro Botticelli, c. 1490 The V&A, Cromwell Rd, SW7, vam.ac.uk It might not be the famous Birth of Venus, but this piece is as close as one can currently get in London. It contains the same ground-breaking nudity Christian influence had put a bit of a damper on that for a few centuries beforehand and again, it's all in the eyes here: the expression could mean one of a thousand things. Afterwards, head to the National to see Venus and Mars, from a few years earlier. Volker-H. Schneider / Gemaldegalerie, SMB / Jorg P. Anders The Skiff (La Yole), Pierre-Auguste Renoir, 1875 National Gallery, WC2N, nationalgallery.org.uk Some Renoir is looked at a little sniffily that's what being so successful your work is printed on everything from T-shirts to table mats does to you but this remains a stunning example of Impressionism, showing off Renoir's famous use of vibrant colour: the orange and blue stand brightly against each other, and while the piece is a picture of calm, Renoir puts motion into the Skiff (La Yole, if you're showing off). The National Gallery, London A Bar at the Folies-Bergere, Edouard Manet, 1882 The Courtauld Gallery, WC2R, courtauld.ac.uk There is more to this extremely famous painting than it first seems: the picture of an ordinary functioning bar quickly unravels with the questions it asks why her expression? Who is the man? Is he asking about buying a drink or her? Though it feels lively and offhand, like a night in the bar might be, the piece is thoroughly kitted out with detail, including a well-hidden trapeze artist. It's partly famous as the barmaid's reflection has puzzled onlookers since it was first shown: still, Manet's last major work proved to be a hit, and so it has remained. The Courtauld Gallery The Signing of Peace in the Hall of Mirrors, Versailles, 28th June 1919, William Orpen, 1919 Imperial War Museum, SE1, .iwm.org.uk William Orpen's piece, commissioned at the then huge cost of 3000, is more notable for its scene than the painting itself, but what a scene: as the title says, it shows the Peace Conference at Versailles in 1919, where the Allies decided the terms of peace following the First World War. In the painting are US president Woodrow Wilson, British Prime Minister David Lloyd George, and many, many soldiers, diplomats and politicians. Spend a while with it: the facial expressions and how much they differ are particularly interesting. The architecture, as Orphen sees it, is vast, leaning over the politicians, making them seem small, insignificant, weak. It's subtle, perhaps, but reveals what the artist thought of them. WM (Art.IWM ART 2856) Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear, Vincent van Gogh, 1889 The Courtauld Gallery, WC2R, courtauld.ac.uk The shades of green which run through this piece seem to exaggerate van Gogh's despondency. In this self-portrait, painted shortly after his ear was slashed and he almost bled to death, he sits staring, saying something, while wrapped up as if outdoors in a biting winter. Whether van Gogh slashed himself or it was the result of a fight with Gauguin remains unknown, but the two men never met after the incident again, and van Gogh's pain, insecurity and questioning in this picture is undoubtedly clear. The Courtauld Gallery Two Dancers on a Stage, Edgar Degas, 1874 The Courtauld Gallery, WC2R, courtauld.ac.uk Degas's dancers are notable for their movement: while ballet is physically demanding, draining, and emotionally consuming, here the pair seem relaxed, joking, as if in rehearsal. That they aren't centre of the painting gives the piece of a feeling of being a spontaneously captured. Not Degas's most famous work, but a beautiful example from a beautiful painting nevertheless. The Courtauld Gallery Jane Austen, Cassandra Austen, c.1810 National Portrait Gallery, WC2H, npg.org.uk This painting of the famous English novelist was done by her elder sister Cassandra. As the only two girls among eight siblings, the two were extremely close throughout their lifetime and frequently wrote to each other. This incomplete watercolour is thought to be the only known portrait from life of Jane. This does not, however, mean it looks much like her: her family were not convinced by it, although the expression apparently convinced her niece. Still, from 2017, it's the portrait we'll see on 10 notes everywhere. National Portrait Gallery, London An Allegory ('Vision of a Knight'), Raphael, c. 1504 National Gallery, WC2N, nationalgallery.org.uk Seeing any Raphael is extraordinary, especially as there are far too few in London. It's not entirely clear what this piece means, though some think the sleeping knight is meant to represent the Roman General Scipio Africanus, and the piece is an allegorical painting which has taken influence from the epic poem Punica, by Latin poet Silius Italicus. An example of Renaissance painting, it features the typical faraway long perspective in hues of blue, and fine detail throughout. The National Gallery, London The Ambassadors, Hans Holbein the Younger, 1533 National Gallery, WC2N, nationalgallery.org.uk Hans Holbein the Younger managed to be a hugely influential figure in art without founding a school, making him something of a rarity. This double portrait might not be as famous as the copy of his lost Henry VIII portrait (head next door to the National Portrait Gallery for that one), but it remains extremely striking, and draws the viewer in with what appears to be a white smudge across the bottom of the canvas: in fact, it is an early example of anamorphosis, and shows a skull, a symbol of death and mortality. While cynics suggest Holbein incorporated it simply to show off his skill (and hence secure future commissions, the canny so-and-so), it forces any audience to engage, to look and consider the work from all angles, and to get a more thorough appreciation for the piece. The National Gallery, London Mont Sainte-Victoire with Large Pine, Paul Cezanne, 1887 The Courtauld Gallery, WC2R, courtauld.ac.uk Odd to think this series of beautiful, calming landscapes once caused a stir, but it did, if only for its form: unlike the Impressionists, Cezanne outlined his shapes and details, and the piece isn't about hundreds of little details blurred together. The colours are prominent and striking, and the painting feels warm, humid, sunny something in it acts like a teleporter to south of France. The techniques here and striking lines shows why Cezanne is sometimes remembered for helping usher in Abstract art. The Courtauld Gallery Bathers at Asnieres, Georges Seurat, 1884 National Gallery, WC2N, nationalgallery.org.uk Famous enough that a bar in Pimlico have a drink dedicated to it. That's how you know you've made it big time. At 2m by 3m, Seurat's painting of young men relaxing by the water is impressively sizeable, and another example of a deceptively simple style: in real life, the painting seems to gleam, shine and wink an effect achieved by contrasting dots of colour. The water is the best example of it, but the boys hat has dots of blue on the orange, making it stand out, drawing attention to him as he braces himself to swim. The side-on figures draws to mind Egyptian art. The National Gallery, London William Shakespeare, attributed to John Taylor, c. 1600-10 National Portrait Gallery, WC2H, npg.org.uk The Chandos portrait (named after a former owner) is currently on tour for about a year, but once it's home in the National Portrait Gallery, is well worth seeing. The painting is mystery itself: no-one is certain who actually painted it, and there's even some scepticism over whether it depicts the Bard or not. Nevertheless, it's this portrait which has formed the basis for countless portrayals of Shakespeare in the four hundred years since his death. An icon, not to be missed. National Portrait Gallery, London Queen Elizabeth I, unknown continental artist, c.1575 National Portrait Gallery, WC2H, npg.org.uk Known as the Darnley portrait, this painting is one of the most important visions of Elizabeth I, and would have been painted from a sitting. Though it has come partly to define how people imagine the Queen, with her pale complexion and withering stare, technical goings-over have revealed the paint has faded, and that she would have had much rosier cheeks when the work was finished, which rather changes how one might see her. National Portrait Gallery, London The exuberance of Frederic Lord Leightons collection assembled in his opulent Holland Park home cant be reflected, despite the presence of a lovely group of decorative Corot landscapes. A smattering of G F Wattss holdings is as thin as Wattss own paintings are dull and lifeless. But the show picks up momentum again when we reach the section dedicated to Joshua Reynolds, though Reynolds himself suffers. As his self-portrait testifies, he was never short of confidence and bought works by artists whose greatness he aspired to. But most of these are greater than anything Reynolds himself produced: the transcendent radiance of Poussin, the moving solemnity of Rembrandt, the swagger and lightness of Van Dyck. Sometimes artists are engulfed rather than enhanced by their passions. Painters Paintings offers the tantalising prospect of a glimpse behind the artists vision Van Dyck was one artist who learned brilliantly from his influences and forged his own identity. He primarily focused on perhaps the greatest of all painters: his contemporaries referred to the collection as the Cabinet de Titien. Like Reynolds, Van Dyck wanted to match up to his masters; unlike Reynolds, he could pull it off. The National has two Titians that were likely owned by Van Dyck: the vast, transfixing portrait of the Vendramin family, and the peerless portrait of Gerolamo Barbarigo. Two of Van Dycks paintings reflect how he translated Titians genius his lively realism, compositional dynamism and rich and subtle colour and texture into his own elegant hand. The presence of Van Dyck inevitably conjures the spirit of his teacher, Rubens. He, too, was a great collector and connoisseur, as was Rembrandt. I couldnt help but wonder how good this show could have been with more ambition: why not bring together the greatest painters paintings, rather than those best reflected in the Nationals holdings? For much of this show I was thoroughly absorbed but still I left pining for an exhibition that might have been. Painters Paintings: From Freud to Van Dyck is at the National Gallery, WC2 (020 7747 2885, nationalgallery.org.uk) from June 23 until September 4 Follow Going Out on Facebook and on Twitter @ESgoingout S ir Quentin Blake today said drawing quirky sea-inspired images for the launch of a new London restaurant terrace helped him get over having to sell his coastal retreat in France. The artist, 83, best known for his illustrations in the Roald Dahl books, has created one under-the-sea design for the plates, coasters and menus plus four other wall-mounted sketch-style pictures to be hung at J Sheekey restaurants new Atlantic Bar and terrace in Leicester Square. Called Life Under The Atlantic, the images all figures under water include a waiter serving a bottle of wine and a chef pondering what his next creation will be, an oyster fan, a lady enjoying a glass of wine and an actor popping in for a quick bite to eat before a show. Speaking to the Standard, Sir Quentin a regular at the seafood restaurant which this year celebrates its 120th anniversary said: It was quite cathartic doing these sea-inspired drawings as a way of saying goodbye [to his cottage]. It was some compensation for not having my house in France any more. The illustrator, who was born in Sidcup, said he had lately been kept busy working on drawings to celebrate the centenary of Dahls birth. From Friday, a number of never-before-seen images from The Big Friendly Giant will be shown at the House of Illustration in Kings Cross to mark the occasion. Things to do in London this weekend (June 24-26) 1 /10 Things to do in London this weekend (June 24-26) Three Bears Brunch pop-up The Joker, 58 Penton St, Islington N1 9PZ (June 25-26) Find event details here For one weekend only, the people behind Londons first ever porridge cafe are opening a pop-up brunch cafe in Islingtons The Joker pub. The four-course brunch meal begins with a 3-hour infused lemon and basil porridge, before moving on to quails eggs with seeded soldiers. The Jokers mixology staff will also be experimenting and creating cocktails fit for the Three Bears Brunch pop-up. Porridge Cafe BFG in pictures House of Illustration, 2 Granary Square, King's Cross, N1C 4BH (June 24-Oct 2) houseofillustration.org.uk One of the most influential illustrators alive, Quentin Blake is perhaps best known for his iconic work with Roald Dahl. Having recently collaborated with musician James Blake on his album artwork, and being in the process of launching his latest work, Under The Atlantic, which premieres at top London restaurant J Sheekey, Quentin Blake is also turning back time at the House of Illustration with a variety of unpublished work from Roald Dahls book, The BFG. Quentin Blake London Dragon Boat Festival London Regatta Centre, Dockside Road, E16 2QT (Sunday June 26) lhkdbf.co.uk The second biggest cultural event of the Chinese calendar is here, and its about to get wavy. Whilst raising money for charity, the dragon boat racing hosts four different cups for the competitive racers. With a variety of food, drink, DJs, bands and a raffle draw, a day of racing at the docks is sure to wash away doubts about the end of the weekend. Paul Keene Abbeville Fete Abbeville Road, SW4 9JX (June 25) 12-6pm abbevillefete.com With over 80 street stalls, this years Abbeville Fete is pulling out the stops to keep local residents entertained. With an endless list of live DJs and performers set to appear at the fete, the family-friendly event is sure to have bustling streets, especially thanks to their kids fancy dress parade, in which this years theme is the seaside. Rick Astley at London Palladium 30 Argyll St, W1F 7TE (June 25) rutlive.co.uk The Never Gonna Give You Up singer is appearing alongside Burt Bacharach, Rumer, Marc Almond and Jean Martine this Saturday following Rick Astleys new album reaching the new album top spot on June 17. Although Astley's hit has lived up to its name, Bacharach classics are sure to make an appearance, and the other supporting acts arent to be forgotten. Gelato Festival Old Spitalfields Market, Horner Square, Spitalfields, E1 6EW (All weekend) Read our preview Think of a haven where all you can eat is ice-cream of over 100 different flavours. The mouth-watering Gelato Festival stops off in London again to provide that summer satisfaction with their gelato goodness. Whether you prefer boozy, savoury, or sweet flavours, this years Gelato Festival is sure to be cool. Pride Parade Begins at Portland Place near Baker Street (June 25) 1-4:30pm Read our guide on Pride events Commencing from Portland Place and ending in Whitehall, this year's Pride Parade won't be shy of sparkling sensations and tight clothing as the LGBT community and all the supporters take to the streets of central to celebrate their freedom to love. Lauren Anderson GROW London GROW London Marquee, East Heath Road, Hampstead, NW3 1TH (June 24-26) growlondon.com Hampstead Heath welcomes back the blooming marvellous garden and lifestyle fair GROW. With a variety of art installations, gardening utilities and plants themselves, the family-friendly festival arrives just in time for the beginning of summer. With a variety of gardening-experts to appear too, aspiring gardeners can get the best tips and tricks from Richard Reynolds and more. Scandinavian Midsummer Market Albion Street, Rotherhithe, SE16 7HZ (June 25) scandimarket.co.uk For your second annual influx of Scandinavian culture, head to the Midsummer Market, where you can find the best Danish pastries, fish markets and reindeer stew. As well as all the culinary goodness, the market will also bring a variety of fashion, jewellery, and unique goods from the Scandinavian region. Moving Stories British Museum, Great Russell St, WC1B 3DG (June 24) 6-8:30pm britishmuseum.org As part of Refugee Week, the British Museum is putting together an evening of music, storytelling, theatrical performances and talks in commemoration of all those displaced across the world. With all performances and stories provided by actual migrants and refugees, this will prove to be the ultimate insight into the people suffering in the current refugee crisis. Getty Images The Quentin Blake Life Under The Atlantic series will be available to view on the terrace and in the J Sheekey Atlantic Bar until September 16. Follow Going Out on Facebook and on Twitter @ESgoingout T he third in a group of record-themed bars launching in London has teamed up with labels so that it actually sells music. Old Street Records, which officially opens on June 30, is collaborating with two record labels, Fiction Records and Caroline International, to sell their releases. This will mean vinyls from artists including Iggy Pop, Tame Impala, Nick Mulvey, The Maccabees, Ian Brown, Mystery Jets and Supergrass frontman Gaz Coombes will be able to be bought from the bar. The Shoreditch site will also serve pizzas along with cocktails and craft beers, and its not all about vinyl the bar will also have live music six nights a week, with an eclectic programme of soul, funk, jazz, rock and pop. It joins sister bars Venn St. Records in Clapham and Northcote Records in Battersea and is open until 1am from Mondays to Wednesdays and until 2am on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Visit oldstreetrecords.com. Follow Ben Norum on Twitter @BenNorum Follow Going Out on Facebook and on Twitter @ESgoingout Review at a glance I n 2013 AlunaGeorges debut album Body Music reached Number 11, they almost won a Critics Choice Brit and White Noise, their collaboration with Disclosure, reached Number 2. Since then, water has been trod, but electro duo Aluna Francis and George Reid are suddenly the next big thing once again and their second album, I Remember (with its recent hit, the Flume-produced title track), should be with us later this year. Last nights warm-up for their Glastonbury appearance sold out The Scala and looked towards the future as well as the past. Reid may be dominant in the studio but, for reasons far from clear, he no longer appears live and this was an Aluna Francis solo show in all but name, although she was accompanied by a woolly-hatted drummer, a surly keyboardist and, intermittently, two dancers in plastic macs. Formerly Frances Noon, the Hertfordshire-born daughter of an Indian yoga teacher and a Jamaican photographer gave up a career as a reflexologist. Francis said little beyond platitudes, but her voice ranged from little girl to assertive woman and she had a stately, gliding presence, unfettered charisma and the poise to suggest that the next James Bond credits could be hers, when she wasnt wriggling like a British Beyonce and encouraging the audience to sing the choruses of Im In Control and Attracting Flies for her. If the new In My Head owed more to Kylie Minogues Cant Get You Out Of My Head than titular similarity, To U and My Blood were sinkhole-opening hard- core. There were enough concessions to dancepop to give Jess Glynne pause for thought and the dreamy Your Drums Your Love exuded effortless beauty. With Reids position so unclear, so is AlunaGeorges at the very moment their breakthrough looks imminent. Whatever happens, though, Aluna Francis is an obvious star. Follow Going Out on Facebook and on Twitter @ESgoingout O ur series of quick fire questions with some of this year's top festival artists revealing their best and worst experiences at festivals around the world. Which festival are you most looking forward to playing this year and why? It has to be British Summer Time, where I am supporting Carole King. Im a big fan. I dont know if Ill get to talk to her, and if I do Ill have to work very hard not to come across as completely lame because Ill be completely in awe. Whats your oddest festival experience? It would have been when we were playing a festival in Sweden and somehow none of our equipment made it across ion the flight it was meant to. We had to beg, steal and borrow equipment from other acts and it was very unusual but in the end became one of the best gigs we had done. The best festivals in the UK in 2016 1 /34 The best festivals in the UK in 2016 Glastonbury Worthy Farm, Somerset, June 22-26 The daddy. The boss. The Big Kahuna. Glastonbury can rely on its stellar reputation to sell out before it has even announced most of its attractions. Music, Coldplay, PJ Harvey and ELO in the sunday afternoon "legend slot" are the only confirmed acts so far. You can still register for a resale of any cancelled or return tickets, and if you fail to get in, it's all on telly anyway. glastonburyfestivals.co.uk Tabatha Fireman/Redferns via Getty Images T in the Park Strathallan Castle, Perthshire, July 8-10, In its second year in a new location, Scotland's biggest music festival will hopefully have solved the problems that led to huge delays for those leaving the site last year. The line-up is as big as ever, with The Stone Roses, Red Hot Chilli Peppers and local hero Calvin Harris headlining, and the reunited LCD Soundsystem and Last Shadow Puppets also high on the bill. Major Lazer (pictured) will also be making an appearance. tinthepark.com/ Isle of Wight Seaclose Park, Newport, Isle of Wight, June 9-12 With its psychedelic imagery and impressive history the Isle of Wight Festival like its golden oldies, hence the presence of Status Quo, Adam Ant, The Damned and Iggy Pop in its line-up. Queen are headlining with their Freddie substitute Adam Lambert, alongside relative whippersnappers Stereophonics and Faithless. isleofwightfestival.com V Hylands Park, Chelmsford, August 20-21 Generally the best place to see whoever's big in the Top 40 this year, V has hardly bothered with rock bands this time and gone fully pop with its two headliners, Justin Bieber and Rihanna. Chart-toppers such as Sia, David Guetta, Bastille and Years & Years will also be providing big tunes, while the dance tent features Annie Mac and Eric Prydz. vfestival.com Standon Calling Standon House, Standon, Herts, July 29-31 Not far north of the M25, this steadily growing independent festival last year played host to about 10,000 people who no doubt will be keen to join in with this year's fancy dress theme: "Legend of the lost seas". There are plenty of hot newcomers on the bill, including Honne, Tiggs Da Author and Loyle Carner, while bigger names such as Suede, Kelis and Jess Glynne will come out after it gets dark. standon-calling.com Reading Richfield Avenue, Reading, August 26-28 The organisers of Reading (and its sibling in Leeds) have tried to combat the current dearth of viable major headliners by naming five over its three days. Foals, Disclosure, Biffy Clyro and Fall Out Boy are the slightly smaller bands who will share top billing, while the undeniably massive Red Hot Chili Peppers will headline alone on the Saturday. readingfestival.com Green Man Glanusk Park, Brecon Beacons, August 18-21 While watching the main stage bands at Green Man your eye cant help but be drawn to the stunning hills beyond. A river runs through the site, and the music is suitably bucolic too. Belle and Sebastian, James Blake (pictured) and Wild Beasts will bring dreamy sounds late at night, with Floating Points, Julia Holter and local hero Cate Le Bon providing more highlights. greenman.net Rex Kendal Calling Lowther Deer Park, near Penrith, Cumbria, July 28-31 With the opportunity to see deer wandering about in the Lake District, you hardly need any bands. Disturbing the peace this year will be Rudimental, Noel Gallaghers High Flying Birds, Madness and The Charlatans, whose singer Tim Burgess will also bring his Tim Peaks diner area to life once again. endoftheroadfestival.com End of the Road Larmer Tree Gardens, Salisbury, Sept 2-4 There are peacocks, magical woodlands and a consistently great music line-up every year. This time Joanna Newsom, Animal Collective and Bat For Lashes lead the way but there are also endless new discoveries to make from an impressive daytime roster. endoftheroadfestival.com Sonny Malhotra Latitude Henham Park, Southwold, July 14-17 Like a newspapers arts pages come alive, Latitude can usually be relied upon to offer a range of theatre, poetry and even ballet alongside the bands. This year you can see Opera North as well as productions of both The Importance of Being Earnest and A Midsummer Nights Dream. The National, New Order and Grimes (pictured) are among those providing the music. latitudefestival.com Zak Kaczmarek/WireImage Wilderness Cornbury Park, Oxfordshire, Aug 4-7 Like a newspapers arts pages come alive, Latitude can usually be relied upon to offer a range of theatre, poetry and even ballet alongside the bands. This year you can see Opera North as well as productions of both The Importance of Being Earnest and A Midsummer Nights Dream. The National, New Order and Grimes (pictured) are among those providing the music. wildernessfestival.com Big Feastival Alex Jamess Farm, Kingham, Cotswolds, Aug 26-28 Jamie Oliver gets together with Blur bassist and cheese enthusiast Alex James (where else would you have the opportunity to see Alexs Cheese Hub?) who give equal billing to gigs and grub. Oliver will be doing demos alongside the likes of Raymond Blanc and Tom Kerridge, while music comes from the likes of Mark Ronson (DJ Set), Kaiser Chiefs and Ella Henderson. jamieoliver.com Boardmasters Watergate Bay, Newquay, Cornwall, Aug 10-14 Heres the best place to combine surfing with suitably lively bands including Chase & Status, deadmau5 and Primal Scream. A surfing competition for professionals long before it incorporated a music festival, you can also book your own lessons if you get sick of the music. boardmasters.co.uk Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images Bestival Robin Hill Country Park, Isle of Wight, Sept 8-11 DJ Rob Da Banks brainchild traditionally closes festival season with as many wacky happenings as can be crammed into a weekend. This year these include Mexican masked wrestling, a Bollywood tent and a drum and bass set from former choirboy Aled Jones. The music line-up looks great too, with The Cure, Major Lazer and Hot Chip all coming over on the ferry. bestival.net Carolina Faruolo Secret Garden Party Abbots Ripton, Huntingdon, Cambs, July 21-24 Like all the peripheral bits of Glastonbury without feeling youre stuck on Oxford Street on christmas Eve, Secret Garden Party is the definitive boutique experience. camp in safari tents, tipis or garden sheds, try out the UKs only hot tub bus and drift away to the sounds of caribou, air and Shura. secretgardenparty.com Danny North Festival No 6 Portmeirion, North Wales, Sept 1-4 There should be less mud than most at this small weekender, which takes place around the eccentric italianate village built by Sir clough William Ellis, best known as the set of cult Sixties TV show The Prisoner. attendees will be at liberty to enjoy Noel Gallaghers high Flying Birds, Super Furry animals and Bastille, plus a david Bowie tribute show with surprise guest vocalists. festivalnumber6.com Camp Bestival Lulworth Castle, Dorset, July 28-31 Bestivals little sister is the best one for children in fact, youll feel pretty left out if youre not wheeling around a few four-year-olds in one of those trolleys used for transporting gravel at garden centres. This year theres a space theme and music from Fatboy Slim, Jess Glynne and Tears for Fears, but everyone will really be there to see cBeebies superstar Mr Tumble. campbestival.net Womad Charlton Park, Malmesbury, Wiltshire, July 28-31 A festival has come a long way when its offers include a weekend spa ticket that comes with complimentary Womad sarong and slippers. As ever, the music here is more wide-ranging than anywhere else, stretching from English folk act This Is the Kit to Senegalese legend Baaba Maal and US funk pioneer George Clinton and everywhere in between. womad.co.uk Cambridge Folk Cherry Hinton Hall, Cambridge, July 28-31 Now more than 50 years old, this venerable festival continues to stretch the definition of what constitutes folk, with Irish rockabilly lady Imelda May, gypsy punk band Gogol Bordello and soul man Charles Bradley all on the bill. A more conventional folk hero, Christy Moore, is one of the headliners. cambridgelivetrust.co.uk Love Supreme Glynde, East Sussex, July 1-3 Like Cambridge, this relative newcomer is proving successful by billing itself as a specialist festival, in this case jazz, while taking the broadest view of what that entails. Hence stars such as Grace Jones, Lianne La Havas and Kelis appearing on the bill, alongside more recognisable jazz acts including Melody Gardot and Kamasi Washington. lovesupremefestival.com Download Donington Park, Derby, June 10-12 The former home of the Monsters of Rock festivals continues to rock in a monstrous fashion, offering a mix of ageing metal bands such as Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath and Megadeth plus the younger, poppier end of the spectrum including All Time Low, Billy Talent and Shinedown. downloadfestival.co.uk Ramblin Man Fair Mote Park, Maidstone, July 23-24 Born last year, Ramblin Man caters to the large audience that exists for the old unfashionable stuff. Classic rock bands Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy, Black Stone Cherry and Thunder are among the main attractions. Theres also a prog rock stage and, needless to say, a real ale festival. ramblinmanfair.com Creamfields Daresbury Estate, Halton, Cheshire, Aug 25-28 There are four days of dancing to be done at this successful spin-off from the superclub Cream. The line-up is a whos who of the biggest DJs in the world right now, from homegrown talents Calvin Harris, Fatboy Slim and Above & Beyond to the super Swedes Avicii, Axwell & Ingrosso, and Alesso. And, of course, Pete Tong has an All Gone Pete Tong tent. creamfields.com Wild Life Brighton City Airport, June 11-12 This one must have done so well the first time around that the second one has the same headliners as last year: Disclosure and Rudimental. Dance music from the likes of Flume, Julio Bashmore and Tiga dominates the bill but theres also classic hip hop from Ice Cube, Busta Rhymes and De La Soul and incongruous singer-songwriter fare from James Bay. wildlifefestival.com Sam Neill/Liam Simmons Sundown Norfolk Showground, Norwich, Sept 2-4 Sundown has a few proper pop stars in its mix, not least Jason Derulo, Jess Glynne and Years & Years, but the various dance stages will keep energy levels the highest. Theyre run by organisations including UKF, Defected and Ministry of Sound. sundownfestival.co.uk Electric Daisy Carnival Milton Keynes Bowl, July 9 This American import also operates in New York, Las Vegas and Japan. It only lasts a day and a night but you can still camp nearby. Theyre bringing their Crystal Village to Milton Keynes, an apocalyptic stage set-up appropriate for excess-loving EDM DJs on the bill. They include Avicii, Axwell & Ingrosso, Martin Garrix and Oliver Heldens. uk.electricdaisycarnival.com Whats your favourite festival? The first festival I went to was Reading, so that will always have a special place in my heart. Do you prefer urban or rural festivals? Urban festivals are great, but I rural are definitely better as you really get to immerse yourself in where you are and leave the real world behind for a few days. Do you enjoy camping? I went camping a lot as a kid and would moan about it, but now I think it has set me in good stead! Rae Morris plays BST in Hyde Park on July 3. Follow Going Out on Facebook and on Twitter @ESgoingout A former model turned fashion designer is leading a new generation of female bikers who are overturning the image of hairy blokes in tatty leather jackets. Tamara Bell, 25, is building her own dream chopper from a Triumph T100 engine, and rode her customised Harley-Davidson across India, Europe and California. She runs biker-inspired fashion brand Burds London with her business partner Ame Pearce in Dalston. She told ES Magazine: When I was three, my mum says I asked for a motorbike for my birthday. Bell bought her first machine shortly after leaving school and rode it around London at night ... For me riding isnt about having a destination in mind. Its more about hitting the road and just seeing what happens. At her first biker party seven years ago she was the only woman, but that has changed: Now social media exists the culture is more readily available to see, and you can connect with other female riders more easily. Bell with business partner Ame Pearce at Kingdom of Kicks in Hackney (Francesca Allen ) / Francesca Allen The Bike Shed in Shoreditch, billed as Soho House for bikers, opened last year. VC London, which organises meet-ups for female bike fans, is launching a UK version of US biker girl camp-out Babes Ride Out. Read the full interview in ES Magazine - free every Thursday and Friday A murder probe is underway after an 18-year-old man was stabbed to death in south London. Emergency services arrived in Wayford Street, Battersea, at 4.15pm yesterday after reports of the stabbing. Police say the victim was pronounced dead at the scene around 45 minutes later. A neighbour reported that two blocks of flats were cordoned off by police yesterday afternoon as the investigation got underway. Forensics officers and sniffer dogs were seen going in and out of one of the buildings for several hours. Following the killing, an 18-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of murder. He is currently being questioned by detectives from the Mets Homicide and Major Crime Command unit at a police station in south London. Murder probe: Forensics officers at the scene / Life according to Zyra Anyone with information should call police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. A research paper written by British law expert recently disclosed the weak points of the arbitral tribunal, who rendered an award on jurisdiction and admissibility of South China Sea Arbitration Initiated by the Philippines. The paper was published in Chinese Journal of International Law. The author, Chris Whomersley, former deputy legal adviser to the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office, revealed that the arbitral tribunal was outside its jurisdiction when issues were related to maritime delimitation and disputes over territorial sovereignty. He stressed that although the Philippines specifically disclaimed any wish to seek a ruling on either the sovereignty of land territory or maritime delimitation, 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. He pointed out that the tribunal failed to recognize that the fundamental dispute is about the sovereignty over the features in the South China Sea, and that the status of the features, such as whether they are low-tide elevations or 'rocks,' is a question which can only logically be answered once the sovereignty dispute has been resolved. The Tribunal should have got below the surface of the Philippines' claims, but it did not, he wrote. A man has been found guilty of murdering a teenage boy in north London. Uchechukwu Ejimonye, 20, was today convicted at the Old Bailey of stabbing 17-year-old Vasilaki Kakko to death in Holloway in November last year. He will be sentenced on Thursday. Mr Kakko, a former student at St Mary Magdalene Academy in Islington, was attacked in Yoke Close, just a few hundred yards from Ben Kinsella was murdered. Paramedics and air ambulance doctors fought to save the teenager but he was pronounced dead at the scene. A post-mortem examination gave the cause of death as a stab wound to the neck. Detectives launched a murder investigation and established Mr Kakko was socialising with friends when a man produced a knife and stabbed him. The offender was later identified as Ejimonye. He was arrested a week after the stabbing in Bognor Regis after the Met received a tip off from Sussex Police. Detective Inspector Mick Norman, from the Met's Homicide and Major Crime Command, said: "What started as an evening out with friends quickly escalated into a moment of extreme violence. Whilst it is unclear what led Ejimonye to fatally stab Vasso, it is obvious to most people that there is never any excuse to take someone else's life." Mr Kakko was one of 15 teenagers whose lives were claimed by knife crime in London last year. A 17-year-old schoolgirl was raped and murdered in her own home and her attacker evaded justice for 34 years, a court heard today. Teenager Yiannoulla Yianni was brutally attacked and strangled while home alone preparing the familys evening meal, just minutes after she was seen laughing with a man on her doorstep. Neighbours heard arguing and a scream before everything went silent, the Old Bailey heard, before the teenagers parents returned home to a sight beyond their worst imagining, finding Yiannoulla stripped of her clothes and dead on their bed. James Warnock, 56, is standing trial accused of raping then murdering the teenager at her family home in Hampstead in August 1982. When quizzed by police about the killing, Warnock said he had looked like John Travolta at the time of the murder and liked to chat and have a laugh, jurors were told. He denies raping and murdering Yiannoulla, claiming they had been in a secret relationship at the time which explained his DNA found at the scene. Prosecutor Crispin Aylett QC said the trail for the killer had gone cold, but Warnock was arrested and charged after giving a DNA sample last December which matched semen found at the murder scene. Opening the case to the jury, he said Yiannoulla had left her fathers shoe repair business, Nick's Shoe Shop in South Hampstead, to go home and prepare a leg of lamb for dinner. "Left alone in her house one Friday afternoon, 17-year-old Yiannoulla Yianni put some music on, he said. No doubt she was enjoying having the house to herself. There was a knock on the door, Yiannoulla went downstairs and opened the door to a stranger. "She was then brutally attacked, raped and strangled. All this took place as long ago as August 1982, and this terrible crime has remained unsolved for half-a-lifetime. Mr Aylett said Yiannoulla and her sister Maria had been brought up by their parents in the traditional Greek manner, she was not allowed out of the house without a chaperone, and was still a virgin when she died. She had not even had a serious boyfriend, he told the court. Nonetheless Yiannoulla was an attractive, physically mature young woman who looked older than she really was. He said just before 2pm on the day she died, on August 13, 1982, two witnesses saw a man at the front door of the house in Belsize Road. One of the witnesses, Keith Peck, knew Yiannoulla by sight and noticed her told to the man, said Mr Aylett, who said Mr Peck had noticed that Yiannoulla had been laughing. He thought that whoever he was, Yiannoulla had seemed at east with him. At 2.20pm a neighbour heard a scream coming from the house, and then silence. Her parents, George and Elli returned home around 30 minutes later to find no sign of forced entry and their daughters jewellery scattered on the stairs. In their search for Yiannoulla, they went into their own bedroom. There they were met with a sight beyond their worst imagining. Their beloved daughter was lying on their bed. She was obviously dead. Yiannoullas breasts were exposed and she was naked from the waist down. Mr Aylett said DNA evidence did not exist in 1982, and despite a televised reconstruction featuring Maria and repeated appeals for information the trail went cold. DNA evidence was recovered in later years, of semen from the bedsheets, but did not throw up a match. However, Warnock gave a sample just after Christmas last year which proved it was his. In interview, he said he had been working as a tiler nearby to Yiannoullas home and said she had a lovely smile. Asked what he looked like in 1982, when he was 22-years-old, Warnock replied: How can I put it? Er, John Travolta. Warnock, of Harrington Street, Kings Cross, denies rape and murder. The trial continues. A Smart car owner got a nasty surprise after they returned to their vehicle to find all four wheels had been stolen. The tiny blue car was targetted in the Brent borough on Wednesday morning. After the bizarre theft of all four tyres, the car was raised up on bricks to stop the underneath of the vehicle from touching the ground. Brent MPS posted a photograph of the striken vehicle with the caption: "#theft of wheels from #smartcar please contact police if you are offered these for sale or have any information." It is not currently known where in the Brent borough the theft occurred. L abour MP Yvette Cooper called the police after a Twitter user who was angry about the Remain campaign threatened to kill her children. The ex-Cabinet minister, who wants the UK to stay in the EU, posted an image of the sinister threat yesterday evening. It said: "Hello, Yvette I have received your Stronger In propaganda emails 5 times please stop or I will kill your kids and grandkids." She tweeted the image, saying: "Got this today for speaking out for Remain..... This has to stop." It is understood the account was removed after the mother-of-three reported it. Later, she explained police and Twitter had been alerted, writing: "But this is for all of us. Time to stop the hatred." The incident comes amid an increase in security for MPs following the death of Ms Cooper's Labour colleague and fellow West Yorkshire MP Jo Cox. She died after being shot and stabbed in an attack in Birstall near Leeds on Thursday last week. Speaking publicly for the first time yesterday, her husband Brendan Cox told the BBC his wife had been very worried that the language of politics was "coarsening". Thomas Mair, 52, has been remanded in custody after being charged with Mrs Cox's murder. Additional reporting by the Press Association. T he husband of murdered Labour MP Jo Cox and their two children are travelling down the River Thames on their houseboat to a memorial service in her honour. Brendan Cox is due to attend tonights gathering in Trafalgar Square alongside his son Cuillin, five, and three-year-old daughter Lejla. Thousands of Londoners are set to flock to the landmark from 4pm to pay their respects in another moving tribute to the politician. The family have begun sailing down the Thames on their houseboat, moored at Wapping, where Ms Cox lived while she was in London. Brendan Cox making his way along the Thames for tonight's memorial (Isabel Infantes/PA ) / Isabel Infantes/PA A series of memorial events are taking place across the world tonight to mark what would have been the 42nd birthday of the MP, who was murdered last Thursday in her West Yorkshire constituency. Brendan Cox and children travel by boat to Jo Cox birthday memorial As well as in London, tributes will also be paid in Batley and Spen where Mrs Cox was elected at last years general election. Thousands of Londoners are set to attend tonight's event with other tributes planned for across the world / Daniel Leal-Olivas/PA On Tuesday, Mr Cox spoke publicly for the first time since his wifes death and said she was killed because of her "very strong" political views. 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 n accountant found dead alongside her long-term partner at their west London home was today described as a kind and loving mother by friends and neighbours. The bodies of Helen Fraser, 49, and Steve Bernard, 50, were found with stab wounds at their flat in a suspected murder-suicide. Neighbours described shocking screams from the couples second-floor flat in Fulham Court, in Fulham Road, at 4.25am on Monday before police found the pair. Met murder detectives are investigating. One friend and neighbour said: She moved here about 15 years ago and I have known her ever since. She was a lovely person, so kind and so loving to her children. She was a mother, a neighbour and a friend. We are all shocked because Steve was also nice and we dont know how this could have happened. They seemed like a perfect couple when you saw them around. Another said: She always talked about her children, but they and the rest of her family are in a very bad place right now. One of them, her youngest daughter I think, witnessed it and went to get help when it happened. Everyone is in shock. She always worked hard for her family. Neighbour Padman Algama, 72, who lives directly below the flat, said: That morning when we were in bed, my wife heard very loud, terrible screaming, the screaming of a woman, and we heard very loud footsteps and bagning from the floor above. The next thing, the police were here and a woman was outside very loudly crying. We think it was the daughter who was banging on doors asking for help. We were so shocked when we heard what happened, they were such a nice couple, very quiet. They were very good neighbours, its very sad. A post-mortem was due to take place yesterday, at Uxbridge Mortuary, after Detective Chief Inspector Mark Lawson launched a murder investigation. The Mets Homicide and Major Crime Command says it is not looking for anyone else in connection with the deaths. Police sealed off the entrance to the flat while officers continued to comb the flat for evidence yesterday. Natalie Williams, 37, said: There were hundreds of police here, it was crazy. Its deeply disturbing. [Ms Frasers youngest daughter] apparently witnessed it. We never heard them argue or anything, they were always a very sweet couple. Everybody is in complete and absolute shock. People are finding it quite difficult to believe this could happen to a family weve known for years and years. Our sympathies are with the children. A Met spokesman said: Inquiries continue to establish the full circumstances of the incident. Police are asking anyone with information to call the incident room 020 8358 0200. To remain anonymous call 0800 555 111. T he grandfather of Ellie Butler today told how he and his wife were branded troublemakers when they battled to adopt her. Neal Gray said he and the six-year-olds grandmother Linda fought tooth and nail as social workers blocked their application. Yesterday, Ellies father Ben Butler was jailed for a minimum of 23 years for her murder at their home in Sutton in October 2013. Ellies mother Jennie Gray was jailed for 42 months for perverting the course of justice and child cruelty. Killer: Ben Butler with his murdered daughter Ellie / Metropolitan Police Ellie was removed from her parents when she was six weeks old and lived with her maternal grandparents for five years before being returned to Gray and Butler in November 2012 after a bitter legal battle. Mr Gray said: We put an application in to adopt her but a social worker blocked it. "The application was stopped even though we were backed by Suttons childrens services department to adopt Ellie. He said: We tried to fight it tooth and nail but every time we were told we were troublemakers and we were elderly people and werent worthy of looking after small children. Mr Gray said he warned Mrs Justice Hogg, the judge who returned Ellie to her abusive father, youll have blood on your hands. Two private social workers were appointed by the judge, who has retired, in place of social workers from the borough of Sutton who had fought Butlers campaign to get custody of his daughter. Mr Gray, whose wife died on the first day of Butlers trial, is now calling for an independent inquiry into why the judiciary and social workers didnt do their job properly. A boat filled with flowers and emblazoned with the words Yorkshire Rose was to float down the Thames to Parliament today in memory of Jo Cox. It was to coincide with a major event in Trafalgar Square to celebrate the life and works of the MP, whose death last week shook the country. Mrs Coxs husband, Brendan, today invited Londoners to join him at the gathering, on what would have been his wifes 42nd birthday. U2 recorded a song for the MP, which was to be played at the event, while global figures including activist Malala Yousafzai were set to pay tribute. The Labour MP for Batley and Spen died after being stabbed and shot outside her constituency surgery last week. Jo Cox with her husband Brendan at the General Election count in Huddersfield Since then Mr Cox has rallied grieving supporters, calling on them to fight against the hatred that killed her. Ahead of todays More in Common event he said on Twitter: Today would have been Jos birthday. If you can, please join us this afternoon to celebrate her life & legacy. Friends of the MP were to tow the dinghy along the river to Parliament by 3.30pm. It will be moored there for a week. When in London, Mr and Mrs Cox and their two children lived on a houseboat moored at the Hermitage Moorings Co-Op in Wapping. Today David Kew, 52, a film maker and founding member of the Co-op, was putting the finishing touches to the boat. He said: What is special about today is Jo always loved the idea of going up the river in her little boat to go to work. The memorial started very much as a personal tribute to Jo from the community here but we are aware of the impact her death has had on everyone in the country. We hope our Yorkshire rose tribute will be on behalf of the whole country. MPs wear white roses in tribute / PA Maria Carey, 39, a member of the Hermitage Moorings Coop, said: Jo was always positive and full of life. She was a big personality. A friend of hers said whenever Jo gave you a hug it was like she bolstered you enough to go forward. The celebration in Trafalgar Square, starting at 4pm, was to take place alongside simultaneous events in Brussels, New York, Nairobi and Beirut. 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 U2 frontman Bono worked with Mrs Cox on the Make Poverty History campaign and in the past 48 hours the band have recorded a song especially for the event. Mariella Frostrup, was to introduce a video of the song along with other readings and appearances. Labour MP Yvette Cooper alerted police after receiving a threat from a Twitter user who told her he would kill your kids and grandkids. Ms Cooper posted a picture of the message online saying: Got this today for speaking out for Remain ... This has to stop. T housands of people gathered in Trafalgar Square today for a moving tribute to murdered MP Jo Cox which was echoed around the world. In heartwarming scenes, the Labour MPs friends and colleagues and high-profile campaigners gathered to pay their respects and lay white roses on what would have been her 42nd birthday. The late Labour politician's husband Brendan and their children - three-year-old daughter Lejla and son Cuillin, five travelled in their houseboat along the River Thames for the memorial service. Tribute events were also taking place in Ms Coxs constituency of Batley and Spen and across the globe in Brussels, New York, Washington DC and Nairobi. A huge banner is held aloft in tribute / Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Those on the stage in London were greeted by a sea of placards, many carrying the slogan #LoveLikeJo and #MoreInCommon, while others were simply colour portraits of the smiling MP. Mayor Sadiq Khan looked tearful as he stood in the crowd listening to Mrs Cox's husband pay powerful tribute to his wife. Mr Khan had urged Londoners today to join him for the hour-long rally to celebrate Mrs Cox and "the values she stood for". Mayor Sadiq Khan listens as Brendan Cox addresses the crowd / Daniel Leal-Olivas/PA Wire Mr Cox gave an eight-minute speech to the crowd in which he gave thanks for the outpouring of love on his family since his wife's death. He said: "Thank you to Jo's amazing friends, and friends of friends, and even complete strangers who have managed, despite your own grief, to organise all of this in less than a week. Brendan Cox pauses to collect himself during his speech / JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP/Getty Images "As amazing and deeply touching as all of this is, I wish I wasn't here today. Not because I'm ungrateful to the organisers and you all for coming, but because of course I'd rather be with Jo." There were a few tuts in the crowd as a plane, appearing to carry a "Leave" banner ahead of Thursday's crucial EU referendum, passed over Trafalgar Square. It came moments after Mr Cox spoke of his wife's pro-EU stance. Hosting the event, Ms Cox's friend and television presenter Mariella Frostrup said the pair bonded over mutual passions including "feminism and dry white wine". Silence fell across the square for a minutes reflection and at other events around the world, including in her home town of Batley where Mrs Coxs parents and sister were present. People in the crowd carried placards bearing Jo Cox's face / Daniel Leal-Olivas/PA Wire Education campaigner Malala Yousafzai was among the guest speakers at the London rally. The band that played at the Mrs Coxs wedding, Diddley Dee, was also expected to perform and a group of the MP's friends formed an honour guard dressed in suffragette-style sashes. Leaders of multiple faiths laid some 42 white roses, the symbol of Yorkshire, to mark her birthday at the event. Jo Cox Commemoration 1 /17 Jo Cox Commemoration Brendan Cox, the widower of MP Jo Cox, and their two children Cuillin, five and Lejla, three prepare to join a floating commemoration at Hermitage Moorings on the River Thames. Jack Taylor/Getty Images Brendan Cox, husband of murdered Labour MP Jo Cox, and their children ride on the boat towing a memorial dedicated to Jo Cox down the River Thames Dan Kitwood/Getty Images A boat called 'Yorkshire Rose', filled with roses is moored next to the houseboat of the late Jo Cox at Hermitage Moorings on the River Thames Jack Taylor/Getty Images Brendon Cox, his children Cuillin and Lejla, and an unidentfied woman make their way along the River Thames for the event in Trafalgar Square Daniel Leal-Olivas/PA Events are taking place in London and across the world to pay tribute to Mrs Cox on what would have been her 42nd birthday Neil Hall/Reuters Mrs Cox lived on the houseboat with her husband and two children when she spent time in London Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Thousands of Londoners are expected to attend tonight's event in Trafalgar Square Isabel Infantes/PA Mr Cox and his children Cuillin and Lejla make their way to the memorial event in memory of the Batley and Spen MP Daniel Leal-Olivas/PA Mr Cox spoke publicly for the first time about his wife's killing yesterday and said she died because of her "strong political views" Isabel Infantes/PA Tributes are due to take place in Washington DC, Dublin, Brussels, Oslo, Buenos Aires, Auckland and Beirut tonight Isabel Infantes/PA Mr Cox is also due to speak at the memorial Jack Taylor/Getty Images Mrs Cox was shot and stabbed outside her constituency surgery last Thursday Daniel Leal-Olivas/PA Thousands of Londoners are set to flock to Trafalgar Square for the event Isabel Infantes/PA Organisers said the events around the world would be a tribute to Mrs Cox's "love, energy, passion, flair, Yorkshire heritage and belief in the humanity of every person in every place". At Portobello Beach in Edinburgh, friends of Ms Cox gathered to celebrate her life. Her photo was placed on the sand next to 300 candles arranged into the words "More In Common". Kim Wallace, a friend and former colleague of Ms Cox and her husband, said: "Jo was fearless in standing up for her beliefs and was a force for good, bringing people together. "Jo was irreplaceable in many ways, but most especially to her children. As a mother, my heart breaks that they now have to grow up without her." Shadow Scottish secretary Ian Murray lit a candle at the event, while Jamie Livingstone, head of Oxfam Scotland, made a speech on behalf of the organisation for which Ms Cox worked for eight years. A tribute will also be held at Glastonbury's Park Stage, while a charity album of music recorded by bands including Coldplay and Muse at the festival this weekend will be released in her honour. A n elderly woman trapped in a north London flat survived for nearly a week by drinking water dripping from her fridge. The 79-year-old woman, who lives alone in a flat in Holloway, fell in her kitchen and was unable to get up or call for help. While trying to raise the alarm for six days, the pensioner managed to melt water from her freezer box to drink. A neighbour eventually heard her banging on the wall and called police, who forced their way into her flat and found her. Islington police officer Jo Morris said officers were upset when they found the woman, saying they had never seen anyone in such a sad state. She told the Islington Tribune: She was struggling for money and had very little in her flat. She has only had one change of clothes, little bedding and no home comforts. The ambulance crew and officers were upset by the way she was living we had never seen anyone in such a sad state." PC Morris helped organise an appeal to raise money and donations for the pensioner, gifting her a new TV to replace a hired one she had been paying for since 1994. It was revealed that the woman had no family, was not on the radar of social services and was not registered with a GP. Preparation work for the high-speed railway linking Malaysia and Singapore has entered the final stage and will solicit bids next year. China is very welcome to bid because China's technology is the most advanced, and it includes the best technologies of all countries, said Malaysia's Minister of Transport, Liow Tiong Lai on June 20. "I'm confident in China's high-speed rail technology, Liow Tiong Lai told reporters of China Business Journal after attending the Modern Railways 2016 exhibition in Beijing. When making a response regarding China's advantages in high-speed rail, Liow Tiong Lai said China has the most advanced technology in safety, speed and security, and he appreciates greatly the rapid development of China's railways. China has introduced the world's leading technology in high-speed rail and on this basis, China absorbed, innovated and made quick progress, Liow Tiong Lai pointed out. "We believe the technical and safety indicators are very important, but we will not only value these two factors. High-speed rail projects involve comprehensive consideration, for example, bidder's efforts for economic development that parallels," said the transport minister. The high-speed railway connecting Malaysia and Singapore is about 350 km long and the project is expected to cost around $10 billion to $15 billion. With a design speed of 350 km per hour, it will operate through the Klang Valley, Negeri Sembilan, Malacca and Johor. After being put into service, it will shorten the travel time between Singapore and Kula Lumpur from six hours to only 90 minutes. Although many countries may compete for the high-speed rail bid, insiders speculate that the competition will be focused between China and Japan. D ramatic footage has captured the moment an Uber driver was repeatedly punched in the face by another motorist in an apparent road rage clash. Footage captured on a mobile phone shows the Uber driver and another man, who a witness said was a black cab driver, wrestling in the street in Kings Cross. The violence was allegedly sparked by a small crash between their vehicles near to the British Library. Ignoring the growing queue of frustrated drivers in Midland Road, they grapple with each another in the road. The Uber driver is then pushed towards the side of his car and hit in the face repeatedly by the man who is dressed in grey and black in the footage. Eventually, they are separated by an innocent bystander. A passenger in a nearby vehicle filmed the fracas at about 4pm on Friday, June 17. It is not clear from the video who started the fight. Minicab booking app Uber confirmed one of its drivers was involved in the incident. A spokesman said in a statement: Weve had many reports in recent months from licensed drivers who use our app and have been on the receiving end of violent, threatening or intimidating behaviour from black cab drivers. Its completely unacceptable and we take it very seriously. The Uber partner-driver in this video has spoken to the police about this incident and we will assist with the investigation. A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: Officers attended and a 34-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of assault. A 49-year-old man received facial injuries. "Both men were treated at a central London hospital for their injuries which were not serious. The 34-year-old was taken to a central London police station and subsequently released on police bail. "He has since answered bail and been released with no further action. Steve McNamara, general secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association, said: Were not sure at this stage that it is definitely a taxi driver involved and we dont know what happened. "Obviously no one wants to see this sort of behaviour on our streets: regardless of whos involved, its unacceptable and we dont condone it in any way. T he widower of murdered MP Jo Cox gave a powerful tribute to his wife in front of thousands who gathered in Trafalgar Square to celebrate her life. The late Labour politician's husband Brendan Cox choked back tears during his eight-minute speech to the crowd during an emotion-charged vigil on what would have been the her 42nd birthday. Mr Cox and their children - three-year-old daughter Lejla and son Cuillin, five had travelled in their houseboat along the River Thames for the memorial service. Addressing the crowd, he said: "Thank you for the love that you have poured on our family since our world collapsed on Thursday. "Thank you to Jo's amazing friends, and friends of friends, and even complete strangers who have managed, despite your own grief, to organise all of this in less than a week. Brendan Cox pauses to collect himself during his speech / Daniel Leal-Olivas/PA Wire "As amazing and deeply touching as all of this is, I wish I wasn't here today. Not because I'm ungrateful to the organisers and you all for coming, but because of course I'd rather be with Jo. "But I wanted to come and show my gratitude and that of all of our family. "Your support and love has helped us all and I wanted our children to see what their mum meant to all of you. I know that they will remember today." Echoing his sister-in-law's words earlier this week, he said his wife had "just wanted people to be happy and for the world to be a fairer place". He said: "That's where her politics came from, not from the libraries of Cambridge or any theoretical attachment to a narrow ideology but from the streets of Batley and her own empathy. When she saw pain she wanted to do all that she could to alleviate it." Mr Cox said his wife had lived her life to the full and that she would have spent her 42nd birthday "bashing around the streets of her home town trying to convince people Britain was stronger in Europe." Jo Cox Commemoration 1 /17 Jo Cox Commemoration Brendan Cox, the widower of MP Jo Cox, and their two children Cuillin, five and Lejla, three prepare to join a floating commemoration at Hermitage Moorings on the River Thames. Jack Taylor/Getty Images Brendan Cox, husband of murdered Labour MP Jo Cox, and their children ride on the boat towing a memorial dedicated to Jo Cox down the River Thames Dan Kitwood/Getty Images A boat called 'Yorkshire Rose', filled with roses is moored next to the houseboat of the late Jo Cox at Hermitage Moorings on the River Thames Jack Taylor/Getty Images Brendon Cox, his children Cuillin and Lejla, and an unidentfied woman make their way along the River Thames for the event in Trafalgar Square Daniel Leal-Olivas/PA Events are taking place in London and across the world to pay tribute to Mrs Cox on what would have been her 42nd birthday Neil Hall/Reuters Mrs Cox lived on the houseboat with her husband and two children when she spent time in London Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Thousands of Londoners are expected to attend tonight's event in Trafalgar Square Isabel Infantes/PA Mr Cox and his children Cuillin and Lejla make their way to the memorial event in memory of the Batley and Spen MP Daniel Leal-Olivas/PA Mr Cox spoke publicly for the first time about his wife's killing yesterday and said she died because of her "strong political views" Isabel Infantes/PA Tributes are due to take place in Washington DC, Dublin, Brussels, Oslo, Buenos Aires, Auckland and Beirut tonight Isabel Infantes/PA Mr Cox is also due to speak at the memorial Jack Taylor/Getty Images Mrs Cox was shot and stabbed outside her constituency surgery last Thursday Daniel Leal-Olivas/PA Thousands of Londoners are set to flock to Trafalgar Square for the event Isabel Infantes/PA He told those gathered: "She was a mountain climber, a runner, a cyclist, an avid reader, an awful cook, a swimmer, a great exaggerator, a wild food forager, a middle lane driver, a log carrier, a ball of energy and determination, and above all else she was a mum. She was the best mum that any child could wish for. And wish we do, to have her back in our lives." He said he had spoken with his children every day since last Thursday about the things they will miss and memories they will forever cherish. "We try to remember not how cruelly she has been taken from us, but how unbelievably lucky we were to have her in our lives for so long," he said. B oris Johnson today predicted a big surprise as he urged the nation to vote for Britain to quit the EU. The former Mayor of London started a 500-mile whirlwind tour of England, ahead of tomorrows referendum, with a dawn visit to Billingsgate fish market where he appealed to voters to believe in our country. Mr Johnson shook hands and posed for photos and selfies with traders who backed his stance on Brexit, partly in protest at the EUs Common Fisheries Policy. We are coming to the final 24 hours. This is a crucial time, lots of people will be making up their minds, he said. Its time to have a totally new relationship with our friends and partners across the Channel. Its time to speak up for democracy, and hundreds of millions of people around Europe agree with us. Its time to break away from the failing and dysfunctional EU system. But Mr Johnson also faced questions over whether the Leave campaign was actually pledging to cut immigration into Britain. His fellow Out campaigner Labour MP Gisela Stuart left that question hanging last night during the showdown debate at Wembley arena. She appeared alongside Mr Johnson and City minister Andrea Leadsom against London Mayor Sadiq Khan, Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson and TUC boss Frances OGrady. After being accused by Ms OGrady of a big con by pretending that the Leave campaign was going to cut the numbers of migrants, Ms Stuart failed twice to directly answer presenter David Dimblebys question over whether they were promising to reduce the total. Amid the confusion, Mr Johnson told BBC Breakfast this morning that he personally would advocate a cut in the number coming to the UK. Pressed further on whether he was promising a reduction, he replied: Yes, but stopped short of giving a figure. He believes that the 333,000 figure of net migration to the UK last year is too high, adding: I think that 77,000 coming without a job offer at all is also way too high. Boris Johnson delivers a speech to activists in Ashby-de-la-Zouch He emphasised that if Britain adopted an Australian-style points system it could do away with a huge and uncontrolled influx of people who didnt have jobs to go to. After his 4.45am start in London, Mr Johnsons schedule took him to the East Midlands and the north of England, travelling by helicopter, plane and car. Wellwishers met him at East Midlands Airport and said they expected a Leave victory. I think its going to be a big surprise, he responded. Fellow Leave campaign leader Justice Secretary Michael Gove was dashing along the South coast, including a stop in Portsmouth. Speaking in central London, Ukip leader Nigel Farage appealed to people to vote Out. We are a member of a club that is failing in every regard. We should reject the unhealthy alliance of big corporate business and big politics, he said. If we believe in Britain we can put power back in the hands of ordinary people and pursue a destiny of self-confidence and genuine global influence. Mr Johnson also sought to downplay warnings from economists that Britain risks an economic downturn, certainly in the short term, if it splits from the EU. He also highlighted Remain camp chief Lord Roses suggestion that wages for the low-paid could rise in the event of Brexit. What you have seen over the last few years is a huge gulf opening up and widening between the incomes of FTSE 100 chieftains and people on the shop floor on low incomes who have basically seen either a pay freeze or, in real terms, their wages come down, added the MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip. On whether Mr Cameron should resign if the country votes to Leave, Mr Johnson, who is seen as a possible successor, insisted: I think the Prime Minister should stay under any circumstances. Leave bosses also highlighted a plea from a German business chief against trade barriers. Markus Kerber, chief executive of the BDI which represents German industry, said: The BDI would urge politicians on both sides to come up with a trade regime that enables us to uphold and maintain the levels of trade we have. D avid Cameron and Boris Johnson launched rival appeals today in the final countdown to the historic European Union referendum. The Prime Minister urged in a speech to a crowd at Bristol: Please give it everything youve got in these last hours. Go out and vote Remain for a bigger and better Britain. A day to go lets do it. Leave campaign figurehead Mr Johnson declared at Londons Billingsgate Market: Its time to speak up for democracy and hundreds of millions of people around Europe agree with us. We are coming to the final 24 hours. This is a crucial time, lots of people will be making up their minds. Their appeals came as leading London figures from the arts, business and national security united in a plea to remain in the EU. The Prime Minister gave a 'Vote Remain' speech in Bristol today / AFP Revered conductor Sir Simon Rattle, former spy chief Sir John Sawers, tycoon Sir Richard Branson and even James Bond star Daniel Craig all urged Londoners to vote against a Brexit tomorrow. Sir Simon led a chorus of voices from the creative and arts sector, urging a vote to stay in the European family. The conductor returning next year to take over London Symphony Orchestra after more than a decade living in Germany said: I dearly hope that the LSO still has its home in a country which is a part of the EU when I take up the post of music director next year and that Britain chooses confidently to remain in the European Union. Actor Craig posted an Instagram image of himself wearing a T-shirt reading: No man is an island. No country by itself. Vote Remain on 23rd June. But Sir John, a real-life Secret Intelligence Service commander, made a heavyweight appeal to Londoners to use their vote to keep families in the capital safe from terror. He wrote in the Standard: If you are in any doubt how to vote, think about security. Being in the EU helps keep Britain secure. We in London should value that highly. He branded Brexiters the gravediggers of our prosperity and said they would have questions to answer if they succeeded. From the world of business, Virgin founder Sir Richard said: Leaving the EU carries enormous risks for London and its standing in the world, which is why Im urging Evening Standard readers across the capital to vote remain. As an entrepreneur, Ive learned a thing or two about risk, and leaving the EU is not one of the risks I would want the UK to take. Sir Martin Sorrell, founder and CEO of marketing giant WPP, said: Isolationism is the anti- thesis of what this citys all about. From Londons creative sector Alistair Spalding, chief executive at Sadlers Wells Theatre, said: Despite all of the complexities that being a part of the EU entails, the alternative is like stepping back to a time when our lives were so much poorer as a result of isolation. To enrich our culture, to maintain and enhance the lives of working people and to be part of a bigger voice in world politics we must vote to remain on Thursday. Jude Kelly, artistic director at the Southbank Centre, said: European partnerships, people and ideas have combined with the UKs creative industries to make us a world leader. We all believe in the strength of this unity and want to continue being open, curious and fully involved in Europes hopes, dreams and challenges. Nick Hytner, ex-artistic director at the National Theatre, said: The EU has enabled a flowering of creativity. If we left the EU our creative industries would be miserably impoverished. EU referendum campaign - in pictures 1 /45 EU referendum campaign - in pictures Boris Johnson (left) kisses a wild salmon as he is shown around Billingsgate Fish Market in London with porter Greg Essex, uncle of TV presenter Joey Essex, on the final day of campaigning Stefan Rousseau/PA A van displaying an advert saying 'Don't Wake Up With Nigel Next Friday' is driven through Westminster Jack Taylor/Getty Images Michael Gove speaks alongside Priti Patel (left) and Kate Hoey at a Vote Leave campaign event at Old Billingsgate market, London Dominic Lipinski/PA A passenger on a train reads the Evening Standard on the London Underground EPA Delia Smith during the Channel 4 EU referendum debate Dominic Lipinski/PA David Cameron appears on a special referendum edition of BBC One's Question Time, hosted by David Dimbleby Stefan Rousseau/PA Jayne-Anne Gadhia, CEO of Virgin Money, speaks to Sir Richard Branson about his views on the EU referendum Ben Pruchnie/PA JD Wetherspoon beer mats that have been printed by the pub chain with strong messages in favour of leaving the EU JD Wetherspoon/PA Ukip leader Nigel Farage and Kate Hoey on board a boat taking part in a Fishing for Leave pro-Brexit "flotilla" on the River Thames Stefan Rousseau/PA Liberal Democrats leader Tim Farron greets supporters after arriving in the Liberal Democrat Vote Remain campaign bus in east London Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty Images Boris Johnson MP visits Sam Cole Foods fish processing factory in Lowestoft, Suffolk, where he was campaigning on behalf of the Vote Leave EU campaign Stefan Rousseau/PA A boat carrying supporters for the Remain in the EU campaign, including Sir Bob Geldoff, shout and wave at Brexit fishing boats as they sail up the Thames Ben Stansall/AFP/Getty Images Yvette Cooper MP gives a helping hand to her husband and former shadow chancellor Ed Balls, as he gets up from a story time session, during a Vote Remain canvassing visit to Shadsworth Children's Centre in Blackburn. Christopher Furlong/Getty Images The Sun backs Brexit Daniel Sotrabji/AFP Getty Images Eddie Izzard campaigns for the Labour In campaign for the EU referendum Christopher Furlong/Getty Images Leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) Nigel Farage poses with the party's new EU referendum poster in Westminster Jack Taylor/Getty Images CBI director general Carolyn Fairbairn, Rohan Silva, Chuka Umunna, Sarah Sands, Munira Mirza and MEP Daniel Hannan at the Evening Standard Brexit Debate Nigel Howard The Vote Leave campaign bus passes a Vote Remain poster featuring Nigel Farage and Boris Johnson as it arrives for a visit to clothing and uniform manufacturers Simon Jersey in Accrington, Lancashire Stefan Rousseau/PA David Cameron makes a joint appearance with Mayor of London Sadiq Khan as they launch the Britain Stronger in Europe guarantee card at Roehampton University Yui Mok/Getty Image Prime Minister David Cameron recreates the famous Beatles Abbey Road album cover by walking across Abbey Road crossing with Tessa Jowell, former secretary of state for culture, media and sport, on May 20, 2016 in London, England. The Prime Minister is campaigning to 'Remain' in the European Union ahead of a referendum on June 23 to decide on whether or not to leave the European Union Jeremy Selwyn Leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) Nigel Farage holds aloft a UK Passport as he speaks during an anti-EU campaign event in Birmingham AFP/Getty Images Campaigners wear clothing bearing the slogans "I'm Turning My Back On The EU", and "I Want To Leave The European Union, Do You?" as they attend a an Anti-EU (European Union) United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) pro-Brexit campaign event, in Birmingham Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Image A British national receives her postal ballot paper AFP/Getty Images Boris Johnson MP takes to the wicket during a visit to Chester-Le-Street Cricket Club as part of the Brexit tour Ian Forsyth/Getty Images A campaigner with the pro-Europe campaign group called 'Irish4Europe', hands out leaflets to visitors to the London vs Mayo Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) football game at Ruislip GAA grounds in Ruislip, northwest London AFP/Getty Images Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn and former leader Ed Miliband (L) address supporters and members of the public in Doncaster town centre on May 27, 2016 in Doncaster, England. The Labour In campaign battle bus arrived in Doncaster today with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and Ed Miliband MP to canvass for votes and hope to persuade UK citizens to stay in the European Union when they vote in the EU Referendum on the June 23 Christopher Furlong/Getty Images Secretary of State for Justice, Michael Gove, leaves after attending a cabinet meeting at 10 Downing Street Carl Court/Getty Images A Vote to Leave campaigner holds a placard as Leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) Christopher Furlong/Getty Images The image of a sari-clad Asian woman exactly balanced on a see-saw with a shaven-headed "thug" was devised by advertising giant Saatchi and Saatchi for the Operation Black Vote campaign. OBV said the poster - which features the slogan "A vote is a vote" and is due to be displayed on 37 digital billboards in London and Manchester - highlighted the "demonisation of foreigners and people of colour" in the campaign Two pumps of Fuller's London Pride are branded with 'IN' and 'OUT' labels in the Red Lion Pub in Westminster Dan Kitwood/Getty Images People walk past a graffiti mural of Donald Trump and Boris Johnson kissing, which is sprayed on a disused building in the Stokes Croft area of Bristol. The image, called 'The Kiss of Death' and painted by pro-EU campaign group We Are Europe, highlights the upcoming deadline for voter registration for the referendum on 7th June Ben Birchall/PA The front page of The Sun newspaper on 9th March The Sun London Mayor Boris Johnson addresses supporters during a rally for the 'Vote Leave' campaign on April 15, 2016 in Manchester, England. Boris Johnson is taking part in a 48 hour 'Brexit Blitz' of campaigning in Northern England. Britain will vote either to leave or remain in the EU in a referendum on June 23 Christopher Furlong/Getty Images John Whittingdale, Theresa Villiers, Michael Gove, Chris Grayling, Iain Duncan Smith and Priti Patel attend the launch of the Vote Leave campaign at the group's headquarters in London Stefan Rousseau/Getty Images Rob Perrins, MD of property firm Berkeley Group, said: Staying in Europe will help us build more homes. "We dont have enough skilled workers in Britain and need the labour. If we leave the EU itll make the housing crisis worse, not better. On the final day of campaigning, Mr Cameron began with a full round of the breakfast media before touring a skateboard manufacturers works. He said exports would suffer after a Brexit and added: Bad for jobs, bad for family finances, bad for livelihoods avoidable if we vote the right way. Ministers privately predicted a narrow victory for Remain. But Leave campaigner Boris Johnson told a crowd of well-wishers as he landed by light aircraft at East Midlands Airport: I think its going to be a big surprise. He also travelled by helicopter, train and road to go on a tour from London to the Midlands and the North of England. Former prime minister Sir John Major joined Mr Cameron in Bristol to appeal to older voters, seen as key in the closely-fought race. I owe it to my children and grandchildren to look forward, he said. I want them to have the freedoms I enjoyed in my lifetime. N igel Farage has pulled out of a televised debate tonight hours before he was due to make his final case for Britain to leave the EU. A spokesman for the politician said he would not be taking part in the Channel 4 discussion on the European Union because of "family reasons" A spokesman for the broadcaster said Mr Farage cancelled his scheduled appearance at 2pm which meant the line-up had to be reshuffled. Ukip offered their MEP Steven Woolfe to take the place of Mr Farage but the offer was declined, the party said. The debate, hosted by Jeremy Paxman, will feature Labour's pro-EU campaign leader Alan Johnson and former First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond for the Remain camp and businessman Theo Paphitis and Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg MP for Leave. On Wednesday, Mr Farage refused to apologise for his controversial "breaking point" immigration poster, despite suggestions by his party that he had. The Ukip leader was questioned over the poster, which depicted hundreds of immigrant arriving in Europe. Speaking in central London, Mr Farage said: "I apologise for the timing and I apologise for the fact that it was able to be used by those who wish us harm. "But I can't apologise for the truth. And after all, this was a photograph your newspaper carried, this was a photograph that all newspapers carried, it is an example of what is wrong inside the European Union." He said the decision by German Chancellor Angela Merkel to welcome so many migrants into Europe has "created divisions between countries". A company who organised a plane to fly over Trafalgar Square during the Jo Cox memorial bearing a message to Vote Leave has apologised after it sparked disgust among mourners. Hampshire-based aircraft manufacturer Britten-Norman said crew on board the plane could not have known about the coincidence of timing and added it was sorry for causing any offence. Thousands of people gathered in Trafalgar Square on Wednesday to pay tribute to Mrs Cox, who championed Britain to remain in the EU, on what would have been her 42nd birthday. Mourners in the crowd reacted with outrage when the plane flew over the London landmark with some branding Brexit campaigners as disgusting. Among them was Labour MP Stella Creasy, who tweeted: "flying your plane over the memorial tribute to Jo Cox in Trafalgar Square is beyond low. Have some self respect and disappear! A Britten-Norman spokeswoman said: We understand that, during a pre-planned photo opportunity over Westminster today, we were visible from Trafalgar Square and that our flight coincided with an important memorial service. Tributes: Thousands of Londoners packed in Trafalgar Square to honour Mrs Cox on what would have been her 42nd birthday / Daniel Leal-Olivas/PA The timing of our flight was determined by weather, air traffic control and the prior approval of the the Diplomatic Protection Group and required the consent of the Metropolitan Police. We are clearly very disappointed that the timing of the service and our flight have overlapped but there was no NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) requesting the avoidance and the coincidence of timing could not have been known by the crew flying the sortie. Our sincere apologies to anyone present who has been offended by the overflight. We would also like to take the opportunity to advise that the flight was a private one and was not sanctioned by the official Vote Leave campaign. The official Vote Leave campaign also apologised even though the group said it was unaware of the stunt. A spokesman said: This wasn't our plane so we had no idea it would fly over the memorial service. Had we known that these people were planning to do it we would have asked them not to. We can only apologise on their behalf for any offence caused. We do not think they realised that the service was taking place. S enior Tory figure Liam Fox today attacked Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond for claiming the UKs ability to protect Gibraltar would be weakened by a Brexit. Former defence secretary Mr Fox said Mr Hammonds comments were unacceptable and insisted that Britains commitment to Gibraltar must be absolute. Mr Foxs attack comes as Britons make their final decision on how to vote before going to the polls for tomorrows referendum. It was on an official visit to Gibraltar in May that Mr Hammond said the UKs ability to protect Gibraltar would be seriously impaired. Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond Mr Fox said: I think that for any British Foreign Secretary to say that is unacceptable because you do not ever negotiate from what sounds like a position of weakness. Our commitment has to be absolute. Thats why the Prime Minister would have said, why I would have said, that our commitment is 100 per cent and there should be no misreading of that by Spain. There is no question of change in sovereignty. There is no question of a change in security. The Spanish foreign secretary has threatened to close the border with Gibraltar if Britain leaves the EU. Speaking to reporters on his visit, Mr Hammond said: I have to say this. Britains ability to protect Gibraltars interests will be seriously impaired if we are no longer members of the European Union, if we are no longer sitting around the table in Brussels when the decisions are made. T housands of people were stuck in their cars for up to 21 hours as they tried to reach Glastonbury after heavy rain and a four-car pile-up sparked mammoth traffic jams. Festival goers travelling to the site complained of being stuck in huge queues after a crash on a key route near the site. Terrible "ground conditions" at the rain-soaked site compounded the traffic chaos, as drivers were unable to access car parks. The festival has warned people travelling in cars and camper vans not to set off for the site today. One festival-goer complained she was stuck for 21 hours in a traffic jam The crash on the A303 near Stonehenge has closed part of the westbound road, one of the main routes into Glastonbury. Wiltshire police have confirmed no-one was injured in the four vehicle crash but the area on the A303 westbound near Countess Roundabout remains closed. Glastonbury 2016: Festival-goers told not to set off amid 11-hour traffic jams Festival organisers have also blamed bad weather and waterlogged grounds for congestion in the area,. Cars were left waiting for hours trying to gain access to the only open car park. Two of the festival's three car parks have been closed and vehicles arriving at the gates have been getting stuck in the mud. A statement released from Glastonbury this morning warned revellers who had not set off by 8.30am to stay away until conditions have improved. A traffic map shows the huge queues around the festival site / Google Maps The statement said: The current wet weather and ground conditions are causing heavy traffic congestion around the Glastonbury Festival site. If you are coming to the Festival by car or campervan/caravan and have yet begin your journey, please do not set off. Festival goer Alexandra Badri said she it took her more than 21 hours to reach Glastonbury, in what should have been a four hour journey - and she is still waiting to reach the car park. Muddy Glastonbury 2016 - In pictures 1 /20 Muddy Glastonbury 2016 - In pictures Festivalgoers haul their belongings through the mud as they arrive at Glastonbury Ben Birchall/PA A weary-looking music fan walks with friends towards the festival site Yui Mok/PA Festival-goers arrive early before the music to be confronted with a muddy field Festivalgoers drag their camping equipment through the mud Heavy rain has left areas of the site looking like a bog One festivalgoer still smiles through the rain A woman in her wellies makes her way to the festival Ben Birchall/PA An exhausted attendee hauls her luggage across muddy turf Ben Birchall/PA Organisers have asked people to delay their trip to the site Terrible ground conditions at the rain-soaked site People who arrived early faced huge traffic queues and dreadful conditions underfoot Yui Mok/PA A festival-goer uses his belongings as a makeshift umbrella Yui Mok/PA There was flooding on some parts of the festival site Yui Mok/PA Other festival-goers were in better spirits despite the poor weather conditions Ben Birchall/PA People were stuck in jams for up to 11 hours Sally Wardle/PA She tweeted: "We left for a four hour journey yesterday at midday. "After 21 hours of a four hour journey we have arrived at the entrance, now in a holding area." Operations manager Sam Fuller set off for the site late last night from Cambridge and has been stuck in traffic since the early hours of this morning. The 29-year-old told the Standard: We were supposed to get to the car park by five but weve literally moved about three miles in the last few hours and my sat-nav is telling me we still have five miles to go. Revellers have been sat in queues for upto 11 hours / Sam Fuller The people from Glastonbury told us to use the A361 and even said there was no congestion when we were all stuck in the jam. This is my third year and Ive always managed to drive down the night before and wed get in straight away. I think the rain probably hasnt helped but the communication from Glastonbury hasnt been great either, it would have been nice to hear about congestion before 6am. Despite the terrible traffic, Mr Fuller added that spirits in the queue was high. He said: Everyone seems to be quite upbeat, people have their doors open and some are playing music. Im not going to let it damped my spirits." Thundery showers have been forecast in the area this afternoon, so the waterlogged car parks are unlikely to open today. Sports and leisure manager Patrick May had been stuck in queues on the A37 for the last hour. Festival-goers arrive at Glastonbury amid awful weather conditions The 31-year-old from Weymouth told the Standard: Our total journey time so far has been four hours for what is normally a one hour journey.. Weve just sent our mate off and hes got a four to five mile walk to Glastonbury to get a pitch or else we wouldnt get a tent setup. This is my seventh year and Ive never seen queues like this, we left at 4am this morning. I think the problem is Glastonbury is opening earlier and earlier. T wo teenagers went on a 30-minute joyride on a rollercoaster after breaking into Blackpool Pleasure Beach. The pair scaled the locked gates of the amusement park and got into the control room of the Blue Flyer ride. The teenagers were captured on CCTV using the 82-year-old wood roller-coaster, which reaches speeds of 15mph. After enjoying the ride for 30 minutes, they allegedly went into a cafe and threw food around at about 4.50am on Friday. A 15-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of burglary. A spokeswoman for Blackpool Pleasure Beach said: The intruders gained access over barriers and locked gates, and managed to enter a control-room of the Blue Flyer ride at Blackpool Pleasure Beach. "They managed to operate the ride some time before security patrols discovered them at 4.50am. "From CCTV footage, we understand the intruders were at the ride for up to 30 minutes. During this time two youths can be seen on the ride. "Following the break-in, the ride has been fully inspected and is operational and open to the public." The spokeswoman added there was "no significant damage" caused to the T Cafe. She added: "Security will continue to operate with vigilance over a 24-hour period across the 42-acre site, assisted by CCTV surveillance, monitoring activity on the grounds of Blackpool Pleasure Beach." A Lancashire Police spokesman said: "At around 4.50am on Friday, June 17, we were called by security at Blackpool Pleasure Beach after they spotted two youths on the site on CCTV. "A 15-year-old boy from Blackpool was later arrested on suspicion of burglary and was given a community resolution." The spokesman added the exact requirements of the community resolution, which does not lead to a criminal record, had yet to be determined, while officers were still trying to identify the other youth. B ernie Sanders has appeared to have admitted defeat in his attempt to become the Democratic presidential candidate. The veteran Vermont senator said he does not think he will be the partys nominee to contest the White House in an interview. Despite the apparent admission he has given up on hopes he said he will speak at the Democratic National Convention next month. It is likely Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democratic nominee, will be confirmed as the candidate at the event in Philadelphia. According to an interview with C-SPAN, set to air on Wednesday, Mr Sanders said: It doesn't appear that I'm going to be the nominee. If for whatever reason they don't want me to speak, then whatever. But I do think I'll speak at the convention." Earlier this month Mrs Clinton declared victory in the Democratic presidential nomination after she picked up wins in North Dakota and Montana. Loading.... However, Mr Sanders refused to concede defeat then and maintained he had a narrow path to clinch the nomination. Mrs Clinton used her speech to take on Donald Trump who will likely contest the presidency with her after he became the presumptive Republican candidate. On Wednesday, Mr Trump launched an attack on Mrs Clinton, accusing her of corruption and dangerous incompetence. In a speech in New York, Mr Trump claimed the former Secretary of State had cheated American workers through bad trade deals and weakened US national security. Mrs Clinton and her staff have previously denied the allegations. Her spokesman Glen Caplin said: "The only thing Donald Trump offered today was more hypocritical lies and nutty conspiracy theories." According to a subordinate WeChat account of the PLA Daily, Long March-7, China's homegrown new-generation carrier rocket, is scheduled to be launched from the Wenchang Satellite Launch Center in south China's Hainan province between June 25 and 29. This is the first task for the rocket during the construction of the space lab in the third phase of China's manned space flight project. This will be the first time for the Long March-7 carrier rocket to be launched and the first time for the launch center to launch a rocket. Here are nine secrets regarding the Long March-7 carrier rocket: 1. The new-generation rocket can be launched in the rain Although China would not launch in-service rockets on rainy days the water-proof new-generation rocket can be launched in rainy days. As it is of high humidity and precipitation in the new launch center in south China's Hainan province, it is required that the new-generation rocket should be waterproof. 2. The new-generation carrier rocket can be parked for 24 hours after being fueled The Long March-7 carrier rocket can be parked at the launch center for 24 hours, the longest duration known after a rocket is filled with low-temperature fuel. The new-generation rocket is designed to meet multi-launch demands. The long park duration improve the degree of reliability during launch of the rocket. 3. More water is needed to lower the temperature of the platform during launch. A total of 400 tons of water is needed during a duration of 20 seconds to lower the temperature of the launching platform so that the platform will not be damaged by the high temperatures. 4. A special protective coating is needed for the rocket launch platform. As the temperature will reach 2,800 degrees Celsius at the moment of launching, technicians will paint a special protective coating on the platform to extend the service life. 5. The Long March-7 carrier rocket has been shipped to the launch center from the Tianjin port rather than being transported along highways and railways. 6. In order to save space, the new-generation rocket will use the same track as the Long March-5 did during transportation. The rocket will make 60-degree turns four times. 7. There are pipes used to refuel, recharge and adjust the temperature of the rocket. 8. Almost 90 percent of the weight of the rocket is fuel. 9. The new-generation rocket can resist sudden gales of wind because the rocket is equipped with wind-resistance devices. T ributes to murdered MP Jo Cox have been held across the world as thousands of Londoners packed into Trafalgar Square to pay their respects. Events have been held in New York, Washington, Paris and Brussels to honour the Labour politician on what would have been her 42nd birthday. In London, her husband Brendan, Lily Allen and Nobel Peace prize winner Malala Yousafzai were among the speakers who addressed crowds of mourners. In touching scenes, the Labour MPs friends and colleagues were joined by high-profile campaigners in leaving white roses at the London landmark. Her husband Brendan and their two children sailed on the River Thames on their houseboat from Wapping where the MP lived while she spent time in the capital. Jo Cox Commemoration 1 /17 Jo Cox Commemoration Brendan Cox, the widower of MP Jo Cox, and their two children Cuillin, five and Lejla, three prepare to join a floating commemoration at Hermitage Moorings on the River Thames. Jack Taylor/Getty Images Brendan Cox, husband of murdered Labour MP Jo Cox, and their children ride on the boat towing a memorial dedicated to Jo Cox down the River Thames Dan Kitwood/Getty Images A boat called 'Yorkshire Rose', filled with roses is moored next to the houseboat of the late Jo Cox at Hermitage Moorings on the River Thames Jack Taylor/Getty Images Brendon Cox, his children Cuillin and Lejla, and an unidentfied woman make their way along the River Thames for the event in Trafalgar Square Daniel Leal-Olivas/PA Events are taking place in London and across the world to pay tribute to Mrs Cox on what would have been her 42nd birthday Neil Hall/Reuters Mrs Cox lived on the houseboat with her husband and two children when she spent time in London Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Thousands of Londoners are expected to attend tonight's event in Trafalgar Square Isabel Infantes/PA Mr Cox and his children Cuillin and Lejla make their way to the memorial event in memory of the Batley and Spen MP Daniel Leal-Olivas/PA Mr Cox spoke publicly for the first time about his wife's killing yesterday and said she died because of her "strong political views" Isabel Infantes/PA Tributes are due to take place in Washington DC, Dublin, Brussels, Oslo, Buenos Aires, Auckland and Beirut tonight Isabel Infantes/PA Mr Cox is also due to speak at the memorial Jack Taylor/Getty Images Mrs Cox was shot and stabbed outside her constituency surgery last Thursday Daniel Leal-Olivas/PA Thousands of Londoners are set to flock to Trafalgar Square for the event Isabel Infantes/PA While relatives also spoke at another event in Batley, where Mrs Cox was elected MP at last year's general election. In New York, a minutes silence was observed near the United Nations building while in Washington a service was held at the Whittemore House. Meanwhile in Paris, President of the French National Assembly Claude Bartolone delivered a speech in tribute of the late MP and in Brussels, mourners laid white roses at the Bourse. At Glastonbury, festival goers also held a minutes silence at the Park Stage in Worthy Farm. Other events took place in Beirut and Nairobi in memory of Mrs Cox. A British drug mule is flying back to the UK after being released from a Peruvian prison. Mellissa Reid, 22, was arrested with her friend Michaela McCollum after being caught with 1.5 million of cocaine at Lima airport while attempting to board a flight to Madrid. After striking a plea deal for a reduced term, the pair were sentenced to six years and eight months in jail. Reid, from Lenzie in Glasgow, has qualified for an early release scheme for foreign prisoners under Peruvian law. Melissa Reid and Michaella McCollum Connolly 1 /9 Melissa Reid and Michaella McCollum Connolly Mark Large/Daily Mail Reuters Martin Mejia/AP Karel Navarro/AP Martin Mejia/AP Enrique Castro-Mendivil/Reuters Poder Judicial del Callao/EPA She arrived at Lima airport yesterday evening with her father William and is thought to be returning via Amsterdam Officials found the 11kg stash of cocaine hidden inside food packets inside their luggage in August 2013. They initially claimed they had been forced to carry the drugs but pleaded guilty to charges later that year. The pair secured a shorter sentence under a plea bargain / Martin Mejia/AP A Foreign Office spokeswoman said: "We continue to provide assistance to Melissa Reid and remain in contact with her family and local authorities." McCollum, 23, of County Tyrone, was released in March under parole conditions meaning she has to stay in Peru for an undisclosed period of time. Reid has also paid a fine of 10,000 Peruvian soles, just over 2,000. A id workers warned today that the lives of tens of thousands of Syrian refugees are at risk, after they were left stranded in the desert when Jordan closed its border with Syria following a deadly suicide attack. Six Jordanian security personnel were killed and 14 wounded yesterday when an assailant drove a truck packed with explosives at high speed through the frontier near Ruqban refugee camp, and blew it up near a military post. Today, Jordan declared the border region a closed military zone and said no new refugee camps would be built and none would be expanded. The crossing had been the last route through which people fleeing Syria could enter Jordan. Tens of thousands are camped on the Syrian side, relying on daily deliveries from Jordan to survive. International aid workers warned the suspension of humanitarian aid to the area now put their lives at risk. Announcing the closed zone, Jordans army said: Any vehicle and personnel movement within these areas that move without prior co-ordination will be treated as enemy targets and dealt with firmly and without leniency. It is not clear who carried out the suicide attack. Jordans information minister Mohammed Momani said: It reached our side of the border and ended up exploding with the driver inside. He said his country had warned for months that militants, including Islamic State members, were mingling with refugees in camps on the border and posed a serious security threat. King Abdullah II said Jordan would respond with an iron fist to anyone harming its borders or security. Jordan hosts about 650,000 Syrian refugees, including 64,000 in the Ruq-ban and Hadalat camps on the border. But they have also attracted smugglers, war profiteers and armed groups. Aid agencies had won agreement to set up more trailers on the border but Mr Momani said that was now on hold and humanitarian cases would be as-sessed by the army at the crossing. We will be discussing ways through which we can send aid to the people on the other side of the border, he added. F estival season is fast approaching and there is one undeniable item that must must! be packed in your overnight bag no matter what the forecast suggests: wellies. You can be prepared all you like with your hard-earned ticket, tent, and fun festival clobber, but when the British weather inevitably serves a downpour, youll be wishing you headed our advice as you squelch through knee-deep puddles and mud slides in your new white trainers. Keeping your feet dry and warm as you trudge from stage to stage is absolutely crucial to your overall enjoyment of the festivities. Call in footwear reinforcements and leave soggy socks out of your experience as you enjoy listening to your favourite artists. If youre reluctant to take these often-cumbersome boots in tow, opt for playful patterns with bright hues, floral or stripe designs that will only enhance the rest of your festive or weekend look. Of course, wellies serve more than just one purpose, particularly if youre partial to countryside breaks or have the pleasure of living in the vicinity of fields or parks. You will find yourself reaching for these sturdy waterproof shoes every time you need to walk your dog and a drizzle is on the cards, or a pub lunch leads to a leisurely stroll. With this in mind, if youre looking for a more demure style that fit that classically English country aesthetic, theres an endless array of classic muted hues of the green, navy, black or brown variety. Taking you from the festival field to rural walks, shop our edit of the best rain repelling wellington boots below. L indsay Lohan cemented her status as a Londoner as she hit the red carpet with fiance Egor Tarabasov at the Caudwell Childrens Butterfly Ball. The US actress, who has recently made the capital her home, showed her support for the charity at this years annual fundraiser on Wednesday night. After admitting that she was keen to become a British citizen, the Hollywood star joined the likes of Professor Green, Rachel Stevens and Emily Atack at Grosvenor House. The 29-year-old also decided to bring along her rumoured husband-to-be, making a rare red carpet appearance as a couple. Red carpet ready: Lindsay Lohan at Grosvenor House / Eamonn McCormack/Getty Newly-single rapper Green - real name Stephen Manderson - arrived solo, keeping on his sunglasses despite the distinct lack of sunshine. Stevens, who has been a long-time supporter of the charity, looked predictably glamorous in a striking red gown. Cheryls ex-husband Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini also arrived at the ball alone, despite being snapped out and about with Made in Chelseas Nicola Hughes the previous evening. Lohan, who been spending a lot of time in London, has said that shes keen to make it permanent move. I can definitely see myself settling in London permanently, she told Hello Magazine last year. New York is very fast paced and it's not like that over here for me. You grow up and change, and I'm really happy about that, as overall I feel a lot better. N oel Gallagher doesnt think that the British public should be able to vote on whether or not we leave the EU. The former Oasis star has said that hell decide whether or not he will use his vote on Thursday morning. Speaking to CBC Music, the musician said: I like the fact that it sounds like a cereal; a bowl of Brexit! I'll decide to vote on the morning. I might be busy. When pressed about whether or not he thought we should leave the EU, he responded: Do I think we should leave? I don't think we should be given a vote. I see politicians on TV every night telling us that this is a f****** momentous decision that could f****** change Britain forever and blah, blah, blah. It's like, okay, why don't you f****** do what we pay you to do which is run the f****** country and make your f****** mind up? Gallagher added: What are you asking the people for? 99 per cent of the people are thick as pig s***. EU referendum - Sadiq Khan attacks Boris Johnson for 'campaign of hate' Asking why the public werent given a vote on the war in Iraq, he continued: They [politicians] didn't f****** ask us for a referendum when they were going off to war, did they? Earlier this year, Gallagher hit out Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, likening his brand of politics to communism. When asked his opinion of the new leader by Sunday Times Style, he simply said: I dont like communism. SEOUL, June 22, 2016 (Xinhua) -- A Local resident watches the screen broadcasting the news that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) fired a missile, at a train station in Seoul, South Korea, June 22, 2016. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Wednesday fired the sixth suspected Musudan intermediate-range ballistic missile, the second in the day, after the fifth test-launch had failed, Yonhap news agency reported citing military authorities. (Xinhua/Yao Qilin) SEOUL, June 22 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Wednesday fired the sixth suspected Musudan intermediate-range ballistic missile, the second in the day, which flew the longest distance of 400 km, nearing to a required distance to be successful. An official at South Korea's defense ministry told Xinhua that what was believed to be a Musudan missile flew about 400 km after having been fired from the DPRK's Wonsan area in the east coast at about 8:05 a.m. local time. The official said military authorities of South Korea and the United States are conducting detailed analysis on whether the test-launch was successful. South Korea's military believed that a ballistic missile is required to fly at least 300 km to be considered successful in a test-firing, while South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported that a ballistic missile should fly at least 500 km to be successful. It marked the sixth test-launch of the Musudan missile, which is known to be capable of hitting party of the U.S. territory such as Guam and the outer reaches of Alaska. It allegedly has a range of 3,000 to 4,000 km. Earlier in the day, the DPRK test-fired what was believed to be a Musudan missile near Wonsan area at about 5:58 a.m., the South Korean military official said on the phone. Yonhap cited another military official as saying that the first missile of the day flew in an abnormal trajectory and in a distance short of what a normal ballistic missile can fly, indicating a failure of the fifth test-firing. A South Korean government source was quoted as saying that the first suspected Musudan missile of the day flew about 150 km or more before being fragmented into several pieces during the flight. Yonhap reported that top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un observed the test launches. All of the previous test-firings of the Musudan missile are believed to have failed. The first test-launch on April 15 failed as it exploded in mid-air several seconds after take-off. The April 28 launch also failed as those exploded in mid-air or crashed in waters after lift-off. The fourth test was estimated to have blasted on its mobile launcher even before take-off, according to Seoul's military. The test-launches were in line with top leader Kim's order on March 15 to test a nuclear warhead and ballistic rockets capable of carrying the warhead "in a short time." Pyongyang has allegedly deployed the Musudan missiles since 2007. The ballistic missile is considered especially threatening as it is fired from a mobile launcher, making it hard to detect and track in times of military conflicts. It can also carry a nuclear warhead. After the seventh ruling Workers' Party of Korea 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. BEIJING, June 22 -- India and Pakistan are expected to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) as members during its 16th meeting of the Council of Heads of state in the Uzbek capital of Tashkent on June 23-24. The expansion of the group from six members to eight is an eloquent testimony to the drawing power of the SCO's underlying values -- the "Shanghai Spirit" of mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diverse civilizations and pursuit of shared development. Born together with the "Shanghai Five" 20 years ago, the "Shanghai Spirit" not only serves as the core value of the SCO, but also has contributed to the growing influence of Central Asia as a whole. "It used to be a Central Asian bloc that pursues collective security. With two more members, the group is establishing itself as a Eurasian bloc that can achieve more both in security and economic terms," said Wang Yiwei, head of the European Union Research Center at China's Renmin University. SUCCESSFUL SECURITY COOPERATION As an effective and constructive regional mechanism, the SCO has gained a reputation for successfully ensuring regional stability, something that the 16th meeting of the Council of Heads of State will reiterate this week. Its predecessor, the "Shanghai Five" that grouped China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan, has successfully guarded Central Asia against conflicts thanks to two important regional treaties signed under the guidance of the "Shanghai Spirit," the Treaty on Deepening Military Trust in Border Regions in 1996 and the Treaty on Reduction of Military Forces in Border Regions in 1997. The treaties, said Erik Ashimov, Kazakhstan's permanent delegate to the SCO Secretariat, are "unprecedented" because they have "turned the once conflicting border areas into peaceful ones that even serve as a bond of friendship between bordering countries." In 2001, the bloc included Uzbekistan in the "Shanghai Five" mechanism before the six countries adopted the Declaration of the SCO in June, leading the organization to attain a higher level of international cooperation. Since its establishment, the bloc has effectively fought against traditional security threats like the "three evil forces" of terrorism, separatism and extremism as well as non-traditional ones like cross-border crimes. "The SCO has yielded the most impressive results in security cooperation through such joint efforts as regular anti-terrorism training exercises, exchanges of information on terrorist activities, and coordination among intelligence departments," said Alexander Lukin, director of the Center for East Asia and SCO Studies at the Moscow State University for International Relations. According to Sergey Katyrin, president of Russia's Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the SCO, carrying forward the "Shanghai Spirit," has contributed greatly to regional stability, steadily gaining influence as an effective working mechanism for peacekeeping and a guarantor of stability in the Eurasian region. GREATER RESPONSIBILITIES ASSUMED The 16th SCO summit is poised to further advocate the "Shanghai Spirit" and guide the direction of the bloc's further development, featuring security cooperation in a broader region of Eurasia and wider economic cooperation. "By admitting India and Pakistan into the bloc, the SCO is facing up to a security threat in the broader Eurasian region," said Ye Hailin, researcher on South Asian issues at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. "The group will be combating security threats like terrorism in a broader regional space." Ye's remarks are highly relevant as the situation is changing swiftly though the security situation is relatively stable in Central Asia. "There has been an increase of violent regional tensions and terrorist activities," said Andre Kazantsev, director of the Analytical Center at Russia's Moscow Institute of International Relations. He said the Islamic State has recruited a large number of people from this economically uneven area and the possibility that terrorist activities will originate from Central Asian nations is on the rise. "We are faced with increasingly heightened border stress, which could grow more grave in the future," said Yuri Tavrovsky, professor at People's Friendship University of Russia. "Therefore, it is absolutely necessary for us to enhance our coordination to combat terrorism and safeguard the security of Central Asia," Kazantsev said. Mechanisms within the SCO have been created for joint anti-terrorism drills, intelligence exchanges and cyber terrorism. But more coordination and cohesion are needed, said Zhang Xinfeng, former director of the Executive Committee of the SCO's Regional Anti-Terrorism Agency. Sun Zhuangzhi, secretary-general of the SCO Research Center at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that the SCO is also facing unconventional security threats. "Securing food sources has become a priority for many Central Asian countries whose food supply relies heavily on imports," Sun said, adding that "nations such as Kazakhstan that are better off economically need to attach importance to financial security." BROADER COOPERATION PROSPECT With India and Pakistan on board, the bloc might also add a few countries to the observation list, which, said Wang, is a step forward in expanding the region's economic prosperity. To promote common prosperity, SCO member countries have been aligning themselves with China's Belt and Road Initiative, which Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed in 2013 in a bid to boost connectivity and cooperation among Asia, African and European nations. Some programs have already yielded results and others remain ongoing. The Western Europe-Western China international transit corridor and the Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan-Iran-Oman transport corridor are under construction and are crucial in the rebuilding of the Silk Road. This expansion of international transportation would benefit some 3 billion people in countries along the ancient road. When the China-Kyrgyzstan railway project is completed and put into operation, Kyrgyzstan will be able to connect its railway lines with those of Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and even Europe, increasing regional interconnectivity. Furthermore, SCO member states have also made headway cooperating in the energy and telecommunication sectors, among others. In order to fund larger projects, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, speaking at the SCO Prime Ministers' Meeting in the central Chinese city of Zhengzhou last December, called for a steady expansion of the SCO Interbank Consortium. He also added that China would promote the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the BRICS New Development Bank to support SCO member projects. These measures are intended to fulfil China's pledge to build a community of common destiny in the region, a pledge fueled by the "Shanghai Spirit." BEIJING, June 22, 2016 -- Fan Changlong (R), vice chairman of China's Central Military Commission, meets with visiting chief of Serbian armed forces Ljubisa Dikovic in Beijing, capital of China, June 22, 2016. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling) BEIJING, June 22 -- Vice Chairman of China's Central Military Commission Fan Changlong on Wednesday met with visiting chief of Serbian armed forces Ljubisa Dikovic in Beijing. Hailing the rapid growth of China-Serbia relations, Fan said the two countries' military-to-military ties have maintained a good momentum of development, with increasing professional exchanges and personal training as well as many high-level visits. He called for more cooperation in defense and military fields. The two countries agreed to lift their relations to comprehensive strategic partnership in a new chapter of cooperation during Chinese President Xi Jinping's recent state visit to Serbia. Dikovic echoed Fan in his desire to expand cooperation between the two armed forces, listing personnel training, UN peacekeeping, medicine and joint exercises as further cooperation fields. A rescuer escorts a sleeping 10-month-old infant to safety on Tuesday in Xiaba, a village in Guizhou province that has been left submerged by consecutive heavy downpours. KE YOUCHUAN/CHINA DAILY A rescuer escorts a sleeping 10-month-old infant to safety on Tuesday in Xiaba, a village in Guizhou province that has been left submerged by consecutive heavy downpours. KE YOUCHUAN/CHINA DAILY Rainstorms are expected across region along the Yangtze River Thousands of homes were flooded in Poyang county, Jiangxi province, late on Monday after Bintian Reservoir overflowed as torrential rain continued to wreak havoc in South China. The overflow forced the relocation of 5,600 residents in three villages late on Monday as the floods submerged homes, roads and farmlands, the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters said in a news statement on Tuesday. No casualties were reported. The Jiangxi provincial government said on Tuesday that the water is slowly receding. There are still more than 4,000 people mobilized in flood prevention efforts. It added that it could take at least three days to repair the riverbanks. Hu Guoyi, a villager from Jianyang who was forced to relocate, said the banks overflowed in a matter of hours. "The water level rose quickly to more than 2 meters and soon submerged the gate of our home," he told China News Service. After the floods, he and his wife took their two children to stay with relatives and then returned to the village to look after their home. In Hunan province, a flooded river in Longshan county forced about 18,500 residents to leave an ancient township. Torrential rains and floods have affected 213,800 residents and forced the relocation of 32,800 people in the province, according to provincial authorities. 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. 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, Russiaand 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. The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying speaks at a regular briefing on Tuesday, June 21, 2016 in Beijing. [Photo: fmprc.gov.cn] The Chinese government has said it expects to continue cooperation with Venezuela despite the recent economic crisis. At the same time, it denied reports that Beijing had begun negotiations with Venezuelan opposition groups over billions of US dollars in Chinese loans to the South American country. Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying says China is confident the Venezuelan people have the wisdom and ability to handle the difficulties. "Currently Venezuela is facing some problems. We hope and also believe that the Venezuelan people have the wisdom and ability to properly handle their internal affairs, safeguard the country's stability and maintain economic and social development. China is willing to work together with Venezuela to cement traditional friendship, deepen practical cooperation in various fields and promote sustainable and healthy development of the bilateral relations." Venezuela has been experiencing a severe economic crisis due to plunging oil prices which also caused domestic riots, looting and street violence. Is racial profiling necessary? Donald Trump thinks that it is. On Sundays Face the Nation, Trump said: I think profiling is something that were going to have to start thinking about as a country. He went on to talk about how Muslims should be barred from the country, simply for being Muslim. I find the way that Trump talks about Muslims as being repulsive. If it hadnt have been for the topic, Id have shut off the screen immediately as I hate to feed the ratings. Unfortunately, Ive seen some, including law enforcement officers, sharing similar sentiments within the last week. One common video that is shared cites the Israel prime minister speaking about profiling Palestinians. If you think walls dont work, just ask Israel, Trump says, according to one article about Trump citing Israel as a success. Maybe the walls work, if you are on the other side. However, as the conflict between Israel and Palestine has now been ongoing for five decades, Im not sure that is the kind of peace most Americans are seeking. I dont want to be afraid of my neighbors. And, lets face it America is not Israel. Were protected by the U.S. Constitution. Profiling, whether it be based on race, ethnicity, national origin or religion, doesnt work. People lose their faith in the very law enforcement asking to be trusted. Community policing efforts throughout the United States have demonstrated that racial profiling isnt a credible way to operate. In a basic explanation, garnered from explanations of efforts to reduce profiling, its been explained to me this way: It can cost lives. As an officer focuses in on the black man at a scene, the white woman could be the real perpetrator. An officer could discount the real threat. Federal authorities also felt that the risks of profiling were significant, even before President Barack Obama. George Bush enacted the rules that are in place today that require agencies to track arrests and look for indicators that racial profiling may be occurring. The 14th Amendment clearly states that any person within its jurisdiction has equal protection of the laws. In arguing for detaining immigrants from Mexico or Muslims, some have argued that the Constitution doesnt protect non-citizens. Thats presuming that the persons arent citizens in a country that prides itself with being a melting pot. However, for those that have made that argument, note that the 14th amendment says any person within its jurisdiction. It does not say any person who is a citizen. As I mentioned before, America is not Israel. America is a country where we speak with pride about having a constitution that allows each of us to be free. That freedom should also apply to being free from the harassment of others, even law enforcement, based on prejudices and biases. Our country was built on the premise of being a democracy. You cant be a democracy and violate the rights of others. We know better. Lets do better. This page is archived. Data published after 5 April 2022 can be found on the renewed website. Go to the new statistics page Published: 22 June 2016 Total energy consumption rose by 5 per cent in January to March According to Statistics Finland's preliminary data, total energy consumption in January to March amounted to 387 petajoule (PJ), which was five per cent more than in the corresponding period in 2015. Electricity consumption amounted to 25 terawatt hours (TWh), which is six per cent more than one year earlier. Carbon dioxide emissions of the energy sector rose by eight per cent year-on-year. Colder weather than last year contributed to the rise in energy consumption. Total energy consumption *preliminary Among fuels, the use of peat increased most, by eight per cent in January to March. The second highest rise was recorded in the use of wood fuels, up by four per cent. For natural gas, coal and oil, consumption grew by two per cent. The use of nuclear energy increased by nine per cent in January to March, which was due to the stoppage of the nuclear power unit in last year's February. In turn, heavy rains increased the production of hydro power by 19 per cent. The growth in wind power production was no longer as strong as before, being nine per cent. Net imports of electricity increased by five per cent from the respective time period of last year. Imports from Sweden increased by 19 per cent, while imports from Russia contracted by 21 per cent. In January to March, diverse energy products were imported into Finland to the value of EUR 1.5 billion, which was 35 per cent less than one year earlier. Most energy products were imported from Russia, whose share of the value of imports was 55 per cent. Energy products were exported to the value of EUR 0.7 billion, which was 27 per cent less than one year previously. Most energy products were exported from Finland to EU countries, which accounted for 86 per cent of the value of exports. The fallen world market price of oil contributed to the reduction in imports and exports of energy products. Stocks of coal amounted to 20 TWh at the end of March, which was 18 per cent less than one year earlier. At the end of March, it was estimated that the peat stocks contained 13 TWh of energy peat, or 20 per cent less than one year earlier. Total energy consumption by source (TJ) and CO2 emissions (Mt) Energy source 4) I/2016* Annual change-%* Percentage share of total energy consumption* Oil 78,489 2 20 Coal 1) 36,869 2 10 Natural gas 29,412 2 8 Nuclear Energy 2) 66,032 9 17 Net Imports of Electricity 3) 19,071 5 5 Hydro power 3) 15,188 19 4 Wind power 3) 2,422 9 1 Peat 21,801 8 6 Wood fuels 99,682 4 26 Others 17,591 10 5 TOTAL ENERGY CONSUMPTION 386,558 5 100 Bunkers 9,565 3 . CO2 emissions from energy sector 13 8 . 1) Coal: includes hard coal, coke, blast furnace gas and coke oven gas. The consumption of natural gas does not include raw material use.2) Conversion of electricity generation into fuel units: Nuclear power: 10.91 TJ/GWh (33% total efficiency)3) Conversion of electricity generation into fuel units: Hydro power, wind power and net imports of electricity: 3.6 TJ/GWh (100%)4) *Preliminary Source: Statistics Finland, Energy supply and consumption Inquiries: Ville Maljanen 029 551 2691, energia@stat.fi Director in charge: Ville Vertanen Publication in pdf-format (258.5 kB) Updated 22.6.2015 Referencing instructions: Official Statistics of Finland (OSF): Energy supply and consumption [e-publication]. ISSN=1799-7976. 1st quarter 2016. Helsinki: Statistics Finland [referred: 26.10.2022]. 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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 Roadconnected 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. -- We need to work together to ensure the success of the major initiative of the Belt and Road and explore broader space for cooperation based on mutual benefit. While strengthening cooperation in the energy and resources sector, we also need to explore other areas of cooperation, facilitate bilateral trade and make it better-structured. We should seek converging interests, deepen production capacity cooperation in light of local conditions and translate our economic complementarity into more tangible outcomes of cooperation. -- We need to increase understanding between our peoples and deepen cultural, education, tourism, archaeological and sub-national cooperation to foster a greater sense of pride and confidence in China and Uzbekistan, both ancient civilizations along the Silk Road. We should leverage the two Confucius Institutes in Uzbekistan as bridges between our youth and nurture China-Uzbekistan friendship among future generations. We need to support cultural events such as the Chinese "Happy Spring Festival" and the Uzbek "Oriental Charm" staged in each other's country and bring well-received performances and fine artistic works to more people. -- We need to implement the concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security and deepen China-Uzbekistan law enforcement and security cooperation. It is important that we have a keen understanding of the security situation, step up information sharing, combat the "three forces of terrorism, separatism and extremism," drug-trafficking and other forms of transnational organized crime so that we can jointly foster a secure environment for peaceful development of the region and ensure the safety of our peoples and their property. -- We need to enhance strategic coordination in international affairs and deepen our coordination in multilateral fora such as the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). We should give firm support to each other's constructive international initiatives, exchange views in a timely manner on global issues such as global economic governance, energy security and water resources, and on regional and hot-spot issues such as Afghanistan and the situation in West Asia and North Africa to jointly uphold our strategic interests. China supports Uzbekistan in playing a bigger role in international affairs. Another important part of my agenda in Uzbekistan is to attend the SCO summit in Tashkent. This year marks the 15th anniversary of the SCO, and this summit will be an important occasion for us to review past experience and plan for future cooperation. Over the past 15 years, the SCO, guided by the "Shanghai Spirit" featuring mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diverse civilizations and pursuit of common development, has actively advocated a new type of international relations featuring openness, inclusiveness and win-win cooperation and contributed significantly to regional stability and prosperity. The SCO members have signed and implemented a number of agreements including the Shanghai Convention on combating the "three forces" and the border control cooperation agreement, and held joint counter-terrorism drills on a regular basis. These efforts have effectively deterred transnational crime and terrorist and extremist activities in this region and diffused security risks for all member states. In areas such as economy and trade, transportation, energy, infrastructure, agriculture and people-to-people exchange, deeper cooperation under the SCO framework has advanced the members states' economic and social development and taken to people's heart the concept of good-neighborly friendship and mutual benefit. As the SCO starts to admit new members, its circle of friends is expanding to countries in Central Asia, South Asia, West Asia and Southeast Asia. As a result, the SCO's cooperation potential will go up significantly and its international standing and influence will also be on the rise. As the rotating chair of the SCO this year, Uzbekistan has done a lot to secure tangible outcomes of cooperation in various fields. China stands ready to work with Uzbekistan and other member states and take the Tashkent summit as a new starting point to further enhance cooperation across the board so that the SCO will bring more benefits to this region and its people. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the independence of Uzbekistan, and I wish to congratulate Uzbekistan on that. Under the leadership of President Karimov, Uzbekistan has made remarkable achievements in its national development and gained greater international influence. The Uzbek government has adopted a people-centered approach to ensure that economic growth will truly benefit the people. A number of national programs have been adopted such as the "Year of Youth," "Year of Healthy Child," "Year of Attention and Care for the Elderly" and "Year of Healthy Mother and Child." As a result, people's livelihood has been improving steadily and there is balanced development between urban and rural areas. Uzbekistan has embarked on a path of development that suits its national reality, and China wishes Uzbekistan even greater success in national development. A Uzbek proverb goes, "A tree gets attention only when it bears fruits." China-Uzbekistan cooperation across the board has yielded fruitful results, and has benefited and won the support of our two peoples. I believe that in realizing our respective national development and rejuvenation, our two countries will join hands and write a glorious new chapter of China-Uzbekistan friendship. 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. Tuesday, 21 June 2016 23:32:11 (GMT+3) | Mexico s largest integrated steelmaker Altos Hornos de Mexico (AHMSA) expects better end of year results, as the local steel industry is gradually starting to improve despite the ongoing challenges. Were doing well, the [domestic] market is slowly improving; however, so its not going to be that hard. If youre in the steel industry, you cant stop. You have to innovate, such as in the case of the specialty steel, Luis Zamudio Miechielsen, general manager at AHMSA, said, while speaking to Mexican media. AHMSA added it will keep in the pipeline its investment projects, which are focused on value-added products as well as high specification steel projects, such as for the automotive industry. Despite the unfair competition with Chinas [steel], AHMSA is doing well. Its gradually improving. Investment projects continue valid, he stated. As for its normalizing line supplied by Primetals Technologies, AHMSA said its currently at a probe phase and should starting producing, according to the companys projects. Competitor Ternium, which also operates in Mexico , sees better prospects for the Mexican market as well. Ternium told media that 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 23:28:08 (GMT+3) | Sao Paulo Brazilian pellet producer Samarco, a 50/50 JV between BHP Billiton and Vale, is said to have hired banks to help renegotiate a $3.8 billion debt with creditors, market sources told media. Samarco, which initially expected a Q4 restart for its operations, is now foreseeing a 2017 restart, as it could take longer than expected for the company to receive the needed licenses in order to operate, following increased scrutiny by Brazilian regulators. Media sources said co-owner BHP Billiton hired Rothschild & Co as an advisor to help Samarco renegotiate its debts, at the same time Vale hired Moelis & Co, and JPMorgan Chase & Co to advise the struggling pellet producer. Tuesday, 21 June 2016 00:03:36 (GMT+3) | San Diego According to Statistics Canada , spending on new residential construction totaled $4.2 billion in April, up 8.4 percent from the same month a year earlier. Nationally, the increase was driven by higher investment in apartment and apartment-condominium buildings, which rose 20.8 percent to $1.5 billion. Higher spending on row houses (up 14.2 percent to $433 million) and single-family dwellings (up 2.1 percent to $2.1 billion) also contributed to the advance. In contrast, investment in semi-detached dwellings declined year over year for the 12th consecutive month, down 14.7 percent to $195 million in April. In the January-May period of the current year, the aggregate shipbuilding output in China amounted to 12.83 million dead weight tons (dwt), down 17.1 percent year on year, as announced by the China Association of the National Shipbuilding Industry (CANSI). In the given period, China s new ship orders amounted to 14.38 million dwt, increasing by 83.1 percent year on year. As of the end of May, ship orders on the books of Chinese shipbuilding enterprises totaled 122.84 million dwt, down 11.1 percent year on year and decreasing by 0.2 percent compared to the end of 2015. In the January-May period of the current year, the aggregate shipbuilding output for export orders in China totaled 11.84 million dead weight tons (dwt), down 15.9 percent year on year and accounting for 92.3 percent of the total shipbuilding output in China in the given period. Meanwhile, China s new ship export orders in the period in question amounted to 13.59 million dwt, increasing by 104 percent year on year and constituting 94.5 percent of total new ship orders. As of the end of May, ship export orders on the books of Chinese shipbuilding enterprises totaled 116.63 million dwt, down 11.7 percent year on year and constituting 94.9 percent of total ship orders on the books of Chinese shipbuilding enterprises. In the first five months of the current year, Georgia 's total external trade turnover with Turkey, which is the top trading partner of the country, amounted to $620.7 million, including exports worth $83.3 million, down 3.9 percent, and imports worth $537.4 million, increasing 2.3 percent, both on year-on-year basis, according to the data provided by the National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat). A mobile unit of Guangdong border armed police force conducts an anti-terrorism and emergency actual combat contest in intense heat in Shenzhen on June 16, 2016. (Photo/www.81.cn) Wednesday, 22 June 2016 13:46:24 (GMT+3) | Brescia After a meeting held in Italy with the Italian economic development minister Carlo Calenda, the French economy minister Emmanuel Macron has stated that at the next European Council meeting scheduled at the end of June Italy and France will ask the EU to take stronger action to fight the dumping of steel by China. Mr. Macron stated that the US model is the one to follow, since with its regulations the US is able to set up antidumping duties of up to 500 percent within only two or three months, while European procedures require eight or nine months and result in duties of around 20 percent. Wednesday, 22 June 2016 10:18:26 (GMT+3) | Shanghai Hubei Province-based Chinese steelmaker Wuhan Iron and Steel Group (WISCO), the controlling shareholder of Wuhan Iron and Steel Co., Ltd (Wuhan Steel), has announced that it has decided to voluntarily transfer 500 million shares in Wuhan Steel to state-owned Chinese company China Ocean Shipping (Group) Co. (COSCO). Accordingly, after the transfer of the shares, WISCO will hold 5.82 billion shares in Wuhan Steel, while COSCO will hold 500 million shares, accounting for 57.66 percent and 4.95 percent of the total equity in Wuhan Steel, respectively. Tuesday, 21 June 2016 23:25:45 (GMT+3) | Sao Paulo Brazil is exporting sinter feed fines of 65 percent iron contents at$40.50/mt, FOB conditions, against $45.00/mt two weeks ago, a market source told SteelOrbis. He mentioned that the decline reflects an increase in logistics costs, rather than a decline in the Chinese iron ore spot market, adding that lumps are exported at $45.50/mt and pellets at $72.50/mt, also FOB conditions. In the domestic market, slab producers are paying $36.50/mt for sinter feed fines, $40.50/mt for lumps and $68.50/mt for pellets, CFR conditions, the source said. Romania seeks a new economic development model focused on innovation and competitiveness, President Klaus Iohannis said on Wednesday, stressing that the country's economy has reached "a level of consolidation and performance capable of attracting large-scale investments from German companies." The head of the state participated alongside visiting German President Joachim Gauck in a meeting with representatives of Romanian and German companies. "My presence at today's event together with President Joachim Gauck is intended to reaffirm our steady long-term commitment to the expansion of economic cooperation in multiple fields such as trade, industry and education, programs designed to generate new economic opportunities for Romania and Germany and particularly new German investments in the Romanian economy," said Iohannis. According to him, Germany is "one of Romania's most important strategic dialogue partners, but also an example of successful development model." "In the last 10 years, our trade relations have doubled. For example, 2015 marked a milestone because both total trade exchanges and Romanian exports to Germany hit a peak, at over 23 billion euros and 11 billion euros, respectively," said President Iohannis. He went on to say that German investments in Romania have topped 7.5 billion euros, "placing Germany third in the ranking of foreign investors." According to Iohannis "Romania seeks a new economic development model, focused on innovation and competitiveness, capable of performing through high added value and productivity, aspects where Germany excels." The President said that Romania's economic growth projection is "of over 4 percent, on the background of financial stability and highly favorable prospects for the capital market." "Economic competitiveness depends on the quality of the business environment in which the entrepreneurs perform their activity. In this regard we must improve the institutional quality of the business environment by scrapping unwanted and unnecessary practices, by increasing transparency, but mainly by reducing corruption, which is the biggest enemy of a healthy economic development," said Iohannis. He added that the educational system must be tailored to the actual needs of the economy to create the necessary bridge between school and the labor market. "Over 25 percent of Romanian university graduates seek technical studies and another 25 percent choose business and economy. In this context, we welcome the implementation in Brasov, through the cooperation of German companies with the Romanian authorities, of a pilot project for dual education," Iohannis said. He mentioned that the Government presented a legislative proposal to improve the legal framework for vocational education, also by incorporating the German "dual training" pattern. Iohannis said that the recent economic crisis has to a certain extent dented the European economy, but at the same time "it has ushered in new opportunities and new imperatives for reform." According to the President these opportunities are designed "to strengthen the European project in its most authentic spirit of free movement, competitiveness, rule of law and respect for democratic values." Agerpres Foreign Affairs Ministry's state secretary for European affairs Cristian Badescu met Greek Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dimitris Mardas on Wednesday; the two officials discussed cooperation in tourism and creative industries, the Romanian ministry announced in a release to Agerpres. According to this source, the two officials reaffirmed the close relations between the two countries and insisted on the importance of boosting bilateral cooperation on all levels. "The talks were an occasion to approach issues of interest, with focus on the economic cooperation, in order to increase the commercial exchanges and to stimulate investments. The importance of consolidating the cooperation in the field of creative industries was affirmed, and agreement was reached upon the opportunity of organising forums in these fields. Moreover, highlight was placed on the interest of consolidating the cooperation in tourism," reads the aforementioned release. A space robot. (Photo/Xinhua) China has clarified its development roadmap for space robot technologies, secretary-general of China National Space Administration Tian Yulong said at the 13th International Symposium on Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Automation in Space (i-SAIRAS 2016) held in Beijing on June 20, 2016. The symposium is devoted to the technologies of Artificial Intelligence, Automation and Robotics and their application in space. Officials and experts from over ten countries including the U.S., Germany, Japan and Canada participated in the meeting. Tian Yulong, chief engineer of the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense and secretary-general of China National Space Administration, introduced when delivering the keynote speech that China has worked out its space robot development roadmap. Space robots will have a wide application prospects for in-orbit services, space exploration and deep space detection systems. The development of space robot technology will further promote the sustainable development of Chinas space program, as well as innovations in the technological field, international cooperation, and improvement of relevant laws and regulations. In the future, China will tackle problems in key technologies related to in-orbit service robots, moon and deep space detection robots, space environmental governance robots and other fields, so as to enhance Chinas space robot technologies to a level that is advanced worldwide. Baku, Azerbaijan, June 22 By Maksim Tsurkov Trend: The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) plans to increase its share in Holcim Azerbaijan OJSCs capital from current 10 percent to 20 percent, said EBRD in a message posted on its website. According to the message, the EBRD is considering an additional investment in Holcim to increase the bank's stake in the company with a view to extend its participation in the business. The objective of the project is to continue supporting Holcim Azerbaijan to improve energy efficiency through the introduction of alternative fuels in its fuel mix, said EBRD. The bank will continue to support a major company in Azerbaijan, demonstrating continued support for the countrys non-oil sector. In addition, the company is committed to sustainability standards and will pursue the use of alternative fuels in its operations, the message said. The project will be discussed by the EBRD Board of Directors on July 20. Holcim Azerbaijan OJSC is one of the largest cement and clinker producers in Azerbaijan. LafargeHolcim, the world's most advanced group in the building materials industry, acquired a controlling stake in Holcim Azerbaijan, formerly Garadagh OJSC, during a privatization process in 1999. Today, LafargeHolcim owns more than 80 percent of the companys share capital and provides managerial, technical and commercial resources. Around 40 percent of the cement market in Azerbaijan accounts for Holcim Azerbaijans products. Holcim Azerbaijans shareholders are LafargeHolcim (66 percent), EBRD (10 percent), Holcim Auslandbeteiligungs GmbH (10 percent), and individuals (14 percent). --- Follow the author on Twitter: @MaksimTsurkov CHARLESTON, W.Va. A suspect has waived his preliminary hearing in the fatal shooting of an ex-coal CEO at a southern West Virginia cemetery. News outlets report 20-year-old Anthony Arriaga of Delphos, Ohio, was in Mingo County Magistrate Court on Wednesday. Eighteen-year-old Brandon Fitzpatrick of Louisa, Ky., waived his hearing Tuesday. Both cases head to a September grand jury. Fitzpatrick pleaded not guilty June 13 to first-degree murder and conspiracy charges. Arriaga's lawyers pleaded not guilty May 26 on his behalf to a first-degree murder charge. The body of 59-year-old Bennett Hatfield was found May 25 at a cemetery where he was visiting his wife's grave. His SUV was found nearby. Authorities believe Arriaga and Fitzpatrick plotted to steal Hatfield's SUV and sell its parts. Hatfield resigned in 2015 as president and CEO of Patriot Coal. The company was based in Creve Coeur until early 2015. The long gravel driveway to Bob and Betsy Wilsons house outside Hillsboro is lined thickly on both sides with tall, sturdy evergreens, not the scruffy cedars so ubiquitous to Jefferson County, but majestic white pines. They were planted by Betsys grandfather, psychiatrist Francis Barnes, some 70 years ago, around the time he bought the property and built a weekend cabin. After additions to the cabin, it eventually became his permanent home. It is where the Wilsons have lived since after Barnes died. The couple moved to this area in 1978 from San Mateo, Calif., where both had grown up (she was born in Missouri but moved west when her father was transferred in 1959). The two were high school sweethearts, temporarily went their separate ways, then reconnected and were married in 1976. Several of the rooms in their home, including the spacious kitchen which is primarily Bob Wilsons domain are paneled with knotty pine and outfitted like a chefs dream. A food processor and grinding mill among numerous other gadgets occupy plentiful counter space; cookbooks and jars of every spice you can think of stand on shelves; and theres a commercial stove and Salamander broiler, which Wilson installed. A sign on the large stainless steel refrigerator reads Love people: cook them tasty food. Its Wilsons motto. He didnt have to modify the kitchen much, he says, when he and Betsy moved into the house, other than replacing the original flooring with tile. But he did redo the plumbing and wiring, and jokes that after all, it was done by a psychiatrist! What prompted your interest in cooking? When I was in college in California, I worked for three years at an Italian restaurant, Romeos Pizza. Jack Romeo, the chef, was a wonderful cook. He served pizza, of course; made his own dough and sauce; but he made other things as well, all sorts of Italian dishes, crab cioppino, veal scaloppine and more. Watching him go about the elaborate preparations was fun, and I got interested in learning to cook. Later, after we had kids, I had to step up and help with the chores. I took over the cooking, all of it except for the baking thats Betsys territory. What sort of cooking do you do? French, Chinese, Italian, I make things up. I may find something in a cookbook, but I change the recipe, make it my own. When we eat at a restaurant and try something new, I often attempt to re-create it. When Ive made something original I tell people, If you like this Ill name it after you! So far that includes Chicken Marybeth and Chicken Rebecca. Betsy loves my smoked turkey breast with green peppercorn sauce, so I make that on her birthday. I do a lot of salmon, which got me interested in curing, which led to making ham, especially venison ham. I dont hunt any more, but I have land so I trade hunting rights for deer. Have you taken cooking classes? No, because to do well Id have to follow recipes. Thats the reason I dont bake. Betsys a wonderful baker; she even grinds her own flour from grain she buys at an Amish store in Farmington. Do you travel? And if so, does your cooking reflect places youve been? Yes, we travel often, usually with two other couples weve been to Italy three times, cruised the Danube, visited Paris, Sicily, Nicaragua, Mexico, Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands. We had the most wonderful soup in Ecuador, a potato, broth, onion and garlic creation, seasoned with achiote seeds and garnished with avocado and farmers cheese. Achiote seeds are quite zesty, flavorful, and they turn the soup a wonderful golden color. I brought some back from Ecuador, but now find them at Penzeys Spices in Maplewood. What else do you like to experiment with? Lately, Ive been experimenting with dry rubs, particularly on salmon, with good results, I think. The dish Im presenting is my own recipe. Since the salmon is chilled, its a good dish for a summer meal. I serve it with garnishes and a salad of grapefruit or orange sections, slices of avocado and lettuce with a cumin dressing. Bob Wilson Age 65 Family Wife, Betsy, 65; daughters Rebecca, 34, of Denver, and Marybeth, 29, of Dillon, Mont. Occupation Retired in January after 35 years as a service manager for Tech Electronics in St. Louis The Summer Reading Club is in full swing at the St. Louis Public Library. Anyone not signed up can still join this wonder of words and out-of-this-world stories at your own local library, wherever you live. Keeping with this years theme at SLPL, Worlds of Wonder, we suggest places you can visit only in your imagination. Books take you to lands which never existed as well as to places where anything is possible. So, curl up with one of these unlikely, book-wise trips to a fantastic land. For the youngest reader, picture books offer amazing opportunity for other-worldly travel. Start with Aaron Becker's Journey, a wordless picture book named a Caldecott Honor book in 2014. A bored little girl in a drab city finds a magical purple crayon that gives her admission to a magical world. Her adventures continue into the book Quest and the soon-to-be-released Return. In travels to where imaginary friends wait to be imagined, Dan Santat only begins the story of The Adventures of Beekle: the Unimaginary Friend. Beekle grows tired of waiting for someone to imagine him into being, so he travels into the real world to find his perfect friend himself. Kids ready for a chapter book are swept away in tales to wondrous worlds, too. Travel with 12-year-old September, whisked away from her home in Omaha, Neb., to Fairyland by the Green Wind, in The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making by Catherynne M. Valente. September bases her choice of Fairyland on her own boredom. Little does she know what events and trouble await her at this destination. Her adventures with new-found Fairyland friends continue through four more books, the last of them just released. Tracey Baptiste adds a bit of scariness in The Jumbies. While this book is set in the real world of Trinidad, the story's magical realism, rooted in Caribbean folklore, lifts it into an "otherworldly" realm. Corinnes widowed father does not believe in "jumbies" who live in the woods, but Corinne knows something fearful exists there. When a beautiful woman, perhaps a jumbie in disguise?, moves into their house, her father begins to act strangely, so Corinne and her friends must save the day. The Jumbies combines the right amount of fairy-tale magic, atmosphere, friendship and bravery. Turn up the reading age to teens and those of us who like to read teen books for high-fantasy places to visit with the imagination. Start with a trip to a medieval world that Rae Carson creates in a series starting with The Girl of Fire and Thorns, set with a Hispanic background. Princess Elisa is the single person born this century with a "godstone" in her navel, interpreted as a person of great destiny. However, there are hitches. She is a second daughter and about to be married off in a political match. Once bound in this secret political marriage, Elisa is kidnapped and the unwitting player in a rebellion discovers her singular strength and worth. Courtney Hague is regional youth services librarian at Carpenter Branch of the St. Louis Public Library. PINE LAWN Was a Pine Lawn teen killed over a pair of jeans? Police say that is one possibility they are investigating as they hunt for the killer of 15-year-old Jirah Campbell. They are searching for an orange Dodge Charger and two people who fled the scene. Jirah, of Pine Lawn, was gunned down Monday in the street, in the 6300 block of Dardanella Avenue in Pine Lawn. He had been shot multiple times. The killer wasnt after any clothes Jirah was wearing; instead, police say, Jirah may have been carrying a pair of jeans in a bag. Florissant police Lt. Dan Biermann, who is leading the Major Case Squad detectives, confirmed that investigators have weighed that as a possible motive. Were looking at it, he said. We cant discount it until the killer is found. Demetris Blackmon, 33, who lives nearby, said his child and his girlfriends child were playing outside Monday and saw an orange Dodge Charger circle the block. Witnesses said they saw a woman driving and a man jump out of the car and approach Jirah. They said he rolled up on the little guy (Jirah) and said, Give me the bag. Whyd you take my jeans? Blackmon said. Blackmon said there is a popular brand of Rock Revival jeans, which can sell for upwards of $200, and that the man was accusing the victim of stealing them. Such jeans are a must-have among some young men, Blackmon said. Thats what everyones getting now. Blackmon said Jirah was a good kid who largely kept to himself. Biermann, leading the police investigation, said Tuesday that no one was in custody. He said police had no suspects and no concrete motive. Jirah lived in the 2500 block of Arden Avenue. His aunt, Khalil Thomas, said a fundraising effort is under way for the family to help pay for funeral expenses. His grandfather, Byron Mischeaux, said Jirah lived with his mother, brother, sister and stepfather. He was a hard worker who did just about every job at Mischeaux's barbecue restaurant on Union Avenue, Mischeaux said. Jirah also loved animals and would "constantly" be bringing stray dogs home, Mischeaux said. A few days ago, Jirah found a turtle. "He was crazy about it," Mischeaux said. He had the turtle in a bag, in fact, the day he was killed. Mischeaux said Jirah may have had jeans in a red book bag, but Mischeaux doesn't know what to make of the theory about the jeans. "I'm kinda thinking it was over colors," the grandfather said. "He had on a red shirt, red shoes, a red bag ... I just don't know. I'm turning it over to the Lord." Police in Pine Lawn were called to Dardanella for the shooting at about 5 p.m. Monday. They arrived to find Jirah dead in the street. Witnesses said the gunman fled in the Charger. Police say a search came up with a list of several dozen such cars in the St. Louis area. The gunman was described as a black man in his late teens or early 20s, 5-foot-9 to 5-foot-10, weighing 140 to 150 pounds. The driver of the car was a woman with her hair in braids. Its not clear if the car had Missouri or Illinois plates. Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Doug Barber of the Major Case Squad at 314-574-4041. Tipsters who want to remain anonymous can call CrimeStoppers at 314-725-8477. The North County Police Cooperative, which patrols Pine Lawn, asked the squad to take over the investigation. Baku, Azerbaijan, June 22 Trend: Armenian armed forces 16 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 22. Armenian armed forces stationed near the Chinari and Mosesgeh villages of Armenia's Berd district opened fire at the positions of the Azerbaijani armed forces in the Aghdam and Aghbulag villages of Azerbaijans Tovuz district. Azerbaijani positions also underwent fire from the positions located in the Horadiz village of the Fizuli district and the nameless heights in Goranboy and Fizuli districts. 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. ST. LOUIS The future of Grants Farm is one step closer to being determined, after a St. Louis judge ruled Tuesday that the trust manager, Wells Fargo, has the power to decide whether to sell the property and who buys it. Two groups of Busch family siblings have submitted competing plans for buying and operating the wildlife attraction, in the Affton area of St. Louis County. The siblings are the children of beer baron August A. Gussie Busch Jr., who died in 1989, and his third wife, Gertrude Trudy Buholzer Busch, who died in May. Four siblings, Andrew Busch, Peter Busch, Beatrice Busch von Gontard and Trudy Busch Valentine, have offered to buy the farm for $26 million. They wouldnt change much about how the farm is operated, and Anheuser-Busch InBev would continue to operate it under a lease agreement. Another sibling, Billy Busch, also offered to buy the farm for $26 million from the family trust and operate it under his Kraftig beer business. He wants to build a brewery onsite, rent out space for events and take in money from corporate sponsorships. His plan has the backing of his brother Adolphus Busch. But the other siblings think Billy Busch and Kraftig dont have the resources to maintain the farm over time, and they fear he would eventually sell parts of the property to developers. The ruling said that Wells Fargo is the sole disinterested trustee of the real estate trust, which includes about 198 acres of the wildlife preserve and the 22 acres of private property that includes the Busch ancestral home. Both sibling groups have offered to buy the home, known as the big house, for an additional $8 million. The order, signed by Commissioner Patrick Connaghan and Judge Bryan Hettenbach of the Probate Division of the 22nd Circuit Court, declined Wells Fargos request for guidance on how to sell the property. The Court declines to give specific instructions as to any specific offer that may be considered by Wells Fargo, the ruling said. The firm has absolute discretion to accept an offer for the purchase of any or part of the Family Property from any buyer (whether or not a member of the Busch family), or to choose not to sell any part of the Family Property at all, so long as such decision is not arbitrary, fraudulent, dishonest, or made with an improper motive. Billy Busch thought the decision Tuesday bodes well for him. I am pleased with todays Circuit Court ruling, which moves us closer to our goal of buying and operating Grants Farm for the benefit of St. Louis-area families for generations to come, he said in a statement. The other siblings issued a similar statement: We are very pleased with the Courts decision validating our interpretation of our fathers Will. We look forward to working with Wells Fargo going forward. The court also ruled that each party should pay their own legal fees rather than have the fees paid by the family trust. The St. Louis Zoo announced a proposal in November to buy the property, but that was dropped in early March after Billy Busch announced his plan. Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon signed into law Wednesday a measure that lifts a ban on the creation of a quality rating system for child cares in the state. The action enables the state to create a voluntary pilot program open to home-based, center-based and religious-exempt child care facilities in the state. Those that sign on for it will be evaluated on a variety of measures and receive a quality or star ranking. That ranking will be available for parents to review as they shop for child care. Participation in the program over time could qualify child cares for greater subsidy reimbursement, free training and other incentives to help improve their rating. Child care advocates said the action is critical for parents seeking the best care options for their young children. "We pick school districts based on quality, we buy a car base on quality, there are quality ratings of appliances, the meat we buy is rated on quality," said proponent Judy Dungan in a press release. Nixon approved SB638 in Springfield. Dungan, director of policy and advocacy for the Missouri Children's Leadership Council, was invited to attend by the governor. Dungan lobbied heavily for lawmakers to lift a statutory ban which had been in place since 2012 after a dispute erupted between conservative legislative members and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Rep. Donna Pfautch, R-Harrisonville, Sen. David Pearce, R-Warrensburg, and Sen. Jeannie Riddle, R-Fulton, all had a part in advancing the bill which passed easily through the House and Senate. Missouri had been the only state in the nation to outlaw the creation of such a system, forms of which are utilized in the majority of states nationwide. The ban, critics say, not only hurt young children but caused the state to lose millions in potential federal funding for early childhood. The new pilot program will be developed within the next three years with input from the Missouri Head Start Collaboration Office and the departments of Health and Senior Services, Mental Health and Social Services. JEFFERSON CITY Charges and counter-charges keep flying in the heated race to become Missouris next attorney general. On Wednesday, a Virginia-based super PAC announced it is making an independent expenditure to run a commercial in support of Republican Josh Hawley, who is facing off against Sen. Kurt Schaefer for the GOP nomination. Hawley, meanwhile, cried foul over a new ad released by Schaefer alleging Hawley was part of a team that argued a case before the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of a terrorist. He said his name was wrongly listed on a legal brief and was subsequently removed from future court documents. The ad brought condemnation from former U.S. Sen. John Danforth, who told the Post-Dispatch this week that it raises questions about Schaefers ethical judgment. It is an intentional and malicious misstatement of fact, said Danforth. Last year, Danforth weighed in on campaign attacks during a eulogy last year at the funeral of Missouri Auditor Tom Schweich. The super PAC enters the GOP melee as both candidates are ramping up their television presence and hawking themselves as more conservative than the other in an appeal to the Republican base. Hawley launched his second advertisement of his campaign Tuesday. The ad casts Schaefer as a moderate by using footage from one of Schaefers earlier campaigns for state Senate. Im a very moderate candidate, Schaefer is seen saying in the 30-second ad. In response, Hawley says, I think we need someone to stand on conservative principles, instead. The two Columbia residents are running hard to the right as they seek to replace Democratic Attorney General Chris Koster, who is running for governor. The primary election is Aug. 2. Two Democrats, Teresa Hensley and Jake Zimmerman, are competing for their partys nomination, but neither has put a television ad on the airwaves. The PAC-backed ad, financed by the State Conservative Reform Action PAC, or SCRAP, targets Schaefer for supporting legislation as a member of the Senate that allowed foreign ownership of Missouri farmland. After the 2013 state law was put in place, Smithfield Foods sold itself to Shuanghui International of Hong Kong. Smithfields estimated holdings in Missouri totaled about 42,000 acres at the time. Kurt Schaefer sold out Missouri farmers and our country by allowing this Chinese company to own Missouri farmland, said SCRAP Chairman Chris Jankowski. Farming groups do not appear to share Jankowskis assertion. PACs representing Missouri corn growers, soybean producers and livestock operators have all contributed money to Schaefers campaign, according to reports filed with the Missouri Ethics Commission. As the states top lawyer, the attorney general is charged with prosecuting or defending any appeal in which the state is a party, including every felony criminal case thats appealed to the Missouri Supreme Court and courts of appeal. In a radio ad, however, Schaefer focuses on federal issues, criticizing President Barack Obama and raises questions about U.S. policies on transgender bathrooms, refugees from Syria and moving prisoners out of Guantanamo Bay in Cuba into stateside facilities. His new TV ad ties Hawley to the defense of Gregory Holt, who was convicted in 2010 of first-degree battering and sentenced to life in prison. In 2005, Holt also known as Abdul Maalik Muhammad pleaded guilty to threatening to kidnap President George W. Bushs daughters. The specific case used in Schaefers ad involved Holts attempt to overturn a rule barring him from growing a beard in prison. He said a no-beard policy violated his rights to practice Islam. Hawley, who is an assistant professor of law at the University of Missouri, says his name was incorrectly included as a member of the legal team that argued on Holts behalf before the U.S. Supreme Court. Josh never represented this individual and this claim was proven false last year. Kurt Schaefer has again proven that he is a desperate politician who will say or do anything to win a political office even if it means telling a blatant lie, said campaign spokesman Scott Paradise. Danforth, who also served as attorney general, said lawyers are ethically barred from misstating facts. It raises a question about the person making the charge, Danforth said. The ad, he said, is just absolutely awful. This is trying to paint an opponent as being in league with a terrorist. Schaefer did not return messages Wednesday. Along with dueling ads, the race has been dominated by accusations from both Schaefer and Hawley that they have walked a thin legal line as they seek the post. Hawley has been accused of using University of Missouri resources to launch his bid for office. He currently is on leave from the university. Hawley also has been accused of improperly using nonprofit organizations to benefit his campaign. Schaefer is accused of using his position in the Legislature to pressure Mizzou administrators on issues ranging from Hawleys tenure to the universitys role in providing abortion services. Both sides have scoffed at the others attacks. Baku, Azerbaijan, June 22 By Seba Aghayeva Trend: Armenia is trying to strengthen the status quo instead of acting in accordance with the logic and essence of negotiations on the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Hikmat Hajiyev, spokesman for Azerbaijans Foreign Ministry, told Trend June 22. He was commenting on the anti-Azerbaijan statements recently made by the Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian. As always, Eduard Nalbandian, Armenian foreign minister, is making unconstructive and contradictory statements, said Hajiyev. This contradicts the position taken by the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairing countries on the inadmissibility of the status quo, which they have repeatedly stated, Hajiyev said. Presidents of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia, Vladimir Putin, Ilham Aliyev and Serzh Sargsyan adopted a joint statement following a meeting in St. Petersburg June 20. Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents confirmed the agreement reached during the Vienna meeting May 16 on stabilizing the situation in the conflict zone and creating an atmosphere to push forward the peace process. For that purpose, the sides agreed to increase the number of international observers in the conflict zone. 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. Can we be assured that the plant will not pollute our land or water supply so that we are not discovering something decades later like so many areas in Missouri? 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. Baku, Azerbaijan, June 22 By Anakhanum Idayatova Trend: The summit on the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in St. Petersburg has created a favorable psychological atmosphere for further progress of the political process, Matthew Bryza, former US assistant secretary for South Caucasus and former US ambassador to Azerbaijan, told Trend June 22. Presidents of Russia, Azerbaijan and Armenia, Vladimir Putin, Ilham Aliyev and Serzh Sargsyan held a meeting in St. Petersburg June 20 with the participation of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs. Bryza said the presidents agreed to work to create the political atmosphere required to resume talks on a political settlement. The Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents also agreed to move forward regarding the agreements reached in Vienna on May 16 on reducing tensions along the line of contact and to increase the number of the OSCE observers, he noted. It is positive that the meeting took place, added Bryza. The first meeting of the Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents after the escalation of the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh in early April was held in Vienna on May 16. Matthew Bryza further said that with his participation at the St. Petersburg meeting, Russias President Vladimir Putin is trying to show the world, especially the European Union that he is trying to be a peacemaker. At the very moment he wants the EU to lift the sanctions imposed on Russia after the Ukraine crisis, Bryza said. President Putins participation at the meeting can be considered as positive, because, eventually, the meeting was held within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group, added Bryza. 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 the author on Twitter: @Anahanum During my college years, my father explained that theres bourbon beyond shots of Jim Beam. His favorite bourbon, he told me as he shared a taste, was Knob Creek. The bourbon has been a favorite of mine ever since, even as Ive tried plenty of other craft bourbons. So when I saw Knob Creek was adding a third line (their second was a Single Barrel that I think very highly of) I knew Id have to try it. I saw that it was on sale for $35 (normally $38 for a 750 ml. bottle) and quickly picked it up. Knob Creeks Rye was released this spring and quickly garnered praise, earning Best Rye Whiskey at the 2012 San Francisco Spirits Competition. The rye (which means at least 50& of the mash is made with rye, as opposed to bourbon which must be at least 50% corn) is bottled at 100-proof. According to its label it is patiently aged with the whiskies being as old as 9 years. The result is a hearty rye with a deep amber color. The nose is filled with overwhelming spice and wood. The taste also reveals quintessential rye flavors: oak and pepper, with subtle dried fruit and tobacco. The finish is long, smooth, and savory. Taken straight its spicy and explosive, but one or two ice cubes tames the beast. That makes it very versatile. Its plenty good enough to drink on its own, but it also has all the makings of an excellent component to a Manhattan (a cocktail which, although regularly made with bourbon, is traditionally made with rye). The spicy characteristics of this whiskey go great with a cigar. Almost any medium- or full-bodied cigar would work well, but I found the PG 15h Anniversary (pictured) and the Tatuaje Verocu to be particularly ideal pairings. All in all, the Knob Creek Rye was highly enjoyable. Its up there with the Bulleit Rye and Michters as my favorite rye whiskey, and certainly worth a try for anyone who enjoys or wants to explore rye whiskey. Patrick S photo credit: Stogie Guys Best I can recall, Knob Creek was my first good bourbon. Which is to say, the first bourbon that wouldnt qualify as bottom-shelf or rail. Many years later, Knob Creek is still a favorite of mine, with its combination of full flavor, nine years of age, and a price that, if you shop around, can be below $30. Part of the Small Batch Bourbon Collection produced by parent company Jim Beam, along with Bookers, Bakers, and Basil Hayden, Knob Creek (which also comes in rye and barrel-proof varieties) is the oldest bourbon of the collection at nine years. Lately, though, Beam has been leaning on its stocks of well-aged whiskeys, along with the demand from bourbon drinkers, to produce some limited edition older offerings. Two years ago, Beam released Bookers 25th Anniversary, which was a ten year, three month version of the uncut, barrel-proof Bookers that debuted to rave reviews. More recently, as part of the Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve program (where stores can pick their own barrels), some older barrels have become available. And now the national release of the 14-year-old Knob Creek 2001 ($130) follows. According to the company, Knob Creek 2001 Limited Edition Bourbon commemorates the year the responsibility of stewarding Knob Creek was passed from Booker Noe to his son Fred Noe, who succeeded Booker as master distiller. Made from barrels that Booker laid down in 2001, it was finished by Fred as a tribute to his father, who passed in 2004. Three batches of the bourbon were released last year in limited quantities (my home state of Virginia got only 150), each with its own distinctive profile. I was able to pick up a bottle of Batch Two. Knob Creek 2001 pours a deep copper color and features a lively nose full of roast nuts and caramel (think peanut brittle). On the palate, the time in the barrel begins to show, with concentrated oak, woody spice, burnt brown sugar, and pie crust. The finish shows even more depth with oak and caramel combining with dark fruit and more spice. Knob Creek 2001 isnt as exceptional as Bookers 25, even before you factor in the slightly higher price ($130 vs. $100), which is as much a factor of the demand for high-end, well-aged bourbon as anything. Still, it is a tasty bourbon, and a significant step above the regular Knob Creek offering, even if it lacks the value factor that the everyday offering provides. All that full flavor calls for a full-bodied cigar. Id recommend the Bolivar Royal Corona (Cuban), El Gueguense, Paul Garmirian 25th Anniversary Connoisseur, or Tatuaje Havana VI Verocu. Patrick S photo credit: Stogie Guys Baku, Azerbaijan, June 22 By Seba Aghayeva Trend: The Senate and Chamber of Deputies of Chiles National Congress have adopted a resolution on Azerbaijan. The resolution emphasizes the recognition of Azerbaijans territorial integrity and sovereignty and says that sufficient measures have been taken by the country to strengthen the process of democracy, said the website of Chiles legislative body. The document was adopted by the Chile MPs from various parties and factions in the parliament. Eighty-six MPs voted for the adoption of the resolution, while one MP voted against it. The resolution also supports the activities of international community on the effective fulfillment of the UN Security Councils resolutions on the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Asebaa Stoneleigh Park farm manager, Alan Hunt, senior event manager for Race for Life, Emily Thompson, national events manager for Race for Life, Deborah Jennings, and venue sales director at NAEC Stoneleigh, Ben Baseley. (Submitted photo) THE fields surrounding a major Warwickshire business estate will be turning a shade of pink as it welcomes one of Cancer Research UKs flagship fundraising events. Thousands of women are set to descend on Stoneleigh Park as it hosts the Coventry and Warwickshire Race for Life on Sunday, 26th June. To mark the occasion, Stoneleigh Park will be putting pink silage bales around the course in support of all of those taking part. The limited edition candy-coloured bale wrap was itself created to raise money for Cancer Research UK, and farm manager, Alan Hunt, thought it would make an excellent addition to this years event. He said: The pink charity bale wrap was available last year but sold out very quickly, so this year I made sure I put my order in early. Cancer Research UK is an excellent cause, and its great to know that a donation from each roll of the coloured bale wrap will go straight to the charity. The pink bales will really help brighten up the day for all of the people taking part in Race for Life. We look forward to welcoming everyone taking part in this years event. Cancer Research UKs Race for Life, in partnership with Tesco, is an inspiring women-only series of 5k, 10k and Pretty Muddy events which raise millions of pounds every year to help fund life-saving research. A Race for Life Pretty Muddy 5k obstacle course will also be held at Stoneleigh Park on Saturday, June 25 ahead of the main races the following day. A Race for Life event took place at Ragley Hall in Alcester last Thursday. Money raised through Race for Life allows Cancer Research UKs doctors, nurses and scientists to advance research which is helping to save the lives of men, women and children across Coventry, Warwickshire and the rest of UK. Weyerhaeuser Company (NYSE: WY) today announced it will permanently close its lumber mill and plywood mill in Columbia Falls, Montana, in late August or early September. Weyerhaeuser will continue to operate three mills in Montana: a lumber mill in Kalispell, a plywood mill in Kalispell, and a medium-density fiberboard mill in Columbia Falls. "For some time now our operations in Montana have been running below capacity as a result of an ongoing shortage of logs in the region," said Doyle R. Simons, president and chief executive officer. "These closures will allow us to align the available log supply with our manufacturing capacity, including adding shifts at our Kalispell facilities. These moves will improve the operating performance of our remaining mills and best position these mills for long-term success." Approximately 100 positions will be eliminated as a result of the mill closures. The mill closures follow a decision earlier this year to move corporate positions that do not support manufacturing in Montana to Weyerhaeuser's Seattle headquarters. As a result, the company also plans to close its main office in Columbia Falls at the end of the year. After the mill closures and office moves, Weyerhaeuser expects to employ about 550 people in Montana. American Lorain (NYSE: ALN) disclosed in an SEC filing: On June 21, 2016, American Lorain Corporation (the Company) received the resignation of Johnny Zhou, interim Chief Financial Officer of the Company, effective immediately. Mr. Zhou indicated that his resignation is for personal reason and not because of any disagreement with the Company. On June 21, 2016, the Board of Directors of the Company approved the appointment of Zhanhai Yang, age 52, as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the Company, effective June 21, 2016. From March, 2016 to May, 2016, Mr. Yang served as Controller of the Accounting Department of Rizhao City XinSanMing Chemicals Co., Ltd. in Shandong Province, China. From November, 2014 to February, 2016, Mr. Yang served as Controller of the Accounting Department of Rizhao City XinMei Real Estate Development Co., Ltd. in Shandong Province, China. From May, 2004 to October, 2014, Mr. Yang has served as the head of accounts balance division and transportation payment and receipt management division, director of materials inspection station, accountant in charge and deputy senior accountant for internal control positions for Rizhao Iron & Steel Co., Ltd. in Shandong Province, China. Mr. Yang received his three-year college diploma in accounting from Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology in 1984. Mr. Yang is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in China. In connection with his appointment as the Chief Financial Officer, the Company entered into an employment agreement with Mr. Yang on June 21, 2016. The employment agreement provides that Mr. Yang will receive compensation in the amount of RMB 15,000 per month (approximately $2,315) as well as a one-time stock award of 50,000 shares of Companys Common Stock under the Company's 2014 Equity Incentive Plan, subject to the future approval by the Compensation Committee and Board of Directors of the Company. The term of the employment agreement is for one year from June 22, 2016 to June 21, 2017. Mr. Yang was not selected pursuant to any arrangement or understanding between him and any other person. There are no family relationships between Mr. Yang and the directors and executive officers of the Company. LOS ANGELES, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Belay Investment Group, LLC ("Belay") and Arc Capital Partners LLC ("Arc Capital Partners") announce the launch of a programmatic joint venture to acquire and reposition up to $150 million of multifamily and retail properties in California and Texas. The joint venture, ArcWest Partners, will target value-add and opportunistic acquisitions in urban submarkets experiencing strong millennial demand growth. Belay's investment in ArcWest Partners comes from Belay Partnership Ventures II, LP (the "Fund"), which is anchored by a $200 million commitment from California State Teachers' Retirement System (CalSTRS) and is targeting $500 million of equity. For over 10 years, Belay has pursued value-added real estate strategies in major U.S. markets through collaborative investment programs designed to identify and support the growth and evolution of high caliber operating partners. "We are very excited to partner with Arc Capital Partners and believe strongly in their millennial-driven investment strategy," said Barry Chase, Managing Principal of Belay. "Quincy and Neville combine fiduciary discipline, local market knowledge and the execution capabilities required to successfully identify properties that can achieve strong risk-adjusted returns. Their successful track record of investing in urban markets drew Belay to the relationship." "CalSTRS has been a long term supporter of emerging managers," said Mike DiRe, Director of Real Estate for CalSTRS. "As the lead investor in the Fund, we are pleased to be providing a path of growth for Arc Capital Partners and look forward to sharing in the success of ArcWest Partners." Arc Capital Partners was founded in 2013 by Quincy Allen and Neville Rhone, who spun out together from Canyon Partners. The firm acquires and operates middle-market properties in urban locations that can be repositioned to capture millennial demand growth. Primarily focused on the Western U.S., Arc Capital Partners' $100 million real estate portfolio includes properties in top markets for millennials such as Austin, Texas and San Diego, California. "We are honored to be chosen for the Fund's first joint venture," said Quincy Allen, Managing Partner of Arc Capital Partners. "We are seeing many mispriced, middle-market opportunities and look forward to collaborating with Belay to build our portfolio and grow our platform." "Millennials are changing the fabric of what defines thriving urban real estate," said Neville Rhone, Managing Partner of Arc Capital Partners. "Forming ArcWest Partners with Belay allows us to build upon our vision with a partner that provides more than just investment capital." About Belay Investment Group, LLCBelay Investment Group, founded in 2004 as AVP Advisors, LLC, is a Los Angeles-based Registered Investment Advisor that pursues compelling real estate investment opportunities on behalf of its institutional investors. Belay is wholly owned and operated by its four Managing Principals, who average 25 years of buy- and sell-side real estate experience as principal investors and senior management of institutional investment management and advisory firms. About Arc Capital Partners LLCArc Capital Partners is a Los Angeles-based boutique real estate company co-founded by Quincy Allen and Neville Rhone to acquire and reposition urban properties to capture millennial demand growth. The firm targets middle-market ($10 million - $50 million in value) multifamily, retail and mixed-use properties in the Western U.S. that require value-add and opportunistic business plans. Media Contact:Courtney Goldberg214.808.3603[email protected] To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/belay-investment-group-joins-with-arc-capital-partners-to-target-150-million-of-multifamily-and-retail-in-california-and-texas-300288418.html SOURCE Arc Capital Partners LLC Baku, Azerbaijan, June 22 Trend: The meeting in St. Petersburg, Russia, will open up new opportunities for the stage-by-stage settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Emil Huseynli, head of the 'Support for Youth Development - Dushunje' Public Association, told Trend June 22. St. Petersburg hosted a summit of Azerbaijani, Russian and Armenian presidents, Ilham Aliyev, Vladimir Putin and Serzh Sargsyan with participation of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs June 20. Huseynli recalled that right after the meeting, Azerbaijans Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov said constructive discussions were held in St. Petersburg. The NGO head says these remarks show that Armenia has understood the impossibility of maintaining the current status quo. It is obvious that the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs, Russia in particular, display a serious will for the conflicts settlement as soon as possible, he added. Huseynli pointed out that Baku has unequivocally expressed its position: the status quo should be changed and the conflict should be resolved stage-by-stage. 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. DENVER, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- BridgeHealth, the leader in planned surgery cost containment strategies for self-insured plan sponsors, is pleased to announce our newest partner, Stemilt Growers, LLC. Through its relationship with BridgeHealth, Stemilt provides its plan members with quality outcomes, decrease out-of-pocket surgery expenses, while reducing the company's total surgical spend. The BridgeHealth program will officially launch July 1, 2017. BridgeHealth will launch the program with a customized engagement campaign in both Spanish and English. "We're very excited to be working with the team at Stemilt. They are widely recognized as a leader in the agricultural industry and committed to protecting their most valuable asset, their employees," says Jesse Gomez, EVP Sales and Marketing Interim at BridgeHealth. "We are looking forward to providing the employees of Stemilt with the top-quality care they need, when they need it, and without the financial anxiety and burden typically associated with a major planned surgery." The BridgeHealth solution is built on connecting health plan members with top quality surgical care with the added benefit of discounted, pre-negotiated bundled case rate pricing. By steering members to the nationwide network of quality providers, BridgeHealth delivers the ideal combination of a high quality concierge type patient experience, favorable outcomes, and cost savings for the health plan and its members, with the added benefit of fewer complications, readmissions and infections. The BridgeHealth program succeeds in providing our self-insured client partners with an innovative service that bolsters their health benefit offering, while reducing their surgical spend. About StemiltBased in Wenatchee, WA and family owned with over 2,000 employees, Stemilt is a leading tree fruit company that grows, packs, ships, and markets fresh apples, pears, cherries, peaches, nectarines and apricots to stores worldwide. Stemilt is a leader in the organic fruit supplier marketplace and the largest sweet cherry shipper in the nation.http://www.stemilt.com About BridgeHealthFounded in 2007, with offices in Denver, CO and Chicago, IL, BridgeHealth provides an innovative cost containment solution for self-insured Plan Sponsors that addresses the wide variation in both cost and quality related to planned surgeries. Plan Sponsors realize significant savings, increased productivity, decreased absenteeism, along with recruiting and retention advantages. Plan members are free from the financial worries typically associated with planned surgeries and traditional complicated billing procedures. In 2015, BridgeHealth earned a coveted spot on the prestigious Inc. 5000 list as one of the fastest growing private companies in America. Ranking at #812 demonstrates the success of BridgeHealth's business model, which powered its way onto the list with three-year sales growth of 546% on total revenues of $7.2 million. For more information visit bridgehealth.com. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160309/342305LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bridgehealth-announces-new-client-stemilt-growers-llc-300289071.html SOURCE BridgeHealth ALEXANDRIA, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- CALIBRE Systems, Inc. (CALIBRE), an employee-owned, management consulting and information technology solutions company, has been awarded the 2016 Outstanding Veteran and Military Advocate Award at the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce (NVCC) Annual Outstanding Corporate Citizenship Awards Luncheon held on June 21. Presented across seven categories, the NVCC Outstanding Corporate Citizenship Awards honor extraordinary business leadership and above-and-beyond corporate social responsibility. The Outstanding Veteran and Military Advocate Award was presented to CALIBRE for outstanding and visionary contributions to supporting the regions active-duty/reserve military, their families, and veterans during the past year. This honor recognizes CALIBREs corporate culture and our companys long-term commitment to support veterans and active, guard, and reserve military personnel and their families, said CALIBRE President & CEO, Joe Martore. By engaging personally and corporately, CALIBRE is able to make a positive impact and provide improved support to our veteran and military clients and charitable support organizations focused on these communities. Since its founding in 1989, CALIBRE has focused on military and veteran clients. Today over 80% of our work directly supports the Department of Defense and Department of Veterans Affairs, and 44% of our employees are veterans. As a result, CALIBRE has chosen to focus the companys social responsibility efforts on veteran and military charitable programs. About CALIBRE Alexandria, Virginia-based CALIBRE Systems, Inc. is an employee-owned management consulting and information technology solutions company supporting government and industry. CALIBRE is committed to the success of our clients, and delivers enduring solutions that solve management, technology, and program challenges. For more information about CALIBRE, please visit www.calibresys.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160622006352/en/ CALIBRE Systems, Inc. Craig College, Senior Vice President, Strategy Development 703-797-8733 [email protected] Source: CALIBRE Systems, Inc. WASHINGTON, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- This week, Teamsters that work at the US Foods [NYSE: USFD] distribution facilities outside Philadelphia and Minneapolis refused to cross extended picket lines of Teamsters from Severn, Md., who began an unfair labor practice strike against the company in April. Teamsters from the US Foods Severn location extended picket lines to the Philadelphia area Monday afternoon in Swedesboro, N.J. and Bridgeport, N.J., Monday morning and Tuesday afternoon. Warehouse workers represented by Local 628 in Swedesboro and drivers and warehouse workers represented by Locals 107 and 169 in Bridgeport, honored the picket and stood in solidarity with the Severn members. In all, more than 300 workers refused to cross. Today, 325 US Foods drivers, warehouse, yard and maintenance workers and office staff represented by Local 120 in Minneapolis, Minn., joined their Philadelphia brothers and sisters by honoring an extended picket line from the Severn workers. This was the second time in the last three weeks that the Local 120 US Foods workers honored a Severn picket line. These were just the latest group of US Foods workers to honor a picket line in support of the striking Maryland workers. They join US Foods workers in New Jersey, Indiana, Colorado, Michigan, Washington, Illinois, New York, Ohio and Minnesota who took similar action over the last month. The Maryland workers are on strike to protest allegations that US Foods violated federal law that protects workers' rights. Other actions also took place across Southern California and in Phoenix in May. In all, more than 3,300 Teamsters employed by US Foods have either gone out on strike or honored workers' picket lines at some point since late April. US Foods is the nation's second-largest foodservice provider. It is owned by Wall Street private equity behemoths KKR and CD&R, which added nearly $5 billion of debt to US Foods' books when they bought it in 2007. In an IPO on May 25, US Foods raised $1.02 billion from investors, announcing it will use the funds to pay off some of its debt. In January 2016, KKR and CD&R took nearly $670 million in cash out of the company to distribute to its two owners half of it borrowed even though it is already operating under a mountain of debt. Since its purchase by the two private equity firms nine years ago, US Foods has engaged in a systematic campaign of harassment and intimidation against its workers, both union and non-union. "US Foods has established a pattern of anti-union and anti-worker behavior," said Steve Vairma, Teamsters International Vice President and Director of the Teamsters' Warehouse Division. "US Foods management signs off on wage and hiring freezes across the company while extracting hundreds of millions of dollars out of the coffers for ownership. We will not let the company's private equity vultures get rich on the backs of Teamster employees and families. Our members at US Foods across the country will continue to stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters from the Severn facility in their fight for justice." The current labor disputes are not new to US Foods. In February, more than 200 Teamsters at the Phoenix facility went on a four-day unfair labor practice strike. In 2011, an unfair labor practice strike by maintenance employees in Streator, Ill. was extended to more than 10 US Foods facilities across America. More than 2,000 Teamsters honored extended picket lines during the 2011 strike. US Foods provides 350,000 products and services to 200,000 customers including restaurants, hospitals, schools, military bases and hotels. US Foods has 25,000 employees and 75 distribution facilities. The Teamsters represent 4,300 US Foods employees, with 44 contracts at 29 facilities. Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Visit www.teamster.org for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and "like" us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/teamsters. Contact: Galen Munroe, (202) 624-6911 [email protected] Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100127/IBTLOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/in-week-of-action-baltimore-us-foods-teamsters-extend-pickets-to-philadelphia-minneapolis-300288996.html SOURCE International Brotherhood of Teamsters VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 06/21/16 -- Starcore International Mines Ltd. (TSX: SAM) ("Starcore" or the "Company") regrets to report the fatality of an employee that occurred yesterday at its San Martin Mine in Queretaro, Mexico. "We are deeply saddened over the loss of our colleague, an experienced underground miner at our San Martin Mine," said Robert Eadie, President & Chief Executive Officer of the Company, who flew to Mexico upon hearing of the fatal accident. "Work-related losses are tragic and felt grievously by Starcore and our communities, and we extend our deepest sympathies to our colleague's family and friends. The safety of our employees is of utmost importance for Starcore and we will continue to take every measure to eliminate all workplace accidents and ensure the workplace is safe for everyone." The accident was an isolated incident that occurred during wall and ceiling ground support installation in a cut-and-fill stope in the mine's San Martin area. Starcore is working with the local authorities on completing a final report on their investigation. Operations at the mine outside of this stope continue and all crews have been fully debriefed on the accident. In the meantime, the plant is operating normally. About Starcore Starcore is engaged in exploring, extracting and processing gold and silver through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Compania Minera Pena de Bernal, S.A. de C.V., which owns the San Martin mine in Queretaro, Mexico. Starcore is a public reporting issuer on the TSX. Starcore is also engaged in owning, acquiring, exploiting, exploring and evaluating mineral properties, and either joint venturing or developing these properties further. Starcore has interests in properties located in Mexico, Canada and the United States. For more information concerning Starcore, see documents filed under its profile on SEDAR, or visit its website at www.starcore.com. ON BEHALF OF STARCORE INTERNATIONAL MINES LTD. Robert Eadie, President & Chief Executive Officer The Toronto Stock Exchange has not reviewed nor does it accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. Contacts: Starcore International Mines Ltd. Evan Eadie Investor Relations (416) 640-1936 Toll Free: 1-866-602-4935 www.starcore.com Source: Starcore International Mines Ltd. Syria's president Bashar al-Assad speaks to Parliament members in Damascus, Syria in this handout picture provided by SANA on June 7, 2016. SANA/Handout via BEIRUT (Reuters) - President Bashar al-Assad instructed Electricity Minister Emad Khamis on Wednesday to form a new government in Syria, a country fragmented by warring factions and economically ruined by five years of conflict. A decree published by state news agency SANA gave no reason for replacing Wael al-Halaki, who served as prime minister for nearly four years and survived an assassination attempt when a car bomb struck his convoy in Damascus in 2013. Halaki was himself appointed to replace a prime minister who defected and later led an opposition team at peace talks in Geneva, which broke down in April as pro-government forces pressed an offensive against rebel-held areas of Aleppo city. The Damascus-based government controls most of the war-torn country's major population centers in the west, with the exceptions of Idlib, which is held by insurgents, and the rebel-held neighborhoods of Aleppo, once Syria's biggest city. Kurdish forces control vast areas along the Turkish border, and Islamic State holds Raqqa and Deir al-Zor provinces in the east. International efforts to bring peace to the country focus on forming a transitional governing body which can include members of the current administration and the opposition. Assad and his ally Russia have suggested incorporating parts of the opposition into the government as a step towards a political settlement to the war which has killed more than 250,000 people and driven 11 million from their homes. Washington and Syrian rebels, who insist that any peace deal must involve Assad's departure, have dismissed the idea. An engineer by training, 54-year-old Khamis has been electricity minister since 2011, SANA said. Before that he was general manager of the state's electricity distribution body. He has been a member of Assad's Baath political party since 1977. Syria's conflict, which began as a peaceful uprising against Assad, is now in its sixth year. Assad formed a new government more than a year into the war in 2012, but the prime minister he appointed then, Riad Hijab, fled Syria soon afterwards to join the opposition. The conflict has also cost the country more than $200 billion in economic losses and physical damage to infrastructure, driving Syria's GDP down to less than half its 2011 level. It has also caused the Syrian pound to lose more than 90 percent of its value despite concerted attempts by Halaki's government to support the currency. (Reporting by John Davison and Lisa Barrington; Editing by Dominic Evans) U.S. Senator Marco Rubio and Honduras' President Juan Orlando Hernandez (not pictured) attend a news conference after a private meeting at the presidential palace in Tegucigalpa, Honduras June 1, 2016. REUTERS/Jorge Cabrera By Patricia Zengerle and Kouichi Shirayanagi WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Former Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio will seek re-election to his U.S. Senate seat, he announced on Wednesday, reversing a pledge not to run and saying the prospect of a Donald Trump presidency worries him. The first-term Florida senator said the Senate can be frustrating, but that it is also a place where policy advances can be made and one that can counteract the power of the White House. "But as we begin the next chapter in the history of our nation, there's another role for the Senate that could end up being its most important in the years to come: The Constitutional power to act as a check and balance on the excesses of a president," Rubio said in a statement. The 45-year-old lawmaker, a proven fund-raiser who is well known nationally, had been under intense pressure to run, especially given the cost of contesting an important election swing-state where campaign advertising is expensive. Republicans are more likely to retain his seat if he is a candidate in the Nov. 8 general election, as they face a tough fight to preserve their majority in the Senate. He could also rally Republican voters to head to the polls in a state that is critical in the presidential race. President Barack Obama, a Democrat, took Florida by just a one percentage-point margin in 2012 over Republican Mitt Romney. This year, Republicans must defend 24 of the 54 seats they now hold in the 100-member Senate, compared with just 10 the Democrats have to fight to retain. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has said it would be a "terrific outcome" if Rubio decided to run. Rubio had harsh words for Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, predicting her election would mean four more years of what he termed Obama's "failed" policies. TRUMP 'WORRISOME' But he said the prospect of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump winning the White House was also "worrisome," citing Trump's statements about women and minorities and noting that many of the likely Republican nominee's positions on important issues are unknown. "If he is elected, we will need Senators willing to encourage him in the right direction, and if necessary, stand up to him," Rubio's statement said. Still, he pledged to vote for Trump, a real estate mogul and political neophyte who has shaken the Republican establishment. "It's not the choice I wanted ... and it's not the choice a lot of people are comfortable with, but it's the choice we have," he told CNN in an interview. His announcement did not mention the massacre last week at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, but he had said in recent days he was reconsidering his decision not to run because of his concern about serious events in the country, including the mass shooting. The decision reversed a campaign pledge Rubio made a year ago to retire from the Senate if his presidential bid failed. He ended his bid for the nomination in March after losing the primary in his home state to Trump following a harsh war of words. The Cook Political Report said Rubio's announcement "breathed new life" into Republican chances of holding onto the seat but still rated the race as a toss-up, citing his poor Senate attendance record and the senator's remarks during his presidential campaign that he was "frustrated" with the upper chamber. Republican U.S. Representative David Jolly, who had been seeking the Senate seat, opened the door for Rubio to run when he stepped aside last week. After Wednesday's announcement, Florida Lieutenant Governor Carlos Lopez Cantera, a friend of Rubio, and Republican U.S. Representative Ron DeSantis also scrapped plans to seek the seat. Other Republicans, however, have not announced plans to quit ahead of Florida's Aug. 30 primary. U.S. Representative Patrick Murphy, a leading Democratic challenger, accused Rubio of first abandoning his constituents, and now "treating them like a consolation prize." (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle and Kouichi Shirayanagi; Writing by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Tim Ahmann and Jonathan Oatis) The Mercer Cost of Living Index shows Wellington dramatically dropped in the 2016 Cost of Living rankings. Forget the surging house prices, a new global study claims Wellington and Auckland became significantly more affordable in the past 12 months. The Mercer cost of living index shows New Zealand cities dramatically dropped in the 2016 Cost of Living rankings. Auckland came in at 98, down 37 places from 61 in 2015, while Wellington dropped 40 places from 83 in 2015 to 123 this year. JEFF MCEWAN/CAPTURENZ.COM Auckland came in at 98, down 37 places from 61 in 2015 The ranking of 209 cities across five continents, measures the comparative cost of more than 200 items in each location, including housing, transportation, food, clothing, household goods and entertainment. READ MORE: * This Auckland family looked at house prices - and decided to live on a boat * 15 things no one told me about living in Auckland * Avocados and bananas push up fruit prices * Wellington housing market heats up ANDY YEUNG PHOTOGRAPHY / FACEBOOK Hong Kong topped the list. The costs of goods and services shift with inflation and currency volatility, meaning the survey is heavily influenced by movements against the US dollar. The most expensive ranked city was Hong Kong, followed by Luanda in Angola and Zurich in Switzerland. The least expensive city to live in was Windhoek in Namibia. EDUCATION IMAGES/UIG VIA GETTY The famous historical Christ Church cathedral and the new Namibia National Museum in Windhoek. - the most affordable in the list. Wellington Regional Economic Development Agency chief executive Chris Whelan said the Mercer rankings are about affordability from an international perspective and the value of foreign currencies had the biggest impact on the New Zealand city rankings. "The rankings show Wellington is an affordable and attractive place to live and work for international talent. Alongside our highly attractive quality of life, career opportunities and and cost of business advantages, our competitive cost of living enhances our appeal further still. " From a local point of view, the ranking would not necessarily reflect a shift in cost of living as it gave a relative international perspective, he said. "The key indicators for Wellington are the Consumer Price Index, the average household income, and housing price. "CPI is relatively even across New Zealand's urban centres, and Wellington's average household income is very high, particularly in Wellington City. "This offsets rising property values, so Wellington doesn't have the same challenging affordability situation as Auckland." He believed this was a reason more people were "flocking to Wellington to live, study and work". According to Mercer the low ranking was good news for New Zealand because it means more companies will look at sending staff to work here. "Being a more cost-effective option than some other cities in the region means New Zealand cities could become an incubator for talent for multi-national companies," Mercer's Lorraine Jennings said. The survey is designed to help multinational companies and governments determine compensation for relocating their expatriate employees. The changes in the rankings are primarily because of currency fluctuations against the US dollar, which will not necessarily reflect affordability for local Kiwis. "While the prices of the overall basket of goods and services were up marginally, the housing rentals in Auckland increased over the past few months. "Strong demand for rentals caused by high level of migration, adds pressure to the tight residential market. Competitiveness for properties is strong due to low availability," Jennings said. "This means it is more cost-effective for multinationals to send key talent to New Zealand than many other parts of the world,.". The figures for Mercer's cost of living and rental accommodation costs comparisons are derived from a survey conducted in March 2016. The $26.6 million package would be spread across a number of precincts within the Palmerston North central city. Palmerston North's $26.6 million central city streetscape makeover that puts pedestrians before vehicles has been criticised for inflicting big city thinking on a provincial town. City councillor Vaughan Dennison said he had some sympathy for retailers who did not want the council "imposing a big city solution" where shoppers still wanted to find a car park at the front door of the shop. But Manawatu district mayor Margaret Kouvelis has applauded the plan, and said there was no time for negative thinking. Supplied A green space for play and activity could replace a grey expanse of empty footpath on The Square between Main St and Broadway. Palmerston North needed to establish itself as an attractive heart for the region, she said, with a central district that was filled with people and activity. READ MORE: * Palmerston North's $26.6m streetscape plan is endorsed * $26.6 million master plan for Palmerston North central city makeover The plan would blur the edges of The Square, with more green spaces and narrower streets. 205 car parks would be removed, pop-up canopies would be added to a pedestrian-focused Broadway Ave, and an urban bus terminal developed in Main St East. Supplied Palmerston North's central city streetscape makeover is likely to begin with an upgrade to the urban bus terminal in Main St East. "I can't speak more strongly about the need for this city to proclaim itself a strategic hub, not just for the region, but for New Zealands," Kouvelis said. "The spotlight is on us. New Zealand is looking for us to step up." Her comments echo those of Charles Landry, whose Creative City Index analysis of Palmerston North in 2013 summed up the city as comfortable and complacent, in danger of sinking into gentle decline. "There definitely needs to be more energy and the city's pulse should beat a bit harder," Landry said. People in The Square on Wednesday generally liked the idea of making the central city more user-friendly. "Anything that will bring people back into the centre of town is great," said Bill Brock. "It's got to be good for the city," said Tony Tautari. But Lynda Mackenzie said, "They could probably do it for cheaper [than $26m], but doing something with Broadway in particular is a great idea." City businessman Steve Williams, representing eight property owners in the central business district, said while revitalisation was obviously needed, the plan had some "disastrous elements". He objected to the gradual removal of 205 car parks, switching from angle parks to car parking at 90 degrees to the kerb, and the location of the urban bus terminal in Main St East. Former mayor and National list MP Jono Naylor said improving the streets around The Square was an unfinished aspect of the City Heart project, that had poured $24m into The Square in the 2000s. "But this plan goes a bit further than we envisaged with City Heart, and the price tag has gone up a whole lot too. "The Square needed some wow factor. "The question mark now is how much more do we spend on the CBD?" Long-serving councillor Jim Jefferies said he was delighted to see the council finally endorsing a plan to build on the benefits achievements within The Square. "This reflects why I stood for council many years ago. That was to support and execute a vision for the city, to make this a great place to live, work, study and play." He said it had been "tough" to complete The Square makeover in light of negative commentary about the expense. He said councillors had been "scared off" from making decisions that would have enduring benefits during the last decade. Downtown shopping centre manager Greg Key said the owners and managers of the complex generally applauded the streetscape plan. However, they were concerned about how extending the urban bus terminal in Main St would affect access to the centre's own parking building. TANTAU A Hamilton charity that provides tangible memories of lost children needs help to spread their wings. For the past three years Jen Christiansen has been running Angel Casts from her home studio. The organisation creates detailed hand and feet stone replicas of a baby or child who has left their parents arms too soon. The free service has recently seen an increase in numbers, and the funds have run out. "In the last two months we've seen about 25," Christiansen said. "It's record-breaking for us, actually. We've never had numbers that high." She and Angel Casts chairperson and volunteer Virginia Pak visit families at Waikato Hospital where they make the mould. From there, the process takes around 10 hours to complete. Angel Casts started as a home business and right off the bat Christiansen knew they weren't going to charge for the service. "We have four boys of our own so we understand how precious little memories are," she said. "We never want to profit from someone's loss." They see children from 18 weeks gestation through to 12 years old, and have completed more than 150 casts for families. It is now a full-time job for Christiansen and her husband Aaron. "If we get a call at three in the morning we generally go at three in the morning. It's sort of a drop everything and go kind of situation," she said. But despite the workload, Christiansen wouldn't have it any other way. "I had no idea how often this happens. You don't realise how common child-loss is," she said. "We understand what it's like to love a child; I couldn't understand what it's like to lose a child you love." Pak and Christiansen said there was now an "urgent need" for funding. They are at the stage where they cannot buy new materials to make casts or build the custom frames for each family. They said it is costing more than $4000 a month to run the charity. "Four thousand a month is a huge chunk and so far we've only been able to survive on public donations," Christiansen said. "We need the funding and the money to be able to make this sustainable." To donate visit: http://www.angelcasts.co.nz/ or https://givealittle.co.nz/org/angelcasts Info: https://www.facebook.com/angelcastsnz/ Tears fell down the faces of members of Wairarapa Iwi as an ancient korowai was unveiled to them after returning to New Zealand after more than 100 years. The Maori cloak fell in the hands of the Nelson Provincial Museum a few months ago after MP Marama Fox, heard the item had been bought on Trade Me by a Nelson man. Fox said receiving the korowai was a touching experience and was glad the cloak had been returned. MARTIN DE RUYTER Wairarapa iwi representative Frances Reiri-Smith with a korowai at the Nelson Provincial Museum. "I can't even describe it, it is actually quite overwhelming, the emotion from our wahine that are here," she said. READ MORE: * Sale of historic Maori cloak attracts debate on Trade Me * Aratoi museum and local iwi buy back ancient Maori cloak * Te Papa returns priceless treasures to Hawaii after 237 years "For them it's like finding a lost relative, it's like finding a lost piece of our past, of our history that we now can restore home and it is truly like having a family member returned to us." A mihi whakatau was held at the museum on Tuesday to hand over the korowai to members of Rangitane o Wairarapa, Ngati Kahungunu ki Wairarapa and Aratoi museum - the three parties who jointly purchased it. Aratoi museum director Alice Hutchison said the whole experience had been "overwhelming" "This is the first time in over a hundred years that it has been reunited with its people, with its family," she said. "If it could only talk, the incredible stories that are embedded within this beautiful very, very fine weaving. Of course being Matariki, it's deeply significant. It's an intergenerational conversation that we're having." The cloak was bought by an American in the late 19th century and ended up at the Rochester Historical Society in New York in 1906. It only ended up back in New Zealand hands a few months ago before Leon Bonney bought it off Trade Me for $6000 and was approached by the Wairarapa Iwi. "I had friend who said 'Marama have you seen this, it's on Trade Me'. It had a card with it that said 'Wairarapa', it had been with it for the length of time that it had been hidden in a closet," she said. "We came to an arrangement with Leon between the Kahungunu Iwi, Rangitane Iwi and Aratoi, the art and history museum, to return it to Wairarapa." Museum chief executive Lucinda Blackely-Jimson said it had been "an honour" to hold the taonga and help it on its "journey home". "It's an incredibly moving experience to be part of the journey and to help the relocation of the taonga." Details added (first version posted on 14:55) Baku, Azerbaijan, June 22 Trend: An agreement on the stage-by-stage settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict was reached in St. Petersburg, Novruz Mammadov, deputy head of Azerbaijani presidential administration, chief of the administration's foreign relations department, said in an interview with local TV channels June 22. St. Petersburg hosted a summit of Azerbaijani, Russian and Armenian presidents, Ilham Aliyev, Vladimir Putin and Serzh Sargsyan with participation of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs June 20. During that meeting, the priority was given to the stage-by-stage settlement of the conflict. Thats to say, from now on, it is necessary to act step by step in the settlement process: first, the liberation of Azerbaijans five districts, then two more districts and determining the corridor and afterwards, determining the status of Nagorno-Karabakh, said the top official. The parties in principle, reached agreements in this regard, added Mammadov. Such an agreement has been reached for the present, said the top official. Mammadov didnt rule out that as before, Armenia can take provocative steps and refuse from fulfilling its promise. 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 reached 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 the 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 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. Russell Braddock shared this selfie, taken on the Col de Berard on Mont Blanc Russell Braddock's death in the French Alps has left New Zealand's alpine community mourning the loss of one of its best mountaineers. The 60-year-old was climbing Mont Blanc du Tacul when he was swept away by a 600-metre-long avalanche around 11.30am on Monday (9.30pm Monday NZT). Lindsay Maindonald, mountaineer and a childhood friend of Braddock, said despite knowing the dangers he was shocked by the news. Supplied Russell Braddock heading up Mt Taranaki in 1993 with plans to ski back down. "It's dangerous sport, and as a mountaineer I know it is, but it's still a shock when you find out," said the 61-year-old, of Eltham in South Taranaki. READ MORE: NZ-born mountaineer reported dead in French avalanche "He was a quiet guy, very, very quiet. He would hardly say boo to a goose except when he was in a mountain environment." He said Braddock grew up in New Plymouth with his parents, Eric and Mabel, and brothers Noel and Keith. "I knew Russell really, really well. We grew up together in church. I lived at Russell's place and he lived at mine." Although Maindonald described his friend as a top mountain guide, he said he had not shown such skills as a youth, when he had been somewhat clumsy. "He was so uncoordinated in those days it's a surprise that he would become an expert in his field." He recalled when they were young men, Braddock "could not put the clutch in and the gear lever at the same time" when driving. He said Braddock became interested in mountaineering in his mid-to-late teens. Maindonald took it up a few years later. "Because I'm a mountaineer there's a very strong bond, a real bond, but there's also a childhood bond and I think that's probably even stronger." Former colleague and friend, Adventure Consultants CEO Guy Cotter, had known Braddock since the early 1980s, when the pair were living and working at Mount Cook. "When I first started my guiding career he was one of my mentors," Cotter said. "We've been friends and climbing companions since that time." While other guides would spend their spare time at the beach, Braddock would take any opportunity to be up in the mountains, Cotter said. "He was certainly one of the more highly respected mountain guides in the community, who had accomplished a huge amount in his climbing and guiding career." Having trained thousands of climbers at the Army Adventure Training Centre, at polytech, and as a mountain guide Braddock had a reputation for being "considered and careful", always keeping "safety a priority". He was quiet, with a dry sense of humour. "He wasn't an outgoing person. But I think that's why he enjoyed being in the mountains. Where he had the joy of the hills around him. "He was still a people-person, he liked being around people, but he was generally quiet and often when you're in the mountains that's when you get to know people like that well, because sometimes they get smothered by, you know, more vocal people in a more social environment." Braddock moved to Chamonix, France, about five years ago and worked freelance. "He had an enduring passion for the mountains, he just loved being in that environment," Cotter said. Ian McAlpine, a former Mt Taranaki guide, described Braddock as one of the top mountaineers of his time. "I think it's a huge shock to mountaineers in New Zealand because he was very well-known for his exploits." He added: "I guess the last time I climbed with him was 1995, up Mt Cook. He was guiding clients. As a guide myself I learned a heck of a lot that day climbing alongside him as he took clients to the summit." John Jordan knew Braddock as a member of the Taranaki Alpine Club in the 1970s and described him as a "great guy" and a "keen and competent climber". "He would be one of the group of leading guides in New Zealand." Braddock's Adventure Consultants profile said his most memorable experience was standing on the top of Cerro Torre in Patagonia, Argentina. The New Zealand Alpine Club posted condolences on its Facebook page: "Saddest news from Mont Blanc du Tacul today, our thoughts to all affected." Baku, Azerbaijan, June 22 Trend: An agreement on the stage-by-stage settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict was reached in St. Petersburg, Novruz Mammadov, deputy head of Azerbaijani presidential administration, chief of the administration's foreign relations department, said in an interview with local TV channels June 22. St. Petersburg hosted a summit of Azerbaijani, Russian and Armenian presidents, Ilham Aliyev, Vladimir Putin and Serzh Sargsyan with participation of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs June 20. During that meeting, the priority was given to the stage-by-stage settlement of the conflict. Thats to say, from now on, it is necessary to act step by step in the settlement process: first, the liberation of Azerbaijans five districts, then two more districts and determining the corridor and afterwards, determining the status of Nagorno-Karabakh, said the top official. The parties in principle, reached agreements in this regard, added Mammadov. Such an agreement has been reached for the present, said the top official. Mammadov didnt rule out that as before, Armenia can take provocative steps and refuse from fulfilling its promise. The top official said that given a very high level of relations between Azerbaijan and Russia, their strategic partnership, good neighborhood relations, shared history, cooperation in cultural, economic, political, security and other spheres and the fact that Russia is one of the co-chairing countries of the OSCE Minsk Group, in terms of possibility and position, this country can play a more decisive role in the fair settlement of the conflict in line with the international law. For example, although France and the US are the co-chairing countries of the OSCE Minsk Group, they are relatively far from these processes, added Mammadov. 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 reached 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 the 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 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. Details added (first version posted on 14:55) Baku, Azerbaijan, June 22 Trend: An agreement on the stage-by-stage settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict was reached in St. Petersburg, Novruz Mammadov, deputy head of Azerbaijani presidential administration, chief of the administration's foreign relations department, said in an interview with local TV channels June 22. St. Petersburg hosted a summit of Azerbaijani, Russian and Armenian presidents, Ilham Aliyev, Vladimir Putin and Serzh Sargsyan with participation of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs June 20. During that meeting, the priority was given to the stage-by-stage settlement of the conflict. Thats to say, from now on, it is necessary to act step by step in the settlement process: first, the liberation of Azerbaijans five districts, then two more districts and determining the corridor and afterwards, determining the status of Nagorno-Karabakh, said the top official. The parties in principle, reached agreements in this regard, added Mammadov. Such an agreement has been reached for the present, said the top official. Mammadov didnt rule out that as before, Armenia can take provocative steps and refuse from fulfilling its promise. The top official said that given a very high level of relations between Azerbaijan and Russia, their strategic partnership, good neighborhood relations, shared history, cooperation in cultural, economic, political, security and other spheres and the fact that Russia is one of the co-chairing countries of the OSCE Minsk Group, in terms of possibility and position, this country can play a more decisive role in the fair settlement of the conflict in line with the international law. For example, although France and the US are the co-chairing countries of the OSCE Minsk Group, they are relatively far from these processes, added Mammadov. 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 reached 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 the 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 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 22 Trend: The OSCE monitoring held June 22 along the contact line between Azerbaijani and Armenian troops has passed without incidents, the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry told Trend. The monitoring was held 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 was held by the field assistants of OSCE chairperson-in-office personal representative Hristo Hristov and Simon Tiller. On the opposite side, the monitoring was 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. Prime Minister John Key is in Tauranga today looking at local businesses demonstrating an adaptive approach to working. He spoke to journalists after inspecting progress on Mount Maunganui Intermediates new classrooms. A planting programme to stop sediment and nutrients running off Welcome Bay farmland and into Rangataua Bay began this week. Grazing stock were removed from the wetland about six months ago, says Pirihima Whanau Trustee Colin Reeder. What a fantastic tribute to give someone who is passionate about riding, their ultimate one last ride. Over the years Hope Family Funerals of Tauranga have helped many families that have lost someone who was passionate about motorcycles. Many have said to them, Do you have a motorcycle hearse? Baku, Azerbaijan, June 22 Trend: Armenias Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian is being himself, passing off the stage-by-stage settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict as a package plan, Novruz Mammadov, deputy head of Azerbaijani presidential administration, chief of the administration's foreign relations department, wrote on his Facebook page June 22. Nalbandian said in an interview with Armenian media that no agreement was reached on the conflicts settlement during the meeting in St. Petersburg June 20. Nalbandian is in his usual style. He immediately passed off the stage-by-stage settlement as a package plan, said the top official. I wonder will he be ashamed in front of other participants of the meeting for his lie? As for my participation in the meeting, wasnt it he sitting right in front of me? Mr. Minister, one can lie, but this is too much. Earlier, Mammadov said that an agreement on the stage-by-stage settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict was reached in St. Petersburg meeting. During that meeting, the priority was given to the stage-by-stage settlement of the conflict. Thats to say, from now on, it is necessary to act step by step in the settlement process: first, the liberation of Azerbaijans five districts, then two more districts and determining the corridor and afterwards, determining the status of Nagorno-Karabakh, said the top official. The parties in principle, reached agreements in this regard, added Mammadov. Such an agreement has been reached for the present, said the top official. Mammadov didnt rule out that as before, Armenia can take provocative steps and refuse from fulfilling its promise. 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 reached 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 the message on the website of Kremlin. For this purpose, the sides agreed to increase the number of international observers in the zone of conflict. Members of the public now have ready access to data relating to the regions air quality, says the Bay of Plenty Regional Council. The Air Quality Monitoring Information is now publicly available on the Land, Air, Water, Aotearoa (LAWA) website. It enables people to read about efforts to improve air quality in the Bay of Plenty by providing access to monitoring data recorded at sites within the region. Bay of Plenty Regional Council, which manages the regions air quality, uses this data to monitor pollution levels. The council is responsible for ensuring national environmental standards for air quality introduced in 2004 are met. Air quality affects everyone and clean air is vital, says BOPRC environmental scientist Shane Iremonger. While the Bay of Plentys air quality is generally good, if contaminant concentration gets too high it can affect peoples health. PM10 (particulate matter smaller than 10 micrometres), for example, can accumulate in the respiratory system and often cause health problems. Shane says PM10 is emitted from the combustion of fuels, such as wood and coal (from home heating and industry) and petrol and diesel (from vehicles). Natural sources such as volcanoes, wind-blown dust and sea salt can also produce PM10. The contaminant is also formed in the air from reactions between gases or between gases and other particles. We hope publishing this monitoring data on LAWA will help grow awareness and understanding of air quality issues and the work we do to keep our air clean and free of pollution. This work includes identifying the most significant air quality issues in the Bay of Plenty. The council released a draft Regional Air Plan in April that outlines the issues in detail and proposes solutions to address them. There have been a series of public workshops, liaison with industry and various advertising to ensure public have input into this draft plan. Feedback on the issue closed last Friday. PM10 levels in Rotorua are a particular focus for the council. Air quality within the city in winter regularly exceeds the level set by the Ministry for the Environment (a maximum daily concentration of 50 micrograms per cubic metre). The exceedances being largely caused by the use of older wood/log burners used for home heating. The regional council is working with Rotorua Lakes Council and the community to ensure the districts air meets the national environmental standard by September 2020. For more information visit here. The LAWA website www.lawa.org.nz means people can get information about the quality and availability of New Zealands natural resources online. Launched in 2014, it also displays data on river and lake quality, swimming and real-time flow, rainfall and groundwater data. Baku, Azerbaijan, June 22 Trend: Azerbaijans first lady, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva and vice-president of the Foundation Leyla Aliyeva attended the opening of Zira Juma Mosque complex after major overhaul. The complex is 30 metres in height. It occupies a total area of 3400 square meters. The complex can handle up to 400 people. A 250-man ceremony hall was built here. Akhund of the complex welcomed First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva on behalf of the residents, and thanked her for renovation and reconstruction work done in Khazar district. He expressed gratitude to President Aliyev and the first lady for preserving religious and moral values in the country. Mehriban Aliyeva congratulated local residents on the opening of the mosque. She said hundreds of mosques were built in Azerbaijan by the government and the Heydar Aliyev Foundation in the last several years. The president of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation said that in Khazar district alone four mosques were built. Mehriban Aliyeva was then presented with a Holy Qur'an. Syracuse, NY -- Syracuse is still sorting through the chaotic few minutes that left one man dead in a barrage of gunfire three days ago. The coverage of the Father's Day mayhem on the city's Near West Side has consumed dozens of stories over three days. Here's a rundown on what we know and don't know at this point: We know one man was killed by gunfire. Gary Porter, 41, went by the alias of Terry Maddox, police and family told Syracuse.com. Porter, a father of five, was celebrating with his family at the annual event near Skiddy Park, family said. His fiancee, Evelyn Tennyson, 31, who is six months pregnant, was also shot in the leg but has been released from a hospital, family and friends said. We don't know how many bullets hit Porter or which one(s) killed him. A responding officer reported at 11:15 p.m. that one man was wounded in the back, according to police scanner traffic. At 11:25 p.m., someone on the scanner stated that the victim was "shot in the chest." It's not clear how many times Porter was struck or if he was armed. We know a Syracuse police officer fired her weapon at least once, according to Police Chief Frank Fowler. We don't know what prompted that officer to fire. The female officer was running toward the sound of gunfire when she fired herself after facing a "deadly force situation," Fowler said Monday. He refused to say what specifically prompted her to shoot. We don't know if the officer's gunfire struck Porter or anyone else. Authorities have declined to comment. Fowler promised to update the public once the crime lab and medical examiner's office determine who struck whom. Three witnesses told Syracuse.com that they saw the officer shoot Porter as he was running. We don't know the name of the police officer who fired. In past police-involved shooting cases, the department has waited 72 hours (three full days) before releasing the name of the officer who fired. A spokesman said police should release her name tonight. We know the state Attorney General's Office is probing whether the police officer shot and killed an unarmed civilian. The AG's office confirmed Tuesday that they would take over as special prosecutor if a cop did kill an unarmed person, based on an executive order from Gov. Andrew Cuomo. The AG's office and the local district attorney's office have both said it's too early to determine what happened. We know that shells from four guns were found in the small courtyard off Tully Street, the police chief said. Only one officer fired, so that implies three other guns were used. We don't know how many total bullets were fired. Video taken by a witness indicates that at least 12 bullets were fired in a short burst. We don't know if more shots were fired. We also don't know the direction -- or the source -- of the bullets heard on the video. We don't know if there was a third shooting victim. A family reported that a 15-year-old girl could have been grazed by a bullet, based on a doctor's assessment. The girl, Niquera Jackson, suffered injuries in the chaos: a broken neck bone, a large bruise on her thigh and a gash to her head that required four staples, her family said. Fowler, the police chief, said he understood the teen was injured by a fall. We know authorities were concerned about violence at this year's party, according to Mayor Stephanie Miner. There were tips that people planned to "shoot up" the celebration, Miner said. We know the annual party was moved out of Skiddy Park this year after complaints about last year's celebration, Miner said. Organizers instead moved to Stone Court, in the James Geddes housing complex, the mayor said. Neighbor Carole Horan told Syracuse.com she had complained about noise, trash and other issues from last year's party. But another neighbor said there were "never any problems" from past years' parties. We know two people were arrested for trespassing near the shooting scene Monday, police said in a news release. Two others were arrested after a confrontation with police partially captured on video by a Syracuse.com photographer. There's no information linking them to the shooting Sunday night, a police spokesman said. We know grassroots organizations, including the National Action Network, are planning further mobilization to call for justice. There was also a demonstration Monday outside Syracuse police headquarters. We don't know when authorities will provide more answers. Syracuse police and the AG's office promised to tell the public when it's determined who fired the bullet(s) that killed Porter. But no one has provided a timeline for when more information will be released. Mahannah sex offender.JPG Michael Mahannah (Provided photo) UTICA, N.Y. -- A federal judge today threw out charges of enticing a child into sex against a registered sex offender from Auburn. U.S. District Judge David Hurd found insufficient evidence that Michael Mahannah tried to entice what he thought was a 12-year-old boy into sex through text messages. Mahannah didn't know he was texting with an undercover state trooper. The judge also threw out a charge of committing a felony against a minor by a registered sex offender Hurd dismissed the charges after listening to evidence for two days in Mahannah's trial. The judge found that the text messages showed it was the undercover officer who was trying to persuade Mahannah into asking for sex, said Mahannah's lawyer, Federal Public Defender Lisa Peebles. Mahannah, 32, pleaded guilty in April to 18 counts of receiving, possessing and distributing child pornography. But in an unusual move, he chose to go to trial on the enticement charges. For the child porn convictions, Mahannah faces at least 15 years in prison. If he'd been convicted of the enticement charges, he would've faced five to 20 more years in prison. Mahannah has been on the New York State Sex Offender Registry since 2009, when he was convicted of sexual misconduct for having sexual contact with a 6-year-old boy, according to the state website. Contact John O'Brien anytime | email | Twitter | 315-470-2187 Family of Gary Porter, also known as Terry Maddox, looks on as a member of the National Action Network speaks Tuesday evening at Fountain of Life Church in Syracuse. SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- So many people came to a meeting of the National Action Network Tuesday evening that those who came late found themselves standing in the back. The group's Syracuse chapter meets at at Fountain of Life Church weekly, but called a special meeting to address a fatal shooting Sunday on the city's Near West Side that involved a Syracuse police officer. Near West Side shooting: Complete coverage Several ministers and city councilors Van Robinson and Helen Hudson were among the people who packed into the church. For nearly two hours people talked about the problems facing minorities in Syracuse and solutions. Many people spoke of their distrust of and anger toward the Syracuse Police Department after years of often strained relations. Others bemoaned a social system they said is rigged against minorities. Family and friends of Gary Porter, also known as Terry Maddox, who was killed Sunday in the shooting, spoke of trying to cope with his loss. Many people broke down crying while remembering Porter. Throughout the meeting there was a palpable sense of anger and frustration, and enhanced by the sweltering space. Family and friends said they were worried they might never find out what happened to Porter the night he died. A representative New York Civil Liberties Union spoke to the group, offering what help the organization could give and saying it would push for an independent investigation of the shooting. Throughout the meeting there was a palpable sense of anger and frustration, and enhanced by the sweltering space. Several times during the meeting, especially when anyone who wanted to speak was invited forward, the anger reached a crescendo. The crowd chanted "No justice, no peace," and "What do we want? Answers. When do we want them? Now." Many members of the National Action Network wore orange T-shirts for Gun Violence Awareness Month, which is in June. The National Action Network is a not-for-profit, civil rights organization founded by the Rev. Al Sharpton in 1991 in New York City. The local chapter of the National Action Network meets 10 a.m. every Saturday at Fountain of Life Church, 700 South Ave. Organizers invited anyone who was willing to return Saturday to help plan future protests and marches. Tyler Church Syracuse, NY -- A Salina killer's brother had harsh words for his sibling in describing the stabbing death of their stepfather a year ago. "I wish I could, but I cannot speak on behalf of my brother," Trever Church said today, standing next to his brother's prosecutor in court. "I'm put in a position, I wish I wasn't here today. I know my brother and his behavior all too well." Later, he said: "My brother took the only father I had left." Tyler Church, 24, stabbed his stepfather, Daniel Stannard, 51, to death with a knife during an argument June 18, 2015 in their residence at 118 Pleasant View Drive. Tyler Church was sentenced to 16 years in prison today by County Court Judge Thomas J. Miller, the maximum sentence allowed under a plea deal worked out June 1. Church pleaded guilty to manslaughter and weapons possession. He had faced up to 25 years in prison if convicted after trial. After a divorce, Church's mother married Stannard, who also had children from a previous relationship. Stannard's children -- who lived in a different residence -- described being woken up in the middle of the night by police who delivered the news of his death. "The worst part about it was who killed him: our stepbrother, Tyler," said his teenage son, Paul. He described "great anger and confusion. All we wanted was our dad back." Daniel Stannard was a military veteran who instilled discipline, Trever Church said. That structure helped Trever Church clean up his act, join the military and become a productive member of society, he said. "He never gave up on us," Trever Church said. He called his stepfather "a great American, a great husband to my mother and a great stepfather." But Daniel Stannard's "macho, alpha male Marine" personality caused friction with Tyler Church, who was sensitive and creative by nature, said the killer's lawyer, Theodore Stenuf. Tyler Church remained scarred by his mother's remarriage, his father's death and his friction with his new stepfather, among other factors, Stenuf said. "Apparently, their personalities did not match at all," the lawyer said of Church and Stannard. "That may be an understatement." Tyler Church escaped into a world of drug addiction -- including heroin -- and other self-destructive behavior, Stenuf said. Church was in drug counseling at the time of the homicide. Stenuf suggested that others in the family also made poor choices, noting that the victim had stopped going to anger management classes after one try. Tyler Church in court for sentencing in the stabbing death of his stepfather, Daniel Stannard. But what Tyler Church did was inexcusable, prosecutor Melinda McGunnigle and the judge agreed. What started as a verbal argument that night turned deadly when Church retreated to his room, got a knife and continued the fight, which ended when he stabbed Stannard once in the chest and once in the neck. Tyler Church could have retreated to a bedroom or left the residence instead of confronting Stannard with a knife, McGunnigle said. Miller acknowledged that he felt some sympathy for Tyler Church after reading about his history from grand jury testimony, statements and a report commissioned by his lawyer. But that sympathy disappeared when the judge read Church's statements to authorities before sentencing. He called them "utterly unimaginable." "You blame the victim, you blame your mother," the judge said. "You are not the victim, Mr. Church. The victim is dead because of what you did. Your mother is also your victim, your brother is your victim. The people who came into court today and spoke so eloquently are your victims. You "blame everybody and everything except person you see in the mirror," the judge continued. Among Church's most damning statements: "I didn't choose this life for myself. My mother did," the judge read from the statements. That led his mother to sob loudly in court. "How, a 24-year-old man can make that statement is beyond me," the judge told Church. "You broke your mother's heart." Miller said he based the promised sentence on a review of every stabbing death in the county over the past few years. But he added that it was easy to sentence Church to the maximum under the range promised. For his part, Tyler Church maintained that he wasn't the aggressor. He has said previously he was defending himself. Today, Tyler Church said he was in a "confused state of mind" and said he "never wanted to hurt anybody." He apologized to his stepbrothers, but said he didn't know why it happened. With that, Tyler Church said it was time for him to go to prison. Baku, Azerbaijan, June 22 By Samir Ali - Trend: In accordance with the pardon act, the execution of which started in Azerbaijan June 15, journalist Khadija Ismayilova has been exempted from the fine imposed on her, Ismayilovas lawyer Fakhraddin Mehdiyev told Trend. The lawyer said Ismayilova was fined 2,500 manats in accordance with a court decision. Khadija Ismayilova was fined in accordance with the decision of Baku City Binagadi District Court on charges of insulting the honor and dignity. The journalist was in prison at the time when she was fined. She was sentenced to conditional imprisonment term by the court and released May 25, 2016. Glock Model 30 .45-caliber.JPG A Glock Model 30 .45-caliber semi-automatic handgun. Syracuse street gangs used one of these guns in 13 shooting incidents from November 2013 to November 2015, including one homicide and two other shots with injuries, according to Syracuse police. (Gunsamerica.com) SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Three of Syracuse's most wanted fugitives are in police custody. Syracuse police have seized three of the six handguns most used in crimes over the past two years. Somebody used one of them, a .45-caliber semi-automatic, in a homicide, Syracuse police Capt. Richard Trudell said. That gun was also used to shoot two other people, and in 10 other "shots fired" incidents over two years ending in November, he said. A .40-caliber semi-automatic was used to shoot five people and in nine other shots-fired incidents in six months ending in April. A 9mm semi-automatic was used to shoot four people and in eight shots-fired incidents in six months ending in March. The three guns were used to shoot a total of 12 people. A Hi-Point Model JCP .40-caliber semi-automatic handgun. Syracuse street gangs used one of these guns in 13 shootings from November to April, according to Syracuse police. They were all likely "community guns" used by street gangs, Trudell said. A gang shares community guns by stashing them in places where all the gang members know where to find it. "That's good news, especially when we can make arrests based on those recoveries," Trudell said. Police made arrests in connection with two of the three guns, he said. He said he couldn't be more specific because disclosing more might hamper the investigations. Trudell also would not identify which homicide the .45-caliber was used in. Investigators tied the guns to the multiple shootings by collecting shell casings at crime scenes. Once the guns were recovered, the county crime lab matched markings on the casings to the gun. Lorcin 9mm semi-automatic handgun, the type of gun Syracuse street gangs used in 12 shooting incidents from September last year until March, according to Syracuse police. Police recovered each gun while executing search warrants in drug cases, Trudell said. Last year, police recovered the No. 1 most-used fugitive gun, which was fired at 37 scenes, including one homicide. The new No. 1 gun is still out there, Trudell said. It's a .40-caliber handgun that left shell casings at 22 shootings from September 2012 to November of last year, he said. The three newly recovered guns had been numbers 2, 3 and 5 most-used missing guns on the police list before they turned up. All three guns came from Georgia, Trudell said. The .45-caliber, which was used in the homicide, was stolen in Fitzgerald, Ga. The .40-caliber was originally bought in Guyton, Ga., in 2013 and was never reported stolen. The 9mm was originally bought in Rochelle, Ga., in 1997 and was never reported stolen. Since Jan. 1, 2013, Syracuse police have recovered 91 of the 177 multiple-use guns, leaving 86 unrecovered, Trudell said. In the past six months, the county lab has used shell casings from crime scenes to add 29 new multiple-use guns to the list, he said. Police recovered a total of 298 firearms in 2015, including the multiple-use weapons. Of those, only 45 -- or 15 percent -- had been reported stolen, Trudell said. Contact John O'Brien anytime | email | Twitter | 315-470-2187 dec.jpg (NY DEC) New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Environmental Conservation Officers protect fish and wildlife and preserve environmental quality across New York. Here's a round up of recent missions carried out by ECOs. Over the limit: Horseshoe crabs edition - Suffolk County During the night of June 3, at 11 p.m., three ECOs saw a small skiff with no navigation lights race out of Swan Creek. The officers recognized the boat and operator. The ECOs then waited for several hours into the early morning of June 4 until the boat returned, stopping it just inside the mouth of the river. The ECOs discovered 405 horseshoe crabs in the boat. Because the harvester did not possess a commercial horseshoe crab permit, he was only legally allowed to possess five horseshoe crabs. The ECOs ticketed the harvester for not having a crab permit, illegal commercialization of wildlife (based on the commercial take over the limit of horseshoe crabs and NYS Navigation Law violations. All horseshoe crabs were released back into the river. Frogs and turtles - Cayuga County On the night of June 4, an ECO caught a man with eight dead bullfrogs and three live painted turtles at the Port Byron DEC boat launch. The man said his son wanted to keep the turtles as pets. The ECO ticketed the man for taking frogs out of season and issued him a warning notice for taking the protected turtles. Frog season didn't open until June 15 and painted turtles are protected. The frogs were taken as evidence and the three turtles were returned to the Seneca River. Eagle rescue - Columbia County On June 4, two ECOs located an injured eagle on an island in the Hudson River in Germantown. One ECO used a catch pole and was able to catch the bird after moving the eagle out of the thick brushes and onto the shoreline. The officers took the eagle to a wildlife rehabilitator in Catskill. The eagle is expected to make a full recovery and be released back into the area where she was captured. Black cloud from burning tires, old roof shingles - Orleans County On June 5, an ECO found a man tending to a pile of burning tires in woods behind a house. When the ECO asked what he was doing, the main said, "I'm in trouble, aren't I?" Local fire departments extinguished the fire. The ECO then saw that the pile of tires was on top of shingles--and the house had a brand new roof. The homeowner was charged with unpermitted open burning and unlawful disposal of solid waste. Subway shellfish seized - Queens County On June 6, an ECO and two NYPD officers caught three individuals with a total of 1,423 littleneck clams, with 147 of them being undersized. The individuals were issued summonses for Taking Shellfish from Uncertified Waters and Failure to Possess a Shellfish Diggers Permit, both misdemeanors. Bear rescue - Rockland County On June 6, and ECO in village of Suffern found a 90-pound black bear approximately 25 feet up a tree near the shoulder of a road. A biologist and two wildlife technicians were able to safely tranquilize the bear. The bear was released in the Catskill Park later that day. 2016-02-29-BA-Congress Mashup.jpg Steve Wells, of Cazenovia, left, faces Claudia Tenney, of New Hartford, and George Phillips, of Endwell, in a Republican primary for the 22nd Congressional District. The election is June 28. The candidates are vying for the seat that will open with the retirement of Rep. Richard Hanna, R-Barneveld. WASHINGTON, D.C. -- One of the nation's largest conservative groups ripped Republican congressional candidate Claudia Tenney on Tuesday in a new radio ad supporting one of her opponents in a June 28 GOP primary. The American Conservative Union in Washington called into question the conservative record of Tenney, R-New Hartford, a state Assembly member who received a "C" rating from the group. The ad also backs up the group's endorsement of Broome County history teacher George Phillips, of Endwell, who received an "A" rating. "Conservatives like us believe George Phillips will stand up and fight for our conservative principles in Washington -- that's why the American Conservative Union has endorsed George Phillips for Congress," an announcer says in the 30-second radio ad. The ACU bought $5,000 of radio air time and began airing the ads Tuesday on Utica and Binghamton radio stations in the eight-county 22nd Congressional District, according to an ACU spokesman. "His opponent, Claudia Tenney, co-sponsored a Democratic Assembly bill to raise the sales tax," the ad says. "Claudia Tenney even voted against $1.5 billion in property tax relief. She even voted for Andrew Cuomo's massive tax and spending hikes." The announcer adds, "Claudia Tenney received a "C" Rating in our Ratings Guide, and even called us evil after we told the truth about her voting record." Tenney last month called the group's endorsement of Phillips "a disgrace" and said the ACU is "part of the failed Republican establishment." Listen to Amercan Conservative Union radio ad The ACU is among the most influential conservative groups in the United States, and hosts the nation's largest annual gathering of conservatives at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, D.C. Tenney, upset that she lost the group's endorsement last month, has fired back with criticism of the ACU and support from New York conservatives. Tenney has the endorsement of the Conservative Party of New York, and has the party's line on the November ballot. Tenney first must face Phillips and Cazenovia businessman Steve Wells in the June 28 Republican primary in the 22nd District. The district covers all of Oneida, Madison, Cortland and Chenango counties, and part of Oswego, Herkimer, Broome and Tioga counties. Contact Mark Weiner anytime: Email | Twitter | Facebook | 571-970-3751 Tashkent, Uzbekistan, June 22 By Demir Azizov Trend: Five-star Hyatt Regency hotel was opened in Tashkent on the eve of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, to be held in the Uzbek capital June 23-24, Tashkents administration told Interfax. The hotel has been receiving its first guests, who arrived in Tashkent to participate in the SCO summit. The construction of the Hyatt Regency hotel in Tashkent was launched in 2013. At present, Hyatt Regency Tashkent is the only five-star hotel in Uzbekistan. Nine four-star hotels operate in Tashkent. The official exchange rate on June 22 is 2938.71 soums/$1. This page no longer exists or may have been moved.If you believe this is a mistake please email Baku, Azerbaijan, June 22 By Anvar Mammadov Trend: Azerbaijan reduced import of goods from Georgia by 3.7 times to $31.33 million in January-May 2016 compared to the same period of 2015, says the report of Georgias National Statistics Office. The report says that Azerbaijans share in the Georgian export is 4 percent. Azerbaijan imported goods worth $240.4 million from Georgia in 2015. Meanwhile, Georgia exported goods worth $116.71 million to Azerbaijan in January-May 2015. Azerbaijan was a leader in the import of goods from Georgia for a long time. The country ranked fifth on this index in January-May 2016. Georgia mainly exports pipes, cars and other iron alloys to Azerbaijan. The report says that the trade turnover between Georgia and Azerbaijan totaled almost $225.36 million (37.5 percent decrease for the year) in January-May 2016. The specific weight of Azerbaijans trade turnover with Georgia is 5.5 percent of the total volume of Georgias foreign trade operations. Follow the author on Twitter: @Anvar_Mammadov Marotta's spinach pie is light, crispy phyllo crust enveloping a creamy, cheesy spinach. (MARIBETH RENNE/SPECIAL TO TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS) Maribeth Renne Columnist SHARE Marotta's lobster ravioli is pasta pillows filled with lobster with a choice of sauce, in this case marinara. (MARIBETH RENNE/SPECIAL TO TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS) A reader emailed me to ask why I'd never written about Marotta's. I wondered why I'd never heard of this restaurant and pizzeria. Apparently, it is the best-kept secret of those living and working on the far west side of Vero Beach. Just a quarter of a mile east of I-95 in a little strip of shops on Route 60, this tiny eatery whips up an impressive selection of Italian entree specialties and thin-crust, pan or double-decker pizzas, subs, and one of the best spinach pies I've ever eaten. And at some very reasonable prices, too. What makes a great spinach pie ($5.99)? Marotta's light, crispy phyllo crust enveloping a creamy, cheesy spinach filling easily transported me to a Greek hillside on this particular rainy South Florida night. We took full advantage of the Tuesday through Thursday cheese pizza special ($8.99), a large, thin-crust pie that ranks right up there with my favorite Indian River County pizzas. Dinner entrees come with choice of soup or salad and light, airy and delicious homemade rolls. My friend ordered lobster ravioli ($15.95). These delicate pasta pillows filled with lobster were a bit overpowered by her choice of marinara for the sauce. She probably should have gone the $3 extra and had the lobster ravioli with vodka sauce ($18.95). She was a little disappointed with the Italian wedding soup. She scooped out broken bits of meatball rather than the full little meatballs she anticipated. Her husband, quite pleased with his choice, had the special, a pasta trio ($8.95) with stuffed shells, ravioli and manicotti. He enjoyed his pasta with a simple side salad of iceberg lettuce and some tomato. Chicken marsala with fresh mushrooms and onions ($18.95) arrived as three large, tender cutlets over a mound of spaghetti with savory marsala sauce. After trying my readers' excellent recommendations of pizza and spinach pie, I ordered her other suggestion of chicken cutlet parmigiana ($16.95), prepared just the way I like it with a spicy, tangy meat sauce. You can choose the marsala and parmigiana as veal entrees as well. There are some interesting seafood entrees on the menu, including zuppa de pesce for two ($44.95). This entree is an array of mussels, clams, scungilli, scallops and calamari sauteed in your choice of mild, medium or hot marinara sauce and served family style over linguini. It comes with a couple soups or salads and rolls. Next time, we all want to try dessert, including homemade tiramisu ($3.95), cannoli ($1.95) or a variety of cakes ($3.95). Remind me to save some room! Maribeth Renne dines anonymously at the expense of Treasure Coast Newspapers for #TCPalm Social. Contact her at maribeth.d.renne@gmail.com or follow @mebpeb on Twitter. MAROTTA's Cuisine: Italian Address: 8710 20th St., Vero Beach Hours: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Closed between 3-4 p.m. Phone: 772-569-9874 Alcohol: Beer and wine For Diwali, try some of the best Indian restaurants on Treasure Coast SHARE Julie Pierre, 35, 500 block of North 31st Street, Fort Pierce; warrant for failure to appear, docket sounding, grand theft, two prior convictions. Thomas Bergen, 65, 2700 block of Northwest Florida Avenue, Stuart; aggravated assault with a firearm (domestic). Wilmer Esperon-Cabrera, 23, Hialeah; uttering a forged check. Dustin Bouchard, 22, Henniker, New Hampshire; fleeing and eluding; battery on an officer. Kyle Womble, 24, 1200 block of Northeast Oceanview Circle, Jensen Beach; possession of a controlled substance without a prescription. Arrested in St. Lucie County. Algae found May 31 at Shepard Park in Stuart. (MOLLY BARTELS/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS) SHARE By Tyler Treadway of TCPalm Algae blooms in the St. Lucie River are getting more numerous, and a massive bloom in Lake Okeechobee apparently is getting more toxic. Blue-green algae samples taken June 14 and 15 from Lake O contained more than 20 times the amount of toxins considered hazardous by the World Health Organization. MORE | Follow our Lake Okeechobee discharge meter for daily updates. Water tested June 14 at the St. Lucie Lock and Dam, where discharged lake water enters the river, didn't contain blue-green algae, according to Florida Department of Environmental Protection spokeswoman Dee Ann Miller. The DEP surveyed other sites in the river, but didn't see any more blooms. Algae blooms are being reported throughout the C-44 Canal connecting the lake and river, as well as throughout the river from Palm City, along the Stuart waterfront and nearly to the St. Lucie Inlet. "Out on the lake, the algae goes on as far as the eye can see," said Mike Conner, a fishing guide and member of the BullSugar.org activist group. "And on the C-44 it's shoreline to shoreline, the length of the canal." Thick as paint The DEP tested algae in the river Monday at Leighton Park in Palm City, said David Whiting, DEP's biology program administrator, and results are expected later this week. More tests will be done this week, Miller said. After a rash of blooms were reported in early June, sightings dwindled for a couple of weeks. They came back with a vengeance over the weekend. An algae bloom along the Harborage Marina in Stuart was "so thick the water looked like paint," said Matt Reynolds, owner/operator of the Hammerhead Dive Services boat hull cleaning company. A thickening bloom is not a good sign: It means some cells are starting to die, said Ed Phlips, an algae expert and professor at the University of Florida. When blue-green algae cells die, they release any toxins they have into the water. Dead algae can lead to fish kills because bacteria eating dead cells suck oxygen out of the water. "I can't give figures for the likelihood of a fish kill," said Mark Perry, executive director of the Florida Oceanographic Society in Stuart, "but as long as conditions stay the same long, sunny days; lots of nutrients in the water; and low salinity it could happen." No end in sight Those conditions are likely to remain because Lake O discharges, which bring nutrients and lower salinity to the St. Lucie, are likely to continue. The lake is about 2 feet higher than the Army Corps of Engineers, which decides when and how much water is discharged, would like it to be at this time of year. "As long as the discharges continue, you're going to have algae blooms," Phlips said. Bays and backwaters along the river are the most likely to see fish kills because they have stagnant water. Moving water tends to break up blooms. Smaller fish are more likely to die than large fish, which can swim away from the affected areas. But not all of them. Stuart resident Mike Berger sent Treasure Coast Newspapers a photo of a dead catfish he saw floating in an algae bloom along the Riverwalk in downtown Stuart Tuesday. "If it can kill a catfish, it can kill just about anything," Berger said. Click the [ ] buttons on the bottom right corner or click here to view the Prezi in a full window. Click the arrow buttons to zoom in. Baku, Azerbaijan, June 22 By Aygun Badalova Trend: The Turkish Stream gas pipeline project can be used as a tool for Turkey to normalize its relations with Russia, given the importance of Turkish gas market for Russia, says Agnia Grigas, energy and political risks expert, non-resident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council. Turkish Stream, meant to carry Russian natural gas to Turkey through the Black Sea, was suspended by Russia following the deterioration of the relations between Ankara and Moscow after the Su-24 incident in 2015. Recently, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent a letter to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on the occasion of the Russia Day, which was considered as an attempt towards normalizing the relations between the two countries. However, Russia has its own conditions for restoring the relations. Turkish Stream could be a tool to normalize relations with Russia, Grigas told Trend June 22. Turkish gas market is very important for Russia both because of its size and because it is a growing market in contrast to the slowing demand of the EU. Likewise, the low oil prices, the global gas glut, and Western sanctions make gas revenues from Turkey important for Russia, she added. However, as the expert believes, in the current economic climate faced by Russia, financing and implementing the Turkish Stream are problematic. The deterioration of political relations since the downed warplane could be just a way to save face and a pretext for not implementing a project that Russia could not afford, said Grigas. However, she says, Russia is likely to revive plans for the Turkish Stream when economic conditions change. At the same time, Turkey would do well to diversify its gas sources rather than increase its dependence on Russia and going forward there will be more options and more competing suppliers in the global gas markets, added Grigas. In early June, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow hasn't completely abandoned either the South Stream or the Turkish Stream gas pipeline projects, but, it is necessary to know the stance of the EU. As for export routes [for gas supplies] on the bottom of the Black Sea, we have some political difficulties with Turkey, said Putin. Turkey is the second largest importer of Russian gas after Germany. In 2015, according to BP estimates, Turkey imported 26.6 billion cubic meters of gas from Russia. Sen. Marco Rubio makes a campaign stop March 14 at That Little Restaurant on Wickham Road in Melbourne. Rubio announced Wednesday that he will run for re-election to the U.S. Senate. (FILE PHOTO) By News release U.S. Senator Marco Rubio issued the following statement today announcing he will run for re-election in the United States Senate: In politics, admitting youve changed your mind is not something most people like to do. But here it goes. I have decided to seek re-election to the United States Senate. I understand my opponents will try to use this decision to score political points against me. Have at it. Because I have never claimed to be perfect, or to have all the answers. Still, the people of Florida deserve to know why Ive changed my mind. MORE | Who do you think will win the U.S. Senate seat? Scroll down to take our poll. I have often said that the U.S. Senate can be a frustrating place. And its true. After witnessing the gridlock that grips Washington, I think just about every American Democrat or Republican would agree. But the Senate is also a place from which you can perform great services for the people you have the honor of representing. And I am proud of the work we have done to help thousands of Floridians over the last six years. The Senate can also be a place from which great policy advances can be made. I am proud that we have done that, too. But as we begin the next chapter in the history of our nation, theres another role for the Senate that could end up being its most important in the years to come: The Constitutional power to act as a check and balance on the excesses of a president. Control of the Senate may very well come down to the race in Florida. That means the future of the Supreme Court will be determined by the Florida Senate seat. It means the future of the disastrous Iran nuclear deal will be determined by the Florida Senate seat. It means the direction of our countrys fiscal and economic policies will be determined by this Senate seat. The stakes for our nation could not be higher. Theres also something else. No matter who is elected president, there is reason for worry. With Hillary Clinton, we would have four more years of the same failed economic policies that have left us with a stagnant economy. We would have four more years of the same failed foreign policy that has allowed radical Islam to spread, and terrorists to be released from Guantanamo. And even worse, if Clinton were president and her party took control of Congress, she would govern without Congressional oversight or limit. It would be a repeat of the early years of the current administration, when we got Obamacare, the failed stimulus and a record debt. The prospect of a Trump presidency is also worrisome to me. It is no secret that I have significant disagreements with Donald Trump. His positions on many key issues are still unknown. And some of his statements, especially about women and minorities, I find not just offensive but unacceptable. If he is elected, we will need Senators willing to encourage him in the right direction, and if necessary, stand up to him. Ive proven a willingness to do both. In the days ahead, America will continue to face serious challenges the possibility of terrorist attacks at home and abroad, a declining military, anemic economic growth and low wages, assaults on our rights and values, outdated health care, education and pension programs in desperate need of reform that face backward or uncertain responses from either Clinton or Trump. No matter who wins the White House, we need a strong group of principled, persuasive leaders in Congress who will not only advance limited government, free enterprise and a strong national defense, but also explain to Americans how it makes life better for them and their families. I ultimately changed my mind about this race because on that front, and in that fight, I believe I have something to offer. In the end, this was a decision made not in Washington, but back home in West Miami over Fathers Day weekend, with my wife and our four children. There were two paths before us. There was one path that was more personally comfortable and probably smarter politically. But after much thought and prayer, together we chose to continue with public service; to continue down the path that provides the opportunity to make a positive difference at this critical and uncertain time for our nation. In the end, there was simply too much at stake for any other choice. U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Jupiter, pictured in this 2014 file photo. (XAVIER MASCARENAS/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS) By Isadora Rangel of TCPalm U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy won two Treasure Coast elections as a moderate who appeals to both sides of the aisle, but according to President Barack Obama, he's a "strong progressive." The president was featured in Murphy's first ad for his U.S. Senate race, a statewide radio spot titled "For What's Right" released Monday. Obama gives strong Democratic credentials to Murphy, a former Republican who's voted with the House GOP on several key issues, such as the controversial Keystone XL oil pipeline. "Now I need Patrick Murphy in the Senate," Obama said in the ad, "to create good paying jobs, make sure corporations pay their fair share, and grow an economy that works for all of us with equal pay for equal work." Although Murphy touted his middle-of-the-road appeal in two successful elections in his swing Treasure Coast district in 2012 and 2014, he has been pressing on more quintessentially Democratic issues in the primary against U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson, a staunch liberal. Murphy unveiled a plan over the weekend to reform the country's criminal justice system, including how to better reintegrate ex-offenders into society. He was joined in a news conference by rising Democratic star New Jersey U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, who is rumored to be on the short list of Hillary Clinton's potential vice presidential picks. Booker, along with Obama and Vice President Joe Biden, endorsed Murphy in the race to replace U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, who's mulling running for re-election after dropping out of the presidential Republican race in March. The endorsements help Murphy stave off attacks from Grayson, who says Murphy is not a real Democrat, pointing out that Murphy gave $2,300 to Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney in 2007. With a large number of Democratic voters still undecided on whom they will vote for, Obama might help raise Murphy's profile. A St. Leo University Polling Institute poll conducted last week showed more than 61 percent of likely Democratic voters were undecided, with Murphy leading Grayson 15.7 percent to 13.5 percent. Republican presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio during his presidential campaign stop on March 14 at That Little Restaurant in Melbourne. (FILE PHOTO) By Ledyard King, USA TODAY WASHINGTON It looks like Senate GOP leaders are right to push Sen. Marco Rubio to run for re-election. A Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday indicates the first-term Republican from West Miami is the only GOP candidate who would defeat either of the two big-name Democrats vying for the Senate seat, if the election were held today. As a presidential candidate, Rubio pledged not to run for a second Senate term. But he's under mounting pressure from GOP leaders to run again for a seat that could determine whether Republicans maintain control of the Senate. They now occupy 54 of the 100 seats. The Quinnipiac poll of Florida voters also looked at two other key states where GOP-held Senate seats are up for election this fall. And the news is good for Republicans. In Ohio, GOP Sen. Rob Portman is now tied with former Democratic Gov. Ted Strickland, who once led by as many as 9 percentage points. And in Pennsylvania, Republican Sen. Pat Toomey is pulling away from Democratic challenger Katie McGinty 49 percent to 40 percent in a race that was a statistical tie only last month. Political handicappers have rated all three races as toss-ups and crucial to Democratic hopes of taking back the Senate. Rubio's decision to seek re-election would be a dramatic boost for Republicans, the Quinnipiac poll suggests. The two congressional Democrats running for the nomination Alan Grayson of Orlando and Patrick Murphy of Jupiter each win head-to-head against any of the four major Republican candidates, Rep. Ron DeSantis, Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera, and businessmen Todd Wilcox and Carlos Beruff. Murphy leads each by at least 9 percentage points, while Grayson would beat each by at least 5 points. But Murphy would lose to Rubio by 7 points and Grayson would lose to him by 8 points if Rubio decides to run again. A number of GOP leaders, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump have urged him to do just that. "With Republican national leaders worried about keeping control of the U.S. Senate, Sen. Marco Rubio might ride to their rescue if he decides to reverse field and seek re-election," Brown said. Rubio has until noon Friday to file for re-election. He told CNN on Tuesday he "wasn't ready to announce anything yet." Most expect he'll break his pledge and get in the race. GOP Rep. David Jolly opted out of the Senate race last week and filed for re-election to his Pinellas County district, based partly on his assumption that Rubio will declare for a second term. A recent poll by St. Leo University found Rubio would dominate the Aug. 30 GOP primary, winning 52 percent of the Republican vote. Contact Ledyard King at lking@gannett.com; Twitter; @ledgeking Indian River Medical Center By Janet Begley, Special to Treasure Coast Newspapers Editor's Note: This story was updated from its original version. INDIAN RIVER COUNTY When voters cast ballots in November for the Indian River County Hospital District, they will be doing more than picking who sits on the board. They'll be deciding if they want three of the seven trustees to be co-workers from the same medical office. Among the 11 candidates for five seats are orthopedic surgeon Omar Hussamy, who is running for Seat 1; physical therapist Barbara Bodnar, Seat 3; and surgery coordinator Brittany Nicole Miller, Seat 6. While there's no legal prohibition against co-workers serving together on the Hospital District board, it could create a perception of a conflict of interest, according to Ann Marie Suriano, Hospital District executive director. "It's just perception," said Suriano. "It comes off as a conflict even if there is no conflict. As a matter of ethics and business, it could be perceived as being too close to the situation." If even two of the three were elected, any of their conversations, regardless how quick or small, would be governed by Florida's Sunshine Law. With the qualifying deadline at noon Friday, none of the three candidates has made any public statements about his or her candidacy. None returned phone calls seeking comment. Bodnar is challenging incumbent Eugene Feinour, the current chairman, and Miller is in a three-way race for Seat 6. Hussamy was unopposed for Seat 1 until Tuesday, when Robert L. Savage of Vero Beach retired CEO of St. Francis Hospital and Health Centers in Dutchess County, New York filed paperwork to run. Still, it wouldn't be unprecedented for a unified group to run for the Hospital District board, win their seats and serve together. It happened before, in 1996, according to Dr. Burton Lee, who was a district trustee for 16 years. Allen Seed was among a slate of candidates elected to the Hospital District board by promising, as a group, they would make Indian River Medical Center more accountable to taxpayers, Lee pointed out. "It's certainly not a new way of approaching an election," said Lee. "If they have a good sales pitch, they just might pull it off this year. They're trying to take a page out Seed's playbook." According to his website, Hussamy is affiliated with Indian River Medical Center but is not an employee of the hospital. But having physicians serve as trustees is not unusual. Dr. John "Val" Zudans, who was appointed to the Hospital District board last year, is a practicing ophthalmologist with a private practice in Vero Beach. This year, Michael Weiss, a chemist, is running for re-election to his Seat 7 position, facing challenger Anthony Woodruff. Jeff Susi, Indian River Medical Center CEO, said he knows no legal reason that would prevent one of his employees from seeking a seat on the Hospital District board. "But we would discourage them from running because of the perceived conflict of interest," Susi said in an email. This rental property, owned by former Vero Beach city councilwoman Tracy Carroll and her husband John, spurred debate in the city about possible restrictions on short-term vacation rentals in residential neighborhoods. (FILE PHOTO) SHARE By Colleen Wixon of TCPalm INDIAN RIVER COUNTY County commissioners on Tuesday put up a "no vacancy" sign on future party houses and extended-family vacation houses. Short-term vacation rentals leased for less than 30 days now have an occupancy limit two people per bedroom plus two additional guests or 10 people, whichever is less. Only pre-existing vacation rentals as of Tuesday will be exempted. Commissioners unanimously approved regulating homes used as short-term vacation rentals. The law requires vacation owners get a $250, three-year county license, requiring inspections, and comply with new restrictions on occupants and noise. Earlier this year, the county enacted other laws restricting parking at short-term rentals and prohibiting commercial events such as weddings in homes rented specifically for that purpose. Residents such as developer Joseph Paladin applauded the commission's efforts. "It's the best thing for the people who live here today," Paladin said. The 10-person cap protects neighborhoods and limits the county's liability in court challenges, he said. But vacation rental owner Glenn Powell said not all vacation rentals are the neighborhood problem. Too many restrictions could pose an undue hardship on rental owners, said Powell, who has 10 years' experience in the rental home business. Bronia Jenkins said the 10-person cap will have a major impact on her seven-bedroom house, advertised to accommodate 19 people at $10,000 a week. Her clients mostly are grandparents who invite their grown children and their families to stay in the mansion, she said. "It doesn't seem like we're being fair," Jenkins said. Because Jenkins already is licensed, her house would be grandfathered, but limited to 16 people in her vacation rental. Attorney Barry Segal said his clients would challenge the new law. Most renters are families with children, he said. "This vision of this becoming a spring break haven is a lot of fantasy. This is a family vacation destination," Segal said. Miles Conway urged the county to approve the restrictions, playing commissioners a recording of music, laughter and noise heard at 9:30 on a recent Sunday morning in his neighborhood. "We are asking for so little, gentlemen," he said. "We are merely asking to get rid of the noise and get rid of the populace influx." NEW VACATION HOME RULES Vacation-rental owners must have a three-year license and county inspections. No outside music speakers. Occupancy limited to two people per bedroom, plus two additional people, with a cap of 10 people or the number allowed by the septic-tank capacity. Exceptions will be made to those licensed as of Tuesday. Source: Indian River County FPL's St. Lucie Nuclear Power Plant, located on Hutchinson Island in Jensen Beach, is seen on Thursday January 7, 2016 along with the Indian River Lagoon. Talks about a partial sale of the Indian River Shores customer base to Florida Power & Light Co. will continue, City Council agreed Tuesday. (ERIC HASERT/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS) SHARE By Colleen Wixon of TCPalm VERO BEACH Talks about a partial sale of Indian River Shores' customer base to Florida Power & Light Co. will continue, the City Council agreed on Tuesday. But Vero Beach council members stopped short of calling future talks "negotiations." Mayor Jay Kramer said he thought it was a good policy to keep the conversation going, and possibly entertain any offers. "I think the Shores deserves their day," he said. Councilman Dick Winger said Vero Beach also has to ensure its remaining customers are kept whole and not subject to higher rates if the city loses the Shores customers. In August, FPL offered $13 million to buy Vero Beach's 3,500 electric customers in Indian River Shores, agreeing to pay $25,000 a month to use Vero's transmission system for more than two years between the sale and completion of transmission upgrades. The offer was well below Vero Beach's $42.5 million estimated value of the Shores' portion of the electric system, and discussions ended. The two municipalities have been embroiled in legal battles for years. Indian River Shores has sued Vero Beach, claiming the city has no legal right to force the Shores residents to be on its electric grid after the franchise agreement ends in November. Vero Beach has claimed the state Public Service Commission has given it authority to set its service area boundaries. Last week, the Indian River Shores Town Council agreed to drop its lawsuit against Vero Beach, expressing hope that an agreement could be reached on a settlement and partial sale. On Tuesday, the Vero Beach council agreed to drop its countersuit against the Shores. Winger said while the city should remain open to listening, it should avoid reducing its price for the Shores customer base. "I don't think the number is negotiable. I think the number's $42.5 million," Winger said. "I will never go for anything that penalizes or taxes the people of Vero Beach." Shores and FPL officials called the council's vote "encouraging." "It's a step in the right direction," said FPL external affairs director Amy Brunjes. Brunjes told the council FPL is willing to discuss the numbers. Town officials have indicated a willingness to contribute to the cost of the purchase, she said. But, FPL needed the city's willingness to come to the table with an open mind. "I will tell you, we will not pay $42.5 million. (But) there is movement to be had," Brunjes said. Seddique Mateen, father of Orlando shooter Omar Mateen, enters a home on Bayshore Boulevard in Port St. Lucie on June 15. (FILE PHOTO) By Will Greenlee of TCPalm PORT ST. LUCIE The final resting place for the body of Orlando nightclub mass shooter and Fort Pierce resident Omar Mateen is less than three hours from where he lived. Mateen is buried in the Muslim Cemetery of South Florida in Hialeah Gardens, which, according to its Facebook page, is the only dedicated Muslim cemetery in Florida. His body was prepared for burial at Riyadh Ul Jannah Funeral Home in Hialeah, according to his death certificate issued Wednesday afternoon. Calls to the cemetery and funeral home were directed to the owner, who was not available for comment. Mateen's father, Seddique Mateen, would not confirm at his home Wednesday any information about his son's burial. Instead, he provided a phone number for who he said is his attorney. A phone call to that number was answered by Wilfredo Ruiz, communications director for the Council on American-Islamic Relations. MORE | From childhood to mass shooting, what happened to Omar Mateen? Ruiz said CAIR doesn't represent the Mateen family. CAIR, he said, is acting in a spokesperson role for the Islamic Center of Fort Pierce, a mosque on West Midway Road that Omar Mateen attended. The imam at the Islamic Center never was approached by the Mateen family regarding funeral services, Ruiz said. The Orange County Medical Examiner's Office released Mateen's body to a family member on Monday. According to the death certificate, that person was Mateen's father. Carrie Proudfit, public safety public information officer for Orange County, said when a medical examiner releases a body, it must be to a family member, such as a spouse, adult child or parent. The family typically makes arrangements with a funeral home to physically retrieve the body for purposes of burial or cremation. Officials in Orange County reported the FBI requested they not disclose to whom the body was released. Omar Mateen opened fire June 12 at Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, leaving 49 dead and dozens of others injured. Law enforcement officers shot him, killing him. Unasia Foster (center), 5, leads a prayer as Zahmir Brown (right), 5, both of Stuart, and 10 other children follow along before lunch Monday at Building Bridges to Youth in Stuart. The group, composed of children who have just finished or who are entering kindergarten, were provided peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, corn, carrots and milk. "You can have strong eyes if you eat carrots," said Ollie Harvey, CEO of Building Bridges to Youth, to the kids. (LEAH VOSS/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS) Peter Clark, age 6, wasn't digging the carrots. It was a Friday afternoon at Building Bridges to Youth in East Stuart, and about 20 kids from prekindergarten through sixth grade were crowded at the tables, diving into lunch. Today it was a turkey and cheese sandwich, peaches, the dreaded carrots and chocolate milk. Ollie Harvey, who runs the summer camp program, barked out the rules: Eat the carrots, or you don't get any ice cream later in the day. It's amazing how kids with such a clear incentive can try to find a way out of anyway. Peter could have been one of my own children, gambling that there had to be some way he could get the ice cream without having to choke down the dreaded carrots. Not a chance, said "Miss Ollie." Eat 'em. And with the help of a little ranch dressing, Peter and the other kids eventually did. A healthy lunch, courtesy of Building Bridges and the Treasure Coast Food Bank. Each year, the food bank provides vittles to kids 18 and younger who otherwise might not be getting nutritious meals or any meals at all. Last year the program, which runs through August, provided 200,000 meals to kids in Indian River, St. Lucie, Martin and Okeechobee counties. This year, officials want to increase that total to 300,000. Does that sound like a lot? That's not even scratching the surface of the need. Consider that about 50,000 school-age kids in the four counties are eligible for free or reduced-price school lunches. In Martin County, 44 percent of students that is, nearly 1 in 2 are eligible. In Indian River County, it's 57 percent; in St. Lucie County, it's a whopping 67 percent, 2 out of every 3 kids. Hunger lives here, on the Treasure Coast. When school's out, those school lunches aren't available. So there are literally tens of thousands of kids in the region who are "food insecure." That means they might not know where their next meal is coming from, or what is coming isn't that great. That's the impetus for the summer meals program, said Krista Garofolo, the food bank's chief programs officer. The challenge is getting the meals to the kids. "The great thing about school lunch programs is that they're being served exactly where the kids are," she said. "Parents have already figured out, logistically, how they're going to get the kids to school." Summer is different. Kids are scattered, and while the food bank provides meals at 35 locations throughout the four-county region, it's not enough. Some kids aren't within striking distance of a church, community center or other location where meals are available. Parents might not have transportation. That, said Garofolo, is why only 6 percent of those 50,000 kids who get low- to no-cost school lunches participate in the summer meals program and why the food bank is looking for more sites to serve its meals. Think about that for a moment. If that figure is correct, there are some 47,000 kids in the region who might be sitting around hungry this summer. Summer hunger is a big deal. There are long-term impacts; kids who don't get enough nutrition over the summer can fall behind their peers once the school year starts, and they're more likely to experience long-term health consequences than their more affluent peers. I asked Harvey, who runs the Building Bridges program, what some of the kids might be eating if it weren't for the breakfasts and lunches provided by the food bank. "Maybe ramen noodles," she said. "Maybe nothing." But thanks to the summer meals program, Harvey said, the kids who get breakfast and lunch at Building Bridges receive not just food, but nutritious food, two meals a day. "Thank God for the food bank," she said. Norberto Montejano (right), of Vero Beach, who works as line service personnel at Vero Beach Regional Airport, unloading luggage for customers arriving on the Elite Airways flight from Newark Liberty International Airport on March 17 in Vero Beach. (XAVIER MASCARENAS/TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS) Rarely a week goes by I don't meet someone who has flown from Vero Beach to Newark, New Jersey, on Elite Airways. I can remember only one negative comment. The flights have been so successful, airline officials say, that they've extended the flights through summer and now have four trips up and back each week in addition to service to Naples and Bar Harbor, Maine. Meantime, the airline recently announced it would add flights from Melbourne to Islip, on New York's Long Island. Elite also flies between its main areas of operation, Melbourne and Portland, Maine. The local service is a far cry from what I initially expected heading into an April 2015 briefing when Vero Beach airport officials and consultants talked about a new master plan for the airport. I initially chuckled when the plan called for commercial airline service. Then I did a little homework. There were lots of reasons why there hadn't been air service in Vero Beach since February 1996, when American Eagle ended its three flights a day to Miami. Local residents have been relatively well-served by airports in Orlando and West Palm Beach. Melbourne, Miami and Fort Lauderdale were other reasonable options. In the past decade Allegiant Air's entry into an upgraded Sanford airport has offered nonstop, low-cost options to dozens of cities, even if they don't fly there every day. Then again, residents from Sebastian to Port St. Lucie take almost 2.5 million flights a year, according to Remy Lucette, of Miami-based Ricondo & Associates, which put together Vero Beach's master plan. So why couldn't an airline fly from Vero Beach or St. Lucie airports and offer nonstop service elsewhere, much like Allegiant does out of many small airports into Sanford? Then I learned even airports such as St. Augustine have service. So it wasn't totally surprising Elite began nonstop flights from Vero Beach. Still, one had to be skeptical. Airlines such as Elite stop money-losing routes quickly. Planes, such as 50- or 70-seat Bombardier Canadair Regional Jets that Elite flies similar to those flown by Delta on many routes have to be almost full. Elite, though, which began service from Vero Beach in December, seems to be doing well. Well enough to charge $199 each way for a hypothetical late summer visit to Newark, as $149 one-way flights already were sold out. How does that compare to other flights I could book leaving July 29 and returning Aug. 7? The cheapest flights I found from the three closest airports were $448 for a one-stop flight from Melbourne, and nonstop for $262 from Orlando and $248 from West Palm Beach. Add in parking expenses at those airports for eight days, time and mileage expenses of driving there and the $398 cost of flying from Vero Beach on Elite is comparable. Then add in two Elite benefits that make doing business with Southwest Airlines, one of my favorite nonstop companies, so consumer friendly: no fees to change your flight and the first checked bag is free. I've never flown from Vero Beach in my 31-plus years in town. Given Elite's limited schedule the past year, the dates and times never worked out. I'd fly with Elite if I were going on that hypothetical late summer trip, but I'm not. And I'd love to check out Bar Harbor without having to drive three hours from Portland. My hope is that Elite continues to offer affordable service from Vero Beach, adding more flights, little by little. The only way that will happen is if residents from southern Brevard to northern Martin counties fly from Vero. My skepticism toward potential passenger service has evolved into optimism. What do you think? Contact me via the methods below. James M. Sammons has been a 'conductor' of music education for so many students over the course of his long, distinguished career, it's impossible to determine just how many lives or how many bands he has influenced. But Sammons is finally hanging up his baton. After 36 years as director of bands at Vero Beach High School overall, a 42-year stint as a band director and music educator he will retire on July 1. 'I've worked with Sammons for 10 years,' says incoming VBHS Director of Bands Page Howell. 'I can tell you that he is a true Southern gentleman. His reputation is huge not only locally but with college bands throughout the nation.' Sammons, a Georgia native, began his career as director of bands at Goshen High School in Alabama, while he was still an undergraduate at Troy University in the mid-1970s. During his tenure, the Goshen High School Band appeared at the Alabama Bandmasters Association State Concert Festival for the first time in school history. From 1976 until 1980, Sammons served as director of bands at Walton High School in DeFuniak Springs. They consistently received superior ratings at both marching and concert band festivals and appeared at the Florida Bandmasters Association State Concert Festival on three occasions. Those were the band's first appearances at the festival in more than 25 years. In 1980, Sammons moved to Vero Beach to take up the director of bands post at Vero Beach High School. 'Leaving has turned out to be quite overwhelming,' said Sammons, after a ceremony at First Presbyterian Church on June 11. 'I was greeted by current students and people that I hadn't seen in 20 or even 30 years. 'But I'm ready to close this chapter in my life. I'm looking forward to not waking up at 5 a.m. I can go fishing, read and of course, do chores around the house.' High praises The rest is well deserved. He has been recognized as the Indian River County Teacher of the Year and has received proclamations from the City of Vero Beach, the Indian River County Board of Commissioners, the Veterans Council of Indian River County, the Florida Legislature and the governor. Sammons has been awarded the Citation of Excellence four times from the National Band Association and the Southeastern United States Concert Band Clinic. He has also been honored by the Indian River County Association of School Administrators' with the Best of the Best Award and has received the Principal's Award for Excellence from Vero Beach High School. During Sammons tenure, all areas of the Vero Beach High School Band including concert, marching, jazz, auxiliary, and percussion have received consistent 'superior' ratings at the Florida Bandmasters District and State Music Performance Assessments. The program has earned 'superior' ratings at the FBA State Music Performance Assessment annually since 1988. Distinguished appearances The band has also made appearances at the Tournament of Roses Parade, Macy's Thanksgiving Parade, Cherry Blossom Parade, Cotton Bowl, Orange Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, the 1982 World's Fair and in Hawaii aboard the USS Missouri at Pearl Harbor. In 2016, the band performed in the Atlanta Georgia Peach Bowl Parade and in the Georgia Dome at the Peach Bowl Pre-Game show. They won first place in the Parade Competition and Concert Band Competition and took second place in the Field Show and Jazz Band competitions, bringing home a total of 10 trophies and awards. 'I am confident that the best and the brightest are taking over at VBHS,' said Sammons. 'We should now focus and spend time on them going forward.' New blood Enter the new VBHS Director of Bands Page Howell, who has been working with Sammons since his first day as associate band director in 2006. Howell came from North Carolina, graduated from University of Carolina in Greensboro, taught middle school for a few years there and then went to Louisiana State University for a master's degree in music education. 'I had applied for the associate position (at VBHS) and had sent in my application. I had an initial interview with (Sammons) for about an hour and then was invited back for a more in-depth discussion. After the interview, I walked outside and Jim came running after me and said they had one more question,' recalls Howell. 'I went back inside and they offered me the position on the spot. 'There was just something that clicked with us. And we just got to work and complimented each other, and had the same goals.' Howell certainly understands the magnitude of the task he's about to embark upon. 'It's my job now to protect the legacy,' he says. 'I feel an enormous obligation to continue on the tradition and all the success that have taken place over the decades. I owe it to Sammons, the students, all the band directors. I will do everything to protect that legacy. It's my job now.' Lessons Brandon Putzke will be taking over as associate director of bands. He is a 1990 graduate of Vero Beach High School, where he was an avid band member and percussionist under Sammons instruction. He became the percussion instructor immediately after graduation and marched with the Fighting Indians at the Rose Bowl, before eventually receiving his bachelor of science in music education from the University of South Florida. Most recently, he has been working as the music teacher at Liberty Magnet. 'Sammons not only taught me about the notes on the page but how to be a good person,' says Putzke. He truly represents the essence of the Vero Beach Fighting Indians and the music within us all. Tashkent, Uzbekistan, June 22 By Demir Azizov Trend: Uzbekistan and China intend to bring the cooperation to a new level of strategic partnership, according to remarks made by Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Uzbek counterpart Islam Karimov June 22. Xi Jinping is on a state visit to Uzbekistan. We have signed documents on the comprehensive strategic partnership. It commits us to bring the relations to a new level, said Karimov. Presidents of Uzbekistan and China praised the relations between the two countries. Xi Jinping pointed out that during the talks, the parties discussed working out new investments projects in the sphere of energy, development of technological parks by attracting high technology enterprises from China. He noted that the mutual political trust is an important basis of the Chinese-Uzbek relations. During the meeting, it was noted that the two countries will strengthen the mutually beneficial trade and economic cooperation, continue to assist in the implementation of mutually beneficial projects, especially, in the sphere of high technologies and render full assistance to the joint creation of the Silk Road Economic Belt. Following the talks, the parties also signed eight documents in the sphere of technical, economic, investment and foreign political cooperation and intensification of bilateral trade. 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 was revealed last week that Pirate Bay co-founder Peter Sunde had been ordered by a judge in Finland to pay a fine totaling $395,000 to a group of five record labels for his alleged involvement in a piracy lawsuit related to the site's current operations. The judgment took Sunde by surprise as he claims he was never made aware of the lawsuit. The suit even includes the potential for a million-euro fine if pirated material from 60 artists represented by the record labels involved isn't taken down. Keep in mind that Sunde hasn't been involved with The Pirate Bay for more than a decade. Now, Sunde is going on the offensive. In an interview with Torrent Freak, Sunde said he has decided to sue the record labels for damage against his good name and stealing a lot of his time. Sunde added that he is a public figure in Finland and they're calling him a criminal when they know he isn't involved in what they are suing him for. It's defamation, he said. Attacking has always been his best defense, Sunde notes, adding that's it is becoming obvious that his case is strong enough to win. Peter Herkko Hietanen, Sunde's lawyer, told the publication that last week's judgment can be appealed within 30 days after which a retrial may follow. The Google Chromebook Pixel was recently removed from Google's lineup of Chromebook products, which leads others to assume that the Pixel series has halted its production. Or so we thought. Despite its clearly written "Not Available" status on the Google Store, its product page still exists on the web, which could mean that the company may be keeping it for an alleged future release. But where are these rumors stemming from exactly? Reports have recently discovered a job listing on Google Careers that's looking for a "Quality Engineer" under the "Manufacturing and Supply Chain" category, situated in Shanghai, China. While that heading alone does not spark any rumor, beside it are the words: "Chromebook Pixel." And just to make sure, another line appears in the listing: "Important: The subject field of your email must include Quality Engineer, Chromebook Pixel - Shanghai," which further reiterates what the heading is looking for. This bears repeating because the heading could have been easily attributed to a typo and we have to be certain that we're getting this right. Now that we've established that it's not a clerical error, it is important to note that the job listing specifically writes the word "Chromebook" beside "Pixel" as the absence of the former word would mean Google is just looking for a quality engineer that will foresee its current production line for Pixel tablets and not the laptop kind. As it is, it seems like the company may be starting a production chain for Chromebook Pixel products. Through a further reading of the document, one sentence goes: "As a Quality Engineer, you will be part of shaping Google's next game-changer." Take note of the phrase, "next game-changer," as this entails that it will not be an assembly line of the recently defunct Chromebook Pixel 2015 series and instead be the supposed "next" game-changing Chromebook Pixel 3. If we combine these speculations with the still available Chromebook Pixel product page on the Google Store, as well as its still accessible Chromebook Pixel main website even taking into consideration the absence of any statement from the company itself to formally declare the Chromebook Pixel series extinct, as the company is usually on top of announcing its latest plans and releases the Google Chromebook Pixel 3 may very well be a coming possibility in the future. After all, the Chromebook Pixel's touchscreen features will work amazingly alongside the company's recent launch of Google Apps for Chrome OS. What do you guys think? Share your insights with us in the comments below! Photo: Maurizio Pesce | Flickr 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Is ordering birth control online the new normal? With the advent of apps promising the convenience, the answers seem to be yes and girls as young as age 14 may already be getting the pill. The high-tech option appeals to women who could not visit a doctor or are rather uncomfortable seeing one and would probably choose to order birth control pills directly from their smartphone. New York Times reported that there are at least six options at present for app-based birth control prescription or ordering, all working differently yet allows women to answer health questions via a form or video. The information, too, can be reviewed by a doctor and they can simply pick up pills from the pharmacy or in the mail. Birth Control Delivered To Ones Phone One of these apps is called Lemonaid, which charges $15 for a physician to review someones medical data for issues such as acid reflex, acne, flu, sinus infection, and even erectile dysfunction. For women, it sends an ordered birth control prescription to a local pharmacy. At first I didnt believe it. I thought it was just a setup to get money, said patient Susan Hashem, who eventually had a doctor call her after office hours for consultation before she picked up three months worth of pills the next day. Here are other apps offering birth control-finding services online: Nurx for obtaining birth control and the HIV prevention drug PrEP for obtaining birth control and the HIV prevention drug PrEP Planned Parenthood telehealth , which provides birth control prescriptions as well as the ability to order an STD home test or UTI treatment , which provides birth control prescriptions as well as the ability to order an STD home test or UTI treatment Maven , a digital clinic for women with a network of physicians, nurses, and womens health experts including doulas and lactation specialists , a digital clinic for women with a network of physicians, nurses, and womens health experts including doulas and lactation specialists Virtuwell for general healthcare therapy covering conditions such as ear infections, allergies, and colds in addition to birth control and STD pills Effects On In-Person Doctor Visits, Teen Contraception There are people, however, who are on the fence about the digitally available services. Among them is Costa Mesa nurse Jacqui Letran, who has been prescribing birth control to teens and adults for 15 years now. If youre not seeing your healthcare provider on a regular basis, youre missing out on quite a bit of healthcare education, she warned, stressing the critical role of in-person visits for areas such as risk assessment. The increased access to contraception, too, can make a world of difference in their availability for teenage girls, Cosmopolitan noted. According to previous studies, a major reason why teens do not use birth control and likely fall into the trap of teen pregnancy is fear of judgment from parents, who may be hesitant to acknowledge the fact that their kids are having sex. Guttmacher data also reveals that women ages 15 to 19 are less likely to use a birth control technique than any other age range. These apps may prove to be a timesaver as well as form of relief for busy or hesitant women, unless they live in states like Oregon and California that just recently allowed pharmacists to write birth control prescriptions on their own. Photo: Sarah Campbell | Flickr 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Good news, Sony Xperia fans: the four handsets included in the Xperia X family, the Sony Xperia X, X Performance, XA and XA Ultra, are now up for preorder in the United States. It appears that no carrier in the country is planning to sell these new Sony smartphones. As such, they will be offered unlocked. Interested buyers can preorder any of these phones via B&H Photo and Best Buy. Pricing Details And Release Dates The following are the smartphones' official prices both on B&H Photo and Best Buy, along with the different color options available. Xperia XA (Graphite Black, White, Rose Gold, Lime Gold) $279.99 Xperia XA Ultra (Graphite Black, Lime Gold) $369.99 Xperia X (Graphite Black, White, Rose Gold, Lime Gold) $549.99 Xperia X Performance (Graphite Black, White, Rose Gold, Lime Gold) $699.99 Keep in mind that the four handsets will not land in the United States at the same time. Sony previously announced that the Xperia X will arrive on June 26. The Xperia XA and Xperia X Performance, in the meantime, will hit store shelves on July 17, while the Xperia XA Ultra is slated to be released on July 24. The smartphones are also poised to arrive in Canada sooner. Features And Specs For those who are not aware of what the Sony Xperia X smartphones have in store, here is a quick recap of the features and specs customers should expect: Sony Xperia X Apart from packing in Android 6.0 Marshmallow, the Xperia X is powered by Snapdragon 650 Hexa-Core CPU. In terms of its camera, it houses a whopping 23-megapixel snapper and 13-megapixel front-facing shooter. This one features a 5.0-inch IPS LCD display. It comes with Quick Charge 2.0 and is crammed with 32 GB storage capacity and 3 GB of RAM. Sony Xperia XA Ultra Touting a bigger screen, a 6.0-inch IPS LCD display, the Xperia XA Ultra is packed with a 21.5-megapixel shooter plus a 16-megapixel front-facing snapper. It is powered by a Mediatek Helio P10 Octa-Core CPU, with 16 GB of storage capacity and 3 GB of RAM. The handset also runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow out of the box. Sony Xperia X Performance This 5.0-inch smartphone, boasting a Snapdragon 820 quad-core processor, runs on Android 6.0 Marshmallow. It comes loaded with a 23-megapixel rear camera, along with a 13-megapixel front snapper. This phone includes 32 GB of internal storage and 3 GB RAM. It's also IP68 certified, meaning it's dust-resistant and can be submerged up to 1.5 meters or nearly 5 feet under water for 30 minutes. Sony Xperia XA Running on Android 6.0 Marshmallow, the Xperia XA comes with a 5.0-inch IPS LCD display. It has a 13-megapixel main camera and 8-megapixel front snapper. It is powered by Mediatek Helio P10 Octa-Core CPU and houses 16 GB of internal storage and 2 GB of RAM under its hood. It also has a microSD card slot for those who require more storage. Speaking of storage, customers need not worry as Sony is throwing in a few perks to sweeten the pot. Buyers who will preorder any of Sony's newest phones will be treated with free gifts. Those who will pick the Xperia X Performance or Xperia X will be given a 128 GB SanDisk microSD card. Meanwhile, those who will buy Xperia XA or XA Ultra will get a 64 GB SanDisk microSD card. On top of that, B&H Photo is dishing out a pair of Samsung Level U wireless headphones. However, it's worth mentioning that it's only offered to those who will preorder the Xperia X. Any plans of buying any of these smartphones in the Xperia X family? Let us know in the comments section below. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Apple refrains from supporting the upcoming Republican Party Convention, but CEO Tim Cook will back Paul Ryan, the Republican House Speaker. This shows that Apple wants to keep some established Republicans close, in spite of being at odds with the party's GOP nominee, Donald Trump. Politico was the first to catch word of Cook's plans. "Cook will help generate cash for Ryan at a private breakfast on June 28," Politico reports. The fundraising will take place in Menlo Park, California. Apple's treasurer, Gary Wipfler, will be one of the attendees. The raised money will not be directed to the speaker alone. In effect, a joint fundraising committee will use the financing to elect other House Republicans. According to Politico's report, Cook will be the chairman of the fundraising. This is because Apple does not sport a political action committee, an entity present in other Silicon Valley companies such as Google or Facebook. Some may find Cook's support of the Republican Party surprising. The CEO's public statements have positioned him as a progressive person who finds high value in social and equality issues. However, these might be the exact reasons why he is backing Ryan, who also denounced a number of Trump's preposterous statements. Apple has always been in good relations with some Republican leaders, some of which even backed policies favorable to the OEM. The report points out that Rob Portman, the Republican Senator who favors Apple-friendly policies got wind in his sails via a similar fundraising event. Apple was under fire earlier this year after it refused to provide the FBI with a decryption tool for the iPhone of one of the San Bernardino shooters. Representatives from both major U.S. parties urged Apple to take a step back from its privacy policies for "the greater good" of national security, but the company dug its heels in the ground. Trump directly attacked Apple after the incident and called for a boycott against the company. Additional reports show that Cook has set his mind to stop Trump from winning the upcoming November election. The Apple leader purportedly met with other CEOs from the industry to ensure that Trump's chances of winning the presidential seat are as low as possible. As a reminder, the Republican Party is the dominant political force in both the House and Senate in the U.S. Congress. What is more, out of the 50 governors in the U.S., 31 are Republican. Neither Apple nor Ryan's office commented on Politico's report. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A federal judge in California has rejected Starbucks' efforts to dismiss a complaint against the popular coffee chain for selling underfilled lattes to its patrons. U.S. District Judge Thelton Henderson in San Francisco announced on Friday (June 17) that Starbucks customers Benjamin Robles of Carlsbad and Siera Strumlauf of San Francisco may seek damages from the coffee chain through a class action suit for false advertising and fraud. Cutting Down On Milk Starbucks has allegedly been serving customers lattes that are 25 percent smaller based on the recipe it had adopted in 2009 in order to save money on milk. According to Robles and Strumlauf, the coffee chain requires its baristas to use pitchers to heat milk that have "fill to" markings that are too low. They have also been instructed to leave a quarter of an inch of free space in the drink cups that they serve to customers. The plaintiffs believe this method shorts customers as Starbucks' cups for its lattes contain exactly 12 ounces for tall orders, 16 ounces for grande orders and 20 ounces for venti orders. In his decision, Henderson explained that it is not a case where the supposed fraud can be considered implausible as a matter of law. He said that the court deems it probable that a large number of people who regularly drink lattes could believe that a Starbucks grande order contains 16 ounces of the beverage. Despite this, Henderson did not rule on the merits of the case. He also dismissed three of Robles and Strumlauf's eight claims against the coffee giant, as well as their attempt to obtain injunctive relief. Reggie Borges, a spokesperson for Starbucks, said on Monday that the company maintains that the complaint is without merit and is prepared to take legal action to defend itself against all remaining claims. Borges added that Starbucks will voluntarily remake its beverages in order to suit the preferences of its customers. Robles and Strumlauf's complaint is just one of at least four potential lawsuits against the Seattle-based coffee maker regarding underfilled lattes. One of the potential class actions involves Starbucks' cold beverages. Based on the complaint submitted to a federal court in Illinois, Starbucks allegedly has been misleading its customers regarding the ice-to-product ratio of its various cold beverages. In New York, a similar complaint has been filed, which centers on Starbucks' mocha drinks as well as its lattes. Starbucks' lawyers are now working to consolidate all four cases and have them transferred to Western District of Washington, where the coffee giant's headquarters is located. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Baku, Azerbaijan, June 22 By Anakhanum Idayatova - Trend: In the longer term, there are more options for Turkey to buy non-Russian gas, whether it is from Israel, maybe Cyprus, or Egypt, Iraq, Northern Iraq, Turkmenistan - there are lots of alternatives, Matthew Bryza, former US Assistant Secretary of State for South Caucasus and former US ambassador to Azerbaijan, told Trend June 22. Of course, Turkey is trying to reduce its dependence on Russian natural gas, but that will take some time, he added. Azerbaijan is the country from which Turkey would like to buy more gas, said Bryza. Hopefully, Azerbaijan and Turkey will find a way to arrange this, for example, if some or all of the 10 billion cubic meters sold to European buyers from the Shah Deniz 2 project were to remain in Turkey. Turkey is also planning to increase significantly the ability to import liquefied natural gas including from the US, said Bryza. In the short term, Turkey's possibilities are limited, but in the longer term, Russia risks losing its second largest market for its natural gas, he added. Bryza believes that neither Turkey nor Russia want to get to this point and both countries would like to back to normal economic relations, especially, Russias Gazprom company. I think it is in both countries interest to normalize the relations, he added. Bryza said he thinks Russias President Vladimir Putin knows that his country is suffering from sanctions, his people cant take vacations that are affordable and comfortable in Turkey, people have much lower quality food to eat. He [Putin] wants normal relations, but I think, he does want to show that, added Bryza. He pointed out that definitely, Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wants to normalize the relations and he made that clear by the sending a congratulatory letter to Putin on the occasion of Russia Day. The former ambassador recalled that Erdogan has repeatedly offered to meet with Putin, but the latter has refused. So, President Putin wants apology for the SU-24 incident, according to Bryza. He believes that at least Erdogan will make a gesture and Putin will accept this as a kind of apologize and the relations will move on. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @Anahanum Graphene has the potential to change electronics during the new few decades in a manner at least as great as the role played by silicon over the last 50 years. The idea is simple producing a sheet of carbon atoms just one atom thick but how is this material manufactured? Graphene production begins with a sheet of copper foil, held within a furnace filled with argon gas, designed to drive out oxygen in the air. Carbon atoms are then deposited onto the matrix, and a plastic coating is added to cover the sheet, which is then spun 3,000 times a minute. The multi-layered sheet is later broken apart from a combination of chemicals, driving off the copper and most foreign material. The raw graphene is then loaded onto a silicon chip, before being subjected to a blast of gold pellets and plasma. Because a sheet of graphene is only as thick as a single atom, the material can't be seen by the human eye. However, nearly everyone has produced the remarkable substance in the course of ordinary life. Graphite is the main component in pencil "lead," and lightly drawn pencil lines are able to produce small amounts of graphene. "Fascination with this material stems from its remarkable physical properties and the potential applications these properties offer for the future. Although scientists knew one atom thick, two-dimensional crystal graphene existed, no-one had worked out how to extract it from graphite," the University of Manchester reports on their website. It was at that university in England where, in 2004, a pair of researchers finally found a way to reliably produce the substance. Andre Geim and Kostya Novoselov took part in "Friday night experiments," during which they would carry out investigations not directly linked to their professional research. "One Friday, the two scientists removed some flakes from a lump of bulk graphite with sticky tape. They noticed some flakes were thinner than others. By separating the graphite fragments repeatedly they managed to create flakes which were just one atom thick. They had isolated graphene for the first time," as the University of Manchester describes the event. Graphene is the thinnest material ever devised a pile of a million sheets of the substance would only stand as tall as the thickness of a human hair. Despite this, it is 200 times stronger than steel, and the most conductive material in the world. The pair of intrepid investigators would go on to win the Nobel Prize for their efforts, and this is likely just the beginning of a coming graphene revolution in electronics and material science. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. More than half a billion people on the planet today are using Instagram. And it isn't simply a passing fancy: three out of five users visit the photo-sharing platform every day. The app is soaring past competitors, Twitter and Snapchat, in terms of the size of their user base. Instagram users are posting an average of 95 million images and clips daily. But it isn't simply a numbers game for the Facebook-owned social media site. 'Everyday, Epic' Instagram takes pride in itself as "a place where the everyday and the epic are always within reach," especially with a steady base of celebrities from the world of Hollywood to the world of sports, from Capitol Hill to the Vatican using the platform as an avenue for storytelling. What appears to define the Instagramming community foremost is diversity: the platform is a canvas for the world's best photography, whether the user is a professional, a hobbyist or just social media savvy. . "Our community also continues to become even more global," writes Instagram. More than 80 percent of its users are living outside the U.S. and this has allowed people from every corner of the planet to showcase millions of the most vibrant, most intriguing, and most meaningful snapshots of events, places and people. "Whether you're an illustrator, a sneakerhead or an astronaut on the International Space Station," adds the group, "every photo and video you share helps bring people closer to friends and interests, broadens perspectives and inspires a sense of wonder." Was Instagram An Instant Success? The first day Instagram was released to the public in 2010, the company saw instant success with 25,000 app downloads. Building up a 500 million-strong user base now is no ordinary feat. Facebook acquired Instagram in 2012 to the tune of $1 billion. But much of the success we see of the 5-year-old photo-sharing platform today is, of course, the result of "a lot of hard work," as Kevin Systrom, the site's cofounder, tells the BBC. Many consider Snapchat to be Instagram's closest rival since both Snapchat and Instagram appeal to the millennial, social media-savvy crowd. The ephemeral messaging app registered 110 million daily active users in December 2015, according to TechCrunch. But with an almost 50 percent growth rate of its user base year on year, Snapchat is in a tight race with Instagram in capturing the same target market for advertisers. Making Money Out Of Instagram Monetizing social media posts continues to be one of the most crucial issues that social networking sites face that is, aside from privacy concerns. In 2012, Instagram was met with uproar from users when the app updated its terms of service, suggesting how posts might be sold to advertisers. Having just been snagged by Facebook, which has gained notoriety for its advertising and monetizing tactics, might have sent the message that Instagram would soon be selling its community simply as a commodity to advertisers. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Invasive species continue to threaten the balance of ecosystems around the world, with countries in sub-Saharan Africa being the most vulnerable of all. According to a new study, rich nations such as China and the United States may be playing a large role in how these pests are spread. Dr. Dean Paini and his colleagues at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) in Australia examined the distribution of close to 1,300 different kinds of invasive pests and pathogens, and how it affects trade flows and the agricultural production of countries around the world. Their goal was to determine the potential costs of damage to crop production, which these invasive species might cause to individual countries. The researchers found that developing countries in sub-Saharan Africa stand to lose the most if these destructive pests manage to spread to their territories. Paini explained that these nations generally lack diverse economies that would allow them to be less dependent on their agricultural production. Because of this, any threat from invasive pests could potentially have a far greater impact on these countries than on others. Spread of Invasive Species to Other Countries The CSIRO team also identified which nations pose the greatest threat to others in terms of their ability to spread invasive species, based on the pests that are already established in their territories as well as the scale of their agricultural export. The researchers discovered that China and the United States pose the greatest threat where invasive species are concerned. This result was not surprising given that both countries have large-scale agriculture export industries; operate extensive networks of trade partners; and have a considerably high number of established invasive pests. Since they manage two of the largest industries for agricultural export in the world, both China and the U.S. could also suffer the greatest potential cost from further pest invasions out of all of the countries the CSIRO team studied. However, the ability of these developed countries to mitigate the damage of invasive species, such as through better plant breeding, substitution of crops, or management of pests, could also mean that they are not as vulnerable as the agriculture industries of poorer nations. The researchers expect that pressures from invasive pests will only intensify in the coming years as more and more trade connections between countries are made and the volume of trade is increased. Paini pointed out that their study provides helpful insights, which could be used to develop better ways to manage the spread of invasive species around the world. "By identifying the countries and regions that are most vulnerable, governments can make informed decisions regarding the deployment of resources necessary to protect their borders and agriculture industries by limiting the further spread of invasive species," Paini said. The results of the CSIRO study are featured in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Photo: William Warby | Flickr 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The cub of one of the most popular grizzly bears in the United States was killed in a hit-and-run incident on Sunday evening at Wyoming's Grand Teton National Park. Andrew White, a spokesman for the park, said a young bear was struck and killed by a car near Pilgrim Creek Road at about 10 p.m. Park officials have yet to confirm the identity of the cub through DNA testing, but White said they are confident that the animal was Snowy, the blond-faced cub of the famous female bear known as Grizzly 399. According to witnesses, Grizzly 399 even tried to save her injured cub but he eventually died. She later removed Snowy's body from the road. Park officials said they are still working to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident, as well as the identity of the driver that hit the bear cub. "[Grizzly] 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 conservation group Wyoming Wildlife Advocates wrote on its Facebook page. Snowy's death could not have come at a worse time for grizzly bears and their advocates in the western United States. Animal rights activists have been trying to block plans by the federal government to remove grizzly bears from the list of animals protected under the Endangered Species Act. While the issue is still being debated on, wildlife officials in Montana and Wyoming have already begun preparing for the possibility of allowing bears to be hunted again. Wyoming Wildlife Advocates managing director Roger Hayden pointed out that Snowy's death shows just how vulnerable the bears in Greater Yellowstone parks are. Last week, the group submitted a proposal to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and state wildlife managers in Idaho, Montana and Wyoming to establish a no-hunting zone for grizzlies outside the Grand Teton and Yellowstone national park boundaries. Hayden said bears just like Grizzly 399 tend to stay near roads in order to be safe, but sometimes this habit is what leads to their deaths. "They are tolerant of people, yet people can cause their deaths especially if the federal government allows states to hunt them," he said. Hayden added that bears living in Grand Teton and Yellowstone that manage to wander beyond the boundaries of the parks will be the ones most likely targeted by hunters. This could lead to even more tragedies involving park bears unless the animals are protected. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Microsoft recently expanded the capabilities of Windows 10 Mobile with a much awaited upgrade to its mobile payment app. Users who are registered to the "Fast Ring" previews of the OS recently got the latest addition to the Microsoft Wallet app, which features NFC tap-to-pay support. Rumors about the Wallet 2.0 permeated the media earlier this month, but the company just announced that Insiders can start using the app on a number of devices. Users who own a Lumia 650, Lumia 950, or Lumia 950 XL device and are part of the "Fast Ring" can test it out, with general support for U.S. clients expected to come later this summer, during the Windows 10 Anniversary Update. Microsoft's Windows Phones are catching up with their iOS and Android rivals. Apple released Apple Pay as early as 2014 and Android Pay from Google went live in September 2015. However, the fact that the NFC implementation from Microsoft rolled out a tad late comes with an advantage. The majority of retail terminals that allow shoppers to use the Tap to Pay capability should be Wallet 2.0-compatible. Just keep in mind to save your card info, be it debit or credit, into the app and get ready to use Wallet 2.0 just as you would Android Pay or Apple Pay. What is more, U.S.-based vendors that accept loyalty cards are a good place to use Wallet 2.0 in, as the app allows you to stack up on shopping discounts. Microsoft touts that the service plays nice with both Visa and MasterCard plastic from eight major banks and credit unions. Over 1 million retail locations are expected to be Wallet 2.0-friendly as well. The much anticipated NFC payment support lands at a time when Windows Phones themselves are losing traction. Gartner estimates that Windows Phone reached 0.7 percent of global smartphone market share during Q1 2016. It is the first time the company's handset has gone below the 1 percent mark. Microsoft made clear that Windows Phone manufacturing is a very low priority in the company's agenda, although the Lumia brand accounts for 90 percent of Windows Phones altogether. It should be mentioned that Microsoft stayed sharp on the software side, porting Cortana and Word Flow keyboard to rival OSs. Microsoft did not specify whether or not the rollout will go beyond the U.S. borders. Meanwhile, rival mobile payment service Apple Pay is "working rapidly" to push its services in the global market. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Nearly two years ago, Apple agreed to pay a settlement worth $450 million for a lawsuit that accused the company of being in conspiracy with publishers in a price fixing scheme for e-books. The amount would be divided into $400 million for consumers and $50 million in legal and state fees. Despite Apple's decision to pay the settlement, it maintains that it is not guilty of the allegations against the company. Further appeals of Apple on the lawsuit have been rejected, with the latest one being the Supreme Court's denial in March of this year. The High Court did not issue a comment upon its refusal of Apple's appeal. The company is now starting to push out the payments to affected consumers. The customers who should expect either digital credits to be added to their accounts or checks mailed to them are those who bought e-books from publishers Hachette, Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins, Macmillan and Penguin within the timeframe of April 1, 2010 to May 21, 2012. While most of the purchases were made through Amazon, some were made through other digital outlets such as Barnes & Noble, Kobo and Apple itself. The settlement will credit customers with $6.93 for each e-book that they purchased of a New York Times bestseller, and $1.57 each for other e-books. For Amazon customers, the online retail giant has uploaded a dedicated page on its website regarding the settlement. According to Amazon, eligible customers are not required to do anything to be able to receive their credits, with the amount already added to their digital accounts. Payments made using the credits will appear as a gift card upon the checkout of purchased items, with the credits available to be used until June 24 next year. The e-book industry placed publishers on a precarious position upon its launch, as there were concerns that the sales of digital books would cut into the sales of traditional paperback books. Publishers became obsessed with being able to control the prices of e-books that they broke antitrust laws, as exemplified by Apple's case. The lawsuit filed against Apple accused the company and the publishers of preventing other sellers of e-books from competing in terms of price. The price fixing scheme increased the cost of some e-books to as high as $12.99 to $14.99, compared to the $9.99 price when the e-book is bought in Amazon. The lawsuit was initially filed by two individuals, with the Department of Justice and the attorneys general of several states eventually joining the legal action. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Compared to our planet, exoplanet K2-33b is pretty much still an infant. This Neptune-sized planet, which is considered the youngest fully formed exoplanet ever detected by NASA's Kepler Space Telescope, is only about 5 to 10 million years old. Earth, on the other hand, is 4.5 billion years old. Why is the discovery of this baby exoplanet so important? Astronomers say such young planets could teach us more about planetary formation, which is a very complex and tumultuous process. The ABC's Of Planetary Formation So far, NASA scientists have discovered at least 3,000 exoplanets, but nearly all of them are hosted by "middle-age" stars that are about a billion years old or more. This is going to be a problem for astronomers who attempt to understand the life cycles of planetary systems through existing planets. Doing so is like trying to comprehend how humans go through their own life cycle from babies to children to teenagers but only by studying them as adults. They do not have sufficient data. Erik Petigura, co-author of the study and a scientist from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), says this is why baby exoplanet K2-33b could help them better understand how planets form. This could also allow them to understand the processes that led to the formation of the Earth, he says. Formation Phase Planets are usually formed out of protoplanetary disks or thick dicks of dust and gas that surround young stars. In this case, NASA's extended K2 mission found a periodic dimming of light from a certain star. Scientists say this is an indication that an orbiting planet could regularly be passing in front of the host star and blocking the light. This confirmed the presence of K2-33b. The Spitzer Space Telescope then took infrared measurements and discovered that there is indeed a protoplanetary disk surrounding the host star. This suggests that the young exoplanet's formation phase is nearing its end. Anne Marie Cody, Petigura's co-author and a postdoc fellow at NASA's Ames Research Center, says the material may initially obscure any forming planets, but after a few million years, the dust begins to dissipate. "It is during this time window that we can begin to detect the signatures of youthful planets with K2," says Cody. In Situ Theories What scientists found very surprising is how close exoplanet K2-33b is to its parent star. The baby exoplanet is about 10 times nearer to its parent star than the planet Mercury is close to the sun, making it extremely hot. Some scientists suspect that it takes hundreds of millions of years before a planet from a distant orbit to become close to its host star, so they cannot explain why young K2-33b is close. There are two theories that attempt to understand this baffling finding, however. The first one suggests that K2-33b may have migrated through a process called disk migration, which takes thousands of years. The second theory says the K2-33b may have formed in situ or right where it is located. This has led scientists to move on to another data point to ponder. Trevor David, lead author of the study, says after the initial discoveries of huge exoplanets about two decades ago, scientists thought that these exoplanets could absolutely not have formed there. However, in recent years, the thinking has shifted. David says momentum has grown for in situ theories. Now, the question they want to answer is this: did exoplanets take a long time to get into their hot orbits or could they have actually been there since their early stages? David says that at least in the case of K2-33b, it has been there since the beginning phases. 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. I got my Moto-G Plus 4th Gen (Black) with 32 GB on May 26th, after ordering it online via a promo on May 19th, so no complaints there. However, my peeve is that despite a month since my order, the freebies that Amazon promised havent come in Ibibo travel vouchers, ebooks etc.. but that is for another story, some other time. I have been using the MotoG4+ now for over 3 weeks. Overall, it is a sleek piece, extremely light and the set up is amazingly simple, partly due to Google uncle, who anyway has all your information. Within a few minutes, I was ready to fly.. .. so all the right boxes are ticked the camera, the memory (32 GB), the os Marshmallow 6.0.1, 3GB RAM, Octocore Snapdragon processor and so on. And now for the usage: Running Marshmallow, the phone is absolutely zippy, not a single sign of sluggishness I used to have, which was a bleep. My typical usage ranges from heavy to very heavy and there is a significant amount of data consumption that I do on the phone. On that account, no worries. Ditto on the battery.. lasts me an entire working day, i.e around 12 hours of heavy usage. The camera works like a dream, with super sharp images (what more can you expect from a 16MP camera). The fingerprint security works most of the time but with clammy hands in the hot and humid Delhi summer, I found some problems, so quickly moved back to the ol familiar pattern security. The problem starts with the phone features, and not so much with the os. Having been used to a Samsung android, some of the essential features are found missing in the most basic of apps the phone. For instance, you cant block caller, nor can you delete call history of one caller either you do it for all or for none some kind of a mobile tech egalitarianism. Also the logs dont feature calls and messages, only calls. For messages, you have to go to the message app which is a bit cumbersome as I keep switching between calls and messages throughout the day. I finally downloaded Truecaller to show busy pesky tele-callers. Exactly at the end of three weeks, I got a fright last night while I was setting the alarm and a do not disturb, the screen started shaking and suddenly I found that there was nothing I could do, not even switch off the phone, as no sooner I hard pressed the power button the switch off message would come and that would vanish even before I could reach only to be replaced by flickering screens of all the apps that I have used in the recent past.. it was happening so fast that I couldnt even track which button to hit frustrated for over 3 minutes, I finally did what every normal Indian user would do remove the back cover to remove the battery, only to find that Moto G Plus 4th Gen has out-thought me.. you cant remove the battery. However, after around 10 minutes of this St Vitus dance, the screen went blank. It was out cold.. which was good for me. I restarted the phone and it behaved well.. whew! Such adventure at night may be ok for folks with a stout heart, but me, a definite NO. Also while battery may not be the most powerful, it lasts, but has the tendency to heat a tad more than what I would imagine as normal. Even the heating is a little inconsistent and on days when I have really used the phone practically non-stop, the heating isnt much, but on days when it is relatively less heavy usage, it suddenly heats up and stays hot for a few hours, only to cool down as suddenly. I am sure there is some profundity here which is too much for me. The other problem which I was told about was the voice quality at the other end. I have had innumerable people telling me that my voice comes as if I am down in some well well, they may be right from a philosophical perspective, but from a practical angle, there DOES seem to be an issue with the voice quality. Even normally clear people sound to me as if they are at a great distance. This is a definite issue which needs to be looked into by Lenovo. Am I happy with the phone? With the exception of the last night dalliance and the fact that I seem to be perennially in some sort of a trench while speaking yes. Wife is happy since she has a reason to say I can't hear a thing of what you say and put the phone down. As for me, I have figured out it is better not to say anything, as anyway people can't hear a thing. Jokes apart, a 3.5 out of 5. Moto G Plus 4th Gen, Moto G Review 3D printing is real-life science fiction. Suddenly, there are no rules to the universe anymore, and one morning, I will wake up and read that the Prime Minister has returned from a week-long trip to Neptune in the 3D printed space shuttle gifted to India by Pakistan. (That sounded funny in my head) But anyway, lets get back to the marvel that is 3D printing. It was invented in 1986 by Chuck Hull, who used a fabrication process called Stereolithography (SLA). Since then, new 3D printing technologies have been invented: Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM)/Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF), invented by S.Scott Crump, Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), Selective Laser Melting (SLM), Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS), and Polyjetting are among the more popular ones. Recently, Olli- a 3D printed self-driving bus created by Local Motors- hit the streets of Washington DC. In May, the worlds first fully operational 3D building was unveiled in Dubai. (Read the full story here) 3D printed houses and villas are a reality in the USA and China. But 3D printings uses extend far beyond the realms of architecture and transport. Lets look at some of the other things that have popped out of 3D printers around the world. 1. Petal Kinematics dress designed by Nervous System Image Credit: Nervous System Blog Tech and fashion just had a rather gorgeous baby. This 3D printed dress from Nervous System is made using SLS technology, and is made of 1600 interlocked petals. Almost every element of its design can be customised for the wearer. These dresses cost about $3000 to print, but Nervous System is working on technology to bring the cost down, so as to produce regular clothing and not just high-end couture dresses. Well, that certainly is a relief, since $3000 for a single dress is a bit over my budget. 2. Antimicrobial 3D printed scrubber created by Jacob Stanton Image Credit: 3DPrint.com Heres some good news for everyone whos ever done the dishes: Jacob Stanton created this antimicrobial 3D printed scrubber for a competition, and its waaaay better than that dirty sponge we all hate. A quick study shows that kitchen sponges are one of the dirtiest things in a household, says Stanton. There are about 10 million bacteria per square inch in a kitchen sponge. I wash my plate with that! 3D printed objects can be pretty filthy too; the layered constructions can be breeding grounds for bacteria. Stantons scrubber, however, is made of Purement, an antimicrobial filament produced by Korean firm BnK. The company says that with the use of Purement in 3D printing, bacteria and germs find that the tiny nooks and crannies of 3D printed items arent so appealing, and thus the risk of spreading germs to your family is greatly reduced. Although the scrubber doesnt hold soap very well, it works best to remove stuck-on particles from dishes. 3. 3D printed shoe made from ocean plastic waste by Adidas Image Credit: Digital Trends This past December, Adidas introduced a shoe that combines environment-friendly with technology- a 3D printed shoe made from ocean plastic waste. The upper part of the shoe is made from knitted yarns and filaments reclaimed and recycled from ocean waste (created in conjunction with Parley last June), while the 3D printed midsole is made of recycled polyester and gillnets. At the Paris Climate Conference on Tuesday, Adidas Executive Boards Eric Liedtke said, The industry cant afford to wait for directions any longer. Together with the network of Parley for the Oceans, we have started taking action and creating new sustainable materials and innovations for athletes. The company has also taken steps to reduce and eventually phase out the use of plastic in its own products and activities. This shoe is certainly a step in the right direction. 4. BioPen Image Credit: 3DPrint.com We human beings dream of playing god. Of course, its just a dream. God or the Big Bang, we cant be either. But we can come pretty close, for a collaboration between researchers from the ARC Centre for Electromaterials Science (ACES) and orthopaedic surgeons at St Vincents Hospital, Melbourne, has resulted in the BioPen, a prototype 3D printing pen that allows users to draw human stem cells with extremely high survival rates- 97 percent. While bioprinters have previously been utilized to create everything from skin to parts of the eye, this may be the first time that a handheld pen gives rise to organic material capable of use in a surgical setting. Although the pen is as yet a prototype and is currently undergoing testing for clinical trials, its not hard to see that the invention of the BioPen may well usher in a new age in the history of medicine, as well as 3D printing. 5. Repairing dead bodies Image Credit: Digital Trends Yes, you read that right- 3D printing is indeed used, Longhua Funeral Parlor in China, to repair damaged corpses before the funeral. They only ever found bits of him. Said Mad-Eye Moody of Benjy Fenwick in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. With 3D printing, Fenwicks family might have been able to bury him as they would have wanted. Jokes aside, we all know that accidental deaths are common, and violent ones are sadly widespread. In China, which lacks basic infrastructure, accidents are frequent, which is why Longshua Funeral Parlor decided to use 3D printing technology to repair damaged bodies before funerals. Thats quite grotesquely thoughtful, at least towards those who can afford it. Five is way too small a number, but this list must end here. Anyone have any other uses for 3D printing including wild and whacky rumours of future projects? Because thats what 3D printing once was, after all; clearly no idea is too out there to make reality! Except time travel, that is. Recommended: 3-D Printing Gets A New Face Through This Software HP Launches World's First Production-Ready 3D Printing System 3D Printing, Inventions, Future of Technology Is It Nutella? Google To Decide Name For Android N | TechTree.com Google is on the search officially, for their next operating system (OS) codenamed 'Android N' as of now. For this reason, they have asked for suggestions from users around the world, at their last developer conference Google IO, which where indeed some interesting names coming came forth. Nutella being the front runner, seems most likely to be the name for Android N upon final release, but the Indians have extended their share of names, some bordering on being humorous; Nankhatai, Neyyappam, included. Also read: Whats Wrong With Android Neyyappam? Nutella is being pitched as the next front runner, because Hiroshi Lockheimer, the Senior Vice-President of Android, Chrome OS, Playstore, put up certain screenshots in his Twitter account, which is hinting heavily that the Ferrero-owned chocolate brand could be the final name of the new Android version. In March this year, he also dropped some hints where he was seen searching for Nutella on Google, and said something along those lines as well. What this also brings to light is the marketing aspect of this deal. If Nutella is finalist as the name, Google could well be inclined to sign a marketing deal, whereby the brand could be promoted by Google as the name for their new OS, while fetching a handsome amount from the deal going through. Their past deal includes one with Nestle, whereby one of the releases were named Kitkat. In 2015, when Sundar Pichai became the CEO of Google, everyone was speculating whether the next Android version would be named after Indian desserts, because of Pichai's origins. Though not confirmed, the move prompted users to suggest various names as stated before, also suggesting Nachos, Nectar, and Noghl. The whole move has been generating interest, because Google has been naming Android editions after desserts. Their past names included Cupcake, Donut, Eclairs, Froyo, Gingerbread, Honeycomb, Ice-Cream Sandwich, Jellybeans, Kitkat, Lollipop, and Marshmallow. No wonder the social media circuits are going all-out to suggest names to stand out. Image credit: www.techradar.com TAGS: Android, Google, Chrome OS, Sundar Pichai, Android N, Nutella Baku, Azerbaijan, June 22 By Aygun Badalova - Trend: The United Kingdom will vote June 23 in a referendum on whether to stay or leave the EU. A day before Brexit vote, Brent price is trading above $50 a barrel. However, analysts see the risk of renewed downside. BMI Research, which is a part of Fitch Group in its analysis for Brexit said that a vote to leave the EU would be bearish for prices and an immediate fall in Brent in the days following is expected. The scale of the decline would depend in large part on price action in the lead up to the vote; that is, on the extent to which Brexit was already priced in. In absolute terms, we see a strong probability of a drop into the low-40s or high-30s, in the case of a vote to leave the EU, Emma Richards, an oil and gas analyst with BMI Research told Trend June 22. BMI Research does not expect a drop below $35 a barrel would be sustainable and does not expect to see Brent retesting its 2016 lows. At around the $35 a barrel level - given sustained improvement in oil market fundamentals and generally positive sentiment towards the sector itself - oil would begin to look cheap and money would, in our opinion, begin to flow back into Brent, BMI Researchs analysis said. From a fundamental perspective, Richards said, the effects of Brexit would be relatively muted. The largest impact would be on the consumption side and would play out over the next one to two years, largely through damage to UK industries. That being said, UK oil demand accounts for a small share of the global total, Richards said. She noted that a reduction in demand from the EU would be a more significant risk, with the region representing 12.6 percent of the total, excluding the UK. However, our macroeconomists believe that the negative impacts on the EU real economy will be significantly lesser than the UK, although severe financial market volatility and damage to confidence would drag to the downside, Richards said. On the production side, according to BMI Research analyst, there would be no material impact. The UK government already holds authority over petroleum licensing, regulation and taxation, while the EU has had a relatively limited role to play, Richards said. Meanwhile the core view of BMI Research is that the UK will remain within the EU. As such, BMI Research believes that the balance of risk to Brent lies to the upside. From a technical perspective, the companys analysts note an inverse head and shoulders pattern may be emerging, which would indicate a bullish breakout within the coming weeks. A vote against Brexit could provide a trigger for the break, pushing Brent into mid-to-high 50s, the company said. 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 Baku, Azerbaijan, June 22 By Elena Kosolapova Trend: The 36th meeting of the commission for biological resources of the Caspian Sea, which includes representatives of five Caspian countries, is being held in Kazakhstan June 21-23, according to a message of the Kazakh Ministry of Agriculture. During the meeting, representatives of Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia and Turkmenistan will hear reports on the research carried out in the Caspian Sea in 2014-2015, on the basis of which joint recommendations will be developed for conservation of the Caspian Seas biological resources. The sides will also touch upon the measures taken for artificial reproduction of fish resources and the fight against poaching. Following the meeting, it is planned to sign a protocol with recommendations on the measures for conservation of the Caspian Seas biological resources. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @E_Kosolapova Tashkent, Uzbekistan, June 22 By Demir Azizov Trend: A number of important Uzbek-Chinese intergovernmental documents, aimed at further strengthening the multifaceted cooperation between the two countries, were signed June 22. The documents were signed during the visit of Chinas President Xi Jinping to Uzbekistan, Trends correspondent reported. Xi Jinpings visit to Uzbekistan began June 21. Firstly, he visited one of the worlds most ancient cities Bukhara. Chinese president and his Uzbek counterpart Islam Karimov held a meeting in a narrow format June 22 in Tashkent, and then talks were held in an expanded format, as a result of which the parties signed bilateral documents. The two presidents signed a joint declaration, which, according to the Uzbek president Islam Karimov, has a mobilizing importance for the two countries. Intergovernmental agreements on technical and economic cooperation and on cooperation in the protection of intellectual property rights were signed with the participation of the Uzbek and Chinese presidents. The foreign ministries of the two countries signed a cooperation program for 2016-2017. Two memorandums of understanding (MOUs) on investment cooperation and on cooperation on major commodities trade were signed between Uzbekistans Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations, Investment and Trade and Chinas Ministry of Commerce. Uzbekneftegaz National Holding Company and China Development Bank signed a loan agreement on cooperation in co-financing of investment projects in the oil and gas sector. Trade turnover between the two countries amounted to $4 billion in 2015 and $1.4 billion in January-April 2016, according to the Uzbek side. The Ministry of Finance is considering tax breaks to stimulate small and medium-sized enterprises. A proposal to reduce corporate tax to 15-17 percent from 20 percent until the end of 2020 for SMEs will be considered by the National Assembly at its October session. To make Vietnam a "startup nation" by 2020, the ministry is also considering corporate tax of just 10 percent for the first 15 years, and a 50 percent waiver for the next nine. But this will be available only for startups in priority sectors like technology and manufacturing or based in remote areas, and report a profit less than VND20 billion (US$885,300) a year. The plans come amid criticism for the governments inadequate assistance to SMEs compared to special treatment for large state-owned companies. Economists have urged the government to provide more support to the SMEs, saying with better supports, they can do more to the economy than their current contribution of 43.2 percent of gross domestic product. Vu Tien Loc, chairman of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), told Tuoi Tre newspaper that the tax break for SMEs is "necessary," but not enough. SMEs and startups need other supports also, especially effective reforms in customs and tax procedures, he said. According to a recent survey by the VCCI and the US Agency for International Development, 65 percent of businesses agreed that government officials harassed them while processing procedures for businesses. The survey also found that 66 percent had to pay "informal charges" last year, compared to 64.5 percent in 2014 and 50 percent in 2013. Over 11 percent of respondents said the charges were equivalent to more than 10 percent of their revenue compared to slightly more than 10 percent in 2014. Figures from the VCCI showed more than 96 percent of 513,000 businesses in the country are SMEs but only 42 percent reported profits last year. Businesses with less than 10 employees are legally defined as "super small." Small firms are those with a capital of less than VND20 billion in agriculture and industry and less than VND10 billion in the services sector. Medium-sized businesses have a capital of less than VND100 billion. A woman pours black tiger shrimps on the processing table at a factory in southern Vietnam. The countrys seafood industry is expected to benefit from a new Pacific Rim trade pact. Photo: Reuters Though the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement is looming, few Vietnamese businesses have plans to switch from subcontracting to direct exports or reduce their heavy reliance on feedstock imports or increase exports of processed goods to improve value addition. This has caused fears that Vietnam is unlikely to derive the maximum benefit from the trade pact. A survey of 1,500 enterprises by the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) in April found that only 11.6 percent plan to change their production mode in the next three years to improve value addition, Nguyen Thi Thu Trang, head of the VCCIs WTO Center, said. Vietnamese firms are not involved in the value chains of many products and merely do outsourcing for foreign partners. "All the production stages that bring the highest value-addition to a product, such as designing or making the most important parts, are not done in Vietnam, but abroad, economist Nguyen Van Nam said. "Foreign firms in Vietnam only assemble or package products. Thus, their added value remains low." They import most feedstock for production for exports, and now the TPPs strict rules on origin will be a hurdle. Import taxes in many large economies like the US, Canada, Australia, and Japan, the biggest buyers of Vietnamese textiles, will be cut from 17-32 percent to zero. But there will be a "yarn-forward rule" stating that every piece of thread, button and zipper in a garment will have to come from TPP signatories to qualify for the tariff exemptions. But most of Vietnam's yarn and components are sourced from China and South Korea, both non-TPP countries, making much of Vietnam's products ineligible for the exemptions. I do not think there will be many changes to us after the TPP comes into effect; we will continue to implement outsourcing contracts, Luong Van Thu, director of a garment firm in the northern Hung Yen Province, said. It is difficult for us to do free-on-board exports because of the weak supporting industries. We have to rely on foreign supply of materials, which could mean great price fluctuations and unstable supply. However, Vietnamese garment manufacturers can do little since they lack the financial strength to invest in their own yarn and textile facilities. A garment company requires an investment of millions of dollars, which increases to billions of dollars for a textile and dying firm, industry insiders said. In the agricultural sector too, businesses are not keen on investing in processing technologies, which are expensive, and focus on exporting raw materials with low added value. Bui Chi Buu, former head of the Southern Institute for Agricultural Technology, blamed this on enterprises lack of long-term business strategies. Besides shallow pockets and lack of long-term business strategies, poor infrastructure and low skills are also barriers to enterprises increasing output, Trang of VCCI said. Improvements However, enterprises have made some preparations, including offering more training to employees and expanding markets, to tap opportunities brought by the trade pact, said Trang. The VCCIs survey found that 88.6 percent of local firms know about the TPP, and nearly 96 percent said free trade agreements like the TPP would help local firms participate more in the global value chain. The TPP is expected to boost exports within the bloc of 12 Pacific-rim nations, which account for 40 percent of the global economy. Negotiations have been recently completed and the pact is now awaiting ratification by the member countries' legislatures. Many foreign-owned and large corporations based in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City plan to improve their production capacity to capitalize on export opportunities offered by the deal, which scraps tariffs in many markets, including the US, the worlds biggest economy. More than 47 percent of the firms polled plan to improve their executives management skills, 56 percent hope to improve their workers vocational skills and 57.2 percent will try to access new markets. Food producer Acecook Vietnam said it would expand in TPP member countries like the US, Australia and Canada. Its shipments to these markets account for only 18 percent of its exports. Together with large local companies, foreign ones too are scrambling to expand in Vietnam to tap export opportunities. Malaysian apparel company United Sweethearts is already planning a second factory in Vietnam, and the TPP would accelerate its plans, its managing director Tang Chong Chin was quoted as saying by US newspaper Wall Street Journal. The company, which exports more than two-thirds of the clothing it makes to the US, said revenues could double within five years if tariffs are scrapped. Currently, countries without free trade agreements with the US face tariffs of 10 percent or higher depending on the type of apparel. In the event, economists fear the trade deal would benefit foreign firms in Vietnam more than domestic ones unless the latter develop a better raw materials base and business skills. A surgeon in northern Vietnam has been suspended after he operated on the wrong arm of 6-year-old boy last week. The operation at Hospital 115 of Nghe An Province on Jun. 17 had been intended to remove metal rods which had been placed inside the child's right wrist after he broke it in February. The boy's parents said they were shocked to notice that both his wrists were in bandage after the operation. Hoang Khac Suu (L) tells the story of how he was wrongfully labeled as one with HIV. Photo: Doan Hoa/Tuoi Tre A man in central Vietnam has sued local health authorities for compensation worth nearly US$35,000 after they wrongfully diagnosed him with HIV. Hoang Khac Suu, 43, has filed a lawsuit against the Nghe An Province preventive health center for VND773 million. In it he says his blood was tested for HIV when he was serving a jail term in 2003. The result came positive but he did not know about it until his release in 2013. But seeing he looked healthy after all those years, some health officials suggested a fresh test. A test in September 2014 at the Nghe An HIV/AIDS Prevention Center proved negative as did another one at a local hospital. The health department then took his name out of the list of people with HIV in the province. The department has offered to pay him VND2.2 million ($100) to cover the two recent tests and transportation to the medical centers. But Suu has rejected it saying the mental agony caused by the mistake had been severe. The HIV positive test result caused me a lot of discrimination. Nguyen Xuan Hong, deputy director of the department, said it was deeply sorry, but at the time the entire province had only two people in charge of doing HIV tests. Their capability and equipment were largely limited back then. Do Ha Bac (R) now has only three teeth left. Photo credit: VnExpress A man from Binh Dinh Province in central Vietnam suffered constant jaw pain and decided to have his teeth pulled, one by one, in the last 20 years. But when he visited a doctor this week, he had to face a painful truth: it's not the teeth that caused the pain. Doctors told Do Ha Bac, 49, that blood vessels were putting pressure on his trigeminal nerve and they had to separate them. After the procedure, which doctors said was much more complicated than it might sound, Bac did not feel the pain anymore. Bac said his lower jaw started to hurt 20 years ago, making him almost unable to eat or sleep. He said it felt like toothache and whenever the pain became overbearing, he would ask a dentist to remove one or some of his teeth. He now has three teeth left. It was still so painful. So I went to the provincial general hospital only to find that my teeth were just fine , he told news website VnExpress. In a long-awaited report that will be debated by member states at a meeting in October in Moscow, the United Nations health agency on Tuesday also voiced concern about the concentration of the $3 billion market in the hands of big tobacco companies. "In a nutshell, the WHO report shows that e-cigarettes and similar devices pose threats to public health," Douglas Bettcher, director of the agency's department on non-communicable diseases, told a news briefing in Geneva. The uptake of e-cigarettes, which use battery-powered cartridges to produce a nicotine-laced vapor, has rocketed in the past two years, but there is fierce debate about the risks. Because they are so new, there is a lack of long-term scientific evidence to support their safety, and some fear they could lead to nicotine addiction and tobacco smoking. "We must emphasize that the onus of responsibility for showing safety, for answering many of these questions, must be on the companies and the industries owning them," Bettcher said. "The reports finds, at this point in time anyway, that there is insufficient evidence to conclude that e-cigarettes help users to quit smoking or not. The jury is still out," he said. The European Union has already agreed to requirements around advertising and packaging to ensure the safety and quality of e-cigarettes. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has proposed banning sales to anyone under 18 but no curbs on advertising. Activists welcomed the WHO recommendations. "As Big Tobacco corners the e-cigarette market, it is using e-cigarettes as a global PR scheme to gloss over its tarnished image, positioning itself as a 'solution' to the problem it drives. In reality, the e-cigarette industry is taking advantage of the regulatory vacuum to employ the Big Tobacco playbook to hook a new generation on its products," said John Stewart of the U.S.-based group Corporate Accountability International. Regulatory options The WHO launched a public health campaign against tobacco a decade ago. The WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which entered into force in 2005, has been ratified by 179 states, although not the United States. There are 466 brands of e-cigarettes, and the industry represents "an evolving frontier filled with promise and threat for tobacco control", the WHO said in the report. It urged a range of regulatory options including banning vending machines in most locations and preventing e-cigarette makers from making health claims, such as that they help people quit smoking, until there is hard evidence. Smokers should use a combination of already approved treatments for kicking the habit, it said. While e-cigarettes are likely to be less toxic than conventional ones, the WHO dismissed the idea that e-cigarettes merely produced "water vapor", arguing they exposed bystanders and non-smokers to nicotine and other toxic substances. Dr. Armando Peruga, of the WHO's Tobacco Free Initiative, said the contents of e-cigarettes vary but that the aerosol expelled by their users contains nicotine, which is known to alter brain development, and other toxins. "There are brands for example that contain formaldehyde, which is a cancer-causing element, at the same level as some cigarettes," Peruga told reporters. "Depending on the brand, some studies have found that they contain heavy metals, for example cadmium which is completely a cancer-causing agent," Peruga said. Others have been found to contain nickel or acrolein, a respiratory irritant, he said. Their use also posed a threat to adolescents and the fetuses of pregnant women, the WHO said. Authorities at an international airport in Nairobi on Monday arrested two Vietnamese and a Chinese for carrying products made of rhino horns and a lion tooth onboard. The trio were from the Democratic Republic of Congo, and were heading to China through Jomo Kenyatta International Airport when they were caught. The head of the airports Criminal Investigation Department Joseph Ngisa told local media that the two Vietnamese men had the illegal rhino horn bangles valued at US$780 while the Chinese man had a necklace with a lion tooth valued at $200. "The passengers need to know that having a body part of an animal is outlawed in Kenya. They will be taken to court," Ngisa was quoted as saying. Ivory trade is banned under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora. Poaching in the region is on the rise as armed criminal gangs kill elephants for tusks and rhinos for horns, usually to be shipped to Asia for use in making ornaments and medicine, Kenyas Standard Media reported. Kenya has started using high-tech surveillance equipment and passed strict laws to fight against poaching. Police in Japan's Asahi city arrested six Vietnamese who allegedly stole 112 specialty melons which a farmer representative said must have been too green to eat, local media reported Tuesday. The arrests were made soon after the suspects made off with the melons from a farm in Boso Peninsula on June 19, a report on the Asahi Shimbun quoted officers from the Asahi police as saying. The men raided the farm around 2:30 a.m. and targeted a brand of melon called Iioka Takami melon, a specialty produce of Asahi city, the police said. One of the suspects denied involvement in the theft, but the others admitted to stealing the melons, valued at 67,000 yen ($640) in total, which they said they had intended to eat. The report quoted a representative of the Iioka Melon Department of JA (Japan Agricultural Cooperatives) Chiba-midori, as saying that Takami melons are usually harvested between the end of June and the beginning of July. An Australian veteran who lost a leg has arrived in Ho Chi Minh City on a bicycle ride from Hanoi to Sydney to support fellow veterans who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. Laurie Truck Sam, 67, served with the Special Air Service Regiment in Vietnam in 1970 before losing a leg in a parachute accident in 1995, according to a press release by the Australian Consulate in HCMC. He left Hanoi on May 12 and aims to finish the 10,000km ride, which he calls "The Longest Ride Home", at Sydney Opera House on November 20. Photo provided So far hes pedalled 2,500 km through the steamy jungles and paddy fields of Vietnam in intense wet season humidity dodging potholes, motorcycles, buffalos and lumbering lorries, the release said. He will leave HCMC for Bangkok on June 23, this time joined by other SAS veterans. A world champion parachutist, Truck was awarded Australias Star of Courage in 2001 for saving his tandem parachute student in the 1995 accident. After learning to walk with a prosthetic leg he led two trekking expeditions in Thailand and has completed charity bike rides around Asia, especially in Vietnam. Tehran, Iran, June 22 By Mehdi Sepahvand Trend: Irans National Development Fund and China Investment Corporation (CIC) are looking forward to launching a joint committee to facilitate investment in private sector projects in Iran. CIC is interested in investing in new-technology, low-risk, quick-to-fulfill projects in Iran, Iran National Development Fund Chairman Safdar Hosseini said, ISNA news agency reported. He noted that in recent meetings, CIC side has requested a joint group from ICI Capital and Iranian counterparts start working on the existing projects in Iran and find investment opportunities. Last year a high-ranking delegation from the CIC visited Iran to explore the grounds for cooperation. Irans Development Fund constantly receives 20 percent of the countrys oil and gas revenues, which has ranged from six to fifteen billion dollars a year based on global prices. Many projects in oil, gas, and petrochemicals are available for foreign investment. A photo from a Facebook page allegedly belongs to an illegal logger in Gia Lai Province. Photo credit: Tuoi Tre Gia Lai authorities have demoted the manager of a protected forest who has been accused of smuggling timber in the Central Highlands province last year. Nguyen Dinh Son was demoted from his position as director of the Ia Rsai Protected Forest Management for lax management that led to rampant deforestation, the province's Department of Agriculture and Rural Development said in a statement. Son was involved in a timber smuggling case last year, it said after launching an inspection following media reports. On November 26, 2015, park rangers pulled over a truck and found 159 logs measuring nearly 10 cubic meters. According to the Krong Pa District Forest Management Agency, Son admitted he had been planning to use the logs to build a cafe, but only managed to produce papers for less than half the consignment. It is not clear why criminal charges were not filed against Son. Seven of his subordinates were also rebuked for indirect responsibility for other cases of illegal felling. Late last year Gia Lai authorities transferred Bui Duc Viet, director of the Krong Pa District Forest Management Agency, and three rangers after 22 cases of illegal logging were detected. The loggers had cleared 18 hectares of forest. According to the agriculture department, illegal logging was rife last year, with rangers being confronted by violent loggers in several instances. Lax surveillance by rangers worsened the situation, the agency said. Last week the Gia Lai police dropped a case of drug smuggling after failing to identify suspects involved in smuggling nearly 50 cubic meters of logs last year. The crime was actually busted by ethnic Bahnar youths in Chu Pah District, hundreds of whom stopped two trucks carrying 10 cubic meters of timber. Frustrated by rampant timber smuggling in the vicinity of their village, they seized the logs and reported to park rangers. Subsequent investigations found more trees had been felled in the area than seized from the truck. Police have arrested a 22-year-old man in Ho Chi Minh City for allegedly smuggling wild animals from Thailand for sale in Vietnam. They said the arrestee, Phan Huynh Anh Khoa, has even advertised tiger cubs on the Facebook page of a pet shop that he owns. Khoa was caught red-handed on December 3 when selling a red-shanked douc (Pygathrix nemaeus) and nine oriental small-clawed otter (Amblonyx cinerea) to a customer at a cafe in Tan Binh District. The arrest was made by the central Environment Police Department in coordination with two advocacy groups, Wildlife Conservation Society and Education for Nature-Vietnam. At his shop Vuong Quoc Thu Cung, Khoa handed over many wild animals, including two Tegu lizards, three Savannah lizards, two squirrels and a crocodile. Khoa confessed that he bought the wild animals in Thailand to sell as pets in Vietnam. Police said they have long kept tabs on Khoa for wildlife smuggling accusations. He has been fined several times but he has maintained the illegal business, police said. The seized animals have been sent to the Cu Chi District Rescue Center. Police said Khoa may be a member of a large wildlife smuggling gang that they are tracking down. According to Wildlife Conservation Society, illegal wildlife trade on the Internet has been on the rise recently, causing difficulties for law enforcement agencies. A forest area was cleared for crops in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak. Photo: Trung Chuyen Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has ordered a total ban on clearing natural forests to protect the 2.25 million hectares still surviving nationwide. From now on localities are not allowed to issue logging permits, he said at a meeting in Dak Lak Province on Monday. The measure is aimed at preventing abuse of a policy that allows companies to clear poor forest areas to plant commercial trees, he said. The Central Highlands forests have seriously declined threatening unpredictable impacts. According a report the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development released at the meeting, in 2010-14 alone 110,000 hectares were cleared for commercial trees, 37,000 hectares for building hydropower plants and roads and 123,000 illegally. Companies have been hired to manage a majority of the forests in the region, but deforestation persists. It is common for forests to be cleared and occupied though they were granted [to companies and residents for management], the Prime Minister said, blaming corruption and collusion with violators by forest management agencies. He ordered the shutting down of timber processing factories and a ban on timber exports. We have banned the export of unprocessed logs but still allow timber export: thats a loophole. He ordered relevant agencies not to allow anybody to clear any of the 2.25 million hectares of natural forests. Central Highlands provinces should not license hydropower projects in forests, he said. The government has set a target of afforesting until forests cover nearly half the Central Highlands. Police in Kon Tum Province in the Central Highlands are examining some body parts found in a jungle, thought to be that of two men killed in a war-era bomb explosion. Preliminary investigations suggest that the victims were two local men who were trying to cut the bomb for the explosive when it went off. A local man, 54-year-old Bui Van Phuon, said he found the bomb and took the two men, 50-year-old Huynh Tan Phuoc and 52-year-old Nguyen De, there on June 12, but did not join them in cutting it. The body parts were found decomposing eight days later. Unexploded ordnance left from the Vietnam War threatens a fifth of the countrys land mass, and officials say explosions occur every day, many in central Vietnam. Deputy Minister of Defense Nguyen Chi Vinh said last October that the blasts kill more than 1,500 people every year and maim and injure 2,200 more. While some are accidental, many occur because poor people try to salvage scrap metal and explosive from the bombs. The Chinese man who has been accused of burning Vietnamese money in Da Nang on June 14, 2016. Photo: Vo Van Trung Da Nang authorities said Tuesday that they want to shut down a local tourism firm after one of its clients from China burned Vietnamese money at a bar in the city last week. Tran Chi Cuong, vice director of Da Nang Tourism Department, told the media that the Landscape Trading and Tourism Company on Tran Phu Street will be punished. Cuong said his agency will advise the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism to revoke Landscapes license. The case happened on June 14 at TV Club when a group of Chinese tourists argued with the staff. A bar's spokesperson said the group wanted to pay in yuan, claiming that they had spent all Vietnamese money. After being allowed to pay in yuan, a Chinese man suddenly took out a VND200,000 bill, lit it and threw it at a waitress before quickly leaving in a taxi. Investigation found the group was traveling in Da Nang with Landscape. The company obtained a license to organize tours for foreign tourists last December. The group of 25 Chinese tourists visited the central city from June 12-16 and they did not have a tour guide for most of the time. The tourism department has filed the companys violations, including lack of contracts with the tourists and changing the itineraries. Cuong said his agency will issue fines of VND30 million (US$1,350) in total against the violations this week. He said there may also be a ban on the Chinese tourist. In Vietnam, destroying money can be fined up to VND15 million ($672). The European Union's Brussels envoys agreed on Tuesday to extend until the end of January the energy, financial and defense sanctions on Russia over the conflict in Ukraine, but formal approval is still pending, diplomatic sources said. After more than two years of sanctions imposed over Moscow's annexation of Crimea from Kiev and a pro-Russian insurrection in eastern Ukraine, more EU politicians are now urging a softer stance toward Russia, a key trade partner and energy provider. The initial decision on Tuesday must still be formally approved by the bloc's ministers after France and Britain asked for time to receive comments from their parliaments, although these have no power to block it. That could come as early as Friday or be delayed. Italy has asked to defer formal approval until after EU leaders meet in Brussels on June 28-29, calling for the summit conclusions to say they would "debate" their stance on Russia in October. Sooner or later, diplomats in Brussels said, the rollover of the sanctions would eventually win formal approval. The German foreign minister and the Italian prime minister have been leading a growing chorus of politicians pushing for sanctions relief. More senior EU politicians also travel to Russia now after a period of relative isolation over Ukraine. The EU's foreign policy chief signaled a review of the bloc's strategy on Russia and the conflict in Ukraine in the second half of the year and Donald Tusk - who chairs meetings of EU leaders - plans to dedicate a session to that in October. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in Moscow on Tuesday that Sigmar Gabriel, the head of the junior partner in German Chancellor Angela Merkel's coalition, could visit next week. "He has already been to Moscow, he's already had meetings with President (Vladimir) Putin that focused precisely on trade and economic cooperation between Russia and Germany... There are things to talk about," Peskov told reporters. Doves and hawks In April, the French parliament also approved a non-binding resolution urging the end of EU sanctions on Russia. Those seeking to soften the EU's line on Moscow say the bloc can no longer afford to miss out on trading with Russia, and that sanctions should only be a temporary measure. Britain is more hawkish on sanctions, while Poland and the Baltic states are wary of Russia. They say the restrictions must hold until a troubled peace plan for east Ukraine is fully implemented. There is strong support in Washington for keeping a tough line against Russia. On Tuesday, members of Congress, including President Barack Obama's fellow Democrats as well as Republicans, introduced a resolution calling on the United States and its European allies to keep up pressure on Moscow. "Russia...has not yet changed direction, and has not yet complied with its obligations," Geoffrey Pyatt, the outgoing U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, said at the Senate confirmation hearing for his appointment as envoy to Greece. More than 9,000 people have died in fighting there since spring 2014 and rival sides in the conflict must yet withdraw heavy arms from the region, Kiev should organize local elections there and Moscow is bound to help Ukraine regain control of its border with Russia. The EU needs unanimity to decide on sanctions, some of which were slapped over Russia's annexation of Crimea from Kiev in March 2014, a move that was not recognized by any country. That leaves diplomats in Berlin and Brussels exploring options for a partial or gradual easing of sanctions, potentially no longer linking sanctions relief to "full" implementation of the so-called Minsk peace plan but offering a more nuanced, step-by-step approach. A person rubs an '#Orlando United' sticker on the sign pole outside Pulse nightclub following the mass shooting last week in Orlando, Florida, U.S., June 21, 2016. Photo: Reuters/Carlo Allegri 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. Heather Raleigh (L) and Paige Metelka make a heart shape as they pose during a photo shoot outside Pulse nightclub following the mass shooting last week in Orlando, Florida, U.S., June 21, 2016. Photo: Reuters/Carlo Allegri 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. A brother of a Syrian migrant, Farhan Al-Hwaish, leans over his brother's body at his funeral in Szeged, Hungary June 20, 2016. Farhan Al-Hwaish had drowned in the Tisza river while trying to cross into Hungary from Serbia. Photo: Reuters/Laszlo Balogh 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. 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. Mourners attend the funeral of a Syrian migrant, Farhan Al-Hwaish, in Szeged, Hungary June 20, 2016. Farhan Al-Hwaish had drowned in the Tisza river while trying to cross into Hungary from Serbia. Photo: Reuters/Laszlo Balogh 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. A television screen broadcasts news coverage of a North Korean rocket launch, at Seoul station on June 22, 2016. Photo: AFP / Ed Jones North Korea launched what appeared to be a second intermediate-range Musudan missile on Wednesday that flew about 400 km (250 miles), in what appeared to be its most effective test yet, hours after another launch failed, South Korea's military said. It was not immediately clear if the second Musudan launch, about two hours after the first, was considered a success or failure, or how the flight ended. However, the distance it covered was theoretically more than halfway towards the southwest coast of Japan's main Honshu island. The missile reached an altitude of 1,000 km (620 miles), indicating North Korea had made progress in its missile programs, Japan's Minister of Defensce Gen Nakatani said. "The threat to Japan is intensifying," Nakatani told reporters in Tokyo. The first missile was launched from the east coast city of Wonsan, a South Korean official said, the same area where previous tests of intermediate-range missiles were conducted, possibly using mobile launchers. South Korea's Yonhap news agency, quoting a government official, said it disintegrated mid-air after a flight of about 150 km (95 miles). The launches were in continued defiance of international warnings and a series of U.N. Security Council resolutions that ban the North from using ballistic missile technology, which Pyongyang rejects as an infringement of its sovereignty. Wednesday's first launch would have been the fifth straight unsuccessful attempt in the past two months to launch a missile that is designed to fly more than 3,000 km (1,800 miles) and could theoretically reach any part of Japan and the U.S. territory of Guam. Jeffrey Lewis of the California-based Middlebury Institute of International Studies said missiles are usually fired at a certain angle to maximize range, so the high altitude of the second launch may have been chosen deliberately to avoid Japanese airspace. "That suggests the missile worked perfectly," Lewis said. "Had it been fired at its normal angle, it would have flown to its full range." Lewis said failures were a normal part of testing and that North Korea would fix problems with the Musudan sooner or later. "If North Korea continues testing, eventually its missileers will use the same technology in a missile that can threaten the United States," Lewis told Reuters. Serious provocation Nakatani said North Korea's repeated missile launches were a "serious provocation" and could not be tolerated. Japan indicated after the first launch that it would protest strongly because it violated a United Nations resolution, even though the launches posed no immediate threat to Japanese security. In Seoul, South Korea's presidential office said a national security meeting would be convened later on Wednesday to discuss the latest missile launches. Japan's Defense Minister Gen Nakatani (C) speaks to the media at the Defense Ministry in Tokyo, Japan June 22, 2016. Photo: Reuters/Toru Hanai The U.S. military detected the two missiles, most likely Musudan, from North Korea, the U.S. military's Pacific Command said. A Pentagon spokesman said both missiles fell into the Sea of Japan. Yonhap, citing an unidentified government source, said on Tuesday the North had been seen moving an intermediate-range missile to its east coast. Japan put its military on alert in response. 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 April. The U.N. Security Council, backed by the North's main diplomatic ally, China, imposed tough new sanctions in March after the isolated state conducted its fourth nuclear test in January and launched a long-range rocket that put an object into space orbit. North Korea has conducted a series of tests since then that it claimed showed progress in nuclear weapons and long-range ballistic missile capabilities, including new rocket engines and simulated atmospheric re-entry. The two Koreas technically remain in a state of war after the 1950-53 Korean War ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty. A spokesman for South Korea's Unification Ministry said North Korea should channel its efforts into the welfare of its people and peace on the Korean peninsula rather than developing its missile technology. Baku, Azerbaijan, June 21 By Umid Niayesh Trend: Tehran hosted a meeting to introduce an ambitious energy proposal dubbed the Caspian Energy Hub. The meeting called "The Specialized Meeting of Caspian Energy Network Theory" was 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 The demand for Ukrainian startups on the global market is growing annually. Despite the continuing financial crisis, the IT-sphere shows positive results, especially in the sector that is focused on foreign users. The buyers for such projects are often large companies from the US and Europe. These days startup investments are considered to be the most cost-effective types of capital investing. At relatively low cost of development, such projects are sold for millions (or even billions) of dollars. It depends on the startup complexity, as well as the appeal of the investment. The prices quoted in hundreds of thousands dollars look relatively modest against such a backdrop. Even though the majority of the projects are similar. One million dollars for a project is not a limit at all. IT-product investors know plenty of super successful startup promotion cases. Thus, Y Combinator, Looksery funded Petcube project, having invested around $5 million in it in due time. After a while it was purchased by Snapchat at the cost of $150 million by that time. Google purchased Viewdle startup for $45 million in due time. Great interest among market participants was expressed in the acquisition of the Canadian company Mobify. The final sales price, paid by a buyer for the startup Jeapie, was never announced. But the rumor is that it was over 10 million dollars. However, not only the biggest IT deals allow the investors build up capital rapidly. Its a common thing when the sum of selling of ordinary projects is way above the initial investment. Both developers and investors, who inject the capital in the early stages, profit from this. The overall price of the online lending service Taplend reached 120 thousand dollars. By the way, the startup has successfully entered the US market. Basically the same thing happened to Kwambio, a platform for designers and 3D printer users, that was purchased at the price of $650 ths. by the TechStars company from Boston. Its European subsidiary eventually acquired Preply, a platform for finding private English tutors. The deal resulted in 100 ths. dollars. Whats new on the Ukrainian startups market? An influential British newspaper Independent in the article Startups at the heart of a new Ukraine dated May, 2016 acknowledged a new Ukrainian startup BetOnMoney.com, that has been in headlines of Russian and Ukrainian media a number of times. Investment appeal of the given startup is indirectly confirmed by the fact that the project founder, Denis Minin, a famous sportsman, the founder of an international organization Street Workout, who regularly stays in contact with American team Barbarians and its leader Hannibal For King, rejects all the proposals of project purchase that he has received up to now. A number of financial analysts conclude that the sportsman has ambitious plans to join the ranks of successful businessmen who have created the most expensive internet projects from scratch. It would be interesting to know if he ever gets an offer that will make him change his mind. Moreover in 2016 a number of Ukrainian startups have already managed to impress the market with new ideas and incomes for investors. What is the reason for the growing attractiveness of the Ukrainian startups? According to expert opinions, the popularity of Ukrainian startups can be explained with four principal factors: 1. Low cost of project development with highly qualified specialists. The reasons for this situation are considered to be the low wages in Ukraine and instability of the national currency. 2. Ukrainian investors refrain from investing their capital in tangible assets due to the high economic and political risks. But they put money to good use by developing startups, which later on move abroad. 3. High level of development of IT technologies and the sphere of startups promotion. 4. High level of expectations from the Ukrainian startups, as investors tend to encourage and favor such projects. However, all of these benefits will work out solely on the condition that the project idea is good enough to obtain thousands of target audience users. Otherwise, you are unlikely to get investors interested in your project. Canberra's food and wine scene just keeps getting bigger and better but it seems the bars keep getting smaller. Black Market is Canberra's newest bar, holding only 60 people. But while the area is small, the bar packs a serious punch when it comes to the detail. Black Market owners Lorenzo Focarile, Dean Brown and Antony Arena. Credit:Jay Cronan It is the latest venture from Antony Arena, Lorenzo Focarile and Dean Brown, who also own Molly and Highball Express, and have quickly gathered a swag of successful ventures. Hidden beneath A. Baker in New Acton, Black Market has taken over the space which previously housed A. Baker's speakeasy. Baku, Azerbaijan, June 22 By Khalid Kazimov Trend: Iranian Government has announced new tax incentives created to encourage domestic investors in undertaking economic activities. The government has decided to exempt those who invest in production units or mineral sectors in the current Iranian calendar year (started March 20) from paying taxes for at least five years, IRNA news agency reported. Under the new regulation, those who invest in the countrys industrial parks will be free of paying taxes for seven years. Meanwhile tax payers who take part in business activities in industrial or mineral sectors in the countrys poor areas will be exempted from taxes for 10 years. Tourism industry has also been subjected to the new regulation as private hotels that have received authorization for operation in the current Iranian year will enjoy exemption for five years. Perplexing news to wake up to this morning with Swedish fast fashion house H&M announcing it will open stores in Wollongong and Toowoomba by the end of the year. Without wanting to sound too Shannon Noll-esque what about us? H&M has announced new stores in both Toowoomba and Wollongong. Credit:Wolter Peeters The rumour mill went into overdrive late last year when Canberra Centre closed down a large area for refurbishment that the giant red logo could be making an appearance here. But the wing, that formerly housed Lincraft and other stores, still sits empty and all but gutted, with no word yet as to what's going inside. The fall of the Australian dollar over the past year coupled with the city's rising quality of living could see Canberra attract companies looking to set up regional headquarters in the Asia Pacific, a survey for expatriate workers has revealed Canberra has eased 33 places to become the 98th most expensive city in the world for expats to live in according to the Cost of Living survey by global human resources company Mercer. Canberra has been ranked the 98th most expensive city in the world for expats to live in. Credit:Rohan Thomson Only beaten by Adelaide out of the Australian capital cities, Mercer's Talent business leader Garry Adams said Canberra has emerged as a "sweet spot" between decent prices and a high standard of living. "It's playing to a sweet spot in many ways that Australian cities also have high quality of living and now that the cost of living is becoming more competitive from a global perspective it makes it an even more attractive location to do business," Mr Adams said. Milestone birthdays have us thinking what's it all about? When Elizabeth Kikkert turned 30 in 2010 she decided from then on she would "reverse birthday" and make her day about giving to others. The mother of five from Charnwood said this year her focus was on mental health and stamping out the stigma she had witnessed since her brother was diagnosed with schizophrenia 11 years ago. Elizabeth Kikkert on her 35th birthday last year. Credit:Graham Tidy "When I see him and talk with him, his whole world lights up, but when he walks down the street people see the illness and not him," she said. In the decade since her brother's diagnosis, she said social attitudes had changed for the better, but shocking rates of suffering and suicide across the country meant more needed to be done. Liberal senator Zed Seselja has criticised new powers allowing ACT police officers to ban and fine anti-abortion protesters outside a clinic in Canberra. Speaking to an Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) audience on Tuesday night, Senator Seselja said the laws were incompatible with freedom of speech and religion and should be changed. Senator Zed Seselja has criticised new powers to enforce exclusion zones around abortion clinics. Credit:Jeffrey Chan The legislation was introduced by Greens MLA Shane Rattenbury last year, who argued protesters were causing distress and making patients walk through "a wall of people who were making judgments". The laws were introduced to protect women from being harassed, intimidated, obstructed, photographed, or filmed as they access Canberra's abortion clinic. Consumers are being warned not to fall into "subscription traps" - where online retailers treat a one-off purchase as permission to sign up shoppers as fee-paying members. US activewear retailer Fabletics, co-founded by Hollywood star Kate Hudson, has been forced to improve its disclosure of ongoing membership fees after the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission received a flood of complaints. Shoppers were signed up to Fabletics' VIP membership when they made their first purchase. Many complained, saying they did not know about the monthly $US44.95 subscription fee and found it difficult to cancel the membership. "We are putting online retailers on notice that they must clearly and prominently display any ongoing membership fees and we are warning consumers to look out for them when shopping online," ACCC chairman Rod Sims said. Tesla's stock dropped eight per cent in its first day of trading since the deal was announced. Credit:AP Deal presents problems To investors, it is as if the Walt Disney Co. bought a birthing centre business to offer "end-to-end" service for its parent customers. It's not clear that Tesla owners will really want to buy solar panels, or that if they did, it would be in sufficient number. And SolarCity is hardly a growth business these days. Both companies are burning cash. SolarCity went through $US2.6 billion last year, while Tesla spent $US2.2 billion. SolarCity's business model is struggling as cheap energy shakes up the solar market. So the acquisition is being viewed not so much as a "no-brainer" but as a bailout of SolarCity by Tesla, one that may sink both companies. The idea would be dismissed as yet another Silicon Valley lark (although who knows whether the visionary Musk is right), but there is a second problem with this deal. It's a bit of a corporate governance nightmare. Musk owns 21 per cent of Tesla and 22 per cent of SolarCity, according to Standard & Poor's Global Market Intelligence. His cousin, Lyndon Rive, is a founder and the chief executive of SolarCity. Given the troubles of SolarCity, the appearance is that Musk is bailing SolarCity out while profiting handsomely. He will be paid a premium by Tesla for a company in which he is the biggest shareholder, one that the market at least views as outside the business of Tesla. Lawsuits are coming Today, companies are separated into makers of ball bearings and makers of steel because even they are viewed as being too different. Only in Silicon Valley could a cross-industry acquisition like this even possibly fly. Tesla did announce some procedures to deal with this conflict. Musk recused himself from the deliberations at Tesla and Rive said the same thing at SolarCity. In addition, Tesla said that any deal would be subject to approval by a majority of its disinterested shareholders. This is part of the standard procedure in conflict situations. The general idea is that each company forms a committee of independent directors with its own advisers and legal counsel. This would ensure approval of the disinterested directors. Then any deal itself would be subject to approval of the disinterested shareholders. The state of Delaware, where a majority of US companies are incorporated, technically requires only that either the disinterested directors or disinterested shareholders approve the deal, but the standard practice is to do both. Even so, Tesla is not following this standard procedure. It does not appear that Tesla or SolarCity truly formed an independent committee or hired independent counsel, but instead opted for a recusal. (Another director on both boards, Antonio J. Gracias, also recused himself.) That is sufficient for Delaware law, but the optics are not great. Indeed, one of the actions Tesla took on Tuesday was to amend its bylaws to require all shareholder litigation to be filed in Delaware. It knows the lawsuits are coming. So this deal suffers from some significant defects at the get-go. It should have been structured more formally and put through the stricter process of a formal special committee. This is particularly true after the recent ruling in the Dell appraisal proceedings, in which Dell did everything it could to structure the management buyout to the highest standards, and the Delaware court still found fault with the process. Getting the deal across the line A bigger issue is the shareholder approval requirement. Tesla is issuing shares, but it does not technically need shareholder approval for the issuance because buying SolarCity will not require it to issue more than 20 per cent of its outstanding float, the point at which stock exchange rules require a vote. Institutional shareholders, however, hold 63.57 per cent of Tesla. It is hard to see them liking this deal. Tesla is also a darling of day traders. These short-term holders want the stock to go up, and voting no on the deal is a way to get the shares to rise. Given the reaction, it is hard to see how a deal like this can happen now. In the end, Tesla's offer appears destined to die as quickly as a fruit fly, in part because it does not make sense to the market, but also because the announcement and the structuring show a poor understanding of public relations. 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. Ridesharing the technology-driven, private transport global revolution epitomised by Uber is finally set to be regulated in Victoria, heralding an end to prolonged uncertainty for consumers and the new and established providers of taxis and car services. The rise of US-based Uber which has rapidly become the world's most valuable unlisted company and is reportedly exploring floating on the stock exchange, with a predicted capitalisation of close to $100 billion is compelling evidence of the demand for ridesharing. It has a parallel in the hospitality industry, where Airbnb and other technology-fuelled companies are providing massively popular competition to hotels and motels by bringing together those who want accommodation with those seeking to provide it. Home, please: Ridesharing services are set to be regulated in Victoria. Credit:4bc.com.au The Age believes technology has been fundamental to modern economic and social progress, and that incarnations such as Uber and Airbnb are not only inevitable, but welcome. Economies, democracies, individuals and communities are enhanced by choice and competition. But it must be an informed choice and fair competition. That is why we are pleased Victoria appears to be belatedly removing much of the uncertainty and tension caused by the disruption Uber and other new companies have brought to markets and to established, traditional operators like taxi companies. Uber is simply a smartphone app that connects people wanting a ride to drivers contracted with the company. It has been legalised in NSW and the ACT. Western Australia is also planning to legalise it, and Queensland is set to finish a review. A meme supporting a more welcoming stance towards asylum seekers has appeared repeatedly on Facebook recently. One iteration states, "Don't forget, slavery was legal, the holocaust was legal, apartheid was legal". The precision of the statement aside (particularly in relation to the holocaust), the sentiment is that the law is not necessarily moral and that law alone cannot be the arbitrator of what is moral, right, or ethical in our culture. Australia's policy of mandatory detention for those who arrive by boat is often framed as a legal issue but is also a moral issue. It may even be the moral issue of our time. Being able to clearly articulate a moral stance is necessary for those who want to challenge current policies. Morals are what motivate a politician to "cross the floor" on an issue or drive changes in law and policy. This is not to say that legal and political processes are unnecessary, rather that we need to also be talking about our moral stance towards refugees and asylum seekers, as individuals and as a country. The 'Close Manus, Close Nauru, Bring Them Here!' rally in Melbourne. Credit:Chris Hopkins Morals are tricky things. Loosely defined they are a set of beliefs or attitudes based on our values. But even when our value systems differ, depending on whether they are based on our religious affiliation or cultural background, we can often agree about whether something is moral or not, that is, whether it is essentially a good thing. For example, we agree as a society that it is unacceptable for one individual to kill another, because we value human life and recognise the rights of others to life. In Australia we tend to be a bit leery of people who want to discuss morals because often they are the same people who want to tell us whom we can love or what we can do with our bodies. But morals can do so much more and do not just belong to the religious among us. Changes in moral values, of what we deem just or ethical in society, inform and change our laws (and in turn our political policies). In 1902 women were given the vote because enough of the community recognised their essential equality as human persons and this value forced a change in federal policy. Comparing apples and semi-automatic gunfire To contextualise Morrison's claims of having been exposed to "that sort of hatred" experienced by the LGBTI community, let's remember that 10 days ago a man walked into the Pulse, a well known gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, and murdered 49 people and injured another 53. He did so, at least in large part, because he hated gay people (and, it would seem, possibly because he was deeply conflicted about his own same-sex attraction). So you might think that June 2016 would be a strange - indeed, breathtakingly stupid - time to argue that Australian conservative Christian politicians suffer comparable levels of prejudice to the LGBTI community. But that's not all! Leaving aside the fact that Morrison's implication that disagreement over civil rights equality is essentially equivalent to being gunned down by military grade weaponry, there's the teeny tiny minuscule little point that the mean things that people say to Morrison aren't accompanied by being denied protections under the law. Also, this apparent persecution doesn't involve people telling Morrison that his relationship is invalid and/or disgusting, or that his children are at risk by his very presence in their lives, or that he's mentally ill. So maybe, just maybe, the situations are not even remotely comparable and Morrison's little victim-pantomime is attention-deflecting by a man well aware that his prejudices don't stand up to the slightest bit of scrutiny. After all, if there was some terrible consequence of legalising same sex marriage then you'd think they might have manifested somehow in at least one of the 15 countries (plus several other individual jurisdictions) which have legislated it between 2001 and now. Mysteriously, the terrible horrible nightmarish societal effects Morrison and Co are worried will be wrought by marriage equality have been unexpectedly subtle. Almost, in fact, as though they don't exist. Actions, meet consequences The other thing worth keeping in mind is that while legislating marriage equality will have no negative effects on anyone, the current situation actually, genuinely hurts people. For example: last January British newlyweds David and Marco Bulmer-Rizzi were embarking on their dream honeymoon around Australia when David slipped on the stairs of the place they were staying in Adelaide and fell, smashing his head open at the bottom of the stairwell. He was put in a medically induced coma, but his injuries were too severe. He never regained consciousness. And then Marco discovered that he had no rights regarding his late husband. The death certificate was marked as David having "never married". Marco couldn't arrange a funeral or to have the body returned to Britain, since as far as Australian authorities were concerned he was basically a stranger: David's father Nigel Bulmer had to authorise everything as the recognised next of kin. SA Premier Jay Weatherill apologised personally to Marco and to David's family, declaring that he was "deeply ashamed", making the entirely reasonable point that "a man's just lost his husband, someone he deeply loves, someone he's legally married to, and he's been treated with disrespect in my state" but Australian law is clear: Marco is not David's husband, and therefore has no rights. So here's a question for the anti-equality camp: how the hell did the torment of a man who just lost the love of his life enhance the sanctity of our marriages, exactly? Because on the evidence, if would appear that our brave stance on traditional marriage did absolutely nothing except torture two grieving families in order to make a traumatic situation infinitely worse. Heavy is the head that wears the crown, huh? but back to ScoMo, who also wanted to make clear that it's not that big a deal really, since most people totes agree with him anyway. "I have an electorate where I cannot represent the view of every person on this issue. People know my view on this in my electorate, and it tends to be, it would seem, the majority view in my electorate." It's just so weird watching someone claim that they're representing the majority opinion at the same time they're complaining about being a persecuted minority because of their opinion. That takes some impressive intellectual gymnastics. Tehran, Iran, June 22 By Mehdi Sepahvand Trend: In the past few days, Iran has seen some major reshuffles at the sub-ministerial levels. And there seem to be more changes to follow up. As the most recent example, the countrys Prosecutor General Mohammad Jafar Montazeri said June 22 that a series of changes are needed in the General Prosecutor's Office. Currently, based on circumstances and opportunities, some revisions have to be made. The proposal for the change has been sent to the Judiciary and we are waiting for the answer, he said. Montazeri was himself appointed to the position in April. The announcement came in the same week that Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif made some changes at his office as well. He removed his Arab and African affairs deputy Hossein Amir-Abdollahian from the post and put then-spokesman Hossein Jaberi Ansari in his place. Amir-Abdollahian was said to have been a great foothold for the more military-minded, IRGC-affiliated influential figures, and used to have been pursuing a steadfast policy vis-a-vis the Syrian crisis as Irans representative in related talks with other countries. His successor, however, is said to have more global and open views and his tenancy is expected to entail quite some shift in his department of the Foreign Ministry. On June 15, Al-Monitor quoted sources who had met with Zarif in Oslo, as saying that the Iranian foreign minister had signaled that he has more authority on the Syria file than he has had until then, and that Iran may be prepared to show more flexibility to advance a political solution. While in Oslo, Zarif met the US Secretary of State John Kerry, a major party involved in the Syrian talks. Also a few days ago, Iran's Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Shamkhani was given the first-in-Iran title of military coordinator between Iran, Syria, and Russia, which supports the current Syrian government. The council is headed by president Hassan Rouhani. Yet again, the Interior Ministry said June 21 that it was about to make some changes among governors-general. The number of the changes would be limited and they will be done gradually, Deputy Interior Minister for Political Affairs Mohammad Hossein Moqimi said. All the mentioned reshuffles should be seen as being on two opposite political directions in Iran. While the changes in the Judiciary and Interior Ministry are being pursued by their right-wing chiefs, the changes in the Foreign Ministry and Supreme National Security Council were rendered by Rouhani and his foreign minister, with much more reform in their blood than the first party. This seems to be a domestic competition between the right and left. Choosing Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli as interior minister was an unconventional bonus that Rouhani gave to the conservative party when he took office. Rouhani took the hardest blow from this choice when a number of angry students torching of the Saudi Embassy in Tehran went unheeded, at least during the night-to-dawn hours that the riot went on, with scant security forces unwilling to prevent damage to the diplomatic grounds. That ruined the chances that Rouhani might put an end to years of fierce rivalry between Iran and Saudi Arabia, not least of all a major disagreement between the two regional powers over Syria. Rouhani will be competing for his second term in the presidential office in about a year from now. Thats why he is suffering much media barrage from rivals and whatever political moves it takes to blow in the furnace of criticizing him. Rouhani is severely limited in the scope of actions he could take in domestic affairs, with the two other branches, the judiciary and the legislative, as well as a whole gamut of influential ultra-governmental bodies playing their own tune. That is why up to now he put his greatest efforts into a nuclear deal with powers, and is now eyeing the Syrian issue as his other winning card. Just this January he reaped the sweet fruit of his years-long talks with the P5+1 (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany) in the form of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, something that almost all agreed would secure his favor with Iranians for a second election. However, the deal has not brought about much financial gain, as banking transactions with Iran are still impossible. This has given his opponents a great platform to stage their criticism, so much so that some of them go as far as downplaying the gain to a mere populistic act with no real benefit for the nation. This is where the Judiciary comes in to play. Recently a scandal broke out about some governmental officials receiving stupendously huge salaries. This also served as a great alibi for Rouhanis opponents to cry out against corruption. With that said, it seems Irans next year presidential campaign has already begun, with unprecedentedly deep and complicated dimensions as it appears by now. The crowd was a motley crew of silver-haired rockers, suits, bearded hipsters and young unionists who jumped with reckless abandon to the sounds of Iggy Pop, the Skyhooks and Jet. Donning "It's time" T-shirts and drinking stubbies of Melbourne Bitter, Labor loyalists came from all corners to watch Anthony Albanese's gig at Richmond's Corner Hotel on Wednesday night. DJ Albo knows how to throw a party and it's a total time-warp. Labor stalwart Anthony Albanese's 'DJ Albo' alter ego has become something of a cult figure since he first hit the decks several years ago, with an infamous photo of a young Mr Albanese now simply coined "hot Albo". Labor MP Anthony Albanese showed off some impressive DJ skills during his Melbourne gig. Credit:Ebony Bowden The rock star reception for the Member for Grayndler shows just how popular the Labor politician is. More than 300 people bought tickets to the charity gig, raising $10,000 for Reclink, an organisation that promotes arts and sports initiatives for the disadvantaged. The crowd erupted when Mr Albanese hit the stage at around 9.30pm, chanting "Albo" as their DJ queued up a playlist of Melbourne bands on Spotify an amateur move that didn't seem to offend anyone in the slightest. What started off as a relatively tame set grew progressively louder as the night went on. Groupies flooded the stage, dancing around Mr Albanese in what would be a security issue for any politician less humble than Albo. There are certain special shows that touch a nerve with viewers. They're not always Game of Thrones-like phenomena, with fans hungry to find out what will happen next and who will survive the winter in Westeros. And they're not always crime stories with their addictive whodunits. Sometimes, the series that resonate with audiences are gentler options that nurture a warm sense of connection to and engagement with their fictional worlds. Their fans just enjoy spending time with the characters and their communities, and, when these shows disappear, the sense of loss is acute. These cherished productions could be comedies, dramas or combinations of the two and they seem to punch above their weight in terms of cultural impact. Often, they feature welcoming enclaves, inclusive and forgiving places where idiosyncrasies are tolerated, even embraced. Think of the rosy glow of Stars Hollow in Gilmore Girls and the coastal charm of SeaChange's Pearl Bay. Remember the inviting couches at the Central Perk coffee shop in Friends, the glittering Manhattan evoked by Sex and the City, or the quirky allure of Lochdubh in Hamish Macbeth. After a lengthy break Offspring returns for its eagerly-anticipated sixth season. Offspring is one of Those Shows. When it wrapped its fifth season in August 2014, ending amid feverish speculation about its future, a widespread sense of dismay was evident. People weren't ready to say goodbye to Nina (Asher Keddie) and the Proudman family. Offspring seemed to be bowing out on a high, perhaps adhering to the showbiz adage of leaving 'em wanting more, but maybe exiting the stage too soon. However, to mangle Mark Twain, reports of its death proved premature, with Offspring returning amid eager anticipation and conjecture about whether or not it can recapture the magic and again strike the same resonant chord with viewers. Employee leave entitlements should be paid into a blind personal account much like superannuation so that workers can carry it between contracts and employers, according to the nation's peak union body, the ACTU. Prospective employers would have no way of knowing of the accrued leave entitlement of job applicants. The call for a radical reworking of the annual leave system to make it fully portable, comes as unions lament the casualisation of the workforce and press Malcolm Turnbull to reveal his plans for Australia's industrial relations system over the next term. A senior vet was expelled from her government role after she exposed the pain and suffering of the live cattle export trade, including animals coated in faeces and dying of heat exhaustion. ABC's 7.30 program on Wednesday night aired shocking footage and photographs taken by the experienced vet, Dr Lynn Simpson, who monitored the health and welfare of cattle on export ships. The images depicted animals lying dead on floors centimetres-thick with excrement, which had also contaminated food troughs. The Melbourne Fashion Festival will expand from a week to 18 days next year, after record attendances at this year's festival and a slight change in strategy for the event. On Tuesday night, festival chief executive Graeme Lewsey told a gathering of Melbourne's leading fashion identities at Parliament House that the 2017 festival would run from March 1-19. The 2016 festival which marked the event's 20th anniversary included a month-long creative program through February and March, and a core runway week from March 6 until the Labour Day weekend. Next year's event will focus the entire program around 18 jam-packed days of runways, business seminars and creative events, a spokeswoman confirmed on Wednesday. The state government says it will legislate to limit the amount of money local councillors can spend on their election campaigns, but not in time for upcoming elections, which the opposition says is a loophole and broken commitment. The state government moved on Tuesday a raft of measures to reform local government, including a $2500 caps on donations to candidates and preventing councils from voting on any development matters in which any councillors or staff have an interest. But the legislative package, known sometimes as the 'Mehajer' reforms, in reference to the controversial developer-politician on Auburn council and the subject of public outcry, do not limit how much councillors can spend on campaigns. Councillors currently can spend unlimited amounts in campaigns for the third-tier of government, despite limits for candidates and parties at state elections. Brisbane's northern and bayside suburbs will have access to a new tertiary campus at Petrie by 2020, regardless of who wins the July 2 federal election. Moreton Bay Regional Council has for the past two years been pushing ahead with plans to build a new university campus on 200 hectares on the site of the old Petrie paper mill, now being demolished. An artist impression of the university campus planned for Petrie. In the past week, both the Liberal Party and the Labor Party have committed money to get the project under way by 2020. Federal Treasurer Scott Morrison, in Petrie on Tuesday, confirmed that if Malcolm Turnbull was re-elected as prime minister, the Liberals would commit $35 million to the campus. Police are hunting two men over a carjacking in Logan that left a 23-year-old man in hospital. The duo forced the man out of his car in Woodridge on Monday morning, before he was stabbed twice and left lying on the footpath, police said. Police are investigating a suspected car jacking in Logan. Officers later found his 2011 Mitsubishi Lancer in a nearby street. A police spokesman said they had not yet been able to speak to the victim after he was treated in hospital. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif underlined Irans commitment to the nuclear agreement the country struck with the six world powers (the US, Russia, China, France, Britain and Germany), and called on the other side to do the same, IRNA reported. Zarif made the remarks in a joint press conference with his French counterpart Jean-Marc Ayrault here on Wednesday. Iran has completely fulfilled its commitments in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and it is not deviating from the same; on the other hand the other side should not deviate from its commitments, the top Iranian diplomat said. Zarif voiced his satisfaction in his talks with the senior French officials, and said that he has paved the way for cooperation in different areas after President Hassan Rouhanis visit to France. Cruise operator Carnival Australia says it's unclear when a young boy injured in a deadly Vanuatu bus crash will travel home. On Wednesday afternoon, P&O Cruises told reporters "his condition has improved and he is no longer listed as critical". Three locals, including a heavily pregnant woman, died and 10 Australians were injured when a tour bus collided with a local bus on Monday afternoon. On Wednesday, police were still waiting for the driver of the tour bus to be released from hospital to charge him with reckless driving causing death. Cold case detectives have made a breakthrough in the mysterious death of part-time model Janita McNaughton who was shot dead on a speedboat 32 years ago. The only four witnesses on the boat initially told police she had been shot from the shore by an unknown gunman but later gave a second version indicating it was an accident. McNaughton, 23, was shot between the eyes on a holiday pleasure trip on Western Port on December 27, 1983. Career criminal Christopher Binse must spend at least another decade in prison after failing in his bid to have a long jail term cut. Binse, known as "Badness" and notorious for a history of armed robberies and for a 44-hour siege at his Keilor East home, is currently serving an 18-year jail term that was imposed two years ago for offending in the first half of 2012, which included robbing two Armaguard officers of $235,000 and the siege, during which he fired shots at an armed police vehicle. In 2012 Christopher Binse pointed a shotgun at two Armaguard officers, before demanding their bag of money. Credit:Channel Ten Binse last month appealed against the sentence imposed in 2014 and argued it was manifestly excessive given his worsening mental health. The 47-year-old has spent about 30 of the past 33 years in some form of custody, including a stint in Pentridge's H Division as a teenager. Two Melbourne policemen have been charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice following a review by the Office of Public Prosecutions that has overruled a decision made by one of Victoria Police's most senior officers. The OPP recommendation to lay perjury charges against the officers allegedly involved in the assault of two teenagers delivers a sharp rebuke to Assistant Commissioner Brett Guerin, who is responsible for the force's internal watchdog, Professional Standards Command. Senior Constable Dennis Gundrill. Credit:Eddie Jim Last month, Fairfax Media revealed Mr Guerin had decided not to charge the officers with perverting the course of justice or perjury, despite the findings of an internal police investigation relating to an altercation outside a Vermont convenience store on Christmas morning in 2014. It is understood at least three senior officers involved in the internal investigation supported a move to lay the more serious charges of perjury or attempting to pervert the course of justice against Leading Senior Constables Dennis Gundrill and Simon Mareangareu. In the wake of the murder of a British MP, a Victorian minister is looking to tighten his personal security after his face appeared on a poster over what looks like a target. Small Business Minister Philip Dalidakis is enraged after posters appeared in the windows of businesses in Ormond, Bentleigh and McKinnon titled "Small business assassination squad". Premier Daniel Andrews with Small Business Minister Philip Dalidakis. Credit:Wayne Taylor The posters carry his and Premier Daniel Andrews' face on them. Police have discovered the body of 18-year-old Aaron Pajich buried in an Orelia backyard, and charged two women with murder. The Warnbro teenager, who had Asperger's syndrome, was last sighted in Rockingham on Monday June 13, and was believed to have gone to see a man and a woman he met on a gaming website. Police said the Major Crime Squad joined the investigation into his disappearance on Sunday and on Wednesday, they announced the discovery of the body and the charges against the Orelia women, aged 42 and 25. Detective Senior Sergeant Dave Gorton of Major Crime Squad said police found a freshly laid slab of concrete at the home on Broughton Way, where the two women reside, which they dug up to find the body of Mr Pajich underneath. A Perth woman alleged to have left her young step-children home alone in Perth while she flew to Bali is due in court on Wednesday. The 28-year-old is facing two charges of engaging in conduct knowing it might result in harm to a child in her care. It is understood she flew overseas earlier this month to renew her visa while the children's father was also overseas. The woman has told media she was unable to take the children as their passports were lost in the mail, though Australia Post has said the passports had left Australia for their intended Chinese delivery and was the responsibility of Chinese authorities. Munich: 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. An industrial robotic arm pours a glass of beer at the Automatica trade fair in Munich on Tuesday. Credit:Bloomberg 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. French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault called for long-term cooperation with Iran, and described Tehran as a great trade partner for Paris, IRNA reported. The French foreign minister made the remarks in a joint press conference with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif here on Wednesday. We want to have long-term cooperation with Iran, the French foreign minister said. After President Hassan Rouhanis visit to France, we are happy that you are our guest, Ayrault added. He congratulated Zarif for the nuclear agreement, and described it as historical response to Irans nuclear program. Of course this was a difficult subject and it is important for us and shows many solutions to us, Ayrault said. He reiterated that the nuclear agreement benefits both sides, and said, A new way opened for Iran after this agreement and France can be a great partner. Ayrault said that he held talks with Zarif on issues related to Syria, Lebanon and the painful situation of Yemen that has influenced the region. The region needs peace and it is important; we want to have a long-term cooperation with Iran, he added. Baku, Azerbaijan, June 22 By Khalid Kazimov Trend: Nineteen Iranian citizens were killed and 35 injured after a bus fell into a valley in Irans southern province of Fars. Morteza Salimi, a provincial official with Iranian Red Crescent Organization, said the accident took place on the Neyriz-Sirjan road at 01:20 (GMT+4:30) local time, ISNA news agency reported June 22. According to the report, 16 were killed immediately following the accident and the three passed away at a hospital. The Euro 2016 tournament saw its first real goal-fest in Lyon on Wednesday night as Hungary and Portugal racked up six scores between them to draw their Group F clash. It was the Hungarians who had already qualified for the last 16 who took the initiative in the first half. Fielding a team with no less than five changes from their last starting XI, it was an 18th-minute cross from the right which found Zoltan Gera whose left-footed kick sent the ball past keeper Rui Patricio. Portugal dominated possession in the first half and had the greater number of shots on goal, but Fernando Santos's men looked far from assured at Parc Olympique Lyonnais. However, it only took a little touch of class from Cristiano Ronaldo in the 42nd minute whose pass to Nani cut open the Hungarian defense. Nani duly finished on the left foot, sending the ball low and hard past 40-year-old Gabor Kiraly. However, in the second half both teams tore up the script with a flurry of scores at either end in short succession. Hungary hit Portugal straight after the break with Balazs Dzsudzsaks 47th-minute free kick coming off a Portugal defender to end up in the net, making it 2-1 to Bernd Storck's men. But it was Real Madrid star Ronaldo who hit back shortly after. He latched on to a 50th minute cross from the right before burying it in the Hungarian net, leaving the sides level. Hungary was not playing like a side which had already qualified. Five minutes later it was Dzsudzsak again. His initial free kick was blocked but he remained composed to control the rebound and launch a rocket past Patricio, giving the Hungarians a 3-2 lead. There was to be one more twist in the tale. Ronaldo, having been reduced to apoplexy by Dzsudzsak's second score, banged home a 61st-minute header to leave the sides level at 3-3 apiece. In Wednesday's other Group F match, Iceland snatched a late 2-1 win over Austria, with Arnor Traustason scoring in the 90th minute and sending them through to the last 16. About halfway through a press conference with seven conservative Christian leaders who had just met with Donald Trump in New York City, a reporter asked the attendees to raise their hands if they were endorsing him. No one raised their hands. The Conversation on Americas Future with Donald Trump and Ben Carson, a massive conference that drew hundreds to the Marriott Marquis near Times Square, wasnt about endorsing Trump, the leaders said. It was about beginning a conversation with him to see how he was going to protect religious liberty after two terms of a president they thought started to destroy it. This is a process as Ive stated, Tony Perkins, the president of the Family Research Council told reporters. There are some very concrete things that have to take place. Donald Trump does not have a track record when it comes to being in public office. The best indicator of future performance is past performance. Perkins, who - like many top evangelical leaders - previously supported Ted Cruzs campaign said that it will be important to see if Trump willingly accepts the tenets of the party platform at the upcoming Republican National Convention. He is just one of many evangelical leaders who have cold feet about fully backing Trump, a candidate who has graduated from being pro-choice to wanting punishments for women who have abortions; who has mispronounced biblical terms, said hes never asked for forgiveness and questioned whether heaven and hell really exist. Throughout the press conference, Perkins and the other leaders in attendance found themselves in awkward spots as they tried to defend a person they once condemned as amoral. As recently as March, Perkins expressed concern that Trumps past dalliances with women would make him a problematic candidate for many evangelicals. I am very concerned about what may happen in a general election, especially once a lot of focus is placed on Donald Trump, his past positions, his personal affairs, conduct, various things I think thats going to have an impact on the way evangelicals respond in the general election, he said just three months ago. Perkins, as well as Susan B. Anthony List president Marjorie Dannenfelser, found themselves on the defensive on Tuesday as they attempted to legitimize their lukewarm support of Trump months after blasting him during various stages of the primary. I will be the first to say that he was not my first choice. We were very vocally opposed to his nomination, Dannenfelser told reporters on Tuesday. In January, her pro-life organization encouraged caucus-goers in Iowa to vote for anyone but Trump, calling him unacceptable. But they later praised Trumps list of proposed Supreme Court justice replacements, something Dannenfelser reiterated after Tuesdays conference. Still, she and the other leaders were impressed with Trumps address earlier in the day which took place behind closed doors. According to reports from attendees inside, the presumptive Republican nominee emphasized that he would appoint pro-life Supreme Court justices and end the ban on tax-exempt groups ability to endorse and be involved in the political process (a result of the decades-old Johnson Amendment). His campaign did not respond to a request for comment about the remarks. I think maybe that will be my greatest contribution to Christianity and other religions, is to allow you, when you talk religious liberty, to go and speak openly, and if you like somebody or want somebody to represent you, you should have the right to do it, Trump said at the conference, according to The Washington Post . Some of the big names in attendance included Focus on the Family founder James Dobson, former Christian Coalition head Ralph Reed and Franklin Graham, Billy Grahams son. Former presidential candidates Mike Huckabee (who moderated a question-and-answer session) and Ben Carson were also in attendance at the enormous confab. But, as is the case with most of his speeches, Trumps address was not without controversy. The firebrand real estate mogul raised eyebrows after a video from his speech leaked in which Trump seemed to question his opponent Hillary Clintons faith. We dont know anything about Hillary in terms of religion, Trump said of the candidate who has publicly discussed her Methodist faith. Shes been in the public eye for years and years, and yet theres notheres nothing out there, Trump continued. Leaders in attendance were forced to reckon with these remarks after a day that was supposed to focus on Trumps positives rather than Clintons negatives. Weve seen very little public conversation about her faith, Dannenfelser told reporters seemingly agreeing with Trump when asked about his remarks. One thing that is very true, Dannenfelser continued. Her church, her Methodist church has moved away from her abortion position. (Clinton has emphasized during this presidential cycle that she is pro-choice, while the United Methodist Church, according to its website , is pro-life.) Dannenfelser added that Clinton had been invited to participate in a similar conference in the future. Trump has been endorsed by prominent evangelical figures in the past, the most high-profile being Jerry Falwell Jr., whose backing drew the ire of a close associate of his father. In March, shortly after the endorsement, Mark DeMoss, who worked closely with Falwell Sr., condemned the former reality television star. Donald Trump is the only candidate who has dealt almost exclusively in the politics of personal insult, DeMoss said at the time. The bullying tactics of personal insult have no defense and certainly not for anyone who claims to be a follower of Christ. Thats whats disturbing to so many people. Its not Christ-like behavior that Liberty has spent 40 years promoting with its students. Trumps penchant for insulting minorities and his tanking unfavorable ratings with Hispanic and black voters was something that bothered at least one of the leaders in attendance at the conference. We hope he will be more welcoming, Pastor Mark Gonzales, the founder of the Hispanic Action Network told reporters regarding Trumps remarks about Hispanic citizens. We can begin to taper that message. Later, Gonzales told The Daily Beast that Trumps immigration plan had to consist of more than boastful claims about building a wall that divides the United States with Mexico. We want to know what are you going to do beyond the wall, Gonzales said of the Hispanic community. How are we going to fix immigration because its still broken? We have to do something about that. Youre going to have to extend an olive branch. Trump also favors mass deportations as a solution for immigration issues. After the meeting ended, Trumps campaign announced the formation of an Evangelical Executive Advisory Board meant to provide advisory support to Mr. Trump on those issues important to Evangelicals and other people of faith in America. None of the leaders who spoke at the press conference were listed. At the top of the list is none other than former congresswoman and fellow conspiracy theory enthusiast Michele Bachmann. I spoke one on one with Mr. Trump at the first meeting and at the second one about a million people were asked what their question was for Mr. Trump, Bachmann told The Daily Beast before ordering cheesecake at Juniors in Times Square. Their number one question had to do with religious freedom because a lot of people feel like their religious freedoms are being taken away from them; their freedom of expression, freedom of worship in this country. Mr. Trump said hes very committed to the First Amendment. Bachmann, carrying a suitcase that was mostly empty save for Paul Johnsons A History of the Jews, said that people left the meetings feeling more comfortable about backing Trump than they had in the past. I think people needed that time to be able to hear him because a lot of the debates that have been on TV havent necessarily been on issues that people care about. And this was very good. With Mr. Trump, what you see is what you get. After his refined comments catering to conservative Christians today, evangelicals hope that is the case. The evilest man in Westeros is dead. Ramsay Bolton, the bastard whose unhinged depravity made him the most reviled character on TV, was devoured by his own dogs after losing the battle of Winterfellthe same dogs he used to kill his own stepmother and infant half-brother just a few weeks before. He made the littlest Stark, Rickon, run for his life across the battlefield before shooting the boy down in cold blood. He killed the Norths last living giant, Wun Wun. He raped Sansa Stark, murdered his own father, and castrated Theon Greyjoy, traumatizing the prince so deeply he nearly forgot his own identity. As actor Iwan Rheon says, it was time for Ramsay to die. The 31-year-old Welsh actor who brought countless little smirks to scumbag Ramsays repertoire of cruelty says keeping him alive past the Battle of the Bastards would have been absurd. (Most audiences likely agree.) You cant really push it any further without him becoming just ridiculous, Rheon says on the phone from London. I think hed kind of reached a peak with all the horrible things he did. He killed like four, five named characters in this season alone, including the last of the giants. Its all a bit depressing, really. What a scumbag. Rheon laughs self-deprecatingly when describing his turn as Ramsay (ugh, not again, he says he groaned at each scripts description of a new Ramsay atrocity) and sighs wearily at the thought of audiences associating his face with the Bolton bastard in other projectslike his burgeoning music career. I just hope that thats not the rest of my life, he says. Thats all I can say. The Daily Beast talked to Rheon about who hes rooting for now that Ramsay is dead, what his last words to Sansa meant (he wasnt talking about pregnancy), and his ideal vision for the end of Game of Thrones. Are you satisfied with the ending Ramsay got? Did it come sooner or later than you thought it would? I think the guys have got it bang-on, they really nailed the timing of Ramsay. Im satisfied with how he went, I think it came at the right time for the show in terms of moving forward, definitely. So I think in general it was pretty spot-on, yeah. Ive always figured you must be very proud of having elevated the character to the status of most hated man on TV. What have been some of the moments on the show you were most proud of? I dunno, its really flattering actually, that people have responded so well to Ramsayor badly, depends how you look at it. But yeah, its a real honor that people consider him in such high regard in a show thats so full of villains. Its really great. Proud is quite an odd question, but you know, there are some scenes that I thought were great scenes on paper. I thought the shaving scene was fantastically written and the dinner party scene, with the Boltons torturing Sansa, and Reeks scenes were brilliantly written. Im just really pleased to have been part of the show, I feel really lucky and Im really grateful and proud to have been part of something thats so great. How did you read those last few moments of shifting dynamics between Sansa and Ramsay in the last scene? For the first time, she held the power of life or death between the two of them. And he really didnt seem to expect her to be the one to carry out his death sentence. Yeah, its great for Sansas character and her development. All the horror that shes been through has, on one side, really broken something inside her, but then also made her stronger as a result. Which I think is great; shes a real contender now. Its great that the show has another strong female character to add to the list. Its fantastic, Im really looking forward to seeing how she continues to develop in seasons to come. A few of Ramsays last words to Sansa, Im a part of you now, echoed what she told Littlefinger about how she can still feel what Ramsay did to her. How did you read those lines? What hes saying is that no matter what happens, what hes done to her, very much like what he did to Reekto Theon. Theon will never be able to shake off the horror that hes been through and the mental and physical torture. So in the same way, hes saying to Sansa, Ive put my mark on you now. For the rest of your life, you will always remember the horror of the time youve spent with me. Its a very arrogant thing to say, but its probably quite true. Cause how would somebody forget that? Its just him having one last little stab at being powerful when hes in a position where hes sort of low-status. A few people have mistakenly interpreted Ramsays line very literally, as if the only thing he could have meant was that shes pregnant. How the hell would he know that? (Laughs.) I have no idea. Thatd be quite a tricky thing for him to tell, I think. Yeah, no, I think thats people reading into it too much. What was it like filming that last scene opposite Sophie Turner? It was quite uncomfortable for me more than anything, on a technical level, having all the makeup and all that stuff, all the dirt and the blood. But it was great. Im really glad that last scene was with Sansa. If only Reek could have popped in, but he was busy in other parts of the world. He could have sent a little video message or something at least, couldnt he? No, but it was really great. And that was the actual last scene I shot, so it was kind of fitting. What was your reaction every time you got a new script that called for Ramsay to do something as horrible as what he did to Theon, Sansa, or Walda? Ugh, not again! (Laughs.) It gets to the point where youre reading it and youre like, of course hes just fed his stepmother and new baby stepbrother to the dogs. Of course he has, what else was he gonna do? And I think thats another good point as to why I think Ramsays death now [came at] a good time because where else is he gonna go now? You cant really push it any further without him becoming just ridiculous. I think hed kind of reached a peak with all the horrible things he did. Even just in that last episode, he really did reach a peak. He killed like four, five named characters in this season alone, including the last of the giants. Its all a bit depressing, really. What a scumbag. Thats right, you got to kill a giant before your big exit. Well the giant wasnt exactly fighting fit, was he at that point? (Laughs.) Kick while hes down! People recently re-discovered the music video for your bands song Bang Bang and I think the online consensus was that people couldnt help but still see you as Ramsay the unhinged sadist. Is it hard trying to shake off that perception? Yeah, I mean it is worrying. And its a bit embarrassing really, that people have got that lack of an imagination that they cantbut anyway, whatever. Its just like, ugh, I just hope that thats not the rest of my life. Thats all I can say. Who are you rooting for now that Ramsays gone and were so close to the end? Oh, yeah its a tricky one. I kind of think Jon Snow needs to be there at the end because hes probably the only one who is actually honorable. And theres a couple of other contenders. You know, Daenerys, obviously, shes probably the most powerful and if you put your money on anyone, Id put it on her. But she can be a bit mad sometimes and do some crazy stuff. I think Jons a great leader of people and hes got the credentials to certainly emulate his father and at least be Hand of the King or something really important. Maybe to Sansa, who knows. And whats next for you, career-wise? Ill do some more music now, I think. Hopefully Ill do some more writing and recording, maybe do some live showswell see what happens. Theres a few other projects in the pipeline that Im trying to sort of fit and organize at the moment. But yeah, hopefully therell be stuff happening and I wont always play a vicious man and people will find it within themselves to have the imagination to possibly see me as something other than Ramsay Bolton. Boeing is grabbing headlines for its first-of-its-kind, $25 billion deal with Iran Air, Tehrans state-owned airline. But the American aerospace giant isnt exactly publicizing the fact that it paid a lobbying firm to monitor the nuclear agreement that made its $25 billion sale to Tehran possible. Or that Boeing has on its payroll a former top Clinton administration official who used his clout to garner support in the corridors of powers for the Iran deal. Thomas Pickering, one of the countrys most respected diplomats and a and former ambassador to Israel and the United Nations, has been quietly taking money from Boeing while vocally supporting the Iran nuclear dealtestifying before Congress, writing letters to high-level officials, and penning op-eds for outlets like The Washington Post. Pickering confirmed via emailfrom his Boeing corporate email addressthat he was on staff at the company from 2001 to 2006 and has been a paid consultant for them ever since. I was a Boeing employee from 1/2001 to 6/2006, he emailed. I was a direct consultant to Boeing from 7/2006 until 12/2015 when contract for consulting was moved to Hills for my work. Hills refers to Hills & Company International Consultants, where Pickering is a principal. In a previous email, Pickering referred to his contract arrangement with Boeing in the present tense. He didnt respond to a follow-up email asking if he disclosed his relationship with Boeing when discussing Iran with members of Congress and with the press. The Daily Beast found no evidence that he made a habit of making such a disclosure, and will update this piece if we do. News of the impending sale highlights just how much Boeing and Irans state-owned airline both stand to benefit from the nuclear agreement for which Pickering advocated. The fact that Pickering did not regularly disclose his relationship with Boeingwhich, as is now obvious, had a massive financial interest in the implementation of the Iran nuclear agreementhas drawn criticism from government transparency advocates, who consider it to be a violation of ethical standards. Neil Gordonan investigator for the Project on Government Oversight, a Washington watchdog organizationsaid Pickering should have been upfront about his work for Boeing when testifying before Congress on the deal and making the case for it in op-eds for major publications. In Pickerings case, he has a direct connection to Boeing, which I think should be disclosed, he said. I think its necessary for the public debate, Gordon added. Its necessary for the public to fully realize the participants financial interests. Some of them might have a direct financial stake in a particular outcome. Boeing, he added, clearly had a financial interest in the Iran nuclear agreement. The deal reopened the door to American business dealings with Tehran, which time and again had looked to restock its aging fleet of planes with newer, Western models. Gordon compared it to a controversy in 2013 , when many think tank scholars and military experts arguing for a U.S. military presence in Syria didnt disclose that they had financial ties to defense companies that stood to benefit from the intervention. Media outlets presented these commentators as independent, Gordon noted, when they werent. And, he added, Pickerings situation is similar. Over the past few years, Pickering has been one of the most vocal and visible advocates for the nuclear agreement with Iran. On June 19, 2014, he testified before the House Armed Services Committee about his views on the need for a comprehensive agreement with Iran. He did not mention Boeing in the disclosure form he provided to the committee prior to his testimony. Boeing also isnt mentioned in his bio that the House kept on file . Besides testifying before Congress, Pickering also signed a letter on July 7, 2015 , to congressional leadership, along with other former diplomats, urging them to support the nuclear agreement. That letter didnt disclose his connection to Boeing, and it drew broad media coverage, including from the Huffington Post , Politico , and the AP . None of those reports noted his work for Boeing. The White House also cited the letter in its publication The Iran Nuclear Deal: What You Need to Know About the JCPOA. Boeing is not mentioned anywhere in that document. Rep. Mark Takai cited hours discussing the matter with Amb. Thomas Pickering in a press release announcing his support for the Iran deal, and Sen. Dick Durbin name-checked him in a Senate speech arguing for the deal. Additionally, Pickering co-authored a Washington Post op-ed arguing that the deal could help save Iraqand, of course, without disclosing his ties to Boeing. And he wrote an op-ed for Tablet on July 27, 2015, called A Guide for the Perplexed: The Iran Nuclear Agreement arguing for the deal. Again, no mention of Boeing. Tablet described him as a former diplomatand not as a current consultant to a company that stood to make billions off the agreement. His bio at the National Iranian American Council, which generally backs a cooling of tensions between Washington and Tehran and where he serves as an advisory board member, notes that he worked at Boeing until 2006 but does not note that he still consults for the company. Same for his bio at the anti-nuclear weapon group Global Zero. His bio at The Iran Project doesnt mention Boeing at all. Pickering wasnt the only person on Boeings payroll who closely followed the Iran nuclear agreement. A lobbying report filed with the government on Oct. 19, 2015, shows the company paid Monument Policy Group LLC between $5,000 and $50,000 between July 1 and Sept. 30, 2015, to do lobbying work on the agreement, as well as other issues. A separate reportaccessible, like the first one, through a public databaseshows Boeing spent between $5,000 and $4,956,000 lobbying from Oct. 10, 2015, through the end of that year. It lists U.S.-Iran Relations as an issue it worked on. The Washington Free Beacon noted these reports in a story published Jan. 29 of this year. Tim Neale, a spokesman for Boeing, said the company did not take a position on or lobby for the Iran nuclear deal and the negotiations that preceded it. Monument Policy Group passively monitored congressional debate on the nuclear agreement for Boeing, but did not engage congressional offices on the agreement, he added. Our own lobbying activity in Q4 was in response to questions we were getting about the potential for airplane sales to Iran, plus misconceptions about the potential for Ex-Im Bank financing of such sales, which we felt were important to correct. Boeings decision to sell planes to Iran Air has already generated some controversy in Congress. Rep. Peter Roskam, an Illinois Republican, wrote an editorial for USA Today promising to do everything he can to stop the deal from going through. Boeing says it must go wherever Airbus goes, he wrote, citing the fact that the companys European competitor recently signed a deal to sell planes to Iran Air. But history is a merciless disciplinarian to those who make themselves complicit in evil because someone else was doing it. State Department spokesman John Kirby said on Tuesday that it welcomes Boeings plan to sell planes to Iran. And backers of the Iran deal say the sales are an integral part of realizing the promise of sanctions relief. Trita Parsithe president of the National Iranian American Councilsaid Boeings deep interest in the agreement didnt surprise him. Nor did the companys desire to keep a low profile on this issue. Obviously Boeing wants this deal with Iran, but its a tricky one, he said. It has a lot of political dimensions. That is something Boeing would probably prefer not to deal with. Once the deal was approved, Im not surprised that Boeing would step things up a little bit, he said of the companys additional lobbying in the months after the U.S. signed on to the Iran nuclear agreement. Parsi also said Boeing could have drawn unwelcome criticism from the public and from Congress if it publicized its support for the nuclear agreement. I think more than anything else, they were trying to make sure they would put up some sort of buffer against too many members of Congress jumping on the train of condemning Boeing for doing something that it is now legal for them to do, he said. Parsi added that Boeings tentative agreement to sell planes to Iran Air will be critical to the success of the Iran nuclear agreement. If Boeing and Iran Air can finalize and successfully implement the multibillion-dollar sale, it will be easier for other American companies to do business with Iran, he said. On the other hand, if criticism from political leaders and the public makes completing the deal too politically costly for Boeing, then other companies will be unlikely to follow its lead. And if that happens, then Irans sanctions relief will be in word onlythe country wont benefit from the U.S. decision to lift some sanctions, and that could disincentivize its leaders from holding up their end of the agreement. If the Iranians end up de facto not getting sanctions relief, the deal will collapse, he said. Thats right now the biggest threat to the sustainability of the deal. Two days after this article was posted, the Brexiters defied expectations, and won. The campaign to take the United Kingdom out of the European Union, widely known as Brexit, is potentially on the verge of a huge victory Thursday despite overwhelming opposition in the media and among the corporate and political establishment. The outcome matters not just as an expression of arcane British insularity, but as evidence of a growing rebellion against the ever greater consolidation and concentration of power now occurring across all of Europe, as well as here in the United States. In many ways, this rebellions antecedents include our own revolution, which sought to overturn a distant, and largely unaccountable, bureaucracy. Like Lord North, George IIIs prime minister, todays Eurocratic elites spoke of obligations and fealty to the wisdom of the central imperium. What shocked the centralizers then, and once again today, was the temerity of the governed to challenge the precepts of their betters. None of this suggests that Brexit will win this time around, given the massive odds of overcoming so much concentrated establishment power, and the reaction to the brutal slaying of a prominent, pro-EU Labor MP by a deranged neo-Nazi (is there any other kind?). But the fact that the anti-EU rebels have gotten this far (after the Brexiters had surged ahead, polls now show the country evenly split) suggests a growing desire to overturn hyper-centralization with a return to self-government and local control. Given the grisly history of internecine warfare on the old continent , the idea of European integration initially had a certain appealing logic. And indeed the early years of integration promised much: greater prosperity, adherence to democracy and even a guarantee that Europe would retain a powerful voice in the world economy and politics. That promise has faded, as Europe remains locked in what appears a more or less permanent cycle of secular decline and stagnation. Over the past decade, the EU has lagged in terms of both growth and innovation even by our mediocre standards. The EUs poor performance is recognized well beyond Britains borders. Today more than 60 per cent of French voters now hold an unfavorable view of the Union while almost half the electorate in Germany, Spain and the Netherlands have also become Euroskeptic, notes a recent Pew study. In all, these countries rejection of the European project is even greater than in the UKs. Rather than embrace a greater Europe bolstered by millions of newcomers, most Europeans now reject such demographic engineering. This sentiment has been rising, most portentously, among Europes diminished youth. These sentiments help explain the rise in support for Brexit. Much of Britains hard-pressed middle and working classes are disturbed by the current record immigration, much of it from other EU countries, which has occurred despite Prime Minister David Camerons repeated promises to reduce its growth. To this phenomena, one has to consider the recent EU sanctioned mass migration from the Middle East. This can be seen as not just an economic threat, but one that could undermine the hard-won rights achieved women and gays. The language spoken by the Eurocrats may seem liberal and progressive, but their effects on the ground seem profoundly both illiberal and authoritarian, as societies are forced to adapt to the quasi-medieval codes of the newcomers, notably in such matters as separating men and women in public pools. In terms of immigration, populist anger is most powerful in the poorer countries, such as in Eastern Europe, and among the already beleaguered working class in the more prosperous north. Despite Labours support for both large scale immigration and the EU, a recent YouGov poll finds the majority of working-class Brits favor leaving. This growing opposition also stems from growing resentment of an unaccountable, and often haughty, bureaucracy that seeks to impose regulation on everything from the borders to the schools, planning, environment policy, and, perhaps most insulting of all, laws that control the production and distribution of such critical European products as alcohol and cheese. Climate change regulations imposed from Brussels also threaten to further weaken the middle class, even making car ownership too expensive for most drivers. The European and British rebellions have clear parallels here in the United States. If there is any consistent theme to the current Administration, it has been implicit embrace of the European model. This includes the massive expansion both of executive branch regulatory power and a relentless, ever growing assault on the traditional rights of states and local communities to control their own fates. President Obamas use of executive orders, much in the image of the EU bureaucracy, has enhanced federal power into many areas once was the purview of localities, such as public education and transportation, land use and, most absurdly, the regulation of bathroom access. Ultimately, every state, city or town may findas is already the case in Europethat their future lies in the hands of distant bureaucracies , in this case HUD, the EPA, and other federal agencies. As is increasingly true in Europe, the vaunting of the leviathan does not reflect popular will. According to numerous surveys, Americans now fear their own government more than they do than outside threats. In contrast, some 72 percent of Americans, according to Gallup, trust their local governments more than their state institutions. Even millennials, who maintain liberal positions on issues such as immigration and gay marriage, generally favor of community-based, local solutions to key problems. Millennials are on a completely different page than most politicians in Washington, DC, notes pollster John Della Volpe. This is a more cynical generation when it comes to political institutions. This rebellion against ever increasingly centralized powerwhat might be called fashionable fascismis just beginning. It does not reside solely on the far right. Many on the left embrace the ideal of localism as a reaction against globalization and domination by large corporations. Grassroots progressives often embrace the idea of purchasing from local merchants and relying on locally produced agricultural products as an environmental win, and a form of resistance to ever-greater centralized big business control. Of course, prevailing progressive opinion on both sides of the Atlantic embraces central control, often in the form of favor of a technocracy determining energy, economic and land use policies. If the technocrats get their way, we can expect policies aimed at limiting the mundane pleasures of the middle class such as affordable electricity, cheap air travel, cars, and single-family housing. One might hope that progressives who favor the concentration of power when their side is in power might rethink matters if central power were invested in the likes of Ted Cruz, Donald Trump, or Frances Marine Le Pen. After all, Vladimir Putin is an elected leader who has shown how power can be in profoundly illiberal ways. So lets hear it for Brexit, or at least the spirit that animates it: a desire to regain control of our lives, families and communities. What we need - as the British increasingly demand - is tolerance for diverse forms of expression and governance, allowing people, as much as is feasible, to choose how to live. As even the French, who invented modern centralization, increasingly recognize: vive la difference! An aspiring rapper and gun-running felon, who claimed he was Princes biological son, has been shut downby a DNA test. Carline Q. Williams made headlines in the wake of the music icons death, telling the estate that he was conceived during a one-night stand between his mother and Prince in July of 1976. Williams, who is doing time at a supermax prison in Florence, Colorado, asked for a DNA comparison. In court documents, his mother Marsha Henson said she met the then up and coming star in a hotel lobby in Kansas City, Missouri. All were asking is the truth in this matter. Its an unfortunate circumstance, Williamss attorney, Patrick Cousins, told the Associated Press at the time. A representative for Cousins, who had previously done legal work for Prince, said he initially blew off Williams some years ago. The paternity claims were largely met with skepticism and, according to TMZ, the test returned a 0.0 percent chance of any biological connection. With millions at stake, Williamswho has a long rap sheet that includes violence against women, was one of several people who say the Purple Rain superstar was their father. Under Minnesota law, in absence of a will, the discovery of a biological child would end all other rights to the estateincluding Princes surviving siblings. A woman named Taz Walker has come forward, demanding to be tested. The status of Walkers claim is unknown, but the judge in the case sided with estate attorneys and ruled that anyone making a paternity claim must pay the cost of biological testing. Princes DNA was preserved. Tyka Nelson, Princes sister, filed an emergency petition to appoint a special administrator to oversee the estate, which is said be worth an estimated $300 million. She has maintained that Prince had no living children at the time of his death. Even when Donald Trump is given words to read from teleprompterswhich he used to criticizesome of his trademark idiosyncrasies still emerge. He draws in deep breaths, gripping the podium as he deliberately screeches to a halt for applause lines. Jutting out his bottom row of teeth, Trump looks around the room as if to ensure that people are clapping. Hes an entertainer and people must be entertained. But when Trump is reined in with prepared remarks, not flying off the cuff as he does at rallies or on Twitter, those tics are about the only sign that this is the same candidate who has spent a year pushing the envelope as far as it can go. Speaking from his hotel in Soho in New York City, the former reality television star spent almost 45 minutes explaining why Hillary Clinton, a world-class liar, would be a disastrous presidential choice for the country. Trump began by using a strategy that has worked for Clintons primary opponent, Bernie Sanders. She made $21.6 million giving speeches to Wall Street banks and other special interestsin less than 2 yearssecret speeches that she does not want to reveal to the public, Trump said. Together, she and Bill made $153 million giving speeches to lobbyists, CEOs, and foreign governments in the years since 2001. They totally own her, and that will never change. Trump also once again appealed to Sanderss supporters directly, as if using the Vermont senators talking points would seduce Sanders supporters into ignoring Trumps 12 months of race-baiting remarks. Theres no real evidence that this strategy would work; and Sanders (for all his reservations about Clinton) has made it painstakingly clear that he wants to stop Trump at all costs. The speech, with its more reasonable organization and its omission of the phrase Crooked Hillary, seemed to be selling the idea that the Trump train isnt really going off the tracks. It arrives just two days after Trumps embattled campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, was unceremoniously fired from the campaign and after a disastrous financial disclosure form revealed that Trump was scarily short on cash. And while it represented a more thought-out approach than a rally ramble or a late night white supremacist retweet, it was still riddled with inaccuracies. It all started with her bad judgment in supporting the war in Iraq in the first place, Trump said while discussing Clintons foreign policy experience. Though I was not in government service, I was among the earliest to criticize the rush to war, and yes, even before the war ever started. This has been proven false as Trump, in his own words, supported the invasion prior to the fact. He also bashed Clinton for supporting Libyan intervention, something which he pushed for as well. As is common with Trumps speeches, he took liberties with the truth, as when he said that Clintons private email server was hacked by financial backers in Communist China. According to people familiar with the investigation into the former secretary of states server, there was no evidence of foreign hacking. Yet at one point, the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee claimed that it had found evidence of hacking attempts, which may be where Trump got this accusation. Trump also repeated the claim that Clinton was asleep and did nothing in response to the attack in Benghazi, which has been proven false in the past. One area of the winding speech that seemed to show Trump was learning from Paul Manafort, the new head of his campaign, was a passage where the presumptive nominee discussed ISIS and its threat to Muslims. ISIS threatens us today because of the decisions Hillary Clinton has made, Trump said. ISIS also threatens peaceful Muslims across the Middle East, and peaceful Muslims across the world, who have been terribly victimized by horrible brutality and who only want to raise their kids in peace and safety. Previously Trump has argued for a temporary ban on all Muslims entering the United States, a position that Manafort has tried to walk back as merely a suggestion. Trump did not veer off-script too much or ad-lib anything that is going cause headaches for his campaign. But the more information he puts out there in his rhetoric, the more he will have to defend and answer in interviews to come. Near the end of his speech, Trump also promised to appoint Supreme Court justices who uphold the Constitution within his first 100 days (a tall order to say the least). It was a slight departure from his remarks to a closed door evangelical meeting on Tuesday where he promised attendees pro-life judges. Other than delivering speeches with no racial epithets, Trump still has a long way to go to match Clintons staffing, fundraising, and swing-state campaigning. And for now Trumps next stop isnt going to get him many votes. Residents of Turnberry, Scotland cannot vote in the U.S. presidential election. Chart-topping R&B legend Gladys Knight is famous for her chicken and waffles. But it appears the owner of the Atlanta restaurant chain that bears her name was cooking up more than country yard birds . Georgia authorities reportedly smelled something fishy going on at the popular eatery and suspected the proprietor, Shanga Hankerson, was cooking the books. Authorities padlocked three locations in and around Atlanta on Tuesday, and issued seven warrants for his arrest. Hankerson is wanted on a myriad of chargesincluding theft, theft by conversion and tax evasion. The states tax office contends Hankerson, the son of Gladys Knight and music hit maker Barry Hankerson, owes more than $1 million in back taxes and penalties. The problem allegedly started after Hankerson failed to remit sales taxes and employee payroll withholdings, totaling an estimated $650,000. Knight, who lent her name and likeness to the business, is said to have no other connection and is not under investigation. Her son, however, faces numerous criminal and civil charges in connection with the case. Gladys Knight lent her name to her sons restaurants in the Atlanta area, similar to a celebrity endorsement, Knights spokeswoman Laura Herlovich said in a written statement. Ms. Knight was not involved in any way with the operation of the restaurants, and she is sure that her son and his business partners will rectify the situation. Gladys Knights Chicken and Waffles in Midtown, the first of three restaurants, opened to great fanfare in 1997 and quickly became a popular brunch and late-night spot. Open until 4 a.m., late R&B star Aliyah, who was Barry Hankersons niece, as well as then-Mayor Bill Campbell attended the star-studded launch party. There were notable problems along the way. The sparsely decorated restaurants made news in recent week after failing a health inspection. Law enforcement escorted employees from the premises, but the move is said to be temporary and that the establishments will re-open under state receivership. It is never the Department of Revenues primary goal to shut down a business, said the departments Josh Waites, who oversees its office of special investigations. We are working with Mr. Hankersons attorney to have the business up and running again as soon as possible. After telling Florida voters he was too bored in the Senate to represent them, Marco Rubio said he's had a change of heart. On Wednesday, the senator from Florida announced he is running for reelection after repeatedly saying he wouldn't during and after his failed presidential bid. "I understand my opponents will try to use this decision to score political points against me," he said in a statement. "Have at it. Because I have never claimed to be perfect, or to have all the answers." By making the decision to run for Senate, he is making the conscious decision to run on the same ballot as Donald Trumpplacing his fate in the hands of a man he has said he wouldn't trust with the nuclear codes and who destroyed his own bid for the White House. It was only three months ago that Trump defeated Rubio in his home state by 46 to 27 percent. The defeat came after Trump dismissed him as Little Marco and after Rubio responded by calling him a con man and teasing him about the size of his hands and penis. At the heart of the loss in his home state was that Florida tea party movement who felt abandoned by Rubio thanks to his involvement in the so-called Gang of Eights immigration reform push. Rubios mind has apparently changed in part because there was no clear frontrunner on the GOP side to replace him, and he said the mass murder of 49 people at an Orlando LGBT club renewed interest. Its an odd reason to cite, considering his opposition to gun control (he has an 'A' rating from the NRA) and his opposition to gay rights (he opposes same-sex marriage.) Its also odd that Rubio would want to stay in the Senate after he said he was running for the White HOuse precisely because he was frustrated about how little one senator could achieve. Not that he tried all that hard: Rubio attended only 219 out of 339 votes in the Senate in 2015, missing a chamber-high 35.4 percent of all votes. Rubio missed 60 percent of Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearings since he took office in 2011. All in all, Rubio missed 68 percent of hearings for the committees he was on. In October 2015, government watchdogs began to urge Rubio to either show up to votes and earn his $174,000 annual salary, or resign outright to run for president. Jeb Bush, his former home-state governor and mentor, criticized him during the presidential campaign for not showing up to work. Im a constituent of the senator and I helped him and expected he would show up to work, Bush said during an October debate. You can campaign, or just resign and let someone else take the job. His constituents began to notice. Several coastal communities, complained Rubio hasnt done shit to help them with a growing ecological disaster. But after his presidential dreams were shattered, Rubio stopped in to check on them. In some ways and tea party activists in Florida will surely make this point Rubios 2016 Senate run looks a lot like Charlie Crists 2010 Senate run. After all, in 2010, Rubio beat the former Republican and former Florida governor by arguing that Crist was an establishment figure that was out-of-touch and stayed in politics too long. On the presidential campaign trail, Rubio had argued that being in the Senate too long was like taking a rough stone and throwing it in a river, smoothing away all the edges. It took just one year for Marco Rubio to go from Beltway darling to bless his heart. Rubio, whom Florida politicos have known for years as ambition in human form, ran audaciously for the United States Senate in 2010, shoving former Republican governor Charlie Crist out of the way and out of the party in the process. He won a 49 percent plurality in a three-way race against Crist and then-Democratic Rep. Kendrick Meek to claim the office. Even as he ran, it was clear to most Florida political watchers that Rubio viewed the Senate as a mere stepping stone to the presidency. He seized the spotlight in the crafting of an immigration reform that was his star turn. He was considered the guy who could sell the bill to the right. But when he mounted a tour of conservative media outlets to make the pitch, he was roundly rebuffed, including by one of his constituents, Rush Limbaugh of Palm Beach. Rubio quickly abandoned his colleagues, including Arizona Senator John McCain, and disavowed the bill. Rubios flight from immigration reform highlighted one of his less wonderful qualities: his willingness to morph into whatever political form suits his immediate needs. He was anointed by Jeb Bush to become speaker of the Florida House, and shoved aside his best friend at the time, speaker aspirant Gaston Cantens, to get there, figuring there was room for only one Cuban-American leader. He became a tea partier when being a tea partier was the path to Senate power; and ditched the movement soon thereafter. Hes been a neoconservative acolyte of Jeb Bush, and hes been Bushs tormentor, stepping in front of him in line during what friends of Jeb saw as his last chance to be president. In the process, he betrayed a man who throughout his political career had been both benefactor and de facto family. Now, Rubio is mounting his latest reinvention; going from never going to run for re-election to the Senate, to maybe, to yes. Rubio watchers in Florida say the decision has to do with two things: the beseeching of D.C. Republicans like Mitch McConnell, who see Rubio as the partys best chance of holding onto the seat in a tough election cycle; and Rubios desire to run for president again in 2020something he believes he can best do from a Senate perch. But getting back in involves real risks for Rubio. The first risk: his reputation. Rubio may have cleared the field of his most prominent Republican competitors, but among those remaining is Carlos Beruff, a self-funding developer who has made it clear he is willing to put $10 to $15 million into the race on top of the $4 million hes already spent. And Beruff is already hitting Rubio hard on the question of whether hell vow to serve out his full term if reelected rather than running for president and using the Senate as a stepping stone again. Thats a promise it seems unlikely Rubio can make honestly, and he has already refused to be pinned down on the matter when asked by reporters. That future prospect is where the second risk to Rubio lies. If he gets back in and loses in a primary, particularly to a virtual unknown like Beruff, he will be humiliated. If he survives the primary but loses in November (Rep. Patrick Murphy currently leads the Democratic pack), he will be equally so. Its one thing to cede a Senate seat willingly. Losing it would make it very difficult to run for president, given the spotlight that will be on the Florida race. Rubio seemed to seek some assurances from national conservatives this week, reportedly lobbying former rival Ted Cruz and conservative stalwart Mike Lee to essentially draft him publicly to run, to put a movement sheen on it. Both men declined. Democrats have vowed to make life difficult for Rubio. . Murphy reacted to the announcement that Rubio was in with an email blast, saying the famously unhappy Senate warrior abandoned his constituents, and now he's treating them like a consolation prize. Super PACS supporting Democrats have pledged to spend at least $10 million in the effort to unseat him. And Democrats could have a good shot, if Hillary Clinton beats Trump in Florida and has coattails, and if straight-laced, seemingly incorruptible Murphy is the Democratic Senate candidate. Still, there is upside for Rubio. He is leading in the current Quinnipiac poll against either Murphy or fiery Rep. Alan Grayson. He will no doubt have flush campaign coffers, between longtime patrons like former Philadelphia Eagles owner and car magnate Norman Braman, who is said to have poured more than $10 million in the super PACs supporting Rubios presidential bid, and the Republican Senate Campaign Committee. But the campaign is likely to feature a rehash of his worst moments of the past few years: his immigration reversal; his disastrous tiny bottle moment as he delivered the State of the Union rebuttal in 2013; his failure to show up for work; his robot Rubio shellacking at the hands of Chris Christie during the GOP debates; his rather self-serving reaction to Orlando, which he used as the excuse for reconsidering quitting the Senate and which has drawn fire from LGBT rights groups; and his spectacular primary defeat at Trumps hands. Theres one more risk Rubio faces: his long-term brand. As a Senate candidate, Rubio will be under tremendous pressure to make good on his vow to support Trump as the Republican nominee. This on top of the spectacle of someone who spent the waning days of his presidential bid playing the dozens with the man who reduced him to Little Marco oddly saying he would be honored to help Trump in any way. As the rare nationally known Hispanic Republican, and with the presidential candidate in a desperate search for political stars to decorate his potentially B-list-laden Cleveland convention, Team Trump will surely deploy Rubio liberally, to refute the notion of Trumps anti-Hispanic racism. But for Rubio, a primetime speaking slot in Cleveland could be more curse than blessing. He risks becoming Trumps Hispanic human shield; a prospect other Latino politicians, like spurned New Mexico governor Susana Martinez, will be able to avoid, even if they are dragooned into attendance in Cleveland. For so many reasons, a Rubio Senate run seems fraught with career-defining peril. But its peril hes apparently prepared to face, if it means another shot at the White House. Can the National Rifle Association ever be defeated? I cant blame you if youre thinking no. It won again this week, as everyone knew it would. But someday, this dam will break. I admit that these last few days give us little basis for hope, but I do think Connecticut Senator Chris Murphys filibuster had some impact in forcing a vote, albeit an unsuccessful one. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell controls the calendar, decides what gets to the floor. He didnt have to schedule these votes. Granted, his real motivation was undoubtedly to give that small number of Republican incumbents from purple or blue states a chance to cast a reasonable-seeming vote on guns. But public pressure exists, and polling is through the roof on support for banning the purchase of guns by people on terror-watch and no-fly lists. Murphys stand galvanized gun-control forces. After the Newtown shooting in December of 2012, it took five months for the Senate to hold a vote. This time it took a week. That may not seem like much, especially given that both efforts came to the same bleak end, but this is progress of a sort. These things take a long time. It was mildly encouraging, too, to see some red-state Democrats vote for gun legislation sponsored by Dianne Feinstein. To NRA hard-liners, she is Satan. There are four red-state Democrats who risk political suicide if theyre not careful on guns: Joe Donnelly of Indiana, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, Joe Manchin of West Virginia, and Jon Tester of Montana. All but Heitkamp voted for Feinsteins amendment to prevent gun purchases by anyone whos been on a terror watch list for the last five years. It should be noted that only Donnelly voted for the other Democratic measure, introduced by Murphy and Chuck Schumer, which sought to close the gun-show loophole. And all four of these Democrats opposed a weak amendment from Republican Chuck Grassley. But ultimately, yes, the votes were election-year theater. Heres how ridiculous the whole thing is. Maine Republican Susan Collins has this compromise bill that would ban purchases of guns by people on the no-fly list. Thats to get Democratic support. Then it allows people to appeal such a decision, which is supposed to lure Republicans, whove said they dont like the ban because some people have been incorrectly put on those lists. You might think that that would mean that enough senators from both parties could vote yes. But as of Tuesday afternoon, a Senate source explained to me, no other Republican had yet signed on to Collinss bill. A small number presumably wouldMark Kirk of Illinois, whos facing a tough reelection fight in a very blue state, maybe a few others. But Collins would need 15 or 16 Republicans to back her to get the 60 votes needed to end cloture. Thats as close to impossible as anything can be. Now it gets even more baroque: Despite this lack of Republican enthusiasm, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell may well give Collins a vote anyway. McConnell, of course, has no personal interest in compromise on this issue. Hes NRA all the way. However, he probably wants a vote for the sake of Kirk, New Hampshires Kelly Ayotte, Pennsylvanias Pat Toomey, Wisconsins Ron Johnsonthat is, all the Republicans up for reelection in blue states. Itll look nice to voters back home that they cast a bipartisan gun vote. But of course Democratic leader Harry Reid knows this, and so he might respond to such a move by McConnell by encouraging his caucus to vote against the Collins measure, thereby denying Kirk and the rest the desired bipartisan cover. Capische? So the bill that is an actual compromise, the one bill on which both sides might actually have been able to agree, at least in theory, is the very bill that might lose by something like 95-5. Its not just ridiculous. Its immoral. How high do the carcasses need to pile? I sense were starting to reach the point where were going to learn the answer to that question. This just cant go on forever. For starters, if Hillary Clinton maintains her lead and is elected president, one of the first things shes going to do is put a liberal on the Supreme Court, making for a 5-4 liberal majority. Even if she settles for Merrick Garland, signs are hed back gun control measures (the NRA already came out against him). That could lead to an overturning of District of Columbia v. Heller, which vastly expanded individual gun-ownership rights. Given enough time, and maybe an Anthony Kennedy or a Clarence Thomas retirement and thus a 6-3 liberal majority, it could lead to still bigger changes in gun-law jurisprudence. That would lead a defensive NRA to try to tighten its grip on Congress even more. And that will probably work, for a time. But it will embolden the anti-NRA forces too. Momentum will then be on their side. And the mass killings will continue, and the bodies will pile up, and public outrage will grow. And one of these days, therell be a tragedy that will make everyone, even the number of Republicans whod be needed to break a filibuster, say enough. It would have to be just the right kind of thing, click all the demographic boxes just righta white man who bought an assault weapon with no background check and went on a rampage and killed many white people in a heavily Republican part of the country. Im not wishing this on anyone, but then, I dont need to. As we continue to do nothing, the odds increase daily that it will happen. Things look awful until, one day, they suddenly dont. The day Rosa Parks sat down on that bus, I bet not that many people would have predicted that a president would sign a civil rights bill just nine years later. The evil that is the NRA is so thoroughgoing and so repulsive to most Americans that it just cant last forever. Newtown and Orlando energized millions of people. The LGBT community, I gather, is going to embrace gun-control as an issue. Theyre organized, and they have money and clout. The old saying that pro-gun people vote on that issue while anti-gun people dont isnt as true as it once was. So be angry about what happened. But Wayne LaPierres day will come, and maybe sooner than we think. And what a day it will be. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday that the "parallel state in Turkey had been broken into pieces like a "glass palace", Anadolu reported. "We saw and are seeing the fate of the betrayal gang, which was called the parallel state structure," Erdogan told NGO representatives during an iftar (fast-breaking dinner) in the capital, Ankara. Headed by Fetullah Gulen, a U.S.-based preacher who runs a network of schools and commercial enterprises in Turkey and around the world, what is known as the parallel state allegedly represents a clandestine group of Turkish bureaucrats and senior officials. These have been accused of being embedded in the countrys institutions, including the judiciary and the police, in an attempt to overthrow the government. Erdogan said non-governmental organizations "strongly" supported Turkey in its fight against terrorist organizations and the parallel structure. "I expect you [NGOs] to be in solidarity also in other fields," he added. Im upset, Stephen Colbert said when he sat down at his desk Tuesday night. We all have jobs to do, right? Im doing my job right now, and Ive got these cameras in here to prove it. And after the attacks in Orlando, Florida, I thought maybe the government might do their job and pass any kind of law, even a fig leaf to justify their existence. Well, for thinking that, I owe myself an apology. As the Late Show host explained, the Senate did manage to hold a vote this week on a few different moderate gun control measures that would have made strides in the effort to keep guns out of the hands of potential terrorists, but perhaps unsurprisingly, they all failed to pass. They couldnt even agree to keep people on the terror watch list from buying high-powered assault rifles, he said, adding that it was easy to feel hopeless when the media predicted nothing would come of the various partisan bills. I dont understand you senators, Colbert said. Ninety-two percent of Americans want to expand background checks for gun buyers, and you just ignore them. Since when does 8 percent of the population get to have total control of an issue? Thats like taking your entire family on a cross-country car trip and letting grandma choose all the music. For a moment, it seemed like Colbert might continue down the overly reasonable and deferential path he went down during his post-Orlando interview with Bill OReilly, but then he stopped himself. You know what? Fuck that. Im going to take the gloves off, he said. Hey, Senate, Ive seen bugs trapped in amber move faster than you, Colbert said, mic in hand. Hey, you guys think a terrorist watch list is when you put Homeland on your Netflix queue. You know what? You might as well ask the gun lobby to check for a hernia, as long as theyve got your balls in their hand. Even worse, he added, You accomplish so little that Kylie Jenner wants to know what the hell you do for a living and You are so divided, you couldnt come together if you had 30 hours and a reach-around from Sting. As the host said at the end of the segment, he was still upset but he felt a little better after giving Congress a piece of his mind. During the siege, we were hit with 50 ISIS car bombs, Mutasim Abbas told me. Each car was filled with 10 tons of explosive. Abbas is the commander of the Mutasim Brigade (the name, he assures me, is just a coincidence), one of a mere handful of Syrian rebel groups backed by the U.S. Department of Defense to defeat ISIS. Ive been fighting them for three and a half years, Abbas said, in an often digitally shaky Skype conversation. I joined the Pentagons train and equip program a year and a half ago and started coordinating with the U.S. to get my men trained in Turkey and to call in U.S. airstrikes. Based in the city of Marea in Aleppo province, the Mutasim were recently able to break ISISs weeks-long siege, which had in effect cut the rebels off from their comrades in Azaz, at the Syrian-Turkish border. Before they broke the siege, Abbass menaround 400 in totalwere unable to receive ground resupply from the United States even as they faced an onslaught of 1,000 well-armed and well-trained jihadists, about the same number that reportedly held Fallujah in Iraq until it was retaken by Iraqi forces at the weekend. ISIS are highly skilled, very ready and mentally prepared, Abbas said. After they get cornered, theyll blow themselves up and not get taken alive. The Mutasim Brigades fortunes began to turn two weeks ago when it became the first ever exclusively Sunni Arab rebel militia in Syria to receive airdropped U.S. supplies. Abbas gave me an inventory of U.S. Central Commands largesse. The first airdrop (and there have been several since) consisted of 70,000 bullets for Kalashnikovs, 40,000 bullets for PKS [machine guns], 100,000 mortars [mortar shells]. The trouble is, every time ISIS attacks the Mutasim Brigade, it cost the latter more than double those amounts for every type of ammunition. Ammo for heavier firepower, such as recoilless rifles, has occasionally made its way to Marea but, curiously, not in the latest exigent supply runs. Commander Kyle Raines, a CENTCOM spokesman, told The Daily Beast: "When we conduct resupply missions, they are given standard equipment ranging anywhere from weapons and ammunition to communication gear." Within days of receiving the airdropped cargo, the rebels managed to expel ISIS from four villages between Marea and Azaz, and four more along the Turkish border. The number of ISIS fighters was minimal because they had retreated, Abbas said. He credits heavy U.S. airstrikes with scattering the enemy and reckons that around 350 jihadists were killed in the breaking of the Marea siege. However, even more important than the recapture of vital terrain is the morale boost U.S. provision has given to rebels inside Aleppo. Abbas claims that the Mutasim Brigade has fielded hundreds of applications from other militiamen in Marea to join up with it. We are now 400, approved by the Pentagon, with 50 who have been trained directly by the U.S. military. But after the last week we could easily reach 1,500. These new recruits have to be approved first. Assuming any or all of them were to go for basic training in Turkey, how long would that take? Anywhere from 15 to 45 days, Abbas answered. And sometimes as few as nine days. But, he insists, everyone seeking to join the Mutasim Brigade already knows how to fight. They just need the hardware to carry on. I asked him what the Pentagons protocol for approving new fighters consists of, particularly in light of the serial embarrassments (kidnappings by al Qaeda, auctioned-off gear to al Qaeda) of previous train and equip graduates. We ourselves vet the names before we submit them to the Americans, Abbas explained. Then the Pentagon checks these names against Interpol or national counterterrorism lists. So basically the already-approved rebels themselves are asked to vouch for the integrity and non-extremism of new enlistees and, provided no one turns up on an international no-fly or wanted list, the newbies are in the program? Yes. Thus far, it has worked to the Mutasim Brigades advantage that its commander sees ISIS and the official al Qaeda franchise Jabhat al Nusra as graver threats to Syria than even the Assad regime, which has killed and displaced far more people nationwide. This is by no means a view commonly held by others Arab insurgents who originally took up arms against Damascus. When extremist groups started festering in our society, we specialized in fighting them. We redirected our battles just to fighting ISIS and other extremists who we believe are jeopardizing Islam and our existence. Once we get rid of ISIS,Abbas said, inverting the usual rebel priorities, then the regime will crumble. As for the Mutasim Brigades relationship with Americas principal ground proxy, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), here he does sound like most Arab insurgents. Marea wasnt just besieged by ISIS on its eastern flank; it was also besieged by the SDF on its western flank. We feel a lot of animosity toward them. We tried to get a lot of our injured out through ambulances but we were rejected multiple times. Recently, the SDF did allow the injured out, but its a one-sided treatment. They started the siege against Marea. Abbas believes in U.S. reassurances that an independent or semi-autonomous statelet of Rojavawhat Kurds call Syrian Kurdistanis not one of the intended side effects of a Kurdish-led campaign against ISIS in the north, now focused on the so-called Manbij pocket, east of Marea, where ISIS is now completely surrounded. The coalitions plan is to allow Arabs in these liberated areas to govern themselves once the ISIS fighters are driven away by a Kurdish vanguard, a hopefulnot to say utopiandeference to pluralism in a part of the world not well known for it, especially of late. The success or failure of that policy could mean the success or failure of keeping ISIS permanently out of areas it once ruled in Syria. In their recent dissent cable lambasting the Obama administrations Syria policy, 51 State Department officials expressed their pessimism about the prospects for this strategy. The Kurds, they wrote, cannotand should notbe expected to project power and hold terrain deep into non-Kurdish areas. For Abbas, its even simpler. Demography, he believes, is destiny. There are thousands and thousands of Arab families in that area, he said, and theres no way the Kurds can create [Rojava] without obliterating both sides. Internecine fighting between Arabs and Kurds has already been well-documented across northern Syria. Amnesty International has accused the YPG militias, the main fighting arm of the SDF, of razing Arab homes and forced displacement of local residents, actions that amount to war crimes. Some Arab rebel groups, such as the Saudi-backed Army of Islam, have also shelled or rocketed the YPG in Aleppo, killing civilians and, in one instance, allegedly using chemical agentsa claim the Army of Islams spokesman refutes. Last week, the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the Mutasim Brigade destroyed a YPG bulldozer outside Marea with a TOW anti-tank missiles, a staple of CIA-backed rebel groups in Syria. Several of these munitions were indeed spotted in the area, but Abbas swears his men didnt fire any: The U.S. never gave us any TOWs. If wed had or shot one, we would have issued a press release. In fact, Abbas badly wants and needs anti-tank missiles, as well as night-vision goggles and armored vehicles, all of which ISIS has in ample supply. He cant understand why the United States has provided them given the Mutasim Brigades proven effectiveness and reliabilitynot to mention fortitude. In late May, the brigade was hit by U.S. warplanes in a friendly fire incident Washington has since acknowledged. And before that, it was also targeted by the Russians in what was by no means the first time Moscow has struck U.S. assets in Syria. Just last week, Russian Su-34s conducted a double tap bombing run against U.S. and U.K.-trained anti-ISIS rebels at al-Tanf, near the Jordanian border in eastern Syria, forcing the U.S. Navy to scramble two F/A-18 fighter jets, which flew close enough to visually identify the Russian bombers. When the F/A-18s left to refuel, the Su-34s returned and bombed the rebels a second time. It was the boldest provocation yet by the Russians; though all it prompted was a U.S. commitment to better coordinate with them. Four months ago, we were attacked very strongly by the Russians and the regime because the regime tried to open the road to Nabul and Al Zahra, Abbas said, referring to two rebel-besieged Shia villages in Aleppo. The Kurds, meanwhile, were busy retaking the border town of Tal Rifaat from ISIS. So Mutasim was attacked. We were surprised. Why would we be hit by the Russians when we were only fighting ISIS? What assurances have the Mutasim Brigade been given by CENTCOM that theyll be protected from further Russian or regime sorties? None, he answered. This piece has been updated since publication to include a comment from CENTCOM. There are more than 20 states in the U.S. where growing small amounts of marijuana is legalNorth Carolina isnt one of them. Those caught cultivating cannabis in the Tar Heel State are usually slapped with a felony, prison time, and anywhere from a $200 to $200,000 fine. Unless, apparently, that person is a police officer. Take the case of Thomas Daniel Gaskins. Police arrested the 33-year-old on June 13 in connection to 11 marijuana plants found in a forest. The plants were bizarrely uncovered after landscaping men noticed a hose had been attached to a fire hydrant. They traced it into the woods where police found close to a dozen pot plants and evidence allegedly linking them to Gaskins. Upon searching Gaskinss home, cops say they found a small amount of marijuana, various paraphernalia, and a closet that had been converted into an indoor grow operation (which had yet to be used). At the time of his arrest, Gaskins, a father of two and former deputy sheriff at a local police station, worked as a police officer at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Salisbury, North Carolina. Local news confirmed the arrest and initially reported that he had been charged both with manufacturing and possession of marijuana. But later reports began reflecting that he had only been charged with possession, a misdemeanor. A clerk at the Rowan County District Court told The Daily Beast that Gaskins will be heading to court in mid-July but said that confirmed that he is not facing any cultivation charges. Just possession of marijuana and paraphernalia, she said, reading from his file. After multiple calls to the Rowan County Sheriffs Office, an officer answered the phone and said he was familiar with the Gaskins case. When asked if he was charged with possession or manufacture of the drug, he replied both. But after learning that his court record reflected only the possession, he put the phone on hold. Upon returning, he said to reach out to the lead detective on the case who, at the time of publishing, has not returned multiple requests for comment from The Daily Beast. If Gaskins has gotten off without being charged for the plants, its seemingly not for lack of evidence. According to the official police report, obtained by NBC Charlotte, there was enough to issue a warrant. Brian Nichols, the officer on the case, arrested Gaskins under the charge that he was planting and growing 11 marijuana plants, with the use of a town fire hydrant, in a wooded area, according to the report. His crime is listed as a Class I felony, punishable by three to eight months in prison. Based on his arrest report, Gaskins was released 24 hours later. Lt. Sergeant Patrick Reagan all but defended the officer to local news. While this may have just been a bad mistake, a lack of judgment on this persons part, we certainly dont condemn them or condone their actions in any way, either, he said. In the same interview, Reagan said that police werent clear whether Gaskins was growing the marijuana for himself or to distribute to others. Gaskinss wife reportedly is a nurse at the VA, where veterans go to seek treatment from everything from chronic pain to post-traumatic stress disorder. Perhaps ironically, marijuana has proven to be successful in treating PTSD. Yet because its still federally illegal, the drug is unavailable to most veterans. So its possible that Gaskinss alleged weed operation was meant for altruistic purposes. Indeed, former coworkers remember Gaskins as a good worker. Mark Francisco, internal affairs sergeant for the Brunswick County Sheriffs Office, said he was a deputy sheriff at his office for two or three years. The two didnt interact muchwhich, considering Franciscos role, is a good thing. If there was complaint about him doing drugs, or something to that effect, I would have known about it, Francisco said. From what Francisco remembers, Gaskins left on good terms, citing something to do with his wife moving to Charlotte. The two men werent friends, but close enough that the idea of a marijuana violation caught him off guard when authorities reached out last week. I was surprised, he told The Daily Beast. I didnt know he was using drugs. None of this of course is to imply that Gaskins was a serious criminal, or that he deserves decades of jail time. But whether he (seemingly) got off with a misdemeanor because of good intentions or because of his role as a former public servant, his story is a perfect representation of the war on drugs biggest problemracial bias. According to a 2011 report from the American Civil Liberties Union called The War on Marijuana in Black and White, minorities are nearly four times more likely to be arrested for pot than whites. In some states, the number is even higherlike in Iowa, where African Americans are more than eight times more likely to be arrested for having weed. The high rate of arrests for minorities translates into a disproportionate number serving time for drug crimes, despite using them at the same rate. In Louisiana, one of the nations most notorious states for racially-biased drug arrests, there are more than 2,500 people serving life for nonviolent drug offenses. Sixty-nine percent of them, according to the ACLU, are black. While 11 marijuana plants may not seem like a large offense, it dwarfs many marijuana crimes that minorities are serving life sentences for today. Take the case of Fate Vincent Winslow, who was sentenced to life in prison using mandatory minimum sentencing laws for selling $20 worth of weed to an undercover officer. Winslow was accompanied by a white man in the sale, whodespite receiving $15 of the $20was never even arrested. Thats not to say that white men havent fallen victim to the drug war, just that theyre far less likely to serve the kind of hard time that minorities are often slapped with. A few months ago, The New York Times wrote an op-ed about the case of Lee Carroll Brooker, an elderly white veteran who was sentenced to life for growing marijuana to treat his own health conditions. But Brookerunfortunately for himis the exception. Michael Collins, deputy director of the Drug Policy Alliance, isnt surprised by the Gaskins case. I think it speaks to the unequal application of drug laws across the board, he told The Daily Beast. The model of prohibition is supposed to be equal sentences but what we find is racial disparities among drug are horrendous, even though use rates are equal. People of color are more likely to be incarcerated and have heavy sentences handed down. Allen St. Pierre, executive director of NORML, says that charging Gaskins with possession only is incredibly lenient. Our clients almost never get that deferential treatment, unless theres something that hasnt been reported, he said. Maybe if he was providing it to people at the VA. Whether it was an altruistic grow or not, such leniency is rare. Collins agrees. Getting a more lenient sentence speaks to what has been a problem since day one, he says. Certain individuals get a harsh sentence and certain individuals get off scot-free. Its easy to make a long list of all things wrong with the European Union, from the faulty design of the euro currency and the subsequent cack-handness and brutality in dealing with Europes debtor nations. You can also add in legal and judicial over-reach of the EUs parliament and court and for good measure the failure to deal with the Syrian migrant crisis. Nevertheless, if Britain, with no financial preparation, no leverage in place to ensure trading access and no new strategic direction to replace EU membership goes for Brexit, the fall will be vertiginous. The British economy will suffer a series of heavy economic blows and the Brexit voting public, rather too late in the day, will turn on the politicians who campaigned for it. Boris Johnson will far more likely end up in the Tower than No. 10. One of the major Outer responses is to just respond to any concern expressed at the economic consequences of Brexit by calling it all scaremongering. A slightly more sophisticated Outer response is to argue that Britain was successful before it joined the EU in 1973, and will be successful outside after it has left. Even this response, however, overlooks the fact we are not now in 1973 but in 2016. We have more than 40 years of developing a network of trading relations with the EU, and through the EU. To now begin to unpick those trading relationships over a couple of years after four decades of building them will cause immense economic disruption and trouble to the British economy. There are three key factors which the Outers overlook or affect to ignore. First, the value of the single market to Britain: The Outers talk about free trade as if this was the solution to how we can trade with the world post-Brexit. The point lost by the Outers is that the single market gives far more than free trade. It does not just make all tariffs illegal, it also makes illegal any non-tariff barriers. So any rules, measures, or crafty administrative tricks a state uses to restrict trade between EU states are illegal. The European Commission can and does enforce EU law against states which try and stop trade using such barriers. Given Britain has an open trading economy, this deeper non-tariff barrier free trade ensures British business market access across the continent. The single market also includes non-discrimination rules which mean that British business has access to the whole of the public sector procurement market across the continent. The European public procurement market, if it were a national economy, would be the same size as the German economy. Most fundamentally of all, the single market open access rules are written into the EU treaties. The EU trading rules are therefore part of EU constitutional law. This means that the right to trade across the worlds largest market (the EU is the worlds largest market, not the U.S., not China) is constitutionally guaranteed. If any EU state tried to do what George W. Bush did to European (including British) steel in 2002, when it closed the U.S. market, it would face legal proceedings by the European Commission, public injunctions and civil damages claims by the affected firms. By contrast, the international trading regime is a weak legal beast, subject to much more political discretion, limited remedies, and is far less open. The second key factor is to recognize how really limited is the Outer-preferred alternative: the World Trade Organization. We can get a low tariff regime from the WTO, but it does not actually ban tariffs. It only has a limited control over non-tariff barriers and a limited non-discrimination regime and it only has a weak disputes settlement regime, where cases can be brought by states not individual businesses. It does not just provide far fewer trading rights and fewer effective remedies than the EU, it substantially applies only to goods not services. This is no small point. Around 40 percent of British exports are services. Hence, if Brexit occurs, Britain will be left with no obvious trading arrangement with which to continue to trade in services with the EU or indeed the rest of the world. The EU member states will have no particular need to do a deal with Britain over the trade in services, because if Britain joins the WTO, they will have market access for the majority of what they sell to Britain: goods. The EU can then deny Britain market access for services while continuing to trade with the U.K. in goods. Meanwhile Britain will have to begin to enter trade negotiations to ensure substantial access to the global services market which we currently obtain via the EU. As the recent Australia-China deal illustrates, these trade deals can easily take a decade. The third key factor, which has not gained any real traction in the Brexit debate is that EU membership makes Britain the foreign investment capital of Europe. One little known fact is that after the U.S. and China, the country with the largest amount of incoming foreign investment is the U.K. The reason the U.K. is globally number three is Britain is seen by foreign investors in the EU as the ideal jumping off point for the EU single market. Stable, open market, with the rule of law, strong business services, and crucially full access to the single market. There still will be some investment coming into Britain post-Brexit, but the real driver for foreign investment which has made Britain the global number three will have gone. If you take these three factors, losing the deep market access provided by the single market; the limited value of the WTO alternative and the prospect of a collapse of foreign investment, Brexit will set Britain into deep economic turmoil. What makes it worse is that British public debt is over 80 percent of GDP (before the 2008 crisis it hovered around 40 percent of GDP); the budget deficit is running at 4 percent of GDP and save in war time Britain has never run a current account deficit as large as the plus 5 percent of GDP it does today. As a consequence, Brexit is likely to not only cause a severe economic disruption to British trade it is also likely to trigger a major financial crisis. If Britain carrying such a heavy debt loadplus having a budget and current account deficit to financegoes for Brexit which undermines its ability to earn a living in the world, the country will find it harder to finance its public debt and its twin deficits. Any post-Brexit government will face having to cut public sector budgets in health, welfare, and education on a far greater scale than Britain has faced since the end of World War II. To underline the financial dangers of Brexit, Standard & Poors announced two weeks ago that if Britain voted to leave the EU, it would cut the U.K.s credit rating from AAA to at least AA. Such a move will cost British taxpayers as more of their money will have to be spent on paying interest on public debt than public services. Meanwhile, the Outers led by Boris Johnson are reassuring the British public that all will be well. On June 4, Johnson announced that Brexit will be good for business and will bring 300,000 new jobs. The brute economic reality post-Brexit will be very different. Ultimately, given the underlying strengths of Britains open liberal market the negative effects of Brexit can be turned round. However, Brexit will force the British people into a voluntary recession and deep financial turmoil, which will take a decade or more to turn round. And think for a moment of the poor under-35s. Currently they can work, study, and travel in 28 member states, across the worlds largest market. Post-Brexit, their horizons will shrink from a market of 500 million people, to one of 65 million. And that market will be in recession and financial turmoil. They will be on an island with no exits and facing a long, hard grind to rebuild an economy damaged in a fit of dilettante fact free pique. If the Outers do prevail, their victory will be a poisoned one. One point the Remain camp have failed to make much of is that there is a direct link between the economic argument against Brexit and the Outers only argument that gains real traction with the electorate: immigration. The potential economic damage is so significant is that any post-Brexit government, supported by a chastened population, may well be forced to take the only alternative route out of this mess and like Norway join the European Economic Area. Assuming the EU permits this, the U.K. will have managed to get itself into a situation where it does retain access to the single market, but pays into the EU budget like an EU member state, but has no say in the making of EU rules and no voice in EU affairs. And most significantly of all, EEA membership requires all EEA members to permit free movement of people. In other words, the extremely weak economic case for Brexit, undermines the Outers immigration argument, as Britain will end up having to do a deal on free movement for EU citizens anyhow. Post-Brexit Boris Johnson may well find that his new accommodation may well require a walk under Traitors Gate rather than up to Downing Street. While Congress remains stymied by Republican opposition to any gun regulations, there are four reasons to think that the court system, and the Supreme Court in particular, may be evolving: Orlando, changes in the Court, and two recent court cases. Remember that the NRAs understanding of the Second Amendment is an extremely recent phenomenon. For more than 200 years, the legal and scholarly consensus was that, in the absence of a standing army, the Second Amendment was designed to enable states and localities to maintain a well-regulated militia by placing muskets and other weapons in the hands of local citizens. Then came three decades of conservative political activism, focused on law schools, the National Rifle Association, and conservative think tanks. This effort culminated (but by no means concluded) with the 2008 case of D.C. v. Heller, which the Supreme Court found, for the first time, an individual right to gun ownership in the Second Amendment. This view is now the dogma of tens of millions of Americans, propped up by an entire industry of selective histories and scholarship that can usually be traced back to the handful of philanthropists who paid for it. Indeed, the preamble of the Second Amendment has been written out of the Constitution to the point where the NRAs national headquarters has a frieze engraved on a wall bearing only the second clause of the amendment, the right of the people to bear arms shall not be infringed. Despite the fervency with which some hold that belief, however, it is very shaky as a judicial matterand recent signs suggest it may collapse entirely. First, of course, is the Orlando massacre, the latest mass shooting to horrify America. While the Right has, of course, blamed the shooting solely on Islamic terrorism, it seems clear to most people that it was due to a combination of terrorism, homophobia, the personality of the shooter, and access to guns. Without the AR-15-style rifle, the shooter would likely not have killed 49 people. The Orlando massacre doesnt have any formal judicial meaning. But Supreme Court justices are also human beings, and its hard to see it not impacting how they view the relationship between 21st century assault weapons and 18th century muskets. Second, there is the shift in the Courts own membership. The Heller opinion was written by the late Justice Antonin Scalia for a 5-4 majority. That majority is now gone. Interestingly, we know next to nothing about how a Justice Merrick Garland might vote on gun control. Contrary to the insinuations of Bill OReilly and other conservative talking heads, Judge Garland did not vote to uphold the District of Columbias gun law that was ultimately overturned in Heller; he only voted for the entire appeals court to hear the case, rather than just a three-judge panel. (One of the appeals courts most conservative members voted the same waybut they were outvoted.) We have no clue of his view of the Second Amendment, and his more moderate outlook in general means that anything is possible. Still, Garland is no Scaliaand if he isnt confirmed, whoever President Hillary Clinton nominates is likely not to be a Garland-style moderate either. So the pendulum may swing back on gun rights simply as a function of the Courts membership. Two lesser-known developments, though, may be even more telling. The first of these is that the Supreme Court decided not to hear an appeal brought by a challenger to a states assault weapons ban, upholding the gun-control law. This may mean many things: maybe a majority of justices think the appeals court got it right, or maybe they dont see enough of a conflict among the circuit courts, or maybe they think this case isnt the best test case to take, or maybe the short-handed court is limiting its workload, or who knowsit could be anything. But at the very least, it means the Court does not see the ban as a horrifyingly unconstitutional travesty that requires immediate judicial remedy. Contrast that with two of the cases still outstanding this year: Texass challenge to the Obama administrations immigration policies, and Texass defense of its abortion clinic regulations. The Court not only took these two cases but issued (or upheld) injunctions on the enforcement of the challenged rules. Not so in the assault weapons ban case. Finally, theres a case from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, decided earlier this month, that provides some of the best intellectual rationale for limiting, if not overruling, Heller. That case, Peruta v. City of San Diego, dealt with Californias strict requirements to obtain a concealed carry permit. (They are only available to limited groups of people, such as guards, messengers, hunters, or target shooters.) Do those requirements violate the Second Amendment? The Ninth Circuit, by a vote of 8 to 3, said no. Writing for the court, Judge William Fletcher wrote an extensively researched originalist opinion worthy of Justice Scalia himself. Expressly avoiding the question of whether the Second Amendment gives citizens a right to carry weapons openly in public (a question left open by Heller as well), Judge Fletchers opinion focused on whether there is a Second Amendment right to carry concealed weapons. To answer the question, he turned Scalias logic against him. The Heller opinion refuted the plain meaning of the constitutional text on the grounds that it codified a pre-existing right to bear arms for self-defense, not just for use in a militia. (That the opinion was by a self-proclaimed strict constructionist was an irony not lost on liberal commentators.) Thus the question became whether there was a pre-existing right (in America or pre-colonial England) to carry a concealed weapon in public. And the answer was obvious: not in the least. On the contrary, English common law, colonial regulations, and state statutes dating back as far as the year 1299 prohibited carrying a concealed weapon. (That 1299 regulation provided that sheriffs prohibit anyone from going armed within the realm without the kings license.) The masterful opinion cited English laws and opinions from 1299, 1304, 1308, 1328, 1388, 1419, 1444, 1541, 1594, 1613 (bearing of Weapons covertly hath ever beene straitly forbidden), 1686, 1694, 1716, and 1782; and American state cases and statutes from 1822, 1833, 1840, 1842, 1846, 1850, 1868, 1871, 1875, 1876, 1879, 1885, 1889, 1890, 1891, 1897, and 1899all of which, save a single outlier (Kentucky, 1822), upheld bans on carrying a concealed weapon even in the face of general rights to own or carry firearms in general. Applying the Supreme Courts own methodology, the Ninth Circuit reached the obvious conclusion: whatever the Second Amendment does protect, it does not protect concealed-carry rights. Thus the California law is constitutional. Along the way, the Ninth Circuit, while bound to respect Heller, seriously limited its application. It would not be logically difficult to extend an individual gun right to a right to concealed carry, but Heller was not a logical opinion; it was an historical one. In its view (similar, incidentally, to the conservative dissents in the same-sex marriage cases), history, not logical reasoning, is what determines whether a right exists. Its not hard to see how this use of conservative constitutional logic for a substantively liberal outcome would play out in future cases. Is there a historical right to own an automatic weapon? To amass unlimited amounts of guns and ammo? To bring weapons into schools and sporting events? Of course not. More generally, if history is to be our guideas judicial conservatives usually insistthen surely it is appropriate to factor in the quantity of firepower involved, which could enable the government to regulate nearly all contemporary weapons. Of course, one factor unchanged by these four considerationsOrlando, the Court, the assault weapons case, and Perutais the way in which gun rights has become a symbol, for white American conservatives, of the good ol days, limited government and exceptionalist American values. Indeed, the logic is often adolescent in nature; if it pisses off the liberals, it must be a good thing. That attitude, combined with the unprecedented gerrymandering of the House of Representatives, makes it unlikely that federal legislative action will come any time soon even though a majority of Americans support it. But if Orlando has awakened the American public, in a way that Virginia Tech, Colombine, Sandy Hook, Roanoke, and San Bernadino did not, then these judicial changes might provide the avenue for that change to occur. They may not provide the willbut they do provide the way. Baku, Azerbaijan, June 22 By Rufiz Hafizoflu Trend: As many as 2,765 militants of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) terrorist group were destroyed in Turkey alone during 2016, the general staff of countrys armed forces said in a message June 22. As many as 7,740 PKK militants were killed during all the operations outside of Turkey (north of Iraq). Overall, 779 PKK members were detained during the year, and 776 militants surrendered to security forces voluntarily. The conflict between Turkey and the PKK, which demands the creation of an independent Kurdish state, has continued for over 25 years and has claimed more than 40,000 lives. The UN and the European Union list the PKK as a terrorist organization. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Baku, Azerbaijan, June 22 By Rufiz Hafizoglu Trend: An armed attack was committed on a police station in Turkeys Bitlis province, the Haber7 newspaper reported June 22. A passerby was killed and two policemen were injured as a result of the attack. According to the preliminary reports, the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) terrorist group stands behind the attack, said the newspaper. The conflict between Turkey and the PKK, which demands the creation of an independent Kurdish state, has continued for over 25 years and has claimed more than 40,000 lives. The UN and the European Union list the PKK as a terrorist organization. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu The Restaurant Monitor is a weekly listing of scores for restaurants inspected by the Brazos County Health Department. Inspections scores are on a 100-point scale. Generally, scores below 80 might cause the department to schedule a follow-up visit. A score below 70 results in the suspension of an establishments health permit. The following inspections were conducted June 9 through 16. Bryan Fred and Fred Seafood, 3605 S. College Ave. 100; Longhorn Tavern Steakhouse, 201 E. 24th St. 100; Miramont Country Club Pool, 1 Miramont Boulevard 100; Taqueria Rio Verde/Payasitos, 1005 S. Coulter Drive 100. Buppys Catering, 506 Sulphur Springs Road 97. Food contact surfaces of equipment and utensils not cleaned/sanitized/good repair. Dairy Queen, 205 N. Texas Ave. 92. Food contact surfaces of equipment and utensils not cleaned/sanitized/good repair, cold hold temperature violation(s) (41 F/45 F). Raspas El Payasito, 1005 S. Coulter Drive 89. Evidence of insect contamination, hot hold temperature violation(s) (135 F), hand-wash facilities without soap and towels. Swamp Tails, 4353 Wellborn Road 97. Food contact surfaces of equipment and utensils not cleaned/sanitized/good repair. College Station Chill Out Central Park, 1000 Krenek Tap Road 100; Chill Out Sno Cone Mobile, 2601 Harvey Road 100; Peach Creek Vineyards, 2029 Peach Creek Road 100. Adamson Lagoon, 1900 Anderson St. 97. Food contact surfaces of equipment and utensils not cleaned/sanitized/good repair. Cajuns Bayou Grille, 14895 F.M. 2154 92. Thermometers not provided/accurate/properly calibrated, hot hold temperature violation(s) (135 F). Chill Out Veterans, 301 Harvey Road 97. Food contact surfaces of equipment and utensils not cleaned/sanitized/good repair. Comfort Suites, 907 E. University Drive 97. Evidence of insect contamination. Cotton Culinary, Hogg and Houston 93. Evidence of insect contamination, lack of good hygienic practices. Dominos Pizza, 3104 Texas Ave. S. 95. Cold hold temperature violation(s) (41 F/45 F). Econolodge, 104 Texas Ave. 88. Lack of good hygienic practices, cold hold temperature violation(s) (41 F/45 F), hand-wash facilities without soap and towels. Fuddruckers, 1704 E. George Bush Drive 89. Posting of consumer advisories lacking, cold hold temperature violation(s) (41 F/45 F), evidence of insect contamination. Home 2 Suites By Hilton, 300 Texas Ave. S. 92. Hand-wash facilities without soap and towels, cold hold temperature violation(s) (41 F/45 F). Newks Express Cafe, 1613 University Drive E. 85. Food contact surfaces of equipment and utensils not cleaned/sanitized/good repair, evidence of insect contamination, unapproved source/labeling, cold hold temperature violation(s) (41 F/45 F). Residence Inn by Marriott, 720 University Drive E. 89. Lack of good hygienic practices, unapproved systems (hazardous control plans), posting of consumer advisories lacking. Sonic Drive-In, 12755 F.M. 2154 95. Cold hold temperature violation(s) (41 F/45 F). Staybridge Suites, 1405 University Drive 92. Lack of good hygienic practices, cross-contamination of raw/cooked foods/other. Super 8 Motel, 301 Texas Ave. 95. Cold hold temperature violation(s) (41 F/45 F). Vineyard Court Designer Suites, 1500 George Bush Drive E. 97. No certified food manager/demonstration of knowledge. Wingstop, 700 University Drive E. 97. Food contact surfaces of equipment and utensils not cleaned/sanitized/good repair. Baku, Azerbaijan, June 22 By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend: Normalization of relations with Turkey largely depends on Israel, the TRT Haber news channel quoted Turkeys Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu as saying June 22. The demand to close down the offices of the Islamic Resistance Movement (HAMAS) is not the subject of talks between Israel and Turkey, he added. Earlier, on June 21, it was reported that Israeli government wants Turkey to close down the offices of HAMAS on its territory for reaching an agreement on full normalization of relations between the two countries. Israel has officially designated HAMAS as a terrorist organization. --- Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu Canada has announced it is providing additional Cad$1.25 million (roughly P43 million) in humanitarian assistance to support those living in conflict areas in Mindanao. The Canadian embassy said the funding would be coursed through the Action Against Hunger (ACF) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and would be used largely for improving food security, health, living conditions, livelihood and emergency-preparedness in Zamboanga and Maguindanao. The funding forms part of the Canadian governments commitment of Cad$ 331.5 million in humanitarian support for the worlds most vulnerable, as recently announced by Canadas Minister of International Development Marie-Claude Bibeau at the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul, Turkey. Canadas support will help meet immediate life-saving needs and address unprecedented humanitarian challenges including those in the Philippines, Canadian Ambassador Neil Reeder said. The new funding will help the most vulnerable in more than 32 countries, including the Philippines. Support will be provided to 25 humanitarian partners, including a variety of United Nations humanitarian agencies, the Red Cross and non-governmental organizations, as well as Canadian organizations that are addressing complex humanitarian situations. Given the size of current humanitarian needs, Canada is committed to working with all partners including those at the local level to combine our strengths and maximize the impact we have on humanitarian crises. We are especially concerned with women and girls, who are often the most vulnerable in crises. That is why they are at the heart of Canadas humanitarian response, Reeder added. Of the funds, Cad$ 500,000 will be provided to the ACF to improve food security for more than 3,000 people displaced by conflict in Zamboanga and Maguindanao. The assistance will include the provision of unconditional cash grants to meet the basic needs of those displaced, focusing on assisting pregnant and lactating women and households with children aged 6-23 months, as well as quick impact livelihood support through cash transfers and appropriate training. This is another significant step in lifesaving and humanitarian assistance with the support of the government of Canada especially to conflict-affected people in Zamboanga and Maguindanao. This makes Canadas support very unique and strategic in such a critical situation, ACF International country director Javad Amoozegar said. The Cad$ 750,000 in assistance to the ICRC will provide medical care and physical rehabilitation to detainees and weapon-wounded patients through six ICRC-trained/supported health facilities. Dr. Joseph Carson Spooner has been appointed the 11th president of Ferrum College. Spooner currently serves as the dean of Jonathan Edwards College at Yale University. He will assume his new role at Ferrum on Aug. 1. The appointment follows an extensive national search that began after Dr. Jennifer L. Braaten announced her retirement after 14 years of service. A first-generation college student from a small family farm in northern Florida, Spooner received his Bachelor of Arts from Yale University in 1991, his Master of Arts in American Studies from Florida State University in 1995, and his Doctorate of Philosophy in History from the University of Edinburgh in 2013. Prior to his appointment as dean at Yale University, he held teaching and administrative positions at Chipola College, Florida State, Williams College and the University of Edinburgh, The search committee spent the past several months reviewing candidates to ensure that the applicants met the criteria necessary to move Ferrum College forward, said Board of Trustees Chair Samuel L. Lionberger. We believe that Dr. Spooner fully understands the colleges dynamics and has the vision and leadership skills necessary to take the next evolutionary steps on the Ferrum journey. Throughout the exacting interview process, Dr. Spooner was able to articulate pertinent experience and a compelling vision which will build on Ferrum Colleges momentum, said search chair Bob Todd. His hands-on approach and valuable connections are a perfect fit for our aspiration for the growth of the college as well as community and economic development. Spooners priorities, as he assumes the helm at Ferrum College, include enhancing the academic programs offered, strengthening local, state, national, and international partnerships, and continuing to implement the 2015-2020 strategic plan by upholding the historic mission of the college while envisioning a strong future. SHARE By Erin Schmitt of The Gleaner Henderson County Schools Superintendent Marganna Stanley received a favorable review on her recent evaluation. The superintendent is evaluated every year according to the Superintendent Professional Growth and Effectiveness System process that was designed by and approved by the Kentucky Department of Education. Superintendents are scored in seven standards: strategic leadership, instructional leadership, cultural leadership, human resource leadership, managerial leadership, collaborative leadership and influential leadership. They are given one of four designations for each standard, which range from "exemplary" to "accomplished" to "developing" to "growth required." Stanley received an "exemplary" rating for two of seven standards, an "accomplished" rating for four standards and a "developing" rating for one standard. The results were revealed during the Henderson County Board of Education meeting held Monday night. "We as the board are pleased with the overall accomplishments Mrs. Stanley has made in the first two years of her role as superintendent," said Board Chair Lisa Baird. "We look forward to working with her on the goals she has set for herself, the students of our district and our school system as a whole." Stanley just finished her second full year as superintendent. On her first superintendent evaluation, she received "accomplished" designations in six standards and a "developing" designation in the influential leadership standard. Her scores this year were "exemplary" for instructional leadership and collaborative leadership standards; "accomplished" for strategic leadership, cultural leadership, human resource leadership and managerial leadership; and "developing" for influential leadership. Although the total evaluation of Stanley was done in a closed session of the board, phrases used to describe her work in Henderson County Schools included "works for the good of students," "collaborative environment," "reinvigorating," "improved district culture" and "willingness to take decisive actions." "Henderson County Schools is a Distinguished district and we are all working hard to keep it that way and improve our schools for students, staff and our community," the board chair said. Gov. Matt Bevin (Photo: The Courier-Journal) SHARE By Tom Loftus, USA TODAY NETWORK, Louisville Courier-Journal FRANKFORT, Ky. Gov. Matt Bevin on Tuesday stood strongly behind his legal authority for abolishing the University of Louisville Board of Trustees and creating a new board in its place last week. At a news conference in the Capitol Rotunda, Bevin also said he expects James Ramsey to step down as U of L president soon despite a condition Ramsey set in a letter to Bevin last week that he will offer his resignation "upon a legal restructure" of the board. "I expect there will be a new president of the University of Louisville," Bevin said. "That is based on my conversations with him (Ramsey), based on the entire process whereby this went down. ... Look at what he actually wrote, his willingness to stand down even immediately. But he too is looking for a fresh start. It's what I'm looking for, it's what this board will be looking for." On the legality of his action, Bevin noted his order last week did not direct the removal of members of the university board but, rather, abolished the former board. "I have absolute authority both constitutionally and legislatively, statutorily to disband any board in this state," Bevin said. "... It has been done time, and time, and time, and time, and time again by every governor that has ever preceded me." Attorney General Andy Beshear has called a news conference for Wednesday where he will talk about Bevin's recent orders affecting the U of L board and the Kentucky Retirement Systems Board of Trustees. Asked if he expects Beshear will announce legal action to block or modify his orders affecting U of L, Bevin said, "That may be so. You'll have to ask him. He's busy with those things." And the governor said there should be no concern that his actions will affect U of L's accreditation because he said of steps he's taken such as a process for the nomination of new trustees and the appointment of an interim board until he appoints a new full-time board. "It will affect their accreditation not at all if it is handled properly," Bevin said. The governor said negative comments about his moves at U of L have concerned "hypothesis" but that reaction to the actual changes he has made have been positive. "This has been a long time in coming, and people know that, and it's been something that's been needing to get done for quite some time, and people know that. And so we are following the law and we will continue to," Bevin said, "and I think the university will be stronger as a result of this." FRANKFORT, Ky. -- Gov. Matt Bevin on Wednesday announced sweeping changes to the state's $10 billion-a-year Medicaid program, saying he will seek permission from the federal government to reshape the federal-state health program that covers about 1.3 million Kentuckians. Bevin, in a press conference at the Capitol Rotunda, hailed his proposal as an opportunity 'to come up with what is going to be truly a transformative and sustainable and fantastic program.' In announcing the proposed changes, Bevin, a Republican elected in November, fulfills a campaign pledge to scale back the Medicaid expansion and other initiatives of his predecessor, Democrat Steve Beshear, under the federal Affordable Care Act. Beshear, who has criticized Bevin's plans to dismantle his signature accomplishment, promptly blasted Bevin's plan through an organization he founded called Save Kentucky Healthcare. 'Gov. Matt Bevin declared war on Kentuckys working families today by announcing his intentions to take away health benefits, increase costs and institute unwieldy requirements for those families to keep health coverage,' said a statement from the organization. But Bevin said the proposal called Kentucky HEALTH -- for Helping to Engage and Achieve Long Term Health -- would encourage Kentuckians to get healthier and learn to adapt to the commercial health insurance model in order to become independent of the government program. 'We are robbing people of the ability to do for themselves,' he said. Bevin's proposal would allow Medicaid to begin charging a small monthly premium for coverage that is now largely free. It also would allow the state to cut off Medicaid coverage for those who don't pay, a 'lock-out' provision similar to Indiana's Medicaid plan Bevin has cited as a possible model. It limits coverage to that offered by the plan for state employees and does not include dental and vision coverage now included in Medicaid. It drew immediate fire from health advocates. 'I'm very disappointed,' said Bill Wagner, executive director of Family Health Centers, a Louisville network of community clinics that serves about 40,000 patients a year. 'I'm most disappointed that they've introduced premiums and lockouts.' 'It creates a lot of barriers,' said Sheila Schuster, a longtime Kentucky health advocate and member of the group Kentucky Voices for Health (KVC). 'KVC has always been very clear that we don't want barriers to care.' Schuster said she also is concerned it would eliminate dental coverage in a state with high rates of toothless adults and untreated dental decay and disease. 'I think those are vital services,' Schuster said. Under the Medicaid expansion of 2014, 'Some people are getting dental care for the first time in their lives and now they're going to lose it.' Medicaid consumers would be able to obtain dental and vision coverage by accumulating points in a My Rewards account for activities such as volunteer work or taking a financial literacy class. Advocates praised provisions of Bevin's plan to tackle addiction through a pilot project in a state with high rates of drug overdose deaths and to enhance Medicaid coverage for psychiatric hospitalization. 'That's an opportunity,' said Steve Shannon, who represents the state's 14 regional mental health agencies. 'We all acknowledge that addiction is the number one problem for the commonwealth.' In introducing his proposal, Bevin reminded the crowd that growing up in rural New Hampshire, his family had no health insurance -- a point he made during his 2015 campaign for governor. For that reason, he said, he understands the importance of health care. Bevin said he wants to create a plan that makes people healthier by getting better outcomes in a state with some of the nation's highest rates of cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease. Bevin's plan includes premiums of $1 to $15 per month to those between 34 percent and 138 percent of the federal poverty level. It also includes a 'lock-out' provision for people who don't pay although they would be allowed to regain coverage by meeting certain conditions. While the premiums seem modest, they could cause some of Kentucky's poorest citizens to drop coverage, said Schuster. 'What seems like a little bit of money to us is a huge amount to someone at the poverty level,' she said. Bevin's proposal would not include any copays for services, as currently allowed by Medicaid. It also requires working people whose employers offer health coverage to take it after a year on Medicaid. That troubles Wagner, who said many low-income people can't afford the plans offered by employers that come with high deductibles and copays. 'It's very alarming,' Wagner said. 'It's going to lead to less coverage in the state.' Bevin said he wants to ensure that people covered by Medicaid become more engaged in their own health care and become better consumers. And he said he wants to make the program sustainable. The federal government currents pays 70 percent of the costs of those in 'traditional' Medicaid and 100 percent of the more than 425,000 people who enrolled starting in 2014 when the program expanded to include anyone at 138 percent of the federal poverty. In 2017, the federal government's share drops to 95 percent for the expanded Medicaid population, eventually declining to 90 percent. Bevin has argued the state can't afford the additional costs. If his Medicaid proposal is approved, Bevin said it will result in $2.2 billion in taxpayer savings over five years. James McGan SHARE By Beth Smith of The Gleaner A convicted sex offender accused of sexually abusing a juvenile with whom he was left alone violating the conditions of his parole has been sentenced to 10 years. The penalty for the charge of first-degree sexual abuse (victim under 12) levied against James L. McGan, 71, 9100 section of Martin Martin Road, was handed down Monday in Henderson Circuit Court. He had pleaded guilty to the offense in March. McGan's wife, Janice McGan, 9100 section of Martin Martin Road, also pleaded guilty in March to a charge of endangering the welfare of a minor for allowing her husband unlimited and unsupervised access to several juveniles knowing this was a violation of the conditions of his parole, authorities said. She was sentenced to 12 months which was conditionally discharged. She had to spend 90 days with a leg monitor and have no contact with the victim. Henderson County sheriff's deputies arrested James McGan on Aug. 13, 2015 three days before his parole was to end after serving time on a federal child pornography charge. McGan had pleaded guilty in 2008 to a federal charge of receiving child pornography. According to documents filed in the Henderson Judicial Center, as part of his parole stipulations he was not allowed to have direct contact with children younger than 18 unless supervised by an adult "who was approved in advance by the sex offender treatment counselor and the supervising parole officer." He was also ordered to report unauthorized contact with children to his sex offender treatment counselor and the supervising probation officer, court papers said. Authorities said Janice McGan was her husband's "accountability partner." Also, according to court documents, the director of the sex offender treatment program of which James McGan was a part said that to fulfill the role as an accountability partner, Janice McGan had to "be aware of every single violation to which James had confessed and she had to know and understand every condition and stipulation" of his supervised release. On July 22, the sheriff's office began investigating a report that James McGan had sexually abused a young girl. Court records said that as the investigation unfolded and McGan was arrested on suspicion of sexual abuse, it was discovered that for several months between December 2014 and July 2015, five juveniles resided with the McGans. Neither his parole officer nor his sex offender treatment counselor were aware that the children were living with the couple, sheriff's officials said. Further investigation revealed that Janice McGan had traveled to Florida for one week, leaving the children solely in the care of James McGan, court papers said. Authorities said James McGan's sexual abuse charges are related to a child with whom he was left alone. According to court documents, when Janice McGan was questioned about leaving the children along with James McGan, she said, "I wasn't aware I was supposed to watch him 24/7." Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Serbian leader Tomislav Nikolic to strengthen the ties between the two countries. (Photo : Getty Images) Eyeing to foster China's economic presence in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), Chinese President Xi Jinping has recently signed 22 deals with Serbia during his trip to the country, Reuters reported. Advertisement The agreements highlight China's finance- and infrastructure-related projects with the European nation. The main focus of Xi's visit was to promote his landmark One Belt, One Road Initiative, which aims to strengthen China's economy by establishing and fortifying foreign trade links. Xi noted during a ceremony in Belgrade's Palace of Serbia that the Balkan nation plays a significant role in introducing his initiative to other western countries. Meanwhile, Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic remarked that they are "ready to become one of China's most important partners in the initiative." "China and Serbia are traditionally friendly nations," Xi said. "Our intention is to raise our strategic partnership to a higher level." The Chinese leader also said that the two nations agreed to hold an annual heads-of-state meeting to forge deeper Sino-Serbian ties, including military cooperation. Xi also shared that the Chinese government is in full support of Serbia's decision to be a member of the European Union. Official data proves the strong ties between China and Serbia. China has already poured in over $1 billion to finance its energy and road-building ventures with Serbia. Serbia's energy minister recently signed an agreement, paving the way to the construction of the country's first waste-to-energy plant. The facility will replace its already aging coal-fired power plants. Jorgovanka Tabakovic, governor of the Serbian central bank, also sealed a currency swap deal to boost trade and investment. On the other hand, China Communications Construction Co. signed an agreement to construct a ring road section in Belgrade. Serbian infrastructure minister Zorana Mihajlovic further revealed that China is considering building a port on the Danube river and an industrial zone. Nonetheless, the official did not announce additional details. Back in April, China-based Hebei Iron and Steel (HESTEEL) secured a deal to purchase a steel plant in Danube. The agreement, which amounts to 46 million euros, is seen as a gateway for more Chinese investments in Serbia's metals sector. SHARE By Abbey Nickel, abbey.nickel@thegleaner.com / @abbeynickel Those who knew Bill Griffin well say the Henderson man was anything but ordinary, and that he left his fingerprints just about everywhere in the Henderson community, and in some places, quite literally. Griffin passed away at the age of 73 on Sunday night at Methodist Hospital. He was the superintendent of maintenance for the Henderson County Courthouse for two decades before retiring in September of 2015, where local officials say he had an "immeasurable impact" on restoring the courthouse and the people who worked inside of it. Henderson County Sheriff Ed Brady described Griffin as a fiercely loyal man who could easily put a smile on the face of those he met. "It will be impossible to make another Bill Griffin," Brady said. "He was just one of those people. You can't replace a guy like that who was as dedicated as he was. He had a genuine impact on this community and to everyone who had a relationship with him." Brady last saw Griffin on Saturday evening at the W.C. Handy Blues & Barbecue Festival. "I patted him on the shoulder and said 'see you later Bill,' and I turned to my wife and commented on how good he looked. I was shocked to hear the news that he was gone," Brady said. Kerry Dame, former county road supervisor for Henderson County, maintained a close friendship with Griffin for the last 20 years. "He was my buddy," Dame said. "He loved Henderson County, and he sure loved his politics." Dame met Griffin while playing softball together during the 1980s. "We bonded pretty quickly," Dame said. "We traveled all over the United States together going to different sporting events. I consider myself pretty lucky to have had him in my life." Dame said a specific memory in 2008 was a testament to Griffin's charisma and loyalty. "I was in the hospital for a heart procedure and I told him I was going to be in the hospital at Madisonville. I told him it wasn't a big deal, but when I woke up they told me I was going to need a triple bypass. My family was there when my phone rang, and it was Bill asking me where I was. I told him I was in recovery, and he said 'Well, I'm here waiting in your hospital room, hurry up and get here.' And he stayed by my side for the rest of my stay in the hospital. That was the kind of man he was. He was always there for the people he cared about." Griffin was a Kentucky Colonel and served as a special sheriff's deputy for Henderson County. He served in Vietnam from 1967 to 1968 and left the U.S. Army as a sergeant and later went on to work in construction. Funeral services for Griffin will be at 11 a.m. Friday at Tomblinson Funeral Home in Henderson Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday and 9 a.m. Friday until the time of the funeral. Brady called Griffin "one of the most politically influential people he had ever known." "Back when I ran for sheriff in 2007, he introduced me to so many people. I would have people coming up to me saying 'I don't know you, but I know Mr. Griffin, and because of him, you have my vote." That speaks volumes to who he was as a person," Brady said. Brady said his impact in the community hasn't gone unnoticed. "He always wanted to save this community money, and he did so much to help restore and keep the courthouse in the best shape it could be," Brady said. "He cared very, very deeply for this community and for the people in it." Dame said Griffin's death has been hard on a lot of people including himself but the influence he had on Henderson was something that will go on for years to come. "He helped many, many people, including myself," Dame said. He had many accomplishments, and his accomplishments with Henderson politics alone was a lot for one person. He just had that charisma that was infectious. If you wanted him to like you, all you had to do say hi and he would like you." Donald Trump will travel to Iowa for 2022 election rally Former President Donald Trump will travel to Iowa next week to help boost Republicans ahead of Election Day. 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Visitors attending the grand opening will enjoy a free small cup or cone of ice cream from Sunny Daes. "When we heard that the previous provider was closing, we knew that there was an immediate need for convenient and accessible urgent care in Trumbull," explains Dianne J. Auger, senior vice president and chief strategy officer, St. Vincent's Medical Center. "We already have primary care doctors in Trumbull and we are excited to provide Trumbull residents with even more options for convenient care." China's new supercomputer leaves the US farther behind. (Photo : Getty Images) China is now home to this years fastest and most powerful supercomputer in the world, granting it the bragging rights to becoming equal to, or better than, the United States in such feat. In its 47th edition, the TOP500 dubbed the Chinese-made Sunway TaihuLight as the no. 1 system in the world, per an announcement from the award-giving body on Monday, June 20. Advertisement According to the New York Times, this feat, which is the seventh for consecutive years, made China a worthy contender for the U.S. in terms of technological advances. The Fastest Supercomputer in the World According to the commending body, the Sunway TaihuLight boasts 93 petaflop per second or quadrillions of calculations per second on the LINPACK benchmark speed. Currently, the supercomputer is installed at the National Supercomputing Center in Wuxi, China, and is pegged to be two times faster and three times more efficient than the previous holder of the title, the 33.85-petaflop Tianhe-2. According to a paper about the machine written by Jack Dongarra, the Sunway TaihuLight is mainly used for weather forecasting, advanced manufacturing, and big data analytics. China's Pride While this is not the first time that China received such honors, this is the first time that the Asian giant was able to overtake the U.S. in the number of entries in the TOP500 List. "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," the TOP500 news release stated. What is more remarkable about the feat is that it is mostly made with chips and materials made in China, with over 10.5 million processing cores and 40,960 nodes, and running on a Linux-based operating system. In the previous years, China's entries to the list had mostly Western-made chips and processors. This year, it runs on the 260-core ShenWei 26010, which is made in the country. Supercomputers are known to have many uses in this modern age, making them appear somewhat indispensible especially to the growing manufacturing industries and security in China. "Today even consumer detergent bottles are designed with supercomputers," University of Chicago provost and physicist Eric D. Isaacs told the NY Times. "The Chinese are getting good at building these computers, and it's a competitive issue now for U.S. industry and national security." WESTPORT The Westport Community Theatre is proudly presenting Godspell, the musical, on weekends from Friday, June 3 through Sunday, June 26. The WCT production is directed by Maggie Pangrazio and produced by Sam Mink. Conceived and originally directed by John Michael Tebelak, with music and new lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, Godspell is one of the biggest off-Broadway and Broadway successes of all time. Based on the Gospel according to St. Matthew, and featuring a sparkling score by Stephen Schwartz, Godspell boasts a string of well-loved songs. Several cast albums have been released over the years and one of its songs, "Day by Day" from the original cast album, reached #13 on the Billboard singles chart in 1972. As the cast performs "Prepare Ye The Way Of The Lord," "Learn Your Lessons Well," "All For The Best," "All Good Gifts," "Turn Back, O Man" and "By My Side," the parables of Jesus Christ come humanly and hearteningly to life. The Hearst Movie & A Martini group partnered with Alliance Francaise of Greenwich for a special screening of the restored version of Jean-Luc Godards A Married Woman at the Avon Theatre in Stamford. The Greenwich organization runs the annual Focus on French Cinema series, which brings the best new French films to Fairfield County for three days every spring. During the year, the Alliance sponsors a night each month at the Avon that it calls French Cinematheque, when both new and old films are shown, with a discussion afterwards. I thought it would be fun to piggyback on this event to give our readers a chance to see a classic, rather than a new Hollywood release. In lieu of martinis, we enjoyed the wine and cheese the Alliance Francaise provides. I was pressed into service to moderate the discussion after the movie, which was great fun, but made it impossible for yours truly to attribute most of the comments. A Married Woman was made in 1964, during the most productive and influential period in Godards career. Starting with Breathless in 1960, the writer-director averaged two films a year and his fresh, spontaneous approach to filmmaking proved to be very influential on both sides of the Atlantic. Robert Benton and David Newman wrote Bonnie and Clyde in the style of Godard and hoped he could direct it. Director Arthur Penn was hired instead and he did use some of Godards loose, improvisational style in the 1967 gangster drama. A Married Woman follows Parisian housewife Charlotte (Macha Meril) as she travels back and forth between her husband (Bernard Noel) and her lover (Philippe Leroy). She appears to love both men, but Godard keeps things ambiguous. When Charlotte becomes pregnant, she has no idea which man is the father. I thought it felt like it could have been made now, Renee Ketcham, of Greenwich, said. The style and the story both seemed contemporary. The film was made at a time when nudity and profanity were severely restricted in Hollywood and European films, but Godard used fragmented shots of the three characters bodies to make audiences think they were seeing more skin than he was actually showing (the same technique Alfred Hitchcock used in the Psycho shower sequence four years earlier). There was some back-and-forth discussion about who the father of the baby might be, and the paternity challenges during that pre-DNA era. The crowd of about 25 people arrived at a split verdict, which was probably what Godard intended. Marion Beale, of Greenwich, and Ken Staffey, of Bridgeport, were not crazy about the movie and joked that they wished they had seen the other movie at the Avon that night The Meddler, with Susan Sarandon rather than a 50-year-old art film. jmeyers@hearstmediact.com; Twitter: @joesview 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. NORWALK Three new officers have joined the ranks of the Norwalk Police Department. Edgar Gonzalez, Sara Laudano and Lindsey Taylor graduated the police academy in Meriden on Monday and will now spend 10 weeks learning Norwalks policies and procedures, and doing field training. I always knew I wanted to be in public service and had an interest in law enforcement, said Gonzalez, a Stamford native. I have family and friends in Norwalk and in this department there is a strong interaction with the community. I see this job as being a bridge between citizens and the community. Laudano, who grew up in New Haven, has worked as an emergency dispatcher in New Jersey. She was drawn to Norwalk by its team atmosphere of policing. Working as a dispatcher it gave me insight into how close everyone in departments are, she said. Ive wanted to be in law enforcement, and I loved the team atmosphere here. She said she was drawn to apply to the NPD because of the departments propensity for community involvement. I heard amazing things about the Norwalk department and how much they do with the community, Landano said. I also heard great things about Chief Kulhawik and the deputy chiefs (Gonzalez and Zecca). Taylor, who was born and raised in Stamford and attended the Center for Global Studies at Brien McMahon High School, spent the last 19 years as an emergency medical technician 12 of those in Greenwich. I wanted to continue my career path by being more involved with the community, Taylor said. Following their 30 weeks of generalized police training at the academy in Meriden, the next 10 weeks of training for the recruits will be specific to Norwalks policies and procedures. At the academy, its more generalized training, said NPD Training Officer Ronald Spagnuolo. Here well be focusing more on internal procedures. Spagnuolo said the recruits will have two weeks of in-house training before being paired with seasoned field training officers on rotating shifts for field experience. During the field-training period, the officers will be paired with different divisions, including a week in communications and a week in the holding facility, Spagnuolo said. The recruits will get an overview of the workings of the Crime Scene Unit, Narcotics division, Special Victims Unit, Fraud Unit, and Detective Bureau, Spagnuolo said. The departments last batch of recruits, three, came in May. The department is budgeted for 179 sworn officers and with the new hires, the department is at full capacity, according to Lt. Terrence Blake. These officers go through a full background check, polygraph, and psychological exam, Training Officer Corey Vento said. Its really the same for experienced and new officers. The main difference is that the experienced officers dont have to go through the academy. BRIDGEPORT For several days now, The Crafty Monks doors have been closed, but they wont stay that way for long. After closing on Sunday, the year-old Bridgeport restaurant will be replaced next month with Hub & Spoke, a new eatery under the management of the Montanari family, of Norwalk. Jennifer Montanari said she and her family, which includes husband Lou and his brother Bob, have been looking for a location for their next venture since they reluctantly closed the SoNo Brewhouse Restaurant in South Norwalk last year. We looked from Norwalk to Redding to Darien to Bridgeport to Milford, Montanari said. This is the neighborhood that really interested us the most. Bob and Lou Montanari purchased the Brewhouse from the New England Brewing Co. in 2001 but closed it after rents in the thriving South Norwalk neighborhood grew too high and the business became financially unsustainable. The Brewhouses closing and The Crafty Monks opening in January 2015 were just days apart. Patrick Hogan said he and his wife, Lisa Doherty, owners of the Bridgeport business, are also leaving reluctantly. But after a recent health scare, Hogan said he began to re-evaluate the long hours he spent at the Black Rock restaurant and away from his family. Its a bittersweet moment, Hogan said. The married couple, who live in Milford, first came to Black Rock in 2005 and opened The Field restaurant. Just three years later, though, they sold the business in order to focus on their growing family. The Crafty Monk was a chance to return to what they loved best the neighborhood bar business. But Hogan said his family has decided to move back to their native Ireland for a few months, a move that could become permanent. We are going to miss the Black Rock area, Hogan said. And you never know, we might come back again. Returning in some capacity was the promise the Montanari family made to their customers when they closed the Brewhouse. But Jennifer Montanari said they didnt decide on a location until they discovered the Fairfield Avenue space was available. We were looking for a neighborhood, she said. We were looking for a community, which is really what we felt we had in South Norwalk. Montanari said they found that same feeling in Black Rock. We really fell in love with this area, she said. Montanari said they dont plan on making many changes to the interior of The Crafty Monk space and even plan to keep the craft beer selection that the restaurant was known for. The menu, however, will change to a focus on American tapas, with smaller plates and every dish made from scratch. And we are going to bring back the Sunday brunch, Montanari said. She said they dont plan to recreate the Brewhouse experience in the new location, which, at 4,500 square feet, is about half the space of the former South Norwalk restaurant. The atmosphere will be reminiscent of the Brewhouse but it wont be the Brewhouse, Montanari said. She said they expect to open mid-July. ktorres@hearstmediact.com; 203-330-6227 Chinese Passenger Attacks Plane Crew (Photo : Weibo) Another misbehavior by Chinese tourists occurred on Saturday night, adding to the growing list of embarrassing incidents involving travelers from China. Daily Star reported that a Hainan Airlines jet was delayed in departing by about four hours from the Beijing Capital International Airport. The long delay angered a lot of the passengers which a female Chinese passenger expressed her frustration by attacking a cabin crew. Advertisement She started the brawl which led other anger air travelers to follow and express their air rage by kicking and scratching each other. After the melee, the air carrier had five passengers aboard the delayed flight arrested. One of those detained was a Chinese man who demanded that he be upgraded to business class while the plane was taxiing. A cabin crew told the unruly passenger to remain seated, but he fought the flight attendant and a passenger who attempted to help. The man then pounded on the cockpit door, prompting the air carrier to call the police. But even if the police officer has boarded the plane, the male passenger continued to kick and punch that he was removed from the flight in handcuffs, reported Perthnow. The unruly passengers are now charged for obstruction. Another male passenger was ordered detained for 10 days and compensate an airline clerk whom he hit on the head with a brass plaque. The female employees photo, shared over Chinese social media sites, showed her lying on the floor behind the counter with blood oozing from her head wound. The man got angry at the female clerk because she refused to print out the travel itinerary of his friend without providing a copy of the friends ID. Delayed departures are common place among planes leaving from Chinas capital city. According to FligthStats, an aviation research firm, in 2013, 82 percent of jet leaving Beijing Capital airport were delayed. Rare footage of the first televised presidential debate in U.S. history has been put online by the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, giving voters a chance to see the dramatic change in debate tone and style since 1956. The video captures a debate between Adlai Stevenson II and Estes Kefauver during the 1956 Democratic primary campaign. ABC broadcast it May 21 from Miami just before Florida voters went to the polls. It was moderated by journalist Quincy Howe. Only two copies of the debate are known to exist, and neither has been generally available to the public until now. The ALPLM has made a digital version of its 16mm film copy of the hour-long debate. It can be seen on YouTube at bit.ly/1956debate. "This video captures two politicians from an earlier era experimenting with a powerful new force - television. The Lincoln Presidential Library is proud to dig into its huge collection and make this video available to the world," said Nadine O'Leary, the ALPLM's acting executive director. In contrast to todays frequently negative and personal political debates, the Stevenson-Kefauver debate shows candidates stressing their common views and staying polite when disagreeing. Each got three minutes for an opening statement and five minutes - an eternity in modern debates - to close. Stevenson, the former Illinois governor, won the Democratic nomination over Kefauver, a Tennessee senator. He went on to lose the general election to Dwight Eisenhower. Stevensons son, former U.S. Sen. Adlai Stevenson III, speaks Thursday at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum about his familys 150-year legacy in state and national politics. Information is available at www.PresidentLincoln.illinois.gov under special event reservations. Debate topics included school desegregation, small business, nuclear energy and the news that America had detonated a hydrogen bomb. "The future is either going to be a future of creativity and great abundance or its going to be a future of total incineration, death and destruction," Stevenson said, advocating American leadership in controlling atomic weapons. Both men promised support for the Supreme Courts ruling that schools could no longer be segregated by race. This is something where you cant use military coercion. Weve got to appeal to the hearts and minds and to the fairness of people, Kefauver said, 16 months before President Eisenhower used troops to enforce desegregation of an Arkansas high school. The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, a division of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, is dedicated to telling the story of Americas 16th president through old-fashioned scholarship and modern technology. The library holds an unparalleled collection of Lincoln books, documents, photographs, artifacts and art, as well as some 12 million items pertaining to all aspects of Illinois history. The museum uses traditional exhibits, eye-catching special effects and innovative story-telling techniques to educate visitors. Before possibly dipping into his own budget, Edwardsville Fire Chief Rick Welle will look elsewhere for funding of new software. At Thursdays Finance Committee meeting, Welle said he has a meeting scheduled with the Mobile Intensive Care System Trust a about the purchase. The fire department is looking to spend $4,000 to Image Trend Inc., and $18,000 to New World for software and installation. If that board determines this is a good purchase, then we can go there. It may not be the full amount, but thats one avenue we are pursuing, Welle said. The Mobile Intensive Care System Trust Fund was started with an endowment from Ella Tunnel and continues to grow with contributions. The non-profit fund is to help the city operate an advanced life support system. The purchase was tabled at the City Council meeting on June 7 after a discussion about where the funding would come from for the purchase. Welle had hoped through capital funds since theres usually an excess and he didnt spend all of the $44,000 that was budgeted for the purchase last year. At Thursdays Finance Committee meeting, it was asked by Alderman Art Risavy why he couldnt take it out of his budget. There is just not that type of discretionary spending within my budget. I have one discretionary line item, and outside of that everything is driven by calls, payroll, fixed costs on a year to year basis, Welle said. Last year, I spent 99.16 percent of a $2.97 million budget. The previous year was at 99.98 percent of a $2.77 million budget. Welle, later said, I want to try to clear the misconception that we rush to spend every dollar of the budget. Its been refined over the years to get the budget right. The department was wanting to switch its fire-based software last year from Firehouse to New World for better support and reporting. Madison County, later, purchased New World software for basic police and fire reporting and offered it free of charge to any county agency. The only incurred cost would be services not included in the basic package, annual support and plug-ins. The plug-in to work with Image Trend -- the EMS software the department has been using since 2012 -- 10 mobile licenses, hardware upgrades and vehicle maintenance would be $39,400. Two weeks before the end of the fiscal year, we discovered there was going to be additional software module needed on the Image Trend side to make these two work (together). Then we had this additional money of almost $7,000 added on the Image Trend side to make this work, Welle said. I wasnt willing to go there, and it wasnt going to happen. Just over $18,000 of the budgeted $44,000 was spent last year. Alderman Janet Stack was in favor of the purchase. I feel like this is something thats really necessary. If Orlando taught us anything, its that we need to be prepared for the unexpected. As government, our job is to protect and serve. Thats exactly what police and fire departments do, Stack said. I think that Chief Welle has given quite an explanation, and I think we need to go forward with a recommendation of approval. Instead of going forward, the resolution will sit in committee while Welle goes to his scheduled meeting. Madison County officials are urging residents to sign up for the emergency notification system known as CodeRED. The system is intended to warn residents about floods, thunderstorms, lighting, hail, straight line winds and other extreme weather events. It came to Madison County four years ago when County Board Chairman Alan Dunstan announced that for the first time, every resident of Madison County who has a land line or has registered a cell phone will receive emergency messages regarding evacuation notices, chemical spills, or a missing child alert. Weather notifications are sent to residents or businesses who register their phones - cell or land line - with the system. In emergency situations it becomes even more necessary for residents to be informed and receive as much advance notice as possible, Dunstan said in the countys most recent news release on the subject. In Madison County, we have CodeRED, an excellent weather and emergency notification system where every resident with a landline or a registered cell phone can receive emergency messages regarding weather emergencies, hazardous material incidents, chemical spills and missing children alerts. CodeRED allows for localized and customizable weather warnings to be delivered to targeted areas based on the address of the registered resident. Residents will only receive warnings if their registered address is in the path of the storm. The system creates access to emergency notifications in areas - such as Hamel - that were once unreached and creates a more localized weather notification for every resident, according to the release. The CodeRED system allows the Madison County Emergency Management Agency to send emergency notifications to the entire county in specifically targeted weather emergencies, Dunstan said in the release. In spring and summer - when storms are typically more frequent and more severe - it is important that Emergency Management be able to reach out to residents, Dunstan said. I urge every resident of Madison County who is not already registered to sign up for the free, potentially life-saving CodeRED program. Residents can register for the program by going to the Madison County Emergency Management Agency web site at www.mymadisoncountyema.org and clicking on the link to CodeRED Community Notification Enrollment. Residents and businesses can also enroll via telephone by calling the Emergency Management Agency at (618) 692-0537 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Residents can find more information on CodeRED by calling the Madison County Emergency Agency at (618) 692-0537. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Zainal Fikri (The Jakarta Post) Banjarmasin Wed, June 22, 2016 Indonesias founding fathers had successfully married religion with secularism, resulting in a neither religious nor secular country. However, several current bylaws under the decentralization era have been passed by regional governments that firmly favor religious-orientated morals and doctrines, such as an obligation for students to wear a headscarf, the banning of food stalls from operating in daylight hours during Ramadhan, the banning of alcohol and the compulsory attendance of Christian church services on Sunday. The bylaws fail to foster religious freedom and harmony as the ideal principles of the Indonesian ideology of Pancasila. In religious affairs, Indonesia promotes religious harmony and freedom. Both ideals are interpreted from the first principle, belief in one God, of the state ideology and Article 29 on religion in Indonesias Constitution. They are the ideological commitment of the Indonesian state over religious matters. The origin of the idea of religious harmony as a political ideology in the modern Indonesia was in Sukarnos speech during the constitutional debate in 1945. In his speech on June 1 of that year Sukarno presented what he called Pancasila, the five principles: nationalism, international humanism, popular sovereignty, social justice and the belief in God. Sukarno did not give a special status or position to any religion. The first principle meant that the new nation-state of Indonesia would be for all religions, as evidenced by the reduction of several words from the original phrase to avoid putting one religion over the others. It also meant that religions should be practiced in a civilized way or by a mutual respect: Adherents of one religion should respect other religions. In the speech, Sukarno used the term mutual respect instead of religious harmony as the basis of inter-religious relations. The mutual respect relations between the adherents of different religions, according to Sukarno, is the expression of one of five principles of his proposed state ideology: the belief in God. During the New Order, Suharto retained mutual respect as the interpretation of the principle of belief in God. However, Suharto added religious harmony as part of his agenda in strengthening national stability and integrity. He believed the cultivation of mutual respect and cooperation among followers of different religions and beliefs would create harmony, political stability and order. Pancasila as an ideology of tolerance and harmony had shaped numerous public policies during Suhartos era. After the fall of Suhartos New Order, questions emerged about whether the state ideology was still relevant. We believe Pancasila as the ideology of tolerance and harmony is still relevant for Indonesia. We hope the central and regional governments still give attention to religious harmony in making public policy. The state may support religious teaching as a source of law as long as it is non-coercive. The Law of Islamic Banking, for example, can be considered as a model of a middle way in religious lawmaking. In terms of religious freedom, it does not ban Muslims from being customers of conventional banks nor does it require them to open accounts in Islamic banks. They are free to choose either conventional or Islamic banks. It would be better for us not to follow secular France, which bans headscarves in public schools, or Afghanistan under the Taliban where it was obligatory. Female student head-coverings should be entirely optional and not obligatory. Furthermore, a current controversy about banning food stalls during daylight during Ramadhan should be seen within the framework of mutual respect as the basis of community harmony as the middle way or a win-win solution. We can see a living hermeneutics of the principle of mutual respect during Ramadhan before the autonomy era and the introduction of Islamic-inspiredbylaws. Ramadhan curtains or curtained food stalls emerge during the month in various regions and cities. It is a local wisdom on how to deal with different interests between vendors, fasting Muslims, non-fasting Muslims and non-Muslims. The owners put up curtains to respect fasting Muslims. This way, Muslims can fast in peace, people still have access to food and the vendors could earn money. Nobody gets hurt. That is harmonious life, a true expression of mutual respect, the wisdom of the middle way. Since the beginning of regional autonomy, local politicians made every effort to gain majority support. Some Muslims, particularly the radicals whose sensibilities are offended when their governments tolerate immoral social behaviors, argued for change. They argue eating in food stalls during fasting hours, even if the stalls are curtained, is immoral. They cannot tolerate public immorality. Therefore, now we have intolerant bylaws. We find intolerant bylaws not only in the Muslim-dominant regions, but also in Christian-dominant Papua. In Papua, Sunday closing bylaws prohibit or restrict individuals from engaging in certain acts on Sunday and impose legal sanctions on violators. The measures, which are based on the biblical injunction against working on the Sabbath, commanded all citizens to rest on Sunday and required church attendance, except for non-Christians. They seek to prohibit all other activities other than church attendance, such as selling in markets, thereby removing any temptation to stay away from religious services. To avoid intolerance and the violating of religious freedom, we argue all parties, particularly Muslims and Christians, to follow the middle way of Pancasila in evaluating current bylaws. As we know, our state was founded neither as a religious nor a secular nation. *** The writer is a lecturer at IAIN Antasari Banjarmasin. --------------- 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 Zaki Mubarok Busro (The Jakarta Post) New York Wed, June 22, 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. Indonesias policies for combating IUU fishing are very stringent. The sinking of fishing vessels has gained wide support, created a deterrent effect and helped to address declining fish stocks. According to a 2014 report by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the proportion of marine fish stocks fished at a biologically sustainable intensity declined from 90 percent in 1974 to 71.2 percent in 2011, meaning 28.8 percent of fish stocks were overfished. Small-scale fishermen are badly affected by ongoing fisheries crimes, which are the main cause of declining fish stocks and the degradation of marine ecosystems. International law has a dual approach to combating IUU fishing by assigning responsibility to flag states and port states. The basic concept is that the farther a vessel is from coastal areas, the greater the responsibilities for the flag states and vice versa. Flag state responsibility includes management and conservation measures in the high seas by aligning with regional fisheries management organizations. Loopholes still need to be addressed, such as member countries commitment to implementing resolutions of these organizations. These circumstances made the role of port states imperative in safeguarding the marine ecosystem, particularly against IUU fishing, in the last 10 years. The fundamental principle of port state responsibility is that foreign vessels are not authorized to anchor at ports without port state consent aside from under force majeure conditions. This principle conforms to provisions of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Responsibilities of port states concerning IUU fishing are also stipulated in the 2001 FAO international plan of action to prevent, deter and eliminate IUU fishing. However, its application is not effective, as this instrument is not legally binding. In combating IUU fishing, port state measures are considered more cost-effective and more secure than surveillance and law enforcement at sea. Port states have authority to, among other things, prevent and ban the distribution of fish from IUU fishing activities. This measure unsurprisingly results in low prices for such fish, thereby significantly decreasing the revenue of those engaged in IUU fishing. Generally, the PSM Agreement encompasses three stages: before entering a port, during docking at a port and after inspections. In the first stage, the port state can ban vessels from entering into its port if sufficient evidence of IUU fishing activities is found. When anchored at the port, if the vessel is proven to have engaged in IUU fishing, port states are obliged to prohibit landing, trans-shipping as well as processing and packing of fish. After the refusal, notification is delivered to the flag state, regional fisheries management organizations and related international organizations. This measure aims to widely disseminate information as soon as possible, so that other states can be aware of the situation and take concrete, real-time action. As for the last resort, if there is convincing evidence that the vessel was engaged in IUU fishing, the vessel is banned from activities including refueling, logistics, maintenance and dry docking. Indonesias commitment to become a party to the PSM Agreement should be appreciated. However, there are several policies to take into account in the years to come. First, Indonesia should consider ratifying the 2012 Cape Town Agreement. This agreement allows fishing vessels to have a unique identification number as part of efforts to create global records on fishing vessels. With this unique ID, fishing vessels engaged in IUU fishing can be more easily identified. Second, Indonesia needs a regulation like the Lacey Act. This act was adopted by the US in 1900 and bans, among other things, imports and exports of fish, wildlife or plants that are taken, possessed, transported or sold in violation of US law, state law or foreign law. In the recent case of the US v. Begins, the US invoked the Lacey Act and imposed a US$ 24.5 million fine on a US company found to have illegally fished rock lobsters in South Africa and sent them to the US. Some countries have adopted and applied this Act, such as Papua New Guinea and Micronesia. If Indonesia had this type of act, it would not only secure its natural resources but also assume its role of keeping environmental exploitation at a sustainable level. *** The writer is a UN Nippon Fellow 2016 at the UN Division on Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea and a PhD Student at the Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security, University of Wollongong. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of any institutions. --------------- 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. Russian President Vladimir Putin appears on Russian television during a live broadcast in Moscow. (Photo : Reuters) China and Russia are expected to sign a multibillion-dollar high-speed rail deal during the state visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to Beijing, which will start on June 25, the South China Morning Post reported. Advertisement Aside from the rail deal, around 30 trade agreements could also be possibly signed during the visit, the report said. China has confirmed plans to grant a 400-billion-rouble (HK$48 billion) loan to Russia for the construction of a high-speed railway to link the Russian cities of Moscow and Kazan. Two Chinese banks have also pledged in April to lend more than $12 billion for the development of a liquefied natural gas plant in the Arctic. The project was delayed after the U.S. imposed sanctions on Novatek, the majority shareholder in the project, which is partly owned by Russian billionaire Gennady Timchenko, and Putin's close friend. Alexander Gabuev, a senior associate and the chair of Russia in the Asia-Pacific Programme at the Carnegie Moscow Centre, said that the two countries are expected to sign the railway deal and agree on the first batch of loan for the gas deal. The signing of the deals came as the two countries are expected to extend their military cooperation. Russia is seeking deeper ties with China to offset the sanctions of Western powers, while China needs Russia's support against U.S. presence in the East and South China Seas. Analysts said that the military cooperation between the two countries was driven by the U.S.'s deployment of the Terminal High Altitude Area Defence (THAAD) missile system in the Korean Peninsula. In May, China and Russia also conducted the first computer-aided missile defense drill as Beijing purchased an S-400 surface-to-air missile system from Russia. In June, Chinese and Russian navies sailed into the disputed waters near the Diaoyu Islands (known as the Senkakus in Japan) in the East China Sea at around the same time. Many believed this to be the first of the two countries' joint operations in the East China Sea. However, it would take a long time before the cooperation between the two countries attain the same level as that of NATO or the U.S.-Japan alliance, according to Macau-based military observer Antony Wong Dong. "The two countries' anti-missile cooperation is more about exploring and understanding each other's military capabilities at this stage. It is more of a protest against the U.S., rather than actual cooperation," Wong added. In April, Russia had urged countries involved in the South China Sea dispute to resolve the matter among themselves, without third parties. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, June 22, 2016 Conservation International (CI) Indonesia launched a virtual reality film focused on the Birds Head Seascape in West Papua on Monday. Valen's Reef follows Ronald Mambrasar, a local fisherman-turned-scientist from CI Indonesia in his journey to protect the Bird's Head Seascape. CI Indonesia has been working in the West Papua region since 2004 to protect species like sharks, manta rays, whales and sea turtles. Produced in partnership with virtual reality production company Vrse.works and Finch Company, the film takes viewers on a 360 degree virtual tour of the vibrant reefs of eastern Indonesia, home to 600 types of coral and 1,765 species of fish. Without the required headgear, you can still use a computer mouse to view the environment in all its beauty. (Read also: Things to know about coral reefs and their importance) The Birds Head gives people a vision of what a colorful, healthy, abundant reef can look like. So if youre going to take somebody on an immersive underwater journey, what better place than this? filmmaker John Martin said, when asked why they opted for virtual reality. The film is available on YouTube. (ken/kes) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Mark Kennedy (Associated Press) New York, United States Wed, June 22, 2016 Tony Award-nominee and "Hamilton" star Phillipa Soo has a new whimsical gig lined up she'll lead a musical stage version of the film "Amelie" that hopes to land on Broadway in 2017. Soo, who plays Eliza Schuyler in "Hamilton," will take over the part in the quirky romantic comedy that brought fame to actress Audrey Tautou in the 2001 Oscar-nominated film. (Read also: Iconic musical Annie to make Jakarta debut) The story centers on a shy and quirky young woman who goes about improving the lives of those around her in imaginative ways but lacks the courage to pursue the object of her affections. The musical features music by Daniel Messe, lyrics by Nathan Tysen and Daniel Messe, and a book by Craig Lucas. Tony-winning director Pam MacKinnon will helm the show. A previous version of "Amelie, A New Musical" was performed a Berkeley Repertory Theatre last year with British actress Samantha Barks starring in the main role. The latest version will play CTG's Ahmanson Theatre starting in December. (Read also: The Birth of An Orchestra) Soo's first big role in New York was in the acclaimed off-Broadway pop opera "Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812." ''Hamilton" represents her Broadway debut. Soo is the recipient of The Actors' Equity Foundation's 2015 Clarence Derwent Awards for most promising female performer and the 2015 Lortel Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical. When she will leave "Hamilton" to start "Amelie" is unclear. Already, "Hamilton" star and creator Lin-Manuel Miranda has revealed he will leave the show on July 9 to act and write for other projects. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, June 22, 2016 Bollywood star Salman Khans recent comments regarding his experience playing a wrestler in his latest movie have sparked controversy. 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, the 50-year-old actor told spotboye.com on Monday regarding the tenacious training sessions he endured to prepare for the wrestling scenes in his upcoming film Sultan. The raped woman comment quickly ignited a hefty amount of controversy, including from Indias National Commission for Women (NCW), which demanded an explanation. NCW chief Lalitha Kumaramangalam reportedly said the comment was irresponsible and careless, adding that the commission would like to know what drove [Khan] to make such a statement, as his comments smell of the patriarchal high headedness that prevails in our country. (Read also: 'Housefull 3' attempts to step into new-age Bollywood) Netizens have also criticized the actor for making the comments. Don't understand how this is #SalmanMisquoted this is clearly #SalmanKhan being insensitive! He MUST say sorry. pic.twitter.com/9elhm290SB Rashi Kakkar (@rashi_kakkar) June 21, 2016 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. Nehr-who? (@threeinchfooll) June 20, 2016 It is not the first time India has faced controversy surrounding dismissive attitudes toward violence against women. In 2012, the gang rape of Jyoti Singh, also known as Nirbhaya, led to demonstrations and intense discussions among politicians. However, a documentary about the case called Indias Daughter was banned in the country. Khan himself has been involved in quite a few altercations. He faced a five-year prison sentence last year for a 2002 hit-and-run case. Despite the actors silence, his father, screenwriter Salim Khan, tweeted: I apologize on behalf of his family, his fans & his friends. Forgiveness is to pardon the unpardonable or it is no virtue at all. 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 Khan is one of Bollywoods highest paid stars. His films Bajrangi Bhaijaan and Prem Ratan Dhan Payo were highly successful. He is also well-known as the host of the Indian version of Big Brother. Sultan is slated to premiere on July 6 in India, the US and other countries. (jam/kes) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, June 21 2016 JAKARTA: Actor Nicholas Saputra, 32, is aiding a campaign to protect elephants in Indonesia; appearing in Save Our Forest Giants, a documentary that follows the European Union conservation program that is currently operating within Tangkahan Park, North Sumatra. My first close encounter with an elephant was 10 years ago in Tangkahan. Ever since that moment I have had a fondness for the animal, he said at a screening for the documentary on Sunday as quoted by tribunnews.com. Look into the eyes of an elephant, its an indescribable feeling, he 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 Evi Mariani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, June 21 2016 Many Indonesians cannot distinguish genuine batik from textiles with batik motifs, a problem that has resulted in a stagnant batik industry despite government claims that sales of batik are growing rapidly at home and abroad. This ignorance is not found exclusively among the masses. 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 Grace D. Amianti, Nurul Fitri Ramadhani and Prima Wirayani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Tue, June 21 2016 State-owned Enterprises (SOE) Minister Rini Soemarno may currently be persona non grata at the House of Representatives, but that may have little impact on SOEs day-to-day operations as many have found ways around delayed disbursements of state capital injections (PMN). Construction firm Wijaya Karya, for instance, claims that it has been able to use internal cash and bank loans to finance its expansion. Wijaya Karya has been listed as due to receive Rp 4 trillion (US$301.66 million) in PMN since last year. 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 Hotli Simanjuntak (The Jakarta Post) Banda Aceh Wed, June 22 2016 Having been stranded for 10 days on Lhoknga Beach in Aceh, 44 Sri Lankan asylum seekers were finally permitted to leave their boat and move into temporary shelters on Tuesday. The government decided to host the migrants after ascertaining that the boats engine was irreparable and parts of the vessel were submerged from multiple leaks. It has also given access to United Nations High Commission on Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM) officials to reach and help the migrants in the morning. Aceh Immigration Office head Achmad Samadan said UNHCR and IOM officials would help to check the condition of the migrants, including their health. 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 Andrian Bagus Santoso (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, June 22 2016 Climate change has become a worldwide issue in the past decades. Countless studies have been conducted to explain the cause and provide insights on how to prevent more severe damage. Most scientists agree that the earths surface temperature has increased by around 0.40.8 degrees Celsius over the past 100 years. Research also predicts that average global temperatures could rise by another 1.4 to 5.8 degrees Celsius by the year of 2100. Higher temperatures can also lead to rising sea levels due to the melting of the polar ice caps as well as an increase in the occurrence and severity of storms and other extreme weather events. One of many indicators showing how serious climate change has become is The Global Climate Risk Index (CRI), published by Germanwatch. The CRI basically indicates the level of exposure and vulnerability to extreme events that countries should understand and use as a warning to prepare them for more frequent and/or more severe events in the future. CRI result shows that many Asian countries have suffered from climate change over the last two decades. Indonesia itself is ranked in the middle tier, which means the country is fairly exposed to climate change, although not to an extreme degree. Another research study that focuses on how climate change affects countries is the Global Adaptation Index by Notre Dame University (ND-GAIN). ND-GAIN summarizes a countrys vulnerability to climate change and other global challenges in combination with its readiness to improve resilience. The difference between the CRI and the ND-GAIN is that the ND-GAIN also measures a countrys ability to leverage investment for adaptation. It aims to help businesses and the public sector prioritize investment for a more efficient response to the immediate global challenges ahead. The results show that Indonesia once again ranks in the middle, with both vulnerability and readiness scores tending to improve slowly. The conclusion from those research efforts is that while Indonesia will not suffer the most from climate change, it should start raising awareness and improving its readiness for climate risks. A tropical country like Indonesia tends to be exposed to various climate risks, such as drought, earthquakes, forest fires, tsunamis and floods. Nowadays, most developed countries are already taking serious measures to suppress climate risks, including measures by governments, society and businesses. The financial sector is gaining more attention recently, because day-to-day financial business turns out to quite strongly affect efforts to control climate risks. Many high-level conferences have been organized, including the United Nations Environment Programmes Financial Initiative (UNEP FI), which counts more than 200 financial institutions across the world among its members. It has two members from Indonesia, Bank Jabar Banten (BJB) and Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI). The main goal of the UNEP FI is to implement systemic change in finance to support a sustainable world. Another global initiative to promote sustainable finance is the Equator Principle (EP), which involves more than 70 global financial institutions. They have committed themselves to refuse loans of US$10 million or more to debtors that fail to comply with social and environment standards set by the EP. Indonesia is also actively involved in suppressing greenhouse gas emission. At the Pittsburgh Summit of 2009, Indonesia pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emission by 26 percent in our own efforts, while targeting to cut more than 40 percent of gas emissions with international intervention. The commitment was later translated to Rencana Aksi Nasional Gerakan Rumah Kaca (RAN GRK or the Greenhouse Movement National Action Plan), which engages a wide range of ministries and government institutions. The Financial Services Authority (OJK), meanwhile, has issued the Roadmap for Sustainable Finance in Indonesia 2015-2019, which focuses on four key principles of sustainable financing. They are risk management, sustainable priority economic sector development, environmental and social governance and reporting, and capacity enhancement and collaborative partnerships. In the short run in 2016, the OJK aims to prepare incentives needed for sustainable finance, including prudential rules, an information hub, awards and a reporting policy. In the long term, from 2019 to 2024, the OJK targets to integrate social and environmental aspects in risk management and corporate governance. The OJK recently initiated a green banking pilot project, dubbed as the first step toward creating sustainable banks. The initiative includes collaboration with eight major national banks, including Bank Mandiri. The first phase of the project will focus on the palm oil sector, since it is frequently associated with environmental issues. The OJK expects that this pilot project will come up with series of recommendations to implement green financing. In the long run, the OJK wants to make it difficult for companies that damage the environment to obtain loans and financing. Banks credit quality will automatically worsen as well if banks lend funds to environmentally damaging companies. Although more detailed regulations are still in the drafting stage, Indonesian financial institutions should gradually start building sustainability partnerships with their clients, while also spreading awareness on green finance to other institutions. Financial institutions, especially banks, will function as intermediaries and play a role as agents of change. Sooner or later, sustainable financing could become mandatory. So the question is, are we ready to finance change. ___________ The writer is a researcher at Mandiri Institute. 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 Wed, June 22, 2016 The Indonesian government has asserted that Canada cannot intervene in the legal case of Canadian Neil Bantleman, a former Jakarta Intercultural School teacher who was sentenced to 11 years in prison for the sexual assault of minors, but said a second appeal could be filed to challenge the Supreme Court ruling. The statement came following a request by Canadian Foreign Minister Stephane Maurice Dion on June 3 for a copy of a Supreme Court ruling in February that overturned the acquittal of Bantleman and teachers assistant Indonesian Ferdinant Tjong, Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi said on Wednesday as quoted by kompas.com. The government met the request on June 9. In a meeting with top officials at the Office of the Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister, it was agreed that the Canadian government could not intervene in the case but a second appeal could be filed according to standard legal procedures. Bantleman and Ferdinant were initially sentenced to 10 years for the sexual abuse of three kindergartners in April last year. The two filed an appeal with the Jakarta High Court, which overturned the guilty verdict and acquitted them of all charges. The Supreme Court later overturned the high courts ruling and increased their sentences to 11 years in prison in February. (liz/rin) Hokkaido to Attract Chinese Tourists with Opening of New Resort in 2017 Hokkaido Tomamu Resort (Photo : www.japan-guide.com) Chinese tourists, hopefully, would not give the country a bad name again when they set foot in a swanky tourist destination in Hokkaido, Japan. China Daily reported that Club Med Tomamu would open in 2017 within the Hokkaido Tomamu Resort area. It would be the iconic French resort brands second resort in Hokkaido. The tourist destination would have over 20 ski trails with different difficulties and more than 50 activities such as professional ski courses and instruction. Advertisement The resort is known for its Unkai Terrace panorama and the mountains of Hidaka and Tokachi. Visitors could enjoy a 13-minute ride on the gondola which offers a picturesque view of mountain peaks above clouds from a 1,088-meter-high deck, reported Niseko Real Estate. On Monday, Club Med inked a cooperation agreement with Yuyuan Tourist Mart, a Chinese company, which would run the upcoming resort. Fosun International has a 30 percent stake in Yuyuan Tourist Mart which purchased in November a 100 percent stake in Resort Tomamu for 18.36 billion yen ($175 million). Resort Tomamu is a ski resort owned by the Hoshino Resorts Group. Yuyuans buy-in led to a boost in Chinese tourists to Tomamu which has grown three times. Also up by 80 percent are Tomamus occupancy rates, sales revenue and profit, disclosed Xu Xiaoliang, Yuyuan Tourist Mart chairman. The acquisition came a year after Fosun purchased 98 percent of Club Mediterranee in March 2015 for 1 billion euro ($1.13 billion). In China, there are four resorts built by Club Med. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, June 22, 2016 Publicly listed movie-theater operator Graha Layar Prima has opened its latest cinema at the Grand Kawanua City Walk mall in Manado, North Sulawesi. It is the companys first movie theater in Sulawesi. The new theater expands the company's cinema chain under the CGV Blitz brand to 21 theaters in eight provinces: Jakarta, Banten, West Java, Yogyakarta, East Java, Riau Islands, Kalimantan and North Sulawesi. CGV Blitz Grand Kawanua City Walk Manado will be opened on June 22, CGV Blitz spokeswoman Dyah Wurianti was quoted as saying by tribunnews.com in Jakarta on Tuesday. The new movie theater, she explained, had seven auditoriums with a total of 1,212 seats. In line with the CGV Blitz concept, it has a Velvet Class equipped with sofa beds, pillows and blankets, aside from the Sweetbox equipped with mini sofas and the ordinary class. To attract moviegoers in the fifth-biggest island of Indonesia, the company will offer free tickets to new members for a limited period. Graha Layar Prima has been working with South Koreas largest multiplex cinema chain, CJ CGV, to run the second biggest cinema chain in Indonesia. CJ CGV increased its share in Graha Layar Prima to 40.25 percent in April, according to a regulatory filing in Korea. (ags) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Associated Press) Beijing Wed, June 22, 2016 US, European and Chinese regulators said Wednesday they will jointly enforce product safety in online commerce, and an American official said they are making progress on crafting standards for hoverboards. The statement by American, European Union and Chinese officials reflects the rapid growth of international e-commerce, which the officials said "has created new challenges" in protecting consumers from dangerous products. They pledged to watch online sales more closely, make it easier to track products to their manufacturer and to cooperate in product recalls. They said manufacturers will be encouraged to do more to design safety standards into products. US, European and Chinese regulators have held five such meetings since 2008. They began amid scandals over fake or shoddy toothpaste, tires and other goods from China that revealed weaknesses in safety enforcement. The latest pledge marked the first time such a meeting produced an agreement to "do something concrete," said the American envoy, Elliot F. Kaye, chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Kaye said the US-Chinese relationship in product safety is close and cooperative, in contrast to disputes in other areas. Kaye said regulators need to respond to the rise of online commerce that links consumers directly with foreign suppliers, eliminating traditional importers who would have been responsible for product safety. In the United States, online sales have grown to account for 8 percent of total consumer purchases, according to the US Commerce Department. Meanwhile, Kaye said, regulators are making progress on developing safety standards for hoverboards, the popular electric scooters that have suffered crashes and fires. Kaye's agency is investigating 13 manufacturers, including Chinese companies. UL, formerly Underwriters Laboratories, a product-testing company, has developed fire-safety standards. A second group, ASTM, is working on guidelines for stability and is expected to release them in six months, Kaye said. He said Washington would share those with Chinese authorities. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Tama Salim (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, June 22 2016 Constructing artificial islands, an airfield and various military facilities are among the range of activities carried out by China in pursuit of its claim over the South China Sea (SCS). Despite the concerns voiced by many over its assertiveness, China ventures forever onward, pausing only to add new levels of complexity. State-owned China COSCO Shipping Corp. recently announced plans to launch cruise trips within the SCS, advertising the first travel route from Sanya, a city in the countrys southeast, to the disputed Paracel Islands, known as the Xisha Islands in China, over which Vietnam and Taiwan also lay claim. Xu Lirong, the chairman of China COSCO Shipping, said the reason for the plan was to stimulate the local economy through the development of tourism, logistics and infrastructure facilities. 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 Bambang Muryanto (The Jakarta Post) Yogyakarta Wed, June 22 2016 The Yogyakarta Palace signed on Tuesday a new agreement to reclaim land in Gunung Kidul regency, sparking new tensions over the monarchys disputed land rights in the province. Yogyakarta Governor Hamengkubuwono witnessed on Tuesday the signing of an agreement between the Yogyakarta Palace and the Gunung Kidul regency administration to document and clear land plots belonging to the sultan in the region, also known as sultans grounds. The documentation of the land is awaiting the issuance of a local agrarian bylaw. 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 (Associated Press) Manila, Philippines Wed, June 22, 2016 The Philippine president-elect said Tuesday that he recently asked the US ambassador whether Washington will support the Philippines in case of a possible confrontation with China in the disputed South China Sea. Rodrigo Duterte suggested in a speech in a business forum in southern Davao city that a 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty between the allies does not automatically oblige Washington to immediately help if the Philippines gets into a confrontation with China over a territorial dispute. Duterte said he asked US Ambassador Philip Goldberg in a recent meeting, "Are you with us or are you not with us?" adding that Goldberg responded, "Only if you are attacked." In Washington, the State Department said it would not comment on the details of diplomatic conversations or on the possibility of the US coming to the defense of the Philippines in the South China Sea. But it said the US-Philippine alliance is "ironclad" and the US would stand by its treaty commitments. "President Obama has been clear that we will stand by our commitments to the Philippines, as we do any mutual defense treaty ally," said Anna Richey-Allen, spokeswoman for the department's East Asian and Pacific affairs bureau. "Our dependability and reliability as an ally has been established over decades. Beyond that, we won't comment on hypotheticals," she said. The treaty says each country will "act to meet the common dangers" if one is attacked. Filipino officials have asked in the past whether the US would help if the Philippines gets into a confrontation with China over disputed territories in the South China Sea. The U.S. takes no sides in the long-unresolved territorial disputes. Goldberg hasn't commented publicly on his meeting with Duterte. The long-simmering disputes involving China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei have escalated after Beijing transformed seven disputed reefs into islands, including three with aircraft runways, in the South China Sea. Some fear China can use the islands militarily to reinforce its claims and intimidate rival claimants. Under outgoing President Benigno Aquino III, the Philippines challenged the validity of China's vast claims under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea before an international arbitration tribunal, which is expected to hand down a ruling soon. The move by Aquino's administration has strained relations with Beijing. Duterte said he would wait for the tribunal's ruling before deciding his move but added he would not confront militarily superior China and risk losing Filipino troops. "Why would I go to war?" he asked. "I will not waste the lives of people there." Duterte pointed out the benefits of nurturing friendly relations with Beijing, including a Chinese offer of financing railway projects in the Philippines. The longtime mayor of Davao city, who starts his six-year term on June 30, said he would send his designated transport secretary, Arthur Tugade, to China "not to talk about war, not to talk about irritations there, but to talk about peace and how they can help us." Apparently referring to the US, Duterte asked, "Can you match the offer? Because if you cannot match the offer, I will accept the goodwill of China." Duterte has said he would be a left-leaning president and allowed communist guerrillas to recommend allies who were designated to at least two key posts in his Cabinet. Earlier this month, he said he would chart an independent foreign policy "and not be dependent on the United States," the Philippines' longtime ally. (bbn) Associated Press writer Matthew Pennington in Washington contributed to this report. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ayomi Amindoni (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, June 22, 2016 The government and House of Representatives make unrealistic assumptions for the revised 2016 state budget and are overly optimistic about the tax amnestys effectiveness in generating state revenue, an economist has said. They have agreed on a draft for the revised 2016 state budget that increases expected state revenue by Rp 51.7 trillion (US$3.93 billion) to Rp 1.78 quadrillion, driven by expected additional tax revenue of Rp 12.1 trillion and non-tax revenue of Rp 39.7 trillion. Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (INDEF) executive director Enny Sri Hartati said the government and the House were relying too heavily on the tax amnesty to raise Rp 165 trillion in additional revenue, while the bill for the tax amnesty was not even passed into law yet. "Assuming the bill is deliberated and the program begins in July, it will not be immediately carried out. There will only be five months, or less, to run the tax amnesty program this year. The government is too optimistic with its revenue target," she told thejakartapost.com in Jakarta on Wednesday. The House and te government also agreed to increase spending by Rp 35.1 trillion to Rp 2.08 quadrillion, with the central government set to spend an additional Rp 20.1 trillion and boosting regional transfers and village fund allocations by Rp 15 trillion. The budget deficit projected in the draft revision is Rp 296.7 trillion, or 2.35 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP). That is lower than the governments proposal of a Rp 313.3 trillion deficit, equating to 2.48 of GDP. (ags) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Anton Hermansyah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, June 22, 2016 Investment scams have faked the endorsement of public figures to lure the public, the Financial Service Authority (OJK) has said. OJK chairman Muliaman Hadad said the fake endorsements of artists and army retirees were often used to sell bogus investments. "The illegal investment companies took photos of the public figures while they were attending an event," he said in Jakarta on Tuesday, warning other pubic figures of the practice. Usually, he continued, the companies did not have a formal agreement with the public figures regarding their involvement in the activities. However, the public figures usually kept quiet regarding the practice as they were embarrassed of being tied to a bogus investment. "I know some high-level army retirees who also being fooled by bogus investment companies. However they have kept it a secret," said Attorney General Prasetyo. Year-to-date, there are 430 public files about illegal investment at the OJK. Most of the companies reported do not have clear legal standing. (ags) We hope you love our recommendations. For your information, TheJakartaPost.com may collect a small share of sales from the links on this page. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, June 22 2016 A married couple, identified as Suneti and Andri Baswan, were apprehended in Tangerang, Banten, on Monday night over an alleged robbery in West Jakarta. Police arrested Suneti and Andri at their house after information was provided by another suspected robber, identified as Eko, who police arrested on Sunday. The couple are alleged to have collaborated with Eko and three other men, who remain at large, to rob Rp 60 million (US$4,615) from a man in Kalideres last Monday. The three are alleged to have followed the victim after he left a bank, threatened him at gunpoint and stolen his money. 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 Wed, June 22 2016 Bogor Police have raided a luxury house inside the Villa Duta housing complex on Jl. Kingkilaban, East Bogor, West Java, and arrested 31 illegal migrants, alleged to be from China. Bogor Police Chief, Adj. Sr. Comr. Andi Herindra, said on Tuesday that the 31 foreigners, 22 men and nine women, were arrested on Monday night after the police received reports from locals claiming that they had noticed suspicious activity. He said that the foreign nationals had breached the Immigration Law, as indicated by a failure to show legal documents, adding that the Police were investigating the possibility that the group may have been involved in cyber fraud. 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 Wed, June 22, 2016 Indonesia must be consistent in being a persistent objector to China's claim over territories it says are included in its Nine-Dash Line, an expert has said. "The protests voiced by the Foreign Ministry in every incident involving the capture of a Chinese boat have been based on Indonesia's stance in not recognizing the Nine-Dash Line as [China's] traditional fishing grounds," international law expert Hikmahanto Juwana said as quoted by Antara news agency. He asserted that the detainment of Chinese boats in Indonesia's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) by government ships, including the Navy, was a clear action of law enforcement and also enforcement of sovereign rights. "Considering the number of incidents, with the latest one involving the arrest of a Chinese boat that had entered Indonesia's EEZ by Indonesian warship Imam Bonjol, last Friday, these are not occurring by accident. For the fishermen, parts of the EEZ are considered their traditional fishing grounds," Hikmahanto said. The Chinese government also supports the activities of its fishermen, he added. Indonesian maritime laws are based on the internationally recognized UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), Hikmahanto said, which does not recognize China's traditional fishing grounds claim. China has used its traditional fishing grounds claim to defend three separate incidents in recent months where Chinese fishing boats were arrested on suspicion of fishing in Indonesias EEZ. (liz/bbn) Landscape Of Xikou (Photo : Getty Images) So long as there are gullible people seeking a cure for their ailments, using religion as a tool to become wealthy has become the road to riches of leaders of cults. One such cult is Milefo Dao which is based on the worship of the Maitreya Buddha. However, its leader, 61-year-old Li Changlu, has been detained following a crackdown on cults in China when a woman was beaten to death in McDonalds Zhaoyuan, Shandong Province, in 2014 for not giving her phone number to six members of a cult called Almighty God. Advertisement Li Changlu, who gathered former Zhong Gong cult members in 2011, established Milefo Dao and added more followers from 23 regions in China. He claims to be a reincarnation of the Maitreya Buddha and made tons of money estimated to have reached 10 million yuan accumulated over a decade by claiming the healthcare products he is selling has Buddha powers. He took off where Zhong Gong, established in 1987 four years after the Falun Gong movement was prohibited by Chinese authorities, by tapping traditional Chinese ideas such as meditation exercises for better health and enlightenment. But beyond Zhong Gongs beliefs, Li Changlus teachings include a warning of a mass extinction event which could be survived by being faithful followers of Maitreya Buddhas teachings. In 2012, he opened a company to handle Milefo Daos finances with branches across China. He initially evaded arrest by requiring members to change their phone numbers often, use secret codes and live in isolated rented homes. Milefo Dao is one of 14 cults that the State Council and Ministry of Public Security have identified since the 1990s. In August, police arrested 21 key officials of Milefo Dao, seized 10.32 million yuan, 37 bank cards and 82 books of cult teachings. On April 1, 16 members of Milefo Dao were sentenced from two to six years jail term by a local court in Hebei Province. The cults leaders were charged with spreading superstitions. Ahead of the G20 Summit in September, hosted by Hangzhou, China would deploy 1 million security volunteers tasked with cracking down on religious cults, IBT reported in May. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, June 22, 2016 Indonesia will not formally protest the Chinese government following the latest incident in Natuna, Riau Islands, where one China-flagged vessel along with its seven crewmen were allegedly caught fishing illegally, a minister has said. "This is an issue of law enforcement, not a political one," Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi said on Wednesday, as quoted by kompas.com. Retno said the actions taken by the Indonesian Navy, which arrested one of twelve foreign boats suspected of illegal fishing in Indonesia's exclusive economic zone (EEZ), were correct and sufficient in handling the situation. There is no need to extend the issue by lodging a protest, she added. The Chinese foreign ministry had protested the Navy's actions and the capture of its citizens, calling it an "excessive use of force" and that the incident had taken place in a traditional Chinese fishing ground where the two countries have overlapping maritime claims. The Indonesian government has been consistent in denying China's territorial claim, in what is the third of similar incidents this year, by reasoning that it has no value in the face of international laws. Retno said Indonesia would continue to exercise its sovereign rights over its territorial waters, which is internationally recognized based on the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). She said a note of protest was common in the world of diplomacy and that it was not to be exaggerated. "Communication is still ongoing, our relationship with China remains good," Retno said. (liz/bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Jakarta Post) Palu Wed, June 22 2016 The Poso Prosecutors Office in Central Sulawesi has filed a lawsuit against 20 former Poso regency council members for allegedly failing to return their intensive communication allowances (TKI) totaling over Rp 1 billion (about US$74,000) to the state. The council members served during the 2004-2008 sitting period. I asked the head of the civil and state administrative crimes department at the prosecutors office to file a lawsuit against the 20 councillors for failing to return TKI funds, Poso Prosecutors Office head Nur Taman said on Tuesday. He said each of the councillors had received TKI funds amounting to Rp 80 million, while council speaker Sawerigading Pelima is said to have received over Rp 100 million. So, combined, the total amount of TKI funds they are required to return is estimated at Rp 1.6 billion, said Nur. 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 Ayomi Amindoni (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, June 22, 2016 President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has called on his Cabinet members to accelerate the construction of power plants in regions prone to blackouts. At least 30 power plant projects are known to have been in limbo for years. Following an inspection of several power plant projects in Bangka Belitung, Aceh, West Kalimantan, Gorontalo, East Nusa Tenggara and Bali, the President blamed the stalled projects for causing power outage in the regions. He pointed out that a power plant project in West Kalimantan had stalled almost eight years ago, while another in Gorontalo, Sulawesi has been in limbo since 2007. "In Lombok, two of three power plant projects are progressing, while the third has stalled," Jokowi said at a limited Cabinet meeting at the Presidential Office in Jakarta on Wednesday. While working to resolve the issue, the government would deploy mobile power plants as a temporary solution to deal with power outages. Jokowi expressed his expectation to have more private companies invest in power plants, particularly with renewable energy projects such as geothermal, hydro and micro-hydro power plants. (ags) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Nurul Fitri Ramadhani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, June 22, 2016 Comr. Gen. Tito Karnavians path to becoming the next National Police chief has been made smoother as the countrys antigraft body and the audit agency have declared that he is clear of any suggestion of corruption. As a senior state official, Tito, the sole choice of President Joko Jokowi Widodo to replace retiring police chief Gen. Badrodin Haiti, has never been mentioned in any public complaint related to graft or irregular transactions, said the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (PPATK) on Tuesday. KPK chairman Agus Rahardjo also revealed that the antigraft body found no irregularities in Titos official wealth reports (LHKPN), which he submitted twice, in November 2014 and March 2016. The KPK has found no indication of wrongdoing linked to corruption, Agus said during a hearing with the House of Representatives Commission III overseeing security, human rights and legal affairs. The PPATK, meanwhile, has checked the transaction records between 2004 and 2014 of Titos 14 accounts with private banks, only one of which is still active, and three accounts with state-owned banks, two of which have been closed. The agency also audited the bank accounts and insurance policies of his wife and three sons. We found no irregularities there at all. All was clean, PPATK chairman Muhammad Yusuf said. The declarations by the two most respected institutions in the country come ahead of the current National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) chiefs confirmation hearing by the commission, which is set for Thursday. This is in stark contrast to last year when Jokowi proposed current deputy police chief Comr. Gen. Budi Gunawan as police chief to replace former chief Gen. Sutarman. Jokowi subsequently canceled the proposal after the KPK named Budi a graft suspect in connection with suspiciously substantial bank accounts the day prior to his undergoing a confirmation hearing with Commission III. Jokowi eventually appointed Badrodin to the top job. Meanwhile Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan as well as Law and Human Rights Minister Yasonna Laoly, speaking on behalf of the National Police Commission (Kompolnas), have confirmed to Commission III that Titos professionalism is not in doubt. Good professionalism and excellent handling of responsibility and his duties was how Yasonna described Tito, who was formerly police chief in Papua and Jakarta. However, lawmakers have expressed concern about whether Titos appointment will cause trouble within the police itself, as he is the youngest of all the mooted candidates, including Budi and National Narcotics Agency (BNN) chief Comr. Gen. Budi Waseso. In response, retired police executive Bekto Suprapto of Kompolnas said Titos relationship skills would allow him to resolve any issues with subordinates. National Police general planning assistant Arif Wachyunadi concurred saying that leapfrogging nominal seniors was not uncommon. As far as I can see, Tito is an officer with the greatest of respect for his seniors. He will be very welcome, Arif said. However, the opposition Gerindra Party still questioned whether Tito could earn the publics trust as opposed to that of the President. Im not sure Tito can free himself from [the suggestion of] political intervention, unless Jokowi has the courage to appoint a more senior officer as his deputy, said Gerindra lawmaker Desmond J. Mahesa, who is also Commission III deputy chairman, following speculation that Tito would conduct an internal reshuffle and nominate Insp. Gen. Lutfi Lubihanto and Comr. Gen. Syafruddin as candidates for the post of National Police deputy chief. ___________________________ 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. For print subscription, please contact our call center at (+6221) 5360014 or subscription@thejakartapost.com Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Anton Hermansyah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, June 22, 2016 State-owned steel producer Krakatau Steel aims to eventually control 50 percent of the market if a Rp 2.4 trillion (US$180.86 million) capital injection is approved by the House of Representative, a company executive has said. Krakatau Steel president director Sukandar Krakatau said on Wednesday the company would use the capital injection to build infrastructure to reduce its energy costs in a bid to increase its competitiveness. "International prices are currently lower than domestic prices, and the automotive industry, which is dominated by Japan, prefers to use Japanese-made steel," Sukandar told lawmakers during a hearing with the House, adding that the company's energy costs were 58 percent higher than those of Indian and Chinese producers. Imported products have eroded the competitiveness of locally made steel even though Krakatau Steel remains a leader in the industry with its 39 percent market share, he asserted. Sukandar added that the company expected to install new equipment that would increase productivity from 362 tons per person per year to 1,162 tons per person per year by 2020. (dan) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Anton Hermansyah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, June 22, 2016 State-owned steel producer Krakatau Steel has proposed a Rp 2.4 trillion (US$180.86 million) capital injection in the revised draft of the 2016 state budget consisting of Rp 1.5 trillion cash and Rp 956 billion noncash injections, a company executive has said. Krakatau Steel president director Sukandar said on Wednesday the company would allocate Rp 1.8 trillion of the money to fund a coal-powered 150-megawatt electricity plant and a new hot strip mill, adding that the two projects would cost Rp 9.25 trillion combined. "The coal-powered electricity plant and the new mill will help Krakatau Steel reduce the cost of goods sold by at least $58 per ton," Sukandar said. Funding of the two projects will come from a Rp 4.79 trillion loan from Germany banks and Rp 4.46 trillion in equity. "The switch to coal for power [production] will make electricity power prices lower. We estimate that the coal power plant electricity price will be 6 cents per kwh," Sukandar said. Lawmaker Azam Azman said the House of Representative would discuss the capital injection in a plenary meeting on Thursday. (dan) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Marguerite Afra Sapiie (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, June 22, 2016 Lawmakers of the House of Representatives' Commission III, which oversees legal affairs, visited the residence of top antiterrorism official Comr. Gen. Tito Karnavian as part of their assessment of Titos candidacy as National Police chief on Wednesday. The purpose of the visit to Tito's official residence at the National Police housing complex in Ragunan, South Jakarta, was to observe the interaction of the three-star general with his family at home, Commission III chairman Bambang Soesatyo said. "We will get to know Tito's family, his children and neighbors. The lifestyle, [whether he is] luxurious or very humble, will reflect the candidate's profile," the Golkar lawmaker told journalists on Wednesday. Despite having his own private house in Jakarta, Tito had lived in the official house since 1997, when he was still a middle-rank police officer, Bambang added. Tito, who currently serves as chief of the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT), said he welcomed the lawmakers visit. However, the former Jakarta Police chief said his three children, one university student and two in high school, were all studying in Singapore and could not be with their father for the visit. "Today I am with my wife, my elder sister and younger brother. My sister is Diah Natalisa, the public service deputy at the Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform Ministry, and my brother Iwan, a doctor at the heart hospital Harapan Kita," Tito said. The visit will be followed up by a fit-and-proper test by the lawmakers, slated to be held on Thursday at 10 a.m. at Commission III. The lawmakers are set to decide whether or not to approve Tito as the National Police chief to replace Gen. Badrodin Haiti at 8 p.m. on the same day. (rin) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Juliana Harsianti (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, June 22 2016 Remote access: Lie Dharmawan established several floating hospitals and a flying doctor service in an effort to provide free and accessible medical services in remote regions of Indonesia. There aint no mountain high enough, aint no valley low enough, and there certainly aint no river wide enough to stop Lie Dharmawan from offering his medical service. 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 Wed, June 22 2016 The Press Council called on the media on Tuesday to comply with the prevailing journalistic code of ethics in reporting cases of sexual violence. Member of the Press Council Imam Wahyudi said the media still had a tendency to publish pictures and reveal the identities of victims of sexual abuse or their parents and provide inappropriate details when reporting sexual violence cases. The media has the freedom to report news after [the end of] the New Order. However, freedom does not guarantee that the media will obey regulations, Imam told journalists at the Press Council 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 Google's Mobile Search (Photo : Twitter) Google will now help you find reasons of your medical symptoms. A new feature developed to tackle symptoms is now available for the web, Android, and iOS. Google research team has found out that around 1 percent of the searches are related to medical conditions and symptoms. It has now made sure that people will not have to search pages to find a definite result. The idea is not to frighten people, but to align everything in a single app. Advertisement Google plays doctor by giving answers to possible medical conditions according to your symptoms. The possible conditions are coupled with treatment options. It would also tell you to visit a doctor and provide an overview of the symptom. The motto of the app is to reduce the stress that people get, by searching symptoms of diseases. The Google blog mentioned that research has been done to find the symptoms and doctors are consulted, to provide their inputs. The whole process involved experts from Harvard Medical School and Mayo Clinic who helped with the symptoms list. The company has made sure to inform people that the app is made for knowledge only and it shall not be considered as a medical advice. The company is well aware that people take remedies written on the internet. This may lead to a wrong diagnosis, which is quite common. Google search for medical symptoms will be the place to begin with but it is not the ultimate as Google itself suggested. The result from common search and app search is quite different. Some differences in result were pointed out by NZ Herald to sight example. In case of itchy skin,the normal result is, "The possible causes for itchiness range from internal illnesses, such as kidney or liver disease, to skin rashes." "Strep throat is another common trigger of psoriasis." For google, the result will be, "Hair regrowth, sunburns, insect bites, dry skin, or healing wounds." While this may give some relief to the people who search for the symptom, some experts believe that it will lower down the severity of the diseases. This can be a real cause to worry, according to them. Check out how to search Google as a professional: Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Fadli (The Jakarta Post) Batam Wed, June 22 2016 Transportation Minister Ignasius Jonan has rejected a proposal to increase airport tax for domestic flights at Hang Nadim International Airport in Batam, Riau Islands, citing the messy state of the airport as a prime reason. Ignasius also requested that the number of stores located near the waiting lounge be reduced. Hang Nadim International Airport general affairs head Suwarso said on Tuesday the airport had submitted a proposal to Ignasius, as they were looking to raise the airport tax from Rp 40,000 (US$3) to Rp 75,000 for domestic flights. The proposal to increase the tax is allegedly anchored on the idea that the Hang Nadim International Airport is equivalent to Jakartas Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, one of the major airports in Indonesia. The Transportation Minister has yet to allow the proposed airport tax increase. He has asked for improvements to be carried out first, said Suwarso. 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 Farida Susanty and Ina Parlina (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, June 22 2016 Investors claim to have no objection to the governments new toll road development scheme, even though they will be required to double up on work. The government appears to have a grand vision when it comes to infrastructure. It dreams of connecting the vast archipelago and has instigated the construction of numerous seaports and toll roads. The dream, however, is not an easy one to realize. Case in point is the trans-Sumatra toll road. The idea was actually conceived more than 15 years ago but, due to countless issues, construction only began last year. Deemed commercially unattractive, difficulties were faced when attempts were made to acquire land and in the search to find investors to finance the road. The government finally assigned state construction firm Hutama Karya to develop eight sections of the road. However, the latest data from the Toll Road Regulatory Agency (BPJT) shows that construction of the 17 kilometer Medan-Binjai section has only progressed 14 percent and the 24.5 km Palembang-Indralaya section has only progressed 15 percent. In stark contrast, the 498 km trans-Java toll road bidding process sees sections of road sell like hot cakes, encouraging the government to come up with a new scheme to bring in reinforcement for the Sumatra-based project. As of now, winners of the trans-Java toll road bid must also take part in the construction of the 2,600-km-long trans-Sumatra toll road. State construction firm Waskita Karya and state toll road operator Jasa Marga are the first to face the task. The firms were recently awarded the contract to construct the 75-km-long Batang-Semarang toll road in Central Java. The deal contains a commitment to construct the 25-km-long toll road from Terbanggi Besar to Pematang Panggang, part of the trans-Sumatra project. Waskita Karya president director M. Choliq claims not to mind taking on the additional work, adding that the scheme remained reasonable and profitable. We have calculated the internal rate of return [IRR] and the fare per km. If they fit our budget, why not? he said over the phone on Tuesday. Waskita has allocated Rp 2 trillion (US$150.53 million) in funds to build the 25 km section of road. In a potential show of support of the new scheme, the firm has expressed further interest in upcoming bids such as the Krian-Legundi-Bunder section in East Java. Voicing a similar opinion to Choliq, toll road director of private construction firm Astratel Nusantara, Wiwiek D Santoso, stated that the new scheme would not deter the company from taking part in the upcoming toll road bid in Java. Its fine as long as the governments financial calculation is clear [for the toll road operators] to get proper return, based on toll road fare per km. We just have to agree on the IRR, she said. Astratel, however, urged the government to confirm the specific trans-Sumatra section to be built according to each of the trans-Java project bids, to prevent soaring costs. The Public Works and Public Housing Ministry director general of Bina Marga, Hediyanto Husaini, said that the government was optimistic that an additional 50-km-long road could be constructed, thanks to the new scheme. ------------- 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 Eric Tucker and Mike Schneider (Associated Press) Orlando, United States Wed, June 22, 2016 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?" 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 US 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 US$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 US "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. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Ni Komang Erviani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta/Denpasar Wed, June 22 2016 Indonesian authorities said on Tuesday that Australians considering traveling to Indonesia should not worry about the danger of contracting the Zika virus despite a recently issued travel advisory by the Australian government concerning the matter. The Health Ministrys Director General for Disease Control Mohamad Subuh said Indonesia had not been affected by the Zika virus, citing the latest report by the WHO that excluded Indonesia from the list of countries experiencing an outbreak of the virus. As of June 15, the WHO reported that 46 countries had experienced their first outbreak of the Zika virus since 2015, while 14 countries reported evidence of transmission of the Zika virus between 2007 and 2014. Indonesia is not on the list. Thus, Australian tourists do not have to worry about the report that Indonesia is under threat from the Zika virus, Subuh told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday. Subuh acknowledged that there was a reported case of a man affected by the virus in Jambi last year, but said, It was only based on a report by the Eijkman Institute. He was referring to a Jakarta-based nonprofit, government-funded research institute conducting basic research in medical molecular biology and biotechnology. The Tourism Ministrys deputy for overseas promotion, I Gde Pitana, said on Tuesday that he had informed the ministrys representatives in Australia and the Indonesian Embassy there about the real condition in Indonesia as indicated by the WHO, so that they can disseminate the information to several stakeholders in the neighboring country, such as major travel agents. The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) recently updated a travel advisory on its official website. In the June 17 update, the DFAT advised that Australians planning to visit Indonesia should exercise a high degree of caution, including in Bali. Indonesia is experiencing sporadic transmission of the mosquito-borne Zika virus. We advise all travellers to protect themselves from mosquito bites. The overall level of advice has not changed, the statement read. In response to the Australian governments warning, the Bali administration declared that the resort island was free from the Zika virus, saying there had been no reported cases of the disease there. No Zika cases have been found in Bali. So we hope that foreign tourists will not be worried about visiting Bali, Bali administration spokesperson Dewa Gede Mahendra Putra said on Tuesday. Although no cases of the virus have been found in Bali, the administration has taken steps to prevent the virus from infecting people in Bali. Bali Health Agency head Ketut Suarjaya said he had reminded the Balinese to keep the environment clean to stop the mosquito that transmitted the Zika virus from breeding. We have reminded people to use preemptive measures by draining water from containers, covering water retainers and burying used retainers, he said. The head of the Association of Indonesian Tour and Travel Agencies (ASITA) Bali branch, I Ketut Ardana, said he fully respected the Australian policy to warn its citizens about Zika. However, he criticized the travel advisory, saying that it did not consider the fact that there had been no reported Zika cases on the island. The Bali administrations response to the travel advisory has explained the facts. That is good for tourism here, as tourists can feel safe in Bali, he said. (mos) ______________________________________ 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 Wed, June 22, 2016 National Police chief Gen.Badrodin Haiti asserted on Tuesday that the police should remain the leading force in the countrys efforts to combat terrorism. He further said the Indonesian Militarys (TNI) role in counterterrorism measures, as stipulated in the draft revision of the 2003 Terrorism Law, should be discussed thoroughly because it did not have authority as a law enforcer. "We are applying a criminal justice system [in counterterrorism], which means all law enforcement measures will end at the court and therefore the police are still the leading sector," Badrodin said as quoted by tribunnews.com in Jakarta on Tuesday. He further said the military had also taken part in counterterrorism operations, such as Operation Tinombala in Poso, Central Sulawesi, in which police and military personnel cooperated to hunt down members of a terrorist group led by Santoso in the regency. If the TNI stands independently and does not cooperate with the police in counterterrorism operations, its position is likely to be questioned since it does not have authority as a law enforcer, Badrodin said. The House of Representatives' special committee on the deliberation of the draft revision of the law has been debating a plan to insert articles on the militarys role in counterterrorism measures. Human rights watchdogs have strongly criticized the plan, saying that an active military role in counterterrorism is prone to human rights violations. (afr/ebf) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, June 22, 2016 The Home Ministry said regional administrations may file a lawsuit through the Supreme Court against the central government if they rejected the revocation of their problematic bylaws, an official said on Tuesday. "[Anyone] including regents, mayors, or even residents can file a lawsuit with the Supreme Court," The ministry's regional autonomy director general, Soni Sumarsono, said as quoted by kompas.com. He said the ministry's decision to revoke bylaws aimed to improve efficiency and shorten bureaucracy to ease the process of attaining permits. Aside from bylaws, the ministry also revoked 111 ministerial regulations, including the Hinder Ordonantie (HO) or nuisance permit, which made it difficult for business players to construct offices, Soni said. "It used to take three months to get a permit, now it only takes three days.," Soni said. Meanwhile, Minister Tjahjo Kumolo said regional governments were unlikely to file a lawsuit since most of the revocations had been initiated by the local governments. The government has decided to revoke 3,143 bylaws in various provinces, cities and regencies for being considered to, among other things, obstruct economic growth in the regions, contravene central government regulations and being unfriendly to investment, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo said previously. (afr/bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, June 22, 2016 Indonesia has maintained good relations with China despite catching Chinese-flagged boats illegally fishing in its territorial waters a number of times, a minister said on Tuesday. "Chinese boats entered Indonesia's exclusive economic zone, so went after them. Its our territory, so others must obtain permission when it comes to economic affairs," Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan told reporters as quoted by Antara news agency. "But we have maintained good relations with China," Luhut added. The minister was referring to the latest incident in waters near the Natuna Islands, which under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) are in Indonesia's exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The Indonesian Navy spotted 12 foreign boats apparently fishing illegally in its EEZ on Friday. After a prolonged pursuit during which the boats dispersed, Chinese boat Han Tan Cou 19038 and its crew of seven were detained. When asked about a strong protest lodged by China in response to the incident, Luhut appeared unconcerned. "Leave it, we'll settle it. We will not give up our sovereignty," he said. The government is planning to form a team of international maritime experts, led by senior diplomat Hasjim Djalal, to study the best solution for Indonesia to put a stop to rampant illegal fishing by Chinese vessels. "He's the right person, more people will also be involved in assisting to formulate a clear stance," said Luhut. (liz/bbn) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Prima Wirayani (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, June 22 2016 The government wants to make Indonesia Southeast Asias main logistics hub and in this vein, the government is preparing to launch over a dozen new bonded logistics centers (PLB) that will ease the flow of basic materials in and out of the country. As many as 15 companies are in the process of finalizing their licenses to manage and operate new facilities in addition to the recent launch of 11 other centers, said the Finance Ministrys customs and excise director general Heru Pambudi in a recent interview with The Jakarta Post. PT Pertamina Drilling Services Indonesia, a subsidiary of state-owned oil and gas giant PT Pertamina, heavy equipment firm PT United Tractors and aircraft maintenance company Garuda Maintenance Facility (GMF) AeroAsia, a subsidiary of national flag carrier Garuda Indonesia, are among the companies that will manage and operate the new centers. According to a 2015 regulation issued by the finance minister, a PLB can be used to store goods for up to three years and will be temporarily exempted from import duty and import-related taxes during that period. Most of the new centers, which are located in Sumatra, Java and Kalimantan, will be used to store mining and oil and gas supporting products in addition to chemicals and airplane maintenance equipment. After the government kicked off the operation of the first batch of PLBs in March, more companies have come to propose the establishment of new centers in many parts of the archipelago, Heru said. In the future, he added, there will be several new centers operating near Tangguh and Arar Port in West Papua and Bitung in North Sulawesi. Bitung will be a national hub [in eastern Indonesia], in line with the governments concept of a maritime axis connecting Kuala Tanjung [in North Sumatra] in the western part, Heru said. He added that the government had been in talks with local administrations and prospective investors to ensure the establishment of the centers. President Joko Jokowi Widodo in March inaugurated 11 PLBs located in Jakarta, Banten, East Kalimantan, West Java and Bali. In his speech, Jokowi said Indonesia, as the biggest economy in the region, had the potential to replace Singapore and Malaysia as the logistical center of Southeast Asia. The developments are part of the governments second policy package issued in September last year. The package aimed to slash logistics costs as well as reduce dwell times at ports to increase the countrys business competitiveness. During a three-month operation period, the Customs and Excise Directorate General found that the storage of several commodities, such as cotton, heavy equipment and explosives, had moved to existing PLBs. Our statistics show that the release process has taken less than two days during these last two months. Our target is to reduce it to the same day, Heru said. United Tractors director Loudy Irwanto Ellias confirmed that his firm, a subsidiary of diversified conglomerate Astra International, was processing a license for a 3,000 square-meter PLB in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan. The center will be located inside the Eastkal Supply Base PLB, which is managed by PT Pelabuhan Panajam Banua Taka, another Astra International subsidiary. The PLB will allow us to store our equipment from Japan in the country. At the moment we keep our equipment in Singapore, he told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday. The existence of the PLBs can help importers lower logistics costs, said Indonesian Importers Association (Ginsi) secretary-general Achmad Ridwan Tento. The PLBs, however, should spread out across the country. If theyre centralized in Java only, there will be no effect and transportation costs will remain high, he 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 Hans Nicholas Jong (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, June 22 2016 Indonesias outer islands that have peatlands are at risk of sinking due to the aggressive expansion of palm oil plantations. This has prompted the government to try and restore the damaged peatland areas on the islands. The Peatland Restoration Agency (BRG), tasked with restoring damaged peatland for the next five years, said the countrys outer islands were on the agencys list of priority areas to be restored. In Riau Islands, there are some islands, listed as outer islands, that have peatlands such as Tebing Tinggi, Bengkalis and Rangsang, according to BRG planning and cooperation deputy head Budi Wardhana. 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 Anggi M. Lubis (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, June 22 2016 Twenty-four years ago, Yugoslavia dissolved into its constituent nations before slipping into the deadliest conflict in Europe since the end of World War II. Approximately 130,000 people lost their lives and in the Bosnian war alone, about 2.2 million were forced to flee their homes to avoid what was later officially dubbed one of the worst genocides in modern history. But the war ended with peace accords more than a decade ago, and the erstwhile rivals are moving to restore what was once a war-torn region by making an unprecedented bid to gain international acknowledgement of their shared culture and history. 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 Apollo Peak's Pinot Meow and Moscato wines for cats (Photo : Apollopeak.com/ official page photo) Drinking wine is a guilty pleasure for some people and now, cats can already share the same feeling too. Apollo Peak Ltd. made a wine specially formulated for felines. You will never drink alone again because you and your pet cat can enjoy the day by drinking some wine anytime. The Apollo Peak company in Colorado is a developer of fine snack beverages for cats and dogs. According to the company's CEO, Brandon Zavala, who developed the wine said that his idea started as a joke. Advertisement In an email forwarded to People, Zavala said, "I've usually been known to my close friends as the Cat Guy," he added, "I slapped a Pinot Meow label on several real bottles of wine and took to an annual trip as gifts. After hearing how great the idea was, I thought to myself, 'why isn't there a wine for cats?!' The rest is history." The cat wine is made of all-organic ingredients which are fresh beets, catnip and organic preservatives. The cat wine is a non-alcoholic drink and since it is all natural, it comes with health benefits as reported by Fox59. This product started in November last year but their sales was not that big in the first few months. Zavala thanked the media in spreading their product because he sacrificed his social life and poured so much time in developing the Pinot Meow. According to Zavala, their initial tests worked great because those lucky cats that tasted it first can't get over it. The cats seem to go crazy over the Pinot Meow as they stayed next to the product like humans enjoying their drink. He knew that someday, the Pinot Meow will be a household brand in the future. After their product was presented in several media coverage, their sales have grown big and their 6 months sales has already tripled. The Pinot Meow and the Moscato wine for cats are sold at a starting price of $4.95 per 1.6 oz. bottle. If you purchase the larger sizes, you can save some dollars because the 8 oz. bottles of Pinot Meow and Moscato only cost $11.95 each. You can purchase it online by visiting their Apollo Peak official website. Below is a news video of Apollo Peak Pinot Meow wine for cats. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, June 22, 2016 Indonesia is to have its own version of Sillicon Valley, with property developer Sinar Mas Land building the first integrated smart digital city in Indonesia for startup companies, technology leaders and digital communities. The companys CEO, Michael Widjaja, said construction would start in 2017 on a 25.86-hectare plot of land in BSD City, South Tangerang. It has allocated Rp 2 trillion (US$151 million) in cash to develop the digital hub. Its our dream to build this place, an equivalent to Silicon Valley in the US. We are not only inviting the companies there but we want to build a self-sustaining community, he said in Jakarta on Tuesday. The project, he continued, will be finished in 10 to 15 years. The digital hub aims to reach all startups in Indonesia, he said, adding that it was also targeting research centers, institutions and educational institutions that have schools of technology and sciences. Currently, three start-up companies have already reached cooperation agreements with Sinar Mas to build facilities in the ambitious real estate project, namely Sale Stock, Orami and Ev Hive. Sinar Mas Land is controlled by conglomerate group Sinarmas, which also has a publicly listed property subsidiary with the largest land bank in Indonesia, named Bumi Serpong Damai. (sha/ags) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Foster Klug and Hyung-Jim Kim (Associated Press) Seoul, South Korea Wed, June 22, 2016 In a remarkable show of persistence, North Korea on Wednesday fired two suspected powerful new Musudan mid-range missiles, US and South Korean military officials said, but at least one of the launches apparently failed, Pyongyang's fifth such reported flop since April. Despite the repeated failures, the North's determination in testing the Musudan worries Washington and its allies, Tokyo and Seoul, because the missile's potential 3,500-kilometer (2,180-mile) range could target much of Asia and the Pacific, including US military bases there. 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 US 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. 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 but gave few other details. Later Wednesday, the JCS said the North fired another suspected Musudan, but it wasn't immediately clear if it succeeded. A US official also said the first launch appeared to be another failure, adding that the US 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 United States had no immediate details on the reported second launch. 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 US-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 US-led international pressure. The North was slapped with the strongest UN 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 UN 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 US soldiers are stationed in South Korea to deter possible aggression from North Korea; tens of thousands more are stationed in Japan. (bbn) Associated Press writers Josh Lederman and Lolita C. Baldor in Washington contributed to this report. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, June 22, 2016 Reacting to mounting public criticism, state-owned airport operator PT Angkasa Pura II has announced that the official name for the new terminal of Soekarno-Hatta International Airport shall be Terminal 3, without the addition Ultimate. The companys corporate secretary Agus Haryadi said clarification was needed to avoid further confusion with regard to the new terminal, which was officiated by then-president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in 2009. "Therefore, we will currently name our airports terminals Terminal 1, 2 and 3. In the future, should we build a new terminal, we will call it Terminal 4, Haryadi was quoted as saying by the Antara news agency. Earlier, a member of the House of Representatives Commission X that oversees education, youth, sport, tourism, arts and cultural affairs, Mustafa Kamal, had criticized the use of the word Ultimate for the new terminal instead of using an Indonesian word. (dmr) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Apriadi Gunawan (The Jakarta Post) Medan Wed, June 22 2016 Around 4,500 squatters who have been living in the Mount Leuser National Park (TNGL) since 1998 will soon be evicted from their illegal settlements. TNGL head Andi Basrul said the planned eviction would be coordinated with security forces and relevant agencies, including the Indonesian Military (TNI) and the National Police. Andi said the squatters that had settled within the park had resisted previous eviction attempts and some of them were even armed with sharp weapons. 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 Wed, June 22, 2016 Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti has called on foreign illegal fishers to stop lobbying Indonesian ministries and even the Presidential Palace to abolish the sinking policy imposed on poachers. She reiterated that the harsh measure against illegal fishing had been approved by President Joko Jokowi Widodo, along with the moratorium on fishing licenses and law enforcement efforts against transshipment. I am begging and calling on them to simply invest here, as we have plenty of fish. Stop any efforts to make ministers fight against each other, and stop knocking on the Presidential Palace's door," Susi said at her office in Jakarta, as reported by kompas.com on Tuesday. Even if the foreign entities lobbied the President the ministry would not back off from its goals, Susi said. The moratorium, she highlighted, had seen 1,132 fishing vessels owned by 187 foreign companies docked in the country. Most of the vessels, 374, came from China, Susi said. Another 280 were from Thailand, 216 from Taiwan, 104 from Japan and the remaining 98 ships from the Philippines. She said she suspected the owners of foreign ships were creating a smear campaign against her claiming that she was trying to de-industrialize the fisheries sector. Please do not create false issues, nor incite me. If you do not agree with the policy, go file a lawsuit, Susi said. (ags) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Anton Hermansyah (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, June 22, 2016 The Taskforce for Investment Alert has been strengthened with the addition of the Cooperatives and Small-Medium Enterprises Ministry and Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) to its team, as there has been indication of widespread bogus investment operations occurring in the sector. The two institutions join several existing government institutions, namely the Financial Service Authority (OJK), National Police, Communication and Information Ministry, Attorney Generals Office (AGO) and Trade Ministry. The government is working with a new joint-ministerial decree (SKB) to legally bind the cooperation. "The Communication and Information Ministry will monitor internet-based fund-raising activities. The AGO and Police will monitor activities through permit issuance for crowd gathering," said OJK chairman Muliaman Hadad in Jakarta on Tuesday. The Cooperatives and Small-Medium Enterprises Ministry, he further said would monitor cooperatives attempting to offer illegal investments. The taskforce, formed in 2007, will also expand to the regional level where the local police will work with BKPM and OJK regional branches and their personnel. Based on a public report to the OJK, as of June 11, there were 430 companies offering illegal investments with 370 of them without clear legal standing. Based on the investment type, 388 companies offered equity, bonds and gold-based investments and 23 companies offered commodity-based investments. "Also there are 66 investment offers from fictitious cooperatives and money schemes," Muliaman said. (ags) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Callistasia Anggun Wijaya (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, June 22, 2016 Home Minister Tjahjo Kumolo has called for better working relations between the Jakarta administration and the City Council for the sake of better public services, saying it is his wish for the 488th anniversary of the capital city. "Development in the city doesnt merely rest on the executive branch but also on the legislative level. If cooperation can be conducted well, I'm sure development in the city could be accelerated," Tjahjo said at City Hall on Wednesday. Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama and the City Council have had a number of public disagreements. Open hostility has been apparent in the uninterruptible power supply (UPS) procurement case and in the deliberation of bills on bylaws on the Jakarta Bay reclamation projects, which was canceled by the City Council in April, much to Ahok's dismay. The central government, Tjahjo said, hoped that Ahok and city councilors could set aside their differences and ensure a healthy political climate, especially before the February 2017 Jakarta gubernatorial election. I hope the city council and administration wont focus only on political activities so they wont sideline public services, he said. (rin) Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Haeril Halim (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta Wed, June 22 2016 Amid political pressure from China, Indonesia has resumed its tough stance against illegal fishing that encroaches on its territory and depletes its maritime resources. Jakarta announced on Tuesday that it will sink another 30 foreign trawlers next month to prove its commitment to upholding the law across its vast waters, which constitute a major part of the archipelagic nation. The sinking policy comes as a consequence of stricter patrols by Indonesian authorities, especially in border areas. Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti said the Indonesian government was conveying a strong message to poachers from neighboring countries to respect Indonesian sovereignty and stop stealing fish from Indonesian waters, especially in the waters around Natuna that are directly linked to the South China Sea. Thieves are thieves. We dont care from which country they come. We will arrest them if we find them stealing fish in our waters, especially in our [Exclusive Economic Zone or EEZ], Susi said to the press on Tuesday at her office. The sinking of the boats will take place in a number of ports across the country including in Sulawesi, North Maluku, Batam, Kalimantan and Riau. Jakartas staunch stance in combating poachers has irked Beijing. Three Chinese fishing boats, under the protection of the Chinese coast guard, have been caught in the Natuna waters, in the past two months. China claims the waters around Natuna are part of its traditional fishing grounds. While playing down Chinese protests, Indonesia has vowed to continue its law enforcement efforts in its waters. Of the 30 boats that will be sunk in July, 16 have been declared guilty, while the other 14 are in the final stage of the legal process. The 16 ships include one from China, one from Vietnam, six from Malaysia and eight from the Philippines. The ministry has yet to reveal the identities of the other 14 ships because their legal processes are still ongoing. The government has destroyed a total of 176 foreign illegal fishing vessels arrested across in Indonesia between October 2014 and April 2016, including 63 from Vietnam, 43 from the Philippines, 21 from Thailand, two from Papua New Guinea, one from Belize and one from China. Most of the ships, a total of 57 foreign vessels, were arrested in the Natuna waters, which are rich with natural resources. The remainder were caught in Kalimantan, Sulawesi and Papua. Susi said it was easier to arrest vessels from Vietnam and other neighboring countries because unlike Chinese fishing vessels, they were not protected by coast guard ships. Indonesia has protested the involvement of the Chinese coast guard around Natuna, but the protests have been ignored by Beijing. We dont understand why a country wants to protect thieves. We have never acknowledged [other countries] claims of fishing rights inside our EEZ, Susi said, adding that Indonesia only had one such rights agreement with Malaysia in the Malacca Strait. Susi said Beijing had pledged to punish nine fishing vessels that managed to defy arrest and escape to China after being caught fishing illegally in waters near Papua in January. I am waiting for their pledge to be upheld. There is no country in this world that wants to risk its good bilateral relationship by protecting illegal fishermen. Even if you steal water from our water, it means that you are water stealer, Susi went on to say. Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan said that Indonesia would do whatever it took to protect its sovereignty. We will never give up our sovereignty, Luhut said. Meanwhile, Indonesian Military (TNI) chief Gen. Gatot Nurmantyo said the TNI would send five warships to protect Natuna. A CR 212 aircraft has also been deployed to the region, Gatot said. Susi said, furthermore, that 718 foreign vessels operating in the country would be sent back to their home countries because of a lack of legal documents. These vessels will not be allowed to return to Indonesia because the government has decided that the Indonesian fisheries industry is only for local people. ____________________________________ 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 Rod McGuirk (Associated Press) Canberra Wed, June 22, 2016 Australia's ruling party said Wednesday that it had turned back 28 boats to prevent asylum seekers reaching Australia during its three years in power and warned that such vigilance would not continue if the country's opposition wins next month's national election. The conservative coalition government has warned that the boats would start coming from Indonesian ports in greater numbers if the center-left Labor Party wins the July 2 elections. The latest boat carrying 21 Vietnamese was intercepted this month, Border Protection Minister Peter Dutton said. They were returned to Vietnam after their refugee claims were assessed and rejected at sea, he said. He declined to give details. The government rarely gives details of its military-run operations against asylum-seeker boats at sea. Indonesia objects to boats carrying foreigners being towed by Australian warships back to Indonesian shores. How to deal with asylum seekers is a major political issue in Australia, and Dutton said if opposition leader Bill Shorten were to win the election, his plan to give 30,000 asylum seekers already in Australia permanent refugee visas would only attract more boats. The government has given them three-year temporary protection visas and threatens to send them back to their homelands when those visas expire. Dutton said changing that would give people smugglers hope that Australia was softening its policies designed to deter asylum seekers from the Middle East, Africa and Asia from attempting to reach Australia by boat. "That sends a green light. It is basically Bill Shorten waiving a white flag to the people smugglers," Dutton told reporters. Shorten has denied that dumping the temporary refugee visas would encourage more boats, and said the conservatives were irresponsible to suggest there would be more people smuggling if he won. Shorten said a Labor government would maintain the same tough policies that have prevented any asylum seekers from reaching Australia by boat for two years in it was in power. Like the government, Labor would turn back boats. If any asylum seekers reached Australia, they would be sent to Australia-run immigration camps on the Pacific island nations of Nauru and Papua New Guinea with a promise that they would never find a home in Australia, Shorten said. Fake iPhone packaging is displayed on a stall at an outdoor market selling counterfeit Chinese made items in the Golden Triangle, situated along the Thai- Burma border on Nov. 12, 2012 in Tachiliek, Myanmar. (Photo : Getty Images/Paula Bronstein) While Chinese regulators have challenged Apple's patent, there are several instances of devices strikingly similar to the iPhones being manufacturered and even exported by Chinese firms . The matter heated up recently when Chinese startup Shenzhen Baili accused Apple of copying the design of its 100C smartphone for the latter's iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. While Apple has been asked to stop sales of its flagship smartphones in Beijing, the Beijing IP Court is currently reviewing the issue. Advertisement Nevertheless, Chinese manufacturers have copied Apple so often that it is difficult to take Shenzhen Baili's allegations seriously, Mashable reported. A round up of the most popular iPhone fakes in China will help to understand the issue better. Goophones: Goophones i6S ($129) and i6S Plus ($149) are copycats of iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, but they come with different hardware and also run on Android. At the same time, they are much cheaper compared to the iPhones. Moreover, instead of carrying the Apple icon on the back, they sport the bumblebee logo. Knockoff iPhone 6S: This is another fake iPhone available for just $37. The appearance of iPhone 6S is very similar to the original iPhone 6s and is marketed by ARMdevices.net. This handset also does not run on iOS. Fake iPhone SE: On many occasions, Chinese manufacturers release new "iPhones" even before Apple. In fact, YouTuber EverythingApplePro claimed he purchased a knockoff iPhone SE much before Apple announced the real SE design. The design of this fake iPhone is based on the speculated iPhone SE designs circulating online and its appearance is more similar to iPhone 5S than the iPhone SE. Imitation C-002 iPhone: This device is a Chinese replication of the original iPhone, called the C-002. Most contemporary imitators make their products resemble the iPhone, the 3.5-inch C-002 iPhone does not follow this path. Aside from the off-center square on the home button and an OS similar to that of Apple, this device can easily pass off for an entirely different smartphone. Fake "Cool999" iPhone: Makers of the Cool999 iPhone replica are trying hard to sell the device as real iPhone. It has the same 3.5-inch size and same shape of Cool999 iPhone, but runs Windows Mobile 6.0. Moreover, with a thick metallic back, this copycat does not possess the aesthetics of the original iPhone. Duplicate iOS: Apart from "stealing" iPhone designs as well as hardware and replicating them, some Chinese manufacturers are even coning Apple's software. For instance, Xiaomi recently released an OS called MIUI 6, which is very identical to the iOS 7. What is interesting is that even the Chinese authorities are aware of such counterfeit activities. Last year, Beijing police arrested nine people, including a couple, for manufacturing and exporting fake iPhones, Fortune reported. The police made these arrests after raiding a factory that was camouflaged as a gadget maintenance company. The arrested couple reportedly bought second-hand and fake parts with Apple logos from the manufacturing hub of Shenzhen. Subsequently, they hired hundreds of workers to reassemble them on six production lines. A number of these fake devices even landed up in the U.S. Watch the unboxing of the iPhone SE clone below: Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (The Star/ANN) Kuching, Malaysia Wed, June 22, 2016 (1/2)Malaysia is one step closer to amending the mandatory death sentence, Minister in the Prime Ministers Department Nancy Shukri said. Nancy told the World Congress Against The Death Penalty in Oslo, Norway, recently that a government-backed study on the death penalty had been completed and a paper is being readied by the Attorney Generals Chambers. There are positive signs in Malaysia and a steady momentum towards possible change in the death penalty legislation, Nancy said. The study was conducted by the International Centre For Law and Legal Studies (I-CeLLS). The consultant was then Roger Hood, Professor of Criminology and Emeritus Fellow of All Souls College Oxford. Currently, in Malaysia, the death penalty is mandatory for 12 offences while 20 other offences are punishable with discretionary death penalty. Murder, drug trafficking, and offences related to security are instances of offences which are punishable with death. However, Nancy said empirical studies showed that the death penalty had not led to the deterring effect that such a penalty was created. Although Malaysia is generally in compliance with international standards in so far as the relevant safeguards [on capital punishment] are concerned, Malaysias position on death penalty has always been subjected to national and international criticisms. The global anti-death congress was the sixth edition. Nancy expressed her deepest appreciation to Norway for inviting Malaysia to participate. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Viet Nam News/ANN) Hanoi Wed, June 22, 2016 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 Hanoi was told Tuesday. 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 Vietnam. In Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam, 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 center of development challenges in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam, 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 Vietnam and other ASEAN countries. Ngo ong Hai, Vice Chairman of the Party Central Committees Economic Commission, said that during the industrialization and modernization process of Vietnam, 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 6thmeeting 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 Vietnam, 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 Vietnam, as well as national and international organizations, 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 formalize 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 favorable 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, Vietnam and beyond. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Associated Press) Canberra Wed, June 22, 2016 Investigators say that debris found on an Australian island has been ruled out as coming from missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau was notified on June 9 that the debris had been found on Kangaroo Island off the southern Australian coast. The bureau, which is running a search for the plane in the southern Indian Ocean on Malaysia's behalf, said Wednesday it had been advised by Boeing, the maker of the missing plane, that it was "not consistent with the manufacturing specifications of a Boeing commercial aircraft." The bureau did not say what the debris was likely from. Flight 370 vanished with 239 people aboard on March 8, 2014, after flying off course during a flight from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to Beijing. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin Jim Gomez (Associated Press) Manila Wed, June 22, 2016 The United States called on China and other rival claimants Wednesday to exercise restraint when an international tribunal issues a landmark ruling on the South China Sea disputes that Beijing has chosen to ignore. A senior US State Department official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to Asian journalists through a teleconference, said the upcoming decision by the arbitration panel in The Hague may offer "a great deal of clarity" on the disputes and help the claimants forge an arrangement to avoid potential confrontations. She said the decision, expected within weeks, could also serve as a jumping off point to diplomatic talks. "We would certainly call on all governments to exercise restraint and to use this post-arbitration period as an opportunity to restart those diplomatic discussions," she said. China has said it would not recognize any arbitration decision despite calls by several Asian and Western governments for it to respect international law. Some fear Beijing may take a harder stance and take provocative actions if it comes under pressure from outside, including by the United States, to comply with an adversarial ruling. In a harsh attack on US policies in Asia, the flagship newspaper of China's ruling Communist Party on Wednesday accused Washington of seeking to turn the South China Sea "into a powder keg" and warned it not to underestimate China's determination to defend its territorial claims. The People's Daily cited recent combined exercises by two Navy aircraft carrier strike groups off the coast of the Philippines as a sign of US hegemony and said Washington has made a mistake in seeking to intimidate China. In making displays of military power aimed at China, the US has "picked the wrong counterpart," said the editorial, the contents of which are usually vetted by high ranking party officials. US military activity, including freedom of navigation cruises near China's man-made islands and exercises with allies, is contributing to the militarization of the region, the editorial said. Beijing prefers one-on-one negotiations with each of the rival claimants, an arrangement that gives it advantage because of its sheer size and clout and prevents Washington from playing any role to resolve the conflicts. In the 2013 case, the Philippines challenged the validity of China's so-called nine-dash line claiming virtually the entire stretch of the South China Sea, a crucial waterway where a major chunk of the world's oil and trade passes. The Philippines also asked the tribunal to rule whether several disputed areas are outcrops, reefs or islands and how much stretch of territorial waters they project. The US official also expressed concern over China's coast guard ships escorting Chinese fishing vessels in areas including Indonesia's Natuna Islands, where Indonesian vessels fired warning shots. ___ Associated Press writer Christopher Bodeen in Beijing contributed to this report. Share this article Whatsapp Facebook Twitter Linkedin (Viet Nam News/ANN) Wed, June 22, 2016 A club for women at high risk of falling into prostitution will be set up in Ho Chi Minh (HCM) City to apprise the women about labor laws and test them for sexually transmitted disease, a city official said. Huynh Thanh Khiet, deputy head of the city Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, said that the new club would be similar to the one already operating - the Sen Xanh Club for women sex workers. Ngo Mong Linh, the head of Sen Xanh, said she used to be a sex worker and is able to encourage others to attend her club. Information about the assistance provided by Sen Xanh is spread by word of mouth between sex workers, Linh said. At the club they get health and psychological counselling, are taught about legal procedures to obtain personal papers and are provided with vocational training and assistance to start small businesses, often in co-operation with other partners. The most disadvantaged among them are provided with free health insurance. The club was set up in late 2014 as part of a project to enhance access to social services for female sex workers by the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs in co-operation with CARE International Organization in Vietnam, a humanitarian organization fighting global poverty. The project is being piloted in HCM City, Quang Ninh and Can Tho for women at risk of exploitation, abuse and violence, who have little access to basic services such as healthcare and legal protection. It seeks to address the underlying causes of the marginalization of female sex workers and aims to forge supportive policy and legal approaches to sex work in order to provide the women with a stronger voice and equitable access to protections and services. Le Thi Ha, deputy head of the central Department of Social Evils Prevention, said her department would strengthen co-operation with other relevant agencies to improve the effectiveness of Sen Xanh and the new club. Police have made an arrest in the fatal shooting at the Lillian Wald Houses earlier this month. [DNA Info] Rapper Troy Ave will be arraigned today in connection with the May 25 shooting inside a T.I. concert at Irving Plaza. [Channel 7] The idea of rooftop bars is great but, in reality, they are the absolute worst. At Mr. Purple, in the Hotel Indigo, the 15th-floor view is, admittedly, pretty great. But on one recent evening, a gaggle of girls entered screaming, None of us are over 21!.' In the bar, most of the patrons seemed more interested in staring at their iPhones than taking in the sights. [New York Post] Tomorrow, conceptual artist Terence Koh is planning a response to the massacre (in Florida) and will read the names of the Orlando victims aloud during a performance at Andrew Edlin Gallery. [Observer] Jim Powers restored mosaic light poles have returned to Astor Place. [EV Grieve] Living In: NoLIta. The Gray Ladys regular feature focuses on the hip and historic area formerly known as northern Little Italy. [New York Times] Gay men, including 27-year-old Daniel Aubry (who works at Tra La La in the Essex Street Market), love Hillary Clinton. [US News] Always shirtless fashion model Franco Noriega opens his Peruvian restaurant on Allen Street this weekend. [New York Post] A big transition is taking place this summer in the leadership of the Lower East Sides oldest settlement house. After 28 years, Michael Zisser is stepping down as head of University Settlement and The Door. Recently the board of directors announced the appointment of Eric Weingartner as chief executive officer. Weingartner has spent the past seven years as managing director of the Robin Hood Foundation. In the past two decades, hes also held senior positions in city government as well as the non-profit sector. He was a policy advisor to Michael Bloomberg and Rudy Giuliani, specializing in welfare reform, neighborhood economic development, public education, youth development, higher education, and workforce programming. In my years of work on poverty and related issues, Weingartner said in a statement, I have appreciated the intelligence and fortitude that University Settlement and The Door have brought to some of our toughest challenges as a City. The culmination of my work in philanthropy, government and the non-profit sector, I hope leaves me well positioned to lead these effective organizations. University Settlement is a nearly 130-year-old social services organization with programs on the Lower East Side and throughout New York City. The Door, founded in 1972, provides youth development services. University Settlement will continue to be led by Executive Director Melissa Aase, while Julie Shapiro is staying on as executive director of The Door. We sat down recently to talk with Michael Zisser about his years on the Lower East Side. Well have that story in the next several days. 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: As I rode the train home from work one afternoon a little over a year ago, I read the gnostic truth of real estate put forth by the realtor Frank Bascombe in Independence Day: People never find or buy the house they say they want. A market economy, so Ive learned, is not even remotely premised on anybody getting what he wants. The premise is that youre presented with what you mightve thought you didnt want, but whats available, whereupon you give in and start finding ways to feel good about it and yourself. A moment later timing that would have been ham-fisted had it taken place in a novel my phone buzzed with a text from my husband. Pack your bags it read, accompanied by screenshot from Redfin showing a dilapidated property with a sold banner plastered across. We had gone to look at this house the previous week a teardown monstrosity in an unhip San Francisco neighborhood adjacent to our own unhip San Francisco neighborhood. Listed for $338,000, at that moment the lowest price in the city, the house was called a contractors special; two of its three bedrooms were qualified on the listing agents half-assed flier as legality unknown. When we went to the open house, the same agent eyed my eight-months-pregnant stomach and advised me to cover my mouth and nose before stepping inside. My husbands screenshot indicated that this house had been purchased by someone for $550,000, ostensibly in cash. Add to this the cost, whatever that should happen to be, of building an entirely new house in its place. At the time, my husband and I lived in a rented, one-bedroom, 750-square-foot house that, like any standalone single-family dwelling in San Francisco, is not subject to rent control. When we learned that we were expecting a baby, we thought we should try to find something with more space (and rent control). Our landlady, who we think was born in the 1930s, cautioned us against a month-to-month lease. Her health was not good, she told us, and she mentioned, not for the first time, an ominous set of people she called heirs who would swoop in from the Central Valley and sell the house out from under us in the event of her death. She also told us that she had lived in the house with her parents until she was 23 years old, sleeping in the small dining room. Her counsel notwithstanding, obsessed with bourgeois aspirations of a second bedroom, we went month-to-month and began looking at Craigslist listings. The appearance of heirs, it turns out, would cast us with baby, two cats, student loans, and no car into a rental market where a transit-accessible two-bedroom apartment could exceed $5,000 per month in San Francisco and $3,000 in the East Bay. Ludicrous prices are old hat to people in the Bay Area, who find themselves in the tiresome position of having thoroughly exhausted the topic of the housing situation but being nonetheless unable, most of the time, to talk about anything else. That is a feature of housing bubbles; in Life Would Be Perfect If I Lived in that House, Meghan Daums account of her real estate travails in Los Angeles circa 2004, she wrote: At the risk of making a perverse and offensive comparison, I truly dont think Id observed so much absorption with one topic since the attacks of September 11, 2001. We punched numbers into questionable online mortgage calculators and began touring open houses. Houses that listed for $279,000 and sold for $365,000 (East Oakland). Houses that listed for $365,000 and sold for $500,000 (West Oakland). Houses that listed for $499,000 and sold for $700,000 (San Francisco, barely). And these were the low, low prices of 2014. Median home prices reached $1.3 million at the end of last year. People who have actually experienced home-ownership advise the uninitiated against getting romantic about it. But when you have a bun in the oven and are looking at Craigslist rentals, it is easy to invest the condition with near-sacred profundity (even before totting up the tax breaks that the government has seen fit to bestow upon the property-owning class). I began placing an outsize burden on every undistinguished property we saw; every dubious condo, every termite-eaten hovel miles from the train, none of which we could afford in any case. I pictured the dour heirs, and our growing family in one of the illegal basement in-laws listed for more than our current rent. Like V.S. Naipauls unforgettable Mr. Biswas, it seemed critical to find a place to call our own: How terrible it would have beento have lived without even attempting to lay claim to ones portion of the earth; to have lived and died as one had been born, unnecessary and accommodated. Unlike that of Mr. Biswas, though, this is the housing account of an intensely privileged person, in both the local and the world-historical sense. We began our search at a time when the U.S. news was just starting to register the desperate people streaming out of Syria, when there were already one million displaced Syrians in Lebanon alone. A month before the baby was born I watched a presentation at work about an entire nations middle class decimated in only a couple of years a cataclysm that will take generations to repair. And this is only the most recent and the most vivid cataclysm. There are people who have been living in camps for decades people whose children and whose childrens children will be born outdoors. In our local context, we are privileged because we do not live in a state of economic precarity, like many people in San Francisco and the East Bay who are being rapidly pushed out (often by people like us sniffing around for cheaper housing). Low-income people are disproportionately affected by the outlandish housing costs, and while it is a nice feature for us to live near family and friends, its a necessity for people who cannot afford regular childcare or do not get paid sick time. Just last Monday, activists shut down the Bay Bridge in a truly breathtaking action, protesting not only police killings of black people, but gentrification; first on their list of demands was The immediate divestment of city funds for policing and investment in sustainable, affordable housing so Black, Brown and Indigenous people can remain in their hometowns of Oakland and San Francisco. The housing concerns of people with a statistically high household income are not in and of themselves compelling, as this author points out, and if we have to leave the Bay Area we will find somewhere else to live. Like everyone we know who lives in San Francisco, we have thought we think every day about moving away. And like everyone, we hope to stay. My husband works for the City of San Francisco and I work for UC Berkeley, which seem like important local institutions. Neither of us grew up in San Francisco, but four generations of my foremothers were born in California (although if youre white, which I am, that just means your people were in on the ground floor of some original displacement). Even so, my baby, now a year old, has a grandmother and a great-grandmother a short train ride away. Why should we be the ones to move?, we think, just like everyone else. Self-righteous defiance is never a good feeling; add to it the knowledge of complicity in a fundamentally unequal society, evident in every public housing-adjacent Victorian flipped and sold for enormous profit, every gingerly-worded spiel from a realtor about Oakland neighborhoods, every crowd of white house-gawkers on streets where black people have lived for a century. Our situation is not remotely dire it is merely one of recalibration. Most Americans our age are letting go of the cherished, unexamined assumption that they will be able to give their own children the comforts or preferably more comforts than they themselves had. These are comforts captured in movies and books from the very recent past: I idly remember the movie Home Alone and my first thought is How the fuck did they afford that place? (Dont get me started on Full House.) In The Sportswriter, the first of Richard Fords Bascombe novels, Frank is a writer and his wife doesnt work; they have three small children and live in a house that they own: We went on vacationsWe paid bills, shopped, went to movies, bought cars and cameras and insurance, cooked out, went to cocktail parties, visited schools, and romanced each other in the sweet, cagey way of adults. Yesterdays magazine writer is todays millionaire. As one of Meghan Daums friends lamented in her book: boomers live in mansions they bought for $67 in the early 1980s and were destined to live our lives paying rent to guys who wear tinted eyeglasses and Members Only jackets. The beloved childrens writer Beverly Cleary enshrined a much humbler vision of middle-class life on Klickitat street in Portland, Ore.; her characters Ramona and Beezus Quimby live in a modest but pleasant house with parents who havent finished college and who have a series of jobs that couldnt comfortably support life in most urban areas today: shop clerk, office worker for a moving company, medical receptionist. Beezus and Ramona live in Portland, but many of Clearys less-well-known books Mitch and Amy, Sister of the Bride, Fifteen describe middle-class families giving their children good lives in nice Bay Area dwellings, the air scented with eucalyptus. Cleary herself was a California transplant; she attended UC Berkeley and lived around the Bay with her husband Clarence. In 1948, they bought a house in the Berkeley hills. She was a librarian-turned-writer and he was a contracts analyst at the university, a job which today commands a respectable annual salary between $49,000 and $65,000. But Ive seen a two-bedroom, 792-foot-square-foot house in the same area list for over a million dollars. After the news that our local wreck, the contractors special, sold for $200,000 over asking, I began to cling desperately to the rental we were in. Heavily pregnant, I lumbered around the place with loving purpose, directing my husband in the hanging of new curtains, adjusting the crib in the babys corner of our room, filling our closet with elaborate stacking drawers. I moved so far from my original position about the houses size that I even schemed to buy it from our landlady, until it became clear that we couldnt afford it at its current valuation. There are spiritual implications for a persons dwelling. As Frank Bascombe puts it, thinking about this anxious clients, the home they buy will partly determine what theyll be worrying about but dont yet know, what consoling window views theyll be taking (or not), where theyll have bitter arguments and make love, where and under what conditions theyll feel trapped by life or safe from the storm. I understood that the manic bursts of scrubbing and fussing and considering pillows that afflicted me during pregnancy were something called nesting, and were a known biological phenomenon. I was not expecting this mania to stick around. But, a lifetime slob, I now find myself in the kitchen making the practiced gestures of somebody elses mother wiping away a piece of wet fuzz or straightening a placemat, putting all of the puzzles together and stacking them in a corner at night. Some of this, Im sure, is garden-variety patriarchy stuff that is bound to pop up after millennia of foremothers tidying up. But I am surprised by the feeling of total, whole-body well-being that comes over me when Im in my special corner of the couch surveying the clean living room. And by the way this feeling seems obscurely connected to the panic-making wave of love that overcomes me at odd moments as I watch my daughter play on the living room rug (a rug, as it happens, that I coveted and lobbied and hoarded for and finally bought when it went on sale). Home is so sad, wrote Philip Larkin, but he probably never held a baby on a soft rug on a sunny day in a nice room that he made for her. I know its very irritating to hear people describe the ways that having a child changed them, but this is one that really caught me off-balance: Ive become house-proud. I think of all the other house-proud women leaving their special corners and favorite rugs in Syria and Iraq, holding close their precious children and stepping into the waves. When we consider the people in camps, the people in the frigid sea off of Lesvos and Ayvalk, if we believe that all humans are brothers and sisters, none of us deserve stability in the broad moral sense. Aim the telescope back at America, where we have codified a national myth that if you have a good job youll have a nice place to live for as long as you want to live there. Articles like this one show how untrue that myth has been for vast swathes of our citizenry, and for how long it has been untrue. If you are a narcissist who was raised in a religious tradition you might feel that your own, absurdly mild housing anxiety is the opening sally of an absent-minded deity who has finally put down his paperback and noticed that things seem off-kilter. I know that I dont deserve to have a nice place to live for as long as I want to live there, apart from the idea that all human beings deserve this. But that doesnt mean I dont the we all dont want it real bad. The contractors special went on the market again for $850,000, and sold for $1.1 million a couple of months ago. From the outside its still one of the ugliest houses in San Francisco. What ended up happening to us is the thing that you find happened to any San Franciscan who isnt rich but has a good living situation: we got unreasonably lucky. When our baby was three months old, our next-door neighbors did the almost impossible and managed to buy a short-sale house with a special loan from the city. Our landlady, who also owns their place and is a deeply decent person, let us move in without significantly raising the rent. Deus ex machina. The people, meanwhile, who moved into our old place had been evicted from their decade-plus rental in another neighborhood; they are in their 50s or 60s and clearly paying more for less space than they used to have. Last week a woman strolling up and down our block told me she had grown up a few houses over, but that she couldnt afford to live in the city anymore. It should be me in there, she said, gesturing at her old house. And begrudgingly corrected herself: I wish it were me. We are favored, for now, in San Franciscos zero-sum housing game. We dearly love our new place, even though it has wall-to-wall carpeting and it isnt ours. We still dont have rent control, but we hope for the best. We walk to the BART; we walk to the daycare, where our baby learns Cantonese words from her fellow sixth-generation Californians. What will the gods exact from us, for our good fortune? The twin specters of death and heirs loom all around. But death and heirs are waiting in the wings, I suppose, whether you rent or own. Turkey should focus on its "worrisome" internal problems Egyptian foreign minister Sameh Shoukry told Egyptian Radio on Tuesday, following Turkey's criticism of a fresh verdict against ousted president Mohamed Morsi. On Saturday, a Cairo criminal court sentenced Morsi to a total of 40 years behind bars for leaking secret information on general and military intelligence, the armed forces, its armaments and other state secrets to Qatar. Turkey, a strong ally to Morsi during his one year stint in office, strongly condemned the verdict. "It is essential that every country should worry and be preoccupied by its internal affairs, and not meddle in others' affairs," state news agency MENA reported FM Shoukry as saying on the radio. Shoukry added that Turkey's latest problems include the Turkish border guards shooting dead at least 11 people, including two women and four children, mostly from the same family, while they were trying to escape Syria. The minister added that the verdict against Morsi comes following a thorough judicial process that gave all defendants an opportunity to provide a legal defense. The four-decade prison sentence against Morsi is the latest in a number of verdicts the ousted president received over the past two years. He was also sentenced to death in the Wadi Al-Natroun Prison break case. All his sentences are currently being appealed. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypt MPs say although an administrative court ruled Tuesday that Egypt should not cede two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia, they are still the ones who have the final say on this deal when it comes up for debate before parliament next month. The biggest reaction to an administrative court ruling on Tuesday that two Red Sea islands Tiran and Sanafir should remain Egyptian rather than become a part of Saudi waters was in parliamentary circles. Most of MPs said regardless of any judicial rulings they are the ones who have the final say on the Egyptian-Saudi deal on the two islands. Kamal Amer, chairman of parliament's Defence and National Security Committee, told reporters Wednesday that article 151 of the constitution grants the president of the republic the power to take charge of the country's foreign affairs and signing of agreements and that these will be endorsed only after they gain the approval of parliament (the House of Representatives). "We respect judicial authorities and we respect court rulings, but regardless of any rulings in this respect, it is parliament that has the final constitutional power to say yes or no to foreign agreements signed by the president and the government," Amer said. Amer, a former military intelligence chief, explained that "when the Egyptian-Saudi agreement comes up for debate before parliament, a special committee will be formed to decide first whether this agreement should be a matter of public referendum or not." "In light of article 151, we will see whether this agreement will negatively affect any of Egypt's sovereignty rights, and if not there will not be a referendum and it will be just enough for parliament to debate and vote on it," he continued. Mostafa Bakri, an independent MP and journalist, said in a television interview Tuesday that he expects that the Egyptian-Saudi agreement on the two Red Sea islands signed during Saudi King Salman's visit to Cairo on 8 April will be discussed by parliament next month. "I insist that article 151 of the constitution gives parliament the final say on this agreement regardless of any court rulings," said Bakri. The ultraconservative Salafist Nour party the only Islamist force in parliament with 11 MPs said in a statement Tuesday that the administrative court ruling on Tiran and Sanafir islands is not final. "This is a first instance ruling and by no means it strips parliament of discussing and voting on the agreement on these two islands," the Nour party statement said. The statement also indicated that article 151 of the constitution clarifies that any foreign agreements can go into effect only after they gain the approval of parliament. "The Egyptian-Saudi deal on Tiran and Sanafir is a foreign agreement and as a result they must be discussed and voted by parliament," the statement read. Mohamed Anwar Al-Sadat, chairman of parliament's human rights committee, told reporters that the administrative court ruling on the two Red Sea islands have caused divisions inside and outside parliament. "But at the end we still have a long way until we have a final say on this agreement," said Sadat, adding that "while the ruling itself is still not final and could be repealed, parliament has the main task of reviewing this agreement, discussing it and then putting it to a vote." Margaret Azer, deputy chairman of parliament's human rights committee, said the administrative court ruling Tuesday was based only on documents submitted by lawyers and activists who filed this case. "Even if the ruling was upheld by the Supreme Administrative Court and as a result was made final, it would still be a must for parliament to discuss and vote it in line with article 151 of the constitution," said Azer, "In parliament, all the documents and maps on this agreement will be available for discussion in detail by MPs and experts. There will be hearing sessions to decide first whether this agreement needs a public referendum and then whether the two islands remain Egyptian or will be placed into Saudi hands," she added. On the other side of the floor, a number of MPs told reporters that they prefer that the Egyptian-Saudi agreement on the two Red Sea islands be sent to parliament only after courts give a final ruling on it. Sadat said he agrees with minister of parliamentary affairs Magdi Al-Agati who announced yesterday that the agreement will be presented to parliament only after it is settled by the Supreme Administrative Court. Al-Agati told the media on Wednesday that the government has appealed the ruling before the Supreme Administrative Court and as a result the agreement will be sent to parliament only after the court hands down a final verdict. Sadat said that "it will be a big mistake if the agreement comes to parliament while it is still being deliberated by courts. In many previous cases, parliament chose to refrain from discussing issues that were a matter of deliberation before justice." Tamer Al-Shahawi, deputy chairman of parliament's Defence and National Security Committee, also told reporters that although yesterday's ruling is not final, it is binding for all state authorities, including parliament. "In light of the principle of separation of powers, I recommend that this agreement should come to parliament only after it is settled by courts," said Al-Shahawi, adding that "if this ruling was repealed by the Supreme Administrative Court, I think it would be just enough for parliament to discuss and vote it." "But if the Supreme Constitutional Court decided to uphold yesterday's ruling and stat that this agreement leads to Egypt ceding part of its sovereign rights, it would be necessary that the people give a final vote on it in a public referendum and in line with article 151," said Al-Shahawi. "In this case parliament will have no role at all." Search Keywords: Short link: With the referendum on Britains future in the European Union just hours away, theres not much time to get clued up on the issues if youre still not sure how to vote. Luckily, weve put together a simple list of the key issues and how each side views them. Its the most important political issue of a generation, so read up, pick a side, and get out to vote! 1. Economy (Chris Radburn/PA) Leave: UK companies would be freed from EU regulation. We spend millions of pounds each week to be part of the European Union. The euro is a failing currency and Britain shouldnt be tied to a failing economic union. Remain: The majority of UK businesses of all sizes and the majority of economists support remaining in the EU. There would be a recession and job losses if we left. Whenever a Brexit poll comes out in favour of leaving, the pound falls and billions gets wiped off the stock market. The economic benefits of the EU outweigh membership costs. 2. Farming and Fishing (Matt Dunham/AP) Leave: Britain pays more into the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) than it gets out. The Common Fisheries Policy, which sets quotas for the amount of fish each countrys boats can catch, has harmed the British fishing industry by restricting their trade. Remain: EU subsidies make up 50% of British farm incomes and British farmers would go out of business without the CAP. The Common Fisheries Policy helps prevent overfishing. 3. Immigration (Philip Toscano/PA) Leave: The EUs principle of freedom of movement means its impossible to have full control of our borders and immigration levels from within the European Union. Unlimited immigration puts a strain on public services such as the NHS and local schools. The points-based system which is currently used to assess citizens outside the EU should be extended to EU citizens to make the process fairer. Remain: Migrants are net contributors to the economy: they pay more in tax than they take out in benefits. David Cameron has successfully negotiated a deal with Europe on putting an emergency brake on providing benefits to EU citizens for their first four years in the country. 4. Security (Steve Parsons/PA) Leave: Freedom of movement makes it easier for terrorists to travel between European countries and enter Britain. EU courts make it hard for Britain to deport violent criminals and terror suspects. Remain: Britain still has border control as it is not part of the Schengen area. Being part of Europol gives us access to EU-wide databases and information which helps prevent crime and catch criminals. 5. Sovereignty (Anthony Devlin/PA) Leave: EU regulations are binding across all member states, including Britain. Many European laws are proposed and made by unelected officials within the EU. Leaving the EU is the only way to give full sovereignty back to the MPs who are democratically elected by the British public. Remain: Britain has the power of veto in many important areas, and elected MEPs vote on legislation. A minority of UK laws are made in Brussels, and there are economic and national benefits to sharing sovereignty and co-operating. 6. Trade (Andrew Winning/AP) Leave: Britain could negotiate new trade deals with the rest of the world and EU countries. Britain has a strong economy, and other countries would want to trade with us and give us good deals. Remain: New trade deals would take years to complete the Canada-EU trade deal has been seven years in the making. The EU could punish us with unfavourable terms to disincentivise other countries from leaving. Britain would take bad terms because without quickly negotiated deals Britain is a risky bet for businesses, leading to low investment and a shrinking economy. 7. Work (Carl Court/AP) Leave: Immigration to the UK undercuts wages as employers use cheap foreign labour. If we leave, British businesses would not be tied to EU regulation, freeing up money to create more jobs. Remain: The EU was responsible for maternity pay, holiday pay and workers rights. Leaving could put that in jeopardy. Poetry and spoken word performance is growing. Its an increasingly accessible art-form and its rising popularity has meant many things to many people. wrote a piece commending performance poetrys ability to boost mental wellbeing. She argues that the opportunity to open up and develop confidence helps many performers overcome difficult psychological conditions. Lucy English, a writer for The Guardian and lecturer at Bath Spa University,commending performance poetrys ability to boost mental wellbeing. She argues that the opportunity to open up and develop confidence helps many performers overcome difficult psychological conditions. Equally, though, performance poetry is exposing a lot of people to an art-form often thought of as stuffy or soppy and its dispelling that myth with gusto. Kate Tempest George the Poet are reclaiming poetry for a generation whom it was largely passing by. Were setting out to find out whats driving this growth in spoken word performance, and what makes it so important. Spoken word performers likeandare reclaiming poetry for a generation whom it was largely passing by. Were setting out to find out whats driving this growth in spoken word performance, and what makes it so important. Torok is a multi-award-winning, multilingual spoken word poet and newly graduated student from Edinburgh University. She has performed her poetry on four continents and reached nearly one million YouTube views for her poetry videos. Agnes regularly collaborates with BBC The Social (a BBC organisation particularly catering to young people in Scotland) and crowdfunds her own poetry videos. Her all-time favourite gig is a toss-up between a muddy Nepalese classroom and an Edinburgh bingo hall. She loves to make her poetry hard-hitting and to take on real issues; in her interview with The National Student she told us that to me, poetry is always political and I want to communicate about big issues and things that strongly affect people's lives... I read and listen to and watch a lot of poetry. And I think poetry can be all kinds of things light or entertaining or serious or hard-hitting but the poetry that I come back to time and time again is the poetry that affects me deeply, that makes me cry or belly-laugh or think of something I've never thought of before. And that is what keeps me writing - the hope that I can do that too. This is My Body is a heart-felt fight against objectification. An excerpt reads: This is my body, its here for me to be strong in, its here for me to lift weights and battle disease in, for me to run miles and move continents in, for me to raise fists of solidarity and punch in the face of oppression in. This is my body, it is not here for you to loudly tell me what you would like to do with it. Some of Toroks latest work has addressed huge issues: Dangerous People used heart-rending personal experience as a lens through which to view current political concerns, while is a heart-felt fight against objectification. An excerpt reads: This is my body, its here for me to be strong in, its here for me to lift weights and battle disease in, for me to run miles and move continents in, for me to raise fists of solidarity and punch in the face of oppression in. This is my body, it is not here for you to loudly tell me what you would like to do with it. The whole poem is brilliant, and Torok has expanded her work on related subjects, stating she is focused on amplifying women's voices online and highlighting the various ways women, trans and non-binary people face violence and abuse in their daily lives. So performance poetry can be immensely poignant; it can be the difference between life or death to people; but how has its growth in popularity come about? And how can you get involved and find performers you enjoy? In taking on such serious material performance poets often lay themselves bare to their audience in a very unique way. Some call on painful personal experiences and others talk about emotions with a level of honesty thats hard to find elsewhere. While not every poem will be a favourite for every audience member, just witnessing someone open up so much, fighting their nerves and throwing out their own take on raw, poetic honesty is truly something to behold. Worthless has racked up over 600,000 views on various YouTube channels, including her own and that of BBC The Social, which is sharing her work with an ever-growing audience. Similarly, just a glance at Kate Tempests YouTube output exemplifies the massive, growing audience interested in spoken word performance. It is this unique, honest offering that is part and parcel of spoken word performance and is what has led to its current rise in popularity. Toroks video of her poem has racked up over 600,000 views on various YouTube channels, including her own and that of BBC The Social, which is sharing her work with an ever-growing audience. Similarly, just a glance at Kate Tempests YouTube output exemplifies the massive, growing audience interested in spoken word performance. The growth of spoken word and performance poetry is immense; but this growth needs your help if the genre is to really flourish. All these performers the names you may recognise and the ones you may not all start at this grass-roots level, in half-empty rooms, so have a look whats on offer in your students union and in your area. When we asked Torok why she thought poetry was important, she put it better than most: Poetry breaks stigma, shatters silences, and allows us to reclaim ourselves and build brand new forms of 'us'. In short, because I think that in some, small ways it changes the world. Egypt's cabinet said Wednesday that they would provide the documents necessary to prove that two Red Sea islands belong to Saudi Arabia, appealing a Tuesday court decision that deemed them Egyptian, state news agency MENA reported. Tuesday's ruling by the country's Administrative Court stipulated that an April decision by the government to place the islands of Tiran and Sanafir under Saudi Arabian sovereignty was void. According to the MENA report, the government will present documents, maps and treaties to prove Saudi Arabia's longstanding sovereignty over the islands. However, the government did not present these documents to the Administrative Court prior to the verdict. The lawyer representing the government was fined at least twice for failing to present these documents. The government is yet to present these documents to the parliament, which is expected to discuss the deal and vote on it after the Supreme Administrative Court has made its final ruling. The cabinet, in its Wednesday meeting, maintained that the court had no jurisdiction in ruling on the matter, but that documents would be presented during the appeal nonetheless. The border demarcation deal, which was signed by Egypt and Saudi Arabia during a five-day visit by Saudi King Salman to Cairo, sparked widespread street protests during which dozens of demonstrators were arrested and later put on trial for illegally protesting. All of those who stood trial were acquitted in court, but 47 defendants paid EGP 100,000 in fines. The Saudi Shura Council approved the deal on 25 April and the Saudi cabinet followed suit on 2 May Search Keywords: Short link: Some weekends, you just want to get away. But who wants to do something theyve already done a billion times? And who wants to be surrounded by other tourists? Boring. Top Destinations for 2016 Luckily for you, there are plenty of travel sites out that bring all the culture, history and adventure without the repetition or the crowds. As part of ourseries, here are five of the best: Tallinn, Estonia Straight out of a fairy tale, Tallinn is comprised of medieval and Hanseatic architecture. Take a stroll through the town centre and just enjoy the sights before settling into some of the citys other big attractions, including the Kadriorg palace and art museum and the Patarei sea fortress and prison. The latter reminds tourists that Tallinn isnt just a fairy tale city; it has a long, dark and fascinating history as a former Soviet-occupied town. Read our Top Destinations for 2016: Estonia guide. Catalonia, Spain Barcelona is great, but there is more to Catalonia than the bustling city. Visit the regions only national park, the Aiguestortes i Estany de Sant Maurici, located in the Pyrenees for amazing sights of the mountain range and widespread fauna like roe deer and golden eagles. The city of Tarragona is home to the Roman ruins of Tarraco, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that includes an amphitheatre and capitol building, amongst other sites. Castellar de nhug is a distinctly Spanish-looking municipality, with old buildings nestled together against the sprawling mountains behind them. Catalonia brings a culture unlike the rest of Spain, and unlike anything you have probably had the chance to experience before. Read our Top Destinations for 2016: Catalonia guide. Kotor, Montenegro Some come for the natural beauty, others for the history. You really cant go wrong. Built around a narrow bay surrounded by mountains, Kotor offers stunning scenery and mild humid temperatures. Its been named a UNESCO world heritage site, in large part because of its Venetian Republic history from 1420 to 1797. Tourists can now enjoy its Venetian fortifications and the impressive Cathedral of Saint Tryphon. Kotor is home to the picturesque Our Lady of the Rocks, an islet with a church and museum attached. Lovcen National Park is both gorgeous and historically rich, with a background as a battle site in the Great War. A full weekend trip to Kotor might involve one day devoted to history of the area and one devoted to nature although, since the two are so intertwined, a clean division may be difficult! Read our Top Destinations for 2016: Montenegro guide. Lille, France Unique for its Flemish culture, Lille falls right on the border with Belgium and this mix of influences is evident in everything from food to architecture. Visit the local citadel, built in the seventeenth century and surrounded by soay sheep on its walls to keep the grass short. The Palais des Beaux-Arts de Lille also celebrates the citys history and serves as one of Frances largest art museums. If you can, try to take your trip during the first weekend in September for the Lille Braderie, Europes largest flea market, that started in the twelfth century. Rotterdam, Netherlands Think of it as a futuristic Amsterdam. Rotterdam has a big city skyline and port, with smaller crowds but larger buildings. Its home to Europes biggest harbour and first indoor market, and it is more affordable than Amsterdam for tourists. Rotterdam isnt all new stuff, though a half-hour waterbus ride from there will take you to Kinderdijk, a UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for its 300-year old windmills, one of the Netherlands best-known tourist stops. Its a perfect mix of old and new. Imagine a world where you could eat as much chocolate as you like without suffering the waist-expanding consequences. Well, were one step closer. Research from Temple University in Philadelphia has found that the fat content in chocolate can be reduced by 10-20% by running it through an electric field. Well, were one step closer. Research from Temple University in Philadelphia has found that the fat content in chocolate can be reduced by 10-20% by running it through an electric field. The normal process for making chocolate involves a high level of fat, to help it flow more easily in liquid form through the machinery. However, the scientists found that running the liquid through an electric field can have a similar effect, by clumping the solid cocoa particles together into chains. This process, called electrorheology, means less fat is needed to help the chocolate flow through the system. Its good news for chocolate-lovers everywhere, not least because some researchers in the lab said the chocolate treated with electrorheology tasted even better than the normal chocolate. We may not even have to wait that long. The scientists were part-funded by Mars and the report claims a new class of healthier and tastier chocolate should come soon. 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The inspection and removal of salt accumulations from more than 200 electrical circuits is currently underway, according to the investigators statement. "The inspection is being carried out so that it can be determined if there are any electrical circuits that are not functioning properly, which could hinder the accurate reading of the memory units of the recorder," the statement added. 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. Most of the passengers were French. 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. John Lethbrige, the vessel contracted by the Egyptian government to join the search for the plane wreckage, is continuing its task of drawing a map of the wreckage distribution at the bottom of the Mediterranean so that it can be retrieved at a later stage. Search Keywords: Short link: A police sergeant was shot dead and a low-ranking policeman injured Wednesday afternoon in the North Sinai governorate capital Al-Arish, Egypt's interior ministry announced. In a short statement, the interior ministry said that the two police personnel working in in Al-Arish city were shot by an unknown assailant driving in a car. The two police personnel were shot outside of a police station. The assailants are still at large. Earlier this week, two police personnel, including a police captain, were killed and others injured in two different attacks against security forces in North Sinai. Egypt's security forces are fighting a decade-long Islamist insurgency in parts of North Sinai, which has spiked since 2013. An ongoing military campaign aims at purging the governorate of militants through "pre-emptive strikes against terrorist elements," according to an army statement in May. Search Keywords: Short link: The spokesperson for Egypts foreign ministry says that the international human rights organisation is biased against Egypt Egypts foreign ministry slammed on Wednesday Amnesty International for what it called its incitement against Egypt in the Giulio Regeni case. Ministry spokesman Ahmed Abu El-Zeid told reporters in Cairo that the international human rights organisation "took a new route in its incitement against Egypt". Abu Zeid was answering questions from reporters regarding Italian news reports speaking about a letter from Amnesty International to Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni that accused Egyptian authorities of failing to cooperate in the probe of Italian PhD student Regeni. Regeni, who was in Cairo conducting research on independent trade unions, went missing on 25 January. His body was found, bearing signs of severe torture, by a roadside on the outskirts of the capital nine days later. Accusing Amnesty International of being biased, Abu Zeid questioned why the organisation did not criticise in its letter the University of Cambridge which did not cooperate with the Regini family or reveal any information about the late student to their lawyer. "This confirmed Amnesy's bias against Egypt. It has been intentionally criticising the human rights situation in the country," he said. Last week, Italian FM Paolo Gentiloni announced that Italy would not send back its ambassador to Cairo over Egypts handling of investigations into the murder of Regeni in Egypt earlier this year. Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi has insisted that the investigation into the murder of Regeni in Cairo is being conducted with the "utmost transparency," with Egyptian officials repeatedly denying speculation that security forces were involved in the murder. Search Keywords: Short link: 2,000 animals at Tiger Temple starving KANCHANABURI: Staff at the Tiger Temple has asked for food donations for the remaining 2,000 animals after authorities moved its tigers, leaving it with no means to raise money for their feed. animalshealthreligion By Bangkok Post Wednesday 22 June 2016, 06:23PM Some cattle are fed with a few bunches of morning glory while a large number of animals are still starving. Photo: Piyarach Chongcharoen Staff at Wat Pa Luang Ta Maha Bua said there were no visitors after the Department of National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), by court order, relocated 147 tigers to several breeding centres in other provinces between May 30 and June 4, according to Khaosod Online. The temple, famous among tourists for its Bengal tigers from 2004 to last month, was accused of involvement in illegal wildlife trafficking. Nathawut Phokaew, a temple boy (layman serving monks at a temple in exchange for shelter and food), said today (June 22) that after the tigers were moved, the temple had been virtually closed. Although the monastery no longer has tigers in its care, it has to feed about 2,000 other animals including cows, buffaloes, deer, barking deer, boars and others, he said. Many of the cattle were rescued or bought from slaughterhouses, a popular form of merit-making among Thai Buddhists. The animals are now fed subsistence amount of feed and vegetables each day because the temple could not afford to buy more, he added. Mr Nathawut said he and other temple staff would continue to stay out of a concern the temple would have no one to feed the animals. Some of them have become sick. Some are pregnant. We cant do anything but let them forage for food on temple grounds. It would be good if government officials, particularly veterinarians, could come to take a look at them from time to time. We would also like to call on animal lovers to donate food to the temple so we can feed them, he said. Kasemsorn Polchai, another temple boy, said the animals were now scattering all over the vast temple land, looking for food. Donations for the animals are needed, he said. In 2001, Luang Ta Chan, the abbot, took in seven wounded tigers, allegedly at the behest of villagers. Wildlife officials at the time came to take a look at them and decided the big cats needed to be impounded because they were protected animals. However, the authorities lacked the means to move or take care of them so they asked the temple to keep looking after them on their behalf. With the rare tigers on long chains that could be petted, the monastery became popular among tourists from all over the world. Their numbers had grown to 147 at the last count in 2015. The temple reportedly relied on donations and revenue from animal shows to keep the operation. Over the past two years, the temple was accused of involvement in animal trafficking after a veterinarian who used to work for it revealed the number of the tigers was not steady. Wildlife authorities took action in May to take away the tigers. Subsequent raids unveiled 40 bodies of tigers cubs in freezers, as well as organs and parts of adult animals. Thousands of amulets and talismans made of tiger parts were also seized. The abbot denied any involvement, saying he had nothing to do with the operation. Read original story here. Keep traffic moving, Phuket underpass contractors told PHUKET: Vice Governor Chokdee Amornwat has ordered construction companies to keep traffic flow a top priority while three underpass tunnels are under construction at Samkong, Bang Khu and Chalong. transportconstructiontourism By The Phuket News Wednesday 22 June 2016, 07:25PM Phuket Vice Governor Chokdee Amornwat ordered the contractors to make traffic flow at the three underpass sites a top priority. Photo: PR Dept Phuket Vice Governor Chokdee Amornwat ordered the contractors to make traffic flow at the three underpass sites a top priority. Photo: PR Dept Phuket Vice Governor Chokdee Amornwat ordered the contractors to make traffic flow at the three underpass sites a top priority. Photo: PR Dept Contractors for the three underpass tunnels under construction in Phuket were told to keep traffic moving. Photo: Tanyaluk Sakoot The order came at a meeting with officials with officials and traffic police at Provincial Hall yesterday (June 21). People should be the least affected by the construction, and so I have ordered the contractors in each area to come up with plans to keep traffic moving, V/Gov Chokdee said after the meeting. Updates on the progress made at each underpass site were also presented at the meeting, he added. We were told that construction of the Sam Kong Underpass is about 80 per cent complete. The project is 19% behind schedule, V/Gov Chokdee said. Construction at Bang Khu (at the junction of Thepkrasattri Rd and the bypass road) is 49% complete, and 22% ahead of schedule. But construction of the Chalong Underpass is only 2% complete, and already 10% behind schedule, he added. Limited space seems to be a problem at the the Bang Khu underpass. Regardless, the contractor was told to make more room or add another lane to reduce traffic congestion near the construction area because traffic is very bad especially during rush hours, V/Gov Chokdee said. For the Chalong Underpass, the delay is due to the removal of public utilities and issues with land ownership. The latter can take some times to resolve, he said. The order to keep traffic moving comes just days ahead of Phuket Highways Office Director Samak Luedwonghad transferring out of Phuket, to Trang, effective Friday (June 24). I have been serving in Phuket for more than four years. It is that time when government moved official around, Mr Samak told The Phuket News I am heading to Trang at the end of this month to serve the Highways Office there. I have to report to Trang Highways office this Friday (June 24). Phuket will have a new director, Patiwetwutisak Sukkhee from Prachuap Kiri Khan, who will be here to take over my office. Asked about the current road construction projects in Phuket, Mr Samak said, The Sam Kong Underpass is nearly complete and the whole project should be done by the end of July. Workers are now resurfacing the roads around the tunnel, while the tunnel itself is open to traffic in both directions. The work is slow going right now due to the rain, but once we get the electrical system and the pump installed, we will be alright. Regarding the delay in acquiring the land in order to launch into the Chalong Underpass, Mr Samak noted, We have to compensate people living near the construction site and get them relocated before work can start. Mr Samak added that his office has already found contractors to build two flyovers on Thepkrasattri Rd in Thalang: one at the Thalang Intersection and one in front of Thao Thepkrasattri School. (See story here.) The only thing now is to wait for the budget to be approved by the central government. Construction to begin by late July or August, he said. Phuket Immigration arrests Cambodian monks defrocked, arrested, to be deported PHUKET: Immigration officers this morning (June 22) arrested two Cambodian nationals for living in Thailand illegally and soliciting cash donations as monks in Wichit. culturereligioncrimeimmigrationpolice By Eakkapop Thongtub Wednesday 22 June 2016, 03:20PM Cambodian nationals Chari and Nad, defrocked and awaiting deportation. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub Immigration Police Lt Col Tienchai Chompoo led a team of officers to Muang Chaofa Rd at 7am (June 22) after a call from local residents complaining that Cambodian monks had been knocking on doors and asking for donations. Residents told us that these monks came every morning to collect alms and ask for cash donations to help them pay for transportation to go back to their country, Col Tienchai said. Officers waited in the area until the monks came, monitored their activity and followed them to their camp near the Chao Fa tin mine. The two men were named as Chanti, 40, and Nad, 35, he added. Officers searched the camp and found personal belongings and 2,000 baht cash, he said. We asked to see their passports and monk identification papers, which they did not have, Col Tienchai said. Chati and Nad said there were four of them at the camp, but the other two already left the Kingdom yesterday, he noted. Chati and Nad had been arrested before for the same thing, back in 2014, when they were arrested along with 17 other Cambodian nationals who solicited cash donations as monks, Col Tienchai added. (See story here.) Apparently all 19 in that raid, including Chati and Nad, were arrested and deported, he said. At this stage we are not sure if the other two have left the country or just moved to a different area. However, we will find them soon. If residents recognise them and see them around, please contact local police, he said. Chati and Nad were taken to Wat Mongkolnimit and defrocked by Phra Krumettapirom, then taken to Phuket Immigration Office in Phuket Town to be charged with staying in Thailand illegally. Phuket Vice Governor marries again at Baba Wedding Festival PHUKET: Five couples were married in true Peranakan Baba style on Sunday (June 19) at the 8th annual Baba Wedding Festival, with Phuket Vice Governor Khajornkiet and his wife Pitima Rakpanichmanee, already married but undertaking the Baba ceremony for the first time. Chineseculturetourism By Suthicha Sirirat Wednesday 22 June 2016, 10:00AM Two couples from Thailand and three couples from Taiwan were married at the annual festival. Photo: Suthicha Sirirat Two couples from Thailand and three couples from Taiwan were married at the annual festival. Photo: Suthicha Sirirat Two couples from Thailand and three couples from Taiwan were married at the annual festival. Photo: Suthicha Sirirat Two couples from Thailand and three couples from Taiwan were married at the annual festival. Photo: Suthicha Sirirat Phuket Vice Governor Khajornkiet and his wife Pitima Rakpanichmanee married again on Sunday, but this time in their first Baba wedding ceremony. Photo: Suthicha Sirirat The festival, this year held under the theme Under Andaman Sky, started at the Hongyok Mansion on Thalang Rd in Phuket Town at 3pm, where the six couples including two from Thailand and three from Taiwan received blessings from Ms Boonsri, Mr Narong and Ms Yaowaluck of the Hongyok clan. At the mansion, the couples took part in traditional Baba wedding activities, such as making offerings to Chinese gods, paying respect to their parents and ancestors, and a flower ceremony witnessed by family and friends of the couples as well as media from Taiwan and members of Peranakan associations from Phang Nga and Ranong. The highlight of the wedding was the street parade down Thalang Rd, which drew large crowds of both Thais and foreigners to Phuket Town. The parade departed the Hongyok mansion at 4pm, continued along Thalang Rd and arrived at the Phuket Thai Hua Museum on Krabi Rd, where the couples entered the another ceremony the marriage registration. Leading the lucky couples along the route were the ceremonial wedding couple of honour, Phuket Vice Governor Khajornkiet and his wife Pitima Rakpanichmanee, already married but undertaking the Baba ceremony for the first time. In tow were the two couples from Thailand and three couples from Taiwan. Phuket City Deputy Mayor Dr Kosol Tang-utai, who is also President of the Peranakan Association Phuket, said, The Baba wedding ceremony is considered one of the most valuable and beautiful traditions that reflects the life of the Baba people, how we respect sacred beings and honour our parents and ancestors. Next year, the Baba Wedding Festival will be held in June, but at a time and day we have yet to decide. he added. Anoma Vongyai, Director of Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Phuket office, noted that the TAT fully supported of the festival every year. Each year we have many couples interested to join the Baba Wedding festival. This time we have three couples from Taiwan to marry at the event. The Baba wedding help promote Phuket tourism in general, and also put Phuket on the map as a place for a weddings. Organisers for wedding ceremonies from across Europe and Asia are now considering bringing their clients to Phuket to have their weddings here. Praewa admits breaching parole service regulations BANGKOK: The unlicensed teen driver who killed nine people in a crash on Don Muang tollway six years ago yesterday (June 21) admitted that she had breached her probation conditions related to community service and sought permission to re-do it. accidentscrimedeathpolicetransport By Bangkok Post Wednesday 22 June 2016, 09:17AM Along with her attentive mother, Orachorn Praewa Thephasadin na Ayudhya reports to police in early 2011, 10 days after she caused a fatal tollway crash. Photo: Bangkok Post Orachorn Praewa Thephasadin na Ayudhya told the Central Juvenile and Family Court judges that she had misunderstood Probation Department (PD) regulations on the procedures and designated places for community service. She said she would be willing to start doing the 138-hour community service again. Orachon, now 22, reportedly performed 90 of the 138 community service hours at Phramongkutklao Hospital in January and February this year and claimed she only had 48 hours more to complete. But the PD said the 90 hours performed could not be counted because the hospital was not on its list of organisations where people on probation could do community service. Col Narat Sawetanant, the PDs director-general, said Orachon had failed to fulfil her probation conditions as she had not first discussed with authorities where she would perform the social service and simply chose the place by herself. He later brought the matter to the court although Col Peerapol Pokpong, deputy chief of Phramongkutklao Hospital, confirmed Orachorn had performed community service at the hospital. Orachon pleaded guilty before three more PD officials were to testify against her in the court. The judges ordered Orachon and the PD to negotiate and make a written agreement on where she would do the mandatory service. The location was not disclosed. Orachorn crashed a Honda Civic into the back of a passenger van carrying 14, mostly students and staff from Thammasat Universitys Rangsit campus on the tollway on Dec 27, 2010. The impact caused the van to overturn and hit the barriers, unlatching the door. Eight people were sent hurtling down the streets below. Another one died later at a hospital while the others were wounded. She was 16 years old at the time. The minimum driving age in Thailand is 18. She was charged with driving without a licence and reckless driving causing death and injury. She was eventually sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for four years. As a condition of her release, she was ordered to perform 48 hours of community service each year for three years, or 144 hours. Six of the 144 hours has been deducted because Orachon donated blood, which earned her six community service hours. Col Narat said in March that Orachon claimed she was afraid that she might be in danger if she performed community service elsewhere. When authorities alerted her family that she had failed to meet her probation condition, the family petitioned the Office of the Ombudsman, accusing probation authorities of threatening her, he said. Read original story here. Section 44 to stem youth violence BANGKOK: Student violence between rival schools has become the latest target for Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha as the prime minister decided on Tuesday (June 21) to exercise his special authority to try to clamp it down. violencepolicemilitary By Bangkok Post Wednesday 22 June 2016, 09:03AM Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha decreed with his Section 44 powers that students like these caught brawling last November will suffer twice the cash and detention penalties and their parents will have to put up money to keep them in school. Photo: Bangkok Post / file The National Council for Peace and Order chairman signed an order by the special authority granted him under the interim charter to prevent future brawls. The order took effect after it was published in the Royal Gazette on Tuesday. It allowed authorities to detain students planning to fight their rival schools for no more than six hours before sending them to police, teachers or their parents. The parents will then be held accountable for future brawls as they will be required to put up some money with authorities as a guarantee for no more than two years. If their children commit violence again during the period, the money will be seized and sent to the Child Protection Fund. Under the new rules, students involved in a brawl leading to injuries will be put in jail for no more than six months and fined 60,000 baht, or both. The jail term will double and a fine will increase to 100,000 baht if the brawl is fatal. Schools and police have tried to prevent brawls but violence among rival schools has showed no signs of abating. At least four major brawls took place this year, including the one on June 8, when two students of Pathumthani Technological College were seriously injured after they were shot and stabbed by another group of vocational students believed to be from another college. The Metropolitan Police Bureau has come up with an idea to launch a relationship-building project for vocational school students in a bid to forge unity and reduce violence among them. The Education Ministry has mooted another plan to put them in a training camp to improve their behaviours. But Gen Prayut said in the order that all these measures did not work. The new rules were necessary as all legal measures cannot effectively prevent and resolve brawls, the order read. Read original story here. Al-Ahram Weekly has learned that negotiations underway in Kuwait for the past two months on the political crisis in Yemen have made no progress as the two sides have been unable to find common ground. Meanwhile, the Saudi ambassador to Yemen, Mohamed Said Al-Jaber, has put forth an initiative to form a military committee to monitor the ceasefire on the battlefront. This would entail establishing an organisational structure of the main committee for the coordination of the ceasefire, with local subcommittees in each governorate. A team would be attached to each local committee, working on all fronts and connecting the different subcommittees. Each truce team would be made up of two delegates representing the government and the Houthis. The parties to the Yemen crisis ostensibly concluded a prior agreement in Dhahran, located in southern Saudi Arabia, on the operation of the truce committee. Riyadh has allocated one million riyals to cover operating costs, and the process will be overseen and implemented under a UN aegis. Abd Al-Azizi Al-Jabari, Yemens deputy prime minister and vice-chair of the government delegation in the Kuwait negotiations, told the Weekly in a phone interview that the latest developments in the negotiations demonstrate that the Houthi-Saleh delegation has not complied with the framework and agenda of the negotiations, and is seeking to put forth a new proposal unrelated to the core of UN Security Council Resolution 2216. Al-Jabari stressed that any resolution must put an end to militias in the country, ensure the surrender of weapons, most of which were looted from army camps, and entail the turnover of state institutions the Houthis control. Anything less is unacceptable, he said. Al-Jabari added that the Houthi-Saleh delegation is seeking to legitimise the coup by submitting new proposals for the basis of dialogue in Kuwait. But no party will accept this because theyre not serious about the peace process, he said. Speaking of the Saudi initiative, Al-Jabari said the government will rally around all attempts with the goal of making a breakthrough. They [the Houthis] did not engage with [the initiative] and want to promote other proposals, Al-Jabari said. But I dont think any international party will accept this. Khaled Alyan, an advisor to the Yemeni presidency who is familiar with the talks, revealed to the Weekly one detail that sparked a dispute around the acceptance of the Saudi initiative. When talk turned to the matter of later forming a committee for the withdrawal of weapons after the truce, we suggested that there be an impartial committee of senior military personnel who did not participate in the war, he said. The Houthi response was that they reject this. They want a committee divided between them and the legitimate government, and insisted on appointing Mohamed Ali Al-Houthi, the head of the so-called Houthi Revolutionary Committees, as the official on their side. This undermines the legitimacy of President Hadi and his government. Alyan added: These revolutionary committees were also supposed to cede state institutions, with any of their decisions not based on legal or constitutional legitimacy voided. But they dont want this. They say the starting point should be the formation of a consensus government to which the institutions can be surrendered. But there is an agenda that first requires implementing the terms of UN Resolution 2216, which calls for an end to militia control of the state and the reinstatement of legitimacy. Then we can move toward a new transitional phase based on the Gulf Initiative and the outcome of the national dialogue. Based on information from the presidency of the delegation, Alyan said that the legitimacy delegation submitted a written commitment that the government will resign in the event of a consensus based on the agenda. In contrast, the Houthi movement and Salehs National Congress are insisting on starting with the political process rather than the security issue, as Al-Jabari confirmed to the Weekly, and that a consensus government should be formed to receive surrendered weapons. Ahmed Rafiq, who is close to the Houthi delegation and part of the working group of the National Congress, said in phone interview from Sanaa, No one in the Houthi and Saleh delegations will accept Hadi again ruling Yemen, so there must first be a consensus government. How can a military committee be formed under an unacceptable government, which is a party to the conflict, without members from the National Congress and Houthi movement? There must either be a joint military committee or a consensus government. *This article was originally published on 16 June in Al-Ahram Weekly. Search Keywords: Short link: Air strikes on the Islamic State group's de facto Syrian capital Raqa killed 25 civilians, six of them children, a monitoring group said on Wednesday. "Dozens more were wounded, some of them critically," the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, adding it was not immediately able to determine who carried out the Tuesday raids. The Syrian government, its ally Russia and a US-led coalition have all carried out air strikes against IS in Raqa. The Observatory said there were fresh air strikes against the city on Wednesday, one of which hit the town hall. It said those strikes appeared to have been carried out by the coalition. The coalition said it had carried out two strikes near Raqa on Monday, hitting a bridge used by the jihadists as well as oil facilities. There are an estimated 300,000 people still living in the city. Activists have accused IS of preventing civilians from leaving in order to use them as human shields against air strikes. Twin offensives aimed at severing IS's supply route to Raqa from the Turkish border have met fierce resistance from the jihadists in recent days. Near the border, a US-backed alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters has been encircling IS in the town of Manbij for days but has faced multiple suicide bombings by the jihadists. At least three IS suicide bombers attacked the Syrian Democratic Forces near Manbij on Tuesday, the Observatory said. A separate Russian-backed offensive by government forces targeting the town of Tabqa, 40 kilometres (25 miles) up the Euphrates Valley from Raqa, suffered a major reverse on Monday. More than 40 troops and militia were killed in a jihadist counterattack launched on Sunday. The government forces, which had advanced to within seven kilometres (four miles) of Tabqa airbase, were driven back an estimated 20 kilometres (12 miles) to the west. IS has also been under attack in neighbouring Iraq. It has been driven out of the centre of its emblematic bastion Fallujah and pro-government forces have also renewed an offensive around Mosul, the largest city under its control. Search Keywords: Short link: One of two powerful medium-range missiles launched by North Korea on Wednesday reached an altitude of 1,000 kilometres (620 miles), Japan's defence ministry said, with analysts saying that accomplishment is sufficient to label it a "success". Both launches were believed to be of a Musudan -- a much-hyped, intermediate-range missile capable of reaching US bases as far away as Guam -- South Korean and Japanese defence officials said. Though still analysing the result, Japan's "radar information shows the missile reached an altitude of 1,000 kilometres," the defence ministry said in a statement. "The fact that a missile estimated to be a Musudan was launched and a certain functionality was exhibited is a serious concern," it added. If the missile did reach 1,000 kilometres, it would have been at around twice the altitude of the Hubble Space Telescope and some 600 kilometres further into space than the International Space Station. The first missile, fired shortly before 6:00 am (2100 GMT Tuesday), was deemed to have failed after reportedly travelling around 150 kilometres (90 miles) over the Sea of Japan (East Sea). But the second -- fired from the same east coast location two hours later -- flew 400 kilometres, the South Korean and Japanese ministries said. Toshimitsu Shigemura, a North Korea expert and now professor emeritus at Waseda University in Tokyo, called the latter launch "a success, as the North launched it vertically rather than obliquely" so as to avoid the airspace and territory of other countries. The accomplishment, however, does not pose an immediate threat to the West, he stressed. "It is a slight advance in the Musudan technology but the pace of improvement is slow and it does not pose threat to the United States," Shigemura added. Melissa Hanham, an expert on North Korea's WMD programme at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in California, also cited the Japanese data. "That likely makes this a success," she told AFP. Existing UN Security Council measures ban North Korea from any use of ballistic missile technology, and the United States and Japan swiftly condemned the launches. Search Keywords: Short link: 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. The Taliban have released more than two dozen hostages pulled from their vehicles on a highway in southern Afghanistan, officials said Wednesday, a day after they were abducted by the militants. The passengers were kidnapped in Washer district of volatile Helmand province as they were travelling on a bus and two trucks from southern Kandahar to western Herat province on Tuesday. "There were 25 people taken by Taliban, all of them are released and will be sent to their homes," Aqa Noor Kentoz police chief of Helmand told AFP. "The five last hostages were released this morning after tribal elders intervened," he said. The majority of the hostages had been released Tuesday evening, Omar Zwak, spokesman for the governor of Helmand, told AFP earlier, with an army statement saying they were freed in an operation in Marja district. But the Taliban denied the claim, with spokesman Qari Yousuf Ahmadi telling AFP they decided to free the hostages after they were found to be "innocent". The insurgents had earlier said they were targeting Afghan government officials aboard the vehicles. Highways in Afghanistan passing through insurgency-prone areas have become exceedingly dangerous, with the Taliban and other armed groups frequently kidnapping or killing travellers. Earlier this month, gunmen abducted 40 people in northern Kunduz province, releasing some later, but an unknown number of others remain in Taliban captivity. Search Keywords: Short link: North Korea's latest ballistic missile tests on Wednesday are a "clear and unacceptable" violation of UN Security Council resolutions, the council's president said, calling for a swift response by the world body. Council President Francois Delattre of France said the Security Council would likely meet later in the day on the back-to-back tests of new medium range missile. "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 said. "Confronted by the threat of proliferation we consider that weakness is not an option." The missiles tested on Wednesday were believed to have been North Korea's new Musudan intermediate-range missile. 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. Four previous Musudan tests this year failed either on their mobile launch pad or shortly after take-off. Several UN Security Council resolutions ban North Korea from engaging in nuclear or ballistic missile activity. 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. Search Keywords: Short link: Colombia's government and the FARC guerrilla group reached agreement Wednesday on a definitive ceasefire in Latin America's longest civil war, they said in a joint statement. "The national government and FARC delegations inform the public that we have successfully reached an agreement for a definitive bilateral ceasefire and end to hostilities," the statement said. The announcement heralds an end to a half-century conflict that has seen hundreds of thousands of people killed in the jungles of the major cocaine-producing country. The deal would all but end the conflict by resolving one of the final points at peace talks between the government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), the country's biggest rebel group. FARC commander Carlos Lozada tweeted: "On Thursday, June 23, we will announce the last day of the war." The means of implementation of the final peace deal remain to be settled. Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said this week he hopes to seal a full peace deal by July 20. The Colombian conflict started as a rural uprising in the 1960s. It has drawn in various leftist rebel groups, right-wing paramilitaries and drug gangs over the decades in this South American state of 49 million people. It has left 260,000 people dead, 45,000 missing and nearly seven million displaced, according to official figures. Human rights groups say atrocities have been committed on all sides. Many families are still searching for missing loved ones. Santos's government wants a referendum to put the seal of popular approval on its peace effort. But it faces resistance from some political rivals. To hold a plebiscite, it needs the country's constitutional judges to approve a law already passed in Congress. Peace talks have been underway in Havana since 2012. They got a boost when the FARC declared a unilateral ceasefire a year ago. The Marxist guerrilla group agreed to remove child soldiers from its ranks as part of the peace deal. According to government figures, authorities have taken some 6,000 children from illegal armed groups over the past 17 years, more than half of them from the FARC. The questions of disarmament and justice for victims make the road to peace and reconciliation a hard one. The sides are discussing designating zones where the FARC's estimated 7,000 remaining fighters can gather for a UN-supervised demobilization process. Santos and the country's second-biggest rebel group, the leftist National Liberation Army (ELN), have also said they will start peace talks. That initiative has stumbled due to alleged kidnappings by the group. Last month the ELN freed a prominent Spanish-Colombian journalist and two local TV reporters after holding them for days. The FARC had urged the ELN to release them -- a rare gesture of FARC support for the government over the sensitive issue of kidnappings. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini visited Bogota in May to show support for a deal. She said the bloc would contribute a new package of some 640 million dollars to support the transition to peace. Search Keywords: Short link: Congo called Wednesday for its diplomats in France to be better protected after the country's embassy in Paris was attacked by a mob that broke into the mission and started a fire. Attackers broke down a door and forced their way into the embassy's courtyard in the early hours Tuesday, setting a mattress alight in a caretakers lodge as well as burning a car outside the building, a Paris police source said. "The government condemns this terrorist act," the Republic of Congo's foreign ministry said in a statement. "(This) violent attack follows other similar incidents at Congolese interests in France in recent months. The Congolese authorities request that adequate measures are taken to ensure the safety of the Congolese diplomatic presence in France," said the statement. The ministry said it was surprised by the "recurrence" of such incidents as France has been subject to intensified security as part of a state of emergency declared following the Paris terror attacks of November 13. Tensions are high in Congo-Brazzaville after President Denis Sassou Nguesso was re-elected for a controversial third term in April. An investigation into the attack on Congo's embassy in Paris' chic 16th arrondissement is now underway, according to police. Search Keywords: Short link: In our second article in the series Inspiring Minds, Ahram Online presents you with Maimonides, the great philosopher and physician In the heart of Islamic Cairo lies the Synagogue of Maimonides, Saladin's personal physician, the mass healer whose excellence in medicine weaved endless folk legends about his ability to prescribe the right and effective cure to grave ailments of all Egyptians. He was also the head of the Jewish sect in Egypt during his time in the area. Known throughout Arabic history as Abi Emran Obied Allah Ibn Maimoun Al-Cordobi, Maimonides was born on 30 March either in 1135 or 1138 AD and died in 1204 AD. Maimonides, who lived in the Jewish quarter of Cordoba, began his studies by learning astrology, but later shifted his attention to astronomy as a means to study the religious calendar. During this time, he encountered great Islamic philosopher Ibn Baga and astronomer Gaber Ibn Aflah. He wrote numerous books, one of which was Maqala fi senaat el manteq (An Essay on the Creation of Reason) and an article on calendars, which was quite interesting because he was among the very few Jewish scholars who did not belive or study astrology In 1160 AD, Maimonides and his family settled for five years in Fes in Morocco, where he wrote a paper titled For Those Who Are Forced To Change Their Religious Belief in response to encouragement from rabbis that Jews should die rather than change their beliefs. Maimonides, instead, believed that Jews could always hold on to their religious beliefs secretly instead of losing their lives. In 1165 he moved east with his family, towards Palestine to Akka, and then to Egypt in 1166 AD. He was strongly supported by judge Fadel El-Bisany during the reign of Saladin and soon Maimonides became the head of the Jewish sect in Egypt in 1191 AD, holding the highest judicial ranks in the Jewish community in Egypt Maimonides married an Egyptian woman at the age of 50 and had a son named Abraham. Maimonides became his family's chief breadwinner after his brother David died, while he worked as a physician in 1177 AD. In the letter addressed to his student Ibn Yahouza in 1191 AD, Maimonides wrote:" I tell you I've become quite popular in the field of medicine among the men of great status such as judges and the prince; and as for the commoners, they perceive me as an untouchable person which leads me to spend all day making house calls to nobles and at night studying medical books because it is a necessity to those among me." Among his most famous books is Dalil Al-Haaerin, The Guide for the Perplexed, which he wrote in the Arabic language using Hebrew letters, functioning as a code that allowed his work to be read only by a small group of the highly educated. This book, when translated into Hebrew and then into Latin in the 13th century, made quite an intellectual stir and is considered to be his most important book on philosophy. The book revolves around Jewish scientists that were torn between the revelations of the philosophy of reason and what Jewish religious texts dictate. Maimonides believed that man cannot apply the human description to God, so when the Holy Book states that God talked to prophets, we must understand that it is a different kind of talk, could be in the form of dreams or visions; hence we need to think of it as a metaphor other than take it as it is. Maimonides went as far as explaining that we should search for metaphor in Biblical stories and parables. He posited that these stories were meant to be figurative and simplified for the masses. Those gifted with reason, however, should read the many layers in the text and not only focus on the explicit meaning of the text. Conflict resulted between preachers that preach the literal interpretation of texts and philosophers that try to decipher a text's many hidden meanings. In Dalil Al-Haaerin, Maimonides posited that deep, subtle meanings of holy scripture are often more accurate. "Reason is the greatest gift of mankind, and those who are gifted should never be forced to choose between a religion without reason or reason without religion," Maimonides famously wrote. "If God embedded reason in human beings, then reason could never contradict divine revelation." The value of his works resonated with the Islamic philosophy at the time both in its topics, terms and its relationship with Greek philosophy. The book is considered the core of Maimonides' philosophy and a real literary gem of the Middle Ages. Search Keywords: Short link: The events will run from 15 to 25 July In it's fifth round, Egypt Design week will run across 5 days between 15 to 25 July, each day in a different city. The first day will be held in Cairo on 15 July, followed by Mansoura on 18 July, Tanta on 20 July, Alexandria on 22 July and will close in Assiut on 25 July. Egypt Design week is organised by Design Guide magazine, a publication for professional graphic designers specialising in practical and critical articles, offering a reference for professionals and amateurs in the field through news, events and technology from the design world. Its writers are a number of international design specialists including from Egypt, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, who are accredited from top design companies such as Adobe and Autodesk, or academic specialists who work as deign educators, according to their website. The events venues have yet to be announced. A total of 16 speakers in the design field will be holding talks at the events in all the cities. Speakers at the event in Cairo are Adobe certified design educator Ahmad El-Haj Qasem, who is the symposiums guest of honour, renowned photographer Galal El-Messiry, founder of Tareeq El-Graphic Academy Attia Abdo, and digital animator Ahmed Mamdouh. Some of the topics the speakers will share expertise on include 3D graphics, Arabic calligraphy and lettering, designing advertisements for print as well as a guide to starting a design business. Last year, the symposium was held in Cairo, Sohag, Ismailia, Alexandria and Damietta. For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture Search Keywords: Short link: Montreal, CA (H4T1V6) Today Cloudy and damp with rain early...then becoming partly cloudy. Low 46F. Winds SW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight Cloudy and damp with rain early...then becoming partly cloudy. Low 46F. Winds SW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Belting 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. "I like that all of my friends can gather together and find a moment to be happy," she said. For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture Search Keywords: Short link: 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 Egyptian community and antiquities lovers worldwide now have the opportunity to take part in the selection of the Egyptian Museum's Piece of the Month The Ministry of Antiquities is set to begin a new tradition in an attempt to raise Egyptians' archaeological awareness as well as provide them an opportunity to participate in the ministry's decision making process. Elham Salah, head of the ministry's Museums Sector, told Ahram Online that the selection of the Egyptian Museum's Piece of the month would not be chosen by the museum's board but instead by the community and antiquities lovers throughout the world through voting on a dozen of artifacts posted on the Ministry's official Facebook page. The first collection featured in the voting process was posted Wednesday on the ministry's Facebook page. Voting on what will eventually be selected as the July Piece of the Month will be conducted through comments on the post. Salah asserted that in the future the museum's Piece of the Month, which is displayed for the entirety of the month in the museum's foyer, will be selected by a popular vote. The monthly selection seeks to distinguish an object that is of profound historical or artistic value that may otherwise go unnoticed in the museum's vast gallery. Search Keywords: Short link: A decade-long itch was taken care of on June 15 as the Cabinet cleared a proposal to merge five associates of the State Bank of India (SBI) and the Bharatiya Mahila Bank with the country's largest lender. This paves the way for the consolidation by SBI of its position as India's largest bank and also catapults it into the list of the 50 largest banks globally in terms of assets and liabilities. It is at present placed at 55. Not much of a change is expected in terms of SBI's capital adequacy. As of FY16, SBI on a standalone basis had capital adequacy ratio (CAR) of 13.1 per cent, with the same for the associate banks being 11.6 per cent. Therefore, the resulting merged entity would have a capital adequacy level of around 12.7 per cent. The ratios disclosed by the banks do not include the benefit from the RBI regulations around the inclusion of revaluation reserve in Tier I capital. This inclusion could result in the CAR increasing by around 85 bps. Post the merger, SBI would have a nearly 23 per cent market share of total domestic deposits and around 21 per cent market share of total loans, says Saravana Kumar, chief investment officer at LIC Mutual Fund. The mergers will offer efficiencies on a number of other fronts to SBI. As the chairman puts it, they are considering three broader benefits from this merger, says Jagannadham Thunuguntla, head of research at Mumbai-based Karvy Stock Broking. One is the cost-to-income ratio reducing by 1 per cent, or 100 basis points (bps), once the merger is complete. The second is, they are expecting treasury operations can perform better because there is a large size it reaches in terms of the returns that the treasury can generate. The third benefit they are pursuing is a boost in the profit margins because of the low cost of deposits. Going by the management's description of these three, there's about 3,500 crore rupees of cost-saving that they are expecting, which pans out to about 25 per cent of their last three years' average profit, he adds. Neeraj Vyas, deputy managing director at SBI, says that the functioning of the merged entity will be far more cost-efficient than what the associate banks had as disparate entities. Treasury is an area where I expect a big gain because the return on investment that SBI generates from there is more than the associate banks. Put together, the treasury is Rs 140,000 crore. One per cent of that is 1,400 crores. That's a big sum. Again, on cost of deposit, net of return on advance is 60-65 basis points more for associate banks than for SBI. They have a deposit of Rs 5 lakh crore. Even if you multiply 30 basis points, if not 50 basis points, you have 1,500 crore rupees. These two items alone would account for Rs 3,000 crore. Another benefit the associates will get is in terms of information technology (IT) operations, as the parent body is better placed to bargain with large IT service providers by virtue of its size, a benefit unavailable to the associates. Rationalisation of branches will be an advantage SBI will reap. If branches in localities with a high density of SBI and its associates' branches are moved to areas with fewer branches, it will help SBI increase its market share by a few percentage points. It will also rationalise regulatory and compliance functions as the associate banks will now not need to have their separate board meetings, annual general meetings and other functions that regulations demand. It will help streamline human resources as well because multiple people will no longer be handling one company's account across SBI and its associates; one official will be able to track it for the merged entity. The section of the workforce that gets freed up can then be utilised for other functions, such as recovery efforts or IT, says Vyas. However, for all of this to occur, a number of procedures will have to be completed, Vyas says. Under Section 31 of the State Bank of India Act, SBI is required to receive sanction from the government of India. The bank has applied for this sanction. While the government negotiates with the sanction application, the bank cannot proceed further because the matter will be governed by Section 35 of the SBI Act, under which the order is required. Once the government issues a clean order, SBI will start negotiations with the associate banks and prepare schemes of merger. Each scheme will have to be approved by both banks, that is, SBI and the concerned associate bank or the Bharatiya Mahila Bank and then this scheme is sent to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The RBI will either clear the scheme or send it back with objections to the scheme. In the latter situation, the objections will have to be taken care of and then it will be approved again by the boards of both the banks and then it will be sent to the government of India. This procedure will apply to the unlisted entitiesState Bank of Patiala, State Bank of Hyderabad and Bharatiya Mahila Bank. For the listed associatesState Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur, State Bank of Mysore and State Bank of Travancoreafter the scheme is approved and cleared by the board, it will be referred to a shareholder grievance committee to accommodate the views of minority shareholders. The grievance committee will have one retired high court judge and two independent members. They will hear the grievances of shareholders, prepare a report and send it to the board. The board will consider the grievances and, if required, will make changes to the scheme, which will then go to the RBI. The RBI will then go through the share swap ratio and either approve it or send it back to the board with questions. When the scheme is finally approved, it will go back to the government of India, which will then issue an order under Section 35(2) of the SBI Act. The day the order comes into effect, the banks are considered merged. The Securities and Exchange Board of India and the Competition Commission of India may have to be informed. Whether their approval is required is being examined by SBI's attorneys. If all approvals come on time and shareholder grievances do not raise any serious issues, the mergers should be completed by September 30, Vyas says. There might be hurdles coming in from other quarters. According to me, the major hurdles SBI could face are the reaction of the labour unions to the scheme of merger and the opposition from the Kerala state government. The Kerala state government wants to retain the identity of State Bank of Travancore as a bank of Kerala. According to the government, the state will not continue to receive the same kind of focus as it did from SBT which could be detrimental for the development needs of the state, says Kumar of LIC Mutual Fund. On the question of unions, Vyas says, We'll talk to the unions once we receive the approval from the government of India. We have not spoken to them because we have not received the order in writing as yet. Overall, they stand to gain. They don't stand to lose anything because the order itself makes it clear that none of their benefits should be withdrawn. Thunuguntla of Karvy also believes that employees of the associate banks stand to gain from the merger. SBI employees have both provident fund and pension. The associate banks' employees have only provident fund; they don't have pension. Once the merger is completed, SBI has to extend the benefits of pension to the associate banks' employees also. Here we have to understand that the associate banks' employees will have the additional benefit of pensions also. So, to that extent, labour unions may get convinced eventually. Indeed, he adds, the increased pension outgo of SBI may be the single major area of concern arising out of the merger. Asset quality, the primary scourge of state-owned banks, should not be a problem in this case. The NPA situation of associate banks is more or less similar to that of SBI. State Bank's gross NPA is about 6.5 per cent. State Bank of Travancore is about 4.8 per cent, State Bank of Mysore is about 6.6 per cent, State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur is at 4.8 per cent, State Bank of Patiala is at 7.9 per cent, and State Bank of Hyderabad is at 5.8 per cent. So the only exception is State Bank of Patiala, whose gross NPA ratio is slightly higher than SBI. I don't think that will be a huge problem for SBI either, says Thunuguntla. The associate banks are considered small and the scrutiny there is not as intensive as at the State Bank of India. To that extent, once the scrutiny of the associate banks increases, it's to be seen whether there's an overall increase in the NPA ratios, but as things stand, there is nothing much to fear. This is not the first time that talk of the mergers has arisen. On every such occasion in the past, the process got stuck at some level or the other. What accounts for the confidence this time then? Kumar of LIC Mutual Fund says, The NDA government appears to be much more focused as the issue of merger has been discussed several times during the Gyan Sangam and the budgetary speech. The government also christened the Bank Board Bureau to further analyse the possibility of bank mergers and lay down a road map for these mergers. The consolidation of banks will result in stronger bargaining power while resolving stressed loans. The world celebrates International Day of Yoga on June 21. The entire world, led by India, is going into various asanas, believing that the pratice of yoga will help people rid sicknesses and embrace a healthy lifestyle. While most of these are true, what many people forget is that yoga is not for everyone as it can sometimes do more harm than good. Yoga leads to injuries While yoga is being touted as a cure to many of the diseases, many are blind to the possible injuries that practicing some of the tough yoga asanas can cause. If you are used to a sedentary lifestylewhich most of us are owing to our work culturechances are that some of the yoga postures are tough to master and in the process of learning these, you will end up injuring yourself. According to a 1972 study published by Oxford neurophysiologist W. Ritchie Russell, some yoga postures can cause even stroke and other brain injuries. Extreme motions of the head and neck, Russell warned, could wound the vertebral arteries, producing clots, swelling and constriction, and eventually wreak havoc in the brain, according to the NY Times. Yoga can't really help you shed those love handles Practicing yoga the right way sure can help you stay healthy. But if you think it will help you burn calories like a 30 minutes run or a 45 minutes weight trainings session, you are in for a disappointment. While yoga may help you in gradual weight-loss, if you are able to spare only three days a week for your exercise regime and expect to gain a lot from it, hit a gym or start running instead of grabbing the yoga mat. Takes time to learn An Indian yoga practitioner participates in a rehearsal for International Yoga Day on Rajpath in New Delhi | AFP No! Those weekend yoga sessions can't help you master the art of yoga. Forget abut perfecting the practice; it takes a lot of time and dedication to learn yoga well. Time is a luxury that most of us working professionals cannot afford. So, if you only have a limited time for your fitness regime, choose something more rigorous, but easy to learn and perform than the complicated yoga asanas. A costly affair Bollywood actress Poonam Pandey performing a yoga asana in Mumbai | AFP Well, if you thought that yoga is a cost-effective means to stay fit, think again. Most of the professionals who offer yoga lessons do not come cheap. The yoga mat and cloths aren't inexpensive either. Yoga is indeed a costly way of keeping yourself healthy. Finding the right teacher is hard Now-a-days everyone is a yoga teacher. You can easily spot centres offering yoga classes in every corner of your city. The difficulty lies in choosing the right instructor who has perfected the art of imparting this ancient knowledge. It is possible that you may pay to enroll at a yoga centre only to realise that the instructor is not qualified enough. Learning yoga from a person who hasn't mastered it well can lead to physical discomfort and even injuries. Ajit Jogi, the former Chhattisgarh chief minister, who quit Congress party last fortnight has floated his own outfit Chhattisgarh Janata Congress (Jogi), in short CJCJ. He chose a word each from Congress and ruling BJP. Announcing the decision with full rhetoric at a rally in the ancestral village of Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh, the maverick bureaucrat turned politician chose a village girl to declare the name of his new party on a black board. As the Class XII student of Thatapur village wrote the name of the party, Ajit Jogi made people take oath in Chhatisgarhi language saying that "from now onwards all decisions of state would be taken in Chhattisgarh not in Delhi". He clearly hinted towards becoming a regional force. CJCJ is the third regional party after Vidyacharan Shukla formed state unit of NCP in 2003. In 2008 another regional party, Chhattisgarh Swabhiman Manch, was formed which could not take off. Displaying high level of symbolism and rhetoric, Jogi wore a silver crown and chose to launch his new outfit from the pocket-borough of Chief Minister Raman Singh. Few months back, Jogi, in a leaked phone conversation between him and chief minister, was alleged to have hobnobbed with BJP to defeat a Congress candidate in Antagarh by-election. He said he chose the day and date as per the suggestions of an Andhra Pradesh astrologer with the tagline of "sarvjan hitaya, sarvadharm sukhay ( in the interest of all and for happiness of all religions)". He declared that in 2018 elections he will make the state free from sales tax. He even announced sops for farmers like free power and waiver of farm-loans. In the run up to the formation of the new party, Jogi claimed that he had consulted his one lakh supporters and asked them their choice from eight probable names and six symbols. On June 6, he had announced his decision to launch the new political outfit at Marwahi. He said that his new party would form government in 2018 and all those who are sons of soil will get party ticket. He said his focus would be on selecting those who knew the Chhattisgarhi dialect, into government service. His son Amit Jogi, who is an MLA, was present on the occasion while his wife Renu Jogi was conspicuous by her absence. Meanwhile, on the same day, Congress party chose to hold a massive rally at Marwahi, the assembly constituency and home of Ajit Jogi, as a show of strength. The rally was attended by all the top leaders and legislators of Congress party. Omar Mateen, an American of Afghan origin who claims he was influenced by the militant Islamist Islamic State, opened fire with his AR-15 riffle killing 50 people and injuring many more in an Orlando nightclub in Florida. The Orlando incident is being used by United States presidential hopefuls ruthlessly to promote their own political interests. What's with Orlando? "Our politics have conspired to make it as easy as possible for a terrorist or even just a disturbed individual to buy extraordinarily powerful weapons, and they can do so legally," Obama told reporters in Orlando. The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community in the US and abroad has come under severe scrutiny and judgment by religious leaders, Jewish, Christian and Muslim. Homosexuality is banned in many predominantly Muslim nations and is considered a criminal offense, often prompting a death sentence. Mateen's motives are as yet unknown. Was he driven by hysterical homophobia? The exact details of the case were not yet known. "I've seen him a couple of times at Pulse, a couple of other people that I've spoken with, including an-ex security guard, have actually witnessed this guy at Pulse many times before," Chris Callen, a performer at Pulse in Orlando, was quoted as saying to the New York Daily News. So is Omar a closet gay, an Islamist terrorist or a dysfunctional mental case as his ex-wife told the media? Perhaps he is all rolled in one. Orlando, a prosperous city in central Florida, is home to more than a dozen theme parks and therefore has a reputation of something of a playground. Do Omar and Orlando have anything in common? Is Omar the quintessential Afghan American? Or is he a militant Islamist Taliban at heart? But that's beside the point. Political economist Rob Urie expounds on the political implications of the Orlando tragedy: "In broader understanding, the German philosopher Wilhelm Dilthey developed the telos of becoming to describe life-purpose as it unfolds historically. In contrast to passive theories of pre-ordination, Diltheys purposiveness is brought into being through the act of living. In a social sense this theory places the policies and practices of Bill and Hillary Clinton on the path to those of George W Bush as necessary precedents." To overlook or ignore the bellicose nature of US foreign policy and pretend that it has nothing to do with Omar and Orlando is preposterous. Urie goes on to explain that Bush's atrocities in Iraq and Afghanistan were preceded by Bill Clinton's sanctions led to the death of some 500,000 Iraqis. US President Obama noted that one of the biggest challenges we are going to have is this kind of propaganda and perversions of Islam that you see generated on the internet. This is the deadliest mass shooting in the history of the United States and it reminds us once more that weapons of war have no place on our streets," Democratic Party presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton unabashedly declared. "And Barack Obama had pretty much the same message as his evil ex-Secretary of State. Gun control and LGBT rights were front and center, but nary a word about the devastation the US Empire has wrought in the Middle East that brought about the rise of IS," noted Professor John Walsh in Counterpunch. The US suffers the consequences of the lack of gun control and the discrimination against the LGBT community. "But [Hillary Clinton] forgets to say in her statement that ISIS laid claim to the atrocity, lauding one of its American followers for carrying out the deed," Walsh elaborates. "So the Islamic State is responsible". Much is made about Omar Mateen being a lone wolf, and that he did not take direct orders from the Islamic State. But, many of those who carry out terrorist attacks take their cue from the Internet. The Islamic State no longer instructs certain individuals to undertake terrorist attacks. This was precisely why a Frenchman of North African Muslim ancestry who pledged allegiance to Islamic State stabbed a police commander and his partner to death on Monday night. Larossi Abballa, 25, a second generation Moroccan born in France, also took the couple's three-year-old son hostage. Abballa was jailed in 2013 for smuggling Islamist militants to Pakistan, and had been under security service surveillance, including wiretaps, at the time of the assassination claimed Paris prosecutor Francois Molins. Terrorism is a worldwide phenomenon, but as Orlando and Paris prove, there is something terribly wrong with Western security systems. It almost seems that Western security services seek to privilege the militant Islamist terrorists. Search Keywords: Short link: The Israeli government is considering a proposal to build an artificial island off the Gaza Strip that a top official says would give Palestinians there their one and only seaport and maybe a hotel and an international airport, too. The Israeli minister of intelligence who is promoting the plan, Israel Katz, said the Jewish state is actively seeking financial partners for the $5 billion project. Katz mentioned the Saudis and Chinese as possible builders of the port or maybe a mysterious Israeli entrepreneur. He declined to name names. Why would the Saudi monarch construct a billion-dollar seaport-hotel a few miles from the Israeli coast when the two governments have no formal relations? Thats unknown. Katz insisted the project is no fantasy island. He said the plan is being debated in Israels security cabinet, where he said it has deep support. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is exploring the option but has not yet made a determination, said an Israeli official involved in the talks. The intelligence minister said he has briefed Obama administration officials on the proposal. The Israelis envision the port complex to be constructed atop a man-made island dredged with sand from the sea bottom, measuring four square miles that would be located three miles offshore and connected to the mainland by a two-lane bridge. In Israels planning, the bridge is the crucial component in the scheme, allowing access to the port to be tightly controlled. A bridge could be closed during hostilities and though the Israelis dont say this, a section could be blown up in an Israeli airstrike during a war, cutting off the harbor. Skeptics call the Gaza island proposal farfetched. Critics describe it as another attempt by Israel to blunt criticism over the moribund peace process with the Palestinians and the decade-long trade and travel restrictions that Israel has imposed on Gaza since Hamas took the enclave in 2007. Katz conceded that so far all that exists is a paper study and some drawings. Yet he talked about the project in grand terms, describing it as a way to both guarantee Israels security and award Gaza a portal to the world. The Israelis have not spoken about the project with Hamas or the Palestinian Authority, which has nominal control of the strip. Katz said the idea was to build an island connected by a bridge like we saw in New York over the Hudson River an apparent referral to the George Washington Bridge, which is three-quarters of a mile long and not built across disputed territory fronted by a terrorist group. The intelligence minister said there would be a checkpoint in the middle of the bridge staffed by international authorities. The island itself would belong to no one country but would have an international legal status and international security forces, he said. Katz did not know which international authorities would agree to such duty. He suggested NATO. Israel considers the United Nations a hostile forum, though there are international troops along the Lebanese, Syrian and Egyptian borders. Israel would be responsible for security in the waters surrounding the island, Katz said. Katz envisions a commercial port on the island that could handle goods coming into and out of Gaza. Currently, goods and people arrive via a crossing with Egypt, which has been closed for most of the last two years, and two others with Israel. Israel restricts exits people under 50 cannot generally get travel permits unless they need to be hospitalized. The state closely watches what materials move into Gaza, fearful the supplies will be used to make rockets or attack tunnels. Palestinians could travel to the island and use the port through a checkpoint. Thats the idea. And this would be just the beginning, Katz said. We would create electricity, desalination plants. This island will be an island of initiatives of all kinds. None of which the Israeli government plans to pay for. It can be done, said Itamar Yaar, a former deputy head of Israels National Security Council. It is not a fantasy. But Yaar said other, far less expensive options are available. Floating islands for example. Or a direct shipping line from Cyprus, secured by Israel. Or more land crossings. The Palestinians rejected all the plans at the time they said it is all or nothing, Yaar said. Only way they would agree to any kind of shipment into Gaza would be directly into a Gaza port without security checks. Palestinians have begged for just a small, ordinary port built on the shoreline, the kind that exist on dozens of little Greek islands enough to handle a ferry or two and a couple of small freighters. There are about 1.8 million people in Gaza; most depend on food support from the United Nations. Such an unsecured port would quickly become a duty-free transit zone for weapons and terrorists, Katz said. Mokhamir Abu Sada, a professor at Al-Zahar University in Gaza, said, Opening a seaport and airport would help Gaza to end the siege, people could travel, goods could be exported and easily imported from abroad. But he wondered, How does this work without talking to Hamas or the Palestinian Authority? If you talk to ordinary people in the street now, I am sure people would accept it and would be happy, after 10 years of blockade and three wars and daily difficulties. People are looking for hope, he said. The problem of Gaza is political at the end, the professor said. The best solution is to end the occupation and let Palestinians have their own state in Gaza and the West Bank that is connected and livable. Photo by: Ministry of Transportation and Israel Ports (c) 2016, The Washington Post William Booth, Ellen Nakashima Despite Israels objections to the French peace summit initiative, the foreign ministers of the European Union, 28 in number, on Monday announced their backing for the French initiative. The EU foreign ministers statement read Both parties to the conflict need 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. In response to their announcement Israels Foreign Ministry released the following statement. Peace with the Palestinians will only be achieved through direct, bilateral negotiations with no preconditions. International conferences like the one welcomed by the European Council today (20 June) drive peace further away by allowing the Palestinians to continue avoiding both direct negotiations and compromise. This is a regrettable step backwards in the pursuit of peace to which Israel remains fully committed. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu responded to the French initiative explaining that only direct talks between Israel and the PA (Palestinian Authority) will achieve peace, stating Any other diplomatic initiative distances the Palestinians from direct negotiations. However, France remains undeterred and while it postponed the summit, it did not cancel it and Paris appears to be moving forward despite Israels objections. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) A woman who arrived in the emergency room of Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem was found in cardiac arrest two hours later. CPR was begun and she was resuscitated, only to die two days later in an intensive care unit. According to the MyNet report, a lawsuit has been filed against the hospital alleging a series of blunders led to her death in the case which occurred about 2.5 years ago. The woman arrived in the emergency room in an ambulance, vomiting and with a fever and hypertensive (high blood pressure). Two hours later she was found pulseless and CPR and advanced resuscitation efforts began. The woman was married and a mother. She did suffer from a number of underlying chronic medical conditions as well. The report adds that on that same day she had gone to another hospital. When she returned home she did not feel well. Her children summoned an ambulance to take her to the hospital again. In the ambulance an IV was established and her vitals were assessed, reportedly they were not normal. She arrived at Shaare Zedek a short time later. She complained of pains and her body temperature was noticeably low. Two hours later she was pulseless. The family has decided to move ahead with a lawsuit, represented by attorney Yossi Toledano. The lawsuit stipulates during the first two critical hours nothing was done for her, leading to her collapse. The suit adds the medical records show negligence. There were no dates showing doctors checking the patient, early CPR and more. Regarding the treatment of the individual, the family claims a long serious of failures that came into play regarding basic medical procedures that should have been done but they were not carried out. The family maintains these failures and negligence compel them to view the hospital as being responsible for her death and they are now seeking NIS 2.5 million in compensation. The MyNet report adds the hospital rejected the allegations, citing there was no autopsy performed and therefore the cause of death cannot be known with absolute certainty. The hospital adds that even if the events transpired differently, the cardiac arrest and subsequent death two days later were unavoidable. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) [PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE] Members of the Eritrean community in Israel on Tuesday morning 15 Sivan protested outside of the European Union Embassy in Ramat Gan. They protested against the Eritrean government and the authorities claiming there are committing crimes against humanity. Due to the protest traffic was blocked on Shoham Street. Some of the protestors are asylum seekers who arrived in one of 22 buses from the Cholot facility in the Negev. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem/Photos: Media Resource Group) (Beijing) China's leading homegrown accounting firm has received stiff punishment from an industry body for obstructing a probe of one of its clients whose subsidiary defaulted on 2 billion yuan ($303 million) worth of bonds, amid a broader crackdown on financial shenanigans by big companies. Ruihua Certified Public Accountants, LLP. was censured and ordered to suspend services related to bond issues for a year, according to a June 21 announcement by the National Association of Financial Market Institutional Investors (NAFMII), an industry body that helps the central bank regulate the 51 trillion yuan market. Ruihua was punished for refusing to cooperate with NAFMII's probe of two projects related to Greenland Holdings Corp., whose subsidiary Shanghai Yunfeng Group Co., the company at the center of the default, has defied NAFMII investigators who have been examining the firm's bond defaults and apparent inconsistencies in key financial statements, according to several people close to the situation. NAFMII started investigating Yunfeng and Greenland in April, after Yunfeng missed repayments on two privately placed bonds worth a combined 2 billion yuan. The defaults sent shockwaves through the interbank market, since investors thought the bonds were safe because Yunfeng's parent company is owned by the Shanghai government. "Ruihua was the bottleneck that got the investigators stuck," a person close to NAFMII said. He added that Ruihua had submitted some of the requested documents shortly before the punishment was announced. Ruihua released a statement on June 12 rejecting NAFMII's punishment as "unacceptable" and said it would seek to repair the damage caused by the decision through legal means. As a non-government body, NFMII has no formal powers to enforce its punishments, and has often been called "toothless" by observers. Ruihua is also among six accounting firms and asset appraisal institutions facing scrutiny by the Chinese securities regulator on suspicion of helping listed companies commit fraud in their financial statements. Ruihua is China's top homegrown accounting firm, and was ranked fourth nationally behind only the Chinese arms of global leaders Deloitte, PwC and Ernst & Young, according to a survey last year by the Chinese Institute of Certified Public Accountants. Caixin has found what finance experts say are "highly suspicious" discrepancies between how Yunfeng's profits and debts were reported by Greenland on two separate occasions for the same period. Ruihua was auditor for Greenland when it went public on the Shanghai Stock Exchange last June, and again when it issued a bond three months later. In both instances Greenland issued audited financial reports that included Yunfeng's contributions in 2013. But one report showed a net profit of 176 million yuan for Yunfeng that year, while the second reported a net loss of 490 million yuan. Yu Chunbo, a Ruihua accountant who signed both reports, told Caixin the 176 million yuan loss figure was provided by Haitong Securities, Greenland's financial consultant, and they "do not know where the securities firm's data came from." Haitong told Caixin it received the data from BDO China Shu Lun Pan CPAs, another accountant, which performed checks on Greenland's annual financial reports. Experts say the discrepancy may have resulted from different methods of calculating the value of assets, but that a gap so large should have raised red flags for Ruihua. Instead of relying on data fed to it, Ruihua should have "insisted on the accounting principle of prudence" and sought out the original financial documents for re-examination if necessary, a financial analyst said. An accountant who works at a foreign-invested firm also said the gap is suspicious and may even indicate an attempt to exaggerate Greenland's assets before its initial public offering. In another Greenland financial report audited by Ruihua, Yunfeng's debt-to-asset ratio at the end of 2014 was 98.2 percent. In its own financial report, Yunfeng said the ratio was only 83.6 percent. The two firms' financial reports also conflicted sharply on Yunfeng's net assets as of June 2015. (Rewritten by Wang Yuqian) Rabbi Elyakim Levanon Shlita, Rav of the Shomron Regional Council and Rosh Yeshivat Elon Moreh, is being probed by the states Civil Service Commission disciplinary unit after the latter received a complaint against the Rav from the Reform Movement pertaining to recent statements he made. The matter surrounds comments made by MK (Bayit Yehudi) Betzalel Smotrich following reports of some hospitals maintaining segregated maternity wards, keeping Arabs and Jews apart. Rabbi Levanon expressed his agreement, supporting the segregations of Arab and Jewish women in maternity wards. The complaint also sites statements made by Rabbi Levanon pertaining to how one must act towards terrorists carrying out the attacks in the months that followed Rosh Hashanah 5776. He stated the attacks were from grassroots terrorists and the response must be the same, from the grassroots. He called for an end to dialogue and to move to the offensive to prevent future attacks. Rav Levanon also spoke of invoking emergency law permitting the government to circumvent the courts and thereby speed up the demolition of homes of terrorists. When the vehicular attacks began, the rav also called to halt the sale of gas to Arabs in Yehuda and Shomron as a collective punishment. These statements have led to a probe as the rabbi is state-appointed and therefore a civil servant. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) The following unedited story was posted on the Facebook page of Rabbi Dov Lipman, former MK in the Yesh Atid party. The post appeared on Monday, 14 Sivan. An incredible story. After landing back in Israel at 3:10a.m. I found myself standing in a very long line for taxis. A young yeshiva student walks up to me and says, Are you going to Jerusalem? I said, No, to Bet Shemesh. He responded, I just dropped my friend off here and figured I would check at the taxi line to see if I could do a good deed for someone and help them. Come, I will take you to Bet Shemesh and I will just sleepover at my home in Ramat Bet Shemesh. How many 20-year-olds go out of their way to look to do a good deed for someone in general and who does such a thing at 3:30a.m. This young man studies at the The Mir in Jerusalem and is a credit to his yeshiva, to his parents, to God, and to the Torah. Kol hakavod. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) After the outcry against the Ministry of Religious Services for refusing to extend the tender of Rabbi Shlomo Hadana, Chief Rabbi of Israels Ethiopian community, the ministry now appears to be rethinking its decision. Among those who spoke out against the decision was Rishon LTzion Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef Shlita, Chief Rabbi Dovid Lau Shlita and Tzohar Rabbonim. A letter dated 15 Sivan was sent from the ministry to Rabbi Hadana informing him Minister of Religious Services David Azoulai has instructed ministry director Oded Flus to examine extending Rabbi Hadanas tenure. The letter calls for extending his tenure for six months, until February 28, 2017 while this process takes place. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) Transportation Minister (Likud) Yisrael Katz is proposing a unique solution to end the isolation of Hamas-run Gaza, the construction of an eight sq. km. manmade island that will be connected to Gaza via a 5km. bridge and will serve as its seaport. The $5 billion island will include the seaport and possibly down the line, an airport to serve Gaza. While it would be run with the oversight of the international community, Israel would still oversee security. Katz, who is a close confidant to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, told the foreign press that Israel has no interest in running the lives of Gazans or making their lives harder but Israel must maintain security control to protect her own interests. He explains the Gaza port is not large enough to receive freight ships carrying containers so a new entity must be built in any event. The island seaport would be located in international waters, and he feels this may be the solution towards permitting Gazans to achieve economic independence. Katzs plan has not yet been presented to the cabinet and he remains hopeful the security establishment will give its stamp of approval. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) With both Israel President Reuven Rivlin and PA Chairman Abu Mazen scheduled to address the European parliament on Wednesday and Thursday, 16 and 17 Sivan, Mr. Rivlin may use the opportunity of meeting with the PA (Palestinian Authority) leader while in Brussels. President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz has turned to Mr. Rivlin with a request, asking if he would agree to meet with Abu Mazen while in Brussels. The President responded positively and his office has notified Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. Interestingly, while Rivlin and Abu Mazen were booked in the same hotel, once the news of a possible meeting emerged the PA delegation moved to a different hotel. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) Following the legislation of the Credit Data Law, 57762016 by the Knesset, the Bank of Israel is acting to establish a Central Credit Register (CCR). The CCR will expand the positive information available to lenders wishing to evaluate a customers credit risk level, will increase accessibility of credit, and will encourage competition in the retail credit market. In order for the register to containon its first day of operationsufficient depth and breadth of information, it is important to start the construction of the basis for the information to be reported to the CCR. Therefore, the Bank of Israel is today (15 Sivan 5776) publishing a temporary order detailing the data held by the banks and credit card companies that they will need to report to the register. The data fields listed in the temporary order are based on the requirements of the law and on accepted practice in similar registers already existing around the world. The decision regarding the information to be reported has been made while striking a balance between the benefit derived from the use of the information for the purposes for which it was established, and minimizing the impact to privacy that is inherent in the register. The information that will be gathered and kept in the register belongs to consumers, and only they may grant agreement to use it. In addition, the Bank of Israel is currently setting the licensing policy for credit bureaus that will, among other things, issue credit ratings on the basis of the information stored in the register, with the aim of establishing the licensing process in 2017. The Bank of Israel calls on parties interested in obtaining a credit bureau license to apply to the Bank of Israel soon in order to enable preliminary dialogue regarding how the bureaus and their work will be integrated with the register. Bank of Israel Director General Mr. Hezi Kalo said, The project is in its specification stages and before the publication of the tender for selecting a supplier who will assist in the establishment and operation of the register. The Bank of Israel will allocate substantial resources to maintaining privacy and information security, and will act to ensure that the risks inherent in the establishment of such a register will be minimized, and that consumers will be able to derive the greatest benefit from it. Bank of Israel Deputy Governor Dr. Nadine Baudot-Trajtenberg said, The establishment of the CCR is a significant step in the efforts to promote competition in the credit market in Israel. It is a complex process, and we are managing it in constant consultation with the relevant authorities in Israel and with colleagues abroad. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) Violinist Itzhak Perlman, a longtime advocate for the disabled, is still upset over Donald Trumps derisive behavior toward a disabled reporter last fall and says he will be supporting Hillary Clinton in Novembers election. The mild-mannered musician, who contracted polio as a child and uses an electric scooter to move around, said he tries to avoid politics but the current campaign is different. Last November, Trump flailed his arms in what critics immediately said was an attempt to mock a New York Times reporter who suffers from a congenital condition that restricts joint movement. Trump has denied that, arguing he was actually mimicking a flustered reporter trying to get out of a statement he made long ago. Horrible, horrible, horrible That was a mindless kind of decision, Perlman said in an interview with The Associated Press. It was terrible. You dont do that its so outrageous. Asked whether he would be endorsing a candidate, he said: Im just hoping that Hillary will do it, adding that the situation will be impossible if Trump is elected. It is not the first time Perlman has been drawn into a politically sensitive issue. Last month, he canceled a performance with the North Carolina Symphony to protest the states new law limiting antidiscrimination policies for LGBT people. He has said he will perform when the law is repealed. The Israeli-American Perlman, one of the worlds most recognized classical musicians, is in the country of his birth to accept the $1 million Genesis Prize , known unofficially as the Jewish Nobel Prize. He was selected for the honor for his exceptional contributions as a musician, teacher, advocate for the disabled and dedication to Jewish values and Israel. Perlman, 70, has won 16 Grammys, including a lifetime achievement award in 2008, and played the violin solo in John Williams Oscar-winning soundtrack for the 1993 film Schindlers List. He has performed with or conducted the worlds top symphony orchestras, and has been a regular guest at White House events. Last year, he received the U.S. Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nations highest civilian honor. Perlman is also one of the few classical musicians to enjoy broad crossover appeal. He has appeared on late-night comedy programs, Sesame Street and American public television programs. With his wife Toby, he helps run the Perlman Music Program for talented young musicians. Perlman said the prize money will go to the two causes that are most important to him: music and empowering people with disabilities. He also said he has his eyes set on promoting music education in Israel. We have got to make kids excited about classical music, he said. He said he would also promote the idea that every person with a disability is an individual, with their own sets of needs. He said society must do more to enable people with disabilities to utilize their strengths and realize their potential. Perlman said he wants to be recognized as a great violinist not as a musician with a disability. I dont play the violin with my legs. I play it with my hands, he said. Im supposed to be looked at according to my talent Im sure that many people with disabilities who have certain talents would like to be looked at that way, not any other way. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is to present the award to Perlman at a ceremony in Jerusalem Thursday night that will be hosted by actress Helen Mirren. The prize was inaugurated in 2014 and is run in a partnership between the Israeli prime ministers office, the private Genesis Prize Foundation and the Jewish Agency, a nonprofit group with ties to the Israeli government. It is funded by a $100 million endowment set up by the foundation. Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg was the recipient of the first prize, and actor Michael Douglas was last years winner. (AP) Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today sent a letter to Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Chairman John Degnan, Vice Chairman Steven Cohen and Executive Director Patrick Foye regarding a reported lane closure in the Lincoln Tunnel. A copy of the letter follows: June 21, 2016 Dear Chairman Degnan, Vice Chairman Cohen and Executive Director Foye: In recent court papers detailing corruption charges against members of the New York City Police Department, it was noted that a businessman using his connections in local law enforcement agencies, was able to arrange for the closure of a lane in the Lincoln Tunnel and a police escort down that lane for a businessman visiting the United States. If this is true, it is deeply troubling. I am hereby directing the New York State and Port Authority Offices of the Inspector General to conduct a thorough examination of what, if any, role agents of the Port Authority played in the circumstances associated with these allegations. The NYPD has no jurisdiction within the tunnels boundaries. If members of the Port Authority or PAPD participated in any fashion through purpose or neglect the State will deliver immediate and severe consequences. The State of New York holds the integrity of public service to the highest standard. When those who are sanctioned to uphold the law use their position for personal gain, it threatens all of us. We will simply not allow Port Authority facilities to be chips in some nefarious pattern of deceit. Please ensure you are coordinating with the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York and the Federal Bureau of Investigation before commencing any action. Sincerely, ANDREW M. CUOMO New Yorks governor demanded an investigation Tuesday into allegations that a lane in one of the traffic-clogged tunnels connecting Manhattan to New Jersey was shut down as a special favor to a politically connected businessman accused of paying bribes to police commanders. Gov. Andrew Cuomo directed the inspector generals for both the state and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to conduct investigations to figure out what role, if any, the Port Authority played in allowing the closure at the Lincoln Tunnel. If members of the Port Authority or PAPD (Port Authority Police Department) participated in any fashion through purpose or neglect the State will deliver immediate and severe consequences, Cuomo said in a letter Tuesday. We will simply not allow Port Authority facilities to be chips in some nefarious pattern of deceit. The closure was revealed Monday in a federal criminal complaint that charged a fundraising businessman, a resident of Boro Park, and two high-ranking New York Police Department officers with conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud. They have all denied wrongdoing. U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said the officers accepted free flights, expensive meals and other bribes in exchange for a private police force for themselves and their friends. Court documents said a cooperating witness told the FBI that the Boro Park resident using his connections in local law enforcement agencies was able to arrange for the closure of a lane in the Lincoln Tunnel and a police escort down that lane for a businessman visiting the United States. The court papers did not identify the businessman who was being escorted and did not disclose when the closure occurred. If this is true, it is deeply troubling, Cuomo said. Spokesmen for the New York Investigator General and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey did not immediately respond to requests for comment Tuesday. When asked to comment Monday on the lane closure and other allegations, the mans lawyer, Susan Necheles, said her client did not commit a crime. She said his only mistake 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. A former Port Authority of New York and New Jersey official and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christies former deputy chief of staff face federal charges in connection with the 2013 lane closures of the George Washington Bridge. The scheme was alleged payback when a Democratic mayor didnt endorse Republican Christies re-election bid. One defendant has pleaded guilty in the case; two others still face numerous charges. Christie has denied any involvement and has not been charged. (AP) Seeking to refocus his presidential campaign, Donald Trump will lambaste Democratic rival Hillary Clinton as a failed secretary of state who is out of step with Americans on trade and immigration. Trumps address Wednesday morning at his hotel in New Yorks SoHo neighborhood marks his official opening salvo against Clinton, the prospective Democratic presidential nominee, in the general election. It comes as Trump faces growing questions about his readiness not just for the presidency, but for the campaign he will need to run to get there. The Trump campaign is hoping the speech can quiet those concerns and rally Republicans around their shared opposition to Clinton. The billionaire businessman plans to focus in particular on Clintons tenure at the State Department, arguing that her foreign policy is in part responsible for the creation of the Islamic State militant group. Hillary Clinton had a four-year tryout for the presidency as secretary of state, said Stephen Miller, a Trump policy adviser. She ran the State Department and the world went up in flames. Everything took a nosedive, except for Hillary Clintons bank account which swelled to new highs. Trump is also expected to cite Clintons past support for trade deals and her willingness, along with her husband, former President Bill Clinton, to accept speaking fees and contributions to their foundation from countries with poor human rights records. However, Trump is not expected to target the former presidents personal infidelities, as he did earlier in the campaign. Clinton has been harshly critical of Trump, particularly since she wrapped up her lengthy Democratic primary battle. On Monday, she warned that the businessman would send the U.S. economy back into recession and said 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. Hes proud of it, Clinton said. Well, thats his choice. Except when hes asking to be our president. Then its our choice. Trump had planned to deliver his address on Clinton last week, but he postponed the event because of the nightclub shootings in Orlando, Florida. The Republicans response to the attack was panned by many in his own party, who bristled as he took credit for being right about terrorism and suggested that President Barack Obama was sympathetic to militant groups. The Orlando gunman identified himself as an Islamic soldier in calls with authorities during his rampage. On Monday, Trump fired his campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, hours before a new fundraising report showed that the billionaires campaign had just $1.3 million in the bank at the start of June. Trump allies cast Lewandowskis firing this week as the start of a new phase for the campaign. Paul Manafort, the campaign chairman and Lewandowskis internal rival, signaled on a conference call with aides that a rapid staffing expansion would be coming soon. Tennessee Republican Sen. Bob Corker, who has been seen as a potential vice presidential pick, said he was pretty excited to learn of the changes. I think that what appears to be occurring over the last 24 hours is a movement in a direction that I think could be very, very positive, Corker said. While Manafort, a longtime Republican operative, is believed to be in charge now, the campaign has not fully clarified who is running the operation. Its not been written down anywhere, but you have to assume, Ed Brookover, the campaigns liaison to the Republican National Committee, said of Manafort. As with everything involving Trump, the billionaire appears to be the only one truly in charge. I think I want to be who I am. I dont want to be a phony like Hillary Clinton, he told NBCs Today. He added: I want to be what I am. (AP) Three people are expected to appear in court Wednesday after being caught on an alleged vigilante mission with an arsenal of weapons during a routine traffic stop at the Holland Tunnel. 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. after being pulled over by a Port Authority police officer for a cracked windshield. When the cop ordered Smith out of the truck, the officer saw he was sitting on a loaded pistol. And upon approaching the motor vehicle the officer observed in plain view a loaded pistol magazine, Port Authority Police Superintendent Michael Fedorko said. 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. Police say the trio posted photos of their gun-toting expedition online while traveling from Pennsylvania on Tuesday, CBS2s Janelle Burrell reported. 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. The suspects are expected to appear in court in Jersey City on Wednesday. READ MORE: WCBSTV The missing children from the major aliyah from Yemen known as Yaldei Teiman is back in the news as it resurfaces every number of years. To date there have been state commissions, which most feel have done nothing but continue to cover up the abduction of hundreds or thousands of children from large families arriving from Yemen. A recent poll shows 60% of Israelis believe the children were abducted as alleged throughout the years. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu this week vowed to uncover the truth once and for all, appointing Minister Tzachi Hanegbi to head the probe. Kol Chai Radio on Wednesday morning 16 Sivan aided an interview with the late Menachem Porush from 1997 during which he explained he was aware of what occurred, stating it was done behind the back of Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion. R Porush explains he had a meeting with Ben-Gurion about it and the latter could not believe what he was telling him, asking how this could occur. Porush added he knows some of the people who were involved but is afraid to speak out. One of the names of those still alive who is believed to have been involved is former President Shimon Peres, and while his name has surfaced in the media again, there has been no proof to date. Porush in the interview adds he believed the children were taken to save them from a live of poverty and starvation. Porush accused the leftists of stealing the children. Today, there is a mounting call for the publication of all the documents since the findings of most of the probes to date have remained classified. Hanegbi is to review the documents and make a decision. Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked has offered her offices assistance. Opposition leader MK Yitzchak Herzog is calling for total transparency and the revelation of the classified documents. An estimated 1,500 to 5,000 children from mostly Yemenite and some Sephardi immigrants went missing between 1948 and 1954. In some cases, parents were told their children died in a hospital. According to Shas MK Yitzchak Cohen, these children were given to Ashkenazi families. HaGaon HaRav Korach of Bnei Brak, viewed as a leading Yemenite rav in Eretz Yisrael today insists the children, including relatives of his, were given to left-wing kibbutzim where they were turned into goyim. He explains he has documents proving the abductions but no one in Israel is interested in hearing. How can we fight a state with an army and tanks? However, just like the sale of Yosef HaTzaddik, the truth will emerge one day and those responsible will have to give a din vcheshbon. Rav Korach spoke of Rabbi Uzi Meshulam zl, who paid with his health and life over his battle for the truth, lamenting he has been fighting to reveal the truth his entire life. When asked if he and others would have come knowing what would happen to the children, he responded everyone would have remained in Yemen rather than assimilate in Israel. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) A multi-count indictment was filed against Egged bus driver Chaim Biton in the Jerusalem Traffic Court. Biton was the driver who crashed an Egged number 402 bus heading from the capital to Tel Aviv, resulting in the deaths of six people and leaving others injured. Many have questioned how Biton was permitted driving for the bus company following a number of complaints and accidents against him. The prosecution has eyewitness testimony in this case as well documenting he was operating the vehicle in a reckless fashion. According to the indictment, on February 14, 2016 at about 6:25PM, the driver crashed into a parked truck that was on the right shoulder despite have clear visibility during a routine trip. By the time he detected the truck, about 30 meters from the parked vehicle, it was too late as the bus headed into the shoulder of the road. The indictment details how the right wall of the bus was peeled back from the force of passing the parked truck that broke down. He is charged with causing the deaths by negligence. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) Israel on Wednesday becomes the first nation other than the United States to have an advanced F35 Lightening II fighter jet, which the Israel Air Force will be calling the Adir. Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman earlier in the week attended the official ceremony at Lockheed Martin as part of his first official visit to the US as Defense Minister. The first two planes are scheduled to arrive in Israel in about six months and an additional 17 are scheduled to arrive by the end of 2017. The official ceremony of Israel taking possession of the first plane took place on Wednesday 16 Sivan Israel time. Due to the special relationship enjoyed between Israel and the United States, Israel will be permitted to use its own advanced communications system and make changes in the aircrafts electronic warfare system. (YWN Israel Desk, Jerusalem) Shortly before Money Mail went to print last night, the spin doctors at the giant credit agency Experian were on the telephone. They said that they were 'very concerned' that our story about the gilded lifestyles enjoyed by their bosses was too personal. What delicious irony. It seems these companies are finally starting to understand how it feels to have details of your wealth, address, age and marital status broadcast without your say-so. The business of scooping together and dishing out this sort of data about people (and then delving much deeper into their private lives) is precisely what is funding the sprawling estates and juicy executive bonuses. Cheers: Callcredit strategist Graham Lund enjoys the high life. We went ahead with our story about credit agency bosses - the self-appointed masters of the money world - despite their concerns There is a crucial difference, though: Experian, Equifax and Callcredit serve their own interests, while Money Mail acts in yours. These firms claim that their services help us to get a loan or a mortgage, but in reality credit agencies are out to make a profit. That means flogging our data and charging us up to 15 a month to see our own files. In this age of information overload, these are the self-appointed masters of the money world. While credit agencies do not themselves decide whether you qualify for a home loan or mobile phone deal, the data they hold dictates whether you will be accepted. The information is fed into computers used by banks, insurers, telecoms and energy firms many of which now rely heavily on machines, rather than common sense, to make their decisions. You see that when a bank rejects a perfectly good borrower because of their age, or when a trivial mark on a credit file sends someone's financial life into a tailspin. There is also evidence that mistakes on people's files are common. It is insulting that banks take Experian, Equifax or Callcredit's word over yours and getting something changed can take months of wrangling. It doesn't seem right for credit agencies to wash their hands of any responsibility while they go on making money trading our data. I have racked my brain but I cannot remember the public giving these privately-run, profit-hungry giants express permission to do any of this. It's your information, not theirs. And unlike when we speak to a bank or insurer, it's being collated and exploited in secret. What rankles most is credit agencies charging us to see our own files The executives running these firms collect pay packets so large that a black mark on a credit file is almost meaningless. You can bet they don't have trouble fixing errors, either. It's time the public saw how these powerful men are getting rich at our expense. Most of these firms are listed companies in which many of us hold shares, either directly or through pensions or Isas. It is only right that you get to see where your money goes. But what rankles most is credit agencies charging us to see our own files. If Experian and the rest were really working in our interests, this information would be free to access at all times. We also need an official watchdog monitoring what these firms do with our data and making them responsible for ensuring it's correct. Furthermore, credit agencies should commit to resolving disputes within seven days and sending free alerts whenever a black mark goes on someone's file. If the top dogs at Experian, Callcredit and Equifax have to take a pay cut to achieve all that, it seems a reasonable price to pay for fairness. How the new ONS house price index measures property values over the past 10 years Lower ceilings Followers of house price trends nearly jumped out of their skins this week. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) prices index supposedly the official one showed that the average was 209,000 in April; a third less than the 301,000 recorded in March. We haven't had a monumental crash, the ONS said. Rather, the new measure is less skewed by the super rich buying and selling multi-million-pound estates. Unfortunately, such a huge revision makes me start to question whether we can trust any of these estimates of house price rises and falls. On the plus side, it might be a point worth raising when you are trying to haggle down the price of a new home. Best euro deals Don't wait until you have cast your EU vote tomorrow to start preparing for the summer holidays. If you are off to Italy, Spain, France or any other country using the euro, follow my three-point plan to getting bang for your buck abroad. On my travels I take three different ways to pay: a debit card, a credit card and a prepaid card. For a debit card I use Metro Bank, which has no fees for ATM withdrawals or spending in Europe. I simply transfer in money from my main current account before I head off. My credit card is there as a back-up. The best deal, by far, is Halifax's Clarity Card. Again, there are no fees for withdrawals or spending as long as you pay the balance in full when you get home. Finally, I take a prepaid card. It's a bit geeky, but loading on a small amount of euros before I go gives me some protection if the pound takes a battering while I'm away. I've been using the WeSwap card because it has an excellent smartphone app and it's got top rates but I'd be equally as happy with the simpler FairFX or CaxtonFX cards. Do all that and you will be well set whatever the nation decides tomorrow. If you have any top travel money tips, send them through and we will print the best ones. > Get more for your holiday money: The best cards for spending overseas > Get a free FairFX currency card worth 9.95 through This is Money Argos goes far Do keep sending in your tales of excellent customer service. The latest example arrives by email from D.B.: 'I bought a BBQ kettle from Argos a few weeks ago. While assembling it, I noticed a faulty leg. 'At the store, it was speedily replaced without fuss indeed, with a certain amount of good humour about my 'faulty leg'! 'A good example of a smooth response to a common problem.' My experience earlier this year was similar. Argos staff didn't bat an eyelid when I tried to return three (yes, three) faulty kettles one after the other. While I won't be buying a kettle there again, I may well return for other items, because it has got a super, no-quibble attitude to returns. 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. Confusion: Readers claim Santander staff are refusing to give them debit cards for loved ones accounts Families who want a debit card to help look after their loved ones' finances are being hit by confusion in Santander branches. If you have nominated someone in a power of attorney document to help manage your money your bank should treat them as though they are the original customer. Yet readers have reported that Santander staff are refusing to give them a debit card. Santander says it writes to attorneys to offer them a card when they register and claims this has been its policy for years. But Chris Downes, from Kent, who acts as attorney for her cousin Betty, 83, says she has been into two branches in Kent and spoken to several staff members, all of whom have told her she can't have one. Chris, 68, a retired tax officer, says: 'Every time I want to take money out of her account I have to go into a branch with my passport. It makes helping with shopping so time-consuming.' Readers who act as deputy for relatives are also experiencing problems. A deputy is essentially an attorney but appointed by the Court of Protection rather than the customer. HSBC admits it only gives attorneys a card, not deputies though it is changing this rule. A Santander spokeswoman says: 'We are sorry the customer was misinformed. We will take steps to remind our colleagues of our policy and ensure this is included in future training.' Britain's biggest department stores chain Debenhams has revealed a fall in sales amid 'uncertain trading conditions' after demand for clothing dropped off due to poor Spring weather. The FTSE 250-listed group posted a 1.6 per cent fall in like-for-like sales for the last quarter, although the company insisted that full year pretax profits will still be in line with expectations. Debenhams said it remained on track thanks to a move to cut down on promotions and special offers, despite using 'tactical' discounting after seeing weaker sales of womenswear since the the new year. Out of fashion: A trend that has seen shoppers spending less on clothing and more on leisure activities recently has taken its toll on sales at Debenham The retailer's outgoing chief executive Michael Sharp said: 'In response to more uncertain trading conditions in this period, particularly in clothing, we have focused on managing stock and margins and generating cash.' In early morning trading, Debenhams shares had dropped 5 per cent, or 4.0p to 70.3p. Debenham's sales fall marked a sharp reversal of the 2.4 per cent rise seen in the previous six months and follows a difficult spring for high street clothing shops - many of which have resorted to discounting after a cold early spring weather hit summer womenswear sales. Mr Sharp - who is stepping down on Friday following five years at the helm - said the group was 'holding its own' in a difficult wider clothing market. He added that as well as the hit from the weather, trading has been impacted by uncertainty ahead of the EU referendum. Last month Debenhams named Amazon executive Sergio Bucher as its new chief executive. Bucher will have a tough task on his hands to reinvigorate clothing sales in a difficult market. David Stoddart, analyst at Edison Investment Research said: 'We wouldn't read too much into Debenhams' Q3 trading statement. 'We already knew that unhelpful weather had depressed clothing sales in March and April with only a partial recovery in May. 'Against that background it is not surprising that Debenhams will be investing more gross margin to clear inventory than it previously expected.' He added: 'Cautious buying and tight cost control mean that management still expects to hit full-year targets. Incoming chief exec Sergio Bucher will have to address the structural challenges facing Debenhams the scale of which were hard to identify in Q3 because of that perennial problem, the great British weather.' Off: Michael Sharp, who steps down this week after nearly five years at the helm of the company, has failed to put Debenhams back on the right track since it returned to the public markets back in 2006 The collapse of high street retailer BHS is also thought to have been unhelpful to the group, although Mr Sharp said there was little cross-over between BHS and Debenhams customers. He added: 'It's very unfortunate what's happened at BHS and nobody in retail likes to see another retailer fail and I feel for all the employees at BHS.' Mr Sharp also joined rival Next in warning over a change in spending habits, saying shoppers were buying fewer clothes and splashing out more on holidays, new cars and eating out. To combat such changes in shopping habits, Debenhams is looking to tap into the growing eating-out market by rolling out more food and drink concessions, such as Costa Coffee and Patisserie Valerie in its stores. The group wants to add another 30 food offers by the autumn, with plans for around 40 per cent of its stores to have a new food concession by Christmas. In more bad news for the High Street, trendy fashion retailer H&M also blamed cold weather for a worse-than-expected set of results for its second quarter today. H&M's pretax profits in the period fell 17 per cent as the firm was stung by having to discount items that did not sell during a soggy March and April. The Swedish firm said the results were 'significantly below' plan, although better sales in May helped offset the slump. H&M's chief executive Karl-Johan Persson admitted that it had been a 'challenging half-year' for fashion retail, adding: 'The sales increase in March and April was significantly below our plan. These two months were negatively affected by cold spring weather in many of our markets. 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. Sign up for our amNY Sports email newsletter to get insights and game coverage for your favorite teams By Suzanne Parker When our eating buddy, food blogger Joe Distefano, recommended 60 Beans to us as having great food, we were expecting a gussied up coffee joint, especially with a name with the word beans in it. It is that, but it is also so much more. And great food is an understatement. According to the restaurants website, the name comes from the fact that Beethoven brewed his own coffee every morning with precisely 60 beans. Who knew that Beethoven was a bean counter? Evidently Chef Franco Domenick Gianfrancesco, his cousin John Rocchio and co-owner Panos Voyiatzis did. Their respect for history is evident in 60 Bs decorative style. The long wall behind the bar and beyond capitalizes on exposed terra cotta building tiles, evidence of the buildings circa 1910 provenance to set the tone. Where there were not vintage architectural details to display, old stuff, both genuine and manufactured was overlaid to complete the look. The small dinner menu, supplemented by a handful of specials is sophisticated and inventive. It offers charcuterie and cheese, small and large plates, salads and pastas. Their meats are sourced from growers that come with bragging rights like Niman Ranch and Hudson Valley Foie Gras. Gnudi was a special that immediately captured our attention. It is pronounced nudie and its definition is not far off that mark. Popularized at the storied Spotted Pig, it is a pasta filling, naked of its wrapper. Balls of ricotta are dredged in semolina and left overnight to form an ethereal coating. The gnudi are then lightly cooked in butter, in this case, with asparagus and plenty of pepper. The gnudi came decked out with generous shavings of summer truffles and microgreens. Anyone who passes up a chance to order this wonder should be branded a gnudnik. Melts in your mouth would be an understatement when it comes to Chef Doms Peppered Niman Ranch beef tongue, our pick from the charcuterie category. The tongue, which is brined, and then confittedslow cooked in fattenderizes as its flavor is amplified. Presented in a cascade of small round slices, with house mustard and crunchy toast, this is an organ meat lovers epiphany. We are, incidentally, so relieved that current thinking is that fat is no longer the scourge to health and weight once believed, so we could indulge with carefree abandon. Mezza Rigatoni, a tube-shaped pasta slathered with lamb Bolognese was the least memorable of our choices. It is not that it was undelicious, it is just that we were starting to get used to being wowed. This was only good. Do not squander your alimentary real estate on this one. In a brilliant marriage of eastern and western ingredients, Chef Dom uses black garlic, a Korean specialty to change up a Cesar salad. The lettuce is charred. The croutons are smoked. The cheese is Grana Padano. It is an exciting new riff on a classic. The secret ingredients in the Smoked Niman Ranch Pork Rack are time and patience. It is brined for 24 hours, dried, and smoked at a very low temperature for three days. So moist, flavorful and tender that chewing is effortless. It is blissfully joined by the creamiest of Carolina grits, collard greens, bacon lardons and pickled ramps. Like the regular menu, the dessert menu is concise and to the point. Nothing gooey or cloying to be found here. Creme Fraiche Panna Cotta with rhubarb preserve Marcona almonds and basil seeds was intriguingly satisfying without being either too rich or too sweet. The Bottom Line The food at 60 Beans is inventive, sophisticated and expertly prepared using ingredients with buzz. Our only complaint is that there space is so limited. Dont tell too many friends or none of us will be able to get a table. Suzanne Parker is the TimesLedgers restaurant critic and author of Eating Like Queens: A Guide to Ethnic Dining in Americas Melting Pot, Queens, N.Y. She can be reached by e-mail at qnsfo odie@ aol.com . 60 Beans Kitchen & Coffee 36-02 Ditmars Blvd., Astoria (347) 987-3994 www.60bea nskit chen.com Price Range: Small Plates: $7$25; Large Plates: $18$25 Cuisine: New American Setting: Intimate bar layout with some outdoor seating. Service: Professional and caring Hours: coffeehouse: Monday thru Friday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dinner: Tuesday thru Thursday 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturday 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m., Sunday 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Reservations: No Alcohol: Beer and wine Parking: Street Dress: Casual Children: Only if you must Music: No Takeout: Yes Noise level: Yes Handicap accessible: Yes WIFI: Yes, until 5 p.m. 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. File-AP Photo/Austin American-Statesman, Rodolfo Gonzalez State Sen. Craig Estes, R-Wichita Falls, raises one finger to vote yes for his Open Carry Bill during the final vote held at the state Capitol Tuesday in Austin. The Texas Senate has given its final approval to licensed open carry of handguns in the state, sending the measure to the House. Open carry has been resisted by law enforcement groups, but sailed through the Senate on a 20-10 vote. SHARE By Craig Estes Partisan spin doesn't usually surprise me after almost fifteen years in politics, I've come to expect it from both sides in response to both triumphs and tragedies. But I was honestly surprised when, after the worst terrorist attack on our soil since September 11, the Left's response was to blame the National Rifle Association, the Republican Party, and an imaginary class of scary-looking firearms. Remember when the country used to come together after terrorist attacks and unite against our common foes? Well this isn't 2001 anymore. Our president remains committed to discussing our common foe as little as possible, choosing instead to join his party's attack against the Second Amendment and the people who support it. This isn't new for him. After San Bernardino, he infamously stated that "[w]e have a pattern now of mass shootings in this country that has no parallel anywhere else in the world," ignoring the fact that, only two weeks earlier, Islamic terrorists had attacked Paris in its third mass shooting of 2015. Blaming guns for terrorist shootings is like blaming airplanes for September 11. France has far more firearms restrictions than the president has publicly advocated. India's gun laws are even more extreme than France's, but the worst mass shooting I can recall took place in Mumbai in 2008, when ten Muslim terrorists attacked the city for three days, killing 164 people and wounding another 300. There is a common theme to these attacks, and itis not AR-15s or "assault weapons," as guns that look like the AR-15 are often described. The term "assault weapon" is intentionally confusing. The gun control activists who coined it wanted it to sound like "assault rifle," which is an actual class of military arms. But the two are not the same. Assault rifles are capable of fully automatic fire, while assault weapons are only semi-automatic. ("Automatic" means the gun will fire multiple shots if you hold the trigger down, while "semi-automatic" means the gun will only shoot once per trigger pull.) The expired federal ban that invented the term "assault weapon" defined it as any semi-automatic rifle capable of accepting a detachable magazine with two or more of the following features: a folding or telescoping stock, a pistol grip, a bayonet mount, a flash suppressor, or a grenade launcher mount. None of those listed features affect the gun's power or rate of fire; they are all either cosmetic or ergonomic in nature. Although AR-15s are frequently called "high-powered" in the media, this is only true in the target-shooting sense. To put this in perspective, the AR-15's standard chambering makes it too weak to hunt deer legally in many states. In fact, the lower power of AR-15-style rifles relative to most others, combined with their good ergonomics, is what makes them the best-selling rifles in the country and the perennial favorite of recreational shooters. Where guns are illegal, terrorists nevertheless manage to get a hold of them. When a person decides to commit multiple counts of premeditated murder, followed by suicide, statutes banning the possession of certain weapons don't act as much of a deterrent. The common theme of these attacks is not lax gun laws; it is the repeated radicalization of a small number of Muslims by ISIS, al-Qaida, and other organizations like them that have declared a religious war on the United States and its allies. The solution to Orlando, San Bernardino, Paris, Mumbai, and scores of other attacks across the world is not banning scary-looking guns. It's figuring out how to shut down these terror networks and their hateful propaganda. Craig Estes serves nearly 820,000 constituents across Senate District 30 which includes all of Archer, Clay, Cooke, Erath, Grayson, Jack, Montague, Palo Pinto, Parker, Wichita, Wise, and Young counties and parts of Collin and Denton counties. SHARE Sanjuanita Martinez, of Bowie, was one of 273 students to graduate May 8 from Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa. Martinez received a bachelor's degree in philosophy Spanish. n n n Brandi Clark, of Waurika, Oklahoma, and Krystal Frossard, of Perrin, were among more than 750 students who graduated May 7 from Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas. Clark received a Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry and molecular biology. Frossard received a doctoral degree in pharmacy. n n n Michelle Fisher, of Wichita Falls, has been named to the spring dean's honor roll at Kansas Wesleyan University in Salina, Kansas. n n n Kai Tubb, a 2011 graduate of Midwestern State University, has received the Spring Forward scholarship to attend Ross University School of Medicine in the Caribbean. Tubb has work as the chief emergency room scribe at United Regional Health Care System. He majored in biology at MSU. Times Record News File Photo Fireworks will complete the city's Fourth in the Falls community celebration July 4 at the MPEC. SHARE Fireworks, music set for Falls July 4 fest Wichita Falls will celebrate Independence Day with "4th in the Falls" from 5-10:15 p.m. July 4 along the Wichita River behind the Multi-Purpose Events Center. The free festival will include live music, clowns, bounce houses, a petting zoo, rides on the Maskat Shrine Train and festival food vendors. The musical lineup will include Wayward Blue at 5 p.m.; No Limits at 6:10 p.m.; the national anthem by John Wilson at 7:55 p.m. and headliner Brandon Rhyder at 8 p.m. Guests are invited to bring lawn chairs or blankets for the fireworks show starting about 9:30 p.m. Firecracker 5K slated in Saint Jo The eighth annual Old Jo's Firecracker 5K will start at 8 a.m. July 4 from Chisholm Trail Square in Saint Jo. Race check-in will be from 6-7:30 a.m. Registration is $25. Sign up at www.oldjosfirecracker5k.com or call Cindy at 505-320-6119. Proceeds benefit the Saint Jo Chamber of Commerce and Easy Street Animal Shelter. Optimists plan Sunday in the Park The Red River Optimist Club will be host for a "Sunday in the Park" outing from 4-7 p.m. June 26 at the Rotary Pavilion in Iowa Park's Lake Gordon Park. Members of the Iowa Park Optimist Club will be special guests. A meal will be served at 5:30 p.m. All students honored by either club and their parents are invited. RSVP by June 22 by contacting Ardis at 592-2803. Bank to host free cookout, games First National Bank, at Fairway and Kell Boulevard, will offer free hamburgers, hot dogs and watermelon to the public July 1 during its Old-Fashion Fourth of July Celebration. Lawn games, contests and the free food will be offered from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Prizes will be awarded to all game participants. Information: 696-3000. SHARE Courtesy photo A Clay County deputy escorts Ronald Noack, who was sentenced to two years in state jail for his role in a wreck that killed an Arrowhead Ranch Estates man and his 3-year-old daughter in 2013. The plea deal to criminally neligent homicide allowed Noack to avoid a longer sentence for intoxication manslaugter. Courtesy photo Thomas Chesser and his three-year-daughter, Jenna, were killed in a car crash in February 2013. The driver of the other car was charged with intoxication manslaughter, for which he was given probabtion. More criminal charges against Ronald Noack mean he will spend two years in state jail. Torin Halsey/Times Record News file photo A man and his three-year-old daughter were killed in this wreck on FM 1954 in 2013. Earlier this week, the driver of the second vehicle invoved was sentenced to two years in state jail. Noack By Patrick Johnston, patrick.johnston@timesrecordnews.com A Wichita Falls man will serve time in a state jail for his role in the deaths of a man and his 3-year-old daughter in 2013. Judge Jack McGaughey of the 97th District Court in Clay County sentenced Ronald James Noack III, now 21, to two years in state jail after revoking his probation on two counts of criminally negligent homicide, a state jail felony. The punishment is the longest term allowed for the charge. According to a previous Times Record News article, Noack was traveling east on FM 1954 around 7:05 a.m. on Feb. 28, 2013, when he veered into oncoming traffic, striking a car driven by Thomas Eugene Chesser, 39. Chesser was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. His daughter, Jenna Noel Chesser, was taken by helicopter to a Wichita Falls hospital, where she died. In December 2013, a Clay County grand jury indicted Noack on two charges of intoxicated manslaughter, a second-degree felony, the article said. According to the indictment, Noack had been using drugs prior to the wreck. As part of the plea agreement, Noack instead pleaded guilty to two counts of criminally negligent homicide. Noack was initially sentenced to three years community supervision for each conviction, to run concurrently, and fined $1,000. Noack was facing two to 20 years in prison with a fine not to exceed $10,000 had he been convicted of intoxication manslaughter. He was arrested on April 20 after Wichita Falls police were asked to do an occupied vehicle check in the 4500 block of Nassau Drive. A strong odor of marijuana was emitting from the vehicle and Noack admitted to officers there was marijuana in the car, a probable cause affidavit said. There was also about 0.6 grams of THC wax, the document said. Court records indicate Noack still faces three misdemeanor drug charges and a prohibited weapons charge in Wichita County. Here's what to know as the annual dove hunting season approaches Puerto Rico's Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi, D-Puerto Rico, second from left, listens on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, May 25, 2016, during a House Natural Resources Committee markup hearing on H.R. 5278, Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) SHARE By Pittsburgh Post-Gazette The government of Puerto Rico owes its creditors some $73 billion in debt it can't pay, facing default on $2 billion of it due July 1. The question is, who pays or who eats the debt? The three alternatives are the Puerto Ricans who borrowed the money they now can't pay back. Or the vulture hedge funds that loaned them the money they knew the Puerto Ricans couldn't pay back? Or the American taxpayer in the form of the federal government in Washington, under pressure from lobbyists through the Congress to come up with a big bailout? Puerto Rico, an American territory with a population 3.5 million, got itself into this mess through continuing to buy municipal bonds in the face of falling government revenue to prevent cuts in services and layoffs of public service workers. In 2000, its debt stood at $25 billion. By 2008, early in the recession, it had risen to $53 billion. Now it stands at $73 billion. More than half of that is believed to be owed to 44 investment funds, some of them respectable like Oppenheimer and Franklin Templeton, some of them so-called vulture firms, based on the bird that scavenges carcasses on the highway or in the forest. Hedge funds buy debt from economically ruined entities such as Argentina, Greece, Detroit and Ukraine at bargain rates and then lobby or sue to get paid at face value by international banks or countries that agree to bail out the distressed debtor. Puerto Rico's municipal bonds are tax-exempt, free of taxes to be paid to federal, state or local bodies by the holder, making them doubly attractive to lenders who are not picky in incurring risk. The U.S. Supreme Court last week rejected a bid by Puerto Rico to restructure some of its debt, an effort to dodge the bullet, suggesting that Congress was the only answer to the island's dilemma. Puerto Rico cannot file for bankruptcy. Lobbyists for the hedge funds are now putting pressure on members of Congress to use federal money to bail Puerto Rico out. Lobbyists in the past have included former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan and Chelsea Clinton. The political threat they are using is that, if Puerto Rico is not bailed out, thousands of its population will emigrate to the mainland. The island has a weak economy and inefficient if not crooked government. Federal control, which is one option being looked at, includes an external appointed oversight board, which the Puerto Ricans oppose. Why not just let the hedge funds and the Puerto Ricans accept the consequences of their irresponsible borrowing? 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 Roberta Faulkner-Sund, Wichita Falls Can someone please tell me why anyone who is not in the military needs an assault weapon? Once more in Orlando we see 49 people killed by a lone gunman because he had an assault weapon, a weapon designed to kill lots of enemy troops. Congress needs to restore the ban on the sale of assault weapons to civilians. Surely the lives of innocent victims should mean more than any allegiance to the NRA, no matter how much money the NRA pays in contributions to our lawmakers. Shame on our lawmakers for being willing to accept what amounts to blood money! I contend you cannot be "pro life" and vote against a ban on the sale of assault weapons. OPENING FRIDAY DHEEPAN: This French crime drama revolves around the title character, a former child soldier, and two other refugees from civil war-torn Sri Lanka who flee to France to make better lives for themselves, only to discover their new home is a war zone of a different sort. (R for violence, language and brief sexuality/nudity) http://www.ifcfilms.com/films/dheepan FREE STATE OF JONES: As the Civil War divides the nation, a poor farmer from Mississippi (Matthew McConaughey) leads a group of rebels against the Confederate army. (R for brutal battle scenes and disturbing graphic images) http://stxmovies.com/freestateofjones INDEPENDENCE DAY RESURGENCE: Twenty years later (in real time and movie time), the alien invaders are back to wreak havoc and destruction on the Earth's most famous landmarks. Will Smith isn't around this time out (Liam Hemsworth gets the leading guy role), but returnees from the 1996 blockbuster include Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, Vivica A. Fox, Judd Hirsch and Brent Spiner. (PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi action and destruction, and for some language) http://www.foxmovies.com/movies/independence-day-resurgence THE SHALLOWS: Blake Lively plays a pro surfer who is attacked by a shark and escapes to a rock 200 yards from shore; she has to figure out a way to traverse that short distance while the predator continues to circle. (PG-13 for bloody images, intense sequences of peril, and brief strong language) http://www.theshallows-movie.com/site/ FROM THE MOVIE BLOG: 'Bus'-ness as (un)usual: Forty years ago today, one of my favorite childhood movies, "The Big Bus," barreled into theaters. The ridiculous (in all the best ways) disaster film parody beat "Airplane" to screens by four years, and might be even sillier because, well, it's set on a big nuclear-powered bus. Joseph Bologna, Stockard Channing and John Beck are the top-billed, straight-faced farceurs here, but the equally able supporting cast is a virtual, nay, actual busload of 1970s character actors. And the line "Look out! He's got a broken milk carton!" still sends me into paroxysms of laughter. Love movies? Love talking about them? Love reading about them? Go to Times Union Movies blog, moderated by film fanatic C.J. Lais Jr. and join in the conversation. http://blog.timesunion.com/movies/ "The Wave": Never judge a film by the description. This is a film from Norway that looks at what happens when a tsunami hits. That isn't the greatest lure to watch the DVD. The idea that a giant wave could hit the coast of the country just seems too unbelievable. But the giant waves are a real threat the country faces because of all the mountains that line the fjords. When there is a major avalanche, a giant wave can be sent rushing down the waterway. Geiranger is one of Norway's top tourist draws. But the mountain Akerneset looms over the village. Geologist Kristian (Kristoffer Joner) is going to a new job with an oil company after several years at Geiranger's warning center. Before he can leave, the moment he has feared happens. That's what happens in this 2015 film that was Norway's official submission for the 88th Academy Awards. It didn't get nominated, but a quick look at the acting, special effects and emotional impact and it's obvious why the movie was so heavily touted. Director Roar Uthaug has put together a movie that takes time to establish the players and pulls no punches when the disaster happens. The blend makes for a great production, even with the subtitles. "The Crush": The 1993 film starring Cary Elwes and Alicia Silverstone is played with so much campiness it turns a very serious topic into a sadly laughable offering. It wanted to be a 1990s answer to "Lolita" but never finds that serious tension. What you get is Silverstone playing a 14-year-old who fixates on her much older neighbor (Elwes). It starts with flirting but when the teen is rejected she takes a page from "Fatal Attraction." The problem is Silverstone doesn't have the acting skills to make the scenario come across as real. Elwes plays his part with such coolness you can almost see the frost. It's the collision of these two misfires that makes this movie a camp classic. It helps to play a drinking game while you watch. Albany The Fort Schuyler Management Corp., the private nonprofit created by SUNY Polytechnic Institute to manage upstate nanotechnology projects across the state, will open its board meetings to the public moving forward. Fort Schuyler Management Corp. was created by SUNY Poly years ago to manage its initial projects in Utica but has since taken on a larger role overseeing construction of Gov. Andrew Cuomo's Buffalo Billion projects and others in Rochester and Syracuse. Although the entity had initially kept a low profile, it has been pushed into the news in recent months with the probe by U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Preet Bharara into the Buffalo Billion and other SUNY Poly projects. SUNY Poly reorganized the Fort Schuyler board, adding more independent directors and revising its policies for putting projects out to bid. The move by the Fort Schuyler board, done in a vote Tuesday at its quarterly meeting, came after a Buffalo TV station reported that SUNY Poly would not allow reporters to listen in on the Tuesday meeting, which was held by conference call. In a statement issued Wednesday through SUNY Poly, the organization said its board would follow the state's open meetings law moving forward. "Contrary to a misleading media report yesterday, the board had to convene and then act, which it has done," Fort Schuyler Management Corp. CEO Jerry Barber said Wednesday. "It has always been the intent of the board to ensure openness and transparency in all of its decision making processes, including subjecting itself to (the Freedom of Information Law) and posting volumes of documents online for public review." SUNY Poly officials noted that as a private non-profit, Fort Schuyler Management Corp. was not subject to the open meetings law, similar to any charity or nonprofit. The open meetings law is designed to provide transparency to the public about government operations, and it ensures that the press and the public can attend and report on meetings by town boards, city councils and other government entities. The statement said that the Fort Schuyler board had to change its bylaws by adding an open meetings amendment to allow for the meetings to be opened to the public. "Prior requests from the general public or members of the press to attend FSMC board meetings could not be considered until the board approved the open meetings amendment," the statement noted. A SUNY Poly spokesman said that Fuller Road Management Corp., another nonprofit that oversees development of SUNY Poly projects in the Capital Region, mostly on its campus on Fuller Road in Albany, would also likely adopt a similar change to open meetings to the public. Editor's note: In an email on Wednesday night, Emma Willard updated that two students came forward with stories of abuse. Troy Local law enforcement and child abuse experts are looking into reports that sexual abuse may have taken place at Emma Willard School in the 1970s and 1990s, school leadership confirmed Wednesday. One of the recent allegations came to light in April, when the all-girls boarding school received a report that a former student had been sexually assaulted by a former teacher in 1998, according to a letter sent Wednesday to the school community by Interim Head of School Susan Groesbeck. An Emma Willard teacher was fired in 1998 after the school learned the individual had been involved with a student in a way that "violated the school's boundaries of faculty/student interaction," the letter said. But the administration was unaware at the time of any allegation of sexual assault involving the teacher, the letter continued. Groesbeck declined to answer questions by phone Wednesday, but in an email said the1998 incident did not involve an underage student. Other incidents were not detailed in the letter, but an email from the school on Wednesday night said two former students have come forward with stories of abuse. After learning of the reports, the school administration notified local police and "external child abuse experts" who are conducting investigations into the allegations, Groesbeck said in the letter. The Times Union reported in 1998 that two teachers, in separate and unrelated incidents, had left the school following allegations they "overstepped the carefully and articulated boundaries for faculty-student interaction." Troy police at the time said they looked into the events and found no evidence of criminal activity. Troy police could not confirm Wednesday afternoon that new investigations are under way, saying it will take them some time to look into the matter "due to the time period involved." The school community was first informed of possible abuse in a June 8 letter from Groesbeck that said the school had learned about "historical allegations" of abuse involving students. In a follow-up letter sent Wednesday, Groesbeck was more specific, offering a time period for the alleged abuse and warning that a news story by the New York Daily News may be published soon on the topic. "These investigations, conducted by external experts with our full cooperation, will help us determine appropriate actions and reinforce our ability to protect our students," Groesbeck wrote in the June 8 letter. "Most importantly, we are acknowledging the harm that has been caused by former Emma Willard employees, and offer our deepest apologies to those young women who were impacted by the immoral and illegal actions of those who would abuse the trust placed in them by Emma Willard School." Emma Willard School is one of the region's most respected private secondary schools, having graduated a number of notable alumnae over its 200-plus years. Today, it enrolls more than 350 girls in grades 9-12. More than half the students and about one-quarter of the faculty live on the 137-acre campus in Troy. The current national discussion around sexual abuse at prep schools and other campuses was not lost on Emma Willard's leaders. In her first letter on the allegations, Groesbeck said the Troy school was "not immune" to the kind of behavior being reported around the country, including "some of our peer schools" in New England. "Recent research confirms that sexual assault and abuse are far too prevalent in our society, and that many incidents go unreported by victims for long periods of time," she wrote. bbump@timesunion.com 518-454-5387 @bethanybump This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Washington Borrowing a chapter from the Senate filibuster last week, as well as the civil rights movement of the 1960s, House Democrats on Wednesday staged a sit-in and vowed to continue until the Republican majority holds votes on two gun-related measures. "Let's put these to a vote,'' said Rep. Paul Tonko, D-Amsterdam, who was on and off the floor throughout the day. "Let people have their representatives speak to these issues.'' About 40 Democrats flooded the House area where the speaker sits known as the well and did not disband after the House was called to order for what had seemed like a normal day. The usual prayer and Pledge of Allegiance were recited, but the Republican at the speaker's desk, Rep. Ted Poe, R-Texas, called a recess. The normal C-SPAN broadcast of House activity was shut down. By mid-afternoon, the crowd of Democrats had swelled to 100 or more. The sit-in quickly became a social media sensation, with bootleg videos appearing online. C-SPAN went back up with live video feeds from the Periscope account of Rep. Scott Peters, D-Calif. Late Wednesday, House Democrats chanted "no break, no bill" and nearly drowned out House Speaker Paul Ryan as he gaveled the House back into session for a vote on a non-gun-related resolution. The sit-in was led by Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., which in itself was rich with symbolism because of Lewis' prominent role in the movement against racial segregation in the 1960s' South. His backup was Rep. John Larson, D-Conn. At the news conference, House Democrats were joined by gun-safety advocates in speaking and chanting "no bill, no break," reflecting their position that the House should not go into recess unless the votes are held. Democrats' demands for votes parallel those in the Senate: one on barring gun sales to those whose names appear on the government's terrorism watch list, and the other extending gun-purchase background checks to gun shows and other private transactions. The House Democrats struck at a strategic time. Ryan and the rest of GOP House leadership are racing deadlines over the next few weeks to wrap up business and adjourn for the Republican and Democratic presidential nominating conventions. A disruption in the normal flow of business puts pressure on Ryan. Among those offering support inside the House chamber was Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., whose nearly 15-hour filibuster last week led to the Senate's consideration of the two same measures Monday evening. The Senate blocked the two proposals, as well as two competing Republican amendments. But on Tuesday, Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and seven colleagues introduced a bipartisan compromise to close the "terror loophole.'' It got generally positive reviews from Democrats but more details have to be hashed out before it wins the 60 votes necessary to get to a full Senate vote. Ryan was quiet throughout the day but his spokeswoman, AshLee Strong, Tweeted: "The House cannot operate without members following the rules of the institution, so the House has recessed subject to the call of the chair.'' Tonko said the Democratic takeover was born of frustration over Ryan's refusal to hold votes in the wake of mass shootings in Newtown, Conn., San Bernardino, Calif., and the June 12 massacre in Orlando, Fla. "We've tried everything," Tonko said. "And you resort to the most extreme measures to draw attention to the fact that the silence is deafening.'' The easy availability of guns is "a major issue that has to be addressed,'' he said. "We need to honor the thousands who have been taken from us all too soon.'' To do that, he said, Democrats have to resort to tactics that are "not violent, but extreme.'' Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Willsboro, "is a strong Second Amendment advocate and will continue to work in Congress to reform our nation's mental health system and support commonsense reforms so that we can take action that will help stop gun violence in our country,'' Stefanik spokesman Tom Flanagin said. "The recent attack in Orlando was a terrible reminder that the threat of terrorism on our homeland remains very real,'' said Flanagin, adding that Stefanik is working to "strengthen our nation's efforts to combat terrorism and radicalism at home and abroad." Albany An ex-hospice nurse at the Stratton VA Medical Center was sentenced to six years and 10 months in federal prison Wednesday for stealing patients' painkillers and replacing them with anti-psychotic medication. Patients' relatives called the crime "unspeakable" and "evil." Nathan Baum, 31, of East Greenbush also was fined $2,000 and given three years of supervised release. "The defendant's conduct in this case was egregious and placed the comfort and well-being of numerous terminally ill patients in jeopardy during the final days of their lives," Senior Judge Lawrence Kahn said in imposing sentence. The daughters of two since-deceased patients directly affected by Baum's crime lashed into the defendant in their victim impact statements. Their fathers experienced pain that could have been soothed by the painkillers had it not been replaced with other drugs so Baum could feed his addiction, they said. "What happened to my father was inhuman and evil and it should never have happened to him," said Mary Yowell, whose father, veteran Robert Yowell, was suffering from cancer before he died in 2014. "It was hard enough watching my father die ... but to have someone make him suffer more than he had to is pure evil." As for the hospital, Yowell said: "They promised me my father would be comfortable, but that promise was broken." Maudine Graham spoke on behalf of her father, the late Rev. Robert Daggs of Saratoga Springs, an Army veteran who died in 2014. She said her father acted different in "mind, body and spirit" after he was taking the wrong medication. "Have many other people have suffered at this man's hands?" Graham asked, calling the actions of Baum "unspeakable." The sentencing drew a large crowd of Baum's family members. One woman supporting Baum loudly complained in court that Baum's relatives should have been allowed to issue victim statements. Assistant Federal Public Defender Timothy Austin, the attorney for Baum, had tried to convince Kahn that Baum should be spared prison time. Baum, a decorated Iraq war veteran, came back to America suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and experiencing kidney stones and common chronic back pain. He started taking opioid painkillers and was "prescribed into an addiction," Austin stated in court papers. Baum, he noted in court Wednesday, has been clean for two years. The judge was understanding, but still imposed the prison sentence. "You appear to be two different people, but the fact is it cannot excuse your conduct," Kahn told Baum. "In a sense, you turned on your own." Baum used his password to steal the painkillers intended for veterans from at least 25 syringes between April 8 and May 16 in 2014, according to federal court records. In February, Baum pleaded guilty to tampering with a consumer product, and obtaining controlled substances by deception and subterfuge. The licensed practical nurse stole syringes containing oxycodone hydrochloride, a highly addictive pain reliever used to treat severe pain, and replaced the drugs with Haldol or haloperidol, used to treat mental health disorders and uncontrolled movements and agitation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Rabe said Baum did not merely steal painkillers, but took oxycodone hydrochloride syringes in locked containers by typing in patients' names and hitting "cancel/remove." Baum opened the syringes, removed the oxycodone hydrochloride and replaced it with haloperidol, she said. "This is an extreme crime," Rabe told the judge. "Prescribing a drug you're not supposed to be taking can leave very bad effects." Baum's crime was uncovered in late 2014 when his supervisor noticed he was slurring his speech and his pupils were affected. Baum admitted he was addicted to painkillers and that he had replaced drugs. When offered a chance to speak, Baum, the father of a 6-year-old girl, said: "I want to say that I'm sorry and I want to continue to do well and continue to do well for my daughter." rgavin@timesunion.com 518-434-2403 @RobertGavinTU 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 Soul Fire Farm, in Grafton, is a bucolic postcard: Acres of crops spill over mulched beds and the first fruits and berries of summer ripen on hillside espalier trellises and mounded patches. A loyal dog Rowe meanders with gentle purpose, and chickens diligently scratch the earth for grubs, aerating and fertilizing the soil. A sun-heated house built from straw bales and local timber stands sentinel over the farm, with windows that reflect hazy mountains in the distance. As beautiful as Soul Fire Farm is, the daily tasks there point to a less beautiful cultural landscape of many social injustices. Leah Penniman and her husband Jonah Vitale-Wolff bought the property that is now Soul Fire Farm in 2007 with the idea of creating a farm focused on the role of food and farming as justice. The couple met at Clark University in Massachusetts and went on to various careers in education and agriculture before settling in Albany's South End. Penniman continues to teach environmental science part-time at Tech Valley High School in Albany, while most of Vitale-Wolff's time is spent on the farm. Together, they moved to the farm full time in 2010 with their two children and now work five of their 72 acres, harvesting from two acres of produce at a time, including small fruits like strawberries and cold-hardy kiwi. Chickens are raised for meat and eggs, and most of the produce is sold in what they call a "farmshare" that is based on the regenerative farming system promoted by the late Booker T. Whatley at Tuskegee University in Alabama. The program, which bears in mind the goal of an agrarian-based black middle class that Whatley pushed, delivers 80 boxes of produce a week to low-income neighborhoods in Troy and Albany. Payment for these boxes are made on a sliding-scale income basis, and EBT payment (what was formerly known as food stamps) is accepted. Soul Fire Farm does not deny participation in the program based on income. "We are committed to working with the most marginalized issues. It's a different economic model. It's about relationships. It's not just a model of selling," says Penniman. In the winter months, she works on relationship-building with the communities served, organizing neighborhood cooking nights and teaching customers how to use produce they receive, which tends to be culturally relevant crops like sweet potatoes and greens. Farming apprentices are critical in Soul Fire Farm's operations. Apprentices come for as little as a week, as long as 20 weeks, and there are three full-season interns living at the farm at a time. Many of them are minorities, and most of them will go on to manage farms or work in food justice. While there are many farm workers of color, few reach management positions or ownership of a farm. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's 2012 Census, Hispanics are the second largest group of farmers (3 percent of total farming population) and African-Americans are the third largest group (1 percent of total farming population). Only about 1 percent of owner-operators of farms are of color. Soul Fire Farm hopes that the training gained on their farm will help to augment the number of minority farm owners in the U.S. Project Growth, a program with Albany County District Attorney's office, was started by Soul Fire Farm in 2014 as a 50-hour training program alternative to incarceration for youth already in the court system. The program focuses on offering farm-related training, "in a way that honors their sovereignty and dignity and gives them real skills," says Penniman. Some of the kids are pushed to "proclaim guilt even if innocent" to avoid jail time, she says, and it can create a downward spiral, keeping these teenagers mostly young black men from finding viable work and educational opportunities. Many of the participants are skeptical and mistrustful of adults when they come into the program, but soon learn how to bond together and realize the potential of their own agency, just as generations before them have tried to do through agriculture. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter. Continuing on the incarceration theme, Soul Fire Farm is a partner farm for Victory Bus Project, which was started by the Freedom Food Alliance and VROOM Bus Cooperative based in New York City and the Hudson Valley. When state funding that provided busing for the family members of incarcerated people to make prison visits was cut, Victory Bus Project stepped in to give people a way to see loved ones. Instead of purchasing an actual ticket for the bus fare, riders pay for a box of produce with SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture) benefits, giving access both to see their family member and receive produce they might not have otherwise. "It's not smart to separate families, because it encourages recidivism," says Penniman, and it is why Soul Fire Farm participates in the program. Farm and travel costs are paid for by grants, private donations and the SNAP benefits. "I would like every single person in our area to have access to food that gives them life, not steals it," Penniman says. At Soul Fire Farm, food is a tool to create an egalitarian society, and every activity (like workshops held there by community action groups) is a way for the farm to serve a justice movement. Farming, says Penniman, taps into the ancestral roots that were stolen by slavery and sharecropping, and working the land is a chance to heal systemic trauma. Deanna Fox is a freelance food and agriculture writer. >www.deannafox.org> @DeannaNFox This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A show titled "Don't Talk To The Actors" becomes almost a dare to a reporter. And so I asked no, I demanded! that I be allowed to talk to one of the actors. Fortunately, the folks at Theater Barn in New Lebanon are an accommodating lot. Soon enough, an actor called me back to talk all about the comedy that opens Friday night for a run of eight performances. Shannon Paul explained that the bossy title isn't directed at newspaper people or at audience members either. In fact, the Theater Barn is known for its intimate, community feel. She promised that if you stick around after the show, talking with the actors is perfectly fine. "Don't Talk To The Actors" comes from the genre known as backstage comedy, which includes such classics as "Noises Off" and "Kiss Me, Kate." It's a lighthearted peak into the high drama and big egos that are part of putting on a show. More Information If you go "Don't Talk To the Actors" When: Opens 8 p.m. Friday and continues four eight more performances through July 3. Where: Theater Barn, 654 Route 20, New Lebanon Tickets: $25-$27. Call 794-8989. More information at: http://www.thetheaterbarn.org. See More Collapse According to Paul, midway through the script the high-strung playwright is ordered to keep his distance from the stars who will be debuting his first Broadway play. "Jerry's the playwright, and he gets more and more doubtful, more and more insecure about his play," she says. "The director reels him in at some point and says that it's going to be fine. Just let me give you this one piece of advice don't talk to the actors." Paul, who's 23 years old and based in New York, is in her second season of summer stock. That's long enough for her to know that "Don't Talk to the Actors" has an element of authenticity. "It's a delightful show," she says. "And it's a comedy, so it's exaggerated. But it gives a taste what could happen backstage." Actually, the setting isn't even backstage. It's the rehearsal room, where the mechanics of dialogue and blocking are run through over and over again during the period before a show actually moves into a theater. "When we saw the set for the first time, everybody said 'Oh, yes, I've been here,' " recalls Paul. "You're in this tiny rehearsal room with these same people for hours and hours on end. It's forced intimacy." The real playwright is Tom Dudzick. He's a native of Buffalo, who based the script on his own experience of being a novice in the field with a show making it to the Great White Way. With a string a plays on themes of Catholic upbringing and struggling inner cities of the Northeast, Dudzick has developed a following in community theater throughout the country. He's a particular favorite at Curtain Call in Latham, which most recently produced his "Miracle on South Division Street" in 2013. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter. Although this Dudzick play takes place in Manhattan, it still has some upstate humor. "There are several jokes about upstate," says Paul, "like 'Oh you crazy Buffalonian.' " Speaking of crazy, Paul's role is perhaps the most put-upon character of all. She plays the harried and perfectionist British stage manager. While obsessing about getting every cue and prop just right, she still finds time to give a stiff dose of reality to the suffering playwright. "I'm the first to crack his fantasy about the New York scene and remind him that he knows nothing," says Paul. Theater Barn regulars may remember Paul from last season's "A Murder Is Announced," the Agatha Christie who-done-it in which she played the Hungarian maid. "Once again," says Paul, "I get to be the cranky woman with an accent." Joseph Dalton is a freelance writer based in Troy. Albany Wardell Dale, who became the city's first black fire investigator, died June 15. He was 79. Dale was 10 when he and his brothers John A. Dale, the city's first black police chief, and Ular C. Dale moved from a farm in Mississippi to Albany with their mother, Ular Mae Dale. Their father died when they were young, Wardell Dale's daughter Stephanie Dale said, and Ular Dale was strict in teaching her sons. Her lessons gave Wardell Dale a competitive fire for the rest of his life. He joined the Army and served in Korea as an Airborne medical technician. When he returned to Albany, he held jobs at the morgue at St. Peter's Hospital, at a paper company and as a taxi driver. He joined the Albany Fire Department in July 1967. Always the competitor, Stephanie Dale said, he may have joined to compete with his brother on the police force. Wardell Dale was one of the first three black firefighters in Albany. Fire Chief Warren Abriel recalled Dale as a serious and quiet professional when they worked on Engine 1. When the station formed its fire investigation unit, Dale was one of the first eight selected. Shatoya Gibson said her grandfather faced discrimination when he joined the department. "He always had to work twice as hard as the other firemen to prove he was just as good," Gibson said. "Guys wouldn't want to sleep in the sleeping quarters when he was working." Stephanie Dale said her father told them, "Always know you got to work. You've got to take care of yourself." He would use a withering half-eye roll, often during spiels in the hallway before entering the home of a friend. He didn't want his children asking for things, Stephanie Dale said.Dale retired from the fire department in 1989. But retirement was difficult, and he didn't leave the house much for several years. Slowly, his daughter said, he found a new group to play pool and poker with. He wore blue jeans, a hat and a collared shirt with pockets to keep his betting tickets. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter. He preached the value of education and saw his daughters find work with the state Department of Transportation, the Thruway Authority and the Albany City School District. His son Joseph followed his footsteps and became an Albany firefighter. Wardell Dale often told stories to his four children, 22 grandchildren and 32 great-grandchildren. Stephanie Dale recalled a picnic at Thacher State Park around 10 years ago. All of the grandchildren were running and racing. Dale, in his 70s, had an odd gallop, his daughter said, but whenever he raced, no one could beat him. His funeral will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Metropolitan Baptist Church, 105 Second St., and he will be buried in Albany Rural Cemetery. jlawrence@timesunion.com 518-454-5467 @jplawrence3 THE ISSUE: The state Legislature passes a bill to have the state assume the costs of indigent defense. THE STAKES: Will the governor delay this another year? More Information To comment: tuletters@timesunion.com or at http://blog.timesunion.com/opinion See More Collapse In the closing hours of the legislative session last week, the state Senate passed a bill to have New York finally assume the full cost for providing legal counsel to poor people accused of crimes. Gov. Andrew Cuomo's signature would mark the beginning of the end of a 53-year struggle for greater justice for all. That struggle began when Mr. Cuomo was just 5 years old, and a Florida man named Clarence Earl Gideon won a case before the U.S. Supreme Court. Gideon v. Wainright established that states have the constitutional obligation to provide counsel for criminal defendants who cannot afford an attorney. But after the ruling, New York state decided to fulfill its constitutional duty on the cheap, requiring counties to pay most of the costs. It has resulted in unequal funding and representation from county to county, with public defenders in many areas overburdened with caseloads that prevent them from providing effective defense, or in many instances even meeting with clients before their court date, leaving them to languish in jail until their case is heard. The state has long known how unjust this system is, and what the results have been. Today, the state prison system is a tragic reflection of the racial, economic and educational inequalities that plague society: Nearly 75 percent of inmates are minorities, 41 percent never graduated from high school, and 16 percent had never been arrested before. Inadequate public defense, though not the only cause, is certainly one reason many inmates are there. In 2006, a state commission recommended overhauling the public defense system, including having the state take over funding and set standards for caseloads. Yet still no fix came until 2014, when the state settled a lawsuit brought in five counties. Even then, the funding and other changes applied only to those jurisdictions. For two years, other county leaders, including Albany County Executive Dan McCoy, have pushed for a statewide solution. Sign up for The Knick Get the latest news and features with our afternoon newsletter. Finally, the Legislature this year passed a bill sponsored by Assemblywoman Patricia Fahy, D-Albany, and Sen. John DeFrancisco, R-Syracuse, to provide statewide funding. But when the governor on Wednesday put out his list of accomplishments for the 2016 legislative session, this bill wasn't among them. His office says only that it will look at the bill. Mr. Cuomo has been known to reject late-session bills that have a cost to the state, arguing that budget talks are the place to discuss them. That would be a false argument in this case; the bill phases in the cost over seven years, starting in 2017. Poor people at risk of losing their liberty should not be kept as some budgetary bargaining chip. It's not every day that an elected official gets a chance to end an injustice that has gone on nearly his entire lifetime. Mr. Cuomo should join the Legislature, and not delay justice one more year. Roscrea Musical Society has picked up a major Theatre award at the Irish Musical Theatre Awards gala in Killarney. In a sell-out event in front of 1,200 musical theatre aficionados in the INEC, Killarney, the Association of Irish Musical Societies announced the winners of their annual musical theatre awards. Roscrea Musical Society were nominated for Best Overall Show, The Addams Family, runners up for Best Musical director for Mary Rose McNally and special congratulations go to winner of the Best Actor Award, Paul Spencer for his portrayal of Gomez in the Addams Family. Tributes poured in to Paul and Mary on Facebook from their colleagues in the Musical Society. Sean Hogan said: Fantastic well done Paul well deserved! while Josephine McNamara Longe said: Congratulations and well done Paul well deserved. Breda Delaney posted: Yay!! Well deserved and well done!! Xxx. Meanwhile, a Committee meeting will take place this Wednesday night (June 22) at 7.30pm in the Roscrea Youth Centre. The 2016 Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Roscrea Musical Society will take place on Wednesday June 29th at 8pm in Racket Hall Roscrea. All are Welcome Three Towne Square conference rooms will be outfitted with electrical work and furnishings, thanks to a recently awarded $95,000 grant from the USDA. The building was badly damaged by a fire on March 18, 2015, which completely destroyed its fourth floor. June 22, 2016 In recent years, there have been a number of cyber security attacks carried out on reputable organisations. Each time, millions of customers personal details ended up in the wrong hands. These attacks were successfully carried out as result of careless data handling by the data controllers themselves. Cyber Attacks on Reputable Organisations We can all recall the eBay cyber-attack in March of 2014 where hackers managed to steal a small group of employee logins. This gave them access to eBays (News - Alert) corporate network along with 145 million customers personal information. Hackers were able to access details such as the names, dates of birth, home addresses, phone numbers, email addresses and encrypted passwords. TalkTalk is another reputable organisation that was recently affected by a Distributed Denial of service (DDoS) attack. An attack which involved hackers disabling a number of TalkTalks networks as a distraction tactic whilst they managed to steal thousands of customers details including bank account numbers and sort codes. Protecting Important Organisational Data With such a massive scale of data breaches occurring from time to time we need to take a look at the various ways we can work to protect organisational data. Some of the ways employers can protect organisational data: Setting simple access right controls to limit read access across important network drives Setting a 2 step verification process for logging into organisational networks Implementing physical security controls such as CCTV & DDS security cameras on company premises Managing passwords (i.e. set systems to only allow strong passwords with a combination of special characters & numbers) Managing the destruction of sensitive company documents (i.e. using a shredder to destroy documents) PCI Data Encryption In 2004, American express, JCB international, Discover Financial Services, Visa Inc. and MasterCard (News - Alert) Worldwide formed the Payment Card Industry Security Standards Council. This group worked together to incorporate technical requirements for each of their data security and compliance programs. Some of these requirements include implementing strong access control measures, regularly monitoring and testing networks. TalkTalk admitted that they did not encrypt consumer data such as credit card details and telephone numbers. When interviewed about this TalkTalks CEO Dido Harding said; it was not encrypted, nor are you legally required to encrypt it. Whilst this statement is true, more could have been done to avoid this attack. They should have tested their systems regularly and monitored it more closely. At least some of the financial data for their customers should have also been encrypted. This would have minimised the effect of such a security breach. As a direct lender who handles personal customer data, we are required by law to encrypt some of the data we handle. We follow the Payments Card Industry Security Standards and regularly test our networks to ensure we meet all compliance regulations. Limiting our Social Media Transparency Nowadays, we are so transparent on social media and even list our employment information for all to see. All too often, hackers impersonate work colleagues once they have access to such information displayed on social media profiles. We need to ask ourselves the following questions: Is it really necessary to list all your projects, job title and the company you work for on your Facebook (News - Alert) profile? Can your full date of birth be found on social media? It could be worth just showing DD/MM (date/month) information here. Is your Facebook profile set to public? It could be worth setting your Facebook profile to private. Its really worth thinking about the kind of information we put out there for everyone to see. Conclusion It is fair to say that not all security systems are perfect and attacks of this nature do happen to even the most careful. Each of these cyberattacks have taught us a valuable lesson that consumer data in whatever form needs to be protected in a way that will reduce the chances of a security breach. Cyber criminals are developing increasingly sophisticated tactics to infiltrate corporate networks. Organisations need to apply encryption to sensitive data and stop these data leaks before they can start. Lets work tirelessly to build effective and secure systems so that these cyber-attacks can one day be a thing of the past. Author the Author Frederic Nze is the CEO and Founder of Oakam, a fintech company that provides simple financial services for people who find it difficult to borrow from banks. Edited by Peter Bernstein [June 22, 2016] From High Potential to High Growth: Dell 2016 Index Ranks Top 25 Global Cities for Women Entrepreneurs Today at the White House's Global Entrepreneurship Summit, Dell (News - Alert) announced findings of the 2016 Women Entrepreneur Cities Index (WE Cities), revealing the top 25 global cities fostering high potential women entrepreneurs (HPWE). WE Cities is the only global gender-specific index that looks at a city's ability to attract and foster growth in firms founded by women entrepreneurs. Cities, instead of countries, were identified in order to show the impact of local policies and programs in addition to national laws and customs. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160622005065/en/ Findings from the 2016 Dell Women Entrepreneur Cities Index (Photo: Business Wire) Findings from WE Cities will be used as a springboard for conversation and change at the seventh annual Dell Women's Entrepreneur Network Summit (DWEN)-a global gathering of 200 of the top female entrepreneurs, business leaders, media and Dell partners that is set to take place in Cape Town, South Africa, June 27-28, 2016. The theme for this year's summit is "Innovate for a Future-Ready World." "Innovation and job creation by women entrepreneurs is critical for a thriving global economy, yet our research shows some cities and countries are doing far more than others to encourage and support this important subset of the startup community," said Karen Quintos, senior vice president and chief marketing officer at Dell. "Our index provides insights to move the conversation with policymakers and city leaders from awareness to action and, in turn, to empower women entrepreneurs to have the greatest economic impact on the world." "Women entrepreneurs are our Country's best bet for economic growth," said Elizabeth Gore, entrepreneur-in-residence for Dell. "It's time for women to be politically engaged to ensure the right ecosystems are in place for them to scale. If politicians and entrepreneurs partner, dynamic policies can be put in place to close the circle and enhance the process from idea to enterprise. WE Cities can be used as a diagnostic tool to help ensure lawmakers are listening to their needs." Top 25 WE Cities Ranking & Methodology Building on the past four years of Dell's research on HPWE, five important categories of city characteristics were identified: capital, technology, talent, culture and markets. These pillars were organized into two groups - operating environment and enabling environment. The overall rating has 70 indicators, and, of these, 44 have a gender-based component. Individual indicators were weighted based on four criteria: relevance, quality of underlying data, uniqueness in the index and gender component. Overall Ranking 1. NEW YORK 2. BAY AREA 3. LONDON 4. STOCKHOLM 5. SINGAPORE 6. TORONTO 7. WASHINGTON, DC 8. SYDNEY 9. PARIS 10. SEATTLE 11. MUNICH 12. AUSTIN 13. BEIJING 14. HONG KONG 15. TAIPEI 16. SHANGHAI 17. TOKYO 18. MEXICO CITY 19. SAO PAULO 20. SEOUL 21. MILAN 22. DELHI 23. JOHANNESBURG 24. JAKARTA 25. ISTANBUL Index Highlights New York City ranks No. 1 overall among the 25 cities for its ability to attract and support HPWE with a top-ranked Operating Environment and an Enabling Environment ranked No. 5. While New York City ranks No. 1 for Markets and Capital, it is No. 2 in Culture and No. 4 in Talent. It tops the list for its performance in Policy Enabling Market Access and is No. 2 for the Frequency & Value of Funding to businesses with women entrepreneurs. and an ranked No. 5. While New York City ranks No. 1 for it is No. 2 in and No. 4 in It tops the list for its performance in and is No. 2 for the to businesses with women entrepreneurs. The Bay Area (consisting of the San Francisco and San Jose metro areas) ranks No. 2 overall, ranking No. 2 for Operating Environment and No. 6 for Enabling Environment . It ranks No. 1 for Talent and No. 2 for Capital & Markets, with a No. 1 rank for Access to Markets and the Frequency & Value of Funding to businesses founded and led by women. and No. 6 for . It ranks No. 1 for and No. 2 for & with a No. 1 rank for and the to businesses founded and led by women. London ranks No. 3 overall, performing second for Access to Markets , third for the Operating Environment and Capital. , third for the and Stockholm and Singapore round out the top five in the overall ranking. Stockholm is No. 1 for the Enabling Environment foundational pillar ranking No. 1 for Technology and No. 9 for Culture . foundational pillar ranking No. 1 for and No. 9 for . Singapore performs in the top third of the 25 cities ranked for Talent, Culture and Technology. About WE Cities Dell partnered with IHS-a leading source of insight and analytics that shape today's business landscape-to launch first-of-its-kind, global research that will measure a city's ability to attract and support high-potential women entrepreneurs. The 25 cities in the ranking were chosen from the list of 50 global cities in the Dell Future-Ready Economies (FRE) Model in order to make comparisons between the two indices, with geographic diversity utilized as key criteria in city selection. Research for WE Cities began during the 2016 DWEN Future Ready Research Symposium chaired by Dr. David Ricketts from the Technology and Entrepreneurship Center at Harvard. The research symposium brought together 40 global thought leaders, women entrepreneurs, academics and media to develop insights for the model. Key takeaways from the conversations at the Symposium included: Access to capital is still the No. 1 challenge that women entrepreneurs face, although the numbers are showing a slight improvement Creating robust ecosystems with incubators, accelerators and mentors makes a world of difference for entrepreneurs-it's all about the network Cultural norms and their policy implications put serious binds on female entrepreneurs 1776 and Dell Announce Startup Federation To help entrepreneurs in cities and economies that may not provide adequate resources for scaling businesses, Dell has partnered with 1776 to launch an international startup platform, Union, aimed at enabling the next billion entrepreneurs by supporting, connecting and removing barriers for entrepreneurs regardless of their location. Accessible through the Startup Federation-a worldwide network of startup campuses and mega-hubs-or virtually for entrepreneurs in remote areas, Union will provide entrepreneurs anywhere in the world the ability to reach the people, resources and education they need to take their ideas from seed to scale. Designed by 1776's team of engineers and aided by insights from incubators, accelerators, experts and hubs around the world, the platform enables entrepreneurs to: Find content & courses in business-building Tap elite mentors in their industries for advice Consult experts in skills like marketing, sales, engineering and human resources Connect with potential investors, customers and business partners "Dell's WE Cities research proves that millions of entrepreneurs are hampered by conditions in their local economies and policies," said Donna Harris, co-founder and co-CEO of 1776. "Entrepreneurs should be free to live wherever they want and have access to the same incredible resources. Our Union platform brings that idea to reality." About the Dell Women's Entrepreneur Network As the visionary outcome of a true entrepreneur, Dell is committed to help power the success of entrepreneurs by developing technology solutions that enable human potential. Through the Dell Women's Entrepreneur Network, Dell supports and nurtures a community of female entrepreneurs by providing access to technology, networks and capital. Learn more here. About Dell Inc. Dell Inc. listens to customers and delivers innovative technology and services that give them the power to do more. For more information, visit www.dell.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160622005065/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 22, 2016] Mandela Poster Project Makes Long-Awaited United States Debut The Mandela Poster Project has finally made its long-awaited debut in the United States. Last night, Kalahari Resorts and Conventions' owner Todd Nelson, his family and Ithateng Mokgoro, member of the Mandela Poster Project Collective, debuted the project to a crowd of nearly 100 at the Brooklyn Museum. More than 700 artists contributed to the project, which consists of 95 posters that chronicle the life and impact of Nelson Mandela. The project will be touring the United States this summer through displays at the various Kalahari Resorts properties in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, Sandusky, Ohio, and the Pocono Mountains, Pennsylvania. This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160622005864/en/ The Mandela Poster Project made its long-awaited debut in Brooklyn, NY on June 21. The collection is composed of 95 unique posters that chronicle the life, spirit and impact of Nelson Mandela. The project will now tour Kalahari Resorts and Conventions' properties through summer 2016. (Photo: Business Wire) "It's amazing to be able to partner with the Mandela Poster Project Collective to spread the spirit of Mandela through this one-of-a-kind collection," said Todd Nelson, founder and owner, Kalahari Resorts and Conventions. "Mandela has an unmatchable impact on the world, and this collection captures his significance beautifully. We look forward to touring the project throughout the country and continuing work with the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund in the future." In May 2013, a group of designers from South Africa, including Mokgoro and nine other members of the Mandela Poster Project Collective, came up with an idea to celebrate the life of Madiba (Mandela's clan name, used as a term of endearment) by collecting 95 posters from around the world, honoring his lifelong contribution to humanity. Within 60 days, designers from more than 70 countries submitted more than 700 posters. The submissions were curated, and 95 exceptional posters that captured Madiba's values ad the essence of the initiative were selected to form part of the Mandela 95 Poster Project Collection. The collection has been exhibited in South Africa and many other destinations around the world, including: Melbourne, Australia; Barcelona, Spain; Vienna, Austria; Tokyo, Japan; Ljubljana, Slovenia; Thessaloniki, Greece; Zagreb, Croatia; Salvador, Brazil; and now, finally, in New York City, USA. "Todd Nelson and his family's dedication to bringing the project to the U.S., and their passion for Africa, will help educate a new generation about Nelson Mandela's place in history," said Mokgoro, member of the Mandela Poster Project Collective. The Johannesburg-based graphic designer, who is also curator of the open-source, community-driven TEDxJohannesburg, went on to add that he and his team hope that "the Mandela Poster Project will serve to remind people of yet another valuable lesson to draw from Nelson Mandela's life: that self-organizing, decentralized, collective action is a powerful way to effect change." The Nelson family has been working to bring the Mandela Poster Project to the United States for the past few years - especially as their connection to Africa continues to grow. Today, the African spirit of Ubuntu (News - Alert), or "togetherness" - the philosophy that encompasses a belief in a universal bond of sharing that connects all of humanity - is reflected throughout every aspect of the company. The Mandela Poster Project is endorsed by the International Council of Design (ico-D) and is an officially recognized World Design Capital Cape Town 2014 project. The organizers, known as the Mandela Poster Project Collective, work for no personal gain and give freely of their time, expertise and resources. In December 2013, within a month of Madiba's passing, the collection was sold to the Design Institute, South Africa's national design promotion body. This apt and pivotal acquisition successfully achieved the aim of raising 100,000 USD toward Madiba's final legacy wish for a much-needed state-of-the-art health facility for the children of Southern Africa. That wish, in the form of the Nelson Mandela Children's Hospital, is now a brick-and-mortar reality and is expected to open sometime before the end of 2016. "For us, this proves that creativity, and design especially, can play an important role in easing solutions to many of the challenges that elude us," Mokgoro said. "And we don't even need to stop doing cool stuff to make that happen," he added. Next up for the Nelsons is a return to Africa in October 2016 for what the family calls a "Kalahari One World Tour" - an expansive set of adventures spanning 24,000 miles inspired by the spirit, humanity and culture of Africa. This fall, the family will be visiting Mandela's cell on Robben Island and will continue to partner with the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund in 2016 and beyond. For more information on the Mandela Poster Project or Kalahari Resorts and Conventions, please visit www.KalahariMedia.com. About Kalahari Resorts and Conventions Kalahari Resorts and Conventions in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, Sandusky, Ohio, the Pocono Mountains, Pennsylvania, and coming soon to Round Rock, Texas, delivers a "world-away" waterpark resort and conference experience beyond expectations. The authentically African-themed Kalahari Resorts, privately owned by the Nelson family, is home to America's largest indoor waterparks. All Kalahari Resorts feature well-appointed guest rooms, full-service Spa Kalahari, a fully equipped fitness center, on-site restaurants, unique retail shops and a state-of-the-art conference center. Kalahari Resorts and Conventions frequently receives awards and accolades for its guest and convention services. Recent recognition includes: Conde Nast Traveler's #1 World's Coolest Indoor Waterparks, 2016 Family Vacation Critic Favorite, TripAdvisors' 2016 Travelers' Choice Awards, 2015 Reader's Choice USA Today's 10 Best Indoor Waterparks, January 2015 OpenTable's Diners' Choice Award for Double Cut Grill's signature dining experience for the second consecutive year, Silver Star recognition for Best Family-Friendly Meeting Hotel and Resort in Smart Meeting's 2014 Smart Stars Awards, Clean the World's Top 50 Hot Properties in 2013, the Daily Herald's 2014 Reader's Choice Awards for Best Indoor Waterpark, selection as one of the nation's Top Family Resorts by Family Fun magazine for 2013, being named the Best Conference Center in the state by the Wisconsin Hotel and Lodging Association and selection as the Corporate Meeting Destination of the Year by Cleveland Business Connects magazine. For reservation and guest information, call 1-877-KALAHARI (525-2427) or visit KalahariResorts.com. To learn more about Kalahari Resorts, members of the media are encouraged to visit KalahariMedia.com. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160622005864/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 22, 2016] More Financial Institutions Join Ripple's Global Network Ripple, the global provider of financial settlement solutions, today announced the addition of seven financial institutions to its growing network. Santander, UniCredit, UBS, ReiseBank, CIBC, National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD), and ATB Financial are among the latest banks to adopt Ripple to improve their cross-border payments. "We've reached a tipping point where financial institutions are moving beyond blockchain experimentation and projects to real world applications that are driving significant bank-to-bank volume," said Ripple CEO and co-founder Chris Larsen. "This is a major step forward for the global financial system, and as the Ripple network grows, together we are paving the way for new connected commerce opportunities and growing demands for real-time, high volume, low value global payments." These leading banks are taking advantage of Ripple's distributed financial technology to drastically reduce the time and cost of settlement and enable new types of high volume, low value global transactions. While the use cases vary by geography and business objective, the majority of these financial institutions have successfully transferred actual money via Ripple, and all are aiming to implement the technology in commercial production. "Blockchain and related technologies are a paradigm shift from the status quo and increasingly a major focus of innovation for us," said Paolo Cederle, CEO of UniCredit Business Integrated Solutions (News - Alert). "That's why we're committed to moving beyond the lab and testing environments. Through our partnership with Ripple, we are optimizing our global payments and one of the first major banks to implement distributed financial technology in a commercial setting." As the only provider of enterprise blockchain solutions, Ripple's growing, global network includes 12 of the top 50 global banks, 10 banks in commercial deal phases, and over 30 bank pilots completed, among many others also using Ripple's solutions. Today's news follows Santander UK's announcement last month that the bank has introduced a Ripple-powered mobile app that is available to employees within a staff pilot. The app allows cross-border payments between 10 and 10,000 to be made at any time of the day, with the funds appearing in the recipient's account the next working day. Santander intends to expand the technology at a later date. Several of the banks also commented on their use of Ripple technology: "Using blockchain technology, ATB Financial became the first financial institution in Canada to complete an overseas payment in a matter of seconds," said Curtis Stange, ATB's Chief Strategy & Operations Officer. "Without blockchain, that transaction would have taken two to six business days. Blockchain is transforming the way we store and move value. While there's still a great deal to learn, the transaction we performed proves we can significantly reduce the time it takes to move money across borders. This could revolutionize banking for our customers." "NBAD is continuously exploring opportunities to provide exceptional customer experience. Blockchain and distributed ledgers will enable our clients to seamlessly send payments across our network in the most efficient and cost effective way," said Ramana Kumar, Managing Director & Head of GTB Business and Product Management at NBAD. "Ripple will enable our clients to access a wider network more efficiently and with full visibility and transparency." "Distributed ledger technology has the potential to transform the financial industry and greatly improve our client experience by making it easier and faster to move money globally," said Phil Griffiths, Senior Vice President, Global Transaction Banking at CIBC. "Working with partners like Ripple, we are excited to be collaborating on this journey to be at the forefront of these innovative new developments for our clients." To learn more about Ripple's solutions and relevant use cases for financial institutions, please visit Ripple.com. About Ripple Ripple provides global financial settlement solutions to ultimately enable the world to exchange value like it already exchanges information - giving rise to an Internet of Value (IoV). Ripple solutions lower the total cost of settlement by enabling banks to transact directly without correspondent banks and with real-time certainty, optionally using the digital asset XRP to further reduce liquidity costs. Banks around the world are partnering with Ripple to improve their cross-border payment offerings, and to join its growing, global network of financial institutions and market makers. Ripple is a venture-backed startup with offices in San Francisco, New York, London, Sydney and Luxembourg. As an industry advocate for the Internet of Value, Ripple sits on the Federal Reserve's Faster Payments Task Force Steering Committee and co-chairs the W3C's Web Payments Working Group. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160622005370/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 21, 2016] Fulton Center Awarded Prestigious LEED Green Building Certification NEW YORK, June 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Arup, the interdisciplinary engineering, consulting and design services firm has announced the certification of LEED Silver for The Fulton Center. Developed by the USGBC, the LEED rating system is the foremost program for buildings, homes, and communities that are designed, constructed, maintained, and operated for improved environmental and human health performance. The Fulton Center, a modern subway interchange that revitalizes post-9/11 Lower Manhattan, is an important hub for the more than 300,000 transit riders who pass through the center's 11 subway lines and New Jersey PATH connection each weekday. Reuniting six separate subway stations in the blocks around the World Trade Center, City Hall Park, and Broadway, is the Fulton Center, which also includes the intricate historic preservation and restoration of the landmarked Corbin Building as an entry and retail pavilion and office location. One of the first transit centers in the United States to seek certification under the LEED system, the Fulton Center was designed in accordance with New York State Governor's Executive Order 111, promulgated in 2001. It is the first MTA subway station facility to be awarded a LEED certification, a designation achieved by implementing practical and measurable strategies and solutions to achieve high performance in sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality. "The use of the LEED rating system," ntes Arup Principal Fiona Cousins, "was instrumental in keeping both the design and construction teams focused on realizing sustainable performance over the long life of the project." Through the celebration of mass transit, adaptive reuse of historic structures, maximization of natural light, and enhancement of the indoor environment, the design team integrated powerful sustainable design concepts in ways that will improve facility performance as well as benefit millions of riders. The improved subway experience will encourage the use of public transportation for New Yorkers and visitors. In addition, the facility has achieved tremendous outcomes including a 25 percent energy savings and 40 percent water savings compared to similar facilities. Over 50 percent of the electricity consumed in the Fulton Center comes from renewable energy sources while over 30 percent of construction materials used throughout the project contained recycled content and over 50 percent was locally sourced. Arup's project director, principal Craig Covil who helped lead the project for over 11 years, says, "A fundamental goal was to optimize the Fulton Center's dynamic system performance in terms of comfort and amenity, functionality, resource and energy efficiency, economic return and the life-cycle value to enhance human health and productivity." "The Fulton Center's LEED certification demonstrates tremendous green building leadership," says Rick Fedrizzi, CEO and founding chair, USGBC. "The urgency of USGBC's mission has challenged the industry to move faster and reach further than ever before and the Fulton Center is a prime example of just how much we can accomplish." "As you stand in the space today, you can see the major use of natural sunlight to help intuitive way finding, and reduce energy use. The facility air is tempered and noise mitigation measures have been utilized to improve overall comfort felt by commuters, public, tourists and workers within the facility." About Arup Arup provides planning, engineering, design, and consulting services for the most prominent projects and sites in the built environment. Since its founding in 1946, the firm has consistently delivered technical excellence, innovation, and value to its clients, while maintaining its core mission of shaping a better world. Arup opened its first US office more than 30 years ago and now employs 1,300 people in the Americas. The firm's employee-ownership structure promotes ongoing investment in joint research to yield better outcomes that benefit its clients and partners. Visit Arup's website, www.arup.com, and the online magazine of Arup in the Americas, doggerel.arup.com, for more information. Contact: Tami Hausman [email protected] 646.742.1700 Contact: Rebecca Maloney [email protected] 617.412.6632 Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130826/MM69714LOGO To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/fulton-center-awarded-prestigious-leed-green-building-certification-300288275.html SOURCE Arup [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 21, 2016] Pivot Technology Solutions Announces Results of Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders and Grant of Stock Options TORONTO, June 21, 2016 /CNW/ - Pivot Technology Solutions, Inc. ("Pivot" or the "Company") (TSX-V: PTG), today announced that the Company's shareholders approved all resolutions put to the Annual and Special Meeting of the Shareholders, which were disclosed in the Corporation's Management Information Circular dated May 16, 2016 and put forth for voting at the meeting. Shareholders Meeting The shareholders appointed as directors of the Company to hold office until the close of the next annual meeting of the Company's shareholders, the following nominees: John Anderson, Warren Barnes, David Beck, Wade Dawe, Stephen Moore, Kevin Shank and Douglas Stuve. In addition, E&Y LLP, Chartered Accountants, were reappointed as auditors of the Company. The shareholders also approved and ratified the Company's incentive stock option plan pursuant to which the number of common shares reserved for issuance for options granted is 10% of the Company's outstanding common shares from time to time (calculated on a rolling basis). The Company also announces shareholders voted in favor of the Company's proposed consolidation of its common shares on the basis of one (1) post-consolidated common share for every four (4) pre-consolidated common shares held. The Company currently has 169,495,226 common shares issued and outstanding and the Company will have approximately 42,373,806 common shares issued and outstanding post-consolidation. It is anticipated that the share consolidation will become effective at a date to be determined by the Board and subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval. Grant of stock options> The Company also announced that under the Company's Incentive Stock Option Plan, as approved at today's Annual and Special Meeting and by the TSXV, Directors, officers, employees and consultants have been awarded stock options to purchase an aggregate amount of 8,550,000 common shares at a price of $0.40 per share for a term expiring June 21, 2026 and vesting over a two year period. About Pivot Technology Solutions, Inc. Together with its portfolio companies and partners, Pivot delivers solutions that enable organizations to design, build, implement and maintain computing and communication infrastructure that addresses their unique business needs. Pivot's approach supports improvement of business performance, helps organizations reduce capital and operating expenses, and accelerates the delivery of new products and services to end-customers. With over 2,000 customers, many of whom are Fortune 1000 companies, Pivot extends its value added solutions to help organizations of all sizes improve operating efficiency, reduce complexity and enhance service delivery through virtualization and cloud computing. Pivot enables businesses to extend their enterprise through mobility solutions to better connect business partners and customers. Pivot has offices throughout North America and can be found online at www.pivotts.com. Forward Looking Statements This news release contains statements that, to the extent they are not recitations of historical fact, may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding the expected effective date of the share consolidation and the assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. Pivot uses words such as "may", "would", "could", "will", "likely", "expect", "believe", "intend" and similar expressions to identify forward-looking statements. Any such forward-looking statements are based on assumptions and analyses made by Pivot in light of its experience and its perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, including the assumption that all regulatory and corporate approvals for the share consolidation will be received prior to the expected effective date. However, whether actual results and developments will conform to Pivot's expectations and predictions is subject to any number of risks, assumptions and uncertainties. Many factors could cause Pivot's actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in this news release. These factors include, without limitation: the risk that regulatory and corporate approvals for the share consolidation will be delayed or deferred. The "forward-looking statements" contained herein speak only as of the date of this press release and, unless required by applicable law, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise such information, 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 release. SOURCE Pivot Technology Solutions, Inc. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 21, 2016] EXO U Announces Changes in Senior Management MONTREAL, June 21, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ - EXO U Inc. ("EXO U" or the "Corporation") (TSX Venture: EXO) today announced that Chief Executive Officer, Kevin Pawsey, has resigned as Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation effective July 12, 2016 in order to spend more time with his family. Jim Kirchner, currently Senior Vice President of Business Development of EXO U, will succeed Mr. Pawsey as Chief Executive Officer upon Mr. Pawsey's departure. Mr. Pawsey will remain a director of the Corporation. Mr. Pawsey, who joined the Corporation in August, 2015 as Chief Operating Officer, was promoted to Chief Executive Officer in October, 2015. In his time with EXO U, Mr. Pawsey led the Corporation in bringing Ormi and Ormiboard to market, hiring an exceptional management team and setting the stage for the Corporation's future success. "I believe we have come a long way in the last year with the launch of Ormi in January, with the recently announced Ormiboard at Infocomm2016 and with Ormi U (our higher Education offering) nearing completion," said Mr. Pawsey. "I will continue to deal directly with Tyton Partners in accomplishing the objectives set out in our recently announced strategic agreement and will attend ITSE on behalf of the Corporation later this month to continue driving market awareness and demand for EXO U's products with teachers. Since joining EXO U, Jim has been instrumental in formulating and refining our strategy based on his experience taking EXO U to market. Jim is someone who I have consulted frequently during the last 10 years due to his business acumen and extensive understanding of the market and I look forward to continuing to work with him as a member of the Board". "On behalf of the Board of Directors, I would like to thank Kevin for his dedication and accomplishments in his leadership positions at EXO U," said Shan Ahdoot, President and Chairman of the Board of the Corporation. "We are fortunate that Kevin will continue on as a member of the Board where his keen insights and experience in the industry will grealy aid the Corporation in its future success. The Board also congratulates Jim on his appointment and looks forward to working with him in his new role." Mr. Kirchner is a senior executive with over 20 years of experience and a proven history of success in the education technology sector. Prior to joining EXO U in October 2016, Mr. Kirchner was Senior Vice President at Amplify, Inc., an education technology company and subsidiary of News Corp, where he led a team growing Amplify's revenues to over US$80 million. Before joining Amplify, Mr. Kirchner was a founder and CEO of LearningStation, a leading formative assessment SaaS solution that had major customers including the states of Arizona, Kansas and several large districts in the US prior to being sold. On commenting on his new role at EXO U Mr. Kirchner said, "I am proud of the work started with (Kevin) Mr. Pawsey and look forward to continuing the efforts he initiated. I am honored to be selected and excited to lead EXO U into the future." About EXO U EXO U's shares trade on the TSX Venture Exchange under the ticker symbol "EXO". EXO U develops an innovative software platform that enables businesses and educational institutions to securely mobilize and manage their mobile workforce and students by delivering engaging experiences spanning desktop and mobile applications. At the core of EXO U's platform is the smart and agnostic EXO engine that unifies multiple software platforms, allowing devices to interact and communicate seamlessly together. For more information, visit EXOU.com or follow us on Twitter @exo_u. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information Certain statements included herein, including those that express management's expectations or estimates of EXO U's future performance or future events, constitute "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Such forward-looking information and statements are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as ""plans", "expects", "estimates", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases (or the negative form thereof) or statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might", or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking information is necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management at this time, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, regulator and competitive uncertainties and contingencies that could cause actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. For additional information with respect to certain of these and other assumptions and risk factors, please refer to EXO U's management's discussion and analysis for the year ended March 31, 2015, available under the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Forward-looking information contained herein is presented as of the date of this news release and the Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results, except as may be required by applicable securities laws. 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, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. 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 EXO U Inc [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 21, 2016] Asian Cyber Security Vendor of the Year: Penta Security Systems Honored for 2016 SEOUL, South Korea, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- On June 15, Penta Security Systems Inc. was awarded the honor of Frost & Sullivan Asian Cyber Security Vendor of the Year. The award was given at this year's 13th annual Frost & Sullivan Asia Pacific ICT Awards Banquet in Singapore. Frost & Sullivan selected Penta Security Systems after concluding evaluations with a team of 30 analysts and consultants based in the Asian-Pacific region. Analysts examined a variety of indicators including revenue growth, market share, leadership in product innovation, major customer acquisitions, and business and market strategy. Specifically, Frost & Sullivan noted that Penta Security continues to make headway into new industries with its smart car security solution - AutoCrypt. AutoCrypt detects vehicular attacks from external systems utilizing its Application Layer Firewall, and has garnered significant attention with th increase in the news of vulnerabilities in smart cars. CEO and Founder Seokwoo Lee attended the annual ICT Awards Banquet in Singapore in order to receive the award. Regarding reception of the award, he stated, "We are honored to receive the Asian Cyber Security Vendor of the Year award. It affirms the 19 years of hard work we have put into the development of information security." He added, "We will continue to pursue excellence and growth in web and data security - not only in APAC, but worldwide." Having built relationships globally among enterprises and institutions, Penta Security Systems has grown rapidly along with the rise in demand for web and data security products. In 2015, its web application firewall (WAF), WAPPLES, was acknowledged by Frost & Sullivan as the leading WAF in the APAC region in terms of market share. The top WAF in Korea for three consecutive years, WAPPLES boasts a COCEP (Contents Classification and Evaluation Processing) engine, rather than traditional pattern-matching methods utilized by other cyber security vendors. About Penta Security Penta Security Systems Inc. was founded in 1997 by CEO Seokwoo Lee, and the company is a market-leading provider of web and data security products, solutions, and services in the APAC region. Penta Security protects more than 117,000 websites and blocks more than 108,000,000 web attacks per month. Recognized by Frost & Sullivan, Penta Security Systems is the top Web Application Firewall vendor in the APAC Region based on market share. For more information on Penta Security, please visit www.pentasecurity.com/en. For potential partnership inquiries, please send an email to [email protected]. For more details on the Asia Pacific ICT Awards, please visit http://www.ict-awards.com/. Contact: Esther Jeohn Penta Security Systems Inc. +82-2-2125-6676 [email protected] Photo - http://photos.prnasia.com/prnh/20160621/0861606080 [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 21, 2016] Capital Springboard Peer-to-Peer Invoice Financing Platform Launched in Singapore SINGAPORE, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Capital Springboard (S) Pte Ltd launched today a peer-to-peer financing platform for savvy accredited investors seeking high returns on short-term invoices. Investors benefit from annualised returns of 11-25% depending on the grade of risk of the invoice, during a 90-day investment window. The higher the grade of risk, the higher the returns. The Singapore pilot that started in July 2015, has already seen S$80million[1] worth of invoices being traded. Roger Crook, CEO of Capital Springboard says, "We are thrilled to be launching officially in Singapore. Singapore is a global financial hub and a market with a sizable SME sector that requires access to capital. Our Singapore pilot proved very encouraging with over 1,300 invoices worth S$80 million funded and we look forward to keeping the momentum. Capital Springboard's peer-to-peer investing platform is intuitive and user-friendly. The platform is supported by a strong team with expertise in finance and business. We will provide accredited investors the opportunity to invest in an exciting new asset class, and to earn an attractive return when the invoice is paid. We also look forward to providing accessible capital for SMEs in Singapore to fund their growth. Importantly all investors and SMEs have to undergo a rigorous on-boarding and screening process before qualifying to participate with us." Accredited Investors can open a Capital Springboard trading account held by escrow agent, Vistra Trust (Singapore) Pte. Limited, with a minimum investment of S$50,000 and withdraw their undeployed funds at any time. Vistra Trust is regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). Capital Springboard's platform will innovate the way small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) fund their growth through accessible capital upon three days of the invoice being successfully submitted. SMEs will only incur a one-off origination fee of 2% of the amount advanced to them. SMEs with an invoice minimum of S$25,000, registered in Singapore and in business for at least a year, will be allowed to participate in the peer-to-peer investing platform. SMEs are vetted by Capital Springboard's experts for credit worthiness and financial strength in order to minimise risks imposed on investors. Backed by Centurion Portfolio Managers, a London based FCA regulated investment advisor, the Capital Springboard team is comprised of a credible team of experts with a strong track record in business and finance. Media contacts Cognito Asia Capital Springboard Prisita Menon/Mariko Braswell Pollyanna Wan Tel: +65-6221-7310 Tel: +65-8764-4321 [email protected] [email protected] About Capital Springboard Capital Springboard (S) Pte Ltd was founded in July 2015 and is a Singapore registered company. It is an online marketplace using state of the art technology to allow investors to purchase short term invoices in Singapore. These invoices are from local businesses who sell the invoice at a discount to their face value. Investors realise a return when the invoice is paid by the debtor. Capital Springboard's founding team has rich experience in the financial services arena, and all participate actively in investments on the platform. As of 31 May 2016, there were S$80million invoices transacted on Capital Springboard. For more information on Capital Springboard visit: www.capitalspringboard.com [1] S$80 million worth of invoices as of 31 May 2016. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 22, 2016] Improved Healthcare Delivery Models across Africa Transform the Industry, Says Frost & Sullivan CAPE TOWN, South Africa, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The pharmaceutical industry, followed closely by healthcare information technology (IT), in Africa is predicted to experience substantial growth in 2016. A host of factors are anticipated to have a positive effect on the African healthcare industry. Increased investment in both the pharmaceutical and healthcare IT sectors will see local business flourish in South Africa, Kenya, Ethiopia and other emerging economies. A host of factors are anticipated to have a positive effect on the African healthcare industry. These include a rising middle class, introduction of local manufacturers, and support from national governments. Handheld medical devices, mobile health (mHealth), micro health insurance, and in-country manufacture of drugs will also gain momentum, resulting in vast improvements to client care delivery models. New analysis from Frost & Sullivan, 2016 Africa Healthcare Industry Outlook, finds that the global shift towards value-based healthcare is improving the provision of health in Africa. The study details forecasts for 2016 in therapeutics, medical products and healthcare IT, and will assist stakeholders within industry to design solutions and strategies that efficiently meet the demands of the market. For complimentary access to more information on this research, please visit: http://frost.ly/i1. "Despite the poor economic status of African countries, there is a collective drive to reduce and eliminate the incidence of life threatening diseases in Africa," notes Aditi Bhalla, Frost & Sullivan Industry Analyst for Global Transformational Health. "Key enablers for this drive will include eHealth technologies, like mHealth and point-of-care testing (POCT). MHealth and video telemedicine solutions are already being used to streamline patients' data, while innovative, easy-to-use POC and home diagnostic solutions assist with accelerating access to care." Furthermore, low-ost pharmaceutical drugs and equipment will be specifically designed for Africa and will substitute traditional, costly options. In-country production of drugs will increase, with prominent industry manufacturers and brands entering the market, leveraging joint ventures with governing bodies, and assisting in skills training of community healthcare workers for improved healthcare solutions. "With Mega Trends analyses indicating that Africa is the only continent with the potential to achieve double-digit economic growth within the next decade, healthcare vendors, providers and regulatory bodies will do well to synchronise their services for transforming health in Africa," said Bhalla. "The preference for private healthcare solutions, primarily due to the increasing per capita income in sub-Saharan Africa, makes it essential for private vendors and providers to keep abreast of the changes in the industry." To address these needs, Frost & Sullivan's Global Transformational Health team has created a common platform for healthcare industry stakeholders to access relevant information and strategize for a profitable future. The research, titled 2016 Africa Healthcare Industry Outlook, is part of the Advanced Medical Technologies Growth Partnership Service program.The study outlines the current state-of-affairs of the healthcare industry in Africa while offering detailed forecasts for various industry segments including pharmaceuticals, medical devices, patient monitoring, medical imaging equipment, in vitro diagnostics (IVD), and healthcare IT. Recent studies offered under the same subscription include: Market Opportunity for Knee and Hip Replacement Products in East Africa, Healthcare System Development in Tanzania & Ethiopia, The Transformation of the American Hospital: 20152020, Analysis of the US and Western European Atrial Fibrillation Market, 2016 Global Outlook for the Healthcare Industry, Analysis of the U.S. Breast Imaging Systems Market, The North American Patient Handling Systems Market, Development of Value-based Imaging, and Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare, among others. All studies provide detailed market opportunities and industry trends evaluated following extensive interviews with market participants. 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? 2016 Africa Healthcare Industry Outlook MBCE-54 Contact: Samantha James Corporate Communications Africa P: +27 21 680 3574 F: +27 21 680 3296 E: [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 22, 2016] TitanHQ Enters the US Education Sector Through Partnership With the Douglas Stewart Company TAMPA, Fla., June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- TitanHQ (@TitanHQ), the Galway based world leader in email and web security solutions for business, today announced a major distribution deal in the United States with The Douglas Stewart Company. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160622/382276LOGO Under the agreement, The Douglas Stewart Company, a leading distributor and marketer of computer products, consumer electronics and school supplies exclusively serving the education market, will distribute TitanHQ's cloud based web filtering and gateway solutions to its network of more than 4,500 academic resellers in the United States and Canada. The partnership highlights the continued growth of TitanHQ and its focus on becoming the No. 1 web filtering provider for Wi-Fi. Educational organisations are focused on providing students and teaching staff with a safe and secure internet enabled learning environment. The elimination of web based threats such as malware and ransomware allied with the blocking and control of inappropriate content is key to achieving this. "We're delighted to announce this exciting partnership with The Douglas Stewart Company. We're seeing growing demand in the education sector for our email and web security solutions and have concentrated our product development in this area. Our simple, cloud based, cost-effective and easy to use web filtering solutions are appealing to educational organisations when compared to the complex and expensive deployments of the past" states Ronan Kavanagh, CEO of TitanHQ at today's announcement. Chuck Hulan, CEO, The Douglas Stewart Company, commented: "At Douglas Stewart, we recognize that the e-security landscape is constantly evolving. The unrelenting demand for campus wide BYOT further galvanizes the requirement for the most robust policies and best technology. "The introduction of Web Filtering and Email Anti-Virus solutions to The Douglas Stewart Company portfolio will enhance our partner capabilites to deliver turnkey solutions to their clients and by utilizing TitanHQ technology they can deliver true excellence in e-security," he concluded. Eric Simpson, Alliance Manager at TitanHQ, will be attending the ISTE 2016 Conference in Denver on June 27th where TitanHQ will sponsor The Douglas Stewart Company's annual networking event on Monday evening. About TitanHQ TitanHQ provides organisations worldwide with comprehensive network security protection through their award-winning suite of email and web security solutions. In operation since 1999 TitanHQ has a deep understanding of the increasingly complex IT threats that face IT professionals today. Offering organisations a comprehensive, cloud-based, affordable, subscription-based suite of security solutions that incorporates the latest spam and virus protection, web filtering and email archiving technology. It's been a scintillating 2016 for TitanHQ who were awarded an exclusive Red Herring Top 100 award in addition to their recent Secure Computing, Computer Reseller News and Virus Bulletin Awards. With an impressive 95% customer retention rate the company has customer in 129 countries worldwide. Headquartered in Galway, Ireland, the company also operates a US office in Tampa, Florida as well as 75 partner offices worldwide. For more information, please visit www.titanhq.com. About The Douglas Stewart Company The Douglas Stewart Company, a leading education distributor specializing in technology, education software, and supplies, links more than 270 manufacturers with over 4,500 academic resellers in the United States and Canada. With a solid focus on the demand for Mobile Learning solutions, the company represents a strong ecosystem of products and vendors to assist in the evolution of the digital classroom. The Douglas Stewart Company's exceptional knowledge of the education marketplace and a holistic array of solutions and services add value to its business by focusing on innovation and the mutual success of its partners. Its subsidiary, Douglas Stewart EDU, provides similar services to 36 countries in Europe. The Identit-e service division exemplifies Stewart's value-added initiative with its global student verification services. Based in Madison, Wisconsin, and founded in 1950, The Douglas Stewart Company is a privately held business. For more information, please visit www.dstewart.com Press Contacts Geraldine Hunt [email protected] www.TitanHQ.com Angela Bluhm [email protected] www.dstewart.com 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 To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/titanhq-enters-the-us-education-sector-through-partnership-with-the-douglas-stewart-company-300288691.html SOURCE TitanHQ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 22, 2016] Projects Sought for $50-million Oil and Gas Clean Tech Program OTTAWA, June 22, 2016 /CNW/ - Supporting clean technology will improve the environmental performance of Canada's oil and gas sector and will help address climate change while Canada transitions to a low-carbon economy over time. Budget 2016 provided $50 million over two years to support the development of clean technologies for Canada's oil and gas sector. This could include next-generation extraction technology to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from oil sands operations, or innovations that reduce fresh water use or improve air quality. Canada's Natural Resources Minister, the Honourable Jim Carr, today announced the Government of Canada is seeking proposals to access the Oil and Gas Clean Tech Program. Projects selected under the fund will demonstrate industry-led clean technologies that, once commercialized, could be more widely adopted across the oil and gas industry to improve environmental performance and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions both domestically and globally. This initiative also helps Canada meet its Mission Innovtion commitment to double its 20142015 funding of $387 million for clean energy and clean technology research and development to $775 million by 2020. Under Mission Innovation, Canada stands with 20 governments and the European Commission, which agreed to double their respective investments in transformative, clean energy research and development over five years, encourage private sector investment in clean energy technology and increase collaboration among participating countries. The Government of Canada will continue to support a clean-growth economy to help Canada access global clean energy markets and create jobs. Quote "Investing in innovative cleaner oil and gas technologies will help Canada sustainably develop our natural resources and improve our global competitiveness. I look forward to the innovative projects that will come forward and to improved oil and gas environmental performance as we transition to a low-carbon economy." Jim Carr Canada's Minister of Natural Resources Associated Links: Request for Proposals - Submission Page Canada's Mission Innovation Follow us on Twitter: @NRCan (http://twitter.com/nrcan) NRCan's news releases and backgrounders are available at www.news.gc.ca. SOURCE Natural Resources Canada [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 22, 2016] Taiwan Excellence to Showcase @ SummerFest "The World's Largest Music Festival" MILWAUKEE, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- There will be a new addition to the music and fun at SummerFest this year. From July 5 through 10, Taiwan Excellence will be an exhibiting sponsor at the annual festival, displaying award-winning Taiwanese products and providing ongoing demonstrations. For the first time in Milwaukee, the Taiwan Excellence showcase aims to increase consumer awareness for the most innovative products made in Taiwan and offer an opportunity to experience their world-class quality firsthand. At the exhibit, visitors will be able to participate in games, win prizes and witness demonstrations of the award-winning products. Taiwan is America's 9th largest trading partner, with over $66.6 billion in goods traded last year. "Through product demonstrations and interactive activities, SummerFest attendees will get the chance to experience the innovative quality of Taiwanese products not yet on the market, giving them a fun experience and building their excitement for consumer goods made in Taiwan," says Joseph Liang-Fu Sun, director of the Economic Division, Taipei Economic and Cultural office in Chicago. Here is a sampling of interactive Taiwan Excellence products visitors to SummerFest will have an opportunity to see and experience: computer hardware like the 805 Infinity chassis, home goods including Aervana - the world's first electronic wine aerator, and incredible light-weight folding bicycles that open and fold in just seconds!! Americans who love bikes can experience a few outstanding choices including the Pacific Cycles NEW REACH folding bike and the STRiDA EVO folding bike; gamers should be sure to check out the eSPORTS Theron plus Smart Mouse and other gaming accessories; musicians will enjoy instruments like the LC Saxophone; and even children's toys will be displayed, including the Mozbii stylus. (View product sampling at: http://origin-qps.onstreammedia.com/origin/multivu_archive/ENR/TaiwanExcellence.pdf) In addition to Milwaukee, Taiwan Excellence will visit Pomona, New York, New Delhi, Taipei, the Philippines, and Mumbai. Mr. Sun adds, "We want the world to know of the Taiwan Excellence Products - we are very proud!" The Taiwan Excellence exhibit will be situated near the Marcus Amphitheater on the south end of Henry Maier Festival Park throughout the second-half of SummerFest, July 5-10. For more about Taiwan Excellence and to view all 69 innovative products on display at SummerFest, visit www.taiwanexcellence.org. CONTACT: Pre-Event: Dori Wilson Public Relations, 312-951-7575, [email protected] On Site: Max Dease, 331-234-0298 Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160622/382337 To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/taiwan-excellence-to-showcase--summerfest-the-worlds-largest-music-festival-300288814.html SOURCE Taiwan Excellence [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] What you need to know about Colts starting quarterback Sam Ehlinger You have reached a premium content area of Transitions. To read this entire article please login if you are already a Transitions subscriber. Not a subscriber? Subscribe today for access to: Full access to the website, including premium articles videos, country reports and searchable archives (containing over 25,000 articles). The debate surrounding the issue of female representation in Australian music continues to rage. This time, the senior booker for Aussie bush doof Strawberry Fields has responded to critics after the events first round lineup featured no female acts. The issue was brought to the forefront of Australias local industry dialogue last week after some, including triple j alumni KLP and Nina Las Vegas, criticised the organisers of Spilt Milk festival for booking just one female amongst its lineup of 16 acts. Responding to Strawberrys all-male lineup, Facebook user Kate Pern took to the events official page to write, Cool all-male lineup so far bros. Pern accompanied her post with an image of the Strawberry Fields logo donning a fedora. Perns post racked up more than 350 likes and numerous comments, with many echoing her sentiment. So far so absolutely not good enough, Strawberry Fields, one user wrote, prompting a response from Strawberry brass who quoted their senior booker, a female. When we were booking the first round this year we looked [at] a bunch of major female talent in the end all of them were either unavailable, outside our budget, or not the best musical fit given what else we had confirmed, the statement read. When we were looking at those acts though, the inspiration wasnt their gender, it was their music. Thats what I find really interesting about this debate, I mean, Im female and Im not about to discriminate against my own gender but is this really about gender or about music? Behind the scenes putting together the bill each year takes months and months, and there are so many factors that go into it, and so often we dont get our first choices, but as soon as we start trying to focus on how many men there are versus women, arent we losing sight of the point? I think its great that people are finally vibing more on female talent, and there a lot more out there these days, but as soon as we start acting like we need to fill a gender quota, the music comes second. Booker Tara Benney then took to her personal Facebook account to elaborate on her previous statement, recounting her 10-year history in electronic music, during which shes encountered misogyny, like artists shes booked assuming Im some dudes girlfriend'. So am I surprised that there are people here that are concerned about gender balance in the music industry? No way, she continues. What I have a serious problem with is the immediate accusation that we deliberately ignored females because its too hard to do otherwise, or that we deliberately booked only men. Whats our selection process in choosing acts? Pretty simple. We like their music, they are available and interested to play at the festival, and we can afford to make that happen on their terms. It would be nice if booking a line-up was as simple as emailing everyone you wanted to be on it, them saying Hells Yeah! and then jumping on a plane. The reality, is just a touch different, Benney adds, describing the laborious lineup process. We spend months working well beyond your average working week exploring options, enquiring, pursuing, negotiating, adjusting offers and to be completely blunt being rejected much of the time. The competition to book acts in this country is beyond fierce, and there are many factors that can quash a desire to book someone. [include_post id=481640] Physical distance from the rest of the world, the fact that many acts either dont want to make such a long trip or will do so only once a year, the fact that it will often only be viable if you can organise a national tour which is obviously dependent on venues and promoters in other cities The truth is that GENDER BIAS PLAYED ABSOLUTELY NO PART in the decisions made. When I picked it, I was using all the means available to us to try and share music I enjoy with others. To apologize for that is to disregard the hard work and honest passion that myself and others put into every single day. As Tone Deaf noted last week, in order to see more female acts on Australian music festival lineups, or indeed lineups anywhere in the world, the onus must not only be on organisers but on we the punters as well. Support plays a huge role. That said, ultimately the power to turn opening acts into headliners lies with promoters and bookers and one can be almost certain theres plenty of up-and-coming female acts in Australia who would kill for an opportunity to appear at Strawberry Fields. Community radio music directors often have an encyclopedic knowledge of local music and an insatiable thirst to keep their ears ahead of the curve. So in this Tone Deaf series, the Australian Music Radio Airplay Project (Amrap) invites music directors to highlight new Aussie tunes that you might have missed. In this edition, Gloria Brancatisano from Melbournes SYN Radio contributes with a selection of tracks currently making their way to community radio through Amraps music distribution service AirIt. Check out Glorias selections below and if youre a musician you can apply here to have your music distributed for free to community radio on Amraps AirIt. Tired Lion Not My Friends Finally weve got some new music from Tired Lion, and it is HUGE. Melodic guitar licks and hooky singalongs give just enough breathing space for the pounding drums and blaring distortion to hit you right in the face. This track is destined for a live setting and with the power and raw emotion from vocalist Sophie Hopes audiences will be right behind it. The throwback pop culture references in the video are pretty darn great too! Alexander Biggs Out In The Dark There is something so incredibly beautiful and comforting about this track. Not sure if its the simple acoustic melody or Biggs silky smooth vocals but all I want to do is spend a night under the stars, in front of a fire. Its delicate and soft, layered with earnest songwriting creating something complicated and making it sound so damn easy. Chymes Oracle The pairing of Cameron Taylor and Kiersten Nyman is the perfect combination of textured production and delicate vocals. It is all kinds of dreamy, from Nymans ethereal vocals to the lush instrumentation allowing the track to drift along. The addition of Taylors vocals creates an intimate tenderness while still ensuring Orcale remains perfectly restrained. Surely debut singles arent meant to be this good. Miles De Carteret Honey Speaking of stellar debut singlesHoney comes from the pairing of Miles De Carteret and Danny Barwic. The five years of touring with other projects, including the notorious Bareback Titty Squad, gives this duo a real confidence and dare I say it, maturity. This track is literally as slick as Honey and itll stick in your head much the same. That soft guitar melody and gradually building synth line are the perfect pairing to Carterets soaring vocals. Its soothing and hypnotic and that chorus is a whole lot of fun. Soft Corporate Boats Though this is Soft Corporates first single, their history as When We Were Small ensures that their first foray is solid. Pulsing bass and airy vocals create a lush soundscape before those guitars build into a surging crescendo that brilliantly fade into nothing- until you hit repeat of course. Breathtaking, packed with emotion and intelligently measured- I look forward to what comes next. Self Talk Clean Washing Self Talk just dropped their debut EP Seeing What I Want To See and its full of punchy pop rock. This tune is probably their catchiest track yet, sure to please any crowd- even if its over way too quickly. Tight instrumentation, honest lyrics and gripping hooks- short, energetic and charmingly relatable. Mary Handsome No Hot No More YYYYEEEEEEEEEAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! No Hot No More is all smooth verses that explode into sound and force you to sing along. The band has said this track draws on the fact that they are coming into their own as artists, and if thats the case then I like where Mary Handsome are heading. Keep going that way. Hellions Quality of Life Hellions started out from the ashes of one of my favourite local bands The Bride, but with a stack of great singles and a couple of stellar albums, the band are definitely standing on their own. Continuing to prove why they are one of the most exciting heavy bands rising through the Aussie ranks, the soaring choruses and tropical infused riffs in this one combine for an empowering, anthemic listen. Posi vibes all round. UNIFY Gathering promised next year would be their biggest event yet and thats just what theyve delivered with one absolutely massive lineup topped by none other than Alexisonfire and Violent Soho. Punters heading to Tarwin Meadows will also get to witness explosive sets from the likes of Northlane, Every Time I Die, The Getaway Plan, Letlive, Thy Art Is Murder, Luca Brasi, and many more. This two-night, three-day camping experience will be taking place in Gippsland, Victoria, about a two-hour drive from Melbourne, and organisers cannot wait to show punters what theyve been working on. Speaking recently in an interview, organiser Luke Logemann said he and his UNIFY colleagues have been paying attention to the feedback from punters over the last few years and UNIFY 2017 will be something special. Logemann promised more toilets and shade, less dust, lots of new food options and well try not to sell out of merch in the first few hours this time. There will also be a new VIP experience available to ticket-holders. Ive always been sceptical of this kinda stuff, Logemann admitted, but so many fans have requested those options that we decided to give it a shot. Those will be available as ticket upgrades from 29 June onwards. UNIFY 2017 is where we establish this festival as an event people look forward to and trust for decades to come. Check below to see the full UNIFY Gathering 2017 lineup now. UNIFY Gathering 2017 Alexisonfire Violent Soho Northlane Every Time I Die The Getaway Plan Letlive Thy Art Is Murder Luca Brasi House vs Hurricane I Killed The Prom Queen Moose Blood Storm The Sky Counterparts Deez Nuts Trophy Eyes King Parrot Ocean Grove Saviour Columbus The Dirty Nil Polaris The Brave Bare Bones Justice For The Damned Drown This City Ocean Sleeper Friday, 13th January Monday, 16th January 2017 Tarwin Meadows, Gippsland VIC (18+) Tickets: UNIFY Gathering Because the world can occasionally be a wonderful place to live and things can sometimes go right, David Lynch, the legendary director behind iconic pop culture staples like Twin Peaks and Blue Velvet is hosting his own music festival. As Consequence of Sound reports, David Lynchs Festival of Disruption will kick off this October at The Theatre at Ace Hotel in Los Angeles and as you may have guessed, the lineup of performers is something truly, well, Lynchian. The Festival of Disruption will include appearances from none other than Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant and his Sensational Shape Shifters, as well as St Vincent, Questlove, and Rhye, and Sky Ferreira and Xiu Xiu, who will be performing music from Twin Peaks. Stars of Blue Velvet and the upcoming Twin Peaks continuation Kyle MacLachlan and Laura Dern will give talks during the festival, as well as comedy legend Mel Brooks, and Blondies Debbie Harry and Chris Stein. Therell also be screenings of rare Lynch shorts and his classic features, as well as daily Transcendental Meditation sessions. If we didnt know any better, wed say that sounds like a Lynch film unto itself, which is so meta it belongs in a Lynch film "KC's top child sex abuse lawyer, Rebecca Randles, is in St. Louis today, filing a suit on behalf of a KC man who says he was molested by an eastern Missouri priest. The now-dead cleric, Fr. Charles DeGuire, is the 50th St. Louis area priest to be publicly accused of sexually victimizing kids. In the KC MO diocese there are 25 publicly accused predator priests and in the KC KS archdiocese, there are 12 (according to BishopAccountability.org)" A note today from local victim's rights advocates taking the case of a local man to the next level and showing a pattern of abuse among Missouri and Kansas Catholic faith community leaders . . .Developing . . . BLAZING HOT TEMPERATURES DURING THE KANSAS CITY MIDDAY HAVE KEPT MOST TOY TRANS EMPTY!!! From our blog community with more than a bit of irony: "Looks like ridership is finally starting to pickup. This photo was taken at around midday." "Yes, it's pretty simple. Public transit around Kansas City slows and empties when it's hot like this but I think the impact for streetcar could be worse because tourists are staying in their neighborhoods, going to pools or other air-conditioned spots. So much of Downtown Kansas City is corporate and during the day it's not designed for tourists trying to beat the heat. Even the swimming pool is private and for members only . . . Extreme temperatures can be brutal in KC and the streetcar is no exception." About the clocks not working on the streetcar line and the Transit app for buses. It's free. Just download it to a smart phone. No need for million-dollar "Smart City" kiosks downtown! God forbid our local TV stations or The Star would cover something like this and bus transportation when they think the streetcar is so much more fashionable! Oppressive Summer heat in Kansas City haveworried about the impact on the streetcar.Never mind all the power drained from the Downtown grid to operate this rolling transit experiment.Let's talk environmental concern . . .Along with, we havetestimony . . .We asked around . . . This is the response we got back . . .Speaking of new hotness,An insightful Kansas City denizen reminds us:Remember thatso we're hopingwill prove more successful as ridership is clearly suffering because of the weatherand the misguidedphilosophy.Developing . . . Waiver reinstatement for Greece does not mean that Greek bonds will be eligible for the ECB's Quantitative Easing program The European Central Bank is considering the possibility of reinstating the waiver to allow Greek government bonds to be used as collateral in ECB lending. This announcement came by ECB chief Mario Draghi on Tuesday, as he addressed the European Parliaments Economic Affairs Committee. According to Draghi, the ECBs governing council is considering the waiver in light of the ESMs recent decision to disburse 7.5 billion euros towards Greece. The ECB chief though was quick to point out that such a development does not mean that Greek bonds will necessarily be eligible for the Quantitative Easing program (QE), since a debt sustainability analysis must first be carried out. Nevertheless, the ECB chief reported that the situation in Greece will continue to improve and stabilize and underlined that the new legislation on non-performing loans (NPLs) is crucial, as it will allow banks to better manage them. He further explained that this will help restore confidence and lift the capital controls. RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report President Pavlopoulos argued that Greece has done everything required and called for support to carry on The President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker was received by the President of the Hellenic Republic Prokopis Pavlopoulos at around 11am on Tuesday. Mr. Juncker will later meet with PM Alexis Tsipras and participate at the annual general meeting of SEV as a keynote speaker. During the meeting President Pavlopoulos argued that Greece has done everything has been required and asked for the support of the institutions in carrying on with the efforts. The Greek President also stated that Athens is not seeking a haircut of its debt, but rather relief as outlined in the ESMs regulations. Finally, Mr. Pavlopoulos praised the efforts of the European Commission President in the effort to keep Greece in the Eurozone, which he estimated secured the unity of Europe and noted that Greece cannot exist without Europe, but Europe can also not exist without Greece. Mr. Juncker agreed with the Greek President, arguing that Greece and Europe go together and expressed his pleasure at returning to Athens. The EC chief explained that Greece still has some distance until it returns to prosperity, but added that the Greek efforts are being recognized. The European Commission President further noted that for the first time the bailouts will not be on the agenda with Greece, but rather the refugee crisis. Mr. Juncker also praised the Greek efforts in addressing the crisis and stressed that Europe must stand in solidarity to Greece, which is more exposed to the crisis than other countries. Read more here. RELATED TOPICS: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations , Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report Tourexpi, turizm haberleri, Reiseburos, tourism news, noticias de turismo, Tourismus Nachrichten, , travel tourism news, international tourism news, Urlaub, urlaub in der turkei, , holidays in Turkey, , global tourism news, dunya turizm, dunya turizm haberleri, Seyahat Acentas, This site is best viewed with Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0+, at a minimum screen resolution of 1024 x 768. Omans State General Reserve Fund (SGRF) has signed a deal with Ireland-based Kenmare Resources for a $100 million equity investment in the mining company, a report said. The deal with the SGRF is part of a new $275-million capital raising by Kenmare, added the Oman Observer report. The investment will give SGRF up to 29.2 per cent of Kenmare, the report said, citing Financial Times. Michael Carvill, managing director at Kenmare said: We are pleased that we have signed an agreement for the investment of $100 million by SGRF and are encouraged by the level of interest shown by a broad range of investors in the capital raise. Early indications of investment from three of the main shareholders of Kenmare, in combination with lender underwriting position the company well to achieve the minimum target of $275 million. 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. 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. With increased power stability at the mine, 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, he added. Vectrus, a major provider of infrastructure asset management, information technology (IT) and network communication services, said one of its subsidiaries has won a $26-million modification to a base operations and support services contract in Qatar. The deal was awarded to Vectrus Systems Corporation by The Army Contracting Command, Rock Island, Illinois. The cost-plus-fixed-fee contract, first awarded in September last year, is for day-to-day base operations and maintenance for the area support group in Qatar, as well as its tenant organisations at Camp As-Sayliyah, and Camp As-Sayliyah-South. The contract is expected to be completed by the end of September next year. Vectrus is a leading, global government services company with a history in the services market that dates back more than 70 years. The company also provides and logistics and supply chain management services to US government customers around the world.-TradeArabia News Service Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) will begin construction on a major bauxite mine in the Republic of Guinea, to secure supply of the high-quality raw material for its primary aluminium production facilities in the UAE. EGA also aims to create a new, substantial revenue stream through significant exports to Asia, a company statement said. EGA announced it has received final approval from its board of directors to launch the first phase of the mine, to be managed through its subsidiary, Guinea Alumina Corporation (GAC). The project will develop an initial 12 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) bauxite mine in the Republic of Guinea, where the company holds a concession on more than 1 billion tonnes of bauxite. The project will also include the construction of a dedicated export terminal at Port Kamsar and upgrades to existing rail infrastructure for in-land logistics. Guinea holds the worlds largest and highest quality reserves of bauxite, the raw material used in the production of aluminium. The mine is scheduled to begin production in 2018, with plans to export bauxite via Port Kamsar to the Middle East and Pacific markets. The development of this bauxite mine builds on EGAs strategy to integrate its current smelting operations with world-class upstream assets, thus reducing its dependency on third-party suppliers for critical raw materials. EGA is also currently constructing the UAEs first alumina refinery, on a site adjacent to its Al Taweelah Operations aluminium smelter in the Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (KIZAD). The 2 Mtpa alumina refinery will reduce EGAs dependency on alumina imports by more than 40 per cent. Abdulla Kalban, managing director and chief executive officer of EGA, said: This investment builds on our plan to secure EGAs supply chain and capitalize on growth in the third party bauxite market. Despite the prevailing challenges facing the aluminium industry, we remain confident in the long-term outlook for the sector, and believe it is the right time for us to invest in high-quality, cost-competitive assets. We have built a strong presence in-country with the support of the government and people of Guinea, and we will continue our work to support local communities there including training of more than 200 Guineans in the UAE for deployment to key roles in our business, he added. The mine development project is estimated to create approximately 4,000 direct and indirect jobs in the Boke region, increase Guineas GDP by more than 10 per cent annually, and solidify Guineas position as the worlds largest exporter of bauxite, thus providing a significant uplift to the countrys foreign earnings. Global demand for high-quality bauxite, particularly in China, is expected to grow significantly over the next decade. EGA has plans for further investments in Guinea upon the successful completion of the bauxite export mine, including the development of an alumina refinery. EGA prides itself in the development of projects to exacting global standards of community and environmental responsibility, with substantial investments made to date and to be further developed through the life of the project. EGAs areas of focus include community health centres (5 delivered to date), provision of clean water (26 wells delivered to date), primary and secondary education (schools for more than 5,500 children constructed), vocational training (approximately 500 trained to date) and SME development (thousands of adult literacy beneficiaries and financial assistance for SMEs), as well as investments in protection of habitats for rare and endangered flora and fauna. EGA is one of the worlds leading aluminium companies with interests in bauxite/alumina and primary aluminium smelting; with plans for significant local growth and international expansion. The companys two operating sites in Abu Dhabi and Dubai (UAE) currently produce 2.4 Mtpa of primary aluminium. TradeArabia News Service Irans tyre market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of over 12 per cent over the next five years, according to a new report from TechSci Research, a research-based global management consulting firm. The report, titled "Iran Tyre Market Forecast & Opportunities, 2021", highlights the anticipated growth in automobile production and sales as one of the major factors behind the expected boost in tyre sales over the next five years in the country. Moreover, lifting of sanctions by the western countries and anticipated economic revival in Iran are further projected to increase the demand for tyres through 2021, said the report. The UN Security Council and P5+1 nations (China, France, Russia, UK, US, and Germany) imposed various sanctions on the country after Iran refused to suspend its uranium enrichment programme. The freedom to export and import automobiles and tyres was restricted for Iran with the imposition of these sanctions. However, due to multilateral talks between Iran and P5+1 nations, most of the sanctions on the country have been lifted, and a Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPoA) has been signed by both the sides in July 2015. This move is expected to boost the automobile as well as tyre market in Iran in the coming years, added the report. The construction sector in Iran is forecast to grow during 2016-2021, which is being backed by various major projects slated for completion in the coming years and having a cumulative worth of $200 billion, it said. Additionally, housing demand in the country is forecast to reach 1.2 million units by 2020. Besides that, the country's motorisation rate, which stood at 170 vehicles per 1000 individuals in 2014, is expected to grow in the coming years, with the overall automobile fleet in the country having increased at a CAGR of 5.75 per cent during 2010-2014. All these factors are expected to positively influence the tyre market in Iran over the next five years, it added. Karan Chechi, research director at TechSci Research, said: Barez, Goldstone, Yazd and Kavir are few of the major domestic tyre manufacturing companies, while Hankook, Kumho, Continental, Bridgestone and Michelin are the major global tyre companies operating in Iran. Owing to restrictions on the operations of various major international tyre brands in Iran, domestic tyre brands dominated the country's market during 2011-2015. However, with the lifting of sanctions, various global companies are planning to enter or re-enter the country's tyre market, which is a huge positive for the country's automobile industry, including the tyre market, he added. TradeArabia News Service Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the UAE have been ranked among the 25 most expensive cities to live in the world, according to the latest Cost of Living Survey published by Mercer, a global consulting leader. The global rankings see Dubai as the 21st most expensive city in the world, a rise of two places in comparison to last year, with Abu Dhabi, 25th in world, changed from 33rd last year. The two UAE cities have experienced a rise in their world rankings in this respect, following the wider Middle Eastern trend of GCC countries becoming more expensive. Rob Thissen, talent mobility consultant at Mercer Middle East, said: The main reason Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and in fact almost all cities in the Middle East increased in rank, is that their currencies are pegged to the US Dollar, with Riyadh for instance currently rated more expensive than Rome. The Middle East has multiple locations situated in the worlds top hundred, with a strong showing primarily from the GCC countries. Several cities experienced a jump in the rankings, as they are pushed up by other locations decline, as well as the strong increase for expatriate rental accommodation costs, particularly in Abu Dhabi and Jeddah. One Levant city, Beirut, is positioned as the third most expensive city in the Middle East and 50th globally, down from 44th last year; which is tied with nearby Amman, Jordan, also 50th, representing a rise of four places from last year. Returning to the GCC, Riyadh is the 57th most expensive city in the world, a significant difference from its 71st place last year; Manama, Bahrain sees its ranking at 71st, differing from 91st last year; Doha is 76th, up from 99th last year; Muscat comes in at 94th, jumping from 117th last year; Kuwait City is 103rd, also climbing from 117th position in 2015; lastly Jeddah is 121st, a change from 151st last year. These rankings uniquely combine day-to-day expenditure on goods and services such as food, clothing and transportation, with rental prices. While prices of most goods and services are considered to be cheaper in Saudi Arabia compared with Europe, it is the expatriate rental market that pushes cities like Riyadh and Jeddah up the ranking, Thissen said. What this means is that once again, cities in our region have become more expensive to send people to, with expatriates expecting increased cost of living and housing allowances. To the contrary, when sending staff out of the Middle East, multinationals have to be wary that cost of living allowances are likely to go down, and have to clearly explain and communicate this to their staff to avoid lengthy discussions, he added. North America Cities in the United States have climbed in the ranking due to the strength of the US dollar against other major currencies, in addition to the significant drop of cities in other regions which resulted in US cities being pushed up the list. New York is up five places to rank 11, the highest-ranked city in the region. San Francisco (26) and Los Angeles (27) climbed eleven and nine places, respectively, from last year while Seattle (83) jumped twenty-three places. Among other major US cities, Honolulu (37) is up fifteen places, Washington, DC (38) is up twelve places, and Boston (47) is up seventeen spots. Portland (117) and Winston Salem, North Carolina (147) remain the least expensive US cities surveyed for expatriates. Canadian cities continued to drop in this years ranking mainly due to the weak Canadian dollar. The countrys highest-ranked city, Vancouver (142), fell twenty-three places. Toronto (143) dropped seventeen spots, while Montreal (155) and Calgary (162) fell fifteen and sixteen spots, respectively. Europe and Africa Two European cities are among the top 10 list of most expensive cities. At number three in the global ranking, Zurich remains the most costly European city, followed by Geneva (8), down three spots from last year. The next European city in the ranking, Bern (13), is down four places from last year following the weakening of the Swiss franc against the US dollar. Several cities across Europe remained relatively steady due to the stability of the euro against the US dollar. Paris (44), Milan (50), Vienna (54), and Rome (58) are relatively unchanged compared to last year, while Copenhagen (24) and St. Petersburg (152) stayed in the same place. Asia Pacific This year, Hong Kong (1) emerged as the most expensive city for expatriates both in Asia and globally as a consequence of Luandas drop in the ranking due to the weakening of its local currency. Singapore (4) remained steady while Tokyo (5) climbed six places. Shanghai (7) and Beijing (10) follow. Shenzhen (12) is up two places while Seoul (15) and Guangzhou, China (18) dropped seven and three spots, respectively. Mumbai (82) is Indias most expensive city, followed by New Delhi (130) and Chennai (158). Kolkata (194) and Bangalore (180) are the least expensive Indian cities ranked. Australian cities have witnessed some of the most dramatic falls in the ranking this year as the local currency has depreciated against the US dollar. Brisbane (96) and Canberra (98) dropped thirty and thirty-three spots, respectively, while Sydney (42), Australias most expensive ranked city for expatriates, experienced a relatively moderate drop of eleven places. Melbourne fell twenty-four spots to rank 71. TradeArabia News Service Halal ingredients constitute a global market estimated at $245 billion, according to a report issued by Thomson Reuters in partnership with Salaam Gateway and DinarStandard. The report focuses on Halal ingredients across the global food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics industries. It identifies more than 300 Halal ingredients that are manufactured globally and consumed by high-growth Halal/ Muslim customer segment. The report features ingredients that are most effected by Halal compliance processes, such as gelatin, pepsin (used commonly in cheese), and carmine (food colouring). The report outlines the key players addressing the Halal ingredients opportunity in the food, pharmaceutical products and cosmetics industries, and also highlights the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) imports of halal ingredients which reached $33 billion in 2015. Mustafa Adil, head of Islamic Finance, Thomson Reuters, said: We are proud to provide an insightful perspective of the Islamic economy trends and opportunities. The topic of Halal ingredients is an important one given that sourcing these ingredients continues to be a key challenge for many food, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals companies that seek to address Muslim demand. The report outlines opportunities for prospective players in the Halal ingredients market, including companies, private equity investors, and e-commerce platforms. Haroon Latif, director of Strategic Insights at DinarStandard and Lead Analyst, said: There will be an upwards growth trajectory in the size of the Halal ingredients market the status quo cannot continue. Muslim consumers will become more aware of what they are actually eating and eventually standards will become stringent and more widely applied. TradeArabia News Service Iran's leading car manufacturer Iran Khodro Company (IKCO) and France's PSA Peugeot Citroen have signed a deal to set up a joint company in Iran to produce Peugeot cars, a report said. The joint investment for launching the company for a five-year run will amount to 400 million ($450.3 million), with the two sides bringing in 50 per cent each, added the Iran Daily News report. The contract was signed by IKCOs CEO Hashem Yekkeh Zare and PSA's Middle East and Africa (MEA) executive vice president Jean-Christophe Quemard. The signing ceremony, which was held at Irans Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade, and was attended by Industry Minister Mohammad Reza Nematzadeh. Zare said production will begin by March next year, starting with the models - Peugeot 2008 and will then gradually move on to models 301 and 208. Of this, 30 per cent will be exported, he added. As part of the plan to highlight Bahrains overall tourism offering, the Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) today unveiled a new segment which will promote the kingdom as a prime wedding destination. The plan was launched at a press conference held at the Bahrain Exhibition and Convention Centre in the presence of various stakeholders representing the vibrant industry including wedding planners, fashion designers and florists. The two-year plan focuses on promoting the kingdom as an attractive wedding destination and other related events by developing the sector and promoting the local talents in various fields such as fashion, music and make-up. The tourism sector in the kingdom boasts a wide range of offerings and benefits and our plans to focus on the wedding sector is a part of the diverse portfolio that Bahrain can offer its visitors, said Shaikh Khalid bin Humood Al Khalifa, chief executive of BTEA, at a press conference held at the Bahrain International Exhibition and Convention Centre. "Bahrain has so much potential in terms of developing the tourism sector," Shaikh Khalid said. "However, one of the main ones we are focusing on now is the wedding destination concept. As the tourism sector, we are very much business-oriented so with each event we organise, we make sure it contributes to the economy, right down to the average taxi driver. Dr Ali Hassan Follad, the advisor to the BTEA, delved deeper into the tourism authority's action plan for 2016-2017 unveiling that Saudi Arabia and India would be the key target markets, apart from other countries. In the coming months, the authority will be working to promote the wedding concept through various channels. It will host a two-day workshop, supported by an international accredited company, on September 18 and 19 to discuss the potential of the wedding destination market and further indentify ways to market the concept and make it a success. Later in October, major wedding management companies from India and Saudi Arabia will be invited to Bahrain to familiarise them with what the kingdom has to offer. We will be promoting the plan through various channels including social media, the tourism website and across the MBC channels, Shaikh Khalid added. The promotional and marketing campaign, through online videos, social media and MBC television channels will be lauched by the end of October. BTEA will also take part in the annual Jewellery Arabia exhibition, held from November 22 to 26, to further promote the kingdom as a wedding destination. The stand will include top fashion designers from Bahrain and the region. Also included in the plan is a three-day wedding fashion show focusing on wedding gowns from all over the world. The authority also revealed plans to participate in the fourth annual Destination Wedding Planners Congress, the largest event of its kind, being held next May in Phuket, Thailand, to further promote Bahrain as a top wedding destination. The plan will focus on promoting wedding venues such as the desert, island, beach and Bahrain International Circuit (BIC). - TradeArabia News Service There is a lot of history here, and a great future. Way back in the early days of Treehugger, our first writer, Meaghan O'Neill, wrote about the Wee House, with a wee photo and a wee paragraph. Around that time I was in the prefab biz and met Steve Glenn, who was just starting Living Homes; we covered it when the photos were just a bit bigger. He and Geoffrey Warner, founder of Alchemy Achitects and entrepreneur behind the weeHouse, are both true pioneers in modern prefab and tiny living, and are still at it. Alchemy Architects / LH1 Exterior Now they are working together and have introduced a line of wee accessory dwelling units (ACUs) ranging from 310 to 600 square feet, inspired by the weeHouse. Plant Prefab founder Steve Glenn says in the press release: Since Alchemy has long been an expert in designing for prefabricated building methods and a pioneer in sustainable design, and weve already completed two projects together, it was easy for us to partner together to offer a set of unique, ultra-efficient, standard LivingHomes for the market. Geoffrey Warner ripostes: Having worked together to build two prior homes in California, were confident that Plant Prefab is the right partner to bring our ADU designs to this market. The lightHouse is intended to be a beacon for sustainable living; Plant Prefab has built up its reputation around sustainable building practice. The specs sound appealing, with "thoughtful details, such as window nooks that double as seating and guest sleeping areas, laundry, and flexible storage spaces, provide utility where it matters most. Carefully-chosen finish options ensure that the units can blend in with their surroundings and adapt to different climates, a key consideration for building on the West Coast." Plant Prefab/ Alchemy Architects But as is so often the case, it is the planning that makes these things a success or failure, and this is where Geoffrey Warner has been refining his designs for the last fifteen years. Here are 380 square feet of really usable space with a generous bathroom. I am also intrigued by this (2) bench + sleeping concept. It's shown as the same depth as the kitchen counter, which is camp cot width, but it's a lot less work than unfolding a sofa bed. Alchemy Architects I wouldn't mind living in this 480 square foot unit, especially if it comes with that view. But it also has a very interesting plan: Alchemy Architects My first thought was, why is the kitchen out in the living space when there looks to be enough room in (7) laundry/mechanical/storage to fit a galley kitchen? On reflection, I conclude that ADUs should be designed for universal accessibility, which that bathroom is big enough for, as is the open kitchen. A galley might be too tight. You can also never have enough storage. Alchemy Architects There are lots of options in size and layout: "Thirteen floor plan variations allow customers to achieve their ideal space, siting, and view, regardless of lot limitations. Configurations range from a compact studio to a one-bedroom unit atop a two-car garage, accommodating just about any end use." Plant Prefab has figured how to do it affordably, with entry-level units starting at $170,000: Construction of all LivingHomes is made significantly more efficient with use of the Plant Building System (PBS), Plant Prefabs patented, hybrid system for building prefabricated homes. PBS uses a combination of Plant Modules and Plant Panels, a new panelized construction system developed by Plant Prefab, which include plumbing, electrical, and finish materials. By integrating both modules and panels, PBS provides architects with greater design flexibility and reduces the complexity and cost of transportation and installation. Fifteen years ago when I was working in prefab, Steve Glenn, Geoffrey Warner, and I were all trying to make "great architecture more accessible, affordable, and sustainable." I didn't have the talent or the discipline, but Steve and Geoffrey stuck it out, survived the Great Recession (a lot of others didn't), and are launching lightHouse LivingHomes at a very difficult and precarious time. On the other hand, the timing might be excellent; there may be a big demand for retirement downsizing, home offices, or rental units. As for me, it is such a pleasure to see two people that I have known and admired for 15 years working together. They will do great things. The traditional Korean rice wine makgeolli is establishing a strong presence at supermarkets and convenience stores in Japan. CJ Cheiljedang said its own brand of canned makgeolli will add further momentum to the market as it has gone on sale in 10 of 11 Japanese convenience store chains and major shopping outlets starting Wednesday. The company said it has made arrangements for its product to be available in 25,000 out of 43,000 convenience stores across Japan, accounting for 60 percent of the stores, and 70 percent of the supermarkets, in the country. "This is the highest penetration rate for a Korean beverage or food brand sold in Japan," said a CJ Cheiljedang employee. "Even Sapporo Breweries, which is handling sales of the product in Japan, expressed surprise at the demand." Last year, Lotte Liquor teamed up with Seoul Takju, Korea's No. 1 makgeolli maker, to produce Seoul Makgeolli and exported more than W20 billion (US$1=W,1,42) worth of the product to Japan. Korean Wave star Jang Keun-suk modeled for the product to drive sales, while Japanese liquor company Suntory joined hands with Lotte Liquor to sell the makgeolli. Jinro Makgeolli also saw its exports of the rice wine surpass 700,000 boxes in 2010, while it sold 1.2 million boxes last year, up more than 70 percent. Makgeolli exports to Japan in 2011 totaled $48.42 million, up 210.7 percent from 2010, and shipments this year are expected to reach W70 billion. 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. Tribune News Service Chandigarh, June 22 For not obeying its orders, the UT Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission today sentenced Tejinder Singh Bhatia, Managing Director (MD) of Sukhm Infrastructures Pvt Ltd, to undergo imprisonment for three years and pay a fine of Rs 10,000 each in two separate cases. The court also issued non-bailable warrants against Bhatia for his arrest and production before the commission on July 25 to undergo the sentence. Ashok Kumar Jain of Kalka had filed a complaint alleging that the company floated a scheme for allotment of plots under the name Yellow Stone Landmark Infocity at Sector 66, Mohali. He booked an IT/industrial plot of 400 sq yd by depositing a total of Rs 30,14,000 in different instalments. Pankaj Chandgothia, counsel for the complainant, contended that development works were to be completed and possession offered within 18 months, otherwise a penalty of Rs 12 per sq yd per month was to be paid. However, the possession was not given despite the payment. The court in December last year, on the basis of a compromise statement of the MD, ordered the company to refund Rs 30,14,000 along with interest at the rate of 12 per cent per annum besides a compensation of Rs 50,000. The firm failed to obey the directions following which an execution plea was filed in the court in May. The total amount now comes around to Rs 50 lakh. In its reply, the company stated that the Income Tax Department froze its account due to which no payment could be made. The commission noted that the company did not produce any such document. The court headed by Justice Jasbir Singh said the company was taking false pleas to defeat the rights of the complainant. Similar orders were also passed in case of Manbir Singh Sethi of Sector 19 today. Ramkrishan Upadhyay Tribune News Service Chandigarh, June 22 The Chandigarh Administration has selected Ashwin Shenvi for the post of UT Senior Superintendent of Police (Traffic) from a panel of IPS officers sent by the Haryana Government. Sources said the Administration would send its recommendation to the Ministry of Home Affairs for approval. Last month, the Haryana Government had sent the names of three IPS officers Simardeep Singh , Dr Arun Nehra and Ashwin Shenvi for the post. All three officers were called for interviews last week by the Administration. The post of SSP (Traffic) has been lying vacant since the term of Maneesh Chaudhary, a 2005-batch IPS officer of the Haryana cadre, ended on May 7. The Administrator had turned down the first panel of officers on the grounds that all three officers lacked the required experience for the post and were promotee police officers. The Administration selected Shenvi from the new panel of officers. Shenvi, a 2006-batch IPS officer, is posted as the SP (Hisar). He has also served as the SP of Sirsa, Bhiwani and Kurukshetra. He has also served as the DCP of Panchkula. Meanwhile, the Administration will also hold interviews of PCS and HCS officers next week. The Administration received panels of officers from Haryana and Punjab recently and will select officers after the interviews. The Administration has been facing an acute shortage of officers after the Ministry of Home Affairs transferred several AGMUT-cadre IAS officers. KC Singh A NUMBER of issues that PM Modi pursued during his last trip abroad, during which he combined a third India-US summit with stopovers in five nations, have come to a boil the civil nuclear cooperation and Indian membership of the NSG; declaration of India as a major defence partner, which the US Senate later dropped; finalising the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (an India-specific version of a Logistics Support Agreement, which in the past was repeatedly postponed). Focus on Indias Western neighbours, particularly Afghanistan, Iran, the Gulf and Central Asia, was also in play. With such a swath of issues, it is not surprising that follow-up steps are still struggling with delivery as fears and aspirations of other countries kick-in. The civil nuclear cooperation was firmed up by India clearing the buying of six Westinghouse reactors, although the commercial pact has yet to be finalised (albeit within a specified period), when nuclear energy faces resistance in Western Europe. Germany is decommissioning all its reactors, while France is reducing the nuclear share of its energy mix from 75 per cent to 50 per cent. The European Pressurised Reactors (EPRS) that France is offering India face severe criticism for design flaws in units under installation in Finland and France. Is the Westinghouse proposal then more political than energy related? The debate has lingered whether the Indian entry into the NSG was imminent, as the groups Vienna meeting followed PMs Washington visit. NSG membership is not of immediate necessity as India already has an NSG waiver, permitting full civil nuclear commerce. However, there are legacy and practical issues. Firstly, the group was created after Indias peaceful nuclear explosion in 1974, to deny India access to further advanced nuclear technology. Secondly, India would have no voice in any future change in its operating rules unless it is a member. The Modi governments palpable anxiety about getting admitted during the forthcoming NSG meeting in Seoul, later this week, may stem from uncertainty about a Trump presidency. China, always expected to be a hurdle, now more openly, opposes Indian membership, fielding various arguments. It argues that the pre-condition that only signatories to the NPT could be members was sacrosanct and, in fact, introduced by the US. This is fallacious as France and a few other nations joined the NSG before acceding to the NPT, which France, like India, felt was discriminatory. Secondly, China wants Pakistans application considered alongside Indias. It explains proliferation by Pakistan to Iran, Libya, etc. as AQ Khans rogue action without state sanction. Only the extremely naive would believe this as the use of Pakistani air force planes, and even the late PM Benazir Bhutto, as per her own account, over-seeing the exchange of designs with DPRK (North Korea) could not have been without the knowledge and approval of the army chief; and once Gen Pervez Musharraf assumed power, that of the President himself. The Modi governments two-track approach to China is to put political pressure in private while maintaining equanimity in public. President Pranab Mukherjee took it up during his China visit, as did Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar later in Beijing. But Chinas persistent opposition, framed as need for criteria-based admission of new members, is beginning to jar. India is discovering that in the new Asian drama, as India increases its tilt towards the US, China will take counter-measures to stymie strategic concessions to India. Interestingly, if the same logic applied to China, it could be asked that its pending application to join the MTCR be clubbed with those of Pakistan and Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, which are its prize clients for the clandestine transfers of missile technology. Moreover, Pakistans blocking of the Fissile Material Control Treaty in Geneva, with Chinas connivance, and continued Chinese assistance to Pakistan for building new plutonium producing plants, even after China joined the NSG, should debar China from voting on the Indian membership. Criteria can be troublesome entities. This menage a trois between the US, India and China, with Russia as a vigilant swing power, will be one of the main Asian security dilemmas over the next two decades, or more, till a new balance of power emerges in Asia. Thus hesitations of history may have been overcome in Washington, but consequently, other historical ghosts that linger on Indian periphery in Asia may have resurrected. The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit in Tashkent on June 23-24, on the agenda of which is the membership of India and Pakistan, unfolds the Chinese game to use the Central Asia as a bridge for a continental link to the Gulf and Europe. Russia, having lost this region when the USSR broke up, is leveraging its own vision of a Eurasian Economic Union, a revived regional role via a new construct, on the Chinese One Belt One Road (OBOR), or as it is alternatively called the Silk Road Economic Belt. Thus PM Modis visit to Tashkent assumes great significance as he has to allay Chinas strategic concerns about India siding with the US and Japan in the Pacific. He must also ensure that Russias proximity to India continues to be greater than Russias new warmth with China. Both these will determine whether Modis new balancing game works or goes off the rails. The great German Chancellor, Otto von Bismarck, used to quip about a similar balance of power game in post-1870 Europe involving Russia, Austria, France, Germany and Britain that he wanted to be with three or more and not amongst two or less. India today is similarly positioned among Russia, China, Japan and the US. PM Modi may discover that despite the counter-Nehruvian discourse in fashion today, the desire for strategic independence may stem from a deeper Indian impulse nursed over centuries of foreign subjugation. Ranjit Singh, as is often forgotten, was the first indigenous ruler to control Punjab in almost a thousand years. Bismarcks balancing game worked so long as he was in office. Less-gifted successors cost the world two great wars. Statesmanship requires not just charisma, theatre and frenetic diplomatic activity. It demands a sense of history, judgment and vision. The writer is a former Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs Sartaj Chaudhary Si vis pacem, para bellum" (If you want peace, prepare for war!). Pages of history stand testament to the fact that nations that were not prepared for war (and the ones that were!) were invaded, subjugated and trampled upon. Iraq invaded a defenceless Kuwait in 1990. China Vietnam in 1988. Israel Lebanon in 1982. Soviet Union Afghanistan in 1979. Turkey Cyprus in 1974 and so many more. Legally, constitutionally and morally, nations have the right to defend themselves. The Indian subcontinent is particularly volatile. Three nuclear-armed nations share disputed international borders India, Pakistan and China. India went to war with both, China as well as Pakistan. Although in breach of the nuclear treaty, but India had no other option than to go nuclear in view of the threats posed by both Pakistan and China. Pakistan put in all its efforts to go nuclear after India's controversial and surprising test in 1974 (codenamed Smiling Budha) at Pokhran. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto famously said, We 'll eat grass if we have to, but we will soon have nuclear capability. Grass or not, it took Pakistan two-and-a-half decades to conduct their first nuclear test codenamed Chagai-I. Pakistans Abdul Qadeer Khan recently commented that Pakistan could target Delhi within five minutes. America has provided enough evidence to Pakistan that Khan had shared (read sold) sensitive information to several nations, including the rogue North Korea. What a stark difference to our great, soft-spoken missile man. Pakistans army/air force bases have often been targeted by militants. There is a grave, well-founded fear that the nuclear warheads can fall into the hands of Islamic radicals. AQ Khan's revelation has caused no alarm no one better knows Indias war readiness than Pakistan. It would be childish and arrogant for an Indian to repeat what the pages of history have already well recorded. Pakistan's intelligence, surveillance and war readiness is all well known and well acknowledged. The world's most-wanted terrorist hid yards away from the military academy in Abbottabad. Americans sneaked (in combat helicopters) in at night, shot Bin Laden dead and flew back to the safety of their airbase in Afghanistan with his dead body and recovered sensitive material on board. Naa uthegi talwaar, naa khanjarr uthega, yeh baazu mere aazmaaye huye hain! As Indians we might be biased, but it wouldn't be far wrong to say that India is not a belligerent nation by nature. India is not known to have terrorist training camps, hide terrorists or organise terror networks. Targeted we have been, but never has the question arisen, even once, that our nuclear warheads can fall into the wrong hands. Never ever has our security been compromised by a scientist. Never have our scientists claimed that we can bomb Islamabad in five minutes! Israel, Pakistan, South Sudan and India are the only non-signatories to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). The treaty recognises five states as nuclear-weapon states: the United States, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, and China the P5. Survival of the fittest, right of the might. The US, UK, Russia, France, Canada, Mexico, Japan and many more influential country states have provided their firm support to India's entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group. Out of the 48 member states, Chinas is the only vocal opposition to India's entry into the NSG. China's only contention is that India is a non-signatory to the NPT. And China feels that if India is included, so should Pakistan be. It wouldn't come as a big surprise if China goes as far as saying that North Korea should be included in the group too. After all, China is suspected to have provided North Korea with sensitive know-how, material, missiles and launch vehicles. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's hosting of the Chinese premiere has made no difference in our relations. China's stance is clear and it does not want India to be included into the NSG. China asserts that including India into the NSG will undermine the authority of NPT and Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. India's inclusion into the NSG would be a tacit approval of India as a nuclear-armed nation. It will give India the legitimacy and the much-needed uranium. The NSG regulates the global trade of nuclear technology. The inclusion will open up the international market for energy-starved India and help India achieve its target of generating 63000 megawatts of energy through the nuclear programme by 2030. India is a proponent of nuclear non-proliferation and nuclear disarmament and commits itself to no-first- use policy of nuclear weapons. India's record of non-proliferation is outstanding. It is about time that responsible nations are included into the elite group. Nearly 70 years have passed since World War II and the demeanour should have changed by now. India has never shied away from helping the international community in times of distress. Be it sending troops, funds, air support or technological know-how. India is an emerging world power. Perhaps that is why China has stonewalled India's entry into the NSG. It will jeopardise China's influence in the region. With the Chabahar port deal in hand, India has already begun to counter the Chinese "string-of-pearls" stratagem. China has been strategically constructing ports in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Iraq, and other countries. China plans to expand its naval presence by building civilian maritime infrastructure along the Indian Ocean periphery. America's unwavering support to India is strategically obvious. India's entry into the NSG will ensure a balance of power in the region. Prime Minister Modi will most likely be meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Tashkent on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit. The crucial plenary session of the NSG is only two days away. It will be one of the biggest achievements of this government if India is, after all, included into the NSG. Although, as of now, it seems that a plan B will have to be devised in order to take India on board. The writer is an expert in international law. The U.S. set new rules Tuesday to permit small, commercial drone flights across the country, but stopped short of allowing large-scale drone delivery of consumer products from distant warehouses. The regulations, announced in Washington, will let business interests fly the drones to monitor farmlands, check on rescue operations when natural disasters occur, look at wildlife nesting, provide educational and research opportunities and many other usages. But the drones must weigh less than 25 kilograms, be flown no higher than 122 meters or faster than 161 kilometers an hour. In addition, the flights must be carried out within eyesight of the operator and not over people. "As this new technology continues to grow and develop, we want to make sure we strike the right balance between innovation and safety," Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said. Two major U.S. companies, tech giant Apple and search engine Google, said two years ago they are working on drone deliveries for products they are selling to customers through their internet sites, starting sometime in 2017. The U.S. is working on separate drone flight rules to regulate such long-distance deliveries, although there is no timetable for when they may be announced. Yoga is a way to ensure a healthy body and a healthy mind. That is an eminently sensible thought, and Narendra Modi has done well to assert it. On the International Day for Yoga he also went on to say the traditional Indian form of exercise has nothing to do with religion. In that he is part right and part wrong. Whether there is any religion in yoga or not depends on the practitioner. The ambiguity emanates from another vague claim that Hindutva proponents like to assert: that Hinduism is a way of life, and not a religion. They are correct, but suspicion begins to arise when their form of Hindutva is put to use for political purposes or attempts to subsume other cultural identities that exist on the subcontinent. There has been, and continues to be, a sense of trepidation among minorities that yoga especially given the staggering force of government behind it might be only yet another medium to promote saffron thought. And there is evidence to suggest that fear. Punjab ally SAD did not join the BJP on the yoga mat, except for token presence. Perhaps it was not sure of how its Sikh base would view the participation. Mr Modi would do well to understand that a thought adapts the colour of the person articulating it. That may have been the trigger for the slogans of Bharat Mata ki jai and Vande Mataram being raised by some participants at the event in Chandigarh. Otherwise perfectly acceptable slogans, it was hard to see the connection with yoga. The BJP government has without doubt succeeded in igniting a nationalistic fervour based in culture. Unfortunately, it is the narrow variety that leaves a sparkle in the eye of those in favour of majoritarian rule and a tinge of fear for the minorities. When Dinanath Batra is an education adviser, and scientific organisations do research on cow urine and the Saraswati, perfectly legitimate and secular practices like yoga get viewed with suspicion. The lead yogi of Tuesdays performance now needs to take inspiration from his own words, and ensure nothing the government does has anything to do with a partisan use of religion. Pradeep Sharma Tribune News Service Chandigarh, June 22 The Modi governments Skill India campaign is set to get a boost in Haryana with two Rs 150-crore technology centres being approved in Rohtak and Saha(Ambala) by the Central Government. While one technology centre is to come up at Industrial Model Township, Rohtak, the other will be set up at the Growth Centre, Saha (Ambala), sources said. The detailed project report (DPR) has already been prepared by the Central Government for the Rohtak centre and its construction would start by year-end. The Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) is set to complete the construction by mid-2018. The Haryana Government has already handed over the possession of Art School at the ITI , Rohtak, as a temporary location for initiating skill-development activities for the technology centre. The operations from the temporary locations are set to begin on September 1, sources said. Meanwhile, the state government has urged the MSME to consider the Instrument Design and Development Centre (IDDC), Ambala, to initiate skill development activities for the Saha technology centre. Each training centre is set to train about 10,000 persons every year for various job-oriented courses ranging from one month to four months. Sushil Manav Tribune News Service Chandigarh, June 22 The Election Commission today put off the hearing in the inquiry into the Rajya Sabha poll inking issue to June 25 on Subhash Chandras application, who said he wanted to appear personally but was abroad. Defeated Independent candidate RK Anand, Leader of Opposition Abhay Chautala and state Congress chief Ashok Tanwar today appeared before Haryanas Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Vijay Dahiya in the Vidhan Sabha to present their case. However, we were told at the onset that Chandra had sought adjournment by sending an application, said Tanwar after emerging out of the Assembly building. When our CLP leader Kiran Choudhry can come all the way from Africa to cast her vote, why did not Chandra return from abroad when he knew the inquiry was fixed for today? Tanwar asked. Anand alleged that the EC had been adopting delaying tactics. We wanted to conclude our submissions today. But the moment we came, we were told that Chandra has sought an adjournment by sending an application. On the last date too, the EC wanted to have a long date, but the case was fixed for today since we wanted the inquiry to be completed soon, said Anand. Abhay alleged that the EC was working under pressure from the BJP government. Meanwhile, the Chandigarh Police, according to sources, had marked Anands complaint for inquiry to DSP (Central) Satish Kumar yesterday. However, Kumar was transferred as DSP (Eastern) on the same day. Now, DSP Ram Gopal, who has been posted as DSP (Central) will look into the complaint. Winning Independent candidate Subhash Chandra, meanwhile, has issued a written media statement on Anands complaint. I have been notified through the media reports that the above-mentioned entities have lodged a complaint against me for allegedly manipulating the pen for marking the votes. With all due respect, the present complaints are an abuse of the process of the law and are simply counterblast to losing the elections, Chandra said in the statement. These complaints are frivolous in nature and based on whimsical assumptions without a shred of evidentiary backing. The 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. It is evidently clear from the interviews provided by various members of different parties regarding how the charges were traded between the INLD and the Congress, right after the night of the elections and the same allegations continued till June 12, he added. Vishal Joshi Tribune News Service Kurukshetra, June 22 The state governments decision to revive students union elections in various colleges and universities has invited a mix reaction from various stakeholders. It is proposed to hold indirect elections at educational institutes where class representatives (CRs) would be elected by the eligible students of the class or department concerned. These representatives would further elect office-bearers of students unions. A cross-section of teachers and students associated with Kurukshetra University want to promote healthy political participation and presence of students in the decision-making bodies. However, outfits including Students Federation of India (SFI) and the Indian National Students Organisation (INSO) want direct process of electioneering for greater transparency and accountability. They want the state to release detailed idea of elections. Prof CR Darolia from the Department of Psychology said the state governments decision was a positive step towards building leadership qualities among the youth. It was due to several incidents of violence and lawlessness that forced the state government to scrap student elections two decades ago. Students will be needed to sensitise about campus politics. Violent atmosphere should not be allowed to descend on the campuses, said Darolia. Another KU faculty member Prof MS Jaglan batted for direct elections. Voice of students for academic and campus life reasons remained unheard due to non-availability of serious representation. Parties may try to pursue their mainstream political agendas through campuses. Electing representatives indirectly may lead to undue political interference by the political parties to elect candidates supported by them, said Jaglan. College teacher from Kaithal Dr Rajbir Parashar said the influence of money and muscle power was a reality in the mainstream politics. It cannot be reasoned against campus elections. Idea is to make students to vote reasonably and responsibly in various levels for the development, said Parashar, who had led teachers union at the national and state level. Meanwhile, INSO national vice-president Jaswinder Khera demands direct campus elections to desist money power on campus. Like JNU and Panjab University, we demand student union elections as per the Lyngdoh Committee recommendations, he said. Shahnawaz, SFIs state president, want direct elections and students participation in various university bodies including Executive Committee and Academic Council. Pratibha Chauhan Tribune News Service Shimla, June 22 To ensure equitable, efficient and sustainable water services to the state capital and its suburbs, the Cabinet today approved the creation of the Greater Shimla Water Supply and Sewerage Circle as a ring-fenced single authority under the local civic body. The creation of the entity will help in building a financially viable and self-sustaining water utility under one single agency the Shimla Municipal Corporation and help tide over the shortage that the town is perennially plagued with. It will also fix responsibility as often the MC and the Irrigation and Public Health (IPH) Department are engaged in a blame-game for water woes. As of now, the MC and the IPH Department are jointly responsible for the water supply to the town and its suburbs. It was following the outbreak of jaundice last winter that the focus shifted to ensuring safe drinking water to residents along with proper disposal of sewage, lack of which resulted in contamination of Ashwani Khud water supply scheme. The recommendations and the functioning of the body will ensure that the water supply is handled in a thoroughly professional manner and more importantly utilising the funds, said Anuradha Thakur, Secretary IPH, who has painstakingly prepared the blue print for ensuring quality water supply to the town. The Technical Monitoring Committee of the circle will be headed by Chief Secretary and the Secretary (IPH) will be its member secretary. It will have two divisions dealing with water production, sewage treatment plants, water distribution, sewerage network, integrated services related to the supply of water and sewage disposal. An MoU will be signed between the state government and the MC. Since water quality monitoring and surveillance is an important and critical task, the Corporation Health Officer (CHO) will be the in-charge of water quality monitoring and surveillance and shall control the water testing laboratories being transferred from the IPH Department to the MC. In order to ensure proper checks and balances, the CHO will directly report to the Commissioner, MC. The ring-fenced single authority will ensure the opening of a separate bank account exclusively for water supply and sewerage-related activity, transfer of existing funds collected on account of water and sewerage charges to this account. Funds will not be diverted for any other purpose like payment of salaries of employees as is the case now. The Municipal Corporation, Shimla, shall have the autonomy and discretion in implementing their own tariff structure or those notified by the government, based on transparent accounting and auditing of their financial statements. About 25 to 30 per cent of the total water supply is estimated to be wasted through leakages in supply and distribution network. It is for this reason that despite having a total capacity of 61.88 MLD, only 36 MLD is being supplied. Experts from the Asian Development Bank and World Bank were also consulted and the governments of West Bengal, Odisha and Maharashtra were consulted to know the institutional structures in different states and cities. Azhar Qadri Tribune News Service Srinagar, June 22 The industrial policy 2016, revised by the state government on Tuesday, has shut the door on investors from outside the state, who have already been reluctant to invest in the state. The government revised the policy after coming under intense pressure from separatists and local traders. Separatists had alleged that the policy was a ploy to infringe upon Jammu and Kashmirs special status. Under the new policy, land will not be leased to investors who are not state subjects. The state governments decision is bound to increase insecurity among outsider investors and prevent them from investing in the regions industrial sector. The policy is silent on guarantees for non-local investors who are willing to invest or have invested in the state. It makes no mention of what happens to land already given on lease to non-local investors. In the revision, a paragraph in the policy has been deleted which allowed private promoters from outside the state to acquire land on lease on long-term basis for 90 years. The modified paragraph now states that private promoters only from the state shall be allowed and encouraged to develop private industrial estates and parks on commercial lines. It also states that the government will go all out to attract investment in industrial estates or elsewhere in the state by providing an enabling environment and incentives. Speaking at a seminar in Punjab earlier this week, Industries and Commerce Minister Chander Parkash Ganga had invited industrialists to invest in the state and assured them that the government would provide all possible support. He had said industrial projects worth Rs 2,200 crore were cleared by the Industries and Commerce Ministry last year, which included those of Blue Star, Dabur and ITC, among others, an official spokesman said. The latest modification in the policy is likely to shut the door on investors who are not state subjects. The state has 51 industrial estates. Nisar Ali, a former professor at the University of Kashmirs Department of Economics, trashed the state governments industrial policy, saying it lacked focus to generate employment. When they devise the industrial policy, they dont keep in mind that it should have employment generation ability in the state and make the state an investment destination. Investors from outside do not want to invest here and that is not because of security reasons, he said. Ali said investors did not dare to take the risk of investing in the state because the government had failed to resolve fundamental infrastructure issues. The government should first solve the power crisis, which is fundamental for an industry, he said. Lack of infrastructure and the volatile situation in the region had already become a major dampener for India Inc to invest in the state despite making a grand entry into the state in October 2012 when the countrys top industrialists visited the region. Tribune News Service Jammu, June 22 Union Minister of Commerce and Industries Nirmala Sitharaman today said that Indias territorial integrity will not be compromised at any cost. She said any border incursion will be equally and forcefully retaliated. When asked whether the Centre was going soft on terror attacks, she said, The Government of India is never soft on anybody who wishes to harm India. We shall not be soft. The government has been taking a very considered position regarding the Pathankot attack. Both defence and home ministers have on many occasions said that any border incursion shall not be tolerated. They clearly said that we would retaliate whenever there is an incursion, which clearly explains Indias position, she said. Sitharaman also cleared Indias stand on when asked regarding trilateral involvement in dialogue with Pakistan in the wake of separatists being invited by the Pakistan High Commission to attend Iftar party on June 25. No trilateral issue comes in this matter. India will deal with its affairs on its own. It does not need any third party to negotiate issues concerning India and Pakistan, said Sitharaman. On border trading points, the Union minister said, Border trading points or hubs are the things which have to be decided by the countries themselves. It also involves ministries of home affairs, defence and commerce. If there is any proposal, we are willing to move ahead. Notably, Nirmala Sitharaman was in Jammu as a part of NDAs ongoing Vikas Parv programmes being organised across the country. Earlier, addressing the gathering, she said that the country had witnessed total policy paralysis during UPA-II and the country had to suffer. After taking over as Prime Minister, Narendra Modi brought the system on rails, introduced work culture and India entered a new era, she said. She said that during the previous government, there was no check on infiltration but the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Government brought it down, Modis efforts earned honour and pride for the country at international level and a corruption-free dispensation had been provided. She also said that the government at the Centre had fixed target of providing five crore new gas connections to poor urban women within next two years. The Union minister held the UPA government responsible for frauds and mismanagement of public distribution system and claimed that Rs 36,000 crore had been saved by deleting fake cards by the NDA government. She also expressed commitment of Modi government towards the displaced people, including refugees. Referring to revival of sick units and promoting industry in the state, she said positive steps would be taken after going through the industrial policy of J&K. She said the government would accord priority to revival of economy of the state. Tribune News Service Srinagar, June 22 The patient care at the SKIMS Medical College and Hospital, Bemina, is suffering as the institute remains headless in violation of the Medical Council of India (MCI) guidelines. The 400-bedded hospital, which is headed by the principal of its medical college, is crumbling as the government authorities have not appointed a full-time principal so far. The patient care is badly hit because we do not have hassle-free drug supply in place. Also, medical equipment required in the hospital are not being procured in the absence of a full-time principal, said a senior doctor at the hospital. The Valleys premier tertiary care hospital, Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), Soura, had the control of the erstwhile Jhelum Valley Medical College 18 years ago, now SKIMS Medical College and Hospital, Bemina. Other than changing its name to Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences College, officials said nothing much had been done to improve the patient care. Even the welfare of students and medical faculty has been ignored by the authorities, they said. The office of the acting principal, who is the Director of SKIMS, Soura, Dr MK Bandari, is around 15 km from the hospital, creating hurdles in managing its affairs. However, the authorities at SKIMS, Soura, want to maintain its control over the hospital and medical college. They want the principal should come from the faculty of SKIMS, Soura, and ignore the faculty of SKIMS, Bemina, said a senior faculty of the medical college. He said internal politics had led to a crisis in health care as patients could be seen returning home without getting treated in the Outpatients Department. It will take you a whole day to meet the doctor in the OPD. And, then to cater to the rush of patients, the overburdened doctor sends you to get different medical examinations done, said Mushtaq Ahmad, a patient. Sources said the government was mulling to handover the administrative control of the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences hospital to Medical Education Department to ensure its speedy growth. Despite spanners put by the SKIMS authorities, a senior official in the Health and Medical Education Department said the government would soon take a decision to appoint a full-time principal at SKIMS Medical College. The Union Health Ministry had increased the intake capacity of students to 100 but queries raised by a team of the MCI during inspection in 2014 remain unaddressed. The MCI team had threatened to derecognise the hospital due to lack of adequate faculty and infrastructure to cater to the increasing rush of patients. Meanwhile, Minister of State for Health and Medical Education Asiea Naqash said the government would appoint the full-time Director of SKIMS, Soura, in the next three days. Once the Director, SKIMS, is appointed the principal, SKIMS, Bemina, will be appointed immediately, said the minister. Commissioner Secretary, Health, MK Bandari has been given the additional charge of the Director, Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Soura, after the retirement of former Director Dr Showkat Zargar on June 2. Poonam Bindra When this little fellow was born, his body movements were so supple that he was nicknamed Rhythm and today Indias Best Draamebaaz finalist Divyansh Dwivedi from Ludhiana is now headed to Bollywood with offers from films and TV now coming his way. All of eight years, he performs comedy, tragedy with equal flair and mind-blowing expressions. Mimicry of Bollywood stars is his forte. And he just has to watch a movie to copy them. It is actually amusing to see him copying old heroes like Raj Kumar and Sanjeev Kumar. During his journey of auditions from Chandigarh to Delhi and finally to Mumbai, he kept his cool and managed to make it to the top 13 of Indias Best Draamebaaz. During this sojourn, he derived the maximum comfort from celebrity actor Vivek Oberoi and his inspiration is none other than the legendary Amitabh Bachchan. Mama writes all the dialogues and then she gets busy with her own work. That is the time I read the script two-three times and rehearse and practice, says the young actor. A topper in academics, Devyansh adds, Even after rehearsals and practice sessions I get plenty of time to be in touch with my friends and teachers to know what is going on in school. Sadhna, his mother, shares, He is a sincere child and he is also obedient. So, it becomes easy for me to handle him with his packed schedule. I am blessed to have a child with such a strong learning power. We never imagined that he would get this far, though he has been a talented kid throughout. This young man can copy Michael Jackson with ease and his dancing idol is Govinda and the comedy idol is Asrani whose famous scene of Sholay as a jail warden took him to the finals. When people love me so much, I will keep entertaining them with my performances. Rhythm, alias Devyansh, sure has a long way to go and as his father Ajay Diwiedi who is leaving no stone unturned to explore the potential of this child prodigy shares that in Mumbai this kid is called Chota Packet Bada Dhamaka. S.M.A.Kazmi As Managing Director of Enchanting Himalaya - an initiative to promote Uttarakhand among filmmakers, Satish Sharma has been proactively involved in inviting filmmakers to shoot in Uttarakhand. Then, one fine day, destiny smiled on him when Sharma got an unexpected call from Yash Raj Films to audition for the Salman Khan starrer, Sultan. Actually, the director Ali Abbas Zafar, a Dehradun native and a dear friend, had recommended my name to the selectors. I recorded my audition and bagged a politicians role in the Salman Khans film Sultan, he shares elatedly His aim initially was clear, It was always my dream to help my state Uttarakhand become a leading filming destination. To this effect, I have been taking a delegation to Mumbai every year to project the positives of Uttarakhand among the film community. My efforts bore fruit when a few banners came in to shoot in the state, he recalls. But one thing led to another. Talking about his foray into films, he avers, It was while helping out a friend in scouting locations in Mussoorie that I was offered my first role. The film was Maazi and the friend was Nitin Shingal. He wanted to cast me as a politician. Then came another film GOL Gangs of Little, where I was offered to play a politician, once again. This film had Roshni Walia, the child star of Maharana Pratap fame, along with many other children playing interesting characters. It was fun to do both the films. Gradually, what began as fun, soon became an obsession with Sharma. Next, he went on to become production-in-charge, Uttarakhand, for Tigmanshu Dhulias Yaaraa. I persuaded Tigmanshu to shoot in his home state. Being a son of the soil, he readily agreed and despite many difficulties he shot a large portion of Yaaraa in Uttarakhand. For the first time, the Tehri Dam was captured by a film maker and that made us all very proud. In no time, another role of a politician came Sharmas way. Award-winning director Manoj Sati offered him a politicians role in his project, Pampapur Ki Ramlila. I was elated to bag this role as it was being shot in Uttarakhand and I got a chance to share screen space with Gulshan Grover and Rajpal Yadav, he discloses. When Dum Laga Ke Haisha was being shot in Uttarakhand, Sharma arranged the local casting for Yash Raj Films 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. New Delhi, June 22 Amidst stiff opposition by China to Indias entry into NSG, France on Wednesday strongly backed New Delhis case, saying it would bolster global efforts against nuclear proliferation and asked the member states to take a positive decision in the Seoul plenary meeting. A key member of the 48-nation grouping, France also asserted that Indias participation in nuclear control regimes would help better regulate the export of sensitive goods, whether they are nuclear, chemical, biological, ballistic or conventional materials and technologies. Read: China unrelenting on opposition to Indias NSG bid France considers that Indias entry into the four multilateral export control regimes (NSG, MTCR, The Australia Group, The Wassenaar Arrangement) will bolster international efforts for combating proliferation. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook and Twitter @thetribunechd) Indias participation in these bodies will help better regulate the export of sensitive goods, whether they are nuclear, chemical, biological, ballistic or conventional materials or technologies. In line with its active and long-standing support to Indias entry to the NSG as a full-fledged member, France calls on its members, who are meeting on June 23 in Seoul, to take a positive decision, the French Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The Ministry also mentioned that strategic partners since 1998, France and India shared common goals regarding the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems. These goals were reaffirmed during the visit of the President of the French Republic to India, from January 24 to 26, it added. The French President was the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations here. On Tuesday, the US White House had in a statement said India was ready for NSG membership and asked participating governments to support Indias application at the plenary session of NSG in Seoul starting on Thursday. China maintains opposition to Indias entry, arguing that it had 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. 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. PTI Simran Sodhi Tribune News Service New Delhi, June 22 Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to discuss Indias NSG membership with Chinese President Xi Jinping when the two leaders meet on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meet that begins tomorrow in Tashkent. China, as of today, showed no signs of welcoming India into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and stuck to its guns of India being a non-signatory to the Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and hence not being allowed into the elite group. Meanwhile, India is indulging in some hectic last-minute diplomacy in Seoul. As first reported by The Tribune on Tuesday, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar today reached Seoul where the NSG session is on. The crucial plenary session is on June 23-24 when Indias candidature is likely to be discussed. Many officials from the Ministry of External Affairs are already in Seoul, lobbying with various member states for Indias entry into the grouping. While France today came out in public support for Indias bid, the one nation that seems to be holding up the opposition strongly is of course China. The US and the UK have already supported India as have many other nations such as Switzerland, but since NSG works on consensus, China has to be on board for Indias membership to the club. China, meanwhile, seems to be sticking to its earlier position and insistence that nations that have not signed the NPT cannot be allowed into the NSG. In a written statement, the office of the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson today said: As for the entry of non-NPT countries, the group has never put that on its meeting agenda. Based on what we have at hand, the agenda of this years Seoul plenary meeting circulated by the Chair does not include this issue either. The ministry, however, acknowledged that three rounds of informal discussions were held along a separate channel on the membership of non-NPT members. It went on to dismiss allegations that China was blocking Indias membership and insisted that only membership of countries that had signed the NPT was on the agenda of talks in Seoul. Deliberation on the entry of specific countries is on the agenda of the Seoul plenary meeting. However, it is worth noting that the meeting is only to deliberate on the entry application of countries that are state parties to the NPT. Pakistan also kept up its grumbling noises and Pakistan National Security Adviser Nasser Janjua today even alleged that Americas efforts to include India in the NSG was part of a greater design to contain China and prevent the resurgence of Russia. Pakistan has also said that the US pressure to include India into the NSG has pushed Pakistan closer to China. With China sticking to its guns, and India pushing with all its diplomatic strength to gain entry into the NSG, the crucial meet now would be between Modi and Jinping. If Modi can convince the Chinese leadership to somehow reverse its stand, Seoul would see a happy ending for India. Beijing, June 22 China on Wednesday continued to make ambivalent statements on Indias bid for NSG membership amid clear indications that it was unrelenting in its opposition. Clubbing India and Pakistan once again, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said members of the 48-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group had had three rounds of unofficial discussions on the membership of the two countries. China is seeking to equate India with its impeccable non-proliferation record with that of Pakistan for which it is batting. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook and Twitter @thetribunechd) But Beijing maintained that the entry of the two countries was not on the agenda of the two-day NSG plenary in the South Korean capital Seoul starting on Thursday. Indias Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar will be in Seoul but a breakthrough on Indias entry is unlikely. Pakistan on Tuesday claimed that it had successfully blocked Indias bid for NSG membership, and Chinas clubbing of the two countries is seen as a ploy to block New Delhi. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying also underlined the differences within NSG members, saying parties are yet to see eye-to-eye on this issue. On its part, Beijing would play a constructive role in the discussions, she said. PTI Bengaluru, June 22 A high-tech monsoon experiment in the Bay of Bengal (BoB) in which British scientists will release underwater robotic vehicles, called gliders, and monitor them through aircraft packed with instruments has been security cleared at the highest level, a senior government official has said but questions still remain. The month-long air-sea campaign, slated to begin on June 24, will see the deployment of two ships, six gliders (diving to 500 metres every two hours) and eight floats (automated submersibles) that can rise and descend to 2,000 metres. Together with the sophisticated instruments aboard a special aircraft, they will collect a range of atmospheric and oceanic data that the British scientists claim will help forecast the arrival and intensity of the Indian monsoon more accurately than ever before. Besides the fact that BoB is strategically crucial for India, oceanography and meteorology (weather) are two of seven research areas considered by the government to be militarily sensitive. Parliaments Public Accounts Committee (PAC) had in 1975 stipulated that investigations in these areas by foreigners or by foreign assisted programmes should be subjected to the most careful and comprehensive scrutiny from the security angle before granting approval. When asked to comment on the British initiative, Madhavan Rajeevan, Secretary in the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), said it has taken all the approvals and clearances from the highest level. The $11 million project cost is equally shared between MoES and Britains Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), Rajeevan told this correspondent. Foreign collaborations in ocean and weather science have always set off warning signals in Indias defence community due to past experiences. For instance, in 1964, the United States, under a weather programme called Nomad, placed an instrument package on a buoy anchored in the Bay of Bengal. It was supposed to continuously record and transmit wind speed, temperature and other weather data. But the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) received the data only for four days and no one in IMD is sure about the fate of the package or if it had any other undisclosed mission. Before Nomad, there was another collaborative programme under which the US sent an aircraft supposedly carrying equipment to collect weather data. The instrument-packed aircraft criss-crossed the subcontinent for eight weeks and returned to the US without sharing the data collected. The Indian Ocean expedition in the mid-1960s, in which the US and India collaborated was another such project. Primary data collected was sent to the University of Hawaii for analysis and what Indian collaborators got was a basket-load of algae and sea weeds collected by the ship in the Arabian Sea. India had also been wary about sharing weather and atmospheric data collected by its Insat satellites over the Indian Ocean. It resisted for more than a decade sharing this data with the United States on a real-time basis but agreed to do so in 1998 only on certain conditions. But any security concerns in the coming experiment was dismissed by Professor P.N. Vinayachandran at Bengalurus Centre for Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, a principal investigator who will lead the expedition. The ship in which he will be sailing with the British team will confine itself to international waters, he told this correspondent, adding it is a collaborative project. All the floats will be outside the 200-mile Exclusive Economic Zones of the coastal states bordering the Indian Ocean, Brian King, a scientist in the British team said in an email. Although the gliders released from the ship will beam the data directly to Britain, they will be re-transmitted to global data distribution centres, where they are freely available to anyone in the world, he said. This is not the first experiment conducted in BoB to understand the monsoon. In 1999, during the peak monsoon period (July-August), India had carried out on its own a study with participation of 80 scientists from 15 different institutions making simultaneous observations from ships and moored buoys. Prior to this, there were two collaborative experiments MONSOON-77 (in 1977) and MONEX-79 (in 1979) in which aircraft, research vessels, floating balloons and a geostationary satellite were used. During November-December 2013, under a project promoted by the US Office of Naval Research, its ship R/V Roger Reveller made a detailed survey of BoB using another modern instrument called Underway-CTD system. Will the new experiment improve rainfall prediction and revolutionise subsistence farming as claimed by the British scientists? A leading Indian oceanographer, who refuses to be named, is skeptical. If probing the Bay of Bengal alone would unravel the dynamics of the Indian monsoon, why does it remain a mystery despite all these experiments done till now? Understanding BoB is important but it is not the only player, the scientist said. Vinayachandran said that use of gliders for the first time will make a difference but admitted that accurate monsoon forecasting will take time. The primary aim of the project is to understand why the ocean and atmosphere in the eastern and western parts of the BoB have completely contrasting characteristics. Rajeevan was also candid. We cannot guarantee that next years monsoon forecast will improve, he said in an email, adding: But the experiment definitely will help us to improve the forecasts. While improved forecast is not guaranteed, what is certain is the company making the gliders will be selling them to us, the unnamed oceanographer said. He was not off the mark. Rajeevan confirmed that his ministry is going to buy an aircraft of the kind used during the experiment. It will arrive in the next two years, he said on the telephone. That the project will have a commercial spin-off was anticipated by the British team. The University of Reading, the British lead organisation in the project, said in a statement: Weather forecasters both in government agencies and commercial companies around the world will benefit from BoBBLE (Bay of Bengal Boundary Layer Experiment). IANS United Nations, June 22 India has demanded the UN to slap sanctions against the new Taliban leader in Afghanistan, saying it is sheer folly that the leader of a proscribed entity is not yet designated as a terrorist individual. It is sheer folly that the leader of a proscribed entity is not yet designated as a terrorist individual, Indias Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin said at a Security Council debate on the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) here yesterday. Supporting New Zealands position that the anamoly should be corrected, Akbaruddin said the new Taliban leader should be sanctioned. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook and Twitter @thetribunechd) The Taliban had named Mawlawi Haibatullah Akhundzada, a conservative cleric in his 50s, as its new leader after Mullah Akhtar Mansour was killed in an American drone strike last month. US State Departments Deputy Spokesperson Mark Toner had said in a press briefing then that Akhundzada was not on any kind of a terrorist designated list. Akbaruddin further emphasised that groups and individuals perpetrating violence against the people and government of Afghanistan cannot have safe havens and should not be allowed to exercise control and wield influence over any part of Afghanistans territory. This, in our view, is critical for lasting peace in the country, he said adding that effective implementation of the Security Council sanctions regime including the 1267 ISIL/Al-Qaeda Sanctions and 1988 Talibans regime should also be carried out consistently and with perseverance for it to serve as a strong deterrent to the listed entities and individuals. Previously, India has slammed the UN sanctions committee for taking a selective approach in tackling terrorism when a technical hold was put on its application to include the name of Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar on the committees list of designated terrorists. India had said in April that it finds it incomprehensible that while the Pakistan-based JeM was listed in the UN Security Council Committee as far back as 2001 for its known terror activities and links to Al Qaeda, the designation of the groups main leader, financier and motivator has been put on a technical hold. Akbaruddin stressed that the Security Council needs to look into the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan and the means to contain it as it could pose serious threats to the gains made by the people of Afghanistan in the last 15 years. While there has been no dearth of efforts by the Afghan government and its citizens as well as by the international community, Akbaruddin voiced concern over the deteriorating security situation in the war-torn country. The Taliban are continuing attacks at an unprecedented rate since the beginning of the year and there is continued violence by other armed groups, he said as he cited the UN Secretary Generals report that armed clashes have increased this year compared to the same period in 2015. This situation has put renewed focus on the need for enhanced engagement and action by the international community, he added. Akbaruddin reiterated Indias believe that the path to reconciliation in Afghanistan should be through an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned process respecting the red lines drawn by the countrys people and the international community, especially the ones regarding giving up of violence and abiding by the constitution of Afghanistan. He voiced Indias commitment to help Afghanistan strengthen its defence capabilities to preserve its unity and territorial integrity, saying it is the most important antidote to the worsening security situation in the country. The Indian envoy also condoled the loss of lives and property in the bomb attack in Kabul on June 20 in which around 20 people, including from Nepal and India, lost their lives. Referring to the inauguration of the Afghanistan-India Friendship Dam, Akbaruddin quoted Prime Minister Modis remarks that while Indias capacity may be limited but its commitment to Afghanistan is without limits. We are strongly committed to supporting Afghanistan in various plurilateral and multilateral fora, he said adding that India looks forward to hosting the Heart of Asia Ministerial Conference in December 2016. PTI Sabi Hussain Tribune News Service New Delhi, June 22 The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) today sought a public apology from actor Salman Khan for his remarks equating his physical exhaustion with having been raped. The IOA has warned that Salman would be removed as a goodwill ambassador for the Rio Olympics if he did not apologise. Salmans appointment had sparked an uproar earlier this year. IOAs joint secretary Rakesh Gupta said he had been trying to establish contact with Salmans team to convey to him that his comments have upset IOA. He should immediately apologise, Gupta, Indias chef-de-mission for the Rio Olympics, told The Tribune. He shouldnt have used this analogy. He has hurt the image of Indian sports. Another senior IOA official said Salman would not be invited for the Indian contingents official send-off function in the third week of July if he did not apologise. IOA vice-president Tarlochan Singh said Salman should have apologised at the first opportunity. The Maharashtra Womens Commission has summoned Salman Khan on June 29. Ehsan Fazili Tribune News Service Srinagar & Anantnag, June 22 Around 34 per cent voters exercised their franchise today in the bypoll for the Anantnag constituency where Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti is in the fray. The polling was held under tight security to fill the vacancy created following the death of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. The polling, held between 7 am and 6 pm, remained peaceful, said Shantamanu, Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Jammu and Kashmir. Some complaints about the violation of the model code of conduct were received. These were examined and disposed of, he said. Of the total 85,000 voters, 28,446 (33.84 per cent) cast their votes, including 15,384 male, 13,062 female and 638 migrant voters, the CEO said. The polling was held amid tight security as separatist organisations had called for a boycott of the election. The town wore a deserted look as all shops and business establishments remained closed. The polling went on peacefully it was more in rural areas as compared to the main town, said Anantnag Deputy Commissioner Syed Abdid Rashid Shah. The byelection was scheduled to be held on May 16, but was postponed on the government plea as regards law and order situation. Later, it was scheduled for June 19, but the date was extended as it coincided with the death anniversary of Qazi Nissar, a religious leader from Anantnag. Mehbooba visited a number of polling stations on the outskirts of Anantnag. She is pitted against candidates of the National Conference, Congress and five Independents. Bengaluru, June 22 A high-tech monsoon experiment in the Bay of Bengal in which British scientists will release underwater robotic vehicles, called gliders, and monitor them through aircraft packed with instruments has been security cleared at the highest level, a senior government official has said, but questions still remain. The month-long air-sea campaign, slated to begin on June 24, will see the deployment of two ships, six gliders (diving to 500 metres every two hours) and eight floats (automated submersibles) that can rise and descend to 2,000 metres. Together with the sophisticated instruments aboard a special aircraft, they will collect a range of atmospheric and oceanic data that the British scientists claim will help forecast the arrival and intensity of the Indian monsoon more accurately than ever before. Besides the fact that the Bay of Bengal is strategically crucial for India, oceanography and meteorology are two of the seven research areas considered by the government to be militarily sensitive. Madhavan Rajeevan, secretary in the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), said it has taken all the approvals and clearances from the highest level. The $11 million project cost is equally shared between MoES and Britains Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), Rajeevan said. Foreign collaborations in ocean and weather science have always set off warning signals in Indias defence community due to past experiences. For instance, in 1964, the US, under a weather programme called Nomad, placed an instrument package on a buoy anchored in the Bay of Bengal. It was supposed to continuously record and transmit wind speed, temperature and other weather data. But the Indian Meteorological Department received the data only for four days and no one in IMD is sure about the fate of the package or if it had any other undisclosed mission. Before Nomad, there was another collaborative programme under which the US sent an aircraft carrying equipment to collect weather data. The instrument-packed aircraft criss-crossed the subcontinent for eight weeks and returned without sharing the data collected. IANS Tribune News Service New Delhi, June 22 The Union Cabinet today approved a Rs 6,000-crore special package for employment generation and promotion of exports in the textile and apparel sector. The move is likely to create one crore jobs in three years. The government said the package included a slew of labour-friendly measures that would promote employment generation, economies of scale and boost exports. The steps will lead to a cumulative increase of $30 billion in exports and investment of Rs 74,000 crore over the next 3 years. We will overtake Vietnam and Bangladesh in garment exports in the next three years, if we properly implement the package, Textiles Secretary Rashmi Verma said. The majority of new jobs are likely to go to women since the garment industry employs around 70 per cent women workforce. The package provides for enhanced duty drawback coverage and a new scheme will be introduced to refund the state levies that were not refunded so far. This move is expected to cost the exchequer Rs 5,500 crore, but will greatly boost the competitiveness of Indian exports in foreign markets. Shishir Jaipuria, Chairman, FICCI Textiles Committee, said the proposal to provide flexibility to the garment industry, which is seasonal in nature, under various labour laws would help the industry meet orders and be competitive, too. Jaipuria said the Indian textiles and garment industry was facing tough competition and the refund of state levies would help it gain more competitiveness in global markets where India had to compete with players from other countries that have duty-free regimes. Beijing, June 22 With India and Pakistan expected to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) on Thursday, China said on Wednesday that it was a "major step forward" for both the South Asian countries to gain entry into the group and contribute to the region's prosperity and stability. "This is a major step forward for India and Pakistan to obtain official SCO membership," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Hua Chunying said. "China supports India and Pakistan's accession to the SCO, and hopes that the entry of new members will contribute to the development of the SCO and regional prosperity and stability," she said ahead of the SCO summit in the Uzbekistan capital Tashkent tomorrow. Chinese President Xi Jinping, who already arrived in Tashkent, said the summit marks a new beginning for the group. "China sees the 16th SCO Summit as a new starting point to enhance cooperation among members," Xi said as the six member group founded in 2001 is set to expand for the first time amid mixed feelings of optimism and skepticism about what impact India-Pakistan entry will have on the group considering their bitter rivalry. SCO is composed of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as its full members. Afghanistan, Belarus, India, Iran, Mongolia and Pakistan are observers. Last year's Ufa summit has formally adopted a resolution to admit India and Pakistan into the SCO, although it remains unclear when the process will be completed. Both the countries have been asked to endorse all the documents of SCO since its founding in 2001. Uzbekistan's Deputy Foreign Minister Anvar Nasirov has been quoted by Chinese state-run media earlier that that a Memorandum of Obligations by the Indian and Pakistan establishment for obtaining SCO member state status will be signed during the Tashkent summit. This is one of the important stages in the process of joining the organisation as a full member, he said. "Observers are concerned about SCO expansion, especially the admission of India and Pakistan," an article in the state- run Global Times said earlier. "The two nations, which are hostile over the issues of Kashmir and anti-terrorism, have long been locked into a state of military confrontation, and share conflicting views over the Afghanistan issue and other regional affairs," the article said. "If Pakistan and India are admitted to the SCO at the Tashkent meeting, it will also help improve the ties between the two South Asian rivals, and thus contribute to peace and development in the subcontinent," an article in the state-run China Daily said. PTI Makgeolli sales at Lotte Mart plunged 13.3 percent in 2013 but grew 22.2 percent so far this year. In April, carbonated and fruit-flavored makgeolli were popular, driving up overall sales. A wide range of new makgeolli products has captivated consumers in Korea, while diversified markets have led to a rise in exports. Makgeolli or traditional rice wine is bouncing back after domestic sales and exports went downhill in 2011. Exports are also growing as shipments, which had been mostly going to Japan, are now headed to other markets. In 2011, when makgeolli exports peaked, nearly 90 percent of foreign sales were to Japan. But then bilateral relations chilled and the popularity of Korean TV soaps and movies waned, so exports to Japan plummeted. Kooksoondang began exporting its fruit-flavored makgeolli to 16 countries in 2013 and saw exports rebound in 2014. Now it sells them to 25 countries and sales grew 16.2 percent last year. Small brewers are also introducing new products, such as makgeolli brewed with tangerines from Jeju Island or containing ginseng. Makgeolli exports to China rose 70 percent from 1,306 tons in 2011 to 2,230 tons last year. Over the same period, exports to Hong Kong rose 11-fold, to Singapore threefold and to Cambodia rose 10-fold. Karachi, June 22 Amjad Sabri, one of Pakistans finest Sufi qawwals best known for his soul-stirring renditions of mystic poetry, was today killed by unidentified gunmen in a targeted terror attack here. Sabri, 45, and an associate were travelling in a car in Karachis congested Liquat-abad 10 area when two unidentified motorcycle-borne gunmen fired at them. The two were rushed to hospital, where both died. There was no immediate claim of responsibility but a senior police official said it was a targeted killing and an act of terrorism. Sabri was apparently heading for the studio of a private television channel when he was attacked. Amjad Sabri was the son of renowned qawwal Ghulam Farid Sabri, whose family, originally from Rohtak, is famous in the subcontinent for their contribution to this Sufi art and mystic poetry. Some of the most memorable and famous qawwalis are Bhar Do Jholi Meri, Tajdar-i-Haram and Mera Koi Nahin Hai Teray Siwa. Sabri, who travelled widely to Europe and USA for his concerts, was known as the rockstar of qawwali due to his modern style of rendition. Fakhre Alam, chairman of the Sindh Censor Board, claimed that Sabri had submitted an application for security, but the home department did not act on it. His killing comes just two days after the son of the Sindh High Court Chief Justice was kidnapped. The spokesman for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insasaf party, Naeem ul Haq, called for those involved in heinous crimes to be given capital punishment. No one is safe in Karachi. The so-called clean-up operation over the last two years is a total failure. In 2014, the Islamabad High Court had issued a notice in a blasphemy case to two TV channels for playing of a qawwali in a show where a mock wedding had a qawwali sung by Sabri. PTI Vijay Mohan Tribune News Service Chandigarh, June 22 As changes in the Armys top hierarchy are on the cards following the retirement of senior officers, two Lieutenant Generals have proceeded on leave because the government is still to decide their new assignments even though posting orders of officers selected to replace them have already been issued. Sources said Lt Gen Bipin Rawat, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Command, is tipped to take over as the new Vice-Chief when the incumbent, Lt Gen MMS Rai, retires at the end of next month. While the posting orders are yet to be issued, two names are doing the rounds to take over as the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Command, from Lt Gen KJ Singh. These are Lt Gen DR Soni, an Armoured Corps officer who till now was commanding the Bathinda-based 10 Corps, and Lt Gen Surinder Singh, a Guards officer commanding 33 Corps in the north-east. Lt Gen Ashwini Kumar, an Army Air Defence Corps officer, has been appointed as the General Officer Commanding, 10 Corps, in place of Lt Gen Soni. Lt Gen Soni and Lt Gen PS Mehta, GOC, 21 Corps in Bhopal, have been sent on leave for about a month till the government decides their new postings. Officers appointed to replace Lt Gen Soni and Lt Gen Mehta, who have been attached to Headquarters South Western Command and Army Headquarters, are expected to assume charge this week. While Lt Gen Soni is expected to be elevated as an Army Commander, Lt Gen Mehta is tipped to get a staff appointment. Army sources said that it is not unusual for officers to be sent on cooling-off leave till fresh posting orders are issued. Central Army Commander Lt Gen BS Negi, too, was attached to Headquarters Northern Command after completion of his tenure as GOC, 14 Corps, and remained on leave for about a month before proceeding for his current assignment. Similarly, Northern Army Commander Lt Gen DS Hooda had spent a month-long cooling period before taking over in July 2014. The Chief of Staff, Western Command, Lt Gen Gurdip Singh is also retiring at the end of this month. A Major General posted at Headquarters Eastern Command is expected to take over from him on promotion. Vadodara, June 22 A top official of city-based Parul University has been arrested after a nursing student accused him of raping her, the police said today. The woman rector of a girls hostel has also been arrested for allegedly abetting the crime. Jayesh Patel, the founder and former president of Parul University who was accused of raping the student a few days back and evading arrest since then, was arrested by the rural police last night when he was coming to the city from Anand in his car, they said. We had been searching for him since last many days. Based on a tip-off, 66-year-old Patel was nabbed by rural police at Asodar cross roads near Anand at around 11 PM yesterday. He has been brought here for further questioning, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP), Vadodara rural police, S L Bhatt said. After his medical check-up, we will produce him before a court to seek his remand, Bhatt said. Patel is the founder of Parul University, a private varsity located at Limdi village under Waghodia taluka in the district. After the rape complaint was filed on June 18, Patel went underground. He was subsequently expelled from the post of president of the university by its authorities. Later, he was also expelled from BJP, which he had joined in 2014, party spokesman Bharat Pandya said. In the FIR, the 21-year-old girl, who is studying in a local nursing institute affiliated to the varsity, also accused the girls hostel woman rector Bhavnaben Patel of abetting the crime. The complainant said in the FIR that she was allegedly raped by Jayesh Patel at his house located near the girls hostel, after Bhavnaben took her there during the intervening night of June 16 and June 17. The victim also alleged that Patel threatened to rusticate her from the institute and spoil her career by failing her in exams if she revealed it to anyone, police said. Since Bhavnaben was also involved in the crime, we arrested her on June 19 and took her remand, Bhatt said. A case was lodged at Waghodia police station against them under sections 376 (rape), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 114 (abetting the crime), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC, police said. Prior to joining BJP in 2014, Jayesh Patel had contested the state Assembly election twice as Congress candidate against sitting BJP MLA Madhu Srivastav and lost on both the occasions. Before his arrest last night, police recovered a video, which was purportedly recorded a day before the FIR was lodged. In the video, which went viral a few days back, Patel is seen as saying that he would be in trouble if a case is registered against him. Meanwhile, the Parul University, in a statement issued today, said that the allegations against Jayesh Patel are individual in nature. The varsitys new president, Dr Devanshu Patel, in a statement said his father Jayesh Patel has been removed from the presidents post after the case was lodged. He also said that the administration of the university was now in the hands of two women officials. PTI Suresh Dharur Tribune News Service Hyderabad, June 22 A smile stays planted on the face of Veena and that of her conjoined twin Vani. It can melt any heart. What the Siamese sisters have to endure daily and could in the future can break any heart too. There appears to be no end to the misery of the conjoined twins. The twins have been living at the state-owned childrens hospital here for the last nine years, but the parents of the 13-year-old sisters have refused to take them back, citing poor economic conditions. As per government rules, they have to be handed over to their parents at the age of 13, making their stay at the childrens hospital impossible. Their parents, auto driver M. Murali and daily-wager M. Nagalakshmi from the neighbouring Warangal district, met Telangana Deputy Chief Minister K Srihari and expressed their inability to take their daughters home, saying they could not afford their upkeep and treatment. Earlier, a team of doctors from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, ruled out surgical separation of the sisters who are conjoined at the head. The experts say that the twins will not be able to survive the surgery. The AIIMS team sent a report last week, saying the surgery could be extremely risky as the twins share important blood vessels and nerves in the head. If surgery is performed, it may prove fatal or give them neurological debility. Veena and Vani cannot look at each. They are conjoined at the head, the top of one fused into the back of the other in such a way that they cannot face each other. Their world has been confined to the Niloufer childrens hospital in Hyderabad and the doctors and nurses, who attend to them round the clock, have been their only companions for the last nine years. If the parents refuse to take them back, then we will have to hand over the twins to the Telangana Child Welfare Department, says Dr C Suresh, superintendent of Niloufer Hospital. Unmindful of the developments surrounding them, the twins say they would not like to leave Niloufer. It is our home. We want to stay here. If our operation is successful, we want to go to school, says Vani. Always smiling and bubbly, Veena and Vani are like any other children, except for the craniopagus (conjoined at the head) condition. They are healthy with normal functioning of the brain. Several national and international experts were consulted to explore surgery options but it could not be taken up because of the huge risk involved. A renowned neurosurgeon from Singapore, Dr Keith Goh, who has the experience of operating on four pairs of craniopagus conjoined twins, had offered to perform the surgery on the girls a few years ago. But the parents had then refused to give consent. Lahore, June 21 The Pakistan censor board today gave the 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. 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, said. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook and Twitter @thetribunechd) He said almost every dialogue had offensive words so they had 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 distributor. Once he completes the editing, the film will again be presented before the board for final approval, Hasan said. The movie had run into trouble with the Indian censor board which had demanded 89 cuts. The Bombay High Court cleared it with one cut and a revised disclaimer. Hasan said, We have not banned this movie. On the appeal of the distributor, the board sat together and gave conditional approval. Udta Punjab is likely to be screened across Pakistan this weekend, the distributor said. PTI Tribune News Service Chandigarh, June 22 The Punjab Khadi and Gram Udyog Board has decided to provide easy loans worth Rs 140 crore to the youth of Punjab to make them self-reliant under the Prime Ministers Employment Generation Scheme. Under this scheme, priority will be given to family members of those debt-ridden farmers who committed suicide because of escalating farm debt. This was stated by Punjab Industries Minister Madan Mohan Mittal and chairman of the Punjab Khadi and Gram Udyog Board Harjit Singh Grewal while addressing mediapersons here today. They said a corpus of Rs 140 crore had been created under the scheme, including a subsidy of Rs 35.06 crore by the state government. This will be used to sanction loans to the youth so that they can start their own business in rural areas. Maximum loan of Rs 25 lakh can be given to an applicant after due diligence of his business proposal by the banks financing under this scheme and the khadi board. As there have been a number of farm suicide cases because of debt, we aim to help such families become self-reliant and these will be given preference while sanctioning the loans to set up cottage industries that manufacture goods for consumption within rural areas, said the minister. The minister added that the government would set up north Indias first multi-purpose skill training centre at Mohali to equip the youth with the latest technology and knowledge of entrepreneurship. He said this state-of-the-art skill training centre on 14,500 sq yards would be established in collaboration with the Central Khadi and Gram Udyog Commission and the Punjab Khadi and Gram Udyog Board. He said this multi-specialty centre would impart training to the youth of all northern states to start their own business. The Industries Minister said investment in the projects would be less and the earnings of the beneficiaries would be high. A subsidy of 15-35 per cent would also be given to those who seek loans. Mittal added that the state government had decided to develop 25 villages under Smart Khadi Village Scheme in collaboration with the Central Khadi and Gram Udyog Commission. Saurabh Malik Tribune News Service Chandigarh, June 22 Putting to rest the controversy over admission of NRI candidates to MBBS courses, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has made it clear that they are entitled to admission against NRI quota seats on the basis of qualifying marks obtained in the 10+2 examination, subject to equivalence certificate issued by Baba Farid University. A Division Bench also set aside an order passed by a Single Judge holding that it was mandatory for the NRI students to appear in the PMET or the common entrance test. The Division Bench added its order would not result in the dislodging of other students already admitted. The ruling came on an appeal by Jagraj Singh Dosanjh and five other students through senior advocate Anand Chhibbar. The appellants had not cleared the common entrance test but became eligible for selection under the NRI category seats on the basis of the 12th class exam. The Bench of Justice SS Saron and Justice Amol Rattan Singh observed the State of Punjab too supported the appellants plea that it was not necessary for NRI students to appear in the common entrance test. Their requirement to appear in the PMET was only because of a circular dated January 16 last year, which was invalidated by the Karnataka High Court and subsequently withdrawn by the MCI in September 2015. In the circumstances, it was not necessary for the NRI students to appear in the PMET or common entrance test unless there was legislation to that effect by the Central Government or the Medical Council of India as the case may be. The Bench added private respondents or the general category students admitted against NRI quota seats were higher on merit. The first professional course of MBBS 2015 session was mid-way. Therefore, it would be improper at this stage to disturb or dislodge the students who are private respondents herein from pursing their academic course. The Single Judge had earlier quashed a public notice for filling vacant seats in MBBS and BDS courses under the NRI category on basis of qualifying class XII examination marks. Challenging the order, Chhibbar had contended that the appellants fulfilled necessary eligibility requirements. Referring to the Punjab Private Health Sciences Educational Institutes (Regulations of Admission, Fixation of Fees and Making of Reservation) Act, Chhibbar stated admission to all categories of seats in private health sciences institutes, except in case of foreign Indian students, was to be made on the basis of inter-se merit of the candidates appearing in the common entrance test. 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. THE Nations comment on Lord Hardinges confidence in India is that it virtually amounts to reading a lesson in Home Rule. Writes that excellent journal: Lord Hardinge confided to American journalismwhose ample bosom is now the sole recipient of our statesmens confidencea brilliant story of his enlightened rule in India and its effects. Its burden was the loyalty of India in a war which had practically denuded her British troops and to whose various fields of battle she contributed 300,000 soldiers. Had India been disloyal this act of the Government would have meant its practical evacuation. But, under the Morley-Minto reforms, the native friends of self-government had become more moderate and trustful while on its side the Government had steadily leant to the opinions of the non-official members of the Legislative CouncilA better lesson in Home Rule could not be read, and we are glad that Lord Hardinge is now in a position to apply it to Ireland. BD Kasniyal Pithoragarh, June 22 The disaster mitigation system has been kept ready in the highly sensitive districts of Pithoragarh and Champawat. Equipment and personnel have been deputed at over 25 sensitive places on the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra route and other disaster-prone areas in the Pithoragarh district and at six places in the Champawat district to mitigate the losses due to any natural disaster. The disaster management units in these districts have made wide-ranged preparations to mitigate the damage if any natural disaster, such as a landslide, takes place during the monsoon. The district magistrate has ordered posting of men and machines at Kanalichina, Helpia, Lakhanpur Gothi, Charchum, Dobat, Ailagar, Kulagar, VaIkunthdhar, Chirkina, Khet, Jumma, Khela, Narayan Ashram, Tintola, Pangla, Mangtinala, Ghatiabagar and some other places to protect victims of natural disaster, said RS Rana, District Disaster Management Officer. Rana said people will also be taken care of for the time they are trapped due to natural disasters like road blockades. He said Chief Minister Harish Rawat had instructed officials to attend to the disaster victims. As a result, the district magistrate had cancelled leaves of all district-level officers for monsoon so that they are available to attend to the trapped pilgrims or villagers in case of any disaster. The district magistrate has also ordered to strengthen the information network at sensitive places in the district so that information of any disaster, taking place in any part of the district, reaches the control room immediately, Rana said. As the district is highly sensitive towards landslides during monsoon, Army and para-military forces have been taken in confidence for a quick response at the time of any natural disaster. Though we have our own DSPT communication system at higher reaches, we have decided to take help from the communication network of the armed forces at the time of natural disasters during these months, Rana added. In Champawat district, from where Tanakpur- Pithoragarh highway passes, the district administration has put Public Works Department (PWD) on alert in case of any blockade by a landslide. We have asked officials to ensure that the response to any natural disaster on the highway is not be beyond two hours, said Dr Iqbal Ahmed, District Magistrate, Champawat. Tribune News Service Dehradun, June 22 President Pranab Mukherjee couldnt visit Kedarnath to pay obeisance to the central Himalayan shrine due to bad weather today. The inclement weather in the Kedar valley did not let his chopper land despite repeated attempts so the President had to finally return to Dehradun. Mukherjee reached Dehraduns Jolly Grant Airport from Delhi at 8.30 am where Governor KK Paul and Chief Minister Harish Rawat received him. Soon thereafter, the President left for Kedarnath in a MI 17 helicopter. But due to inclement weather, the MI 17 could not land at Kedarnath and had to return from Lincholi. The helicopter was taken to Gauchar where the President was told to have a brief stay at the Armys rest house till the weather cleared up. But the weather did not improve. Mukherjees helicopter made two more attempts and flew between Gauchar and Guptkashi but failed to make a landing at Kedarnath. Ultimately, the President returned to Raj Bhavan in Dehradun in the noon. The President returned to the national capital from the Jolly Grant airport. Meanwhile, elaborate security arrangements were in place at Kedarnath. Special barricading had been done at Kedarnath temple. District Magistrate, Rudraprayag, Dr Raghav Langar and SP PN Meena camped at Kedarnath to oversee the arrangements. President plants saplings President Pranab Mukherjee planted saplings of Belpatri and Kapur at Raj Bhavan on Wednesday. The President, who made a brief halt at Raj Bhavan after he was forced to return from Kedarnath, planted two saplings. Governor KK Paul and his wife Omita Paul welcomed him at Raj Bhavan. They also handed over a copy of a coffee table book Beyond Belief to the President. The Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam has prepared the book. A set of bottles of aromatic oils produced by the Centre of Aromatic Plants, Dehradun, was also gifted to him. Meanwhile, the city police had made elaborate security and traffic arrangements for Pranab Mukherjees visit to Dehradun. The stretch from where the convoy of the President passed was cordoned off by cops. The police conducted a special checking drive at different places to round up suspected individuals. The police deployed four SPs, six ASPs, seven circle officers, eight SHOs or Inspectors, 65 Sub-Inspectors, six women SIs, 46 head constables and 355 constables for security. Four companies of Provincial Armed Constabulary were also deployed. Dehradun SSP Sadanand Datte said cops were deployed for the Presidents visit two days ago. Special security passes were issued to policemen deployed for VVIP security.TNS Tribune News Service Dehradun, June 22 Drinking water shortage will become grave in Uttarakhand especially in the rural mountain areas due to climate change, said Shatrughan Singh, Uttarakhand Chief Secretary, while speaking at a workshop on Reviving Springs in Uttarakhand organised by Peoples Science Institute, Dehradun, with the financial support of Arghyam, Bengaluru, here today. In recent years Uttarakhand has experienced low winter rainfall due to climate change. This has accelerated the drying of springs, chal-khals and groundwater seepages. Hence, there is an urgent need to focus on recharging these sources of water for which the state government is willing to join hands with civil society organizations, he added. More than 60 participants from various government departments like the Union Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation; RMDD Sikkim; Soil & Water Conservation Department; Meghalaya, Land Resources Department, Nagaland; Indian Institute of Soil & Water Conservation; NIH Roorkee; Central Ground Water Board; Forest Department, Uttarakhand; Uttarakhand Jal Sansthan and civil society organisations attended the workshop. Rohini Nilekani, chairperson, Arghyam, said springs were the fountain heads of our river systems. They need to be revived not only for maintaining the ecological balance but also for stabilising the states economy since the livelihoods of majority of the people in the mountainous regions depend on springs. Dr Himanshu Kulkarni from Pune highlighted the role of geohydrology in spring shed development and watershed management in the Himalayan region. The Himalayas are one of the most studied and researched regions of the world and 11 major river systems are associated with Himalayas. At the same time, Himalayas are somewhat of a blind spot with regards to groundwater. There is very little reliable data on groundwater in the Himalayas. Groundwater has strong links with politics, society, economy and environment. Most of the time these stand in conflict with each other, Kulkarni said. Dr Ravi Chopra, former Director of PSI, presented a draft concept note on reviving springs in Uttarakhand. He said, Springs have been drying up in the state. Fortunately, in the last decade or so the concept of spring shed development has been successfully demonstrated at many locations in the Himalayan states. The time has come for the state government, civil society organisations and local communities to come together to revive springs in a sustainable manner and equitably use the water. For this a sound understanding of the hydrogeology is also essential. The objective of the workshop was to share experiences of springs revival in the Himalayan states with stakeholders and implementation agencies in Uttarakhand and to develop a draft programme for reviving springs in the state. New York, June 22 A 44-year old Indian-origin hedge fund portfolio manager, who was charged last week with insider trading, has committed suicide in his apartment here. Sanjay Valvani, had faced securities fraud and wire fraud charges after he had used confidential information obtained from a former official at the Food and Drug Administration to trade in the securities of two pharmaceutical companies and earned about $25 million in trading profits. A New York Police Department spokesperson confirmed to PTI that Valvani had committed suicide. (Follow The Tribune on Facebook and Twitter @thetribunechd) The spokesperson said Valvani left a note and had a slash wound to his neck and wrist. A knife was found by the body. The police had got a 911 call from Valvanis wife at about 6 pm on Monday and he was pronounced dead by medical personal at 6:30 pm. The police spokesperson said Valvanis body was on the floor of the bedroom in his Brooklyn home and by the time the medical team reached the scene he was dead. Valvanis attorneys Barry Berke and Eric Tirschwell termed his death as a horrible tragedy that is difficult to comprehend. They said he was a loving father, husband, son and brother and committed friend, colleague and mentor. 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 in a statement. US Attorney Preet Bhararas office, which had brought the charges on June 15, declined to comment on the development. Former portfolio manager Stefan Lumiere was also charged along with Valvani in Manhattan federal court. A political intelligence consultant and former senior official at the Food and Drug Administration Gordon Johnston and former hedge fund portfolio manager Christopher Plaford had pled guilty and were cooperating with the government. The charges had alleged that between 2005 through January 2011, Valvani unlawfully obtained from Johnston highly confidential and material nonpublic information with the FDA about the agencys approval of pending generic drug applications. Valvani was also charged with passing certain highly confidential and material nonpublic information to Plaford, who also executed trades based on the information. Valvani was the latest Indian-origin hedge fund manager to be charged with insider trading. Previously, Bharara had brought insider trading charges against former Goldman Sachs Director Rajat Gupta and former hedge fund founder Raj Rajaratnam in one of the most high-profile insider trading cases in US history. Gupta was convicted in 2012 of passing confidential boardroom information about Goldman to Rajaratnam and spent two years in prison. Rajaratnam is still serving his 11 year prison term in a Massachusetts jail. As part of the scheme, at Valvanis direction, Johnston had obtained highly confidential and material nonpublic information from a senior FDA official about the status and approval of a generic drug called enoxaparin and passed to Valvani. He used this information to trade in the securities of two pharmaceutical companies likely to be affected by an approval of a generic enoxaparin application, earning approximately USD 25 million in trading profits when the FDA announced its first such approval. In January 2010, after receiving a tip from Johnston, Valvani told his healthcare-focused hedge fund that Johnston should be given a raise. In an email to the chief financial officer of the hedge fund, Valvani sought to justify providing a raise to Johnston by stressing how important he was to him, (Johnston) is without question the most valuable consultant Ive ever worked with and Im pushing to reinforce the value of the relationship and encourage him to continue to go above and beyond for our team. Valvani surrendered to authorities yesterday morning. In separate actions, the Securities and Exchange Commission filed civil charges against Valvani, Lumiere, Johnston and Plaford. As alleged, Valvani, Johnston, and Plaford conspired to extract highly confidential and tightly guarded information about pending applications for generic drug approvals from the FDA, and traded on such information, reaping millions of dollars in illegal profits, Bharara had said in announcing the charges last week. The charges had further alleged that beginning in or about 2005, Valvani directed Johnston to gather confidential and material nonpublic information from FDA employees about the FDAs consideration of the enoxaparin Abbreviated New Drug Application. Johnston, in turn, improperly obtained such information from a senior Office of Generic Drugs official, who was his close friend and a former colleague. PTI Kuala Lumpur, June 22 Malaysia may amend the death sentence mandatory for 12 criminal offences after government-backed studies showed that the capital punishment had not led to the desired effects. There are positive signs in Malaysia and a steady momentum towards possible change in the death penalty legislation, Minister in the Prime Ministers Department Nancy Shukri told the World Congress Against The Death Penalty in Oslo recently. Currently, the death penalty is mandatory in Malaysia for 12 offences while 20 other offences are punishable with discretionary death penalty. Murder, drug trafficking, and offences related to security are punishable with death, Nancy said. The minister said that a government-backed study on the death penalty had been completed and a paper was being readied by the Attorney Generals Chambers. The study was conducted by the International Centre For Law and Legal Studies (I-CeLLS). However, Nancy said empirical studies showed that the death penalty had not led to the deterring effect that such a penalty was created. Although Malaysia is generally in compliance with international standards in so far as the relevant safeguards (on capital punishment) are concerned, Malaysias position on death penalty has always been subjected to national and international criticisms. PTI Seoul/Washington, June 22 In a remarkable show of persistence, North Korea on Wednesday fired two suspected powerful new Musudan mid-range ballistic missiles, US 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 Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said, an improvement but still well short of the missiles potential 3,500-kilometer range and not long enough to be classified as intermediate. Despite the repeated failures, the Norths determination in testing the Musudan worries Washington and its allies, Tokyo and Seoul, because the missiles range puts much of Asia and the Pacific, including US military bases there, within reach. Each new test apparently linked to a command from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un also likely provides valuable insights to the Norths scientists and military officials as they push toward their goal of a nuclear and missile programme that can threaten the US 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 Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said a suspected first Musudan launch from the east coast city of Wonsan failed early Wednesday morning. It didnt elaborate. But Japans Defense Ministry said the missile fragmented and pieces fell into waters off the Korean Peninsulas east coast. Later on Wednesday, the JCS said the North fired another suspected Musudan, which flew about 400 kilometers. Seoul didnt 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 US official also said the first launch appeared to be another failure, adding that the US was assessing exactly what had happened. The official wasnt authorised 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 US 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 didnt 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 Aprils 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 Uns order in March for more nuclear and ballistic missile tests. The order was an apparent response to springtime US-South Korean military drills, which North Korea views as an invasion rehearsal. US condemns N Korean missile test The US has strongly condemned the North Koreas launch of two ballistic missiles describing the move by the hermit nation as threatening and provocative. We strongly condemn these and North Koreas other recent missile tests, which violate UN Security Council Resolutions explicitly prohibiting North Koreas launches using ballistic missile technology, State Department Spokesman John Kirby told reporters yesterday. The US is aware of the reports that North Korea fired two ballistic missiles. We are monitoring and continuing to assess the situation in close coordination with our regional allies and partners, he said. 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. These provocations only serve to increase the international communitys resolve to counter the North Koreans prohibited activities, including through implementing existing UN Security Council sanctions, Kirby said. The US intends to raise its concerns at the United Nations to bolster international resolve in holding the North Korean accountable for these provocative actions. Stressing the need for a united response, he said the US will stand with its allies, including the Republic of Korea and Japan to defend from any attack or provocation. Our commitment to the defence of our allies, including the Republic of Korea and Japan, in the face of these threats, remains Ironclad. We remain prepared to defend ourselves and our allies from any attack or provocation, he said. We call on North Korea to refrain from actions that further raise tensions in the region and focus instead on taking concrete steps toward fulfilling its commitments and international obligations, the spokesman said. Earlier in the day, the US President Barack Obama extended national emergency against North Korea. Describing the move as destabilising and provocative action Obama said, North Koreas pursuit of nuclear and missile programs and other provocative, destabilising and repressive action and policies continue to constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States. AP/PTI London, June 22 British Prime Minister David Cameron and his eurosceptic opponents made final pitches for wavering voters on Wednesday on the eve of a defining referendum on European Union membership with the outcome still too close to call. The vote, which echoes the rise of populism elsewhere in Europe and the United States, will shape the future of Europe. A victory for out could unleash turmoil on financial markets. Its very close; nobody knows whats going to happen, Prime Minister David Cameron told Wednesdays Financial Times, with opinion polls showing the rival camps neck and neck. Thursdays vote will take place a week after the murder of ardently pro-EU lawmaker Jo Cox shocked the country, raising questions about the tone of an increasingly bitter campaign. Much of the debate has boiled down to two issues: the economy and immigration. The City of London financial centre, the International Monetary Fund and the majority of British business leaders back Cameron and his Remain camps stance that to leave the EU would plunge Britain into recession, costing jobs and raising prices. Supporters of a so-called Brexit have struck a chord with many voters by saying Britain would regain control of immigration if it cut itself loose from a bloc they see as domineering and out of touch. In what has become an ugly and personal fight, both camps have been accused of using unfounded assertions and scare tactics. Remain campaigners accuse their opponents of embracing the politics of hate; the Leave camp say their rivals have run a project fear to scare voters about the economic risks. Both sides hit the road and the airwaves to appeal to the large number of undecided voters who will be decisive, along with the level of turnout. Its our last chance to sort this out and take back control, said former London mayor Boris Johnson, the main leader of the Leave campaign and favourite with bookmakers to replace Cameron in the event of Brexit. If we dont vote to leave tomorrow we will remain locked in the back of the car, driven in an uncertain direction frankly to a place we dont want to go and perhaps by a driver who doesnt speak the very best of English, he said. He was flying around Britain in a helicopter to spread the Brexit message, making an unashamed play to British patriotism by declaring Thursday could be Britains independence day. The leader of the anti-EU UK Independence Party (UKIP), Nigel Farage, also played the nationalist card in an address to supporters in London. They (the EU) have an anthem, they are building an army, they have already got their own police force, and of course they have got a flag, Farage said. At the end of the day tomorrow when people vote they must make a decision - which flag is theirs? and I want us to live under British passports and under the British flag. Cameron, who called the referendum under pressure from his own Conservative party and from the insurgent UKIP, urged voters to remain in the club Britain joined in 1973. If we leave, we will diminish our country and our ability to get things done in the world, he told a crowd in Bristol in western England. Weve got one day left to hammer out that message; stronger, safer, better off. Please give it everything youve got in these last hours to make sure that people go out and vote tomorrow. Opinion polls have painted a contradictory picture of public opinion in a deeply divided nation. Some published since Coxs murder have suggested a slight lead for Remain, though often within the margin of error. Election experts say turnout will be crucial because of a gulf between generations, with young voters, who have a poor voting record, strongly backing staying in the EU, while older, more regular voters tend to favour an exit. The implied probability of a Remain vote was at 76 percent, according to Betfair odds, while the pound edged back to $1.4659 after climbing to as high as $1.4788 on Tuesday, its highest level since Jan. 4. Polling stations open at 0600 GMT on Thursday June 23 and close at 2100 GMT. The official result is due some time after 0600 GMT on Friday. Reuters Leading British newspapers take sides PRO-REMAIN IN European Union THE TIMES: Britains Times newspaper came 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. 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 THE FINANCIAL TIMES: The countrys leading financial newspaper backed Britain staying within the 28-member bloc, saying a vote to withdraw would be irrevocable, a grievous blow to the post-1945 liberal world order PRO-LEAVE IN European Union THE SUN: The Sun, the nations biggest-selling paper, urged readers to vote for Leave on its front page on June 14. We must set ourselves free from dictatorial Brussels, said the tabloid DAILY MAIL: The right-leaning title, the nations second biggest-selling paper, urged its readers to vote Leave on its front page on June 22. If you believe in Britain, vote Leave, it said. THE TELEGRAPH: The Daily Telegraph newspaper came out in favour of quitting the EU. It made its declaration in an editorial entitled Vote leave to benefit from a world of opportunity United Nations: Afghanistan has accused elements within Pakistan of facilitating most of the terrorist groups active in the region and said the country needed political will and not nuclear deals or F-16s to take action against terrorists. Afghanistan's Permanent Representative to the UN Mahmoud Saikal said Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour was "tracked" and killed in Pakistan's Balochistan in an American drone strike. PTI Scientists discover Zika, dengue weaknesses Washington: Scientists have discovered human proteins that Zika virus needs for replication by performing the first screen using gene editing tool CRISPR/Cas9, an advance that may help fight Zika, dengue and other emerging viral infections. "These genetic screens give us our first look at what these viruses need to survive," said Abraham Brass from University of Massachusetts. PTI Afghan Taliban release some kidnapped bus passengers Kandahar: The Taliban have released 21 of two dozen hostages pulled from their vehicles on a highway in Afghanistan, officials said on Wednesday, a day after they were abducted by the militants. The passengers on a bus and two trucks were kidnapped in Washer district of volatile Helmand province. AFP Picasso Cubist painting sold for record $63.4 mn London: One of the most seminal works of Pablo Picasso has smashed an auction record by fetching a whopping $63.4 million at a Sotheby's auction here, almost $20 million more than the original estimate. Femme Assise (1909), one of Picasso's earliest Cubist paintings, sold for 43.2 million pounds ($63.4 million) at a Sotheby's London auction on Tuesday. PTI tricountyleader.com expired on 09/23/2022 and is pending renewal or deletion. Backorder Domain OKLAHOMA CITY Finance Secretary Preston Doerflinger is asking a court to modify the 180-day revocation of his drivers license. The revocation began June 8, according to records. Doerflinger pleaded no contest in 2015 in Oklahoma City municipal court to a charge of being in actual physical control of a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. According to an April 26 Department of Public Safety order, the test results reflected an alcohol concentration of 0.08. According to a published report, Doerflingers test results showed a breath alcohol content of 0.15. The legal limit is 0.08. The test was done within two hours of his arrest, according to the order. He asked an Oklahoma County District Court on June 13 to modify the revocation, saying it imposes an extreme hardship on him and no reasonable alternative means of transportation is available, according to records. The same day, Doerflinger was cited by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol for operating a vehicle in Tulsa County while his drivers license was revoked and failure to properly wear a seat belt, according to records. Doerflinger asked the court to modify the entire revocation period to allow him unlimited driving privileges upon the installation of an interlock device and the payment of the modification fee to the state, according to records. Doerflingers spokesman John Estus referred questions to his attorney. His Oklahoma City attorney, Tony Coleman, said Doerflinger had indicated he would appeal the revocation when he lost before an administrative hearing officer. Coleman said the Department of Public Safety told him that the revocation would be put on hold pending the outcome of the appeal. He conveyed that to Doerflinger, Coleman said. He had no knowledge his license had been revoked, Coleman said. Because the matter has been put on hold pending the appeal, Doerflinger continues to drive, Coleman said. According to a court document, Doerflinger on Monday posted $250 as a cash appeal bond to stay the order revoking his license. Doerflinger did have a revocation hearing at the Department of Public Safety and the revocation was sustained, said Stephen Krise, the agencys general counsel. At that point, you do have the right to appeal to the district court and that revocation is stayed if you timely appeal, Krise said. He didnt timely appeal the revocation. Doerflinger now has filed a petition in district court for a modified license, Krise said. Normally, you can obtain a modified license from us instead of having a hearing, Krise said. Once we hold a hearing and issue an order, we dont have ability to do that anymore. Then you go to district court and ask for it. Doerflinger is also head of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services. He serves at the pleasure of Gov. Mary Fallin and is her chief budget negotiator. The governors office said it would have no comment on the situation. In this episode of Morning Edition, we discuss the award of 7.5 million dollars by the court WIN TV mogul Bruce Gordon has increased his stake in Network TEN by another 2% under a complex equity derivative contract. Under the arrangement facilitated by Deutsche Bank, where the bank holds shares on his behalf, he has increased his stake to 14.56%. He cannot own more than 15 per cent under the current Reach rule, but he can build an economic interest in the companies beyond that mark with another party holding the shares. In March Gordon was revealed to be the mystery party behind a purchase of a 3.4% stake in Nine, with the parcel of shares worth around $50m bought by Deutsche Bank. Media watchdog the Australian Communications and Media Authority has indicated it is actively monitoring the situation given Gordon already has 14.99% of Nine. Next week long-standing affiliate arrangements involving Nine, WIN, TEN and Southern Cross will all change hands, while media reforms, including the Reach Rule have been delayed due to the federal election. Source: The Australian, Mumbrella The tragic death of Anton Yelchin earlier this week occurred before he had finished voice-work on the upcoming Netflix series Trollhunters. The Russian-born actor had been recording the voice for the lead character for producer Guillermo del Toro and DreamWorks Animation. The animated series is set in two fantastical worlds that collide, following hero Jim (Yelchin) and his two best friends as they make an amazing discovery beneath their hometown involving a battle between good and evil trolls. https://tvtonight.com.au/2016/06/vale-anton-yelchin.html Our hearts are heavy with this tragic news and Antons family and friends are in our thoughts, the two companies said in a joint statement. del Toro had also paid warm tribute to Yelchin on social media: The sweetest, most humble, delightful, talented guy youd ever meet. Worked together for about a year. Shocked. Anton was a sweetheart. Absolutely a great creative partner and artist. The series is due in December. Source: Digital Spy Day in, day out ABC2 titles sit at the top of the multichannel ratings. Shows such as Peppa Pig, Ben & Hollys Little Kingdom, Peter Rabbit, and Shaun The Sheep fall under the ABCKIDS pre-school brand on the ABC2 band. ABC2 targets 25-34yr olds with programming from 7pm 2am including the decade-old Good Game, Ross Kemp: Extreme World, Tattoo Disasters, Never Mind the Buzzcocks, Live At The Apollo and Louis Theroux. ABC3 is directed at 7-15 year olds and includes local titles such as Nowhere Boys, Little Lunch, Tomorrow When the World Began, Bushwhacked, Ready For This, Good Game Spawn Point and BtN. Theres more of Nowhere Boys and Youre Skitting Me on the way, along with Rookie Reporter. ABC News 24 did not respond to the survey, due to the election coverage. ABC has also not yet delivered on its November announcement of its primary channel switching to HD by June. An ABC spokesperson yesterday told TV Tonight, The timeline is still being discussed but we have a number of initiatives on the TV roadmap including HD, and are actively working towards seeing them come to fruition. ABC responses are below: ABC2 / ABC KIDS BRAND IDENTITY: ABC2: The best in provocative, surprising and entertaining content for younger Australian audiences. ABC KIDS: The trusted home of the best local and international preschool content. TARGET DEMOGRAPHIC: ABC2: 25-34yr olds ABC KIDS: Primary: 2-6 year olds. Secondary: Families with Preschoolers RATINGS / PERFORMANCE RESULTS: ABC2: ABC2s audience is up 13% year on year and is the only multichannel to have experienced an increase its audience year on year (notwithstanding the new multi channels that launched late last year). ABC2s primary objective is to extend the ABCs reach by engaging with younger Australian audiences, particularly those who may not connect with other ABC channels. Exclusive weekly reach for ABC2 is 5% (the % of people who tune into ABC2 and not any other ABC channel**) ** Oztam Metro data weeks 0-12, 2016 ABC KIDS: ABC KIDS is the top multi-channel during the day (6am-6pm) among Total People, Children 0-4, People 25-34, and People 35-49. Source: OzTAM metro data, Wks 1-24 2016 One in every two pre-schoolers tune into ABC KIDS during the day on TV and online viewing of ABC KIDS programs have tripled since the launch of the dedicated ABC KIDS iview app in March 2015. There have been over 1 million downloads of the ABC KIDS iview app and ABC KIDS play app since they launched in 2015. KEY FIRST RUN TITLES: ABC2: Hack Live: Body Obsession; Hack Live: The War on Young People; Good Game; Ross Kemp: Extreme World; Bodyshockers; My Self Harm Nightmare; Hunted; Tattoo Disasters; Never Mind the Buzzcocks; Live At The Apollo; Penn and Teller: Fool Us; Reggie Yates: Extreme South Africa; Reggie Yates: Extreme Russia; Louis Theroux ABC KIDS: Play School, Giggle and Hoot, Hoot Hoot Go, Peppa Pig, Ben & Hollys Little Kingdom, Octonauts, Peter Rabbit, Sesame Street, Shaun The Sheep, The Wiggles, Teletubbies, Bing. UPCOMING FIRST RUN TITLES: ABC2: Welcome to the Mosque; Employable Me; Welcome to Leith; Live from the BBC; Plebs S3; Archer S6; Inside Amy Schumer S3 ABC KIDS: Play School Celebrity Covers, Wiggle Town, Noddy Toyland Detective, Kazoops. RECENT SUCCESS STORIES: ABC2: 2 High: A Week on Drugs; 2 Sexy: The Business of Sex; Naked As: No Bodys Perfect all themed weeks that deliver a wide range of programs from Australia and around the world examining relevant topics for our core audience. These weeks are anchored by a live program made in collaboration with triple j and hosted by Hack host Tom Tilley. And, this year Good Game celebrates 10 years! ABC KIDS: Hoot Hoot Go, Playschool 50th Anniversary, ABC KIDS iview, ABC KIDS Play. FIRST-RUN AUSTRALIAN CONTENT: ABC2: Hack Live: Body Obsession; Hack Live: The War on Young People; Good Game; Australians on Drugs; Australians on Porn; Tom Gleeson (Stand Up) ABC KIDS: Play School, Play School Celebrity Covers, Giggle and Hoot, Hoot Hoot Go, Wiggle Town, Kazoops. CATCH-UP SHOWS FROM PRIMARY CHANNELS: ABC2: The Checkout; Mad As Hell; The Weekly with Charlie Pickering; Gruen / ABC KIDS: n/a PREMIUM HD CONTENT: n/a FORMAT / TECH PLAYOUT: (ie. MPEG2, HD etc.) n/a PLANS OR INTENT TO SWITCH PRIMARY CHANNEL TO HD: none at this stage. ABC3 BRAND IDENTITY: A dedicated destination for young Australians, offering distinct, diverse and inspiring content for them and their families. TARGET DEMOGRAPHIC: 7-15s and their families. Secondary: Families, Students + Teachers (Education) RATINGS / PERFORMANCE RESULTS: ABC3 is the top multi-channel among 5-12s. During the day it is also the top multichannel among 13-24s. Source: OzTAM metro data, Wks 1-24 2016. KEY FIRST RUN TITLES: Nowhere Boys, Little Lunch, Tomorrow When the World Began, Bushwhacked, Behind The News, Ready For This, Good Game Spawn Point, Danger Mouse, Camp Lakebottom, Operation Ouch, Horrible Histories, Slugterra, Deadly 60, Dance Academy. UPCOMING FIRST RUN TITLES: Rookie Reporter, Prisoner Zero, Nowhere Boys Series 3, Youre Skitting Me Series 3, Winston Steinburger & Sir Dudley Ding Dong, Bear Grylls: Survival School, Backstage, Gortimer Gibbons Life on Normal Street Series 3, Officially Amazing Series 4 & 5, Dixi Series 2. RECENT SUCCESS STORIES: Little Lunch, 3 BEST FEST on iview, Rookie Reporter, Tomorrow When The War Began, Nowhere Boys: Book of Shadows. FIRST-RUN AUSTRALIAN CONTENT: Nowhere Boys, Little Lunch, Tomorrow When the World Began, Bushwhacked, Ready For This, Good Game Spawn Point, Rookie Reporter, BtN News Breaks and BtN Classroom Edition. CATCH-UP SHOWS FROM PRIMARY CHANNELS: N/A PREMIUM HD CONTENT: N/A FORMAT / TECH PLAYOUT: (ie. MPEG2, HD etc.) N/A PLANS OR INTENT TO SWITCH PRIMARY CHANNEL TO HD: Not at this stage. ABC News 24 (Did not respond) Nickelodeon has announced first acts for Slimefest 2016 including Omi, Havana Brown, G.R.L., In Stereo, DJs Mashd N Kutcher and YouTube outfit Kian & JC. The annual green slime event will stage two shows in Melbourne on Sunday, 25th September and two in Sydney on Friday, 30th September. Jamaican performer Omi said, Slimefest is going to be crazy fun I cant wait to perform to an audience that is covered head to toe in green slime and ready to party! Australia you better get ready to dance! Havana Brown said, Its so nice to come back to Australia and be a part of an epic family event like Slimefest. I cant wait to get out there, get slimed and dance like crazy with all the Aussie kids and families. Theres no other event like it so its going to be a brand new experience for me bring it on! A 90 minute special will air on Nickelodeon on Friday, 30th September at 6pm. Tickets are now on sale. Zorian Shkiriak, the adviser to the Ukrainian Interior Minister, claims that about 80,000 Russian soldiers stay near eastern Ukrainian borders. He said this on the air of Espresso.TV. "If I'm not mistaken, more than 80,000 soldiers of the Russian army stay near the eastern borders of Ukraine," Shkiriak said. He added that recent intensified activities of the militants in Donbas could indicate possible preparation for the offensive. The tensest situation in eastern Ukraine is observed in Mariupol and Donetsk directions, according to the adviser to the Ukrainian Interior Minister. ol The officers of the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) have secured a return of a Ukrainian diplomat, whom the Russian FSB tried to recruit, the press center of the SBU. "Russian intelligence services used a classmate of the diplomat, with whom he studied at a Military School, and today he is a retired colonel of the Russian Armed Forces. The FSB pressed on him, held talks to appeal to the Ukrainian diplomat to agree with a confidential cooperation. The Russian intelligence offered to resolve the issue of the diplomats property privatization in temporarily annexed Crimea and assist with transportation of his family to Russia. They threatened him in case of refusal by setting conditions for mobilizing his son to the Ukrainian Armed forces to serve later in the zone of the antiterrorist operation. The SBU inspection excluded such a possibility by the Russian intelligence services," the report said. The diplomat refused further contacts and discussions on the proposed "cooperation" after he was instructed by the Ukrainian counterintelligence. "The SBU officers provided protection for the diplomats family who worked in encryption department and organized his return to Ukraine," the press center noted. tl The National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) plans to launch the system of remote identification of bank clients (BankID) this autumn. Valeriy Maiboroda, the head of project and program management of a strategy for reforming NBU bank sector, said this during a roundtable meeting on Wednesday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. At present everything is carried out in test mode, we are open for all banks and subjects of rendering administrative services, thats why we want to test [this system] and this autumn to launch it without any problem or failures in its work, Maiboroda said. iy A nominee for the post of Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch has told the American senators at a hearing over her future appointment that shes impressed with the progress that Ukraine has made on the path of reforms in recent years. The hearings took place in U.S. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations on Tuesday, Ukrinforms own Washington correspondent reports. "Ukraine has made more progress in reforms over the past two years than it achieved during the entire 23 years of independence. And I share a special optimism about the path of reforms in Ukraine this year, including several key achievements since the reshuffling of coalition and the government in April," said Yovanovitch. Moreover, she has stated that Ukraine enacted constitutional amendments by overwhelming majority that are aimed at strengthening the independence of the judiciary branch; the government increased energy utility rates to 100 percent of the market rates ahead of the deadline that was agreed the IMF; and replaced a Prosecutor General who has lost the confidence of civil society. "These are more impressive achievements in reforms considering that they occurred during Russian aggression," said the diplomat. She also noted that the best defense against Russian aggression in Europe is a successful Ukraine. tl U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Victoria Nuland is traveling on short-term visits to Ukraine and Russia on Tuesday to discuss a number of issues, primarily the implementation of the Minsk agreements, according to the official statement published by U.S State Department, Ukrinform's own American correspondent reports. "Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Victoria Nuland will travel to Kyiv, where he will meet with senior Ukrainian officials to discuss bilateral and regional issues, including reform priorities and implementation of the Minsk agreements on June 21," the document notes. Then the U.S. State Department official will travel to the Russian capital, where she will discuss "the situation in eastern Ukraine and further steps to implement the Minsk agreements supported by Normandy format and Trilateral Contact Group. The planned duration of stay for U.S. foreign ministry official in Kyiv and Moscow has not been reported. tl NATO allies will approve a comprehensive package of assistance for Ukraine during the NATO summit that is to take place in Warsaw on 8-9 July 2016, according to Oleksandr Vinnykov, Director of NATO Liaison Office in Ukraine. We will hold a discussion on the spread of stability beyond the Alliance, it will concern Georgia, Tunisia, Afghanistan and countries of the Mediterranean. But the situation in Ukraine will be one of the key topics of discussion. Allies will approve a comprehensive package of assistance for Ukraine, and we will also hold the NATO-Ukraine Commission at the level of heads of state and government. Ukraine will be the only one third country that will have such a format of meeting during the summit. This shows NATO's determination to maintain stability in Ukraine, Vinnykov said at a briefing on Wednesday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. iy U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs Victoria Nuland has congratulated Ukrainian MPs on the adoption of the needed constitutional amendments on judicial system. Nuland stated this at a meeting with Ukraines Verkhovna Rada Chairman Andriy Parubiy in Kyiv on Wednesday, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. We congratulate you and other parliamentarians on the adoption of judicial reform, she said Nuland also said she arrived in Ukraine with several colleagues from the White House to feel the atmosphere before a forthcoming meeting of Presidents in Warsaw and to discuss further steps on the security issues and the Minsk agreements. iy After hearing worrying stories about fever outbreaks in nearby provinces, Sonia and her neighbours trekked several kilometres to a mosquito net distribution point. The nets they received will help the women and their families protect themselves from malaria and other mosquito-borne illnesses. With support from UNICEF, about 44,000 mosquito nets were distributed in communities and health facilities across Angolas Bengo Province. DANDE, Angola, 21 June 2016 Sonia rests on a piece of wood with her 2-year-old daughter on her lap. She and two of her neighbours have walked several kilometres to reach this point. Next to her is exactly what she came for: a stack of four neatly-packed mosquito bed nets. The young mother of two is one of the beneficiaries of a mosquito net distribution held in Panguila Commune, which is about 21 km from the centre of Bengo Province in Angola. The distribution point was organized by health staff in coordination with community leaders. Recently, people in Sonias region have grown worried after hearing about fever outbreaks in bordering provinces. She decided to make the trek to get nets after hearing about the distribution from a neighbour. Before receiving her nets, she and her daughter had to pass a quick malaria test fortunately, it was negative for both of them. Despite the result, she says she cannot relax because of the stories she has heard of people who have been dying from strange fevers, including malaria and yellow fever. It is important to use mosquito nets because fevers are killing," says Sonia. "In our village, fevers, dirty water and mosquitoes never stop. A persistent threat Malaria is still one of the biggest killers in Angola. Nearly half of under-five deaths are caused by the disease. The Kansas State Board of Education voted unanimously to boycott Barack Obama's bathroom policy. On Tuesday, June 13, the Kansas State Board of Education led by Scott Gordon, voted unanimously to ignore Obama's bathroom policy. Aside from Kansas, Mississippi also joined the states' suit against the new policy to be implemented to public schools. According to Gov. Phil Bryant, Mississipi will join the 11 states that filed a lawsuit against Obama's policy on Wednesday, May 25. Under this policy, transgender students should be able to use bathroom based to what gender they identify as, Daily Caller reported. Texas is leading the lawsuit and governors of Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, Maine, Arizona, Tennessee, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Utah united to junk the policy. Since Kansas voted to reject the new policy, the state could lose $479 million in federal aid, however, if no student complains about gender discrimination, there would not be an issue and the state would not lost funding, according to the board president Gordon. In 2015, there was one transgender student complained about gender discrimination. Gordon told Associated Press that the student filed a complaint for alleged discrimination with the Office of Civil Rights. On Friday, June 17, Republican U.S. Rep. Tim Huelskamp sent letters to school leaders in Western and Central Kansas, urging them to ignore the guidelines, although they know there is a threat of losing federal funding. State GOP leaders have called the decree an encroachment on local control, and earlier this month, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt announced this that the state will sue the U.S. Departments of Justice and Education, which issued the decree. Meanwhile, in Washington, many parents were shocked after learning the new set of health education. According to Peter Hasson, contributor writer of Daily Caller, "Self-Identity," one of the components that will be soon introduced to kids,will teach kindergarten about the many ways to express gender. After Hasson published his article, many citezens and Washington expressed outrage on social media. Microsoft's upcoming move is on the Marijuana industry, as the multinational technology company made it known that they will collaborate with LA-based Kind Financial on a software for tracking the sale and the legal growing of cannabis. KIND, the company that centers on providing financial technology services to the marijuana industry, made a statement that Microsoft will work with them on software services for governments tracking legal weed. And the technology company will power the software through its Azure cloud computing service, The Verge reported. The KIND Financial company also made it known that their partnership with Microsoft is to strengthen each company's resources to provide County, Municipalities and State with purpose built interpretations for track and trace technology. The venture of Microsoft and KIND is significant for being a major corporation publicly making a strike into the still-developing industry. Despite Marijuana being approved for medical or recreational purposes in several states, it is still illegal federally in growing and selling weed, New York Times reported. But locally, the Marijuana industry is already set to continue growing as more states in America took up the issue. The executive director of state and local Government Solutions from Microsoft - Kimberly Nelson, explained why KIND company was chosen to be part in Microsoft's newly initiated Health and Human Services Pod for Managed Service Providers. Nelson said in a statement, the strategic industry positioning, experienced team and top-notch technology of KIND to run the Microsoft Azure Government cloud, is an easy decision to put efforts in order, Information Week reported. Nelson also mentioned how KIND concurred that Azure Government is the only cloud platform, which was formulated to meet government standards for Marijuana compliance programs. KIND has been in the form of program for years, which ensures the marijuana business are in line with the trade's regulations, RT reported. However, this public statement marks the first time Microsoft company has established a collaboration related to the legal marijuana industry. Apple Incorporated ran into trouble in China due to problems with patent dispute. The unlimited prospects of Apple Inc. in China ran into a problem as the world's top two in economy handed in a series of setbacks. All Western companies ran into the same strict regulations in People's Republic of China. The tech giant has begun to tighten the regulations on Western companies, Wall Street Journal reported. A little known company that's just starting out, Shenzhen Baili, won the patent dispute against Apple Inc. The company won the injunction based on a patent that covers the design of smartphones. This includes Apple's iPhone 6 Plus and iPhone 6. However, Apple says that the order had been stayed. The appeal have been pending and the sales was unaffected by the dispute, Tech n' Buzz reported. The growing challenges faced by Western companies in China are due to the rulings. Chinese companies grows bigger and more mature. They are becoming into stronger competitors. The regulators insist increasingly that companies from outside China play by rules set in Beijing. Apple has been a favorite brand of Chinese officials because it is geared for consumers. Not only the officials, but of all China. This was the rumored reason why Apple Inc. seemed to be immune from scrutiny which the Chinese officials focused on companies that make sensitive equipments like routers and servers. The regulators thought about how Apple could sell mobile content while other foreign countries could not and this was pointed to the love for iPhones of the Chinese officials. However, under the administration of President Xi Jinping, China has been stricter in looking at the contents and technologies of all the foreign companies including Apple Incorporated. After the latest patent ruling, China shut down iBooks and iTune Movies services. So, Apple's sales in China fell after a rapid growth. China is Apple's largest marketplace outside United States. This was the first quarterly revenue decline of the company for 13 years. Most students in colleges and universities have low finances and are always finding ways to save some money for future uses. There are several ways to help save money in college. Avoiding unnecessary purchases and utilizing free resources are some of the best ways to save money, SayCampusLife.com posted. Buying a car is a luxury especially to college students. One of the ways to save in transportation is by using public transport which is more convenient and cheap. Another way is by using car pools or by joining an hourly rate car sharing scheme. Buying from warehouse sales is one of the ways where students can save money. Warehouse sales are getting popular these days. Plus, there is a wide variety of choices at such a very affordable price. Some sales even go up to 50% discount on all items. One drawback of this, however, is that the items sold in warehouse sales are out of season. To solve this, planning for the requirements is advised. The items can be stocked and be used later for a big savings. Discount cards and coupons are also getting popular in the markets all over the world. Search online for coupons for restaurants, hotels, and other services. Some petrol stations offer discount coupons to customers that own discount cards. Also, some discount coupons are on the daily newspaper. Another way of solving the financial problems is by eating at cheap but good food courts instead of going to a fancy expensive restaurants. College students must assign part of the budget to be spent on food. One of the best way in saving through food is by eating at Hawker Centers. Even though the prices are very cheap, the food quality is always good. Lots of food connoisseurs around Singapore visit these food courts to eat good food, The Best Singapore reported. Union Pacific Plans to Invest $2.1 Million in its Wisconsin Rail Infrastructure Union Pacific plans to invest $2.1 million in 2016 to improve Wisconsin's transportation infrastructure. The company's multi-million dollar private investment will enhance employee, community and customer safety and increase rail operating efficiency. Freight railroads like Union Pacific operate on track built and maintained without taxpayer funds. Union Pacific's private investments sustain jobs and ensure the company meets growing demand for products used in the American economy. Union Pacific's planned investment covers a range of initiatives: $600,000 million to maintain railroad track and more than $1.4 million to maintain bridges in the state. Key projects planned this year include: A $340,000 investment between Wilson and Eau Claire to replace a half mile of rail. A $160,000 investment between Eau Claire and Chippewa Falls to replace a quarter mile of rail. This year's planned $2.1 million capital expenditure in Wisconsin is part of an ongoing investment strategy. From 2011 to 2015 Union Pacific invested more than $46 million strengthening Wisconsin's transportation infrastructure. "We constantly evaluate our customers' needs to make targeted investments that enhance our efficiency and deliver the goods American businesses and families use daily," said Donna Kush, Union Pacific vice president - Public Affairs, Northern Region. "Continuing to aggressively invest in our infrastructure is an important element in Union Pacific's unwavering safety commitment." Union Pacific plans to spend $3.675 billion across its network this year, following investments totaling approximately $33 billion from 2006-2015. These investments contributed to a 25 percent decrease in derailments over the last 10 years. ABOUT UNION PACIFIC Union Pacific Railroad is the principal operating company of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE: UNP). One of America's most recognized companies, Union Pacific Railroad connects 23 states in the western two-thirds of the country by rail, providing a critical link in the global supply chain. From 2006-2015, Union Pacific invested approximately $33 billion in its network and operations to support America's transportation infrastructure. The railroad's diversified business mix includes Agricultural Products, Automotive, Chemicals, Coal, Industrial Products and Intermodal. Union Pacific serves many of the fastest-growing U.S. population centers, operates from all major West Coast and Gulf Coast ports to eastern gateways, connects with Canada's rail systems and is the only railroad serving all six major Mexico gateways. Union Pacific provides value to its roughly 10,000 customers by delivering products in a safe, reliable, fuel-efficient and environmentally responsible manner. The statements and information contained in the news releases provided by Union Pacific speak only as of the date issued. Such information by its nature may become outdated, and investors should not assume that the statements and information contained in Union Pacific's news releases remain current after the date issued. Union Pacific makes no commitment, and disclaims any duty, to update any of this information. 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. Contributed Photo/Rena Colette Photography Laura Ring (from left), Katy Jarvis, Parker Harris and Dale Alpert star in "The Fantasticks," which runs through July 10 at the Camarillo Skyway Playhouse. SHARE THEATER VENTURA COUNTY "The Fantasticks": The Camarillo Skyway Playhouse presents the Broadway musical about a boy and girl and their scheming parents. 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays, through July 10, 330 Skyway Drive, Camarillo. 388-5716; skywayplayhouse.org. "Annie Get Your Gun": Ojai ACT presents Irving Berlin's Tony Award-winning musical that tells the fictionalized story of sharpshooters Annie Oakley and Frank Butler and features popular show tunes like "Doin' What Comes Natur'lly," "There's No Business Like Show Business" and "They Say It's Wonderful." 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays, July 1-31, 113 S. Montgomery St., Ojai. $20 general admission, $18 seniors and Art Center members, $15 students. 640-8797; ojaiact.org. "Henry V": The Kingsmen Shakespeare Festival kicks off its 20th season and honors the 400th anniversary of the Bard of Avon's death with this history play that was one of the most popular with original audiences. 8 p.m. Fridays through Sundays, through July 10, Kingsmen Park, CLU, 60 W. Olsen Road, Thousand Oaks. $20 general admission, free for children under 18. 493-3014; kingsmenshakespeare.org. "The Mousetrap": Elite Theatre Company presents the long-running Agatha Christie murder mystery set in a country hotel. John Eslick directs and German actor Alexander Schottky stars in the production. 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays, through July 3, 2731 S. Victoria Ave., Oxnard. $18 general admission, $15 seniors, students and military. 483-5118; elitetheatre.org. "The Addams Family": High Street Arts Center presents this musical comedy based on the macabre television family from the 1960s. 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays, through July 3, 45 E. High St., Moorpark. $20 general admission, $18 seniors, students, teachers and military, $16 children 12 and younger. 529-8700; highstreetartscenter.com. "The Wiz": Actors' Repertory Theatre of Simi presents the musical classic by Charlie Smalls and William F. Brown. Directed by Keenon Hooks, the production is an urbanized retelling of L. Frank Baum's novel "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" and features a live orchestra. 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 2 p.m. Sundays, through July 10, Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center, 3050 Los Angeles Ave., Simi Valley. 583-7900; simi-arts.org. Down South "In Case of Emergency": Chalk Repertory Theatre presents Ruth McKee's comedy about a woman trying to sort through the emergency supplies that fill her garage and the issues that fill her personal life. 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 7 p.m. Sundays, through July 3, various private homes in Montrose, Atwater Village and Pasadena. $20-$30. 323-379-9583; chalkrep.com. CLASSES VENTURA COUNTY African drumming class: Malik Sow, an African master drummer from Senegal, and Solo Soro, from Ivory Coast, lead a weekly class in West African drumming from 7:30-9 p.m. Mondays at Lightning Ridge Screen Printing, 4435 McGrath St., Ventura. Cost is $20 per class, and a drum can be rented for $5. For information or to arrange a drum rental, call 650-7455. COMEDY Up North Jerry Seinfeld: The comedian, actor and writer makes a rare stop along the Central Coast to perform his stand-up routine. 7 and 9:30 p.m. July 21, Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez. For tickets or more information, visit www.chumashcasino.com SHARE STOCK IMAGE By Staff Reports Sheriff's deputies said they made an arrest in connection with a series of restaurant robberies in Thousand Oaks over the past year. The arrest came after investigators with the Ventura County Sheriff's Office began connecting a series of restaurant robberies that occurred in Thousand Oaks, including Bandits Grill & Bar, 589 N. Moorpark Road, on July 12, 2015; Al Mulino, 3709 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd. on May 2; and Cisco's, 925 S. Westlake Blvd., on May 8. In all three cases, the lone robber used a semi-automatic handgun, authorities said. Through the investigation, information and evidence was generated that identified a suspect, authorities said. At about 10:15 a.m. June 9, that suspect, Andre Terial Love, 37, of Los Angeles, was arrested at his worksite in Newhall, authorities said. Investigators said they believe Love is responsible for the three restaurant robberies in Thousand Oaks, but are not ruling out the possibility there might be more in other jurisdictions. Love was booked into Ventura County jail on suspicion of second-degree robbery with bail set at $1 million, authorities said. SHARE By Tom Kisken of the Ventura County Star California's new aid-in-dying law has pushed six of Ventura County's eight hospitals to adopt policies, all delivering a similar message: Can't do it here. The End of Life Option Act gives terminally ill people with six months or less to live the legal right to obtain medication that will end their lives. Passed last year, the law went into effect June 9. In sync with state trends that neither surprise nor worry law advocates who say people want to die at home, local hospitals are issuing policies that prevent patients from ingesting medications in their wards. Some of the policies go further and, to the concern of advocates, appear to limit the ability of doctors to prescribe fatal medication under the new law on hospital property. At Los Robles Hospital & Medical Center in Thousand Oaks, guidelines say care teams may, at a patient's request, provide information on the law or make referrals to other doctors. "However, Los Robles Hospital will not provide the required forms, consents, medications or otherwise permit activities authorized by the act to occur on the hospital campus," guidelines said. Doctors who prescribe in independent clinics or offices are not mandated to follow a health system's policies, according to law advocates. Policies are still under doctor-led discussion at the county hospital system that includes Ventura County Medical Center and Santa Paula Hospital. Officials said a decision is expected soon. "I do not see this as a hospital initiative," said Kim Milstien, CEO of the two county hospitals, in an email, "but as we cover the broad continuum of care, (it) needs to have solid medical staff discussion." Participation is voluntary not only for doctors but for public and private health systems, said Matt Whitaker, state director of Compassion & Choices, the group that led the drive for the new law. Policies that make hospitals off-limits have been encountered in Oregon and other states where aid-in-dying is legal. The guidelines have not been a significant barrier, Whitaker said. A goal of end-of-life care is to allow people to die at home or where they want, he said. "The majority of people don't want to take this on hospital grounds," he said of the fatal medication. Advocates worry far more about restrictions that limit doctors from prescribing fatal medications under the law in clinics, hospices and other programs affiliated with the hospital. "That's the gray area," Whitaker said. It's not gray at St. John's hospitals in Oxnard and Camarillo. Doctors cannot prescribe life-ending drugs at any of the hospital-affiliated clinics or programs whether they are on a hospital campus or off, said Lori Dangberg, vice president for the Alliance of Catholic Health Care. The alliance represents the hospitals. "The location doesn't change our ethical principle," she said. The policy is not aimed at decisions made by doctors at independent offices even if the doctors have staff privileges at St. John's. A policy posted on the Community Memorial Health System website said lethal medication can't be ingested in the system's hospitals in Ventura and Ojai or in a network of clinics. The policy also said the system won't permit active interventions aimed solely at allowing patients to intentionally end their lives. Prescribing is not specifically addressed. "What occurs privately in the patient-physician relationship, CMHS defers to the individual physician," the policy said. A system spokesman did not return messages. Dr. Jim Hornstein, chair of the ethics committee at Community Memorial, said he interprets the policy as allowing doctors to prescribe at a hospital or clinic if they choose. Kaiser Permanente doctors can also prescribe medication under the new law but patients can't take the medication at Kaiser clinics or hospitals, a spokeswoman said. Adventist Health, which runs Simi Valley Hospital, has also opted not to participate in procedures authorized by the new law. Dr. John Dingilian, the hospital chief medical officer, said the policy isn't clear on prescribing fatal medication from affiliated clinics including the practice where he works as a family doctor. "That's been a discussion among physicians," he said, noting Adventist Health's clear message is it does not want to interfere with the way they practice medicine. If health systems are wrestling with decisions, so are doctors. Whitaker said it's clear the law has invoked physician anxiety but too early to know if access issues will develop. Dingilian said he won't prescribe medication under the law because he believes there are other ways to help end-of-life patients, including hospice. "I feel my role as a physician is not to initiate the harm," he said. If a patient had no chance at survival, no quality of life, was in excruciating pain, met every standard of the law and asked for fatal medication, Dr. Gary Proffett would consider it. "It's easy to say this and very difficult to do," said the hospice care director from Camarillo. "But I've seen enough suffering." The law went into effect nearly two weeks ago. Whitaker said he didn't know if anyone has used the law to end their life. "I do know there are people in the process of getting prescriptions," he said. . LAW DETAILS Terminally ill people who want to use the California End of Life Option Act must: Have no more than six months to live. Be mentally competent. Be a California resident. Be informed about other end of life choices. Be able to administer the drug alone. Make two oral requests at least 15 days apart, and one written request, to a doctor. Be deemed eligible by two doctors. Complete a final form within 48 hours of taking fatal medication to reiterate the intent. For more information, go to http://endoflifeoption.org/. Or call 1-800-893-4548. Doctors can call 1-800-247-7421. Correction: This story was corrected to show people must complete a final form within 48 hours of taking fatal medication. SHARE ROB VARELA/THE STAR Julia Brownley By Bartholomew Sullivan, USA TODAY WASHINGTON The House passed a measure Tuesday evening aimed at finding and implementing the best ways to prevent suicide by female military veterans. It is now headed to President Barack Obama to be signed into law. The House version of the measure was introduced last June by U.S. Rep. Julia Brownley, D-Westlake Village. The Senate bill introduced by Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., passed on June 7. Female veterans are six times as likely to commit suicide as nonveteran women, according to studies undertaken by the Department of Veterans Affairs. The National Institute on Mental Health has also noted the trend. VA researchers found that women aged 18 to 29, many of them veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, are 12 times more likely than their non-veteran counterparts to commit suicide. "I'm so pleased this legislation is on its way to the President's desk because it will save lives among our nation's female veterans," said Brownley. "The Female Veteran Suicide Prevention Act will lead to a better understanding of the factors that contribute to the alarmingly high suicide rates among women veterans so that we can design more effective suicide prevention programs." The bill adds women-specific references to the U.S. Code regarding veterans benefits and establishes ways of measuring the effectiveness of suicide-prevention efforts for women veterans. In an interview in February, Caitlin Thompson, director of suicide prevention and community engagement at the Department of Veterans Affairs, said a variety of efforts are already underway to prevent suicide, including flagging medical records if a veteran mentions thinking of committing suicide. One known factor leading to suicide is separation from active-duty service. Suicide rates are steady over a longer period of separation from service for women, while the rate for men declines over time. Studies have also looked at the prevalence of sexual trauma for women leading to suicide. About 95 percent of Ventura County's 42,000 veterans are men, according to the county's veterans services officer, Mike McManus. The current two million female veterans nationwide is a rapidly increasing demographic, Brownley has noted, explaining her interest in seeking a reduction in their suicides. ANTHONY PLASCENCIA/THE STAR Wilson Chouest listens to testimony during a preliminary hearing at Ventura County Superior Court on Monday. SHARE By Marjorie Hernandez of the Ventura County Star An investigator said a man confessed to killing a woman and directing others to clean up his bloodied vehicle nearly 40 years ago. In the second day of Wilson Chouest's preliminary hearing in Ventura County Superior Court, county district attorney investigator Steve Rhods testified Chouest told someone he "met a broad and killed her" sometime in the week of July 10, 1980. Prosecutors said Chouest, 64, 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 whose body was found in an almond orchard in Kern County. Chouest could face a maximum of three consecutive life sentences if he is held to face the murder charges of the two women and the fetus the pregnant victim was carrying, Senior Deputy District Attorney John Barrick said. 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 database of people arrested across the United States linked Chouest to DNA collected from the victims and their clothing, officials said. Rhods said Tuesday he interviewed Chouest in prison on Sept. 17, 2013. During that interview, Chouest said he had sex with prostitutes who were "white girls." When asked what ethnic race Ventura County Jane Doe was, however, Rhods said the woman was Hispanic. Rhods testified Chouest was living with a woman named Carolyn Bell and her three teenage sons in Kings County right after Chouest was paroled in June 1980. Rhods said it was sometime during the week of July 10, 1980, when Chouest instructed the then teenage boys to clean his car. Rhods interviewed one of the sons, Scott Bell, in 2013 who said he and his brothers vacuumed blood from the floorboard of Chouest's car. "He said it was a lot of blood, door to door and he said it was at least 2 inches deep," Rhods testified. "According to Scott, Mr. Chouest gave him two knives to bleach and told him he had gone out in Bakersfield, picked up some broad, took her out to the country and killed her." Chouest told the other two brothers he had hit a deer and placed it in the back of the vehicle to get it out of the roadway, Rhods testified. Dr. Silvia Comparini, who was the forensic pathologist and Kern County medical examiner at the time, testified Tuesday that the woman found on July 15, 1980, in the almond orchard had 18 stab wounds to the chest and upper part of the abdomen and a total of nine "defensive" wounds to both hands. Comparini said there was no evidence of injury to Kern County Jane Doe's genitals, but added she still believes the woman was raped. She said toxicology showed the woman had a blood alcohol level of 0.29 percent. When asked if the blood alcohol level increases as a body starts to decompose, Comparini said yes. Asked by Andre Nintcheff of the Public Defender's Office if it was possible that Kern County Jane Doe could have had sex and the semen could have remained inside her genitals even after if the woman stood up, Comparini said yes. When pressed further by Nintcheff whether Jane Doe could've had consensual sex before she consumed alcohol and then was killed, Comparini replied: "All I know is ... at the time, she was not capable of defending herself or doing something contrary to what happened." "Ventura County Jane Doe" was found July 18, 1980, at about 12:35 p.m. at the upper parking lot of Westlake High School. That unidentified woman, who was about 20 weeks pregnant, was stabbed 16 stab times in the chest, abdomen, stomach and butt, said Dr. C. Peter Speth, a former county assistant medical examiner who testified Monday. The preliminary hearing will continue at 9 a.m. Wednesday. Nick Ut/AP Santa Barbara firefighters work the crest of a ridge after a wildfire burned a hill during the Sherpa Fire. SHARE By Alysson Aredas, alysson.aredas@vcstar.com Crews on Wednesday were still working to establish containment lines on the northeast side of the Sherpa Fire burning in Santa Barbara County, but were able to contain 93 percent of the blaze, officials said. Due to more accurate fire mapping the size of the fire, which started one week ago, had slightly decreased. It has burned 7, 486 acres and its cause was still under investigation. Changing wind patterns have decreased the potential of fire growth Crews were shuttled via helicopter onto steep and rugged terrain Tuesday to construct containment lines and extinguish hot spots near the perimeter of the fire. Some of these areas on the northeast side of the blaze are still too dangerous for crews to work in and will remain uncontained. However, officials said there was no fire activity in that section. More than 1,000 firefighters were expected to work toward full which was expected Thursday. Their efforts on Wednesday were partly directed toward helping the forest regenerate after the fire is contained. Some of the resources previously assigned to the fire were redirected to help battle blazes in San Diego and Los Angeles counties. "This doesn't mean we're not continuing to fight this fire aggressively, it just means it doesn't take as many people since there is a smaller active fire area," said Costa Dillon, fire information officer with the National Parks Service. 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. As the fire nears full containment, the Santa Barbara County Public Health Department and Santa Barbara Air Pollution Control District on Wednesday cancelled the air quality warning that was in effect for southern areas of Santa Barbara County. Most of the mandatory evacuations for the fire became warnings at 5a.m. Wednesday but there were a few areas that remained closed. 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 these areas Saturday. Refugio State Beach will reopen Saturday but El Capitan State Beach was expected to be closed through at least July 25, officials said. Officials said the Wake Center at 300 North Turnpike Road is no longer in use as a shelter, but is on standby status until Thursday. For additional information, residents can call the Sherpa Fire Information Line at 800-325-9604. Staff writer Megan Diskin contributed to this report. star file photo Elena Vazquez (right) of Oxnard listens as Angela Guadamuz (left) answers questions as she is quizzed during a citizenship class earlier this yea at La Hermandad Hank Lacayo Youth and Family Center in Oxnard. SHARE By Staff Reports A local nonprofit that helps immigrants facing legal, economic and other issues, will be given an award at the state capitol in Sacramento on Wednesday. State Sen. Hannah Beth Jackson, D-Santa Barbara, chose La Hermandad Hank Lacayo Youth & Family Center for the Nonprofit of the Year award because of the group's exceptional work, said the group in a news release announcing the award. La Hermandad works to bring justice, equality, diversity and economic prosperity to underserved immigrants along the Central Coast by giving them resources, advocacy and access to services, the group said. The group has offices in Oxnard, Santa Maria and Lompoc. Recipients of this year's award will be honored at Sacramento's Sheraton Grand Hotel after visiting the State Assembly. "Nonprofit organizations are vitally important to the economy and well-being of California," said Jan Masaoka, CEO of CalNonprofits, said in a written statement. Masaoka's group is an alliance of nonprofits. STAR FILE PHOTO Harbor Community Church in Ventura welcomes homeless people in this 2013 file photo. By Arlene Martinez, amartinez@vcstar.com A dispute between a midtown church and the city of Ventura that centered on a controversial homeless program has been settled, with Harbor Community Church agreeing to leave the neighborhood altogether. The city will pay $2.3 million to buy the property at 3100 Preble Ave., an inflated cost that takes into account the costs of Harbor moving its operation, City Attorney Gregory Diaz said. In exchange, Harbor will forever close down Operation Embrace, not open any similar program geared at homeless people and move out of the city. Diaz read the terms of the settlement following a closed-session meeting Monday night. The council accepted the agreement June 13, but it wasn't immediately finalized, he said. Council member Neal Andrews said resolving the litigation took two years of difficult negotiations. The agreement showed the city's commitment to protecting residents from external factors that impact safety and quality-of-life issues, he said. "Now, let's focus on obtaining the additional resources that are needed to help individuals, veterans and families transition away from or stay off the streets and ensure public areas are safe and available for everyone," he said. Diaz said it wasn't a "traditional way to settle a lawsuit" but it accomplished two things: ensuring the neighborhood was protected in the long term from a similar situation and allowing Harbor to move. "It's a good outcome for both sides," he said. Harbor's Pastor Sam Gallucci said they prayed about it and concluded moving felt right. "It is bittersweet. We loved working in the city but we do feel called to move on," he said. "It was our decision to move and we were pleased with the settlement." The agreement settles without answering the question of whether the church was within its right under religious freedom laws to run a program that offered homeless residents food, clothing, ministry and other services. The city, prompted by dozens of residents who argued the program's clientele brought in crime and posed a safety risk to the neighborhood, had shut the program down in 2014. Officials felt being next to an elementary school, park and day care facility made the program a poor fit for the surroundings. Harbor appealed that decision and the case had been moving along in the courts. As part of the settlement, Harbor will dismiss all claims related to the lawsuit. The city and Harbor agreed the property's value to be $1.6 million, but the actual sales prices takes into account the costs of moving, Diaz said. The sides unsuccessfully explored a move to someplace else within the city, the agreement notes. Harbor will lease the property for $3,000 per month for one year as it looks for a new location outside the city. During that time it can continue holding its Wednesday and Sunday church services, and Gallucci said it plans to. It can't reopen Operation Embrace, per the agreement. After a year, Harbor may continue to lease the space on a month-to-month basis, if the city agrees. Gallucci said the church hoped to move within a year. Long term, the city's plan is to sell the property to the developer who presents the best proposal for the site, Diaz said. The city will likely be able to recoup a "decent amount" of the purchase price when it sells, Diaz said, as opposed to continuing to pour money into legal fees. The money to buy the building is coming from the city's public liabilities fund, paid into by various departments for legal fees and related costs. One of Brooklyns finest underground artists Talib Kweli will head to Las Vegas Saturday, July 23 to perform at LAX Nightclub inside Luxor Hotel and Casino. The musician is set to take center stage at 1 a.m. as the main event Saturday night. Well-respected in the music industry, Kweli has collaborated with a number of talented entertainers including Kanye West, Mos Def, will.i.am and Mary J. Blige. The hip-hop artist will perform an unforgettable live set including the popular track Get By, which spent 10 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. LAX Nightclub combines the best of its Los Angeles namesake with extreme energy and excitement. Catering to a sophisticated Hollywood crowd, LAX is the destination of choice for discriminating clubgoers, A-list celebrities and the social jet set. The intimate surroundings and incomparable DJ lineup have nightlife aficionados itching to catch a glimpse of the Las Vegas hot spot. With polished hip decor created by chic Los Angeles designer Thomas Schoos, LAX has raised the bar for the Las Vegas nightlife scene. LAX Nightclub is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. For more information, call (702) 262-4LAX. Stay updated by following LAX Nightclub on Twitter @LAX_Nightclub and @AngelManagement. Vietnams digital economy has seen significant growth over the last decade and is expected to be valued at US$57 billion by 2025. The countrys digital... According to the website, banh mi (bread) is extremely popular in Vietnam and sold many across the street pavement. Although there are many shops selling bread, but each shop has different taste, this is what makes branding and differentiation for each diner, says Goasean. GOASEAN said Pho is a traditional dish and is considered one of the typical dishes in Vietnam cuisine. With its distinctive flavour and extremely tasty, Bun bo Hue (Hue beef noodle dish) originated from the ancient capital of Hue, but visitors can still easily find this dish in Saigon from sidewalk stalls to restaurants affordable to in, the website noted. Bun cha is a dish with noodles, fried pork grilled over charcoal and served with spicy tomato sauce. Bun cha sauce is considered the soul of the dish and put in the bowl often small, very hot and seductive scent. Greece is to collect 7.5 billion (US$8.5 billion) in loans from international creditors. (Photo: AFP/Aris Messinis) ATHENS: Greece on Tuesday (Jun 21) will receive 7.5 billion (US$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 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 available following the first review of its new 86-billion 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 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, the ESM said on Friday. Muslim Rohingya children pictured near charred shelters following a fire that gutted Bawdupa camp near Sittwe, Myanmar, on May 3, 2016 (Photo: AFP) YANGON: 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 (Jun 21), 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. 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. Directive No. 20/CT-TTg requires relevant ministries, agencies, and the State Steering Committee for the National Mine Action Programme, also known as Programme 504, and Peoples Committees of provinces and cities to strengthen the responsibility of the whole political system in the work. Communication campaigns are to be boosted to raise awareness of UXO danger, thus helping people avoid UXO-related accidents, especially in the Central and Central Highlands regions. The PM orders the dissemination of knowledge of unexploded ordnance as well as regulations on the storage, trade and use of wartime bomb and mine, explosives and weapons. Relevant ministries and agencies are assigned to revise legal documents, policies and regulations in the field. He requests relevant bodies and localities, particularly at communal level to increase inspection and deal with related violations. The PM also urged the research of suitable mechanisms to provide support for UXO victims. Priority will be given to the upgrade of civil-military health care facilities in remote and farflung areas, particularly in UXO-contaminated areas. According to statistical data, around 30 percent of explosions are triggered through reckless acts by people collecting, storing, trading, sawing or dismantling UXO. The remaining explosions are unexpectedly caused by those, including children, who live in areas contaminated with unexploded ordnance. Recent explosions included the one in the Van Phu urban area in Ha Dong district, Hanoi, on March 19 which killed five people and injured 10 others and another in Duc Binh Tay commune, Song Hinh district, Phu Yen central province which cost three lives. 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 Centre in Washington, DC. (AFP/Saul Loeb) WASHINGTON: Samsung announced plans Tuesday to invest US$1.2 billion for US-based research over the next four years on "human-centred" 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. "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." Samsung, which last year opened a Silicon Valley research centre, employs some 15,000 people in the United States, according to Kwon. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at Saint Anselm College Monday, June 13, 2016, in Manchester, N.H. Trump attacked Hilary Clinton by name in his speech in the aftermath of the Orlando shooting. Clinton did not mention Trump by name in her speech an hour earlier. During the national security speech, Trump repeatedly criticized Clinton's immigration plan, her attempts to tighten the nation's gun control laws and for not using the phrase "radical Islamic terrorism" when describing recent attackers. (AP Photo/Jim Cole) Why the next president could be a buzzkill for pot advocates Cambodias government appears to have begun taking action to tackle illegal logging, but much of the movement on the issue remains only on paper, a campaigner from a leading environmental crime and corruption watchdog said. Its now well over a year since the U.K.-based group Global Witness issued its revealing report The Cost of Luxury. The report detailed the lucrative trade in luxury-grade timber and singled out well-known tycoon Try Pheap as the head of a criminal network relying on official collusion to cut and remove wood illegally from Cambodias dwindling forests for sale overseas. Speaking to VOA Khmer from London, Global Witness senior land campaigner Josie Cohen said that although officials publicly rejected the findings, the government appeared to react to the publication of the report in February 2015. Soon after [the report was published], a parliamentary committee was formed in Cambodia to look into the allegations around the illegal logging, and considered the evidence in the report, she said. Little has been heard from the committee, but a number of developments early this year gave campaigners some hope, Cohen said. Prime Minister Hun Sen has made several proclamations about illegal logging, and created a task force to identify those economic land concessions that are being used merely as cover for logging. But at the moment, that protection is only on paper, and were seeing in Cambodia the way protected areas such as Virak Chey have completely disappeared, Cohen said, referring to the national park in Ratanakkiri province. Try Pheap, meanwhile, has claimed the reports allegations are false, insisting that timber smugglers were using his name without permission. But that [allegation] was the result of a one-year investigation, and we know that [the denial] is not true, she said. The government has reduced the maximum term of economic land concessions from 99 to 50 years, but the expert on land rights said this does little to prevent abuses. Its a move in the right direction, but there is absolutely nothing to stop the government in 50 years to extend those licenses, said Cohen. And, also, its very hard to say because the government does not release any information on economic land concessions. As of late 2013, an estimated 73 percent of Cambodias arable land (about 2.6 million hectares) had been leased to various private companies in the form of economic land concessions, according to the local rights group Adhoc. The government claims these concessions, handed to companies for a nominal cost, are beneficial to the country as they create jobs and drive agricultural exports. But a growing body of evidence shows that the policy has pushed many people in rural areas deeper into poverty. There is a lot of human rights impact on top of the livelihood impact, Cohen said. Its also affecting cultural identity, particular for indigenous communities. The government needs to end the persecution of the environmental defenders, added Cohen. The government also needs to work very closely with local communities. The Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld a decision made by the appeal court to deny bail to Hong Sok Hour, an opposition senator, because of the seriousness of the charges against him. Sok Hour was detained in August 2015 on charges of incitement over his campaigning on the Cambodia-Vietnam border issue. Ket Khy, Sok Hours lawyer, said on Wednesday that the Supreme Court had also requested that the senator provide the court with any computer equipment he used to research the border demarcation between the two countries. Sok Hour claimed to not have the computer he used for his research. Sung Panhavuth, the Supreme Court judge assigned to the case, declined to comment. Prime Minister Hun Sen ordered the arrest of Sok Hour in August despite him being entitled to immunity as a senator because he claimed there was clear evidence that a crime had been committed. Am Sam Ath, technical supervisor at local rights group Licadho, said there was little hope of Sok Hour being released on bail because the case was politically motivated. Only a compromised ending the current political tensions could pave the way for his release, he said. Sok Hour had sourced documents and maps pertaining to the border which the government claimed were forged. The documents were later posted to Cambodia National Rescue Party leader Sam Rainsys Facebook page, later bringing him charges in the same case. Britain prepares for a momentous vote Thursday that will decide whether it leaves the European Union. The debate has centered on immigration and economic security and has often been bitter. Both sides have lowered the tone of their arguments after a three-day suspension of campaigning that followed the murder of an anti-Brexit lawmaker, an incident that polls indicate has shocked many previously undecided voters who now say they will vote to remain. These are uncertain times in a nation whose economy is the second largest in the European Union. The stakes are huge. There are warnings that leaving the 28-member bloc may cause the British pound to lose 15 percent of its value and bring the resignation of David Cameron, the countrys prime minister, whose mandate depends on whether Britain listens to him and votes to remain. If we choose to leave, we can leave. But let us be clear - if we do leave, that is it. We are walking out the door, said Cameron. For such an important election, many voters complain there has been too little solid information to make a decision and too much scaremongering, and grandstanding by both sides. Flotillas of the Leave and Remain camps recently faced off on the River Thames. For months, the Leave campaign has been hitting the streets. Its arguments are based largely on immigration, and the belief that Britain has handed control of its borders to a European super state. The U.K. has lost control over migration. We have to accept anyone into this country if they have an EU passport, no matter if they have a criminal record or not. We are not allowed to say no to people and that is damaging for the security of the U.K., but it is also putting pressure on jobs and opportunities for young people, said Tom Harwood, a Brexit campaigner. The murder of Jo Cox, an anti-Brexit, pro-immigrant lawmaker allegedly by a far right extremist with a history of mental problems had a sobering effect on both campaigns, and on voters. There has been a lot of bad feeling because of the way both the Leave campaign, the Brexiters, and the Remain campaign have acted, said Mary White, a British voter. Polls since the June 16th murder showed the Leave camp losing ground, but with both sides still very close on a referendum that many believe could change the course of European history. Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi has purchased 1,500 patents from Microsoft, as part of an effort by Chinese companies to acquire intellectual property rights in preparation for expansion into overseas markets. In exchange Microsoft-owned software will be bundled on Xiaomi phones. Ningling Wang, a partner in Shanghai with the law firm Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, said the Xiaomi Microsoft deal may indicate that Xiaomi intends to sell phones to American consumers. I think they are doing what a U.S. patent attorney would like to see. They are strengthening their portfolio and preparing a business case for long term entering the U.S. market. So I think its possible they are going into the U.S. market pretty soon, Wang said. Xiaomi sales soared in 2014, when the smartphone manufacturer drew Chinese consumers by offering premium phones at a low price through an online sales strategy. Since then Xiaomis revenue has declined as Chinas domestic smartphone market became saturated. Patent portfolio Through its arrangement with Microsoft, Xiaomi will now bundle Microsoft software, including Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Outlook and Skype on its phones. The company says the deal has expanded its patent portfolio to include video, wireless communication and cloud computing technologies. Xiaomis purchase of 1,500 patents from Microsoft is a fraction of the 60,000 patents Microsoft currently owns, but through this deal Xiaomi has eliminated a potentially litigious rival should it enter the U.S. market. Matthew Laight, head of the intellectual-property group in Asia Pacific for the law firm Bird & Bird, said many Chinese companies are purchasing patents to further their expansion goals abroad. Xiaomi is wanting to build its own patent portfolio, so its got a bargaining chip in the cross-licensing discussions, and theyre doing that by way of developing their own technology, filing their own patents, and buying from overseas," Laight said. "And Xiaomi is not the only company that is doing that. The other significant players are Huawei, Lenovo, etc, have been building their patent portfolios for years, and sometimes that is by way of acquisition as well. The acquired patents also allow Chinese companies to increasingly go on the offensive rather than defensive in cases involving intellectual property rights. Beijing authorities have recently ruled that some Apple devices violate the design patents of Chinese smartphone maker Shenzhen Baili. Last week the Beijing city government ordered a halt to sales of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6s because of the patent case, which Apple is appealing. Chinas State Intellectual Property Office recently revoked both patents owned by both Jaguar Land Rover and Jiangling Motors Co., after Jaguar Land Rover had filed a lawsuit against Jiangling Motors, claiming that it copied a car design. In May, Huawei filed a lawsuit in a U.S. court against Samsung, saying that it infringed on as many as 11 patents related to 46 devices. Market strategy Haifeng Huang, a partner with Jones Day in Hong Kong, said the purchase of patents allows Chinese companies greater leverage to target and compete with rivals, through transforming them into business partners and incorporating their technologies into their own products. Chinese companies, they are in the process of doing more and more R & D. In the meantime they want to catch up with technologies developed by other companies, and they want to incorporate those technologies into their own products. So by purchasing those patents they will be able to use those patents and incorporate those technologies in their own products, Huang said. Xiaomi phones sold 71 million smartphones in 2015 in Greater China, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, India, Indonesia and Brazil. A year ago Xiaomi was ranked number one in market share in China and third in global market share. Its sales have slipped since then, and the company has fallen outside the top five global smartphone vendors. The company says it is focused on building sales in India, before it enters the U.S. or other markets abroad. Cities on six continents have formed the world's largest alliance to combat climate change, a move intended to help make ground-level changes to slow global warming. More than 7,100 cities in 119 countries on Wednesday formed the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy, a network for exchanging information on such goals as developing clean energy, organizers said. Cities are responsible for an estimated 75 percent of carbon emissions contributing to climate change and consume 70 percent of global energy, according to the U.N. Environment Program. "When mayors share a vision of a low-carbon future and roll up their sleeves, things get done," Maros Sefcovic, the European Commission vice president and co-chairman of the new alliance, said in a statement. The coalition is the world's largest, representing 8 percent of the world's population, its founders said. It results from the merger of two groups: the European Union's Covenant of Mayors and the U.N.-backed Compact of Mayors. The other co-chairman is former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, a billionaire philanthropist who helped launch the Compact of Mayors. Bloomberg has worked with mayors around the world to promote the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. He predicted the new coalition would help deliver on commitments to limit global warming, made by officials of 195 countries who met in Paris last year. "This is a giant step forward in the work of achieving the goals that nations agreed to," Bloomberg said in a statement. The Paris agreement will become binding on state governments when at least 55 countries, representing 55 percent of emissions of greenhouse gases, ratify it. Colombia and the leftist FARC rebels agreed to a cease-fire Wednesday, ending hostilities in a 50-year-long guerrilla war that killed about 220,000 people. Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and rebel leader Rodrigo Londono will sign the cease-fire Thursday in Havana, where peace talks have been held for four years. The Obama administration was sending its special envoy to the peace talks, former diplomat Bernard Aronson. U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and the presidents of Chile and Venezuela, peace talks co-sponsors with Cuba, will also be there. "Tomorrow will be a great day," Santos wrote on Twitter. "We're working for a Colombia in peace, a dream that's beginning to become reality." U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby said the United States welcomed the news and congratulated Santos. July signing expected The cease-fire is the last major step before both sides sign a final peace agreement. Santos said he expected that to take place July 20 after a final few minor issues are worked out. It will then be put to the Colombian people in a referendum. The deal also includes land reform provisions and will give former rebels some political power. Ex- FARC fighters can also avoid jail time in exchange for community service and travel restrictions. Both sides had expected to sign the final agreement in March. But questions remain on exactly how the final deal will be ratified and given legal force so that it won't unravel should a more conservative government succeed Santos, who leaves office in 2018. The two sides also must decide who will preside over a special war crimes tribunal to consider charges against fighters on both sides. The Marxist FARC rebels launched their uprising as a poor people's rebellion in 1964 and grew into a dangerous fighting force. FARC turned to drug trafficking and kidnapping to fund its guerilla war. But the rebels failed to overthrow a succession of Colombian governments, including some which had U.S. military aid. A 15-year, U.S.-backed military offensive thinned the rebels' ranks and forced its aging leaders to the negotiating table in 2012. Long, tough talks The peace talks have been bumpy and extended much longer than Santos or anyone else anticipated. But if a final deal is reached, it will end Latin America's last major insurgency, one accused of being a major supplier of cocaine to the U.S. Still, the much smaller and more recalcitrant National Liberation Army has a toehold in some areas and could fill the void left by the FARC. The ELN agreed to a peace process with the government this year, but those talks have yet to start because of Santos' insistence that the group renounce kidnapping. The killing of three foreigners the past two weeks in Medellin is causing alarm in Colombia's second-largest city as it struggles to leave behind its reputation as the one-time murder capital of the world. Danish tourist Tomas Willemoes was shot and killed last week at close range by an unknown assailant in a popular plaza in the city's most upscale neighborhood. His murder came just days after an Israeli and Mexican, both of whom apparently were living in Medellin, were also killed. Authorities are at a loss to explain the three killings, which came as the city was showcasing security gains to hundreds of business executives attending the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in Latin America. But at least one victim, the Israeli, appears to have been connected to a criminal ring that promoted sex tourism with prostitutes, prompting an energetic defense from the city's new mayor. Any homicide is regretful, regardless of the reasons,'' Mayor Federico Gutierrez told journalists Monday. But it's very important to say that Medellin can't be a place for sex or drug tourism.'' Medellin's murder rate has fallen sharply since the 1980s, when the city was under siege by Pablo Escobar's army of killers. But it's ticking up again this year, and authorities worry that it could spoil a nascent tourism boom. So far this year there have been more than 225 murders, an increase of around 10 percent from 2015, according to Security Secretary Gustavo Villegas. In May alone homicides spiked 80 percent. Andres Munera, an independent travel guide in Medellin, shares the mayor's outrage and says he's had to turn away foreign customers who came to the city looking for drugs and prostitution. He says the demand for such activities is strong and undercuts the efforts of residents who've worked hard to clean up their city's image as a haven for criminality. Rare among many travel guides in Medellin, his company, Land Venture Travel, doesn't offer tours of the haunts made famous by Escobar's Medellin cartel before the fugitive capo's death at the hands of the police in 1993. More than 210,000 foreigners visited Medellin last year, a 34 percent jump over 2014, according to the city's tourism board. Key attractions include the giant bronze statues by famous son Fernando Botero, nearby farms and a thriving cultural scene. The area where Willemoes was shot last Thursday night, Parque Lleras, is home to the city's fanciest restaurants and bars. I'm sure this will have an impact,'' said Munera, referring to the murders. The multiplier effect of bad press is always much higher than someone who tells their friends Ah, what a great time I had in Medellin.''' A 120 year old prison with a controversial history in the Northeastern U.S. city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is being prepared to hold protesters who are arrested during the Democratic Convention next month. Holmesburg Prison, which was closed in 1995, used inmates in the 1960s as test subjects for biochemical and other research projects. By the mid-1970s, research in Holmesburg and other U.S. prisons declined sharply as federal regulations to protect human subjects of research were established. City officials say the prison will be used if needed to hold protesters who are arrested. They will be placed in the prison's newly renovated gymnasium, not the old cell blocks where horror movies have been filmed. The gym has 100 beds, showers and air conditioning. City officials do not anticipate large numbers of arrests at the July 25-28 convention. Thirteen demonstration permits have been issued so far and more than 50,000 demonstrators are expected to attend. To avoid mass arrests, the city council approved a bill last week to decrimininalize certain "nuisance crimes" such as blocking traffic and disorderly conduct. Plans by city officials are designed to prevent a repeat of the Republican National Convention in 2000, when police arrested 400 protesters. Several wrongful arrest lawsuits were filed against the city. The lawsuits were settled by an insurance policy. In Uganda, its common to bring women into households to help with chores such as cleaning, cooking and childcare. Yet many say that they have been coerced into undergoing screenings for HIV and sexually-transmitted infections. Advocates say the testing is a harbinger of discrimination and even sexual exploitation. Most middle class homes in Uganda hire some form of house help. But domestic workers are increasingly being required to submit to health screenings as a precondition to employment. Domestic workers and labor advocates say the women are routinely tested for sexual-transmitted infections, including HIV. Lydia Bwiite, a lawyer with the Platform for Labor Action, investigates rights abuses of workers in Uganda. Even those who say 'yes I consented' it is a forceful thing... We have always encouraged domestic workers for their own benefit, even without forcing them, to go and test for the HIV. You remain with your results. It is up to you. When you find out, please look after yourself appropriately... But when you drag me from your home, take me to a clinic and test me and actually won't let me look at my results, the consent is not there, said Bwiite. Staff at clinics that administer the tests confirmed the phenomenon but said they werent authorized to be interviewed. Legal issues Several employers also declined to speak on microphone but told VOA that they demand the screening because they want to know if someone around their child has HIV. Yet dismissal, rather than health care, is often the result of a positive test. The clinics acknowledge that the patients consent is required to disclose test results. But some domestic workers here are under the legal age of consent and many do not speak English. The 2014 HIV and AIDS Prevention and Control Act makes disclosing an HIV status to anybody but the patient illegal. It also prohibits workplace discrimination based on HIV status. HIV is transmitted via direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person. HIV is not transmitted via casual contact. Benon Kisgenyi, the undersecretary with the Ministry of Gender, Labor and Social Developments says health screenings for domestic workers can be a red flag for sexual exploitation. Many times those people are accused in courts of being available to the men in the house. And the ladies therefore would want to see if it ever happens, maybe God forbid, I shouldn't pick up the STI or the HIV/AIDS from her. So I would consider that an abuse, said Kisgenyi. Consequences Mariam, who has been a nanny for seven years, says when she was tested, the results went directly to her employer. Although she had a clean bill of health, a former colleague wasn't so lucky, Like for example, one of the nannies was tested. I think it was her second year she was taken for test. And then they found she was HIV positive," she said. "And you know the bosses they meet their friends. So the bosses started spreading her name, So and so is like this. Now it is difficult for her to get a job. Because they know she is already HIV positive. And now she got treatment and she's okay [but] because her name was spoiled she can't be employed anywhere. She's one of our friends but there's no way we can help her. That fear of receiving a bad reputation also keeps women from reporting sexual abuse. Advocates say that more legal protections are needed for domestic workers. However, workers who feel their rights are being violated are encouraged to visit their district labor office. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, monitoring a fragile cease-fire in eastern Ukraine, has called on Ukraine and Russian-backed separatists to do more to investigate violations of the agreement. Alexander Hug, deputy director of the OSCE monitoring mission in Ukraine, told Reuters that both sides often failed to investigate and take action on cease-fire violations, such as the discovery of unauthorized weapons, the downing of drones and attacks on OSCE personnel. "Both sides are equally guilty, and increase the feeling that... there is no political cost for non-compliance," Hug said in an interview on Tuesday. Hug said the cease-fire had resulted in the withdrawal of many weapons from the region and far fewer deaths than a year ago, but the process remained unpredictable and flawed. The number of cease-fire violations had dropped in recent days, Hug said, but he warned that the situation was "very unstable" and unpredictable. "It is now time - rather than trying to find new ways to regulate the conflict - that those remedies that have been agreed should be implemented in full," he said. Only then, he said, would it become clear which side was "undertaking actual, real measures to stop the fighting". European Union officials agreed on Tuesday to extend until the end of January a host of energy, financial and defense sanctions imposed on Russia over the conflict in Ukraine. EU politicians including German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier are urging a softer stance towards Russia, a key trade partner and energy provider. German Chancellor Angela Merkel continues to insist sanctions against Russia can only be unwound once Moscow fully implements the Minsk peace deal for eastern Ukraine. Slow, steady progress by U.S. and coalition backed forces against the Islamic State terror group in Iraq and Syria could mean little in the wider war against jihadist organizations bent on striking at the West. This grim outlook, according to military and intelligence officials, stems from several factors, from poor governance and pervasive instability to the alienation of certain segments of populations. Combined, they say, these factors have undone long-standing cultural bonds and allegiances, turning parts of the Middle East and Africa into terrorist incubators. More and more individuals, because of their feeling of being disenfranchised from their governments, are now identifying with subnational groups, whether it be with an ISIL, a Nusra, a Boko Haram or others, CIA Director John Brennan warned lawmakers last week. Theyre not identifying themselves as Somalis, Nigerians or Yemenis. Complicating matters further is the feeling that military power alone, no matter how overwhelming, is not enough to deliver a decisive blow against IS or any other deep-rooted terror organization. Its not as though were looking at a happy ending in Iraq and Syria, said Daveed Gartenstein-Ross, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Defeating ISIL does not defeat jihadism. Momentum is in favor of the global jihadist movement, he said. Al-Qaida retrenches In some ways, the rapid ascension of IS and its bid to become the preeminent global jihadist organization have actually strengthened its competitors, most notably, al-Qaida. Al-Qaida has prioritized [Jabhat al] Nusra as an affiliate, a U.S. intelligence official told VOA on condition of anonymity. The official noted that the group has used the last two years to retrench and rebrand, emerging with greater strength on the battlefield in Syria and with more credibility, as well. Intelligence officials estimate Jabhat al Nusra currently has several thousand fighters at its disposal, rating the groups capabilities as formidable. And even though Jabhat al Nusras parent organization has suffered setbacks in Afghanistan, a one-time safe haven, analysts like Daveed Gartenstein-Ross warn it is a mistake to underestimate al-Qaidas resources or reach. People overstate the way al-Qaida is kind of a virtual entity its not. They control territory, and people arent complaining about it, Gartenstein-Ross said. Theyve embedded with local populations in Yemen and in Syria and Libya and in Mali. Thanks to its rebranding efforts, al-Qaidas appeal even seems to be expanding. Al-Qaida has managed to capture the echelon of Salafi jihadis who were repulsed by ISIS brutality but still have the ideology and want something that is just a half-step down, said Jessica McFate, a former U.S. Army intelligence officer now with the Institute for the Study of War. IS Demise boost for al Qaida McFate, like other analysts, also worries the demise of IS and its self-declared caliphate could give al-Qaida an even bigger boost. Id call it about a 50 percent chance that ISIS tries to regenerate that capability all over again and a 50 percent chance that al-Qaida just absorbs whats left, she said. We have to be very careful that we dont end up with a bigger and badder al-Qaida. Equally worrisome, intelligence officials say, is the way groups like IS and al-Qaida are expanding their influence beyond the Middle East and Africa. The CIA, in particular, has warned of an upsurge of activity across the southern rim of Asia, where terror groups from Bangladesh to the Philippines have been increasingly connecting and interacting with brand name jihadist groups in the Middle East. And there are continuing fears about the global flow of foreign jihadists, many of whom have fought in Iraq, Syria, Libya, Afghanistan and elsewhere returning to their home countries with the intent of joining existing terror networks or forming their own cells. Combating the threat Intelligence agencies, especially in Europe, have accelerated their efforts to crack the networks and combat the threat. As for the ongoing military effort, U.S. defense officials say they are well aware of the concerns but point out the current counterterror mission restricts their focus to IS and al-Qaida. Some also argue that many of the underlying conditions helping jihadism to flourish cannot be fully addressed until IS is defeated in Iraq and Syria. Either way, it may be a losing battle. ISIS and al-Qaida are growing, and there will be other groups that join them, Hassan Hassan, a resident fellow at the Tahrir Institute for Middle East Policy, warned members of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Tuesday. They are on a trajectory of expanding for the next decade or even two, he said, adding, Its very easy to become one of them. Hoang Dao Xuan wanted to help kids in Vietnam who did not have an opportunity to learn English, so he drew upon his experience teaching his young daughter and created an app that now also has versions teaching French and Vietnamese. Soon it will have Spanish and Chinese, too. The founder of Monkey Junior is one of hundreds of entrepreneurs from 170 countries taking part in the U.S.-sponsored Global Entrepreneurship Summit being held this week in Palo Alto, California. "GES is an opportunity for us to share and to learn from each other, especially from investors, from other experience, from other entrepreneurs," he told VOA. "I actually talked to a few mentors and I actually learned a lot from them, so that's a great opportunity." The summit launched in 2010 in Washington and returned to the U.S. this year after stops in Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, Morocco and Kenya. In addition to networking with entrepreneurs from around the world, those at the summit are getting the chance to pitch their companies to investors and attend workshops and panels with business leaders and government officials. President Barack Obama, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and Google CEO Sundar Pichai are among those scheduled to speak. From waste to cooking fuel Jackie Yap traveled from Malaysia to attend the summit. He started a company called HiGi Energy to turn agricultural waste into cooking fuel as a cheaper and more environmentally friendly alternative to firewood and charcoal. He told VOA that from a young age he wanted "do something crazy," and found an outlet as an entrepreneur. "One year later I am glad that I made it here, but I want to inspire more young people to actually explore into entrepreneurship at a really young age," Yap said. He also described the challenge that comes with collaborating with partners from different countries and cultures. "The way you are trying to communicate with your co-founders -- for me, in my case, it's a Vietnamese co-founder and a Filipino co-founder -- is really challenging. The way we accept criticism is different, the way we actually deliver what we want to say, frankly, it's different." Ignore the haters His advice for potential entrepreneurs is to ignore people who are not supportive, and he says they will not regret going after something that challenges them. "That's what I always hold within myself," he said. "You always win or you learn, you never lose. And no regrets, just do it." Naomi Tulay-Solanke from Liberia has a similar encouraging message, especially for women entrepreneurs. "Once we have our dream we should dream it, we should share it, we should be focused, we should be passionate about what we do," she said. "We should be able to explain our stories, especially in Africa a lot of us have this story. My story is so many women in Africa's story." She highlighted the presence of sexual violence in her country, saying she became pregnant at age 14 and had to face stigmatism and shame while her perpetrator walked free. She said that past empowers her current efforts with her company, Community Healthcare Initiative, which aims to boost healthcare services for vulnerable women and children. Woman in a man's world Habiba Ali, founder of Sosai Renewable Energies in Nigeria, said she has faced number of challenges from being a woman in a male-dominated field and living in the Muslim-majority north of her country where there are certain expectations about how much a woman can be out of the house. Her business also has to deal with Nigeria's slow bureaucracy and a climate of distrust that leads to a lack of credit. "I believe that persistence keeps me going," she said. "The fact that I know that what I'm doing is nothing bad, I'm actually doing something very good. It took me a long time to come to this realization." Like Yap, Ali said her interest in running her own business also started early, when she realized she preferred making her own money and having the freedom to spend it. The government of Eritrea told the U.N. Human Rights Council that its neighbor Ethiopia is planning to launch a full scale war against its territory. Eritrean and Ethiopian troops recently clashed along their border. The countries are blaming one another for starting recent hostilities that included heavy border fighting around the Tserona central front, an area located south of the Eritrean capital, Asmara. Eritrea accuses Ethiopia Girma Asmerom Tesfay, Eritreas U.N. Permanent Representative, said that there is clear evidence that Ethiopia has adopted a hostile policy towards his country. The evidence is their own statement that they have made in their parliament, and a lot of [Ethiopian] officials have been saying that they will attack Eritrea, they will take military action, they have changed their policy towards Eritrea, they will go for a regime changesupport opposition armed groups to attack, Ambassador Asmerom told VOA. He said that the June 12th confrontation between the two countries is further evidence that Ethiopia is seeking regime change and seeks occupation of his country. There was a major military engagement and aggression by Ethiopia using tanks, artilleries and ground forces, he said. Eritrea also accuses the US of being involved Last week, Eritreas Foreign Ministry accused the United States of playing a role of instigating the attack on its territory. U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby dismissed the accusation and urged the two countries work towards a stable and peaceful region. "The United States, including our missions in both capitals and our mission to the U.N. in New York continues to engage with both Ethiopia and Eritrea, to urge restraint and to prevent escalation. But Ambassador Asmerom insists that the U.S. relationship with Ethiopia denotes a complicity in the attacks on his country. They have been supplying them with different equipment and ammunition in the name of fighting terrorism and they have been deploying [the weapons] around the border area, so that is a direct or indirect participation in the aggression against Eritrea, he said. Ethiopia denies Eritrean accusations Ethiopian Ambassador to the U.N. Tekeda Alemu dismissed the allegations as preposterous and without merit. He told VOA that the accusations against his country did not warrant a response, adding that perhaps the government of Eritrea should worry more about addressing the concerns of the U.N. human rights court. Eritrea's Ambassador Asmerom denies that his country is trying to deflect attention from human rights reports that accuse his country of systematic, widespread human rights abuses. A United Nations commission of inquiry recommended that Eritrea be referred to the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity that include enslavement of up to 400,000 people. Asmerom also ruled out any possibilities for talks between the two countries, that have had a long standing border dispute, instead laying the blame on Ethiopia: "They are the ones who are aggressing the ones who are threateningso the aggressor has to be condemned, very simple" he said. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki moon recently met with Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn in Brussels, where he called on the leaders of the two countries to seek a peaceful resolution through political means. Ethiopia and Eritrea ended a two year border war in 2000 after talks in Algiers, where the two sides agreed to resolve border disputes through international arbitration. Independent investigators who probed the disappearance and apparent massacre of 43 Mexican students in 2014 called Wednesday for a robust follow-up to resolve the high-profile case and establish the truth. Claudia Paz y Paz and Carlos Martin Beristain served on a five-member panel that accused the government of President Enrique Pena Nieto in April of undermining its inquiry. The panelists were in Geneva to meet U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein, who has voiced dismay at a lack of progress in resolving the "emblematic" case of 43 trainee teachers from Ayotzinapa who disappeared in the southwestern city of Iguala. "We made many recommendations to deepen the investigation, mainly related to drug trafficking of heroin as a possible motive. The prosecution has not fully addressed this hypothesis," Paz y Paz, a former attorney general of Guatemala, told Reuters. Mexico's military has been accused on multiple occasions of extrajudicial killings and torture during a decade-long war against the brutal drug cartels. "It is up to the state's willingess to investigate what actually happened," Paz y Paz said. "We expect a strong follow-up mechanism." The government says that corrupt police handed the 43 students over to drug gang henchmen in late 2014, who then incinerated them at a garbage dump in the southwestern state of Guerrero. Disputed by experts The experts report said that the government's fire theory is scientifically impossible. The remains of just one student have been identified, from a charred bone fragment. "We also asked the government and judiciary to investigate the actions and conduct of the head of the criminal investigation unit, Tomas Zeron, because he was present at the crime scene a day before. It has been documented," Paz y Paz said, referring to the river where the bone fragment was found. The attorney general's office said in April that Zeron was under investigation. The expert panel presented video and photographs suggesting that he was at the site where the bone was found a day before its official discovery, but made no report of his visit. Mexico's U.N. ambassador, Jorge Lomonaco, said Tuesday that a "preliminary agreement" on a follow-up probe was being finalized with the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights, which sent the first panel. "We are committed to the victims, to clarifying the truth and punishing those who are guilty, so that this never happens again," Lomonaco told an NGO-sponsored event. Beristain said that the terms of the follow-up probe were not set, but should include at least three visits over six months by a team with full access to all files. "If solved, it will be a positive sign that impunity can be overcome in many other cases," he said. Iran announced this week that authorities broke up "the biggest terrorist plot targeting the capital Tehran and other areas of the country. Iran's Intelligence Ministry said a Takfiri terrorist group had planned a series of bombings over the coming days. Here is what the term "Takfiri" means and how extremist groups and the Iranian regime use it against their rivals. What is Takfirism? Takfir is an Arabic word used to describe a Muslim as infidel or non-believer. The practice of accusing another Muslim of apostasy or declaring another Muslim as infidel is called Takfir. According to Pakistani religious scholar Javed Ahmad Ghamidi, A Muslim or a Muslim group is Takfiri if it declares another Muslim or a Muslim sect as apostate. How is the term Takfiri used in the Muslim World? The term Takfiri is used by some extremist groups that see Islam through a narrow keyhole of self-righteousness and consider other Muslims or certain groups of Muslims as apostate. They use the term against those who may not agree with their ideology or refrain from pledging allegiance to them. Takfiris prescribe the death penalty to the apostates. A number of Sunni extremist outfits in Pakistan, including the Lashkar-i-Jhangvi group, have used the term to describe Muslim Shiites as being out of Islam or apostate. Similarly, certain Shiite groups such the Tehrik-e-Jafaria Pakistan have used the term for Sunnis or certain Sunni groups in the country. Mainstream Sunni and Shiite leaders often refer to armed extremist groups as Takfiris. The number of Takfiri groups in the Muslim world, however, is very small. Who are Takfiris? Pakistan-based Fulbright scholar in religious studies, Qibla Ayaz, traces Takfiris history to the creation of the Khawarij group in the very first century of Islam. According to Ayaz, the Khawarij, who were outcasts from mainstream Muslims, broke into revolt against Caliph Ali. A cousin and son-in-law of Prophet Muhammad, Ali was the fourth caliph of Islam. The Khawarij later assassinated him, as he did not agree with their war demands against another group of Muslims. Are there Takfiri Groups in Shiite Islam? There have been a number of Shiite groups that labelled their rivals as infidels. If declaring other Muslims apostates is Takfirism, then religious literature in Shiite Islam provides materials that call its ideological opponents as apostates, Ghamidi told VOA. He added that the followers of the top Shiite Takfiri leader, Hasan bin Sabbah, used tactics including suicide attacks against their rivals. Who has the authority to declare others as apostates? Despite the fact that Islam does not grant religious groups the authority to label other Muslim groups as infidels, certain Muslim religious bodies in Pakistan have done so. Ghamidi believes that only states should have such an authority to declare which Muslim groups are outcast from the mainstream Muslims. Most Muslim states have official religious bodies Darul Ifta that are responsible for issuing final decrees pertaining to major religious issues that may arise in the country. Decrees are made based on deep knowledge of Islam and taking socio-economic and scientific evidence and logical, historic and comparative perspectives, and contemporary conditions surrounding an issue into consideration. How is Iran using Takfirism against regional rivals? The current regime in Iran has widely used the Takfiri term for militant groups that may have links with regional Sunni states such as Saudi Arabia or groups that may challenge the might of the regime. Tehran uses the Takfiri term not only for Islamic State in Syria, but it also describes all militant groups that are fighting the Syrian regime as Takfiris supported by Western countries. Is Islamic State a Takfiri Group? Both Ayaz and Ghamidi believe the Islamic State group fits in the definition of Takfir in modern Muslim history. [Islamic State] considers its rival Sunni Muslim groups, all the Shiite Muslims and its ideological opponents, apostates, Ayaz said. The followers of [IS] also believe in taking properties of their enemies as war booty and take their enemies women as concubines, a practice approved per Takfiri ideology. VOAs Mehdi Jedinia contributed to this explainer. Brent Scowcroft, who was national security adviser to two Republican U.S. presidents, on Wednesday endorsed Democrat Hillary Clinton for president over Donald Trump, in a snub of the Republican Party's likely nominee by a prominent member of its security wing. "The presidency requires the judgment and the knowledge to make tough calls under pressure," the Republican elder statesman said in a statement. "I believe Hillary Clinton has the wisdom and experience to lead our country at this critical time." Scowcroft, 91, served as national security adviser under Presidents Gerald Ford and George H. W. Bush. Ford was president from 1974 to 1977 and Bush from 1989 to 1993. He joined a number of well-known Republicans defecting due to the prospect of a Trump presidency, including Richard Armitage, deputy secretary of state under President George W. Bush. Armitage gave Clinton, 68, who was secretary of state under Democratic President Barack Obama, his backing last week. Trump "doesn't appear to be a Republican, he doesn't appear to want to learn about issues. So, I'm going to vote for Mrs. Clinton," Armitage told Politico at the time. The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Scowcroft's endorsement of Clinton. Trump, 70, who has never held elected office, often boasts on the campaign trail his relative newness to politics, appealing to voters disillusioned by the current political climate. Despite that facet of his appeal which helped Trump beat 16 rivals in the campaign's primary phase to become his party's presumptive nominee establishment Republicans worry that his inexperience and brash style will alienate foreign allies and other international partners. Among his proposals, Trump has criticized NATO, a cornerstone of U.S. security policy, and said he would consider letting Japan and South Korea develop their own nuclear weapons instead of relying on the United States for protection against North Korea and China. "Secretary Clinton shares my belief that America must remain the world's indispensable leader," Scowcroft said. "She understands that our leadership and engagement beyond our borders makes the world, and therefore the United States, more secure and prosperous." Trump has said he would strengthen national security, but has offered few details about his plans, other than his proposals to build a wall at the U.S.-Mexican border and for a temporary ban on Muslims entering the United States. Many national security experts have expressed alarm over the proposed ban and have warned that Trump's fiery rhetoric on the campaign trail is fueling extremism. Le weekend, le sandwich, le business, le feeling. Pints, pubs, rugby and Marks & Spencer. A centuries-old love-hate relationship with Britain has left an indelible mark on France, so its no surprise that today people here are closely eyeing - with much worry and some anticipation - another potential Britishism: Le Brexit. At stake is more than the future of the United Kingdom in the European Union. It is the future of the European Union," French President Francois Hollande said on the eve of Britain's referendum, warning a British exit from the EU would be "irreversible." As Britons vote Thursday on whether to remain in the EU, that sentiment is being echoed by many mainstream leaders across the 28-member bloc, as they nervously eye a possible exit. Certainly theres a lot of apprehension among those who really care about the European integration process, says Fabian Zuleeg, chief executive of the Brussels-based European Policy Center. Yet the broader European reaction is complex and conflicting, as is the possible fallout of a British departure. Some analysts suggest an exit will deliver at least a short-term blow to economically fragile EU members like Greece and Portugal, and those like Ireland and Germany with strong trade ties to Britain. Europeans working in Britain also worry about losing jobs and pensions. France will have a lot to lose, because Britain is Frances second-biggest trading partner after Germany, adds Alexandra de Hoop Scheffer, Paris office director of the German Marshall Fund of the United States, noting Britain also helps counter economic powerhouse Germany. Others describe broader threats of a British exit to Europes international standing and dreams of an ever closer union. I think the biggest loss would be the EUs global weight, says Manuel Lafont Rapnouil, head of the European Council on Foreign Relations Paris office. With this idea that you can get out of it, rather than finding compromises to respond to challenges, the EU would become less formidable, less attractive. Broad discontent Polls show a majority of European citizens oppose a Brexit, even if few are fond of Brussels. Many Europeans disapprove of the blocs economic management and the way it handled the migrant crisis, according to a study by the U.S.-based Pew Research Center. Another survey by German research organization The Bertelsmann Foundation found that while citizens in the biggest EU states would back staying in the bloc, if similar referendums were held in their countries, only a slim majority of French and Italians would do so. Theres been nothing positive about the EU. They tell us how the euro is good for us, but we French have lost more than weve gained, says Paris-area car dealer Didier Ajuelos. Still, Ajuelos reluctantly throws his weight behind Brussels. In todays world, youre stronger together than out on your own, he says. Many European nationalist parties, however, are broadly cheering on a British departure. Vote Brexit, and well handle the champagne, Frances far-right National Front youth wing urges on its Facebook page. It will give the British freedom, and it will show other countries that its possible to renegotiate EU treaties or to leave altogether, says leader Gaetan Dussausaye. A Brexit vote may indeed give Euroskeptics reason for hope, analyst Zuleeg believes, but only if Britain negotiates a good deal after leaving the bloc. But if the U.K. suffers economically and politically, then I think its not an example other countries would follow, he adds. Consequences Some analysts predict those remaining will make Britain pay dearly for leaving the EU. With the anti-EU National Front surging ahead of next years French presidential elections, France will likely lead the pack, the German Marshall Funds Alexandra de Hoop Scheffer says. Paris will push to ensure that consequences are felt swiftly and severely to avoid encouraging anti-EU forces, she says. There will be consequences, and the U.K. will lose some advantages, agrees Lafont Rapnouil of the European Council, although he believes its too early to predict the fallout. Along with anger, Britains referendum has also sparked calls for reforming the EU. Whatever the outcome of the British referendum, afterwards Europe will not be able to shy away from a few much-needed debates, Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern told Britains The Guardian newspaper. In France, former European minister Elisabeth Guigou called for refounding the European project in a bloc buffeted by crises. Lafont Rapnouil believes significant reforms are unlikely ahead of the French elections, and with general elections expected in another year or so in another EU force, Germany. Still, he says, the debate needs to be opened on how Europe moves forward on a range of key issues, from banking to a digital single market. What do we do in terms of solving the eurozone crisis for good, or on security, or the refugee crisis or a multi-speed Europe? he asks. Now is precisely the time for Europe and France to move beyond ambiguity and give a clearer sense of the direction we want to go. Refugees have a positive impact on surrounding host communities, particularly when given cash stipends as opposed to food rations, according to a new study by the UN. A joint project by the World Food Program and researchers at the University of California, Davis, studied Congolese refugees living in three different camps in Rwanda. Our research found that local communities see very real economic benefits from hosting refugee camps, regardless of the type of food assistance refugees received, but it was clear that cash-based food assistance for refugees translates into a larger boost for the people who live near the camps, said the studys lead author, J. Edward Taylor. Taylor, a professor of agriculture at UC Davis, said the team found that real income generated for the surrounding community was larger than the humanitarian assistance received by the refugee, "and if the refugee is receiving cash, the impact of that assistance can nearly double." When refugees receive monthly food rations, they often sell part of it (at rates lower than market cost) and use the cash to buy vegetables and other fresh products. When refugees receive cash instead, it not only gives them more control and choice over what they eat, but also increases their purchasing power, and therefore increases the strength of their contribution to the local economy," said Ernesto Gonzalez, a co-author of the study who works on cash-related assistance in WFPs regional bureau in Nairobi. In the Kigeme camp, where refugees received food rations, the study found that every dollar worth of food assistance increased real income in the community around Kigeme by $1.20. The two other camps, Gihembe and Nyabiheke, where refugees received cash transfers instead, saw increases of $1.51 and $1.95, respectively, for each dollar given. The World Food Program does warn, however, that food rations are still needed in some camps without functioning markets or where food resources are scarce. Rwanda hosts more than 150,000 refugees in five camps across the country. Ongoing conflicts in North and South Kivu, Ituri province and north Katanga in the Democratic Republic of Congo over the past two decades have killed more than 5 million civilians, and displaced millions more. Most have died from preventable diseases as a result of the collapse of infrastructure, lack of food and health care, and displacement. But the findings are relevant to a much broader global community, as Europe struggles to accommodate and integrate unprecedented numbers of refugees reaching their shores. A record 65.3 million people worldwide were displaced from their homes in 2015, according to the U.N. refugee agency, the UNHCR a 10 percent increase over last year. Half of them are children. The U.N. refugee agency said it is inevitable more people will try to reach Europe because of global inequality in wealth and security. Abu Azraelthe "Father of the Angel of Death"an Iraqi Shia commander, brags that he once beat a man to death with a plastic flip flop. His biceps are as big as cannonballs, and he rides into battle on a bicycle (he really does). Commander Abu Azrael wears a Kevlar vest, with hatchet in hand, a sword, grenades and an automatic assault rifle. He claims to have killed 1,500 Islamic State (IS) fighters in a single year, and it's rumored that IS is so terrified of him that it will kill anyone who utters his name. Abu Azrael's shaved head, black beard and gleaming teeth have made him the most recognized face in the region, and he has inspired cartoons, music videos and even Android game apps. His battle cry, Illa tahin! ("Into flour!" -- as in, Ill pound IS fighters into flour) has caught on everywhere. The way he was introduced to people was via internet memes," said Phillip Smythe, a University of Maryland researcher and author of the blog Hizballah Cavalcade. "You see this big, muscled guy. Sometimes he has an axe, sometimes he has a sword. Sometimes he's in a helicopter on a door gun." But who, exactly, is this man? "There are a lot of rumors, said Smythe. Some claim he is a former university professor. Others that he is a former Taekwondo champion. Still others claim that his entire village was wiped out by ISIS, so thats why he took up arms. His real name is reported to be Ayyub Faleh al-Rubaie, and he allegedly serves as a commander in Kataib al-Imam Ali, part of the Popular Mobilization Forces, a coalition of dozens of Shia militias sponsored and armed by the Iraqi government and suspected of wide rights violations. In August 2015, a video emerged which showed Abu Azrael desecrating the burned corpse of an alleged IS fighter. "You wont get far against the Daesh [another acronym for IS] with humanity," he later told the Australian newspaper. IS retaliated by burning four captured Shia "spies." In late 2015, rumors circulated that IS had captured and killed Abu Azrael. But he recently resurfaced in Fallujah, vowing to liberate that city from IS hands. "The Sunni perception of Abu Azrael varies from indifference to absolute loathing," said Rasha Al Aqeedi, a fellow at the Al-Mesbar Center, a UAE think tank. "Overall, he is viewed as a thuggish, sectarian outlaw." In video recordings, Abu Azrael has reassured Sunnis that he views them as his brothers, said AlQeedi, and that his only enemy in this conflict is IS. "However, on several occasions, has been caught on tape cursing revered Sunni religious figures and threatening to abolish their 'offspring' which is another way of threatening all Sunnis and lumping them together with ISIS," she said. And some people think he spends more time taking selfies and group photos than fighting in actual battle, she added. Those photos plaster the internet: In one, he flexes his muscles at a Baghdad gym. In another, he aims his rifle at a tiger. He once attended Mass in a Baghdad church, posing with the priest and patting a bible. Those photos plaster the internet: In one, he flexes his muscles at a Baghdad gym. In another, he aims his rifle at a tiger. He once attended Mass in a Baghdad church, posing with the priest and patting a bible. "I would make the argument that he is a completely manufactured personality, said Smythe, suggesting Abu Azrael is a propaganda tool of the Iran-backed government in Baghdad. The whole point of the narrative is to legitimize these Shia militias, particularly the Iranian-backed groups like Hezbollah, and to portray them as the true defenders of Iraq, the true allies of other embattled minorities in the region," he said. "The way that they have played this off? He's a romantic hero. He's a guy you want to be with." When you think about it, Smythe added, "its absolute genius." Forces loyal to Libyas new national unity government in Tripoli have reportedly made gains inside the Islamic State-held coastal city of Sirte, while forces loyal to the rival government in Tobruk say they have pushed back al-Qaida militants in Benghazi. Militiamen loyal to the unity government captured two districts inside Sirte amid heavy fighting and reports of casualties on both sides. Ahmed Hadiya, a spokesman for pro-government military forces in Sirte, told Libyan TV that battles took place in several areas. He says pro-government militiamen had pushed IS fighters out of the Zafran and Gharbiyat districts and cornered them in small pockets of the 700 district and the Ouagadougou conference center. Fierce resistance Islamic State fighters were reported to be fighting fiercely, despite recent losses, using car bombs, suicide attackers and other booby-trapped objects. A government militia commander in Sirte told journalists that IS fighters had booby-trapped vehicles and shops to stop the government advance into the city. The Libya Herald newspaper reported that 170 pro-government militiamen have been killed and over 700 injured since the start of the military operation dubbed Bunyan al Marsous, to retake Sirte. The paper added that many of the casualties in the fighting were taken to Misrata Central Hospital, where doctors refused to allow journalists to take photos. It indicated that many of the wounded had suffered horrific injuries and that conditions at the hospital were poor because of shortages of drugs, antibiotics and even nurses. Benghazi Arab media also reported heavy fighting inside Libyas second largest city of Benghazi, as forces loyal to the government in Tobruk fought to expel Islamic militants loyal to al-Qaida. Heavy clashes against the militants took place in the nearby port of Ajdabiya several days ago. A spokesman for Libyan military units in the east of the country, loyal to army commander Khalifa Haftar, told journalists that his forces were advancing against the militants near the districts of Sabari and Souq al-Hout, near Benghazi. The Libyan army has made similar claims of gains against militants in Benghazi in the past. Forces loyal to General Haftar have also carried out airstrikes against Islamic militant positions near Ajdabiya and the eastern militant stronghold of Darna in recent days. When Talmage Pearce attends the Republican National Convention as a delegate next month, he is supposed to vote for Donald Trump. Pearce is a Republican delegate from Arizona, which Trump won easily in a March primary election, capturing all 58 of the states delegates. But Pearce, who works as an insurance agent in the central town of Mesa, said he cant vote for Trump in good conscience." I dont believe any of the conservative positions hes touted during the campaign are sincere, Pearce told VOA. He also takes issue with how Trump insulted, blackmailed, and bullied his opponents on his way toward the GOP nomination. Republican delegates Pearce is one of a number of Republican delegates nationwide who refuse to vote for Trump at the convention, despite being pledged to do so. At this point, its not clear whether the delegate insurgency is widespread enough to deny Trump the majority of delegates he needs to clinch the nomination. Currently, Trump has 1,542 delegates. He only needs to win 1,237 to get a majority. That means 306 delegates would have to revolt. Some reports suggest hundreds of delegates have already joined the last-minute effort to oppose Trump at the convention. Others put that figure at only a few dozen. In either case, the RNC faces a dilemma: how does it count the votes of delegates who, though pledged to Trump, refuse to vote for him? Its response could determine whether the party splits. It could also undermine longstanding principles guiding the U.S. model of representative democracy. At issue is a patchwork of state laws and party regulations that purport to require delegates to follow the will of primary voters in their state or district. These laws vary widely by state. Some require delegates to be bound to a particular candidate only on the first round of voting. Others bind delegates for multiple rounds. Laws obscure The state laws are obscure. The truth is, no one has paid much attention to them over the years. Thats in part because no one has needed to delegate voting at conventions is almost always a formality. But the laws also were effectively neutralized by a series of decades-old rulings by the Supreme Court, which found it is unconstitutional for states to put legal restraints on private political parties. The enforceability of these [state] laws is doubtful, said Bradley Smith, a former chairman of the Federal Election Commission. The Supreme Court has made clear that a political party can have its own sorts of rules as to whether delegates have to vote in a particular way. Several other election law experts confirmed to VOA that the RNC has the right to determine whether to allow a delegate revolt, regardless of what state laws say. This one is for the party to decide, said Heather Gerken, a professor who specializes in election and constitutional law at Yale Law School. There is very little support for the claim that a delegate revolt would be illegal. So if the Republican Party has the legal authority to do as it chooses, what will it decide to do with delegates like Pearce, who vote their conscience in the first round, despite being pledged to Trump? In an interview with VOA, a senior member of the RNC convention rules committee hinted that at least some of the faithless votes will, in fact, be counted against Trump. The RNC already has decided that it will abide by some state laws: in certain states, all delegates will be bound to a particular candidate. That, the committee member said, is based on state laws and party rules, and cannot be changed. But the trouble is that some states are different, he conceded. He did not elaborate on which states he was referring to. If a revolting delegate comes from a state that does not have rules binding delegates to a certain candidate, however, how will the party treat that vote? It depends on the rules, he said. Well enforce the rules. Anti-Trump movement expands That statement appears to leave the door open for Trump to lose at least some of his pledged delegates. Is it enough to deny him the nomination? No one knows. As the convention draws closer, though, a diverse and influential range of figures within the Republican Party is working behind the scenes to make sure it is. One of those figures is Curly Haugland, an unbound Republican delegate from North Dakota who is also a member of the convention rules committee. Haugland is a controversial figure within the party. The RNC rules expert has for years tried to convince delegates they are all unbound and can vote for whoever they want. Hes even co-authored a book, entitled Unbound: The Conscience of a Republican Delegate, that he is hoping to distribute to every GOP delegate before the convention. In Hauglands view, it is simply a matter of fact that GOP delegates are unbound. Republican delegates, according to Haugland, are like a pen full of sheep. In the RNCs model, theyre all bound up by a fence. But the fact of the matter is, there is no fence, he said. RNC officials have repeatedly denied that Hauglands theory has any legitimacy, but they could not be reached for comment on this story. Free the Delegates In recent weeks, another Republican group, called Free the Delegates, has sprung up in an effort to deprive Trump the nomination. Its strategy is related, but differs slightly, from Hauglands. The group is hoping to persuade the RNC rules committee, which meets a week before the convention, to pass a conscience clause that would formally change the rules to allow delegates to either abstain or vote for a non-Trump candidate. For that to happen, 57 out of 112 members of the convention rules committee would need to agree to the clause. The proposal would then head to the convention floor, where it would have to be passed by a majority of delegates. Its not clear who an alternative candidate would be. No major candidate has emerged as the obvious choice. Current RNC rules require the GOP nominee to have won at least eight states in the primary election process (although that rule also could change). As it stands now, Texas Senator Ted Cruz is the only candidate that would qualify. Undermining democracy? But if the party nominates anyone other than Trump, what would that mean for the future of U.S. democracy? Trump, though controversial, won 14 million votes. Thats more than any other Republican presidential primary candidate in history, and its not even close. Does it mean the monthslong, state-by-state primary process, on which candidates spent hundreds of millions of dollars, was meaningless? A lot of Trump supporters think so. The idea that delegates are going to vote against the will of the people is absurd, said Hildy Angius, a delegate from Mohave County, Arizona, who said she is glad to support Trump at the convention. Another Arizona delegate, Lori Urban, says shes also sticking by Trump. If its 500 rounds, I am only voting Trump, Urban told VOA by phone. Apparently people dont listen to the will of the voters of this country, and therein lies the problem, she said, before hanging up the phone abruptly. Trump recourse Trump himself has said that any delegate revolt would be illegal. Although thats clearly not the case, according to most legal experts, he does have other options. If the delegates deny Trump the nomination, his main recourse would be political rather than legal, according to Gregory Magarian, a constitutional law professor at the Washington University of Law. For example, Trump could mount a third-party presidential run, riling up his supporters against the replacement GOP nominee, says Magarian. I doubt very much he cares about the electoral prospect of the GOP if he isnt the nominee, he said. His records [suggest] he would scorch the earth. A cease-fire between Nigerias government and a militant group that has claimed responsibility for a series of crippling attacks on oil infrastructure may be on shaky ground. A senior official with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation told VOA on Tuesday the government had reached a truce with the Niger Delta Avengers militant group. But the Avengers responded on Twitter saying that no such truce had been reached. The confusion surrounding the cease-fire shows the challenges President Muhammadu Buhari faces as his administration aims to quell a resurgent militancy in the oil producing Niger Delta region. It might be some factionalism. It might be they want to see a credible hand or offer from President Buhari or his government, said Mark Schroeder, vice president for Africa operations at intelligence firm Stratfor. Attacks by the Avengers have reduced the output of Africas largest producer of crude by as much half from its usual volume of approximately two million barrels per day. The government recently announced it would downscale its military presence in the region and negotiate with the group. The Avengers responded with posts on its blog calling for independent mediators, and vowing to reject any talks that dont produce a plan for the restoration of the essence of quality human life in the Niger Delta. Longstanding grievances Militancy is nothing new in the southern swamp region, which is deeply impoverished despite being the source of most of Nigerias oil wealth. Insurgents claiming they wanted more development for the area staged a years-long campaign of kidnapping and pipeline bombings. That calmed in 2009 when the government started an amnesty program that paid ex-fighters a monthly stipend and offered job training in exchange for peace. The government is winding down the amnesty program, but the Avengers have called for its continuation. Schroeder said many of their other demands reflect longstanding grievances in the Niger Delta, and would be familiar to Buhari and his officials. The cease-fire may be simply a delay tactic for the government to figure out what to do, he said. It could be to buy time while President Buhari has to, essentially, negotiate or calculate among his other political constituencies whether he can afford to increase revenue sharing with the Niger Delta, Schroeder said. Cathedrals hidden beauty finally revealed From:Shanghai Daily | 2016-06-22 02:02 THE onion-domed Russian Orthodox Mission Cathedral on Xinle Road, built in 1936, was reduced after the cultural revolution to being used as a warehouse, a stock brokerage, a nightclub and later a restaurant. Its rich wall paintings disappeared... or so it seemed for decades. It wasnt until 2007, when Shen Sanxin, chief engineer of Shanghai Zhuzong Group Construction & Development Co, began reconstruction of the church that the intricate, ornate beauty of the lost murals began to re-emerge. At a recent forum, Shen discussed how layers of paint were carefully removed to reveal nine wall paintings. The church is one of the most brilliant pieces in our citys modern architectural history, as well as an important monument of the development of the Chinese Orthodox Church, said Shen. The history of the church in China dates back to 1901, when the Qing Dynasty allowed a small Russian community in China to build Orthodox churches. Over time, 13 such churches sprang up in Shanghai, but only the Russian Orthodox Mission Cathedral and Saint Nicholas Church survive. The 1917 Russian Revolution caused a flood of anti-Bolshevik White Russians to flee to China. Many settled in Shanghai, swelling the congregations of Orthodox churches. One of the churches, located in Zhabei, was destroyed in 1932 during a brief outbreak of hostilities between Chinese and Japanese soldiers, five years before the Chinas War against Japanese Aggression broke out nationwide. The Russian community built a temporary church on Xinle Road in the Xuhui District. In 1933, that structure was demolished and replaced by the Russian Orthodox Mission Cathedral. In the vast sweep of Chinese history, buildings constructed in the 1930s are categorized as modern, but that doesnt make them any less worthy of preservation, Shen said. To better protect these structures, the local Cultural Relics Preservation Research Center and Shanghai Jiao Tong University recently co-founded a committee on modern architectural preservation. Shanghai is a city with a long history of architectural preservation, said Zheng Shiling, an expert on historic buildings and a member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The government issued regulations on historic and cultural areas preservation in 2002, covering both modern and ancient architecture. Since the materials, structure and decoration of modern architecture are different from those in ancient structures, special expertise is needed, according to Professor Cao Yongkang, director of the Jiao Tongs International Research Center for Architectural Heritage Conservation. In the case of the Russian Orthodox Mission Cathedral, Shen said the restoration of the mural paintings is a great event with far-reaching historical significance. The church suffered badly from the cultural revolution, when most of its icons and other religious artifacts were damaged or destroyed. Religious services ended and the building fell into a serious state of disrepair. In 2006, the local government designated the building for restoration. Shen and his team started work a year later. Shen said the interiors of Orthodox churches are often extravagantly decorated with ornate shrines, chancels and murals depicting saints, icons and Bible stories. According to some historical records, frescoes existed on the inner sides of the dome, arches and altar walls of the church, said Shen. When we entered the church, we didnt see any of them. Only white walls with gray stripes. Local residents told Shen that the murals began fading after the church was damaged during the cultural revolution. Experts said if the missing paintings could be found, they might be the only frescoes ever discovered in Shanghai. We carefully studied historical records and analyzed where the frescoes might be if they still existed, said Shen. We began our search in the dome and on the base supporting it. The main dome is 31 meters high, and one of the paintings in the dome is 25 meters above ground, with a diameter of eight meters. Our experts figured that the height of the dome was beyond the reach of anyone wanting to deface the murals, Shen said. Using scaffolding, Shens team applied water to the surface of the wall. With special tools, they shaved away layers of paint. From beneath, bits of the murals began to emerge. Shen said a cleaning agent was used to remove the final coating. It was a difficult challenge to remove overcoats of paint without damaging the murals. To ensure the painting would not be affected by cleaning agents, we also used brushes of soft goat hair and a desiccant to accelerate the chemical's drying, Shen told Shanghai Daily. After the cleaning, computer-enhanced historical photos were used to restore missing parts of the paintings. Parts of the frescoes damaged by natural forces were left intact, and a protective fluid was applied to help prevent weathering in the future. The dome fresco, done by a Russian architect and painter who designed the church, was found to resemble a fresco painting in the dome of Moscows Cathedral of Christ the Savior, which was destroyed in 1931. Shens team failed to find frescoes in other parts of the church, though they may have existed. Its not clear if religious services will be allowed to resume at the Russian Orthodox Mission Cathedral or if the renovated structure will be put to some other cultural use. At present, it is closed to the public. The cathedral is one of the lucky ones in what has sometimes been a spotty municipal record on preservation and restoration of older buildings. The previous Shanghai Club Building a six-story baroque revival structure on the Bund and a former mens club for British residents in Old Shanghai originally featured a 100-foot-long L-shaped bar of dark polished mahogany called the Long Bar. It was said to be the longest bar in the Orient in its heyday. In 1988, however, KFC received permission to demolish the bar and turn the site into the US companys first fast-food outlet in Shanghai. The bar and original decor were later restored after the Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund bought the rights to the building in 2009. In 2002, city heritage preservation regulations were imposed. The city has designated more than 2,000 buildings as heritage preservation sites. Historical buildings are better preserved when they are being used in some proper way, said Zheng. Now our focus is on how to make old buildings live better. The U.N. Security Council met late Wednesday in an emergency session to discuss North Korea's latest missile tests, which violate U.N. resolutions. The United States and Japan called the meeting, in consultation with their ally, South Korea, to deal with what U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power called "a pattern of defiance" by Pyongyang. "The tests in the last 24 hours are just the latest in that pattern," Power told reporters on her way into the session. "Since March 2 and the passage of Resolution 2270, we have seen 10 ballistic missile tests a rapid series of these tests in defiance of five U.N. Security Council resolutions. That is unacceptable." Power urged the council to promptly condemn North Korea. Following the hourlong closed meeting, council president Alexis Lamek said there was a "very large convergence of views" that the launches violate all council resolutions. Lamek, the French deputy ambassador, said he expects a statement from the council "within days." It is not unusual for the 15-nation council to take several days, if not weeks, to respond to North Korea following ballistic missile launches and nuclear tests. In March, the council adopted resolution 2270, which imposed tough new sanctions on Pyongyang for conducting its fourth nuclear test and launching a long-range rocket. The sanctions include suspending currency transfers and restricting the North's lucrative mineral trade that had accounted for more than half of the country's $2.5 billion in exports to China alone. "The provisions of 2270 are completely unprecedented," Power said. She urged council members to address any "hidden gaps" in the enforcement of those measures. North making progress Pyongyang conducted its fifth and sixth test of the intermediate-range Musudan missile on Wednesday from the coastal city of Wonsan. U.S. and South Korean military officials said the first missile failed shortly after it was launched but the second missile flew approximately 400 kilometers before falling into the Sea of Japan or East Sea as it called in South Korea. The last missile tested did not reach the 3,000-kilometer distance the Musudan is designed for, to potentially reach U.S. military bases in Asia and the Pacific. It apparently also did not demonstrate the atmospheric re-entry capability needed to accurately hit a target. But analysts said North Korea continues to learn from each failure and is making advancements with each new test. WATCH: Pyongyang's nuclear test This is a very important milestone because the previous launches had blown up either very shortly after launch or possibly even right at launch. So this is a real sign of progress, said Jeffrey Lewis, the director of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in California. The multiple missile tests, Lewis said, also indicates that international sanctions have so far not affected North Koreas ability to acquire the material and technology needed to manufacture these weapons. According to South Korean media, North Korea is believed to have up to 30 Musudan missiles, which officials said were first deployed around 2007. The first Musudan test occurred in April of this year. World condemns Kim In Washington, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the U.S. "strongly condemns the provocative actions that are in violation of international law." "The U.S. will do what we have done in the past, work with international allies and others like Russia and China about what pressure can continue to be applied," he said. French Ambassador Francois Delattre, who is president of the U.N. Security Council this month, said the latest tests are a "clear violation" of Security Council resolutions that ban North Korea from using ballistic missile technology and developing nuclear weapons. "The North Korean ballistic missile program is a serious threat to regional and international peace and security. Confronted with the threat of proliferation we consider that weakness is not an option. Based on all this, we favor a quick and firm (Security Council) reaction," he said. The United Nations imposed tough new sanctions on North in March for conducting its fourth nuclear test and launching a long-range rocket. The sanctions include suspending currency transfers and restricting the Norths lucrative mineral trade that had accounted for over half of the countrys $2.5 billion in exports to China alone. Kim Jong Un has declared his country a nuclear state and has defiantly responded to the international sanctions by conducting multiple missile tests and threatening to proceed with further nuclear testing. Japan's Self Defense Forces have been on high alert with anti-missile launchers stationed around the country in case the North Korean missiles entered its airspace. Tokyo said it would issue a strong protest against North Korea for its latest violation of United Nations resolutions. South Korea called the missile test a clear provocation against us and urged Pyongyang to exercise restraint. I would like to advise them that it will be good for North Korea to put more effort into peace on the Korean peninsula and their people's livelihood, which the North has been consistently saying," said South Korean Unification Ministry spokesman Jeong Joon-hee. Regional security conference North Koreas latest missile test will likely be addressed at a closed-door regional security forum currently underway in Beijing that includes diplomats from North Korea, the U.S. and South Korea. At the conference, North Korean envoy Choe Son Hui is expected to defend her countrys right to develop nuclear weapons to protect itself against the perceived threat from the United States. Even though China is North Koreas key ally and trading partner, Beijing opposes Pyongyangs nuclear program and supports the most recent U.N. sanctions imposed on North Korea. However critics said enforcement has been lax as China does not want to destabilize the Kim Jong Un government, and it is unlikely Beijing will support any further measures that would weaken its ally. Considering the current situation in Northeast Asia, it is not easy for China to impose sanctions against North Korea as North Korea can be a card for China, said Korea analyst Woo Su-keun with Donghua University in Shanghai. Chinese President Xi Jinping recently met with high-level North Korean party officials in Beijing to bolster ties that have been frayed by the Norths nuclear provocations. Xi has called for restarting international talks to convince the North to give up its nuclear program for economic aid and security guarantees. Washington and its allies demand that North Korea first halt any further nuclear development before new talks can take place. Pope Francis will visit Armenia this weekend and will try to avoid reigniting a diplomatic dispute with Turkey after his branding of the 1915 mass killings of Armenians as a genocide infuriated Ankara last year. During the three-day trip starting Friday, the pontiff will pray at Tzitzernakaberd, known in Armenia as the Genocide Memorial and Museum. The trips official Vatican program calls it "a memorial of the massacres." Francis will have to tread delicately there, as well as in his remarks to political and religious leaders. Last year, Francis described the killing of up to 1.5 million Armenians in World War I as "the first genocide of the 20th century, days before commemorations to mark the centenary of the massacres in April. Muslim Turkey promptly recalled its envoy to the Vatican, Mehmet Pacaci, and he stayed away for 10 months, an eternity in diplomatic terms. Turkey accepts that many Christian Armenians living in the Ottoman Empire were killed in clashes with Ottoman forces during the war, but it disputes the figures and denies that the killings were systematically orchestrated and constitute a genocide. It also says many Muslim Turks perished at that time. In the runup to Francis's trip, the Vatican has been at pains to avoid the G-word. The Great Evil "Why is there an obsession to use the word 'genocide' and ask about it in all the questions?" Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi testily responded to journalists at a briefing on the trip this week. "We know what happened. None of us is denying that there were horrible massacres. We recognize this. We are going to the memorial precisely to remember this but we don't want this to become a trap of political and ideological discussions," Lombardi said. Many Western historians use the word genocide to describe the events of a century ago and about a dozen EU countries have infuriated Turkey by passing resolutions officially recognizing the Armenian massacre as a genocide. Lombardi said he preferred the Armenian phrase "Medz Yeghern," which roughly translates as "the great evil" or "the great calamity." This is the formula some world leaders, including U.S. President Barack Obama, have used. Lombardi rejected a reporter's suggestion that since the pope had used the word genocide last year the Vatican had chosen a policy of "reductionism" to placate Turkey. As if to fire a warning shot across the Vatican's bow, Turkey's embassy to the Holy See last week held a commemoration of the "martyrdom" of Taha Carim, a Turkish ambassador to the Vatican killed in Rome in 1977 by Armenian gunmen. Christianity as state religion Armenia was the first nation to adopt Christianity as a state religion, in 301, 12 years before the Roman Empire granted Christians religious freedom. The Armenian Apostolic Church, whose leader is known as the "Catholicos," split from Rome over a theological dispute in the fifth century and is part of the Oriental Orthodox Churches. It is seen as the custodian of Armenian national identity. Only about 280,000 of Armenia's 3 million residents are Roman Catholic. Before returning to Rome on Sunday, Francis is due to visit the Khor Virap monastery in the foothills of Mount Ararat, near the border with Turkey, and release doves along with Catholicos Karekin II as a symbol of their hopes for peace and reconciliation in the region. In September, Francis is due to visit two other Caucasus countries: Georgia and Azerbaijan. Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused NATO of intensified rhetoric and expanding and boosting its military infrastructure close to his countrys borders. Putin accused NATO of ignoring Russia's call for closer cooperation, saying there was a need for a "modern off-bloc system of collective security that is equal for all states". Speaking to the lower house of the Russian parliament Wednesday, he added that Russia was ready for dialogue, but had not seen any positive response, like it was on the eve of the World War Two." Putin urged lawmakers to support Russia's response to NATO's actions, including the strengthening of Russia's defense capacity. "On the contrary, NATO intensifies its aggressive rhetoric and its aggressive actions close to our border," he said. "Under these circumstances, we have to pay special attention to the issues of strengthening the defense capacity of our country. I'd like to thank State Duma deputies for the deep and substantial understanding of Russia's state interests, that you are able to defend them and of course for your consolidated legislative support of the proposals regarding strengthening the security of our country." Reiterating Moscows position on its 2014 annexation of Crimea, Putin praised the legislative body. "I consider the legal integration of Crimea and Sevastopol to be a historic result of your work that was preceded by your sincere and warm moral support of the peninsula's residents ahead of the referendum on joining the Russian Federation," he said. Growing concerns The United States and other governments in both western and eastern Europe have been increasingly concerned about Russia's military action since 2014 when the Kremlin annexed Ukraine's Crimea region, followed by Moscows backing of a separatist uprising in eastern Ukraine. Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland have been particularly anxious about what they see as aggressive moves by Russia, and asked NATO to expand its presence in their countries as a deterrent to Russia. NATO announced earlier that it would deploy four battalions to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland to counter a more assertive Russia, ahead of the Warsaw summit next month. In May, Russia said it would deploy three divisions of troops along its southeast border to counter NATO's increasing military presence in eastern Europe. Russian state media often act as cheerleaders for disunity and dysfunction within the European Union and tout Europes supposed moral decline and failure to protect traditional values, and project attitudes that dovetail with supporters of Britain leaving the European Union. Numerous state TV messages portray Europe as, unlike Russia, falling apart morally, socially and being overrun by criminal migrants because of a failure of states to uphold their independence and sovereignty. Some have gone as far as faking reports that promote Euroskeptic and xenophobic messages that analysts say are intended mostly for Russian audiences. TV host Dmitry Kiselyov, a top Kremlin propagandist, was forced to admit mistakes after French TV in May exposed a faked special news report on his popular Vesti Nedeli show about protests in France. An investigation by Le Petit Journal revealed the weekly Russian program, which showed chaos and growing opposition to the European Union in France, misquoted, mistranslated, or faked every French person quoted and falsely claimed immigrants had taken over a school. An earlier Russian TV report falsely claimed a Russian-speaking girl had been abducted and sexually abused by migrants. The report was quoted by Russias foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, who suggested German police were covering up the incident. In an interview with the Izvestiya newspaper, International Affairs Committee of the Federation Council member Andrei Klimov called the Brexit vote part of a moral evaluation of the processes taking place in Europe. Added together with the Netherlands' referendum against the EU-Ukraine association agreement and the French parliaments vote to lift sanctions on Russia, both non-binding, it shows Europe has not learned to speak with one voice, said Klimov. He warned the Soviet Union collapsed because of similar processes. While Russia pokes away at the European Union, support for Britains possible withdrawal from the union, a move seen by many analysts as weakening Europe, has been rather subdued. "This is not a problem that directly affects Russia. So, that's why the press mostly followed the intrigue and the events themselves, said Elena Ananieva, head of the Center for U.K. Studies at the Institute of Europe in the Russian Academy of Sciences. Only lately, they've begun comments on the consequences for Russia, she told VOA. Growing concerns The gradual change in British opinion polls toward favoring Brexit led to growing concerns about the effects on Russia that are being reflected in the media, said Ananieva. Russian officials are increasingly sounding alarmed. The head of Russias largest bank, Sberbank CEO Herman Gref, told Bloomberg TV last week a British exit from the European Union could derail Russias hopes of economic recovery. It will have a very negative influence on our economy, on our exchange rate and on investors in Russian securities, said Gref from the annual St. Petersburg Economic Forum. The influential bankers comments, quoted extensively in Russian media, were the strongest to date on why Russia should be concerned about a Brexit. At the same forum, broadcast live on Russian television, Russias President Vladimir Putin questioned why British Prime Minister David Cameron even allowed the vote. Brexit is now a very big issue, but why did he initiate this referendum, why did he do it? To intimidate Europe, or to threaten someone? What is the point of this if he himself opposes the idea?, asked a befuddled Putin. The Russian president would not say whether he was in favor or against Brexit, but acknowledged there would be consequences for Europe. Various experts have given different opinions as to whether the U.K.'s withdrawal from the EU will do good or harm, said Putin. Most of them agree that it will damage Europe, he said, but some say that Europe will only get stronger and more stable. The Somalia national army on Wednesday killed eight al-Shabab militants and recovered weapons and munitions during an operation in central Somalia, officials and residents said. Somali Army Colonel Ahmed Mohamed Tredishe told VOA Somali the operation took place around Masagawa town in the Galgaduud region. "A specially trained unit of our soldiers have carried out the operation to flush out al-Shabab militants from a base near Masagawa," Tredishe said. "Despite initial resistance, we managed to kill eight of them and recover dangerous weapons." He said one government soldier died in the attack. Masagawa residents who spoke to VOA Somali on condition of anonymity said they heard loud explosions as government soldiers engaged in a gun battle with the militants. It was around just before dawn this morning when we heard a fierce exchange of gunfire and loud explosions, one resident said. As the day wore on, we found out government soldiers searching the al-Shabab military base with eight dead bodies of the militants lying in a pool of blood. We also saw a cache of assault rivals, munitions and hand grenades recovered by the soldiers. The town has been under al-Shabab control for many years. The militant group has been imposing zakat, or a tax on the local population, forcing a number of militias from the local clan to aid the Somali Army operating in the region. The operation comes as Somalias federal and regional state leaders are meeting in Baidoa, the Bay regions provincial capital, to discuss the security of national elections scheduled for August. "The leaders are here to discuss the countrys upcoming elections, the security of the elections, the electoral process," a spokesman for Somalias president told VOA. The meeting brought together Somali President Hassan Sheilkh Mohamud and the leaders of Puntland, Jubaland, Galmudug and South West State. An internal rift over the U.S.- Syria policy could be a headache inherited by the next president, analysts say, because the Obama administration appears unlikely to dramatically alter its current policy. In a memo, 51 State Department diplomats indicated their dissatisfaction with the status quo, saying they back stepped-up military engagement that includes targeted airstrikes against the Syrian regime. Many of those mostly mid-level employees are likely to be around during the next presidency, Atlantic Council Middle East analyst Faysal Itani said. The next president is going to inherit this internal debate within the State Department that has shifted at least the debate focus of U.S. policy in the run-up to the elections, Itani said. 'Willingness to use' military It is a view shared by Richard Haass, a former State Department policy planning director. Even if what they [the diplomats] have to say is rejected now, it might be welcomed by the next occupant of the White House especially if it were to be Hillary Clinton, who, as secretary of state, showed considerable willingness to use military force in pursuit of U.S. foreign policy aims, said Haass, in an article for the Council on Foreign Relations. But others say if the next U.S. president listens to public opinion, stepped-up U.S. engagement to foster a political transition in Syria may not be a high priority. The American population is not seized with the issue of Syria. It is seized with the issue of the Islamic State, said Daniel Serwer, director of conflict management at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. Serwer added that neither presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump nor presumptive Democratic nominee Clinton has clearly delineated a course of action for Syria, but both have expressed dissatisfaction with the course of the war and the pace of the fight against Islamic State. The Obama administration admits it has not achieved its goals in Syria, where fighting continues between the government and rebels, and more than 10 million people have been displaced during the countrys five-year civil war. Also, a February cease-fire with multinational support has eroded, and U.N.-facilitated talks on a political transition have stalled. White House view But the White House does not appear to believe that stepped-up military engagement would help resolve these snags. The United States will not be successful, nor will anyone else, in imposing a military solution on the problems inside of Syria, said White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest. The State Department said Tuesday that Secretary of State John Kerry met with about 10 diplomats who signed the cable. I believe the secretary came away feeling that it was a good discussion and that it was worth having, spokesman John Kirby said. Call for change Syrias crisis has prompted some U.S. allies that also are part of the International Syria Support Group to call for change. We have supported a more aggressive approach, a more robust approach, including a military approach to Syria, said Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir during a Washington visit last week. The Atlantic Council's Itani said Turkey, Qatar, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates also favor a more robust military response. The reason that these countries have been hedging their positions, especially sort of more neutral countries like Jordan and UAE, is that they have calculated that the United States is not going to play such a role, he said. Slipping in some recent polls, short on campaign cash and facing a mini-rebellion from disenchanted Republican delegates, presumptive presidential nominee Donald Trump took his best shot Wednesday at turning his political fortunes around with a full-throated attack on presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. Clinton has moved into a lead in several recent national polls in the wake of a difficult period for Trump that includes fundraising woes and a weakened campaign infrastructure in need of a tuneup. Trump sought to open a new chapter Wednesday with a salvo aimed at Clinton that began with his contention that she is a world-class liar who was a failure as secretary of state. No secretary of state has been more wrong, more often and in more places than Hillary Clinton, Trump said to cheers during a speech in New York City. Her decisions spread death, destruction and terrorism everywhere she touched. Trump added that Clinton may be the most corrupt person ever to seek the presidency, and that her immigration policies were dangerous for the country and would amount to a mass amnesty. Clinton's condemnation Clinton shot back during a campaign stop in North Carolina on Wednesday. She said Trump was attacking her personally, including her religious faith, as a distraction. She said she thought his answers to tough campaign issues had no substance. One day earlier, Clinton had railed against Trump, calling into question his reputation as a successful businessman and warning he would be reckless and a risky choice for the country. Every day, we see how reckless and careless Trump is," Clinton said Tuesday. "Hes proud of it. Well, thats his choice except when hes asking to be our president. Then its our choice." Vice President Joe Biden was also on the attack against Trump during a speech in Washington this week, blasting the Republican's renewed call for a temporary ban on Muslims coming into the United States in the wake of the mass shooting in Orlando, Florida. ISIL wants to manufacture a clash of civilizations," Biden said, using an acronym for the Islamic State group. "They want Americans to view things in terms of us versus them. Why in Gods name are we giving them what they want? Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, a potential vice presidential pick for Clinton, also joined in the Trump-bashing during a recent speech to Democrats in New Hampshire. "Every day it becomes clearer that he is a thin-skinned, racist bully. And every day it becomes clearer he will never be president of the United States, she said. Trump struggles to unify By focusing on Clinton, Trump hopes to resume his quest to unite the Republican Party behind his candidacy and ease doubts among some within his party that he cannot make the transition from primary contender to general election candidate. Trump told supporters at a recent rally in Phoenix that the tensions between his campaign and the Republican establishment stemmed from his decision to run as a political outsider. As soon as I ran, I became an insurgent. I became an outsider, Trump said. And you know why? Because I am going to do what is right for you. I am not going to do what is right for them! Many Republican leaders remain critical of Trump, but few have abandoned him. Yeah, they cant trust Trump and they also cant trust him to pursue their priorities if, in fact, he is elected, said University of Virginia analyst Kyle Kondik. I think Republicans are making the calculation that in a battle of two lessers [of two evils], they would go with the one who at least has their party label. Pressing for a makeover Others are surprised at Trumps struggles to shift from a Republican primary campaign to a general election showdown against Clinton. Ive always thought that some of Mr. Trumps rhetoric works very well for [Republican] primary audiences, but it is going to cause him a larger problem, potentially, in the fall, said longtime national political reporter Tom DeFrank of the National Journal. Many Republicans believe Trump has some work to do in transforming himself into a viable general election candidate. He needs to broaden his appeal to better engage the American public, give them a vested interest in his election, said Republican analyst and author Scot Faulkner, a veteran of the Reagan administration who also worked in the House under former Speaker Newt Gingrich. Hes certainly tapped the outrage. Now he needs to tap the idealism. The pressure on Trump to shift into general election mode also comes at a time when a small group of disenchanted Republican delegates is trying to find a way to derail his nomination before or during next months Republican National Convention in Cleveland. Analysts have doubts Spurred on by Trump's recent controversies, the anti-Trump forces say the movement is growing, though many analysts remain skeptical that Trumps nomination will be undone in Cleveland. I think that is wishful thinking in the extreme, DeFrank said on VOAs Issues in the News program. But the fact that more and more Republican leaders are very nervous about him leading their party into November, that is unquestionably true. Current polls give Clinton an advantage for the general election. But those same surveys also show a desire for change, not uncommon after a two-term presidency. That yearning for change, even if there is a risk attached, could eventually help Trump. There is this utter desperation and sense of many Americans that not just that our system is broken, but that they keep trying to deliver messages to Washington and Washington doesnt listen, said Lara Brown of the Graduate School of Political Management at George Washington University. A recent Quinnipiac University poll found Trump running about even with Clinton in two key swing states, Ohio and Pennsylvania, while Clinton had a sizable lead in another key battleground state, Florida. Trumps best chance to reset his campaign may come at the convention, assuming that what is now a small brushfire rebellion of disenchanted delegates doesnt grow into something more threatening over the next few weeks. Turkey's military crackdown on the Kurdish rebel group the PKK has seen unprecedented levels of fighting in towns and cities in the predominantly Kurdish region of the country. With the death toll among soldiers rising, a disagreement has erupted between the government and a former army chief. In a rare display of discord, Turkish Defense Minister Fikri Isik told his former chief of the armed forces, Yasar Buyukanit, to be silent and know his place after Buyukanit criticized government tactics in fighting the PKK. Former Turkish brigadier Haldun Solmazturk, a veteran of the nearly 40-year conflict, says the fighting has reached unprecedented levels. "It's getting out of control because of its scale and intensity, Solmazturk said. The cities, the towns and even neighborhoods themselves are military targets. Under normal combat conditions, an ordinary army unit would never enter into an urban environment." Official Turkish figures say more than 900 security force members have been killed and nearly 3,000 wounded since fighting erupted last year following a collapse in a government-sponsored peace process with the rebels. Most of those who died were involved in fighting in towns and cities across the predominantly Kurdish region. Until this latest surge in fighting, the conflict had largely been restricted to the countryside. The PKK and its affiliates sought to take control of many urban areas and declare autonomy. The government's decision to retake these areas by force put the military in a difficult situation, says Kurdish affairs expert Kadri Gursel of Al-Monitor website. "It's impossible to differentiate between the guerrillas and innocent civilians right now, Gursel said. Look at the places which were devastated by the Turkish army using heavy weaponry, tanks and artillery. These places are where the pro-Kurdish party won elections by having between 85 percent and 93 percent of votes." The military claims to have killed more than 7,000 rebels since the renewal in fighting. Retired brigadier Solmazturk says the conflict is stretching the army to its limit. "The Turkish army is and has deployed whatever it has under its control. All elite available units have already been deployed and engaged PKK. The Turkish army even had to deploy some elite units from Cyprus to the mainland to fight against the PKK. This would indicate that the current force levels are not enough to maintain the operational tempo," Solmazturk said. Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said the army was starting to wind up most of its urban operations against the PKK; but, this week the army announced that 25 villages and towns were being placed under curfew in preparation for further operations, while President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has pledged the fight will continue until the rebels are wiped out. Two California men have been convicted after a two-week trial of conspiring to travel to the Middle East to join the militant group Islamic State. Nader Elhuzayel from Anaheim, California, was found guilty of attempting to provide material support to Islamic State, and Muhanad Badawi, also from Anaheim, was found guilty of aiding and abetting the attempt to provide material support to Islamic State. Elhuzayel was also convicted of 26 counts of bank fraud, including depositing stolen checks into his personal account to finance his travel. Badawi was convicted of using his federal financial aid to purchase a one way ticket for Elhuzayel to travel to Israel, with a layover in Istanbul. Elhuzayel was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport in May 2015, where he was planning to take a plane to Tel Aviv. According to the allegations in the complaint, Elhuzayel admitted "that he planned to disembark in Istanbul to join ISIL and did not intend to travel on to Israel." Twenty-five year-old Elhuzayel faces a maximum of 30 years in prison for bank fraud. Badawi faces a maximum of five years for bank fraud, and each of the men may serve an additional 15 years in prison for conspiring to provide material support to ISIL. Their sentencing hearings have been scheduled for September. Two rapidly growing wildfires burning a few miles apart in parched foothills just northeast of Los Angeles threatened to merge 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 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. 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. Expert accuses Washington of manipulation 2016-06-22 02:46 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. Nadiya Savchenko, the former military Ukrainian pilot captured by Russia-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine in 2014, spent nearly two years in a Russian prison before being swapped for two captured Russian servicemen in May. Now a member of Ukraines parliament, she was in Strasbourg, France, this week as her countrys delegate to a meeting of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). In a speech on Monday to the European human rights body, Savchenko described herself as having been kidnapped in a breach of human rights that should be reviewed by the European Court of Human Rights. She called attention to other Ukrainians in Russian jails, as well as Crimean Tatars in Russian-occupied Crimea, who have been and continue to be kidnapped in the same way. I do not wish that anyone should go through what I have been through, and what Ukrainians are going through now, Savchenko told the PACE delegates. And I do not wish anyone to have such a neighbor as Russia. Savchenko this week also caused controversy at home after she was quoted as saying there should be direct talks between Kyiv and the heads of the Russia-backed self-declared Donetsk and Luhansk peoples republics a position contrary to that held by Ukraines parliament and president. Danila Galperovich of VOAs Russian service discussed this and other issues with Savchenko in an interview at PACEs Strasbourg headquarters. Here are some highlights from that interview. On how she feels about Russians: "Ive said it a hundred times and I will repeat: There are no bad nations, there are bad people. They are, unfortunately, everywhere. But there are also good people everywhere. When I received my first letters in prison, there were five letters, three of which were from Ukraine and two from Russia. And people wrote to me from Russia no less than from the rest of the world. And there are wonderful people in Russia. I know this and saw this. Even among those who are the overseers in prison, there are all the same good people. And it was very nice to recognize this and to know that there is no hatred on a purely human level. It is only when people are manipulated and controlled that some hostile feelings are awakened in them. Before that, all people are generally inclined to love each other as a species, [as part of] the human race." On criticism directed at her for saying it is possible to talk to separatist leaders: "As for talking...It's not just my opinion. One woman wrote me a letter. She wrote that she had lost her only son in the war, on the Ukrainian side. And she said she really wanted me to survive this was when I was on my hunger strike. And she said she clearly understood a mother on DNR, LNR [the separatists Donetsk and Luhansk peoples republics] said who had lost her son. If people who have lost more than anyone their only sons are ready to talk to each other, what right do intriguers or politicians have to say that it is impossible? It is always possible. Peace is impossible in an eternal war. Anyway, there will be peace sooner or later. And, of course, it is difficult to say the first word or make the first move. I am not afraid. I am ready to bear responsibility for it. If it will lead Ukraine to peace and to a normal existence without Russia I'm ready to sacrifice my image, reputation, for that." On Western military aid to Ukraine and sanctions against Russia: "Should [Ukraine] be aided with weapons? That depends on the determination [of the Western powers]. Simply providing weapons could lead the world to a third world war. If we look at the current situation, there should probably be consistent assistance. First of all, that surely means economic and political sanctions against Russia. Because that country needs to understand - or rather, its government needs to understand - that it did something wrong; that you cannot exist this way in the modern world. ... [Sanctions] should be extended, and I think it is necessary to introduce more personal sanctions, so that the people suffer less and the authorities suffer more, so that they [the authorities] themselves experience deprivation." On humanitarian aid for Ukraine: "Yes, of course, we will need humanitarian aid, because we are not coping with this very well, but I dont want us only to be given the fish. I want us to be given the fishing rod, and to be taught how to fight corruption, how to move in the right direction. The bicycle exists, there is no need to invent it; we just need to choose the one for us, our brand, get on it and go." On whether Ukraine should join NATO: "Earlier, I was against it that was in 2006; now I think probably yes. If we do this correctly, then all the same we must anticipate betrayal: Russia also promised to protect our territory after [Ukraines 1994] nuclear disarmament, and put a knife in [our] back. But when you have a large number of allies there is less worry that you will be betrayed. If one betrays you, the others remain. Therefore, I think [Ukraine] should probably join." French unions will be allowed to hold a protest march through Paris that had previously been banned, union officials announced Wednesday. CGT Union head Philippe Martinez announced that the march would be permitted after an emergency meeting with the government. French police had banned the protest earlier in the day, 24 hours before tens of thousands were scheduled to march through Paris lead by labor unions. Police argued that it would set the scene for a violent standoff. Leftists condemned the ban, claiming that it is the first of its kind since the 1960s when protestors died in clashes with police. The ban followed failed negotiations between union leaders and the government when the former refused to confine their protest to a public square, but instead wanted to march through the streets. Unions have been protesting against planned reforms that would make hiring and firing easier since March. The United States will host a pledging conference next month to raise hundreds of millions of dollars to help Iraqis return to normal life. The State Department said Wednesday that the events in Fallujah where Iraqi forces are succeeding in taking back the city from Islamic State are the most recent reminder of the toll that the war is taking on vulnerable civilians. The U.S. will co-sponsor the conference with Canada, Germany and Japan on July 20. Washington said it planned to make a "substantial pledge" at the conference and urged other nations to join in. The State Department said the United Nations already had been forced to close down dozens of lifesaving programs under its Iraq Humanitarian Response Plan because of a lack of funds. That plan has gotten just 33 percent of the $861 million the U.N. says is needed. That price tag could climb as high as $2 billion over the coming months. Despite the shortage of funds, the U.N. already has helped Iraqis restore electricity, water, schools, health services and businesses in several cities that were brutalized by Islamic State. U.N. programs also have helped more than 725,000 Iraqis return to their homes. U.S. Congressman Chaka Fattah of Pennsylvania has offered to resign after he was found guilty of a number of charges, including fraud and bribery, by a federal jury. Fattah was convicted of involvement in a racketeering scheme in which he used federal grants and non-profit funds to pay a $1 million campaign loan. In a letter to House Speaker Paul Ryan, Fattah offered to resign effective October 3. His sentencing hearing has been scheduled for October. But Ryan called on Fattah to leave office immediately. Ryan said Fattah had "betrayed the trust of this institution and the people of Pennsylvania," and that he hoped Democratic leaders would join him in calling for Fattah's immediate resignation. Regardless, Fattah's time in Congress is limited because he lost his seat in the April Democratic primary. Charges According to evidence presented during the trial, Fattah borrowed $1 million for his failed campaign for mayor of Philadelphia, and used $600,000 from Education Advancement Alliance, a non-profit he created himself, to repay the loan. Along with other defendants involved in the scheme, Fattah created sham contracts and made false entries in the non-profit's accounting records to conceal the scheme. Additionally, Fattah, 59, used funds from congressional campaigns to repay his son's student loan debt. His son is already serving a five-year term for fraud. The call went up from the House floor again and again - No Bill. No Break. House Democrats going into the eleventh hour of a sit-in calling for gun control legislation heard House Speaker Paul Ryan was making his way to the floor and increased the chant they had repeated throughout a day of speeches calling for legislative action in response to the Orlando attack, the worst mass shooting in U.S. history. Members of the public watching up in the galleries chanted back the lines that have trended on social media since earlier Wednesday, asking for the House of Representatives to vote on gun control legislation before leaving for the Independence Day holiday break. Ryan could barely be heard calling for a vote as House Democrats chanted and waved a sea of white papers bearing the names of gun violence victims. They booed Ryan and called out, Mr Speaker give us a vote. During the 15-minute vote, Rep. Ted Deutch called out to My Republican friends, but could not finish speaking as he was shouted down. Democrats responded by singing the Civil Rights anthem We Shall Overcome while Republicans looked on silently. The chaotic vote capped an intense and unprecedented day on the House floor. For a second consecutive week, Democrats in the U.S. Congress commandeered a chamber to demand action on gun violence that has shattered numerous American communities most recently in Orlando, Florida. House Democrats took to the floor en masse Wednesday, led by civil rights icon John Lewis of Georgia, and pledged to remain there in a "sit-in" until legislation is brought forward to stem carnage from firearms. "Over the last 12 years, gun-related crimes claimed more American lives than AIDS, war and illegal drug overdoses combined," Lewis said in a letter to Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan announcing the protest. "We urge you to lead the House into action and work with both sides of the aisle to pass common sense solutions to keep American children and families safe." Republicans initially responded with gavel-banging and demands for order on the floor. When Democrats refused to disperse, Republicans recessed the chamber and turned off the microphones. Although lights continued to shine, proceedings ceased to be televised, because video is fed from the chamber only when it is in session. Democrats responded by launching their own broadcasts, using the mobile application Periscope on their cellular phones. A non-profit U.S. cable outfit that covers congressional proceedings (C-Span) began broadcasting the Periscope feeds. Senators actions Wednesday's House disruptions followed last week's action by Senate Democrats on the other side of the Capitol. Led by Chris Murphy of Connecticut, Democrats spoke on the Senate floor for 15 consecutive hours, at which point Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell agreed to bring gun control measures up for a vote. On Wednesday, several senators walked across the Capitol to join their House colleagues in a show of support. Lewis' participation brought poignancy and historical gravitas to the House protest. An African-American, Lewis took part in the 1965 civil rights march from Selma, Alabama, that came to be known as "Bloody Sunday" when state troopers attacked with clubs and tear gas. Lewis suffered a wound to his head. Lewis and others used sit-ins to great effect in the 1960s to protest racial segregation at lunch counters and public facilities. Republicans responses On Wednesday, some House Republicans responded to the Democratic protest with derision. "Calling this a sit-in is a disgrace to [protests at] Woolworth's [lunch counters]," tweeted Rep. Mark Walker of North Carolina, adding that the sit-ins of the past pressed for expanded civil rights, while Democrats want to "strip [gun rights] away." Rep. Steven Russell of Oklahoma told VOA the Democrats' action amounted to grandstanding and "absolute theatrics." "I'm really disappointed that that's what our institutions are eroding to," Russell said. "I think we can do better." The sit-in drew attention from Speaker Ryan's long-awaited unveiling of a Republican alternative to President Barack Obama's signature domestic legislative achievement, the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. Ryan was away from the Capitol for much of the day, rolling out the Republican proposal at a Washington public policy research institute. Veteran U.S. diplomat Tom Shannon spoke for nearly two hours with Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro on Wednesday to re-start relations between the ideologically opposed governments amid a punishing economic crisis in the South American nation. Shannon, 57, who led a similar rapprochement last year that stalled over imprisoned protest leader Leopoldo Lopez, also met with opposition figures and civil society activists on his short visit to Caracas. During 17 years of socialist rule under Maduro and his predecessor Hugo Chavez, Venezuela has replaced Cuba as Washington's principle irritant in the Americas. The United States is backing an opposition push to hold a "fair and timely" referendum this year that could see Maduro ousted. However, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry agreed in talks with Venezuelan Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez last week to re-start dialogue. Shannon and Maduro, 53, met after lunch in the Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas. Maduro then took to the stage in front of thousands of supporters in the capital city. "It's never too late," he told them, clad in a shirt and blazer rather than his usual tracksuit or baggy shirt. "I hope President Obama will rectify the position he has held the last eight years against the revolution." Their meeting came the day before the Organization of American States was to discuss a proposal by its head, Luis Almagro, to invoke the regional body's Democratic Charter, which could eventually lead to a vote on suspending Venezuela. Maduro attacked opposition congress head Henry Ramos for his involvement in the meeting. "Mr. (Ramos) takes his private jet and goes to Washington to conspire against his own country," he said during the televised speech. Shannon met with Ramos on Tuesday afternoon, as well as Henrique Capriles, the two-time presidential candidate who lost to both Chavez and Maduro and is now spearheading the push for a referendum. Photo op Maduro may be hoping the meeting eases international pressure on him, analysts and diplomats said, while Washington likely calculates a rapprochement undermines Venezuela's constant blame on "imperialist" foes for the nation's problems. "Kerry indicated last week that the U.S. wants to see a recall referendum this year, and bilateral talks will help to offset what would otherwise be fodder for Maduro to declare that the U.S. is trying to overthrow his regime," the Eurasia consultancy group said. Shannon, a former U.S. ambassador to Brazil and current Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs who speaks Spanish and Portuguese, was likely to press for the release of jailed opponents including Lopez. He is also expected to push for internationally mediated talks between Maduro's government and the opposition to try and ease political strains behind the crisis. The Venezuelan opposition leader was sentenced to nearly 14 years for instigating 2014 anti-Maduro protests that led to violence killing 43 people across both sides. Rights groups and government critics say the trial was a farce. After meeting Shannon on Tuesday, Capriles said Maduro was seeking to use dialogue to buy himself time due to his inability to solve Venezuela's worsening economic crisis. "Someone who has not eaten for five days cannot wait for dialogue," he said, referring to widespread food shortages around the nation of 30 million people. "We're not here for photo ops. Venezuela doesn't have time for that." Since Chavez took 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. Through it all, Venezuela has kept oil flowing north uninterrupted, and is the third biggest U.S. supplier after Saudi Arabia and Canada, according to the latest U.S. data. A local civil society activist in South Sudans Gbuduwe state said this week that violence was on the rise in Yambio County. Ahmed Bashir said that over the last two weeks, at least four people had been shot and killed outside Yambio town. The Gbuduwe state police commissioner said security had been increased in the area. Bashir, chairman of the Human Rights Forum in Gbuduwe state, said recent killings by unknown gunmen had sparked fears among residents. There are a lot of killings in houses, despite the fact there is peace," Bashir said. "SSNLM [the South Sudan National Liberation Movement] signed [a] peace [agreement] with [the] government. It is of high concern, because now each and every community member is scared, living in fear because they think, 'Tomorrow for him and today for me.' We dont know why these killings [are happening] or who is doing this. Earlier this month, unidentified gunmen shot and killed Rotto Zeni, 59, and his wife, Antonita Rotto, 55, in Baakiwiri on the outskirts of Yambio town. Rotto Zeni was an ethnic Azande writer and a veteran teacher in the former Western Equatoria state. Two youths were also shot in the Saura residential area. One of the youths died immediately. The other sustained serious gunshot wounds and is recovering at Yambio hospital. Peace agreement pushed Bashir called on state officials to speed up implementation of the peace agreement signed by Gbuduwe state government leaders and a faction of a vigilante group known as the Arrow Boys. "We need peace in order to cultivate, and [have] our children in school," he said. "As human rights activists, we dont want an eye for an eye. We need rule of law. That is what we call for. Gbuduwe state's police commissioner, Major General James Monday Enoka, acknowledged that several killings had taken place in Yambio during the last two weeks. Enoka said police had arrested suspects who would soon be charged. Seventeen suspects have been arrested by the police, and investigations are going on," he said. "These are criminal cases. As you know, crimes are at social [gatherings], and there are no areas where there are no guns. Enoka said the suspects would appear in court to answer questions under oath and be given the chance to prove their innocence. He said he was trying to assure the public that the security situation in the state was under control. Everything is normal," he said. "We encourage all people who want to visit the state to visit us, because the security situation is good. And people are doing their cultivations; now we have plenty of maize in the market, and ground nuts. Enoka said there were no reported cases of looting along the busy Yambio, Maridi and Mundri routes that supply the state with goods from Juba and East Africa. An Indiana man was arrested Tuesday for attempting to provide material support to Islamic State. Akram Musleh, 18, was arrested by FBI agents when he attempted to board a bus from his hometown of Brownsburg to New York City. From New York he had planned to fly to Morocco and find his way to Islamic State-controlled territory. Musleh allegedly planned to join the terrorist group. If convicted, he could face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a lifetime of supervised release, in addition to a fine of $250,000. Announcing the arrest, U.S. Attorney Josh Minkler of the Southern District of Indiana said "The radicalization of American citizens by terrorist organizations like ISIL is a threat to our safety here and abroad." Zimbabwe sneaks into US Presidential elections. We have Democratic presidential candidate, Hillary Clintons speech on what she said about Zimbabwe. MDC T lawmakers object to local government Minister Saviour Kasukuwere for fast-tracking the Local Government Amendment Bill when the public hearings are still ongoing in Matabeleland. A visiting former commissioner with the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission says the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission should be fully independent to ensure that Zimbabwe achieves peace. Civil servants meet with Finance Minister, Patrick Chinamasa, Reserve Bank governor, John Mangudya, and Labor Minister Prisca Mupfumira over the delay in salary payment. Stay tuned for these stories and more coming up on Studio 7 at 7:30 pm on 9-0-9 Medium Wave and on the 4-9-3-0, 5-9-4-0 and 1-5-4-6-0 shortwave frequencies. We also broadcast on www.channelzim.net. Please check us out on Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter. This evening on Livetalk our hosts will be talking with listeners and experts about crippling cash shortages in Zimbabwe. Bank queues have become the order of the day. Participate by sending your messages on our WhatsApp number 001 202 465 0318. The number again 001 202 465 0318. You can also post comments on this Facebook wall or send us your number so we can call you back. Please note that we are livestreaming on all Studio 7 Facebook pages. Stay tuned!!!!!! The nearly 60 Zimbabwean youths who arrived in the U.S. last week for the Mandela Washington Fellowship have started their studies in entrepreneurship and leadership. Among them business executives, lawyers and clean energy experts, the youths will be stationed at various institutions of higher learning for the next six weeks. One of them is journalist and publisher, Golden Maunganidze, who also teaches media studies at Great Zimbabwe University (GZU). The program has kicked off very well and I am very excited about it, said Maunganidze. The Professors were prepared for us and I am sure we are going to have a great experience. Maunganidze is pursuing leadership studies at the Kansas State University. And there is one important lesson he has picked up so far. Ive learnt that leadership is not about being in the front or taking positions but it is about moving together with the group, said the fellow, who publishes TellZim News, a Masvingo-based newspaper. Another thing Ive learnt is leadership communication. This is something that I think is critical in making development happen. Maunganidze has more than a decade of experience working in the Zimbabwe media industry, winning several awards for using the media to foster community develop community. He holds a Masters degree in Media and Society Studies, and is currently pursuing his PhD. And he says the fellowship will sure make him a better leader. The Mandela Washington Fellowship was founded by President Barack Obama in honor of the late South African leader Nelson Mandela with the objective of empowering future African leaders. Progress made in information, biology and materials technologies in recent years is definitely leading to a new industrial revolution, said Tong Jiadong, head of the Summer Davos agenda-preparing group, in an interview with Xinhua. Therefore, the 2016 Summer Davos will focus on the new industrial revolution, said Tong. The 2016 Summer Davos Forum also known as the annual meeting of the New Champions will be held in Tianjin from June 26 to 28. The forums theme is The Fourth Industrial Revolution and Its Transformational Impact. The fourth industrial revolution is the current trend of automation and data exchanges in manufacturing technologies. It creates smart factories through technologies of cyber-physical systems, internet of Things, and cloud computing, among others. In the past, an important symbol of industrial revolution was the fast growth of GDP, but this time it will be replaced by bringing more convenience and sharp cuts in costs, Tong said. The reason is that technological progress in information, biology and materials in the past eight years is cutting costs and bringing more convenience, said Tong. For example, apps like WeChat and Alipay have reduced the cost of communication and payment, cross-border e-commerce has cut trade links and wide use of new materials has reduced our reliance on nonrenewable resources, Tong added. These progresses might not lead to GDP growth, Tong said. But they make peoples lives more convenient. As the new industrial revolution is approaching, this years topics will include the connections between technological revolution and trade, US economic growth as well as changes in exchange rates, said Tong. In addition, participants will also discuss hot issues concerning China as well as the host city of Tianjin, such as cutting stocks, cutting capacity, supply-side reform, the construction of Tianjin free trade zone and the coordinated development of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei, Tong said. The MDC-T Wednesday asked parliament to stop local government minister Saviour Kasukuwere from fast tracking the controversial Local Government Amendment Bill before the public hearing hearings that are currently underway in Matabeleland provinces have been completed. On Tuesday Kasukuwere asked the parliaments National Assembly to suspend the parliament standing rules and orders relating to the passage of bills so that he could fast track the bill to parliament. MDC T- chief whip and member of the parliamentary legal committee or PLC, Innocent Gonese said he was surprised to see Kasukuweres motion on the order paper saying the PLC had not met to consider the bill. He said he was shocked to hear that the PLC had issued a non-adverse report on the bill when in fact the MDC-T members on the PLC, him and Jessie Majome had not attended the meeting which purportedly took place Tuesday. The other members of the PLC are Ziyambi Ziyambi, Jonathan Smakange and Fortune Chasi, all from Zanu PF. Majome is away conducting public hearings on the bill in Matabeleland. Gonese said he and Majome were not given a chance to give their opinion as required by parliamentary rules and regulations. He therefore said because the parliament standing rules and order and the constitution were flouted the motion must be rejected. Deputy Speaker, Marble Chinomona who was standing for Speaker, Jacob Mudenda promised to consult parliament staff before making a ruling on Goneses request. Political commentator and Media Centre director, Ernest Mudzengi, condemned the move by Minister Kasukuwere saying while the publics view is critical Kasukuweres moves reflects the Zanu PFs governments contempt of citizens. The bill has come under fire from the public, opposition and civic society for among other things giving too much powers to the local government minister. Meanwhile, another opposition lawmaker James Maridadi asked parliament to charge Information, Technology and Courier Services Minister, Supa Mandiwanzira for inferring that the ICT committee had colluded with former Net one managing director, Reward Kangai to tarnish his image. This after Kangai implicated Mandiwanzira in corrupt deals with his Chinese business counterpart. Deputy Speaker Chinomona promised to make a ruling on the matter. Meanwhile in an Auditor Generals Report tabled in the National Assembly by Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa today Mandiwanziras ministry got unauthorized loans of $194 564 and $95 000 from the Post and Telecommuciations Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe for the purchase of his and his deputys vehicles respectively. The Auditor General expressed fear that the ministry may fail to accounts for the loan as these were not authorized by treasury. Zimbabwes electoral body said on Tuesday it was failing to register voters at any given time in lockstep with the countrys laws due to crippling financial constraints. And given its dire straits, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) said it was only registering new voters in areas with by-elections. Critics say the failure to keep the process open is jeopardizing thousands of prospective voters and undermining the countrys electoral system. Voter registration should be continuous in terms of our laws but it is not, said ZEC chairperson, Rita Makarau. The problem mainly is resources, we would want to go biometric, but we dont have the funds at the moment. One activist pushing for a fair and transparent electoral process lashed out, speculating that the Zanu PF government was deliberately depriving ZEC of resources so it can cling onto power. I am forced to believe that this is deliberate," said Tawanda Chimhini of the Electoral Resource Center. "Starving ZEC of resources is an advantage to Zanu PF. Pivoting to the 2018 general elections, Makarau said despite the financial encumbrances, they were hoping to have registered all willing voters ahead of the crucial polls. And to stimulate voter participation, Makarau said ZEC would roll out a campaign targeting specific demographics. We anticipate that as we go toward 2018, the youth and women are some of the groups that we would really want to target so that they fully participate in the election, she added. Zimbabweans in the diaspora have been urged to take advantage of the current prevailing situation in the country to secure residential properties and stands as it is now a buyers market. The Chief Executive Officer of Homelink Mrs Stellamaris Chorwira who was at the recently ended Women Of Dominion International conference held in Delaware in the united states where a grouping of interdenominal women of faith held a four day exposition. This was the fifth of the annual conferences and had exhibitors displaying Zimbabwean good and service including Homelink. Chorwira says Homelink also offers money transfer services through Western Union under Easy Link which numerous branches throughout the country. Other services include the provision of mortgage financing to those in the diaspora to purchase stands or residential properties, they also help those in the diaspora to select investments that are suitable to their needs as well as short term for those in the diaspora. We have received overwhelming support for our products and services from people in the diaspora who were tired to dealing with dishonest people back home with some suffering huge investments losses after trusting some individuals who later disappointed them,said Mrs Chorwira. Despite the current cash crisis facing the country Mrs Chorwira urged those interested in real estate projects in the country to make hay while the sun shines. "This is the ideal time to get into real estate, it is a buyers market and people in the diaspora can secure mortgage financing with us to buy a house or a stand so that they will have somewhere to return to when they decide to go back home. They can also use the real estate as a form of investment to hedge their finances,she added. A Zimbabwean lady who was at the Women Of Dominion International conference Edith Mawoneke says she was impressed with the presentation by Homelink and will be contacting them soon to represent her at home. Those who would like to utilize the Homelink products and services can find them on the internet at:www.homelinkzim.co.zw An economist said the current cash shortages bedeviling the country were getting worse by the day as people continue to face challenges when they try to withdraw money from banks and automated teller machines. Independent economic analyst Takudzwa Chisango who is also the president of the Zimbabwe Business Coordination Campaign said the problem stems from a high externalization of money, a development that he said has contributed to the cash crisis. There has been encouragement from the central bank to say that people must now use plastic money, but also the use of plastic money is in line with the National Financial Inclusion Strategy which was promulgated by the central bank governor on his first half monetary policy statement in 2016, Chisango said. Zimbabwe has been experiencing cash shortages for months forcing banks to limit cash withdrawals, some to as little as $50.00 per day. As the country attempted to address the current critical shortages of cash, especially the United States dollar, starting Monday some banks' ATMs started dispensing the South African Rand and the Chinese Yuan. But sources said the country was still experiencing serious shortages of these two currencies as the banking public complained that accessing the money was not easy. Bank queues are now the order of the day in a nation with a fast declining economy due to subdued industrial production, low exports, lack of foreign direct investment and other issues. U.S. Democratic presidential candidate, Hillary Clinton, says her Republican rival Donald Trump will bring down the us economy to its knees if he is elected president. The former secretary of state delivered her first general election economic speech in Columbus, Ohio, Tuesday morning, in remarks that once again attempted to dismantle trump's policy prescriptions and cast the businessman as a danger to the U.S. economy. Clinton referenced Zimbabwes economy as an example of what Trump wants to do. Her rival republican challenger, Donald Trump today fired back, accusing Clinton of being the worst corrupt presidential candidate ever. With Twisted Root Burger Co., In-N-Out Burger and Freddys Frozen Custard & Steakburgers moving into the neighborhood, the Whataburger at 928 S. Seventh St. may have been feeling the heat. Whatever the reason, the Corpus Christi-based chain has taken out a building permit to level that restaurant and erect one of its newer models at a cost of $1.25 million, city of Waco and Whataburger officials said Tuesday. The Whataburger closed Sunday, and the new restaurant reportedly will open in three to four months. Most employees reportedly have been reassigned to other locations while demolition and construction take place. City inspection supervisor Bobby Horner said Whataburger has secured a demolition permit and submitted site plans. Once the existing building has fallen, Whataburger will make use of that space and a vacant lot behind the structure to create a 3,914-square-foot restaurant with a larger dining area and more parking space and traffic maneuverability for customers. Whataburger finds itself in the midst of a restaurant explosion, with the arrival in recent years of a Chick-fil-A and a Freddys Frozen Custard & Steakburgers both a short walk from the front door of the orange-and-white Whataburger establishment. And the arrival of new competitors is not stopping. Raising Canes Chicken Fingers is building its third location in Greater Waco next to Freddys, and Panera Bread will place its second location in the Waco market on a vacant lot adjacent to Chick-fil-A. This area also is seeing the arrival of new multi-family housing developments, bringing residents and appetites. Construction is drawing to a close on Tinsley Place Apartments, bounded by Seventh and Eighth streets and Cleveland and Ross avenues. The 214 units that make up Tinsley Place are about 85 percent occupied, according to the propertys management office. Prototype store Whataburger last summer left a leased location at 420 N. Valley Mills Drive to build a new prototype store farther north on Valley Mills Drive. It operates just a block from a McDonalds and a Burger King restaurant, and a block and a half from the Smashburger at 1230 N. Valley Mills Drive. The Waco community has been incredibly loyal over the years, and to thank our customers, its time to upgrade our restaurant to provide them with the best possible dining experience, Whataburger director of operations Ken McKissick said at the time of the opening. Were eager to show the community the new and improved restaurant, and were looking forward to continuing to serve Waco for years to come. The Whataburger on South Seventh Street not only has seen competing restaurants arrive next door, but elsewhere on the I-35 frontage road nearby. An In-N-Out Burger restaurant moved in along the interstate between Fourth and Fifth streets. Meanwhile, Twisted Root Burger Co. opened in September of last year in the former Texas Playhouse Theater at South Second Street and I-35. Whataburger officials Tuesday did not provide details about how many people the new restaurant would seat or what new features it may offer customers. Founded in 1950 in Corpus Christi, Whataburger now has nearly 800 restaurants in 10 states. 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. A new drug dog is starting duty with the McLennan County Sheriffs Office. County commissioners Tuesday approved the donation of a narcotics detection dog. County Administrator Dustin Chapman said Jeremy Bost, 28, was hired as a deputy with the sheriffs office as a K-9 officer. Bost came with his own certified narcotics dog, Kilo, Chapman said. Bost owns Kilo. However, for purposes of protecting investigations and for liability purposes, it would be best for Kilo to be an owned asset of the McLennan County Sheriffs Office, according to county documents. Bost, originally from Crawford, was working for the McGregor Police Department as a K-9 handler. He said the first dog he worked with had a massive heart attack at about 8 months old. After that, an anonymous Waco business owner donated the money for Bost to get his own dog. Bost said he picked the name Kilo since she is a narcotics dog. Born in Czechoslovakia, Kilo is a 2-year-old German shepherd. I cant begin to express how excited we are to work for the sheriffs office, he said. Chapman said ownership of Kilo will immediately transfer back to Bost if Bosts employment with the sheriffs office ends for any reason, if Bost is removed as Kilos handler or if Kilo is deactivated from service. The move comes two weeks after the countys insurance carrier paid a $30,000 settlement over injuries caused by Ace, a former sheriffs office narcotics and apprehension dog. Penny Walter, the ex-wife of a McLennan County Sheriffs Office dog handler, filed a lawsuit against the county in May. Walker sought compensation for a dog bite to her older sons forehead and leash burns along the neck of her younger son, which occurred about a year ago. The countys insurance risk pool made the decision to settle the suit last week in Wacos 414th State District Court, Waco Attorney Mike Dixon, who represents the county, previously said. Ace was retired from service in April. The 3-year-old Belgian Malinois originally cost the county $15,000. McLennan County Sheriff Parnell McNamara said Bost has worked for the office for about six weeks. Kilo has been on ride-alongs to get her acquainted with the sheriffs office vehicles but hasnt started duty as a drug dog yet, he said. McNamara said he has seen Kilo practice drills, and she seems like she will make a good dog for the department. It was a really good situation that we had a young officer with his own drug dog, and he wanted to come aboard, McNamara said. The sheriffs department has one other K-9, Impulse. McNamara said a good K-9 can cost anywhere from $10,000 to $18,000. Bost said Kilo is certified in narcotics, and he hopes to get her certified in tracking as well. He said the hardest part for him was learning the Dutch commands for Kilo. Kilo, on the other hand, is having to switch from recognizing a white patrol car to recognizing the sheriffs black patrol vehicle when he says its time to go to work, Bost said. She loves being a member of the McLennan County Sheriffs Office, Bost said. Partisan spin doesnt usually surprise me. After almost 15 years in politics, Ive come to expect it from both sides in response to both triumphs and tragedies. But I was honestly surprised when, after the worst terrorist attack on our soil since 9/11, the lefts response was to blame the National Rifle Association, the Republican Party and an imaginary class of scary-looking firearms. Remember when the country used to come together after terrorist attacks and unite against our common foes? Well, this isnt 2001 anymore. Our president remains committed to discussing our common foe as little as possible, choosing instead to join his partys attack against the Second Amendment and the people who support it. This isnt new for him. After San Bernadino, he infamously stated that [w]e have a pattern now of mass shootings in this country that has no parallel anywhere else in the world, ignoring the fact that, only two weeks earlier, Islamic terrorists had attacked Paris in its third mass shooting of 2015. Blaming guns for terrorist shootings is like blaming airplanes for 9/11. France has far more firearms restrictions than the president has publicly advocated. Indias gun laws are even more extreme than Frances, but the worst mass shooting I can recall took place in Mumbai in 2008 when 10 Muslim terrorists attacked the city for three days, killing 164 people and wounding another 300. There is a common theme to these attacks, and its not AR-15s or assault weapons, as guns that look like the AR-15 are often described. The term assault weapon is intentionally confusing. The gun-control activists who coined it wanted it to sound like assault rifle, which is an actual class of military arms. But the two are not the same. Assault rifles are capable of fully automatic fire, while assault weapons are only semiautomatic. (Automatic means the gun will fire multiple shots if you hold the trigger down, while semiautomatic means the gun will only shoot once per trigger pull.) The expired federal ban that invented the term assault weapon defined it as any semiautomatic rifle capable of accepting a detachable magazine with two or more of the following features: a folding or telescoping stock, a pistol grip, a bayonet mount, a flash suppressor or a grenade launcher mount. None of those listed features affect the guns power or rate of fire; they are all either cosmetic or ergonomic in nature. Although AR-15s are frequently called high-powered in the media, this is only true in the target-shooting sense. To put this in perspective, the AR-15s standard chambering makes it too weak to hunt deer legally in many states. In fact, the lower power of AR-15-style rifles relative to most others, combined with their good ergonomics, is what makes them the best-selling rifles in the country and the perennial favorite of recreational shooters. Where guns are illegal, terrorists nevertheless manage to get ahold of them. When a person decides to commit multiple counts of premeditated murder, followed by suicide, statutes banning the possession of certain weapons dont act as much of a deterrent. The common theme of these attacks is not lax gun laws; it is the repeated radicalization of a small number of Muslims by Islamic State, al-Qaida and other organizations like them that have declared a religious war on the United States and its allies. The solution to Orlando, San Bernadino, Paris, Mumbai and scores of other attacks across the world is not banning scary-looking guns. Its figuring out how to shut down these terror networks and their hateful propaganda. State Sen. Craig Estes serves nearly 820,000 constituents across Senate District 30, which includes all of Archer, Clay, Cooke, Erath, Grayson, Jack, Montague, Palo Pinto, Parker, Wichita, Wise and Young counties and parts of Collin and Denton counties. He is the only member of the Texas Legislature to have received the Texas State Rifle Associations highest award following the last two legislative sessions. Waco Police Chief Brent Stromans retirement next month after 39 years on the force invites city leaders charged with replacing him to consider the qualities and accomplishments that won him admiration among his officers and the broader community. Theyre considerable. Mention Stromans name and a cascade of words spill forth: solid, steady, collected and absolutely unflappable. He wont win awards for charisma, but that isnt what most of us look for in a police chief. We seek someone who realizes that bolstering the police department means making the community its top priority. Thats an important distinction. Whenever an officer got out of line to the degree it cast dirt on the Waco Police Departments reputation or endangered the public, Stroman could be unforgiving. He knew the police department is nothing if its integrity becomes questionable or compromised. One example involved a police sergeant who followed and assaulted a man allegedly involved in an affair with the sergeants wife. Some might think that, given the sacrifices that the men and women in blue undertake daily, such a transgression could be forgiven. The chief knew better, firing the sergeant after determining he brought discredit on the department. Stroman understood that the police, above all others, must bow to the very laws they press the rest of us to obey. Which underlines something else about the chief: He never let his temper get the better of him. During a press conference regarding the Twin Peaks shootings, the chief quietly refused to be drawn into some fairly insulting questions from a big-city TV news reporter. The chief didnt get rattled, didnt take the bait and continued giving relevant information about the shootings that the rest of us in the news media sought. He didnt even try to end the press conference prematurely. Chief Stroman also understood the importance of accountability to the community. During a period when cries of outrage rang across the land about police brutality, particularly in regard to minorities, Stroman didnt duck and cover. For instance, he appeared before an event hosted by the local NAACP to discuss diversity, legal rights, complaint procedures and racial bias. Among other things, Stroman noted that one-fifth of the police force consists of minorities. City leaders should exercise extreme caution in seeking a replacement and get plenty of community references. Police chiefs, if they lack the right temperament and sense of transparency and community rapport, can quickly become embarrassing liabilities. Officers who understand the role of law enforcement in a community rather than those who encourage a closed, insular environment prone to implosion are appropriate candidates. City leaders might start by seeking those in the considerable mold of Chief Brent Stroman. Adios, Hawaii The June 16 column by Bloomberg Views Francis Wilkinson, Beware of NRA hysteria, is by far the most unsubstantiated opinion piece I have ever seen in the Trib. Here are the points that are either blatantly false or are at least written without fact-based backup: President Obama has not proposed or implemented a federal gun registry: Headlines have screamed that Obama, acting more like a king than defender of the U.S. Constitution, has unilaterally proposed such via the United Nations international treaty that the Senate has said it will not ratify. Yet Obama is the first U.S. president to agree to carry the U.N.s flag on this, despite the obvious conflict with the U.S. Constitution. Quoting the NRAs Wayne LaPierre, Wilkinson scoffs about his reference to slippery slopes of Mount Hillary, who has publicly proclaimed that she favors the Australian model, wherein private citizens were required to surrender their weapons or face fines and/or criminal charges. He asks us to imagine .the futile mechanics and implausible politics of mass confiscation. We dont need to; just Google such in Australia. Wilkinson points to a correlation between stronger gun laws and lower rates of gun deaths (notably different than gun-related violence events and woundings). Where? Chicago? Detroit? Washington, D.C.? These cities are examples of just the opposite trend with stronger gun laws. Wilkinson touts the Hawaii laws, both implemented and proposed, as being the model by which other states should go. In his discussion of the existing law, wherein all guns have to be registered with local police, he quotes the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence that all data is confidential until either the law enforcement agency or a court decides it is needed to pursue lawful performance of duties. That is followed by, perhaps, his truest statement: In other words, the information is confidential until, maybe, its not. What exactly is the trigger for law enforcement agencies to obtain this data? On what basis is a court allowed to order such? Remember, once the data is out, its common knowledge and one cannot unring a bell. Particularly disturbing to me is Hawaiis proposed law to allow their police departments to enroll firearms applicants and gun registrants into a criminal record-monitoring service to alert police when a gun owner is arrested for a criminal offense anywhere in the United States. So if I am a Hawaiian gun owner initially arrested (not indicted, not proven guilty) for punching someone in self-defense who attacks me or a loved one, this database sounds the alarm and the police shoot to kill? There is no mention by Wilkinson of the strong, well-documented correlation between shooters mental states or terrorist-inspired gun violence, which is where the emphasis on future gun laws needs to be. Rick Charlton, Waco ASHLAND Dr. Zach Kassebaum said goodbye during his final Board of Education meeting Monday night, after he was presented with a plaque honoring his time at the helm of the Ashland-Greenwood School District. I want to thank the board of education for your leadership and thank you for your trust in me, the outgoing superintendent of schools told the board. Kassebaum also noted his gratitude for the administration, staff and parents of the school district during his five years as superintendent. We have incredible students at Ashland-Greenwood, he added. Kassebaum made his remarks during the administrative reports section of the agenda. Reports made up the bulk of the meeting, as administrators are already gearing up for the upcoming school year. Special Education/Student Services Coordinator Kristin Fangmeyer told the school board that the special education department passed with flying colors after a Nebraska Department of Education assessment that took place during the school year. Its always nice to hear positive reports, she said. Fangmeyer also updated the board on a new behavioral program implemented in February at the elementary, the continued growth of the vision program and informed them that remodeling of the new high school Life Skills transition classroom is underway. Looking to the future, Fangmeyer told the board that the special education population continues to grow. She said there are an unprecedented 10 students in the upcoming kindergarten class who have been identified as having needs ranging from speech, vision, autism and mobility to emotional. The middle school resource teacher will have 35 students in her charge when school starts in August, while the high school special education enrollment is at 29, Fangmeyer said. Both numbers are quite high for a single teacher. Thats a lot of ground to cover, she said. The district may also need to hire more paraeducators for the special education department as verifications across the board have steadily increased, Fangmeyer said. Elementary Principal Teresa Bray detailed the assignments for the new elementary teachers in her report. Melissa Stewart will be teaching first grade, while Taylor Ruzicka will lead a third grade classroom. Both grades will have four sections this year, Bray said. The new fourth grade teacher will be Jake Nichelson, and Kristin Riggle and Tyler Cogswell will be resource teachers, Bray said. All of the new teachers are eager to start work, according to the principal. Its exciting to see their interest, she said. Its always a really good sign when we see such enthusiasm. New teachers at the middle/high school are also excited about starting, including one who jumped in right away to teach summer school, said Secondary Principal Brad Jacobsen in his report. Jacobsen also noted that Ashland-Greenwood will host the first Nebraska Capital Conference Honor Band in March. Its an exciting new thing weve never done before, he said. The idea came about after a suggestion from Ashland-Greenwood Instrumental Music Director Jonathan Jaworksi. The conference requires two votes to approve such a measure, and as they only meet once a year, it took two years for the proposal to pass, Jacobsen added. In other action, the board approved hiring non-certificated staff Chris Herzog, Eva Carson and Marty Hoffman and raised the prices for school meals 10 cents for students and 15 cents for adults. The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation provides a range of financial products and services in the United States and internationally. The company operates through Securities Services, Market and Wealth Services, Investment and Wealth Management, and Other segments. The Securities Services segment offers custody, trust and depositary, accounting, exchange-traded funds, middle-office solutions, transfer agency, services for private equity and real estate funds, foreign exchange, securities lending, liquidity/lending services, prime brokerage, and data analytics. This segment also provides trustee, paying agency, fiduciary, escrow and other financial, issuer, and support services for brokers and investors. The Market and Wealth Services segment offers clearing and custody, investment, wealth and retirement solutions, technology and enterprise data management, trading, and prime brokerage services; and clearance and collateral management services. This segment also provides integrated cash management solutions, including payments, foreign exchange, liquidity management, receivables processing and payables management, and trade finance and processing services. The Investment and Wealth Management segment offers investment management strategies and distribution of investment products, investment management, custody, wealth and estate planning, private banking, investment, and information management services. The Other segment engages in the provision of leasing, corporate treasury, derivative and other trading, corporate and bank-owned life insurance, renewable energy investment, and business exit services. It serves central banks and sovereigns, financial institutions, asset managers, insurance companies, corporations, local authorities and high net-worth individuals, and family offices. The company was founded in 1784 and is headquartered in New York, New York. Your Ultimate Investing Toolkit Sign up for MarketBeat All Access to gain access to MarketBeat's full suite of research tools: Portfolio Monitoring Top Stock Lists Premium Reports Stock Screeners Live News Feed Premium Support Free for your first month. Royal Bank of Canada operates as a diversified financial service company worldwide. The company's Personal & Commercial Banking segment offers checking and savings accounts, home equity financing, personal lending, private banking, indirect lending, including auto financing, mutual funds and self-directed brokerage accounts, guaranteed investment certificates, credit cards, and payment products and solutions; and lending, leasing, deposit, investment, foreign exchange, cash management, auto dealer financing, trade products, and services to small and medium-sized commercial businesses. This segment offers financial products and services through branches, automated teller machines, and mobile sales network. Its Wealth Management segment provides a suite of advice-based solutions and strategies to high net worth and ultra-high net worth individuals, and institutional clients. The company's Insurance segment offers life, health, home, auto, travel, wealth, annuities, and reinsurance advice and solutions; and business insurance services to individual, business, and group clients through its advice centers, RBC insurance stores, and mobile advisors; digital, mobile, and social platforms; independent brokers; and travel partners. Its Investor & Treasury Services segment provides asset servicing, custody, payments, and treasury services to financial and other investors; and fund and investment administration, shareholder, private capital, performance measurement and compliance monitoring, distribution, transaction banking, cash and liquidity management, foreign exchange, and global securities finance services. The company's Capital Markets segment offers corporate and investment banking, as well as equity and debt origination, distribution, advisory services, sale, and trading services for corporations, institutional investors, asset managers, private equity firms, and governments. The company was founded in 1864 and is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. An online retailer which sold hundreds of unsafe cots and strollers has been ordered to pay a $100,000 penalty by the Federal Court. Online Dealz sold cots, portable cots and baby strollers that did not comply with safety standards and posed numerous risks to children including limb entrapment, suffocation or strangling, the court found. The products were also incorrectly labelled. About 250 unsafe items were sold online, including on eBay and Gumtree, between August 2014 and March 2015. Advertisements for the household cot misleadingly claimed it was "Certified to Australian Standards" and "Meeting Australian and New Zealand Standards AS/NZS 2172", the court said. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission took action against Online Dealz and its sole director, Janet Lucas, over three products: the Multifunctional Luxury Baby Stroller, the 3 in 1 Wooden Sleigh Cot and the 7 in 1 Portacot, also known as the Frank Masons Portable Cot PL5007. Online Dealz began voluntarily recalling the products, which were sourced from China, in December. The Coalition says it will spend $50 million in an effort to sort out the government's much maligned myGov web portal if it wins the election. The Prime Minister has also confirmed that his pet project the Digital Transformation Office will be taking the lead in trying to reinvent the service, as revealed by Fairfax in January. Malcolm Turnbull is vowing to improve the myGov system. Credit:Andrew Meares Malcolm Turnbull said the DTO would "partner" with other departments who used the gateway, like the ATO, Centrelink and Medicare in an effort to improve the user experience of myGov. He promised to revamp the hated log-in protocols with a new system allowing users to choose their own unique username, starting with their email address and "the overall sign-in experience will be simplified and improved". A Perth woman alleged to have left her young step-children home alone in Perth while she flew to Bali made a brief appearance in court on Wednesday, where her bail was extended. The 28-year-old was in Perth Magistrates Court to face two charges of engaging in conduct knowing it might result in harm to a child in her care. It is claimed she flew overseas earlier this month to renew her visa while the children's father was also overseas. The children, four and six years old, were taken into state care when police allegedly found them alone inside a Cloverdale home with the door unlocked. If the UK votes to leave the European Union, it would send shockwaves through the continent's politics and the global economy. A pro-EU banner being towed across London on Wednesday. Credit:Alastair Grant/AP In a last-minute intervention the day before, the president of the European Commission had warned that "out is out" and there would be no new treaty negotiation with Britain if the country voted to leave the EU. "The British policymakers and British voters have to know that there will not be any kind of renegotiation," Jean-Claude Juncker told reporters in Brussels. British Prime Minister David Cameron may have his job riding on the outcome of Thursday's vote. Credit:Getty Images The morning newspapers were split on Thursday many of the higher-circulation publications had backed Brexit, despite reports of dissent among journalists. The Daily Express front page shouted VOTE LEAVE TODAY over a Union flag, while the Daily Mail chose to highlight "Four Big EU Lies". The result could affect the people of Gibraltar more than many. The British outpost at the bottom of Spain may find its border with Europe shut if the UK votes to leave the EU. Credit:Sean Gallup/Getty Images But the Mirror featured an ominous black hole on its cover, telling its readers "don't take a leap into the dark vote REMAIN". The Times, which had editorialised for Remain (unlike its Sunday Times sister paper), chose a neutral "Day of Reckoning" theme, reporting that the final polls had shown the country split down the middle on the issue with its "future on a knife edge". UKIP leader and Leave campaigner Nigel Farage has been accused of using fear to rally Leave voters. Credit:Alastair Grant/AP After four months of an often bitter and rancorous campaign, touched last week by the Jo Cox tragedy, the Leave and Remain groups spent the final day before the poll in a blur of desperate last-minute vote-seeking. Polls have the sides at a statistical dead heat, though most pollsters predict a narrow Remain vote if voters baulk at the last minute at changing the status quo: a pattern common to previous big referendums in Scotland and Quebec. "A Remain victory is the most likely outcome, but it is far from guaranteed," YouGov's Joe Twyman told Buzzfeed. ComRes' Andrew Hawkins said: "One week before the referendum it looked like Leave were going to nail it, but their momentum has been stopped in its tracks. The numbers now favour Remain." However all pollsters agreed turnout would be the key: the more voters took to the polls on Thursday, the more likely a Remain result. Vice versa, if voters stayed home, the more motivated Leave campaign would have the edge. Immigration and the economy have been the two major themes of the campaign. Remain argued that leaving the EU would trigger a recession, capital flight and job losses a mantra their opponents dubbed "Project Fear". Leave pushed for "taking back control" of Britain's laws and borders, emphasising the burden that EU immigrants placed on the UK a theme London mayor Sadiq Khan called "Project Hate". On Tuesday night it emerged the third-biggest individual donor to the Leave campaign was a former member of the racist British National Party. On Wednesday, leading Leave campaigner Boris Johnson pushed his "take back control" message, urging voters to "believe in our country". "It's time to have a totally new relationship with our friends and partners across the Channel," he said. "It's time to speak up for democracy, and hundreds of millions of people around Europe agree with us. It's time to break away from the failing and dysfunctional EU system." UKIP leader Nigel Farage said the Leave campaign had harnessed "real passion" in the country. "Our supporters would crawl over broken glass to get down to the voting booth tomorrow," he said. Prime Minister David Cameron said the UK would be "stronger, safer and better off" if it stayed in the EU, urging fellow activists for one more day to "hammer out that message". Former prime minister John Major dubbed the Leave campaign the "gravediggers of our prosperity", warning that an out vote would diminish Britain's influence on the world. And opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said Remain would protect millions of jobs that depended on exports and trade with Europe, and would help defend workers' rights which were guaranteed by the EU. "To remain will help us to be able to reform the European Union and will be right for people in this country," he said. Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon hinted at another referendum north of the border in the event of a Brexit vote, saying the Scottish government would be "talking directly to our European partners about how we protect our place in Europe and in the single market". Brendan Cox, husband of Labour MP Jo Cox who was murdered last week in what police and the courts are treating as an act of political terrorism, appeared at a gathering in Trafalgar Square in memory of his wife. "Our world collapsed on Thursday," he told the crowd. "I wish I wasn't here today I'd rather be with Jo." Wednesday would have been Mrs Cox's 42nd birthday and she would have spent it dashing around her electorate campaigning for Remain, he said. "She feared the consequences of Europe dividing again, hated the idea of building walls between us and worried about the dynamics that could release," he said. Polls close 10pm on Thursday in Britain 7am Friday on the east coast of Australia and results from 382 local centres will start to roll in about three hours later. By the time Britons are eating their breakfast, they will know the result. David Cameron is then expected to make a statement outside Number 10 Downing Street. Many have predicted a Brexit vote would trigger a leadership spill in the Conservative party, and likely a new prime minister. However Mr Cameron has said he would stay on and implement the decision of the British public. The Brexit process would begin with the government officially notifying the EU of its wish to leave, triggering a two-year process under which the exit conditions are negotiated. Patrick Norman Pat Chapman is a 34-year-old, Caucasian male who was last known to be in Piedmont which is near the area of Greenville, Missouri on May 10, 2020. Pat had stayed the night with a friend and his wife at their home. In the early morning when the friend woke to go to work. Pat was gone in his own Burgundy color 1995 Ford Escort. That is the last anyone was known to have seen him. The vehicle was later recovered on May 29, 2020 in Mill Spring, Missouri. Under the auspices of the WCO-EAC CREATe project on 09th and 10th of June 2016, customs representatives from EAC Member-Administrations met with regional Authorized Economic Operators from Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda to identify ways to intensify cooperation and to discuss main challenges in the roll-out of the regional AEO programme. The consultations led to the agreement that a regional AEO working group shall be established, which will include representatives of Customs, regional AEOs, regional associations (East African Business Community, FEFFEA) as well as the EAC Secretariat. The parties were also able to develop and agree on draft Terms of Reference for this regional working group and decided that the regional working groups launch and first official session shall take place no later than the end of October 2016. The consultations also allowed represented Customs to take note of the challenges experienced by the regional AEOs at key border posts. Customs and the regional AEOs agreed to address these key challenges through a collaborative and results-oriented approach in the upcoming weeks. A critical issue identified was the absence of a specific identifier in Customs IT systems in the region for the Regional AEOs. This working session, which took place in Kampala, Uganda, was opened by the Assistant-Commissioner Customs from the Uganda Revenue Authority and was funded by the Government of Sweden. For more information about this activity or the project, please contact the WCO-Sweden Programme Director, Mr. Richard Chopra (Richard.chopra[@]wcoomd.org). York University has just given an honorary degree to the middleman in what U.S. officials say is a massive corruption scheme involving the Panama Papers scandal, the Toronto Star reported.On Monday, York University gave Victor Phillip Dahdaleh an honorary degree and thats not the first honour the university has conferred on him. Last year, a new global health institute was named after Dahdaleh following a $20 million donation he made to the university.However, a recent Toronto Star/CBC investigation of the Panama Papers found evidence that Dahdaleh was involved in what the Star called a decades-long kickback scheme involving global aluminum giant Alcoa and government officials in Bahrain. U.S. officials say that Dahdaleh enriched himself with at least U.S. $400 million in markups and made at least $110 million in corrupt payments as part of the scheme, the Star reported.At Mondays commencement ceremony, Dahdaleh was given an honorary doctor of laws degree. Harvey Skinner, Yorks dean of the faculty of health, said Dahdaleh was exceptionally deserving of this honorary degree. According to the Star, Skinner would not answer questions about whether the universitys selection committee considered the bribery scandal when selecting Dahdaleh for the honour.Last month, the Star/CBC investigation reported that Dahdaleh acted as the middleman between U.S. and Bahraini aluminum companies, pocketing huge profits and paying bribes through a British Virgin Island-based shell company called Alumet Limited. If you have an event you'd like to list on the site, submit it now! Submit Story Saved You can find this story in My Bookmarks. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Advertisement By West Kentucky Star Staff Jun. 22, 2016 | PADUCAH, KY By West Kentucky Star Staff Jun. 22, 2016 | 05:37 AM | PADUCAH, KY At Tuesday evening's commission meeting, the Paducah City Commission approved an ordinance for a contract to demolish the city-owned structure located at 501 North 3rd Street. The nearly two-acre property located adjacent to the floodwall includes a building that once housed a nursing home. The parking lot on site will remain for use by the Holiday Inn Paducah Riverfront when it opens in early 2017. Paducah Riverfront Development Authority Executive Director Steve Doolittle said, This is the next step in the evolution of the property. This is being done with an eye toward redevelopment of the site. The demolition contract is in the amount of $44,805 with Danny Cope & Sons, LLC. Five bids were opened for this project on May 26. The contractor will need to obtain a demolition permit from the Fire Prevention Division with the completion of the project within 30 days of the date of the permit. The project is expected to be completed by August. In March 2015, the city approved the purchase of the property from Kentucky Holdings I, LLC in the amount of $257,227.97. 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. Advertisement By West Kentucky Star Staff Jun. 22, 2016 | HICKMAN, KY By West Kentucky Star Staff Jun. 22, 2016 | 11:29 AM | HICKMAN, KY A Union City, TN pair face numerous charges, after a 20-mile high-speed chase across state lines. According to the Fulton County Sheriff's Department, the situation started at around 7:00 pm Saturday when a deputy in the Brownsville community at the intersection of Highways 309 and 925 saw a vehicle run the stop sign. When the deputy met the vehicle he reportedly recognized the driver as 34-year-old Joe A Busby, whose license was suspended. When the Deputy attempted to stop the vehicle, Busby did not pull over. Deputies say that during the chase Busby met and passed numerous vehicles illegally, reached speeds more than 100 mph, and drove around law enforcement roadblocks. The pursuit lasted about 20 miles, traveling from Tennessee into Kentucky twice before deputies chased the vehicle in a corn field on Freeman Road just off Highway 166. Busby then stopped and fled on foot. Deputies detained a passenger in the vehicle, 31-year-old Tarren L Simpson, of Union City, TN. Simpson was arrested at the scene for possession of marijuana and on Fulton and Graves County warrants for failure to appear and failure to comply. On Sunday, the Fulton County Sheriffs Department got a tip that led them to Obion County, TN, where they arrested Busby. Busby is charged with fleeing or evading police 1st degree (motor vehicle), fleeing or evading police 1st degree (on foot), wanton endangerment 1st degree police officer (4 counts), wanton endangerment 1st degree (6 counts / civilians), disregarding a stop sign (6 counts), speeding 26 MPH over the limit, possession of marijuana, and driving on a DUI suspended license 2nd offense (aggravated circumstances). Other charges are reportedly pending. Three juveniles charged with robbing same Paducah store twice in one day Advertisement By West Kentucky Star Staff Jun. 21, 2016 | HARDIN, KY By West Kentucky Star Staff Jun. 21, 2016 | 05:43 PM | HARDIN, KY Two Marshall County residents were arrested Tuesday morning for the June robbery of a Paducah convenience store. Paducah police officers and Marshall County Sheriffs deputies arrested 25-year-old Joseph Kimbrell of Benton and 24-year-old Bethany Woodford Tubbs of Hardin at around 5:00 am at a home on Old Olive Road. Police say Tubbs was identified as the woman who walked into the Hinkleville Road Superway on the morning of June 4, pulled a handgun and demanded money. Police say she then fled with a 12-pack of beer. Kimbrell, who police say was driving the getaway car, reportedly pointed a handgun at the clerk and drove away. Both suspects were arrested without incident and booked into the Marshall County Jail on first degree robbery charges. Officers said they found what appeared to be an explosive device during a search of the home. The Paducah Police Departments bomb squad was called to the scene and rendered the device safe. According to police, Kimbrell is currently on parole for several felony convictions including robbery and attempted murder of a police officer. By The Associated Press Jun. 21, 2016 | 05:40 PM | FRANKFORT, KY Kentucky's Republican governor said Tuesday he has "absolute authority" to disband any of the states' nearly 400 boards and commissions as the state's Democratic attorney general hints at possible legal action. Gov. Matt Bevin last week abolished the board of trustees at the University of Louisville and the Kentucky Retirement Systems, only to recreate them with some new members. U of L President James Ramsey issued a statement Tuesday, saying he applauds Bevin's actions and saying he will offer his resignation once a new board is in place. Democratic Attorney General Andy Beshear has called Bevin's actions "unprecedented." He has scheduled a news conference for Wednesday to discuss Bevin's decisions, potentially announcing a lawsuit against the state's highest elected officer. Beshear and Bevin are already in court, fighting over whether Bevin has the authority to cut $18 million from college and university budgets that were approved by the state legislature. JERSEY CITY, N.J. (AP) -- Three Pennsylvania residents face numerous charges after a cache of weapons was found inside a van that was stopped at the Holland Tunnel, which connects New Jersey to New York City. No link to terrorism is suspected. Port Authority of New York and New Jersey police say officers stopped the van Tuesday morning in Jersey City for a cracked windshield. A subsequent search uncovered multiple weapons in the vehicle, including rifles and handguns. Some were loaded. Fifty-year-old John Cramsey and 53-year-old Dean Smith, both of Zionsville, and 29-year-old Kimberly Arendt, of Lehighton, each face several weapons charges. They couldn't be reached for comment. Officials say the investigation is ongoing. The van carried the name of an Allentown, Pennsylvania, gun range. Attempts to reach the business were unsuccessful. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 22/06/2016 (2317 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA A senior Air Canada executive warned Tuesday if the federal government doesnt pass legislation to give it control over where it does heavy maintenance work, the airline will cancel plans to buy Quebec-made jets and create new maintenance jobs in Montreal and Winnipeg. Kevin Howlett, the senior vice-president for government affairs and regional markets, delivered the warning in an appearance before the Senate transport and communications committee, in which he urged the upper chamber to swiftly pass Bill C-10. Air Canada has announced plans to create centres of maintenance excellence in both Winnipeg and Montreal, as well as to buy up to 75 new C-series jets from Quebec-based Bombardier. The centre in Winnipeg would create as many as 150 new jobs by 2017, with the potential for growth. Francois Mori / The Associated Press FILES A Bombardier CS 300 does a demonstration flight during last years Paris Air Show. A centre for heavy aircraft excellence in Winnipeg would create as many as 150 new jobs by 2017. While Transport Minister Marc Garneau has insisted all along the government struck no deal with Air Canada to introduce Bill C-10, Howlett was clear about the impact of not passing C-10. If this bill does not go forward, we will not create the centre of excellence in Manitoba, and we will not create a centre of excellence in Quebec, he said. Nor will the airline be buying new jets from Bombardier. We are not prepared to make that scope of a financial commitment and do so in an environment of legal uncertainty, he said. There are other alternatives other than C-series. Manitoba Sen. Don Plett was angered by that response. So in plain words, You do what we want or were going to stick it to you, he said. All of this has come about because in 2012, Aveos Fleet Performance went bankrupt, throwing 2,400 people out of work, more than 400 of them in Winnipeg. The company was an Air Canada subsidiary that was created to do its heavy maintenance work, the kind of aircraft repairs that require a plane to be taken out of circulation to have major components overhauled or replaced, such as electrical systems and engines. The Air Canada Public Participation Act required the airline to have some of that heavy work done in Winnipeg and Montreal, but when Aveos went bankrupt, Air Canada contracted with non-Canadian companies to do the work. Quebec sued, supported by Manitoba, and won. The case is on hold in the Supreme Court awaiting the outcome of agreements between the airline and the two provinces to create these centres of excellence. Garneau introduced C-10 to give legal certainty to Air Canada. It would still ensure Air Canada has some line maintenance work in Winnipeg, but it would mean there is virtually no chance the higher-paying, heavy maintenance jobs will return to the city. The Manitoba government Monday asked the Senate to delay passing C-10 until the province can get some promises from Ottawa that will result in a net benefit to the province, which the Free Press has learned includes a $20-million aerospace-training commitment allegedly made to the former NDP government by Employment Minister MaryAnn Mihychuk. So in plain words, You do what we want or were going to stick it to you Manitoba Sen. Don Plett Mihychuk told the Free Press Monday she was involved in some early discussions that were confidential but said she was not able to provide any details. Im a little surprised were talking about this in the media, she said. She added she is no longer part of the negotiations underway between Manitoba and Ottawa. Garneau said Monday Ottawa will spend $10 million over the next five years to expand an aerospace technical centre at Red River College although details of that pledge appeared not to be signed yet. The committee passed C-10 Tuesday, and it will come up for third reading in the Senate today. Plett said he has to decide whether he will speak to the bill right away or have it adjourned under his name, possibly delaying a vote on the bill until the fall. mia.rabson@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. EDMONTON Alberta Environment Minister Shannon Phillips says a $4.4-million summer advertising blitz to promote the provinces climate-change plan is necessary because of its sweeping impact. But opposition politicians say the multiplatform campaign confirms the province is desperately selling something the public isnt buying. Phillips said the climate plan, which includes a multibillion-dollar carbon tax that kicks in Jan. 1., is far-reaching and complex. People need to know more about it, Phillips told reporters at the legislature Tuesday. We as a government have a responsibility to communicate with Albertans exactly what we are making for changes. There are going to be a number of different programs and other initiatives that are moving forward as a result of this. The campaign is on top of $503,000 spent on a climate change ad rollout last year. The new one will feature ads online, on TV, on radio, in movie houses, in print and in mailouts over the summer. The 90-second video clip promises the plan will protect health and the environment while kickstarting the economy. It has upbeat music along with shots of kayakers, cyclists, mountain goats, wind turbines, horses, puppies, mountain and riverscapes, bears, ducks, scientists, and solar panels. Phillips dismissed suggestions the ad plan is a bid to change the narrative because the governments message isnt getting through. What Ive been hearing is that theres a tremendous optimism for diversifying the economy (and) all the new investments that are going to be coming in, she said. The climate change plan, announced last year by Notley and Phillips, is a multipronged approach to reduce Albertas carbon footprint and give it more environmental credibility when it pitches for national projects like pipelines to ports. It will reduce methane emissions, curb oilsands emissions and phase out coal-fired electricity by 2030. The first part of the climate plan was passed in the spring sitting, giving the province the legal licence to implement the carbon tax. Gasoline will go up 4.49 cents a litre and natural gas will go up $1.01 gigajoule, raising an estimated $3 billion over 2017 and 2018. The province estimates the average family will see their costs rise an extra $443 next year, while opposition politicians say the cost will be double that or more. The money all goes to rebates for middle and low-income earners or is earmarked for green initiatives from transit projects to home retrofits. Opposition politicians fought to amend the legislation in the spring sitting, saying, among other concerns, that the tax needs to be revenue neutral and the government needs to present studies on the economic impact of the tax. Those amendments were defeated by Notleys majority government. Opponents have also argued a broad tax is particularly counterproductive at a time Albertas economy has hit a wall over low oil prices. Progressive Conservative Leader Ric McIver said the key sticking point is the fact the government climate plan will slow the rate of greenhouse emissions over the next decade or so, but the actual amount of GHGs will still increase. The general public isnt buying this, said McIver. Their plan is taking a lot of jobs away from Albertans, taking a lot of money out of the economy, and isnt going to do a blessed thing for the environment, he said. Wildrose environment critic Todd Loewen agreed. Its a huge amount of money and it comes at a time when Albertans are hurting, he said. Obviously if Albertans were loving this carbon tax, they wouldnt spend this much money selling it. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 22/06/2016 (2317 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. A Winnipeg medical diagnostic technology company, called 3-D Signatures Inc., is in the process of raising up to $5 million in a public offering through a capital pool company on the TSX Venture Exchange. 3-D Signatures is less than two years old as an incorporated company, but company co-founder and director, Sabine Mai, a professor with the University of Manitoba and the director of the Genomic Centre for Cancer Research and Diagnosis, has been working on the technology for many years. 3-D Signatures already has a sizable patent portfolio and a proprietary software platform based on the three-dimensional analysis of telomeres, the end pieces of chromosomes. The technology would be deployed in use as personalized medicine and would measure the stage of disease in a specific patient, the rate of progression of disease, drug efficacy and drug toxicity. Hugh Rogers, vice-president of corporate finance, said the proceeds from the current capital-raising would go toward clinical trials and regulatory approval for the use of the technology for patients with Hodgkins lymphoma, which the company is already well along the development cycle toward. He said proceeds will also be used to start the process of modelling the technology for use in prostate cancer patients. It has also done early work on multiple melanoma and also expects to eventually address Alzheimers disease as well. Rogers said the business model is for the company to operate as a software-as-a-service company, with labs submitting images of blood or biopsy samples taken with a particular kind of off-the-shelf microscope, and 3-D Signatures would run its algorithm and automatically generate a report. Its proprietary software would continue to reside only on 3-D Signatures servers. Currently, executives with the company are based in Vancouver and Ottawa, and there are fewer than five full-time employees in Winnipeg, but Rogers said that would likely change when the financing is closed. Much of the research work has been in Winnipeg. Late last month, the company announced it has entered into an advisory-services agreement with Montreal-based Knight Therapeutics Inc. which has committed to taking up to at least $1 million of the financing. Knight, a specialty pharmaceutical company that buys or licenses innovative pharmaceutical products, just completed raising $230 million of capital. Rogers said the offering is expected to close in two to three weeks, and the schedule is for the shares of the company to begin trading by the end of July or early August. Last December, 3-D Signatures entered into an agreement with Plicit Capital Corp. a Calgary-based capital pool company. The proposed arrangement calls for Plicit to buy all the shares of 3-D at a presumed price of 35 cents each. Plicit is currently listed as a capital pool company. The new entity would be called 3-D Signatures Inc. martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 22/06/2016 (2317 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. CALGARY Earls restaurant chain says Canadian beef is back in all of its Alberta and Saskatchewan outlets after an outcry from consumers. The Vancouver-based company said Wednesday that it has supplier deals with Canadian ranchers who raise cattle without antibiotics, steroids, or added hormones and who are regularly audited for animal welfare. In April, Earls announced it would be sourcing all of its beef from a U.S. supplier that had a Certified Humane designation because there wasnt a supplier in Canada who could provide that. A Earls restaurant is pictured in North Vancouver, Thursday, April 28, 2016. Earls restaurant chain says Canadian beef is back in its Alberta and Saskatchewan outlets after an outcry from consumers. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward The chain said it made the switch after surveying customers and staff and finding a majority favoured humane beef. But the move prompted online threats to boycott the chain and had the company quickly backtracking. Earls has been through a bit of a roller-coaster for the last little while, company president Mo Jessa told a news conference. Weve had to listen to our consumers. Earls says it now has supplier deals with King City, Ont.,-based Berretta Farms and Vegreville, Alta.,-based Spring Creek Ranch, as well as with beef processor Aspen Ridge. We have had to change how we do business, said Jessa. Instead of a single source of supply we are willing to work with multiple partners. The company says it continues to develop relationships with new suppliers and plans to eventually have Canadian beef in all of its 66 restaurants in Canada. Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 22/06/2016 (2317 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The current skirmish between Walmart Canada and Visa may turn out to be the opening salvo of an all-out war that marks the beginning of the end for large players such as Visa controlling the payment ecosystem. Its a weird dynamic within which to muster public support seeing how the confrontation is between two massive global enterprises that do not engender much goodwill regardless of how much people love the everyday low prices at Walmart or the loyalty points amassed by credit card usage. The decision by Walmart Canada to no longer accept Visa card payments at its 405 Canadian stores (starting in Thunder Bay and then to be rolled out across the rest of the country) may start to make every merchant rethink their options to deploy alternative payment systems or promote existing ones that are more favourable. Ryan Remiorz / Canadian Press files Visa is accusing Walmart of using consumers as pawns in its battle to save costs by threatening to ban the popular credit card from its Canadian stores. It was probably eye-opening to many to learn Walmart pays $100 million per year in credit card fees. At least one industry official said the current set-to doesnt even have anything to do with Canada it may really be about the fees Walmart pays in the U.S. If nothing else, this fight will make for great spectator sport, especially among small retailers whove felt put upon by these global commercial entities. On the one hand, they may cheer for Walmart as their designated combatant to stand up against the behemoth they cant afford to challenge themselves. On other hand, if Walmart wins, the smaller retailers stand to take it on the chin with increased fees they might be forced to pay to make up for Visas lost revenue from Walmart. Small merchants are not generally cheerleaders for Visa, but with respect to Walmart it may be an exception, said Dan Kelly, the national president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. Because, we have seen this to be the case over decades: if one major player gets a discount, typically it comes with higher prices for the rest. But theres also no love lost for Walmart. There are some who would love to see Walmart get a little comeuppance. Given that they compete against Walmart for business I would imagine that there are some retailers who are supporting Visas position, said Kelly. Many businesses already operate on low margins, so fees of up to 2.08 per cent for Visa payments are a nasty hit to have to take after all the expenses theyve already incurred just to get that customer to the till in the first place. Consumers are becoming more cognizant of the these issues and are more predisposed to support their local merchants. Its why, Kelly, said there is renewed interest for merchants to encourage customers to use other payment systems that are more favourable to them. Refusing any type of payment is hard or near impossible for most merchants, Kelly said. But merchants are able to incent or at the very least encourage consumers to pay with lower-cost forms of payment. Promoting the heck out of Interac debit is one strategy more and more merchants are using to manage cost of payments. And there are a growing number of alternative payment systems cropping up in the market. With US$19.1 billion in capital deployed to fintech companies globally in 2015, KPMG said in a new report, it makes the financial services industry the sector most likely to be disrupted next by digital technologies. Laurence Cooke, CEO of a Toronto company called Nanopay, is in the process of launching a digital cash platform called MintChip that company acquired from the Royal Canadian Mint in December. He sees the Walmart-Visa fight as a huge opportunity for MintChip. While its still in the early stages of market trials, earlier this month it signed a partnership with Ingenico Group, the company that controls about 80 per cent of the payment terminals in Canada, which will enable merchants to accept MintChip using their existing Ingenico Group terminals. The Walmart-Visa issue is a global battle, and frankly Im shocked its the first time it has happened, Cooke said in a telephone interview from Brazil, where he was meeting with the Brazilian central bank to discuss the regulatory issued required to have MintChip deployed there. We can offer a loyalty system and a payment system at a fraction of what Visa charges today, Cooke said. But the truth is, our plan is not to go after Visa, but to go after cash, which is even more expensive for the retailer to manage. martin.cash@freepress.mb.ca Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 22/06/2016 (2317 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA The federal infrastructure minister signalled Wednesday that new and stagnant federal funds for construction projects will soon flow out of the federal treasury in large volumes. Amarjeet Sohi said several large projects are set to receive infrastructure money left over from a fund set up by the previous Conservative government, part of a restructuring of the program that has seen the Liberals approve 164 projects since taking office in November. The federal government is set to sign funding agreements with more provinces and territories in the coming days that will see billions in new infrastructure money begin to flow to projects, with major announcements to start early next week. Amarjeet Sohi, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, right, is joined by Currie Dixon, Minister of Community Services and Minister of the Public Service Commission for the Government of Yukon during a an infastructure annoucement at the National Press Theatre in Ottawa on Wednesday, June 22, 2016. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick What it means is that the federal government will be paying for more of the bills arising from the summer construction season that is well underway in parts of the country and help cities, provinces and territories cover the cost of planning for work in 2017. We are ready to proceed with any other province or territory that is ready to sign, Sohi said. We are ready today and we are ready tomorrow and we hope that the sooner we get those agreements in place, the sooner we will be in the process of approving those projects. Quebec has publicly complained about the pace of negotiations and suggested federal funds wont come fast enough for this construction season, despite pledges from Ottawa to the opposite effect. Sohi would only say that he expected a deal soon with Quebec and officials are looking at ways to quickly shift leftover money from years-old infrastructure programs started in 2007 to new construction work. That is what happened in talks with the Yukon government. The federal government made it simpler for the territory to apply for funding under one stream of the Conservative infrastructure fund, rather than having to fight more populated provinces for cash under streams aimed at larger, national projects. That is an excellent step forward for us because it means that, to put it simply, its a single-stage approval process as opposed to a multiple-stage approval process, which is what we previously had faced, said Currie Dixon, the territorys community services minister. The agreement unveiled Wednesday will allow almost $52.3 million in infrastructure money to flow to 22 projects in the Yukon this year and next. The deal will cover $890,000 for transit work in Whitehorse and green infrastructure work on water and wastewater systems, including a $5.25 million water project in the village of Mayo. Only two of the 22 projects will have shovels in the ground this year, Dixon said, with the remainder beginning construction in 2017. The territory will spend money this year on engineering and design work, he said. The territorys MP said that the money will go a long way in remote parts of Yukon, where remote communities rely on antiquated wooden water pipes. Some of them dont have access to clean drinking water all the time and their sewer systems dont work, said Liberal MP Larry Bagnell. A funding agreement signed last week with British Columbia only covered funding for transit projects. A similar agreement for green infrastructure is in the works. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 22/06/2016 (2317 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Manitoba was alone among Canadian provinces to record a drop in retail sales in April, according to Statistics Canada numbers released on Wednesday. In its latest monthly retail sales report, the federal agency said Manitobas retailers rang up $1.58-billion worth of sales during the month. That was a decline of 0.9 per cent from Marchs total of just under $1.6 billion, and followed a 0.8 per cent drop in March. The other nine provinces posted increases ranging from a slim 0.1 per cent in Quebec to a healthier 3.1 per cent in New Brunswick. Canada saw its sales rise by 0.9 per cent to $44.3 billion from $43.9 billion in March. Statistics Canada blamed Manitobas month-over-month decline on lower sales at new-car dealerships in the province. But the good news is that while Aprils sales were down 0.9 per cent from March, they were still a 7.1 per cent improvement from April 2015s total of $1.48 billion. That was the third-highest year-over-year increase after Prince Edward Islands 8.2 per cent and British Columbias 7.9 per cent. Canadas year-over-year gain was 4.6 per cent. Statistics Canada said a six per cent increase in sales at gasoline stations was the main contributor to Canadas month-over-month increase. Remove those from the data, and its retail sales increase was only 0.4 per cent, it added. It noted the increase in gas sales in Canada was due mainly to higher pump prices. They were up 8.9 per cent, which was the largest monthly gain since February of last year. Murray McNeill Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 22/06/2016 (2317 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. TRENTON, Ont. Ontario Province Police say foul play is not suspected in the death of a 32-year-old woman at Canadian Forces Base Trenton in eastern Ontario. The OPP says military police contacted them Tuesday after discovering the body of Jasmine Reid in her residence at the sprawling air base. A post-mortem was conducted Wednesday at the Ottawa Hospital. Although foul play is not suspected, provincial police and the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service are continuing their investigation into the death. The OPP says Reid lived in the residence with her common-law spouse, who is a member of 8 Wing. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 22/06/2016 (2317 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The Winnipeg man responsible for a high-profile homicide has been denied parole after officials say he hid a secret romantic relationship from them. Daniel Tokarchuk, 43, was convicted of second-degree murder for shooting his former friend Hells Angels associate Trevor Savoie on a street in River Heights in May 2002. He fought the case at trial, claiming the killing was done in self-defence as he feared his family was in danger. Jurors rejected that bid. Tokarchuk was given a mandatory life sentence with no chance of parole for at least 12 years. A screen grab of Daniel Tokarchuk in a videotaped police interview in 2004. Tokarchuk and parole officials were mulling a possible full-time return to society. Last year, Tokarchuk was awarded a package of unescorted temporary absences that allowed him to leave his minimum-security facility for up to two days per week, 60 days in total. There were numerous conditions placed upon him in an attempt to slowly integrate him back into society for a possible full-time return. What happened during those releases is now the subject of concern from the National Parole Board. According to a report obtained Tuesday by the Free Press, Tokarchuk is viewed as having broken the trust established between himself and his treatment team. They say he met a woman while in the community last summer but never disclosed the nature of that relationship, as required by his conditions. Tokarchuk ended up marrying the woman months later and continued to use his unescorted temporary absences to sneak off and see her even after the relationship was discovered and he was ordered not to. You were not being transparent and honest with your case-management team, the parole board wrote this week. Tokarchuk also accused his parole officer of inflicting psychological abuse on him based on their dealings. At his parole hearing earlier this month, Tokarchuk apologized to the board. You now see that you should have complied with the rules and directions placed upon youyou said you are now learning a hard lesson and realize that you have damaged a portion of your future, the decision reads. But it wasnt enough. The parole board said they need to have every confidence Tokarchuk wont continue to push boundaries, especially when it comes to the relationship with his wife. It is the boards assessment that while your behaviours are not criminal, you are being non-co-operative, non-compliant and demonstrating that you have difficulty following your parole officer and case-management team directions, the board wrote. This is very concerning when the board is considering expanded releases with less supervision and structure to manage your risk in the community. Tokarchuk will be able to apply again in another six months if he wishes. Tokarchuk was moved to a minimum-security prison in 2013, and there have been no concerns with his behaviour, said the parole board. He has also completed several key programs aimed at anger management, violence prevention and pro-social problem-solving. Tokarchuks killing of Savoie is believed to have triggered the slaying of Tokarchuks brother, Kevin, exactly one year later. No arrests were ever made in that case, which saw the innocent young man gunned down outside his familys home. The case resulted in a major controversy within the Winnipeg Police Service over allegations officers failed to warn the Tokarchuk family about a possible revenge plot. www.mikeoncrime.com Mammootty's Rorschach hits all the right notes, except in the end | Movie Review Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 21/06/2016 (2318 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Justice officials are seeking a six-year prison sentence for a former Canadian Forces reservist who lured a 13-year-old Winnipeg girl into an explicit, online sexual relationship. Kyle Hudak, 24, appeared in court Tuesday after he pleaded guilty to Internet luring and child pornography offences. He was arrested in March 2014 at CFB Shilo after the victims father found graphic text messages on the familys iPad. Police learned the teen girl was going to meet with Hudak under the guise of having a sleepover at a friends house. She had packed a bag that included her mothers lingerie. All of this had been orchestrated by Hudak from behind a computer screen over the course of about two months. She was scared of what might happen if she did not comply, Crown attorney Mitchell Lavitt said. Investigators learned Hudak had convinced the girl they were in a so-called master and slave relationship filled with sexually demeaning demands she often fulfilled online for him. A sampling of those videos were played in court Tuesday. Do you like being my little sex toy? Do you like being used by me? Hudak told her at one point. Later, he scolded her for not properly addressing him as her master. Didnt I tell you to call me sir, he said. Winnipeg police Det. Sgt. Darren Oleksiuk said officers found evidence Hudak threatened the girl with extensive physical punishment. The chats were very sexually graphic. I found them to be abusive and demeaning. It seemed very exploitative, he told court. Hudak was employed by the Canadian Forces as an engineer and had been primarily based out of 38 Combat Engineers Regiment in Winnipeg. He had been a primary reservist for just over three years and was released following his arrest. He had no criminal record and has been on bail. Words cant describe how I feel. Not a day goes by when Im not suffering, wishing this never happened, the victim told court Tuesday through a statement read by the Crown. The victims mother also submitted a statement, saying We feel (Hudak) has stolen our daughters innocence. We dont understand why a grown man would ever rob a child of her innocence. Hudak is described in a pre-sentence report as a moderate to low risk to reoffend and deeply remorseful for his actions. His lawyer, Saul Simmonds, will make sentencing submissions when the hearing continues July 11. www.mikeoncrime.com Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 22/06/2016 (2317 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The Manitoba legislature will adjourn on June 30 until Oct. 3, and the second session of the 41st Manitoba legislature will convene on Nov. 21 with a speech from the throne. MLAs agreed to the legislative schedule late Tuesday. Members of the legislative assembly will sit longer hours than normal in the coming days to complete debate of the provincial budget and two other bills by the end of the month. DAVID LIPNOWSKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS The Manitoba legislature will adjourn on June 30 until Oct. 3. Committee hearings for bills enhancing French language services and allowing for someone other than a peace officer to accompany a person for an involuntary medical or psychiatric assessment are set for June 28. Its presumed these non-contentious bills will pass before the House adjourns. Other bills introduced this spring, including the controversial Bill 7, which would require certification votes in all cases where a union is attempting to organize a workplace, will be debated this fall. 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. After more than two hours of presentations, questions, discussions and a few accusations Tuesday night, the overwhelming sentiment expressed by residents of the Corydon-Osborne area at a community meeting was they dont want the City of Winnipeg to impose rezoning upon their neighbourhood. While several people approached by the Free Press would not give their names and declined to comment, the room at the Earl Grey Community Centre was full of people who anonymously and loudly voiced their opposition to the Corydon-Osborne Area Plan proposed by the city. Many people wore badges that said No to R2. The citys original plan would see 950 properties, most of which are in the area south of Corydon Avenue and about 140 north of Corydon, rezoned from R1 (single family) to R2 (two family or duplex) zoning designations. However, that plan is no longer an option, city officials said. WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry Coun. Jenny Gerbasi There were several new, quite complex options that were not presented at the meeting due to the change in the agenda/meeting format of Tuesday nights open house, a city official said, adding city staff will try to figure out a way to present the new options to area residents to get their feedback. Mike Robinson, a planner in the planning, property and development department, said the original plan would allow homeowners to add secondary suites to their properties as an additional source of income. Every neighbourhood goes through change. Every neighbourhood goes through evolution and how do we deal with that? Do we basically think nothing is going to happen or are we proactive in dealing with that change? Thats what this is about, Robinson told the crowd. People want to live in this neighbourhood The plan has been put in place to say that the community wants a voice in how that change is going to occur. However, the plan would allow developers to build two-family dwellings without applying for rezoning or holding a public hearing. I just dont want to see a bunch of condos that take up the whole lot (with little to no frontage) and only a few parking places behind, one woman said. The issues of population density in the area called densification and household size were particularly contentious as several residents challenged city officials on their numbers. The proposed rezoning would bring more people into the area but some residents noted the accompanying changes to design guidelines for dwellings would make it impossible to preserve the heritage character of the area. City planner Andrew Ross told the crowd that the population in the area has declined 31 per cent since 1971, that the Corydon area is a mature community identified for modest increases in density, and that it was build to support a greater population than it has today. He said the average household size in Canada in 1971 was 3.5 people. It was 1.9 in Earl Grey in 2011. A man questioning those numbers quoted census data stating that the reduction in household size occurred from 1971 to 1981 when it fell from 12,000 to 9,000 and that since 1991, the population in the area has been steady at about 8,000. And actually, that number has been going up since 2012. So this 31 per cent population decline in population you referred to actually was 85 per cent complete when Ronald Reagan was first inaugurated (as U.S. president), he said, to ripples of laughter around the room. The meeting was held with a long rectangular arrangement that made it difficult for people in the back to hear officials speaking and to see the projection screen on which information was displayed. The floor was opened for questions with about 30 minutes left in the designated time and, when one of the city officials suggested 10 minutes for questions, she was loudly mocked by the crowd. After some confusion with random questions being shouted from the floor, more than 15 people lined up to ask questions into a portable microphone so all could hear. Some made statements, including one woman who demanded to know why area Coun. Jenny Gerbasi (Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry) wasnt looking after her areas needs. One of the city officials asked people to limit their time at the microphone to asking questions, not levelling accusations. Please dont yell at me and tell me Im a horrible person because I am a human being, Gerbasi told the crowd. One resident mentioned a triplex on the corner of Warsaw Avenue and Lilac Street as an eyesore. The city officials are wrong. We dont need densification in this area, one man angrily stated during his turn with the microphone. He received loud applause. ashley.prest@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. Watching 39 students celebrate their graduation Tuesday was a gift for Southeast Collegiate director/principal Sheryl McCorrister. As the students spilled out onto the front lawn of the collegiate, a school for eligible indigenous students from 16 First Nations communities, McCorrister donned a hard had and a shovel to celebrate an additional gift. She and a host of other dignitaries turned the sod on the new Southeast Collegiate, which will be located at 1301 Lee Blvd. near the current building, after the federal government presented the school with a $10-million innovation grant. BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Drummers at the ceremony for the official groundbreaking of the new Southeast Collegiate. The grant will make it possible for construction to start this summer on the new school, which will carry a $24-million price tag and provide more space and more services for indigenous students. We anticipate we should be in the school, hopefully, in January 2018, said McCorrister, in her seventh year as principal but 15th as an educator at the collegiate. The current location of Southeast Collegiate opened 21 years ago and was known to provide a warm, home-like environment for First Nations students looking for the best opportunity to graduate high school. Students move from their home communities and live in residence at the school during the academic year. McCorrister said the new school will have a full, regulation-sized gym, a special resource classroom for students with special needs, enhanced math and English programs, more language programs and more vocational programs such as power mechanics. Were going to be able to offer more programming in a great new facility. Things like life-skills programming, which we were not able to offer before, to show these kids how to take care of themselves, she said. Terry Duguid, the Liberal MP for Winnipeg South, said it is important to invest in education because it is the key to a better life for all young people. It is a great day for the graduating students of this school, which has a 92 per cent graduation rate, which rivals high schools in any part of the city. And were very proud of the teachers, were very proud of the principal, but most importantly, were very proud of the students, Duguid said. The retention rate (keeping students in school) is 97 per cent, so the educators here do a fantastic job of working with these kids from remote communities. Here, were producing the indigenous leaders of the future who will shape not only their own communities but I think shape the future of Canada as we build a nation-to-nation relationship. BORIS MINKEVICH / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS (left-right) Ellen Young, chairperson of the Southeast board of directors, Sheryl McCorrister, school principal, and Marlene Waterston, director of operations pose for a photo in front of the old sign with the new drawings of the school that is going to be built on the Lee Blvd location. June 21, 2016. Southeast Collegiate currently has 132 students. The new school will be able to accommodate 156 students, which McCorrister said is a good, manageable number. It is difficult for the students to be away from their homes, but everything we do, we work from the heart, McCorrister said. Its about building a community, sharing a journey and being a family while away from home. McCorrister said the collegiate provides a unique learning atmosphere for students, combining traditional learning with their academic or vocational pursuits. It gives them a sense of family, a sense of belonging, and prepares them for higher education and provides them with culture and heritage. ashley.prest@freepress.mb.ca Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 22/06/2016 (2317 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. As food prices continue to rise and incomes remain flat, the ability to afford healthy food among low-income households remains a significant challenge, especially for those on assistance. To put this in perspective, Winnipeg Harvest provides monthly food assistance to an estimated 63,000 Manitobans, distributed by some 400 agencies. Often, the term food desert is used to describe areas in which people have difficulty accessing healthy food and is generally defined as persons living more than one kilometre away from a supermarket. In Winnipeg, food deserts have been explored extensively, with many pointing to the downtown and inner city as lacking nearby healthy food options. Also, some assessments of food deserts have overemphasized distance to misclassify neighbourhoods in posh Waverley West despite million-dollar homes, substantive salaries and easy access by car to nearby power centres. MIKE APORIUS/WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES People living in certain areas of the city grapple not only with a lack of grocery outlets, but also lack of funds to pay for food. In research developed by the University of Winnipegs Institute of Urban Studies, a more realistic measure of unsupportive food environments is advanced by accurately accounting for additional socio-economic measures and distance. This ensures a more focused picture of food insecurity emerges at the neighbourhood scale. The analysis mapped the distribution of 73 supermarkets in Winnipeg, along with calculating each neighbourhoods physical access to healthy food. On average, the inner city had closer access to supermarkets, challenging the oft-touted claim distance is the primary barrier to healthy food. However, by using a more comprehensive set of socioeconomic variables, we conclude while distance remains an issue in certain areas, income and affordability present a bigger obstacle to households purchasing a nutritious basket of food, as defined by Health Canada. With the expanded method we identified, mapped and classified these areas as food mirages. Food mirages are places where persons live near a healthy food source but are unable to purchase food. The concept of food mirages suggests for some people the consumption of healthy food is limited by a range of socioeconomic barriers associated with the purchasing of healthy food rather than simply the lack of food in the area. The result is 120,000 Winnipeggers live in neighbourhoods classified as unsupportive food environments where poor physical and/or economic access to healthy food is acute. Of this number, 85,000 are in inner-city neighbourhoods, with an additional 35,000 people living in more suburban areas. By taking a broader approach to looking at the question of food security, we eliminate neighbourhoods with higher socioeconomic status and the means by which to access food, including the aforementioned Waverly West. Simply put, distance to grocery stores greater than one km exist in a number of wealthy neighbourhoods, however, it is certainly not accurate to suggest there is a concern for accessing food, nor should we refer to these enclaves as food deserts. When we applied our new methodology to explore unsupportive food environments, we also find the inner city has 60,000 people living in neighbourhoods identified as severe food mirages or areas where significant socioeconomic hardship may affect residents ability to afford healthy food despite good proximity. What is unique in this finding is traditional food desert assessments would not have identified this population as facing food access issues since they live within one km of a grocery store. Living in close proximity to healthier food may obscure unsupportive food environments if further socioeconomic variables are not included. Our approach refined the analysis of Winnipegs food landscape by expanding the manner by which to assess and recognize risk among 200-plus neighbourhoods using socioeconomic variables, along with distance to quality food sources. It is certainly not surprising that when we declassified wealthy neighbourhoods where access is not a factor, the landscape changes dramatically. This allows for a greater focus on areas in which far too many people walk past grocery stores knowing they do not have the means to adequately feed themselves or their families. It is in these areas where our understanding of poverty landscapes gives us more reason to pause to find ways to elevate the gripping realities of poverty and the inability to afford food. Jino Distasio is director of the Institute of Urban Studies at the University of Winnipeg. Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 22/06/2016 (2317 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Travelling to the developing world always reminds me what Canadians take for granted is a luxury elsewhere. Three weeks in Kenya reminded me clean water and the infrastructure to deliver it are a primary responsibility of government. Flickering lights and frequent blackouts make ensuring reliable electricity just as important. I even found myself thinking fondly of stop signs, traffic lights and people directing traffic. In Nairobi, traffic is an organic flow of intuitive manoeuvring by instinct rather than by rule, slowed to a manageable pace only by volume, potholes and speed bumps. Traffic lights and traffic cops wreak havoc instead of imposing order, and I was happy to let someone else drive. It is no surprise the developing world is developing. What we need to remember is the things in our stop-lighted, well-watered and electrified world we can learn from people who live in places such as Kenya. Take cellphones. Here we fuss that MTS is being bought out by Ma Bell and so our rates will go up, though the network will not improve. I would be first in line to buy shares if only MTS (and Bell) could be taken over by Safaricom, Kenyas main mobile telephone company. My cost for a cellphone in Kenya was less than 25 per cent of what it is here and apart from inconveniences such as being in the middle of hills with no line of sight to a cell tower the service was impeccable. I uploaded a selfie picture with a wild giraffe to Facebook from the middle of the Great Rift Valley in seconds, but while at home in Manitoba I have difficulty using my phone to make a call anywhere. I have a new phone, MTS gives me the best coverage outside the city (as friends and families with other providers frequently moan) and yet rarely can I make a call from home without it being dropped or full of static. Granted, I am in the wilds of St. Andrews, fully 15 metres from a main highway, but somehow it is a little galling that friends in rural Kenya who have no electricity other than a solar panel can routinely communicate with me and are often the first ones to like my posts online. In Kenya, a SIM card costs about $10, and after that you pay for the airtime you use in increments as little as 50 cents. In three weeks of constant use (especially with power outages affecting the Internet), I phoned, sent international texts, emails, posted and transmitted pictures, tweeted and Facebooked, all for less than $25. If my balance was too low, I just purchased a scratch card from any of 10,000 vendors everywhere, who even sell them by the side of the road during traffic jams. It works for everyone not just the people with new phones and even 50 cents goes a long way for SMS and phone calls. Kenya is more effectively cross-wired than Canada, despite the lack of land lines. And then there is M-Pesa. M-Pesa is Safaricoms mobile banking network. In a country where bank branches are rare (and bank accounts expensive), M-Pesa is the way money is moved around the country, bills are paid and transactions recorded, all through a wallet attached to the persons cell number. It is simple, effective and efficient and makes our mobile banking networks look antediluvian. Which is a great word, actually meaning from before the great flood Noah and his friends rode out on the ark, two by two. The great flood in this instance would be the Internet and the way our world is cross-wired and interconnected in ways no one before believed possible. It is a flood of information, on which (in developed countries, where ark-building is our specialty) we try to stay afloat by continuing to do things as we have always done them. The problem, of course, is the flood has already lasted more than 40 days and nights. People in the developing world have neither the money nor the expertise to build arks, so they have to find another way. At home, I miss my Safaricom phone and chafe at the various plastic cards that define how I can manage my money. Whenever I make a phone call here, I am reminded developing countries are not just playing catch-up in some ways, they are well past where we are. When we consider what lies ahead for everyone, with the real floods that life in a climate-changing world has in store for all of us, we could learn so much about resilience, perseverance and hope from the people of Kenya. Whatever we could teach them about development, they could teach us just as much about developing. Peter Denton teaches the history of technology at the University of Winnipeg and chairs the policy committee of the Green Action Centre. Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 21/06/2016 (2318 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. The Manitoba government plans to act like the provinces unofficial bird the mosquito and pester the countrys other finance ministers while the details are being worked out on expanding the Canada Pension Plan. Manitoba, along with Quebec, is a holdout to the agreement in principle that outlines plans to reform CPP, something most Canadians support. Premier Brian Pallister told reporters there was no assumption the meetings would result in an iron-clad agreement. So were working on negotiating the best possible agreement that we can for the people of Manitoba and, frankly, for the people of Canada right now. JOHN WOODS / THE CANADIAN PRESS FILES Manitoba's Finance Minister Cameron Friesen. Taking a step back to offer a critical eye on this policy direction is warranted because policy is never perfect, particularly policy hammered out so quickly. No one was expecting a deal would be reached Monday. Even the federal finance minister had a deadline of December to finalize the negotiations. Manitoba and Quebec have the opportunity now to be the second eye to look at the unintended consequences. The plan changes the upper earnings limit to $82,700 from the current ceiling of $54,900, in a bid to help middle-income earners prepare for retirement. As well, the new plan is meant to replace a third of income up to the new ceiling, whereas the current CPP plan replaces 25 per cent. There are some concerns that higher premiums will have an impact on jobs once phased in, CPP premiums would rise by one per cent for employers and employees. The Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce says the economy is too fragile to support such a change, and there must be a better way for people to pay for their retirement. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business says it will hurt small businesses. But given this will be a phased-in approach over 7 years beginning in 2019, it may be too early to sound any warnings just yet on the economy front. As the NDP points out, more money in the hands of senior consumers will help business, as well. Overall, pension reform makes sense, particularly if its introduced slowly and its aimed at helping lower- and middle-income earners. This seems to be the view of most Canadians. In a recent Angus Reid poll, 58 per cent support modest reform, while 17 per cent want significant changes. This, however, should not be seen as a panacea for anyones retirement woes. It may be a stronger safety net than before, but as in all things, hope shouldnt play a part in anyones plan. In particular, there are still many Canadians who wont have access to full pension under the CPP because their earnings have been low or because theyve stepped out of the workforce for a period of time. Thats the case for many women. Statistics show women live longer and make less money than men, are more likely to be contract or part-time workers and are more likely to take time off work in order to take care of children. Thats a lethal combination for retirement planning, and the end result is senior women are twice as likely as men to live in poverty, particularly if they are single. If pension reform is to be truly embraced, it needs to address these issues. Hopefully the Pallister government can take up that challenge. A tip last week helped Sauk County drug agents nab two people on drug charges. Sheriff Chip Meister said in a news release that the Sauk County Drug Task Force received a tip Friday that an individual would be transporting heroin from Madison to Cazenovia. Around 3 p.m., deputies pulled over the suspects vehicle for unrelated traffic violations and deployed a drug sniffing dog, which detected the odor of narcotics, Meister said. Deputies allegedly seized 2.3 grams of heroin, packaging material, heroin related paraphernalia, and arrested two people: 22-year-old Trevor Honer and his passenger, 32-year-old David Frey, both of Cazenovia. Both were arrested for heroin and drug paraphernalia possession. Frey also was charged with bail jumping because he was free on bond in a Dane County case. Frey was released on a $500 signature bond and is due in court July 26. Honer was released on a $250 signature bond and is due in court July 28. If neoconservatives and progressives truly understood fascism, they would stop using the word as a smear term. That is because both groups, along with most political figures and commentators, embrace fascist ideas and policies. Fascisms distinguishing characteristic is a mixed economy. Unlike socialists and communists who seek to abolish private business, fascists are content to let business remain in private hands. Instead, fascists use regulations, mandates, and taxes to control business and run (and ruin) the economy. A fascist system, then, is one where private businesses serve politicians and bureaucrats instead of consumers. Does the modern American economy not fit the definition of fascism? Fascism benefits big businesses that can afford the cost of complying with government regulations, unlike their smaller competitors. Big businesses, which have more political influence then entrepreneurs or small businesses, also significantly benefit from government subsidies. In order to maintain their power, big businesses finance the deep state the network of lobbyists, journalists, think tanks, bureaucrats, and congressional staffers who work behind the scenes to shape government policy. Obamacare is an example of fascism that is often mislabeled as socialism. Obamacare did not create a government-run single payer system as would exist under socialism. Instead, Obamacare extended government control over health care via mandates, regulations, and subsidies. The most infamous part of Obamacare the individual mandate forces individuals to purchase a product from a private industry. Modern Americas militaristic foreign policy aimed at policing and perfecting the world is another example of fascism that enjoys strong bipartisan support. Both right-wing neocons and left-wing humanitarian interventionists claim our supposedly noble goals justify any and all actions taken by the United States government. Thus, these supposed human rights champions defend preemptive war, torture, and presidential kill lists. Many politicians supporting a militaristic foreign policy are more concerned with spreading largesse to the military-industrial complex than with spreading democracy. This is why some supposed free-market conservatives sound like Paul Krugman on steroids when discussing the economic benefits of military spending. Similarly, some anti-war progressives will support large military budgets if some of the money is spent in their states or congressional districts. Mass surveillance and limits on personal freedom are additional hallmarks of fascist regimes. While there is a movement to reform the police state, few want to abolish mass surveillance, civil asset forfeiture, police militarization, and other police-state policies adopted in the name of the wars on terror and drugs. The federal government has even used force to stop people from selling raw milk. Attempts by progressives to silence political opponents are more examples of how many supposedly anti-fascist Americans are embracing fascist policies. The growth of the welfare-warfare state has been accompanied by an increase in presidential power. This centralization of power, and the support it receives from the political class, is one more indication of the fascistic nature of our current regime. Of course, many in Congress will fight to rein in the executive branch, as long as the occupant of the White House is of the opposing party. Even the fiercest opponents of excessive presidential power instantaneously become lap dogs when their party wins the White House. For all their alleged anti-fascism, todays neoconned conservatives and progressives both support the use of force to reshape society and the world. This is the defining characteristic not just of fascists, but also of authoritarians. The true anti-fascists are those who reject the initiation of force. The true path to real free markets, peace, and individual liberty starts with rejecting the bipartisan authoritarianism in favor of the non-aggression principle. In the face of every national tragedy, this country is asked to dig deep, analyze itself and forfeit our rights in the name of national security. For once, could the government look at itself to solve a problem and not us? We, the people have forfeited enough. After an assassination attempt on President Ronald Reagan, James Brady, the presidents press secretary, was confined to a wheelchair from his injuries in the attack. After years of lobbying, the federal government finally passed The Brady Bill, ushering in federal background checks and a 48-hour waiting period on hand guns. We accepted this infringement upon the Second Amendment because we were told it would make us safer. Since then, we are learning that waiting 48-hours isnt a deterrent. In most cases, the terrorists wait for weeks. Last year, a man on Madisons east side waited at least 72 hours so he could practice shooting his gun before murdering a grocery clerk. Twice in less than a year, people with known ties to terrorist affiliates acquired guns. The San Bernardino, California shooters went around the system while the Orlando shooter drove straight through it. A man with known terrorist affiliations traveled to known terrorist states and he wasnt in the federal background check system? ISIS commanders have identified a weak spot in this system and were worried about the gun the guy used. The most invasive threat to American privacy in history resulted in response to 9/11. The Patriot Act was sold as a necessary tool in the War on Terror. Most of us accepted giving up some civil liberties if it made us safer as a nation. It gave the National Security Agency and FBI seemingly unlimited power to search homes, telephone calls and Internet records to track terrorists. The terrorists have figured out a way around the Patriot Act by going after homegrown dissidents while American Edward Snowden hides out in Russia. Snowden exposed that the NSA wasnt just spying on terrorists; they were tapping in on all of us. The power of the Patriot Act put the FBI within reach of a now known terrorist and yet it accomplished nothing. They twice interviewed the Orlando shooter, who was headed down a clear path toward terror and when he bought two guns, they didnt even have him in their database. Meanwhile, another 49 people are dead but we cannot transfer money between our checking and savings accounts via the Internet more than six times a month. The national media immediately turned its attention toward assault weapons after the shooting in Orlando. News flash: Ronald Reagan already banned them. An assault weapon is a fully automatic machine gun. The shooters in Orlando and San Bernardino did not have machine guns. They had semi-automatic sport rifles. Guns that are, in fact, valuable when it comes to hunting fast-moving, and sometimes dangerous, animals. There is also a call for a No Fly, No Buy rule. The San Bernardino and Orlando terrorists werent even on the no-fly watch list so what is the point of this rhetoric? Its well known that the no fly list has thousands of innocent people on it and in a reversal of due process, the innocent have to fight to be removed from this list. On the other hand, someone being identified as a potential terrorist should be closely watched and theyre not even on it? We dont need to enact more laws. These homegrown terrorists are breaking several to accomplish their personal jihad against us. If the presidents mission is to enact more laws, then we should do nothing. If, however, the president wants to get serious about understanding the breakdown in how these laws all interact and improve the policies behind them - then he would be on to something. The model for elevating someone from the rumor mill to the serious threat potential mill has been laid in front of us more than once. We need to improve the system so we recognize when to elevate legitimate potential threats without removing more rights from the innocent. Or we could pursue the presidents anti-gun agenda and end up doing nothing meaningful in this fight. We should all be on board with the president if he wants to do something that actually addresses the infiltration of terrorists in our country. The government needs to examine its processes and determine how to improve their work with the tools we have already given them. We, the people, dont need to give up more rights. MADISON (AP) Gov. Scott Walker's administration told state workers Wednesday it is still working out the details of what would constitute performance so poor that they could be fired under a new law. In an email to workers and at a hearing before a state Senate committee, the Walker administration gave an update on how some of the new workplace rules will be implemented. Most of the law takes effect on July 1, but agencies have until Sept. 1 to work out the performance measurement system. The overhaul of Wisconsin's 111-year-old civil service system was approved by the Republican-controlled Legislature and signed by Walker in February. Supporters said the system needed to be modernized to be more efficient and effective, and better able to handle the expected retirement of 40 percent of state workers over the next decade. Opponents, including Democrats and labor unions, argued that the changes would take away long-held protections and make it easier for political cronies to get jobs. The new law makes it easier to hire and fire workers in a number of ways, including basing layoffs on performance, followed by seniority and ability. The changes require "extensive revision" to the state's administrative code, the memo said. "We don't have a robust performance management system," Department of Administration official Stacey Rolston told the Senate's Labor and Government Reform Committee. "We need to develop one." State agencies are working as quickly as they can to get those in place, and smaller ones will likely have them operating soon after July 1 but DOA did not want to rush, she said. Democratic Sen. Chris Larson, an opponent of the changes, said he was glad Walker's administration was looking at the transition with "sober eyes" and taking its time to make it work. Walker's own Division of Personnel Management last year raised concerns about changing the process for disciplining or firing a worker. A memo from the agency, written in October before the bill passed but made public in May following an open records request by the Wisconsin State Journal, said the changes related to discipline created the potential for increased litigation. The law listed nine offenses that are cause for immediate firing. Those include intentionally physically harming someone, being intoxicated or under the influence of drugs, possessing drugs without a prescription, theft and harassing someone. Workers will also be subject to a new uniform disciplinary progression that begins with a one-day suspension, then goes to three-days, five-days and finally being fired. "Modernizing our state's workforce is critical as we work to deliver the value and accountability taxpayers expect," Walker spokesman Tom Evenson said in a statement. Implementing the new law will nearly cut in half how long it takes to hire staff, he said. The memo said that under the changes, the hiring timeline is expected to shorten from 105 days to 60 days. All applicants will be required to submit an application and resume. While the law no longer requires applicants to take a civil service exam, the memo said agencies may still create and administer them if they feel that is the best method for evaluation. "Make no mistake, these changes mean the end of a system that protected taxpayers and employees from waste and cronyism because employment decisions were based on what you know, not who you know," said Rick Badger, executive director of the largest state employee union the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 32. The memo said the administration worked with more than 200 human resources professionals across the state on the implementation plan. The state is also working on revamping a new hiring website and mobile interface that's set to launch in March. TOWN OF HUSTISFORD A 34-year-old Watertown man and a 33-year-old Juneau man were flown from the scene of a one-vehicle accident Wednesday morning after a car struck an embankment on St. Helena Road. According to the Dodge County Sheriffs Office, Ryan Rhadans was operating a 2001 Lincoln and traveling south on St. Helena Road entering a curve in the roadway at 3:41 a.m. The car went off of the roadway, struck an embankment and vaulted. The car then struck a tree and overturned. Rhadans suffered life-threatening injuries and was flown from the scene by Flight for Life to Aurora Medical Center in Summit. A passenger in the vehicle, Timothy Bradfield, also suffered life-threatening injuries and was flown from the scene by Flight for Life helicopter to Froedert Hospital in Milwaukee. Assisting at the scene were Hustisford and Neosho Fire Departments, Hustisford First Responders, Lebanon and Horicon EMS, Flight for Life, Dodge County Emergency Response Team. The crash remains under investigation by the Dodge County Crash Investigation Team. A Rio man who is accused of hitting his 3-month-old son, causing internal bleeding and brain hemorrhaging, is now facing up to 25 years in prison if convicted. Jeffrey Riddle, one day short of his 25th birthday, appeared in Columbia County Circuit Court on Tuesday, charged with a single count of first-degree reckless injury. Riddle was arrested after a detective with the Columbia County Sheriffs Office was asked on June 11 to look into a report of possible child abuse. The alleged victim was a roughly 3-month-old boy who was brought by his mother to Divine Savior Healthcare in Portage before being transferred to University of Wisconsin Hospital in Madison. The report to the detective, according to court documents, said that the child was being treated for brain hemorrhaging and bruises on the face that appeared to be hand-shaped. The detective reported being told by the mother that Riddle told her about the injury on June 9. When Riddle was dropping the baby off with her on his way to work, he said that he had earlier fallen onto the infant, causing the bruise. She said that he had explained the situation that he had tripped on the rug and fallen forward and, trying to catch himself with the bassinet, had accidentally landed his hand on the baby. He said the baby was upset, but he didnt think he had seriously hurt him. That night, the mother told the officer, the baby was throwing up and she had thought he was sick, but the next morning he was not keeping any food down and had a dazed look. She thought this might have been because of the baby had been outside while it was exceptionally hot, but on June 11 realized that the baby had been in air conditioning and was not getting any better so she took him to a doctor. On June 13 detectives were told by UW Hospital staff that the infants injuries did not match with what Riddle had said happened. The baby had suffered from chronic fluid in the brain, which would be more than a month old, blood in another section of the brain, thought to be between two and seven days old, and hemorrhaging around the right eye, which could not be dated. A physicians assistant, according to court documents, described the last injury as the kind that is resulting from rotational injury such as shaking. Detectives, with the attending doctor, described the injuries as definite abusive head trauma. When a detective later questioned Riddle again, he reportedly emphasized that he had been honest about what he said about the accident. However, he went on to say that he had picked up the baby and tried to console him, which didnt work, and then had to change him, and being sleep deprived and late for work, struck the baby across the face with his open hand. The court has viewed the complaint and especially with the severity of injuries and the strength of the case, said Judge Allan J. White, and the court does find there is an incentive (to flee). White ordered Riddle held on a $5,000 cash bond with the specific conditions of having no contact with his son, no unsupervised contact with juveniles and no participation in the discipline of any child. Riddle is scheduled to appear in court for a return hearing on Sept. 8. A role by any other name is not quite as sweet Wherefore Liu art Juliet Brittany Liu '16 won the coveted role of Juliet over more than 40 other performers from New York, Houston, Williamsburg and Washington, D.C. Photo by Geoff Wade Photo - of - Hide Caption Recent W&M alumna opens Shakespeare Festival in starring role as Juliet Though she just graduated William & Mary a few short weeks ago, Brittany Liu 16 has landed what she calls the role of a lifetime. When the Virginia Shakespeare Festival opens at Phi Beta Kappa Hall on June 29 with Romeo and Juliet, Liu will star as Juliet. {{youtube:medium:left|ckKuew3hrmA}} The role is the crowning glory for Liu, a marketing and film major who has spent the last two summers playing smaller roles for the Virginia Shakespeare Festival. She started just after her sophomore year as the 15-year-old Lucius in Julius Caesar. It was great, she said. Im already kind of a tomboy, so that was easy. She followed that up with roles in Antony and Cleopatra, Illyria and Alls Well That Ends Well. Meanwhile, during the school year she was performing in W&M theatre productions. I was sort of like a fake theatre major here, she joked. Ive gotten to do a wide variety of things with the festival, and now take on this big role, which is very exciting. She laid the groundwork for the role of Juliet with a longstanding fascination for the character, one that had her writing papers about Juliet for a feminist theory class. I think having that academic background knowledge, it made me want to play her even more, Liu said. It just layers in more to the character as I play it on stage. Shes audacious. Shes passionate. Shes quick-witted. Shes perceptive, and she has this emotional maturity that is way beyond her years ... She defies societys gender roles; she defies the patriarchy. Shes an incredible character, which is kind of a rarity in a female role in Shakespeare. I feel incredibly lucky to take on such a big role in a space that Ive called home for four years. Under the tutelage of Christopher Owens, festival artistic producing director, theatre professor, show director and Lius mentor, she said she has felt comfortable taking calculated risks playing Juliet. Owens said he had more than 100 audition requests in New York, Houston, Williamsburg and Washington, D.C., for the role of Juliet, and found slots for about 40 of them. He called back the 10 best in New York, where Liu traveled to read opposite the rest of the Capulets. She was the clear choice, he said. It did help that Id worked with her in supporting roles in previous seasons and taught her in my semester-long Acting Shakespeare class, but she earned this role. Liu said she made W&M home partially because of the universitys partnership with the Virginia Shakespeare Festival. I knew I wasnt going to major in theatre, she said, but I saw there was this festival and thought maybe one day I could get into that. In the summer I do that and during the year I get classes in film and business thats going to help me market myself in whatever I do and classes in feminist theory and art and economics ... It all helped, having a broad education. Celebrating its 38th season, the festival will also present Cymbeline, plus a new production in cooperation with Washington D.C.s Folger Shakespeare Library, The Gravediggers Tale. The special season coincides with the 400th anniversary of Shakespeares death, bringing to Williamsburg off-Broadway, film, television and veteran Shakespeare actors, such as Robert Ierardi, Tamara Johnson and Joey Ibanez, according to a press release. Another W&M alumna, Megan Behm 11, is making her VSF directing debut with Cymbeline. Behm has directed several Shakespeare productions in the Washington, D.C. area and has served as assistant director with the American Shakespeare Center and the Folger Theatre. The 2016 festival runs from June 29 through Aug. 7, with performances at 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays and 2 p.m. on Sundays in Phi Beta Kappa Hall at William & Mary. Tickets can be purchased in person at PBK, 601 Jamestown Road, over the phone by calling (757) 221-2674 or by visiting www.wm.edu/offices/boxoffice. 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 Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. PG&E to close Diablo Canyon nuclear plant by 2025 22 June 2016 Share Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) has outlined plans to close its twin-unit Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant in California, reflecting the US state's "changing energy landscape". PG&E yesterday announced a 'joint proposal' with labour and leading environmental organizations that would increase investment in energy efficiency, renewables and storage beyond current state mandates while phasing out PG&E's production of nuclear power in California. PG&E intends to operate the plant to the end of its current operating licenses, which expire on 2 November, 2024 for unit 1, and 26 August, 2025 for unit 2. The company announced its commitment to a 55% renewable energy target in 2031. PG&E Corporation Chairman, CEO and President Tony Earley said: "California's energy landscape is changing dramatically with energy efficiency, renewables and storage being central to the state's energy policy. As we make this transition, Diablo Canyon's 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." Contributing factors include, PG&E said, the increase of the Renewable Portfolio Standard to 50% by 2030; doubling of energy efficiency goals; the "challenge of managing over-generation and intermittency conditions under a resource portfolio increasingly influenced by solar and wind production"; the growth rate of distributed energy resources; and potential increases in the "departure of PG&E's retail load customers to Community Choice Aggregation". The proposal is contingent on a number of important regulatory actions, including approval of a lease extension from the State Lands Commission, without which the company cannot operate Diablo Canyon beyond 2018. The parties to the 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. The Breakthrough Institute has described Diablo Canyon as the "workhorse of California's low-carbon power sector". The organisation noted that the plant's output in 2014 exceeded the electricity produced by the state's wind turbines by 31% and its solar electricity by 24%. Coming on top of the closure of the San Onofre nuclear power plant in 2013, it said the loss of the state's nuclear fleet "would wipe out low-carbon generation equal to the output of California's entire wind, solar, and biomass sectors combined, thus nullifying decades of climate efforts". Researched and written by World Nuclear News Related topics Brazil to export enriched uranium 21 June 2016 Share Industrias Nucleares do Brasil (INB) is to export its first enriched uranium under a contract signed with Argentine state company Combustibles Nuclear Argentinos SA (Conuar). The agreement will see the export of four tonnes of uranium dioxide powder for use in the first fuel load for the Carem modular reactor. The contract was announced on 20 June by INB president Joao Carlos Tupinamba at the opening of the Latin American section of the of the American Nuclear Society's annual symposium in Rio de Janeiro. The uranium will be shipped in three batches with enrichment levels of 1.9%, 2.6% and 3.1% uranium-235. Authorization from Brazil's Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be required before the shipments can take place. Tupinamba said that the agreement was a milestone in Brazil-Argentina relations and consolidated INB's - and Brazil's - presence in the international enrichment sector. The uranium dioxide powder was also manufactured at Resende, he said. The export contract would not affect the supply of fuel from INB for Brazil's two operating nuclear reactors at Angra dos Reis, Tupinamba said. INB said that the six centrifuge cascades currently in operation at Resende provide about 40% of the enriched uranium needs of Angra 1. When the first phase of the plant is completed, with three further cascades in operation, it will be able to supply 100% of Angra 1's and 20% of Angra 2's enriched uranium. INB uses centrifuge technology developed by the Brazilian navy's technological centre (Centro Tecnologico da Marinha em Sao Paulo, CTMSP) in partnership with the Brazilian Nuclear Energy Commission's institute for energy and nuclear research (Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares, IPEN). The Resende site is also home to INB's nuclear fuel fabrication plant. Argentina's National Atomic Energy Commission (Comision Nacional de Energia Atomica, CNEA) began construction of the Carem-25 prototype reactor at the Atucha site in 2014. Conuar is a CNEA subsidiary. Researched and written by World Nuclear News Related topics Fennovoima considers own repository for used fuel 22 June 2016 Share Fennovoima is considering developing its own repository for disposing of used fuel from its planned Hanhikivi nuclear power plant in western Finland. Posiva Solutions is to advise it on site selection. In accordance with the decision-in-principle granted by the Finnish government to Fennovoima in 2010, the company was to submit to the Ministry of Employment and the Economy either a final disposal cooperation agreement with Posiva to participate in the Onkalo repository project at Olkiluoto, or an environmental impact assessment (EIA) program for its own final disposal facility by the end of this month. Finland's established nuclear utilities, Teollisuuden Voima Oyj (TVO) and Fortum, will be able to dispose of used fuel from their current and future plants in a repository to be built close to the existing Olkiluoto nuclear power plant by waste management company Posiva. Posiva is jointly owned by Fortum and TVO. Fennovoima failed to secure an agreement for Posiva to manage its used fuel in addition to TVO and Fortum's. In March 2012, the Finnish government told the companies they must work together to solve the used fuel impasse. Fennovoima announced today that it has submitted its EIA to the ministry, fulfilling the requirement of the decision-in-principle. It also said Posiva Solutions - the recently created subsidiary of Posiva - has agreed to provide it with technical expert services relating to the site selection of a repository site for Hanhikivi's used fuel. Fennovoima said geological studies will be initiated at Pyhajoki and Eurajoki in order to determine the suitability of these selected locations. The company said the location of its repository will be selected in the 2040's and the final disposal of Hanhikivi's used nuclear fuel will begin in the 2090s at the earliest. Fennovoima CEO Toni Hemminki said, "We consider collaboration the best alternative in nuclear waste management. Our goal is to achieve long-term cooperation with Posiva and the parties liable for nuclear waste management (TVO and Fortum)." Posiva Solutions managing director Mika Pohjonen said, "In Finland, each nuclear power company is responsible for the final disposal of its used nuclear fuel and related costs. It is our aim that with Posiva Solutions and its partners our customers will be able to develop their own safe final disposal solution in a faster and more cost-efficient way, meeting the high responsibility and safety standards of the nuclear industry." Posiva president Janne Mokka said, "Taking care of TVO's and Fortum's nuclear waste management obligation is a large-scale and essential project for Posiva." He added, "The agreement between Posiva Solutions and Fennovoima does not affect this nor does it include disposal of Fennovoima's used nuclear fuel in Onkalo." The site for Posiva's repository at Eurajoki near Olkiluoto was selected in 2000. In December 2013, it submitted the application to the Ministry of Employment and the Economy, which covers the construction of an encapsulation plant and repository, as well as for facilities for the final disposal of waste created during the operation and decommissioning of the encapsulation plant. Final disposal operations at Olkiluoto are expected to begin around 2020 and to last for some 100 years before the repository is sealed. Fennovoima aims to complete infrastructure work at the Hanhikivi site in Pyhajoki in northern Finland by the end of 2017. Construction of the plant - based on a Russian-designed AES-2006 VVER that would produce 1200 MWe - can only start once the construction licence has been issued. Fennovoima said it aims to start building the plant in 2018, with operation beginning in 2024. Researched and written by World Nuclear News Related topics Tesco to Donate Unsold Food to Most Vulnerable Across Wrexham This article is old - Published: Wednesday, Jun 22nd, 2016 A new scheme aiming to reduce the levels of produce going to waste at a Wrexham supermarket will see unsold food given to the most vulnerable people across the town. Tesco and FareShare are calling on charities and community groups in and around the Wrexham area to register for the scheme, which will unsold produce at the supermarket used for meals for vulnerable people across the area. The new scheme which launches in Wrexham from today is part of the supermarkets ongoing pledge to cut down on its levels of food waste. Tescos Community Food Connection programme with FareShare FoodCloud recruits and supports charities and community groups, linking them to Tesco stores via an innovative app that allows store teams to alert them to surplus unsold food items available at the end of each day. The unsold food is free and includes fresh produce, such as fruit, vegetables and bakery products. Chilled products like meat, dairy and ready meals are also offered. So far there have been 350,000 meals donated to people in need via Community Food Connection to date, following a successful pilot in 14 stores last year and a national rollout from March this year, that has seen more than 1,000 charities sign up to the scheme so far. The scheme is part of a three-way partnership between FareShare, FoodCloud and Tesco. Rachel Finn, Head of Community Food Programmes, at Tesco said: No food that can be eaten should go to waste. Were really excited to start working on this initiative to ensure that any unsold food we have is made use of. We are looking forward to forging strong links with local charities and community groups in Wrexham, and to use this initiative to support their efforts to help vulnerable people in our community. FareShare FoodCloud is the latest step in Tescos work with FareShare on the provision of surplus food. The partnership spans over three years and includes activities which make food available from the Tesco supply chain, distribution centres and dotcom centres. This has seen nine million meals made up of surplus food donated to over 2,200 charities and community groups across the UK. Any charities or community groups in Wrexham using food to support people that would like to access the scheme, should register their interest here. Last Wednesday, federal parliamentarian Bob Katter, a right-wing demagogue who postures as anti-establishment, posted an election video featuring him shooting two men dressed in Labor Party and Liberal-National Coalition t-shirts. The vile advertisement, which is pitched to extreme right-wing and fascistic elements, is an incitement to violence against anyone who opposes Katters nationalist agenda. It begins with two men, with stockings covering their faces, erecting a sign that reads Australia for Sale. Katter appears in his trademark cowboy hat and pulls down the sign. The two men re-erect the sign and Katter returns writing Not in large black letters. He is then shown smirking and blowing smoke from the barrel of a revolver. The camera zooms back to show the bodies of the two men lying face up in the dirt (see video). The ad is a clear indication of the politically reactionary atmosphere being whipped up not just by Katter and his ilk, but by layers of the Coalition, Labor and the unions that promote Australian nationalism, anti-Chinese xenophobia and the vilification of refugees and immigrants. The video has been praised by backward layers who have posted their own fascistic suggestions on Katters Facebook page as to who should be targeted for attack. Katters video was posted on June 15, just after the mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida. A few days later, British Labour MP Jo Cox was brutally murdered by Tommy Mair, a former psychiatric patient with extreme right-wing views. Mair reportedly shouted Britain First during the attack. Responding to criticism of the timing of the ad, Katter said his video was brilliant and screamingly funny satire. He absurdly claimed to know nothing about the Florida shootingsI dont follow the media havent read the newspapers in agesand to present himself as the victim. Katter declared that he was being subjected to a Spanish Inquisition and refused to take down the advertisement. Were not bending the knee to the politically correct brigade, now or in the future, he declared. The media has all but dropped the story. Commentators did not denounce its encouragement of violent attacks and the potential for far-right individuals, galvanised by Katters election advertisement, to carry them out. It was largely treated as a quirky event to fill a spot in the coverage of an election campaign that has been met with widespread disinterest, alienation and hostility. One does not have to imagine the response if a youth of Middle Eastern or Muslim background had posted an Internet video of a staged shooting or beheading. Widespread police raids and arrests, accompanied by lurid accounts and condemnations in the media, have already taken place for far less. Such a video would have been immediately taken down and the individual detained, arrested and charged with planning to commit a terrorist act. He or she would have been demonised in the media and the incident exploited to call for even more repressive anti-terror laws. Katters virulent denunciation of anyone who sells Australia is part and parcel of a broader right-wing agenda. A former minister in the Queensland National Party state government, Katter became a federal National Party MP in 1993. He broke from the Nationals in 2001, opposing its support for the deregulation of Australian agricultural and other industries. He currently heads the Katters Australia Party (KAP). KAP is one of the scores of third-party formations and so-called independents that have emerged in the past decade calling for protectionism, more repressive immigration controls and greater military spending. They promote a return to various forms of national economic regulation that have long ago been rendered obsolete by the globalisation of production. The KAP also espouses so-called Christian values and homophobia. In April 2013, Katter called for 100 new and larger navy patrol vessels to monitor refugee boats attempting to enter Australian waters. Each one, he said, should be equipped with six cruise missiles and have intercept capacity. This demand dovetailed with the military build-up in waters to the north of Australia under both Coalition and Labor governments as part of the Obama administrations pivot to Asia and preparations for war against China. In a bid to enhance the Coalitions chances in Katters seat of Kennedy, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull issued a mild criticism of the video as being in the worst of taste and called on him to apologise and take down the ad. Labor Party leader Bill Shorten and the trade unions, however, have said nothing. The silence is not accidental. In Kennedy, Labor is preferencing the Greens and then Katter, ahead of the Coalition, boosting his chances of retaining the seat. Katters policies are drawn from the same foul nationalist traditions as those of Labor and the unions. His opposition to foreign imports, the sale of land to foreign investors and support for even more restrictive immigration controls are endorsed in one form or another by all the unions. Indeed, the Electrical Trades Union (ETU), the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU), the Queensland Council of Trade Unions and others, maintain close relations with Katter. In early 2011, Katter met with senior ETU and CFMEU officials in Victoria and was allowed to address meetings of building workers. The unions provided funds and backed Katters party in recent federal and Queensland state elections. ETU Victorian secretary Dean Mighell, widely promoted as left-wing, hailed Katter. He told members that Bob Katter has got a great view on representation rights for working people. And given the opportunity, people should lend him an ear we need people like Bob Katter helping us out. In 2013, Mighell, after resigning as ETU state secretary, became an industrial relations consultant for the KAP. In June 2013, Solidarity, a pseudo-left state-capitalist group defended the union bureaucracys maneouvres with Katter. It described him as a conviction politician and said the starting point of the ETU and CFMEUs relationship with Katter was not racism or homophobia, but opposition to neo-liberalism. Two points need to be made. Firstly, so-called neo-liberalism, or the integration of Australia into global economic processes, was initiated by the Hawke and Keating Labor governments between 1983 and 1996, with the backing of the unions. It had a devastating impact on the living standards of workers and small businesses creating the disaffection and alienation on which demagogues like Katter prey. Secondly, the protectionism promoted by Katter and his union allies has nothing to do with defending the interests of the working class. Rather it is aimed at tying workers to weaker, less competitive sections of business and is accompanied by demands for further sacrifice from their workforces. More fundamentally, the whipping up of nationalism and protectionism is aimed at driving a wedge between Australian workers and their real allythe working class around the world. The only progressive alternative to all of the capitalist parties including those of the extreme right is the fight to unify the international working class in the struggle for workers governments which place the banks and basic industries under social ownership and the democratic control of the working class. The authors also recommend: Katters Australian Party: A nationalist political trap [26 July 2013] 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 Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU) suspended the seven-day strike at the Pennine Foods factory in Sheffield, due to commence from June 16. The union represents around 400 workers at the site owned by the 2 Sisters Food Group that employs 800 in total. The seven-day strike action had been voted for at a meeting on the picket line during the second 48-hour stoppage on June 5/6. It was due to coincide with a second 48-hour stoppage at another 2 Sisters factory, RF Brookes in Newport, Wales. This is the first dispute to emerge against the use of the National Living Wage (NLW) as a pretext to tear up workers premium pay for shift, weekend and holiday working. Workers stand to lose up to 5,000 a year due to the changes with the contract. The Socialist Equality Party welcomes the resistance shown by 2 Sisters Food group workers and their determination to defeat this attack. However, events at 2 Sisters demonstrate once again that in the hands of the unions any successful fight is faced with sabotage. After receiving a clear mandate to escalate the strike, the BFAWU re-entered talks with management and called off the strike without the consent of the membership. The BFAWU has yet to release a press statement. Notification was posted on social media with an information meeting held the next day. This is taking place under conditions in which the BFAWU have shifted the goal posts. It now claims that a victory has been obtained due to the company agreeing a backdated lump sum pay increase by June 30, while the question of the new contracts and elimination of premium pay is under negotiation. The actions of the union have not been accepted uncritically. This was acknowledged as much by BFAWU full-time officer Haroon Rashid, who posted notification of the strike suspension on social media. He wrote, I have had a lot of Private Messages which have been very touching but also some people are still a little upset that we are not doing the 7 day strike all will be explained at Branch Meeting Tomorrow. Among the concerns raised by workers are reprisals by management for the strike action. Within the workplace, everything is being done to reinforce the division of workers on different contracts, which workers aimed to overcome through the strike action. The issues at 2 Sisters go beyond the several hundred workers involved in the dispute, but confront millions of workers facing the offensive by the employers and government. Following the introduction in April this year of the NLW set at 7.20 per hour, major corporations, particularly in retail and food and drink industry, have used it as a Trojan horse to eliminate or reduce payments for overtime and Sunday working. This includes the main supermarkets such as Waitrose, Tesco, Sainsbury and Morrisons, all of which plead poverty and claim that such measures are necessary to offset the costs. This is under conditions in which the Conservative government has offered companies an exemption of 15 billion on corporation tax to protect their profits following the implementation of the NLW (and the increase in the National Minimum Wage for 21-24 year olds) last October. The 7.20 per hour benchmark excludes workers under the age of 25 and is below the recommendation of the Living Wage Foundation of 8.25 per hour across the UK and 9.40 in London for those 18 and older. For many, far from representing a meagre increase, the NLW has served as the basis for a counter-reform that turns the clock back on terms and conditions and will cast millions more into the ranks of the working poor. Boporan Holdings, which owns 2 Sisters Food Group, is the largest food manufacturer in the UK. It employs around 23,000 workers at its 45 sites across the UK, Ireland, Netherlands and Poland. It is owned by recently minted billionaire Ranjit Singh Boparan. Its chair is Labour Party peer Charles Allen. This wealth has been accumulated on the basis of a wave of takeovers and a restructuring of 2 Sisters, at the expense of hundreds of jobs aimed at consolidating the companys position as a major supplier to the big brand food retailers including Marks and Spencer. The profits of 2 Sisters Food Group and the main food retailers is underpinned by the low-wage economy in the food and drink industry, which employs 3 million in the UKa third of which are from other European Union (EU) member states. The strike action at 2 Sisters developed in spite, not because of the trade unions. The vote to strike was secured in opposition to the attempts to play different sections of workers against one another. For years, the BFAWU at the Pennine Foods factory in Sheffield has allowed new starters to be hired on inferior contracts without the premium rates, which the company now aims to withdraw from all workers. The principle of equal pay for equal work has become a thing of the past and is not peculiar to 2 Sisters or the low-paid food and drink industry. It is mirrored throughout the private and public sector because the unions have mortgaged the future of the working class by claiming that protecting rights for existing workers can be maintained by denying them to the next generation. The workforce at 2 Sisters Food Group testifies to the international character of the working class. It is evident on picket lines with white, black, Asian and east European workers standing together. This too runs counter to the line advanced by the unions, which at all times reinforce the sectional, regional and national division of the working class. The BFAWU in calling for a Leave vote in the EU referendum on June 23 on the basis of lining up workers behind a nationalist campaign. In its joint statement with ASLEF and the Rail, Maritime and Transport trade unions, it claims that workers rights are upheld by UK laws and criticises the Tory government for not going far enough with its attacks on EU migrants: We note that David Cameron secured only very minor changes to EU rules and believe this demonstrates there is little hope of reforming the EU. While 2 Sisters has declared open season on workers terms and conditions across the country, the BFAWU have prevented any mobilisation at a national level. The policy of selective stoppages on a site-by-site basis cuts across the unification of the working class. It has been used repeatedly by the unions to rein in militancy and ensure that opposition does not cut across their attempts to renew their collaboration with the companies or government. For its part Unite, the largest union in the country, has stalled any action at the 2 Sisters Pizza factory in Nottingham and has yet to announce the outcome of its strike ballot of its 440 members, which was due to be announced on June 6. Workers there have been confronted with an ultimatum to accept a non-negotiated pay settlement, which includes cutting overtime, weekend working and bank holiday and sickness cover payments. The issue for Unite is not the attacks on workers but the fact it has been bypassed as part of the negotiating apparatus. It stated, Any attempts to cut workers overtime, holiday and weekend pay to offset the governments new national living wage or to impose changes without negotiating with the workers union will be strenuously challenged by Unite. Unite has also advised the company to settle the pay dispute from last year in order to pave the way for negotiations on the contract. The fight at 2 Sisters must be taken out of the hands of the BFAWU and Unite and based on the election of rank and file committees to extend the action on a national level: No secret negotiations between the union officials and the company. Appeal for solidarity from 2 Sisters workers across all sites in Europe. Turn the struggle out to broader sections of workers and youth, agency workers and zero-hours contract workers. Above all else, the struggle must be conducted at a political level. Against the claims of poverty by 2 Sisters and the corporations, workers must advance a socialist programme that begins to make inroads into their vast concentration of wealth based upon private ownership and production for profit. This means breaking the grip of the financial and corporate elite enforced through the parliamentary system of the Tories and Labour. An intervention by the Socialist Equality Party at a meeting supporting British withdrawal from the European Union evoked a furious defence of a political alliance between the so-called left and the UK Independence Party and Conservatives in particular, and right-wing nationalists in general. The platform at Mondays meeting in Chesterfield included two members of the Left Leave campaign: Alex Gordon of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union, and a representative of the Indian Workers Association. Left Leave was set up by the Stalinist Communist Party of Britain and the Socialist Workers Party, among other organisations. Gary Mathews, who said he had joined the Labour Party to support Jeremy Corbyn as leader, spoke for Labour Leave. Mark Hill represented Green Leave. The featured speaker was George Galloway. The former Respect MP appeared at a rally last February with UK Independence Party (UKIP) leader Nigel Farage and arch-Thatcherites. He declared at the time, Left, right, left, right, forward march to secure a victory for Leave in the referendum on EU membership. As the World Socialist Web Site explained following the event, Galloways endorsement of the xenophobic Grassroots Out campaign did not merely muddy the class line, it obliterates it, with politically toxic ramifications. That warning was borne out in Chesterfield on Monday. The meeting took place just four days after fascist Thomas Mair brutally murdered Labour MP Jo Cox while shouting Britain First. In court on Saturday, Mair, who described himself as a political activist, gave his name as death to traitors, freedom for Britain. Coxs murder exposed the far-right forces being mobilised by the nationalist and anti-immigrant agitation dominating the referendum campaign, particularly on the part of the Leave camp. While the meeting began with one minutes silence in Coxs memory, all of the speakers were silent on her assailants far-right sympathies. Galloway set the tone. Describing Coxs slaying as a foul, evil murder, he claimed he could not say anything further due to reporting restrictions! Nonetheless, he insisted, The one thing we cannot allow is the argument that because somebody murdered somebody else, that means our campaign for exit from the European Union is in some way tarnished by that, let alone invalidated by that. Just because the British National Party opposed certain things, that was not a reason for supporting them, he argued. Thursdays vote was a binary referendum in which there could be only one of two answers, Leave or Remain. The remainder of his remarks consisted of upholding British national sovereignty as the main issue before working people. While listing aspects of the neo-liberal agenda of the EU, he said nothing about the austerity measures of successive British Labour and Conservative governments, attributing the attack on workers social conditions and democratic rights entirely to the 1975 referendum vote in favour of the UK remaining in the European Common Market (precursor to the EU). Outlining what he described as socialist reasons for opposing the EU, the RMTs Alex Gordon similarly presented a picture of the UK prior to 1975 as a veritable workers paradise. (This at a time of major class struggles, including national miners strikes in 1972 and 1974, the latter of which led to the fall of the Heath Tory government). Now, he declared, everything that we were brought up to think had been securedpublic ownership of the strategic industries, public services that were socially owned, such as education, health and housing, all the security that went with living in a stable societyhas been taken away, and its been taken away by European Union institutions. A vote for Leave was a sign of international solidarity, he claimed, portraying the mass protests in France against the Socialist Partys anti-labour laws as a national revolt against the EU and its reduction of the French government to colonial status. Julie Hyland, SEP assistant national secretary, spoke in the brief public contribution section of the debate. While there were many socialist reasons for opposing the EU, she said, there are no socialist reasons for supporting Nigel Farage and UKIP, which is exactly what George Galloway has been doing. Hyland cited Galloways glowing tribute to Farage and his claim that left and right shared common interests, including his assertion that the issues in the referendum involved being able to decide who can come and live and work in Britain, who we can deport from Britain. She noted that Galloway had defended his alliance with the UKIP leader by arguing that Farage is not a fascist. Rather, Galloway asserted, he is a Poujadist, a populist right-winger who uses issues like immigration in the way that right-wing politicians do. Hyland continued: As if it matters to the immigrant or striking workers, who are, and will be, the targets for such forces, whether they are attacked by an overt fascist or just an extreme right-wing nationalist! To this point, Hylands remarks were met with silence by the 60 or so assembled. But when she reminded the audience that Cox had been killed by a fascist just weeks after Farage said violence is the next step if people feel we have lost control of our borders, she was howled at by the Green Leave spokesperson and others in the audience. Demands for her to shut up became even more shrill when she went on to say that the stoking up of anti-immigrant prejudices is not a secondary, or accidental, feature of the referendum. Its purpose is to divert from the common class issues facing workers and youth in every European country and line working people up behind one or another section of their own ruling class. Galloways alliance with the right is politically criminal, Hyland said. It has nothing to do with socialism or the interests of working people. It disarms working people and strengthens the far-right. What workers need is not the reassertion of national sovereignty, but the reassertion of their independent class interests in opposition to all sections of the British ruling class and in a common struggle with workers across Europe against capitalism. Hylands denunciation of alliances with the right was condemned as sectarianism by both Mathews and Hill. In his own response, Galloway said a lengthy reply to Hyland would be unhelpful to the meeting and the cause all of us share. He continued: We have a duty to mobilise the maximum number of people to vote Leave on Thursday. UKIP received four million votes in the general election. So I am not going to take this Monday night to launch a root and branch attack against four million people whose votes we need because that would not be tactical politics. I stand by every word that I have myself said or written, he continued. I have a political line. I dont believe in free movement of labour because Im a trade unionist and I know that a never-ending increase in labour supply drives down the price of labour, which is wages. I know that and every worker knows it. He then said that his political line coincides with all kinds of people with whom I am fundamentally in opposition, citing Boris Johnson, the Tory leader of Vote Leave. But this is not the time to launch a big attack on Boris Johnson because Boris Johnson represents some of the people that are going to vote the same way as me on Thursday. Closing the meeting, Mathews said that Farage is a nationalist and a populist who has the support of four million people who we want to join the socialist movement in the future. At this point, several audience members announced they were UKIP members and proud of it. Socialist Workers Party members in attendance said nothing about the political amnesty given by the platform to Farage and leading Thatcherites. The SWP previously claimed that Left Leave was a progressive alternative to Galloways alliance with UKIP. Instead, in recent weeks Galloway was allowed to speak at Left Leave events in Wales. According to a letter in the Socialist Worker, this had led to the SWP removing its speaker from meetings featuring Galloway. This is nothing more than a face-saving exercise. The SWPs silence on Left Leaves promotion of alliances with the nationalist right denotes consent. The direct line-up of the pseudo-left with right-wing forces is not merely a British phenomenon. In Ukraine, they embraced the Maidan protests, which were led by the fascist Right Sector in alliance with US and German imperialism. In the 2014 referendum on Scotlands independence from the UK, they lined up behind the Scottish National Party on the basis of national self-determination. In Greece, Syriza, the political creation of the pseudo-left and Euro-Stalinists, is imposing brutal austerity on the working class in a coalition government with the xenophobic, right-wing Independent Greeks (Anel). The SEP previously noted discussions within Britains pseudo-left over the Syriza/Anel coalition in which it was argued that they would conclude a similar alliance with UKIP should the need arise. The referendum campaign has served as the vehicle for this political realignment. This underscores the political significance of the SEPs refusal to endorse either of the right-wing camps in the referendum and to fight for an active boycott as the means for establishing the political independence of the working class and advancing an international socialist program. The author also recommends: Nationalism and Brexit [23 February 2016] For an active boycott of the Brexit referendum! [29 February 2016] With almost 70 percent of the vote in Sundays run-off elections, Virginia Raggi, candidate of the Five Star Movement (M5S), has been elected mayor of Rome. Beppe Grillos protest party also claimed a victory in the industrial city of Turin. Voter turnout reached an historic low of 50.5 percent. The electoral victory of the M5S is in the first place a resounding defeat for the governmental policy of Matteo Renzi (Democratic Party, PD). In his third year of office, the head of government, who from the beginning presented himself as the scrapper of party privileges, has lost the better part of his initial fascination for the middle class. It is increasingly clear that Renzi is playing the same role in Italy that Socialist Party (PS) politician Manuel Valls plays in France: He responds to the economic crisis with harsh attacks on the working class, the deregulation of the labour market and the enforcement of brutal pension and education reforms. His austerity measures have done nothing to change the national debt of more than 2 trillion. They are aimed exclusively at the working population and socially vulnerable groups. The official slightly decreased unemployment rate of 11.5 percent conceals the fact that almost 36 percent of the population capable of working has been excluded from these statistics as inactive. With a 40 percent youth unemployment rate, two out of five young people go without work, education or prospects for the future. The trade unions and pseudo-left groups have supported the Renzi government and continue to provide political backing. Under these conditions, the working class lacks any way to articulate its opposition in a progressive way. At the moment, their protest takes the form of support for the M5S. The high voter abstention rate also indicates widespread dissatisfaction with all parties. On average, only half of the eligible voters in the more than 100 communities and cities in which the run-off elections took place came out to the polls. There was a 10 percent drop in turnout compared with the first round of voting. The M5S presents itself as a pure alternative that is neither left nor right and declares war on the privileged old elites. In Rome in particular, attorney Virginia Raggi, 37, has pledged to take action against incompetence and corruption and to rid the mafia capital of waste and privilege. But Raggi offers nothing new: Three years ago, when the city was threatened with bankruptcy, it was only saved by a governmental decree, the so-called Salva Romater, which was bound up with severe social cuts. Beppe Grillo now claims his movement will bring to power young, competent people who have nothing to do with the old corrupt parties. But the programme of the M5S is anything but progressive. It mixes environmentalism and grassroots democratic conceptssuch as energy transition, decision making through online proceedings and public referendumswith reactionary nationalism. The movement has a capitalist program and bases itself on small and mid-size businesses. In the fight against waste, the M5S is ready to cut tens of thousands of jobs in the public sector. During her campaign, Virginia Raggi declared, Today we have so many employees who arent being utilised at all and to whom we pay salaries for nothing in return. In the European Parliament, Beppe Grillo sits in the same fraction as Nigel Farage of the Brexit party UKIP. Like them, Grillo argues for Italys exit from the EU and even for the reintroduction of the lira. When it comes to immigration, he adopts the tone of the extreme right. On his blog, Grillo disputes the right of immigrant children to Italian citizenship. He only wants to see Italians in his movement. His latest hobbyhorse, the citizens income, a new version of Germanys Hartz IV welfare laws, will only apply to individuals with Italian passports. The M5S has profited from the 25-year-long decline of the Communist Party of Italys successor parties (the Democrats of the Left and the Democratic Party, as well as the Communist Refoundation Party and their offshoots). This was especially clear in the M5Ss election victory in Turin, where 31-year-old businesswoman Chiara Appendino was elected mayor. Appendino won the run-off election with an almost 10 percent lead over the incumbent mayor, Piero Fassino (PD). In doing so, she brought to an end the decades-long rule of the centre-left camp. Fassino embodies in exemplary fashion the decline of the Italian left. A communist party member since the days of Enrico Berlinguer, Fassino was in the leadership of the PDS, the Democratic Party of the Left, and since 2007 the Democratic Party. He was a minister in several governments. The disintegration of the former Communist Party of Italy and its successors was also expressed in the call of one of its prominent members, Paolo Ferrero of Communist Refoundation, for a vote in favour of the Grillo party. In a guest contribution for the Il Fatto Quotidiano newspaper, Ferrero wrote on the day after the first round of voting that the M5S would be seen as the most successful instrument to replace the ruling class. He continued: The elements of political ambiguity within the M5S, which have been an obstacle for a long time, now accentuate the possibility of a successful transition in a situation where the common sense of the masses does not recognise the origins of the crisis in neo-liberal politics. According to Ferrero in a rare expression of self-awareness, anyone from the PD and all those who collaborated with the PD for years lack any genuine credibility. The following response was sent by the Socialist Equality Party Senate candidates for Queensland, Mike Head and Erin Cooke, to a letter sent to federal election candidates by Community Legal Centres Queensland, asking what action they would take to address the continuing cuts to legal aid and funding for community legal centres. The letter and the responses can be read here. The Socialist Equality Party (SEP) unequivocally opposes the deepening cuts to legal aid and assistance, and insists that access to legal services is a basic social and democratic right that must be available equally to all, not the preserve of the wealthy corporate elite. Legal aid programs, always seriously inadequate and chronically-underfunded, have been increasingly gutted over the past two decades as part of a wider assault on essential social services and core legal and democratic rights. The latest cuts of up to a third, or $60 million a year, due to commence in July 2017, are only the latest attack on legal aid by successive governments, both Liberal-National and Labor, since the 1990s. Funding has been cut already by a third per head of population since 1997. These cuts are part of a wider austerity offensive against the working class, which includes the decimation of healthcare, education, welfare and public housing, while billions of dollars are being spent on the military in preparation for war. Legal aid cuts directly seek to block the capacity of working people to challenge government decisions, including welfare cut-offs, visa denials and cancellations of passports and citizenships, as well as to fight employer attacks, consumer rip-offs and police victimisation. Among those affected are the most vulnerable layers of the working classlow-paid workers, pensioners, the disabled, refugees, immigrants, indigenous people and victims of domestic violence. Lack of legal assistance can cause a spiraling of problems that can lead to destitution, with severe consequences. During the same period, mainly on the back of manufactured terrorist scares, governments have spent hundreds of millions of dollars boosting the powers and resources of the intelligence agencies and police, which can now detain and interrogate suspects without charge and conduct rampant surveillance and spying. Unprecedented laws also have been introduced restricting the right to protest. Since the 1990s, rates of imprisonment, counting those detained awaiting trial, have more than doubled to nearly 200 per 100,000 people, with indigenous people many times more likely to be incarcerated. This is a product of worsening social conditions, inadequate mental health services and repressive law and order policies. Moreover, the denial of legal representation has stripped many of any capacity to properly defend themselves. At least 45,000 people have been forced to represent themselves in court since 2009, according to statistics released recently by the Law Council of Australia, the legal professions peak body. Over the past five years, nearly 15,000 people in South Australia alone have been refused legal aid. Even by official estimates, 2.5 million Australians are now living in poverty. Yet, fewer than 74,000 legal aid grants were offered in 2014, mainly due to lack of funding and because aid is not available for many basic legal problems. Community Legal Centres, which seek to partly fill the gap with the help of volunteers, helped over 215,000 people with free legal advice last year but had to turn away more than 160,000, largely due to lack of funding. In Queensland, three in five people are being turned away from the centres. This is under conditions in which social inequality has reached obscene levels. Alongside devastating job losses, mass youth unemployment, soaring housing costs, homelessness, poverty and suicides, the Rich 200 List members have accumulated collective personal wealth of $197.3 billion, more than trebling their fortunes since 2000. Millions of working class people face an increasingly difficult struggle to make ends meet every day, and often confront serious legal problems as a result. Half the population experiences such a problem each year, according to the Law Council, with the disabled and sole parents twice as likely to need legal assistance. By contrast, the super-rich have no trouble hiring batteries of lawyers to defend their corporate and private interests. This makes a mockery of the pretence of equality before the law under capitalism. Labors contempt and indifference toward those deprived of basic legal rights is seen by that fact that it is offering to reverse only a fraction of the latest cuts. And while the Greens have supported calls by the Law Council and the community legal centres for an extra funding of $350 million over five years, this would amount only to a limited band-aid. In our election statement, the SEP calls for a vast redistribution of wealth to secure the social rights of all, including the right to a stable and decent-paying job, a living income on retirement, free, high-quality public education and health care, affordable housing and access to culture and the arts. We also insist on the defence of all fundamental democratic rights, including the dismantling of the entire intelligence-police-state apparatus and overturning of all anti-democratic legislation. These basic rights cannot be achieved without ending the domination of the financial and corporate oligarchy over economic life. Social need must replace corporate profit as the guiding principle. All the large corporationsthe major banks, mining and energy conglomerates, retail chains, pharmaceutical corporations and communications giantsmust be taken out of the grip of the billionaires and placed under public ownership and the democratic control of the working class, the vast majority of the population. 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. Last Friday, Chris Marsden spoke at a meeting of the International Youth and Students for Social Equality at Berlin's Humboldt University. The national secretary of the Socialist Equality Party (UK) explained why the party is calling for an active boycott of the June 23 referendum on UK membership of the European Union. Marsden's report met with great interest and sparked a lively discussion. When asked about the consequences for the referendum of the murder of the Labour MP Jo Cox, Marsden said, "This tragic event shows the deeply reactionary forces mobilized in this campaign." Immediately after the murder, politicians had to briefly stop the campaign. But it did not take long before the murder was politically exploited by both sides. Marsden also addressed the question why the former Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, formerly an advocate of EU membership, has changed sides and now leads the campaign for an exit. The bankers and speculators of the City of London, who determine policy in the British capital, had profited in the past from business with the EU, Marsden said. But some believe the situation is changing. There is a significant minority sentiment of opposition to the EU, who regard it as a sinking ship. The only things still growing in Europe are problems and crises, and investors interest is shifting from Europe to Asia. In response to the claim that staying in the EU would counter the rise of rabid nationalism, Marsden responded that the unity of Europe was a class issue. "The unification of the European working class will take place in opposition to, and not via the EU." *** It is a privilege to have been invited to speak at tonights meeting before an audience of German students, youth and workers. Personally, of course, it is a pleasure. But I speak here from a political standpoint. Three days ago, the Socialist Equality Party (SEP) held a meeting in London at which the featured speaker was my translator for tonight, Peter Schwarz, a leading member of the Partei fur Soziale Gleichheit and secretary of the International Committee of the Fourth International. He spoke to a British audience on the political significance of the Brexit referendum for the European working class. Now I am here to make an appeal for workers and young people in Germany to forge political bonds with working people in Britain. I will advocate for an internationalist struggle against not only the European Union (EU), but the governments of Prime Minister David Cameron, Chancellor Angela Merkel and their counterparts throughout the continent. I will urge a rejection of all forms of nationalism, including that which dresses itself in leftist language, and call for the fight for the United Socialist States of Europe. There is now less than a week to go before the UK goes to the polls. Each day that passes has confirmed the position taken by the SEP to argue for an active boycott. Let me explain as briefly as I can how we arrived at that decision. The SEP is an implacable opponent of the EU. The EU is an instrument of the ruling classes of Europe for the imposition of brutal austerity measuresmost directly on the workers of Greece, of Spain, Portugal and Ireland, but also on workers in the UK, France and Germany. Our own prime minister, Cameron, has even proclaimed an Age of Austerity as his government imposes cuts of 210 billion, (263 billion), equivalent to over 10 percent of Britains GDP, at the cost of the destruction of 20 percent of all public sector jobs, millions more in the private sector and the decimation of vital services. The EU is second of all an instrument of military aggression. It is a vital ally of NATO in its escalating conflict with Russia and China as the US and European powers seek to control all of the worlds markets and resourcesincluding vital oil and gas riches commanded by the Putin regime in Moscow and the giant production platform manned by billions of super-exploited workers led by President Xi Jinping in Beijing. Finally, the EU is an instrument for erecting and policing Fortress Europe. It bears responsibility for the horrific treatment of hundreds of thousands fleeing the impact of wars in which the UK, Germany, France, etc., are all complicitin Libya, Iraq and Syriaincluding the deaths of thousands drowned in the Mediterranean and the imprisonment, in what are effectively concentration camps, of tens of thousands more. However, the SEP refuses to aid the efforts of right-wing capitalist politicians to exploit and monopolise legitimate hostility to the EU. The Leave campaign articulates the interests of that section of the British ruling class that sees EU membership as a restraint on the untrammeled exploitation of the working class, the freedom of the City of London from regulation and its efforts to secure a leading role in global markets against its main European rivals, Berlin and Paris. It is headed by the most right-wing section of the Tory party, such as Boris Johnson and Michael Gove, and UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage. For this reason, an active boycott provides the only means available to working people to take an independent stand. We oppose those such as Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn who have lined up behind the EU, claiming that it is a check on the Tory party, defends workers rights and can be reformed. Corbyn lies. He cites as his allies Syriza leader Alexis Tsipras in Greece and Francois Hollandes Socialist Party government in France. Syriza betrayed its anti-austerity mandate and signed up to punishing new austerity measures that have brought it into open conflict with the working class, on the basis that this was the only way to maintain EU membership! Hollande is even now mobilising riot police against workers seeking to defy his own plans to impose right-wing anti-labour measures and to push through cuts. We also oppose those pseudo-left groups, such as the Socialist Workers Party - the co-thinkers of Marx 21- and the Socialist Party, equivalent to the SAV/Socialist Alternative. They argue that it does not matter that the Leave campaign is dominated by the right-wing. A Leave vote will split the Tory party and hasten the day when Jeremy Corbyn leads a Labour government that will implement anti-austerity measures. For example, Sally Campbell of the SWP admits, Jeremy Corbyn did a deal early on in his leadership of the party that he wouldnt continue to argue against Britains membership of the neoliberal bosses club that he recognises the EU to be. It was an issue on which he agreed to compromise for the sake of party unity. Jeremy Corbyn does nothing but compromise for the sake of party unity! Its what he does morning, noon and night. But Campbell insists that this does not matter because, supposedly, [It] seems improbable that there will be a leadership challenge to Corbyn any time soon. He is set to be the beneficiary if the Tories continue to tear themselves apart and spend the next three years mired in hidden or open leadership battles. This is said even as Corbyn emerges as the key figure in the Remain campaign. We have been forced by such nonsense to make the most basic of argumentsthat a vote for a right-wing position strengthens the right-wing! Above all, we have insisted in our statement on the Brexit referendum, The first consideration of socialists is to safeguard not only the present interests of the working class, but also its future. The biggest political danger in this situation is the mixing of class banners on the basis of the espousal of a supposedly left nationalism. I cannot deal exhaustively with every manifestation of the base and sordid character of both the Remain and Leave campaign. So I will centre on two issues: how clamping down on immigration has become the key issue in the referendum campaign for both these rotten alliances; and how the threatened breakup of the EU is giving rise to an outburst of national antagonisms that bring with them the danger of dictatorship and war. Both underscore the criminal role of those who claim that the working class somehow automatically benefits from the breakup of the EU on the basis of an eruption of nationalism. Back in April, the website of the advocates of a so-called Left Leave vote claimed that whereas, Many, particularly on the left, predicted this would be a vile campaign dominated by racism and the presence of Nigel Farage and UKIP ... it hasnt worked out like that. The campaign had instead been boring. No claim has been disproved to such terrible effect. Yesterday, Labour MP Jo Cox was repeatedly stabbed then shot to death by a 52-year-old man who reportedly shouted, Britain First! Cox, a prominent campaigner for a Remain vote, died an hour later. Britain First is a fascist group that advocates physical attacks on Muslim Labour MPs as part of the fight against what it calls the Islamisation of Britain. The man involved reportedly suffers from mental illness. But growing evidence is emerging of his fascist sympathies. This is someone who has been stewing in nationalist poison for yearslinking up to South African racist websites, buying instructions on how to make a gun from fascist sites in the United States, purchasing pamphlets written by Hitler. And then in the midst of this campaign, he erupts into horrific violence. Why now? His actions testify above all to the reactionary political climate and to the social forces unleashed by this referendum campaign. Consider this. That same day, UKIP leader Nigel Farage was rolling out the latest poster in his Leave campaign. Accompanying a picture of a line of desperate refugees, it reads, Breaking point. The EU has failed us all. We must break free of the EU and take back control of our borders. Commentators published it alongside a still from a Nazi propaganda film, with an almost identical visual message. This is what the Nazi propaganda film says as commentary: These are the type of Eastern Jews who flooded Europes cities after the last war, parasites undermining their host countries, threatening thousand year old cultures and bringing with them crime, corruption and chaos. The message is the same! Everybody knows. You merely have to substitute the word Muslim for Jew. To underscore this, the previous day Leave.EU, funded by UKIPs biggest backer, issued a cartoon depicting the EU as a ship sinking due to a wave of immigration and depicting Muslims as terrorists, thieves and sexual predatorswith one threatening an Aryan looking mermaid masthead with the words, Ficke! Ficke! As to the claim that Farage has been sidelined, it is not just that Farage is now everywherewhich he is. Hes one of the most televised politicians in Britain today. He has appeared debating Cameron on ITV, on BBC Question Time and many other programmes. It is, as Farage himself boasts, that UKIPs anti-migrant xenophobia is now the stock in trade of both camps. He told the right-wing Breitbart website, Todays front pages mark a genuine sea change in British politics. The two men most likely to succeed David Cameron as Prime Minister have both now publicly committed to an Australian-style points system for immigration. There can be no going back from these positions. Even more amazingly Boris Johnson has suggested that migrants should speak English. The response of the Remain campaign has been to compete with Leave over which has the best policy for curbing migrationadvancing Fortress Europe as a guarantor against the arrival of hordes of refugees. And, in recent days, it has basically adopted wholesale Leaves opposition to the right of free movement of EU citizens. Most significant of all, it is the Labour Party that has led this campaign. Labour MP Yvette Cooper even complains that The [Conservative] home secretary, Theresa May, has said nothing about immigration at all in this campaign... When Britain takes the presidency of the EU next year we should use it to build an agreement from the inside... to develop new kinds of controls and brakes to manage economic migration. Alan Johnson, Labour head of the official Remain campaign, declared, If anyone believes that our border in Calais (France) is going to survive us leaving the EU then once again theyre in the realms of fantasy. Labour's former Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls declared, We need to press Europe to restore proper borders, and put new controls on economic migration. Balls was backed by other Labour MPs, including deputy party leader Tom Watson, who said, I think a future Europe will have to look at things like the free movement of labour rules. Almost every single day in the Guardian, the newspaper of what passes for the liberal left in Britain, there has been an article by a leading Labourite declaring that, We got it wrong on immigration. So much for the progressive impact of a Corbyn-led Labour government! The closer we get to a vote, the more there are open statements on the part the advocates of Leave proving that this is a campaign driven by escalating national antagonisms, or warnings by Remain supporters that a Leave vote will exacerbate such animosities and lead to the breakup of the EU. Here are just some of the statements specifically targeting Germany as a threat to the UK. Rupert Murdochs Sun newspaper editorialised, If we stay, Britain will be engulfed in a few short years by this relentlessly expanding German-dominated federal state. In the Daily Mail, Dr. Robert Lefever writes in inflammatory terms: A federal Europe will be a German super-state... The end resultalarmingly soonwill be that Greater Germany (currently called Euroland) will be as much of a colonial power as was communist Russia in the Soviet Union... the belief in themselves as a master race is still alive and well in Germany. To refer to the second world war as 'Hitler's war' underestimates his popular support. Other European countries have good reason to fear German domination. The implications of the emergence of such national tensions in a continent that has twice been the arena for world war are becoming ever clearer. They have provoked a panicked response in the bourgeoisie. A report by the Brookings Institution in the US states: Brexit would lead to a global fall in equity prices as investors fear the impact the vote could have on Britain's economy, and could spell the first falling domino of European Union disintegration... It is also not hard to imagine that Scotland might vote to secede from the UK, as it has tried in the past, and that it would impact Northern Ireland which has enjoyed a rare period of relative peacein addition to setting off other European regional succession movements. Not just the break-up of the European Union, but the fracturing and break up of nation states is posed. Angel Gurria, secretary-general of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, concurs, warning, Brexit could threaten both the unity of the UK and the unity of the European Union. Donald Tusk, President of the European Council, warned in yet more apocalyptic terms, As a historian, I am afraid this could in fact be the start of the process of destruction of not only the EU but also of the Western political civilisation. Let me stress: Brexit is not the cause of the break-up of the EU. It is the expression of an ongoing process. The national antagonisms it expresses are rooted in the inherent contradictions of capitalism. It is the product of the drive by hostile nation states to dominate global markets and resources, which is the motive force for the headlong rush towards colonial wars of conquest, towards trade war and ultimately to war between the imperialist powers themselves. This dog-eat-dog struggle, which is waged by a fabulously rich financial oligarchy, is at the same time the key to understanding the ever-escalating offensive against the working class in every country being waged in the name of global competitiveness. Let me stress: The class antagonisms generated provide the objective basis for the development of a mass movement against the capitalist profit system. But this depends above all else on the socialist party of the working class exposing the left purveyors of nationalism: Those who urge workers to retreat back to the national soil and construct a siege economy against the evils of globalisation. From the standpoint of the historic interests of the working class, there can be no greater betrayal than this. By reinforcing national divisions between workers, it hands the political initiative over to the likes of the National Front in Francewhose leader Marine Le Pen now calls herself Madam Frexitor the AfD here in Germany. Ultimately, it paves the way for fascism and war to once again wreak savagery and destruction on the peoples of Europe. The EU is breaking apart, and many of its constituent states, including the UK, are fracturing. And it is not our task to rescue it. But we seek its replacement on higher social foundationsthrough the unification of the working class across national borders in a common struggle against the ruling class and its governments. The massive productive forces of the continent could then be placed at the service of the many, not the few, and provide the basis for a rich and fulfilling life for all. The basic choice facing working people is this: Either nationalism, social and political reaction and waror a turn to socialist internationalism. We do not counter-pose rule by parliament in London or Berlin to Brussels, as if this is genuine democracy and even self-determination. These high sounding phrases conceal the rule over the working class and the destruction of the lives of millions by a super-rich elite. We know that genuine democracy is only possible when it is based on an egalitarian system free from class oppression. We side with neither wing of the criminal parasites who have wrecked the lives of millions and who lead the referendum campaign. We insist that the ally of the British workers are the workers of Germany, Europe and internationally. As is shown by the events in Greece, France and Belgium, the working class is now being driven once more into struggle. Mobilised under the leadership of a party which is steeled in the rich lessons of history, embodied in the programme and perspective of Trotskyism, it will prove to be the mightiest political and social force the world has ever seen. Against the call to return to the nation state, surrounded by militarised borders, our rallying cry remains that of Marx: Workers of the World Unite! The SEP and the PSG, European sections of the International Committee of the Fourth International, offer an internationalist and socialist alternative to the working classabove all to the younger generation. I would urge you all to consider very carefully what I have said tonight and to take the decision to dedicate your lives to this life and death struggle for socialism. As Allina Health nurses in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area enter their fourth day on strike, the opposition of 4,800 striking nurses to concessionary demands remains determined. The walkout, which began Sunday, followed three months of negotiations between the Minnesota Nurses Association (MNA) and Allina Health, the largest and most profitable hospital chain in Minnesota, which is refusing to discuss staffing levels and other critical issues unless the MNA accepts the destruction of the nurses current health coverage. In addition to demanding plans with much higher out-of-pocket costsaimed at saving the company $10 million a yearAllina Health is planning to switch to a computer staffing system that would further increase the workload on already overburdened nurses. The hospital chain is also offering an insulting 2 percent pay increase in each of the next three years. Before the strike the MNA, which is only demanding a 3 percent annual raise, offered to set up a joint labor-management body to cut health costs but Allina rejected the proposal. The walkout 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 company is remaining intransigent in its demands and no new negotiations have been scheduled. Meanwhile, it has hired a strikebreaking firm to bring in 1,400 nurses to keep hospital operations going. In the face of this provocation, the MNA and the AFL-CIO and Change to Win labor federations are keeping the embattled Allina nurses isolated. The MNA is keeping 7,000 members at other Twin Cities area hospitals, which have already agreed to new contracts, on job and is limiting the ongoing strike to just one week. The World Socialist Web Site spoke with striking nurses at Abbot Northwestern hospital in Minneapolis. Larrissa, a new nurse with one year of experience, said people her age were entering the workforce under conditions of rapidly deteriorating living standards. Commenting on the large sums Allina was spending to hire strikebreakers, she said, Housing is paid for, traveling, and food--and I heard that on the first day, Allina spent about $30 million and at the end of the week it will be $140 million dollars. Nurses expressed their concern over the new computer system that was set to replace traditional staffing, which automatically assigns nurses to each patient. This new system would require nurses to enter their tasks into a computer as they complete them. Larrissa expressed skepticism towards the ability of this system to effectively assign nurses to their patients adding, It's hard to do that now, because nurses are sometimes so busy things don't get charted until after the new nurses come. The computer system doesn't know if you're busy and can't chart what you're doing, so you can't base staffing off this computer system. Nurses she knows work in another hospital system in Wisconsin that uses a computer staffing system, Larrissa said, adding, The staffing program told corporate they needed more nurses but they didn't staff them, so you're still short no matter what. She added, and you still need a charge nurse on the floor, and you're going to have to pay the charge nurse. The Affordable Care Act launched by the Obama administration has served as a catalyst to slash costs for health care businesses. It has also accelerated the drive by corporate America to greatly reduce and eventually eliminate employer-sponsored health care altogether. The nurses current health care benefits are seen as a major obstacle in this process, and as many nurses have expressed, a defeat in this battle would likely follow with cuts to nurses living standards across the state and nationwide. The importance of the gutting of nurses health care is underscored by the willingness of Allina Health to incur the short-term expense of hiring strikebreakers while it waits for the MNA to capitulate to its demands. Another nurse who wished to remain anonymous elaborated the fact that the nurses struggle is part of a general class struggle. Ive been telling people that were fighting not just for us, but were fighting for nurses everywhere and other workers everywhere. If Allina nurses are not to face this struggle alone, rank-and-file nurses must take the conduct of the struggle into their own hands and reject the MNAs political subordination of the fight to its relations with the Democratic Party and corporate management. Nurses should elect rank-and-file committees to fight for joint action by all nurses and health care workers in the Twin Cities. An appeal should also be made to the entire working class to beat back Allinas demands and fight for health care, livable wages and safe working conditions for all workers. Blockades and protests continued in the Mexican state of Oaxaca yesterday, following Sundays police massacre of striking teachers and their supporters in the village of Nochixtlan. In Mexico City, students at the countrys largest collegethe National Autonomous University of Mexicoannounced a student strike in support of teachers and in opposition to state violence. Demonstrations of hundreds of teachers took place across the country, including in Acapulco, Chiapas, Morelos, Hidalgo, Monterrey, Merida, Veracruz, and Baja California Sur. Family members of those killed on Sunday held funerals Monday, which drew angry crowds in thousands. Those who were killed were all young, ranging from 19 to 33 years old. The death toll rose to 11 after three more demonstrators died from gunshot wounds in local hospitals. Only one of those killed was a teacher, the rest were parents, peasants, students and others who joined the fight in defense of education, according to the National Education Workers Organization (CNTE). Eyewitnesses in Nochixtlan are testifying as to what happened on Sunday and are exposing the governments justifications for the massacre as lies. Yesterday, police officials repeated the charge that demonstrators were to blame for sparking the provocation when nearly 1,000 police descended on a road leading into the town that teachers had blockaded for eight days. Oaxacan governor Gabino Cue alleged that protesters fired on police after taking five policemen prisoner. Santiago Bautista, a teacher who was present at the demonstration, told Regeneracion news that at roughly 7:30 in the morning the police all got out of buses, they started to walk toward us and about 70 meters from the bridge they started to shoot, to throw teargas bombs. They didnt warn us or give any ultimatum, nothing. They came very aggressively. After the initial attack, teachers appealed to workers in the impoverished town, many of whom rushed to join the protest upon learning of the police presence. Teachers assert that roughly 5,000 people were gathered near the road when the attack began. Elite police units then began appearing, dressed in camouflage. Reinforcements came and a helicopter appeared, flying very low, Bautista explained. This was between 10:30 and 11:00 in the morning. Even then we continued to retreat when this group started to shootthey began to open automatic gun fire directly against us. Reports from Nochixtlan also show that the police swept through the town, dragging townspeople away, seemingly at random. According to town residents who issued documentary proof, police broke up a funeral that was unrelated to the demonstrations. Police burst in at roughly 8:30 a.m. yelling hands on the back of your necks! The detained were then thrown in a pile in the back of a truck and taken away. The small town of 13,000 is currently under military rule. The headquarters of the municipal government was burned by angry residents, who also draped a banner over the towns only ATM machine that reads: Assassins. Pena NietoGabino CueDaniel Cuevas, referencing the president, the governor of Oaxaca, and the towns mayor. The banner also reads: The people of Nochixtlan demand justice. Punish those responsible. Fearing the possibility of widespread demonstrations, the administration of President Enrique Pena Nieto announced it would meet leaders of the National Education Workers Organization (CNTE) on Wednesday in Mexico City. The secretary of public education, Aurelio Nuno Mayer, made clear that the government would not negotiate the terms of the right-wing education reform program against which teachers are striking. Wednesdays meeting will be for the purpose of bringing peace and tranquility to Oaxaca through political dialogue where we will not discuss themes relating to education. Nuno added immediately afterwards that this is a moment of openings for compromise and tolerance. This is the moment, particularly in Oaxaca, for all of us to play our part to put an end to the violence. The education secretarys comments come after the government ordered its police to fire automatic weapons into a crowd of demonstrators who gathered to oppose his attempts to privatize education on behalf of Wall Street and the Mexican capitalist class. The Mexican ruling classs method for establishing peace and tranquility in order to ram through its regressive program is demonstrated in places like Nochixtlan and Ayotzinapa, where 43 disappeared student teachers were likely tortured and murdered for protesting against similar education reform measures. The US corporate press has largely buried reports of the massacre, and for good reason. The bloodbath in Nochixtlan constitutes a damning indictment of the role played by the United States in Mexico and the impact of the diktats of US banks and corporations. Speaking in the Oval Office after meeting with Pena Nieto in 2015, President Obama said, Ive congratulated President Pena Nieto on some of his structural reforms that I think will unleash even further the enormous potential of the Mexican economy. In 2014, Obama praised Mexicos shared commitment to democratic values and human rights. In the case of the Nochixtlan massacre, neither the silence of the US press nor the lies of the Mexican government can quell the growth of the class struggle and the massive popular hostility to the blood-soaked regime of Pena Nieto and the capitalist system that it defends. On June 10, New Zealand police officers shot and killed Mike Taylor, 57, on a driveway at his home in Karangahake Gorge, near Paeroa, a town of about 3,900 residents. The killing is the latest in a series of incidents involving the use of fatal force by police, amid the growing social tensions being generated by the countrys worsening economic crisis. Thirty-one people have been fatally shot by police since 1941, including three last year. In every case so far, the officers involved have not been charged. Taylors partner Natalie Avery said they had had an argument in which Taylor threw a hot cup of coffee at her and she called police, but I wish I hadnt. She told Fairfax Media that Taylor threw a machete and sickle at the police car when it arrived. He then turned his back, put his hands in the air as instructed by police and began to kneel. Avery claims that while preparing to surrender to police, Taylor was shot through the heart from behind in front of her and her 14-year-old daughter Amy. Taylors stepson Carlin, 21, was indoors showering. Avery has called for an independent inquiry into what the family calls a cold-blooded execution. Carlin had heard about five or six shots. I looked outside and saw a cop aiming a rifle. It was an execution. Amy told the media, They didnt even need to taser himhed surrendered. He had his hands in the air. Waikato Police District Commander Bruce Bird immediately dismissed the familys account of what happened, telling a press conference that officers were attacked by Taylor, who had got very close. Bird claimed that the officers, who were not injured, made the right decision. He told NewstalkZB that a post mortem on June 11 showed that Taylor was shot as he approached police and not in the back. The Independent Police Conduct Authority (IPCA) announced it would investigate the shooting. The IPCA only has the power to gather evidence and make recommendations for disciplinary action, not to prosecute police officers, and it has a long record of siding with the police. Police Association president Greg OConnor said he was fully supporting the officers involved in [the] fatal shooting in Paeroa. OConnor, who has repeatedly demanded that police carry guns, asserted that no one should criticise the judgment of officers who decide it is necessary to kill. He told NewstalkZB that criticism of shootings was an unreasonable response and the public should accept that police officers... will more and more be having to make these decisions. The killing of Taylor follows the shooting last year of David Cerven, a 21-year-old Slovakian national, in Myers Park, Auckland. Police announced in March they would not lay charges against two officers who killed Cerven, an apparently suicidal man who was unarmed. Last September, police shot and killed 25-year-old Pera Smiler on a street in central Upper Hutt. Witnesses described the shooting as unnecessary. Smiler was armed with a rifle but evidently in a distressed and suicidal state. As in the United States, where two people are killed by police every day, New Zealand police are being increasingly heavily armed. In 2008 the Labour Party government began arming police with Tasers. Last year Police Commissioner Mike Bush announced that all officers would have access to these extremely painful and dangerous 50,000-volt weapons. Following a decision in 2011, all police vehicles now carry pistols and rifles. The victims of police violence are typically poor, working class, and often mentally ill. Avery and Taylor reportedly had no electricity at their property, where they raised horses and cattle. Taylor had been in prison when younger and had had numerous encounters with police. He was involved in a lengthy conflict with the Hauraki District Council over his attempt to block access to a public bicycle trail running through his property. The Waikato region, including Paeroa, has been hit hard by New Zealands economic crisis and there is widespread social distress. In 2012 there were reports of children in the region stealing in order to feed and clothe themselves. In 2013, Paeroas official unemployment rate was 12.8 percent (more than double the national rate), and the median annual income was just $19,800 (about $10,000 less than the minimum wage for a full-time worker). The miserable social conditions in Paeroa have fuelled the growth of criminal gangs, with frequent reports of large-scale drug bust operations by police. The town is heavily policed and for several years there has been a night-time curfew for teenagers. In Waihi, not far from Paeroa, life is just as hard. There have been at least 70 job cuts at the towns Newmont gold mine since 2012. Over the same period, the Waikato regions Huntly East coal mine, run by the state-owned Solid Energy, has cut its workforce from 193 to 68 as well as eliminating dozens of contractors. Chief Coroner Deborah Marshall reported last year that Waikato had the fifth highest suicide rate in the country, with 49 people taking their own lives in 20142015 and overall 354 since 2007. Last year a record 564 people took their own lives in New Zealand, according to official statistics. In rural areas, suicides are often attributed to plummeting prices for dairy products, due to the global downturn. The government has done nothing to protect farmers, who are suffering from soaring levels of debt. The tragic death of Mike Taylor, and the defence of the shooting by the police hierarchy, must be taken as a warning. The governments response to the worsening social crisis produced by its policies is to boost the prison system and give the police more weapons and powers. These are the methods that will be used in the future to intimidate and suppress the opposition and resistance of workers to the continual attacks on their living standards. Seventy-five years ago today, in the early morning hours of June 22, 1941, Nazi Germany launched Operation Barbarossa, a massive, undeclared invasion of the Soviet Union. Over the course of the operation, some 4 million soldiers of the Axis powers attacked the USSR along an 1,800-mile front, the largest invasion force in the history of warfare. Operation Barbarossa was, in the words of the German state, a Vernichtungskrieg, a war of annihilation. Its aim was not simply the conquest of territory and seizure of human and natural resources, it was the physical liquidation of the Soviet Union and extirpation of all traces of the 1917 Russian Revolution. The war against the Soviet Union expressed the historical and political essence of the Nazi regime, which had been brought to power by the German bourgeoisie to destroy the German workers movement and end for all time the threat of socialist revolution. But in a profound sense, Operation Barbarossa was the response of world imperialism and the international capitalist class to the crisis of their system and the growth of revolutionary Marxism. It was well known that in the years leading up to the German invasion, the Western imperialist powers and capitalist governments had looked sympathetically upon Hitlers despotic regime and hoped that it would at least initially turn its military might to the East and serve as an instrument for the destruction of the USSR. In his book Ostkrieg: Hitler's War of Extermination in the East, published in 2011, historian Stephen G. Fritz summed up the motivation behind the Nazi invasion as follows: Contrary to the belief of many in the West, Hitler did not blunder into the war in the east. For him, the right war was always that against the Soviet Union, for to him Germanys destiny depended on attaining Lebensraum and solving the Jewish question. Both of these, in turn, hinged on destroying the Soviet Union. Which of these aims was most important? Given Hitlers views, it would be artificial to attempt to prioritize or separate them. For him, the war against Jewish-Bolshevism and for Lebensraum was comprehensive and of whole cloth. This political and historical goal determined the character of the German war in the East and the methods employed. From the outset, and by design, the German Wehrmacht unleashed a level of brutality such as the world had never seen. Between 2 million and 3 million Russians, mainly civilians, were killed in the first three months of the invasion. The Generalplan Ost (General Plan East), adopted in 1940, included a Hunger Plan that envisioned the deliberate, targeted starvation of 30 million people in western and northwestern Russia18 percent of the Soviet population. On the orders of Hitler and the general staff, all basic tenets of international and military law were to be ignored. The so-called Commissar Order issued in advance of the invasion decreed: In this battle it would be a mistake to show mercy or respect for international law toward such elements The barbaric, Asiatic fighting methods are originated by the political commissars Therefore, when they are picked up in battle or resistance, they are, as a matter of principle, to be finished off immediately with a weapon. General Erich Hoepner told the 4th Panzer Group that the struggle must aim at the annihilation of todays Russia and must therefore be waged with unparalleled harshness No adherents of the present Russian-Bolshevik system are to be spared. The invasion of Russia had a genocidal character. It marked a new phase of the Holocaust, setting into motion the systematic campaign to destroy European Jewry. The Wannsee Conference, where the decision to implement the Final Solution was taken, was held seven months after the launch of Barbarossa. The almost complete annihilation of Jews in all the conquered territories began with the first days of Operation Barbarossa. In the Baltic countries, a large majority of the Jewish population was exterminated within six months of the invasion. Over a million Soviet Jews were murdered by Einsatzgruppen death squads. The number of casualties among Soviet civilians has to this day not been definitively established, but it is usually put at around 18 million out of a total of 27 million people from the Soviet Union who died in the war. The war was launched nearly two years after the August 1939 non-aggression pact between Hitler and Stalin that ushered in the German invasion of Poland and World War II. This pact, which greatly disoriented the international workers movement, occurred two years after the destructive and demoralizing purge of the Red Army in the Great Terror of 1937-1938. This historically unprecedented massacre of Red Army officers, on the eve of a major war, left the Soviet Union immensely vulnerable to a German attack. Stalin killed more high level officers than were killed in the four years of the subsequent World War. Stalin thereby eliminated virtually the entire military cadre that had emerged from the Revolution and the 1918-1921 Civil War, and been trained and educated under the leadership of Leon Trotsky, co-leader with Lenin of the Russian Revolution and the creator and commander of the Red Army in the early years of the regime. In total, some 30,000 Red Army personnel were executed, including high percentages of division, corps and army commanders. Germany began massing troops and materiel near the Soviet border months before the invasion. Despite being warned by British intelligence and the Soviet regimes own intelligence agencies that Hitler was preparing to attack, Stalin delayed the reconstruction of defensive fortifications in the border regions. As a result of Stalins policies, driven by the counterrevolutionary bureaucracys fear of a revolutionary challenge to its rule by the Soviet working class, when the Wehrmacht crossed the border it quickly overwhelmed the Soviet forces. In the first weeks of the war, German and allied forces advanced with breathtaking speed across virtually the whole of the front, occupying some of the most important economic areas of the USSR, mainly in Ukraine. Stalin, caught by surprise and in total panic, suffered a nervous breakdown. He did not even address the nation until July 3, 11 days after the invasion. Hitler had organized the offensive on the premise that the war would be quickly won. But despite the catastrophic failure of the Stalinist leadership and the terrible losses suffered by the Soviet Union in the initial weeks, the resistance mobilized almost spontaneously by the Soviet people had a massive and historic character. By the mid-autumn of 1941, notwithstanding the fact that the Germans had advanced some 600 miles, had encircled Leningrad and were almost within sight of Moscow, the German high command concluded that the invasion had failed and Germany was trapped in a protracted war it could not win. In December of 1941, the Red Army launched a devastating counterattack and, for the first time ever, the fascist armies were thrown backwards. The failure of Operation Barbarossa was a decisive turning point in the fortunes of the Third Reich. The scale of popular resistance in the USSR, and the heights of courage and self-sacrifice displayed by the suffering Soviet masses were a testimony to the world historic and progressive significance of the Russian Revolution and the worlds first workers state which it brought to power, despite the crimes and depredations of the Stalinist ruling clique. The Soviet victory, which still required four more years of fighting and more terrible human losses to consummate, had a powerful impact on the working class all over the world. It was the residual strength of the Russian Revolution that played the decisive role in the defeat of fascism. The Soviet counteroffensive inspired the growth of resistance movements throughout Nazi-occupied Europe and internationally. Summing up the crucial role of the Red Army and the resistance of the Soviet masses in the defeat of Hitlers Reich, Stephen G. Fritz wrote in the volume cited above: The Second World War was not won or lost solely on the Ostfront, but it was the keywhile the scale of fighting there dwarfed anything in the west. In retrospect, the disproportional nature of the Ostkrieg is striking: roughly eight of every ten German soldiers who died were killed in the east the Red Army, at the cost of perhaps 12 million dead (or approximately thirty times the number of the Anglo-Americans), broke the back of the Wehrmacht Trotsky, the leader of the international struggle to defend and extend the Russian Revolution on the basis of the program of world socialist revolution, and implacable opponent of Stalinism, anticipated and understood better than anyone else the significance of the Red Army. He concluded a 1934 article titled The Red Army: Facts must be taken as they are: not only is war not excluded but it is also almost inevitable. He who is able and willing to read the books of history will understand beforehand that should the Russian Revolution, which has continued ebbing and flowing for almost thirty yearssince 1905be forced to direct its stream into the channel of war, it will unleash a terrific and overwhelming force. Seventy-five years later, the Soviet Union no longer exists. It was destroyed, as Trotsky had warned, by the reactionary, nationalist character of the Stalinist bureaucracy. The dissolution of the USSR in 1991 was the culmination of the betrayals and crimes of the Stalinist regime and a major blow to the international working class. The quarter century since the restoration of capitalism in Russia, far from producing a flowering of peace and democracy, has inaugurated a new period of imperialist war and reaction all over the world. For Russia, it has been an unmitigated disaster. One of the necessities driving the Russian Revolution was the fact that Russia, so long as it remained under capitalist rule, would inevitably be carved up by the Western imperialist powers and reduced to the status of a semi-colony. Today, militarily encircled and under relentless political, economic and diplomatic assault by the United States and its NATO allies, capitalist Russia is incapable of warding off its attackers. The Putin regime embodies a return to the most bankrupt forms of Russian nationalism, pursued in the interests of a criminal capitalist oligarchy. The removal of the Soviet Union from the scene, despite its degeneration under the Stalinist bureaucracy, has fueled a growth of interimperialist conflict and militarism, and hastened the drive of world imperialism toward a new world war. It is remarkable how little is being written or said about the anniversary of one of the most monstrous crimes of the 20th century. This is not accidental. For some time and with increasing ferocity, particularly as we approach the centenary of the Russian Revolution, a spirit of revanchism has animated the political, ideological and academic representatives of imperialism. Books are being published, articles written, interviews given seeking to legitimize and apologize for the Nazi war against the Soviet Union. The central calumny and historical falsification of these screeds is not only the claim of an equivalency between the invader and the invaded, but the assertion that the unspeakable crimes of Nazism were a justified response to what they claim was the real crime of the 20th centurythe overthrow of capitalism in Russia. These are preemptive and, in the end, desperate attempts to prevent a new generation of workers and youth, entering into revolutionary struggle and attracted to the banner of socialism, from drawing inspiration from the greatest event of modern historythe October 1917 Revolutionand learning the true lessons of the heroic and tragic fate of the Soviet Union. A rally organised by the Refugee Action Coalition (RAC) at the Sydney Town Hall last Sunday again exposed the efforts by pseudo-left organisations to divert popular opposition to Canberras persecution of refugees and asylum seekers behind the Greens. With less than two weeks until the July 2 federal election, the meeting, billed as part of World Refugee Week, was a thinly-veiled election rally for the Greens and a promotion of a Labor-Greens coalition as a lesser evil to the Liberal-National government. About 700 people, including representatives of the New South Wales Teachers Federation and various pseudo-left groups, which dominate the RAC, attended. The meeting was chaired by RAC spokesman Ian Rintoul, a leading member of the state-capitalist Solidarity group. Rintoul told the meeting that while the protest campaign would continue regardless of the election outcome, the rally was to ensure that everyone does the right thing on July 2 in order to see the end of the coalition government. Greens senator Lee Rhiannon was the only politician to speak. Introducing her, Rintoul declared that the Greens stand much closer to the RAC than anyone else. The RAC distributed a leaflet at the event listing which of the RACs 10 refugee policies were held by the three major parliamentary parties. The Greens received eight ticks, compared with two for the Labor Party and none for the Liberal-National coalition government. The Greens accept the national framework of Australias draconian and illegal anti-refugee policies. Rhiannon told the meeting that people arriving at the countrys borders should have a right to be processed but that processing should be conducted in overseas countries before refugees came to Australia. In other words, detention centres should be established in Indonesia or nearby statesanother form of dumping refugees in impoverished countries. While Rhiannon claimed that people have every right to seek asylum here, the Greens have previously admitted that a quarter of all applicants for refugee status would be refused admission. The Greens embrace the reactionary conceptions of border protectioni.e., that the state should regulate and enforce the movements of all refugees and immigrants. They have no opposition to mandatory detention and only call for a time limit with a ceiling of 50,000 for the humanitarian intake. The ceiling would be enforced by blocking refugees arriving by boat. Ten thousand of the refugee admissions, would be reserved for those with skills deemed to be in short supply. Signalling the Greens readiness to enter a coalition government with Labor, which backs the current refugee regime, Rhiannon claimed that there were people in both those parties who had taken a stand. Labor leader Bill Shorten, she said, had won the argument to support the turn back the boats policy against caucus opponents who, she asserted, were simply not loud enough. Between 2010 and 2013, however, the Greens were parliamentary partners of Labor, propping up the minority government of Prime Minister Julia Gillard, which extended the Liberals so-called Pacific Solution to include mandatory periods of offshore detention, even for officially recognised refugees. Labor reopened the Manus Island and Nauru detention centres in 2012, after their closure in 2008. In 2013, the Rudd government legislated that refugees arriving by boat be deported and never permitted to return. The lie that Labor can be pressured to provide a more humane policy on refugees was promoted throughout the rally. Rintoul claimed that there were 50 Labor candidates, as well as union members, who are fighting to change Labors policy. We want to see [that figure] at 50 percent plus 1, Rintoul declared. Sophia Semmler from Young Labor for Refugee Rights was given the platform to reinforce this perspective. Semmler criticised Labors policy as unforgiveable, and not far from the Liberals. She insisted, however, that it was a fallacy that the partys position was supported internally and said MPs who opposed it had been silenced. Semmler concluded by declaring that it will be a Labor government that ends the policy. The sole criticism of the Greens came from Margaret Pomeranz, a film producer and television personality. Pomeranz attacked the Greens from the right for naysaying Gillards so-called Malaysia solution under which Australia would swap 800 asylum seekers held in detention centres for 4,000 refugees waiting in Malaysia for resettlement. The plan was declared illegal after three prominent refugee advocates took a case to Australias High Court. Pomeranz maintained that this solution would have been preferable to what is happening now. Nobody expressed any opposition. Other speakers provided graphic accounts of their experiences in the Kafkaesque nightmare that is the refugee incarceration system. Hamad, a young man admitted to Australia in 2014 under the humanitarian program spent three years in detention in Indonesia, where he saw several of his friends die. Stopping the boats was no solution, he said, explaining that there were already nearly 5,000 refugees in detention in Indonesia, some for up to six years, and that Australia had only been prepared to accept 65. Three teachers, Evan, Judith and Jennifer, who had taught in the detention centre on Nauru, spoke in defiance of the Border Force Act which provides up to two year jail for any whistle blowers exposing conditions in the camps. They read letters from students, giving heart-rending accounts of the conditions they endure. These include bullying, violence, sexual abuse and rape, including against children. They described the fading light in the eyes of their young charges. One 18-year-old girl, incarcerated since she was 15, said she had wanted to study engineering, but her mind was now tired and empty, and doesnt work. Students wrote of their bleak lives, with no future and nothing to look forward to. The rally voted for a 5-point plan, presented as a pledge for a just refugee policy. Those in attendance were urged to ask their local election candidatesincluding MPs responsible for Canberras brutal refugee regimeto sign the pledge. Socialist Equality Party members and supporters campaigned in opposition to these absurd appeals, distributing the partys election program and explaining that the only way to end detention and persecution of asylum seekers was in the struggle to mobilise workers internationally on a socialist and internationalist program. The SEP fights for the basic right of every person to live and work wherever they wish with full citizenship rights, which necessitates the complete abolition of the current border protection regime. 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. Directed by Mor Loushy; written by Loushy and Daniel Sivan Censored Voices, which won the Israeli prize for best documentary last year, is based on a simple but powerful premise. A group of Israeli veterans of the 1967 Six-Day Waralmost 50 years after the eventslisten to tape recordings of interviews they gave in the weeks immediately after the conflict. The conversations are combined with footage of the war and its aftermath. The soldiers accounts, mostly suppressed by military censorship when efforts were made to publish them at the time, reveal truths about the war that have rarely been discussed. At the same time, as the former soldiers listen to their younger selves, their original testimony also functions as a kind of time capsule, exposing the bankruptcy and dead-end of the whole Zionist project. This significant documentary, directed and co-written by Mor Loushy, is an Israeli-German co-production. Loushy conceived the film after reading a book, based on these interviews, by historian Avraham Shapira. Shapira had led the informal conversations with the soldiers, working with a young teacher, Amos Oz, a veteran of the war himself and, subsequently, one of Israels leading writers. Loushy worked for a number of years to convince Shapira to assist her in making this documentary account. She spent years tracking down archival footage, including rare scenes of battle and the beginnings of decades-long occupation. The film opens with Oz and Shapira explaining the context in which the interviews took place, as they traveled to various Israeli kibbutzim to find veterans who would talk about their experiences and reactions. All of those on tape in 1967, having come of age in the years after the founding of Israel as a Zionist state in 1948, accepted as necessary the dispossession of Palestinians at that time, from land they had occupied for centuries. This makes the interviews all the more revealing and prophetic in their anticipation of the trajectory of Israeli society and politics. The June 1967 war unquestionably marked a turning point for the Zionist state. Israel tripled the area over which it exercised political and military control, occupying the West Bank, Gaza, the Sinai Peninsula, the Golan Heights and all of Jerusalem, after a massive first strike had rapidly defeated the armies of Egypt, Syria and Jordan. A wave of nationalist and chauvinist euphoria swept the country and affected many Jews elsewhere, especially in the US and Western Europe. A new Zionist myth was added to the old one, which had justified the denial of the national rights of the Palestinian people on the basis of the horror of the Nazi Holocaust, subjecting them to Israeli military rule. The Zionist establishment, still led by the veterans of Labour Zionism who had founded the state two decades earlier, celebrated the military victory and initiated a Greater Israel policy, spawning a new social layerparticularly among the Jewish settlers within the Occupied Territoriescommitted to this expansionist policy. It thereby adopted the policies of its former political rivals, the right-wing Revisionist tendency embodied in the Herut party (now Likud). The Zionist authorities appealed to history for proof of legitimacy, morality and exclusivity in the Jewish peoples right to the newly enlarged country, and encouraged a new wave of religious immigrants from the West to settle in the Occupied Territories. These settlements in turn provided a pole of attraction for some of the most reactionary forces, such as Moshe Levinger, the father of the settler movement, and Meir Kahane and his fascistic Kach party. The soldiers who gave these extensive interviews in the weeks following the 1967 war did not subscribe to the general enthusiasm and national pride. As the excerpts replayed in Censored Voices amply demonstrate, some were ashamed of actions they had witnessed, but which they had not objected to at the time. They worried about a future of continuous occupation and permanent war with their Arab neighbors. The military authorities deemed most of the discussions injurious to national morale. Only 30 percent of the accounts were published at the time. These were widely read in Israel, but then largely disappeared from view, and the full interviews remained unavailable. Censored Voices, with its first-person testimony about atrocities, the reality of occupation and ethnic cleansing, shows what the Zionist establishment was worried about. In the invasion of the Sinai, for instance, one of the veterans reports that the orders were to kill everything you see every civilian, every person is your enemy. A paratroop company commander explains they were ordered to kill soldiers wandering around [we] killed 15 soldiers who didnt even try to defend themselves In the war, we all became murderers. A veteran describes east Jerusalem after the war. The chief rabbi arrived, and all his entire entourage They started playing the shofar horn an awful sound. I had this feeling of abhorrence, thinking about religious coercion and all that. For me it wasnt a freed city, it was an occupied city, the soldier continues. The more I have visited there since then the more I felt loathing Judaism does not sanctify places. This is not Judaism. People are what count for me, not rocks. The interviews also dealt with the mechanics of occupation and of ethnic cleansing, a process that depressed many of the soldiers. You take this Arab, uproot him from his village and turn him into a refugee, says one veteran. You just banish him. Its not just one, two or three people. Its an evacuation. You see the entire village sitting there You have to tell them something in order to drive them away. You say [the village] is going to get bombed and that theyd better leave. So they tell younot one, but several of themall right, let us die here, and you have nothing to say When you see there is no sign of resistance you realize what holocaust means, explains this soldier. The same man listens, 50 years later, close to tears, to his sentiments as a young soldier. Another soldier recounts how he saw refugees being forced to leave Jericho. I identified with them completely. I could see myself in those kids who were carried in their parents arms, when my father carried me The Arabs were having experiences similar to those we had in World War II. Perhaps that is the tragedy, that I identified with our enemies. Some of the soldiers venture to make forecasts of the future. There is no feeling of joy, observes one. I dont believe this is the last time well have to wear uniforms The next round will be much crueler because weve become a conquering army. Shapira comments, back in 1967, I dont know if only wars can destroy nations. A constant state of war can also destroy a nation Im not sure whether in other countries the future of the Jews wont be safer than in a small state surrounded by enemies I feel that not only did this war not solve the states problems, but it complicated them in a way that will be very hard to solve. The tape-recorded accounts are skillfully interwoven with footage of the war and occupation. Some of the scenes are so close to what is described that they give the appearance of being the actual events. Brief closing remarks from each of the participants touch on the legacy of the Six-Day War. Elisha and Amitai Shelem, brothers who are among the interviewees, explain that their hope was to be a free people in our land. As long as we occupy another people we are not a free people. Weve lost the free people part. Were heading toward a terrible place, says Ilan Lotan. A society that wont tell itself the truth and wont look reality in the eyes is in trouble. Big trouble. Censored Voices raises issues for which the participants admit they have no answers. Oz himself, vilified by the Zionist right wing for his criticism of occupation and expansion, has continued to defend Israel as a Jewish state and on that basis has supported, even with reservations, repeated murderous attacks on the Palestinians, such as the July 2014 Operation Protective Edge, which killed thousands. Oz and others distinguish the founding of the Zionist state from what came later, and of course there are differences that reflect the sharp shift to the right within Israel. Nevertheless, the whole trajectory of Zionism can be read in the mournful faces of the old Zionist veterans. These are not men who are proud of the last five decades, and they have little confidence in the future. Whether they agree or not, they are confirming the warning made by Leon Trotsky 80 years ago, that the establishment of an exclusivist Zionist state in Palestine would be a trap for the Jewish people. The best explanation that Censored Voices can come up with is the comment from one veteran that the tragedy of Israel is that both peoples are right, that they have competing claims to the same land that cannot be reconciled, and that therefore there is no answer. This is the only conclusion, as long as the nation-state barriers of capitalism are accepted. The tragedy is not that there is no way forward, but rather that Jewish and Arab workers have been pitted against each other. Prime responsibility for this rests with Zionism and its imperialist sponsors. There is also the crucial role of the Stalinist regime in the Soviet Union, however, which cynically backed the establishment of the Zionist state in 1948, and then shifted its diplomatic support to the Arab nationalist leaderships. Above all, the Moscow bureaucracy feared an independent movement of the working class. The Arab bourgeois regimes shared the Stalinists fear that the revolutionary movement of the masses would escalate out of control, not just in Palestine, but elsewhere in the oil-rich region. The apparent paradox, 50 years after Zionisms greatest military victory, and despite the tens of billions in military and economic assistance Israel has received from its imperialist patrons and wealthy benefactors over the decades, is that Israel has never been weaker or more isolated. However, this is not so difficult to explain. It is not merely the product of the policies of the vile Netanyahu government. It expresses the logic of Zionism itself. Presiding over one of the most unequal societies in the world, the regimes only answer to its own internal social crisis is to continue to direct it outward in military conflict, while attacking the democratic and social rights of the Israeli working class. The answer to the false hopes and blind alley of Zionismalong with the decades of oppression suffered by the Palestinian peoplemust be the struggle to unite Jewish and Arab workers in a common struggle against their own ruling classes and for the building of a socialist society. On Monday, the Supreme Court voted 5-3 that evidence obtained by unlawful tactics by police may be admissible in court. The is the furthest the highest US judicial body has ever gone in undermining the basic protection against unreasonable searches and seizures granted by the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution, a core element of the Bill of Rights. The ruling provides a blank check for police to arbitrarily stop and search a motorist or pedestrian without probable cause, so long as they discover afterwards that the person was one of millions of Americans with an outstanding warrant for something as minor as a traffic ticket. The ruling will result in a massive expansion of illegal stops and searches by police nationwide. The case, Utah v Strieff, hinged upon the actions of Salt Lake City police officer Douglass Fackrell in a 2006 narcotics arrest. Acting on the basis of an anonymous tip, Fackrell staked out a house that was suspected of being used for drug sales, watching it over the course of a week. When this did not produce any evidence, Fackrell decided to question the next person he saw exiting the building, which happened to be Edward Strieff. Fackrell detained Strieff, despite not having any reason to single him out, making the stop an illegal abuse of power. The policeman radioed in a search for outstanding warrants. When the search turned up a traffic violation, Fackrell arrested and searched Strieff, finding a small bag of methamphetamines. Since the early years of the Warren Court (the period when Earl Warren was chief justice) more than half a century ago, such evidence has been considered inadmissible in court under the exclusionary rule, which prohibits the use of evidence obtained by police illegally. This, in turn, is based upon the Fourth Amendment, which reads: The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. Fackrells actions were considered so blatantly illegal under this precedent that the Utah Supreme Court voted unanimously in Strieffs favor, suppressing the drug evidence. What is remarkable about the Supreme Courts ruling is that it does not contest the illegality of the initial stop by Fackrell. Rather, in the opinion written by Clarence Thomas, the majority concludes that the evidence obtained by Fackrell was admissible because it was obtained after Fackrell radioed in for Strieffs outstanding warrants. Thomas and his colleagues argue that Fackrells actions did not constitute purposeful or flagrant misconduct, so the evidence obtained by him in the subsequent search should be admissible in court. Officer Fackrell was at most negligent, but his errors in judgment hardly rise to a purposeful or flagrant violation of Strieffs Fourth Amendment rights, Thomas blithely asserts. After the unlawful stop, his conduct was lawful, and there is no indication that his stop was part of any systemic or recurrent police misconduct. The ruling effectively nullifies the long-established fruit of the poisonous tree doctrine, according to which evidence obtained as the result of illegal activity of the police is inadmissible in court. It is significant that Justice Stephen Breyer, a Clinton appointee and a member of the courts liberal bloc, cast the deciding vote in this case. It is a further demonstration of the shift to the right of the entire political establishment, within which there is no longer any significant constituency for core democratic rights. Scarcely four months after the death of Antonin Scalia, the long-time leader of the right-wing faction on the court, the dismantling of democratic rights by the Supreme Court continues unabated. Justice Sonia Sotomayor, an Obama appointee, wrote an unusually sharp dissenting opinion that raises the essential democratic issues posed by the majoritys opinion, which she said provides police with incentive to violate the Constitution. She was joined only in part by the other two dissenting justices, Elena Kagan and Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who wrote their own opinions. Do not be soothed by the [majority] opinions technical language, Sotomayor warned. 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. She pointed out, The states and federal government maintain databases with over 7.8 million outstanding warrants, the vast majority of which appear to be for minor offenses, which, after this ruling, can now be seized on to carry out searches without reasonable suspicion. Sotomayor continued, 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. Readers who consult one of the larger English dictionaries will find that carceral means pertaining to prisons or a prison. Sotomayor chose to use a deliberately obscure word to dilute the impact of what she was acknowledging: the Supreme Court ruling is appropriate to a police state, not a democracy. Sotomayor is not an oppositional figure, but a time-tested defender of the political establishment. During her tenure as an appellate judge in New York, she handed down numerous rulings bolstering the arbitrary powers of the police. The fact that she feels compelled to denounce the decision of her colleagues in such stark terms should be taken as a warning of the willingness of broad layers of the political establishment to dispense with democratic forms of rule. The Socialist Equality Party (US) is running Naomi Spencer for the West Virginia House of Delegates in District 16. SEP members and supporters are currently collecting signatures to get on the ballot in the district, distributing the SEP presidential election statement and speaking to hundreds of residents about the campaign. Naomi Spencer, 38, is a member of the National Committee of the Socialist Equality Party (US). She is a regular contributor to the World Socialist Web Site and has been a member of the SEP since 2005. A graduate of Morehead State University in Kentucky with a degree in art, Spencer works as a web designer and writer. She lives in Huntington with her husband and two sons. Along with the SEPs presidential and vice presidential candidates, Jerry White and Niles Niemuth, Spencer will provide workers and young people with a socialist alternative to capitalism and the corporate-controlled political system. The issues facing workers in Appalachia are dire, but they are by no means unique. Workers all over the US and around the world confront the same problems: the danger of world war, relentless attacks on democratic rights and soaring social inequality. West Virginias 16th District encompasses the city of Huntington, an industrial rail town on the Ohio River whose economic fate is intimately tied to the coal industry. The region, long a distressed area, has been buffeted by instability in the global economy. After extracting trillions in profits from the labor of generations of miners and other workers, the global energy giants, coal bosses and bankers have left West Virginia in a state of economic, social and environmental ruin. The state has among the worst unemployment and labor force participation rates in the country. Poverty and the lack of access to public health and other services are widespread, affecting every aspect of life, including death itself. The life expectancy for males in McDowell County, for example, is only 64 years, 12 years below the national average and roughly the same as the impoverished African country of Namibia. These conditions are not the product of unfair trade deals, as the Democrats and Republicans claim. Rather, they are the product of the breakdown of the world capitalist system. Following the crash of 2008, the ruling class, under the leadership of the Obama administration, has overseen a massive transfer of wealth into the hands of the banks and corporations. Throughout the world, the corporate and financial elites are seeking to make the working class pay for their crisis. As coal miners in West Virginia are losing their livelihoods, a million and a half coal miners and steelworkers in China are being laid off. The history of the class struggle in West Virginiafrom the Mine Wars of the 1920s and 1930s to the miners rebellions of the 1960s and 1970sproves that nothing can be won without mass struggle. However, the United Mine Workers contained these struggles within the Democratic Party and the capitalist system. The UMWA, along with the entire AFL-CIO and Change to Win trade union federations, responded to the decline of American capitalism by transforming themselves into tools of corporate management. Underscoring its role as an anti-working class organization and tool of the coal bosses, the UMWA is backing Democratic gubernatorial frontrunner, Jim Justice, a coal baron and the states richest man. The US presidential primaries showed that tens of millions of workers and young people are looking for an alternative. On the one hand, the billionaire real estate mogul Donald Trump has sought to channel mass disaffection of the political system by blaming Mexican, Muslim and other immigrants for the economic and social crisis. To the extent that Trump was able to win a hearing, it is due to the treachery of the unions and their subordination of the working class to the Democratic Party, which seeks to mask its indifference to the economic plight of workers with racial and identity politics. More significantly, Bernie Sanderswho described himself as a democratic socialistgained more than 12 million votes nationally and won 51.4 percent of the vote over Hillary Clintons 35.8 percent in West Virginia, secured far higher margins in the poorer counties and among young people. Sanders support in the state demonstrated that broad sections of the working class are looking for a way to oppose the capitalist system, and that the fundamental class issues are coming to the fore. Sanders, however, is now wrapping up his campaign and getting ready to back Clinton, a warmonger, shill for Wall Street and the personification of the corrupt relationship between the government and the giant corporations. From the beginning, the basic purpose of Sanders campaign has been to contain deep social anger and channel it back into the Democratic Party. Workers need an alternative. The SEP campaign in West Virginia will fight to bring a socialist and internationalist program and perspective to the workers of the entire region. To all workers fighting to defend their jobs and living conditions, to young people drowning in debt, to those who are sick of endless war, we say: Get involved! Support Naomi Spencer for House of Delegates District 16 in 2016! Take up the fight for socialism! Read more about the campaign and get involved here. MONTICELLO, FL (WTXL) -- The WTXL "Road Trip" series continues in Jefferson County with a look at Monticello's main streets. The city's downtown area features historic landmarks and newer businesses that are thrilled with their location. Jefferson County, also known as the "Keystone County," is a region with a small-town feel and a rich history -- and at the heart of it all, Monticello -- a national Main Street community. If you head to downtown Monticello, you're probably going to spot the Jefferson County Courthouse, which sits smack-dab in the heart of the city -- where Jefferson and Washington streets intersect. Commuters pass by that roundabout every day, heading to Tallahassee or South Georgia. Locals and business owners realize this location is a welcome one for tourists and for residents. It's a small downtown district packed with variety and a personal charm that makes the county's only incorporated city worth the visit. Monticello is synonymous with memories. No matter where you turn downtown, signs and buildings show off the area's history. Anne Holt is the executive director of the organization Main Street Monticello. "It's an old-fashioned town," Holt said. "It's truly small, and the people care a lot about it." People like Jack Carswell grew up here, left for several years and came back. "Monticello is a window towards our heritage," he said. "It lets us know what we were like and what our aspirations were." You don't have to go very far to see what he's talking about. On Jefferson and Pearl streets, the Wirick-Simmons house is listed in the U.S. National Register of Historical Places. It's also been considered a "haunted house" of sorts, bringing the likes of Anderson Cooper to check out the town's spooky ghost tours. Also along Jefferson Street, you'll find a mix of older and newer stores. Traditions is an embroidery and screen-printing shop that moved downtown two years ago. "We get a lot of foot traffic through here," said owner Michele Arceneaux. "We also have a lot of people traveling on Highway 19, which runs through Georgia and Florida, so we get a lot of thru-traffic. We've had guests here from Canada, Ireland, Germany, and all over the United States." Traditions has seen its business triple since moving downtown, and neighboring store Two Sisters, New Beginnings says the charm of Main Street is a big reason why. "They'll see the shops, or they'll see the restaurants and want to stop, because it's such an inviting little place, and everybody here is extremely friendly," said owner Sandra Hood. "It's just a fun place to be and a fun place to have a shop." Heading to Washington Street, you'll find even more to check out. The Monticello Opera House has been a landmark here for more than a century. The building serves as a theater and popular venue for local events. "We do a lot of weddings here, a lot of local anniversaries and banquets," said executive director Javier Betancourt. "Everyone kind of has a memory of being in the opera house." And further down the road is a local food favorite. "Tupelo's...is famous all around the country. They make the best vegetarian quiche that anyone ever ate -- anywhere in the world," Holt said. "Heavenly. You have to get there around 11 o'clock in the morning -- or else it's gone." Whether it be Washington or Jefferson Street, Main Street Monticello could feed your appetite in more ways than one. **Next, we take a closer look at the importance of watermelons in Jefferson County.** Authorities have now permitted private security companies to operate drones. Mamon, Ynet's sister publication, learned that Ituran, a company that provides tracking and protection services for vehicles, has successfully employed drones to locate stolen car in the past few weeks. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Drones are now providing the largest stolen car tracking companies in Israel with capabilities that had been previously limited to the security forces. These companies can use drones in the locating phase wherein the thieves are attempting to hide stolen cars in orchards and non-residential areas until law enforcement reaches the scene. Additionally they will employ them to locate stolen vehicles that cross the green line. A drone For example, last week Ituran rescued a stolen Buick Lacrosse in Tulkarem. Company employees first used the drone to locate the car in the Palestinian city and then traveled there with IDF forces and loaded the car onto a tow truck. Thereafter, they returned the car to Israel and its legal owners. "Drones constitute an additional force in the war on car theft," said Oded Paz, Ituran's head of Operational Systems. The downward trend in stolen cars continued this year. According to police data, 5400 cars were stolen between January and May, a decrease of 19 percent decrease compared to the same period in 2015. Israel is taking an additional precautionary step against Hamas tunnels which is intended to draw the attention of southern residents surrounding the Gaza region to incidents of Hamas tunnel digging. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter From now on, a red alert will be sounded not only when rockets are launched but also when information is received about the digging into Israeli territory from tunnels. The alarm will sound identical to that when rockets are falling into Israeli territory. However, in order to distinguish between rocket warnings and tunnel digging, the southern residents will receive, in addition to the alarm, an SMS message instructing, Due to terrorist digging, residents are requested to go into their homes and switch off the lights until further notice. Photo: IDF spokesperson's unit Additionally, security coordinators will sound warning messages on the public address system about the tunnel penetration. The new warning system has been adopted as a result of lessons learned during Operation Protective Edge in 2014 Hamas tunnels Speaking about the new initiative, a military official said on Tuesday, Our central mission today is to defend the communities, in addition to offensive engagements against terror. The Israeli communities in the Gaza area are of primary importance their strength means success. The official added, The alarm is another way of alerting the attention of the residents about when something is happening. Obviously the alarm will be sounded as usual when there is rocket fire. He also pointed out that it was important that the civilians understand that not every alarm means terrorists have penetrated into Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has found a solution to circumvent an obstacle which has brought about the rejection of Dr. Ran Baratz's appointment as head of public diplomacy in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) by the Civil Service Commission (CSC). Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Baratz was instead appointed to be a senior consultant in the PMO, and will receive 95 percent of a full director general's salary. In essence, Baratz will be conducting the same duties which fell under his purview in the role previously intended for him: formulating PR strategy, writing speeches, and assembling briefings. Prime Minister Netanyahu's media adviser, Boaz Stembler, will nevertheless keep his position despie the hierarchical arrangement between him and Baratz being unclear at this point. Netanyahu announced Baratz's appointment in November 2015, but controversy shortly ensued when it was revealed that Baratz had published harsh, even hostile, messages about US President Barack Obama, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, and US Secretary of State John Kerry, among others, on social media. A Facebook post in which Baratz refers to President Obama as an anti-Semite. Shortly after Baratz's appointment was announced, President Rivlin's associates set about undermining the decision by attempting to convince government ministers to oppose it. Five ministers did indeed declare that they would oppose the move, were it to be submitted for governmental approval. In the past five months, Netanyahu's associates made it clear that he was determined to appoint Baratz, but was waiting for the most opportune moment. The PM therefore, decided to restart the appointment procedure in late March, and contacted the CSC which only complicated matters. Civil Service Commissioner Moshe Dayan vehemently refused to approve of Baratz's appointment, arguing that he did not meet the minimal criteria for the position as they are described in the government's decision, including the requirement of having experience in public relations in a diplomatic context. PM Netanyahu countered by saying that Baratz had experience and expert knowledge in PR. The difficulties the PMO met during the appointment process led to the State Prosecutor's Office being contacted, since there was a possibility it would receive a motion opposing the appointment in the future. PM Netanyahu. Circumvented the need for government approval. (Photo: Eli Mendelbaum) Understanding that he would not be able to pass the hurdle Dayan had placed, Netanyahu, in an unusual move, decided to appoint Baratz as a consultant, which would remove the need for government approval. Government officials have since criticized the PM's actions, saying, "The Prime Minister is making a mockery of civil service rules, and sending ministers a message that says they can act just like him." 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. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter 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. Adolf Hitler (Photo: Gettyimages) 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. The strength of the Israel Air Force (IAF) will be significantly boosted on Wednesday when it will officially receive the first state of the art F-35 stealth aircraft which is endowed with the Israeli name, Adir. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter A ceremony will be held to mark the occasion in the manufacturing factory the Lockheed Martin aerospace company in Fort Worth near Dallas, Texas. The IAF will become the first air force in the Middle East to possess the advanced plane, the first of which are expected to arrive in Israel toward the end of the year. The reveal of the F-35 in the US X Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman will participate in the ceremony along with Air Force Chief of Staff Lt. Col Tal Kalman and 400 other guests among whom will include Pentagon officials. The first plane will be flown by American pilots to the southern squadron base of Nevatim in December and could be soon integrated into first operational use. F-35 in action X In total, Israel is set to receive 33 such planes, with deliveries taking place over the course of the remaining year and next year. Six will be received annually until 2021 which will, together, form two squadrons. One of the main unique capabilities of the plane is the ability to fly over enemy territory without being identified by radars. Moreover, it is able to carry 16 tons of bombs, missiles and fuel. F-35 in action (: ) X The Israeli government will need to decide, among other things, about the basis of the new multi-year military aid agreements currently being formulated as negotiations proceed between Jerusalem and Washington. It will also have to decide whether the third squadron will be comprised of F-35 planes or F-15 planes, the latter belonging to the companys rival, Boeing, despite a preference on the newer planes. One of the major pitfalls of the new model relates to the exorbitant price of each plane. Lockheed Martin explained during a conversation with Israeli reporters, that due to the efficiency and the expansion of the production lines, the price of every plane fell from $250 million in 2008 to $90 million last year, and that the aim was to reduce the price further to $85 million. However, the price of every plane sold to Israel will be more expensive due to the unique accommodations demanded by the IAF which will distinguish it from other identical models acquired by other armies. The unique features for the Israeli model will include electronic warfare systems and the types of arms it can carry. On top of this, Israel will foot the mammoth bill of $35,000 for every hour of flight. By contrast, the F-16 costs only $20,000 per flight hour. Once again this is due to the special fighting systems with which it is equipped which do not exists in previous fighter jet models. New F-35 fighter jet One of the most secretive aspects of the plane lies in the production stage itself. In a separate sealed room which contains few windows and with limited access, agile robots paint the planes greenish-grey. The main significance of this 8-day process is that the plane is not easily visible to the enemy due to the special formula of the paint in a process known as encoding. Each layer of paint amounts to 1,500 litres. During the next step of production, electronic systems scan every nook and cranny of the planes exterior to give it a shape which makes enemy radar detection next to impossible. A manual inspection is then conducted to ensure that there are absolutely no bumps on the plane. This is also intended to ensure that the plane is not detected by the enemy. Continuing negotiations between the US and Israel Initial talks regarding Israels acquirement of the F-35 began in 2008 between the then Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and US President George Bush. During these talks, the two sides discussed the possibility of Israel purchasing up to 75 F-35 aircraft. Apparently, Olmert had opposed acquiring F-35s planes. Indeed, he told the calcalist magazine (a supplementary paper to Yedioth Ahronoth) that he agreed only to the option of purchasing the planes, since he believed that it was best to keep the option open. However, Olmert maintained that purchasing the planes was a military and economic error, particularly on such as scale. In 2010, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his then Defense Minister Ehud Barak signed a purchase order of 19 F-35 planes at the staggering cost of $2.75 billion. As was the case with the F-16 and F-15 which came before it, Israel and the US agreed that the new model would be equipped with unique specifications for Israel. Lt. Col. Yotam, who was chosen to command the first stealth squadron of the Air Force, said: The success of the Adir plane will not be demonstrated by attacks in Gaza where everything is predominantly urban, but will be demonstrated by maintaining air superiority on the eastern front, referring to the Iranian threat. Israel has launched diplomatic efforts aimed at halting the publication of a report by the Quartet (an international diplomatic body comprised of the United Nations, the European Union, the United States, and Russia. Its purpose is to oversee the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and attempt to end the conflict), which is expected to blame Israel for the current impasse in the peace process with the Palestinians. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The report is set to be published on Thursday or Friday, but diplomats in Israel estimate that it will only be published after Prime Minister Netanyahu meets with US Secretary of State John Kerry. The two are set to meet in Rome early next week. Israeli officials say that the report is not expected to contain any major surprises but is likely to place full blame at Israel's door step for the stalled peace process. The report will also reportedly condemn Israel's construction in the settlements, settler violence, home demolitions, and other steps seen as jeopardizing the prospects of a two-state solution. Netnayahu and Abbas. Israel is expected to take most of the blame for the stalled negotiations. (Photo: Getty Images) Palestinians are expected to be censured for the effect their actions have had in increasing incitement and violence. Reports received by Israel say that back channel attempts have been made to make the report part of the UN Security Council's agenda. The government in Jerusalem is worried that the report may pave a path toward promoting the French peace initiative (which Israel opposes), and perhaps even its endorsement by the UN. Senior Israeli ministers say that the US is playing a double game, and that it enjoys watching Israel squirm, intending on intervening at a more convenient time specifically, after the November presidential elections are over. The Quartet's report was written following a meeting of its foreign affairs representatives in Munich in early 2016 with the goal of analyzing the reasons for the diplomatic stagnation between Israel and the Palestinians. It aso set out to form a plan for renewing negotiations. PM Netanyahu spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin, urging him to intervene and "soften" the report, as well as to postpone its publication. Netanyahu will also meet European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon (who will be arriving in Israel for a goodbye visit, as he is expected to leave office at the end of 2016) next week and discuss the Quartet's report with them. A 17-year-old Jewish boy was attacked Tuesday in a public park in Jaffa. According to him, his attackers were Arabs who screamed anti-Semitic slurs at him and stabbed him with pieces of a broken bottle. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter S., who is a student in the Sharon region, was visiting his parents in Jaffa. He went out in the evening, according to him, to a public park in Jaffa to exercise, when suddenly several youths, whom he had seen two weeks ago, showed up. He claimed that they attacked him with broken bottles and yelled at him, "Stinking little Jew, you deserve to die." S., who was cut, required medical treatment, and Wednesday morning he went with his mother to file a complaint with the police. Some of the boy's injuries She recounted the second incident that resulted in her son's alleged attack, noting that the attackers were aged 17 to 20: "He was at the same place, but he was working out with earphones, so he didn't hear or see them coming up to him. They told him, 'You're the guy from last week, stinking little Jew; you deserve to die.' "They broke a glass bottle, stabbed him in the leg and tried to stab him in the stomach. They laid him on the ground and kicked him. Luckily, my kid is strong, and he managed to get away from them. They brought him to Ichilov Hospital to check his wounds; this morning at 4:00 he was released, and we went to the police to file a complaint." Some of the boy's injuries Her son posted to Facebook, describing the incident. The two are convinced what caused the incident. "I have no doubt that it was nationalistic and based on the fact that he's Jewish," said the mother." The police have opened an investigation into the matter. President Reuven Rivlin delivered a special address before the plenary of the European Parliament on Wednesday. He addressed European attitudes to Israel, dismissed the French peace initiative, and spoke of the peace process with the Palestinians Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter Rivlin's speech comes a day before the UK referendum on a potential Brexit and following a recent peace conference in Paris that did not include Israel. He was received on his arrival by President of European Parliament Martin Schulz, and the two stood for the Israeli and European anthems. European attitudes to Israel Rivlin began his address by stressing the historical significance, and modern strength of Israel's relationship with Europe and commented on their shared values, "Liberty, equality, justice, pluralism and religious tolerance, democracy; these are the basic tenets inscribed in Israel's Declaration of Independence. These are the constitutive values of the European Union." Rivlin addressing European Parliament (Photo: Mark Nieman, GPO) The president noted though that there was growing frustration that Israel's core concerns were not appreciated, "Just like you, Israel faces difficult and complex challenges. But, unlike Europe which embarked upon a process of removing partitions between nations and states, Israel wishes, and indeed must, remain first and foremost a national homeland, a safe haven for the Jewish People." He noted, "The State of Israel is by no means a compensation for the Holocaust, but the Holocaust has posited as a basic tenet the necessity and vitality of the return of the Jewish People to history, as a nation taking its fate in its own hands." The president stressed, "I feel that the massive criticism aimed at Israel in Europe stems from, inter alia, a misunderstanding and an impatience toward this existential need of the Jewish Nation and the State of Israel. On the other hand, and much to my regret, Israel has a growing sense of impatience (when it comes to Europe). There are those who feel anger and frustration toward certain European actions, vis-a-vis what they perceive as sometimes unfair criticism, sometimes even contaminated by elements of condescension, and some would even say double standard." He turned to the representatives of the European nations and asked them to consider with patience Israel's concerns, and respect Israel's democracy and sovereignty. He said, "My European friends, we cannot agree on everything. But as friends and as true allies, I call upon you and ask you, let us be patient. Please respect the Israeli considerations, even when different from your own. Respect Israeli sovereignty, and the democratic process of its decision-making. Respect Israel's staunch commitment, indeed its very duty, to protect its citizens. For us it is the most sacred commandment of all." Peace Process The president turned his attention to the need to find a solution to the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. He spoke of the importance of building trust between the parties in order to create the right conditions for an agreement, and of the important role Europe could play in this vital process. Speaking of Israel's willingness to reach a solution, the president said, "Ladies and gentlemen, I am standing here today and saying in no uncertain manner: from 1993, in which the Oslo Accords were signed, the elected Israeli leadership has beenand isin support of the solution of 'two-states for two peoples'. Furthermore, being well versed in the Israeli Parliament, I do know that any political agreement brought before the Israeli Knesset by an elected government will be approved." Reuven Rivlin and Martin Schulz (Photo: Mark Nieman, GPO) He went on to stress that "With all the difficulty and pain involved, we must look at reality straight in the eye and tell the truth. Currently the practical conditions, the political and regional circumstances, which would enable us to reach a permanent agreement between usthe Israelis and the Palestiniansare failing to materialize." The president then laid out what he saw as the obstacles to progress. He said, "First, in order to achieve a comprehensive permanent agreement, an effective leadership is required. However, the Palestinian leadership today is divided inat leasttwo," and noted that "Hamas, which rules Gaza and is ideologically committedin both its political and military leadershipto the annihilation of Israel." He continued, "Second, in order to achieve a stable and viable agreement, a reasonable regional and economic infrastructure is required. But we are living in a reality where the plague of murderous Jihadi fundamentalism, religious fanaticism and incitement Israel is devoting, and will continue to do so, vast efforts, more than any other actor in the region even at the price of complex security risk-takingbut Israeli intervention alone will not suffice." He added that above all, the lack of trust between the sides was a serious obstacle. "The most fundamental trait of Israeli-Palestinian relations today which is, to my deep regret, a total lack of trust between the parties on all levels; between the leaderships and the peoples." International involvement The president spoke about the repeated failure of the approach of the international community, and the need to apply a new paradigm. He said, "I am afraid that for years the international community has been acting as a mediator between the parties based on one inflexible paradigm, that of striving to renew negotiations toward a permanent agreement. This paradigm draws to a dichotomy: 'Two states or a bi-national state', 'All or nothing', 'Here and now' or 'Nevermore'. "It is by the way by virtue of that same paradigm that various European states opposed the peace agreement between Israel and Egypt, claiming that it does not provide a solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Had that concept been accepted then, imagine where we would be today. This paradigm relies on the assumption that the problem which is the crux of the matter in this bloody and painful conflict is simply the lack of good faith on both parts, and that if we only exert pressure on 'them', on 'us', they will adhere to a permanent agreement and to a state of peace." He continued, "However, as years go by and rounds of negotiations fail one by one, bringing in their wake, waves of murderous violence and terror, it seems that this assumption of a 'lack of good will' proves not only to be fundamentally erroneous, but to ignore the circumstances, the capabilities, and the present situation on the ground, which by definition would lead to the failure of any attempt to negotiate a permanent agreement." Rivlin addressing European Parliament (Photo: Mark Nieman, GPO) He said emotionally, "I speak before you today in the name of the citizens of Israel, grandfathers and grandmothers, fathers and mothers, sick and tired of this bloody vicious cycle which soaks up the blood of our loved ones, the blood of our sons and daughters. I speak before you in the name of these young men and women who wish to live in their country, and not die in their homeland. I speak to you today in the name of a nation which abhors war and desires life and peace. And I must say, one cannot hope to achieve better results while resorting to the same outlooks and tools which have failed time after time previously." French Initiative The president spoke of the latest French Initiative which had been adopted by EU policy makers. He said, "The French initiative suffers from those very fundamental faults. The attempt to return to negotiations for negotiations' sake, not only does not bring us near the long-awaited solution, but rather drags us further away from it." He stressed, "If the international community really wishes and truly aspires to be a constructive player, it must divert its efforts away from the renewal of negotiations for negotiations' sake, and toward building trust between the parties, and to creating the necessary terms for the success of negotiations in the future. In the current circumstances, we must all ask ourselves, 'What can be done today?' rather than, 'What cannot be done?'" He continued, "And things can be done. This mission of creating the terms for a future agreement, creating an infrastructure for trust, and for a life of dignity for both peoples, demands of us todaythe international community and Israel aliketo invest tremendous efforts in four main avenues." The president set out the initiatives which needed to be pursued to bring progress. He called to cooperate with moderate regional powers, develop the Palestinian economy, invest in joint ventures, and improve education for peace. The president reiterated Israel's appreciation of Europe's desire to see an end to the conflict, but noted "If Europe is interested in serving as a constructive factor in striving for a future agreement, it will be incumbent upon you ,its leaders, to focus efforts at this time in a patient and methodic building of trust. Not through divestments, but through investment; not by boycotts, but by cooperation." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to meet US Secretary of State John Kerry in Rome amid growing international pressure for the resumption of peace talks with the Palestinians. Netanyahu's office said Wednesday that the prime minister will meet Kerry early next week, without providing further details. Israeli media has reported that the two will discuss resuming talks with the Palestinians that collapsed two years ago. The guest of honor at the Space Festival in Haifa will be the Almaz spacecraftpart of the former USSR's space programthat will come to Madatech, Israels National Museum of Science, Technology, and Space. Its display will be part of a museum program to promote entrepreneurship and education for space exploration amongst youths and students. Follow Ynetnews on Facebook and Twitter The spacecraft, which belongs today to the private space tourism company Excalibur Almaz, was sent out of the atmosphere twice, first in 1977. In the course of a few years, she is intended to carry out civilian-commercial space flights, though she will remain in the Haifa museum until the end of the year. The Almaz's journey to Israel, in an El Al transit plane, is part of a larger project intended to encourage educational activities surrounding space exploration and to call to youths and students to develop scientific and technological experiments that can be performed in low orbit. The project is a collaboration between the Heinlein Society (an international foundation that supports entrepreneurship to encourage civilian and commercial activity in space) and the Israeli Ramon Foundation. A rendering of an Excalibur Almaz spacecraft (Courtesy of Excalibur Almaz) Within two years, with this collaboration, select youths will be able to send their experiments into space on the Russian spacecraft. Art Dula, the trustee of the Heinlein Prize Trust and founder of Excalibur Almaz, said, "We are proud that our spacecraft, whose abilities have already been proven, will be able to help a project that perpetuates the memories of Ilan and Asaf Ramon. Most of the world's nations don't have a space program, and our international collaboration with the Ramon Foundation for space exploration, for civilian purposes and peaceful purposes, is a beginning for Israeli space flights." The project will also bring to Israel the American astronaut Dr. Don Thomas; Dr. John Clark, an expert on medicine in space who also is the widower of American astronaut Dr. Laurel Clark, who died in the Columbia disaster along with Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon; and the heads of Excalibur Almaz. GENEVA - The Swiss federal prosecutor's office says authorities have detained a Swiss national in Zurich upon his return from Turkey on suspicion of links to jihadi groups in Syria and Iraq. Spokesman Andre Marty said the man, identified only as a 21-year-old from the French-speaking part of Switzerland, was detained at the Zurich airport on June 8 and has been placed in pre-trial detention. Swiss authorities had opened criminal proceedings against the suspect already in February. Joint Women in Leadership Symposium Maj. Gen. Stayce Harris, 22nd Air Force commander and Command Chief Master Sgt. Ericka Kelly, Air Force Reserve Command, speak to more than 70 women during the 29th Annual Joint Women's Leadership Symposium, in Crystal City, Arlington, Virginia, June 15, 2016. Harris discussed strategies on overcoming challenges impacting women in the military and listened to feedback. The symposium, themed "Leading with Purpose! Embracing our Future," is considered a unique professional development and networking opportunity. (U.S. Air Force photo/Lt. Col. Denise Kerr) 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 flight line here June 17 to welcome the Alamo Wings first official C-5M Super Galaxy aircraft, bestowed The City of San Antonio. The 433rd AW is the first Air Force Reserve wing to receive Lockheed Martins modernized strategic airlifter. Flashback 32 years ago, on Dec. 1, 1984, 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 Commands inventory. This is a remarkable day for the 433rd Airlift Wing, said Maj. Gen. John C. Flournoy Jr., 4th Air Force commander, who piloted the aircraft to Lackland. The opportunity to take an older aircraft and bring it up to todays 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. Its 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 Alamo Wings fleet by late 2018. Distinguished guest, Tony Frese, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company Air Mobility and Maritime Missions vice president, noted that the aircraft, produced by Lockheed Martin, 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 versions engines. However, what most people dont 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, 433rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron C-5M crew chief, who accepted the ceremonial key to the aircraft, said he is ready to get to work on the wings first C-5M. Were really excited to get our hands on our own C-5Ms, said the 16-year airlift aircraft maintenance technician. Weve 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 todays 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, District 4, read a proclamation on behalf of the city to the 433rd AW welcoming its first Super Galaxy. Im a member of the San Antonio community, and more than anything; we like to pride ourselves on being called Military City USA, he said. Its not just a slogan for us." Ive 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, said Saldana. Its 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., former Military Airlift Command commander, who piloted that first C-5A Galaxy to Kelly Air Force Base, Texas, home to the wing all those years ago. 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 said. They finally have a modern, reliable plane to accomplish their mission. Im happy for them. Col. Thomas K. Smith Jr., 433rd AW commander, mirrored Ryans excitement for improved capabilities the C-5M will bring to his unit. Our mission at the 433rd Airlift Wing is to provide combat ready troops to the active-duty military and our combatant commanders, he said. This upgrade ensures us the ability to provide reliable, rapid global mobility, one of the six Air Force core competencies. This is a great day for us here at the Alamo Wing. Reservists honored as Las Vegas' newest police officers Three Airmen from the Reserve force here added two more talents to their resume partner and protect as they were commissioned police officers in the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department during an academy graduation ceremony June 14 at the Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas. Tech. Sgt. Jonathan Carrington, 926th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Tech. Sgt. DMetre Farris, 706th Fighter Squadron and Senior Airman Brett Clashman, 926th Wing Staff, spent the last 28 weeks with 51 other recruits learning the operations and tactics needed to become a police officer. Law enforcement is pretty similar to the military in terms of structure, said Clashman. It has a quasi-military sense where a rank structure and chain of command exists. It allowed me to be comfortable in the environment; it was a natural fit. Clashman is a photojournalist with the Air Force. He served on active duty for six years before joining the 926th Wing in 2015 as a traditional reservist. He initially joined in an open-general aptitude with anticipation of training in Security Forces, as he had always had an interest in law enforcement. After my active duty service I thought Id stick with what I had learned in the Air Force, which was public affairs. But after doing marketing on the outside for a year, I decided to make a change and seek out an opportunity to do what I really wanted, said Clashman. I saw that the LVMPD was hiring and I jumped all over it. The LVMPD values military experience and encourages those in transition or looking for a new career opportunity to apply for the academy. Carrington, Farris and Clashman all fit that bill. Carrington transitioned from active duty to the Reserve and joined the 926th Wing in 2015. Hes an F-16 weapons loader, responsible for handling AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles, AGM-88 High-speed Anti-Radiation Missiles, and Guided Bomb Units. Farris is a Combat Search and Rescue intelligence analyst in the Reserve, and is also working toward a degree in criminal justice. I decided to apply to LVMPD because I was seeking a challenge, said Farris. I wanted a career where no two days would be the same and where I could help and serve the community on a daily basis. I talked to many police officers and they all said they loved their job and couldnt imagine doing anything else. Hearing this sentiment sold me on the profession. Upon entrance to the academy the three quickly discovered they were all from the same Reserve unit, and were then able to connect during their drill periods at Nellis AFB. I had a preconceived assumption there would be prior military, but I didnt anticipate that two of my fellow recruits worked for the same organization as myself, said Clashman. It was comforting to know they were going through the same training. The academy is more than 1,000 hours of physically and academically demanding curriculum, so it helps to go into it with an existing support system. Recruits experience realistic scenarios to train them on arrest and control, weaponless defense, firearms, patrolling, traffic enforcement and vehicle operations. They also focus on problem solving and decision making skills, as well as advanced verbal and written communication, to include learning basic Spanish. Of 73 recruits that entered Academy class 12-2015, 54 graduated to become police officers. Im incredibly proud to witness these Airmen undergo such vigorous training and succeed in their goal, said Col. Ross Anderson, 926th Wing commander. I understand the class motto was public trust because they strive to cultivate relationships with the communities they serve. This is also true for the Reserve, as we are the continuity of the Air Force, planting roots here and becoming permanent residents of the city. It is our duty to protect and defend Americas citizens, so Im inspired to know that our members truly take that to heart in all they do. Upon graduation the police officers undergo six months of field training at varied commands in Las Vegas on rotating schedules. Theyll spend this time shadowing another officer until theyre ready to patrol on their own, at which time theyll be assigned to a permanent station. (Information collected from lvmpd.com.) This has been a long time in the making, but in our continuing pursuit to bring only the best of firearms, 2nd Amendment and defence related news to our readers, we are very excited to announce the next step in our evolution as a company. As of 2020, Minuteman Review is now the proud owner and operator of Your Defence News, a website with a long history of breaking huge news stories and investigative journalism. We hope you are equally as excited as us. This means that now the teams of Minuteman can combine with the firepower of Your Defence News to stay at the absolute forefront for our readers. Keep an eye. Big things are coming soon. We couldn't be more excited. In the meanwhile, here are some of our most popular posts and categories to keep you busy. Happy shootin' my friends! Buying Guides: Firearms Firearm Accessories Ammunition Gun Safes Scopes & Optics Hunting Air Rifles Best AR-15 Best AR 15 Scope Best Hunting Rifle Best Gun Safe Best AK 47 Best AR 10 Best Glock Triggers Best Glock Best Home Defense Shotgun Good news for Hoang Anh Gia Lais creditors President of Hoang Anh Gia Lai Group Doan Nguyen Duc Hoang Anh Gia Lai Group had a very tough year in 2015 when the prices of goods dropped dramatically, the company met problems with liquidity and investors lost confidence in the enterprise. VietNamNet Bridge - Sugar, palm oil and rubber, the three crops that Hoang Anh Gia Lai of Doan Nguyen Duc grows in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, have seen prices increasing in the context of a lower global supply due to climate change. Experts predict that the prices of the three crops would continue to go up in 2016.Hoang Anh Gia Lai Group had a very tough year in 2015 when the prices of goods dropped dramatically, the company met problems with liquidity and investors lost confidence in the enterprise.Rubber, the plant that Hoang Anh Gia Lai gathered most strength, saw the price tumbling from $5,750 per ton in February 2011 to $1,000 per ton late last year. With such a price, Ducs farms could not make profit.Keeping patient is what Hoang Anh Gia Lais creditors is doing. However, they may not have to be patient for too long as the prices of sugar, palm oil and rubber have increased again, which allows it to earn more money to pay debts.Hoang Anh Gia Lai put the sugar & sugar cane production complex in Attapeu province in Laos with the investment capital of $70 million in February 2013. The project comprises a 6,000 hectare material growing area and a plant with the capacity of 7,000 tons a day.Hoang Anh Gia Lai can enjoy preferential tariff when selling sugar. In 2015, it brought sugar to Vietnam within the quota of 50,000 tons which enjoyed the low 2.5 percent import tariff. And in 2016, the import tariff will be zero percent.Meanwhile, the sugar price in the world market has increased by 11 percent so far this year and by 56 percent if compared with the deepest low in August 2015.Tom McNeill of Green Pool Commodities said the sugar supply is short after five years of oversupply. Besides, the coup in Brazil, the drought in Thailand and India all would make the supply shortage more serious.The same thing is happening with the palms. The palm oil price fell from $1,100 per ton five years ago to $483 per ton in September 2015, the same level seen when the financial crisis broke out in 2008.However, the palm oil price has bounced back, reaching $681 per ton.By the end of 2015, Duc had had 28,600 hectares of palms, including 7,000 hectares in Laos and 21,500 hectares in Cambodia.As for rubber, Hoang Anh Gia Lai has 38,400 hectares of rubber growing area in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, a rubber latex processing plant with the capacity of 25,000 tons per annum in Laos. The rubber price in the world market has increased by 40 percent this year.Bizlive Latest News Washington, DC - Spoiler alert: If the villains in a thriller appear to be vanquished with 20 minutes left in the movie, you can bet theyll make a dramatic reappearance. A case filed by the FTC targets a B2B tactic that small businesses started seeing years ago, but - to quote Poltergeist II - Theyre ba-ack. And the defendants in the sequel have added what the FTC says is a bogus imposter angle. In years past, small businesses got cold calls from telemarketers who charged outrageous prices for Occupational Safety & Health Administration signs that were actually available free from OSHA. But the modus operandi has morphed, and according to the FTC, Florida-based D&S Marketing Solutions LLC and owner Sean Juhl used it to take small businesses for more than $1.3 million. The FTC says that acting on the defendants behalf, telemarketers called new small businesses, claiming to be from the Occupational Safety and Compliance Administration, Office of Compliance and Safety Standards, or some other OSHA sound-alike. The caller said the business was in violation of federal law and had to pay $180 or more for certain government regulation posters to display in the workplace. If the company didnt cough up, the caller threatened that the agency would be arriving posthaste to inspect the premises, assess fines, or even shut the place down. The FTCs lawsuit alleges that the defendants falsely claimed be affiliated with OSHA or another government office and misled businesses by stating or implying that companies had to buy the posters from them to comply with the law. In fact, businesses can simply download the posters from OSHAs website or call OSHAs 800 number for free copies. The FTC also alleges that when businesses tried to return the posters and get their money back, no one answered the phone at D&S, their messages went unreturned, and many buyers never got a refund. The lawsuit is pending in Tampa, where a federal judge just entered a temporary restraining order at the FTCs request. If the defendants sales tactics sound like the imposter scams the FTC has been warning consumers about recently, thats because the similarities are striking. The FTC has new resources to educate consumers about imposter scams everything from fake demands from the IRS to those staticky calls claiming that a family member will languish in jail if bail money isnt wired immediately. Now that businesses are in imposters crosshairs, we have tips for you, too: Latest News Washington, DC - Today, 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. She will then travel to Moscow, Russia to meet with senior Russian government officials to discuss the situation in eastern Ukraine and next steps to implement the Minsk agreements in support of the Normandy countries and the Trilateral Contact Group. Spanish News Yuma, Arizona - On Wednesday, July 6th and 13th, the Heritage Library will offer Correo Electronico Basico (Basic E-mail) at 2:00 p.m. Learn how to use e-mail to communicate with family and friends! This is a one session class; basic computer skills are required. There is no charge to attend; however, space is limited. Please note, this class is taught in Spanish. The Heritage Library is located at 350 S Third Avenue. For more information, call Saul Robles at (928) 373-6486. Our directory features more than 18 million business listings from across the entire US. However, if we're missing your business, add your business by clicking on Add Your Business. United Nations: Confusion over command and control and rules of engagement marred a response by United Nations peacekeepers to deadly violence in a UN compound in South Sudan sheltering nearly 50,000 civilians, the world body said on Tuesday. During the two-day incident in Malakal in February, at least 30 civilians were killed and 123 people wounded. Aid group Medicins Sans Frontieres accused the UN peacekeeping mission, known as UNMISS, on Tuesday of taking up to 16 hours to act. The UN said it is discussing the incident with relevant troop contributing countries, which a diplomatic source said included Rwanda, Ethiopia and India. The source said several commanders could be sent home over failures in the response. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said a preliminary UN Board of Inquiry report into the peacekeeping mission`s response found "there was confusion with respect to command and control and Rules of Engagement and a lack of coordination among the various civilian and uniformed peacekeepers in Malakal." He said that the United Nations was reviewing a number of recommendations by the inquiry, including the performance of the troop and police contributing countries at a site that was sheltering some 48,000 civilians. A separate UN special investigation into the circumstances leading to the violence found that the immediate trigger for the fighting - which pitted Shilluk and Nuer people against Dinka and Darfuri people - was an attempt by two South Sudanese soldiers to smuggle ammunition into the UN compound. The report, seen by Reuters, found that some armed elements in South Sudanese (SPLA) army uniforms took part in the destruction of Nuer and Shilluk accommodations in the compound. "As the SPLA was the only armed force operating and in control of Malakal town, it is difficult to exonerate the local SPLA commanders and government-allied militia from involvement in the incident," the report said. UN peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous and head of field support Atul Khare will brief the Security Council on Wednesday on the Malakal incident. South Sudan spiralled into civil war at the end of 2013 after President Salva Kiir sacked his deputy Riek Machar. Thousands have been killed and millions driven from their homes during the conflict that began barely two years after the oil-rich state`s independence from Sudan. UN peacekeepers are still sheltering 170,000 civilians at six sites, including Malakal. A June 17 note to the UN Security Council from UN chief Ban Ki-moon on the protection of civilians sites said 40 percent to 45 percent of the 12,000-strong peacekeeping mission was dedicated to guarding those compounds. "The mission has taken extraordinary action in `opening the gates` to protect hundreds of thousands of civilians from physical violence," Ban wrote. "There are now serious concerns that the South Sudanese are turning to the mission to `open its gates` in periods of minor unrest, or in some cases, simply turning to the POC sites to receive better shelter and humanitarian assistance," he said. Canberra: Debris found on an Australian island earlier this month is not from missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, investigators said on Wednesday. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau was notified on June 9 that the debris had been found on Kangaroo Island off the southern Australian coast. The bureau, which is running the search in the southern Indian Ocean on Malaysia's behalf, said it had recovered the part but Boeing, the maker of the missing plane, advised that it was "not consistent with the manufacturing specifications of a Boeing commercial aircraft." The bureau did not say what the debris was likely from. Flight 370 vanished with 239 people aboard on March 8, 2014, after flying off course during a flight from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to Beijing. Authorities say the plane likely crashed in the Indian Ocean, but officials have had no luck finding the main underwater wreckage despite an extensive search of a vast area of the ocean off Australia's west coast. Crews are expected to complete their sweep of the 120,000 square kilometers (46,000 square miles) area by August, and there are no plans to extend the hunt beyond that. Several pieces of the plane have washed up over the past year on coastlines around the Indian Ocean, which is consistent with drifting models based on Flight 370 having crashed in the Indian Ocean. MH370More debris was found earlier this month washed ashore in Madagascar by a man who previously found a part of Flight 370, but the pieces have yet to be examined by investigators. Blaine Gibson, an American adventurer who has been hunting for Flight 370 over the past year, said Wednesday that a Malaysian government investigator has twice canceled plans to go to Madagascar to collect the five pieces of potential aircraft debris. The debris and potential personal effects of passengers found on the same beach are being held by Madagascar authorities. Malaysian authorities, who are leading the investigation into the plane's disappearance, have procedures in place to examine any suspected debris, though Australia will help analyze Gibson's discovery if asked, the bureau said. In February, Gibson found debris off the coast of Mozambique that experts later determined came from the missing Boeing 777. Patna: In a major tragedy, 48 people were killed in lightning strikes in Bihar in the last 24 hours. Five people were killed by lightning in Rohtas district. The death toll in other districts are: Patna (4), Aurangabad (4), Nalanda (4), Purnea (4), Buxar (3), Saran (3), Kaimur (3), Saharsa (3) and Katihar (3), Bhojpur (2), Samastipur (2), Bhagalpur (2), Monghyr (2), Madhepura district (2), West Champaran (1) and Gaya district (1). In Patna and Rohtas alone, 16 people were injured by the lightning. The state government has announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh to the victims' families. Patna received 17.2 mm rainfall, while the temple town of Gaya registered 32.6 mm of rainfall. Bhagalpur received 25.7 mm of rain and recorded a maximum of 36.7 degrees Celsius, the MeT Department said yesterday. 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. New Delhi: The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday approved the rehabilitation of four-lane Mahatma Gandhi Setu on Ganga River in Bihar, said an official statement. The rehabilitation of four-lane 5.575 km long Mahatma Gandhi Setu at National Highway No.19 will be done at Patna in Bihar, the statement said. "The bridge will be constructed after dismantling the damaged pre-stressed cantilever arms superstructure and subsequent re-decking by steel truss," the statement said. The project will be in Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) mode. The cost is estimated to be Rs 1,742.01 crore. According to the government, the project is covered in the region of Patna-Hazipur connecting North and South Bihar. "It will help in expediting the improvement of infrastructure in the state besides reducing the time and cost of travel for traffic, particularly heavy traffic, plying between North and South Bihar. The rehabilitation of Mahatma Gandhi Setu will also help in uplifting the socio-economic condition of this region," said the statement. New Delhi: To ensure greater security of women commuters, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has decided to deploy a new all-women combat group in Delhi Metro trains. A decision in this regard was taken in view of a surge in cases of molestation at Metro police stations. The CISF made the announcement on International Yoga Day, a 'Times Of India' report said on Wednesday. As per reports, the all-women combat group has been especially trained to fight in narrow enclosures, like Metro trains, with multiple opponents using a combination of Pekiti-Tirsia Kali, a Filipino martial art. Described as the "Internal Combat Group", the women demonstrated their skills in Connaught Place on Tuesday. The 20-minute demonstration was attended by senior officers of CISF and other paramilitary forces. CISF led the yoga session for all the forces, including NDRF, SSB, BSF, ITBP and others. DIG CISF (DMRC) Raghubir Lal said that such a group was needed to win the confidence of women commuters and ensure safe travel for them.This group has especially been trained to handle miscreants bare-handed. The group will also impart combat education to women so that they can defend themselves. New Delhi: Hours after AAP on Wednesday wrote to Lt Governor demanding that he and ACB chief be made "co-accused" in four cases pertaining to alleged scams during the Sheila Dikshit government, Delhi Assembly Deputy Speaker Rakhi Birla said Najeeb Jung might be summoned by Petition Committee of the House for questioning, if required. Birla, who is chairperson of the nine-member Petition Committee of Assembly, said the committee has called its meeting tomorrow where a decision on whether to summon the LG will be taken. An AAP functionary claimed the committee has power to quiz Lt Governor. The Committee looks into complaints received from the general public. "We have called a meeting of Petition Committee tomorrow to take a decision on summoning Lt Governor. We have sought legal opinion from the Government's Standing Council and if required, the LG will be summoned for questioning in connection with the alleged scams," Birla, who is AAP MLA from Mangolpuri, said. The development comes hours after the AAP wrote to the Lt Governor saying he and ACB chief MK Meena should be made "co-accused" in the four alleged scams, including the one related to the pricing of gas from the KG basin. Ealier in the day, 12 AAP MLAs went to Raj Niwas, the LG's residence, around 11.30 am with the demands. They later claimed that Jung "refused" to meet them. The LG Secretariat, however, said Jung's schedule was already prepared for the day and procedures have to be followed for seeking an appointment. The ruling party legislators then approached Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel and gave him complaints pertaining to the alleged scams. Goel forwarded the letters of Bharti and another AAP MLA Rajendra Pal Gautam, along with complaints received from common public, to the Petition Committee of the House. The development came days after ACB Chief had said Chief Minister Kejriwal may also be quizzed apart from Dikshit in the tanker "scam" case after an FIR was lodged. "You (LG) have been protecting Smt Dikshit in these four FIRs through your inaction. Shri Meena, imposed by the Union government as ACB chief, has also colluded with you in this criminal activity. "Kindly forward my letter to ACB with a direction that Shri Meena and yourself should be made co-accused in these four FIRs," a letter signed by AAP MLA Rajendra Pal Gautam said. New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs on Wednesday attacked Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jun for refusing to meet a delegation of 12 party MLAs, who had gone to question Jung's inaction on FIRs filed against wrongdoers during Sheila Dikshit government. The MLAs were protesting against the alleged inaction on the FIRs filed by the AAP government in the past particularly during its 49-day tenure. No the L-G did not meet us. He was duty bound to meet us. We were frisked as if we were terrorists. 12 AAP MLAs tried to meet LG Najeeb Jung today, but he preferred going for lunch than meeting us. LGs Secretary received our complaints and we were told that the LG will look into it. Later we saw him sitting in the next room, party MLA Somnath Bharti told ANI. According to ANI report, party MLAs today handed over a letter to Delhi L-G regarding inaction on FIRs filed against alleged wrongdoers as well as wrongdoings during Sheila Dikshit government. The party accused Jung of sharing a close term with Congress chief Sonia Gandhi and therefore, taking no action while in charge of Delhi during President's rule and the cases were reopened only after the AAP government returned to power in February 2015. The party further alleged that 'Jung was brought in to save Sheila Dikshit from CNG fitness scam allegations which he did so successfully.' Earlier today, reports had emerged that a delegation of 12 AAP MLAs will be meeting Delhi LG today over latter 'sitting on' FIRs against Ex-CM Sheila Dikshit and Ambani over cases related to Commonwealth Games and KG basin. AAP MLAs give letter to L-G of Delhi regarding inaction on FIRs filed against alleged wrongdoers & wrongdoings during Sheila Dikshit Gov 1/n AAP Delhi Official (@aapdelhincr) June 22, 2016 FIR no 10/2014 dated 6.2.2014, 14/2014 dated 11.2.2014, 15/2014 dated 11.2.2014, 16/2014 dated 11.2.2014 were filed in 1st tenure of AAP 2/n AAP Delhi Official (@aapdelhincr) June 22, 2016 L-G took no action while in charge of Delhi during President's Rule & only AAP Gov restarted probe after return to power in February'15 3/n AAP Delhi Official (@aapdelhincr) June 22, 2016 AAP Govt restarted probe including summoning evidence & analysis of documents but ACB was forcibly seized by MHA to stop probe 4/n AAP Delhi Official (@aapdelhincr) June 22, 2016 After seizure by MHA, L-G was in-charge of these 4 cases again & did nothing to carry on the probe 5/n AAP Delhi Official (@aapdelhincr) June 22, 2016 Najeeb Jung was close to Sonia Gandhi & was made VC Jamia Milia Islamia University & later L-G of Delhi 6/n AAP Delhi Official (@aapdelhincr) June 22, 2016 Jung was brought in to save Sheila Dikshit from CNG Fitness Scam allegations & he did so successfully 7/n AAP Delhi Official (@aapdelhincr) June 22, 2016 Party MLAs have been demanding FIRs to be filed agnst LG Najeeb Jung as well as Delhi Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) chief MK Meena for not acting on FIRs registered against former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and Ambani in an alleged alleged corruption cases. It is to be noted that the FIRs were filed during AAP's 49-day tenure in government. New Delhi: Attacking Lt Governor Najeeb Jung, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday wrote to him demanding that he and ACB chief MK Meena be made "co-accused" in four cases pertaining to alleged scams during the Sheila Dikshit government including one that is related to prices of natural gas from the KG basin. Twelve Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs went to Raj Niwas, the LG's residence, at around 11.30 am with the demands. They later claimed that Jung "refused" to meet them, but the LG Secretariat said Jung's schedule was already prepared for the day and a procedure has to be followed for seeking an appointment. The development came after Delhi's Anti-Corruption Branch Chief Meena said Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal may also be quizzed apart from Dikshit in the tanker scam case after an FIR was lodged, leaving the AAP and Kejriwal bristling with anger. Accusing Jung of protecting the alleged culprits, AAP MLA Somnath Bharti said that the party has also approached Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel demanding that the cases be forwarded to the House Committee on petitions, which he said has the power to summon "even the LG". "You (LG) have been protecting Smt Dikshit in these four FIRs through your inaction. Shri Meena, imposed by the Union government as ACB chief, has also colluded with you in this criminal activity." "Kindly forward my letter to ACB with a direction that Shri Meena and yourself should be made co-accused in these four FIRs," a letter signed by AAP MLA Rajendra Pal Gautam said. An official in the LG Secretariat received the letter. Bharti claimed that the MLAs were frisked "like a terrorist" at the Raj Niwas and were not given an appointment with Jung though he was present inside the Raj Niwas premises. "He seems to have chosen lunch over meeting despite being there. What are his compulsions? What relations does he have with Mukesh Ambani's business house?" Bharti asked. Gautam in his letter accused Jung of "sitting" on all the cases during the period of President's rule in the national capital. "Absolutely no action was taken in these four cases." It had also ordered a probe into street light purchase scam during the Commonwealth Games of 2010 in which Dikshit's role had come under the scanner. "They (the MLAs) just came. There has to be a request and time has to be given to process that request. The LG's schedule was already ready so his PS took the documents brought over by them," sources said. There has been a running battle between the LG and the AAP government on a host of issues including appointments and role of police. Kejriwal yesterday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the lodging of FIR linking AAP government to the multi-crore rupees water tanker scam, alleging it was done at the PM's behest and asserted that such "coercive" methods would not "scare" him or the Aam Aadmi Party into silence. New Delhi: It's not just humans, but animals too look for ways to keep themselves cool from the hot summer sun. Here's one such video of an uninvited guest, a bear who encroached into a backyard and took a dip in a family swimming pool to beat the recod-breaking heat that swept through Southern California over the weekend. VIDEO: Bear cools off in pool as record heat sweeps SoCal https://t.co/EfwrpcF72rhttps://t.co/GP2pEI3NoK ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) June 20, 2016 The video has been tweeted by ABC7 Eyewitness News. New Delhi: The Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), an Indian media centre of learning funded and promoted by the Government of India, will on Thursday (June 23, 2016) declare the entrance examination results 2016. Earlier, a report had said that the entrance examination result for PG Diploma Courses 2016-17 would be announced on http://www.iimc.nic.in on June 22, 2016. The entrance exam was conducted on May 29 and May 30, 2016. How to check IIMC entrance exam 2016 results: Log on to http://www.iimc.nic.in Click on the link of your respective result mentioned under the News and Announcements` section Enter details such as roll number, date of birth or name etc Check your results About IIMC The Indian Institute of Mass Communication will set global standards for media education, research, extension and training, using state-of-the-art technology for building a knowledge-driven information society, contributing to the human development, empowerment, and participatory democracy, anchored in pluralism, universal values, and ethics. New Delhi: Indian educational institutions which enter into academic tie-ups with foreign institutes will have to ensure that students who opt for these courses will study at least one semester for post-graduate degrees and two semesters for under-graduate degrees abroad. At a meeting held today, the University Grants Commission (UGC) decided to amend the existing guidelines. As per the decisions, Indian institutes which get top accreditations will now be able to approach the UGC to seek its nod for entering into academic tie-ups with highly-rated education institutions abroad. Under the previous norms, only foreign institutes could seek permission for academic collaborations. "Today, the UGC has taken a decision as per which the highest graded Indian institutions can engage in academic collaboration with foreign educational institutions of highest grade in their country or those who have crossed the threshold limit," HRD minister Smriti Irani told reporters as she announced the decisions. As per the new norms, the name of the foreign institute will also be mentioned on the degree certificate for such courses. The norms, which will soon be notified, also specify a minimum degree of collaboration as per which at least one semester for post-graduate degrees and two semesters for under-graduate degrees have been specified. A window of one year has been provided for institutes which already have a global partnership, to get their pacts approved by UGC, the HRD minister said. A committee of experts will examine the proposals for these collaborations. Irani said there have been instances where institutes fraudulently advertise collaborations with foreign institutions creating problems for students. It has been decided that the UGC will approach the state government concerned for action in such cases, she said. The MoUs will provide sufficient autonomy to the institutions, officials said, adding that students from foreign institutions will also be allowed to come to Indian campuses under these norms. Irani also said it will be ensured that within 30 working days all applications will be responded to and in a yes or no situation in 60 working days. Officials said that guidelines for collaborations had been previously brought out in 2012 during the previous regime but they had not attracted any proposals. London: On the eve of a crucial referendum, Britain was categorically told that if it decides to leave the European Union (EU) on Thursday, there would be no coming back. The warning by EU leaders came ahead of the Brexit vote even as two opinion polls put the 'Leave' campaign ahead of the 'Remain', though the margin was knife-edge. While the Opinium poll put the "Leave" camp at 45 percent and "Remain" at 44 percent, TNS gave them a lead of 43 percent to 41 percent for staying. "Our latest poll suggest that Leave is in a stronger position than Remain," Luke Taylor, head of social and political attitudes at TNS, said in a statement. However, he cautioned that "a late swing to the status quo" was possible in the final hours before voting. If Britons do vote in favour of Brexit, Britain would become the first nation to exit the European Union bloc in its 60-year history. While the rest of the bloc is visibly worried at the prospect of Britain leaving the Union, European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker was less forgiving in his remarks. "Out is out," Juncker said in Brussels, dismissing any talk of a post-vote renegotiation just hours before polls open. French President Francois Hollande too warned that an exit would be "irreversible". German Chancellor Angela Merkel, on the other hand, said it was up to Britons to decide whether they wanted to stay or not. Merkel and Hollande are due to meet in Berlin next week for talks which the French president said would work "towards relaunching the European project", already struggling with an unprecedented migrant crisis. British Prime Minister David Cameron, meanwhile, spent the final day of campaigning travelling around Britain on his battle bus and doing interviews. "If I had to sum up this whole campaign in a word, it would be that word `together`," the Conservative leader, who is facing calls to resign if Brexit happens, told BBC radio. Out on the campaign trail, he added: "If we want a bigger economy and more jobs, we are better if we do it together" Bosses from nearly 1,300 of Britain`s leading businesses signed a letter in The Times saying the country was stronger in the EU. James Bond star Daniel Craig and Irish rock band U2 became the latest celebrities to back "Remain". Despite the polls showing the race is neck and neck, bookmaker Betfair said their latest odds implied a 76-percent chance of "Remain" winning. On the eve of the vote, planes with banners from the rival campaigns criss-crossed the skies above central London trying to woo undecided voters. Cameron`s main rival in the "Leave" campaign and possible successor, Boris Johnson, said Britain stood on the brink of "independence day" from Europe. "I do think that we are on the verge, possibly, of an extraordinary event in the history of our country and indeed in the whole of Europe," Johnson said in eastern England. Nigel Farage, leader of the anti-EU UK Independence Party, said: "I genuinely believe we are going to win this." US Republican White House hopeful Donald Trump, who arrives in Britain Thursday, also spoke out on Brexit again, saying he thought the country should "go it alone". A British withdrawal would trigger a lengthy exit negotiation, leading to the loss of unfettered access to its partners in the 28-nation market and forcing the country to strike its own trade accords across the world. In Europe, there are already concerns that a Brexit would imperil the integrity of the bloc, already buffeted by the eurozone and migration crises. The "Leave" campaign briefly took a slight lead in many opinion polls until last week, sending sterling plummeting. This fell away after campaigning was paused for two days following Thursday`s killing of pro-EU lawmaker Jo Cox of the main opposition Labour party. Cox`s widower Brendan has said his wife, who was particularly noted for her work on refugee rights, was killed because of her political views. (With AFP inputs) Paris: France would see Britain's exit from the European Union as "irreversible" if the Leave camp wins Thursday's referendum, President Francois Hollande said. "It is the future of the European Union... That is at stake," Hollande said on Wednesday, warning that a Brexit would put Britain at "very serious risk" of losing access to the bloc's single market. Hollande was speaking at a joint news conference with Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico, whose country will take over the EU's rotating presidency on July 1. "It's more than the future of the United Kingdom that is at stake, it's the future of the European Union," Hollande said. A Brexit would "necessarily have extremely serious consequences," he added. France would consider such a decision "as the United Kingdom's departure from the European Union, and this would be irreversible," Hollande said. Warsaw: The remains of Polish President Lech Kaczynski, his wife and other victims of a 2010 plane crash will be exhumed to help investigators determine the cause of the crash that killed 96 people, a spokesman for top prosecutors said today. Prosecutor Maciej Kujawski told The Associated Press that investigators are in talks with Polish and foreign experts who they want to carry out the exhumations at an unspecified time. Temperatures in Poland allow for exhumations to take place from mid-October until mid-April. Kujawski said the autopsy documents that Poland received from Russia, where the crash occurred, are incomplete and in some cases erroneous and don't help explain the reason for the crash, which is under a renewed investigation in Poland. Doubts raised by the documents have led to nine exhumations in previous years. In six cases the bodies were found to have been mixed up. The bodies arrived from Russia in sealed coffins and no examinations took place in Poland. Kaczynski's plane crashed April 10, 2010, 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. A new investigation was launched this year by the government of the Law and Justice party that is led by Kaczynski's twin brother, Jaroslaw Kaczynski. Some Law and Justice members claim the crash was an assassination and was caused by explosives placed onboard the plane, by forces in Poland and in Russia. The investigators also take this hypothesis into account. Russia has not returned crucial evidence, the flight recorders and the wreckage, saying it still needs them for its own criminal investigation into the crash. The exhumation decision was taken Tuesday during a meeting with the families of some of the victims, including Jaroslaw Kaczynski. Yesterday, a Warsaw court convicted a former deputy head of government security of neglecting the security of the president's flight and handed him an 18-month suspended prison term. London: Murdered British MP Jo Cox`s family were to mark what would have been her 42nd birthday Wednesday with an emotional river tribute and a rally in London on the eve of Britain`s European Union referendum. The commemoration in the city`s central Trafalgar Square is set to include Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai with similar events to take place later in cities around the world, among them Beirut, Nairobi, New York, and Paris. Irish rockers U2, who worked with Cox on the Make Poverty History campaign, have recorded a special musical tribute from Los Angeles which will be broadcast to the crowd in London. Cox was shot and stabbed in the street on Thursday in her Batley and Spen constituency in Yorkshire, northern England, where there will also be a commemoration with her sister Kim Leadbeater. The murder of Cox, who was campaigning for Britain to stay in the European Union and was a major advocate for refugee rights, shook the referendum campaign and sent shock waves around the world. The commemorations began less than 18 hours before the polls open in Britain`s closely-contested referendum on whether it should stay in the EU or leave. Widower Brendan Cox, in his first interview since his wife`s murder, said he thought she was murdered due to her political beliefs. "She was a politician and she had very strong political views and I believe she was killed because of those views," he told BBC television."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 also said she had "worried" about the tone of the EU referendum debate -- "the tone of whipping up fears and whipping up hatred potentially". Hers was the first murder of a British lawmaker since 1990 when Ian Gow was assassinated by Irish Republican Army paramilitaries. Thomas Mair, 52, has been charged with Cox`s murder. On his first appearance in court on Saturday, he gave his name as "Death to traitors, freedom for Britain". A psychiatric report was requested. Cox and her family, including five-year-old son Cuillin and three-year-old daughter Lejla, lived on a converted barge moored on the River Thames, close to the Tower of London. A boat carrying her family is due to sail upstream from their houseboat community towards the Houses of Parliament ahead of the commemoration in nearby Trafalgar Square. Leaders of various faiths were also to lay 42 white roses to mark what would have been her birthday, and the band that played at Cox`s wedding were to perform. Her life will also be celebrated at the Glastonbury music festival on one of the stages. A fund created in Cox`s memory by her friends and family has raised more than 1.25 million ($1.83 million, 1.62 million euros) for charities close to her heart, following more than 37,500 individual donations. Chandigarh: With the renewed Jat agitation for reservation not gathering enough steam and being withdrawn, the Haryana government on Wednesday said that para-military forces stationed in the state were being pulled out. Haryana Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Law and Order, Muhammad Akil told media on Wednesday that it has been decided to do away with the para-military forces. However, some para-military forces will remain stationed in Sonipat district for some time. Sonipat district was one of the worst affected during the violent Jat agitation in February this year. "Normalcy has now returned to the state, there is no need to continue with the deployment of para-military forces," Akil said. The para-military forces were deployed in around 10 districts. The renewed Jat agitation call was given by a section of Jat leadership from June 5 but did not get widespread support from the Jat community. "It was a challenge for the police to maintain peace and harmony after the call for agitation given by some organisations. But the police worked with an aim to ensure that peace in the state is not disturbed at any cost," Akil said. Asked about the demand of Jat leaders that cases against Jat youths, who were booked and arrested after the February violence, be withdrawn the ADGP said that the cases which have been registered by the police during the Jat reservation agitation were being monitored by the courts. "In such a situation, police is working in accordance with the orders of the court," he added. New Delhi: Essel Group Chairman Dr Subhash Chandra has issued a statement rejecting allegations of impropriety in the manner in which he was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Haryana. Media Statement from Dr Subhash Chandra On: The Biennial Election to Council of State of Haryana, 2016, Complaint of Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee and Mr. R K Anand regarding manipulating the pen for marking the votes In reference to the above-noted subject matter; I have been notified through the media reports that the above-mentioned entities have lodged a complaint against me for allegedly manipulating the pen for marking the votes. With all due respect, the present complaints are an abuse of the process of the law and are simply a counterblast to losing the elections. These complaints are frivolous in nature and based on whimsical assumptions without a shred of evidentiary backing. Election Commission in Delhi had reviewed the proceedings post counting and after going through the same had given clearance to the declaration of results. The same is clearly reflected in the videos that were reviewed by the Election Commission. It is evidently clear from the interviews provided by various members of different parties regarding how the charges were traded between INLD and INC, right after the night of the election and the same allegations continued till 12th of June. On 13th June, a new theory was coined blaming me to have cheated by magically exchanging the pen provided by Election Commission to cast the vote. 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. Based on the news reports that came out prior to and during the election, I would like to state a few observations: Reports prior to 31st May 2016 showcase INLD stating that they will never seek support from INC The second set of reports that came out during the period between 1st to 10th June establishing resistance to Mr. R K Anand by almost all Congress MLAs. Mr. Abhay Chautala also stated that even if Congress offers support, it will have nothing to do with INLD. On 10th June, suddenly Mr. R K Anand shifted his loyalty from INLD to Congress and stated that he will support Congress' policies. Notwithstanding, there were also reports of blame game between INLD and Congress of ditching each other and making a deal with BJP. Despite clear instructions to mark vote on ballot paper by violet sketch pen, some MLAs have consciously and deliberately marked their votes wrongly, resulting in the rejection of votes. It will not be completely out of context to mention here that the whip issued by INC and INLD to vote for Mr. R.K. Anand in itself is a penal offence and is punishable under Section 171-C of Indian Penal Code. The fall of events and complaints followed after the election results are only aimed at maligning my reputation and goodwill as an Elected Candidate. Even after showcasing its transparency in holding the elections, the Election Commission is also targeted with complaints, which are only based on assumptions of the complainant. I would once again like to reiterate my position as an honest candidate whose aim is to simply work for the interest of Haryana. New Delhi/Paris: On a day when China assured that it will play a "constructive" role in the discussions at Seoul on India's bid for joining the 48-member Nuclear Suppliers group (NSG), France on Wednesday reiterated its support for India's entry into the elite nuclear club. The French Foreign Ministry said in a statement: In line with its active and long-standing support to Indias entry to the NSG as a full-fledged member, France calls on its members, who are meeting on 23 June in Seoul, to take a positive decision. France considers that Indias entry into 4 multilateral export control regimes (NSG, MTCR, The Australia Group, The Wassenaar Arrangement) will bolster international efforts on combating proliferation, the statement added. France reiteration of support came even as China today said the issue of India's induction into the NSG was not on the agenda of the scheduled meeting in Seoul this week. Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying said that NSG members had three rounds of unofficial discussions on the entry of India and Pakistan into the grouping. "China hopes to discuss further this issue and will play a constructive role in the discussions," she said. "Although parties are yet to see eye-to-eye on this issue, such discussions help them better understand each other," she said. At the same time, Hua maintained the entry of India and Pakistan is not on the agenda of the NSG grouping's meeting in Seoul. "Deliberation on the entry of specific countries is on the agenda of the Seoul Plenary meeting. However, it is worth noting that the NSG Plenary meeting in Seoul is only to deliberate on the entry of members who signed the NPT," she said. "As for the entry of non-NPT countries, the group has never put that on its meeting agenda. Based on what we have at hand, the agenda of this year's Seoul Plenary Meeting circulated by the Chair does not include this issue either," she said. President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are scheduled to meet on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tashkent beginning Thursday during which India is expected to seek China's support for its NSG membership bid. Beijing is keen on blocking India's bid for membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group, while saying exception should not be made for India. China also wants its ally Pakistan to be inducted into NSG as a member whenever a decision is taken on India. The US, which has been supporting India's NSG bid, has said New Delhi is "ready" for NSG membership and asked participating governments to support its application at the plenary session of NSG in Seoul. Delhi: A day after Enforcement Directorate (ED) issued a notice to a firm linked to Robert Vadra, son-in-law of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, in connection with its probe into alleged money laundering in a land deal in Rajasthan's Bikaner district, Priyanka confirmed about the same on Wednesday. However, taking a dig at ED, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra told the media, "Apparently we received it at 4 pm today but you received it a day before." Yesterday, official sources had said that the notice had been issued to the firm Ms Skylight Hospitality under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The company had been asked to submit certain financial statements and other documents to the Investigating Officer (IO) of the case, the sources had said, as per PTI. The ED had conducted extensive searches in this case in Rajasthan and other places last month and had claimed to have seized a number of documents. 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 last year 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 had referred to a firm allegedly linked to Vadra which had purchased some of these Bikaner located lands. The agency had conducted similar searches in the case in Delhi last year. Rajasthan government had in January last year 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 last year. (With PTI inputs) New Delhi: BJP MP Maheish Girri may file defamation a case against Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal! A day after he broke his fast-unto -death, Maheish Girri on Wednesday said he is considering filing a defamation suit against Arvind Kejriwal for accusing him of being involved in the murder of NDMC estate officer M M Khan. "Now I am consulting the lawyers and the party leaders to find out how defamation case could be filed (against Kejriwal). Political fight will carry on... We will go to people to tell that their chief minister is a liar," Girri said. Girri's protest The East Delhi MP was protesting few metres away from Kejriwal's official residence and broke his fast on Tuesday after Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh made an appeal to him. Girri had been demanding proof from Kejriwal about his allegations that the BJP leader was involved in NDMC estate officer's and demanded an apology from the chief minister. Kejriwal's demand Kejriwal has been demanding Maheish Girri's arrest alleging that he was involved in the 16 May murder of Khan, a day before he was scheduled to pass the final order on the lease terms of 'Connaught Hotel' located on a property leased out by the New Delhi Municipal Council. Chandigarh: With the Enforcement Directorate (ED) reportedly issuing a notice to a firm allegedly linked to Robert Vadra in Rajasthan`s Bikaner city, Haryana Cabinet Minister Anil Vij on Wednesday said Congress president Sonia Gandhi`s son-in-law is a `shahi damaad` (royal son-in-law), adding the governments of the grand old party in various states acted like `land mafia` in allotting land to him in `dowry`. "Robert Vadra is a 'shahi damaad' and there is a tradition in India of giving something to son-in-laws in dowry. The Congress government, which gifted land to their 'shahi damaad' misusing its power, is coming to the fore from various places now," said Vij taking a pot-shot on the previous Congress government in Rajasthan. "In Rajasthan, the Enforcement Directorate has registered cases against various firms, including the firms owned by Robert Vadra. More such cases will come to the fore if we institute a probe in various Congress-ruled states. Land was 'looted' under the Congress regimes, which worked like land mafia," he alleged. Talking about a judicial probe marked by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar`s government in Haryana into Vadra`s alleged land allotments, Vij said the commission has almost finished its probe and the report will be submitted any moment now. "When the report comes, it will unveil many things, and action will also be taken on it," he told ANI. According to sources, the notice has been issued to Skylight Hospitality firm under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The ED had on May 6 conducted searches of eight premises in Bikaner and nearby areas in this connection and registered a money laundering case against certain real estate developers and Rajasthan government officials to probe the Bikaner land scam. The investigation is related to the purchase of 275 bighas allegedly by the company in the Kolayat area of Bikaner. New Delhi: Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar on Wednesday flew to Seoul on a previously unannounced trip ahead of a crucial meeting of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) amid expectations that the club may consider India`s application for membership. "While it is true that the Foreign Secretary has flown to Seoul, the NSG plenary hasn`t even begun yet," a highly placed diplomatic source said here. The source said India`s entry into the club "is a delicate and complex process" and nothing could be stated conclusively as of now. "At this point, let us not speculate," the source said. The Foreign Secretary`s sudden visit comes amid hectic Indian lobbying with NSG member nations for its entry into the club that regulates global nuclear commerce despite China`s opposition. The 48-nation grouping works on the principle of consensus and allows a new member only if all existing members agree. China insists that India, being a non-signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), cannot be allowed in unless there was a consensus in the grouping. Beijing says that if any concession was given to India, the same should apply to Pakistan. Some other countries also have reservations about India`s membership. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is to leave for Tashkent for a two-day summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) -- a Eurasian political and economic bloc. Modi is likely to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and take up with him the issue of India`s NSG membership. New Delhi: The multi-agency group probing Panama papers, which named around 500 Indians who have allegedly stashed money in offshore entities, has submitted three reports to the government. The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has also been updating the Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up under the directions of the Supreme Court to monitor cases related to black money, according to the Revenue Department. "So far 3 reports have been submitted by the multi-agency group (MAG) to the government. The SIT on black money is being regularly updated on such issues," according to a Revenue Department document. The government had in April formed MAG to investigate whether the money deposited in tax haven Panama are legal or illegal. MAG comprises officials from the RBI, I-T department, Financial Intelligence Unit and Foreign Tax and Tax Research. "The purpose of constituting MAG is to ensure speedy and coordinated investigation in the cases of persons whose names have appeared in the Panama paper leaks. Investigations in such cases are being conducted by respective investigating agencies and the progress is being monitored by MAG," the department said. The issue of undisclosed foreign income was discussed in the zonal conference of tax officers and it was decided to focus on expeditious action, proper follow-up action in cases where prosecution complaints have been filed and taking of effective steps for recovery of demands raised. The thrust areas identified at the conference also include expeditious analysis of evidence gathered from all possible sources, examination of implications of the newly enacted foreign black money law and examination of requests of other law enforcement agencies for sharing of relevant information and documents. New Delhi: After waging war on Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy on Wednesday said that he has a list of 27 people with him, who are working within the government and need to be `fixed`. Staying true to his promise of training guns on bureaucrats `loyal` to the Congress, Swamy said that he wants Subramanian to be sacked, as he had badmouthed India in the international arena and had also encouraged the grand old party to become rigid on their GST Bill clauses. Speaking to ANI here after he tweeted against Arvind, Swamy reiterated his salvo he had used against RBI Chief Raghuram Rajan, saying that the CEA was a `green card holder` and was probably not an Indian citizen. "He used to work in America and he is also a green card holder type. I don`t even know if he is a citizen or not but I`m sure he has a green card. There was this American Congress Committee for pharmaceutical purposes and they held a hearing to figure out India`s opinion on the matter. There he said in a statement that India was not working according to America in this matter and for that, they should be taught a lesson in WTO. How can we can such a person an advisor here?," Swamy said. Continuing his assault, he added that when Arvind was appointed by the Indian government, he gave a note to the Finance Ministry asserting that the clauses given by the Congress in the GST Bill were absolutely justified. "I think that such people who can fail our government should be tossed out. Now, it`s been two years and I think it`s about time. I have a list of 27 people in the government and I will slowly, one by one, fix them soon," he added. Earlier in the day, Swamy had launched a scathing attack on Arvind in a series of tweets. Who said to US Cong on 13/3/13 the US should act against India to defend US Pharmaceuticals interests? Arvind Subramanian MoF !! Sack him!!! Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) June 22, 2016 Guess who encouraged Congi to become rigid on GST clauses ? Jaitely's economic adviser Arvind Subramanian of Washington DC Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) June 22, 2016 This development comes days after Swamy announced that his next `project` is to expose a group of bureaucrats loyal to Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi. "My next project is to expose 27 bureaucrats who are in various Ministries and loyal to TDK. They were handpicked and positioned by PC," Swamy said in a tweet. Earlier, Swamy had welcome Rajan`s decision to leave his post as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor on the completion of his term, saying that he had taken such a step in order to save his `self respect`. "Was he getting a second term in the first place? How do we know that he was getting a second term? I have no information that he was getting a second term. So if he says he wants to go and wants to save his self-respect, I have no problem. Let them pretend that he is giving up and going but as long as he goes, it`s good," Swamy told ANI. Swamy had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in May asking for the dismissal of the Reserve Bank of India governor. Rajan had earlier announced that he would return to the academic world at the end of his term on September 4, 2016, adding he will always be available to serve his country when needed and asserted that his `successor` would take the nation to new heights. Rajan is currently on leave from the Chicago Booth School of Business where he holds the post of Distinguished Service Professor of Finance. New Delhi: Former Indian National Security Advisor (NSA) Shivshankar Menon on Wednesday said outside powers seem to be equating with the legitimate government of Afghanistan with insurgent groups like the Taliban, which is creating more instability in Afghanistan, Pakistan and elsewhere, and it is Afghanistan and the region as a whole that pay the price of that intervention. "We are today witness a very strange spectacle with the U.S., China and Pakistan negotiating to bring the Taliban into an Afghan government without any democratic test of their support or confirmation that they are willing to abide by the Bonn Agreement redlines for shaking violence, accepting the Constitution and cutting the ties with the Al-Qaeda for instance. "In the fact, outside powers seem to be equating with the legitimate government of Afghanistan with insurgent groups like the Taliban. Now it seems unlikely, to me at least, that this can end any differently from previous foreign interventions in that proud and independent nation. In other words, it is creating more instability in Afghanistan, in Pakistan and elsewhere. And, once again, it is Afghanistan and the region as a whole that pays the price of that intervention,' said Menon. The former NSA was speaking at the launch of book, ' Afghanistan-Pakistan-India: A Paradigm Shift', authored by Afghanistan Ambassador to India Shaida Abdali here. Menon further said, "We are today at the other critical moment, where the issues are the same but the choice between radicals and extremists on the one hand, who claimed to represent tradition, don't necessarily and, on the other hand, modernisers, democrats and others who want to change. And thirdly, the space this opens up for outsiders to interfere." "The breeding ground for terrorism in Pakistan and west of Afghanistan is actually growing. You can see everyday happening around us and terrorism still remains an instrument of state policy. Until these changes, it is hard to see meaningful progress in the lives of Afghan people and that should be really the test of our Afghan policy, whether it is Indian Afghan policy or Pakistani or anyone else's," he added. Shedding some light on Abdali's book, Menon said this is indeed a very important book, which is essential for anyone with the interest in foreign and security policy in subcontinent, and who wishes to know not just how we have come to this point but also what we might do about it, what should be we doing for the future, because the book itself make a very valuable practical suggestions for how we can move towards more cooperative future. It makes a very strong plea for much more rational government policies in the region, particularly between Afghanistan, Pakistan and India, he added. "I frankly knew of no one that a qualified to do this than Ambassador Abdali, who is uniquely qualified to describe both - how we have got here and what we should be doing about it, because served as an special assistant to President Karzai 2001-08. He was then the deputy NSA in Afghanistan from 2009-12; and since 2012, he has been here as an Ambassador. So, he is being a witness, actually a participant, in the making of history in our sub," he said, adding that the book really is an insider's view, the view of an Afghan patriot on these issues. "The book is valuable because it lays it out very clearly how we have come to this point. As the book reminds us, since the 19th century internal Afghan politics have not remained internal," he added. The other part of the book, he said, is particularly useful for its detailed treatment of the India-Afghan relationship. "He does mention that Afghanistan has consistently sought a greater Indian political, economic and military role in Afghanistan. And he seems to think that it is due to Indian sensitivity to Pakistani concerns that India didn't play a bigger role," said Menon, adding, "I am not so sure frankly. My own experience suggests it is little more complex, but that something that may be the panel could discuss." "He (Abdali) also hints at a core Afghan concern when he says, 'On any given day, New Delhi would opt for normalisation of relations with Pakistan over a greater role in Afghanistan'," said Menon, adding, "I am again not so sure. In the first place given our history, promises of normalisation from Pakistan are unlikely to be particularly credible in India. Besides, Pakistan will only like to be inclined to normalise relations with India if there are strong, viable and visible India-Afghan ties." "And most important, the India-Afghan ties have a logic of their own, which is why they survived in every twist and turn in India-Pakistan relations and in the internal dynamics of Afghanistan right through 60-plus years, if you look at it," he added. Saying that the book is also very useful as reminder why we should encourage scholarship within the region by scholars from our countries that bring a unique and insider's point of view for to policy debates which are normally framed faraway and then we carry them on here, he added, "For instance, I personally think, that in Indian study what we might have done differently, what more we might have done in Afghanistan would be useful as we prepare for the next phase of evolution of the situation in Afghanistan and of relations between India, Afghanistan and Pakistan." Finally, he said, some of you might ask how you can speak at this time, as Ambassador Abdali does, of a new paradigm, of a cooperative, connected region, particularly between these three countries. "Given our recent experience, my own answer to that it is fairly simple: what is manmade can be undone by man. And certainly, the state our relationship today is manmade, but more than that from my generation, now speaks an old man, his vision is not purely hypothetical. We have seen it in our own lifetimes with our own eyes. During my childhood in Delhi, the kabuliwal who brought dry fruits, the Chinaman who brought shark's skin, silk and double-horse bosky to our doorstep was a common feature," he added. Recalling that until 1969, it was possible to drive, and I know this having done it, from India through Pakistan, through Afghanistan, Iran into Turkey and onwards, Menon said, "The extended G.T. (Grand Trunk) Road that Ambassador Abdali's book speaks of was the reality stretching all the way back to the Mauryan Uttarapatha, which extended through Afghanistan to the Persian Royal Roads, which went all the way up to the Mediterranean. And connectivity was therefore a reality which many of us can remember in living memory actually and if you think of it we have broken the world down into small pieces, frankly, within our lifetimes." "Visas to travel were the exception before 1984, before we in India imposed visas on everybody else and then faced it ourselves. And our present insecurities have really made the world much colder, broken and much more forbidding place. And this book reminds us of what it could be and our own better selves of what we were," he added. 'Afghanistan Pakistan India: A Paradigm Shift' is published by Pentagon Press. New Delhi: Taking a strong exception to Bollywood star Salman Khan's statement that he "felt like a raped woman" after arduous shooting of his upcoming film 'Sultan' , 2013 Delhi rape victim Nirbhaya's mother has said that his remarks are a mockery of rape victims and their families. "Salman's statement is very wrong. His remarks are a mockery to the families of rape victims. This shouldn't happen. He is such a big star having mass appeal, especially among children," Asha Devi was quoted as saying to ANI. She also said that Salman's remarks would send a wrong message in society, and it would give breathing space to such crimes. The mother of the December 16 gang-rape victim, however, said going out of context and giving unwarranted statements on rape was nothing new. "People have earlier said that boys do commit mistake, and some dub it as a small incident. So, this should be thought as to why women are being mocked in the society," Asha Devi said. "I am shocked, how he could compare tiredness to rape?" she asked. Reprimanding the comments of Dabangg actor, Nirbhaya's mother said Salman should meet a rape victim. Salman in an interview said he "felt like a raped woman" during Sultan's shooting, drawing the wrath of fans and authorities alike. Meanwhile, the National Commission for Women (NCW) has demanded an apology within seven days from the Bollywood superstar. Delhi: Ahead of the crucial NSG plenary from June 23, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tashkent beginning Thursday. The MEA confirmed on Wednesday that PM Modi would be meeting President of China and President of Russia. On whether PM Modi would be meeting Pakistan President, who is expected to attend the SCO summit, the MEA spokesperson said, "We dont even have formal communication on whos representing Pakistan at the summit," as per ANI. During his meeting with Xi, PM Modi is expected to seek China's support for India's bid for membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group, which Beijing is keen on blocking. On the other hand, China today continued to make ambivalent statements on India's bid for NSG membership amid clear indications that it was unrelenting in its opposition. Clubbing India and Pakistan once again, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said members of the 48-nation club have had three round of unofficial discussions on the membership of the two countries. China is seeking to equate India with its impeccable non-proliferation record with that of Pakistan for which it is batting. However, Beijing maintained that the entry of the two countries was not on the agenda of the two-day NSG plenary in the South Korean capital Seoul. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said, "China hopes to discuss further this issue and will play a constructive role in the discussions," and added, "As for the entry of non-NPT countries, the group has never put that on its meeting agenda." At the same time, Hua refuted the perception that China was blocking India's entry into the NSG. "With regard to India's entry into NSG, I would like correct that the word China blocking India's membership is not proper. The word blocking is not proper. In the NSG agenda we have never seen the topic of non-NPT countries entry. So it does not make sense to say we block the entry," she said. Yesterday, China had said that the door was open for discussions on the issue but had then emphasised on whether criteria for memberships should be changed instead of making exceptions. Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar today arrived in the South Korean capital. Jaishankar, who was closely monitoring the goings-on during the official-level meet of the 48-nation grouping, arrived in Seoul this afternoon to lobby with members to boost India's prospects of getting membership. 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. The NSG works under the principle of unanimity and even one country's vote against India will scuttle its bid. Turkey, New Zealand, Ireland, South Africa and Austria are said to be backing the Chinese stand. (With Agency inputs) New Delhi: Ahead of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit meeting in Uzbekistan capital Tashkent, which is set to be held on Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said India looks forward to fruitful outcome, particularly in the field of economic cooperation. "I will travel to Uzbekistan for a brief visit to attend the SCO Summit & interact with leaders of SCO nations. India is glad to be a member of the SCO & looks forward to fruitful outcomes particularly in the field of economic cooperation through SCO," Prime Minister Modi tweeted. He further stated that India attaches great importance to ties with Central Asia and always seeks to expand economic and people-to-people ties with the region. Prime Minister Modi will leave for Tashkent tomorrow to attend the two-day SCO summit. The summit of the six-nation grouping is expected to focus on enhancing security cooperation to curb down terrorism. "PM goes to Tashkent tomorrow for the SCO summit. The SCO summit kicks off with a gala, dinner and a cultural programme. He will be meeting the host, the present Chair of the SCO, President Karimov of Uzbekistan, tomorrow. After that he will be attending the, what they call the extended session of the SCO. The following day, that is the June 24, there will be a couple of bilaterals as well and he returns to India on Friday evening, that is June 24," said MEA Secretary (West) Sujata Mehta at a press conference here. Prime Minister Modi will meet dignitaries of several nations at the summit. He is expected to seek support for India's membership in the Nuclear Suppliers' Group (NSG), which has been actively blocked by China. Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and others will also be present at the event, at which leaders will discuss various issues including terrorism and energy cooperation. "Our engagement in these areas will intensify through this. The SCO is a major group in terms of countries that have huge potential in terms of energy. We believe, in fact there is stock of SCO energy club emerging. So we will wait and see how that develops," Mehta added. India along with Pakistan was granted membership of the SCO last July. Both the South Asian nations are expected to join fully by 2016. The SCO was founded in Shanghai in 2001 by China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Islamabad: Pakistan's National Security Adviser Nasser Janjua has alleged that America's efforts to include India in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) was part of a "greater design" to contain China and prevent the resurgence of Russia. "It's [part of] a greater design," Janjua said at a seminar on 'Pakistan's case for NSA membership' yesterday. Janjua said the current move by the US to induct India into the 48-nation exclusive nuclear club should be seen in the context of 'global power politics trends'. He then listed "contain China, prevent the resurgence of Russia and keep the Muslim world in a controlled chaos" as some of the leading trends in the current global power politics, The Express Tribune reported. The paper reported that it is unprecedented that a top Pakistani official publicly made such a candid statement about a sensitive issue. Talking about the implications of these developments, Janjua cautioned that American policies would ultimately bring Pakistan even closer to China. Pakistan is upset at the US decision to aggressively campaign for India while ignoring Islamabad's aspirations to become an NSG member, the paper said. Last month, Pakistan formally applied for NSG membership, setting the stage for a showdown with India at the elite grouping's plenary session Seoul. The campaign for India's membership of the group is seen as carrying the risk of antagonising Pakistan as well as China, which could veto any India's application, the paper said. Pakistan fears that the induction of India into the NSG would disturb the strategic balance and trigger a new arms race in South Asia, according to the paper. Meanwhile, Pakistan's former permanent representative to the UN in Geneva Zamir Akram said that Pakistan was only opposed to "exclusive membership" of the NSG for India. He was speaking at a seminar organised yesterday by the Strategic Vision Institute (SVI), a think-tank, in Islamabad. Dawn reported that Akram's comments follow remarks by Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj that India does not object to any country, including Pakistan, joining the NSG on merit. "Pakistan supports the evolution of criteria that can be applied across the board," Akram said. The Indian and Pakistani comments suggest that their respective campaigns for NSG entry had boiled down to 'merit' versus 'criteria', the paper said. Akram warned about the likely implications of a scenario in which India alone was admitted into the NSG, include dimming of future prospects for Pakistan's entry into the club and likely growth in India's nuclear arsenal. Hyderabad: Sanjaya Baru, who served as media advisor to former prime minister Manmohan Singh, has spoken in favour of Bharat Ratna being awarded to PV Narasimha Rao. Baru said it would be a fantastic gesture if the NDA government decides to confer Bharat Ratna on former PM Narasimha Rao. I think next week is the 95th birth anniversary of PV Narasimha Rao. It would be a fantastic gesture on the part of Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi to announce Bharat Ratna (to Rao), he said while speaking at a panel discussion to mark the 25th anniversary of Rao becoming Indias prime minister. According to Baru, it was Rao who as prime minister kicked-off economic reforms in the country and steered the economy in difficult times. Baru further rejected claims that Rao, as PM, only implemented suggestions on the economic reforms programme. Various committees submitted a series of reports suggesting various policy changes. None of these policy changes were implemented during the five years when Rajiv Gandhi was prime minister. He had 400 MPs in Parliament It was Narasimha Rao who decided to implement those policies, Baru said. Baru also sought to clarify on the popular perception of Rao being nominated to the PM's post and said he was in fact elected to be the PM by Congress MPs in 1991. New Delhi: Vice President Hamid Ansari on Wednesday said yoga is "science, not dogma" and could complement health care approaches in developing countries, including India. "It (yoga) is a science, not dogma. It helps improve the levels of fitness and the overall health profile. Most practitioners testify to its usefulness," Ansari said after inaugurating a two-day international conference on 'Yoga for Body and Beyond' here. The Vice President, in his inaugural speech, underlined that yoga was above religion. "All systems of faith or belief have within them the practice of meditation. The Indian experience is a particularly good instance of this, given the rich interaction that took place over centuries in the areas of belief, consciousness and practice." "Thus, we find yoga and meditation in Jain and Buddhist practices; similarly, great importance is attached to meditation in Christianity, Islam and Sikhism. The convergence or parallelisms are striking even if rituals or modalities of enunciation may vary," he said. Enumerating the economic cost of ill-health, Ansari said many developing countries, including India, that cannot augment public health funding must look for complementary health approaches, like yoga. "Given the inability or unwillingness to augment public health funding in developing countries (and that includes India), the quest for complementary health approaches assumes an urgency. Amongst these is yoga, which has acquired a following worldwide." AYUSH Minister Shripad Yesso Naik said, "Yoga doesn't represent any religion or region. Probably, that's the reason 177 countries out of 193 UN member states had not only supported the idea of declaring 21st June as International Yoga Day but also co-sponsored it." Seventy international delegates from 32 countries are participating in the two-day conference, which was also attended by yoga guru Ramdev. At the event, Ansari gave away certificates to the winners of 'Best Yoga Apparels' and 'Best Yoga Geet'. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, too, on the occasion of International Yoga Day, had sought to distance yoga from religion and called it a "zero-budget health insurance scheme". Srinagar: Hitting out at separatists, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday said they rake up unnecessary controversies over Article 370 of the Constitution and asked them to rather focus on protecting the people and the environment of the state. She also made it clear that dialogue with separatists can take place only after "the situation improves". "I am surprised that (Muslim) preachers talk so big about Article 370 (in their sermons). What is Article 370? It is of significance only if we are at peace," Mehbooba said in the Assembly while replying to a debate on demand for grants for departments under her charge. In an apparent reference to Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who is the chief priest of Kashmir and gives sermons after Friday prayers at Jamia Masjid, the Chief Minister said it was not for the preachers to look after the special provisions of the Constitution with regard to the state but for the mainstream political parties of the state. "What are they talking about safeguarding Article 370... They are looking for something else. It is we (pointing towards MLAs) who have to protect it. It is our shared inheritance and nothing in it will change," she said. Mehbooba said the preachers do not talk about harassment of women and girls in the society nor do they mention enviromental degradation in their sermons. "I also belong to the family of preachers. We have to strive for protecting the environment and the water bodies. For years, we dumped our garbage in River Jhelum and it retaliated by dumping it back in our homes for 10 days (by floods). But we still did not learn any lessons," she said. The PDP chief also hit out at opposition National Conference and Congress for repeatedly questioning her party's alliance with BJP and asserted that she will enter into such a coalition thousands of times if it brought peace with dignity to the state. "The alliance with the BJP was taken to respect the mandate of the people. We cannot have a government of one religion (sic) and opposition of another religion. I will form this alliance thousands of times if it helps in restoring peace with dignity in the state," she said. Mehbooba said she did not need to justify her party's alliance with the BJP everytime as it was her late father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed's decision. "For me, this decision is engraved in stone. He (Sayeed) has always taken difficult decisions during his 60-year career and he did not make U-turns. If we are in (such a) situation, it is due to the constant U-turns of some (leaders)," she said, targeting the opposition. The Chief Minister said it was the endeavour of her government to provide good governance with accountability along with a sustained political process. "If we give only good governance without political process or a political process without good governance, it will not work. We have to do both simultaneously but for that you have to give us some time," she said. "There are so many challenges on political, security, development, economic and administrative fronts confronting Jammu and Kashmir. We will have to provide not just good governance, but ensure proactive and pro-people governance to address the enormous challenges confronting the state," Mehbooba added. She said while she was for dialogue to resolve issues, the situation should improve for such a process to be started. "The tourism has started reviving.. We want dialogue but let the situation improve," she added. The Chief minister again hit out at some TV news channels for negative portrayal of the situation in the state. "While they did not find the valour of a boatman, who drowned while saving tourists, worthy of a story, they held a discussion when some pilgrims were accidentally caught in stone pelting on police," she said, referring to a recent incident in Srinagar. "May be some vested interests from other states, who want to crush the tourism industry of our state, are behind it (negative coverage)," Mehbooba added. On the amnesty to stone-pelters, she said the government was reviewing all cases since 2008. "Those not involved in heinous crimes will be released and some may be released before Eid," she said. The Chief Minister appealed the opposition to set aside political differences and help in the government efforts for bringing back Kashmiri Pandits to the valley. "We will continue fighting elections against each other but let us work together to bring back Kashmiri Pandits," she said. Referring to the demand of Pandit community for opening Sharda Peeth pilgrimage to Pakistan occupied Kashmir, Mehbooba said she will take up the matter with the Centre so that it can be opened to Pandit pilgrims from this side. On the demand of legislators for salary hike, the Chief Minister said she will ask the Finance Minister to explore the possibility of doubling it. "I will ask the Finance Minister to double the salaries of the legislators if there is scope for it," she said. With regard to demand for raising the constituency development fund from current Rs 1.5 crore per year to Rs five crore, Mehbooba said the MLAs should not seek everything in one go. She commended the army, police and paramilitary forces for having done a commendable job in bringing peace to the state. Stressing the need for making the police force professional, the Chief Minister said it will be equipped with the state-of-the art technologies to ensure speedier crime detection, traffic management, investigations and busting of drug trafficking rackets. Describing journalism as an inseparable pillar of accountable governance, the Chief Minister said the state will promote free and fair journalism. She said she will revive the proposal of developing Press Club at Srinagar. "I will also go over the State Advertisement and Empanelment policies to promote institution of journalism," she stated. She also announced shifting of Central Jail out of Srinagar and Jammu cities and said the premises would be developed to create recreational facilities for the locals. Jammu: Police on Wednesday rescued a kidnapped minor girl from the city and arrested a man in this connection. A complaint was lodged by the family members of the minor girl on June 9 with the police that their daughter has been kidnapped by one Sohan Lal from Kaliyan Mansan Phallain Mandal on the outskirts of Jammu, a police spokesman said today. Acting on the complaint, police registered a case and started investigations, he said, adding special teams were constituted on the directions of SSP Jammu, Sunil Gupta. Acting on a specific information, police team from Phallain Mandal conducted a raid in Gangyal area of Jammu and rescued the kidnapped girl and also arrested the kidnapper yesterday, he said. The girl was later handed over to her family members. Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday slammed separatists for attempting to rake up unnecessary controversies over Article 370 of the Constitution while making it clear that dialogue with them can take place only after situation improves. CM Mufti also targetted them for not taking up issues of protection of people or talking about harassment of girls and women in society or focussing on environmental degradation. The Jammu and Kashmir CM, without taking anybody's name in her speech, hit out further on separatists and said that she did not need to justify her party's alliance with the BJP everytime as it was her late father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed's decision. "For me, this decision is engraved in stone. Sayeed (Mufti Mohammad Sayeed) has always taken difficult decisions during his 60-year career and he did not make U-turns. If we are in such a situation, it is due to the constant U-turns of some leaders," she said, targeting the opposition. "I am surprised that (Muslim) preachers talk so big about Article 370 (in their sermons). What is Article 370? It is of significance only if we are at peace," Mehbooba said in the Assembly while replying to a debate on demand for grants for departments under her charge. The Chief Minister said it was the endeavour of her government to provide good governance with accountability along with a sustained political process. "If we give only good governance without political process or a political process without good governance, it will not work. We have to do both simultaneously but for that you have to give us some time," she said. "There are so many challenges on political, security, development, economic and administrative fronts confronting Jammu and Kashmir. We will have to provide not just good governance, but ensure proactive and pro-people governance to address the enormous challenges confronting the state," Mehbooba added. In an apparent reference to Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who is the chief priest of Kashmir and gives sermons after Friday prayers at Jamia Masjid, the Chief Minister said it was not for the preachers to look after the special provisions of the Constitution with regard to the state but for the mainstream political parties of the state. "What are they talking about safeguarding Article 370... They are looking for something else. It is we (pointing towards MLAs) who have to protect it. It is our shared inheritance and nothing in it will change," she said. Mehbooba said the preachers do not talk about harassment of women and girls in the society nor do they mention enviromental degradation in their sermons. "I also belong to the family of preachers. We have to strive for protecting the environment and the water bodies. For years, we dumped our garbage in River Jhelum and it retaliated by dumping it back in our homes for 10 days (by floods). But we still did not learn any lessons," she said. (With inputs from PTI) Anantnag: Polling in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag Assembly constituency on Wednesday ended peacefully and nearly 34 per cent voter turned out was recorded as both men and women of the area came out to exercise their franchise. "Polling ended peacefully in Anantnag assembly constituency today where 33.84 per cent voter turnout was recorded against 40 per cent during the 2014 general elections," the state's Chief Electoral Officer Shantmanu said here. He said 117 polling stations had been set up in the constituency while 13 polling stations were installed outside the constituency for migrant voters. "Counting of votes will start at 8 a.m. at Degree College Anantnag on June 25", Shantmanu told reporters. When voting started at 7 a.m., fewer people lined up outside polling stations. A mere four per cent turnout was recorded during the first one hour. But the morning's shy trickle of voters gradually changed into small queues in rural areas even as the turnout in urban areas was still very low. Peace prevailed in the town and adjoining areas though militants and separatists had asked people not to vote. "Voting continued at all the polling stations smoothly through the day and there has been no militancy related incident anywhere," the official said. In both the urban and rural segments, women voters outnumbered men, the official said. At the Khanabal High School in Anantnag town, where two polling centres were set up, burqa clad women formed the bulk of voters. The story was the same at Rambirpora, Krangsoo, Kehribal and several other places. It seemed women were determined to defy the separatists' calls to boycott the elections. After Mehbooba Mufti was sworn-in as Jammu and Kashmir's first woman chief minister on April 4, it became mandatory for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader to become a member of either house of the bicameral legislature. Anantnag was represented in the 87-member Legislative Assembly by her late father and then Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed till he passed away on January 7 in New Delhi. Police and paramilitary forces were deployed in strength to prevent any untoward from interfering with the election process. The army was deployed in what is known as "area domination" duty in the periphery of the constituency to ensure an incident-free poll. There was a complete shutdown in Anantnag town following the boycott call. Wednesday was declared a public holiday in Anantnag constituency. Traffic on the Srinagar-Jammu highway, which passes through this town, moved normally. Movement of vehicles carrying tourists to the Pahalgam health resort was also normal. Mehbooba Mufti visited a number of polling stations. But she refused to speak to the media, at Rambirpora village, where journalists sought her comments, she said: "I will speak to you when I have something to say." There are seven other candidates in the fray, including Hilal Ahmad Shah of the Congress and Iftikhar Hussain Misgar of the National Conference. Speaking to IANS after voting, few people aired doubts about Mehbooba Mufti's victory. "We know she will not solve international issues but will definitely address unemployment, education, healthcare and give us better roads, and she will also empower women," said Shafeeqa Begum, 45. Shafeeqa, however, believes -- like many others -- that a narrow victory margin could dent Mehbooba Mufti's image as a popular chief minister whose PDP has its base in the south Kashmir districts of Anantnag, Pulwama, Shopian and Kulgam. The Muftis belong to the neighbouring Bijbehara town. Kozhikode: Five students of a nursing college in Karnataka have been booked in connection with the alleged ragging of a first-year Dalit girl student, who has been hospitalised here with severe stomach problems, police said. The case was registered against Lakshmi of Kollam, Athira of Idukki and Krishna, Shilpa and Joe of Al Qamar College of Nursing at Gulburga, based on a statement from the 19-year-old victim, who is undergoing treatment at Kozhikode Medical College Hospital, Sub Inspector of KMCH Police Station, Habib said. He said the girl had named only five of the eight seniors who were involved. The SI said her condition was now stable. A copy of the FIR had been sent to Gulbarga Police commissioner for further investigation into the matter, he said. Police said the victim was allegedly forced to drink toilet-cleaning lotion by eight of her seniors, who are all from Kerala, on May 9. Following the incident, she was admitted to a private hospital in Gulburga with serious stomach problems. As her condition worsened after five days of treatment, she was sent back home along with another Keralite student. The girl was then admitted to Thrissur Medical College Hospital, after which she was referred to Kozhikode Medical College Hospital (KMCH) on June 2. Doctors at KMCH had suggested a major surgery as the chemicals of the toilet cleaner severely damaged her food pipe following which she had been admitted to the ICU. Cases were booked under various sections of IPC,including 307 (attempt to murder), 36 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) and 346 (wrongful confinement in secret) and various sections of SC, ST Atrocities (Prevention) Act, they said. Bengaluru: In a shocking incident, a young man was mercilessly beaten up and stabbed on the streets of Karnataka but no one came to his aid, apart from his friends. NDTV reported that Dhanush, while standing at a bus stop in Hassan, was allegedly staring at a young woman on Tuesday evening. Angered by Dhanush's act, two men approached him and got involved in a verbal fight with him. Dhanush then spoke to his brother and two friends on phone and called them for help. The verbal quarrel soon turned into a fight between the two groups. During the fight, Dhanush's brother Sudeep was stabbed by someone from the other group. A video footage of the incident shows him bleeding profusely but none from the people standing at the bus stop came to his help. They just watched and filmed the incident on their mobile phones, as per reports. The fight stopped only after police reached the spot. An FIR has been filed and five men have been booked and arrested, police said. Kochi: The Indian Navy will be conducting a major search and rescue exercise in Kochi on Wednesday to check the preparedness of the command to deal with a situation of military and civil aircraft crash over land. The exercise is being coordinated by Naval Air Station INS Garuda under the aegis of the Southern Naval Command. The aircraft crash would be simulated at Alleppy helipad. The exercise would be conducted in three phases. It would be terminated on completion of activities in the later hours tomorrow. Mumbai: A special ACB court here on Wednesday granted bail to former Maharashtra minister and senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal and his nephew Sameer in connection with the Maharashtra Sadan case, but they will not be walking out of jail due to another pending case. "They both were produced in the court and were granted bail on a surety of Rs 50,000 each," special public prosecutor Pradeep Gharat said. The court had on June 15 issued a production warrant against the two accused. The case is being probed by the state ACB. However, the Bhujbal duo will not be walking out of jail as they are at present in judicial custody in a money laundering case registered against them by the Enforcement Directorate. Gharat said that the court allowed the exemption application filed by the lawyers of Bhujbal's son Pankaj. "I had prayed to the court to issue a non-bailable warrant against Pankaj but his lawyers pleaded for exemption. However, the court has directed him to be present on the next date," he said. The case is likely to come up for hearing on July 22. The ACB, in February this year, had charge sheeted 17 people including the Bhujbals in connection with the case. It had filed a 20,000-page charge sheet consisting of statements of over 60 witnesses. According to the anti-graft agency, the case was entirely based on documentary evidence, such as fund transfer and bank transactions. In the construction of Maharashtra Sadan in Delhi, contractors had "earned 80 percent profit", while as per the government circular such contractors were entitled to "only 20 percent gain", ACB officials alleged. They said that the books of accounts were "fudged" to show that the profit earned was only one percent. Officials had said that for the construction of Maharashtra Sadan, Chamankar Associates, the contractor firm, had allegedly transferred money to Niche Infrastructure and other companies in which Pankaj and Sameer were the directors. The charge sheet said that most of the companies floated by the Bhujbals were in the name of employees and were used for siphoning off funds. Niche was earlier owned by some employees of Maharashtra Educational Trust, in which the Bhujbals later became directors. The ACB officials had earlier said that the original cost estimate for Maharashtra Sadan was Rs 13.5 crore, but later it was increased to Rs 50 crore. The Bhujbals got Rs 13.5 crore in kickbacks from the Chamankars who earned a profit of about Rs 190 crore from Maharashtra Sadan and other PWD works, they alleged. The ACB, had in June last year, registered two FIRs against Chhagan Bhujbal. The first one was related to alleged irregularities in allotment of a prime plot at Kalina in Mumbai to a developer. The second case was in connection with alleged rampant corruption and large-scale irregularities in the construction of the new Maharashtra Sadan, the state government's guest house in Delhi. The Public Works Department (PWD) under Bhujbal had then allegedly awarded subcontracts to firms, in blatant violation of rules, in the Maharashtra Sadan case. The FIR has named the Bhujbal trio and 14 others. The Maharashtra ACB had initiated the probe against Bhujbals following a complaint lodged by former AAP leader and social activist Anjali Damania. Mumbai: Maharashtra Lokayukta Justice (Retd) ML 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." With PTI inputs Pathankot: A day after a parliamentary panel claimed some "terrorists were still hiding" in villages close to the "vulnerable" Pathankot airbase, Punjab Police on Wednesday carried out a massive door-to-door search in at least 28 hamlets near here. "We conducted a search operation in 28 villages starting at 5 am for five hours. We asked people whether they have seen any person or suspect who is not from their village. They said they have not seen anyone," Pathankot SSP Rakesh Kaushal said. Led by the Pathankot SSP, a total of 300 policemen including 2 SP-rank officers conducted search operation in villages such as Dhira, Tajpur, Akalgarh and Chonga near Pathankot airforce base. The search team also comprised highly trained and specially equipped Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) commandoes. The police also inspected security outside the Pathankot airforce base and found that everything was safe. "Everything is safe there," said Kaushal, adding that the airforce was also secured by its own Garud commandoes. Search operations were also carried in areas inhabited by 'Gujjars', officials said. "We found nothing suspicious," said the SSP. He, however, said security has been intensified in the border district which had witnessed a terror attack at the airforce base in January. Yesterday in Jammu, Chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee (PSC) on Home Affairs P Bhattacharya had said, "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." "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...," said Bhattacharya. Notably, early this month, shoot-at-sight orders were issued at airforce station in Pathankot and security was stepped up following intelligence inputs. Meanwhile, a meeting was held between officials of Army, BSF, Air Force and Punjab police to review security arrangements here, the Pathankot SSP said. New Delhi: With the parliamentary panel cautioning the Centre of another terrorist strike at the Pathankot airbase, Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday said that it would not be appropriate to comment on speculative matters. "To estimate and comment on this matter won`t be right. There can be a possibility of it, but it would not be appropriate for me being a minister to comment on the same," Rijiju told ANI. According to reports, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs, which was recently in Jammu and Kashmir to review security measures at the border areas, has informed the government of the possibilities of terrorists hiding in the nearby villages. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs said the government has been informed about it and security of the strategically important facility beefed up. The Parliamentary Standing Committee also said the government has asked the CRPF, BSF to be more alert and the Army has handed over the security of the airbase to them. 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. 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. Kolkata: The Border Security Force (BSF) on Wednesday apprehended two persons including a minor and seized 10 firearms along the Bangladesh border in West Bengal's Malda district. The arrested persons - Maidul Sheikh, 28 and Rahul Sheikh, 15, were nabbed by the BSF troopers under the Daulatpur border outpost area. "During a special anti-smuggling operation, we apprehended them," said a BSF officer. The BSF has apprehended six weapons smugglers and seized over 40 guns including country made pistols so far this year. New Delhi: The Indian Space Research Organisation has been giving many proud moments to our country by showcasing its space prowess. In the last two years, ISRO has launched around six satellites building India's might in space. ISRO is slowly moving towards its aim to use space technology in innumerable ways to help in nation building. The Indian space organisation on Wednesday launched a record of 20 satellites in a single mission from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh. Therefore, lets go into flashback mode and have a look at ISRO's major launches over the last two years. Mars Orbiter Mission The Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM), also called Mangalyaan, was Indias first interplanetary mission to the planet Mars. India became the first country in the world to insert a spacecraft into the Martian orbit in its very first attempt. The MOM entered Mars orbit on 24 September 2014. GSLV MkIII GSLV Mk-III, the first experimental flight of ISRO's heaviest and upgraded rocket vehicle was launched on December 18, 2014 from Sriharikota. It was conceived and designed to make ISRO fully self-reliant in launching heavier communication satellites of INSAT-4 class, which weigh 4,500 to 5,000 kg. Astrostat Astrosat, India's first dedicated multi-wavelength space observatory, was successfully launched onboard a PSLV-C30 rocket on September 28, 2015. With this, India became the fourth country in the world to have launched its own space observatory after the US, Russia and Japan. GSAT-15 India's latest communication satellite GSAT-15 was successfully launched by Ariane-5 rocket on early morning of November 11, 2015 from the spaceport of Kourou in French Guiana. PSLV-C28 Heralding a new era, ISRO successfully placed into orbit five British satellites using its Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, PSLV-C28, in a landmark mission in July 2015. This was the heaviest commercial luggage carried by a PSLV rocket till date with the five satellites weighing around 1,440 kg. Navic or IRNSS-1G ISRO successfully launched its seventh and last satellite of Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS) constellation, IRNSS-1G into the orbit in April 2016. With this launch, India completed its landmark mission for a regional navigational system on par with US-based GPS. New Delhi: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has created another milestone in space explorations by launching 20 satellites in a single mission from its spaceport in Sriharikota on Wednesday. In a precision launch, PSLV-C34 took off from the second launch pad of Satish Dhawan Space Centre, about 110 km from Chennai at 9.26 AM and placed the Cartosat-2 Series and 19 others in the designated polar Sun Synchronous Orbit (SSO) about 30 minutes later in clear skies. Here is a DD News video of PSLV-C34/ Cartosat-2 Series launch. According to ISRO, the 20 satellites weighed 1,288 kg in total. The rocket's main cargo is India's 725.5 kg Cartosat-2 series satellite for earth observation. The other 19 satellites weighing totally around 560 kg are from US, Canada, Germany and Indonesia as well as one satellite each from Chennai's Sathyabama University and College of Engineering, Pune. This is the first time the Indian space agency has launched more than 10 satellites with a single rocket. In 2008, it launched 10 satellites. Till date, ISRO has launched 57 satellites for foreign vendors from about 20 countries. Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government today proposed amendments to the municipal act to ensure election of mayors by councilors and not by the people as is the practice at present. Minister for Municipal Administration and Rural Development S P Velumani moved in the state Assembly a bill, the Tamil Nadu Municipal Corporation Laws (Amendment Act), 2016 to give effect to the government's decision in this regard. "At present, election to the municipal corporation are conducted on party basis. It has been brought to the notice of the government that councils of certain municipal corporations are not functioning properly since the mayor does not enjoy the support of the councilors. It is considered that if the mayor of a corporation enjoys the support of a majority of councilors, the councilors can function in a better manner." "Therefore, the government has decided to elect a mayor of the corporation indirectly by councilors from among themselves. To give effect to the above decision, the government has decided to amend the law relating to the municipal corporations suitably," he said. The bill says that accordingly amendments are proposed to various municipal corporation acts governing Chennai, Madurai and Coimbatore. Guntur: In a new twist to Hyderabad University's late Ph.D scholar Rohith Vemula's caste issue, the Guntur district collector has ordered a fresh probe to ascertain his caste identity. Collector Kantilal Dande was quoted as saying by the 'Times of India' that the caste status of the research scholar is shrouded in "ambiguity" and needed a fresh probe. Importantly, his office had earlier claimed that Rohith was a 'Dalit'. Dande further said that a fresh inquiry was needed to establish Rohith's caste identity because two previous reports, the first by Guntur Urban Mandal revenue officer, and the second by Gurjala Mandal Revenue officer, gave him different accounts. While the Guntur report said he was a Dalit, the Gurjala one said he was from a backward class. While Rohith was born in Guntur urban, his father was from Gurjala. Only the first report, which gave him Dalit status, went to the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC). The establishment of Rohith's caste status is important because Dalit activists have charged that Union minister Bandaru Dattatreya and University of Hyderabad vice-chancellor Appa Rao are guilty under the SC/ST Atrocities (Prevention) Act for abetting Rohith's suicide. They claim that while Dattatreya wrote letters to HRD Ministry saying that the protesting students were "anti-nationals", the VC did nothing to address the students' demands against the UoH reportedly stopping payment of his fellowship of Rs 25,000 per month after he was found "raising issues under the banner of Ambedkar Students Association (ASA)". Neither Dattatreya nor Rao has been questioned so far, with the police saying it can't proceed against them because the Guntur collector hasn't sent a proper caste certificate of Rohith. Lucknow: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday slammed Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav for ruling out a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the violent Jawaharbagh incident in Mathura earlier this week. The anti-encroachment drive which had gone awry and exposed the unpreparedness of the Mathura police and led to political mud-slinging, had left 29 persons dead, including the city SP and a police SHO. Yadav flew to meet the bereaved family of SHO Santosh Yadav in Jaunpur on Tuesday and gave them a cheque of Rs 50 lakh as financial assistance and assured that education of both the children of the deceased police official would be taken care by the state government. Later while interacting with the local media, he ruled out the possibility of a CBI probe into the whole incident and said that since the Uttar Pradesh (UP) government had constituted a Judicial Commission to probe the incident, there was no room for a CBI investigation, as demanded by opposition parties. "This shows that the ruling party in UP is not only scared of a CBI probe but also strengthens our allegation that the party leaders patronised the sect that eventually attacked the police party and was involved in the large-scale violence during the police bid to clear encroachments at the Jawaharbagh, as orders by a court," Vijay Bahadur Pathak, state spokesman of the BJP said. "Serious charges have been levelled against PWD minister Shivpal Singh Yadav and the chief minister should hence not shy away from a CBI probe" the BJP leader added. Lucknow: It seems all is not well within the Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Yadav's family over merger of gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari's Qaumi Ekta Dal (QED) into party fold. A day after senior Cabinet minister Shivpal Yadav announced the controversial move of QED's alliance with SP, reports on Wednesday started doing rounds that Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav was upset with his uncle for taking the decision, which is most likely to "portray the party in bad light" in the run-up to the state assembly polls, scheduled for early 2017. The UP CM cancelled all his programmes scheduled for today to meet his party leaders. Powerful SP leader Shivpal Yadav too reached Akhilesh's residence to deliberate on the issue. With eyes on crucial 2017 UP polls, Samajwadi Party yesterday embraced QED into its fold, giving fresh ammunition to the Opposition to target the ruling party over law and order issue ahead of next year's Assembly polls. However, it seems the decision to forge an alliance with QED didn't go down well with CM Akhilesh, who late Tuesday night sacked his cabinet colleague Balram Yadav, said to be instrumental in the coalition. Balram Yadav today broke down in front of the media and said 'Samajwadi Party was his life.' The development also points at chinks in the party leadership as PwD Minister and Akhilesh's uncle Shivpal Yadav was present at the merger event earlier in the state capital. Interestingly, while addressing the media yesterday Shivpal suggested that Mukhtar Ansari, the jailed MLA of QED, was not among those who had joined SP. Meanwhile, according to another report that emerged today, Ansari's Quami Ekta Dal's merger with Samajwadi Party was likely to end. Mukhtar represents Mau in the UP Assembly and Bihar Police is keeping a tab on him in connection with the murder of journalist Rajdeo Ranjan. A four-time MLA from Mau, Mukhtar faces murder charges. He is the key accused in the murder of BJP MLA Krishnanand Rai in 2005 and is currently in jail. Lucknow: In what is surely bad news for the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) ahead of the big battle in 2017, party strongman Swami Prasad Maurya, Wednesday, quit the party. Addressing a press conference, Maurya, who is the Leader of Opposition in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, levelled very serious charges against party supremo Mayawati. In 2017, it is a do or die situation for the party. Instead of selecting good candidates, who are loyal to the policies of the party, Mayawati is auctioning tickets to the highest bidder, Maurya said. Mayawati is busy making money at the cost of party's ideology, he said, while adding that the BSP boss had been auctioning tickets ever since she took over as the supreme leader from party founder Kanshi ram. She is not 'Dalit ki beti' but 'Daulat ki beti', who has strayed from the path of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar and Kanshi Ram, Maurya said. While it is yet unclear as to what will be Maurya's next move, media reports said that he is in talks with the BJP leadership. Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Minister Balram Yadav, apparently sacked for facilitating the merger of Quami Ekta Dal (QED) of gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari with the ruling Samajwadi Party, on Wednesday broke down and said that he would abide by the high command`s decision. Recalling his association with the Samajwadi Party, he said that his relations with party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav would never change. "My relationship with the Samajwadi Party and `netaji` (Mulayam) cannot change ever. I have completed all the tasks given to me by the party with full dedication and diligence," Yadav told the media. "I am with the Samajwadi Party since its inception. I welcome the decision of the party, I will adhere by my party`s command and will keep on fulfilling my responsibility towards it," he added. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav yesterday sacked Yadav, who is believed to have negotiated the merger of Samajwadi Party and jailed legislator Mukhtar Ansari`s Quami Ekta Dal. "Balram Yadav, holding charge of Secondary Education Ministry, has been removed (from the Council of Ministers) by the Chief Minister," a senior official said. However, no official reason has been given regarding Yadav`s sacking from the Uttar Pradesh Cabinet. Lucknow: At least ten students lost their lives after they fell in a river into Ganga river in Kanpur while taking selfies, an ANI report claimed. All the ten college students had gone for a picnic at Kanpur Ganga Barrage on Wednesday morning when the fatality took place, a police official said. An eyewitness said that the victims, who were on a pleasure trip when one of them suddenly lost his control while he was taking a selfie and ventured into the river. When she raised an alarm, another student jumped into the river to save him but was caught in the current and drowned. In a bid to save their friends, the others too jumped into the river but drowned as none of them knew swimming. On hearing students screaming, few locals came to their rescue and jumped into the river. However, despite many attempts, only three students were rescued while rest others drowned. The locals later fished out other students' bodies with the help of fishermen, police said. The deceased have been identified as Satyam, his brother Shivam, son of late Devta Prasad - Rohit, son of Vijay Gupta - Sachin, Sandip - son of Ramesh Gupta, Golu - son of late Subhash Tiwari, Manjoor's son Maqsood. The city administration announced a compensation to the kin of the deceased students and handed over bodies of three students to their family members. Bodies of four other students were sent to a government hospital for post-mortem. Sanaa: 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 Yemen. 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 2216. 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. Tokyo: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe began an upper house election campaign on Wednesday with a pledge to rev-up the economy as surveys showed his ruling bloc ahead, despite doubts over Abe`s growth recipe and his push to revise the 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. "This is an election to decide whether we will forge ahead strongly with economic policies, make Japan grow, the regions proper and everyone feel the benefits -- or return to a dark and stagnant era," Abe told a crowd in Kumamoto, southern Japan. The area was hit by a deadly earthquake in April and this week has been battered by heavy rains, leaving at least six people dead. The opposition Democratic Party is arguing that Abenomics has increased social disparities and attacking Abe`s long-held goal of revising the postwar constitution. "We must stop Abe`s runaway politics," Democratic Party leader Katsuya Okada told voters in Yamanashi, central Japan. Surveys show about twice as many voters plan to vote for Abe`s LDP as for the Democratic Party, but also show support for Abe and his party slipping amid growing doubt about his efforts to revive the economy. 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 can vote for the first time, although young voters are not expected to turn out in large numbers. 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. "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." 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 groups opposed to Abe`s hawkish security policies and drive to revise the constitution. But regaining public trust will be tough for the Democrats after a 2009-2012 tenure many remember for infighting and unkept promises. Abe has set a target for his coalition of winning a majority of the 121 seats being contested. 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 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 and Michael Perry) Beijing: China will offer its first regular civilian cruises to the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea by 2020, state media said on Wednesday, a move likely to irk other claimants to the disputed waters. China`s activities in the contested area, such as building artificial islands, airfields and other military facilities, have fuelled tension in Southeast Asia, although it says most of the construction is for civilian purposes. The island province of Hainan will operate regular trips to the Spratlys, which China calls the Nansha Islands, in response to increasing demand, the official China Daily newspaper said, citing provincial authorities. "The province plans a pan-South China Sea cruise line and cruise trips business covering countries along the Maritime Silk Road," it added, referring to President Xi Jinping`s initiative to boost investment and trade links. The trips will begin before 2020, the paper said. The plans are also likely to irritate the United States and its regional allies, which have voiced concern over China`s assertiveness in the busy waterway, where rival claimants have encouraged a civilian presence on disputed islands. Asked if the cruises might exacerbate tension, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said she did not know any details, but it was normal for Hainan to develop its tourism industry in Chinese territory. "There`s no need to read to much into it," she told a daily news briefing. 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 ships carrying about $5 trillion of trade pass every year. Since 2013, China has run cruises to the Paracels, known as the Xisha Islands in Chinese. China has controlled the Paracels, which are nearer its coast than the Spratlys, since the 1970s. State-owned China COSCO Shipping Corp plans to launch cruise trips to the Paracels from next month. Analysts say China`s development plans in the more distant Spratlys would give Beijing its first permanent presence deep in the maritime heart of Southeast Asia. Beijing has said it wants to build Maldives-style resorts around the South China Sea. It is unclear if foreigners would be allowed to visit. Only Chinese nationals have so far been permitted to take the island tours. (Reporting by Michael Martina and Ben Blanchard; Editing by Clarence Fernandez) Havana: Colombia`s government and the FARC guerrilla group reached agreement Wednesday on a definitive ceasefire in Latin America`s longest civil war, they said in a joint statement. "The national government and FARC delegations inform the public that we have successfully reached an agreement for a definitive bilateral ceasefire and end to hostilities," the statement said. The announcement heralds an end to a half-century conflict that has seen hundreds of thousands of people killed in the jungles of the major cocaine-producing country. The deal would all but end the conflict by resolving one of the final points at peace talks between the government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), the country`s biggest rebel group. FARC commander Carlos Lozada tweeted: "On Thursday, June 23, we will announce the last day of the war." The means of implementation of the final peace deal remain to be settled. Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said this week he hopes to seal a full peace deal by July 20. The Colombian conflict started as a rural uprising in the 1960s. It has drawn in various leftist rebel groups, right-wing paramilitaries and drug gangs over the decades in this South American state of 49 million people. It has left 260,000 people dead, 45,000 missing and nearly seven million displaced, according to official figures. Human rights groups say atrocities have been committed on all sides. Many families are still searching for missing loved ones.Santos`s government wants a referendum to put the seal of popular approval on its peace effort. But it faces resistance from some political rivals. To hold a plebiscite, it needs the country`s constitutional judges to approve a law already passed in Congress. Peace talks have been underway in Havana since 2012. They got a boost when the FARC declared a unilateral ceasefire a year ago. The Marxist guerrilla group agreed to remove child soldiers from its ranks as part of the peace deal. According to government figures, authorities have taken some 6,000 children from illegal armed groups over the past 17 years, more than half of them from the FARC. The questions of disarmament and justice for victims make the road to peace and reconciliation a hard one. The sides are discussing designating zones where the FARC`s estimated 7,000 remaining fighters can gather for a UN-supervised demobilization process. Santos and the country`s second-biggest rebel group, the leftist National Liberation Army (ELN), have also said they will start peace talks. That initiative has stumbled due to alleged kidnappings by the group. Last month the ELN freed a prominent Spanish-Colombian journalist and two local TV reporters after holding them for days. The FARC had urged the ELN to release them -- a rare gesture of FARC support for the government over the sensitive issue of kidnappings. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini visited Bogota in May to show support for a deal. She said the bloc would contribute a new package of some 640 million dollars to support the transition to peace. Jerusalem: Four Palestinians were on Wednesday handed life sentences for the killing of an Israeli couple as drove in the West Bank with their children last year, the army said. "The military court in Samaria handed two life sentences and another 30 years to each of the four members of the Hamas cell that carried out the attack in which Eitam and Naama Henkin were murdered in front of their children," a statement read. The October 1 attack on the settler couple marked the beginning of a wave of Palestinian attacks. The violence has since 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. According to the army statement, the assailants had planned on apprehending the Henkin couple, but when their attempts to do so failed, they shot them from close range in front of their four children. Three of the four Palestinians sentenced were also involved in two previous shooting attacks on Israelis which lightly wounded one, the army said. Another three Palestinians involved in the Henkin attack were still facing sentencing. Berlin: A German nurse jailed for life last year for murdering two patients is now a suspect in at least 33 more deaths, investigators said Wednesday, adding that he has admitted to have killed even more. The man, identified only as Niels H., 39 who was jailed for life in February 2015, has been found guilty of two murders and three attempted murders of intensive-care patients. He had previously claimed to have killed more than 30 patients with lethal overdoses at the Delmenhorst hospital near the northern city of Bremen, which would make him one of Germany`s worst post-war serial killers. Analyses carried out on 99 exhumed patients at Delmenhorst suggest that at least 33 were killed by the nurse through lethal injections, investigators said Wednesday. But they added that the tall and heavyset man had also admitted to killing other patients at another hospital nearby -- the Oldenburg Clinic, without giving a figure. "We can say that the horror hasn`t ended," said Johann Kuehme, police chief of the city of Oldenburg. Oldenburg prosecutor Thomas Sander added that in addition to the 33 likely cases, "we assume that the real number of victims is higher than that." Hundreds of patient records will be examined at the Oldenburg clinic before deciding if mass exhumations of patient corpses would need to be carried out there as well. The grisly case dates back to 2005, when a colleague witnessed Niels H. injecting a patient at the Delmenhorst hospital. The patient survived and Niels H. was arrested and, in 2008, sentenced to seven and a half years in jail for attempted murder. Amid the media publicity, a woman then contacted police, voicing suspicion that her deceased mother had also fallen victim to the killer-nurse. The authorities exhumed several patients` bodies and detected traces of the drug in five of them, declaring it either the definitive or possible contributing cause. Nils H. eventually admitted to injecting some 90 patients with the drug so he could then try to revive them and, when successful, shine as a saviour before his medical peers. He said he felt euphoric when he managed to bring a patient back to life, and devastated when he failed. After the shocking revelations of the nurse`s murderous obsession, police and prosecutors launched a special forensic commission dubbed "Kardio" (Cardio) to look into other patient deaths. The sweeping investigation is expected to take many more months. The nurse had previously also worked at an elderly home and an emergency medical service. United Nations: India has demanded the UN to slap sanctions against the new Taliban leader in Afghanistan, saying it is "sheer folly" that the leader of a proscribed entity is not yet designated as a terrorist individual. "It is sheer folly that the leader of a proscribed entity is not yet designated as a terrorist individual," India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin said at a Security Council debate on the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) here yesterday. Supporting New Zealand's position that the anamoly should be corrected, Akbaruddin said the new Taliban leader should be sanctioned. The Taliban had named Mawlawi Haibatullah Akhundzada, a conservative cleric in his 50s, as its new leader after Mullah Akhtar Mansour was killed in an American drone strike last month. US State Department's Deputy Spokesperson Mark Toner had said in a press briefing then that Akhundzada was not on any kind of a terrorist designated list. Akbaruddin further emphasised that groups and individuals perpetrating violence against the people and government of Afghanistan cannot have safe havens and should not be allowed to exercise control and wield influence over any part of Afghanistan's territory. "This, in our view, is critical for lasting peace in the country," he said adding that effective implementation of the Security Council sanctions regime including the 1267 ISIL/Al-Qaeda Sanctions and 1988 Taliban's regime should also be carried out "consistently and with perseverance" for it to serve as a strong deterrent to the listed entities and individuals. Previously, India has slammed the UN sanctions committee for taking a "selective approach" in tackling terrorism when a technical hold was put on its application to include the name of Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar on the committee's list of designated terrorists. India had said in April that it finds it "incomprehensible" that while the Pakistan-based JeM was listed in the UN Security Council Committee as far back as 2001 for its known terror activities and links to Al Qaeda, the designation of the group's main leader, financier and motivator has been put on a technical hold. Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet US Secretary of State John Kerry on Sunday in Rome to discuss stalled peace efforts with the Palestinians, US and Israeli officials said. An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Netanyahu and Kerry would tackle "issues relating to security and peace." US State Department spokesman John Kirby said several issues would be on the agenda, but observers have noted that the meeting comes ahead of a report by the Quartet on the peace process. This diplomatic contact group -- the United Nations, the European Union, the United States and Russia -- is expected to be critical of Israeli policies in the occupied West Bank. "There are plenty of issues coming up that merit Israel and the United States` discussion," Kirby said, citing regional counter-terrorism efforts and the crisis in Syria. "The Quartet is preparing a report on the situation of the ground. It will include recommendations that will help inform international discussions on the best way to advance a two-state solution." Kirby said the report would "largely" reflect the Quartet`s previous statement in September last year. This, among other concerns, cited Israel`s "ongoing settlement activity and the high rate of demolition of Palestinian structures" as "dangerously imperiling the viability" of a two-state -- one Israeli and one Palestinian -- solution. Netanyahu recently spoke over the phone with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini. And on Tuesday he called Russian President Vladimir Putin and discussed "key aspects of the Palestinian-Israeli peace process," according to a Russian statement. The Israeli premier will also meet UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in Jerusalem on Monday. The UN chief will be in Israel and the Palestinian territories as part of a Middle East tour. On Monday, EU foreign ministers backed a French initiative to organise an international conference on the Middle East, aimed at restarting Israeli-Palestinian peace talks deadlocked since 2014. The European Union has been pressing hard to get the peace process back on track based on a two-state solution. Netanyahu is opposed to the French initiative and has described it as an "international diktat" that should not come in the place of direct talks with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas. The Palestinians support the international community`s involvement, saying that years of talks with Israel have not yielded their desired results. A statement from Netanyahu`s office said the premier would also be meeting with Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi during his visit to Rome. Tokyo: One of the missiles launched by North Korea on Wednesday reached an altitude of over 1,000 kms (621 miles) showing the Pyongyang regime has made progress developing intermediate range ballistic missiles (IRBM), Japan`s Minister of Defence said. "We don`t know whether it counts as a success, but North Korea has shown some capability with IRBMs," Gen Nakatani told reporters in Tokyo. "The threat to Japan is intensifying." Japan`s defence ministry said that the second missile launched on Wednesday morning flew 400 kms (248 miles) before falling into the Sea of Japan. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe condemned a North Korean missile test on Wednesday, according to media, as reports emerged of a possible second test by Pyongyang. "If it were a ballistic missile launch, it clearly cannot be tolerated," Abe said, broadcaster NHK reported. "We will thoroughly analyse the case, and will coordinate with the international community, including South Korea and the United States," Abe said, speaking after the first launch was reported. 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 6:00 am (2100 GMT Tuesday) 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. Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia may amend the death sentence mandatory for 12 criminal offences after government-backed studies showed that the capital punishment had not led to the desired effects. "There are positive signs in Malaysia and a steady momentum towards possible change in the death penalty legislation," Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nancy Shukri told the World Congress Against The Death Penalty in Oslo recently. Currently, the death penalty is mandatory in Malaysia for 12 offenses while 20 other offenses are punishable with discretionary death penalty. "Murder, drug trafficking, and offenses related to security are punishable with death", Nancy said. The minister said that a government-backed study on the death penalty had been completed and a paper was being readied by the Attorney General's Chambers. The study was conducted by the International Centre For Law and Legal Studies (I-CeLLS). However, Nancy said," empirical studies showed that the death penalty had not led to 'the deterring effect that such a penalty was created'." "Although Malaysia is generally in compliance with international standards in so far as the relevant safeguards (on capital punishment) are concerned, Malaysia's position on death penalty has always been subjected to national and international criticisms." Colombo: Maldives' president appointed a new vice president on Wednesday, weeks after his former deputy was convicted of attempting to assassinate him. President Yameen Abdul Gayoom appointed Abdulla Jihad as vice president. Jihad, who was previously finance minister, is the third vice president to be appointed by Gayoom since he was elected in October 2013. Jihad's predecessor, Ahmed Adeeb, was sacked eight months ago after being accused of trying to assassinate Gayoom by exploding a bomb in his speedboat. Gayoom escaped the blast unhurt but his wife, an aide and a bodyguard were injured. Adeeb was sentenced to 25 years in prison earlier this month on two counts of terrorism, including the assassination attempt. Gayoom's running mate in 2013, Mohamed Jameel, was also sacked and now lives in exile. Widely known for its luxurious tourist resorts, Maldives became a multiparty democracy in 2008 after years of autocratic rule. Human rights groups have accused Gayoom of harassing and jailing political opponents. Those imprisoned since last year include former President Mohamed Nasheed, former Defense Minister Mohamed Nazim and opposition party leader Sheik Imran Abdulla. Nasheed was allowed medical leave for back surgery earlier this year and traveled to Britain, where he was given asylum. Seoul: North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un has hailed the successful test of a powerful new medium-range missile, saying it poses a direct threat to US military bases in the Pacific, state media reported Thursday. Kim, who personally monitored Wednesday`s Musudan missile test, said it was a "great event" that significantly bolstered the North`s pre-emptive nuclear attack capability, the official KCNA news agency reported. "We have the sure capability to attack in an overall and practical way the Americans in the Pacific operation theatre," Kim was quoted as saying. The Musudan -- also known as the Hwasong-10 -- has a theoretical range of anywhere between 2,500 and 4,000 kilometres (1,550 to 2,500 miles). The lower estimate covers the whole of South Korea and Japan, while the upper range would include US military bases on Guam. After a string of failures in recent months, North Korea tested two Musudans on Wednesday, one of which flew 400 kilometres into the Sea of Japan (East Sea). KCNA said the missile had been fired at a high angle to simulate its full range and had reached a maximum height of more than 1,400 kilometres. "It provided a sure sci-tech guarantee for developing the system of strategic weapons," the agency said. "The test-fire was successfully conducted without giving any slightest effect to the security of surrounding countries." North Korea conducted two back-to-back tests of a powerful new medium-range missile on Wednesday, with one launch ending in failure but the other flying a distance of 400 kilometres (250 miles), South Korea`s Defence Ministry said. Both tests were believed to be of a much-hyped, intermediate-range Musudan missile capable of reaching US bases as far away as Guam. The US State Department strongly condemned the launches, saying they represented clear violations of UN resolutions banning North Korea from any use of ballistic missile technology. The first test shortly before 6:00 am (2100 GMT Tuesday) was deemed to have failed, but the ministry in Seoul said the second Musudan -- fired from the same east coast location two hours later -- had flown 400 kilometres into the East Sea (Sea of Japan). "South Korea and the United States are conducting further analysis," the ministry said in a statement that stopped short of labelling the second test a success. After four failed Musudan launches earlier this year, a successful test would mark a major step forward for a weapons programme that ultimately aspires to develop a proven nuclear strike capability against the US mainland. US State Department spokesman John Kirby said the latest tests would only increase global efforts to counter North Korea`s illicit weapons programme."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". 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 fully 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.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. Islamabad: Reacting strongly to the comments made by Sartaj Aziz, Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif`s advisor on foreign affairs, the country`s ex-envoy to the United States, Husain Haqqani, said that he was not lobbying against Islamabad`s interests as claimed by the former. Addressing lawmakers in the National Assembly yesterday, Aziz claimed that a former Pakistani ambassador to the US was `lobbying against his own country` and `creating hurdles for the government`, the Dawn reported. He however, did not mention the name of the ambassador. Haqqani in his rejoinder said he knew that Aziz was talking about him because another minister had attacked him by name with similar claims. Government officials should take "responsibility for failed policies, instead of looking for scapegoats to divert attention from criticism at home," the Dawn quoted him, as saying. "A former Pakistani ambassador is working against his own country in the US," Aziz said, adding that Pakistan`s diplomatic mission in the US is facing challenges due to the former ambassador`s campaign. Haqqani in a statement clarified that he is now a scholar in the US and not a lobbyist. He pointed out that if his opinions as a scholar carry so much weight that US policy is being affected, then the Pakistan Foreign Ministry should try to influence his opinions rather than treating him like a pariah and making false allegations against him in the Pakistani media. "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," Haqqani said in a statement. Elaborating on the reasons for the trust deficit witnessed in relations between Islamabad and Washington US relations, he said, "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 fiasco." Aziz with revealing the identity of the person had said: "The Foreign Office has a serious reservation on the activities of the said person in the US." The adviser also said that Islamabad is `making successful efforts` against New Delhi`s Nuclear Suppliers Group membership. His remarks come days after Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj said that New Delhi is "not opposed" to Islamabad`s entry to the NSG.Aziz said Islamabad is pursuing a balanced policy based on non-interference and protection of national interests and nuclear assets. Washington: US President Barack Obama today offered a heartfelt tribute to murdered British MP Jo Cox, hailing the "remarkable life" of a woman who volunteered on his campaign in 2008. "Jo knew that our politics, at its best, still works -- that, if we recognize our humanity in each other, we can advance the social justice, human dignity and peace that we seek in the world," Obama said in a tribute published on Facebook. While Obama never met Cox, who would have been 42 today, he explained that she had come to America to volunteer on his first White House campaign. "She gave her time and passion to a country that was not her own because she believed in an idea that transcends borders and cultures -- the power of people to bring about change, from the grassroots up," he said. Obama's comments came on the eve of Britain's vote on whether to stay in the European Union. The murder of Cox, who was campaigning for Britain to remain in the bloc and was a major advocate for refugee rights, shook the referendum campaign and sent shock waves around the world. "Today, we stand united -- British, Americans and people around the world -- to affirm that the hate and violence that took her from us are ultimately no match for the love and compassion that she spread in her life," Obama said. On Friday, Obama called Cox's husband Brendan to express his condolences over her death, which took place in broad daylight on Thursday in her constituency in northern England. United Nations: Accusing government entities in Pakistan of aiding terrorist networks in violation of United Nations Security Council mandates, Afghanistan`s Permanent Representative Mahmoud Saikal said on Tuesday that Islamabad does not need nuclear deals and F-16s to fight terrorists, rather it requires political will and "honest and police action". Speaking at a Security Council debate on the situation in his country, the envoy raised the recent construction of a border post by Pakistan at Torkham, which Kabul says is an incursion into its territory, and 820 artillery shellings of Afghanistan`s eastern provinces of Nangarhar, Khost, Paktika, Kunar and Nouristan by Pakistan. In the continuing downward spiral of relations between the two neighbors, he warned Islamabad, "Make no mistake, the proud government and people of Afghanistan have not, do not and will not surrender to intimidation, violence, and aggression. Our history is a testimony to this." Outlining an alarming scenario of far-reaching international threats, Saikal said that Taliban and several terrorist groups were seeking "to turn Afghanistan into a launching pad against Central Asia, South Asia, West Asia and the Far East." And "other regional terrorist networks, with links to Central Asian republics, Chechnya and China are highly active in our region," he added in a pointed appeal to Security Council members Russia and China, the patron of Pakistan. Islamic State (IS) and al-Qaeda are trying to re-emerge in Afghanistan despite the recent "heavy blows" they suffered at hands of the Afghan security forces, while "Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, in coordination with other terror groups, remains a long-term threat to the security and stability of our region," Saikal stressed. "What is more important, most of these terrorist groups and networks enjoy the facilitation and orchestration services of elements within the state structure of Pakistan who believe in the use of violence in pursuit of political objectives," he said. Referring to the killing of Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour last month in a US drone strike, the Afghan envoy said the incident exposed his Pakistani passport with a fake name that enabled Mansour to fly around the country. Islamabad`s "charade of plausible deniability, duplicity, and blame of Afghan weaknesses continues, which must come to an end if we are to succeed in counter-terrorism", he said. Over the last 15 years several terrorist leaders like Osama bin Laden of al-Qaeda, and Mullah Omar and Mullah Akhtar Mansour of the Taliban have lived and died in Pakistan, he pointed out. "The fact that notorious terrorist leaders were found and killed in their safe havens there, is a clear proof that the country has violated the sovereignty of other nations," Saikal said. "This constitutes a flagrant violation" of the Security Council Resolutions imposing sanctions on the Taliban, he added. On the positive side, Saikal spoke of the inauguration of the Afghan-India Friendship Salma dam in Herat and the signing of a transit trade agreement for the Chabahar Port between Afghanistan, India, and Iran. "We have already started to export agricultural products through this new trade route," he said." Los Angeles: Two men from Anaheim, California, were found guilty on Tuesday of conspiring to provide material support to Islamic State militants, and one of them had attempted to travel to the Middle East to join the extremist group, federal prosecutors said. A federal court jury in Orange County, south of Los Angeles, returned the guilty verdicts against Nader Elhuzayel and Muhanad Badawi, both 25, after deliberating for just over an hour, capping a two-week trial, according to the US Attorney`s Office. In addition to convictions on charges of plotting to provide material support to a terrorist organisation, Elhuzayel was found guilty of actually attempting to provide such support and Badawi was found guilty of aiding and abetting those attempts. Moreover, the jury convicted Elhuzayel on 26 counts of bank fraud, and Badawi on a single count of financial aid fraud stemming from their plot to support Islamic State, according to a statement from the US Attorney`s Office. Both men were arrested on May 21, 2005, when Elhuzayel tried to board a commercial airliner at Los Angeles International Airport for a flight to Turkey, prosecutors said. Elhuzayel`s one-way ticket to Israel, with a stop in Istanbul, had been purchased by Badawi, authorities said. According to court documents, Elhuzayel previously appeared in a video shot by his co-defendant in which he swore allegiance to Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and pledged to travel to Syria to become a fighter for the militant group. United Nations: A UN special adviser sharply criticized Bahrain's government today for repressing opponents and revoking the citizenship of the Gulf state's top Shiite religious leader. Adama Dieng, the special adviser for the prevention of genocide, warned that the country and the region were facing "a critical moment." "It is now even more crucial for the authorities and for all relevant parties to recommit to an inclusive national dialogue in the interest of all people of Bahrain," he said in a statement. Thousands of people protested in the sheikh's hometown of Diraz, west of Manama, after the decision on Monday to strip Sheik Issa Qassem of his nationality. Dieng said the action could raise tensions further in the kingdom. "I call on the government to ensure that the right to freedom of peaceful assembly is fully respected and that any response to the protests is in accordance with Bahrain's obligations under international human rights law," he said. "I also call on the protestors to exercise their rights peacefully and to avoid any act of violence," he said. Dieng said the nationalities of up to 250 people have been revoked for alleged disloyalty to the kingdom. He noted a series of other "worrying developments," including the re-arrest of Nabil Rajab, the founder of the Bahrain Human Rights Centre, travel bans on human rights activists, the dissolution of Bahrain's main opposition group, an increase in the sentence of a jailed opposition leader, and the interrogation last week of five Shia clerics. "Repression will not eliminate people's grievances; it will only increase them," he said. "For this reason, I call on the Bahraini authorities to seek to de-escalate the situation and on all decision-makers, in Bahrain and at the regional level, as well as on political parties and groups, military, religious, tribal and community leaders to exercise restraint and to take all possible measures to prevent the further increase of tensions," he said. Raleigh (US): The war of words between Donald Trump and his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton today reached a new high with the presumptive Republican presidential nominee calling her a "world-class liar" while she hit back describing him as "self-proclaimed king of death" for his rhetoric, economic policies. It all began from New York where Trump attacked Clinton as a "world-class liar" who had "perfected the politics of personal profit and theft" and lacked the judgment to be America's first woman commander-in-chief. "Clinton may be the most corrupt person ever to seek the presidency," he said in a speech. In the speech, which was fully focused on his Democratic rival for the November elections, Trump alleged that the book, "Clinton Cash" by Peter Schweizer, documents how Bill (Clinton) and Hillary used the State Department "to enrich their family in America's and at America's expense." "Hillary Clinton gave China millions of jobs, and our best jobs, and effectively let China completely rebuild itself. In return, Hillary Clinton got rich," Trump told his cheering supporters in New York. "She gets rich making you poor," he said amidst applause. "Most people know she's a world-class liar. Just look at her pathetic e-mail server statements or her phony landing in Bosnia, where she said she was under attack, and the attack turned out to be young girls handing her flowers, a this was a total and self-serving lie," he said. "Hillary Clinton has perfected the politics of personal profit and even theft. She ran the State Department like her own personal hedge fund, doing favours for oppressive regimes, and many others and really many, many others in exchange for cash. Pure and simple, folks. Pure and simple," he alleged. "Then when she left, she made USD 21.6 million giving speeches to Wall Street banks and other special interests and in less than two years, secret speeches that she does not want to reveal under any circumstances to the public. "I wonder why? Together, she and Bill made USD 153 million giving speeches to lobbyists, CEOs and foreign governments in the years since 2001. They totally own her and that will never ever change, including if she ever became president, God help us," Trump alleged. Within a few hours, Clinton, who is leading in polls, responded strongly at another election rally in Raleigh city in North Carolina. Clinton slammed Trump describing him as "self-proclaimed king of death" for his rhetoric, economic policies that would take the country back to recession. She alleged that Trump represents the interest of the rich and wealthy. She warned that the country would not only experience another round of recession, but the common man and the middle class would have to suffer under a Trump presidency. "Trump offers no real solutions to economic. I am here today to offer an alternative," Clinton said to her supporters in North Carolina, which is one of the few States where Trump is leading by a slim margin in latest opinion polls. "We need to make sure our economy works for everyone," Clinton said, challenging the economic policies of the billionaire from New York. In her appearance in Raleigh, which of late has seen influx of large number of Indian Americans because of relocation of various IT companies and scientific research institutions, Clinton appeared unperturbed by Trump's latest accusation. YEREVAN, JUNE 20, ARMENPRESS. The meeting of the President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan and President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin took place on June 20 at the Constantinovski Palace in Saint Petersburg, Armenpress was informed from the press service of Republic of Armenia Presidents office. Presidents of the two strategic partner states discussed issues pertinent to the negotiation on the settlement of NK conflict and in that context referred to the regional developments and current challenges which threat security. The Presidents exchanged views on the implementation of the agreements reached in Vienna at the meeting which was initiated by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs. Distinguished President Sargsyan, Esteemed Friends, Allow me to welcome you to Petersburg. A little while ago, we together with President Sargsyan have had a rather substantial conversation on a number of issues. At the beginning of our meeting in the extended format, I would like to say that we are registering an increase in our turnover despite all difficulties present in our and international economies. Supplies of the Armenian agricultural products to the Russian market have practically increased manyfold, which is very pleasing for us. I hope that in general this tendency will become stronger with regard to both the increase of the turnover and a group of goods which are sensitive for us. It should be noted that within the framework of the integration processes our relations develop even more dynamically than they used to on the bilateral base which is also very pleasing for us. There is an opportunity and need to speak about our future actions. Currently, Armenia is presiding over at the CSTO, and in the fall there will be a high level meeting. We will come back to this issue in October as well. We are very glad to see you. Thank you for accepting the invitation, said the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin. The President of Armenia thanked the President of Russia for the initiative of convening such a meeting in Saint Petersburg where an economic forum concluded just yesterday and which according to President Sargsyan has become an important platform for the discussion of important global economic issues. The President of Armenia expressed confidence that this significant event was closely watched in all countries of the Eurasian Economic Union. Mr. President, since this meeting is mostly about Karabakh, I will not touch upon the issue of our bilateral agenda. Ties are becoming stronger on every direction; actually there are no problems here. Our position regarding Karabakh is well known: We want the issue to be solved through the exclusively peaceful means. I would like to thank you, other leaders of the Co-Chair countries of the OSCE Minsk Group for the attention and efforts which are being made for the resolution of this issue. Regrettably, conflicts like this one cannot be solved through the desire of one party only, and we will certainly be very glad if we are able to move forward towards the implementation of the agreements reached in Vienna, and I mean the creation of the mechanisms for the monitoring of the ceasefire regime violations. It will create a work mood for negotiations.Thank you, said the President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan. YEREVAN, JUNE 21, ARMENPRESS. Member of the Armenian delegation to the PACE Naira Karapetyan delivered a speech focusing on April war waged by Azerbaijan against Nagorno Karabakh, Armenpress was informed from the press service of the National Assembly of Armenia. .Bellow the full speech is presented. Dear Colleagues, Today, I have to speak again about the large-scale military operations unleashed by Azerbaijan at the beginning of April, which was unprecedented from the perspective of volume of heavy weaponry usage and cruelties perpetuated by the Azerbaijani army. Within a couple of days Azerbaijan spat again on all the agreements ratified by itself: Universal Declaration of Human Rights , Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment orPunishment, on Childrens Rights, Geneva Convention and all other possible Conventions. Only one fact out of hundreds: the photo of a beheaded soldier from Nagorno Karabakh defense army had collected thousands of like-s in several minutes, and the Azerbaijani biped who had beheaded the soldier, like the murderer Ramil Safarov, was declared the hero of Azerbaijan, receiving a military award from Aliyev. When you see all of this, you get convinced that ISIL monsters have a lot to learn from Azerbaijani barbarians: how to behead, butcher and defile the corpses of the deceased persons. Dear Colleagues, My colleagues and I have presented some of you and the Commissioner of Human Rights the beheaded, tortured and defiled soldiers photos. Many of you couldnt even look at them. But I hope that at least you understood that Aliyevs announcement that Azerbaijan is ready to provide Nagorno Karabakh peoples security is worth nothing. Right they are, they are ready for it, by killing children and grown-ups, by beheading and torturing soldiers and civilians. And it is quite natural that the Council of Europe Commission against Racism and Intolerance recently published a report, expressing its concern that the Azerbaijani political elite, educational institutions and mass media preach hatred against the Armenians. The report says that an entire generation of Azerbaijanis has now grown up listening to constant hateful rhetoric, and those rare politicians who speak in favour of reconciliation, they are thrown into prison with various charges. An example was brought on murderer Ramil Safarovs release and glorification, which, according to the report, became a new basis for the crimes on national hatred towards the Armenians. Dear Colleagues, I have spoken from this rostrum for years on the cruel anti-Armenianism preached in the Azerbaijani textbooks; I have presented Azerbaijani Maryam Gyuneshlis letters saying that, reading Azerbaijani textbooks, she is scared about her childs future, who is not able to become a healthy person in this atmosphere of hatred. And at last, the Commission against Racism and Intolerance turns to this most serious problem, confirming that Azerbaijan breeds Safarov-like zombies. This should have been talked long ago, when Azerbaijani Human Rights Defender Elmira Suleymanova announced that Ramil Safarov should be a model of patriotism for every Azerbaijani, and a 13-year-old Azerbaijani girl proudly stated that she wanted to become a killer to shoot the Armenian children. And so, dear colleagues, I dont believe, frankly speaking, that now it is possible to repair something. Azerbaijan has been a terrorist country for a long time with all the rules for that kind of country. YEREVAN, JUNE 22, ARMENPRESS. In an interview with Armenpress, political scientist Tigran Abrahamyan, speaking about Sargsyan-Putin-Aliyev meeting in St. Petersburg, said small steps were taken in Vienna and St. Petersburg which still leave the possibility of returning Azerbaijan to the negotiation process. -What will you say about Sargsyan-Putin-Aliyev meeting? Are there any positive achievements? -First of all, we should note that St. Petersburg meeting was the logical continuation of the Vienna meeting. We can highlight the issue of increasing the number of international observers in the conflict zone which was being widely discussed recently, but Azerbaijan did not accept this proposal in no way. The issue of the installation of investigation mechanisms is also a matter of discussion to which Azerbaijan agreed in Vienna, however, tries with every possible measures to avoid from it. These two proposals are correlated and they must be jointly implemented. However, at this moment we still talk about statements that still remain in the papers and their implementation is uncertain taking into account Azerbaijans unstable behavior and the frequent violations of the agreements. In fact, small steps were taken in Vienna and St. Petersburg which still leave the possibility of returning Azerbaijan to the negotiation process. In general, I will try to avoid from making assessments since Azerbaijans behavior doesnt inspire optimism. -There was a talk on the installation of investigation mechanisms, the increase of the scope of responsibilities of the team of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office. Taking into account that Azerbaijan previously demonstrated unconstructive stance, what are the guarantees that this time also the process will not fail? -There are no guarantees that the agreements will be implemented since, unfortunately, starting from 1994 we witnessed Azerbaijani attempts to fail the negotiation process. The increase of the number of international observers and the installation of investigation mechanisms are only restraining factors, however, they do not guarantee the regular steps of the process. These are the minimum steps that are aimed at establishing trust between the sides which became even more complicated after the April events. -How would you comment on Azerbaijans holding of military exercises these days? What was the aim of this? -In general, holding such exercises is undesirable, especially at such a delicate stage and just before the Presidents meeting. Two months have passed after the April events, yes, the situation in the contact line was significantly changed, however, the existence of such huge amount of military equipment and the human resource 15-20 km from the frontline creates an additional tension. Before the Presidents meeting Azerbaijan with such large-scale military exercises was trying to solve at least one problem and putting pressure on Armenia, as well as the mediators efforts aimed at solving peacefully the conflict. YEREVAN, JUNE 22, ARMENPRESS. In an interview with Armenpress, Executive Director of Armenia Development Fund Karen Mkrtichyan informed that after 15 years of silence, Armenias large investment conference will be held in New York on October 10-11 which aims to bring the world investors attention on the country of the South Caucasus. At this moment, clarifications are being made with the Ministries on the details of the big projects to be presented in the forum which relate to the information technologies, agriculture, mining, transportation, energy, pharmaceutical and tourism fields. The projects will cost more than 10 million dollars. The New York forum is very important since people must be aware about Armenia in a world investment environment. This event has not been organized for 15 years, people do not have sufficient information on Armenia in order to visit there and make investments. Perhaps the Diaspora Armenians are aware about Armenia and have a wish to visit here, however, foreigners must be informed on Armenia. Moreover, the state must possess a clear stance in terms of the protection of investors, information must be provided on the tax, customs environment. Investors must be informed what it means to run a business in Armenia which is a member of the Eurasian Economic Union and what are the benefits. There are news with Iran, and we must talk about this, Mkrtichyan said. He said they expect to host 150 potential investors in the conference who are the leaders of a number of international organizations, investment funds, heads of market funds of the developing countries. The investment funds will be presented in order to be possible to bring foreign investors to Armenia in case of small projects. He said the expansion opportunities of the international organizations operating in Armenia will also be discussed during the conference. It is even more crucial, since it means that the foreign company in Armenia is able to develop, he stated. He added that the conference results require long-term efforts and consistency to use the potential. To the question, What will be the answer to the question that Armenia is in a state of war, Development Director of Ameriabank CJSC Tigran Jrbashyan spoke about the investment technologies stating that investments are made everywhere. Every investment consists of two parameters: risk-profitability. The higher the risk, the higher the profitability, and vice versa. It is a rule which till now no one has rejected, he said. We are convinced that there are several sectors, projects in Armenia, the state shows its willingness to move forward with state-private format and increase the profitability, these can be in compliance with Armenias risks. The problem here is not that we are in a state of war, but rather there are risk-calculated projects, Jrbashyan said. Speaking about the conference format, Tigran Jrbashyan said 5-6 huge projects will be presented which suppose state-private cooperation, and the remaining projects will be included in a catalog available to the large investors. YEREVAN, JUNE 22, ARMENPRESS. National Assembly RPA faction MP Gagik Minasyan says the results of St. Petersburg meeting between the Presidents of Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan show that the process goes in a direction which is beneficial for the Armenian side. St. Petersburg discussions were the logical continuation of the Vienna talks. In Vienna the sides stressed the necessity of installing investigation mechanisms of incidents and increasing the capabilities of the OSCE monitoring mission. We saw that based on the results of the trilateral meeting a joint statement was issued in St. Petersburg which highlighted the necessity of strengthening the capabilities of the OSCE monitoring mission. By this we can say a small, but positive step was conducted taking into account the fact that Azerbaijan has always been against that proposal, Armenpress reports, Minasyan said during the briefing. Minasyan recalled that the statement highlighted holding meetings with such formats which must be continuous and can contribute to the ongoing processes within the framework of the Minsk Group. In this case we must be consistent in order not to lose the importance of the Minsk Group which Azerbaijan desires since the Group is the sole international structure having a mandate on the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement, the MP stated. The MP said before the June 20 meeting Azerbaijan was trying to show its power. He said if previously Azerbaijan before such meetings was committing attacks or violating the ceasefire regime in the contact line, this time it conducted large-scale military exercises which contradicts to the agreements reached in Vienna. YEREVAN, JUNE 22, ARMENPRESS. An IT conference is being held in Yerevan with the goal of raising international awareness of Armenian IT and attracting investments and outsourcing. Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan attended the opening of the conference. Favorable investment and business environment, sufficient infrastructure, development of fields with potential of export and competitive advantages of those fields are the main factors which make Armenia attractive for investors. The Armenian investment policy is based on free principles, aimed at integrating Armenia into the global economy. Privileged trading regimes are implemented in Armenia, the work force is pretty educated and qualified, export is not taxed, there are no limitations on export quantity. In addition, Armenia is a leading country among CIS countries, with freedom of economy and entrepreneurial indicators, the PM said. Referring to the competitive advantages of Armenia in terms of IT, the PM said that the advantages are the highly qualified human resources, who have technical knowledge and entrepreneurial skills, the low operational costs, experience with multinational companies, and the legal field on protection of intellectual property which is in accordance with international standards. The Prime Minister also presented statistics, according to which 70 percent of the Armenian IT products are being exported. 79 percents of the exported products are delivered to Canada and USA, 10.8 percent to Europe, 8.8 percent to Russia and CIS countries, he said. Director of the Union of IT enterprises Karen Vardanyan said main gaps of the field will be discussed in order to find solutions. During the conference we will speak about how to present Armenia to the world, how the consultation companies should operate, with what resources, because there are resource limitation issues, he said. IT consultant of the New York office of Ernst & Young Emma Arakelyan said they have organized a conference of special importance, trying to include various parties of interest. This conference is special, because all parties of interest are here to lift the Armenian IT field one step higher. Our main goal is creating Armenia the most developed IT outsourcing country, she said. YEREVAN, JUNE 22, ARMENPRESS. On June 22 a report entitled The activity of democratic institutions in Turkey was put under the discussion during the PACE plenary summer session. Head of the Armenian delegation to PACE, Vice-President of the National Assembly of Armenia Hermine Naghdalyan delivered a speech during which she strictly condemned the democratic situation in Turkey, press service of Naghdalyans office informed Armenpress. Hermine Naghdalyan said this document highlights all the most serious concerns that must be urgently addressed by Turkey, and it clearly outlines the lack of large-scale democratic institutions in Turkey. Among the numerous issues and serious violations of the rule of law, legislation, the judiciary, the relations between the communities, the report also emphasizes the political influence and the limitations on the freedom of speech and media, and the harassments on journalists, academicians and ordinary citizens. Any attempt to accurately acquire information, which differs from the official stance, is being persecuted and oppressed in Turkey, Naghdalyan said recalling one of the victims of such Turkish depressive policy Hrant Dink, a Turkish journalist with Armenian origin who was killed in Istanbul in 2007. Dink was raising the Armenian Genocide issues, he was in favor of the reconciliation between the Armenians and Turks, he was struggling for human dignity and freedoms in his country, in Turkey, Naghdalyan said. Naghdalyan expressed concern over the bill passed by the Turkish Parliament on May 20 which permits criminal persecution against the legislators. The new bill is targeted against the opposition legislators. Our parliamentarian partners representing the opposition are under a real threat in Turkey. I would like to recall that the 1915 first victims were the Armenian MPs of the Turkish Parliament, this means, that a century has passed, however today Turks solve the Kurdish issue as they did with Armenians 101 years ago. Lets prevent the repetition of history, she highlighted. Expressing her gratitude to the German MPs for the Bundestag decision, Naghdalyan said this decision created a complaint within the Turkish leadership. She said the initiators of the resolution started to receive death threats. President Erdogan demanded to make a blood test of German legislators with Turkish origin. In her speech, Naghdalyan also spoke about the issue of the protection of cultural heritage. In todays Turkey thousand Armenian cultural and religious monuments still exist which are deliberately being destroyed. This was the Turkish governments previously planned policy to destroy the material evidence of the Armenian culture, Naghdalyan stated adding that the 1915 Genocide still continues in the form of cultural genocide against the Armenian heritage. Todays Turkey is becoming the direct successor of the values of the Ottoman Empire, she said calling the European Parliamentarians to start a monitoring as a first step in Turkey. YEREVAN, JUNE 22, ARMENPRESS. President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan received President of the National Bank of Argentina Carlos Melconian on June 22. Serzh Sargsya welcomed Mr. Melconian in Armenia and once again congratulated him on his appointment to the post of President of the National Bank of Argentina, and wished success in that responsible position. President Sargsyan said that in Armenia people are always responding with respect and happiness to achievements of Armenians abroad in various fields, because their achievements bring honor and reputation to all Armenians and also contribute to deepening and strengthening of bilateral interstate relations. The President noted that the contribution of outstanding figures of the Argentine Armenian community is significant for the Armenian-Argentine high level relations, including famous entrepreneur Eduardo Eurnekians contribution. Serzh Sargsyan expressed hope that the Argentine National Bank Presidents visit to Armenia will contribute to the close cooperation between Armenian and Argentine banking systems. The sides attached great importance to such visits, which, according to them boost the mutual relations and give an opportunity to discuss interstate cooperation issues. Carlos Melconian conveyed to President Sargsyan the warm greetings of Argentine President Mauricio Macri and his wish and willingness to deepen and strengthen the Armenian-Argentine relations. President Sargsyan highly praised the great contribution of the Argentine leadership and people in the international recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide. The sides attached importance to the deepening of commercial ties between the countries. Carlos Melconian said that his visit to Armenia is important for him not only in the professional and protocol context, but is also very emotional, taking into consideration that he visits the country of his ancestors, where they were forced to leave in the beginning of the previous century as a result of the Armenian Genocide and find refuge in far Argentina. Melconian spoke about the Armenians of Argentina with pride, who according to him, have great respect and influence in the Argentine society. YEREVAN, JUNE 22, ARMENPRESS. National Assembly RPA faction MP Gagik Minasyan says the NKRs participation in the negotiations of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement has always been on Armenias agenda. This issue also exists in the agenda of the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs. I think that raising this issue today is not appropriate since at this moment the negotiations are not being held. This process that started in Vienna aimed to create favorable conditions for the resumption of negotiations. As for St. Petersburg meeting, when the sides were speaking about the increase of the scope of the responsibilities of the team of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, it was stressed that this will also contribute to the resumption of negotiations. This means that the negotiations did not exist during these two meetings, Armenpress reports, he said. He said the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairs state that Nagorno Karabakh must definitely participate in the final stage of the negotiations since no agreement will be implemented without the participation of the NKR legitimate authorities. After the Azerbaijani aggression against Nagorno Karabakh in April, President Serzh Sargsyan had a meeting with President Ilham Aliyev on May 16 in Vienna. On June 20 the trilateral meeting between the Presidents of Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan was held in St. Petersburg. YEREVAN, JUNE 22, ARMENPRESS. Ministers for European Affairs from the EU member states will gather in Luxembourg on June 24 to discuss the outcomes of referendum on the United Kingdom's future in the European bloc, known as the Brexit vote, a diplomatic source said on June 22, reports Sputnik News. On June 23 British people will vote on whether their country should stay in or leave the European Union. "Ministers for European Affairs will discuss the results of the UK referendum in Luxembourg on June 24", the source told RIA Novosti. 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. YEREVAN, JUNE 22, ARMENPRESS. In an interview with Armenpress, Foreign Minister of Armenia Edward Nalbandian said no agreement has been reached over the Nagorno Karabakh conflict settlement during the St. Petersburg summit. Deputy head of Azerbaijans Presidential staff Novruz Mammadov has never participated in any negotiations. The St. Petersburg summit was also not an exception. -Deputy head of Azerbaijans Presidential staff Novruz Mammadov made comments on St. Petersburg meeting. What would You say on this? -That official, Novruz Mammadov, has never participated in any negotiations. The St. Petersburg summit was not an exception. At the last meeting, he only participated in the working dinner during which only the issues related to the installation of investigation mechanisms of incidents and the increase of the scope of responsibilities of team of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office were discussed. As for the settlement package of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict, first of all, as it was repeatedly stated, it should be based on the recognition of the NKR peoples right to self-determination by Azerbaijan. No agreement on the conflict settlement was reached at the St Petersburg summit. At this stage, Azerbaijan must unconditionally implement the agreements reached and reaffirmed in Vienna and St. Petersburg summits which are the followings: first of all, the peaceful settlement of the conflict, the implementation of 1994-1995 trilateral termless ceasefire agreements, the installation of investigation mechanisms of incidents, as well as the increase of the capabilities of the team of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office. This will enable to establish appropriate conditions for the resumption of negotiations aimed to settle the conflict. YEREVAN, JUNE 22, ARMENPRESS. Why to come to Armenia and invest here? The answer is rather clear there are companies and specialists here who elaborate innovative solutions not only for the local but for global markets, Armenpress reports Director of Enterprise Incubator Foundation Bagrat Yengibaryan announced at an IT conference. The event was directed at raising international awareness of Armenias IT sector and discussion of investment and outsourcing issues. We say Why Armenia?. Because we live in a country where a new miracle has been discovered called Information Technologies. Since 2001, when the sector was declared a priority branch, rather interesting developments have taken place in Armenia 15 thousand jobs with an average salary over 1000 USD, if we compare it with other spheres, it might be the highest. There are over 500 companies and I know no other sphere with so many specialized companies, Yengibaryan said, asking a rhetorical question What else is needed for a country like Armenia with a population of 3 million?, and adds that it is not enough. 6 years ago this miracle took another form. New companies were created which were not only focused on fulfilling the requests or attracting investments, but started to spend most of their time on innovative solutions and new products, he said. Bagrat Yengibaryan also talked about Armenia: IT Forum held at Silicon Valley, stating that it was the first time when non Armenians were telling about the achievements of Armenia. They were not asking us where we are from; they were asking us what we are doing that the whole world speaks about it, Yengibaryan said, adding that all this would be impossible without the support of the government. In this context he highlighted the tax privileges granted to the start-ups thank to which 70 new companies are set annually. YEREVAN, JUNE 22, ARMENPRESS. Pope Francis sent a message prior to his visit to Armenia. "Armenpress" presents its full text. Dear Brothers and Sisters: In a few days I will have the joy of being with you, in Armenia. Starting from this moment I invite you to pray for this apostolic journey. With the help of God, I am coming to you to undertake what the motto of my journey says - the visit to the first Christian nation. And I am coming as a pilgrim in this Jubilee year to embrace the ancient wisdom of your nation and plunge into the source of your faith, as solid as your famous rocky crosses carved in stone. I am coming to the enigmatic heights of Armenia as a fellow brother in pursuit of seeing your faces, praying with you and sharing the gift of friendship. Your history and the events that occurred to your beloved nation give rise to admiration and sorrow in me. Admiration, as it was from the cross of the Christ and from your talented mind that you drew strength to rise again even after the most horrific of sufferings that history can remember. Sorrow for those tragedies that your fathers felt on their skin. Let us not allow those painful memories command our hearts. Not even surrender onto the continuous attacks of the evil. Let us act as Noah who was tirelessly looking up into the skies after the flood and would send the dove a few times until it returned with the freshly plucked olive leaf. It was a sign that they could start a new life and that hope would rise. As a servant of the Gospel and messenger of peace, I want to be among you to support you in every effort in the pursuit of peace and walk the path of reconciliation that brings hope. Let the great saints of your nation, and the Doctor of the Church Gregory of Narek in particular, bless our meetings which I am anticipating impatiently. I am especially looking forward to embracing my brother Karekin again, and together with him to give new impetus to our path towards full unity. Last year you came to Rome from various countries in the world and we prayed at the tomb of St. Peter all together. Now I am coming to your blessed country to strengthen our communion, move forward along the path of reconciliation and empower with hope. Thank you, and see you soon. Britain will vote in a referendum on June 23, to decide whether it will stay in the European Union EU leaders warned Britain Wednesday that leaving the bloc would be final as rival camps made a last push for votes on the eve of a knife-edge referendum that has set the continent on edge. "Out is out," European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker said in Brussels, dismissing any talk of a post-vote renegotiation just hours before polls open. French President Francois Hollande warned an exit would be "irreversible" while German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she wanted Britain to stay but that the decision was down to the British people. Merkel and Hollande will meet in Berlin next week for talks which the French president said would work "towards relaunching the European project", already struggling with an unprecedented migrant crisis. Opinion polls indicate a tiny lead for the "Remain" camp led by Prime Minister David Cameron but the result is too close to call and his own career is on the line. A Brexit vote would mean Britain would be the first country to leave the European Union in the bloc's 60-year history, leaving it in uncharted waters at an already troubled time. - 'Better together' - Cameron, who faces calls to resign if he loses, spent the final day of campaigning travelling around Britain on his battle bus and doing interviews. "If I had to sum up this whole campaign in a word, it would be that word 'together'," Cameron told BBC radio. Out on the campaign trail, he added: "If we want a bigger economy and more jobs, we are better if we do it together". Bosses from nearly 1,300 of Britain's leading businesses signed a letter in The Times saying the country was stronger in the EU, while James Bond star Daniel Craig and Irish rock band U2 became the latest celebrities to back "Remain". Bookmaker Betfair said their latest odds implied a 76-percent chance of "Remain" winning. Some 51 percent of voters back "Remain" versus 49 percent for "Leave" among those who have decided, according to an average of polls compiled by What UK Thinks. Story continues On the eve of the vote, planes with banners from the rival campaigns criss-crossed the skies above central London trying to woo undecided voters. - 'Country is a mess' - Cameron's main rival in the "Leave" campaign and possible successor, Boris Johnson, said Britain stood on the brink of "independence day" from Europe. "I do think that we are on the verge, possibly, of an extraordinary event in the history of our country and indeed in the whole of Europe," Johnson said in eastern England. Nigel Farage, leader of the anti-EU UK Independence Party, said: "I genuinely believe we are going to win this." US Republican White House hopeful Donald Trump, who arrives in Britain Thursday, also spoke out on Brexit again, saying he thought the country should "go it alone". A British withdrawal would trigger a lengthy exit negotiation, leading to the loss of unfettered access to its partners in the 28-nation market and forcing the country to strike its own trade accords across the world. In Europe, the referendum has raised concerns of a domino effect of exit votes that would imperil the integrity of the bloc, already buffeted by the eurozone and migration crises. Though many voters fret over the financial consequences of a Brexit, others relish the prospect of taking back power from Brussels and reining in high levels of immigration. "I think we need to make our contribution to Europe and to the global economy. And the best way we can do that is by being in it," Chet Patel, a 44-year-old telecoms worker told AFP. Pat Hand, a 50-year-old construction worker, said he would be voting to leave the EU. "The country is in an absolute mess," he added. Questions about how soon Turkey could join the EU have been central to the "Leave" campaign. Sources told AFP that the EU planned new membership talks with Turkey in a few days to open a new chapter on finance and budget affairs. Turkey has so far completed only one of 35 chapters needed to join the bloc. - Marking slain MP's birthday - The "Leave" campaign briefly took a slight lead in many opinion polls until last week, sending sterling plummeting. This fell away after campaigning was paused for two days following Thursday's killing of pro-EU lawmaker Jo Cox of the main opposition Labour party. Wednesday would have been her 42nd birthday and a series of commemorative events were being held in Britain and around the world. Thousands of people gathered in London's Trafalgar Square to pay tribute to Cox at an event addressed by Pakistani Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai. A floral tribute to Cox was also towed along the River Thames to a mooring outside the Houses of Parliament. Cox's widower Brendan has said his wife, who was particularly noted for her work on refugee rights, was killed because of her political views. Britain will vote in a referendum on June 23, to decide whether it will stay in the European Union Prime Minister David Cameron invoked Britain's wartime spirit in a last-ditch bid to win votes on Wednesday on the eve of a knife-edge referendum on European Union membership that has put the continent on alert. "Winston Churchill didn't give up on European democracy... and we shouldn't walk away," David Cameron told a crowd in Birmingham, his final rally in a campaign that has been described as one of Britain's most bitter ever. EU leaders warned that leaving the 28-member bloc would be final, with just hours to go until a vote in which record numbers of Britons have registered to cast a ballot. "If you jump out of the airplane, you cannot clamber back through the cockpit hatch," Cameron warned, his sleeves rolled up and pointing for emphasis. "Put your children's future first." As planes with banners from the rival campaigns flew over London to woo the undecided. Two polls showed "Leave" had the slimmest of leads, but a third by ComRes indicated "Remain" was ahead on 48 percent, with 42 percent backing a so-called Brexit. "With a race as close as this, the turnout level... will be critical," said Luke Taylor of pollster TNS. A "Leave" victory would make Britain the first country to leave the European Union in the bloc's 60-year history, leaving it in uncharted waters at an already troubled time. "Out is out," European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker said in Brussels, dismissing any talk of a post-vote renegotiation just hours before polls open. French President Francois Hollande warned an exit would be "irreversible" while German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she wanted Britain to stay but that the decision was down to the British people. The German and French leaders will meet in Berlin next week for talks Hollande said would work "towards relaunching the European project", already struggling with an unprecedented migrant crisis. - 'Country is a mess' - A final television debate underlined the muddied picture as a mix of politicians, television personalities and ordinary people squabbled over the pros and cons. Story continues "I came here confused and I'm more confused," admitted glamour model Katie Price after the politicians had laid out their arguments. Earlier, Cameron's main rival in the "Leave" campaign and possible successor, Boris Johnson, said Britain stood on the brink of "independence day" from Europe. "I do think that we are on the verge, possibly, of an extraordinary event in the history of our country and indeed in the whole of Europe," Johnson said in eastern England. US Republican White House hopeful Donald Trump, who arrives in Britain Thursday, also spoke out on Brexit again, saying he thought the country should "go it alone". A British withdrawal would trigger a lengthy exit negotiation, leading to the loss of unfettered access to its partners in the 28-nation market and forcing the country to strike its own trade accords across the world. In Europe, the referendum has raised concerns of a domino effect of exit votes that would imperil the integrity of the bloc, already buffeted by the eurozone and migration crises. Though many voters fret over the financial consequences of a Brexit, others relish the prospect of taking back power from Brussels and reining in high levels of immigration. "I think we need to make our contribution to Europe and to the global economy. And the best way we can do that is by being in it," Chet Patel, a 44-year-old telecoms worker told AFP. Pat Hand, a 50-year-old construction worker, said he would be voting to leave the EU. "The country is in an absolute mess," he added. - 'Act of terror' - Momentum for the "Leave" campaign, however, appeared to be upended with last week's killing of pro-EU lawmaker Jo Cox of the main opposition Labour party, which prompted concerns the campaign had been divisive. "Jo's killing was political. It was an act of terror," Cox's husband Brendan told thousands of mourners who gathered in London's Trafalgar Square to mark what would have been her 42nd birthday. Pakistani Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai, who survived an assassination attempt by Taliban extremists for advocating education for girls, told the crowd: "I'm here today as a living proof that they can't win with bullets." A floral tribute to Cox was also towed along the River Thames to a mooring outside the Houses of Parliament. With everything to play for, a string of prominent figures from James Bond star Daniel Craig to rockers U2 rolled out last-minute endorsements. Bosses at British businesses warned Brexit would endanger jobs in a letter to the Times, while Ryanair chief executive Michael O'Leary declared his view in a characteristic stunt. Dressed in a suit patterned with European Union flags and Union Jacks, he told CNBC if Britain left a failure of the European project would be "inevitable". "What more can we do to persuade the UK to vote Remain?" he implored. US Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker, pictured on July 13, 2015, expressed concern about measures that restrict digital content at a gathering of global leaders on the digital economy A top US official warned Wednesday against a rise of "digital protectionism," which she said threatens access to information and ideas and can hurt economic growth. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker, who addressed a gathering of global leaders on the digital economy, expressed concern about measures that restrict content, limit data flows or impose standards that keep out foreign competition. "This 'digital protectionism' threatens access to the technologies and information that people want and need to succeed," Pritzker told a ministerial meeting in Mexico of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). "We expect such policies from authoritarian regimes that want to isolate their people -- not from nations that welcome the global exchange of ideas and commerce," she said. In a phone interview after the speech, Pritzker told AFP that "when governments engage in digital protectionism they leave their populations and others disenfranchised and disconnected." She added: "We're committed to the model of an open and free Internet and what we are seeing around the world is policies that threaten that." Pritzker declined to offer specific examples of countries adopting protectionist policies, but said in her speech she was concerned about "data localization laws that constrict cross-border data flows; content controls that limit access to information; and onerous technical standards that keep foreign competitors out of new markets." She told AFP that some of the measures are "well-intentioned" but have unintended consequences" that restrict online access. Pritzker said the ministerial meeting, the first by the organization of advanced economies on the topic in five years, should reaffirm the principles of an open Internet which is not controlled by governments or intergovernmental organizations. - Confidence in Internet - She said the US decision to privatize the technical adminstration of the Internet's domain name system, on track for this year, should boost confidence in the so-called "multistakeholder" model that steers clear of government regulation. Story continues The plan will leave the nonprofit group that manages the system -- the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) -- as a self-governing entity with checks and balances that limit any single group or government from asserting control. She said Washington agreed to cede this "symbolic" role "to blunt the arguments of Russia and China and other authoritarian regimes that do not want to see a free and open Internet." US officials earlier this month endorsed the transition crafted by ICANN, which is set to go into effect when the contract with the US Commerce Department expires September 30. Pritzker acknowledged that some members of Congress have balked at the plan but that the US administration remains committed to it. "The goal is to proceed to this transition, and it's increasingly important that we do so," she said in the interview. "There's a lot of politics around this but it's important that we get this done now." 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) FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Deutsche Bank has struck a deal with its German works council about closing nearly a quarter of the lender's branches in its home market, several people familiar with the matter said. Germany's flagship lender has embarked on a strategic overhaul and cost-cutting program, announcing in 2015 that it would cut 9,000 staff positions, of which 4,000 would be in Germany. The bulk of the job cuts agreed with the works council will be related to the shutting down about 200 of Deutsche's 723 bank branches in Germany, the people said, adding that details might be announced as early as Thursday. "The deal is slightly on the positive side for employees," one of the people said. German daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung reported that while Deutsche Bank had initially planned to cut 3,250 jobs at its retail outlets it had now settled for 2,600 redundancies. Deutsche Bank declined to comment. While Deutsche Bank is thinning out its network within large cities, it is stopping short of a broad pull-back from smaller towns, people familiar with the matter said. Last month, Chief Executive John Cryan said the bank had made good progress in talks with the German works council. "It's taken an awful long time to get to agreement. And we're still not quite there yet, but I am pretty confident that within the next month or two, we'll have an agreement," he said at the time. In other European countries, mainly Spain and Poland, Deutsche Bank has closed about 40 retail branches. In April, Cryan admitted the long negotiations were weighing on staff's mood. "There is still a lot of uncertainty over branch closures. Uncertainty is destabilizing, it's not morale boosting. I have promised that we will have clarity as soon as possible," he told Reuters then. (Reporting by Arno Schuetze, Andreas Kroner and Alexander Hubner; editing by Ludwig Burger and David Clarke) The Quebec Court of Appeal will hear new evidence entered in a breach of contract case pitting a former English teacher against McGill University. James Fleming alleges the university sent him to work in Saudi Arabia as an English teacher with a visa that did not allow him to do so. Fleming had previously presented fifteen different emails signed by authorized Saudi visa agents and embassy officials. Today, Quebec Court judge Daniel Dortelus allowed them to be filed as evidence for the higher court. Three of the authors of those notes testified before Dortelus today. The first, Saudi lawyer Emad Zahrani, spoke from Saudi Arabia via video conference. "[Mr. Fleming] was provided with a government visit visa, and it says, it's very obvious, 'Not permitted to work," Zahrani said. A copy of Fleming's visa previously submitted as evidence is indeed marked, "Not permitted to work" in English. But a second witness suggested the situation may not be so cut and dry. Mirna Kanaan works for a travel agency that's authorized by the Saudi Arabian embassy in Ottawa to process visas. Kanaan corresponded via email with Fleming in December 2015, answering a query about whether a government visit visa would legally allow him to work in Saudi Arabia. At the time, Kanaan told him it did not. Today in court, though, she said she became wary of the court case after McGill's defence lawyer got in touch with her, too, and so she contacted the Saudi Arabian embassy in Ottawa to make sure she had given out correct information. Kanaan said, in a phone conversation, the embassy told her, "If someone has a government visit visa, the government may ask him to work in Saudi Arabia." The judge appeared surprised at this admission, and asked Kanaan to look at a copy of Fleming's visa. "As it's written, it says 'Not permitted to work.' I cannot say it is permitted to work," Kanaan said. "It's very confusing," Dortelus said. "I know," Kanaan replied. A third witness stuck to what she had said in her email to Fleming. Tamella Severcan testified via phone conference from Vancouver, where she is the director of Visa Universe. Severcan said she saw a copy of Fleming's 2012 contract with McGill, and found it described work that would require a different type of visa, an "Employment visit visa." Fleming lost a first civil suit against McGill last year before Quebec Court. -In the original lawsuit, he had argued he'd not been informed ahead of time about his obligations to renew his visa by exiting and re-entering Saudi Arabia multiple times over the course of his nine-and-a-half month contract. His passport ran out of space, and McGill dismissed him after he was not allowed back in the country. In 2015, Dortelus found McGill did provide Fleming both proper paperwork and ample warning. Fleming presented his emails to the Court of Appeal in February 2016. Now that they have been accepted into evidence, he and McGill will return to the Court of Appeal. [Prime Minister David Cameron speaks during an EU referendum related visit to a small family business in south London on Tuesday. AP/PA/Adrian Dennis] If the United Kingdom votes to leave the European Union, Canadian diplomats could offer their help in managing the transition while working their contacts to figure out implications for their own country, two experts on Canada-Europe relations say. This Thursday the UK will hold a referendum on leaving the EU. The political battle over a potential British exit, or Brexit, has come down to a very close race that has proved to be vitriolic and even lethal. Labour MP Jo Cox was murdered last week in a reportedly politically-motivated shooting. If Brexit happens, it will happen in the face of advice from British Prime Minister David Cameron, UK economic institutions, the Bank of England, the United States, China, Canadas prime minister, Canadas top diplomat to the UK and many others. That means there will be a bit of attitude from the winning camp, which includes former London mayor Boris Johnson and UK Justice Secretary Michael Gove, in their triumph over so many voices, said former Canadian ambassador Ferry de Kerckhove. Canada will have to acknowledge there has been a legitimate vote in the UK, and the outcome will have to be respected, said de Kerckhove, who is now a senior fellow at the University of Ottawa after a career in the Canadian foreign service. After that, theres going to be a period of wait-and-see, and a lot of searching as to the implications of Brexits impact on Canada, he said. In a way, the reaction from the Canadian diplomats will be, Listen, were going to try and help you, David Cameron, manage that transition in a way that doesnt hurt our collective interests. The Quebec connection Part of Canadas job at that point would be to assure the UK that Canada is understanding of the situation that the UK faces, said Amy Verdun, a professor of political science at the University of Victoria and the Jean Monnet Chair Ad Personam who studies European politics and public policy. Story continues I think the Canadians could reach out to the United Kingdom and say, Were here for you, we feel for you, weve had these issues ourselves; happy to help, Verdun said. Canadas Quebec referendum in 1995, she said, exposed similar fractures that didnt automatically heal after the vote. Canada was able to mollify, to some extent, sovereigntist aspirations since the vote, she argued. In addition, Canada would not bring any hegemonic power to the table as perhaps the U.S. or China, she said, in any discussions about how to move forward. Others see reverberations for the current sovereigntist movement in Canada. National Post columnist Andrew Coyne recently wrote that a successful Brexit could offer new life to the moribund Quexit movement. 2-year period will test CETA If Britain votes to leave, it wont immediately be freed from the clutches of the EU. The minimum period for members to leave is two years, during which Britain would still be subject to EU laws, the BBC reports. The country would have to negotiate a withdrawal agreement and set the new terms of any future Britain-EU relationship, the news service added, and negotiations could get dragged out. That means that if Britain votes to leave, a good chunk of the rest of the Trudeau governments mandate will be spent dealing with the fallout. Canadian diplomats, whose role it is to continuously assess the ongoing implications for Canada of any major issue, will have to keep the long game in mind. A key question from the Canadian governments perspective is to make sure that our guys, both in London and in the EU, follow very, very closely, from their inside contacts, what are the implications, said de Kerckhove. Theres going to be a lot of research being done. Canadas foreign affairs department is doubtless already doing so, he said, but a pro-Brexit vote would crank this process up considerably. Chief among the implications for Canada is what will happen to the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) that has been negotiated for years. Talks over the deal and a legal review are finished, but it is still awaiting translation and final approval. Its unclear if Brexit will completely unravel CETA; former Canadian ambassador Derek Burney and Carleton University chancellors professor Fen Osler Hampson recently wrote that Europeans could use Britains exit as an excuse to revisit negotiations or even put the agreement on the shelf. A key question, said de Kerckhove, is how extensive the Brexit itself will be in terms of trade relations, and thus where negotiations for any new deal would have to begin. On this score, nothing would be in play, Verdun said. It would be a blank slate, at which diplomats would start chipping away. Related to CETA is the larger issue of global trade and its impact on the working class. One element that Brexit has highlighted one that wont be contingent on the votes outcome is the sense of economic desperation that many voters in Britain feel, she said Its so close and its so concerning that clearly something has to happen in the area of integrating various peoples within the United Kingdom, she said. In that sense, Brexit has come to illustrate some of the same dynamics currently playing out in the U.S. presidential race. Multilateral diplomacy Another aspect for Canadian diplomats to consider is how the ground would shift after Brexit in terms of political and regional allegiances. Diplomacy at organizations like the United Nations and the World Trade Organization is often carried out via groups of like-minded countries forming blocs on various issues. If the United Kingdom were to be its own entity and not part of the European Union, then everything you would normally expect to talk to the Brits through the EU about, you now have to develop bilateral relations with the United Kingdom, Verdun said. The UK would hold on to its position as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, de Kerckhove pointed out. Were not going to build a new special relationship with the UK out of the EU, he said. Canada is no longer the country of former prime minister John Diefenbaker who campaigned hard against UK membership in the European Common Market, the EUs predecessor. Its an entirely different ballgame. WEDNESDAY, June 22, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Since tighter gun laws were introduced in Australia 20 years ago, there hasn't been a single mass shooting in that country, researchers report. There has also been a large decline in overall gun-related deaths in Australia since the laws were enacted, the study found. "We are unaware of any other nation that has enacted such a substantial change in gun laws as has been implemented in Australia," Simon Chapman, of the University of Sydney, and colleagues wrote in the report. "Comparative studies of Australia's experience with broadly comparable nations would provide further evidence of the effects of such law reform," the study authors concluded. These findings come in the wake of the mass shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Fla., and failed attempts to pass gun-control legislation in the United States. Although the United States represents only 5 percent of the world's population, about 31 percent of all public mass shootings originate in America, a report from CNN estimates. Australia introduced its sweeping gun laws in 1996. The laws were developed in response to a mass shooting that killed 35 people and wounded 19 others. The male shooter used two semiautomatic rifles. The new law banned such weapons, including rapid-fire long guns already owned by Australians, the study authors explained. By early 1997, all six states and two territories in Australia had a mandatory buyback program. Gun owners were paid market price when they turned in their prohibited firearms. By the fall of 1997, severe criminal penalties could be imposed if someone still had a rapid-fire long gun. Those penalties included heavy fines and the possibility of jail, the researchers said. Between 1979 and 1996 -- before the gun laws were enacted -- there were 13 fatal mass shootings in Australia. A fatal mass shooting was defined as five or more victims, not including the shooter, according to the report. Between 1997 and May 2016 -- after the gun law reform -- there were no fatal mass shootings, the researchers noted. In addition, the average rate of gun-related deaths fell from 3.6 per 100,000 people in 1979-1996 to 1.2 per 100,000 people in 1997-2013, the findings showed. There was also a significant downward trend in gun-related suicides, the study revealed, but the difference in gun-related murders was not statistically significant. Findings from the study were published online June 22 in the Journal of the American Medical Association. According to Daniel Webster, the author of an accompanying journal editorial, the findings from Australia show "how a nation can come together to forge lifesaving policies despite political and cultural divides." Similar gun-control policies would be unlikely in the United States due to political, cultural and legal challenges, added Webster, who is from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore. Australia was also able to enact comprehensive regulations to limit the misuse of handguns, Webster said. These laws are more restrictive than anywhere in the United States, even in areas with strict gun laws, he noted. Australian citizens, professional organizations and academic researchers were all involved in demanding that their lawmakers adopt measures to prevent the terror of gun violence and the tragic loss of life, Webster pointed out. "Citizens in the United States should follow their lead," he concluded. More information There's more about gun violence at the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, June 22, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Primary Residential Mortgage, Inc., (PRMI) is proud to be named a Scotsman Guide 2015 Top Mortgage Lender. PRMI was ranked #14 in Top Retail Volume for 2015. PRMI was ranked among entries from hundreds of mortgage companies across the country. To be eligible for consideration in Scotsman Guide's Top Mortgage Lenders rankings, all loan volume had to be from mortgages on one- to four-unit residential properties within the United States. After receiving submissions, Scotsman Guide required written verification of top entrants' volume from a Certified Public Accountant, the Chief Financial Officer at the company. "We are honored to receive such recognition from Scotsman's Guide, said David Zitting, CEO and President of PRMI. "This past year was a great success with PRMI being able to help just over 28,780 families move into their dream home and this year, we look forward to helping even more." Scotsman Guide released its fourth annual Top Mortgage Lenders rankings in early June. The list, which ranks the nation's top mortgage-lending companies, appears in Scotsman Guide's June 2016 residential edition, and rankings are available online at ScotsmanGuide.com/TopLenders2015. For more information, visit PrimaryResidentialMortgage.com or call 800-255-2792 RESTON, Va., June 22, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- STG Group, Inc. (OTCQB:STGG), a leading provider of mission-critical technology, cyber, and data solutions to multiple Federal Agencies, announced today that it has been selected by the U.S. Army Civilian Information Services Division (CISD) to provide wide ranging information technology support across its worldwide system and application portfolio. The contract, valued at $11M, is spread over a 23-month period of performance and will involve the provision of a complex range of services to CISD, which is responsible for the development and sustainment of all U.S. Army civilian information systems. STGs IT specialists will provide support that will encompass system security, data management, software application support, software engineering and integration, backup and recovery, quality assurance and training. STG will be working to support three data centers, as well as information systems spread over 100 field sites. Commenting on the award, Mr. Paul Fernandes, STG President said: The team at STG takes great pride in having provided systems support to the U.S. Army for more than 18 years. This latest award demonstrates our ability to develop and maintain a broad range of mission-critical systems for the U.S. Army. Our agile approach enables us to quickly adapt to customer needs in a rapidly evolving technology environment, creating and deploying the most effective and efficient solutions. We look forward to working with CISD to improve system performance across their portfolio. The CISD program will be overseen by Joe Nicholas, STGs newly appointed Senior Vice President and Sector Lead, Cybersecurity and Secure Information Systems. About STG STG Group, Inc. is a leading provider of mission-critical technology, cyber and data solutions to more than 50 U.S. Federal Agencies. Applying decades of experience, the company works to ensure the security of the digital domain, the effectiveness of complex IT systems and the delivery of quality intelligence to decision makers. STG is a Washington Technology Top 100 Company. Visit STG at www.stg.com. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties concerning STG, STGs expected financial performance, as well as STGs strategic and operational plans. Forward-looking statements relate to expectations, beliefs, projections, future plans and strategies, anticipated events or trends and similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. Terms such as anticipate, believe, continue, could, estimate, expect, intend, may, might, plan, possible, potential, predict, should, would and similar expressions may identify forward-looking statements, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. Actual events or results may differ materially from those described in this press release due to a number of risks and uncertainties. The potential risks and uncertainties include, among others, risks relating to success in retaining or recruiting officers, key employees or directors, the potential liquidity and trading of our securities, and the size of our addressable markets and the amount of U.S. government spending on private contractors. In addition, please refer to risks described in the Risk Factors in STGs Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 and filed with the SEC. Please also refer to the other documents that STG filed with the SEC on Forms 10-K, 10-Q and 8-K. The filings by STG identify and address other important factors that could cause its financial and operational results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements set forth in this press release. STG is under no duty to update any of the forward-looking statements after the date of this press release to conform to actual results. As of August 26th, 2021 Yahoo India will no longer be publishing content. Your Yahoo Account Mail and Search experiences will not be affected in any way and will operate as usual. We thank you for your support and readership. For more information on Yahoo India, please visit the FAQ The 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... Is David Cameron playing hard to get? Currently, he is in Brussels playing for the time Great Britain needs to get organised. Cameron is probably hoping to return with the October date he suggested when he first spoke after the Brexit vote. Now to October is plenty of time for British voters to consider that all those talking points about the strength and size of the economy came from data gathered when Great Britain was a member of the European Union. Also plenty of time for Scotland to use Brexit's own reasoning to re-suggest their own independence vote ... this time with the idea of taking their claim to ownership of North Sea oil and oil revenues to the World Court (headquartered in an EU member country) with them. Realizing that Great Britain has now traded their long-held Churchill perspective on the world and Britain's place in it for a handful of beans and a view sounding more like Rudyard Kipling (with the potential to tryout all the contingencies of "If ..." in daily life), EU members decide not to make the negotiating concessions Johnson and Farage said they would. An equal and opposite re-action occurs, and at the end of June 2017 we are talking about David Cameron (or someone named to his party's leadership by Cameron) as PM of an EU member Great Britain. Does Cameron have an end-game in mind? Is he playing hard to get in order to make certain the equal and opposite reaction to Brexit comes in the form of overwhelming acclamation? 15 Crucial Compliance Lessons The Occupational Safety and Health Administration was established by Congress under the Occupational Safety and Health Act. This act was promulgated by the Nixon administration in 1970. The agency itself is a unit of the U.S. Labor Department. The purpose behind the agency's creation was to ensure safe and healthy working conditions for all workers. It has the power to both set and enforce standards. However, OSHA is also widely known due to the fact that it offers a wide range of training and outreach programs so as to sensitize the workforce about all workplace safety-related issues. Its domain includes state and the private sector throughout much of the United States, effectively making OSHA training a very important part of any company's LMS training program. Why LMS for OSHA Safety Training Before 1970 when OSHA was formed, thousands of people lost their lives due to job-related injuries, while many more were injured. There were disability pensions, lost productivity, and wages that hit both the private and the public sector. OSHA safety training, especially online training though a well-structured LMS, is necessary to ensure that your organization's safety record remains impeccable and all OSHA regulations are rigidly enforced. Failure to comply would mean stiff penalties as well as citations, because OSHA officers are duly authorized to pay surprise visits to check and see if your organization is in compliance of their rules. It is pertinent to note that one of OSHA's goals is to make employers accountable for any deaths or accidents at the workplace due to unsafe practices. The following are 15 Lessons about OSHA safety compliance that are offered through online courses with the help of a well-structured LMS: 1. Hand and Power Tools. The use of portable power tools such as manual, electric as well as pneumatic power tools may prove to be dangerous. An efficient online course can easily demonstrate as to how they may safely be used so as to ensure there are no accidents. 2. Hand Safety. Hand safety is very important because most accidents occur due to improper placement of hands on powerful machinery. Hand safety guidelines are imperative for ensuring a safe environment at the workplace. 3. Forklift Operations. Because forklifts lift heavy weights (often in tight spaces), the risk of accidents is high. Training on their safety features and control elements must be provided to their operators. 4. Emergency Response. Each employee should be taught how he has to respond in case of a workplace emergency such as bomb scares, natural disasters, fire, armed gunmen running amok, and other similar situations. 5. Chemical Safety. Awareness regarding the safety as well as the security of chemicals is necessary due to the fact that many chemicals present an occupational hazard because of their inherently dangerous nature. All employees should be well trained on how to handle such chemicals as well as steps to take in case of exposure. 6. First Aid Courses. In case of an untoward incident, often the only first aid responders would be co-workers of the stricken employee. Therefore it is essential that they learn CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and emergency cardiovascular care (ECC), along with other relevant first aid courses. 7. Driver Safety. Safe driving has to be each and every employee's personal responsibility once he or she gets behind the steering wheel of a motor vehicle. Properly trained and qualified drivers would go a long way toward minimizing work-related automobile accidents. 8. Electrical Safety. Electricity is one of the most hazardous substances in the world and that is why it is critically important that employees should know the do's and don'ts of working with it. They should be taught as to why they must never bypass safety measures, regardless of how important it may be to save time. 9. Respiratory Protection. Employees working with hazardous chemicals, gases, and such must have access to respirators. Moreover, they must also be taught not just why they should use them, but how to use them properly. Basic training courses on the awareness of health hazards to the respiratory system as well as how to avoid them should be part of the training program of every company that has to deal with such substances. 10. Chlorine. This substance is very commonly available in the industrial sector. However, it is so dangerous that it is even used as a chemical weapon. Awareness training of handling this seemingly innocuous chemical is necessary, along with training on how to minimize exposure, as well as what to do in case accidental exposure takes place. 11. Severe Cold. Employees may have to work in severely cold conditions; if they are not aware of the problems associated with cold stress, they might unknowingly risk frostbite, amputation, and even death. They must be taught the symptoms and conditions arising from extreme cold and what to do when faced with such conditions. 12. Hearing Protection. Workers operating in an environment where very loud noise is the norm (such as airports and shooting ranges) must be made aware of the dangers of prolonged exposure to such noise on their ears. They must also be trained to use proper hearing protection equipment when working in such surroundings. 13. Welding. This is also an extremely dangerous occupation -- not only can the slightest accident expose the arc's operator to a flame that burns iron like a hot knife going though butter, but there are the ancillary hazards of lung cancer and metal poisoning. All welders must know the correct safety protocols when handling their equipment. 14. Mechanical Crane Safety. Workers who operate cranes and other heavy machinery should be made aware of the dangers inherent to such machines and must be trained in the security protocols as well as safety features of their machines. 15. Fire Safety. Workplace fires and explosions due to unsafe handling of explosive chemicals and gases are amongst the most common causes of death and personal injury as well as damage to property at the workplace. All employees must be taught how to avoid starting accidental fires and how to respond to a fire and extinguish it. Furthermore they must be taught all about fire exits (it's the responsibility of the employer to provide such exits), firefighting equipment, as well as basic handling of fire extinguishers. Conclusion OSHA inspectors are empowered by the law to perform snap checks at any workplace in its jurisdiction to see whether the organization is in violation of its safety and security protocols. Therefore, it is imperative that safety training sessions are conducted. Currently, many organizations are offering excellent online training courses though well structured LMS systems. Offering such courses to your employees would not only mean the avoidance of hefty fines and citations but also ensure that your workplace remains safe from accidents and other similar hazards. Kamy Anderson is an ed-tech enthusiast with a passion for writing on emerging technologies in the areas of corporate training and education. He has more than seven years of experience working with the ProProfs learning management system and other eLearning authoring tools, which has given him a hands-on experience of the latest course authoring software and an exclusive insight into the eLearning industry.(For information, ProProfs, 6800 Altamor Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90045, 855-776-7763, www.proprofs.com/.) Australia has intercepted a boat of Vietnamese asylum-seekers, officials said Wednesday, as the government accused people-smugglers of using the upcoming election to drum up new business. Rhetoric around Canberra's controversial immigration policy has ramped up ahead of July 2 polls, and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has denounced a Labor opposition pledge to allow illegal migrants already in Australia to stay permanently. The Vietnamese boat was discovered north of Australia this month, with the 21 men, women and children on board processed at sea and then flown home, Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said. "They claimed that they were wanting protection. It was found that they weren't owed protection and they were returned back to Vietnam," he said. Under Canberra's tough measures, asylum-seekers trying to reach Australia by boat are either sent back to where they departed or to remote Pacific island camps, where living conditions have been criticised. While Labor backs the policy of turning back illegal boat arrivals, it has said it would permanently settle the bulk of the 30,000 boatpeople who came ashore under the previous Labor governments of Julia Gillard and Kevin Rudd, most of which are still waiting to be processed. "This will send an absolutely unequivocal signal to the people-smugglers that under a Labor government, anyone who manages to get to Australia on a boat will be able to stay here permanently," Turnbull told reporters. "The people-smugglers are starting to market again and we know... they are marketing that there will be, or could be, a change of government in Australia and the way the opportunities to smuggle people to Australia will be open again." Since the start of its "Operation Sovereign Borders" in September 2013, the government has managed to halt the flood of boat arrivals, and drownings, that characterised previous Labor administrations. Turnbull said since the conservatives came to power, 28 boats carrying 734 people have been turned back with no successful arrival in almost 700 days. Singapore must ensure the rights of its gay citizens if it wants to keep its reputation as a global business hub, Human Rights Watch said Wednesday, after the country warned foreign firms not to sponsor LGBT events. Earlier this month the conservative city-state warned Google, Facebook and Goldman Sachs not to interfere in its internal affairs after they and other multinational corporations sponsored an annual gay rights rally. The New York-based rights watchdog said in an open letter to Home Affairs Minister K. Shanmugam that the admonition against the sponsors "encourages discrimination" against gays. The group said the warning was a "threat to the fundamental rights of all Singaporeans, and is a stain on your country's reputation as a welcome home for international business". "Human Rights Watch urges you to swiftly reverse course, repudiate your statement, and end efforts to restrict LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) Singaporeans in exercising their rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly, free from discrimination and intimidation," it said. The annual gay rights rally known as Pink Dot was held in Singapore on June 4 and backed by multinational firms that also included Twitter, BP, Barclays and J.P. Morgan. Singapore's home affairs ministry issued a statement three days later warning that it would "take steps to make it clear that foreign entities should not fund, support or influence such events". "The Government's general position has always been that foreign entities should not interfere in our domestic issues, especially political issues or controversial social issues with political overtones," the ministry said. "These are political, social or moral choices for Singaporeans to decide for ourselves. LGBT issues are one such example," it added. In a later statement, the ministry said no action would be taken against this year's sponsors. Singapore's leaders have had to maintain an uncomfortable balance between increasingly vocal conservatives and gay rights supporters. Story continues In 2014, Singapore's top court upheld the law criminalising sex between men. And, earlier this month, producers of a local staging of the musical Les Miserables were forced to cut a scene showing a kiss between two male actors because of public complaints. In an interview with journalists last year, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said the country was not ready to legalise same-sex marriage, but added that the local gay community was not harassed or discriminated against. el/mba/kb The Singapore-based company Capital Springboard has already seen S$80 million (US$60 million) traded on its platform since its pilot in July 2015 Singapore-based p2p financing company Capital Springboard has announced its official launch today. The platform, which allows investors to purchase short term invoices. have already incurred over 1,300 invoices worth S$80 million (US$60 million) in trades since it launched its pilot in July 2015. Capital Springboard is not backed by VCs but by UK-based assets management company Centurion Group. It will focus on bringing on board accredited or institutional investors and not retail investors. The team is comprised of financial experts who hail from HSBC and Standard Chartered, its CEO Roger Cook was formerly the chief executive of Global Forwarding. In the press release it said that accredited Investors can open a Capital Springboard trading account held by escrow agent, Vistra Trust (Singapore) Pte. Limited, with a minimum investment of S$50,000 (US$37,000) and withdraw their undeployed funds at any time. Vistra Trust is regulated by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). In a press statement, Capital Springboard said that investors can stand to benefit from returns of 11-25 per cent depending on the grade of risk of the invoice, during a 90 day investment window. Crook told e27 that the platform will, however, focus on the quality rather than the quantity of the trades. Also Read: Financing your business should you use P2P lending services or bank loans? We will focus on sectors that have good economic prospects and opportunities. Due to market conditions, we will not be focussing on construction and oil & gas companies, said Crook. Which SMEs would qualify? To qualify, your company needs to be at least a year old and has to be registered in Singapore. It also needs invoices averaging 90 days and amounting to a minimum of S$25,000 (US$18,600), and have an existing business relationship with a debtor. Crook said that Capital Springboard also has a thorough credit scoring system that rates the credit score of the company from A+ to S. The post Singapore SMEs rejoice, there is a new P2P financing platform in town appeared first on e27. This article was originally on GET.com at: Taxi Alternatives: 4 Cheap, New Ways To Get Around Singapore We are all guilty of splurging on cabs, especially when were rushing from place to place in Singapore. For some of us, taking a taxi is a luxury thats resulting in a hole in our pockets. As of late, other services have come into the picture and changed the market entirely. Some of these services are even cheaper than traditional taxi services. Here, we at GET.com have narrowed down 4 new and cheap ways for you to get around Singapore that are great alternatives to using a taxi. They're easily accessible and also friendly on your pocket. 1. GrabHitch Brought to you by the same services that introduced GrabCar and GrabTaxi, the Grab app has now introduced its newest method of transport called GrabHitch. It works in almost the exact same way as hitchhiking does. Image Source: Grab On the Grab app, just key in your pick-up and drop-off locations and the date and time you want to be picked up, and then wait. Grab will find somebody who is going the same way as you are at the same time. After that, you just have to confirm with the driver and coordinate a pick-up time and location that suits both parties. Its such a great way to maximise the spaces in cars which will otherwise go unused if book a trip on your own. In the long run, maximising these car spaces will be good for the environment and most importantly, itll be easier on your wallet. Because youre sharing the trip with the driver, the price you pay at the end of the trip is cheaper than when you book a single GrabCar trip. 2. Beeline Beeline is something completely different from other popular transport services like Grab or Uber. The Beeline app is a crowd sourced service that uses busses as their mode of transport. Image Source: Beeline Its simple, first you find the routes that are already available on the app. If you cant find the route that covers your location, send in a request for a route and log it in. Eventually, when theres enough demand near your location, a private bus will be catered to your destination. Story continues Beeline only operates on weekdays and bookings for seats have to be made a day in advance. If the existing route is being used for you to get to work, you can consider making a five-day booking for the week and only pay for the price of four days. The price range for this service can be as low as $4. These payments can be made via PayPal or credit card when youve made your booking. Some existing locations on the app are popular work destinations like Buona Vista, One-North and Central. 3. RYDE Image Source: RYDE RYDE is a relatively new way to get around Singapore by carpooling. Being Singapores first carpooling app, the people behind RYDE believe in providing a sustainable alternative for the way you travel. How it works is simple, using some form of magic algorithm that I wouldnt know, the flat amount that you will have to pay based on the distance, will be split up accordingly at the end of the trip with the people who got on the car. You can even set your bookings in advance if youve already decided on your destination beforehand. Carpooling with RYDE is also a good way to make friends with people who might also have a common interest. 4. Uber The most popular of the four in this list is Uber. The Uber app features similar mechanics to Grab. Key in your location, and wait for the driver. While you wait, you will also be able to track your drivers whereabouts and their contact information (in case they get lost trying to find you). Image Source: Uber The best thing about Uber is the fact that you can check the price of the fare to your destination before you make the booking. This function also lets you know when there is a price surge during peak periods and the additional amount that comes with it. Taking an Uber is cheaper than a taxi because they dont come with the additional charges like the morning or midnight surcharge and Central Business District (CBD) charge. While Ubers are still susceptible to ERP, the amount you save from having to pay for the additional taxi charges will still be significant over time. The Future Of These Methods Recently, the media has picked up on these services. Just on the news recently we saw that Uber and GrabCar drivers now also need to have vocational licences - just like taxi drivers. On top of that, they will also have to go through medical tests and background screenings before they can attend the vocational courses to obtain the license. It seems to be a control measure to ensure that there is still competition for taxi companies as new transportation alternatives enter the market. If youre more self-reliant and would much rather have your own car (and even make some extra cash by becoming a part-time Uber driver), perhaps we could help you with weighing the pros and cons of buying a car in Singapore. But if youre pretty settled on getting a car, then check out some of the best car loans that we managed to narrow down for you. Here you can also find 5 ways that you can save money on transport in Singapore. What do you think? Share your comments with us below! GET.com Singapore is Singapore's lifestyle and personal finance website. We help you GET more for your money - food, travel, home loans, credit cards, shopping - everything! Like GET.com on Facebook and sign up to get the HOTTEST stories delivered to your inbox! For serious stuff, you can compare home loans, personal loans and credit cards at GET.com. Our free GETdeals App helps you get the best credit card discounts near you for dining, shopping, lifestyle and more. Download it today! Other Articles You May Like From GET.com Competing claims to the South China Sea have for decades been a source of tension in the region. The Philippines filed a case before an international arbitration tribunal at The Hague to challenge China's claims to most of the waters, with a decision expected in the coming weeks. Below are key facts on the sea and the territorial disputes: - Geography - The South China Sea covers more than 3 million square kilometres (1.16 million square miles), ringed by southern China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Borneo island, and mainland Southeast Asia. Most of its hundreds of small islands, islets and rocks were originally uninhabited. The Paracel and Spratly chains contain the biggest islands. Scarborough Shoal is a small outcrop in the east. - Significance - The sea is the main maritime link between the Pacific and Indian oceans, giving it enormous trade and military value. Its shipping lanes connect East Asia with Europe and the Middle East. Over $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes through the sea annually. Major unexploited oil and gas deposits are believed to lie under the seabed. The sea is home to some of the world's biggest coral reefs and, with marine life being depleted close to coasts, it is important as a source of fish to feed growing populations. - Claimants - China and Taiwan both claim nearly all of the sea, while Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei each have overlapping claims to parts of it. Beijing's argument is based largely on Chinese maps dating back to the 1940s with a "nine-dashed line" that approaches the coasts of other countries. - Name - Beijing and most other countries know it as the South China Sea. Hanoi calls it the East Sea and Manila officially refers to it as the West Philippine Sea. - Occupation - China has held all of the Paracel islands since a conflict with South Vietnam in 1974. It has controlled Scarborough Shoal, a rich fishing ground 230 kilometres (140 miles) off the Philippine island of Luzon, since 2012 and occupies at least seven of the Spratly islands. Vietnam is believed to occupy or control 21 of the Spratlys and the rest are divided between Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Taiwan. - Conflicts - There have been two armed conflicts between China and Vietnam in the sea. In 1974, a clash erupted between the South Vietnamese navy and Chinese forces that left about 50 Vietnamese troops dead. The other major conflict occurred when Vietnam and China fought a naval battle on Johnson Reef in the Spratlys in 1988 that killed about 70 Vietnamese military personnel. Chinese naval vessels have fired at other times on Vietnamese fishing boats in the area. - Chinese expansion - China has in recent years sought to dramatically expand its presence in the sea, raising tensions with its neighbours and beyond. In 2012, China gave new powers to Sansha, a city on Hainan island, to administer Chinese rule over its South China Sea domain. Since then, it has conducted massive dredging and artificial island-building activities in the Spratlys, dwarfing the scale of reclamation work of other claimants. The Pentagon said China added 3,200 acres (1,295 hectares) of land to the seven features it occupies. Beijing installed structures on these new islands, including radar systems and runways long enough for huge commercial or military planes. Chinese coast guard vessels have become an ever-growing presence in the key parts of the sea, being used to guard Scarborough Shoal and perform other security duties. The Philippines protested in 2014 after Chinese coast guard vessels prevented the rotation and resupply of Philippine soldiers stationed at Second Thomas Shoal. - Failed diplomacy - The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations and China adopted a non-binding "declaration of conduct" in 2002 to discourage hostile acts. All sides agreed not to use threats or force to assert claims. But China has since refused to turn it into a legally binding "code of conduct". The dispute has caused deep divisions within ASEAN, which normally seeks to operate on a basis of consensus among its members. The Philippines has in particular pushed for a tough ASEAN stance against China. But Chinese allies Laos and Cambodia have been widely seen as blockers of such moves. - Legal challenges - The Philippines filed its case at the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in 2013, becoming the first and only country to legally challenge China's claims. But Vietnamese and Indonesian officials have said they are considering legal action. While not a party to the case, Vietnam also submitted a statement to the PCA's tribunal in 2014 affirming the court's jurisdiction and rejecting China's nine-dashed line. China denies the tribunal has jurisdiction on the issue and insists that it will not abide by its decision. * Data drawn from AFP's archives, International Crisis Group reports, Council on Foreign Relations, the Pentagon and www.globalsecurity.org. The human gut is a complex and amazing system, and the more we learn about it, the more amazed we are. It turns out 3D, VR and AR Lifeliqe Creator Allows Educators to Create Their Own 3D Content for Free Lifeliqe, a platform for interactive, educational 3D, virtual reality and augmented reality, today launched Lifeliqe Creator, a program that gives teachers the power to create and publish interactive presentations and e-books that integrate 3D models, rather than 2D images. Lifeliqe users can explore objects such as dinosaurs or the inside of a shark with interactive 3D views. They can zoom deep into the structure of objects, experience augmented reality, view supplementary text on a subject and change the language for a bilingual view in English or Spanish. With the Lifeliqe Creator feature, any of the 1,000 interactive 3D models can be dragged and dropped right into a presentation, e-book or lesson plan, so teachers can provide students with interactive 3D experiences. Lifeliqe Creator pushes the boundaries of publishing, said Lifeliqes co-founder and CEO Ondrej Homola in a prepared statement. Embedding a real-time, interactive 3D model directly into a text document or a presentation takes it to another level. This enables teachers and students to create resources they have never been able to before, using 3D models instead of images. Lifeliqe spent three years creating its library of virtual content for schools, the company said in a statement. Featuring content from its sister company Corinth, Lifeliqe offers K-12 educators realistic 3D models accessible on tablets, PCs, interactive whiteboards and in VR. In addition, Lifeliqe integrates with Keynote and Powerpoint. LIfeliqes models are focused on STEM subjects such as human, plant and animal biology, geology, paleontology, physics, geometry and chemistry. More than 15,000 teachers, students and parents in more than 100 countries are currently using Lifeliqes digital content, the company said. Recent studies suggest that students learn and retain information better when they use 3D learning materials. All of Lifeliqes content is scientifically accurate, the company said. Lifeliqe is available for free download on the iTunes app store and the Windows store. The initial trial is free. STEM South San Francisco District Launches First Summer STEM Institute The South San Francisco Unified School District (SSFUSD) is launching its first-ever Summer STEM Institute in an effort to prepare its students for professions in the 21st century. "The students and families that depend on our local public schools know that STEM learning is no longer an elective," said District Board of Trustees President Patrick Lucy. "STEM learning is a critical and essential learning tool for every student to succeed in their education and any career path they choose." The school district just south of San Francisco is focusing this first Summer Institute on students in grades 2-8 with hands-on activities and project-based learning. All of the lessons, activities, experiments and challenges are aligned with Next Generation Science and Common Core State Standards. "This is an exciting learning opportunity for our students and professional development opportunity for our teachers," said SSFUSD Superintendent Shawnterra Moore. "Providing world-class enrichment experiences like this is a hallmark of the district's commitment to cultivating the next generation of leaders, thinkers and innovators." The curriculum was developed in collaboration with OpTerra Energy Services, which has begun a new sustainability partnership with the district. Students in grades 2-5 will participate for about four hours a day, four days a week, for four weeks. Activities will include building energy transformation machines, engineering solar ovens, designing and testing wind turbine blades and conducting classroom energy audits. Older students will spend a few more hours each week during their four-week program. They will build Rube Goldberg machines, design circuit mazes and design, build and test energy-efficient homes. The South San Francisco district has about 9,300 students and 40 teachers in 15 schools. * Higher biodiesel content to lift palm oil use to 709,000 T * Industry says consumption should increase to 1.3 mln T * Malaysia lagging behind Indonesia in biodiesel push By Emily Chow KUALA LUMPUR, June 17 (Reuters) - A new mandate in Malaysia to use more biodiesel will not create enough new demand to drain surplus output of crude palm oil (CPO) in the world's second-biggest producer as exports slow in coming months, planters say. Malaysia said in May it will increase the minimum biodiesel content for the transport sector to 10 percent from 7 percent. It will also introduce a 7 percent mandate for the industrial sector. The current low crude oil prices are expected to make it tougher for biodiesel to compete and government predictions of consumption are seen falling short to tackle the surplus. Both programmes, due to start this month, should increase Malaysia's annual domestic consumption of CPO to 709,000 tonnes, the government said. That would be a marginal increase from the current level of about 500,000 tonnes a year, say industry players. They think consumption should increase to 1.3 million tonnes to siphon off domestic stocks bound to rise in the coming months as export demand slows after the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Malaysia's palm oil inventories fell 8.8 percent to 1.65 million tonnes at end-May, but are forecast to rise in the last quarter of the year as output sees seasonal gains. (MYPOMS-TPO) "The mandate won't see a significant impact because we are a small nation, unlike Indonesia," said Roy Lim, group plantations director of Malaysian palm oil firm Kuala Lumpur Kepong. NO INCENTIVE Indonesia, the world's top palm oil producer, requires a 20 percent blend of biodiesel into gasoil in 2016 to reduce its crude oil import bill, cut greenhouse gas emissions and create more palm oil demand. The nation consumed 1.05 million kilolitres of unblended subsidised biodiesel from January to May, said Dadan Kusdiana from Indonesia's CPO fund agency. Story continues Previous efforts by Malaysia to boost biodiesel use in the transport sector have had little success because of delayed implementation and weak enforcement. Low crude oil prices will also make it difficult for Malaysia to implement its new biodiesel programmes. With benchmark crude oil futures trading around $47 a barrel, traders say crude palm oil should be around 1,500 ringgit per tonne for biodiesel to be competitive. Benchmark palm oil stood at 2,436 ringgit ($594) a tonne at 0502 GMT on Friday. Still, palm has lost nearly 9 percent in the past two weeks as investors sold off on concerns over weaker exports ahead. "Implementation is going to be tough in this low crude oil price environment. Given the spread between palm oil and crude oil, we don't see an incentive for biodiesel producers," said David Ng, derivatives specialist at Phillip Futures Sdn Bhd. ($1 = 4.0990 ringgit) (Additional reporting by Bernadette Christina Munthe in JAKARTA; Editing by Manolo Serapio Jr.) (Writes through with details) By Karen Lema DAVAO, Philippines June 21 (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 (Other OTC: NWSAL - 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", signalling he would prefer ownership of local mining assets to be left to local investors. Swiss commodities giant Glencore (Xetra: A1JAGV - news) 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) (Adds detail, quotes) 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 (Other OTC: ITGL - news) 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. He said Rosneft has held not talks with Chinese or Indian companies about privatisation. (Reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin; Editing by Susan Fenton/Ruth Pitchford) 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. YEREVAN, JUNE 21, ARMENPRESS. Member of the Armenian delegation to the PACE Naira Karapetyan delivered a speech urging to stop the regime of murderer Aliyev, Armenpress was informed from the stuff of Naira Karapetyan. Bellow the full speech is presented. "Dear colleagues, Today the Racism and Intolerance becomes 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 a much many fact about destroying Armenian ancient cultural heritage by Azerbaijan! DONT LIE TO EUROPE! The strong affirmation of my works 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 internet, again was glorified and awarded by president Aliyev. Such kind of racism begins from high ranking 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". YEREVAN, JUNE 21, ARMENPRESS. In an interview with Armenpress, newly appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Kazakhstan to Armenia Timur Urazayev said Kazakhstan clearly stated that it mourns the memory of innocent victims who martyred in 1915-1918, in general, during the First World War. This is a very sensitive issue for Armenians, and we understand this. When the issue of the Genocide recognition is being raised, perhaps, first of all it should be directed against the guilty. Kazakhstan in its turn had huge losses in 1920-1930s when 40% of the people died from starvation. There are active public discussions over this issue in order to recognize this event as genocide against the Kazakh people. Our country doesnt hurry to go towards that path. At this moment, when we start to speak about the genocide, a second question is always being raised, who is the guilty? Regardless of our stance, we would not want to take such steps that will not improve the overall situation in the region, as well as the relations with other states, the Ambassador said. He believes the time will come, and Armenia and Turkey will achieve mutually acceptable decision. I am confident that the historical assessments are given and known to everyone, but the political assessments will be given when the necessary conditions exist. We will cooperate with the regional states, both with Armenia and Turkey in order to reach mutual understanding between the peoples of the two states, he stated. Armenian Diocese of Ukraine T. Markos bishop Hovhannisyan said the issue of the Armenian Genocide is very important since it is the greatest tragedy of the Armenian people. In this context, it is very important for us to receive the moral support from various states and people. Here I would like to emphasize the maturation time of the process. Last year on April 24, the Supreme Rada of Ukraine paid tribute to the memory of the 1915 victims with a moment of silence. This was the first step towards the maturation of the process, Hovhannisyan said stating that the international community must come closer to this issue. 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 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. Published On Jun 22, 2016 02:44 PM By Tushar for Chevrolet Enjoy Chevrolet India launched the Enjoy back in 2013. While it was introduced to rival the Maruti Ertiga, sales of this MPV never really picked up and the model was unable to have a notable impact on the segment, with figures this year hovering around 300 unit mark every month. Now, we have a confirmation from Chevrolet that the Enjoy will be discontinued. This news comes in just days after Chevrolet shelved its plans to launch the Spin MPV, which had been spotted testing over the past year and was even showcased at this years Auto Expo. Courtesy the same, Chevrolet is devoid of any model to target the MPV segment, which is a reflection of how competitive the category happens to be. While models such as the Ertiga and the Innova Crysta have tasted success, the Chevrolet Enjoy, the Honda Mobilio or the Renault Lodgy havent managed to get a good buyer response. Dispatches to dealers from Chevrolets factory in Halol (Gujarat) will continue as the company has to clear its produced stock. So, if you are looking to get the Enjoy, now would be a good time to try and push dealerships for discounts! The Enjoy is available with petrol and diesel engines. The petrol is a 1.4-litre, four-cylinder engine that makes 100.2PS of power at 6,000rpm and 131Nm of torque at 4,400rpm. The diesel is a 1.3-litre unit that produces 74.8PS of power and 172.5Nm of torque at 1,750rpm. Both engines come paired with a five-speed manual gearbox. The Enjoy is priced between Rs 6.52-9.18 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). Read More on : Chevrolet Enjoy Published On Jun 22, 2016 By CarDekho for Maruti Alto 800 2016-2019 The undisputed champion of the entry-level hatchback segment goes through a mid-life make over. Are the changes significant enough for it to withstand the onslaught from the newer breed of hatches? Lets find out. There are some cars that define brands. The biggest example for Maruti Suzuki is the 800. In fact, it was so much of a brand-defining model that the peppy little hatchback was often referred to as just The Maruti. The Alto was launched in the year 2000 and soon began to catch on to the Maruti 800 in terms of monthly sales. It was only obvious then that when the Maruti 800 was finally phased out, the 800 nomenclature got attached to the Alto and thus was born the Alto 800 in 2012. Irrespective of how popular a car is in India, everything needs a refresh once every few years. And with the next-gen version expected only by 2018, the company has decided to give it a mid-life makeover. So, what's changed? That's what we are about to find out. Exteriors The front is where you find the most dominant changes to the design. Instead of the thin chrome grille with a body coloured slat, you now get a chunky piece of plastic that flows neatly between the headlamps and an inverted airdam below it courtesy the new bumper. The car also looks wider due to the update up front. There are other minute changes for which one would have to look really close. For example, the headlamps now have an amber-coloured housing for the turn indicators and you also get fog lamps that were not present in the previous version. But, this it is not standard and is only available on the top of the line variant. What you now do get as standard is the left side ORVM. Move to the side and what you see is exactly the same straight shoulder line with no drama, which is a good thing if you are looking at a simple, no-nonsense design in a car. The rear has the same tail lamp housing as the outgoing version with the similar bulge curving near the centre on each side of the Suzuki logo. The bumper between both versions is the same and gets space for the registration number plate in an inverted U-shape cutout of the bumper. Overall, the exterior has some tweaks but, they are not big enough to notice. You would have to be a fanatic and look really close to notice the changes. On the whole, it is still a simple, no-nonsense design. Interiors \ Not much has changed on the inside. What you get is a fresh new fabric design on the door panels and new upholstery for the seats. The three-spoke steering wheel still feels chunky to hold, but does not house audio controls. Plastic feel on the dash is slightly improved but still not at par with the competition in this segment. What is really interesting though, are the backrest of the front seats, which have been neatly carved out to accommodate more space. They also provide enough bolstering and comfort for daily runabouts. But, long hauls, particularly for tall people would be a problem due to lack of under-thigh support. The rear is decently spaced and can accommodate two adults comfortably. Again, if like me you stand over six-feet tall, you would pray for the journey to get over soon as there is no knee room and very little head room. The front, on the other hand, has reasonable headroom and legroom for people with average height. The boot space is the same as the earlier version at 177 litres and accommodates one large bag and two small ones. That's satisfactory for a small family but not good enough to fill in large suitcases when your relatives turn up for a vacation. You would have the option of either seating them or filling up the car with luggage as the Alto 800 does not offer 60:40 split seating. It would have been a good option if the entire segment would provide this as an option (probably for the occasional lugging around). Coming to the infotainment system, there is a single-din unit that can be connected through local radio stations, USB or AUX inputs deliver a decent sound quality through two speakers up front. But thats not really my grouse. In today's day and age where almost every car across segments offers Bluetooth connectivity, the Alto 800 does not. Pulling over to the side of the road every time I need to answer a phone call just doesnt cut it anymore! And the infotainment unit has to be purchased for lower versions and is a part of the package in the top-end trim. Overall, while the Alto 800s interior offers a bit of everything, it still skimps on some basic features that are present in the competition. One point lost for that, Maruti! Safety Another aspect where the Alto 800 could have been better! Then again, no other car in this segment has this aspect properly covered. With the ever-increasing number of vehicles on road, safety features are now all the more important factor. So, it is best that this hatchback (or any other in its segment) should be best left to city runabouts where speeds are moderate. There are crumple zones that help in reducing occupant injury, but airbags throughout should become a mandate soon across all segments and variants (It does have an optional driver airbag though). Yes, there will be a bump in the price tag, but is it not worth the money? For information sake, the VXi version we tested had a driver airbag. Engine and Powertrain Like the pre-facelift version, the Alto 800 is powered by the existing (and one of the longest existing ones) 796cc motor that is mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox. Power and torque figures remain the same at 47PS and 69Nm respectively. While these figures may not really seem impressive, what one tends to overlook is the relatively light weight of this hatchback. And in that sense, the car does not feel underpowered at all. In fact, torque is available from a really low rev-range that makes it a breeze to trot around town and even keep speeds up to 90kmph without unnerving the car. Talking about high-speed road-noise, once the car crosses the 60kmph mark, there is considerable tyre noise from the stock setup and post 70kmph, wind noise also starts to creep in. Overall, the proven engine continues to be a refined unit with brilliant low and mid-range to trot around town but limited high-end torque which is something you would anyway not need. Ride and Handling This is another department that scores a huge plus from our side. The ride is pretty planted and there is minimal body roll while negotiating tight corners as compared to the competition. There is a bit of understeer but nothing to complain about. The Alto 800 keeps its composure, unlike its competition in the segment. What you also notice is the way this little hatch tackles bad roads. Passengers or the driver have very little jerks felt inside the cabin. Sure, on really poor stretches the car will undulate a lot, but it being a monocoque chassis like all its rivals, there is nothing much you can do about. That said, the pliant ride and good handling characteristics like its predecessor are very good and keep the Alto 800 well-planted over all roads. Verdict So, the Alto 800 is an age-old design that has minor tweaks, some new goodies, a few changes to the fabric and decals, but there is nothing striking about it. That said, there are a number of reasons why I would buy the Alto 800. Those being the huge brand following, dealership network, reasonable and easy-to-find spare parts. If you are the one who would not want to experiment (not stating that other cars in this segment are any bad in any of the aforementioned aspects but they have a lot of challenges to overcome) with fresh brands, the Alto 800 is the car you should buy. 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." - Boko Haram splits over ties with Islamic State (IS) - A splinter group emerged following Abubakar Shekau's failure to adhere to guidance and instruction from the IS - The Islamic State is making effort to reconcile the warring factions There appears to be internal wrangle in the camp of deadly Boko Haram sect as they have reportedly split. A big group is said to have split away from shadowy leader Abubakar Shekau over his failure to adhere to guidance from the Iraq- and Syria-based Islamic State, a senior U.S. general said on Tuesday, June 21. Reuters reports that Marine Lieutenant General Thomas Waldhauser, the nominee to lead the U.S. militarys Africa command said the internal division showed the extent to which the Islamic State could influence Boko Haram, despite the groups pledge of allegiance to it last year. READ ALSO: Troops clear armed bandits in Zamfara, kill 9 (photos) Several months ago, about half of Boko Haram broke off to a separate group because they were not happy with the amount of buy-in, if you will, from Boko Haram into the ISIL brand, he said. According to him, Shekau had not been adhering to the instructions of the Islamic State and had been ignoring calls for Boko Haram to stop using children as suicide bombers. Hes been told by ISIL to stop doing that. But he has not done so. And thats one of the reasons why this splinter group has broken off," Waldhauser added. He said the Islamic State was trying to reconcile the two groups. Waldhauser noted that the Islamic State has not given a lot of financial assistance to Boko Haram militants except maybe in training and the like. He said he was more concerned about the breakoff group of Boko Haram who want to be more ISIL-like, and consequently buy into the ISIL-brand of attacking Western interests. READ ALSO: NAF foils Boko Haram ambush, kills 15 terrorists Waldauser wondered if they would act in more in concert with Islamic States transregional ambitions. That would concern me, he said. U.S. officials believe the Boko Harams loyalty pledge had so far mostly been a branding exercise as there was no evidence that they had so far received significant operational support or financing from Islamic State. No fewer than 15,000 people have been killed since 2009, when Boko Haram launched its campaign of violence. In March 2015, report surfaced that the Nigeria-based Islamist terror group pledged allegiance to IS and the Syrian-based Islamic extremist group accepted the pledge. For months now, the Nigerian military has been taking back some territory from the insurgents and also smoking them out of their hiding places. On Sunday, June 19, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) foiled a plan by Boko Haram terrorists to ambush surface forces harboured at Doron Naira, north of Borno state. Days earlier, a Boko Haram suspect was reportedly arrested in Gombi, Adamawa state while withdrawing some money from an Automated Teller Machine (ATM). Source: Legit.ng Legit.ng is #1 online trusted source of the latest news in Nigeria. We are covering Nigeria news, Niger delta, world updates, and Nigerian newspaper reviews. We guide our readers to the world of politics, business, energy, sports, entertainment, fashion, lifestyle and human interest stories. - These are exciting times for the technology sector in Nigerian and Ghana - Both countries development agencies have agreed to collaborate on common grounds - The two agencies met over the weekend in Accra, Ghana to assess mutual areas of interest The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Nigerias IT clearinghouse and the National Information Technology Agency (NITA), Ghana's agency responsible for implementing IT policies have agreed to collaborate on common grounds as it affects both countries IT sector. L-R: CEO of NIITDA, Dr Vincent Olatunji and CEO of NITA, Mr George Atta-Boateng The two agencies met over the weekend in Accra, Ghana to assess mutual areas of interest and how the two economic powerhouses in West Africa can leverage on ICT to better improve the economic potentials of these countries. Both countries are to work on agreeable terms to define the nature and scope of the partnership to cover among others: human capital development, ICT startups and entrepreneurship schemes, local content, cyber-security and smart city. The areas of cooperation will also cover mutual support for each countries IT related events or such public sector led IT events designed to draw investments and developments to the two countries. Officials of NITDA at the meeting The need for us as neighbours and as developing countries to identify common goals and common strategies within the sub-region to approach issues as relating to IT is both important and desirous now so as to raise the economic fortunes of our two countries, said the acting Director General /CEO of the NITDA, Dr Vincent Olatunji. READ ALSO: See the amazing inventions this Nigerian, others made with their bare hands (photos) On his part, the CEO of NITA, Mr George Atta-Boateng said:We welcome a partnership with Nigeria and see it as exigent to actualising our own mandate as a counterpart IT agency in Ghana. We consider partnership as an essential element of growth and look to maximising this partnership. According to Atta-Boateng, NITA was established in 2008 as an IT projects-based public service institution and has so far championed internet diffusion in Ghana as well as provide the framework for data warehousing for both public and private institutions in Ghana. It is currently working to commission the 10, 000 seats BPO/Outsourcing centre in Accra, touted to be the largest in West Africa as Ghana prepares to be a major hub for BPO/Outsourcing in West Africa. Atta-Boateng said NITA is relatively young compared to the NITDA and has had to draw on some inspiring input from NITDA in marshaling its own current structure as a policy driven IT agency from its original orientation as a project driven one. From right Barr. Emmanual Edet, Head Legal Unit and Board Matters NITDA; Mr. George Atta Boatang DG NITA, Ghana; Vincent Olatunji PhD Ag. DG NITDA, Hajiya Hadiza Umar Head, Corporate Affairs NITDA Responding, Olatunji said it considers a working relationship with NITA as a partnership that should thicken and inspire IT-led collaborations with other West African countries within the framework of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). NITDA has invested massively in human capital in Nigeria to build an army of IT savvies. In addition to expanding the boundaries of internet usage across countries, it has provided the framework to bolster the use of the .ng domain names by Nigerian entities. These and many more provide a strong base for collaborations between our two countries, Olatunji said. READ ALSO: Andela to empower Africas next generation of great technical leaders The meeting was chaired by Dr Sola Afolabi, former acting deputy executive secretary of ECOWAS, who urged the two countries to accelerate the processes for collaborations at both bilateral, country-to-country level as well as regional level within the larger ECOWAS window. In attendance at the meeting from NITDA were head of corporate affairs, Mrs.Hadiza Umar and head of legal services and board matters, Barrister Emmanuel Edet. Source: Legit.ng - The Joint Niger Delta Liberation Force (JNDLF), a body of different militant groups has warned President Muhammadu Buhari - The group made this known on Tuesday, June 21 while revealing that some top army officers are planning to sack Buharis government through a coup detat JNDLF, which claimed responsibility for the threats issued on launching a missile attack which caused pandemonium in the Niger Delta region, stressed that people behind the coup plot were getting ready to instigate anarchy in the region, as part of their ulterior motive to overthrow Buharis government. READ ALSO: Dont dialogue with Niger Delta Avengers Group tells Buhari The militants revealed this in an electronic statement that some high ranking army officers were already involved in the plan of the coup, because they approached the leaders of their group, with an appeal that they should continue with the ongoing attacks on oil installations and petroleum pipelines. JNDLF alleged that the coup plotters wanted to use the continued destruction of oil facilities as the real reason to overthrow the federal government. President Muhammadu Buhari and chief of army staff, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai The electronic statement released, was signed by those who identified themselves as General Torunanaowei Latei (Creek Network Coordinator); General Agbakakuro Owei-Tauro (Pipeline Bleeding Expert); General Akotebe Darikoro (Commander, General Duties) and General Pulokiri Ebikade (Intelligence Bureau). The militant group stated: We are constraint to let the cat out of the bag today that PresidentMohammadu Buhari should be wary about the security of this country as some military men are making move to remove him from power by instigating civil unrest in the country. READ ALSO: Revealed: No power on earth can stop Biafra - Lion of Biafra Some top military men through their civil agents approached us to cause and continue the vandalization of the oil and gas pipelines in the Niger delta region so as to use as an excuse to take over the government from democracy to military rule in the country. We said no as such plan will not work and not in conformity with our genuine desire of agitation.The military want to disgrace him now and let him quickly look into the issues and make pronouncement for his administration to be in peace. Let president should analyze certain memo from the military concerning Niger delta region before taking action or otherwise the military will use that as a platform to remove him. We know the issue of Niger delta is political and we preferred political solution to resolve it but if the president refused. Niger Delta militants The group further added that President Buhari should apply the necessary measures to solve the Niger Delta region problems, in order to for the ploy of these top military to fail. It said: We received several calls unknown to persuade us to continue the bombing and that when succeeded in overthrowing the government we will be placed on a better position, we said capital NO! When asked of their names they are above Major Generals level. They refused to disclose their names but their intonations seem like yoruba and Hausa. Our agitation is not for selfish interest but for the overall benefit of the Niger delta region. Well not kidnap any person, kill or hostage taking of any expatriate in the country but will continue our agitation with clear determination to actualize our course in Nigeria. We believe their sinister plan because their is ceasefire in the region for dialogue, but since then the attitude and actions of the service chiefs show that such plan could work for them. In a news that came up today, some groups of Niger Delta militants asked the federal government to be ready for more attacks in the oil-rich region of Nigeria as the two-week ceasefire between them and the government comes to an end. Source: Legit.ng The paradisiacal Malaysian archipelago of Langkawi is popularly known as the Jewel of Kedah. Comprised of a network of 99 islands floating in the Andaman Sea, its enviable proximity to the waters results in an overabundance of delightful food options. Malaysian staples like ikan bakar, a type of charcoal-grilled fish, tantalize sun-kissed visitors looking for a reprieve from Kuala Lumpurs concrete jungle. For those seeking heartier fare, the options are limitless. From an ambrosial Hainanese chicken rice to the indelible gulp of a peppery laksa soup, Langkawites value a meal served beachside and with a zestful kick. Here are five noteworthy plates that Langkawi excels at delivering in sublime form to all travelers who heed the islands siren song. Langkawi Hainanese Cafe, 121, Jalan Padang Matsirat, Kuah, 07000 Langkawi As a group, Malaysians of Chinese heritage account for the second-largest diaspora group of Chinese anywhere in the world, and their gastronomical imprint on Malaysias rich and diverse cookery is no less potent. Among the mainstays of Chinese Malaysian cuisine are sang har kwey teow (Cantonese prawns soaked in an egg broth, served with flat noodles); bak kut teh (soup from pork ribs); and Hokkien mee (a noodle soup from Chinas Fujian region). However, no visit to Langkawi would be complete without sampling the unmatched Hainanese chicken rice. The provenance of this dish is a tropical island off the southernmost tip of China called Hainan, which saw an exodus of islanders to modern-day Langkawi. The hungry immigrants wasted no time pulling together a homespun rice-and-chicken dish, yielding the bold flavors of this Hainanese chicken rice. Sometimes the rice is served separately on a fluffy bed of aromatic rice, layered with moist chicken rich in sweet and sour notes. The soy sauce adds an extra kick. Kampung Siam Restaurant, Cenang Beach Road, Mukim Kedawang, Langkawi Seafood offerings like oysters are owner Mr. Neohs specialty at this Thai-Malaysian fusion restaurant, located in the always bustling Cenang Beach area. The locality, awash with backpackers during the high tourism season, is the place to go for a fresh and flavorful seafood experience, from lobster to oysters. At Kampung Siam, oysters particularly steal the show for their loud and bold flavors you can almost taste the brine from the brackish sea when you dig in. Add a squirt of lemon juice, and perhaps a dab of shallot vinegar, and youre good to go. Chap Nya Yee Laksa Langkawi, 12-A, Belakang Tokong Ibrahim, Langkawi Spicy hand-made rice flour noodles soak up the juicy peppers, and exemplify the bold flavors of Peranakan cuisine, a veritable melting pot of Malay and Chinese notes that wrestle and fuse together. There are innumerable iterations of this thin soup: a gravied laksa lemak; a chopstick-less Katong laksa medley; and a sour and fishy Assam laksa. The curried variants, thicker in form, are likely to be the real crowd-favorites, but dont be disappointed when you get a spiced-up coconut milk or tamarind-based soup swimming with rice vermicelli or noodles. The proteins set atop the liquids are often prawn, fish, or even the standard chicken, and nothing will taste ordinary in this Malaysian favorite. Ikan bakar is a grilled fish blackened by charcoal fire, and the ensuing crunch is delectable, a crisp and healthy antidote to Malaysias more oily and heavy-on-the-belly options. Found at every roadside warang (a small, often family-run restaurant in Malaysia or Indonesia), the fish fresh from the Andamam sea can be marinated in a medley of coconut oil or soy sauce, while flavored up with chili peppers, candlenut, turmeric, shallots, garlic, tamarind juice and more. In short, no journey to Langkawi is complete sans ikan, the Malay term for fish. Find a comfortable stool in the warang, grab a plastic plate and share in this communal eating experience with fellow Langkawites who appreciate a good fish. The ubiquity of these saccharine yellow bowls of rich, custard-y goodness are reason enough to travel all the way to Langkawi. Freshly baked with a hard shell encircling a center of beaten and baked eggs, this flaky puff pastry is the right sugar fix on a balmy day on the island, something to scarf down while watching waves undulate on the coastline. The egg tarts can be served salted to highlight the depth of flavors, or just scarfed down the gullet all sweet and crumbling. The best part is one can indulge in the sweet notes twice or thrice. Any Chinese Langkawi bakery will serve this delight. Sabrina Toppa is a New York-born writer and journalist covering travel, food, and politics. Her work has appeared in The Guardian, TIME, NBC News, VICE, and other outlets. Photo of Langkawi sunset by Indra Gunawan CC BY It should be ridiculous, this. A buddy comedy built atop the premise of a man lugging around, and bonding with, a flatulent talking corpsebut cinema is a medium in which miracles are possible, and one such miracle occurs in Swiss Army Man. A film with such a seemingly unpalatable concept becomes, against all odds, a near-profound existential meditation. That this is a debut feature makes it even more of a marvel. Or maybe writer/directors Daniel Scheinert and Dan Kwans success shouldnt be so surprising. In their 2013 music video for DJ Snake and Lil Jons Turn Down for What, Scheinert and Kwanwho collectively bill themselves as Danielsturned the visual premises of rhythmically pulsating erections and breasts into a destructive yet celebratory spectacle of sexual liberation as various characters in a housing complex tapped into their inner, raging hedonists. Swiss Army Man finds liberation in a different but no less vulgar act: fartinga natural and perhaps even necessary occurrence that is nevertheless frowned upon in public. But the liberation the Daniels have in mind is more than just sexual this time around, its personal and societal. One of the major aspects of the relationship that develops between Hank (Paul Dano) and the corpse (Daniel Radcliffe)given the name MannyHank discovers washed ashore on the deserted island on which hes been trapped for a long while, is that the latter finds himself in the position of trying not only to help Manny remember the past he has completely forgotten, but also to teach him about life in all its joys and disappointments. To that end, Hank even goes so far as to create a custom-made universe on the island in order to help illustrate the finer points of the world to Manny. In this context, junk food and pop hits become precious emblems of the modern society to which both are trying to return: a bag of cheese puffs, John Williamss Jurassic Park theme, even lines from Rednexs Cotton Eye Joe. Even more than such surface pop detritus, however, he also tries to reintroduce Manny to societal codes of behavior, some of which, in his pure innocence, Manny cant help but question. Naturally, sex inspires the most confusion: Why, for instance, is he not allowed to simply go up to a random attractive woman on a bus and talk to her? Whats wrong with talking openly about all those boners men get when sexually aroused? Hank, though, turns out to have a rather blinkered perspective that informs his life lessons. Introduced as he is about to hang himself, Hank, we gradually discover, is suffering from more than just despair over his dwindling hopes of ever being rescued from this deserted island. Hes also a depressive who pulses with regret at choices he never made in his life: broken familial relationships he never tried to mend, and other relationships he wasnt brave enough to ever try to initiate. The woman (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) Hank initially convinces Manny that he once loved turns out to be a woman Hank himself was too shy to approach on a bus one daya failure that continues to haunt his lonely self, and which, to some degree, hes desperately trying to exorcize through this revivified talking, farting corpse. Granted, an obsession with romance and sex doesnt exactly span the broad width of humanity that the Daniels gesture toward addressing with the characters frequent existential exchanges. And yet, even if Swiss Army Mans reach to some extent exceeds its proudly ribald grasp, theres something strangely moving about the filmmakers sincerity. For all the increasingly absurd gags about the utilities of Mannys bodynot just as a jet-ski propelled by bodily gas, but as a giver of fresh water through projectile vomiting and even as a compass through its erectiontheres not one iota of distancing irony to be found in the film. Scheinert and Kwan are absolutely serious in their attempts to not only re-examine some of the most universal of human experiences, but also explore the idea of a life lived without limits, casting off the shackles of societal constraints and realizing ones best self. Its a freedom that the Daniels project exuberantly into the film itself: Swiss Army Man is a work that feels positively lawless. Witness with amazement what bizarrely heartfelt splendors its creators will come up with next. Director: Daniel Scheinert, Dan Kwan Starring: Paul Dano, Daniel Radcliffe, Mary Elizabeth Winstead Release Date: June 24, 2016 Kenji Fujishima is a freelance film critic, contributing to Slant Magazine, Brooklyn Magazine, The Playlist and the Village Voice. He is also Deputy Editor of Movie Mezzanine and former editor-in-chief of In Review Online. When hes not watching movies and writing and editing film criticism, hes trying to absorb as much music, art, and literature as possible. He has not infrequently been called a culture vulture for that reason. Maybe youre into ingesting marijuana, and maybe you dont have a job, and maybe your mom is constantly telling you to stop smoking so much friggin weed and go get one. But you really like weed. If this sounds like you, Willie Nelson is your savior: his Colorado-based pot company has posted job listings for five open positions. Willies Reserve is located in Denver and works with local marijuana farmers to create their array of products, including 1/8-ounce and 1/4-ounce cans of pure flower, classic ready rolls and vape cartridges. Colorado, of course, legalized marijuana for recreational use in 2012, and Nelson opened his company last year. Willies Reserve will open stores in newly 420-friendly states Alaska and Washington this year. The company plans to continue the chain expansion in new states as they follow suit. Willies Reserve is currently looking to hire a compliance officer, an administrative assistant, a product manager, a sales director and an extractor. If these sound like jobs for highly responsible people, its because they are. All require a bachelors degree and at least two years of experience working in the cannabis industry. The extractor position calls for a degree in chemistry, biochemistry, engineering or mechanics and sound knowledge of engineering, mechanics, physics, and fluid dynamics among a long list of other skills. These jobs apparently are not for the typical stoner. However, if you have the qualifications, these jobs would probably include a lot fringe benefits if you catch our drift, not to mention an A+ answer to the classic, So, what do you do? Read about and apply for all of the openings here. Countries that contain most of the world's species biodiversity are also spending the least on a per-person basis to protect these natural assets, according to scientists from the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and the University of Queensland. The authors also noted that spending appears to be associated with the country's social and governance organization. The study titled "Geography of Conservation Spending, Biodiversity, and Culture" appears in the latest edition of Conservation Biology. The authors are: Tim McClanahan of WCS and Peter Rankin of the University of Queensland. Using open-source data from several international and research organizations, the authors found that cultural factors, such as individuality, defined as self-sufficiency, the equality of the society, and the strength of the rule-of-law governance organization are associated with relative spending on conservation activities. The problem is that countries spending the most are not located where the species diversity is most concentrated, which could undermine efforts to protect most the world's biodiversity unless spending and policies change. "Our finding that the countries most in need of conservation are also not investing in saving it relative to their population numbers and economic output, indicates that more cross-cultural and culturally-specific initiatives are needed to conserve Earth's species," said Dr. Tim McClanahan, Senior Scientist for WCS and co-author of the study. "Promoting conservation after economic development and cultural values change is a recipe for more species extinctions." The authors reasoned that cultures change slower than the rapid rate at which species are being lost, and this requires a new set of conservation strategies that promote economic development and wealth before acting to conserve species. While these factors were associated with per capita spending on conservation, there is a need to act quickly with the current-funding constraints. The researchers combined six sources of information to undertake a study investigating how culture influences spending on protecting the world's biodiversity and if that spending coincides with where most of Earth's biological diversity is located. Cultural organization traits and values were informed by the cultural dimensions discovered by social scientists who study human values and management organization. The cultural axes were augmented with World Bank indices on national governance measures and environmental diversity data gathered from the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) and the Catalogue of Life, and a range of other data on individual countries, including: population; economic wealth; and recent compilation of within-country spending on biodiversity conservation. Overall, the research revealed that cultures near or in the tropics--where most of the diversity is located--spent the least on biodiversity conservation. Social factors such as group identity and hierarchical leadership increase with proximity to tropical regions, but these factors do not indicate an inclination toward investing money in conservation. These same cultural attributes are associated with weaker rule-of-law governance, according to the authors. Interesting outliers, such as Costa Rica, Croatia, and Thailand, spend more of their GDP on conservation. Similarly, some countries like Germany, Luxembourg, Israel, and Latvia, spent less than what would be expected for their cultures of individuality and stronger rule-of-law governance organization. McClanahan added: "While culture is not destiny in terms of care for the environment, the study indicates that cultural context has to be considered when planning global conservation policies and activities. Care for the environment and high conservation spending in countries with strong individuality and rule-of-law has to show impact and be more than a symbolic response to declining natural resources." The authors recommend that the need to protect areas of high biodiversity require approaches to natural resource management that consider the cultural context and use existing social traits embodied in the culture's collectivism and social hierarchies. This means, for example, engaging leadership and promoting bio-cultural heritages. To stop species extinction culturally appropriate conservation efforts are much more likely to succeed in comparison to market-oriented strategies. "Rather than promoting markets, which has led to wealth, conservation values and spending in temperate countries, these individualistic cultures should use their desire to stop species depletion in tropical biodiversity rich countries by promoting more culturally appropriate conservation efforts," concluded McClanahan. 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. 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. AkaLumine-HCl emitted near-infrared bioluminescence at 677 nm when reacted with firefly luciferase, 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. Notably, achieving such a high sensitivity using D-luciferin would require a 60-fold higher concentration. 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. 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. 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 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." A new test could save time and money diagnosing plant viruses, some of which can destroy millions of dollars in crops each year in Florida, says a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researcher. In a newly published study, Jane Polston, a UF/IFAS plant pathology professor, examined several ways to detect the DNA genome of begomoviruses. These viruses have emerged over the last 30 years to become plant pathogens that threaten crop production in tropical and sub-tropical regions globally. Polston and her research colleagues found that a certain test called "recombinase polymerase amplification" identified the cause of a disease faster and cheaper than the commonly used polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test -- or "assay," as scientists call them. UF/IFAS scientists learned of this new type of test that's fast, sensitive and cheaper than some other methods, and they adapted the new technology and modified it to test for several whitefly-transmitted viruses found in Florida, Polston said. This finding makes it easier for diagnostic laboratories such as the UF-IFAS Plant Diagnostic Center to identify viruses in plants and crops, and therefore improve management recommendations for diseases caused by those viruses, she said. UF/IFAS is home to one of the premier plant disease diagnostic facilities in the country. When a plant gets infected with a pathogen, it often shows symptoms, Polston said. But the naked eye cannot see viruses, and accurate diagnosis is essential to knowing which disease you have. Just looking at the symptoms is often not enough because different pathogens can cause the same symptoms, she said. "Knowing which pathogen is causing the symptoms is essential to knowing what to do to minimize its spread to other plants and other crops, and reduce yield losses" Polston said. So, people concerned with managing plant and crop diseases send plant samples to labs for identification. If the pathogen is a fungus or bacteria, it can be cultured in the lab and identified. But scientists can't do this with a virus because they can't be cultured, Polston said. In those cases, scientists use tests to detect a part of the virus. But with about 1,600 plant viruses out there, scientists have tests for only a few of them. "And these tests can be time-consuming and expensive," Polston said. "So many diagnostic laboratories don't test for viruses, and the diseases go unmanaged or managed incorrectly, which is expensive for the grower. Fast, accurate and less expensive tests such as this one are good for growers because they are cheaper and, hopefully, will be adapted by more clinics so that they will be better equipped to diagnose plants infected with viruses." That's what makes this new test so important, she said. The new test will be adopted in the UF/IFAS Plant Diagnostic Center to benefit Florida's growers this summer, said Carrie Lapaire Harmon, director of the plant disease diagnostic lab. The new study is published in the Virology Journal. 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. advertisement 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. advertisement 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. 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. A doctor's guidance may reassure us more than we realize -especially if she says she is likely to recommend treatment in her field of expertise, known as "specialty bias." Doing research in a real-world health care setting, a Cornell expert and her colleagues have found that when surgeons revealed their bias toward their own specialty, their patients were more likely to perceive them as trustworthy. And patients are more apt to follow their recommendation to have surgical treatment. The research was published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The study has important implications for professional advisers of any stripe and policymakers who deal with disclosure rules, said Sunita Sah, a physician and assistant professor of management and organizations at Cornell's Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management. "If an adviser discloses a bias, it should alert the recipient to some uncertainty regarding the quality of the advice. 'Perhaps I need to discount this a little bit.' Disclosure of bias, if anything, should decrease the weight that patients put on their physicians' recommendations," said Sah, an expert on conflicts of interest and disclosure. "But, instead, we find that patients report increased trust and they are more likely to take the physician's treatment than patients who do not hear their physician disclose a bias." Sah and her colleagues based their findings on 219 transcripts of conversations between surgeons and male patients in four Veterans Affairs hospitals in which the surgeon revealed a diagnosis of localized prostate cancer to the patient. While discussing treatment options, some surgeons freely admitted to having a bias toward their own specialty, with statements such as, "I'm a surgeon, so I'm biased toward recommending surgery." Patients who heard their surgeon disclose their specialty bias were nearly three times more likely to decide to have surgery than patients who did not hear their surgeons disclose a bias. The researchers also conducted a randomized lab experiment. In this study, 447 men watched video clips of an actor portraying a surgeon, who described two treatment options: surgery and radiation. In the "disclosure" group, the men heard the actor disclose his bias towards surgery, similar to the surgeons in the Veteran Affairs hospitals. The control group saw the same video, except for the bias disclosure. The men who heard the disclosure were more likely to choose surgery than the control group and reported higher trust in the doctor's expertise. Sah and her colleagues also found that surgeons who disclosed bias toward their specialty or discussed a potential meeting with a radiologist oncologist for radiation treatment tended to give stronger recommendations for surgery. "Bias disclosure can have a profound influence on adviser recommendations and the choices their advisees make," said Sah. "Professional advisers and policymakers should implement such disclosures with care." 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. advertisement 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. Using genetic markers, researchers have for the first time shown how cultivating a specific crop led to the expansion of a pollinator species. In this case, the researchers found that the spread of a bee species in pre-Columbian Central and North America was tied to the spread of squash agriculture. "We wanted to understand what happens when the range of a bee expands," says Margarita Lopez-Uribe, a postdoctoral researcher at North Carolina State University and lead author of a paper describing the work. "What does that mean for its genetic variability? And if the genetic variability declines, does that harm the viability of the species?" To explore these questions, researchers looked at the squash bee (Peponapis pruinosa), which is indigenous to what is now central Mexico and the southwestern United States. Squash bees are specialists, collecting pollen solely from the flowers of plants in the genus Cucurbita, such as squash, zucchini and pumpkins. Before contact with Europeans, native American peoples had begun cultivating Cucurbita crops. Over time, these agricultural practices spread to the north and east. "We wanted to know whether P. pruinosa spread along with those crops," Lopez-Uribe says. To find out, researchers looked at DNA from squash bee individuals, collected from throughout the species' range. P. pruinosa can now be found from southern Mexico to California and Idaho in the west, and from Georgia in the southeast to Quebec in the north. advertisement By assessing genetic markers in each bee's DNA, the researchers could identify genetic signatures associated with when and where the species expanded. For example, the researchers found that P. pruinosa first moved from central Mexico into what is now the Midwestern United States approximately 5,000 years ago, before expanding to the East Coast some time later. The researchers also found that genetic diversity decreased depending how "new" the species was to a given territory. For example, genetic diversity of squash bees in Mexico was greater than the diversity in the Midwest; and diversity in the Midwest was greater than that of populations on the East Coast. Given the declining genetic variability, researchers expected to see adverse effects in the "newer" populations of P. pruinosa. They didn't. "We were specifically expecting to see an increased rate of sterile males in populations with less genetic variability, and we didn't find that," Lopez-Uribe says. "But we did find genetic 'bottlenecks' in all of the populations -- even in Mexico. "Because P. pruinosa makes its nests in the ground near squash plants, we think modern farming practices -- such as mechanically tilling the soil -- is causing the species to die out in local areas," Lopez-Uribe says. "And we think that is causing these more recent genetic bottlenecks. "I'm hoping to work on this question in the near future, because it's important to helping understand the relevant bee's population dynamics in modern agricultural systems, as well as what it may mean for Cucurbita crops," Lopez-Uribe says. Since gun law reform and the Firearms Buyback program 20 years ago, Australia has seen an accelerating decline in intentional firearm deaths and an absence of fatal mass shootings, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) reports in a landmark study. "The absence of mass shootings in Australia in the past two decades compares to 13 fatal mass shootings in the 18 years prior to these sweeping reforms," says the University of Sydney's Emeritus Professor Simon Chapman, who led the study with colleagues Philip Alpers and Macquarie University's Professor Mike Jones. The introduction of Australia's unprecedented gun laws followed the mass firearm shooting in April of 1996, when a man used two semiautomatic rifles to kill 35 people and wound 19 others in Port Arthur, Tasmania. In June 1996 the federal government enacted new gun laws banning rapid-fire long guns, including those already in private ownership, explicitly to reduce their availability for mass shootings. These gun laws were progressively implemented in all six states and two territories between June 1996 and August 1998. In addition, by 1 January 1997, federal and all state governments commenced a mandatory buyback at market price of prohibited firearms. From 1 October 1997, large criminal penalties, including imprisonment and heavy fines, applied to possession of any prohibited weapon. A handgun buyback followed in 2003, and thousands of gun owners also voluntarily surrendered additional, non-prohibited firearms without compensation. Since 1996, more than a million privately owned firearms are known to have been surrendered or seized, then melted down. advertisement Also, despite a surge of post-law gun buying to replace destroyed semiautomatic and other rapid-fire weapons with single-shot rifles and shotguns, in a trend that preceded the Firearms Buyback program -- which seems to have been accelerated by this initiative -- the proportion of Australian households reporting private gun ownership declined by 75 per cent between 1988 and 2005. Key findings In the 18 years prior to federal and state government gun reforms (1979-1996) Australia saw 13 fatal mass shootings in which 104 victims were killed and at least another 52 were wounded. There have been no fatal mass shootings since that time. 'Mass shootings' were defined as five or more victims killed by gunshot, not counting the perpetrator(s). From 1979 to 1996, total firearm deaths in Australia were declining at an average 3 per cent per year. Since then, the average decline in total firearm deaths has accelerated significantly to 5 per cent annually. Over the same comparison period, there was a significant acceleration in the downward trend for firearm suicides and a non-significant acceleration in the downward trend in firearm homicides. advertisement The researchers also examined total all-cause homicide and all-method suicide data to assess the possibility that reduced access to firearms permitted the substitution of other lethal methods, such as knives or hanging, to commit suicide or homicide. From 1979 to 1996, the average annual rate of total nonfirearm suicide and homicide deaths was rising at 2.1 per cent per year. Since then, the average annual rate of total nonfirearm suicide and homicide deaths has been declining by 1.4 per cent, supporting a conclusion that there has been no substitution of other lethal means for suicides or homicides. "Opponents of public health measures to reduce the availability of firearms often claim that 'killers just find another way.' Our findings show the opposite: there is no evidence of murderers moving to other methods, and the same is true of suicide," said co-author Philip Alpers. Finally, researchers compared changes in firearm deaths and nonfirearm deaths and suicides before and after the gun law reforms to assess whether the observed change in firearm deaths can be attributed to gun law reforms. While there was a more rapid decline in firearm deaths from 1997 to 2013 compared to before 1997, there was also a greater acceleration in the decline in total nonfirearm suicide and homicide deaths. Because of this, it is not possible to determine whether the change in firearm deaths can be attributed to gun law reforms. Macquarie University's Professor Mike Jones says: "To me there are two key findings from this study. One is that in the 20 years after the passage of gun control laws there has not been a mass shooting in Australia despite an average of two every three years for some time before that. The other is that the acceleration of the decline in gun-related deaths means lives saved. We can argue over how many but the data says lives have been saved." Professor Simon Chapman said: "Australia's experience shows that banning rapid-fire firearms was associated with reductions in mass shootings and total firearm deaths. In today's context, these findings offer an example which, with public support and political courage, might reduce gun deaths in other countries." Canada spends more than $400 million annually on drugs prescribed to seniors even though the medicines should be avoided for older patients, according to new UBC research. The study's authors conclude that the full cost to Canada's health-care system is closer to $2 billion when hospital visits and other repercussions of inappropriate prescriptions are factored in. "We're wasting vast sums of money on drugs that we know pose more risks than benefits for patients over 65 years of age," said Steve Morgan, a professor in the school of population and public health. "Canada urgently needs a national strategy to ensure that older patients receive only those medications that are appropriate for their health and for their age." Physiological changes associated with aging alter the effects of many drugs, making some medications potentially inappropriate for older adults. Using prescription claims data for 2013 in all provinces except Quebec, Morgan and colleagues looked for prescriptions filled by patients age 65 and older for medications listed as potentially inappropriate by the American Geriatrics Society. The list, known as the Beers List, is a well-established guide to help health care providers avoid medicines that pose greater risks than other available treatments for older patients. The researchers found that 37 per cent of older Canadians filled one or more prescriptions on the Beers List in 2013. Women were more likely than men to fill such prescriptions. Sedatives were the leading contributors to both the frequency and cost of potentially inappropriate prescriptions among older Canadians. Researchers advise that patients, families and health-care providers have more conversations about what sorts of medications an individual is taking and whether those medications are appropriate. "We hope these findings help destigmatize discussions on medication use and that health-care providers make time for these important conversations," said Morgan. "We need to ask more questions like: 'Am I (or is my mother or father) on the right kind of medicine?'" The researchers call for the creation of a national strategy on the appropriate use of medicines. Other countries, such as Australia, have done so and found that investing in better prescribing behaviour and medication use improves patient health while significantly reducing prescription drug costs and costs elsewhere in the health-care system. Morgan believes that costs associated with developing a Canadian strategy on the use of medicines -- estimated to be between $40 to $60 million for Canada -- would be more than offset by the reduced cost of inappropriate prescriptions for older adults alone. The study was published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal Open. A national strategy would involve multiple policies of federal, provincial, and territorial governments to educate and empower patients and health professionals to make informed decisions and about the use of pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical treatments, and initiatives to monitor and evaluate prescribing patterns and health outcomes. The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry estimates that as many as 1 in 5 children in the United States have behavioral health issues. However, of these children, only 20 percent receive mental health services. Of those 20 percent, approximately half end treatment prematurely because of issues such as lack of access, lack of transportation and financial constraints. In rural states such as Missouri where almost 40 percent of the population lives outside urban areas, children usually have even less access to timely psychiatric care. Now, a study by the University of Missouri School of Medicine shows that video-based mental health services are bridging the gap by providing care to underserved areas. "One of the biggest health care issues we as a nation face is a physician shortage in pediatric and adolescent behavioral health," said Mirna Becevic, Ph.D., an assistant research professor of telemedicine at the MU School of Medicine and lead author of the study. "The Council on Graduate Medical Education, a committee of the Department of Health and Human Services, advised in 1990 of the anticipated need for 30,000 child and adolescent psychiatrists by the year 2000. However, today only about 8,300 physicians specialize in child and adolescent psychiatry. This shortage not only affects youth in rural locations, but children in all underserved areas." Becevic's team conducted the study to better understand where and how patients seek psychiatric services through MU's Missouri Telehealth Network. They analyzed data from July 2013 to May 2014 and calculated the distance between each patient and the nearest child and adolescent psychiatrist. The researchers found that 179 patients from 19 ZIP codes, mostly in rural areas, made 662 appointments for psychiatric services using the Missouri Telehealth Network. The average patient age was 16. "Not surprisingly, the majority of Missouri physicians are located in urban areas along Interstate 70," Becevic said. "Although there are child and adolescent psychiatrists in other areas of the state, many rural counties have none." Researchers identified 13 physicians specializing in child and adolescent psychiatry in Kansas City, 24 in Columbia and 42 in St. Louis. Another 42 child and adolescent psychiatry physicians were based in other parts of the state. Without tele-psychiatry, the average distance a patient would have had to travel for care was 22.2 miles. The furthest distance would have been more than 300 miles. The study of access to psychiatric services was limited to the extent that researchers only analyzed appointments made through the Missouri Telehealth Network. "Our findings indicate that there is limited access to child and adolescent psychiatric services in our state," Becevic said. "More important, our study illustrates how remote populations have severe barriers to access. The mental health shortage, especially in rural areas, is not a new discovery. However, this study highlights the severity of the need for mental health services in our state, especially for children and adolescents." Becevic said that future studies will include specific diagnoses by location, as well as the extent of psychiatry use from other telemedicine sources. The study, "Are There Other Options?: Child and Adolescent Telepsychiatry Services for Rural Populations," recently was published in The Journal of Health Management. Research reported in this publication was supported by the MU School of Medicine and the Missouri Telehealth Network. The researchers have no conflicts of interest to declare related to this study. To say Portugal have had a disappointing start to Euro 2016 is an understatement. Having been expected to top their group with relative ease pre tournament, they've thus far turned in limp performances against supposed inferior opposition such as Iceland and Austria. A lot of the criticism from the press for Portugal's poor performances have been laid at the feet of star man Cristiano Ronaldo. The Real Madrid man, often heralded as one of the best players in the world has failed to inspire his team thus far and missed a crucial penalty in their last game against Austria which would have eased the pressure ahead of their do or die final group game against Hungary. Ronaldo's conduct off the pitch has come under scrutiny as well. Following Portugal's 1-1 draw with Iceland he criticised the minnows for celebrating too much, suggesting that they had a 'small mentality'. This latest off the field incident is unlikely to reduce any of the press attention. While being accosted by reporters during a walk near the Portugal team hotel, Ronaldo grabbed the microphone off of one reporter and tossed it in the nearby lake. It's worth noting that the reporter was from a publication called Correio da Manha, the tabloid paper-who Ronaldo once sued for exposing private details about the mother of his son. Via Balls Scientists have discovered an unexpected mineral in a rock sample at Gale Crater on Mars, a finding that may alter our understanding of how the planet evolved. NASA's Mars Science Laboratory rover, Curiosity, has been exploring sedimentary rocks within Gale Crater since landing in August 2012. In July 2015, on Sol 1060 (the number of Martian days since landing), the rover collected powder drilled from rock at a location named "Buckskin." Analyzing data from an X-ray diffraction instrument on the rover that identifies minerals, scientists detected significant amounts of a silica mineral called tridymite. This detection was a surprise to the scientists, because tridymite is generally associated with silicic volcanism, which is known on Earth but was not thought to be important or even present on Mars. The discovery of tridymite might induce scientists to rethink the volcanic history of Mars, suggesting that the planet once had explosive volcanoes that led to the presence of the mineral. Scientists in the Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science (ARES) Division at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston led the study. A paper on the team's findings has been published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. "On Earth, tridymite is formed at high temperatures in an explosive process called silicic volcanism. Mount St. Helens, the active volcano in Washington State, and the Satsuma-Iwojima volcano in Japan are examples of such volcanoes. The combination of high silica content and extremely high temperatures in the volcanoes creates tridymite," said Richard Morris, NASA planetary scientist at Johnson and lead author of the paper. "The tridymite was incorporated into 'Lake Gale' mudstone at Buckskin as sediment from erosion of silicic volcanic rocks." The paper also will stimulate scientists to re-examine the way tridymite forms. The authors examined terrestrial evidence that tridymite could form at low temperatures from geologically reasonable processes and not imply silicic volcanism. They found none. Researchers will need to look for ways that it could form at lower temperatures. "I always tell fellow planetary scientists to expect the unexpected on Mars," said Doug Ming, ARES chief scientist at Johnson and co-author of the paper. "The discovery of tridymite was completely unexpected. This discovery now begs the question of whether Mars experienced a much more violent and explosive volcanic history during the early evolution of the planet than previously thought." To learn more about the ARES Division, go to: http://ares.jsc.nasa.gov/aboutares/index.cfm UPDATE: The Tennessee couple who own the dog photographed in a cage on a searing summer day held a press conference Wednesday afternoon. At the conference, Tim and Valerie White claimed their dog, Sparkles was well-loved and healthy. "This was blown out of proportion," Tim White told reporters. "They painted this picture to make it look like we keep our dog out there 24/7 with no water, no food, when that's not so." Sparkles, he added, is only left in the cage for about three hours each day. Sometimes, it takes a community to tell a neighbor they're raising their dog horribly wrong. And sometimes, that neighbor tells the community to get the hell off her property. But the people living in a Cleveland, Tennessee, neighborhood refuse to give up on this dog. Dodo Shows Comeback Kids Family Stops At Nothing To Help Their Great Dane Run Tired of seeing a pit bull mix left caged outside in direct sunlight day after day, a neighbor took a telling picture of the suffering dog. It shows the animal wilting in a tiny cage with a rag on top of it, serving as his only shelter from the blaring sun. "You could not see any food, water, there was no cover on top of of the kennel to give it any kind of protection from the sun and with the picture I saw it shows it was 95 degrees outside," neighbor Claudia Anderson told WRCB. Carla Patton Welch, founder of Fighting for the Bullys Pit Bull Rescue, heard about the dog's plight and decided to pay the owner a visit. It didn't go well. A video taken by an WRCB news crew shows Welch getting a door slammed in her face. A young sun bear named Miss Vientiane, also known as Little Missy, began her life ripped away from her mother. She was put up for sale in an illegal wildlife market in the country of Laos in Southeast Asia. Laos Wildlife Rescue Center Bought by a local family, Miss Vientiane was treated like a household pet. But as often happens in situations where wildlife is expected to become a domestic member of the family, the illusion that Miss Vientiane would settle in quietly and perfectly was eventually shattered. Laos Wildlife Rescue Center So Miss Vientiane's owner made other plans for her. Laos Wildlife Rescue Center "As she became too expensive for him to care for he was about to resell her to Chinese businessmen who had shown interest," the Laos Wildlife Rescue Center (LWRC) wrote on Facebook. If resold, Miss Vientiane's fate was worrisome. Dodo Shows Odd Couples Dog And Wild Dolphin Play Whenever They See Each Other Laos Wildlife Rescue Center "It is well-known even for local people that bears are valuable on the black market for medicinal use or consumption," Michelle Walhout-Tanneau, director of LWRC, told The Dodo. Fortunately for the bear, she was in exactly the right place at exactly the right time to be rescued. Laos Wildlife Rescue Center A group of motorcyclists happened to be touring Laos in the Sainyabuli province - an area notorious for large mammal wildlife markets, Walhout-Tanneau said. Miss Vientiane's rescuers | Laos Wildlife Rescue Center The bikers came across Miss Vientiane's owner and learned about what was to become of her - and then they worked their magic. Laos Wildlife Rescue Center "The bikers had heard of LWRC before and convinced the family to hand the bear over to them so they could bring it to a safe sanctuary at LWRC, rather than selling it to the Chinese businessman with whom she would likely suffer a horrible [fate]," Walhout-Tanneau said. Then, in a grand display, Miss Vientiane arrived at LWRC with a motorcade made up of 20 bikers. Laos Wildlife Rescue Center Miss Vientiane now resides at LWRC. Due to legal complications, habitat loss and the potential for human-animal conflict, she will be unable to return to the wild. Laos Wildlife Rescue Center "Although we try to provide all our rescues with rehabilitation and enclosures as close to nature as possible, for us a rescue like this always goes combined with a sense of deep grief," Walhout-Tanneau said. "Not only has the mother of this bear likely been killed in front of her eyes, she will also most likely never be truly wild again." Laos Wildlife Rescue Center The rescue is now working on raising funds to build Miss Vientiane her own enclosure, since LWRC's current bear fields are already filled with adult bears rescued from various illegal wildlife and pet trade operations. Laos Wildlife Rescue Center The rescue will support her as she grows up as a strong female bear. In the meantime, she especially enjoys her daily walking adventures with her caretakers. Laos Wildlife Rescue Center Laos Wildlife Rescue Center "Little Missy's story is one of many as the illegal trade in high volumes of protected wildlife - such as bears - is showing a steep growth in Lao PDR," the rescue wrote on Facebook. "Not only is the local domestic demand for illegal wildlife meat spiking, also a large percentage of the demand is coming from rich neighboring countries such as Vietnam and China." According to the rescue, most of these animals end up being consumed, while only some become pets. Laos Wildlife Rescue Center Still, for LWRC, Miss Vientiane's memorable rescue is also a special one. "It is not often that local people rally together to come to the aid of wildlife in Lao PDR," Walhout-Tanneau said. "But this foresees a promising future in our opinion." Laos Wildlife Rescue Center You can keep up with Miss Vientiane's adventures on Facebook. Laos Wildlife Rescue Center Want to help Miss Vientiane get an enclosure of her own? Consider making a donation here. Laos Wildlife Rescue Center The bond between a dog and his person is incredibly strong - especially when they protect each other's lives. Marc Richardson, an officer with the North Yorkshire Police in England, went on leave for two weeks and had to leave his police dogs behind. When Richardson finally returned, Dutch and Bailey weren't just excited ... they completely lost their shit.

Wildlife SOS

Four elephants who were rescued in early June have returned to the hellish existence they came from, after their former owners from the Rambo Circus showed up to take them back. "We were ready and able to give them lifetime freedom and care," Wildlife SOS, the group who tried to save them, wrote in a Facebook post. "Yet this was not enough to protect them from their abusers." Wildlife SOS Nicknamed the Precious Four, the animals - one a blind 52-year-old - have spent their lives performing in a circus and shackled in spike chains between shows. But just weeks ago, in what welfare group Wildlife SOS called one of its most "dangerous, exhausting and complicated rescues to date," the elephants experienced freedom for the first time as they were taken from the Rambo Circus and transported to a facility in Pune, India, where they were resting and receiving medical attention. Dodo Shows Odd Couples Kitten Isn't Sure About His Pittie Brother At First Wildlife SOS "The elephants in this circus were a priority [for our team] as they were in terrible distress," Geeta Seshamani, cofounder of Wildlife SOS, previously said in a statement. But now, due to a loophole in the law, a court in Pune has ordered the elephants to be returned to the circus, who turned up Wednesday to reclaim them. "This is the darkest day for improving the welfare of elephants that we have ever seen," Nikki Sharp, executive director for Wildlife SOS USA, told The Dodo. "We were making such progress treating them. And the law was on our side. But today justice failed to protect these vulnerable creatures." Wildlife SOS The Rambo Circus told The Dodo in early June that any allegations of abuse were "false accusations," and said, "We never mistreated any animals." But Wildlife SOS refers to the circus' actions as an "illegal infliction of cruelty upon the elephants" and notes that the circus is no longer recognized by the Central Zoo Authority and banned by the Animal Welfare Board of India. Wildlife SOS "The court was provided with detailed health reports on all of the elephants that explained in great detail the amount of brutality and suffering they had undergone, as well as injuries to their legs, rotting footpads, overgrown toenails, severe debilitation, wounds on their mouths and swelling from circus beatings," Wildlife SOS said in a press release on Wednesday. Wildlife SOS "Statements submitted to the court also highlighted and confirmed that the elephants were chained in their own dung and urine for months," it noted. Two of the elephants during their brief respite with Wildlife SOS | Wildlife SOS Darren Kao has two apps on his Sony Xperia Android phone WeChat, to stay in touch with his Chinese clients, and the Starbucks wallet, for his morning caffeine fix. For everything else, hes got his trusty BlackBerry. Kao is one of a shrinking tribe of diehard BlackBerry fans dedicated to navigating modern life with what most consider an obsolete appliance. Echoing many BlackBerry devotees, he says iPhones and Androids just cant match BlackBerrys voice sound quality, centralized notification hub and physical keyboard. Id rather use my old BlackBerry than a brand-new phone, he said. To outsiders, its an increasingly perverse lifestyle choice. After all, BlackBerry Ltd. has committed to updating the BB10 operating system only through the end of the year. It has no stated plans for another BB10 phone and is accelerating a pivot to handsets running Googles Android. Even President Barack Obama, who famously fought to keep his BlackBerry despite security objections from the Secret Service, told Jimmy Fallon he finally ditched his Berry earlier this year (reportedly for a Samsung). Some on Wall Street would like BlackBerry to move on, as well. Macquarie analyst Gus Papageorgiou, who has covered the Canadian company on and off since 2002, said in May that ditching hardware altogether would actually help the bottom line and cheer the market. Chief executive officer John Chen has said hell do that if he cant make the handset unit profitable by September. He can probably expect renewed pressure when BlackBerry reports earnings on Thursday. On average, 21 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg expect the company to post a loss of 7 cents and pull in $471 million in revenue. BlackBerry reported just $2.2 billion in revenue last fiscal year, its lowest showing since 2006. The shares have fallen about 20 per cent in the last 12 months. At the end of March, about 23 million people around the world were using BlackBerrys, including the Priv Android phone, according to a company filing. Three times as many people were using the handsets two years earlier, but the continued loyalty is striking all the same. Getting non-BlackBerry applications onto a BB10 phone requires patience and some technical skill. Friends and family often find themselves adding BlackBerry Messenger to their roster of messaging apps to keep in touch with the few remaining BlackBerry users in their life. Kao, an IT consultant who runs a mobile software startup in Ottawa, keeps the Wi-Fi hotspot of his BlackBerry on at all times to allow WeChat to function on his Android. He refuses to message with his wife and friends through anything other than BlackBerry Messenger. Hes currently using a Classic, an updated version of the legendary BlackBerry Bold. It was released more than two years ago. Even my girls were brought up playing with BlackBerrys as toys, he said. Kim Kardashian has said she buys old BlackBerrys on eBay to ensure a steady supply. Other members of the tribe painstakingly follow online tutorials on workarounds that will make popular apps like Snapchat and Instagram work on BB10. The results are often glitchy, says Howard Mesharer, a 23-year-old BlackBerry fan from Columbus, Ohio. When Chen chose to make phones running Android instead of BB10 last year, it opened a rift in the BlackBerry community, according to Chris Parsons, editor in chief of CrackBerry.com, BlackBerry fandoms central gathering place. It caused a little bit of chaos because they essentially made people make a choice at that point, are you a BlackBerry user or are you essentially an Android user, said Parsons, whos known as Bla1ze online. One CrackBerry user, known only as Cobalt232, found a way to rework Androids source code, stripping out certain elements that stop Android apps from working on BB10. Hes allowed the diehards to download apps from Googles store that dont otherwise work on BB10, Parsons said. Mesharer, who works as a server at a restaurant, used Cobalts hack so he could Snapchat with his friends, up until about a month ago, when he finally caved and bought an LG phone running Android. Why do you need to do so much just to get an app that anybody can get in five seconds? You have to work for 45 minutes to keep Snapchat, he said. No developer wants to develop for BlackBerry. Its over. Mesharer, who used the square-screened BlackBerry Passport before he made the switch, said people sometimes mistook the phone for a Nintendo Gameboy. Ask him which BlackBerrys hes used over the years and he launches into a litany of names and numbers: Curve 8520, Curve 8900, Bold 9900, Bold 9700, Curve 8320, Z10, Classic, Q10, Passport. Kao does the same. He got his first one in 2003, when he landed his first job out of university at IBM. He recalls being the envy of all his friends. It used to be a badge of honour to be able to carry BlackBerrys, and now its almost a shame, he said. People look at it like its a dinosaur, a museum piece. Read more about: SHARE: PHILADELPHIABill Cosby will return to a Pennsylvania courtroom next month as he tries again to question his accuser in a sexual assault case before it is sent to trial. The entertainer is slated to be in a suburban Philadelphia court on July 7 over the decade-old complaint involving former Temple University employee Andrea Constand. Cosby is accused of drugging and molesting Constand in 2004. He insisted their encounter was consensual. A lower-court judge upheld criminal sex-assault charges last month after prosecutors offered Constands 2005 police statement as evidence at the preliminary hearing. Pennsylvania law currently allows the use of such hearsay testimony early on. However, the state Supreme Court is reviewing the issue. Defence lawyers want the right to cross-examine Constand at the pretrial stage. Common Pleas Judge Steven T. ONeill has agreed to weigh the request, scheduling the hearing to determine if Cosby was properly held for trial. Prosecutors in a filing Monday said the defence has no right to prematurely attack Constand at a preliminary hearing. They noted that an accusers credibility is not an issue at that stage. Cosby, 78, remains free on $1 million bail. ONeill has not yet set a trial date. Also Monday, the state Supreme Court again turned down Cosbys appeal over the legality of the charges. Cosby argued that he had a deal with a former prosecutor that he would never be charged over Constands complaint. A new prosecutor reopened the case last year, and filed charges, after new evidence emerged from Constands civil lawsuit and dozens more accusers came forward with similar complaints about Cosby. Read more about: SHARE: LOS ANGELESSelma Blair is apologizing for her outburst on a flight. The actress says in a statement to Vanity Fair that she mixed alcohol with medication which caused her to black out and make statements that she regrets on a Monday flight from Cancun to Los Angeles. TMZ reported Blair was crying and talking about an abusive man. The site says she was attended to by nurses on the plane and taken off on a stretcher at Los Angeles International Airport. Blair says her son was asleep with headphones on with his father and did not witness the incident. A spokeswoman for the Cruel Intentions and Legally Blonde actress has not responded to requests for comment about the incident or statement. SHARE: VANCOUVERThe University of British Columbia says the chair of its creative writing program is no longer employed by the school over what it calls an irreparable breach of trust. In a statement, the school says acclaimed writer Steven Galloway was suspended in November of last year while an investigation was completed over what it said were serious allegations of misconduct. Addition complaints were also received after he was suspended and former B.C. Supreme Court justice Mary Ellen Boyd was appointed to conduct an investigation. Details of those allegations werent released, but the school says Galloway did not dispute any of the critical findings. Philip Steenkamp, the vice-president external relations at UBC, wouldnt say if Galloway quit or if he was fired. He noted that when the president recommends termination of a faculty member it needs to be approved by the board and that approval was given on Tuesday. Galloway could not immediately be reached for comment. Steenkamp says all of the complainants who came forward have been offered support and counselling services by the university. Galloway is the author of three novels, including The Confabulist and The Cellist of Sarajevo and was nominated for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award and the Scotiabank Giller Prize. Read more about: SHARE: A recent Made in Italy dinner, cooked by graduates of George Brown Colleges Italian program, set the stage for a summer of good eating. As chef school director John Higgins handed out cheques from the Italian Trade Agency to students who cooked the winning dishes, he noted that cooking in Italy over the next few months will change their relationship with food forever. So true! Italians are masters at transforming simple, high-quality ingredients, particularly vegetables, into amazingly delicious dishes. Take the zucchini, the long, mild green summer squash non-Italians tend to ignore. When I asked Sandra di Carlo, ITAs new deputy trade commissioner, for her favourite zucchini recipe after the event, she sent a rustic pie of browned onion and cubed zucchini piled onto thawed puff pastry and topped with beaten eggs and grated Italian cheese before baking. Easy, delicious and quintessentially Italian. Alitalias new Toronto airport manager, Francesca Farris, also newly arrived from Rome, says she likes to boil whole zucchini until tender, cut them in half lengthwise and remove the pulp with a spoon. Fill the boats with the pulp and its juices combined with tuna or ham, then top with bread crumbs and cheese (for ham) or capers (for tuna). Five minutes in the oven and youve got dinner! says Farris. A favourite summer dish from Piero Titone, assistant trade commissioner at Torontos Italian Trade Commission, is spaghetti tossed with circles of fried zucchini, fresh mint and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. The zucchini-mint combo was seconded by another guest, Andrew Eade, chef de cuisine at Pusateris, whose high-end repertoire includes blackened salmon with sauteed zucchini and black quinoa. Im thinking its time to ditch the zucchini bread and give this neglected summer squash the Italian treatment. Name Game What we call zucchini comes from the cocozelle or Italian vegetable marrow introduced here in the late 1800s. California growers began calling it zucchini in the 1920s, and the rest of North America followed suit. Italians will recognize the Roman version, costata romanesca, with its mottled skin and pale raised ribs. The rounded, light green vegetable marrow, or cousa, my Lebanese grandmother stuffed is also a type of zucchini. Buy & Store Choose squash with taut, shiny skin without dents, gashes or soft spots. Ontario zucchini is available for the next few months, with imports year-round. Though they can grow into monsters, harvest when small to medium-sized. Refrigerate in a plastic bag up to 3 days. Prep Before cooking, scrub lightly under running water. Cut off both ends and serve raw or cooked. Theres no need to peel zucchini or other thin-skinned summer squash. Cut in any shape: rounds, cubes, sticks or tiny dice Strips: Cut long thin slices down the length of each unpeeled zucchini or use a mandolin. Make zoodles with a spiralizer for salad or cook briefly for pasta. Stuff: Cut in half lengthwise and scoop out flesh with a spoon to make boats. Add flesh to your filling and bake. Serve Because zucchini contains a lot of water, saute or fry on high heat to help evaporate its natural juices and concentrate the flavour. Pan-fry: Cut in -inch (1 cm) circles, dust in seasoned flour and fry in hot olive oil until tender and golden brown. Drain on a paper towel. Green and yellow zucchini make a pretty presentation. Grill: Brush long flat strips with a little olive oil, salt and pepper and grill 4 minutes per side or until tender with grill marks. Zucchini loves garlic, parsley, mint, thyme, rosemary, savory, sage and oregano. Farfalle with Zucchini Cut up sauce ingredients before you cook the butterfly pasta and youll have a fresh, summery supper in no time. 12 oz (375 g) dried farfalle (butterfly) or fusilli pasta 1 cup (250 mL) fresh or frozen green peas 1/3 cup (85 mL) extra virgin olive oil 1 large sweet or yellow onion, thinly sliced 1 small garlic clove, finely chopped 2 tbsp (30 mL) chopped Italian parsley 2 medium zucchini (1.5 lb/675 g), cut into sticks 2 inches (5 cm) long and -inch (.5 cm) wide 2 tbsp (30 mL) shredded fresh basil 1 tbsp (15 mL) finely chopped fresh mint Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste cup (125 mL) grated Parmigiano and/or Pecorino Romano cheese cup (125 mL) pine nuts, toasted (optional) Bring a big pot of water to a boil, Add salt and pasta; cook according to package directions. Add peas 2 minutes before pasta is done. Drain well, reserving cup (125 mL) cooking water. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until it softens and turns golden. Raise heat to medium-high and add garlic. Cook, stirring frequently so it doesnt burn, for 1 minute, then stir in parsley and zucchini. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5 to 10 minutes or until zucchini are tender and lightly browned. Stir in basil and mint and season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove pan from heat. Add drained pasta and grated cheese to pan and mix well, adding a little pasta water if too dry. Sprinkle with pine nuts and serve immediately. Makes 4 servings. Cynthia David is a Toronto-based food and travel writer who blogs at cynthia-david.com SHARE: It takes David John Langdon exactly 33 steps to get from one end of his apartment to the other. The 81-year-old Burlington resident knows this because he was diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) last year, a time when walking from his bedroom to the kitchen counter felt like choking to death. Today, Langdon makes the short strides in no time, thanks to a national initiative that saw his care move from the hospital into a nearby community centre close to home. There, respiratory specialists taught Langdon how to manage flare-ups of his disease, all without having to visit an emergency room. Now that I have control over the COPD, I never slow down, he said. I walk fast. The kids tell me to slow down. The Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement released a new report Tuesday that shows the number of COPD-related hospitalizations can be cut by up to 80 percent when healthcare is provided to patients and their families at home. The primary cause of the conditions is either smoking or long-term exposure to second-hand smoke. The condition can also stem from air pollution such as industrial dust and chemical fumes. Symptoms range from recurring mucus-filled coughing to wheezing and chest tightness. According to CFHI, COPD is now the number one reason for hospitalizations in Canada and accounts for the largest number of return visits to emergency departments. In Ontario, more than 27,000 COPD-related hospitalizations were logged in 2013 to 2014, the most of any province, according to data from the Canadian Institute for Health Information. The average length of hospital stay for these patients was 6.4 days and carries a price tag of roughly $1,000 daily. Between the high rate of admissions, readmission and longer lengths of stay, the numbers really add up, said Stephen Samis, CFHIs vice-president of programs. Treating people in their homes, community and out of the hospital, he explained, can save health-care dollars and lead to more effective treatment. We are very proud of our publicly funded healthcare system in Canada, but it was designed in the 1950s and 1960s, at a time where there were far fewer people living with chronic conditions, he said. But the hospital isnt necessarily the best place to treat conditions like COPD. There is a risk of hospital-acquired infections, along with a whole series of other care issues. Thats where a Halifax-created program called INSPIRED, which stands for Implementing a Novel and Supportive Program of Individualized Care for Patients and Families Living with Respiratory Disease, comes into play. The hospital-in-the-home approach is designed to slash the chance of readmission after COPD patients have gone home. Collaborating with pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim Canada, CFHI rolled out the INSPIRED initiative at 19 hospitals across Canada from September 2014 to October 2015. Patients with advanced COPD were identified by healthcare teams and offered the chance to enroll. Of the 45 patients who participated at Joseph Brant Hospital in Burlington, none was readmitted within 90 days after they returned home. Melanie Potvin, the hospitals director of medicine services, said the program empowered patients to take control of their disease. Four phone calls and two in-home visits from nurse educators covered hot topics such as how to use an inhaler, when to take medication, physical exercise, nutrition, and tips for managing depression. According to Potvin, this support system created a soft landing for patients returning home from hospital. They never felt alone in the initial stages of their discharge, she said. CFHI reports the program costs about $1,000 per patient per year to implement but over the next five years would net $263 million in savings on COPD-related hospital care in Ontario alone. Langdon told the Star he hasnt visited the hospital for COPD-related care since completing the program. Hes since mastered exercises that can be performed sitting down and can use the little blue inhalers he keeps in the kitchen, bedroom and TV room with ease. This gave my life back, he said. I sleep at night and I breathe fine. - COPD BY THE NUMBERS 290,000: Ontarians living with COPD 17% Of Ontarians are smokers. 25%: Of Canadians older than 35 are expected to develop the disease in their lifetime. $1,000: Estimated cost (per day) for hospitalizing a single COPD patient $1,000: Annual cost for enrolling a single COPD patient in the INSPIRED program 885: Number of Canadian patients enrolled in the INSPIRED COPD Outreach Program (Implementing a Novel and Supportive Program of Individualized Care for Patients and Families Living with Respiratory Disease) At Joseph Brant Hospital in Burlington, ON 0: Number of hospital readmissions among 41 patients enrolled in the program (measured at 30 days, 60 days, 90 days and six months after patient enrollment) 5.7 days: Median length of stay, reduced from 7.5 days SHARE: OTTAWAThe 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. 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. SHARE: MONTREALA 54-year-old Montrealer who allegedly ordered his pit bull to attack his girlfriend was released on bail Wednesday. Mark Leonard was freed under strict conditions and is due back in court in November, said Crown prosecutor Isabelle Major. Leonard has been charged with assault and assault causing bodily harm after allegedly ordering the dog to bite his partner. The woman allegedly suffered bites to her arm and back on Sunday. He has the obligation not to communicate with the plaintiff directly or indirectly, Major said outside the courtroom. He (also) cant be within a radius of her domicile, workplace, school and cant be within her physical presence. Leonard is also forbidden from possessing or being responsible for any animal. Major said she didnt know the condition or location of the pit bull. Pit bulls have been in the spotlight in Quebec recently after a series of high-profile attacks by the animals throughout the province. Montreals mayor recently announced a plan to ban pit bulls and other breeds considered dangerous after a woman died from an attack. Quebec Citys mayor has announced similar measures. Premier Philippe Couillard said this week his government will likely follow Ontarios example and adopt a provincewide ban on the breed. SHARE: VICTORIAA 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 24,000 times by Tuesday. 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. 'It harms the other little babes' 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. SHARE: OTTAWAIf Prime Minister Justin Trudeau really is a data geek, he couldnt have been encouraged by what some federal departments had on hand. Internal documents obtained by the Star suggest years of belt tightening has led to a data deficit in Ottawa, gaps that may create challenges in delivering on the Liberal governments priorities. Early childhood learning and child care, expanding parental leave, increasing youth employment, and expanding training for apprentices and post-secondary students all figured prominently in the Liberals election platform. But as of November, the department responsible for making good on those promises was worried they didnt have enough concrete data to deliver. Spending on surveys has been reduced over the last several fiscal years and has been concentrated on priority areas to help manage financial pressures, read documents prepared for the senior public servant at Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). The Liberals have made evidence-based decision-making a watchword for their early days in office, and senior staff in the Prime Ministers Office are known for their attachment to data-driven strategy. A spokesperson for Families, Children and Social Development Minister Jean-Yves Duclos said the issue is government-wide, not isolated in their department. This is an issue that all ministers are facing right now. We do know that there are gaps in the data the government owns, Mathieu Filion told the Star in an email. There are many discussions on the matter with different ministers offices as to see what will be done to acquire more data. According to the November documents, Statistics Canada was largely preoccupied with the restoration of the long-form census, but had identified a number priority files. Along with ESDC, StatsCan was looking to revive longitudinal surveys to fill in gaps. Longitudinal surveys are more expensive and time consuming than other methods of collecting data, but the documents suggest they can give greater insight into the dynamics of life events and have a greater payoff when continued over a number of years. StatsCans wish list includes greater labour market information (specifically aboriginal participation, unpaid internships, temporary foreign workers, and worker mobility), better information on childrens physical and mental health development, and more data on Canadas aging population and the resulting effect on the economy and the health-care system. The agency says the digital economy remains largely in the dark, as well. The use of digital technologies is an important and growing phenomenon and stakeholders are increasingly demanding statistical products to address questions on the topic, the documents read. While the agency has been doing some feasibility work on Internet use by children, the incidence of cybercrime amongst Canadian businesses, and has developed some questions for the inclusion in various surveys, there remain important data gaps. ESDC is also interested in learning more about Canadians computer literacy and use of the Internet. Ready or not with the data to back policy, the Liberals have begun moving ahead on a number of files ESDC identified. On Monday, Employment Minister MaryAnn Mihychuk detailed new projects funded through the federal government aimed at improving job skills of 700 youth and 400 people with disabilities. In February, Trudeau committed to spending an additional $113 million over three years on the Canada Summer Jobs program, which subsidizes wages for Canadians aged 15 to 30. In 2015-16, the program cost $106 million and created more than 34,000 summer jobs. The government has also changed Canadas child-care benefits, combining four separate benefits into a single monthly payment. That change has been the costliest so far, projected to have a $22.4 billion price tag over five years. The Liberals first budget also committed to spending $500 million in 2017-18 on a National Early Learning and Child Care Framework, to be designed with input from the provinces, territories, and indigenous communities. SHARE: They had a Conservative caucus party at Stornoway the other night. Rona Ambrose, the partys interim leader, had a mechanical bull set up in the backyard. For a while the guests circled the thing warily. Fortunately, Simcoe-Grey MP Kellie Leitch seems drawn to long shots. She lasted as long on the fake beast as anyone does not long but it was all Ambroses spouse, J.P. Veitch, a former rodeo cowboy, needed to shame Leitchs likely rivals for the Conservative leadership into following her example. Eventually they all got up there. Even Mike Chong with his tie on. A good time was had by all. By the time Ambrose welcomed me to Stornoway yesterday, the mechanical bull was gone from the back yard. But since last years election the Conservative party has faced a similar ride: rough, with slim chances of a comfortable landing. But Ambrose was poised and on message as she fielded my questions. On her opponents across the aisle: This Liberal government is not what they sold Canadians on. They told Canadians they were going to be fiscally responsible and approach Parliament differently. They have been arrogant in their approach to Parliament and how they treat the opposition parties. They have broken almost every single promise when it comes to fiscal responsibility. On last years election defeat: People were by and large happy with the way things were. Lowest taxes in 50 years, free trade agreements with 51 countries . . . . But then if you also ask Canadians, Are you ready for a change? People say, Yeah, maybe Im ready for a change. On the qualities the next Conservative leader should have: Any political leader of a national party, first of all, has to be bilingual. And second, there is nothing more important for any political party, but particularly ours, than to be focused on unity. And to make sure that we have someone that can bring the whole country together, from coast to coast. Wow, that really doesnt sound like Kevin OLeary, the TV huckster, who brags that he has no time to learn French and whos called the party he (maybe) hopes to lead losers. But when I pressed the point, Ambrose backtracked. OLeary is an important voice, she said. Listen, hes not bilingual, but again, that will have to be up to our members to decide whether thats a deciding factor. Has she talked to Jason Kenney, the Calgary MP who has flirted with running for leadership posts in both the federal and Alberta Conservative parties, about his plans? Of course. Does she think hell be a leadership candidate at one level or the other? I dont see how he wouldnt be. What Ive said to him is, the Conservative movement needs Jason Kenney. So will it be federal or provincial? The thing that I appreciate about Jason is, hes not ego-driven. He will do what he thinks is right for the Conservative movement. He will go where he thinks he can make the biggest impact. Whether thats federally or provincially will be up to him. And hes starting to think about that. I had hoped to lure her further from her careful prepared messages. She has a unique position at a difficult time in the young history of the Conservative party. Stephen Harper was the only leader the young party has had. He won three elections, lost one, and these days a lot of people seem to believe the Conservatives should be ashamed to exist. But Ambrose was not in the mood for a confessional. She remained poised and wary. Twice she seemed to suggest she had hurried to put the Harper years behind her. We promised to change our tone, she said. We listened to Canadians and we did that. We changed our tone. And then, a few minutes later: I think part of this comes with opposition, and maybe its my style of management, but there is more freedom in our caucus (now) to pursue issues that people care about. Its important for our Conservative members of Parliament to feel that they have a voice. So is she less strict than Harper? Does she wish hed been more accommodating? Perish the thought. Its hard for me to comment on that because, to be honest, I had nine portfolios and I was given free rein. So when people used to say things about him being controlling, I never understood it. Her vision for her partys future? Upbeat. The next election will offer such a great contrast, she said. The answer to every question (the Liberals) have is to create a new program or take more money out of the pockets of Canadians to put it into another government program. And I think what that shows is a lack of confidence in Canadians. Anyone wanting the Conservatives to forsake their decade in power, or hoping theyll congratulate Justin Trudeau on a job well done, would be disappointed by Ambroses remarks. Anyone afraid she might do either would be reassured. Her ride at Stornoway will last just short of one more year before she hands off to the next permanent leader. Read more about: SHARE: OTTAWAPrime Minister Justin Trudeau affirmed his desire Wednesday to see Britain remain in the European Union, on the eve of a historic vote marked by fierce campaigning and fond remembrance of a slain British lawmaker. Trudeau said he wants to see Britain continue to be a strong voice in support of trade and economic prosperity as the countrys voters decide Thursday whether to remain part of the 28-country bloc. Canada needs British support to move forward with the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, he added. Great Britain has always been a strong and positive voice around the European table in support of CETA, Trudeau told a news conference. So we certainly hope that the outcome of tomorrow will continue to assure that CETA has as many strong voices in support of it as we move forward towards ratification and implementation of an important deal for Canadians, for jobs and for our shared future. The trade deal is a potentially lucrative one that both sides want to see ratified and in force by early next year. Trudeau said hell be watching the referendum closely, but it will be up to the British people to decide their future. He made it clear, however, he is not in favour of the so-called Brexit campaign to leave the EU. Ive made no bones about the fact that I always believed that we are stronger together. Last week, the top Canadian diplomat in Britain, High Commissioner Gordon Campbell, told The Canadian Press that if Britain votes to leave the EU it would have generational economic consequences that would ripple across the globe. Trudeaus remarks came on the final feverish day of campaigning in Britain. Prime Minister David Cameron made impassioned pleas for Britain to stay, saying the EU was in recovery and is the largest single market in the world. His main opponent on the leave side, former London Mayor Boris Johnson, said the time had come to break away from the failing and dysfunctional EU system. Meanwhile, thousands gathered in London and across the world to pay tribute to the slain British MP Jo Cox, who would have turned 42 on Wednesday. Her husband, Brendan, said the killing last week by a man who gave his name in court as death to traitors, freedom for Britain was political and an act of terror designed to advance an agenda of hatred toward others. He reminded the crowd that his wife was an ardent campaigner for Britain to remain in the EU. In Ottawa, more than 100 people crammed the sidewalk in front of the British High Commission to pay tribute to Cox, placing pink and white roses at the foot of an improvised memorial. The killing in Coxs northern England constituency temporarily stopped referendum campaigning and was seen by some as a potential blow to the Brexit side. There was no direct mention of the referendum by those who came to pay tribute to Cox in Ottawa, but the values she embodied, including her firm desire to remain in the EU, were celebrated by those in attendance. Her message is one of tolerance, not of polarization; of respect for each other; of finding our common things, not our difference, said Oxfam Quebecs Lina Holguin, who became friends with Cox after living with her for a year during a work assignment in Britain. She was the most brilliant campaigner I ever met so energetic, so committed. Rookie Liberal MP Karina Gould said Coxs killing deeply touched parliamentarians around the world. For me personally, it was very numbing, said Gould, one of several Canadian politicians who was on hand to pay respects to Cox. All of us being here today is a symbol. Its a rejection of hatred. Its a rejection of violence. More on the star.com: Brexit breaks betting record as high-stakes EU vote grips nation Brexit explained, in 13 simple points Flamboyant Boris Johnson makes his move toward 10 Downing St. SHARE: Whats known about the victim of the latest fatal Toronto police shooting can be contained in a few scarce facts. He was killed by Toronto police. He died along a dusty rail corridor in North Toronto. He was 42. Nearly a week since the mans death, he remains nameless and faceless. Ontarios Special Investigations Unit, the civilian oversight agency that probes deaths involving police, said Tuesday the mans identity is being kept secret in accordance with the watchdogs naming policy, which requires consent from family to release the name of the victim of a police-involved fatality. The watchdogs policy means the mans name may not be released for months, years or ever and the practice has come under fire from critics who say that the name is critical to scrutinizing a police-involved death and ensuring accountability. But the policy will now be closely scrutinized as part of Justice Michael Tullochs review of Ontarios police oversight bodies. Launched in the wake of public outrage about the SIUs probe into the police shooting death of Andrew Loku, Tullochs review is examining current policies surrounding what information the provinces three police watchdogs keep secret including the names of those killed by police. He will address as a priority ways in which the transparency of the SIU can be enhanced while preserving fundamental rights, including whether more information than is currently released to the public about an SIU investigation should be released and what form that should take, said Jenna Mannone, spokesperson for the Ministry of the Attorney General. According to the SIU, the fatal shooting occurred around 9 a.m. Friday, after numerous police officers and member of the Toronto police Emergency Task Force arrived on a stretch of rail between Weston Rd. and Highway 400, just south of Sheppard Ave. W. When police tried to arrest the man for trespassing under the federal Railway Safety Act, there was a confrontation and an officer shot him. A Taser was also deployed. The man was confirmed dead on scene. The SIU has not released any information about whether the man was armed at the time of the shooting. Once the SIU takes over an investigation, the Toronto police cannot provide any information about the incident. Police later cordoned off an area that contained what appeared to be a makeshift shelter along the railway. Asked last week if the man was living there, an SIU spokesperson said police were still investigating. The SIU has said its policy requiring family consent to release the name of a relative killed by police was adopted in 2012 as a result of concerns brought forward by complainants or their family members. It was developed after research into the practices of other police watchdogs, which vary from province to province. The policy is in contrast to the usual police practice of routinely releasing the names of homicide victims, even if its against the wishes of family. In homicide cases, the release of the victims name can elicit valuable information. The SIUs policy remains in place even after the investigation into the shooting is completed meaning the mans name will never be released by the watchdog. The name could ultimately come out if a coroners inquest is called into the mans death, but inquests into deaths resulting from an interaction with police are not always mandatory. The policy was revisited by the watchdog last year as a result of criticism, according to the 2015 annual report. That included consultation with mental health professionals, a review of what experts had proactively shared with the SIU in past cases, and conversations with SIU investigators to get a sense of what families wanted and needed. The review determined that the 2012 naming policy should be maintained. Based on the analysis, we made the decision to only release names of complainants with consent, unless there was an investigative purpose to release the name, says the SIU in its annual report. Lisa Taylor, a Ryerson University journalism professor and former lawyer, says she doesnt understand how the SIU can determine when a case wont benefit from the release of the victims identity. How can they know what they dont know? We cant know when people might have information thats relevant to an investigation until people have enough information about the deceased, she said. Its very chicken-and-egg. When names are withheld, so too are the fuller narratives that provide greater understanding of the societal problems that lead to police shootings, Taylor added. She doesnt believe the families should have the power to withhold that from the public. I think families, especially in (police shootings) are quite frankly not well positioned to ever be able to detach their own vested personal interests, she said. Karyn Greenwood-Graham, who runs a support group for families of those killed by police, said the group met with Tulloch Monday to discuss the changes they want to see made. For the group, the issue of whether their relatives name is released is divisive. Some appreciate the current SIU policy, while others believe its important that the name be public, says Greenwood-Graham, whose son Trevor was killed by Waterloo Regional Police in 2007. Some families wish after the fact that their loved ones name had been public, she said. But if they are asked for consent to release the name shortly after learning of their relatives death, the automatic, knee-jerk reaction is to say no. Why would you say yes? When you get to the point where you want to say yes, its at a time when you get a little angry. And you want the public to know. Wendy Gillis can be reached at wgillis@thestar.ca Read more about: SHARE: The Toronto Zoo, Parks Canada and the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority set 36 baby Blandings turtles free into the Rouge National Urban Park on Tuesday. Blandings turtles are a species thats provincially and nationally threatened. They were introduced to their new home in Canada's largest urban park to promote the species conservation. Close-up of Blandings turtle Thirty-six baby Blandings turtles, raised in a controlled environment at the Toronto Zoo, have found a new home in the wilds of Rouge National Urban Park, which lies on the Toronto-Pickering border. Volunteer holding turtle The Toronto Zoo, Parks Canada and the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) reintroduced the little turtles into the park Tuesday. Blandings Turtle spots Baby Blandings turtles are on average 10 cm. long with a smooth, black upper shell with small yellow flecks, and a bright yellow chin and throat. Blandings turtles can live up to 80 years and have inhabited the Rouge Valley for thousands of years. Despite being a long-lived species, two years ago, they came close to being classified as endangered. Turtle crawling through the grass Blandings turtles are a flagship species representing a group of animals facing a variety of threats said the Toronto Zoos curator of reptiles and amphibians, Dr. Andrew Lentini. Blandings turtles are threatened by increased human interaction, habitat loss, and nest predation by raccoons, skunks, foxes and other wildlife. Blandings turtle close up As few as six Blandings turtles remained in the wild in the Rouge Valley region in 2014. They have been reintroduced into the park each spring for three years in a row now. While there are more than 300 turtle and tortoise species in the world, the Blandings turtle is among seven species listed in Ontario as threatened, endangered, or a special concern. Volunteer holding turtle "Seven of eight turtle species in Ontario are at risk and need our help, Lentini said, urging Canadians to play a part in preserving them by visiting the Toronto Zoos Adopt-A-Pond website and by reporting sightings to the zoos Ontario Turtle Tally. Turtle pokes its head out 21 baby Blandings turtles were released in June 2015 and 10 the year before. Like all turtles, they are largely aquatic and live in wetlands. Blandings turtle stretches its neck The Zoo and TRCA have been collecting information on and monitoring Blandings turtles in the Rouge Valley in 2005. The zoo collected Blandings turtle eggs from a stable source population elsewhere in southern Ontario in 2014 and has been raising them in a protected environment for reintroduction to the wild ever since. SHARE: TORONTOA prominent Toronto lawyer who pursued a frivolous action on behalf of a client was found personally liable Tuesday for the legal costs incurred, a decision he said could deter lawyers from taking on tough cases. In upholding the $84,000 costs award against Paul Slansky, the Ontario Court of Appeal faulted his conduct for his involvement in the vexatious proceeding. Slansky, the Appeal Court said, had wasted money unnecessarily by acting on unreasonable instructions from, or providing unreasonable advice to, his client. In response, Slansky said he disagreed with the ruling. Lawyers who act in good faith for a client in difficult cases must now be concerned that if the case is lost, they may be found liable for costs if a judge thinks that the action was not well-founded, Slansky told The Canadian Press. This creates a chill on all lawyers, deterring them from taking on difficult cases. The situation began in 2007, when Donald Best sued 62 defendants for negligence and economic loss. The action was stayed in 2009, and Best was later found in contempt for failing to comply with court orders. In 2012, he accused the defendants and their lawyers of perjury, conspiracy, fraud, obstruction of justice and fabrication of evidence accusations a judge rejected as baseless. Best served 60 days in prison for contempt. He then engaged Slansky to appeal. In doing so, Slansky tried to force the opposing lawyers to step down by repeating Bests allegations of serious misconduct against them. That attempt failed and a court awarded costs against Best, who tried unsuccessfully to get the Supreme Court of Canada to intervene. He didnt pay up. While this was going on, Best also launched a new suit through Slansky against 39 defendants. He again made serious allegations of misconduct against opposing lawyers, police and private investigators. A judge eventually found Best had used the rules to create the need for an unnecessary and time-consuming motion and that his behaviour had been reprehensible, unnecessary and unreasonable. On several occasions before and after that decision, lawyers for the other side warned Slansky they would seek costs against him personally for his various legal delays and manoeuvres. Your approach to this litigation has been abusive and continues to waste an astonishing amount of money on legal costs, they wrote. You personally have caused these costs to be incurred without any reasonable cause by either acquiescing to absolutely unreasonable instructions from your client, or worse, by advising your client to take the unreasonable steps he has taken through you. Last fall, Justice Susan Healey dismissed the various actions brought by Best, saying they were without a scintilla of merit and that it was the most vexatious and abusive claim ever to come before her. In October, Healey found Slansky liable for $84,000 in costs. Slansky turned to the Court of Appeal, which on Tuesday rejected his argument that the costs award was unfair and flowed from his pursuit of a weak case. The Appeal Court also ordered Slansky to pay $30,000 more for the costs of the appeal. SHARE: Toronto police Chief Mark Saunders made history Wednesday when he expressed regret for the police forces treatment of the gay community in the past, especially extensive raids on gay bathhouses in 1981 that led to the mass arrest of hundreds of gay men. The Toronto Police Service expresses regret for those very actions and for treating those communities as not fully part of society, Saunders said during the annual Pride reception at police headquarters Wednesday. Saunders said lessons from the raids continue to inform how police reach out to the LGBT community, and in light of Orlando, police must continue to support and protect those marginalized because of their sexual orientation. Policing requires building trust, Saunders said. It is a good and appropriate time to acknowledge something in our community that was wrong, Mayor John Tory said before introducing Saunders. It is timely, it is right and it is necessary. Rev. Brent Hawkes, a gay activist and pastor, helped Saunders craft the statement. My intention was to honour the people who went through the horror of that night, he said, adding that he approached Saunders months ago about the possibility. Saunders did not mention the 2000 raid on Club Toronto on Mutual St., during a womens bathhouse event known as the Pussy Palace, which left many women feeling violated. Police settled a civil suit in 2005. https://www.thestar.com/news/insight/2016/06/21/toronto-police-to-apologize-for-1981-bathhouse-raids.html The 1981 raids on four downtown bathhouses END were carried out after complaints that underage youth were having sex there, says Howard Morton, then director of Ontarios Crown office. Police humiliated and outed gay patrons of the private clubs, and arrested hundreds of men. When no evidence was found, the men were instead charged with being found-ins in a common bawdy house, or house of prostitution. In more than 90 per cent of cases, the charges were dismissed in court. At the time, most men were deep in the closet and viewed the private clubs as safe spaces to have sex during a period of widespread homophobia. They did wrong, Dennis Findlay, president of the Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives, said in an earlier interview. This was their attempt to slap us into the closet, big-time . . . but it didnt work. Instead, the raids launched the Canadian gay rights movement. Rumours still persist that the province was involved, but Morton says that when he found out about the arrests he personally told then attorney-general Roy McMurtry. He was flabbergasted, says Morton. He was the most anti-homophobic guy you could find. Attorney-general Roy McMurtry, who has said he was shocked by the raids, was roundly criticized for allowing the prosecutions to go ahead. Metro police carried out the raids after seeking legal advice from the local Crown attorneys office, and Mortons office was never alerted. We were homophobic, says Morton, who is now with the Law Union of Ontario. Anybody who says we werent is lying. SHARE: The cash-strapped Ontario government is not banking on a financial windfall from the looming legalization of recreational marijuana, says Finance Minister Charles Sousa. With officials at Queens Park preparing for Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus federal legislation next year, Sousa emphasized that no cannabis tax bonanza is anticipated. I have not taken into consideration any of the possible receipts into our budget plans, the finance minister, who hopes to eliminate a $4.3-billion deficit next year, said Tuesday. Asked if marijuana will be a cash cow for the treasury, Sousa was firm: Not at all. Thats not something that I have been speculating on, he said. Even when it comes to the revenue, its not the overriding factor because Im sure theres going to be a lot of costs involved in terms of making sure that we administer it properly. According to Sousas February budget, the Ontario government expects to take in $1.2 billion in tobacco taxes this year, plus $611 million in beer and wine taxes, and an additional $2 billion from the LCBO. But provincial officials have not yet calculated how much revenue legalized recreational marijuana would bring into their coffers. Some economists have estimated it could be similar to the amount gleaned through tobacco taxes while others predict it will be far lower. Health Minister Eric Hoskins is concerned about the toll of increased marijuana smoking. There are legitimate health concerns of consuming particularly smoking marijuana, said Hoskins, a physician and public health expert. Its important that the public be aware of that and that we strike the right balance with regards to the legalization, but in a . . . regulatory environment . . . which protects the most vulnerable, he said. Hoskins emphasized that its important to socialize Ontarians about the potential harmful effects of smoking recreational weed. From a health perspective as we go forward our contributions to the discussions focus on harm reduction and the potential negative impact of marijuana Im not talking about medicinal marijuana here, which is a legal substance. Premier Kathleen Wynne has said she would like the government-owned Liquor Control Board of Ontario to oversee the sale of recreational weed. But government officials say that does not mean the LCBOs 650 stores across Ontario would be stocking Super Lemon Haze cannabis next to bottles of Limoncello liqueur. They note that the Crown agency is also a wholesaler whose mission includes controlling access to booze to limit underage Ontarians from drinking. As provincial bureaucrats from several ministries begin work on a weed strategy, they are wrestling with what kind of a retail model is looming. Wynne and Sousa have expressed their opposition to the illegal dispensaries that have sprung up in Toronto in recent weeks. Hoskins said the storefront weed shops present a difficult problem. Its challenging because were in that interesting time between the (federal) government indicating its intent and actually creating a legislative framework, the health minister said. So there are proponents of making marijuana more readily available that are . . . anticipating these certain changes yet we are in a legislative environment that still prohibits it, he said. Weve seen at the municipal level the challenges not just in Toronto or Vancouver that the municipalities have faced in this interesting time. SHARE: A historic national deal to bolster the Canada Pension Plan is the long-awaited payoff for two of Kathleen Wynnes biggest strategic investments since becoming premier: Her made-in-Ontario pension. And her just-make-Justin-PM gambit. After fighting and winning the 2014 provincial election on her Ontario Retirement Pension Plan, Wynne gained extra leverage with her fellow premiers. With a looming mid-July deadline to scale up the ORPP, Wynne threatened to go her own way if the other provinces didnt buy into a bigger CPP. First, though, Wynne laid the groundwork by going on the campaign trail to appear with Justin Trudeau in the 2015 federal election. As a sitting premier, she invested major political capital by talking up the future prime minister in joint election rallies. Her unprecedented intervention raised eyebrows. In the aftermath, many wondered how Wynne would be repaid for that campaign debt. Now the results are in from the prime minister and his finance minister, Bill Morneau, for whom Wynne also campaigned relentlessly (he had previously served on Wynnes ORPP advisory panel). Working closely with Ontario, the federal government set the table for pan-Canadian pension improvements that many thought impossible. Trudeau huddled with Wynne in a private meeting room at Womens College Hospital earlier this month, and Morneau held a three-hour working dinner with Ontario Finance Minister Charles Sousa at an Ottawa restaurant. With time running out, the two tag teams Trudeau-Wynne and Morneau-Sousa discussed who would call whom among the provincial outliers, and how far Ontario would go in diluting its own robust pension proposal. Ottawa laid out its secret weapon a willingness to enhance the Working Income Tax Benefit to offset any increase in premiums for low-income workers. Sousa laid down his bottom line, firing off a letter warning the other provinces the ORPP would move forward in July, after which CPP reforms would be off the table. In his written proposal, Ontario offered to scale back its ORPP to 70 per cent of the original target, but it needed a firm commitment now or never. Sousa compromised further at a meeting of finance ministers in Vancouver this week, settling for 66 per cent of his initial target. While the final CPP deal doesnt go quite as far or as fast as Ontarios original plan it will take a few more years to phase in it will endure for decades. It is an unexpected triumph for Trudeau and Morneau, a big win for Wynne and Sousa, and a shared victory for the provincial politicians from different parties who came round in the end. Above all, it is a winner for working Canadians who can now look forward to a more secure retirement especially the two-thirds of Ontario workers who lack a private pension. A half-century after the inception of the Canada Pension Plan, whose paltry payouts are exceeded by most other industrialized countries, it was overdue for an overhaul. Decades from now, when private pensions will have virtually disappeared from the workplace displaced by glorified RRSP savings plans with high fees and unreliable returns this weeks improvements to the CPP will be seen as a turning point. Until this week, reform faced four daunting obstacles: Ideological rigidity from former prime minister Stephen Harper, who scuttled CPP talks in 2013 and tried to sabotage the ORPP; a CPP amending formula more complicated than constitutional change (Ottawa plus seven provinces with two-thirds of the population); public indifference to pensions, especially the idea of paying premiums now for payouts far off in the future (always a political challenge); and open hostility from business interests that are phasing out workplace pensions while refusing to backstop their workers retirements through a public plan. Wynnes pension determination not only forced the other premiers to make up their minds on the CPP alternative (which was always Ontarios first choice), it also rattled and rankled the business community. In that sense, the ORPP was a stalking horse for the CPP, persuading many business leaders to embrace a pan-Canadian plan as an alternative. 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, Wynne said Tuesday, describing herself as a thorn in the side of her counterparts. The ORPP made it clear to the other provinces that if we dont act soon, Ontario will proceed, Sousa said in an interview. Beyond the tangible benefits of CPP expansion portability, sufficiency, efficiency, affordability and scalability there may not be any big political payoff for Wynne. She can and will claim credit for driving the agenda, but the issue will have waned by the time of the next election. All the more reason to acknowledge the political risks she has taken to date on the ORPP, and the questions she will face about the costs of winding down its embryonic bureaucracy a cost of doing business in the range of a few million dollars, but a price worth paying for a CPP that will yield billions of dollars for Canadian workers retirements. While Wynne can take credit for helping to midwife a new CPP, she can also breathe a sigh of relief that she is now off the hook for the ORPP avoiding the execution risk of building a pension bureaucracy from scratch (more expensive than first thought) at a time when voters have little tolerance for more Liberal bungling or boondoggles. By offloading the ORPP onto the CPP, she has done a good political deed and dodged a bullet. Martin Regg Cohns political column appears Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. mcohn@thestar.ca , Twitter: @reggcohn Read more about: SHARE: SEOUL, KOREA, REPUBLIC OFIn a remarkable show of persistence, North Korea on Wednesday fired two suspected powerful new Musudan mid-range 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 mid-air or crashing, and the sixth flew only about 400 kilometres, South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said, an improvement but still well short of the missiles potential 3,500-kilometre range and not long enough to be classified as intermediate. Despite the repeated failures, the Norths determination in testing the Musudan worries Washington and its allies, Tokyo and Seoul, because the missiles range puts much of Asia and the Pacific, including U.S. military bases there, within reach. Each new test apparently linked to a command from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un also likely provides valuable insights to the Norths 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 Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said a suspected first Musudan launch from the east coast city of Wonsan failed early Wednesday morning, but there were few other details. Later Wednesday, the JCS said the North fired another suspected Musudan, which flew about 400 kilometres. Seoul didnt immediately classify this launch as either a success or failure, but the reported distance is well short of past tests of other mid-range 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 wasnt 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 didnt pose a threat to North America. In April, North Korea attempted unsuccessfully to launch three suspected Musudan missiles, but all exploded in mid-air or crashed, according to South Korean defence officials. Earlier this month, North Korea had another suspected Musudan failure, South Korean officials said. Before Aprils 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 Uns 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 UN sanctions in two decades after its nuclear test and long-range rocket launch earlier this year. These provocations only serve to increase the international communitys resolve to counter (North Koreas) prohibited activities, including through implementing existing UN Security Council sanctions, State Department spokesman John Kirby said in a statement. We intend to raise our concerns at the UN to bolster international resolve in holding (North Korea) accountable for these provocative actions. 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 doesnt 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. Read more about: SHARE: LONDONCampaigners on both sides of the crucial vote on whether or not Britain should remain in the European Union crisscrossed the country Wednesday, their last day to win support from the undecided. Prime Minister David Cameron outlined his vision for a future with Britain retaining its place in the 28-nation bloc, bristling at the notion that the country would be headed in the wrong direction if it stayed in. He flatly rejected the notion that the institution is moribund. We are not shackled to a corpse, Cameron told the BBC. You can see the European economys recovery. Its the largest single market in the world. The most notable figure in the leave campaign, former London Mayor Boris Johnson, kicked off a whirlwind tour of England as he pushed for a British exit or Brexit. Touring the Billingsgate Fish Market, Johnson mugged for the cameras with fish in hand a not-so-subtle reminder that this is an island nation and one very proud of its independence and self-assurance. Its time to have a totally new relationship with our friends and partners across the Channel, Johnson said. Its time to speak up for democracy, and hundreds of millions of people around Europe agree with us. Its time to break away from the failing and dysfunctional EU system. Britain goes to the polls Thursday after a campaign that has been both heated and complicated. The reach of the EU into every aspect of life has meant that all sorts of groups from scientists to CEOs have registered opinions on whether to stay or go. The stakes are high as the vote is final unlike an election in which the results can be reversed in the next term. Amid the uncertainty, the fierce campaign within Britain has also spread to continental Europe. On Tuesday evening, Warsaws Palace of Culture and Science was illuminated in the colors of the Union Jack accompanied by the hashtag: Vote Remain. Perhaps the strongest support for Britain remaining in the European Union has come from Germany. Germans fear that a Brexit could become a precedent for other countries with similar movements, and could have a negative impact on trade relations. Last week, a group of young entrepreneurs flew from Berlin to London to hand out free bratwurst on the streets of the British capital, apparently unaware of British campaigning rules which prohibit giving out food or beverages. Bratwurst against Brexit, attracted some curious looks but will likely not have a decisive impact on the outcome of the referendum on Thursday. A similar initiative of French campaigners, who wanted to give out free croissants on Wednesday, was adapted after police informed them about the strict British rules. Instead, the French campaigners handed out postcards at Kings Cross station signed: with love, from Paris. Much of the debate has hinged on the economy. From the international banks in the skyscrapers of Canary Wharf to the traditional home of Britains financial industry in the City of London, business has largely awaited the referendum with trepidation and caution. Many fear a vote to leave would undermine Londons position as the worlds pre-eminent financial centre and damage an industry that underpins the British economy. Leaders of about half of Britains largest companies made a last-ditch appeal to their employees to vote for remaining in the European Union. In a letter to the Times on the eve of Thursdays vote, some 1,285 business leaders include representatives of half of the FTSE 100 businesses argue that a vote to leave will hurt the British economy. Similar letters have been released in the course of the acrimonious campaign. But Wednesdays letter is clearly meant to make the 1.75 million people employed by the signatories think twice about their vote. Britain leaving the EU would mean uncertainty for our firms, less trade with Europe and fewer jobs, the letter said. Britain remaining in the EU would mean the opposite: more certainty, more trade and more jobs. EU membership is good for business and good for British jobs. Thats why, on June 23, we back Britain remaining in the EU. The companies represented include Barclays, Standard Life and Anglo-American. Stock markets and the pound continued to rise, indicating that investors think the remain side will win. Markets are likely to be jittery, however, as the vote is expected to be tight and a vote to leave would create huge uncertainty. U.S. Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen warned Tuesday that the upcoming vote could have significant economic repercussions. The head of the European Central Bank, Mario Draghi, also said the consequences of a vote to leave would be difficult to assess. This lack of precision from two of the most eminent central bankers in the world with respect to the global consequences of a vote to exit was a refreshing outbreak of honesty in contrast to the very precise warnings that the U.K. public has been bombarded with, said Michael Hewson, the chief market analyst of CMC markets, citing warnings from the International Monetary Fund, the Bank of England and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development all of which signalled dire consequences if the country were to exit. Read more about: SHARE: CALGARYA Canadian-owned Twin Otter turboprop plane arrived in South America on Wednesday with two sick workers who were picked up during a medical rescue mission from a remote U.S. science outpost at the South Pole. After making a stop for a few hours at a British station on the edge of Antarctica, the two workers were flown to Punta Arenas, Chile. From there, the sick workers were to be transported to a medical facility. The National Science Foundation said that location will not be disclosed, and no details of the patients medical conditions would be released out of privacy concerns. A crew in another Canadian Twin Otter had flown from the British station, Rothera, 2,400 kilometres to the Amundsen-Scott station at the pole, to pick up the sick workers on Tuesday and finished the round trip Wednesday. Both Twin Otter planes are owned by Calgary-based Kenn Borek Air. Peter West, spokesman for the NSF, which runs the polar station for the United States, said the nine- to ten-hour flight between the South Pole and the British station on the Antarctic Peninsula was perilous. Its cold. Its very dark. Its Antarctica, so theyre crossing a huge and empty territory. Antarctica itself is the size of the U.S. and Mexico combined, so there are many factors that theyre dealing with, West said earlier Wednesday while the first Twin Otter was still making the round trip to the South Pole. West said the two support crew being airlifted out are employed by logistics contractor Lockheed Martin. The foundation said they needed medical attention that could not be provided on the remote continent. Normally planes dont use the polar outpost from February to October because of the dangers of flying in the pitch dark and cold. It was -60 C on Wednesday at the South Pole, according to the stations webcam and weather gauges. The first day of winter in the Southern Hemisphere was Monday and the sun will not rise at the South Pole until the first day of spring in September. 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 -75 C, he said. The air and Antarctica are unforgiving environments and punishes any slackness very hard, said Tim Stockings, operations director at the British Antarctic Survey in London. If you are complacent, it will bite you. Things can change very quickly in the area with ice from clouds, high winds and snow, he said. West said there was no tarmac at the South Pole station to land on, but there was a landing strip on the ice. All the ice shifts about 30 feet a year away from the pole because of the way the ice drifts, but the skiway is maintained in a constant location. The foundation decided last week to mount the rescue operation because one staffer needed medical care that cant be provided there. The station has a doctor, a physicians assistant and is connected to doctors in the U.S. for consults, West said. There are 48 people 39 men and nine women at the station. There have been three emergency evacuations from the Amundsen-Scott station since 1999. The 1999 flight, which was done in Antarctic spring with slightly better conditions, rescued the stations 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. SHARE: NEW YORKDonald Trump launched a broad rebuke of his presidential rival Hillary Clinton Wednesday, accusing her of being a world-class liar who personally profited from her tenure at the State Department. She gets rich making you poor, Trump said. Seeking to steady his campaign after a difficult stretch, the presumptive Republican nominee cast himself as the White House candidate best positioned to address Americans economic interests. This election will decide whether were ruled by the people or the politicians, Trump said during an address at his hotel in New Yorks SoHo neighbourhood. He made his arguments in a pointed yet measured tone, less loud and strident than has been typical in most previous campaign speeches. Yet his remarks included erroneous statements and distortions about Clintons record, and he frequently referenced sources of information that have been widely questioned, including the book Clinton Cash by Peter Schweizer. The speech marked an opening salvo against Clinton, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, in the general election campaign. It came as the real estate mogul faced growing questions about his readiness not just for the presidency, but for the campaign he will need to run to get there. Trump made a direct appeal to supporters of Clintons primary rival Bernie Sanders, urging them to help him fix a rigged system. He also argued his trade and immigration policies would be more beneficial than Clintons for blacks and Hispanics, two groups that have overwhelmingly voted for Democrats in recent presidential elections. Still, the central goal of Trumps speech appeared to be uniting the Republican Party and appealing to people who may be skeptical of him but vigorously oppose Clinton. He unleashed a grab bag of Republicans favourite criticisms of Clinton, including her use of a private email server while she was secretary of state, her response to the deadly 2012 attacks on Americans in Benghazi, Libya, and accusations that she and former president Bill Clinton profited from their family foundation. Hillary Clinton may be the most corrupt person ever to seek the presidency, Trump said. Some of Trumps charges come from Schweizers book, which has been criticized for failing to provide evidence of direct connections between business dealings by foreign interests, sometimes involving the Clinton Foundation, and decisions by Clinton when she was secretary of state. The Republican candidate also argued that Clintons opposition to a massive Asia-Pacific trade pact was an example of her political opportunism, noting that she had worked on the agreement while at the State Department and has previously backed free trade accords. And he took aim at her immigration policies, saying her call for providing those in the U.S. illegally with a path to citizenship amounted to mass amnesty. Trumps remarks came one day after Clinton launched her own blistering attacks on her White House rival. She moved to undercut Trumps argument that his business record would help him create jobs as president, arguing instead that he had been reckless with his companies and shouldnt have his hands on our economy. Trump also tried to turn Clintons strengths into negatives. He spent much of his speech trying to undercut her foreign policy record, highlighting her early support of the 2003 invasion of Iraq, which she now says was a mistake, and linking the policies she promoted at the State Department to the rise of the Daesh (also known as ISIS or ISIL) terror group. The Hillary Clinton foreign policy has cost America thousands of lives and trillions of dollars and trillions of dollars and unleashed ISIS across the world, Trump said. Trumps speech came on the heels of his firing Monday of campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, a controversial figure who was seen as an impediment to efforts to build out a more robust campaign organization. A new fundraising report released hours after Lewandowskis firing underscored how much ground Trump has to make up: he started June with just $1.3 million (U.S.) in the bank. Trump allies cast Lewandowskis firing this week as the start of a new phase for the campaign. Paul Manafort, the campaign chairman and Lewandowskis internal rival, signalled on a conference call with aides that a rapid staffing expansion would be coming soon. Tennessee Republican Sen. Bob Corker, who has been seen as a potential vice-presidential pick, said he was pretty excited to learn of the changes. I think that what appears to be occurring over the last 24 hours is a movement in a direction that I think could be very, very positive, Corker said. Read more about: SHARE: PITTSBURGHA Pittsburgh newscaster fired after her comments in a Facebook post about a shooting were deemed racially insensitive sued her former employer, saying the television station let her go because she is white. Wendy Bell said in her federal lawsuit on Monday that WTAE 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. Bells posting of concern for the African-American community stung by mass shooting was clearly and obviously not intended to be racially offensive. But for her being the race that she is, the decision would have been very different, Bells attorney, Sam Cordes, told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The comment was not intrinsically racially pejorative. It was interpreted to be that way. A message left with station management was not immediately returned. Bell 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. 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. No arrests have been made in the case. Bells comments sparked a backlash from some who saw her words as racist, but also drew defenders who found her post honest. Bells post continued, claiming she found HOPE after watching a young, African-American bus boy hustling at his restaurant job while Bell was out to eat with her husband and sons. She complimented the teen through his manager, who later passed the praise onto him. It will be some time before I forget the smile that beamed across that young workers faceor the look in his eyes as we caught each others gaze, Bell wrote. I wonder how long it had been since someone told him he was special. Almost immediately, critics called her words racist and accused Bell of having a white savior complex. Two days later, the anchor removed the Facebook post and apologized. Seven days after that, on the same day as a meeting between the station management and the Pittsburgh Black Media Federation, the TV station fired her. The WTAE determined her remarks violated the companys 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. Bell joined WTAE in 1998 and has won 21 Emmy Awards. Cordes, Bells attorney, told the Post-Gazette on Monday that he plans to add a gender discrimination claim to the lawsuit once he receives the okay from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. With files from Washington Post SHARE: Donald Trump regularly boasts that he is self-funding his presidential bid, but new campaign finance filings show that he is also shifting plenty of money back to himself in the process. According to documents submitted to the Federal Election Commission, Trump, whose campaign has just $1.3 million (U.S.) cash on hand, paid at least $1.1 million to his businesses and family members in May for expenses associated with events and travel costs. The total represents nearly a fifth of the $6 million that his campaign spent in the month. The spending raised eyebrows among campaign finance experts and some of Trumps critics who have questioned whether the presumptive Republican nominee, who points to his business acumen as a case for his candidacy, is trying to do what he has suggested he would in 2000 when he mulled making an independent run: Its very possible that I could be the first presidential candidate to run and make money on it. He could end up turning a profit if he repaid himself for the campaign loans, said Paul S. Ryan, a campaign finance expert with the Campaign Legal Center. He could get all his money back plus the profit margin for what his campaign has paid himself for goods and services. While most candidates list an array of vendors providing goods and services on their FEC filings, Trumps is packed with payments to his various clubs and buildings, his fleet of planes and his family. The self-proclaimed billionaire is required by law to account for his spending this way to prevent his companies from making illegal corporate donations to his campaign. In 2015, about $2.7 million was paid to at least seven companies Trump owns or to people who work for his real estate and branding empire, repaying them for services provided to his campaign. In May, the biggest-ticket item was Trumps use of the Mar-a-Lago Club, his Florida resort, which was paid $423,000. The campaign paid $350,000 to TAG Air for his private airplanes, $125,000 to Trump Restaurants and more than $170,000 to Trump Tower, the Manhattan skyscraper that houses the campaigns headquarters. Trumps family also profited from the campaign last month, with his son Erics Virginia wine business taking in about $1,300. And Trump, who has said he will not take a salary if he is elected president, paid himself $3,085 in May. The disbursements are related to travel expenses, according to the filings. Ryan said that the extent to which Trump was utilizing his own businesses for his run was unprecedented and that because of his unique financial circumstances, he was wading into territory that went beyond the FECs guidance. We dont have clear answers, Ryan said. Historically, candidates would separate themselves from their business interests when running for office. Trump has done the opposite by promoting his businesses while running for office. While candidates often gain notoriety from running for president, they are barred from enriching themselves directly from their campaigns. When a campaign buys copies of a candidates book in bulk and distributes them, for example, the candidate cannot accept royalties from the purchases. However, Ryan notes that the FEC does allow candidates who own commercial property to rent it from themselves at fair market rates, as Trump has regularly done. Trumps use of his branded water and steaks at one event falls into something of a grey area. Ciara Torres-Spelliscy, an election law expert at New York Universitys Brennan Center for Justice, said that Trump did not appear to be violating any campaign finance laws, but that he could face more scrutiny over the use of his businesses for campaign purposes now that he is more explicitly asking supporters to donate money for to campaign. It is something to keep an eye on, because as soon as you start using campaign money that has come in from donors, not just the money that he has loaned to himself, and he uses it for something that he will personally keep, or his family will personally keep, that is what crosses the line. Whether Trump could end up profiting from his campaign remains a subject of speculation; some have questioned if he will eventually ask for the more than $40 million that he has lent to his campaign to be repaid. The eventual effect of the campaign on Trumps personal brand, which he has said represents a large part of his wealth, also remains unclear. Democrats on Tuesday tried to seize on the payments Trump made to his businesses as evidence of hypocrisy. Commenters on the liberal website Daily Kos ridiculed Trump for running a scampaign and overstating the personal investment he was making in his campaign by funneling the money back to his empire. Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Democratic nominee and Trumps main rival this fall, also piled on, taking to Twitter on Tuesday to jab him over the expenditures and his relatively paltry fundraising sum in one swipe. What is Trump spending his meagre campaign resources on? she said. Why, himself, of course. Read more about: SHARE: Perhaps enough time has gone by since the homophobic slaughter in Orlando to slice through some of the rhetoric and speak truth to privilege. Or to put it another way, to try to shake some of the complacency out of the whole damned thing. One evangelical pastor in the U.S., for example, recorded a message lambasting those Christians who had described the Florida atrocity as Gods wrath against homosexuals. He was rightly angry and more than 10 million people watched him online, many of them no doubt Christian and probably feeling newly generous and clean in their faith-based kindness. Sorry, it wont do. The extreme views arent relevant, we can deal with the salivating brutes. No, its the more mainstream Christians who are the issue, those otherwise generally good people who continue to condemn homosexuality as sinful, who believe that one can reject same-sex relationships as leading to damnation but still love gay people; and as a consequence gay kids kill themselves. This is not hyperbole. Even in allegedly civilized North America, teenagers attempt and complete suicide, fall into profound depression, self-harm and live in fear and desperation because of what myriad Christians, yes Christians, still think and do. I dont care how many photo ops Pope Francis conducts where he hugs a gay person or stresses that love is all that matters. He also describes those who promote gender theory Catholic shorthand for same-sex marriage and full gay equality as being similar to the Hitler Youth and hasnt changed a word of the Catholic catechism that speak of homosexuality as being sinful and disordered. Imagine for a moment how a vulnerable boy or girl would feel hearing and reading that. Its difficult enough being a teen today, without being told that what and how you feel is unnatural, repugnant and wrong. Conservative Protestants are no better. They cherry-pick the Bible so as to confirm their own fear and loathing. Divorce can be dealt with, the odd bit of lust is not such a big deal, making a fortune while others cant eat is just one of those things, but those homosexuals have to saved from the fires of hell. Im an orthodox Christian and I say every word of the creed each Sunday with absolute conviction. Sorry atheists and cynics, Im not your man. But its my faith in Christ and His endless, constant, relentless, inexorable, till-the-end-of-time calls for love, inclusion and acceptance that hold me glued to Christianity, not the man-made judgment fetish that infects so much of the church. Please, do not send me emails quoting the mere handful of verses in Scripture that mention homosexuality. Ive read them many times, studied them, even written a book about them. Theyre ambiguous at best and often not even about gay love at all. Instead, ask why out of all of the Biblical teachings there are still so many followers of Jesus the revolutionary who misunderstand and then obsess about this particular subject. The genealogy of gay suffering has roots deep in church history. Just as Christians have in the past 50 years revised their understanding and attitude toward the Jewish people, the same has to happen with the LGBTQ community. That by necessity will involve contrition, apology and the opening wide of arms, mind and soul. You will be amazed how many gay Christians come forward in glorious liberation, how many loved ones, and how many people previously reluctant to enter a church building. Good God, it could well begin a great, new awakening. The criteria for marriage is not gender but love, openly gay men and women must be fully welcomed into churches, and no person should be told they are sinful merely for being who and what they are. Public outrage at a gun massacre is easy but putting a halt to centuries of harmful teaching is much more difficult and in many ways much more significant. Jesus utters not a word about homosexuality, even though it was as common in His time as in ours but He had so much to say about those who judge others and think themselves Godly. Its not that I say homophobes are sinful but that homophobia is I think making the distinction is, well, the Christian thing to do! Michael Corens new book is Epiphany: A Christians Change of Heart and Mind over Same-Sex Marriage. mcoren@sympatico.ca SHARE: Two decades ago, a woman who was deeply involved in the right-to-die movement, died at home in Toronto after a long, gruesome illness. She was surrounded by her family, her doctor and her closest friends. Some days later, her obituary appeared, noting that cremation had taken place and a memorial service would be announced on a future date. The next week, my wife, who is a physician, received a knock on her office door. Dr. Marmoreo, her medical secretary said: There are two Toronto homicide detectives in reception. They want to speak with you. They wanted her to confirm that she was the family doctor of the woman from the right-to-die movement. Yes, she was. Was she at her bedside when she died? No, she wasnt. Could she prove that? Yes, she could. Did she know who the doctor was at her bedside? No, she didnt. The police then took the patients medical records and left. When my wife got home that night and told me the story, she said she thought what got the officers suspicions up was not only the womans high profile and obvious desire to have her life ended, but the fact the cremation happened so quickly after her death, making an autopsy impossible. For days I scanned the news waiting to hear some doctor was being charged with murder. But no doctor was. The news this month that an Ontario judge has ruled patients who want doctor-assisted death have to get permission from the court beforehand is outraging critics. Having to petition a judge costs money, time and dignity, assets that many dying patients lack. But doctors arent happy either. Who wants to go to prison not just for taking a patients life, but for disobeying a court order? This got me to thinking: How many doctors have been prosecuted for helping their patients die? It turns out, hardly any. In fact, across Canada only seven doctors and one nurse have been charged, even fewer have been prosecuted, and only one has served time behind bars. In 1982 in Calgary, Dr. Nachum Gal, a pediatric resident visiting from Israel, ordered extra morphine for a newborn baby with severe brain damage. The baby had been removed from life support at her parents request. Dr. Gal returned to Israel and the government of Alberta unsuccessfully fought his extradition. But the nurse who injected the lethal dose of morphine and the supervising nurse were both suspended for one year. In 1992 in Toronto, nurse Scott Mataya was charged with first degree murder in the death of a dying patient. He pleaded guilty to a lesser charge, receiving a suspended sentence and lost his nursing license. Also in 1992 an unnamed Ontario surgeon administered morphine and potassium chloride to his seriously ill patient who died of cardiac arrest. The surgeon was originally charged with second-degree murder, but a year later the murder charge was withdrawn and he was given a three-year suspended sentence after pleading guilty to the charge of administering a noxious substance. In 1993 in Toronto, surgeon Dr. Alberto De La Rocha was charged with second-degree murder after a cancer patient received an injection of potassium-chloride. De La Rochas sentence was suspended and his penalty was a license suspension of 90 days. He was permitted to avoid that suspension by writing a guideline about withdrawing life support from terminally ill patients. In 1996 in Toronto, Dr. Maurice Genereux prescribed a lethal dose of medication to two HIV-positive men. Mark Jewitt took a lethal dose but managed to survive after a friend called him and then called 911. Aaron McGinn died in 1997 from an overdose of sleeping pills provided by Genereux. The doctor went to prison for two years less a day and lost his medical licence. He is the first doctor in Canadian history to be convicted of assisting suicide. In 1997 in Halifax, Dr. Nancy Morrison was charged with first-degree murder in the death of a terminally ill patient, who had been removed from life support. The judge refused to commit her to stand trial. In 2006 in Vernon, B.C., Dr. Ramesh Kumar Sharma was charged with helping a 92-year-old woman in a nursing home commit suicide. Her attempt was interrupted by nursing home staff. Sharma was sentenced to house arrest for two years less a day and is currently practicing medicine. Drs. De La Rocha, Morrison and Sharma all appear to be practicing today. When I asked my wife, who is now becoming a palliative care doctor, if she feels comfortable practicing in this new and still murky and topsy-turvy legal environment around assisted-death, she replied: Its about time. Bob Ramsay is a Toronto communications consultant and founder of the RamsayTalks. SHARE: Nobody knows who told Toronto police to launch raids on gay bathhouses back on Feb. 5, 1981. Nor does anyone know why the raids were ordered, since homosexual acts were decriminalized in Canada in 1969. Shamefully, no one has ever taken responsibility for the brutal arrests, during which police smashed their way through doors and hauled about 300 men into police vans. But 35 years later police Chief Mark Saunders will take some of the sting out of the memory of the raids when he formally apologizes for them at his annual Pride reception at police headquarters on Wednesday. Its a sensitive gesture from the chief to those who were assaulted and arrested in the raids, as well as those who were intimidated by the events. It should go a long way to healing past police wrongs. Saunderss acknowledgement of the past and commitment to do better in the future comes at a bittersweet time for Torontos LGBTQ community. On one hand, for the first time the community is celebrating a full month of Pride festivities, rather than the traditional week. On the other, the festivities are marred this year by the horror of the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history, when 49 people were slaughtered at a gay nightclub in Orlando. 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, Ron Rosenes, who was arrested in the bathhouse raids, told the Star. Still, there is much to celebrate. LGBTQ rights have come a very long way since 1967 when then-justice minister Pierre Trudeau introduced legislation to decriminalize homosexual acts and famously declared that the state has no place in the bedrooms of the nation. And theyll come further, still, when Chief Saunders marches in the Pride Parade on July 3, becoming only the second police chief to do so after Bill Blair. It will be a proud moment for the chief and the LGBTQ community. SHARE: Its a strange feature of living in a complex federation like Canadas that modest, imperfect policy improvements can sometimes seem like indeed, can be historic victories. So it is with the intergovernmental deal to expand the Canada Pension Plan reached this week. Perfection, we know well, is elusive in areas of shared responsibility and conflicting interests. Inaction, on the other hand, is all too common. Yes, the agreement falls short of the doubling of benefits many advocates were calling for. But it far exceeds the outcome that seemed most likely going into Mondays meeting of finance ministers in Vancouver: another failed attempt to secure adequate pensions for millions of future retirees. Any update to the program requires the approval of seven provinces representing at least two-thirds of the population. Given that high bar, and the public reluctance of several premiers, there was good reason to doubt that progress would be made. But in the end, every province with the exceptions of Quebec, which will pursue its own plan, and Manitoba, which may yet come on board, agreed to the first CPP expansion in two decades. Its a modest boost, to be phased in slowly, which nonetheless has the potential to significantly improve the lives of future generations of retirees. In fact, the plans modesty appears to have been the key to achieving consensus. Both employers and employees will be asked to pay slightly higher premiums, which will be introduced over seven years beginning in 2019. The existing plan aims to replace about 25 per cent of income up to a cap of $54,000. Under the new plan, the coverage would be increased to 33 per cent and the cap to $82,700. The payout will be up to 50 per cent higher for most recipients, and will yield significant benefits for middle-income earners. Its about time. In recent years, economists observed that the growing ranks of middle-income Canadians without a workplace pension were falling through the cracks. While high-earners were saving enough and low-earners were protected by other programs, those in the middle were retiring with nowhere near the nest egg or coverage they needed to preserve anything like the sort of lifestyle to which they were accustomed. Without government action, the problem promised to deform into a crisis. Fewer and fewer workplaces offer traditional pension plans, and more and more workers, especially young ones, face a combination of precarious, low-wage employment and high housing costs that makes saving all but impossible. Yet the Harper government refused to entertain the idea of expanding the CPP, effectively putting a decade-long moratorium on the subject. The Tories view at the time was that higher taxes or premiums meant not only less money in the pockets of employees, but also pressure on employers to reduce wages and cut jobs. These arguments persist to this day despite the fact that the previous increase in contributions in 1997 produced none of the predicted disasters. The Tories offered instead a number of incentives to promote voluntary savings, which for a variety of economic and psychological reasons, did not work. A Bank of Montreal report revealed that fewer than six in 10 Canadians voluntarily contributed to a retirement savings plan in 2014, and even those, on average, invested a paltry $3,700. During the same time, just one in 10 put away the maximum $5,500 in a tax-free savings account. The failure of these solutions confirmed that the best way to forestall the looming retirement income crisis was an expanded mandatory pension program. Thats why Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne vowed in 2014 to go ahead with her own version, the Ontario Registered Retirement Plan, in the face of federal recalcitrance. But the new deal, achieved through the leadership of a more co-operative federal government, seems to have obviated the need for the provincial program. Thats for the best. While Ontarios plan offered more generous benefits than the expanded CPP proposal, the resulting fragmentation would have undermined the portability and parity of the pension system. As Ontario Finance Minister Charles Sousa said on Tuesday, a national solution provides many benefits to Ontarians, including cost effectiveness, while providing coverage to more people. Inevitably, questions remain about how these changes will play out and whether theyve effectively targeted the right people and adequately protected the most vulnerable. But messy and uncertain as it is, the agreement struck in Vancouver promises to become a milestone that will benefit generations of retirees. Read more about: SHARE: Police have extraordinary powers over the rest of us, including the use of deadly force. That is why when police use that force they should be fully accountable. Only then can the public judge whether the killing was justified. Surprisingly, though, that is not the case in Ontario. Here the provinces Special Investigations Unit, which oversees deaths involving police, does not even have to release the name of a person who has been killed. The SIUs policy requires consent from the family to do so, even though that policy is contrary to normal police procedures. When someone is killed by anyone other than police, the name is released to the public even when it is against their familys wishes. Thats important because the release of a name, by itself, can prompt people to come forward with valuable information. That is how it should be with police killings. No officer who has shot a civilian should be able to hide behind a veil of secrecy, which is what withholding a victims name amounts to. The need for transparency should trump any family demands for privacy. The issue arose again this week after police shot and killed a 42-year-old man along a rail corridor in North Toronto. As the Stars Wendy Gillis reported, nearly a week after his death he remains nameless and faceless. The case is particularly heart-rending because it appears that the man may have been homeless and living in a makeshift shelter along the railway. The policy of not naming victims without family permission, then, is especially perverse in this incident. What if there is no family to be contacted to give permission? Does this man remain forever nameless and faceless? And how can anyone come forward to speak on his behalf if no one is informed of his death? The current policy is being studied as part of Justice Michael Tullochs review of Ontarios police oversight bodies. But he is not due to report until March 31. In the meantime, it remains true that all police shootings require extraordinary oversight. For that to occur, the SIU should release the name of the victim. Read more about: SHARE: Re: Guilty, July 18 Guilty, July 18 Rarely in the Canadian justice system is there such a mountain of circumstantial, forensic and digital evidence amassed in such a relatively short time in a murder trial. Such was the case in the Bosma trial of some five months duration in a three year ordeal that resulted in a guilty verdict coming after five days jury deliberation. But what is significant about that long-awaited outcome is that it is justice being served for the entire community. It was an ordeal that captured and touched the hearts of so many in an inconceivable, incomprehensible loss of life that would see a loving family man murdered for the sake of a motor vehicle. It is difficult to imagine the agony and heartache of loved ones left behind in such a senseless crime even more to imagine the strength with which they had to endure. That justice was indeed served can only be seen as one of the justice systems finest hours. Claude McDonald, Kitchener Dellen Millard and Mark Smich have been convicted of Tim Bosmaa murder and been sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years. So what possible purpose can be served by sending Millard to trial again for two more murders, other than to handsomely reward a bunch of lawyers totally on the public purse? He cannot be sentenced to death. Is it possible to tack a second 25 years on to the first 25, or would any sentence be served concurrently? It seems like an entire waste of taxpayer money to provide cash for life to the lawyers in this case. Edward A. Collis, Burlington SHARE: Re: Senate passes assisted dying bill, June 18 Senate passes assisted dying bill, June 18 The Senate had the opportunity to redeem and reaffirm itself as a vital and valuable cog in the wheel of Canadian democracy. Bill C-14 is flawed and initially the Senate agreed. But in an act of cowardice, a majority rule put the rubber stamp on the legislation as dictated by the Liberal government, granting the right to physician-assisted death for only those whose death is imminent. Shame on the Senate for letting down Canadians, again. Julia Bowkun, Toronto SHARE: Students at Torontos newcomer high are scrambling to file a human rights complaint as the board gets set for a final vote on whether to close down and move their one-of-a-kind school into nearby Danforth Tech. The fate of Greenwood Secondary which nurtures and educates newly arrived refugees and immigrants will be decided by trustees at a meeting Wednesday night, and it is unclear how a human rights complaint could affect the boards plans. Greenwood was discussed at a committee meeting last week, but the two students spearheading the fight to keep it open say they could not attend because of Ramadan. They also say the board did not provide them with appropriate translators during a number of area review committee meetings, and that unlike students at other schools, their parents were not able to advocate for them because of language barriers and long working hours. We know that the last chance is with us, with a human rights case, said Tolin Abuaziza, who said she and student council president Zahra Afshar plan to file as soon as their exams are over. This is the only school for newcomers and with help for newcomers. We are all hoping the same thing, we dont want to move, Abuaziza added. Students now feel like nothing will happen, they have just kind of given up. They tried, but no one heard them. Board chair Robin Pilkey said interpreters were present at the meetings, and noted more than 90 people were involved in the area review process. While she acknowledged that students are disappointed with the recommendation, we are not closing their school there are lots of examples of schools-within-schools in the TDSB. To me, whats more important is the teacher and classroom experience, not the location. Pilkey said she is unsure what impact a human rights complaint would have on the process. Meetings to decide the fate of a cluster of schools in the East York-Danforth Ave. area of Toronto began last fall, with a decision by the committee to uproot the students at Greenwood, even though their school, that also houses an alternative school, is at almost 100 per cent capacity. Danforth Tech, by comparison, is at just 41 per cent capacity and even with the Greenwood students, will still only be at an estimated 57 per cent capacity by 2025. Some have wondered why Eastdale Collegiate, which serves special needs students, was not considered to move despite running at just 35 per cent capacity. Greenwood students have said they believe their school was targeted for closing right from the start, and have accused the board of dismissing their concerns about the condition of the proposed space at Danforth, as well as worries about their safety, given some were targeted by Danforth students in violent altercations this school year. If trustees vote to close Greenwood, the program will move to Danforth Tech in the fall of 2017, and the building is expected to be sold. Some have accused the board of choosing Greenwood because of its real estate value. Greenwood is unique in that it serves newly arrived immigrants, with supports and settlement services as well as a number of English-as-a-Second-Language classes they wont find elsewhere. They remain at the school until they are ready to move to their area high school, typically one to three semesters. Area superintendent Mike Gallagher has previously told the Star the board is under orders from the provincial government to make better use of our space so the status quo isnt an option. And while Greenwoods enrolment is healthy, he said Danforth has specialized facilities, such as expensive commercial kitchens and an auto body shop so it doesnt make sense to close it, and Eastdale students are too vulnerable. Former area trustee and community activist Cathy Dandy submitted a letter to last weeks committee, saying the board did not follow its own equity policy in terms of working with the kids and families and that she ended up acting as a stand-in for their parents who could not attend (meetings) due to work commitments. It was at this point that I became aware of the discriminatory bias of the process. Students were not familiar with the process and there was no interpreter working with them to help them understand it. They assumed that if they represented their school and said no to moving, they would be listened to as students at other schools were. They suffered serious distress that they were failing their fellow students. While students at other schools were not considered to move because they are vulnerable, Greenwood teens were not. The students at Greenwood Secondary School go to that school because their English is non-existent and they cannot be accommodated in regular ESL programs in high schools. They often are coming directly from war-torn countries and are dealing with the trauma of conflict, the trauma of leaving home and the trauma of relocating (both for themselves and their families as they find lodging, jobs and adjust to a completely different culture). The population at Greenwood is a vulnerable population but also one that has no political voice, she wrote. She also accused the board staff of talking down to the students and told them that they misunderstood certain parts of the meeting (which they had not). Long-time Greenwood teacher Sally Bliss said I know my community cares deeply about how newcomers are treated. The (committee) decision to relocate Greenwood School to Danforth contradicts this commitment This decision is about making cuts and it does so to the people we promise to support when they come to our country. Standing up for Greenwood: From a letter submitted to the board by former area trustee Cathy Dandy, who has been supporting the students at Greenwood in their fight to keep their school open: The Greenwood student reps have been in Canada one year each and they were not offered an interpreter. Their English is quite good but they were not able to understand what was going on all the time and sometimes did not understand the nuances of the discussion. The Greenwood student reps were not familiar with the process and there was no interpreter working with them to help them understand it. They assumed that if they represented their school and said no to moving, they would be listened to. They suffered serious distress that they were failing their fellow students. The Greenwood student reps both had fathers that were attending the meetings. They were not offered interpreters nor were the meetings altered to accommodate their job schedules. The two parent reps stopped attending. The population at Greenwood is a vulnerable population but also one that has no political voice. They were not allowed the voice to say no as other Canadian students were and their vulnerability is being ignored. One staff member said that it wasnt a big deal because lots of TDSB students have that kind of trauma and they deal with it. This is a clear sign that they were being dismissed. In the two meetings I attended in support of the Greenwood student reps, the TDSB staff talked down to the students and told them that they misunderstood certain parts of the meeting (which they had not). SHARE: Analysts like Norwegian Cruise Line (NCLH) and we think you should, too. The stock doesn't have a single sell rating, and it boasts the following strengths: Shares are available at a price-to-earnings ratio of less than 9; analysts expect earnings will grow an average of 36% for the next five years; and there's plenty of room for share price appreciation. This undervalued gem is a red-hot growth opportunity right now. Ever experienced Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises or Regent Seven Seas Cruises brands? All of these belong to Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. With a combined fleet of 23 ships, Norwegian's brands offer itineraries to more than 510 destinations worldwide. With the inclusion of Prestige in 2014, Norwegian Cruise Line's capacity has bumped up to more than 40,000 berths, making it an increasingly relevant competitor in the cruise industry. The company plans to introduce five additional ships through 2020. Its competitors include Royal Caribbean Cruises and Carnival. Besides the usual markets, Norwegian Cruise Line has its eye on the burgeoning Chinese and Australian cruise markets. Norwegian Cruise Line has solid innovator status in cruise travel. The company gained prominence with introduction of Freestyle Cruising. Its various cruise lines are targeted at different sets of customers. For instance, the Norwegian Cruise Line offers The Haven by Norwegian, a luxury enclave with suites, private pools, etc. Oceania Cruises offers the great cuisine at sea and immersive destination experiences. On the other hand, Regent Seven Seas Cruises is an all-inclusive cruise line that provides all-suite accommodations, round-trip air transportation, among others. The boom in travel business and rising wallet spends has obviously driven stupendous growth for cruise operators. Between 2006 and 2015, Norwegian Cruise Line more than doubled yearly revenue to $4.34 billion. Net income is on a strong upward trajectory. Bigger rival Royal Caribbean Cruises hasn't doubled annual sales in the past decade, and although it's still profitable, growth has been lacking. The largest cruise operator, Carnival, has dealt with similar problems in the past decade with annual profits shrinking to $1.8 billion in 2015 from $2.2 billion in 2006. Going forward, Wall Street analysts expect Norwegian Cruise Line to deliver 36% growth in adjusted earnings per share each year for the next five years. Sales growth is projected to hit double digits as well. Analysts expect rivals Royal Caribbean Cruises and Carnival to deliver 20% and 16% adjusted EPS growth rates respectively for the next five years. If recent results are anything to go by, Norwegian Cruise Line has been pulling in customers by the droves. Passenger ticket revenue is on the rise. The occupancy rate is inching up. Vacationers are taking to the high seas in a big way. While low energy prices have helped all cruise operators, Norwegian Cruise Line has been smart enough to add new fleets at a time bigger rivals were busy replacing vessels. Remember, cheap fuel is a one-time benefit scenario. What matters more is fleet utilization, an area where Norwegian scores handsomely. Plus, it is now spending $400 million to update its older vessels in 2016. The excessive bearishness on airport and metro explosions in Brussels, confusion over Cuba cruise rules and other factors have made the stock cheaper by more than 24% this year. This offers a solid opportunity to buy this underappreciated growth play at a forward P/E of 9. That compares with forward P/Es of 12 for Carnival, 10.3 for Royal Caribbean and 16 for Lindblad Expeditions. Norwegian Cruise Line stock could reach $65 in the next 12 months, according to the average price target from analysts who cover the stock. That's 46% greater than recent levels. --- Five Years From Now, You'll Probably Wish You'd Grabbed This Opportunity:As we've just explained, Norwegian Cruise Lines is a great buy now. If you're looking for other growth opportunities, we've found a genius trader who turned $50,000 into $5 million by using his proprietary trading method. For a limited time, he's guaranteeing you $67,548 per year in profitable trades if you follow his simple step-by-step process. Click here now for details. This article is commentary by an independent contributor. At the time of publication, the author held no positions in the stocks mentioned. Trade-Ideas LLC identified SolarCity ( SCTY ) as a post-market leader candidate. In addition to specific proprietary factors, Trade-Ideas identified SolarCity as such a stock due to the following factors: SCTY has an average dollar-volume (as measured by average daily share volume multiplied by share price) of $133.8 million. SCTY is up 26.6% today from today's close. EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Get the inside scoop on opportunities in SCTY with the Ticky from Trade-Ideas. See the FREE profile for SCTY NOW at Trade-Ideas More details on SCTY: SolarCity Corporation designs, manufactures, installs, monitors, maintains, leases, and sells solar energy systems to government, residential, and commercial customers in the United States. Currently there are 9 analysts that rate SolarCity a buy, no analysts rate it a sell, and 5 rate it a hold. The average volume for SolarCity has been 5.7 million shares per day over the past 30 days. SolarCity has a market cap of $2.1 billion and is part of the utilities sector and utilities industry. The stock has a beta of 1.64 and a short float of 49.1% with 5.23 days to cover. Shares are down 57.1% year-to-date as of the close of trading on Monday. EXCLUSIVE OFFER: See inside Jim Cramer's multi-million dollar charitable trust portfolio to see the stocks he thinks could be potential winners. Click here to see his holdings for 14-days FREE. TheStreetRatings.com Analysis: TheStreet Quant Ratings rates SolarCity as a sell . The company's weaknesses can be seen in multiple areas, such as its generally high debt management risk, poor profit margins, weak operating cash flow, generally disappointing historical performance in the stock itself and feeble growth in its earnings per share. Highlights from the ratings report include: The debt-to-equity ratio is very high at 4.26 and currently higher than the industry average, implying increased risk associated with the management of debt levels within the company. Along with this, the company manages to maintain a quick ratio of 0.38, which clearly demonstrates the inability to cover short-term cash needs. The gross profit margin for SOLARCITY CORP is currently extremely low, coming in at 10.95%. It has decreased significantly from the same period last year. Along with this, the net profit margin of -20.38% is significantly below that of the industry average. Net operating cash flow has decreased to -$193.12 million or 12.74% when compared to the same quarter last year. In addition, when comparing to the industry average, the firm's growth rate is much lower. Looking at the price performance of SCTY's shares over the past 12 months, there is not much good news to report: the stock is down 62.62%, and it has underformed the S&P 500 Index. In addition, the company's earnings per share are lower today than the year-earlier quarter. Naturally, the overall market trend is bound to be a significant factor. However, in one sense, the stock's sharp decline last year is a positive for future investors, making it cheaper (in proportion to its earnings over the past year) than most other stocks in its industry. But due to other concerns, we feel the stock is still not a good buy right now. SOLARCITY CORP's earnings per share declined by 13.6% in the most recent quarter compared to the same quarter a year ago. This company has reported somewhat volatile earnings recently. We feel it is likely to report a decline in earnings in the coming year. During the past fiscal year, SOLARCITY CORP continued to lose money by earning -$0.61 versus -$0.63 in the prior year. For the next year, the market is expecting a contraction of 1536.9% in earnings (-$9.99 versus -$0.61). You can view the full SolarCity Ratings Report. EXCLUSIVE OFFER: See inside Jim Cramer's multi-million dollar charitable trust portfolio to see the stocks he thinks could be potential winners. Click here to see his holdings for 14-days FREE. Tesla Motors (TSLA) made a surprise stock offer of up to $2.8 billion for struggling solar energy company SolarCity (SCTY) after the markets closed Tuesday in a bid that would combine two-thirds of entrepreneur Elon Musk's empire under one corporate roof. Tesla in a blog post said it was offering $26.50 to $28.50 per share for SolarCity, which like Tesla counts Musk as owner of more than 20% of its shares. In after-hours trading, the news powered SolarCity shares to a 16.1% gain at $24.60, while Tesla shares plummeted 11.7% to $194.01. The offer, which is subject to due diligence and a final agreement, represents a premium of 21% to SolarCity's Tuesday close of $21.19. A bid would be subject to approval of a majority of "disinterested" stockholders in both companies, with Musk and Antonio Gracias, like Musk a board member in both companies, recusing themselves from voting on the proposal at Tesla and SolarCity board deliberations. Tesla said it was disclosing the bid publicly because of Musk's capacity as a shareholder in both companies but said it intends to proceed with the bid "only on a friendly basis." SolarCity in a regulatory filing said it would evaluate the proposal carefully, with CEO Lyndon Rive telling employees "there are tremendous synergies between these two companies." Rive and Musk are cousins. SolarCity is a San Mateo, Calif., provider of solar power systems for homes, businesses and governments, while Tesla is a Palo Alto, Calif., maker of electric cars and residential energy storage systems. Unlike Tesla, which remains a Silicon Valley darling, SolarCity has fallen on hard times of late, with the shares losing more than half of their value in the past 12 months before the Tesla offer. The solar vendor in May reported a larger-than-expected quarterly loss and issued cloudy guidance for the full year. Famed short seller Jim Chanos around that time predicted financial difficulties for the company this year, including more than $500 million in quarterly cash burn in the quarters to come, and called SolarCity a "subprime" finance company. Tesla in its blog post said buying SolarCity and adding solar power generation to its suite of products would "complete the picture," offering a vision of the future where customers can drive Tesla cars and use residential battery packs recharged by SolarCity's panels. The company sees opportunities to cross-sell SolarCity panels at Tesla stores and have SolarCity installers work with Tesla residential batteries. The company said it would be "the world's only vertically integrated energy company." Though Tesla is best known as an automaker, Musk has spoken repeatedly about the potential for energy generation and storage, saying last month at the automaker's annual shareholders meeting that he believed the potential for Tesla's energy storage business could one day exceed demand for electric cars. The deal, however, is fraught with risk from a Tesla perspective. Musk already has set an audacious timetable for the automaker to begin rolling out its lower-priced Model 3 vehicle, setting a deadline of producing 500,000 vehicles by 2018 and 1 million vehicles annually by 2020. The company earlier this year raised $1.4 billion in a stock sale to fund Model 3 development and production, but analysts have warned Tesla still could need further funding to build out its capacity. Adding money-losing SolarCity seemingly only would add to the pressure on Tesla's balance sheet, and the integration could distract Tesla management from its auto goals. But Musk, who is also CEO and founder of privately held rocket maker Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, is already one of the busiest CEOs in corporate America, and reducing his responsibilities from two publicly traded companies to one larger one would by some argument give him more time to devote to Tesla. The uncertainty surrounding the outcome of the Brexit vote this week has spooked anxious investors, but refraining from overreacting will prevent the sale of stocks at the wrong time. Long-term investors should expect volatility in the markets to occur ahead of the Brexit vote and avoid trying to time the market even if they own international stocks. "It's important to understand what's at stake with the U.K., but it's also important to keep a level head and not overreact," said Paul Jacobs, chief investment officer of Palisades Hudson Financial Group, a Scarsdale, N.Y. financial planning firm. "We don't expect Thursday's vote to have a dramatic impact on a diversified portfolio over the long term, and we're not seriously considering making long-term changes to client portfolios due to the vote's outcome either." If the Brexit Occurs Ignoring market volatility after the vote helps investors avoid the "emotional temptation of trying to time the market," said Mike Loewengart, vice president of investment strategy of E-Trade Financial, a New York-based online brokerage firm. "While polls indicate a 'leave' vote is unlikely, investors should remember that stranger things have happened, and even if Britain does leave, it's possible that markets could rebound soon thereafter," he said. "While most diversified portfolios already have some market exposure that the Brexit could negatively impact. Many also have assets that could benefit. It's far too early to make sense of the longer-term implications of this historic event and how markets will react over time." If the Brexit occurs, the impact to financial stability could be severe and result in a "substantial upheaval for global markets, financial firms and businesses that would likely leave London," wrote Aaron Klein and D.J. Nordquist of economic studies at the Brookings Institution, a Washington, D.C. non-profit public policy organization. The relationships with the EU and other countries will be affected, altering rates of return and asset prices, they wrote. The markets are already nervous as U.S. and global stocks are "slumping, and money is pouring into safe haven sovereign debt: the yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note is approaching record lows, while Germany's 10-year note broke a new record low - a negative yield," said Klein, a fellow, and Nordquist, chief of staff. "Brexit would lead to a global fall in equity prices as investors fear the impact the vote could have on Britain's economy and could spell the first falling domino of European Union disintegration." The immediate result of a Brexit is the additional volatility that will impact international currency and debt markets, said Charlie Smith, chief investment officer of Fort Pitt Capital Group, a Pittsburgh-based investment management firm. "Longer term, the effects on the U.S. economy are not likely to be material," he said. Even if the U.K. votes to leave the European Union and the market reacts resoundingly, the risks could remain minimal over a longer duration, said Jacobs. "No one knows exactly what an exit would look like or how it would work," he said. "We're not overly concerned with the risks and cooler heads should prevail over the long term. There's no reason to expect a mass exodus of wealth or talent from the U.K. if it leaves the EU." Short-term losses might be painful for investors who own equities in the U.K. and Europe, but people saving for retirement should view this as a "non-event," said Robert Johnson, president of The American College of Financial Services in Bryn Mawr, Pa. "Retirement investors should do nothing in anticipation or as a result of the Brexit vote," he said. "The only market participants it really affects are speculators - those investors making short term bets on market moves. Long-term investing is about committing to a disciplined strategy no matter what headwinds or tailwinds may be present in the market." What To Skip Investors should avoid mutual funds and ETFs that are primarily invested in Europe, said Bill DeShurko, a portfolio manager for Covestor, an online investment marketplace based in Boston and London, and founder of 401 Advisor, a registered investment advisor in Centerville, Ohio. Less risk averse investors could purchase any U.K. specific investments because of the short-term benefits if they remain in the EU and long-term benefits if they leave, he said. "Otherwise, hold the course," DeShurko said. "Moms will continue to buy diapers for their babies whether the U.K. stays or leaves. The same can be said for about 99% of the products and services made and provided by domestic companies." The sale of European fixed income or equities should occur before the vote, not afterwards when the market has already reacted, said Scott Hanson, a senior partner of Hanson McClain Advisors, a Sacramento based financial advising firm. How Volatility Can Help Investors After the vote on Thursday, the volatility in the market can give investors an opportunity to take advantage of purchasing less expensive European equities if the British decide to exit the EU. "A vote to leave the EU could lead to short-term declines in British stocks, the pound and the euro and investors can take advantage of this by harvesting capital losses in taxable accounts that hold European equities," Jacobs said. "Investors should also be prepared to rebalance their portfolios and add to European stock exposure in order to take advantage of lower prices." If voters chose to remain in the EU, a short-term rally in the markets could arise, and investors should be prepared to rebalance and "sell European equities if they appreciate significantly," he said. "For investors who remained disciplined throughout the 2008-2009 bear market and fears of contagion in Europe due to Greece's fiscal issues, Thursday's vote should look more like an opportunity than a threat." Sell-offs in the market and certain sectors will occur if voters approve leaving the EU, said Hanson. Long-term investors should not react to the declines in the market by selling their assets. "I've watched people make poor decisions in response to fear," he said. "People typically sell at the exact wrong times. There will be some fear in the European markets, but this will not be the time to react to that fear." Analyze the investments in your portfolio to determine which ones are risky ones and take the opportunity to purchase cheaper stocks, Hanson said. "Most investors don't have their entire portfolio in risky assets," he said. "The best time to purchase things on sale is when nobody else wants them. This may represent a fantastic buying opportunity." In the long-term, the U.K. leaving the EU could produce a positive effect, because the county would have more independence concerning its regulations and governance, said Jacobs. "The EU is far from a perfect union and being a member of the EU means having to deal with the baggage that comes with it," he said. Volatility in the European stock markets could persist for years because a successful Brexit will not be determined for awhile, DeShurko said. "While markets may be volatile in the short term, there is some real long term risk," he said. "Most European economies have been a mess since the financial crisis." Tesla Motors (TSLA) CEO Elon Musk took to the podium early Wednesday morning to explain the rationale for his company's $2.8 billion bid for SolarCity (SCTY) . He was met by a skeptical Wall Street audience. Shares of Tesla dropped more than 10% in after-hours trading Tuesday and premarket trading Wednesday after Tesla disclosed its bid, costing the company more in market capitalization than the total value it is offering to pay for SolarCity. The offer would combine two-thirds of Musk's current corporate empire under one roof, combining Tesla's business manufacturing electric cars and battery storage products with SolarCity's solar power systems for homes and businesses. Early Wednesday, Tesla shares fell 8.6%. Tesla, in a blog post late Tuesday, said it was prepared to offer between $26.50 and $28.50 a share in stock for SolarCity, which like Tesla counts Musk as its largest shareholder. The offer, which is subject to due diligence and a final agreement, represents a premium of 21% to SolarCity's closing price Tuesday. Given the overlap between the two companies, Tesla and SolarCity are making efforts to ensure any deal would be free of conflict. An offer would be subject to approval of a majority of "disinterested" stockholders at both companies with Musk and Antonio Gracias, like Musk a board member at both companies, recusing themselves from voting on the proposal. Tesla said it intends to proceed with the bid "only on a friendly basis." SolarCity said in a regulatory filing it would carefully evaluate the proposal, with CEO Lyndon Rive telling employees "there are tremendous synergies between these two companies." Musk, in addition to serving as CEO of Tesla, is chairman of SolarCity, and Rive and Musk are cousins. Tesla is pitching the deal as creating a one-stop shop for green-minded customers who would like to use SolarCity panels to generate enough energy to power their vehicles and, via Tesla storage units, power their homes. The company sees opportunities to cut costs and boost revenue by selling SolarCity gear in Tesla showrooms, and using SolarCity installers to set up battery storage units. "I have zero doubt about this," Musk said on an investor call Wednesday morning. "Arguably we should have done it sooner." But even if Musk has no doubts, a lot of people not involved in either company do. Tesla holder Ross Gerber, head of an investment management firm, said on Twitter Wednesday morning following the call that the firm is against the merger, saying, "We will not vote for this and we will encourage other Tesla shareholders." SolarCity has struggled of late, its shares losing more than half their value in the past 12 months prior to the Tesla bid after missing earnings and warning of weakness in the quarters to come. Critics including famed short-seller Jim Chanos has predicted cash burn above and beyond the $400 million SolarCity analysts expect this year, with Chanos calling SolarCity a "subprime" finance company due to the way it offers financial support to customers buying its units. Given Tesla's ambitious plan to ramp up production of its automobiles and bring its Model 3 to market in the quarters to come, the company seemingly doesn't need either the management distraction or the added debt burden of SolarCity. The company raised $1.4 billion in a secondary offering earlier this year to fund Model 3 development but some analysts have warned Tesla could face further capital needs even before adding SolarCity's $3.2 billion in debt and money-losing operations. Barclays auto analyst Brian A. Johnson in a note said he saw "little in the way of synergies, much in the way of cash burn" from the proposal, making an additional Tesla capital raise more likely. "Given limited access to capital for SolarCity, we believe the core rationale for this deal is for SolarCity to take advantage of Tesla's relatively favorable access to and cost of capital," Johnson wrote. "However, the combined entity is likely to magnify the losses and cash burn that both were seeing individually." Patrick Jobin, who covers SolarCity for Credit Suisse, in a note predicted Tesla will be challenged to convince its shareholders the deal has merit. "We are unconvinced of the strategic and financial rationale of the proposed transaction," he said, putting a 20% to 40% probability that a deal gets done. Even analysts who buy into Tesla's logic for the deal seem to be worried about execution. Piper Jaffray analyst Alexander Potter wrote that the combination is an interesting idea "but Tesla may be asking too much of itself," while Oppenheimer's Colin Rusch said investors are likely to view the transaction as "a bailout for SolarCity and a distraction" to Tesla. "While we remain bulls on the solar industry, we do not view this acquisition as the best and highest use of Tesla's capital and human resources," Rusch wrote. Then again, raising money has never been an issue for Tesla, as shown with its recent secondary, and most bulls and bears already agree that the automaker's Model 3 rollout schedule is unrealistic so a deal distraction that leads to delays wouldn't necessarily sink the stock. Musk, in attempting to combine Tesla and SolarCity, is laying out his long-term vision of a world where consumers would generate, store and consume their own electricity. His task now is to convince shareholders to buy into his plan to make that vision a reality. NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- A Wyoming federal judge blocked a White House ruling for higher regulations for fracking on public land. David Deckelbaum, oil and gas equity research director at KeyBanc Capital Markets, believes that today's ruling was expected by the oil industry. "This was a temporary block put in place by the judge against the Obama administration's proposal for the Bureau of Land [Management]," Deckelbaum said on CNBC's "Power Lunch." "I think now a year later they're making everything permanent." Only 10% of oil production in the U.S. currently is on federal or tribal lands and the rest is controlled by the states, Deckelbaum says. This sets a very "comfortable precedent for oil and gas companies that they are going to have a fairly benign regulatory environment going forward." The proposed regulations were estimated to increase the average cost per oil well by $100,000 and "could have shaved a couple percent off returns and slowed this potential recovery as we've seen oil prices come back up the high 40s from the low 20s in the beginning of the year," Deckelbaum concluded. The market expects the Delaware Chancery Court to rule in favor of Energy Transfer Equity's (ETE) effort to terminate its $23 billion merger with Williams Cos. (WMB) . Williams is expected to appeal such a decision, however. Delaware Vice Chancellor Sam Glasscock is expected to rule Friday on the legal battle over whether either Williams or Energy Transfer breached their best efforts to close the transaction between the natural gas pipeline companies. The core of the matter has been whether Energy Transfer's counsel at Latham & Watkins LLP was independent and acting in good faith when refraining from offering an opinion that the merger satisfied a tax-free treatment under Section 721(a) of the tax code. The Deal's view of the trial is that there was no smoking gun to show that Energy Transfer pressured Latham to withhold the relevant tax opinion. Against all odds, it looks like the judge is going to rule that Latham was acting in good faith when it decided it was unable to render the Sec.721 opinion, a tax expert said. This seems to be the case even though, implausibly, we are supposed to believe that Latham only saw the Sec.721 problem nine months after the deal was announced and only after being apprised of it by Energy Transfer's inside tax counsel, he said. If the judge makes that finding, it would appear that the merger is dead, he said. The termination date for the merger agreement is June 28. Energy Transfer is not expected to extend the merger contract, but termination could be held off by an appeal of a Chancery Court decision that favors Energy Transfer. A decision in favor of Williams, which runs counter to the market sentiment, could require the deal close under its specific performance clause. The deal terms include cash and Energy Transfer shares but market conditions have made the cash portion of the transaction onerous for Energy Transfer. Williams shares traded Wednesday at $20.92, down 75 cents, or 3.5%, and at a spread of $9.63, or 44%, to their value in the deal. Williams did not return a call. Williams is going to appeal, a risk arbitrageur said. The court was dealing at trial with a tax issue that it may not have grasped, he said. Latham presented that they were acting impartially, but the Delaware Supreme Court, to which Williams would appeal might not accept that position as easily as the Chancery Court seems to be doing, the arb said. Success on an appeal might not be a good bet, another arb said. At this stage there is a view that Williams should trade at $20 to $21 on a stand-alone basis. It's also a bet that Energy Transfer will trade up if the Delaware Court decides in its favor, so the trade might be to be long both Williams and Energy Transfer at this juncture, the arb said. In the Delaware case, Williams is using Sandra Goldstein and Antony Ryan of Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP in New York and Kenneth Nachbar of Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell LLP in Wilmington. Energy Transfer retained Michael Holmes, John Wander and Michael Charlson of Vinson & Elkins LLP in Houston and Rolin Bissell of Young Conaway Stargatt & Taylor LLP in Wilmington. For the merger, Williams took financial advice from Barclays' Gary Posternak and Barbara Byrne and Lazard Ltd.'s Albert Garner and Doug Fordyce. For legal advice Williams tapped a Cravath team led by Minh Van Ngo and Richard Hall with Andrew Needham and Christopher Fargo on tax and a Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP team led by Steven Talley, Eduardo Gallardo and Robyn Zolman. Energy Transfer's outside legal advisers were led by Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz's David Katz, David Lam and Alison Preiss with T. Eko Stange on tax and a Latham team led by Bill Finnegan, Ryan Maierson and Mark Gerstein and Laurence Stern and Tim Fenn on tax. This article originally appeared in The Deal, a sister publication of TheStreet.com focused on deals and dealmakers, on [June 22]. For more information about The Deal click here. A Boeing Growler electronic warfare aircraft lands on the USS John C. Stennis aircraft carrier at sea in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. (Agence France-Presse via Getty Images/U.S. Navy/Ethan T. Miller) As production of its F-15 and F/A-18 lines could draw to a close by the 2020s, Boeing faces a future where its role as a prime military fighter jet manufacturer is uncertain. But as it celebrates its centennial, Boeing is committed to remaining a major player in the business, even as it looks to invest in other areas, including unmanned systems, satellites and space travel, Boeing chief executive Dennis Muilenburg said in an interview. We expect to be a prime in the fighter jet business for the long run, he said. This is not a business were getting out of at all. Boeing has deals pending with Kuwait, which wants to buy 28 Super Hornets, and Qatar, which has ordered 36 F-15s. Muilenburg said he was confident those sales, which combined could reach $7 billion, would be approved by the U.S. government. That would allow the company to maintain a healthy production line as it courts Canada and other countries for additional sales. Canada is a partner in the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program, but its new prime minister, Justin Trudeau, has indicated that the government may want to look for other options. The country has a fleet of F/A-18s that Boeing maintains. Lockheed Martins F-35 has a single engine, and some have said theyre concerned that if it fails over the vast expanse of the country, there would be no backup. We have very close relationships with our Canadian customers, Muilenburg said. The Hornet fleet that they operate today has been very successful for them. Theyve shown that in the kind of operations that they have, especially harsh environments, polar environments, theres a real benefit to having a two-engine aircraft. Richard Aboulafia, a defense analyst with the Teal Group, said Boeing is under competitive pressure in the combat aircraft business. But there are opportunities out there. It seems premature to give up hope. Last year, Boeing, which had teamed up with Lockheed Martin, lost an $80 billion contract to build a new U.S. Air Force bomber to Northrop Grumman. Now, Boeing is intensely focused on building a new trainer aircraft for the Air Force, Muilenburg said, and developing the technologies that would be used in a sixth-generation fighter jet, one that would follow the F-35 many years in the future. It also recently signed a multibillion-dollar deal to sell commercial airplanes to Iran in what would become the biggest sale of U.S. goods to Iran since the easing of economic sanctions last year. The company turns 100 this summer, and Muilenburg said it is looking toward the next 100 years, to a future where a combination of efficient air travel and efficient space travel can be offered to customers around the world. That would involve space tourism, he said, noting the habitats that Bigelow Aerospace are developing. As you begin to create more destinations, that will naturally create a stronger economic pipeline for space, he said. And just as we have been the leader of commercial air travel for the first century, as we look to the second century of aviation, I would expect Boeing to be the leader in both air and space travel. Along with SpaceX, Boeing has a NASA contract to fly astronauts to the International Space Station. The first unmanned flight is scheduled for late 2017, with the first crew set to fly in early 2018. Boeing has begun training NASAs astronauts on simulators. The company is also one of the prime contractors on the massive Space Launch System that NASA is developing. It is expected to launch for the first time in 2018. Muilenburg said he envisioned a day when space could become a self-sustaining economy that is not just propped up by NASA. Now, the company is looking at building hypersonic aircraft, which would travel at Mach 5 or five times the speed of sound. Brian Tillotson, a senior technical fellow at Boeing, said the aircraft could be used to get passengers to a station in whats known as low Earth orbit, or even for super-fast transcontinental flight: An hour and a half anywhere in the world. But Aboulafia was skeptical of what he called techno-utopianism. Civil space thats risky, he said. Techno-utopianism can get you in an awful lot of trouble in this industry. Richard K. Irish, a Washington-area executive recruiter who wrote self-help guides on thriving in professional life, among them the popular 1973 volume Go Hire Yourself an Employer, died June 17 at his home in Marshall, Va. He was 83. The cause was complications from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, said his wife, Pat Reilly. Mr. Irish was the founder of Leadership Search, a Marshall-based consultancy that he ran from the mid-1970s until a decade ago, specializing in the recruitment of executives for nonprofit organizations. His first book, Go Hire Yourself an Employer, offered strategies for scouting positions that suit ones strengths and sold more than 800,000 copies, his wife said. It was described by respondents to a 1982 Forbes magazine survey as instrumental in making successful job shifts. Mr. Irishs later books included If Things Dont Improve Soon I May Ask You to Fire Me: The Management Book for Everyone Who Works (1975) and How to Live Separately Together: A Guide for Working Couples (1981). In a 1972 interview with The Washington Post, Mr. Irish described the traits of good and bad resumes. Bad resumes are all the same: tendentious, long-winded, mendacious, self-serving (in the worst sense) and written in federal prose that curls the hair of the most carbuncled bureaucrat. Good resumes are as different as the people who write them, he continued. They are lively, readable, human documents based not on your employment history, but rather on the skills, achievements and contributions the job candidate has made to society, employers and most of all to himself. Richard Keith Irish was born in Salt Lake City on June 26, 1932. After attending a boarding school in Switzerland, he received a bachelors degree from Georgetown Universitys School of Foreign Service in 1954. He spent the next two years serving with the Army in France as a German-language interpreter. He and his first wife, the former Sally Goldsmith, were among the first Peace Corps volunteers, serving on the Philippine island of Mindanao from 1962 to 1964. She died in 2003 after 45 years of marriage. Survivors include his wife of 10 years, of Marshall, and a sister. After his service abroad, Mr. Irish worked at the Peace Corps headquarters in Washington, rising from the mail room to recruitment. He later co-founded TransCentury, a Washington-based international economic development consulting firm, and was vice president of Career Planning Consultants in Charlottesville, where he assisted the unemployed with job searches. He belonged to the National Peace Corps Association and the Cosmos Club in Washington. Smithsonian Secretary David Jan Skorton asked Congress for $726 million to renovate Air and Space, and said the Smithsonian would raise another $250 million from private sources. (Kate Patterson/for The Washington Post) In the most costly project it has ever undertaken, the Smithsonian will need almost $1 billion to renovate and upgrade the National Air and Space Museum and to make its 22 galleries more innovative and engaging. The 40-year-old building one of the most-visited museums in the world needs new mechanical systems and a new exterior, Smithsonian Secretary David J. Skorton told a congressional oversight committee Wednesday. About half of the building would be kept open during the six to seven years it would take to repair it, officials said. The project would require $676 million from Congress for the construction and $50 million more to build storage space that would protect the collection as the repairs and upgrades are made, Skorton said. He pledged the Smithsonian would raise $250 million from private sources to transform all 22 galleries to be more imaginative, stimulating and technologically capable. We will basically have a new museum without having all the costs and loss of revenue that would occur by tearing it down, Skorton said. [The money has landed: Kickstarter for Armstrongs space suit is successful] The Smithsonian wants to begin construction in 2018 and complete the repairs in seven zones to avoid losing the retail and food revenue it brings in from its 7 million visitors each year, he said. The buildings mechanical systems air handling, plumbing and electrical need to be replaced, as does the buildings exterior. The marble that covers the building was cut too thin and cannot be reused. Replacing it adds $49 million to the budget, Skorton said. Smithsonian officials estimate the cost of demolishing and rebuilding the museum would top $2 billion and would take about nine years. Air and Space would lose $131 million in revenue during the closing. The museum cost $41 million when it opened in 1976. The project far exceeds the cost of constructing the $540 million National Museum of African American History and Culture, set to open Sept. 24. Congress provided half of the budget for that museum, and private donations covered the other half. Members of the Committee on House Administration, which oversees the worlds largest museum complex, pressed Skorton on the decision to fix the building rather than demolish it and rebuild. They also asked him what other projects were in the wings, and what would happen if Congress couldnt provide the funds. [Smithsonian asks Congress for $922 million for 2017] Are you going to be able to leverage private-sector investment if were not able to get the [amount] youre asking? Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.) asked. Skorton said parts or all of the building may be closed without federal funding. It is very difficult to raise private funds for the replacement of mechanical systems . . . and those sort of things, he said. We do intend to raise funds completely from private sources to change the interior, to bring the museum into the 21st century. Rep. Juan Vargas (D-Calif.) asked about the life expectancy of the renovated building and how the committee can be sure it will be around long enough to justify the expense. Unfortunately, it was not built to last for the ages, Vargas said. Skorton said the renovated building should last 100 years. But thats very dependent on having sufficient funding to do important maintenance, he said. Originally, the project was projected to cost $250 million, and in March it was under $600 million. Skorton said the rising cost comes from a clearer understanding of the scope of the work. Currently, the Smithsonian has completed about 35 percent of the design work; it expects that to be finished next summer. [Smithsonian outlines $2 billion plan for South Mall renovation] Rep. Gregg Harper (R-Miss.) asked about other projects in the pipeline that would require congressional funds, and how this project affects the Smithsonians deferred maintenance backlog. In March, the Smithsonians inspector general estimated the institution has $785 million in deferred maintenance projects. Skorton did not name any projects or mention the maintenance work that is part of the $2 billion South Mall plan currently under preservation and environmental review. Included in that 20-year plan are the renovation of the administration building, known as the Castle, replacement of the roof of the underground Quadrangle building (which houses the African and Asian art museums and the Ripley Center) and a joint mechanical system that would be shared by several of the buildings. We do anticipate in years to come that further renovations will be necessary, he said. The deferred maintenance backlog for the Smithsonian is a very large and daunting figure. There is nothing surprising about that. With so much square footage and so many visitors, wed expect that wed have a backlog of some sort. The following exchange, between Washington Post art and architecture critic Philip Kennicott and classical music critic Anne Midgette, is part of a series of conversations about local musical and art events, seen from the perspective of two different writers. Philip Kennicott: Karel Appel, born in 1921, was a Dutch artist who emerged after the Second World War determined to make art with expressive power commensurate to the pain, loss and destruction that shattered Europe when he was a young man. The Phillips Collection has acquired seven works by Appel, bold and often crudely figurative paintings that may remind some viewers of Jean Dubuffet. The new acquisitions join 15 other pieces in a small exhibition of highly charged paintings and sculpture. I wish I could like it all better, but I am both exhausted by and impatient with art that derives its energies from the expressionist pool of angst, rage and aversion to formal tradition. Exhausted because expressionism too often takes artists not to some dark, uncharted place, but back to the same old wellsprings of violence and desire explored by artists for well over a century. In paintings such as the 1959 Wounded Nude, the buxom figure seems violently constrained by the edge of the canvas, which cuts her legs off at the knee. And in the 1964 Big Head, full of primary colors in a bright and garish ensemble, a primitive face is contorted in a Munchlike scream. But mainly, Im impatient with this kind of art. We live in a world that is full up on the emotions channeled here, which makes me crave more temperance and measured contemplation. Appel was capable of that on occasion, but those works seem, here, mainly peripheral. Anne Midgette: I enjoyed the show on a didactic level: It was a nice cross-section of a deliberately uneven oeuvre. I say deliberately uneven because Appel embraced figuration on the one hand and made a point of prioritizing medium over content on the other, which leads to a kind of contradictory standoff in which figures on the canvas are consistently undermined by the goopy squiggles and sweeps of inch-thick paint, asserting itself as an almost sculptural entity. Compare Appels Woman With Flowers No. 1 from 1963 or Wounded Nude from 1959 with one of De Koonings Women (from the 1950s), and Appels lack of sensuality jumps out at you: where a De Kooning woman is exuberantly fleshy, Appels is hacked apart and suffocated in a web of paint. In Woman With Flowers, the paintings very surface is pierced with garish plastic flowers that pierce the figure and affix it to the canvas. Karel Appel. "Head as a Tree," 1959. Oil on canvas. (Copyright Karel Appel Foundation, c/o ARS New York/The Phillips Collection) Appel also deliberately rejected the idea of a consistent style, leaping from one mode of expression to another, and the show does a great job of contextualizing the various phases of his output. It juxtaposes works in interesting ways (like the 1959 Head as a Tree, with its intriguing use of paint, and the Owlman No. 1 from 1960, a large exuberantly painted chunk of an olive tree trunk). It also effectively documents the way that an artist preoccupied with the primacy of paint and the visceral expressions of childrens art becomes victim of a creeping tendency toward prettifying his work. I think that Appel sells out with his 1979 and 1980 paintings Still Life and Landscape With Wheel, which are both executed in tasteful, pretty strokes of paint in candy colors. And by 1989 we get what I might term restaurant art with a white Nude Figure on a black ground, sullenly pushing against the edge of the canvas, or the Magnolia of the Night, black flowers on a black ground. [Raw and brutal: Pollock, Dubuffet and Ossorio at the Phillips Collection] Kennicott: We were both drawn (and repelled) by the same works. But I feel slightly different about them. I think Head as a Tree is some of his strongest work precisely because it is entirely (as far as I can tell) abstract. I understand what youre saying about the standoff between figuration and the pure love of paint, but I dont find it as compelling as you do. I think the fundamental tension in Appels work is between the desire to say things within and the need to say things beyond the limits of painting. Which is one reason those turning-point works from around 1979 and 1980 are among the most satisfying in the show. The restaurant art, from 1989, left a sour taste in my mouth. The Nude Figure shows him not much advanced from the violently contained works made decades earlier, while Magnolia of the Night reminded me of the trajectory of a composer we both know: Krzysztof Penderecki, who composed one of the most violently expressionistic works of the middle 20th century, then gravitated to a mostly anodyne romanticism later in life. This is the danger of this kind of expressive language: It can only be amplified, or rejected, and the rejection often feels like, as you put it, a sellout. Midgette: Oh, I dont find the work particularly compelling, either. Appels basic stance is pretty facile yes, he was deliberately avoiding the traditional profundity of the European past and embracing naivete, but that leaves you with a slender veneer over not much substance. Also, however much he tries to reject the traditional constructs of Western art history, his work is mired in traditional European values and references: You cant have this work without Cezanne, Picasso, Braque, Bonnard, Miro and Klee. And when Appel does try to reject those values, it comes out as a facile quip, like his repeated clever attempts to mix up figure-painting and landscape. In Landscape With Tree, he rotates the traditional landscape horizon so that the green and blue, sky-ground, are vertically (figuratively) rather than horizontally oriented. Or take Head as a Tree: I dont agree with you about it being totally abstract, since the title makes its subject pretty clear: Its another portrait/landscape mash-up. But, like him or not, and we seem not to, Appel, and the CoBrA group of which he was a founding member, are significant names in postwar European art. And as an introduction to his work, and a way of making a case for his inclusion in this collection, I think the show succeeds from the moment you walk up the stairs to the second floor and see a Calder bird, a Mondrian canvas, and then Appels Tree, which is given context historically and literally, through these two other works in direct dialogue with it. [Two critics on a powerful, horrifying opera] Kennicott: The stairwell at the Phillips is one of my favorite spaces and always seems to draw out some whimsy from the curators. I put this show in my worth seeing category: Its useful, and it leaves you with a good, clear sense of an artist. And who knows, if the historical wheel turns, and we find ourselves living in a more buttoned-down and socially restrained age, perhaps Appels rejection of style and expressionist excess will seem necessary and powerful once again. Karel Appel: A Gesture of Color is on view at the Phillips Collection through Sept. 18. For more information visit phillipscollection.org. Dear Dr. Fox: As a 37-year fancier and responsible breeder of Belgian Tervuren shepherds, I was very upset by the letter from a reader in St. Louis that appeared in your column recently. She detailed a story of a sickly Belgian shepherd purchased from a breeder by a friend. The writer went on to say, People need to stop buying from breeders; adopt from shelters to put breeders out of business. Responsible breeders breed only from health-tested, temperamentally and structurally sound dogs, to produce puppies to better the breed. Most of us show our dogs and participate in performance activities such as obedience, agility, herding, etc. to demonstrate that our dogs are good examples of our breed and can perform the job they were bred to do. My dogs are tested and certified with the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals for hip and elbow dysplasia, eye diseases and thyroid diseases before being bred. I take great pride in the fact that I have produced many fine Belgian Tervuren shepherds, many of which are champions with lots of performance titles, and also those that are cherished family pets. A tremendous amount of time and love goes into the planning, whelping and raising of each litter. I have a two-year waiting list for my puppies, and litters are spoken for before they are even born. Although I have a website, I do not need to advertise. People interested in a puppy from me have to fill out a four-page application, be interviewed and sign a sales contract. They must come get their puppy; I will not ship the dogs. They must agree to remain in contact for the life of the animal and return the puppy to me if they can no longer keep it, no matter the age. It is a fine thing to adopt a dog or puppy from a shelter, but there are people who choose to own a purebred dog. People need to do their research when buying a purebred dog and find a responsible breeder. Talk to them and visit, if possible. A responsible breeder will follow the practices I mention above and is more than happy to help you in your search. I am sorry that the readers friend had a bad experience with a breeder, but please do not condemn all of us. K.K., Pleasant Valley, N.Y. DF: Yes, there are many responsible breeders, and you are a devotee of one of my favorite breeds. The issue, which you recognize, is how would-be purchasers of a purebred puppy find a reputable breeder, many being quite unaware of potential pitfalls and costly health problems. Teri Vetter is developing a website to help in this regard: unethicalbreederawareness.com. You may wish to share your invaluable experience on that site. My advice: Never buy a purebred pup online or in a pet store, regardless of whether it has American Kennel Club registration papers, because it probably came from one of the puppy mills that blight many rural counties but are protected by agribusiness interests. LOSING FAITH Dear Dr. Fox: I have visited your website, and many of your writings move me deeply. Perhaps you can help me. I am an animal lover. I have two old dogs, and I am, or was, a devout Christian. But my faith is being tested by all the cruelty I learn about toward animals and our own kind. The world is in chaos, and religious wars between fundamentalists of various faiths are escalating. The environment is going to hell, and wild species are becoming extinct at an alarming rate. I am bordering on despair. Perhaps you can help restore my faith. E.L., Silver Spring DF: You have my sympathy. Many feeling and thinking people like you are indeed experiencing hopelessness and despair. As more than one philosopher and humanitarian has opined, all religious dogma must be transcended in the name of peace, freedom and justice for all. True religion is in the spirituality of compassion-in-action and reverential respect for all living beings and the natural environment. This is ultimately enlightened self-interest. I am heartened that several Christian denominations are addressing environmental and animal welfare issues, as are some scholars of Islam and Judaism. For details, see my book The Boundless Circle: Caring for Creatures and Creation. A HOTFOOT IS NO FUN Dear Dr. Fox: We live in an adult community where we are not allowed to fence our yard, so we must walk our dog on the black asphalt streets. In the summer, the asphalt becomes so hot that you can feel the heat rising off the street. Please remind dog owners of this danger. When walking dogs on the street, remember that they are closer to the hot tar, which makes them feel much hotter than you realize especially smaller dogs, whose entire bodies are close to the ground. Also, a lot of inside dogs do not have tough calluses on the pads of their feet to protect them. Take off your shoes and stand on the asphalt to get an idea of just how hot the pavement feels to your dog. The problem is worse for dogs that are jogging with their owners or running alongside a bike. They dont get a chance to stop and cool down. When its too hot to walk on the street, we load the dog into the car and head for the nearest park. You can imagine how much cooler it is, walking along the tree-lined trails. And its a treat for dogs to spend extra quality time with their favorite person. Just remember to take water for the dog. K.W., Whiting, N.J. DF: Thank you for your letter, which I hope all people with dogs will read and take to heart. Not being mindful about hot sidewalks and roads when out walking and jogging or leaving the dog in a hot car even for a few minutes is an all-too-common error of judgment and perception. Loving ones dog calls for mindfulness and empathy. DONT DRINK THE WATER Dear readers: Dont let your thirsty dog drink from or play in stagnant pools of pond or lake water. Take fresh water and a bowl with you wherever you go. Dogs need to drink water to cool down and may need forcible restraint to be kept out of an inviting pool of water in which blue-green algae have proliferated. Blue-green algae cause illness in people and pets. In Minnesota, weve seen two human illnesses last year and many dog deaths after they either swallowed contaminated water or groomed themselves after swimming. Dogs exposed to the algae can experience gastrointestinal distress, rash, respiratory difficulty, weakness, liver failure and seizures, and certain cases can be fatal. Michael W. Fox, author of a newsletter and books on animal care, welfare and rights, is a veterinarian with doctoral degrees in medicine and animal behavior. Send letters to animaldocfox@gmail.com or write to him at United Feature Syndicate, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, Mo. 64106. If going to the farmers market isnt on your weekly to-do list, you might be inclined to forget about all the fruit and vegetable growers, meat producers, cheesemongers, egg sellers, beekeepers and others who bring fresh, local products to your area. Well, we can jog your memory! Its farmers & markets week in Food, and heres whats spread out on our table: Domenica Marchetti travels to Esmont, Va., where goat dairy owner Gail Hobbs-Page is making a name for herself and helping to advance the states growing artisan cheese industry. Tim Carman sees a new generation of farmers market customers who are more interested in prepared foods than in fresh, local produce a serious challenge for farmers. Phaedra Hise explains why youll probably pay more at the farmers market than at the grocery store, but why many shoppers do it gladly. Tamar Haspel looks at indoor vertical farming, which offers several advantages over traditional farming but some disadvantages, too. Cathy Barrow offers farmers market shopping strategies for the home canner. Becky Krystal reveals why prices are higher at farmers markets in urban areas. Food section staffers highlight 14 favorite items that bring them back to the market week after week. And, as always, weve got recipes that will put your market purchases to good use. [More Chat Leftovers: Saving scraps for broth; want culinary school students to cook for you?] So get ready to talk markets and anything else that strikes your fancy during todays Free Range chat. In addition to the usual bunch, we expect to be joined by the aforementioned Domenica Marchetti, Cathy Barrow, Tamar Haspel and by Cara Mangini, whose book The Vegetable Butcher inspired Weeknight Vegetarian Joe Yonans column this week. So pull up a chair at noon sharp, and you might consider submitting questions or comments early. Im hoping for a busy week, so therell be plenty of leftovers for me. Like this one, from last weeks chat: During a recent haircut, I overheard another patron discussing an arugula sauce for ravioli that hed learned to make in Italy. It sounded fantastic, and simple to make, but I cant remember the ingredients or the process. It may have been as simple as arugula, garlic and olive oil. Any thoughts for how best to re-create it? Because I wasnt a fly on the wall, theres no way for me to know for sure. But what I do know is that our Recipe Finder includes five ways to make arugula pesto, which I suggest is the same as the arugula sauce youre asking about and which will all be terrific on pasta. Of the five, my favorite is the lemony, cheesy version thats part of our recipe for Marbled Potato Salad With Arugula Pesto. You can make the pesto by itself, of course, sans spuds, but they are so good together that it would be a shame. And even after draping the pesto over the potatoes, therell be plenty left over for the pasta of your choice. Im also partial to Pappardelle With Arugula Pumpkin Seed Pesto. The pumpkin seeds add great flavor. Three others to try: Pasta With Arugula Pesto, Spaghetti With Baby Clams and Arugula Pesto and Spaghetti Squash With Almond-Arugula Pesto; if youre not a spaghetti squash fan, just use regular pasta. They were ALL good. Hope one or all of them will work for you. Marbled Potato Salad With Arugula Pesto. (Deb Lindsey/For The Washington Post) Spaghetti With Baby Clams and Arugula Pesto. (Deb Lindsey/For The Washington Post) This review appears in The Washington Posts 2019 Fall Dining Guide as No. 4 on a list of the years top 10 restaurants. Tomato agedashi crispy silken tofu, mandarin tomato and pine nut marmalade, yuzu kosho sorbet and smoked tomato broth at Metier. (Deb Lindsey/For The Washington Post) 4. Metier (Superlative) The pinnacle of fine dining in Washington tends to involve moving from one room to another during the night, tasting menus that blend old ideas with the new, tableside service, a sense of humor and the luxury of quiet. Metier offers all those frills and more in an underground space that opens with drinks and hors doeuvres in an intimate salon and continues in a dining room graced with old paintings, well-spaced tables, a candlelit chandelier and a view of the talent behind a big window into the kitchen. A highlight reel from September would start with a brilliant chilled carrot consomme so clear you can read through it. (For proof, its glass bowl is set on a place mat cut from the pages of The Washington Post.) A few dishes pair first-rate if familiar ingredients with exceptional flourishes: garden-fresh basil broth with sauteed branzino and a bracing Dijon mustard sorbet with rosy grilled Virginia lamb loin. Other combinations find chef-owner Eric Ziebold making a sauce before your eyes or reminding you hes as adept at Japanese cooking as he is at French. Garnished with a pale green sorbet ignited with yuzu chile paste, cubes of lightly fried, melt-in-the-mouth tofu set in hot smoked tomato water will go down as one of the most extraordinary things I ate all year. Gianduja chocolate torchon with churros, cinnamon ganache and corn milk ice cream (Deb Lindsey/For The Washington Post) Mini ice cream sandwiches. (Deb Lindsey/For The Washington Post) The chefs equal in the pastry department is Anne Specker. Gianduja chocolate torchon with corn milk ice cream and a side of the best churros in memory has me seeing stars four, to be precise. 4 stars Metier: 1015 Seventh St. NW. 202-737-7500. metierdc.com . Open: Dinner Wednesday through Saturday. Price: Seven-course tasting menu at $200. Sound check: 65 decibels / Conversation is easy. The Top 10 restaurants of 2019: 10. Thamee 9. Anju 8. Three Blacksmiths 7. Mama Chang 6. Poca Madre 5. The Restaurant at Patowmack 4. Metier 3. Pineapple and Pearls 2. Rooster & Owl 1. Seven Reasons -- The following review appeared in The Washington Posts 2018 Fall Dining Guide. Frozen smore at Metier. (Deb Lindsey /For The Washington Post) Metiers menu feels like a flight of fancy (Excellent/Superlative) Diners will find plenty to entice them on the menu of the hautest underground dining room in the city, starting with a garden of icy minced vegetables that constitutes a bracing ratatouille and ending with a small stove atop which patrons can retrieve hot chocolate cookies with a tiny spatula. Diners begin the evening with a welcome drink and an elegant snack in a salon with a fireplace before moving into a dining room with tables spaced to afford maximum privacy and a window that captures the kitchen action. Chef Eric Ziebold shares his fascination with Asia, sending out snowy halibut encircled in coconut-sweetened corn with compressed mango. Foie gras teetering on a bundle of savoy cabbage stuffed with duck confit is French to its core, while a reimagined root beer float, based on sarsaparilla cake, suggests a fantasy state fair. The missing ingredient right now? Service to match. For $400 a person, wine pairings and gratuity included, customers deserve more than rapid-fire descriptions of dishes and drinks followed by turned heels. Especially given the competition, where staff makes you feel as if youre the only diners in the room. The following review appeared in The Washington Posts 2017 Fall Dining Guide as No. 5 on Toms Top 10. Grilled Moulard duck foie gras with tomato jam and Darden ham mouillette at Metier. (Deb Lindsey /For The Washington Post) No. 5 Metier (Superlative) Isnt it civilized to start dinner with canapes and drinks in a salon before moving into the dining room? Isnt it nice to share a meal with someone and not have to read lips or shout to be heard? Isnt it a treat to eat the refined and frequently playful cooking of Eric Ziebold, also the creator of the upstairs Kinship? Even the staff will tell you they raised their eyebrows at the idea of pairing bananas with sea urchin, but I swear, the roasted fruit and the ocean-scented delicacy come together magically with the aid of shaved truffles in a first-course bavarois. Background stories accompany each dish. Ziebolds bright and icy ratatouille of minced vegetables was inspired by working in his garden; the chefs olive-oil-poached black bass, served over soft couscous and finished with saffron broth, pays homage to a trip to Tunisia with his wife and co-owner, Celia Laurent, who is as polished a host as any. At no moment are you eating anything ordinary. With the steak, a cut from Martin Ranch, comes a blue cheese sticky bun that almost makes us forget about the restaurants prized Parker House rolls, and one of the two desserts shows the affinity between tomatoes and pink peppercorns. Grill stripes on the foie gras are mimicked on its plate, with bands of toasted brioche crumbs, and a tribute to Gateau St. Honore by the pastry chef, Anne Specker, is ferried on a green Parisian street sign. Did I mention the discreet service and the wine gems? The many polished details add up to an exceptional evening and a revised rating. Welcome to the four-star club, Metier. The Top 10 of 2017: No. 10 Sfoglina No. 9 Salt Line No. 8 ChiKo No. 7 Tiger Fork No. 6 Bad Saint No. 5 Metier No. 4 Minibar No. 3 Himitsu No. 2 Pineapple and Pearls No. 1 Inn at Little Washington Salted caramel creme diplomate and coffee semifreddo served on a map of Paris and a St. Honore street sign. (Deb Lindsey /For The Washington Post) --- The following review was originally published as part of The Washington Posts 2016 Fall Dining Guide. (Excellent/Superlative) The elevator opens below ground, and you find yourself in a little jewel box, where you start your evening with drinks and snacks. This being the fine-dining lair of chef Eric Ziebold, the bites include a clear tomato consomme poured over sparkling herb granita and petite corn falafel, crumbs of which are brushed away with a thick Garnier-Thiebaut napkin. Any reservations I had about Metier in its early months were erased by a return dinner in September, seven courses that affirm Ziebolds role as one of Washingtons premier talents. Does avocado toast need a makeover? The chef, visible behind a window in the dining room, adds a nicely chewy Japanese rice cake and a frame of dashi jelly. Until I tasted the combination, I didnt know pork jowl and osetra caviar had such an affinity for compressed watermelon. Nor did I consider barbecue an appropriate application for lobster, tingling bites of seafood paired with white corn pudding and a garnish of okra tempura. Ziebolds affection for Japan continues with a finger of premium kuroge beef, its richness foiled with shiso chimichurri and flattered with an elegant syrah (the 2014 Domaine Vincent Paris Cornas La Geynale). A dessert of early fall fruits gathers marbles of apple and pear, and small scoops of Concord grape sorbet and hazelnut ice cream, that together put autumn on a pedestal. As you depart, a server proffers a gift of kitchen-made honey-thyme vinaigrette (a big step up from the previous parting gesture, a bottle of water). Consider it a chance to dress your salad like a star back home. -- The following review was originally published June 22, 2016. Chef Eric Ziebold and his wife and partner, Celia Laurent, in the salon at Metier. (Deb Lindsey /For The Washington Post) Metier review: Eric Ziebolds newest attraction tickles more than it transports (Excellent) The only question I had after eating at Kinship, the suave, a la carte American restaurant introduced by Eric Ziebold last winter: How would the chef try to top the experience at Metier, his more exclusive dining retreat that followed downstairs this spring? Kinship, after all, made an uncommon three-star impression, with dishes such as lobster French toast and a setting whipped up by a noted interior designer, Washingtons own Darryl Carter. Now, with several meals at Metier under my ever-tighter belt, I can tell you the differences between the siblings are many and rich, sometimes even surprising. With Metier, for instance, you get an elevator ride from street level to basement thats so slow and deliberate, you imagine your party ending up somewhere in China, tomorrow. Instead, the doors open to a high-ceilinged, softly lighted room that suggests a noblemans salon replete with low couches, flickering hearth, tables that fit together like pieces of a puzzle and men in jackets. Metier, named for the French word for skill in ones job, is the rare restaurant that asks you to dress up for dinner. The first face you are likely to see is that of Celia Laurent, the chefs wife and business partner, who asks if youd like a drink and a preview of the menu, then returns with canapes that have included a delicate falafel dabbed with cumin yogurt and a two-bite lobster roll: seafood heaven. While theres no rush to leave the cocoon, the sumptuous snacks whet a diners curiosity for what awaits next door; soon enough, youre led to a hushed dining room, fewer than 40 seats, where the chef and his crew are on display behind an expanse of glass. Notice a pattern? Ziebold hopes the elevator ride and a spell in the salon allow guests time to decompress, while the sight of a band of cooks forges a bond between kitchen and customer. As the chef sees it, luxury dining is based, in part, on a sense of intimacy. Pre-dinner hors d'oeuvres served in the salon at Metier. (Deb Lindsey /For The Washington Post) Poached Alaskan halibut, coconut rice, cilantro, curried mousse and sea urchin butter at Metier. (Deb Lindsey /For The Washington Post) Unlike at Kinship, Metier doesnt ask you to make food decisions. Most diners get the same seven-course, $200 dinner, part of which you pay for when you make a reservation. (No worries if you dont eat meat or gluten; the kitchen can accommodate you.) The meal begins with theatrics: waiters bearing smoke-filled glass cloches that contain butter-braised fingerling potatoes on a puddle of lemony creme fraiche, a duo decked out with smoked bonito shavings that appear to wave from the plate. Caviar lends shine and a saline edge. Your brain recognizes the flavor profile, and you nod in amusement when a server says the dish is a riff on (yes!) a loaded baked potato. A chef with aspirations knows conveyance vies with cooking for a diners attention these days, hence the little log that serves as backdrop for the second course: a salad composed of juniper-spiked meringue mushrooms and tiny mushroom fritters sprouting from the wood, with pickled mushrooms and smoked ham nestled in a flat bowl on one end of the limb. Equally clever and luscious is an ivory bar of poached halibut sharing its bowl with fragrant coconut rice and balls of foamy curry, a subtle tropical medley embellished by a pitcher of melted sea urchin butter. The hot stream explains the vessel, a black ceramic bowl modeled on the spiny shell of a sea urchin. Sure, the recipes for some of these dishes would be nice, but Id be just as happy with the contacts for Metiers imaginative plate-makers. The four-star Inn at Little Washington features a painters palette of vivid sorbets in tiny jars, presented with a thin cookie brush. Metier does something similar, albeit savory, with its fourth course, a round of maple decked out with shaved raw kuroge beef and contrasting condiments. A bite of the cool marbled beef, so pink you could mistake it for a watermelon radish, makes for heady feasting, especially when followed by the application of one of four accents (my favorite is a horseradish mousse). A palette of kuroge beef with spring garlic tapenade, shiso chimichurri, horseradish mousse, smoked beef butter and Bolivian pink salt at Metier. (Deb Lindsey /For The Washington Post) Next comes a trolley with lamb rib-eye, because fancy dining means at least one course is going to be fussed over by a waiter, even if it doesnt need to be. In this case, the roasted meat, fragrant from the hay in which its been cooked, is carved into succulent slices and presented with silken roasted peppers and an olive sauce. The dish is perfectly pleasant, but frankly, the lamb (rack, sausage and ballotine) I enjoyed at Kinship, flanked by similar peppers and dreamy grits, trumped this rendition. Dessert is spread across two courses: brown sugar shortcakes with rhubarb sorbet followed by a frozen riff on smores using graham cracker cream and chocolate semifreddo. The first can be disappointing when the star attraction tastes overbaked. The latter, an elegant, not-too-sweet version of the campfire classic, keeps diners entertained as they watch their waiter singe marshmallow ice cream with a small blow torch. Dessert plates are removed and replaced by just the bill. Almost anywhere else, thats understandable. At a destination restaurant where youve already put down $150 per person and wine upgrades can double the tab the transaction feels as abrupt as when The End appears before you expect it, or the lights go up at a club in mid-rave. Metiers in-town rival for our fine-dining dollars, Pineapple and Pearls, has solved the tricky problem by having diners pay for their $250 meal before they even show up for dinner. Metiers competition on the Hill also sends diners home with a sweet treat for future enjoyment, a generous stroke. Here near the convention center, you just get up and return to the elevator. Okay, the gesture waiting in your valet-parked car is a nice detail, but who wakes up after a big-deal dinner feeling delighted by a bottle of water? Morel and king trumpet mushroom salad, Italian parsley, ham, caramelized sunchoke puree and Juniper meringues served on a log at Metier. (Deb Lindsey /For The Washington Post) Ask the chef to differentiate upstairs from downstairs, and hell tell you that Kinship is meant to feel like dinner in his home while Metier was created to be a restaurant pulling out all the stops. Cooking at the late CityZen in the Mandarin Oriental, Ziebold garnered four stars, my highest rating, for his efforts. But then the bar for fine-dining shifted. Make no mistake. Metier is an impressive addition to the landscape. But for a place thats asking a lot of its customers, patrons deserve to be more than tickled. They want to be transported. 1 of 44 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad Pack the perfect picnic View Photos Whether its a chic post-work gathering in the park or a family-friendly Fourth of July, weve got a spread for you. Caption Whether its a chic post-work gathering in the park or a family-friendly Fourth of July, weve got a spread for you. Urban For a post-work picnic at Yards Park in Southeast Washington, Amanda McClements , owner of the Districts Salt & Sundry stores, selected stylish and trendy items (modeled by employees at her store). Read the full story here. Jennifer Chase/For The Washington Post Wait 1 second to continue. With summer unfolding, its time to up your picnic game. Whether its finding tufted floor cushions to lounge on, stylish unbreakable dishes or a game to keep the kids occupied while you savor the moment, were on it. Picnics take a bit of planning and preparation, but once you lay out the blanket and everyone climbs on board, you know you will create memories, says Christen Bensten, an Arlington design blogger and furniture painter. We asked four tastemakers to come up with accessories for an Instagram-worthy meal alfresco. Theres something for everyone: a chic post-work gathering in a city park, a hunt-country repast, a laid-back beach picnic and a kid-centric Fourth of July party. Check out our delicious buffet of unexpected picnic gear, including boho cotton sari rugs, festive glasses with silicone sleeves and tops, jute totes with waterproof linings and more. Add a vase of fresh flowers, lanterns, mosquito repellent and some straw fans, and youll be ready to picnic until the stars come out. [Lets get this party started: How social media has changed entertaining] Urban An urban picnic in Yards Park in Southeast Washington styled by Amanda McClements, owner of the Districts Salt & Sundry home boutiques. (Jennifer Chase/For The Washington Post) On a warm summer evening, you might find Amanda McClements spreading out a colorful Indian kantha quilt and picnicking on Logan Circle. The owner of the Districts Salt & Sundry stores, two stylish home boutiques in Union Market and off 14th Street NW, says cities are among the best places to toss out a blanket. With all these large expanses of grassy spots and parks, they are wonderful for enjoying the outdoors, says McClements, who lives a few blocks away from the circle. We asked her to imagine an after-work gathering for a group of friends at Yards Park, the riverfront expanse in Southeast Washington with cooling fountains and green terraces. McClements chose a black-and-white palette, taking a cue from a round Australian-designed terry-cloth blanket. She added black-and-white vintage-inspired enamelware and melamine plates. Her favorite tip: Enlist friends to carry a lot of things to make you more comfortable at your picnic. The more pillows, the better, she says. Imagine you are creating a living room outside. [9 recipes for packing the perfect summer picnic] Instead of a traditional basket, she used a jute District of Columbia-inscribed market bag by Apolis she picked up at Redeem on 14th Street NW. Apolis also makes totes celebrating other locations, including Detroit, Austin and the Fort Greene neighborhood in Brooklyn. McClements says, You can show off your city pride. (Jennifer Chase/For The Washington Post) From left to right: 1. Lumily pillow ($68, Salt & Sundry, 1309 Fifth St. NE, shopsaltandsundry.com); 2. Acacia wood triangle serving bowl ($37.50, Hills Kitchen, 713 D St. SE, hillskitchen.com); 3. Bamboo flatware (three-piece set $5, Home Rule, 1807 14th St. NW, homerule.com); 4. District of Columbia jute tote with waterproof lining by Apolis ($68, Redeem, 1810 14th St. NW, redeemus.com); 5. 12-inch, white-dipped acacia wood servers ($15, Home Rule); 6. Block print napkins ($38 for a set of four, Proper Topper, 1350 Connecticut Ave. NW); 7. Enamelware cups and bowls (bowl $10, tumblers $8-$10, Salt & Sundry); 8. Melamine plates (set of four dinner plates $46, set of four appetizer plates $38, Salt & Sundry); 9. Naked Botanicals Lavender bug spray ($18, Salt & Sundry); 10. Tiny tin lanterns ($18, Proper Topper); 11. Tulum Roundie towel by The Beach People ($110, Salt & Sundry). Country Great Meadow in The Plains, Va., is known for its Twilight Polo matches. (Tracy A. Woodward/The Washington Post) Dana Gibson, a product designer and artist based in Richmond, grew up in the 1970s enjoying rural picnics by the James River on wool tartan blankets. We would catch the fish, and my parents, who looked like preppy hippies around the Volkswagen van, would grill them up, she says. Gibson, whose line of boldly patterned ginger jar lamps and tole trays tends toward the traditional, still likes a little boho style in her country picnics. I like to think of country today as more modern, not campy. I lean toward mixing a little preppy with a little bohemian. We asked Gibson to style a picnic with a hunt-country polo match in mind Great Meadows summer Saturday Twilight Polo matches in The Plains, Va., perhaps. She said shed start with some vibrant rugs made of upcycled saris that shed spread out Moroccan-style. A rustic wood tray would hold a vase of flowers and a plate of deviled eggs. Shed make fried chicken to enjoy on Kate Spade candy-colored striped plates. And to give the whole thing a true hunt-country vibe, shed top it off with a silver-plated candelabra. (From left to right: GODINGER; LINEN FEAST; LINEN FEAST; DANA GIBSON; POTTERY BARN; MOUNTAIN METALWORKS & WOODWORKS; PERSONALIZED FAN STORE; WORLD MARKET; KATE SPADE NEW YORK) From left to right: 1. 5-light candelabra 16 ($99, godinger.com); 2. Linen decorative pillow ($28, linenfeast.com); 3. 4-by-6-foot repurposed sari area rug ($65, linenfeast.com); 4. Navy striped pen cup ($40, danagibson.com); 5. Daytrip large lidded basket ($79, potterybarn.com); 6. Shabby Chic decorative tray ($60, etsy.com/shop/MtnMetalWorks); 7. Premium straw hand fan ($2.50, personalizedfanstore.com); 8. Coral kantha patchwork pouf ($130,worldmarket.com); 9. Melamine dinner plate, multi-stripe ($16, bloomingdales.com). Beach Rehoboth Beach makes a beautiful backdrop for a summer picnic. (Astrid Riecken/For The Washington Post) Designer Erin Paige Pitts , whose specialty is coastal homes, likes to host beach picnics in the late afternoon, when temperatures are cooler and the light is more gentle. We asked her to imagine a gathering by the ocean somewhere in Delmarva. Pitts, who has offices on Gibson Island, Md., and Delray Beach, Fla., always provides lots of soft Turkish beach blankets, plus floor cushions for lounging. She likes to create ambiance by lighting a path to the picnic location with lanterns and then having candles around the spread as evening descends. She says picnics are meant to be relaxed gatherings that are easy and laid-back, not too contrived. We keep the menu simple: cheese and crackers, some nuts and wine and other drinks. Maybe some pre-sliced salami. She says melamine is better than paper plates in a beach setting. (Think wind and dampness.) And because picnic baskets can let in sand, a roomy tote is a better option for a picnic by the shore. There is something about the light at this time of day that gives everything a warm glow, Pitts says. Its a great time to take photos of family, kids and the dog. (From left to right: SERENA & LILY; TERRAIN; ZAZZLE; YETI COOLERS; TARGET; SAND CLOUD TOWELS; URBAN OUTFITTERS; THOMAS FUCHS) From left to right: 1. Fouta beach towel in aqua ($48, serenaandlily.com); 2. Filigree sphere lanterns in turquoise ($28-$68, shopterrain.com); 3. Turquoise ombre teal plate ($25, zazzle.com); 4. Yeti leakproof Hopper 20 cooler ($300, yeticoolers.com); 5. Womens chevron structured tote ($35, target.com); 6. Seafoam XL beach blanket ($59, sandcloudtowels.com); 7. Tufted corduroy floor pillow in dark gray ($39 each, two for $70, urbanoutfitters.com); 8. Roly Poly glass ($100 for set of four, tfc-nyc.com/collections). Family Fireworks near the Washington Monument on the Fourth of July last year. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post) When my husband and I were first dating, we went on picnics all the time, says Christen Bensten, who writes the design blog Blue Egg Brown Nest. Its a simple gesture but so meaningful when you sit under a big blue sky and unpack the goodies in the picnic basket with someone you care about. Now that she has three kids, she still loves picnics, but they are a little different. When it comes to picnics, kids care about food and fun, she says. Dont forget either. We asked her to consider a picnic on the Mall for the Fourth of July. She recommends using paper takeout containers so there is no smelly Tupperware to bring home in a hot car. And she always brings along fans for when kids complain its too hot. She also suggests packing a bag of fun stuff, including a Twister picnic blanket thats also a game, a portable radio and a joke book. And dont forget the red, white and blue pinwheels to festively mark the perimeter of your blanket. (From left to right: SAVE ON CRAFT; PAPERMART; NORDSTROM; CRATE & BARREL; GOVERRE; AMAZON; HAYNEEDLE; ORIENTAL TRADING; SUNNYLIFE; AMAZON; URBAN OUTFITTERS; PAPER SOURCE ) From left to right: 1. Red diagonal striped 5-by-7-inch treat bags ($10 for set of 100, save-on-crafts.com); 2. Disposable star take out containers (A set of 12 for $6, papermart.com); 3. Beach Sounds portable water-resistant speaker and radio ($49, shop.nordstrom.com); 4. Outdoor Tic Tac Toe ($60, crateandbarrel.com); 5. Portable wine glass in red ($24, goverre.com); 6. Pencil-shaped stainless steel thermos ($30, amazon.com); 7. Picnic at Ascot Bold Deluxe picnic cooler and accessories for a family of four ($154, hayneedle.com); 8. Stars & Stripes pinwheels ($10 for 36 pinwheels, orientaltrading.com); 9. Ice cream cone fan ($14, sunnylife.com); 10. Laugh-Out-Loud Jokes for Kids by Rob Elliott ($3, amazon.com); 11. Fujifilm Instax Mini 8 instant camera ($70, urbanoutfitters.com); 12. Twister game blanket ($37, papersource.com). Dear Amy: My boyfriend of two years was raised in a doomsday cult. Yep, the real deal. It wasnt traumatic, exactly, but he grew up believing that the end of the world is nigh and when certain signs are presented, he and the other church members would flee to Jerusalem to wait out the End Times. My boyfriend left the church several years ago. He sees this church as a fear-mongering, destructive environment. However, his parents and older brother are still a part of it. They are packed and ready to flee at any moment. My boyfriends father, James, is very paranoid. He and his wife are terrified for my boyfriends soul, so periodically this is what happens: 1. James starts to talk about all of these awful things: government conspiracies, the end of the world, how he heard on one of his many fear-mongering podcasts that things are being put in vaccines to control us, etc. 2. My boyfriend makes it clear to him, both verbally and by limiting their time together, that these conversations are inappropriate and he will not tolerate them. 3. James persists. 4. Finally, we cut off all contact for as long as is necessary. 5. Eventually we start to see him and his wife again. However, after a while James starts the pattern (again), and there we go again. Amy, I love my boyfriend dearly and want to marry him, but I am worried about the stress of dealing with his family. It has distressed my boyfriend for years. James still wants to try and convert me. We are moving out of state for graduate school soon. Are we handling this well? Do we need to set better boundaries? If there is anything I can do to not be plagued by this cycle of dysfunction for the rest of my life, I will do it. Worried Soon-to-Be Daughter-in-Law Worried Soon-to-Be Daughter-in-Law: You and your boyfriend seem to be doing a good job of trying to retrain his family to stop proselytizing when they are with you. Responding in a firm and consistent manner (and then keeping your distance) is exactly what you should do. I quibble with one thing: I believe your guy did grow up in a traumatic environment. He escaped it, but the lessons taught to him as a young child would have set him up for a lifetime of deep insecurity. Fortunately, he seems to be resilient. You two should see a counselor together, to check your feelings and reactions to this extreme situation. It is vital to be on the same page. Cutting off contact might be his ultimate response, but dealing with the guilt and grief of that loss is something he should talk through with a professional and/or a support group. Dear Amy: I am part of a very large family (10 brothers and sisters). I have some nieces who very seldom show up at family celebrations, such as showers, birthday parties, etc., but when it comes to their childrens parties, they expect everyone to show up by inviting people via Facebook or through word of mouth. How can someone tell them how their absence to our parties is causing others not to show up at their parties without causing hard feelings? Frustrated Family Frustrated Family: Issuing invitations on Facebook does not mean that these nieces expect everyone to show up at their kids parties. Facebook invitations are a handy way for people to respond quickly and for the hosts to get a head count. These family members are attempting to be inclusive. If your feelings are hurt by their inattention to other family celebrations and life-events (completely justified, by the way), you should honestly convey this message: I have noticed your inattention toward other family members. It is time for you to step up and behave as a full member of this big family. We know you cant show up for everything, but sometimes you have to give (and celebrate) in order to get (and be celebrated). Dear Amy: Curious Guy innocently asked why women dont shave their forearms. You followed up by asking why men dont shave their underarms, as women do. The reason we dont shave is because no one taught us that this should be the norm. Thank God. I have to admit that I prefer it when women shave, but I also understand why they might not want to. Another Guy Another Guy: Shaving is a gender norm, and I think it is wise to question it. Amys column appears seven days a week at washingtonpost.com/advice. Write to Amy Dickinson at askamy@tribpub.com or Ask Amy, Chicago Tribune, TT500, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, Ill. 60611. The Arlington County Board has given historic district designation to the first public school to integrate in Virginia, where there were significant efforts to stop black and white children from attending school together. The designation for the Stratford School means school district officials have to seek approval from the county board before making changes to the building, which now houses the H-B Woodlawn magnet program and special-needs students but is set to undergo renovation and expansion as it transforms into a county middle school. The community is very proud of this school and its legacy, and shares the school boards dedication to providing all our children with an excellent education, said Emma Violand-Sanchez, the school boards chair. The school was integrated in February 1959 after a lengthy court battle. On that day, four black middle school students entered the school trailed by a scrum of reporters and under the watchful eye of police, marking the first integration of a public school in Virginia. In the hours that followed, black students across the state took their first steps into all-white schools as racial barriers fell. [How should Arlington preserve the history of desegregation] The exterior of Stratford Junior High School in September 1959. (Warren K.Leffler/Library of Congress) The rapidly growing Arlington County school district plans to renovate and expand the Stratford building, on Vacation Lane, to make room for a new middle school that is slated to open by 2019. Concerned that the buildings history would be lost, a group that included some of the black students who integrated the school filed a petition last year to give the school historic designation. The group won a recommendation from the Historical Affairs and Landmark Review Board (HALRB), and some school board members feared that the designation would slow the renovation and make it too costly. While the school board also voted to recommend historic status, school officials negotiated a new process with the county board: Renovations will now have to be approved by the county board instead of the HALRB, which will serve in an advisory role. Under the new arrangement, the county board also will approve or deny any future petitions for historic designations of public school buildings. Five people, including two children and a firefighter, were treated for burns and smoke inhalation at area hospitals Wednesday after a fire in an apartment in Southeast Washington, according to department officials. Firefighters rescued three people trapped in an apartment, and one teenager jumped out from the third floor. None of the injuries were described as life-threatening, according to spokesman Vito Maggiolo. Twenty-eight people in nine families were displaced. The fire was reported about 7:40 a.m. in the 2900 block of Second Street SE, just off I-295 and south of St. Elizabeths Hospital. Firefighters arrived to find smoke and fire coming from a second-story apartment. Maggiolo said the three trapped occupants were in a third-story apartment directly above the fire. He said a woman and two boys, ages 5 and 12, were taken down an aerial ladder on Truck 16. They were taken to area hospitals for observation to check if they suffered smoke inhalation, the spokesman said. The teenager who jumped also was hospitalized. His precise injuries could not be determined. Maggiolo said a firefighter who was closest to the fire with a hose suffered burns on her hands. She has been released from the hospital. Firefighters arrived at the scene in about four minutes and had the fire extinguished in under 30 minutes. Officials said the cause of the fire has been ruled accidental. It was not clear if the occupants of the second-floor apartment where the fire started were home at the time. A man who flagged down a taxi in Northwest Washington early Wednesday stole the vehicle at gunpoint in Southeast, according to D.C. police. The incident occurred about 4:20 a.m. The taxi arrived at the passengers destination in the 3900 block of Pennsylvania Avenue SE. Police said the passenger, who had hailed the cab in the 1100 block of Massachusetts Avenue NW, then directed the driver to the 2100 block of Suitland Terrace SE, about a block away. Once there, a police report says, the cab driver told the man the fare was $18.97. The report says the man asked the driver if he had change for a $20, and while the driver was reaching for his wallet, the man pulled out a gun and took the drivers cellphone. Give me all your cash and get the [expletive] out of the car, the assailant said, according to the report. The driver got out, and police said the man sped away in the cab, a red Dodge Durango with Cab No. J887. Police did not disclose the name of the taxi company. Authorities did not have a detailed description of the assailant. Police have identified five of six people killed in a van crash on Interstate 95 in Virginia last week. At 12:30 a.m. Saturday, a 1998 Dodge van headed north from North Carolina to New Jersey and carrying 16 people ran off the left side of the highway in Caroline County, Virginia State Police said in a statement. The driver overcorrected, which caused the van to swerve back across the northbound lanes and strike a 2016 Toyota Camry, according to the statement. The collision caused the Toyota to spin around and the van to roll over as many as six times, police said. [Driver charged with involuntary manslaughter in I-95 van crash that killed six] Six of the vans passengers four men, a woman and a child were ejected and died at the scene, police said. They were identified as Epifanio Texmoxtle, 33, of Mexico; Elvira Montiel, 40, of Mexico; Elvira Montiels son, Jose Montiel, 5, of Mexico; Andres F. Francisco, 36, of Guatemala; and Juan Diego, 37, of Guatemala. One of the victims was not named pending notification of relatives. A spokesman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said the named victims did not have legal immigration status in the United States. The driver of the van, Wenceslao Cruz-Marquez, 50, of Chicago, and nine passengers were taken to hospitals for treatment of serious injuries, the police statement said. The driver of the 2016 Toyota was not injured. The vans adult passengers were not wearing seat belts, and the 5-year-old boy was not secured in a booster seat as required by Virginia law, the statement said. Only the drivers and front-seat passengers seat belts were functioning properly, according to the statement. Cruz-Marquez was charged with reckless driving and six counts of involuntary manslaughter, police said. They said the crash remains under investigation. An ICE spokesman said the agency had lodged an immigration detainer on Cruz-Marquez. D.C. police have arrested a 24-year-old man in a June 2 fatal shooting in Northeast Washington, according to the department. Hakeem Burroughs of Northeast, who was arrested Tuesday, was charged with second-degree murder while armed and could make an initial appearance in D.C. Superior Court on Wednesday. [Man fatally shot in Northeast Washington] Police said Burroughs is charged with killing Jarrell Walker, 22, of Suitland, Md. Walker was shot about 11:50 p.m. in the 3700 block of Hayes Street NE. He died at an area hospital. Police did not disclose a possible motive, but more information is expected to be released when the suspect appears in court. Calvert County These were among reports received by the Calvert County Sheriffs Office and the Maryland State Police. Anyone with information about these crimes is asked to call the Criminal Investigation Division at 410-535-2800 or 301-855-1194, the Crime Solvers line at 410-535-2880 or the state police Prince Frederick Barrack at 410-535-1400. st. leonard AREA ASSAULTS St. Leonard Rd., 4900 block, 9:40 p.m. June 5. Investigating a reported stabbing at an apartment, police found a man being attended by emergency personnel. He was taken to a hospital for treatment. A warrant was issued for a St. Leonard woman, 64. LUSBY AREA THEFTS/BREAK-INS Laurel Dr., 9 p.m. June 1 to 1 p.m. June 2. A purse and its contents were stolen from a vehicle. Mesa Trail, 6 to 6:30 p.m. June 6. Medication, DVDs and a flashlight were stolen from a residence entered by breaking a window. Rousby Hall Rd., June 8. A man tried to leave a store without paying for groceries. A Lusby man, 63, was charged. OWINGS AREA THEFTS/BREAK-INS Fifth St., 9 a.m. June 3 to 9 a.m. June 7. License plates were stolen from a vehicle. PRINCE FREDERICK AREA ROBBERIES Sheridan Point Rd. and Chinquapin Ridge Ct., 5:02 p.m. June 13. Responding to a report of an altercation, police found that a man, 18, had shot another man, 21, in the neck with a pellet gun and then robbed him of property with two male juveniles. As they fled from the scene, the 21-year-old shot a 16-year-old in the head and torso. The juvenile was taken to a trauma center by helicopter. Another male youth, 15, was found suffering from a drug overdose. The man later turned himself in to police and was charged with assault. The 18-year-old and the juveniles were charged with robbery. THEFTS/BREAK-INS Hallowing Point Rd., June 8. Two bicycles were reported stolen from a back yard in April. One of the bicycles was recovered. Solomons Island Rd. N., 100 block, June 8. A woman was seen placing items in her handbag. A Huntingtown woman, 40, was charged. Solomons Island Rd. N.,100 block, June 8. A shoplifting incident was reported. A Prince Frederick woman, 27, was charged. Solomons Island Rd. N., 100 block, June 11. A woman tried to steal clothing. A Lusby woman, 35, was charged. st. leonard AREA THEFTS/BREAK-INS Calvert Ave., 10:30 p.m. June 10 to 4:30 a.m. June 11. A purse and its contents were stolen from a vehicle entered by shattering a window. Oakcrest Dr., 8 p.m. June 11. A man tried to remove cleaning products from a garage. A St. Leonard man, 55, was charged. SOLOMONS ISLAND AREA THEFTS/BREAK-INS Sunderland Park and Ride and N. Solomons Island Rd., 5:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 8. License plates were stolen from a vehicle. Charles County These were among reports received by the Charles County Sheriffs Office and the Maryland State Police. For information, call 301-932-2222 or 301-870-3232. The website ccso.us has crime statistics and information on crime prevention programs. REWARDS FOR INFORMATION Crime Solvers will pay a reward for information leading to an arrest and indictment. The 24-hour hotline is 866-411-8477. Callers may remain anonymous. WALDORF AREA THEFTS/BREAK-INS Bryant Ct., 1500 block, 9:20 p.m. June 6 to 8:30 a.m. June 7. A wallet and credit cards were stolen from a vehicle. Charles St., 11000 block, June 10. Two benches were stolen from a barn in a farm. MOTOR VEHICLE THEFTS Crain Hwy. and Fairgrounds Rd., 9:18 p.m. June 9. Police briefly pursued two motorcycles traveling at high speed. Police apprehend one of the riders, whose motorcycle stalled. It was discovered that the motorcycle had been reported stolen in Fairfax. A Waldorf man, 31, was charged. Crain Hwy., 2200 block, June 8. A 2016 Cadillac Escalade was stolen from a dealership. It was recovered in Bridgewater, N.J. VANDALISM Indian Hills Pl., 11400 block, 9:15 p.m. June 11 to 12:30 p.m. June 12. Tires on two vehicles were punctured. Circle Ave., 100 block, midnight to 9 a.m. June 13. A window, a tail light and door frame on a vehicle were damaged. St. Marys County These w ere among reports received by the St. Marys County Sheriffs Office and the Maryland State Police. For information, call 301-475-8008. To submit a tip, call Crime Solvers at 301-475-3333. The Leonardtown Barrack of the state police has an anonymous tip line at 301-475-2936. CALIFORNIA AREA THEFTS/BREAK-INS Miramar Way, 45400 block, June 11. Responding to a report, a deputy located a woman leaving a store with unpaid merchandise. A Park Hall woman, 30, was charged. West Patuxent Beach Rd., 23000 block, June 12. A door of a vacant house was damaged. A California man, 18, was charged. LEXINGTON PARK AREA ASSAULTS Ronald Dr., 21000 block, June 11. During an argument, a man pushed someone to the ground; the person was injured. A Mechanicsville man, 40, was charged. Ventura Way, 22000 block, June 12. During an argument, a woman scratched a victims face. A California woman, 34, was charged. THEFTS/BREAK-INS Spring Hill Rd., 20000 block, June 12 to June 13. Property was stolen from a shed that was forcibly entered. MOTOR VEHICLE THEFTS Berne Way, 47000 block, June 13. A vehicle that was stolen from outside a home was found abandoned, with keys in the ignition. ST. INIGOES AREA THEFTS/BREAK-INS Post Oak Rd., 48000 block, June 13. Property was stolen from a vehicle. VALLEY LEE AREA ASSAULTS Farm Lane, 19000 block, June 8. During an argument, a woman closed a laptop computer on someones finger and pushed down on it. A 33-year-old Valley Lee woman was charged. A Silver Line train runs in Reston, Va., on its opening day in 2014. Zoning changes approved Tuesday by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors will allow higher density development near new Metro stations. (Yue Wu/The Washington Post) The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors has approved changes to zoning requirements that allow for higher buildings near Metro stations and in aging commercial areas targeted for redevelopment. The changes, which the board unanimously approved Tuesday, allow for denser development in 22 areas of the county, including Reston, Seven Corners and the Richmond Highway corridor. [Fairfax activists challenge zoning plan for higher density] The new zoning guidelines increase the maximum allowable floor-area ratios, or FAR a measurement used to determine density in buildings that accounts for ground-level retail stores and parking garages. Under the new rules, the maximum FAR for most of those neighborhoods rises from 2.0 or 3.0 to 5.0. A 5.0 FAR is equivalent to a 10-story building with 50,000 square feet on each level. The board carved out an exception for downtown McLean, which will have a maximum FAR of 3.0, officials said. During a public hearing Tuesday, Fred Selden, director of the countys Planning and Zoning Department, said the new density limits comply with planning guidelines already in place for the targeted neighborhoods. The overall idea is to allow for more buildings in those areas that have ground-floor retail stores and underground parking, Selden said. Thats the direction were asking developers to go in for those areas, he said. Were talking about small parcels of land in some of these neighborhoods. [Mall-centric no more: Aging suburb targeted for sweeping changes] Residents in Seven Corners, Reston and some other affected areas argued that the changes will open the door to high-rise apartment buildings in neighborhoods that are already overwhelmed by traffic congestion. These are not insignificant changes, said Rob Whitfield, an activist in Reston, where residents are seeing more traffic resulting from new townhouse complexes recently built near the areas two Silver Line Metro stations. The result of the high-rise buildings that will come under what is now allowed is certainly not conducive to family upbringing. Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe, shown here during a recent signing ceremony, is defending his order restoring voting rights to more than 206,000 felons. (Katherine Frey/The Washington Post) One of the best-known anecdotes from Gov. Terry McAuliffes colorful memoir has him wrestling an eight-foot-long alligator intended to show that he never backs away from a fight. That never-give-up, dont-look-back approach has been on display in recent weeks as he tries to bat away opposition by Republicans and some Democratic to a signature achievement of his term: restoring voting rights to more than 200,000 felons. Using polling data, heartwarming stories, fiery speeches and town halls, McAuliffe has launched a robust public relations campaign to answer critics who say the flawed implementation of his clemency order outweighs his good intentions. In the latest offensive, McAuliffe criticized 43 commonwealths attorneys who signed a brief supporting a GOP lawsuit seeking to reverse his order. The elected prosecutors among them five Democrats, three of whom are from Fairfax, Arlington and Prince William counties worry that once felons civil rights are restored, they could serve on juries and more easily win back their gun rights. The states attorneys would have to intervene to prevent those things from happening. Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe made a decision to allow convicted felons to vote ahead of elections in November. Heres how the executive order works and why it has lead to a legal fight. (Claritza Jimenez/The Washington Post) This is where some of the commonwealths attorneys say, Oh, I have more work to do now, McAuliffe said in a mocking tone Wednesday during an appearance on WRVA, a Richmond radio station. Its not our responsibility, he said. It is the sole responsibility of the judicial system whether to return someones gun rights. Its their job. I tell them, Do your job. Radio host Jimmy Barrett interjected, They are government workers I mean, come on. McAuliffe replied: Well, Im sorry. Work a little harder. The situation puts Democratic prosecutors, including Arlington Commonwealths Attorney Theo Stamos in the awkward position of supporting McAuliffe, the de facto head of the state party but opposing his major policy initiative. Stamos said that she applauds the intent of the clemency order but that there have been too many administrative hiccups. She was referring to errors in data the administration is using to restore the rights of more than 200,000 felons who are no longer in prison or under supervised release. Its not political, she said in a phone interview. Its a practical and legal concern. . . . I respect the governor, and I respect what he was trying to do. I just wish perhaps there could have been a little more consultation with us down here in the mud to see if we could have avoided some of these pitfalls. On April 22, when McAuliffe announced the order from the south portico of the Capitol, he encouraged felons to check their restoration status using a website maintained by the secretary of the commonwealth. If their rights were restored, they were immediately directed to a link to register to vote. But some individuals whose rights McAuliffe did not intend to restore were mistakenly included in the database. That included criminals in prison and on supervised probation in other states and others under federal supervision. Then Terry J. Royall, the commonwealths attorney in Nottoway County, noted that 132 sex offenders under involuntary supervision were among those whose rights were restored. A McAuliffe spokeswoman accused Royall, an independent, of joining a Republican effort to demagogue this issue. This is yet another partisan attempt to spread misinformation and hysteria, spokeswoman Christina Nuckols said. Royall fired back in a news release, saying her integrity and competence should not have been questioned for simply exposing problems with the governors order. Roanoke Commonwealths Attorney Don Caldwell, a Democrat who signed the brief, said the incident shows that McAuliffes staff did not properly research the clemency order. When you have some embarrassment associated with something that youve done, one of the easiest ways to take attention off yourself is to attack someone else, he said. McAuliffe spokesman Brian Coy said there are no plans to revise or replace the April 22 clemency order, which was written by the governors counsel. The problem is with how the order is being carried out, he said. The administration is responsible for implementing the order. [Democrats pan Trump at state party convention] State officials say the public supports McAuliffes action. A Roanoke College poll from May, before most of the loopholes were reported, found that 61 percent of likely voters agreed with the clemency order. In an automated survey asking a different question, the Democratic Public Policy Polling group found more than 6 in 10 support the policy even after revelations about some imprisoned felons getting their rights reinstated. One of McAuliffes closest allies, Levar Stoney, defended the order last weekend at the state party convention. Stoney helped develop the policy as secretary of the commonwealth but resigned shortly before it was announced to run for Richmond mayor. Even though there are people who have done their time and served their sentences, there are some people who would rather keep them in the shadows, he told 1,400 party loyalists. What is wrong is wrong, and Governor McAuliffe did the right thing. The state Supreme Court will hear the Republican challenge to McAuliffes order on July 19. Scott Clement contributed to this report. NORTH KOREA Pyongyang launches two more missiles In a remarkable show of persistence, North Korea on Wednesday fired two suspected powerful new Musudan midrange missiles, U.S. and South Korean military officials said, but at least one of the launches apparently failed, Pyongyangs fifth such reported flop since April. Despite the repeated failures, the Norths determination in testing the Musudan worries Washington and its allies, Tokyo and Seoul, because the missiles potential 2,180-mile range could target much of the Asia-Pacific region, including U.S. military bases there. 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. A statement from South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said a suspected first Musudan launch from the eastern coastal city of Wonsan failed early Wednesday morning, but it gave few other details. Later Wednesday, the JCS said the North fired another suspected Musudan, but it was not immediately clear if it succeeded. Associated Press SYRIA Islamic State regains large areas in Raqqa The Islamic State has retaken large areas in the northern Syrian province of Raqqa that the militant group had recently lost to government troops, opposition activists said Tuesday. Syrian troops have been on the offensive for nearly three weeks and had advanced to within four miles of the Tabqa air base near Raqqa city, the de facto capital of the Islamic States self-declared caliphate. But the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that regime forces lost all the territory they had gained in the province since launching the offensive June 2, adding that troops have been pushed back to about 25 miles from Tabqa. Meanwhile, Jordan sealed its last entry point for Syrian refugees Tuesday after a cross-border suicide attack killed six members of its security forces, wounded 14 and exposed the pro-Western kingdoms growing vulnerability to spillover from the Syrian conflict next door. The closure raised questions about the fate of tens of thousands of Syrian refugees who are stranded in remote desert areas along the border. Associated Press SOUTH AFRICA Anger over mayoral candidate spurs riots Rioters blocked roads, looted shops and burned vehicles in the South African capital in a show of anger over the selection of the ruling partys mayoral candidate. The violence in Pretoria raised concerns about security ahead of local elections in South Africa scheduled for August. Nineteen buses were burned in one area, the Transport Ministry said. Some residents said they had not been adequately consulted over the selection of Thoko Didiza, a former cabinet minister, as mayoral candidate for the African National Congress for the metropolitan area that includes Pretoria. They want incumbent Kgosientso Ramokgopa to stay. Associated Press ICC sentences former Congo vice president to prison: The International Criminal Court sentenced the former vice president of Congo, Jean-Pierre Bemba, to 18 years in prison for murders, rapes and pillaging committed by his troops in the Central African Republic in 2002 and 2003. Bemba will get credit for the eight years spent in ICC detention since his arrest in May 2008. Swedish lawmakers tighten asylum rules: Swedish lawmakers approved legislation to tighten regulations for asylum and family reunification in their country, which received a record 160,000 asylum seekers last year. Under the new law, some asylum seekers who earlier had been granted permanent residency will now get only temporary residence permits. The legislation also newly requires that sponsors are able to support family members who come to Sweden. The measures will come into force on July 20 for an expected three-year period. Egyptian court rejects island transfer to Saudis: A court in Egypt rejected as unconstitutional a border agreement that would have transferred two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia, a deal that had sparked protests in Cairo. The ruling was a rare rebuke of the governments foreign policy by the judiciary and could strain ties with Riyadh, a major donor. The government, which said the deal would bring economic benefits to Egypt, has appealed the ruling. From news services ON MONDAY, the Senate voted down several gun control measures. Is that news? Well, in some ways, more than you might think. Those votes may not be the end of the story. One option defeated Monday was backed by the National Rifle Association and most Republicans and would have made it difficult for the government to deny firearms sales to those on terrorism watch lists. Another, backed by most Democrats, would have made such denials the norm. After neither got the needed 60 votes, Democrats could bash Republicans for ostensibly letting terrorists buy guns, and Republicans could bash Democrats for wanting to infringe on a constitutional right without due process (because such watch lists are assembled by the goverment, in secret). So far, so predictable. But there is a chance that, for once, Congress will not just leave it at that. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and a bipartisan group of lawmakers are hashing out a compromise that would limit the number of people who cannot purchase firearms to those on the most serious watch lists. Additionally, the FBI would be given notice when anyone who has been on a terrorism watch list within the past five years attempts to buy a gun, even if they are no longer listed. That would be an improvement over the status quo. And the bill would allow those who have been denied a firearm the right to appeal to a federal judge, relieving due-process concerns. Though details, for example on the judicial review process, remain contentious, Ms. Collins and her colleagues deserve credit for attempting to forge a viable compromise that, if passed, might do a bit of incremental good. Compared with the challenge of gun violence in the United States, it would be only a minuscule step. Some 33,000 people die from gunshot wounds every year in the United States, many in heartbreakingly avoidable ways. That is a public-health crisis, but Congress has constrained the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from researching the phenomenon in an orderly way. The result is a lack of good data on gun violence that could help lawmakers design policies to save lives without violating rights. Even with these restrictions, hard research and common sense suggest several reforms that would make a big difference. Background checks real, comprehensive and universal background checks, not the sham, loophole-ridden system we have now could help. Even if someone would be ineligible to buy a gun under Ms. Collinss plan, that person could still go to a gun show or buy firearms online without a real background check system. Nationwide gun permitting, which might require gun buyers to register, give fingerprints, have their picture taken and undergo an interview before being allowed to purchase a gun, would discourage dangerous people from obtaining firearms. Banning gun sales to domestic abusers and those guilty of violent misdemeanors should be on the table. And smart gun technology, which would keep guns from being fired by anyone but their legitimate owners, would save lives, too. Congress is still a ways from such sensible moves. But with gun reform on the presidential campaign agenda for the first time in many years, and reform opponents in Congress on the defensive, a bit of optimism is not out of order. Ana Garcia is an Emmy award-winning TV journalist based in Los Angeles. I am on a watch list. And I dont like it. Its not fair. I havent done anything, but my name is apparently the same as that of a wanted terrorist. The authorities wont tell me what bad Ana Garcia has done, but based on the facial expressions of the numerous immigration and customs officers who have questioned me, shes bad. Technically, I am on a Transportation Security Administration selectee list. Thats one down from the no-fly list. I dont have a constitutional right to board a plane, or reenter the United States without a secondary screening. I will be the first to tell you, it sucks. It interferes with my ability to do my job as a reporter. I can walk into a jail to have a cup of coffee with the sheriff, but I cant get on a plane with the same ease. What sense does that make? My watch list challenges have been documented through news stories. Privately, the Department of Homeland Security has cleared me, but it will not take me off the list. Instead, DHS issued me a redress number. Its yet another government ID that proves I am not the person the authorities are looking for. Still, in my view, the debate over whether it is unconstitutional to ban people on watch lists from buying guns is absurd. I have heard emotional arguments from conservatives who are worried innocent people wrongfully placed on watch lists will be denied their Second Amendment right to buy a gun. All of a sudden, politicians not so worried about my status on a watch list are apparently paralyzed with fear that I might not have the freedom to buy a gun. Thats awfully thoughtful, but save the sympathy for the families of the victims in Orlando. Heres the thing: Innocent people will sometimes be wrongfully put on these lists. I am an example of that. I have a work-around. Its not ideal, but ultimately I get on that plane. When I go into secondary screening at the Los Angeles airport, I am always confident that I will get to go home. It costs me a few more minutes of my time. It annoys me. Its not fair, but I have not lost the right to fly. It just makes sense that if you are a terrorist on a watch list, you should be banned from buying weapons. And if you are innocent like me, I am sure the government can come up with a redress number specifically to protect your Second Amendment right. Will it work perfectly? Of course not. Fair doesnt mean everyone will be happy, but maybe we will all be safer. As the war against the Islamic State in Iraq shows signs of fragile progress, U.S. military leaders there are preparing to ask President Obama for the one thing he is resisting above all else in his final months the deployment of hundreds more U.S. troops. Military leaders directing operations against the terrorists in Iraq are readying requests for more troops and equipment they feel are needed to solidify and quicken progress toward defeating the Islamic State. These proposals have not yet been formally submitted to the White House for approval, and would first be vetted by the Pentagon leadership, but key generals have already told many in Washington they need hundreds more U.S. personnel to do the job right. According to several senior military, congressional and administration officials, the generals on the ground, including Army Lt. Gen. Sean MacFarland, commander of coalition forces in Iraq, have been frustrated by what they see as arbitrary caps on troop levels set by the White House and a process that discourages them from directly asking for what they need. That may affect the numbers in the requests that are sent to Washington. What MacFarland is trying to do is again make another change, said retired Gen. Jack Keane, former vice chief of staff of the Army. When MacFarland is talking about increasing the numbers again dramatically, thats what he needs to do. After the White House approved 200 more troops in Iraq in April, MacFarland told reporters the generals would ask for more if we need to. Keane said MacFarland and other generals on the ground need more tactical air controllers and advisers embedded with units closer to the fight. But they havent formally requested hundreds more troops due to pressure from their superiors, he said. They know what not to ask for because its not going to happen, Keane said. It gets cut off because the White House is not going to approve it. The level of frustration over this has really been quite extraordinary. The White House has incrementally raised its cap on U.S. troops in Iraq several times since the war on the Islamic State began. Officially, there are just under 4,100 U.S. troops deployed there. Military and congressional officials said about 900 more U.S. soldiers in Iraq are not counted in official numbers because they are Special Operations forces, who are often not acknowledged, or they are deployed on a temporary duty status as a way to fudge the statistics. Gen. Daniel B. Allyn , vice chief of staff of the Army, told me the White Houses caps on troop numbers in Iraq have forced the Army to break up units and supplement deployed forces with contractors, which harms Army operations and adds costs. The number of U.S. contractors supporting the military in Iraq is unknown but estimated to be in the thousands. When you look at our deployment of our advise and assist formations [in Iraq], they are very leader heavy . . . what we leave back is the rest of that formation, which often limits what we can do with that force, Allyn said. A continued requirement to deploy formations without all their organic capability and outsourcing that through contractors has significant downside risks for the Army. Allyn traveled to Baghdad last month and met with MacFarland and the other generals on the ground. The generals are right now preparing detailed requests for what they believe would be necessary if the fight in Fallujah succeeds and the United States must help the Iraqi forces surround and eventually take Mosul. General MacFarlands sensing, when I was with him, of what he needed, was in the works, Allyn said. They have a good feel for what they need and the sequencing of what they need. Generals involved in the mission have also been telling lawmakers and congressional staffers behind closed doors that they need more troops sooner rather than later, given the fragility of the current process and the time lag between requests and when the troops are able to contribute to the fight. Can the generals request an increase to the troop levels? Yes, House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mac Thornberry (R-Tex.) told me. But before that, the feelers go back to the National Security Council and they find out what the reaction is going to be. They understand the White House wants to keep the numbers to a minimum. Weve been slowly adding troop strength, its like pulling teeth to get more resources. Its frustrating to people who are engaged in the battle, said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). Graham said that U.S. military planners in Iraq have told him they have insufficient troops and resources to accomplish their mission. Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr. are said to be sympathetic to requests for more resources in Iraq but also wary of pushing the White House beyond what it is comfortable with. One senior administration official who was not authorized to speak on the record told me that there is a sense of urgency in prosecuting the war that comes directly from the president, but that large increases of U.S. troops in Iraq carry political risk for the Iraqi government. Theres a certain amount of support that we can provide to the Iraqis that is essentially politically sustainable for them, the official said. That limits the type of support we can have in some situations. A spokesman for the military operations command in Iraq offered no comment in response to my request. Senior administration officials maintain that the current campaign plan is working and that all formal requests that reach the president receive serious consideration. They also say the president insists that the fight against the Islamic State be resourced in a way thats sustainable given the expected length of the mission and Americas other military commitments. More of everything is not a strategy, said Derek Chollet, a former Obama administration White House and Pentagon official. In every single military campaign in history, the military has wanted more. They are trying to do a job. Its the natural impulse. Retired Lt. Gen. James Dubik, who was commanding general of the Multi-National Security Transition Command-Iraq during the surge in 2007 and 2008, said that even if the military gets the extra troops it wants, the Islamic State will never be defeated until the United States commits to larger diplomatic and political engagement as well, to shore up the Iraqi state and provide for long-term stability. Weve been giving military assistance, which is necessary but insufficient, he said. We want to defeat ISIS, but merely running them out of Iraq will not defeat ISIS. They will be back. To critics of the Obama administrations Iraq policy, White House reluctance to approve more troops and resources to fight the Islamic State is another example of the presidents determination to build a legacy around ending two wars started by his predecessor and removing the United States from bloody Middle Eastern conflicts. He doesnt want his legacy to be that he went back into Iraq, said Graham. The next president is going to have to finish the job and is going to have a mess on their hands. If Obama decides not to fulfill the generals wish for more resources in Iraq, he may preserve his personal legacy by keeping troop levels low. But that comes at the cost of the Iraqis and U.S. security, and it will only pass on those tough calls to whoever succeeds him. A man waves a flag as he attends a rally for Britain Stronger in Europe, the official Remain campaign group seeking to avoid Brexit, in London on June 19. (Ben Stansall/Agence France-Presse via Getty Images) Imagine a young Margaret Thatcher, a politician who deeply mistrusts the political establishment and identifies on a gut level with the frustrations of the middle class. Thats shorthand for what Britain will need as it picks up the pieces after Thursdays Brexit referendum. Friends of Britain (and Europe, too) need to stop pretending that support for withdrawal from the European Union is simply a product of xenophobic right-wing nationalism. Nearly half the country supports a British exit, according to prereferendum polls, and these people are not all deluded reactionaries. The European Union is unpopular in Britain for the same reason it is in many other parts of Europe: Its seen as the project of a financial and political elite that often operates without regard for public opinion. Nationalism may be a tarnished, retrograde sentiment, but the fact remains that many people feel deeply attached to their countries. This patriotic feeling cant be expunged. But it should be modernized. And thats where a modern Maggie could do wonders. Think of a restless, mildly rebellious British politician who could find common cause with like-minded Europeans who are tired of being lectured by Brussels. Thatcher took a wrecking ball to an earlier generation of entrenched, elite opinion in Britain. When she became prime minister in 1979, Britain was still encased in a class system that maintained the conservative status quo at both ends the power of the aristocratic Tory elite and the Labour Party trade-union bosses, who in tandem resisted any reforms that might challenge their power. 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) Thatcher, a grocers daughter, despised this status quo. She defied a bitter 1980s strike by the National Union of Mineworkers where previous prime ministers, Labour and Tory, had caved. She deregulated the financial sector, in what was called the Big Bang, restoring London to global primacy. Britain in recent years has seemed to be slipping backward. David Cameron, the Conservative leader, is an Old Etonian who, in form and function, is a latter-day embodiment of the Tory elite. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, similarly, is a throwback to the left-wing, union-cosseted yesterday of his party. The most hopeful aspect of the Brexit debate is that most young British people seem to be instinctively European. They have grown up in a global economy in which people move from job to job and country to country. A recent poll by ICM for the Guardian found that 56 percent of voters age 18 to 34 want to remain in the E.U., while just 39 percent favor leaving. By contrast, 55 percent of those over 65 favor withdrawal. Other surveys make the same point: The older people get in Britain, the more they mistrust the E.U. Thats the biggest danger of the pro-Brexit campaign, beyond the economic damage it has risked. It would tie the countrys future to the oldest, most conservative cohort of its population. The E.U. leadership in Brussels deserves its bad reputation. Lacking the instruments of real governance, the Eurocrats have nibbled around the edges with rules and regulations that imply a common destiny but leave to others the hard questions, such as border security and fiscal discipline. Germany sits uneasily atop this shaky enterprise. The Germans are lucky to have a chancellor who, no matter how wealthy and privileged her country may be, still acts like the Lutheran pastors daughter who was raised in East Germany. Asked once what was distinctive about Germany, she gave this sturdy, if unlikely, answer: No other country can build such airtight and beautiful windows. Her power comes in part from her ability to appear ordinary. Europe is only beginning its process of change. A senior German official told me a few months ago that the strange thing about the Brexit vote was that the best case and the worst case are so close together. What he meant was that Germany understands that Europes institutions must change, regardless of whether Britain is in or out. E.U. purists may still dream of a tighter federalism, but that would involve a surrender of national power that nobody, least of all the Germans or French, really wants. Whats more likely is a core E.U. that runs at German speed and allows the periphery some of the leeway that Cameron won for Britain in the negotiation that preceded the wretched Brexit campaign. Rather than crying crocodile tears for the old version of the E.U., modernizing politicians in Britain and on the continent should be thinking about change. Its time for Maggie redux. Bring on the wrecking ball. Read more from David Ignatiuss archive, follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his updates on Facebook. If you turned on cable TV news Monday, chances are good that you caught Corey Lewandowski fibbing that he doesnt have a clue why Donald Trump fired him as his campaign manager. Of course he knows. In a series of interviews on several shows, Lewandowski dodged every question, including from CNNs Dana Bash on whether Trumps daughter Ivanka and her husband had anything to do with his dismissal. Tensions among them were well-known to campaign followers, but Lewandowski shrugged off such concerns as typical of all campaigns. No doubt. But Lewandowski was a special case he looked and acted more like a bodyguard or bouncer than a campaign manager. At one Trump event, he was accused of assaulting a female reporter. On Monday night, however, there was no evidence of the tough guy. Rather, Lewandowski portrayed a humble, thoughtful, soft-spoken, gee-whiz guy who only wants to do the right thing for his country and get Trump elected. Naturally, people wondered: How big is his golden parachute? And speculators wagered: He must have signed a confidentiality agreement. This is highly probable. Usually, when high-profile employees are escorted from the building, as Lewandowski was, they tend to leave with two things: a check and a promise never to speak ill of the company. Presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump fired embattled campaign manager Corey Lewandowski on June 20. The Fix's Chris Cillizza breaks down what comes next. (The Washington Post) And Trump is the company. Theres no disagreement that Lewandowski had become a liability. His brash style, which reflected that of his employer, rubbed many the wrong way. Moreover, Trumps campaign is in dire straits. His poll numbers are slipping and are below any candidates, Democrat or Republican, in the past three election cycles. Adding to his travails, Trumps campaign cupboard is relatively bare, with just $1.3 million compared with Hillary Clintons $42 million. Something had to change, and somebody had to take the fall. Or so the obvious theories have gone. Another plausible theory is far more cynical and seems more Trumpian. It wasnt money or campaign discord at least not exclusively that got Lewandowski the boot. He was fired as a sacrifice to one of the few constituencies Trump hasnt thus far insulted directly, and one he desperately needs: evangelical Christians. Could it be mere coincidence that just one day later on Tuesday Trump was scheduled to meet in New York with a congregation of about 900 Christian leaders to sort things out in advance of likely endorsements? Thats a rhetorical question. Those gathered wanted to know more about the real Trump, to find a way to support him despite his un-Christian behaviors and attitudes. And Trumps purpose was to assure them that hes really a good guy who loves the Lord, believe me, and just wants to make America great again. The meeting was closed to media, especially The Post, which Trump has banished from all events. It seems he doesnt like the way the paper is covering him. Richard Nixon felt the same way. But one imagines that his metamorphosis mirrors Lewandowskis. Remember Lewandowski, the humble, soft-spoken, gee-whiz-I-just-love-my-country fellow? Just add and-Jesus after country and youll have a fair idea of how a new, improved Trump might appear. Not so much presidential as born-again. This is how I imagine Trumps handling of the meeting: Look, I never meant any of those things I said, not really. Sure, we need to secure our borders and be smarter about immigration, but this doesnt mean I dislike Mexicans or think theyre rapists, even though, I assume, some of them are. I just get carried away sometimes because Im so passionate about making this country great again. God willing. Plus, to be perfectly honest, I was getting some really bad advice from my campaign manager and thats why I had to let him go. Bada bing. Lewandowski, not Trump, was the problem all along, you see. He told Trump to act like a raging misogynistic xenophobic racist. Cleansed of Lewandowskis influence, hes liberated to be his presidential self. And, in this new light, the evangelical community can justify supporting this unlikely bearer of civilizations torch. Christians love the penitent sinner who has sought forgiveness and been reborn. Not all will buy Trumps reinvention, no matter what sort of incantations transpired Tuesday. Indeed, just across town on the same evening, another group of faith leaders gathered for dinner with members of Better for America, a new organization aimed at finding and funding an alternative to Trump and Clinton. Barring divine intervention, theyre probably too late. Then again, miracles can happen. A penitent, born-again Trump would certainly be one. Read more from Kathleen Parkers archive, follow her on Twitter or find her on Facebook. This was the Donald Trump that Republican leaders have been waiting for: focused, systematic and, despite spraying a stream of falsehoods, ruthless in trying to destroy one person Hillary Clinton. Absent from a Trump campaign speech here Wednesday were references to a federal judges Mexican American heritage or ethnic slurs such as Pocahontas. The presumptive GOP presidential nominee also left out the colorful play-by-play of his exploits in the primaries and did not threaten his fellow Republicans; in fact, he never mentioned them at all. Instead, Trump zeroed in on the rigged (a word he uttered 10 times) economic and political systems. The billionaire mogul promised to be a fixer, making America richer, bigger, better and stronger. And he portrayed Clinton, the likely Democratic nominee, as a world-class liar and a danger to the country. In a 42-minute performance reading from teleprompters, Trump moved closer Wednesday to being the kind of general-election standard-bearer Republican leaders have been pleading with him to become. The bombastic candidate had been somewhat tamed, or so it appeared. The question was whether the same Trump would show up for the next 139 days before the November election. One day does not make a streak, said Ari Fleischer, a White House press secretary under President George W. Bush. In order for Trump to win, he has to make this election a referendum on Hillary and not on his own antics. Today, he made an effective and powerful case against Hillary. . . . [But] its the distractions and the sideshows that are killing him. Trump and his advisers hoped Wednesdays address, delivered before family and friends at the Trump SoHo hotel, would help him gain solid footing after what generously can be described as a challenging first seven weeks as presumptive nominee. [GOP leaders alarmed by Trumps devastating fundraising start] With less than one month until Republicans gather in Cleveland for their national convention, Trump is struggling to unify his fractured party and convince his doubters that he can be a disciplined general-election candidate. He also has been locked in a defensive crouch thanks both to his own stumbles and attacks from Clinton and her Democratic allies over his temperament, policies and business record. Trump sought to engineer a course correction by effectively hurling the opposition-research book at Clinton. In Wednesdays speech, he hit the former secretary of state, senator and first lady on her decision-making surrounding the 2012 attacks in Benghazi, Libya; her and her husbands paid speeches; her use of a private email server; her deep ties to Wall Street; and her past support for trade deals. Trump also explicitly blamed Clinton for the death of J. Christopher Stevens, the U.S. ambassador to Libya, and for general unrest there and in Egypt, Iraq and Syria. No secretary of state has been more wrong, more often and in more places than Hillary Clinton, he said to applause. Her decisions spread death, destruction and terrorism everywhere she touched. But some of what Trump said about Clintons record was exaggerated or untrue. He charged falsely that Clinton wants totally open borders and that she would admit hundreds of thousands of refugees from dangerous countries without vetting them. 1 of 45 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad What Donald Trump is doing on the campaign trail View Photos Businessman Donald Trump has become the Republican Partys presumptive nominee for president. Caption Businessman Donald Trump officially became the Republican nominee at the partys convention in Cleveland. Donald Trump speaks at a campaign event at Trump Doral golf course in Miami. Carlo Allegri/Reuters Wait 1 second to continue. Trump also incorrectly stated that Clinton supports the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a trade deal she has opposed since last year. And he said that Clinton has spent her entire life making money for special interests when in fact she spent much of her career in government service or at nonprofit organizations. After making a vague reference to his proposal to ban Muslims from entering the United States, Trump said, Hillary Clinton wants to bring in people who believe women should be enslaved and gays put to death. Clinton has been a vocal advocate for global human rights, but Trump cited payments or donations that she, former president Bill Clinton or their family foundation accepted from oppressive regimes in Brunei, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar. Campaigning later Wednesday in Raleigh, N.C., Clinton briefly responded to Trumps attacks by accusing him of peddling outlandish lies and conspiracy theories. Hes going after me personally because he has no answers, Clinton said. All he can do is try to distract us. Trumps Republican critics pointed to his misstatements as proof that he lacks discipline. Even in a teleprompter speech, he still has to include conspiracy theories and grossly exaggerate the case against her rather than sticking to the credible facts, said GOP strategist Tim Miller, who worked for former Florida governor Jeb Bushs presidential campaign. So then you spend all afternoon talking about his lies and his conspiracy theories rather than the real, fair criticisms of her foreign-policy record and of the Clinton Foundation. As for whether Wednesdays speech would turn the page on Trumps troubles, Miller an organizer of the Never Trump movement said it would not. I dont understand how many times the Republican political class has to be fooled into thinking hes going to change, Miller said. Hes never going to change. Trump knows that there is no greater common enemy among Republicans than Clinton. By training his rhetorical fire at her, he hopes to paper over the self-induced controversies that have stymied his efforts to rally the party behind him. For a lot of conservatives, delivering an indictment against Hillary Clinton is something theyve wanted him to do, said Michael Steele, a former Republican National Committee chairman. But does he step on that message in his next interview? Does he devolve into more name-calling or alienating more groups important to building the coalition for victory? [Hillary Clinton says anger and anxiety are driving people to Trump] Trump also focused on big economic themes that Republican strategists believe can help him broaden his now-limited appeal to independents and disaffected Democrats. He argued that the economic system had failed too many people and the political class was incapable of fixing it and he made a direct plea to supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont to join his coalition. For a politician known for simple declarations, Trump also had rare oratorical flourish, for a moment, as he described how he felt the country had lost its ambition. Americans are the people that tamed the West, that dug out the Panama Canal, that sent satellites across the solar system, that built the great dams and so much more, Trump said. Then we really started thinking small. Something happened. . . . We stopped believing in what America could do and became reliant on other countries, other people and other institutions. We lost our sense of purpose and daring. But thats not who we are. Fleischer said this was a message that could carry Trump to the White House if he sticks to it. It wasnt just a rant. It wasnt just anger, he said. There was something uplifting about his notion of what America used to be for people who want to move up. Rucker reported from Washington. Britain careened toward a historic choice Wednesday as voters heard final pitches on both sides of a bitterly fought referendum showdown that could rock the global economy and deeply unsettle the Western political order. After months of campaigning that sharply divided the country over questions of immigration and identity, final polls showed Britons almost exactly split over whether the country should exit the 28-member European Union. Voting takes place Thursday, and the results are expected early Friday (Thursday evening Eastern time.) Although leave had been leading the polls recently, remain has caught up since pro-E.U. member of Parliament Jo Cox was fatally shot and stabbed last week, jolting the country and prompting calls for an end to some of the campaigns more hateful rhetoric. [3 reasons why Americans should care about British vote] 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) The referendum marks an existential decision that could dramatically reshape Britains global role in a way not seen since London shed its empire after World War II. It could also lead to another push on Scottish secession, the further unraveling of the European Union and the fall of Prime Minister David Camerons government. Advocates for a British exit popularly known as Brexit argue that tossing off the shackles of E.U. bureaucracy will restore Britains sovereignty. A powerful selling point for many votes is the claim that a farewell to E.U. ties could give the country the latitude to dramatically reduce immigration, which has hit record highs as Poles, Hungarians, Romanians and others from across Europe have flocked to the relative prosperity of the British economy. I really think tomorrow can be independence day, former London mayor Boris Johnson told supporters Wednesday as he posed for photos with fishmongers and waved copies of the virulently anti-E.U. Sun newspaper. But opponents say a vote to leave could be a grievous self-inflicted wound from which it would take years, if not decades, for Britain to recover. [Mission to London: Operation Croissant] We dont solve our immigration challenge by leaving the European Union, but we do create a massive problem for our economy, Cameron told the BBC on the eve of the vote. This is irreversible. You cant jump out of the airplane then climb back in through the cockpit hatch. Most economic, political and defense authorities including nearly all foreign leaders have joined the call for Britain to stay, and they have issued dire warnings about the consequences of Brexit. Supporters hold banners as former London mayor Boris Johnson attends a "Vote Leave" rally in Selby, England, on Wednesday. (Ed Sykes/Reuters) Economic forecasters have said a British break could push the country back into recession, with the rest of the globe vulnerable to the ripples. Many geopolitical strategists also warn that a vote to leave could divide the Western alliance and be a boon to others such as Russian President Vladimir Putin. But many of the 46 million Britons eligible to vote have paid little heed, with surveys showing that anxiety over immigration is trumping all other voter concerns. The leave campaign has played on those fears, arguing with little supporting evidence that Turkey will soon join the European Union and intensify the flood of migrant workers arriving on British shores under the blocs free-movement rules. It has also dismissed warnings from independent experts as part of an elitist plot, what it terms Project Fear. [An unlikely star emerges in British debate] Two of the top Brexit campaigners Johnson and Justice Secretary Michael Gove have invoked provocative Nazi comparisons. Johnson has suggested that E.U. ambitions mirror those of Hitlers Germany, and Gove has painted Brexit critics as akin to Nazi propagandists who sought to discredit Albert Einstein. The remain side has returned fire in recent days. London Mayor Sadiq Khan castigated the anti-E.U. camps anti-immigrant message as Project Hate. Meanwhile, former prime minister John Major on Wednesday called Johnson and Gove, both fellow Conservatives, gravediggers of our prosperity. Another former prime minister, Gordon Brown, decried the overall tone of a debate that has been marked by xenophobia and nativism. This is not the Britain I know, he said. Whichever side wins Thursday will have to reckon with the profound and emotional schisms in British society that have come to the surface during the campaign. When Cameron promised a referendum in January 2013, he had hoped the vote would put to rest a debate over Europe that has bedeviled Britain for decades and that has generated particularly deep fault lines in his Conservative Party. Instead, the campaign appears only to have made those divisions worse, while also layering the debate with the added complexity of personal ambition. Several prominent campaigners especially Johnson are thought to be jockeying for Camerons job if the country defies the prime minister and votes for an exit. [Finally a compelling reason to talk about the British weather] Even if remain wins, Britains angst is unlikely to be resolved. Some leave campaigners have said they will press for another referendum if they come up short in a close vote. Thursdays vote also has the potential to reawaken another fundamental question of British identity. Scottish leaders say that if Britain votes to leave the European Union against the will of the pro-European Scots, they will renew their push for independence just two years after losing a referendum vote. The outcome will be watched closely in capitals around the globe. President Obama has weighed in strongly for the remain side, saying he thinks Britain is a more valuable ally from within the European Union. All of Britains E.U. allies have said they, too, want Britain to stay. To illustrate the point, European landmarks from Paris to Warsaw have been bathed in the colors of the Union Jack this week, along with the message Vote Remain. In an op-ed in Britains Guardian newspaper Wednesday morning, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi wrote that a vote to leave would be the wrong choice. It would be a mistake for which you, the voters, primarily would pay the price, he wrote. Because who really wants Britain to be small and isolated? European allies also have their own interests to protect. If Britain leaves, it could set off a chain reaction of defections and attempted defections across the continent as Euroskepticism surges. This is all unknown territory for the European Union, which has steadily expanded over past decades. Under E.U. rules, a departing member has two years to negotiate the terms of its exit. But, in reality, most experts think that the divorce proceedings would last far longer and that Brussels-based negotiators would have little incentive to give Britain a good deal. Cameron on Wednesday warned voters not to allow Britain to be downgraded from a place at the table to press for British interests in Europe, and instead wind up standing outside, ear pressed to the glass. But in the febrile environment of British politics, it was not clear that voters would care whether they have a voice in the European Union, an organization that inspires little love even among remain backers. In his final speech of the campaign, pro-leave firebrand Nigel Farage said Wednesday that the vote was a chance to liberate the country from European bureaucrats and other continental elites. This referendum, said Farage, head of the U.K. Independence Party, is about the people versus the establishment. And thats what worried Cay Schroder, 72, a painter who was in Trafalgar Square late Wednesday afternoon along with thousands of others for an emotional memorial to Cox on what would have been her 42nd birthday. The event featured a speech from Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai of Pakistan, a video message from Irish rock star Bono and a school choir featuring the classmates of Coxs young son. The crowd was heavily for in, but Schroder said he knew that was deceptive. Ive been campaigning for a fortnight, and I think London is mainly in and the rest of the country is mainly out, said Schroder, who proudly sported a Remain T-shirt. Young voters, he said, were in but may not vote. The out voters were older, and determined to recover a bygone time for Britain that cannot be re-created. They long for something, he said, that doesnt exist anymore. Karla Adam contributed to this report. Read More: Analysis: Would break from Brussels also splinter Britain? Probably not. Why North America wont copy European unity World mourns death of British lawmaker The Colombian government and FARC guerrillas have reached an agreement on a bilateral cease-fire and the rebels disarmament, two of the last major hurdles to ending 50 years of bloodshed. The deal announced Wednesday is not a final peace accord, but it is a breakthrough that essentially amounts to an end to the fighting. It means the two sides have worked through some of the most sensitive aspects of their negotiations, particularly the nuts and bolts of getting 7,000 heavily armed FARC fighters to come down from the mountains, lay down their guns and begin a transition to civilian life under the protection of Colombias security forces, their lifelong enemies. After this accord, its very hard to imagine the government and FARC ever fighting on the battlefield again, said Adam Isacson, a Colombia expert at the Washington Office on Latin America. This was the last substantive item on the negotiating agenda, and they appear to have figured out the very thorny issues of managing FARCs disarmament. Supporters of the peace process celebrated the news on social media with the hashtag #ElUltimoDiaDeLaGuerra, calling Wednesday the last day of the war. Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and FARC leader Timoleon Timochenko Jimenez will be joined by U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and other Latin American heads of state at a ceremony in Havana on Thursday to announce the agreement. U.S. diplomats also were en route to the Cuban capital, where the rebels and Santoss negotiating team launched formal talks in 2012. Embattled Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who has a sometimes-tense relationship with Santos, will attend Thursdays ceremony. His country is one of the observer nations at the Colombia talks. An informal cease-fire with FARC, or the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, has already been in effect for six months, and despite scattered clashes, violence in rural Colombia has fallen to its lowest level in decades. But with Santoss approval ratings sliding and Colombians growing increasingly frustrated with the slow pace of negotiations, the government has been under pressure to show progress and close out the talks. FARC leaders are in less of a hurry and are deeply worried about their personal security as civilians, given the risk of retributive attacks by any number of enemies. [Colombias rebels survived war. Now they worry about surviving peace.] Santos said this week that a final peace deal could be signed by July 20, Colombias independence day. But previous attempts to put deadlines on the negotiations have been a bust. In September, Santos and Timochenko shook hands on a pledge to wrap up talks within six months, but that timetable broke down as negotiations dragged on. Timochenko said on Twitter this week that the two sides should not repeat the mistake. Experience has shown that setting deadlines is damaging to the process, especially when we dont have a deal, he tweeted Tuesday. Were making progress, but there are still loose ends. Whatever deal the two sides reach will have to clear a significant final hurdle: approval by the Colombian public. The government has been pushing for a referendum that would subject the final peace accord to a simple yes-or-no vote. FARC hasnt agreed on the form such a plebiscite would take, nor is it clear what would happen if the public which dislikes the group by a wide margin rejects the deal. Campaigning hard against it is powerful senator Alvaro Uribe. During his 2002-2010 presidency, Uribe debilitated the guerrilla ranks and killed several top rebel leaders with help from the United States through the $10 billion Plan Colombia. [Covert action in Colombia] But Uribe was unable to finish off the rebels on the battlefield. He has become the biggest critic of Santos and the peace process, depicting it as a shameful capitulation to a terrorist group widely condemned for drug trafficking, extortion, kidnapping and other crimes. Details of the latest agreement were not released Wednesday, and still unknown are the critical logistical elements of the FARC demobilization. The guerrillas have insisted all along that their emergence from Colombias jungles and mountains should not be treated as a surrender. Instead, they will gather in concentration zones to begin handing over their weapons but to officials from the United Nations, not the Colombian military. The zones will be in rural areas where FARC is a potent force and, in some cases, supplants the government. The latest polls of Colombian attitudes toward the peace negotiations underscore the contradictory feelings the talks have stirred in a country whose entire modern history has been marred by civil war. Although Santoss approval rating has slipped to about 20 percent and a majority of Colombians think the talks are on the wrong track, recent surveys indicate that once a peace deal is on the table, voters will take it, even if they have to hold their noses to do so. The government also has entered talks with the ELN, the countrys second-largest rebel group. The ELN, or National Liberation Army, retains an estimated 1,500 to 2,000 fighters and has staged deadly ambushes this year against security forces. From Cosmopolitan A man in Feasterville, Pennsylvania, has been arrested and charged with sexual assault after police discovered that he'd fathered two children with an 18-year-old woman living in his home. Officials believe the 18-year-old had been sexually abused by 51-year-old Lee Kaplan for years, resulting in the 3-year-old and infant children. At least 11 other females, ranging in age from 6 months to 18 years, were also found in Kaplan's home Thursday and Friday. It is unknown at this time if he assaulted any of the other girls living in his home. According to ABC, police believe that the 18-year-old was first "gifted" to Kaplan by her parents, Daniel and Savilla Stoltzfus, after he bailed the family out of debt when she was 14. Daniel and Savilla Stoltzfus are reportedly also the parents of several other children that were found in Kaplan's house, and were a part of the Amish community before being kicked out for unknown reasons. CBS reports that Kaplan has been charged with sexual assault, corruption of minors, indecent assault, and other related charges. The 18-year-old's father was charged with criminal conspiracy and endangering the welfare of a child, while her mother was only charged with endangering the welfare of a child. Both Kaplan and the victim's parents are currently being held at Bucks County Jail on $1 million bail each. Police are interviewing the other children to see if they were held against their will and in order to find out what their living conditions were. Follow Gina on Twitter. 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. UPDATED: A Delaware judge said Wednesday that the state of Sumner Redstones mental capacity is key to determining the legality of the move last week to replace five Viacom board members, including company chairman and CEO Philippe Dauman. Chancellor Andre Bouchard of Delaware Chancery Court told lawyers representing Viacom and Redstones National Amusements that he would put a hold on discovery in the case while the issue of Redstones mental competency is sorted out in a related case pending in a Massachusetts probate court. Bouchard said he would not force a parallel process of evaluating Redstone in the Delaware court out of compassion for the 93-year-old mogul. There are questions of human dignity to a very elderly person, said Bouchard. Thats treacherous ground to dive into too quickly. And so I am going to be cautious in that respect, particularly in light of the other proceedings that are ongoing at this point. Viacom filed suit against National Amusements last week after the board replacements were unveiled. Viacom and Dauman have argued in both cases that Redstone is being manipulated by his daughter, Shari Redstone, and does not have the mental capacity to call the shots regarding his media empire. Dauman and another ousted Viacom director, George Abrams, filed suit in Massachusetts last month after both were also removed from the board of National Amusements and the trust that will oversee Sumner Redstones holdings after his death. The widening legal battle over control of Sumner Redstones $40 billion empire has the effect of pitting Viacom, of which Redstone is chairman emeritus, against Redstones private National Amusements holding company. In the Delaware case, both National Amusements and Viacom last week asked the judge to affirm the fact that the existing Viacom board remains in place while the legal fight over the proposed replacements unfolds. The sides have been trying to negotiate a compromise agreement governing what the incumbent board can and cannot do until the legal fate of the replacements is settled. Bouchard said if the sides cant reach an agreement by Friday he may call them back to the court for a hearing. Story continues The incumbent board is going to be in place in the interim period while this case works its way out, he said. The judge also said he would allow the Redstone camp to file a motion to dismiss the Viacom suit entirely. If that happens, a hearing would likely be set for July. Bouchards focus on Sumner Redstones mental competency was seen as significant because National Amusements filing included a written declaration from the mogul. But the judge made it clear that Redstones capacity is a concern for him. The underlying issue of competency may well be relevant and, if it werent proceeding elsewhere, would be a legitimate issue here, he said, adding that he wanted to be notified of developments in the Massachusetts and California cases. If discovery proceeds there, I want to know about it, said Bouchard. If discovery is shut down there, I want to know about it. I want to be kept abreast of whats going on in the other litigations that bear on the status of competency issues in play. Redstone and National Amusements have argued that even if Redstones capacity was found to be compromised, the removals of Dauman and Abrams and the three other Viacom board members were valid because they were approved by a majority of the board of National Amusements, which include Sumner and Shari Redstone. Lawyers for Redstone argue that, if the mogul is deemed incapacitated, authority over his controlling interest in Viacom shifts to the National Amusements board. And a majority of the board Shari Redstone, her son Tyler Korff and long-time family advisers Leonard Lewin and David Andelman have already signed declarations saying they support the Dauman/ Abrams ouster. So even a finding that Redstone cannot control his own affairs would no alter the outcome, they believe. The afternoon hearing lasted just over an hour. James Rainey and Brent Lang contributed to this report. Related stories Viacom's Ongoing Woes Come After a Long Series of Corporate Missteps Sumner Redstone Asks Judge to Dismiss Philippe Dauman Lawsuit Legal Battle Over Viacom Board Shake-Up Headed to Delaware Court Beirut (AFP) - Warplanes have bombed the Islamic State group's de facto Syrian capital Raqa, killing at least 25 civilians, after the jihadists drove pro-government forces out of their bastion northern province. Twin offensives aimed at severing the jihadists' supply line from the Turkish border to Raqa city appear to have largely stalled as IS mounts a fierce defence using suicide bombers. Six children were among the 25 civilians killed in bombing raids on Raqa city Tuesday, said the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. "Dozens more were wounded, some of them critically," said the British-based monitor, adding they were likely carried out by regime ally Russia. The Syrian government, Russia and a US-led coalition have all carried out air strikes against IS in Raqa. The Observatory said fresh raids, apparently by the coalition, also hit the city Wednesday. Raqa is Being Slaughtered Silently (RBSS) -- an anti-IS activist group which gathers news on atrocities in the city -- posted photos of what it said were the aftermath of Tuesday's strikes. They show a concrete balcony hanging off the damaged facade of a residential building as a large fire engulfs a white minivan. The group has accused IS of preventing civilians from leaving the city in order to use them as human shields. RBSS activist Abu Mohammad told AFP that Tuesday's wounded were struggling to get proper medical treatment as IS has recruited most doctors in the city to treat its own fighters. - 'Disastrous' retreat - Raqa city was seized by IS in early 2014 and regime forces were expelled from the entire province that year. Backed by Russian warplanes, government forces re-entered the province this month as part of an offensive to retake Tabqa, a key town on IS's supply route from Turkey to Raqa city. But after advancing to within seven kilometres (four miles) of Tabqa airbase, they were driven back late Monday in a jihadist attack that killed 40 loyalists. Story continues A tribal militant who had fought alongside government forces recounted how the army had first been slowed down by mines planted by IS. "Then Daesh used a huge number of rockets and other explosives to attack the army," which was forced to withdraw from its main outposts, he told AFP, using the Arabic acronym for IS. Pro-government website Al-Masdar said the IS offensive had led to a "disastrous turn of events" and "a disorganised retreat that left behind weapons and several soldiers". Washington-based analyst Fabrice Balanche said the pullback could be attributed to a lack of "elite forces" engaged in the battle. "At the first suicide attacks, they retreated," he said. "The Syrian forces were spread too thin to be defendable." Further west in the adjacent province of Aleppo, another assault aimed at blocking IS supplies has stalled. The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces encircled the jihadist-held town of Manbij on June 10 but have since faced a barrage of IS suicide attacks. Abu Ibrahim, an SDF field commander stationed near Manbij, said IS attacked two villages east of the town on Wednesday morning. "They used a car bomb and tried to break through our lines of defence, but the SDF was able to block the attack," he said. Coalition warplanes "weren't leaving the sky" and had quickly responded to the SDF's call for help, he added. - 'Civilians are starving' - On Wednesday, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad named electricity minister Imad Khamis as the new prime minister and tasked him with forming a cabinet. The 54-year-old engineer replaces Wael al-Halqi who had held the post since August 2012. Syria's conflict began in 2011 with the brutal repression of anti-government demonstrations. It has killed more than 280,000 people and displaced millions. Peace efforts have failed to end the violence, and a truce brokered by the US and Russia has all but collapsed. UN mediator Staffan de Mistura hopes peace talks can resume in July, but has warned they cannot proceed "while hostilities are escalating and civilians are starving" Negotiations could restart if the truce was reinforced, humanitarian aid was increased, and a "common understanding of a political transition" was reached, he said Tuesday. "Then we can have, hopefully in July, inter-Syrian talks that are not about principles but about concrete steps to a political transition." The main Syrian opposition body -- the High Negotiations Committee -- has called for a transitional government body without Assad. But Syria's regime says Assad is a "red line" and it would only be willing to broaden the government structure to accommodate some opposition figures. Jerusalem (AFP) - Four Palestinians were on Wednesday handed life sentences for the killing of an Israeli couple as they drove in the West Bank with their children last year, the army said. "The military court in Samaria handed two life sentences and another 30 years to each of the four members of the Hamas cell that carried out the attack in which Eitam and Naama Henkin were murdered in front of their children," a statement read. The Palestinian assailants were named as Yahya Haj Hamed, Amjad Aliwi, Samir Kusa and Kerem Razek. The October 1 attack on the settler couple marked the beginning of a wave of Palestinian attacks. The violence has since 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. According to the army statement, the assailants had planned on apprehending the Henkin couple, but when their attempts to do so failed, they shot them from close range in front of their four children. Three of the four Palestinians sentenced were also involved in two previous shooting attacks on Israelis which lightly wounded one, the army said. Another three Palestinians involved in the Henkin attack were still facing sentencing. Days after the October attack, which shocked Israeli society, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a package of new measures against Palestinian assailants. They included swifter demolitions of their homes, which Netanyahu said was "one of the most efficient tools" in discouraging Palestinian attacks. The homes of three of the four Palestinians sentenced on Wednesday had been demolished in November. Last month, Israeli forces demolished the Nablus home of Zeid Amr, accused of staking out the site of the attack before other members of the Hamas cell shot the Henkins. [Photo: Monkey Business Images/REX/Shutterstock] Youd think going on holiday with mates would be plain sailing: book holiday, have fun, job done. But succumbing to the seduction of a getaway with folk you love without paying attention to a few important details can lead to a vacation thats the very antithesis of R&R. Weve put together a few simple rules to help you plan the best holiday with your homies. 1. Assemble the perfect crew Lets face it, holidays are a rare luxury and you want them to go as smoothly as possible so assembling the right group of mates is in everyones best interests. Couples with kids and couples without are probably not going to be on the same schedule. Same goes for folks who like to be active all day and those who want to do nothing but read on the beach. Choose friends youve gone on holiday with before or mates with similar interests. Shared holiday goals is what its all about. 2. Do a bit of planning You dont have to militant about it but a meet up at home before you go away so that everyone can express their hopes or worries about the trip is a great idea. Some folks like to plan some like to see how it goes, having a casual chat before can help you meet in the middle. 3. There will be cock ups Accept this. Youre far away from home and mistakes happen. I just got back from a holiday in Spain where we unwittingly drove two hours in the wrong direction. It sucked and it knocked a day off our holiday. It would have been easy to blame the driver but in the end we all had maps on our phones and could have taken responsibility for the journey.* Thankfully we all dealt with it extremely well because we were a crew of perfectly assembled mates. *We all agreed not to share this story so keep it under your hat, yeah? 4. Be direct Decision making is always tricky in a group. Nobody wants to suggest a restaurant or activity that turns out not to live up to expectations. Its a lot of pressure for one person. The truth is, you can never be sure how things will go but dithering and being too polite to make a choice is just as exhausting. Speak up, its for the good of the group. Story continues 5. Dont be afraid to talk about money Its easy to slip into Ill pay for the next thing territory but this can sometimes make things uneven. To avoid resentment or confusion keep a note of who has covered what or try to split things evenly there and then. Apps like Splittr can help you with this. Some people are genuinely forgetful, or have a different budget or just care less. Either way its perfectly fine to be frank about cash. 6. Alone time is fine Not everyone enjoys hanging round in groups 24/7. If youre an introvert who needs to take some time for yourself make sure you do. Have a wonder to the shops to get supplies or take recharging siesta. Recognising and managing your own needs is important and will ensure you have a lovely time. 7. People will have off moments Just like at home nobody is going to be in an amazing mood every waking moment of the holiday and thats fine. Whether its you or your mates getting hangry, feeling too hot, tired or hungover, its not personal, its just humans. Dont sweat the small stuff. Women Unite Against Street Harassment With Hashtag #nowomanever 14 Indisputable Truths Only Girls With Sisters Will Understand Daniel DiTomasso has exited Conviction, ABCs upcoming drama series from the Mark Gordon Co. and ABC Studios, which is slated to debut this fall. Co-created by Liz Friedman, who wrote the script, and Liz Friedlander, who will direct the pilot, Conviction stars Hayley Atwell as Carter Morrison, the brilliant but neer-do-well daughter of a former President who is blackmailed into taking a job as the head of Los Angeles newly created Conviction Integrity Unit. She, along with her team of lawyers, investigators and forensic experts, work together to examine cases where theres credible suspicion that the wrong person might have been convicted of a crime. DiTomasso played Jackson Morrison, Carters younger brother and the familys golden child, who also happens to be a top-end lawyer. Initially conceived as a guest star, the role was upgraded to a series regular in the pilot and cast with DiTomasso. The character now has been taken in a different direction. It has been a very quiet recasting season this year, with only a handful of actors being replaced on the new broadcast series. Related stories Nicole Ari Parker To Co-Star On New ABC Series 'Time After Time' In Recasting 'Black-ish': Peter Mackenzie Upped To Regular On ABC Comedy Series 'American Crime': Regina King Set To Return, Details About Season 3 Revealed On Thursday, June 23rd, Accenture Plc (ACN) will release its third-quarter fiscal 2016 earnings results. The company is currently a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) and shares are up over 13% on the year. In our latest live earnings preview, Dave Bartosiak took a look at Accentures past earnings results, its recent estimate revision activity, and everything else you need to know before the company reports. Dave also looked into some potential trade opportunities for investors looking to make a play on Accenture ahead of earnings. ACN in Focus Accenture Plc is a management consulting, technology services, and outsourcing company. Measured by revenues, Accenture is the worlds largest consulting company. The company works with major players in both the private sphere and the public sphere, and in recent years it has taken over jobs such as maintenance on HealthCare.gov and the Department of Defenses health records project. Accenture is coming off of a slight earnings surprise last quarter, as the company beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 13.56%. Over the trailing four quarters, ACN has beat on earnings three out four times by an average of 5.58%. ACCENTURE PLC Price and EPS Surprise ACCENTURE PLC Price and EPS Surprise | ACCENTURE PLC Quote Heading into this earnings report, our Most Accurate Estimate for Accenture is a penny higher than the Zacks Consensus Estimate, giving the company an Earnings ESP of 0.71%. Companies with positive Earnings ESPs and a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) or above are more likely to beat on earnings. Accentures recent success is being propelled by a series of moves that the company has made to improve its product offerings. The company has added products in the analytics application space and invested heavily in digital and marketing capabilities. Accenture has also recently teamed up with GE Healthcare, a division of General Electric (GE), to introduce a new offering to help improve medical claims processing and related cash flow for healthcare providers. Story continues Accenture Plc Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise Subscribe to our channel to be notified of future live streams. And make sure to check out our other videos for more stock information. David Bartosiak is the editor of the Momentum Trader and Home Run Investor service. He has over a decade of experience in the financial services industry. He has traded forex, futures, stocks, and options. Mr. Bartosiak is a frequent guest on popular business news TV channels such as Bloomberg TV. Hes also the host of a light-hearted, Millennial-minded series of videos called Trending Stocks. 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. 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 ACCENTURE PLC (ACN): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research NEWARK, DE / ACCESSWIRE / June 22, 2016 / Accurexa Inc. (the "Company") (ACXA), a biotechnology company focused on the development of novel neurological therapies to be directly delivered into the brain, announced today that it has submitted a request for a pre-IND (Investigational New Drug) meeting to the U.S. FDA (Food and Drug Administration) for its ACX-31 program for the local delivery of temozolomide as adjunctive therapy to BCNU, both chemotherapeutics, in the treatment of brain tumors in conjunction with surgery and radiation. A pre-IND meeting typically occurs within 60 days of the FDA receipt of the written meeting request per FDA's own guidance. "The pre-IND meeting is an important step for us to continue our ACX-31 program towards the path of clinical development required to obtain U.S. FDA approval. We look forward to the FDA's responses and are preparing ourselves for the initiation of a first-in-human clinical trial. Given the limited options that brain cancer patients and their physicians still face today, unfortunately, we are committed to moving our ACX-31 program as fast as possible," said Dr. George Yu, Accurexa's President & CEO. The IND (Investigational New Drug) application is the vehicle through which a sponsor (that develops a new drug) advances to the next stage of drug development known as clinical trials (human trials). A pre-IND meeting enables early interactions with FDA staff and can provide a sponsor information that will assist it in planning a drug development program and preparing to submit an IND application, and thus can reduce time to market through more efficient drug development. About Accurexa, Inc. The Company is focused on developing novel neurological therapies to be directly delivered into specific regions of the brain. It is developing its ACX-31 program for the local delivery of temozolomide as adjunctive therapy to BCNU, both chemotherapeutics, to brain tumor sites. The ACX-31 program is based on an issued patent licensed from Accelerating Combination Therapies LLC which is co-owned by Prof. Henry Brem, Director of the Neurosurgery Department at Johns Hopkins University. The Company is collaborating in the development of its ACX-31 program with Prof. Henry Brem who built one of the largest brain tumor research and treatment centers in the world at Johns Hopkins University. Prof. Robert Langer, who is the David H. Koch Institute Professor at MIT and the most cited engineer in history, has also advised the Company in the development of its ACX-31 program. The Company engaged the Yissum Research Development Company of The Hebrew University of Jerusalem Ltd. ("Yissum") to develop and supply polymeric formulations of a combination of temozolomide and BCNU. Professor Avi Domb leads the development efforts provided by Yissum. Prof. Brem, Prof. Langer and Prof. Domb are pioneers in the development of local drug delivery treatments, and invented and developed Gliadel (carmustine implant) which is a FDA approved, local chemotherapy for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme. Oral temozolomide is a generic, FDA approved, first-line chemotherapy drug that is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme concomitantly with radiotherapy and then as maintenance treatment. Before oral temozolomide became generic, it generated US sales of approximately $420 million and global sales of approximately $910 million under its brand name Temodar in 2012. However, current standard of care of delivering temozolomide to tumor sites through oral administration is limited by the blood-brain-barrier and oral temozolomide increases patient survival by 2.5 months from a 12.1 months median overall survival. Animal studies at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine[1] have shown that local delivery of temozolomide increased concentrations of the drug in the brain threefold and increased survival up to fourfold compared with oral administration. The percentage of long-term survivors for groups receiving local delivery of temozolomide ranged from 25% to 37.5% while there were no long-term survivors with orally administered temozolomide. Further animal studies at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine[2] have shown that the additive effect of combined delivery of local temozolomide with local BCNU, especially in combination with radiotherapy, was significantly more effective than delivery of either drug alone or one systemically and one locally, either with or without radiation. Groups treated with combination of local temozolomide, local BCNU and radiation therapy had 75% long-term survivors. Additional information about the Company may be found on its website, www.accurexa.com. Notes: 1 Brem S, Tyler BM, Li K, Pradilla G, Legnani F, Caplan J, et al. Local delivery of temozolomide by biodegradable polymers is superior to oral administration in a rodent glioma model. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 2007; 60:643-50. 2 Renard Recinos V, Tyler BM, Brem H, et al. Combination of intracranial temozolomide with intracranial carmustine improves survival when compared with either treatment alone in a rodent glioma model. Neurosurgery 2010; 66:530-537. Safe Harbor Statement This release contains certain "forward-looking statements" relating to the business of the Company. All statements, other than statements of historical fact included herein are "forward-looking statements" including statements regarding: the ability of the Company to successfully submit an IND application and conduct clinical trials, develop and commercialize novel neurological therapies based on U.S. Patent No. 8,895,597 B2, or its ACX-31 program and execute its business plan; the business strategy, plans, and objectives of the Company; and any other statements of non-historical information. These forward-looking statements are often identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "believes," "expects" or similar expressions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, they do involve assumptions, risks, and uncertainties, and these expectations may prove to be incorrect. Investors should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this news release. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, including those discussed in the Company's periodic reports that are filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available on its website (http://www.sec.gov). All forward-looking statements attributable to the Company or persons acting on its behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by these factors. Other than as required under the securities laws, the Company does not assume any duty to update these forward-looking statements. Contact Investor Relations: David Burke The Ruth Group Tel.: 646-536-7009 dburke@theruthgroup.com Accurexa Inc. info@accurexa.com Tel.: 302-709-1822 SOURCE: Accurexa Inc. London (AFP) - Actor Liam Neeson warned that Britain leaving the European Union would have a dire impact on his native Northern Ireland in a statement released to AFP on Wednesday. "A UK exit would have the worst ramifications for the island of Ireland," said Neeson, known for his roles in films from "Schindler's List" to the "Taken" series. "Economically, this would be a backwards step." A vote for a so-called Brexit would bring Northern Ireland out of the EU along with the rest of the United Kingdom, while independent Ireland would remain a member. The border between the two would then become Britain's only land border with the world's biggest trading bloc, something Irish prime minister Enda Kenny has said would cause "extra costs to governments, to business, to consumers". Neeson warned Brexit could reverse progress made by a peace process to end decades of violence known as the Troubles, which pitted mostly Protestant pro-British unionists against largely Catholic nationalists in favour of a united Ireland. "Border controls would be implemented to allegedly stop illegal immigrants coming into the UK through the back door. Trade will be enormously impacted," he said. "It would be truly a shame to sacrifice all the progress that has been made by the peace process regarding border controls." The border between Ireland and Northern Ireland has become near-invisible under common membership of the EU single market, and since a 1998 peace deal brought an end to the Troubles. During the worst years of the conflict, locals had to travel through military checkpoints to reach jobs or visit family on the other side of the border. Neeson, 64, a native of Ballymena who began his acting career in Belfast, declared his support for the "Irish4Europe" campaign to encourage Irish people living in Britain to vote in favour of EU membership. "There is strength in unity. A BREXIT vote will make us weak," Neeson wrote. "I urge you to go out and vote to remain in the EU." China's mutual fund market grows in May Updated: 2016-06-22 16:47 (Xinhua) BEIJING - Assets managed by China's mutual funds increased by 359 billion yuan (about $54 billion) last month to 8 trillion yuan. The amount remained below the record level of 8.4 trillion yuan set at the end of December, according to the Asset Management Association of China. The May increase was attributed to 293 billion yuan invested in money market funds. The safer bond funds also grew by 44.3 billion yuan, while riskier stock funds shrank by 527 million yuan as the equity market is still vulnerable and volatile. Actress Jacqueline Fernandez irked the Sikh community after she was spotted wearing a mini dress with a kirpan tied around her waist, in the teaser of the song, Sau tarah Ke in Rohit Dhawans upcoming film, Dishoom. The complainant, Manjinder Singh Sirsa, general secretary of the Gurudwara Management Committee, wrote a letter to Pahlaj Nihlani, chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), instructing him to remove the song from the movie, and also demanded an apology from the cast and the director of the film. A number of Indian actors have been accused of misrepresenting or hurting religious sentiments, and have been charged under section 295A of the Indian Penal Code (outraging religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious belief) for their actions in various films. Here are nine actors who have been accused of hurting religious sentiments: Kiku Sharda: In January 2016, stand-up comedian and film and television actor, Kiku Sharda, who plays Palak in Comedy Nights with Kapil, was arrested at 1 a.m from his home in Mumbai and sent to a 14-day judicial custody, by the Haryana Police, for allegedly mimicking Dera Sacha Sauda chief, Baba Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh. The case, under Section 295-A of the IPC, was registered on the basis of a complaint filed by a follower of the organisation, Uday Singh. Sharda later apologised for hurting religious sentiments, stating that he was only following the script. Ali Asgar: Actor comedian Ali Asgar, who plays Daadi in Comedy Nights with Kapil, was also booked under Section 295-A for mimicking the Dera chief. He, along with Kiku Sharda had acted in a skit on a programme titled Jashn-e-Ummed which was aired in December last year. After Shardas arrest Asgar had moved the Bombay High Court, and was granted anticipatory bail. Hrithik Roshan: The actors controversial, alleged relationship with Kangana Ranaut landed him in legal trouble, after he was sent a notice under Section 295-A of the IPC, for a tweet that he had made referring to the Pope. In January this year, Roshan had tweeted, There r more chances of me having had an affair with d Pope dan any of d (I m sure wonderful) women d media hs ben naming. Thanks but no thanks (sic). This remark was made after Ranaut allegedly referred to him as her silly ex-lover. The legal notice was sent by former Vice-Chairman of Maharashtra Minority Commission, Abraham Mathai. Story continues Salman Khan: Controversys favourite child, Salman Khan found himself in trouble when a model walked the ramp at a fashion show organised by Khans Being Human charity, wearing a T-shirt with an Arabic word inscribed on it. The complaint was filed by Mumbai resident Mohammad Arif. In another incident, a complaint was filed against Khan for entering a makeshift temple which was erected on the sets of Bigg Boss 9, wearing shoes. Advocate Gaurav Gulati had sought the registration of an FIR against Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Colours Channel and the director and producer of the show. The complaint was, however, dismissed by a Delhi court. Shah Rukh Khan: In 2012, a case was filed against the mega-star and his wife and co-producer, Gauri Khan, in the Muzzafarpur district in Bihar over the song, Radha on the Dance Floor from the film Student of the Year. The case, under Section 295(A) and 120 (B) (on grounds of hurting religious sentiments) of Indian Penal Code (IPC), was filed by Shrivision Social Empowerment and Welfare Association, an NGO, amid claims that, in the song, Radha was referred to as sexy, hence hurting religious sentiments. Aamir Khan: While the 2014 satirical comedy was one of the highest grossing Indian films, it faced a lot of slack with activists of Hindu organisations such as Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal protesting against the film, which they said hurt religious sentiments. In one of the sequences, an actor had to dress up like Lord Shiva and pull a rickshaw, with two burqa clad women sitting on it. Residents of the Old Delhi locality, where the scene was being shot, objected to this and filed a complaint with the local police station against Aamir Khan and others in the film. Sunny Deol: The release of Mohalla Assi, a satirical film starring Sunny Deol, loosely based on Dr Kashinath Singhs popular novel, Kashi Ka Assi, was stayed by a Delhi court in June 2015, for allegedly hurting religious sentiments. Deol plays a Sanskrit teacher in the film, which is set in Varanasi and is a satire on the commercialisation of religious cities and fake gurus. The films trailer was released on 12 June, 2015, and, shortly afterwards, an FIR was filed against Deol and the director of the film, Chandra Prakash Dwivedi, for allegedly using abusive words in the film. Mohalla Assi was banned by the CBFC in April, 2016. Kamal Hassan: The actor has repeatedly found himself in loggerheads with religious groups over his various films. After Muslim civic organisations called for a ban of the 2013 spy thriller film, Vishwaroopam on the grounds that the film was defamatory to Islamic ethos and would hurt Muslim sentiments, the Indian National League (INL), a Muslim organisation, joined hands with the VHP in a petition against the release of the Kamal Hassan starrer Uttama Villain. VHP had sought a ban on the film in April, this year, stating that it hurt the sentiments of Hindus. They specifically mentioned that the lyrics of the song, Iraniyam Naadagam, will upset the followers of Lord Vishnu as it belittles the conversation between mythological figures Prahalad and Hiranyakashipu. Akshay Kumar: The 2012 satirical comedy-drama, OMG-Oh My God!, which is an adaptation of the Australian movie, The man who sued God, whose storyline is based on the Gujarati stage-play Kanji Virudh Kanji, generated controversy over its depiction of Hindu gods and spiritual traditions. Nimisha Mehta, Jalandhar State Mahila Congress Vice President, lodged a complaint against actors Akshay Kumar and Paresh Rawal, director Umesh Shukla and the producers of the film, for hurting Hindu sentiments. By Hamid Shalizi KABUL (Reuters) - On a bright day in downtown Kabul, Jagtar Singh Laghmani was in his traditional herb shop when a man turned up, drew a knife and told him to convert to Islam or he would cut his throat. Only bystanders and other shopkeepers saved his life. The incident earlier this month was the latest attack on a dwindling community of Sikhs and Hindus in Afghanistan, a deeply conservative Muslim country struggling with growing insecurity caused by an Islamist insurgency and economic challenges. Once a thriving minority, only a handful of Sikh and Hindu families remain. Many have chosen to flee the country of their birth, blaming growing discrimination and intolerance. "This is how we begin our day - with fear and isolation. If you are not a Muslim, you are not a human in their eyes," said Jagtar Singh, speaking in his tiny shop in the bustling center of Kabul. "I don't know what to do or where to go." For centuries, Hindu and Sikh communities played a prominent role in merchant trade and money lending in Afghanistan, although today they are known more for medicinal herb shops. According to Avtar Singh, chairman of the national council of Hindus and Sikhs, the community now numbers fewer than 220 families, compared with around 220,000 members before the collapse of the Kabul government in 1992. Once spread across the country, the community is now mainly concentrated in the eastern provinces of Nangarhar, Ghazni, and the capital Kabul. Although Afghanistan is almost entirely Muslim, its constitution, drawn up after U.S.-led forces drove out the Taliban government in 2001, theoretically guarantees the right of minority religions to worship freely. But as the conflict drags on, Avtar Singh said conditions were worse than under the Taliban, which imposed strict Islamic laws, staged public executions and banned girls from schools. Hindus and Sikhs had to wear yellow patches that identified them in public, but were otherwise seldom bothered. "The good old days have long gone when we were treated as Afghans, not as outsiders," Avtar Singh said from a temple in Kabul, all the while keeping an eye on visitors using monitors linked to security cameras. "Our lands have been taken by powerful figures in the government, especially by the warlords. We are facing threats, and this small community is getting smaller and smaller every day," he added. Last week, dozens of Hindu and Sikh families left Helmand, where Taliban insurgents, who have a presence in much of the southern province, sent a letter demanding 200,000 Afghani ($2,800) a month from the community. HOSTILITY Tensions have surfaced in Qalacha, an area on the outskirts of Kabul where the Sikh and Hindu community owns a high-walled crematorium. As the capital has expanded in recent years, the neighborhood has become densely populated and some newer residents oppose Hindu and Sikh cremations, a practice foreign to Muslims, who bury their dead. "When they burn the body the smell makes our family sick and we don't want this to happen here," said Ahmad Timor, a Muslim resident in Qalacha. The Sikhs say local Muslim hardliners have stirred up hostility against them, and the community now requires police protection for their funeral rituals. "They throw stones and bricks at us, at the bodies of the dead, whenever there is a funeral," said Avtar Singh, pointing to a newly built house next to the crematorium. Dahi-ul Haq Abid, deputy minister for Haj and religious affairs, said the government had done what it could to improve the livelihood of Hindus and Sikhs. "We agree that conflicts pushed them out of the country, but their condition is not as bad as they claim," Abid added. "We have allocated them a place to burn their bodies because inside the city people complained about the smell, but they did not agree," he told Reuters. Harassment is also common. Jasmeet Singh, eight, stopped going to school because of what he said was daily harassment. He and other children from the community now either go to private schools or study inside the temple. "While I was at school, other students were making fun of me. They were removing my turban, hitting me and calling me Hindu and kaffir (infidel)," said Jasmeet Singh, as other boys nodded their heads in agreement. Increasing numbers of Sikhs and Hindus have moved to India, their spiritual homeland, but some say they remain foreigners wherever they go. "When we go to India, we are known as Afghans, but when we are here, we are seen as outsiders even if we are native Afghan," said Baljit Singh, a shopkeeper in Kabul. "We are lost between both worlds." (Editing by Mike Collett-White) The past week saw United Continental Holdings, Inc. UAL issuing an improved outlook with respect to passenger revenue per available seat mile (PRASM: a key measure of unit revenue) for the second quarter of 2016. The company, at an investor call, also highlighted its plans to improve financial performance and operations. The announcement found favor with the investors and the stock gained 3.36% on Jun 21 to close at $44.86. Low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines SAVE also rallied following its upgrade by Credit Suisse. On the traffic front, Latin American carrier GOL Linhas Aereas Inteligentes S.A. GOL revealed disappointing numbers for the month of May. Load factor (% of seats filled by passengers) declined as the contraction in traffic was more than that in capacity. Meanwhile, according to the employment data for passenger airlines, there was a substantial year-over-year increase in full-time equivalent (FTE) employment this April. On the price front, the NYSE ARCA Airline index gained only 0.26% to $82.98 over the past week. Read the last Airline Stock Roundup for June 15, 2016. TRANSPORTATION-AIRLINE Industry Price Index TRANSPORTATION-AIRLINE Industry Price Index Recap of the Past Weeks Most Important Stories 1. Chicago-based United Continental Holdings, which has been struggling for long, recently revealed plans to boost revenues, trim costs in a bid to improve its financial performance and gain customers. The company also unveiled an improved PRASM outlook for the second quarter of 2016. The company now expects the metric to fall in the band of 6.5% to 7.5% (earlier forecast had called for a 6.5% to 8.5% decline). Through the proper execution of its initiatives, the carrier aims to generate additional revenues of $3.1 billion by 2018 ($300 million through operational improvement, $1.5 billion through commercial betterment and $1.3 billion by trimming cost structure). 2. GOL Linhas, weighed down by weak economic conditions and currency headwinds, reported dismal traffic numbers in May with all three key metrics viz. traffic, capacity and load factor moving south. Traffic measured in revenue passenger kilometers (RPK) stood at 2.80 billion, down 7.8% from a year ago. Story continues Also, on a year-over-year basis, consolidated capacity (or available seat kilometers/ASKs) was down 6.6% to 3.74 billion mainly because of declines of 6.3% and 8.8% in domestic and international capacity, respectively. Load factor contracted 90 basis points to 74.9% in May 2016. Furthermore, in the month, the carrier witnessed a 21.3% decline in the volume of departures. 3. According to data released by the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, there was a 3.6% increase in the number of workers employed by U.S. scheduled passenger airlines. This marked the 29th consecutive month of year-over-year increase. The report also stated that the number of FTEs (407,763) for Apr 2016 was the highest since Jul 2008. According to the update, the most number of FTEs in the month were employed by the American Airlines Group AAL, among the network airlines. Southwest Airlines LUV took the honors in the low-cost carrier category. 4. Good news flowed in for Spirit Airlines as analysts at Credit Suisse upgraded the rating on the stock to Outperform. The firm also raised its target price on the carrier as analysts are bullish on its 2017 prospects despite increasing oil prices. Not only 2017, analysts expect performance of the low-cost carrier with respect to unit revenue to be better than its peers in the second half of 2016 as well. 5 In a bid to expand further, Alaska Airlines, the wholly owned subsidiary of Alaska Air Group, Inc. ALK, announced its decision to launch daily nonstop flights connecting Portland and Orlando starting March next year. Alaska Air Group will be operating flights on The Boeing Companys 737 fuel efficient jets. Performance The following table shows the price movement of the major airline players over the past week and during the last 6 months. Company Past Week Last 6 months HA -1.62% -2.78% UAL 5.65% -22.66% GOL 16.26% 35.83% DAL -1.60% -25.28% JBLU -3.03% -30.08% AAL -3.05% -30.02% SAVE 0.74% 2.88% LUV 1.25% -6.94% VA 0.18% 50.68% ALK 0.08% -26.02% The table shows that most of airline stocks traded in the green over the past week although the gains were mostly muted. Shares of GOL Linhas appreciated the most (16.26%). Over the past six months majority of the airline stocks lost value, leading to a 7.19% decline in the NYSE ARCA Airline index. Shares of JetBlue Airways Corp. JBLU lost the maximum at 30.08% over the same period. What's Next in the Airline Space? All eyes will be on Southwest Airlines investor day presentation, scheduled on Jun 23. The Brexit vote on the same day is also much awaited. 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 SOUTHWEST AIR (LUV): Free Stock Analysis Report JETBLUE AIRWAYS (JBLU): Free Stock Analysis Report GOL LINHAS-ADR (GOL): Free Stock Analysis Report ALASKA AIR GRP (ALK): Free Stock Analysis Report UNITED CONT HLD (UAL): Free Stock Analysis Report SPIRIT AIRLINES (SAVE): Free Stock Analysis Report AMER AIRLINES (AAL): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research By Dan Williams and Suleiman Al-Khalidi JERUSALEM/AMMAN (Reuters) - A new airport planned by Israel near its border with Jordan is clouding the usually businesslike relationship the two neighbors have built since making peace in 1994. Due to open next April, Ilan & Asaf Ramon Airport at Timna, in Israel's desert south, will be 10 km (6 miles) from Jordan's King Hussein International Airport. They will serve Eilat and Aqaba, the adjacent Israeli and Jordanian resort cities on the Red Sea. Citing worry the proximity could spell dangerous disruptions to its air corridors, Amman last year complained to the U.N. International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Israel said Ramon would abide by ICAO regulations and pose no safety risk. The ICAO later said Israel and Jordan were addressing the matter directly "as one would expect from two countries with a peace treaty and a wide scope of cooperation in many fields". Israeli Transport Minister Yisrael Katz played down the dispute with Jordan, one of two Arab states with full ties with Israel. "There is no confrontation," he told Reuters in an interview. "There have been discussions (and) it was agreed that we will hold a professional-level meeting. The (Ramon) airport will open, and there will be coordination of air traffic." Jordan sounds less upbeat, however. "We do not want to stand in the way of Israeli projects, but we have our concerns regarding our own airport, and there is also the matter of keeping the spirit of our peace agreement," said a Jordanian official who declined to be identified. The official was referring to a proposal, discussed in conjunction with the treaty, of building a joint Israeli-Jordanian airport. Katz said such a facility was an "option" that had gone unexercised. Opened in 1972, King Hussein underwent expansions after the 1994 peace accord to meet what the airport's website said was the rising demand of air traffic. Katz said Israel was therefore free to open Ramon on its side of the border. TOURISM Jordan's concern, he suggested, was over the prospective loss of tourists to Israel. Ramon will have a 3.6-km (2.2-mile) runway able to accommodate the largest airliners while King Hussein's runway length is a more limiting 3.1 km (1.9 miles). King Hussein currently handles around four to six takeoffs and landings a day. Israel is planning for 10 times that capacity at Ramon. "The thing is, this (Ramon) is a big international airport, representing a mass of tourists, which is seen as possibly competing with them in tourism and such things," Katz said. "We will propose to them that large planes that can't land there (King Hussein) will land here. I have no problem with people going to Aqaba from there (Ramon). They can cross at Arava crossing," he said, referring to an overland border terminal north of Eilat, a 15-km (9-mile) drive from Ramon. Peace with Israel was never popular among ordinary Jordanians, many of whom are Palestinian, and Amman officials sometimes lament what they see as the sluggish dividends from economic cooperation with their richer neighbor. One Jordanian official based in the Aqaba area accused Israel of building Ramon airport to "market Petra" - the nearby archaeological wonder in Jordan - for excursions by tourists who would spend the bulk of their vacation in Eilat. "We are protecting our national tourism industry from any invasion and from selling it illegally," said the official, who also requested anonymity. "Now we have imposed on those coming from the (Arava) crossing to either pay sixty dinars ($85) for a one-day (visa) or spend two nights in the kingdom," with the fee refunded, the official said. Eilat is currently served by a small municipal airport whose planned demolition will free up real estate within view of the beach. Named after an Israeli astronaut lost in the 2003 space shuttle disaster and his eldest son, who died in a 2009 air force accident, Ramon is envisaged as an emergency alternative to Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv, Israel's main international gateway. Ben Gurion was briefed shunned by most foreign carriers due to incoming Palestinian rockets during the 2014 Gaza war. (Additional reporting by Victoria Bryan in Frankfurt and Alison Lampert in Montreal; Editing by Jeffrey Heller and Andrew Roche) Alex Garcia, an editor-turned-sales agent who helped transform the film industry fortunes of Latin America, died May 26 of complications from lung cancer. He was 56. Born and raised in Miami by Cuban parents, Garcia studied at UCLA and graduated in film studies from Columbia College. He spent 25 years as a film editor, working with Steve Spielbergs three-times Oscar winning editor Michael Kahn and on independent productions. Meeting Sandro Fiorin, who became his partner in business and life, in 2006 Garcia and Fiorin launched FiGa Films hence its moniker to discover and distribute the best of young Latin American talent, distributing their films in the U.S. and selling them to international markets. Nowadays, many sales companies try to have at least one Latin American title on their books. But when Fiorin and Garcia launched FiGa Films at the Sundance Festival in 2006, the idea of a sales company focusing on Latin America was almost unknown. FiGa Films proved, however, to be one of the earliest instances of industry recognition towards the export viability of films from Latin America, to which it lent its own momentum. As wave after wave of films from new Latin American directors hit festivals from mid-last decade, FiGas core specialist business proved almost inevitably to be the first features or early films of up-and-coming talent. Films Garcia took on included Mexican Yulene Olazoilas 2008 Intimacies of Shakespeare and Victor Hugo, 2010s A Useful Life and 2015s The Apostate, both from Federico Veiroj, as well as Anna Muylaerts 2011 Smoke Gets in Your Eyes and Kleber Mendonca Filhos Neighboring Sounds, released in 2012. FiGa soon gained a reputation for taking on films which other sales agents might love but never think of selling, and spreading its net wider to than other agents to Bolivia (Martin Boulocqs Los viejos), Central America (Costa Rican Paz Fabregas 2015 Tribeca hit, Viaje) and regional Brazil, whether Pernambuco (Neighboring Sounds, August Winds) or Puerto Alegre (Castanha). Story continues The six titles in a 2013 tribute by Ventana Sur to FiGa Films, the first of its kind, represent something new, an unknown director, a novel narrative, something different, Garcia wrote with Fiorin in an introduction to the homage. A former teacher of editing at Columbia College, and a self-confessed admirer of classic films, Broadway musicals and cats, Garcia took on films which straddled the borders between documentary and film (Marimbas in Hell, Castanha), explored social setting in preference to character (August Winds) and avoided traditional story drive. FiGa Films placed their films in such festivals as, just in the U.S., Sundance, SXSW, and Tribeca. They won multiple festival plaudits, from San Sebastians top Golden Shell for Bad Hair in 2013 to a Rotterdam Tiger for Thursday Through Sunday a year before. The last prize for a film Garcia handled came at Cannes this May, the best documentary Prix de lOeil dOr for Eric Rochas Cinema Novo. Five of the 10 last winners of Toulouses CineLatino Festival were FiGa titles. They were rarely easy sells. Some broke out, however: Bad Hair sold 32 territories in all. But Garcias contribution to Latin American films was larger. Considerably older and far more experienced than most of the young tyro directors he worked with, he served as a mentor to many young filmmakers. bringing his editors experience to help mould their films. He also helped Figa transform rapidly into a company which was far more than a simple sales agent, helping filmmakers to find production partners, advising through the post-production process, finding further funding at work-in-progress competitions, securing vital festival slots and advising on films releases, working sales on a film for years, down to second TV windows. Doing so, he helped dozens of filmmakers hone their craft as well as develop a consciousness of a world which was avid for their films, however niche the audiences, beyond their native countries. The explosion of world cinema on the world stage is one of cinemas most recent revolutions, in which Garcia played his part. Alex Garcia was a generous and kind-hearted person, a lover and supporter of cinema who championed filmmakers and their films, who, along with his partner of many years, Sandro Fiorin, devoted his life to cinema and culture, said Diana Sanchez, the Toronto Festivals programmer for Spain, Portugal and Latin America and Panama Festival artistic director. Garcia is survived by Fiorin, his spouse, plus an older sister and brother. Related stories Breaking Glass Pics Takes North American Rights to 'The Apostate' (EXCLUSIVE) Rotterdam-Berlin: FiGa/Br Introduces 'Where I Grow Old' (EXCLUSIVE) Mar del Plata: FiGa Rolls Out 'The Apostate,' Latin American Slate (EXCLUSIVE) (Reuters) - Allegiant Travel Co said it has struck a tentative contract agreement with pilots at its Allegiant Air after prolonged negotiations. The deal comes after years of unsuccessful contract talks and allegations made by the pilots union that Allegiant failed to abide by a July 2014 federal court injunction that directed the low-cost carrier to restore the pilots' benefits and work rule protections to levels negotiated previously. The tentative agreement must be voted on and ratified by Allegiant Air pilots, who were represented by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, and the results are expected in late July, the company said. Last year, the air pilots threatened to go on a strike but they were blocked by a U.S. court after Allegiant sued the pilots' union saying they had violated the Railway Labor Act by moving to strike before the parties had exerted every effort to settle their disputes. Later the company said it would raise its pilots' pay by 5-7 percent per hour effective May 1, 2015 and that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had stepped up its surveillance of labor disputes at the low-cost airline operator. (Reporting by Shivam Srivastava in Bengaluru; Editing by Gopakumar Warrier) As the rejuvenated sportscar company gets ready to launch its first new model in 21 years, Alpine will be using this year's Goodwood Festival of Speed (FoS) to remind the car-loving public of its impressive motorsports heritage and to get them excited about the cars about to come. In all, the company, now part of Renault, is bringing 11 different Alpines to this year's FoS including the A460, the racer fresh from wining the LM P2 category at the 2016 Le Mans 24 hours earlier in June. To show how much times have changed, it will be performing on the Hillclimb circuit alongside the A442 B, the Renault Alpine car that won Le Mans outright in 1978 and gave the company the proof it needed that it could compete in Formula 1. However, the Alpine most likely to cause excitement is the Vision concept. First unveiled in February as a definitive clue to what the company's first production road car in over two decades will look like, it takes the classic lines of the Alpine A110 and reinterprets them for the 21st century. The car has a low center of gravity, a mid-mounted engine and rear-wheel drive. The company hasn't confirmed exactly what that engine is but has claimed that thanks to the car's low stance and use of weight-saving materials, it's enough to deliver a 0-100km/h time of 4.5 seconds. And that figure is important as Alpine promises the same stat for the production version due very soon. To make sure that visitors can see the family resemblance, several examples of the iconic Alpine A110 will also be on show in hardtop and in ultra-rare convertible form. And last but not least there will be an appearance from the car that started everything -- Le Marquis. Alpine founder Jean Redele was a talented mechanic and one that liked his Renault 4CV, but he was convinced he'd love it if he could make faster. He modified the engine and then started looking to aluminum and fiber glass as a means of making the body lighter. The Le Marquis was built in 1954 with an aluminum body designed by Giovanni Michelotti. It was shipped to the US where it was going to be reproduced with a fiberglass shell and sold in large numbers to challenge the popularity of British sportscars in the country. However, while nothing came of the deal, the car, which in Alpine's words is the flame' that lit the Alpine fire, had been stranded in the US until now. Redele's son Jean-Charles recently oversaw its return to France and now it will be greeting the Goodwood crowds. This year's Goodwood Festival of Speed runs June 23-26 in England. PARIS Patrick Drahi, the French-Israeli tycoon behind Altice, the new parent company of Cablevision and the U.S.s fourth biggest telecommunications operator, told the AFP that Altice will be launching its news channel i24 News in the U.S. within a year. Launched in 2013 and headquartered in Israel, i24 News would fill the void left by Al Jazeera America, which folded in January after bowing three years ago in the States. The French version (of i24 News) is mainly focused on the Middle East and France. The U.K. version is about the Middle East. The American version will be about the Middle East and the United States, Drahi told the AFP. The businessman, who is the founder and controlling shareholder of Altice, added, I want i24 News to show both sides: The man whos in Gaza as much as the man whos in Tel Aviv. I want the French to hear the opinion of Americans. I want the New Yorkers to hear the opinion of the French and all that will enable people to engage in discussions, have a different vision than the one perpetuated by others (alluding to Al Jazeera America) who have indeed not succeeded. Altice is expected to staff the American version of i24 News with U.S. and French journalists. Drahi also said he intended on rolling out a slew of French-language channels, including the groups French news channel BFMTV, in the U.S. Another item on Altices agenda is to develop and produce original French drama series as part of its strategy to invest in premium content. In February, the company appointed Nora Melhli, formerly head of drama at Shine France and CEO of Endemol Fiction, to spearhead original creation and non-linear content, including Zive, its new SVOD platform. Altice announced on Tuesday the completion of its $17.7 billion acquisition of Cablevision and the subsequent formation of Altice USA, the fourth-largest operator in the country, which combines Cablevision and Suddenlink. Upon unveiling the deal, Drahi said Altice USA was a key pillar of (the groups) business and a powerful and dynamic growth platform, adding that Altice will accelerate network investments and bring innovative products and services to U.S. Story continues Related stories James Dolan Exits Weinstein Company Board Altice Completes Cablevision Acquisition, Creating No. 4 U.S. Cable Operator Cablevision Acquirer Altice Stock Drops 5% After Announcing 2015 Results Coming off of light-hearted dramedy Jane The Virgin, CBS serial killer drama American Gothic seemed like a swerve for writer/producer Corinne Brinkerhoff, but the first-time showrunner tells TheWrap that the two have more in common than you might think. Believe it or not theres actually quite a bit of comedy in American Gothic,' she said. I know it sounds illogical, but I think one of the ways people deal with traumatic situations is with gallows humor. Its certainly what I do, and I love that. The CBS summer series is about a prominent Boston family that discovers its newly deceased patriarch (Jamey Sheridan) may have been a notorious serial killer, and that his widow (Virginia Madsen) or one of his four adult children may have been his longtime accomplice. Also Read: CBS Sets Premiere Dates for New Series 'BrainDead,' Return of 'Zoo' Below, Brinkerhoff describes her first outing as a showrunner, how she ended up being an executive producer on two shows at once, and how the mystery of American Gothic remains elusive, even for the cast. TheWrap: This is your first time as a showrunner, whats that been like? Corinne Brinkerhoff: Its a whole new ball game. Its wonderful. Its a steep learning curve but I feel confident Ill do it much better next time! [laughs] Its been fantastic. Im surrounded by fantastic writers and cast and crew. Youre also an executive producer on The CWs No Tomorrow. How does that work, are you in both rooms at the same time? No, I wish! Not yet. That writers room started last week and I was in Toronto to be on set for an episode of American Gothic. So theyre focused on that, and I try to catch up whenever I can. And when we wrap here, Ill go over and see what I can do over there. Both machines have to be going simultaneously. Also Read: Steven Spielberg, James Frey Murder Mystery 'American Gothic' Gets Series Order From CBS Both of these shows happened at the same time. Was that always the plan or was there a moment where you realized it was all happening at once? No, it was definitely a happy accident. I was working on Jane The Virgin and I did American Gothic, I wrote the script back in January of 2015 and it seemed like it had a shot of getting picked up, but then we realized it would be a great fit for summer, since its an atypical show for CBS. Thankfully they were interested in doing something a little different. Meanwhile, I was still on Jane and was told to sit tight, so I sat tight and after six or seven months, and I thought, maybe we should have heard back by now. At that point, it was a new development cycle, so I met with Ben Silverman, who is one of the EPs on Jane and he had this really great format from Brazil. It was a comedy and the tone I really responded to and that became No Tomorrow. So we pitched that to The CW and sold it on a Monday, and then that Friday got the call from CBS that they were going with American Gothic so it was just a very bizarre week. I still wanted to write the pilot [for No Tomorrow] but we had to get a room up and running for American Gothic, so I brought in co-writers this comedy writing team for No Tomorrow and we knocked it out in a week. It was a whirlwind, it was fantastic. Story continues So after the light-heartedness of Jane and No Tomorrow, where did American Gothic come from? I love comedy and character-driven light-heartedness, but believe it or not theres actually quite a bit of comedy in American Gothic. I know it sounds illogical, but I think one of the ways people deal with traumatic situations is with gallows humor. Its certainly what I do, and I love that. Im interested in the different ways humans can deal with stress. For me, its almost always humor. So that is a big factor in the show. I never wanted it to be relentlessly grim and dark. I researched several cases of people who found out their family members who appeared to be fully functional, normal people turned out to secretly be serial killers. I was so much more interested in the psychological ramifications on the families and how you square who you thought they were and you they may actually be, and what would it take for you to believe that this family member would be capable of such heinous crimes? There were just all these different questions around it that were really interesting to me that I wanted to dive into. So it really became this character-based whodunit that we could have a really great time with. Also Read: Watch 'No Tomorrow,' 'Frequency,' 'Supergirl' Trailers (Video) When did you figure out who the killer was? I had a plan when I pitched the show, and it stayed pretty close to that. But when we sat down in the writers room, we made a master plan of what would happen over the course of the first season. So we would be able to build towards the final answer and put in little hints and teases along the way. How many of the actors know who it is? Zero. What sort of direction do they get to play certain scenes if they dont know whether theyre guilty or not? I have to sometimes slip certain information to certain actors if we thought it was necessary to play a certain scene. So some people have pieces of key information, but only where its necessary for them to make a choice as an actor. Its a twisty tale, so theres no simple answer, and that gives us a lot of leeway in terms of who knows what or remembers what, or contributed to what. So theres no reason why one person needs to have the entire story. But Im saying too much. The fun of shooting is that they can all kind of look at each other with suspicion and we get to play our massive game of Clue on set every day. Also Read: 'Riverdale,' 'Frequency,' 'No Tomorrow' Picked Up to Series at CW The show has been advertised as a 13-part murder mystery so are we promised there will be resolution to this at the end of Season 1? There will be resolution, yes. Youll get all the answers. That was something we made sure of early on, this is kind of like your summer novel, in TV form. So you get an answer. I wanted there to be one satisfying story, and then figure out how to pivot to Season 2. Thats the fun part. Do you know what Season 2 is? Is it a whole new family? Yeah, when I pitched it, it was that the first five or six seasons would be the same general idea, but each season would be a different family, different setting, different mystery. So it will explore similar themes and be very character-based. Thats the creative ideal for all of us the same universe, same playground, but to completely reinvent the family and the story, which we can do over and over again. American Gothic premieres Wednesday, June 22 at 10 p.m. ET on CBS. Related stories from TheWrap: Steven Spielberg, James Frey Murder Mystery 'American Gothic' Gets Series Order From CBS Watch 'No Tomorrow,' 'Frequency,' 'Supergirl' Trailers (Video) CW Fall: 'Supergirl' as 'Jane' Lead-in, 'No Tomorrow' After 'Flash'; 'Riverdale' in Midseason Description Do you find yourself inspired by the richness and the beauty of Jewish music? If you joy sining liturgical hymns, then why not consider joining our Jewish Choir family? Come observe a rehersal or a performance. If you are moved by our rich warn unique sound and wish to be enfolded into a loving and supportive group who are as caring as they are committed, our choir may be the right place for you. Interested? Reach out to us! We would love to speak with you. Your voice could be our blessing. Contact: Cantor Guy Bonne: Cantorguy@templetikvah.org Joanne Neff : Drneff@hotmail.com Amman (AFP) - Amnesty International on Wednesday urged Jordan to keep its border open to refugees fleeing Syria after a deadly frontier attack prompted Amman to declare the area a "military zone". King Abdullah II vowed to hit back with an "iron fist" after Tuesday's suicide bombing that killed seven Jordanian soldiers near the Syrian border and a makeshift refugee camp. The Jordanian army said the suicide bomber set off from the camp in no-man's land and blew himself up at the military outpost. The military declared the remote 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, without explicitly saying if the border with Syria would be closed. Amnesty said Jordan's response "must not descend into closing the border and denying humanitarian aid to tens of thousands of Syrian refugees fleeing armed conflict." "A total closure of the border and denial of humanitarian aid to the area would inevitably lead to extreme hardship among those unable to find refuge and put their lives at risk," it added. Jordan hosts hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees and thousands more have been stranded at the frontier since January. Amman insists newcomers must be screened before entering Jordan to ensure they are genuine refugees and not jihadists from the Islamic State group or Al-Qaeda trying to infiltrate the country. "Jordan has a duty to protect civilians from armed attacks but its security measures must not violate its international legal obligations to provide protection and assistance to refugees who are desperately fleeing the very same type of violence," said Amnesty's Sherif Elsayed Ali. "Denying them entry into Jordan amounts to a violation of international law," added the head of refugee and migrant rights at the London-based watchdog. Story continues There was no immediate claim of responsibility but Jordan is part of the US-led coalition fighting IS in Syria and Iraq, and has been targeted by IS jihadists before. Jordan also hosts coalition troops on its territory. On Wednesday King Abdullah urged the coalition to intensify the battle against IS and "eliminate this terrorist group" during talks in Amman with US special envoy Brett McGurk. UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filipo Grandi also condemned Tuesday's attack, the UNHCR said in a statement Wednesday. "UNHCR mourns the loss of life from this outrage," Grandi said. eu-ref-step1 In 1975, voters in Britain backed the countrys nascent membership in a predecessor of the European Union by a large margin. In 2016, things dont look so clear. On June 23, voters in Britain will once again vote on whether the country should remain in the EU. EU-related referendums are rare in the UK, which makes predicting an outcome tricky. Over the past 40 years or so, there have been more than 50 such votes across the continent, according to the European Parliament (pdf). Most, but not all, have passed in favor of greater European integration: eu-ref-step1 Heres how the UKs previous referendum on membership in the European Economic Community, as it was then known, went back in June 1975a two-thirds majority in favor, on decent turnout: eu-ref-step2 The Swiss, meanwhile, havent been so keen. On three occasionsin 1992, 1997, and 2001voters in the Alpine country rejected membership in the EU: eu-ref-step6 Eastern Europe was much more enthusiastic. Voters in places like Poland, the Czech Republic, and Romania voted to join the EU by comfortable margins, coming into the club in three batches2004, 2007, and 2013. eu-ref-step5 Most recently, though, EU-related votes have gone against the eurocrats. Voters in single-issue referendumson a bailout deal for Greece and cross-border policing in Denmark last year, and on an EU-Ukraine treaty in the Netherlands earlier this yearrejected closer European cooperation. eu-ref-step3 Well soon find out whether British voters will extend this trend or swing back in favor of the EUs founding principle of an ever closer union. Sign up for the Quartz Daily Brief, our free daily newsletter with the worlds most important and interesting news. More stories from Quartz: By Louis Charbonneau, Jonathan Saul and Parisa Hafezi UNITED NATIONS/LONDON/ANKARA (Reuters) - An international group that monitors money laundering worldwide is expected to decide this week to keep Iran on its blacklist of high-risk countries despite aggressive lobbying by Tehran to come off the list to help it access the global financial system, Western officials said. The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), established in 1989 to combat money laundering and the financing of terrorism and weapons of mass destruction, compiles the list, which it regularly updates. Its 37 member states are meeting in South Korea. "No changes to Iran's status on the blacklist are imminent, though I think perhaps we can expect some words of encouragement and recognition of Iran's attempts to make progress," said one Western official familiar with FATF discussions, who asked not to be named. Two other Western officials concurred this week with the opinion that Iran would not be taken off the blacklist at this time. Tehran has complained that it is not getting economic benefits it was promised during last year's negotiations on a nuclear deal with six major powers. As a result of that agreement, many international sanctions against Iran were lifted. The United States, however, still has sanctions in place that prohibit trade with Iran in dollars and Iranian access to New York's financial system. Financial Action Task Force spokeswoman Alexandra Wijmenga-Daniel responded to a request for comment by saying the group would publish an update on high-risk and non-cooperative jurisdictions after the session later this week. Getting off the FATF blacklist, which also lists North Korea, would remove a major hurdle Iran faces in dealing with outside banks and other financial institutions. Iranian and Western officials have said that is why Tehran has been pushing hard to come off the list or at least to have the current FATF warning about it softened. Paris-based FATF said earlier this year that it remained "particularly and exceptionally concerned" about what it called Iran's "failure to address the risk of terrorist financing and the serious threat this poses to the integrity of the international financial system." The burden of proof is on Iran to show that these concerns are unfounded. Iran has said such criticism is unfair and contributes to the reluctance of major Western banks and financial institutions to do business with it, despite encouragement from U.S. President Barack Obama's administration. Many large banks are disinclined to deal with Iran for fear of violating remaining U.S. sanctions. Since January, Iran has secured banking links only with smaller financial institutions. A spokeswoman for the European Union's foreign policy section declined to comment until the FATF meeting had ended. The United States also declined to comment, though a U.S. Treasury Department official said, "We are confident that the FATF will treat Iran fairly." One Iranian official said there had been multiple meetings between senior Iranian and European officials in recent months "to help Iran get off the blacklist." He said the head of Iran's central bank had discussed the FATF issue with U.S. officials during a recent visit to the United States. "We are very optimistic," he said. Adding to the unwillingness of international businesses to work with Iran is apprehension over the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' (IRGC) hold on the economy. The IRGC was the driving force behind Iran's nuclear program, its money laundering activities and its foreign military activities, and remains subject to extensive international sanctions. Another Iranian official said the IRGC had hoped to use its front companies and banks to cash in after sanctions were lifted but was disappointed that foreign investors had shunned them. Businesses are also wary about wading into Iranian waters until after the U.S. presidential election in November. "If (Donald) Trump becomes the next president, then he says he'll tear up the Iran deal," a European official said. "Hesitancy on the part of business is understandable." European banking sources told Reuters that regardless of Iran's status on the FATF blacklist, they are not ready to do business with Iran because of the high risks. The United States has sought to assure international companies that doing legitimate business with Tehran is acceptable. Last month U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry told a meeting of bank executives in London that European banks should not fear punishment from the United States for resuming legitimate trade with Iran. The European banking source, who was familiar with that meeting, said Kerry was told, "You may want the European banks to do business in Iran, but you do not let the U.S. banks do so. The message to the politicians is that most banks still see too many risks." (Additional reporting by Michelle Nichols in New York and Arshad Mohammed in Washington; Editing by Toni Reinhold) There is a city in central Florida where two homes have adjoining backyards. One of the houses sits on Anna Catherine Drive; the other faces Summer Rain Drive. You could scramble under a hedge and get from one property to the other in seconds. If you wanted to make the same journey legally, however, you had better get ready for quite the excursion. The shortest driving distance between the two front doors is seven miles long. It includes a four-lane state highway. On a good day, the trip takes 20 minutes. You could tell this story to indict American car culture or to explain the costs of subdivision-based development, but its also about something much simpler: the importance and ingenuity of postal addresses. If you tried to drive to either of those backyards using only a latitude-longitude coordinate to find them, your GPS might send you many miles off course. This matters far beyond Florida suburbia. Recommended: Remember When You Could Call the Time? I visited a home in the Sierra mountains a few weekends ago, and its only approachable from a single direction. Its address doesnt just tell [you] where it is, but also what road to take to get to the front gate, says Michal Migurski, the vice-president of Mapzen and the former chief technology officer of Code for America. Apple doesnt often talk about their design, and Amazon wont sell you one, but make no mistake: Postal addresses are a technology. They are the URLs of the physical world, a standard so universally adopted that nearly every street-facing structure in the United States displays a set of integers on its front door. Addresses are so fundamental to the world that it is significantly more difficult (and often impossible) to do all the paperwork of personhoodto vote, to file taxes, to have a bank accountwithout being associated with one. But if something is technological, it can be disruptedor, at least, augmented and improved. Thats what a U.K.-based startup called What3Words is trying to do. As of last week, it has the assistance of the government of Mongolia. Story continues What3Words envisions a universal addressing system, functional in any language, that refers to locations more precisely than street addresses can. But a set of nerds and mapping expertspeople who think seriously about building a global geography infrastructureare concerned it is making a historic mistake. Recommended: The Republican Partys White Strategy * * * Simply put, What3Words is a grid system for the planet. In 2013, upon What3Wordss corporate founding, its leaders split Earths complete land and ocean surface area to 57 trillion three-by-three meter squares. Every individual grid square has a distinctive name, expressed as three words delineated with dots. For example, the front door of the White House is live.linen.slower. Old Faithful, the geyser in Yellowstone National Park, is communal.frolic.pizzeria. And Four Corners Monument is beauty.reinstate.offend. What3Words was designed to specify locations more precisely than street addresses. Chris Sheldrick, the companys CEO, used to work as a concert organizer, and he always struggled to describe what loading dock bands should use when they showed up to a gig. What3Words, with its hyper-specificity, is meant to let people describe locations to each other without resorting to using GPS coordinates. In the ideal use-case world of What3Worlds, people text What3Words addresses to each other, then they decode them back into locations on their smartphones. And you do have to decode a What3Words address. What3Words addresses do not naturally suggest their proximity to anything. The White Houses postal address informs you that the building is somewhere in the city of Washington, D.C.; live.linen.slower does not. Whats more, there is no free or open database of how every What3Words address lines up with a GPS coordinate. In fact, charging for access to that database is exactly how the startup What3Words makes money. Recommended: How Subarus Came to Be Seen as Cars for Lesbians That process happens in two ways. Consumers can use the companys app to turn locations into addresses for free. (Crucially for those beyond the reach of cell networks, the app works offline.) Businesses must either pay What3Words to use its online conversion API, or they can purchase a software development kit that will do the same thing locally on their own servers. Sheldrick declined to discuss What3Wordss business or whether it was profitable. But its bottom line likely just received a big boost, in the form of the worlds 19th largest country. Even homesteads just outside the borders of Ulaanbaatar are spread out. These are at interim.shrouded.shoebox. (What3Words) Mongolia is a spectacularly huge and empty nation. It falls in the bottom half of countries when ranked by population, but lands in the top fifth when measured by area. Some 2.8 million people inhabit its more than 600,000 square milesbut even that is a deceptive figure, as almost half of its population lives in and around the capital, Ulaanbaatar. Mongolia is the least densely populated sovereign nation on the planet. This presents some problems for its 900-employee postal service, officially known as Mongol Post. Even in the capital, there are few named streets, so many people write addresses based off the nearest landmark. Sometimes people even write their cellphone numbers or a set of direction on an envelope to ensure its delivery. Whats more, nearly a quarter of the population is nomadic, according to the World Bank and Quartz; they have no permanent address, in the Western sense of the term. Theres really no addresses at all for most of the country, Sheldrick told me. This makes a grid-based system especially appealing. Instead of trying to take advantage of a road-based infrastructure that does not exist, the Mongol Post can quickly ensure that everywhere in the territory has an address. At least thats what Ganhuyag Chuluun Hutagt thinks. Ganhuyag is a businessman and Mongolias former finance minister. Last year, he heard Sheldrick describe the What3Words system at the World Economic Forum in Davos. He was intrigued but had little ability to implement it for Mongolia. And then suddenly he did. In January, the Mongolian government offered up 30 percent of Mongol Post in an initial privatization bid. Ganhuyags company, ARD Holdings, acquired about 17 percent of the organization. He then called me straight up and said, Wed love to bring What3Words to Mongolia for Mongol Post, Sheldrick said. Now he has. Last week, Mongol Post announced that What3Words will provide a national addressing system for Mongolia, integral to its service and a part of the infrastructure that will help drive the countrys economic development. What3Words has drafted a new, Mongolian-language version of its grid system. The announcement was first reported by Quartz. I have been working at the Mongol Post company for 10 years now, said Batsaikhan Tsedendamba, the CEO of Mongol Post, in a statement. During this time, we have been presented with numerous local and international addressing systems and technologies. Of them all, I believe what3words is the most user-friendly and optimal. But a set of mapping nerds is insistently asking: Optimal, surebut optimal for whom? * * * To many people who work with addresses and mapping technology in the United States and the United Kingdom, What3Words seems less like a novel and revolutionary approach and more like a new way of extracting money from public coffers. If you just want to find a location [on What3Words], you have to go through this middleman who has exclusive control, says Tom Lee, a data developer at Mapbox and the former director of Sunlight Labs. Thats lousy. The setup reminded him of Dun & Bradstreet, a business-intelligence firm that assigned numerical IDs to other businesses in order to index them. In the early 2000s, the federal government and other organizations began using these IDs, called DUNS numbers, to organize companies that wanted to bid for contracts. This meant that even bidding on a government contract required a DUNS number. The goal here was basically: get the government to give us a subsidy, said Lee. When a private company gets entangled in public infrastructure, they can keep extracting money from anyone who has to touch it, he told me. The U.S. government has paid Dun & Bradstreet millions to use the DUNS system. (In a statement, a spokeswoman for Dun & Bradstreet said the public sector, much like the private sector, has relied on the value of Dun & Bradstreet data and standards for operational efficiency, and utilizes our dataorganized by the DUNS numberfor actionable insight.) For Leigh Dodds, a U.K. consultant who works on open-data issues, the problems only start with finding a location. Because of the terms of What3Words software license, someone cannot say which addresses line up with which locations without owing money to What3Words. Once you want to use that [What3Words] data set as a piece of infrastructure, youre immediately hampered by licensing, Dodds told me. In other words, he thinks What3Words might be a fine system for labeling letters and packages. But someone could not lawfully use it to make a database of which addresses correspond to which GPS coordinates. In a blog post critical of What3Words, Dodds rattled off how this could become a problem: when describing land ownership, when running a census or statistical agency, or when mapping an area during a natural disaster. In fact, What3Words seems to come in for almost universal criticism by U.S. and U.K. open-map developers. When word got out I was reporting this story, well-respected experts emailed me unbidden, hoping to critique the underlying technologyan eagerness to comment that I have never experienced before. Some directed me to What3Emojis, a fully functional parody of What3Words that breaks the world into trillions of triangles, each labeled with three unique emojis. Its site reads: Addresses are hard. Who can remember street addresses or latitude/longitude pairs? You could do much better with three totally random English words, but then theres that pesky language barrier. No system is perfect, except for emoji. Other developers, who did not contact me, have been similarly critical: I'm proud to announce my new distributed geolocation platform, What3Numbers! Locate anything on Earth with (long, lat, elev). Sean Gillies (@sgillies) January 13, 2016 Sheldrick defended What3Wordss decision to function as a private company. Being a proprietary technology means we can build good technology, it means that were able to work in many languages, it means were able to market it to the world, he told me. He also referred me to an essay by Steve Coast, a What3Words employee and the founder of OpenStreetMap (which is essentially a worldwide Wikipedia-like map). The essay, Why I Like What3Words, praises the company for finding a way to identify locations beyond the street level. The thing thats useful and interesting here with What3Words is that a lot of thought and time is going in to marketing and PR so people know about the problem and the solution, Coast writes. If you live in a western country with addresses, a functional cell phone network and you work on open mapping, you may not appreciate the severity of the problem, he adds. But experts critique tacitly assumes that What3Words is the best way to structure an addressing system for a big, empty rural place like Mongolia. Is it really? * * * The film Powers of 10 begins its journey near modes.edge.winner. In the West, were used to addresses that proceed through pleasantly expanding levels of affinity, like the zooming square in Powers of 10. American addresses follow some form of: our name, then our apartment number, then our building, then our street, then our city and state. Sometimes one or two of those steps is omitted. A ZIP code always ends the incantation. Not all countries follow our scheme. Russian addresses dont always move from local to national order. In Japan, few streets are named, and addresses often specify the numbered block within a certain district. Other places require multiple addresses at once: Busingen am Hochrhein, the German town wholly enveloped by Switzerland, can receive mail addressed to either country. In the U.S., though, not everything was once as peachy. Many farms didnt receive any mail until the early 20th century, when the U.S. Post Office Department began experimenting with rural free delivery. At first, mail was addressed to rural customers only by their name, city, and state. Local postmasters memorized the rest. It took almost half a centuryfrom the introduction of rural free delivery in the 1890s to the first experiments with postal codes in the 1940sfor most of the country to formally join that system. In fact, the standardization of American addressing happened much more recently than many people think. Its only within the last decade that every house has a street address, says Nancy Pope, a historian at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum. You end up with these street addresses that are in the tens of thousands, because theyre on a rural road tens of miles from the nearest town. This is not to suggest that street-based addressing would work well in Mongolia. But it does hint that development of a public resource of any kind takes time. Some people, preaching open alternatives to What3Words, have suggested Mongolia explore geohashing, an open-source way of expressing grid-based location. But these can produce unmemorable strings of data. Geohashes are terrible for actual location when a human needs it, Coast argues in his essay. Eventually, I heard arguments that pointed to another outcome: Mongolia should simply pursue a more fleshed-out addressing system, even if its not road-based. After all, Migurski said, most addressing systems dont just contain one mention of a location. Instead, they describe it with redundancy. In his email to me, he pointed out that an article about What3Words listed reporter.smoked.received as the address of the Stade de France. But if you search reporter.smoked.received on What3Words, you discover its in Laredo, Missouri. Reporter.smoker.received, just one letters difference, is the Stade. From What3Wordss point of view, this small error reveals a feature, not a bug. What3Words addresses are designed to fail catastrophically, and therefore noticeably, Sheldrick told me. A single misplaced letter will never send a package 10 miles in the wrong direction, as a reversed digit in a latitude-longitude coordinate might. Instead, it will send it to another continent. This level of failure shows a well-designed avalanche effect in action, alerting the navigation softwareor the letter carrier that theyre heading to a likely wrong address. * * * Of course, all this criticism might not change Mongol Posts decision to adopt What3Words. When talking to experts who disagreed with Mongolias decision, I got the sense that many of them thought What3Words was somewhat well designed, even if they disagreed with the tradeoffs it made. Some hinted that it was just well-designed enough to be a threat: Its leaders could make strong arguments to policymakers about its simplicity and brilliance, thus gaining it entrance into the ecosystem. Once inside the ecosystem, its ownership could start extracting rents. This does seem riskyto the point of recklessness. Designing privately owned systems into essential public infrastructure can end catastrophically. Sheldrick told me that we look to act responsibly and give people something that works, and I am sure they do. But it doesnt matter if users personally trust Sheldrick or the What3Words team. Intellectual property rights can easily change hands, and they always outlive their owners and their owners good intentions. By nestling its private addressing system into a necessarily public addressing system, What3Words will be too well positioned to hike its fees and charge the public. It will be too able to demand Mongolias growing wealth in the years and decades to come. That will be a costly errornot only because similar schemes have gone awry in other middle-income developing nations, but because it has been our experience here, in the rich nations of the West. In 2013 and 2015, the U.K. government cited the need for competition among letter carriers and auctioned off the entirety of the Royal Mail. After 499 years of public ownership, the national postal service went for 3.3 billion. But as it did so, the U.K. government also sold off the copyright to the Royal Mails postcode registry, the database describing how specific postcodes correspond to specific street addresses. (Postcodes are largely analogous to U.S. ZIP codes.) Now, the database cannot be reproduced without the approval of the privatized Royal Mail. It is unclear whether the U.K. sold off this database by accident. An internal government watchdog immediately denounced the sale of the registry as an unacceptable and unnecessary consequence of privatization. Another called it a disaster. But it was done. Due to historical agreements between the postal service and the government, many government agencies can continue using the databut with terrible limits. They cannot make the registry available in bulk to the public for free. And local governments must effectively keep the data secret. This means, for example, that a town is barred by law from releasing a dataset describing when garbage will get picked up where. The British government is now spending 5 million to rebuild an open version of the exact same postcode registry that it sold off three years ago. It is paying to recreate a public resource that it once freely owned. Any government agency so willing to privatize its location infrastructure can expect to meet the same fate. Read more from The Atlantic: This article was originally published on The Atlantic. It seems that a major obstacle has been cleared from Apple Inc.sAAPL path to open its own retail stores in India. The new foreign direct investment (FDI) rules for retailers that were outlined yesterday will remove the last roadblock for Apple, at least for a while. The iPhone maker has been striving to enter this market since the beginning of this year. However, the companys plans were stalled as the earlier policy required a retailer to source about 30% of the goods from the local market in order to open its retail outlets. The Indian government has now relaxed its 30% locally sourced products norm for up to three years for foreign retailers. Thereafter, the company will have to comply with the rule. India has become an important market for Apple as it has started to see saturation in some of its other key markets like China and the U.S. So its no surprise that CEO Tim Cook has adopted a number of initiatives to get a fair share of the market, ranging from issuing promo offers to opening a number of development centers. In fact, Cook visited the country last month to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi and some other key officials to carve a growth trajectory for the company in India. Apple, which currently holds only 2% of the Indian smartphone market, has vast scope for growth as the Indian smartphone market is growing exponentially. Not only does the country have robust demographic strength and a rising middle class population, but the pro-business government is also opening up avenues for widespread Internet connection. This bodes well for Apple. We believe that even though the policy has been relaxed only for three years, it might be enough for Apple to get a fair share of this market. Thereafter, it can also consider setting up its own manufacturing facilities in India or get an extension period. But eventually, Apple will have to chalk out plans to source local products, which should be another positive for Apple in our view. This is because it would make the Apple devices more affordable for the price-conscious Indian population. Story continues Apple, it seems, will soon be re-applying for the required permissions and for now it will not have to worry about displeasing China as well. At present, Apple has a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell). APPLE INC Price and Consensus APPLE INC Price and Consensus | APPLE INC Quote Some better-ranked stocks in the broader technology sector are Facebook FB, Yirendai Ltd. YRD and PetMed Express, Inc. PETS. All 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 PETMED EXPRESS (PETS): Free Stock Analysis Report APPLE INC (AAPL): Free Stock Analysis Report FACEBOOK INC-A (FB): Free Stock Analysis Report YIRENDAI LTD (YRD): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research European stocks rose Wednesday and the pound clawed higher on the eve of Britain's Brexit referendum as polls pointed to a razor-close outcome. London's FTSE 100 index forged ahead, closing up 0.6 percent, as the clock ticked down to the start of balloting to decide Britain's future in the European Union, with fears that an exit vote will wreak havoc in markets. Bourses in Paris and Frankfurt also gained, but US stocks finished lower, tilting into the red at midday as two polls put the "Leave" side marginally ahead. "Most economists on both sides of the pond insist that a 'Leave' vote from the EU would disrupt business as usual in Great Britain, the EU, here at home and elsewhere in the world," Mark Vickery, of Zacks Investment Research, said in a note to clients. "A vote to remain is seen as a near-term positive for markets here and abroad." Most polls earlier this week showed gains for the "Remain" camp that some experts attributed to a reaction after the violent assassination of pro-EU lawmaker Jo Cox. But two polls Wednesday showed the "Leave" side with the slimmest of leads. Yet bookmakers were giving a more decisive edge to the "Remain" camp. "The market is clearly positioned for the 'Remain' side to win and that's going to be the conventional wisdom unless we have a huge surprise tomorrow," said Boris Schlossberg of BK Asset Management. Rebecca O'Keeffe, head of investment at online broker Interactive Investor, questioned whether investors may be proving too confident. "With less than 24 hours before voting starts, markets are now pricing in virtually no risk of an exit vote," she said. That "begs the question as to whether the euphoria is being overdone and how much upside still exists for investors -- or whether this is irrational exuberance and investors are ignoring the risks?" - Key figures around 2100 GMT - Story continues New York - DOW: DOWN 0.3 percent at 17,780.83 (close) New York - S&P 500: DOWN 0.2 percent at 2,085.45 (close) New York - Nasdaq: DOWN 0.2 percent at 4,833.32 (close) London - FTSE 100: UP 0.6 percent at 6,261.19 points (close) Frankfurt - DAX 30: UP 0.6 percent at 10,071.06 points (close) Paris - CAC 40: UP 0.3 percent at 4,380.03 points (close) EURO STOXX 50: UP 0.4 percent at 2,978.31 points (close) Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.6 percent at 16,065.72 (close) Shanghai - Composite: UP 0.9 percent at 2,905.55 (close) Hong Kong - Hang Seng: UP 0.6 percent at 20,795.12 (close) Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1313 from $1.1259 late Tuesday Pound/dollar: UP at $1.4737 from $1.4628 Dollar/yen: DOWN at 104.51 yen from 104.80 yen Donald Trump Donald Trump's speech on Wednesday was scripted, but the message he conveyed was largely similar to when he speaks off-the-cuff at rallies that his Democratic rival, Hillary Clinton, is a liar who can't be trusted. Many of his supporters have adopted this rhetoric. In conversations with Business Insider, several attendees at Trump's Wednesday speech in New York characterized Clinton as dishonest. They discussed how the presumptive Republican nominee's straight-talk contrasts with Clinton's politicking. Clinton's reputation as a dishonest politician has dogged her for years. A Gallup poll conducted during the 2008 primary season showed that while a majority of voters thought John McCain and Barack Obama, the eventual major-party nominees in that election cycle, were honest, less than half of Americans thought the same about Clinton, who eventually dropped out of the race for the Democratic nomination. Trump has used Clinton's entrenched reputation to his advantage, painting her as a dishonest, shady politician. His supporters (perhaps unsurprisingly) seem to agree. Here's what some Trump supporters said about his rival, whom he often calls "Crooked Hillary": Phil Jusino, attorney from New York "I think she's dishonest," Jusino told Business Insider. "I think she's an opportunist. She will say or do whatever she needs to do to get elected." Jusino mentioned Clinton's false story about landing under sniper fire in Bosnia in 1996. Clinton said in a speech at George Washington University in 2008 that she ran with her head down to get into her vehicle upon arriving at the airport in Bosnia, but that turned out not to be true. "You see the video and she's walking across the tarmac and someone's handing her flowers, there were girls, it was a ceremony," Jusino said. He then repeated a line Trump included in his speech that day. Story continues "Like he said, Brian Williams' career was destroyed for a lot less," Jusino said. "And the things she does, whether it be Benghazi, whether it be the [email] servers, it just seems like scandals follow her. But she seems to get through it somehow." Jusino believes that Trump, in contrast, is honest. "I think he's honest," Jusino said. "I think he looks at America first. I think he sees that to solve our problems, you can't be looking to other countries. We have to start within." Jusino also likes that Trump is a family man. "They always talk about him, the liberals do, as a crazy person, as a lunatic, 'You don't want him with his finger on the button,' but he's a guy that loves his family, he loves America," Jusino said. Al Baldasaro Donald Trump Al Baldasaro, New Hampshire state representative When asked to describe Clinton in one word, Baldasaro went to Trump's favorite moniker for his Democratic rival: "Crooked." "I got a son who's a Marine," he said. "I was a Marine, retired. I went to war, I sent my son to war. I'm scared, under rules of engagement, to have Hillary Clinton be my son's commander in chief." Baldasaro, a veterans' advocate, cited the deaths of Americans in the embassy attack in Benghazi, Libya, as the root of his concerns about Clinton's fitness to be commander in chief. "She dropped the ball on the veterans in Benghazi, she's dropped the ball on other embassies on security," Baldasaro said. "Everything got pushed aside, it was low priority." Baldasaro likes Trump for his candid rhetoric. "I think he's awesome, I think he tells it like it is," Baldasaro said. "[T]rump is the real deal. If I thought he was an ass, I'd never support him. You know, if I thought he was a BS-er but I've looked at his past." Juan Pablo Andrade, political consultant When asked about the first word that comes to mind when he thinks of Clinton, Andrade responded, "Liar." Asked to elaborate, Andrade, who's a member of the National Diversity Coalition for Trump, replied: "In her position as secretary of state and senator here in New York, she didn't really do much. She was basically all show." Andrade said Trump was actually his third choice for the nomination, behind former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. "Once Jeb dropped out, Trump was, in my opinion, the last, best choice," Andrade said. "[I] saw that he was reaching out to a different type of voter that's never voted in any election before and that's when I knew that, ok, yeah, it looks like Trump's going to be the nominee." NOW WATCH: Watch the Secret Service jump to protect Sanders after 5 protesters rushed the stage More From Business Insider By Brendan Pierson NEW YORK (Reuters) - An executive with a Beverly Hills gallery and auction house was sentenced on Wednesday to one year and one day in prison after admitting that he conspired to smuggle at least $1 million in animal products that included rhino horn and elephant ivory. Joseph Chait, 38, a senior auction administrator for his family's business, I.M. Chait Gallery/Auctioneers, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Paul Oetken in Manhattan after pleading guilty in March to conspiring to smuggle wildlife products. His attorney, Judith Germano, had asked the judge for a sentence of community service. She said that Chait risked being cut off from his family, which raised him in the Church of Scientology, by cooperating with prosecutors. "My actions were wrong and I regret them every single day," Chait said before being sentenced. He also said that in a "weird way," he was grateful for the criminal case because it "has allowed me to break the chains of my upbringing." Prosecutors said that Chait falsified customs forms by stating ivory and rhino horn were made of bone, wood or plastic. After a rhino carving sold at auction for $230,000, Chait made false documents putting the value at $108.75, and saying the object was made of plastic, prosecutors said. He and others also sold ivory carvings to a Chinese dealer and provided them to that dealers courier, even after learning the buyer had been arrested in China for smuggling ivory purchased from Chaits auction house, prosecutors said. The case comes as conservationists and law enforcement officials in the United States and globally have been trying to crack down on the illegal trade in products from the two threatened species. U.S. authorities say rhino horn-made libation cups and ornamental carvings made from elephant ivory are particularly in demand in Asia, namely China and Hong Kong. That is resulting in a thriving black market. Most species of rhinoceros are extinct or on the brink of extinction as a result, and elephants are under threat in many countries. The case is not the first to involve the I.M. Chait auction house. Actor Nicholas Cage in December agreed to turn over a rare stolen dinosaur skull he bought from I.M. Chait after U.S. authorities filed a civil forfeiture complaint seeking to take possession of the item so it could be repatriated to Mongolia. Neither Cage nor the gallery was accused of wrongdoing in the affair. (Reporting by Brendan Pierson and Nate Raymond in New York; Editing by Bernard Orr) An Australian commission is hearing testimony in an inquiry on allegations that military cadets were raped as part of an initiation going back to the 1960s. The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse heard evidence on Tuesday of teenagers being raped and forced to rape others at a naval training center and an army apprentice school over the course of decades. More than 100 victims have reported their abuse, which they were told was part of their initiation into the military. The environment made it useless to resist, said one victim who testified that he had been raped by older recruits and staff and forced to rape other recruits. One could stand only so much abuse before realizing that saying no was pointless. After a while compliance and getting it over and done with seemed the best solution. A spokesperson for the defense ministry told CNN it is cooperating with the Royal Commission and supports its objectives to safeguard children. We recognize and commend the courage of those who will tell their own stories of personal suffering throughout the hearings. The inquiry is part of a long-term investigation and will continue until July 1. [CNN] A little-understood innovation in the mysterious world of cryptocurrencies has been hailed as revolutionary, drawing comparisons with the invention of the Internet itself and of Gutenbergs printing press. The appeal of the technology, known as blockchain, comes largely from its combination of anonymity it uses the unbreakable mathematics of cryptographic algorithms and transparency. In the case of the online currency Bitcoin, every transaction is recorded in a block within an ever-growing ledger thats shared between all the computers in a network. The circumstances of its invention in 2008 by a pseudonymous figure who may or may not have recently revealed himself remain obscure. But, crucially, the technology itself engenders a high level of trust by consensus, without the need for central authorities. But what if blockchain was also the basis for a new kind of politics? Where Bitcoins proponents see a future without financial intermediaries banks a small group of Australians believes that the same basic idea could make the role of the politician, as we know it, obsolete. The vehicle for this insurrection is a political party called Flux, which promises to upgrade democracy. Its putting up 13 candidates for election to Australias Senate in federal elections July 2. Using a cellphone app, the idea goes, Australians who can prove they are registered voters will be able to tell elected proxy senators how to vote in parliament. Online direct democracy has been proposed before even in previous Australian elections, where a similar idea failed to win seats but thats where blockchain comes in. The Flux app, built on the blockchain platform, enables the trading of votes, meaning you can have a bigger say in issues you care about, and let an expert decide for you on the rest. By letting our communities self organize, well naturally end up with specialists making decisions, a promotional video says. It is claimed that the blockchain technology also solves online votings problems relating to ballot secrecy, incorruptibility and verification. Story continues Co-founder Nathan Spataro tells TIME the partys idea chimes with voters sick of Australias two dominant parties, Labour and the Liberals. People are crying out for it, he says. In Spataros view, these unwieldy, unaccountable parties have hijacked representative democracy, forcing voters to compromise their views and side with the best of a bad bunch. In 2016, when we have the ability to express ourselves so uniquely, why should we have to sacrifice our political beliefs for a party line? he asks. Flux wants to take return power to the people. At this stage, Flux is just running for a few senatorial positions, but its backers envision a future where such a system could replace our current politics. They are launching a startup and inviting political parties elsewhere in the world to take up the app themselves. Flux doesnt stop with these elections, Spataro says, regardless of the outcome. If this sounds like the kind of utopian idea one might dream up after a few too many herbal cigarettes, well, it was. Like all ideas, I came upon it smoking a whole lot of weed, the technical mind behind Flux, Max Kaye, discloses in the first episode of the partys podcast (of course, Flux has its own podcast). But Flux could be a serious proposition in an age when trust in mainstream politicians and parties is at crisis-levels, in Australia as elsewhere (see Donald Trump, the U.K.s Brexit referendum and the rise of far-right parties in Europe). A 2014 poll by the Australian National University found that only 56% of the population believes their vote makes any difference at all, compared with 70% in 1996. Anika Gauja, an assistant professor at Sydney Universitys department of government and international relations, may be understating it when she says the repeated leadership challenges known as spills within Australias two major parties havent done much to create a positive image of how parties operate. That being said, Flux faces a challenge to win seats, and to reach a tipping point in terms of users. So far, the party has just over 3,000 members and the technology has not been tested on real-world decisions. You need to have enough people to construct a meaningful community where people can know whos really got the expertise, so you can flick your vote over to them, Gauja tells TIME. If Flux does take off, there may be other dangers. Many oppose direct democracy on the grounds it doesnt provide sufficient representation or protection for minorities. Australias opposition is currently warning that a plebiscite on same-sex marriage proposed by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull if his Liberal-led coalition is re-elected could unleash homophobia. [The Flux idea] doesnt really put politics to the side, Gauja says, also warning of the danger of highly motivated pressure groups. If you have a group whos very passionate about an issue, they can mobilize their members to go online and vote for it. It wont stop that aspect of politics. Spataro says the app will tap into fringe ideas that are popularly considered to be good policy; the moderate majority would quickly nix bad ideas, he insists. Chris Hinnant of Florida State University, a board member at the Digital Government Society, warns that those who put their faith in tech to advance society are often disappointed. Many a brainy tech entrepreneur has run aground in messy human reality. It doesnt happen as quickly as they think most times, he tells TIME. Of Flux, Hinnant adds, I dont know if it would actually fix the problems they think it would solve. This is not just a technical problem, but a political problem. Spataro, for his part, is impatient to see change: Its 2016 is a favored refrain. Along with his Flux co-founder Kaye, he says he was motivated to get into politics after seeing politicians off all stripes launch into increasingly intrusive surveillance programs without consulting their populations (Australia is one of the Five Eyes, an intelligence-sharing alliance led by the United States). All good change comes from people wanting to make the world more like they want it to be, Spataro says. Both of us have felt for a long time that politics is not the way we want it to be. Port Harcourt (Nigeria) (AFP) - Three Australians, a New Zealander and a South African have been kidnapped along with two locals in Nigeria's southeast after their vehicle was attacked, officials said on Thursday. The hold-up, in which the driver was shot dead, happened in the Akpabuyo district near the capital of Cross River state, Calabar, at about 7 am (0600 GMT) on Wednesday, Nigerian police said. Those taken were believed to be workers with Australian mining and engineering giant Macmahon, which was contracted to cement major LafargeHolcim in the state, police commissioner Jimoh Ozi-Obeh told reporters. "The police is currently working with the Nigerian Navy to ensure that the victims are released unharmed," he added. Ozi-Obeh said five people were taken -- two Australians, a South African and two Nigerians. But Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said three Australians were kidnapped and the foreign affairs department in New Zealand said one of its nationals -- who lived in Australia -- was also a victim. "We are working with the authorities, local authorities, at the highest levels," Turnbull told reporters in Geelong, Australia. "We don't know at this stage the identity of the kidnappers and families in Australia are notified of course. "It is a very serious kidnapping, a very serious criminal assault, one person was killed and seven people have been kidnapped." While commissioner Ozi-Obeh said no ransom had been received, New Zealand Prime Minister John Key said cash demands for kidnapped foreign nationals were "not unusual in that part of the world". Key said his government would adhere to its policy of not paying kidnappers, arguing "it potentially makes the situation worse". "Our very strong policy is not to pay ransom," he told reporters. "The reason for that is we think that if we pay the ransom we potentially put a bounty on the head of any New Zealander who travels through a dangerous part of the world." Story continues One witness to the abduction, who asked not to be identified, said the kidnappers took the men to a waiting boat. LafargeHolcim spokeswoman Viola Graham-Douglas said the company was informed of the incident by Macmahon, which was "working with the security agencies to resolve the situation". Macmahon has an $18 million per year contract with the United Cement Company of Nigeria Ltd (UniCem) for quarrying operations at UniCem's cement manufacturing plant at Mfamosing, near Calabar. UniCem is a joint venture between Franco-Swiss conglomerate LafargeHolcim and Flour Mills of Nigeria, according to the Australian firm's website. Kidnapping for ransom has been a long-standing problem in southern Nigeria, particularly in the oil-producing delta region, where criminal gangs target wealthy Nigerians and expatriate workers. Most are usually released after the payment of a ransom. From Cosmopolitan Note: Our regular recapper Ashley Iaconetti is currently ~on vacation~ somewhere nice and tropical. Let's hope she's having a lovely time! In her place, we're keeping things in the family, literally. Meet Ashley's sister Lauren (also of Bachelor in Paradise fame) who's taking over this juicy gig in her sis's absence and not holding back with her thoughts one bit. Or, in her own words: "Accompanied by my best friend, Maura Gaudio, I'll be recapping this week's episode from a non-virgin perspective, therefore quite possibly discussing the size of Wells Adams's dick." For starters, we're still in Nemacolin, Pennsylvania, and, though it is gorgeous, it is about as exciting as Luke. Not saying the guys signed up for the show purely for the travel opportunities, but were that the case, it's not like some Appalachian woodlands would have been at the top of their lists. And the scene is set (most likely by the producers) so our grumpy, destructive Chad-bear will be arriving back at the guys' house even after his elimination - a house where our fave Wells is in the process of conducting a hilarious faux-funeral featuring Chad's protein powder. Chad approaches the men as a group to chat and, though he is a horrible disgrace of a man, he looks very sexy in this moment. Evan is still trying to get his $20 shirt replaced; Jordan, meanwhile, takes one for the team by offering up a collective "sorry, bro, but bye now, with love from your bros" in exchange for an apology from Chad ... as if that was ever going to happen. Good try, Jordan! Better luck next time! Chad leaves after another tantrum, because he just doesn't get it. The real takeaway is that it's only a matter of time before the guys turn on someone new or just all turn on each other and mud wrestle. Following lots of bitchery and guys creeping on each other's one-on-one time with JoJo at the cocktail party, a rose ceremony then happens at warp speed. Oh, but first, Jordan makes out with JoJo while all the guys are just sat there, like lemons, in the next room - the split screen shot of this is quite something. Story continues Damn Daniel and James F. go home (even after the latter wrote JoJo a poem, womp, womp), which is surprisingly mostly because their exit means Evan is staying another week, eh? Rose candles for you both! And just like that, we are off to Uruguay. What do you think was tougher for the guys: pronouncing the word Uruguay correctly or finding the country on a map? (The answer is both.) Jordan, to no one's surprise, gets the first one-on-one date. He and JoJo have a nice, if somewhat subdued, date swimming with seals. Also, a lot of the guys think Jordan is shady AF?! Unclear if anything will come of that, but still, nothing happens (or, specifically, nothing is aired) on The Bachelorette for no reason. In fact, while on the evening portion of their date, JoJo tells Jordan that she's heard from an ex-girlfriend that, you know, he's a total fuckboy. And really, the expression of blind terror on Jordan's face as he formulates his response to these accusations looks as much like he is wracking his brain to figure out which girl he blew off might have gotten her revenge as it does him making sure his explainer comes off well for the cameras. He defends his honor well (too well?) and says that while he may have sent a few shady texts here and there, he's never stuck his P into someone besides his girlfriend's V. That's marriage material for you. In a (too) perfect coincidence, meanwhile, back at the hotel, the guys back at the hotel just happen to find a copy of InTouch Weekly - and look, it's an issue that features a tell-all interview from JoJo's ex. Wonder how they got hold of that ... The article doesn't paint JoJo in the best light, and the men seem to be up in arms [Editor's note: biceps?] as to whether or not they want to stay on the show, because she may be there for the "wrong reasons." Were your eyes rolling? Mine were. JoJo is told by the producers that the guys have found out about this article, just after she says she's on such a loved-up high (cruel move, producer folks). She sheds six tears, then goes to discuss with the guys. Her ex, also a Chad, is just being a big ol' meanie, JoJo explains, and that's hardly revelatory - he did just sell his story to a tabloid magazine. Their relationship was a messy one, she continues, and it wasn't until she fell for Bachelor Ben that she experienced true love, romance, the thrill of reality TV, yadda yadda. However, at no point during this conversation does she explicitly say that she didn't sleep with Chad after the show, as he alleged. Not that we are saints when it comes our ex-boyfriends either, but maybe there is a smidgen of truth in all of this muckraking. Is JoJo really looking for love or is it fame? Or is it both? Does it even matter?! The boys are quick to forgive, and they head out on a group date to some enormous sand dunes for some sand boarding. To be quite honest nothing exciting happens, as is often the case on group dates, except we see Wells in a sexy button-up knit sweater. It honestly looks like Jordan and Robby had much more fun at the hotel spa.During the evening portion of the date, it dawns on us that we want to know what JoJo likes. What's her favorite color? How does she feel about having kids? What are her future career goals? What is she looking for in a man? Does she like vanilla ice cream? At this point, we haven't learned one thing about our precious Bachelorette - other than the fact that she's here for L-O-V-E, of course. None of these questions come up during the guys' quick one-on-one sessions. Instead, JoJo kisses basically everyone and "reassures" (this word becomes a big deal, go figure) Derek that she's still into him even as her connections with other guys grow. Derek then gets the group date rose, which really pisses Alex off. He doesn't like Derek, like, at all, which seems to have come out of nowhere. The irony of the guy who bests the Chad-bear becoming the Chad-bear an episode later is one not lost on us. Let's have a quick moment for Robby's fruity neon swim shorts. He and JoJo totally weren't sure they were ready to go cliff diving on their date, but thank goodness they had swimwear and special swim shoes ready just in case. In particular, loved-up Robby claimed that he was deathly afraid of heights but would do anything for a girl he has known for, give or take, four weeks. Yes, you heard it right, he told her JoJo was "in love with her" after one date, basically. JoJo said thanks, which, awk. And then there were fireworks, literally, just to make it clear what a big deal this is. Cut to the cocktail party, except wait, there isn't a cocktail party because JoJo already knows who she's feeling and, more importantly, who she's not. A baby fight breaks out between the boys during this time, revealing that Derek feels left out by the cliquey kids (Jordan, Chase, Alex, and Robby) and yes, this sounds like a total Mean Girls nightmare. Alex is Regina George (he wishes), Jordan is Gretchen, Robby is Karen, and Chase is bad Cady, OK? After that, JoJo comes in and hands out her roses, predictably so: She sends home Evan, Grant, and Vinny, who cries even though we haven't seen him interact with JoJo maybe at all, it feels like?! A second round of rose candles in a single episode, wow. P.S. If we could kiss these boys in order right now it would go: Wells, Chase, Luke, James T., and Alex (we'd have to wear flats though). Follow Lauren on Instagram and Twitter; follow Maura on Instagram and Twitter. MADRID Juanma Bajo Ulloas Baby, Manuel Martin Cuencas Brando and Cristina Andreus Mara 13 Mara 18 are among the seven projects to be pitched at the highly popular 2016 Spain-Ile de France Small is Beautiful forum, a networking event now in its ninth edition. Maria Leon (The Sleeping Voice, Alli abajo), regarded in Spain as one of the finest Spanish actresses of her generation, is attached to star in fantasy romantic drama Not the End, helmed by Cesar and Jose Esteban Alenda, another project to be unveiled in Paris. Taking place June 24 in Paris, and part of its alternative Spanish film festival Different!, the meet serves to introduce a cream of edgier Spanish movie projects, arthouse and niche mainstream, to three dozen or so Paris-based distributors and international sales agents, in one of the worlds capitals of non-popcorn cinema. Small is Biutiful often marks the first time Spanish movies which go on to renown or sales are introduced to the international market. Those signed up from France for this years meet include movers and shakers on Frances foreign-language distribution scene, such as Bruno Deloye, head of Cine Plus, a bouquet of cinema channels at Frances Canal Plus. Past projects presented at Small is Biutiful, both from its 2012 edition, take in Oliver Laxes Mimosas, which won this years Cannes Critics Week and Carlos Vermuts San Sebastian 2014 Golden Shell winner Beautiful Girl, produced by Antonio Hernandezs Madrid-based Aqui y Alli Films, which has another title in Paris this year, Jose Skafs Punto Nemo. Backed by the Cannes Film Market, Different! organizers Espanolas en Paris and the Ile de France Film Commission, one of Europes most energetic film commissions representing the Paris region, Small is Beautiful also serves as a bellwether of trends, both industry and artistic, as Spains specialist sector has suffered the brunt of austerity cuts at Spains subsidy funds and public broadcasters. Story continues That shows. Two projects, U.S. road movie Brando, and Mara 13, a Guatemalan gang warfare drama, are set abroad. Baby and Punto Nemo could shoot at least part in France. Four of Small is Biutifuls titles are variegated drama thrillers as Spanish filmmakers seek to inject tension into relationship stories often., of projects presented at this years event, of a man or couple attempting to recuperate lost love romantic, that of siblings or a mothers for a baby in a notably threatening or dislocated world. The latest from Juanma Bajo Ulloa, one of the leading lights of a Spanish generation which broke through from the early 1990s, Baby returns to his grand theme of mother-offspring relationships. It turns on a junkie who sells her newborn for adoption, repents, attempts to retrieve the infant so getting trapped in the hut where a family guards the child. Set up at Bajo Ulloas Vitoria-based Fragil Zinema, Baby would sport a Spanish/French cast. An established filmmaker of considerable range, making mainstream literary adaptations (The Weakness of the Bolshevik), troubled family dramas (Half of Oscar) and auteur genre (Cannibal), the latter two titles selected for the Toronto Festival, Cuenca makes his English-language debut with Brando. Sparking good buzz before it is presented in Paris, Brando is an emotional coming-of-age movie about a man who travels from New York across the U.S. to buy the puppy he once promised, then forgot about, for his now ex-girlfriend. He learns, with the puppy in tow, to think about others needs. Unspooling in Guatemala, and produced by Jose Maria Lara (Justino, The Sky Turns),Mara 13 Mara 18 centers on a Spaniard who takes a job in Guatemala to find his estranged half brother, whom he attempts to save from Maya gang retribution. Leaner Gomez (Port Father, Narcos) is attached to co-star. Backed by Spanish state TV network TVE, and Andalusias regional public broadcaster Canal Sur, and produced by industry vet Jose Antonio Hergueta out of Malagas Producciones Transatlanticas, Not the End is the most advanced of projects in Paris in terms of financing, having also snagged distribution in Spain with Betta Pictures. Javier Rey (Velvet), like Leon, reprises his role from the Esteban brothers short of the same title. A mix of indie movie and more classical melodrama, said Hergueta, Not the End depicts a man reliving consciously one day of bliss with the woman he loved 15 years earlier. The writer-director of sci-fi dystopia-set Vulcania, the second feature from Jose Skaf (pictured, right), Punto Nemo follows a middle-aged couple, the wife seriously ill, as they take a road trip from Galicia to the Basque Country and into France, trying to re-connect, even when pursued by Romanian mafiosi. Women have a significant role in this years selection. Both Brando and Not the End critique male egocentricism. The love story of two gypsy girls, Carmen and Lola, is directed by Arantxa Echeverria, produced by Pilar Sanchez Diaz and set up at TVTEC Servicios Audiovisuals, a company they created in 2006 to try to rectify the deficit of women film professionals in Spain. The extraordinary story of an Palestine family sundered by its fathers decision to fight against Francos forces in the Spanish Civil War, the cinema-quality docu-feature Venis desde lejos, from Amai Ramsis (pictured) tells a true and singular story of Arabs battle for democracy in Europe, and its price. Its market potential could be considerable. This years event is oversubscribed in terms of French companies wanting to attend this years mart-meet, said organiser Jose Maria Riba. Size, seen here in a select event, is important. Related stories Leonardo Sbaragalia, Rachida Brakni to Star in '11,247' '11247,' 'Morir,' '3Lorca3,' Set For 2015 Small is Biutiful Carmelita, Irusoin, Ciudad Lunar Team on 'Sister of Mine' By Benet Koleka and Fatos Bytyci TIRANA/PRISTINA (Reuters) - As the Brexit referendum goes down to the wire, some in the Balkans are bemused by the possibility of Britain voting to leave a club they are banging on the door to join. Backing for the EU in Kosovo and Albania is between 80 and 90 percent, levels that British supporters of EU membership can only dream of. Kosovo has a public holiday to mark the Schuman declaration, the founding text of European integration. There are boys in Pristina called Tonibler in honour of British Prime Minister Tony Blair and his role in NATO's 1999 bombing of Serbia, a military campaign which paved the way to Kosovan independence. When Albania emerged from 50 years of communist isolation in the 1990s, people chanted "Let us make Albania like Europe", an ambition still powerful today. Albania surfaced in the British EU debate when Justice Secretary Michael Gove said Britain could join Albania and other countries in a free-trade zone outside the EU, a suggestion derided in Tirana. "His idea of a trade zone with us is British humour at its best," said greengrocer Besnik Spahiu. "He even outclassed Pitkin," he said, comparing Gove to the hapless character played by British comedian Norman Wisdom, whose films were popular in Albania under communism. Agron Gjata, an Albanian businessman, said he could understand if the appeal of Europe had worn off for Britain, although his country still aspired to join the club. "We underdogs long to taste the feeling of being among the great countries of Europe. They are probably fed up with it," he said. Others were also not keen to see Britain leave. "Britain exiting Europe is absurd," said Artan, an Albanian public relations specialist and anglophile. "However, as a Liverpool fan, I miss the times when its lineup featured a lot of Scots, not Belgians like now." Kosovo fruit seller Ramadan Lecaj, 42, agreed. "My dream is to sell my products to EU countries, there are many more people there. I don't sell a lot here and I cannot grow my business," he said. In Serbia, another aspiring EU member, support for the bloc is less clear-cut, but opinions are strongly held. Joining the EU if Britain votes to leave would be a mistake, said Srecko, a retired army officer. "It would be like deciding to join the Chetniks in 1944," he said, referring to the time when Yugoslavia's royalist forces were on the verge of defeat by Tito's communist Partisans. (Writing by Giles Elgood; Editing by Dominic Evans) A Bangalore private school expelled a kindergarten student for apparently having a ponytail. June 6, Manjunath BC went to pick up his son from the Vishnu BM, from St Vincent Pallotti School on Banaswadi Main Road in Babusaab Palya. The principle of the school allegedly told him that it was against the rules of the school for boys to keep a ponytail. Manjunath told TOI his son was only 3 and a half years old and that it was a family custom to cut a boys hair only after he turned five. Despite Manjunaths request, the principal was adamant in letting the boy keep his ponytail. He returned the fees of Rs 43,000 and sent us out of the school. I fell at the principals feet, pleading with him to let my son continue, but he refused, Manjunath told TOI. Since than, Manjunath has tried to get son into other school, with no luck, as admissions are already closed . Principle, Fr Paul D'Souza said, I told him not to hold such superstitious beliefs. Following such practices is against our school rules, we cant have different rules for different children. We will check and the department will decide on the course of action in a couple of days. We are waiting for a complaint from the parents, said K Anand, primary education director, department of public instruction. From Cosmopolitan Malaysian designer Moto Guo made his Milan Fashion Week debut this past weekend with a menswear collection that featured cropped, pastel jackets, bow shirts, and short shorts paired with bibs, which a reviewer from WWD described rather generously as being only "almost ridiculous." You know, as opposed to "totally batshit," or something like that. The grooming look for the show was equally off-beat - "nerdy," according to the reviewer - highlighting and intensifying the models' natural blemishes and patchily applying blush to give the impression of red, inflamed skin. It's not the kind of look you should expect to see in your local drugstore beauty department any time soon, but it is sort of refreshing, in a way. After all, zits happen. They are annoying AF, but they still happen. And stressing about them or covering them with makeup only makes them worse. Better to just embrace your pimples and walk the runway of life with your head held high, pizza-faced and proud! Get non-boring fashion and beauty news directly in your feed. FollowFacebook.com/CosmoBeauty. Follow Charles on Twitter and Instagram. Nice (France) (AFP) - A late goal by Premier League target Radja Nainggolan earned Belgium a last-16 berth with a 1-0 win over Sweden ending superstar Zlatan Ibrahimovic's international career with a defeat. The Roma midfielder, reportedly wanted by Chelsea, controlled a cross from Eden Hazard outside the area and powered it into the net in the 82nd minute. After a poor display against Italy in their group opener, Belgium now take on Hungary in Toulouse on June 26 with the momentum of two wins behind them. "We have got better since the Italy game, kept two clean sheets in a row," said Marc Wilmots, Belgium's coach. "It will be a complicated game, we watched the last minutes of their game against Portugal, Hungary leave 200 percent on the field," said Belgium skipper Eden Hazard who was awarded man-of-the-match. There was to be no salvation for Sweden, nor one more game for Ibrahimovic. He battled to the end, almost snatching a late equaliser with a half volley on the turn, but the dying minutes were instead marked by the Belgian fans raucously chanting "Bye Bye Ibrahimovic!" "It's heavy, it's disappointing, but at the same time I enjoyed it, we got the possibility to play at the Euros, and represent Sweden," said Ibrahimovic. "At the same time I am proud, this was my last game in the national team, I have many fantastic memories." Sweden coach Erik Hamren said Ibrahimovic was a "unique" talent that cannot be replaced. "I hope we can find another player, not a Zlatan as I don't think in a small country like Sweden you can find someone like that, he's really unique," said Hamren. Sweden finished bottom of the group and will look back with regret on a flat performance in their opener against Ireland. "Our two last games were not bad but we couldn't finish our chances in either," added Hamren. "Against Ireland we weren't very good, maybe in attack we could have been better against Italy," Story continues "But I can't ask more from my players, I'm proud of them, even though we lost the game," he said. Facing elimination if defeated, both teams pushed forward to attack which produced a pulsating first half hour in balmy Nice. Chances came thick and fast, Sweden almost grabbing a dream start three minutes in when a goalmouth half-volley by Marcus Berg, in for John Giudetti as strike partner to Ibrahimovic, was batted out by Thibaut Courtois. Belgium launched regular raids with Kevin De Bruyne through the middle and Hazard, roving from wing to wing, at the heart of the danger. Midway through the half, a backheel from Hazard let the Man City star fire a shot straight at the Isaksson. At the other end, Ibrahimovic had little joy, bar the occasional half-chance snapshot or attempt at a spectacular volley. But none came to anything on an ultimately frustrating night for the Swedish legend who announced his international retirement after Euro 2016 on Tuesday. It was Belgium who nearly entered the break in front, when Meurier headed an inch-perfect De Bruyne cross just wide of Andreas Isaksson's post. As the clock ran down in the second half the temperature began rising again as Belgium wasted a host of chances to kill of Swedish hopes. Isaksson dived at full length to keep out a De Bruyne drive before a powerful Romelu Lukaku break was foiled by Isakksson who spread his body well to block the shot. A minute later, an identical run by the Everton striker, this time with a neat finish, was ruled offside. Time was running out on Ibrahimovic when he went close with a free-kick turned away by Courtois with a quarter hour to go before De Bruyne cleared off the line. But Nainggolan secured a richly-talented Belgian side's place on the favourable half of the draw with a rasping drive into the far corner. W is more appealing? Beer-flavored ice cream or ice cream-flavored beer? Ben & Jerry's is banking on the latter. The ice cream company has teamed up with Colorado-based beer maker New Belgium Brewing to turn a popular pint flavor into a beer, according to a press release. The result is a Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ale, which is set to hit store shelves in the fall of 2016. New Belgium's Director of Sustainability Jenn Vervier gave a vague clue about what's to come, saying "the beer in development tastes amazing," but that's about all the information that is out there regarding the taste. Who knows, it might just taste like boozy liquid cookie dough (which isn't the worst thing that could happen). Ben & Jerry's Is Making a Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough-Flavored Beer The companies will donate $ of proceeds from the sale of the ice cream-inspired beer to Protect Our Winters, a nonprofit dedicated to creating awareness around climate change. Climate change is an important issue to Ben & Jerry's, so much so that they released a flavor called Save Our Swirled, specifically dedicated to the cause. The new Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ale will be the second time Ben & Jerry's teams up with New Belgium. Last year, the two companies collaborated on a Salted Caramel Brownie Brown Ale, which generated some backlash. Critics argued that the beer would be tempting to children. Surely, boozy ice cream, which looks just like regular ice cream, is more of a concern? Bernie Sanders Bernie Sanders acknowledged on Wednesday the improbability that he'll leave the Democratic National Convention in July as the party's presidential nominee. The Vermont senator and presidential hopeful, who fell short in the delegate count to presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, was asked during a C-SPAN interview if he would be giving a speech during the convention. "Well, it is hard to say. It doesn't appear that I'm going to be the nominee, so I won't be determining the scope of the convention," he said. Sanders also mentioned his conversation with Clinton following the conclusion of the primary race and said it was "very good." He promised that the Democratic Party platform presented at the convention will be "by far the most progressive platform in the history" of the party. The senator also called out the "corporate media" for supposedly focusing on personalities instead of zeroing in on issues. And he mocked what he considers to be typical of TV news conversations about the election. "Let's talk about Donald Trump, oh my goodness, dah, dah, dah," he said, mimicking the media. "Let's talk about Hillary Clinton, bah, bah, bah. Let's talk about Bernie Sanders, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah." More From Business Insider Sen. Bernie Sanders on Wednesday made his first public admission that he is unlikely to be the Democratic presidential nominee, reportedly , "It doesn't appear that I'm going to be the nominee." WATCH: @BernieSanders: "It doesn't appear that I'm going to be the nominee."https://amp.twimg.com/v/c16c8e5a-4ec8-4839-97bd-2ff232317737 ... Sanders has not yet dropped his bid for president, despite the fact that Hillary Clinton clinched the nomination . "It doesn't appear that I'm going to be the nominee," Sanders conceded, per USA Today Washington correspondent Nicole Gaudiano. BernieSanders during taped C-SPAN interview: "It doesn't appear that I'm going to be the nominee." But his language has softened in recent weeks. He m with Clinton on June 14, where he vowed to help defeat presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump. In a video message broadcast to supporters, n. Still, Democrats wary of Trump hope that Sanders will end his bid before the convention and endorse Clinton. At the BFG premiere in Hollywood on Tuesday night, the entire cast and crew was on hand to celebrate the Disney fantasy film, with one notable exception: screenwriter Melissa Mathison. Mathison died in 2015 of neuroendocrine cancer, right after the movie wrapped. Director Steven Spielberg told The Hollywood Reporter that being at the film's Cannes debut and now the Los Angeles premiere without the screenwriter was "bittersweet." The BFG follows the story of Sophie, a young orphan in England who befriends a dream-catching giant who is small for his size. Mark Rylance stars as the titular giant, while newcomer Ruby Barnhill plays the wide-eyed Sophie. Spielberg and Mathison worked together on E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial and re-teamed over two decades later for the long in-development adaptation of the Roald Dahl classic. On her BFG script, the director said, "She put her poetry in this. Everything Melissa was in her life - she devoted that wealth of wisdom and patience and deep consciousness to the writing." Longtime producer Frank Marshall, who worked with the writer on E.T. and Indian in the Cupboard, explained why Mathison was the perfect screenwriter to adapt the beloved children's story. "She sees the world through a kid's eyes," said the producer. "She doesn't talk down to kids, and she sees the adult that special way. So the combination of her writing and Dahl's writing - you just couldn't get anyone better." As the movie's young star, Barnhill, puts it: "She put her own magic into it." The cast and crew of the Disney film also fondly remembered Mathison's presence on the Vancouver set, where she was most days during production. Actor Rafe Spall, who plays the trusty butler to the Queen of England, recalls of Mathison's time on set: "She had this live feed to these elephant seals in Big Sur, and she used to just watch them, and we would watch them together and just laugh." Story continues The new Han Solo, Alden Ehrenreich, and The Birth of a Nation writer-actor-director Nate Parker were also in attendance at the premiere and were among the first to see Mathison's final work. Spielberg told THR: "This really is her movie." When the screening was over and the credits rolled, a title card appeared across the screen at Disney's El Capitan Theatre that read: "For our Melissa." The BFG hits theaters on July 1. Read More: Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall on How to Win in Hollywood Today By Luciano Costa SAO PAULO, June 22 (Reuters) - Several graft and bribes probes into Centrais Eletricas Brasileiras SA could delay asset sale plans at Brazil's state-controlled power holding company, analysts and lawyers said on Wednesday, underscoring mounting caution among potential buyers. The course of federal and internal probes into accusations that government and company officials received bribes or help facilitate contracts and funnel part of the proceeds into ruling coalition parties could deter potential bidders from targeting assets involved in the investigations, lawyers said. In addition, poor corporate governance standards at the company, known as Eletrobras, and some of the subsidiaries that have been put up for sale remain a concern among interested parties, they said. The asset sale plan is seen as key to help rebalance the finances of Eletrobras after the ruling Workers Party, which governed Brazil over the past 13 years, forced the company to enter money-losing segments and overspend in others. "A potential investor evaluating these assets has no way to know if the probes are nearing an end," said Pedro Seraphim, a lawyer at TozziniFreire Advogados. "The question is 'have we found rock bottom?'" Following the suspension of President Dilma Rousseff last month, the interim government of Vice President Michel Temer is trying to downsize Eletrobras. Mines and Energy Minister Fernando Coelho Filho wants Eletrobras to sell seven power distribution companies and minority stakes in generation and transmission units. Eletrobras has stakes in 49 electricity generation projects and in 87 power transmission companies, besides the ownership of seven regional power distributors. Some of the most coveted assets are indeed the ones under investigation, such as stakes in the Belo Monte, Jirau, Santo Antonio and Teles Pires dams. Eletrobras' delay in unveiling findings of its internal investigation and publishing financial data led the New York Stock Exchange to began a delisting of its American depositary receipts. Story continues 'RULED OUT' Temer's administration is already trying to clean up the company. Newspaper O Estado de S.Paulo reported that Chief Executive Officer Jose da Costa Neto could be replaced by Wilson Ferreira Jr., the outgoing CEO of private-sector power utility CPFL Energia SA. Still, more needs to be done to reinstill investor confidence in Eletrobras, industry executives said. A top executive at a large, foreign-owned power company operating in Brazil told Reuters under condition of anonymity that the pursuit or acquisition of any Eletrobras asset under investigation has already been ruled out. Cassio Cavalli, a lawyer at Sao Paulo-based law firm Veirano Advogados, said the investigations are taking too long. Since Brazil's anti-corruption legislation is relatively new, it still remains difficult for investors to access corruption-related risks. "No one wants to buy a Trojan Horse," Cavalli said. "Investors want to pay a fair value for an asset, and avoid exposure to potential problems." An additional hurdle refers to rates of return on some projects. Luiz Pinguelli Rosa, a former Eletrobras CEO, said the company accepted to participate in projects where those rates were inadequate, only to enable them to go ahead. "In many cases, it has a rate of return smaller than that of partners in the same project," Rosa said. (Additional reporting and writing by Marcelo Teixeira; Editing by Guillermo Parra-Bernal and Richard Chang) BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil's Supreme Court on Wednesday indicted suspended speaker of the lower house Eduardo Cunha on charges of money laundering and illegal currency dealing, dragging the powerful politician further into the sweeping scandal involving state-oil company Petrobras. "There is concrete evidence that deputy Eduardo Cunha received (illicit) funds," Teori Zavascki, the supreme court justice overseeing the case, said in the ruling. It is the second time charges have been accepted against Cunha in the so-called Car Wash investigation, which centers on kickbacks paid to politicians by construction companies working with Petrobras. The move could increase the chance of Cunha taking a plea deal, a scenario that concerns many in his Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB) party, to which interim President Michel Temer belongs. Earlier this week, Cunha defiantly denied any criminal wrongdoing and said he would not resign despite the mounting charges against him. (Reporting by Maria Carolina Marcello; Editing by Richard Chang) Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f123994%2fjaguarkilled A jaguar representing the mascot of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games was shot dead after being featured in an Olympic torch ceremony in Manaus, Brazil yesterday, according to a statement. Soon after the torch ceremony, the animal, named Juma, escaped from its handlers. The jaguar was then tranquilized, but a soldier fired a single shot as the jaguar approached him. The incident took place at a zoo attached to the military training center that hosted the ceremony. SEE ALSO: Killings by police ramp up in Rio ahead of Olympics "We made a mistake in permitting the Olympic torch, a symbol of peace and unity, to be exhibited alongside a chained wild animal. This image goes against our beliefs and our values," the Rio 2016 local organizing committee said in a statement. Jaguars are a nearly threatened species already extinct in Uruguay and El Salvador. "Ginga," a smiling cartoon jaguar, is the mascot of the Brazilian Olympic games. Ipaam, the Amazonas government authority that supervises the use of wild animals, reported that Juma had been used in the ceremony without its authorization. "No request was made to authorize the participation of the jaguar 'Juma' in the event of the Olympic torch," Ipaam said in a statement. Juma's killing immediately sparked outrage among animal rights groups. Animal rights advocates expressed grief and condemnation on Twitter and Facebook. This incident comes only weeks after a gorilla was killed in a Cincinnati zoo when a child fell into its enclosure. "When will we learn? Wild animals held captive and forced to do things that are frightening, sometimes painful, and always unnatural are ticking time bombs our actions put them and humans at risk," Brittany Peet, director of captive animal law enforcement at PETA, said in a statement. The Rio 2016 Olympic Games have also been challenged by cancellations from athletes, reporters and spectators because of fears of the Zika virus. Story continues The games are scheduled to begin Aug. 5. From Woman's Day You probably fought like crazy with your siblings when you were younger, but this video is proof that there's no one better to have by your side than your brother or sister. In this video from August 2014, then 36-year-old breast cancer survivor, Lindsay MacPhee-Currie-who was told by doctors that it would be impossible for her to have a child-surprises her brother with the news that she's pregnant, the Huffington Post reports. In the message accompanying the video, posted on Facebook by Love What Matters, Lindsay explains that at 27, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and was told that treatment may affect her fertility. After years of trying and not conceiving, she moved back home to Nova Scotia with a broken heart so she could be close to family. At 36, after a bout of what she thought was food poisoning, she found out she was pregnant with "a miracle baby." "I couldn't wait to tell my family, especially my brother who did not believe we could not have kids," Lindsay explained. "My brother and I are like best friends. We captured his reaction on video. My son is now 14 months old and I still cannot watch the video without crying. It defines our families' true love." She surprised her brother with a bottle of wine and simply said, "Given I can't drink for the next nine months"-and then the waterworks began. Lindsay felt compelled to re-share the sweet video after the alligator attack at Disney World and Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando last week, she told the Huffington Post. "For the world to see that reaction, I think it restores faith in humanity and that there is still a love of love out there," she explained. Lindsay concluded the post by saying "our hearts our full"-and yours will be too after you see this heartwarming moment. (h/t The Huffington Post) London (AFP) - Britain votes on Thursday in a referendum on whether it should stay in or leave the European Union. Here is some key information about the vote, from the question on the ballot paper to when the results are likely to start coming in. - What is the question? - Voters will be presented with one question: "Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union or leave the European Union?" They will have two possible answers: "Remain a member of the European Union" or "Leave the European Union". In Wales, the ballot paper will be in English and Welsh. - Who can vote? - British, Irish and Commonwealth citizens over the age of 18 who live in Britain, as well as citizens of Gibraltar, are all eligible to vote provided they have registered. That means that Cypriots and Maltese living in Britain can vote since their countries are members of the Commonwealth, as well as the European Union. British nationals who have lived abroad for less than 15 years can also vote. A legal challenge to give a vote to expatriates who have been away longer failed last month. There are a total of 46,499,537 registered voters, according to the latest figures from the Electoral Commission. This is more than in last year's general election when 46,354,197 people were registered. - When are the results expected? - Polls are open from 7:00 am to 10:00 pm (0600 GMT to 2100 GMT) and counting begins as soon as the last votes are cast, with the result expected early on Friday morning. There are no official exit polls because polling experts say the lack of recent comparable votes in Britain could make the results less reliable. Results from polling will, however, be released after the ballots close. Some hedge funds and banks have also reportedly commissioned private exit polls that would allow them to make trades based on their forecasts even while voting is still going on. There are 382 local counting areas, including Gibraltar, which will all declare their results independently throughout the night. Story continues The first two, Sunderland in northeast England and Wandsworth in London, are expected to declare at about 12:30 am (2330 GMT). The first big wave of results is expected after 2:00 am (0100 GMT) Friday and another wave a couple of hours afterwards. Turnout is likely to be announced earlier, which may give an indication of the result to come, with a high turnout expected to favour the "Remain" camp. The formal result will not be confirmed by the chief counting officer until all local areas, collated into 12 regional tallies, are declared. The final national result will be announced in Manchester Town Hall in northern England. 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. - In a front page endorsement on Wednesday, the Daily Mirror endorsed a "Remain" vote. "This paper certainly has its issues with the EU, but after the most divisive, vile and unpleasant campaign in living memory we say... vote remain tomorrow," it read. - 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. Story continues "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". "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 Mail took the opposite stance to its sister Sunday paper, announcing a day from the vote that it supported "Leave". "Lies. Greedy elites. Or a great future outside a broken, dying Europe," read its front-page endorsement for Brexit. "If you believe in Britain vote Leave." - 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." Less than 48 hours before the U.K. decides the E.U.s fate at the polls on June 23, Remain and Leave campaigners aggressively battled to project their core messages in the last and largest debate of the the two-month campaign at Londons Wembley Arena on Tuesday. In front of a crowd of 6,000, three Remain debaters London Mayor Sadiq Khan, Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson, and General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress Frances OGrady faced off against Vote Leaves Boris Johnson, Minister of State for Energy Andrea Leadsom, and Labour MP Gisela Stuart. The televised debate was moderated by the BBCs David Dimbleby. The referendum campaign has been marked by a new civility following the assassination of MP Jo Cox last week, but you might not have guessed it from the tenor of the debate. The Remain side wasted no time in attacking the allegedly misleading campaign materials and claims of their opponents. Khan held up a Vote Leave leaflet that suggested Iraq and Syria would soon share the same border with the E.U. Addressing his predecessor Boris Johnson, he said: Your campaign hasnt been Project Fear, its been Project Hate as far as immigration is concerned. Read more: Brexit: Should They Stay or Should They Go? When Johnson called the E.U. a job destroying engine, Davidson launched a strong attack against her fellow Conservative Party member and potential leadership rival saying: Youre going to be asked to vote in two days time and all youve heard tonight is trust us and it will all be fine and thats not good enough she said. They [Vote Leave] wont tell us how much the economy will be hit by, they wont tell us how many jobs might go, they wont tell us what they will replace the single market with. While audience members TIME spoke to said they were most excited to see Khan and Johnson in action, it was Scotlands Davidson who stole some of the limelight. She won applause by angrily lambasting the opposite sides call to take back control of the the countrys borders, by withdrawing from free movement rules that have seen up to 3 million Europeans settle in the U.K. You lose control by losing your seat at the table, Davidson responded. Story continues But the blonde-haired former mayor wrapped-up the event on a high. In rousing ending remarks, Johnson declared that Vote Leave was the side of hope and June 23 could become Britains Independence Day. Speaking after the debate, Remain audience member Jason Tay, 23, conceded that Vote Leave had received the audiences most enthusiastic response, which he credits to Johnsons natural charm. I personally believe Remain had more substance said Tay. But, it was Boriss speech that got a standing ovation. Naturally, both campaigns claimed a win. The in campaign had nothing positive to contribute tonight Vote Leave spokesperson Matthew Elliott told reporters afterwards. Just like they have failed to make a positive contribution to the whole campaign. Director of Britain Stronger In Will Straw said the leave campaign blew their last chance to give a credible plan for Britains future. Read more: A Brief History of Britains Tortured Relationship With the European Union in 11 Quotes Pro-Remain Labour MP Chuka Umunna told TIME after the event that a vote to leave would be devastating for Britains relationship to the wider world as it acts as an important bridge to countries like the U.S. and India. President Obama has been very clear that Britain amplifies its influence by being a member of the European Union, Umunna said. If we leave the European Union we wont be that. Euroskeptic MP Priti Patel thinks the opposite is true, citing the common Vote Leave platform that bilateral relations with countries beyond the E.U. would improve if there is a vote to leave. Quite frankly the reality is when we vote to leave we would have the freedom to grow our relationships she told TIME. As spirited as both sides arguments may be, according to an average of six recent polls the referendum could go either way with Remain currently holding a small 2 point lead. And besides, few in this crowd were open to having their minds changed. The political affiliations of the audience were on display: a group of attendees could be heard chiming Vote Remain instead of cheese when having their photo taken. A Vote Leave supporter wore what looked to be a bespoke, bright red suit with the campaign groups logo stitched to the back, while Antonio Vitiello from Bedfordshire, a card carrying member of the U.K. Independence Party, sang the anti-E.U. parody song Britains Coming Home. Most are here to reinforce their ideals, said Euroskeptic pilot Peter Griffiths, 67. [Tonight] wont change my mind. Brian Austin Green is returning to Fox where he became a teen heartthrob as one of the stars of Beverly Hills, 90210. Green has been cast as a series regular in the upcoming second season of Fox drama series Rosewood. He will play Aaron Slade, East Miami Polices newest member with a mysterious past that will both challenge and complicate an already messy situation between Rosewood (Morris Chestnut) and Villa (Jaina Lee Ortiz). He doesnt trust anyone and hates the idea of partnerships and teams which will keep Rosewood and Villa on their toes as they go to great lengths to figure him out. As the team begins to investigate and uncover the real Aaron Slade, the twosome learn of his storied past. The Miami-set medical procedural follows top private pathologist Dr. Beaumont Rosewood Jr. (Chestnut) and tough-as-nails Detective Annalise Villa (Ortiz) as they investigate East Miami PDs most challenging cases. The series second season debuts Sept. 22 in the new Thursday 8 PM time slot. Green, who played David Silver on Beverly Hills, 90210, most recently co-starred on the FX sitcom Anger Management, opposite Charlie Sheen. He also was a series regular on Foxs Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles and co-starred on TBS Wedding Band. Related stories 'Lucifer', 'Rosewood' Renewed For Season 2 By Fox, Who's Still On the Bubble There? 'The Real O'Neals' Ratings Debut OK, 'Rosewood' Returns Down, 'Mysteries Of Laura' Finale Up From 2015 Kyle Bornheimer Joins Hulu's 'Casual'; J.R. Ramirez In Fox's 'Rosewood' On Thursday, Britain will vote on whether to remain a member of the European Union or sever a decades-long relationship with the supranational group. Like all long-term relationships, this one has had its ups and downs ever since a patchwork of European nations first decided it would be beneficial to trade as a bloc. Here, a quick history of the U.K. in the E.U. and its forebears, told entirely in quotes: 1948: We cannot aim at anything less than the Union of Europe as a whole, and we look forward with confidence to the day when that Union will be achieved. Winston Churchill, expressing his support for postwar European integration at the opening session of the Congress of Europeand yet Britain was not one of the members of the first forerunner to the E.U., the European Steel and Coal Community, when it was formed two years later. 1955: Gentlemen, you are trying to negotiate something you will never be able to negotiate. If negotiated, it will not be ratified, and if ratified, it will not work. A quote attributed to Russell Bretherton, a junior civil servant from Britains Board of Trade sent to Brussels in 1955 to join officials from six European countries for early discussions about creating a common market. When it was formed three years later, Britain joining was not even discussed in parliament. But by 1961, Harold McMillans government had applied for entry. 1962: It is the end of a thousand years of history. You may say, alright, let it end, but my goodness, it is a decision that needs a little care and thought. Hugh Gaitskell, Labour leader, speaking at his partys annual conference, in October of that year. Among other things, the leader of the opposition was concerned that joining Europe would threaten Britains economic and political relationship with the Commonwealth. He neednt have been too worried; Britains application to join was promptly vetoed by member states that feared the U.K. was still too close to the U.S. Story continues 1967: There is the Common Market, and for us, there is no problem. For you, there is one: you want to get in, and that is your problem. General Charles de Gaulle, responding to a question by British Foreign Secretary George Brown about how to solve the problem of Europe. The French leader vetoed British accession to the European Economic Community (EEC) for years, as he believed they wanted to join only out of necessity. The U.K. was only able to sign up in 1973, after De Gaulle had left office. 1974: I would deplore a situation in which the policy of this great country should be left to housewives. It should be decided instead by trained and informed people. Belgian official Jean Rey, then chair of lobbying group the European Movement, speaking on the question of whether the British government should put membership in the EEC to a public referendum. It did, the following year. 1975: It was a free vote, without constraint, following a free democratic campaign, conducted constructively and without rancour. It means that 14 years of national argument are over. Prime Minister Harold Wilson shortly after the referendum, in which the British electorate voted 2-to-1 to remain within the EEC. Unlike today, the Conservative Party was united in support for remaining within the bloc, and the Labour Party generally opposed. 1979: I want my money back! Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, demanding the U.K. be given a fair deal when it came to contributing to the EECs budget. It would take her five years to get her wish, in the form of a yearly rebate that still exists today. But the exemption is still a bone of contention among other member states, especially larger economies Germany and France. 1988: We have not successfully rolled back the frontiers of the state in Britain, only to see them re-imposed at a European level, with a European super-state exercising a new dominance from Brussels Thatcher again, addressing the issue of European integration in her famous Bruges speech on Sept. 21 of that year. The EEC commission was then tentatively beginning to plan for a European government. 1922: Now weve signed it, we had better read it British Foreign Secretary Douglas Hurd joking about the Maastricht Treaty, which officially created the European Union, on the day it was signed on Feb. 7, 1992. The treaty was not quickly ratified by the U.K. government: left-leaning lawmakers were angry that the Tory government had secured an opt-out affecting issues such as employer safety and pay, and those on the right of the Conservative Party opposed it completely. 2001: The tragedy for British politics for Britain has been that politicians of both parties have consistently failed, not just in the 1950s but on up to the present day, to appreciate the emerging reality of European integration. And in doing so they have failed Britains interests. Prime Minister Tony Blair, months after winning re-election and weeks before the introduction of the euro. The U.K. had secured (another) opt-out from a requirement to join the single currency in 1992. Blair was not against signing Britain up, though as long as the currency met five economic tests prescribed by Chancellor Gordon Brown, and the electorate approved it in a referendum. In the end, it didnt pass the Brown test. 2010: I dont want to be rude but, really, you have the charisma of a damp rag and the appearance of a low-grade bank clerk, and the question I want to ask is: Who are you? Id never heard of you. Nobody in Europe had ever heard of you. United Kingdom Independence Party Member of the European Parliament Nigel Farage, addressing the E.U. President Herman Van Rompuy shortly after his appointment. Farage, a vocal Euroskeptic, was a persistent gadfly in the European Parliament and is among the most prominent Brexiteers. Van Rompuy was the first President of the E.U., a role created by the Lisbon Treaty a document that both created a more powerful European Parliament, and also created a mechanism for exit should any country want to leave the E.U. Come Friday, well learn if one does. On June 12, President Obama described the tragic mass shooting that took place at an Orlando nightclub as an act of terror and hate. In the days following the horrific incident, people from all over the world have banded together to express their condolences and send their support to the families of the 49 victims who sadly lost their lives. Entertainers in the Broadway community recently joined forces to record their very own tribute video where they express their love for those affected by the tragedy by singing a boisterous-rendition of What the World Needs Now is Love, IndieWire reports. Broadway Records, Playbill, and big name stars like Carole King, Bernadette Peters, Whoopi Goldberg, Sara Bareilles, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Kristen Bell, Audra McDonald, Matthew Broderick, and a long list of others came together on June 15 at Avatar Studios in New York City to make the Broadway For Orlando music video, which was posted online Monday. As the video starts, many of the entertainers recite the same words before the song begins: All of us in the Broadway community are deeply saddened by the senseless tragedy that occurred in Orlando in the early morning hours of June 12. The song can be digitally downloaded for purchase on iTunes and at BroadwayRecords.com. All proceeds will go to the GLBT Community Center of Central Florida. Tonight, a few of the stars will be performing the song on NBCs Maya and Marty at 10 p.m. EST. (Via IndieWire) Over 60 Broadway stars joined voices to honor the victims of the shooting at Orlando, Florida's Pulse nightclub to record a cover of Burt Bacharach and Hal David's "What the World Needs Now Is Love." Their song dropped Monday, featuring contributions from Lin-Manuel Miranda, Audra McDonald, Whoopi Goldberg, Idina Menzel and Sean Hayes, with proceeds going to the GLBT Community Center of Central Florida. On Tuesday, some of the superstar group gathered again to sing their track on Maya & Marty, a sketch comedy show starring Maya Rudolph and Martin Short. Intercut with images of tributes around the world, the recording is a truly moving nod from an artistic community that has long served as a haven for LGBTQ individuals and audiences. "All of us in the Broadway community are deeply saddened by the senseless tragedy that occurred in Orlando," the artists said in a joint video statement from the original recording session released by P. "We send our love and support and thoughts and prayers to everyone impacted by this act of violence and hate." Some of the contributing stars previously voiced their support during the Tony Awards. Lin-Manuel Miranda read a sonnet alluding to the tragedy while accepting his first award of the night for best score. "We live in times when hate and fear seem stronger," Miranda said. "Love is love is love is love is love is love is love is love; cannot be killed or swept aside." @Lin_Manuel just won Best Score for @HamiltonMusical, dedicating the award to his wife with this inspiring message:pic.twitter.com/PDGmpobiL2 Watch clips from the recording session below and find the recording here. NEW DELHI (Reuters) - The cabinet approved on Wednesday an auction of mobile phone airwaves, a government source told Reuters. Earlier this year India's telecoms ministry had proposed sale of airwaves in the 700 Mhz, 800 Mhz, 900 Mhz, 1800 Mhz, 2100 Mhz, 2300 Mhz and 2500 MHz bands. India is the world's second largest mobile phone market by users after China, and a rapid expansion of high-speed 4G services is expected to create demand for additional airwaves. The government is expected to announce details of the auction at a press conference later in the day, the official who did not want to be named, said. (Reporting by Nigam Prusty; Editing by Malini Menon) By Dan Whitcomb LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Seizing on a nationwide furor over the six-month jail term handed to a former Stanford University swimmer following his conviction for sexual assault on an unconscious woman, California lawmakers on Monday introduced legislation to close a loophole that allowed the sentence. The bill, known as AB 2888, marks the latest response to the sentence given to 20-year-old Brock Turner by Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Aaron Persky in June, which was widely condemned as too lenient. Prosecutors had asked that Turner be given six years in state prison. "Like many people across the nation, I was deeply disturbed by the sentence in the Brock Turner case," Assemblyman Bill Dodd, one of two California state legislators who introduced the bill, said in a written statement. "Our bill will help ensure that such lax sentencing doesn't happen again." Turner was convicted of assault with intent to commit rape, penetration of an intoxicated person and penetration of an unconscious person in the January 2015 attack. Under California law, those charges are not considered rape because they did not involve penile penetration. According to the lawmakers, current California law calls for a mandatory prison term in cases of rape or sexual assault where force is used, but not when the victim is unconscious or severely intoxicated and thus unable to resist. The new legislation, which was introduced in the state assembly on Monday, would eliminate this discretion of a judge to sentence defendants convicted of such crimes to probation, said Ben Golombek, a spokesman for Assemblyman Evan Low, a co-author of the bill. Golombek said that the effect of the proposed new law, which must still be approved by both houses of the legislature and signed by Governor Jerry Brown, is that Turner would have faced a minimum of three years behind bars. The uproar over the sentence, fueled in part by the victim's harrowing letter in which she detailed the assault in graphic terms, comes amid growing outrage over sexual assault on U.S. college campuses. It has also led to efforts to remove Persky from the bench. (Reporting by Dan Whitcomb; Editing by Alan Crosby) (Adds details of release, background) OTTAWA, June 22 (Reuters) - Canadian retail sales in April rose by 0.9 percent from March to hit a record C$44.28 billion ($34.59 billion), thanks largely to higher sales at gasoline stations, Statistics Canada said on Wednesday. The increase - the third in four months - matched the forecast by analysts in a Reuters poll, while in volume terms, April sales were flat. The previous record was the C$44.22 billion seen in February. Overall, sales rose in seven of 11 subsectors, representing 64 percent of total retail sales. Gas stations posted a 6.0 percent increase in sales from March, the first advance since June 2015, on higher prices. Sales at car and parts dealers - the largest of the subsectors - slipped by 0.3 percent, falling for the second consecutive month. Excluding autos, overall sales climbed by 1.3 percent. Purchases at furniture stores increased by 6.1 percent after a 4.0 percent drop in March. Sales in food and beverage stores, the second biggest subsector, inched up by 0.1 percent. ($1=$1.28 Canadian) (Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama) By Allison Lampert MONTREAL (Reuters) - Proposed Canadian rules to ensure commercial pilots get enough rest would go into effect in 2018 for WestJet Airlines Ltd and Air Canada but apply to smaller carriers only in 2021, the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) said late on Tuesday. The new regulations would reduce pilots' working day from up to a 14 hour shift to a period of nine to 13 hours, depending on the time they start and number of flights they make while on duty, Dan Adamus, president of ALPA's Canadian board said in an interview. Pilots who start late at night and make several flights would work a shorter period of time, he said, adding that specific details about exact shifts were not yet known. Small Canadian carriers would have four years to apply the regulations after they are finalized in 2017, while large operators would have a year to comply. ALPA is urging Transport Canada to make the regulations applicable to all carriers within a year, regardless of size. "A pilot is a pilot. Fatigue is fatigue," Adamus said. "It should be one year for everybody." Canadian Transport Minister Marc Garneau told Reuters last week that the new rules would apply to commercial flights of a variety of sizes and be based on scientific evidence on fatigue, but did not give further details. Some Canadian pilots, especially those working for small airlines, can be scheduled to work for up to 14 hours, while in the United States, Australia, the European Union and India, shifts range from nine to 13 hours depending on time of day. On Wednesday, a spokeswoman for Air Canada said the carrier supports the current review of regulations, but declined to comment on the proposed changes because the rules have not yet been made public. A spokeswoman for Garneau wrote in an email on Wednesday that more details on the pilot fatigue regulations would be provided "in due course." (Editing by Tom Brown and Alan Crosby) Ottawa (AFP) - Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday expressed "real concerns" over a more assertive Russia, as his government reportedly considers taking command of a new NATO battalion in the Baltics. "We have real concerns about Russia and about its actions and we will be thoughtful and firm, as I have always been, on how we re-engage with Russia," Trudeau told a press conference. Speaking ahead of a landmark summit in Warsaw on July 8-9, the prime minister reiterated Canada's demand that Russia abide by the Minsk agreement, which called for a ceasefire and a range of political, economic and social measures to end the conflict in eastern Ukraine. The ethnically Russian region remains a flashpoint, and violence there occurs almost daily. Russia is accused by Ukraine and its western allies of fomenting trouble on the heels of its annexation of Crimea after the pro-Moscow regime in Kiev was ousted by a popular revolt. Trudeau called Russia's actions in Ukraine "illegitimate and irresponsible." Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin slammed NATO for its "aggressive actions" close to Russia's border, warning that it was forcing Russia to increase its military capacity. NATO said last week that it would deploy 4,000 troops to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland to deter Russia and reassure allies. Ottawa has reportedly been asked to command one of the four battalions. France's government, meanwhile, said on Wednesday that a new summit on Ukraine is possible next month in light of "progress" in the crisis. After making a treacherous 9-hour, 1,500 mile flight across the Antarctic, a small rescue plane touched down at the South Pole Tuesday, in a bold mission to airlift a worker requiring emergency medical attention from a remote U.S. research center. Two Twin Otter planes the only aircraft capable of withstanding the Antarctics sub-zero temperatures were flown last week from Canada to a British base at Rothera, on the Antarctic peninsula, the Associated Press reports. Just one plane carrying a crew of four went on to fly to the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, where they will rest and wait for good weather conditions before evacuating the worker on Wednesday. The rescue is anything but routine with only two such missions ever achieved in the 60-year history of the polar base. Flying in the Antarctic mid-winter season is typically out of the question, as the days are cloaked in darkness and bitterly cold Tuesdays temperature at the South Pole station was -75 F. The National Science Foundation, which runs the 48-person research base, put out an urgent call last week as they were unable to provide the necessary medical care, reports the Guardian. The worker, whose identity and medical condition have not been disclosed, is reportedly an employee of Lockheed Martin, and is expected to receive medical attention in South America. [AP, Guardian] VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / June 22, 2016 / CanAlaska Uranium Ltd. (TSXV: CVV) (OTCQB: CVVUF) (FSE: DH7N), is pleased to report that De Beers' exploration team has collected over 100 samples for kimberlite indicator mineral (KIM) processing from the West Athabasca project. The samples of glacial gravels were collected from eskers within the target area. De Beers geologist collecting samples from Esker at West Athabasca Cannot view this image? Please visit https://www.accesswire.com/uploads/21205_a1466545861563_48.jpg to view this image. These samples will now be processed in De Beers laboratories to establish further evidence for kimberlite intrusives associated with the magnetic anomalies staked by CanAlaska. These striking anomalies were identified from processing data from the Saskatchewan Government Geological Survey/Geological Survey of Canada airborne magnetics program carried out in 2010. In the next few weeks, the second phase of exploration will commence for detailed magnetic mapping of staked targets, as well as any further significant features. The new high resolution airborne magnetic survey carried out by a specialized aircraft from New Zealand will define the targets in preparation for drilling. President Peter Dasler commented, "I am very pleased with the significant attention that De Beers is giving our project. The initial reconnaissance sampling has been completed, and known targets visited. The rapid deployment of this specialized aircraft and the attention to detail with this program is very comforting. I look forward to the results of the programs, and the next steps in the exploration process." CanAlaska and De Beers are exploring the West Athabasca project for diamonds under a staged $20.4 million Option-Participation Agreement. The project area covers 75 kimberlite-style targets staked by CanAlaska in the northwestern Athabasca Basin of Saskatchewan. De Beers may earn an interest in the project through a series of escalating exploration programs. For more information about the Athabasca kimberlite project visit http://www.canalaska.com/s/AthabascaKimberliteProject.asp?ReportID=740492. Story continues About De Beers De Beers is a member of the Anglo American Group. Established in 1888, De Beers is the world's leading diamond company with expertise in exploration and development, mining, and marketing of diamonds. Together with its joint venture partners, De Beers employs more than 20,000 people (directly and as contractors) across the diamond pipeline, and is the world's largest diamond producer by value, with mining operations in Botswana, Canada, Namibia and South Africa. As part of the company's operating philosophy, the people of De Beers are committed to Living up to Diamonds by making a lasting contribution to the communities in which they live and work, and transforming natural resources into shared national wealth. For further information about the De Beers Group of Companies visit www.debeersgroup.com. About CanAlaska Uranium CanAlaska Uranium Ltd. (TSXV: CVV) (OTCQB: CVVUF) (FSE: DH7N) holds interests in approximately 500,000 hectares (1.2 million acres), one of the largest land positions in Canada's Athabasca Basin region -- the "Saudi Arabia of Uranium." CanAlaska's strategic holdings has attracted major international mining companies Cameco, Denison, KORES, KEPCO, and the De Beers Group of Companies. CanAlaska is a project generator and is positioned for discovery success in the world's richest uranium district. For further information visit www.canalaska.com. The qualified technical person for this news release is Dr Karl Schimann, P. Geo, VP Exploration, for CanAlaska. On behalf of the Board of Directors "Peter Dasler" Peter Dasler, M.Sc., P.Geo. President & CEO CanAlaska Uranium Ltd. Contacts: Peter Dasler President Tel: +1.604.688.3211 x 138 Email: info@canalaska.com John Gomez Corporate Development Tel: +1.604.484.7118 Email: jgomez@canalaska.com Tom Ormsby, Head of External & Corporate Affairs De Beers Canada Inc. Email: Tom.Ormsby@debeersgroup.com Tel: +1.403.930.0991 x 2703 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. Forward-looking information All statements included in this press release that address activities, events or developments that the Company expects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions made by the Company based on its experience, perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors it believes are appropriate in the circumstances. In addition, these statements involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will prove inaccurate, certain of which are beyond the Company's control. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, the Company does not intend to revise or update these forward-looking statements after the date hereof or revise them to reflect the occurrence of future unanticipated events. SOURCE: CanAlaska Uranium Ltd. Gwyneth Paltrow is in on the Goop joke, she said, dismissing criticism of her lifestyle site during a panel discussion at Cannes Lions on Wednesday. "We'll link to a $15,000 gold dildo just to troll people," she said of ultra-expensive products often featured on the site and then discussed by other media outlets. "It's fun. We look for products that will create that kind of reaction." Goop has a wide range of price points, Paltrow pointed out, despite a common criticism that it's geared towards a wealthy audience. "It's an easy criticism to make," she said. The site is aspirational for sure, but "it's not a luxury site," she emphasized. "It's not about some lofty unattainable lifestyle whatsoever." She said the values of the Goop brand are family, good food, wellness and non-toxic beauty. She said she hopes Goop can create its own organic and non-toxic products in the future. "People think I just eat seaweed and a bit of air," she joked, saying that she does eat junk foods and focuses on enjoying life with balance. "I think there is a tendency to generalize, and that's OK. I completely accept that's my path and that's what I'm here to do. I'm here to ask questions and sometimes piss people off." Read More: Cannes Lions: Viceland to Launch in India, Southeast Asia, Australia, Africa She also addressed a 2013 poll that identified her as Hollywood's "most hated" celebrity. "More than like Chris Brown? What did I do?" she asked the audience. But while Brown might have a criminal record, her history as a Hollywood princess can anger people, she admitted. "There is the perception that I grew up very wealthy ... and raised with a silver spoon in my mouth," she said. She pointed out, though, that when she left college to pursue acting her father cut her off financially. "I didn't have a trust fund. So it's not accurate, but I can see how someone would have that perception." Story continues The Oscar-winner credited her success to timing "and a bit of talent." Her first role was in godfather Steven Spielberg's Hook. But at this point in her career, she thinks of herself primarily as a businessperson, saying she will do only one film next year. Asked if she would follow the lead of Charlize Theron, who demanded to be paid the same as her Huntsman: Winter's War co-star Chris Hemsworth, Paltrow said Hollywood's pay scale is not always unequal. Read More: Gwyneth Paltrow, 'Grace and Frankie' and the Origins of Goop's Organic Lube "I think philosophically it's very important. I think part of it is a chauvinistic aspect to it. But I also think there are, in a case like Charlize, she deserves to be paid as much if not more. But there are certain cases where they are using different metrics in order to determine prices for people. It's not always gender-based. I think there are other factors," she said. Responding to recent comments from Salma Hayek that unequal pay is "criminal," Paltrow said it didn't reflect the reality of her career, calling it "a special time" in the industry. "There were a lot of indie films being made with robust budgets and a lot of female stories," she said, arguing there are fewer female films today. And Paltrow discussed striking a balance between charity work and a life of luxury. "You can want to help children who are disenfranchised and don't have a voice and can't stick up for themselves and also eat a nice dinner and enjoy the people you love. They're not mutually exclusive," she said. She also said she is proud of bringing the much-derided term "conscious uncoupling" into the popular lexicon, adding that many people have thanked her for the idea of remaining friends and family through a divorce. Read More: Gwyneth Paltrow Was Stung by Bees in the Name of Beauty TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's defense minister said on Wednesday the possibility of further provocative action by North Korea could not be ruled out, speculating that its latest missile launches could be timed to coincide with the anniversary of the start of the Korean War in 1950. Speaking to reporters, Gen Nakatani said North Korea's repeated missile launches were a "serious provocation" and could not be tolerated. North Korea launched what are believed to be intermediate-range Musudan ballistic missile twice on Wednesday morning. Both fell into the Sea of Japan, the Pentagon said. (Reporting by Nobuhiro Kubo, writing by Kaori Kaneko; Editing by Chang-Ran Kim) Catherine Hanaway released a campaign ad on Friday blaming unrest in Ferguson and student protests at the University of Missouri for crime spiraling "out of control" in the Show Me State. The former prosecutor is running for governor in August's primary. She is among four GOP candidates seeking to replace Democrat Jay Nixon and become the second Republican to lead Missouri since 1993. Catherine Hanaway "Riots in Ferguson, lawlessness at Mizzou, murder rates climbing," the voiceover narrator says at the beginning of the video. "Our next governor must make Missouri safe and strong." Catherine Hanaway's ad for Missouri governor. Hanaway goes on to claim that "crime is out of control" and a crackdown on lawlessness is the solution. "I prosecuted 4,000 crimes," she says. "I'll strengthen community policing to protect citizens and police, support the right to carry a firearm and harsher penalties for shooting a police officer." Watch the video here: Hanaway conveniently declines to mention the reasons for the aforementioned protests. Specifically, that an endemically racist police department in Ferguson harassed and treated black citizens like cash machines for years before Officer Darren Wilson shot and killed Michael Brown in 2014. And that the University of Missouri system's lackluster response to racism at its Columbia campus led to the student hunger strike and ouster of its president, Tim Wolfe. Not to mention Hanaway's plan is to solve Missouri's problems by throwing more people in jail contributing to America's already devastating mass incarceration epidemic. Source: Prison Policy Initiative But who cares, right? This is a political campaign after all. Context, moderation and racial literacy are incidental when you're trying to get elected, as evidenced by other campaigns that have similarly exploited sentiment positive or negative generated by the Black Lives Matter protest movement. In March, for example, an ad for Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Penn.) boasted of condemning protests against police violence and advocating for more protection for officers: Story continues And in April, prosecutor Steve Zappala used footage of unarmed black man Walter Scott being shot as part of a controversial bid to garner votes for his run at attorney general of Pennsylvania: Needless to say, this did not go well for Zappala. Politicians and pundits elsewhere have also cited the "Ferguson Effect" for recent crime spikes the idea that protests against police violence have made police more afraid to do their jobs and emboldened criminals. This dubious theory has been widely disputed. This is why we can't have nice things. Until very recently, the arc of Gina-Lisa Lohfink's career had been a familiar one. Born in a small town in rural Germany, she was a beauty queen (Miss Frankfurt, 2005) who leveraged her looks into celebrity, first as a contestant on Germany's Next Top Model and then as C-lister on various other reality shows, including Germany's version of Big Brother and Farmer Wants a Wife. Her personal life, from various cosmetic surgeries to a string of broken relationships, is the stuff of regular tabloid fodder. But in the past month, Lohfink has become something else: a feminist icon and symbol for those who want to change Germany's laws on sexual assault and make "no means no" the legally binding standard for sexual consent. Lohfink claims she was raped by two men in 2012 following a night of drinking in a Berlin club. The men filmed the encounter and posted a video of it online, where it was viewed more than 1 million times before being taken down. In the video, Lohfink, who told police she may have been drugged before the assault, can be heard repeatedly saying "stop it, stop it" and "no." But a Berlin court ruled against her, saying there was no evidence of rape. More than that, the court found Lohfink guilty of makingtestimony and ordered her to pay her alleged attackers $27,000 (&euro24,000) in damages. The two men in question argued in court that the sex was consensual. Lohfink's protestations were in reference to a specific sexual act only, not to sex in general, their lawyers argued. The men were found guilty of distributing the video online without Lohfink's permission. The case has ignited a fierce debate in Germany about how sexual assault cases are handled. It has parallels to the Stanford University case in the U.S., which attracted attention and outrage after a judge gave Stanford swimmer Brock Turner a lenient six-month sentence for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman he had met at a fraternity party. Story continues Read More: Stanford Students Show Support for Rape Victim at Commencement Ceremony But the Lohfink case could potentially have a much greater impact in Germany, which is in the midst of rewriting the statutes governing sexual assault. If the changes are approved, the concept of "no means no" could become part of German law. Activists and politicians in favor of the changes have called the Lohfink case an example of how the current system often fails, and even punishes, rape victims who come forward to testify. Lohfink has become the face of the "Nein heisst nein" (German for "no means no") campaign, and even Germany's family minister, Manuela Schwesig, has become an official supporter of the online support group #teamginalina. "When someone says, 'no,' that has to mean 'no'; when someone says, 'stop it,' that ought to be clear enough for anyone." Schwesig told German TV. " We need to tighten up the laws on sexual crimes to protect everyone's own sexual determination without conditions." Under German law as it now stands, saying "no" or "stop it" is not enough to prove sex was non-consensual. Unless a victim is unconscious or otherwise incapacitated, the law requires either violence, or the threat of violence, for an assault to be judged as rape. The drive to change the law got substantial political support in the wake of widespread sexual assaults on women on New Year's Eve, mainly in the city of Cologne. Hundreds of assaults, including at least five rapes, were reported, sparking outrage and a demand for stricter, more punitive laws. There has been opposition, however, largely from the ranks of Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats, to including "no means no" in the wording of the new law. The Lohfink case could change that. On Friday, German justice minister Heiko Mass told news site Spiegel Online that he was still open to a "practical, effective solution including 'no means no.' " The coverage of the case, particularly online and in social media, has put pressure on German legislators to back "no means no." Demonstrators will show their support for Lohfink with a march outside the Berlin court when the case resumes on June 27. What started as a tabloid celebrity trial has become a precedent-setting case, both for how Germany deals with violence against women and for the impact social media campaigns can have on the country's justice system. Read More: Camille Cosby's Dramatic Deposition Transcript Unsealed By Estelle Shirbon CANTERBURY, England (Reuters) - A Sudanese man who walked through the Channel Tunnel last summer at the height of Europe's refugee crisis walked free on Wednesday after a lengthy court case and said his priority now was to rebuild his life in Britain. Abdul Haroun, who fled war in his native Darfur region, was sentenced to nine months in jail for obstructing a railway but had already spent as long in pre-trial detention. He was arrested as he emerged from the railway tunnel after walking 50 km (30 miles) from France in near total darkness, clinging to metal brackets on the tunnel walls to dodge passing trains. "Even if I died, there wasn't another solution," he told police when asked what made him walk through the tunnel, the court heard. Channel Tunnel operator Eurotunnel and some politicians had called for him to be severely punished to deter others from following his example, while supporters said that as a genuine refugee he should not be prosecuted at all. The first person known to have made it clandestinely through the tunnel on foot, Haroun made global headlines at a time when the migration crisis on Europe's borders was causing political tensions across the continent, including in Britain. Immigration is now one of the main issues in Thursday's referendum on whether Britain should leave the European Union. Haroun spent five months in prison until he was granted asylum last December and released on bail in January. His lawyers tried to get the charge against him dropped but Judge Adele Williams rejected their arguments, leading him to change his plea to guilty. He will appeal against his conviction on the basis that the judge's ruling was wrong. "His priority now is to focus on rebuilding his life in the UK," his lawyer Sadie Castle told reporters after sentencing. "A STATE OF DESPERATION" An ethnic Zaghawa whose age was given by police as 40 but who does not know his exact date of birth, Haroun received no formal education as a child and cannot read or write. When he was arrested he had no identity documents and no belongings. He fled persecution by the Sudanese government-backed Janjaweed militia in 2004 and spent years at a camp on the Kari-Yari dam on Sudan's border with Chad before making his way to Britain via Egypt, Libya, Italy and France. He told police he jumped over the tunnel perimeter fence near Calais and made his way to England alone. "It is plain that having traveled from your native Sudan, you were in a state of desperation when you decided to walk through the Channel Tunnel," Judge Williams told him. He spent the first few weeks after he was freed on bail living with a British woman who is an active refugee rights campaigner in the seaside town of Margate, Kent. In a character reference handed to the judge, she said he had helped with cooking, cleaning and gardening, had taken English lessons and done his homework assiduously, and had often taken long walks along the beach. He walked 5 miles (7 km) to the police station in the town every Wednesday to meet his bail terms, the court heard. Haroun subsequently moved to Birmingham, Britain's second-largest city, where he is in contact with other Darfuri people who can speak his language, people who have helped him said. Judge Williams said she had been relatively lenient due to the circumstances of his case. "Anyone else who might be tempted to commit this offence in the future can only expect an immediate sentence of imprisonment," she said. (Editing by Stephen Addison) By Estelle Shirbon CANTERBURY, England (Reuters) - A Sudanese man who walked through the Channel Tunnel last summer at the height of Europe's refugee crisis walked free on Wednesday after a lengthy court case and said his priority now was to rebuild his life in Britain. Abdul Haroun, who fled war in his native Darfur region, was sentenced to nine months in jail for obstructing a railway but had already spent as long in pre-trial detention. He was arrested as he emerged from the railway tunnel after walking 50 km (30 miles) from France in near total darkness, clinging to metal brackets on the tunnel walls to dodge passing trains. "Even if I died, there wasn't another solution," he told police when asked what made him walk through the tunnel, the court heard. Channel Tunnel operator Eurotunnel and some politicians had called for him to be severely punished to deter others from following his example, while supporters said that as a genuine refugee he should not be prosecuted at all. The first person known to have made it clandestinely through the tunnel on foot, Haroun made global headlines at a time when the migration crisis on Europe's borders was causing political tensions across the continent, including in Britain. Immigration is now one of the main issues in Thursday's referendum on whether Britain should leave the European Union. Haroun spent five months in prison until he was granted asylum last December and released on bail in January. His lawyers tried to get the charge against him dropped but Judge Adele Williams rejected their arguments, leading him to change his plea to guilty. He will appeal against his conviction on the basis that the judge's ruling was wrong. "His priority now is to focus on rebuilding his life in the UK," his lawyer Sadie Castle told reporters after sentencing. "A STATE OF DESPERATION" An ethnic Zaghawa whose age was given by police as 40 but who does not know his exact date of birth, Haroun received no formal education as a child and cannot read or write. When he was arrested he had no identity documents and no belongings. He fled persecution by the Sudanese government-backed Janjaweed militia in 2004 and spent years at a camp on the Kari-Yari dam on Sudan's border with Chad before making his way to Britain via Egypt, Libya, Italy and France. He told police he jumped over the tunnel perimeter fence near Calais and made his way to England alone. "It is plain that having travelled from your native Sudan, you were in a state of desperation when you decided to walk through the Channel Tunnel," Judge Williams told him. He spent the first few weeks after he was freed on bail living with a British woman who is an active refugee rights campaigner in the seaside town of Margate, Kent. In a character reference handed to the judge, she said he had helped with cooking, cleaning and gardening, had taken English lessons and done his homework assiduously, and had often taken long walks along the beach. He walked 5 miles (7 km) to the police station in the town every Wednesday to meet his bail terms, the court heard. Haroun subsequently moved to Birmingham, Britain's second-largest city, where he is in contact with other Darfuri people who can speak his language, people who have helped him said. Judge Williams said she had been relatively lenient due to the circumstances of his case. "Anyone else who might be tempted to commit this offence in the future can only expect an immediate sentence of imprisonment," she said. (Editing by Stephen Addison) If you don't know her by name, perhaps you know her face... Charlotte Gainsbourg is one of Frances most famous exports. As the daughter of musician and actor Serge Gainsbourg and model and actress Jane Birkin, she grew up surrounded by cinema, making her screen debut at 12 opposite Catherine Deneuve in the 1984 picture Paroles et Musique. Now, with over 45 acting credits to her name, she's making her mark on Hollywood with a role in Independence Day: Resurgence, Roland Emmerichs follow up to the original 1996 blockbuster, in which the actress plays French psychiatrist Dr. Catherine Marceaux. This new role marks a significant departure from her roles in Danish filmmaker Lars von Trier's Antichrist, Melancholia and Nymphomaniac, or the "Depression Trilogy", as it's sometimes known. This was a series of highly controversial films that saw her portray some heavily emotional, gritty and sexually deviant characters between 2009 and 2013, picking up five awards and a further seven nominations in the process. When I was 15, going to the cinema was a big deal Gainsbourg says she didn't see the Independence Day role coming. It was a real surprise when my agent called, she explains, when I meet her in London's Claridge's Hotel, sporting a black T-shirt and pouring herself a cup of lemon and honey. There was no doubt on my side, she continues, of whether I was going to do it or not. I wanted to be a part of it. Gainsbourg says that one of the main reasons she was drawn to the Independence Day sequel her first big studio film was the way in which we as viewers are consuming cinema today. The big change is TV, she muses, in reference to the Netflix generation. When I was 15, going to the cinema was a big deal, we used to go with friends every week. I mean, it was part of our culture. Today, my own children, they dont go to the movies. So I think its great to have those kind of films, that make us go to the movies. Films that boast large scale budgets and extravagant special effects? Yes. Story continues Shooting with Emmerich was a different experience to projects she'd been involved in previously, she tells me. There are big, big differences [between independent and mainstream films], she says, her distinctive French-English accent breaking to giggle at the mammoth contrast. The timing was so precise, like minutes. In French films, its not that you take your time, but This was not relaxed, this was very, very scheduled." It was still fun though, she says: "Roland has his spirit, and [co-star] Jeff Goldblum, whos such a personality, was just being himself but entertaining everyone and singing and playing games." She smiles, "I wouldnt say that it was hard work. Arriving two decades after Will Smith and co saved earth from the threat of extraterrestrials, Independence Day: Resurgence sees Goldblum's character David Levinson tackling a new alien species with 20 extra years of CGI technical advances. For Gainsbourg's character, however, the action focuses predominantly on an iPad, the key tool of Marceaux's research. "Whats difficult is that you dont get to act enough," she notes. "I didnt have that much to do on blue screen, so, my part was very normal in that sense. Im ageing, of course, but I think Im having more fun now, and taking the space to have fun Gainsbourg isn't the only critically acclaimed actress making moves towards more big-time movies of late. She was name checked alongside Julianne Moore and Toni Collette on a blog by Benjamin Lee for the Guardian earlier this year in which the writer considered the trend for "female stars over 40" being tapped for more mainstream, action performances (Moore has been cast in the new Kingsman film, Collette in xXx: the Return of Xander Cage, even Dame Helen Mirren's been confirmed for Fast and Furious 8) I wonder whether, now aged 44, Gainsbourg has noticed a significant shift in the kind of roles shes offered. Theyve changed because Im ageing, of course, but I think Im having more fun now, and taking the space to have fun. She says its not a question of being more daring, but not caring so much about the success of a film. I think every experience now is becoming more special in the sense that I really know what I want as an actress. Im not career driven, but I know what Im aiming for and its a little more precise, and thats something Ive been enjoying. The main thing shes looking for? A complex character, a challenge. For me its more to do with finding interesting parts for women. I feel that, with French cinema, I havent been able to find that many interesting projects so Im very grateful to have been able to do films outside of France, but French cinema has always been quite open to women characters. Not too stereotyped, with a lot of bad sides too, but some originality. Outside of the film work, Gainsbourg's personal style has won her plaudits. She is a long time muse to her friend, the designer Nicolas Ghesquiere, both today at Louis Vuitton and during his previous tenure at Balenciaga, and has appeared in his campaigns as well as frequently debuting his designs on the red carpet. Favouring black, her day-to-day aesthetic is chic but low-key, a bit like her indie cinema peers Chloe Sevigny and Sofia Coppola. Is she comfortable with recognition for her style, or does she find it superficial? I think its flattering, very flattering, she offers, but its not something that I value, and sometimes I feel that its exaggerated. But its lovely. Jane Birkin and Serge Gainsbourg with baby Charlotte. Photo: GETTY And of her parents, whose prolific romance saw the English Birkin adopted by France as one of their own national treasures, and of which analogue photographs fill Francophile Tumblrs, I wonder whether she feels the pair's shadow over her own career. The thing is, she says with a marked awareness of her privilege, Ive never had to suffer because I was successful very young. I had a certain status, she admits. I can see what American actresses have to fight for If anything, three decades of hard graft have seen Gainsbourg more than prove her worth as a performer, and, having done so, shes passionate about the necessity of equal pay. Im conscious of those differences and what I find unfair. With American cinema I can also see stereotyping much, much more, so I can see what American actresses have to fight for." With our time drawing to a close, I ask Gainsbourg what else she is up to. Following the release of the controversial Lemon Incest recorded with her father in 1984, Gainsbourg has a back catalogue of four albums, with a fifth produced by Beck dropping in the autumn. Preceding that is a second film, an independent thriller, True Crimes, which sees her star opposite Jim Carey, as well as a role in Joseph Cedar's forthcoming Oppenheimer Strategies alongside Richard Gere. First though, there's a Hollywood blockbuster to promote. Independence Day: Resurgence is released nationwide Thursday 23rd June. Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here? 20 Of The Best & Worst Summer Flings On Film How Stealing Beauty Changed Our Lives Liam Hemsworth Reveals Jennifer Lawrence's Expert-Level Trolling EXCLUSIVE Charlotte Rampling is set to join the cast of Euphoria, alongside Alicia Vikander and Eva Green, who were previously announced by Deadline. Vikander is also producing the pic through her newly-launched production banner Vikarious Productions. She is partners in Vikarious with her London-based agent Charles Collier, a partner in Tavistock Wood. The two of them have been driving the production forward, also bringing on-board esteemed DP Rob Hardy, who previously worked with Vikander on Ex Machina and Testament of Youth. Shooting starts early August in the German Alps. The story follows two sisters (Vikander and Green), in conflict traveling through Europe towards a mystery destination. Euphoria is the English-language directorial debut of award-winning Swedish writer and director Lisa Langseth, who previously collaborated with Vikander on two Swedish-language titles, Pure and Hotell. The film is a production with Swedens B-Reel Films Patrik Anderson and Frida Bargo. It is the first production from Vikarious, with Vikander and Collier launched on the eve of Cannes. The company plans to produce a further two titles at a similar budget to Euphoria within the next two years. Vikander is on fire right now and arguably Europes foremost leading lady. Earlier this year, the 27-year-old Swede won an Academy Award for best supporting actress for her performance in Tom Hoopers The Danish Girl. Prior to that she put in a memorable turn in Ex Machina as possibly the best-looking and ruthless robot in the history of cinema. She next co-stars in Jason Bourne opposite Matt Damon. She also has The Light Between Oceans opposite Michael Fassbender in the pipelines. That film has been generating awards-season buzz even though it will not be released until the fall. Vikanders stratospheric rise has been further cemented with the confirmation she will star as Lara Croft for MGM, Warner Bros and GK Films in Tomb Raider. The reboot will tell the story of a young and untested Lara Croft fighting to survive her first adventure. Roar Uthaug (The Wave) is directing. MGM and Warner Bros are co-producing the film with MGM overseeing production. They acquired film rights from GK Films, which had previously purchased film rights in 2011 from Square Enix LTD. Graham King is serving as producer. Story continues The evergreen Rampling is enjoying a purple patch in her illustrious career. She earned plaudits and an Academy Award nomination for her moving performance in Andrew Haighs 45 Years, which also won her the Best Actress award at the 2015 Berlin Film Festival. Forthcoming film titles include The Sense of an Ending, in which she co-stars with Michelle Dockery, Emily Mortimer and Jim Broadbent. She has been honoured with a career Cesar, the European Film Awards Lifetime Achievement Award, Frances Legion dhonneur and a British OBE. Euphoria is a Swedish/UK/Germany production by B-Reel Films, Vikarious Productions, Dancing Camel (Christine Ruppert), Sveriges Television, Svensk Filmindustri, Reel Ventures and Filmregionen Stockholm-Malardalen. The film is in collaboration with Wild Bunch Germany and in association with Dorian Media Limited as well as support from the Swedish Film Institute. Svensk will distribute in the Nordic territories. Rampling is repped by Artmedia and Diamond Management. Related stories 'The Light Between Oceans' Trailer: Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander & Rachel Weisz In Heart-Wrenching Drama Alicia Vikander Launches Vikarious Productions; Sets First Project 'Euphoria' With Eva Green- Cannes Alicia Vikander Cast As Lara Croft In 'Tomb Raider' Manila (AFP) - China is using its fishing fleets with armed escorts to bolster maritime claims in disputed territory, a senior US State Department official warned Wednesday, calling China's behaviour "disturbing". The comments came after Indonesian warships fired warning shots and detained a Chinese-flagged fishing boat and seven crew near the Natuna Islands in the South China Sea last week, in actions slammed by Beijing. "I think it's a disturbing trend to see Chinese fishing vessels accompanied by coast guard vessels, used in a way that appears to be an attempt to exert a claim that may not be legitimate," said the US official via conference call to journalists in Southeast Asia. "I do think that it does point to an expanding presence of Chinese -- sort of military and paramilitary forces -- and used in a way that is provocative and potentially destabilising," the US official, who asked not to be named, added. Unlike several other countries in the region, Indonesia has no overlapping claims with China to islets or reefs in the sea, but Beijing's claim to fishing rights near the Natunas appears to overlap with Jakarta's exclusive economic zone. Last week's incident was only the latest in a series of skirmishes between the two countries since Jakarta launched a crackdown on illegal fishing in 2014. In March Chinese coastguards rammed a Chinese boat detained near the Natunas and helped it escape as the Indonesians towed the vessel to shore. And last month, the Indonesian navy opened fire on a Chinese trawler near the islands and seized the vessel. Following last week's confrontation, the commander of the Indonesian navy's western fleet said the fishing vessel incursions were "structured", indicating Beijing had "given its blessing". "China protested because it thinks this area is theirs," commander Achmad Taufiqoerrochman told reporters. "Actually the (fish) stealing is just a ruse to stake its claim," he said. Story continues China has undertaken land-reclamation works in the Spratly Islands, one of the South China Sea's main archipelagoes which are also claimed by the Philippines, Brunei, Vietnam, Malaysia and Taiwan. The US State Department official said Washington hoped a pending ruling by a United Nations-backed tribunal on South China Sea maritime entitlements will push rival claimants into talks. The case was lodged by the Philippines against China in 2013 to challenge Beijing's "nine-dash line" map through which it claims to control nearly all of the strategic and reputedly resources-rich waters. "It is in China's interest not to take any action that would be provocative and directly in contradiction to the ruling," the US official said. MUNICH, Germany (Reuters) - Global industrial robot sales growth slowed to 12 percent in 2015 weighed by a sharp fall in top buyer China, data from the International Federation of Robotics (IFR) showed on Wednesday. The figure was less than half the 29 percent advance seen in 2014 but revised up from a previous IFR estimate of 8 percent due to more data from national associations. Growth in robot sales in China slowed to 17 percent from 56 percent but the country, hungry to automate production as wages rise and still lagging in its robot-worker ratio, still accounted for more than a quarter of the 248,000 robots sold. "The positive sales figures are being driven by highly automated emerging countries, and by regions that are already highly developed economically," the IFR said. Robot sales more than doubled in Mexico, where the global automotive industry has made large investments in plants to make cars for export to the United States and South America. The Chinese market is still dominated by foreign robot makers but the IFR said domestic robot makers were making inroads, increasing their market share to 31 percent from 25 percent in 2013. Chinese producers still largely make low- to mid-range industrial robots but are keen to develop their capabilities. Chinese home appliances maker Midea launched a bid last week for German industrial robot maker Kuka (KU2G.DE). [nL8N1980IK] European industrial robot sales rose 10 percent, led by Germany, the IFR said. Sales rose 15 percent in the Americas, although just by 3 percent in the United States. In Asia they rose by 16 percent. South Korea was the world's second-biggest robot market, followed by Japan, the United States and Germany. The five accounted for three-quarters of all sales of industrial robots. The automotive industry was still the biggest buyer of robots, accounting for more than a third of sales. But growth was just 1 percent. The fastest-growing sectors for robot sales were metal, plastics and rubber, and electronics manufacturing. (Reporting by Georgina Prodhan; editing by Jason Neely) By James Pomfret WUKAN, China (Reuters) - The Chinese fishing village of Wukan staged a fourth straight day of protests on Wednesday against what residents say was the unlawful arrest of the village chief, a rare show of grassroots defiance against authorities in Communist China. Wukan, in the southern province of Guangdong, made international headlines in 2011 as a symbol of grassroots democracy after an uprising against corrupt local authorities and illegal land grabs that resulted in rare concessions being granted by provincial Communist Party leaders. Under a blazing sun, the village of 15,000 once again united to march for the release of Lin Zuluan, the popular and democratically elected village chief who was arrested in a surprise midnight raid over the weekend. Lin was shown on state television on Tuesday confessing to accepting bribes, but many villagers profess his innocence, saying he'd been forced into making a confession. Sources close to the Lin family said his grandson was detained by police soon after Lin's arrest and interrogated for 12 hours. The grandson was released soon after Lin's confession went public, they said. Despite repeated warnings by authorities to the villagers not to stir up trouble, more than a thousand again marched in a loud procession, waving red China flags and chanting for justice. "The villagers of Wukan don't believe Lin Zuluan took bribes," read a hand-written white banner held up by a group of several children at the vanguard of the procession. They also held up banners making a broader appeal to national leaders in Beijing to "save Wukan". "We want the central government to come and investigate," said Wei Yonghan, an elderly villager joining the march. "We won't give up. We'll keep marching every day till they listen to us." 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. Over the past few days, however, authorities seem to have tightened their grip. Some reporters were warned by authorities in nearby Shanwei of "inciting, planning and directing the protests," according to reports carried in Chinese state media. Foreign media outlets including Reuters were urged to leave the village immediately. A villager who was taken into detention by police and interrogated said authorities were aggressively going after potential ringleaders of the protests to quash any escalation of unrest. "They questioned me for hours and wanted to know everything, who was organizing things," the villager, who declined to be identified, said. "They told me to open my Wechat (messaging app) ... and spent hours looking through my messages." While there didn't appear to be a mass deployment of riot police for the protests on Wednesday, at least three drones could be seen hovering in the sky tracking the demonstration. Villagers also occasionally chased off individuals in the crowds they believed to be plain-clothes officers. 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. (Editing by Nick Macfie) A video that shows eight Chinese bank employees being spanked with what looks like a plank has led to the suspension of two of the companys top executives, and huge backlash online. The video was first posted Monday by the Peoples Dailythe official newspaper of the Chinese Communist Partyand shows employees of Changzhi Zhangze Rural Commercial Bank at a training session standing on stage while a man paces behind them. More than 200 employees participated in the Breakthrough Performance class. And its trainer, Jiang Yang, singled out the eight people for failing to make a personal breakthrough and their inadequate team cohesiveness. Jiang is a corporate trainer for the Shanghai-based Leadership Academy, and reportedly earns $15,000 (100,000 yuan) for his services. Before he smacked each employee several times, Jiang said, get your butts ready. Heres the video: Recommended: Another White Man Tries to Stop Harriet Tubman The spanking happened Saturday, and along with the video, the Peoples Daily posted photos of male employees who had their heads shaved, and female employees who had their hair cut, reportedly also for poor performance at the training. The video was widely shared online, which prompted an apology from Jiang, who called the spanking a training model I have tried for years, but that bank executives had not condoned. The banks chairman and deputy governor have been suspended, the BBC reported. The company has also issued an apology. The Peoples Daily reported that compensation is in discussion for the spanked employees. Corporal punishment is banned in China. But this is not the first time its been used as a business motivator, as the Shanghaiist points out. Under-performing sales people have been forced to crawl around a lake, and employees have been made to kneel for an hour on a steel overpass. Corporal punishment was outlawed in schools in 1986, but remains common practice in rural areas. Story continues Read more from The Atlantic: This article was originally published on The Atlantic. If the last 24 hours are any guide, its shaping up to be a very long and very acrimonious summer on the presidential campaign trail. After presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton spent the better part of an hour lambasting her Republican counterpart, Donald Trump, for his economic policies Tuesday, Trump returned the favor Wednesday with a 45-minute harangue accusing her of personal corruption and worse. Clinton, in turn, took time away from what was billed as a major economic policy speech on Wednesday afternoon to address Trumps attacks. Related: Heres the Glaring Problem with Trumps New Attack on Clinton Look, I know Donald hates it when anybody points out how hollow his sales pitch really is, Clinton said at a rally in North Carolina. And I guess my speech yesterday must have gotten under his skin because right away he lashed out on Twitter with outlandish lies and conspiracy theories and he did the same in his speech today. Now think about it. Hes going after me personally because he has no answers on the substance. She saved particular scorn for Trumps repeated insinuation that the Clinton family uses its charitable foundation as a means of lining their own pockets, calling him out for attacking a philanthropic foundation that saves and improves lives around the world. Its no surprise he doesnt understand these things, she said, adding, Donald Trump uses poor people around the world to produce his line of suits and ties. The string of zingers aimed directly at her opponents most recent remarks came at the end of a speech in which Clinton actually put some meat on the bones of her economic agenda. Related: Trumps Biggest Gift to Clinton -- Choosing the VP She Really Wants The remarks focused on five main initiatives that she says she would push in her first 100 days in office, the first of which she described as the biggest job creation program since the end of the Second World War. It would be driven by investment in reconstruction of the countrys infrastructure. Story continues Taking a page from her chief Democratic rival during the primaries, Clinton pledged to make college debt free for all. Thats a small but very real difference from Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders promise to make public colleges and universities free, but would still involve a radical transformation of the way higher education is funded in the U.S. She offered a vague outline of a proposal to change tax laws in a way that would result in companies sharing more profits with employees rather than returning them to shareholders through stock buybacks or placing them out of the reach of US tax authorities in foreign subsidiaries. She also reiterated her call for a very Trump-like exit tax that would punish companies that move their headquarters overseas in order to avoid US taxes. Related: Team Trumps Big Fail in Clinton Counterattack Clinton also renewed her call to make corporations and the super rich pay higher taxes and to implement more families first policies, including a higher minimum wage, paid maternity leave, and other benefits. But the supportive crowd came to life the most when Clinton went after her opponent -- and in some respects, so did Clinton herself, who appears to relish needling Trump, and showed over the last two days that shes happy to give as good as she gets. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: With his Oxford and Harvard education and Kennedyesque air (both presidential chin and pedigree), William Bill Weld would seem to be the furthest thing from a poster child of libertarianism which in most elections has had, well, a more layman touch. Rebranding is part of the point, though, the 70-year-old vice presidential candidate tells OZY. And chatting over coffee at the Princeton Club in New York City only drives the message home as the 90s-era champion of gay rights and tax cutting effusively compliments both Republican John Kasich and Democrat Hillary Clinton. But the former Republican governor of Massachusetts, who barely won the Libertarian Partys nomination second ballot, thin margin inspired boos at the partys convention for his past support of (limited) gun restrictions and other libertarian no-nos. Still, most party followers believe their ticket, topped by former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson, will make a dramatic dent in Americas political duopoly, which Weld calls unhealthy, and the two parties seem to exist for the purpose of demonizing each other. Already, Weld and Johnsons name recognition has resulted in a prime-time CNN town hall set for tonight, and this election could be a breakthrough moment for both libertarians and Weld. Our edited conversation follows. OZY: Why are you running as a Libertarian this year? William Weld: Gary and I think a majority of Americans hold views that correspond to libertarian views. Theyre socially liberal, tolerant and inclusive on issues like abortion and marriage rights. On the fiscally conservative side, we both cut and balanced the budget while governing in blue states. Its also a good year because there seems to be room. OZY: Have you reached out to #NeverTrump Republicans looking for an alternative to Donald Trump? W.W.: We will talk to these folks, but lets let some time pass and see if we cant elevate our profile somewhat first. We dont conceive that were running against Mr. Trump or Mrs. Clinton, though that doesnt mean we wont be fiercely critical when Mr. Trump issues policy proposals such as re-creating the Berlin Wall around the Mexican border or arming Japan and Korea with nuclear weapons, when nuclear proliferation is the biggest threat today. Story continues OZY: Some libertarians oppose the Obama administrations pushback on bathroom bills that restrict restroom access for transgender people, because they see it as federal overreach. Would you enforce protections for the trans community? W.W.: Thats the same thing as asking if someone would vote for the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and Gary drew some boos at the convention when he said he would [enforce protections]. If bathroom access for transgender people rises to the status of a right that needs protection, then why not? OZY: You previously supported limited gun control. Post-Orlando, your party has called for an end to gun-free zones. W.W.: I learned about such zones from Gary, who thinks it would be a disincentive for lunatics to walk into a crowded theater and open fire if they knew six people a few seats away could shoot them. You dont want students bringing guns to schools, but in the context of a gay nightclub? You can see more of an argument for it, since it might be a target. OZY: There are people uncomfortable with gun-free zones including a place that serves alcohol. W.W.: That makes some sense. I might be persuadable. Maybe you could only bring a gun if you were a designated driver, or something like that. OZY: How do you see your role on this ticket? W.W.: Garys a real Westerner, and Im a real Easterner. Ive spent more time on foreign policy than he has, while hes been more recently in the thick of national politics. Its a good blend. Right now, Gary by himself is polling 10 to 12 percent. If we drew the interest of just another 5 percent, that takes us to around 20 percent. With that, a party could go all the way when you get to the final two months and voters really pay attention. OZY: Whats on the agenda for the first 100 days of a Johnson-Weld administration? W.W.: If you dont achieve 50 percent of your objectives in the first six months, youre a failure. The first thing I would propose tackling would be the hardest: the budget. Id adopt zero-based budgeting, which assumes each budget starts not at last years level but at zero, so every program has to justify itself. If a health care program achieved sensational outcomes, I could see multiplying that appropriation by six, 10 or 12. If another seems sluggish, that might go to zero. You dont assume there are sacred cows. By Julia Symmes Cobb and Sarah Marsh BOGOTA/HAVANA (Reuters) - Colombia's government and leftist FARC rebels said on Wednesday they had agreed to end hostilities with a definitive ceasefire that leaves the two sides just a step away from resolving the longest-running conflict in the Western Hemisphere. After more than three years of fraught talks in Havana, the agreement brings into sight an end to a conflict that began as a 1960s peasant revolt before exploding into a cocaine-fueled war that has killed at least 220,000 people and displaced millions. The accord will be signed on Thursday in Havana by President Juan Manuel Santos and Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, rebel leader Rodrigo Londono, better known by his nom de guerre Timochenko. "Tomorrow will be a great day! We will work for a Colombia that is at peace, a dream starts to be reality," Santos said on his Twitter feed. Cuban President Raul Castro, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and Chilean President Michelle Bachelet will attend, the two sides said. The ceremony is expected to be held at 1200 EDT (1600 GMT). Santos said this week the government and the rebels will complete negotiations for a final deal by July 20. The ceasefire, which includes terms for the FARC's demobilization, laying down of arms, and security for former fighters, does not begin until the final deal is signed. Half-way through his second term and staking his legacy on peace, the 64-year-old president has said a deal would add as much as two percentage points annually to economic growth. "The significance of the agreement that will be signed tomorrow cannot be underestimated," said Jason Marczak, director of the Latin America Economic Growth Initiative at the Atlantic Council. "The peace deal will only further add to the sense that this is a completely new Colombia than the Colombia of 20 years ago." Some analysts say security improvements over the last dozen years mean Colombia has already reaped the benefits of the so-called "peace dividend." Commercial bank Bancolombia said in a report a formal deal would add 0.3 percent growth annually. Santos has promised the final accord will be put to the Colombian people in a plebiscite, and must win over those skeptical of FARC promises to rejoin civil society, including supporters of hard-line former President Alvaro Uribe who claims a deal will grant guerrillas impunity for war crimes. Even with a FARC deal, formidable security challenges remain. The smaller National Liberation Army (ELN) has only recently said it will start talks, while criminal gangs born out of right-wing paramilitary groups have taken over drug trafficking routes across the country. The FARC is particularly concerned about security after its soldiers lay down their arms. Thousands of former guerrillas were assassinated by paramilitaries after joining a political party during an attempt at peace in the 1980s. REFERENDUM NEEDED The South American country of 46 million people, once considered a nearly failed state, has lured back investors and tourists since Uribe launched a U.S.-backed counterinsurgency campaign in 2002. Rich in commodities like oil, coal, gold and coffee, it is one of Washington's closest allies in Latin America and has a long history of market-friendly governments. Agreement on virtually all of the items on the peace talks agenda in Cuba has already been reached, including such thorny issues such as land reform and participation by former rebels in Colombia's political life. The two sides have not yet agreed on terms for overall implementation of a peace accord and how a national referendum on the deal will be organized, however. Santos has promised that any final accord would be put to the Colombian people in a plebiscite. He has come under fire for saying he would have to raise taxes if the country returned to war. 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 the final accord in March. The group of about 8,000 combatants, down from 17,000 in its heyday, is considered a terrorist group by the United States and European Union. (Reporting by Sarah Marsh, Julia Symmes Cobb and Luis Jaime Acosta; Editing by Frank Jack Daniel and Tom Brown) Havana (AFP) - Colombia's government and the FARC guerrilla force agreed Wednesday on a definitive ceasefire, taking one of the last steps towards ending Latin America's longest civil war. The announcement heralds an end to a half-century conflict that has killed hundreds of thousands of people in the jungles of the major cocaine-producing country. "We have successfully reached an agreement for a definitive bilateral ceasefire and end to hostilities," the two sides said in a joint statement. FARC commander Carlos Lozada tweeted: "On Thursday, June 23, we will announce the last day of the war." The deal resolves one of the final points in peace talks between the government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), the country's biggest rebel group. The deal is to be formally announced Thursday at a ceremony with Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos and FARC commander Timoleon Jimenez. The statement said foreign leaders and officials including UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon would attend. Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said this week he hopes to seal a full peace deal by July 20. "Tomorrow will be a great day!" he wrote on Twitter. "We are working for a Colombia at peace, a dream that is starting to become a reality." - Half-century conflict - The Colombian conflict started as a rural uprising in the 1960s. It has drawn in various leftist rebel groups, right-wing paramilitaries and drug gangs over the decades. The violence has left 260,000 people dead, 45,000 missing and nearly seven million displaced, according to official figures. Human rights groups say atrocities have been committed on all sides. Many families are still searching for missing loved ones. The accord covers "the laying-down of arms, security guarantees and the fight against the criminal organizations" accused of fueling the conflict, the statement said. "This means the end of the longest and most bloody conflict in the western hemisphere and a new opportunity to bet on democracy," said Angelika Rettberg, a conflict resolution specialist at the University of the Andes. Story continues - Demobilization - The means of implementation of a final peace deal remain to be settled. Santos's government wants a referendum to put the seal of popular approval on the peace. Peace talks have been underway in Havana since 2012. They got a boost when the FARC declared a unilateral ceasefire a year ago. The Marxist guerrilla group then agreed to remove child soldiers from its ranks. Provisional accords have been signed on compensating victims and fighting the drug trade that fuels the conflict. The sides are discussing designating zones where the FARC's estimated 7,000 remaining fighters can gather for a UN-supervised demobilization process. "The UN is prepared to do whatever it can to strengthen the peace process," said its deputy spokesman Farhan Haq on Wednesday. "We hope it will lead to a final agreement and the end of this long war." The United States said its Special Envoy Bernard Aronson was heading to Havana to represent Washington at Thursday's ceremony. "The United States welcomes (Wednesday's) communique, looks forward to the event tomorrow, and hopes the parties will continue to make progress toward a final peace accord," said US State Department spokesman John Kirby. Peace with the FARC would virtually end the conflict, but other armed groups are still operating. Santos and the country's second-biggest rebel group, the leftist National Liberation Army (ELN), have also said they will start peace talks. That initiative has stumbled due to alleged kidnappings by the group. By Tom Perry GAZIANTEP, Turkey (Reuters) - A smoldering confrontation between Syrian armed groups backed by the United States but hostile to each other is escalating, complicating the fight against Islamic State in the war-torn country. Syrian Arab rebels under the Free Syrian Army (FSA) banner say they are in a growing struggle against the Kurdish YPG militia that are helping the United States wage its campaign against IS in Syria. On June 12, one of the many FSA groups in the Aleppo area fired a guided TOW missile at a YPG position, the first attack of its kind, the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and YPG said. The two sides have different priorities in the war, with the FSA rebels battling to oust President Bashar al-Assad, while the YPG is trying mainly to carve out its own areas of control in northern Syria. Each side also accuses the other of conspiring with its enemies in a struggle with an ethnic dimension pitting groups drawn from Syria's Arab majority against one that emerged in 2011 with the stated aim of defending the Kurdish minority. "There is a deepening divide between us," the politburo chief of the Jabha Shamiya, one of the biggest FSA rebel groups in the Aleppo area. "If there is no quick political solution between the revolutionaries and the Kurds, it is heading towards escalation." YPG spokesman Redur Xelil said his group did not aim to spark a battle with FSA groups. But he added: "If they want a war, they will certainly lose." More than five years since it began, there is no end in sight to the war in Syria that has created the world's worst refugee crisis, helped the rise of Islamic State, drawn in foreign states, and killed several hundred thousand people. Now, the escalating clash between the two U.S.-backed groups has exposed a fault-line that presents a challenge to the anti-IS campaign as it moves into predominantly Arab areas east of Aleppo with YPG support, starting with the city of Manbij. DISTRUST OVER INTENTIONS While the YPG has been an effective force against IS, the rebels say it cannot stabilize Arab areas captured from the jihadists. They compare it to Shi'ite militias that are fighting IS in Iraq but are mistrusted by its Sunni population. The United States appears keenly aware of the sensitivities. A U.S. official said more Arabs had been brought into the Syria Democratic Forces (SDF), an alliance formed last October to fight IS that draws heavily on YPG firepower. "Weve been working hard to diversify the force," the official said. Many of the fighters in the Manbij attack were displaced residents of the city, control of which would be handed to a local holding force once it is captured. "There is a lot of distrust obviously about the intentions, about right of control, about inclusiveness. We are extremely sensitive to that," the U.S. official said. The YPG-FSA rivalry is focused in a northwestern corner of Syria where all the main players are engaged in one way or another, including Russia whose air strikes have turned around the fortunes of Assad, their ally in the Middle East. FSA rebels are part of the nationalist opposition to Assad, who is also being fought by al Qaeda-linked groups. A number of groups receive military aid in a covert, CIA-backed program. The YPG is one of the most powerful militias in Syria and seen as the backbone of the SDF, whose campaign in Manbij is supported by U.S.-led air strikes and American special forces. For rebels, Aleppo province is critical for reasons including its position at the Turkish border. Rebels are struggling to keep open routes into the opposition-held sector of Aleppo city, while also battling Islamic State to the north. The YPG, meanwhile, controls the nearby region of Afrin, from where it advanced into rebel areas north of Aleppo earlier this year. The rebels saw it as a coordinated attack with Damascus and Russia. The YPG denies this. The YPG also controls much of northeastern Syria, where its political allies are working to entrench regional autonomy in a system they say will give rights to all groups. The anti-Assad opposition views it as part of a separatist project. With the wind in the SDF's sails, analysts see a risk the YPG may want to advance from Manbij all the way to Afrin, aiming to steamroll the FSA rebels near Aleppo in the process. GENERATING INSTABILITY? The U.S. official, however, said that advancing west from Manbij towards Aleppo was not part of the SDF plan. That may point to U.S. sensitivity over the concerns of neighboring Turkey which opposes further growth of YPG influence in Syria. Senior International Crisis Group Analyst Noah Bonsey said it would be better for all if Turkey, the rebels and the YPG struck a deal on a division of labor to drive IS from the northern Aleppo area, and on who would control it afterwards. Turkey is deeply suspicious, however, of the Kurdish YPG because of its links with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). The PKK has waged a three-decade insurgency in southeast Turkey. The YPG-FSA conflict has also spilled into Aleppo itself, whose Sheikh Maqsoud district is under YPG control. Rebels accuse the YPG of aggression by firing on the only road into opposition-held Aleppo. In turn, rebels have shelled it heavily. The TOW missile attack was a notable escalation. The YPG said it had notified the United States, saying the weapon was supplied under the U.S.-backed program. Reuters could not confirm the attack with rebel officials. Rebels warn of the ethnic dimension to the struggle, fueled by the displacement of Arabs in YPG offensives. Kurdish officials have consistently denied claims of ethnic cleansing of places such as Tel Rifaat, captured by the YPG in February. Only a few of the Arabs who fled there have returned, the Observatory says. It attributes that to fear, not a YPG policy to stop them, however. Saleh Muslim, head of the Syrian Kurdish PYD party, told Reuters the diversity of the forces in Manbij showed there was no Arab-Kurdish problem. But Zakaria Malahefji, an official with an Aleppo-based FSA group, said he warned U.S. officials they were naive to believe the YPG would cede control of areas captured from IS. "The people ... feel there is significant coordination between the regime and YPG," he said. "This will generate sensitivities and these areas will not be stable." (Additional reporting by Warren Strobel in Washington; Writing by Tom Perry and Peter Millership) KINSHASA (Reuters) - Democratic Republic of Congo opposition presidential candidate Moise Katumbi was sentenced in absentia to three years in prison and fined $1 million on Wednesday after being convicted of selling a house he did not own, his lawyer said. Katumbi had denied the charge and says it and another charge brought against him last month, of hiring mercenaries in a plot against the state, are aimed at derailing his presidential bid. His lawyer Barthelemy Mumba Gama told Reuters the court had "flagrantly violated the minimum standards of the process" by trying Katumbi in absentia even though he had received permission from Congo's prosecutor general to leave the country. Katumbi, who is currently in Europe receiving medical treatment, is the most prominent candidate running to replace president Joseph Kabila in elections scheduled for November. Government spokesman Lambert Mende denied on Wednesday there was any political motive behind the charges. The public prosecutor said in court that Katumbi had sold a house in the southeastern city of Lubumbashi that did not belong to him. Katumbi's lawyers have said the house is owned by his older brother Raphael Katebe Katoto and that he grew up there. Some supporters fear the Congolese authorities will block Katumbi, a multi-millionaire former mining mogul, from returning to the country, which he was allowed to leave on May 20, a day after being indicted for hiring mercenaries. [nL5N18H4G5] Political tensions are high in Congo. Kabila, in power since 2001, is barred by constitutional term limits from standing again, but opponents have accused him of plotting to delay the vote in order to cling to power. The government has said that it is unlikely it will be able to hold the election on time for logistical reasons, a delay the United Nations warned last week could trigger widespread unrest. [nL8N1992R4] (Reporting by Aaron Ross; Editing by Edward McAllister and Catherine Evans) By Aaron Ross KINSHASA (Reuters) - A public prosecutor in Democratic Republic of Congo has asked a court to sentence a leading opposition presidential candidate to five years in prison after he was accused of selling a house that did not belong to him, his lawyer said on Tuesday. The candidate, Moise Katumbi, was indicted last month after he was accused of hiring mercenaries in a plot against the state. He left the country the following day with the permission of Congo's prosecutor general to receive medical treatment and is currently in Europe. Katumbi has denied the charges against him, which he has said are aimed at derailing his bid to replace President Joseph Kabila in a November presidential election. Political tensions are high in Congo. The government has said that it is unlikely it will be able to hold the election on time due to budgetary and logistical constraints, a delay the United Nations warned last week could trigger widespread unrest. Kabila, in power since 2001, is barred by constitutional term limits from standing again but opponents have accused him of plotting to delay the vote in order to cling to power. The public prosecutor said Katumbi sold a house in the southeastern city of Lubumbashi that did not belong to him and recommended to the court on Monday that Katumbi receive five years in prison, Katumbi's lawyer King Kasongo Mushilanama told Reuters. Kasongo said that Katumbi grew up in the house in the southeastern city of Lubumbashi and that it is owned by his older brother Raphael Katebe Katoto. He said Katumbi was being tried in absentia. The president of the bar association in Lubumbashi, Rose Tumba, confirmed that the prosecutor had requested a five-year prison term but declined to discuss specifics of the case. The prosecutor general could not be immediately reached for comment. The government has repeatedly denied that the accusations are politically motivated. (Reporting By Aaron Ross; Editing by Toni Reinhold) Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo, the former Congolese rebel leader and politician, was sentenced Tuesday to 18 years in prison by the International Criminal Court in The Hague for leading a campaign of rape and murder during a 2002 conflict in neighboring Central African Republic. Bemba is a former vice president for the Democratic Republic of Congo, and is the first person convicted by the International Criminal Court of crimes of sexual violence in war. He is also the first to be held responsible for the crimes of his soldiers. In March, the court found him guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity for heading a rebel group called the Movement for the Liberation of the Congo (MLC), which he sent to the Central African Republic (CAR) in 2002 to help the then-president quell a rebel coup. In a statement from the conviction in March, the ICC found that Bemba: ... knew that the MLC forces under his effective authority and control were committing or about to commit the crimes charged. Additionally, he failed to take all necessary and reasonable measures to prevent or repress the commission of crimes by his subordinates during the 2002-2003 CAR Operation, or to submit the matter to the competent authorities. Further, the Chamber found beyond reasonable doubt that the crimes against humanity of murder and rape, and the war crimes of murder, rape, and pillaging committed by the MLC forces in the course of the 2002-2003 CAR Operation were a result of Jean-Pierre Bemba Gombo's failure to exercise control properly. Belgian authorities arrested Bemba in Brussels in 2008 and sent him to the international detention center in The Hague. In Bembas case, the court listed more than 5,000 people as victims. Read more from The Atlantic: This article was originally published on The Atlantic. Washington (AFP) - The public broadcaster that covers the US Congress aired live social media footage Wednesday to cover a dramatic sit-in over gun control, beaming out a lawmaker's private Periscope feed in a daring breach of political protocol. Democrats angry about inaction in the aftermath of last weekend's Orlando massacre staged a takeover of sorts in the Republican-led House, just as the presiding officer announced the chamber was going into a recess. Following established protocol on how it covers House proceedings, the C-SPAN cameras went dark for the recess, even as several dozen Democrats including civil rights icon John Lewis chanted "No bill, no break!" and sat down on the carpet. But in the interest of recording history, the broadcaster came up with an ingenious workaround. "C-SPAN has no control over the US House TV cameras. Now showing a @periscopeco from @RepScottPeters," the public broadcaster posted on Twitter. Periscope is a mobile application that allows a user to stream live video to anyone who wishes to tune in. C-SPAN tuned in, and broadcast the feed. It ran for about half an hour before it too cut off at 3:17 pm. Minutes later, C-SPAN was back to live coverage, using live video streaming on Facebook by congressman Beto O'Rourke. C-SPAN and House officials described the move as unique in the 227-year history of the House of Representatives. "This is the first time we've used Periscope to show live coverage of the House floor," C-SPAN communications director Howard Mortman told AFP. "We have a mission, and our mission is to cover Congress," he said. "We're a non-profit public service organization. We'll do what we can to illustrate what happens in Congress." The grainy footage showed lawmakers sitting on the carpet or standing, some taking turns speaking at the lectern where the microphone was turned off, and with lights turned down. Story continues "If the Republican cowards that run this chamber actually turned the microphones on we could all be heard a little bit louder," Debbie Wasserman-Schultz was seen saying in the live footage. Lawmakers-turned-videographers Peters and Beto may have been violating procedure. According to the official House rules, electronic devices are permitted on the House floor so long as they do not "impair decorum." "Although no device may be used for still photography or for audio or video recording," the rules state. costco shopper Costco's credit-card swap has customers calling the transition a "debacle" and threatening to cancel their memberships. On Monday, Costco finalized its partnership with Visa and Citi that makes Visa the card of choice at the budget retailer, ending a 16-year partnership with American Express. With the change, Costco customers who earn rewards through a Costco co-branded credit card will need to use the Costco Anywhere Visa not the TrueEarnings American Express Costco card. However, many Costco members say they have not received their new Costco Visa credit card in the mail or are struggling to activate the new card. Citi has been unable to keep up with questions and complaints from customers about the change, leading to some Costco members waiting for hours to speak with Citi representatives. Costco has 81 million members worldwide. "The switch over from American Express to Citi Visa at Costco must be a huge mess," longtime Costco member Glenn Ginsburg wrote in an email to Business Insider. "Can't get to speak with a representative regarding my business credit card have either been hung up on due to large call volume or waiting for 53 minutes to be transferred to another representative." Ginsburg says that he eventually spoke with someone in Costco's corporate office who was unable to help beyond providing the phone number for Citi assistance that Ginsburg had already called. The Costco customer-relations employee told Ginsburg that Costco had been receiving similar calls from other members, and that while Costco had prepared for the change, Citi may not have put sufficient additional resources toward the project. A Costco shopping cart is shown at a Costco Wholesale store in Carlsbad, California September 11, 2013. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo Many customers' biggest complaint for Citi is that they have not yet received their Costco Anywhere Visa, which was supposed to be shipped to cardholders in May. As of Monday, the TrueEarnings American Express Costco card and any other non-Visa credit or debit cards can no longer be used in Costco. Story continues "I'm thinking that in spite of having many months to work out the distribution of new cards, Citi has committed a 'fail,'" a Costco member who hadn't received the replacement card wrote in an email, calling the switch a "debacle." "Costco may live to regret cutting off AmEx." Citi responded on Twitter to customers frustrated by long wait times. @JudyMcC01 Thx 4 reaching out. We're experiencing a high volume of inquiries due to interest in our new Costco card. We'll help u ASAP. ^JT Citi (@AskCiti) June 22, 2016 @nilkamath Thx for reaching out. We're experiencing a high call volume due to interest in our new Costco card. We'll assist you ASAP. ^ML Citi (@AskCiti) June 22, 2016 @SGPlunkett We're sorry for the delay. If you still need help pls click and send your ph# only (NO acct #/PINS). ^ML https://t.co/wD8JmPaCwf Citi (@AskCiti) June 22, 2016 Other users expressed their anger on Facebook. The most common problem expressed in posts on Costco's Facebook page which has been flooded with complaints are from users who have not yet received their credit cards. "The Costco-Visa was a huge unorganized mistake," writes one Costco member. "I have spent over ten hours over the last 4 weeks on the phone trying to find out where my new card is, and I still can't get a straight answer." Citi Costco "This new 'relationship' with Citibank is a SHAMEFUL OUTRAGE!!" reads another complaint. "I do not have a valid card. I was LIED TO about cards being sent overnight at Citibank's expense. You are losing my monthly groceries, my office supplies, and our family travel business." Again, the problem of the missing cards and other Costco Visa card confusion has been further complicated by Citi's inability to deal with the volume of calls from customers. "Worst credit card transition ever 4 hours and counting on the phone with Citibank and they still can't get my cards to me," writes one customer. "Costco customer service was zero help getting me a temp card at the warehouse too. Saving money isn't worth alienating your members ... seriously rethinking my patronage." Difficulties related to the credit-card swap have a number of customers threatening to boycott or cancel their memberships. "To date, more than 11 million cards have been issued to existing Costco cardmembers," Citi spokesperson Jennifer Bombardier told Business Insider on Wednesday. "Due to the tremendous response, some customers experienced delays reaching customer service, however call volumes are starting to return to normal. We sincerely apologize to those who have been inconvenienced and are absolutely committed to serving our existing and new cardmembers." Costco's new credit card has some of the best rewards on the market, significantly improving on the benefits of the Costco American Express card. However, if customers aren't receiving or can't activate their new Costco Visa cards, the quality of the rewards, frankly, will not matter to some Costco members who are now unable to shop at the retailer. NOW WATCH: Here are the 8 food items you should only get from Costco More From Business Insider By David Bailey and Ernest Scheyder (Reuters) - A federal judge has struck down the Obama administration's rules for hydraulic fracturing on public lands, a victory for oil and gas producers and state regulators who opposed the rules as an egregious overreach. The ruling, which the White House vowed to appeal, halts the administration's efforts to address what it sees as safety concerns in the industry and reverses what producers had seen as a first step toward full federal regulation of all fracking activity. The U.S. Interior Department's Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lacked Congressional authority to set fracking regulations for federal and Indian lands, U.S. District Judge Scott Skavdahl in Wyoming ruled late on Tuesday. BLM's rules, issued in their final form in March 2015, would have required companies to provide data on chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing and to take steps to prevent leakage from oil and gas wells on federally owned land. Fracking, currently regulated by states, involves injection of large amounts of water, sand and chemicals underground at high pressure to extract oil or natural gas. Environmental groups and some neighbors of oil and gas wells have linked fracking to water pollution as well as increased earthquake activity in certain areas. Because most fracking in the United States takes place on private land, the case had little direct effect on existing operations. Roughly 22 percent of U.S. oil production comes from federal lands, with much of that from offshore Gulf of Mexico production, not shale fields. Still, oil producers had feared the new regulations would be a step toward federal oversight of all fracking. "This ruling sends a broad signal about who really does have the jurisdictional authority to regulate this area," said Ryan Sitton of the Railroad Commission of Texas, which oversees the oil and gas industry in the top producing state. In North Dakota, the second-largest producing state, roughly 16 percent of oil output comes from American Indian-controlled land, which would have been subject to the new regulations. "This ruling protects private and state-owned minerals from being subjected to unauthorized federal rules," said Lynn Helms, head of North Dakota's Department of Mineral Resources, the state's energy regulator. 'EXCESS OF ITS STATUTORY AUTHORITY' Skavdahl, nominated by Obama to the bench in 2011, had put the rules on hold a year ago to weigh requests from energy industry groups and four states to stop them from being implemented. He issued a preliminary injunction against the rules in September and made it permanent in Tuesday's decision. Skavdahl said the issue before the court was not whether fracking is good or bad, but whether Congress gave the Interior Department legal authority to regulate the practice. "It has not," he said. "The BLM's effort to do so through the fracking rule is in excess of its statutory authority and contrary to law." Congress in the 2005 Energy Policy (EP) Act specifically removed hydraulic fracturing operations that do not involve diesel fuels from Environmental Protection Agency regulation under the Safe Drinking Water Act, Skavdahl added. Proponents of the rules say regulations are needed to reduce potential pollution from fracking. Opponents say fracking has helped drive a boom in U.S. oil production, lowering energy costs and providing jobs. The government's appeal of last year's injunction is pending at the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The White House on Wednesday said it would appeal the ruling, while U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan praised the ruling for acknowledging lawmakers' powers and protecting "the energy revolution from the heavy hand of big government." "Only Congress can write laws," Ryan said in a statement. "Agencies acting without authority from Congress is simply illegal." The Independent Petroleum Association of America and the Western Energy Alliance were joined by Colorado, Wyoming, North Dakota, Utah and the Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation in seeking to block the rules. "We're overjoyed with the ruling," said Kathleen Sgamma, vice president of government and public affairs at Western Energy Alliance. Still, environmental groups were nonplussed. "The Bureau of Land Management clearly has the authority not only to set this weak rule on fracking but to take the much stronger actions needed to truly protect our public lands," said Kassie Siegel, an attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity. Representatives for the Interior Department could not be immediately reached for comment. (Additional reporting by Susan Heavey and Lawrence Hurley in Washington and Jessica Resnick-Ault in New York; Editing by Meredith Mazzilli and David Gregorio) On Thursday, British citizens will vote on whether or not they want the UK to remain a part of the European Union (EU). This is the UK referendum, aka the Brexit vote. For the most part, experts have reassured clients that even if the UK voted to "leave," the process would take at least several years. And despite it being one of the more publicized global events of the year, experts have pointed out that the US economy and the US financial markets have very little direct exposure to the UK. Nevertheless, the whole process has been a source of great uncertainty. And the prospect of the "leave" vote winning, could be a source of even greater uncertainty. And uncertainty means greater risk premiums, which should translate into lower prices for risk asset classes like stocks and corporate bonds. The consequences of a 'full Brexit' will be bad First, it's important to note that the referendum is just advisory. It's not legally binding. But it certainly reflects the public's sentiment, which would likely force policy makers to invoke Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union which officially separates a member nation from the EU over a two-year period. In a new research note, Credit Suisse analysts discuss what would happen if Britain voted to Leave and also invoked "Article 50." "Into a full Brexit scenario, our FTSE 100 year-end target would fall to 6,200 from 6,600," Credit Suisse's Andrew Garthwaite wrote. "We would also take our S&P 500 year-end target to 2,000 from 2,150, and our Euro Stoxx 50 target to 2,950 from 3,350." The S&P 500 closed Tuesday at 2,081. For Garthwaite and his team, it's not just about the Brexit. Rather, the Brexit could trigger a turn in a stock market that's already being supported by fragile fundamentals. "Our key concerns with regard to equities are: i) equities are overall priced at fair value; ii) we forecast almost no US earnings growth; and iii) there is unusually high political, economic and business model risk at a time when governments are trying to redress the imbalance between owners of capital and labour," he added. Story continues We'll know whether any of this is of serious concern once the votes are tallied early Friday. Read more about the Brexit: Heres everything you need to know about 'Brexit' 3 reasons why the Brexit vote is just not a big deal Heres what the Brexit vote could mean for the US stock market Raoul Pal: The Brexit vote is about so much more than Britain leaving the EU Harry Potter author JK Rowling uses Voldemort as a metaphor for Brexit 4 recent Brexit-like panic moments that turned out to be total non-events Russian movie Ekipazh (The Crew) has been sold to Japan and will become the first Russian film to be released theatrically in that country in more than 10 years. "I was very impressed with The Crew quality-wise," Robert Jones, CEO of IPA Asia Pacific, which will release it in Japan, told The Hollywood Reporter. "Russian content is getting better and better, and we feel there will be audience for it in Japan." Directed by Nikolai Lebedev and produced by TRITE Studio, The Crew is a remake of Alexander Mitta's 1979 movie of the same title, which was one of the Soviet era's most commercially successful pictures. It focuses on an international flight's pilots' efforts to save the passengers following a disaster in a small town in the mountains. The last Russian movie to be released theatrically in Japan was Timur Bekmambetov's Nochnoy Dozor (Night Watch), which grossed $477,000 in April 2006. The Japanese release is tentatively scheduled for the fall, but the exact release date and the number of screens are to be determined later. The Crew was released in Russia on April 22 and has grossed $23 million. It is currently the year's best-performing homegrown film and the third top-grossing movie in Russia overall behind Zootopia and Deadpool. Apart from Japan, rights to theatrical distribution of The Crew have been sold to the Middle East, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Cambodia, Turkey, Baltics, Mongolia, Chile, Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador. Negotiations with distributors in Britain and other English-speaking territories are still in progress. Read More: Russia Box Office: 'Finding Dory' Paddles to $3.4M Less than two weeks after the massacre at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, former Talking Heads frontman David Byrne penned an impassioned essay in support of gun control entitled "Guns Are About Freedom: Our Freedom to Live," arguing that despite the grim statistics, the situation is not hopeless. "No matter what some of my friends seem to imply, I firmly believe we can have gun control and reduce gun violence in this country. Allow me to be optimistic. At this point, any cause for hope is worth considering," wrote Byrne, who made it clear that he's for gun control in the follow-up to a recent post urging Americans to vote. "I believe the situation in the U.S. is unacceptable; more controls are necessary, and there is proof that they can work. Just look at the data. There is a staggering split in U.S. gun deaths and gun deaths in a host of other countries." David Byrne No Fan of '16 Election, Calls for Efforts to Bolster Voter Enfranchisement The essay -- penned on the same day Republicans in Congress sent two Democrat-proposed gun control measures to defeat and Democrats did the same to Republican measures they said were too weak -- cited a New York Times article that found that being killed by a gun in Germany is as common as being killed by a falling object in the U.S. And that gun homicides in Iceland are as common as deaths from electrocution in the U.S. "We ware at war here," he wrote, citing statistics about gun violence in America that found that more people die of violent gun-related deaths in Chicago than American soldiers in Afghanistan. "Some of the recent reaction to Orlando was about urging peace, love and toleration, and though that might help, everyone gets mad sometimes. If a conflict can be too easily resolved -- whether in a fit of rage or mental instability -- by firearms, then our current situation becomes inevitable. The temptation is too great, our self control is limited errors, mistakes, and stupidity happen." Story continues David Byrne's Next Project? A Joan of Arc Musical Byrne's essay went on to compare the strict weapons bans in other countries to the more lax laws in the U.S., asking why our nation can't be like the others while pointing out a few groups who are working for a change. "I think reframing the gun issue as a public health issue -- as well as an issue of our right, and our freedom, to live without a constant threat of violence -- is the way to go in convincing our lawmakers, and more crucially our neighbors and our nation, to act on this issue," he wrote. "The public feeling is already there: Everyone should not have the right to risk everyone else's life and take away the freedom of others. We have countered these arguments before, from slavery to seat belts to smoking, and we can do it again. We're better than this." To read Byrne's full essay, click here. David Lynch is taking a break from work on his Twin Peaks reboot in October to host the inaugural edition of his Festival of Disruption in Los Angeles. The two-day event will feature Robert Plant & the Sensational Space Shifters, St. Vincent, Sky Ferreira and others, as well as lectures, dance performances and photography exhibits. 'Twin Peaks' Reveals Official Cast with Trent Reznor, Sky Ferreira, Eddie Vedder & More The gathering will take place on October 8-9 at the Theatre at Ace Hotel and will also feature DJ sets from Roots drummer Questlove and Jason Bentley as well as music from Xiu Xiu, Rhye, Jon Hopkins and composer Angelo Badalamenti performing "The Music of Twin Peaks." Listed under the "talks, exhibits, virtual reality, dance and film" banner are an eclectic group of performers and artists, including architect Frank Gehry, legendary comedian Mel Brooks, Blondie members Debbie Harry and Chris Stein, as well as original Peaks star Kyle Maclachlan and reboot cast member Laura Dern. Tickets for the event benefiting the David Lynch Foundation run $199-$349 and go on sale Friday. Festival of Disruption Teaser from DLFTV on Vimeo. Sydney (AFP) - A piece of debris that washed up on an island off Australia's south coast was not from missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, officials said Wednesday as they confirmed there are no plans to extend the underwater search for the plane. The item was found earlier this month among seaweed and driftwood and resembled part of a plane, with the words "Caution No Step" visible, according to footage on Australia's Channel Seven. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB), which is coordinating the search, examined the debris and dismissed it as being from the jet that vanished in March 2014 with 239 people on board. "Information received from the manufacturer indicates the item is not consistent with the manufacturing specifications of a Boeing commercial aircraft," the bureau said in a statement. Two other pieces of debris found around the same time on the Madagascan island of Nosy Boraha are still being examined. The fate of the plane, presumed to have crashed at sea while travelling from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, remains a mystery. Five pieces of debris believed to have come from the aircraft have so far been discovered thousands of kilometres (miles) from the current search zone far off the west Australian coast, presumed to have drifted there. Wild weather continues to hamper the search operation's progress to find the plane's crash zone, with one of three ships involved sustaining damage to a tow cable. So far 105,000 square kilometres (40,500 square miles) of the designated 120,000-square-kilometre seafloor search zone has been covered without success. If nothing turns up once the area is fully scoured, expected by August, the search will be abandoned, Australia, Malaysia and China -- the countries that most of the passengers came from -- have jointly said. Officials from the three countries met in Malaysia this week to further discuss the issue, but the talks wrapped up with no announcements. Story continues 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. But the ATSB confirmed that consistent with the undertaking made last year, only the agreed 120,000 square kilometres would be searched. "In the absence of credible new information that leads to the identification of a specific location of the aircraft, governments have agreed that there will be no further expansion of the search area," the bureau said. Lea este articulo en espanol. American agriculture looks very different than it did a century ago. Small and mid-sized farms are practically relics, eclipsed by large plots built for mass production. As the structure of farming has changed, so have the people who work in it. According to the USDA, the number of minority farmers has grown in recent years. This development was preceded by agreements like the Bracero program, which brought in temporary agricultural workers to the U.S. to meet labor shortages during WWII. Before the government programs shutdown in 1964 (due to allegations of exploitative labor conditions), it attracted more than 4.5 million Mexican nationals and changed the demographics of farm workers in America. Rosalinda Luna has worked in agriculture for over 11 years. Born in Mexico, shes spent most of her life in the U.S. and is now an orchid grower at Matsui Nursery in Salinas, California. I spoke to Luna about the stubbornness of orchids and the challenges of being a female grower. A lightly edited transcript of our conversation follows. Valeria Pelet: What drew you to agriculture? Recommended: How Subarus Came to Be Seen as Cars for Lesbians Rosalinda Luna: Being the eldest in my family, with a brother and four sisters, I felt obligated to set an example for my siblings. It was difficultbut not impossiblebecause I was trying to balance a full-time job, a husband, and two children. Another reason I decided to study agriculture was because thats what my parents dedicated themselves to upon arriving in the U.S. Pelet: How did you prepare for your career in orchid growing? Rosalinda Luna at Matsui Nursery Luna: Two years ago, I finally obtained my associate of science degree with an emphasis in agriculture production. The summer before I graduated, I won a scholarship from the USDA through Hartnell Community College. That scholarship consisted of spending a week in Chicago, where, every year, one of the largest agricultural conferences on a global scale takes place: United Fresh. Story continues This conference opened my eyes to just how vast the field of agriculture is and, more than anything, that the number of women [in the field] was not high. In my classes, there were always only two to five women. Even so, I kept taking classes to get ready for college and I got accepted. Before I matriculated for college though, my husband broke his foot and was immobile for a year. That turned me into the sole provider for my family. I had to put my studies on hold. Pelet: How did you get the job at Matsui Nursery? Luna: Six months after my husbands injury, I visited the company. I visited Matsui Nursery when I graduated from school. During the summer, there was a two-week-long course where we visited different agriculture companies. Matsui Nursery was one of the companies we visited, and Teresa Matsui, the president of the company and the owners daughter, gave us a tour with the grower. There were 25 students, but it seemed like I was the one asking questions about PH levels, all of those things. I think that thats what caught Mrs. Teresas attention. Recommended: Donald Trump Is Ready to Default At Matsui Nursery, the majority of supervisors,who have been with the company for almost thirty years, are men. I think that Teresa wanted to hire a woman, because everything was managed by men. When the visit ended, she gave me her card and told me that she was interested in chatting more with me. We talked after that visit, and she told me that she would very much like for me to learn more about the work at Matsui Nursery. She was giving me the opportunity to work a half-week here and a half-week at Sakata. I talked to my boss at Sakata, where I had been working for nearly 10 years, and because he didnt want to lose me completely, he told me that he was willing to let me split my time between both places. But before I made my decision, I remembered the saying, He who serves two masters ends up disappointing one of them. So I decided to take the great opportunity Teresa was giving me to learn from Mr. Arcadio, the main orchid grower whos been growing orchids for more than 40 years. Im not going to deny that I was very scared because I had left Sakata before to work at another greenhouse. The management at that greenhouse were all male, and I ended up quitting. I was afraid the same thing could happen at Matsui. At first, there some who didnt accept me. It was difficult, but in the end I was able to win over everyone. I understood that my chances of going to college now are a bit more slim, but, at the same time, another door opened because everything I have learned and hope to keep learning would not have happened anywhere else. Recommended: When Poverty Is Profitable Pelet: What does the growing process of orchids involve? Luna: When I arrive in the morning, the first thing I do is talk to the sprayers to agree on what chemicals will be applied to the orchids that day and in which houses they will be applied. Then, I walk through the whole greenhouse, which is about 70 acres, to see which plants need water, what type of fertilizer they need depending on how they look, or if they need another nutrient. This happens until about 10 a.m. Then, from 10 a.m. to noon, Ill take another walkthrough, looking at how people are working and if the job is being done well. Ill do another walkthrough after lunch to review all the greenhouses, whether they are all similarly leveled, the windows, or go into the houses and check if theyre at the right temperaturesince if the temperature is too low, that could cause all the plants to freeze. Pelet: What is the most important quality in a grower? Luna: I think passion is important, because the work of a grower can sometimes be quite uncomfortable. These days, the majority of people want a job thats indoors, since the weather can be very hot or very cold. Thats why, by being passionate for what you want to do, you wont care about having to endure different types of climate. Pelet: How do you adapt to growing different types of plants? Luna: Id never worked with orchids, so its been a learning experience for me. And there are so many different kinds of orchids. In the beginning, it was a little hard. These plants make you focus more; theyre very delicate. Read more from The Atlantic: This article was originally published on The Atlantic. Civil rights icon and Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., led House Democrats through a Wednesday sit-in on the floor of the House of Representatives to demand a vote on gun control legislation. As of 6:30 p.m. ET, the sit-in was still going on. Democrats are pushing for a vote on the so-called no fly, no buy bill, which would prevent those on terrorist watch lists from purchasing arms. The measure gained public traction after a gunman killed 49 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando on June 12. In a speech on the House floor prior to the sit-in, Lewis said he held executive sessions with himself on several occasions to ponder what it would take to spur Congress to action on gun violence legislation. Slideshow: Democrats stage gun-control House sit-in >>> For months, even for years, through several sessions of Congress, I wondered: What would bring this body to take action? What would finally make Congress do what is right, what is just, what the people of this country have been demanding, and what is long overdue? Lewis said. We have lost hundreds and thousands of innocent people to gun violence: tiny little children, babies, students and teachers, mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, daughters and sons, friends and neighbors. Lewis accused Congress of turning a deaf ear to the blood of the innocent and the concerns of the nation. He also asked where the legislatures moral leadership and courage could be found. Reps. John Lewis (left), David Cicilline (center left), Katherine Clark (center right) and Donna Edwards (right) conduct a sit-in with other Democrats on the House floor on June 22, 2016. (Photo: Rep. Donna Edwards/Twitter) We must remove the blinders. The time for silence and patience is long gone, he said. We are calling on the leadership of the House to bring common-sense gun control legislation to the House floor. Give us a vote! Let us vote! We came here to do our job. We came here to work! Democratic Reps. Donna Edwards and Steny Hoyer of Maryland, John Yarmuth of Kentucky, Joe Crowley of New York, Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, David Cicilline of Rhode Island and Katherine Clark of Massachusetts were among the politicians to join Lewis in the protest. They have vowed to occupy the House floor until the Republican leadership allows a vote on the bill at hand. Story continues Right before they all sat down, Rep. John Larson, D-Conn., said, Rise up, Democrats! Rise up, Americans. This cannot stand. We will occupy this floor. We will no longer be denied the right to vote. Edwards took to Twitter to explain the groups actions. She said gun violence has become unacceptably commonplace in the United States and more than 89 people die from it each day. It isnt just mass shootings. Guns have taken more lives in the US since 1968 than were lost in all of the wars this Nation has ever fought. Rep Donna F Edwards (@repdonnaedwards) June 22, 2016 A tweet from President Obamas official Twitter account thanked Lewis for leading the fight against gun violence. Lewis replied, Thank you, Mr. President. Im just trying to help out and make a contribution. Thank you John Lewis for leading on gun violence where we need it most. https://t.co/vctfqAH5Wt President Obama (@POTUS) June 22, 2016 Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton tweeted praise for Lewis impassioned speech. She added, This is what real leadership looks like. This is what real leadership looks like. https://t.co/4Nh6QpqSxL Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) June 22, 2016 House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., however, had a much different opinion. In a Wednesday evening interview with CNNs Wolf Blitzer, he said Republicans would not bring a bill to the floor that violated constitutional liberties. This is nothing more than a publicity stunt, Ryan said of the sit-in. This is not about a solution to a problem. This is about trying to get attention. Slideshow: Gun control debate >>> The chamber was recessed, and the presiding member cut off the microphone and then the video feeds from the House. A senior House GOP leadership aide said on background that all members of the House voted that the TV cameras would only be on when the House is in session and that this rule has been enforced since they were first installed. Its worth noting that when House Democrats were in the majority, they not only shut off the cameras, they actually shut off the lights, the aide said. Many blamed CSPAN, which broadcasts from the floor, for the disruption in the TV feed, but the public affairs channel said it did not control the cameras. C-SPAN has no control over the U.S. House TV cameras. CSPAN (@cspan) June 22, 2016 With the cameras down, many Democrats, including Reps. Scott Peters of California and Beto ORourke of Texas, used the Periscope video app to live-stream speeches given by other participants. At around noon, the chamber attempted to return to normal business. Speaker Pro Tempore Ted Poe, R-Texas, said the House, which is scheduled to begin a weeklong break soon, could not proceed because of the sit-in. He then took the House back into recess as Democrats chanted, No bill, no break. Dozens of people, many in tears, thronged Kathmandu's airport on Wednesday to receive the bodies of 12 Nepali guards killed in a suicide bomb attack in Kabul this week. The victims were among 14 security guards who were killed Monday in a Taliban suicide blast targeting their bus as they headed to work at the Canadian embassy in Kabul. Afghan authorities had earlier said that all 14 were Nepali nationals, before Kathmandu clarified that 12 of the victims belonged to Nepal. Relatives and friends broke down in tears as they approached the pink-and-white coffins, tagged with the names of the dead. "Our family is devastated," said Sarajan Adhikari, whose brother-in-law Madhusudhan Koirala was killed in the attack. The 45-year-old's death was the latest tragedy to hit the family. The guard lost two children in last year's massive earthquake that killed nearly 9,000 people in the Himalayan nation. "(My sister) had told him not to go (back) the last time he came home. It was only the compulsion to earn that made him return," Adhikari told AFP. Nepal's Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli offered a floral tribute to the victims as he attempted to console distraught family members, many of whom had camped out for hours at the airport. "The whole country is mourning the death of innocent Nepalis killed in this cowardly attack," Oli told reporters after placing marigold garlands on each coffin. The aircraft, chartered by the Nepal government, also brought back 24 other Nepalis who worked as guards for Sabre International, the same company that employed the victims. "It could have been me," said former Nepal army soldier Shyam Bahadur Tamang, 47, who began working in Afghanistan in 2014. "There is no security for us... there are many other Nepalis who are eager to quit and return home," Tamang told AFP. Authorities said around 3,300 Nepalis were currently working in Afghanistan as security guards but accurate figures for the total number employed across the world are hard to come by. Story continues Impoverished Nepal has long served as a supplier of security forces to the world. A number of them are former soldiers with the Gurkha brigades of the Indian and British armies while others are retired Nepal army or police personnel. Four Nepali guards were killed in a 2011 attack on a UN compound in the northern Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif in 2011. Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f123625%2fb771031e83954824ba66dc39fb544ea1 In what can only be described as truly heartbreaking, a disabled Chinese man, Chen Shengkuan, has been moving from city to city on his hands and feet in search of his missing son, local news reports. Chen's two-year-old son, Chen Zhaoyuan, went missing around 15 months ago from the family home at the Wenzhang Xi village in Chengyue, China. According to Chen, the toddler was abducted while playing with his cousins and was likely sold off to another family. Chen has suffered from a walking disability since he was a child after he was diagnosed with polio. SEE ALSO: Chinese couple celebrate 64 years with impossibly stylish photoshoot, him wearing suits she made A police report filed by the Chen family documented that the boy went missing in January last year. The toddler was under the care of his grandparents when he was abducted. With the local police coming up empty, Chen quit his job at a factory making catheters and left home with his wife to conduct a broader search. Image: Weibo According to Chinese media reports, Chen's search has managed to cover his broader province and has moved to Zhangjiang, a larger city with a population of 6.9 million people. Chen's relentless hunt has now taken him to Guangdong, one of China's biggest cities. To aid him in his search, Chen carries around with him a poster with pictures of his son, detailing the incident and hoping that someone will be able to point him in the right direction. Image: weibo Chen told Yangcheng Evening News: "No matter how hard or how much I have to suffer, I will never give up looking for my son." Image: weibo Chen and his wife are now appealing to the media for help in locating their son. Child abduction cases in China are in part fueled by families desperate for a male heir to carry on the family name. [h/t: Daily Mail] The Hollywood Reporter shared an interview it did with Disney CEO Bob Iger. He talked about a lot of different things, but lets hone in on what Iger had to say about Indiana Jones. The fifth installment of the franchise comes out in 2019, with Harrison Ford returning to the titular role and Steven Spielberg returning to the directors chair. The Reporter wanted to know about plans beyond 2019. Iger said, Well, well bring [Ford] back, then we have to figure out what comes next. Thats what I mean. Its not really a reboot, its a boot a reboot. I dont know Ive had discussions about what the direction is, [but] I dont want to get into it. The Reporter made sure to confirm that theres an intent to go beyond the fifth movie. Iger said, I dont think it reaches the scale of the universe of Star Wars, but I see making more. It wont be just a one-off. Theres been other Indy news recently. Spielberg told The Hollywood Reporter that Ford wont be killed off, Han Solo-style. The legendary director also told a group of reporters that George Lucas will be executive producer of the film, saying, I would never make an Indiana Jones film without George Lucas. The plot of the film is still under wraps, and Fords supporting cast is still being figured out. Well be sure to update you as more information comes out. The most interesting revelations about Justice League: Tell us what you think! Hit us up on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, or leave your comments below. And check out our host, Khail Anonymous, on Twitter. * Banks used loophole allowing double ownership of shares * Cost state billions of euros in tax - industry experts * Loophole closed in 2012, practice banned * Finance ministry may have missed earlier chances - documents By Matthias Sobolewski BERLIN, June 22 (Reuters) - German banks exploited a legal loophole that allowed two parties to claim ownership of the same shares, the financial watchdog will tell lawmakers this week, in schemes that could have cost the state billions of euros in tax over many years. This double ownership allowed both parties to claim tax rebates. It has provoked public anger in Germany and is an embarrassment for the Berlin government, which has campaigned for years to root out tax evasion around the world. The loophole was closed in 2012, with the means of claiming double ownership banned. But an analysis of documents related to a lawmakers' investigation - seen by Reuters but not publicly available - suggests the finance ministry may have missed a chance to end the practice several years earlier, instead accepting a banking lobby proposal that allowed it to continue. The finance ministry told Reuters that it had done all it could to end what it regarded as a criminal practice. Such schemes centred around "short sales" - the sale of borrowed shares. A bank would loan out the stock in a way that made both the bank and the eventual buyer appear briefly to be simultaneous owners of the shares. This allowed both parties to receive a dividend tax rebate. The financial watchdog BaFin estimates "a small double-digit number" of German banks were involved in such schemes, but has not named them. Many Germans have been particularly angered that Commerzbank - bailed out in the financial crash and still partly state-owned - has said it used the arrangement. Commerzbank said there had been "some violations" but said it had not been involved in "systematic participation in such business". The debate over the so-called "Cum Ex" trades has gained fresh momentum following a German regional court ruling in February that found there was no legal basis for the double claiming of rebates, even before it was banned in 2012. Story continues Public prosecutors have embarked on more than a dozen investigations in Frankfurt, Munich and Cologne to pursue banks for any rebates received through this loophole. Lawmakers on a special parliamentary committee convened in February are investigating the practice and whether the government responded quickly enough to close the loophole. Industry experts say the practice had been going on for decades and had cost the state billions of euros. Officials from the regulator will appear before the committee on Thursday. Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble and three predecessors dating back to 1998 will appear in the coming months and will likely face questions on who profited from Cum Ex deals and why the authorities let them continue until 2012. LOOPHOLE "Cum Ex" deals were known by state officials to be problematic more than a decade ago but the finance ministry accepted a banking industry plan to change the law - a plan which opened another loophole, documents seen by Reuters show. The documents, which track the conception in 1997 of the rule changes, through the drafting process, to a final law passed in 2007, show the ministry picked up and eventually implemented the proposal. A document has been presented to the parliamentary committee, dated May 21, 1997, from Deutsche Bank's tax department to industry lobby group, the Federal Association of German Banks (BdB). In it, Deutsche proposes an extra levy to make up for any tax shortfall created by such Cum Ex transactions, but with one significant exception: foreign banks and clients would not be included. Deutsche said this week that it had not participated in an organised Cum Ex market but could not rule out that its clients had engaged in such transactions. The Deutsche Bank proposal was taken up by the lobby group. The German federal finance office wrote to its superiors at the finance ministry on Oct. 6, 2005, saying: "The legislation proposed by the Federal Association of German Banks is ... fully suitable for governing the problematic cases of short-selling". In 2007, the amendment proposed by the lobbyists became law. This allowed banks to continue using such trades for another five years, so long as their clients involved were foreign - for example a hedge fund in London or Paris. "The proposal made was specifically aimed at being good for the banks and bad for the tax authorities," Green party lawmaker Gerhard Schick has told the committee. In a letter to clients dated Aug. 29, 2008, and seen by Reuters, French bank BNP Paribas said it had attended a meeting at the lobby group to determine who was obliged to pay the new levy. "The obligation to withhold tax on short sales only affects German banks selling securities by order and on behalf of their clients," the letter read. "Non-German financial institutions ... are not liable to monitor and withhold tax." BNP declined to comment. ONE OWNER Former BdB director Hans-Juergen Krause told the parliamentary committee that it was not the lobbyists' aim to find gaps in the law. "We never looked for loopholes," Krause said. But at least one official was sceptical of their motives from the outset. In the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany's industrial hub, a civil servant in the regional finance ministry took aim at the lobbyists' proposal in an internal report in October 2005. There could only be one owner of a stock at any one time, she argued. "The wish of the (banking) associations to develop a legal fiction is to be rejected," she wrote in the document, adding that the new complicated rules proposed would serve to legalise a practice which was "without a civil law basis". Her concerns went unheeded as the finance ministry decided to follow the BdB proposal. Now German authorities are poring over the validity of that decision and the wider legality of the Cum Ex schemes. In a case in February this year, a court in the state of Hesse - home to Germany's financial capital Frankfurt - ruled there was no legal basis for the double claiming of rebates, as occurred with the trades. Banks have already paid hundreds of millions of euros in back taxes and tens of millions to settle disputes with German authorities. For one, Maple Bank GmbH in Frankfurt, the scandal has proven disastrous. It was plunged into insolvency in February after tax officials demanded over 300 million euros in repayments, and is closed for business. ($1 = 0.8938 euros) (Writing by Paul Carrel; Editing by John O'Donnell and Pravin Char) BOSTON (Reuters) - Zookeepers in Springfield, Massachusetts, were in the second day of a monkey hunt on Wednesday, after a small Guenon specimen named Dizzy slipped out of its enclosure while a staff member was cleaning it. Officials at the Zoo in Forest Park and Education Center said the 12-pound (5.4 kg) long-tailed monkey "manually twisted open the door knob and let himself out" after the staff member exited the area to answer a visitor's question. Officials just about caught the monkey on Tuesday night when a member of the crowd that had gathered to watch the attempt tossed something at him, scaring him off, they said. "We are now pleading with the public and the media to stay away from the zoo until Dizzy is returned safely," zoo officials said on their Facebook page. "Dizzy has become very frightened." Due to his small size, Dizzy poses no harm to the public, they said. (Reporting by Scott Malone; Editing by Alan Crosby) Donald Trump accused Hillary Clinton on Wednesday of being corrupt, zeroing in at one point on a lavish present she received from the Asian nation of Brunei when she was secretary of state. But the presumptive Republican nominee mischaracterized the way U.S. government officials handle gifts from foreign sources, and theres no evidence that she kept the item in question for herself. In fact, a review of government records reveals that the former first lady kept just two of the many presents she received from non-U.S. sources during her time as President Obamas top diplomat. Trumps accusation came in a wide-ranging speech attacking Clinton as unfit for the White House. Hillary Clinton accepted $58,000 in jewelry from the government of Brunei when she was secretary of state plus millions more for her foundation, he charged. The sultan of Brunei has pushed oppressive Sharia law, including the punishment by death and stoning if you happen to be gay. Because U.S. law requires government officials to report gifts worth more than $375 and since the list of presents from foreign sources is made public, its fairly easy to figure out what Trump was talking about. It appears that he was referring to a gift Clinton received on Sept. 7, 2012. Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. (Photos: Mike Segar/Reuters, Jay LaPrete/AP) Even in the dry language of a government catalog, it sounds lavish: Mouawad Larme DAmour 18k gold, sapphire, and diamond earrings, necklace, and bracelet. The gift, appraised at $58,000, was from Bruneis queen. This kind of over-the-top gift-giving is a long-standing diplomatic practice. Its also a bizarre ritual. U.S. government officials cant turn presents down because non-acceptance would cause embarrassment to donor and U.S. government. At the same time, as the givers surely know, U.S. government officials also typically cant keep them for personal use unless they pay the U.S. Treasury fair market value. Because of this, the overwhelming majority of foreign offerings end up in the U.S. National Archives or are turned over to the federal General Services Administration. Some end up on display at the government agency of the recipient. Presidents get an exception and can take foreign gifts with them when they leave office, but only to display or store them at their presidential library. You can see some of the 43,000 gifts George W. Bush and Laura Bush received during their time at the White House here. Story continues In the case of Clintons bounty from Brunei, the report notes that the jewelry headed to the General Services Administration, which oversees real estate owned by the federal government and also warehouses some foreign gifts. The State Departments human rights report on Brunei from 2012, the same year Clinton received the gift, doesnt go as far as Trump in critiquing the government of the Islamic nation, though it notes that the countrys laws criminalize same-sex relationships. The State Department assessment also includes other critical views of the tiny Asian country on issues like political rights and female circumcision. Clinton did choose to buy back two of the foreign gifts she received while in office. She purchased the black two-strand cushion pearl necklace with gemstones on a copper clasp estimated value $970 that she received in October 2012 from Burma democracy champion and Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi. And she retained a painting of red mountain scene received in May 2011 from Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian, valued at $650. The possible sentimental and historic value of the necklace from Suu Kyi is readily apparent. The value of the painting is less so. Contacted by Yahoo News, aides to the Clinton campaign wouldnt say why she got attached to it or where it resides today. But an Armenian foreign ministry spokesperson, Tigran Balayan, told Yahoo News by email that the art was the work of painter Vladimir Soghomonian and represented its authors imagination of the colours of Armenian mountains. There is no photograph of the painting, Balayan said, but at the time of purchase it was approximately $50 quite a bit less than Clinton paid for it. Shark Tank billionaire Mark Cuban has been giving Donald Trump some tough love. If the two of them were to sit down to discuss how Trump could improve his image with the majority of Americans, what would Cuban bring to the table? The Dallas Mavericks owner challenged the presumptive Republican nominees intelligence during a recent interview with Extra: It's rare that you see someone get stupider before your eyes, but he's really working at it. Cuban, known for speaking just that candidly on a wide range of issues, doesnt conceal his thoughts on effective leadership; he shares them regularly as he promotes himself and his businesses. Even though a Trump-Cuban ticket would be highly unlikely, especially after Cuban said hed be open to running with Hillary Clinton, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee might still benefit from the words of a fellow billionaire and reality TV star. Related: Trumps Biggest Gift to Clinton: Choosing the VP She Really Wants Here are three pieces of advice from the Cuban playbook that could help Trump: You dont have to be good at everything you do. Trump sees himself as a perfectionist; everything he does, in his mind, is fantastic and the outcome is always huge. Cuban, on the other hand, recognizes the value of failure and learning from your mistakes. He admits hes made plenty of those throughout his lifetime: "Ive learned that it doesnt matter how many times you failed. You only have to be right once." Dont make excuses. Trump has an excuse for nearly everything. When he says something outrageous, he rewrites history by claiming everyone else in the room misunderstood him. If hes not doing well in the polls, he attacks pollsters by calling them a waste of money. Cuban believes true entrepreneurs find a way. There are always going to be obstacles in front of you, but a true leader takes responsibility and doesnt find excuses. Related: Trumps Economic Plan Would Be a Disaster for the US Economy Story continues Learn to Live With Criticism. Unlike Cuban, Trump has a fear of opposition. Theres always somebody out there trying to kick your butt, Cuban has said in the past. Competition is what leaders thrive on, and criticism comes with the territory. Despite demolishing a large field of contenders during his partys primaries, Trump will not be able to suppress dissenters. Instead of embracing differing views, he silences anyone who opposes him. He has ejected reporters from events and threatened to throw protesters into the cold. While Trump has reveled in crushing his Republican challengers, he still seems to see competition and criticism as more of a threat than an opportunity. Voters might identify with Trumps brash rhetoric or his gladiatorial, take-no-hostages tactics an outspoken style thats very much in line with Cubans own blunt approach. But when it comes to voting for president, some of them may also want to see him take some other cues from Cuban. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: Presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump questioned Hillary Clinton's faith before a group of evangelical leaders Tuesday, saying there's "nothing out there" on her religious beliefs despite the fact that Clinton has discussed her Methodist upbringing many times throughout her public life. "She's been in the public eye for years and years, and yet there's nothing out there, there's like nothing out there," Trump said, according to a video released by Christian minister and GOP politician E.W. Jackson. "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." Our leaders are "selling Christianity down the tubes" #ConversationWithTrumppic.twitter.com/55PBY26aAv While Clinton does not often speak about her faith, there's a well-documented trail of comments she's made on the role of religion in her life. At a town hall event in January in Iowa, Clinton told an attendee that her Methodist faith has guided her decisions in public service. "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, and that is what I think we are commanded by Christ to do," Clinton said, according to the New York Times. "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." As Clinton's faith becomes a campaign issue, I'm reminded of this 2008 NPR interview w/ her Methodist youth pastor.http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18619707 ... In an interview with CNN in January, she also discussed her faith, saying she's "had a lot of blessings" in her life that led her to want to help others. Story continues "I'm grateful that I was both raised with a faith and that the faith has sustained me," Clinton said in the interview. "I am very committed to what I believe is the discipline and the mandates that you should be responding to as a Christian and for me that has a lot to do with, you know, lifting up those who are the last, the lost and the least among us and trying to give more people a chance to chart a more positive for themselves. That's what I've always cared about and that's what I'll do as president." In September, Clinton attended the 200th anniversary of the Foundry United Methodist Church in Washington, D.C., a church up the street from the White House where she regularly worshipped at during her husband's presidency. There, she spoke about how the church sustained her during tough times in her life. "In place after place after place, the Methodist church and my fellow Methodists have been a source of support, honest reflection and candid critique," Clinton said, according to the Washington Post. It's not only this election cycle where she's spoken about her religion. "I pray, I read the Bible, I read commentary on scriptures, I read other people's faith journeys," Clinton said in a 2007 interview with the New York Times. "That is, for me, at the real core of how I keep feeding my faith." Nor is this the first time Trump has questioned a political leader's religion. Trump was one of the leaders of the movement of Republicans who questioned whether President Barack Obama was a secret Muslim. He also attacked Texas Sen. Ted Cruz's evangelical faith during the primary, asking in a tweet in February, "How can Ted Cruz be an Evangelical Christian when he lies so much and is so dishonest?" And in October, he expressed skepticism of Ben Carson's practicing of Seventh-day Adventism. "I'm Presbyterian," Trump said at a rally in Florida. "Boy, that's down the middle of the road, folks, in all fairness. I mean, Seventh-day Adventist, I don't know about. I just don't know about." Paris (AFP) - Scientists reported Wednesday that they witnessed in unprecedented detail a star being ripped to shreds and devoured by a dormant supermassive black hole. The celestial feeding frenzy -- known as a tidal disruption event -- was detected from the high-energy, X-ray echoes emitted as debris from the hapless star swirled in a vortex near the black hole's centre. The findings were published in the prestigious science journal Nature. "Never before have we been able to see strong gravity effects from a dormant black hole," Erin Kara, a Hubble postdoctoral fellow at the University of Maryland, and lead author of the study, told AFP. Black holes are regions in space-time where mass is collapsed into such a small area that gravity takes over completely, and nothing -- not even light -- can escape. They cannot be seen, and are inferred from their influence on nearby objects. Most of what astronomers know about so-called supermassive black holes -- found at the centre of galaxies -- comes from a relative handful that actively gather and consume matter. Roughly 90 percent are dormant, only awakening from time to time to gulp down anything that passes too close. When that happens to a star, it disappears in a swirling flash of energy and light. - Slumbering giant - "Most tidal disruptions don't emit much in the high-energy X-ray band," Kara explained. Only three such episodes have ever been recorded, "and this is the first such event that has been caught at its peak". The tell-tale signs from this particular slumbering giant, dubbed Swift J1644+57, were picked up by NASA's Swift satellite, the researchers reported. Three more satellites -- one from the European Space Agency, another from Japan, and a third from NASA -- tuned in to the event, yielding a treasure-trove of "excellent data". The fact that X-rays could be detected at all stems from the amplifying effect of the so-called accretion disk -- the doughnut-like swirl of matter falling into the black hole. Story continues Scientists had previously thought X-rays generated in the death throes of a disintegrating star came from huge beams of particles already ejected by the black hole. The new observations tell another story: "Actually, we can see this reverberation at work very close to the central black hole," Kara said. Black holes that are dormant today played a key role in the evolution of galaxies, so seeing one in action may provide clues about the formation of the Universe, said co-author Chris Reynolds, a professor at the University of Maryland. "If we only look at active black holes, we might be getting a strongly biased sample," he said in a statement. One of the crucial unanswered questions about black holes, for example, is how fast they rotate, or spin. Knowing this would yield valuable clues on how they form and mature. One theory suggests that black holes become dormant after they reach "maximal spin", in which case they should all be spinning at the same rate. Another says black holes only grow by merging with each other, in which case spin rates would be more variable. Several former Australian Defense Force cadets said they were sexually abused during their military trainings at a Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse hearing on Tuesday. The abuse has been called "the biggest cover-up in the century" by one victim, according to the Guardian. In total, 111 former cadets say they were abused. In the allegations, the cadets who were as young as 15-years-old at the time said they had to sexually assault each other and were also assaulted by the staff. Whenever they tried to report the abuse, it was ignored or passed off as a "rite of passage," according to CNN. Investigators are looking at conduct reports from the '60s to the '80s at various ADF facilities, such as schools and training centers as well as the ADF Cadets division after 2000. In some reports, abuse involved being scrubbed with a brush and boot polish, or having their heads flushed in soiled toilets. One female cadet, who was accused of having a sexual relationship with an older instructor, had committed suicide after the ADF threatened to discharge her. No evidence of the relationship had been found. Source: Handout/Getty Images Robert Mcjannett accused the commission and the ADF of covering up the abuse. He said that the government did a "panic restructure" of the cadet program to avoid liability in nine jurisdictions. Graeme Frazer, another former recruit, had a compensation claim rejected by the Military Compensation and Rehabilitation service in 2001 because of a lack of evidence. Three years later, the ruling was overturned, and acknowledged that "bullying, harassment, intimidation, bastardisation, victimisation and violence" did exist at HMAS Leeuwin naval training center, one of the sites of the alleged abuse. The hearing continues until July 1, and 14 victims are expected to testify. More than 50 people have been killed by lightning strikes across India over the past 24 hours, as torrential monsoon rains descended on several parts of the country this week. Authorities in the eastern state of Bihar said a total of 57 deaths had been recorded amid thunderstorms on Tuesday and Wednesday, reports the Indian Express. A senior official added that 24 others had been injured. According to the BBC, 79 people had been killed in total, with 10 deaths recorded in Bihars neighboring state Jharkhand, and 16 in the central state of Madhya Pradesh. Meanwhile, India Today reported 42 more deaths in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh. Authorities said that the death toll would be expected to rise as reports come in from rural areas, Voice of America reports. At least 2,000 people in India have been killed by lightening strikes every year since 2005, according to government data. Fans heading to Drake Summer Sixteen Tour will have to see the rapper from the audience, and the audience only. An industry source tells PEOPLE that Drake has canceled all of his fan VIP packages for the tour, which kicks off on July 20 in Austin. The packages sold for up to $1000, according to the source, with some including a photo opportunity. All purchasers have been informed that the sessions are now canceled due to "scheduling issues" and are in the process of being refunded. Advertised online VIP packages from Ticketmaster promise a seat in the first five rows and a variety of merchandise, as well as meet and greets with Future, who is touring with Drake. Drake is just the latest celebrity to back away from the fan one-on-one sessions, with Justin Bieber starting the trend earlier this year. Bieber announced in March that the meet and greets "drained" him and made him "unhappy." Related Video: Is It Too Late To Say Sorry? Justin Bieber Cancels His Fan Meet-And-Greets The news also follows the tragic death of Voice star Christina Grimmie, who was shot by a crazed fan as she signed autographs at an Orlando venue following a performance. Drake's album Views was released in April, and features 20 songs, including hit single "One Dance." A rep for Drake had no comment. * Measures will mostly affect South African goods * Analysts warn of shortages in long run By MacDonald Dzirutwe HARARE, June 22 (Reuters) - Zimbabwe has imposed restrictions on imports of a list of basic goods, mainly from South Africa, to protect local industries and stem an outflow of scarce dollars from the drought-hit economy, industry minister Mike Bimha said on Wednesday. Importers of the affected products - from bottled water to furniture and canned beans to fertlisers according to the Official Gazette - will now have to apply for special licences and explain why they need them, Bimha told Reuters. Other listed goods included building materials, steel products, cereals, potato crisps and dairy products. In the grip of its worst drought in a quarter century that has left 4 million people facing food shortages, Zimbabwe is also running out of cash, forcing the central bank to limit bank withdrawals. Bimha saids the government had issued the temporary measures on June 17 to protect struggling industries that are operating at an average 35 percent of capacity. "What we are saying is that if you had already imported your products before June 17, show us the proof and we will give you an import licence to bring the goods," Bimha said. "But going forward, if anyone wants to import these listed products then you need to provide justification before you are issued with a licence. We want to ensure our industries increase their capacity," added Bimha. The measure will last six months but can be extended, he said. Local companies cheered the measures but economic analysts say they could cause shortages as the domestic industry struggles to increase capacity, with some firms using outdated equipment dating back to World War II. An executive at Olivine Holdings, which manufactures soap, canned products and edible oils, said the measures would allow the firm to raise capacity at a time it is installing a new $15 million plant. "This should have been done gradually because the local industry is in a fragile state. They will not be able to cope with demand which will lead to shortages," John Robertson, a Harare-based economic consultant said. Story continues Zimbabwe could also lose significant revenues from duties as a result of the restrictions, at a time it is desperate for cash and has delayed June salaries for government workers by two weeks. Taxes charged on imports accounted for 21 percent of the $725 million in taxes collected by Zimbabwe's tax agency during the first quarter of this year. A catastrophic 1999-2008 recession decimated Zimbabwe's industries and Harare has increasingly relied on imports. The country's trade defecit has, as a result, widened from $400 million a decade ago to $3.3 billion last year. (Editing by James Macharia and Andrew Heavens) (Adds details, background) AMSTERDAM, June 22 (Reuters) - A Dutch advisory body has advised the government to make additional cuts to production at the Groningen gas field to reduce the risk of earthquakes in the northern province, local media reported on Wednesday. The Netherlands' National Mines Inspectorate has advised the government to cap production at 24 billion cubic meters (bcm) of gas annually, De Telegraaf newspaper said in its overnight edition, citing a recommendation to Economy Minister Henk Kamp. The agency declined to comment. The Cabinet is expected to announce its production plans for the field for the period after Oct. 1, 2016 on Friday, after several cuts in the past year have left it at the rate of 27 bcm on an annualized basis. The final decision will be based on the recommendations from the agency, Groningen's operator NAM, a joint venture of Royal Dutch Shell and Exxon, and six other parties. A majority of lawmakers Dutch parliament have called for production to be cut as far as possible to reduce earthquakes in the northern province caused by the gas extraction. Groningen gas has supplied almost 10 percent of demand in the European Union and announcements to cut production have led to short term spikes in gas prices. (Reporting by Toby Sterling, editing by Louise Heavens) Paris (AFP) - Equatorial Guinea's veteran ruler, Teodoro Obiang Nguema, on Wednesday named his son Teodorin Nguema Obiang vice president of the tiny oil-rich nation, in charge of defence and security. Obiang, who seized power in a military coup in 1979 and was re-elected again in April with 93.7 percent of the vote, promoted the 47-year-old second vice-president by a presidential decree read on state television. Obiang senior is currently Africa's longest-serving leader. Obiang junior is wanted in France on suspicion of embezzlement, corruption and stealing public funds. Frankfurt (AFP) - The European Central Bank on Wednesday launched a new round of ultra-cheap loans for banks in a fresh move to kick-start sluggish credit in the single currency area. The ECB said that banks could submit bids for the funds -- known as targeted long-term refinancing operations or TLTROs -- from 1:30 pm (1130 GMT) until Thursday. The results of the tender -- the volume of bids received as well as the total loans allotted -- are to be published on Friday. Commerzbank analysts said demand for the new set of TLTROs would provide an "important indication of the state of health of the eurozone financial sector." A first version of the scheme -- under which European banks can borrow funds from the ECB at very cheap rates on condition they lend the money on to the private sector -- was originally launched in September 2014. But the ECB has decided to launch a second new round, comprising this time of four TLTROs in all, each with a maturity of four years, where banks can borrow at even more competitive rates. The money is lent at a basic rate of zero percent, but in certain cases, the rate can sink as low as minus 0.4 percent, which effectively means that the banks receive money for borrowing from the ECB. These refinancing conditions are therefore "substantially more interesting" than the first series of TLTROs, said BNP Paribas analyst, Thibault Mercier. UniCredit analyst Luca Cazzulani estimated that banks could borrow 400-450 billion euros ($451-508 billion) in the first of this new set of TLTROs ahead of the British EU referendum on Thursday, as banks steel themselves for market turbulence in case Britain votes to leave the EU. The banks are obliged to lend on the borrowed money to companies and businesses, as the continued weakness of credit activity is seen as one of the key factors in the still very tentative economic recovery in the 19 countries that share the euro. The scheme "should further ease the borrowing costs of the private sector and provide an additional impulse to credit creation," said ECB chief Mario Draghi in Brussels on Tuesday. Cairo (AFP) - Egypt's government said Wednesday it had lodged an appeal against a court decision to block the controversial handover of two uninhabited Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia. The deal over the islands of Tiran and Sanafir prompted some of the largest public protests in two years when it was signed in April. The country's State Council ruled on Tuesday that the islands, strategically situated at the mouth of the Gulf of Aqaba, must remain under Egyptian sovereignty. "The government will present all the documents it has to demonstrate the integrity and strength of the case it presented to the Supreme Administrative Court which has the right to rule on the case," the prime minister's office said in a statement Wednesday. "It will also present a dossier containing documents and maps that will assist in resolving the case." The government argues that the islands -- which can be used to control access to the Israeli port of Eilat -- have always been Saudi territory but were leased to Cairo in 1950 following a request by Riyadh. It says the deal to transfer them was based on a decree by since-ousted president Hosni Mubarak. Cairo says Mubarak had even informed the United Nations about the matter in 1990. The deal, signed during a visit to Cairo by Saudi Arabia's King Salman in April, prompted an outcry from many Egyptians, and sparked protests against President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Sisi, whose government depends heavily on Saudi largesse, faced criticism on social media for "selling" the islands in return for multi-billion-dollar investment deals with Riyadh. More than 100 people were jailed for up to five years for taking part in demonstrations against the deal that police quickly dispersed, but they were later freed on appeal. Oil-rich Saudi Arabia is one of the main regional backers of Sisi, a former army chief who has overseen a crackdown on the opposition since ousting his Islamist predecessor Mohamed Morsi in 2013. CAIRO (Reuters) - A Cairo court acquitted on Wednesday 22 people on trial for protesting against a government decision to transfer two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia, a judicial source and a defence lawyer said. The ruling comes a day after Egypt's administrative court annulled the maritime agreement, announced in April, that would have seen Egypt lose control of Tiran and Sanafir. The accord had caused uproar and rare protests in Egypt, where many have long considered the islands Egyptian. More than 200 people were arrested in connection with protests over the islands in April. Since then, more than 150 have been handed jail sentences or fines, according to judicial sources. Wednesday's verdict will bring to at least 107 the number of people acquitted. The 22 who were acquitted on Wednesday had been sent to trial on charges of violating a protest law by demonstrating without a permit and blocking traffic. "Maybe yesterday's annulment encouraged the judge's decision to acquit the defendants," said Khaled Ali, a lawyer who was representing some of the accused. The public prosecution can appeal the verdict, he said. The prosecution did not issue any formal statement. Saudi and Egyptian officials say the islands at the centre of the controversy belong to the kingdom and were only under Egyptian control because Riyadh had asked Cairo in 1950 to protect them. A court ruled on Tuesday, however, that Egyptian sovereignty over the islands held and could not be given up. 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 2011 uprising that ended Hosni Mubarak's 30-year rule. (Reporting by Lila Hassan, Mahmoud Mourad and Haitham Ahmed, Editing by Lin Noueihed and Raissa Kasolowsky) Elizabeth Banks didnt need Spidey sense to pick up on signs of age discrimination when she auditioned for Mary Jane Watson in 2002s Spider-Man at the age of 28. Tobey and I are basically the same age and I was told I was too old to play her, Banks told Glamour UK, referring to the films lead, Tobey Maguire, who is about 16 months her junior. I was like, Oh, OK, thats what Ive signed up for,' she said. The role would go to Kirsten Dunst, who was 18 years old. Banks was cast in the film, but in a supporting part. Banks anecdote is the latest coming from a number of actresses who have spoken out about the age gap between male actors and their female romantic counterparts. In March, Olivia Wilde said she was deemed too old to play opposite Leonardo DiCaprio in The Wolf of Wall Street. Last year, Maggie Gyllenhaal expressed similar encounters with sexism in the industry. Still, Banks said she does not take her career trajectory in Hollywood for granted. What Im grateful for now is longevity, she said. I was never a flavor of the month. I feel very comfortable that I will be working in this industry for a while. Related stories Bryan Cranston Joins 'Power Rangers' Movie as Zordon Elizabeth Banks Says Parental Duties Kept Her from Directing 'Pitch Perfect 3' Hillary Clinton: 'We Are Going to Break the Celluloid Ceiling' Canadian oil and gas producer Encana Corporation ECA has entered into an agreement to divest its Gordondale assets in northwestern Alberta to Birchcliff Energy for C$625 million. This sale includes about 54,200 net acres of land with wells having a production capacity of about 25,200 barrels of oil equivalent a day (65% natural gas). Birchcliff plans to partially fund the purchase by selling C$530 million worth of shares to underwriters, who will then sell them to the public. Also,an investment of C$18.75 million will be made by major shareholder Seymour Schulich, who will purchaseadditional shares worth $19 million. Encanas Benefits from the Deal This divestment is expected to assist Encana in strengthening its balance sheet and provide financial flexibility, especially in the current low commodity price environment. The deal is also expected to help the company avoid future spending commitments of C$100 million on the property, which in turn, will help it focus on core areas in Canada and the United States. The sale of Gordondale resources, which is situated in the Montney basin, will leave Encana with 9,000 potential drilling locations. Notably, two-thirds of the wells that the company will retain are located in the condensate-rich part of the play. Low Oil Prices Lead to Asset Sales Asset divestitures are fairly common in the energy space in the wake of persistent weak oil and gas pricing environment. Many energy players are selling their assets to bolster financials. Given that the companies are not generating sufficient cash flows after selling crude at extremely low prices, divesting assets is one of the ways to improve cash balance and reduce debt. Encana has announced the sale of nearly US$3 billion in assets since the end of 2014 and paid off about US$2 billion in debt. Moreover, the company has reduced its workforce by about half to 1,600 since 2013. ENCANA CORP Price ENCANA CORP Price | ENCANA CORP Quote About the Company and Zacks Rank Calgary, Alberta-based Encana is a focused pure-play natural gas exploration and production company. It is the second-largest gas producer in North America, and holds a highly competitive land and resource position in a number of the region's most promising shale and tight gas resource plays. This provides the company with a low risk, long life, and sustainable growth profile. Story continues As a result, Encana carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), implying that it will perform in line with the broader U.S. equity market over the next one to three months. Some better-ranked players from the broader energy sector are Braskem S.A. BAK, McDermott International Inc. MDR and Sasol Ltd. SSL. All these 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 MCDERMOTT INTL (MDR): Free Stock Analysis Report ENCANA CORP (ECA): Free Stock Analysis Report SASOL LTD -ADR (SSL): Free Stock Analysis Report BRASKEM SA (BAK): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research 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 criticized 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 labor 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 (Reuters) - The European Union must develop further whatever the outcome of Thursday's referendum in Britain on whether to remain in the 28-bloc, Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo said after a meeting of German and Polish government officials on Wednesday. "We hope very much that the British want to remain in the EU. But irrespective of the result, our position is clear: the European Union should develop further," Szydlo told a joint news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin. Asked what dangers would arise if Britain voted to leave the EU, Merkel replied: "I don't want to speculate. To repeat what I have often said, I of course want Britain to remain in the EU, but it is a decision for British citizens." (Reporting by Paul Carrel and Michael Nienaber) By Antoni Slodkowski YANGON (Reuters) - The European Union said on Wednesday Myanmar needed "space" to deal with human rights abuses in its restive northwest, adding it would respect the call by country leader Aung San Suu Kyi to avoid the term "Rohingya" to describe persecuted Muslims there. The statement exposes a rift in the West's approach to the sensitive issue, standing in contrast with the United States, which said it would continue to use the term, citing respect for the right of communities to choose what they should be called. 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. Tensions around the Muslim minority are rising. This week, Suu Kyi told the United Nations Human Rights investigator visiting the country that the government would not use the term because it was inflammatory. 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 U.N. said on Monday the abuses, which include executions and torture, together may amount to crimes against humanity. "We understand that the term 'Rohingya' is emotionally charged in Myanmar and we have heard the call of the government to avoid creating tension by using polarizing terminology," Roland Kobia, the EU ambassador to Myanmar, told reporters. "So we ought to give political space to initiatives to gradually find a solution to this protracted issue." Suu Kyi's administration last week tabled a new term for the Rohingya - "Muslim community in Rakhine State" - but the description has quickly run into opposition. The Arakan National Party (ANP), formed by hardline Rakhine Buddhists who enjoy considerable following in the state, said the government was biased and rejected the new term. "We consider that using the new term ... is tantamount to meaning that they are natives of Rakhine region by ignoring the original place of these Bengali people," the party said in a statement. The previous military-linked government referred to the group as "Bengalis", implying they were illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, though many have lived in Myanmar for generations. Wai Wai Nu, a Rohingya activist from Women Peace Network Arakan, said the government should protect, listen and consult with ethnic minorities. She wanted to ask it: "Why are you denying us our identity...and not taking a feasible, constructive and inclusive step to move forward? "The government should address the targeted persecution and discrimination against minorities and ensure protection of their rights by respecting their ethnicity, identity and name," she said. Yanghee Lee, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Myanmar, is touring the country on her first visit since Suu Kyi took power. Wirathu, the leader of radical nationalist Buddhist monks, threatened to beat her with a "wooden flip flop" if she "wasn't smart enough". He warned Lee against acting as a "political broker," being "one-sided on the part of the trouble-makers" and "selling the country to others". Last year, he called her a "whore" after Lee criticized laws seen as discriminating against non-Buddhists and women. Suu Kyi, who starts her visit to Thailand on Thursday, has formed a committee to "bring peace and development" to the state in May, but its plans are not clear. (Additional reporting by Aung Hla Tun; Editing by Nick Macfie) Brussels (AFP) - The EU will open new membership talks with Turkey as planned in a few days, EU diplomatic sources said Wednesday, just as Ankara's accession becomes a hot-button issue in Britain's vote on its future in the bloc. One source, who asked not to be named, told AFP that EU member states will meet June 30 to agree to open a new negotiating chapter with Turkey on finance and budget affairs. A British spokesperson in Brussels said the decision was procedural and followed up a pledge made by European Union leaders in March to open another accession chapter with Turkey. "In March, all member states agreed to open Chapter 33, during the Netherlands (six-month EU) presidency. This is a technical step to implement that agreement," the spokesperson said. EU leaders at a summit in March agree to speed up Turkey's long-stalled membership talks as part of an accord with Ankara on tackling the migration crisis, promising to open at least one new chapter by the end of June when the Netherlands presidency finishes. The issue however has become caught up in the campaign for Thursday's bitterly-fought Brexit referendum amid charges by the "Leave" camp that accession will allow millions of Turks into the country. British Prime Minister David Cameron insists Turkey will not join the 28-nation bloc for many years, even though the government's official position is to support Ankara's membership. Since Muslim-majority Turkey formally launched its membership bid in 2005, the EU has opened 15 chapters out of the 35 required to join the bloc. So far only one chapter has been completed, with disagreements over Turkey's human rights record an obstacle for many EU states. Under the March accord, the EU also agreed to boost aid to Turkey to cope with millions of refugees, mostly Syrians, on its territory and to speed up visa liberalisation. We will all wait to see what team Roy Hodgson picks when England head into Euro 2016 action once again this weekend - but there is one area of the team and one man in particular who still has so much to prove. Hodgsons selection for the final group game against Slovakia last Monday baffled me because there was plenty of time for players to rest up before the last-16 game to ensure they did not need to be rested from a game England needed to win. Yet even with changes in personnel, the same problems that have affected England so far in this competition were in evidence and my concern is, Im not sure Hodgson has the players at his disposal to solve the problem. I have stated in my Yahoo columns during Euro 2016 that Englands biggest area of concern in this competition so far has been in their midfield area and up to now, captain Wayne Rooney has looked reasonably good in his new role as a creative midfielder. Yet I am yet to be convinced that Rooney will be able to pull the strings in a midfield role against some of Europes top sides, as this is a player who has only just started to adapt to his new position at the back end of his career. EURO 2016 - ALL THE FIXTURES EURO 2016 - ALL THE TABLES What happens when Rooney comes up against a multiple Champions League winner in Spains Andres Iniesta? Will he match up to Toni Kroos if England face Germany at some stage of Euro 2016? The answer is we dont know at this stage, but logic would suggest that world class performers who have been playing in this key position throughout their careers should be a few steps ahead of a player who has played most of his career as a central striking players in Rooney. I have always been a big admirer of Rooney and he has been a fantastic player for club and country over an extended period of time. None of us were surprised to see him looking comfortable on the ball and spraying some decent passes around the field in Englands opening games against Russia, Wales and Slovakia, but the level of opposition he has been up against so far is modest compared to what lies in wait if his side progress to the quarter-finals and beyond. Story continues STEVE MCMANAMAN EXCLUSIVE: CLUELESS ROY LEAVES ENGLAND WITH NO DIRECTION Hodgson evidently has great faith in Rooney and wants him to stay in his side, even if he is no longer considered to be first choice striker in a squad featuring the likes of Harry Kane, Daniel Sturridge and Jamie Vardy, but it has to be a risk giving him such a prominent role in the heart of a team that is horribly lacking in wide positions. EURO 2016: WAGS AND FANS IN THE CROWD Rooney is the first name on Hodgsons team-sheet and his record in an England shirt suggests he should be integrated in the side as either a starter or on the bench, but the Manchester United captain is still very much an unproven performer when a midfield battle moves up a few levels in Europes premier international competition. WATCH THE EXPERTS: DOES FINISHING SECOND SPELL THE END FOR ENGLAND? The England manager clearly believes Rooney is good enough to carry his side to success in his new role and we will only be able to judge whether he is right in that assessment when his sides run at Euro 2016 ends, hopefully with an appearance in the final in Paris on July 10th. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A former Credit Suisse AG banker pleaded guilty on Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Virginia to charges of helping U.S. taxpayers evade income taxes, the U.S. Justice Department said. Michele Bergantino, 48, a citizen of Italy and resident of Switzerland, admitted that from 2002 to 2009, while working for Credit Suisse in Switzerland, he participated in a wide-ranging conspiracy to aid U.S. taxpayers in concealing assets and income in secret Swiss bank accounts, the department said. (Reporting by Eric Beech; Editing by Sandra Maler) Blake Lively is quickly becoming the queen of chic pregnancy style, and the stunning actress did not disappoint when she hit the red carpet on Tuesday. Lively looked radiant at the premiere of her new film, The Shallows, at AMC Loews Lincoln Square in New York City, where she opened up to ET's Carly Steel about her upcoming bundle of joy, and how her 18-month-old daughter, James, loves her gorgeous gowns. WATCH: Pregnant Blake Lively Shows Off Legs for Days in Dazzling Minidress and High Heels The 28-year-old actress revealed that her daughter is always adorably supportive when she watches her mommy get glammed up for star-studded events. "She's very sweet. She says, 'Wow!'" Lively shared. "She's just very, very complimentary. And that means more to me than any compliment." Lively announced that she and husband Ryan Reynolds are expecting baby No. 2 back in April, and on Tuesday, the starlet hid her burgeoning baby bump under a Carolina Herrera dress with a black corset-style top and flowing, semi-sheer skirt. Getty Images WATCH: Blake Lively Has Another Amazing Fashion Day, Continues to Put Us All To Shame Lively complimented the gown with subtle, Lorraine Schwartz jewelry accents and strappy Christian Louboutin heels. She also opened up about her formidable fashion sense, marveling, "I'm really lucky to have access to really great designers [and] I like mixing things that are unexpected." During her first pregnancy in 2014, Lively looked as exquisitely elegant as always in every dress she donned, and it looks like fans of her cultured couture will be equally wowed by her future fashion choices. WATCH: Blake Lively Talks Having More Children With Ryan Reynolds: 'We're Officially Breeders' Lively played coy when asked about being an expectant mom once again, but did reveal that she feels "the same" this time around. In May, Blake Lively proved she was the fashion standout of the Cannes Film Fest, flaunting her stunning styles at the star-studded, black tie events. Check out the video below to see some of her most regal looks. Story continues The Shallows hits theaters on Friday. Related Articles Jenny Mollen's new book, Live Fast, Die Hot, chronicles all the insane adventures she's had since becoming a mom in 2014. "It's basically about a woman who falls in love with a man for the first time in her life, and she's doing everything in her power to sabotage that relationship," Jenny tells ET. "That's pretty much what it is. It's like a high-voltage, postpartum rom com." MORE: Jenny Mollen and Jason Biggs Welcome First Child Those stories includes her trip to South America with Chelsea Handler to take ayahuasca, a powerful, hallucinogenic drug. The whole thing was featured on Chelsea's Netflix docuseries, Chelsea Does "Yes, you can watch me vomit and, like, sh*t at the same time," Jenny teases. "And cry my eyes out." But that's not Jenny and Chelsea's only crazy adventure together. Jenny shared another story when she dropped by ET for Facebook Live. "Well, that was pretty crazy," Jenny admits, "but after we did ayahuasca, we were in a van heading back to the airport in Lima, [Peru], and she's like, 'Oh! I got an email. Do you want to go great white shark diving in a month off of Rosarito?' And I'm just like, 'Yeah! Totally. I wanna do that! That would be amazing.'" "So, I signed up, she signed up," Jenny explains. "And slowly but surely, pieces of information about this trip were revealed to me. And Michael Domeier, the guy -- he's like from Shark Week. He's that guy that you see in every shark episode of any shark show ever. He's like, 'Well, the accommodation, you know, it's a science boat.' Science boat! Right there, that's a red flag You're in like a weird bunk, probably getting lice." "Then he proceeded to tell me that the food was 'comfort food,' and I would be gaining weight," she recalls. "Also a problem for me. And then he said the journey out was 36 hours, across the Pacific to an island, where there was no other access, and there was no wifi I can't exist where there isn't Twitter!" "So, I pulled out of the trip," the author confesses. "I called Chelsea, I was like, 'I'm not going on this trip. I can't do it. I can't leave my son.' That's how I framed it, 'I can't leave my child that long.' It's terrible." Story continues MORE: Chelsea Handler Is Finally Doing What She Wants With New Netflix Show "'I mean, if you want me to do drugs with you again, I'm totally willing to do that, but I'm not going to be away from my child,'" Jenny jokes. "So, I pulled out of it and she's like, 'Ah! I can't believe you're not doing this. Look, it doesn't sound like the greatest trip. We committed to it. We have to go. I'm going. I think it's, like, really sh*tty that you're pulling out.'" "Then two days later, she's like, 'I'm out, too,'" Jenny says. "So, then [my husband] Jason [Biggs] went alone." "We shipped Jason off to the sharks off of Guadalupe Island," she shares. "You know what we got out of it? Now, Jason tagged a shark, and that shark's name is Sid Biggs." Sid Biggs also happens to be the name of Jenny and Jason's 2-year-old son. "[The shark] is hopefully not going to eat somebody," Jenny says. "I just don't want there to be a headline someday saying, 'Sid Biggs Mauled a German Tourist Off the Coast of Lanai.'" Though, Jenny admits that headline could be about her son, too, revealing, "I have some bite marks from the real Sid Biggs right now." Read more of Jenny's adventures in Live Fast, Die Hot, out now. Related Articles Despite some worrisome headlines regarding David Hasselhoffs net worth, the actor assures ET that he is happy and wont let anything get him down. Its not about how much money you have, its how you live life, Hasselhoff told ET. Im not going to change my lifestyle no matter what. WATCH: David Hasselhoff Returns to Baywatch, Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron Cant Contain Their Admiration Hasselhoff claimed to have less than $4,000 in liquid assets in legal documents asking that the court lower his monthly spousal support payments to ex-wife, Pamela Bach. Sometimes youre up. Sometimes youre down, Hasselhoff told ET. In his heyday, the actor couldnt have imagined news articles would be questioning his financial stability. The veteran Hollywood star earned millions in the '80s and '90s from hit shows like Baywatch and Knight Rider. I was laughing about all these people who made money and lost it, and I was saying, 'How could that happen to them? Hasselhoff said. All of a sudden, I woke up one morning and said, 'Oh, I realize now! Thanks to his new obsession with Facebook Live, the 63-year-old icon has been open about sharing his lifes details with fans, but he revealed to ET that he draws the line at his upcoming wedding to his 36-year-old fiance, Hayley Roberts. PICS: The Biggest and Best Celebrity Engagement Rings Thats a very private thing, Hasselhoff said. The Hoff popped the question earlier this year during a five-year anniversary lunch in Malibu, California. The happy couple reportedly first met when Hasselhoff was signing autographs in a hotel lobby during his stint as a Britains Got Talent judge. WATCH: David Hasselhoff Engaged to Girlfriend Hayley Roberts This will mark Hasselhoffs third marriage. He previously wed soap star Catherine Hickland in 1984. After the estranged couple split in 1989, Hasselhoff married actress Pamela Bach the same year, but they later called it quits in 2006. Hasselhoff and Bach have two daughters together Taylor, 26, and Hayley, 23. Story continues On July 17, Hasselhoff will be hosting 10 episodes of Knight Rider on El Rey Network along with Robert Rodriguez. We will be telling all the behind-the-scenes action of the '80s, Hasselfhoff said. Related Articles Nikki Reed Graziela When it comes to helping the planet, Nikki Reed holds causes really close to her heart: Her latest collaboration with Graziela Gems gives to the Ian Somerhalder Foundation, founded by yes, her husband. Theres not much that we dont do together, the actress, whos also a vice president of ISF, tells People of Somerhalder. We actually connected as friends because of the work that we were both doing that kind of mirrored one another. So he kind of always has seen or known about what I was doing with animals. And Ive always loved what hes done to inspire young people and help the world. We knew long before we were together that there was such an element of respect because of our similarities and what we were both passionate about. After receiving a pair of earrings from designer Graziela Kaufman as a gift, Reed researched her and discovered that she was devoted to rescuing dogs. They had a serendipitous and beautiful connection and decided to collaborate to give back. 60 percent of the purchase price of each piece from the collection (which contains 24 pieces and starts at $69) goes to ISF, which is committed to helping wildlife in many different ways, including emergency medical grants for animals, and showing that helping wildlife also enhances local economies around the world. Gigi Hadid Max Mara One of the grants we wrote last year was to build a beehive fence in Tanzania to help with human-elephant conflicts, says Reed. Using beehive fences help farmers feel less threatened by elephants coming onto their land, but it also creates honey, which helps give that community another source of income. Another recent project Reed is proud of is a spay-and-neuter clinic ISF hosted on a reservation in New Mexico. A lot of cats and dogs are running around homeless, and theyre overbreeding and spreading disease, Reed explains. The team from ISF treated 114 animals, and many needed extra attention for wounds. Nikki Reed Graziela Among Somerhalders favorite pieces from the collection is the $159 turquoise ring (lower left). Reed actually commissioned this design herself. I called Graziela like a month before Ians birthday [in December], and I said I really want to make something special for him, she says. So we made him that ring and he literally hasnt taken it off since. Graziela and I thought that maybe people would be interested in feeling really connected to Ian and having that ring as well. Now that ring is a permanent part of the ISF collection. Story continues Much of this Graziela collection is focused on elephants and rhinos because Im so passionate about ending poaching, she says. There are rhino-horn pendants that come in turquoise, jasper and jade. The small pendant is $129, and the large pendant is $149.We have been working with the most famous and fantastic wildlife conservation photographers in the world, Adrian Steirn and were gearing up to hopefully co-direct a documentary on rhino poaching. I sent Graziela a lot of those images and I think exposed her to this horrible situation we have going on in Africa. Reed describes the pieces and as very dense, earthy and inspired by movement. Some pieces are also inspired by water, like the Ocean Wave Earrings (top left), which are $89, and the shark fin earrings (center bottom), are $ 259. Some pieces work for both men and women, like the beaded bracelets (top right), which start at $139. Ian wears those bracelets almost every day, reveals Reed. Nikki Reed Graziela Graziela is just an absolute angel. This came from her heart and I honestly could not be more grateful, says Reed. When you purchase something like this, it all comes from a place of love. Theres such a beautiful message behind this collection and the money is used for such incredible things. I hope people feel pride when they own this jewelry; Theyre helping to make the world a better place. Read more about ISF and shop the entire collection here. Catherine Kast old man sad One of the main demographic shifts in the world is toward an aging population. In developed countries, life expectancy has increased and fertility rates have fallen, leading to countries that have a lot of older people and fewer working-age citizens. The economic implications of this shift are severe. Growth slows down both within countries and globally when fewer people are working. Now a new report from the German bank Berenberg has used over 100 years of economic data, as well as UN projections, to attempt to figure out what the world will look like, demographically, in the next 50 years. The findings are pretty staggering. Japan has long epitomized this shift to an older and smaller population; its population began falling in 2004 and hasn't stopped. Economists have recently identified a similar problem in China, where the working-age population has begun to shrink. But the Berenberg report shows that within 50 years the problem of an aging and shrinking population is likely to affect most countries. For one thing, Berenberg projects that life expectancy will keep increasing and fertility will keep decreasing on a global scale. The number of countries with high life expectancies (over 75 years old) and low birth rates has been steadily increasing since the mid-20th century, and it will keep rising. Berenberg projects that over 75% of countries will reach this by 2050. graph 1 Taken together, long lives and low birth rates mean the percentage share of older people in these countries and in the world will increase as well. This isn't such a steady change: The number of countries with a high percentage of citizens older than 65 is set to skyrocket within a few years, as will the number of countries with negative population growth. That means the demographic problems that have almost crippled Japan in the past few decades will affect about 40% of all countries by 2050. Story continues graph 2 The magnitudes of these changes do vary by country. For China, the situation looks dangerously similar to Japan's. Its historical data and projections follow Japan's almost exactly but 25 years later. graph 3 The dependency ratio is the ratio of nonworkers to workers. It's a commonly used measure of the age structure of a population, because it compares the number of people who consume things but don't work (so, the very young and the very old) with the number of people who actually produce things (the working-age citizens). In China, as in Japan, the ratio of dependent citizens is about to skyrocket. As for Europe, the UK and France are OK for now, according to Berenberg. But the rest of the eurozone is expected to age extremely rapidly. In Italy and Spain, the projections estimate, over a third of the population will be older than 65 by 2050. Eastern Europe is especially vulnerable: The 10 largest population declines by 2050 are expected to take place there. The US, however, should be fine for a little while. "While the US marginally lags the other three economies in terms of life expectancy," the report says, "it is expected to sustain a much higher fertility rate in the future, creating an important economic advantage." The US is less healthy than other developed countries a lot of the difference in life expectancy can be chalked up to higher mortality rates below age 50. But birth rates are high enough to keep the working-age population larger than in other countries. graph 4 The researchers note that these are just projections and that things may not work out exactly as predicted. People adapt, and economies adapt. But no matter what happens, the shift to an older population is taking over much of the globe it's not limited to a few countries, and it is not unique to Japan. "Japan is the playbook," the authors write, "not the exception." NOW WATCH: Golf legend Greg Norman reveals the truth behind US President Bill Clinton's late-night 1997 injury More From Business Insider By Huw Jones LONDON (Reuters) - Britain, Europe's biggest financial center, votes on June 23 on whether to leave the European Union. The country's banking and fund management industries are among those that could lose most from a so-called Brexit, many analysts have said, though much depends on the trading terms Britain would be able to negotiate with the EU. The following details the potential changes that could affect different parts of the industry. REGULATORY STRUCTURE *Rules Nearly all of Britain's financial services rules are derived from EU law. Though Britain has gone further than the EU in some cases, such as tougher capital requirements and restrictions on banker pay, a new rule framework would have to be devised within two years of Brexit. *Passporting Financial firms like insurers, banks, asset managers, payment services providers who are authorized in Britain have "passport" rights to conduct their business in all EU countries, either remotely from Britain or from a branch in another member state. If Britain were to join the European Economic Area (EEA) -- comprised of Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein -- financial companies would continue to have passporting rights to conduct business in all EU countries but have no say over the formulation of EU rules. If Britain did not join the EEA, UK firms wanting to operate in the EU would have an "equivalence" test to prove to Brussels that their home rules are as strict as those in the EU to avoid unfair competition. British firms seeking to offer financial services to retail customers in the EU are also likely to need a locally capitalized subsidiary in the EU, which would be more expensive than running a branch. *Political implications Open-ended negotiations over equivalency are prone to political horse-trading and it took several years for the EU to accept the equivalence of U.S. rules on derivatives clearing. A British departure from the EU could alter the political balance within the bloc by removing a major pro-market member, possibly tilting it towards less sector-friendly rules. THE INDUSTRY *Banks Among the most costly Brexit factors for banks would be the loss of the passporting facility, necessitating creation of European subsidiaries rather than merely operating additional branches. There is no EU "equivalence" test for bank capital rules outside the bloc. *Funds Much of the UK's 5.5 trillion pound ($7.9 trillion) mutual funds sector is run almost entirely under EU rules known as UCITS. Unless Britain joins the EEA, lawyers say there is potential for substantial disruption as funds could lose their UCITS designation, seen as a gold standard globally. UK UCITS would be deemed "alternative investments" in the EU, and face tougher restrictions on sales to small investors. *Trading, clearing, reporting Pan-EU share trading platforms, such as Bats Chi-X and Turquoise , along with clearing houses including LCH.Clearnet and ICE Clear Europe , are also authorized in Britain under EU rules providing a passport to serve customers across the bloc. Leaving the EU and not being part of the EEA could affect their cross-border business and EU-based customers might be unable to use trading platforms and clearing houses authorized by UK regulators until they are "recognized" by Brussels. *Ratings agencies Credit rating agencies (CRAs) are authorized by EU markets watchdog ESMA. There are eight CRAs in Britain authorized by ESMA, but the larger ones would be able to operate via subsidiaries already established in some EU states. Trade repositories *Derivatives transactions in the EU must be reported to a repository and four of the six authorized in the bloc are based in London. To continue serving customers in the EU, the London-based repositories would have to show regulation equivalency. *Derivatives, repos, stock lending A large chunk of the world's $550 trillion derivatives market is traded using contracts that come under UK law, even if both sides of the trade are based elsewhere. Courts in EU countries have agreed to recognize UK law for resolving disputes, but this could change if Britain left the bloc. Hundreds of thousands of contracts could be affected. Repurchase agreements (repos) and stock lending could face similar disruption. *Benchmarks If the UK left the EU and did not join the EEA, any benchmark administered in Britain, such as Libor, could only be used by EU banks after equivalency approval. *Data protection If Britain joined the EEA there would be little change in terms of the use of personal data. Outside the EEA and EU, Britain would have to show that its standards of protection meet EU rules to allow data transfers between the UK and the EU. Without this, it would be disruptive to banks that regularly transfer personal data across borders. *Insurance UK insurers and reinsurers benefit from passporting under the EU's Solvency II rules, but this would be lost if Britain left the EU and did not join the EEA and firms could have to open offices in the EU. *Failing banks Under new EU rules, regulators are required to recognize each other's actions in dealing with a failing bank, such as debt writedowns. If Britain were to leave the EU, there would be no legal guarantee that an EU state would cooperate with any UK regulatory action. (Reporting by Huw Jones, editing by Louise Heavens) Jilin Jien Already Active in Quebec, Following the 2010 Acquisition of Canadian Royalties Rome Lithium Property Acquired By Fairmont Resources Less Than a Month Ago Historical Underground and Open Pit Lithium Mine on Property Adjacent To Rome Lithium Property VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / June 22, 2016 / Fairmont Resources Inc. (FMR:TSX-V) ("Fairmont") is encouraged by the Court Approval yesterday of the Asset Purchase Agreement of RB Energy Inc. by Jilin Jien Nickel Industry Co. ("Jilin"). RB Energy, who once claimed its Quebec mine would produce "the highest-quality lithium carbonate in the world", was forced to halt operations in October 2014 after failing to complete a much needed financing. Subsequent attempts to raise financing proved to be very difficult due to market conditions at the time for Canadian resource companies. Specifically, Investment Quebec and/or KSV Advisory held discussions with 26 parties regarding the potential sale of RB Energy. Jilin acquired the Quebec Lithium Mine for an undisclosed amount but it is estimated that approximately $150 - $200 Million in additional capital will be required to take the Lithium project to its production stage. Michael Dehn, President and CEO Of Fairmont Resources, stated the following regarding the significance of this deal for both the Lithium industry and Fairmont's Rome Lithium Property, "Fairmont is very encouraged by the acquisition of the past producing Quebec Lithium Mine and Mill by Jilin Jien Nickel, as it provides third party validation of Fairmont's decision last month to option of the Rome Lithium Property, which borders the property acquired by Jilin Jien. Rome added shareholder value at the time of its option and we believe this acquisition of the bordering property will add further near and long term value." PROXIMITY OF RB ENERGY MINE TO FAIRMONT'S ROME LITHIUM PROPERTY The Rome Lithium property is located approximately 60 km north of Val d'Or Quebec. The property is contiguous to the north and south of RB Energy's Quebec Lithium Mine with a published measured and indicated resources (at a 0.60% Li2O cutoff) of 41,556,000 tonnes at 1.09% Li2O, and an inferred resource of (at a 0.60% Li20 cutoff) of 17,766,000 million tonnes at 1.10% Li2O (RB Energy Press Release of October 11, 2012). Story continues The property is also contiguous to Jourdan Resources Vallee Lithium property that drilled more than 4000m of core in 2011 and intersected more 100 pegmatite and aplite dikes. Jourdan Resources intersected values of up to 1.187% Li2O over 5.50m (Jourdan Resources Press Release of October 24, 2012). For additional information on the Rome Lithium Property, please see the press release dated May 26, 2016 on Fairmont Resources website, or via the link: http://fairmontresources.ca/uploads/270.pdf. A map and photos of the Rome Lithium Property can be found here: http://fairmontresources.ca/pdf/Rome%20Lithium%20Property.pdf. Detailed documentation on the RB Energy transaction are available at: http://www.rb-e.com/s/Home.asp http://www.sedar.com/DisplayCompanyDocuments.do?lang=EN&issuerNo=00007891 http://goo.gl/RE8s31 : First Report of the Receiver dated June 13, 2016 http://goo.gl/2ljb7h : Approval Assignment and Vesting Order dated June 21, 2016 About Fairmont Fairmont Resources Inc. is a rapidly growing industrial mineral and dimensional stone company trading on the Toronto Venture Exchange symbol FMR. Fairmont's Quebec properties cover numerous occurrences of high-grade titaniferous magnetite with vanadium, with the Buttercup property having a permit to quarry dense aggregate. Where these occurrences have been tested they have display exceptional uniformity with respect to grade. Fairmont also controls three quartz/quartzite properties, with the Forestville property having independent end user testing confirming the suitability of quartzite from Forestville for Ferro Silicon production. Fairmont is also in the process of acquiring the assets of Granitos de Badajoz (GRABASA) in Spain which includes 23 quarries and a 40,000 square metre granite finishing facility that has produced finished granite installed across Europe. For more information please contact Michael A. Dehn President and CEO, Fairmont Resources Inc. Tel:647-477-2382 michael@fairmontresources.ca www.fairmontresources.ca Doren Quinton, President QIS Capital Tel:250-377-1182 info@smallcaps.ca www.smallcaps.ca Forward-Looking Statements Information set forth in this news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on assumptions as of the date of this news release. These statements reflect management's current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations. They are not guarantees of future performance. Fairmont cautions that all forward looking statements are inherently uncertain and that actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors, many of which are beyond Fairmont's control. Such factors include, among other things: risks and uncertainties relating to Fairmont's exploration program of its mineral properties and Fairmont's limited operating history. Accordingly, actual and future events, conditions and results may differ materially from the estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations expressed or implied in the forward looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, Fairmont undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information. Except as required under applicable securities legislation, Fairmont undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking information. 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. SOURCE: Fairmont Resources Inc. By Stephen Kalin and Ahmed Rasheed FALLUJA, Iraq (Reuters) - The rapid entry of Iraqi forces into central Falluja last week surprised many who expected a drawn-out battle with Islamic State for the bastion of Iraq's Sunni insurgency, where some of the toughest fighting of the U.S. occupation took place. The campaign has offered Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi respite from a political crisis that paralysed government and turned violent when demonstrators breeched Baghdad's heavily-fortified Green Zone. Yet questions remain about whether Abadi - who declared victory on Friday even though Islamic State militants are still fighting in Falluja - can convert those military gains into political success, and what kind of model Falluja offers for the next major military campaign, against Islamic State-held Mosul. Abadi and his commanders, who have pledged to retake the northern Iraqi city later this year, "needed a fast victory because they are very aware of setting precedents," said Renad Mansour, an Iraq scholar at the Carnegie Middle East Center. But "Falluja was a distraction. The protests in Baghdad will come back. People will say, 'OK we got Falluja, what's happening politically? What are the changes?'" Iraq's government has been gridlocked for months after rivals blocked Abadi's plans for a cabinet reshuffle he said was aimed at fighting rampant corruption in a country nearly bankrupted by low global oil prices. [nL5N18H3TU] Thousands of demonstrators, mostly loyal to Shi'ite Muslim cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, took to the streets earlier this year to pressure Abadi to replace party-affiliated ministers with independent technocrats, which the political elite has resisted. The prime minister's decision to attack Falluja last month, against the apparent wishes of U.S. allies, allowed him to rally the Shi'ite political class who were pressing him to retake the city, seen as a launchpad for recent bombings in nearby Baghdad. Falluja has been seen as a stronghold of Sunni Muslim insurgents for more than a decade and U.S. forces that toppled Saddam Hussein, a Sunni, suffered heavy losses there in two battles in 2004. Iraqi forces have so far incurred a fraction of those casualties. "The $6 million question is: do (the militants) head for Mosul, do they stay in Falluja, do they do asymmetric attacks elsewhere?" said an official from one of the countries in the U.S.-led coalition backing Iraqi forces. More than 85,000 people have fled Falluja, according to the United Nations, which estimated the population before the operation began at around 90,000, already just a third of its size before Islamic State seized control in early 2014. A lawmaker close to Abadi said the offensive had helped him overcome a perception of weakness among powerful rivals and ordinary Iraqis. But another lawmaker and a Western diplomat said that while Falluja advances are bound to give the prime minister a "feel-good factor" in the short term, there is no indication they will help advance his political agenda. "When parliament resumes he'll probably point to Falluja," the diplomat said, but the demands of lawmakers and the street are "not going to go away because Falluja's been liberated." LESSONS FOR MOSUL The Falluja operation has, at least, provided a possible model for the offensive in Mosul, Islamic State's de facto capital in Iraq, which is still being planned, according to Iraqi and Western officials. The assault was spearheaded by Iraq's elite counter-terrorism service, which has learned to fight the jihadists' mix of guerrilla and conventional tactics, with army and police units also taking key positions. Around 85 coalition air strikes supported the advances. Iranian-backed Shi'ite militias, which stirred fears of sectarian violence by insisting on entering the mostly Sunni city, were confined largely to the outskirts, but they still stirred controversy. Days after Abadi announced the assault, Iranian media published pictures of what they said was a visit by Iranian General Qassem Soleimani to Shi'ite militias fighting alongside the army. [nL8N18P07J] Soleimani also appeared during last year's battle for Tikrit where Shi'ite militias were accused of rights abuses. An Iranian news outlet said he moved in recent days to Syria, where Iranian-backed militias are supporting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad against Sunni rebels. Even playing a peripheral role in Falluja the militias faced allegations from the local provincial governor, which they denied, that they executed 49 Sunni men and detained more than 600 others. [nL8N1952Q4] "You've got to give Abadi credit for keeping the militias out of Falluja," the Western diplomat said, adding that the government had quickly put an end to the alleged abuses. Authorities have made arrests in relation to the claims, but the United Nations reported on Wednesday further allegations of serious rights violations by armed groups fighting alongside the military in Falluja. [nL8N19E1TL] "Abadi has minimal leverage over these Iranian-backed militias, so if anyone is actually held accountable, it would indicate Abadi's rising political weight," former U.S. diplomat Robert Ford said in a recent article. But residents of Mosul who spoke to Reuters by phone and internet said they feared similar abuse if Shi'ite militias were allowed to participate in the offensive on their city. "We saw what happened in (Falluja) and it confirms our decision to refuse the Hashid Shaabi," Nineveh provincial councilman Abdul Rahman al-Jubouri told Reuters in Erbil, referring to the coalition of mostly Shi'ite militias allied to the government. (Additional reporting by Maher Chmaytelli; Writing by Stephen Kalin; Editing by Dominic Evans) When it comes to housing, this years election is a far cry from 2008, when the country was still in the midst of a painful mortgage crisis. At the time, then-candidates Barack Obama and John McCain laid out detailed plans to regulate the financial institutions and help millions of underwater homeowners. Eight years later, housing has finally come back, with prices reaching record highs in some parts of the country. Even so, there are still plenty of housing-related issues, including home affordability, the cost of rent and the return of some kinds of risky mortgages. Related: 9 States With the Hottest Housing Markets The number of homes that are seriously underwater has fallen to 6.7 million (from a high of 12.8 million in 2012), according to RealtyTrac, but those homeowners who still owe more than their house is worth have few options. A new loan forgiveness program unveiled in April by the Federal Housing Finance Agency would help less than 1 percent of them. Such issues have received little attention from this years candidates, however, and voters are starting to notice. More than a third of Americans say that the candidates have done a poor job articulating their housing and finance policies, and more than a third would like to hear more about these topics, according to a survey released Wednesday from LoanDepot. Among those surveyed, the top housing-related issue was making homeownership more affordable for middle and lower-income families. Neither frontrunners Hillary Clinton nor Donald Trump address this issue at all on their websites. Meanwhile, the website of Sen. Bernie Sanders, who is still technically in the race although theres no mathematical way for him to clinch the democratic nomination, does address the issue in a 2,000-word piece laying out a policy that would include down payments assistance for first-time homebuyers, reforming the credit scoring system, and help for homeowners who are still underwater. Story continues Millennials, whose have been notoriously hesitant to enter the housing market, still have serious financial concerns, according to the LoanDepot survey. More than a third are concerned that theyre not making enough money, and nearly half are worried that the election will impact their ability to access credit. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: A body in a life vest was found by searchers seeking a father and his three teen children who went missing three days after their sailboat encountered rough waters off the coast of Florida, Coast Guard officials said. Officials did not say which of the four family member's remains had been recovered. Ace Kimberly, 45, his 17-year-old daughter Rebecca Kimberly, and his sons Donny Kimberly, 15, and Roger Kimberly, 13, were last seen at about 9 a.m. Sunday when they set out on their 29-foot sailboat near Sarasota, the U.S. Coast Guard said. Read: Mom of Missing Florida Teens Wants Boat Examined for Evidence of a Possible Crime There is still no sign of the boat, authorities said. Debris including shoes and a basketball were found earlier Wednesday. At a Thursday morning press conference, the Coast Guard said they had also located a bucket about five miles from the body that contained birth certificates. The Coast Guard saw what appeared to be a flare around 2 a.m. Thursday and teams have been searching the area ever since, USCG Captain Gregory Case said at the press conference. But he added that the light could have come from another source, such as from a plane. The Coast Guard, and other agencies, are continuing to search for the family members, he said. It is not yet a recovery mission. "At this point, we haven't crossed that bridge," he said. The family encountered trouble about halfway through their 75-mile trip to Fort Myers Beach, where they were planning to meet Ace Kimberly's brother, who was going to help repair the boat, officials said. "The vessel was not in the best of shape and they were taking it down there so the brother could help them work on it," Case said Wednesday. He noted Kimberly and the three children had been living on the boat for about a year in Sarasota. The father called his brother about 3 p.m. Sunday to say they were in six-foot seas and was "attempting to survive with his children offshore of Englewood and requested weather information," authorities said. Story continues Coast Guard aircrews located at about 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday a debris field about 33 miles offshore of Sanibel Island, including a tarp, four water bottles found tied together, one or two tennis shoes, a propane tank and a basketball, authorities said. Six of the seven life jackets were also found at the debris site. Two kayaks that were being towed by the vessel were recovered near the debris site Wednesday afternoon, the Coast Guard said. Personal items located off the coast of Sanibel, Florida, believed to belong to missing family. pic.twitter.com/rCjvJzD3zk USCGSoutheast (@USCGSoutheast) June 22, 2016 The Coast Guard never received a distress call from the family, the Coast Guard said, but the Fort Myers area experienced a brief thunderstorm Sunday afternoon, National Weather Service data shows. A concerned family member called the Coast Guard sector in St. Petersburg about the missing family on Tuesday, officials said. It was not clear why authorities were not alerted sooner. Other close relatives have been notified of the Kimberly family's disappearance. "They are terrified as you can imagine, they're all feeling what were all feeling; very anxious and upset and hoping for the best," Case said. Air and boat crews have been dispatched to search for the group, including an HC-130 Hercules plane, an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter and a 45-foot response boat. Read: Watch The Heart-Stopping Moment a Fisherman Gets Attacked By a Shark The Coast Guard Cutter Alligator, an 87-foot long coastal patrol boat, is also aiding in the search, authorities said. The Maritime Emergency Response Team and Air Station Miami were also activated for the search. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family; I know this is a super difficult time for them and we are doing everything we can, and throwing everything we have, at this search at this time," Case said. Mariners have been asked to be on the lookout for the family, and are advised to contact Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg at (727) 824-7506 with any information. Watch: Why the Coast Guard Was Alerted 15 Hours After Passenger Went Overboard Related Articles: (Reuters) - A New York state man pleaded guilty on Wednesday to taking part in a mass church beating that killed one of his teenage sons and injured another, a court spokeswoman said. Bruce Leonard, 66, pleaded guilty in Utica County Court to first- and second-degree assault in the October 2015 attack in which his sons were pummeled for more than 10 hours with fists and whipped with an extension cord. As part of the plea agreement, Leonard will testify against the seven other people accused in the case, the spokeswoman said. He will be sentenced on Sept. 9. Leonard had been charged with murder, gang assault and kidnapping in the attack that killed Lucas Leonard, 19, and put another son, Christopher Leonard, 17, in the hospital. The attack took place during a counseling session at the Word of Life Church in Chadwicks, a small town about 100 miles (160 km) west of Albany. Christopher Leonard said in a court hearing last year that he and his brother were assaulted because Lucas intended to leave the church. The youths' mother, Deborah Leonard, pleaded guilty in December to assault charges in exchange for her testimony against the other defendants, including church pastor Tiffanie Irwin. The trial of Sarah Ferguson, a half-sister of the victims who is accused of second-degree murder, manslaughter and other charges, will begin on Thursday, the spokeswoman said. (Writing by Ian Simpson in Washington; Editing by Sandra Maler) Zagreb (AFP) - Even its last president did not have faith. Twenty-five years after the bitter collapse of Yugoslavia, the final leader of the communist federation believes the country was doomed following the death of its father figure Josep Broz Tito in 1980. "It was clear to me that I would be the last president," Stipe Mesic, now 81, told AFP, recalling his arrival in the top job in the tumultuous summer of 1991. Saturday marks 25 years since two of the six Yugoslav republics, Slovenia and Croatia, became the first to declare their independence with the strong backing of their populations. The right to self-determination was denied by Belgrade, ruled by strongman Slobodan Milosevic who quickly sent federal troops into Slovenia. After a ten-day war he gave up and turned to Croatia, marking the first chapter of the bloody Balkan conflicts that would leave more than 130,000 dead within a decade. Mesic, then 56, was a lawyer-dissident who had faced imprisonment in the 1970s under the communist regime for his views. He had returned to politics in 1990, joining the Croatian independence party, HDZ. In May 1991 his turn came at the helm of Yugoslavia's presidency, whose chairmanship rotated between the six republics -- but Mesic's appointment was opposed by the Serbs. - Tito, party, army - They eventually gave in under international pressure and he came to the post in July, but it was too late for Yugoslavia -- his presidency lasted from July until December, while the rest of the country sank into chaos. Communist Yugoslavia had emerged after World War II, led by Tito whose Partisan fighters had driven out Nazi German forces. According to Mesic, there were three things keeping the diverse federation together: "Tito with his charisma, the League of Communists as the only political party, and the Yugoslav People's Army, which listened to both Tito and the party." After Tito's death, the country began to disintegrate and its demise was accelerated with the arrival of nationalist Milosevic as the leader of Serbia -- the largest republic -- in 1989. Story continues "No one was happy with the federation anymore and a new political agreement was being sought," Mesic said. Croatia was pushing for a confederal model, backed by Slovenia. "But a deal could not be reached as Milosevic's Serbia wanted something completely different: An ethnically pure 'Greater Serbia' on Yugoslavia's ruins," said Mesic. "Milosevic wanted war." At a dinner following one of the presidency's "fierce meetings", Mesic said he warned Milosevic that "everyone will have victims, including Serbs". "Due to Serb victims, Serbs will eventually hang you on Terazije," Mesic recalled telling Milosevic, in a reference to Belgrade's main square. Milosevic, smoking a cigarillo and drinking whisky, replied: "We still have to see who will be hanged." Mesic said he next saw Milosevic on trial before UN war crimes judges at The Hague, after his overthrow by a popular uprising in Belgrade. "I believe he remembered my message then," Mesic said. - World was sentimental - Milosevic died in his cell in 2006 before the end of his trial. Mesic believes the West bears some responsibility for the 1990s conflicts. "The world was sentimental towards Yugoslavia and its positive role during Cold War era," he said, referring to Tito's careful balancing act between the United States and the Soviet Union. "Some believed that Milosevic was really struggling to maintain Yugoslavia and he played on that card," added Mesic, who said in reality all the Serb strongman wanted was a "Greater Serbia". The bloody inter-ethnic wars in Croatia and Bosnia ended in 1995, and were followed by conflict in Kosovo in 1998-99. Mesic went on to become president of independent Croatia from 2000 to 2010, helping to transform the country into a genuine democracy after his nationalist predecessor Franjo Tudjman. Recalling his arrival in the president's office, Mesic discovered there was a direct phone line between Tudjman and Milosevic -- but his predecessor had not left the required code. "I wanted to call Milosevic to ask him: 'Did you finish what you started? The war ended, and borders did not change.' But I could not get through." Tudjman had taken the code to his grave, dying before he could face trial for war crimes. Asuncion Nochixtlan (Mexico) (AFP) - Oscar Luna's coffin lay in the living room, surrounded by flowers, while a folk band sang outside for the Mexican man who was among eight killed during weekend clashes involving police. Relatives were weeping for Luna, 23, who had gone out to support teachers on Sunday manning a barricade on a road in Asuncion Nochixtlan to protest President Enrique Pena Nieto's education reform. As the authorities investigate whether police used excessive force or opened fire first, witnesses recounted the clashes that left more than 100 people, including police, injured in the small town in the southern state of Oaxaca. The deadly confrontation followed a series of protests in impoverished southern states where the radical CNTE teachers union rejects performance evaluations mandated by the new law. Some 800 police officers arrived to remove the blockade in Nochixtlan on Sunday. The church bells rang as police threw tear gas, dropping some from helicopters, townspeople told AFP. Hundreds of residents, including Oscar and his slim 18-year-old brother, Javier, showed up with sticks and stones to confront the officers, who were outnumbered. "The police felt defeated and began to fire with rifles, guns and enough ammunition," Javier Luna told AFP, with tears in his eyes in the room where his brother's coffin rested on Tuesday, surrounded by people with their heads down in grief. Other witnesses also claim that police fired first and the allegations are under investigation. The autopsy showed that a bullet pierced Oscar's liver. Six other victims also had bullet wounds, while the eighth fatality died from mishandling an explosive. None were teachers. Javier couldn't save his brother. There were no ambulances. They took a taxi, which carried another badly injured young man, but they arrived too late and doctors were not helpful. "They almost let us die alone," Javier said. Story continues Next to the coffin, with a picture of the eldest of her three children, Blanca Estella Aguilar couldn't conceal her anger. "The people don't have weapons. The people never expected this. It was a betrayal by our authorities," she said. - 'Ambush' or 'massacre'? - Two days after the clashes, the town's entrance was blocked by barricades and the burnt remains of trailer trucks. The charred carcasses of chickens from a truck were strewn about the road. Dozens of townspeople guard the entrance, masking their faces with scarves while holding sticks and machetes as they restricted access. On the main bridge, someone painted the words: "Oaxaca army out. Murderers of the people." Most shops were closed in this town of 15,000 people flanked by mountains. Burnt cars were abandoned in several streets. The police were nowhere to be seen. The town hall was set on fire on Sunday and the mayor fled. For the past week, few vehicles have been allowed through the town, whose road is key because it lies between the tourist city of Oaxaca and Mexico City. The inability of supply and fuel trucks to cross the town, and the financial losses to businesses, drove the authorities to finally intervene on Sunday. Authorities say police arrived unarmed to remove the barricade but that armed officers were sent after they were "ambushed" by "radicals" with guns. Prosecutors are investigating who fired first and whether police used excessive force. A federal official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told AFP that authorities will also investigate whether tear gas was tossed from a police helicopter, but the source noted that the chopper was hit by bullets. The United Nations' human rights agency called for an impartial and independent investigation into the clashes. - 'Tell the truth' - But at least five Nochixtlan residents told AFP that police opened fire first after running out of tear gas. Javier Luna said townspeople wanted to detain three federal officers who opened fire and triggered the clash when they were surrounded. Another witness, who requested anonymity over security concerns, said an unknown person fired buckshot from a shotgun at the police. "We tried to grab rocks to prevent a massacre. But this was a massacre. Many innocent people died," Sergio Lopez, a 45-year-old architect, said as he removed burnt trash in front of his house and pointed to a tear gas canister. The incident has joined a long list of allegations of police brutality in Mexico, which is still shaken by the 2014 disappearance of 43 students who were abducted by police allied with a drug cartel in Guerrero state. Nochixtlan's residents vow to maintain their barricade. Those controlling the entrance allowed foreign journalists into town, shouting to them: "Tell the truth about what happened!" (Reuters) - The Florida alligator that killed a vacationing 2-year-old boy at Disney World Resort has likely been removed from the area of the attack, authorities said on Wednesday. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said it had suspended trapping activities near where the boy, Lane Graves, of Elkhorn, Nebraska, was attacked last week. The commission "is confident that the alligator responsible for the attack has been removed," it said in a statement. Trappers have taken six alligators from the area. The alligator snatched the toddler on June 14 as he played at the edge of the Seven Seas Lagoon, a manmade lake at the Walt Disney Co resort. Police divers found Lane's body underwater the following afternoon, not far from where he was taken. An autopsy found that he died from 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. (Reporting by Laila Kearney; Editing by Daniel Wallis and David Gregorio) An alligator attacked a Florida man Tuesday evening in Bushnell, about an hour away from where a 2-year-old was killed by a gator at a Disney World resort last week, according to the local sheriff's office. Officials from the Sumter County Sheriff's Office responded to the call at approximately 6:30 p.m. and found the 58-year-old man lying on the ground about five feet from the animal, Click Orlando reports. Police confirmed the man was airlifted to Ocala Regional Hospital with injuries to his right leg. His current condition is not known. The 8-feet 6-inches long, 300-pound alligator was euthanized by a Florida Wildlife Commission gator trapper. The attack occured the same day Lane Graves, the 2-year-old boy who was pulled into a lake and killed by an alligator at Disney World's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa last week, was laid to rest in his hometown of Elkhorn, Nebraska. Lane's parents, Matthew and Melissa Graves, say they are overwhelmed by the support they've received from around the country since the tragic loss of their son. RELATED VIDEO: Parents of Lane Graves, the Boy Killed by Alligator Set up Foundation in His Honor "Melissa and I continue to deal with the loss of our beloved boy, Lane, and are overwhelmed with support and love we have received from family and friends in our community as well as from around the country," the family said in a statement. "Neither Melissa, myself or anyone from our family will be speaking publicly; we simply cannot at this time," the statement continued. The grieving parents have also set up a memorial fund in their son's honor. "After the tragic loss of our beloved 2-year-old son, Lane Thomas, we have created the Lane Thomas Foundation to honor his memory," they said in a statement on the foundation's site. "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." There are several gator attacks in Florida each year, according to statistics from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission. In 2015, there were 9 major attacks, including one that was fatal. Since Amazon announced its audacious plan to use unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to deliver packages last year, all the chatter about the last mile of getting goods from product hubs to consumers has revolved around drones. As e-commerce sales continue to rise, putting pressure on delivery capacity, business is understandably excited by the prospect of a solution that could cut costs. Related: The Robot Revolution Could Wipe Out 5.1 Million Jobs by 2020 But because of all the questions and regulatory hurdles surrounding the Blade Runner image of a sky crowded with aerial vehicles, it may be some time before Amazon Prime Air and similar proposals from startup competitors to DHL, FedEx and UPS are airborne at least in U.S. skies. The Federal Aviation Administrations just-released rules governing the use of drones dont provide much encouragement. Drones must still be in the line of sight of those operating them. One easing of restrictions was that drone can now be operated beyond daylight hours into twilight if they have lights, according to PCWorld. Now, research firm CB Insights says there are tortoises challenging those flying hares in the delivery race: sidewalk robots. Dispatch and Marble are two companies that want to use fleets of autonomous robots to make ground deliveries using sidewalks or bike paths, CB Insights says, adding that Dispatch has already built pilot programs on the campuses of two California colleges. CB says the Dispatch bot, called Carry, can transport packages weighing up to 100 pounds. Related: Game of Drones: The Air Force Ramps Up Video Game Warfare And the website Digital Trends says Estonia-based Starship Technologies, a startup from the team that brought us Skype, is also working on sidewalk delivery bots, which have the advantage of being able to transport significantly heavier loads than UAVs. That doesnt mean worker drones wont be operational in the near future, however. The drone startup Matternet has already conducted tests in which it delivered medicine and supplies to remote areas of Haiti. And it has done a pilot program with the postal service in Switzerland. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: California Senator Ron Calderon watches Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (not pictured) as he signs into law a bill that would move the date of the California presidential primary from June to February during a ceremony at the governor's mansion in Sacramento, California, in this March 15, 2007 file photo. REUTERS/William Foster/Office of Governor Schwarzenegger/Handout via Reuters/Files LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Former California Senator Ron Calderon pleaded guilty in a federal court on Tuesday to a single count of mail fraud, ending a public corruption case in which he admitted to accepting tens of thousands of dollars in bribes, prosecutors said. Calderon, a Democrat from the Los Angeles suburb of Montebello, left office in 2014 after serving a dozen years in the state Senate and four years in the Assembly. Sentencing is set for Sept. 19. The 58-year-old former politician reached a plea agreement with federal prosecutors last week, several weeks before he was scheduled to go on trial on charges contained in a 24-count indictment. His mail fraud offense carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, but prosecutors agreed under the terms of Calderon's plea deal to seek a sentence of no more than 70 months, the U.S. Attorney's Office said in a statement. Once an influential figure in the California Legislature, Calderon was one of three Democrats in the state Senate suspended over ethics charges in 2014, costing their party a cherished two-thirds Senate majority during an election year. According to his indictment, Calderon accepted $100,000 in bribes from the owner of a Long Beach hospital to preserve a loophole in the law that allowed companies controlled by the owner to charge more for hardware used in spinal surgeries. Calderon also was accused of taking bribes from undercover FBI agents posing as Hollywood movie executives in exchange for steering legislation in their favor. His older brother, Tom Calderon, 62, a former member of the California state Assembly who became a political consultant, also was named in the indictment. He pleaded guilty last Monday to a federal money-laundering charge for allowing bribes earmarked for his brother to be funneled through his firm, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Prosecutors have agreed to recommend a sentence of no more than a year in prison for the elder Calderon brother. (Reporting by Steve Gorman; Editing by Simon Cameron-Moore) Yang Kaiheng, left, and his wife Ai Takagi, walking towards the State Courts earlier this year. (Photo by Associate Press) The former editor of socio-political website The Real Singapore (TRS), Yang Kaiheng, intends to plead guilty to charges of sedition. The 27-year-old Singaporean, who was in court on Wednesday (22 June), faces a jail term of up to three years or a maximum fine of $5,000 or both for each charge. He will be back in the State Courts on Friday (24 June) to plead guilty to the charges. Yahoo Singapore understands that the prosecution will be proceeding with six charges and will be taking into consideration the remaining two charges. Yang had previously denied being involved in running TRS, the website that published seven articles for which he is facing the charges. Yang and his Australian wife, Ai Takagi, were charged in February 2015 with seven counts of sedition over the TRS articles. The website has since been taken down. The couple was also charged with one count of failing to furnish documents to the police. Takagi pleaded guilty to publishing inflammatory articles on TRS and its Facebook page, and was convicted on four counts of sedition in March this year. The 23-year-old, who is pregnant, is currently serving a 10-month jail term. Yang had previously denied the charges, and claimed trial. During his trial in April this year, Yang confessed that he had lied in court after inconsistencies in his testimony were highlighted by the prosecution. TAIPEI (Reuters) - Foxconn plans to close costly and redundant overseas operations of new acquisition Sharp Corp , and bring to market products using Sharp's valuable patents and technology as quickly as possible, said the chief of the world's largest electronics manufacturer. Terry Gou, who founded Taiwan's Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd (2317.TW), the formal name of Foxconn, made the comments on Wednesday at his company's first annual general meeting since announcing the purchase of two-thirds of the money-losing Japanese display maker for $3.5 billion. Gou said all legal procedures for the acquisition will be completed this month, and that new management will take charge of Sharp on July 1. "We will start overseas," Gou said of restructuring Sharp. "Those improper, high-cost joint ventures overseas, we will close them to reduce a lot of the operational cost, which will lead to lower (product) sales prices." The comments come as Foxconn seeks to build on Sharp's technology and branding to strengthen its pricing power with major client Apple Inc (AAPL.O). For Sharp, the takeover is a lifeline at a time when Japan's technology companies, once synonymous with cutting-edge electronics, are being out-manoeuvred by upstart Asian rivals. Gou said speeding up the transformation of Sharp's patents into technologies that yield commercially viable products will be part of the initial restructuring, as will a metrics-based review of all Sharp staff. In May, Foxconn told Sharp employees that layoffs were a must and would be carried out "responsibly and sensitively." A person familiar with the matter told Reuters at the time that the cuts could total 3,000 in Japan, and more when Sharp's global operations are included. Gou also said Foxconn sees growth potential in Sharp's home appliances business. He said Foxconn would work to expand sales channels in the United States and that his company is discussing the matter with a major U.S. wholesaler. Story continues Foxconn will also work to rebuild Sharp's semiconductor business, an area where Sharp once held many patents but sold some to plough resources into display technology, Gou said. Another immediate task is bringing Sharp's financial management in line with methods used at Foxconn, Gou said. For example, twice a year, Foxconn will review what Gou called the three bads - accounts, personnel and materials. "We have very conservative accounting principles," said Gou. Foxconn's accounts are checked from the bottom up, unlike Japanese companies which tend to have top down financial management that may involve fulfilling profit targets, Gou said. (Reporting by J.R. Wu; Editing by Christopher Cushing) Paris (AFP) - France has reduced its force in the Central African Republic to 350 soldiers, effectively bringing an end to its military operations there, the army's chief of staff said Wednesday. "The Sangaris will henceforth act as a tactical reserve team of 350 soldiers to the benefit of the 12,500 Blue Helmets," the chief of staff wrote on Twitter. France deployed an intervention force, dubbed "Operation Sangaris", to the Central African Republic in December 2013 after the outbreak of inter-communal violence between Muslim and Christian militias that has killed thousands. The mission, which involved nearly 2,500 French troops at its peak, is due to end entirely in December. The CAR is struggling to overcome the legacy of the country's worst ever sectarian bloodletting that has driven half a million people from their homes. In a bid suppress the violence, the UN sent a peacekeeping force known as MINUSCA to the country, made up of 12,600 foreign police and soldiers, as well as more than 500 foreign civilian staff. The UN mission took over from an African Union force in September 2014 as the country was still reeling from the worst of the violence. Last week, MINUSCA sent troops to the northwest where at least 10 people died in the worst clashes since presidential and parliamentary elections were held in February and March. The polls were viewed as a key step toward reconciliation following the sectarian strife. Following the elections, French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said that Operation Sangaris would be wound down by the end of the year. Le Drian said France's military contingent still in the country would work under UN and EU mandates to train CAR's army. The former French colony is one of the world's poorest countries and was plunged into chaos by the ouster in March 2013 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 violence that displaced almost one tenth of the country's population of 4.8 million. The image of French troops has been tainted by allegations of sexual abuse of children and physical abuse of locals in Central Africa. UN peacekeepers are also facing allegations of sexual abuse. Paris (AFP) - France would see Britain's exit from the European Union as "irreversible" if the Leave camp wins Thursday's referendum, President Francois Hollande said. "It is the future of the European Union... that is at stake," Hollande said on Wednesday, warning that a Brexit would put Britain at "very serious risk" of losing access to the bloc's single market. Hollande was speaking at a joint news conference with Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico, whose country will take over the EU's rotating presidency on July 1. "It's more than the future of the United Kingdom that is at stake, it's the future of the European Union," Hollande said. A Brexit would "necessarily have extremely serious consequences," he added. France would consider such a decision "as the United Kingdom's departure from the European Union, and this would be irreversible," Hollande said. By Elizabeth Pineau PARIS (Reuters) - French President Francois Hollande warned on Wednesday that if Britons voted to leave the European Union it would be an irreversible decision that could seriously jeopardize Britain's prized access to the bloc's single market. Amid a flurry of contacts between EU capitals to prepare for the consequences of Thursday's referendum, Hollande said he would visit Berlin next week to prepare joint initiatives to relaunch Europe, whatever the outcome of the British vote. "If the choice is to leave the EU ... that would be irreversible," Hollande said. "No is no, there is no middle ground and we'll have to draw all the consequences." The economic consequences of the vote are key to the outcome of the referendum, with access to the bloc's single market for trade in goods and services a major issue. Hollande, in his starkest warning to date on the consequences of Brexit, said: "There would be a very serious risk of Britain losing its access to the single market and everything that goes with the European economic area. Everyone needs to be well aware of this." 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 parts of the single market. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker added his own warning, saying there would be no re-negotiation of a package of measures that EU governments agreed with London in February aimed at keeping Britain in the 28-nation bloc. Hollande's call to relaunch Europe, Brexit or no, was echoed by both Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who met the French leader in Paris on Wednesday, and by Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo during a visit to Berlin. "We hope very much that the British want to remain in the EU. But irrespective of the result, our position is clear: the European Union should develop further," Szydlo told a joint news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin. Hollande, who also met Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven on Wednesday and spoke by phone with European Council President Donald Tusk and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, said there would probably be more summits of EU leaders than the one already scheduled for June 28.. "We'll have to take initiatives to bring hope back for European people. Today, doubts are creeping in everywhere, populism, nationalism are taking over," French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault told parliament. Far-right party leader Marine Le Pen, who according to opinion polls could top the first round of the 2017 French presidential election but then lose the run-off, has been pressing for France to hold its own referendum on EU membership. "France has a thousand more reasons to leave the EU than Britain," she told TF1 television late on Monday, referring to French membership of the euro currency and Schengen border-free area. "I want a referendum in France. All EU countries should have a referendum." British Prime Minister David Cameron and his eurosceptic opponents made final pitches for wavering voters on Wednesday on the referendum, with the outcome still too close to call. (Additional reporting by Paul Carrel and Michael Nienaber in Berlin, Robin Emmot and Paul Taylor in Berlin; Writing by Ingrid Melander; Editing by Richard Lough and Gareth Jones) Paris (AFP) - France believes a new four-way summit on Ukraine is possible next month in the light of "progress" in the crisis, the French government said Wednesday. At a weekly cabinet meeting, President Francois Hollande said "progress has been made and a (summit)... is feasible in July," spokesman Stephane Le Foll told reporters. Hollande referred specifically to the "Normandy format" for a meeting on Ukraine -- the term for a summit that took place on June 6 2014 on the sidelines of the 70th anniversary of the D-Day landings. It gathered Hollande, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko. The Normandy meeting helped pave the way to the February 2015 Minsk accord, which calls for a ceasefire and a range of political, economic and social measures to end the conflict in eastern Ukraine. However, the ethnically Russian region remains a flarepoint, and violence there occurs almost daily. Russia is accused by Ukraine and its western allies of fomenting trouble on the heels of its annexation of Crimea after the pro-Moscow regime in Kiev was ousted by a popular revolt. More than 9,300 civilians and fighters from both sides have perished and, according to UN figures, about 1.8 million people have fled. Le Foll gave no details about the progress that Hollande said had been made. In Moscow, Kremlin advisory Yury Ushakov said the four leaders "are discussing current issues in the Normandy format by phone" but he expressed reservations. "To organise a summit, you have to set down the foundations for adopting a document and which culminate in a practical outcome for resolving the Ukrainian crisis," Ushakov said. "At present, the premises for valuable work of this kind have not been fulfilled." On Tuesday, EU ambassadors agreed to roll over economic sanctions against Russia for six months in the absence of any forward movement, European sources said. The measures, targeting the oil, financial and defence sectors of the Russian economy, were first imposed after the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in July 2014 over eastern Ukraine. Sources told AFP that envoys from the 28 member states of the European Union (EU) approved the decision in principle, which will now go to ministers for formal approval, possibly on Friday. Free State of Jones, from director Gary Ross, elicited rave reviews from the audience during its premiere on Tuesday night at the Directors Guild of America theater. The action-drama feature, which adds to the number of films and television shows about slavery in America, takes the typical narrative in a different direction by showing that not all people living in the South supported slavery Stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Mahershala Ali, Kerry Cahill and Bill Tangradi attended the screening along with Ross and a troop of supporting actors. Set during the Civil War and based on historical events, Free State of Jones tells the story of the defiant southerner Newt Knight (Matthew McConaughey) and his armed rebellion against the Confederacy, banding together with other small farmers and local slaves to launch the uprising. I find it really refreshing that [Free State of Jones] was about unity. It wasnt about black versus white, said Raw, who plays Rachel Knight, Newts Creole lover. It was more about poor white farmers and escaped slaves working together. I didnt know that happened. I thought it was much more two-dimensional than that. The film, which Ross called an example of what a coalition can be, is one of few recent slave period pieces that doesnt focus on down-trodden slaves. I think its an example that we need allies, Ross said. The struggle for racial justice is too important for us to segregate ourselves. We havent seen enough black people fighting for their own emancipation and I feel like that this film gives a voice to that struggle, Ali added. You see African-Americans participating in the democratic process and putting themselves in the crossfires in order to achieve and attain freedom. Free State of Jones hits theaters June 24. Related stories Watch Five Minutes of Matthew McConaughey's 'Free State of Jones' Film Review: 'Free State of Jones' 'The Secret Life of Pets' Tops TV Ad Spending Hollywood gathered at the Directors Guild Theater in Los Angeles on Tuesday for the premiere of Free State of Jones, the true story of a rebellious and anti-Confederate Southern farmer, Newt Knight. Matthew McConaughey plays Knight, but he wasn't present at the premiere. Those who were, though, including the cast and writer-director Gary Ross, made it clear they don't want moviegoers to forget about this film after watching. Bill Tangradi, who plays a Confederate lieutenant, told The Hollywood Reporter that he hopes Free State of Jones will leave people with questions. "I just hope that this film just creates a conversation, that it creates a discourse -- an ongoing discourse about race in America, about the role of sovereignty in America and an individual's will to try and affect change, no matter what your race is," Tangradi said. "Ongoing" was a commonly used term throughout the evening among the cast, in an effort to reiterate the idea that the issues present in the film and throughout history haven't necessarily been solved. Thomas Francis Murphy, who plays a Confederate general, referenced this by quoting William Faulkner, "The past is never dead. It's not even past." "I hope they [moviegoers] take away a bit of that," Murphy continued. "This is not something that just goes away. It's an ongoing story." Read More: 'Free State of Jones': Film Review Kerry Cahill, who depicts Mary in the film, similarly thinks that by taking a look at the past, people will be able to better move forward. "What I really hope is that they [moviegoers] have an understanding that the Civil War and American policy pre- and post-Civil War was a lot more grey than it seems -- that it's been a lot more complex and we're still affected by policies post-Civil War," Cahill told The Hollywood Reporter. "If you know your own history, then you can move forward better because you know you're standing on solid ground." Story continues Those who see Free State of Jones will definitely get their fair share of history. Ross told The Hollywood Reporter, "I didn't make much up and I want people to see the primary sources so they can realize that for themselves." Viewers won't have to go searching on their own to fact-check the movie, though. Ross compiled his 10 years worth of research to create a website with annotations for different topics and scenes in the film. "To me, it's very important for people to understand what's true and what isn't so that they can find the story to be reliable and to know what I fictionalized and what I did not," Ross told THR. "I think there's a burden when you're dealing with this type of material to make sure people understand what's true and what isn't. I took that burden seriously." While the cast may not have invested the amount of time Ross did in preparation for Free State of Jones, they were sure to do their research in order to fully understand their characters. Mahershala Ali, who plays escaped slave and Knight's friend, Moses, told THR that he not only did his fair share of reading, but put a lot of effort into understanding the time period -- particularly by finding and listening to relevant music. However, for many of the cast, they had never even heart of Newt Knight or his story. To Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Rachel in the film, this is why Free State of Jones is so unique. "It's really sort of a refreshing look at the Civil War, also the Reconstruction era after the Civil War," Mbatha-Raw told THR. "There's not that many movies that I've scene about that struggle. Also, the fact that it's about white farmers and escaped slaves uniting together as opposed to against each other -- I thought that was a refreshing idea. And the fact that it's a true story was really pioneering for its time." This slightly unheard of aspect of the war was a big part of what Ross wanted to highlight for audiences. "I hope that they [moviegoers] learn that the Civil War went all the way through to 1876 and that's a tremendously important thing for all us to realize -- that it didn't end with a happy ending when the slaves were freed in 1865," Ross said. "No sooner were they free when there was re-enslavement in 1876. I think that it's really important to remember when you only look at one little slice of history, you can make yourself feel better as an American that there was a happy ending to the Civil War -- but there was not." Free State of Jones will hit theaters Friday. 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". W Th to the party, which was cosponsored by the digital agency VaynerMedia and the online publication Thrillist, stated that "attractive females and models only" were welcome to attend. The email also asked women to submit "untouched photos and or [sic] your Instagram/Facebook links" as their admission to entry. It's 2016, @vaynermedia @thrillist. This is not how you party at @cannes_lions. #canneslions #changetheratiopic.twitter.com/jF50tdPe0p https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CliPAhvUsAIBLsT.jpg:large The email quickly went viral after former advertising executive Cindy Gallop tweeted a screenshot of it. "It's 2016, @vaynermedia @thrillist," she wrote. "This is not how you party at @cannes_lions." VaynerMedia CEO Gary Vaynerchuk was quick to with a video offering a public apology. "Any production teams or people you work with you hire at your fault, so I'm really upset," he said. T @cindygalloppic.twitter.com/jfjYeoBeRi @brooke @garyvee @cindygallop @VaynerMedia @Thrillist guys, this is promoter spam. Would appreciate a little more credit. Thrillist is no stranger to media backlash and accusations of raging sexism. Earlier this month the site published a controversial ode to heterosexual anal sex, which it quickly retracted. Unfortunately, however, this type of sexist attitude isn't unique to Thrillist and VaynerMedia, nor is it exclusive to the media industry. Women across industries are still judged for their appearances and must fight an uphill battle to even earn a seat at the table, or in this case an invitation to the party. From the casting calls for scantily clad "booth babes" at tech conferences and vaping conventions to studies proving that women who don't wear makeup to work make less money, it's clear that the workplace is still riddled with sexist beauty standards. By speaking out, Gallop just reminded us all that the only way to fight the elephant in the boardroom is to identify it by name. * U.S. firms gearing up LNG exports * Gazprom has boosted Europe sales * Has discounted, renegotiated deals, started auctions By Oleg Vukmanovic , Nina Chestney and Dmitry Zhdannikov MILAN/LONDON, June 22 (Reuters) - Liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the United States is set to do battle in Europe but Russia's Gazprom is setting the stage, preparing a cold reception for the super-cooled gas set to cross the Atlantic. A weakened rouble has lowered Gazprom's production costs by a fifth while its profits on dollar-denominated gas sales to Europe last year doubled in rouble terms. Gazprom has managed to increase sales despite a push by the European Union to curb Russian energy imports, using discounts, renegotiation of unpopular oil-linked contracts and gas sales via auctions. Spurring Gazprom's charm offensive is a looming showdown as a wave of U.S. gas is set to reach Europe's shores beginning next year. U.S. exporters led by Cheniere Energy are expected to have 83 billion cubic metres (bcm) of gas ready for sale by 2019. That's about 20 percent of Europe's current annual gas needs. That threatens to exacerbate already significant global gas oversupply, with new producers squaring up against established players for market share and driving prices lower. "We are at the start of a new chapter in European gas markets," Fatih Birol, executive director at the International Energy Agency said recently, as U.S. and other supplies fight to gain access. But Gazprom, for now, appears confident it can see off the challenge and even raise its European market share, which stood at 31 percent in 2015, helped by declining output in Europe, primarily in the Netherlands and Britain. As U.S. producers crank up exports, more than a dozen LNG cargoes have been exported, yet so far just one has reached Europe as other markets offer better returns. "Longer term, Asia will remain more attractive for U.S. gas. No U.S. businessman in the right state of mind - being already heavily indebted and having put all his assets as collateral with banks - will deliver gas to Europe at a loss," Gazprom's Deputy Chief Executive Alexander Medvedev told Reuters last week. Story continues LESSON LEARNED? However, Gazprom has been wrong before. A few years ago it was similarly sceptical about the threat posed by the rise of U.S. shale gas and oil. Chief Executive Alexei Miller at the time said unconventional gas was expensive to produce and would not be a game changer in the global energy market. That was a serious miscalculation and proved costly as Gazprom was forced to shelve development of one of the world's largest gas fields, Shtokman, as shale rapidly wiped out U.S. needs for gas imports. Russian President Vladimir Putin subsequently urged Gazprom to rethink its long-term export policy to take advantage of rising demand in Asian markets. But as the company's pivot to Asia drags, Gazprom has looked to bolster demand in Europe through discounting and renegotiating its 25-year, oil-linked supply deals. After years of tough negotiations, it has reached deals with long-term buyers including France's Engie and Germany's Uniper, a unit of E.ON. Cheaper oil prices have helped lower Russian gas prices, and that has spurred demand, with Gazprom deliveries to Europe and Turkey up 20 percent in the first quarter. "Russian gas is low cost and will remain below U.S. gas prices," said Claudio Descalzi, chief executive of Italy's Eni , the biggest buyer of Russian gas in Europe. And Gazprom seems willing to fight for greater share of the EU market given dwindling sales in former Soviet states and still distant prospects of piping gas to China, according to Poland's Centre for Eastern Studies. PRICE FOCUS European gas hub prices stand at around 35 pence/therm currently. A fall to 21 pence would hurt Gazprom's margins but more critically would make it unprofitable for U.S. supplies to cross the Atlantic. As much as half the production capacity of U.S. LNG players could be shut-in during the summer and at other times if Gazprom simply keeps flowing gas to Europe at current rates, said analyst Stephen O'Rourke at consultancy Wood Mackenzie. Gazprom has 100 bcm per year of spare production capacity at its disposal, or roughly a quarter of Europe's annual needs, according to the Oxford Institute of Energy Studies. And like Saudi Arabia has done in oil, Gazprom has shown it can use its market dominance to squeeze its competitors. After Lithuania opened its Independence LNG import terminal at the end of 2014, for example, Gazprom cut prices to Lithuania and has held an auction for the Baltic states in a bid to boost consumption. Estonia also took more gas from Russia earlier this year, taking advantage of Gazprom prices that were down by some 45 percent, data from grid operator Elering showed. "We have such low production costs that we will always be able to cut the selling price by a dollar or two when it comes to fighting off a rival," said a senior source at Gazprom. Gazprom may win the war but it cannot win every battle. Ukrainian state energy firm Naftogaz recently said it would likely ignore a Russian offer of gas supplies for next winter citing prices it said were higher than those offered from Europe. However, an all-out offensive to grab continental market share by lowering prices would have a cost for Gazprom too. It would not only squeeze Gazprom's own profits but also risk drawing strong political reaction from the European Commission and EU states. As a result, Gazprom is likely to keep supplies steady at current levels hoping to see off any new wave of U.S. LNG project investment, said Anna Galtsova, associate director at IHS' Russian and Caspian Energy group. (Additional reporting by Vladimir Soldatkin in Moscow and Nerijus Adomaitis in Norway; editing by Jason Neely) Genuine Parts Company GPC has signed two agreements to acquire Auto-Camping, Ltd. and select assets of the Janitorial and Sanitation business of Rochester Midland Corporation. The transactions are expected to be completed by Jul 1, 2016, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. The acquisitions are likely to enhance the companys annual revenues by $70 million. Auto-Camping, Ltd., the leading distributor of original equipment import parts, operates through 20 locations in Canada. It produces original equipment automotive parts for European vehicles, selling them to foreign repair specialists and original equipment dealers. The acquisition of Auto-Camping will complement Genuine Parts Olympus Import Parts acquisition. In addition, it will expand the companys product offering and distribution capabilities in the import parts sector of the aftermarket. The buyout is expected to enhance Genuine Parts annual revenues by $50 million. The Janitorial and Sanitation business supplies Janitorial and Sanitation accessories to around 400 distributors in North America. Genuine Parts will incorporate this business in the Impact Products division of S.P. Richards and its growing Facilities and Breakroom Supplies product offering. The acquisition of the Janitorial and Sanitation business is expected to enhance Genuine Parts annual revenues by $20 million. Genuine Parts frequently undertakes acquisitions to expand its business. It is targeting smaller sized companies with annual revenues of $25$150 million. In addition, the company is looking at new complementary distribution businesses of all sizes that will yield good return on investment. In May 2016, Genuine Parts announced that its Office Products Group has signed an agreement to acquire The Safety Zone LLC. This acquisition is expected to enhance annual revenues by $180 million. GENUINE PARTS Price GENUINE PARTS Price | GENUINE PARTS Quote Zacks Rank Genuine Parts currently carries a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). Some better-ranked automobile stocks include Lear Corp. LEA, Oshkosh Corporation OSK and Superior Industries International, Inc. SUP, 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 SUPERIOR INDS (SUP): Free Stock Analysis Report LEAR CORPORATN (LEA): Free Stock Analysis Report OSHKOSH CORP (OSK): Free Stock Analysis Report GENUINE PARTS (GPC): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research BERLIN/LONDON, June 22 (Reuters) - Germany's Federal Finance Agency said on Wednesday that the average yield fetched at a top-up auction of a 30-year Bund was the lowest on record for that debt instrument during an auction, a spokesman for the Finance Agency said. The bid to cover ratio of the auction was 2.0 and the average yield was fixed at 0.65 pct which was the lowest recorded during an auction for that type of paper, spokesman Joerg Mueller said. A backdrop of unprecedented monetary stimulus from the European Central Bank and mounting political risks in Europe has boosted demand for German bonds - seen as one of the safest assets in the world. "There are short-term circumstances helping demand for German bonds at the moment ... there is demand for safety ahead of the Brexit vote," ING strategist Martin van Vliet said. Last week, Germany's 10-year government bond yield turned negative for the first time as concern that Britain could vote to leave the European Union in a referendum on Thursday sent investors scrambling for safe-haven debt. (Reporting by Michael Nienaber in Berlin and John Geddie in London,Editing by Richard Balmforth) Berlin (AFP) - A German nurse jailed for life last year for murdering two patients is now a suspect in at least 33 more deaths, investigators said Wednesday, adding that he has admitted to have killed even more. The man, identified only as Niels H., 39 who was jailed for life in February 2015, has been found guilty of two murders and three attempted murders of intensive-care patients. He had previously claimed to have killed more than 30 patients with lethal overdoses at the Delmenhorst hospital near the northern city of Bremen, which would make him one of Germany's worst post-war serial killers. Analyses carried out on 99 exhumed patients at Delmenhorst suggest that at least 33 were killed by the nurse through lethal injections, investigators said Wednesday. But they added that the tall and heavyset man had also admitted to killing other patients at another hospital nearby -- the Oldenburg Clinic, without giving a figure. "We can say that the horror hasn't ended," said Johann Kuehme, police chief of the city of Oldenburg. Oldenburg prosecutor Thomas Sander added that in addition to the 33 likely cases, "we assume that the real number of victims is higher than that." Hundreds of patient records will be examined at the Oldenburg clinic before deciding if mass exhumations of patient corpses would need to be carried out there as well. The grisly case dates back to 2005, when a colleague witnessed Niels H. injecting a patient at the Delmenhorst hospital. The patient survived and Niels H. was arrested and, in 2008, sentenced to seven and a half years in jail for attempted murder. Amid the media publicity, a woman then contacted police, voicing suspicion that her deceased mother had also fallen victim to the killer-nurse. The authorities exhumed several patients' bodies and detected traces of the drug in five of them, declaring it either the definitive or possible contributing cause. Nils H. eventually admitted to injecting some 90 patients with the drug so he could then try to revive them and, when successful, shine as a saviour before his medical peers. Story continues He said he felt euphoric when he managed to bring a patient back to life, and devastated when he failed. After the shocking revelations of the nurse's murderous obsession, police and prosecutors launched a special forensic commission dubbed "Kardio" (Cardio) to look into other patient deaths. The sweeping investigation is expected to take many more months. The nurse had previously also worked at an elderly home and an emergency medical service. For his supporters, Donald Trump made one of his most effective campaign appearances in months today. This despite the fact that his 40-minute speech was seasoned with falsehoods and credulous repetitions of debunked conspiracy theories. Facing intense criticism for how he has managed his campaign thus far -- from a failure to hire the necessary staff to unprecedentedly weak fundraising numbers -- the presumptive Republican presidential nominee was plainly making an effort to appear more serious and focused in the remarks he delivered from one of his Trump-branded hotel properties in New York City. Related: Team Trumps Big Fail in Clinton Counterattack Trump kept his meandering, discursive asides to a minimum, sticking mostly to the words on the teleprompter. Unfortunately, while the candidate demonstrated an uncharacteristic amount of discipline, whoever wrote the speech for him did not. The point of the prepared speech was to hammer Hillary Clinton by casting doubt on her honesty, integrity and judgment. And it did. But the way it went after Clinton -- repeating the tropes of the fantasist right and the unhinged haters of all things Clinton -- will raise new concerns about the judgment of both the candidate and the people surrounding him. Not least of all because as a candidate, Hillary Clinton is wide open to truth-based criticism on various fronts, none of which require compromising the honesty of the attacker. A few examples: * He claimed that Clintons plan is to end virtually all immigration enforcement, and thus create totally open borders in the United States. That is flatly untrue. * Despite multiple investigations that revealed that there was no action that could have been taken once the 2012 attacks on the U.S. government compound in Benghazi, Libya, began, Trump suggested that Clinton had ignored the attack, which killed Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans. He was left helpless to die as Hillary Clinton soundly slept in her bed -- that's right, when the phone rang at 3 o'clock in the morning, she was sleeping. Story continues Related: Trumps Biggest Gift to Clinton -- Choosing the VP She Really Wants * He also quoted from an upcoming book by a former uniformed Secret Service agent that claims to spill sordid details about adultery and spousal abuse in the Clinton White House. This, despite recent comments by the authors fellow USSS agents, insisting that he could not possibly have had access to the places he claims to have been. Immediately afterward on CNN, David Gergen, a White House staffer in both Republican and Democratic administrations, got to the heart of the dual effects the speech is likely to have. Related: How Does Trump Stop His Freefall? Maybe He Cant He is doing a lot of things that, for his side of the argument, he has helped himself, Gergen said. But, you cant ignore the truth of what he says or the lack of truth of what he says. And I do think in coming days were going to hear an awful lot about a string of lies and exaggerations. He concluded, Im sorry, at this level you cant slander somebody, and this was a slanderous speech. That is to say that among people already intensely committed to Trump, especially those who may have felt doubtful in recent weeks of his ability to actually mount an effective campaign, Wednesdays remarks probably helped. For those who desperately hate Clinton and view keeping her out of the White House as an end that legitimizes all means, this speech was plainly a winner. But beyond that hard core of supporters who were going to vote for Trump anyway, the benefits are far less clear. Thats because when Trump speaks off the cuff, some of his wilder claims can be brushed aside as momentary lapses. People desperate for a way to justify supporting him can console themselves with the idea that there are cooler heads in the shadows behind Trump who will bring him under control when hes in the Oval Office. Related: New Clinton Strategy Doubles Down on Mocking Trump But when Trumps lies and exaggerations are put down in writing in advance, presumably by those same handlers who will be expected to exert a moderating influence over President Trump, that model crumbles. His speech Wednesday confirmed that a disinterest in truth and decency extends beyond Trump and goes deep into his campaign. For some people, thats not a problem. But those arent the people Trump needs to convince anymore. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: Thus far, Greys Anatomys secret lovers Nathan and Meredith have shared harsh words, flirtatious banter, numerous operating rooms and one wild night in the sack back seat. But what may bode best for their potential romance in Season 13, Martin Henderson tells TVLine, is their shared loss and just the fact that maybe [he can be] someone in her life that she can relate to on that level. RELATEDKevin McKidd, Justin Chambers and Two Others Ink New Greys Deals I think thats always really powerful between a couple, he continues. And it may be fertile ground for them to actually have a relationship with some meaning. On the flipside, the actor suggests that theres also great potential for the doctors to have a relationship that isnt just deep but fun, too. Nathan is irreverent and kind of calls Meredith on her s, and that might be really good for her, because he doesnt take [things] all that seriously. It might be nice for her, he adds, to have the opportunity to actually lighten up a bit around some stuff. RELATEDGreys Anatomys Ellen Pompeo: Nathan Is Not Another McDreamy If or should we say when? Nathan gets Mer laughing, the question will become, how does their fling go from what Henderson calls some magnetic, animal attraction to something more serious. Itll be interesting, he says, to see whose heart melts first. Which of them do you think will fall first, Greys fans? Or are you still hoping Nathan and Mer will be paired with other people? Hit the comments! Launch Gallery: Grey's Anatomy: Our Hopes for Season 13 Related stories Grey's Anatomy Countdown: Ranking the Show's 20 Best Couples of All Time Once Upon a Time Casting Sinbad, Scheherezade for Season 6 Nashville Shakeup: Two Series Regulars Exit Ahead of Move to CMT Khartoum (AFP) - Gunmen shot dead four people at a camp for displaced people in Sudan's war-torn Darfur, the United Nations peacekeeping mission said on Wednesday. The attack on Monday evening came as the UN Security Council prepared to decide on extending the mandate of a peacekeeping mission in Darfur, where tens of thousands have been killed in a 13-year conflict. On Monday, gunmen "burned and looted" a camp for displaced people in Thur in the state of Central Darfur, said the African Union-United Nations force, UNAMID. "The incident has reportedly resulted in four people being killed and seven others injured," it said. A tribal leader from the camp, Sheikh Abdalraz Youssef, said the dead included a child. "Militiamen attacked the camp and started shooting on the residents," Youssef told AFP by telephone. Darfur has been gripped by conflict since 2003, when ethnic minority rebels rose up against the Arab-dominated regime of President Omar al-Bashir, accusing it of discrimination. Bashir launched a brutal counterinsurgency and at least 300,000 people have been killed, the United Nations says. Another 2.5 million have fled their homes. Bashir is wanted by the International Criminal Court on war crimes charges related to Darfur, which he denies. Khartoum insists the conflict has ended, although violence occurs regularly. In May, Arab tribesmen shot dead eight ethnic minority villagers as they prayed in a mosque in West Darfur. In April, as many as 20 people were killed in clashes between two rival Arab tribes in East Darfur sparked by livestock thefts. The Security Council is expected to meet before the end of June to decide whether to extend UNAMID's mandate by another year to June 30, 2017. Khartoum wants a complete exit of UNAMID from Darfur, but a special UN report has recommended keeping the force in place. The report cites the "limited progress" made to reach a viable solution to end the conflict in Darfur. About 20,000 troops and policemen from more than 30 countries are currently in Darfur, a region of the size of France. JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - A member of South Africa's wealthy Gupta family on Wednesday denied allegations of undue political influence, including offering cabinet positions, in its first public comment on charges that have plagued President Jacob Zuma's time in office. The family's relationship with the scandal-troubled Zuma has been under question for years and several South African firms, including all four major banks, have cut links with companies associated with them. But though the allegations of "state capture" against the Guptas have added to investor concerns about governance and stability in Africa's most industrialized country Zuma has managed to keep the support of his African National Congress and ward off calls for his resignation. Ajay Gupta, one of three brothers who moved to South Africa from India at the end of apartheid in the early 1990s and now head a business empire that stretches from technology to media and mining, said his friendship with Zuma was above board. "I am not a lobbyist. I am not a state capturer. As far as I am concerned, I am a friend only," he said in an interview on state-owned broadcaster SABC. "Capture is when you are taking any advantage of anything." Zuma in December changed finance ministers twice in a week, alarming investors and triggering financial turmoil. Ajay Gupta denied receiving any political favors and also denied an allegation by a deputy finance minister, Mcebisi Jonas, that the Guptas had offered him the job of finance minister. He said he had never met Jonas. "I can say I have never seen him in my life," he said. Though he had met cabinet ministers many times at business functions, his relationships with government officials were above board. (Reporting by James Macharia; Editing by Richard Balmforth) Las Vegas Sands Corp. LVS is a hotel, gaming, and retail mall company headquartered in Las Vegas, NV. It has been reporting lower-than-expected sales for the past few quarters due to sluggish performance in Macau, its key operating region. A Look at the Past Quarter's Result Shares have declined over 12% since it reported lower-than-expected first quarter earnings in Apr 2016. Estimates also moved southwards after the earnings announcement. Las Vegas Sands missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate for both earnings and sales in the first quarter of 2016. While earnings per share declined almost 32% year over year, sales went down almost 10% due to weak performance in Macau. Gross gaming revenues in Macau declined in double digits once again. In fact, gambling revenues from the region have declined in double digits since Sep 2014. LAS VEGAS SANDS Price LAS VEGAS SANDS Price | LAS VEGAS SANDS Quote What's Behind the Weakness in Macau? The Macau slowdown is mainly due to high-stake gamblers curtailing their spending amid a slump in the Chinese economy. Also, the countrywide crackdown on corruption in China has forced Macau officials to enforce strict restrictions on VIP gamblers. This was done to stop billions of dollars from being siphoned off illegally from mainland China to Macau. Other restrictions like curbing the use of state-backed payment processor UnionPay made it harder for players to obtain cash for gambling. A smoking ban in casinos and limitations on visas also hurt visits. Further, Chinese visitors accounted for more than 60% of Macaus traffic. The deterioration of the yuan contracted Macaus gambling revenues by making it more expensive for Chinese gamblers to place their bets. Is Competition Strong? Though Las Vegas Sands is consistently trying to diversify its revenue sources to defy the weakness in the VIP segment, extensive competition in the Macau market, might hamper the companys market share. Wynn Resorts Ltd. WYNN, another casino operator, is also building a full-scale integrated resort on the Cotai Strip, which is expected to start operation around the end of 2016. Another U.S.-based casino giant, MGM Resorts International MGM, is set to open a resort in Cotai in early 2017. These openings may pose a huge threat to the companys business in the region and may continue to hurt margins despite Las Vegas Sands efforts to pose a turnaround in the mass and non-gaming markets. Story continues Las Vegas Sands currently holds a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). A better-ranked stock in the same industry is Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc. ISLE, 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 LAS VEGAS SANDS (LVS): Free Stock Analysis Report WYNN RESRTS LTD (WYNN): Free Stock Analysis Report MGM RESORTS INT (MGM): Free Stock Analysis Report ISLE OF CAPRI (ISLE): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. 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 MOSCOW, June 22 (Reuters) - The chairman of Russian regional power generator Quadra, Evgeny Dod, has been detained by Russian law enforcement officials, two sources familiar with the situation said on Wednesday. They had no information on the reason for the detention. Interfax news agency cited a source in law enforcement bodies as saying that Dod was being questioned as part of a fraud case and that the decision on his status in the investigation was yet to be taken. Quadra and Onexim group, which owns Quadra, declined official comment. The Investigative Committee, the Russian state body that investigates crimes, was not available for immediate comment. (Reporting by Polina Devitt, Anastasia Lyrchikova and Maria Tsvetkova; Editing by Christian Lowe) Health insurers called upon themselves the close scrutiny of regulators, with Anthem Inc.s (ANTM) proposal to acquire Cigna Corp. (CI) and Aetna Inc.s (AET) buyout deal with Humana Inc. (HUM). Recently, the viability of the proposed merger between Anthem and Cigna was challenged by Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones, who contends that the mega deal worth $48 billion would curb competition and hurt consumers in the state of California. Moreover, the presidential candidates are looking at ways to fine-tune the provisions of healthcare legislation, which, if implemented, will see insurers reworking their business strategies. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clintons priority includes a crackdown on insurers to limit out-of-pocket costs. These costs are expenses like deductibles, coinsurance and copayments for covered services among others that aren't reimbursed by insurance. Also on Clintons agenda is giving more power to lawmakers to reject undue rate hikes by health insurers. Under the current healthcare reform, this authority is in the hands of certain select states only. Donald Trump said that he would end Obamacare and replace it with something that would require a lot less money. Coming back, the legislation has undoubtedly altered the regulatory landscape in ways that are not always beneficial to a private health insurers bottom line. But calling it a permanent drag would be an overstatement. U.S. health plans are expected to operate in a lowered margin environment. Some health plans especially the smaller ones may not survive. Pricing pressure, higher taxes and fees, rising medical costs, regulatory compliance costs, increased competition and general marketplace uncertainty are some of the headwinds faced by the players in the industry. While the aim of this write-up is to put the spotlight on the headwinds facing the industry; an earlier write-up in this space had the opposite focus. Public Exchanges Losses Public Exchanges made their debut in Oct 2013, and were considered one of the signature achievements of Obamacare aimed at providing subsidized insurance to millions. The insurers were also sanguine about the exchanges, hoping to make big business out of them. But health insurers are now struggling to make profits from the public exchange business. These insurers are saddling high medical expenses of individuals who are buying the subsidized policies under the health care law. The public exchanges attracted a disproportionate number of unhealthy individuals compared to healthy ones. A higher percentage of unhealthy patients led to higher claims for the insurers, thus leading to losses from the policies sold to these groups of people. In Nov 2015, UnitedHealth Group (UNH) disclosed concerns about losses incurred on its individual business from the public exchange.Compelled by the loss suffered from the individual insurance policies sold on the exchanges, the health insurer announced that it will not entertain such losses and may exit this unprofitable market completely by 2017. The company has already scaled back its marketing efforts for individual insurance policies sold on exchanges. Another insurer, Aetna, also suffered losses in its public exchange business in 2015 and reduced its operations to 15 states this year from 17 states last year. It is, however, taking measures such as re-pricing and product modification to generate profits in 2016. Another player Humana is also contemplating to drop individual insurance coverage through exchanges in the states of Alabama, Kansas, Wisconsin and Virginia. The company is considering to exit this business which brought in meager profits in this years first quarter and would likely result in a loss for the full year. If the players realize that the exchanges are not seeing profitable business opportunities, a mass exodus may happen which may hamper the functionality of the exchanges and cause a failure of the ObamaCare exchanges, thus defeating the basic aim of providing coverage to millions of uninsured Americans. Some of the other challenges faced by the industry are briefed below: Margins to Shrink The health insurers are expected to witness lowered margin environment onward. A host of factors including compliance costs related to health care reform regulation, increased fees and taxes, pricing pressure, stiff competition and rising medical costs will squeeze the bottom line. A general shift in patient mix from Commercial insurance to Government (Medicare, Medicaid and State-subsidized marketplace or exchange) will also affect profitability to a large extent. Premiums for Medicare, Medicaid and State-subsidized policies tend to be higher due to serious health issues for many enrollees; however, they carry smaller profitability margins compared to commercial insurance. High Compliance Costs Regulatory reform sweeping through the sector has hit insurers with high compliance costs. The expenditure involved in redoing the internal systems can pinch the players hard. There has been huge spending on health information technology (HIT), following the implementation of The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), or "Recovery Act," which contains the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act, or the "HITECH Act." Notably, HIT includes electronic health records (EHRs), health information exchanges (HIEs) and other initiatives. The federal government's emphasis on the use of health IT, which helps providers communicate better with each other about patient care, reduces medical errors, paperwork and needless duplicate screenings and tests, leading to better coordinated patient care and lower health care costs. These have increased current health care information technology spending. Financial incentives offered by regulators to providers and hospitals for the implementation of the meaningful use of health care IT products are primarily driving IT spending. Growing Consumerism Rising consumerism has now become the reality of the health insurance industry. Until the implementation of the ACA, the insurance companies had an upper hand in choosing who to provide coverage to and consumers (people receiving health care) had no active role in the decision-making process. But now the trend has changed. Health insurance reform has put consumer power and choice in the hands of the Americans, and ensure that all Americans receive the health care services that they need and deserve. Consumers increased purchasing power and access to information to take health care decisions are the major threats to insurers. Prior to reform, big insurers dominating large markets hardly ever bothered to provide consumers with even basic information, such as the performance of health insurance policies, procedures to claim, the size of the provider network and cancellation processes. Now, customers demand transparency, value and convenience, leaving insurers grappling for innovative ways to satisfy these unmet needs. The new mission, however, will not be easy to execute. Global Economic Woes and Regulatory Challenges A fragile global economy presents a headwind for insurers looking to expand their international operations. One of the largest insurers, UnitedHealth Groupmade an acquisition to reap benefits from the Brazil market but is now facing slowing growth rates in that country. In case of India, which remains one of the most profitable opportunities for insurers, the regulatory environment still remains somewhat challenging. China -- which merits the highest risk-adjusted opportunity ranking, largely because of its immense scale -- poses significant investment restrictions to foreign insurers entering and operating there. Bottom Line The changed regulatory landscape has undoubtedly created hurdles that would weigh on profits and margins of industry operators going forward. But it is hardly the unmitigated disaster that some industry players make it out to be. Beyond the ACA, the investment appeal of the space also reflects its perceived defensive and counter-cyclical orientation, which is crucial amid the current uncertainty. 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 UNITEDHEALTH GP (UNH): Free Stock Analysis Report HUMANA INC NEW (HUM): Free Stock Analysis Report CIGNA CORP (CI): Free Stock Analysis Report ANTHEM INC (ANTM): Free Stock Analysis Report AETNA INC-NEW (AET): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Hillary Clinton Bosnia A false claim that Hillary Clinton made while campaigning for president in 2008 is coming back to haunt her in the 2016 election cycle. The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee said in a speech at George Washington University in March 2008 that she landed "under sniper fire" during a 1996 trip to Bosnia. The war ended in 1995, but tensions within the country were still high. "There was supposed to be some kind of a greeting ceremony at the airport, but instead we just ran with our heads down to get into the vehicles to get to our base," she said in 2008. The Washington Post debunked this claim days after Clinton made it. Old news footage reveals that there was, in fact, a greeting ceremony at Tuzla Air Base when Clinton landed. She met an 8-year-old Muslim girl who read her a poem, and video of the landing shows Clinton and her daughter, Chelsea, calmly walking away from the plane and then greeting people on the tarmac: In the footage, Clinton held a bouquet of flowers while she spoke to people gathered on the tarmac. Another shot showed her strolling near the plane with a group of young people. Donald Trump has brought up the Bosnia claim on the campaign trail. The likely Republican nominee for president called Clinton a "world-class liar" in a speech on Wednesday, citing her "phony landing in Bosnia, where she said she was under attack and the attack turned out to be young girls handing her flowers." Clinton's Bosnia story is widely regarded as a lie. A CBS News correspondent who was on the trip with Clinton wrote her own account of it in 2008, after Clinton's speech at George Washington University. She did admit that there were some potential security risks, but acknowledged that it didn't rise to the level of landing under sniper fire. Sharyl Attkisson recalled: Story continues "Due to the possibility of sniper fire, our pilots used what we were told are 'assault take-offs and landings.' In short, the climb and descent are very fast, and very steep to minimize exposure to hostile fire on the ground." "It's exciting and frightening and, in the midst of it all, wearing our helmets and bulletproof vests, it's easy to imagine we may be narrowly escaping enemy bullets." "In reality, we had no known incidents of enemy fire on our aircraft." To be fair, however, Attkisson did note in her 1996 CBS report that the "frontline outpost" that Clinton and Chelsea visited was "one of the most dangerous places where US forces are operating." "The president himself never made it this far inside Bosnia when he visited in January," Attkisson said in the report. Hillary Clinton Bosnia The Clinton campaign's response Immediately after the 2008 speech, Clinton held her ground. PolitiFact noted that when a reporter asked her about the Bosnia trip after the speech, Clinton said: "There was no greeting ceremony, and we basically were told to run to our cars. Now, that is what happened." But days later, she admitted that she "misspoke" about the Bosnia visit. "I say a lot of things millions of words a day so if I misspoke, that was just a misstatement," she told the Philadelphia Daily News' editorial board at the time. She continued: "I was told we had to land a certain way, we had to have our bulletproof stuff on because of the threat of sniper fire. I was also told that the greeting ceremony had been moved away from the tarmac but that there was this 8-year-old girl and, I can't, I can't rush by her, I've got to at least greet her so I greeted her, I took her stuff and then I left. Now that's my memory of it." At the time, the Clinton campaign sought to downplay the Bosnia story. Then Clinton spokesman Howard Wolfson told reporters in 2008: "The facts are clear from contemporaneous news accounts that she was entering a potentially dangerous situation. She has written about this before, she has talked about this before and there you have it. Now, is it possible that in the most recent instance in which she discussed this that she misspoke, with regards to the exit from the plane, but there's no question that I hope everyone is clear about this in the reporting, there is no question if you look at these contemporaneous accounts that she was going to a potential combat zone, that it was by the front lines and the first person since Eleanore Roosevelt to do that and she was going into a hostile military environment." After The Post ran its original Bosnia fact-check story in 2008, former Clinton speechwriter Lissa Muscatine, who accompanied Clinton on the trip, contacted the newspaper with this statement: "I was on the plane with then First Lady Hillary Clinton for the trip from Germany into Bosnia in 1996. We were put on a C-17 a plane capable of steep ascents and descents precisely because we were flying into what was considered a combat zone. We were issued flak jackets for the final leg because of possible sniper fire near Tuzla. As an additional precaution, the First Lady and Chelsea were moved to the armored cockpit for the descent into Tuzla. We were told that a welcoming ceremony on the tarmac might be canceled because of sniper fire in the hills surrounding the air strip. From Tuzla, Hillary flew to two outposts in Bosnia with gunships escorting her helicopter." But the speech at George Washington University wasn't the only time Clinton told of a dangerous trip to Bosnia. PolitiFact pointed out that in 2007, she told The Des Moines Register: "We landed in one of those corkscrew landings and ran out because they said there might be sniper fire. I don't remember anyone offering me tea on the tarmac there." More From Business Insider If you've been looking to buy a Panasonic TV but have had a hard time finding one, here's why: The company, which has struggled in the U.S. television business since it exited the plasma TV business back in 2014, has quietly stopped selling sets here as it ponders its future in the industry. Panasonic sets are still on sale at a few retailers, including Walmart, but most models are listed as unavailable on the Panasonic website. However, if you do find one, you should have no qualms about buying it. Panasonic TVs have typically done well in Consumer Reports' TV tests, and the company says it will continue to provide service and parts for the sets it sells and honor any warranties. A Panasonic spokesperson said the company could return to the U.S. market in the near future, and it continues to sell TVs in other parts of the world, including Canada, Europe, and Asia. The company was notably quiet about new TVs during the CES trade show back in January. At that time, the company indicated it would have both a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray player and a 4K OLED TV this year, but so far neither has made it to the U.S. market. Until it pulled the plug on its plasma TV businessconceding, like other brands, that it was too difficult to compete with the ever-lower priced LCD-based setsPanasonic was generally regarded as the industry's premium plasma brand. Its models often topped Consumer Reports' TV Ratings. Since then, Panasonic has become something of a me-too brand in the LCD-based TV market. Going forward, Panasonic might seek to avoid the more mainstream, commodity-driven TV business and focus instead on higher-end sets. The brand's flagship Ultra HD Premium-certified 4K model, for example, which sells in Canada and Europe, might be a good fit here in the States. Likewise, the company could decide to enter the OLED TV market, currently dominated by one brandLG. And Panasonic is not alone in its struggles. Sharp exited the U.S. market last summer, licensing its brand to Hisense. Toshiba pulled the plug several months before that; its brand is now licensed by Compal. Funai controls the Magnavox and Philips brands in the U.S. and RCA-brand TVs are made by On Corporation. Mitsubishi and Pioneer are no longer in the TV business. More from Consumer Reports: 8 Ways to Boost Your Home Value Why your cable TV bill is going up Get the Best Cell Phone Plan for Your Familyand Save up to $1,000 a Year Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright 2006-2016 Consumers Union of U.S. Former Republican presidential candidate Senator Marco Rubio passes by reporter's after voting on Capitol Hill in Washington March 17, 2016. REUTERS/Gary Cameron Marco Rubio announced Wednesday that he will seek reelection to the US Senate. "In politics, admitting youve changed your mind is not something most people like to do. But here it goes," Rubio said in a statement. "I have decided to seek reelection to the United States Senate." A source familiar with the decision told Business Insider earlier that the Florida senator had informed Republican officials about his plans. The decision is a sharp reversal from what Rubio had repeatedly said on the campaign trail as a candidate for president. At the time, he insisted that he would not run for reelection to his Senate seat and went so far as to later mock reports that he would change his mind. I have only said like 10000 times I will be a private citizen in January. Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) May 17, 2016 That tune shifted in the weeks following his exit from the race. Rubio was lobbied by top Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump, to run for another term. They viewed him as the best hope to retain the Senate seat. A poll published Wednesday morning illustrated that point. It found that Rubio was the only Republican who led the Democratic challengers in the race. After the Orlando shooting, Rubio said he was reconsidering the decision, telling reporters the terror attack had prompted him to rethink his "service to country." GettyImages 537931750Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) Holds News Conference To Urge Congress To Pass Zika Virus Funding In his statement Wednesday, Rubio acknowledged that he has "often said that the US Senate can be a frustrating place," but argued that "no matter who is elected president, there is reason to worry" and the Senate could play a key part. "[A]s we begin the next chapter in the history of our nation, theres another role for the Senate that could end up being its most important in the years to come: The Constitutional power to act as a check and balance on the excesses of a president," Rubio said. Story continues The conservative firebrand said, however, that "in the end" his decision was made "back home in West Miami over Father's Day weekend" with his family. "There were two paths before us. There was one path that was more personally comfortable and probably smarter politically," Rubio said. "But after much thought and prayer, together we chose to continue with public service; to continue down the path that provides the opportunity to make a positive difference at this critical and uncertain time for our nation." "In the end, there was simply too much at stake for any other choice." NOW WATCH: We took a Louisiana literacy test and failed spectacularly More From Business Insider News that a young girl was allegedly raped at knifepoint by three Syrian refugees in Twin Falls, Idaho, appear to be false, and largely perpetuated by conservative media outlets. As Jezebel reported, a range of right-wing news sites ran with the erroneous report with the apparent goal of inciting outrage at Muslims and migrants. "There is a small group of people in Twin Falls County whose life goal is to eliminate refugees, and thus far they have not been constrained by the truth," Twin Falls County prosecutor Grant Loebs said Monday, according to the Idaho Statesman. Read more here: http://www.idahostatesman.com/news/state/idaho/article84829787.html#storylink=cpy On June 2, according to InfoWars, "three Syrian youths aged 8, 10 and 13" allegedly forced a girl to the laundry room of the Fawnbrook apartment complex where, threatening her with a knife, they removed her clothes, raped her and peed on her at the oldest boy's direction. After the girl's mother called the police, officers allegedly took two and a half hours to show up. No one at the Twin Falls police department was immediately available for comment. But according to a statement by chief Craig Kingsbury, the above version of events is far from accurate. His statement indicated that the victim's mother called the police saying some of Fawnbrook's boys had urinated on her daughter, calling back shortly thereafter to clarify that the incident was sexual assault. Paramedics and police then responded "in a timely manner." No knife was involved. Contrary to certain reports, the police did arrest the suspects and have booked two at a local juvenile detention center. Reports that the boys' father celebrated the assault were also unsubstantiated. The three boys, who are 7, 10 and 14, are believed to be from Sudan and Iraq, but the police don't yet know if they are refugees. The that, although one boy allegedly touched the 5-year-old victim, no gang-rape occurred, contrary to initial reports. Story continues Cue an adjustment to previous coverage. World Net Daily deleted its initial report, replacing it with an article highlighting local outrage at "Muslim migrants" resettled in Twin Falls, which has been described as A city councilman called comments these "concerned citizens" made "white supremacist" in their tone at a meeting in February. Right-wing media took off with a narrative that appealed to them before checking the facts, relying instead on anecdotal evidence from members of a community that wants refugees out. It told the story it wanted to hear, rather than the one that happened. By Ronnie Cohen If the U.S. healthcare sector were ranked as a nation, it would be the worlds 13th-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, more than all of the UK, a new study finds. Unfortunately, in our quest to take care of individual patients, were causing this undue harm, coauthor Dr. Jodi Sherman, from Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut, said in a phone interview. While training to become an anesthesiologist, Sherman saw what she described as a disturbing amount of waste in the operating room. I realized that as much as I love being a doctor, I could not in good conscience practice unless I simultaneously worked to protect the environment from the hidden harm from healthcare itself, she said. In 2009, when she was a senior resident at Stanford University, she gave a talk on healthcare pollution. The other doctors challenged her about the magnitude of the problem. She looked for data but found none. So she enlisted environmental engineer Matthew Eckelman, and the two began quantifying healthcare pollution. Their new study, published in PLoS ONE, estimates that damage from pollutants connected to healthcare leads to an annual loss of 405,000 to 470,000 years of healthy life, or so-called disability-adjusted life years. The loss equates to roughly the same number of Americans as die every year from preventable medical errors: 44,000 to 98,000, the researchers say. Moreover, the pollution is growing. In the past 10 years, greenhouse gas emissions for the U.S. healthcare sector shot up by more than 30 percent, bringing the total to nearly 10 percent of the nations 2013 emissions, the study found. Sherman and Eckelman, a professor at Northeastern University in Boston, used an economic model based on federal data to calculate healthcare sector pollutants from 2003 to 2013. They estimated emissions from heating and cooling, electricity and energy-intensive goods and services in hospitals, doctors offices, nursing homes, pharmaceutical and medical-device manufacturers as well as government programs like Medicaid. Then they assessed public health impacts. Prior research had calculated that healthcare activities emit 8 percent of the nations greenhouse gas emissions, the authors write. But other pollutants from the healthcare industry have not been previously reported. The new study looks beyond the carbon footprint. It found that direct and indirect emissions from healthcare caused 12 percent of acid rain, 10 percent of smog formation and 9 percent of respiratory disease from particulate matter in 2013. The researchers say theres a critical knowledge gap in the medical community about the health consequences of unnecessary waste, and they urge resource-conservation education and leadership. Dr. Howard Frumkin, dean of the University of Washington School of Public Health in Seattle, also sees a gap. Few healthcare leaders are highly informed about environmental dimensions of healthcare delivery about the economic consequences, the health consequences or the moral aspects, he told Reuters Health by email. Frumkin, who wasnt involved in the current study, commended it for shining a light on healthcare pollution. Greater awareness should lead to greater adoption of environmentally sound practices, he said. Medical professionals can be better environmental stewards without sacrificing quality of care, according to Sherman and Eckelman. We dont want to imply that we should compromise on patient care for the sake of these emissions, Eckelman told Reuters Health. But there are many opportunities to reduce this waste without compromising quality of care and without affecting the patient experience at all. Well-meaning regulatory efforts to reduce infections have led to the increasing use of single-use disposables and more medical waste, Sherman said. Virtually everything is disposable, from linens to unused drugs that were opened and never administered. Probably every physician would agree they see enormous amounts of waste and disposables, and they just dont know what to do about it, Sherman said. You certainly need to use sterile and disposable goods, she said. But this trend is just over the top. Reuters reported early this year that American doctors and hospital throw out almost $3 billion in unused cancer drugs each year because the medicines come in supersized single-use packages. (See http://reut.rs/1MuX7m3.) SOURCE: http://bit.ly/1Oh7FGP PLoS ONE, online June 9, 2016. Hillary Clinton will return to Los Angeles next week for a series of fundraisers, in what have been monthly visits to boost her campaign coffers. On Tuesday, Clinton will attend an early evening event at the home of entrepreneur Sean Parker and his wife Alexandra, a musician, according to an invite. Tickets start at $2,700 per person. Later, Hillary Clinton will attend a cocktails and dinner event at the home of Marc Nathanson, chairman of Mapleton Investments, and his wife Jane, a psychologist. Sherry Lansing and William Friedkin are co-hosting, with tickets priced at $33,400 per couple. Tickets for donors who want to be listed as co-chairs are $100,000 per couple, with access to a reception and photo with Clinton. Money from the dinner event will go to the Hillary Victory Fund, a joint committee of the campaign, the Democratic National Committee and state party committees. Former President Bill Clinton will be in Los Angeles on Sunday for a reception at the Sherman Oaks home of Warner Bros. Greg Silverman and his wife Amanda. Tickets start at $1,000 per person. Clinton holds a huge cash advantage over Republican rival Donald Trump. In the latest filing with the Federal Election Commission, her campaign had $42 million in cash on hand at the end of May, while Trumps campaign had just $1.3 million. Appearing on CBS This Morning on Wednesday, Trump tried to minimize the money gap, telling Norah ODonnell, I dont want to devote the rest of my life to raising money from people. When she raises this money, every time she raises this money, shes making deals. They say, could I be the ambassador to this, could I do that, could I get my businesses taken care of. I mean, give me a break. All of the money shes raising, thats blood money, thats blood money. On Tuesday, Clintons campaign slammed Trump for spending campaign funds on Trump businesses. The reports showed that Trumps campaign paid for expenses for the use of Trump facilities and other services, including more than $400,000 to the Trump resort Mar-a-Lago. Story continues Related stories Donald Trump Lagged Far Behind Hillary Clinton in May Fundraising Donald Trump Drops Campaign Manager Corey Lewandowski Bernie Sanders Says He'll Work With Hillary Clinton to 'Transform' Democratic Party A day after excoriating Donald Trump in a lengthy speech that mocked his businesses and economic policies, Hillary Clinton will on Wednesday lay out her plan for growing the economy. Previewing the speech, a campaign aide said that in an address to be made in Raleigh, North Carolina, Clinton will be doubling down on the bold, progressive policies that she introduced during the primary campaign against Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders. Clinton will discuss a slate of plans that she formulated during the primary, including debt-free college, large-scale infrastructure investment, raising taxes on the wealthy and expanding Social Security, among other measures. Clinton will explain her diagnosis of the state of the U.S. economy, saying that too many corporate and government leaders have lost sight of our shared responsibility and forgotten that were all in this together, said the aide. This has led to a widening of the gaps in our economy. Unclear, however, is the extent to which Clinton will adopt some of the language Sanders has used on the campaign trail that has been so successful in attracting Democrats. Already, Clinton has spoken often of addressing inequality and, as early as the first swing of her campaign in Iowa in April 2015, said that hedge fund managers often unfairly pay a lower tax rate than their secretaries. But whether Clinton moves toward incorporating into the Democratic platform some of Sanders demands on issues ranging from Social Security to banking regulations is uncertain. On Tuesday, Clinton will touch broadly on some of her pet policy proposals, which include a corporate profit-sharing plan for as high as 10% of employees wages, an infrastructure bank to fund building projects, and a $5,000 tax credit for out-of-pocket consumer health costs. She will also discuss her $350 billion proposal to make public colleges debt-free for students, as well as her so-called clawback tax which requires companies that relocate outside the United States to pay back some taxes to the federal government when they leave. Clinton ridiculed Trumps business practices during a speech in Columbus, Ohio on Tuesday, saying the real estate mogul stiffed his own contractors and ripped off his employees. She said Trumps plans would send the United States into a recession. Hillary rocks a leopard-print coat with her Ralph Lauren purse. (Photo: SplashNews) Proud grandparents Bill and Hillary Clinton arrived at Lenox Hill hospital in Manhattan Sunday, and all eyes were on Hillarys handbag? And she wasnt even carrying her $3,500 Ralph Lauren calfskin purse; it was being toted by an aide. As reported in the Daily Mail and other outlets, the extravagance didnt end there. New mom Chelsea Clinton and her husband, Marc Mezvinsky, paid upwards of $1,700 or more per night to stay in the high-end hospital, news sites reported. The afterthought in all this coverage? Aidan Clinton Mezvinsky, the couples second child and the elder Clintons first grandson, born at 7:41 a.m. Way to bury the lede. But its not surprising that exorbitant spending would be highlighted in the story. The press seems to come down hard on the Clintons extravagant lifestyle. As reported by Yahoo Style, the presumptive Democratic nominee received criticism in the recent past about wearing a $12,495 Armani jacket during a speech in April, in which she discussed budgetary concerns including her plan to close the wage gap in America. And in April, she was criticized for carrying a $1,645 Alexander McQueen handbag to an appearance on The View. Bill and Hillary leaving the hospital after meeting their grandson. (Photo: AKM-GSI) It almost seemed as if the Daily Mail were baiting readers, who commented, Hillary can relate to the middle-class by carrying her $3,500 bags and wearing her $13,000 jackets PULEASE!, and I cant see your average Democrat voter purchasing $3,500 handbags!! Some came to Clintons defense, saying Disgusting comments on here. The family welcomed a new child into the world. You point the finger at Hillary while tearing down the celebratory birth of a new baby. Humans can be so vile. Clinton has been trying to rehabilitate her formerly pantsuit-dominated public look though, as reported by Yahoo Style. She hired image consultant Kristina Schake, who was supposedly tasked with making Clinton more relatable and formerly worked with Michelle Obama. Clinton is likely paying for her own wardrobe. Story continues But the Yahoo Style story pointed out that presumptive Republican nominee (and noted billionaire) Donald Trump continues to hit the campaign trail in pricey custom suits, while his model wife, Melania, wears many of the same pricey duds as Clinton and neither of the Trumps receives quite the same criticism as Clinton. As Man Repellers Leandra Medine succinctly put it in an article for Time, It seems inevitable, if unfair, that when a woman is vying for a prominent position in office, her outfit choices will be analyzed to a degree considerably higher than those of her male counterpart by simple existence of gender stereotypes. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. hillary clinton On Tuesday, Hillary Clinton gave a speech laying out what she sees as the economic dangers of a Donald Trump presidency. She had a lot of material to work with, and she got in a lot of good shots, especially that Trump's business books "all seem to end at Chapter 11." But the speech lacked the cohesiveness and flair of her speech three weeks ago about Trump's foreign-affairs risks. I think that that's because when she talks about the economy, Clinton is in the awkward position of arguing for continuity with change, like Australia's Malcolm Turnbull or television's Selina Meyer. In the speech, Clinton made seven separate arguments about the economy that sat uneasily together. By my count, they were: The economy is not performing well enough for average Americans and needs adjustments to ensure that economic gains are broadly shared instead of being concentrated at the top. President Barack Obama's economic record is a success that should be built upon, not reversed. Obama's signature economic initiative of his final year in office the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement is a bad idea that should be rejected, as Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders say. Donald Trump poses threats to the economy in the usual ways that Republican candidates do, such as wanting to cut taxes on the rich, deregulate banks, and repeal Obamacare. Trump poses novel and wild threats to the economy that are unacceptable from almost any ideological point of view. For example, he has mused about defaulting on US public debt and about financing the government by printing money. Trump's business record demonstrates his ineptitude. Trump's business record demonstrates his selfishness and dishonesty, and Americans should not trust him to act in their best interests. These claims are not necessarily contradictory, though I suspect that Clinton's heart is not in No. 3. But there is a tension inherent in talking so extensively about how off-track things are right now while running a campaign that is, at least implicitly, about asking voters to choose an extension of the existing administration. Story continues There is a plausible, more-of-the-same case to be made right now: Our recovery, slow though it has been, has outperformed Europe's. We made better policy choices than our peers, especially on monetary policy. Recovery from a recession caused by such a large real-estate bubble was necessarily going to be slow as people worked to pay off excessive debts. The output gap finally appears to be closing, and unemployment is low. Donald Trump Delivers Campaign Speech But it is hard to go out and tell people that this slow recovery has met expectations, especially since it has underperformed the economic forecasts that were issued at the outset. So instead of praising the present, Clinton is left saying that we need to do so much better and yet should stay the course. It's a hard message to get excited about. The much more compelling part of the speech was later on, when it got more negative. This reflects the luxurious position Clinton is campaigning from: She doesn't need to defend the status quo that robustly, because whatever you think of it, Trump threatens to do so much worse. Even here, though, there is an issue with tension among Clinton's arguments. She said in her speech that Trump has economic ideas that alarm people from the left to the right, from Elizabeth Warren to Mitt Romney. This is true: Romney has said that Trump's economic agenda would cause the US to "sink into a prolonged recession." While some of Trump's policy ideas, like big tax cuts, are stuff of the normal partisan divide, others like trade wars and a cavalier attitude toward debt repayment are viewed negatively by experts across the political spectrum. But at the same time Clinton was citing Romney as an authority in her remarks, her campaign put up a website calling Trump "a below-average successful businessman who got rich by hurting a lot of people ... Mitt Romney but bad at his job." Hillary Clinton Gives Economic Address In Columbus, Ohio So, which is it? Is Trump a mere exaggeration of Republican Party trends, or is he a singularly dangerous and awful figure? Is Romney a decent and thoughtful guy whose apprehensions about Trump should be taken as a sign that Trump is uniquely terrible in ways that transcend ideology, or is he a cold-hearted businessman who was better than Donald Trump at screwing people? Democrats always say that Republicans are going to give reckless tax cuts to the top 1% that will starve funding from entitlement programs on which ordinary people rely. They say that Republicans will let Wall Street run amok and prioritize the interests of the rich over everybody else's. These are indeed elements of Trump's stated policy agenda, and this is a perfectly acceptable political message one that helped Obama win a four-point victory over Romney. But this message makes Trump sound like just another Republican nominee for president, the latest exponent of a message that reliably draws 47% or so of the vote. If Trump is a special disaster, a candidate who should be unacceptable even to people who ordinarily vote Republican, then using the normal anti-Republican messages against him could serve to bolster him by normalizing him. If the attacks on Trump sound a lot like the attacks on Romney, then it'll be harder to convince voters that Trump and Romney are very different. I thought that the most effective message in Clinton's speech was one we hadn't heard much yet, despite a year of Trump saturation in the media. We've spent a lot of time talking about Trump's various businesses and whether they should be considered failures. Clinton adjusted that conversation slightly, focusing on Trump's success in structuring his companies so that he would make money through fees, even if his coinvestors lost their money. That is, "success" for Trump doesn't necessarily entail success for everybody else who is party to Trump's deals, and a lot of contractors, lenders, and investors got stiffed along the way to making him rich. It's going to be hard to convince a lot of voters that the guy with the gold-dipped 757 isn't really that successful, but it might be easier to convince them that his success came at the expense of others. NOW WATCH: Clinton raised 5 times as much money as Trump in May here's a breakdown of their funds More From Business Insider Harvards Joint Center for Housing Studies is out today with its 2016 State of the Nations Housing report. The wonky, data-rich paper isn't exactly beach-reading material, but if you want to know where the real estate market is headed, its analysis of construction statistics, demographic patterns, renting versus owning, and more is second to none. There's plenty to be optimistic about in the 2016 report, though myriad headwinds remain. Whether you're getting into the market for the first time or looking to leverage existing investments, the following facts and figures will help you make smart decisions. 1.1 Million Homes Thats how many new homes were built last year. It's encouraging to see activity up over the million mark again, after it plummeted to around 500,000 during the crash. But the industry would have to double its output to surpass the last housing boom high of roughly 2.2 million starts. Experts agree that's not going to happen anytime soon. But if builders can average 1.6 million units a year over the next decade, the supply of available inventory should stay healthy. In addition to filling the growing housing demand (the 1.3 million new households that were formed in 2015 was the largest single-year increase in 10 years) such level of activity would be a solid shot in the arm for the economy. 2 Million Fewer Construction Workers The number of construction workers who have left the industry since 2007. This creates obvious challenges for an industry that's being asked to ramp up activity and production. A lot of workers who lost their construction jobs during the crash found work elsewhere and never returned. Others retired and their jobs haven't been replaced by younger workers. The industry will need to find ways to attract new and younger workers. For example, women currently make up less than 3 percent of trade workers, so they represent a large untapped resource. The labor shortage is also an issue for homeowners looking to remodel. If that includes you, read "Home Renovation Without Aggravation" for tips on finding and hiring the best professionals in a tight labor market. Story continues 2,467-Square-Foot Median Size The median size of the 715,000 single-family homes that were started last year. That was good enough for new record highdespite all the buzz around tiny homes and small-scale city living. Indeed, only about a fifth of completed homes were under 1,800 square feet and 58 percent of homes built between 2000 and 2014 were in low-density urban areas. This stat underscores the extent to which the rebound in home building is concentrated on higher-end luxury homes. That will have to change to balance the supply of affordable single-family homes aimed at first-time home buyers, who accounted for 32 percent of the market last yearthe lowest level since 1987. $222,400 Median Price The median price of existing homes sold in 2015a 6.6 percent increase in real terms from 2014 and the highest level since 2007. The median price of new single-family homes was up 4.6 percent to $296,400. Home prices in all 20 metro areas tracked by the S&P/Case Shiller Home Price Index were up last year, led by Portland, San Francisco, and Seattle, which posted gains in the 10 percent range. The rise in home prices has spurred discretionary spending by homeowners, including on big-ticket projects like kitchen and bath remodels. Theres also been a steady uptick in accessibility projects, such as the addition of a walk-in shower or ground floor master bedroom, by homeowners who want to grow old in their existing home, rather than move into assisted living. 63.7 Percent Homeownership The current homeownership rate. Despite the overwhelming preference for owing a home (in a 2015 Demand Institute survey, 78 percent of household heads agreed with the statement, "I think homeownership is an excellent investment," while only 6 percent disagreed) the rate is at a near 50-year low. Tight mortgage credit, the decade-long falloff in incomes that is only now ending, and a limited supply of homes for sale are all keeping householdsespecially first-time buyerson the sidelines," said Chris Herbert, managing director of Harvards Joint Center for Housing Studies, in the news release. 110 Million Renters The number of Americans who rent. That's 36 percent of all U.S. households. Top-income renters have been the fastest growing segment over the last few years, though they still account for just 11 percent of all renters. But given their large disposable incomes, well-to-do renters are getting a lot of attention from developers and manufacturerswitness the rise of sleek compact appliances designed for urban kitchens. In reality, however, many renters are struggling to make ends meet, let alone build wealth. At last measure in 2013, the typical renter had just $5,400 in net household wealth, compared with $195,000 for the typical homeowner. What's more, 12 percent of renter households had no savings in transaction or retirement savings and the other 88 percent had just $3,000. That's making it very difficult for many renters to save up for a downpayment. "The question is not so much whether families will want to buy homes in the future, but whether they will be able to do so," said Herbert. 75 Percent Minority Ownership The projected minority share of household growth over the next 10 years. Asians are leading the current wave of immigration, outpacing Hispanics, in part because of a net population loss of Mexicans; the number of Mexican immigrants fell from 2.9 million in 1995-2000 to 870,000 in 2009-2014, according to the Pew Research Center. This demographic shift in immigration bodes well for homeownership rates, since Asians are more likely to own a home; their homeownership rate stood at 57 percent in 2014, compared with 42 percent for foreign-born Hispanics. More from Consumer Reports: The best matching washers and dryers Generator Buying Guide 8 ways to boost your home value Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright 2006-2016 Consumers Union of U.S. Tegucigalpa (AFP) - Honduran authorities on Wednesday denied a British newspaper report alleging their military had issued orders to kill a high-profile environmental activist who was murdered at her home in March. The article by The Guardian quoted a source identified as a former soldier who said the activist, Berta Caceres, was on a "hit list" given to two elite military units. "I'm 100 percent certain Berta Caceres was killed by the army," the source, a 20-year-old ex-first sergeant who spoke under a pseudonym, said, according to The Guardian. He was quoted saying that he fled to a neighboring country but that several members of his former unit have disappeared and were feared dead. Honduras' defense minister, Samuel Reyes, rejected the accusation. "This story contains utterly false elements that seek to damage the image of Honduras' government and our armed forces," he said. He said the military police battalion the source was reported to have been in did not exist, and that a training course that included US advisers he was said to been on accepted only higher-ranking soldiers. Reyes said Honduras was demanding The Guardian "correct" its report and noted that suspected murderers of Caceres had been caught and were in custody. Five people were arrested last month in connection with the murder. One of the detained suspects is a discharged soldier. Another is a high-ranking employee of Desarrollos Energeticos (DESA) -- an electricity company involved in the construction of a hydro-electric dam against which Caceres had campaigned. Two masked gunmen fatally shot Caceres, a 45-year-old activist for indigenous, environmental and social issues, at her home in La Esperanza, northwest of the capital Tegucigalpa on March 3. A group of Hong Kong activists is demanding a return to British rule as a stepping stone towards independence, as fears grow that Beijing is tightening its grip on the southern Chinese city. Pro-independence advocates have launched The Alliance to Resume British Sovereignty over Hong Kong and Independence party, the second political group in recent months to advocate a breakaway from China. "Independence is the ultimate goal, to return to British rule is just a transitional phase," Billy Chiu, the Alliance's leader told AFP Wednesday. The activists said they believed it would be easier to gain independence from Britain than China. "An independent nation is Hong Kong's only way out," Chiu said, adding that the new party, which consists of around 30 members, will be formally announced on Sunday. Chiu in 2013 broke into a People's Liberation Army facility in central Hong Kong holding up a colonial flag and asking the PLA to "get out" of the city. Hong Kong was handed back to Beijing in 1997, with the Sino-British Joint Declaration preserving its liberties for 50 years. But there are growing fears its freedoms and semi-autonomous status are under threat as Beijing increases its influence across a range of areas, from politics to the media. Another group, the Hong Kong National Party, was launched in March, saying it was tapping in to the city's increasing desire to break away from the mainland. Although not all activists are campaigning for self-rule, some see it as the only solution and have said they are not afraid to use violence to achieve their goal. The negative sentiment has been exacerbated by incidents such as the recent disappearance of five Hong Kong booksellers, employed by a firm that published gossipy books about leading Chinese politicians. One of the men, Lam Wing-kee, re-emerged in the city last week and told how he was 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. The city's growing pro-independence stance has drawn ire from Beijing and authorities in Hong Kong, who have warned that campaigning for a breakaway will damage the city's future prosperity and could result in unspecified "action according to the law". But aside from a riot in February that saw running battles with police -- viewed as one of the worst clashes in decades -- pro-independence groups have generally remained quiet. Hong Kong (AFP) - Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific said Wednesday it will ban carrying shark fin on all its flights, a victory for conservationists concerned for endangered species of the predator. The southern Chinese city is one of the world's biggest markets for shark fin, which is viewed by many Asians as a delicacy, often served as a soup at expensive Chinese banquets. Animal rights campaigners have been pushing Cathay for a carriage ban on shark fin for years. Other airlines including Thai Airways and Philippine Airlines banned the item in recent years. "On the issue of shark's fin, with immediate effect we are happy to agree to ban the carriage," Cathay Pacific said in a statement Wednesday. The airline confirmed to AFP that the ban extended to both cargo and passenger flights. In its statement, Cathay said it has not approved "any shipments" for shark fin for the past year, adding that it had rejected 15 shipment requests for shark-related products. Marine conservationists praised Cathay on its decision, with one saying that it would make the city "proud". "It's high time that Cathay took the stand. It would make Hong Kong people proud," Hong Kong-based Aquameridien conservation foundation executive director Sharon Kwok told AFP. "More Hong Kong businesses need to follow the lead," said Kwok, who has been pushing for the ban for years. Hong Kong's government in 2013 said it would stop serving shark fin at official functions as "a good example", following years of lobbying by conservation groups. Environmental group WWF said 457 tonnes of shark products were imported into Hong Kong by air in 2015, a 31 percent drop from 2014. More than 70 million sharks are killed every year, according to the WWF. Huge quantities are exported annually to Hong Kong, and most of those fins are then sent on to mainland China. Democratic members of Congress staged a sit-in Wednesday morning on the House floor, demanding a vote on gun reforms in the wake of the Orlando, Florida, massacre. Led by Rep. John Lewis, a Georgia Democrat who was a leader of the civil rights movement, more than two dozen members joined the sit-in which came a little over a week after 49 people were killed and 50 more injured when a man opened fire on a gay nightclub. "We have lost hundreds and thousands of innocent people to gun violence," Lewis at the outset of the sit-in. "Tiny little children, babies, students and teachers, mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, daughters and sons, friends and neighbors. And what has this body done, Mr. Speaker? Nothing. Not one thing. We have turned a deaf ear." Occupying the House floor w/ @repjohnlewis & other @HouseDemocrats to demand a vote on gun safety. #NoBillNoBreakpic.twitter.com/ExjyN3nJux https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ClkQu4ZWIAI4ptw.jpg:large Because the sit-in began as the House gaveled into recess, it was not broadcast on C-SPAN, the only television network allowed to film on the House floor. To circumvent the lack of television coverage, lawmakers involved in the sit-in tweeted their own photos, despite the fact that photos are not allowed in the chamber. As we started sit-in, GOP called recess & turned off cameras, but we're not moving #wheresthebill #nomoresilencepic.twitter.com/olcbB9x7x8 https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ClkO3oZXIAAvvft.jpg:large Some members even broadcast the sit-in on Periscope, before the House came back from recess and the C-SPAN cameras turned back on. House Dem broadcasting from House floor sit-in on Periscopehttps://twitter.com/ScottPetersSD/status/745649913048993792 ... During the sit-in, members chanted "I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired" over gun violence, according to reports from the chamber. Story continues Dems on House floor chanting: "I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired" over gun violence The sit-in comes two days after the Senate failed to pass gun reforms that would have barred suspected terrorists from purchasing guns, as well as expand background checks to people wishing to purchase firearms. Time to occupy the House to demand action. #NoBillNoBreak #DisarmHatepic.twitter.com/C7BZpzNvxL https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ClkNV7RWEAARTR3.jpg:large Senate Democrats staged a 14-hour filibuster to push for votes on those bills, which went on to fail. June 22, 2016, 12:48 p.m. Eastern: This story has been updated. Democratic House sit in A group of congressional Democrats staged a sit-in Wednesday on the House floor to demand Republicans allow a vote on gun-control legislation proposed in the wake of the Orlando terrorist shooting. Speaking on the House floor on Wednesday, Rep. John Lewis joined Democratic lawmakers seated on the lower chamber's floor, blasting Republican leadership for refusing to hold a vote on any significant gun-safety bills. "The time for silence and patience is long gone. We are calling on the leadership of the House to bring common sense gun legislation to the House floor," Lewis said. "Give us a vote. Let us vote. We came here to work!" AshLee Strong, press secretary for Speaker Paul Ryan, said the House had taken a recess as a result of the protest. The cameras broadcasting images from the House floor were also turned off. "The House cannot operate without members following the rules of the institution," Strong wrote in a tweet. The sit-in came several days after a series of gun-control measures brought by members of both parties failed to pass in the Senate. The Senate rejected bills that would have updated the background-check system for purchasing weapons, as well as a bill that would've barred people on the FBI's terror watch list from purchasing weapons. It's unclear whether the Senate will vote on a narrower gun-control bill spearheaded by Maine Sen. Susan Collins that would prevent people on the watch list from purchasing weapons. NOW WATCH: The number of times Obama has had to respond to mass shootings during his presidency is staggering More From Business Insider By Susan Cornwell and Timothy Gardner WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democrats staged a "sit-in" on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday demanding the chamber remain in session until the Republican leadership agrees to a vote on gun control legislation following the Orlando mass shooting. Chanting "No bill, no break!" scores of Democratic lawmakers joined in the protest. A similar action happened in August 2008, when House Republicans, then in the minority, took the floor to demand a vote on allowing offshore drilling. "We are in for the long haul here," House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi told reporters, saying members intended to continue their sit-in as long as it takes to get a vote on a bill. But Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan refused to give in to what he called a "publicity stunt" and vowed not to bring up any bill that would take away anyone's right to own firearms. The Democrats' move echoed last week's filibuster by Senate Democrats to protest inaction on guns in the wake of the June 12 massacre at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, where a gunman killed 49 people and wounded 53 in the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history. After the Senate talk-a-thon, the Senate's Republican majority scheduled votes on four gun control measures - all of which failed on Monday. Ryan told CNN he would not follow suit: "They know that we will not bring a bill that takes away a person's constitutionally guaranteed rights without ... due process." Guns are a potent U.S. political issue. Congress has not passed major gun control legislation since 1994, with gun rights defenders saying such measures infringe on the constitutional right to bear arms. The House's presiding officer, Republican Representative Ted Poe, entered the chamber around noon (1600 GMT) on Wednesday to find a number of Democratic lawmakers in the front of the chamber chanting, some sitting on the floor. After banging the gavel in an attempt to clear the protesters, Poe announced the chamber would be in recess and left. Ryan spokeswoman AshLee Strong said: "The House cannot operate without members following the rules of the institution." But the Democratic protesters stayed in the chamber into the evening giving impassioned speeches and urging action before a break scheduled to begin this weekend through July 5. 'QUIET TOO LONG' The protest was led by Representative John Lewis, a Democrat from Georgia and veteran of the 1960s civil rights movement. "We have been too quiet for too long," Lewis told fellow lawmakers. "We will be silent no more." Democrats urged gun control measures such as tighter background checks and legislation to curb the sale of weapons to people on government watch lists. Pelosi invoked not only Orlando but a string of other mass shootings in recently years, including the attack a year ago by a white man at a black church in Charleston, South Carolina, that killed nine. Right now there is an opportunity," she said. Several Democratic senators crossed the Capitol to join protesters, including Senators Elizabeth Warren, Tim Kaine and Cory Booker, all mentioned as potential running mates for presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. Clinton's rival in the Democratic race, Senator Bernie Sanders, also appeared. Tweets of support came from outside Congress. "Thank you John Lewis for leading on gun violence where we need it most," President Barack Obama tweeted. Clinton tweeted: "This is what real leadership looks like." Lawmakers also took to social media to document their demonstration with video and pictures, particularly after House Republicans shut down video cameras that normally document the chamber. Outside the Capitol, nearly 50 people gathered in solidarity at a rally organized by Everytown for Gun Safety, the advocacy group backed by former New York Mayor Bloomberg. 'TERRORIST PROBLEM' Many House Republicans said they viewed the problem differently from Democrats. "We don't view the fact that someone becomes radicalized and decides to kill a bunch of Americans ... as a gun problem," Representative John Fleming of Louisiana said on Wednesday. "We view that as a terrorist problem." The Orlando shooter, Omar Mateen, 29, pledged allegiance to Islamic State during the rampage in which he used an assault rifle and pistol. Authorities believe Mateen, a U.S. citizen of Afghan descent, was self-radicalized and acted alone. The gun measures that failed in the Senate on Monday included one that would have prohibited gun sales to people on a broad range of government watch lists. Senators from both parties are pushing for a compromise. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he would schedule a vote on a measure by fellow Republican Senator Susan Collins that would prevent about 109,000 people on "no-fly" and other surveillance lists from purchasing guns. Collins has said it could be voted on this week, and Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid said on Wednesday he would support it. The powerful National Rifle Association has said it opposed the compromise bill, calling it unconstitutional. (Reporting by Susan Cornwell and Timothy Gardner; Additional reporting by Richard Cowan, Patricia Zengerle, Mohammad Zargham and Eric Beech; Editing by Bill Trott and Peter Cooney) By Maria Sheahan and Ashutosh Pandey DARMSTADT, Germany (Reuters) - Dreaming of a trip to Mars? You'll have to wait at least 15 years for the technology to be developed, the head of the European Space Agency (ESA) said, putting doubt on claims that the journey could happen sooner. "If there was enough money then we could possibly do it earlier but there is not as much now as the Apollo programme had," ESA Director-General Jan Woerner said, referring to the U.S. project which landed the first people on the moon. Woerner says a permanent human settlement on the moon, where 3D printers could be used to turn moon rock into essential items needed for the two-year trip to Mars, would be a major step toward the red planet. U.S. space agency NASA hopes to send astronauts to Mars in the mid-2030s and businessman Elon Musk, head of electric car maker Tesla Motors, says he plans to put unmanned spacecraft on Mars from as early as 2018 and have humans there by 2030. The ESA's Woerner said it would take longer. A spacecraft sent to Mars would need rockets and fuel powerful enough to lift back off for the return trip and the humans would need protection from unprecedented physical and mental challenges as well as deep-space radiation. Woerner would like to see a cluster of research laboratories on the moon, at what he calls a "moon village", to replace the International Space Station when its lifetime ends and to test technologies needed to make the trip to Mars. That could be funded and operated by a collection of private and public bodies from around the world, he said in an interview at the ESA's Operations Centre. "There are various companies and public agencies asking to join the club now, so they want to do different things, resource mining, in situ research, tourism and that kind of stuff. There is a big community interested," he told Reuters. "The moon village is a pit stop on the way to Mars," Woerner said, adding that new 3D printing technology could be used to build material and structures out of rocks and dust, doing away with the cost of transporting everything needed for a mission. Story continues "To test how to use lunar material to build some structures, not only houses, but also for a telescope or whatever, will teach us also how to do it on Mars," he said. The ESA, working with Russia, in March sent a spacecraft on a seven-month journey as part of the agency's ExoMars mission, which will use an atmospheric probe to sniff out signs of life on Mars and deploy a lander to test technologies needed for a rover scheduled to follow in 2020. Woerner said Europe was looking at ways to lower the cost of launches but did not plan to copy Elon Musk's SpaceX, which is trying to develop relatively cheap, reusable launch vehicles. "We should not copy. To follow and copy does not bring you into the lead. We are looking for totally different approaches," Woerner said, adding the ESA was examining all manner of new technologies, including air-breathing engines that do not need to tap into oxygen from a spacecraft's tank. (Additional reporting by Reuters TV; Editing by Robin Pomeroy) By Maria Sheahan and Ashutosh Pandey DARMSTADT, Germany (Reuters) - Dreaming of a trip to Mars? You'll have to wait at least 15 years for the technology to be developed, the head of the European Space Agency (ESA) said, putting doubt on claims that the journey could happen sooner. "If there was enough money then we could possibly do it earlier but there is not as much now as the Apollo programme had," ESA Director-General Jan Woerner said, referring to the U.S. project which landed the first people on the moon. Woerner says a permanent human settlement on the moon, where 3D printers could be used to turn moon rock into essential items needed for the two-year trip to Mars, would be a major step toward the red planet. U.S. space agency NASA hopes to send astronauts to Mars in the mid-2030s and businessman Elon Musk, head of electric car maker Tesla Motors, says he plans to put unmanned spacecraft on Mars from as early as 2018 and have humans there by 2030. The ESA's Woerner said it would take longer. A spacecraft sent to Mars would need rockets and fuel powerful enough to lift back off for the return trip and the humans would need protection from unprecedented physical and mental challenges as well as deep-space radiation. Woerner would like to see a cluster of research laboratories on the moon, at what he calls a "moon village", to replace the International Space Station when its lifetime ends and to test technologies needed to make the trip to Mars. That could be funded and operated by a collection of private and public bodies from around the world, he said in an interview at the ESA's Operations Centre. "There are various companies and public agencies asking to join the club now, so they want to do different things, resource mining, in situ research, tourism and that kind of stuff. There is a big community interested," he told Reuters. "The moon village is a pit stop on the way to Mars," Woerner said, adding that new 3D printing technology could be used to build material and structures out of rocks and dust, doing away with the cost of transporting everything needed for a mission. "To test how to use lunar material to build some structures, not only houses, but also for a telescope or whatever, will teach us also how to do it on Mars," he said. The ESA, working with Russia, in March sent a spacecraft on a seven-month journey as part of the agency's ExoMars mission, which will use an atmospheric probe to sniff out signs of life on Mars and deploy a lander to test technologies needed for a rover scheduled to follow in 2020. Woerner said Europe was looking at ways to lower the cost of launches but did not plan to copy Elon Musk's SpaceX, which is trying to develop relatively cheap, reusable launch vehicles. "We should not copy. To follow and copy does not bring you into the lead. We are looking for totally different approaches," Woerner said, adding the ESA was examining all manner of new technologies, including air-breathing engines that do not need to tap into oxygen from a spacecraft's tank. (Additional reporting by Reuters TV; Editing by Robin Pomeroy) (LOS ANGELES) 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. 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. Were 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. Story continues 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. james williamson iggy pop Iggy Pop was interviewed on stage at the Cannes Lions advertising festival by advertising agency Grey chairman Nils Leonard on Wednesday opening up about a range of topics, from his biggest fears, to his favorite ads. James Newell Osterberg, Jr. "Iggy Pop" is credited as the man who invented the stage dive which he still does at gigs to this day at the age of 69. He also lived the rock and roll lifestyle to the fullest, with drug use playing a major part in his formative years. Asked about his biggest fears, Iggy Pop revealed he is terrified of having a stroke and having surgery. He explained he had laser surgery on his eyes in Colombia, before it was legal in the US, after his then-Colombian girlfriend told him he looked "ugly" with his glasses on but he's not interested in having any more operations. "I would not let anybody get inside me with a knife. I don't feel like it. That's just a personal [thing], in which case I would have to buy a funeral yacht, sail off to Cannes. Party myself to death rather than if I needed an operation. Those are the things I think about when things aren't going so well," Iggy Pop said. Asked to reflect on the biggest regrets from his past, Iggy Pop was sad that he didn't spend enough time with his parents as he was growing up and gigging with his early band, the Iguanas, which later became The Stooges. iggy pop "It must have been terribly hard being my parents for a long time ... I had wonderful parents too, who did everything they could for me. I think I wasn't as available to those two people I would have liked to have been later. I wasn't a truant but not as available and I think that's a shame," Iggy said. He joked that he sometimes wonders what it would have been like if he was just a "simple farmer" although he fears he would have probably still become destructive and begun "doing terrible things with sheep." Story continues Despite his hectic early years, which saw Iggy endure serious substance abuse, he says he now feels better now than "when I was 18, 19, 21." "A lot of things I can't do now I could do when I was 25, but I think because I was basically kind of a loony, what's happened with me is that the less I can do, the better off I am. I can't do this and I can't do that but I can do a music show [Iggy presents a weekly show on BBC 6 Music] and I enjoy that and I can do an advert or a part in a film or a radio show and I really enjoy those things," he said. On the subject of advertising, Iggy recalled one of his favorite recent ads: The "too hot for TV" Carl's Jr. burger ad that saw a blonde model walking through a farmer's market and chomping into a burger. Iggy explained he usually skips ads a concept he finds strange because in democracy you usually vote for something, not against something but he stopped to watch this spot. The type of ad he skips? Iggy hates Bud Light's ads: "They have sleazy, good-looking people sliding up to people in bars, with the product in their hands, guzzling the product in the dark, it doesn't do anything for me, kapum!" Iggy then gestured to demonstrate skipping the ad. He also shared some ad ideas of his own. He had some funny ad suggestions to help Volkswagen recover from the damage caused by its emissions scandal: "When I was in college a wonderful spontaneous gesture swept colleges all over America. Kids would try to see how many people they could get into a Volkswagen Beetle ... it would be worth about 25 mea culpas for them. You could do it naked on the internet, with different sorts of people. How many tall people? How many short people? How many Armenians can you put in a Volkswagen? People would forget about the emissions," he said. Another idea was to have Volkswagen come out with a sign that says "naughty" and have a "women in bondage gear" punishing the brand or a giant "Robocop" "That would elicit sympathy for [Volkswagen,] you know, and I bet people wouldn't skip ad either." iggy pop The earlier mention of Armenia was with reference to Kim Kardashian, who he spoke about during the interview "Kim Kardashian has been good for Armenia, that's what I think. Look, she has got a big old Armenian butt, little Armenian legs, she's Armenian, a nice looking Armenian beauty ... I like beautiful things, I even love pretty clouds. There are so many different kinds of beautiful people, beautiful imagery, and beautiful things to appreciate in the world," he said. NOW WATCH: LG pulled off its craziest marketing stunt yet to promote its latest vacuum cleaner More From Business Insider In the 1996 film Independence Day, the Earth repulses powerful invaders from outer space. In the sequel, Independence Day: Resurgence, which Fox releases June 24, the aliens return with more advanced technology, and threaten humankind once again. In the 20 years between the two pics, the technology of filmmaking also underwent a huge transformation, and Roland Emmerich, who directed both, used different tools on the second to realize his dark, apocalyptic vision. The original movie was shot on film with Panavision cameras. Resurgence went all-digital and shot for about 75 days last year on several large 360-degree bluescreen stages at Albuquerque Studios in New Mexico. The cinematographer was Markus Forderer, and the crew included digital imaging technician Jeroen Hendriks, whose profession didnt exist 20 years ago. Hendriks monitored the images as they were captured by digital Red Dragon cameras. My function was to warn Forderer if he was about to go into the danger zone of underexposure, Hendriks says. Roland likes dark and moody scenes, Forderer acknowledges. Usually directors say to their DPs, Make it brighter so I can see the actors faces. But Roland would always say, Make it darker. Resurgence was the first tentpole-sized movie for the 32-year-old Forderer, who says he grew up with digital technology. He has worked on smaller films in his native Germany, and with Emmerich on 2015s Stonewall. Emmerich liked the young cinematographers work and offered him the DP role on the sequel to his epic space-invader drama. Forderer wasnt intimidated by the scope of the project. At the end of the day, he says, you do the same things. You make choices about which cameras and lenses to use, about whether to shoot close-ups, medium or wide, and about how to light it. Of course, Resurgence made far greater use of visual effects than any other film Forderer had lensed. He and Emmerich went with Red cameras, partly for their relatively small size and flexibility, and also because if you know how to expose properly, it gives great results at the high 6K resolutions that are great for visual effects, Forderer says. Story continues Anywhere from one to four cameras were used at a time, depending on the scene. In addition to Dragons, they used some newer Red Weapon cameras which are more compact and lightweight, making them easier to handle in small spaces such as cockpits and shot almost the entire film with Hawk anamorphic lenses. Forderer worked with a camera team of 13 people; the entire grip and electric department numbered about 50. They decided not to use a second unit. If you light for it, its way faster to shoot all the elements yourself, he explains. You work a couple of hours longer at the end of the day to shoot your own inserts. Because of an accelerated production schedule, two colorists worked on Resurgence. Florian Utsi Martin, who had earlier collaborated with both Emmerich and Forderer, helped fashion the films look during the first few weeks of the digital intermediate process. Walter Volpatto, a colorist based at Fotokem in Burbank who had worked on Stonewall, crafted specific scenes for Resurgence; once Martin left, he finished the color for several versions of the film, including its 3D iteration. Forderer stayed in the suite with Volpatto throughout many of the sessions, while Emmerich came in about every other day for reviews and notes. Markus and Roland shared the same vision for the movie, Volpatto says. This made my job very easy. Volpatto appreciates the films somber tone. I think Markus plays the shadows very well, he says. He is not afraid at all to use backlight. The movie has a dark sci-fi look, bold, but theres still plenty of cinematic imagery to look at. Related stories Box Office: 'Independence Day: Resurgence' No Match for 'Finding Dory' Film Review: 'Independence Day: Resurgence' 'The Secret Life of Pets' Tops TV Ad Spending Sriharikota (India) (AFP) - India successfully launched a rocket carrying 20 satellites on Wednesday, setting a new national record as its famously frugal space agency looks to grab a larger slice of the lucrative commercial space market. The rocket blasted off from the southern spaceport of Sriharikota carrying satellites from the US, Germany, Canada and Indonesia, the most in a single Indian mission. Most of the satellites are intended to observe and measure the Earth's atmosphere, while another aims to provide services for amateur radio operators. "Each of these small objects that you are putting into space will carry out their own activity, which is independent of the other, and each of them will live a wonderful life for a finite period," Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman A.S Kiran Kumar told the NDTV news network. The business of putting commercial satellites into space for a fee is growing as phone, Internet and other companies as well as countries seek greater and more high-tech communications. India is competing with other international players for a greater share of that launch market, and is known for its low-cost space programme. - 'Market potential' - Among the 20 satellites launched on Wednesday were 13 from the US including one from a Google-owned company and two from Indian universities. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the launch was a "monumental accomplishment", although it trails Russia's 33 record launched in 2014 and NASA's haul of 29 the year before. "Our space programme has time and again shown the transformative potential of science & technology in people's lives," Modi tweeted. Expert Ajay Lele said the latest test was a "quantum jump" for India which has "made its presence felt even more now by displaying its promising market potential". "India is attracting key foreign players, most importantly the US, in the space market thanks to its cost-effectiveness and credibility," said Lele, a senior fellow at the New Delhi-based Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses. Story continues Lele said he expected ISRO to form a public-private partnership to outsource its growing commercial activity in another three to four years. Last month India successfully launched its first mini space shuttle as it joined the global race to make reusable rockets. In 2013 India sent an unmanned rocket to orbit Mars at a cost of just $73 million compared with NASA's Maven Mars mission which had a $671 million price tag. The successful mission was a source of immense pride in India, which beat rival China in becoming the first Asian country to reach the Red Planet. Modi has often hailed India's budget space technology, quipping in 2014 that a rocket that launched four foreign satellites into orbit had cost less to make than Hollywood film "Gravity". By Mayank Bhardwaj NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India is considering importing an extra 500,000 tonnes of duty-free corn to overcome a shortage after a second straight drought cut output, a government source said on Wednesday. India is traditionally a major corn exporter to Southeast Asia, but higher local prices because of the drought and rising domestic demand have halted exports and forced it to import. In its first international tender, government-backed trader PEC awarded a contract to South Korea's Daewoo International to supply 250,000 tonnes of duty-free yellow non-genetically modified corn. "Indian corn prices have shot up massively and actual users have asked us to facilitate corn imports. That's why the talk of another 500,000 tonnes of imports has started," the official said. Local corn prices have jumped about 15 percent so far in June. The government source, who was not authorized to speak to the media, also said that India was likely to scrap its latest tender to import 50,000 tonnes of corn due to the high price quoted by the sole bidder. The lowest offer in the tender was $254.55 a tonne on a cost and freight (c&f) basis for shipment to the Adani Tuna terminal in the port of Kandla followed by $255.30 a tonne c&f for shipment to other terminals in Kandla. The agency was comfortable with price around $230 c&f, said the official, adding "Sourcing non-gm corn is very difficult and will continue to be difficult until at least September when the new crop will arrive in Europe." India allows imports of only non-genetically modified varieties. Indian farmers grow corn twice a year. The winter crop is planted in October, with harvests in March and April. The summer crop planting has started but supplies will become available only from end September. "Supplies will remain limited until we get new crop. India has to import to check local prices," said a Mumbai-based dealer with a global trading firm. "Quality of winter crop is not very good. Starch manufactures can not use a large part of the harvest. They will be the main buyers of overseas corn," the dealer said. (Additional reporting by Rajendra Jadhav in MUMBAI; Editing by Christian Schmollinger) Indian police have arrested an octogenarian art dealer for possessing hundreds of artefacts thought to have been stolen from Hindu temples, as they probe possible links to international smuggling rackets, officers said Wednesday. G Deenadhayalan, 85, was formally arrested on Tuesday after police carried out multiple raids on his properties in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, leading to the recovery of the cache of idols. Police have called in experts to determine the age of the 275-odd metal and stone statues of Hindu gods, which some specialists say could be hundreds of years old. "Deenadhayalan is booked for conspiring to smuggle idols and idol theft," Pon Manickavel, inspector general of a Tamil Nadu police unit that tracks down stolen idols, told AFP. Deenadhayalan was remanded in custody after appearing in court on Tuesday on initial charges of conspiracy and theft, as well as a charge of smuggling under the Antiquity and Art Treasures Act. The arrest comes after the United States returned more than 200 statues and other artefacts earlier this month to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that were taken from Indian temples. Deenadhayalan's arrest prompted the Tamil Nadu government to order an inventory of idols thought housed in the hundreds of temples and shrines located throughout the state. Smugglers and looters have long been suspected of targeting the temples, many of which are located in remote areas and have been abandoned. Police said they uncovered the suspected racket suspected to have been led by Deenadhayalan after they arrested a gang of thieves carrying stolen idols last month. Police this month conducted lengthy raids on Deenadhayalan's house, warehouse and office where he has run his art business for some three decades. "We have seized substantial evidence to confirm that he had sold several antiques and artefacts to many traders and individuals in Europe, UK and the US," another senior officer involved in the investigation, Prateep V Philip, said. Story continues The arrest comes five years after international art dealer Subhash Kapoor was arrested and extradited to India on charges of running a multi-million dollar international smuggling racket. Police are probing whether Deenadhayalan has any links with Kapoor, who used to own a gallery in Manhattan but is now in jail in the southern Indian city of Chennai awaiting trial. Kapoor denies wrongdoing. "We are yet to confirm Deenadhayalan's connection with Kapoor," said Philip. By Jonathan Stempel (Reuters) - A federal appeals court on Wednesday said a Fort Wayne, Indiana bus system was wrong to refuse to post an ad from a women's health service on its buses after learning that the group opposed abortion rights. The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago said the ad from Women's Health Link was "innocuous," and the decision by the Fort Wayne Public Transportation Corp, or Citilink, to reject it was unconstitutional censorship. Wednesday's 3-0 decision reversed a Jan. 5 ruling by U.S. District Judge Robert Miller in Fort Wayne, and directed that Citilink accept the ad in question. Many public transport providers face lawsuits challenging ad limits that critics say amount to viewpoint discrimination, and violate advertisers' free speech rights. Mark Baeverstad, a lawyer for Citilink, said his client is disappointed in the decision and will review its options. The ad featured a woman's face, the copy "You are not alone. Free resource for women seeking health care," and the website, phone number and logo for Women's Health Link. Upon learning that the group provides services to women who carry their babies to term, Citilink decided that the ad ran afoul of its ban on public service ads advocating positions on political, religious, or moral issues. Writing for the appeals court, however, Circuit Judge Richard Posner said Citilink's ad censorship policy is limited to ad content, and the Women's Health Link ad lacked "the faintest suggestion" of a political, religious or moral agenda. "We know that Health Link is pro-life, but nothing in the ad reveals that," Posner wrote. "Citilink's refusal to post the ad was groundless discrimination against constitutionally protected speech." The plaintiff was represented by Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative advocacy group. A lawyer for ADF did not immediately respond to a request for comment. (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by David Gregorio) Donald Trump Disaster might be too light of a term to describe the recent stretch of days in Donald Trump's quest for the presidency. Over the course of two weeks, Trump has: lambasted a federal judge over his Mexican heritage; delivered highly controversial and oft-condemned responses to the horrific Orlando terror attack; fired his campaign manager; and, through it all, watched as both his poll numbers plummeted and his fundraising hit an unprecedented low. Not ideal. "This was inevitable in a sense, because it is Trump being Trump," Tim Miller, who served as Jeb Bush's communications director during his 2016 presidential run, told Business Insider. "And I think a lot of pundits, including the Trump campaign, completely misunderstood that the nature of the general electorate is so different from the Republican primary electorate that, you know, the same old Trump shtick wasn't going to work. "This was extremely predictable," he said. "The general electorate was increasingly turned off by him even as he was winning primary elections. I don't like to give credence to the idea that he was making some sort of strategic communications calculation. He wasn't. He was just being Trump. This is Trump au naturel." Trump again attempted to somewhat reset his campaign Wednesday, when he delivered a major speech targeting his rival, presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, in New York. He put the focus on Clinton and tried to turn it away from a tumultuous few weeks. "Hillary Clinton may be the most corrupt person ever to seek the presidency," he said. Trump's tailspin began to gain speed when he pressed on for days at the start of June about how US District Judge Gonzalo Curiel could not fairly preside over a civil case involving his for-profit real-estate school, Trump University, because he is of Mexican heritage and Trump is planning on "building a wall" along the US-Mexico border. Donald Trump Story continues Curiel was born in Indiana. Republicans from all sides of the party, in addition to many on the outside, condemned the attacks. It was Trump's first real intraparty self-fueled firestorm since he clinched the nomination in early May. From there, his response to the Orlando terror attack was of great concern to many. Just hours after the attack, Trump responded on Twitter. "Appreciate the congrats for being right on radical Islamic terrorism," he wrote. "I don't want congrats, I want toughness & vigilance. We must be smart!" His poll numbers soon plummeted. He went from taking a very narrow lead over Clinton to dipping about six points behind her in the RealClearPolitics average of several polls. Even worse, a recent Bloomberg poll found that 55% of respondents said they'd "never" vote for Trump, while a CNN poll found that 48% of self-identified Republican and Republican-leaning voters said they wanted the GOP to select a different nominee. Realizing that the tide was really turning against him, Trump made a big move: He ousted campaign manager Corey Lewandowski on Monday in hopes of changing the direction of his fledgling campaign. That came just hours before a devastating campaign finance report was released, showing that Trump raised just about $3 million in May and ended the month with $1.3 million in cash on hand. Compare that with Clinton, who raised roughly $28 million in the month and ended it with nearly $42.5 million in cash on hand. To put Trump's fundraising in perspective: The amount of cash he has on hand at the moment is comparable to some US representatives and candidates running to either retain or take over a House seat. Donald Trump Rick Hasen, a professor at the University of California at Irvine who specializes in campaign finance regulation and election law, told Business Insider that he's never seen such a dismal report on the presidential level. "We've never seen this kind of disparity between the presumptive nominees of the two parties," he told Business Insider. "It's still possible that Trump will be able to turn it around. But he's going in at a very big disadvantage." Miller called the report a "monumental disaster." "There are so many elements of it that are terrible," he said. "Sometimes it's hard to focus on one or two things that's sort of a metaphor for Trump's whole campaign, as a matter of fact." He added that even Trump's claim that he's running a fiscally conservative campaign was proved false by the report. "Trump managed to spend more than he took in in May, without doing any voter contact, without doing any advertising, and without doing any data analytics," he said. "What was he spending the money on? He spent it on overhead for his events, and he spent it on visits to events at Trump properties. Not only has he not raised any money, but the money he is raising is not going to anything that's productive toward winning a general election. It's just a complete farce." Donald Trump Alex Conant, a Republican strategist who worked as Marco Rubio's communications director during his 2016 presidential bid, told Business Insider that being in the red in May is "unheard of in presidential politics." "On the current trajectory, he'll run out of money well before Election Day," he said. "Running for president is a very expensive proposition. And if he's not prepared to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on his own, he needs to build a giant finance network. And he's falling way behind schedule." Pundits have pondered for months whether Trump will "pivot" to being a general-election candidate and it now looks as if he's taking that idea more seriously than ever. But it's no guarantee. "No, no, he's not going to pivot," Miller said. "He's not capable of pivoting." "You know, I joked the other day [about] the old saying fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me," he said. "Trump has fooled some people, like, about 17,000 times, and they're still wanting to be fooled." He said some people are just "wishing and hoping for it to happen." "Even if they put him on a teleprompter for one speech [Wednesday] you know, when he's on the teleprompter he looks like a child who got in trouble at school and his mom or his teacher took the dirty words out of his school presentation he doesn't enjoy that," he said. "And, by the way, it's not going to work." Donald Trump But with bottoming out comes the chance at a rebound and Trump has made some of the most significant changes to his campaign yet. With Lewandowski out, Paul Manafort, another top aide, acquired more power. So far, that's led to the launch of the Trump campaign's rapid-response team, a big fundraising push, and many new hires. Trump himself told "Fox and Friends" on Tuesday that the campaign is going in a "different direction." "We have a group of people, and it's a little bit different," he said. "We're going to be running a little bit different campaign. At the same time, I will say this: We want to keep it lean. I'm not looking to spend all this money. I hear people spend a billion dollars. How do you spend a billion dollars? it's impossible." Hasen, however, said the fundraising efforts have to increase immediately. "The number of fundraising emails has to increase. The number of fundraising events has to increase," he said. "The fundraising staff has to be grown so that it can do its job. One [problem] is he doesn't have the apparatus, another is he isn't doing the asking, and a third is it isn't clear how receptive people will be to giving him money. So that's the other question. Even if he tries, how successful will he be?" Conant said Trump appears to recognize that by continuing the path he's on, he would lose to Clinton by even bigger margins than the polls currently show hence the campaign shakeup and change of direction. "But I don't think personnel issues were the reason for his recent drop in the polls, or the fact that Republicans have not united behind his candidacy," he said. "He doesn't just have organizational problems." The problems, he said, are "much deeper than any one person." Conant quickly corrected himself. "Much deeper than any one staffer," he said. NOW WATCH: Watch the Secret Service jump to protect Sanders after 5 protesters rushed the stage More From Business Insider Like any new parent, 33-year-old Melissa Knobloch wants to keep close watch over her child. To that end, the Harrisburg, Penn. native downloaded a handful of apps that track her 10-week-old sons eating habits, sleep patterns, diaper changes and more. The result of all that data, says Knobloch, was information overload. So she deleted many of the apps, but held on to her bedside video monitor and motion detector. The latter device is meant to alert a parent if their sleeping child is still too long, a tool for preventing Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS. Its more about peace of mind now, says Knobloch of her use of digital parenting aids. Millions of people track the number of steps they take in a day or the quality of their sleep with devices from companies like Fitbit and Apple. Some go much further, keeping precise measurements of their food intake, mood and even surrounding air quality as part of the quantified self movement. The aim of the data-trackers is often to use their autobiographical output to better understand their bodies and improve their physical and mental performance. But fitness tracking devices have long been aimed at adults until recently. New baby-minded gadgets are helping parents like Knobloch track every bit of data generated by their offspring. The result? Todays children could be the first generation to be tracked throughout their lives, as parents turn to digital devices to ensure their offsprings safety and proper development. Take Mimo, for example. The Boston-based company makes a movement and sleeping monitor in the form of a washable crib sheet, as well as an activity monitor for infants. The companys aim is to assist parents, who can often feel overloaded by the daunting task of raising a young child. The one thing were trying to do for parents is help them get better sleep, says Mimo CEO Dulcie Madden. Story continues Another example: Cocoon Cam, a baby monitor that keeps track of childrens heart and respiratory rates, temperature and activity levels. Parents can watch their kids data, along with an audio and video feed, in real-time on their smartphone. Siva Nattamai, the companys Chief Operating Officer and co-founder, says respiration tracking is one of Cocoon Cams more popular features. Its also the one he personally wanted most when his daughter, now two years old, was born. What were trying to do is basically do all of the analyzing for you and tell you that your baby is fine, it slept for eight hours at night, theres nothing to worry about, and that this is normal given the statistics of babies that we know about, says Nattamai. A vastly different approach comes from VersaMe, which created the wearable word-tracking device Starling. Rather than tracking a babys internal metrics, Starling records the number of verbal exchanges between children and their parents or caretakers. The company claims that resulting data can help parents get an idea of whether theyre speaking and engaging with their children in a meaningful way. Together, the goal of these devices is to provide some piece of mind for parents that their child is safe or developing normally (though none are substitutes for regular visits to the doctor). Consider them the modern, high-tech interpretation of the bedside walkie-talkie, which helped parents of the past keep an ear out for crying or other signs of distress. Still, experts like Dr. Wendy Sue Swanson, executive director of digital health at Seattle Childrens Hospital, caution that over-tracking can be a problem of its own, as it was for Knobloch. She says that its unclear if pediatricians will benefit from seeing the data collected by some of these devices, for instance. (Adults who bring their Fitbit data to physicians might have the same problem.) She also cautions that infant wearables should augment parenthood, not replace it. Were in the infancy of these infant trackers, says Swanson. But that doesnt mean these devices are useless. For Knobloch, the secret was finding the right mix of parenting tech that help her keep tabs on her newborn without adding to her stress levels. It really helps me kind of reflect at the end of the day as a new mom and say, Okay youre doing this right,' says Knobloch. It was good to reflect back and see that hes sleeping. You do wind up second-guessing yourself. Twenty first century black women advocating on behalf of black girls are building momentum around policy and research meant to address with precision the age-, race-, and gender-specific problems of black girls. At the top of the agenda of activists, funders, and even the White House, is the criminalization of black girls. In publications such as Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools (2016) by Monique M. Morris, and the African American Policy Forums 2015 report entitled Black Girls Matter: Pushed Out, Overpoliced and Underprotected, scholars have analyzed the distinct processes that lead to black girls run-ins with school discipline and the juvenile justice system, emphasizing the need for an intersectional understanding of the complexities of contemporary black American girlhood. Todays advocates for black girls are stepping into a long tradition of black womens organized intervention on behalf of criminalized black girls. Viewing the activism of late nineteenth and early twentieth century black women through the lens of Kimberle Crenshaws concept of intersectionality reveals the nuanced nature of their approach to this issue. Organized black women (most notably through the National Association of Colored Womens Clubs and its state subsidiaries) studied, opposed, and worked to transform the status of the criminalized black girla status which, in the post-Emancipation South, could include incarceration with adults. They argued three points: 1) black girlhood was a distinct time of vulnerability and potential, 2) delinquent black girls in particular were worthy of protection, and 3) state governments were obligated to participate in the work of reforming delinquent black girls. The case of Virginia illustrates the intersectional nature of black womens critique of the criminalization of black girls. Until 1891, criminalized black and white youth of both sexes were incarcerated with adults in county jails or the State Penitentiary. As the nineteenth century came to a close, state officials pleaded for the establishment of juvenile reformatories. Private organizations in Virginia ultimately heeded this callnot until 1920 were the reformatories transferred to the state. The Prison Association of Virginia founded the Virginia Industrial School for [White] Boys in 1891. The Negro Reformatory Association built the Virginia Manual Labor School for Colored Boys in 1900. A coalition of civic and religious organizations established the Virginia Home and Industrial School for [White] Girls in 1910. In 1915, black girls at last gained access to a reformatory due to the advocacy of the Virginia State Federation of Colored Womens Clubs (established 1907). Story continues At the 1910 Virginia Child Welfare Conference, Virginia Federation of Colored Womens Clubs president Janie Porter Barrett gave an address entitled The Need of a Reformatory for Colored Girls. In it, she delivered an intersectional analysis of the problem of the delinquent black girl, a subject situated at the nexus of gender violence, racial oppression, and the denial of black childhood. In dealing with the problem of the delinquent boy and the delinquent girl, we must keep it clear before us that we mean different kinds of delinquency. The fault which makes the girl an offender of law and order, in a boy is overlooked and goes unpunished. Society has yet to learn that the personal immorality of the boy brings just as much crime, disease and illegitimacy as the personal immorality of the girl. Until this lesson is learned the wayward girl problem will continue to be most difficult. The fact we must face is that it is just as dangerous to leave a wayward girl in the community uncared for, as it would be to leave a case of smallpox or yellow fever uncared for. Immorality is a disease just as contagious and far more deadly. Here, Barrett articulates the gendered construction of the category of juvenile delinquent. Boys and girls, she argues, experience different consequences for the same behaviors. The female member of a sexually active heterosexual couple could reliably expect legal and social sanctions. The boy, however, would not be held accountable for personal immorality, even though boys sexual exploration could be as much, if not more, of a source of social disorder in the form of venereal disease and illegitimacy. Barrett goes on to say, The wayward girl problem is not a race problem, but a community problem, and every home is in danger. The negro girl because of previous conditions, I suppose, has no rights that any man, white or black, feels bound to respect. No indignity or crime heaped upon her offends society, and in very few cases does it offend the law; so beyond a doubt she is the most unprotected of all human beings. When we find her running the wayward girl record high, indeed, we cant expect any more. This segment of the address reflects the national consensus of black womens organizations that both law and American social norms failed to recognize and protect black girlhood. Barrett traces the raced nature of the wayward girl problem back to slaveryinvoking the 1857 Dred Scott decision, in which the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed that black people were never intended to enjoy legal rights in America. In this context, Barrett argues, black girls could suffer sexual victimization (indignity or crime) with complete impunity because their young bodies were neither protected by law nor socially considered to be out of bounds. Sexually precocious black adolescent girls, or girls who were victimized sexually, were perceived as merely acting out their racially prescribed role of sexual availabilitynot as needing moral redirection. Barrett goes on to detail black womens institution-building efforts, and to subtly relay her expectation that the state of Virginia would eventually fulfill its obligation to care for its vulnerable black female children. She states: The women of the State Federation of Colored Womens Clubs of Virginia realizing that something must be done, and done quickly, have taken as their special work the erecting of an industrial home school for wayward girlsOur plan is to build it on the cottage plan, which will enable the girls to get the home training that would not be possible to get in any other way. A cottage with a good woman at its head, who will give a group of girls the love and sympathy they need, can work wonders in making these girls into respectable, useful women. When we have done our best we are going to appeal to our white friends and the State for assistance, and, after all that I have heard in these meetings about cooperation, I feel sure that we will not appeal in vain. Jones pic 2 Barretts articulation of the club womens vision for their reformatory reveals the centrality of girlhood to their reform project. She constructs black girls as subjects needing home training, love, and sympathy from mature women in order to develop into respectable, useful women. Barrett and her colleagues operated from the assumption that black women and black girls occupied two discrete life stages. The stable, homelike environment these women envisioned would shield black girls from punitive settings that elided age difference among black female inmates, enabling them to enjoy the protections to which they were entitled as children and adolescents. Jones pic 1 Five years after this address, Virginias black activist women succeeded in opening the Virginia Industrial Home School for Wayward Colored Girls. Janie Porter Barrett led the school as superintendent from its opening in 1915, through its transition to state ownership in 1920, and until her retirement in 1940. Situated on a sprawling farm in Hanover County, this institution was home to over eight hundred girls over the course of Barretts superintendency. In annual reports between 1916 and 1939, Barretts descriptions of life at the school are occasionally interspersed with astute assessments of the ways in which systems of race- and gender-based oppression shape the life chances of her charges. One century after this school was founded, the criminalization of black girls still illustrates the extent to which the categories of blackness and girlhood exist in tension. From positions of influence unavailable to prior generations of black women, advocates for black girls continue to study, oppose, and work to change this reality, articulating a relentlessly intersectional analysis of the simultaneous vulnerability and potential of criminalized black girls. See for instance Geoff Ward, The Black Child Savers: Racial Democracy and Juvenile Justice (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2012); Talitha LeFlouria, Chained in Silence: Black Women and Convict Labor in the New South (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2015); and Sarah Haley, No Mercy Here: Gender, Punishment, and the Making of Jim Crow Modernity (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2016). Paul W. Keve, The History of Corrections in Virginia (Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1986). Virginia Conference of Charities and Corrections. Proceedings, Virginia Child Welfare Conference (Richmond: Davis Bottom, Superintendent of Public Printing, 1911): 118. Ibid. Ibid. This post originally appeared on The African American Intellectual History Society Blog and is reprinted here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Featured image courtesy of Pixabay. Water. We drink it, we swim in it and it's vital to human life. Despite being the world's most precious resource, many people are only beginning to realize it's becoming scarce. Think back to Kevin Costner's 1995 post-apocalyptic film, "Waterworld," where the polar ice caps had melted and earth was covered by the rising seas. Drifter pirate-types searched for land and fresh water. Many laughed off the science fiction. According to a recent report by the United Nations, the world will only have 60 percent of the water it needs by 2030 without significant global policy change. Now as governments and businesses -- even French wine investors -- are seeking higher ground with a warming climate and rising sea levels, many still haven't considered investing in water. "It doesn't seem to be getting the attention it deserves," says Deborah Fox, CEO and founder of Essential Planning Services, a wealth management firm in San Diego. "Water is an essential commodity and resource for the world. There are no substitutes. You can't manufacture something that can compete with it. It's potentially a great investing opportunity because it hasn't been discovered yet." [See: 11 Ways President Trump's Tax Plan Could Affect Americans.] Where is the industry going? With an investing environment that has offered low yields, lower expectations of returns and an active Federal Reserve, many investors are looking for ways to access alternative investments and have used commodities to hedge their funds. The emergence of water-specific exchange-traded funds continues the trend of commodities being viewed as a dedicated asset class within portfolios, says Russell Robertson, owner of Alidade Wealth Partners, a wealth management firm in Atlanta. This trend started with oil, gold and broad commodities, and has since expanded into infrastructure, natural resources and individual resources such as water. Many broad commodities funds, such as the like PowerShares DB Commodity Index Tracking ETF (ticker: DBC) with its basket of investments in oil, gas, sugar, corn and soybeans, don't contain a water component. Story continues Most commodity-focused ETFs hold futures contracts, but there isn't a future market on water yet. That leaves investors to focus on equities that are involved in this space. What to consider. Unlike investing in gold, water-focused ETFs don't track the price of water, says Cooper Mitchell, investment advisor representative for Dane Financial in Springfield, Missouri. Instead, water ETFs invest in companies that create products or build infrastructure to purify or conserve water, or embrace new technologies within the water industry's wastewater, desalination and potable water sectors. "You're essentially investing in the idea that water is becoming scarce," Mitchell says. "By investing in an ETF, you're saying, 'I believe the industry is going to do well, but I don't know which company is going to do well so I'm going to invest in all of them to diversify my risk.'" There's also an unknown any time investors get involved in the actions of individual countries where large-scale government contracts are awarded to private companies. "It may be hard to see where the profits of the private companies come in," Robertson says. Still, he says, "the issues of water access and management tend to be more acute overseas than they are in the U.S., so it probably makes sense to invest in a globally focused water ETF." Where to look. Equity-income ETFs are traded like stocks, but are similar to mutual funds, thanks to the variety of stocks that are comprised within it. Investors should start by comparing the gross expense ratios (the lower the better) and past performance relative to others in the group and rate of return (the higher the better). [See: 8 Soaring Stocks That Suffered the Big Bounce.] Industry experts point to First Trust ISE Water Index Fund (FIW), which has 35 holdings in small- and mid-capitalization markets and includes assets in Energy Recovery (ERII), a company focused on desalination, California Water Service Group (CWT), a San Jose, California-based water utility and Companhia De Saneamento Basico Do (SBS), a water and sewage service provider in Sao Paulo, Brazil. "They only have a 17 percent turnover of the stocks they are holding within the ETF," Fox says. "So they are hugging their index more traditionally." FIW has a relatively small expense ratio of 0.57 percent, or $57 annually per $10,000 invested, a history of good returns and a small dividend yield of 0.63 percent that brings investors a little income. "This one far out exceeds everyone else," Mitchell says. Another ETF is the Guggenheim S&P Global Water Index ETF (CGW). With an expense ratio of 0.64 percent, this CGW invests in companies across all capitalizations and includes 49 securities. Top holdings include American Water Works Co. (AWK), Xylem (XYL) and Aqua America (WTR). Expense ratios in water ETFs are higher than a typical equity ETF because this is a niche investment and doesn't have liquidity as other assets. Investors could be looking for wider spreads when trading, so it is best if you're going to invest in water as an asset allocation to combine it with your overall portfolio and have it make up no more than 5 percent, Robertson says. Water ETFs may be the best option. When wanting to invest in water-focused companies, Fox says she initially looked at investing in mutual funds such as Calvert Global Water Fund (CFWAX) and AllianzGI Global Water Fund (AWTAX), but didn't like the high expense ratios of 1.82 percent and 1.44 percent, respectively. "The thing we didn't like about the mutual funds was the expense charges are pricey," Fox says. "When you are getting into specialty funds and something new it's not unusual, but it's an immediate drag on performance." Fox says she also didn't like Calvert's 100 percent turnover rate of all the stocks in the fund, which is why she turned to water ETFs. Even though water ETFs aren't widely available yet, Mitchell says that will likely change. [See: 11 Stocks That Donald Trump Loves.] "I think investing in water and water ETFs will become more popular in the future," Mitchell says. "You want to invest in things that aren't at their peak. Now's a pretty good time to get in it, because it's not as popular as it will get." Dawn Reiss is an award-winning journalist in Chicago who has written for TIME, Reuters, Chicago Tribune, The Atlantic and Travel + Leisure and many other publications. Follow her on Twitter, Google+ and Instagram @dawnreiss. Water. We drink it, we swim in it and it's vital to human life. Despite being the world's most precious resource, many people are only beginning to realize it's becoming scarce. Think back to Kevin Costner's 1995 post-apocalyptic film, "Waterworld," where the polar ice caps had melted and earth was covered by the rising seas. Drifter pirate-types searched for land and fresh water. Many laughed off the science fiction. According to a recent report by the United Nations, the world will only have 60 percent of the water it needs by 2030 without significant global policy change. Now as governments and businesses -- even French wine investors -- are seeking higher ground with a warming climate and rising sea levels, many still haven't considered investing in water. "It doesn't seem to be getting the attention it deserves," says Deborah Fox, CEO and founder of Essential Planning Services, a wealth management firm in San Diego. "Water is an essential commodity and resource for the world. There are no substitutes. You can't manufacture something that can compete with it. It's potentially a great investing opportunity because it hasn't been discovered yet." [See: 11 Ways President Trump's Tax Plan Could Affect Americans.] Where is the industry going? With an investing environment that has offered low yields, lower expectations of returns and an active Federal Reserve, many investors are looking for ways to access alternative investments and have used commodities to hedge their funds. The emergence of water-specific exchange-traded funds continues the trend of commodities being viewed as a dedicated asset class within portfolios, says Russell Robertson, owner of Alidade Wealth Partners, a wealth management firm in Atlanta. This trend started with oil, gold and broad commodities, and has since expanded into infrastructure, natural resources and individual resources such as water. Many broad commodities funds, such as the like PowerShares DB Commodity Index Tracking ETF (DBC) with its basket of investments in oil, gas, sugar, corn and soybeans, don't contain a water component. Story continues Most commodity-focused ETFs hold futures contracts, but there isn't a future market on water yet. That leaves investors to focus on equities that are involved in this space. What to consider. Unlike investing in gold, water-focused ETFs don't track the price of water, says Cooper Mitchell, investment advisor representative for Dane Financial in Springfield, Missouri. Instead, water ETFs invest in companies that create products or build infrastructure to purify or conserve water, or embrace new technologies within the water industry's wastewater, desalination and potable water sectors. "You're essentially investing in the idea that water is becoming scarce," Mitchell says. "By investing in an ETF, you're saying, 'I believe the industry is going to do well, but I don't know which company is going to do well so I'm going to invest in all of them to diversify my risk.'" There's also an unknown any time investors get involved in the actions of individual countries where large-scale government contracts are awarded to private companies. "It may be hard to see where the profits of the private companies come in," Robertson says. Still, he says, "the issues of water access and management tend to be more acute overseas than they are in the U.S., so it probably makes sense to invest in a globally focused water ETF." Where to look. Equity-income ETFs are traded like stocks, but are similar to mutual funds, thanks to the variety of stocks that are comprised within it. Investors should start by comparing the gross expense ratios (the lower the better) and past performance relative to others in the group and rate of return (the higher the better). [See: 8 Soaring Stocks That Suffered the Big Bounce.] Industry experts point to First Trust ISE Water Index Fund (FIW), which has 35 holdings in small- and mid-capitalization markets and includes assets in Energy Recovery (ERII), a company focused on desalination, California Water Service Group (CWT), a San Jose, California-based water utility and Companhia De Saneamento Basico Do (SBS), a water and sewage service provider in Sao Paulo, Brazil. "They only have a 17 percent turnover of the stocks they are holding within the ETF," Fox says. "So they are hugging their index more traditionally." FIW has a relatively small expense ratio of 0.57 percent, or $57 annually per $10,000 invested, a history of good returns and a small dividend yield of 0.63 percent that brings investors a little income. "This one far out exceeds everyone else," Mitchell says. Another ETF is the Guggenheim S&P Global Water Index ETF (CGW). With an expense ratio of 0.64 percent, this CGW invests in companies across all capitalizations and includes 49 securities. Top holdings include American Water Works Co. (AWK), Xylem (XYL) and Aqua America (WTR). Expense ratios in water ETFs are higher than a typical equity ETF because this is a niche investment and doesn't have liquidity as other assets. Investors could be looking for wider spreads when trading, so it is best if you're going to invest in water as an asset allocation to combine it with your overall portfolio and have it make up no more than 5 percent, Robertson says. Water ETFs may be the best option. When wanting to invest in water-focused companies, Fox says she initially looked at investing in mutual funds such as Calvert Global Water Fund (CFWAX) and AllianzGI Global Water Fund (AWTAX), but didn't like the high expense ratios of 1.82 percent and 1.44 percent, respectively. "The thing we didn't like about the mutual funds was the expense charges are pricey," Fox says. "When you are getting into specialty funds and something new it's not unusual, but it's an immediate drag on performance." Fox says she also didn't like Calvert's 100 percent turnover rate of all the stocks in the fund, which is why she turned to water ETFs. Even though water ETFs aren't widely available yet, Mitchell says that will likely change. [See: 11 Stocks That Donald Trump Loves.] "I think investing in water and water ETFs will become more popular in the future," Mitchell says. "You want to invest in things that aren't at their peak. Now's a pretty good time to get in it, because it's not as popular as it will get." More From US News & World Report DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Wednesday he hoped that Tehran's deal with U.S. planemaker Boeing (BA.N) would pave the way for finalizing another contract with its European rival Airbus (AIR.PA). Boeing said on Tuesday it has signed an agreement to sell jetliners to IranAir. The tentative agreement marks Boeing's first sale of aircraft to Iran since the country's Islamic Revolution in 1979. The agreement helps the U.S. aerospace and defense company catch up with a $27 billion, 118-plane order Iran placed with Airbus in January. Both deals are conditional on receiving export licenses from the U.S. Treasury due to significant U.S. technology in all modern jetliners, whether built by Boeing or Airbus. "We thought to speed up our ties with Airbus, we should make a deal with Boeing first. Now we feel the situation is ripe for both," said Foreign Minister Zarif in a meeting with the foreign affairs commission of the French Senate in Paris, according to Iran's ILNA news agency. An Iranian official told Reuters on Wednesday that the provisional deal between Iran and Boeing covers 109 aircraft, including Boeing's 737, 777 and 747 models. (Reporting by Bozorgmehr Sharafedin in Dubai and Tim Hepher in Paris; Editing by Susan Fenton) Baghdad (AFP) - Iraqi forces hunted jihadist fighters in their last Fallujah redoubts Wednesday as tens of thousands of displaced civilians massed in overcrowded camps around the city. A month exactly after the offensive against the Islamic State group's bastion was launched, progress on the military front exceeded expectations but so did the scope of the ensuing humanitarian crisis. "The northern and central parts of Fallujah have almost been cleared of Daesh," Lieutenant General Abdulwahab al-Saadi told AFP, using an Arabic acronym for IS. "There are few IS fighters left, only in the Al-Muallemin and Jolan neighbourhoods in the north of the city," said Saadi, the overall commander of the Fallujah offensive. "The militants in Jolan are offering some resistance but we're pushing back and we've killed a number of them," he said. Operations against IS in northern Fallujah were being conducted by the elite counter-terrorism service and forces from the federal and provincial police. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi launched the offensive against the jihadist stronghold, 50 kilometres (30 miles) west of Baghdad, a month ago. After an initial phase of staging operations to encircle Fallujah, elite federal forces stormed the city centre and were able to gain the upper hand relatively quickly. Abadi declared victory on June 17, saying only small pockets of IS fighters remained after Iraqi forces raised the national flag over the main government compound in the city centre. Saadi and other Iraqi commanders have said government forces controlled at least three-quarters of the city. Christopher Garver, the spokesman of the US-led coalition assisting Iraqi forces, said Tuesday that by the US military's definition, only a third of the city had been cleared. US forces battling one of IS's previous incarnations in 2004 suffered some of their worst losses since the Vietnam War in Fallujah, despite huge numerical and technological superiority. Story continues Iraqi forces who have been reconquering swathes of territory lost to IS two years ago had been expected to face their toughest battle yet and IS fighters to defend their emblematic bastion to the death. - More aid agencies needed - Tens of thousands of starving civilians, who had been living virtually besieged under IS rule in and around Fallujah, fled their homes and filled hastily expanded displacement camps. The influx of families however caught the aid community flat-footed and relief organisations admitted the response was inadequate. "We have to admit that the humanitarian community has also failed the Iraqi people," said Nasr Muflahi, Iraq head of the Norwegian Refugee Council. "There are serious funding shortfalls, but there is no justification why there aren't more aid agencies helping the people of Fallujah," he said. As already existing camps filled way beyond capacity, other camps were being set up but the newly displaced families arriving there often found nothing to sleep on or under, nothing to eat or drink. At a camp in Khaldiyeh, on the shores of Lake Habbaniyah west of Fallujah, Intikha Mohammed and her three children had to share a two mattresses with 10 other people. "We have nothing here, just the clothes we are wearing. My four-month-old son is sick, I don't have enough milk for him and there's no milk powder at the camp," she said. Her tiny boy Ziad, lay all swaddled up on a piece of tarpaulin, sleeping with a baby bottle dangling from his lips as gusts of burning wind filled the tent with orange dust. More than 80,000 people have been displaced since the start of the Fallujah offensive, bringing to more than 3.3 million the number of Iraqis forced from their homes by conflict since the start of 2014. Nearly half of them are from the vast province of Anbar, which lies in the heart of the rapidly unravelling "caliphate" the Islamic State group proclaimed over large parts of Iraq and Syria two years ago. Abadi has said the next target for his forces was Mosul, IS's defacto capital in Iraq and the country's second city. Counter-terrorism service troops working their way north along the Tigris have gained ground recently, setting their sights on the town of Qayyarah, which is to become a major launchpad for the liberation of Mosul. "Our troops yesterday were able to break the first line of defence IS had set up," a top CTS commander, Abdelghani al-Assadi, told AFP from the scene. "IS had hoped to hold on to this area but they were denied," he said, adding that his forces would next attack the town of Shergat. Lille (France) (AFP) - Robbie Brady admitted to being in dreamland after his late winner over Italy took the Republic of Ireland into the knockout stage of Euro 2016 on Wednesday. "It's what dreams are made of. We have done the job for everyone who came to see us and all the Irish fans around the world," said Brady, whose 85th-minute goal in Lille secured a 1-0 win that took Ireland through as one of the best third-place sides. "It is a proud night for myself and fantastic for the team." Brady's goal came from a Wes Hoolahan cross just moments after Hoolahan had missed a glorious chance to put Ireland ahead, shooting straight at Salvatore Sirigu. "I think the chance Wes had before, it was a massive moment but the ball got caught under his feet a bit. "But he showed his character to put in a fantastic ball. He put it right on my head and I'd have done well to miss. "It was our last chance to go and push ourselves through. We rode our luck a couple of times, with them hitting the post (through Lorenzo Insigne), but we stuck at it and got the result we deserved in the end." Ireland next face hosts France in Lyon on Sunday. ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Three suspected Islamic State militants were arrested in Istanbul late on Tuesday after a tip-off they had planned an attack on a transgender march, Dogan News Agency said. The suspects - one Turkish national and two from Russia's volatile Dagestan - were ordered held in custody pending formal charges by an Istanbul court, the agency added. There was no immediate comment from authorities. The reported arrests came after police late last week confiscated suicide vests during raids in two Istanbul suburbs. Officers said they had acted on intelligence reports the Sunni hardline group was plotting to attack the "Trans Pride" rally on June 19. Authorities banned that march, citing security concerns and riot police fired tear gas and rubber pellets to disperse around 50 people who turned up. Istanbul's governor has also banned a gay pride march scheduled for this coming Sunday, but campaigners say they will press on with the parade. Dogan cited counter-terrorism police as saying the three suspects had traveled to war zones under Islamic State rule but did not specify where. Islamic State has increasingly targeted NATO member Turkey, bordering Iraq and Syria where the group has seized large swathes of territory. The group has been blamed for two suicide bombings in Istanbul this year and has carried out targeted killings in the southern cities of Gaziantep and Sanliurfa, both hubs for Syrian activists trying to document the war. Istanbul has held gay pride parades since 2003, attracting tens of thousands of marchers, but last year's was broken up by police. Unlike many other predominately Muslim countries, homosexuality is not a crime in Turkey, but hostility toward gay people remains widespread. Dagestan borders Chechnya, where Moscow fought two wars against Islamist separatists before regaining control of the region. A patchwork of ethnicities and languages, it has become a hub of militant Islam in the North Caucasus, and some militant groups have sworn allegiance to Islamic State. (Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk; Editing by Ayla Jean Yackley and Andrew Heavens) By Tova Cohen TEL AVIV (Reuters) - Israel's Justice Ministry is drafting legislation that would enable it to order Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and other social media to remove online postings it deems to be inciting terrorism. "We are working on draft legislation, similar to what is being done in other countries; one law that would allow for a judicial injunction to order the removal of certain content, such as websites that incite to terrorism," Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked said. "There should be some measure of accountability for Internet companies regarding the illegal activities and content that is published through their services," Shaked told a cybersecurity conference in Tel Aviv this week. Israel blames a wave of Palestinian attacks which erupted in October last year on incitement to violence by the Palestinian leadership and on social media. Palestinian leaders say many attackers have acted out of desperation in the absence of movement towards creating an independent Palestinian state. A spokeswoman for Shaked said it was too early to say what measures or sanctions might be included in the law, which would need parliamentary approval, but that it was likely to be similar to those introduced in France. France has made far-reaching changes to surveillance laws since the attacks on Charlie Hebdo last year. It has taken steps to blacklist jihadi sites that "apologize for terrorism", but stopped short of using such laws to censor major Internet services. "The legislation ... will focus on removing prohibited content, with an emphasis on terrorist content, or blocking access to prohibited content," Shaked's spokeswoman said. Governments around the world have been grappling with how to block online incitement to criminal activity, while major Internet services have stepped up campaigns to identify and remove Web postings that incite violence. Facebook, Google and Twitter are working more aggressively to combat online propaganda and recruiting by Islamic militants while trying to avoid the perception they are helping the authorities police the Web. Turkey has regularly censored YouTube, Facebook and Twitter in domestic political disputes. In 2015, more than 90 percent of all court orders for Twitter to remove illegal content worldwide came from Turkey, the company has reported. Russia has used anti-terrorist laws to censor independent web sites, media organizations and global Internet sites, while China's tightly controlled Internet blocks what it considers terrorist propaganda under general laws against incitement to criminal activity. Shaked said governments and Internet services need to find ways to cooperate so that companies can quickly take down content deemed criminal that has been published on their platform. "We are promoting cooperation with content providers, sensitizing them as to content that violates Israeli law or the provider's terms of service," Shaked said. A spokesman for Facebook in Israel declined to comment. Google's YouTube subsidiary has clear policies that prohibit content like gratuitous violence, hate speech and incitement to commit violent acts, a company spokesman said. "We remove videos violating these policies when flagged by our users. We also terminate any account registered by a member of a designated 'foreign terrorist organization'," he said. (Additional reporting by Eric Auchard in Frankfurt; Editing by Dominic Evans) Jerusalem (AFP) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet US Secretary of State John Kerry on Sunday in Rome to discuss stalled peace efforts with the Palestinians, US and Israeli officials said. An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Netanyahu and Kerry would tackle "issues relating to security and peace." US State Department spokesman John Kirby said several issues would be on the agenda, but observers have noted that the meeting comes ahead of a report by the Quartet on the peace process. This diplomatic contact group -- the United Nations, the European Union, the United States and Russia -- is expected to be critical of Israeli policies in the occupied West Bank. "There are plenty of issues coming up that merit Israel and the United States' discussion," Kirby said, citing regional counter-terrorism efforts and the crisis in Syria. "The Quartet is preparing a report on the situation of the ground. It will include recommendations that will help inform international discussions on the best way to advance a two-state solution." Kirby said the report would "largely" reflect the Quartet's previous statement in September last year. This, among other concerns, cited Israel's "ongoing settlement activity and the high rate of demolition of Palestinian structures" as "dangerously imperiling the viability" of a two-state -- one Israeli and one Palestinian -- solution. Netanyahu recently spoke over the phone with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini. And on Tuesday he called Russian President Vladimir Putin and discussed "key aspects of the Palestinian-Israeli peace process," according to a Russian statement. The Israeli premier will also meet UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in Jerusalem on Monday. The UN chief will be in Israel and the Palestinian territories as part of a Middle East tour. On Monday, EU foreign ministers backed a French initiative to organise an international conference on the Middle East, aimed at restarting Israeli-Palestinian peace talks deadlocked since 2014. Story continues The European Union has been pressing hard to get the peace process back on track based on a two-state solution. Netanyahu is opposed to the French initiative and has described it as an "international diktat" that should not come in the place of direct talks with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas. The Palestinians support the international community's involvement, saying that years of talks with Israel have not yielded their desired results. A statement from Netanyahu's office said the premier would also be meeting with Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi during his visit to Rome. By Philip Pullella ROME (Reuters) - Italy's anti-establishment 5-Star movement, buoyed by big gains in local elections, has pressed demands for a referendum on whether to keep the euro, something that would add to a wave of plebiscites shaking politics across Europe. The fact that Britain is holding a referendum on whether to remain in the European Union showed the bloc was flawed and Italy needed to rethink its relations to the EU, 5-Star's Luigi Di Maio, vice president of the lower house of parliament, said. Marine Le Pen, the leader of France's National Front, has said she wants a vote on EU membership. "All EU countries should have a referendum," she told TF1 television. "The EU is in meltdown, its falling apart." In recent months, the Netherlands has had a referendum on EU-Ukraine ties, and Italy on drilling rights, while Switzerland, which often holds plebiscites, is still at odds with the EU over a 2014 vote forcing the government to impose quotas on migrants from the bloc. "We want a consultative referendum on the euro," Di Maio said during a talk show. "The euro as it is today does not work. We either have alternative currencies or a 'Euro 2'." 5-Star has suggested Europe adopt two different currencies, one for the rich north and another for southern countries. Any referendum on the euro would be merely a test of public opinion because Italian law does not allow such votes to change international treaties. It would also require a lengthy parliamentary procedure to organize and would be highly unlikely unless 5-Star first won power at a national election. But if it were to eventually produce a popular rejection of the euro it would send a clear signal to the government. Supporters of 5-Star say Sunday's mayoral election results, where the party won in 19 of the 20 cities that went to a runoff vote, including the capital Rome the northern industrial city Turin, as a possible springboard to national rule. Its founder Beppe Grillo has also called for a referendum on whether Italy should stay in the European Union. "We are now waiting for the results of the Brexit referendum. The mere fact that a country like Great Britain is holding a referendum on whether to leave the EU signals the failure of the European Union," Di Maio said. Last week, Nigel Farage, leader of the pro-Brexit UK Independence Party, said the victory of 5-Star's Virginia Raggi as Rome's first woman mayor, followed by a British vote to leave the EU in Thursday's referendum, would be the start of the disintegration of the EU. (Writing by Philip Pullella and Andrew Heavens; Additional reporting by Gavin Jones; Editing by Robin Pomeroy) American history is rife with influential first ladies, from Abigail Adams and Edith Wilson to Nancy Reagan and Hillary Clinton. In fact, Mrs. Wilson was in essence the functional president after Woodrow Wilson suffered a stroke that left him partly paralyzed. By contrast, first daughters such as Amy Carter and Malia and Sasha Obama have largely been kept out of the public eye or trotted out only for photo ops. Ivanka Trump (or Chelsea Clinton) could dramatically change that role. Slideshow: 11 First Ladies Who Wielded Enormous Power Dismissed Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski said Monday that he doesnt know why he was fired. In a brief interview with CNNs Dana Bash, Lewandowski burned no bridges to the Trump campaign, but the Internet was sizzling with stories that he had been ousted by Ivanka. While Trumps third wife, Melania, dutifully gives interviews and adds glamour to the victory tableaus that became a staple of the billionaires primary night victories, it is daughter Ivanka who is said to have her fathers ear when it comes to political decisions. An article in Politico last fall by Trump biographer Michael DAntonio, The Quiet Power Behind the Trump Throne, described a self-assured woman with a thoughtful, measured approach that stands in stark contrast to her fathers shoot-from-the-lip persona. At 34, Ivanka is a mother of three, a businesswoman in her own right with a fashion line and an executive vice-president of the Trump Organization. Last August, before the Trump primary juggernaut began, the Politico piece says Fox commentator Sean Hannity asked the new candidate whom he counted on most for advice. The first name Trump mentioned was Ivanka, who had introduced him when he announced the start of his campaign the previous June. And biographer DAntonio singles out Ivanka as the offspring from whom Trump would most likely take advice although he has said the person whose counsel he trusts most is the face in the mirror. Story continues Until her fathers first serious entry into national politics, the Politico piece says Ivankas most political moment was hosting a 2013 fund-raiser for Democrat Cory Booker, the former mayor of Newark who is now a U.S. senator from New Jersey. (Booker has not hidden his interest in being presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clintons running mate, and should he be chosen, there would be a certain irony in the fact that Trump money and support helped in a small way to further his rapid rise.) Related: Trump, the Gift That Keeps on Giving to Democrats Ivanka is married to Jared Kushner, the scion of another New York real estate family and publisher of The New York Observer, who is also said to be having an increasing say in the Trump campaign. (In another possible ironic twist, Kushners father Charles, a Democratic donor, pleaded guilty to illegal campaign contributions, tax evasion and witness tampering in 2004 and was sentenced to two years in prison in a deal negotiated by then U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey Chris Christie, who is now a possible running mate for Trump.) While Ivanka could become the most powerful first daughter in history, so could her friend Chelsea Clinton. Hillarys daughter has been deeply involved in her mothers candidacy and campaign but took time off to give birth to her second child, a son who arrived on Saturday. Like Ivanka Trump, Chelsea Clinton, 36, is described as deliberate and disciplined. And while Ivanka is an executive in the family business, Chelsea is now vice-chair of the much-scrutinized Clinton Foundation, after working as a McKinsey consultant, a Wall Street analyst and a $600,000-a-year NBC correspondent. She also was out on the public-speaking circuit prior to the campaign. Ivanka and Chelsea have one more thing in common: Both can be expected to bring a Millennial perspective and New York City values to the Oval Office. Click here to see 11 First Ladies Who Wielded Enormous Power Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: London (AFP) - A Sudanese man was handed a jail term in Britain Wednesday after walking through the Channel Tunnel from France last year. Abdul Rahman Haroun, who has been granted asylum in Britain, was sentenced to nine months in prison for causing an obstruction on a railway. But he walked free from court because of time he has already served in custody. His case made headlines because it highlighted fears that thousands of migrants who gathered at makeshift camps in northern France would try and cross over into Britain. Presiding judge Adele Williams acknowledged that he had acted "in a state of desperation". But she added: "You not only put your own life in danger but, in my judgement, you put the lives and safety of others in danger." Haroun, 40, was arrested in Kent, southeast England, last August on suspicion of passing through the 31-mile (50-kilometre) tunnel, which carries trains between Britain and France. 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) TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's ambassador in charge of Russo-Japanese relations said on Wednesday he had shared concerns over North Korea's latest missile launch with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov. "We exchanged views on North Korea's ballistic missile launch and shared our concerns," Chikahito Harada told reporters. "We've agreed to cooperate closely at such occasions as U.N. Security Council meetings." North Korea launched what appeared to be an intermediate-range missile on Wednesday to a high altitude in the direction of Japan before it plunged into the sea, military officials said, a technological advance for the isolated state after several test failures. (Reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka; Editing by Nick Macfie) TOKYO (Reuters) - One of the missiles launched by North Korea on Wednesday reached an altitude of over 1,000 kms (621 miles) showing the Pyongyang regime has made progress developing intermediate range ballistic missiles (IRBM), Japan's Minister of Defence said. "We don't know whether it counts as a success, but North Korea has shown some capability with IRBMs," Gen Nakatani told reporters in Tokyo. "The threat to Japan is intensifying." Japan's defense ministry said that the second missile launched on Wednesday morning flew 400 kms (248 miles) before falling into the Sea of Japan. (Reporting by Tim Kelly; Editing by Michael Perry) Tokyo (AFP) - Japan's Self-Defense Forces aren't shooting blanks anymore. At least they weren't last month when troops mistook live ammunition for fake rounds at a training exercise. No one was seriously injured despite almost 80 rounds of sharp-tipped ammunition being fired off in the hair-raising bullet blunder, the Asahi newspaper reported. Blanks are identifiable by having a more curved tip than live rounds, but the unit in question reportedly only fires guns about twice a year. The "blanks" were discovered to be live rounds after a piece of an assault rifle was torn off, slightly injuring two soldiers, the paper said, citing the results of a defense department investigation released this week. A computer error was reportedly to blame for the incident in May at a training ground in Japan's northernmost island Hokkaido. SDF troops are supposed to act only in self-defence under a pacifist constitution imposed by the United States after World War II. HELSINKI (Reuters) - Britain's possible exit from the European Union might push Finland into recession next year, a finance ministry official said on Wednesday. "It is possible. But we could fall into that territory also without Brexit. The growth is not that strong, other external shocks could have that impact, too," Mika Kuismanen, the head of the ministry's forecasting unit, told a news conference. The ministry forecasts GDP growth at 1.4 percent this year, 1.0 percent in 2017 and 1.3 percent in 2018. (Reporting by Jussi Rosendahl; Editing by Louise Ireland) Jay Z is a hip-hop king with a discography full of accolades but one of his platinum-selling albums holds a particularly special place in his heart. 1996's Reasonable Doubt -- the same effort he hailed a "classic" and the best of his projects in 2013 -- will turn 20 on June 25. Drenched in soulful production, drug dealing lore and lyrical depth, the LP has come to symbolize one of rap's greatest moments, perhaps Hov's magnum opus. To celebrate its 20th anniversary, Billboard spoke with one of the album's executive producers, Kareem "Biggs" Burke. During the talk, Biggs -- a close friend of Jay's and a co-founder of Roc-A-Fella Records -- provided an insightful view into the legendary moments that helped make Hov's classic debut and the 20th anniversary pop-up store in L.A. this week. Jay-Z's 20 Biggest Billboard Hits Take me back to 1996 and maybe even before then, to your first conversations with Jay Z about Reasonable Doubt. What were those talks like? Back then, it was all about how we could do it ourselves, about being independent. We knew we were going to build something that would be great. We knew the statistics to look that far ahead, know how records would be broken and the impact that it would have worldwide. But early on, it was just about creating something that was going to be different, not only the music, but through marketing down to the sound and the lyrics. When Jay made the album, he was really doing it to impress his friends so it was things that we were going through and how we were living. It was really about our stories. Is there a particular line or song that you remember that captures that type of moment for you? Well, probably "Dead Presidents" when he's like, "I want money like Cosby, who wouldn't?/ It's this kind of talk that make me think you probably ain't got no puddin'." That was something I used to say. I'd be like, "That guy ain't got no puddin'. Look how he's ballin'. He ain't really got no puddin'." We would talk about a lot of different things and it would end up in a song, and we'd look around and laugh at each other in the studio. He would kind of just shake his head like, "Yeah, you made it a hot line. I made it a hot song." Story continues Jay-Z Revives 'Reasonable Doubt' In NYC People often see you as a behind-the-scenes figure but where do you see your influence on this album? Besides finance, it was the lifestyle. The lifestyle is what was put into that album, which was the start of Jay's career. He was introducing something that we were actually living. I think that's why people gravitated towards what we were doing a lot more. It wasn't fictitious. We were drinking champagne. We were living that lifestyle that we talked about. That came across in the music. When we came out, we were able to drop this album and put out quality music. The producers and the lyrics together created something that we all thought at the time was an instant classic. You talk about seeing it as an instant classic but throughout his career, Jay has said that not everyone saw it that way. He's rapped, "They ain't really appreciate it until the second one came out." Why do you think it took people time to respect Reasonable Doubt the way they do now? I think it was over a lot of people's heads. Jay really spoke to bosses at that time and there's less bosses than there are workers. It was really for a top-shelf, top-tier crowd. I think that's what [made people] gravitate towards it and it trickled down afterwards but initially they just didn't get it. With the second and third albums, he became more mainstream so people actually got it a lot more. We talked about the lifestyle, but Reasonable Doubt also reflects on the emotions and hardships that go along with that. Can you talk about what inspired that kind of introspection on the album? I think it was just him being an open book, being vulnerable and at the same time being cool. Even the way Jay's albums started to be sequenced and put together after that, it was always this roller coaster ride where he talked about a lot of things. People thought that it was being glorified, but he always showed the repercussions of that in [songs like] "Regrets" and "Can I Live?," talking about the downfall of what happens after you live in this lifestyle. That's why I think a lot of guys and a lot of fans really related to this album. It was like, "Wow. He's not just talking about the highs. He's also talking about the lows and what happens after you get into this type of game." It became emotional at the time as well so people were able to empathize with it and put themselves in those shoes like, "Wow, I've been through that" or "I've seen that happen." [[{"fid":"618086","view_mode":"media_original","type":"media","attributes":{"height":283,"width":620,"class":"media-element file-media-original"}}]] A t-shirt from the upcoming pop-up store celebrating the 20th anniversary of Jay Z's 'Reasonable Doubt' debut. APT. 4B Another important moment within this album was Jay Z and The Notorious B.I.G. teaming up on "Brooklyn's Finest." Take us into the studio the day that was going down. Well, what I smelled was a lot of weed. Biggie actually smoked like 60 blunts that day. [Lil] Cease was doing a lot of rolling. I was seeing jars for the first time. [Laughs] When Biggie walked through, it was just a huge presence walking into the room. You felt his presence when he came in. When he walked to the board that day, it was me, Dame [Dash], Jay, and I believe [Tyran] Ty Ty [Smith], Emory [Jones], and the whole crew. This is something that we were dying to get done. Jay and Biggie were two greats in our eyes. The world hadn't heard Jay yet but we knew what he was capable of. Dame actually gave Clark [Kent] the sample for that song. Then, when Biggie and Jay sat at the board, the engineer came and dropped a pad and a pen right in between them. Jay looks at it and then he pushes it over to Big. Big looks at it and pushes it back. That's the time they realized that neither one of them wrote lyrics [down on paper]. It was something monumental. Jay actually went in and did everything in five minutes. He broke down the song and left all these parts [for Big]. It was a different type of beat at that time. Biggie was trying to really catch the beat and when he left, he said, "When I give you a song to rhyme on for my album, I'ma make sure it's a regular beat so you could do a straight sixteen, not all this breakdown." We laughed about that but it was really a great time and a great experience to work with him. Biggie was like a comedian himself. You're celebrating the album through fashion, too. How do you plan on commemorating it for the 20th anniversary? The pop-up shop is something that I thought was really cool because it's [at a Los Angeles store called] APT. 4B, which was Jay's old apartment, having that old New York City style and feel and introducing the 20th anniversary, which will turn into a Reasonable Doubt line afterwards. I thought this was the perfect time to have that introduction. Then, some cool merch is gonna be there, playing around the album and the tracklisting, and keeping it consistent with the black and white theme on Reasonable Doubt. At the same time, we're connecting that with Fourth of November, which is the new fashion line that I'm doing now. It's just some really cool collabs that we're doing. We're having a 20th anniversary New Era hat that's gonna be a giveaway. We have something special too that probably only 100 people will be able to get to kind of show the imprint that Reasonable Doubt had on the industry. [[{"fid":"618085","view_mode":"media_original","type":"media","attributes":{"height":413,"width":620,"class":"media-element file-media-original"}}]] APT. 4B You're also throwing an event too. We're gonna have an invite-only event [on June 24] to celebrate the 20th year and then [starting June 25] the pop-up shop is gonna be open for 30 days at APT. 4B on Fairfax in L.A. We'll be selling cassettes, t-shirts, hats and exclusive pictures that have never really been seen, pre-Reasonable Doubt. We're also doing it in an interactive way with these kiosks through Metroclick so people will be able to tie it back to social and they'll have Reasonable Doubt emojis that they'll be able to take pictures with as well. The [store front] window is going to be themed around an old record store so it'll be like Reasonable Doubt is dropping [that day]. Some people, including Jay, think Reasonable Doubt is his best album. How would you rank Jay's top three albums and why? Reasonable Doubt probably, and then American Gangster at number 2, and probably The Dynasty at number 3. Reasonable Doubt was the genesis. American Gangster kind of brought me back to that moment. It was the perfect marriage -- him using the theme from the movie [American Gangster] was just perfect for him to go back, relive those times and discuss those certain subjects. Then, what he did on The Dynasty: Roc La Familia was just amazing. For him to drive Beanie Sigel and Memphis Bleek and make them really step up their game to be on the album with him and match wits was great too. The producers and the lyrics made that a classic album as well. When you look back at where Jay was in the mid '90s when he was recording the album and where he is now, how has he changed and stayed the same within those 20 years? I think the biggest change is how he's living. With Jay, every album is themed around what's going on in his life around that time so each album changed because his lifestyle had changed. He doesn't compromise his integrity for anything. Jay tries not to go outside the box too much and kind of stays with what he's comfortable doing. Jay isn't a guy who's gonna do something for more record sales. He's just gonna make the music that he makes to stay on a level plane. I think that's why he still has those same fans and why he's still relevant 20 years later. In hip-hop, that's a big feat in itself. No one is usually relevant after three or four albums. There are a handful of people that's doing it but to stay relevant 20 years later, that's rock 'n' roll. Fat Joe Says He Wanted to 'Keep It New York' by Recruiting Jay Z for 'All the Way Up' Remix: Listen Speaking of that, Jay just dropped a couple of verses on Pusha T's "Drug Dealers Anonymous" and Fat Joe's "All the Way Up (Remix)." Is there more material or a proper album on the way? Jay's usually driven by competition. There's been some music. [Kanye West's] The Life of Pablo, I think, is a great album. Things like that, I know, drive him so I can see him now, working. Once he gets in a groove and if any producer brings him something that will start that creative process, he usually works very fast. Going back to Reasonable Doubt, what's a story from that time that you haven't been able to share too often but really stands out in your mind as representative of that time period? Wow. I think a bit of that was [a trip to Las] Vegas and going to that first [Mike] Tyson fight when Tyson had just got out of jail, fighting [Peter] McNeeley [on August 19, 1995]. We were ringside. Right behind us was Dr. Dre and we didn't know him at the time. We hadn't dropped an album or anything. Then, Emory, who's now Vegas Jones, became Vegas Jones on that trip, with the lifestyle that we were talking about. We went to a bar at the at the MGM casino and Emory bought out the whole bar, maybe 30 or 40 bottles. They closed it off and it became a party. We were telling security to let certain guys in and people were looking at us like, "Yo, who the hell are these guys?" I think that was one of our first footprints that we were laying down to show the lifestyle that we were living. That was something monumental for us. Jay has called you "the smart one, on the low like Dean Martin." What's the legacy that you want people to remember you by? I've always been a guy who's been a leader in the past but now I've turned into a guy who likes to serve. I just want to be known as somebody who's aspirational, who was able to start something that created a movement, that changed the fabric and culture of society worldwide, using Reasonable Doubt as a platform to launch 10 different businesses and to change the scope, the way business is done in music, fashion, films, and technology. I also want to be known for just being a guy who was always able to look ahead, do things differently, and not compromise integrity. Another night, another date in New York City for Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux. The adorable duo was spotted out and about on Tuesday, marking their third romantic evening in the Big Apple in one week. WATCH: Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux Have a Double Date Night With Howard Stern and His Wife Aniston, 47, kept it cool and casual in a camisole tank top, slim-fit blue jeans and wedges. She held onto her husband for support, who looked dapper in a pair of white skinny jeans, tan suede shoes and a fitted gray T-shirt. AKM-GSI On Sunday, Aniston and the 44-year-old Leftovers actor went on a double dinner date with Howard Stern and his wife, Beth Ostrosky Stern. The foursome dined at Nobu New York, an upscale Japanese-Peruvian restaurant. Three days earlier, Aniston and Theroux stepped out to The Smile, where they appeared as happy as ever as photographers snapped their pics while exiting the cafe. WATCH: Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux Have Adorable Dinner Date in Matching Outfits The lovebirds, who will be celebrating their one-year wedding anniversary in August, were spotted packing on the PDA earlier this month during their romantic getaway to Eleuthera, Bahamas. In the intimate pics obtained by ET, Aniston and Theroux strolled along the beach, exchanged steamy smooches and went paddle boarding. Following the release of the photos, which showed Aniston flaunting her figure in a tiny string bikini, some tabloids speculated that the former Friends star was pregnant. Her rep slammed the reports, however, telling ET that the rumors were completely false. WATCH: Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux Pack on the PDA During Romantic Getaway "She is not pregnant. Shame on InTouch for making up the whole story, but this is not the first time they have done so," Aniston's rep stated. "What you see is her having just enjoyed a delicious big lunch and her feeling safe on private property." To hear more (and see the sexy pics!), watch the video below. Story continues Related Articles (Judith Hill with Prince. Photo: Hills Facebook) Judith Hill had already endured more than her fair share of heartache and disappointment before competing on The Voice Season 4 or appearing in the Oscar-winning documentary 20 Feet From Stardom. In 2009, she lost her mentor, Michael Jackson, just as she was set to perform with him at that years much-hyped This Is It London concerts. She ended up singing Heal the World at Jacksons memorial service instead. Five years later, Hill found a new mentor in another legend, Prince who produced her debut album, Back in Time only to experience an even more devastating loss, when Prince passed away suddenly this past April 21. Still waiting to wake up from this terrible nightmare. Cant believe this. Judith Hill (@Judith_Hill) April 22, 2016 Judith has laid low ever since, only addressing Princes shocking death in a couple of heartbreaking social media posts. But now, in a new interview with the New York Times, she has revealed that she was actually with Prince on his infamous early-morning April 15 flight from Atlanta, the one that made an emergency landing after Prince fell unconscious. Hill recalls that Princes eyes [became] fixed while the two were dining on vegetables and pasta and chatting about music during their flight to Minneapolis after Princes gig at Atlantas Fox Theater. Thankfully, I happened to be looking into his face, she says noticing his change in demeanor which allowed her to act quickly, even though she was very freaked out. Related: The Voice Coaches Pay Touching Tribute to Prince The only other passenger on the private jet that evening was Princes friend and assistant, Kirk Johnson; when Hill and Johnson could not revive Prince (Hill says she shook Prince and shouted his name), they knew it was only a matter of time; we had to get down. We didnt have anything on the plane to help him, Hill tells NYT. They alerted the pilot, who landed the jet in Moline, Illinois, where Prince was revived on the tarmac by paramedics with a shot of Narcan (which is often used to treat opioid overdoses). Eighteen minutes later, an ambulance took Prince to Trinity Moline Hospital; by the time they arrived, he was conscious again, which was such a relief to me, because I thought he was gone, Hill tells NYT. Crisis was, temporarily, averted. Story continues Had a blast seeing @prince perform in Atlanta last night at the Fox theater! Insanely inspiring show!!! Judith Hill (@Judith_Hill) April 15, 2016 He wasnt dreary or drowsy, or anything, Hill recalls in her NYT interview of the hospital visit. He wanted to watch Zootopia. He loved those films. I was going to pull it up on my phone. He said, No, no, no, not here. Were going to pick a special time and place to watch that." Hill hoped that this was a one-off incident; Prince returned to Minneapolis the same morning of his health scare. At the time, the press reported that Prince was merely suffering from the flu. But it turned out that his April 14 Atlanta concerts would be his final performances; six days after his hospitalization, he was dead from a fentanyl overdose. Hill tells NYT she had no idea that Prince was abusing prescription meds due to his hip pain, saying, I only know what everyone knows about his pain I read about it He was quick on his feet. Never said anything, that this is hurting, never a sign of struggle. Thats why its all very shocking. Related: Prince Too Weak to Walk Off Plane After Emergency Landing Hill does reveal to the New York Times that she was among the friends who were instrumental in getting Prince the help to beat his opiate addiction. He [sought treatment] because he was concerned, and he wanted to do the right thing for his own body, she says. And thats the part that breaks my heart, because he was trying. He was trying. Speaking to Yahoo Music last year, as she was preparing to release the Prince-produced Back in Time, Hill recalled her first meeting with her future friend and advisor. Prince unexpectedly invited Hill to his Paisley Park studio in Minneapolis after randomly catching a TV interview with Hill in which she spoke of her dream to work with him. She was floored. He said, Id like to call Judith, and he reached out to my management, Hill recalled incredulously. He personally called me on my cell phone. It was an unknown number. Oh, they prepped me. They said, 'Prince is going to call you today. I was shaking. Related: Princes Former Mentor Pepe Willie Recalls the Stars Early Days Hill then joined Prince at Paisley Park in winter 2014 for a whirlwind recording process, that, true to the albums title, was totally old-school: all-analog, the result of freeform Paisley Park jam sessions. One track on Back in Time, Turn It Up, even amusingly featured Prince yelling in the background, Omigod, Judith, I saw you on The Voice! It was so inspiring and refreshing, because it was like going back to the old days of just jamming just hit 'record, one take, organic. Nothing was too overthought, just what we felt at the time, Hill told Yahoo Music. His process is really amazing, and I learned a lot He pushes you to excellence and he just wants the best for you. And he lives in a whole 'nother world. So it rubs off on you, and you just grow so much musically. Related: Nigel Lythgoe Remembers Princes Surprise American Idol Performance At the time of her Yahoo Music interview, Hill noted a common thread between Michael Jackson and Prince, two of the 1980s greatest musical icons, when it came to work ethic. Theres a lot of great similarities in terms of their epicness and how they approach things, she said. The attention to detail, being very specific about everything they want. They see the big picture and theyre very involved. I just learned as an artist that its so important to be hands-on. But Michael was different, she now tells the New York Times, because she only knew Jackson as a fan and as someone that worked for him. Prince and Hill, on the other hand, were very close. While Hill doesnt confirm to NYT that she was romantically involved with Prince, she does say there was a very intense relationship. I deeply cared for him He told me that he loved me and that he would always be there for me Now hes gone, and I realize I was leaning on him a lot. And thats whats scary. Im on my own. Follow Lyndsey on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, Amazon, Tumblr, Vine, Spotify IRVINE, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 22, 2016 / Khang & Khang LLP (the "Firm") announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against La Quinta Holdings Inc. ("La Quinta" or the "Company") (LQ). Investors who purchased or otherwise acquired shares between February 25, 2015 and September 17, 2015, inclusive (the "Class Period"), are encouraged to contact the Firm prior to the June 24, 2016, lead plaintiff motion deadline. If you purchased shares of La Quinta 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) La Quinta was experiencing declining customer demand in its key Texas market; and (2) there were on-going disruptions caused by the transitioning of La Quinta's call center operations. 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 More than 56,000 pyrotechnic effects will illuminate the New York City sky on Independence Day, for the 40th annual Macy's 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular. Two million people are expected to see the show in person, as it will be visible from countless locations on the east side of Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens. Millions more will tune in to the live broadcast on NBC. 21 Things We Learned Hanging Out With 5 Seconds of Summer Fireworks will be lit from five spots along the East River and, for the first time, the show will include pyro-writing, with "USA" spelled out in the sky. The 25-minute synchronized light show will be choreographed to music performed by Broadway legend Jennifer Holliday and the United States Air Force Band. The supersized fireworks show has some superstar opening acts: Kenny Chesney, Meghan Trainor and 5 Seconds of Summer, who will all perform in the show's first hour. The Today show's Willie Geist and Tamron Hall will co-host the broadcast, which airs July 4th at 8:00 p.m. ET on NBC. Chesney's Independence Day set comes in the middle of his massive Spread the Love tour, with Old Dominion, Sam Hunt, Jake Owen and Miranda Lambert along for the ride on select dates. He's also putting the finishing touches on his upcoming Some Town Somewhere album, featuring infectious lead single, "Noise." Related By William James LONDON (Reuters) - The widower of murdered British lawmaker Jo Cox said her killing was an act of terror as he paid tribute to his late wife on Wednesday alongside hundreds of mourners at an emotional memorial in London's Trafalgar Square. Cox died after she was shot and stabbed in the street in her constituency in northern England last week - an attack that shocked the country and prompted an outpouring of sympathy around the globe for the lifelong humanitarian campaigner. "Jo's killing was political. It was an act of terror designed to advance an agenda of hatred towards others," Brendan Cox said in a tearful speech to a large crowd packed into the London landmark. "What a beautiful irony it is that an act designed to advance hatred has instead generated such an outpouring of love." The vigil marking what would have been her 42nd birthday, and also attended by Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai, fell silent at 1518 GMT (1118 EDT) in a mark of respect also observed at other events across the country and around the world including in Beirut, Brussels, Melbourne, Nairobi, New York and Washington. Cox's death has abruptly changed the tone of the final days of caustic campaign around a referendum on Britain's European Union membership, which takes place on Thursday, prompting a groundswell of support for a more positive campaign. "She feared the consequences of Europe dividing again, hated the idea of building walls, and worried about the dynamics that that could unleash," Brendan Cox said. The memorial included an offering of flowers by religious leaders of different faiths, music from the band that played at her wedding, and video tributes by rock star Bono and Cox's sister in the lawmaker's constituency. White roses, the flower of Cox's home region, Yorkshire, floated in the square's halted fountains. Cox's husband and their young son and daughter, whose London home was a houseboat, earlier waved to clapping crowds as they arrived by boat after mooring a dinghy filled with flowers in the River Thames outside the Houses of Parliament. Tributes from friends, family and former colleagues painted a picture of a hard-working, loving mother who had dedicated her life to women's issues, the plight of refugees fleeing war in Syria and most recently to those she represented in parliament. Before her election to parliament in May 2015, Cox had spent almost a decade working for aid agency Oxfam. A fund set up in her memory has so far raised 1.3 million pounds ($1.91 million). The money will be split between The Royal Voluntary Service, which helps improve life for older people, HOPE not Hate, which combats extremism in local communities and The White Helmets, a network of rescue workers who operate in areas of Syria where medical infrastructure has broken down. "Jo's life is a proof that a message of peace is more powerful than any weapon of war," said Malala, who in 2014 became the youngest ever winner of the Nobel Peace Prize for her work promoting women's access to education. "Once again the extremists have failed." (Editing by Stephen Addison) By William James LONDON (Reuters) - The widower of murdered MP Jo Cox said her killing was an act of terror as he paid tribute to his late wife on Wednesday alongside hundreds of mourners at an emotional memorial in London's Trafalgar Square. Cox died after she was shot and stabbed in the street in her constituency in northern England last week - an attack that shocked the country and prompted an outpouring of sympathy around the globe for the lifelong humanitarian campaigner. "Jo's killing was political. It was an act of terror designed to advance an agenda of hatred towards others," Brendan Cox said in a tearful speech to a large crowd packed into the London landmark. "What a beautiful irony it is that an act designed to advance hatred has instead generated such an outpouring of love." The vigil marking what would have been her 42nd birthday, and also attended by Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai, fell silent at 1618 London time in a mark of respect also observed at other events across the country and around the world including in Beirut, Brussels, Melbourne, Nairobi, Geneva, New York and Washington. Cox's death has abruptly changed the tone of the final days of caustic campaign around a referendum on Britain's European Union membership, which takes place on Thursday, prompting a groundswell of support for a more positive campaign. "She feared the consequences of Europe dividing again, hated the idea of building walls, and worried about the dynamics that could unleash," Brendan Cox said. The memorial included an offering of flowers by religious leaders of different faiths, music from the band that played at her wedding, and video tributes by rock star Bono and Cox's sister in the lawmaker's constituency. White roses, the flower of Cox's home region, Yorkshire, floated in the square's halted fountains. Cox's husband and their young son and daughter, whose London home was a houseboat, earlier waved to clapping crowds as they arrived by boat after mooring a dinghy filled with flowers in the River Thames outside the Houses of Parliament. Tributes from friends, family and former colleagues painted a picture of a hard-working, loving mother who had dedicated her life to women's issues, the plight of refugees fleeing war in Syria and most recently to those she represented in parliament. Before her election to parliament in May 2015, Cox had spent almost a decade working for aid agency Oxfam. A fund set up in her memory has so far raised 1.3 million pounds. In Geneva, friends remembered her at a sunny lakeside vigil outside the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue where U.N. human rights chief Zeid Raad al Hussein was among those paying tribute. "Jo was very much a member of this community ... the very things that she shood for, she campaigned for, she poured her heart and soul into, was the very agenda that we all signed up for," Zeid told Reuters. Malala, who in 2014 became the youngest ever winner of the Nobel Peace Prize for her work promoting women's access to education, said: "Jo's life is a proof that a message of peace is more powerful than any weapon of war. Once again the extremists have failed." (Additional reporting by Tom Miles; Editing by Stephen Addison) A version of this story on Jane Krakowski first appeared in the print edition of TheWrap Magazines Comedy/Drama/Actors Emmy Issue. It was a quick, easy email. I wrote YES, put an exclamation point and pressed SEND, said Jane Krakowski of her response when Tina Fey told her there was a part for Krakowski in a new show from 30 Rock creators Fey and Robert Carlock. I had no idea what the character was, she said. I didnt know if it was a main character or a guest spot. I just trust in them so much. Also Read: Tina Fey, Tituss Burgess, Jane Krakowski Lip Sync to Beyonce's 'Flawless' (Video) Photographed by HollenderX2 for TheWrap For good reason. Krakowski spent eight seasons and landed four Emmy nominations on 30 Rock, playing Jenna Maroney, a dim and self-centered actress written to be the anti-Tina. The character description said they needed someone blonde in hair color and in spirit, said Krakowski. They needed somebody who was the opposite of Tina Fey: the opposite of smart, the opposite of grounded, the opposite of clever, the opposite of kind. And they saw me and said, Youre the one!' Also Read: Emmy Quickie: 'The Walking Dead' Guest Star Alicia Witt on Surprise Run-In With Andrew Lincoln (Exclusive Video) Photographed by HollenderX2 for TheWrap 30 Rock was such a rewarding experience for Krakowski, whod also received a Golden Globe nomination for Ally McBeal, that she jumped into Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt without even waiting to know shed be playing the juicy role of Jacqueline White, a rich New York divorcee with a curious Native American heritage and a distinct lack of parenting skills. What got me hooked on the show was when I learned that it was about a girl who was kidnapped in a bunker for 14 years, but that when she went on the Today Show they gave her a gift bag and said, Thank you, victims!' said Krakowski, 47. Its such a dark underbelly with such a light, optimistic tone, she said of the series, which completed its second season on Netflix earlier this year. Story continues Also Read: Zachary Levi's 'She Loves Me' to Become 1st Broadway Show Live Streamed Photographed by HollenderX2 for TheWrap Krakowski is currently on Broadway in the hit musical revival She Loves Me, but in Fey and Carlock, she said, shes found lifelong collaborators. Id be very happy to work with them forever, she said. I love their writing, I love their sense of humor, I love how hard they still challenge me comedically, and give me stuff that I wouldnt get to do anywhere else. Its a very rare moment in your career when youre working for the people you would most want to be working for, and I feel that way with them. See more of TheWrap Magazines Comedy/Drama/Actors Emmy Issue: Related stories from TheWrap: Emmy Contender Tituss Burgess on His Pinot-Loving Role in 'Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt' (Video) Emmy Contenders: 'The Leftovers' Stars Talk About Rare Chance to Portray 'Female Rage' KUWAIT CITY (AFP) - Kuwait's parliament on Wednesday voted to bar people convicted of religious insults or undermining the oil-rich Gulf state's ruler from contesting general elections. The amendment to the electoral law would prevent dozens of opposition figures, including jailed former MP Mussallam al-Barrak, from standing in next year's election. The amendment was supported by 40 deputies, including all cabinet ministers present, and opposed by just three. It will pass into law once the cabinet endorses the change and publishes it in the official gazette. The amendment states that "people convicted in a final court ruling of insulting God, the prophets and the emir are barred from elections." In the past few years, courts handed down various jail terms against opposition activists for insulting the emir, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah, or undermining his authority. Barrak, secretary general of the nationalist Popular Action Movement, is serving his second year in jail after he was convicted of insulting the emir in a speech at a public rally in 2012. The amendment also comes after several figures and groups, including the Muslim Brotherhood-linked Islamic Constitutional Movement, the largest opposition group, decided to end their four-year election boycott. A broad alliance of Islamist, nationalist and liberal opposition groups boycotted two general polls in 2012 and 2013 in protest at a change in electoral law. The opposition alliance said at the time that the change, brought unilaterally by authorities but later endorsed by Kuwait's top court, would allow the government to control parliament. The opposition held massive street protests in 2011 and 2012 demanding democratic reforms and an elected government. But in the past two years, the strength of the opposition alliance, which last controlled parliament in 2012, weakened considerably as the groups became fragmented. Chicago (AFP) - Officials in Michigan filed a lawsuit on Wednesday accusing a French company and a Texas firm of negligence and fraud for their roles in the lead water contamination crisis in the city of Flint. Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette said water engineering firms Veolia, based in Paris, and Lockwood, Andrews & Newman (LAN) of Texas ignored warning signs that dangerous levels of lead had seeped into the city's water, after government officials switched the supply source two years ago. The attorney general alleged that Veolia produced a report and a presentation in 2015 which incorrectly stated that Flint's drinking water was safe. He also said LAN was supposed to help with the transition to the new water source and did not address the issue of corrosion in aging lead pipes. "Veolia and LAN were hired to do a job and failed miserably. Their fraudulent and dangerous recommendations made a bad situation worse," Schuette said in a statement. Both companies denied the accusations. "These allegations are entirely false and baseless, something that Veolia will have no trouble in proving since the city of Flint never tasked it with carrying out lead or copper tests," the company said. It added that an official state task force report did not hold Veolia responsible. LAN said the suit was "without merit" and that the attorney general "blatantly mischaracterizes the role of LAN's service to Flint." In 2014, government officials switched Flint's water source from the Detroit River to the Flint River as part of cost-cutting measures ordered by Governor Rick Snyder. Experts believe that was the reason large amounts of poisonous lead leached from the city's pipes into the drinking water that reached residents' homes. "Veolia and LAN either knew or should have known that high chloride levels in Flint River water would cause corrosion in lead pipes unless treated," the attorney general's office said. Story continues More than 8,000 children are believed to have consumed lead-contaminated water. Officials are asking for hundreds of millions of dollars in damages and said there could be additional claims in the future. "Today's civil lawsuit is the first step in seeking damages caused by these companies that can help with Flint's recovery and aid the residents of Flint who are still waiting for help," Noah Hall, Special Assistant Attorney General on the Flint investigation, said. So far in the attorney general's six-month investigation of the Flint water crisis, three government employees have faced criminal charges. One took a plea agreement to cooperate in the investigation. The damage to the city's water pipes may be long-lasting, if not permanent. Residents must use filters to make their water drinkable. So far, more than 19 million liters of bottled water have been distributed in Flint, according to state figures. By Costas Pitas LONDON (Reuters) - At a limestone North London temple under the image of the Hindu god Krishna, a British Asian minister is striving to persuade ethnic minorities to support leaving the European Union with a message of 'fair' immigration and stronger ties to the Commonwealth. Despite polls showing Black and Asian Britons are more pro-EU than the rest of the population, prominent Brexit campaigner Priti Patel has led the charge to win over the fastest growing section of the electorate ahead of Thursday's referendum. Leave campaigners have used worries about migration from the EU to tell millions of voters whose families hail from former British colonies that a Brexit could make it easier for people to come to Britain from places where their family roots lie. Whilst there is free movement for EU citizens, some British Asians are particularly unhappy at visa rules that apply to non-EU migrants, making it difficult to bring over relatives for social functions or staff for restaurants. "This is about having an immigration policy that brings fairness back and takes discrimination off our Commonwealth countries and off communities like the Indian community, the Pakistani community," Patel told Reuters, as a dozen praying women in colourful traditional dress chanted at the temple. There is no official definition of an ethnic minority but 14 percent of people in England and Wales identified themselves as non-white in the 2011 census, and nearly 20 percent said they were not white British, a sizeable group that could sway the outcome of a vote which polls show is too close to call. But the murder of British lawmaker Jo Cox, who had backed refugee causes, has raised concerns about the tone of the debate on immigration and could make some minority voters think twice about backing the Brexit campaign, experts and voters said. A poster bearing the message: "Breaking Point: The EU has failed us all" against a drop of a long line of refugees, unveiled by the leader of the anti-EU UK Independence Party, Nigel Farage, also damaged support among minorities. At the East London Mosque, one of the largest Muslim places of worship in Europe, one voter said she had been leaning "70 percent" towards backing Brexit until Cox's murder, which helped tip her in favour of continued membership. "It made me think that if she is someone who is saying that we should stay in, someone of her character then that's the right decision to go with," said 33-year-old Zinia Khan, who works in the voluntary sector. "You've got people like Nigel Farage with that poster and then you're thinking: What are they going to change? How are they going to make things more difficult for people from black and ethnic minorities... and you feel safer if you're in." Farage, who apologised for any offence caused but not for the content of the poster, has repeatedly denied accusations that UKIP is racist. "It was the truth," he said on Wednesday. "NOT ENOUGH INFORMATION" Black and Asian voters tend to back the pro-EU opposition Labour Party, and the little available polling data and previous voting habits suggest the Brexit campaign has faced a difficult battle to win over minority support. Whilst polls show Britons evenly split on the eve of the vote, four surveys which provided a breakdown by ethnicity showed that half or more of minorities want to remain in the EU compared to between a quarter and a third who back Brexit. Only around 20 percent back Brexit according to the most recent nationwide findings from the British Election Study (BES) conducted between April 14 and May 4, similar to the 28 percent who supported an exit in a May 2015 Survation poll. A YouGov poll taken this month in London, the most diverse part of Britain, showed 52 percent of non-white Londoners backed EU membership, compared to 46 percent of white respondents. Maria Sobolewska, a specialist in ethnic minority public opinion at Manchester University, said while many minorities backed tougher rules on immigration, they did not trust some of the leading campaign figures such as Farage. "They don't like the messengers," she told Reuters. "They do have to worry about what it means to hand these people a win and whether it would lead to more isolationist policies but they certainly think: these people are not friendly to minorities." While many minority voters share concerns felt by some white Britons about the impact of immigration on the National Health Service (NHS) and housing, polling shows they are less worried about the cultural impact. "What we know in election studies is that the main difference on issue preferences, which are very similar - jobs, the economy, the NHS - is that immigration ranks lower," said Sunder Katwala, director of non-partisan think-tank British Future, which focuses on migration and identity. Demographic factors could also help explain higher support for EU membership among ethnic minority communities which the Brexit campaign could find difficult to overcome. Britain's black and ethnic minorities are younger on average than the white British population, with younger voters among the most pro-EU regardless of background. There are also distinct differences between Britain's ethnic communities, many of whom hail from disparate Commonwealth nations in Africa and Asia, according to both the British Election Study and the Survation poll. Only 42 percent of Bangladeshi Britons want to stay in the EU compared with 63 percent of those from a black African background and 65 percent of Chinese voters, according to BES. British Indians, the country's biggest ethnic minority group numbering some 1.4 million people, are marginally more pro-European than the wider population but half said they would either back Brexit or had yet to make up their minds. "I think the Asian community is divided in the sense that they haven't got enough information," said Conservative Councillor Manji Kara, outside the Shri Vallabh Nidhi Mandir temple near Wembley Stadium during Patel's visit. A supporter of Brexit, he said his scientist son wanted to stay in the EU and that many others in the Asian community were leaning to remaining in the EU without all the facts. "Quite a few of the people think they should vote for 'In' without actually realising what's in it for them if they stay in or what are the benefits of getting out," Kara said. (Editing by Paul Taylor) TRIPOLI (Reuters) - Forces aligned with Libya's unity government said they had made significant gains in residential districts of Sirte on Tuesday as they battle to oust Islamic State from its coastal stronghold. Rida Issa, a spokesman for the government-backed brigades, said they were securing the "700" neighbourhood, just south of central Sirte, and had also made ground to the west of the city centre. Sixteen brigade members had been killed and 60 wounded in Tuesday's fighting, Issa said. Brigades composed mainly of fighters from the western city of Misrata launched a campaign against Islamic State a month ago, advancing rapidly towards Sirte from the west. In the past week they had faced counter-attacks from militants holed up inside the city, who have deployed snipers, mines and car bombs to try to force the brigades back. "Our forces are combing the 700 neighbourhood after fierce clashes," Issa said on Tuesday. "The electricity company headquarters, TV and radio building, Number 2 neighbourhood, and Bin Hamel mosque are all recaptured." Government-backed forces had also seized a second ammunition store from Islamic State, he said. The U.N.-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) has been trying to unite Libya's factions since arriving in Tripoli in March, and has created several operations rooms in an effort to coordinate the campaign against Islamic State in Sirte. A separate GNA-aligned force that controls some of Libya's key oil terminals has forced Islamic State back to the east of Sirte, recapturing several villages from the jihadist group. Islamic State expanded into Libya from 2014, establishing a presence in several towns and cities. It took full control of Sirte last year, benefiting from a security vacuum and from the political chaos that has roiled Libya since long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi was toppled in an uprising in 2011. (Reporting by Ahmed Elumami; Writing by Aidan Lewis; Editing by Catherine Evans) By Linda Thrasybule Enjoyment of everyday activities increases after retirement, a study from Australia has found. The heightened level of enjoyment lasts at least a year after a retiree stops working full time, researchers report in the journal Age and Ageing. There is conflicting evidence about changes in enjoyment and happiness when people retire, coauthor Tim Olds of the University of South Australia told Reuters Health by email. On the one hand, people may lose social connections and their sense of purpose in life when they retire, he said. On the other hand, retirement offers a chance to do the things you've always wanted to do. We found that you're likely to be happier when you retire, he told Reuters Health in an email. Thats not because retirees spend more time doing things they like and less time doing things they don't like, Olds noted. Rather, it could be that retirees get more pleasure from even mundane daily activities because they have more autonomy and time-flexibility, Olds said. The 124 study participants all intended to retire within three to six months. The group was roughly half men and half women, with an average age of 62. At the start of the study and again three, six and 12 months afterward, Olds and his colleagues asked participants to recall their activities in the last 24 hours. They grouped activities into eight categories: physical activity, social, self-care, sleep, screen time, quiet time, transport, work and chores. Participants also completed surveys about their health, wellbeing, sleep quality and loneliness. Compared to pre-retirement levels, average enjoyment ratings were significantly higher throughout the study. Changes were partly due to shifts towards more enjoyable activities . . . but were mainly due to retirees getting more enjoyment out of doing the same activities post-retirement, the authors found. Overall, enjoyment ratings were associated with wellbeing and better sleep quality. Physical activity and social activity had the highest enjoyment ratings while work and chores had the lowest, according to the report. Still, participants who continued to work part-time after retirement reported that their enjoyment of it increased substantially, the authors noted. People have a different experience when working after retirement, said Kenneth Shultz, a social gerontologist and professor of psychology at California State University in San Bernardino. You dont have to deal with the pressure of a career job, and people tend to not be emotionally invested in it, said Shultz, who was not part of the study. For those on the edge of retirement, however, work appears to be an unpleasurable drag, according to Olds and colleagues. During those last few months before retirement, they write, enjoyment decreased when the trip to work began, was momentarily elevated during work breaks, and rose again at the end of the working day. The study participants, they conclude, were . . . working for the eternal weekend of retirement. SOURCE: http://bit.ly/28NKanG Age and Ageing, online June 7, 2016. Israel has just made history by unveiling its first F-35. The unveiling ceremony, which took place in Fort Worth, Texas, was attended by critical players in both the US and Israeli defense cabinets. Of note in attendance were Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman and Israeli Air Force Brigadier Gen. Tal Kalman. "Israel is proud to be the first country in the area to receive and operate it," Liberman said at the unveiling. "The F-35 is the best aircraft in the world and the choice of all our military leadership at its highest level. It is clear and obvious to us and to the entire region that the new F-35, the Adir, will create real deterrence and enhance our capabilities for a long time," he added. According to The Times of Israel, Israel will be the first foreign partner nation to receive the F-35. In total, Israel has bought 33 to date, which are expected to be delivered through 2021. And Israel is expected to purchase more F-35s in the future. The F-35 is a fifth-generation aircraft that is meant to function as a jack-of-all-trades jet capable of carrying out a full range of missions. However, throughout the aircraft's development and deployment, it has faced a long string of cost overruns and potential issues. NOW WATCH: The US is showing its strength against Russia by sending its most advanced warplanes to the Black Sea More From Business Insider Any day now the Supreme Court will rule on President Obamas go-it-alone executive action protecting millions of undocumented persons against deportation. However it comes down, the decision will again inflame this bitterly divided nation; it will also remind moody Republicans why they must absolutely vote for Donald Trump. Heads-up to Republicans queasy about Trump: there is no question none at all that Hillary Clintons picks to fill the seat of deceased Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia and other judges who may shortly retire would embed and extend President Obamas progressive agenda for decades to come. If voters dont like Obamas single-handed upending of our immigration laws, his push towards Big Labor, or if they disagree with his purposeful extermination of U.S. fossil fuels industries, Donald Trump is their only choice. Related: Heres Why the GOP Dug in Its Heels on SCOTUS Nominations Justice Ruth Ginsberg is 83 years old, Anthony Kennedy is two months away from turning 80, Clarence Thomas is nearly 68 and Stephen Breyer is 77. All could retire in the next four to eight years. Including Scalia, 3 right-leaning or conservative justices are likely to leave the court; were Hillary Clinton to nominate their replacements, there would be a 7-2 leftist majority on the court. Only Samuel Alito (age 66) and Chief Justice John Roberts (61) would tilt right. If Clinton picks candidates in their fifties, were talking decades of liberalism spilling from the bench. Supreme Court Nominations By President | InsideGov Over the past seven years, the Supreme Court has proved critical in confining an overreaching president. A Republican majority in the House and Senate has barely slowed President Obamas legacy quest. Nor has the unpopularity of many of his priorities. Twice in 2010 and 2014 -- Obama was rebuked at the voting booth, in historic numbers. It deterred him not a whit. The only brake on his go-it-alone presidency has been the Supreme Court. When Obama used a faux senate recess in 2012 to appoint three liberal commissioners to the National Labor Relations Board, the Court unanimously ruled (two years later) that he had violated the Constitution. This was a serious slap on the wrist, but also a speed bump, preventing that board from rapidly tilting our labor laws in the direction of France that is, making our country all but uncompetitive. Story continues Shifting the Balance of Power As important as its impact on labor rulings, the courts decision in National Labor Relations Board v. Noel Canning set limits on Obamas ability to make recess appointments. When the GOP took control of the Senate in 2012, at which time the president could no longer count on easy confirmation for his nominees, that decision became significant. It became especially important after the death of Justice Antonin Scalia, which occurred during a Senate recess. Many speculate that President Obama held back from trying to immediately shove through a replacement on the bench because of the Noel Canning decision. Related: Supreme Court Boosts States Rights to Control Guns The Supreme Court has disappointed conservatives in some high profile cases, such as when it saved Obamacare in 2012 by deciding that the individual mandate was a tax, and therefore fell within Congress jurisdiction. However, in that decision the court also reined in Washingtons regulation of interstate commerce and cheered conservatives by limiting how the federal government can use withheld funds to impose demands on states. Specifically, the justices voted 7-2 to reject the governments attempt to coerce states into expanding Medicaid by taking away all Medicaid funding if they refused. There have been numerous lower-profile decisions during the Obama reign that have curbed White House excess. Some have buttressed the first amendments guarantee of freedom of religion. In 2012, the Supremes ruled that churches and not the Obama White House -- have the right to decide who counts as clergy. In 2014, the Court ruled 5-4 in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby that for closely-held for-profit corporations, the Obamacare contraception mandate violated the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. That ruling would have gone the other way in a Clinton-packed court. The court has also ruled against the Obama administration in cases upholding the right of free speech, backing the rights of landowners and protecting against unreasonable search and seizure. All these decisions helped slow the Obama juggernaut. None, however, is as important as the 5-4 stay granted earlier this year that prevented implementation of the Environmental Protection Agencys Clean Power Plan. The CPP is viewed as Obamas signature environmental effort; it is essential to meeting the emissions targets incorporated in the presidents much-ballyhooed international climate accord. Conservatives consider the plan a vast overreach of executive authority since it impacts the entire power industry and had already required some $10 billion per year in compliance spending. Related: Factbox - Legal issues in U.S. Supreme Court immigration case Note that the stay simply means that challenges to the CPP will be heard by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, which will likely hand down a ruling in the fall. There is a good chance the Supreme Court will again be asked to rule on the matter. But it is a decision on the legality of President Obamas executive order protecting millions from deportation that looms over the upcoming election. Obama's 2014 Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents and his expansion of the 2012 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals are being challenged by 26 states and by Republicans in Congress as an overreach of executive authority. If the president gets his way, it would be an alarming realignment of the powers of the executive branch versus Congress. Going forward, the court will influence how the country manages immigration, labor laws, gun ownership, religious freedom, environmental action and much, much more. Electing Hillary Clinton will not shift U.S. policy for four or eight years; it will determine the path we will follow for a generation. Trump is unsettling and erratic, but it is far less likely that he would have a commensurate impact on the nations fortunes. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: By Dinky Mkhize PRETORIA (Reuters) - South African police said on Wednesday that two suspected looters were shot dead in the capital in continued violence triggered by the ruling party's choice of a mayoral candidate for local polls. Police said they also arrested 40 of the rioters who were targeting foreigners' shops as public anger mounted over economic hardships in the build-up to Aug. 3 elections likely to become a referendum on President Jacob Zuma's leadership. Residents of Pretoria's townships started setting cars and buses alight on Monday night after the ruling African National Congress' (ANC) named a candidate in the Tshwane municipality where the capital city is located, overruling the choice of regional branches. Burned-out cars blocked roads on Wednesday. The two killed were shot on Tuesday night, the police spokeswoman for Gauteng Province, Colonel Noxolo Kweza, said. She did not disclose who had shot them. "Two of the suspects were shot and killed following looting at Mamelodi," police said in a statement, adding that those arrested would face charges of violence and theft. "Incidents of protests and looting continued in other areas while situation is tense in others." Violence continued in parts of the capital on Wednesday. Protesters continued to clash with police and "a disproportionate part of the looting was taking place at shops owned by foreign nationals," Tshwane Metro police spokesman Console Tleane told eNCA television. Foreigners, many of them from other African countries, last suffered a wave of attacks in April last year, by crowds blaming them for taking jobs and business. The mayoral dispute flared on Sunday when an ANC member was shot dead 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 and refusing to back down as the violence mounted. The ANC said it picked the candidate as a compromise between two rival factions in Tshwane. But critics say the decision by the party, which has been in power since the end of white-minority rule in 1994, showed that it is losing its touch in areas - including Pretoria - where it was once unassailable. Analysts warned of more unrest in the commercial hub of Gauteng province, which includes Pretoria and Johannesburg. "Intra-ANC, election-related, factional violence is being ignored by markets trading on external factors, but is worrying," London-based Nomura emerging markets analyst Peter Attard Montalto said in a note. "Flashpoints here for the market will be if the army is sent in, if there are more fatalities." Zuma survived impeachment in April after the Constitutional Court ruled he had breached the constitution by ignoring an order by the anti-graft watchdog to repay some of the $16 million in state funds spent renovating his home. "Ahead of the August elections, disgruntled ANC supporters in Gauteng will be motivated by the Pretoria riots to stage further protests to demonstrate the unpopular ANC leadership's decisions," Robert Besseling, head of the EXX Africa business risk intelligence group said in a note. (Writing by James Macharia; Editing by Richard Balmforth) 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] Story continues 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. 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. Editor's Recommendations Copyright 2016 LiveScience, a Purch company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. "Wonder Woman" actress Lynda Carter will be back on primetime TV, having accepted a recurring role in the second season of "Supergirl." After a couple of lower profile parts, Lynda Carter became a household name when she became the lead as Diana Prince, superpowered Amazonian princess in disguise, over a four-year run (1975-9) as Wonder Woman. The series is now in the public consciousness again as Warner Bros has recruited Gal Gadot in the role, introducing her in "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" in advance of 2017's solo feature "Wonder Woman." Carter is staying within the DC Comics fold for season 2 of "Supergirl," which is switching from CBS to The CW for October 2016 -- Warner Bros and CBS being co-owners of the joint network. This time, however, she's not cameoing as Wonder Woman, as might be expected. Instead, she'll appear as the president of the United States, a role that some might say requires incumbents to have superpowers of their own. Not that it's rare for TV series to cast actors and actresses from previous versions of an adaptation. Annette O'Toole had played Superman's adoptive mother, Martha Kent, over a ten-year period (2001-11) in "Smallville." Nearly 20 years earlier, she had been in feature film "Superman III" as old friend Lana Lang (who was then played by Kristen Kreuk in "Smallville.") Similarly, John Wesley Shipp led the 1990 TV production of "The Flash" as its main character, Barry Allen. In 2014, he returned as the Flash's father, Henry Allen. But perhaps closer to the casting choices that have seen Lynda Carter reinstated as US President -- an interesting decision at a time when the nation could be about to elect its first non-fictional female Commander in Chief -- is the process that saw Carrie-Anne Moss installed as a supporting character in "Jessica Jones." The same series that recalled one-time Doctor Who, David Tennant, as its superpowered mind controlling antagoinst, looked to the steely, impenetrable heroine of "The Matrix" to play a steely, impenetrable lawyer in the first season of its Netflix run. "Supergirl" season 2 is to debut on The CW on October 10, 2016. (Repeats Tuesday item) * "The industry is really suffering" - Maersk board member * Rivals in wave of dealmaking to survive downturn * Maersk might be open to "the right opportunity" in M&A * Some investors sceptical on benefits of acquisitions * GRAPHIC - biggest container lines: http://tmsnrt.rs/1ZTgRlA By Jonathan Saul LONDON, June 21 (Reuters) - Denmark's Maersk Line is fighting to remain the world's no.1 container shipping carrier as a wave of mergers and acquisitions, particularly in Asia, creates new challengers trying to grab a bigger share of a depressed market. Maersk itself hasn't made a major acquisition for more than a decade but says it might be open to "the right opportunity", although doubters believe such deals risk accumulating ships without securing enough customers. A unit of oil and shipping group A.P. Moller-Maersk , the line has a 15 percent share of the overall container market. However, it faces Chinese rivals with global ambitions as well as more traditional Western competitors which are buying up assets in Asia. The battle is over the world container trade, and especially between Asian ports - one of the few relatively bright spots for an industry suffering its worst downturn since its origins in the 1950s and 1960s. "It's really tough and everybody in the industry is really suffering, and so have we," Jakob Stausholm, a member of Maersk Line's management board, told Reuters. "We are defending our leadership position. If we are strong, there is no reason for us not to grow," said Stausholm, who is the line's chief strategy and transformation officer. The container industry, which ships largely consumer goods ranging from iPhones to designer dresses, has been forced to cut costs and try to build scale due to a weak global economy and overcapacity. "World GDP growth is struggling ... Combined with trade growth slowing down, this is a recipe for a very bad market," said Evangelos Chatzis, chief financial officer with independent Greek container group Danaos. Story continues In November, Maersk said it would save $250 million in the coming two years and reduce its workforce by 17 percent or 4,000 people, mainly through attrition. It managed to post a profit of $37 million in the first quarter of 2016, compared with a $182 million loss in the last quarter of last year. However, the profit was down 95 percent from the $714 million it made a year earlier. COMPETING WITH THE BIG BOYS Now it must deal with stiffer competition created by the mergers and acquisitions. The world's no. 3 player, CMA CGM of France, is in the process of acquiring Singapore's Neptune Orient Lines (NOL) for S$3.4 billion (US$2.5 billion). Last week CMA announced it would also form a joint venture with PSA Singapore Terminals to operate container berths. In China, former state-controlled rivals COSCO and China Shipping Group have merged to create China COSCO Shipping Corporation. Separately, China Merchants Group is buying logistics group Sinotrans & CSC Holdings Co. "Developments are moving rapidly in Asia and the NOL deal and separate consolidation in China will give Maersk a run for their money," a shipping industry source said. "There is a question over whether China will increasingly use these bigger Chinese lines to ship goods now over Western carriers." Outside the region, Germany's Hapag-Lloyd is discussing a merger with Middle East container group United Arab Shipping Company. Size matters in the current hard times. "If you are small you cannot survive," said David Cheng of the Hong Kong Maritime and Port Board. "The big container liners in Asia are not regional liners - they are global liners ... They are competing with the big boys like ... Maersk, CMA CGM." That struggle is set to centre on Asia. "The intra-Asia trade has remained comparatively profitable despite the problems with the wider trade. Going forward, players will increasingly compete for market share on this route and there is already positioning," a banker who arranges ship financing said. "The CMA CGM acquisition of NOL is a case in point of that type of positioning." Maersk Line's parent has cash reserves of about $12 billion and is under some pressure from shareholders to put it to use. Chief executive Nils Smedegaard Andersen said last month that the group held "plenty of liquidity reserves for unexpected and expected investments". The line last made a major acquisition in 2005 when it bought P&O Nedlloyd, about five years after buying Sealand and Safmarine. Stausholm held open the possibility of new deals. "If the right opportunity is there we will look into it," he said. "If you look at the history of Maersk Line, we have achieved our leadership position by combination of organic growth and acquisitions." However, he rejected any suggestion that Chinese customers would turn predominantly to Chinese shippers. "They also need a carrier like Maersk Line," he said. "We have a strong position out of China, particularly into Europe." He also pointed to Maersk's Singapore unit. "The intra-Asia trade is small vessels and short distances and I think we compete with our MCC subsidiary pretty well in that business." BUYING A PILE OF STEEL Some investors doubt the wisdom of the current dealmaking. "By taking part in the consolidation, you effectively buy a pile of steel, but customers are not loyal in this business. So the big risk is that you are left with extra shipping capacity, while price-sensitive customers slip away," said Otto Friedrichsen, equity strategist at Danish asset manager Formuepleje. "I don't think acquisitions is the way to go." Formuepleje, with around 45 billion Danish crowns ($6.9 billion) allocated in bonds and equities, has shunned the shipping industry. "We see major challenges for the industry in setting the market price at the moment, and that is one of the reasons we're not investing in Maersk," said Friedrichsen. Analysts Rahul Kapoor and Nilesh Tiwary at Drewry Financial Research Services said the structural change would be negative for A.P. Moller-Maersk's earnings. "The traditional container shipping model seems broken," they wrote in a note this month, maintaining the "unattractive" rating for the group's stock which they first gave in April. BET ON MEGA-SHIPS The weak market has hit the big lines which have invested heavily in "mega-ships", largely to operate the main Asia to Europe trade route. Industry sources have questioned whether there is enough work for the biggest container vessels on the high seas at the moment, putting more pressure on profits. "The overcapacity is too large and the recovery will take its time," said Hermann Klein, chief operating officer with the Offen Group shipping company. In 2011, Maersk became the first line to place orders - worth billions of dollars - for mega-ships also known as "Triple-Es", with a capacity of over 18,000 TEUs (20-foot equivalent container units). Maersk said it had improved cost efficiencies in the first quarter of this year. But the banker said the search for efficiency had brought its own problems. "This trade has seen a significant cash drain. So there is no surprise there are mergers taking place," the banker said. On top of the mergers and acquisitions, the industry is also looking to vessel sharing. Maersk was first to announce such an arrangement with the world's number 2 line MSC of Switzerland, which started in early 2015. Maersk said its mega-ships and the MSC alliance gave it scale and helped to cut costs. "The Triple-Es we have received have served us well. We probably expected demand growth to have been higher, but it still works well for us with the volumes we are experiencing," Stausholm said. ($1 = 1.3425 Singapore dollars) (Additional reporting by Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen in Copenhagen; editing by David Stamp) Martin Clarke The Daily Mail is a quintessentially British tabloid conservative, sensational, and favoured by the type of people who think that immigrants come to Britain only to rape pregnant women at knifepoint. Though its "sidebar of shame" (the gossipy column on the right-hand side of its website that focuses on seminude celebrities) is well known in the US, few people outside the media industry realise just how massive the Mail has become in America, and how big its ambitions are. The Mail's collection of US offices and correspondents is now bigger than many entire US news organisations. Globally, with 815 staffers, it rivals The New York Times in size. (The Times' newsroom, though 1,300 strong, is shrinking.) Nearly 250 Mail journalists work in America right now, up from zero five years ago. That has shifted the global gravity of Mail considerably toward New York and away from London, the HQ. And the Mail is still growing, fuelled by its increasing online revenue, which is replacing its dinosaur print product. Revenues for the most recent six-month fiscal period ending in 2016, for the Mail's parent company, were 950 million ($1.4 billion), down 1%. Profit before tax was 129 million, down 11%. But the online section of that is increasing. MailOnline is where the future is for the paper that devotes more editorial resources to bikini analysis than The Washington Post did to Watergate. mail yacht To give you an idea of the scale of MailOnline, it has well north of 200 million unique monthly readers, and it publishes 1,600 stories a day, 20,000 photos a day, and 650 videos a day. Its North America advertisers include Tiffany & Co., NBC Universal, Ford Canada, and Verve Mobile. At the Cannes Lions in the South of France this week, the Mail "won" the ad festival by parking a massive luxury party yacht on the dock next to the festival centre. In front of that, the Mail erected a three-storey multilevel stage with a free bar and DJ. Advertising and media representatives lined up to get in. Next door, the News UK yacht handsomely branded with The Wall Street Journal's logo looked small and quiet by comparison. Story continues Multiple sources told Business Insider that the bill for the Mail's rented party was at least $1 million, and some estimates put it as high as $8 million, for the week. The cost of the boat is just the start of it: There was also the branding, the stage, the DJs, the staff, the food, the PR people, the celebrities, the plane tickets. Among the Mail's star guests for the week were Martha Stewart, WPP CEO Martin Sorrell, Piers Morgan, and Instagram star The Fat Jew. In addition to its main yacht, the "Idol," the Mail also rented a smaller (but nonetheless sizeable) secondary yacht, "Miss Candy," on which Business Insider spotted publisher Martin Clarke engrossed in his laptop. Last year, the Mail had only one boat and no stage. So the dockside extravaganza this year is a symbol of the scale of its thinking (or of its excess, depending on how you feel about the Mail). "What we invest we expect to make back," a source on the Mail boat told us. Business Insider was invited onto the Mail yacht for lunch with Clarke this week. When asked about the Mail's yacht bill, he told us the company spends "less than you think," adding, "We consider it a good investment." It's one of the easiest ways to get the attention of American advertisers, Clarke said. Here is a lightly edited version of our conversation: Jim Edwards: How many staff do you have in total now? Martin Clarke: 220 in total in New York. Globally 815, it goes up every month. Slightly under 400 are journalists. I'll be honest: I don't keep track of how many journalists we have in offices. Broadly speaking I'd say 60 or 70 in Australia this doesn't count freelancers 120 in the US. The remainder in London. LA is about 40 people, isn't it? Q: How many did you have in America five years ago? Clarke: There were none in America five years ago. Q: Would you ever go all digital? Clarke: That's not my call. I wouldn't have thought so for a very long time. The Daily Mail still makes a heap of money, so why would we do that? And I think they'll continue to make money for many a year. Q: Do you ever think about it? Clarke: Not personally no, I'll be honest. And I don't think anyone in the business except in a drunken late-night conversation thinks about it either. Q: The Independent did it. Clarke: I think The Independent is an entirely different kettle of fish from the Daily Mail. It's arguable whether The Independent should have lasted as long as it did economically. We're not a rich man's plaything we're a profitable business. We're not a charity or subsidised by a fund, or a licence fee. We're a profitable business. And the Daily Mail and the Mail on Sunday are still very profitable businesses in their own right. So there's no serious thought or conversation about that at all. Q: Total revenue is down at DMGT, the parent company, even though digital revenue is up. Do you need to make cuts? Clarke: Why would I make cuts to a growing business? One of our KPIs that I have to stick to is the number of people I hire. And in the past if I haven't hired enough people, I get told off. It's a growing business. It's still an expanding business. Despite growing so fast it's still a very lean business. We do not have a lot of people sitting around doing nothing. We haven't hired so fast that we've made too many mistakes. We've hired at a nice organic rate. So that we have a very efficient staff, a very talented staff, they work really, really, really hard. There's certainly no question of us cutting. Every business can be much more efficient. And get more bang for its buck. Martin Clarke Q: How much did you spend promoting the Mail at Cannes this year. Last year it was allegedly 1 million. The Mail's yacht situation is three times the size this year. Clarke: Less than you think. There is an economy of scale, less than you think. We consider it a good investment. This week works for us. Q: How does it work for you? Clarke: It works in terms of our general profile. Particularly with the American market where obviously we didn't have a brand profile. We concentrated our first three years in America building our audience. We didn't do a particularly good job building our profile commercially. And we've spent the last year to 18 months trying to rectify that with events like this and putting ourselves front of mind with the advertising community. Also, we do some proper business. You meet a lot of people. You discuss lines and ideas in principle and also you can take things further, so it works for us on a macro sales level and also on a micro sales level, on a field level. And also it's not often I get a chance to get all my people together. The UK team, the Australia team, and the American senior team, in once place. So it's good for them to spend time together and keep them all on the same page. It's difficult running a global business in different geographies across the world, and keeping everyone culturally assimilated and on message and focused on the same priorities. So there is some benefit to that as well, so this works for us or we wouldn't have come back and done it again. Q: Is the Mail affected by adblockers? Clarke: We don't find adblockers a particular issue at the moment. The problem on desktop is not growing at all. And to be honest it's not particularly bothersome. And the number of adblockers on mobile is almost nothing. So we're watching it. We're not complacent about it obviously it's a concern but we're not freaked out over it by any manner or means. We're constantly refreshing the suite of ad product. You have to keep the market interested, display, native video, mobile ... Q: What about programmatic? Wall Street Journal yacht Clarke: Programmatic, yes. Programmatic has been, on balance, a plus for us because it pays much better than the old network rates and certainly in the US has been a really impressive revenue driver. My only problem with programmatic is that it punishes you for having a loyal audience. We've always been focused on having a big proportion of direct, loyal users who come every day and come via the homepage or the app, than come in by Facebook or Google or wherever. I mean in the UK it's nearly 60% of daily traffic comes through the homepage or the app. In the US it's over 40%. So it's a big proportion compared with BuzzFeed, where it's all Facebook. Each of those people consumes tons of pages, they're there twice a day, nearly half an hour's engagement every day, massively loyal audience. But on programmatic they're not as monetisable as casual visitors because programmatic advertisers are not as interested in them once they've hit them once or twice. So that's slightly galling because you get penalised for having a really loyal, engaged audience. That's my only real quibble with it. Otherwise programmatic has been a really good thing for us. It's still growing incredibly fast. Q: Are your 650 daily videos generated by journalists or software? Clarke: We do everything the old-fashioned way with journalists, yeah? We're quite wedded to that concept. Q: Tell us about the Mail's strategy with Snapchat. Clarke: Snapchat is fantastic. What do you want to know? Snapchat is phenomenal, excellent. They're a really great company to work with. Evan [Spiegel the founder] is a really, really nice, smart guy. They're really easy to deal with. Very flat company. You don't have to deal with a whole bunch of people. I only really deal with three people, and Evan is one of them. So I can get good feedback from them. They're transparent, they work fast, they're very pragmatic and sensible. It's not all pie in the sky it's a really well-engaged audience we've got. In the last couple of weeks they've done a new release on the app which puts the Discover app in front of more people ... which has quadrupled [views] on some days from the days before they did that ... our bit of the Snapchat app, not every day, has at least tripled and on some days is up to 400% higher. That was in a week that was from this new release they did. It's phenomenally successful. Advertisers can present a full-length video or a native offering, or even click through to their own website from it, so it's much more versatile for advertisers. They've got third-party tracking now in America. We were effectively sold out this month on Snapchat, which is good. Q: What's going in with Truffle Pig [the joint-venture ad agency among the Mail, WPP, and Snapchat]? Clarke: It's actually going really well. We don't run it they have their own management team. I'm on the board ... We have a quarterly board meeting at which they pick our brains from a point of view, we cooperate with contacts and introductions. And their business plan, which so far they have stuck to, is doing really, really well. It's a good business that we're very happy to be part of. Q: Is there tension over whether MailOnline should favour Leave or Remain in the EU Brexit referendum? Everyone expects Paul Dacre, the editor of the Daily Mail newspaper, to favour Leave. Clarke: We deliberately do not strike really aggressive political poses, and there's a very good reason for that. Any newspaper, even a big newspaper like the Daily Mail or The Sun, is filling a niche. It may be a big niche, but it's a niche. I'm not going to label those niches for the sake of political correctness. We have to have a mass audience and attract as many people as possible, so we don't ram the politics down people's throats. We do things straight. Obviously our columnists Katie Hopkins is very, very pro Brexit. Piers Morgan, who can't say what he thinks because of his GMTV gig, is maybe less so ... it's pretty straight down the line with a light Brexit twist. My gut instinct, looking at the comments on the website and what stories the readers click most enthusiastically on about the referendum ... the stories that they click on most enthusiastically are definitely the stories that would be seen as pro-Brexit. NOW WATCH: LG pulled off its craziest marketing stunt yet to promote its latest vacuum cleaner More From Business Insider At least six and perhaps as many as all eight U.S. Supreme Court justices are worth at least $1 million, according to a Center for Public Integrity analysis of new financial disclosures. Topping the list is Stephen Breyer, who is worth at least $6.1 million and possibly as much as $16 million going into 2016. Breyer's top holdings include stock in publishing company Pearson PLC, as well as property in New Hampshire and the Caribbean island of Nevis. Chief Justice John Roberts boasts the second-highest net worth: at least $4.2 million. Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Samuel Alito, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan are also worth more than a million bucks. The same is true of their would-be colleague Merrick Garland, who President Barack Obama has nominated to fill the vacancy following the February death of Justice Antonin Scalia. (Scalia's estate is not required to file a financial disclosure on his behalf.) If confirmed to the Supreme Court, Garland currently the chief judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit would, in fact, become the court's wealthiest member. Documents released today indicate Garland is worth at least $7.6 million and possibly as much as $25 million. Among his top assets? A rental property in New York City and several mutual funds. Justices Anthony Kennedy and Clarence Thomas are the court's paupers relatively speaking. Both men's minimum estimated net worth was around $600,000 although each could be worth as much as $1.2 million. Assets on the forms, which are filed annually, are reported in broad ranges. This makes it impossible to say precisely how much each justice is worth. Judges are also exempt from disclosing the value of their homes, making an accurate calculation even more difficult. But suffice it to say, none of the Supreme Court justices are facing economic hardship. This story is part of Justice Obscured. Lifting the veil of secrecy surrounding the financial holdings and activities of the nations most powerful judges. Click here to read more stories in this investigation. Don't miss another Politics investigation: Sign up for the Center for Public Integrity's Watchdog email. The new documents show that the justices of the Supreme Court were a well-traveled bunch during 2015. All eight members of the Supreme Court took at least one trip sponsored by another organization, often law schools or foundations. Story continues Breyer was the most jet-setting justice in 2015, taking 19 trips sponsored by other organizations. Among them: A pair of weeklong jaunts to Paris one for a book event and speaking engagements, the other for a conference and three separate trips to London. Sotomayor's 16 trips placed second among justices, although none were international. Ginsburg, for her part, took eight trips, including one to Seoul, South Korea, for a "legal exchange program" that the Supreme Court of Korea funded. Alito, Kagan and Kennedy also traveled eight times, followed by Thomas with four trips and Roberts with one to Tokyo. While a majority of Supreme Court justices did not actively buy or sell individual company's stocks last year mutual funds are popular among them Alito, Breyer and Roberts held equities. Alito reported stock in aerospace and defense giant Boeing Co., Molson Coors Brewing and oil companies ConocoPhillips Co. and Exxon Mobil Corp., among others. Roberts' stock holdings included Time Warner Inc., satellite radio company SiriusXM and tech titans Microsoft Corp. and Hewlett-Packard Co. Kennedy, long a moderate voice on the high court, is particularly conservative with his investments. For example, he keeps between $500,000 and $1 million in an account at PNC Bank, according to his disclosure. In addition to their salaries and financial holdings, most of the Supreme Court justices also collected tens of thousands of dollars each from side jobs such as teaching gigs, speaking fees and book deals. Breyer scored about $117,000 from royalties from his recent book, "The Court and the World." Alito earned $21,000 teaching at the University of Kentucky and Duke University. And Roberts earned about $13,600 from the University of Tokyo in Japan, for teaching a course in July on historical perspectives of the U.S. Supreme Court. Meanwhile, Thomas collected more than $27,000 from teaching gigs at three law schools Creighton University, George Washington University and Brigham Young University. Thomas' wife, Virginia, also reported earning an unspecified salaries from The Daily Caller, a conservative news website, and Liberty Consulting Inc., her own political consulting firm. Thomas also received a gift worth $6,500 a bronze bust of abolitionist Frederick Douglass. More notable is the person making the gift: Dallas real estate mogul and Republican megadonor Harlan Crow, who has long been friendly with Thomas. Related story: Supreme court justices earn quarter-million in cash on the side Related story: Supreme Court justices bolstered by free travel, royalties, rental income Related: Supreme Court justices' estimated minimum net worth This story was co-published with NBC News. Related: Supreme Court justices' 2015 financial disclosures This story is part of Justice Obscured. Lifting the veil of secrecy surrounding the financial holdings and activities of the nations most powerful judges. Click here to read more stories in this investigation. Copyright 2016 The Center for Public Integrity. This story was published by The Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative news organization in Washington, D.C. USA Today Networks Post-Crescent obtained more than 1,900 pages of emails last week after the publication requested the documents under state opens records laws on January 26. The paper asked for emails sent or received by staff that pertained to Steven Avery, Brendan Dassey or Making a Murderer. 1. Officials feared for safety of Steven Avery and Brendan Dassey An email by corrections employee Donald Strahota on Jan. 10 read that officials offered [Avery] the opportunity to change housing and possibly a cell by the staff desk. He declined. We also discussed the possibility of moving to another institution and he didnt think it was necessary. This came after Department of Corrections Secretary Ed Wall was concerned that Avery would be harmed if someone seeks their own 15 minutes of fame by doing something to him. 2. Dassey was transferred Averys nephew was transferred from Green Bay to Columbia Correctional Facility in January. Although the emails didnt mention the reason for the move, Wisconsin Department of Corrections spokesman Tristan Cook said it was due to conflict of interest. 3. Dassey and Avery received donations from all over the globe The emails also revealed that Avery and Dassey received wire transfers ranging from $10 to $50 from around the world. A Jan. 5 email by a staffer said that a $10 transfer wasnt denied because Dassey is not engaging in an enterprise or business. 4. Averys requests to watch Making a Murderer were denied Bill Pollard, warden of the Waupun prison where Avery is being held, replied, He seems to relish the notoriety The only correspondence I received from him was a request to view the docu-drama from Netflix which I denied. Pollard is no longer the warden of Waupun prison. 5. All media requests were also denied Emails revealed that Bill Pollard, former warden of the Waupun prison where Avery is being held, rejected a TV stations request to interview Avery, calling Teresa Halbach Jessica Halbach. Story continues I am not inclined to participate in adding any credibility or inmate perspective on a case that has already been tried, he wrote Dec. 30. Nor do I think we should participate or authorize this which could victimize the family of Jessica Halbach by allow (sic) such an interview. Money has already been coming in from all over for him due to the notoriety and I do not think is (sic) a good idea to make it any bigger deal than it actually is. No media requests have been granted to date. 6. Brendans brother and his sincerity was questioned NBC26 reported that in another email, officials thought Brad Dasseys visits to his brother may be for secondary gains. New emails released from the Wisconsin Department of Corrections show that prison officials feared for Steven Averys safety and that he and Brendan Dassey received donations in the wake of Netflixs Making a Murderer. USA Today Networks Post-Crescent obtained more than 1,900 pages of emails last week after the publication requested the documents under state opens records laws on January 26. The paper asked for emails sent or received by staff that pertained to Avery, Dassey or Making a Murderer. The emails reveal several details about the prisoners lives. Also Read: 'Making a Murderer': 6 Steven Avery-Brendan Dassey Email Revelations (Photos) An email by corrections employee Donald Strahota on Jan. 10 read that officials offered [Avery] the opportunity to change housing and possibly a cell by the staff desk. He declined. We also discussed the possibility of moving to another institution and he didnt think it was necessary. This came after Department of Corrections Secretary Ed Wall was concerned that Avery would be harmed if someone seeks their own 15 minutes of fame by doing something to him after Making a Murderer began streaming on Netflix on Dec. 18. Dassey was moved from Green Bay to another prison, according to the publication, and Wisconsin Department of Corrections spokesman Tristan Cook said it was due to conflict of interest. In March, USA Today reported that the Wisconsin Department of Corrections was dragging its feet on releasing the emails. Journalists agreed to pay $220.60 for PDF copies of the communications sent or received by prison officials regarding the Netflix docu-series. USA Today said in March that no date had been provided for the release, and the state laws only requirement was that agencies were to release the documents as soon as practicable and without delay. Making a Murderer chronicled the trial and ultimately the conviction of Avery and Dassey in the murder of photographer Teresa Halbach in 2005. The Netflix series spawned many to question whether Avery and Dassey were guilty and the way the case was handled by Wisconsin police. Story continues Also Read: 6 'Making a Murderer' Updates in May USA Today also requested records that indicated limitations of inmate access to news because Avery and Dassey had not been available for comment regarding the series. Now, emails revealed that Bill Pollard, former warden of the Waupun prison where Avery is being held, rejected a TV stations request to interview Avery, calling Teresa Halbach Jessica Halbach. I am not inclined to participate in adding any credibility or inmate perspective on a case that has already been tried, he wrote Dec. 30. Nor do I think we should participate or authorize this which could victimize the family of Jessica Halbach by allow (sic) such an interview. Money has already been coming in from all over for him due to the notoriety and I do not think is (sic) a good idea to make it any bigger deal than it actually is. Pollard allegedly also denied Averys request to watch the series. No media requests have been granted to date. Pollard is no longer warden of the prison. Lets not be part of sensationalizing this case, Pollard wrote to Waupun prison staff Jan. 7. This was a court decision and that conviction is what placed him here, we dont dictate to the courts how to do their business. Also Read: 'Making a Murderer' Update: Avery Lawyer Cites a 'Couple' of New Suspects in Teresa Halbach's Death The emails also revealed that Avery and Dassey received wire transfers ranging from $10 to $50 from around the world. A Jan. 5 email by a staffer said that a $10 transfer wasnt denied because Dassey is not engaging in an enterprise or business. The email communication stretched from Dec. 18, the day the documentary was released, until the end of January. The Wisconsin Department of Corrections has not yet responded to TheWraps request for comment. Related stories from TheWrap: Wisconsin Prison Holds Up Release of 'Making a Murderer' Emails 'Making a Murderer': This Man Quit His Job to Solve Killings 'Making a Murderer': What's Happened to Steven Avery and Brendan Dassey Since the Series Premiered? Paris (AFP) - Brown bear mothers in a Swedish forest use human "shields" against murderous males, overcoming their own fear to raise defenceless cubs near villages where hunters live, researchers said Wednesday. Some young bear mothers have taken to living closer to humans for the duration of the mating season -- a period which sends male bears, called boars, into frenzies of lust-fuelled cub killing. Motherly instinct, in other words, seems to trump sex drive. While sows grin and bear the potentially threatening human proximity for the sake of their offspring, boars continue to give the two-legged species a very wide berth. "Bears in general avoid areas close to humans," said Sam Steyaert of the Norwegian University of Life Sciences, who co-authored the study in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B. "Also, after the mating season, females with cubs change their behaviour" and go back to avoiding humans, who hunt bears in the forest during a designated season. Male brown bears kill cubs to trigger oestrus -- a period of sexual receptivity -- in females who would otherwise have come into heat only after raising their cubs to independence. This means that instead of having to wait 18-30 months, the males "can obtain a mating opportunity in just a few days," Steyaert told AFP. The behaviour is called sexually selected infanticide, and has also been observed in birds, bats, primates and big cats. It is common in brown bears, with as much as a third of cubs in the Swedish forest losing their lives to roving males during the annual mating season, from early May to mid-July. Steyaert and a team tracked 26 mother bears using GPS technology between 2005 and 2012. Of the sows, 16 successfully raised cubs, and 10 failed. "The median distance of successful females to human habitation was about 780 metres (2,500 feet)," Steyaert told AFP by email. For unsuccessful ones it was 1,210 metres, nearly half a kilometre farther away. "Successful mothers were more likely to use humans as protective associates, whereas unsuccessful mothers avoided humans," the study concluded. Other, less successful strategies, included trying to fight off the aggressors. The Orlando nightclub massacre was an act of revenge against gay Latin men not terrorism, alleges a man who claims to be the gunmans former lover. The man, wearing a prosthetic facial mask to disguise his features and using the pseudonym Miguel, made the accusations during an exclusive TV interview with Univision News. Miguel said he and Mateen, 29, met on Grindr, a gay dating app, and had a two-month friends with benefits relationship last fall. He was a very sweet guy, Miguel said. He loved to be cuddled. A man disguised in a mask and using the pseudonym Miguel told Univision News that he recently dated Orlando shooter Omar Mateen. (Video screengrab: Univision via Inside Edition/CBS) Univision reported that the FBI told the network that agents have interviewed the man, but FBI officials did not immediately return messages from Yahoo News regarding Miguel or the focus of that interview. Omar Mateen died in a shootout with police after authorities said he killed 49 people and injured 53 others on June 12 at Pulse, a popular Orlando gay dance club. Authorities are still investigating the attack, but according to phone transcripts released on Monday, Mateen called 911 and swore allegiance to the leader of the Islamic State while he opened fire in the club. Maybe he wanted to die as a hero for something terrible he did, Miguel told Univision. They cannot think this was terrorism. Theres too many questions that have to be answered. Mateens rage on June 12, Miguel alleged, may have stemmed from an encounter in which Mateen told him he had sex with two Puerto Rican men, one of whom later revealed he was HIV positive. He adored Latinos, gay Latinos, with brown skin but he felt rejected, Miguel told Univision. He felt used by them there were moments in the Pulse nightclub that made him feel really bad. Guys used him. That really affected him. I believe this crazy horrible thing he did that was revenge. The night of the attack was promoted as Latin Night at the club. Miguel said he went to the FBI after learning investigators were seeking formation about Omar Mateen. (Illustration courtesy FBI) Mateen, an American born to Afghan immigrants, also struggled with his fathers view of Islam and hatred of homosexuals, Miguel said. Story continues Gay people is the devil and gay people have to die thats what his father told him, Miguel recalled. A day after the shooting, Seddique Mir Mateen, the gunmans father, posted a video to Facebook in which he reportedly said, God will punish those involved in homosexuality, adding its not an issue that humans should deal with. The elder Mateens Facebook accounts now appear to be deleted. Slideshow: Funerals and memorials for slain Orlando victims >>> Miguel said he and Mateen spent 15 to 20 nights together last fall, but stopped dating when Miguel moved from Orlando in late December. The man said he asked that his identity be hidden because he is worried about his safety. I dont know what kind of reaction his father can have, Miguel said. I dont know what kind of reaction this organization, ISIS, can have too. An autopsy on Mateen was completed earlier this week. At the request of the FBI, no further information is available regarding the shooters autopsy report, who the body was released to and when the body was released, the Orlando County Medical Examiners office said in a written statement. Jason Sickles is a national reporter for Yahoo News. Follow him on Twitter (@jasonsickles). In what it transpired to be freak incident, senior citizen from Andhra reportedly died in a cinema hall screening the latest Hollywood horror flick - The Conjuring 2. The incident happened at Sri Balasubramaniar Cinemas in Thiruvannamalai in Tamil Nadu on Thursday night. However, the deceased has not been identified the police yet. As per a new report in The Hindu, the man was a native of Andhra Pradesh and was staying at an Ashram in Thiruvannmalai. According to police, two persons, both native of Andhra Pradesh, had gone to watch the night show of movie. During the climax of the movie, one of them complained of chest pain and subsequently fainted. Though he was rushed to the Old Government Hospital where the doctors declared him brought dead. Reportedly the medical staff in the hospital had directed the bystander to take the corpse to the Tiruvannamalai Government Medical College Hospital on the outskirts of the Town for postmortem. However it is learned that he disappeared with the deceaseds body . Police at Thiruvannamalai has launched an investigation to establish the identity of the deceased. Also read: Indias first Mr Universe dies at the age of 104 2016 Hollywood films that we are quite excited about! (Part 2) Hitting the open road and driving into the sunset is a romantic notion, but most of us need a little planning before road trip. Do you go north? Do you go south? Do you take a week? Do you take a month? What are the best stops to make? And there are a million more questions to be asked. Randy Olson, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Pennsylvania, mapped out a super-efficient and super-ambitious way to see the contiguous United States. He devised his cross-country road trip, combining algorithms and Google Maps, so he could visit 48 capitol buildings. For this road trip, there is one goal: to take a picture at as many U.S. state capitols as possible, Olson wrote on his blog. We will travel only by car, so that rules out Alaska (too far away) and Hawaii (requires a plane flight) and leaves us with the 48 contiguous states (excluding D.C.). Whenever possible, we will avoid routes that require us to travel through foreign countries, as entering/leaving the country requires a passport and border control tends to slow things down. To start, he found the true distance between all of the capitols by car, and then the shortest route by road between every capitol, amounting to 2,256 directions. He did a lot more math you can read that here before determining his final itinerary. The algorithm reached an optimized solution that makes a complete trip to all of the U.S. state capitols in only 13,310 miles (21,420 km) of driving, he wrote. That came out to visiting those 48 U.S. state capitols in 8.5 days. The best part is that this road trip is designed so that you can start anywhere on the route, he noted. As long as you follow the route from wherever you start, youll hit every state capitol in the 48 contiguous U.S. states. Marco Rubio is seeking re-election to the Senate, despite previously promising" to retreat from the public eye following his current term's end, according to the Miami Herald. The Florida Senator announced his plans on Wednesday just ahead of Friday's candidate filing deadline. "I think that the point that really drove me to change my mind is that, as we enter this kind of new chapter in our history, there's another role the Senate plays that I think can be really important in the years to come," Rubio, 45, told the Herald. "And that's the power given to it in the Constitution to act as a check and balance on the excess of the president. It's even more important given the fact that control of the Senate could very well come down to what happens in the Florida race." Rubio seemed ready to leave the political world behind after dropping out of the 2016 Presidential race in March. "I'm not going to be vice president," he told reporters in Washington, D.C., at the time. "I'm not running for governor of Florida. I'm going to finish out my term in the Senate over the next 10 months a and then I'll be a private citizen in January." On Wednesday, Rubio also told the Herald that he's done making "unequivocal statements about anything at this point," declining to say if he would serve a full Senate term or vie for the Presidency again in 2020. Related Video: NRA Endorses Trump "I can tell you that I'm fully committed to coming back and making my mark in the Senate, working hard," Rubio said. "And, look, there's no secret of the fact that I've been frustrated with the way things work, but I am fully committed to coming back here and doing the best I can within the Senate as it is, not as I wish it were. And I'm hoping to change that, by the way. But I can say this to you: If the last political office I hold is to be a senator from Florida, I am fine with that." Rubio also didn't mince words about his party's nominee Donald Trump: "The prospect of a Trump presidency is also worrisome to me in many ways. It's no secret that I have significant disagreements with Donald." The worst-kept secret in Washington is out: Sen. Marco Rubio will run for re-election. The Florida Republican, one of the last Republican presidential candidates to drop out of this years primary, has reversed his earlier decision not to seek a second term, the Washington Post reported on Wednesday morning. A call to Rubios press office Wednesday morning went unanswered. The Post reported Rubio will make his announcement sometime Wednesday. Mitch McConnell and other Republican Senate leaders said at a Tuesday press conference that they hoped Rubio would seek re-election. Everybody realizes that its an important state and that Marcos the best person to keep that state a Republican seat, said John Thune, a senator from South Dakota and the number three Republican in the senate. Many people are very fond of Marco on a personal level and would like to see him stay around the Senate. Republicans had pressed Rubio to run, hoping he would help them hold onto a crucial Senate seat, but hed previously been wary. A little more than a month ago, he tweeted, I have only said like 10000 times I will be a private citizen in January. While heading to the Senate on Tuesday, Rubio was asked if he would seek reelection as he walked into an elevator. He did not respond and grinned as the doors closed. Donald Trump, the presumptive GOP nominee dubbed him Little Marco earlier this year, while Rubio made fun of Trumps hands, a move he later said he regretted. But the two appear to have reconciled, as Trump recently tweeted that Rubio should reverse course and run for reelection. Rubios campaign website, marcorubio.com, was under maintenance as of Wednesday morning. Sen. Marco Rubio backtracked on a pledge not to seek re-election to his Florida Senate seat on Wednesday, telling his colleagues he will now seek a second term, according to the National Review, which first reported the news. Rubio will reportedly make the announcement Wednesday afternoon, two days before the deadline to enter the race, according to the Washington Post. Rubio has begun telling colleagues in congress he's running, according to two sources familiar with the conversations. The Florida Republican, who ran an unsuccessful bid for the presidency this year, had said he had no plans to run again for his Senate seat. In fact, he was adamant he wouldn't be a Senate candidate as recently as last month, when he vowed he would be a "private citizen" come January, when his current term expires. I have only said like 10000 times I will be a private citizen in January. He's also bashed the Senate as a place where little gets done. "We're not going to fix America with senators and congressmen," Rubio said in January, when he was an active presidential candidate. But Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell urged Rubio to reconsider, believing the current crop of Republicans running for the seat are not well positioned to win in November. Winning Florida's Senate seat is crucial for Republicans, who are trying to protect their majority. A Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday shows Rubio with a 7- and 8-point lead over his two potential Democratic challengers, Reps. Patrick Murphy and Alan Grayson, respectively. DETROIT -- The Seattle Mariners and their lefty-laden lineup get their first look Wednesday night at red-hot right-handed rookie Michael Fulmer of the Detroit Tigers. Fulmer, obtained from the New York Mets at the trade deadline last July, is 7-2 with a 2.43 ERA in 10 starts. He had a 33 1/3 scoreless innings streak stopped in his last start when he hung a slider and Kansas City's Salvador Perez hit it for a home run. It was the second-longest scoreless innings streak by a rookie starting pitcher since 1971. The Royals handed him his second loss although he only gave up the one run in 5 2/3 innings. Fulmer is not expected to pitch again until June 29 as manager Brad Ausmus revampeds his rotation. Left-hander Daniel Norris is being called up Thursday to pitch against Seattle with Jordan Zimmermann working Friday against Cleveland. Anibal Sanchez returns to the rotation for at least one start Saturday, and Justin Verlander takes his regular turn Sunday. Detroit is off Monday and Mike Pelfrey, given a couple extra days rest, pitches Tuesday. Fulmer may return to the rotation against Miami the following day. What the Mariners will see in Fulmer is an unusually poised pitcher who picks up things quickly. Fulmer had some wobbles in his first four starts but in his fifth fanned 11 Tampa Bay Rays by heavily incorporating his changeup into his pitching mix. Things kind of took off from there for a pitcher who had previously been primarily a fastball/slider pitcher. His fastball touches 97-98 mph but Fulmer learned from there that less can be more on the pitching mound. Pitching to spots and inducing contact early in the count have cut his pitch count down. Fulmer relies on first-pitch strikes and Kansas City was ambushing his first offering. It wasn't long before the rookie went to sliders and changeups on his first pitch. Verlander has taken on the task of mentoring the rookie, starting in spring training when the youngster came to him for advice after outings. Story continues "I'd say 'Ver' has a little more fire," manager Brad Ausmus of Detroit said, "whereas Fulmer is more calm. Fulmer doesn't throw a curveball but his other three pitches are similar." Seattle counters with right-hander Hisashi Iwakuma (6-5, 4.18 ERA) as manager Scott Servais tries to help his team get through a period when starters are injured. "The guys know we're going through a tough stretch," Servais said. "But the guys still want to be the guy to steps up and gets the big hit. "It's been a long road trip and I'm going to mix in some days (off) for some guys at the end of the trip." BOSTON, June 22 (Reuters) - The securities regulator for Massachusetts said on Wednesday he has reached a settlement with seven firms in connection with unauthorized proxy voting in American Realty Capital. William Galvin, secretary for the commonwealth of Massachusetts, said his office uncovered how Realty Capital Securities' employees fabricated numerous shareholder proxy votes, but also were assisted by other financial service firms. Galvin's office issued orders against seven firms: Voyage Financial Advisors Inc, FM Capital Corporation, Invest Financial Corporation, Newbridge Securities Corporation, Plaiter Securities LLC, Platinum Wealth Partners Inc and TOG Financial. Each order calls for a permanent cease and desist, censure, administrative fines totaling $238,000 and changes to firms' supervisory policies and procedures on proxy voting. (Reporting By Tim McLaughlin; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama) By Bernie Woodall PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (Reuters) - On the morning before the massacre at Orlandos Pulse gay nightclub, shooter Omar Mateen drastically altered his appearance, shaving his head and face, and seemed agitated and surly, said an acquaintance who saw him that day. Mateen also talked about staying up all night to do online research into anti-psychosis medication, the acquaintance said in a interview. The acquaintance requested anonymity, saying authorities had asked him to keep quiet. The 29-year-old gunman, who killed 49 people and wounded 53 in the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history, called himself an "Islamic soldier" and pledged allegiance to the Islamic State militant group before being fatally shot by police after a three-hour siege. The FBI would not comment on the acquaintances remarks, but several senior U.S. sources told Reuters the investigation was moving more toward the belief that Mateen's motives were personal rather than political. "It looks increasingly like this may have been the act of a seriously troubled individual whose personal problems dwarfed any last-minute inspiration from radical groups," said a senior U.S. official familiar with the investigation, speaking on condition of anonymity. Authorities believe Mateen, a U.S. citizen of Afghan descent, was self-radicalized and acted alone in the rampage. He seems to have been a troubled youth, disciplined dozens of times in school and had his aspirations to become a policeman dashed when he was expelled from the academy. The acquaintance, a resident at the PGA Village in Port St. Lucie, Florida, where Mateen worked as a gate security guard, said he noticed signs of deteriorating behavior a few weeks before the massacre. He had passed the gate for three years, meeting Mateen several times a week and exchanging friendly small talk. About three weeks before the attack, he noticed Mateen seemed agitated and asked him if he was all right. Mateen said he was worn out from staying up all night to research psychiatric medication, although he did not say he was taking specific drugs. Hed been real worried about whether or not hed slipped into psychosis," the acquaintance said. He wasnt as friendly. He was obsessed with researching medication online. The acquaintance said he thought it was strange that Mateen would confide to him his concerns about his mental health, because they were not very close and he did not know anything about Mateen's personal life, including whether he was married or had children. "The last month, he looked worried, he looked upset, he looked confused," the acquaintance said. "He didnt seem himself." In the early morning, about 18 hours before the June 12 attack, the acquaintance said he drove up to the gate but Mateen was not there to open it as usual. In a couple of minutes, he appeared, silent and with a completely transformed look - a shaved head and face, without his usual short whiskers and glasses. When asked if he was OK, the usually polite Mateen responded: Whats it to you, anyway?" (Additional reporting by Jon Walcott and Mark Hosenball in Washington; Editing by Peter Cooney) By Denny Thomas and Saeed Azhar HONG KONG/SINGAPORE (Reuters) - McDonald's Corp (MCD.N) has received more than half a dozen bids for its China and Hong Kong stores, including offers from Beijing Tourism Group, Sanpower and ChemChina, in an auction that could fetch up to $3 billion, people familiar with the matter said. Buyout firms including Bain Capital, TPG Capital [TPG.UL] and Carlyle Group (CG.O) too are participating in the auction with a view to teaming up with Chinese strategic bidders, they said. The U.S. fast food company had announced in March it was reorganising its Asian operations by bringing in partners who would own the restaurants within a franchise business. Competitor Yum Brands (YUM.N) is also restructuring its China operations by spinning it off ahead of a likely IPO next year. The planned sale of China units by McDonald's and Yum indicates they are seeking local partners who could help ward off growing competition from domestic rivals and also better manage public perception in the wake of food-safety scares that hit the two fast-food giants in the last few years. "Given the difficulties Western chains have had recently with public perception, local players have become a serious competitive threat," said Elizabeth Friend, consumer foodservice analyst at Euromonitor International. Oak Brook, Illinois-based McDonald's has hired Morgan Stanley (MS.N) to run the sale of about 2,800 restaurants in China, Hong Kong and South Korea, Reuters previously reported. The sale in South Korea is being run separately and it was not known if the same parties have expressed interest in that sale, the people added. As part of the deal, McDonald's is offering a 20-year master franchise agreement to buyers, with an option to extend it by another 10 years. It has stipulated that private equity firms remain a minority partner in any bidding consortium, restrictions that discouraged some buyout funds from participating in the auction, the people added. Story continues Among those who were preparing to place first-round bids ahead of the June 20 deadline were Beijing Capital Agribusiness Group, which is McDonald's current China partner, and GreenTree Hospitality, the people added. It was not immediately clear if they made the bids. McDonald's will now draw up a shortlist of bidders for the next round in the coming weeks. VOLATILE EARNINGS McDonald's does not break out country-by-country revenue details but industry data shows it is China's No. 2 fast food chain behind Yum, which operates the KFC and Pizza Hut chains. McDonald's China and Hong Kong business posted about $200 million in earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation for fiscal 2016, and could be sold for about 15-16 times its core earnings, taking the deal value to about $3 billion, one of the people said. But the earnings have been volatile, jumping from $65 million for 2015, which is likely to weigh on how some of the suitors could value the business, the people added. Some sources said the sale is likely to fetch around $2 billion. Officials at China National Chemical Corp (ChemChina) [CNNCC.UL] and technology and real estate firm Sanpower were not immediately available to comment, while Beijing Tourism said it did not know about the matter. An official at Beijing Capital Agribusiness said the company did not participate in the bidding. A spokeswoman for GreenTree said the company was not bidding currently. Bain, Carlyle and TPG declined to comment. The sources declined to be identified as the sale process is confidential. A McDonald's spokeswoman said the company was "making progress" in the sale process. "As no decisions have been made, it would be premature to speculate further," she said in an email. (Reporting by Denny Thomas and Saeed Azhar; Additional reporting by Tris Pan and Lindsy Long in HONG KONG; Editing by Stephen Coates and Muralikumar Anantharaman) * McDonald offering 20-year master franchise agreement * Private equity firms looking to partner strategics * McDonald is China's No. 2 fast food chain behind Yum (Adds background on Mcdonald's China ranking, Yum sale) By Denny Thomas and Saeed Azhar HONG KONG/SINGAPORE, June 22 (Reuters) - McDonald's Corp has received more than half a dozen bids for its planned sale of China and Hong Kong stores, including offers from Beijing Tourism Group, Sanpower and ChemChina in a deal worth about $3 billion, people familiar with the matter told Reuters. McDonald's is offering a 20-year master franchise agreement to buyers as part of the deal, but has placed restrictions which has discouraged some private equity firms from participating in the process, the people added. Still, some global buyout firms including Bain Capital, TPG Capital and Carlyle Group have entered the auction with a view to team up with some of the Chinese strategic bidders, the people added. Other bidders who were preparing to place first-round bids ahead of Monday's deadline include Beijing Capital Agribusiness Group, McDonald's China partner, and GreenTree Hospitality, the people added. It was not immediately clear if the last two suitors proceeded with the bids. Oak Brook, Illinois-based McDonald's has hired Morgan Stanley to run the sale of about 2,800 restaurants in China, Hong Kong and South Korea, Reuters previously reported. The sale in South Korea is being run separately and it was not known if the same parties have expressed interest in the South Korean sale, the people added. The China and Hong Kong business had about $200 million in earnings before interest, depreciation and amortisation, and could be sold for about 15-16 times its core earnings, taking the deal value to about $3 billion, one of the people said. ChemChina and Sanpower officials were not available to comment immediately, while Beijing Tourism Group said it did not know about the matter. An official at Beijing Capital Agribusiness Group said the company did not participate in the bidding. A spokeswoman for GreenTree said the company was not bidding currently. Story continues Bain, Carlyle and TPG declined to comment. Sources declined to be identified as the sale process is confidential. "We are making progress as we look for long-term strategic partners with local relevance who have complementary skills and expertise coupled with a strong understanding of McDonald's Brand and who share our values and vision with a dedicated focus on accelerating growth initiatives," a company spokeswoman said. "As no decisions have been made, it would be premature to speculate further," she told Reuters in an email. McDonald's does not break out country-by-country revenue details but industry data shows it is China's No. 2 fast food chain behind YUM Brands Inc (YUM.N), which operates the KFC and Pizza Hut chains. Both firms are facing increasing competition from cheaper domestic rivals, particularly in China where they are both trying to recover from food safety scares. Yum is also in the process of spinning off its 6,900 China restaurants, and is in talks with buyouts firms including KKR and Hopu Investments to sell up to a 20 percent stake after battling sliding sales over the past few quarters. Bruised by food safety scandals and changing tastes, McDonald's is also selling a big stake in its Japanese arm. (Additional reporting by Tris Pan and Lindsy Long in HONG KONG; Reporting by Denny Thomas and Saeed Azhar; Editing by Stephen Coates) After the Senate voted down four gun control measures on Monday, it became painfully clear to Americans that not even a massacre as tragic as last week's Orlando shooting was enough to unite politicians. Two women, however, won't accept the infamous party divide on gun control as an immutable fact. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) are reaching across the aisle to draft a new bipartisan bill that would make it illegal to sell guns to people on the United States government's no-fly list. According to the New York Times, the legislation, proposed on Tuesday, would also notify government officials if anyone on the list even attempted to purchase a firearm. "Surely the terrorist attacks in San Bernardino and Orlando that took so many lives are a call for compromise, a plea for bipartisan action," Collins said in a press conference, reported the Times. "Essentially, we believe if you are too dangerous to fly on an airplane, you are too dangerous to buy a gun." Source: Mic/Getty Images This isn't the first time women in the Senate have led the charge toward compromise: Amid the 2013 government shutdown, Collins, alongside Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Kelly Ayotte (R-New Hampshire), started a bipartisan group with a three-point plan to appease both parties, daring anyone else to come up with a better solution. Their plan ultimately formed the core of the negotiation settlement that got the U.S. government up and running again. Whether Tuesday's gun control legislation will be as effective is still up for debate. The bill needs the support of 60 senators and it remains unclear whether it will garner the backing of enough Republicans to push it through. Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell, though, told the Times he'll do whatever it takes, saying, "I'm going to be working to make sure she gets a vote on that proposal." And, if it passes, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said it will send a powerful message to gun advocates, especially the National Rifle Association. "It'll be the first time that in a bipartisan way, with significant Republican support, the NRA is told, 'You're way off-base,'" he said. From Cosmopolitan When Sierra Yoder went with her husband Dustin to get her 22-week ultrasound and find out the sex of their baby, she was shocked when the concerned doctor sent her to a neurosurgeon. Soon after, the baby was diagnosed with encephalocele, a condition affecting 1 out of every 10,000 babies, causing part or all of the brain to form outside the skull, usually in a "sac-like protrusion." Though doctors originally believed Bentley had a slim chance of surviving, he's now home after ground-breaking surgery that helped put his brain inside his skull, the Washington Post reports. "'If he makes it,'" Yoder, 25, told the Post the doctors told them, "'he will not be compatible with life.' We had no hope whatsoever." The couple scheduled an abortion but decided not to go through with it the day of the procedure. "I couldn't do it," Yoder explains in the below Boston Children's Hospital video. "I just had it set in my head that he wasn't going to turn out the way they thought he was." Doctors then gave the couple information about funeral homes in the area, preparing them for the possibility Bentley would die as soon as he was born. Yoder came to the hospital in labor on Halloween of last year with nothing but one onesie to bury her son in. When Bentley was born, his family held him for hours - until it reached the 36-hour mark and "he was crying and he was breathing and he was moving. We were all just staring at him." Doctors told the family to bring Bentley home and arrange for hospice. Though the baby struggled to breathe sometimes and doctors continually believed he would not make it, he did. At four months, his parents took him to the Cleveland Clinic where they learned he was using the significant portion of his brain that was protruding from his skull and "now buried beneath a blanket of golden curls," according to the Post. The mass could not simply be removed, but when the family took Bentley to Boston Children's Hospital for another opinion, they began gathering 3-D printed models of his skull and forming an idea for surgery. Story continues After measuring, doctors realized they had to expand Bentley's skull in order to physically place his brain back in it. They decided to do this by slicing his skull vertically and inserting special dissolving plates to keep it temporarily open. According to Gizmodo, the surgery took place on May 24, a deliberate date - Bentley's skull was finally sturdy enough to handle the surgery, but waiting any longer heightened the risk of the encephalocele rupturing on its own. The surgery took six hours total and Bentley went home a few weeks later. Though he's returned to the hospital to have excess fluid drained a few times, Yoder says Bentley can now hold his head up, eat, and smile. No one is quite sure what his future will be like, Yoder told the Post: "Because of how different his brain really is, they have no one to compare him to," but doctors think "he will have a rewarding life. We just have to take it step by step." In an email to Cosmopolitan.com, Yoder wrote, "We are thrilled to be home with our happy, healthy baby! We never gave up on Bentley and will be forever grateful that the doctors at Boston Children's Hospital didn't either." See some incredible photos of Bentley below. Follow Tess on Twitter. BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday underscored her government's commitment to strengthening NATO's eastern flank, days after her foreign minister warned against "saber-rattling" that could escalate tensions with Russia. Merkel said Germany would continue to do engage in regular dialogue with Russia but also saw "new threats" close to Europe, and was determined to both increase its own military spending and strengthen the NATO alliance. "The (German coalition) government as a whole has agreed to the NATO decision that over the longer term we should dedicate 2 percent of gross domestic product to defense spending," she told a news conference after a meeting with Polish officials. "I think that will be supported by everyone in the government ... That is the position of the government." Merkel's comment came three days after Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier sparked a firestorm with remarks that cautioned against antagonizing Russia. "What we shouldn't do now is to inflame the situation by loud saber-rattling and shrill war cries," he told Bild newspaper. "Whoever believes that symbolic tank parades on the alliance's eastern border will bring more security is mistaken," Steinmeier said. "We are well-advised not to create pretexts to renew an old confrontation." A spokesman for Steinmeier on Tuesday denied the remarks were linked directly to NATO exercises and plans to increase NATO troop levels in eastern Europe. Steinmeier's remarks revealed growing divisions between his left-leaning Social Democrats and Merkel's conservative Christian Democrats in Germany's coalition government. Germany is set for a federal election next year. Steinmeier spoke in a parliamentary debate on Wednesday to mark the anniversary of Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union. "When the security situation changes - and it has - then we have to adapt our military capabilities. But we cannot at the same time fall prey to the illusion that military strength alone leads to security," he said. Steinmeier has called for a gradual easing of European sanctions against Russia as it makes progress in implementing the Minsk peace deal for eastern Ukraine, in contrast with Merkel's insistence that sanctions can only be lifted once the deal is fully implemented. During Wednesday's debate, Steinmeier criticized Russia's annexation of the Crimea region of Ukraine, but said Germany could also never forget its own invasion of the Soviet Union 75 years ago. Russian President Vladimir Putin marked the anniversary by saying Russia must boost its combat readiness in response to NATO's "aggressive actions" near its borders. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal; editing by Andrew Roche) MEXICO CITY, June 22 (Reuters) - Rowdy teacher protests in southern Mexico have caused delays and bottlenecks in transporting fuel from the country's top refinery in Salina Cruz, and state oil giant Pemex is on alert for new roadblocks, a company official said on Wednesday. Blockades on Tuesday caused long lines of tanker trucks unable to transport fuels for hours. Late last week, Pemex warned that road blockades by protesters could cause the facility's storage tanks to reach their limits and potentially force the company to shut the refinery, Pemex's biggest with a capacity to process 330,000 barrels of crude per day. "There's a problem with our storage capacity," the Pemex official said, asking not to be named because of company policy. He said the transport of waste and refined products had only been temporarily affected so far. A key highway used by the refinery to transport nearly all of the gasoline and diesel it produces has been specifically targeted in the past week by one of the most combative factions of Mexico's CNTE teachers union, a tactic often used to apply pressure and exact concessions from the government. "This is a serious problem," the Pemex official said. On Tuesday morning, members of CNTE's Section 22 in Oaxaca, fierce opponents of a 3-year-old government education reform, successfully cut off access to a highway known as the Carretera Transistmica, forcing dozens of tanker trucks to idle for hours. A stretch of the smaller, coastal highway 200 also was blocked, although both blockades were later dismantled. These and other roadways also were temporarily shut down last week before police were able to clear them of protesters in deadly clashes that marked some of the worst CNTE-related violence in months. (Reporting by David Alire Garcia; Editing by Bill Trott) Dec 20, 2015; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Chargers wide receiver Dontrelle Inman (15) chases down Miami Dolphins strong safety Reshad Jones (20) after an interception in the second half of the game at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports With two seasons remaining on his current deal Reshad Jones has voiced his displeasure in the form of a holdout. Though Jones quickly returned to the Miami Dolphins on the second day of mandatory mini-camp, he is still without a new contract and unlikely to drop the issue entirely. AROUND COVER32 Twitter Tuesday: Coby Fleener has a plan to cut carbon emissions Madden Monday: Checking in with the 2016 champion NFL: Your weekend news review Fantasy Football: Standard four round mock draft For a safety of his caliber this news has to be concerning for many in the Dolphins front office. With the team attempting to get a new deal done in the near future without overpaying, questions of Jones value will be raised. With two years remaining on his current deal Miami will be in no hurry to make deal. This raises a very intriguing question. If Reshad Jones is extremely intent on getting a new deal and the Dolphins are intent on not being pushed into a corner, should Jones be put on the trading block. While this may seem like a crazy move for the Dolphins, the current state of the team could help make a move like this make sense. Currently the Miami Dolphins have some pretty old players lined up in starting roles. With the team unlikely to challenge for a playoff spot in the next few seasons, the time would be now to move a player as talented as Jones. With two years left on his current deal, trade value will be higher than if the team waited till next offseason. READ MORE: Miami needs to be careful with roster evaluation Adding to that is the fact that Jones is 28-years old. By the time the Miami Dolphins have a real chance of making the playoffs, Jones will likely be in his 30s and out of contract with the team. At that point the team will already need to be looking for possible replacements at the Safety position. Moving Jones now would accelerate that process and potentially give them an answer sooner rather than later. Coming back to Reshads contract situation, by the time the Dolphins are ready to make a playoff push Jones deal will likely be up. The current process of playing hardball with Jones will likely remain with him giving him reasons not to return to Miami once the contract expires. Story continues While the move may open up a major hole in the Miami Dolphins secondary this season, such a trade may pay off down the road. Though I doubt the Dolphins are considering this option, it appears to me to be one of the better moves the team could make over the course of this offseason. READ MORE: Dolphins to wear color rush jersey this season The post Should the Miami Dolphins consider trading Reshad Jones? appeared first on Cover32. Philippe Dauman's two main impediments to staying CEO and chairman of Viacom, which most reasonable people might consider insurmountable, are the recent surprise backing of Shari Redstone by her father, Sumner Redstone, against Dauman and the fact that most investors, industry figures, media and many current and former Viacom executives want Dauman gone, too. Hence, the issues of the 93-year-old Redstone's competence and his daughter's legitimacy - an ailing man's multimillion-dollar business "seized by his estranged daughter who has manipulated her father to achieve her goals," in the words of a Viacom court filing - have been subsumed in the enthusiasm for toppling Dauman, and the belief that his end will come any day now. But in spite of Shari's present overwhelming tactical advantage - she controls her father's movements, keeping him away from Dauman and the other Viacom directors she is trying to depose in her father's name - and the general baying for his blood, here's how Dauman might actually keep his job: While the daily details of Shari's efforts at a corporate putsch are on the front page, they may soon take a backseat to what could turn out to be, in a Massachusetts probate case, the biggest incompetence and - as Viacom management is darkly suggesting - elder abuse case in American history. One that may be vastly larger than the Brooke Astor case, which held headlines in New York and sent Astor's son, Anthony Marshall, to jail several years ago. Befitting Viacom's long history as a take-no-prisoners litigator and helped by its shareholders' footing of management's legal bills, the case will unfold in Massachusetts probate court and in Delaware Chancery Court - and with the possibility of California courts entering the picture. A denouement could reshape the media world possibly within 90 days, according to people close to the case. Read More: Judge Asks Questions Over Philippe Dauman's Removal as Sumner Redstone Trustee Dauman's first opportunity at bat - and likewise a clear opportunity for Shari to strike him out - comes June 30 in the Massachusetts court before Judge George Phelan. The action there relates to Sumner's removal of Dauman and ally George Abrams, a Redstone lawyer and friend for 50 years, from the seven-member trust that will control his affairs, including his voting control of Viacom and CBS, after his death or incapacitation, as well as their removal from the board of Redstone family company National Amusements, which holds the stakes in Viacom and CBS. Viacom management argues Redstone was not mentally capable of making such a decision, and hence, it was fraudulently made for him. Arguments are due on June 30 and will likely prompt a quick ruling on the Redstone camp's motion to dismiss the case (they offer technical arguments, including that jurisdiction should be in California) and, if it is not dismissed, on Viacom management's motion for expedited discovery - first and foremost, a thorough medical exam of Redstone. Given the high-profile nature of the case, the judge might use the technical arguments to punt. But Redstone's condition is so fraught, his isolation so obvious, the reversal of his long-stated intentions not to have his family control his trust so extreme, the interests of the trust's beneficiaries so exposed and the timing in the case of a 93-year-old so critical that the more likely result is to proceed with discovery. Indeed, the Massachusetts probate court deals with competency issues on a virtually daily basis. Other than the $40 billion in assets that Redstone controls, it is likely to be, from the court's point of view - with Judge Phelan regarded as particularly sensitive to elder abuse issues - business as usual. Meanwhile, the issue in Delaware, one of corporate governance rather than probate, involves Redstone's apparent decision to reconstitute the Viacom board, shifting it from a board that has long supported Dauman to one stacked in Shari's favor. Only the board can fire Dauman. So, did Redstone act freely in appointing these new board members who are likely to oust Dauman? The Redstone side has agreed not to seat the new directors - and therefore not to dismiss Dauman - until the Delaware court decides this issue. Read More: Philippe Dauman's Fortune Interview: 6 Takeaways Right now, the two courts proceed independently. But the probate court, accustomed to life-and-death timetables, probably will move faster, with both courts then relying on the same discovery evidence. (Indeed, the case is more a probate than corporate governance issue.) If, on June 30 or shortly thereafter, expedited discovery is granted, a medical exam of Redstone by doctors representing each side might follow within days. (The Redstone side will probably appeal this decision, but given the exigencies of Redstone's age, that might not stay the exam.) Extensive depositions focusing on the undue influence claim - of Redstone's family members, caregivers, friends, executives and Redstone himself - and additional document discovery would quickly follow. The issue of competency first arose in the suit this winter by Redstone's former girlfriend, Manuela Herzer, who maintained Shari had manipulated her father to force Herzer from his home and from her position as caregiver. The judge in that case avoided the issue of competency in his ruling, finding only that Redstone was able to indicate a preference for his daughter as caregiver. At the same time, both sides acknowledged his significant impairments, including dementia, and that he might be subject to undue influence (with each side accusing the other of exercising such undue influence). The probate court, focusing on how wealth is transferred and protected, has a significantly higher threshold for assessing Redstone's capabilities and for an ultimate finding of competence. In this argument, the Redstone side will try to frame the definition of competency to allow for his severe limitations (for instance, although Redstone sounds Churchillian in many filings, his mumbled statements are "translated" or imputed by caregivers hired by his daughter). Viacom's management, using no doubt vivid evidence from Redstone's medical exam, will focus on his capacity to guide two Fortune 100 companies. For Dauman, this involves quite a bit of walking back the dog, since he vouched for Redstone's attentiveness in the Herzer suit (although not, technically, his competence) and supposedly worked with Redstone until a few months ago. But Dauman presumably will put that in the context of a nonagenarian's quick decline. What's more, the court, with experience, will apply its own standards. Read More: Viacom to Cover Philippe Dauman's Legal Bill in Sumner Redstone Lawsuit Using its extensive discretion, the court will find either that he can reasonably and freely manage his affairs, or he can't. If de facto decisions are being made by his daughter on substantive issues relating to his wealth, then, by the terms of the trust, responsibility should have already passed to the trust - before it was recast. Or he might be determined, by standards acceptable to the court, to be minimally competent yet found to be unduly influenced, through isolation and other manipulations, by his caregivers. Or his physical condition might be found to be so extreme - disclosures in the Herzer trial indicated that, along with being virtually unable to talk, he can't walk or eat, and must have his airways cleared on a near constant basis - that his utter dependence creates a circumstance of undue influence. The court has requested 11 questions to be answered before June 30, many focused on the issue of undue influence. In this, Viacom management also will argue his long history of estrangement from his daughter, in juxtaposition to Shari's taking control of his care and his giving her control of the trust. This is particularly salient in that it could set the case for Shari's potential self-interested dealings and, hence, an effective fraud. The outcome then would be potentially nuclear: Shari would have lost all credibility as a fiduciary in her father's affairs, and, quite in the manner of Astor's son and befitting the operatic nature of the battle, be potentially liable for prosecution. Some believe this ratcheting of the stakes is part of Dauman's effort to reach a richer financial settlement (he already gets $80 million if he's fired). But another view is that the blood is so bad that it has become a singular death match. None of this is related to the main case against Dauman, which is that he has mismanaged the company and seen its share price dramatically fall. That's a concern of neither the probate nor chancery court. Curiously, Redstone's indifference to Dauman's performance is perhaps another indicator of what might be seen as an inability to manage his affairs. Such a finding of incompetence or undue influence by the probate court would not just restore Dauman to his leadership position on the trust, and almost certainly cause the court in Delaware to find that Redstone did not have the authority to remove Viacom's directors, but it would leave Dauman, guiding the trust, with near absolute power over Viacom and CBS for the foreseeable future. A version of this story first appeared in the July 15 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe. (Reuters) - A Michigan driver charged with murder in the deaths of five cyclists is also being charged with five counts of operating a vehicle while intoxicated causing death, Kalamazoo County Prosecuting Attorney Jeff Getting said on Wednesday. In addition, Charles Edward Pickett Jr. was charged with four counts of operating a vehicle while intoxicated causing serious injury related to four additional cyclists who were hurt in the same June 7 car crash, bringing to 14 the total number of charges against him. Getting said Pickett was under the influence of a controlled substance at the time of the crash. He did not elaborate. The cyclists were struck along the shoulder of a road in Cooper Township, 45 miles (72 km) south of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Five of the cyclists were pronounced dead at the scene. Pickett, 50, was originally charged with five counts of second-degree murder and four counts of reckless driving. He faces life in prison on each murder charge. Getting told a news conference that four of the charges announced on Wednesday would replace the four reckless driving charges. A judge on Wednesday ordered Pickett to undergo a competency exam at the request of his attorney. A preliminary hearing that was scheduled for later this month has been postponed as a result. An attorney for Pickett could not immediately be reached. (Reporting by Justin Madden in Chicago; Editing by Matthew Lewis) 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. Story continues 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. The NBH has the right to take control of banks that face solvency problems. ($1 = 0.8881 euros) (Additional reporting by Gergely Szakacs; Editing by David Goodman) Microchip Technology Inc. MCHP, a leading provider of semiconductor products, recently announced that General Motors Company GM is using its Media Oriented Systems Transport ("MOST") Intelligent Network Interface Controllers ("INICs") to run the infotainment system networking functions in its global compact car platform. The General Motors cars that would feature this product include Chevy Cruze, Chevy Volt, Opel Astra, Buick Excelle and Buick Verano. In addition, General Motors has incorporated the MOST system in its mid-size, full-size, performance, cross-over and SUV, truck, and luxury platforms across all vehicle brands. MOST networking system is currently in use in 30 global car maker brands and over 204 vehicle models. MOST-based vehicles are manufactured worldwide, across North America, Asia and Europe. Since this network is designed to support multiple data types simultaneously, it enables car manufacturers to offer system and attribute set flexibility for current and future automotive infotainment applications. The MOST system also ensures low wiring harness weight for easier compliance with environmental regulations. The use of MOST technology in General Motor's compact cars signifies continued global acceptance. Using MOST Network, car makers can offer networking features at a low cost since this advanced technology has an inherent synchronous nature and intelligently uses network bandwidth. In addition, Microchips exceptional systems-based applications offer engineering support throughout the car makers' platform development process. The company recently announced a procedure to begin the transfer of the MOST specifications to ISO (the International Organization for Standardization). This step is being taken to ensure that the specifications are more accessible through an internationally recognized and accredited standards organization. The MOST system will thus be established as an international standard that meets the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) requirements of long-term stability, maintenance, and reliability. This action will follow international norms for sustained development and support participation of worldwide stakeholders. Story continues MICROCHIP TECH Price MICROCHIP TECH Price | MICROCHIP TECH Quote With continued focus on delivering better service to its customers, the installation of MOST in General Motors cars will help the company gain bottom-line growth going forward. Incorporated in Delaware in 1989, Microchip develops and manufacturers microcontrollers, memory and analog and interface products for embedded control systems, which are small, low-power computers designed to perform specific tasks. High quality standards, solid performance, reliability features, ease of use, pricing and diversity of products make Microchip one of the better-positioned companies in the semiconductor universe. Microchip carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Some better-ranked stocks in the same space include MACOM Technology Solutions Holdings, Inc. MTSI and Silicon Laboratories Inc. SLAB. Both 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 MICROCHIP TECH (MCHP): Free Stock Analysis Report SILICON LAB INC (SLAB): Free Stock Analysis Report GENERAL MOTORS (GM): Free Stock Analysis Report MA-COM TECH SOL (MTSI): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Being a woman today means being constantly bombarded with magazines telling us how to be better, according to their standards. Cosmopolitan wants us to get "great legs in 5 minutes." Vogue wants us to achieve the perfect tan. There is a persistent pressure on us to conform to society's ideals of being thinner and taller, with better makeup and better clothes, in order to achieve a sense of perfection. The takeaway being if we can't achieve these ideals, as women, then we have somehow failed. Over the past few years as a successful plus-size model, Denise Bidot has come to realize that that's entirely untrue. There is no one beauty standard we all must aspire to. There is no one way for women to be considered worthy. So, to ensure that women everywhere know this, Bidot has launched a new campaign, called "There Is No Wrong Way to Be a Woman," that's spreading this message as far as possible. Source: Instagram "To be honest, I've been saying this slogan without really knowing it," Bidot said in an interview. "The message was embracing your individuality and allowing yourself to be yourself. It's just a culmination of everything I've worked for and stood for. It's about culture and religion and realizing that this is a moment where we all need to stand together." As a half Puerto Rican and half Middle Eastern size 14 model in an industry full of white size 0s and 2s, Bidot knows this all too well. After modeling for the past 10 years, she's seen a recent shift in the industry with more opportunities opening up, with her most recently walking at New York Fashion Week for Chromat and starring in a number of campaigns for Lane Bryant. "We've come so far as an industry," Bidot, 30, said of modeling. "When I started 10 years ago, we weren't as diverse. I'm really thankful to not only have a role but now to help encourage other women to continue the conversation. It's a really good day to be a woman, so this movement is part of a conversation that should have been addressed years ago." Story continues As she's ascending to fame, she wanted to make sure that as many women in this world knew that they could too, regardless of what they look like. So to celebrate the launch of her campaign, she gathered a group of 10 women who embodied her point exactly. She calls them her Class of '16. Source: Instagram There's plus-size actress Donielle. There's Jennifer, who uses a wheelchair. There's Joan, who's 65. What they all have in common is that they were able to achieve their dreams and success without conforming to one beauty standard. "I wanted to listen," Bidot said of selecting the model for her first "class." "I was so inspired by all the messages. It's so many women who constantly inspire me. Seeing them all together in the photoshoot really nailed down this idea that women are allowed to live their lives on their own terms. There is no wrong, or right way, to exist in this world as a woman." In addition, Bidot is selling T-shirts with the campaign slogan across the front, as well as encouraging women to share their stories via her website or on social media with the hashtag #NoWrongWay. Over the next few weeks and months, she's hoping to share new stories on the campaign's Instagram, as well as her own, which has 256,000 followers. Jennifer and Donielle Along with the social media campaign, which is meant to highlight women achieving their dreams and then some, she hopes to turn the campaign into a scholarship fund for young women, as well as a leadership series in which she'd give speeches across the country. "This is just the beginning," Bidot said. "It's about women coming together and embracing one another. I'm in a part of my life when I want to encourage other women to rise up." Taty and Joan and Christelle In the end, Bidot said, what she hopes this campaign does above all else is spark a conversation among women about how capable and powerful they are, regardless of where they've come from. "There's no way in the world I would have thought about opening New York Fashion Week or walking in London," Bidot said. "Because of that realization is why I needed to go back and go to that young girl and let her see that she is exactly as she should be. I want as many women as possible to see that they are capable. We can do anything." In order to strengthen its brand presence across digital media, Mondelez International, Inc. MDLZ has renewed its global strategic partnership with Facebook, Inc. FB. Given the amount of time that people spend on their smartphones nowadays, a large-scale media partnership with the worlds largest mobile platform offers Mondelez an opportunity to bring its brands closer to consumers. Together, the companies intend to leverage consumer insights and messaging for improving marketing campaigns. With regard to consumer insights, Mondelez will use Facebooks new data tool, Audience Insights (API), to understand its customers and adopt a marketing strategy that better addresses the target audience. Mondelez will also utilize Facebooks Messenger platform to facilitate real-time interaction between its brands and consumers. The partnership covers 52 countries, including Brazil, France, India, Indonesia, the U.K., the U.S. and the Gulf States. MONDELEZ INTL Price MONDELEZ INTL Price | MONDELEZ INTL Quote Renewal of the deal is in line with Mondelezs plans of expanding its e-Commerce platforms and boosting online sales. Mondelez the maker of Oreo, Cadbury and Trident gum believes that e-Commerce, its fastest growing platform, can generate $1 billion in annual revenues by 2020, compared to its present contribution of $100 million. In April, Mondelez inked an e-commerce partnership with Chinas leading online and mobile commerce company, Alibaba Group Holding Limited BABA. Per the deal, Mondelezs snacks like Oreo, Chips Ahoy!, belVita, Toblerone, Cadbury and Trident will be made available to its Chinese customers through Alibabas Tmall.com site. Other than that, Mondelez also has a global strategic partnership with Google, a segment of Alphabet Inc. GOOG, which was signed in Oct 2014. Currently, Mondelez has 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 FACEBOOK INC-A (FB): Free Stock Analysis Report MONDELEZ INTL (MDLZ): Free Stock Analysis Report ALIBABA GROUP (BABA): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research The most affordable Disney park in the world might surprise you The most affordable Disney park in the world might surprise you Only one thing prevents us from going to Disneyland on a daily basis the fact that its ridiculously expensive. Well, that and the whole having a career thing. From parking, to admission, to food and drinks, to the obligatory and absolutely necessary Mickey ears Disney is a pricey outing. Even for people who purchase annual passes the expenses add up. For those of you who plan on any of visiting a Disney park sometime soon and need a heads up about cost, Time Money did the legwork for you. They ranked six Disney parks by cost of admission (not including all the other imperative things like Goofy-shaped cookies, etc.) so you can accurately estimate how much a one-day trip to the most magical place on Earth with cost you. To make things simple, the calculations were done assuming youre traveling with two adults and two kids one teenager and one kid under the age of 10. Here are six of the Disney parks and the cost of admission from most expensive to most affordable. 1. Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando: $382 2. Disneyland Anaheim: $374 3. Hong Kong Disneyland: about $260 4. Disneyland Tokyo: $245 5. Disneyland Shanghai: $198 6. Disneyland Paris: $153 Disneyland Paris for the win! It may cost you a few thousand dollars to get yourself and your family over to Paris, but at least youll save a few hundred bucks on admission. And youll be in Paris, so theres that. Maybe theyll have Goofy-shaped croissants? One can only hope. The post The most affordable Disney park in the world might surprise you appeared first on HelloGiggles. Better start saving that vacation time: Regent Seven Seas Cruises has announced a new 137-night Navigate the World cruise for 2018 on the luxe 490-passenger Seven Seas Navigator. Beginning and ending in Los Angeles, the 38,528-nautical-mile, five-continent voyage departs on January 18, 2018, and is focused on the southern hemisphere, with stops in 28 countries and 64 ports of call. After a gala at the Four Seasons Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills, the ship will sail for Hawaii, French Polynesia, American Samoa, and Fiji; hit several ports in Australia and New Zealand; and then head to Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia. Next up are several stops in South Africa, followed by Uruguay, Argentina, and Brazil in South America, and Aruba and Curacao in the Caribbean. Finally, the ship will make its way through the Panama Canal and up the Central American coast to Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Guatemala before docking in L.A on May 25, 2018. Of course, ticking that many destinations off your bucket list is going to cost you: The cruise runs $59,999 per person for a Deluxe Window Suite. But that fare comes with plenty of perks, including first-class airfare, door-to-door luggage service, a visa package, plus free laundry service, satellite phone use, and tons of free shore excursions. Bonus: The Seven Seas Navigator just underwent a lavish ship-to-stern refurbishment, which means youll be sailing around the world on one of the chicest ships on the high seas. You also don't want to miss Regent's new ship, the Seven Seas Explorer, which is debuting in July 2016. Related Articles BERLIN (Reuters) - Nearly two-thirds of German industrial companies say a British exit from the European Union won't hurt their business, a poll by the Ifo economic institute showed on Wednesday, albeit underlining differences in size and sector. According to the survey, 61 percent of respondents said a Brexit would have no negative consequences for their business while 38 percent said it would cause damage. Larger companies, those with more than 500 employees, were more concerned, with 53 percent of them saying a British exit would have negative consequences for their business. Looking at different sectors, firms in the electronics, automobile and metals industry were most concerned while food and textile companies were the least unsettled, Ifo said. The head of the BGA trade association said on Monday German exports will grow less than expected this year due to external risks, including a British exit from the EU and uncertainties ahead of elections in the United States and France - Germany's two most important trading partners. Britain is Germany's third most important export destination. In 2015, German companies exported goods worth some 89 billion euros (68 billion pounds) to Britain. At the same time, Germany imported British goods worth some 38 billion euros, leaving a trade surplus of around 51 billion euros. With a total trade volume of 127.5 billion euros, Britain is Germany's fifth biggest trading partner behind the United States, France, the Netherlands and China. For the UK, Germany is the most important trade partner, ahead of the United States. The DIW economic institute DIW has warned a British exit would likely lead to higher export tariffs, reducing German trade and knocking up to half a percentage point off growth in Europe's biggest economy next year. (Reporting by Michael Nienaber Editing by Jeremy Gaunt) The mother of one of three Pennsylvania residents arrested on the New Jersey side of the Holland Tunnel while trying to cross into Manhattan with an arsenal of weapons is speaking out. Read: Trio Stopped With Cache of Loaded Weapons Heading Into NYC to 'Rescue' Girl Involved in Drugs: Reports Michele Plocinik, the mother of 29-year-old Kimberley Arendt, spoke to Inside Edition about her daughters arrest with two men who claim they were going to Brooklyn to save a young woman in a drug house. She called me and said, mom, Ive been arrested.' They're not vigilantes. Theyre trying to save people. Theyre saviors these people, the 52-year-old said. There was no harm intended. There were no terroristic threats, all they wanted to do was go get this girl and bring her to safety. Police found seven loaded guns, body armor, knives, 2,000 rounds of ammunition and night vision goggles inside the bright green truck of the trio. They say they are anti-drug crusaders who were on a mission to rescue the teen girl, who was from Pennsylvania, in Brooklyn. The ringleader, John Cramsey, 50, who owns a gun range near Allentown, Pennsylvania, called Higher Ground Tactical the name depicted on the vehicle stopped at the Holland Tunnel. He launched his personal war on drugs after his 20-year-old daughter, Alexandra (Lexii), a model, died in February from a heroin and fentanyl overdose. Early Tuesday morning, Cramsey, his buddy Dean Smith, 53, and Arendt, who was a friend of the teen they were going to rescue, made their way to New York City. Cramsey posted on the Facebook page he runs, Enough is Enough, which is an anti-heroin group in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. Read: Stories Emerge of Heroes Who Died Shielding Loved Ones in Orlando Massacre '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 friends. 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... Her friend died of a heroin overdose, he wrote. Story continues Officials at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said there was no link to terrorism. The trio was arrested and faces a series of gun charges. It is unknown if they have legal representation. Watch: Orlando Gunman Posted Chilling Final Message Before Massacre: 'Now Taste the Islamic Vengeance' Related Articles: USA Networks Mr. Robot and FXs American Crime Story: The People V. O.J. Simpson lead the Television Critics Associations 32nd TCA Awards nominations announced today with four each, and HBO leads all networks with 12 noms. The CWs Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Netflixs Master of None, FXs The Americans, and Lifetimes UnReal followed with three noms each, and they along with HBOs Game of Thrones, and Netflixs Making a Murderer received noms for Program of the Year. The TCA Awards recognize outstanding television programming in the 2015-16 season, honoring actors, producers and programs in categories including News and Information, Youth, Reality, Drama and Comedy. This years event will be held Saturday, August 6 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, with Jane the Virgin star Jaime Camil as host. Here is the complete list of nominees: INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT IN DRAMA Bryan Cranston, All The Way, HBO Rami Malek, Mr. Robot, USA Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul, AMC Sarah Paulson, The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story, FX Keri Russell, The Americans, FX Courtney B. Vance, The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story, FX INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT IN COMEDY Aziz Ansari, Master of None, Netflix Samantha Bee, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, TBS Rachel Bloom, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, The CW Aya Cash, Youre The Worst FXX Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep, HBO Constance Wu, Fresh Off the Boat, ABC OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN NEWS AND INFORMATION CBS Sunday Morning, CBS Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, TBS Jackie Robinson, PBS Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, HBO (2015 Winner in Category) Real Time With Bill Maher, HBO United Shades of America, CNN OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN REALITY PROGRAMMING I Am Cait, E! The Circus: Inside the Greatest Political Show on Earth, Showtime The Great British Baking Show, PBS Making a Murderer, Netflix MasterChef Junior, Fox Survivor Cambodia: Second Chance, CBS Story continues OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN YOUTH PROGRAMMING Daniel Tigers Neighborhood, PBS Doc McStuffins, Disney Junior Nature Cat, PBS Odd Squad, PBS Sofia The First, Disney Junior OUTSTANDING NEW PROGRAM Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, The CW Marvels Jessica Jones, Netflix Master of None, Netflix Mr. Robot, USA Underground, WGN America UnREAL, Lifetime OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN MOVIES, MINISERIES AND SPECIALS All The Way, HBO Fargo, FX The Night Manager, AMC The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story, FX Roots, History Show Me A Hero, HBO OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN DRAMA The Americans, FX (2015 Winner in Category) Better Call Saul, AMC Game of Thrones, HBO The Leftovers, HBO Mr. Robot, USA UnREAL, Lifetime OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN COMEDY black-ish, ABC Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, The CW Master of None, Netflix Silicon Valley, HBO Veep, HBO Youre The Worst FXX HERITAGE AWARD The Larry Sanders Show, HBO The Mary Tyler Moore Show, CBS Seinfeld, NBC Star Trek, NBC Twin Peaks, ABC PROGRAM OF THE YEAR The Americans, FX Fargo, FX Game of Thrones, HBO Making a Murderer, Netflix Mr. Robot, USA The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story, FX UnREAL, Lifetime Related stories 'Jane The Virgin' Star Jaime Camil To Host TV Critics Association Awards 2016 UPDATED: Leaked List Leads To Laughs At TCA Awards Terry Crews To Host TCA Awards The Television Critics Association has announced the nominations for the orgs 32nd Annual TCA Awards, recognizing outstanding television programming in the 2015-16 season. USA Networks Mr. Robot and FXs The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story lead the pack with four nominations apiece, while premium cabler HBO has emerged as the network with the highest number of nominees, with 12 nods across its slate, including nominations for Game of Thrones, The Leftovers, Veep, Silicon Valley, All the Way, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver and Real Time with Bill Maher. Contenders for Program of Year are FXs Soviet spy caper The Americans, quirky anthology Fargo, and true crime anthology The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story; USAs cyber-security thriller Mr. Robot; Netflixs docu-series Making a Murderer; Lifetimes UnReal; and HBOs fantasy epic Game of Thrones, which won Program of the Year in 2012. The lineup also encompasses a wide range of first-time nominees, including Mr. Robot; FXXs rom-com Youre the Worst; CWs comedy-musical Crazy Ex-Girlfriend; Lifetimes drama UnReal; WGN Americas period-piece Underground; CNNs doc series United Shades of America; and E!s groundbreaking transgender reality series I Am Cait. TCA members have recognized a record number of first-time nominees for this years awards. In our 32-year history this is one of the most diverse slates of genres and programs weve ever had, said TCA President Amber Dowling. Its been a banner year for fresh, noteworthy content and were looking forward to seeing which shows and actors grab top prizes following the difficult votes ahead. The TCA Awards will also bestow a Heritage Award trophy to one long-standing program that has had a major cultural or social impact. This years nominees include the late comedian Garry Shandlings talk show satire The Larry Sanders Show; the revolutionary comedy The Mary Tyler Moore Show; one of the most beloved sitcoms of all time Seinfeld; Gene Roddenberrys influential sci-fi saga Star Trek; and the mind-bending small town murder mystery Twin Peaks, co-created by David Lynch and Mark Frost. Story continues In addition to honoring this years best, the TCA presents a Career Achievement Award to an individual who has influenced the medium, which will be announced at the awards presentation. The 2016 TCA Awards ceremony takes place Sat., August 6, 2016, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel as part of the groups bi-annual industry conference, the summer press tour. Jane the Virgin star Jaime Camil will host the evening. Check out the full list of TCA Awards nominees below. INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT IN DRAMA Bryan Cranston, All The Way, HBO Rami Malek, Mr. Robot, USA Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul, AMC Sarah Paulson, The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story, FX Keri Russell, The Americans, FX Courtney B. Vance, The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story, FX INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT IN COMEDY Aziz Ansari, Master of None, Netflix Samantha Bee, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, TBS Rachel Bloom, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, The CW Aya Cash, Youre The Worst FXX Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Veep, HBO Constance Wu, Fresh Off the Boat, ABC OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN NEWS AND INFORMATION CBS Sunday Morning, CBS Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, TBS Jackie Robinson, PBS Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, HBO (2015 Winner in Category) Real Time With Bill Maher, HBO United Shades of America, CNN OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN REALITY PROGRAMMING I Am Cait, E! The Circus: Inside the Greatest Political Show on Earth, Showtime The Great British Baking Show, PBS Making a Murderer, Netflix MasterChef Junior, Fox Survivor Cambodia: Second Chance, CBS OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN YOUTH PROGRAMMING Daniel Tigers Neighborhood, PBS Doc McStuffins, Disney Junior Nature Cat, PBS Odd Squad, PBS Sofia The First, Disney Junior OUTSTANDING NEW PROGRAM Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, The CW Marvels Jessica Jones, Netflix Master of None, Netflix Mr. Robot, USA Underground, WGN America UnREAL, Lifetime OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN MOVIES, MINISERIES AND SPECIALS All The Way, HBO Fargo, FX The Night Manager, AMC The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story, FX Roots, History Show Me A Hero, HBO OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN DRAMA The Americans, FX (2015 Winner in Category) Better Call Saul, AMC Game of Thrones, HBO The Leftovers, HBO Mr. Robot, USA UnREAL, Lifetime OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN COMEDY black-ish, ABC Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, The CW Master of None, Netflix Silicon Valley, HBO Veep, HBO Youre The Worst FXX HERITAGE AWARD The Larry Sanders Show, HBO The Mary Tyler Moore Show, CBS Seinfeld, NBC Star Trek, NBC Twin Peaks, ABC PROGRAM OF THE YEAR The Americans, FX Fargo, FX Game of Thrones, HBO Making a Murderer, Netflix Mr. Robot, USA The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story, FX UnREAL, Lifetime NETWORK TALLY (includes Heritage Award nominees) HBO 12 FX/FXX 11 Netflix 6 PBS/PBS KIDS 5 USA 4 ABC 3 AMC 3 CBS 3 Lifetime 3 The CW 3 Disney Junior 2 NBC 2 TBS 2 CNN 1 E! 1 Fox 1 History 1 Showtime 1 WGN America 1 PROGRAM TALLY- (denotes shows with more than one nomination) Mr. Robot, USA 4 The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story, FX 4 Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, The CW -3 Master of None, Netflix -3 The Americans, FX 3 UnReal, Lifetime -3 All The Way, HBO 2 Better Call Saul, AMC -2 Fargo, FX -2 Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, TBS 2 Game of Thrones, HBO 2 Making a Murderer, Netflix 2 Youre The Worst, FXX -2 Veep, 2 Related stories HBO Inks Overall Deal with 'Silicon Valley' Showrunner Alec Berg (EXCLUSIVE) HBO's Nick Hall Joins Amazon Studios as Head of Development for Half Hour TV HBO's Documentary President Sheila Nevins Looks Back at Early Career This is how much money the cast of Game of Thrones will make next season This is how much money the cast of Game of Thrones will make next season If you can believe it, Game of Thrones is getting ready to start shooting Season 7. Crazy, right? Season 6 isnt even over yet, but already Westeros is getting ready to go back to work. According to very trusted Game of Thrones fansite, Watchers on the Wall, casting for Season 7 has actually already begun. IS IT MID-SPRING 2017 YET?? With one episode left to go titled, The Winds of Winter its a perfect time to look to the future, and who will be returning for the penultimate season. Honestly, its anyones guess, considering how often and frequently our favorite characters are killed off! But those who are returning are going to find that their pockets are a little bit heavier. The Game of Thrones cast just got a huge raise. And they totally deserve it. Jon Snow deserves every penny for dying, and then coming back to life. According to Deadline Hollywood, the five main cast members Peter Dinklage, Kit Harington, Lena Headey, Emilia Clarke, and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau will now receive around $500,000 an episode for Season 7 and the tentative Season 8, up from their previous $300,000 an episode (HBO would not confirm this number, stating that it doesnt discuss contract negotiations, which is completely normal). This means that more than likely the supporting characters including, but not limited to, Maisie Williams, Sophie Turner, and Natalie Dormer will see pay increases as well. money Also, this DOES NOT MEAN ALL OF THESE CHARACTERS WILL LIVE TO SEE THE END OF SEASON 7, LET ALONE 8. Its just that their contracts will extend through then, with this salary, should they actually survive till the end. While $500,000 is a lot, and its more than enough to buy a nice seaside apartment in Kings Landing, its not as outrageous as a price as you might think. The cast of The Big Bang Theory makes $1 million an episode, just like the cast of Friends did during their final season. Story continues Also consider this: Game of Thrones is only expected to have seven (maaaaybe 10) episodes next season. It was reported that last year, Ellen Pompeo of Greys Anatomy makes upwards of $300,000 an episodebut there are usually 22 episodes during a season. Even with this new higher salary, the Game of Thrones cast will still make considerably less than many network TV stars. They should bring Lyanna Mormont to their next negotiation. three3 The post This is how much money the cast of Game of Thrones will make next season appeared first on HelloGiggles. Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi arrived Thursday in Thailand to a frenzied welcome from some of the hundreds of thousands of her compatriots who have sought work and sanctuary from war across the border. Thai police struggled to hold back a boisterous thousands-strong crowd of migrant workers, many holding aloft framed photos of the nation's star politician while chanting "Mother Suu, Mother Suu". Although cocooned by security guards, crowds craned to grab a fleeting glimpse of a politician who strides over Myanmar's democracy movement and exerts a powerful moral force among her countrymen wherever they are. "I am so happy, I love Aung San Suu Kyi... today is the first time I have seen her," said 32-year-old Banyar Taik, who works at a tuna processing plant. It is Suu Kyi's highest profile overseas visit since her pro-democracy party took power in April, ending nearly half a century of military domination. Her government has seeded hopes for a new era of prosperity that could eventually convince the army of low-paid Myanmar labourers in Thailand to return home. The two Southeast Asian neighbours have travelled in starkly different directions in recent years. While Myanmar's junta has rolled back its chokehold on politics, Thailand remains in the grip of a military that seized power in 2014. Seeking to escape poverty at home, some one million registered Myanmar migrant workers form the backbone of Thailand's manual workforce. Tens of thousands of others work illegally, with some estimates putting the total number of Myanmar nationals in Thailand at three million. Rights groups say migrants -- legal and otherwise -- are vulnerable to unscrupulous officials, trafficking gangs and employment agencies who charge huge sums to get them poorly paid work. Their low status also sees them treated with scorn and mistrust by many Thais. Suu Kyi, who is Myanmar's de facto leader despite being barred from the presidency, vowed to support migrants in discussions during her three-day trip. Story continues "I want to hear the voices from our nationals. Please speak openly about we can do for you and what you expect," she said. But she did not field questions from reporters in keeping with the tight control she has exerted over political messaging since her party took power in April. - The Lady carries hope - Suu Kyi enjoys a peerless status to many Myanmar people who see her as symbol of defiance through the dark junta years and a beacon of hope. Her visit "fills me with hope," Myanmar migrant Thon Barami, 50, told AFP at the scruffy port, which is a hub for Thailand's huge seafood industry and home to more than 100,000 low-paid Myanmar labourers. "We have problems here in Thailand. She might help us with labour rights... people all around the world will listen to her," she added. The fishing sector has been battered by revelations of the use of slave labour and the widespread exploitation of workers. The scandals have prompted threats of sanctions by the European Union -- a key market for the multi-billion-dollar Thai seafood industry. "They all want to go home, but they are just waiting for the economic situation (in Myanmar) to improve significantly," explained Andy Hall, a migrant rights activist who has an office in the port town. The nemesis of Myanmar's generals throughout a quarter-century of struggle for democracy, the Nobel laureate will meet with the leader of the Thai junta in Bangkok on Friday. The 71-year-old is officially Myanmar's foreign minister and state counsellor. It is unclear if she will make a scheduled trip to a refugee camp in Ratchaburi province on Saturday. It is one of nearly a dozen camps in Thailand holding more than 100,000 refugees who have fled conflict in Myanmar. Many are ethnic Karen displaced by war with Myanmar's army. The violence abated following a 2012 ceasefire, but conflict with other ethnic rebel groups continues. Thailand, which does not accept refugees, wants to repatriate camp residents -- some of whom have been born on Thai soil but are barred from citizenship. Suu Kyi is also not scheduled to visit any of the Thai centres holding hundreds of Rohingya boat migrants, a Muslim group who have fled poverty and persecution in western Myanmar. Campaigners say her failure to throw her moral weight behind the stateless minority is a boon to the country's Buddhist hardliners who loathe the Rohingya and describe those living Myanmar as illegal immigrants. North Korea's latest ballistic missile tests on Wednesday are "clear and unacceptable" violations of UN Security Council resolutions, the council's president said. Council President Francois Delattre of France called for a swift and firm response by the Security Council, which he said will likely meet later in the day. Thursdays referendum on whether Britain will leave the European Union (EU), known as Brexit, has added to market volatility over the past month. Even as chances of a Brexit have decreased, political leaders, central bankers and billionaire investors like George Soros have reiterated their stance that a leave vote would cause severe market disruption. While the discussions over the Brexit vote have focused on the UK and the EU, the core of the matter reflects a global theme that has been subject to intensifying rhetoric. Former White House Chief of Staff to Bill Clinton Mack McLarty said the popularity of the leave camp in the UK fits in with a broader aversion to globalization across the world. McLartywho served as a top advisor to Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush, and Jimmy Cartersaid global economic uncertainty has exacerbated fears and calls for more protectionism. These feelings about insecurity and the future and change are not just limited to the United States, he said. They are a global phenomenon. I think its incumbent on our leaders, both in the government and in the private sector, to really address those needs, concerns and anxieties. McLarty, who said he sees Thursdays Brexit vote coming in very close, emphasized an important demographic divide among the voters. Its interesting that younger people are largely supportive of the UK staying in the EU where older people are leaning the other way. Those that were rebels when the Beatles were popular are continued rebels, he said, adding that younger people surprisingly have not embraced the leave movement in the same way. Immigration fears McLarty observed that similar themes have dominated the US presidential campaign platforms from both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. I really believe when people feel uncertain and anxious about their future, then thats when people are understandably more reluctant to change, he said. And that goes right into globalization, technology and immigration issues. McLarty added, though, that Trumps rhetoric and his proposal to construct a wall between the US and Mexico, which has gotten much support among his base, are dangerous. You have to a secure border and you have to support legal immigration, he said. But having said that, Im of a total different belief than Mr. Trump. I think we are a nation of immigrants - thats what built this country. Thats whats made us great. And I think it lends to our innovative, entrepreneurial spirit which is the lifeblood of our economy. So to be a champion or advocate for legal immigration and all of the benefits it brings to our country I think is the right position to be. So I sharply, strongly disagree with Mr. Trumps anti-immigrant rhetoric. The trade deal question When it comes to trade dealsincluding the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) which President Obama has made a top prioritydysfunction in DC has allowed people to become disillusioned and anxious, according to McLarty. McLarty, who was one of the chief architects of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 1994, said that trade deals have largely benefitted the US. By any measure, NAFTA has created jobs and good-paying jobs, he said. Its been good for Mexico as well...A stable neighbor on our southern border is very important to our country. Meanwhile, Trumps statement that other countries beat us all the time has mounted support from those that oppose free trade. Its much easier to identify the concerns about trade, McLarty said. I think he has tapped into feelings...Clearly he is reflecting some of the mood of the country. We must do a better job explaining the realities of trade, the advantages of trade, and we must do better in supporting those affected--not just by trade--but by changing global economy and technology. In the end, McLarty believes free trade deals are key. The US is not losing We just simply live in a more interconnected world, so trade is a reality, he said. We really need to really work hard to understand how to make it work for us and not against us. Above all else, McLarty said that the rhetoric that the US is losing is wrong. The United States is a leader on the world stage, he said. Our engagement in the world is essential to maintain that leadership not just for our country and our citizens but also for the stability and peace and prosperity of the world. He added, The real challenge for both candidates is to put forward a vision for the country: how they want to lead the country in these times of change; how they can bring the country together and work together and get things done. The most harrowing moment for Lindsey Van Wingerden during the alleged brutal attack on her family Friday night came when she managed to get away from a mob of females who were beating her to rush to the aid of her father, NASCAR veteran Mike Wallace, as he lay unconscious on the ground. "My husband was holding my father's head in his hands," the 31-year-old event planner tells PEOPLE. "They were both covered in blood. I didn't recognize either one of their faces. When I got to my dad, I kept saying, 'Dad, wake up! Wake up!' He was laying on his side and wasn't moving at all. "At that point there, I thought my dad was dead." The frightening attack came just before 11 p.m. on Friday as Wallace, 57, his wife, daughter and son-in-law were leaving a Rascal Flatts concert at the PNC Music Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, where they regularly attend events. They had parked in a reserved stall in the Premier Parking Section behind a group of people that included the three North Carolina men who allegedly attacked them. Nathan Lucas, 22, and Randolph Mangum, 24, were arrested and charged with simple assault, according to the Charlotte Police Department. They each posted a $1,000 bond. Paul Lucas, 29, was charged with assault on a female and was released on a $1,500 secured bond. All three are scheduled to appear in Mecklenburg County Court on July 22. While Van Wingerden says more than three people attacked the family, the three men were the only ones arrested "because the others scattered when the police got there," she says. Wallace Speaks Out When Wallace and his family arrived at the venue hours earlier, he says that he said hello to the group after they parked the SUV. "I always say hello to everybody," he tells PEOPLE. "I talk to everybody." The group seemed friendly, says Wallace, especially since "one of the kids who ended up attacking us later was kind of humorous when he waved us into our parking spot." All that changed when Wallace and his family returned to their SUV after the show. Since his daughter's SUV was parked up against the back of one of the men's trucks, Wallace had to pass in between the vehicles to get to the passenger side, where he planned to sit for the ride home. "As I'm walking there, I said to one of the guys, 'Hey, man. How was the concert?' " Wallace says. "All of a sudden one of the people who assaulted us started screaming and cussing. I don't know if it was directed toward us or randomly toward everyone, but he said, 'Shut the (expletive) up you (expletive) and other things. "I said, 'Dude. What is wrong with you? What's the problem?' "The next thing I remember is being punched in the face," he says. "I felt pain that I have never felt in my life. One of the three proceeded to knock me out. He shoved my front tooth back, damaged my eye. My teeth are all messed up. They cut the back of my head. "I don't remember anything until I woke up." While he was unconscious, his daughter, son-in-law and wife tried to stop the three men from kicking him repeatedly in the face. When Van Wingerden tried to pull the attackers off of her father and shield him with her own body, "that's when I got pulled by a mob of eight women who was with them," she says. "One of them had her hand around my throat. Another one grabbed my hair and pushed me down to the ground. They were kicking and kicking me. I was laying in the fetal position and yelling for help. I looked over at my dad, who was on the ground, and I just saw these guys kicking my dad over and over." When Van Wingerden's mother came to her daughter's aid, "they went after my mom," who was left bruised and battered, she says. They also attacked her husband when he tried to intervene, she says. Wallace says that when he woke up and saw his daughter laying on the ground after she had been pushed down again, his heart broke. "I am a father, first and foremost," he says. "To see my daughter who is a little bitty, nice, petite young lady who wouldn't harm a fly on the ground and these animals beating on her was hard." When Van Wingerden managed to free herself again from the mob who was attacking her, she ran to her father's side again, begging the three men to quit, saying, " 'He had triple bypass surgery! Please stop!' But they didn't. They just kept going and going." While they were kicking her on the ground, a friend of hers who came upon the scene "even yelled to them to stop, saying I am pregnant, which I am not, to get them to stop, but they still kept kicking me." While Van Wingerden was trying to help her father, one of the men "was swinging at me," she says. "Then two other guys came over to fight my husband and dad, so it was five on two. It was a bad deal." 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. The family finally returned home at 4 a.m., after she and her father were treated and released from a local hospital where they were taken by ambulance. "We sat on the porch and cried and prayed," she says. "We said, 'We are beaten and bruised but we will heal. Thank you for allowing us to be here.'" She adds: "If we weren't all together, I don't think my dad would be here now." Story continues Unforeseen Repercussions On Wednesday, the PNC Music Pavilion announced that it was ending its service contract with Lucas Lawn and Landscaping, after learning that one of its employees Paul Lucas, who is the son of the owner was allegedly involved in the attack. "We were saddened by the regrettable events that took place on Friday, June 17," PNC said in a statement. "Upon learning that the offensive actions were taken by patrons who also happened to be employed by Lucas Landscaping, one of our service providers, we took swift and immediate action to terminate services provided by Lucas Landscaping at PNC Music Pavilion." The landscaping company issued a news release through its attorney, Kenneth Swain, saying that it has been hit by a barrage of negative social media posts since the alleged attack became national news. "An employee of our company was accused of being involved in an assault upon one Mike Wallace and Lindsey Wallace Van Wingerden," the release says. "Since that time Mr. Wallace and various other individuals have chosen to post statements, comments and opinions regarding the circumstances on social media websites. "This has resulted in verbal attacks upon our business, suggestions that our clients abandon our company and innuendo regarding our business that we believe is designed to both frustrate the proper administration of justice within our court system and prevent our company from continuing to do business where we employ over 70 individuals who work hard and depend upon their jobs to support themselves and their families." The statement continued: "The efforts being made to disparage our business and negatively impact its hardworking employees is both disturbing and uncalled for. "This is, in our opinion, a mechanism being used to point blame at those who had no involvement in the matter and simultaneously, deflect any inquiry into the actions and behavior that may have occurred at the time the situation arose by those making the accusations." Wallace says he is beyond grateful for the outpouring of support he and his family have received from all over the country. But he and his family say they don't want anyone to retaliate against the attackers. "I understand the frustration and the anger because we are living it every single bit of the day right now," says Van Wingerden. "We are hoping the courts take it into their hands and that proper justice is served. Nothing good comes out of violence." The Aftermath When Wallace spoke to PEOPLE on Tuesday, he said he was still trying to cope with the events that unfolded Friday night. "I have had my better days, to be honest with you. I'm a little worse for wear, but I'm going to survive it all. I'll be OK in due time." The close-knit family is still shaken up. "The emotional side of this is just as bad as the beating," he says. "My family and I are going to have to deal with this for months, with just the healing process alone. Van Wingerden says her car is still covered in blood. "I haven't been able to wash it because I haven't been able to leave the house because it's physically, emotionally and mentally exhausting. The fact that I am at my parents' house today is big." Adds Wallace: "From a family perspective, we will make it as good as we can make it. We have a little mental healing to do to get the images out of our minds. I have a ten-month recovery ahead of me but we will make the best of it." Unanswered Questions He says he keeps going over the events in his mind to try to figure out what triggered the attack. "If I were listening to somebody else tell me this, I would say, 'So what's the missing part of the equation? Was there something else that started this?'" There wasn't. We have been going to that amphitheater for years and never had a problem. I don't know what prompted them to do what they did," he says. "I asked my family, 'Help me remember everything. If I provoked this in some way tell me because I have no idea why we had to go through this.' They said, 'You did nothing wrong. If anything, you just talked to people,' which I do all the time." Wallace said he and his family are talking about the incident publicly "because we don't want this to happen to anyone else. We want everybody to be aware of the environment they are in. As a father, after something like this, I have concerns for other people and their children. "I would prefer never to see anyone have to go through what we did," he adds. As per a recent Bloomberg report, Comcast Corporation CMCSA-owned NBCUniversal revealed that its acquisition proposal for DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. DWA has received a go-ahead from the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ). This April, NBCUniversal announced that it will purchase DreamWorks Animation for $3.8 billion, contingent upon the DoJ approval. The Story So Far Volatility in the movie business, rising marketing expenses and a lower number of movie releases have been resulting in persistent losses for DreamWorks. Also, unlike Viacom Inc. VIAB, DreamWorks lacks business diversification with the companys Feature Film segment contributing to more than half of its total revenue. This segment put up a dismal performance in the first quarter of 2016, wherein its revenues tanked 26.7%. Recent Alliances DreamWorks AwesomenessTV has an agreement with Alphabet Inc. under which can release several feature films on the video-sharing site, YouTube, over the next two years. DreamWorks has also strengthened its multi-year global licensing deal with Netflix Inc., which covers the production of a number of new original series. We believe that such partnerships will drive DreamWorks top line and will also create significant revenue synergies for NBCUniversal in the days to come. The Bottom Line Having acquired the entire stake in NBCUniversal from General Electric Company, Comcast is determined to leave no stone unturned in revamping Universal Pictures. Primarily aimed to tackle intensifying competitive pressure from The Walt Disney Company DIS, the DreamWorks Animation takeover should prove to be a strategic move. It is also expected to generate a substantial amount of cost savings and will create revenue growth opportunities, going ahead. Both DreamWorks Animation 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 DISNEY WALT (DIS): Free Stock Analysis Report COMCAST CORP A (CMCSA): Free Stock Analysis Report DREAMWORKS ANIM (DWA): Free Stock Analysis Report VIACOM INC-B (VIAB): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Abuja (AFP) - Nearly 200 people have died in the last month at a camp for people made homeless by Boko Haram violence in northeast Nigeria, an aid agency said Wednesday, warning of a growing malnutrition crisis. A Doctors Without Borders (MSF) team on Tuesday visited the camp, home to around 24,000 people including 15,000 children, and found what it called "a catastrophic humanitarian emergency" unfolding. One in five of over 800 children it examined had severe acute malnutrition while 16 severely malnourished children "at immediate risk of death" were referred to its in-patient treatment centre. At least 188 people have died in the internally displaced people (IDP) camp in Bama, some 70 kilometres (45 miles) from Maiduguri, since May 23 -- about six a day -- mainly from diarrhoea and malnutrition, MSF said in a statement. A total of 1,233 graves, many of them of for children, had been dug near the camp in the past year, the agency said. "This is the first time MSF has been able to access Bama but we already know the needs of the people there are beyond critical," said MSF head of mission in Nigeria Ghada Hatim. "We are treating malnourished children in medical facilities in Maiduguri and see the trauma on the faces of our patients who have witnessed and survived many horrors." - 'Walking corpses' - The Borno state government and international aid agencies have previously warned about acute food shortages for IDPs in northeast Nigeria and the wider Lake Chad region. On June 15, the Borno state government said it had transferred nearly 700 people, most of them children, from Bama to Maiduguri for treatment for severe malnutrition. Sixty-one young children and babies were said to be "critically malnourished". A civilian vigilante and a soldier based in the remote town of Banki, 60 kilometres from Bama near the Cameroon border, told AFP this month at least 10 people were "starving to death" every day. Story continues The vigilante said 376 people had been buried in the last three months and those still alive were like "walking corpses". - Security issues - Boko Haram, whose seven-year Islamist insurgency in northeast Nigeria has left at least 20,000 dead and displaced more than 2.6 million, controlled swathes of territory in the northeast in 2014. But the Nigerian government has said IDPs housed in camps or host communities can return after a military counter-offensive pushed the militants out of captured towns and villages. Despite assurances the northeast is largely clear of the rebels, sporadic attacks continue and security remains an issue, while houses, businesses and farms have largely been destroyed. Domestic and international aid agencies are mainly based in Maiduguri and dependent on Nigerian army assistance to access camps outside the city. The Borno state governor Kashim Shettima last week ordered police to investigate reports that relief material, including bags of rice meant for IDPs, was being stolen. The UN's children's agency, UNICEF, said it has been working with its partners in Bama since March and has provided health and nutrition support for some 19,000 people. Its primary health care centre sees on average 140 patients a day for conditions ranging from malaria, respiratory infections and diarrhoea, as well as malnutrition screening and treatment. Most Americans last heard from conservative lawyer James Bopp six years ago when he crafted a case, Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, that won the Supreme Courts favor and helped uncork a torrent of cash some of it secret that continues pouring into elections. But Bopp is back. The Terre Haute, Indiana-based attorney, who was literally laughed at by a judge when he made his first arguments in Citizens United, is now the lead lawyer in the most prominent of a series of lawsuits attempting to further destroy political contribution limits. The case, brought by the Republican Party of Louisiana, addresses restrictions on how state and local political parties use soft money contributions to influence federal elections. Bopps clients argue that if independent outside groups such as super PACs are permitted to raise and spend unlimited amounts of such money, theres no reason why state political parties, acting independently of federal candidates, should be treated differently. Political parties are disadvantaged compared to super PACs, Bopp said in an interview with the Center for Public Integrity. They want to compete, and they want to do this activity without the severe restrictions that they suffer under. Bopp says he wont rest until there are as few election rules as possible since he believes that too many rules lead to more opportunities to game the political system. When you say, Congress shall make no law, I know thats kind of a shocking statement, but its a pretty definitive statement, he said, referring to the First Amendment and its application to political speech. There shouldnt be any laws as opposed to thousands of pages of laws and regulations that you have now in the federal system. The stakes are high. If the Republican Party of Louisiana wins the case, in effect, the soft money world of the late 90s and 2002 would be reestablished, purging some of the last remnants of McCain-Feingold and other restraints on donations, said Richard Briffault, a professor at Columbia Law School and expert on election law. Story continues Tara Malloy, deputy executive director of the Campaign Legal Center, which favors campaign contribution limits, compares the deregulatory approach of those like Bopp who are fighting against limits to peeling an onion. First it was the aggregate limits, which was sort of like the outermost protection. Now theyre going for the party limits, which again seems one degree removed from a direct contribution for the candidate, she said. I assume if they were successful here, they would go for the rest. This story is part of Buying of the President 2016. Tracking the candidates, political committees and nonprofits that are making this presidential election the most expensive in history. Click here to read more stories in this investigation. Don't miss another Politics investigation: Sign up for the Center for Public Integrity's Watchdog email. Multiple campaign finance lawyers point to the Louisiana case as one of the most likely of a small number of campaign finance cases now wending their way through the legal system to reach the U.S. Supreme Court, and several others may land there as well. These still-obscure challenges to remaining campaign finance laws have the potential to again reshape the way money influences politics. They could further erode contribution limits or chip away at state laws aimed at restricting moneys influence on state-level elections. To be sure, there are many variables that will shape the outcomes. And lawyers on all sides of these cases agree U.S. Supreme Court rulings are notoriously tricky to forecast, especially with the court down to eight members following the death of Justice Antonin Scalia earlier this year. Nevertheless, those in favor of more deregulation of campaign finance, like Bopp, are looking to extend the reasoning laid out in decisions such as Citizens United and 2014s McCutcheon v. FEC, which overturned aggregate campaign finance limits. The practical effect of the U.S. Supreme Court siding with the Louisiana state Republican Party would be reopening the door to what was known in the 1990s as soft money, allowing what in many states would be practically unlimited contributions to state parties. The case would substantially reduce the difference between the amounts of money independent groups such as super PACs could accept and the amounts state parties could accept, Bopp said. Two other cases could also be big, if they dont first fizzle out: a federal district court ruling striking down Montanas contribution limits, also a Bopp case, and a messy, politicized case out of Wisconsin that raises questions about coordination between candidates and independent groups, among other legal issues. Theres also a case seeking to overturn a Delaware law that requires groups spending more than $500 per election cycle on ads referring to specific candidates to disclose their donors. Parties in both the Wisconsin and Delaware cases have filed certiorari petitions asking the Supreme Court to take the cases. The Supreme Court has not yet ruled. A time bomb The most prominent cases involve objections to contribution limits, and they seem to follow a trail laid down by Chief Justice John Roberts in the 2014 McCutcheon case when he appeared to invite, or at least open the door to, additional challenges to contribution limits. Bopp and his ideological allies are taking Roberts hint, argues Rick Hasen, a law and political science professor at the University of California, Irvine, who has written about both Roberts wording and the Louisiana Republican Party case. McCutcheon was, in some ways, a narrow case concerning only the so-called aggregate contribution limits, the total amount contributors can give to all federal candidates in a single election cycle. The law previously capped the total amount an individual could donate to federal candidates at $48,600 per election cycle plus $74,600 to parties and political action committees. A contributor who wanted to give the maximum contribution then $2,600 to a large number of federal candidates, such that his total giving would exceed the cap, filed suit. The U.S. Supreme Court, in a 5-4 decision, struck down the aggregate limit, although it left limits on contributions to individual candidates and to parties in place. But in McCutcheon, Roberts reinforced a limited definition of political corruption, defining it very much like bribery. To prove corruption, one must essential prove a quid pro quo that money led to some specific act of corruption. The tight definition of corruption is important, because preventing corruption or the appearance of corruption is the only legitimate reason the court has said justifies contribution limits. If the justification underpinning campaign contribution limits rests on broader definitions of corruption for instance, limiting the access to politicians that can accrue to big contributors Roberts seemingly opened the door to striking down the limits as unjustified restrictions. Its been kind of a time bomb, Hasen says of the language in the McCutcheon opinion. Bopp hopes to see the bomb detonate, describing more campaign finance deregulation as definitely desirable. Related story: How Citizens United is helping Hillary Clinton win the White House Related story: The Citizens United decision and why it matters Don't miss another Politics investigation: Sign up for the Center for Public Integrity's Watchdog email. Soft money 2.0? All this goes back to the big debate over soft money that has raged for decades. Soft money was the term given to unlimited contributions made by corporations, individuals and labor unions to national political parties. The funds were often used to pay for issue ads commercials that avoided directly calling for the election or defeat of a particular candidate but otherwise looked and sounded very much like campaign ads. The Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2002, often referred to as McCain-Feingold, after its chief Senate sponsors banned soft money in federal elections, eliminating unrestricted contributions to national political parties and restricting state parties to funding what the law termed federal election activities with federal funds, or funds raised subject to specific sets of restrictions and requirements. The latter restrictions on state and local parties are the ones the Louisiana Republican Partys lawsuit seeks to knock down. Some would argue that in the end, the money is going to get there one way or the other and the fact that the money is in parties is no worse and potentially better, said Columbia Law Schools Briffault. On the other hand, its one more reaffirmation of the idea that nominal independence means freedom from restriction. Thanks to judicial review provisions in the law that set the contribution limits, Bopp was able to request a hearing before a three-judge panel in federal district court. The panels decision can be appealed directly to the U.S. Supreme Court. Some campaign finance experts suggest Scalias death worsened odds that the Republican Party of Louisiana will win its case after the three-judge panel rules and the inevitable appeal is filed. The high court may be more likely to simply uphold the lower court, for example. Or, there may be a greater likelihood of a tied verdict given the even number of justices. Bopp who has long been active in the Republican Party, strongly contests the likelihood of a stalemate on the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing precedent is on his side. Unless youre prepared to say parties cant do independent spending, then the logic is irresistible, he said, adding that political parties are highly regulated, more regulated than many of the other political actors in the process and frankly that, in my view, has the world upside down. Another campaign contribution case of Bopps, a long-running challenge to Montanas limits on contributions to state candidates by a group of political parties and individuals, has also received a rush of attention. Bopp says that case, as well as other challenges to contribution limits he is working on, have to do with applying the corruption definition in McCutcheon to campaign contribution limits. A federal district court struck down Montanas limits as too low to allow candidates to conduct effective political campaigns. An appeals court overturned the decision and sent the case back, ordering the court to reassess it. The district court again struck down the contribution limits, more broadly finding the limits werent justified because the state failed to present compelling evidence of quid pro quo corruption, required to justify the limits. The case is again under appeal, and experts say it could eventually reach the U.S. Supreme Court. What started off as a case about whether contribution limits were too low suddenly became about the constitutionality of contribution limits altogether, or what kind of incredibly strong legislative record you would need in order to have any kind of contribution limits, said the Campaign Legal Centers Malloy, whose organization has taken part in the case as a friend of the court. Related: "The money is going to get there" Trump, Clinton could play roles When asked by the Center for Public Integrity, campaign finance lawyers were more tentative when naming other cases that could bring sweeping change, and forecasting which cases have the potential to reach the U.S. Supreme Court and upend existing law is a dicey game. The U.S. Supreme Court has yet to rule on two certiorari petitions asking it to hear a pair of closely watched cases. One, Delaware Strong Families v. Denn, involves a Delaware law that requires groups to reveal their donors identities if they spend $500 or more in a single election cycle on advertising that refers to specific candidates. The disclosure requirements apply even if the ads dont explicitly urge people to vote for or against a specific candidate. Delaware Strong Families, a nonprofit organized under Section 501(c)(3) of the tax code as a charity, describes its mission as to rebuild a culture of marriage, family, and freedom and raise up the next generation of leaders. Charities cannot engage in activity aimed at influencing elections. The group publishes what it describes as a nonpartisan voter guide, and argues that the law is an unfair burden and could chill free speech. In support of the law, the state argued it has a compelling interest in ensuring there is an informed electorate. Since Delaware is small, the state also contends its reasonable for a low-dollar threshold to trigger disclosure requirements. The state won in the Third Circuit last year. The Center for Competitive Politics, which is representing Delaware Strong Families, has appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, which has yet to say whether it will agree to hear the case. The Delaware law is pretty radical, and I think if the court accepted it, I think wed win. I think wed see a lot of support across the ideological spectrum for limiting the reach or striking down the Delaware law, predicted David Keating, the president of the Center for Competitive Politics, which favors less regulation of campaign finance. Good grief, theyre regulating nonpartisan voter guides. But Malloy, whose organization is representing Delaware in defense of the law, said overturning the law would act sort of as a check against state innovation in the disclosure area, where states are sort of leading the charge because Congress has been ... in a quagmire. Another potential game changer is the so-called John Doe case out of Wisconsin, over which the U.S. Supreme Court also has yet to act. The politically charged case is an appeal of the Wisconsin Supreme Courts ruling ending an investigation into whether Republican Gov. Scott Walker coordinated with independent outside groups working to support him during his recall election in 2011 and 2012. Don't miss another Politics investigation: Sign up for the Center for Public Integrity's Watchdog email. Prosecutors are appealing the Wisconsin Supreme Courts decision, arguing it essentially guts limits on Wisconsin candidates coordinating with outside groups and goes beyond what the U.S. Supreme Court has so far permitted. Prosecutors also argue that three of the judges should have recused themselves because some of the independent groups involved in the investigation had supported their candidacies. If the U.S. Supreme Court accepts the case, it could be a vehicle for justices to clarify the murky legal area of coordination between candidates and independent groups. It may also address whether the judges should have recused themselves. Obviously, if the court granted [certiorari] on that, that would immediately become a blockbuster, said Daniel Weiner, a senior counsel at the Brennan Center for Justice, which advocates for campaign finance reform, though he and other lawyers hastened to say they believe the U.S. Supreme Court is unlikely to grant review. If the court were to adopt the interpretation of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, that would be the end of coordination law, leaving only easily evaded restrictions on coordinating on communications that expressly urge voting for or against a candidate and nothing else, Weiner said. Bopp, unsurprisingly, disagrees. He calls the Wisconsin Supreme Courts decision well-founded. Youve got to limit the idea of contribution to a candidate by coordinated spending to something that actually relates to an election, and issue advocacy isnt it, he said. Everything comes down to which cases the U.S. Supreme Court chooses to accept, and how broadly they choose to rule choices surrounded by uncertainty. It may seem obvious, but a lot also depends on when a new justice is appointed to fill the seat left vacant by Scalias death and the president, be it Barack Obama, Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton, whose nominee is confirmed. Bopp crafts his cases such as the Louisiana case to go the distance, with an eye to, in his words, having a very plausible way to win the case which fits under existing law. Dont underestimate him. Citizens United was given such low odds of success, a district court judge laughed openly in court when Bopp made his argument that an anti-Hillary Clinton video was really just like a 60 Minutes segment and should be treated as such. But he got the last laugh and may again. This story was co-published with POLITICO Magazine. This story is part of Buying of the President 2016. Tracking the candidates, political committees and nonprofits that are making this presidential election the most expensive in history. Click here to read more stories in this investigation. Related stories Copyright 2016 The Center for Public Integrity. This story was published by The Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit, nonpartisan investigative news organization in Washington, D.C. CALABAR, Nigeria (Reuters) - Gunmen in southern Nigeria kidnapped three expatriate cement industry workers and at least one Nigerian worker after killing their local driver early on Wednesday morning, police said on Wednesday. The workers, two of whom police said later escaped, were contractors for cement company Lafarge Africa. Two were Australians and one a New Zealander, said Irene Ugbo, a spokeswoman for Cross River state police. There was confusion over the nationalities of those involved. A second police spokesman later said the third foreigner abducted with the Australians was from South Africa. They were attacked on the outskirts of the city of Calabar at around 05:30 a.m. (0430 GMT), police said. Two expatriates managed to flee, said Ugbo, adding that she did not know the nationality of any of the workers feared still held. The kidnappers had not contacted police, she said. Lafarge Africa said it had been informed of the incident by Australian contractor Macmahon. "Macmahon is working with the security agencies to resolve this situation," said Viola Graham-Douglas, a spokeswoman for Lafarge Africa. Macmahon could not immediately be reached for comment. (Reporting by Ani Akpan, Anamesere Igboeroteonwu and Alexis Akwagyiram,; Writing by Alexis Akwagyiram; editing by Andrew Roche) By Anamesere Igboeroteonwu ONITSHA, Nigeria (Reuters) - A Nigerian militant group known as the Niger Delta Avengers which has been attacking oil facilities might agree to a ceasefire on Thursday to allow the government time to meet its demands, a community leader involved in peace efforts said. Two oil ministry officials said earlier on Wednesday that the government had agreed a truce with the militant group in the oil producing swamp region, although the group denied this. The 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 Nigeria's national income and the vast majority of that oil comes from the southern swampland. "The Avengers might be giving the federal government some time to do something about the demands," said Godspower Gbenekema, who said he met oil minister Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu last week to find ways to end attacks on oil facilities. Gbenekema is from an area in the southern swamps where officials suspect the Avengers, who have claimed a series of attacks on facilities in Nigeria's oil and gas hub, are hiding. Kachikwu travelled to the Delta last week to meet community leaders who oil sources say pass on messages to the militants who have not engaged in direct talks. "Nobody represented the Avengers in that meeting," Gbenekema said. "We used that opportunity to relay to the minister the problems of the Niger Delta such as lack of development and neglect." "The issue of truce or not depends on the seriousness of the federal government to address the issues at stake," he said, citing fighting poverty and providing jobs as examples. No follow-up up meeting had yet been agreed, he added. The Avengers have also called for independence of the southern region, a demand widely seen as impossible for the government to meet. Among the factors standing in the way of a ceasefire in the hard to access swamps is that militants are divided into small groups that tap widespread anger over poverty and oil spills and leaders have little sway over unemployed youths willing to work for anyone who pays them. 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 previously laid down arms in 2009 in exchange for cash benefits under a government amnesty. 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 fall has also been responsible for pushing up global oil prices, which had plummeted earlier in the year. The government 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 under the terms of the agreement. (Additional reporting by London Energy Desk; Writing by Ulf Laessing; Editing by Louise Ireland and Alexander Smith) 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 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." (additional reporting by Alexis Akwagyiram; Writing by Ulf Laessing and Alexis Akwagyiram; Editing by Janet Lawrence) 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; NipponTelegraph and Telephone Corporation NTT. NipponTelegraph and Telephone in Focus NTT may be an interesting play thanks to its forward PE of 12, its P/S ratio of 0.93, and its decent dividend yield of 2.0%. These factors suggest that Nippon Telegraph and Telephone is a pretty good value pick, as investors have to pay a relatively low level for each dollar of earnings, and that NTT has decent revenue metrics to back up its earnings. NIPPON TELE-ADR PE Ratio (TTM) NIPPON TELE-ADR PE Ratio (TTM) | NIPPON TELE-ADR Quote But before you think that Nippon Telegraph and Telephone 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 16.3% in the past 30 days, thanks to 1 upward revision in the past one month compared to none lower. This estimate strength is actually enough to push NTT to a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), suggesting it is poised to outperform. So really, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone 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 NIPPON TELE-ADR (NTT): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research YOKOHAMA (Reuters) - Nissan Motor Co on Wednesday said that it paid CEO Carlos Ghosn 1.1 billion yen ($10.2 million) in the last business year, up 3.5 percent from the previous year. Ghosn, who also serves as CEO for Nissan's alliance partner Renault (RENA.PA), received a separate annual salary of 7.2 million euros for 2015 from the French automaker, defying a shareholder vote against the chief executive's package in April. His compensation has drawn regular criticism from the French government, which has more than 18 percent of voting rights in the company. (Reporting by Naomi Tajitsu; Editing by Edwina Gibbs) BRUSSELS, June 22 (Reuters) - European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said on Wednesday that there would be no changes to a package of measures that EU governments agreed with Britain in February aimed at keeping London in the 28-nation bloc. "British policymakers and British voters have to know that there will be no kind of renegotiation," Juncker said of the deal on Feb. 20 that gave Britain an explicit exemption from the founding goal of "ever closer union", offered concessions on the welfare rights of migrant workers and safeguards for the City of London financial centre. "We have concluded a deal with the prime minister. He got the maximum he could receive and we gave the maximum we could give. So there will be no renegotiation, not on the agreement we found in February, nor as far as any kind of treaty negotiations are concerned," Juncker said. (Reporting by Robin Emmott and Paul Taylor) SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea fired a second missile on Wednesday that appears to be an intermediate-range Musudan, South Korea's military said, after South Korean and U.S. officials said an earlier launch had failed. The South Korean and U.S. officials said the earlier launch that failed was also likely a Musudan launched from North Korea's east coast. It was not clear if the second launch, about two hours later, was successful. (Reporting by Jack Kim and Ju-min Park) By Ju-min Park and Tim Kelly SEOUL/TOKYO (Reuters) - North Korea launched what appeared to be an intermediate-range missile on Wednesday to a high altitude in the direction of Japan before it plunged into the sea, military officials said, a technological advance for the isolated state after several test failures. The launch came about two hours after a similar test failed, South Korea's military said, and covered 400 km (250 miles), more than halfway towards the southwest coast of Japan's main island of Honshu. The launches and earlier nuclear tests show continued defiance of international warnings and a series of U.N. Security Council resolutions and sanctions, which North Korea rejects as an infringement of its sovereignty. Japanese Defence Minister Gen Nakatani said the second missile reached an altitude of 1,000 km (620 miles), indicating North Korea had made progress. "We don't know whether it counts as a success, but North Korea has shown some capability with IRBMs (intermediate range ballistic missiles)," he told reporters in Tokyo. "The threat to Japan is intensifying." Reclusive North Korea and the rich, democratic South are technically still at war because their 1950-53 conflict ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty. The North regularly threatens to destroy the Japan, South Korea and the South's main ally, the United States. South Korean President Park Geun-hye denounced the test. "The North Korean regime must realize that complete isolation and self-destruction await at the end of reckless provocation," she said. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also decried North Korea's "provocative actions". "I strongly condemn the launch by North Korea of two ballistic missiles," Stoltenberg said in a statement. "These repeated provocative actions ... undermine international security and dialogue," he said, calling for North Korea to "fully comply with its obligations under international law, not to threaten with or conduct any launches using ballistic missile technology and to refrain from any further provocative actions". The first missile was launched from the east coast city of Wonsan, a South Korean official said, the same area where previous tests of intermediate-range missiles were conducted, possibly using mobile launchers. FIFTH STRAIGHT FAILURE South Korea's Yonhap news agency, quoting a government official, said the first missile disintegrated mid-air after a flight of about 150 km (95 miles). Wednesday's first launch was the fifth straight unsuccessful attempt in the past two months to launch a missile that is designed to fly more than 3,000 km (1,800 miles) and could theoretically reach any part of Japan and the U.S. territory of Guam. Jeffrey Lewis, of the California-based Middlebury Institute of International Studies, said missiles were usually fired at a certain angle to maximize range, so the high altitude of the second launch may have been chosen to avoid Japanese airspace. "That suggests the missile worked perfectly," Lewis said. "Had it been fired at its normal angle, it would have flown to its full range." Lewis said failures were a normal part of testing and that North Korea would fix problems with the Musudan intermediate-range missile sooner or later. "If North Korea continues testing, eventually its missileers will use the same technology in a missile that can threaten the United States," Lewis told Reuters. Nakatani said North Korea's repeated missile launches were a "serious provocation" and could not be tolerated. Japan indicated after the first launch that it would protest strongly because it violated U.N. resolutions, even though the launches posed no immediate threat to Japanese security. In Seoul, South Korea's presidential office said a national security meeting was convened to discuss the latest missile launches. LONGER-RANGE ROCKETS The U.S. military detected the two missiles, most likely Musudan, from North Korea, the U.S. military's Pacific Command said. A Pentagon spokesman said both missiles fell into the Sea of Japan. 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 April. While North Korea has developed potential longer-range rockets, such as its 30-metre (98 ft) Unha-3, a home-grown three-stage rocket based on 1950s Soviet Scud missile technology, it needs to be fueled from a fixed launch pad making it easy to detect and impractical as a weapon. A smaller, powerful intermediate missile that is easier to deploy on a mobile launcher poses a harder threat to counter. The U.N. Security Council, backed by the North's main diplomatic ally, China, imposed tough new sanctions in March after North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test in January and launched a long-range rocket that put an object into space orbit. "At present, the situation on the peninsula remains very complex and severe. We think that the relevant party should avoid doing anything to further worsen tensions," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters at a regular press briefing on Wednesday. North Korea has conducted a series of tests since then that it claimed showed progress in nuclear weapons and long-range ballistic missile capabilities, including new rocket engines and simulated atmospheric re-entry. (Additional reporting by James Pearson in SEOUL, Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali in WASHINGTON, Nobuhiro Kubo and Linda Sieg in TOKYO and Ben Blanchard in BEIJING; Writing by Jack Kim; Editing by Paul Tait, Tony Munroe and Nick Macfie) Leader Kim Jong-Un threatened US military bases across the Pacific after North Korea's test of a powerful new missile triggered emergency UN Security Council talks on curbing Pyongyang's nuclear programme. Kim, who personally monitored Wednesday's Musudan missile test, applauded a "great event" that significantly bolstered the North's pre-emptive nuclear attack capability, the official KCNA news agency reported. "We have the sure capability to attack in an overall and practical way the Americans in the Pacific operation theatre," Kim was quoted as saying. A Korean-language version of the same report had Kim referring to "the American bastards." The Musudan has a theoretical range of anywhere between 2,500 and 4,000 kilometres (1,550 to 2,500 miles), with the upper estimate covering US military bases as far away as Guam. After a string of failures in recent months, North Korea tested two Musudans on Wednesday, one of which flew 400 kilometres into the Sea of Japan (East Sea). KCNA said the missile had been fired at a high angle to simulate its full range, and had reached a maximum height of more than 1,400 kilometres. The test "marked an important occasion in further strengthening the nuclear attack capacity of our state," Kim said. - International outcry - The launch was condemned by the international community and the UN Security Council met for closed-door consultations on how best to respond. France's deputy UN ambassador Alexis Lamek, whose country holds the council presidency, told reporters after the meeting that Council members had been united in "deep concern and opposition" to the test which was a clear violation of UN resolutions. Existing UN measures prohibit North Korea from using ballistic missile technology. The United States, NATO, Japan and South Korea also denounced the test, with US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter urging the expansion of missile defence systems in the region. Story continues "We need to stay ahead of the threat," Carter said. Seoul and Washington are currently in talks about deploying the advanced US THAAD missile system in South Korea -- a move vehemently opposed by China. Experts and government officials said the Musudan launch marked another worrying step forward for a weapons programme that ultimately aspires to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of delivering a nuclear strike on the US mainland. "We can't deny that (North Korea's) technological development is making progress, and the situation is alarming," Japanese government spokesman Koichi Hagiuda told reporters. - ICBM test next? - The North has publicly displayed an ICBM, called the KN-08, which uses the same engine technology as the Musudan but has never been test-fired. Jeffrey Lewis, director of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in California, said the international community had to find a way to get Pyongyang to accept a missile test moratorium. "If we do nothing, this ends in a successful flight test of the Musudan-based KN-08," Lewis said. The front and inside pages of Thursday's edition of North Korea's ruling party newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, were plastered with pictures of a clearly elated Kim Jong-Un watching the test and celebrating with military scientists. There were also multiple photos of the missile blasting off from a mobile launcher near the eastern port of Wonsan. The international outcry suggests North Korea could face renewed sanctions, either on a unilateral level or from the United Nations. 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. Any further measures would require the support of veto-wielding permanent council member China, traditionally the North's closest ally. Responding to Wednesday's launch, China's foreign ministry had cautioned against "any action that may escalate tension" and called for a resumed dialogue on Pyongyang's nuclear drive. (Enters more details) WASHINGTON, June 21 (Reuters) - Missiles from North Korea's two latest missile launches flew over the Sea of Japan where they both fell, according to initial information, a Pentagon spokesman said on Tuesday. Both missiles were believed to be Musudan intermediate range ballistic missiles and launched from Wonsan on the eastern coast, Commander Gary Ross said in a statement. The statement added that the first missile launch took place at 3:56 p.m. CDT (2056 GMT) and the second one at 6:03 p.m. CDT (2303 GMT) and neither missile posed a threat to North America. Ross said the United States strongly condemned this and other North Korean missile tests in violation of U.N. Security Council Resolutions. U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby condemned the launch, in a separate statement, and said the United States intended to "raise our concerns at the U.N. to bolster international resolve in holding the DPRK accountable for these provocative actions." (Reporting by Idrees Ali; Editing by Sandra Maler; Editing by Sandra Maler) Falls Church, VA-based Northrop Grumman Corp. NOC announced that its unit, Aerospace Systems, has won a modification contract from the U.S. Air Force to provide logistic and sustainment services for the Global Hawk program. The contract is valued at $203.6 million and contracting activity is the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Robins Air Force Base, GA. NORTHROP GRUMMN Price NORTHROP GRUMMN Price | NORTHROP GRUMMN Quote Per the contract, Northrop Grumman will offer additional services and materials for planning, operations and maintenance. Work is scheduled to be complete by Aug 2019 and will be performed in San Diego, CA. The contract will use fiscal 2016 operations and maintenance funds. Global Hawk is an unmanned aircraft intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance system capable of flying high altitudes and long hours. Global Hawk gained massive popularity mainly on the ability to transform itself into an operational weapons system as and when required. It was not only used by the Air Force for maintaining overseas surveillance, but has also been employed extensively by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for scientific research missions. Northrop Grumman is the fourth-largest U.S. defense contractor after The Boeing Company BA, Lockheed Martin Corporation LMT and General Dynamics GD in terms of 2015 revenue, with a major platform-centric focus. The company has a strong presence in the Air Force, and Space & Cyber Security programs. Northrops product line is well positioned in high-priority categories, such as defense electronics, unmanned aircraft and missile defense. The company continues to witness strong demand for its Global Hawk program on a global scale. The company currently has 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 NORTHROP GRUMMN (NOC): Free Stock Analysis Report BOEING CO (BA): Free Stock Analysis Report GENL DYNAMICS (GD): Free Stock Analysis Report LOCKHEED MARTIN (LMT): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research * Smelling smartphones still a decade away * Potential uses in health, food, hygiene, security * Detecting smell requires multi-sensors By Jeremy Wagstaff SINGAPORE, June 23 (Reuters) - Phones or watches may be smart enough to detect sound, light, motion, touch, direction, acceleration and even the weather, but they can't smell. That's created a technology bottleneck that companies have spent more than a decade trying to fill. Most have failed. A powerful portable electronic nose, says Redg Snodgrass, a venture capitalist funding hardware start-ups, would open up new horizons for health, food, personal hygiene and even security. Imagine, he says, being able to analyse what someone has eaten or drunk based on the chemicals they emit; detect disease early via an app; or smell the fear in a potential terrorist. "Smell," he says, "is an important piece" of the puzzle. It's not through lack of trying. Aborted projects and failed companies litter the aroma-sensing landscape. But that's not stopping newcomers from trying. Like Tristan Rousselle's Grenoble-based Aryballe Technologies, which recently showed off a prototype of NeOse, a hand-held device he says will initially detect up to 50 common odours. "It's a risky project. There are simpler things to do in life," he says candidly. MASS, NOT ENERGY The problem, says David Edwards, a chemical engineer at Harvard University, is that unlike light and sound, scent is not energy, but mass. "It's a very different kind of signal," he says. That means each smell requires a different kind of sensor, making devices bulky and limited in what they can do. The aroma of coffee, for example, consists of more than 600 components. France's Alpha MOS was first to build electronic noses for limited industrial use, but its foray into developing a smaller model that would do more has run aground. Within a year of unveiling a prototype for a device that would allow smartphones to detect and analyse smells, the website of its U.S.-based arm Boyd Sense has gone dark. Neither company responded to emails requesting comment. Story continues The website of Adamant Technologies, which in 2013 promised a device that would wirelessly connect to smartphones and measure a user's health from their breath, has also gone quiet. Its founder didn't respond to emails seeking comment. For now, start-ups focus on narrower goals or on industries that don't care about portability. California-based Aromyx, for example, is working with major food companies to help them capture a digital profile for every odour, using its EssenceChip. Wave some food across the device and it captures a digital signature that can be manipulated as if it were a sound or image file. But, despite its name, this is not being done on silicon, says CEO Chris Hanson. Nor is the device something you could carry or wear. "Mobile and wearable are a decade away at least," he says. Partly, the problem is that we still don't understand well how humans and animals detect and interpret smells. The Nobel prize for understanding the principles of olfaction, or smell, was awarded only 12 years ago. "The biology of olfaction is still a frontier of science, very connected to the frontier of neuroscience," says Edwards, the Harvard chemical engineer. MORE PUSH THAN PULL That leaves start-ups reaching for lower-hanging fruit. Snodgrass is funding a start-up called Tzoa, a wearable that measures air quality. He says interest in this from polluted China is particularly strong. Another, Nima, raised $9 million last month to build devices that can test food for proteins and substances, including gluten, peanuts and milk. Its first product will be available shortly, the company says. For now, mobile phones are more likely to deliver smells than detect them. Edwards' Vapor Communications, for example, in April launched Cyrano, a tub-sized cylinder that users can direct to emit scents from a mobile app - in the same way iTunes or Spotify directs a speaker to emit sounds. Japanese start-up Scentee is revamping its scent-emitting smartphone module, says co-founder Koki Tsubouchi, shifting focus from sending scent messages to controlling the fragrance of a room. There may be scepticism - history and cinemas are littered with the residue of failed attempts to introduce smell into our lives going back to the 1930s - but companies sniff a revival. Dutch group Philips filed a recent patent for a device that would influence, or prime, users' behaviour by stimulating their senses, including through smell. Nike filed something similar, pumping scents through a user's headphones or glasses to improve performance. The holy grail, though, remains sensing smells. Samsung Electronics was recently awarded a patent for an olfactory sensor that could be incorporated into any device, from a smartphone to an electronic tattoo. One day these devices will be commonplace, says Avery Gilbert, an expert on scent and author of a book on the science behind it, gradually embedding specialised applications into our lives. "I don't think you're going to solve it all at once," he says. (Reporting by Jeremy Wagstaff; Editing by Ian Geoghegan) GettyImages 537931750Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) Holds News Conference To Urge Congress To Pass Zika Virus Funding The results of a Florida poll released Wednesday illustrate exactly why Republicans want Marco Rubio to run for reelection in the Senate: He may be the only one from their party who can win. A Quinnipiac University poll published Wednesday found that Rubio topped both of his Democratic challengers. He led Rep. Patrick Murphy, 47% to 40%, and Rep. Alan Grayson, 48% to 40%. No other Republican candidate held a lead over either of the Democrats. "But if Rubio's last-minute decision is to seek reelection, he could be in the driver's seat," said Peter Brown, the assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll. Rubio repeatedly said during his presidential run, which ended in March, that he would not run for reelection to his Senate seat. He was reconsidering the decision, however, after last week's terrorist attack in Orlando, Florida. Top Republicans, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Donald Trump, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee, have urged Rubio to run for another term. Even conservative radio host Sean Hannity, who was critical of Rubio as a presidential candidate, called on him this week to run. "With Republican national leaders worried about keeping control of the US Senate, Sen. Marco Rubio might ride to their rescue if he decides to reverse field and seek reelection," Brown said. They might soon get their wish. National Review reported Wednesday morning, citing two sources, that Rubio had begun telling colleagues he would run for reelection. The deadline to file paperwork is Friday. NOW WATCH: Sen. Mitch McConnell on why Rubio should run again for Senate: 'He can win' More From Business Insider By Suzanne Barlyn NEW YORK (Reuters) - Financial institutions that settled misconduct charges with New York State's financial regulator have committed new improper behavior and "serious compliance failures," the agency's head said on Wednesday. Monitors keeping tabs on the institutions discovered intentional misconduct, including improper foreign exchange trading practices, right up to the present day, said Maria Vullo, superintendent of the New York State Department of Financial Services. She declined to name the banks. The department oversees banks in the state, including branches of some of the world's largest financial institutions, and can revoke their licenses for doing business. "Some of the discoveries are very troubling," Vullo said during a forum for legal and compliance professionals in New York. "There could very well be enforcement actions," she told Reuters on the sidelines of the event. The misconduct coming to light was not part of the regulator's initial investigations, Vullo said. The remarks were her first since the state Senate confirmed her last week to lead the agency. The agency first plans to work with the institutions in question to impose safeguards and improve the culture that led to the misconduct and compliance failures, Vullo said. The department is involved in about 12 cases in which monitors have been appointed to check up on whether financial institutions are complying with settlement terms. Some of those monitorships overlap with others imposed by a number of authorities, including the U.S. Department of Justice, that are involved with certain cases along with the state agency. Cases involving multiple authorities include agreements last year with Barclays Plc, which agreed to pay a total of $2.4 billion to settle allegations of foreign exchange manipulation by the U.S. Department of Justice, Commodities Futures Trading Commission and Federal Reserve, as well as the New York regulator. Barclay's was also fined a record 284 million pounds ($441 million) by Britain's Financial Conduct Authority. Story continues Vullo declined to comment on whether other authorities or regulators had reached conclusions about misconduct that are similar to those of her agency. Her remarks follow a U.S. monitor's findings that HSBC Holdings Plc had not done enough to thwart money laundering, despite making significant progress since reaching a landmark 2012 settlement with U.S. prosecutors. [L2N1741TH] On another front, the regulator is close to releasing a revised version of rigorous anti-money laundering regulations it proposed last year, Vullo said. Vullo signaled that the regulator may soften a provision that could result in criminal penalties for compliance officers who file incorrect or false certifications about the effectiveness of their firms' anti-money laundering systems. While compliance officers can still be held accountable, the regulator also plans to consider steps that compliance officers take to uncover problems, Vullo said during the forum, organized by Exiger, a New York-based compliance consultancy. (Reporting by Suzanne Barlyn; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn and Andrew Hay) (Adds remarks about proposed anti-money laundering rules) By Suzanne Barlyn NEW YORK, June 22 (Reuters) - Financial institutions that settled misconduct charges with New York State's financial regulator have committed new improper behavior and "serious compliance failures," the agency's head said on Wednesday. Monitors keeping tabs on the institutions discovered intentional misconduct, including improper foreign exchange trading practices, right up to the present day, said Maria Vullo, superintendent of the New York State Department of Financial Services. She declined to name the banks. The department oversees banks in the state, including branches of some of the world's largest financial institutions, and can revoke their licenses for doing business. "Some of the discoveries are very troubling," Vullo said during a forum for legal and compliance professionals in New York. "There could very well be enforcement actions," she told Reuters on the sidelines of the event. The misconduct coming to light was not part of the regulator's initial investigations, Vullo said. The remarks were her first since the state Senate confirmed her last week to lead the agency. The agency first plans to work with the institutions in question to impose safeguards and improve the culture that led to the misconduct and compliance failures, Vullo said. The department is involved in about 12 cases in which monitors have been appointed to check up on whether financial institutions are complying with settlement terms. Some of those monitorships overlap with others imposed by a number of authorities, including the U.S. Department of Justice, that are involved with certain cases along with the state agency. Cases involving multiple authorities include agreements last year with Barclays Plc, which agreed to pay a total of $2.4 billion to settle allegations of foreign exchange manipulation by the U.S. Department of Justice, Commodities Futures Trading Commission and Federal Reserve, as well as the New York regulator. Barclay's was also fined a record 284 million pounds ($441 million) by Britain's Financial Conduct Authority. Story continues Vullo declined to comment on whether other authorities or regulators had reached conclusions about misconduct that are similar to those of her agency. Her remarks follow a U.S. monitor's findings that HSBC Holdings Plc had not done enough to thwart money laundering, despite making significant progress since reaching a landmark 2012 settlement with U.S. prosecutors. On another front, the regulator is close to releasing a revised version of rigorous anti-money laundering regulations it proposed last year, Vullo said. Vullo signaled that the regulator may soften a provision that could result in criminal penalties for compliance officers who file incorrect or false certifications about the effectiveness of their firms' anti-money laundering systems. While compliance officers can still be held accountable, the regulator also plans to consider steps that compliance officers take to uncover problems, Vullo said during the forum, organized by Exiger, a New York-based compliance consultancy. (Reporting by Suzanne Barlyn; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn and Andrew Hay) Washington (AFP) - US President Barack Obama on Wednesday offered a heartfelt tribute to murdered British MP Jo Cox, hailing the "remarkable life" of a woman who volunteered on his campaign in 2008. "Jo knew that our politics, at its best, still works -- that, if we recognize our humanity in each other, we can advance the social justice, human dignity and peace that we seek in the world," Obama said in a tribute published on Facebook. While Obama never met Cox, who would have been 42 on Wednesday, he explained that she had come to America to volunteer on his first White House campaign. "She gave her time and passion to a country that was not her own because she believed in an idea that transcends borders and cultures -- the power of people to bring about change, from the grassroots up," he said. Obama's comments came on the eve of Britain's vote on whether to stay in the European Union. The murder of Cox, who was campaigning for Britain to remain in the bloc and was a major advocate for refugee rights, shook the referendum campaign and sent shock waves around the world. "Today, we stand united -- British, Americans and people around the world -- to affirm that the hate and violence that took her from us are ultimately no match for the love and compassion that she spread in her life," Obama said. On Friday, Obama called Cox's husband Brendan to express his condolences over her death, which took place in broad daylight on Thursday in her constituency in northern England. By Phil Stewart and Idrees Ali WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama's nominee to lead the U.S. 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. Asked by Republican Senator Lindsey Graham whether it would be wise for Obama to give the commander of the Africa Command the authority to go after Islamic State targets in Africa "on your own," Waldhauser said: "It would be wise." "It would certainly contribute to what we're trying to do inside Libya," he responded. Islamic State established a presence in several parts of the country from 2014, and has been active between Benghazi and the militant group's coastal stronghold of Sirte, about 380 km (240 miles) to the west. In recent weeks, however, the ultra-hardline group has retreated into the center of Sirte after forces aligned with Libya's U.N.-backed unity government advanced from the western city of Misrata. One reason Islamic State established itself in Sirte, Waldhauser told the Senate Armed Services Committee, was "to be kind of a backup if Iraq and Syria fail," he said. Waldhauser estimated that Islamic State faced between 3,000 and 4,000 opponents fighting the group around Sirte, drawn from the Mirsratan militia forces and the Petroleum Facilities Guard Central Branch. But he cautioned that alliances can shift among the Libyan militia, driven by everything from tribal ties and religious beliefs to material gain. "The unpredictable nature of paramilitary group patronage will most likely remain a significant obstacle to the GNAs efforts to establish sovereignty," he said in written testimony. For months, the United States has had a small number of U.S. forces rotating in and out of Libya, establishing contact with fighters inside the country. Waldhauser said they were acting in an advisory role to support the unity government, and said no more U.S. troops were needed in the country at this time. (Reporting by Phil Stewart; Editing by David Gregorio) By Liana B. Baker and Lauren Hirsch June 22 (Reuters) - Okta Inc, a U.S. cloud identity management company valued at $1.2 billion in its latest private fundraising round, has hired Goldman Sachs Group to lead an initial public offering or outright sale, people familiar with the matter said. Okta's exploration of both an IPO and a sale underscores the dilemma faced by several technology companies this year, as the frothy stock market valuations of many of their peers begin to come down, prompting potential buyers to enter the fray. Okta could file for an IPO as early as the second half of this year, the people said this week. However, the San Francisco-based company has also held talks with technology peers about being acquired, and could pursue a sale if it believes it can fetch a significantly higher valuation than in an IPO, the people added. The sources asked not to be identified because the deliberations are confidential. Okta and Goldman Sachs declined to comment. The market for technology IPOs remains choppy. Software provider Twilio Inc is expected to price its initial public offering on Wednesday, marking only the third U.S. technology IPO of the year. Meanwhile, acquisitions have been picking up. Earlier this month, technology security firm Symantec Corp said it would buy privately held cyber security company Blue Coat Systems Inc for $4.65 billion in a cash deal that will ramp up Symantec's enterprise security business. Blue Coat had been planning for an IPO that it thought would value the company at roughly $3.8 billion, a source familiar with the IPO said, asking not to be named as the valuation was not public. One of Okta's competitors in identity management, Denver, Colorado-based Ping Identity Corp, was also sold earlier this month. The acquirer, private equity firm `Vista Equity Partners Management LLC valued Ping at more than $600 million, according to a source familiar with the deal, who asked not to be named because the figure is not public. Story continues Okta helps companies organize passwords and authenticate the identity of employees who log into work applications made by other software firms. Its customers include satellite TV provider Dish Network Corp and hospitality company MGM Resorts International. Okta has raised a total of roughly $230 million to date with investors such as Sequoia Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, Greylock Partners and Khosla Ventures, Janus Capital Group and Altimeter Capital. (Reporting by Liana B. Baker in San Francisco and Lauren Hirsch in New York; Editing by Andrew Hay) The highly anticipated Snowden is not a political film, said Oliver Stone in an onstage interview at Cannes Lions. The director called it an "intellectual thriller" that tells the journey of the former NSA officer over a decade from his military service through his decision to reveal the NSA's widespread surveillance programs in the press. "The issues will hopefully emerge but they are not much discussed in the movie," he said. He cast the title as closest in spirit to his Oscar-winning Born on the Fourth of July. Joseph Gordon Levitt plays the former CIA and NSA programmer. "It's a ten year story starting in the military and going to the point where he releases the stories," he said. "The [computer] screens were made realistically, his slides were incorporated as well as other slides from the NSA. Obviously it is a drama and we have to simplify and condense to some degree, but we feel we are in the ballpark and it's very realistic." Snowden consulted on the script and advised on the correct CIA and NSA lingo and procedures. "He gave us very good advice and sometimes very specific advice," said Stone. Snowden has given the final film his "thumbs up." He also says Snowden's girlfriend Lindsay Mills, who is portrayed by Shailene Woodley in the film, plays "a very significant role." The director expressed his initial reticence to get involved in the project because of the subject matter, but jumped in when he received a call from Snowden's lawyer. Columbia Pictures already had the rights to journalist Glenn Greenwald's book on the case, and after several meetings with Snowden in Russia they solidified a deal for the former CIA and NSA programmer's life story. He co-wrote the script with The Homesman writer Kieran Fitzgerald. The team had to get funding from Germany and France and shot the film in Germany as a German production. "We did not get financing from any of the US majors. They all turned it down on the basis of the subject," he said. "Essentially we got it made by the skin of our teeth." Story continues He said there are distribution deals in 20 territories around the world. Stone is disappointed by the reaction or lack thereof to the revelations, saying the U.S. government has only made "cosmetic" reforms, and any moves by private corporations to add encryption is only because of consumer backlash and not privacy concerns. The outspoken filmmaker also expressed his own disappointment in Obama - "I don't know that he's a man of conviction," he said - and that Snowden's revelations are not a campaign issue. "In this election it's not mentioned in the debates, no one is talking about it. Both [Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump] want more of it, it seems," he said, calling the military and surveillance buildup Orwellian. He also said there is a clip of Trump where he calls for Snowden's execution in the film. When asked about his opinion on tomorrow's Brexit vote in the U.K. the director said he didn't feel comfortable giving his opinion, but that both France and England are essentially controlled by the U.S. "To me I look at it in the military way and I see a union bound by your subservience to the United States and that concerns me," he said. The Oscar-winner said that Hollywood tends to criticize his films in advance. "Nixon was too sympathetic; I wasn't hard enough on Bush." "When I make a film I think about it scene by scene," he said. "I've never thought about it as just a movie. I take responsibility." Read More: Cannes Lions: Will Smith Says Hollywood "Smoke and Mirrors" Marketing "Is Over" The Watches Were Created To Capture the Beauty and Majesty of Lions While Contributing Proceeds to the Protection of the Last 15,000 Wild Cats LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 22, 2016 / Oliwer Lion Watches is proud to announce the release of their brand new watch collection. The watch was conceived by 3 young entrepreneurs from southern Sweden who struck upon the idea to mix their passion for lions with their love of fashion. They chose to create a timepiece because the elegance of a watch is difficult to create in other fashion accessories, and it's the only thing that could capture the majesty, elegance, and raw power of a lion. After months of long hours and meticulous design, the trio finally came up with the Oliwer Lion watch, which is a simple yet sophisticated timepiece that can be worn both on safari and during a business meeting. "These exquisite timepieces combine an unashamedly masculine aesthetic with an elegance that refuses to be ignored. A bold and intriguing design language is sculpted into every last detail, creating timepieces that are indeed a whole new breed of wrist instrument," says the website. There are 3 different color options including silver, gold, and black, and each watch comes with a sapphire crystal, Japanese Quartz movement, and is waterproof to a depth of 50 meters. The hands rotate smoothly across roman numerals, and there is a silhouette of a lion on the upper middle of the watch face which is a reminder of the animal the watch is saving. Proceeds are donated to "Lionaid" which go a step beyond traditional conservationism that has proved largely ineffective. "In the last 50 years 93% of lions have been killed or have died," says the website. "Traditional conservation has not worked. Lionaid are making a real difference by doing things differently." In order to bring the project to the next level of production, the team at Oliwer Lion Watches has taken their project to Kickstarter where they hope to raise enough funds to expose their watches to a larger audience. Story continues To learn more, or to contribute, please visit: https://goo.gl/2o4Xah. About Oliwer Lion Watches: Oliwer Lion watches was created by 3 young entrepreneurs from southern Sweden who wanted to help endangered lions while creating fashionable timepieces. There are 3 options in their collection, and proceeds are donated to "Lionaid" which has proven to be one of the most effective programs for the conservation of these majestic wild cats. Contact: Hugo Norton admin@rocketfactor.com (949) 555-2861 SOURCE: Oliwer Lion Watches When Geoffrey Kent, the founder of Abercrombie & Kent, set out to design an inspiring new travel itinerary brimming with art, culture, music, and wildlife, the result was the once-in-a-lifetime Around the World with Geoffrey Kent: An Inspiring Expedition by Private Jet. Departing from Los Angeles on October 1, 2017, the trips 50 guests will first travel to Lanai, Hawaii, where they will have the opportunity to explore a marine preserve atop a red-lava cliff. As the 24-day journey continues, the travelers will snorkel above breathtaking coral reefs in French Polynesia, visit the Museum of Old and New Art in Tasmania, climb to the historic Tigers Nest Monastery in Bhutan, and take a daring snowmobile ride across the surface of a glacier in Iceland. Along the way, they will stay in top-tier accommodations, enjoy access to exclusive events, and dine on meals sourced from local ingredients. Transportation during the journey will be aboard an Icelandair Boeing 757-200ER private jet, where guests will be greeted by custom-designed, Italian-leather seats equipped with personal massaging systems; a fully stocked open bar; personalized meals; and a highly dedicated crew. The expedition is priced at $147,500 per person, based on double occupancy. (abercrombiekent.com ) More From Robbreport.com Lurssen Yachts Delivers the Fourth Largest Yacht in the World [VIDEO] The Worlds Top New Golf Course Is as Remote as It Is Dramatic Eco-Friendly Sky Ya Yacht Concept Is Equipped with an Outdoor Garden Why You Should Visit the Caribbean in the Summer James Perse Lists His Fashionable Malibu Estate Take a Tour of the Worlds Largest Business Jet Air Serbia Dane Kondic Chances are, you haven't heard of Air Serbia. And unless you frequent the Balkan Peninsula you have little reason to be familiar with this small three-year-old airline. But you will soon. Starting this week, Air Serbia will fly to New York five times a week from its home in Belgrade. The flight represents the first time a direct flight has been available between the cities in a quarter century and a major milestone for the company. On Tuesday, Air Serbia CEO Dane Kondic spoke with Business Insider about how his airline came to be and its new flight to New York. "No one in this part of the world is flying trans-Atlantic right now so we have a head start there,"Kondic said. But first, a little bit of background. Even though Air Serbia is just three years old, it's actually the latest iteration of one of the oldest airlines in the world with 90 years of history. Until 2013, Air Serbia was a failed airline owned by the Serbian government called Jat Airways. (Jat, itself, is a remnant of the old Yugoslav Airlines that was decimated by a decade of civil war in the 90s.) Quick Turnaround In August of that year, Jat got a new lease on life when Abu Dhabi's Etihad Airways entered into a partnership with the Serbian government and took a 49% stake in the airline. Each party also agreed to kick in about $100 million to help fund the new operation that would be renamed Air Serbia. Kondic, a veteran aviation executive from Australia whose resume includes stints at Qantas and Malaysia Airlines, was appointed by the new ownership to turn around the Serbian national airline. Boeing 737 300 Jat Airways With the new investment in place, Kondic had very little time to get the reborn airline off the ground. "I was installed as the CEO on the 11th of September in 2013 and our first flight under the guise of Air Serbia was on the 26th of October," Kondic said. "We had to re-size, re-fleet, retrain, and rebrand the airline in six short weeks." Story continues "Which, if you are familiar with the airline industry, is unheard of." Things have changed These days, Air Serbia is a fairly well-oiled machine whose operational and service excellence is a stark contrast to the final days of Jat Airways. Gone are Jat's fleet of aging Boeing 737 Classics. In its place, Air Serbia operates a fleet of 21 aircraft made up of ATR-72s, Airbus A319s, A320s, and a wide-body A330-200 that will make the trip to New York. Financially, the airline reported $4.4 million in profits last year. It may not sound like much, but it's a drastic improvement over the $82.5 million Jat Airways lost in its final year of operation. "So we've gone on a pretty amazing journey in a short period of time," Kondic added. Airbus A319 Air Serbia Apart from a new name, uniforms, and planes, there's been a shift in culture at the airline. "The biggest cultural changes to the airline are accountability, which there wasn't any, and a commercial mandate in that we had to become a profitable business," Kondic said. Although Jat was able to get people to their destinations safely, the operation, especially in its final throws was devoid of the accountability necessary to run a successful modern airline, Kondic said. In addition, as a government-run enterprise, the former Jat Airways wasn't all that concerned with profitability. "Making money was never high up on Jat's agenda," he added. "And the business of aviation is a very expensive folly where you can lose your shirt very quickly." As a result, Kondic had to refocus the airline to perform at a level of excellence required to earn business in a competitive environment. "People are not so unreasonable if you give them a good reason to do something and provide them a clear vision of where we are going," Kondic said of the employees his airline inherited from Jat. Air Serbia Crew Etihad's presence Air Serbia along with a handful of other airlines around the world including Alitalia, Air Berlin, Virgin Australia, and Jet Airways form Etihad's equity partner network. Although Etihad holds a 49% stake in Air Serbia, it's not involved in the airline's day-to-day operations, Kondic said. "But what they do do is play the role of an enabler," the CEO said. According to the Air Serbia boss, his airline's landmark flight to New York is a great example of how the partnership has been a benefit to his company. The Airbus A330 used for the route was leased from Jet Airways, while the Air Serbia pilots were trained in Italy by Alitalia. At the same time, Etihad provided Air Serbia with ground staff in the US as well as training for its cabin crew. Without these synergies, Kondic doesn't believe Air Serbia would have been able to progress in the way it has over the past few years. "A small impoverished airline such as ours would never in a million years be able to fly across the Atlantic if it wasn't for us being a part of this group of like-minded airlines coming together as Etihad Airways partners," Kondic said. Etihad Airbus A380 What does the future hold for Air Serbia? According to Kondic, Air Serbia's future is framed by the competitive environment of the broader market. That includes significant changes to the airline business in Serbia as well. "Serbia is not part of the European Union and so we don't have the degree of openness and competitive environment that other counties who are part of the EU would have," the CEO said. "As a result, we don't have as much low-cost carrier penetration in market." However, Kondic warned that the flood of low cost carriers that has waged war on traditional airlines across Europe is on its way to Serbia. "It definitely weighs heavily on our thoughts in terms of our future plans," he added. However, Kondic believes Air Serbia's future growth should be on par with the trajectory it has set for itself over the past three years. But any growth the airline experiences will be dictated by what makes commercial sense. NOW WATCH: The best and worst months to rent an apartment in major US cities More From Business Insider Oil OPEC's revenue collapsed to a 10-year-low. The oil cartel earned $518.2 billion in 2015 from the sales of crude and refined fuels, according to the group's Annual Statistical Bulletin. That's a 45.8% drop from the prior year, and the lowest level since 2005. At the same time, the report notes that exports rose by 1.7% to 23.6 million barrel per day, up from last year's 23.2 million barrels per day. The majority of OPEC's crude oil was exported to the Asia Pacific region. Putting these two things together, it's apparent that the increase in export volumes wasn't enough to offset the stab of lower prices. Brent crude oil is weaker by 0.6% at $50.34 per barrel as of 10:41 a.m. ET. Screen Shot 2016 06 22 at 10.41.14 AM NOW WATCH: All 460 Sports Authority stores are closing heres when clearance sales begin More From Business Insider London (AFP) - British police swooped to stop a Paris-baked plot to tempt Britons to stay in the European Union by handing out free, freshly baked croissants. Police intervened on the eve of Wednesday's caper, telling volunteers from the French capital it would be illegal to offer food in the run-up to an election because it could corrupt the result. The group of about 15 volunteers had brought hundreds of croissants to London on the Eurostar train from Paris, said organiser Rosa Rankin-Gee. After being informed of the law, however, they instead decided to hand the French breakfast staple to a homeless shelter, with no political message attached, she said. Deprived of their pastries, the activists handed out love letters -- postcards with often handwritten messages they had collected from French nationals pleading with their cross-Channel friends to stay in the EU. "Because what would you do without French kiss?" read one of the cards, offered to passers-by in the morning rush hour outside the busy King's Cross railway station in central London. Some people walked on without taking the postcards but others were intrigued by the interest their French neighbours have taken in the referendum. Kathryn Sygrove, 50, received a postcard that read: "Please don't leave us alone with the Eurovision Song Contest." "I've already made my mind up," she said. "I'm on the side of the croissant." Amy Ferguson, 33, who by coincidence works for a company making croissants, said she, too, had already decided to vote in, but added: "I think it's nice that they have sent us this. I'm touched." Rankin-Gee said the pro-EU volunteers wanted to make a gesture that contrasted with the often bad-tempered main debate, in which Prime Minister David Cameron is leading the push to stay in. "We're all aware of how vitriolic the campaign has been and we wanted to do something happy, to make people smile," said the 29-year-old campaigner, who lives between Paris and Britain. Story continues On the postcards, people write about "their love for our eccentricity or our music" or about their families' Anglo-French connections, she said. After a long and often bitter campaign, opinion polls indicate the race is close. The "Remain" camp is on 51 percent and "Leave" is on 49 percent, according to a poll of polls by the What UK Thinks project, which excludes undecided voters. More than 400 animals were removed from the filthy and unsanitary conditions of a New York home, after officials responded to reports from the neighbors of a horrible stench coming from next door. Read: Cow Sweet It Is! Injured Baby Calf's Protective Mother Won't Leave His Side Lizards, a free roaming skunk, an alligator snapping turtle, sugar gliders, prairie dogs and more than 100 turtles were rescued during the extraction, officials told InsideEdition.com. There were also hundreds of birds, including macaws and African grey parrots, according to authorities. "It sounded like living next to the Amazon jungle," neighbor Dawn Kephart told CBS New York. After examining the home, veterinarians advised that all of the animals should be removed, due to unfit living conditions. Officials from the Nassau County District Attorney's Animal Crimes Unit and the county SPCA had to dress in Hazmat suits as they removed the animals in a process that lasted from sunrise until sunset. In 34 years, this is the largest amount of animals Ive ever seen removed from a home, Nassau County SPCA spokesman Gary Rogers told InsideEdition.com. Animals were placed in cages where they were examined and tagged before being taken away in trucks. Many of the animals were believed to be ill, with one bird having to be taken immediately to a veterinarian, and many were owned without permission by the homeowner, officials said. Gary Gruber is the homeowner of the house. Earlier in the year, Grubers home was examined and he was instructed to clean up the house within 24 hours or face charges of animal neglect, according to officials. Read: Tiger Settles In New Life of Comfortable Open Space After a Lifetime of Abuse in Captivity But Gruber has since gotten more animals and conditions in his cramped home have allegedly worsened. The removal, which has been referred to as "Operation Noahs Ark," took place in what officials are calling dirty and harmful conditions. Story continues "Animals were living in an unhealthy, unsanitary environment. We had to get a vet. There was a foul odor. Birds had infected water and no fresh air," Rogers told InsideEdition.com. The investigation is still underway and the homeowner has not been arrested. Watch: Watch This Stranger Rescue Unconscious Man From Burning Car Related Articles: One of the first police officers to respond to the massacre at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Fla., says he and other officers who forced their way into the club held their position for 15 or 20 minutes [or] longer while the gunman was holed up in a bathroom with hostages before the SWAT team arrived and told the officers to retreat. Nearly three hours passed before the SWAT team successfully breached the wall of the club with an armored vehicle, engaged the gunman in a shootout, and killed him, putting to an end the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history. Brandon Cornwell, a 25-year-old officer from Belle Isle, Fla., told the Washington Post that he was among five or six officers to arrive on scene shortly after 2 a.m. According to authorities, an off-duty policeman working just outside the front door engaged the shooter, 29-year-old Omar Mateen, near the clubs entrance before running back inside. Some [officers] ran towards the building; some stayed back with people running out, Cornwell said, according to the paper. 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 responding officers then broke a large glass window and entered Pulse. There happens to be an [Orlando Police Department] 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, and we just went in and went from there. Once inside, the officers were trying to locate exactly where the shooter was, Cornwell said. We kept hearing people scream and shots fired. Mateen opened fire inside the gay nightclub just after last call, killing 49 people and wounding 53 others. After they realized Mateen had barricaded himself in the bathroom, Cornwell and the other officers took up a tactical position by the bar, aiming their assault rifles toward the bathroom door. According to Cornwell, they were told to hold their position by the lieutenant in command. Story continues Cornwell said he never saw Mateen and never fired his weapon. More from the Posts report: 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. The Post asked Cornwell whether he felt an urge to pursue the shooter. I couldnt tell you, he replied. I was following the lieutenants command. We just basically stayed there, waited for movement, and we just held our position until SWAT got there, Cornwell said. 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. According to an earlier report by the Orlando Sentinel, Cornwell was stationed inside the club for about a half hour until he was relieved by SWAT officers. Cornwells account of the police response in the opening minutes of the attack one of the first to be made public raises questions about the timeline the FBI and other officials have provided in the days following the massacre. Yahoo News and other media outlets have requested police reports about the shooting, but have so far been denied access. On Monday, the FBI released partial transcripts of Mateens 911 calls from inside the club as well as a timeline of the events that occurred in the wee hours of June 12: 2:02 a.m.: OPD call transmitted multiple shots fired at Pulse nightclub. 2:04 a.m.: Additional OPD officers arrived on scene. 2:08 a.m.: Officers from various law enforcement agencies made entrance to Pulse and engaged the shooter. 2:18 a.m.: OPD S.W.A.T. (Special Weapons & Tactics) initiated a full call-out. 4:21 a.m.: OPD pulled an air conditioning unit out of a Pulse dressing room window for victims to evacuate. While the FBI will not be releasing transcripts of OPD communication with victims, significant information obtained from those victims allowed OPD to gain knowledge of the situation inside Pulse. 4:29 a.m.: As victims were being rescued, they told OPD the shooter said he was going to put four vests with bombs on victims within 15 minutes. An immediate search of the shooters vehicle on scene and inside Pulse ultimately revealed no vest or improvised explosive device. 5:02 a.m.: OPD SWAT and OCSO Hazardous Device Team began to breach wall with explosive charge and armored vehicle to make entrance. 5:14 a.m.: OPD radio communication stated that shots werefred. 5:15 a.m.: OPD radio communication stated that OPD engaged the suspect and the suspect was reported down. Based on OPD radio communications, there were no reports of shots being fired inside Pulse between the initial exchange of gunfire between responding officers and shooter, and the time of the final breach. During this time, the shooter communicated with an OPD 677 operator and an OPD crisis negotiator, and OPD radio communications reported that victims were being rescued. Last week, Mark Canty, the Orlando Police Departments SWAT commander, defended the decision to wait nearly three hours after the initial shooting before breaching the clubs wall. Initially it was an active shooter, Canty told Yahoo News on Thursday. Once the shooting stopped, it became a barricaded gunman. And our officers acted accordingly they surrounded it, they contained it, and we looked for ways to get the hostages out. As the SWAT team arrived, we were developing a plan, and as we were developing that plan, we were learning there were more people inside, Canty continued. We were acting as quickly as we could. From the beginning of the incident, officers were rescuing people. And I will tell you that the SWAT officers, the patrol officers, they did everything they could to rescue as many people as they could. But several experts have said the delay may have contributed to the death toll. Action beats inaction 100 percent of the time, Chris Grollnek, an active-shooter expert and a retired police officer and SWAT team member, told the Associated Press. When we see SWAT teams respond and not making entry [it] creates victims. Period. End of story. But Canty said both SWAT and patrol officers pulled several people out of the club during the three-hour standoff. Its a kind of misnomer that we werent in the building, Canty said. We had officers in the building from the beginning. And from the onset, they were pulling people out of the club. BERLIN (Reuters) - The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, monitoring a fragile ceasefire in eastern Ukraine, has called on Ukraine and Russian-backed separatists to do more to investigate violations of the agreement. Alexander Hug, deputy director of the OSCE monitoring mission in Ukraine, told Reuters that both sides often failed to investigate and take action on ceasefire violations, such as the discovery of unauthorized weapons, the downing of drones and attacks on OSCE personnel. "Both sides are equally guilty, and increase the feeling that ... there is no political cost for non-compliance," Hug said in an interview on Tuesday. Hug said the ceasefire had resulted in the withdrawal of many weapons from the region and far fewer deaths than a year ago, but the process remained unpredictable and flawed. The number of ceasefire violations had dropped in recent days, Hug said, but he warned that the situation was "very unstable" and unpredictable. "It is now time - rather than trying to find new ways to regulate the conflict - that those remedies that have been agreed should be implemented in full," he said. Only then, he said, would it become clear which side was "undertaking actual, real measures to stop the fighting". European Union officials agreed on Tuesday to extend until the end of January a host of energy, financial and defense sanctions imposed on Russia over the conflict in Ukraine. EU politicians including German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier are urging a softer stance towards Russia, a key trade partner and energy provider. German Chancellor Angela Merkel continues to insist sanctions against Russia can only be unwound once Moscow fully implements the Minsk peace deal for eastern Ukraine. (Reporting by Sabine Siebold; writing by Andrea Shalal; editing by Andrew Roche) BALTIMORE-- The Baltimore Orioles waited until the last minute before announcing that Ubaldo Jimenez will be the starter for Wednesday's game against the San Diego Padres, the finale of this brief two-game series. Baltimore apparently was thinking about a number of options for this start after sending Mike Wright down to Triple-A following a poor start in last Friday's 13-3 loss to Toronto. Manager Buck Showalter talked about several scenarios before Tuesday's game and confirmed afterward that the ball goes to Jimenez. Jimenez had recently been pulled out of the starting rotation and will come into Wednesday's game with a 3-7 record and a 7.34 ERA. He made 13 starts and pitched once in the bullpen since losing his starting role and struggled in the relief appearance also. The Orioles will need some help Wednesday since they are at the end of a tough three-day stretch. After playing at home on Sunday, they had to fly to Texas for a one-game make-up on Monday before turning around and returning home. They didn't get in to Baltimore until around 4 a.m. and were tired, but Showalter said he would not use that an excuse for some shaky work in Tuesday's 10-7 loss to San Diego. "You know what? People really don't want to hear it," Showalter said. "They really don't. It'd be very easy to complain about it, but we do this for seven, eight months for seven days a week and we are all lucky to do it, and no one really wants to hear about it." For the Padres, Erik Johnson will make his third start since joining the team. He is 0-4 overall with a 7.66 ERA, including two starts with the White Sox. Johnson is 0-2 with an 8.44 ERA with the Padres. He has allowed 10 earned runs in 10 2/3 innings with San Diego -- including five homers. The two teams are going to meet again in a two-game series in San Diego next Tuesday and Wednesday that starts Baltimore's nine-game Western road swing where the Orioles also play the Mariners and Dodgers. Story continues Baltimore, playing with just 24 players as Manny Machado will serve the final day of his three-game suspension Wednesday, could be making a move for pitching as left-hander Brian Duensing's elbow is bothering him and was examined Monday. He could be headed to the disabled list. The Orioles have a one-game lead in the American League East over Boston and are up 2 1/2 games on Toronto. San Diego also will get a better look at how Jon Jay's injured forearm is on Wednesday. Manager Andy Green said Tuesday he will see how Jay feels after Monday's off-day and sitting out the first game of the Baltimore series. Green didn't want to address whether Jay, one of the team's top offensive players with a .296 average, would be headed to the disabled list, saying the team wants to see how Jay does Wednesday. "I think it's a little early on for that," Green said. "We'll wait and see how he responds tomorrow." The Padres have been getting plenty of offense lately. They banged out 15 hits in the 10-7 victory over Baltimore Tuesday night. Matt Kemp went 4-for-6 with two RBIs to lead the way as San Diego won its third straight game. The Nutrition Facts label is seen on a box of Raisin Bran at a store in New York February 27, 2014. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid (Reuters) - Raisin Bran cereal maker Post Holdings Inc (POST.N) held talks to merge with ConAgra Foods Inc's (CAG.N) Lamb Weston frozen potato products unit, said a source familiar with the matter. The talks have stalled but could be revived, the source said on Tuesday. A potential deal between ConAgra and Post Holdings could value Lamb Weston at around $6 billion, said another source with knowledge of the matter. ConAgra, the maker of Chef Boyardee pasta and Slim Jim beef jerky, said in November last year that it would spin off its Lamb Weston business into a separate, publicly listed company. The Wall Street Journal first reported the talks earlier on Tuesday. (http://on.wsj.com/28Lrq60) The two companies were discussing a Reverse Morris Trust structure for the deal, the first person said. A Reverse Morris Trust is a tax-free deal in which one company merges with a spun-off unit. ConAgra spokesman Mike Cummins said the company did not comment on rumors or speculation. Post Holdings was not immediately available for comment. (Reporting by Subrat Patnaik in Bengaluru and Lauren Hirsch in New York; Editing by Kirti Pandey) The heart of Paris is in its restaurants. Like so many things about the city, its a cliche thats undeniably true. The bistros, the crepe stands everywhere you go, Paris expresses its Frenchness through food, and theres nothing so sacred as the bistro menu: flat round galettes, mounds of raw meat, piles of buttery stewed vegetables. Except if you think about that meal the flat bread, the raw meat, the gleaming greens its exactly what youd find on an Ethiopian plate, too. It is notoriously difficult to break into French culture and make it your own, and thats truer for the nations thousands of new refugees than for anyone else. President Francois Hollande has committed to accepting 30,000 over the next two years; new people from new cultures will be bringing their traditions into France. So the United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, and French food organization Food Sweet Food came up with the Refugee Food Festival, which places refugees who are also chefs into 10 Parisian kitchens for a night. Tartare is just next door to kibbeh nayyeh, the classic Middle Eastern dish of spices and raw minced lamb. Shutterstock 300566762 Mmm, carbs. Source: Shutterstock And not just any kitchens. For all of Frances fancy reputation, the glittering five-star restaurants arent where most people actually eat. For Stephane Jego, head chef of cozy Basque bistro LAmi Jean, which will be hosting a chef for the festival, this is a moral mission. It could be you, me, anyone. Anyone can have their liberty destroyed, he says. And for myself, I wanted to see another side of gastronomy. He and Mohammed El Khaldy, a Syrian chef whos been in France since last year, have been working together cook to cook, human to human to make a menu thats both French and Syrian, teasing out the similarities between the two cuisines for example, tartare is just next door to kibbeh nayyeh, the classic Middle Eastern dish of spices and raw minced lamb. In other restaurants across Paris, other refugee chefs will be rolling up their sleeves and teaching their French compatriots the basics of Indian, Chechen, Iranian and Sri Lankan food. Story continues And, Jego says, this isnt an act of charity this could truly shake up Paris. After all, strong immigrant presences from Asia have borne a thriving Japanese and Vietnamese food culture in the city, leading even the most confirmed bistro regulars to stray to the sushi bar and the upscale pho places that dot the 20th arrondissement. But theres little African or Middle Eastern food in the city, aside from the ubiquitous Lebanese kebab joints there are a few Ethiopian places, and Moroccan, but those havent really caught on, despite the built-in appeal of, say, kitfo to Frances tartare-obsessed masses. The new communities of refugees arriving from Syria and Eritrea could bring a new wave of fusion cuisine and spice into Paris restaurant nightlife, especially with a little nudge from bistro culture and enough raw meat to go around. Related Articles ABCs gay rights miniseries When We Rise has filled out its cast with a slew of A-list guest stars, Variety has learned exclusively. Rob Reiner, T.R. Knight, Phylicia Rashad, Richard Schiff, Mary McCormack, Arliss Howard, Henry Czerny, William Sadler and NCIS favorite Pauley Perrette will appear in the highly anticipated project in undisclosed roles. The casting news comes as When We Rise wraps shooting today in Vancouver. The group of guests join When We Rise regulars Guy Pearce, Mary-Louise Parker, Rachel Griffiths, Michael K. Williams and and Ivory Aquino, plus previously announced guest stars Whoopi Goldberg, Rosie ODonnell, Denis OHare and David Hyde Pierce. When We Rise hailing from Milk scribe Dustin Lance Black chronicles the personal and political struggles, setbacks and triumphs of a diverse family of LGBT men and women who helped pioneer one of the last legs of the U.S. Civil Rights movement from its turbulent infancy in the 20th century to the once unfathomable successes of today. The period piece tells the history of the gay rights movement, starting with the Stonewall Riots in 1969. Pearce will star as LGBT activist Cleve Jones, who joined the gay liberation movement in 1972 and was befriended by pioneer gay rights leader Harvey Milk. Parker will play womens rights leader Roma Guy, who co-founded the San Francisco Womens Building, and Griffiths will play her wife, social justice activist Diane, who joined the Womens Movement in the 1970s in San Francisco. Williams will portray African-American community organizer Ken Jones, and Aquino will play the role of transgender activist Cecilia Chung. Goldberg will play Pat Norman, the first openly gay employee of the San Francisco Health Department; ODonnell will play Del Martin, co-founder of the first lesbian organization in the country; Denis OHare will play Foster, openly gay Democratic party organizer; and Pierce will play Cleves (Pearce) father, Dr. Jones. Story continues Young actors Austin McKenzie, Emily Skeggs, Jonathan Majors and Fiona Dourif will play the younger versions of the main characters in the event series. When We Rise marks a reunion for both Knight and Czerny and the network, as Knight starred in the early seasons of ABCs long-running medical drama Greys Anatomy and Czerny played the villainous patriarch in the soapy drama Revenge. When We Rise will be exec produced by Black and Gus Van Sant, who is directing the two-hour premiere, plus Laurence Mark and Bruce Cohen. Black, Dee Rees and Thomas Schlamme are also directing episodes. ABC Studios is producing the eight-hour, seven-episode event series. Related stories 'American Crime' Season 3 Plot Revealed, Regina King Returning to John Ridley's ABC Series TV's Upfront Sparks To Life as Madison Ave. Nods to Big Rate Hikes (EXCLUSIVE) TV Review: 'Uncle Buck' Is a Reboot With All the Appeal of Leftovers NEW YORK/MEXICO CITY, June 22 (Reuters) - U.S. private equity firm First Reserve and Mexico's Pemex are nearing a sale and leaseback agreement worth at least $500 million, sources familiar with the operation said on Wednesday, as state-owned Pemex rushes to get extra cash. One source said the deal was worth $500 million, while a second source said it was worth close to $600 million, adding that the deal would be signed early next week. Pemex and First Reserve both declined to comment. Bloomberg first reported the deal earlier on Wednesday. Pemex, which has suffered from a prolonged oil rout, will sell some of its infrastructure assets to First Reserve, but will continue to use them and pay rent. The sale and leaseback deal is the second that Pemex has negotiated in recent weeks as it scrambles to raise funds to invest and pay down debt. The company also planned to sell some of its infrastructure assets to private equity fund KKR for $1.2 billion, Reuters reported last week. Another source confirmed that the Pemex deal with KKR closed on Friday. KKR declined to comment. Pemex, which has been weighed down by huge losses from crude prices, is seeking quick ways to get cash and pare its bulging debt. Both sale and leaseback deals were arranged during the leadership of former Chief Executive Emilio Lozoya, a source said. Lozoya was replaced as chief executive in February by Jose Antonio Gonzalez Anaya, who has launched deep cuts in Pemex's budget and projects, eating into the company's oil output. First Reserve previously expressed interest in Mexico's oil sector, earlier this year taking a $900 million joint stake with asset manager BlackRock Inc in the second phase of a Mexico pipeline project. (Reporting by Mike Stone in New York and Christine Murray and Ana Isabel Martinez in Mexico City; Writing by Anna Yukhananov; Editing by Leslie Adler) The following contains major spoilers from the Person of Interest series finale. If you read on before watching the episode, Samaritan will replace all your bookmarks with Kardashian Instagram pages. As CBS Person of Interest came to an end on Tuesday night, Team Machine suffered one final loss, while another key player came back from the dead to fight another day. Someday? RELATEDMichael Emerson Reveals His Painful Person of Interest Takeaway After saving Reese and Fusco (played by Jim Caveizel and Kevin Chapman) from a dockside execution at the hands of some dirty cops, Finch (Michael Emerson) set out to destroy the surviving copy of Samaritan, which was stored in an air gap inside a gold vault. Shaw (Sarah Shahi) meanwhile adjusted to having in her ear The Machines new voice, which delivered a final message from Root (Amy Acker) that if Sameen were a shape, she was an arrow. When Samaritans copy escaped the gold vault to make a beeline for a satellite dish that would transmit its code up into the sky to do who god-knows-what kind of damage, Harold locked John inside the chamber, prepared to make the final sacrifice by directing a hijacked missile to said rooftop satellite dish dooming himself in the process. John, though, had long ago made a previous arrangement with The Machine. As such, Harold was directed to the wrong rooftop while his partner in crimestopping put himself in the missiles path. Once the dust settled, John had perished while Harold survived a gunshot wound to reunite with Grace in Paris. Both Fusco, who recouped from his stabbing, and Shaw stayed put in New York with the latter negotiating custody of Bear, after coldly taking out Roots killer but before answering a call from a random pay phone. RELATEDCBS Sets Fall Premiere Dates for NCIS, XL Scorpion and More For one final time, POI co-showrunners Jonah Nolan and Greg Plageman answered TVLines burning questions, about the finales death toll, returns that didnt come to be, cut scenes and planted spinoff seeds. Story continues TVLINE | In your mind, was there ever a different combination of characters that didnt make it out of the series alive? Were there any constants, as in, Yes, this person will live? JONAH NOLAN | What do you say, Greg? Reese always had a bullet with his name on it, right? GREG PLAGEMAN | Yeah. We talked about every permutation, and this one felt the most poetic, in terms of what Reese was initially hired to do, and him understanding that this was what it would come down to, what hed have to do to save Harold Finch. TVLINE | He came into it as a soldier, and he went out a soldier. PLAGEMAN | Yeah. Yeah. NOLAN | I think in the pilot there was the sense thats where he was headed. By the time you get a 103 episodes in, you dont want to be beholden or locked into something, but this felt right when we talked about it whenever we talked about it, and it felt right when we sat down to write this one. TVLINE | Can I just say how much I enjoyed the scene between Finch and Reese, where Harold expressed how surprised he was by the friendship that was born out of their partnership? NOLAN | Aww, thank you. Look, the show has always had a sort of cerebral appeal. Emotions dont come very easily to me [Plageman laughs], and we felt like with the finale it was more about emotional closure than Look at the clever st were doing! TVLINE | Was the Ice-9 virus always a part of your end game? Because some have remarked, Isnt this something Harold might have mentioned sooner? NOLAN | There were a few mentions of it over the years not exactly Ice-9, but the idea of it. In fact, going back to Reeses training officer [Kara Stanton], played by Annie Parisse, she was trying to get her hands on something just like Ice-9 several seasons ago. The idea of a doomsday virus is something weve talked about, but the problem of course is that if you deploy it, you destroy The Machine. Thats why it was a long-haul decision. It was the nuclear option, doing damage to the global economy, etcetera. things the world could recover from, but its a lethal event for this version of The Machine. TVLINE | Aside from, as you previously told me, not getting to have Elias be a part of the team for as long as you would have liked, is there anything on your list that you simply couldnt get to this season? Any moment, any sequence, any conversation, any goodbye? NOLAN | There are certainly characters we would have liked to revisit again in flashback. In Episode 12, there were a number of different characters whod come and gone on the show, who we would like to see one more time. Michael Kelly (as CIA agent Mark Snow) and Annie Parisse, obviously. Theyre fantastic. PLAGEMAN | We had written some scenes for them, didnt we? I think we did but we cut them because we just ran out of room. NOLAN | But in terms of goodbyes, everyone who is still alive in the present day, I think we tied up all those knots. It would have been nice to get to Control (played by Camryn Manheim), it would have been nice to get Paige Turcos Zoe back on. And for me, look, I would have liked to have had more time with Finch Person of Interest Season 5 Preview in this darker, more dangerous place. And I would have loved to have had more time with Shaw and Root, obviously. But with the vagaries of Sarahs schedule as a mom and the reduced [episode] order it is what it is. TVLINE | I was going to ask about Control, if you ever considered her fate in flux or if she was decidedly taken away to be killed in the previous finale. PLAGEMAN | I like for the audience to fill in that blank themselves. NOLAN | That was definitely a storyline we hoped to revisit. Camryn Manheim is a spectacular actor and we had so much fun working with her. That was one of the places where we were like, OK, weve got a version of closure there, and weve got limited real estate, so weve got to concentrate on [open] storylines. There were so many things we wanted to get to, but with the limit from the network in terms of not being able to do a full-tilt serialized season. Im very proud and very relieved at what this incredible writing staff, led by Greg and Denise [The], was able to pull off this season. We covered a lot of territory. There are so many fun ideas in this show, and so many fun things we want to play with, and well have other outlets for that. TVLINE | Well, between introducing the D.C team of Logan, Joey and Harper, and that final tag of Shaw getting the pay phone call, was either an escape clause, a seed to plant in case anyone ever says, Hey, lets bring POI back? PLAGEMAN | [Laughs] Never say never. I think the premise that Jonah came up with for this show was so bullet-proof in terms of being able to come back and see if an artificial super-intelligence re-emerged But in terms of those particular scenes, the fun of meeting the other team in D.C. was also an attempt to address one of the ongoing questions of the show. We could now imagine that perhaps The Machine has other operatives around the world. TVLINE | If there was a thought bubble above Shaws head when she is smiling up at the surveillance camera at the end, what would it say? NOLAN | I think [the smile] is much about hearing Roots voice [on the phone]. And one of the few regrets I have about the way the finale cuts together is thats not totally clear. We had a moment between them at the end, dialogue in that moment with Sarah on the phone, and it just didnt fit. At that point, the train was running, the main score was going, and it felt like it stepped on the moment. But the clear implication is that that relationship continues in this new form and that the franchise continues. It felt to us not like a naked attempt to try to build a spinoff. There could easily have been a conversation about a spinoff in Season 2, with the show riding high and Sarah Shahis character making such a splashy debut, but Greg and I werent interested in that. We were interested in doing one great show. We wanted everything to echo within the show itself, so in that moment at the end, the idea is just that The Machine keeps going, the mission keeps going. Shaw is like Reese, theres the sense that this mission has given them meaning in their lives. And she leaves with a relationship with a dog and a god. [Laughs] PLAGEMAN | Which are anagrams! Everyone dies alone. But if you mean something to someone if you help someone or love someone, and even a single person remembers you then maybe you never really die at all? Want more scoop on POIs finale, or for any other show? Email insideline@tvline.com and your question may be answered via Matts Inside Line. Launch Gallery: Person of Interest: Reader Questions Answered Related stories Ratings: Big Brother Premiere Down Anna Kendrick and James Corden Cover Adele, Cher During 'Love Story' Musical American Gothic Premiere Recap: Were You Slayed by CBS' Murder Mystery? Lima (AFP) - Peru expelled a British woman held in jail for more than two years for cocaine-trafficking in the South American country, authorities said. Melissa Reid, 22, was put on a plane on Tuesday accompanied by her father, officials said. She was bound for Britain via Madrid. "Melissa was accompanied to the boarding lounge by immigration personnel to certify her expulsion," a spokesman for the department told AFP on Tuesday. Reid, 22, was arrested in August 2013 at Lima's international airport along with Irish national Michaella McCollum. Authorities said both women had cocaine in their luggage which they were trying to smuggle out of the country. Reid was sentenced to six years and eight months in jail. A court in Lima approved her expulsion last month after an appeal by her lawyers. She paid a fine of about $3,000 dollars, the court said. McCollum was granted parole last month on a conditional release and remains in Lima. CBS' Zoo has come under fire from the animal rights group PETA for using captive wild animals in the summer drama, which shoots in Vancouver and stars James Wolk. PETA, in a print ad released days ahead of the second-season premiere, demanded the network "use CGI to free all animals from Zoo." "If The Jungle Book can create entire realistic animal kingdoms with CGI, then CBS can clearly make its show without exploiting any live animals," PETA senior vp Lisa Lange said Tuesday in a statement. Lange in a separate statement told The Hollywood Reporter that her group supported animated projects like My Little Pony, which rely on digital technology, "rather than forcing live animals to perform." She added that horses especially most frequently die or are injured on set, "as these easily frightened prey animals are often placed in stressful and dangerous situations." "The future of Hollywood lies in projects like My Little Pony: The Movie, and we applaud [director] Jayson Thiessen for bringing this magical film to life in a humane way," Lange said. PETA urged CBS to similarly use technology to represent animals "and stop using animals who are caged, whipped and denied everything that's natural and important to them." The animal rights group claimed that CBS during the first season of Zoo used "big cats, a bear, wolves and two baboons, among many other animals." The James Patterson adaptation was the most-watched scripted summer series of 2015. PETA criticized the CBS show during its first season for largely using live animals on set, as opposed to CGI. The animal rights group also said the network employed Steve Martin's Working Wildlife, whose trainers use chimpanzees in violation of the U.S. Animal Welfare Act, for the second season. PETA also claimed CBS dropped plans to use Canadian animal trainer Michael Hackenberger after PETA accused him of whipping a tiger on camera. Story continues Hackenberger has since been charged with five counts of cruelty to animals. CBS did not respond to a request for comment. Read More: Hollywood Animal Trainer Faces Cruelty Charges Seth Abramovitch contributed to this report. June 21, 7:20 p.m. Updated with statement from PETA about My Little Pony and other Hollywood projects that use animation and other digital technology to represent animals. A UN-backed tribunal is expected to soon deliver a verdict on a Philippine challenge to China's claims to most of the South China Sea. Spanning three years, two hearings, and nearly 4,000 pages of evidence, the arbitration case at The Hague is complex. In essence, China claims most of the sea, even waters approaching neighbouring countries, based on a vaguely defined "nine-dash" Chinese map dating back to the 1940s. The Philippines disputes this. Here are the key facts on the case: - What is the tribunal and what are its powers? The tribunal was set up by the Permanent Court of Arbitration, an intergovernmental organisation established in 1899. The PCA has 116 member states, including the Philippines and China. It is allowed to arbitrate on certain matters of international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The five-member tribunal hearing this case is composed of top maritime affairs experts, with the Philippines appointing one member. China waived its right to choose one arbitrator. The tribunal has the power to set the rules of procedure and make a decision that cannot be appealed. However the tribunal and the PCA have no means to enforce the verdict, with compliance left to parties. - What are Manila's key points? The Philippines has presented five main claims before the tribunal: 1. China is not entitled to exercise what it calls "historic rights" over waters beyond limits defined in UNCLOS, a treaty to which both the Philippines and China are parties. 2. China's "nine-dash line" has no basis under international law. 3. The various maritime features relied upon by China to assert its claims in the South China Sea are not in fact islands and, as such, are not legally capable of generating such entitlements. China's recent massive artificial island-building does not change the situation. 4. China violated UNCLOS by preventing the Philippines from exercising its fishing and exploration rights. Story continues 5. China has irreversibly damaged the environment by destroying coral reefs, using harmful fishing practises, and catching endangered species in the South China Sea. - Why did Manila take the action? The Philippines said, after 17 years of negotiations with China, it had exhausted all political and diplomatic avenues to settle the dispute. The Philippines calls international law "the great equaliser" allowing small countries to challenge more powerful states. A nation of about 100 million, the Philippines has one of Asia's weakest militaries, and its economic and diplomatic clout pales in comparison with China's. - What is China's position and how will it react? China denies the tribunal has jurisdiction on the issue and insists that it will not abide by the decision. The countrys first move to an unfavourable ruling will be to reject it. But no one is sure what China will do after that. Its response could range from provocative to diplomatic. On the aggressive end of the spectrum, Beijing may take it as an opportunity to increase its construction activities and further assert its claims by declaring an Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) in the sea, essentially demanding that aircraft transiting it announce themselves to Chinese authorities and follow their instructions. When it proclaimed one in 2013 that covered islands in the East China Sea disputed with Japan, the move prompted international fury, and Washington made a point of sending warplanes through it without complying with Beijings rules. A more diplomatic option would be to try and mount opposition to the ruling in the UN by challenging the tribunal's legitimacy. Beijing claims that more than 60 countries back its position on settling disputes in the South China Sea through direct negotiations, and it could seek to call a vote on the issue in the general assembly. But only a handful of countries have explicitly confirmed they support Chinas stance. - If the tribunal can't enforce its ruling and China has vowed to ignore it, what's at stake? The Philippines hopes a favourable ruling will help to build international pressure on China to make concessions and reverse or stall its expansionist efforts in the sea. For instance, the United States has already said it will call on China to respect the ruling. The Philippines also hopes a favourable ruling will give it much-needed leverage in any negotiations with China. Koninklijke Philips N.V PHG expanded its fast-growing digital pathology business with the acquisition of Belfast, Northern Ireland-based PathXL, specializing in digital pathology image analysis and tissue pathology. This move complements Philips drive to support medical institutions in their transition from microscopy-driven workflows to digitized pathology workflows. Philips shares rose 1.8%, as investors cheered the companys initiative to increase its digital pathology offerings further. The financial details of the transaction were kept under wraps. The Acquiree PathXL provides a range of digital pathology software applications to research and education sections of pathology and bio-pharma markets. Pathology involves the examination of patient tissue samples and plays a pivotal role in the diagnosis and treatment of a broad range of diseases, including cancer. Essentially, PathXL specializes in software that improves the analysis of cancer tumors. Its image analysis and tissue pathology software will complement Philips' Digital Pathology Solutions portfolio, specifically its IntelliSite Pathology Solution. In fact, their pooled capabilities will aid them in offering superior, integrated technology that will allow more medical institutions to adopt digital pathology workflows. Digital Pathology: A Fast Growing Segment In the current scenario, the demand for pathology services far exceeds the supply of expert pathologists. Digital pathology can fill this gap by assisting pathologists in analyzing large clinical datasets more quickly by using image analytics, while improving the accuracy and quality of the diagnosis. The technology also has the potential to help create new therapies, indicating huge growth prospects for the segment. KONINKLIJKE PHL Price KONINKLIJKE PHL Price | KONINKLIJKE PHL Quote This high-growth segment is currently a top priority for Philips, which has been committed to focusing its resources on healthcare technology since the past couple of years. In fact, the companys CEO Frans van Houten said that its digital pathology business is actually doubling every year. Story continues Just last year, Philips revealed that its LabPON was the first clinical pathology lab to go fully digital, i.e. all tissue samples at the lab are examined digitally. Philips also partnered with Inspirata to develop digital pathology analytics and workflow. This latest acquisition will enable Philips to cater to wide-ranging needs in computational pathology, education, workflow solutions and image analytics. Philips: A New Brand Philips is still known as one of the worlds largest lighting manufacturers, a legacy it built over a hundred years. However, the Dutch conglomerate spun off part of its iconic lighting division in an IPO last month, as part of its multi-year restructuring efforts. The decision was rooted in the low margins and limited growth prospects of the lighting business, especially in comparison with its more lucrative and fast-growing health technology business, which competes with Siemens AG and General Electric Company GE. Of late, Philips has undertaken numerous initiatives to expand its healthcare business, which is gaining rapid momentum and has emerged as one of the companys primary growth drivers. The investment in PathXL will further strengthen its digital pathology offerings. However, the company has been facing tough times recently, with escalating taxes and restructuring charges burdening earnings. The company projects discontinued operations and separation costs in the range of 200300 million and restructuring costs of 50 million, which will significantly hurt earnings. Also, challenging market conditions, coupled with mixed outlook in China, Russia and Latin America, continue to exert pressure on this Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) stock. Some better-ranked stocks from the same space include Jason Industries, Inc. JASN and Kopin Corporation KOPN, both 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 GENL ELECTRIC (GE): Free Stock Analysis Report KONINKLIJKE PHL (PHG): Free Stock Analysis Report KOPIN CORP (KOPN): Free Stock Analysis Report JASON INDUSTRS (JASN): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Belgrade (AFP) - When Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama wrote to the London Times about the risk of Brexit, his message was clear -- and echoed other Balkan nations desperate to join the European Union. "Please don't go," Rama pleaded. As Britons head towards Thursday's stay-or-go referendum on the EU, countries in southeastern Europe fear for the impact on their own hopes of joining the Brussels club if the Leave campaign wins. "My biggest fear is that the Western Balkans will go 'below the radar' whatever happens in the UK," said Tanja Miscevic, who is leading Serbia's negotiations with the EU. "Negotiations between the 27 member-states and the UK will be a priority on the EU's agenda along with the migrant crisis, Turkey and then -- if something else does not come up -- enlargement and Serbia," she said. Six countries have officially said they want to join the EU: Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia -- together home to around 20 million people. Membership negotiations have already started with Serbia and Montenegro, but are yet to get underway for Albania and Macedonia. Bosnia and Kosovo have been promised the prospect of membership when they are ready. However, the bloc has ruled out any further enlargement before 2020, and even that date looks unrealistic. Macedonia "would be even further from the European Union than it is now" if Britain severs its links with the bloc, said Petre Silegov, spokesman for the country's opposition Social Democrats. - Feeding euroscepticism - Where Britain's Brexiteers see the EU as an interference in national sovereignty, many in the Western Balkans -- a region of widespread poverty and turbulence -- see the 28-nation bloc as a beacon of stability and prosperity. Even so, enthusiasm for the EU has ebbed in the face of the eurozone's troubles and Europe's migrant crisis, with the latter putting these countries on the frontline without the feeling of being supported by Europe. Story continues A Brexit would only reinforce these sentiments, said regional politicians and analysts. "Britain's exit would feed eurosceptic ideas that have always existed," warned Kosovo's minister for dialogue, Edita Tahiri. Officially, the region remains in keen pursuit of European integration. Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic, a staunch ultranationalist in the 1990s who now styles himself a pro-European reformist, won re-election in April with a strongly pro-EU campaign. In Albania, judicial reforms demanded by Brussels have created a political crisis -- but it is for internal reasons and EU accession faces no credible opposition. "It is because of this aspiration that we have changed our long history of wars and bloody conflicts, and entered a new era of peace and cooperation," said Rama in his letter to The Times in April. One example of improved cooperation is the ongoing Brussels-brokered dialogue between former foes Serbia and Kosovo, a key requirement in both sides' bids to join the EU. But more than ever, Balkan players have the feeling of not being a priority for the troubled bloc -- a sentiment that could be exacerbated by an EU-British divorce. "You cannot expect an EU shaken by the departure of Britain to be preoccupied with expansion into the Balkans," said Safet Gerxhaliu, head of the Kosovo Chamber of Commerce. - Calls to consolidate - While far-right parties in the region enjoy less success than in France or Austria, pro-Russian ultranationalists are on the march in Serbia, returning to parliament after April elections to fan the anti-European flame. The Brexit campaign has already had a knock-on effect for accession hopefuls, according to Maja Bobic, secretary general of the European Movement in Serbia (Evropski Pokret). Bobic pointed to politicians "listing enlargement as one of the EU's bad sides" and waving "the threat of mass immigration from candidate countries". But Balkan nations waiting at the EU's gates might soon become a problem for the bloc, according to those keen to join. Miscevic warned that "only a consolidated Europe" can overcome issues such as the migrant crisis. "This means that the EU can only overcome and react to the challenges it faces by working hand-in-hand and integrating the Western Balkans," she said. (credit: Fibonacci Blue) (credit: Fibonacci Blue) Around 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, June 12, gunshots were fired at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida. By midday, 50 people were dead, including the alleged shooter, and 53 others were wounded. Both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump were quick to respond to the incident. Clinton reaffirmed her desire for a national ban on assault weapons, while Trump again called for a temporary ban on Muslim immigration to the U.S. Both candidates have also expressed support for a so-called no buy list, by which suspected terrorists would be prohibited from buying a gun. Joining We the People to explain how the Constitution weighs on this important conversation are two of the nations leading constitutional experts and returning friends of the show. Adam Winkler is a professor of law at the UCLA School of Law, where he specializes in constitutional law. Adam worked with Nelson Lund of George Mason University School of Law to write about the Second Amendment for the National Constitution Centers Interactive Constitution. Ilya Shapiro is a senior fellow in constitutional studies at the Cato Institute and editor-in-chief of the Cato Supreme Court Review. Ilya is also a member of the Centers Coalition of Freedom Advisory Board, which oversees the Interactive Constitution. Download this episode (right click and save) Attention, We the People listeners! Become a Member of the National Constitution Center at the $125 Constitution Framer level or higher by July 31 and you will receive a signed complimentary copy of Jeffrey Rosens new book, Louis D. Brandeis: American Prophet. Make your gift today! Please email membership@constitutioncenter.org and let Jeff know how you would like him to sign your complimentary book! The National Constitution Center is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt nonprofit, nonpartisan private organization. This show was engineered by Jason Gregory and produced by Nicandro Iannacci. Research was provided by Josh Waimberg and Danieli Evans. The host of We the People is Jeffrey Rosen. Story continues Get the latest constitutional news, and continue the conversation, on our Facebook page and Twitter feed. We want to know what you think of the podcast! Email us at editor@constitutioncenter.org. Please subscribe to We the People on iTunes. While youre in the iTunes Store, leave us a rating and review; it helps other people discover what we do. Please also subscribe to Live at Americas Town Hall, featuring conversations and debates presented at the Center, across from Independence Hall in beautiful Philadelphia. We the People is a member of Slates Panoply network. Check out all of our sibling podcasts at Panoply.fm. Despite our congressional charter, the National Constitution Center is a private nonprofit; we receive little government support, and we rely on the generosity of people around the country who are inspired by our nonpartisan mission of constitutional debate and education. Please consider becoming a member to support our work, including this podcast. Visit constitutioncenter.org to learn more. Recent Stories on Constitution Daily The Supreme Courts Utah v. Strieff decision and the Fourth Amendment Constitution Check: Where do gun rights stand now? Podcast: Gawker, Hulk Hogan, and the First Amendment By Paul Kilby NEW YORK, June 22 (IFR) - Bonds issued by Venezuelan oil company PDVSA rallied Wednesday after a former Caracas mayor was quoted discussing the possibility of President Nicolas Maduro's resignation. The mayor, Juan Barreto, is not thought to have direct access to Maduro, who has seen thousands of Venezuelans sign a petition to oust him in the face of a deep economic crisis. Maduro has not publicly spoken of resigning. But Barreto is a member of Maduro's PSUV party, and the local report citing him was enough to buoy PDVSA's bond prices. "Resignation rumors coming from a radical like Juan Barreto very important," Jorge Piedrahita, CEO of broker Torino Capital, wrote in an email to clients on Wednesday. The short-end of the PDVSA curve enjoyed decent volumes, with some bonds jumping up to 1.5 points before giving back some gains as oil prices retreated below US$50 per barrel. PDVSA 7.25% 2017s were being quoted at 62.50-63.00 in afternoon trading, while the PDVSA 8.5% 2017s were spotted at 69.50-70.00 after breaching the 70.00 mark earlier in the day. "There is no way to verify this, but it shows that Maduro's authority is weakening if there are outspoken critics within his own party discussing the prospects of his resignation," Siobhan Morden, head of Latin American debt strategy at Nomura, told IFR. US diplomat Tom Shannon met with Maduro on Wednesday in an effort to restart dialogue with the Venezuelan government as the country's economic crisis worsens. Investors have fretted about PDVSA's ability to cover some US$8bn in debt payments coming due this year and next. (Reporting by Paul Kilby; Editing by Marc Carnegie) PolyOne Corporation POL has been selected by Southern States LLC to provide glass-fiber composite panels for the production of its ballistic-resistant solutions. PolyOnes industry recognized GlasAmor panels will offer the physical asset protection demanded by Southern States Ballisti-Wall and Ballisti-Cover customers. Southern States, a Georgia-based producer of electric utility industry commodities, has developed these products by encapsulating multiple layers of woven fiberglass with its own resin system to manufacture a rigid panel with exceptional ballistic resistance. Additionally, these provide higher durability, corrosion resistance, electrical non-conductivity, low thermal conductivity and light weight. Southern States solution was well-received due to new guidelines set forth by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The mandate required utility companies to perform risk assessments, identify critical assets and initiate plans to protect them. The demand for customized protection has been growing. PolyOne and Southern States have also worked together previously. PolyOnes GlasArmor technology combines well with the solution developed by Southern States in terms of performance and timeframe requirements. The companies collaborated to balance solution customization and meeting of delivery deadlines by developing a modular design. POLYONE CORP Price POLYONE CORP Price | POLYONE CORP Quote PolyOne reported earnings of 46 cents per share in the first quarter of 2016, 35% higher than the prior-year quarter figure. Adjusted earnings of 56 cents per share also increased 22% year over year and beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 48 cents. The quarter reflected the companys twenty-sixth consecutive quarter of growth in adjusted earnings per share. Revenues for the quarter fell roughly 3% to $847 million but beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $841 million. Higher sales, backed by the acquisition of the TPE business, were more than offset by a decrease in selling prices as well as a weaker euro. Story continues PolyOne bought back 1.5 million shares in the reported quarter. The company is committed to provide returns to shareholders through a combination of dividends and share buybacks. Thus, its board announced a quarterly dividend of 12 cents per share for the first quarter. The company has raised its dividend at a compound annual growth rate of 25% since its dividend initiation in 2011. Over the same period, it has bought back shares worth $650 million. PolyOnes shares closed around 0.9% lower at $37.06 yesterday. PolyOne currently holds a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). Some other well-ranked companies in the chemical space include Trinseo SA TSE and Kuraray Co. Ltd. KURRY, both sporting a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), and Rayonier Advanced Materials Inc. RYAM, carrying a Zacks Rank #2. 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 POLYONE CORP (POL): Free Stock Analysis Report KURARAY CO U-AD (KURRY): Free Stock Analysis Report TRINSEO SA (TSE): Free Stock Analysis Report RAYONIER ADV MT (RYAM): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research By Andreas Cremer HANOVER, Germany (Reuters) - Volkswagen's top shareholders closed ranks behind management on Wednesday, defying a torrent of criticism from smaller investors about the German carmaker's emissions test cheating and its response to the scandal. Europe's largest automaker held its first annual shareholder meeting since admitting in September to rigging U.S. diesel emissions tests in a scandal that risks costing it tens of billions of dollars. The crisis has led to calls from some investors for greater openness at a business that is almost 90 percent controlled by its founding Porsche-Piech families, its home region of Lower Saxony and the Gulf state of Qatar. But there was little sign on Wednesday of a change in corporate governance, with key shareholders easily defeating two motions aimed at replacing Hans Dieter Poetsch - Volkswagen's chairman and also head of the Porsche-Piech family's holding company - as chair of the meeting. Poetsch, who is also VW's former finance chief, repeated an apology to investors. "We sincerely regret that the diesel issue is casting a shadow on this great company," he told the meeting of about 3,000 shareholders in Hanover. But some investors were not mollified. "We are looking at a shambles," said Ulrich Hocker of Germany's DSW association of private investors, citing "collective failure" by top executives for the scandal. "The stock has plunged 50 percent, market share keeps shrinking and diesel engines which long have been portrayed as the savior are just a big bluff," Hocker said. Chief Executive Matthias Mueller sought to assuage investors by stressing VW's readiness to change, noting the efficiency drive it has announced to fund an increase in spending on electric vehicles and services such as ride-hailing and car-sharing. Alexander Scholl of investment firm Deka was not convinced. "It sounds appealing to aim to become the leader on electric mobility, but the actual plans behind this are shallow," he said at the meeting, which finished late on Wednesday. ACRIMONIOUS DEBATE Prosecutors in Braunschweig near VW's Wolfsburg headquarters are investigating former VW CEO Martin Winterkorn and VW brand chief Herbert Diess over whether they effectively manipulated markets by delaying the release of information about the emissions test cheating. A person familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday that German financial watchdog Bafin had asked prosecutors to investigate VW's entire management board at the time the crisis erupted, arguing it was collectively responsible. That would include both Poetsch and Mueller, who sat on the management board at that time as finance director and head of sports car brand Porsche, respectively. Some critics have argued that VW's current corporate governance would make it difficult for the company's supervisory board to seek any damages from its former management board, because it would mean Poetsch deciding to sue himself. However, VW told investors on Wednesday it was confident it had not violated market disclosure rules. "VW remains convinced that it met capital markets obligations," management board member Christine Hohmann-Dennhardt told the shareholder meeting. Minority investors have strongly criticized a recommendation by VW's boards to ratify the actions of executives in 2015 at the meeting - at a time when investigations into the emissions test cheating are ongoing. Such a vote is common at German firms, amounting to a show of confidence. After an 11-hour debate, VW shareholders late on Wednesday endorsed the proposal by VW's two boards to ratify the actions of all top executives and supervisory board members in 2015, Poetsch said. Poetsch, Mueller, Winterkorn and Diess were each cleared by more than 97 percent of voting shareholders, the chairman said. Lower Saxony, VW's No. 2 stakeholder, abstained from the vote on ratifying the actions by Winterkorn and Diess as both are subjects of the probe by Braunschweig prosecutors, who are also investigating 17 lower-level VW managers over the scandal. "The state of Lower Saxony wants to avoid giving the slightest impression amid current (legal) proceedings that it is positioning itself on the question of ongoing judicial inquiries," a spokeswoman for the state government said. Shareholders also ratified a proposal by both boards to slash the 2015 dividend to 0.11 euro ($0.1243) per ordinary share and 0.17 euro per preferred share, from 4.80 euros and 4.86 euros, respectively, for 2014. "At VW, much more will be at stake in coming years than clearing up the diesel issue," said Hans-Christoph Hirt from shareholder advisory firm Hermes EOS. "What's needed besides a new strategy will be a fundamental change in corporate governance including more independent members of the supervisory board," he said. VW's preference shares showed little reaction to the acrimonious debate and were down 0.4 percent at 123.1 euros. (Additional reporting by Ilona Wissenbach; Editing by Mark Potter and Leslie Adler) By Sergio Goncalves LISBON, June 22 (Reuters) - When Pedro Nuno Santos turns up for work at Portugal's parliament each morning, he never knows whether there will be space for him in his own office. The room on the first floor of Lisbon's 16th-Century parliament building is where the Socialist minority government meets with two far left parties that sustain it. All legislation is negotiated on sofas packed into the large sitting area before bills are put to a vote in the main chamber. According to Santos, who serves as the government's main political negotiator, there have been about 350 meetings with the leftists since the administration took power in November. That translates into about three meetings every working day, many of them attended by government ministers. "The meetings are systematic and take place constantly, there have been hundreds of them," Santos told Reuters. "Often, my office is busy with meetings. I never know  where to go." The alliance between the centre-left Socialists and far left is referred to disparagingly as "geringonca" -- a helter-skelter arrangement -- in the media, and was widely seen as doomed to swift collapse when it was formed last year. But it has so far confounded expectations by enduring, providing something rare for investors in the European Union: a pleasant surprise. Six months ago, yields on Portuguese sovereign debt had spiked on fears that the government would be unstable and pursue unworkable policies as part of an anti-austerity movement sweeping across southern Europe. Now, with Britain about to vote on leaving the EU and Spain heading into its second election in six months, Portugal, one of the countries hardest hit by the euro zone financial crisis, has proven an unlikely haven of political stability. MODEL FOR SPAIN? The unusual alliance between the far left and pragmatic centre-left Socialists has produced the first minority government since Portugal returned to democratic rule in 1974 after decades of authoritarian rule. Story continues Its surprising longevity has even raised the prospect that it could be a model for its bigger neighbour Spain, which holds a general election later this week after an inconclusive vote in December. Portugal's centre-right Social Democrats won the most votes but fell short of a majority in an election in October. That opened up an opportunity for the Socialists to form a minority government with support from the Communists and the Left Bloc, despite years of hostility among the three groups. By stopping short of forming a formal coalition, the three parties were able to keep their separate identities. But they were also forced to find a new ad hoc way to make policy. "We created working routines, we understood what works best, what works worst, what can be done more quickly and what needs to be done more slowly," said Jorge Costa, a member of parliament for the Left Bloc. INCENTIVES Given the rivalries, the alliance was widely predicted to stumble at the first hurdle - the 2016 budget. But so far it has managed to stick to strict budget goals agreed with Brussels, while delivering on some promises of rolling back austerity by reducing cuts to civil servant salaries and pensions. There are still fundamental disagreements. The Left Bloc and Communists remain staunchly anti-austerity and insist that creditors must write off Portugal's debt. The Socialists insisted in their initial pact that commitments to Europe must be maintained. Still, six months in, even opponents accept that the system is not necessarily headed for collapse. "We don't know what will happen," said Miguel Morgado, deputy head of the opposition Social Democrats in parliament. "But each of the leftist parties have incentives to remain in the coalition, that is the decisive point, and none of them want elections." "As long as the three parties want it to (last), it will." According to Costa of the Left Bloc, the system works because of the constant discussions. Every week "ministers from every area come to parliament to meet with our leaders and we are able to accompany the government's big policy options and be informed, and be able to state our opinion on them early." Early in the year, investors took fright that the government would be unable to stick to budget goals and reverse reforms under a 2011-14 bailout, sending bond yields sharply higher. But the government was able to pass the 2016 budget, a long-term stability plan required by Brussels and a national reform programme. The next hurdle, which many analysts have said could be the point at which the alliance breaks, is the 2017 budget which will be presented in the autumn, when the leftists could ramp up their demands. Santos said talks on the budget have already begun. "I'm not saying that the negotiations for the 2017 budget will be easy, they won't be and they will be long and hard, but they will take place in better conditions than the situation ahead of the 2016 budget," said Costa of the Left Bloc. Santos, meanwhile, is confident that the meetings in his office will continue for the foreseeable future. "Clearly at the beginning there were doubts," he said. "But I think questions about the solidity and stability of the government have been overcome. Obviously we have a continuous job that has to be done." (Writing By Axel Bugge; editing by Peter Graff) By Sergio Goncalves LISBON (Reuters) - When Pedro Nuno Santos turns up for work at Portugal's parliament each morning, he never knows whether there will be space for him in his own office. The room on the first floor of Lisbon's 16th-Century parliament building is where the Socialist minority government meets with two far left parties that sustain it. All legislation is negotiated on sofas packed into the large sitting area before bills are put to a vote in the main chamber. According to Santos, who serves as the government's main political negotiator, there have been about 350 meetings with the leftists since the administration took power in November. That translates into about three meetings every working day, many of them attended by government ministers. "The meetings are systematic and take place constantly, there have been hundreds of them," Santos told Reuters. "Often, my office is busy with meetings. I never know where to go." The alliance between the center-left Socialists and far left is referred to disparagingly as "geringonca" -- a helter-skelter arrangement -- in the media, and was widely seen as doomed to swift collapse when it was formed last year. But it has so far confounded expectations by enduring, providing something rare for investors in the European Union: a pleasant surprise. Six months ago, yields on Portuguese sovereign debt had spiked on fears that the government would be unstable and pursue unworkable policies as part of an anti-austerity movement sweeping across southern Europe. Now, with Britain about to vote on leaving the EU and Spain heading into its second election in six months, Portugal, one of the countries hardest hit by the euro zone financial crisis, has proven an unlikely haven of political stability. MODEL FOR SPAIN? The unusual alliance between the far left and pragmatic center-left Socialists has produced the first minority government since Portugal returned to democratic rule in 1974 after decades of authoritarian rule. Its surprising longevity has even raised the prospect that it could be a model for its bigger neighbor Spain, which holds a general election later this week after an inconclusive vote in December. Portugal's center-right Social Democrats won the most votes but fell short of a majority in an election in October. That opened up an opportunity for the Socialists to form a minority government with support from the Communists and the Left Bloc, despite years of hostility among the three groups. By stopping short of forming a formal coalition, the three parties were able to keep their separate identities. But they were also forced to find a new ad hoc way to make policy. "We created working routines, we understood what works best, what works worst, what can be done more quickly and what needs to be done more slowly," said Jorge Costa, a member of parliament for the Left Bloc. INCENTIVES Given the rivalries, the alliance was widely predicted to stumble at the first hurdle - the 2016 budget. But so far it has managed to stick to strict budget goals agreed with Brussels, while delivering on some promises of rolling back austerity by reducing cuts to civil servant salaries and pensions. There are still fundamental disagreements. The Left Bloc and Communists remain staunchly anti-austerity and insist that creditors must write off Portugal's debt. The Socialists insisted in their initial pact that commitments to Europe must be maintained. Still, six months in, even opponents accept that the system is not necessarily headed for collapse. "We don't know what will happen," said Miguel Morgado, deputy head of the opposition Social Democrats in parliament. "But each of the leftist parties have incentives to remain in the coalition, that is the decisive point, and none of them want elections." "As long as the three parties want it to (last), it will." According to Costa of the Left Bloc, the system works because of the constant discussions. Every week "ministers from every area come to parliament to meet with our leaders and we are able to accompany the government's big policy options and be informed, and be able to state our opinion on them early." Early in the year, investors took fright that the government would be unable to stick to budget goals and reverse reforms under a 2011-14 bailout, sending bond yields sharply higher. But the government was able to pass the 2016 budget, a long-term stability plan required by Brussels and a national reform program. The next hurdle, which many analysts have said could be the point at which the alliance breaks, is the 2017 budget which will be presented in the autumn, when the leftists could ramp up their demands. Santos said talks on the budget have already begun. "I'm not saying that the negotiations for the 2017 budget will be easy, they won't be and they will be long and hard, but they will take place in better conditions than the situation ahead of the 2016 budget," said Costa of the Left Bloc. Santos, meanwhile, is confident that the meetings in his office will continue for the foreseeable future. "Clearly at the beginning there were doubts," he said. "But I think questions about the solidity and stability of the government have been overcome. Obviously we have a continuous job that has to be done." (Writing By Axel Bugge; editing by Peter Graff) Istanbul (AFP) - Before dawn in Istanbul, in the holy Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. A turbaned Turkish cleric kneels on a prayer carpet and prepares to recite verses from the Koran. "In the name of God, the compassionate and the merciful" Nothing especially unusual -- except the cleric is reading not in a mosque but what is officially a museum. And the museum is the Hagia Sophia, one of the single most emblematic edifices of human civilisation. A masterpiece of architecture, the Hagia Sophia was first built as a church in the sixth century under the Christian Byzantine Empire as the centrepiece of its capital Constantinople, today's Istanbul. It was almost immediately converted into a mosque following the conquest of Constantinople by the Muslim Ottomans in 1453 and the end of over a millenium of Byzantine rule, with minarets built to flank its magnificent basilica. It became a secular museum in a key reform of the new post-Ottoman Turkish authorities under Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in the 1930s, making the Hagia Sophia universal heritage for peoples of all faiths. But critics have long accused the ruling Islamic-rooted Justice and Development Party (AKP) of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of harbouring a hidden agenda to turn the Hagia Sophia back into a mosque as a symbol of Turkey's status as a majority Muslim nation. Last year, a Muslim cleric recited the Koran in the Hagia Sophia for the first time in 85 years. But this Ramadan the Turkish authorities have gone a step further, with the state TV religion channel Diyanet TV broadcasting every day of the month the Koran recitation by a different senior Turkish cleric, the most extensive use of the building for religious purposes since it became a museum. The recitation takes place at the time of suhur, the pre-dawn meal consumed by Muslims as they prepare for a day of fasting, hours before the thousands of tourists who sweep through the Hagia Sophia daily begin queueing outside the turnstiles. Story continues - 'Lack of respect' - The recitation aroused a furious reaction from Turkey's neighbour Greece, which regards itself as the modern successor state to Orthodox Christian Byzantium and for years has warily eyed what Athens sees as a creeping Islamisation of the building. "This kind of obsession -- bordering on bigotry -- for holding Muslim ceremonies in a monument that belongs to the patrimony of humanity is incomprehensible and shows a lack of respect and contact with reality," Greeces ministry of foreign affairs said in a statement. Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias said he had written to the UN's cultural heritage agency UNESCO to complain about its use. US State Department spokesman Mark Toner said Washington "would encourage the Turkish government to preserve the Hagia Sophia in a way that respects its traditions and its complex history." But in a spiteful diplomatic row, Turkey's foreign affairs spokesman Tanju Bilgic said Greece's statement was "unacceptable" and said Athens should look more closely at its own record on religious freedoms. He said Greece has not given permission for the construction of a mosque in Athens for years, violated the religious freedoms of its remaining Muslim minority and "mistakes being against Islam for being modern." Some Turkish officials -- including a recent culture minister -- have voiced a desire to see the Hagia Sophia become a mosque again but this has never been an official policy. - 'Why another mosque?' - Erdogan had already caused shudders when on May 29 he led a ceremony attended by hundreds of thousands -- complete with a aerobatic stunt display -- to celebrate the 563rd anniversary of the conquest of Constantinople. Both sides may want to keep the dispute in check however, given the relatively robust relations between Turkey's AKP government and Greek Premier Alexis Tsipras, particularly on the migration crisis. Turkey has also pleased Greece in recent years by offering greater respect for Orthodox traditions, including this year allowing Epiphany Day to be celebrated in the Aegean city of Izmir for the first time in over nine decades. But critics also point to a 13th-century Byzantine church in the Black Sea city of Trabzon which was turned into a mosque in the sixteenth century and then became a museum in the 1960s. After a lengthy legal battle, Turkey's religious affairs authority took repossession of the building -- confusingly also called Hagia Sophia -- and in 2013 it was reopened again to Muslim believers. It is now the subject of restoration works which have raised concern about its Byzantine frescos. "As there are already three mosques in the area, why has the Hagia Sophia church also been turned into a mosque instead of being preserved as a historic monument?" asked Garo Paylan, MP for the opposition Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP). On Tuesday night, Hanna Marin, Spencer Hastings, Emily Fields, Aria Montgomery and the town of Rosewood, Pennsylvania, returned for Pretty Little Liars' seventh and possibly final season. At the end of the sixth season, Hanna's fate was left unknown in the hands of Uber A, and the Liars have reason to believe Alison DiLaurentis' mother's evil twin named Mary Drake is involved. Mary Drake and Alison's husband, Dr. Elliot Rollins, may also have something to do with Alison being in the hospital. The episode was quick to build suspense, opening with Aria, Spencer and Emily burying someone, possibly Hanna. To get the answer, the show went back 24 hours, during which time Toby Cavanaugh spotted Mary Drake reporting a break-in at the Lost Woods Resort (the place where Hanna was kidnapped). As everyone suspects Mary Drake to be the new villain A.D., also known as Uber A, they all receive a classic PLL group-text that reads, "A lie for a lie, an eye for an eye. The bell tolls for Hanna." Will they be able to find her? #SaveHanna #PLLpic.twitter.com/UStlB75cFT Since bell tolls usually equate to churches, the gang races to the church to see a Hanna-esque figure hanging from a rope. But it turns out to be a creepy doll that sings a warning, telling them that they have 24 hours to trade in Charlotte's (Mary Drake's daughter) killer for Hanna, otherwise her fate is sealed. Most of the gang guess that Alison is behind it but time is of the essence, so they all split up to follow Mary Drake, investigate around the Lost Woods Resort and Alison's house and also visit Alison herself in the hospital. When Emily asks Alison if she killed Charlotte, Alison only awakens asking for forgiveness. Emily then goes to Alison's house, where she finds a red coat linked to the night of Charlotte's death. Emily shows Caleb Rivers the coat, so he texts Uber A that the killer is Alison. Story continues Our hearts literally stopped...Did Ali do it? @PLLTVSeries #SaveHanna #PLLpic.twitter.com/7BQ7sZ0Tuh Meanwhile, Aria and Ezra Fitz spot Dr. Rollins with a bag full of sharp and dangerous-looking tools. Over some awkward tea, Mary Drake reveals to Spencer that Jessica DiLaurentis, Alison's mother, has turned Rosewood against her and that Mary Drake is tight with Spencer's parents. While everyone is frantically searching for Charlotte's killer, Hanna is shown in her kidnapped cell, which she manages to actually escape from after being inspired by a dream in which she saw Spencer. But when Hanna breaks free, she ends up right in front of Mary Drake's car. Talk about bad luck. We're so scared for Hanna! #MaryDrake is the last person we wanted to see! @PLLTVSeries @AshBenzo #PrettyLittleLiarspic.twitter.com/dKcQsrRJV1 The episode closes with Dr. Rollins telling Alison that he knows she killed Charlotte, and that "karma can be such a bitch." AFROPUNK FEST 2014 Footage AFROPUNKSoul Train: Directed by Milah LibinWHO DAT: Directed by Milah Libin Young Girls: Produced by Christopher Lare Princess Nokia is about to open your eyes to the world and what's really going on around you. Princess Nokia a.k.a Destiny Nicole Frasqueri a.k.a Wavy Spice has made, well, names for herself as the queen of underground music. Born in Manhattan, Frasqueri made her way from East Harlem to the Lower East Side until finally landing in the Bronx. This tiny, soft-spoken New Yorker packs a lyrical punch with her melodic hip-hop sound bringing feminist, non-binary, good-vibes beauty to every instrumental she gives words. She lost her mother at a young age and still draws on the significance of motherless characters (think Disney princesses). She also honors her culture and community as major influences on her craft and style a style that fluctuates from day to day. She gives mesmerizing performances as seen in her AFROPUNK FEST 2014 performance. She undertakes a more masculine presence for her "Tomboy" video, then embraces her powerful feminine persona in her "Young Girls." R29 sat down with Frasqueri as she spoke about the importance of having female community, the sad cultural shift of her neighborhood, and how she is able to mix multiple genres into her sound. Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here? Beyonce Releases "Sorry" Video Starring Serena Williams Here's Why Rihanna Cried During Her Dublin Concert Sky Ferreira Defends Herself In Response To Offensive & Sexist Article Priyanka Chopra humorously responds to her armpit photoshopping controversy Priyanka Chopra humorously responds to her armpit photoshopping controversy Last week, Maxim India and Priyanka Chopra were the subject of a photoshopping controversy due to a cover photo in which the stars armpits appeared to be excessively airbrushed. Fans fought it out on social media, with some complaining about the severe editing with others defending the actress. 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 How photoshopped can an armpit get???? asked a commenter. She is a talented artiste, one of her fans wrote. Why so much fuss about her armpits? Its not her fault that the magazine editor photoshopped her armpits. As People reports, Maxim India shared other photos from the shoot with the star in a similar pose her armpit looking a lot less edited than in the first photo. 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 Chopra then decided to respond to the debate with an image posted on Instagram of her untouched, real-life underarms. Here is another "pit-stopping" picture to add to the debate. #WillTheRealArmpitPleaseStandUp #nofilter #armpitdiaries A photo posted by Priyanka Chopra (@priyankachopra) on Jun 21, 2016 at 9:03am PDT Here is another pit-stopping picture to add to the debate, she captioned before adding the hilarious hashtags, #WillTheRealArmpitPleaseStandUp, #nofilter, and #armpitdiaries. Even though we still have a side-eye at that obviously photoshopped armpit, were glad to see Chopra has a sense of humor about the whole thing. The post Priyanka Chopra humorously responds to her armpit photoshopping controversy appeared first on HelloGiggles. Priyanka Chopra has been in the news off late for her cover photo shoot for Maxim magazine. The beautiful actress sizzles on the magazine and owns it like a boss. However, after the publication posted the cover shot, trolls started lambasting PC and the magazine for photo-shopping her armpits. According to various comments, her armpits seem whitened. Priyanka today reacted to the controversy in her own dignified style. She posted another photo where her armpits are visible and asked detractors to analyze it. Dont we love PCs response! On the work front, Priyanka has been super-busy with her International TV and Film commitments. She has also been juggling to balance her maiden production venture. She was in India in the last week and will hopefully announce her next Bollywood project soon. She did meet with A-list directors and showed keen interest on Kalpana Chawlas biopic. Priyanka is also slated to perform at the IIFA this year which will be held in Madrid. Way to go, PC! Recommended Read: Beautiful Blues! Priyanka Stuns At The Quantico Presscon in Paris! Istanbul (AFP) - Turkish prosecutors have asked for three prominent activists and journalists to be handed jail sentences of over 14 years on charges of publishing terror propaganda for guest editing a pro-Kurdish daily, a report said on Thursday. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Turkey representative and journalist Erol Onderoglu, journalist Ahmet Nesin and rights activist and academic Sebnem Korur Fincanci were charged on Monday with "terrorist propaganda" and remanded in custody. They had all taken part in a campaign by pro-Kurdish Turkish daily Ozgur Gundem for prominent figures to guest-edit the newspaper on a daily basis, in a show of solidarity at a time when the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is being accused of eroding press freedoms. Istanbul prosecutors have asked for the three to each be given jail sentences from a minimum of two years up to a maximum of fourteen and a half years, the Dogan news agency reported. The arrests have been bitterly condemned by rights and media freedom groups with the EU Commission saying their detention "goes against Turkey's commitment to respect fundamental rights, including freedom of media." Ozgur Gundem has continued its campaign and on Tuesday, the guest editor was the defiant 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. Onderoglu said in a message from jail published by RSF Wednesday that he could not remember a period with such a crackdown and where "legal intimidation has become this visible." Fincanci added in a separate message: "Being here in such a period is an indication that we have done something good. It is an honour to be arrested by the state in Turkey." RSF said in a new statement Wednesday that the jailing of Onderoglu was "clearly sending a message to all Turkish journalists and human rights defenders, a message that says no one is safe from persecution." ATLANTA, GA--(Marketwired - June 22, 2016) - Vacation Express is happy to resume their popular non-stop flights to Cancun, Punta Cana and Jamaica from Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport! Cancun: Flights to Cancun will depart every Saturday for 7-night getaways from January 14, 2017 to December 23, 2017, with additional flights beginning Wednesday June 7, 2017 to August 2, 2017 for even more convenient departure options. Punta Cana: Flights Punta Cana for 7-night stays will leave every Sunday from January 15, 2017 to December 24, 2017 with the addition of more flights set to begin weekly Saturday departures on March 11, 2017 to August 5, 2017 before including another 7-night rotation from May 4, 2017 to July 27, 2017 with weekly Thursday departures. Jamaica: Vacation Express will see the return of their non-stop flights to Jamaica every Sunday from May 21, 2017 to August 6, 2017 for exciting 6-night stays. 2017 marks another year that Vacation Express provides Cincinnati and the surrounding areas with affordable, all-inclusive vacation packages to the most popular destinations in the Caribbean. While multiple weekly schedules to Cancun, Punta Cana and Jamaica for convenient departures have already been finalized, plans are underway to include even more flights from Cincinnati so everyone can get a taste of the Caribbean. Vacation Express' non-stop flights will be operated by Swift Air, LLC. on a Boeing 737 aircraft and Allegiant Air on an A319 aircraft. These value-packed flights will enable travelers to sit back and relax while enjoying a complimentary non-alcoholic beverage and snack. Each traveler will be permitted one free carry-on bag and the option to purchase add-ons like Preferred Seating starting at $20 and can bundle options which include checked luggage for the best value. Travelers will be able to purchase roundtrip airfare or one of Vacation Express' 6 and 7-night all-inclusive packages including air and hotel with kids under 12 staying freeT at some resorts. Packages to these destinations can be booked online at VACATIONEXPRESS.com, by calling 1-800-309-4717 or through a local travel agent. Story continues About Vacation Express: Based in Atlanta, Vacation Express, part of Sunwing Travel Group, is a tour operator specializing in quality, affordable vacation solutions to over 30 destinations in the Caribbean, Mexico and Costa Rica and most recently, Cuba! Now in business for over 26 years, Vacation Express is one of the country's largest and most trusted tour operators. Exclusive charter flights are operated by Swift Air, LLC. and Allegiant Air. See operator / participant agreement for details. Additional Notes: TRestrictions apply. Call for details. Small service fee of $10 applies when booking through Vacation Express Call Center. For full terms and conditions, hotel and description of all services, please refer to the Vacation Express 2016 Brochure, www.vacationexpress.com or call 1.800.309.4717. Vacation Express now accepts debit cards that offer the same consumer protection as credit cards. See operator/participant agreement for details. Public charter flights are operated by Swift Air, LLC. and Allegiant Air. All flights subject to DOT approval. Packages are limited and subject to change without prior notice. Airfares are per person, reflect lowest available airfare at time of printing, are subject to change and based upon availability of class of service. Mandatory $10 Tourist Card must be purchased upon arrival to Punta Cana and is not included in above package prices. Not responsible for errors or omissions. Registered Florida seller of travel no. St 38441. State of California Seller of Travel Certificate of Registration #2107538-40. https://www.facebook.com/vacationexpress https://instagram.com/vacationexpress https://mobile.twitter.com/vacationexpress Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2016/6/22/11G103976/Images/CVG_2017_CUN_PUJ_MBJ_Tsr_Pic-d644a94615cc8ffaa8270defc259a69d.jpg The psychedelic costumes in The Love Witch prove that not all witches have to wear black The psychedelic costumes in The Love Witch prove that not all witches have to wear black elaine lab When I first saw the trailer for The Love Witch, my jaw-dropped at the gorgeously vibrant, highly-stylized visuals. The scenes looked incredibly authentic, as though they were ripped straight out of old Technicolor films from the 1960s. The film tells the story of Elaine (played by Samantha Robinson), a modern-day witch whose goal in life is to make men fall desperately in love with her, which she does via magick. There are many different themes explored in The Love Witch relationships, the male gaze, narcissism, witchcraft, revenge, power, and feminism. Today, we are focusing solely on the aesthetics, namely the costume design. The films colorful costumes are set against a vivid set design, adding a whole different level of enchantment to Elaines spells and potions. We are so used to seeing witches either portrayed as ugly (Hocus Pocus), or incredibly beautiful (but solely wearing head-to-toe black, like in American Horror Story: Coven.) Elaines sartorial style is the opposite of the typical cinematic witch a psychedelic, mystical rainbow. Shes Morticia Addams meets Mary Quant. Anna Biller not only directed, wrote, and produced The Love Witch, but also made many of the costumes and props for the movie, just as she did with her 2007 film, Viva. We talked to Anna about the inspiration behind Elaines outfits and the classic beauty icons that inspired her makeup looks. (We had to specifically ask about Elaines eyeshadow, which Anna said was from Shiseido.) the love witch eye makeup HelloGiggles: What was the inspiration behind the outfits? Were many of them vintage/thrifted or handmade? Anna Biller: I wanted the costumes to come from Elaines romantic self-fantasies. I made a lot of them, and also a lot of them were vintage. I tried to sew as little as possible, but theres always a ton of sewing involved no matter what! (Including tailoring mens suits and that sort of thing). The most laborious task was making all of the costumes for the Renaissance scene, each of which required several pieces, plus hose, hats, and headdresses. Story continues love witch red HG: Did you have a favorite outfit of Elaines? AB: I really love the little white linen dress she wears near the end, a vintage dress from London. And I also love the two 60s-Victorian dresses she wears, one pink and one yellow her tea dresses that were made by Gunne Sax. love witch victorian HG: What was the source behind the incredible tea party scene? AB: The tea outfits were all vintage finds, but I had to do a lot of alterations to make them right. I looked for vintage Gunne Sax dresses specifically, wanting to give Elaine the look of those vintage Bradley dolls with the big eyes, and of the prom girls, bridesmaids, and Wild West gals youd see in movies from the 60s and early 70s. The scene itself was inspired by an actual tea room I visited once where all the ladies wore hats trimmed with flowers, and pastel colors. I really saw Elaine in that setting, with all of her princess fantasies. The Love Witch HG: Were there any stars from the 60s that were the inspiration for Elaines style? AB: No stars in particular, although some of her outfits were reminiscent of clothes worn by Audrey Hepburn or Tippi Hedren. Some have also compared her to Diana Rigg and to Edwige Fenech, which I can definitely see. But now that I think of it, actually all of the stars from the 60s dressed like Elaine! love witch 1 HG: Can you talk about Elaines makeup? Any particular beauty icons that you took from for it? AB: We looked at Brigitte Bardots and Claudia Cardinales eye makeup in particular, and also at their hair they wore falls over their natural hair to create length and height, like Elaine. love witch white dress The Love Witch is screening at both domestic and international film festivals throughout the summer, and is scheduled for theatrical release later this year. In the meantime, watch the (NSFW) trailer, below. The post The psychedelic costumes in The Love Witch prove that not all witches have to wear black appeared first on HelloGiggles. A photo shot and tweeted from the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives by U.S. House Rep. Katherine Clark shows Democratic members of the House staging a sit-in on the House floor House Democrats staged a sit-in Wednesday demanding Republicans permit a vote on gun-control legislation. Two days earlier, the Senate failed to pass four pieces of gun-control legislation that were proposed after 49 people were shot dead at an Orlando nightclub. The laws would have expanded background checks and barred individuals on the FBI's terror watch list from purchasing firearms. Gun-control proponents had seemingly hoped that after this month's terror attack, the deadliest mass shooting in US history, those opposed to tightening controls on the purchasing of firearms would have eased their stance. But psychology suggests otherwise. Clark McCauley, a research professor of psychology at Bryn Mawr College who studies the psychology of terrorism, told Business Insider that most people develop their views on guns from a relatively young age. It has to do largely with the family and the subculture where they were raised. People who grew up hunting and visiting shooting ranges, he said, often think gun ownership is "the most natural thing in the world." That's why they may be unlikely to change their views on gun ownership as adults. Indeed, research published in 2015 by Columbia University's Dr. Bindu Kalesan suggested that gun owners are more than twice as likely to belong to a "social gun culture," meaning their social life involves guns and their friends and family may think less of them if they don't own one. It's unclear whether belonging to a social gun culture causes people to purchase guns or if it's the other way around. Instead, it seems likely that the relationship works both ways. "The link between social gun culture and gun ownership also suggest one avenue through which modern conceptions of the primacy of gun ownership, despite the potential public health consequences, are reinforced," Kalesan and her co-authors wrote. Story continues In other words, even if an individual agrees there could be devastating consequences if guns were to get into the wrong hands, opposition to stricter gun-control laws would likely remain. It's the way the person was raised, and his or her community. McCauley noted that tragic events such as the Orlando shooting only encourage people on both sides of the issue to rise up again, rooted firmly as ever in their own beliefs. "Hardly anyone is changing their mind," he said. NOW WATCH: FILIBUSTER IN THE SENATE: Democrats block spending bill to debate gun control More From Business Insider 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 behaviour. "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) MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia must boost its combat readiness in response to NATO's "aggressive actions" near Russia's borders, President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday. Addressing parliament on the 75th anniversary of Nazi Germany's attack on the Soviet Union, Putin berated the West for being unwilling to build "a modern, non-bloc collective security system" with Russia. "Russia is open to discuss this crucial issue and has more than once shown its readiness for dialogue," he said. "But, just as it happened on the eve of World War Two, we do not see a positive reaction in response." "On the contrary, NATO is strengthening its aggressive rhetoric and its aggressive actions near our borders. In these conditions, we are duty-bound to pay special attention to solving the task of strengthening the combat readiness of our country." The U.S.-led military alliance is increasing its defenses in Poland and the three Baltic nations of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, as part of a wider deterrent that it hopes will discourage Russia from any repetition of its annexation of Ukraine's Crimea in 2014. Russia sees NATO's deterrence plans as hostile. Drawing historic parallels with the 1930s, Putin said humanity now faced a danger of failing to withstand the fast-spreading threat of terrorism, just as it once failed to unite against the rising power of Nazi Germany. "The world community did not show enough vigilance, will and consolidation to prevent that war and save millions of lives," Putin said. "What kind of a lesson is still needed today to discard old and frayed ideological disagreements and geopolitical games and to unite in the fight against international terrorism?" (Reporting by Denis Pinchuk; Writing by Dmitry Solovyov; Editing by Maria Kiselyova and Richard Balmforth) A severe thunderstorm that produced a tornado battered Howard County, Maryland, on June 21. The National Weather Service later confirmed that a small tornado touched down south-wet of Lisbon, lasting close to 20 minutes, traveling around 13 miles with wind speeds of up to 80 mph. Thousands were reportedly left without power, but no injuries were reported. This video shows the storm hitting the Dorseys Search area of Columbia, Maryland. Credit: Simone Johnson "We still don't know what our status us, but we know we're doing pretty good." That's how Lily Tomlin describes the state of the Netflix dramedy Grace and Frankie, in which she stars opposite Jane Fonda in a show that tracks the journey of two frenemies forced to deal with life on their own after their respective husbands leave them for one another. Of course, the uncertainty is Tomlin referring to ratings (Netflix doesn't release streaming numbers), but the "pretty good" part is because their show has already been picked up for a third season. Well, that and good reviews and awards buzz (Tomlin received an Emmy and Golden Globe nomination for her part as Frankie.) "Pretty good" isn't good enough to apply to Tomlin and Fonda's friendship, though. The two are pretty perfect together, especially in interviews, playing off one another like a comedy team that's been at it for years. Speaking of experience, while on a break from filming on a Paramount Pictures-based soundstage, the two tell The Hollywood Reporter just how much longer they are interested in being the stars of a series. Read More: 'Grace and Frankie' Set Visit: Behind the Scenes of Netflix's Love and Friendship Comedy "It would be fun to take us into wheelchairs," Fonda laughs. "I'm 78 years old now, I would say at least until I'm 85." "So cool," answers Tomlin, 76, to her co-star's projection. "I don't have any finish date. If it stays really fun like this, yeah, I'll keep wanting to do it." Also cool is that they were up to answer a few rapid round questions for a Rambling Reporter questionnaire ... Last night I Jane: Watched the last episode of Roots. Lily: Slept. The show I can't wait to binge watch is Lily: House of Cards. The role I most wish I had played is Lily: Hedda Gabler. I just made that up. If I had to switch careers tomorrow, I would be Story continues Jane: A landscape architect. Lily: A waitress. The question I wish people would stop asking me is Jane: What's it like to work with Lily Tomlin? Lily: What is Dolly Parton really like? The best vacation I've ever taken was to Jane: The Great Barrier Reef [in Queensland, Australia]. Lily: My best vacation has always been to Greece. The last time I cried was Jane: Last night when we shot a scene where the two of us made up from an argument. Lily: She did. I cried in that same scene watching her cry. Jane: I cry because of you. The last phone call I returned was to ... Lily: Jesus. Read More: Rambling Reporter Gets Random With ... Juliette Lewis Controversies favourite child, Salman Khan has stirred the hornets nest, yet again. The National Commission for Women (NCW) has slammed the actor for a rape comment he allegedly made during a group interaction with journalists recently. In response to a question on the hectic shooting schedule for his upcoming film Sultan, in which he plays a wrestler, Khan said, It is like the most difficult thing.When I used to walk out of that ring, it used to be actually like a raped woman walking out. Realizing his folly, Khan immediately added, I dont think I should have and proceeded to say, It feels like the most difficult.I couldnt take steps. I couldnt take steps. Recommended Read: Heres Why Pooja Bedi Feels There is Nothing Wrong With Salmans 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.This is very sad. Just because he is Salman Khan doesnt mean he will make such a statement, she told ANI, adding that the commission has given him seven days to apologise. Khans comments have led to a major outrage on social media, receiving backlash from all ends. However, Salmans father Salim Khan did tweet about the entire incident and clarified and apologised on the actors behalf. But, it doesnt seem the controversy will end anytime soon. Go east, Eichler buyers! Eichlersthe Mid-Century Modern tract houses peppered throughout Californiahad a brief flirtation with the East Coast. Three of the iconic homes landed in the faraway land of Rockland County, NY. One of the trio is now on the market for $489,900. Yes, you read the price correctly. Leave the Golden State and you can snag an Eichler for well under the million-dollar range thats become status quo in the West. Although the homes were intended as modest family dwellings some 50 years ago, a resurgence in popularity has hiked up the prices in California. This 1962 home, designed by Jones & Emmons architects and built by Joseph Eichler, looks like something youd find in the temperate climes of California. This 2,000-square-foot, four-bedroom, two-bathroom home features the trademark walls of windows, the double A-frame roof, and even the roofless interior atrium. Roofless Atrium in NY Rare Eichler in NY During the colder months, youll find snow coming in, instead of sunshine. Which was just fine for seller Tim Santos, who lived in the home for six years. Honestly, a blizzard with an atrium is an unreal experience, Santos says. Its sort of like a snow globe that comes alive in the middle of your house. I dont think there are many people in the world that can relate to that. Aside from the winter wonderland, the owner also enjoyed indoor-outdoor living, an open-concept layout in tune with family life, and a mini Eichler community established with the owners of the two other Eichlers in the neighborhood. In the 1960s, the New Yorkborn Eichler had apparently hoped to have a much larger development, but those plans were frozen along with a chilly East Coast reception. It didnt really make much sense from a business standpoint, Joseph Eichlers grandson David Eichler says. In California, the costs of the homes were kept low thanks to local efficiencies, but they were lost when expanded to far-flung locations. The younger Eichler, an architectural photographer, says, The climate doesnt really suit the homes either, because theyre not very efficient in terms of insulation. With all that glass, theyre hard to heat. Story continues Living Room Santos says he updated the house over the years, including adding insulation in the walls. Although the heating bills are high, he notes, they dont seem to be out of line with more traditional houses in the area. As with the West Coast Eichlers, theres radiant floor heating. The home features an eat-in kitchen, a living room with fireplace, a family room, and a master bedroom with updated bathroom. Its a very unique home, listing agent Allan Erps says. This sticks out, no question about it. Also not in dispute: This Eichler is a unicorn on the East Coast. These homes arent made specifically for that climate, so they could not do more than three due to budgets, Eichler specialist Monique Lombardelli says of the East Coast outliers. Eat In Kitchen The Palo Altobased broker, who had some of the Eichler blueprints updated for new construction, adds, I want to expand his designs everywhere! These three are the special ones that put him on the map for a national builder, not just in California. While a national expansion did not happen in Eichlers lifetime, renewed interest in the homes could someday lead to new Eichlers altered for East Coast living. If not, nows your chance to snap up one of the rare originals. Outdoor Space The post Rare New York Eichler Hits the Market for $490K appeared first on Real Estate News and Advice - realtor.com. Related Articles In 1986, a 40-year-old Donald Trump sent a letter to then-First Lady Nancy Reagan inviting her to stay at his Mar-a-Lago mansion which, he informed her, was designed to be the "southern White House" when she came down for the American Red Cross Ball in Palm Beach, Florida. According to a Washington Post review of Reagan Library archives, the East Wing staff had no clue what Trump was talking about the first lady had not been invited to the Red Cross ball but Mrs. Reagan nevertheless drafted a hand-written letter declining the businessman's invitation and telling him, "I am familiar with Mar-a-Lago." Then, apparently thinking better of the potentially ego-stroking line she crossed it out. Trump's ego more so than Trump himself was well-recognized at the Reagan White House, where, The Post's review of records found, aides sought to reject the mogul's many overtures without wounding his pride. Since launching his presidential bid last summer, Trump has frequently compared himself to Ronald Reagan and claimed a closeness with the 40th president "He liked me," Trump has said that did not exist, the White House records suggest. In 1987, White House Political Director Frank J. Donatelli wrote a memo asking Chief of Staff Howard Baker to reach out to Trump directly after the New York developer announced that he was weighing a request to headline a big fundraiser for congressional Democrats. "It would be most helpful if you would place a phone call to Don Trump today. He has a large ego and would be responsive to your call," Donatelli wrote in the memo, underlining the word "large." (Trump ultimately decided not to chair the event.) Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump: Flashback Moments, 1979 a 1992 The memo came amid a decade's worth of almost-begging invitations Trump extended to the Reagans all of which the president and first lady declined or ignored. Here are six examples, via The Washington Post: "In 1983, a request came in for a presidential telegram congratulating Trump on the grand opening of his eponymous tower on Fifth Avenue. A lawyer in the counsel's office wrote 'NO' and explained internally that it would be inappropriate because it was a 'commercial' venture. In 1984, Trump requested that Reagan attend a gala to honor Vietnam veterans in New York City and said he would schedule it for any day that worked on the president's calendar. The White House said no ... In 1987, Trump urged Reagan to pick ex-Sen. Paula Hawkins (R-Fla.) as Transportation Secretary. The president went with Jim Burnley instead. In 1988, the New York Board of Trade gave Trump an 'outstanding executive' award. The head of the group sent the White House a letter asking if POTUS could come. 'Advanced word is that Mr. Trump will have some stimulatingly interesting comments to make during his talk at the dinner,' he wrote. The scheduling office never seriously entertained the idea. Around the same time, Trump sent a glossy pink invitation to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue inviting the president and first lady to an 11 p.m. LaToya Jackson concert at his Atlantic City casino. This was ignored. Back in 1983, Trump snagged a picture with the president during a photo line at a White House event. The president, not paying close attention, signed it 'Reagan Reagan.' Five years later, Trump included the image in his book The Art of the Deal. An aide in the social secretary's office noticed the mistake. She sent an apologetic note and a corrected picture signed with an autopen." Trump appears to have embellished his relationship with the former president in multiple interviews over the past year. During an interview with Good Morning America in August 2015, he said of Reagan, "I have great respect for him. I helped him. I knew him. He liked me and I liked him." "I didn't know him well," Trump later admitted to The Wall Street Journal, insisting, however, that friends told him Reagan was a fan. "He felt very good about me," Trump said. "Frankly, he liked my attitude." Reagan's son Ron, a political analyst noted for his liberal views, said in a recent radio interview that his father "didn't know Donald Trump and wouldn't have cared for Donald Trump." "My father would not have known Donald Trump if Trump stood up in his soup," Ron said. Toshio (Rintaro Shibamoto) in Sadako vs Kayako. (Encore Films) Marcus Goh is a Singapore television scriptwriter. Hes also a Transformers enthusiast and avid pop culture scholar. He Tweets/Instagrams at Optimarcus and writes at marcusgohmarcusgoh.com. The views expressed are his own. Secret ending? Yes!!! Running time: 99 minutes (~ 1.75 hours) Sadako vs Kayako is a horror crossover movie that involves both The Ring and Ju-On franchises. A ghost hunter who encounters victims of both ghosts decides to pit them against each other in a bid to eliminate both curses forever. It stars Mizuki Yamamoto (Yuri), Tina Tamashiro (Suzuka), Masanobu Ando (Keizo), Mai Kikuchi (Tamao), Elly Nanami (Sadako), Runa Endo (Kayako), and Rintaro Shibamoto (Toshio). It is rated NC-16. First announced as an April Fools Joke last year, Sadako vs Kayako became a reality this year with the monsters crossing paths as they assert their rights over victims who have fallen prey to both curses. Its one of those premises which is so unbelievable that it crosses into awesome territory. While the film is incredibly entertaining, it doesnt forget to scare you either, springing the best of each franchises horrors on you. Sadako vs Kayako is everything you wanted to see in a crossover horror movie, with an amazing surprise at the end. Kayako (Runa Endo) in Sadako vs Kayako. (Encore Films) Highlights All The Ring and Ju-On tropes If youve watched any of the above franchises, youll know all the mandatory scenes for each film. The classic death croak of Kayako, the inexplicable long hairs everywhere, the eye of Sadako, and so on. Sadako vs Kayako has all of these classics in while still maintaining a logical and coherent story, and even manages to scare you in the process! After all, thats what youre expecting when you watch films in either series, so flavour-wise it feels exactly like a cross between both movies. Tongue-in-cheek treatment Knowing how silly the premise is, the film plays everything straight and doesnt take itself too seriously. Sadako vs Kayako assumes youre familiar with both ghouls so theres no unnecessary exposition that slows down the film. It doesnt waste time trying to convince you of the plausibility of the story itself (which still makes sense), and plunges you straight into its rendition of The Ring and Ju-On scares. Story continues Entertaining and scary You can feel the glee oozing from the film, along with the usual creepy black gunk that follows either witch. It teases you with promises of an epic confrontation between both monsters, stringing you along with genuine scares from both monsters. It even has unexpected deaths and fairly sensible decisions made by the human protagonists. The cast members themselves also clearly have great fun being in Sadako vs Kayako. Most importantly, the film entertains and scares in equal measure, fulfilling its purpose gloriously. A fantastic closing to the film In a film where there are so many protagonists (since Sadako and Kayako are, arguably, protagonists as well), its difficult to have a conclusion that satisfies the needs and goals of all the characters. Yet the ending manages to respect all of the characters and even includes a twist that is possibly the best part of the film! Remember to stay for the post credits scene, and heres to crossing our fingers for a crossover sequel! Yuri (Mizuki Yamamoto) in Sadako vs Kayako. (Encore Films) Letdowns Not as scary as The Ring or Ju-On movies individually Because the film sets you up for a fight between the titular characters, the mood is different from that of a horror film. The scares also follow the stereotypes of either film, so theyre not unexpected either. It ends up being maybe only half as terrifying as either film, but it does try its best to inject scares where appropriate. Sadako (Elly Nanami) in Sadako vs Kayako. (Encore Films) Sadako vs Kayako is scarily entertaining. Should you watch this at weekday movie ticket prices? Yes! Should you watch this at weekend movie ticket prices? If youre a fan of The Ring and/or Ju-On series, definitely! Score: 3.75/5 Sadako vs Kayako opens in cinemas 23 June, 2016 (Thursday). 2000 - 2022 24 .- . focus-news.net, () . 24 . 24 . . 24 . Countess LuAnn de Lesseps has been giddily vocal about her new-found love with fiance Tom D'Agostino, but she wasn't always so keen to share the truly intimate details of her private life with the world. Sitting down with PEOPLE Now, the Real Housewives of New York City star reveals that "divorcing and having to live that on a reality show" has been one of the most difficult aspects of being a Housewife. And on Wednesday's Before They Were Housewives, de Lesseps reveals many previously unknown details about her elopement to and 2009 split from Count Alexandre de Lesseps. "I never brought my private family life onto the show because, you know, the show lives on a moment is gone forever, but film lives forever," she says. "I wanted to protect my kids, really, and my husband. I didn't think it was necessary, so I kind of cut around it ... living in reality and doing my life but just not bringing out my dirty laundry." Though she wouldn't change anything about her "magical" romance with the Count, she doesn't mince words either: "Would I have liked the marriage to last? Absolutely. But, you know, I have two great children." She adds, "And I'm getting married again, so phase 2! Life goes on for you girls out there who are 50. I'm thrilled to have a second chance. There are second chances and second times around." But second chances also come with first meetings between her two great loves. The Countess, 51, insists that Alex who will meet D'Agostino when they travel to a family member's wedding in Switzerland next month is "a gentleman" and is "thrilled for me that I've found love again and I think he's a little jealous. [ Laughs] He's not jealous of the man, he's jealous of the fact that I've found love again. He hasn't quite done that yet." She adds, "We were always very competitive." Bravo's The Real Housewives of New York City airs Wednesdays (9 p.m. ET), with this week's episode directly followed by Before They Were Housewives at 10 p.m. ET. Disappearance at Devil's Rock (William Morrow) by Paul Tremblay Agencies: APA, Inkwell Stephen King and Robert Downey Jr. (who optioned his previous novel) are two of the horror writer's fans. In his latest, a boy's vanishing might have a supernatural explanation. Homegoing (Knopf) by Yaa Gyasi Agency: WME Ta-Nehisi Coates has lauded this debut novel, which netted a $1 million advance. The three-century saga of the families of two Ghanian sisters - one sold into slavery in America, the other married to a British official - has drawn comparisons to Roots and Toni Morrison's work. This story first appeared in the July 15 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe. Read More: Rights Available! Rising Opera Star's Rags-to-Riches Story Detailed in New Biography By Anthony Breznican, Entertainment Weekly Meet the Rebel fighter whos so extreme that the other good guys arent sure if he really is one. Forest Whitakers character has been one of the more closely held secrets of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, but Lucasfilm is ready now to make his identity official: this shadowy freedom-fighter is Saw Gerrera, a figure with a surprisingly deep background in galactic history. The warrior seen in the Rogue One trailer asking, If you continue to fight, what will you become? was actually first seen in season 5 of The Clone Wars animated series, when he was a young man on the planet Onderon, unleashing guerrilla combat on the droid army of Separatists who took over his world. Related: This Weeks Cover: Inside the new Star Wars film 'Rogue One 'Rogue One: Exclusive Details on All the New 'Star Wars Characters Along with his sister, Steela, he fought alongside Darth Vader back when the Sith lord was just an impetuous young Jedi named Anakin Skywalker. In the episode A War on Two Fronts, which aired in October 2012, Saw and Steela were part of an insurgent group being unofficially trained by Anakin, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and the padawan Ahsoka Tano. While it wouldnt be right to spoil what happens to their characters in that story arc, which can be caught up with now on Netflix, suffice to say that Saw pays a steep cost for his resistance, and remains mistrustful of any authority except his own for the rest of his days. There never will be a peacetime for him. (Photo: Lucasfilm) In the show, Saw was voiced by Andrew Kishino, and Whitakers appearance has some subtle homages to The Clone Wars character. The eyes are different the animated show featured vivid aquamarine eyes, while Whitakers are brown but they maintained the scar that slices up over his left eye. (In the cartoon, it bisects the eyebrow, but in the live-action film, the cut arches just above it.) In this new image of Whitaker, he also looks fairly different than what we first saw in the trailer. Here, he has a full head of hair, while in the previous footage he was shaved. Story continues By the time Rogue One takes place, just before the events of 1977s original Star Wars, more than two decades have passed since the events of Revenge of the Sith. As played by The Last King of Scotland Oscar winner, Whitakers Saw Gerrera is bulkier, more battle-hardened with the years, and maybe a little shellshocked. He has continued to fight; and, as he suggested in the trailer, he has become something and its not quite a hero. Rather, hes a man who has tried to do the right thing by occasionally doing questionable things. Consider him kind of a battered veteran who leads a band of Rebel extremists, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy tells EW. Hes on the fringe of the Rebel Alliance. Even [they] are a little concerned about him. One reason we saved his reveal until now, in addition to him having a deeper backstory than the other new characters, is that Saw is an ally to the Rebel squad in Rogue One, but hes not really one of them. Hes off on his own, Kennedy says. In Claudia Grays recent Leia-centric novel Star Wars: Bloodline, set approximately midway between the events of Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens, the princess-turned-politician is confronted by a rival who challenges her on the terrorist tactics of the Rebel Alliance, specifically citing the campaigns of Saw Gerreras Partisans. For Rogue One, they needed a character on the borderline, someone who would represent the extreme end of the fight against the Emperor. Producer John Knolls idea was to show how the Death Star is a threat that pulls the disparate Rebel factions into a place of unity. The Lucasfilm story group plucked Saw Gerrera from Clone Wars history as a good candidate for a radical. The Death Star is the event that sort of pulls everybody into a place of unity, and prior to that its a little bit more divided. Who are at the different ends of that spectrum? says Kiri Hart, Lucasfilms head of story development. It was also a way to incorporate a character created by George Lucas, who has stepped back from Star Wars storytelling after selling Lucasfilm to Disney, but was deeply involved in The Clone Wars series with executive producer Dave Filoni (now overseeing the animated Rebels show). Hart and fellow story group member Pablo Hidalgo were among those knew some of the as-yet-unseen character storylines that Lucas had in mind, and Saws fit right in with what they needed for Rogue One. In that way, Saw Gerreras part in this movie could be called destiny. For more on the character, Hidalgo appears on todays episode of The Star Wars Show to offer some new insights into his history. Thursday on EW.com: New photos from Rogue One, and details on Darth Vaders return. SYDNEY, June 22 (Reuters) - Rough seas and strong winds have delayed the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 in the Indian Ocean, prolonging the search until August in one of the world's greatest aviation mysteries, investigators said on Wednesday. The search had been scheduled to be completed by mid-year. Australian officials, who are leading the investigation, said in a statement that more than 105,000 sq km (40,540 sq miles) had been covered in the 120,000 sq km search zone. Seas as high as 18 metres and strong winds battered the search vessels and slowed their progress, Australia's Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) said. Flight MH370 disappeared in March 2014 with 239 passengers and crew on board shortly after taking off from Kuala Lumpur bound for Beijing. Investigators believe someone may have deliberately switched off the plane's transponder before diverting it thousands of miles off course over the Indian Ocean. Australia, China and Malaysia had agreed the search area would not be expanded beyond 120,000 sq km, the ATSB said in a statement. A piece of the Boeing 777, a wing part known as a flaperon, washed up on the French Indian Ocean island of Reunion in July last year. (Reporting by Tom Westbrook; Editing by Nick Macfie) NEW YORK -- The New York Mets pushed right-hander Noah Syndergaard back a day in the rotation in hopes of giving him some extra rest following the longest outing of his career last week. But the Mets might need to push Syndergaard again Wednesday in the finale of a two-game series against the Kansas City Royals at Citi Field. The Mets won the opener of the 2015 World Series rematch 2-1 on Tuesday, when they needed five relievers to throw the final 8 2/3 innings after right-hander Bartolo Colon was hit on the thumb by a line drive off the bat of Royals leadoff hitter Whit Merrifield. "We might have been out of pitchers (Wednesday) if we got much deeper," Mets manager Terry Collins said afterward. The Mets are likely to be without right-handers Hansel Robles and Erik Goeddel, who threw 3 2/3 innings and two innings, respectively, as the first two pitchers out of the bullpen Tuesday. Left-hander Sean Gilmartin, who was promoted from Triple-A Las Vegas on Tuesday afternoon, may also be unavailable since he threw 100 pitches in a start for Las Vegas on Sunday. Fortunately for the Mets, Syndergaard has developed into a workhorse in his first full major league season. The long-haired 23-year-old has pitched into the seventh inning in eight of his 13 starts. Syndergaard threw a career-high 8 1/3 innings in his most recent start June 14, when he allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits and no walks while striking out 11. He threw 115 pitches, one shy of his career high. The Mets originally had Syndergaard scheduled to start the series opener Tuesday but decided to push him back in order to get him some rest and to set him up to pitch the opener of a series against the National League East-leading Washington Nationals next Monday. Had Syndergaard pitched Tuesday, he would have pitched again Sunday against the NL-worst Atlanta Braves. "Thought we'd give him some extra time," Collins said before Tuesday's game. "We can move Noah back a day, give him an extra day with all the pitchers he threw. That will allow him to pitch in Washington also." Story continues The Royals on Wednesday counter with left-hander Danny Duffy, who will be making his seventh start since joining the rotation May 15. Duffy is 2-1 with a 3.25 ERA since replacing right-hander Kris Medlen, who was 1-3 with a 7.77 ERA before suffering a strained rotator cuff. "Danny's come in and helped fill that hole," Royals manager Ned Yost said Tuesday. "He's done a great job." The matinee Wednesday will be the last of the four games this year between the Royals and Mets, who split a season-opening two-game series in Kansas City in April. This is the 11th time since interleague play began in 1997 that the previous season's World Series teams have played in the regular season the following year. It is also the third time a reigning champion has played in the stadium in which it won the title the previous year. The New York Yankees traveled to face the Mets in 2001 after winning the decisive fifth game of the 2000 World Series while the Boston Red Sox visited the St. Louis Cardinals in 2005 after completing a four-game sweep of the 2004 World Series at Busch Stadium. When Sen. Marco Rubio dropped out of the 2016 presidential race in March after being crushed in his home state by Donald Trump, supporters at his sparsely attended final rally in Florida cried and shouted out No Marco! as he announced his decision. It was a somber moment for fans of the freshman Republican, who had just five years earlier been hailed as the new face of his party. It was also a somber moment for the hawkish wing of the Republican Party, which strongly supported Rubios belief in a muscular foreign policy centered on a willingness to use force abroad. Since his 2010 election, Rubio had steadily sought to build up his credentials on foreign policy in anticipation of a presidential run, but those carefully laid plans had been upended by a lopsided defeat to a New York real-estate magnate with zero national security experience and a neo-isolationist worldview that stood in almost direct contrast to everything Rubio espoused. There was also the seeming finality of Rubios concession: The Floridian had never hidden his distaste for the Senate and adamantly insisted throughout the mudslinging of the Republican primary that he would not run for reelection to his Senate seat. I have only said like 10000 times I will be a private citizen in January, he tweeted in May. Flash forward a month, and Rubio has just reversed himself. The senator said Wednesday that the national security challenges facing the United States highlighted by the recent terrorist attack in Orlando that left 49 dead compelled him to run. In politics, admitting youve changed your mind is not something most people like to do, he said in a statement Wednesday morning. But here it goes. In the end, Rubio added, there was simply too much at stake for any other choice. The decision represents a high-stakes political calculation. Two losses in his home state could end his political career but a win, especially if Trump loses the presidential race, could keep Rubios 2020 presidential ambitions very much alive. Story continues Keeping his Senate seat, though, will force Rubio to find a solution to a thorny problem that vexed his presidential race: Foreign policy and national security should be Rubios strong suit, but GOP voters seem to strongly prefer Trumps views, which turn off many of the moderate or independent voters Rubio may ultimately need. Rubios road to reelection was never going to be easy, with a late start, costly media market, stubborn primary challengers, competitive Democratic opponents, suggestions of political opportunism, blatant distaste for the Senate, and a surging Democratic presidential nominee whos made national security central to her campaign. Trump, who routinely disparages Latinos and other minorities who make up significant swaths of Floridas voting population, seems certain to make things even harder for Rubio. The Floridian clearly gets that: In his Wednesday announcement, Rubio went out of his way to stress that hes ready to break with his partys presumptive presidential nominee. It is no secret that I have significant disagreements with Donald Trump, Rubio said, adding that his positions are either unknown or not just offensive but unacceptable. But if Trumps elected, Rubio argued, he will need senators to push him in the right direction and push back. Ive proven a willingness to do both, Rubio said. That will be easier said than done. Rubio, like other Senate Republicans, has struggled with the choice of either embracing a presumptive presidential nominee whose inconsistent policies and controversial statements are often at odds with the GOPs national security nucleus, or keeping him at a distance, risking both his Twitter-fueled ire as well as party unity as the GOP looks to defeat Hillary Clintons well-oiled campaign machinery. In March, amid continued violence at Trump rallies, Rubio said he was still committed to supporting the eventual Republican nominee, but its getting harder every day. After returning to the Senate in May, Rubio reiterated that pledge of support but flatly ruled out joining a Trump ticket. I believe that he would be best served by someone who more fully embraces the things he stands for. And thats certainly not me, Rubio said. Days later he suggested hed speak for Trump at the Republican convention in Cleveland in July, saying, I want to be helpful. But he almost immediately walked it back, arguing that he meant hed be willing to speak for the partys values, not on behalf of the candidate himself. For now, many Republican senators are clearly relieved by Rubios decision to fight for his seat. I think weve all had a conversation with him to encourage him to run, Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr, who himself is up for reelection in North Carolina, told Foreign Policy. Rubio serves on his committee as well as on the Senates Foreign Relations panel. I would love to see him back, because it takes a couple years just for somebody to get up to speed. Burr suggested Floridians voting for their senator this fall would be more attracted to Rubios national security and foreign-policy experience than they were in the presidential contest last spring. I dont think the presidential race is playing out based upon policy, he said. Sen. Jeff Flake, (R-Ariz.) defended Rubio against accusations from the Clinton campaign and others of using the Orlando tragedy as political opportunism. Flake told FP that Orlando and broader terror risks were a good reason for entering the Senate race. In his announcement, Rubio indicated hes going to be playing offense against both Trump and Clinton, the presumptive Democratic nominee and former secretary of state. On a range of urgent issues facing the next president, particularly the potential for terrorist attacks abroad or on U.S. soil, Rubio said American voters can expect backward or uncertain responses from either Clinton or Trump. If Clinton wins the White House, we would have four more years of the same failed foreign policy that has allowed radical Islam to spread and terrorists to be released from Guantanamo. Former Republican President George W. Bush, who believed the U.S. military prison in Cuba should be closed, released far more detainees during his administration than President Barack Obama, with far fewer security measures. The Obama administration requires a handful of national security agencies to unanimously approve the transfer of a detainee. Obama also came under fire in the wake of Orlando for his continued refusal to use the term radical Islam even Clinton seemed to concede the point but the president said the debate over the wording was merely a political distraction. Rubios generous use of the rhetorical red meat thrown out often during the Republican presidential campaign, from the disastrous Iran nuclear deal to a declining military, forecasts a Senate campaign focused on national security. But it could also set up showdowns with Trump, who has renewed his calls to ban Muslim immigrants, cozied up to Russian strongman Vladimir Putin, and slammed Bush for failing to prevent 9/11 and launching the ill-fated Iraq war. Trump has also argued that both Bush and Obama pursued policies of regime change and nation-building that have unleashed chaos throughout the Middle East. There are also stark tonal differences between the two men. Rubio is clearly no fan of Obama, but he has never gone so far as Trump, who has repeatedly insinuated that the president was a foreign-born Muslim. Whereas Rubio flew with the president to Orlando and shook his hand on the tarmac, Trump went even further in his attacks in the wake of the Florida tragedy, asserting despite absolutely no evidence to bolster the case that Obama was somehow complicit in the massacre. Its unclear as of yet whether Florida voters will be more receptive to either candidates national security strategy in November. Rubio is expected to face Rep. Patrick Murphy, a Democrat whos been backed for months by his partys money and both Obama and Vice President Joe Biden. Patrick has an extensive record on national security, and Im sure well find plenty of opportunity to draw a contrast, Murphy communications director Joshua Karp told FP on Wednesday. According to a recent Quinnipiac poll, Rubio leads Murphy 47 points to 40, while Murphy leads five other Republican challengers in a potential matchup. Photo credit: JOE RAEDLE/Staff By Brian Oliver LONDON (Reuters) - Russia's weightlifters face being banned from the Rio Olympics, subject to confirmation by the International Olympic Committee, in another collective doping punishment to hit the country. Five days after its track and field team's suspension from the 2016 Games was upheld, Russia's weightlifters are now also set to be suspended from the August 5-21 Olympics. Belarus and weightlifting superpower Kazakhstan were also banned over failed retests from the 2008 and 2012 Olympics on Wednesday by the sport's governing body, the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF), which also punished other nations by reducing the number of available athlete slots in Rio. Retrospective doping tests carried out by the IOC have led to 17 positives from 2008 and 2012, said the IWF. The governing body added there may be more cases to come. The IWF is awaiting confirmation of those failures and a final tally from the IOC, who were not immediately available when contacted late on Wednesday by Reuters. Earlier this week the IOC supported the IAAF's decision to continue its ban on all Russian track and field athletes as a collective punishment for the country's systematic doping problems, saying that such a decision was for each sport's federation. Because of those results, and an unprecedented 24 positives at the weightlifting world championships in Houston, Texas, last November, a special meeting was called for this week in Tbilisi, host of this weekend's youth world championships. The IWF, stressing its zero tolerance toward dopers, said it had taken 11 places away from teams who had committed four or more doping offences in 2015. Two of those teams were Russia and Kazakhstan, so the sanctions could yet be overtaken by a team ban. The others were Azerbaijan, North Korea and Moldova (two places each) and Belarus (one). As for the banning of entire teams, the IWF said in a statement: The IWF Executive Board has decided that national federations confirmed to have produced three or more anti-doping rule violations in the combined re-analysis process of the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games shall be suspended for one year. "Countries thus subject to suspension are Kazakhstan, Russia and Belarus." Because the tests were not carried out by the IWF, the sport's administrators are seeking formal confirmation from the IOC that the positives are not subject to appeal or amendment. The executive board also castigated the European Weightlifting Federation for its recent appointment of Sergey Systsov, president of the Russian Federation, as chair of its anti-doping commission. "Given the current environment, the IWF Executive Board strongly suggests that Mr Syrtsov and the European Weightlifting Federation reconsiders the appointment, said a statement. The IWF has set up an independent commission to investigate the nations who returned three or more positives from the retesting of 2008 and 2012 samples, which was carried out after advances in science enabled better detection of prohibited substances. The worst offender was Kazakhstan. Ilya Ilyin, the worlds most popular weightlifter, is expected to lose his gold medals from Beijing and London, while three Kazakh women who won in 2012 also tested positive. The IWF also vowed to toughen its anti-doping policy in future, threatening to ban nations who had the worst doping record during an Olympic qualifying period. It also said it would set up a task force and aimed to test every athlete, before the Games, who will be competing in Rio. The Olympic bans take to four the number of nations who will not be allowed to compete in Rio. Bulgaria had been excluded last year, after 11 lifters at a training camp tested positive. Romania and Uzbekistan had already lost one quota place each. (Additional reporting by Mitch Phillips/Karolos Grohmann, editing by Pritha Sarkar) Paris (AFP) - Russia's weightlifters face being kicked out of the Rio Olympics for repeated doping violations, days after the International Olympic Committee upheld a ban on their track and field athletes. Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus are to be suspended for one year by the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) over failed retests from the 2008 and 2012 Games in Beijing and London. The IWF executive announced this month that 20 suspicious cases had been found in retrospective tests carried out on samples from the 2008 and 2012 Olympics. Following those revelations, the IWF held a special executive committee meeting on Wednesday in Tblisi, Georgia, where it reaffirmed its commitment to "zero tolerance" of doping with the aim of "protecting clean athletes". "The IWF Executive Board has decided that national federations confirmed to have produced three or more anti-doping rule violations in the combined re-analysis process of the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games shall be suspended for one year," a statement said. The federations were named as Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus. The ban will be applied if the athletes' "B" samples are confirmed by the IOC as testing positive for prohibited substances. The IWF also punished three other nations -- North Korea, Azerbaijan and Moldova -- with sanctions that will reduce the number of slots available to them in Rio. Their punishment was for committing multiple doping offences in 2015, a year that saw an unprecedented 24 positive tests at December's world championships in Houston. Azerbaijan and North Korea are both to be stripped of one man and one woman competitor, and Moldova will lose two men from their Rio quota of lifters. The statement said a total of 11 places had been taken away from six teams who had committed four or more doping offences last year. The other three were Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus, whose sanctions will only apply should they be allowed to compete. Story continues The IWF executive also reacted with dismay to the appointment of Russian weightlifting chief Sergey Syrtsov as head of the European federation's anti-doping commission. "Given the current environment, the IWF executive board strongly suggests that Mr. Syrtsov and the European Weightlifting Federation reconsiders the appointment to this particular position," the IWF said. The weightlifting global governing body has previously banned Bulgaria from the Olympics for doping and stripped Romania and Uzbekistan of one athlete slot apiece at the Rio Games. The doping punishments came a day before the IWF was due to decide the venue for the 2018 junior world championships. North Korea's capital Pyongyang has made a bid to host the event and it would be seen as landmark decision if the IWF were on Thursday to award the event to the secretive communist state. By Laila Kearney (Reuters) - Nearly half of gay and lesbian couples living together in the United States are married a year after the Supreme Court's decision to legalize same-sex marriage across the country, according to a Gallup study released on Wednesday. The percentage of married cohabiting same-sex couples, as opposed to couples living together but not married, rose to 49 percent from 38 percent before the ruling, Gallup said. In a ruling on June 26, 2015, the Supreme Court struck down same-sex marriage bans in the 13 states that still prohibited it. Gallup estimates about 123,000 same-sex American couples married in the past year, with a higher number of the unions taking place in states that already had legalized same-sex marriages. In total, 9.6 percent of gay and lesbians Americans are married, compared to 7.9 percent before the ruling, Gallup said. The percentage of same-sex couples living in a domestic partnership has declined to 10.1 percent from 12.8 percent, it said. "This indicates that while many unmarried same-sex couples who were living together got married in the past year, many others stopped living together or no longer consider themselves to be domestic partners," Gallup said. The results are based Gallup interviews conducted during the past year. (Reporting by Laila Kearney; Editing by Bill Trott) By Louis Charbonneau and Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon met Saudi Arabia's powerful deputy crown prince on Wednesday and the pair discussed improving civilian protection in Yemen after a U.N. report briefly blacklisted a Saudi-led coalition for killing children. Ban removed the coalition from the blacklist earlier this month pending review after Riyadh, a major U.N. donor, threatened to cut Palestinian aid and other U.N. funding. Saudi Arabia has denied using threats, although Ban blasted Riyadh for exerting "unacceptable" pressure. When asked on his way into the meeting if he was still upset with Ban, Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is in New York for business meetings after visiting Washington and the U.S. West Coast, said: "I'm not angry." Prince Mohammed, who was 45 minutes late for the meeting, simply smiled when Ban told him that he stood by the U.N. report on children and armed conflict, a diplomatic source told Reuters. The U.N. report said the coalition, which began an air campaign in March 2015 to defeat Iran-allied Houthi rebels, was responsible for 60 percent of child deaths and injuries in the conflict last year, killing 510 and wounding 667. An official U.N. statement said Ban and Prince Mohammed discussed "putting into place concrete measures that could improve the situation on the ground" to better protect children and civilians in Yemen. "The Secretary-General expressed the hope that by the time he presents the Children and Armed Conflict report to the Security Council in August, he could point to progress on the protection of children and civilians in Yemen," it said. Prince Mohammed, who is also the kingdom's defense minister, did not answer questions when he left. Saudi U.N. Ambassador Abdallah Al-Mouallimi described the meeting as excellent. "The focus was on international issues, especially the issues of the region and there was broad agreement on virtually everything that was discussed," Mouallimi told reporters. He said Ban and Saudi Arabia were both optimistic about peace talks in Kuwait between the government and Houthis, which have dragged on for two months with few concrete results. Leila Zerrougui, the U.N. envoy on children and armed conflict, opposed Ban's decision to remove the coalition from the blacklist, despite Saudi threats that the U.N. could face a fatwa declaring it anti-Muslim, diplomatic sources said. A fatwa is a legal opinion used in Sharia, or Islamic law. In Saudi Arabia fatwas can be issued only by the group of top, government-appointed clerics and are sometimes commissioned by the ruling family to back up its political positions. (Editing by Steve Orlofsky and Matthew Lewis) Secretary of State John Kerry In a very hush-hush listing, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is selling his Nantucket Island mansion overlooking Nantucket Harbor. Although area agents have been sworn to secrecy, the Boston Herald spilled the beans recently along with the tasty morsel that Kerry and his wife, Teresa, are also jettisoning The Isabel, their 76-foot luxury yacht. Is there any other kind of 76-foot yacht? The 5,600-square-foot beach house is listed for $25 million; the sloop, $4 million. The couple have owned the five-bedroom house overlooking Nantucket Harbor since 1982, and were married there in 1995, according The Inquirer and Mirror, the island newspaper. The three-quarter-acre property has been on the market for about a month, and agents have been allowed to tour the home on the condition they keep mum about the sale, take no photos, and show it only to discriminating clients, the paper says. Mr. and Mrs. Secretary of State reportedly still enjoy the house, where they have hosted dignitaries and heads of state, including former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Back to the boat, which is famous in its own right. In 2010, when Kerry was still a U.S. senator from the great state of Massachusetts, news broke that the couple had dodged a $437,500 state sales tax on the $7 million sailboat by docking it in Rhode Island. At the time, a Kerry spokesman said the boat was docked next door for long-term maintenance, upkeep, and charter purposes, not to evade taxes. The yacht reportedly features two cabins and a pilot house with wet bar and wine storage. The post Secretary of State John Kerry Selling $25M Nantucket Mansion appeared first on Real Estate News and Advice - realtor.com. Related Articles Selma Blair has issued an apology for her airplane outburst. "I made a big mistake yesterday," Blair, 43, wrote in a statement to Vanity Fair. "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 continued, "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. I am a flawed human being who makes mistakes and am filled with shame over this incident. I am truly very sorry." Selma Blair Breaks Her Silence After Shocking Airplane Outburst: 'I Made a Big Mistake'| Selma Blair On Monday, Blair was taken by stretcher off of her return flight from Cancun, Mexico to Los Angeles after allegedly having an outburst during the flight, an official close to the situation previously told PEOPLE. "She was met by paramedics at LAX as soon as her plane arrived," the source said. "It looks like she had taken a combination of prescription medication with alcohol. We don't know what sort of prescription medications." By Dustin Volz WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate on Wednesday voted down a Republican-backed proposal to expand the Federal Bureau of Investigation's secretive surveillance powers after the mass shooting at an Orlando gay nightclub last week. The measure followed the Senate's rejection on Monday of four measures that would have restricted gun sales. During Wednesday's vote, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell switched his vote to 'no,' giving himself the opportunity to bring the measure up for consideration again as soon as later this week. The legislation would broaden the type of telephone and internet records the FBI could request from companies such as the Google unit of Alphabet Inc and Verizon Communications Inc without a warrant. Opponents, including some major technology companies, have said it would threaten civil liberties and do little to improve national security. The legislation before the Senate on Wednesday, filed as an amendment to a criminal justice funding bill, would widen the FBIs authority to use so-called National Security Letters, which do not require a warrant and whose very existence is usually a secret. Such letters can compel a company to hand over a user's phone billing records. Under the Senate's change, the FBI would be able to demand electronic communications transaction records such as time stamps of emails and the emails' senders and recipients, in addition to some information about websites a person visits and social media log-in data. It would not enable the FBI to use national security letters to obtain the actual content of electronic communications. The legislation would also make permanent a provision of the USA Patriot Act that lets the intelligence community 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, expires in December 2019. The bill had been expected to narrowly pass but it fell two votes short of the required 60. Story continues The future of the Senate proposal in the House of Representatives was also uncertain, given its alliance between libertarian-leaning Republicans and tech-friendly Democrats that has blocked past efforts to expand surveillance. Privacy groups and civil liberties advocates accused Republicans this week of exploiting the Orlando shooting to build support for unrelated legislation. Senator Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat, criticized Senate Republicans for pushing fake, knee-jerk solutions that will do nothing to prevent mass shootings or terrorist attacks. Though Republicans invoked the Orlando shooting in support of the bill, FBI Director James Comey has said Omar Mateens transactional records were fully reviewed by authorities who investigated him twice for possible extremist ties. Comey said there was no indication Mateen belonged to any extremist group and that it was unlikely authorities could have done anything differently to prevent the attack. (Reporting by Dustin Volz; Editing by Steve Orlofsky and Bernard Orr) By Roberta Rampton WASHINGTON, June 22 (Reuters) - President Barack Obama will head to Silicon Valley on Friday to a summit aimed at connecting about 1,200 entrepreneurs from 170 countries with the biggest and brightest players in the U.S. tech sector and venture capital community. Hot-button political issues that the White House and tech sector normally grapple with, such as the use of social media by extremists, the desire by law enforcement for a way around encryption, and cyber security, will not be on the agenda. Obama is using the summit - the seventh in a series which have reached a total of 17,000 people mainly in Muslim-majority countries around the world - to help bolster his foreign policy legacy as his time in offices draws closer to the end on Jan. 20, 2017. The idea for the Global Entrepreneurship Summit series emerged from a speech Obama made in Cairo in 2009, which he used to signal he wanted to overhaul U.S. policy on the Middle East and try to repair the U.S. relationship with the Muslim world. When he took office, Obama worked to extract U.S. troops from long and costly conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. But Syria's civil war and the rise of Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq have tested his strategy. Islamic State has used social media to attract followers. Some have become self-radicalized, including a man who killed 49 people and wounded 53 at a gay nightclub in Orlando earlier this month, and a married couple who killed 14 people in San Bernardino, California last year. But Obama's focus on Friday will not be about using technology to counter violent extremism. Rather, it is about connecting entrepreneurs from emerging markets with each other, and with potential sources of capital, giving a lift to emerging markets and contributing to security, said Ben Rhodes, Obama's deputy national security adviser. "We believe the United States needs to have affirmative values that we are promoting around the world, in addition to the efforts we do to counter terrorism," Rhodes told reporters. Story continues "We wanted to discuss not just want we're against, but what we're for," Rhodes said. Obama is set to make remarks on Friday at the summit, held at Stanford University, and be part of a panel discussion with Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg. Obama will also do an interview with Zuckerberg on Facebook Live, and then talk with four entrepreneurs from around the world via Google, Rhodes said. (Additional reporting by Yasmeen Abutaleb in San Francisco; editing by Diane Craft) By Roberta Rampton WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama will head to Silicon Valley on Friday to a summit aimed at connecting about 1,200 entrepreneurs from 170 countries with the biggest and brightest players in the U.S. tech sector and venture capital community. Hot-button political issues that the White House and tech sector normally grapple with, such as the use of social media by extremists, the desire by law enforcement for a way around encryption, and cyber security, will not be on the agenda. Obama is using the summit - the seventh in a series which have reached a total of 17,000 people mainly in Muslim-majority countries around the world - to help bolster his foreign policy legacy as his time in offices draws closer to the end on Jan. 20, 2017. The idea for the Global Entrepreneurship Summit series emerged from a speech Obama made in Cairo in 2009, which he used to signal he wanted to overhaul U.S. policy on the Middle East and try to repair the U.S. relationship with the Muslim world. When he took office, Obama worked to extract U.S. troops from long and costly conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. But Syria's civil war and the rise of Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq have tested his strategy. Islamic State has used social media to attract followers. Some have become self-radicalized, including a man who killed 49 people and wounded 53 at a gay nightclub in Orlando earlier this month, and a married couple who killed 14 people in San Bernardino, California last year. But Obama's focus on Friday will not be about using technology to counter violent extremism. Rather, it is about connecting entrepreneurs from emerging markets with each other, and with potential sources of capital, giving a lift to emerging markets and contributing to security, said Ben Rhodes, Obama's deputy national security adviser. "We believe the United States needs to have affirmative values that we are promoting around the world, in addition to the efforts we do to counter terrorism," Rhodes told reporters. Story continues "We wanted to discuss not just want we're against, but what we're for," Rhodes said. Obama is set to make remarks on Friday at the summit, held at Stanford University, and be part of a panel discussion with Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg. Obama will also do an interview with Zuckerberg on Facebook Live, and then talk with four entrepreneurs from around the world via Google, Rhodes said. (Additional reporting by Yasmeen Abutaleb in San Francisco; editing by Diane Craft) By Roberta Rampton WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama will head to Silicon Valley on Friday to a summit aimed at connecting about 1,200 entrepreneurs from 170 countries with the biggest and brightest players in the U.S. tech sector and venture capital community. Hot-button political issues that the White House and tech sector normally grapple with, such as the use of social media by extremists, the desire by law enforcement for a way around encryption, and cyber security, will not be on the agenda. Obama is using the summit - the seventh in a series which have reached a total of 17,000 people mainly in Muslim-majority countries around the world - to help bolster his foreign policy legacy as his time in offices draws closer to the end on Jan. 20, 2017. The idea for the Global Entrepreneurship Summit series emerged from a speech Obama made in Cairo in 2009, which he used to signal he wanted to overhaul U.S. policy on the Middle East and try to repair the U.S. relationship with the Muslim world. When he took office, Obama worked to extract U.S. troops from long and costly conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. But Syria's civil war and the rise of Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq have tested his strategy. Islamic State has used social media to attract followers. Some have become self-radicalized, including a man who killed 49 people and wounded 53 at a gay nightclub in Orlando earlier this month, and a married couple who killed 14 people in San Bernardino, California last year. But Obama's focus on Friday will not be about using technology to counter violent extremism. Rather, it is about connecting entrepreneurs from emerging markets with each other, and with potential sources of capital, giving a lift to emerging markets and contributing to security, said Ben Rhodes, Obama's deputy national security adviser. "We believe the United States needs to have affirmative values that we are promoting around the world, in addition to the efforts we do to counter terrorism," Rhodes told reporters. "We wanted to discuss not just want we're against, but what we're for," Rhodes said. Obama is set to make remarks on Friday at the summit, held at Stanford University, and be part of a panel discussion with Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg. Obama will also do an interview with Zuckerberg on Facebook Live, and then talk with four entrepreneurs from around the world via Google, Rhodes said. (Additional reporting by Yasmeen Abutaleb in San Francisco; editing by Diane Craft) Forex woes may impact earnings. Singapore stocks with significant exposure to the UK run the risk earnings cuts if Britain votes to leave the European Union. A report by UOB Kay Hian noted that forex volatility may impact the revenues of blue chips including ComfortDelGro, City Developments, and will also affect the earnings of Frasers Hospitality Trust, Ho Bee, CDL Hospitality Trust, Ascott Residence Trust, and Sembcorp Industries. "Our discussions with these companies indicate a wait-and-see stance as the outcome of the referendum remains difficult to predict. In addition, these are long gestation investments and any major decision will be carefully considered," said the report. For ComfortDelGro, a weaker economic growth could hurt revenue from its taxi and bus segments in the UK. For FHT, a weaker pound will have a minimal impact on returns, while the natural hedging of UK assets will protect CDREIT from the pound's potential weakness. For ART, at lease 30% of its full-year foreign income has been hedged as of 1Q16. For SCI, meanwhile, a 20% decline in UK net profit will translate into a 1% downside to the group's bottomline. More From Singapore Business Review Odds are itll work at some point, right? On Tuesday evening, North Korea made its fifth and sixth attempts since April at testing the Musudan intermediate-range, road-mobile ballistic missile. But like the previous four launches, the missiles simply splashed into the Sea of Japan. U.S. Strategic Command said Tuesday night that it strongly condemn[s] this and other North Koreas missile tests in violation of UN Security Council Resolutions. And U.S. Pacific Command spokesman Cmdr. Dave Benham added the United States urges North Korea to refrain from provocative actions that aggravate tensions and instead focus on fulfilling its international obligations and commitments. The string of six failures within two months appears to indicate that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is rushing his engineers to perfect the missile technology with little to no time to study what has gone wrong with each successive failure. The North has already had some success in testing its short-range Scud and mid-range Rodong missiles. The Rodong can reach all of South Korea and most of Japan. Libya in flames. At least 34 Libyan pro-government militiamen were killed on Tuesday and about 100 wounded in heavy fighting with Islamic State militants as they continued their push on the ISIS stronghold of Sirte. Fighters from the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) began attacking ISIS positions late last month, and have hemmed several thousand ISIS holdouts into an ever-shrinking pocket, but the fighting is far from over. Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said Tuesday that its a complicated situation right now, in Libya, but the United States is eager for the internationally-backed GNA to take hold and put down some roots. So, whats the American plan in Libya? Marine Lt. Gen. Thomas D. Waldhauser, the White Houses nominee to take the helm at Africa Command, says there isnt one. Asked during his confirmation hearing Tuesday by Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain what Washingtons strategy in Libya is, Waldhauser replied, I am not aware of any overall grand strategy at this point. Story continues Waldhauser also pushed back against the Obama administrations resistance to carrying out more airstrikes on Islamic State targets in Libya. South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham asked Waldhauser whether the White Houses stance makes sense, to which the general responded, no, it does not. Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook later told reporters that the situation in Libya is complicated and that If the Libyans can do it on their own, that would be a good thing. Guns. The massacre of 49 people at an Orlando nightclub by a man pledging loyalty to the Islamic State is giving Democrats a potentially potent new strategy in the long-running and bitter fight over gun control, FPs Molly OToole and Paul McLeary write. The attack has also shifted the terms of the debate from abstract constitutional arguments to confronting the grim reality of terrorists getting their hands on military-style weapons and the urgent question of whether the government should do more to stop them. It has also brought dozens of retired U.S. military generals and admirals into the debate. Good morning again from the Sitrep crew, thanks for clicking on through for the summer 2016 edition of SitRep. As always, if you have any thoughts, announcements, tips, or national security-related events to share, please pass them along to SitRep HQ. Best way is to send them to: paul.mcleary@foreignpolicy.com or on Twitter: @paulmcleary or @arawnsley China A new study by cybersecurity firm FireEyes iSight threat intelligence unit says that China has actually curbed some of its hacking against American private companies and defense contractors. The report says that the Peoples Liberation Armys Unit 61398, which FireEye has previously tracked carrying out thefts of intellectual property against American firms, has been fairly dormant. The dip in incidents preceded the recent agreement between President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping not to engage in state-sponsored hacking in pursuit of private intellectual property. While Chinese hackers havent stopped trying to breach American networks, the focus of their activity is now reportedly more focused on military and conventional espionage targets, rather than purely economic ones. The top Chinese newspaper ran an editorial Wednesday slamming the recent deployment of two U.S. aircraft carriers near the Philippines, writing behind this misjudgment is Washingtons anxiety and arrogance, and it is the true expression of its hegemonic nature. The editorial, published under the pen name Zhong Sheng, a homonym for the phrase voice of China also said that the U.S. picked the wrong target in playing this trick on China. The Peoples Daily is the official newspaper of the ruling Communist Party. Libya The Islamic State might be on the ropes in Libya, but that doesnt mean warring militias will stop fighting with one another. Forces loyal to the internationally-recognized government based in Libya have made progress trying to take back territory from the Islamic State in Sirte. Meanwhile, clashes between the Libyan National Army and the Islamist Benghazi Defense Forces have been duking it out in the city of Ajdabiya in the countrys east. The United Nations and diplomats from around the world have been trying to end the factional infighting between various factions since the ouster of Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi opened to the door to further civil conflict. Pakistan Another drone crash, another hint of a secret export. Defence Blog reports that a Pakistan air force drone crashed in Mianwali district, around 90 miles southwest of the capital of Islamabad. Imagery of the wreckage which surfaced online bears a strong resemblance to the Chinese Wing Loong drone, which itself bears a strong resemblance to the American Reaper drone. China has a longstanding defense relationship with Pakistan and reportedly transferred much of the technology for Pakistans armed Burraq drone, which looks quite a bit like Chinas CH-3 unmanned aerial vehicle. Pakistani officials say the drone was carrying out surveillance over areas recently hit by floods. Afghanistan Afghanistans ministry of defense wants President Ashraf Ghani to ask NATO for more high end military equipment at the alliances upcoming confab in Warsaw, Poland next month. Tolo News reports that the ministry gave Ghani a wishlist of gear, including equipment for Afghanistans fledgling air force and unspecified intelligence technologies. Most of the money for that gear will come from the United States, which is currently pushing NATO members to approve yet another $15 billion aid package for Afghanistan through 2020. Reuters reports that U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Olson said the U.S. will cough up about $3 billion a year from 2018 through 2020 with an extra billion dollars in economic aid the White House is asking Congress to approve. The U.S. wants the rest of the NATO members and Afghanistan itself to pick up the remainder of the tab. Spies The Senate Intelligence Committee wants the U.S. to take a tougher line on Russian spies. The committees version of the 2017 Intelligence Authorization Bill requests that the executive branch bring back the Cold War-vintage Active Measures Working Group, an interagency body formed during the Reagan administration to call out and push back against Soviet propaganda. The committee is also asking the FBI to crack down on travel by Russian diplomats and suspected spies looking to venture outside a 50-mile radius around Washington, DC. The embassy workers are supposed to notify the U.S. of any impending travel outside the perimeter, but anonymous officials tell the news outlet that Russians have been stretching the rules, leading to worries that the FBI hasnt been able to keep track of suspected espionage activity. Bots o war The U.S. Army is moving to take on the coming threat of swarms of small drones. Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Daniel B. Allyn told reporters that the plan is to start with a drone killer for small, single UAVs, and then try to take on whole swarms. Allyn said that the service is currently looking at two different systems to address the threat. The first is Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems Mobile Integrated capability, which blasts aircraft out of the sky either by jamming or shooting them. Another approach would involve the Counter Rocket, Artillery, and Mortar (C-RAM) system, which uses existing systems like the automated Phalanx close-in weapons system to track and shoot incoming small artillery rounds. Linkup How many Russian soldiers have died in Syria? Maybe 12. Maybe more. Heres a roundup of what we know. (Daily Beast) A complicated story of feminism, revolutionary Kurdish attitudes on gender equality, and Kobani. (Vice) Secretary of State John Kerry met with about 10 out of the 51 diplomats who signed the dissent memo on Syria recently, which questioned the Obama administrations policy in the war-torn country. (Defcon Hill) The U.S. Armys second in command says there arent enough American troops in Europe, something he hopes to fix next year. (National Defense) Turkish jets strike PKK targets in Iraq, and southern Turkey (Reuters) A note: In Tuesdays SitRep, we wrote that CNAS CEO Michele Flournoy recently helped author a report with fellow CNAS staffers that recommends widening American goals in the war against the Islamic State in Syria. Flournoy didnt help author the report, but instead chaired the study group that put the report together. Photo credit: JUNG YEON-JE/AFP/Getty Images By Jonathan Landay WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The families of four Americans killed by Islamic State on Wednesday urged U.S. President Barack Obama to do everything possible to bring home the only U.S. journalist known to be held in war-torn Syria. "We are asking the president ... to engage boldly and to use all appropriate means to bring Austin Tice safely home as soon as possible," said the appeal distributed to the U.S. media. (http://tmsnrt.rs/28Pzo1D) Tice, a freelance reporter and U.S. Marine veteran of the Iraq war from Houston, Texas, whose work was carried by McClatchy newspapers, The Washington Post and other news outlets, was kidnapped in August 2012 while reporting in Damascus on the uprising against Syrian President Bashar Assad. Nothing has been heard publicly about him since a 43-second video was posted online five weeks after he disappeared that showed him in the custody of men dressed like Islamic militants. Experts, however, doubt that the men in the video were militants. U.S. officials and Tice's parents do not think he is held by Islamic State, which typically announces its Western captives in propaganda videos. The Assad government denies knowing his whereabouts. The appeal to Obama was issued by the families of four American hostages killed by Islamic State: freelance journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff and aid workers Kayla Mueller and Abdul Rahman, formerly known as Peter Kassig. "We are four families bonded by tragedy and terror," they wrote. "We will never fully recover from the horrific outcome of our own hostage crises. But there is something that still can be done: bring Austin Tice home." The parents recalled that one year ago this week - after the killings of their children - Obama made a commitment to improve what they called "our government's dismal record" on the return of American hostages and ordered a new policy aimed at recovering American hostages held overseas unharmed. "His safe return will satisfy a significant and necessary measure of the success of the new policy," they wrote. They quoted Obama as saying at this year's White House Correspondents' Association Dinner that he would "fight for the release of American hostages held against their will." "We were stunned and disheartened when the president chose not to refer by name to Austin, the only American news journalist held against his will," they wrote. (Reporting by Jonathan Landay; Editing by John Walcott and Richard Chang) Hes a business, man. Will Smith got reflective during a Cannes Lions panel on Tuesday, June 21, admitting that he considered his 1999 film Wild Wild West a low point in his career. I had so much success that I started to taste global blood, and my focus shifted from my artistry to winning, he told the audience. 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. PHOTOS: '90s Sitcom and TV Stars, Then & Now Prior to the Barry Sonnenfeldhelmed film, which grossed $222 million worldwide, Smith, 47, had already made a name for himself with such big-screen successes as Independence Day, Bad Boys and Men in Black. (He also held the lead role in the popular '90s series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air for six seasons.) When he was busy promoting Wild Wild West, however, he knew his heart wasnt in the project something that wouldnt fly in todays Hollywood climate. Smoke and mirrors in marketing and sales is over, he continued. People are going to know really quickly and globally whether a product keeps its promises. I consider myself a marketer. My career has been strictly being able to sell my products globally, and its now in the hands of fans. I have to be in tune with their needs and not trick them into going to see Wild Wild West. PHOTOS: '90s Nostalgia Photos: Pictures of Boy Bands, Grunge, Throwback Moments Nowadays, he said, social media is keeping studios honest and forcing them to rethink the kinds of stories they tell on screen. Its funny to go sit in a meeting in Hollywood now, he said. Its a new idea that we have to make good movies. Hmm, I never thought of that. PHOTOS: Best and Worst Movie Remakes And on a more personal note, the Concussion actor also spoke of how his friendship with the late Muhammad Ali affected his outlook on success. He was unwilling to compromise for money, accolades, he was living his values rich or poor, he said, adding, Improving lives is how I want to move forward. Commemorate your big day with a custom filter on Snapchat. (Image: Courtesy of Snapchat) Weddings have been making good use of hashtags to gather their guests Instagram posts for a few years, but now theres a whole new level of social media customization growing in popularity: Snapchat Geofilters. Even if some of us are still getting the hang of posing with flower crowns and dog ears on the app, this use of its features makes a lot of sense for parties with enough savvy attendees. Its a way to encourage guests to make silly faces and take beautiful shots, all in the name of celebration. Since February, Snapchat has offered the ability to design your own filters a 1080 pixels wide by 1920 pixels high image for use within a set area (20,000 to 5 million square feet) for a limited period of time (half an hour to 30 days). The pricing starts at $5 and goes up based on the size and population density of the geofence (rural areas are cheaper than Times Square) and how long you want the filter in use. Then, once the event rolls around, anyone within that area using Snapchat with Geofilters enabled will see your custom filters. All they have to do is snap a photo, swipe on the filter, and share. Photo: Courtesy of Samantha Mushnick My husband and I love Snapchat; we document all of the fun and funny things that happen in our lives with it, recent bride Samantha Mushnick told Yahoo Style via email. Because of this, we knew we had to incorporate it in the wedding. Of course, some celebrity weddings have also been quick to jump on the trend: Stylist Jamie Schneider used a filter for her star-studded April wedding in Aspen, Colo., and as a result, fans of Kate Hudson got to see snaps from the weekend adorned with Congratulations, Nico & Sweet Baby Jamie, Aspen 2016. Snapchat offers some downloadable templates to customize yourself, but if youre not confident in your own graphic design skills, there are already plenty of vendors offering to design Snapchat filters. Some invitation and event designers are adding this option to their packages, and specialists have been advertising their services on Etsy. A source from Snapchat said its best to submit the filters at least one business day in advance of the event, to allow time for the approval process. Any filters that violate the community guidelines will be rejected, which means no hashtags, social media handles, contact info, or copyrighted names. Story continues Image: Courtesy of Snapchat As with everything else at the party, the style of filter should reflect the couples personality. Wedding planner Danae Johnsen of Perfectly Posh Events in Seattle has seen two weddings with very different approaches to their Geofilters. In April, we had a couple, Norleen and Joe, who had their own custom-designed caricatures, complete with realistic features, like Norleens glasses and Joes suave hair, Johnsen told Yahoo. The filter had their cartoon couple holding hands with writing above them that read, Congrats, Norleen + Joe! If couples want a little more simplicity to their Geofilter, you can do what Karissa and Alex did, where they had their names written in a pretty script for guests to swipe and snap to celebrate. As with hashtags, you can get creative with how you encourage guests to use the app. Place a sign by the guestbook or seating cards, have the DJ announce it, or ask friends to help spread the word in person. Mushnicks cousin who works in social media hired a graphic designer to make her filter as a wedding gift, and though she doesnt know exactly how many people were using the app, her cousin gave her the stats (available on the dashboard of the filter buyer) later: The filter was used 102 times and viewed 4,081 times, she said. Snapchat couldnt offer stats on how many people have created On-Demand Geofilters since February, but a spokesperson said that about 60 percent of the filters have been for commercial purposes and 40 percent for personal use, including weddings, proms, and birthday parties. Half the fun of Snapchat is that its designed to be ephemeral and experienced in the moment kind of the opposite of what you want in your wedding memories. If youd like to save the pics, which are set to disappear in 24 hours, you have to plan for it. Mushnick said she screen-captured her friends snaps the day after her wedding, and she asked her close friends to save their stories and send them to her. Photo: Courtesy of Samantha Mushnick Now, how do you make sure your guests put their phones down eventually and party with you? The reality is, in the end, you cant control how much or how little folks will use their phones on your wedding day, Johnsen said. There are things you can do, like request that they refrain from taking photos and posting them during the ceremony, but we live in a connected world. The way I see it, if people are going to use social media on your big day anyway, you might as well have a fun outlet for people to celebrate your day in a unique way! Mushnick had her own strategy in place for making her friends look up once in a while: I made sure the party was awesome, fun, and filled with alcohol! Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. By Makiko Yamazaki TOKYO (Reuters) - SoftBank Group Corp (9984.T) president Nikesh Arora, the former Google (GOOGL.O) executive handpicked by the Japanese company's founder as his successor, is to step down on Wednesday. SoftBank cited differences between Arora and Masayoshi Son over when Arora would replace him as head of the group. Son is currently chairman and chief executive. Arora wanted to begin the handover process in a few years' time, while Son planned to stay longer to ensure a turnaround of loss-making U.S. wireless carrier Sprint Corp (S.N) as well as complete the transformation of SoftBank into an Internet investment powerhouse. For that, Son, 58, said he needed to stay at the helm for at least another five to ten years. "I feel my work is not done," Son said in a statement. "I want to cement SoftBank 2.0, develop Sprint to its true potential and work on a few more crazy ideas." Arora, who was Google's highest paid executive in 2012, came to SoftBank in September 2014 to take charge of its overseas operations. Just days after being named as Son's successor, he announced a plan to pump $1 billion into South Korean online retailer Coupang. During his two years at the group, Arora has used an extensive contact book to make new investments, including Indian online marketplace Snapdeal and ride-hailing service Ola. He has also been credited with making SoftBank more disciplined about investment exits. SoftBank, whose lucrative early investments included Alibaba Group Holding (BABA.N), has announced three major asset reshuffles this month, one of which was the sale of $10 billion worth of shares in the Chinese e-commerce giant. Earlier on Tuesday - in another deal that should help to shore up a balance sheet weighed down by Sprint - SoftBank is to sell its majority stake in 'Clash of Clans' maker Supercell to China's Tencent Holdings . SoftBank earlier this year said it would separate its domestic and overseas businesses, with Arora taking charge of the overseas unit. Arora will stay on as an adviser, but is expected to make his departure official at the group's annual general meeting on Wednesday. (Reporting by Makiko Yamazaki. Editing by Jane Merriman) By Makiko Yamazaki TOKYO, June 22 (Reuters) - SoftBank Group investors shrugged off on Wednesday the surprise departure of the heir apparent at the Japanese internet and telecoms conglomerate, welcoming founder Masayoshi Son's decision to stay in the top seat for longer. Nikesh Arora, a former Google executive, joined Softbank in 2014 and was named as the next chief executive by Son last year. He invested heavily in SoftBank stock last year. SoftBank's shares rose 2.6 percent in morning trade. "Shareholders are welcoming this, I think," said Shigeru Kanno, one of the company's shareholders gathering for the group's annual meeting on Wednesday. "The share rise today reflects investors' hopes that Mr. Son will be in charge for much longer," said Kanno, a pensioner who said he had been a shareholder since SoftBank went public. But analysts said Arora's abrupt exit late on Tuesday raised questions over the conglomerate's disparate investment strategy. Arora had been reshaping the portfolio and bolstering the balance sheet in recent months through a series of asset sales. SoftBank shares have fallen over 15 percent in the past year, mainly on concerns about U.S. wireless carrier Sprint Corp , in which SoftBank acquired a majority stake in 2013. Arora, who was Google's highest paid executive in 2012, has also been highly paid at SoftBank, raising questions among some investors. He has received over $200 million in compensation over the last two years, though he has sold the $500 million of SoftBank shares he bought last year to Son at a small loss. "Considering his high compensation he hadn't been able to produce results, so his departure would be accepted by investors," said Yoshihiko Tabei, chief analyst at Naito Securities, citing a slow turnaround at Sprint. The fourth-ranked U.S. mobile network provider has struggled for profitability in recent years, and for January-March reported a wider quarterly net loss and added fewer subscribers than expected. Story continues To address investor concerns over Sprint, SoftBank has announced three major asset reshuffles in the past month, one of which was the sale of $10 billion worth of shares in the Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding. On Tuesday, SoftBank said it was also selling its majority stake in 'Clash of Clans' maker Supercell to China's Tencent Holdings. Arora was credited for those moves, which brought much-needed stability to SoftBank's finances, as well as bold moves into India's fast-growing tech space - prompting at least some on Wednesday to voice concern. "Mr. Arora did achieve, in terms of finding investment targets that bring returns faster," said Ikuo Mitsui, a fund manager at Aizawa Securities. "They've stemmed the bleeding at Sprint but they've yet to achieve growth. So that's worrying." (Reporting by Makiko Yamazaki and Hirotoshi Sugiyama; Editing by Edwina Gibbs) By Makiko Yamazaki TOKYO (Reuters) - SoftBank Group (9984.T) investors shrugged off on Wednesday the surprise departure of the heir apparent at the Japanese internet and telecoms conglomerate, welcoming founder Masayoshi Son's decision to stay in the top seat for longer. Nikesh Arora, a former Google (GOOGL.O) executive, joined Softbank in 2014 and was named as the next chief executive by Son last year. He invested heavily in SoftBank stock last year. SoftBank's shares rose 2.6 percent in morning trade. "Shareholders are welcoming this, I think," said Shigeru Kanno, one of the company's shareholders gathering for the group's annual meeting on Wednesday. "The share rise today reflects investors' hopes that Mr. Son will be in charge for much longer," said Kanno, a pensioner who said he had been a shareholder since SoftBank went public. But analysts said Arora's abrupt exit late on Tuesday raised questions over the conglomerate's disparate investment strategy. Arora had been reshaping the portfolio and bolstering the balance sheet in recent months through a series of asset sales. SoftBank shares have fallen over 15 percent in the past year, mainly on concerns about U.S. wireless carrier Sprint Corp (S.N), in which SoftBank acquired a majority stake in 2013. Arora, who was Google's highest paid executive in 2012, has also been highly paid at SoftBank, raising questions among some investors. He has received over $200 million (136 million pounds) in compensation over the last two years, though he has sold the $500 million of SoftBank shares he bought last year to Son at a small loss. "Considering his high compensation he hadn't been able to produce results, so his departure would be accepted by investors," said Yoshihiko Tabei, chief analyst at Naito Securities, citing a slow turnaround at Sprint. The fourth-ranked U.S. mobile network provider has struggled for profitability in recent years, and for January-March reported a wider quarterly net loss and added fewer subscribers than expected. Story continues To address investor concerns over Sprint, SoftBank has announced three major asset reshuffles in the past month, one of which was the sale of $10 billion worth of shares in the Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding (BABA.N). On Tuesday, SoftBank said it was also selling its majority stake in 'Clash of Clans' maker Supercell to China's Tencent Holdings . Arora was credited for those moves, which brought much-needed stability to SoftBank's finances, as well as bold moves into India's fast-growing tech space - prompting at least some on Wednesday to voice concern. "Mr. Arora did achieve, in terms of finding investment targets that bring returns faster," said Ikuo Mitsui, a fund manager at Aizawa Securities. "They've stemmed the bleeding at Sprint but they've yet to achieve growth. So that's worrying." (Reporting by Makiko Yamazaki and Hirotoshi Sugiyama; Editing by Edwina Gibbs) By Makiko Yamazaki TOKYO (Reuters) - SoftBank Group (9984.T) founder Masayoshi Son's surprise plan to remain firmly at the helm of the internet and telecoms giant for possibly 10 more years was warmly received on Wednesday, with investors unfazed by the loss of his high-profile heir apparent. Son, 58, had planned to retire at 60 and last year named Nikesh Arora, a former Google executive as his successor. Arora announced late on Tuesday that he was resigning as president, just two years into his stint after Son made clear that he was unwilling to relinquish the reins in the near future. Arora had earned praise for bold investments and his efforts to improve SoftBank's balance sheet with large asset sales. But his bumper pay, over $200 million in compensation in the last two years, had rankled with some investors who contrasted it with the firm's overall weaker performance. The decision by Arora, who was in charge of the company's overseas investments, to move on, however, made it crucial that Son clarify the company's long-term plans, said analysts who also noted slow progress in turning around unit U.S. wireless carrier Sprint Corp (S.N). Son has in the past outlined a "SoftBank 2.0 strategy" to further expand in new business areas ranging from robotics and artificial intelligence to the "internet of things". "With uncertainties now cast upon the investment business... and with the firm back to square one in identifying a successor, the biggest risk factor, we think Son needs to outline his medium- to long-term vision once again," said Mizuho Securities analyst Kei Takahashi. For the immediate future, investors seemed happy to see that Son would be sticking around, with shares in the company climbing to end up 2.6 percent on Wednesday. "The share rise today reflects investors' hopes that Mr Son will be in charge for much longer," said Shigeru Kanno, a pensioner and one of over 2,000 investors at a shareholder gathering where Son's decision was greeted with loud applause. Story continues Son told shareholders he had too much energy to go soon. "I just felt I wanted to continue on as CEO for longer," he said. Compared with Son, known as a maverick in business but modest and soft-spoken in person, Arora, an Indian and one of few foreign-born executives in the top ranks of Japanese business, was seen as an outsider. Tadashi Yanai, the head of Uniqlo operator Fast Retailing (9983.T) and a SoftBank board member, told shareholders that he had advised Son to stay on for longer. "I told Mr. Son that there's no one like Mr. Son," he said. Ken Miyauchi, head of the group's Japanese telecommunications operations, was named to replace Arora as SoftBank president while two other executives, Ron Fisher and Alok Sama, will take over management of the investment side of the business. Arora will continue to be an adviser to SoftBank. It remains to be seen though if SoftBank's recent string of bold asset sales will continue. These included the sale of $10 billion worth of shares in the Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding (BABA.N) and the sale of its majority stake in 'Clash of Clans' maker Supercell to China's Tencent Holdings for $7.3 billion. (Reporting by Makiko Yamazaki and Hirotoshi Sugiyama; Editing by Edwina Gibbs) SoftBank president Nikesh Arora will step down in July, with CEO Masayoshi Son insisting he now wants to continue in his role leading the company for another five to 10 years. Son argued he can't keep former Google executive Arora waiting that long to succeed him at the helm of the Japanese technology giant, which owns telecom giant Sprint, among others. The Tuesday announcement comes a day after an internal SoftBank panel dismissed allegations against Arora by a group of disgruntled shareholders. Arora was the third-highest-paid executive in the world last year, earning around $135 million between September 2014 and March 2015, and was tipped by Son to take over the reins at SoftBank. He took a $480 million personal stake in SoftBank late last year. "Nikesh is a unique leader with unparalleled skills around strategy and execution. He should be 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," said Son. "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 10 years -- this is not a time frame for me to keep Nikesh waiting for the top job." A group of unidentified shareholders had written to SoftBank via a New York law firm demanding the resignation of Arora, who they claimed had conflicts of interest with his work at a private equity fund and had a history of poor investment decisions. A SoftBank spokesperson from the company's Tokyo headquarters told The Hollywood Reporter the two events were unconnected and that the timing was a coincidence. Arora will take on an as yet unspecified advisory role at SoftBank. The news came after SoftBank announced Tuesday that it was selling its stake in mobile game-maker Supercell to China's Tencent, the latest in a series of disposals by the Japanese company, which is saddled with heavy debt. Read More: Japan Box Office: 'Zootopia' Hops to $64M in Ninth Weekend The boss of SoftBank Group on Wednesday admitted his desire to hang on to power a little longer had pushed away the former Google executive seen as his heir apparent. Masayoshi Son told an annual shareholders meeting he had changed his mind about the timeline for stepping down to make way for right-hand man Nikesh Arora. The India-born executive quit the telecoms corporation Tuesday, just two years after being plucked from a high-profile job at the US tech giant, with SoftBank saying a "difference of expected timelines" for succession was behind the decision. Both men said it was an amicable split, and Arora would stay on as SoftBank advisor. But the 48-year-old Arora's departure raises questions about succession plans at a company that made global headlines in 2013 for its nearly $22 billion takeover of US wireless carrier Sprint -- among a string of acquisitions directed by SoftBank's billionaire founder. Son described Arora an "absolutely extraordinary person" who was a "victim" of his desire to hang on to power a little bit longer. SoftBank's 58-year-old founder had initially talked about stepping aside when he turned 60, but said he later decided he might have another decade left in him. "Every month I visit Silicon Valley, as always. If you say that you're 60 years old, it's like you're a fossil," Son jokingly told investors Wednesday. "I want to stay on a little bit longer as chairman." The news came just days after SoftBank said an independent group of board members had cleared Arora of misconduct. In April, an investor group called for Arora's ouster over potential conflicts of interest tied to his role as an adviser to a private equity firm. Analysts said the direction of SoftBank's Internet strategy -- a job left to Arora -- was now an open question. "We will be interested to see the time required to retool the investment strategy for the Internet business," Nomura telecom analyst Daisaku Masuno said in a commentary. Story continues - 'Too early' - SoftBank's whopping debt load has been another area of concern. On Tuesday, the mobile carrier announced it had agreed to sell a $8.6 billion stake in Finnish game-maker Supercell Oy, creator of "Clash of Clans", to China's Tencent, as it looks to pay down debt. The company has also said it will sell as much as $10 billion worth of its stake in Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba. Some investors expressed shock at the resignation, but SoftBank's Tokyo-listed shares bucked a market downturn, finishing 2.5 percent higher at 5,994 yen ($57). Arora's salary made headlines last year with reports saying SoftBank was paying him $135 million. Later, Arora said he would buy over $480 million in SoftBank shares to show his confidence in its prospects. "Their opinions (about SoftBank's future) must have differed a little bit," said an 85-year-old investor who gave his name as Takeru. "If he wants to stay on for 10 more years, it will be better to give him the chance to do it. It's too early for (Son) to retire." Arora seemed to echo that view. "This is a decision I respect and even support because (Son) is too young in his heart and his mind to not continue and leave this great company," he told investors. Here are some of the stocks the Yahoo Finance team will be tracking for you today. SolarCity (SCTY) shares surged this morning. Tesla (TSLA) is offering to buy the solar panel installation company for $2.8 billion. Elon Musk is not only the controlling shareholder of SolarCity but also the CEO of Tesla. Musk described the deal as "blindingly obvious" and a "no brainer." Investors aren't on the same page as shares of Tesla tanked on the news. FedEx (FDX) delivered a cautious outlook for the next 12 months as it looks to boost spending to keep up with a boom in e-commerce and expand its ground and aircraft fleet. Get the Latest Market Data and News with the Yahoo Finance App McDonald's (MCD) is on investors' menu in early trading. A bidding war may be brewing for the fast-food giant's stores in Asia. Reuters is reporting that the company could receive as much as $3 billion for its 2,800 stores in the region. A mix of Chinese and US companies are competing in an auction of Mickey D's stores in China, Hong Kong, and South Korea. Top bidders are expected to move on to a second round in the coming weeks. Adobe Systems (ADBE) shares fell in early trading. Although the software maker's earnings beat the Street, it disappointed the market with its earning guidance for the rest of the year. Analysts had hoped Adobe would raise its year-end outlook, but instead the company just reiterated its previous guidance. By Dinky Mkhize PRETORIA (Reuters) - Looters raided shops and burned-out cars blocked roads in South Africa's capital on Wednesday, the third day of violence triggered by the ruling party's choice of a mayoral candidate for local polls. Police said rioters were targeting foreigners' shops as public anger mounted over economic hardships in the build-up to Aug. 3 elections likely to become a referendum on President Jacob Zuma's leadership. Residents of Pretoria's townships started setting cars and buses alight on Monday night after the ruling African National Congress' (ANC) named a candidate in the Tshwane municipality where the capital city is located, overruling the choice of regional branches. Violence flared again on Tuesday night and continued in parts of the capital on Wednesday, Tshwane Metro police spokesman Console Tleane said. "There is calm in some hot spots, (but) the navigation of the streets is difficult because of the rubble and the debris," he told eNCA television. Protesters were continuing to clash with police and "a disproportionate part of the looting was taking place at shops owned by foreign nationals," he added. Foreigners, many of them from other African countries, last suffered a wave of attacks in April last year, by crowds blaming them for taking jobs and business. Analysts warned of more unrest in the commercial hub of Gauteng province, which includes Pretoria and Johannesburg. "Intra-ANC, election-related, factional violence is being ignored by markets trading on external factors, but is worrying," London-based Nomura emerging markets analyst Peter Attard Montalto said in a note. FACTIONS The mayoral 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 and refusing to back down as the violence mounted. The ANC said it picked the candidate as a compromise between two rival factions in Tshwane. But critics say the decision by the party, which has been in power since the end of white-minority rule in 1994, showed that it is losing its touch in areas - including Pretoria - where it was once unassailable. Zuma survived impeachment in April after Constitutional Court ruled that he breached the constitution by ignoring an order by the anti-graft watchdog to repay some of the $16 million in state funds spent renovating his home. "Ahead of the August elections, disgruntled ANC supporters in Gauteng will be motivated by the Pretoria riots to stage further protests to demonstrate the unpopular ANC leadership's decisions," Robert Besseling, head of the EXX Africa business risk intelligence group said in a note. (Writing by James Macharia; Editing by Andrew Heavens) Competing claims to the South China Sea have for decades been a source of tension in the region. The Philippines filed a case before an international arbitration tribunal at The Hague to challenge China's claims to most of the waters, with a decision expected in the coming weeks. Below are key facts on the sea and the territorial disputes: - Geography - The South China Sea covers more than 3 million square kilometres (1.16 million square miles), ringed by southern China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Borneo island, and mainland Southeast Asia. Most of its hundreds of small islands, islets and rocks were originally uninhabited. The Paracel and Spratly chains contain the biggest islands. Scarborough Shoal is a small outcrop in the east. - Significance - The sea is the main maritime link between the Pacific and Indian oceans, giving it enormous trade and military value. Its shipping lanes connect East Asia with Europe and the Middle East. Over $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes through the sea annually. Major unexploited oil and gas deposits are believed to lie under the seabed. The sea is home to some of the world's biggest coral reefs and, with marine life being depleted close to coasts, it is important as a source of fish to feed growing populations. - Claimants - China and Taiwan both claim nearly all of the sea, while Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei each have overlapping claims to parts of it. Beijing's argument is based largely on Chinese maps dating back to the 1940s with a "nine-dashed line" that approaches the coasts of other countries. - Name - Beijing and most other countries know it as the South China Sea. Hanoi calls it the East Sea and Manila officially refers to it as the West Philippine Sea. - Occupation - China has held all of the Paracel islands since a conflict with South Vietnam in 1974. It has controlled Scarborough Shoal, a rich fishing ground 230 kilometres (140 miles) off the Philippine island of Luzon, since 2012 and occupies at least seven of the Spratly islands. Vietnam is believed to occupy or control 21 of the Spratlys and the rest are divided between Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Taiwan. Story continues - Conflicts - There have been two armed conflicts between China and Vietnam in the sea. In 1974, a clash erupted between the South Vietnamese navy and Chinese forces that left about 50 Vietnamese troops dead. The other major conflict occurred when Vietnam and China fought a naval battle on Johnson Reef in the Spratlys in 1988 that killed about 70 Vietnamese military personnel. Chinese naval vessels have fired at other times on Vietnamese fishing boats in the area. - Chinese expansion - China has in recent years sought to dramatically expand its presence in the sea, raising tensions with its neighbours and beyond. In 2012, China gave new powers to Sansha, a city on Hainan island, to administer Chinese rule over its South China Sea domain. Since then, it has conducted massive dredging and artificial island-building activities in the Spratlys, dwarfing the scale of reclamation work of other claimants. The Pentagon said China added 3,200 acres (1,295 hectares) of land to the seven features it occupies. Beijing installed structures on these new islands, including radar systems and runways long enough for huge commercial or military planes. Chinese coast guard vessels have become an ever-growing presence in the key parts of the sea, being used to guard Scarborough Shoal and perform other security duties. The Philippines protested in 2014 after Chinese coast guard vessels prevented the rotation and resupply of Philippine soldiers stationed at Second Thomas Shoal. - Failed diplomacy - The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations and China adopted a non-binding "declaration of conduct" in 2002 to discourage hostile acts. All sides agreed not to use threats or force to assert claims. But China has since refused to turn it into a legally binding "code of conduct". The dispute has caused deep divisions within ASEAN, which normally seeks to operate on a basis of consensus among its members. The Philippines has in particular pushed for a tough ASEAN stance against China. But Chinese allies Laos and Cambodia have been widely seen as blockers of such moves. - Legal challenges - The Philippines filed its case at the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in 2013, becoming the first and only country to legally challenge China's claims. But Vietnamese and Indonesian officials have said they are considering legal action. While not a party to the case, Vietnam also submitted a statement to the PCA's tribunal in 2014 affirming the court's jurisdiction and rejecting China's nine-dashed line. China denies the tribunal has jurisdiction on the issue and insists that it will not abide by its decision. * Data drawn from AFP's archives, International Crisis Group reports, Council on Foreign Relations, the Pentagon and www.globalsecurity.org. By My Pham and Khettiya Jittapong HANOI/BANGKOK (Reuters) - As a construction boom spurs steel demand across Southeast Asia, countries such as Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand are challenging a flood of imports from China by retooling their steelmaking technology or imposing tariffs. U.S. and European steelmakers are leading complaints over alleged dumping, but cheap Chinese imports account for two thirds of steel consumed in many Southeast Asian countries. The region includes six of the top 10 buyers of Chinese steel, and capacity utilisation in its own mills has slumped to less than 40 percent. While steel from China is expected to dominate for many years, swelling demand is driving efforts in countries like Vietnam and Indonesia to build more modern plants to better compete with China's vast mills. "China is a major force with huge supply dominating the world, but we have solutions to deal with it," Tran Tuan Duong, general director of Vietnam's biggest steel firm Hoa Phat Group (HPG.HM), told Reuters. Hoa Phat aims to triple production capacity to up to 6 million tonnes over 5-10 years using modern blast furnace technology. The local unit of Taiwan's Formosa Plastics Group has begun work on a $10.6 billion (7.1 billion) steel complex in Ha Tinh province with an initial annual crude steel capacity of 7 million tonnes, although this month's planned start-up of the initial phase has been delayed by an environmental dispute. TRADE TENSIONS China has raised global trade tensions as its steel exports have soared, with surplus capacity estimated at more than 300 million tonnes, or triple Japan's annual output. Steelmakers in Southeast Asia have been hit hard as many of the region's electric arc furnace plants, which use scrap as their raw material, are unable to compete with Chinese blast furnaces using far cheaper iron ore. Many electric arc furnace plants have been idled and capacity utilisation across the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) grouping has fallen to less than 40 percent from around 65 percent following a 2010 regional free trade agreement with China that cut tariffs on a raft of goods, including steel, said Roberto Cola, president of the ASEAN Iron and Steel Council. Story continues Hoa Phat's Duong said Vietnam could compete with other Southeast Asian countries. "But the trade deal is plus C, which means including China, and all troubles come from that," he said. Vietnam was the second-biggest market for Chinese steel in 2015, with imports of 10.11 million tonnes, according to UK consultancy MEPS. Its own steel output that year stood at just 6.1 million tonnes, World Steel Association data showed. "With Southeast Asia as a whole it's a bit of a chicken and egg situation," said MEPS analyst Jeremy Platt. "The cheap imported steel is benefiting their economic development, but it is hindering the ability to develop their steelmaking sector." TARIFFS RISE Several countries are introducing tariffs to protect local industry. Vietnam in March imposed temporary anti-dumping tariffs ranging from 14 percent to 23 percent on steel imports from China and elsewhere. It slapped additional import duties of up to 25 percent on more Chinese steel products that last until October 2019. Thailand's commerce ministry is working on the final draft of an anti-dumping law and expects to propose the draft for approval by end-2016, a spokeswoman said. The moves come as local steelmakers hope to cash in on an expected jump in demand. Indonesia and the Philippines face a huge backlog in infrastructure, said the ASEAN Iron and Steel Council's Cola, with steel consumption in ASEAN forecast to reach 80 million tonnes by 2018 from 70 million tonnes last year. Indonesia's Krakatau Steel (KRAS.JK) is building a blast furnace with a capacity of 1.2 million tonnes west of Jakarta, which it expects will be completed shortly. Vietnam's steel consumption surged 34 percent in the first five months of 2016, and demand is expected grow at more than 10 percent a year over the next decade as rapid economic growth fuels infrastructure development, said Hoa Phat's Duong. Steelmakers' share prices have risen in anticipation. Vietnam's Hoa Phat Group has climbed 35 percent this year, smaller rival Hoa Sen (HSG.HM) has gained 94 percent, and Krakatau Steel has rallied 123 percent. In Thailand, steelmakers expect the first annual growth in demand in three years as the government begins work on over $50 billion in infrastructure projects. Shares of Tata Steel (Thailand) Pcl (TSTH.BK), have surged nearly 40 percent. A unit of India's Tata Steel Group and Thailand's largest steel producer, the firm cancelled some shipments from Thailand to India in April to supply the metal to the Thai market. "We have seen signs of improving demand for steel, mainly from the government projects including city rail and road projects," said Rajiv Mangal, chief executive of Tata Steel's Thai unit, who sees sales rising 10 percent this year. (Additional reporting by Manolo Serapio Jr. in Manila, Manunphattr Dhanananphorn in Bangkok, Bernadette Christina Munthe in Jakarta and Gaurav Dogra in Bengaluru; Writing by Manolo Serapio Jr.; Editing by Richard Pullin) Madrid (AFP) - Spain's interior minister faced calls to resign Wednesday over a conversation leaked four days before elections in which he appears to discuss with an anti-fraud official ways to incriminate his political rivals. In the conversation published by online left-wing daily Publico, Jorge Fernandez Diaz and the head of Catalonia's anti-fraud office discuss possible leads or probes that could be launched against pro-independence politicians in the region. The newspaper published another conversation on Wednesday night in which Diaz appeared to say he could "intervene with the public prosecutor" to request that they start a probe that could be leaked to the press, further putting pressure on the minister. With general elections looming on Sunday, the allegations unleashed a political firestorm. Police unions and several rivals of Fernandez Diaz's conservative Popular Party (PP) have demanded that he quit. "We have an interior minister, who should be protecting us all, apparently using his post to investigate political rivals," Pablo Iglesias, head of the anti-austerity Podemos party, told public broadcaster TVE. "I think this should trigger an immediate resignation." Fernandez Diaz slammed the leak as a "conspiracy". But he acknowledged that the meeting, which dates back to 2014, had taken place. "I remember having had this meeting, but as for the content of these conversations, I remember the general gist, which was to meet a magistrate that heads up the anti-fraud office of the regional government, whose mission is to fight fraud and corruption," he told Spanish radio. "To claim that an interior minister is conspiring against members of Catalonia's government is surreal," he said, adding police had been asked to investigate exactly how the conversation was recorded and leaked. Madrid and Catalonia's separatist politicians have long been at odds over a pro-independence drive in the wealthy Spanish region. Story continues During the conversation, Daniel de Alfonso, the anti-fraud official, allegedly lays out several leads for possible offences committed by various pro-independence politicians or their relatives, but adds they are all "weak". But Fernandez Diaz allegedly insists that some can still inflict "a lot of harm politically". - 'Fish in troubled waters'- The revelations come just before Sunday's elections, in which the PP is expected to come first, though without the absolute majority it needs -- weakened by the rise of upstart parties like Podemos and several corruption scandals. Pedro Sanchez, head of the Socialist party, also called on Fernandez Diaz to resign, accusing him of "using the state apparatus to fight against his political rivals and not to fight against corruption within his own party". The pro-independence head of the regional government of Catalonia, Carles Puigdemont, also called on the minister to step down. "We always had the suspicion but now it is clear that there has been a strategy of a dirty war," he said. Hundreds of people, many waving yellow- and red-striped Catalan independence flags, demonstrated outside of the office of the delegation of Spain's central government in Barcelona on Wednesday night. Oriol Junqueras, the regional finance minister and deputy president of Catalonia was among those who took part in the protest. But acting Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy came to his defence, saying he had given a "clear" explanation. "As we're four days before the end of the campaign, someone is trying to take advantage and fish in troubled waters to see what comes out," he said. The elections are the second in six months, after polls in December resulted in a hung parliament after which parties failed to agree on a coalition government, forcing fresh elections. Two more casting announcements in short order have added another layer of mystery to "Spider-Man: Homecoming." Set for release in July 2017 and representing a concerted effort to integrate webslinging superhero Spider-Man into the expanding Marvel Cinematic Universe, "Spider-Man: Homecoming" has been casting a number of new and rising stars. Headlining the project is Tom Holland, who won the lead role having gone from a West End stage production of "Billy Elliot the Musical" to Studio Ghibli animation "Arriety" and acclaimed Ewan McGregor and Naomi Watts tsunami disaster film "The Impossible" before landing the role of Peter Parker, the youthful Spider-Man. He's already been introduced to audiences via the $1.1bn grossing "Captain America: Civil War" earlier this year, and with principal photography having begun on June 20, the cast has continued to increase in numbers and name recognition. Joining Marisa Tomei of "My Cousin Vinny" and "The Wrestler" as Peter's aunt, Zendaya (Disney's "Shake It Up"), Tony Revolori ("The Grand Budapest Hotel") and MCU staple Robert Downey Jr. ("Iron Man") will be Hannibal Buress and Abraham Attah as part of the latest round of announced additions. An established US comedian, Hannibal Buress gained widespread recognition in late 2014 for a comedy routine discussing Bill Cosby's legacy. By then he was already established on Comedy Central sitcom "Broad City" as well as for his contributions to "The Eric Andre Show" on Adult Swim and Fox's "Lucas Bros. Moving Co." And since, he's been in "Neighbors 2," "The Angry Birds Movie," and "The Nice Guys," with Universal Pictures animated feature "The Secret Life of Pets" imminent. Abraham Attah's rise to fame has been even more meteoric. The teenage Ghanaian played the lead character in Netflix's awards season contender "Beats of No Nation," starring opposite Idris Elba and directed by Cary Fukunaga of "True Detective." Story continues He's already signed on for the next film from distinctive director Shane Carruth, (Sundance winner "Primer," Independent Spirit nominated "Upstream Color." Both have been cast in unspecified roles. Appearing in "The Modern Ocean" means he'll be mingling with the likes of Daniel Radcliffe, Anne Hathaway, and Keanu Reeves, all of whom found cinematic success from an early age. LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Hollywood director Steven Spielberg returns to making films through the eyes of children with "The BFG", a big screen adaptation of the much-loved story by British author Roald Dahl. The tale follows young Sophie, played by Ruby Barnhill, who comes across a giant, portrayed by Oscar winner Mark Rylance - a Big Friendly Giant (BFG) who, unlike his peers, does not eat children. Although Spielberg has made many family movies in his award-winning career, he has also directed more historical films such as "Saving Private Ryan" and "Lincoln". "I haven't really swum in this wading pool in a long time," Spielberg told Reuters at the film's premiere in Los Angeles on Tuesday. "It was really nice to be able to just let my imagination roam free without being kind of fettered by all the precepts of history and all the truths you need to tell when you do a historical subject. So all of us felt free and very happy to be returning to our childhoods to tell this story." "The BFG", which first screened at the Cannes Film Festival in May, hits cinemas worldwide from June 30. (Writing by Reuters Television and Marie-Louise Gumuchian; Editing by Andrew Heavens) Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. HOT has entered into an agreement with Sekisui House Australia for developing The Westin Coolum Resort & Spa in Queenslands Sunshine Coast. The resort, which is situated on the scenic Yaroomba beach, is expected to debut in 2021. We note that Westin Coolum Resort & Spa is going to be one of the few among the international brands that have beachfront resorts in Australia. Infact it is the first ever five-star hotel in 27years which is going to debut on the Sunshine Coast. Starwood will work along with Sekisui House all through the development process to bring up this multipurpose resort having amenities of retail shops and boutiques, as well as luxury apartments. The main attractive feature of the resort is that it is very close to the sea just a 200 metres away and guests therefore can directly run into the beach. The resort will also pool travellers with its 220 well furnished rooms, nine suites which are spacious and well equipped with modern amenities. In addition, the resort will provide an assortment of culinary options alongside the brands trademark menu. STARWOOD HOTELS Price STARWOOD HOTELS Price | STARWOOD HOTELS Quote With its strong presence, Starwood has become one of the most sought after global brands. The Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) company is now assessing its opportunities in various untapped but highly populated emerging markets. The thriving economy in these regions and the proliferation of small and medium-size businesses are boosting business travel, thus enhancing the traffic growth into the resorts. Moreover, the growing affluence and sophistication of city dwellers is fuelingan uptick in spending on travel and other leisure activities. Starwood expects 2016 to be strong in terms of openings and new deals supported by the rise in global travel demand and increasing wealth among consumers. Investors interested in the space may also consider Intrawest Resorts Holdings, Inc. SNOW, China Belmond Ltd. BEL and Marriott Vacations Worldwide Corp. VAC. While Intrawest Resorts and China Belmond sport a Zacks Rank #1, Marriott Vacations Worldwide has 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 STARWOOD HOTELS (HOT): Free Stock Analysis Report INTRAWEST RESRT (SNOW): Free Stock Analysis Report BELMOND LTD (BEL): Free Stock Analysis Report MARRIOT VAC WW (VAC): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research In a move to maximize its timely commentary on the sure-to-be-noisy happenings at the upcoming Republican and Democratic national conventions, CBS The Late Show With Stephen Colbert will broadcast live those two weeks, at 11:35 pm ET. VIDEOSStephen Colbert Blasts Senates Gun Vote in Wake of Orlando Massacre The Late Show will air live Monday, July 18, through Thursday, July 21 (during the Republican National Convention in Cleveland), and then return with another run of live shows Monday, July 25, through Thursday, July 28 (during the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia). The late-night talker usually tapes each nights show at 5:30/4:30c, putting it (like rivals) at a disadvantage in covering late-breaking news (such as Mondays Senate vote on gun control, which Colbert wasnt able to address until Tuesday night). Colbert wont broadcast from Cleveland or Philadelphia, instead staying put at the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York, but The Late Show will have an on-site presence at both conventions. Previously, HBO announced that Real Time With Bill Maher will air live specials from Los Angeles to cover the Republican convention (on July 20 and 21) and Democratic convention (July 27 and 28). Related stories Mom Promotes William Fichtner to Series Regular for Season 4 Ratings: Big Brother Premiere Down Anna Kendrick and James Corden Cover Adele, Cher During 'Love Story' Musical stephen colbert gun control laws cbs late show Stephen Colbert is really peeved that the US senate failed to pass any gun control bills on Monday. "After the attacks in Orlando, Florida, I thought maybe the government would do their job and pass any kind of law, even a fig leaf to justify their existence," CBS's "Late Show" host said on Tuesday's episode. "Well, for thinking that I owe myself an apology." In the wake of the Orlando shootings and last week's nearly 15-hour filibuster by Democratic senators, the senate failed to pass any of the four gun control bills presented this week. "The couldn't even agree to keep people on the terror watch list from buying high-powered assault rifles," Colbert pointed out. "It's easy to feel hopeless ... I don't understand you, senators. Ninety-two percent of Americans want to expand background checks for gun-buyers and you just ignore them. Since when does 8% of the population get to have total control of an issue? That's like taking your entire family on a crosscountry trip and letting grandma choose all the music." To express his anger, Colbert decided to drop the niceties in a segment called, "Stephen Colbert Takes the Gloves Off." In it, he drops a hailstorm of jokes on the senate for their big failure in passing a gun control law. Here's a few of our favorite insults: "Hey, you might as well ask the gun lobby to check for a hernia as long as they have your balls in their hands." "Senate, you accomplished so little that Kylie Jenner wants to know what the hell you do for a living." "You're like a grandpa after an all-starch dinner, you can't get s--- done." Watch the whole segment below: NOW WATCH: FILIBUSTER IN THE SENATE: Democrats block spending bill to debate gun control More From Business Insider Stephen Colbert was infuriated by the United States Senate's failure to pass any of the four proposed gun safety bills this week and now he's having at it. On Tuesday night's episode of the The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, the comedian decidedly went for the legislature's collective jugular, schoolyard style. "Hey, Senate," he started. "My dog accomplished more than you this week when it rolled over and licked its nuts." Source: YouTube And then: "Hey, Senate, I've seen bugs trapped in amber move faster than you!" And then: "You guys think a terrorist watch list is when you put Homeland on your Netflix queue." And then: "You might as well ask the gun lobby to check for a hernia as long as they've got your balls in their hands." And finally: "Senate, you couldn't pass a bill if it was coated in Ex-Lax. But if you ever did pass a bill it would say, 'Be it resolved, no kissing and the NRA should just leave the money on the dresser.'" The jokes. They burn! Check out the rest of Colbert's Senate beatdown below: On Monday, the Supreme Court handed down a decision in Utah v. Strieff, involving the intricacies of the Fourth Amendments search and seizure doctrine, and the accompanying exclusionary rule. In a 5-3 opinion written by Justice Clarence Thomas, the Court held that the evidence obtained from an unlawful police stop would not be excluded from court because the link between the stop and the evidences discovery was attenuated by the discovery of an outstanding warrant during the stop. The Strieff case arose from a 2006 incident where the police received an anonymous tip that drugs were being sold out of a Salt Lake City house. After observing the property for suspicious activity for the next week, Officer Douglas Fackrell stopped and detained Edward Strieff, Jr. as he was leaving the house. Officer Fackrell ran Strieffs identification, and discovered that Strieff had an outstanding arrest warrant for a traffic violation. When Strieff was searched incident to his arrest under the warrant, methamphetamines and drug paraphernalia was discovered in his pockets. Strieff was then charged with drug-related offenses. Strieff argued that the evidence discovered on him should be suppressed because the police officer had no reasonable suspicion to stop him the first place. Under the exclusionary rule, when a police officer unlawfully stops an individual, the evidence obtained illegally is tainted and cannot be used in trial. Strieff argued that because the evidence was found during an illegal stop, the evidence was tainted and should be suppressed. The state countered by arguing that the exclusionary rule should not apply because the existence of the warrant was an intervening event that broke the chain of causation between the illegal stop and the discovery of evidence during the search incident to arrest. The state said that because the arrest was based on the legal warrant, and not the illegal stop, the warrant was the proximate cause of the discovery. Story continues The Utah Supreme Court sided with Strieff and ordered the evidence suppressed. They found that this incident did not fall within the attenuation exception to the exclusionary rule an exception which allows for the use of evidence found unlawfully if the connection between the misconduct and the evidences discovery is weak. Justice Thomas, joined by Chief Justice John Roberts, Justice Anthony Kennedy, Justice Samuel Alito, and (surprisingly) Justice Stephen Breyer, reversed the Utah Supreme Courts decision. The majority wrote that if an officer makes an illegal stop and then discovers an arrest warrant, the stop and its fruit will not be excluded in court. However, if there was flagrant police misconduct, which there wasnt in this case, then the exclusionary rule would apply. Justice Thomas wrote, that, While Officer Fackrells decision to initiate the stop was mistaken, his conduct thereafter was lawful. The officers decision to run the warrant check was a negligibly burdensome precautio[n] for officer safety And Officer Fackrells actual search of Strieff was a lawful search incident to arrest Moreover, there is no indication that this unlawful stop was part of any systemic or recurrent police misconduct. To the contrary, all the evidence suggests that the stop was an isolated instance of negligence that occurred in connection with a bona-fide investigation of a suspected drug house Applying these factors, we hold that the evidence discovered on Strieffs person was admissible because the unlawful stop was sufficiently attenuated by the pre-existing arrest warrant. Although the illegal stop was close in time to Strieffs arrest, that consideration is outweighed by two factors supporting the State. The outstanding arrest warrant for Strieffs arrest is a critical intervening circumstance that is wholly independent of the illegal stop. The discovery of that warrant broke the causal chain between the unconstitutional stop and the discovery of evidence by compelling Officer Fackrell to arrest Strieff. And, it is especially significant that there is no evidence that Officer Fackrells illegal stop reflected flagrantly unlawful police misconduct. In a scathing dissent, Justice Sonia Sotomayor, joined in part by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, concluded by writing: 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. 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. Justice Elena Kagan also wrote a dissent of her own, and was also joined by Justice Ginsburg. She wrote that the majoritys decision: [C]reates unfortunate incentives for the police indeed, practically invites them to do what Fackrell did here. Consider an officer who, like Fackrell, wishes to stop someone for investigative reasons, but does not have what a court would view as reasonable suspicion. If the officer believes that any evidence he discovers will be inadmissible, he is likely to think the unlawful stop not worth makingprecisely the deterrence the exclusionary rule is meant to achieve. But when he is told of todays decision? Now the officer knows that the stop may well yield admissible evidence: So long as the target is one of the many millions of people in this country with an outstanding arrest warrant, anything the officer finds in a search is fair game for use in a criminal prosecution. The officers incentive to violate the Constitution thus increases: From here on, he sees potential advantage in stopping individuals without reasonable suspicionexactly the temptation the exclusionary rule is supposed to remove. Because the majority thus places Fourth Amendment protections at risk, I respectfully dissent. Joshua Waimberg is a legal fellow at the National Constitution Center. 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 By Lawrence Hurley WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito sold his shares in Exxon Mobil Corp worth up to $250,000 that had prompted him to step aside from cases involving the oil company, financial disclosure forms released on Wednesday showed. Justice Clarence Thomas received a bronze bust of 19th century slavery abolitionist and writer Frederick Douglass from a wealthy Dallas real estate developer, and other justices took expensive overseas trips during 2015, the documents stated. Justices periodically recuse themselves from cases in which they might have a financial conflict of interest, such as when they own shares in a company involved in a case before the court. Alito recused himself from a 2008 case in which the court cut the punitive damages imposed against Exxon Mobil for the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil tanker spill off Alaska from $2.5 billion to about $500 million. In the court's current term, Alito recused himself in an electricity markets regulation case, likely due to his ownership of shares in auto parts maker Johnson Controls Inc, which was involved in the dispute. Alito also stepped aside in a Puerto Rico debt-restructuring law case because of his investments in funds with assets in Puerto Rico municipal bonds. The bronze Douglass bust, estimated to be worth $6,500, was given to Thomas by businessman Harlan Crow, a contributor to conservative causes and a friend of the justice. Justice Elena Kagan also received an expensive gift: a signed copy of a book by one of her predecessors on the court, Justice Felix Frankfurter, who died in 1965. It was given to her by the University of Chicago Law School, where she once worked. The documents showed that Alito, Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Stephen Breyer continue to hold stocks in various companies. Alito also sold stocks in Target Corp and Sysco Corp, among others. Breyer sold Johnson Controls Inc and some of his IBM Corp shares. Story continues The forms provide indications as to why justices recused themselves in certain cases. Breyer, for example, did not participate in a patent case involving Cisco Systems Inc, presumably because he owns shares in the company. Roberts' form showed he had not sold shares in Microsoft Corp worth between $250,000 and $500,000 by the end of 2015. In January, he participated when the court agreed to hear a class action case involving the company, suggesting he has since sold those shares. Breyer, whose latest book was published last year, earned just over $120,000 via book royalties and a payment from his publisher. (Reporting by Lawrence Hurley; Editing by Will Dunham) After the Senate voted down four gun-control bills inspired by the Orlando massacre, the Maine Republican Susan Collins unveiled compromise legislation Tuesday that addresses a bipartisan concern: individuals suspected of terrorist ties being able to purchase guns. All of us are united in our desire to getting something significant done on this vital issue, Collins said at an afternoon press conference, flanked by seven Democratic and Republican senators who worked on the legislation. Surely the terrorist attacks in San Bernardino and in Orlando that took so many lives are a call for compromise, a plea for bipartisan action. In a white paper, Collinss office described the major provisions of the amendment: It prohibits gun sales to people on two terrorist watch lists, including the No Fly List; it allows for American citizens and green-card holders to appeal if their purchase is restricted and to get attorney fees recouped if they win; and it includes a look-back provision that requires FBI notification if someone whos recently appeared in a broader terrorism database buys a gun. At the press conference, Collins noted that the total number of people on the two restricted lists is roughly 100,000, most of whom are foreign nationals. Recommended: Live Coverage of the Democratic Gun Control Sit-In on the House Floor The New Hampshire Republican Kelly Ayotte emphasized that the legislation protects Americans due-process rights, a major concern among Republicans who voted against a Democratic bill restricting sales on Monday. That proposal prohibited sales to more people than the Collins bill does. Senate Republicans preferred a measure that would have forced the FBI to get a court order when officials wanted to stop a suspected terrorist from buying a gun. Florida Representative David Jolly, a Republican, introduced legislation in the House Tuesday that would also address due-process worries. Story continues Collinss proposal comes as congressional lawmakers have faced criticism for their inaction in the wake of mass shootings. Democrats, including President Obama, have pushed those critiques, and they lamented Mondays failed votes. But all were designed to fall short and therefore demonstrate a lack of consensus in the Senate on guns, as Russell Berman reported this week. Republican leaders subjected each of the four amendments to 60-vote threshold and rallied their members around proposals backed by the NRA. On Tuesday, senators pushed their fellow members to see value in a bipartisan proposal. The Virginia Democrat Tim Kaine suggested gun victims would be waiting forever if Democrats and Republicans were to wait for their ideal bills to be passed. Senators seemed to anticipate pushback from gun-rights advocates as they described the legislations provisions and limitations. Senator Lindsey Graham addressed the powerful National Rifle Association directly in his remarks, telling members he understands their concerns about gun control infringing on the Second Amendment. But every rightwhether speech or buying a weapon or every other constitutional righthas boundaries on it, said Graham, who noted he himself owns an AR-15 rifle. He added: If we cant pass this, it truly is a broken system up here. Collins said Majority Leader Mitch McConnell will allow a vote on the proposal soon. Even if it passes, though, it might not be well received in the House. As Roll Call reported Tuesday, House GOP leadership, including Speaker Paul Ryan, have not shown enthusiasm post-Orlando for gun-control measures. Read more from The Atlantic: This article was originally published on The Atlantic. ZURICH (Reuters) - Swiss authorities have taken a suspected Islamist leader into custody, broadcaster SRF reported on Wednesday, calling it the first arrest of a senior figure from a Salafist ring based in the northern city of Winterthur. The man, a Muslim convert identified only by the letter S, is being held in investigative custody while authorities check his suspected role in radicalizing and recruiting young people to fight with Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, the report said. Federal prosecutors would not confirm the report. In a statement, they said that SRF had not respected a request to delay its report by a few weeks to avoid jeopardizing "an open criminal investigation surrounding jihadist-motivated terrorism". After deadly jihadist attacks in France and Belgium, Swiss authorities are monitoring the social media activity of about 400 possible jihadists who might pose a security threat, the NDB federal intelligence service said last month. Neutral Switzerland is not a primary target for Islamist attacks because it is not part of the military campaign against groups such as Islamic State, but the security threat level has been elevated nonetheless, the NDB's annual report said. Authorities have been closely tracking suspected jihadists who return to Switzerland from countries, Syria in particular, where they are believed to get training in carrying out attacks. Swiss authorities believe more than 70 people have traveled to the Middle East to become jihadist fighters since 2001. A Swiss court in April sentenced three Iraqis for terrorism offences, a verdict that the senior prosecutor said should send a message to jihadists not to see the country as an easy target. The three main defendants, who had denied wrongdoing, were arrested in early 2014 on suspicion of planning terrorist attacks and helping Islamic State militants enter the country. Switzerland said last month it was seeking to revoke the citizenship of a 19-year-old Swiss-Italian man identified by a former employer as a suspected jihadist who traveled to Syria to join Islamic State. Separately on Wednesday, the Swiss government said it had taken steps to improve counter-terrorism measures, including plans to allow police to conduct covert surveillance and make suspects regularly report to a police station. (Reporting by Michael Shields; Additional reporting by Joshua Franklin; Editing by Richard Balmforth) What We Do In the Shadows cast portrait (Photo: Unison Films) Director Taika Waititis What We Do in the Shadows was one of 2014s most pleasant and uproarious surprises, a mockumentary (co-helmed by Flight of the Conchords Jemaine Clement) that charted the various goings-on in a house populated by four clownish vampires. While the New Zealand filmmaker has moved on to new projects, including this Fridays Hunt for the Wilderpeople and next falls Marvel sequel Thor: Ragnarok, he revealed in a recent chat that we may not have seen the last of his prior hits bloodsuckers. Watch a clip from Taika Waititis Hunt for the Wilderpeople: Speaking with Clark Collis for EW.com, Waititi whos currently prepping Thors third go-round, which will pair him with Mark Ruffalos Hulk confessed that ideas are already percolating for an equally silly Shadows sequel. We want to do it, and were coming up with story ideas. The first film took us about seven years to make, and we dont want to do that again. Its a lot easier now that we have all the characters, and we know how we want to do it, and we know that we can do it. The first time we were doing it, we had no idea what we were trying to do, really. Its not like we were inventing the mockumentary genre, but doing it with special effects, and trying to figure that all out, and make it funny, was a really, really long process. Watch the What We Do In the Shadows trailer: The forthcoming follow-up will, according to Waititi, focus on the originals werewolf characters, played by Rhys Darby and Stuart Rutherford. It would basically be Rhys and Stu vying for position as the alpha male in the werewolf gang, Waititi told EW.com. Before he gets to that project, however, hell be at the helm of Marvels latest, which he sorta-kinda admits to The Daily Beasts Jen Yamato is akin to a superhero variation on the Robert De Niro-Charles Grodin action-comedy classic Midnight Run. No, I dont know! I mean sure? I wouldnt say Midnight Run. You dont want to put these things in peoples heads but definitely theres the element I dont know. How am I gonna answer that? I cant tell you anything! Waititis latest, the hilarious Hunt for the Wilderpeople (co-starring Sam Neill), arrives in theaters this Friday. Watch a Hunt for the Wilderpeople trailer: Investigation Discovery will premiere a new special, Guns on Campus: Tamron Hall Investigates, on Sunday, August 7 at 10 PM, commemorating the 5oth anniversary of the Tower Shooting at the University of Texas at Austin. Half a century ago that month, 25-year-old engineering student Charles Whitman used a high-powered rifle to spray the campus with gunfire from the clock tower, for 96 minutes. When it was over, he and 16 others were dead in whats generally regarded as the first mass shooting on an American campus. This August, the school is confronted with implementing SB11, the latest gun law out of the Texas legislature that allows students to carry concealed weapons on campus and in classrooms. In the one-hour special, Hall visits the campus to speak to first-responders and witnesses of the 66 Tower Shooting, as well as current stakeholders of SB11. From Chancellor William McRaven a former Navy SEAL who, ID says, helped plot the raid that killed Osama bin Laden to university professors, to students who hold views on all sides of the issue, Hall discussed with them the importance of securing ones personal safety, and the rights of students over the age of 21 to carry concealed weapons on public property. Hall also brings together Virginia Tech survivor and anti-gun violence advocate Colin Goddard, and University of Nevada rape survivor, Amanda Collins, who is an advocate for campus carry, to lay out their positions behind this controversial debate on college campuses. In a country with a history of more than 270 school shootings, will putting more guns in the hands of students and faculty prevent bloodshed, or be the cause of further death and injury? poses Hall, adding, Is there common ground which might provide a path forward towards school safety or will ideological opposition prevent progress? Tamron does an incredible job of explaining the framework behind this complex issue, says Henry Schleiff, Group President of Discovery Communications Investigation Discovery, American Heroes Channel and Destination America in todays announcement. Story continues The special is produced by NBC News Peacock Productions. For Peacock Productions, Elizabeth Fischer, Knute Walker and Melody Shafir are executive producers, under Sharon Scott, President General Manager of Peacock Productions. For Investigation Discovery, Eugenie Vink is executive producer. Related stories Nicole Simpson Sister Preps Unscripted True-Crime Series For NBC News Unit 'OJ Is Innocent' Docu-Series Set At Investigation Discovery Investigation Discovery Sets 'I Am Homicide' Docuseries On Veteran Murder Detective If you're a believer and want to get some busywork off your plate, it might be time to try Task Rabbi. Yes, you read that right. Not Task Rabbit Task Rabbi. Inspired by the startup that lets you pay people to do anything from shopping to cleaning to putting together a desk, Task Rabbi allows customers to ask its team of rabbis to pray for them. "Rather than pay a stranger to come to your home, a Task Rabbi remotely prays for the completion of an array of tasks free of charge from unclogging your drain to unclogging your mind of hedonistic thoughts," the Task Rabbi team said in an email. Task Rabbis So, naturally, I asked the Task Rabbis to pray for me. Specifically, I asked them to pray for this story to go viral. We'll see if it works. "Our goal is to recruit both rabbis and customers, spread positive vibes and more mitzvahs throughout the world. Hopefully, by chance, stuff will actually get done, too," the team said in an email. Do you have to be Jewish to take advantage of Task Rabbi? Don't worry, goyim are invited too. "Our services are open to all," the website says. "Whether or not you're Chosen, choose Task Rabbi!" (With one caveat: The rabbis are not available for work on shabbat.) The team is based in New York, but the rabbis can pray remotely from anywhere. The site is currently recruiting both rabbis and customers from all over the country. Note that the rabbis depicted on the site aren't real they're sample rabbis, the team said. So if you were hoping to reach the young rabbi in an improv troupe called the Hahasids, you're out of luck. And of course, there's no way to know anyone's actually praying for you. You just have to believe. Taxes pay for many services that those who receive them take for granted. Moving to a place with low (or no!) taxes might sound like a beautiful, fanciful dream to some of us. But to young families struggling to raise their children on a budget or retirees seeking to stretch their pension in some of the countrys most expensive real estate markets, its often more like a game plan. After all, when youre putting down roots, why not do it at a place where you wont have to bury thousands of dollars in property, income, and state sales taxes along the way? Money that youll shell out every single year? But more and more homeowners are discovering one of the oldest adages in the real estate book: If it sounds too good to be true, its because it often is. High taxes pay for things that many transplants might have taken for granted, like parks, arts programs, mass transit, and bike lanesnot to mention top-notch public schools. Taken aback by the lack of services they encounter in their new community, refugees from expensive states often wind up advocating for the same sorts of taxes they were trying to escape. You get what you pay for, says Norton Francis, a senior research associate who specializes in local and state taxes at the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center. If youre moving from a higher tax area to a lower tax area, you might be giving up some amenities. Hate potholes? Tax dollars go toward services like street repair. Charleston: A case study Theres no shortage of newbies heading to the historic city of Charleston, SC, both for the lower taxes and the year-round balmy weather, says local real estate agent Randy Bazemore. The state was ranked as having the ninth lowest taxes in the nation in 2016 by WalletHub. (It does, however, have high flood insurance premiums on coastal homes.) But those new residents who are enamored with how much further their dollars can go down South are often the same ones who wind up advocating loudly for better public transportation, such as light-rail systems or expanded bus service, as well as more bike paths and greenways, he says. Story continues Those services are typically paid for through state and property taxeswhich existing residents generally dont want to see rise. These very different priorities can lead to tension between transplants and the old guard, says Kurt Cavanaugh. He moved from Brooklyn to Charleston two years ago to become the executive director of Charleston Moves, a bike and pedestrian advocacy group. One of its goals, supported by many younger and newer residents, is to get protected, dedicated bike lanes in the city. Although these are increasingly common in metros like New York City, the group is running into heavy opposition from some longtime residents and politicians. Call it a tax battle for the heart and souland, perhaps, the futureof the Old South. Voters in nearby Mount Pleasant shot down a measure last year to increase property taxes, according to The Post and Courier. The revenue would have gone toward recreation, arts, and open space, potentially even toward a proposed 80-mile bike and pedestrian trail. But there have been victories for the extra-amenities folks, too. Charlestons school district approved a tax hike last month on property such as vehicles, boats, and commercial and rental homes to fund education, according to NBC affiliate News 2. Its very frustrating for people on a fixed income when they raise these taxes, says Bazemore. But transplants come down here and say, Oh, its cheap.' Revenue from taxes can pay for bike lanes and green spaces. New companies, new taxes Property taxes also often rise when large companies relocate or open branches in cheaper areas of the U.S., such as the Southeast, bringing in a slew of their employees, say tax experts. Those relocations often lead to pressure to increase the quality of local education systems, says David Brunori, deputy publisher at Tax Analysts, which provides tax news and commentary. And that has put some pressure on property taxes in many of those states. The new corporate transplants are often moving out of higher-performing public school systems that have a lot more resources, he adds. Property taxes usually dont go up much. But even incremental increases can strain relationships between the existing residents fiscal conservatism and the needs of the newest community members, he says. All of a sudden, you need more teachers, more schools, more roads, more public services in general to accommodate new residents, he says. Yet such services are key determining factors for companies scrutinizing potential sites for relocation. Todays businesses strive to have it all: way cheaper operating costs without losing the ability to attractand retaintalented workers who dont want to live just anywhere, says Jason Hickey, CEO of Hickey & Associates. His Minneapolis-based firm helps Fortune 500 companies relocate or consolidate facilities. Quality of life is extremely important to workers, particularly millennials, he says. Parks, bike trails, and mass transit are becoming incredibly important. Executives are now taking extra note of high school and college graduation rates in potential new locations, even meeting with school superintendents to ensure there will be a pipeline of highly qualified future teachers, Hickey says. Hes even seen companies turn down sweet tax and incentive deals to relocate to a particular area where the public schools werent very good. Whos moving where But lets be clear: Plenty of those who move cross-country arent just following their dream jobs. Many are lower- to middle-income earners with easily transferable gigs, such as assistant store managers, and are looking to make their dollars stretch even further, says Bill Galston, senior fellow in governance studies at the Brookings Institution, a Washington, DCbased think tank. Retirees often trade the Northeast and the Midwest for warmer and cheaper living in the Southern and Western swaths of the country, says Michael Stoll, a public policy professor at University of California, Los Angeles, and a consultant for moving company United Van Lines. And these newcomers dont need to pay a premium for good school districts. A lot of pensioners will move where theres lower property taxes and where there are exemptions for retirement income, says Tax Analysts Brunori. Nearly 40 states dont take a cut of Social Security income. And about a dozen dont take a share of most pensions. These factors can result in thousands in savings. Bike racks cost money too. Before making a move, look at the overall financial picture But before you put your home on the market and start packing up your belongings, weigh the lower costs of your new community against your expected quality of life, says Greg McBride, chief financial analyst of the personal finance website Bankrate.com. Spend a spend a week or two in the new destination as a sort of try-before-you-buy trial run. Test out how youd get around and what kinds of public amenities you might want to use (or would like to have). Do your research: If youre moving for lower taxes, make sure theyll apply to you. For example, property taxes can be higher for new homeowners than for existing homeowners, who are grandfathered into a lower tax rate, he says. And remember: States need to make money somehow. For example, theres no state income tax in Texasa boon to those moving into the Lone Star State to work in the oil and gas industries. But property taxes are often higher than average to make up for it. People are very shocked when they come here, says Houston real estate agent Greg Nino. Of course, not everyone cares about things like bike lanes and mass transit. Youd like to think that higher taxes equate to a better standard of living, says Bankrate.coms McBride. But its like beauty: Its in the eye of the beholder. Some people place greater value on good weather or lower costs of living. The post Tempted to Flee High Taxes? You May Miss What They Pay For appeared first on Real Estate News and Advice - realtor.com. Related Articles Tennessee congressional candidate Rick Tyler, who's running as an independent candidate in November's election, made no effort to hide his racism in a billboard sponsored by his campaign that reads "Make America White Again." His campaign websites RickTylerForCongress.com and MakeAmericaWhiteAgain.Info which are listed on the billboard, are now defunct. According to local news station WSMV, Tyler told Channel 3 he has no ill will toward people of color and that he intended the sign's message to evoke nostalgia, not hatred. Tyler told the outlet he wants to go back to the "1960s, Ozzie and Harriet, Leave it to Beaver time when there were no break-ins; no violent crime; no mass immigration." And also, apparently, a time before the civil rights movement. A sign reading "Make America White Again" is causing a controversy in Polk County http://bit.ly/28Pj0iu pic.twitter.com/hFdORIZfRU https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ClkJtWCWIAAwNow.jpg:large Tyler said that many people are unbothered by the sign, even taking photos with it. However, members of the local Kiwanis club who typically meet at the Whitewater Grill in Ocoee, Tennessee, which Tyler owns, are now boycotting the venue in protest. "We are a civic club of inclusion and not exclusion and find these statements repugnant," wrote the branch's lieutenant governor Chris Newton in a Facebook post. "As a citizen of Polk County, I, Chris Newton, will never personally be back to this establishment." Tyler told Channel 3 he invites the opposition. "I respect their right to have an opinion," he said. "I believe the majority of the people in the county like it." (Adds details on scheduled Tesla conference call) By Nichola Groom and Paul Lienert LOS ANGELES/DETROIT, June 21 (Reuters) - Elon Musk on Tuesday sought to build a clean energy powerhouse as his electric car maker, Tesla Motors Inc, made an offer to buy his solar installation firm SolarCity Corp in a stock deal worth as much as $2.8 billion. Tesla shares plunged more than 13 percent to $189.99 in extended trading - amounting to a loss in value of about $4.3 billion, or more than the value of the offer for the other company. Shares of SolarCity rose about 18 percent to $25.02. Musk, who is the chairman of SolarCity, CEO of Tesla and the largest shareholder of both companies, described the deal as a "no brainer" in a call with reporters. The company could sell customers an electric car, a home battery and a solar system all at once, he said. "Instead of making three trips to a house to put in a car charger and solar panels and battery pack, you can integrate that into a single visit," Musk told reporters. "It's an obvious thing to do." Tesla investors punished the company's shares, however. "Ideally you want to see Tesla focus on Tesla - building Teslas and expanding the cars," said Ivan Feinseth, an analyst at Tigress Financial Partners. "Maybe the feeling is that this takes away focus, and it could financially strain Tesla, which is going to continually need a lot of cash." SolarCity has about $6.24 billion in liabilities, including debt. Tesla executives said its predictable cash flow in the form of payments for its solar systems pays for the debt. Although it is the U.S. market leader in residential rooftop solar systems, it regularly posts quarterly losses and the stock has fallen nearly 60 percent so far this year, pummeled by investors who see its business model as too complex in a market that has become increasingly competitive. Musk said Tesla did not know how many of its customers have solar panels, but guessed that most of them were likely interested in solar. In a blog, Tesla described the deal as a way to expand both companies' markets. Story continues The solar systems will be sold under the premium Tesla brand, which is seeking to expand its target market with a $35,000 electric vehicle called the Model 3 that it will begin delivering late next year. Musk, who owns 19 percent of Tesla and 22 percent of SolarCity, said he would recuse himself from voting on the deal. He could not say how soon shareholders could vote on the deal, as due diligence needs to take place first. SolarCity CEO Lyndon Rive, Musk's first cousin, said he supported the deal but would also recuse himself from voting. Rive's brother, Peter, is also a founder of the company and its chief technology officer. Musk and Lyndon Rive hatched the idea for SolarCity during a trip to the Burning Man desert festival in 2004. Over a decade later, SolarCity has become the top U.S. residential solar installer thanks to a no-money-down financing scheme that allows homeowners to pay for their solar panels through a monthly fee that is less than what they would pay their local utility. Tesla said it offered $26.50 to $28.50 per share for SolarCity, which represents a premium of about 25 percent to 35 percent to the company's Tuesday close of $21.19. That values the deal at about $2.6 billion to $2.8 billion overall. In a statement issued late Tuesday, Tesla said its management will host a conference call to discuss the 'rationale' surrounding the offer to buy SolarCity. The conference call is scheduled to take place Wednesday morning before U.S. markets open. (Reporting by Subrat Patnaik and Aurindom Mukherjee in Bengaluru, Paul Lienert in Detroit and Nichola Groom in Los Angeles; Editing by Bill Rigby, Peter Henderson and Sunil Nair) Yahoo Finance is tracking the stocks youre following, based on your Yahoo Finance ticker searches. Tesla (TSLA) The electric carmaker announced plans to buy SolarCity (SCTY) for $2.8 billion. The deal is not going over well on the Street. Oppenheimer announced it downgraded Teslas stock from outperform to perform, and said, We do not view this acquisition as the best and highest use of TSLAs capital and human resources. Adobe Systems (ADBE) The company posted better-than-expected earnings for its latest quarter, but its outlook for the current quarter is disappointing investors. Adobe reported adjusted earnings per share of $0.71 on revenue of $1.4 billion. Restoration Hardware (RH) The company is in focus after BB&T (BBT) said Williams-Sonoma (WSM) could buy the chain for $50 per share. Restoration Hardware has been under pressure since posting a surprising loss per share last quarter. KB Home (KBH) The homebuilder topped Wall Street expectations in its second quarter, suggesting a strong start to the spring home-selling season. KB Homes earnings rose to $0.17 from $0.10 a year earlier. Priceline Group (PCLN) Barclays upgraded the stock to overweight from equal weight with a price target of $1,500. Deutsche Bank (DB) Reuters is reporting that the German bank has cut a deal with the German works council to close about 200 of its 723 branches in the country. Deutsche Bank has closed about 40 retail branches in other European countries. AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - A Texas man charged with causing the death of his six-month-old daughter by leaving her in a hot car put the baby in a refrigerator after finding her in desperate condition in the back of his vehicle, a document released on Wednesday said. Michael Thedford, a 33-year-old, unemployed high school teacher, was arrested in Collin County, outside of Dallas, on Tuesday. He was charged with manslaughter and released on bond. No lawyer was listed for him in online jail records. According to a probable cause affidavit released on Wednesday, he dropped off his two other children, ages 3 and 5, at daycare but forgot about his baby daughter in the back of the car. He went into his home and fell asleep. His wife was at work at the time of the incident, according to police. Some four hours later he discovered his daughter strapped into her car safety seat. He took her out, placed her in a refrigerator "for an undetermined amount of time," and called 911, the affidavit said. He later placed the infant on the kitchen floor and attempted CPR on the baby before emergency responders arrived, it said. He said his daughter was stiff and "hot as a brick" when he found her in the vehicle, the affidavit said. The outdoor temperature at the time was about 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32C). (Reporting by Jon Herskovitz in Austin, Texas; Editing by Sandra Maler) (Reuters) - Three people were killed and one person was injured during a shooting in Washington state, authorities said on Wednesday. The Thurston County Sheriff's Office said it was on the scene of the quadruple shooting in an area south of Seattle. The office did not immediately provide further details, and the cause and motive of the incident was not immediately available. The Thurston County Sheriff's Office said three people have died. A fourth victim's injuries were not released. (Reporting by Eric M. Johnson in Calgary; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe) Havana (AFP) - After a half-century of conflict, the rebel Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the Colombian government say they have reached a definitive ceasefire agreement. Here are key dates in Latin America's longest armed conflict, which has killed 260,000 people according to official data. - 1964: FARC formed - The government launches an offensive against communist groups in the center and west of the country. On May 27, rebel commander Manuel Marulanda Velez flees the government assault with 47 other men and forms the FARC. - 1984: First peace bid - On March 28, conservative president Belisario Betancur launches peace talks with the FARC under a bilateral truce. The initiative breaks down in 1987 after right-wing paramilitaries assassinate a presidential candidate from a party allied to the FARC. Further peace efforts collapse in 1992 and 2002. - 1996: Hostages taken - On August 30 the FARC takes 60 Colombian soldiers hostage at a military base in the south. The raid marks the start of its strategy of mass hostage-takings that dominates the conflict over the following years. - 2000: 'Plan Colombia' - In June the United States and Colombian president Andres Pastrana launch "Plan Colombia," a joint anti-narcotics strategy. It is later broadened to include anti-guerrilla operations. Washington has spent more than $8.0 billion on the effort. - 2002: Betancourt captured - In February the FARC kidnap Ingrid Betancourt, a Franco-Colombian politician. During six years' captivity in the jungle she becomes an international symbol of the conflict. She is rescued by the military in 2008. - 2011: FARC leader killed - The FARC's top commander Alfonso Cano is killed in a raid by the Colombian army on November 4. He is replaced by current leader Timoleon Jimenez. Two other top leaders of the force, Raul Reyes and Jorge Briceno, were killed in 2008 and 2010. - 2012: New peace talks - On October 4, President Juan Manuel Santos's government launches the latest peace talks with the FARC, weakened by the loss of its top leaders. - 2016: Full ceasefire - On June 22 The FARC and government say they have agreed on a definitive ceasefire. Santos says he hopes to seal a full peace deal by July 20. Butterbeer's got nothing on one whimsical cocktail dreamed up by an India-based food blogger. Meet Felix Felicis, a rum-fueled take on the eponymous potion mentioned in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. "If taken in excess, it causes giddiness, recklessness, and dangerous overconfidence," Professor Slughorn warned Harry and Malfoy's Potions class in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, blogger Shirin Mehrota noted on her blog Foodchants. Recklessness, overconfidence... sounds like a shot of some hooch, no? Source: Giphy Though it isn't actually an alcoholic drink in the HP books, Mehrota, a Mumbai-based blogger, told Mashable that she always imagined it to be a boozy beverage because of how Professor Slughorn, er, J.K. Rowling, describes it. Mehrota crafted a cocktail that will make the imbiber slightly tipsy and hopefully, lucky in honor of Felix Felicis' origins. "The concoction that I made was a mix of sweet, sour, bitter with a hint of cinnamon," she told Mashable. Ready to get tipsy, wizard-style? Get the recipe right here. Mehrota said her next cocktail might be inspired by Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, a sequel to the Harry Potter series that's being described as the script of a play. The Cursed Child is scheduled to be released July 31. Until then, cheers to feeling lucky! On June 23, the U.K. will hold a referendum to decide if it remains a member of the European Union. Polls show the result is too close to call. Those in favor of staying believe Britain is stronger economically and more secure as part of the E.U.; those who want to leave think the U.K. needs to wrestle back sovereignty over its borders and laws. The British film and TV industries overwhelmingly support staying with the E.U.; a poll of members of the producers body PACT found that 85% intend to vote Remain, while a poll of the Creative Industries Federation, which represents people working in TV, film, architecture, fashion, design, and other fields, was 96% in favor of staying. Variety asked some top producers to discuss how the result will affect them. From our point of view, its a no-brainer to remain in Europe. Penny Dreadful is a quintessential example of what it means to be able to collaborate across borders in Europe. We developed the show [in London], but we [shot] it in Dublin, with many Europeans alongside our British cast and crew. When you went on the set of that show, it felt like the best possible example of what European cultural collaboration is all about, which is being able to move freely around Europe, to work with the people you want to work with, and create exceptional television. I know the people in film and theater would say the same. Pippa Harris is executive producer of Showtimes just-ended Penny Dreadful and the BAFTA-winning Call the Midwife, and chair of BAFTAs film committee. She is Sam Mendes business partner. Leaving the E.U. would be fairly catastrophic for the creative industries in Britain in general, and for film and TV in particular. It would be a hugely retrograde step at a time when our membership of the E.U. entails almost entirely beneficial consequences. On the TV side of the business, there are stringent quotas for European content, which as E.U. members we qualify for. If that door suddenly shuts and the material we make no longer qualifies as part of the European quota, the most important market for British content outside of the U.S. just disappears at a stroke. Story continues Stephen Garrett is an executive producer on the BBC/AMC spy drama The Night Manager. Hes also developing the supernatural series The Rook for Hulu with Lionsgate and Twilight author Stephenie Meyers Fickle Fish Films. For the majority of the world, when they think about coming to work in the U.K., they like it because it is part of Europe. If the U.K. is going to become disassociated with [Europe], it will be a big turnoff for a lot of the American investors, and it will make the U.K. feel out on a limb, an isolated island, while the rest of Europe continues to work well together to create great crew supply, great studios, and all of those support systems that go into making a production. Our productions in turn will become smaller and less ambitious, as Europe joins together to gain strength through collaboration and some attractive production grants. To be balanced about it, there would be an advantage I look for the silver lining in everything if we were to leave. We would no longer have State Aid rules [which govern how national authorities spend E.U. funds and on whom], and that would empower us to be able to deal more directly with the U.S., and to work with the public sector in a slightly different way. And I guess that ties in with the idea that wouldnt it be great to leave because we could all be free to do whatever we wanted. But I think the arguments for Remain are much more nuanced. They are subtler and much more cultural. Jane Tranter is producing the BBC/New Line Cinema TV series His Dark Materials. As a BBC senior executive, her credits included Doctor Who and Da Vincis Demons. It wont affect, I suspect, American films coming here, but it will have an adverse effect on international movies and TV dramas being made in this country, and also affect our ability to make them in the rest of Europe. One of the reasons the U.K. attracts such a tremendous amount of VFX work from the U.S. and beyond is because of the quality of people we have working here, and some of those people are non-U.K. E.U. members. Not only do such artists help attract the work (which benefits the U.K. workers) and bring their tremendous talent to the productions, but they also transfer their training and skills to young homegrown animators. You could say these positions could be filled by British people well, no. There would simply be a hole in the talent pool. David Heyman is the producer of the Harry Potter movies, Gravity, and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Ive made films in France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Austria, and Scandinavia. Im very much an internationalist. I always have been. Its the way I look at the world. I dont look at Britain in isolation. I love being British, I love being European, and I love being a world citizen. Producers dont flourish without co-productions in Europe. There will be a realignment of all of the co-production treaties if Britain leaves the E.U., as well as the reintroduction of [trade barriers] like withholding taxes and customs duties. It will make everything more difficult. Working with multinational crews, as I have done since the 1970s it became much easier when Europe became integrated. Jeremy Thomas has been an independent film producer since the 1970s, most recently of High-Rise. He won an Oscar in 1988 for The Last Emperor. Rebecca OBrien From a personal point of view, I think it would be really dangerous and an extremely bad idea. The value of being part of Europe is untold when it comes to the work that I do, and Im very much dependent on our European partners. Thats not to say that work would stop, but in lots of ways it would begin to make our lives much more difficult. When were not seeking to finance 100% from the U.K., we have to look to Europe and if that option becomes more difficult, then we have just shot ourselves in the foot, havent we? Rebecca OBrien is the producer of Ken Loachs films, including this years Palme dOr winner I, Daniel Blake. Related stories 'Night Manager' Finale Sneak Peek: Pine Flirts with Danger Cannes: 'Paddington 2' Sets Production Date Stephen Garrett on Working with John le Carre, 'Twilight's' Stephenie Meyer WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The heads of the U.S. financial regulatory agencies, including Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, conferred on Tuesday about the upcoming "Brexit" vote in a regularly scheduled meeting closed to both the public and the press, according to a statement from the Treasury Department. "During the executive session, the council discussed recent market developments, including the possibility of the United Kingdoms separation from the European Union," it said in a summary of the meeting. On Thursday this week Britain will vote in a referendum on whether to remain a member of the European Union, with an exit from the EU popularly dubbed "Brexit". The Financial Stability Oversight Council, made up of the chiefs of all the financial regulators, is charged with assessing potential hazards to the country's financial system and heading off risks that could lead to another crisis on the magnitude of the 2007-09 meltdown. Other members at the meeting included Commodity Futures Trading Commission Chair Timothy Massad, who has worked with his European counterparts lately to align derivatives regulation across borders, and Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Mary Jo White. Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen is part of the council, but did not attend the closed meeting, which also covered proposed rules for insurance companies and a reevaluation of its determination that a nonbank financial company is "too big to fail." Yellen gave regularly scheduled testimony on Tuesday to the U.S. Senate Banking Committee and told Congress that immediate risks, like the potential fallout from Britain's June 23 vote on whether to leave the European Union, could darken the U.S. economic outlook. The council held an open meeting, as well, to discuss its annual report on the U.S. financial system. "Concerns related the upcoming United Kingdom referendum on exit from the EU, uncertainty in securing an agreement on Greece and ongoing geopolitical tension between Russia and Ukraine will likely weigh on sentiment in the coming months," the report found, adding that immigration from "conflict-torn countries has also threatened European cohesion." (Reporting by Lisa Lambert; editing by Clive McKeef) By Andrew M. Seaman Most of Syria's trauma hospitals are still doing emergency surgeries despite having been in a war zone for the past five years, according to a new report. "I was surprised that as many hospitals in our study were able to function to provide operative trauma care inside Syria," said lead author Dr. Hani Mowafi, of the Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut. Conflicts in Syria began in 2011 and have resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths. Nearly 7 million Syrians have fled their homes, Mowafi and colleagues write in JAMA Surgery. Reuters reported last month that some 10,000 doctors have fled the country, and just 1,000 are left in opposition areas. "We are witnessing in Syria one of the worst humanitarian crises of the past 100 years," Mowafi told Reuters Health via email. To calculate the current capacity of the country's healthcare system, the Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations sent data collectors to survey 94 surgical hospitals inside Syria during two months in 2015. Overall, 91 percent of the hospitals could perform emergency surgery, but only 16 percent could keep patients at their facility after surgery. "Many of these facilities were treating complex injuries with limited staff and resources in facilities that were converted schools and basements of apartment buildings," Mowafi said. Overall, there were 538 surgeons, 378 doctors and 1,444 nurses at the hospitals, but more than 20 percent of hospitals weren't paying salaries. "Staff in these facilities operate nearly around the clock in some cases and many go without pay for weeks on end," Mowafi said. Hospital services were also limited. While 70 percent of hospitals could transfuse whole blood, only about 7 percent could separate and bank blood products. About a quarter of hospitals didn't have any pharmacy services. Few hospitals had functioning equipment like X-ray machines and CT scanners. Mowafi said some of the hardest hit areas of Syria, such as Aleppo, have a shortage of specialists and life-saving equipment while other areas have a surplus. "There is a highly uneven distribution of resources across trauma hospitals in Syria and more work needs to be done to help target support to areas that are hardest hit," he said. The study only shows a snapshot in time from over a year ago, but Mowafi said more recent data suggests the situation in Syria has worsened. "While efforts have been made to rationalize distribution of resources, the repeated attacks on health facilities as well as the loss of personnel have caused many facilities to shutter their doors and to fear sharing any data with research personnel for fear that it could be used to target them," he said. Attacking hospitals destroys any sense of security for the population, Mowafi said. A number of additional steps could help hospitals in Syria, he said. Those include sending medicine and supplies, supporting staff, taking steps to increase capacity even at a distance by strengthening internet coverage, providing education materials and supporting data collection efforts. SOURCE: http://bit.ly/28ND0S3 JAMA Surgery, online June 22, 2016. A handbrake with insufficient power caused a parked fuel truck to roll forward, pinning its driver against a concrete wall and killing him in January this year, a judge ruled on Wednesday (22 June). Chun Kum Soon, 42, had driven the truck to the construction site of The Vales, an executive condominium in Anchorvale Crescent, at 2.15 pm on 8 January to fill an excavator with diesel. Upon arriving, Chun parked the truck next to a wall. The father of a four-year-old girl was about to refuel the excavator when the truck rolled forward and pinned him against the wall. He died from the impact. District Judge Marvin Bay recorded a verdict of industrial misadventure at a coroners inquiry into Chuns death at the State Courts on Wednesday (22 June). Two investigation officers took the stand to explain their findings before DJ Bay. Inspector Shaun Leong, from Ang Mo Kio Police Division, played the CCTV recording of the accident in the courtroom. Leong said that the workers on site tried to free Chun by using a forklift but they were unsuccessful. The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) was alerted to the accident, and SCDF personnel took 28 minutes to free Chun by using hydraulic spreaders. Chun was then pronounced dead. Patrick Lee, a senior investigation officer from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), said that investigations revealed that the parking brake, commonly known as the handbrake, had insufficient braking power and the linings on the brake shoes had worn off. The truck passed a vehicle inspection in April last year. At the time of the accident, the braking efficiency of the parking brake was at six per cent, below the passing rate of 20 per cent. Lee added that there were wheel chocks on the truck but Chun did not use them when he parked the truck. Wheel chocks are used to prevent parked vehicles from moving. In his judgment, DJ Bay said that the ineffective braking system played a part in the accident. He added that the position of the truck at a gradient of 2.045 degrees and Chuns failure to use wheel chocks to stop it from moving were the other contributing factors. This accident highlights the need for operators of such heavy vehicles to regularly and conscientiously observe basic safety procedures, said DJ Bay. Donald Trump has given Hillary Clinton a number of small gifts in the early days of their head-to-head battle for the presidency. Taking eminently mockable policy positions, appearing uninterested in the actual work of running and funding a serious campaign, and being bad at it when he decides to try it are just a few. The cumulative effect of these and other weaknesses in Trumps candidacy may be enough to grant the former secretary of state one additional present -- the ability to choose the running mate she wants rather than the running mate she needs. Clinton aides suggested as much to CNN just yesterday, saying it has even become less important for her to explicitly court supporters of her closest rival for the nomination, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, with her choice. Related: TrumpThe Gift That Keeps on Giving to Democrats The process of choosing a vice presidential candidate is always cloaked in mystery. It happens, for the most part, completely behind closed doors, and the ultimate choice is usually the result of a Moneyball-type calculation that treats fitness for the job as just one of the criteria. Theres plenty of evidence of vice-presidential candidates chosen not because the person at the top of the ticket thought they would be the best person to take over the Oval Office but because he or she might serve the much more short-term goal of getting to the Oval Office in the first place. Is there anyone who believes that Sen. John McCain chose Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate in 2008 because he thought she was the best person in the country to put one heartbeat away from the presidency? Well, its a big world, so somebody probably does. But theyre wrong. Palin, like many before her, was picked in a purely political calculation meant to shore up the McCain campaign. Thats why many have assumed that Clinton would look for a running mate who expressly appeals to the far-left element of the party people who supported Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in the primary elections. Story continues Related: Top Picks for Hillary Clintons Vice President But things have changed. Trump appears to have strengthened the Democrats hold on many of their core states while loosening the Republicans grip on traditional battleground states. This suggests that Clinton has the rare chance as a major party presidential candidate to choose the person she wants as a vice president based primarily on that persons ability to do the job and his or her fitness to step into the Oval Office if necessary. I think thats right, said Kyle Kondik, the managing editor of Sabatos Crystal Ball at the University of Virginias Center for Politics. If the presumptive Republican nominee were stronger, Clintons considerations might be different. She already may be inclined to make a selection that was appealing to the Sanders camp, but she probably has less pressure to satisfy the Sanders backers because shes already leading and Sanders is still in the race. That said, he added, Clinton has a lot of incentive to simply play it safe right now, and Ive always thought the first rule of VP selection mimics the so-called Hippocratic Oath: First, do no harm. That rule may end up looming large in Clintons decision. Top Reads from The Fiscal Times: By Emily Flitter NEW YORK (Reuters) - Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump staged a harsh attack on his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton on Wednesday, accusing her of corruption and dangerous incompetence as he tried to put his campaign back on track after recent setbacks. In a speech in New York that Clinton's campaign called "nutty" and that was criticized by some Republicans, Trump argued that the former secretary of state is part of a political establishment that has cheated American workers through bad trade deals and endangered U.S. national security. Both candidates are seeking to overcome their high unfavorable ratings among voters at the Nov. 8 election by painting the other as a villain who puts personal gain over the interests of less powerful Americans. Even by the standards of modern presidential races, the sparring between Clinton, a former secretary of state and U.S. senator, and brash businessman Trump has made for unusually acidic rhetoric. "Hillary Clinton may be the most corrupt person ever to seek the presidency of the United States," Trump told a small crowd of supporters at a hotel he owns in Manhattan, accusing her of having run the State Department "like her own personal hedge fund." Clinton's staff quickly dismissed that attack and others as "lies." Trump read his speech from a teleprompter to curb his off-the-cuff comments but he pulled no punches. He said Clinton "has perfected the politics of personal profit and theft" and described her as "a world-class liar." Republican Lindsey Graham, a U.S. senator from South Carolina who has so far declined to support Trump, said he disagreed that Clinton may be the most corrupt person to have run for the White House, and challenged Trump to become more presidential. My advice to Mr. Trump would be to make the case that you have the temperament, knowledge and judgment to be president, he said on CNN. Thats the mountain youve got to climb. Trump's campaign has been distracted in recent weeks by racially-charged comments he made about a Mexican-American judge and the Republican's firing of campaign manager Corey Lewandowski this week. The New York real estate mogul is trailing Clinton in most opinion polls, and campaign finance figures released on Monday show he has raised only a fraction of the amount Clinton has brought in, although Trump has said he is willing to loan his campaign more money. CLINTON FOUNDATION In his speech, Trump repeated accusations that Clinton's decisions as America's top diplomat were influenced by donations to the Clinton Foundation and associated charities. Clinton and her staff have denied this and similar allegations, dismissing them as politically motivated smears. "The only thing Donald Trump offered today was more hypocritical lies and nutty conspiracy theories," Clinton spokesman Glen Caplin said. The State Department has said it is not aware of any evidence of improper influence, although it has acknowledged that new donations from foreign governments should have been submitted to the department's ethics advisers for prior review but were not, in breach of an ethics agreement Clinton signed before taking office. Trump attacked the Clinton Foundation for accepting millions of dollars from Saudi Arabia and other countries criticized by the United States for not protecting the rights of women and gay people. Clinton's husband, former President Bill Clinton, has said that accepting such funding is not an endorsement of everything a foreign government does. Clinton added a pointed defense of the Clinton Foundation in a speech later on Wednesday. "The Clinton Foundation helps poor people around the world get access to lifesaving AIDS medicine," she told cheering supporters in Raleigh, North Carolina. "Donald Trump uses poor people around the world to produce his line of suits and ties." Trump also said Clinton had used bad political judgment in her four years as secretary of state, failing to stop the rise of Islamic State, keep strong sanctions on Iran or avoid chaos in Libya. "Her decisions spread death, destruction and terrorism everywhere she touched," Trump said. On Tuesday, Clinton delivered her own blistering attack on Trump, saying that putting him in the White House would be a disaster for the U.S. economy. On Wednesday, Clinton won the endorsement of former U.S. National Security Adviser Brent Scowcroft, a Republican who served under Presidents Gerald Ford and George H.W. Bush. A Reuters/Ipsos poll this week showed that 44.5 percent of likely voters backed Clinton, while 35.5 percent supported Trump. Some of the accusations made by Trump on Wednesday appeared to contradict the public record. He said Clinton would admit hundreds of thousands of refugees to the United States without any prior screening. But under the current process, refugees must wait months or years in foreign camps while U.S. security agencies review their backgrounds, a system Clinton supports. Trump said Clinton was sleeping "soundly" in her bed as a deadly attack unfolded in Benghazi, Libya, in 2012 in which four Americans were killed. State Department records show Clinton was in her State Department office when news of the opening assaults came through. She has said she later worked through the night on the U.S. response. (Additional reporting by Jonathan Allen; Editing by Alistair Bell and Leslie Adler) Washington (AFP) - Billionaire Donald Trump attended a New York reception early Wednesday aimed at raising funds for his presidential campaign, as he seeks to narrow the massive financial advantage enjoyed by rival Hillary Clinton. The presumptive Republican nominee, whose recent paltry campaign finance figures sounded an alarm about Trump's preparedness for a gruelling general election battle, held a closed-door $25,000-per-plate breakfast at Italian restaurant Le Cipriani for major donors, according to The Wall Street Journal. A maximum of $2,700 per donor is allowed to go to the Trump campaign, with the rest going to the Republican Party. On Tuesday, Trump pledged to "personally" match supporters' donations dollar for dollar for the next 48 hours, up to $2 million total. The fundraising push follows Trump's and Clinton's latest filings to the Federal Election Commission (FEC), which showed the former secretary of state's campaign had $40 million more in cash on hand than Trump's. "I have a lot more than $40 million if I want to use my own money," Trump told Fox News on Wednesday. "I think our next numbers are going to be quite good. But, more importantly, I don't to want raise billions of dollars." Trump has repeatedly knocked political rivals for being beholden to mega-donors. "So, I can do it for much, much less and, I think, win," he added. His style of campaign financing has been unconventional. He has so far lent his campaign $45.7 million. He is entitled to raise money from supporters to have those funds reimbursed, but he told MSNBC in May that he had "absolutely no intention of paying myself back." A substantial amount of Trump's campaign expenses -- about 20 percent in the month of May -- is being shifted back to his own businesses, the New York Times reported, citing campaign finance filings and the paper's review of the 1,699-page Trump campaign declaration to the FEC. For example, the campaign paid $423,000 for the use of Trump's Mar-a-Lago Club in Florida, where he has held several press conferences. Payments were also made to the company managing Trump's fleet of aircraft which he has used to criss-cross the nation ($350,000), to Trump Restaurants ($125,000) and to Trump Tower ($170,000), his New York headquarters where his campaign rents office space. BERLIN (Reuters) - Turkey is blocking the plans of a senior German defence official to visit Incirlik air base in July, a spokesman for the German defence ministry said on Wednesday, in a sign of increasingly tense relations between the two NATO allies. Germany has about 250 soldiers stationed at the base in southern Turkey, along with six Tornado reconnaissance jets and a refueling plane, all of which are participating in a U.S.-led air campaign against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria. "Turkish officials do not currently approve of the travel plans," a ministry spokesman said, confirming a report published by the website of the German magazine Spiegel. Ralf Brauksiepe, a deputy to German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen, had planned to visit the Incirlik military air base along with some German lawmakers next month, the spokesman said, adding that Berlin still hoped the trip could go ahead. Turkish officials were not immediately available for comment. Just last week, a German defence ministry spokesman had said the two countries were finalizing an agreement on construction of new housing and aircraft facilities for German forces at the Incirlik air base, holding the deal up as evidence of the continued strength of German-Turkish military relations. Ties between Germany and Turkey have been strained over a number of issues, including a resolution adopted by the German parliament that declares the 1915 massacres of Armenians by Ottoman Turkish forces a genocide. Ankara strongly denies that the killings a century ago amount to a genocide. German Chancellor Angela Merkel is keen to stress common interests with Turkey as she presses to complete an EU-Turkey deal that would stem the flow of migrants to Europe in return for cash, visa-free travel rights for Turkish citizens and accelerated talks on Ankara's EU membership. But she faces pressure at home to take a tougher stance against Turkey over its treatment of human rights activists and recent statements by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan suggesting that German lawmakers of Turkish origin had "tainted blood". A German court on Tuesday rejected an appeal by Erdogan after he was denied an injunction to prevent a German media executive from repeating an insulting poem about the Turkish leader. (Reporting by Sabine Siebold; Writing by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Gareth Jones) Berlin (AFP) - Turkey has barred a German delegation from visiting an air base used to fight jihadists in Syria, amid a bitter diplomatic spat between Berlin and Ankara, officials said Wednesday. Germany's parliament early this month infuriated Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan by declaring the Ottomans' First World War-era massacre of Armenians a genocide, sparking threats of retaliation by the NATO partner country. Ankara has now cancelled a previously-scheduled July visit by Germany's state secretary for defence Ralf Brauksiepe and other lawmakers to Incirlik air base, a German defence ministry spokesman said. "The Turkish authorities at the moment are not approving the travel plans," said the spokesman. "There is no written statement on the reason," he said, adding that the delegation still hoped to make the trip. News website Spiegel Online reported a ministry official had told a closed parliamentary panel that Turkey had said it blocked the visit because of the Armenia vote. Germany last December agreed to send Tornado surveillance jets and tanker aircraft to Incirlik to aid the multinational coalition fighting the Islamic State group in neighbouring Syria. Since then German-Turkish relations have come under increasing strain, with Germany criticising Turkey's tough line against critical journalists and its Kurdish minority. Ties plunged to a new low after the Armenia vote, when Erdogan charged that the 11 German MPs with Turkish roots who backed the resolution should undergo "blood tests" to see "what kind of Turks they are". ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey will continue to meet with Palestinian group Hamas in its efforts to promote a long-lasting peace in the region, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Wednesday, adding the meetings were not an obstacle in the normalization of ties with Israel. Turkey and Israel have said they are close to patching up a six-year-old political rift caused when Israeli commandoes killed 10 Turkish activists while storming the Mavi Marmara, a ship in a convoy seeking to break an Israeli naval blockade of the Palestinian territory of Gaza. Turkey has demanded Israel apologize, pay compensation and lift the Gaza blockade. For Israel, limiting Hamas activity in Turkey has been key. (This version of the story corrects the second paragraph to show that the political rift is six years old, not five) (Reporting by Gulsen Solaker and Ece Toksabay; Writing by David Dolan; Editing by Humeyra Pamuk) Ankara (AFP) - Turkey said Wednesday that reaching a deal to normalise relations with Israel downgraded after a 2010 Israeli raid on a Gaza-bound Turkish vessel depended on steps taken by the Jewish state. Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Turkey had made its demands crystal clear ahead of upcoming talks -- while insisting that Ankara's relationship with Palestinian militant group Hamas, which rules Gaza, was not a condition in the talks. Two of Turkey's key conditions for normalisation -- an apology for the deadly 2010 raid and compensation -- were largely met, leaving its third demand, that Israel lift its blockade on the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, as the main obstacle. "Whether a deal can be reached at the first upcoming meeting depends on the steps to be taken by Israel," Cavusoglu told a news conference in Ankara. "Our conditions are not very complicated, they are plain conditions," Cavusoglu said. "They need to be fulfilled the same as our apology demand." He did not give the date of the meeting although press reports have said it would take place on Sunday and be followed by an announcement on the normalisation of ties. Relations between once close allies Turkey and Israel hit an all-time low 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 the Hamas-run Gaza Strip. 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. All 10 were Turkish nationals. - 'No Hamas condition' - The Hurriyet newspaper reported on Tuesday that the announcement for a deal would be made after talks between top Turkish foreign ministry official Feridun Sinirlioglu and Israel's pointman on Turkish relations, Joseph Ciechanover. It did not say where the talks would be held. Israeli daily Yedioth Aharonot reported on Wednesday that the next round of talks would be held in Turkey and an announcement made there. Story continues Previous reports have said that for any normalisation, Israel also wants Turkey to prevent senior Hamas operative Salah Aruri from entering its territory and acting from there. Ankara has never confirmed his presence in Turkey. A report in the Turkish daily newspaper Karar Wednesday suggested that all Hamas operatives previously based in Turkey had left the country for Qatar several months ago at the request of Turkish authorities. Turkey is a key backer of Hamas, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan holding regular meetings with the Doha-based Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal. Cavusoglu on Wednesday said Turkey's contacts with Hamas were "not clandestine" and that they would continue for the sake of intra-Palestinian unity and Middle East peace. But he ruled out any condition about Hamas for a deal with Israel. "There is no such a condition like Hamas for normalisation of our bilateral relations with Israel and there cannot be." 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 neighbours after serious ruptures not just with Israel but also with Egypt and Russia. By Nick Tattersall and Paul Taylor ISTANBUL/BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Britain's Brexit campaign and the rise of Europe's populist right have further dented Turkish hopes of ever joining the EU, leaving President Tayyip Erdogan largely indifferent to its criticism and weakening an anchor of Turkish reform. While neither side has any interest in ending Turkey's decade-long accession process, their relations are increasingly transactional, driven by mutual need in areas such as migration, trade and security, rather than by convergence towards European Union norms on democracy and basic rights. Warnings from populist leaders around Europe of creeping Islamization and from campaigners for a British exit from the EU of dire consequences if Turkey, a Muslim nation of 78 million, ever joins, have led Turkish leaders to complain increasingly openly about what they see as European Islamophobia. "Europe, you don't want us because the majority of our population are Muslim ... We knew it but we tried to show our sincerity," Erdogan said at a graduation ceremony in Istanbul on Wednesday, the eve of Britain's "Brexit" vote, quipping that Turkey too could hold such a referendum. "We will go and ask the public whether we should continue negotiations with the EU," he said. Turkey has so far lived up to its side of a landmark deal with Brussels to stop illegal migration to Europe via its shores, in return for financial aid, the promise of visa-free travel to much of the bloc and accelerated talks on membership. But it has alarmed EU leaders by pressing ahead with a crackdown on Erdogan's opponents, including moves to prosecute pro-Kurdish opposition politicians on terrorism charges, the detention of journalists and academics, and changes in the judiciary seen by critics as a purge of dissident judges. "The EU-Turkey deal (on migration) is holding and there's no reason to fear it won't hold, despite the public bluster," a senior EU source told Reuters, pointing out that the numbers of illegal migrants crossing from Turkey had dropped sharply. "But there are grounds to be quite worried about Turkey's overall direction of travel," the source said, pointing to the plans to remove hundreds of judges and to the recent lifting of immunity for members of parliament, a step toward the prosecution of opposition deputies. Turkey has so far refused to back down on a key sticking point in the bid to secure visa-free travel to Europe's 26-nation Schengen area, namely EU demands that it change sweeping anti-terrorism laws used against intellectuals, Kurdish sympathizers and Erdogan's critics. That risks further antagonizing a skeptical European Parliament, the EU's most vocal institution on human rights and freedom, which has to approve visa liberalization. Turkey says the anti-terror laws are crucial when an insurgency by militants in its largely Kurdish southeast is at its most violent since the 1990s, and when it faces a growing threat from Islamic State fighters from neighboring Syria. "A change of attitude is out of the question," Yasin Aktay, deputy chairman of the ruling AK Party, told Reuters. But officials on both sides are hoping for a compromise. Some EU leaders, notably Donald Tusk, the former Polish premier who chairs EU summits and was involved in negotiating the migrant deal with Erdogan, argue that Turkey should not get all the credit for the decline in migrant arrivals. Tightening borders and sealing off Greece from the rest of Europe had delivered a drop before the deal with Ankara was signed, an EU official said, suggesting Turkey was not in as strong a negotiating position as it might think. "We feel that we have the leverage. We are not solely in the hands of Turkey," the official said. Brussels aides also note that Ankara's ties with Russia, the United States, Syria, Iran and Israel are all strained, hence it needs better relations with the EU. DOMESTIC PRIORITIES European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said last month Erdogan should "think twice" before refusing to change the anti-terrorism laws and warned he would "have to explain to the Turkish people why he is responsible for them not getting the right to travel freely in Europe". The combative Turkish leader, well used to demonizing the EU to his loyal supporters, is seeking popular backing to change the constitution and boost his powers. He is counting on the support of nationalists more interested in seeing him take a hard line on Kurdish militants than kowtow to Brussels. "Fundamentally, Erdogan may have calculated that as much as visa freedom would be a positive development, it is not enough of a benefit for him to be seen to be soft on terror," said Sinan Ulgen, chairman of Istanbul-based think tank EDAM. Such political calculation will increasingly lie at the heart of Turkey's dealings with the EU, Ulgen said, predicting Ankara would cooperate with Brussels only in areas where it saw a clear strategic interest. "For all practical purposes the accession dynamic is dead ... In a way it has become inconsequential as far as Erdogan is concerned," said Ulgen, a visiting scholar at Carnegie Europe and a former diplomat in Turkey's EU delegation. "It will be a piecemeal effort to concoct areas of common interest and build structures of cooperation as the need arises ... That has been the case for refugees, that will be the case for economic integration, possibly for cooperation on counter-terrorism, and areas like that." Turkey will take a modest step forward in the accession process on June 30 when it opens a new chapter of negotiations with the EU on budget policy. EU officials say the European Commission will adopt a draft negotiating mandate in October or November to widen a 20-year customs union with Ankara, a bigger potential prize which they believe reformist parts of the government are determined to secure and which they hope will give Brussels extra leverage. Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek, seen as one of few reformers in a new government dominated by allies of Erdogan, told Reuters last week that such a deal to extend the union to cover services, agriculture and public procurement could make Turkey the bloc's third largest trade partner. But he said Turkey's influence in the Middle East, its role as an energy hub and its importance as an intelligence partner meant relations with Europe were not a one-way street. "Europe needs Turkey if it wants to have a stronger say in international affairs in this geography, if it wants energy supply security, if it wants even overall security," he said. "It is in our interests to remain anchored to Europe, and it is in Europes interests to keep Turkey firmly anchored to Europe." (Additional reporting by Ercan Gurses in Ankara, Alastair Macdonald in Brussels; Writing by Nick Tattersall; editing by Philippa Fletcher) ANKARA (Reuters) - It was not right that Turkey's status as a candidate to join the European Union was being used as an argument in the Brexit campaign, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Wednesday. "It is not right that the issue of when Turkey will become a member of the EU is used in the Brexit campaign. Turkey has never been a burden on the EU," Cavusoglu told a news conference in Ankara. Cavusoglu added that Turkey would like Britain to stay in the EU for a stronger bloc. (Reporting by Gulsen Solaker and Ece Toksabay) Twitter Inc TWTR has launched a new iOS compatible app, Engage, for creators to allow them to interact with users, keep tabs on engagement levels and evaluate performance of tweets down to the second. Also, a few chosen creators will be able to monetize their content directly. There will also be a curated recommendations tool to identify high-profile engagement opportunities and a refined view of influential @mentions and follows. As far as videos are concerned, Twitter will now allow users to post longer videos of 140 seconds as against the 30 seconds time limit earlier. Twitter has also improved the browsing experience to enable users find videos easily on both Vine and Twitter platforms. Users can now click on video tweet on their timeline to a launch full screen mode with more video tweets appearing below. CEO Jack Dorsey said we're investing heavily in videos and creators. We want to be the best place for creators and influencers to build an audience and make it easier for creators to make money on Twitter, and soon Vine." Twitter further said with video Tweets increasing by over 50 percent since the beginning of 2016, Twitter's new video products will make it easier, and soon more profitable, for creators to make videos and for fans to discover and share them. Social media services companies have started to go full throttle with video viewing. Online video is the most lucrative component of digital advertising. As video ads generate more revenues than their photo and text based counterparts, companies are trying to incorporate more and more video oriented content to bring in more ad dollars. Moreover, it is the live feature that is emerging as a terrific opportunity. As per an e-marketer report, U.S online ad spending will be to the tune of $9.8 billion in 2016, up 22.7% year over year, and will reach a staggering $16.7 billion by 2020. Story continues Not just Twitter, Facebook FB is also ramping up its video content efforts. Recently, as per The Wall Street Journal report, the social media service has signed nearly 140 deals worth $50 million with several media firms and celebrities to churn out live video content for its Live platform. Among media firms, Facebooks deal with BuzzFeed for $3.05 million is the biggest. There are as many as 17 deals worth over $1 million including deals with The New York Times and CNN for $3.03 million and $2.5 million, respectively. Facebook has also brought on board several celebrities like actor Kevin Hart, Chef Gordon Ramsay and Indian American author Deepak Chopra. At present, Twitter carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Better-ranked stocks include NetEase, Inc. NTES and CommVault Systems, Inc. CVLT. Both carry 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 NETEASE INC (NTES): Free Stock Analysis Report COMMVAULT SYSTM (CVLT): Free Stock Analysis Report FACEBOOK INC-A (FB): Free Stock Analysis Report TWITTER INC (TWTR): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research (SANTA ANA, Calif.) Two Southern California men were convicted Tuesday of trying to become fighters for the Islamic State terrorist group. Nader Elhuzayel and Muhanad Badawi were each convicted of conspiracy to aid a foreign terrorist organization, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison. The 25-year-old Anaheim men concocted a scheme last year for Elhuzayel to fly to the Middle East to fight for the Islamic State, federal officials said. Badawi, a college engineering student, also was convicted of aiding and abetting an attempt to provide support for terrorists and financial aid fraud. Authorities say he used a federal college grant to support the cause. In April 2015, he let Elhuzayel use his debit card to buy a one-way plane ticket to Israel with a six-hour layover in Turkey, according to an FBI court affidavit. Elhuzayel also was convicted of 26 counts of bank fraud. Federal officials said he deposited stolen checks in his bank accounts and withdrew money at Orange County banks. Federal officials said he intended to use the cash to go to Syria to fight. He is facing up to 30 years in federal prison on each bank fraud count. The FBI affidavit said the men shared their support for the Islamic State in conversation and on social media, sharing photos of unbelievers being beheaded and expressing wishes to die as martyrs. Elhuzayel had sworn allegiance to the leader of Isis on a video and he used the Islamic State flag as the profile picture on a Facebook page, authorities said. These two defendants betrayed their country and sought to join a terrorist organization dedicated to brutally murdering innocent people, U.S. Attorney Eileen M. Decker said in a statement. Badawis attorney, Kate Corrigan, had argued that he never actually intended to fight for the Islamic State but was a lot of talk and absolutely no action. Attorneys for both men also contended that their comments were offensive but not criminal. Elhuzayel had a First Amendment right to the comments he made on social media even if it makes you cringe, his attorney, Pal Lengyel-Leahu, had argued. Both men had been jailed since their arrest last year. While in custody, Badawi stopped eating and dropped from 140 to 109 pounds before a judge ordered him force-fed last December. Johannesburg (AFP) - Two people have been killed and more than 40 arrested in pre-election violence in townships around South Africa's capital Pretoria, police said Wednesday. Police spokeswoman Noxolo Kweza said two people were killed on Tuesday night after shops were looted in Mamelodi township in the wake of internal ANC protests linked to upcoming municipal elections. Factional violence broke out late Monday over the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party's choice of a mayoral candidate in Pretoria for the hotly-contested vote on August 3. "We have arrested more than 40 people since yesterday and this morning for different crimes related to the protests," Kweza told AFP adding that peace had been restored by Wednesday morning. No details were released on how the two victims died. Police said those arrested had been charged with violence, theft and possession of stolen property. At least 20 buses were torched in Mamelodi on Monday during protests sparked by the ANC's choice of Thoko Didiza as mayoral candidate. Didiza, a former minister under the late president Nelson Mandela, was nominated by the ANC amid deep local divisions over the proposed candidates for Tshwane mayor, the municipality that includes Pretoria. 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. Senior ANC figures condemned the violence, with party secretary general Gwede Mantashe blaming the destruction of property on "thuggery". Several deaths attributed to tension between rival factions within the ANC have been reported around the country in the run-up to the August elections. The party, which led the struggle against apartheid and has ruled since 1994, could be dealt an electoral blow due to record unemployment and the dire conditions in which many black people still live. "While the ANC is still popular in rural communities... the party has lost significant support in the largest cities," Robert Besseling, of risk advisers EXX Africa, said in an email. "Socio-economic grievances will intensify ongoing political unrest." Washington (AFP) - Two sick workers evacuated from a remote US research station near the South Pole have reached Chile after a risky rescue mission carried out in the dead of Antarctica's winter, US officials said. A Twin Otter turboprop plane flew in dark and cold conditions to pick up the workers from the Amundsen-Scott station, about 250 meters (820 feet) from the geographic South Pole, a spokesman for the US National Science Foundation (NSF), Peter West told AFP. After a stop at a British station on the edge of Antarctica lasting several hours, another Twin Otter flew the two workers to Puntas Arenas, Chile's southernmost city, the NSF later said in a statement posted on its Facebook page. The plane landed around 9:40 pm on Wednesday (0140 GMT Thursday). The plane's crew and a medical team had made the 10-hour journey to the South Pole from the British Antarctic Survey's Rothera research station some 2,200 kilometers (about 1,365 miles) away in the middle of the continent's 24-hour winter on Tuesday night to reach the patients, who could not be treated on site. The NSF -- the US research agency that operates the Amundsen-Scott Station -- organized the rescue mission last week given the condition of the first patient, which was not disclosed for privacy reasons. "It was really an emergency," West said. It later became apparent that the second worker also needed to be evacuated. The sick workers -- employees of the US company Lockheed Martin who worked on base logistics and were not identified -- were then to be transferred to a hospital in South America, West said, without giving further details. The Amundsen-Scott base was home to 48 people -- 39 men and nine women -- who work on-site throughout the austral winter, which spans February through October. - Rare rescue mission - Near the world's southernmost point, workers spend this period withstanding nearly complete darkness and dramatically low temperatures -- on Tuesday, the thermometer dropped to -60 degrees Celsius (-76 degrees Fahrenheit). Story continues It was only the third time that an emergency rescue operation has been launched in the middle of winter. In 2001, the only doctor at the Amundsen-Scott station was suffering from a life-threatening pancreatic condition and required urgent evacuation. A second medical evacuation was carried out that year. In 1999, the US station's doctor Jerri Nielsen, who was self-treating her own breast cancer, required medical evacuation but weather conditions were more favorable, as the mission took place in the spring. The Twin Otter plane, operated by the Canadian company Kenn Borek Air, is specially designed to operate in extremely cold temperatures. Research projects at the Amundsen-Scott station include monitoring long-term levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. The station also operates two telescopes that observe "cosmic microwave background" radiation -- the faint light signature left by the Big Bang -- to study the origins of the universe, dark energy and dark matter. Boeing says it has signed an agreement with Iran Air under which the Islamic Republics state airline expressed its intent to buy its aircraft, the Associated Press is reporting Tuesday. The deal, if approved by the U.S. government, would be the largest since the U.S. and Iran severed ties after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. In a statement to the AP, Boeing said: 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. As we reported last week, Abbas Akhoundi, Irans minister of roads and urban development, told local media that Iran would buy 100 aircraft from the Chicago-based aviation giant, a deal that could be worth billions. But, as we noted: But a potential deal faces obstacles, not least of them the fact any such agreement with the Islamic Republic is subject to U.S. government approval. The U.S. still has non-nuclear sanctions on Iran, and many congressional lawmakers, who opposed the nuclear agreement Iran struck with the U.S. and other world powers, are likely to oppose the deal, as well. In January IranAir struck a $27 billion deal to buy 118 planes from Airbus, the European airplane manufacturer that is Boeings largest rival. Akhoundi told the AP the deal with Boeing would be worth about the same amount. Read more from The Atlantic: This article was originally published on The Atlantic. By David Randall NEW YORK, June 22 (Reuters) - Market volatility heading into Thursday's British vote on whether to remain in the European Union is creating opportunities to buy homebuilders, banks and consumer companies linked to the domestic economy in Britain, contrarian fund managers from several well-known firms say. Their argument: That domestic companies should hold up better than the market expects even if voters elect to leave the European Union, partly because they tend to have strong balance sheets and could weather the costs of a transition. Domestic-focused British companies would also see less of an impact by any declines in the value of the sterling. "Obviously, the stock market could be worse in the short-term with a 'leave' vote, but we don't see demand for services being impacted significantly," said Connor Muldoon, a portfolio manager at Causeway Capital Management, which manages $40 billion in total assets. Muldoon's funds owns banks such as Lloyd's Banking Group PLC that are large mortgage lenders and which are down for the year to date. Domestic companies have been the most hurt in the run-up to the referendum. The FTSE 250 index, made up of companies on the London Stock Exchange that tend to be more dependent on domestic spending, is down 2.5 percent in the year to date, while the larger, more globally focused companies in the FTSE 100 are up slightly for the year. Vince Montemaggiore, who manages the $5.3 billion Fidelity Overseas Fund, said that he remains overweight on companies "with a defensible moat" that focus on the British domestic economy, while remaining underweight on Europe as a whole. Consumer company Reckitt Benckiser Group PLC, the parent of brands ranging from Durex condoms to Lysol disinfectant spray, was among his top holdings in his April quarterly disclosures, according to Morningstar data. "I do like the odds but we have to wait as the world figures out what the future is going to look like in Europe," he said. Story continues Jim Tringas, a portfolio manager at Wells Fargo Asset Management who co-manages the $226 million Global Opportunities Fund and the $941 million Special Small Cap Value fund, said that he added to Britain-focused real estate stocks over the last week as the market swooned. "We've been finding opportunities to buy very strong franchises that were down significantly because of the macro factor," he said. (Editing by Linda Stern and Bernadette Baum) U.S. Chamber of Commerce CEO Tom Donohue is pushing the Trans-Pacific Partnership [TPP] as a way to help grow the U.S. economy and create jobs. First of all, we must do the pacific trade agreement and get it done by the end of this year Donohue told the FOX Business Networks Maria Bartiromo. Donohue warned that if the deal does not go through, China will become even more powerful. We need it for two fundamental reasons, it will significantly increase jobs in this country. It will significantly increase jobs and economic development in our trading partners. And the second reason, if we fail to do it, all those countries in the pacific wing are only going to have one place to go for their economic and other issues and thats with China. We have to do this deal. Clinton and Trump are opposed to TPP. That opposition says Donohue is an old-trick on the campaign trail. Let me explain something, when you look at what happened in France, when the president is running for office and all of a sudden his polls go in the can, the first thing he does is say were not going to do a trade deal with the United States because of agriculture and because of our culture. Its an easy way to cover up your other shortcomings, blame it on somebody else. Donohue added their opposition is a form of a scare tactic. Im saying when you get into presidential politics, and even politics in the Senate and the House, people never want to talk about the real issues. You have to find the things you can scare people about or you think theyll understand, or who youre going to blame, you never blame yourself. Related Articles BAGHDAD/BEIRUT (Reuters) - The U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State in Syria and Iraq said on Wednesday it was tightening the noose around militants in the Syrian city of Manbij near the Turkish border but expected them to fight to the end to defend their stronghold. A U.S.-backed alliance of Kurdish and Arab fighters supported by coalition air strikes cut off the group's supply lines to Manbij in a rapid advance this month against Islamic State in the area. The offensive aims to sever the group's only major route to the outside world. But it has stopped short of an assault on the city itself out of concern for civilians inside, the U.S.-backed alliance says. An IS counter-attack on Monday inflicted heavy casualties, monitors reported. "We're around the city and we're coming in, and we've cut the lines of communication into it and the noose is getting tighter around the city," Baghdad-based U.S. Army Colonel Chris Garver told reporters. "We are anticipating that that's going to be another good fight when we get in there." "We've anticipated that they (IS) would hold Manbij till the last, that it would be one of those places that they defended till the end and we have not seen anything that's going to change that assessment right now," Garver said. The Syria Democratic Forces, which include the Kurdish YPG militia and Arab fighting groups, has led the offensive on the ground. A statement from the alliance on Tuesday said they had thwarted an IS counter-attack outside Manbij which included the use of vehicles laden with explosives. British-based monitoring group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says scores of IS fighters and dozens of SDF fighters have been killed in the three-week offensive. The U.S.-led coalition says at least 20 fighters from the Arab contingent of the SDF have died. The Observatory said more than 3,000 civilians have fled Manbij during the fighting, and that clashes continue in the countryside around the city. (Reporting by Stephen Kalin and John Davison; Editing by Richard Balmforth) (Adds mortgage applications, analyst comments, updates markets) * Existing home sales increase 1.8 percent in May * Sales increase in three regions, fall in Midwest * Housing inventory rises 1.4 percent By Lucia Mutikani WASHINGTON, June 22 (Reuters) - U.S. home resales rose in May to a more than nine-year high amid low mortgage rates, pointing to sustained housing market strength that should keep the economy on solid ground. The fairly strong existing home sales report on Wednesday added to retail sales and international trade data in painting an upbeat picture of the economy in the second quarter. A sharp slowdown in job growth in May had cast doubts on whether growth was picking up after almost stalling in the first quarter. "The housing market recovery is truly back on track ..., which should reinforce confidence that the economic recovery is moving in the right direction," said Millan Mulraine, deputy chief economist at TD Securities in New York. The National Association of Realtors said existing home sales gained 1.8 percent to an annual rate of 5.53 million units last month, the highest level since February 2007. April's sales pace was revised down to 5.43 million units from the previously reported 5.45 million units. Economists had forecast sales rising 1.1 percent to a 5.54 million-unit pace in May. Sales were up 4.5 percent from a year ago. U.S. financial markets were little moved by the report as investors nervously awaited the outcome of Britain's referendum on European Union membership on Thursday. But the PHLX housing index rose 0.55 percent. Shares in the nation's largest homebuilder, D.R. Horton Inc, gained 0.29 percent while Lennar Corp rose 0.93 percent. Despite rising for three straight months, existing home sales remain constrained by a shortage of homes available for sale. The dearth of properties is keeping home prices elevated, sidelining some first-time buyers. The median house price soared 4.7 percent from a year ago to a record $239,700 last month. The rate of increase has, however, slowed from last year's brisk pace. Story continues Demand for housing is being driven by historically low mortgage rates, improving household formation as some young adults find employment and older Americans move into smaller and cheaper homes. The 30-year fixed mortgage rate averaged 3.60 percent in May, the lowest level since May 2013, according to mortgage finance firm Freddie Mac. Home resales are likely to increase in June. A separate report from the Mortgage Bankers Association showed mortgage applications increased 2.9 percent last week. 'TRADE-UP BUYERS' "The extended run of extraordinarily low mortgage rates is clearly bringing trade-up buyers back into the market," said Mark Vitner, a senior economist at Wells Fargo Securities in Charlotte, North Carolina. "Many buyers might have been hesitant to give up their current low-rate mortgage that they refinanced into a few years ago, but now are looking at essentially the same mortgage rates that they were three years ago." Last month, existing home sales surged 4.1 percent in the Northeast and climbed 4.6 percent in the South. Sales in the West, which has seen a strong increase in house prices amid tight inventories, jumped 5.4 percent. In the Midwest, sales tumbled 6.5 percent last month. The decline, however, followed recent hefty gains. While the number of unsold homes on the market in May rose 1.4 percent from April to 2.15 million units, supply was down 5.7 percent from a year ago. In May, new listings typically stayed on the market for 32 days, the shortest period of time since the NAR started tracking the data. That was down from 39 days in April and 40 days a year ago. At May's sales pace, it would take 4.7 months to clear the stock of houses on the market, unchanged from April. A six-month supply is viewed as a healthy balance between supply and demand. Economists say builders will need to ramp up construction of new homes to meet the pent-up demand. House price increases are outstripping wage gains. While that could make home purchasing expensive for first-time buyers, it is boosting equity for homeowners and enticing some to put their homes on the market. "We expect moderate price appreciation to increase homeowner equity, encouraging inventory expansion and sustaining the pace of existing home sales through 2016," said Kristin Reynolds, a U.S. economist at IHS Global Insight in Lexington, Massachusetts. Last month, the share of first-time buyers fell to 30 percent from 32 percent in both April and a year ago. (Reporting by Lucia Mutikani; Editing by Paul Simao) By Sebastien Malo NEW YORK (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Women will get free tampons and sanitary pads in New York City schools, jails and shelters under a first-of-its-kind program whose supporters argue that costly hurdles to feminine hygiene products amount to discrimination. The program was unanimously approved this week in an array of bills by the New York City Council and awaits the signature of Mayor Bill de Blasio, who has said he supports it. It comes as part of a national debate started by advocates who say many women are unable to afford products that can cost more than $100 a year. "Menstrual hygiene products are as necessary as toilet paper and should be treated as basic bathroom supplies," said Julissa Ferreras-Copeland, a city council member who championed the measure, in a statement. The program is the first of its kind, according to Ferreras-Copeland. Once the program is in place, the city will spend an estimated $2.4 million annually to provide tampons and pads to students at public schools, residents of city shelters and inmates at jails and other correctional facilities. Some 2 million tampons and 3.5 million pads will be handed out yearly in shelters alone, Ferreras-Copeland said. "It's groundbreaking," Jennifer Weiss-Wolf, who helped lead the drive, told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "This is truly a policy victory. Hopefully that will be replicated." Elise Joy, who with her 13-year-old daughter co-founded Girls Helping Girls Period, a non-profit group that donates feminine hygiene products to those in need, said she was thrilled. "This is just a very simple matter of human dignity," she said. Five of the 50 U.S. states exempt feminine hygiene products from sales taxes, and several more are considering similar moves. In New York state, a bill to end sales tax on tampons and sanitary napkins is awaiting the governor's signature to become law. (Reporting by Sebastien Malo, Editing by Ellen Wulfhorst. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, trafficking, property rights and climate change. Visit http://news.trust.org) The rare sit-in staged Wednesday by Democrats on the floor of the U.S. Houseled by Rep. John Lewismirrors a precedent established by his long career in politics and activism, which began with sit-ins at segregated lunch counters during the civil rights movement. We were moved by what I call the spirit of history to find a way to get in the way, Lewis said in an interview with CNN on Wednesday, describing the effort to push for gun control legislation. That phrase, get in the way, has been a recurring rallying cry for Lewis through his decades of activism. In a commencement address at Washington University in St. Louis last month, the Democratic Congressman from Georgia recalled his parents and grandparents telling him not to cause trouble over segregation. Dont get in the way. Dont get in trouble, they said. It was advice he resisted. Watch the sit-in live below: The action of Rosa Parks and the words and leadership of Dr. [Martin Luther] King [Jr.] inspired me to find a way to get in the way, Lewis told the graduates. I got in the way. I got in trouble. Good trouble, necessary trouble. During the speech, he praised sit-ins as a means for change. We start sitting in. By sitting in, by sitting down, we were standing up for the very best in American tradition, he said. Lewis, who was chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee from 1963 to 1966, has traced the beginning of his involvement in the civil rights movement to a mass sit-in in Nashville in February 1960. It was a great feeling; it was my first real act of protesting against this system of segregation, he said in a 1973 interview with the Southern Oral History Program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I sort of had this feeling for some time that you just wanted to strike a blow for freedom and this was a great sense of pride to be able to sit down and at the same time become part of an organized effort. Story continues In that interview, Lewis said it wasnt until the sit-ins of 1960 that he saw every segment of the black community get involved in desegregation efforts. The visuals provided by the sit-ins helped the movement. We wanted them to see us, he wrote in his memoir, Walking With the Wind: A Memoir of the Movement. As with much of the civil disobedience that fueled progress in the civil rights movement, Lewiss involvement in efforts to end segregation involved knowingly violating the laws that enforced it. He was beaten by mobs and arrested by police. And on Wednesdaymore than 55 years after he first led lunch counter sit-insLewis and his Democratic colleagues technically broke rules that forbid anyone from taking photos or video inside the House chamber, staying in place for a sit-in after the House had been called into recess. Sometimes you have to violate a rule, a law, to uphold a greater law, a moral law, Lewis said Wednesday on CNN. We have a right to sit down or sit in to engage in nonviolent protest. It is always right to do right. (Updating to add company names in 4th para) WASHINGTON, June 22 (Reuters) - The U.S. International Trade Commission said on Wednesday it had found that imports of cold-rolled steel products from China are hurting U.S. producers, paving the way for hefty antidumping duties and increasing trade tensions between the nations. In May, the Commerce Department had recommended slapping Chinese steelmakers with import duties of 522 percent on the products, and anti-dumping duties of 71.35 percent on Japanese producers. The original complaint was filed in July 2015 by major U.S. producers United States Steel, AK Steel Corp, ArcelorMittal USA, Nucor Corp and Steel Dynamics Inc. The Chinese companies affected are: Angang Group Hong Kong Holdings Ltd, Benxi Iron and Steel (Group) Special Steel Co Ltd and Qian'an Golden Point Trading Co Ltd. Among Japanese producers are Nippon Steel & Sumitomo Metal Corp and JFE Steel Corp.. (Reporting by Timothy Ahmann in Washington DC; additional reporting by Josephine Mason in New York; Editing by Eric Walsh and Bernadette Baum) By Saif Hameed BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The United Nations said on Wednesday it had received further reports alleging "serious rights violations" of civilians fleeing the Iraqi city of Falluja by armed groups supporting a U.S-backed military offensive against Islamic State. One month into their assault, Iraqi forces are battling to retake remaining districts in the city's north and west. Thousands of civilians have fled the predominantly Sunni Muslim city. Last week, the provincial governor said 49 Sunni men were executed after surrendering to a Shi'ite militia supporting the military, and more than 600 are missing. A spokeswoman said the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights had obtained video footage of two further incidents purporting to show abuses of civilians from Falluja. In one, a man was beaten around the head and dragged along the ground by a military truck, and another showed people being struck with a rifle and kicked in the head. In both cases the perpetrators were wearing military uniforms, but the U.N. said it could not identify their affiliation, nor could it authenticate the videos. However, it had received reports of such violations from several sources, the spokeswoman said. The U.N. has previously called on the Iraqi government to ensure accountability over the abuse allegations, which threaten to unleash further sectarian violence in Iraq where it has already cost thousands of lives. Several military personnel have been arrested. A spokesman for the Hashid Shaabi, a government affiliated coalition of mostly Iranian-backed Shi'ite Muslim militias, said the reports were likely false and part of a smear campaign. "Unfortunately the Iraqi security forces and the Hashid Shaabi are still under a large systematic media attack that aims to disfigure the victory in Falluja," said Youssef al-Kilabi. "There are many reports, video clips and news by some channels which are either old or faked." Kilabi said Islamic State militants had tried to smuggle their families out alongside the estimated 85,000 civilians who have fled Falluja since the offensive began, heading for government-run camps. Falluja, a bastion of Sunni insurgency against the U.S. forces that toppled Saddam Hussein, a Sunni, in 2003, was seen as a launchpad by Islamic State for suicide bombings in Baghdad, an hour's drive away, which often target government forces and Shi'ite civilians. (Reporting by Saif Hameed; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky) WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States has dismissed a summons enforcement action against UBS AG after the bank complied with an Internal Revenue Service summons for bank records held in its Singapore office, the U.S. Justice Department said on Wednesday. The IRS served an administrative summons on UBS for records pertaining to accounts held by Ching-Ye "Henry" Hsiaw in order to determine Hsiaw's federal income tax liabilities, the department said. UBS had refused to produce the records, and the United States filed a petition to enforce the summons, it said. (Reporting by Eric Beech; Editing by Mohammad Zargham) Uma Thurman is recuperating after being thrown from a horse earlier this week, Page Six reports. PHOTOS: Celebrity Injuries "Uma was in an equestrian accident," her rep told the site in a statement on Tuesday, June 21. "She was training on a young thoroughbred who got spooked. She was thrown and broke a few bones." According to Thurman's IMDB page, her upcoming thriller The Bay of Silence and drama The Extraordinary Journey of the Fakir are in preproduction. There is no word yet if the movies will be pushed back due to her injuries. Celebrity Health Scares The Kill Bill actress, 46, has been staying busy as of late. Back in May, she turned heads in a high-slit Tommy Hilfiger gown while attending the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute Gala in NYC. That same month, on May 19, she made headlines during a charity auction at the amfAR Gala in Antibes, France. Italian entrepreneur Lapo Elkann passionately kissed her after placing a winning $196,000 bid and she wasn't pleased. PHOTOS: Pimp My Injury! "It is opportunism at its worst. She wasn't complicit in it. Somewhere in his [mind] he must have thought it an appropriate way of behaving. It clearly wasn't," Thurman's rep told Us Weekly at the time. "It looks like she was happy to have it happen, but it was not consensual." Thurman attended the event without her on-again boyfriend, Andre Balazs. (The couple split in 2007 but have since appeared to rekindle their romance.) The star is mom of daughter Maya, 17, and son Levon, 14, with ex-husband Ethan Hawke, and shares 3-year-old daughter Rosalind with ex-fiance Arpad Busson. Uma Thurman broke multiple bones this week after falling from a horse. "Uma was in an equestrian accident," Thurman's rep explained to The New York Post's Page Six. "She was training on a young thoroughbred who got spooked. She was thrown and broke a few bones." News of the accident came to the paper after the 46-year-old actress was spotted by a source with her children Maya, 17, Levon Roan, 13, and Luna, 3 "walking gingerly" into La Plage restaurant in St. Barts. Thurman is currently spending the summer in Europe. Last month, she was thrown in a different way, when Italian entrepreneur Lapo Elkann planted a kiss on her while at Cannes Film Festival's annual amfAR event Related Video: Lindzi Cox: Riding Horses Was My First Passion The Pulp Fiction star who was serving at the evening's auction host was said to be annoyed with the unexpected lip-lock, which came after the 38-year-old was celebrating his $196,000 auction prize "It is opportunism at its worst. She wasn't complicit in it," Leslie Sloane, Thurman's rep, told PEOPLE. "She is very unhappy that this happened to her and feels violated." United Nations (United States) (AFP) - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday hosted Saudi Arabia's deputy crown prince Mohammed bin Salman for talks that touched on the row between the world body and Riyadh over the deaths of hundreds of children in Yemen. The meeting at UN headquarters in New York was low-key, and neither Ban nor the Saudi prince spoke to reporters. Mohammed bin Salman is the Saudi king's son and the country's defense minister. He also has become the driving force behind economic reform and a more activist Saudi foreign policy. A UN statement said the two men had discussed "putting into place concrete measures that could improve the situation on the ground" in Yemen, notably with respect to protecting children and civilians affected by the conflict. Tensions flared recently when the UN briefly blacklisted the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, after an expert report found it responsible for 60 percent of the 785 children killed in the country last year. The blacklisting infuriated Saudis, and the UN removed the coalition from the list pending a fact review. Ban went on to publicly accuse Riyadh -- a major UN donor -- and its allies of financial blackmail, saying they threatened to cut off funds to certain UN agencies, including a Palestinian aid program. Saudi Arabia has rejected both those charges and the report's findings. Ban is to formally present the report on children and armed conflict to the UN Security Council in August. During Wednesday's meeting with the Saudi prince, he "expressed the hope that... he could point to progress on the protection of children and civilians in Yemen" by that time, the UN statement said. Ban "remains open to receiving any new elements from Saudi Arabia and hoped that discussions would take place soon," the statement from Ban's office said. The Riyadh-led military intervention is supporting the Yemeni government in its fight against Iran-allied Huthi Shiite rebels, primarily through air strikes that began in March 2015. Story continues The Saudi government has requested that the UN send a team of experts to the coalition headquarters in Riyadh to jointly review the report and for the UN to provide details on its sources and methods. The world body has not yet responded. On Wednesday, Ban "thanked Saudi Arabia for supporting the political work of his special envoy, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, and stressed the urgency of ending the conflict," his office said. Ban and Mohammed bin Salman also discussed the situation in Syria, Libya, Lebanon and the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, the UN said. The UN secretary general is due in the Middle East next week to meet with Israeli and Palestinian leaders, and also to discuss Yemen during a stop in Kuwait. United Nations (United States) (AFP) - The United Nations urged South Sudan's government Tuesday to hold accountable the perpetrators of February's violent attacks on a camp sheltering nearly 50,000 displaced civilians in the northeastern oil hub Malakal. A May inquiry found that assailants, some wearing South Sudan army (SPLA) uniforms, entered the camp on February 17 and 18 through a breached fence and proceed to shoot, loot property and set tents ablaze. The attackers "used sophisticated weaponry, including tracer bullets and grenades, during the attacks" that left at least 30 people dead and 123 injured, according to the report. Evidence gathered from witnesses, including UN personnel, made clear that the attackers "systematically" razed large sections of the camp inhabited by the Nuer and Shilluk communities, leaving those that housed Dinka and Dafuri groups intact, it said. The investigation also found that Eastern Nile state's governor helped the Dinka population flee to Malakal town in pickup trucks. Based on the results of the probe, UN chief Ban Ki-moon urged the young nation to "hold accountable the individuals identified as responsible for the violence and attacks," including political and military leaders in South Sudan's Eastern Nile state. - 'Difficult to exonerate' - As the attacks raged, the Dinka and Darfuri populations -- 4,000 people in total -- left the camp, and most now live in Malakal proper. "It is difficult to exonerate the local SPLA commanders and government-allied militia from involvement in the incident" as the SPLA is the only armed force present in Malakal, said the UN report. The UN additionally recommended in its findings that the president and vice president of South Sudan -- leaders who control most of the country's armed forces and allied militias -- make televised statements "condemning any form of attack by any actors against civilians anywhere," especially in UN-protected areas. Story continues The UN emphasized the need to create at least a short-term plan to maintain the Malakal camp until security and political stability in the region improves, "as the potential for resumed clashes and fighting between the belligerents remains very high in the area." The United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (UNMISS) is up for renewal before August, and the report urged supplying the mission with additional resources to "improve its capacity to protect civilians." In a letter accompanying the report, Ban said that he had shared the inquiry findings with South Sudan's president Salva Kiir. The UN also launched in March an internal inquiry into how the UN peacekeepers stationed at the camp reacted toward civilians they were supposed to protect. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the internal report is not yet complete, but preliminary conclusions indicate "there was confusion with respect to command and control" and "a lack of coordination among the various civilian and uniformed peacekeepers" during the crisis. "There were unrealistic expectations as to the level of protection that UNMISS could feasibly provide" to the tens of thousands of residents in the camp during the crisis, added Dujarric. The Security Council is slated to discuss the two reports Wednesday. Doctors Without Borders (known by its French acronym MSF) said the UN mission "failed in its duty to safeguard the people at the site and could have averted many fatalities." In its statement, MSF added that peacekeepers failed to take necessary precautions to prevent weapons from flowing into the camp prior to the attack, and "were extremely slow to repel the assault" after outsiders stormed in. Tens of thousands of people displaced by civil war live in UN camps in South Sudan, the world's youngest country. Unconventional is Yahoo News complete guide to what could be the craziest presidential conventions in decades. Heres what you need to know today. 1. Bernies wish list: which of his demands will be met at the convention and which wont Little-known fact: Bernie Sanders is still (technically) running for president. Its true. Even though you no longer see him railing against billionaires on TV, and even though he delivered what sounded a lot like a concession speech two days after losing the June 7 make-or-break California primary by nearly 13 percentage points, the senator from Vermont still hasnt officially dropped out of the Democratic primary contest. He isnt attacking Hillary Clinton anymore. He isnt fantasizing about flipping superdelegates. Hes abandoned all pretense of nabbing the nomination in Philadelphia. And yet Sanders is still charging U.S. taxpayers more than $38,000 a day to continue his campaign. Why? Because Bernie has a wish list. In a series of statements over the past few weeks, Sanders has made it abundantly clear what he wants from Clinton and the Democratic establishment before he will concede, endorse, and unite the party. With 33 days to go until Philly, Unconventional decided to rank each item on Sanders wish list from most realistic to least based on the current political climate and the progress (or lack of progress) by him and his team so far. Well regularly revisit these rankings as the convention approaches. Replace DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz In Sanders words: We need a person at the leadership of the DNC who is vigorously supporting and out working to bring people into the political process. Yeah, I know, political parties need money. But it is more important that we have energy, that we have young people, that we have working-class people who are going to participate in the political process and fight for their kids and for their parents. Odds : Sanders may already be well on his way to getting his wish. Last Thursday, the Clinton campaign effectively took control of the DNC, sidelining Wasserman Schultz and installing Brandon Davis, national political director for the Service Employees International Union, to oversee the partys day-to-day operations in her stead. Story continues There is nothing unusual about this. The same thing happened in 2008 when Barack Obama clinched the Democratic nomination and quickly replaced then-DNC Chair Howard Dean with his trusted aide Paul Tewes. Assuming Clinton wins in November, the question is what happens after Election Day, when Davis stint is scheduled to end. Will Clinton announce a new DNC chair in a bid for unity, perhaps at the convention? Or will she hope the intraparty opposition dies down and offer Wasserman Schultz long seen as a Hillary loyalist, especially among disgruntled Sanders supporters the opportunity to keep her job? Were guessing that Debbie will go perhaps sooner rather than later. In May, CNN reported that three Democrats with ties to the partys power centers President Barack Obama, Clinton and Sanders made clear that few are rooting for Wasserman Schultzs survival at the DNC. If this is the one thing that provides unity, they would take that trade, said one senior Democratic strategist who had spoken to the White House. Nobody is rushing to keep her. Or as another Democratic adviser close to Clinton said of Wasserman Schultz, There is an exhaustion that comes with dealing with her. Reduce the role of superdelegates In Sanders words: We also need obviously to get rid of superdelegates. The idea that we had 400 superdelegates pledged to a candidate some eight months or more before the first ballot was cast is, to my mind, absurd. And we need to also make sure that superdelegates do not live in a world of their own but reflect the views of the people of their own state. Odds : Improving. No matter what Sanders says, the Democratic Party is unlikely to get rid of superdelegates altogether. Achieving that goal would require the superdelegates to vote themselves out of existence, and thats not something theyre interested in doing. Superdelegates are, for the most part, sitting governors, senators, and House members. They want to attend the convention and participate in the debates over the rules, the platform, and other issues. They want to have a say in the direction of their party. And they dont want to have to run against their own constituents, which is the only way they could become regular old pledged delegates. (This was precisely the rationale cited earlier this week by the Congressional Black Caucus in a letter to both the Sanders and Clinton campaigns explaining why they recently voted unanimously to oppose any suggestion or idea to eliminate the category of Unpledged Delegate to the Democratic National Convention.) Signs are emerging, however, than many superdelegates might be willing to reduce or even relinquish their biggest superpower namely, the power to overturn a primary result they find distasteful. Over the last week, Politico interviewed 20 of Sanders Senate colleagues and found that more than half support at least lowering the number of superdelegates, and all but two said the party should take up the matter at next months convention in Philadelphia, despite the potential for a high-profile intraparty feud at a critical moment in the campaign. Even Clintons prospective running mates are open to reform. Im a superdelegate, and I dont believe in superdelegates, said Sen. Elizabeth Warren. Having party leaders participate is fine, but I think having some connection to the outcome of your states process is smart, said Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine. Im fine with whatever they negotiate, added Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown. I just dont care about superdelegates. I dont care about the whole thing. Given that both California and Nebraska Democrats voted against the existing superdelegate system at their state conventions this weekend, its looking increasingly likely that some sort of reform may emerge from Philadelphia. Perhaps it will be a reduction in number. Or perhaps it will be a new rule that binds the superdelegates to reflect the views of the people of their own state, as Sanders himself has demanded. We shall see. Make the Democratic Party platform more liberal In Sanders words: We need, at the Democratic National Convention, to approve a progressive platform: the most progressive platform ever passed by the Democratic Party; a platform which makes it crystal clear that the Democratic Party is, in fact, on the side of working people. Odds : The 2016 Democratic platform may end up being more liberal than its 2012 or 2008 predecessors. But thats because the party in general and Clinton specifically has already shifted to the left over the course of the campaign, in large part because of Sanders. Any progressive changes to the existing platform will probably be ones that Clinton has already signaled her comfort with an emphasis on fair trade rather than free trade, opposition to the Keystone XL pipeline and an increase in the national minimum wage rather than last-minute concessions extracted by Sanders in exchange for his endorsement. Sanders simply doesnt have much leverage left. He does, however, have a little. Last month, Sanders was awarded more seats on the Platform Drafting Committee than any runner-up in Democratic history; several of his appointees philosophy professor Cornel West; Arab American Institute president James Zogby; Minnesota Rep. Keith Ellison are notably less pro-Israel than the current party platform, or Clinton for that matter. If Sanders & Co. were to threaten an ugly floor flight over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and at the initial platform hearings, West and Zogby have already clashed with Clinton supporters over terms like occupation its possible that Team Clinton might try to convince them to back down by ceding ground elsewhere. This would be a risky move on Sanders part; Clinton has already rejected many of his demands, including free public-college tuition and single-payer health care, and much of the rest of the party would not look kindly on a floor fight. But who knows how far the senator is willing to go to satisfy his supporters and to secure his progressive legacy? Reform the Democratic voting process In Sanders words: We need real electoral reform within the Democratic Party. And that means among many, many other things open primaries. The idea that in the State of New York, the great State of New York, 3 million people could not participate in helping to select who the Democratic or Republican candidate for president would be because they had registered as an independent not as a Democrat or a Republican is incomprehensible. Odds : Not going to happen. Most Democratic Party regulars aka delegates want to strengthen the Democratic Party. They want to attract converts. But while allowing non-Democrats to vote in a Democratic primary might get voters invested in the candidate they support, it wont get them invested in the party. It doesnt help the party identify regular voters; it doesnt build loyalty to the ticket. Right now, some states have open primaries; others are closed. Its up to each state party the organization paying for the primary, incidentally to decide which system it prefers. Its almost impossible to imagine these delegations voting in Philadelphia to abandon their autonomy in favor of a 50-state open-primary requirement. As for Sanders other major electoral reform proposal same-day voter registration most Democrats support it. In fact, Clinton has gone one step further and said that all Americans should be automatically registered to vote when they turn 18 (unless they opt out). But state governments set voter registration laws not the Democratic Party. Sanders is barking up the wrong tree here. _____ 2. Something could happen in Cleveland: the rules nerd behind the new push to Dump Trump at the RNC When Unconventional first met Curly Haugland, we described him as a man on a mission. He wants every one of the 2,472 delegates heading to this summers Republican convention to know that the press, the party leaders and even the chairman of the GOP are wrong, we wrote at the time. According to the longtime RNC Rules Committee member and pool-supply magnate from Bismarck, N.D., Republican delegates are not obligated by the outcome of their states primary or caucuses to vote for a certain candidate on the first ballot in Cleveland despite what almost everyone else seems to believe. They dont have to vote for Donald Trump. They dont have to vote for Ted Cruz. Instead, Haugland insists that the delegates can vote for anyone they please, transforming the convention into a chaotic free-for-all in the process. Back then, Haugland was about to release an ebook called Unbound: a legalistic 75-page briefing that scours the record and scrutinizes the rules to determine where exactly the GOP had stood in the past on the idea of binding delegates and where it stands now. Yet there were never any actual delegates, you know, plotting to express their unboundedness by bailing on Trump at the convention. Haugland was speaking in hypotheticals. Until now. On Friday, the Washington Post reported that dozens of Republican convention delegates had hatched a new plan to block a stumbling Trump in Cleveland by 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. At the time, the 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 unlikely campaign appears to have picked up steam. A second conference call on Sunday night attracted a claimed 1,000 participants. Unruh & Co. said that several hundred delegates and alternates had now rallied to the cause. The group announced plans to raise money for staff and a possible legal defense fund. And they even gave themselves a name: Free the Delegates. Earlier this week, the group received the tacit endorsement of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who has privately told #NeverTrump activists that he would be willing to serve as an alternative at the convention if Trump continues to implode, according to a Yahoo News source. I think historically, not just this year, delegates are and should be able to vote the way they see fit, Walker said at an event in Wisconsin. Well see how things go between now and the convention as to what the next steps are. We reconnected with Haugland Tuesday to discuss the fledging movement his work has spawned to get his take on whether it has any chance of succeeding in Cleveland. Excerpts: Unconventional: Are you a happy man right now? Curly Haugland: Im happy to see that the delegates have started to react to the book and are taking steps to exercise their newly found freedom. [Laughs] Have the leaders of Free the Delegates reached out to you? Oh, yeah. Kendal talked to me two or three weeks ago, when she first got a copy of the book. She apparently got the book and became curious. What theyre doing has organically arisen out of the book. In Unbound, you make the case that no rules have to change that the delegates are already free to vote for whomever they want Oh, yeah, were not advocating for any change. Our goal is just Consider this analogy: The delegates are a pen full of sheep. Were just announcing that the gate is open. Theyve never been penned up. But even Free the Delegates is advocating for the addition of an explicit conscience clause. Why? What theyre doing is reacting to the pushback. Kendal asked me about that a long time ago. The pushback from the RNC is that the people have spoken. Amending the conscience will clear the conscience of delegates who feel incorrectly, I believe, but who feel that way all the same that they are obligated by party rules or state laws to vote a certain way in Cleveland. A conscience clause would give them permission to break that obligation. Exactly. Its for those people who feel a moral obligation thats who Kendal is appealing to. Im sure shes getting pushback from people saying, Wait a minute. I gave them my word. Ultimately, my view is that binding is evil. So no matter how we attack binding, in any shape or form, is a good thing. What was your reaction to Trumps remarks on the subject? How its illegal and all that stuff? Yes. And how Jeb Bush is conspiring behind his back. I havent focused on the contenders at all. The most offensive thing I saw was from Sean Spicer [the RNC spokesman], who compared this effort to Area 51. As if it were some sort of conspiracy theory. Or even a far-fetched idea. Now, thats disturbing to me, because he knows better. Is Free the Delegates picking up momentum or is it just a media bubble were seeing right now? Spicer also said the extent of this effort is a bunch of random people tweeting about it, full stop. A delegate this morning told me he tried to get on Sundays call, but he couldnt because the call was limited to 1,000 people. Ive seen that number, too, but I havent been able to verify it. I know there were 1,000 people on the call. Now, they may not have all been delegates. But there were 1,000 people interested in this subject. Some of them were probably journalists. [Laughs] So the delegates are starting to get interested in freeing themselves. Trump is struggling. What happens next to make this a reality? As more and more delegates read the book and realize what they can do, a few things are going to occur to them. One of those things is that whomever the party nominates, its going to be as a result of their votes at the convention, pure and simple. Nothing else. In other words, the delegates cant lay it off on the primary voters and say, The primary voters did this! It wasnt us! Every delegate owns his or her vote. Once they realize that, theyre going to start reconsidering. I had one delegate email me this morning and ask how to get involved. So I directed him to Kendals group, and then I said, In your jurisdiction, is there much other interest? Im curious myself. And the response was, Oh, yeah. There are at least eight or 10 delegates interested. And this was a delegation thats only going to number in the 20s. Now that somebody is out there spearheading this movement, I think its going to go viral. Or so Im hoping, at least. [Laughs] The only thing missing, perhaps, is some candidates getting infected with the virus. Does that need to happen soon? They dont have to come forward until the convention. If I were one of those types, I would keep my powder dry. But I would be prepared in case the wheels come off the other wagon. If they do, something could happen in Cleveland. Youre a member of the Rules Committee. Can you really imagine a majority of your fellow members voting for a conscience clause? I think more than that, actually. I rather suspect this has a good chance now. Way better than a few weeks ago. _____ 3. Video: Why direct primaries are bad for America 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 what if our political system is already too open and democratic? What if the reforms of the last 50 years have actually just made it harder for politicians to solve problems? This is the argument that Jonathan Rauch, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, delivers in his new cover story for the Atlantic magazine that we have reformed our political system to death. For decades, well-meaning political reformers have attacked intermediaries as corrupt, undemocratic, unnecessary, or (usually) all of the above, Rauch explains. 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 recently sat down with Yahoo News Senior Political Correspondent Jon Ward to elaborate on his essay. Here at Unconventional, we were especially fascinated by what Rauch had to say about the way we now pick our presidential nominees and why its bad for the country: 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 at 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. 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. Fifty-three 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. Make sure to watch the entire video above or click here for the full transcript. _____ 4. The men and women in the arena A regular roundup of the latest names in convention news Democratic convention planners have reached out to Lin-Manuel Miranda, the Tony Award-winning writer and star of the hit Broadway musical Hamilton, about performing at the Wells Fargo Center, according to Politico. Christina Reynolds, deputy communications director for the Clinton campaign, will be leading the Democratic nominees counter-convention presence in Cleveland. Reynolds was director of Barack Obamas 2008 rapid response team. Former George W. Bush political director Ron Kaufman will co-chair the Republican conventions Rules Committee, while former RNC Chairman Haley Barbour will head up the Committee on Permanent Organization. Kaufman was national political director of the RNC under President Ronald Reagan, and served as a senior advisor for Mitt Romneys 2012 presidential bid; Barbour was governor of Mississippi from 2004 to 2012 and is one of the GOPs most trusted establishment power brokers. Rep. Duncan Hunter of California a Trump delegate has announced that hes not going to the GOP convention because he is worried that it will descend into mayhem and riots and hooligans and thugs a madhouse, really. _____ 5. The best of the rest Wall Street to Clinton: Pick Warren and kiss our money goodbye. My latest: https://t.co/DPy09Xs94k Ben White (@morningmoneyben) June 20, 2016 Dems involved in convention planning have reached out to Lin-Manuel Miranda to bring some Hamilton magic to Philly: https://t.co/goGRN5rhAH Annie Karni (@anniekarni) June 21, 2016 .@seungminkim and I talked to 19 Democratic senators and all about two were open to at least cutting # of superdels https://t.co/YcLTzFG3oN Burgess Everett (@burgessev) June 21, 2016 SCOOP: Confirmed on Clintons VP shortlist: Kaine, Warren & Castro. https://t.co/6q3uEh6XT8 Lisa Lerer (@llerer) June 21, 2016 If a revolt emerges, it will happen first in the GOP convention rules committee https://t.co/FoRKEs3N6z Michael Gerson (@MJGerson) June 21, 2016 Its becoming increasingly difficult to depend on the Convention to foster unity amongst Republicans: https://t.co/JCPt7mqMFL The New Yorker (@NewYorker) June 21, 2016 A local anti-poverty activist plans the worlds largest fart-in as a DNC protest: https://t.co/an51dMLgAv pic.twitter.com/7CDbXH3lAK Philly Daily News (@PhillyDailyNews) June 21, 2016 Convention countdown nearing one month! https://t.co/13ty931RV7 Julia Terruso (@JuliaTerruso) June 21, 2016 _____ Countdown Now that she's been accepted into Harvard Medical School with a full scholarship, Blanca Morales of Santa Ana, California, is one step closer to her dream of becoming a doctor. For any would-be doctor, Morales' acceptance into one of the nation's top medical programs let alone the full ride it awarded her would have been cause for celebration. But for Morales, it's even more: It's history in the making and the media is taking note. Blanca Morales is an undocumented immigrant in our nation, this acceptance is a huge step forward. "We are so proud to announce this wonderful news! Blanca ... has dedicated her life to serving the underserved," reads the announcement on the official Facebook page of Health Scholars, a volunteer group for college students dedicated to "improving health care in the under-served communities." Morales is able to work in the U.S. through Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, a 2012 policy that gives those who immigrate to the U.S. a renewable work permit that lasts two years, allowing her to continue both work and school. She is now the first DACA permit recipient to study medicine as a health scholar at Harvard. When she was 5 years old, Morales moved to the U.S. with her family. She was valedictorian of her graduating class at Santa Ana High School and went on to graduate from the University California, Irvine with honors. The United Kingdom votes this week on whether to stay in the European Union, and equity and forex investors are worried about the effect of a so-called Brexit (British Exit) on the markets. But the Brexit could have could have legitimate implications for a more niche interest group: art collectors. In periods of market uncertainty, we tend to see collectors seek out well known blue chip names over younger, more emerging artists, as these are seen to be stronger investments and less risky, says Jacqueline Towers-Perkins, a specialist in post-war and contemporary art at artnet auctions. So that could be something to bear in mind with these potential changes happening. In other words, the market uncertainty stemming from a possible Brexit could influence high-end art connoisseurs to stick with established folks rather than experiment on up-and-coming artists. The EU referendum vote on Thursday happens to fall between Sothebys (BID) major impressionist and modern art sale, which was Tuesday, and its contemporary sale on June 28. Christies major sales will be held on Friday and June 29. Towers-Perkins hasnt seen any change in bidder interest on her site, though. People are still buying and selling in the same way and still looking for the pieces that theyre searching for in the same way that theyve always had, she says. Still, in a note to clients, Consumer Edge Researchs Dave Schick cautioned that political concerns are global in nature and the Brexit vote will likely [have] some impact on consignment wins for major auction houses. But its not clear whether a Britains potential exit from the EU would encourage people to buy or sell art. According to a Bloomberg survey of economists, the British pound will move one way or another depending on how the vote goes. The economists found the currency will either sink to the lowest level in more than 30 years if the leave camp wins or potentially climb 6% to its highest level so far this year if the remain camp prevails. And this week in an opinion piece in The Guardian George Soros sounded the alarm that the pound will plummet if Britain leaves the EU. Schick says the volatility in currency markets would leave collectors in the UK largely unaffected but would make an impact on foreign bidders, who would be able to use the pounds potential weakness in their favor. Ultimately, though, high-end art collectors may be more influenced by their own tastes than outside market forces. There might be some fluctuations in the market but I think ultimately if collectors continue to buy what they love and continue to hold onto the pieces that theyve loved, I think the market isnt going to affect peoples collection and buying and selling habits too much, says Towers-Perkins. Read more about the Brexit: What is a 'Brexit'? Heres what the Brexit vote could mean for the US stock market NAFTA architect articulates the global story at the core of the Brexit vote Harry Potter author JK Rowling uses Voldemort as a metaphor for Brexit Turbo (Colombia) (AFP) - Mohamud Warfa Hirsi is a long way from home. From a dusty Kenyan refugee camp, he has reached the sticky heat of the Caribbean, and his journey is not over. The 27-year-old Somali has traveled nearly 13,000 kilometers (8,000 miles) from East Africa. His hoped-for destination now lies hundreds of miles to the north, in the United States. "My journey was very hard," he told AFP. He has made it to an obscure milestone on the transcontinental refugee trail: Colombia's port of Turbo. Warfa Hirsi is one of thousands of migrants treading this trail through South and Central America. They risk arrest, drowning, disease and abuse by people-traffickers. But still they come in their thousands. From Turbo, traffickers take them by boat to a remote bay up the coast from where they can cross the border into Panama. - Drowned - Arriving by boat and plane from countries like Cuba and Haiti, and from as far away as Africa and Asia, migrants gather in Turbo, sleeping in hotels, abandoned buildings or under the stars. They cram without life vests onto boats, sometimes with 40 people in a craft made for 20, braving four-meter (13-foot) waves. "Vessels have capsized. These people have been drowning in the sea," said Brigadier General Adolfo Enrique Martinez, head of a Colombian navy anti-drugs task force in Turbo. Those who make it to the border will trudge through the Darien jungle into Panama, risking hunger, dehydration and disease, and on through Central America. One Cuban migrant, 33-year-old computer engineer Aliex Artiles, tried it that way in 2010. He wants to reach the United States to apply for residency under a special US agreement with Cuba. Last time he got through the Panamanian jungle and as far as Mexico, where the authorities sent him back home. This year, Artiles set off again, by plane from Havana to Trinidad, then by ferry to volatile Venezuela, from where he crossed the border into Colombia. Story continues Now he is in Turbo. "At first, we were sleeping out on the square. There were more than 60 of us. Then someone let us stay in this warehouse," Artiles said. "There are more than 500 of us now. There are three pregnant women and various children. And more are arriving every day." - Diseased - Artiles is one of hundreds of Cubans in Turbo. "We just want them to let us travel onwards safely. We all qualify for the Cuban settlement law" in the United States," he said. Outside the disused warehouse near the port, they shave and brush their teeth under the baking sun. Women stand in line to use washing machines. Children cry and run around inside over the mattresses where the families sleep. A state ombudsman for the surrounding district, William Gonzalez, warns that the overcrowding in the warehouse poses a health risk. Two people there have been hospitalized with malaria. "It is a shocking situation," he said. - 'Impossible' - The city's hotels welcome the migrants who can pay. "We are practically always full with them. And they pay in dollars," said hotel receptionist Ingrida Cordoba. She showed a photograph on her mobile phone. A recent Congolese guest sent it to her after he made it to Miami. Among the current guests at another, more basic hotel, is Jean-Baptiste Geraldo, 27. He fled from the impoverished Caribbean island of Haiti. "The situation there was very difficult," he said. "I want to go to a country where there are opportunities." He reached Colombia via Brazil. Like many others, he has taken a roundabout route hoping to reach the United States. The journey has got harder since Panama, Costa Rica and Nicaragua tightened their borders in recent months. A government delegate in Turbo, Emelides Munoz, said authorities in the district have detained more than 4,000 illegal migrants so far this year -- more than the total for the whole of 2015. The head of the Colombian migration agency, Christian Kruger, said it was "impossible" for them to agree to help the migrants pass through. "If we allowed them to leave for another country we would be formally accepting an illegal situation," he told AFP. "We would be contributing to the criminal trafficking of migrants." With its port and plantations, Turbo, population 163,000, is a center of banana production and trafficking of drugs and people. The United Nations estimates the gangs make billions of dollars trafficking migrants through the region. - Deported - Having fled civil war in his native Somalia, Warfa Hirsi grew up in the vast Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya. In March, he said goodbye to his family there and left for Ethiopia. From there, Hirsi flew to Brazil, where he worked briefly before heading for Colombia. "They deported me three times," said Hirsi, who finally made it to Turbo. He is tired. But he still smiles and his eyes twinkle. In the United States, he said, "I will be a doctor, God willing." Washington (AFP) - A US Department of Homeland Security employee has been placed on administrative leave and charged with a gun violation while authorities probe if he was planning a workplace attack, US media said Wednesday. According to The Washington Post, 45-year-old West Virginia resident Jonathan Wienke was charged with carrying a pistol without a license on June 10. He allegedly had been caught entering the DHS headquarters in Washington with a gun, a knife, an infrared camera, pepper spray and handcuffs, according to court documents reviewed by the Post. Later, authorities allegedly found a .22-caliber handgun in his pocket. "An individual employed with the Department of Homeland Security was arrested Thursday, June 9, 2016 after security officers discovered a concealed handgun," DHS spokesman Scott McConnell said in an emailed statement. He did not confirm the employee's identity but said he was detained, turned over to police and arrested. He was subsequently placed on leave. Court documents state Wienke had a concealed-weapons permit in West Virginia and no criminal history, but that authorities were probing whether he and "other individuals, known and unknown," were "planning to commit violence against senior DHS officials in the building," according to the Post. His attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Berlin (AFP) - NATO would currently be unable to protect the Baltics against a Russian attack, the commander of US ground forces in Europe, General Ben Hodges, said in a news report Wednesday. "Russia could take over the Baltic states faster than we would be able to defend them," Hodges was quoted as saying in a German-language article by news weekly Die Zeit. The general said he agreed with an assessment by military analysts who claimed that Russian forces could conquer the capitals of Baltic states Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia within 36 to 60 hours. Hodges also said NATO forces had found numerous deficiencies during the recent "Anaconda" military exercise in Poland, according to the article from Thursday's edition of Die Zeit, released early to AFP. Heavy military equipment could not be moved fast enough from western to eastern Europe, said the general, who also voiced concern about the alliance's communication technology. "Neither radio communication nor email are secure," he was quoted as saying. "I assume that everything I write on my BlackBerry is being monitored." The Anaconda manoeuvre included troops from more than 20 NATO member states but was officially a Polish national exercise. Hodges told Die Zeit that "some countries, like France and Germany, thought it would be too provocative toward Russia to call it a NATO exercise". Thousands of NATO troops hit the ground in Poland in the massive 10-day show of force as the alliance launched its biggest war games in eastern Europe since the Cold War. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday hit out at NATO for "stepping up its aggressive rhetoric and its aggressive actions close to our borders". He said that Moscow was therefore "obliged to dedicate special attention to resolving tasks connected with heightening the defence capabilities of our country". -'Boost NATO's eastern flank' - Story continues NATO announced last week that it would deploy four battalions to the Baltic nations and Poland to counter a more assertive Russia, ahead of a landmark summit in Warsaw on July 8-9. All four countries were once ruled from Moscow and remain deeply suspicious of Russia's intentions. Russia bitterly opposes NATO's expansion into its Soviet-era satellites and last month said it would create three new divisions in its southwest region to meet what it described as a dangerous military build-up along its borders. Putin, speaking Wednesday on the 75th anniversary of Nazi Germany's invasion of the USSR, accused the West of rejecting overtures from Russia to help tackle the common foe of "international terrorism" -- as it once ignored the Soviet Union's warnings about Hitler -- while seeking to isolate Moscow over the Ukraine crisis. "We once again, as it was on the eve of World War II, are not seeing a positive response," Putin said. Relations between Russia and the West have slumped to their lowest point since the Cold War over Moscow's 2014 annexation of Crimea from Ukraine and its alleged masterminding of a separatist uprising. Fears of Russian expansionism have rattled NATO's former eastern bloc members and prompted the US-led alliance to bolster its presence along its eastern flank. Following talks in Berlin Thursday, both German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Poland's Prime Minister Beata Szydlo stressed the importance of boosting security on the border with Russia. "Germany has always sought dialogue with Russia," Merkel said, but added that on the other hand, "Germany also sees the necessity to boost NATO's eastern flank". "That's why we are taking on additional responsibility in Lithuania, that's why we took part in the Anaconda manoeuvre," she said. Szydlo said that the moves are not only aimed at shielding her country and the Baltic states, but at protecting all of Europe. Washington (AFP) - The United States and key allies will host a donors conference next month to raise funds for Iraqi civilians driven from their homes by fighting. The announcement came Wednesday even as Iraqi forces battled Islamic State fighters to secure control of Fallujah and thousands fled the city. The US State Department, which had already pledged $20 million in extra funding for the UNHCR this week, said the conference will be held in Washington on July 20. Canada, Germany and Japan will co-host the meeting, it said, and the funds raised will support the United Nations efforts to house, freed and treat the displaced. "Due to the conflict and upheaval since January 2014, more than 3.4 million people are now displaced throughout Iraq and more than half are children," the State Department said. "Across the country, over 10 million people are in urgent need of lifesaving humanitarian assistance." According to the US statement, the UN humanitarian response plan will cost $861 million and is only one third funded. "Over the coming months, humanitarian costs could climb to over $2 billion as potentially a million people are displaced from Mosul as military operations liberate Iraq's second largest city," it added. Iraqi officials said Wednesday that they have cleared IS jihadist fighters from the northern and central areas of Fallujah, but that holdouts remain. Meanwhile, the United Nations estimates that at least 85,000 civilians have fled the area, adding to an already grave humanitarian crisis. Washington (AFP) - The US military is wary of cutting Internet connections to Islamic State strongholds such as Raqa in Syria, even though the Pentagon is waging cyber-war against the jihadists, officials said Wednesday. Cyber Command -- better known as CYBERCOM -- officially started attacking the tech-savvy IS group in April, in what was the command's most important offensive since being established in 2010. Thomas Atkin, the acting assistant defense secretary for homeland defense and global security, said a "careful balance" needed to be struck, when asked why the military does not simply stop jihadists from accessing the Internet. "It's a careful balance, even in Raqa or Mosul (in Iraq), or anywhere on how we balance the rights to have access to the Internet versus the use of the Internet illegally by folks like ISIL," Atkin told the House Armed Services Committee, using an IS acronym. Officials said the IS group's online use was a source of valuable intelligence, but Republican committee chairman Mac Thornberry expressed concern Atkin was arguing Raqa citizens have "some sort of inherent right" to access the Internet. The jihadists have used their social media savvy to deliver propaganda and disseminate their vision for a so-called caliphate across parts of the Middle East. Though Pentagon chief Ashton Carter has frequently touted CYBERCOM's offensive against the IS group, most details remain classified. CYBERCOM deputy leader Lieutenant General Kevin McLaughlin said the Pentagon has gained important experience fighting the IS group online. "It's given us the opportunity to learn and mature and kind of plow back in lessons learned in a real circumstance that it might have taken us several years to learn," McLaughlin told lawmakers. According to the New York Times, CYBERCOM has placed "implants" in IS networks that let experts monitor the group's behavior and ultimately imitate or alter commanders' messages so they unwittingly direct fighters to areas likely to be hit by drone or plane strikes. Story continues Another technique likely being employed is a common type of cyber attack known as a denial of service. In a sign of the strategic importance virtual warfare now plays, lawmakers said it was time for CYBERCOM to stand up as its own combatant command -- an organizational super structure normally arranged along geographic boundaries. CYBERCOM has about 4,700 troops, but is set to expand to 6,200 in 2018. The state of Utah recently took an action that, if it were in the form of a help-wanted ad, might read: Teachers wanted. No experience necessary. Thats because the Utah State Board of Education, faced with a shortage of teachers, voted last week to allow professionals with relevant experience in areas such as computer science or business to join the teaching ranks. A bachelors degree is the only entry-level qualification. RELATED: A Shockingly Low Number of High School Students Want to Be Teachers The move, which won unanimous approval from the board, is designed not only to stem the exodus of teachers from the profession but to draw new ones into the classroom by relaxing the standards to get them there. Education analysts, however, say the idea is a short-term solution to a longer-term paradox: how to get and keep quality teachers in a demanding profession with high standards and low pay. Marla Kilfoyle, a manager at the advocacy group Badass Teacher Association, told TakePart the situation is the result of the near-constant de-professionalization of the teaching professionalong with standardized tests, assessments, and top-down mandatesthat is driving teachers away. Administrators, Kilfoyle said, have come to believe that anybody can do it. Would they do this with doctors? she said of Utahs plans to hire people without teaching experience or advanced degrees in education. I dont think its a setupI know it is. I hate to sound like a tinfoil-hatter, but this is a manufactured crisis. RELATED: We Know Pre-K Is Essential, So Why Do the Teachers Earn Only $28,000? The move in Utah to draw people with in-depth knowledge into the classroom makes for an awkward balancing act, said Anthony Carnevale, director of Georgetown Universitys Center on Education and the Workforce. There are two desirable [requirements] everyone agrees on: teachers who have high content knowledge are the best teachers, and teachers with strong teaching skills are the best teachers. Balancing those is a constant issue, Carnevale said in an interview. But you dont want one and not the other. It shouldnt be an either-or. It should be both. Story continues Theres no question that Utah has experienced a brain drain from its public school system. According to the Utah State Office of Education, 42 percent of teachers bail out within their first five years of classroom work. More disturbing: about a third of them quit within their first year, according to the data. Meanwhile, fewer Utah college graduates are becoming teachers, according to the Deseret News. At the same time, Utahs student population is exploding: nearly 12,000 new students enrolled in the states public schools last year. Under the Board of Educations plan, prospective educators who work in what Carnevale calls higher-focus fieldsmath, science, or business, as opposed to English, social studies, or historycan become teachers with just a bachelors degree, provided they pass a background check, submit college transcripts, and take the state teacher-certification test. If hired, they would have to undergo three years of supervision and monitoring by a master teacher before becoming licensed. Yet theres no mention in the plan of a salary hike for those teachers, and Carnevale says the plan reflects the constant struggle to attract teachers to a profession that pays less to its veterans than most college graduates earn in their first job. While teaching offers relatively good job security, competing on wages is tough to do, making it harder to get and retain teachers skilled in the craft of teaching, Carnevale said. And if the economy continues its upward trajectory, he said, salaries will rise, making it even harder to attract talent, because the competition for college grads goes up. RELATED: The 10 States That (Really) Pay Teachers the Most But Kilfoyle said the low wages are part of the atmosphere thats being created by [administrators] attempt to remake schools into a business model. The fallout, she said, lands on black and Latino kids in urban areas, who tend to get teachers that quit the profession early and are replaced by less well-trained professionals who may not know how to reach them. Hiring a teacher with knowledge of a subject but no teaching experience is all well and goodhe knows the content. But how does he deliver the content? How does he do a lesson plan? Kilfoyle asked. Critical skillsincluding dealing with parents, controlling and managing a classroom, and finding ways to reach difficult studentsshouldnt be on-the-job-training, she said. Utah isnt alone in ditching credentialing requirments. Administrators in Alabama and Wisconsin have made similar moves, and other states are likely to follow suit. Were struggling, Mary Scott Hunter, a member of the Alabama State Board of Education, told AL.com in January about the decision to allow uncredentialed, part-time adjuct instructors to work in the states public schools. Its not ideal, but we just have to get teachers into the classroom. While states may be facing a real need for teachers, they shouldnt take shortcuts or shortchange students, Kilfoyle said. At the end of the day, it hurts the kids, she said. All kids deserve a licensed, experienced teacher in front of them. Take the Pledge: If We Dont Act Now, Who Will Teach Our Kids? Related stories on TakePart: Some Schools Want to Flunk Kids Who Opt Out of Standardized Tests Why Kids of Color Don't Need White Hero Teachers Two-Thirds of Americas Science Teachers Are Misinformed About Climate Science Original article from TakePart From Harper's BAZAAR Back in April, it was rumored that Valentino's parent company, the Qatari Mayhoola investment fund, was interested in acquiring Balmain. Yesterday, an advisor to the acquisition officially confirmed the purchase to French newspaper Les Echos, revealing the French fashion brand had been sold for an estimated $548 million. "In recent years, Balmain's trajectory has been more than impressive. Under the leadership of Emmanuel Diemoz and creative direction of Olivier Rousteing, the historic house speaks to a new, younger and more savvy consumer, while never forgetting its heritage or the importance of true Parisian craftsmanship," a Mayhoola representative said in a statement to WWD. Thanks to Olivier Rousteing, who was appointed creative director in 2011, the historic brand is in the midst of a digital revitalization, appealing to a younger demographic through its heavy Instagram presence and close-knit relationship with celebs such as the Kardashian/Jenners, Beyonce, Rihanna and more. Undoubtedly, Rousteing's fresh energy and has appealed to investors, who hope to expand sales and revenue as the house continues to grow. Back in 2012, Valentino was similarly acquired by Mayhoola and has since reached its goal of $1 billion in sales, reports Les Echos. It looks like Balmain won't be too far behind. From the Better-Late-Than-Never Department, this just in: A veteran has received an apology from the writer of a nasty note accusing her of wrongly taking a parking spot designated for former service members. "I was actually a little shocked," Lt. Cmdr. Rebecca Landis Hayes, a former Navy physician, told InsideEdition.com Tuesday. "I think in today's world, we tend not to apologize for things." Read: Mother of Child Killed in Newtown to Families of Orlando Massacre: 'I Am Sorry That Our Tragedy... Wasn't Enough' The note debacle began last week when someone left a folded piece of paper under her windshield wiper as she shopped in a Harris Tweeter grocery store in Concord, North Carolina. Hayes, who served for eight years, had parked in one of the specially designated spaces reserved for veterans before she ran inside to pick up a birthday cake. When she returned, she found the message reading: This parking is for Veterans, lady. Learn to read & have some respect." That irked Hayes enough that she took to Facebook, leaving a four-paragraph note of her own that explained she was a veteran, that she'd never used the spaces before because she is able-bodied, and that she was sorry. "I'm sorry that your narrow misogynistic world view can't conceive of the fact that there are female veterans," she wrote. "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 don't have the integrity and intestinal fortitude to identify yourself, qualities the military emphasizes. "Which leads to one question, I served, did you?" That led to an avalanche of sympathetic posts, several news stories and general outrage on Hayes' behalf. Cut to this week, when a handwritten note with no signature and no return address showed up at Hayes medical practice. Story continues It 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 Ive seen so many young people park in retired vets spaces, along with handicap lately, and I lost my cool. Im sorry you were the one who got the result of that angry moment. I know it was a mistake and Im 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 didnt 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, Im sorry for that. Thank you for all that youve done. God bless. I guess they kind of did some self-reflection, Hayes said. The apology seems to be sincere and I do appreciate that. She assumes the author found her by Googling her name and learning the address of her office. She wasnt there when the letter arrived and didnt read it until she got home Monday night. In the grand scheme of things, the original note is not a big deal, she said. I wasnt physically harmed in any way, shape or form. They didnt hurt my car. But it was kind of nice, she said, to have someone say, Hey, I realize that I was trying to stick up for veterans, but in the process I disrespected one. Read: Boy Finds Wallet, Mails It to Owner With Letter: 'Hopefully, I Have Made You Smile' Shes stared at the handwriting, but cant decide whether its male or female. She told a friend, Unless theres a heart over an i, Im not going to assume its a woman, she related, laughing. My husbands handwriting looks like a 3-year-old wrote it and I have the typical physicians handwriting. No one can read it. Watch: Stars Read Stanford Victim Letter, 'Girls' Cast Make PSA About Sexual Assault Related Articles: Vice Media's Viceland network has struck deals to launch in more international markets, including in India, Southeast Asia, Australia and Africa, among others. Shane Smith, CEO and founder of Vice, unveiled the deals during a Cannes Lions event on Wednesday. During the press conference, where the bad boy of media conducted the press conference holding a glass of rose wine, he quipped: "When I first announced Viceland was going to launch in 12 countries in 12 months everyone rolled their eyes. And it turns out they were right, they were wrong. We didn't do 12 countries in 12 months, we did 44 countries in 4 months. We are doing television networks, mobile networks, onine networks in 44 countries in 4 months, which is the fastest-growing television network in history," he said of Viceland. The company unveiled a slew of international digital, mobile and linear TV deals that it said "will further cement its status as the world's leading youth media brand, while making its multi-screen programming available to audiences across 51 territories." In India, Vice partnered with The Times of India Group for its market entry across digital, mobile and TV, including a planned launch for Viceland as a "paid TV network." SBS Australia will launch Viceland in Australia, while Sky New Zealand will launch it in New Zealand on Sky TV and Sky Mobile, with Multi Channels Asia to launch the network across Southeast Asia. In Africa, Econet Media will make Viceland available on digital and linear platforms throughout Africa, and Groupe V Media will launch it in Quebec and throughout French-speaking Canada. In addition, the Moby Group is Vice's partner for a launch of its services in the Middle East, with Viceland not mentioned as part of that initially. During the press conference, Smith revealed that the previously announced launch of Viceland in France on CanalPlus is expected in November and it will be "well placed alongside international channels" on the dial. Story continues Smith also said that deals in Scandinavia and Germany will be announced shortly, and that the company is in talks with CanalPlus' parent company Vivendi to strike deals in other countries where the media monolith has properties. The conference focued on the company's partnership with The Times of India, which Smith called "probably the most important millenial market in the world." It will launch in television, mobile, online and "the new fourth screen - print," he joked. The Times Group is India's largest media group. "For us this is a big move to get into the minds the 18 year old socially and intellectuatlly, and the business will cover all aspects of our group. It's not just a digital venture or TV venture, we've committed to building the Vice brand in India." The programming mix will pull from Vice's international outlets, its HBO show as well as locally-produced programming with the eventual goal of being 50/50 share of content. Talks began three months ago and the channel's launch will be expected in the first quarter of 2017. The joint venture is not structured at 50/50 but "the intent is to get to that soon," said Times Group managing director Vineet Jain. "These new partnerships are the latest move by VICE to bring its youth-focused content to as many territories as possible, mixing local and international news, culture and lifestyle programming to young viewers across online, television and mobile," said Vice. Read More: Viceland to Launch in U.K. on Sky Viktor&Rolf is celebrating the 10th anniversary of its first-ever feminine fragrance 'Flowerbomb' with a new ad campaign. The perfume's new visual stars Romanian model Andreea Diaconu as an empowered floral goddess whose head is exploding into a bouquet of flowers. The blooms are based on a vibrant color palette ranging from softer blush, pink, lavender and fuchsia to deeper tones of raspberry, plum, burgundy and black orchid, with hidden hints of metallic also present. Diaconu's strong posture and daring disposition were designed to reference the original campaign, which featured a striking, mysteriously veiled feminine archetype embodying the power to transform anything into something positive. "We imagined an image that would be an evolution of the idea of Flowerbomb: a mysterious, slightly surreal, strong and vibrant woman, who has the power to transform anything into something positive and beautiful," said the avant-garde label's founders Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren of the new campaign. "The surreal bouquet of flowers on her head is a metaphor for positive thinking." The surreal image, shot by the brand's frequent collaborators Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin, is designed to illustrate the brand's floriental, gourmand fragrance. Created by Olivier Polge, Carlos Benaim and Domitille Bertier, the scent contains notes of Sambac jasmine flowers, freesias, cattleya orchids and centifolia roses, alongside bold patchouli and sweet vanilla. The new visual will be unveiled globally this summer starting from July 2016. HBOs most immediately vexing problemwhat to do with the drama Vinyl, which underwhelmed in the ratings and was met with tough reviews after its February premierehas been conclusively solved. The series, which was to receive a reboot in its second season after the departure of showrunner Terence Winter, has instead been cancelled, a semi-surprising move given the fact it had previously been renewed. (HBO has, in the past, un-renewed series including Luck, which suffered the deaths of horses on the set, and The Brink, a comedy that didnt connect with audiences.) Ive little to say about the quality of Vinyl that I havent already said; the show had a great concept but continually carried it out in the least interesting manner imaginable. But the pivot away from the renewal HBO had announced very quickly after the first episode aired speaks to a problem at the network thats bigger and harder to solve than one series not working. There appears to be precious little in HBOs drama pipeline, and with Game of Thrones rapidly approaching its endgame, HBO faces the very real threat of being fully eclipsed in the competitive space it used to own without question. All the usual caveats still apply: HBO, with a huge library, a TV-movie and miniseries empire, and alliances everywhere from Bill Simmonss and Jon Stewarts very valuable personal brands all the way to Sesame Street, is and will be fine. But yet another drama failing to work in such a conclusive sense seems dire for HBOs sense of itself as the place thats been the home for great drama since the days of The Sopranos. It also puts a great deal of pressure on Westworld, the upcoming high-concept sci-fi show that, The Hollywood Reporter notes, was delayed twice during what appears to be a complicated production. The positive spin could be as follows: That HBO, which recently reshuffled its executive side, is cutting bait on things that are, effectively, unfixable. To this viewers eyes, certainly, Vinyl looked so fully committed to its wrongheaded sense of itself that a meaningful reboot would have been impossible. So too was the True Detective brand tarnished by a disastrous season 2 that THRs HBO sourcess recent signaling theyd rather start an entirely new project with creator Nic Pizzolatto seems deeply wise. Theres no reason to stick with something thats not workable, particularly something with as much expensive talent involved as Vinyl. The momentary admission of defeat is likely a lot less painful than would be a whole second season that, inevitably, failed to fix what ailed Vinyl, as once-burned viewers refused to submit themselves to the show again. Cancelling Vinyl looks wise, then, even as it proves no renewal is final amidst a sea of overzealous prestige-TV renewals, from Unreal (renewed for a third season before the second began) to Orange is the New Black (renewed through season seven before season four began). And the cancellation emphasizes that the TV climate is more competitive than its ever been. There may be more shows than ever, but theres more pressure than ever on a channels marquee shows to make a case for themselves. Throwing good money after a failing series when Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon have joined Showtime and AMC in the drama-series hunt is no longer workable. By Adam Jourdan and Byron Kaye SHANGHAI/HUNTER VALLEY, Australia (Reuters) - Wu Zhendong sees himself as something of a wine buff. The 25-year-old lawyer from China's western city of Chengdu is a member of his local wine club, likes to drink Chateauneuf-du-Pape - and now, like many of his peers, buys most of his wine online. Wu reflects a major shift in China's $14.2 billion wine market, where increasingly price-savvy shoppers are driving a boom in online trade, upending the fast-growing market that has long been dominated by large-scale importers. China's wine market, hit hard by Beijing's crackdown on ostentatious spending and corruption in 2012, is starting to show signs of revival but lavish spending by China's wealthy elite has been replaced by more prudent consumption. "The rich and famous don't want to be seen consuming and they don't want to buy here, they want to buy in Hong Kong or elsewhere," Bruno Baudry, chief executive of China's largest traditional wine importer ASC Fine Wines, told Reuters. Suntory Group-owned ASC is increasing its sales online and recently strengthened a tie-up with e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd, said Baudry. "We are not an e-commerce company... but it's an important vector of growth." Still ASC, which grew fast as Chinese buyers boomed in the early 2000s, has taken a hit: sales were down 9 percent last year even as the imported wine market rose by around a third. Baudry hopes the firm's new strategies will help it grow sales 3 percent this year, still slower than the wider market. "The market is recovering but it has changed tremendously," said Guillaume Deglise, chief executive of wine trade fair Vinexpo, adding thinner margins meant larger firms with big overheads were having to trim down their costs. "The market used to be driven by the big boys. These guys are now struggling." PRICE DRIVEN MARKET As Chinese economic growth slows and more cost-conscious consumers opt for cheaper wines, big traditional importers are having to re-think strategies to take on nimbler local rivals. Logistics firms, small importers and wine makers are also tapping the online market to prune costs and reach more directly to China's vast market, long seen as a goldmine for vineyards from Bordeaux to the Barossa. "Big companies are struggling because low-cost, smaller firms have the advantage, especially with the market completely driven by price," said Johnny Yang, Shanghai-based head of small importer Wines Direct. Lawyer Wu, for example, said he now bought around 80 percent of his wine online - including from specialist platform Wineyun.com - because of lower prices and a wider selection than local physical stores. The market's rapid change is part of a wider boom in e-commerce in China, where a mix of tech-savvy shoppers and a surge of e-commerce investment from taxi hailing to fast-food has created an explosive online market. Major online players like JD.com Inc and Alibaba's Tmall have also got into the market, selling a combined 45 million bottles of wine last year. That's hit the likes of ASC, which has seen sales of luxury French "Grand Cru Classe" wines halve since 2012 and a major client, Australian winery Treasury Wine Estates Ltd, opt to pull its entire business from July to work more directly with Chinese wholesalers and online channels. Treasury declined to comment for this story. "Most of (last year's) growth was driven by lower-end wine imported by smaller Chinese companies and logistics firms and then sold online," said Tommy Keeling, analyst at alcohol market research firm IWSR. HUNTER VALLEY In Australia's Hunter Valley, boutique wine makers like Bill Sneddon are creating another challenge to big importers. With a crackdown on tax incentives at home, Sneddon and others are looking to export more to China via small traders and the web. "We're all hanging our hat on China and we all rely on growth coming out of the Chinese market," Sneddon, chief winemaker at Allandale Winery, told Reuters. Allandale produces around 25,000 cases of wine a year and China has now overtaken the United States and the United Kingdom as its major export market, Sneddon added. Printhie Wines, another Australian winery, is working with a partner on online sales in China, a channel it said that was getting "bigger and bigger". These channels will help tap consumers like Mr. Shen, 61, a university professor in eastern Hangzhou, who used to buy wine at local supermarkets but has in the last few years embraced the online craze. He now uses JD.com and Tencent Holding Ltd's social media platform WeChat. "I can now pay at the press of a button with things like WeChat Pay. It's just so easy," he said. (Additional reporting by SHANGHAI newsroom; Editing by Lincoln Feast) HANOVER, Germany (Reuters) - Volkswagen AG will not assist the United Auto Workers' efforts to organize its plant in Tennessee and reaffirmed its resistance to the union's demands that it start talks over wages for a small fraction of the factory's workforce, its human resources chief said. "If the UAW wants to organize the American auto workers at our plant in Chattanooga it has to do so by itself, like the IG Metall does it in Germany," Volkswagen human resources chief Karlheinz Blessing said on Wednesday. "The VW management board or the IG Metall cannot handle this for the UAW." Late last year, a majority of the maintenance, or skilled trades, workers at VW's plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, voted to be represented by the UAW. The vote marked a rare victory for the union in the U.S. South, where it has fought many unsuccessful battles to organize nonunionized auto plants. But the full plant, which has about 1,500 hourly workers, rejected UAW representation in a vote the union narrowly lost in February 2014. The UAW worked closely with the German union IG Metall in fostering a good relationship with VW before that vote. IG Metall has much more power within VW than the UAW has at any major automaker. Blessing, speaking at VW's annual shareholder meeting in Hanover, Germany, stood by the carmaker's refusal to bargain with about 140 skilled trades workers representing a fraction of the hourly workforce. "We don't want to establish some kind of a branch union in Chattanooga and, with it, a split of the workforce," Blessing said. (Reporting by Andreas Cremer; Editing by Matthew Lewis) NEW YORK It's Friday night at Industry Bar, a modern, chic Manhattan club that caters to a mostly LGBTQ crowd. Men and women gather on the dance floor with drinks in hand as others order rounds at the bar. Groups of people circle up around dimly lit tables for photographs. Some patrons are here to link up with long-time friends; others recede to more private corners where they can talk, flirt and kiss. A , the ambiance in Industry and other LGBTQ clubs is overwhelmingly positive. Patrons still very much describe the club as a safe haven for the community, though many note there is a new sense of vigilance in the air. In the aftermath of the deadly mass shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, those who had been to places like Industry since the attack said they were far more aware of their surroundings and their vulnerability. "I felt this anxiety coming out of the subway last night the first night I went out since the shootings," said Seth Silberman, a former LGBT studies professor at Yale University who was also a DJ at a handful of NYC gay clubs, in a phone call. "I can't even really tell you if there's a back entrance at Industry, a club I've been to a thousand times. That's never a question I've asked before, and that'll be something I ask every space this year." The mass killing of 49 people at Pulse's Latin night will have lasting effects on how the LGBTQ community thinks about its safe spaces. Such spaces ones that used to feel impenetrable now feel vulnerable. The Orlando attack was also a sobering reminder that anti-gay sentiments run deep and, at their extremes, can be deadly. A community on high alert Ingrained in New York City's LGBTQ community is a new sense of self awareness. LGBTQ folks now feel that o Story continues That's not to say the shooting has tempered people's desire to celebrate Pride Week. Many have said they've decided the attack won't force them into the shadows, but it certainly would lead them to celebrating smarter. Geena Russo, an LGBTQ activist and editor, admits to being on high alert after what happened June 12, sometimes silently strategizing exit plans when out with friends. The 23-year-old has even taken two a "They show videos of a real-life simulation, and at the end of the training they do walk you through a real-life situation that's pretty intense," Russo said in a phone call. Russo doesn't know if the active-shooter courses would be truly resourceful during an event like Orlando, though "they do instill a sense of calmness throughout the situation ... They teach you how to hopefully get through it." For the time being, Russo has vowed not to become intoxicated in public spaces. "But I don't want to just stay home. I should be allowed to celebrate," Russo said. "Who I am is a celebration." "I don't want to just stay home. I should be allowed to celebrate. Who I am is a celebration." Source: Dennis Van Tine/STAR MAX/IPx/AP Pride will go on With the annual NYC Pride March days away, there's a complicated mixture of emotions across the city: This time last year, Manhattan was awash in rainbow colors following the Supreme Court having deemed marriage equality the law of the land. This year, those same flags drape doorways and windows across the city as the LGBTQ mourns losses in their community. On June 13, at the Stonewall Inn, a h k for the gay rights movement and a favorite dive bar for locals, a candlelit vigil for the 49 victims of Pulse's shooting held the next day was filled with flowers, rainbow flags, makeshift decorations and the voices of community members. As a crowd lined the streets outside of the bar, so did a visibly armed police presence. Source: Rainmaker Photo/MediaPunch/AP NYC Pride's co-chairs Maryanne Roberto Fine and David Studinski have assured the public that the upcoming Pride festivities would continue in spite of Orlando. "The reason for this is simple: We must never let those who wish to silence us win," the co-chairs wrote in a statement. "Since the news broke out of Orlando, our staff and executive board have been in communication with the NYPD and our private security team, both of which are now putting together plans to adjust our existing security protocols in light of the Orlando attack." The city's police commissioner Bill Bratton even predicted, " Candles, flowers and rainbow flags adorn statues inside Christopher park in New York. And so, instead of hiding in their homes and waiting for the powers that be to provide a solution, the LGBTQ community will celebrate the city streets once more. The vibrant spirit of Pride Week indeed remains, and this year's Pride will likely bring the community one step closer to healing. For many, NYC Pride will be more than a celebration it's a call-to-action. "The fact of the matter is that we are not Orlando," referring to the outpour of social media responses to the shooting. "We need to do more than changing our Facebook profile pictures and giving up our 'thoughts and pr Wal-Mart Stores Inc.WMT has been struggling of late to expand its reach in China. In an effort to cure ailing sales in one of the world's toughest retail markets, Wal-Mart has recently inked a deal with Chinese e-commerce giant, JD.com JD. Under the terms of the deal, Wal-Mart Stores plans to sell its Chinese e-commerce business Yihaodian to local retailer JD.com in exchange for a 5% equity stake in JD.com. JD.com will issue about 145 million new class A shares to Wal-Mart, worth about $1.5 billion at JD.com's current valuation. Wal-Mart's Sam's Club China will open a flagship section on JD.com, and both companies will leverage their supply chains and broaden the range of imported goods. Wal-Mart will continue to operate the Yihaodian direct sales business and will be a seller on the Yihaodian marketplace. We note that JD.com is the second-largest online retailer in China after Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. BABA in terms of market cap. The deal with JD.com is expected to give Wal-Mart a better chance of competing in the cutthroat retail industry in China and expand its reach in the country. WAL-MART STORES Price WAL-MART STORES Price | WAL-MART STORES Quote JD.COM INC-ADR Price JD.COM INC-ADR Price | JD.COM INC-ADR Quote The deal comes as a surprise as last year in July, Wal-Mart had acquired full control of Yihaodian in China. With its full ownership, Wal-Mart expects to further accelerate its e-commerce business in China. Wal-Mart has struggled hard to expand its business in China. The retailer opened its first store in the country in 1996, but only has about 430 there currently. The company states various reasons for the sluggish business operations there. In China, the company has long been dealing with food safety scandals, even after trying to maintain high food safety standards. Wal-Mart China also has been facing significant pressure from government austerity measures and deflation. The company also faces problems in understanding discerning Chinese consumers as their buying decisions arent always price driven. Story continues Besides China, Wal-Mart is also experiencing weakness in Mexico and Brazil due to ongoing macro-economic headwinds. The company has also faced specific challenges in its large e-commerce markets outside the US. Economic softness in Brazil and China continued to weigh on growth. A highly competitive environment and food deflation in the UK are concerns.. The company is facing severe challenges and has been showing signs of acute weakness since the past few quarters. Increased investments in technology and an increase in pay of its workers are increasing its expense burden. Higher labor costs along with the companys efforts to overhaul its stores and invest in its online operations in order to compete with Amazon.com, Inc. AMZN will weigh on its earnings in the near term. Nevertheless, this Bentonville, AR-based company is making efforts to understand the evolving needs of its customers to regain their confidence, and thus boost sales. Wal-Mart has delivered positive comps in the U.S. in the last seven quarters, after delivering negative comps for many quarters. This was the result of lower fuel prices, which eased consumers spending power. Wal-Marts U.S. sales edged higher as changes in stores helped the retailer attract shoppers. E-commerce sales have also contributed to the companys sales. This Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) retailer also started fiscal 2017 on a positive note with both earnings and revenues beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate. 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 JD.COM INC-ADR (JD): Free Stock Analysis Report WAL-MART STORES (WMT): Free Stock Analysis Report ALIBABA GROUP (BABA): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research On Jun 22, 2016, we issued an updated research report on Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. WBA the worlds first pharmacy-led, health and well-being enterprise. The company includes the largest global pharmaceutical wholesaler and distribution network with over 350 distribution centers in 19 countries. Of late, Walgreens Boots (formed through the combination of the legacy Walgreens and Alliance Boots in Dec 2014) has been making healthy progress in its operations, as is evident from its second-quarter fiscal 2016 results. Post merger till now, Walgreens Boots focus remains on generating cash through working capital efficiencies, particularly in the U.S. Post merger, Walgreens Boots has implemented strong operational governance procedures to improve capital and invest in the right growth initiatives to generate healthy returns for shareholders. Currently, the company is focused on the proposed takeover of the U.S. retail pharmacy chain Rite Aid for $17.2 billion. This mega acquisition will allow Walgreens Boots to further expand its business realm in the U.S. in the long term, where it already enjoys the position of the largest retail drug store giant. The transaction, expected to close in the second half of calendar year 2016, should be accretive to Walgreens Boots adjusted earnings per share in its first full year after completion. Rite Aids shareholders approved the transaction on Feb 4, 2016, after the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) asked for a second request from both the companies. Post the approval, the acquisition procedure is progressing at a healthy pace, per Walgreens Boots management. On the flip side, a slowdown in generic introduction has been affecting the companys margins over the past few years. The company also faces a tough competitive landscape in the industries where it operates, along with macroeconomic challenges, which tend to hike its expenses. Story continues Moreover, a shift in the mix of pharmacy prescription volume toward programs offering lower reimbursement rates might adversely affect Walgreens Boots results of operations. Evidently, the companys Retail Pharmacy USA division continued to experience a shift in pharmacy mix toward 90-day at retail in fiscal 2015 and the trend is expected to continue in fiscal 2016 as well. Walgreens Boots currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). Key Picks in the Sector Some better-ranked stocks in the medical sector are St. Jude Medical Inc. STJ, NuVasive, Inc. NUVA and LeMaitre Vascular, Inc. LMAT. All the three stocks hold 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 ST JUDE MEDICAL (STJ): Free Stock Analysis Report LEMAITRE VASCLR (LMAT): Free Stock Analysis Report NUVASIVE INC (NUVA): Free Stock Analysis Report WALGREENS BAI (WBA): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research Elon Musk Investors may be finally turning their backs on Elon Musk. Musk's electric-car company, Tesla, made an offer on Tuesday to buy Musk's solar-power company, SolarCity. Up until now, Tesla is a company that's been loved by investors for the most part while SolarCity has been loathed. But the tables turned on Wednesday when Tesla shares dropped 10% on the heels of the news. SolarCity's shares, meanwhile, rose just 5% even though Tesla's offer is something closer to 30% above its current stock price. And by the end of trading on Wednesday, a key measure of investor confidence in the deal's success the gap between SolarCity's shares and the value of Tesla's offer stood at about 18%. Another way to put this? There's no confidence in this deal right now. "The market probably doesn't think the deal is going to get done," said Sachin Shah, a merger-arbitrage strategist at Albert Fried & Co. This is in small part simply because right now Tesla's offer is just that, an offer. There's a lot of negotiating to do before we know what the actual deal terms will be. "They don't know what the exchange ratio is they don't know what the implied price will be," Shah said. But some concerns are much bigger than just uncertainty about the deal terms. Tesla investors will vote on the offer, and they're worried about the impact of this deal on Tesla's balance sheet. SolarCity needs cash to fund its business, and Tesla needs cash to build its cars. Tesla Model 3 They also don't love the closeness of these two companies. Musk is the primary shareholder of both, and his cousin is CEO of SolarCity. They will, it's worth noting, recuse themselves from votes on the matter at the board and shareholder levels. There are other reasons to wonder why Tesla has to be saddled with a cash-burning solar-panel financing company. Musk laid out a vision of product integration that looks something like this: Use the SolarCity panels to power your home, use Tesla's batteries to store that power, and use some of that power to charge up your electric car. No fossil fuels required ever. Story continues But as Business Insider's Akin Oyedele reported, Wall Street's analysts are questioning whether Tesla should be pursuing this deal while it still struggles to get its part of this enterprise building the cars right. Of course, there is an argument to be made that this doubt is an opportunity. In fact, assuming that a deal is reached and progresses toward completion, then there's a return of something like 18% for traders willing to bet on that. But if Musk is going to rally investors behind his deal, then he's going to need the support of his legions of fans: the investors who readily pony up cash every time Tesla looks to raise a few billion dollars, and who believe in his long-term vision of creating a company that changes everything about the way we consume energy not just with cars, but in our homes and workplaces as well. Even there, though, he seems to be trying their patience. A noted Tesla bull so much so that he's been criticized for his willingness to think about how the company will change everything about how we drive is Morgan Stanley's Adam Jonas. He has a $333 price target on Tesla shares, and here's what he said (emphasis added): "The potential upside to our $333 price target is dominated by our views of Tesla's potential to be a market leader in a shared, autonomous electric transportation ecosystem at an intra-city and inter-city level. It is not currently clear to us that an acquisition of SolarCity improves the odds of success for this endeavor." If Musk has lost Adam Jonas, then he might be about to lose everyone else. NOW WATCH: Elon Musk admits that Tesla may not be prepared to meet demands for $11 billion in preorders for their new Model 3 More From Business Insider Https%3a%2f%2fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2fuploads%2fcard%2fimage%2f124016%2f1ffbb0118cfa485aba2c60ebc53be81c Animal biting has never been so adorable. Fortunately, the woman caring for Warra the wombat at Sleepy Burrows Wombat Sanctuary in New South Wales, Australia, was smart enough to wear long sleeves. SEE ALSO: Rescue wombat is great at sorting laundry According to the Sanctuary's Facebook post, Warra is an orphaned wombat joey. He is sponsored by Illawarra Fly Treetop Adventures, who is hosting an upcoming series of fundraising events to benefit the Sleepy Burrows Wombat Sanctuary. Warra the wombat will even be at the event's meeting, greeting his fans. If you can't make Warra's meet and greets, don't worry the above video only gets cuter every time you watch it. From Popular Mechanics Do you ever feel like, regardless of how much effort or creative energy you put into your work, that every day is exactly the same and that in the end nothing really matters? That life is an endless loop, a parade of monotony that just repeats until one day it's suddenly over? Yeah me neither. Anyway, check out this cool video of a very complex machine designed to move a bunch of balls in a circle for all eternity, which is in no way a metaphor for the futility of human existence. Completely unrelated. The Great Ball Contraption, as it's called, was built as part of Japan's Brickfest, an annual Lego exhibition held on Rokko Island in Kobe. Last year's Brickfest also had a GBC, although with fewer modules. GBCs make regular appearances at Lego exhibitions around the world, so stop by for a fun reminder that futility can at least be fun to watch from time to time. Source: akiyuky via Digg When I sat down for a casual lunch in New York City with my editor, the Discovery Chanel head of PR, and Philippe Cousteau (yes, the Cousteau, (his grandfather is the legendary under water explorer Jacques Cousteau,) the last thing on my mind was going swimming with sharks for Shark Week. But, before we finished the guacamole and chips I had agreed to do exactly that. One month later I was a certified open water scuba diver, clinging to a rock 60-ft underwater in Tahiti, while a 17-ft Tiger shark loomed inches above my head. Now my experience with sharks leading up to that trip was limited to say the least. I had only seen them in movies. On top of that, during my 8-hour Air Tahiti Nui flight, (where the flight attendants make three distinct costume changes) a man in the row next to me watched Jaws on his laptop, only adding to my anxiety. But, there was no turning back, and I knew this was the opportunity of a lifetime. WATCH: How a PEOPLE Staffer Survived Diving with Sharks!| Discovery Channel, Shark Week, Eli Roth After waking up at the Tahiti Pearl Resort, we got straight down to business. Discovery enlisted an amazing team from TOPDIVE to lead all of our shark encounters plus actor, film director and Shark After Dark host Eli Roth. Since Roth had already been diving in the Bahamas the year prior for Shark Week, he was my most valuable resource at the bottom of the ocean. Roth returns as host of Shark Weekas hit late-night talk show Shark After Dark for a second year in a row starting June 26 at 11P.M. on Discovery. WATCH: How a PEOPLE Staffer Survived Diving with Sharks!| Discovery Channel, Shark Week, Eli Roth For more on People Staffer Emily Strohm's shark diary pick up the latest issue of PEOPLE on newsstands Friday "It's peaceful and they are beautiful, majestic creatures," he told me just before we jumped into the Pacific. But, I was still skeptical. I was about to scuba dive in the ocean for the very first time, and this was far from your average dive. WATCH: How a PEOPLE Staffer Survived Diving with Sharks!| Discovery Channel, Shark Week, Eli Roth With my heart pounding, we dropped down to the ocean floor, but before we hit the bottom I found myself surround by sharks. Every single direction I looked in there was a giant Lemon shark or a Black tip shark. Those first few moments underwater were sheer panic for me, but I have to admit Roth was right. Sharks are stunning, peaceful, curious creatures and above all they're not interested in eating us. WATCH: How a PEOPLE Staffer Survived Diving with Sharks!| Discovery Channel, Shark Week, Eli Roth While there was nothing stopping the sharks from attacking us, they simply don't want to. I was in awe of their beauty, even though I refused to let go of my partner's hand. But as soon as that first dive ended and we surfaced I couldn't wait get back in the water to do it again! Shark Week returns to Discovery Channel with all-new compelling shark stories Sunday, June 26 to Sunday, July 3. The cast of The West Wing reunited at the ATX Television Festival in Austin, Texas, and Today was there to chat with the shows big stars. Well, not Martin Sheen. Or Allison Janney. Or Rob Lowe. But thats OK. Cast members Bradley Whitford, Richard Schiff, Janel Moloney, Dule Hill, Melissa Fitzgerald, Joshua Malina, and the shows creator, Aaron Sorkin, were. Sorkin said he had lower expectations for the show when it first premiered in 1999. For me, a home run wouldve been positive critical reaction and just enough people watching so that we could stay on the air for a little bit, Sorkin said. Seven seasons and many, many awards later, the show has remained immensely popular and is regarded as one of the best network television dramas of all time. The West Wing inspired many people. Lin-Manuel Miranda told the cast their show was a muse when he wrote Hamilton, the musical youll never get tickets to. It inspired another guy to do something less amazing, according to Whitford, who starred as Josh Lyman. I was in D.C., and this guy was obviously a staffer on the Hill, and he goes, Hey, I just want to tell you, man, your show thats the reason I went into politics. I was like, Oh, thanks. That really means a lot to me, Whitford recounted. He said, Im exhausted, Im broke and I dont think Im ever going to kiss Mary-Louise Parker. Were now in an age in which shows are getting new seasons long after theyve left the air. Sorkin and the cast kept the door open for new West Wing episodes one day. If there was a way to bring it back without harming its legacy, I would, Sorkin said, sparking the hopes of thousands of people. Oh, and yes, they were asked about the Republican Partys presumptive nominee for president, Donald Trump. When asked who The West Wings president, Jed Bartlet, would endorse, Sorkin replied, Of course Bartlet would endorse Hillary Clinton if he were a real person. Stephen Colbert slams the Senate for failing to pass gun control bills: Tell us what you think! Hit us up on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, or leave your comments below. And check out our host, Khail Anonymous, on Twitter. Western Union Co.s WU initiatives to expand in Mexico have yielded results as evident from its outperformance in the region. The company is now capable of transferring funds from the United States directly to nearly all bank accounts in Mexico. The amount of money that customers have been sending through its three brands, namely Vigo Orlandi Valuta and Pago Facil has been exceeding the market for 12 consecutive quarters. At the same time, transactions have grown for more than 11 consecutive quarters. During the same period, the Mexico market grew 5% on average % in principal and 7% in transactions. The company has been making efforts since the past many years to expand its reach in the region which is as the fourth largest recipient of remittances globally. According to data from Banco de Mexico, the region saw $24.8 billion in remittances in 2015, up 4.75% year over year. The region is expected to see a surge in remittance volumes going ahead due to its long tradition of international migration, with more than 13.2 million or 9.4% of its native population living overseas. Per the World Bank, MexicoUnited States is the largest migration corridor in the world. WESTERN UNION Price WESTERN UNION Price | WESTERN UNION Quote Western Union has been operating in the region for nearly two decades and in recent years has entered into tie-ups with banks, national retail chains and independent locations. In 2015, the company added 3200 agent locations in the region, bringing the number of agent locations to 13,600. In the first quarter of 2016, the company benefited from strong growth in U.S. outbound to Mexico and Latin America with the Mexico business outpacing the market based on the latest findings by Banco de Mexico. Also, the Banco de Mexico data revealed that Western Unions U.S.-to-Mexico transaction and principal growth outpaced the market in the first quarter 2016 due to the recent tie ups. In Jan 2015, the company launched international direct-to-bank money transfers to Mexico from the United States via the Grupo Financiero Banortes UniTeller network, an International Money Payments Processor. In Mar 2014, Western Union collaborated with Farmacias Guadalajara, a Mexican drugstore chain. This deal enabled Western Union to provide money transfer services in 1,100 drugstores and retail locations across Mexico. Before that in Apr 2013, Western Union Company and Banorte, one of the largest financial institutions in Mexico, entered into a five-year agreement to offer Western Union global money transfer services. The region accounts for around 10% of Western Unions revenues as it is one of the major receive locations. Receive locations have large inbound remittance markets. Western Union, in conjunction with its Orlandi Valuta and Vigo brands, connects consumers in Mexico to more than 500,000 agent locations across 200 countries and territories worldwide. Although Mexico is an important location for Western Union, tougher immigration and money transfer standards in light of security concerns have, however, led to slowing growth in the U.S.-to-Mexico corridor. The countrys vast remittance market has also caught the attention of another prominent player in the industry Moneygram International, Inc. MGI. The company offers its services in the Mexican market in partnership with Visa V. Western Union carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). A better-ranked stock in this space is Total System Services, Inc. TSS. The stock carries 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 MONEYGRAM INTL (MGI): Free Stock Analysis Report VISA INC-A (V): Free Stock Analysis Report TOTAL SYS SVC (TSS): Free Stock Analysis Report WESTERN UNION (WU): Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research (Reuters) - The White House on Wednesday condemned the latest missile launches by North Korea, saying they were a "flagrant violation" of Pyongyang's international obligations. "The United States strongly condemns the provocative actions by the North Korean government," White House spokesman Josh Ernest told a regular media briefing. "I do think the impact of these provocations will be to strengthen the resolve of the international community that has such serious concerns with North Korea's behavior," Earnest said. (Reporting by Ayesha Rascoe; Writing by Kouichi Shirayanagi; Editing by Tim Ahmann) forooharbook Foroohar is an assistant managing editor at TIME and the magazines economics columnist. Shes the author ofMakers and Takers: The Rise of Finance and the Fall of American Business. Businesspeople are increasingly taking center stage in politics. Think Donald Trump, but also Michael Bloomberg, Carly Fiorina, and so on. Will we also see executives becoming ambassadors for social causes? Hot button issues like race, religion, gay marriage and the like used to be territory that CEOs avoided. But a number of them have been bucking that trend. Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz has taken on issues like gun violence and race relations; Salesforce founder Marc Benioff and a number of other business leaders came together to pressure the governor of Georgia to veto a religious liberty bill that would have allowed discrimination against same sex couples. (Apple CEO Tim Cook did the same thing a year ago in Indiana.) Why are they doing it? Schultz told me in an interview a couple of years ago that he felt a social obligation to speak out about race after the shooting of a young African American man in Ferguson, not only because he employs so many people of color, but because consumer anxiety after the event (and the riots that followed) was impacting the firms sales. But theres also growing evidence that CEOs may have to take on these issues, whether they want to or not, because their consumers demand it. A recent study from public relations firm Weber Shandwick, The Dawn of CEO Activism, found that Millennials in particular are looking to business leaders to speak out on important social issues. 46% of them say they would be more likely to buy from a company with a CEO that takes a position on a risky topic like race or guns or gay marriage that they agree with. That can directly impact a companys bottom line. A separate study by Duke and Harvard professors found that Tim Cooks position on gay marriage not only swayed public opinion on the topic, but increased consumer intentions to buy Apple products. But the trend can work the opposite way, too. 40% of Americans say they would be less likely to buy from a company if it turns out that its leader is espousing a view they dont like. Indeed, Schultz took plenty of heat for his stance on race, in part because it seemed awkward to ask baristas to discuss the subject with customers. My prediction? Corporate activism is going to increase not only because leaders themselves have social beliefs they want to put forward, but because corporations will increasingly find themselves involved in areas that used to be the purview of the public sector, like education, workforce training, and such. Corporations now take the largest share of the national wealth share by far compared to labor and the public sector. Its only natural that corporate leaders should become more involved in the debate over various social issues. What it means for the bottom line will depend on the topic and the leader. Warning: getimagesize(http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/576a973552bcd024008cadab/leo%20dicaprio%20arnon%20milchan.jpg): failed to open stream: HTTP request failed! in /home/sites/www.businessinsider.com/releases/20160621204034/models/Post.php on line 1606 Warning: Division by zero in /home/sites/www.businessinsider.com/releases/20160621204034/models/Post.php on line 1610 leo dicaprio arnon milchan Despite the commercial and critical success of his recent blockbuster films like "The Revenant" and "The Big Short," Hollywood producer Arnon Milchan suggests that the movie business is far from a flourishing industry. "The movie business stinks," Milchan, the owner of New Regency Pictures, said in a new profile with The Hollywood Reporter in response to a question regarding the health of the industry. "If somebody asked me, 'What's a good way to make money?' I would say, 'Stay away from the movie business, period.'" Though "The Revenant" went on to garner 12 Oscar nominations, three Oscar wins, and an impressive $533 million in global box-office revenue, the film was initially the subject of much skepticism prior to its release, as its budget repeatedly skyrocketed in production. In the profile, Milchan uses "The Revenant" to illustrate the financial difficulties of producing a major film. He describes how the $140 million budget behind the "The Revenant" came almost entirely from his own "personal bank account" and that doesn't even include the various auxiliary costs that go into distribution. "Take 'Revenant': You take the cost, you add P&A [prints and advertising] and the distribution fee you have $300 million behind one movie," Milchan said. "All you pray is to break even or make a little bit." Despite his bleak depiction of the film industry at large, Milchan remains optimistic about his own prospects and for good reason, as he and New Recency have financed the past three Oscar Best Picture winners ("The Revenant," "Birdman," and "12 Years a Slave"). Story continues "If I took all that [production] money and put it in the bank, I'd make five times more, without risk," Milchan added. "But I'm a junkie." NOW WATCH: Theres an incredible true story behind 'The Revenant' More From Business Insider When mom Stacey Feeley saw her 3-year-old daughter standing on the edge of the toilet lid, she initially thought it was comical and wanted to send it to her husband. Then, the young girl explained herself and Stacey broke down. Her daughter had been balancing on the edge of the toilet because she was practicing the lockdown drill procedure she learned at school, the one that teaches them how to hide from shooters in the bathroom. At that moment all [innocence] of what I thought my three-year-old possessed was gone, wrote Stacey, when sharing this powerful story on Facebook. Though standing on the toilet may be a simple action, its implications are far greater. Realizing this, Stacey is now asking politicians to see their own children, grandchildren, and future generations in her own daughter. These young people will live in a world influenced by the decisions they make. They are barely 3 and they will hide in bathroom stalls standing on top of toilet seats, continued 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? The thought of young children worrying about such things is terrifying especially since theyre concerning themselves with something that shouldnt be a threat to their safety in the first place. While Stacey conceded that gun control most likely wont double as foolproof crime control, she does think it will help. She emphasized her point by asking the following questions: 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? Stacey mentioned that its unreasonable to ask that the 2nd amendment be abolished, but its also impractical to not allow the Constitution to evolve. Where is the access to care for those struggling with mental illness? Feeley asked. Politicians, I ask youhow can I help? Stacey wondered if all the petitions and rallies are doing anything because we need action instead of words. She feels that many politicians arent working together to make this happen, so its up to us to create change. Its up to us to make a difference, or to help those who have the power to make a difference. This is particularly important in light of the fact that the Senate just rejected a set of gun control laws that could have prevented suspected terrorists from acquiring weapons and could have also strengthened background checks. To support Stacey and her message, people are taking to Facebook to discuss their own experience with raising children in a world without gun control laws:[/subheader 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? wrote Stacey. 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. In conclusion, Stacey admitted that she doesnt have all the answers, but she knows that something needs to be done. Something needs to be done because, instead of studying for tests, young children are standing atop toilets as they study for school shootings. The post The chilling reason why so many people are talking about this photo of a girl standing on the toilet appeared first on HelloGiggles. Audiences big and small made their way to the premiere of Steven Spielbergs adaptation of the Roald Dahl classic The BFG at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood. Spielberg was candid on the carpet about casting for the film, saying he instantly knew that Mark Rylance was going to be his Big Friendly Giant. I knew it the first day I worked with him on Bridge of Spies anybody that could disappear into that Soviet agent where I didnt see any of the transitions of how he did it, and then come right back out of it with those very happy eyes, Spielberg said. I also looked at Marks eyes and thought, He has the BFGs eyes! I bet he can do the rest of it, too.' Rylance did one thing to prepare for his role as the quirky titular character. I had a glass of water, he said. Its very important to drink water when youre speaking a lot. Producer Frank Marshall described the movie as a timeless fairytale, revealing that it was 20 years in the making. Their first problem was figuring out how to make the giants. It wasnt until recently that technology finally caught up with the creative side of the project. Steven thought it was really crucial to have Sophie and the BFG in the same shot and we didnt figure out how to do that until a couple of years ago, Marshall said. When Steven did [The Adventures of] Tintin, he realized he could finally do this now. Marshall also told Variety that the night was an emotional one for him, since he collaborated with fellow E.T. veterans Spielberg, screenwriter Melissa Mathison, and his wife Kathleen Kennedy on the film. It was a reunion of the people who worked on E.T. in 1982 the year The BFG was published. It was like this wild sort of bookend, added Marshall. Its definitely bittersweet because Melissa Mathison is no longer with us. The BFG bows July 1. (Pictured: Steven Spielberg, Ruby Barnhill and Mark Rylance) Related stories Jim Carrey, Eli Roth Team on Horror Film 'Aleister Arcane' Story continues 'The Secret Life of Pets' Tops TV Ad Spending Academy's Vocal Critics Fail to Advance in Board of Governors Elections When David Cameron decided to hold a national referendum on the United Kingdoms continuing membership in the European Union, he must have thought that this would provide a relatively easy of way of settling a dispute within the Conservative Party that had simmered for decades, occasionally breaking out into open warfare. Although the EU was not exactly popular with the majority of the British public, most of them appreciated the material advantages it offered, such as freedom to travel and the possibility of spending your retirement years in places where the sun shone and the living was easy. Moreover, it was a well-established truth about referendums that in the face of uncertainty voters tended to support the status quo witness the referendum on Scottish independence, and before that the even more decisive rejection of a change to the voting system for parliamentary elections. But now that polling day has arrived, the outcome seems finely balanced, with several polls showing a small but significant majority in favor of Britains leaving the EU. So what has gone wrong with the Cameron plan? Why are so many people unconvinced by the chorus of previously respected figures, inside and outside the country, warning them of the dangers of voting Leave? Part of the answer is the role that the issue of immigration has come to play in the campaign. Levels of immigration into Britain have been relatively high in recent years, with about half of all immigrants entering under the EUs freedom-of-movement law, and this has caused social tensions in some places where migrants have clustered. But its telling that these are not necessarily the places where opposition to the EU is strongest. In Britain, immigration has come to stand for something more than immigration itself. The British governments inability to control (intra-European) migration is seen as emblematic of a wider loss of control. Many Britons feel that they are no longer in charge of their own destiny: Take back our country is a slogan that resonates along the campaign trail. Seen in this light, the Leave movement can be viewed as part of a much wider reaction against globalization that has taken different forms in different countries, but always calls for power to be seized from the political establishment seen as being in cahoots with their international counterparts and brought back to the people themselves. The cross-party coalition trying to persuade the electorate to support Remain (i.e., to stay within the EU) faces a further difficulty. It has relied to a very large extent on highlighting the economic costs of an exit. Prognostications of the price that voters will pay if they choose to support Leave have become steadily more dire as polling day approaches. But this is rarely accompanied by any positive vision of the benefits of EU membership. Camerons presentation of the case for Remain has largely centered on the few small concessions and reassurances he was able to obtain in his negotiations before the referendum. There will be no requirement to join the Euro or to transfer further powers to Brussels; Turkey will not be invited to become a member for many decades ahead; and the EU will cut the U.K. a little slack on the payment of welfare benefits to migrant workers. In other words, we are safe for the foreseeable future from some of the impositions that the European Commission might otherwise attempt. Taken together with the economic warnings, the whole approach of the Conservative Party Remainers to the referendum can be summed up in the concluding lines of G.K. Chestertons sorry tale of Jim, the boy who ran away and got eaten by a lion: Always keep ahold of Nurse For fear of finding something worse. For the Labour Party, the problem is a little different. Their job is to convince their core voters, many of whom are inclined to support Leave, that the EU provides essential protection for workers rights and welfare state institutions that would otherwise come under threat from a Conservative government. But it is difficult to make this argument without sounding defeatist. Does Britains labor movement no longer have the strength and self-confidence to mount the defense on its own, without help from European bureaucrats? Is the Labour Party conceding that it is never going to govern Britain again? When Yvette Cooper, a leading figure in the party, argued the Remain case on television, she was gently reminded by her Conservative opponent, the son of Ghanaian immigrants, that the National Health Service and the other parts of the welfare state had been brought into existence single-handedly by Clement Attlees postwar Labour government, unaided by any European institutions. This is a painful reminder of the power that parliamentary sovereignty once gave to parties of the left as well as of the right. The public position of the Labour leadership (there are some doubts about the private views of the present party leader, Jeremy Corbyn) is that Labour wants Britain to remain within a reformed EU. A reformed EU is presumably one that would promote Labours social democratic values. But nobody has suggested how this reform is going to be accomplished. It is, in fact, very difficult indeed to reform the EU. There are 28 member states, with very diverse economic interests and, at any one moment governments of sharply differing political complexions. A change to the rules on freedom of movement, for example, will be welcomed by some but bitterly opposed by others. Nobody in the Remain campaign is singing the praises of the European Parliament, or arguing, as some academics have done, that European democracy is a goal worth striving for. The EU is commended for what it delivers economic stability according to the right, workers rights and environmental protection according to the left but not for the manner in which it does so. The dystopian vision of Europe as a top-down bureaucratic machine thus goes unchallenged. This offers the Leave side a strong democratic card to play, which it has used effectively. Its weak point is its inability even to sketch the kind of relationship that Britain would seek to create with the EU if the Brexit were to go ahead. At different times comparisons have been drawn with the arrangements made by Norway, Switzerland, and even Canada, but none of these precisely fits the position of the U.K. Those in the Remain camp are quick to point out that if Britain is to continue to be included in the single economic market, the price to pay is accepting freedom of movement within Europe so the Brexit on those terms will do nothing to allay fears about uncontrolled immigration, and meanwhile the U.K. would lose whatever voice it has when the rules that govern the market are being debated. So the outcome on Thursday will depend on whether the Leave campaign can instill enough optimism in the undecided voters to persuade them to take a leap in the dark, or whether the pessimistic warnings of the Remain side begin to ring true. The question that will stay unresolved is whether there could be a future for Britain in Europe that keeps national democracy alive and well. Could the European Union actually come to practice what it preaches when it talks about subsidiarity, the principle that political decisions should be made only at a higher (in this case European) level when they cannot be made effectively at a lower (in this case national or regional) level? Although Britains elites have failed to offer the public any reason to think highly of the existing EU, it should come as no surprise that some Britons have started to indulge in speculation about future European arrangements. Some have expressed the extraordinarily optimistic view, for instance, that a vote by the U.K. to leave might create such a political upheaval across Europe that the EU would be forced to reconstitute itself as a looser alliance among nations that no longer attempted to harmonize and regulate the internal affairs of its member states. National governments would take back powers deemed essential by their citizens, including the right to control borders. An EU like this would be one that most Britons would happily join or rejoin, as it were, in a second referendum. Photo credit: DAVE THOMPSON/Getty Images The headline says it all, folks: Howard Sparber, 69, of The Villages a retirement community in Central Florida fired 33 rounds from a 9mm handgun Monday into the house of a woman who refused his sexual advances, WKMG reports. Fortunately, no one was injured during the attack. The woman whose house Sparber attacked was not home at the time of the shooting. Sumter County sheriff's deputies arrested Sparber soon after and charged him with armed burglary, aggravated stalking, shooting into a dwelling and criminal mischief, according to the report. He had apparently become infatuated with the woman who was his neighbor, and whose name has not been made public and had been trying to get her to sleep with him since at least November 2015. Monday's attack left bullets in the victim's front door, storm door, foyer and kitchen. The woman's house reportedly sustained $3,000 in damages. Sparber had also pointed a gun at the woman during a previous incident, according to WKMG. In a troubling number of cases over the years including this one men have felt so entitled to women's attention that they've reacted violently when rebuffed. This is especially chilling in the context of larger statistical patterns. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, about 90% of female homicide victims in the U.S. in 2013 were killed by men. Another report from the Violence Policy Center found that in murder cases where the relationship of the parties involved could be determined of women who were killed by men in 2013, were killed by a man they knew. It's safe to say America has a gendered violence problem. While many restaurants are scrambling to attract customers by claiming their products are "natural" or "healthy," the world's largest distributor of food has quietly decided to revolutionize the way it sources eggs. Sysco Corporation recently pledged to use 100% cage-free eggs in its supply chain within the next 10 years, Ecowatch reported. Sysco supplies food to thousands of businesses. The company is much bigger than any one restaurant or fast food chain, Ecowatch noted. Sysco supplies food products to roughly 425,000 restaurants, hotels, healthcare and educational facilities, and other hospitality businesses across the U.S. It had $48.7 billion in sales in 2015. Sysco has $10 billion more in sales than McDonald's another company that recently committed to going cage-free within the next decade. The New York Times reported that Mickey D's uses roughly two billion shell and liquid eggs per year. It's unclear how many eggs will be influenced by Sysco's cage-free pledge. The company's dairy products represented 11% of revenue in 2014, Reuters reported. The food supplier committed to going cage-free after conversations with The Humane League, an international animal protection nonprofit. The Humane League previously convinced other foodservice companies like Walmart to transition to cage-free eggs by 2025, and convinced the United Egg Producers to do away with culling baby male chicks by 2020. Cage-free eggs means marginally better treatment for chickens. Egg producers give laying hens different degrees of freedom, and "cage-free" means that chickens are uncaged and allowed to walk, nest, and engage in other natural behaviors, according to the Humane Society. Source: Charlie Neibergall/AP But note: The U.S. government does not set requirements for "cage-free" or "pasture-raised" eggs, unlike the requirements it sets for the "organic" label. The Humane Society pointed out that cage-free does not typically mean that laying hens have outdoor access. Story continues Cage-free hens might not see the light of day, but they get more space than caged hens, who might only get 67 square inches of cage space, the Humane Society stated. That's less than a letter-sized piece of paper. While cage-free doesn't necessarily mean chickens live a cruelty-free life, it is a more realistic first step for giant corporations like Sysco, David Coman-Hidy, executive director for The Humane League, told EcoWatch. "We're focused on what could reduce the most suffering," he said. The cage-free choice is far-reaching. "It's going to impact the entire country," Coman-Hidy said. He explained that the move will make other companies cage-free by default, even if they have not made the decision to do so. Sysco's influence is extensive. The food supplier is behind everything from hot dogs at Yankee Stadium to sirloin steaks at Applebee's to a cheeseburger served at the University of Iowa Hospital, Slate noted. Yup, the food behemoth touches a whole lot of stuff Americans put in their mouths, and soon enough that food will be a bit more hu The largest foodservice distributor in the world, Sysco Corporation, announced this week they will commit to sourcing 100 percent cage-free eggs in the United States by 2026. The company will be the first of its size to do so, and they hope others will follow their lead. Last year, Sysco profited $48.7 billion in global sales with a variety of clients including restaurants like McDonald's, hospitals, and hospitality businesses. The Humane League approached Sysco and helped initiate this ten-year cage-free journey. This new policy joins another animal welfare policy Sysco already has in place to eliminate gestation crates for sows. "This new commitment builds on the company's longstanding practice to demand high standards in the humane treatment of animals sourced for its Sysco brand products," the company said in a statement. "Since 2004, all Sysco brand shell egg suppliers have been certified by the United Egg Producers (UEP) Animal Husbandry Guidelines and also undergo annual animal welfare audits." What exactly does the label cage-free mean? Right now, most conventional eggs, whether they're bought in grocery stores or served in hotels, come from hens locked in small battery cages. These hens have limited ability to spread their wings, walk, or develop. Most hens will never see any daylight from these dim cages. A cage-free label indicates the hens were able to walk, spread their wings, and lay their eggs in nests. This allows for a more natural growth process for the hen. The cage-free label isn't without its detractors, however. Many cage-free hens, despite their ability to roam, never go outside. Ultimately, the cage-free solution will not only reduce suffering for the hens but also will be the most realistic first step as Sysco begins to change the way their company sources food. Just this one step on Syscos part will create major change for the whole national food chain as this impacts thousands of Syscos clients. Sysco also hopes that during this ten-year process, more collaboration between humane societies and food industry players will begin, in addition to more conversations regarding food cost and animal welfare causes. It may be ten years from now, but this announcement is a big step in the right direction for global animal welfare and sustainable food causes. [tiVideo is_video="1" video_id="115090"] Your wedding day is one youll never forget. But for one couple who got married in Fort Collins, Colo., their nuptials were memorable for quite different reasons. According to Fox 2, Johnny Benson and Laura Loretz got the wedding surprise of their lives as they were posing for photos to commemorate their big day. As the photographer snapped away, Benson got a little love bite on his ankle from a rattlesnake. Despite the less-than-ideal snakebite, Benson was extremely lucky in that the snake didnt release any venom into his system, making him A-OK to continue the wedding festivities after a brief trip to the hospital. We dont know what that snake was trying to do, but if a painful bite is his idea of a good gift, Mr. Slithers really needs to learn proper wedding etiquette. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. By Joseph Ax NEW YORK (Reuters) - A Muslim policeman who was suspended by the New York City Police Department for refusing to shave sued the agency on Wednesday, saying its no-beard policy is unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge Kevin Castel ordered the department to continue paying Officer Masood Syed his salary and benefits, his lawyer said in a phone interview after an emergency hearing on Wednesday morning in Manhattan federal court. The temporary restraining order will stand until at least July 8, when another judge will consider whether Syed, who was suspended without pay on Tuesday, should be allowed to work until the matter is resolved. Syed is seeking unspecified monetary damages in the proposed class action. In 2013, a Hasidic probationary officer won a lawsuit against the department over the same policy. The NYPD's written policy is that officers cannot wear beards, but an unwritten policy designed to provide religious accommodation allows for beards of up to 1 millimeter long, according to the lawsuit. Syed, a law clerk in the department, has worn a beard of about 1/2 to 1 inch (13 to 25 mm) for years for religious reasons. In December, according to the lawsuit, he was told by supervisors that his beard was too long and ordered on Monday to shorten it. When he did not, he was suspended, according to the complaint. "They have this inflexible, almost absurd policy," Joshua Moskovitz, one of Syed's attorneys, said in a phone interview. The lawsuit also claimed that the police department is inconsistent in enforcing the policy, which it estimated affects more than 100 officers. The NYPD did not respond to a request for comment. U.S. District Judge Harold Baer ruled in 2013 that the policy violated the First Amendment guarantee of free religious exercise. The Hasidic officer, Fishel Litzman, was allowed to return to work with a beard of around 1 inch, according to Syed's lawyer. (Reporting by Joseph Ax; Additional reporting by Nate Raymond; Editing by Scott Malone and Richard Chang) New York City will now provide free tampons in public schools, shelters, and jails New York City will now provide free tampons in public schools, shelters, and jails On Tuesday, the New York City Council unanimously passed a set of menstrual hygiene bills, which will hopefully pave the road for nationwide progress on the issue. The bill requires free tampons and sanitary napkins to be made available in prisons, shelters, and public schools. Honestly, it is amazing news. Councilperson Julissa Ferreras-Copeland hit the nail on the head when she told the Associated Press of tampons and pads, Theyre as necessary as toilet paper. Shes so right. Women all over the world miss school and work due to their menstrual cycles, particularly when they do not have access to the necessary hygienic products. Of course, missing school and work comes with a whole slew of problems some of which turn into larger statistics about why women fall behind in professional spheres. Point being, tampons and pads are not luxury items, they are necessities and they should be provided as such. New York is the first city to pass these menstrual equity bills and theyre particularly important to lower income women. In one prison, doctors required the inmates to bring their used pads in plastic bags to prove their need for more a practice that is as unsanitary as it is humiliating. In order for this bill to go into effect, it must be signed by Mayor Bill de Blasio. While he hasnt said when he will sign the bill, it is expected that he will. This spring, New York also made tampon news by eliminating the citys tampon tax. We can only hope the rest of the country follows New Yorks example. The post New York City will now provide free tampons in public schools, shelters, and jails appeared first on HelloGiggles. NEW YORK (Reuters) - The death of Sanjay Valvani, a hedge fund manager at Visium Asset Management LP who had been charged last week in a major insider trading case, has been declared a suicide, the New York City medical examiner's office said on Wednesday. Valvani died of stab wounds to his neck, and the manner of death was suicide, medical examiner spokeswoman Julie Bolcer said. Valvani, 44, had been discovered by his wife on Monday evening in the bedroom of their Brooklyn home, according to a spokeswoman for the city's police department. A suicide note and a knife were recovered, she added. U.S. prosecutors last Wednesday charged Valvani with fraudulently making $25 million by getting advance information about U.S. Food and Drug Administration approvals of generic drug applications. Valvani had denied the charges. The charges were announced by Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, who has overseen a series of insider trading prosecutions. They have resulted in 107 people being charged and 81 being convicted since 2009. (Reporting by Nate Raymond in New York; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe) No labels, please! Youngers Nico Tortorella revealed that he is sexually fluid in a new interview with Page Six. PHOTOS: Celebrity LGBT Allies Ive never been in any sort of closet I was never really in the house, the hunky actor, 27, told the outlet during an American Express Pride event with The Infatuation blog in New York City on Tuesday, June 21. I think its one thing to hide and its one thing to come out of the closet in a public statement. PHOTOS: Celebrity Sex Confessions But Ive always done me and never been shy he added, and have been vocal about it. Tortorella, who is currently dating a woman, said that despite his past romances with females, he has embraced his attraction for both sexes. Its just a fluidity, he shared with Page Six. Were all kind of moving into this one situation. The TV Land stars remarks come after a number of other celebrities including Miley Cyrus, Lily-Rose Depp and Nyle DiMarco, among others have declared their sexual fluidity. In January 2016, Tortorella, who dated Disney Channel alumna Sara Paxton from 2009 to 2012, opened up to Cosmopolitan about his progressive outlook on modern-day relationships. I think that an open relationship or a polyamorous relationship or an understanding of sorts is acceptable in this day and age, he told the magazine. Relationships and people are my hobby of sorts. I love exchanging energy with people and getting to know people and falling in and out of love. PHOTOS: Stars Share Secrets: Read Celebs' Shocking Confessions Although hes open to experimenting in his love life, the Illinois native will not stand for unfaithfulness. Cheating inherently is a terrible thing, he expressed to Cosmo. If you're going behind the other person's back and if there's any type of malice, you're a bad person, end of story. Whether you got a ride, took the bus or walked as a kid, you likely passed a number of things on your way to and from school. Turns out these things may have directly influenced your nutrition. Dr. Jason Gilliland, a Scientist at Childrens Health Research Institute, Lawson Health Research Institute and Director of the Human Environments Analysis Laboratory at Western University recently conducted a study looking at adolescents exposure to junk food on trips to and from school, and the likelihood of making poor food choices. Unsurprisingly, he found that those who were exposed to more unhealthy options during these daily journeys were more likely to have poor nutrition. ALSO SEE: Heres more evidence that Disney Princess culture harms girls This study provides strong evidence that a childs surrounding food environment affects their food purchasing behaviour, says 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. Looking at 654 students, aged 9 to 13, in the London and Middlesex County in Ontario, researchers armed each with a GPS tracking device that would log their routes to and from school, noting any time they were within 50 metres of unhealthy food and the duration of exposure. Students were also given a food diary where they could track food purchases they made. Researchers found that increased exposure had a significant effect on the likelihood of them purchasing and consuming junk food. ALSO SEE: Kyle Lowry shares his best parenting advice Interestingly, students who travelled between school and home by car were the most likely to make junk food purchases despite being under adult supervision. This suggests the powerful influence that parents can have on their childrens eating habits and the need to be mindful of this, says Gilliland. It also suggests that an active mode of travel may be healthier, not only for physical activity, but also for nutrition. Story continues Additionally, females were found more likely to make more unhealthy food choices. Researchers believe this may have more to do with girls being financially ahead of boys thanks to after school jobs like babysitting, but its interesting to note. ALSO SEE: Eating processed food could program your baby to be obese "Overall, this studys findings have significant implications for municipal planners, school board officials, public health officials and other decision makers, says Gilliland. This provides clear evidence that bylaws and policies should be enacted that restrict the concentration of junk food outlets around schools. What do you think of this study? Let us know by tweeting to @YahooStyleCA. Stocks (^DJI, ^GSPC, ^IXIC) are poised to post three straight days of gains ahead of the Brexit vote. Health care (XLV) is leading the way up, with utilities (XLU) the most in the red. Keith Bliss of Cuttone & Co. joins us live from the New York Stock Exchange. To discuss the other big stories of the day, Alexis Christoforous is joined by Yahoo Finance editor-in-chief Andy Serwer and Thomson Reuters markets reporter Dion Rabouin. Investors chasing safety are actually chasing yield Low volatility ETFs are turning into a hot commodity right now. Many ETFs are outperforming the S&P 500 by a large margin. Theyve taken in $13 billion so far this year. Thats twice as much as currency-hedged ETFs. Facebook paying over $50 million to celebrities and media companies Facebook is paying millions to keep its 1.65 billion users engaged with live streaming services. According to the Wall Street Journal, the social network is teaming up with over 100 media companies and celebrities, paying more than $50 million. The arrangement encourages a steady stream of high-quality videos until Facebook figures out a more concrete plan to compensate creators. Delaware is a hot international 'onshore' haven A new product is getting internet entrepreneurs operating around the globe faster than ever. For a $500 fee, Stripe Atlas provides business owners the paperwork to incorporate in Delaware and open a business account with Silicon Valley Bank. The fee also covers connections to American law and consulting firms and a Stripe account to accept payments online. Atlas lets businesses stay in their home country while taking away the complication of flying to the US and other parts of the world. Around 3000 software engineers from Wipro might soon be unemployed as the company has developed an artificial intelligence (AI) tool that can automate projects they are involved in. Mint reported that the AI tool will automate the companys fixed-price projects, saving up to $46.5 million and freeing 3000 employees from mundane software maintenance activities. Wipros CEO Abidali Neemuchwala has set an ambitious target to triple its revenue growth to 12-14% for fiscal 2017. Hyper-automation is one of the six themes Abid has outlined. We will move out 1,300 engineers on on-site (fixed price contracts) and about 2,000 people from off-site this year, said a Wipro executive to Mint. Human workforce has been replaced by computers before. Indiatimes reported that Foxconns Chinese factory that produces Apple phones replaced 60,000 of its workers with automated robots. Lets not forget that experts hadnt predicted this! Also read: Microsoft apologizes after its AI chatbot Tay turns racist and sexist Apple's so-called walled garden is at stake in a lawsuit contending it holds an illegal monopoly over iPhone applications (AFP Photo/GABRIELLE LURIE) The gleaming glass atriums and blue-clad "geniuses" of an Apple store could soon be arriving in India, after the government cleared the way for it to open in the rapidly growing smartphone market. Before now, the Silicon Valley giant has been just a bit-player in the country of 1.2 billion, selling through local shops with none of its own. It applied to open stores in January, but was reportedly rebuffed because of a diktat that states foreign retailers must source 30 percent of their products locally. But on Monday New Delhi relaxed the rules, just weeks after Apple chief Tim Cook toured India on a breathless charm offensive where he was pictured using Prime Minister Narendra Modi's gold iPhone to launch the premier's own app. Companies making state-of-the-art technology -- understood to include Apple -- now have up to eight years to meet the sourcing requirements under a waiver, part of a push by India's pro-business government to attract foreign investment and create jobs. For Apple, which saw iPhone sales dip for the first time ever in the second quarter due to slowing demand in China and the United States, India is a tantalising prospect. While analysts say it currently accounts for only around one percent of global iPhone sales, its giant population and low number of smartphone owners relative to its size mean it is a huge potential market. "Apple has not really seen India as an important enough market in the past, but somewhere, the penny has dropped," Devangshu Dutta, chief executive of retail consultancy Third Eyesight, told AFP. Apple's vast, hands-on stores are designed to become destinations in their own right, analysts say, luring potential customers with the promise they can play without buying. "The store is not just a place to do business -- it acts as a live billboard for the brand," Dutta said. - 'Cost-conscious market' - Browsing mobile accessories in FutureWorld, a technology retailer in New Delhi's Connaught Place, Aryamaan Chauhan said he would "definitely" visit an Apple store if one opened in the city. Story continues The 19-year-old IT student owns an Android smartphone, bought for about 20,000 rupees ($295), but is considering switching loyalties. "Money is what's stopping me. My budget is low, I can't afford it," Chauhan said. "Now, I think most Indian people prefer Android but they are shifting. After graduation I will buy an iPhone." With a basic iPhone starting at almost $600 -- more than in many countries, thanks to India's high taxes -- they are wildly unaffordable for most in a nation where average incomes are less than $1,600 a year. Handsets costing under $100 dominate the market, many of them made by Chinese manufacturers such as Xiaomi or Huawei. "It won't become mass-market, (Apple) will always be a niche player. This is a very cost-conscious market," Vishal Tripathi, research director at Gartner, a technology research firm, told AFP. "But there is a growing number of consumers who like Apple." By pricing itself exclusively at the luxury end, Apple has distinguished its brand from arch-rival Samsung which has both low-cost and high-end phones. "Indian consumers are always under the notion that more expensive means better and consider carrying an iPhone as more of a status symbol than anything," said Bhasker Canagaradjou, the head of Ipsos Business Consulting in India. "The brand enjoys a very strong aspiration value, especially among the young population." - 'Make in India' - For now, Apple has given no indication when or if it plans to open its own stores. But if it does, it will eventually have to meet strict sourcing rules as the government exhorts companies to manufacture in India. The company will require factories that can produce its exacting, cutting-edge products -- something India largely lacks. "To create a local supply chain, it takes time. They will be able to operate stores and benefit from stores in the meantime," said Dutta. Foxconn, the major Taiwanese Apple supplier which also assembles products for Sony and Dell, is spending billions of dollars setting up factories in India. The iPhone is not yet on the production line, but Canagaradjou says he believes Apple could start manufacturing in India "in the next one or two years". However, while its stores may arrive in India soon, analysts don't expect to see legions of Apple superfans camping out to buy new releases as they do in other countries any time soon. "If someone is expecting a replication of how it is in other markets, people queueing up outside the stores from 3:00 am, I don't think that's going to happen," said Tripathi of Gartner. "In India, people prefer to sleep until late." - By Kyle Ferguson During the first quarter Caxton Associates (Trades, Portfolio) purchased a stake in CyberArk Software Ltd. (CYBR). CyberArk Software develops, markets and sells software to eliminate the most advanced cyber attacks and threats. CyberArk is the only security company laser-focused on striking down targeted cyber threats that make their way inside, undetected, to attack the heart of the enterprise.A About 2,600 global businesses use the servicesA CyberArk provides to protect their highest value assets, enabling them to master audit and IT compliance requirements. CyberArk is headquartered in Petach Tikvah, Israel, and has U.S. headquarters located in Newton, Massachusetts. The company also has offices throughout Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) as well as Asia Pacific and Japan. CyberArk Software has a market cap of $1.64 billion, a P/E ratio of 67.34, an enterprise value of $1.4 billion and a P/B ratio of 6.89. Caxton Associates (Trades, Portfolio) may have decided to purchase a stake in CyberArk Software for the following reasons: CyberArk Software financial statements have been gaining momentum over the previous five years. Its revenue has grown from $36.4 million in December 2011 to $174.8 million over the previous trailing 12 months, an average annual increase of 36% over the previous five years. The gross profits for CyberArk Software have increased by 37% annually over the previous five years. The company has increased its cash flow by 94.20% over the previous 12 months. And, it has also increased its free cash flow per share by an average annual rate of 34% over the previous four years. In December 2011, the company reported 0.51 free cash flow per share. Over the previous trailing 12 months, the company has reported 1.67 free cash flow per share. CyberArk Software has no debt and a 9/10 financial strength rating according to GuruFocus. CyberArk Software has had strong financial reports over the previous five years. However, the company has one severe warning sign that investors should pay attention to. According to GuruFocus, CyberArk Software has a Professor Messod Beneish score of 0.13. This indicates that the company may have manipulated its financial statements. Story continues Since Caxton Associates (Trades, Portfolio) purchased 286,000 shares of the company during the first quarter at an average price of $40.32 the stock has risen approximately 23% and was trading at $49.59 per share Wednesday. Below is a Peter Lynch Chart for CyberArk Software. 1466609364835.png Caxton Associates (Trades, Portfolio) is a global macro hedge fund founded by Bruce Kovner in 1983 and is headquartered in New York City. The firm also has offices in London, Sydney, and Princeton, New Jersey. Caxton Associates (Trades, Portfolio) identifies investments according to their research of global markets and analysis of worldwide economic trends. Caxton Associates (Trades, Portfolio) went through a major generational transition in 2008 when Kovner stepped back from trading and appointed Andrew Law as chief investment officer.A In 2011, Law was appointed as the chairman, CEO and controlling general partner of Caxton Associates (Trades, Portfolio) following Kovner's retirement. Caxton Associates (Trades, Portfolio) currently owns 112 stocks with a total value of $1,416 million. Cheers to your investment success. Disclosure: Author does not currently own any shares of this holding. Start a free seven-day trial of Premium Membership to GuruFocus. This article first appeared on GuruFocus. By Georgina Prodhan and Irene Preisinger MUNICH, Germany (Reuters) - China's biggest maker of industrial robots, Siasun, is looking for acquisitions in Europe to expand the proportion of sales it makes abroad, its president said on Wednesday. China is the world's largest robot market, but government support is rapidly expanding the number of robot makers, intensifying competition while growth is slowing. "We have a team in Europe. They are looking for robot companies, electronics companies, controller companies and so on. They want to buy," Daokui Qu said in an interview at the Automatica robotics fair in Munich. Chinese home-appliances maker Midea last week launched a 4.5 billion-euro ($5.1 billion) bid for German industrial robot maker Kuka, the biggest German company yet to be targeted by a Chinese buyer. Qu said he aimed to raise the share of sales that Siasun makes abroad to 40 percent, from 20 percent, in five years' time. Siasun has a market capitalization of 39.4 billion yuan ($5.99 billion) and made total sales of 1.69 billion yuan last year, according to Thomson Reuters data. Qu estimated that prices for industrial robots were falling by about 5 percent a year in China as the number of domestic competitors explodes. "In the last three to five years, many, many new companies appeared - maybe up to 800. It's a terrible number," he said. "It's fierce, fierce competition." China's industrial robot market is dominated by foreign players such as Japan's Fanuc, Swiss ABB and Kuka, but the International Federation of Robotics estimates the share of domestic players rose to 31 percent last year from 25 percent in 2013. Qu said he believed Siasun was ahead of the pack in China but a tier below foreign competitors in terms of technology. Siasun has won foreign customers including General Motors, Ford and Schneider Electric by competing in areas outside the core area of industrial robots, which are mainly stationary and do heavy work enclosed in cages. These include mobile robots, which can navigate spaces and move objects around, and service robots used for personal care, in the home or in medical environments - where Qu said Siasun had gained expertise thanks to China's large elderly population. Qu said many Chinese robot makers could go out of business because fierce price competition would not allow them to spend what they needed to on research and development. "Maybe some of the robot companies in the future will go and die," he said. (Editing by Ludwig Burger and Alexander Smith) Someone just tried to assassinate presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump, and they didnt even bring their own gun to the fight, choosing to try to steal an officers gun at a rally. The incident took place days after a person decided to bring a gun to a nightclub, killing 49 people in Orlando, with the help of a rifle that was originally developed for special ops. These sort of unfortunate events spark new debates around gun control. One idea is to ban rifles designated as weapons of war, and a new report shows us what happens when 5.56mm AR-15 rifle bullets tear through flesh and bone. DONT MISS: This years new Nexus phones could be 2016s most powerful handsets One looks like a grenade went off in there, University of Arizona trauma surgeon Peter Rhee told Wired when comparing the damage done by AR-15 bullets and 9mm handgun bullets. The other looks like a bad knife cut. The reason that happens is pretty simple, and its explained by physics. The bullet from an AR-15 rifle leaves the muzzle at three times the speed of a handgun bullet. That means it has plenty of energy to distribute inside the body upon collision. It can disintegrate three inches of leg bone, turning it to dust according to Donald Jenkins, a trauma surgeon at the University of Texas Health Science Center. The liver looks like a jello mold thats been dropped on the floor, if hit by the same bullet, Jenkins says. The exit would can be the size of an orange. Comparatively, handgun bullets can be stopped by flesh and bone, and can pass through the body only to remain stuck in the skin. Furthermore, AR-15 bullets dont just affect the skin and the tissue immediately under it. In addition to turning a bone to dust or liver into jello, the high energy would also cause damage around the entry and exit wounds. When a high-velocity bullet pierces the body, human tissue can ripple just like water does when you throw an object in it. But it all happens at increased velocity. The bullet and its ensuing fragments might miss a critical artery, but the cavitation effect could tear through blood vessels. Story continues Rhee also said that a handgun would require only one surgery, but an AR-15 bullet wound needs three to ten. Because its designed so well, the AR-15 fires almost without recoil, meaning that a shooter can inflict more damage with multiple bullets accurately hitting the same target. The gun barely moves. You can sit there boom boom boom and reel off shots as fast as you can move your finger, Denver Health trauma surgeon and Journal of Trauma and Acute Surgery editor Ernest Moore told Wired. A video from the Smithsonian Channel shows the devastating effects of assault rifle fire on the human body: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dr7dpEDNNC4 Related stories Controversial new handgun design looks exactly like a smartphone Hackers can now crack Wi-Fi enabled 'smart' sniper rifles Video: Gun-firing drones show humanity is hellbent on killing itself More from BGR: Justice League plot details, official logo and synopsis revealed by DC This article was originally published on BGR.com A sign advising pedestrians of the dangers of using smartphones while walking is displayed at an intersection in central Seoul on June 22, 2016 (AFP Photo/Ed Jones) Seoul (AFP) - Pedestrians glued to their smartphones were given something else to look at this week, as officials in Seoul launched a safety campaign to keep them from walking into busy traffic. Smartphone-related collisions between pedestrians and vehicles in South Korea have more than doubled in five years to around 1,000 reported incidents in 2014, according to the Transportation Safety Authority. The problem is especially acute in a country where smartphone penetration currently stands at around 80 percent of the population, most of whom seem intent on mastering the art of walking and texting. In a bid to reduce the number of people either stepping carelessly into oncoming traffic or slamming into each other on the sidewalk, officials in Seoul -- one of the world's most wired cities -- have begun installing the first batch of 300 warning signs this week in five locations across the capital. "We picked locations with the highest number of young pedestrians since the majority of smartphone users are in their teens to their 30s," Kim Ooc-Kyeong, a Seoul city official in charge of the project, told AFP on Wednesday. Some signs are attached to traffic light poles and depict a person looking at his smartphone as he is about to be hit by a car. But given that the target audience are people who wouldn't look up from their screens to see such warnings, other signs have been plastered on the actual sidewalk. "We put 250 signs on the pavements because they will actually be seen by the pedestrians that are looking down at their smartphones," Kim said. But neither type of warning seemed to have registered with locals interviewed at lunchtime by AFP. "I'm always on my smartphone, and I've never seen the signs before," said Kim Hyun-Chul, 29. "They need to make them stand out more." Koo Sung-Hoi, 27, was also unaware of the efforts to keep him from a smartphone-related injury. "I think the signs on the pavements are too small to be noticed," Koo said. Story continues South Korean smartphone users spend an average of four hours a day tweeting, chatting or playing games, with about 15 percent showing symptoms of addiction, according to state data. Seoul plans to monitor the effectiveness of the signs until the end of the year before deciding whether to expand the project. Similar campaigns have already been trialed in Europe. Antwerp has introduced designated walking lanes in a handful of busy shopping streets so smartphone users can look at their mobiles without bumping into other pedestrians. The German city of Augsburg even installed traffic lights in the pavement at tram crossings for smartphone gazers. A 2014 simulation found that if 1,500 people looking at their phones tried to cross Tokyo's notoriously crowded Shibuya intersection, only about a third would make across without bumping into others, falling or dropping their mobiles. India's cabinet has approved an auction of mobile phone radiowaves, hoping to scoop $85bn (AFP Photo/Loic Venance) The government of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday approved a mega auction of mobile phone radiowaves, hoping to scoop about $85 billion from the sale of licenses in the world's second-largest market. The new mobile radiowave spectrums on auction are seen as crucial for companies competing in the lucrative but cut-throat Indian market of a billion mobile subscribers. "This may be the largest ever auction in the history of the country," said Finance Minister Arun Jaitley at a press conference. More than 2,300 mhz of spectrum would be available for auction across seven bandwidths and based on their reserve price, the government is looking to mop up $85 billion against the $17.6 billion received last year. But a decision on spectrum usage charges, which has divided stakeholders, was deferred with the matter being referred to the telecom watchdog. Telecom bodies have expressed concerns over a possible move to collect licence fee and spectrum usage charges on revenues earned from trading airwaves, saying it would amount to double taxation. The battle for spectrum among India's top eight mobile phone carriers, including market leaders Vodafone, Bharti Airtel and Idea, has been fierce with each vying to roll out high-speed broadband services. The auction will hand the right-wing government much-needed revenue as it attempts to reform the economy. India is the world's second-largest mobile phone market by users after China. The government also said Wednesday it had put in place a special financial package for the textile and apparel sector, a move aimed at helping to reboot an economy beset by legal barriers and regulatory excesses. The government hopes the step will lead to a cumulative increase of $30 billion in exports and an investment of $11 billion over the next three years, the government said in a statement. On Monday, the government announced sweeping reforms to expand foreign investment across nine sectors, including defence and civil aviation, to accelerate job creation and manufacturing. Modi stormed to power in 2014, promising an overhaul of the faltering economy. Growth is now chugging along at 7.9 percent, the fastest of any major economy. Israel's Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, pictured on May 17, 2015, met with senior Facebook executives about a planned law to ban the use of the social network for the advancing of "terror" (AFP Photo/Gali Tibbon) (Pool/AFP/File) Jerusalem (AFP) - Israel's justice and internal security ministers on Wednesday announced plans to propose legislation banning the use of Facebook to advance "terror" and outlawing incitement from the Internet. Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked and Internal Security Minister Gilad Erdan said in a joint statement they had met earlier in the day with senior Facebook executives who were informed of their intention. Shaked and Erdan said the legislation would aim to make it illegal to publish "offensive content" such as "encouraging terror attacks, shaming, insulting public officials and slandering". Internet giants such as Facebook and Google could be held accountable, they said. In their meeting with the executives, they sought the removal of inciting content within 24 hours, as Facebook does in the European Union, said the statement. This would be backed by a law that blocks concent inciting "terror" and ensures its "complete removal, similar to laws in Australia and France". Israel maintains that online content has played a significant role in fuelling a wave of Palestinian attacks that broke out in October 2015. 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. According to the Wednesday statement, the ministers said that "in the latest wave of terror there has been a direct link between online incitement and the so-called 'lone wolf terror' attacks." By Georgina Prodhan and Irene Preisinger MUNICH, Germany (Reuters) - Chinese ownership should benefit Germany's Kuka, the German firm's robotics chief said, as the company and its shareholders consider a 4.5 billion-euro ($5.1 billion) offer from home appliances maker Midea. Kuka already sells 25 to 30 percent of its robots in China, Stefan Lampa said on Wednesday, adding it was essential to have research and development centers there for the local market, as the German firm has had for the past year-and-a-half. It has also been producing the majority of the robots it makes for the Chinese market locally for the past few years, instead of shipping them in from Germany. China, whose government has made the automation of manufacturing a top priority, is the world's biggest industrial robot market, although growth in robot demand there slowed to 17 percent last year from 56 percent a year earlier. "China is a super-important market in robotics. Having an owner that comes from that market most probably will be beneficial for us or for whoever has a Chinese owner," Lampa told Reuters in an interview. Kuka's chief executive Till Reuter has also expressed a positive view of Midea's bid, the largest yet by a Chinese buyer for a German company, but has yet to make an official recommendation to shareholders. Meanwhile, Kuka's supervisory board has given him a free hand in negotiating with Midea, sources told Reuters on Tuesday, over potential points of contention such as guarantees to protect jobs and intellectual property. Lampa said Kuka's German brand was a definite advantage in China, where fierce competition among hundreds of domestic suppliers is causing price erosion. "It really helps us. Over the last three years, we've grown market share," he said, while declining to be more specific. Kuka is expanding into electronics and other sectors but still makes the lion's share of its revenues in automotive. The firm's robotics sales last year totaled 910 million euros, and Lampa said Chinese growth was in a different league. "The speed of deployment is completely different. Here we talk about installing 100 robots in a factory in a year, there we talk about 1,000," he said at the Automatica robotics fair. "If you try to do it far away you don't have time," Lampa said, adding that robots for the Chinese market had to be simpler than for other markets because there was a layer of technical expertise missing in factories. "All of those people will disappear in China because everyone who can afford it wants their kids to be engineers or get high university degrees," he said, whereas in Germany skilled workers would welcome a complicated robot. "In China, you have to think different," he said. "We need to utilize the blue-collar workforce to interact with the robot, and that development work has to be done in China." Lampa said Chinese demand growth should be sustainable, partly because electronics assembly was still offshored to manual workers in lower-cost countries such as Vietnam or Bangladesh, and would become automated as wages there rose too. Fears about the impact of robots on employment prompted a draft motion to the European Parliament last month saying robots' growing intelligence, pervasiveness and autonomy requires a rethink of everything from taxation to legal liability. (Editing by Alexander Smith) The experimental Solar Impulse 2 plane landed in Spain, after completing a 70-hour journey from New York powered only by sunlight (AFP Photo/Handout) Madrid (AFP) - The Solar Impulse 2 plane went through "a long night of turbulence" over the Atlantic, its weary pilot said Wednesday as he continued on the challenging leg of its sun-powered trip around the world. The experimental plane, which took off from New York's John F. Kennedy airport on Monday, is flying over the Atlantic at the hands of Swiss adventurer Bertrand Piccard and is due to land in Spain's southern Seville airport early Thursday. By around 2100 GMT on Wednesday, the aircraft -- which is powered in the night sky by energy supplied by its 17,000 photovoltaic cells -- had completed 89 percent of its 6,000-kilometre (3,700-mile) flight across the Atlantic. "After a long night of turbulence and little sleep, I see the first light of the day," Piccard tweeted earlier on Wednesday. "Already the last afternoon above the Atlantic. Three days are feeling short," he tweeted later, with a photo of white clouds. Piccard also said he spotted a commercial airplane flying by at one point on Wednesday. "Solar Impulse 2 mut have caught his eye since their flight path curved slightly," he tweeted. The voyage marks the first solo transatlantic crossing in a solar-powered airplane, and Piccard has been getting little sleep as he survives on short catnaps. During his crossing, he has seen 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!" he tweeted a day ago. No heavier than a car but with the wingspan of a Boeing 747, Solar Impulse is being flown on its 35,400-kilometre trip round the world in stages, with Piccard and his Swiss compatriot Andre Borschberg taking turns at the controls of the single-seat plane. Borschberg piloted a 6,437-kilometre flight between Japan and Hawaii that lasted 118 hours, smashing the previous record for the longest uninterrupted journey in aviation history. Story continues 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. After the Atlantic crossing, Piccard and his colleague have two options: they could either make their way to Abu Dhabi with one more stop, as originally planned, or they could try to fly the rest of the way in one go. The plane typically travels at a mere 48 kilometres per hour, although its flight speed can double when exposed to full sunlight. Borschberg and Piccard say they want to raise awareness of renewable energy sources and technologies with their project. US Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker, pictured on July 13, 2015, expressed concern about measures that restrict digital content at a gathering of global leaders on the digital economy (AFP Photo/Mandel Ngan) (AFP/File) Washington (AFP) - A top US official warned Wednesday against a rise of "digital protectionism," which she said threatens access to information and ideas and can hurt economic growth. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker, who addressed a gathering of global leaders on the digital economy, expressed concern about measures that restrict content, limit data flows or impose standards that keep out foreign competition. "This 'digital protectionism' threatens access to the technologies and information that people want and need to succeed," Pritzker told a ministerial meeting in Mexico of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). "We expect such policies from authoritarian regimes that want to isolate their people -- not from nations that welcome the global exchange of ideas and commerce," she said. In a phone interview after the speech, Pritzker told AFP that "when governments engage in digital protectionism they leave their populations and others disenfranchised and disconnected." She added: "We're committed to the model of an open and free Internet and what we are seeing around the world is policies that threaten that." Pritzker declined to offer specific examples of countries adopting protectionist policies, but said in her speech she was concerned about "data localization laws that constrict cross-border data flows; content controls that limit access to information; and onerous technical standards that keep foreign competitors out of new markets." She told AFP that some of the measures are "well-intentioned" but have unintended consequences" that restrict online access. Pritzker said the ministerial meeting, the first by the organization of advanced economies on the topic in five years, should reaffirm the principles of an open Internet which is not controlled by governments or intergovernmental organizations. - Confidence in Internet - Story continues She said the US decision to privatize the technical adminstration of the Internet's domain name system, on track for this year, should boost confidence in the so-called "multistakeholder" model that steers clear of government regulation. The plan will leave the nonprofit group that manages the system -- the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) -- as a self-governing entity with checks and balances that limit any single group or government from asserting control. She said Washington agreed to cede this "symbolic" role "to blunt the arguments of Russia and China and other authoritarian regimes that do not want to see a free and open Internet." US officials earlier this month endorsed the transition crafted by ICANN, which is set to go into effect when the contract with the US Commerce Department expires September 30. Pritzker acknowledged that some members of Congress have balked at the plan but that the US administration remains committed to it. "The goal is to proceed to this transition, and it's increasingly important that we do so," she said in the interview. "There's a lot of politics around this but it's important that we get this done now." 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. 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. To activate the text-to-speech service, please first agree to the privacy policy below. Taipei, June 22 (CNA) The number of days with temperatures of 37 degrees Celsius and over in Taipei in June increased to six Wednesday, setting a new record for June in the 120 years since the Taipei Weather Station was set up in 1896, the Central Weather Bureau (CWB) said that day. Come and enjoy Read more [...] British Columbias forfeiture office abused power, lawsuit says A B.C. man who spent years fighting an attempt by the provinces Civil Forfeiture Office to seize his home has launched a legal action of his own, accusing the government office of abusing its authority.David Lloydsmith was at his home in Mission, B.C., in October, 2007, when an RCMP officer knocked on the door and said he was responding to a 911 call. Mr. Lloydsmith told the officer he was the only person at the home and had not called 911. The officer asked to enter the residence, a request Mr. Lloydsmith refused. But when he attempted to close the door, the officer barged in and restrained him, a judge later found. A subsequent search turned up marijuana plants, and Mr. Lloydsmith was arrested for production-related offences.The charges against Mr. Lloydsmith were dropped in early 2008, with the officer involved saying the offence had been relatively minor. But three years later, the RCMP forwarded the file to the Civil Forfeiture Office, which moved to seize the home.The Globe and Mail has reported extensively on the Civil Forfeiture Office, which seizes property associated with criminal activity.It was introduced as a way to fight organized crime, but has come to have a far broader reach. It does not need a conviction or charges to pursue a case, and critics have questioned some of the files it takes on, calling it a cash cow. B.C.s office has taken in millions of dollars more than a similar agency in Ontario, despite opening three years later.Mr. Lloydsmith, in a notice of civil claim filed in B.C. Supreme Court, accuses the office of negligence and misfeasance. The B.C. Minister of Public Safety, the B.C. Minister of Justice and the RCMP are also named as defendants.Mr. Lloydsmith states, quite simply, that his life started to go into disarray following [the officers] unlawful entry into his home and use of force against him on October 15, 2007, remained in disarray in the years that followed, [and] went into further disarray following the initiation of the [offices] civil forfeiture claim against him, the lawsuit says.The allegations in the lawsuit, which was filed in late April, have not been proven and the defendants have not filed their response.The Minister of Public Safety wrote in a statement that it would be inappropriate to comment on the matter because it is before the courts.An RCMP spokesperson said it has not yet been served with the lawsuit, but will respond through its statement of defence.Bibhas Vaze, Mr. Lloydsmiths lawyer, did not respond to a message seeking comment.Mr. Lloydsmith, now 59, was receiving a partial disability pension in 2007, although the lawsuit says that pension was terminated last year. He worked as an electrician before then, and the lawsuit says he is now working part-time. He is seeking general damages, aggravated damages, costs and any other relief the court deems fit.A B.C. Supreme Court judge in April, 2013, ruled the RCMP breached Mr. Lloydsmiths Charter rights by searching his home without a warrant, unduly arresting him and not allowing him to contact a lawyer immediately.The Civil Forfeiture Office nonetheless pressed on with its case. Although the judge had ruled that what to do about the Charter violations would have to be determined before the case could proceed, the office appealed that decision. It lost at the B.C. Court of Appeal in February, 2014. The appeal court, in its decision, noted the systems power imbalance could put ordinary citizens at the offices mercy.The office abandoned its pursuit of Mr. Lloydsmiths home two months later. Since his case was heard, defendants in other civil-forfeiture cases have pushed to have Charter concerns addressed at the outset potentially forgoing the cost of a full trial. The office has opposed such requests.Mr. Lloydsmiths lawsuit says both the Civil Forfeiture Office and the RCMP owed him a duty of care. He said their conduct caused him significant anxiety and fear, and the forfeiture case in particular pushed him into depression. Motorists crossing the Missouri River Bridge at Plattsmouth may want to put another quarter in their pocket to meet increases in the toll starting Aug. 1. Plattsmouth Bridge Commission (PBC) voted to increase toll prices at its June 14 meeting. Tolls will go from $1.25 to $1.50 for cars and pickups; 80 cents to $1 for yellow tickets for cars and pickups; and $2.25 to $2.50 for trucks. Much needed repairs to the bridge are driving the toll increase, according to PBC Chairwoman Bobie Touchstone. Touchstone addressed Plattsmouth City Council Monday night about the need for repairs and the change in toll prices. Prior to the new Highway 34 Bridge opening in November 2014, the Plattsmouth Bridge had experienced a substantial increase in traffic for a number of years due to the 2011 flood, Highway 75 construction and railroad bridge construction. This increase resulted in cash reserves of approximately $1.2 million, Touchstone said. Traffic counts ranged from 400,000 to 500,000 from 2011 through Sept. 2014, taking a toll on the now 84-year-old structure. When Doug Bereuter served as District 1 Congressman, funds were earmarked for a new Missouri River Bridge at Plattsmouth as well as the new bridge at LaPlatte. Plans for the new bridges were scrapped when Iowa and Nebraska Department of Roads (NDOR) officials decided only the new bridge in Sarpy County was needed. Plattsmouth officials with the help of Congressman Jeff Fortenberry lobbied to use the $3.2 million earmarked for a new bridge at Plattsmouth for repairs on the old bridge. With approval, the bridge was redecked and some of the structural members were replaced. The two 50-foot long approaches were also rebuilt. These renovations were completed in November 2008. Despite these extensive repairs, it did not meet the fracture critical inspection conducted Nov. 21-25, 2015, by Speece Lewis Engineers, Touchstone said. Engineers found that previous inspections done by another bridge inspection company failed to remove corrosion, pack rust and delamination from the bridge to inspect the base metal. After this was done, the base metal was found to be in significantly poor condition in some areas and that certain gusset plates actually had holes in them, Touchstone said. At the end of their inspection, Speece Lewis issued a Critical Finding Report, which recommended limiting traffic on the bridge to vehicles weighing up to three tons only, Touchstone said. The bridge was closed for a few weeks to obtain the signage necessary to alert the public of the new load restrictions. Speece Lewis Engineers estimate the cost of repairs at $300,000 to $500,000. With the new Highway 34 Bridge opening in fall of 2014, toll revenues significantly dropped at the Plattsmouth Bridge. Funding is needed to repair the deteriorated gusset plates at six locations, expansion joints at all eight locations, sway bracing at the deteriorated gusset plate location and top chord deterioration at some joint locations. When these repairs are made the load rating will increase to six tons with the engineers approval, Touchstone said. PBC members met with NDOR officials May 10 to discuss funding for the repairs. NDOR officials said there was no state funding to help with the repairs. They mentioned LB 960, which includes a program for bridge repairs with a county match. The commission is committed to making the repairs and keeping the bridge open as long as we can. At our June 14 meeting, we approved increasing the tolls, Touchstone said. We will begin working on our budget next month and will be making further reductions in our projected expenditures. PBC member Paul Lucas told the council that bridge repair funds were minimal. Anytime we have an expense that is not for the payroll, were in the red, he said. Councilman Doug Derby asked if the $1.2 million in cash reserves may be spent for demolishing the bridge. There are some questions as to whether cash reserves can be used for demolition services, Touchstone replied. Across North America, more than 30,000 amateur radio operators are expected to participate this weekend in an exercise in emergency communications. When a natural or manmade disaster hits an area, normal communications often fail. Whether it was New York on 9/11 or the Gulf Coast in 2005, thousands of telephone and cell phone users discovered that their service would not work. In such circumstances, emergency services often call on amateur radio operators for communications support. Field Day is an annual exercise in communication under simulated emergency conditions. Plattsmouth Amateur Radio Club is participating in field day at Young Memorial Park in Murray. Operators will be making contacts all over North America using emergency power and temporary antennas. The public is invited to stop by between 1 p.m. Saturday, June 25, and noon Sunday, June 26, to see the operation and even operate a radio and make a few contacts themselves. For over 100 years Amateur Radiosometimes called ham radiohas allowed people from all walks of life to experiment with electronics and communications techniques, as well as provide a free public service to their communities during a disaster, all without needing a cell phone or the Internet. Amateur Radio is also a diverse hobby for those with interests as varied as radio controlled models to digital communications to space satellites. Participants range in age from five to 100. For information, contact Roger Behrns at 402-234-6775. There are few summer camps available anywhere in the state, or country, that are offered for free, provide college-credit opportunities and a scholarship upon completion. But this is exactly what is available to the six students participating in this years 10-week-long film camp ran through the non-profit organization The Digg Site Productions. The 501(c)(3) non-profits mission is to educate the public through documentary film, to provide an accredited documentary film camp for high school and college students and to expand film opportunities throughout Nebraska and around the world, information on the Digg Site website says. In addition to high school students attending the camp for free where they learn about directing, shooting, cinematography and much more they receive college-credit opportunities through Fremont Metropolitan Community College, as well as receiving a $10,000 scholarship should they elect to attend Midland, said Shannon Stawniak, who was hired in March to serve as director of communications and marketing. By the camps end, students will have created 15-minute documentaries that will be shown in October at the White Light City Film Festival, held Oct. 7-9. Stawniak, who was born and raised in Omaha and attended the University of Nebraska at Omaha, said that she has always been a firm believer of retaining the areas talent one of the The Digg Site Productions major goal with hosting the Summer Film Camp. This position came open and it was interesting to me that they had all of these opportunities and I didnt have to leave Nebraska to achieve my dreams, she said during a Tuesday phone interview. People (students) always seem to think that they have to go to New York or Los Angeles to get involved in the film industry, and they can do it right here. This organization (Digg Site) is making that possible. Currently, the Summer Film camp is in its third week, and runs until Aug. 13. Stawniak said that although the application process isnt rigorous to enter the camp and the first 10 campers get in for free they treated the process as if they were applying for a job. A few of them actually made video clips and put together bios almost like a resume, she said. They took it very seriously. In addition to the Summer Film Camp for high school and college students, for the first time Digg Site is collaborating with the Fremont Family YMCA to host a youth film camp, YMCA Film Youth Camp: Film It The World Outside. Also available for free through The Digg Site Productions, youth ages 10-12 have been spending their Saturdays starting June 4 out at the Christensen Family YMCA Camp learning the basics of filming and spending time in nature. Campers participating in this also create a short documentary far shorter than the metro camp choosing to focus on certain aspects of nature. The six campers choose anything in nature they want to film and hone in on it, Stawniak said. One camper has been very specific about what he wants to film. One of our kids is just absolutely nuts about frogs, she said. We have all kind of been laughing about that a little bit because this is what he will be known for after the camp. While the camp is clearly less demanding than the metro camp, they still learn invaluable skills that will prepare them for the Metro camp down the road, and they also will have their short films shown at the White Light City Film Festival, too. Stawniak feels privileged to be part of all the excitement. What an incredible opportunity these camps are for students in the area, she said. Its great for the parents because it get their kids out of bed and out doing something productive, and its also huge for the kids because they are having fun while finding out what they want to do with their lives. Even before they reached the accident scene, Mike Hubbell and his co-workers knew what they would do. The employees of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway were eastbound on Nebraska Highway 64 headed toward Leshara when they saw smoke in the distance. We didnt know what it was, said Hubbell, a former Fremonter. As they got closer, they saw a car on its side in the ditch. The car was on fire. A man on the highway flagged down the three. We pulled over on the other side of the road, Hubbell said. The other guys and I had a plan before we hopped out. With quick action, the three would save an area womans life. And for one of those men, it would be an opportunity to help someone liked hed been helped years ago. The accident occurred after 10:20 a.m. Monday at the intersection of Nebraska Highway 64 and County Road 9, said Saunders County Deputy Tim Hannan. Connie Willis, 50, of Valley was southbound on County Road 9 and failed to yield to a dump truck driven by Chad Springborg, 42, of Fort Calhoun, Hannan said. Springborgs truck, which was eastbound on Nebraska Highway 64, impacted Willis Ford Explorer and both vehicles went into a ditch. Willis vehicle caught fire and she was trapped inside, Hannan said. BNSF Railway workers were headed toward the scene. We saw that the car was on fire and we just made a game plan of what we were going to do in the few seconds we had, said Hubbells co-worker Ricardo Aldana. Aldana and fellow BNSF employee Tony Henderson grabbed fire extinguishers that the men routinely carry in their vehicle, Hubbell said. Hubbell reached Willis vehicle first and said he could hear her hollering for help. Her seatbelt was still on and she couldnt get out. Her car was rolled over on the drivers side with the passenger side up in the air, he said. The hood area was on fire. Henderson and Aldana sprayed the vehicle with the fire extinguishers chemicals. We tried to knock down the flames a little bit to make sure we could safely get her out, said Aldana of Omaha. Hubbell crawled atop Willis vehicle where the passenger side window had been broken out. He tried to reach down through there to help her get off the seatbelt, but she couldnt get it loose. Henderson ran back to the BNSF truck to find something with which the men could cut the belt. In the meantime, Willis was able to get the seatbelt loose. I helped pull her up and out of the car, out of the passenger window, Hubbell said. By that time, Tony was back and he helped me get her out of the car and onto the ground. The three men carried Willis to a field away from the vehicle not knowing if it would explode. She told us there was a full tank of gas in there, Aldana said. We were trying to get as far away from that as we could, Hubbell said. We set her down and turned around and the whole thing was up in flames. It wasnt just the engine anymore. Mead Fire Chief Nick Raver said he and other crew members were just returning to the fire hall after a mutual aid medical call at Ashland when they were dispatched to the accident scene. There was a guy there before us and he was the one who called 911. They said the car was on fire so I took the weed truck, which is the fastest vehicle weve got, and got down there as fast as I could, Raver said. I was on-scene in nine minutes. When I got there the vehicle was already fully involved, Raver added. It actually exploded when I got on scene. Raver went to see Willis. I had a (medical) helicopter on standby. I told them to send it, Raver said. Willis was transported to Nebraska Medicine hospital in Omaha, where she is listed in fair condition. Raver said the truck driver wasnt injured. He said this was the second accident at the Highway 64 and County Road 9 intersection. In both cases, a car caught on fire. Five firefighters from Mead and five from Yutan responded to the scene. Raver learned how the BNSF workers had rescued Willis. I thought, Holy cow, thats amazing, Raver said. If they wouldnt have responded, she wouldnt be alive today. Theres no way, because she wasnt getting out of there with the injuries she had. They (the BNSF workers) are the life savers. Raver posted information about the accident on the Mead Fire Departments Facebook page. I want people to know what they did, because you dont hear stories like that very often, Raver said. For Henderson, however, a situation like this brought with it some familiarity. The BNSF worker was about 7 years old when he and his family, then from Valley, were in a car accident near Ceresco. It happened on his dads birthday. Henderson and his father were pinned in the car. He was lying on top of me, Henderson said. I can remember it like it was yesterday. I woke up (after the accident) and this lady and couple of guys were next to the car and she had a towel over my face. They were there, helping me, talking to me, trying to keep me calm. Mom got thrown out of the car and there were people helping her. Rescuers brought the Jaws of Life and freed Henderson and his father from the car. The little boy, whose face had hit the dashboard, had a broken nose and cheekbones and would require surgery. I was in a body cast for quite a while, he said. His father died 30 days later. His mother had broken vertebrae in her back, Henderson said. Those memories came back as Henderson helped carry Willis away from her burning vehicle. Now 49 and living in Wahoo, Henderson believes he was given an opportunity. I just felt that God gave me the opportunity to help somebody else out, because Ive been in the same situation, Henderson said. I remember people helping me. Aldana said there was no choice other than to help Willis. Youre not going to sit there and just watch, he said. We tried to do whatever we could to help. It feels good to help somebody, Hubbell said. Im really glad the three of us were there. We all work well together. Tuesday night, under the vaulting rooftop, fluorescent lighting and downward drafts of air conditioning inside the Christensen Field Multi-Purpose Building in Fremont, local government officials and several hundred area residents gather on the second consecutive night to engage in a tense public discussion dividing the community. In a proposal that projects the creation of 1,100 new jobs, an additional $63 million dollar increase in tax base, a $180 million capital investment in the region as well as an annual operational output of $1.2 billion during full operation, Costco Wholesale hopes to build a fully integrated, state of the art chicken processing plant in a large acreage located south of the City of Fremont. The issues before Fremont City Council on Tuesday involved the annexation, zoning changes and conditional agreements regarding the land upon which the processing operation would be located. Currently, the land in question owned by Hills Farm, Inc. exists in the extraterritorial jurisdiction of Fremont. In order to acquire the benefits related to annexation, such as utilities and the use of tax incremental financing for funding certain aspects of the project, Costco submitted a petition for annexation of the 417 acres of Hills Farm land into the corporate boundaries of Fremont. That petition represented one of three ordinances under official consideration and public discussion Tuesday night. There is probably no better place for a project of this type to go, said Jack S. Frank vice president of real estate for Costco. If approved, the framework would be laid for Costco to commence with its plans. Frank discussed several components of that plan. He outlined the dimensions of the feed mill, hatchery and processing facility. Those structures would be owned by Costco but operated by Lincoln Premium Poultry. The company would work with the local community to purchase feed and other necessities. Frank stated that among the grower community interest showed an overwhelming positive response. He went on to detail a 5.5 percent to 7 percent return on investment for the growers after loans payments while under a 15 year contract with Costco. Additionally the contract represents a progressive remediation process, where growers could not be terminated without cause or due process. We do this with a code of ethics in mind, said Frank. Costcos reputation speaks for itself. Were a do-the-right-thing company. Troy Anderson, director of planning for Fremont, explained the meetings served as an opportunity for the public to offer city officials their general opinion about the project and specific information or documents related to its impacts economic, environmental or community impacts. According to Anderson, open public discussion represents an informational gathering session for city officials; it is not a question and answer session. (The public discussion) allows the general public to share their thoughts and feelings, Anderson said. He explained it provides a means for the members of the community to inform city officials about what needs to be known to make the most educated decision on resolutions and ordinances under consideration. In the moments prior to the meeting, Mayor Scott Getzschman discussed his goals and vision for the public discussion phase of Costcos proposal. He looked forward to sharing the facts, starting the public dialog and taking the process to fruition Im excited to have the public process get started, Mayor Scott Getzschman added. Not everyone present showed the same enthusiasm. Jeff Karls, Fremont resident approached the council with a petition carrying 1052 signatures in support of implementing more detailed, scientific and transparent impact studies. This is not a decision of a few but a decision of the people who will live with it (the facility), Karls stated, The things that really matter seemed to be getting steamrolled over. Officials from state agricultural and environmental agencies as well as two experts in the field of poultry science were on hand to address inquiries and concerns from the Fremont City Council and area residents. Those experts were John R. Glisson, vice president of research for the U.S. Poultry and Egg Association and Michael Lacy, professor of poultry science at the Department of Poultry for the University of Georgia. Glisson tried to alleviate concerns regarding avian flu. He explained its a virus native to wild waterfowl not birds of the poultry industry. For that reason, chickens and turkeys have no natural immunity against the virus. However, Glisson said the industry works diligently to keep poultry protected. This is accomplished by keeping the birds inside with strict biocontainment measures. He further expanded that fears of the disease in humans has been fueled more by sensationalized news. This country leads the world in avian influenza control, Glisson stated. Every flock of chickens is tested before they go to market Nebraska is already part of this system. Lacy addressed worries over the environmental impact of broiler litter. Poultry litter is an extremely valuable, effective and important organic fertilizer, Lacy said, adding that all farmers applying it to their fields are required to follow a comprehensive nutrient plan that ensures proper storage and application and, if used responsibly, it poses very little environmental risk. In addition to the ordinances under consideration, three resolutions regarding conditional annexation agreements for the Hills Farm as well as for another piece of land known as the Roadway Subdivision, also fell under consideration by City Council and were all approved unanimously. Those conditional agreements were between the City of Fremont, Costco and local property owners of the said acreages; and all are conditioned upon the closing of the purchase of the Hills Farm property by Costco. In a sense, Costcos purchase of the land serves as one of the initial dominos that will set in motion the progression of the project. Gregory Barton of Barton Law firm out of Lincoln addressed the Council on behalf of Nebraska Communities United, a group that continues to show resolute opposition to Costco. The biggest concern is the lack of detail regarding the proposed Costco project, Barton said, I cant help but notice that all the petitions and agreement for annexation are all quote, unquote, conditional. At Tuesdays meeting City Council held the first (of three) readings on the four ordinances regarding annexation of the Hills Farm and Roadway Subdivision property and the corresponding zoning changes. The ordinances will not be acted on until after each receives three reading by the council. MASON CITY Roy D. Biondi, a Columbus, Ohio, publishing executive, has been named publisher of the Globe Gazette and the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier. He will begin work July 5. He succeeds David Braton, who became publisher of The Bismarck Tribune in March. Braton served as interim publisher of the Globe Gazette and then publisher for a short time following the death of longtime publisher Howard Query in September 2015. In meeting Globe Gazette employees June 16, Biondi described himself as a high-energy individual whose focus will be on culture, community and commerce. He said the emphasis of the newspaper will continue to be on local news. Roy is a talented and experienced publisher with a proven record of performance, said Lee group publisher Chris White. He fully understands the power of the vast audiences our combined suite of products represents. I am confident he can continue to grow that audience with strong local content and use it to help advertisers reach the communities of the Cedar Valley and Mason City. Biondi, 54, is currently vice president and group publisher for Consumer New Services/ThisWeek Community News in central Ohio. The Courier and the the Globe Gazette are outstanding local newspapers, Biondi said. Im eager to get to work meeting local leaders and business owners and begin the process of building relationships in the community. I look forward to serving the readers and advertisers in Waterloo and Mason City. Before joining Dispatch Media Group in 2007, Biondi was a publisher of newspapers, magazines and niche publications in Overland Park, Kansas; Olean, New York; and Ada, Oklahoma. He has served as a corporate circulation consultant in Kansas City, Missouri, and as circulation director in several markets including: Woonsocket, Rhode Island, and Hanover, Pennsylvania. He held circulation positions in several markets including Altoona, Pennsylvania. Biondi is a former board member of the Local Media Association. He has served as the president of the United Way of Olean New York and is a former board member of Ada City School Foundation. Biondi is a native of Natrona Heights, Pennsylvania, and a graduate of Muskingum College in New Concord, Ohio. He and his wife, Dawn, have three children. 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 Monday. 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 rejected proposals from both parties to prevent suspected extremists or terrorists from obtaining guns and expand 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 that would give the FBI three days to investigate an individual to confirm or rule out links to terrorism. If evidence of a tie to terrorism in found, the FBI could seek a warrant from a judge to prevent the transfer of a gun to that individual. Ernst called that a reasonable solution without unlawfully infringing on law-abiding U.S. citizens Second Amendment rights. Iowas senators also supported Grassleys amendment to improve the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) without unlawfully infringing on law-abiding Americans Second Amendment rights," Ernst said. Unfortunately, Ernst said on WHO Radio, the votes were about positioning, posturing, whatever you want to call it. 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 would make it easier for mentally ill individuals to legally 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 that 38 percent of the names on the watch list are incorrect. Thats why she opposed Democratic amendments that did not allow for due process for individuals mistakenly placed on a terror watch list, Ernst said. The votes on the proposals, which were very similar to ones Democrats were unable to pass when they had the Senate majority, were seen as fodder for the parties and special interest groups to use in the 2016 campaign for control of the Senate. MASON CITY | Iowa Department of Education Director Ryan Wise toured a pilot program at Roosevelt Elementary on Wednesday that hopes to give educators keys to better help struggling readers. Starting in summer 2018, third-graders statewide who arent considered proficient in reading will have to complete an intensive summer reading program in order to advance to fourth grade. Meeting achievement benchmarks will not be required to pass the program. Mason City is one of more than 40 districts piloting the initiative this year. The goal of the program is to use three different instructional methods print-based, computer-based, or methods the school is currently using for reading interventions to see which would be most effective to adopt statewide. Data will be collected at pilot schools to determine which methods should be adopted, said Dr. Deborah Reed, director of the Iowa Reading Research Center at the University of Iowa. The pilot program comes as state officials are increasingly concerned that nearly 1-in-4 Iowa third-graders did not read proficiently on state tests in 2014 and 2015, according to Gov. Terry Branstads office. Data collected by the district in Mason City last winter indicated 30 percent of the districts third-graders would be eligible for the pilot program, now interim Superintendent Mike Penca told the Globe Gazette in February. That figure included students eligible for special education services, some of whom may qualify for exceptions, he said in February. About 120 students total were identified this year for the program including some who may have qualified for exceptions, he said on Wednesday. The district invited about 80 to 90 students to attend the initiative. The district planned to have up to 60 students in the pilot program. Forty-eight students are currently attending, he said. Mason City's program is set up with four classrooms with 15 or fewer students each. Students are instructed for 75 hours over five weeks with transportation and meals provided. Teachers who choose to participate will be trained by Iowa Reading Research and the Area Education Agency. Earlier this year, Branstad announced private donations will help cover about $1.3 million of the $1.9 million pilot program statewide this summer for teachers and curriculum. Among the private donations for this summers pilot project were $750,000 from the Richard Jacobson Foundation, $300,000 from an anonymous donor and $75,000 from MidAmerican Energy. The Iowa Department of Education contributed $250,000 and the Board of Regents $100,000. Funding past the pilot program has not yet been determined. Branstad has said he hopes to ask the Iowa Legislature to secure $9 million in funding for the program during the 2017 legislative session. "Anytime you talk about major undertakings, funding always factors into it," Wise said. "I think we are going to have a lot of really valuable (data) from places like Mason City that will really benefit the state." SAC CITY | A Hampton woman accused of trying to hit a police officer with a pickup earlier this month is free on bond. Jessie Uhlenhopp, 20, was charged with felony assault on a peace officer with a dangerous weapon. Her next court hearing is July 6 in District Court in Sac City. Uhlenhopp drove a Chevrolet truck at a police officer while he was chasing a man, Ryan Minteer, who had fled from Uhlenhopp's vehicle on June 7 at a Sac City gas station, according to a statement from Sac City police. Officers had been looking for Minteer, who was wanted on warrants from Marshalltown for failure to appear and rioting. They had recieved word he might be staying in Sac City, about 46 miles west of Fort Dodge. Police say that as Minteer ran across the street, Uhlenhopp put the pickup in gear and attempted to hit the officer who was running after Minteer. The officer ran toward a building to get out of the way. Uhlenhopp allegedly swerved to avoid hitting the building. Sac City Police Chief John Thomsen said Uhlenhopp came within feet of hitting the officer. Uhlenhopp was later found in Sac City and arrested, police said. She bonded out of jail last week. Minteer remained at large on Wednesday. He now faces a misdemeanor charge of interference of official acts in addition to the Marshalltown warrants. -- Molly Montag VENTURA | A man who died after being found unresponsive in Clear Lake likely fell into the water while boating, officials say. George Baker, 85, of Mason City, was found floating in the water about 9:30 p.m. near the boat landing at McIntosch Woods State Park in Ventura, according to a Cerro Gordo County Sheriff's Office statement. His boat was found about 300 feet from shore. Medics performed CPR as Baker was taken by ambulance to Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa, but he did not survive. He was pronounced dead at the hospital. Officials believe Baker slipped from his boat or fell while trying to take it out of the water. State conservation officers, state vehicle enforcement agents, Clear Lake police, state troopers and firefighters from Clear Lake and Ventura also responded to the scene. Molly Montag Patricia E. Romans MASON CITY Patricia E. Romans, 81, of Mason City, Iowa, died Thursday, June 9, 2016, at her home. A celebration of life service will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, June 27, at Trinity Lutheran Church, 213 N. Pennsylvania Ave., with Pastor Kathy Graves officiating. Per the familys request, her body will be cremated. The family will greet friends from 4-6 p.m. Sunday, June 26, at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania Ave. in Mason City. Memorials may be directed to Trinity Lutheran Church or the American Diabetes Association. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.majorericksonfuneralhome.com. Patricia was born on Jan. 26, 1935, in Des Moines, Iowa, to Elsie (Jensen) Clayburg and Marion Clayburg. Patricia married Stanley Charles Romans, Jr. in August 1958; Stan passed away in 2002. Known as Patty by many of her friends, she was a long-time resident of Mason City. She graduated from Mason City High School in 1952, and kept in touch with many of her classmates up to the time of her death. A graduate of the University of Northern Iowa with a degree in elementary education, she taught at Mason Citys Roosevelt Elementary School. After her teaching career, she owned and operated the College Bookstore, worked as the volunteer coordinator at North Iowa Medical Center, and later managed the Willows assisted-living facility in Mason City. Patricia was very active in the Trinity Lutheran Church, and enjoyed playing in their bell choir. She also enjoyed volunteering at Music Man Square. She was committed to service and believed in giving back her time and talents to the community. She was active in Pilot Club, P.E.O., and local and state politics. She assumed leadership roles in many of the service organizations she was involved in, including serving as chair of the Cerro Gordo County Republicans. She was a strong role model and a source of support for aspiring young women throughout much of her adult life. Her legacy will live on in the countless lives she touched. As her brother said after her death, Patricias family was everything to her. She closely followed the lives and careers of her children, their spouses, and her grandchildren, never missing a birthday, graduation, or special occasion. Patricia was a very busy woman, but in her spare time she loved working crossword puzzles, sewing and baking. She was famous for her delicious homemade caramels and truffles, which she always shared with family and friends during the holidays. She was preceded in death by her husband and her parents. She is survived by her daughter Beth Bower and her husband Darin in Lees Summit, Missouri; her son John Romans and his wife Connie, in Stillwater, Oklahoma; her daughter Cathy Barnes and her husband Todd in Yorktown, Virginia; her brother Bill Clayburg in Mesa, Arizona; and her five grandchildren Andrew and Sarah Romans, Todd and Taylor Barnes, and Alexandra Bower. She will also be missed by many dear friends. Arrangements: Major Erickson Funeral Home & Crematory, 111 N. Pennsylvania Avenue, Mason City, Iowa 50401, 641-423-0924, www.majorericksonfuneralhome.com. MASON CITY Fire Chief Bob Platts expressed gratitude to the city Tuesday night for providing him with a gratifying career. Platts, who is retiring June 30 after 33 years on the Fire Department, the last 14 as chief, was recognized for his years of service during a special presentation at a City Council meeting. After receiving a certificate of recognition from Mayor Eric Bookmeyer, Platts took a few moments to say thanks. He said he appreciated the support of the mayor and the council and of previous mayors and councils with whom he has worked. To the citizens, I say it has been a pleasure to serve you, said Platts. He thanked his wife and family for their support and praised the skilled, dedicated firefighters who he said formed a great team. We cant do it alone, said Platts. His final thanks was to my Lord and savior Jesus Christ for giving me the strength. A public reception for Platts will be from 2 to 3 p.m. June 30 at the fire station. Also Tuesday night, the council approved the appointment of Deputy Chief Doug Janssen as interim chief until a full-time successor to Platts is named. Visiting a state whose leaders cannot agree how to fix a bad water problem, an official from a city that epitomizes water problems issued an ominous warning: What happened there, in Flint, Michigan, can happen anywhere. Perish the thought. But Chris Kolb, who witnessed up close the problems of a tainted water supply and the mistakes that helped cause them, insists its true. His word carries significant weight. Hopefully enough to prompt Iowans to find common ground and find a remedy. Kolb is co-chairman of an independent task force that investigated the root causes of the Flint crisis. Headlines around the country screamed out the problem: Flints water supply became contaminated with lead when the city, trying to save money, abandoned Lake Huron as its water source by way of Detroit and started drawing it from the Flint River. Serious problems occurred, including lead poisoning, skin rashes and carcinogens found in the water. Other issues may not be known for years, some experts say. Kolbs task force found that state regulators declined to require corrosion-control treatment, which allowed toxic lead to seep into the water supply. What happened in Flint now synonymous with bad water and the resulting scandal that Kolb called a catastrophic failure by government -- is important in helping people understand why they need to be good stewards and to protect these water sources, he said at an event in Des Moines hosted by the Iowa Environmental Council. Kolb knows Flint is just one of many cities with water issues. The Des Moines Waterworks is suing several counties over what it claims is agricultural runoff polluting rivers that run into Des Moines, forcing higher clean-up costs. Also, the federal government has ordered the state to reduce harmful pollutants in its waterways that are feeding into the Mississippi River and ultimately the Gulf of Mexico, creating dead zones where marine life cannot survive. The Legislature and Gov. Terry Branstad have batted the issues back and forth but no agreement has passed muster by all sides. Most Iowans concerned with clean water can only wonder why something cant be done. But it is expensive and a lengthy process. There are many issues to be dealt with. Kolbs message, however, should hit home to these hard-headed government officials. He said agriculture producers should be required to participate in water-quality programs, that the voluntary system now isnt working because participation remains low. But he said it goes beyond even that. He stressed that preserving healthy water supplies will require the attention of all citizens, not just government. He said the public must educate itself and then advocate for clean-water practices. In a state where agriculture is king, mandatory participation by producers wont come easy. And in a state where most of us accept without a second thought the privilege of having cool, clean, pure drinking water in our homes, there doesnt seem to be much urgency to change. Thats unfortunate and unacceptable. We owe it to those along the Mississippi waterway, to those concerned with our ecosystem and to our future generations to clean up our water supplies. We need to put the pressure on Des Moines to get it done. That solution could not be any clearer. LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., June 21, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (NYSE:BR) (Broadridge) today announced that it has priced $500 million aggregate principal amount of 3.400% senior notes due 2026 (the Notes) in an offering registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Broadridge intends to use the net proceeds of this offering to repay the outstanding indebtedness under its senior credit facility, to finance acquisitions and for general corporate purposes. J.P. Morgan, Morgan Stanley, MUFG, Wells Fargo Securities, BNP Paribas, TD Securities and US Bancorp are acting as the joint book-running managers for the offering. The Notes are being offered pursuant to an effective registration statement only by means of a prospectus and related preliminary prospectus supplement, copies of which may be obtained from J.P. Morgan Securities LLC collect at 212-834-4533, Mitsubishi UFJ Securities (USA), Inc. toll-free at 877-649-6848, Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC toll-free at 866-718-1649, Wells Fargo Securities, LLC toll-free at 800-645-3751. You may also visit www.sec.gov to obtain an electronic copy of the prospectus and related preliminary prospectus supplement. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of the notes in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. About Broadridge Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. (NYSE:BR) is the leading provider of investor communications and technology-driven solutions for broker-dealers, banks, mutual funds and corporate issuers globally. Broadridge's investor communications, securities processing and managed services solutions help clients reduce their capital investments in operations infrastructure, allowing them to increase their focus on core business activities. With over 50 years of experience, Broadridge's infrastructure underpins proxy voting services for over 90% of public companies and mutual funds in North America, and processes on average $5 trillion in equity and fixed income trades per day. Broadridge employs approximately 7,400 full-time associates in 14 countries. Forward-Looking Statements This press release and other written or oral statements made from time to time by representatives of Broadridge may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements that are not historical in nature, and which may be identified by the use of words such as expects, assumes, projects, anticipates, estimates, we believe, could be and other words of similar meaning, are forward-looking statements. These statements are based on managements expectations and assumptions and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed. These risks and uncertainties include those risk factors discussed in Part I, Item 1A. Risk Factors of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2015 (the 2015 Annual Report), as they may be updated in any future reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release and are expressly qualified in their entirety by reference to the factors discussed in the 2015 Annual Report. These risks include: the success of Broadridge in retaining and selling additional services to its existing clients and in obtaining new clients; Broadridges reliance on a relatively small number of clients, the continued financial health of those clients, and the continued use by such clients of Broadridges services with favorable pricing terms; changes in laws and regulations affecting Broadridges clients or the services provided by Broadridge; declines in participation and activity in the securities markets; any material breach of Broadridge security affecting its clients customer information; the failure of Broadridges outsourced data center services provider to provide the anticipated levels of service; a disaster or other significant slowdown or failure of Broadridges systems or error in the performance of Broadridges services; overall market and economic conditions and their impact on the securities markets; Broadridges failure to keep pace with changes in technology and demands of its clients; Broadridges ability to attract and retain key personnel; the impact of new acquisitions and divestitures; and competitive conditions. Broadridge disclaims any obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, other than as required by law. DGAP-News: LION E-Mobility AG / Key word(s): Incoming Orders/Miscellaneous LION E-Mobility AG: LION E-Mobility AG Subsidiary LION Smart receives new contract 22.06.2016 / 08:00 The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Garching, Germany - June, 22nd 2016 - Die LION E-Mobility AG is pleased to announce that its German subsidiary LION Smart GmbH has received a new order in the field Prototyping & Development. The order with a volume of 760 TEUR will become effective 2016 in revenue terms. About LION Smart: LION Smart GmbH is an innovative development service provider for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and suppliers of the automobile industry and other industry sectors like aviation and maritime. As a partner in system analysis, selection and design of electric energy storage systems like lithium batteries and integration into the specific vehicle concept LION Smarts engineers have a very high level of expertise. LION Smart carries out its own research program in the field of lithium-ion technology and has filed two patents in the past twelve months. About LION E-Mobility AG LION E-Mobility AG (WKN: A1JG3H, Ticker: LMI, Reuters: LMIG.MU) is a Swiss Holding with strategic investments in the e-mobility sector, particularly in the field of electric energy storage as well as battery pack development and management. The Company holds 100% of the German LION Smart GmbH, a development and engineering company specialized on custom designed battery packs and battery-management-systems. LION Smart GmbH further holds a 30% stake of the TUV SUED Battery Testing GmbH, a dynamically growing joint venture with the renowned TUV SUED AG. Members of the Board of Directors are: Mr. Daniel Quinger (President of the Board), Mr. Tobias Mayer, Mr. Hany Magour, Dr. Isolde Semm and Mr. Martin Specht. The Management of LION Smart GmbH consists of Mr. Tobias Mayer and Mr. Walter Wimmer. The Managing Director of the TUV SUED Battery Testing GmbH is Mr. Christian Theeck. For more information please visit our homepage: www.lionemobility.com Disclaimer This presentation contains forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties, including statements that relate to, among other things, the Company's objectives, goals, strategies, intentions, plans, beliefs, expectations and estimates, and can generally be identified by the use of words such as "may", "will", "could", "should", "would", "likely", "expect", "intend", "estimate", "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "objective" and "continue" (or the negative thereof) and words and expressions of similar import. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, such statements involve risks and uncertainties, and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. Certain material factors or assumptions are applied in making forward-looking statements, and actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations include but are not limited to: general business and economic conditions (including but not limited to currency rates and creditworthiness of customers); Company liquidity and capital resources, including the availability of additional capital resources to fund its activities; level of competition; changes in laws and regulations; legal and regulatory proceedings; the ability to adapt products and services to the changing market; the ability to attract and retain key executives; and the ability to execute strategic plans. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the forward-looking statements contained in this presentation, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. Investor Relations Contact: Mr. Walter Wimmer Telefone: +49 (0)89 74567993 Email: ir@lionemobility.de http://www.lionemobility.de LION E-Mobility AG Poststrasse 6 6300 Zug Switzerland --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 22.06.2016 Dissemination of a Corporate News, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Archive at www.dgap.de --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Language: English Company: LION E-Mobility AG Poststrae 6 6300 Zug Switzerland Phone: +41 (0)41 500 54 11 Fax: +41 (0)41 500 54 12 E-mail: info@lionemobility.de Internet: www.lionemobility.com ISIN: CH0132594711, CH0132594711 WKN: A1JG3H , A1JG3H Listed: Regulated Unofficial Market in Hamburg, Munich; Open Market in Frankfurt End of News DGAP News Service --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 473309 22.06.2016 VANCOUVER, Washington, June 22, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CytoDyn Inc. (OTC.QB:CYDY), a biotechnology company focused on the development of new monoclonal antibody therapies for combating human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, announces the availability of Paul J. Maddon, M.D., Ph.D.s June 20 presentation at the ASM Microbe 2016 Conference discussing clinical results from the Companys Phase 2b monotherapy extension study in patients with HIV on CytoDyns website. Dr. Maddons presentation can also be accessed by inserting the following link into your browser: http://content.stockpr.com/cytodyn/files/docs/ASM+Microbe+Conference+Presentation+by+Dr.+Paul+J.+Maddon+re+PRO+140_June+20+2016_Boston.pdf The Phase 2b extension study showed that PRO 140 delivered in weekly subcutaneous injections provided full virologic suppression and was well tolerated in a group of HIV treatment-experienced patients for more than one year, said Dr. Maddon, inventor of PRO 140 and senior science advisor to CytoDyn. It was exciting to discuss these outstanding clinical results in an oral presentation to conference attendees and at a special press conference for journalists. Nader Pourhassan, Ph.D., president and CEO of CytoDyn, commented: The current standard of care for HIV patients, which is highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), has many shortcomings that include required daily dosing of multiple pills and toxicity that can lead to compliance issues. In essence, the clinical results from our monotherapy extension study indicate that PRO 140 may offer a simple, long-acting, single-agent maintenance therapy in select patients after initial treatment with HAART. We are currently evaluating PRO 140 in two Phase 3 clinical trials as both an alternative and addition to HAART. PRO 140 is a humanized monoclonal antibody that is being studied in HIV-infected patients as a standalone treatment and in combination with standard of care HAART therapy. It has shown to have potent antiviral activity in seven clinical trials with HIV patients infected with the R5 strain of HIV, which accounts for approximately 70% of infected Americans and up to 90% of those newly diagnosed. This Phase 2b study evaluated PRO 140 as a monotherapy in treatment-experienced patients with the R5 subtype of HIV was completed in January 2015, and an extension of the study in certain responder patients is ongoing. In April 2016, CytoDyn announced that 10 HIV-infected patients in this ongoing extension study have achieved complete viral load suppression for at least 18 months, with several patients approaching 20 months. To date, PRO 140 has been evaluated in more than 200 subjects in various studies. About ASM Microbe 2016 Conference ASM Microbe 2016 is the merger of the American Society for Microbiologys two premier events, the ASM General Meeting and ICAAC (Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy). The conference provides a forum for attendees to gain valuable insights from the field's foremost leaders, interact with multi-disciplinary microbiologists, and meet leading product and service providers. The 2016 conference website is located at: http://asmmicrobe.org/. About PRO 140 PRO 140 belongs to a new class of HIV/AIDS therapeutics viral-entry inhibitors that are intended to protect healthy cells from viral infection. PRO 140 is a humanized IgG4 monoclonal antibody directed against CCR5, a molecular portal that HIV uses to enter T-cells. PRO 140 blocks the predominant HIV (R5) subtype entry into T-cells by masking this required co-receptor, CCR5. Importantly, PRO 140 does not appear to interfere with the normal function of CCR5 in mediating immune responses. PRO 140 does not have agonist activity toward CCR5 but does have antagonist activity to CCL5, which is a central mediator in inflammatory diseases. PRO 140 has been the subject of seven clinical trials, each demonstrating efficacy by significantly reducing or controlling HIV viral load in human test subjects. PRO 140 has been designated a fast track product candidate by the FDA. The PRO 140 antibody appears to be a powerful antiviral agent leading to potentially fewer side effects and less frequent dosing requirements as compared to daily drug therapies currently in use. About CytoDyn CytoDyn is a biotechnology company focused on the clinical development and potential commercialization of humanized monoclonal antibodies for the treatment and prevention of HIV infection. The Company has one of the leading monoclonal antibodies under development for HIV infection, PRO 140, which has completed Phase 2 clinical trials with demonstrated antiviral activity in man and is currently in Phase 3. PRO 140 blocks the HIV co-receptor CCR5 on T cells, which prevents viral entry. Clinical trial results thus far indicate that PRO 140 does not negatively affect the normal immune functions that are mediated by CCR5. Results from seven Phase 1 and Phase 2 human clinical trials have shown that PRO 140 can significantly reduce viral burden in people infected with HIV. A recent Phase 2b clinical trial demonstrated that PRO 140 can prevent viral escape in patients during several weeks of interruption from conventional drug therapy. CytoDyn intends to continue to develop PRO 140 as a therapeutic anti-viral agent in persons infected with HIV and to pursue non-HIV indications where CCR5 and its ligand CCL5 may be involved. For more information on the Company, please visit www.cytodyn.com. Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes forward-looking statements and forward-looking information within the meaning of United States securities laws, including statements regarding CytoDyns Phase 3 and other current and proposed trials and studies and their results and completion. These statements and information represent CytoDyns intentions, plans, expectations, and beliefs and are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, many beyond CytoDyns control. These factors could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking statements or information. The words believe, estimate, expect, intend, attempt, anticipate, foresee, plan, and similar expressions and variations thereof identify certain of such forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, which speak only as of the date on which they are made. CytoDyn disclaims any intention or obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements or forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable law. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements or forward-looking information. While it is impossible to identify or predict all such matters, these differences may result from, among other things, the inherent uncertainty of the timing and success of and expense associated with research, development, regulatory approval, and commercialization of CytoDyns products and product candidates, including the risks that clinical trials will not commence or proceed as planned; products appearing promising in early trials will not demonstrate efficacy or safety in larger-scale trials; future clinical trial data on CytoDyns products and product candidates will be unfavorable; funding for additional clinical trials may not be available; CytoDyns products may not receive marketing approval from regulators or, if approved, may fail to gain sufficient market acceptance to justify development and commercialization costs; competing products currently on the market or in development may reduce the commercial potential of CytoDyns products; CytoDyn, its collaborators or others may identify side effects after the product is on the market; or efficacy or safety concerns regarding marketed products, whether or not scientifically justified, may lead to product recalls, withdrawals of marketing approval, reformulation of the product, additional pre-clinical testing or clinical trials, changes in labeling of the product, the need for additional marketing applications, or other adverse events. CytoDyn is also subject to additional risks and uncertainties, including risks associated with the actions of its corporate, academic, and other collaborators and government regulatory agencies; risks from market forces and trends; potential product liability; intellectual property litigation; environmental and other risks; and risks that current and pending patent protection for its products may be invalid, unenforceable, or challenged or fail to provide adequate market exclusivity. There are also substantial risks arising out of CytoDyns need to raise additional capital to develop its products and satisfy its financial obligations; the highly regulated nature of its business, including government cost-containment initiatives and restrictions on third-party payments for its products; the highly competitive nature of its industry; and other factors set forth in CytoDyns Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2015 and other reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Albany, NY, June 22, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Global solar farm automation market by solar tracker - The solar tracker segment in solar farm automation market was valued at close to USD 3.85 billion in 2015. Market demand for solar trackers has risen following a dip in prices and high device efficiency, among other factors. In 2015, the first solar farm began with a capacity of 52.5-MW began in Jordan, a project that is expected to be completed by 2016. This will be the first time that First Solar will use a tracker on a solar farm in Jordan. The product is likely to increase energy generation by 20% compared to fixed solar panels. In 2015, First Solar and Apple signed a deal for a 130-MW California Flats Solar Project worth more than USD 800 million. The deal included the supply of fixed tilt and single-axis trackers. APAC region to emerge as the highest investor in the solar tracker market during the forecast period. China, Japan, India, and Australia have the top 10 largest solar PV installations currently. For more info, get a Sample PDF: http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=685273 Global solar farm automation market by DCS - The DCS segment in solar farm automation market was valued at close to USD 607 million in 2015. This segment is sub-categorized into conventional power and renewable energy (comprising hydro, wind, and solar). The renewable energy sub-segment accounted for 18% of the overall DCS segment in the global power automation market in 2015. In this sub-segment, the revenue generated from the DCS used in the solar plants was the largest in 2015. Major international vendors contributed to the growth of the DCS segment in the global solar farm automation market worldwide by extending their product support to some of the major private and public projects. Researchers anticipate a further increase in the demand for DCS from developing countries during the forecast period. The demand for DCS should remain high as multiple solar projects are lined up in developing countries. The table below depicts solar power contracts in the developing countries, wherein DCS will be adopted across the solar farms. Global solar farm automation market by SCADA - The SCADA segment in solar farm automation market was valued at close to USD 405.8 million in 2015. The growth of SCADA systems in the global solar farm automation market is driven by high demand from developed and developing countries. The development of new and advanced SCADA also contributes to the segment's growth in the global solar farm automation market. In 2015, Siemens launched a new SCADA-based software solution named Spectrum Power 7 Microgrid Management System. Many similar product developments are expected to buoy the growth of this market until 2020. View TOC (table of content), Figures and Tables of the Report: http://www.researchmoz.us/global-solar-farm-automation-market-2016-2020-report.html Key vendors ABB AllEarth Renewables DEGER Emerson Electric First Solar Mecasolar Related Reports Global Solar Farm Automation Industry 2016 Market Research Report 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. Whats more, the Solar Farm Automation industry development trends and marketing channels are analyzed. View more: http://www.researchmoz.us/global-solar-farm-automation-industry-2016-market-research-report-report.html About Us ResearchMoz is the worlds fastest growing collection of market research reports worldwide. Our database is composed of current market studies from over 100 featured publishers worldwide. Our market research databases integrate statistics with analysis from global, regional, country and company perspectives. ResearchMozs service portfolio also includes value-added services such as market research customization, competitive landscaping, and in-depth surveys, delivered by a team of experienced Research Coordinators. English Icelandic On 20 June 2016, the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) completed its Article IV Consultation on the status and outlook for the Icelandic economy. An IMF mission visited Iceland to hold discussions with the Icelandic authorities and other stakeholders in April, and their reports on the Icelandic economy were published today. Below are documents related to the IMFs coverage of Iceland. Iceland: Staff Report for the Article IV Consultation (attachment) Selected Issues Papers (attachment) Iceland and the IMF on the Funds website:http://www.imf.org/external/country/isl/index.htm CHICAGO, June 22, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Family Office Exchange (FOX), a global membership organization of enterprise families and their key advisors, today announced the formation of the FOX Private Investor Council, a new Council-level membership specifically for successful sophisticated investors who make their own investment decisions and consider different risk and reward dynamics than most other investors. This membership allows them to collaborate with other independent investors to share ideas and take advantage of the latest thinking brought to the table by FOX-selected industry experts. The members of this Council are primarily focused on their investing activity, and they are the ultimate decision makers, said Alexandre Monnier, president of Family Office Exchange. They operate with great independence but know that they would benefit from having a working group of other top-notch practitioners to test their ideas, stimulate their thinking, and benchmark their results. That is the need this Council serves. The advantage of belonging to the FOX Private Investor Council is that there is a constant stream of new ideas flowing into the discussion, added Karen Clark, managing director at FOX and leader of this Council. The quality of the group is not limited to the experience of those in the room which is considerable in the first place. Cutting edge ideas are brought into the discussion by experts to elevate the discussion. The Council will meet twice a year. An April meeting will coincide with the FOX Spring Global Investor Forum in San Francisco and a September meeting with the FOX Autumn Global Investor Forum in New York City. Membership will include admission to the two FOX Global Investment Forums, the FOX Global Owners Forum (February in Florida), the two Council meetings, the advice of a Council leader, and access to the FOX Direct Investing Network, the FOXChat member only online discussion, as well as 24/7 access to the FOX online Knowledge Center. Councils are the highest level of engagement at Family Office Exchange. Approximately 30% of FOX members belong to one of the 12 different FOX Councils, which provide heightened interaction among closely matched peers who are working through a relevant curriculum designed by FOX to foster their personal and professional skills. For more information on the FOX Private Investor Council, contact info@familyoffice.com, call 312-327-1247 or visit www.familyoffice.com. About Family Office Exchange Family Office Exchange (FOX) is the premier global member network for enterprise families and their advisors who are pursuing best practices for managing their family enterprise and growing their family wealth. The community includes over 8,000 family leaders and sophisticated advisors from 500 organizations in 20 countries who utilize FOXs resources each year for advice, networking, education, and best practices in wealth management. FOX is headquartered in Chicago with offices in New York, Santa Barbara, Sydney, and London. For more information about FOX email us at info@familyoffice.com or visit www.familyoffice.com. Ahlers AG / Key word(s): Half Year Results/Forecast 22.06.2016 17:07 Dissemination of an Ad hoc announcement according to 15 WpHG, transmitted by DGAP - a service of EQS Group AG. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ad-hoc announcement pursuant to 15 WpHG Ahlers AG, Herford ISIN DE0005009708 and ISIN DE0005009732 Ahlers' revenue growth of 3.5 percent in Q2 2016 at the upper end of the forecast. Consequently, strong earnings growth in H1 2015/16. The forecast for full 2015/16 remains essentially unchanged, with revenues projected to remain stable and earnings expected to increase notably as a result of declining expenses. In spite of the discontinuation of the Gin Tonic and private label activities, Ahlers recorded a 3.5 percent increase in sales revenues in Q2 2016. The Management Board had originally projected stable to slightly declining sales revenues. The increase in the second quarter offset the decline in the first three months. Sales revenues for the first six months of 2015/16 amounted to EUR 118.3 million, up EUR 0.2 million or 0.2 percent on the first half of 2014/15 (EUR 118.1 million). As a result of the higher revenues, earnings also picked up a bit more strongly than expected. In the first half of 2015/16, Ahlers generated EBIT before special effects of EUR 2.2 million, compared to EUR 0.7 million in the prior year period (+214 percent). Earnings after taxes increased from EUR 0.0 million to EUR 0.8 million during the same period. The increased earnings are primarily attributable to cost savings, e.g. as a result of the discontinuation of Gin Tonic. The revenue trend of the first six months should continue in the second half of 2016, when sales revenues are expected to remain stable. The Management Board had previously projected stable to moderately declining revenues. The fashion company's core business with the remaining segments Premium brands (Pierre Cardin, Baldessarini, Otto Kern) and Jeans, Casual & Workwear should thus grow by about 3 percent, which would offset the discontinued activities. Earnings in the financial year 2015/16 should clearly exceed the prior year results at all levels. The Management Board expects the Group's net income for the year to increase by a high double- digit percentage on the previous year's EUR 1.4 million. The earnings forecast for the full year thus remains unchanged. All figures are preliminary. The final figures for the first half of 2015/16 will be published on July 14, 2016. Herford, June 22, 2016 The Management Board Ahlers AG Elverdisser Str. 313 32052 Herford 22.06.2016 The DGAP Distribution Services include Regulatory Announcements, Financial/Corporate News and Press Releases. Media archive at www.dgap.de --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Language: English Company: Ahlers AG Elverdisser Strae 313 32052 Herford Germany Phone: +49 (0)5221 979-0 Fax: +49 (0)5221 70058 E-mail: ahlers-ag@ahlers-ag.com Internet: www.ahlers-ag.com ISIN: DE0005009708, DE0005009732 WKN: 500970, 500973 Listed: Regulated Market in Dusseldorf, Frankfurt (Prime Standard); Regulated Unofficial Market in Berlin, Hamburg, Stuttgart End of Announcement DGAP News-Service --------------------------------------------------------------------------- ConnectTheDots wrote: From time to time, the press indulges in outbursts of indignation over the use of false or misleading information by the U.S. government in support of its policies and programs. No one endorses needless deception. But consider this historical analogy. It is known that Christopher Columbus, on his first voyage to the New World, deliberately falsified the log to show a shorter sailing distance for each day out than the ships had actually traveled. In this way, Columbus was able to convince his skeptical sailors that they had not sailed past the point at which they expected to find the shores of India. Without this deception, Columbuss sailors might well have mutinied, and the New World might never have been discovered. ConnectTheDots wrote: Which of the following is the main weakness of the historical analogy drawn in the passage above? (A) The sailors in Columbuss crew never knew that they had been deceived, while government deception is generally uncovered by the press. ConnectTheDots wrote: (B) A ships log is a record intended mainly for use by the captain, while press reports are generally disseminated for use by the public at large. (A) ConnectTheDots wrote: (C) The members of a ships crew are selected by the captain of the ship, while those who work in the press are self-selected. ConnectTheDots wrote: (D) The crew of a ship is responsible for the success of a voyage, while the press is not responsible for the use others make of the factual information it publishes. ConnectTheDots wrote: (E) In a democracy, the people are expected to participate in the nations political decision making, while the members of a ships crew are expected simply to obey the orders of the captain. government of the people, by the people, for the people We hold these truths to be self-evident ... Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed Magoosh Test Prep Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire. William Butler Yeats (1865 1939) Mike McGarryEducation is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire. William Butler Yeats (1865 1939) Signature Read More So, to re-cap --- the author says, essentially, it was kinda sorta a good thing that Columbus deceived his men, because --- look, he discovered the New World (which, BTW, someone else, such as Magellan, definitely would have done if Columbus hadn't, but that's another story). By analogy, the argument is suggesting that is might be kinda sorta a good thing that the US government is deliberately deceiving its citizens. In a way, it's a kind of ends-justify-the-means argument. For any American who cares about civil liberties, the authenticity of our nation, international justice, etc. etc., this argument is likely to get our hackles up. If a real politician made this argument, and claimed that it was in my best interest as an American that, from time to time, the government deceives us citizens --- I would be absolutely furious at that guy, so much so that I would be willing to protest in the street against him.(As a side comment --- it can really show that you understand something about an argument if you feel a bit of an emotional tug toward one side or the other.)So, in a way, the question is --- what's so upsetting about this argument?Is the worst thing about deception the fact that the people who are deceived discover it? If the government happened to lie about something in such a way that no one could overturn the deception, then that wouldn't make it any better. Whether it's discovered or not, we have broad grounds for arguing that if the democratically elected government deceive its own citizens, this is wrong in and of itself. This is not a satisfying answer.This is similar to. Again, whether the deception is written in private or public place --- that is, whether it kept hidden or revealed --- doesn't make a difference whether it right or wrong. Again, the government deceiving us and hiding it successfully is just as bad as the government deceiving us and our eventually finding out about it. This is also not a satisfying answer.This is interesting --- the crew was selected by the captain, so in some sense, they "belong" to him. OK, perhaps that would make it justifiable, in the fifteenth century context, to deceive them. The trouble is --- the analogs in the other case, the parties deceived --- it's not just the press, but the electorate as a whole. The sailors are chosen, but the second part can't be limited to the press and their act of choice. If the government lies, it equally affects all of us, not just the folks who work in the press. This is not a satisfying answer.Again, the comparison made is between sailors and the press, and this comparison misses the point. In the Columbus example, the sailors were deceived. In the government example, it's not just the press who is deceived --- rather, it's every citizen, all 300 million of us. It's a much much bigger issue that just something that affects only those who work for the press. Again, the comparison is incorrect, so this answer is not satisfying.Ah, now we get to the crux of the issue.On a ship, the captain is the boss, and the sailors work for him. We might debate morally whether deceiving is ever justifiable, but certainly if we are going to grant an "ends justifies the means" argument, then the one person who is allowed to decide both means & ends is the boss, the captain. who is the ultimate authority on the ship.In a democracy, the power relationships are quite different. In Abraham Lincoln's stirring phrase, in America, we have "." This means --- I don't work for the government, but rather, the government works for me, for all of us. Ultimate authority rests not with the government but with the citizenry. "." Therefore, if anyone gets to decide about ends and means and whether the ends justifies the means, it should be the ultimate authority --- the citizens. Citizens get to call the shots in a democracy, and an analogy that compares the government to the authoritative captain of a ship misses this crucial point. That's precisely why this is a faulty argument, and precisely why I would be upset if the government did anything that suggested that they call the shots instead of the citizens. This is by far the best answer.Does all this make sense?Mike_________________ As Hillary Clinton was winning the final democratic primary in Washington, D.C. and Donald Trump was spinning the Orlando massacre for his own personal gain, a third-party candidate was busy receiving endorsements from the nation's biggest pro-marijuana legalization group and making the rounds to promote his own bid for the White House. Former Republican New Mexico governor Gary Johnson is the Libertarian party's presidential candidate, and has gotten the most press for his open use of marijuana and support for legalization (his stances on other issues range from opposing single-payer healthcare to supporting a ban on late-term abortion and calling for an end to the death penalty). And though you probably haven't heard much about him, he really thinks he can win. "If you want to hear something really shocking, I might actually be the next president of the United States," Johnson declared last week, speaking at the second annual Cannabis World Congress & Business Expo. Describing Clinton and Trump as polarizing figures, he made the case for his third-party candidacy, reminding his 420-friendly audience that he's "still the highest elected official in the United States to call for the legalization of marijuana, although Bernie Sanders apparently rolled out of bed, hit his head, and has been doing the same...amazing, in this country, 56% of Americans now support legalizing marijuana and not one elected official at the gubernatorial, congressional, or senatorial level supports legalizing marijuana. I cannot think of a bigger disconnect that exists in American politics today." Johnson was one of myriad people who took the convention as an opportunity to call for the total legalization of marijuana nationwide. Held in New York City, the convention thrust this state's laws regarding cannabis use under a stark light: though technically decriminalized, marijuana isn't legal for recreational use, and medical marijuana is approved for only a handful of conditions. Accordingly, any products at the convention that contained THCa cannabinoid that produces the high typically associated with marijuanawere sealed beneath glass, and most exhibitors hawked legal products containing CBD, another cannabinoid that doesn't have any psychoactive properties but is believed by many to help other conditions, such as epilepsy and autism. Edibles under glass at the Cannabis Convention. (Miranda Katz / Gothamist) Also blatantly apparent at last week's convention was the homogeneity of the predominately white attendees, panelists, and exhibitors. As the legal marijuana industry expands, it has been leaving out people of color, who are much more likely to have been arrested for marijuana use: though there aren't any official statistics on race and cannabis business ownership, Buzzfeed found while conducting interviews for a lengthy feature on the matter that about 1% of storefront marijuana dispensaries in the U.S. are owned by black people. Johnson didn't go so far as to address the industry's diversity problem, saying only that there are "tens of millions of Americans who are convicted felons that but for our drug laws would otherwise be law-abiding, tax-paying citizens." But others at the convention were eager to address the detrimental effect that the War on Drugs has had on communities of color in the U.S. Speaking on a panel about action toward legalization of marijuana on the East Coast, the Drug Policy Alliance's Bill Piper framed the matter as a civil rights issue, calling for institutional change. "If you look just here in New York City for instance, young whites use marijuana at higher rates than blacks and Latinos, but 85% of the arrests for marijuana possession are of blacks and Latinos," Piper said. "The war on marijuana is rolling back the gains of the civil rights movementit's not a coincidence that the War on Drugs began at the same time the civil rights movement began to make major gains. The war on marijuana is a real war. The police kick down doors, raid people's homes, point machine guns at children, shoot pets...this is a real war and it's being disproportionately fought for decades in communities of color." Piper also noted that despite the legal marijuana industry's current boom, it's excluding anyone who's previously been convicted of illegal possession or sale of the drugperhaps one reason that the industry is currently so homogenous. "A lot of states prohibit people with convictions from getting marijuana, so they're barred from working in the new industry," he said. "That puts an enormous burden on people in communities who have faced the War on Drugs for decades. There are a whole bunch of restrictions that make it really hard to get a licensein some states you have to put up $5000 in cash to get a license. That's discriminatory and arguably racist. We really need to level the playing field." Coincidentally, on the same day as these calls for reform, New York's state assembly took one step toward redressing the harmful effects that the War on Drugs has had on the state's communities of color: a new bill would seal the criminal records of people unconstitutionally arrested for possession of marijuana in public view, which has not been a crime in the state since 1977 but nonetheless leads to frequent arrests, primarily of black and Latino people. Assemblymember Crystal Peoples-Stokes, who introduced the bill, said that "drug laws have created a permanent underclass of people unable to find jobs after a conviction...Sealing low-level marijuana possession convictions is the first step to reintegrating thousands of New Yorkers who are inhibited daily from accessing employment, housing and an education all due to a conviction on their record for simple possession of marijuana." That bill has yet to make it through the state senate. While some advocates at the Cannabis Expo called for blanket, full legalization, others emphasized the importance of maintaining a distinction between medical and recreational marijuana. Delivering the convention's keynote address, Keith Stroup, an attorney and founder of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, began his speech by saying that "I smoke pot, and I like it a lot," but went on to caution legalization activists to differentiate between the movements for medical and recreational weed. "If you're sick and dying, if you have MS or AIDS or Parkinson's or any number of diseases that marijuana is helpful for, you deserve to be at the front of the line," he said. "We're fighting for the right to smoke marijuana like responsible adults, we're not fighting to pay a pot doc to pretend we're sick so the government will leave us alone...The answer moving forward is not to define medical use so broadly so that everyone who has a headache gets a recommendation. That cheapens medical marijuana for patients, and it doesn't win the basic right to smoke marijuana." That argument earned Stroup several boos and walkouts from the crowd, but for others, the sentiment hit close to home. "I am an oncology patient, and while science clearly does not change while you cross state lines, my ability to stay alive does," said Jenn Pedini, the deputy director of NORML's Virginia branch. "Of course I'm going to take that personally." Governor Andrew Cuomo is a very busy man, and his preferred mode of transportation is helicopter or motorcycle with Billy Joel. He claims he's not in charge of the MTA except when he shuts down the subway or takes the MTA's money to pay down other state needs. He's been on a subway a handful of times (and on a bus upstate this one time!) for photo ops. But now he's taken a personal interest in a longtime problem that subway riders, especially female subway riders, are regularly forced to endure: Subway perverts. On Monday, NYPD Transit Bureau Chief Joseph Fox testified at the MTA's monthly NYC Transit meeting about various subway crime statistics, and took the opportunity to highlight how reports of sexual offenses on the subway are up by over 50% this year (431 for 2016 so far, up from 275 in the same period last year). But, Fox stressed, this was due to increased efforts from NYPD plainclothes transit officers, as well as subway public service advertisements urging riders to report mass transit sexual misconduct to police or through the MTA's website: Doubling down on our efforts to encourage reporting has helped us document and follow up on crimes that would otherwise have gone unreported. As a result in several cases our investigators have pieced together enough information to make arrests and in many more we have been able to gather photos of the perpetrators or other critical leads that make a future arrest likely. I want to be clear, there is no indication that there are more sex offenses occurring in our subways, rather our efforts are having the desired effect. Crimes that would previously go unreported because victims were embarrassed, intimidated, or lacked the confidence that the case would be taken seriously are now being documented and fully investigated. Our teams are catching more sex offenders in the act and more women are coming forward knowing that we are committed to aggressively pursuing each criminal complaint. This is similar to the argument that an increase in reported sexual assaults doesn't necessarily represent a rise in actual crime, but may in fact be the result of more outreach to encourage victims and hospitals to report it. Subway perverts are nothing new. I still vividly remember an incident from 17 years ago during the Giuliani years, when a man asked me for the time while we waited in a 2 train car at the 14th Street 1/2/3 station. It was a Saturday night, when the MTA was doing track work, so a northbound car was waiting in the southbound tracks, and we were the only two people in that car. I was sitting next to the door and he was standing in the doorway, and when I turned to tell him the time, I was confronted by his erect penis, inches from my face, his hands stroking it. I quickly fled and looked for another train car with more people on it. I started crying when I finally made it home. Then there was the time a few years ago when I was taking the train home: It was a packed 2 train, so I thought the man behind me was just being jostled aroundbut then I noticed two women looking at me with alarmed expressions and realized that the man was actually rubbing himself against me. I got out at my station and told an MTA worker who directed me to a police officer outside. The cop listened to me, but then said, "Well, he didn't really touch you. We can't do anything about that." Governor Cuomo, possibly reacting to the NY Post's headline, Subway sex crimes are increasing at an alarming rate, issued this open letter to the MTA yesterday: Dear Chairman Prendergast, Protecting the safety and security of its riders is the MTAs most sacrosanct obligation. However, recently released statistics indicate that reports of sexual offenses on the subway system have increased by more than 50 percent compared to last year. This is completely unacceptable. We cannot and will not allow these crimes to persist. I recognize that MTA has been working to address this issue head on, encouraging victims to report assaults and making it easier for them to do so. Those actions may be a start, but they are not enough. Effective immediately, I am ordering the MTA to take all steps available to strengthen patrols in the subway system, including the use of more plainclothes officers to crack down on this sort of depraved behavior, and to work directly with the NYPDs Transit Bureau to reassure riders and enforce the rule of law in light of these disturbing statistics. The state recently approved the largest budget in the MTAs history. We are investing in the MTAs assets and safety is job one. New York State has zero tolerance for these despicable crimes. The safety, health and welfare of the millions of residents and tourists who travel the subway system is of paramount importance and we will accept nothing less. Sincerely, ANDREW M. CUOMO This is timely pandering, but Cuomo is laughably late to the issue. Where was Cuomo's concern when a subway rider showed a train conductor this gross video of a man masturbating in 2012 (the largely indifferent conductor told her, "Oh, wow")? Or last fall, when a woman only got a subway masturbator arrested after she posted it to Instagram? Did no one ever show Cuomo this viral video from 2010 of a woman yelling at a man who took his penis out on a train? Cuomo's sudden involvement is especially rich, given that his idea of funding the MTA is to, essentially, create a "debt bomb." MTA spokesman Kevin Ortiz responded to Cuomo's letter thus: "One sexual assault is one too many. The MTA takes this issue seriously. We understand the Governors directive and are committed to using all available MTA resources and working with the NYPDs Transit Bureau to end these types of crimes against riders." The NYPD did not officially comment on the governor's umbrage, but a department source told the Post today that the letter seems political at best, "Its suspicious. At face value it strikes me as a De Blasio vs. Cuomo thing. Dont get me wrong, we work splendidly with the MTA, but we have our turf and they have theirs. It smells of Cuomo creating the appearance that NYC cant handle things. Even if sex crimes are up a little, weve had far worse problems in the past that never got this response." Yes, the NYPD has a lot of work to do in terms of educating its officers about handling complaints of subway sexual misconduct. The MTA and Transit Workers Union could also encourage employees/members to take victims' and witnesses' complaints seriously, too. But the MTA's website for reporting incidents is an effective toolI've heard feedback from victims who say that detectives have contacted them. So, Governor Cuomo, thank you for signing a law to increase penalties for subway grinders. And thank you for yesterday's bossy and politically opportunistic letter to the MTA, but don't act like this is some new problem. The subway has been a cesspool of sexual deviancy and abuse the entire time you've been in office, and long before that. It shouldn't take a facile NY Post headline to get you to care. Weeks after Albany lawmakers threatened to prohibit New York (and other cities) from imposing a plastic bag fee, the City Council has voted to postpone its proposed 5-cent fee on plastic bags until February. In May, Council Members had voted to enact fees beginning October 1st, passing a measure that wourld require stores to charge a nickel for each plastic and paper non-reusable bag. Supporters of the "bag tax" claimed it would reduce the city's annual plastic bag usage by 60 percent, cutting down on the roughly $12.5 million of public sanitation money used each year to dispose of wasted bags and curtailing their destruction of the Earth's oceans, atmosphere, and wildlife. But all of that green goodwill ran up against Albany Democratic Senator Simcha Felder, who threatened state legislation that would make plastic bag fees illegal throughout New York. Felder, whose district comprises much of Brooklyn's Borough Park and Midwood neighborhoods, hawed to the Wall Street Journal that New Yorkers do not like being manipulated, they do not like being aggravated and they do not need government to irritate them. Tuesday night's 38-11 vote to delay the bag fee until February 2017 is described by the Daily News as a peacekeeping deal struck between Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie. City and state legislators will use the extra time to hammer out new language and terms for a citywide bag fee. "It's not a defeat," Mark-Viverito told the tabloid, stressing that lawmakers will now try to "meet some of the concerns without basically diluting in any way the essence of the bill." Bag fee detractors have largely argued a populist message. "This tax placed an undue financial burden on countless low and middle-income residents who already struggle," Felder said earlier this month. During the Albany debate on potentially outlawing plastic bag fees, State Senator Liz Kreuger shot down these arguments. "Plastic pollution hurts low-income communities the mostthat's why it's particularly disturbing that the bag industry continues to use low-income people as human shields to prevent any effective action." Across the country, plastic bag fees have successfully limited bag waste in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Seattle, with the financial burden falling primarily on bag manufacturers themselves. Crowding around a harried Economic Development Corporation volunteer on Tuesday, Sunset Park residents accused the city of insulting them with a $2.5 billion streetcar proposal they fear will cut through their manufacturing-dependent waterfront, accelerating displacement in a historically blue-collar neighborhood. "To come up with this offer that's going to solve all of our problems because it's pretty, that's an insult to our intelligence," said Maria Roca, founder of Friends of Sunset Park and a lifelong resident. Tuesday's meeting was the EDC's fifth "visioning session" for the Brooklyn Queens Connector (BQX), a 16 mile track that would eventually run from Sunset Park to Astoria along the waterfront (see map below), connecting startup hubs like Industry City and the Brooklyn Navy Yard, as well as new waterfront residential developments and several large NYCHA housing projects. "We want to make sure that Sunset Park residents have access to good paying jobs, and not just in this neighborhood," said EDC spokesman Lydon Sleeper. But many residents worry the streetcar will benefit Industry City at their expense. The 32-acre complex recently requested zoning changes to accommodate hotels and retail. The streetcar would compliment such development, they argue, and potentially price out small businesses and factories (the city has said that the streetcar could pay for itself by raising property values along its route). "If they are successful in rezoning their space, that will put the rest of the waterfront at risk of being displaced," said Ana Orozco, a spokeswoman for UPROSE, a neighborhood-based environmental justice nonprofit. "It's the same thing that happened in Williamsburg." "What was $800 for a one bedroom is now almost $2,000, which is absolutely insane," Council Member Carlos Menchaca told a group of his constituents on Tuesday. "If this is going to accelerate that, I'm not for it." The EDC has countered that Sunset Park's "antiquated industrial infrastructure" needs to be transformed into a "21st century model." Mayor de Blasio's $442 million, 10-year plan to add industrial jobs across the city includes $37 million for Sunset Park infrastructure projects and $115 million for an additional 500,000 square feet at the neighborhood's South Brooklyn Army Terminal. There, the EDC caters to light-manufacturing businesses like chocolate and furniture makers in addition to larger companies. At Industry City, CEO Andrew Kimball says employment has more than doubled in the last two-and-a-half years. "We continue to devise a plan for the property's full activation that could generate some 20,000 jobs in the next decade," he stated. "Hotels are one of several options under consideration." But residents say they're feeling a job pinch. "There used to be a lot of factories," said Carlos Tupac Yupanqui, an MTA rail worker. "If you were fired, the next week you were able to find a job. Then gentrification happened." And when Industry City 3D printing company MakerBot sent more than 100 factory jobs to China this spring, CEO Jonathan Jaglom told The Verge that he was "following a global trend, which has been around for many years now, whereby we're stepping away from manufacturing in Brooklyn." "MakerBot hired a bunch of people and then laid them off a year later," Orozco said on Tuesday. "It's now become clear that that was sort of a bait and switch situation." Some Sunset Park residents worry that the BQX will primarily serve Industry City, which in turn will accelerate displacement in their neighborhood (Getty). Some locals countered that the BQX might increase access to the bay. The neighborhood's only waterfront green space, Bush Terminal Park, is currently separated from the rest of the neighborhood by industrial sprawl. "One of the things I appreciate about the Promenade in Brooklyn Heights is that you can actually see the view," said a resident who spoke anonymously because she works at the Army Terminal and wasn't authorized to speak on the issue. "Here it's a lot of private property and menacing signs and chain link fences and barbed wire." "I have children I want to take to the park," added Jennifer Wertz, a Sunset Park resident who also works for the EDC. "The G train doesn't go there and the R train is unreliable. It would help to have another option." But others maintained that the risk posed to the auto mechanic shops and clothing manufacturers along First and Second Avenues is too great. "They're building this in anticipation of really radically changing the area," predicted Jeremy Kaplan, a freelance documentary filmmaker. "Because what purpose is the BQX going to have if it's running down part of Sunset Park where people don't live?" There are also logistical concerns. "Everyone loves a shiny new Tonka toy," said local Elizabeth Shelton. "But you're talking about two and a half billion dollars of our money spent in a floodplain." Residents suggested that more frequent buses along Third Avenue would help locals travel to nearby Lutheran Hospital. Those buses could reroute during storms, and share the road with the considerable truck traffic to-and-from warehousesa concern also raised in Red Hook. Attempting to restore order on Tuesday, the EDC volunteer at Roca's table insisted that community feedback is integral. "We're hoping to get information from folks who are on the ground, so we can use this information from you guys to put into the plan," she said. Afterwards, Roca said she still believes the plan has been forced onto her community. "They say, 'We have this plan and we're here to hear from youto tweak it with your ideas,'" she said. "'What do you need in order to be a viable community?'that is never the first question." "Here we go again with the promises that never bear fruit for us," she added. "For somebody else, yes. But not for us." Mayoral spokesman Austin Finan stated that the purpose of the BQX "is not to serve one particular business or development project, but rather to provide a transportation alternative to transit-starved areas and help move commuters to jobs in neighborhoods throughout the city." Our latest installment of Quick Bites brings us to Bed-Stuy for hummus and schug. THE VIBE Timna, the lovely little Mediterranean restaurant on St Marks, was one of our favorites of 2015 (that cauliflower!), so when we heard that owner Ori Apple was opening a new place in Bed-Stuy, it was immediately added to the must-try list. Apple's new restaurant is called Dinghy, and it's a charming counter-service cafe that serves all sorts of Middle Eastern casual classics, plus a few curve balls. Apple and his family are part of the neighborhood community here, and on both of my evening visits last week the place was jumping with kids. There are seats for about 20 if you include the bench on the wide sidewalk outside, and the pretty designcall it "rustic fishing village"contributes to the feeling of oasis that hits when you first walk in, especially in contrast to the chaotic corner of Fulton and Franklin just a few steps away. (Photo by Scott Lynch/Gothamist) The playlist skews hippie (CSNY, Wild Horses), and the scruffy young man behind the counter will welcome you with a friendly smile and solid menu advice if you're undecided. THE BITES Most of the Dinghy menu is pretty basic, but most of it also quite good, so no complaints here. The Hummus Plate, for example, offers a solid foundation for a meal, the dish of thick, creamy spread garnished with oil, herbs, and chickpeas, and accompanied by a decent whole wheat pita. As with most everything else I ate, your hummus experience will be improved by a house hot saucea green, garlicky schugand a jar of the strong homemade pickles, which bring a necessary hit of acid to the table. The Chicken Shawarma pita is generously stuffed and wholly satisfying, the thigh meat a good call for ensuring maximum bird flavor. Moving out to sea, Dinghy's Popcorn Shrimp is the stealth winner in the "Snacks" category, the plump crustaceans lightly battered tempura-style and sticky with a glaze of Hoisin. This is a much better choice than the overly-breaded, overly-fried Calamari, which not even the lettuce-trough of smoked paprika aioli can salvage. That smoked paprika also makes an appearance in the pleasantly greasy boat of Zucchini Fries (they're chips, really), which also utilizes grated salty parmesan to good effect. For the picky eaters in your crew, the Dinghy Burger will not disappoint (the single patty "small" is definitely kid-sized), and though The Perfect Fried Potatoes are not, the salty spuds disappeared in a hurry at our table. French Fries, $3.50. (Photo by Scott Lynch/Gothamist) A pair of frozen desserts round things off; the most gimmicky of them, called Yuval At A Doctor's Visit (Yuval is one of the young Apples) features a plastic syringe of hot fudge which you inject into your vanilla ice cream, which is topped with fresh whipped cream. THE VERDICT Dinghy is a family-friendly charmer, a comfortable place where you can put a spread on your table with a nice variety of different flavors without spending too much money. Dignhy is located at 504 Franklin Avenue between Fulton and Hancock Streets, and is open Monday through Thursday from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m., and on Friday and Saturday from noon until 10. Closed Sunday. No beer or wine yet, though they're trying. In September, New Yorkland of the $10 latte and $95 million penthousewas declared the most expensive city in the world, thanks to some wonky bank math. Now, a new study says New York's only the 11th most expensive city in the world in terms of cost-of-living, dwarfed by overseas bigwigs like Hong Kong, Zurich, and Shanghai. Still, it's the most expensive city in the world with good bagels, so that's something. New York's newest cost-of-living ranking comes courtesy of consulting firm Mercerthey actually do these rankings every year, and our fair town's shot up from #16 in 2015. Apparently the increased strength of the U.S. dollar gave NYC a leg...up?... and although we're the only city that cracked the top 25, San Francisco (26), Los Angeles (27), DC (38), and Boston (47) made big leaps on the list, also thanks to the almighty dollar. Seattle, a city that's cool enough to let you buy weed at a store but uncool enough to have a bar at the Whole Foods near Amazon's headquarters, shot up 23 spots, to #83. If you live and eat and pay rent here, you probably don't need any other evidence that New York is expensive as fuck, but here are some numbers, anyway. According to Mercer, the average monthly cost of renting a 2-bedroom apartment here is $5,100 (DEAR GOD!); in London (17), it's "only" $4,580, though those suckers in Hong Kong pay $6,800. Then again, a burger in New York costs an average of $8.74, whereas in Hong Kong, that dish'll run you an average of only $4.83. In London, the average is $6.43, but that burger probably tastes like dirt, so at least here you get your money's worth. Millennials, please note that Philadelphia is nowhere to be found on this list. A 48-year-old Helena man faces a felony charge of assault with a weapon on allegations he attacked a man with a carabiner attached to the end of a rope. Leslie Gene Casem also is charged with felony criminal mischief for allegedly damaging the man's truck Monday afternoon. Police responded to the area of Tara Court and North Montana Avenue for an attempted assault report. Dispatch also learned the alleged victim had a pistol. The victim told officers he was sitting in his pickup when Casem approached him shouting, according to documents filed in Lewis and Clark County Justice Court. Casem is accused of striking the vehicle several times with the carabiner, then aggressively swinging it at the man. "The victim reported he leaned back to avoid being struck, and that the carabiner struck the headrest several times," the documents say. "The victim reported he was in fear of Casem, therefore he pointed his pistol at him and told him to stop." Arresting officers noted Casem was erratic and he seemed volatile. Casem is in jail in lieu of $50,000 bond. Heaven called another angel home on June 17th, 2016. Lillian May Hawkins, 90, passed peacefully of natural causes in the arms of her Lord and Savior amongst family in Helena, Montana. God comes to us first and foremost through a mothers love. Born May 24, 1926, in Kalispell, Montana, to parents Ralph Edward and Lillian Gertrude Simpson, May was raised on the family farm in Ferndale, attending school there and graduating from high school in Big Fork. She grew up with sisters Grace and Francis, with brother Jack joining the family as the girls were starting their own families. May married Oscar Koford in Kalispell in 1945. They had one son, Daniel Mark, born shortly after Oscar passed away in 1958. May met the love of her life, George Hawkins, and was married in 1962. She welcomed his children with loving arms - Lauri (Woolworth), Phil, Jerrilea (Archer), and Lee. The sudden family of seven soon moved to Helena and settled in Dillon where all kids attended school. The couple owned and operated Beaverhead Glass & Paint before taking off in 1976 on an Alaskan adventure managing apartment complexes. It was a joyous time for them as both enjoyed travel and being together. They managed properties in Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Montana, and Idaho before finally retiring in 2001 in Idaho Falls and later Boise. George passed away in Boise in 2014. Known as Mimi to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, May lived for the love of family most of all. Through a long and loving life, the extended family that she loved so much crossed generations, communities, and even boundaries of blood. She raised a family through trying circumstances, the greatest being loss of a son, a daughter, a dear son-in-law, and others much too soon. The loss of her lifetime partner two years ago was perhaps the hardest. A large photo of Dad and his twinkling eyes looked over her unto the end. Blessed by a sharp mind and wry wit to the end, Mimi was always poking fun at herself or circumstances while being ever gentle with persons. Taking after her own mother, the greatest sparkles of Mimis eyes were reserved for children and animals, gifts of love born and reborn again. Her love showed continuously throughout a hard life beginning in the Great Depression, through love, loss, and love again, and finally into old age when so many, so close, had left this mortal coil before her. With grace, May accepted this pain and the physical ones arising in a body outlived, showing all around her that we do not live, nor die, alone. May was preceded in death by her parents, sisters, husbands, son Phil, daughter Lauri, and son-in-law Gary Archer. She is survived by her brother Jack Simpson, daughter Jerrilea, sons Lee and Dan, daughter-in-law Jo Lee, and eight grandchildren: Sharlea (Archer) Watkins, Phil Archer, Johnathan Woolworth, Zia (Hawkins) Clark, Soren (Hawkins) Koford, Tyler Hawkins, Lindsey Hawkins, and Cheyenne (Hawkins) Bartelt. She left ten great-grandchildren with more on the way. Remains will be interned at Mountain View Cemetery in Dillon with those of her husband, George, and daughter, Lauri, on July 23rd. The family asks that donations in memory of May be made to Rocky Mountain Hospice or Florence Crittenton Home, both of Helena. 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. Much attention has been paid to our public lands in the past several weeks, and rightly so. The $6 billion economic power of outdoor recreation on Montanas public lands and the 64,000 jobs it represents deserves top billing as one of the crucial drivers of our states economy. A recent poll of Montana voters released by the University of Montanas Crown of the Continent and Greater Yellowstone Initiative confirmed that Montanans agree: Our public lands are a crucial part of our communities, and they drive the economy and help jobs in Montana. Specifically, 8 in 10 said that Montanas public lands help drive the economy and are good for jobs. This is something that Business for Montanas Outdoors has been saying since we began nearly five years ago. We are glad to see that more and more Montanans recognize the numbers behind our public lands as drivers of our economy. The poll went on further to say that not only do we all agree on these basic premises of our public lands -- that they drive economy, enhance our outdoor way of life, and add value to our business culture -- but we also agree that our elected officials need to pay more attention to these issues. The Billings Gazette editorial board recently stated that politicians would be well served if they heed Montanas conservationist majority. We agree. Businesses and advocates for our public lands rely on our decision makers to represent our values. And those values are clear. Seventy-five percent of Montanans self-identify as conservationists. Montanans are avid users of public lands and national parks. With the majority of us supportive of public lands, access and parks, we should expect no less than to have our voices resonate with lawmakers in office. Unfortunately, thats not always the case. Rep. Zinke recently had the opportunity to stand behind his commitments to protect Montanas public lands, but he wavered. Until recently, he has shown us that he is willing to break party lines to fight for what is good for Montana. The congressman voted against legislation, proposed by Rep. Don Young, allowing states to select and acquire up to 2 million acres of national forest lands to be completely owned and operated by states and managed primarily for timber production. This vote was consistent with his record of opposing land transfers, something he has stated is a nonstarter. He also voted for legislation by Rep. Raul Labrador that would transfer management authority for up to four million acres of our national forests to state-appointed advisory committees, and completely remove public citizens from any management decision. Though not as direct in calling for land transfer, many worry the bill accomplishes the same goal. We encourage Rep. Zinke to take a more careful look at legislation moving forward, and ensure he continues to act on behalf of what is best for the public lands that drive our economy and way of life. In unveiling the University of Montana public lands poll, professor Rick Graetz said it best: The big takeaway is that national parks and conservation is about as popular and bipartisan an issue as you can find these days. We agree, and hope that our decision makers remain keen on not just what is popular, but what is right, and protecting our public lands is exactly that. Marne Hayes lives in Big Sky, where she works from her home as a director for Business for Montanas Outdoors. In February, three Montanans and I traveled to Washington, D.C., to meet with our congressmen to ask for their support on a strong Child Nutrition Reauthorization. The Child Nutrition Act is reauthorized every five years and determines programs that provide meals to millions of children daily -- the lunch program alone serves more than 30 million students per day and operates in nearly 95 percent of public schools nationwide. Patti Armbrister, the Farm to School coordinator and agriculture teacher in Hinsdale, Ginny Kirby, the food service director for Bigfork Public Schools, and Maria Pace, the superintendent of Boulder Public Schools, met with Sen. Daines, Sen. Tester, and Rep. Zinke to encourage them to reauthorize the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. In May, the House Education and the Workforce Committee passed the Improving Child Nutrition and Education Act of 2016 by a 20 to 14 vote, reauthorizing the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act. Please reach out to Sen. Tester, Sen. Daines, and Rep. Zinke and ask them to support science-based nutrition standards, school kitchen equipment funding, and professional training for our school food service staff. Our children are our future and their health should be the biggest priority for us all. Kirsten Gerbatsch Missoula Honestly, who in Montana really trusts the government to properly screen or vet Syrian refugees coming into Montana? I dont. The people I talk to every day dont. Why? Because the current push to move Syrian refugees into Montana is based on political party lines, emotional frustration and/or otherwise no common sense. Gov. Steve Bullock likes the idea of Middle Eastern refugees coming to Montana immediately. Greg Gianforte is against Syrian refugee resettlement without a thorough vetting process. On the education front; Gov. Bullock likes what he sees. Greg Gianforte wants more fiscal responsibility. On the jobs-high tech front, Gov. Bullock likes what he sees. Greg Gianforte likes for thousands of more high-paying, high-tech jobs. On the energy front, Gov. Bullock likes what he sees. Greg Gianforte wants to see coal and other mining activities advanced and increased. On the keep your kids in Montana! front, Gov. Bullock likes what he sees. Greg Gianforte likes all his kids at the dinner table every Sunday. GREAT FALLS A judge has denied the request of a Great Falls man charged with fatally shooting a man to have new legal representation in the case. Branden Conrad Miesmer had sought new lawyers after pleading guilty to deliberate homicide in March without a plea agreement in the death of 26-year-old Cody Steve Bruyere. Miesmer had argued that his court-appointed attorneys failed to communicate with him and never obtained a follow-up psychological evaluation after he complained the first test was conducted poorly. District Judge John Kutzman shot down his argument Monday, determining that the attorneys had communicated with their client and were "perhaps too candid" with him. Miesmer can still withdraw his guilty plea, but must do so with his current representation. BILLINGS U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., voted with Republicans to kill Democratic lawmakers' attempts to toughen background checks for gun purchases on Monday. Tester was one of three Democrats to vote against proposals by Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., to close the "gun show loophole," which allows firearms to be sold at gun shows without a background check. The proposal also would have ended background check-free gun sales on the internet. According to a statement from Tester's Communications Director Marnee Banks, "Jon opposed this amendment because it would have blocked family members and neighbors from buying and selling guns to one another without a background check. Jon said this amendment would jeopardize the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens." The other Democrats voting no were Sens. Heidi Heitkamp, N.D., and Joe Manchin, W.Va. Tester was immediately attacked on social media by Democrats for not voting with his party. The left-leaning group MoveOn.org said Tester, chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, should "should be ashamed for blocking comprehensive background checks for gun purchases." Monday's votes on four partisan gun control bills proposed by either Republicans or Democrats come one week after a mass shooting in Orlando, Florida, killed 49 and wounded 53. The votes were preceded by a filibuster by Senate Democrats demanding action on guns. Tester did not participate in the filibuster, either. Tester did support an attempt to ban gun sales to people on the federal terrorist watch list. U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., voted in favor of a proposal by Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, to investigate people on the terrorist watch list when they attempt to buy guns. He also supported denying gun sales to suspected or known terrorists, but only if prosecutors could prove within three days that the would-be gun buyer was involved in terrorism. Daines also supported a proposal by Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, to increase money for background checks while also encouraging states to give the FBI more information about people banned from gun purchasing. Grassley also wanted to change rules banning gun sales to some people with mental health issues. Central Illinois farmers appear to have begun raising pineapple this year. As high heat and low moisture stresses corn plants, leaves roll up and the resulting spiked ends makes one think they are driving through Hawaiian pineapple plantations. And that may not change much this summer. Last week the Climate Prediction Center suggested the summer of 2016 could see a flash drought, at least into September. While that may push grain prices higher, it would push yields lower and that is a concern. The National Drought Mitigation Center reported that the projection for summer weather looks eerily similar to 2012, but the agency is not anticipating another 2012. Areas of Central Illinois, Western Indiana, Wisconsin and the Dakotas have begun to see signs of evaporative stress in crops. Currently, the evaporative rate for soil moisture is about 0.2 inches per day, and without rain to recharge the soil, one can easily see where that trend is headed. The National Weather Service reports a broad section of the central Corn Belt from Nebraska to Ohio has recorded less than 75 percent of normal rainfall since mid-May. Some regions, including Western Illinois have had less than half of normal rainfall, and scattered spots have only seen 10 percent to 25 percent of normal precipitation in the past 30 days. The Drought Monitor at the University of Nebraska reports, Temperatures are exceeding 5 (degrees Fehrenhiet) above normal, exacerbating the dryness. In Iowa, it is reported that lawns are drying out and soils are cracking. In Missouri, farmers have noticed moisture stress in the corn leaves, the growth of forages have slowed significantly and creeks and streams are beginning to run low. Based on this, abnormally dry conditions cover much of Missouri, Illinois and Indiana. While the Climate Prediction Center may not compare this year to 2012, one agriculturally-oriented forecaster says rainfall since last September has nearly paralleled that of 1982 and 1983. Mike Tannura of T-Storm weather says an unusually wet winter was followed by sub-normal levels of early spring moisture and the 2016 rainfall graph is nearly a carbon copy of the 1983 graph, so far. Why is that important? 1983 was noted for low grain prices due to high production the prior year, and a financial stress on farmers. U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary John Block established the payment in kind (PIK) program, designed to reduce 1983 grain production. Unfortunately, 1983 was also a La Nina year and Mother Nature signed up for the PIK program as well. Grain production was cut to 60 percent of normal. That was more than Block had wanted, but it certainly resulted in higher prices at the time. Another forecaster, Klaus Wolter of the Climate Prediction Center, is a specialist on El Nino and La Nina, and he compares this year to 1941. Wolter does not think El Nino is finished influencing our weather with warm Pacific Ocean currents, and he contends La Ninas cool ocean currents will be delayed. That would mean the dry conditions expected in the Corn Belt later this year would be delayed as well. One of Wolters proteges is Elwynn Taylor, the popular agricultural meteorologist at Iowa State University, who said 1941-1942 set new U.S. corn yield records for the time. Consequently, Taylor said his best bet for a 2016 corn yield would be 170-173 bushels per acre. A national average corn yield of 170-plus bushels would typically not be expected in a year in which the Climate Prediction Center forecasts a flash drought in the Corn Belt. However, farmers did not expect to be growing pineapple in fields where they had spent hundreds of dollars per acre planting seed corn. They are going to have to let the weather forecasters and the grain markets sort out the facts from the rumors, and manage their own risk with a good marketing plan. Stu Ellis is an observer of the Central Illinois agriculture scene. DECATUR Mike Sotiroff won't miss being on call 24/7. He will miss his coworkers, especially administrative assistant Joyce Brown, who has been in the position as long as he's been in his as director of buildings and grounds, almost 30 years. She's the heart and soul of this office, said Jim Gortner, who will succeed Sotiroff after his retirement at the end of June. She is, Sotiroff agreed, listing some of the many, many things she keeps track of for him, like when it's time to do bleacher inspections. She'll retire next year, so Gortner will have the benefit of her experience and knowledge as he settles into his role. In November, Gortner was hired as Sotiroff's assistant, so he could spend several months learning the scope of the job with Sotiroff to guide him. I wanted to learn as I went along, instead of one big brain dump, Gortner said. I didn't want to call Mike all the time. I want to respect his retirement. Sotiroff's background is electrical engineering, and he spent the first few years of his career at a nuclear facility. When he told a coworker he was taking a job with the Decatur School District, the man said, You're leaving this to change light bulbs in a school building? That kind of made me feel bad, Sotiroff said. I wish I could talk to him now and tell him some of this (history). His first job with the district was as an engineer, but he knew the previous director of buildings and grounds was retiring, and Sotiroff moved into that position in 1988. I, of course, wanted to move up, Sotiroff said. I'd been in the nuclear industry for 6 years, out of college. In the course of his years at the helm of the department, he has handled everything from the construction of Hope Academy to extensive renovations of MacArthur and Eisenhower high schools, additions at French Academy, Dennis, Franklin and Baum schools, Pershing Early Learning Center and Thomas Jefferson Middle School, new carpet and paint at the elementary schools, adding computer labs and Promethean boards and now removing them because the district is implementing 1:1 personal devices, transforming Stephen Decatur High School into a middle school, then briefly back into a high school during the MacArthur and Eisenhower renovations. The district hired Phil Hazenfield as project manager for the renovations, and he took care of day-to-day details, but Sotiroff was involved in every phase of planning, from the first High School Task Force meeting in February of 2009. One thing Sotiroff is proud of is the money he has been able to save the district due to his diligence in searching out the least expensive energy options. When electricity was deregulated and customers could buy electricity from other vendors, to be delivered by Ameren, he was one of the first to take advantage of it on behalf of Decatur schools. Replacing light fixtures and heating systems at district buildings has also saved energy, and in the course of putting the addition on Thomas Jefferson Middle School a few years ago, district maintenance workers discovered a chiller that had been installed but never hooked up. When it was hooked to the new equipment, the school was able to be air-conditioned throughout. Thanks to the 1 percent sales tax increase voters approved in 2010, the district has more flexibility in capital improvements, and roof replacements, for example, were able to proceed at a faster pace than previous budgets allowed. The state is years behind on paying capital improvement grants, but Sotiroff said if those ever catch up, the district is eligible to receive millions of dollars due to the renovations of the two high schools, and Eisenhower has been certified Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, Gold. In retirement, Sotiroff plans to spend time on the family farm, where he enjoys being outdoors with his wife, who is also an outdoors person. They've had to squeeze in such activities around his job. He's also looking forward to more time with his two granddaughters. He moved to Decatur with his family in 1968 because of his father's job with Illinois Power Co. (now Ameren Illinois). Gortner holds a degree in construction management and is finishing his master's in civil and environmental engineering. I think having a well-rounded background in building construction and grounds maintenance is really what you need, Gortner said. So, you like coffee. A lot. Me too. I like it so much that I'm a home roaster and an importer. That's right. I import green coffee beans directly from the La Minita farm in the Tarrazu region of Costa Rica. Why? Well, because get ready it's the best inexpensive way to enjoy the best gourmet organic, free trade coffee on Earth. Apparently, I am not the only coffee lover in the EC family. You send me lots of questions and comments on the subject. Here's one: "Which coffee maker makes the hottest coffee and keeps it hot without burning it?" "Hot" is a nebulous term when it comes to coffee temperature. For McDonald's, "hot" meant a big lawsuit when it was so hot that a customer burned herself when she spilled it in her lap. For my grandson Eli, "hot" means any temperature, even slightly warmer than tepid. Coffee aficionados insist that the water temperature in a drip coffee brewer needs to be exactly 179 F the moment it hits the coffee grounds. Personally, I find that to be on the cool side, which confirms that "hot" is a matter of each person's perception. Automatic drip coffee makers have internal thermostats to control the water temperature. They range from 155 F to 205 F depending on the make and model. This setting is not adjustable on most machines, which most of us don't think about when buying a coffee maker. Manual coffee makers like the Chemex (makes 8 cups and costs about $36) and Aerobie Aeropress (about $30) leave the temperature up to the brewer. When I use my Aeropress, I heat the water to boiling and then let it cool for a few minutes, until my instant-read thermometer reads 190 F. Using this method, I only make the amount of coffee we will consume immediately. Keeping it hot is not an issue. OXO 9-CUP COFFEE MAKER. This beautiful machine dispenses coffee into a vacuum-insulated carafe that keeps the coffee hot. Water is heated and held throughout the brew cycle at temperatures between 197.6 and 204.8 F. The carafe will keep coffee hot for an hour or two (although it's not "hot" as I define it). This machine makes an excellent cup of hot coffee and has gotten very high marks among hundreds of reviewers. It costs about $200. BUNN VP17-1SS POUROVER COFFEE BREWER. This is the coffeemaker I own and use continuously. It keeps water heated to 191 F so it's ready to go at all times. That means when I pour the fresh pot of water into the machine to brew a pot, I'd better have the coffee grounds in the basket ready to go, because hot coffee begins pouring into the pot instantaneously. This machine makes up to 12 cups of coffee. The coffee pours into a glass carafe, and a warmer keeps the carafe hot. We live at a semi-high elevation of 5,280 feet, and this machine works flawlessly. I have owned so many coffee makers in my life. I've loved some, I've hated others, but they all eventually failed. However, I do not plan on replacing this beautiful BUNN machine in the foreseeable future. It is trouble-free and highly dependable, and it makes fabulous coffee. It cannot be beat. And it looks cool, too. It costs about $260. Neither of these two automatic coffee makers is cheap. However, they are inexpensive when you consider that you wouldn't replace either one for a very long time, if ever. For more information on the coffee makers above visit the Everyday Cheapskate page "A Good Hot Cup of Coffee." For a true coffee lover, a coffee maker is an investment in one of life's pleasures. The joys of a good cup of coffee cannot be exaggerated. WASHINGTON 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? What's your opinion about legalized religious bigotry, House Speaker Paul Ryan? How about you, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell? 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 spat 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. Trump's response: "Well, I think profiling is something that we're 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 Trump's 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. That's 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 world's 1.6 billion Muslims, including the more than 3 million who live in the United States. In Trump's eyes, however, all Muslims are suspect. Following the San Bernardino 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 "people in 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 Mateen's 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." 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. 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 states first legal hunting season for the once-threatened species in more than 40 years. State Sen. Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, said he was holding his bill because hed 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 department Director Wayne Rosenthal walked away from the agreement for reasons unknown to me Harmon now plans to advance his legislation. Under DNR's rules, only 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. Harmon said allowing trapping would make those rules difficult to enforce. We proposing a very small number of permits, relatively speaking, according to the department, he said. And with trapping, theres 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 hed 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. Ive 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. DNR opposes the bill because it said limited bobcat hunting is an important tool population control tool. 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 nondetrimental to the long-term viability of Illinois bobcat population. The sale of bobcat pelts is regulated under federal law, Young added. The department said it is moving forward with the rules as proposed because the senator didnt 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 DNR. The department begrudgingly made a deal to which the senator did not hold up his end of the bargain, said Jason Heffley, Rosenthals chief of staff. There should be no surprise on the senators part that we filed the rules we filed. Hunting and trapping of bobcats in Illinois was banned in 1972, and the cats were placed on the states first threatened species list in 1977. The species was removed from the list in 1999. 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. A Middleton woman who crashed her moped into the back of a car while allegedly driving drunk on Tuesday injured a Madison police officer trying to place her under arrest. Tessali Kellogg, 26, was taken into custody on tentative charges of battery to a police officer, operating while intoxicated, resisting/obstructing, possession of cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia, police said. According to police: Kellogg struck the rear of a car that was stopped in traffic in the 800 block of Williamson Street at about 7:40 p.m. Tuesday. "She tried to leave the scene of the crash, leading to a struggle with officers," said police spokesman Joel DeSpain. Kellogg allegedly yelled and used profanity during the arrest, and kicked at the legs of an officer, with the officer suffering bruising and swelling from the kicks. A man found staying at a lake cabin he hadn't rented was arrested Tuesday on multiple charges relating to break-ins in the area in Iowa County. Christopher Johnson, 33, of Montfort, was taken into custody on tentative charges of burglary, trespass and disorderly conduct, the Sheriff's Office said. He also faces other charges including possession of burglary tools, fraud, possession of stolen property, criminal damage to property, theft and contributing to the delinquency of a child. Deputies were called to the Blackhawk Lake Recreation Area on Tuesday because of a disturbance. "While at the disturbance, we were notified of multiple burglaries in the area and of an unknown male staying in a cabin that was not rented out," the Sheriff's Office said. Deputies allegedly found stolen merchandise in and around the cabin. More charges could come, so the Sheriff's Office is asking anyone who has information on thefts or burglaries in that area on Sunday or Monday to call 935-3314. Blackhawk Lake Recreation Area, located southeast of Highland, is owned by the DNR but operated by Iowa County. It's about 2,000 acres big, including a 220-acre manmade lake. Unlocked vehicles seem to be easy pickings in Dane County. The Sheriff's Office reported on Wednesday that 27 thefts from unlocked vehicles have been reported since the start of April, in just the northeast part of the county. Two vehicles were stolen this week in the Windsor and DeForest area; in both cases, keys were left inside the unlocked vehicles. "Thieves looking for easy access to cash and valuables are taking advantage of the vehicles left unlocked," said spokeswoman Elise Schaffer. "Don't become the next victim." The most jarring thefts happened the night of June 10, when handguns were stolen out of three different unlocked vehicles in DeForest. Anyone with information about the thefts is asked to call the Dane County tip line, 284-6900. The family of an 18-year-old woman arrested Tuesday after an incident at East Towne Mall is saying her treatment by Madison police was unfair and undeserved. Police said Genele Laird displayed a knife, threatened to kill security staff, and resisted officers trying to detain her. A video of Laird's arrest had hundreds of thousands of views hours after it was posted on Facebook. That video could no longer be accessed early Wednesday, but a longer video was posted on YouTube. About 30 demonstrators protested Lairds arrest Tuesday night at the Public Safety Building, displaying a sign that said: "Hands off black women." Police Chief Mike Koval met with members of Lairds family, several City Council members, state Rep. Chris Taylor, D-Madison, and Michael Johnson, CEO of the Boys and Girls Club of Dane County, who called the video brutal. The video shows an officer striking Laird with his knee several times to take her to the ground and while she was on the ground kicking and struggling with officers trying to handcuff her. The officer also struck her once in the torso with a closed fist during the struggle before using a Taser on her legs. Police also placed a "spit hood" over her head. Laird can be heard saying "I can't breathe" several times as she struggled with police before the hood was placed over her head. Koval declined to comment on the video early Wednesday. According to police: Laird confronted an employee at the mall food court about her phone that had been stolen. She displayed a knife and made threats against the employee before mall security called police at 5:15 p.m., saying Laird was "out of control." Laird also threatened to kill mall security staff after they confronted her. While officers tried to arrest her, Laird attempted to kick and scratch them. She spit in the face of one officer before she was controlled outside of the mall through the use of an electronic control device. A knife was recovered from the scene. Two officers were treated for injuries at a hospital and released. Laird was taken to the Dane County Jail on tentative charges of disorderly conduct while armed, resisting police and causing injury, battery to a police officer and discharge of bodily fluids. Johnson said the family wants the tentative felony charges dropped and a restorative justice approach taken. "This young lady had no criminal history, worked at the mall. Her cellphone was stolen. She was agitated, but when you continue to see videos like this, it creates mistrust," Johnson said. He said an attorney met with Laird Tuesday night and took pictures of her. A Madison man sought as a suspect in an April 21 shooting on the citys South Side that left one person injured was arrested Monday in Minneapolis. Mitchell Hallmon, 30, was arrested at a residence by members of the U.S. Marshals Violent Offender Fugitive Task Force in Minneapolis, the agency said. Marshals allegedly found narcotics, money and a gun in the residence. Hallmon is being held at the Hennepin County Jail in Minneapolis, awaiting extradition to Madison. Hallmon is accused of shooting a man in the leg on April 21 while the victim was in a vehicle in the 1000 block of Ann Street. Madison police requested help from the U.S. Marshals Service Badgerland Fugitive Apprehension Squad in finding Hallmon. A viral video of the forceful arrest of a young black woman Tuesday outside East Towne Mall sparked outrage from Madisons black community and has local leaders and elected officials calling for a review of whether police officers used excessive force. Genele Laird, 18, was arrested outside the mall after she allegedly displayed a knife and threatened to kill security staff after she said her cellphone had been stolen. Video taken by a person outside the mall shows Laird resisting police as they try to handcuff her. Two officers then forcefully take her to the ground, where she continues to struggle and kick her legs and allegedly spits in an officers face. The officer strikes her several times with his knee and fist before using a Taser to get her to comply with demands to put her hands behind her back. Dozens of leaders from Madisons black community joined the Young Gifted & Black Coalition for a protest Wednesday outside the Dane County Public Safety Building, where they collectively condemned the officers efforts to control Laird. Here is a 120-pound kid, 18 years old, said Caliph MuabEl, executive director of Breaking Barriers Mentoring Inc. She was thrown to the ground, bag put over her head, punched, kicked and Tased ... If that isnt excessive force, I dont know what is. At an early afternoon news conference Wednesday, Police Chief Mike Koval said he met with several people close to Laird on Tuesday night and said they were moved to tears, to anger by what he acknowledged looks like a very one-sided transaction. But he defended his officers actions, saying one bystanders short video cant capture the context of the 15-minute narrative of alleged threats by Laird that led to police being called. Koval said Laird threatened a fast-food employee in the malls food court who she believed stole her phone. Laird allegedly displayed a knife and didnt cooperate with the malls private security officers, prompting a call to police. The charge ... at that point was disorderly conduct while armed, Koval said. If things had gone according to Hoyle at that point and she had gone with the program and surrendered her liberty at that point, at the officers request, none of the other things that occurred would have been transpiring. At the end of the day when called to deal with a behavior ... it is our obligation to restore order. Thats what we do, Koval said. When you ... spit in the eye of a police officer, thats a felony. When you resist arrest and you cause soft tissue injury to an officer, thats a felony. Koval declined to immediately name the officers involved, saying the 911 center had received death threats against them. They will be named, he said, but for the moment he said he wanted to provide them with sanctuary and a cooling off period. Video of the arrest, which had been viewed online more than a million times by Wednesday night, shows one officer holding Laird on a sidewalk shortly after the incident inside the mall. A second officer approaches in an attempt to get Lairds hands behind her back for cuffing, at which point Laird yells out that the officers are being so (expletive) forceful, for no (expletive) reason. A struggle ensues as at least one officer repeatedly yells commands to get on the ground. One of the officers strikes Laird several times with a knee to the abdomen before all three fall to the sidewalk. The struggle continues on the ground with one officer yelling at Laird, Stop kicking me, while he delivers three more knees and a punch to the abdomen. Laird then rolls onto her back as one of the officers continues to try to restrain her hands. The other officer then removes a Taser from his belt and delivers at least one shock to Lairds abdomen. He holds the device to her left leg, but its unclear if it continued to fire. At Wednesdays news conference, Madison Police Officer Chris Masterson said Tasers only work when two probes make contact with the skin, completing a circuit and creating an electric shock. In Tuesdays arrest, Masterson said, only one of the probes hit Laird, which is why the officer was seen repeatedly pressing the device against her leg to complete the circuit. Just before Laird is shocked, one of the officers can be seen holding one of Lairds hands behind her back and struggling to pull her other hand behind her. Laird shrieks as the other officer repeatedly yells, Put your hand behind your back. Do it now, and the struggle stops briefly as she is handcuffed. Asked what Laird, who was on the ground and being kneeled on, could have done differently to comply with officers demands, Koval said: Stop resisting. In video of the arrest, Laird briefly pops up again, at which point the officer with the Taser pushes her head back down to the pavement and yells, Keep your face down. Dont spit at me again. Laird responds to the officer, I will bite you. I will (expletive) bite you. The officer threatens to use the Taser again if she bites him, and Laird responds, Let me go. I cant (expletive) breathe. Police then put a spit hood over Lairds face, which Koval said consists of a loose, breathable material, and carry her to a squad car. Koval said one officer received spit in his eye, while the other officer was put on workmans compensation leave for back spasms related to the apprehension. Laird was treated with ointment for a cut and was seen by medical professionals from the fire department, a local hospital and the Dane County Jail, he said. Koval ordered an internal review of the arrest to evaluate whether department policies, procedures and professional standards were followed during the arrest. Dane County Sheriff Dave Mahoney has agreed to have his department oversee the internal investigation. While video of a forceful arrest can be alarming, Koval said its not the norm for Madison police, adding that records show such encounters constitute well below 1 percent of all police calls. Im going to be looking at with a critical eye the rights of this woman to ensure that we did not exceed the bounds of reasonableness that we are entitled to use, Koval said. Force when administered, especially when somebody is motivated not to be taken into custody, can be very ugly. Outraged to my core But many people, particularly members of the black community, sought better answers for why two male officers needed to resort to kneeing, punching and using a Taser to control a slight young woman. I am outraged to my core, Ruben Anthony, president and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Madison, said in a statement on Wednesday. The abuse this young woman faced at the hands of these police was savage and excessive, Anthony said. As a community, we must make it clear that we will not tolerate this type of barbarism. The Black Leadership Council met Wednesday morning and agreed to help find Laird an attorney, said Michael Johnson, CEO of the Boys and Girls Club of Dane County. Ald. Shiva Bidar-Sielaff, 5th District, was part of a group of local leaders and elected officials who met with Koval, Lairds aunt and several of her friends Tuesday night to discuss the altercation. Bidar-Sielaff applauded the chief for meeting with them but said the meeting provided few concrete answers. I dont think there is a way of seeing this video and not feeling disturbed, she said. My reaction is that the community deserves a full investigation and an explanation of the level of force used that we can see in the video. It also speaks to the need for leadership in looking at our policies and practices for the Madison Police Department. Council scrutiny The incident comes on the heels of a high-profile feud between Koval and local elected officials over the City Councils decision to spend $400,000 to hire an expert to help a city committee review the operations of the police department. Koval challenged the need for the study in a blog post laced with sarcasm and frustration. Bidar-Sielaff said the incident confirmed her belief that the money was well-spent. State Rep. Chris Taylor, D-Madison, was also at the meeting and called the police treatment of Laird brutal and extremely disproportionate to any threat posed. As our country has experienced, too often videos like this one have exposed violent mistreatment of people of color at the hands of the police, Taylor said. We deserve a full and impartial investigation of what occurred. Deirdre Thompson, 35, an older sister of Laird, said she was traveling with her parents from Danville, Illinois, where they live, to Madison on Wednesday afternoon to try to get answers. We just want to see Genele released, because regardless of what shes done, we really believe she did not deserve that treatment, and that, in itself, should be enough to persuade them to release her, Thompson said. None of us have seen that kind of behavior where she would just lash out at the police, because thats one thing Ive always tried to tell her, you know, respect the police no matter what and just try to get justice, she said. Laird has no adult criminal record, but Dane County Jail records contain a mugshot and fingerprint set of her from 2010. Lt. Kerry Porter, of the Dane County Sheriffs Office, said there was no charge attached to the file. Records for minors are kept with the Juvenile Jail and are confidential, he said. Juvenile photos are typically related to criminal activity, but Porter said they are sometimes taken for runaway children. Laird remained in the Dane County Jail Wednesday night and was expected to have an initial court appearance Thursday, Porter said. State Journal reporters Bill Novak and Logan Wroge contributed to this report. Two men suffered life-threatening injuries early Wednesday morning when their car left a Dodge County road, struck a tree and overturned. The crash happened at about 3:40 a.m. on St. Helena Road north of Arrowhead Trail in the town of Hustisford, the Sheriff's Office said. Ryan Rhadans, 34, of Watertown, was driving south on St. Helena Road when his Lincoln left the road on a curve, hit an embankment, vaulted into a tree and rolled over. Rhadans was flown to Aurora Medical Center by Flight for Life helicopter, and passenger Timothy Bradfield, 33, of Juneau, also was flown by Flight for Life helicopter to Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee. The crash remains under investigation. The Madison City Council approved actions Tuesday involving two tax incremental finance districts related to major development projects. Council members approved a development agreement that would give $2.88 million in TIF funds to a mixed-use project at the site of the demolished Madison Dairy building on East Washington Avenue. The council also approved the release of $9.27 million from a Downtown TIF district to the Madison Metropolitan School District. Both items were unanimously passed on a consent agenda. TID No. 25, which is set to close in the early 2020s, is a source of money that city officials hope to draw from to aid the $170 million redevelopment of Judge Doyle Square. But officials of the cash-strapped school district are looking to draw funds from the TID and voted earlier in the month to approve a $9.27 million promissory note. The school district will essentially be loaned its share of the TIDs current $19.5 million surplus. School district officials will need to take a final vote on the plan before they get the money. Other taxing entities would wait until the TIDs closure before receiving their payout. The $2.88 million TIF loan will go to a $40 million construction project on the 1000 block of East Washington Avenue. Madison-based Stone House Development plans to build 140 apartments, 61,000 square feet of office space, 18,000 square feet of retail area and a 362-stall parking ramp. The $2.88 million is part of a larger $3.45 million loan for the entire project. The remaining $565,000 is set to go to a 55-unit affordable housing complex to be constructed by Stone House on the same block. A Dane County proposal to buy the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce building and locate a homeless day resources center there would cost taxpayers about $400,000 more than the value of a recent appraisal, but county officials say they still see good value in the purchase. The county hired Landretti & Co. to conduct an appraisal of the two-story building at 615 E. Washington Ave. The appraisal, which valued the property at $1.35 million, was returned to the county staff late Thursday hours after the chambers board voted to accept the countys offer and County Executive Joe Parisi announced the tentative $1.75 million deal publicly. But Parisis staff, County Board supervisors and chamber president Zach Brandon defended the deal Tuesday as in line with market value and said the property has added value for use as a day shelter because of its location, near other homeless services but away from residential neighborhoods. Josh Wescott, chief of staff for Parisi, said Monday that the county feels there are a variety of factors that make the location uniquely more valuable and helped inform the countys offer. To date, no site has combined central location with a building in good condition, big enough to meet the needs identified around 100 people with fewer neighborhood conflicts, Wescott said. Had the chamber marketed this building, given the current rate of development along East Washington Avenue, its reasonable to conclude it would have been very well compensated. Brandon said the chamber engaged in talks with a developer late last year that resulted in an offer that was frankly, a little bit higher than the countys offer. The organization declined the offer and commissioned plans to renovate the building instead, he said. Two other developers approached the chamber about buying the site within the last two months, but the chamber was not close to selling the property, he said. We spent a significant amount of money on new floor plans and building designs. ... The discussion was more than about money; it was about solving a community problem, Brandon said. We needed to make sure we were protecting the long-term financial security of the organization but also wanting to be helpful in solving a community problem. The county had purchased the former Messner Inc. property, 1326 E. Washington Ave., for a day center for $1.4 million last year. With significant opposition from residents of the surrounding neighborhoods, many county officials grew increasingly skeptical that the site would get a conditional use permit from the city necessary to operate a shelter there. The chamber site, which is assessed at $993,400, would be closer to Downtown overnight shelters and would come with all the chambers old office furnishings to accommodate the administrative and case work functions of a full-service day shelter. Wescott said acquisition and renovation costs for the chamber building would be at least $500,000 lower than those for the Messner site, and its operating expenses are also expected to be significantly lower. Sup. Jeremy Levin, chairman of the countys Health and Human Needs Committee, said he is co-sponsoring the resolution to authorize the purchase and that he expects widespread support from his colleagues. I havent heard of anyone being concerned about the purchase price being higher because you see so many advantages with the location, the physical space and the timeline for opening, Levin said. Gov. Scott Walker named three finalists Wednesday for an appointment to a soon-to-be-vacant seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. The finalists are Appeals Court judges Mark Gundrum and Thomas Hruz and Milwaukee lawyer Daniel Kelly. The finalists were recommended by Walkers chief of staff Rich Zipperer, Michael Brennan, chairman of the governors Judicial Selection Advisory Committee, and Walkers former deputy legal counsel Andrew Hitt. Walkers selection will replace Justice David Prosser, who is retiring July 31. Walker plans to interview all three finalists before Prossers retirement. Kelly was the one candidate who requested his name be kept confidential among the 11 applicants for the seat. Kelly was a reference for Walkers most recent Supreme Court selection, Justice Rebecca Bradley. He also represented Republican lawmakers in a lawsuit challenging the states 2010 legislative redistricting. Kelly founded his own law firm in 2014. He was previously vice president and general counsel for the Kern Family Foundation, a conservative philanthropic organization. Before that he was a lawyer for 15 years with Reinhart Boerner Van Deuren. He received his bachelors degree in political science and Spanish from Carroll University and his law degree from Regent University in Virginia. Gundrum was a Republican lawmaker from Waukesha from 1998 until 2010, when he was elected to the Waukesha County Circuit Court. In 2011 Walker appointed him to District II Court of Appeals. He joined the U.S. Army Reserve in 2000 and was deployed to Iraq in 2008. As a lawmaker, Gundrum co-authored the states constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, which was later overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court, and defended the states truth-in-sentencing law that Walker authored. He was the lead author of a criminal justice reform bill that required recordings of police interrogations, written policies on use of eyewitnesses and guidelines for the preservation and use of DNA evidence. Gundrum worked on the bill with Steven Avery and was featured in the recent documentary Making a Murderer, which chronicled Averys wrongful rape conviction and later murder conviction. Gundrum served as a law clerk in 1995 for U.S. District Judge Rudolph Randa, who ruled in Walkers favor in a lawsuit seeking to quash a John Doe investigation into Walkers campaign. When he ran for the circuit court seat, Gundrum was criticized for saying it would be good to have a person with a solid conservative view of the law. Walker appointed Hruz to the District III Court of Appeals in Wausau in 2014, before which he was a lawyer in Milwaukee at Meissner Tierney Fisher & Nichols. He clerked for Prosser and U.S. Appeals Court Judge John Coffey. He was previously a research fellow at the conservative Wisconsin Policy Research Institute. He received his bachelors degree in history and political science from UW-Milwaukee, a masters degree in public affairs and public policy analysis from UW-Madison and a law degree from Marquette University. John Nolen Drive will be closed to traffic on Saturday for the annual Shake the Lake fireworks show, while boaters will get more time to use Tenney Lock after the show. The Madison Traffic Engineering Division said the section of John Nolen Drive from South Broom Street to South Blair Street will be closed from 6 a.m. Saturday to 6 a.m. Sunday, and the section from South Broom Street to Olin Avenue will be closed from 9:45 to 10:45 p.m. South Broom Street will be open to and from John Nolen Drive, and Wilson and Williamson streets will stay open. Additional information about Shake the Lake and parking is available at shakethelake.org. Tenney Lock, on the southeast corner of Lake Mendota, will stay open Saturday night for boaters heading back to the lake from Lake Monona, where the fireworks will be held. The lock will open from 9 a.m. to midnight on Saturday, but if boats are still in line at midnight, they will be allowed to use the lock. The lock will also have extended hours on the Fourth of July weekend, from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on June 30 and 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. July 1 through July 4. Additional information is available at parks-lwrd.countyofdane.com/VisitUs/Lakes-Boating/Tenney-Lock. Earlier this week, Rep. Schakowsky released the following comment on the topic: I support common-sense gun safety legislation, and I believe Congress needs to act immediately to stop the proliferation of weapons that threaten the safety of our communities. This is a public safety issue and a public health issue, one that threatens our families and neighborhoods every day. Thousands of children are killed by guns each year in the United States. Homicide by firearm is the second-leading cause of death for young people ages 1-19 in our country, and thousands more kids are killed or injured in unintentional shootings. Like the majority of Americans, I support renewing the assault weapons ban. These extremely dangerous, semi-automatic weapons are specifically designed to kill as many people as possible, as quickly as possible. They pose a grave risk to our communities, which is why the overwhelming majority of Americans support limiting the sale of military-style assault weapons. I am a cosponsor of a number of important gun safety bills that would reinstate the ban on large-capacity ammunition feeding devices, magazines designed for the sole purpose of shooting as many people as possible; make it more difficult for dangerous individuals to obtain guns; and ban the anonymous online sale of ammunition. None of these initiatives violate the Constitutional rights of American citizens. I think we need to have a real national debate about guns. Whether its the daily shootings in Chicago or horrific tragedies, like the shootings in Tucson and Aurora, we must address the deadly violence threatening our neighborhoods. We need to act to pass real gun safety legislation that protects our children and our communities. CHICAGO - Eight Democrat House members have huge targets on their backs in the upcoming General Election, and voters in their districts are hearing from the IL GOP via robocalls. Despite 2016 being a presidential year, the IL GOP is hopeful that discontented taxpayers and frustrated independents will turn out in November to send clear anti-establishment messages by ousting Democrat Reps. Beiser, Bradley, Cloonen, Mussman, Phelps, Skoog, Smiddy and Yingling. Below is the script to the robocalls hitting Rep. Yingling's district. (To be noted, the ILGOP's script mentions the Dems being concerned about their tans, and all of the eight House members happen to be fair-skinned.) To become a Muslim, declare the statement above, Chicago's Downtown Islamic Center says SPRINGFIELD - Illinois could become the first state to officially support the Muslim community if Governor Bruce Rauner signs into law a measure that establishes a permanent advisory council made up of Muslim American leadership. "Given all that is going on with the misinterpretation about Islam and the interests and concerns of the Muslim American community, it's almost obligatory on behalf of a governor of this state and all governors to have such a body," Kareem Irfan, a Chicago lawyer who led an earlier iteration of the council under Gov. Pat Quinn, told the Chicago Tribune. "So we're not subject to the whims of each governor, it would be good to make this a lasting institutional body." Pat Quinn was the first to set up such a committee during his term as governor. Quinn's Muslim American Advisory Council was the only religious group from which Quinn sought counsel - there were no Catholic, Protestant, Hindu or Jewish panels listed during the Quinn administration. These planes are not ferrying tourists to and from the war-torn nation. The Iranian regime is using commercial airlines to send troops, weapons, missiles and cash to assist the Syrian dictator Bashar Assad in his slaughter of innocents; 400,000 have been killed so far. Last Thursday night, an Airbus A300 aircraft belonging to Iran Air took off from an airfield in southwestern Iran. The commercial jet left Abadan, a logistical hub for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and headed for Syria. There is no regularly scheduled service between Abadan and Damascus, though many such flights have taken place in recent weeks and months. Iran Air was sanctioned by the Treasury Department for this exact reason in 2011. It was only delisted in January as a concession in the nuclear deal. Since that deal Iran has not changed its behavior, though some Western companies have. In January, European airplane manufacturer Airbus reached a preliminary deal to sell planes to Iran Air. It did not take long for Boeing to follow suit. I have been closely following these companies ongoing negotiations with the Iranian regime over the past few months. I have urged them both, privately and publicly, not to weaponize the mullahs. Boeing says it must go wherever Airbus goes. But history is a merciless disciplinarian to those who make themselves complicit in evil because someone else was doing it. The Islamic Republic of Iran is the worlds foremost state sponsor of terrorism. It systematically uses commercial aircraft to sow the seeds of death and destruction around the globe. Irans terror proxies have killed and wounded thousands of Americans troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Theyve murdered civilians from Beirut to Buenos Aires. The Boeing Co. is an iconic American brand, the global leader in aerospace and aviation technology. The company creates thousands of jobs in my home state of Illinois and reinforces Chicagos standing as a leading hub for technology and innovation. But the decision to sell militarily-fungible products to terrorisms central supplier is just plain wrong. I will do everything in my power to stop it. Rep. Peter J. Roskam, R-Ill., chairs the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Oversight. First posted on USAToday.com. JLR, owned by India's Tata Motors, was suing Chinese automaker Jiangling Motors for allegedly copying the British firm's Range Rover Evoque. By 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, 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. advertisement ALSO READ: How good is JLR Range Rover Evoque's Chinese doppelganger Landwind X7? "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 cancelled by Chinese authorities. ALSO READ: Jaguar Land Rover sues Chinese automaker over Evoque copycat 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. ALSO READ: Watch: Land Rover Discovery Sport tows a 100-tonne train 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. --- ENDS --- The Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Delhi will be releasing the results of the entrance examination tomorrow, June 24 on the official website. IIMC Entrance Exam 2016: Results to be declared on June 24 at www.iimc.nic.in By India Today Web Desk: As per official source, the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Delhi will be releasing the results of the entrance examination tomorrow, June 24 (evening). Also, the interview process for various courses will begin from first week of July. All the candidates are advised to keep a check on the official website. advertisement Once the results are declared, all the candidates can check the same on the official website, the link for which is www.iimc.nic.in The entrance examination was conducted to give admission to students for various post graduate courses. The institute conducted the examination for all courses from May 29 to May 30 at the Delhi centre. Courses offered: Postgraduate Diploma Course in Journalism (English, Hindi, and Odia) Postgraduate Diploma Course in Radio and TV Journalism (English and Hindi) Postgraduate Diploma Course in Advertising and Public Relations (English and Hindi) Diploma Course in Journalism (Urdu) Selection process: All those candidates who will successfully clear the entrance examination will be called for personal interview/group discussion. Steps to check the results: Applicants need to log on to the official website, www.iimc.nic.in Click on the relevant link Enter all the details in prescribed format only The results will be displayed All the candidates are advised to take a print-out of the same for future reference About IIMC: The Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) was established in the year in the year 1969. The institute works under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. Over the years, IIMC has expanded and now offers regular post-graduate diploma courses. Check: SBI PO 2016 Prelims hall tickets available for download from today at sbi.co.in For more updates, follow India Today Education or you can write to us at education.intoday@gmail --- ENDS --- Greenpeace sets sail to raise awareness for the protection of the Arctic sea ice: Scroll to read more. By India Today Web Desk: The Arctic Circle is melting and it's melting fast. Piano maestro Ludovico Einaudi, from Italy, played his composition, 'Elegy for the Arctic', in the Arctic Ocean while glaciers around him were crashing. The performance coincided with the OSPAR Commission meeting in Tenerife, Spain, where delegates from around the world pledged to protect 10 per cent of the Arctic sea ice, which is the size of the United Kingdom. advertisement The performance was a part of a Greenpeace initiative. Greenpeace, the famous 43-year-old independent global campaigning organisation, had started an awareness campaign to raise voice for the protection of the Arctic sea ice. Ludovico Einaudi plays Elegy for the Arctic The organisation's ship Arctic Sunrise set off on its journey from the Netherlands two weeks ago. It invited Einaudi as the artist wanted to prove how real global warming was. It all started a few decades ago. Technology started to set humans apart from the rest of the world. Man became more self-centred than ever and ignored man-made calamities for the 'collective good' and 'progress'. Global warming, the most dreaded calamity nature is facing at present, is still being disproved by some countries including Norway, Denmark and Iceland (according to an article published on Greenpeace official website). The motive behind such nonchalance is beyond logic. Get ready for tears and goose bumps. Here is the Elegy for the Arctic: Interested in General Knowledge and Current Affairs? Click here to stay informed and know what is happening around the world with our G.K. and Current Affairs section. To get more updates on Current Affairs, send in your query by mail to education.intoday@gmail.com --- ENDS --- The SBI PO 2016 Prelims admit cards are now available for download from the official website. By India Today Web Desk: The State Bank of India has release the preliminary online exam call letter today, June 22 on the official website. The candidates who had applied for the SBI PO examination can now download their admit cards, from the SBI website. The candidates will be able to download their admit cards till July 9. The SBI had earlier invited applications from interested, eligible candidates for recruitment to 2200 posts of Probationary Officers (PO). advertisement To download their admit cards, the aspirants will have to perform the following steps; first they have to log on to the official website, the link for which is www.sbi.co.in . On the home page they should click on 'Careers' tab. When the new window opens, they should click on the live link 'Call Letter for Online Preliminary Exam' under 'Later Announcements'. In the new window that opens, the candidate should enter the required details like their roll number, date of birth etc. in the space provided and submit. The hall ticket would appear on the screen, the candidates are advised to take a print out of the same and keep it for future reference. The aspirants should ensure that they carry the hall tickets with them to the examination center, otherwise they would not be allowed to appear for the examination. The SBI PO 2016 Prelims will be conducted on July 2, 3, 9 and 10, 2016. The results are tentatively scheduled to be declared on July 18. For any query, the candidates may visit the official website. For more updates, followIndia Today Educationor you can write to us ateducation.intoday@gmail.com --- ENDS --- By PTI: From M Zulqernain Lahore, Jun 22 (PTI) Nearly 450 Sikh pilgrims from India have arrived here in Pakistan to observe the 177th death anniversary of king of the first Sikh empire Maharaja Ranjeet Singh and to participate in a series of events. Officials of theEvacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB),which looks after the holy places of minorities in Pakistan, greeted the 448 Sikh pilgrims at the Wagah Railway Station yesterday. advertisement "We are happy to be here to visit our holy places. We receive love from the people here. We are thankful to the board for taking care of our holy places," group leader Sardar Govinder Singh told reporters. He said there should be a soft visa policy for the citizens of both the countries so that people could easily visit their holy places. The government of Pakistan has made all arrangements for comfortable and secure stay of the Sikh pilgrims, said Khalid Ali, ETPB Additional Secretary for gurdwaras. Ali said special arrangements have been made for their travel to different gurdwaras in Punjab province. The main event will be held at Gurdwara Dera Sahib in Lahore on June 26 to observe the 177th death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh, he said. The pilgrims will also visit holy places including Gurdwara Janamasthan in Nankana Sahib between June 22 and 25, said ETPB spokesman Amir Hashmi. They will return to India on June 28. PTI MZ MRJ AKJ MRJ --- ENDS --- By PTI: Amritsar, Jun 21 (PTI) 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. advertisement 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. PTI CORR CHS RC DBS --- ENDS --- By PTI: New Delhi, Jun 22 (PTI) Maharashtra Social Justice minister Rajkumar Badole today said BJP MLA Ravindra Chavan should face action if has said anything "regrettable" against the dalits, after a video appeared in which the legislator purportedly used analogy of pigs while talking about "uplift of dalits". "It is regrettable if he had said such a thing but I think he did not say anything like it," Badole said, adding that he had not seen the video. advertisement "If he had said it then action should be taken. The Chief Minister will definitely take action if he said it," the minister said here. The video showing Chavan, BJP MLA from Dombivali, using analogy of pigs while talking about "uplift of the Dalits" has gone viral on the social media, prompting NCP to demand that he apologise. The video is purportedly of an event in Thane district on June 17. NDA ally Republican Party of India (RPI) too has demanded BJP to take action against Chavan. "I condemn Chavans statement and on the behalf of Republican Party of India, I demand that BJP should take action against him because it is a very objectionable statement," said RPI leader Ramdas Athwale. He, however, defended BJP saying that not only the party but Prime Minister Narendra Modi also "fully" supports dalit community and the philosophy of Dr Ambedkar. "BJP is fully supporting dalit community. Narendra Modi is also taking many decisions to support the community and he is also supporting Babasaheb Ambedkars philosophy," he said. PTI VIT RT --- ENDS --- Actor R Madhavan, feels that it is high time the makers start treating the audience smartly. By India Today Web Desk: Actor R Madhavan on Wednesday expressed his concern over the state of the Indian film industry these days. In an interview to the PTI, he said that the Hindi film industry is facing tough competition not only from regional cinema but also Hollywood films. ALSO READ: Madhavan to reprise Dulquer Salmaan in the Tamil remake of Charlie ALSO READ: Madhavan to join hands with Karu Palaniappan for a mega budget film advertisement "Right now, not only regional films but also Hollywood films are getting bigger openings than Bollywood movies. Audience is willing to watch a movie of a different language with subtitles rather than films in their own language," Madhavan said. Citing Marathi film Sairat as an example, the 3 idiots star feels the language barrier today is diminishing. "Across the country there is no more language divide. A small Marathi film like Sairat is such a huge hit all over and is even the biggest grosser than any other film in Mumbai circuit. Now that shows a lot," he said. The 46-year-old actor star feels while competing with Hollywood and regional cinema was always challenging, it is high time the makers start treating the audience smartly. "It has always been challenging. You can't be taking things for granted. Today more than hard work, you are also required to be intelligent. You have to treat your audience smartly. The content has to be strong," he said. Speaking on Saala Khadoos, the actor said, "I had to break my image and convince people that I can be this rude, brute man. Nobody was willing to see what I was seeing. Then I decided to produce the film and friends like Rajkumar Hirani also joined in." The actor is still basking in the success of Saala Khadoos, which is scheduled for a TV premiere on June 26 on Sony Max. --- ENDS --- By PTI: New Delhi, Jun 22 (PTI) Afghanistan today made a strong pitch for making India a party to the already operational Afghan-Pakistan transit and trade agreement (APTTA), a move that will give New Delhi better access to Central Asia and boost regional connectivity. Afghan envoy Shaida Abdali also sought robust military cooperation with India and referred to training of its officers at the National Defence College here and the recent transfer of helicopters to Afghanistan. advertisement Blaming Pakistan for terror in Afghanistan, he said it is clear that it is coming from "across the border" and cautioned that "terrorism backfires" and affects "all of us equally". "The distrust between Afghanistan and Pakistan exists today. Its a very dangerous time," he said. Abdali, who has written a book, Afghanistan-Pakistan- India: A Paradigm Shift, talked about four factors behind the instability in his country over the last few years. These are the pursuit of "geographical impatience" by countries like Pakistan in the region through Afghanistan, activities of non-state armed groups, "weak" Afghanistan government and state institutions, and the link between drug cartels and terrorist groups. He said Afghanistan has suffered due to "misplaced" and "miscalculated policies". Abdali also warned that an unstable Afghanistan could be a "threat" to the world order once again as it was the case some time ago. Holding that peaceful relations between India and Pakistan are crucial for Afghanistan, Abdali said, "Today, we have a very strategic relationship with India and a very strange relationship with Pakistan. That equal partnership is a pre-requisite to a peaceful and stable Afghanistan. We have to examine how Afghanistan can become a catalyst." "One is Indias inclusion to AAPTA and (the second is) giving Pakistan access to Central Asia through Afghanistan," he said, adding that this could be on the lines of cooperation between India, Afghanistan and Iran on the Chabahar port. APTTA was signed between the governments of Afghanistan and Pakistan in 2011. It allows trucks from landlocked Afghanistan access to markets in India, China and the rest of the world through seaports of Karachi, Port Qasim and Gwadar. On the sidelines of the Heart of Asia Conference held in Islamabad last year, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had expressed Indias willingness to join APTTA. Pakistan is opposed to any such move. Emphasising that India was one of the few countries "without any personal agenda" in Afghanistan, Abdali said his country was looking to increase the number of officers being trained in India. (MORE) PTI PR SMN SK SMN --- ENDS --- advertisement In an early morning tweet the BJP MP had targeted Arvind Subramanian for talking against India in the US Congress in 2013. By India Today Web Desk: BJP MP Subramanian Swamy has stirred a hornet's nest today by seeking the removal of Arvind Subramanian, the Chief Economic Adviser to the government. In an early morning tweet the BJP MP had targeted Arvind Subramanian for talking against India in the US Congress in 2013. Who said to US Cong on 13/3/13 the US should act against India to defend US Pharmaceuticals interests? Arvind Subramanian MoF !! Sack him!!! Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) June 22, 2016 advertisement Subramanian Swamy said, "He used to work in America, don't even know if he's a citizen or not but I'm sure he has a green card. There was this American Congress Committee for pharmaceutical purposes, there was a hearing to figure out India's opinion on matter, so he said in stmnt that India isn't working acc to America in this matter and for that they should be taught a lesson in WTO." "Then he came here and gave a note to the Finance ministry saying that the note Congress gave on GST Bill, all clauses are absolutely justified," he added. He said, "Such people who can fail our government, such people should be tossed out. Now, its been two years." Arvind Subramanian had sought changes in provisions within Indian patent law aimed at preventing frivolous patenting and preventing pharmaceutical companies from getting extensions on patents by tweaking existing drugs and passing them off as innovations. Subramanian Swamy had been leading a feirce campaign against RBI governor Raghuram Rajan. RBI governor Raghuram Rajan on Saturday had announced that he would return to academia after his term ends in September. Raghuram Rajan says no to second term as RBI governor, who will be next? After Raghuram Rajan, next targets Najeeb Jung and Arvind Kejriwal, says Subramanian Swamy --- ENDS --- By PTI: Mumbai, Jun 22 (PTI) Actors Ajay Devgn and Emraan Hashmi have teamed up again for Milan Luthrias historical fiction "Baadshaho", set against the backdrop of Emergency. Apart from Ajay and Emraan, the film will also feature Ileana DCruz, Esha Gupta ad Vidyut Jamwal in prominent roles. Co-produced by Milan and Bhushan Kumar and written by Rajat Aroraa, "Baadshaho" is a thriller set in the Emergency era of the 70s. advertisement "This is a historical fiction film. We have used some facts, there is lot of stuff that was unusual and exciting. It (Emergency as subject) is a great backdrop for action and thrills. We have done extensive research on the subject," Milan told PTI. In India, the Emergency refers to a 21-month period in 1975?77 when Prime Minister Indira Gandhi unilaterally had a state of emergency declared across the country. When asked if any of the actors would play real life characters, Milan said, "Its a historical fiction film, all characters are grey." Ajay and Emraan played gangsters in Milans 2010 blockbuster "Once Upon A Time In Mumbai". In "Baadshaho" they will sport a different look. "Their (Ajay and Emraan) look will be completely different. It will be rustic...the look will be timeless," Milan said. The "Dirty Picture" helmer will collaborate with a foreign action director for "Baadshaho". The music includes Rajasthani folk with a funky twist, composed by Ankit Tiwari. The multi-starrer film is all set to go on floors this August with a 15-day schedule in Mumbai, followed by a two month schedule in Rajasthan. PTI KKP GK NDS RYS --- ENDS --- By PTI: Anantnag, Jun 22 (PTI) Visibly confident of her victory, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today toured many of the polling booths in Anantnag Assembly constituency which went to polls to decide whether she would enter the state legislature. Mehbooba, currently an MP from Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency, is locked in a three-corner contest in the by-poll with Hilal Shah of Congress and Iftikar Misger of National Conference. advertisement Women ? young and old alike - jostled to hug Mehbooba and click a selfie with her as the PDP leader, along with her brother Tasaduq Mufti, visited polling booths in the constituency where elections were necessitated due to the death of her father and former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on January 7 this year. The Chief Ministers security had a tough time in keeping the crowd of her supporters away but Mehbooba greeted everyone in her way and interacted with them in Kashmiri. Though Mehbooba chose not to speak to a battery of journalists present, she talked freely to the women who came out from the polling booths after casting their votes. She even obliged to selfie requests with many of the young ? especially first-time voters ? clicking their picture with her. Some older women also asked their relatives to click them with Mehbooba, calling her "our leader". "We are here to support and vote for her. She belongs to this land and I am sure she will work for its development and prosperity," one such woman Kulsooma said at Ranbirpora in Kehribal area of the constituency. As Mehbooba, popularly called baaji (elder sister), made her way out of the polling booths, young supporters of her party ? PDP ? raised slogans of her victory. "25 June, baaji zuin" (June 25, is Mehboobas win)," they said. They also raised slogans eulogizing her father. Many of her supporters said it is a vote for loyalty as she was taking forward the agenda of her father to take the state towards peace and development. "We supported her father. Now that he is no more, we are supporting her. We are loyal to the family as they have done so much for us, for our area which was otherwise neglected," said one Mohammad Younis. He said Sayeed always wanted the state to prosper and "now his daughter is taking his agenda forward and we will not leave her at this stage when she needs our support the most to take the state towards peace, development and prosperity," he said. PTI SSB AKK --- ENDS --- advertisement Voters were seen heading to the polling stations at various places in the Anantnag constituency. By Shuja-ul-Haq : Voters were seen heading to the polling stations at various places in the Anantnag constituency. Anantnag is going for by-polls after the death of former CM and legislator Mufti Mohammad Syed. The polling begun at 7am and will end at 6pm. Who all are contesting Anantnag by-polls? The current Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti is contesting elections from Anantnag to enter the state legislature. advertisement There are seven other candidates in the fray here including Hilal Ahmad Shah from Congress and Iftikhar Hussain Misgar from National Conference. The seat fell vacant due to the death of the former Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed, who represented the constituency till his death on January 7. Separatists ask people to boycott polls today All separatist leaders and guerrilla outfits operating under the Muzaffarabad-based United Jihad Council (UJC) have asked people to boycott the polls. Around 84000 voters will decide the fate of the eight candidates including the incumbent Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti. Also read: Anantnag polls to be a popularity test for Mehbooba Mufti Omar roars in Mehbooba's den says state's remote control lies in Nagpur Mehbooba kicks off campaign for Anantnag assembly by-poll --- ENDS --- Speaking in the Assembly, Omar sarcastically said the state Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti that she should have been present in the House in spite of her election in Anantnag constituency. He also said the way the state machinery was used by the government in violating election code, she was sure to win. By Naseer Ganai: As 34 per cent of voters exercised their franchise in by-elections of Anantnag Assembly which concluded this evening, National Conference working president Omar Abdullah predicted Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti's win from the seat. OMAR Vs. MEHBOOBA Speaking in the Assembly, Omar sarcastically said the state Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti that she should have been present in the House in spite of her election in Anantnag constituency. He also said the way the state machinery was used by the government in violating election code, she was sure to win. advertisement Omar said that there was no need for Jammu and Kashmir CM Mehbooba Mufti to visit her constituency on the day when the grants of her departments were being presented as the state machinery had done its job for her in the constituency. Responding to Omar, Mehbooba said, "It seems the leader of the opposition is more worried about the election than I am." The death of former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mufti Sayeed on January 7 this year necessitated the Anantnag by-poll. VOTING REMAINS PEACEFUL IN ANANTNAG On Wednesday evening Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Shantmau said out of 84067 electors including 4229 migrants voters a total of 28446 cast their votes during the polling period which started at 7 am and concluded at 6 pm. He said out of 42840 male voters and 41227 female voters, 15384 male, 13062 female and 638 migrant voters exercised their franchise in the by-elections of Anantnag Assembly. He said the polling was held in a peaceful manner and so far no case of violation and untoward incident was reported from any part of the constituency. The Anantnag constituency had voted for the PDP in the past two elections, held in 2008 and 2014. On both the occasions the PDP's founder Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was its representative. In the 2014 Assembly election, Anantnag recorded 39.71 percentage voting which was five percent higher than today's vote percentage. MEHBOOBA IS THE FACE OF RSS IN J&K: OPPOSITION Even though the opposition National Conference and Congress had described vote for the PDP as vote for the RSS, the PDP says such appeals had no impact on voters. Congress party had described Mehbooba as face of the RSS in Jammu and Kashmir and vowed to "send her back to Nagpur." The party insists that its concern was not the competition from other candidates but the victory margin. They say this time victory margin of the PDP candidate will be far higher. Also Read Anantnag polls to be a popularity test for Mehbooba Mufti advertisement Anantnag bypolls: Polling starts in South Kashmir's Anantnag --- ENDS --- While most of Bollywood has decided to stay silent on the recent insensitive remark by Salman Khan, filmmaker and producer Anurag Kashyap is in no mood to mince words. By India Today Web Desk: Salman Khan's rape remark has shocked many people and filmmaker Anurag Kashyap is one of them. While most of the Bollywood has decided to stay silent on the recent insensitive remark made by the 50-year-old actor during a recent press meet, Kashyap is in no mood to mince words. ALSO READ: If Salman feels he needs to apologise, he will, says Arbaaz Khan advertisement ALSO READ: Salim Khan apologises for Salman's rape metaphor, says intention wasn't wrong The Udta Punjab producer in an exclusive interview to India Today Television said that Salman must apologise for his remark. "It was poor choice of words. And Salman must say sorry," he said. But at the same time, he did mention that Salman immediately retracted the statement. "He will come out and sorry for it. What he says is unfortunate and he also realises it," added the filmmaker. It's been more that 24 hours since the remark went viral and caused an outrage on social media. But the Bajrangi Bhaijhaan actor still hasn't made an public apology. And in fact, not many Bollywood celebs have criticsed the statement made by the actor. In fact, the Dev D director went onto clarify that unlike other Bollywood stars he doesn't belong to any camp and wouldn't remain silent on the issue if asked for an opinion. "Salman is not my friend. I have no love for him. We don't work together," he added. It isn't just Kashyap who feels that the Wanted actor should apologise. In fact, National Commission for Women has demanded an apology within seven days from the actor. For the uninitiated, Salman invited the wrath of people when he compared himself to a raped woman. When asked about his gruelling wrestling training and shooting schedule for Ali Abbas Zafar's Sultan, the Bajrangi Bhaijaan actor said that he wasn't able to walk straight and felt liked a raped woman. Later, his father Salim Khan took to Twitter to apologise on behalf of his son. The veteran screenwriter said, "To err is human, to forgive divine. Today, on International Yoga Day, let's not run our shops on this mistake. Nevertheless, I apologise on behalf of him. Forgiveness is to pardon the unpardonable or it is no virtue at all. Undoubtedly, what Salman said is wrong, the metaphor, example and the context. The intention was not wrong." advertisement Sultan, which sees Salman Khan getting into the wrestling pit and sweating it out, stars Anushka Sharma opposite him. The film is slated for an Eid release this year. --- ENDS --- 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. By Mail Today: A fortnight before the grand Eid release of his latest biggie Sultan, Bollywood's problem child 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 of a wrestler in Sultan were so gruelling that it left him feeling like "a raped woman". advertisement 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. "When I used to walk out of that ring, it used to be actually like a raped woman walking out?," were Salman's exact words. JOURNALISTS LAUGHED 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 don't think I should have (said that)," he said, before completing his statement: "It feels like the most difficult? I couldn't take steps." The actor later explained he used to be totally exhausted considering he had to give multiple retakes of shots that had him lift co-actors who weighed 120 kilos or more over nearly sevenhour schedules. POOR FATHER, SALIM KHAN APOLOGIZES Although the superstar is yet to say sorry, Salman's father Salim Khan tweeted 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. TWITTER TOO QUICK Meanwhile, as news of the comment spread by Monday, fullscale Twitter hysteria took over and #InsensitiveSalman started trending. A reverse campaign, #SalmanMisquoted, was also launched by the actor's fans. Considering Salman's clout in the industry, most in Bollywood have been tightlipped. However, regular twitterati has not kept quiet. "Don't understand how this is #SalmanMisquoted.. this is clearly #SalmanKhan being insensitive! He must say sorry (sic)," tweeted @rashi_kakkar. A MARKETING GIMMICK? Many saw a marketing angle in Salman's quote. "Salman Khan's statement is totally in sync with the mentality of his crass target audience (sic)," posted @notatalldumb. HE MUST APOLOGIZE Designer and BJP leader Shaina NC felt Salman should apologise. "Rape is an exercise of power to destruct a woman's self esteem, from what I know of @BeingSalmanKhan he respects #women so he must apologise (sic)," she tweeted. IN BHAI'S DEFENSE Among celebs supporting Salman was Pooja Bedi, who sent out a series of tweets in the actor's favour on Tuesday. advertisement "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 it's not the best simili, but if 2 @BeingSalmanKhan rape is the most brutal physical experience anyone could experience, is he wrong?" Also Read: Dear Salman Khan, please quit, nothing is worth feeling like a 'raped woman' Sultan: Salman Khan clarifies rumours about Arijit Singh's Facebook rant on Jag Ghoomeya --- ENDS --- By end of June 2016, the ED was supposed to do a provisional attachment of Bhujbal's properties worth Rs 650-700 crore across Maharashtra state and close the money laundering case by filing a supplementary chargesheet, but it seems this would not happen anytime soon. By Virendrasingh Ghunawat: What started as one of the biggest political milestone for the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Mumbai, has not only become a major pain for the agency, it is also taking its action-plan nowhere in the Maharashtra Sadan scam. By end of June 2016, the ED was supposed to do a provisional attachment of Bhujbal's properties worth Rs 650-700 crore across Maharashtra state and close the money laundering case by filing a supplementary chargesheet, but it seems this would not happen anytime soon. advertisement On Wednesday, bringing cheer for Bhujbal's camp for few minutes, the Special Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) court granted bail to both Chhagan Bhujbal and his nephew Sameer Bhujbal on a surety of Rs 50,000 each in connection with the Maharashtra Sadan case. However, both accused would not be walking out of jail due to another pending case filed by the ED under PMLA. "It would not be so easily for Chhagan and Sameer to get the anticipatory bail in the money laundering case from any court. An accused in the murder or corruption case may get bail within few months, but in PMLA case it might take few years", source from ED said. Stud-farm owner Hasan Ali Khan is a classic example before the PMLA court who got anticipatory bail only after 4.5 years, despite claiming to have a number of medical problems. SLEEPLESS NIGHTS FOR ED OFFICIALS In Maharashtra Sadan scam case - 53 accused including individuals and entities are facing money laundering charges. Two accused, Chhagan and Sameer Bhujbal have been arrested and rest accused against whom the non-bailable warrant (NBW) have been issued are fighting legal battles in various courts to avoid the ED and judicial custody. This is where the agency is in a fix. Everyday on an average, the legal team of ED attends 4-5 cases at various levels. "To avoid the arrest and face stringent action under PMLA (like Chhagan and Sameer), these accused are filing all sorts of application in PMLA court, High Court and Supreme Court, almost daily. Accused are big in number and ED officials working on these cases, including the investigating officer (IO) are few, and that is taking a toll on the probe of this case." Due to short-staff, the agency in Mumbai is unable to complete the investigation in Bhujbal case. Since last one month, the ED has not done any provisional attachment of the property linked with this case, either in Mumbai, Nagpur or any other city. "The process of judicial system has delayed our investigation. Almost all the accused have been provided a safety net by various courts, including Pankaj Bhujbal - one of the main masterminds, after Chhagan and Sameer", the source said. advertisement RICH DEFENSE VS POOR PROSECUTION What is going unnoticed in this entire case is the competitive legal fight taking place between the agency and the accused. "It is a fight between poor counsels in prosecution team versus rich advocates on the defense side. All the accused have great money and muscle power to fight legal battle", an official said. Let's have a look the team at both ends. On the defense side, to save their clients senior advocates like - Kapil Sibbal, Vikram Choudhary, Shalabh Krishnan, Ishwarchand Bagaria, Mahesh Jethmalani, Shirish Gupte, Abad Ponda, Aniket Nikam (son of special public prosecutor from state - Ujjwal Nikam), Amit Desai, and few others are representing the accused. Aniket Nikam is a counsel of Sanjay Kakade, an independent politician in Maharashtra. As per the PMLA court order, Kakade has also indulged himself in criminal activities and conspiracy and channeling of illicit funds, falsification of documents, fraudulent transactions, creating fictitious documents. Kakade is the director of Kakade Infrastructure Ltd and Sky Lux Cityscapes Pvt Ltd. "Kakade has also resorted to large scale laundering of funds by indulging into the criminal activities," the court order said. advertisement On the prosecution side, besides having 3-4 ED officials in the legal team, the agency is completely dependable only on two counsels - Hiten Venegaonkar and Purnima Kantharia - who are also handling many other crucial cases like: Vijay Mallya and Lalit Modi. "One would be surprised to see that all these advocates being hired by the accused are quite costly. Few counsels in the list charge fees in the range of Rs 50,000 to Rs 4 lakh per hearing from these accused - who mostly remain absent in the court. In comparison, the ED counsels are getting at the most Rs 6,000 per hearing - even after putting all their best efforts before the judges. So now, this Bhujbal case has turned into the fight between poor prosecution versus rich defense team", the source told Indiatoday.in. WHAT ARE THE ALLEGATIONS? Indiatoday.in has the copy of order issued by the PMLA court against all 28 accused. Pankaj Bhujbal was one of the prominent persons responsible for the criminal activities and for fraud. He actively assisted his father and cousin in generation of proceed of crime. At all material times, he was aware of the criminal nature of the funds. advertisement The Chamankars are the ones who have taken this legal fight at the doors of apex court, where advocate Kapil Sibbal was representing them. The PMLA court order says accused Krishna Chamankar was involved in criminal activities by conspiracy, channeling of illicit funds, falsification of documents, fraudulent transactions and creation of fictitious documents. Prashant Chamankar and Prasanna Chamankar have also played similar roles. Asif Balwa, Vinod Goenka and Narayan Pagrani - partners of Universal Development Corporation and DB Reality Ltd, respectively, played the same role, like Chamankars and others. --- ENDS --- The BJP today accused the AAP government of participating in a possible scandal involving supplies of inferior number plates for city vehicles. By Kapil Sharma: A day after Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal challenged the prime minister over an FIR linking his government with a suspected water-tanker scam, the BJP today accused the AAP government of participating in a possible scandal involving supplies of inferior number plates for city vehicles. HOW IT ALL BEGAN According to documents accessed by India Today, the then Congress government had commissioned a high-security number-plate project to Rosemerta from HSRP Ventures Private Limited in 2012. But the company was later accused of irregularities in execution of the contract. Allegations surfaced that the firm had been overcharging customers and using substandard material. advertisement AAP ENQUIRY Sources say that during its first term of 49 days, the AAP government had set up a committee to inquire into the accusations against Rosemerta. The committee filed its report on Jan 31, 2014, indicting the company of various malpractices, including possible substandard production, overcharging and unauthorised procurements and supplies. BJP'S ALLEGATIONS However, the BJP today alleged that the AAP government did not cancel the contract with Rosemerta despite the adverse report of its own fact-finding committee. Instead, the transport department initiated arbitration with the same company after serving it with a show-cause notice on March 10, 2014, Delhi BJP spokesman Harish Khurana said. Every month, Khurana claimed, around 3 lakh vehicles are provided with number-plates in the national capital region. The company is also accused of affixing them at rates three to six times higher than the sanctioned prices. The BJP said that as much as Rs 450 crore was collected by way of overcharging over the past 15 months and never recovered from the company. "It's a scam worth Rs 450 crore. That money was either pocketed by the company or by AAP politicians. This must be probed. The government became aware of it through the findings of its committee," Khurana said. STATE GOVTS TERMINATE CONTRACT In October, 2014, the Madhya Pradesh government, which had also signed a contract with Rosemerta for a similar project, terminated its agreement with the company over compliance issues, official papers obtained by India Today indicate. Last year, the Sikkim government too cancelled its contract with Rosemerta, citing the negative findings of the Delhi committee. DELHI TRANSPORT MINISTER PROMISES PROBE In his comments, Delhi Transport minister Satyendra Jain said he had no immediate knowledge about the license-plate project because he assumed office recently. Nevertheless, Jain promised to look into it soon. On Monday, Delhi's Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) formally registered a case in connection with the alleged 400-crore water-tanker scam linking Kejriwal and his predecessor Sheila Dikshit. A day later, the Delhi chief minister accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of political witch-hunt. "The FIR against me was filed on the behest of PM Modi. The FIR is a big fraud. Modi has used the CBI as a tool to threaten his opponents but I will continue to raise voice against his ill deeds," Kejriwal told reporters on Tuesday. --- ENDS --- advertisement The BJP said it does not concur with Swamy's opinion after he attacked Subramanian and asked the government to sack him, barely days after he ensured the removal of Rajan from the RBI. By India Today Web Desk: Has the BJP now decided to gag its controversial Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy, who is currently basking in the glory of having successfully ousted Raghuram Rajan from the RBI? That may be the case. Distancing itself from any tweet by Swamy, the BJP today asked its spokespersons to not react to any statement made by the 76-year-old leader, whose next target is Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian. advertisement The BJP said it does not concur with Swamy's opinion after he attacked Subramanian and asked the government to sack him, barely days after he ensured the removal of Rajan from the RBI. "It's entirely his personal view. The party doesn't support that view," BJP's Srikant Sharma today said after he was asked to comment on Swamy's latest demand. The government also said it has full confidence in its Chief Economic Adviser. "The government has full confidence in Arvind Subramanian," Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said. Why does Swamy now want CEA out? In a series of tweets yesterday, Swamy wrote, "Who said to US Cong on 13/3/13 the US should act against India to defend US Pharmaceuticals interests? Arvind Subramanian MoF (Ministry of Finance)!! Sack him!" Subramanian had taken charge in October 2014 succeeding Rajan. In another tweet, the BJP leader said, "Guess who encouraged Congress to become rigid on GST clauses? Jaitely's economic adviser Arvind Subramanian of Washington DC." The Rajya Sabha MP also wondered why the core economic sectors could not perform in the two years rule of the Modi government and said: "Now PTs (Patriotic Tweeples) can understand why our core economic sectors could not perform last two years. Trojan horses galore in MoF/ Finance Institutions." "Was AS (Arvind Subramanian) deposing before US Congress Committee against India as a US citizen or Indian? Does any PT know?" he asked. Swamy had also criticised Rajan, accusing the RBI Governor of derailing the Indian economy by keeping the lending rates high. Rajan has decided to return to academics at the end of his term in September. Real target Arun Jaitley, says Congress Meanwhile, the opposition Congress, in a direct attack, said the real target of Swamy is not the Chief Economic Adviser, but Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. "Subramaniam Swamy now guns for Arvind Subramanian, Economic Advisor to NDA (National Democratic Alliance). Target is Arun Jaitley not Arvind Subramanian," senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh tweeted. "Is Modi handing over Finance Ministry to Subramaniam Swamy," the Congress general secretary questioned. advertisement The tweets came after the BJP leader targeted Subramanian and demanded the Central government sack him. "He (Subramanim Swamy) has been claiming that PM has assured him as quid pro quo if he targeted Nehru Gandhi family," the Congress leader said. "Are we in for another economic Colonialism of these Super Powers which took Congress years of struggle to free India? I really think so," he added. Also read Subramanian vs Subramanian: Rajan gone, now Swamy guns for Chief Economic Advisor --- ENDS --- Party President Amit Shah will address a rally in Haridwar on June 25 and attend the state unit's executive meet on June 26. BJP chief Amit Shah will address a rally in Hardwar on June 25 to kick-start the party's campaign. By Mail Today: After charging up the political atmosphere in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has set its eyes on Uttarakhand, which would see elections along with UP and Punjab. Winning the state has become a prestige issue for the party after its attempt to dislodge the Harish Rawat-led state government failed. AMIT SHAH TO SOUND THE POLL BUGLE advertisement While party chief Amit Shah is set to address a rally in Haridwar on June 25, he would attend the state unit's executive meeting on June 26. According to leaders, the move is aimed at formally sounding the poll bugle in the state. In yet another symbolic move Shah would be visiting the Badrinath and Kedarnath shrines. Senior party leaders told Mail Today that Shah had decided to lead a dogged and aggressive poll campaign as the party's strategy to dislodge the Harish Rawat-led Congress government had backfired. According to BJP National Secretary Shrikant Sharma, the party would be going to polls against the 'systemic corruption of the Congress' in the state. Also, Sharma said, the party chief would be fine-tuning the party's poll strategy during his meeting with the state executive. While it is not usual for the national president to attend state executive meets, Shah's attendance at meets, first in UP, and in Uttarakhand points to the significance the party has attached to these two neighbouring states. "RAWAT GOVERNMENT HAS NO RIGHT TO BE IN POWER" According to Sharma, the Rawat government had no right to be in power. "The Congress government in the state is surviving on manufactured and artificial majority. Moreover, corruption in the state is at an all-time high. It is rather surprising that Rahul Gandhi who is so vocal against the BJP, is silent on the issue of corruption all the more when it involves his chief minister, in this case Harish Rawat," Sharma said. The executive meet is also expected to brainstorm on the face of the party for the polls. Also Read: Yoga belongs to Uttarakhand: Rawat Why Amit Shah thinks BJP will return in 2019 with a greater majority BJP on growth graph across India, says Amit Shah: Latest updates --- ENDS --- With its vibrant colour and sweet taste, blue wine is the new beverage on the horizon this summer. Blue wine is the drink to have this summer. Photo courtesy: Instagram/liven_app By Shreya Goswami: You might have appreciated the light tanginess of white wine, the deep flavour of red wine, or the soothing taste of Rose all this while. But now you'll get to jazz up that wine glass with a new electric blue wine made in Spain. This new blue wine named Blue Nun is all set to blow your mind with its vivid colour and sweet taste. Blue wine is made from a blend of four different types of red and white grapes grown in Spain. Photo courtesy: Instagram/tripsandtalk advertisement Although it'll take some time before this variety is available in India (it's sold in Spain only, but distribution to the US and other countries across the world will begin in the next few months), it's definitely something for wine lovers to look forward to. Also read: Around the world with wines According to a recent report, blue wine is the brainchild of six entrepreneurs working for the Spanish wine company, Gik. The innovative wine was created by blending together red and white grapes from four different parts of Spain: La Rioja, Castilla-La Mancha, Leon and Zaragoza. The electric blue colour comes from a natural pigment extracted from grape skin, so the colour you're falling in love with isn't dye-based. This new wine variety is as light as white wine and as sweet as red wine. Photo courtesy: Instagram/trombosteffie And here's more--this new blue wine tastes like a sweeter version of white wine! Also read: Fancy a fine wine? Head to these 7 spots in Australia So, if you want a drink as light as white wine, but with the depth of flavour that red wine has, grab a bottle of blue wine as soon as you can. It's all set to be a delicious blend of red and white wine, with a colour that's sure to brighten up your life. --- ENDS --- Central panel suggests major changes in Specific Relief Act to avoid legal speed bumps on road to development. By Harish V Nair: The Narendra Modi government is making a push for ease of doing business in India and removing hurdles in the way of public utility projects with plans to overhaul a 50-year-old law that puts heavy burdens of compensation and penalties on land acquirers and industry. After reviewing the Specific Relief Act 1963, a high-level committee on Tuesday submitted a report to Law Minister Sadananda Gowda, recommending a clutch of modifications. KEEP IT SMOOTH advertisement The panel also suggested that intervention by courts regarding construction of projects for public utility-like tenders and awarding contracts- should be minimal. The move is significant as it comes at a time when the Supreme Court and several state high courts are hearing petitions filed by environmentalists and NGOs challenging proposed ventures on the grounds that they damage ecology. "Smooth functioning of public works projects can be effectively managed through a monitoring system and regulatory mechanism. The role of courts in this exercise is to interfere to the minimum extent so that public works projects will not be impeded or stalled," the panel said. The law ministry committee has provided "guidelines for reducing the discretion granted to courts and tribunals while granting performance and injunctive reliefs". "We have received the report of the panel. We will examine it to effect changes. Details of the report and the specifics will be revealed later," ministry sources said. The Modi government has been attempting to consolidate India's position as one of the world's fastest growing economies. It announced this week sweeping changes to rules on foreign direct investment, two days after central bank governor Raghuram Rajan's statement that he would not seek another term raised concerns about whether reforms he set in motion would stall. MINIMIZING HURDLES The Prime Minister tweeted that the steps would make India "the most open economy in the world for FDI" and provide a "major impetus to employment and job creation". Sources said amendments are needed in the Specific Relief Act against the backdrop of the changed scenario since 1963- when the old legislation came into being- with contract-based infrastructure development, public-private partnerships and other public projects involving huge investments. "Changes are required in the legislation so that specific performance is granted as a general rule and grant of compensation or damages for non-performance remains an exception," the sources maintained. The efforts come close on the heels of Presidential assent to the Commercial Courts, Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High Courts Act, 2016 and the Arbitration and Conciliation Act (Amendment) Act, 2016 that are aimed at speedy settlement of commercial disputes. The amendments will come amid keenness of the government to attract greater foreign investment. Certain foreign companies were said to be hesitant about doing business in India because of long-drawn litigation. advertisement The Modi government identified the Specific Relief Act as one of the laws stalling development, while it has already ratified four legislation to repeal over a thousand obsolete and redundant ones. The Centre has asked the law commission to simplify laws for clearance of projects to promote an investor-friendly climate. It also has plans to put all information, especially regarding licences and contracts in respect to projects dealing with scarce natural resources, in the public domain. ALSO READ: Govt, Bhartiya Mazdoor Sangh at loggerheads over FDI in 9 sectors --- ENDS --- The Foreign Ministry in Beijing said that the agenda of this week's plenary that had been circulated by the chair had not included the issue of entry of India or of any country that is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). By Ananth Krishnan: China on Tuesday maintained that members of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) were still "yet to see eye-to-eye" on the issue of India's entry. While Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar has travelled to Seoul as the group's plenary concludes on Thursday and Friday, China's public position has largely remained unmoved. In a statement to India Today on Tuesday, the Foreign Ministry said that the issue of India's entry was not on the agenda for Seoul because the NSG was yet to agree on criteria for allowing countries like India who are not parties to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). advertisement But sources said this did not mean that talks on India could not take place or even that the agenda could not be amended before the plenary ends. "NSG NEVER PUTS ENTRY APPLICATIONS OF NON-NPT COUNTRIES ON ITS AGENDA" "It is worth noting that the meeting is only to deliberate on the entry application of countries that are state parties to the NPT," the statement said. "As for the entry of non-NPT countries, the group has never put that on its meeting agenda. Based on what we have at hand, the agenda of this year's Seoul Plenary Meeting circulated by the Chair does not include this issue either." While acknowledging that "all parties attach great importance to the entry of non-NPT countries", the statement stressed that "parties are yet to see eye to eye on this issue". At the same time, Beijing has signalled its readiness to talk on criteria for entry, saying that discussions had helped parties "better understand each other". Whether differences on criteria can be bridged at Seoul paving the way for India's entry, or whether the meeting will end merely with an agreement to continue talks on the issue, is still unclear. Indian officials are hoping that a June 23 meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit at Tashkent can push the process. China said it would be unfair to say it was "blocking" India's entry because the NSG was itself yet to include the issue of non-NPT countries on any agenda. "I would like to point out that the word 'block' in your question is inappropriate," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told a press conference. "As the entry of non-NPT countries has never been on top of the NSG agenda, the idea of "blocking" is out of question." Also read: After Switzerland, US backs India's NSG bid --- ENDS --- By PTI: New Delhi, Jun 22 (PTI) Congress today demanded arrest of Ravindra Chavan, a BJP MLA from Dombivali, who was purportedly seen in a video using analogy of pigs while talking about "uplift of the dalits." The remarks of Chavan showed the mindset of the ruling BJP, party spokesman P L Punia told reporters. He said it was "shameful" that the government as also the BJP have failed to react. advertisement A video, has gone viral on the social media, purportedly showing Chavan using analogy of pigs while talking about "uplift of Dalits" at an event in neighbouring Thane district on June 17. Chavan had allegedly cited the example of Abraham Lincoln narrating a story where the US President 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 had said. Punia, who also heads the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, said he has sought a report from the DGP, Maharashtra as also Commissioner of Police, Thane including the action taken in the matter. PTI SPG SMJ ZMN SMJ --- ENDS --- CBI questioned Nidhi about her relationship with Dr Virendra Singh, an arrested accused in the social activist Narendra Dabholkar's murder case. By Munish Chandra Pandey: In a recent development in Social Activist Narendra Dabholkar murder case, CBI on Tuesday questioned Nidhi Tawade, estranged wife of arrested accuse Dr Virendra Singh Tawade. CBI also searched Nidhi's residence and seized 17 documents along with Virendra Singh Tawade's passport and few CDs. Nidhi was asked about her relationship with Dr Virendra Singh, her knowledge about Virendra's involvement in killing of Dabholkar and about a bike owned by Tawade. advertisement SEPARATED FROM HIM 6 YEARS AGO Nidhi during CBI questioning maintained that she got separated from Dr Virendra Singh 6 years ago as he was hardly spending time at home with family. "He was spending almost entire day for Sanatan Sanstha", Nidhi told CBI. WAS TAWADE BIKE INVOLVED IN THE MURDER? CBI suspects that Tawade's bike was used by the shooters to kill Dabholkar. "When Tawade was asked about his bike, he said that he sold it to a scrap dealer in Pune", a CBI source told India Today. However, CBI believes that Tawade is concealing the truth. Nidhi's formal statement is likely to be recorded by CBI soon. HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED Narendra Dabholkar was shot dead on 20th August, 2013. CBI investigation indicates that the conspiracy to kill Dabholkar was hatched by some senior Sanatan Sanstha members and absconding accused Sarang Akolkar. Akolkar and Rudra Patil were given the task to kill him. Also read: Dabholkar murder: Tawade's confidant, now a prime witness, hints at conspiracy Plan to kill Dabholkar started in 2008, reveals investigation My father could have been saved, says Narendra Dabholkar's son --- ENDS --- By PTI: Kozhikode, Jun 22 (PTI) Five students of a nursing college in Karnataka have been booked in connection with the alleged ragging of a first-year Dalit girl student, who has been hospitalised here with severe stomach problems, police said. The case was registered against Lakshmi of Kollam, Athira of Idukki and Krishna, Shilpa and Joe of Al Qamar College of Nursing at Gulburga, based on a statement from the 19-year-old victim, who is undergoing treatment at Kozhikode Medical College Hospital, Sub Inspector of KMCH Police Station, Habib said. advertisement He said the girl had named only five of the eight seniors who were involved. The SI said her condition was now stable. A copy of the FIR had been sent to Gulbarga Police commissioner for further investigation into the matter, he said. Police said the victim was allegedly forced to drink toilet-cleaning lotion by eight of her seniors, who are all from Kerala, on May 9. Following the incident, she was admitted to a private hospital in Gulburga with serious stomach problems. As her condition worsened after five days of treatment, she was sent back home along with another Keralite student. The girl was then admitted to Thrissur Medical College Hospital, after which she was referred to Kozhikode Medical College Hospital (KMCH) on June 2. Doctors at KMCH had suggested a major surgery as the chemicals of the toilet cleaner severely damaged her food pipe following which she had been admitted to the ICU. Cases were booked under various sections of IPC,including 307 (attempt to murder), 36 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) and 346 (wrongful confinement in secret) and various sections of SC, ST Atrocities (Prevention) Act, they said. PTI KVROH APR KND --- ENDS --- Deepika Padukone has rubbished rumours of her break up with Ranveer Singh and said that he will always remain an important part of her life. By India Today Web Desk: Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh's on-screen and off-screen chemistry has always got a thumbs up from fans. But ever since Deepika left for Canada to shoot her Hollywood debut project, XXX The Return of Xander Cage, the fans haven't been able to see the lovebirds together. ALSO READ: Lovebirds Deepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh dancing to Balam Pichkari is what you can't miss today advertisement ALSO READ: Did Deepika Padukone secretly meet boyfriend Ranveer Singh in Paris? While Deepika was busy with her shooting, Ranveer also took off to Paris to start filming for Aditya Chopra's Befikre. And the dooriyan between the lovebirds set tongues wagging. In fact, there were rumours that all is not well in their paradise. However, Deepika, who is back to India, has rubbished the rumours and said that Ranveer will always remain a very important part of her life. In an interview to Hindustan Times, the 30-year-old actor refused to comment on her break-up or relationship status with Ranveer but she did call him an important person in her life. She was quoted as telling the daily, "I have never commented on anything (relationship status) before, so I wouldn't say anything even now. He is someone who has always been and will always be an extremely important part of my life. That's never going to change." Ranveer and Deepika met on the sets of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 2013 film Goliyon Ki Rasleela Ram Leela and the rest is history. On the work front, Ranveer will be next seen in Befikre, while Deepika will make her Hollywood debut opposite Vin Diesel in XXX The Return of Xander Cage. --- ENDS --- By PTI: New Delhi, Jun 22 (PTI) In a move that may trigger further tussle between the Centre and AAP dispensation, Delhi BJP has registered a complaint with ACB accusing the Kejriwal government of indulging in corruption in contract of High Security Number Plates, a charge denied by it. Two senior BJP leaders including national secretary R P Singh and Harish Khurana recently complained to the Anti- Corruption Branch (ACB) regarding the alleged "scam" in the HSNP project. advertisement The complaint claimed a contract between Delhi governments Transport Department and a private company was "terminated" after which the company went into arbitration but it was allowed to issue the number plates "under the garb of arbitration". "The two committees formed by Delhi government in 2014 and 2015 had found various irregularities such as procurement of the plates from unapproved source and overcharging but the company was allowed to issue the registration plates under the garb of arbitration," Khurana alleged. Rubbishing allegations of irregularities, the AAP government said in January 2014, the then Transport Minister Sourabh Bhardwaj had formed a three-member fact-finding committee. On the basis of the committees report, the AAP government had terminated the contract with the company in February 2014, said a senior government official. Singh alleged in his complaint that the scam was to the tune of Rs 300 crore. "It is a more than Rs 300 cr number plate scam involving Kejriwal govt. Let ACB enquire into my complaint?" he said in a tweet. "False, frivolous, baseless and unsubstantiated allegations and complaints are being run against Rosmerta HSRP Ventures Pvt. Ltd at the behest of its competitors in business with a view to stifle competition in implementation of HSRP Projects," the company said in a statement. It further claimed that the Ttribunal in its order on May 21 this year had restrained the Delhi government from taking any "final action" without its permission. On January 12, the Transport Department had written to ACB recommending an FIR against the company in connection with alleged irregularities, the government official said. Another government official said the transport department had told the tribunal that if contract is cancelled, it would issue temporary ordinary number plates to the vehicles. "We received a complaint from Delhi government in January and initiated probe into the matter," ACB chief M K Meena said. Delhi BJP president Satish Upadhyay has said that the government should "immediately clarify" its position on the high security vehicle registration plate alleged "scam". advertisement "It appears to be an economic scam but it is also connected with the security of Delhi and the country. Hence itis necessary that Delhi government should immediately clarify its position on it," he said. PTI VIT/BUN KND ZMN KND --- ENDS --- By PTI: From Youssra EL-Sharkawy Cairo, Jun 22 (PTI) Scores of Yoga enthusiasts performed asanas to mark the International Day of Yoga (IDY), organised by the Indian Embassy in Cairo. A large number of Yoga schools, universities, students, special needs children and various other organisations yesterday participated in the celebrations. Indias Ambassador to Cairo Sanjay Bhattacharyya welcomed the guests during the celebration and spoke about the importance of practicing yoga. advertisement "Yoga is wider than just an exercise, yoga seeks to liberate your mind and spirit. You will discover that yoga brings harmony and balance within us," the Ambassador said. The celebration, held at Al-Azhar Park, kicked off with a video of Prime minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj speaking about the International Yoga Day. "This event is going to be the biggest yoga event ever happened in Egypt," Acting Director of Maulana Azad Centre for Indian Culture Rakesh Kawra said. The chief guest of the IDY was Imaage Ahmed, Miss Egypt Earth 2015. "Yoga has become very popular all over the world because of its benefits that are not only physical but it improves the behaviour of yogis towards themselves and the nature as well," she said. As per the Ambassador, yoga institutions and instructors have increased manifold in the past two years with more than 50 centres in Cairo alone. The second International Day of Yoga will be celebrated in three cities in Egypt, including Cairo, Alexandria and Ismaila. PTI YES AYP --- ENDS --- The PIL says the government cannot be expected to conduct a fair probe into the tapping of the phones of VVIPs. Lawyer Suren Uppal is set to file a PIL in Delhi High Court today seeking a court-monitored probe into the sensational Essar phone tapping scandal. By India Today Web Desk: Lawyer Suren Uppal is set to file a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Delhi High Court today seeking a court-monitored probe into the sensational Essar phone tapping scandal. The PIL says the government cannot be expected to conduct a fair probe into the tapping of the phones of VVIPs since many central officials are believed to be involved in various incriminating conversations in the leaks. advertisement Uppal says he has handed over all the CDs and diaries containing transcripts of the conversations allegedly recorded between 2001-06 in a sealed cover to the High Court. Uppal's petition also asks the court to summon whistleblower Albasit Khan immediately for questioning by the investigating agencies. Home Ministry seeks legal opinion Earlier this week, the Home Ministry sought legal opinion on Essar leaks involving top industrialists and politicians by before ordering a probe into it after the Prime Minister's Office forwarded Uppal's complaint to it. The letter to the PMO alleges that the Essar Group ordered its former security chief Albasit Khan to tap into its business rivals' telephone conversations during the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government. There are a few issues which need to be clarified like whether there is anything actionable on illegal telephone tapping, was there any violation of the Indian Telegraph Act and does anyone, whose phone was tapped, have to file a complaint or whether the government has to suo motu order an investigation, a government official official said. Whose phones were tapped? The complaint incorporated call logs for purported conversations of Mukesh and Anil Ambani with Directors/Promoters of the two companies and other senior officials as well as conversations that show how business rivals reach out to politicians to seek favours. The complaint also mentioned purported conversations of senior officials of the Vajpayee PMO, former National Security Advisor Brajesh Mishra and the then Prime Minister's foster son-in-law Ranjan Bhattacharya. The name of present Home Secretary Rajiv Mehreshi, who was posted in the Ministry of Corporate Affairs also figures among the officers whose phones were allegedly tapped. The Essar Group, however, has denied any wrongdoing. Also read: Essar snoop diaries: Tapped conversations segregated as political discussion and business strategies Essar tapes lawyer claims threat to life, writes to home secretary Essar snoop diaries: All you need to know about the phone-tapping controversy --- ENDS --- By PTI: Bengaluru, Jun 22 (PTI) A woman police official who resigned from her post earlier this month over alleged interference in her work by a minister, has now written to the Karnataka State Commission for Women accusing senior official of "harassment" on duty. In her seven page letter to the commission, Anupama Shenoy, former Deputy Superintendent of Police of Kudligi sub-division in Ballari district, has accused Ballari Superintendent of Police R Chetan of harassing her by succumbing to political pressure. advertisement Shenoy also accused the Chetan of causing "mental torture" by issuing memos to her for "silly reasons" on returning to Kudligi after her OOD (On Official Duty) was cancelled by the government, following public pressure. She had tendered her resignation as the DSP on June 4 as, which was accepted by the state government. Her alleged posts on Facebook levelling charges against the then Labour and district in-charge Minister P T Parameshwar Naik, had created a flutter. Naik was dropped from the Karnataka cabinet in the major reshuffle carried out by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday. Confirming that the commission has received the letter from Shenoy, Womens Commission Chief Manjula Manasa said, "Someone on behalf of Anupama has submitted her letter. The Commission would require her statement and personal affidavit also." "The commission certainly will look into her complaint, will be recording statement of the SP also and get enquiry done," she said. In January, Shenoy was transferred allegedly at the behest of Naik for putting his call on hold, with the incident triggering a storm. A video footage purportedly showing Naikmaking a boastful claim about shunting out Shenoy had alsogone viral later. Meanwhile, Chetan said he has performed his duty within the limits of law and refuted the charge that Shenoy was harassed. He said the matter has gone to the Womens Commission and the truth will come out from the enquiry. PTI KSU RA APR ASV --- ENDS --- By PTI: Seoul/New Delhi, Jun 22 (PTI) Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar today arrived in the South Korean capital ahead of the crucial NSG Plenary from tomorrow, where India is hoping to clinch membership which is being strongly opposed by China and some other countries. Jaishankar, who was closely monitoring the goings-on during the official-level meet of the 48-nation grouping which started on Monday, arrived in Seoul this afternoon to lobby with members to boost Indias prospects of getting membership. advertisement "While it is true that Foreign Secretary has flown to Seoul, the NSG plenary hasnt even begun yet.... This is a delicate and complex process. At this point, let us not speculate," a government source in New Delhi said. Senior External Affairs Ministry Official Amandeep Singh Gill, in-charge of Disarmament & International Security division, is already in Seoul since Monday to garner support as well as explain Indias case, another source said. Meanwhile, China continued to make ambivalent statements on Indias bid for NSG membership amid clear indications that it was unrelenting in its opposition. Clubbing India and Pakistan once again, the Chinese Foreign Ministry in Beijing said members of Nuclear Suppliers Group have had three round of unofficial discussions on the membership of the two countries. China is seeking to equate Indias impeccable non-proliferation record with that of Pakistan for which it is batting. The NSG works under the principle of unanimity and even one countrys vote against India will scuttle its bid. 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). 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 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. PTI PYK RT --- ENDS --- advertisement By PTI: New Delhi, Jun 22 (PTI) Huaweis smartphone e-brand Honor today announced its entry into the tablet PC segment with the launch of Rs 6,999 device with 7-inch screen size. "We found a gap in tablet segment. Hence, we launched a tablet which can occupy position of second device of people after phone. It has 4100 mAh battery which can support 12 hours of movie watching, websites browsing and checking mail for up to 8 hours," Huawei Indias Director Sales (Devices Business) P Sanjeev said at the launch. advertisement He said the company has not set any sales target and entry in to tablet segment is its effort to meet the consumers need of mobile devices. "This tablet has aircraft grade aluminium body which is found in expensive devices," Sanjeev said. The company also unveiled its first smartphone on Android Marshmallow platform Honor 5C for Rs 10,999 which it expects can mitigate call drop problem. "Often people cover one antenna in a mobile phone while talking. We have provided dual antenna in Honor 5C so that if one antenna is covered, the other can receive signal. We have attempted to resolve call drop problem on devices front," Sanjeev said. Honor 5Cs camera has professional features like focus mode, shutter speed, white balance etc. The smartphone has 8 megapixel front camera and 13 megapixel rear camera, 2GB RAM, 16 GB internal storage and external storage expandable up to 128 GB. Honor has set 300 per cent sales growth of its devices this year. Huawei sold one million smartphones in 2015 that includes 8,00,000 Honor branded phones in India. Globally, Huawei shipped 108 million smartphones in 2015 and became the third largest player after Apple and Samsung. "We have optimised hardware and incorporated best things from the world for a good consumer experience. We know design is best done in Paris, components in Japan, algorithms in Russia, software in India and USA for chipset," Huawei India President Consumer Business Group Allen Wang said. Both the devices have in-built panic button feature, which can trigger emergency alert, that is mandatory for all mobile devices from January 1, 2017. Honor started sale of its tablet on Flipkart from today but Honor 5C will start selling from June 30 on Flipkart and HiHonor website. "The registration for Honor 5C begins today. There will be flash sale (limited unit) of Honor 5C on June 30," Sanjeev said. PTI PRS BAL SBT MKJ --- ENDS --- In a case of gross and shocking negligence, three doctors from a hospital in Jalandhar decided that the middle of a surgery was the perfect photo-op. By India Today Web Desk: What happens when you put your life in doctors' hands? These days, they apparently stop to take pictures in the middle of surgery. In a case of gross and shocking negligence, three doctors from a hospital in Jalandhar decided that the middle of a surgery was the perfect photo-op. The doctors can be seen posing with their surgical instruments, beaming at the camera while operating on a patient's stomach. advertisement One of doctors can be seen holding a scalpel off the patient's belly. The photograph was posted by one of the doctors on Facebook, who captioned it 'midnight tashan at OT'. The post sparked public outrage and two days after the incident the Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences has taken a note of the case and ordered an inquiry against the three doctors. --- ENDS --- Political analysts believe that Ansari's shift to Lucknow prison was a part of the deal he struck with the Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Mulayam Singh Yadav while suggesting merging SP and Qaumi Ekta Dal. With a long criminal record, Ansarias personality overshadowed that of the prison officials, and as a result he dominated the internal prison policies. By Siraj Qureshi: Before he was shifted to the Lucknow jail, Uttar Pradesh's heavyweight Muslim leader and MLA from Qaumi Ekta Dal, Mukhtar Ansari spent several years confined in the Agra Central Jail. With a long criminal record, Ansaris personality overshadowed that of the prison officials, and as a result he dominated the internal prison policies. ANSARI'S SOFT CORNER FOR MUSLIM PRISONERS advertisement According to the prison officials, Ansari helped prisoners, especially Muslim prisoners, in times of need. According to the officials, Ansari even issued a diktat that no Muslim prisoner be asked to work during the month of Ramzan. Not to mention that he personally oversaw the preparation of the morning feast and Roza Iftar meals for these prisoners. However, now that Ansari has shifted to Lucknow, prison rules will be followed in these matters. A senior prison official informed that Ansari had 15 criminal cases pending on him which included 4 cases of attempt to murder. DID ANSARI STRIKE A DEAL WITH MULAYAM SINGH YADAV? Political analysts believe that Ansari's shift to Lucknow prison was a part of the deal he struck with the Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav while suggesting merging SP and Qaumi Ekta Dal. However, this move seems to have angered Mulayam Singh Yadav who expelled his Secondary Education minister Balram Singh Yadav almost immediately after Ansari announced the merger of Qaumi Ekta Dal into Samajwadi Party. AKHILESH YADAV CAUGHT UNAWARE Sources indicate that Akhilesh is angry at not being informed of such an important decision about the state. He is also against the inclusion of leaders with criminal history into the party. In fact, he had vehemently opposed the inclusion of another UP heavyweight DP Yadav into the 2012 assembly elections. However, just before the 2017 assembly elections, the Samajwadi Party again appears to be romancing the notion of bringing in musclemen with criminal pasts. HOW WILL THIS MERGER AFFECT SP's CHANCES IN UP ELECTIONS? This could destroy any hopes of Akhileshs re-election to the Chief Ministers chair, despite the fact that Ansari could polarise a large number of Muslims from eastern UP towards the party. Bhartiya Muslim Vikas Parishad chairman Sami Aghai termed this merger as a move that would ultimately benefit the BJP, Even the BJP city president Vijay Shihare termed this merger as something that will allow the BJP to gain new unprecedented heights in 2017 election results. --- ENDS --- advertisement By PTI: New Delhi, Jun 22 (PTI) India is committed to security and economic prosperity of Afghanistan and will stand like a "rock" with it, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today said. "We want to convey this to the people of Afghanistan through Osmani Sahab (Afghanistan Minister) that India will stand like a rock with them. We are committed to your economic prosperity and security," she said. advertisement Swaraj made the remarks at an event organised by the Water Resources Ministry to felicitate its personnel and workers who successfully completed the construction of India-Afghan Friendship Dam in Herat province. Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti and Afghanistans Energy and Water Minister Engineer Ali Ahmad Osmani also attended the event. Swaraj noted the dam was built in "very difficult and hostile" conditions by WAPCOS Ltd, a public sector undertaking under the Water Resources Ministry, even as Indian nationals were attacked in Afghanistan. She likened the "valour and determination" shown by the personnel working on the project to that of soldiers guarding country. Referring to the recent bomb blast in Afghanistan in which two Indians were killed, Swaraj said the Indian Consulate, rest houses and Indian nationals were attacked 16 times and 24 Indians have so far been killed in such attacks. "This is not an ordinary dam...attacks keep taking place on our consulate there, blasts occur...amid such a situation, if an organisation like WAPCOS says it will construct the dam, it reflects the determination and valour which our soldiers show...several Afghan security forces personnel too were killed, but they were determined," she said. Lauding the tradition of Chishti Sufism, she said it came to India from where the dam has been built in Afghanistan. The Minister said the dam, funded entirely by the central government, will contribute heavily to the economic growth of Afghanistan. Bharti described the dam "as an example of Prime Minister Narendra Modis efforts aimed at pushing development agenda at international-level too". "Before Modiji became Prime Minister, there used to be politics of division. But he made a pitch for development. Internationally too, he is pushing the agenda of development. This dam is example of that," she said. The dam was built keeping in mind the needs of local people. It will help irrigate swathes in Afghanistan and generate electricity, she said. (MORE) PTI ENM GVS PAL GVS --- ENDS --- In the meeting, Modi is expected to seek China's support for India's membership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group(NSG). By India Today Web Desk: President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tashkent. In the meeting, Modi is expected to seek China's support for India's membership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group(NSG). Here is all that we know so far The two-day annual plenary session of the NSG will begin in Seoul on Thursday during which India's application for membership may come up for deliberation. "With regard to India's entry into NSG, I would like to correct that the word China blocking India's membership is not proper," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said today. The official also said: "We hope that relevant discussion will keep going and Chinese side will take constructive part in the discussion." Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin will attend the two-day 16th annual summit of bloc to be held in the Uzbek capital. Pakistan will be represented by President Mamnoon Hussain. France has urged NSG to support India's membership as the 48-nation nuclear club meets in Seoul. The US has urged NSG members to consider and support India's membership. "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 India's application," White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters earlier this week. The summit is likely to focus on exploring ways to enhance security cooperation to combat terrorism. Membership of the grouping will help India have a greater say in 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 favouring permanent SCO membership for India while China pushed for induction of Pakistan. Ensuring peace, stability and security in the region, building a just and rational international political and economic order and combating terrorism and extremism have been the major focus areas of the SCO in the last few years. SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the Presidents of Russia, China, Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. advertisement Also Read Mission NSG: China says NSG divided, issue can't be discussed in plenary Now, China says door is open for talks on non-NPT countries joining NSG Pakistan 'successfully' thwarting India's NSG bid, claims Sartaj Aziz Setback for India? China says New Delhi's entry not on NSG agenda --- ENDS --- Flying Officers Mohana Singh, Bhawana Kanth and Avani Chaturvedi received their wings on Saturday when they were commissioned into the IAF at a graduation ceremony in the southern city of Hyderabad. By Reuters: The Indian Air Force (IAF) has recruited its first female fighter pilots, paving the way for more women to be given combat roles as one of the world's biggest military forces takes steps towards greater gender parity. Flying Officers Mohana Singh, Bhawana Kanth and Avani Chaturvedi received their wings on Saturday when they were commissioned into the IAF at a graduation ceremony in the southern city of Hyderabad. advertisement "It is a golden day as for the first time these women are going to join the fighter pilots," Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said at the ceremony. "This will inspire more women to take up the most challenging task in the armed forces. Our long-term objective is to work towards gender parity in the armed forces." Prime Minister Narendra Modi also congratulated the women, saying it was "a matter of immense pride and joy" to have the first female fighter pilots. "More power to them," he tweeted. WOMEN IN COMBAT ROLES Only a handful of countries such as Britain, the United States, Israel and neighbouring Pakistan, have allowed women into the cockpits of fighter jets. India had until now kept women out of that role, and away from frontline warships and ground combat, citing concerns over their vulnerability if captured and their physical and mental ability to handle the stress of such deployments. The armed forces began recruiting women to non-medical positions in 1992, yet only 2.5 per cent of its more than 1 million personnel are women - most of them administrators, intelligence officers, doctors, nurses or dentists. In recent years, the courts of law pushed the military to widen opportunities for women, by giving them permanent commissions, for example, instead of limiting them to five-year terms. Modi's government announced last year it would bring women into fighting roles and approved IAF plans for women pilots to fly warplanes from June 2017 on a three-year experimental basis. President Pranab Mukherjee in February went a step further announcing the country would induct women in all fighter streams of the armed forces in the future. ARMY, NAVY NEXT? Parrikar confirmed plans to extend combat roles for women in the army and navy, adding it would take time. "There are still a lot of technical and administrative difficulties in several areas in taking more women. We need to create a lot of infrastructure for women, especially in air force and navy wings," he told reporters at the event. "Yet, we will work towards creating more opportunities for them," he said. The three women, who are in their early twenties, will undergo training on Hawk advanced jets for a year, before they fly supersonic warplanes. advertisement The new female fighter pilots told reporters they were excited about the opportunity, adding that they expected to treated on a par with their male counterparts. "I always wanted to be a fighter pilot, but when we joined the option was not there," Kanth said. "So when it came to us in December 2015, I knew I was going to grab it with both my hands." Also Read IAF makes history, India's first women fighter pilots get wings GROUND REPORT: Feet firmly on the ground, India's women fighter pilots take off --- ENDS --- By Maha Siddiqui: India's bid to gain entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group is going down to the wire. With Beijing continuing to create hurdles, India has stepped up its efforts in what can be seen as a two-pronged strategy. Foreign secretary S Jaishankar left for Seoul to ensure India's case is given maximum impetus at the NSG plenary. Earlier, it was Joint Secretary (Disarmament and international Security Affairs) Amandeep Gill who was going to represent India at Seoul. The foreign secretary will do some last minute lobbying with countries still opposed to the Indian bid like Turkey apart from China. advertisement On the other, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is hoping that the personal rapport he has built over the last two years with the Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay-off in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The two leaders will be meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit and India's bid for the elite nuclear club will be top of the agenda. A membership to the NSG is done by consensus and that explains South Block's relentless efforts at wooing the Dragon. The push started last month when President Pranab Mukherjee visited China. Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar accompanied the President and pushed India's case, this was followed by a secret trip he made to Beijing on the 16th-17th of June to meet Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. But even as India awaits a green signal from Tashkent to go out to Seoul, the strategy in fact in Seoul would be, if push comes to shove to isolate China so that it is forced to explain its opposition to India's entry into the elite nuclear club. Meanwhile, India received a shot in the arm with France putting out a statement appealing to member nations to take a 'positive decision' on India. The statement said "France considers that India's entry into the four multilateral export control regimes (NSG, MTCR, The Australia Group, The Wassenaar Arrangement) will bolster international efforts on combating proliferation." According to diplomatic sources the US too is working to assuage China's concerns on India. The US doesn't want India bracketed with Pakistan which China is pushing to do by constantly stressing on the argument of India not being an NPT signatory. US believes that China's posturing is similar to the one in 2008 when India was looking at an NSG waiver for the Indo-US civil nuclear deal. At that time President Bush had dialled his Chinese counterpart and sources have not ruled out a similar possibility yet again. --- ENDS --- The Prime Minister congratulated space agency ISRO for breaking new barriers. "20 satellites in a go! @isro continues to break new barriers. Hearty congratulations to our scientists on the monumental accomplishment," he said. By India Today Web Desk: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today hailed the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientists for their "monumental accomplishment" of launching a record 20 satellites in one go, saying ISRO continues to break new barriers. "Our space programme has time and again shown the transformative potential of science & technology in people's lives," he said on Twitter. Witnessed with immense pride and delight the brilliant moments on TV & took photos for my Instagram account. pic.twitter.com/lfGSkCUmjk Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 22, 2016 advertisement "Over the years we developed expertise & capability to help other nations in their space initiatives. This is the skill of our scientists," he said. The Prime Minister congratulated space agency ISRO for breaking new barriers. "20 satellites in a go! @isro continues to break new barriers. Hearty congratulations to our scientists on the monumental accomplishment," he said. He also lauded the role of students in the making of satellites. "Saw with immense joy that students from institutions in Pune & Chennai played a role in the making of satellites. This touched me. "As a common citizen, was totally immersed in happiness to see our youngsters excelling & taking so much interest in science, he added. Modi said he has even taken some pictures of the launch for his Instagram account. "Witnessed with immense pride and delight the brilliant moments on TV & took photos for my Instagram account," he tweeted along with an image. A picture of joy! This is a photo I took, while seeing on TV the success of ISRO in launching 20 satellites in a go. Today is a proud day for India and we congratulate our scientists on this monumental accomplishment. We are proud of how our space programme has transformed people's lives and also helped other nations in their space programmes. I was delighted that children from institutions in Pune and Chennai played a role in making of the satellites. More power to our scientists and youngsters. #TransformingIndia A photo posted by Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) on Jun 21, 2016 at 10:17pm PDT Also read ISRO launches record 20 satellites in a single mission: All you need to know --- ENDS --- After creating a record in 2008 for placing 10 satellites into various low earth orbits in a single launch, this is ISRO's new record of launching 20 satellites, including those from the US, Germany, Canada and Indonesia. By India Today Web Desk: Indian Space Research Organisation today launched a record of 20 satellites in one single launch, including India's latest earth observation Cartosat-2 Series Satellite, onboard PSLV C-34 from Sriharikota. After creating a record in 2008 for placing 10 satellites into various low earth orbits in a single launch, this is ISRO's new record of launching 20 satellites, including those from the US, Germany, Canada and Indonesia. advertisement WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CARTOSAT-2 SERIES SATELLITE The PSLV rocket standing 44.4 metre tall and weighing 320 tonne, tore into the morning skies at 9.26 am with a growl breaking free of the earth's gravitational pull. The 20 satellites weighed 1,288 kg. The rocket's main cargo is India's 725.5 kg Cartosat-2 series satellite for earth observation. This satellite is similar to the earlier Cartosat-2, 2A and 2B. The other 19 satellites weighing totally around 560 kg are from US, Canada, Germany and Indonesia as well as one satellite each from Chennai's Sathyabama University and College of Engineering, Pune. They would be injected into a 505 km polar Sun Synchronous Orbit. 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 Lab's Dove Satellites are also earth imaging satellites. A total of 12 Dove satellites each weighing 4.7 kg are carried in this mission inside three QuadPack dispensers, ISRO said. The PSLV rocket also carries 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. The other foreign satellites on board are: 120 kg LAPSN-A3 of Indonesia, the 130 kg BIROS, from German Aerospace Centre, Germany and the 25.5 kg GHGSat-D, Canada. The whole launch mission got over in around 26 minutes. On the other hand, the 1.5 kg Sathyabamasat from Sathyabama University will collect data on green house gases while the 1 kg Swayam satellite from College of Engineering, Pune will provide point-to-point messaging services to the HAM radio community. Today's mission will be the first time the ISRO is launching more the 10 satellites with a single rocket. In 2008, the ISRO had launched 10 satellites with the PSLV rocket. Till date India has launched 57 foreign satellites successfully. From transporting rockets on bicycles and satellites on bullock carts, India has come a long way. Today, by launching 20 satellites in one go, India has raised the bar for itself. In 1963, when the first rocket was fired from the Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS), it was apparently taken to the launch pad on the carrier of a bicycle. Made in India: ISRO to launch indigenous version of space shuttle ISRO's big leap, embarks on launching Indian space shuttle From the India Today Magazine: Boosting the arsenal The new guardian Seeking Space --- ENDS --- In both, the urban and rural segments, women voters outnumbered men, officials said. By Indo-Asian News Service: The morning's shy trickle of voters on Wednesday gradually changed into small queues in rural areas of Anantnag assembly constituency in Jammu and Kashmir where Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti is contesting. However, the urban areas reported a low turnout. Women voters step out In both the urban and rural segments, women voters outnumbered men, officials said. An Election Commission official put the voter turnout at noon at 20 per cent - compared to a poor four per cent in the first one hour. advertisement At the Khanabal High School in Anantnag town, where two polling centres have been set up, women in 'burqa' formed the bulk of voters. The story was the same at Rambirpora, Krangsoo, Kehribal and several other places. It seemed women were determined to defy the separatists' calls to boycott the elections. Security strengthened Police and paramilitary forces were deployed in strength to prevent militants from interfering with the election process. The army was deployed in what is known as "area domination" duty in the periphery of the constituency to ensure an incident free poll. Mehbooba Mufti refrains from making a statement Mehbooba Mufti visited a number of polling stations on Wednesday. But she refused to speak to the media. At Rambirpora polling station, where journalists sought her comments, she said: "I will speak to you when I have something to say." There are seven other candidates in the fray including Hilal Ahmad Shah of the Congress and Iftikhar Hussain Misgar of the National Conference. Mehbooba - People's choice? Speaking to IANS after voting, few people had doubts about Mehbooba Mufti's victory. "We know she will not solve international issues but will definitely address unemployment, education, healthcare and give us better roads, and she will also empower women," said Shafeeqa Begum, 45. Shafeeqa, however, believes -- like many others -- that a narrow victory margin could dent Mehbooba Mufti's image as a popular Chief Minister whose PDP has its base in the south Kashmir districts of Anantnag, Pulwama, Shopian and Kulgam. The counting of votes and declaring of results is schdeuled for June 25, 2016. Also read: Anantnag by-polls: Polling starts in South Kashmir's Anantnag --- ENDS --- The film starring Kate Winslet is under heavy security like most of Allen's recent projects and everyone is tight-lipped. By India Today Web Desk: Kate Winslet is all set to work with Woody Allen for the first time in her career spanning more than two decades. Allen will be writing, directing the film like always and the project, script are being heavily guarded according to reports. The producers' hat is all set to be donned by Letty Aronson and Edward Walson for the film. advertisement ALSO READ: Selma Blair kicked off a plane for bizarre behaviour. ALSO SEE: Tom Hiddleston and Taylor Swift spotted kissing on a beach The Titanic actor is coming off her Oscar-nominated role in 'Steve Jobs' where she played Jobs's long-time colleague and friend Joanna Hoffman. The actor recently finished shooting for Collateral Beauty alongside Will Smith and began production on The Mountain between Us, co-starring Idris Elba. Woody Allen, meanwhile, presented his latest movie Cafe Society at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival. The film stars Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart among others in an ensemble. --- ENDS --- Lightning strikes claimed 56 lives in Bihar and 42 in Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday. Several homes were ravaged in the storm before rains. By India Today Web Desk: Lightning strikes killed 56 people including two children in various parts of Bihar on Tuesday evening. About 42 persons too were reportedly killed in lightning strikes in Uttar Pradesh. Deeply anguished by loss of lives due to lightning in parts of UP, Bihar, Jharkhand & other parts of the nation over the last few days: PM PMO India (@PMOIndia) June 22, 2016 advertisement While showers were expected to be a breather for people from the sweltering heat, several parts of Bihar were in a state of gloom following the storm and heavy rainfall. "As many as 46 persons were killed and eight injured in the lightning strikes across the state. Two persons have been critically injured following the lightning strikes," said Principal Secretary of Disaster management Vyas Ji. In Patna four people died and eight persons were injured in lightning strikes late on Tuesday evening. Deaths due to lightning were reported from Dumri, Bindol and Roniya villages in Patna. STORM RAVAGED SEVERAL HOMES Sahrsa, Purnia, and Katihar districts of the state reported 10 deaths due to lightning. While two children died in Samastipur, three persons were killed in Chhapra. The storm before rains ravaged several homes in Arrah killing two persons. Five persons including a girl student were killed and eight others were injured due to lightning strikes in Rohtas district of Bihar. Eight persons suffered severe injuries in Kaimoor district. While four persons died in Aurangabad, two persons each were reportedly killed in lightning in Nalanda and Baksar region. Along with lightning strikes, the state also witnessed heavy showers on Tuesday evening. Purnia district recorded the maximum rainfall at 83.7mm, while Patna registered 17.2 mm, Gaya 32.6 mm and Bhagalpur recorded 25.7 mm rainfall. HEAVY RAINFALL EXPECTED ACROSS THE STATE "Incessant rains are expected to hit South Bihar in the next 24 hours. Several parts of North Bihar will witness heavy rainfall this monsoon season, "said Director State Meteorological Department AK Sen Indian Meteorological Department has issued an alert in Supaul, Araria, Kishanganj, Saharsa, Madhepura, Siwan, Saran, Gopal ganj districts in North Bihar. West and east parts of Champaran have been alerted about the impending rains. The state government has also alerted the disaster management department and various districts authorities across the state. The state government has announced Rs 4 lakh compensation to the kin of the deceased. "The death toll is expected to rise," said Disaster management minister Chandrashekhar. advertisement Also read:Southwest monsoon covers almost entire Bihar --- ENDS --- By PTI: Kuala Lumpur, Jun 22 (PTI) Malaysian government has asked a leading university in the country to probe how it allowed the publication of a controversial teaching module that depicted Hindus in India as "unclean and dirty". Higher Education Minister Idris Jusohhas handed over the case to the Universiti Technologie Malaysias (UTM) disciplinary committee. "We view the matter seriously because in a multi-racial country, we have to have tolerance and respect for one another," he was quoted as saying by state-run Bernama news agency. advertisement The lecture materials, in the form of slides for UTM Tamadun Islam Tamadun Asia (Titas) subject had caused an uproar among the minority Hindu and Sikh communities here after the contents went viral recently. The slides claimed that Hindus consider the dirt on the body as part of their religious practice to achieve nirvana. The module also claimed that Islam had introduced civility to the lives of the Hindu community in India. Another slide aimed at teaching the origins of Sikhism claims that founder Guru Nanak had a poor understanding of Islam and had combined it with his surrounding Hindu lifestyle in forming the early foundation of the Sikh faith. Muslim majority Malaysias 28 million population consisted of 8 per cent ethnic Indians. Idris said the university, as an institution with autonomy, is empowered to take action against the lecturer or lecturers responsible for producing the slides. The Titas module is mandatory for all tertiary students regardless of religion since 2013. India had expressed concern over the "negative and incorrect" picture conveyed about Hinduism and Sikhism in the educational module. "We are concerned at negative and incorrect picture being conveyed about Hinduism and Sikhism. Hinduism and Sikhism are two great religions which India has given birth to," theHigh Commission of India in Malaysia had said in a statement last week. PTI JB UZM NSA UZM --- ENDS --- Eight people died and 100 were injured during the violent clashes between the Mexican teachers and the police. Know why the teachers are protesting! By Sanjana Agnihotri: During a clash between protesting teachers and police, eight people were killed and more than 100 were injured in southern Mexico. Following the arrest of two high-profile union leaders last week, members of the National Coordination of Education Workers (CNTE) Union have been protesting in the state of Oaxaca. With an armed unit deployed, gun attacks and violence harming even the civilians, the protests in Mexico seem to have gone too far. Here is why: Source: Reuters advertisement What is the protest all about? In February 2013, Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto came up with major education reforms in the education system which included new standards for hiring teachers. "Professional merit must be the only way to be hired, and remain and advance as a teacher," Mr Pena Nieto said after signing the law. The reforms weakened the powerful teachers' union, which largely controlled access to the profession in Mexico. The union argued that reforms could lead to massive lay-offs. Source: AP Before the reform, CNTE looked after the criteria for being appointed and retained due to which the posts were being inherited or sold. To put an end to this practice, the Mexican president came up with a law that foresees a centralised process for hiring, evaluating, promoting and retaining teachers. One of the provisions in the reform was considered as a threat to teacher's job security and the 1.5 million members of the union were ready to fight it. Elba Esther Gordillo, head of the CNTE from the past 23 years, had rejected moves to link a teacher's continued employment to an evaluation. Source: Reuters This controversial provision of the government's reform required teachers to take tests to evaluate their qualifications and those who did not score good marks could be fired. In 2016, the government started to begin testing and since then the teachers are protesting. When teachers traded gunfire with cops Teachers belonging to the CNTE staged blockades across multiple roads in Oaxaca on June 19. They were protesting the teacher's evaluation clause and the arrest of union leaders who were charged with corruption. Members of the CNTE union have been blocking roads in southern Mexico since the their leaders were arrested. Source: Reuters Reportedly, the police was trying to clear the roads when unknown gunmen began firing at both sides. Mexico's National Security Commission originally said in a statement that the police officers involved in the operation near the town of Nochixtlan were not carrying guns. advertisement But later it was said that an armed unit was deployed after shots were fired at the police. Source: Reuters While the protesters burned vehicles, threw stones and Molotov cocktails, the police fired at protesters which was witnessed by Associated Press journalists. Clashes continued outside Oaxaca city and in the municipalities of San Pablo Huitzo and Santiaguito, where protesters had burned federal police installations. Source: Reuters Last week, protestors blocked streets, a shopping mall and even train tracks in the state of Michoacan. Source: Reuters --- ENDS --- By PTI: New Delhi, June 22 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi will leave for Tashkent tomorrow to attend the annual summit of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) which will kick off the process of Indias accession to the grouping as a full fledged member along with Pakistan. The Prime Minister will have a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping tomorrow on the sidelines of the summit during which he is expected to seek Chinas support for Indias bid for NSG membership, which Beijing is opposed to. advertisement The two-day annual plenary session of the Nuclear Suppliers Group will begin in Seoul tomorrow during which Indias application for membership of the elite nuclear trading club may come up for deliberation. Asked at the media briefing whether the PM will discuss the NSG issue with Xi, Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs Sujata Mehta refused to give a direct answer but said usually a "full review" of the bilateral ties takes place on such occasions. On Indias SCO membership, Mehta said, "The process of Indias accession to the SCO will start with a signature on the base document which is called the Memorandum of Obligations." Asked whether India will become a full member of the SCO, she said there was a schedule laid down for India to sign more than 30 other documents and it will happen as the year goes by. The Prime Minister will also have bilateral meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Uzbekistan President Islam Karimov. On whether Modi will have a meeting with Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain, she said India does not even officially know who will represent Pakistan at the summit. At the same time, she said the Prime Minister will have couple of other bilaterals. Asked about Pakistan also getting membership of SCO, Mehta said Indias membership of the SCO or any other bloc is not "predicated" by absense of any country. She said India follows "flexible multilateralism" and it is quite happy to get involved in multiple processes in extending cooperation. Mehta said the membership will provide India an opportunity to have extended cooperation with members of the grouping including China and Pakistan. MORE PTI MPB SK --- ENDS --- The Cost of Living Survey conducted by Mercer showed Mumbai as more expensive than cities like Seattle, Frankfurt, Canberra, Berlin and Istanbul. By India Today Web Desk: Mumbai has emerged as India's most expensive city for expatriates in a recent survey by a consulting group. Ranked 82, the City of Dreams was followed by New Delhi (130), Chennai (158), Kolkata (194) and Bangalore (180). The Cost of Living Survey conducted by Mercer also showed Mumbai as more expensive than cities like Seattle (83), Frankfurt (88), Canberra (98), Berlin (100) and Istanbul (101). advertisement Internationally, Hong Kong topped the list. Luanda, Angola was pushed to the second position, Zurich and Singapore remained in third and fourth positions and Tokyo ranked fifth, up six places from last year. Other cities among the top 10 included Shanghai, Geneva, Zurich and Beijing. Kinshasa, ranked sixth, appeared for the first time in the top 10. Source: Mercer Here are some interesting facts found in the survey: 1. New Delhi and Bangalore have become more expensive, over last year, and their rankings have gone up. 2. Bangalore saw the highest jump in ranking due to inflation, especially in items pertaining to food and personal care. There is an increase in the prices of items such as cheese, poultry items, coffee, butter, mineral water and ice cream. 3. High transportation costs - including taxi fares, cost of auto and auto parts and even running costs - also make Bangalore super expensive. Source: Mercer 4. Across continents, countries with the highest number of Indian expats are United States, United Kingdom and United Arab Emirates (UAE). 5. UK, UAE and Kenya are expected to see the highest increase in inflow of Indian expats. 6. Four African cities fill top spots on the list. Luanda at the second spot, Kinshasa at sixth, N'Djamena at ninth, followed by Lagos at 13th. At the same time, Namibian city Windhoek ranked as the least expensive city globally. Other cities at the bottom of the list were Cape Town ranked 208 and Bishkek ranked 207. --- ENDS --- From Kim Kardshian to POTUS Barack Obama, take a look at the selfies that caused a chink in the internet. By Hemul Goel: While the selfie craze has led to various types of 'fies' including the shoefies, the belfies and the groupfies among others, it's the selfie that continues to reign supreme. From deaths while taking a selfie to widespread criticism over selfies taken with dead bodies, selfies have been around for sometime now, yet they never fail to surprise us. advertisement Also read: This 'selfie with father' campaign has joy and pain Did you know that former astronaut Buzz Aldrin was the first person to take a selfie in space? Nor did we, until we took a peek at his Twitter timeline. In spirit of the National Selfie Day, we bring you five of our favourite selfies, that became moments in pop culture and history. Ellen DeGeneres The most famous selfie of all time has to be this epic picture taken via comedian Ellen DeGeneres' phone during the Oscars in 2014 which she hosted. Featuring the biggest Hollywood stars, including the likes of Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Jared Leto, Julia Roberts, Jennifer Lawrence and Lupita Nyong'o among others, the shot was captured by American Sniper star Bradley Cooper. The epic selfie starring Hollywood's biggest faces. Picture courtesy: Twitter/@theellenshow Kim Kardashian Also read: 6 tricks to make your breasts look bigger instantly While selfie queen Kim manages to break the internet numerous times in a year, one of her most memorable selfies in recent public memory would be this naked shot. Besides racking up likes on social media, the selfie became a hot topic for conversation that had many celebs speaking for and against Kim's nude picture--basically leading to a conversation over what a woman can or should do with her body. The selfie even managed to spawn giant murals, artwork and jackets. The selfie that divided celebs. Picture courtesy: Twitter/@KimKardashian To her credit, Kim shut everyone up by uploading another naked selfie, with model Emily Ratajkowski participating this time. The Keeping Up with the Kardashians star is also commemorating the National Selfie Day with a hot selfie. Kim's at it again! Picture courtesy: Twitter/@KimKardashian Barack Obama The President of the United States of America, Barack Obama came under fire when he was spotted clicking selfies with world leaders at the funeral of Nelson Mandela. The participants in question included British Prime Minister David Cameron and Denmark's Prime Minister Helle Thorning Schmidt while FLOTUS Michele Obama sat with a stern look on her face, leading to speculations that she was unhappy with Obama's conduct. While the selfie isn't available, here's a shot of the infamous picture that landed the world leaders in a soup. Picture courtesy: Twitter/@ThomasDixon2016 While the selfie isn't available, here's a shot of the infamous picture that landed the world leaders in a soup. Picture courtesy: Twitter/@ThomasDixon2016 advertisement Macaque This selfie of a crested black macaque clicked in the Indonesian island of Sulawesi using photographer David Slater's camera went viral in 2011. The photographer also got involved in a legal row over the picture's copyright as PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) and Wikipedia claimed that the picture wasn't clicked by the photographer, so it didn't belong to him. On his part, Slater said that it was after he shadowed the monkeys for three days that he was finally accepted into the group, after which he set the camera in a way that the monkey could press the button. The PETA lawsuit requesting that the copyright be assigned to the monkey and proceeds from the picture be used for the benefit of the monkeys was ultimately dismissed by the court in 2016. This monkey's slefie game is strong! Picture courtesy: Twitter/@PhotoUH Buzz Aldrin This has to be one of the most fascinating selfies ever taken! Former astronaut Buzz Aldrin who was one of the first two humans to land on the Moon, and the second person to walk on it, also holds the distinction for taking the first selfie in space, way back in 1966 during his mission Gemini XII. This selfie is actually out of the world! Picture courtesy: Twitter/@TheRealBuzz --- ENDS --- advertisement The South African woman was about to board a flight to Addis Ababa with 14.250 kg of fine-quality Methaqualone, commonly known as Mandrax. By Shashank Shekhar: A major drug bust worth Rs 2 crore in the global market blew 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. advertisement ON A 'HIGH' NOTE While there is a huge demand for party drugs amidst high-profile circles of Delhi, the Capital is also emerging as the supply centre for popular party drugs such as Methaqualone, commonly known as Mandrax, headed for the US and the UK routed through Dubai and Ethiopia. "Fine quality Mandrax is easily available in Delhi and is trendy in party circles," said a senior narcotics official. Faurie visited India from South Africa eight times since October, 2015. HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED She came under NCB's radar during her last trip about a 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 for checking at the airport. After screening and a physical check of her red 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, she used to furnish details of a star hotel in Delhi to get a clearance but instead of going there she was picked up by her accomplice Obiefoka Friday Okeke (32) a Nigerian national. NCB also found out that another Nigerian national, identified as Jean Paul alias JP used to supply Fauries with drugs. NCB has also arrested Okeke and is on the lookout for Jean Paul who is running the syndicate from Delhi. ALSO READ: NCB busts Nigerian drug racket in Delhi, seizes drugs worth crores After 27 years, customs dept seizes gold worth Rs 27 lakh at Delhi airport --- ENDS --- Oscar Pistorius' family said he would be assaulted and gang raped in prison unless they paid a bribe to undermine the prosecution's case against him. By India Today Web Desk: Oscar Pistorius' family claimed they received a message threatening the athlete will be gang raped in prison unless they paid a bribe. Police officials have reportedly started investigating the threat but no arrests have been made so far. (Oscar Pistorius to be sentenced for girlfriend's murder on July 6) Family spokesperson Anneliese Burgess said that Oscar would be beaten up and gang raped unless the family paid for evidence that could undermine the prosecution case against him. advertisement The 29-year-old faces a minimum 15-year jail term for the Valentine's Day killing of his then girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in 2013 in a case that has attracted worldwide interest and divided South Africa. He will be sentenced on July 6. Pistorius has always said he mistook Steenkamp for an intruder when he fired four shots through a locked toilet door in his Pretoria home, killing her almost instantly. The alleged threat message was received by Pistorius' cousin Arnoldus. The person making the threat has demanded money in exchange for evidence that the prosecutor had paid a witness who testified against Pistorious. Since the cousin decided not to respond, the unknown person started making threats towards Pistorious' well-being in the prison. The athlete originally received a five-year sentence for a manslaughter conviction, that was upgraded to murder on appeal. --- ENDS --- How this woman played a prank on her mother and convinced her into believing that her head turned square! By India Today Web Desk: While we remain caught up with hundreds of mobile applications and social networking sites, it might be difficult for the older generation to keep up with the ever evolving social media skills and techniques. Think about your grand parents or parents, they did not have Wikipedia to help them with their holiday homework or Quora to answer their random questions. For them getting used to Facebook is a task enough, leave alone handling Instagram, Twitter and now Snapchat. advertisement Using Snapchat and the many filters it came with, this woman from the United Kingdom played a prank on her mother and how! Rebecca Owen, a receptionist from Manchester, posted a Whatsapp exchange with her mother on Facebook and it will leave you in splits. Rebecca used a square head filter and sent that photo to her mother. The innocent mother who probably did not know about such filter got all worried and asked her to call the doctor. Imagine Indian parents doing that! This is how her mother reacted: Source: Facebook Source: Facebook Source: Facebook Source: Facebook Source: Facebook Source: Facebook Source: Facebook --- ENDS --- The Ministry of Home Affairs has asked spy agencies and states to sketch out a plan in a bid to combat the danger of radical elements spilling over from neighbouring countries and influencing Indian youth. The MHA has asked spy agencies and states to sketch out a plan in a bid to combat the danger of radical elements spilling over from neighbouring countries and influencing Indian youth, with the region becoming a hub of ISIS sympathisers. By Abhishek Bhalla : Intelligence officials are keeping a close watch on movements of visitors from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan as growing radicalisation in India's treacherous neighbourhood 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 in a bid to combat the danger of radical elements spilling over from neighbouring countries and influencing Indian youth, with the region becoming a hub of ISIS sympathisers. advertisement COUNTER-STRATEGY The counter-radicalisation strategy adopted by the Narendra Modi government in the wake of Islamic State's growing popularity needs to keep pace with the changing dynamics of the threat from the Sunni jihadi group, say experts. "The plan should take into account spread of radicalisation in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh," a home ministry note said. Sources said Bangladesh emerging as the next ISIS hotbed and the growing extremism in the country 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 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 that has taken some important steps. Uttar Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and West Bengal need to do more. DE-RADICALISATION Since most of the radicalisation is taking place in cyberspace, geographical boundaries have diminished. "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 beliefs and thoughts of affected individuals and security measures involving legal and penal action. Foreigners overstaying in the country, especially from the neighbourhood, is also a major concern. Pakistanis top this list. The government is also working towards creating a database of international tourists visiting India to maintain closer scrutiny and identify suspicious elements. advertisement 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. Involvement of community elders, monitoring of radical social media platforms and real-time sharing of information are a few steps authorities plan to kick off to prevent youths from getting drawn to radical ideologies. ALSO READ: Impressed with the ISIS? You might lose your passport Daily rapes, slavery and violence: 20 horrible crimes ISIS inflicted on Yazidis in ongoing genocide --- ENDS --- By PTI: From Yoshita Singh United Nations, Jun 22 (PTI) In a scathing attack, Afghanistan has accused "elements within the state structure of Pakistan" of facilitating most of the terrorist groups active in the region and said the country needs political will and not nuclear deals or F-16s to take action against terrorists. In his statement to the powerful UN Security Council on the debate on UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) here yesterday, Afghanistans Permanent Representative to the UN Mahmoud Saikal said Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour was "tracked" and killed in Pakistans Balochistan in an American drone strike. advertisement The incident "exposed" that Mansour had a Pakistani passport in a fake name that he had used to fly numerous times from Pakistani airports. "Despite this, the charade of plausible deniability, duplicity, and blame of Afghan weaknesses continues, which must come to an end if we are to succeed in counter-terrorism," he said. Saikal accused "elements within the state structure of Pakistan" of facilitating most of the terrorist groups active in the region and warned that a country using "good and bad terrorists" against each other is "playing with fire". He further pointed out that in the past 15 years, numerous leading figures of terrorism, including bin Laden and Taliban leaders Mullah Omar and Mansour have lived and died in Pakistan. "The fact that notorious terrorist leaders were found and killed in their safe havens there is a clear proof that the country has violated the sovereignty of other nations,"? he said adding that this constitutes a flagrant violation of UN Security Council resolutions on the Sanctions Regime against the Taliban. "We believe that there is an urgent need for proper implementation of the existing counter terrorism resolutions of the UN Security Council," he said. Saikal quoted President Ashraf Ghanis address to joint sitting of the National Assembly where the Afghan leader had called on Pakistan to respect the QCG agreements and take action against terrorists who have their bases and leaders in the neighboring country. "We believe that there is a need for political will and honest police action -- rather than nuclear deals or F-16s -- to fulfil the task," of taking action against the terrorists. PTI YAS NSA --- ENDS --- These sources said the Pakistan Energy Commission (PAEC) has been continuing to supply restricted items like 'Monel' and 'Inconel' material to North Korea in violation of UN sanctions. By Asian News International: Pakistan is continuing to sell nuclear materials to North Korea, even as its urging the international community to accept its membership to the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), said highly placed US sources who track nuclear commerce. These sources said the Pakistan Energy Commission (PAEC) has been continuing to supply restricted items like 'Monel' and 'Inconel' material to North Korea in violation of UN sanctions. advertisement They added that that nuclear materials supplied to the PAEC by Chinese entities have also found their way to North Korea, and that the China Atomic Energy Authority (CAEA) recently received a written complaint that supplies of a Chinese company, Beijing Suntech Technology Co. Ltd, were being diverted to North Korea by the Pakistani authorities. CHINA HUSHES UP THE MATTER The Chinese government hushed up the matter as it could have consequences for Beijing's bid to support Pakistan at the NSG. But this information leaked out of North Korea and came to the knowledge Of Western governments who are members of the NSG. In another alarming revelation, informed sources said Pakistan has been giving North Korea equipment which has a direct bearing on producing nuclear weapons. Sources said Beijing Suntech manufactures Vacuum Induction Melting (VIM) furnaces that find application in refining hard metals such as uranium and plutonium, which are used in making nuclear warhead cores. Pakistan is known to have procured these items from China and has passed them along to North Korea. PAK's ILLICIT NUCLEAR TRADE WITH NORTH KOREA When asked if this evidence of Pakistan's illicit nuclear trade with North Korea has been brought to the notice of NSG nations, US sources said all proof and evidence which confirms the violation of sanctions against North Korea and more so the ongoing dangerous nuclear trade has been brought to the notice of "those who need to be informed at the NSG level." Behind the scenes Pakistan is aware that it's nuclear trade with North Korea has been uncovered, but is counting on China to keep the global pressure at bay, said sources. Giving details of North Korea's nuclear commerce links with Pakistan, informed sources mentioned that two North Korean diplomats - Kim Yong Choi and Jang Yong Son --posted in the North Korean Embassy in Tehran visited Pakistan eight times between 2012 and 2015. They were associated With the Korea Mining Development Trading Corporation ( KOMID ) - an entity sanctioned several times by the United Nations Security Council since 2005 for its involvement in North Korea's Weapons of Mass Destruction ( WMD ) programme. These diplomats met with Pakistani officers involved in the nuclear program. They were tracked and investigated by the Western authorities as yet another proof of Pakistan's continuing nuclear links with North Korea. advertisement Based on Western inputs on these links, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) 1718 Committee, which is monitoring the implementation of sanctions against North Korea, sought information from Pakistan in November 2015 regarding the frequent visits of the two North Korean diplomats from Tehran to Islamabad and Karachi. At first, say informed sources, Pakistan denied it, but when confronted with photographs and other recorded evidence, Pakistan acknowledged that the two North Korean officials under investigation had indeed visited Islamabad and Karachi. INFO UNDER WRAPS Highly placed sources said that the West has so far kept this information under wraps in recognition of Pakistan's value in the war against terror. But now, when Pakistan has gone into overdrive to upset the equilibrium of the NSG, Western nations of the grouping are saying that Islamabad needs to "look at itself in the mirror " and ask "how can it run with the hare and hunt with the foxes", meaning it can't claim to fulfill the NSG's requirements, and at the same time, sell nuclear weapons materials to North Korea. --- ENDS --- On Tuesday, some locals informed the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs about the presence of terrorists in the villages near the IAF base. By Manjeet Sehgal: The Pathankot police on Wednesday launched a massive search operation to trace the terrorists which according to the Parliamentary Standing Committee (PSC) on Home Affairs were 'hiding' outside the airbase which was attacked by heavily armed terrorists on Jaunary 2 this year. NO TRACE OF TERRORISTS The police action came after the Committee Chairman P Bhattacharya on Tuesday said that the some locals had informed the committee about the presence of terrorists in the villages which can mastermind another terror attack on the base which is part of Western Air Command of Indian Air Force. advertisement Confirming the operation SSP Pathankot Rakesh Kaushal said nearly 300 policemen under his supervision carried out the search operation in and around Pathankot on early Wednesday morning.The operation however failed to trace the possible terrorists in the villages. "The committee had said that the terrorists may be hiding in the villages near Pathankot. Accordingly we carried out a massive search operation in Akalgarh, Beli Mahanta, Fatehgarh, Nausera Nalbanda, Nausera Colony, Hema and Gharota areas between 6 am to 9 am. But nothing was found," Rakesh Kaushal said. DOUBTS RAISED ON PSC's CLAIM The police has also raised doubts about Bhattacharya's claim as neither the state nor the central security agencies had alerted the police about the presence of terrorists in Pathankot villages. "There is no such alert. We did not get alert of this kind from any of the intelligence agencies. They are talking about the deployment of Army and CRPF at the airbase as it is managing the security its own," Rakesh Kaushal said. Sources said the hutments of a particular tribe were on the police target where the terrorists can hide. Sources say the people of this tribe graze their animals on Indo-Pak borders and the terrorists at times take shelter in their hutments. Six people including three civilians, three Home Guards and one Police Officer lost their lives and 10 civilians and seven security force personnel were injured in the attack which took place in January this year. Terrorists had attacked Dina Nagar police station on July 27, 2015 in which three civilians and four policemen, including a superintendent of police were killed and 15 others were injured. Pathankot and Gurdaspur districts were on the radar of the terrorists which were spotted in Pathankot more than two times in 2015. ALSO READ: JeM terror-drug nexus linked to Pathankot attacks --- ENDS --- By PTI: Dehradun, Jun 22 (PTI) President Pranab Mukherjee had to return to New Delhi today without paying obeisance at the Kedarnath temple due to bad weather. The chopper carrying the President twice attempted to land at the Himalayan temple, located at a height of 3,581 metres in Rudraprayag district, but could not do so due to inclement weather, Additional DGP Anil Raturi said. advertisement Later, the President returned to Raj Bhawan in Dehradun from where he left for Delhi after a few hours of rest. The MeT department had announced arrival of monsoon rains in Uttarakhand yesterday. However, Mukherjees visit to Kedarnath was scheduled prior to the announcement. Earlier, Governor Krishna Kant Paul and Chief Minister Harish Rawat received the President as he arrived at the Jollygrant Airport here this morning. At the Raj Bhawan, he was welcomed by Governor K K Paul and his wife Amita Paul, who presented him a coffee-table book titled "Beyond Belief" brought out by the Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam and a set of vials of oil extracted from aromatic plants prepared by the Centre of Aromatic Plants, Dehradun. Before leaving for Delhi, Mukherjee also planted saplings of camphor and Belpatra on Raj Bhawan precincts. PTI ALM SAI ZMN SAI --- ENDS --- Priyanka Chopra had an epic response for all the speculation surrounding her supposedly photo-shopped armpits on the cover of a magazine. By India Today Web Desk: Priyanka Chopra is the topic of envy on the internet once again, courtesy her Maxim cover. The magazine has the Mary Kom actor showing off her perfect armpits. The Twitterati began speculating if they were photoshopped, and denounced fashion magazines for setting unrealistic standards for beauty and grooming. 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 Wish I was as stunning as #PriyankaChopra 's armpit without Photoshop. the mouk (@moukarin) June 19, 2016 advertisement PC, as she is fondly called by her fans, responded in the most epic way by posting another picture of hers on Twitter and Instagram with the hashtag #WillTheRealArmPitPleaseStandUp. And certain sections of Twitter couldn't stop fan-girling about the coolness of her response. When your armpits are just as gangster as you @priyankachopra GOALS #WillTheRealArmpitPleaseStandUp pic.twitter.com/BVSVRM3zPY SLACY ? (@StacySuperDuper) June 21, 2016 Join the party #PCManiacs! We're celebrating Priyanka's hilarious response to media! Tweet: #WillTheRealArmpitPleaseStandUp Priyanka Chopra FC (@PcOurHeartbeat) June 21, 2016 The Quantico star is currently in Paris, promoting her American TV series which premiered at No. 2 spot. She recently finished her shooting for Baywatch alongside Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron. --- ENDS --- The ED notice to the son-in-law of Congress president Sonia Gandhi has been issued in connection with its probe into alleged money laundering in a land deal in Rajasthan's Bikaner district. By India Today Web Desk: Responding to an Enforcement Directorate (ED) notice issued against her husband Robert Vadra in a money laundering case, his wife Priyanka Gandhi today asked how the media got the ED notice when the couple received it at 4 pm today. "We received it today at 4 pm but you received it a day before," Priyanka told reporters when asked to react on the notice to Vadra's Skylight Hospitality Ltd under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). advertisement The ED notice to the son-in-law of Congress president Sonia Gandhi has been issued in connection with its probe into alleged money laundering in a land deal in Rajasthan's Bikaner district. The company has been asked to submit certain financial statements and other papers to the Investigating Officer (IO) of the case after the ED conducted extensive searches in Rajasthan and other places last month and claimed to have seized a number of documents. The agency had conducted similar searches in the case in Delhi last year. WHAT IS ROBERT VADRA ACCUSED OF? The probe is related to the purchase of 275 bighas of land allegedly by the company in the Kolayat area of the border town of Bikaner. 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". Vadra has denied any wrongdoing even as the Congress party called the ED action "sheer political vendetta". Also read: Bikaner land deals: Robert Vadra's Skylight Hospitality gets ED notice Dhingra Commission report to focus on Robert Vadra's land deals --- ENDS --- College principal, Dr Esther denied that there was any sort of ragging on the campus. He said that the girl drank phenyl because of some family problems. By India Today Web Desk: "Why did they have to do this to our daughter," a member of the 19-year-old nursing student in Kerala said. The Dalit student studying at Al Qamar College of Nursing at Gulbarga was admitted to Kozhikode Medical College Hospital on Tuesday with burnt food pipe and damaged internal organs. She joined the college five months back and was ragged by her seniors regularly. On May 9, she was forced to drink phenyl which led to her hospitalisation. advertisement THE GIRL'S STATEMENT NDTV reported the victim saying she was mentally tortured by third year seniors. They told her she was dark and was thus left without her father. "They used to force me to keep my hands lifted up. They held my mouth open and forced me to drink toilet cleaning lotion," she said. COLLEGE PRINCIPAL NEGATES RAGGING ON CAMPUS College principal, Dr Esther denied that there was any sort of ragging on the campus. He said that the girl drank phenyl because of some family problems. SPECIAL TEAM TO INVESTIGATE Gulbarga police has formed a special team to investigate into the case. Also Read 19-year-old Kerala nursing student critical after being forced to drink phenyl --- ENDS --- By PTI: Faridabad, June 21 (PTI) More than a lakh people were claimed to have attended Ramdevs 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 Faridabads HUDA grounds. advertisement 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." PTI CORR RB SK SRY --- ENDS --- By PTI: Karachi, Jun 22 (PTI) Amjad Sabri, one of Pakistans finest Qawwals and known for his soul-stirring renditions of mystic poetry, was today killed by unidentified gunmen who shot him in the head in a targeted attack here. Sabri, 45, and an associate were travelling in a car in Karachis Liquatabad 10 area when unidentified motorcycle- borne gunmen fired at their vehicle, critically injuring them. advertisement The two were rushed to Abbasi Shaheed hospital, where Sabri succumbed to his injuries. His associate also died. "Sabri was shot in the chest and head and he was shifted to Abbasi Shaheed hospital immediately, where he succumbed to his injuries. His associate was also killed in the targeted attack," a police official said. Additional police surgeon Dr Rohina Hasan confirmed Sabris death. He was shot thrice ? twice in the head and once on the ear. Amjad Sabri was the son of renowned Qawwal Ghulam Farid Sabri whose family is famous in the subcontinent for their contribution to this sufi art and mystic poetry. Sabri was one of Pakistans finest qawwals, known for his soul-stirring renditions of mystic poetry. Some of the most memorable and famous qawwalis of the Sabris were Bhar Do Jholi Meri, Tajdar-i-Haram and Mera Koi Nahin Hai Teray Siwa. Sabri, who travelled widely to Europe and USA for his concerts, was known as the "rockstar" of Qawali due to his modern style of rendition. His killing comes just two days after the son of the Sindh High Court Chief Justice was kidnapped and it raises serious concern about the security situation in Pakistans biggest city. This week a doctor belonging to the minority Ahmadi community was also shot dead in his clinic by gunmen. Opposition politicians have described Sabris killing as a total failure of the provincial government to ensure proper law and order situation in Karachi which is the economic hub of the country. The spokesman for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insasaf party, Naeem ul Haq, called for those involved in heinous crimes to be given exemplary capital punishment. "No one is safe in Karachi. The so-called clean up operation since the last two years is a total failure." A senior member of the Mutthaida Qaumi Movement, Waseem Akhtar, who is the nominee for the Mayors post also condemned Sabris killing and said the government should resign. "Militants belonging to different banned outfits are openly roaming in parts of Karachi and there is no one to stop them," he said. advertisement In 2014, the Islamabad Hight Court had issued a notice in a blasphemy case to two private TV channels for playing of a qawwali during a morning show. The show had mixed a mock wedding with a qawwali sung by Sabri related to religious figures, and was considered offensive. An advocate had put the onus on Sabri and poet Aqeel Mohsin Naqvi for the blasphemy row while seeking to ban the Qawwali that caused the issue. PTI CORR/ZH AKJ ZH --- ENDS --- The Queen actor Kangana Ranaut went on to add that the entire society was to blame for such a thought process, not just Salman Khan. By India Today Web Desk: Kangana Ranaut publicly condemned Salman Khan's 'rape analogy' which he made during a group interview for his upcoming film Sultan. But she also asked that the Dabangg star not be targeted for it. Salman, during one of the promotional interviews for his upcoming film, talked about the gruelling shooting schedule, especially the physical aspect of the film which required him to wrestle with professional athletes. He went on to say that the sheer physical toll that the shoot took on his body, made him feel like a 'raped woman'. advertisement ALSO READ: Salman Khan was quick to retract metaphor, but that went unreported ALSO READ: Dear Salman Khan, please quit, nothing is worth feeling like a 'raped woman' Kangana, who was attending the launch of Shirish Kunder's short film Kriti went on to say, "We all agree that it is a horrible thing to say; it is something which is extremely insensitive." However, she also added a word of caution saying, "But what I would like to say is let's not encourage the mentality where we want to point fingers at each other and want to feel greater by just running people down by trolling them." Salman Khan has been the butt of jokes on the internet, ever since the quote was reported day before yesterday. It has been close to 24 hours, and the Kick star hasn't responded with an apology or a clarification of what was said in the press conference. However, Salman's father Salim Khan apologised on behalf of the actor. Salman's brother Arbaaz Khan also had a few words to say about Salman's remark. Kangana, on her part, talked about how the entire society should be collectively sorry about the thought process, and not just one individual, "What Salim uncle says is right, we are all sorry about it. It is not about an individual, we all collectively feel sorry for that thought process." --- ENDS --- By PTI: From K J M Varma Beijing, Jun 22 (PTI) With India and Pakistan expected to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) tomorrow, China today said it is a "major step forward" for both the South Asian countries to gain entry into the group and contribute to the regions prosperity and stability. "This is a major step forward for India and Pakistan to obtain official SCO membership," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Hua Chunying said. advertisement "China supports India and Pakistans accession to the SCO, and hopes that the entry of new members will contribute to the development of the SCO and regional prosperity and stability," she told PTI ahead of the SCO summit in the Uzbekistan capital Tashkent tomorrow. Chinese President Xi Jinping who already arrived in Tashkent said the summit marks a new beginning for the group. "China sees the 16th SCO Summit as a new starting point to enhance cooperation among members," Xi said as the six member group founded in 2001 is set to expand for the first time amid mixed feelings of optimism and skepticism about what impact India-Pakistan entry will have on the group considering their bitter rivalry. SCO focussing mostly security related issues like terrorism in Central Asia is comprised of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as full members. Afghanistan, Belarus, India, Iran, Mongolia and Pakistan has observer status. Last years Ufa summit has formally adopted a resolution which started the procedures to admit India and Pakistan into the SCO. It is not yet clear when the process for India and Pakistan admission into the group will be completed. Both the countries have been asked to endorse all the documents of SCO since its founding in 2001. Uzbekistans Deputy Foreign Minister Anvar Nasirov has been quoted by Chinese state-run media earlier that that a Memorandum of Obligations by the Indian and Pakistani sides for obtaining SCO member state status will be signed during the Tashkent summit. This is one of the important stages in the process of joining the organisation as a full member, he said. "Observers are concerned about SCO expansion, especially the admission of India and Pakistan," an article in the state- run Global Times said earlier. "The two nations, which are hostile over the issues of Kashmir and anti-terrorism, have long been locked into a state of military confrontation, and share conflicting views over the Afghanistan issue and other regional affairs," the article said. "If Pakistan and India are admitted to the SCO at the Tashkent meeting, it will also help improve the ties between the two South Asian rivals, and thus contribute to peace and development in the subcontinent," an article in the state-run China Daily said. PTI KJV SUA AKJ SUA --- ENDS --- advertisement It was not immediately clear if the second Musudan launch, about two hours after the first, was considered a success or failure, or how the flight ended. By Reuters: North Korea launched what appeared to be a second intermediate-range Musudan missile on Wednesday that flew about 400 km (250 miles), in what appeared to be its most effective test yet, hours after another launch failed, South Korea's military said. It was not immediately clear if the second Musudan launch, about two hours after the first, was considered a success or failure, or how the flight ended. However, the distance it covered was theoretically more than halfway towards the southwest coast of Japan's main Honshu island. advertisement The first missile was launched from the east coast city of Wonsan, a South Korean official said, the same area where previous tests of intermediate-range missiles were conducted, possibly using mobile launchers. Yonhap, quoting a government official, said it disintegrated mid-air after a flight of about 150 km (95 miles). The launches were in continued defiance of international warnings and a series of UN Security Council resolutions that ban the North from using ballistic missile technology, which Pyongyang rejects as an infringement of its sovereignty. Wednesday's first launch would have been the fifth straight unsuccessful attempt in the past two months to launch a missile that is designed to fly more than 3,000 km (1,800 miles) and could theoretically reach any part of Japan and the U.S. territory of Guam. However, Jeffrey Lewis of the California-based Middlebury Institute of International Studies, said failures were a normal part of testing and that North Korea would fix the problems with the Musudan sooner or later. "If North Korea continues testing, eventually its missileers will use the same technology in a missile that can threaten the United States," Lewis told Reuters. SERIOUS PROVOCATION Japanese Defence Minister Gen Nakatani told reporters in Tokyo that North Korea's repeated missile launches were a "serious provocation" and could not be tolerated. He said further provocative action from Pyongyang could not be ruled out, and suggested the twin launches could have been timed to coincide with the 66th anniversary of the start of the Korean War in 1950. Japan had indicated after the first launch that it would protest strongly because it violated a United Nations resolution. While the launches posed no threat to Japanese security, Nakatani also said repeated failures indicated possible problems with the missiles' engines. In Seoul, South Korea's presidential office said a national security meeting would be convened later on Wednesday morning to discuss the latest missile launches. The U.S. military detected the two missiles, most likely Musudan, from North Korea, the U.S. military's Pacific Command said. A Pentagon spokesman said the missiles both fell into the Sea of Japan. Japan put its military on alert on Tuesday for a possible North Korean ballistic missile launch. South Korea's Yonhap News Agency, citing an unidentified government source, said the North had been seen moving an intermediate-range missile to its east coast. advertisement 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 April. The U.N. Security Council, backed by the North's main diplomatic ally, China, imposed tough new sanctions in March after the isolated state conducted its fourth nuclear test in January and launched a long-range rocket that put an object into space orbit. North Korea has conducted a series of tests since then that it claimed showed progress in nuclear weapons and long-range ballistic missile capabilities, including new rocket engines and simulated atmospheric re-entry. The two Koreas technically remain in a state of war after the 1950-53 Korean War ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty. A spokesman for South Korea's Unification Ministry said North Korea should channel its efforts into the welfare of its people and peace on the Korean peninsula rather than developing its missile technology. Also read: Attempted North Korea missile launch fails, say South Korean officials --- ENDS --- advertisement By Chirag Gothi, India Today Web Desk: When a person enters a super speciality hospital, they expect a certain standard of medical care. However, a family from Ashok Vihar locality was in for a shock after doctors at Fortis Hospital in Shalimar Bagh area operated the wrong leg of their son. Ravi Rai (24) year old CA student had tripped on the stairs at his residence on Sunday evening. Following the incident his family rushed him to the Fortis hospital believing that their son would get the best care and a faster recovery. advertisement DOCTORS RECOMMENDED SURGERY FOR FRACTURE According to Rai's family, the doctors told them that there was a fracture in the ankle of his right leg. They also said that Ravi might need to undergo a surgery wherein four pins were to be inserted in his ankle for support. "Ravi had slipped and fallen from the stairs on Sunday. At the hospital the doctors had taken his X-ray and CT scan. They explained us the procedure and trusting their expertise we readily agreed for the surgery. We came to know about their grave mistake after Ravi gained consciousness," said Ravi's father Ram Rai. Sources said that after gaining consciousness, Ravi kept frantically telling the doctors that his left leg was operated, however, they came to the aide only after half an hour. Ravi alleged that the doctor's confusion about the affected leg led to the incident. HOSPITAL OWNS UP Outraged over the medical negligence by doctors at one of the prominent hospital chains in the country, the family informed the police and lodged a police complaint. The hospital later admitted to the mistake and said, "Patients safety is of paramount importance to us. We are deeply concerned and will take the appropriate action," in statement released after the incident came to light. The irate family later discharged Ravi and took him to another hospital. The family members alleged that the doctors even tried to downplay the incident by telling them that it was a minor incident and that it could be fixed in no time. Also read: 5 Delhi hospitals fined Rs 600 crore for refusing free treatment to poor Vellore: Family blames hospital negligence for death of 13-year-old girl --- ENDS --- By PTI: From Aditi Khanna London, June 21 (PTI) 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. advertisement "Interviewing Assange inside the embassy has been Ecuadors 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 Ecuadors 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 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 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 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. PTI AK SUA AKJ SUA --- ENDS --- Speaking to India Today, Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu said, " There are so many MPs and people have the right to say what they want in a democracy. You can't gag everyone but this is not the party's view. In the end the Govt and party policy matters." By Devina Gupta: Clearly embarrassed with the BJP MP Subramnian Swamy's rant against the Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian the party swung into action by late afternoon today. Taking to Twitter, Congress spokesperson Digvijaya Singh said that Swamy's real target is Finance Minsiter Arun Jaitley. Subramaniam Swami now guns for Arvind Subramanian Economic Advisor to NDA. Target is Arun Jaitley not Arvind Subramanian . digvijaya singh (@digvijaya_28) June 22, 2016 advertisement BJP BREAKS SILENCE The BJP which first tried to distance itself from the controversy decided to break its silence. Speaking to India Today, Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu said, " There are so many MPs and people have the right to say what they want in a democracy. You can't gag everyone but this is not the party's view. In the end the Govt and party policy matters." SWAMY TARGETS ARVIND SUBRAMANIAN BJP MP Subramanian Swamy in a fresh tweet accused government's chief economic advisor Arvind Subramanian of taking an anti-India stand in the US Congress in 2013 and then supporting Congress's stand on the GST bill. He demanded that Arvind Subramanian must be removed from the post. But strongly refuting any such move, the Finance minister himself led the counter at a media interaction where he backed Arvind Subramanian who was appointed as the Chief economic advisor post 2014 polls victory. "His advice to the government from time to time has been of great value", Arun Jaitley added In an exclusive interview to India Today, MoS Jayant Sinha also said, "All of us in the Finance Ministry have extreme confidence in the professional capability of Arvind Subramanian and his service to the country" Also Read BJP's disclaimer: Subramanian Swamy's views his own, party RTs not endorsements Subramanian vs Subramanian: Rajan gone, now Swamy guns for Chief Economic Adviser --- ENDS --- "They are barely 3 and they will hide in bathroom stalls standing on top of toilet seats. No one thinks gun control will be 100% crime control." Mother vents anger on Facebook after watching her child innocently practice a gun-attack lockdown drill at home. By India Today Web Desk: When Stacey Wehrman Feeley from Michigan snapped a picture of her three-year-old daughter she only thought that the little girl was upto her usual mischief. But when her daughter explained what she was doing while standing on the toilet, Stacey couldn't contain her tears. The toddler told her mother she was practising a lock down drill that she learned at her pre-school. They teach them to remain silent and out of sight in the event of a gun-attack. advertisement She posted the picture on Facebook and expressed her outrage, which has since garnered more than 17,000 likes and more than 25,000 shares. Her post comes just days after a gunman in Orlando carried out the most deadly mass shooting in American history and three years after a gunman killed 26 people at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut. In the post, she said "At that moment all innocent 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."Stacey wrote. "They are barely 3 and they will hide in bathroom stalls standing on top of toilet seats.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." One Facebook user comments, ", "This is heartbreaking, no child should have to worry about such things, what a sad reflection of today's society." In a country festered by gun-attacks, with close to 30,000 people dying ever year, the debate over adequate gun-control measures has surfaced again. The post below shows how the mass-shooting insanity is affecting American children at a very early age. --- ENDS --- Two telugu youth, including a student, met a watery grave in two separate incidents in US. Sridatta, who was on weekend with friends, slipped and fell down in the water. 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. YOUTH DROWNED IN A WATERFALL 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 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. NARESH SLIPPED AND DROWNED IN THE RIVER 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. Also read: Attack on Africans: Racism or media hype? Pak student jailed for death of friend in drag race in Aus UCLA shooting: Gunman who killed professor, self, identified as Indian origin student --- ENDS --- Speaking to India Today, Rishiraj Singh said "I am a movie fan. I have watched Udta Punjab. Watched the first day show. It's terrible what's happening in India. It is a well researched and fine film." Kerala Excise Commissioner Rishiraj Singh is on a mission - to visit one school in each taluk of the state to spread awareness about drug abuse. He is known as a super cop but his recommendation to parents and teachers at a school in Trivandrum showed he's also a movie lover. "KERALA COULD BE NEXT PUNJAB IF WE DON'T ACT NOW" advertisement "There is this Bollywood movie Udta Punjab. You are not 18 yet so you can't watch it. You'll shiver watching it. I recommend parents to watch it," Singh said addressing the eleventh and twelfth class students at Vattiyurkaavu Vocational Higher Secondary School on Tuesday. Speaking to India Today, Singh said "I am a movie fan. I have watched Udta Punjab. Watched the first day show. It's terrible what's happening in India. It is a well researched and fine film." Singh said he had also recommended the film to his colleagues. "My fury is that Kerala could be the next Punjab in the next five or six years. So we should begin acting now. Since it's an adult film, I recommend parents and teachers watch it because they deal with the children most," he added. "It cannot be hundred percent true. Of course there is exaggeration," he cautioned. SINGH ASSURES HELP TO STUDENTS Singh spoke to the students for an hour listing out the dangers that the youth is trapped in. He assured them that they could write to him anonymously if they come across drug use and he would take action. He provided them with his phone number asking them to WhatsApp him the details or drop a complaint in a box that would be placed in the school premises. "The local police had earlier placed such boxes in schools. First few months, they would take the complaints then nobody bothered. But this one sounds hopeful as we now have a number through which we can reach out to the authorities directly," said Hima PL, one of the students. When the Commissioner opened the floor for discussion, it was the question from A Ajay, another student from the school, that attracted a thunderous applause. "Pardon me if I am wrong but while we are taught to stay away from all these, why is the government continuing to sell things like liqour?" he asked. Also read: Udta Punjab leak: Pahlaj Nihalani offers to surrender if proven guilty Udta Punjab Chitta Trail: How easily we bought drugs in Ludhiana --- ENDS --- advertisement Samuthirakani, who won the National Award for the supporting role in Vetri Maaran's Visaaranai, is again joining hands with the director for the film. By India Today Web Desk: The much-anticipated film of Dhanush-Vetri Maaran's due goes on floors today. Dhanush took to Twitter to share a picture from the first day sets of Vada Chennai - 1. Contrary to the earlier reports, which suggested that the film will be made in two parts, Dhanush's tweet revealed that the film is a trilogy. advertisement It is said that Bollywood filmmaker Anurag Kashyap, after hearing the script, was the one to suggest Vetrimaaran to make a series of the film rather than making one movie. Samuthirakani, who won the National Award for supporting role for Vetri Maaran's Visaaranai, is again joining hands with the director for the film. The film also has Daniel Balaji in an antagonistic role. Samantha Ruth Prabhu will play the female lead. The film will cover a timeline of three decades and will follow the different stages of a gangster's life. --- ENDS --- Sharma, who is lodged at the Bhopal central jail would be released on receipt of the court orders. He is the 3rd prominent accused to be granted bail in connection with the Vyapam scam after the CBI took over the investigations last year, By Rahul Noronha: Sudhir Sharma, one of the key accused in the Vyapam scam has been granted bail by the Madhya Pradesh High Court on Wednesday. Sharma, who is lodged at the Bhopal central jail would be released on receipt of the court orders. He is the 3rd prominent accused to be granted bail in connection with the Vyapam scam after the CBI took over the investigations last year, the other two being former minister and BJP leader Laxmikant Sharma and industrialist Vinod Bhandari. advertisement A division bench of acting Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice AK Shrivastava granted bail to Sudhir Sharma in 3 cases on Wednesday. Sudhir Sharma who was an office bearer in the state BJP unit and enjoyed close links with BJP and RSS leaders was booked by the Special Task Force (STF) of the state police that was probing the multi-layered scam earlier. Sharma's fortunes witnessed a meteoric rise. He started out as a school teacher and later went on to become one of the biggest mining barons in Madhya Pradesh. The CBI took over investigations in the Vyapam scam in July last year on orders of the Supreme Court. Sudhir Sharma had earlier secured bail in one case and on Wednesday he was granted bail in connection with the constable recruitment exam, the platoon commander recruitment exam and the contract teacher grade 3 recruitment exam thereby paving the way for his release from prison. MINING BARON SUDHIR SHARMA ARRESTED Sharma had been booked by the STF in 2014 after his name cropped up during investigations. Sharma went absconding after the STF called him for questioning and finally surrendered in July 2014 after which he was sent to jail. Sudhir Sharma was once a close aide of former minister Laxmikant Sharma who is also an accused in the Vyapam case. VYAPAM SCAM The Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board (MPPEB) or MP Vyavsayik Pareeksha Mandal, also known as Vyapam, conducts almost every exam in the state for government job seekers and for admission to educational institutes in the state. The scam involves massive corruption and irregularities in the entrance examination. More than 45 people related to the Vyapam scam have died after it hit the national headlines in 2013. --- ENDS --- 'Land accounts,' on the lines of bank accounts, will be set up for the teeming millions of India on this software. As opposed to the current system of apresumeda land limits and titles, the Narendra Modi government is now working on geo-tagging each property. By Baishali Adak: If the movie Khosla ka Ghosla scared you and the prospect of land sharks eyeing your plot or house gives you nightmares, fret not. As opposed to the current system of 'presumed' land limits and titles, the Narendra Modi government is now working on Geo-tagging each property. WHAT IT MEANS Every square inch of Indian earth will be digitally mapped using ISRO's high-resolution satellite imagery, GPS and GIS technology. On a longitude-versus-latitude basis, your property's exact location will be nailed. advertisement DIGITISED LAND RECORDS This is a part of the Union Ministry of Rural Development's (MoRD) 'National Land Records Modernisation' (NLRM) programme. Under this, land records are also being digitised and software being prepared for the purpose. 'Land accounts,' on the lines of bank accounts, will be set up for the teeming millions of India on this software. LINKED TO AADHARU Linked to Aadhar cards, property transactions can be carried out even from Assam to Delhi on the basis of only digital signatures, and the same shall be safely recorded and preserved for eternity. FRAUDS TO END? This will put an end to age-old malpractices of fraud and embezzlement in land transactions. In villages, the historically notorious roles of lekhpal and patwari would be diminished. In cities, bribes taken by revenue officers would be reduced. This will lead to an era of 'conclusive titles' and 'guarantee certificates' issued for each property owner. Minister for Rural Development, Chaudhary Birender Singh, told Mail Today, "This is an old programme. Unfortunately, it gathered dust under previous regimes. Now, we are reviving it under mission mode as part of the PM's 'Digital India' programme. Till 2014-15, this was a scheme funded partly by the states. However, from this financial year, the Centre has taken full responsibility for it." CHANDIGARH PRIORITY The minister has convened a national meeting of all revenue secretaries in Bangalore next month for this purpose. He further said that the 'National Land Records Modernisation' (NLRM) programme is being implemented in Chandigarh on a priority basis. "You would be surprised to know that every third property in Chandigarh is under dispute. In all, 80,000 plus properties in the city are disputed. We are hoping that by the end of financial year 2017, all land records in Chandigarh will be fully digitised," he said. PROBLEM SOLVED? This mammoth programme will also ease out problems for the government. Land acquisition work for many big infrastructure projects is stuck due to confusion on who owns a land and its limits. HK Meena, joint secretary, DoLR, said, "It delays projects and retards economic growth. Through NLRM, we can unlock this problem." advertisement Also Read: Bikaner land deals: Robert Vadra's Skylight Hospitality gets ED notice Railways digitising vacant rail land records to monetise --- ENDS --- By PTI: New Delhi, Jun 22 (PTI) Vice President Hamid Ansari today said yoga is "science, not dogma" and could complement health care approaches in developing countries, including India. "It (yoga) is a science, not dogma. It helps improve the levels of fitness and the overall health profile. Most practitioners testify to its usefulness," Ansari said after inaugurating a two-day international conference on Yoga for Body and Beyond here. advertisement The Vice President, in his inaugural speech, underlined that yoga was above religion. "All systems of faith or belief have within them the practice of meditation. The Indian experience is a particularly good instance of this, given the rich interaction that took place over centuries in the areas of belief, consciousness and practice. "Thus, we find yoga and meditation in Jain and Buddhist practices; similarly, great importance is attached to meditation in Christianity, Islam and Sikhism. The convergence or parallelisms are striking even if rituals or modalities of enunciation may vary," he said. Enumerating the economic cost of ill-health, Ansari said many developing countries, including India, that cannot augment public health funding must look for complementary health approaches, like yoga. "Given the inability or unwillingness to augment public health funding in developing countries (and that includes India), the quest for complementary health approaches assumes an urgency. Amongst these is yoga, which has acquired a following worldwide." AYUSH Minister Shripad Yesso Naik said, "Yoga doesnt represent any religion or region. Probably, thats the reason 177 countries out of 193 UN member states had not only supported the idea of declaring 21st June as International Yoga Day but also co-sponsored it." Seventy international delegates from 32 countries are participating in the two-day conference, which was also attended by yoga guru Ramdev. At the event, Ansari gave away certificates to the winners of Best Yoga Apparels and Best Yoga Geet. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, too, on the occasion of International Yoga Day, had sought to distance yoga from religion and called it a "zero-budget health insurance scheme". PTI JC SMN SK SMN --- ENDS --- What is next for smartphones? With gains from new technology get harder come by, companies are looking at modular designs to make the phones great -- and appealing -- again By Javed Anwer: Recently in Delhi, Motorola's chairman and president Aymar de Lencquesaing took out the company latest phone Moto Z and waved in front of the gathered journalists. "This is the future of the smartphones," he said. The Moto Z seems like any other phone, although its svelte 5.2mm body, does give it looks that can turn heads. But the design of the Moto Z is not its ticket to fame. The big deal about it is its modular nature. It's a device where components can be added to increase its functionality, components like a tiny projector that turns almost any surface in front of the phone into a big screen. Also Read: Moto G5 next year may have modular design advertisement "However hard we try, we cannot create a perfect phone," says Lencquesaing. "And yet, there is so much that needs to be done with the smartphone. This is only possible through the modular design. The possibilities with such design are endless." The past This year we have seen two companies coming out with modular phones -- LG and Motorola. The idea is simple, as well as old. A smartphone is limited by its size. It is a miniaturised computer, camera and speaker, packing in the same core functionality. But the small size means the functionality that a smartphone offers is also compromised. The modularity of a phone solves many of these problems. There had been a lot of companies and people who have talked about creating modular phones but the one that actually did it was Modu, an Israeli firm founded by Dov Moran in 2007. In 2010 it launched the Modu T, a phone that came with modules -- one turned it into a music player and the other added fitness-tracking functionality. "Every day we go through several tasks. The idea is to make a phone (that) will allow users to add or remove features depending on what they are doing," Moran said in 2010. The idea was great, but the execution wasn't. Modu failed soon and some of its patents and technology was bought by Google. Google, incidentally also acquired Motorola in 2011, which in 2012 joined hands with Phonebloks to create a truly modular phone where every core part, from screen to the processor inside, would be replaceable and swappable. The endeavour was given the name of Project Ara. The present The two modular phones that we have this year are actually modular in a limited set. They are regular phones where modularity is limited to enhancing the existing functionality. First of these, the LG G5, was launched at the Mobile World Congress this year. It has the battery compartment that users can slide open to attach other modules. LG calls these components Friends. Currently, two Friends stand out. One is the Cam Plus, which adds manual controls and a better grip for the G5 camera. The other, a module designed with help of B&O, turns the G5 into a high-res audio player. Also Read: Google's modular Project Ara phone to launch in 2017 advertisement The Moto Z, meanwhile, features a more elegant modular design. It is a slim phone with 16 metal pins on its back cover. Through these metal pins a user can attach a module, which is similar to a protective case that almost everybody uses with a phone. The attaching of a module -- Motorola calls it Mod -- is seamless. Currently, three Mods -- for speaker, battery and projector -- are available with one more, possibly to add optical zoom to camera, is coming soon. The future When Google sold Motorola to Lenovo in 2014, there was one part of the company it didn't give to the Chinese company -- the Project Ara division. Originally, the goal of Project Ara was to create a truly modular phone. But after playing with probably hundreds of prototypes, Google scaled back its ambitions. Now the core components are fixed but six slots in the phone will allow users to swap in or out different modules. If everything goes well, the developer edition of the Project Ara phone will ship later this year, with the consumers version coming next year. What is next for smartphones? With gains from new technology get harder come by, companies are looking at modular designs to make the phones great -- and appealing -- again advertisement Over the years, the truly modular phone has in a way turned into the Holy Grail. It is, conceptually, a solution to almost every weakness a smartphone has. It is also, at a time when smartphones are getting boring, a way to make them sexy again. So far the modular phones have failed to sizzle. But LG G5, Moto Z and the upcoming Project Ara phone show that the blocks are finally falling into right place and the promise they hold is a tantalising one. --- ENDS --- The device will be available in India from July 25 with a starting price of Rs 1,19,990. By Indo-Asian News Service: Style and luxury with powerful performance. With these words, HP Inc on Tuesday unveiled the world's thinnest laptop HP Spectre 13 in India which is as thin as a AAA- battery at just 10.4 mm and weighs only 1.1 kg with 13.3-inch edge-to-edge display. The device will be available in India from July 25 with a starting price of Rs 1,19,990. advertisement Coming with a jaw-dropping design, Spectre 13 is equipped with sixth generation Intel Core i5 and i7 processors, 8GB RAM and hyperbaric cooling technology that helps the device draws cool air and directs it over the processor rather than just venting heat out, thus keeping the device cool with peak performance. "Targeted at the youth, the launch of Spectre 13 is to make our mark in the premium market in India. We are already the leader in the overall Indian PC market and with this device, we will push our innovations and experiences deeper into the domestic market," Ketan Patel, Director, Personal Systems Business, HP Inc India, told IANS. "India is poised for a technology leap and Spectre 13 will fulfil the requirements of the young millennials. It is truly a non-compromised product when compared with the rival premium products in the same category," Patel added. Launched by filmmaker Muzaffar Ali and his wife Meera at an event in the capital, the premium notebook has full HD IPS Corning Gorilla Glass 4 display and Bang & Olufsen audio with Quad Speakers Sound. High-gloss copper accents reflect a hand-polished, jewellery-like finish and an innovative hidden piston hinge creates the illusion of a hinge-less design to offer an unmatched premium look-and-feel. An innovative hybrid battery split into two thinner pieces delivers the same wattage as a single battery for up to 9 hours 45 minutes of charge. It has three full function USB Type-CTM connectors, including two of which support ThunderboltTM, to provide a fast, versatile I/O (input/output) connection. "We are at the forefront of delivering industry-leading innovation and HP?'s Spectre 13 is a beautifully crafted Notebook and a reflection of what many millennials aspire to be -- exceptional, cool, dazzling, standing out from the crowd, but making an impact," added Rajiv Srivastava, Managing Director, HP Inc. India. The device packs in a lightning fast PCIe solid-state drive (SSD) with storage up to 512GB with up to 8GB of memory. Being skinny is the new buzzword and HP Inc -- while re-jigging their notebook portfolios for the premium segment -- have joined the race to shed weight and go thin in recent months. advertisement The awe-inspiring Spectre 13 is everything that an artist would want to see in a technology product. The colour, the sleek design, the craftsmanship and sheer elegance of the HP Spectre inspired us to create something that is equivalent in the fashion world," Ali said. --- ENDS --- You won't believe what Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has done to keep hackers and spies out of his laptop. By Javed Anwer: Mark Zuckerberg is one of the richest and arguably one of most powerful men in the world. No wonder he is always on the guard. In fact, it seems he is fairly paranoid, so paranoid that he keeps the webcam and audio jack on his laptop covered with tape. On Tuesday night Zuckerberg posted a photo, celebrating the announcement that Instagram, which is owned by Facebook, now has more than 500 million active users. He was apparently at his work desk and in the photo his laptop was clearly visible showing how he kept parts of his laptop under the pieces of duct tape. Also Read: Zuckerberg hacking serves as reminder to change passwords advertisement The peculiarities in the image were first noticed by Chris Olson, who tweeted about it. 3 things about this photo of Zuck: Camera covered with tape Mic jack covered with tape Email client is Thunderbird pic.twitter.com/vdQlF7RjQt Chris Olson (@topherolson) June 21, 2016 Although it is very very difficult to pull off, theoretically hackers can take control of a webcam in a laptop. In fact, there have been allegations, including by people like ex-NSA contractor Edward Snowden who know a thing or two about electronic surveillance and hacking, that hackers employed by government agencies can remotely use laptop webcams to carry out spying. Now, risk of something like this happening to regular web users is very very low. But for someone like Zuckerberg risk is very high. One of the best ways to avoid surveillance through sensors in mobiles phones or laptops is by taking out their batteries, something that the world saw Snowden doing in the documentary film Citizenfour, especially in the early days of the NSA leaks when he was in Hong Kong. But taking out batteries is not always feasible. Also in devices like MacBook and most of the phones nowadays it is not possible because batteries can't be removed. Also Read: Lesson from Zuckerberg hacking: Silly passwords are the easiest links to break Ironically, even as Tuesday's image by Zuckerberg shows how careful and mindful he is of his privacy, he was sloppy earlier when he reportedly used the same weak password at two services - LinkedIn and Twitter. In 2012, LinkedIn suffered a data breach in which hackers also managed to steal Zuckerberg's login details. These details, including the pass "dadada" was reportedly used recently to gain access to Zuckerberg's Twitter account. --- ENDS --- The Moto G4 hits the market today, the big question is whether it can live in the shadow of the Moto G4 Plus or not. We find out. By Javed Anwer: Motorola, which is now a Lenovo brand, on Wednesday launched the Moto G4 in India. It's a phone that, despite being the successor to the much-vaunted Moto G3, is not exactly creating as much excitement as it should have. But that is not because of any fault in the phone. It's just that this year the limelight has been stolen by the Moto G4 Plus, which arrived in the Indian market around a month ago. advertisement The key question hence, as the Moto G4 hits the market today, is whether it can live in the shadow of the Moto G4 Plus or not. On the first impression, it seems that the world will end up being cruel to Motorola's latest phone in India. There are several reasons, but before talking about that, let's take a look at the device itself. Looks -- this is one area where the Moto G4 scores over its more celebrated brother. And the reason for that is simple. Despite the same size, same contours, same build quality, same curves and the same dimensions, the Moto G4 looks better than the Moto G4 Plus because it doesn't have the fingerprint scanner on the front. The squares scanner button -- which doesn't even act as the home button -- in the Moto G4 Plus is ugly. It also looks totally out of place, with its square design on a phone that has overly curved edges. Then there is shiny frame around the scanner, which too looks out of place and a little gaudy. Also Read: Motorola Moto G4 with Snapdragon 617, 2GB RAM launched in India at Rs 12,499 It is as if this scanner is sort of an afterthought, pasted arbitrarily into the final design of the phone. The Moto G4 without any fingerprint scanner has a design that seems complete, more cohesive. Yes, it also means a lot of empty space on the phone under the screen, but that doesn't break the flow. The whole device looks elegant and classy compared to the G4 Plus. Except this one change in the design, everything else is same, including somewhat cheaper looking plastic back-cover. As I noted in the review of the Moto G4 Plus, the new generation Moto G loses some of the style and character that the Moto G2 or the Moto G3 displayed. The same is true for the Moto G4. It's bigger compared to its predecessor and it is flatter without any curve under the back cover. This flatness means it is slimmer but at the same time it lacks that trademark pebble-shape design that we saw on the Moto G2 or the Moto G3. For a big phone, the Moto G4 fits well in hands. Although some people will still like the more handy Moto G Turbo or the Moto G3. advertisement Quick specs Before we talk about everything else, let's take a quick look at the key specs of the phone. The Moto G4 has a 5.5-inch screen with the FullHD resolution. It's the same screen that you get in the Moto G4 Plus while it is not the best it is definitely among the better ones in its class. It shows punchy colours although the brightness is on the lower side. The Moto G4 is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 processor. It has 2GB RAM and 16GB internal storage. It also has 13-megapixel camera on the rear and 5-megapixel camera on the front. Smooth performer Just like the Moto G4 Plus, the Moto G4 is a smooth performer. Although it is a not a blazing fast phone like the Galaxy S7 or even the OnePlus 3, phones that cost much more, it doesn't show any lag. The animations are smooth whether you are switching between opened apps or drawing the notification shade. Just like other contemporary Motos, the Moto G4 runs an almost unmodified version of Android Marshmallow. Although, there are some extra features like active display and some gesture-based actions -- chop-chop to open flashlight -- that Motorola has added. advertisement Earlier when I reviewed the Moto G4 Plus I found it to be a phone with good enough performance, and the same I can say about the Moto G4. In fact, the core hardware and software in the both the phones is same. So, you will expect the same performance from Moto G4, including a bit of heating during prolonged gaming sessions, although it is something that I will test out in the coming days. Also read: Moto G4 Plus review: Two steps forward, one step back The camera in the Moto G4 is vastly different from the one in the Moto G4 Plus. It uses a different image sensor, although the lens and the flash seem to be the same. The performance of the camera too is different. In fact, starkly different in some scenes. On the basis of brief impression, I have a feeling that the camera in the Moto G4 will be slightly inferior to the one in the Moto G4 Plus in good light and for macro shots. But indoors, where the light is on the lower side, and in scenes with dynamic light -- read evening -- the Moto G4 will click noticeably poorer images compared to what is possible with the Moto G4. More on this subject later but for now, check out these eight image samples (click on thumbnails for bigger size). Caught between old & new advertisement The Moto G4 is an interesting phone. It is definitely a good update to the Moto G3. But it is also a phone that is not as good as the Moto G4 Plus because it lacks the camera that the Plus version sports. At the same time, in terms of performance it is fairly close to the Moto G Turbo, which sells for a similar price. The asking price of Rs 12,499 for the Moto G4 is on the higher side. It is too close to the price of the Moto G4 Plus and that makes the Moto G4 a poorer value for money. The problem for Motorola here is not that of a bad product. The problem for the company is that it has too many good products trying to attract consumers at price points that are very similar. And that is going to hurt the Moto G4. If you want this phone, possible because you can't stand the sight of the hideous fingerprint scanner on the Moto G4 Plus, go ahead. You won't be disappointed with it. But at the outset let me tell you that the Moto G4 Plus is a better buy compared to the phone that Motorola has launched today. --- ENDS --- By Javed Anwer: Nexus 5, a phone launched in 2013 and is still one of the best Android phones, has already "expired" in Google's records and may not get the Android N update in the coming months. According to a web page, made live by Google on Tuesday, the Nexus 5 reached "end of life" stage in October 2015. The page also lists the end of life dates for other Nexus phones. According to the page, here is the status of the current Nexus devices: advertisement Surprisingly, the Nexus 6 is not listed here. Though given the fact that the phone was launched in the second half of 2014, it is possible that it is yet to reach the end-of-life date. The end-of-life dates mentioned here are for the Android version updates. Google says that it is not applicable on security patches, which the company will issue for a device "3 years from availability or 18 months from when the Google Store last sold it". Earlier Google had said that its policy was to maintain software updates for a device for at least 18 months. But mostly the company has maintained the support for far longer. For example, last year when it came out with the Android Marshmallow, the Nexus 5 was provided the Android update even though it was older than 18 months. Also read: 2 years later, Google Nexus 5 is still fastest Android phone. Why? This year the company has released the beta version of Android N for Nexus 5X and the Nexus 6P. For now the Nexus 5 is missing from the action, although some of the Android N screenshots that Google included to showcase Android N on its site were taken on the older Nexus. Still, considering Google has set up a page to tell users about end-of-life dates and has clearly listed Nexus 5 among the older phones hint that company is preparing the Nexus 5 users for the bad news. Nexus 5 is arguably the most successful Nexus device for Google. It was made by LG and it marked a break from the past. Unlike the older Nexus devices, which used slightly older hardware, the Nexus 5 used the similar hardware that powered other high-end Android phones in 2013. This, combined with an aggressive price, made the Nexus 5 a hit among consumers. In the coming weeks, Google will unveil the consumer version of Android N as well as give it a proper name. the company is also expected to launch at least one Nexus phone - possibly codenamed Marlin and made by HTC - around that same time. It is likely that the Marlin Nexus phone may have design and hardware similar to that of the HTC 10, a phone launched in India a few weeks ago. Also read: It's almost certain Android N will be Android Nutella --- ENDS --- advertisement Considering Arora's high compensation he hadn't been able to produce results, so his departure would be accepted by investors. By Reuters: SoftBank Group investors shrugged off on Wednesday the surprise departure of the heir apparent at the Japanese internet and telecoms conglomerate, welcoming founder Masayoshi Son's decision to stay in the top seat for longer. Nikesh Arora, a former Google executive, joined Softbank in 2014 and was named as the next chief executive by Son last year. He invested heavily in SoftBank stock last year. advertisement SoftBank's shares rose 2.6 per cent in morning trade. "Shareholders are welcoming this, I think," said Shigeru Kanno, one of the company's shareholders gathering for the group's annual meeting on Wednesday. "The share rise today reflects investors' hopes that Mr. Son will be in charge for much longer," said Kanno, a pensioner who said he had been a shareholder since SoftBank went public. But analysts said Arora's abrupt exit late on Tuesday raised questions over the conglomerate's disparate investment strategy. Arora had been reshaping the portfolio and bolstering the balance sheet in recent months through a series of asset sales. SoftBank shares have fallen over 15 per cent in the past year, mainly on concerns about US wireless carrier Sprint Corp, in which SoftBank acquired a majority stake in 2013. Arora, who was Google's highest paid executive in 2012, has also been highly paid at SoftBank, raising questions among some investors. He has received over $200 million in compensation over the last two years, though he has sold the $500 million of SoftBank shares he bought last year to Son at a small loss. "Considering his high compensation he hadn't been able to produce results, so his departure would be accepted by investors," said Yoshihiko Tabei, chief analyst at Naito Securities, citing a slow turnaround at Sprint. The fourth-ranked U.S. mobile network provider has struggled for profitability in recent years, and for January-March reported a wider quarterly net loss and added fewer subscribers than expected. To address investor concerns over Sprint, SoftBank has announced three major asset reshuffles in the past month, one of which was the sale of $10 billion worth of shares in the Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding. On Tuesday, SoftBank said it was also selling its majority stake in 'Clash of Clans' maker Supercell to China's Tencent Holdings. Arora was credited for those moves, which brought much-needed stability to SoftBank's finances, as well as bold moves into India's fast-growing tech space - prompting at least some on Wednesday to voice concern. "Mr. Arora did achieve, in terms of finding investment targets that bring returns faster," said Ikuo Mitsui, a fund manager at Aizawa Securities. "They've stemmed the bleeding at Sprint but they've yet to achieve growth. So that's worrying." --- ENDS --- Tanzania Speaking at a UNIDO Expert Group meeting in Mwanza, Tanzania on June 20, J Wakari, General Secretary of the Leather Association of Tanzania (LAT), has outlined the challenges and opportunities facing the domestic tanning industry. Full access to this article is limited to International Leather Maker Subscribers How to Subscribe Subscribing is EASY, you can do it online. Once we receive payment and approve your subscription we will send you a password allowing you online access to additional content like this article. Volkswagen records positive growth in May Worldwide In the period to May 2016, Volkswagen Group delivered a total of 4.2 million units worldwide, representing an increase of 0.8% over the corresponding period in 2015. However, there continues to be considerable variations in growth between the regions. Over 369,500 vehicles were delivered to customers in Europe in May 2016, up 4.6% year-on-year. The Western European market registered a 3.4% growth, mainly from the home market of Germany (+2.6%), France and Italy. Strong growth was recorded in Central and Eastern Europe (+11.7%), despite customers being affected by the tense situation in Russia in the first quarter. In Russia, 13,200 vehicles were delivered to customers in May, a 7.5% increase compared with the previous years figure. The Group delivered 367,200 vehicles to customers in North America in the year to May, representing a slight fall (-1%) compared with the previous year. Audi and Porsche recorded growth in the region but deliveries by the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand fell. In the South American region, 38,100 vehicles were handed over to customers in May 2016 (-20.4%). The results were mainly affected by the current economic trend in Brazil, where a drop of 31.1% has been recorded compared with the previous year. As for the Asia-Pacific region, a 4.1% rise was registered in May 2016, with the main impetus coming from China (+4.9%) and Japan. In the year to May, 1,708,400 vehicles were handed over to customers in the Asia-Pacific region (+ 3.3%). Overall, on a worldwide basis, Audi delivered a total of 164,100 cars in May 2016, up 6.7% year-on-year. Porsche registered a slight decrease for the month with 20,200 vehicles being delivered against 20,600 in May 2015, a fall of -2%. [June 21, 2016] Virtual and Remote Laboratories Market in Europe to Grow at a Remarkable Rate of Over 36% from 2016-2020, Reports Technavio Technavio analysts forecast the virtual and remote laboratories market in Europe to grow at a CAGR exceeding 36% during the forecast period, according to their latest report. The research study covers the present scenario and growth prospects of the global virtual and remote laboratories market for 2016-2020. The two major end-users of the market are institutions and individual learners. The institutions segmented is predicted to dominate the market during the forecast period with 71.75% market share. Technavio education analysts highlight the following four factors that are contributing to the growth of the virtual and remote laboratories market in Europe: Rise in number of students opting for engineering education Stronger e-learning framework Growth of inquiry based learning (IBL) Science fairs and events stimulating interest in STEM-related careers Rise in number of students opting for engineering education Over the years, there has been a significant rise in number of students opting for engineering education. This proves a driving factor for the growth of the virtual and remote laboratories market in Europe. With over 104,000 engineering graduates, France was the ninth largest country in the world in terms of engineering graduates in 2014. Engineering students have to perform hands-on laboratory experiments as part of their curriculum. This is because laboratories allow students to experience the concepts of engineering by conducting experiments, testing hypotheses, observing dynamic phenomena, and forming deductions. One of the challenges for online education in engineering is how to extend the traditional hands-on laboratory settings over the Internet. According to Jhansi Mary, a lead analyst at Technavio for research on education technology, "Virtual laboratories are increasingly being used for experiments that require expensive or unavailable equipment, or poe a danger to the experimenter's life. Institutions that offer engineering need to invest in expensive equipment that will be needed for experiments, which are conducted multiple times, to gather accurate results. As the engineering domain sees growth, more institutions will emphasize on the use of virtual labs to experiment multiple times without causing damage to instruments and tools." Stronger e-learning framework The concept of virtual and remote laboratories has led to cross-institution cooperation wherein students of one university can access the virtual and remote laboratories of other educational institutions. Students can also access work of laboratories, which use high quality infrastructure, in different countries. "Virtual and remote laboratories are also enabling institutions to support distance education and offer cost-efficient learning. It gives students the option to record their laboratory experiments and observations so that they can be reviewed at a later date, complementing traditional classroom education. Such options give students with poorer Internet connections or those having Internet accessibility constraints access to the laboratory as per their convenience," Jhansi. Growth of inquiry based learning (IBL) IBL helps students to acquire conceptual knowledge about their subject and develop inquiry skills. Institutions allow students to perform scientific experiments using virtual and remote laboratories, which are structured, to enhance their pedagogy. There are tools available to teachers, which help to create IBL interfaces with drag and drop features. These tools enable teachers to change language settings and incorporate concept mappers. Teachers can also gain knowledge about the best practices followed by other teachers and share them with other faculty through online communities. Vendors offering virtual and remote laboratories can easily plug in and share their online laboratories. Mock-ups and prototypes are being used so that IBL tools are efficiently implemented by students and teachers. Science fairs and events stimulating interest in STEM-related careers The STEM skills gap in European countries has widened compared to other regions. While Asian STEM students accounted for nearly 20% of the student population, European students accounted for around 2% in 2014. Thus, European countries are focusing on organizing more science fairs, exhibitions, and events that will stimulate students to develop their skills and increase their interest in STEM-related jobs. A network of science fairs, supported by Intel (News - Alert), is being held across Europe, and this is linked to the EU Contest for Young Scientists (EUCYS). EUCYS is linked to national science fairs held in various countries, such as The Big Bang (News - Alert) Fair in the UK, and Eastern European festivals such as AMAVET Science Fair, and Festival of Science and Technology in Slovakia. Browse Related Reports: K-12 Education Technology Spend in APAC 2016-2020 E-learning Market in Europe 2016-2020 E-learning Market in the US 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 [email protected] 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 [email protected]. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160621005111/en/ [ 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 ] [June 21, 2016] EnGenius Technologies Releases Expanded Line of Gigabit Managed Smart Switches EnGenius Technologies, Inc., a leading provider of high-performance, versatile networking and telecommunications solutions for businesses and consumers, today expanded its high-performance Neutron Series Distributed Network Management Solution with the launch of three new Gigabit Managed Smart Switches at HiTec New Orleans 2016 (Booth #1626). The new Managed Smart Switches are designed to provide small- and medium-size organizations with cost-effective, enterprise-class connectivity, peak performance, and scalable manageability for growing networks. The new line of Neutron Series Gigabit Managed Smart Switches include: 48-Port Gigabit Managed Smart Switch (EWS1200-52T) offers 48 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) ports, 4 dedicated GbE SFP fiber ports, and an RJ-45 console port. MSRP $529.00 offers 48 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) ports, 4 dedicated GbE SFP fiber ports, and an RJ-45 console port. 24-Port Gigabit Managed Smart Switch (EWS1200-28T) offers 24 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) ports, 4 dedicated GbE SFP fiber ports, and an RJ-45 console port. MSRP $269.00 offers 24 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) ports, 4 dedicated GbE SFP fiber ports, and an RJ-45 console port. 8-Port Gigabit Managed Smart Switch (EWS1200D-10T) offers 8 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) ports, and 2 dedicated GbE SFP fiber ports. MSRP $129.00 "Our new Managed Smart Switches not only support core business connectivity needs, but with these multi-functional workhorses, cost-conscious small- and mid-size organizations can build a reliable, high-performing network that will scale based on their needs without the burden of high equipment costs or recurring fees," said Bryan Slayman, product line manager for EnGenius (News - Alert). Ideal for installation in small- and mid-sized organizations such as restaurants, hotels, retail, or large homes, the Smart Switch's design and easy-to-use web-based iterface enables effortless and efficient deployment and operation. The Switch offers high-speed Gigabit access for network devices while reducing bottlenecks that can interrupt communications. Key Features and Benefits: Built-in Wireless LAN Controller - Built-in controller-based, localized management supports up to 50 Neutron EWS Access Points for quick AP discovery, configuration, and monitoring. - Built-in controller-based, localized management supports up to 50 Neutron EWS Access Points for quick AP discovery, configuration, and monitoring. Centralize Network Management - ezMaster Software includes remote network monitoring, expanded central management features for 50 or more access points, and rich reporting and analytics with no access point license or subscription fees. ezMaster Software includes remote network monitoring, expanded central management features for 50 or more access points, and rich reporting and analytics with no access point license or subscription fees. Layer 2 Switching Options - Full-featured Layer 2 Switches with advanced security, VLAN/Voice, full QoS features, and energy efficiency support. - Full-featured Layer 2 Switches with advanced security, VLAN/Voice, full QoS features, and energy efficiency support. Easy Web-Based Management Interface - Intuitive interface requires no extensive learning curve for simplified deployment, management, and one-click updates. Availability The Neutron Gigabit Managed Smart Switches will be available August 2016 in North America via authorized distributors, retailers, and value-added resellers. About EnGenius Technologies (News - Alert) Established in 1999, EnGenius Technologies is an industry expert in wireless communications and radio frequency (RF) technology, delivering feature-rich, long-range wireless technology for voice and data. The versatility and performance of the company's solutions lower total cost of ownership, increase productivity, and maximize return on investment. EnGenius' portfolio of networking solutions includes the industry's most comprehensive line of wireless solutions, Gigabit switches, and IP cameras for businesses that deliver long-range connectivity, robust feature sets, and versatility for class-leading performance at affordable price points. EnGenius' cordless business telephone systems and portable handsets deliver extremely long-range and reliable connectivity outdoors, throughout multi-story buildings and in complex environments. For more information visit www.engeniustech.com and follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and YouTube. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160621006457/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 22, 2016] Survey Equipment Market Worth 6.91 Billion USD by 2021 PUNE, India, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new market research report "Survey Equipment Market by End User (Land & Hydrographic), Type (Scanner & Lasers, Positioning, Acoustic, Total Station), Application (Bathymetry, Seabed Mapping, Oil & Gas, Cable Route, Charting, 3D Mapping), and Region - Global Forecast to 2021", published by MarketsandMarkets, The market is estimated to be USD 5.09 Billion in 2016 and is projected to reach USD 6.91 Billion by 2021, at a CAGR of 6.30% between 2016 and 2021. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 ) Browse 120 market data Tables with 94 Figures spread through 218 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Survey Equipment Market". http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/hydrographic-equipment-market-261922059.html Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report. Boom in maritime commerce, increased demand of surveys for error-free nautical charts, coastal management and development, and increased infrastructure development and mining operations are driving the demand for survey equipment across the globe. "Hydrographic survey equipment market to capture the largest share in the survey equipment market" Hydrographic survey equipment market has the largest share in the global survey equipment market in 2016. Offshore and coastal marine infrastructure development fields, such as ports, bridges, effluent disposal systems for major industries, and coastal thermal power plants that use sea water as a coolant are some of the major drivers for utilization of hydrographic and marine geophysical survey equipment that subsequently drive the overall hydrographic survey equipment market. "Construction & civil application to hold a dominant share in the application segment of the survey equipment market" Construction & civil application in the application segment is driving the land survey equipment market as advanced construction techniques that were pioneered in offshore oil and gas construction, and in aerospace and defense, such as standardization and modularization,are becoming increasingly common in engineering and construction purposes. "North America to dominate the survey equipment market" North America is estimated to capture the largest market share in the overall survey equipment market in 2016. The survey equipment market in APAC region is projected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Major factors that are expected to drive the North American Survey Equipment Market include increased demand for 3D laser scanners, and robotic total station. Factors that are expected to drive the Asia-Pacific survey equipment market include the largest railway project in the pipeline that will require 3D laser scanners and total station. Inquiry Before Buying: http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_Buying.asp?id=261922059 In 2015, the key global players in the market were Thales S.A. (France), Trimble Navigation Ltd. (U.S.), Topcon Corporation (Japan), Fugro (Netherlands), and Hexagon AB (Sweden), among others. These companies adopted growth strategies such as new product launches, supply contracts, and business acquisition to capture the majority share in the survey equipment market. Browse Related Reports Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUV) Market by Type (Remotely Operated Vehicle & Autonomous Underwater Vehicle), ROV & AUV Market by Application, by Product, by Propulsion System, by Payload & by Geography - Global Forecasts to 2020 http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/unmanned-underwater-vehicles-market-140710720.html Global Telemetry Market by Application (Healthcare, Telematics, Energy Utilities, Retail, Automation, Logistics, Oil & Gas, Aerospace & Defense, Agriculture, Wildlife, Hydrography, Oceanography), Technology (Wire Link, Wireless, Data Loggers), Sensors, Components, & Geography - Forecasts & Analysis (2014-2020) http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/global-telemetry-market-88563522.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 info graphics 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://mnmblog.org/market-research/aerospace-defence Connect with us on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 22, 2016] Global Cloud Xchange Appoints Bryce Jewell as Managing Director UK LONDON, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Global Cloud Xchange (GCX), a subsidiary of Reliance Communications, today announced the appointment of Bryce Jewell as Managing Director of the UK. Mr. Jewell will be responsible for developing and driving the overall business strategy in the United Kingdom. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160622/382182 Mr. Jewell joined GCX in 2014 as the Director of Corporate Development to lead strategic sales initiatives and was appointed as acting Managing Director of the UK in 2015, where he was instrumental in driving growth across the Enterprise business and building strategic partnerships. "Bryce has been a key member of the senior team in UK and this appointment is an acknowledgement of his accomplishments and leadership abilities over the years," said Mark Russell, President of Europe, Global Cloud Xchange. "His vast industry experience and understading of local business requirements will continue to contribute significantly to our growth strategy and lead our UK operations to the next level of success." Mr. Jewell brings more than 16 years of telecom and technology experience. Prior to joining the company, Mr. Jewell served as Director of Sales for Pacnet (now Telstra) in Europe where he was responsible for driving profitable revenue growth. He has also received many accolades and awards over the years including Top Carrier Sales performer for four consecutive years. His wealth of experience also include management roles at the former Vanco (now GCX), Telstra Internet Direct in Australia and iTet AS in Norway. Mr. Jewell attended Murdoch University in Australia where he studied Applied Science -- Information Systems and Telecommunications Management. About Global Cloud Xchange Global Cloud Xchange (GCX), a subsidiary of Reliance Communications, offers a comprehensive portfolio of solutions customized for carriers, enterprises and new media companies. GCX owns the world's largest private undersea cable system spanning more than 67,000 route kms which, seamlessly integrated with Reliance Communications' 200,000 route kms of domestic optic fiber backbone, provides a robust Global Service Delivery Platform. With connections to 40 key business markets worldwide spanning Asia, North America, Europe and the Middle East, GCX delivers Managed Services to more than 160 countries and offer extensive VPLS-enabled Ethernet network capabilities globally. GCX is equipped to support businesses through the deployment of next generation Enterprise solutions across its Cloud Delivery Networks. For More Information, contact: Genevieve Li Tel: +852 6028 8236 Email: [email protected] [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 22, 2016] Legrand Enables PoE Intelligent LED Lighting at Launch Fishers, Joins Cisco Digital Ceiling Framework NEW LONDON, Conn., June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Legrand, a global leader in high-performance network infrastructure solutions, today announced it has joined the Cisco Digital Ceiling framework. Along with Superior Essex and Platformatics, Legrand will deploy an intelligent Power over Ethernet-based LED lighting system at the Launch Fishers office building in Fishers, Indiana. The facility is a 52,000 square foot building located in the Northeast Commerce Park. The project is part of an upgrade for an open-space concept for entrepreneurs that required high tech amenities such as occupancy sensors, intelligent LED lighting and high speed data directly into the building's infrastructure. As part of the upgrade in the Launch Fishers office facility, 10,000 square feet of space will be transformed into a large work area with 26 conference rooms. These conference rooms could then be tailored to meet the needs of existing or future occupants, and adapt to future changes in the office structure. The first phase of the retrofit will include the installation of Power over Ethernet (PoE) Intelligent LED lighting solutions while also future-proofing it with other PoE-based technologies in the designated 10,000 square foot space. The installation of Cisco Catalyst 3850 Series switches will be used as the networking backbone for Cisco Digital Ceiling framework at Launch Fishers. Legrand's role in the Cisco Digital Ceiling framework is a prime example of how industry leaders are working together to help enterprises embrace the Internet of Things. This initiative brings together solution providers to help copanies digitize their business by connecting building services via a single converged IP network. This evolution to "convergence" results in a smarter building that is seamlessly and securely connected easier to manage, more efficient, improving productivity, safety and the comfort of occupants. "There's never been a better time for innovative enterprises like Launch Fishers to rethink the way they manage building systems," said Tony Shakib, VP of IoT Vertical Solutions, Cisco. "With the age of IoT opening a new era of digital buildings, the Launch Fisher offices are an example of higher-value IoT solutions for the spaces where people live and work." "It was imperative for us to offer our members a work environment that not only offered a higher level of efficiency in terms of building systems management, but also promoted the productivity and positive, innovative thinking we associate with our entrepreneurs," says John Wechsler, CEO of Launch Fishers. "We saw lighting as one major area in which we could significantly improve these aspects of the work space and add significant value to our tenant experience." With this collaboration, Legrand will showcase its solutions supporting the Digital Ceiling community at the upcoming Cisco Live 2016 in Las Vegas, NV this July 10-14 (Booth# 2436). Legrand's booth at Cisco Live will showcase its breadth of solutions highlighted in three spaces: leading-edge data center, modern-day telecom room and smart workspaces. In addition to the main booth, Legrand and Superior Essex will also be featured in the Digital Ceiling Ecosystem pavilion demonstrating the value and efficiency of power, light and data over a converged infrastructure. 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, Luxul, Middle Atlantic, Nuvo, On-Q, Ortronics, Pass & Seymour, Pinnacle Architectural Lighting, QMotion, Quiktron, Raritan, Vantage, Watt Stopper, 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. For more information: Legrand Please email Erin Welch at [email protected] URL: http://www.legrand.us LEWIS Please email Jay Staunton at [email protected] Tel: +1 781 418 2418 To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/legrand-enables-poe-intelligent-led-lighting-at-launch-fishers-joins-cisco-digital-ceiling-framework-300288313.html SOURCE Legrand [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 22, 2016] BlazeMeter Contributes Latest Developments to the JMeter Ecosystem BlazeMeter, the leader in open source-based continuous performance testing, today released a number of key contributions to the JMeter community, helping to advance JMeter from a scripting and load generation tool to a more complete environment where practitioners can develop, debug and execute tests. Leading the list is the BlazeMeter Step-by-Step Debugger, which simplifies and expedites script development in JMeter 3.0 by allowing testers to debug scripts step-by-step and receive updates in real time. Testers can also skip over the step-by-step approach by setting breakpoints and running scripts until that breakpoint is reached. Now JMeter users can easily pinpoint precisely where the components are executed, understand how JMeter scoping works and, for the first time ever, view the execution order of the test plan. The debugger provides testers with a professional-grade tool to speed design and troubleshooting of sophisticated tests. A detailed guide on how to install and use the debugger is available on the BlazeMeter blog. Additionally, a new Keyboard Shortcuts feature dramatically speeds scripting with an entirely new way to drop components into the test plan. Instead of manually inspecting menus to find components, JMeter users can select the command key with another predefined key, enabling them to build entire test plans with a series of keystrokes. As a core JMeter feature, Keyboard Shortcuts is available to all users by default when they install JMeter 3.0. For a demo of this and other helpful new features in JMeter 3.0, view our recent webcast: What's New in JMeter 3.0 and Q&A. BlazeMeter's Chief Scientist Andrey Pokhilko also released the Plugins Manager --- a faster and easier way to work with JMeter Plugins. Historically, installing and removing plugins by downloading file bundles was a complex and manual process that often resulted in menus cluttered with extra plugins. The Plugins Manager eliminates these issues by enabling JMeter users to install and remove plugins through one simple user interface. "We're always looking to develop new features that support the core JMeter community," said Pokhilko. "We've heard from developers that several common functionalities could be improved, so we worked on capabilities that make for an easier and more productive experience with JMeter." "The BlazeMeter Step-by-Step Debugger adds professional-grade power to test development and speeds onboarding of developers and seasoned test practitioners to JMeter," said Dave Karow, Director of Product Marketing at BlazeMeter. "Andrey's Plugins Manager reduces complexity and the Keyboard Shortcut feature enables power users to create test plans in the blink of an eye. These features come directly from our engagement with hundreds of enterprise customers who want to move faster and more confidently with JMeter as they distribute responsibility for performance testing out to agile teams, closer to where development occurs." BlazeMeter's open source initiatives extend beyond the scope of its JMeter contributions. The company continues to support and enhance the open source project Taurus, which offers an automation friendly framework for continuous testing using JMeter and other leading open source tools. At Velocity Santa Clara 2016, Pokhilko will reveal how Taurus can bring load testing up a level by adding a consistent layer of automation and a wider scope of functionality to existing open source tools. Specifically, he will be presenting 'Take Your Load Testing Up a Notch With Open Source (News - Alert) Tools' at 2:10 p.m. on Thursday, June 23. For more details, click on the link here. About BlazeMeter BlazeMeter ensures delivery of high-performance software by enabling DevOps teams to quickly and easily run open-source based performance tests against any mobile app, website or API at massive scale to validate performance at every stage of software delivery. The rapidly growing BlazeMeter community has over 100,000 developers and includes prominent global brands such as Adobe (News - Alert), Atlassian, Gap, NBC Universal, Pfizer and Walmart as customers. Founded in 2011, the company is headquartered in Palo Alto, California with Research & Development in Tel Aviv, Israel. For more information, create a free account at www.blazemeter.com, visit our blog or find us on Twitter (News - Alert) @BlazeMeter and on LinkedIn. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160622005811/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] [June 22, 2016] Denali Holding Inc. Announces Completion of Private Offering of $3.25 Billion of Senior Notes Denali Holding Inc. (the "Company") announced today the successful completion of the previously announced offering by two of its wholly-owned subsidiaries as co-issuers (the "co-issuers") of $1,625,000,000 5.875 percent Senior Notes due 2021 (the "2021 Notes") and $1,625,000,000 7.125 percent Senior Notes due 2024 (the "2024 Notes" and, together with the 2021 Notes, the "Notes"). The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the offering of the Notes as part of its financing for its previously-announced acquisition of EMC Corporation (News - Alert) (the "Dell-EMC Merger"). The proceeds of the offering were deposited in escrow, with such proceeds to be released to finance the consummation of the Dell (News - Alert)-EMC Merger subject to the satisfaction of customary conditions. Upon consummation of the Dell-EMC Merger, Dell International L.L.C., a wholly-owned indirect subsidiary of the Company, and EMC Corporation will assume all of the co-issuers' obligations under the Notes. The Notes will be guaranteed on a joint and several basis by the Company, Denali Intermediate Inc., Dell Inc. and each of Denali Intermediate Inc.'s wholly-owned domestic subsidiaries (including EMC Corporation's wholly-owned domestic subsidiaries following the consummation of the Dell-EMC Merger) that guarantees obligations under the new senior secured credit facilities that will be entered into in connection with the Dell-EMC Merger. The Notes were offered in a private transaction in reliance upon an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), in the United States only to investors who are "qualified institutional buyers," as that term is defined in Rule 144A under the Securities Act, or outside the United States pursuant to Regulation S under the Securities Act. The Notes have not been registered under the Securities Act or the securities laws of any other jurisdiction and may not be offered or sold in the United States without registration or an applicable exemption from registration requirements. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of any of the Notes in any jurisdiction in which such an offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. Dell is a trademark of Dell Inc. Dell disclaims any proprietary interest in the maks and names of others. Disclosure Regarding Forward Looking Statements This communication contains forward-looking statements, which reflect Denali Holding Inc.'s current expectations. In some cases, you can identify these statements by such forward-looking words as "anticipate," "believe," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "confidence," "may," "plan," "potential," "should," "will" and "would," or similar expressions. Factors or risks that could cause our actual results to differ materially from the results we anticipate include, but are not limited to: (i) the failure to consummate or delay in consummating the proposed transaction; (ii) the risk that a condition to closing of the proposed transaction may not be satisfied or that required financing for the proposed transaction may not be available or may be delayed; (iii) the risk that a regulatory approval that may be required for the proposed transaction is delayed, is not obtained, or is obtained subject to conditions that are not anticipated; (iv) risk as to the trading price of Class V Common Stock to be issued by Denali Holding Inc. in the proposed transaction relative to the trading price of shares of VMware, Inc. common stock; (v) the effect of the announcement of the proposed transaction on Denali Holding Inc.'s relationships with its customers, operating results and business generally; and (vi) adverse changes in general economic or market conditions. Denali Holding Inc. undertakes no obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise, except as required by law. Additional Information and Where to Find It This communication does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or a solicitation of any vote or approval, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such jurisdiction. No offering of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and otherwise in accordance with applicable law. This communication is being made in respect of the proposed business combination transaction between EMC Corporation and Denali Holding Inc. The proposed transaction will be submitted to the shareholders of EMC Corporation for their consideration. In connection with the issuance of Class V Common Stock of Denali Holding Inc. in the proposed transaction, Denali Holding Inc. has filed with the SEC (News - Alert) a Registration Statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-208524). The Registration Statement was declared effective by the SEC on June 6, 2016, and a definitive proxy statement/prospectus was sent to each EMC Corporation shareholder entitled to vote at the special meeting in connection with the proposed transaction on or about June 10, 2016. In addition, each of Denali Holding Inc. and EMC Corporation plans to file with the SEC other documents regarding the proposed transaction. INVESTORS ARE URGED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS AND ANY OTHER DOCUMENTS RELATING TO THE TRANSACTION FILED WITH THE SEC CAREFULLY AND IN THEIR ENTIRETY IF AND WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION. Investors may obtain copies of the proxy statement/prospectus and all other documents filed with the SEC regarding the proposed transaction, free of charge, at the SEC's website (http://www.sec.gov) or from Denali Holding Inc.'s website (http://www.dell.com/futurereadydell). Participants in the Solicitation Denali Holding Inc. and certain of its directors, officers and employees may participate in the solicitation of proxies from EMC Corporation shareholders in connection with the proposed transaction without additional compensation. Additional information regarding the persons who may, under the rules of the SEC, participate in the solicitation of EMC Corporation shareholders in connection with the proposed transaction and a description of their direct and indirect interest, by security holdings or otherwise, is set forth in the proxy statement/prospectus filed with the SEC in connection with the proposed transaction. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160622006090/en/ [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ] MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) Northeast dairy farmers who have been strapped for months by low milk prices say a voluntary insurance program that was supposed to be a safety net isn't helping. The margin protection program provides financial assistance to enrolled farmers when the gap between the price of milk and national average feed costs falls below the coverage levels picked by individual farmers. "It's a complete failure," said Les Pike, of Keewaydin Farm in Stowe, Vermont, which has been losing money for months. "If it doesn't pay in a year like this, it's completely useless." Farmers say the margin protection program is not based on Northeast farmers' feed costs but on the national average feed cost, which is less. The chairman of the National Milk Producers Federation testified in Washington last month that the program needs improvements. Randy Mooney, who is also a Missouri dairy farmer, said the formula for calculating feed costs was changed and no longer reflects the true cost of feeding a herd while the insurance premiums for farmers were not reduced. "For many farmers, the (program) is simply not enough to protect them in this economic environment," he told the House Subcommittee on Livestock and Foreign Agriculture. An oversupply of milk in the U.S. and the world has caused milk prices paid to farmers to fall below production costs for months hovering between $14 and $15 per hundred pounds of milk. Consumer prices for milk also have dropped but do not follow the farm prices closely. "Because milk prices are so low ... dairy farmers are producing more milk to keep their cash flow. Obviously that only makes the situation worse," said Doug Dimento, a spokesman for the Agri-Mark, a Northeast dairy cooperative. U.S. milk exports also have declined in recent years, he said. About 13 percent of the country's milk is exported, down about 2 or 3 percent from recent years. Farmers in the Northeast have higher expenses for energy, labor and transportation than other areas of the country, so they're feeling particularly hard hit. Longtime Brookfield, Vermont, farmers Brenda Snow and her husband, who are both in their 60s, decided to sell their cows in June in part due to the prices and because she said they are worn out. "You're doing a lot of work and you're not making any money at that price. You might call it a good decision to retire," she said. Legislation has been introduced in the U.S. House by Vermont Rep. Peter Welch, a Democrat, New York Rep. Chris Gibson, a Republican, and Democratic Rep. Joe Courtney of Connecticut that would amend the Farm Bill to require the Secretary of Agriculture to use data from each state to calculate average feed costs and dairy production margins for the insurance program. But there is a lot resistance to reopening the Farm Bill before it expires, Welch said. The current Farm Bill was passed in 2014 and expires in 2018, his office said. "As it's written right now, our farmers are not getting relief," Welch said. "In fact they need it. We've got low prices and we're moving into the summer when the demand generally declines a bit so it's rough right now." MATTOON (JG-TC) -- Lake Land Colleges Dustin Heuerman has been appointed to serve on the Illinois Community College Board by Gov. Bruce Rauner. A Lake Land press release reported that Heuerman is a criminal justice instructor at the college. He previously worked in law enforcement in Champaign County. Heuerman was appointed to a three-year-term on the Illinois Community College Board, which oversees all of the states community colleges. This board provides recommendations and support with the goal of helping make Illinois community colleges successful. I have no doubt Dr. Heuerman will do an outstanding job representing Illinois community college students and the institutions that serve them," Lake Land President Josh Bullock said in the press release. Bullock said he is grateful for the assistance of state Sen. Dale Righter, R-Mattoon, in Heuerman being appointed to the Illinois Community College Board. Heuerman served as the interim director of the Kluthe Center for Higher Education and Technology in Effingham in 2014-15. At Lake Land, Heuerman has served on multiple committees. This service includes the Salary Advancement Task Force, Strategic Planning Committee, Student Conduct Review Board, Curriculum Committee, and Behavioral Intervention Team. He is the Criminal Justice Club faculty adviser and an honors faculty adviser at the college. Heuerman said, in the press release, that it is educators at community colleges who are responsible for providing students with the skills and training they need to reach their goals, no matter what goals they have set. Only by continuously collaborating with other institutions and establishing community partnerships can this be possible, Heuerman said. Heuerman received an associate's from Lake Land, bachelors and masters in criminology/criminal justice from Indiana State University, and a doctorate in community college leadership from Ferris State University. Lake Land reported that Heuerman also holds professional memberships in the American Association of Community Colleges, Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences and Midwestern Criminal Justice Association. MARSHALL -- Mural artists from across the United States and several other countries are slated to paint 14 murals this week in Marshall as part of a Walldogs event. Visitors are invited to watch the Walldog artists at work, help with the painting, and take part in other festivities Thursday through Sunday downtown. The schedule includes a craft market, children's activities, live music, and more. The Walldogs organization brings together artists who carry on the tradition of old-time sign painters, who were said to work like dogs." The Walldogs regularly hold special events during which they paint murals that are unique to the host communities. The Walldog artists painted several murals in 2012 in Arcola. A welcome dinner for the Walldogs will be held at 6 p.m. today in the Marshall VFW, 112 N. Fifth St. Then, the outlines of the planned murals will be projected onto their various walls at dark. The painting of the 14 murals will begin Thursday morning. Marshall Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Jennifer Bishop said visitors can pick up maps of the mural locations at the Chamber office, 708 Archer Ave., and at local restaurants and shops. "They can just go from one mural to another and enjoy watching artwork come to life," Bishop said. She added that spectators are welcome to "pick up a paint brush and paint" alongside the artists. Bishop said the biggest of the murals will focus on the Handy Writers Colony in Marshall, where author James Jones worked on his 1951 classic "From Here to Eternity." This mural will be painted on the Marshall Family Restaurant, 701 Archer Ave. Two of the murals will portray Abraham Lincoln's time as a circuit-riding attorney in Marshall. Bishop said one depicts Lincoln watering his horse at the Guinnip Well and the other depicts him at the Archer House hotel. The Guinnip Well mural will be painted on the Knights of Pythias building downtown. The Archer House mural will be painted downtown and then moved to its permanent home at Title Max. Bishop said Walldogs coordinator Scott Lindley is a Marshall native, so the community has gone all out to make the event in his hometown bigger than most Walldogs events. Thursday's schedule includes children's craft activities at 2 p.m. at the Marshall Public Library, 612 Archer Ave; a presentation by Dr. Jim Turner, nephew of Handy Writers Colony founder Lowney Turner Handy, at 6:30 p.m. at the library; and a jam session at 7 p.m. at the bandstand. Friday's events include a "From Here to Eternity" film showing at 2 p.m. in the library with author Ray Elliot of the James Jones Society; Market Fair on the Square, MAYN Kids Corner, and VFW Men's Auxiliary fish fry from 4-8 p.m.; "Art & Wine in the Alley" from 8-10 p.m. at Harlan Hall, 603 Locust St.; and a band concert from 8-9 p.m. Saturday will offer a pancake breakfast from 6-10 a.m. in Marshall Baptist Church, 306 Archer Ave.; Market Fair on the Square and MAYN Kids Corner from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; "From Here to Eternity" musical showing at 2 p.m. in the library with Ray Elliot; and an art auction at 6 p.m. at the bandstand, followed by a Dueling Pianos performance. The murals will be finalized on Sunday and each one will be dedicated as they are completed. More information is available at http://www.marshallilchamber.com/walldogs.html. MATTOON (JG-TC) -- The Mattoon Police Department will step up patrols for drunk drivers in preparation for the long Fourth of July travel weekend. Dont even think about drinking and driving this Fourth of July or you will be arrested, said Capt. Ray Hall in a press release. The Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign means zero tolerance for drunk driving. Federal funding for this statewide campaign is administered through the Illinois Department of Transportation. Police officers also plan to step up enforcement of seat belt laws, particularly at night when seat belt usage is lowest. The press release added that buckling up is the best defense for motorists against a drunk driver. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data shows that young drivers are especially at risk of driving drunk. Nationally, 58 percent of the drivers ages 18-34 who were killed over the July Fourth period in 2014 were drunk. Motorcycle operators are also over-represented as the highest percentage of drunk drivers in fatal crashes. In 2014, 29 percent of motorcycle operators in fatal crashes were intoxicated. Those who drive drunk put their lives and the lives of others at risk. Drunk drivers who are arrested face being incarcerated, losing their license, and paying steep fines. Hall said always designating a sober driver and not letting friends drive drunk are two of the simple steps to help avoid a crash or an arrest for drunk driving. Party hosts can be held liable and prosecuted if someone they serve is involved in a drunk driving crash. Hosts should ensure all of their guests designate a sober driver, help arrange ride-sharing with sober drivers, serve lots of food and non-alcoholic beverages, and take the keys away from those thinking of driving drunk. Party-goers should designate a sober driver before the party begins and give that person their car keys. If they do not have a designated driver, they should ask a sober driver for a ride home, call a cab, or just stay where they are and sleep it off until they are sober. Pedestrians are at risk, too. Those walking should keep an eye out for cars. Even a sober driver is a risk if a pedestrian is drinking, walking, and not obeying street signs, police noted. WEST POINT -- Tim Mueller farms about 500 acres near Columbus. He always considered the farm too small to support himself and his sons, 31 and 23. Then he heard about Costco Wholesale Inc.s plans to build a chicken processing plant near Fremont and its need for producers to raise the birds and earn as much as a 7 to 8 percent return on investment. This is a chance to get my boys included in the farming operation and make some decent money. What a golden opportunity, he said during a Monday hearing on annexing 417 acres of farm ground south of Fremont for Costco's proposed hatchery, feed mill and processing plant. But critics of the poultry industry are urging farmers like Mueller to take the companys promises with a grain of salt and read their contracts with a magnifying glass. The details are important," said Lynn Hayes, an attorney and program director for Minnesota-based Farmers Legal Action Group Inc. "In poultry contracts, there is no way that you can tell whether a poultry operation is going to cash flow your loans and make any income until you see every word. Hayes made the comment to about 70 people in West Point Monday and will speak at other informational meetings this week with Mike Weaver, a poultry grower from West Virginia and president of the Poultry Growers Association of the Virginias. Lincoln Premium Poultry, the Georgia-based company created to run Costcos chicken plant, has said its contract will be a far cry from the industry norm. First of all, its a 15-year contract," said Premium Poultry General Manager Walt Shafer, who used to be head of operations support for Pilgrims Pride, one of the nation's largest chicken producers. "That is typically the term of the loan that these growers would go out and borrow to finance the equipment and houses. So were committing to the life of the loan essentially. And the contract will not have a clause that would pit farmers against each other. Often called a tournament system, companies set an average price for chickens, then pay some farmers more and others less based on a formula that measures how well birds put on weight compared to how much feed the company provides. The practice has drawn criticism, but the industry defends it. Premium Poultry says it plans to offer a guaranteed base pay for farmers, plus incentives. If you do well we reward you more, but we dont take pay away. Their pay is guaranteed through the contract," Shafer said, adding that the contract, which has yet to be finalized, will be nonnegotiable. Company representatives have met with about 300 area farmers interested in signing up to host as many as 12 barns, each capable of housing 43,000 chickens, Shafer said. Costco would need a network of about 400 barns in all, according to the Greater Fremont Development Council. The company would own the chickens and provide the feed. Farmers would own the barns and raise the birds. Development Council estimates say building four barns would cost $1.5 million and net the producer $116,600 in annual profits. Weaver, who has been raising chickens on contract in West Virginia since 2001, said the cost estimates appear too low and profit estimates too high. He also scoffed at suggestions by the Development Council that farmers could sell a year's worth of manure for $40,000. If you can get that much, Ill ship you mine, he said. Do the math, he told farmers, and have an attorney look over the contract. If they (Costco) do it right, this could be a good thing for you folks, Weaver said. He also recommended Nebraska farmers create a growers association to advocate for them. Costco had $113.7 billion in sales for fiscal year 2015. President Jack Frank put the company's reputation on the line during a Monday night presentation to the Fremont planning commission. We take care of our members. We take care of our employees. And we respect our vendors, he said. Costco sold 76 million rotisserie chickens at $4.99 each in 2014. But as demand for the savory birds continues to increase supply has become tighter and costs inched up, Frank said. As supply shrinks and demand increases, it is incumbent upon us to find creative ways to develop a sustainable supply, he said. Thats where Fremont comes in. It would process nearly 350,000 birds daily. Nebraska Farmers Union President John Hansen, one of six organizations that sponsored and paid for a series of informational meetings, hopes Costco's reputation and actions will outweigh industry history. "Costco has a good national reputation as a retailer who is known for exacting their practices and standards out of their providers and vendors," he said. "The downside is the reputation and industry standard of the poultry industry, which has been a known problem for some considerable amount of time." Cathy Martinez said her family spent more than $300,000 out of pocket over a four-year period on treatments and services for her severely autistic son, and she worried that the financial resources available to him in adulthood, such as Medicaid and Social Security disability payments, wouldn't come close to covering his living and care expenses. Brandon Verzal, whose daughter sustained a traumatic brain injury at the hands of a daycare provider when she was 14 months old, said, "I don't think there's anything I lose more sleep over," than imagining what will happen to his daughter when shes 20 or 30 or 40 years old." Martinez and Verzal both will have another option by the end of the month. Nebraska Treasurer Don Stenberg announced Wednesday that the state's first Enable Savings Plan will be available June 30. The Legislature last year passed the Achieving a Better Life Experience law, which authorized the accounts to allow children and adults with qualifying disabilities in Nebraska to save and invest money without jeopardizing their eligibility for government benefits. Federal legislation in 2014 paved the way for such accounts. Up until now, adults with disabilities receiving government benefits could have no more than $2,000 in a savings account. The Enable accounts are similar to 529 accounts for education savings. Money is contributed on an after-tax basis and then grows tax free. Distributions are tax free as long as they are used for qualifying expenses. Participants can save as much as $100,000 without losing eligibility for Social Security disability benefits. First National Bank of Nebraska is the program manager for the accounts, and David Cota, an executive vice president at the bank, said it has had considerable interest in the accounts, not just in Nebraska but nationally. "We believe signups are going to be meaningful and significant," Cota said. Nebraska is the third state, after Ohio and Tennessee, to offer the accounts. To learn more about Enable accounts, go to: http://enablesavings.com/. 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. Each week, the Lincoln Journal Star will bring you a list of the upcoming holidays dedicated to the foods we eat -- or need to try. Here's the holiday fare for June 22-28: June 22: National Onion Ring Day. The onions history dates back to ancient times. The onion rings, not so much. Crisco published an onion ring recipe in a 1933 advertisement in the New York Times Magazine. However, it does not claim to be the inventor -- Kirbys Pig Stand, a once popular Texas restaurant chain, says it created the very first onion ring in the 1920s. However, the popularity of the onion ring is credited to A&W restaurants, which introduced it to its menu in the 1960s. June 23: National Pecan Sandie Day. This shortbread-type cookie with pecan pieces inside may date back to medieval Arab times. Pecans provide 10 percent of the recommended daily value of zinc -- a mineral that is crucial in the production of testosterone -- thereby making it an aphrodisiac of sorts. June 24: National Praline Day. The original praline was made of almonds and a caramelized coating. Today, most American pralines contain pecans -- a substitution credited to New Orleans chefs in the mid-19th century. Although the creation of the praline is unclear, most historians agree that pralines are named after 17th century French diplomat, Cesar, duc de Choiseul, whose title was comte du Plessis-Praslin. June 25: National Strawberry Parfait Day. Parfait is French for "perfect." And many would argue that the strawberry is the world's most perfect fruit, which may explain why there are so many strawberry-themed food holidays. The ancient Romans believed that strawberries alleviated many symptoms of illness. Medieval stone masons carved strawberry designs on altars and around the tops of pillars in churches and cathedrals to symbolize perfection and righteousness. In parts of Bavaria, country folk still celebrate spring by tying small baskets of wild strawberries to the horns of their cattle as an offering to elves, who in turn will give them healthy calves and abundance of milk, according to foodimentary.com. June 26: National Chocolate Pudding Day. Historically, American pudding is a variation of British custard. Unlike custard, which is thickened with eggs, pudding uses starches, like flour. In the late 19th and early 20th century, chocolate pudding was thought of as a healthy, high-calorie, wholesome food for sickly people with poor appetites. June 27: National Orange Blossom Day. The day pays tribute to the flower that eventually produces an orange. But the orange blossom can be used in many foods and drinks. Middle Eastern countries often use orange blossom water to flavor desserts and baked goods. The Orange Blossom is also a Prohibition era cocktail of orange juice, gin and sweet vermouth. June 28: National Tapioca Day. Tapioca comes from the fleshy root of the bitter cassava, but is not naturally occurring. Rather, it needs processing to turn it into flake, flour or pellet pearls. Like other puddings, tapioca pudding was once considered a good food for those with delicate digestion or in poor health, according to FoodTimeline.org. The Judicial Nominating Commission has set a July 13 deadline for qualified candidates to apply for the vacancy opened by the retirement last month of Lancaster County District Judge Steven D. Burns. A public hearing at the Capitol has been set for Aug. 4, when the commission will consider candidates. To apply, go to supremecourt.ne.gov. A 26-year-old Lincoln man has been sentenced to 12 years and seven months in federal prison for a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine while he was out of prison last year because he had been released early in error. On Friday, U.S. District Judge John Gerrard ordered Jordan Lybarger's federal prison term to run concurrent with a 20-month-to-four-year sentence he got in state prison in January for operating a vehicle to avoid arrest and domestic assault. When he gets out of federal prison, he will have to serve five years on supervised release. At Lybarger's plea hearing, Bruce Gillan of the U.S. Attorney's Office said the Lancaster County Sheriff's Office and Lincoln police seized meth from Lybarger on multiple occasions in May, July and September of 2015, the largest quantity being more than 100 grams found in a safe in a storage unit. He said one witness had seen Lybarger with about 4 pounds of meth and that he had distributed meth 2 pounds at a time. The state case involved Lybarger driving away when a deputy stopped him April 28 after a check revealed the license plate on the car he was driving wasnt on file, according to court documents. Officers found him a day later at a Lincoln Dairy Queen. He tried to drive away again but was arrested. Lybarger was among hundreds of inmates mistakenly released too early by the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services because of miscalculated sentences and other errors. Tucked away on the main level of the Lincoln Marriott Cornhusker Hotel are the studio, gallery and classroom of the hotel's first artist-in-residence. Margaret Berry says her time at The Cornhusker has come full circle. Years before she began creating art here, she worked as a cocktail waitress in the hotel's Apartment Lounge. And she met John Stevens Berry, the man who would become her husband, when she was serving drinks there. Today, Margaret Berry is the hotel's artist-in-residence, showcasing her art in the atrium of the 10-story brick building at 333 S. 13th St. The artist-in-residence program was created at The Pfister Hotel in Milwaukee in 2009 by Marcus Hotels & Resorts, which is the majority owner of The Cornhusker. It encourages the public and guests to interact with a local artist during their time at the hotel. After The Cornhusker decided to try the program, a committee reviewed a list of 14 artists, narrowed it down to six finalists and then announced Berry as the winner Feb. 1. General Manager Susan Madsen said the committee couldnt have chosen anyone more fitting to represent the hotel, Lincoln's art community or the city itself. A studio artist and teacher, previously the executive director of the Lincoln Arts Council and the first education director at the Lux Center for the Arts, Berry didnt lack experience. Madsen said her well-known face -- and even more so -- her art process and charming personality won them over. Berry specializes in encaustic painting and mixed media work. Encaustic, which means to burn with fire, is an ancient tradition that combines beeswax, damar resin and pigment into hot paint -- a technique once used by Greeks, Romans and Egyptians. Berry uses torches to fuse wax layers to create captivating colors and textures. Shes so good about welcoming guests and stopping what shes doing to explain the process of her art, Madsen said. The nice thing is people can watch or they can make a piece of their own and take it home. Its not an intimidating process and its done so quickly. You cant do that with all forms of art. Adventurist. Thrill-seeker. Risk-taker. Although shes lived in Nebraska all of her life, thats what Berry calls herself. And she's lived up to the descriptions through her art. Who knows whats in store or what will take place in this studio, Berry said. Thats the thrill of it -- not knowing. An artist-in-residence through schools and prisons and in working with visually impaired teens, shes had all kinds of surprises and experiences. With The Cornhusker's artist-in-residence program, shes able to put her Nebraska roots on display. Her work includes real elements -- corn, plants and flowers -- all from Nebraska and a lot from her own yard. She said it reflects a childhood spent mostly outdoors on a Nebraska farm. She took the natural materials she became familiar with as a child and incorporated them into her passions as an adult. Part of what she loves so much about the artist-in-residence program is sharing her own stories about The Cornhusker and hearing stories from guests. Berry is the teacher, but said shes impressed with what shes learned from people strolling through the hotel. Its interesting -- every day, employees or people walking by give me great ideas, she said. You know, they say, 'Maybe you should turn it this way,' and things like that. And thats very enriching for an artist to hear, to hear what people think, because we want to know. Both she and Madsen said the social setting allows people to pop in and out and keeps Berry thriving. Since the program isnt limited to hotel guests, she gets a fair share of visits from employees and people she knows. Its like a party every day, Berry said. As The Cornhusker celebrates 90 years, the staff hopes time the guests spend with Berry gives them a reason to remember the hotel. Margaret really brought life to the end of the building, Madsen said. The people that come, we give experiences, more than just a nights stay. We give artwork -- and a story -- to take home. The Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department has issued food enforcement warnings to: Backyard Burgers, 8500 Andermatt Drive. Eight employees on work schedule lack food handler permits (repeat). No person in charge with food protection manager permit (repeat). Food handler data sheet not up to date. Casey's General Store, 900 South St. Three employees lack food handler permits (repeat); manager only had serve-clean permit (repeat); bleach bottle too strong (corrected); container of antifreeze stored on drink cups; employee drink without lid (corrected). Down the Hatch, 5601 N.W. First St. Two employees lack food handler permits; raw chicken stored in container next to and over ready-to-eat items (repeat); no sanitizer measured at dish machine; nacho cheese at unsafe temp (corrected); spray nozzle attached to hose at mop sink; numerous open beverages in kitchen (repeat). 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 Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA) 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 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 Labour MP Jo Cox. Omar Mateen was a radical Muslim who pledged his allegiance to 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 says 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. In a general sense, democratic forms of government benefit from new ideas and fresh perspectives. Thats how government can evolve and remain effective as the world changes. Nebraska has suffered in recent years from a lack of competition in electoral politics. Too often the Democratic Party has failed to muster a credible candidate, and in some races the party has failed to put any candidate at all on the ballot. The election last week of Jane Kleeb as state chair of the Democratic Party marks a break with that past and creates a possibility that a revitalized party will give Nebraskans more choices when its time to mark ballots. In part, Kleeb owes her ascendancy to the top leadership post in the party to the fractious politics of 2016, when some analysts think the major parties are losing their grip on power. It was supporters of Bernie Sanders who elected Kleeb by 42 votes over Chuck Hassebrook, the partys unsuccessful gubernatorial candidate in 2014. And it escapes no ones attention that on the basis of the statewide primary most Nebraska Democrats wanted Hillary Clinton to be their partys presidential nominee. Fewer Democrats participated in the caucuses that officially named Sanders as Nebraskas preferred choice. Hints to the approach Kleeb might use to grow the party might be found in her record as leader of Bold Nebraska, credited by most as playing a major role in the defeat of the Keystone XL pipeline, which was rejected by President Barack Obama after years of study and delay. Kleeb frequently made note that the Bold Nebraska membership included Republicans and that Republicans were among the organizations donors. Go to any large city or small town in Nebraska and you hear many voices we are progressive, moderate, populist, independent and everything in between and yet the majority of politicians who represent us are on the far-right which means the issues we care about are governed by one voice. We need many voices, Bold Nebraska says on its website. Theres no doubt that Kleeb and the party she now leads face a challenging environment. Her path to victory may have left some hard feelings. Her attempt to run on a unity ticket fell apart when most of members of the ticket withdrew. But the battle to stop the Keystone XL also looked like a lost cause when Kleeb jumped into the fray. At the very least, Nebraskans can expect some originality and innovation to emanate from Democratic Party headquarters in coming months. That will benefit all Nebraskans including Republicans. It's of utmost importance that our climate issues be resolved in order to leave a livable world to our descendants. Carbon emissions must be reduced. A fair approach would be to tax the companies that produce fossil fuels, which would be an incentive for them to produce other, greener kinds of fuel, and pass the tax savings on to American families. The revenue-neutral carbon tax and rebate program would achieve that goal and aid in leaving our children a better, more livable world. According to surveys a great percent of us care about climate change. However few of us do much about it. We recognize that it takes governments and other organizations to take the necessary actions. We say, "I'm just an ordinary person, what can I do?" Yes, to make changes of this magnitude it does take governments and organizations. For this reason, I joined the Citizens Climate Lobby, which seeks to create, "the political will for a livable world." We join with others not just to have numbers; there are other advantages in groups. With the support of colleagues there is less burn out. There are also various abilities among the members which helps action happen. Together we can encourage one another. Declaring that I am concerned accomplishes nothing if I don't actually do something. I may like to think I care about issues and people, but my actions speak louder than my words. Simply putting my name on a membership list is better than nothing. Giving financial support according to my means is a further step up but perhaps I can sign a petition or write a simple letter or speak out to others. As a part of an action organization, I can at least do something. Then I can say "I care." Jay E. Schmidt, Lincoln Nebraska's secretary of state is challenging the conclusions of an ACLU of Nebraska survey that questioned county election officials' knowledge of voting rights for former felons. Secretary of State John Gale said the question asked in the survey done by volunteers might not have been consistent across all counties. None of the eight counties contacted by his office Tuesday could remember getting a phone call in the past month from someone from ACLU of Nebraska, he said. But Tyler Richard, spokesman for the ACLU, said the volunteers did not identify themselves as calling for the ACLU. And they asked a standardized question to all counties: "Can a former felon register to vote?" The survey done between May 27 and June 6 showed nearly half of the county election officials contacted provided inaccurate information related to voting rights for people with felony convictions, the organization said. State law allows a convicted felon to register to vote two years after completing all of the terms of a sentence, which include parole and probation. The voting disqualification is automatically removed by court order at such time. Surveyors said 47 of the state's 93 counties did not give accurate information. Additional counties initially provided wrong information but followed up with correct information. Gale said his office was not aware of any instance in which a felon was denied his or her voting rights. "Admittedly for some counties, this issue does not come up on a regular basis," he said. "But I have no doubt that officials are properly processing every voter registration that comes across their desks, no matter who the applicant may be." The state law, passed in 2005, requires ex-felons seeking the right to vote to sign oaths on voter registration applications swearing they completed their sentences at least two years before registering. Senators had to override a veto by then-Gov. Dave Heineman to put the law on the books. Going forward, Gale said, his office will provide more information about voting rights for felons to county election officials during regularly scheduled training sessions. And information will be posted on the secretary of state website. "My deputy for elections is currently following up with every election official in the wake of this report, to confirm their knowledge of felon voting rights," he said. "Our goal is to preserve the voting rights of every qualified citizen while ensuring that procedures are followed to prevent the possibility of fraud." ACLU of Nebraska Legal Director Amy Miller, who wrote the survey report, said Nebraska is fortunate to have election officials who work hard and run fair and clean elections on both the local and state levels. "However, there is always room for improvement. And when fundamental constitutional rights are involved there is almost no room for error," she said. BLENCOE, Iowa A Nebraska man faces multiple charges after authorities say he kidnapped a woman and fled from police. Lamonte Bertucci of Macy, 26, is charged with willful injury, second-degree kidnapping, assault while participating in a felony, assault on a jailer and several traffic violations. The Macy Police Department contacted the Monona County Sheriff's Office in Iowa on Saturday, saying its officers were pursuing a vehicle heading east on Highway 175. Bertucci failed to stop and seemed to be holding a female passenger as she tried to escape the vehicle. Speeds reached 100 mph after deputies joined the pursuit southbound on Interstate 29. Officers arrested Bertucci when the vehicle stopped south of Blencoe, Iowa. The woman was taken to a hospital with injuries. Barry Gourley, executive director of the Family Service Association of Lincoln, likes to call his organization the champion for families and children. Over the past 125 years, the agency has helped struggling families in Lincoln and throughout the state. Although the charitys founder, economics professor Amos Warner, didnt stick around for long, the Charity Organization Society was well established when he left the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to head back East. Some of the societys first programs (it was renamed Family Service Association in 1945) included employing the poor at a woodyard in return for aid received (1895), providing lodging for the homeless (1900), establishing a visiting nurse program for mothers and children (1904), providing child care for working moms (1909), establishing Legal Aid Services (1910) and joining with Junior League of Lincoln to start a well-baby clinic (1937). Originally, the nonprofit coordinated relief. Now it is more directly involved, like with Women, Infants & Children (WIC). Family Service operates as the state trainer for all WIC employees and serves about 2,700 clients a month who receive vouchers and have access to well-baby checkups. To further support families, the agency offers parenting classes quarterly. I think we make them feel better in regards to support for their children, Gourley said. Family Service established its first before- and after-school program at Huntington Elementary in 1974. And in 2002, Family Service became the lead partner at Community Learning Centers at four public schools. Now it has CLCs and before- and after-school programs in 21 different schools. Many families who cant afford the programs receive scholarships to attend. Over the past 12 years, Gourley estimates his agency has given out more than $6 million in scholarships. Linda Sullivan, director of business and finance for the past two decades, believes the child-care component is one of the biggest benefits Family Service has to offer. Because were in the schools, it adds a level of safety and security for the children, a sense of well-being for their kids, not to have to worry about them being out. Parent Beth Plants said her daughter, Winnie, shed a few tears on the last day of the before- and after-care program at Holmes Elementary in May. The soon-to-be sixth-grader had spent six years there. My daughter woke up and wanted to be the first one there and the last one to leave because she loved Family Service so much, Plants shared. She especially liked knowing where her daughter was and that she would get outdoor time. Staff also made sure Winnie finished her homework, which taught her an important life skill, Plants added. The agencys involvement with children doesnt stop with child care. Its behavioral health program supports 15 elementary, middle and high schools in Lincoln and helps students be successful in that environment. This year, the program expanded into Saunders County and eight more schools. Sherri Beldin, community resource specialist, goes into homes and schools and supports families who are having difficulty handling their childrens behavior or even paying their bills. Some other examples of the behavioral health programs implementation include an anger-management class at Lincoln High and social-skills training, which is integrated into the before- and after-school program. Sullivan commented that Family Service had a good response to a recent behavioral health program survey, with several students writing paragraphs about how much it had helped them. The behavioral health aspect will continue to be a focus during Family Services summer school programs, which run from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. at five elementary schools. By far the biggest program Family Service sponsors is the child and adult care food program, which serves 1,000 in-home care providers and credits $500,000 in snacks and meals each month. It is active in 85 of Nebraskas 93 counties and serves 16,000 families. Heather Nolan of Grand Island has used the food service program for 12 years. Its a great program, and it helps you make sure youre getting the right nutrition, said Nolan, a day-care provider. She attends regularly scheduled in-services and looks forward to visits from Sherryl Gannon, Family Service child care food program consultant. During home visits, Gannon alerts Nolan to any errors with her reporting and explains how she can meet her in-service hours and fine-tune her recordkeeping. Nolan shared that the in-services she attends are motivational. Shes learned that she can try things and experiment. Instead of saying Heres your food, you can ask, Whats on your plate? she explained. RACINE COUNTY A Chicago man has been charged with two felonies for allegedly using another mans IDs to obtain a loan and buy a $24,888 Polaris Slingshot motorcycle from a Union Grove business. Earl D. Chapman, 36, of the 9000 block of South Normal Ave., was charged in Racine County Circuit Court Tuesday with felony personal ID theft for financial gain and felony theft false representation, both as a repeat offender. According to online records, he has been in custody at the Racine County Jail since May 26 and is being held on $25,000 bail. He is also on a probation hold, so even if Chapman were to pay his bail, he would not be released. According to Chapmans criminal complaint, on May 24 a Racine County deputy spoke to the general manager at Schauer Power Center, 1621 Main St., Union Grove. The manager said that on May 2 a man, later identified as Chapman, bought a Polaris Slingshot with identification that turned out to belong to another Chicago man: an Illinois drivers license with his own photo on it, a W-2 form and proof of insurance. Chapman was also approved for financing through Landmark Credit Union to buy the three-wheel 2016 Slingshot. On the purchase agreement Chapman also reportedly used the other mans Social Security number. When the deputy contacted a Waukesha Police Department detective as part of the investigation, the detective said the man who gave another mans name during the transaction might really be Chapman. The detective said he thought Chapman was part of a group that was going to multiple communities and buying vehicles with false information. The drivers license photo was identified as Chapman, who allegedly admitted to entering multiple businesses and acting as other people to secure loans and buy vehicles. According to online court records, Chapman also has four other felony charges pending against him, filed in court on May 6: two counts of theft of more than $10,000 by false representation and two counts of misappropriating ID information to obtain money. WHEATLAND Two Wheatland residents reported seeing a cougar or mountain lion near 52nd Street in western Kenosha County Tuesday morning, police said. Kenosha County Sheriffs Sgt. Daniel Ruth said the residents, living in the 35600 block of 52nd Street, spotted the animal at about 10:30 a.m. Tuesday in the back wood line of an area residence. Both residents independently said that they observed what they believed was a large cat consistent with a North American mountain lion or cougar coming out of the wood line, Ruth said . The residents reported that the large cat appeared to be looking around, and walked back and forth before retreating back into the woods, Ruth said. One of the residents also said that several chickens have gone missing from her residence in recent days, but was unsure if this is related to the alleged cougar sighting, Ruth said. Kenosha County sheriffs deputies responded to the report along with a Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources game warden to check the area. A DNR biologist also responded to the scene to attempt to verify the report, Ruth said. Kenosha County Sheriff David Beth sent out an emergency phone call via voice message and text to area residents within a three-mile radius of the sighting alerting them to the incident. In the message, Beth urged residents to stay away from the animal if seen. The Justice Department bumbled its way through the release of redacted 911 transcripts of conversations negotiators had with Orlando nightclub shooter Omar Mateen this week until it reversed course after facing withering criticism. In its less-than-honest initial decision, the Justice Department decided to omit the shooters allegiance pledge to the Islamic terrorist group ISIS and its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., called the initial release preposterous. We know the shooter was a radical Islamist extremist inspired by ISIS, Ryan said. 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. Spot on. Later in the day, the Justice Department did just that and released the full transcripts. Attorney General Loretta Lynch offered up the lame excuse that the department edited the transcripts to avoid revictimizing those people that went through this horror. We also did not want to provide the killer or terrorist organizations with a publicity platform for hateful propaganda. Nonsense. The attempt to downplay the evils of Islamic extremism ill serves the American public who have every right to know what they are up against. Omitting names to avoid publicity is simply burying our heads in the sand. It particularly does no good to the families and friends of victims of the mass shooting. They want answers and they deserve them in order to understand what went on and to help them through the grieving process. As Florida Gov. Rick Scott put it, I have gone to funerals. Ive sat down and cried with parents. Ive gone and visited individuals in the hospitals. They are grieving. Now they want answers. If it was my family I would want answers. We all would like answers. She (Lynch) should release everything that doesnt 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 doesnt make any sense to me. We have to get serious about destroying ISIS. Thats a memo that should go straight to the Obama White House. Downplaying the threat of radical terrorism will not make it go away. The nation needs to know its enemies and to name them. Our granddaughter recently finished a wonderful school year in the all-day 4K program at Racine Unifieds Early Education Center. She left friends and a school she was familiar with in late October when she moved here from Rhode Island. She had a new routine, new teachers and new classmates on her first day of school here. Her Racine classmates had been already been together for two months. She quickly found herself at home at the school, thanks to its nurturing staff. She was eager to get on the school bus in the morning, and she was eager to tell us about her day at school when we picked her up in the afternoon. She was equally enthused about the after-school program. Her familys move back to Wisconsin was eased greatly by such a smooth transition to her new school. We were delighted to have her share her school with us on Grandparents Day and we are delighted that she had such a positive experience at the school. Thank you to the administrators, staff, and teachers at the Early Education Center. Racine is fortunate to have such a wonderful program! Cindy and Mark Hertzberg Racine Republican Sen. Ron Johnson returns to the floor of his Oshkosh plastics company for his second ad of the 2016 campaign. The ad, part of a $1.3 million buy for the month of June, is set to run statewide on TV and online. It tells a bootstraps-style story of Johnson, who says he "start(ed) from the bottom" washing dishes in 1970 at a Walgreens grill for $1.45 an hour at age 15. The dishwashing trope isn't new to Wisconsin politics. Gov. Scott Walker makes frequent mention on the campaign trail and in policy speeches of his first job, washing dishes at the Countryside Restaurant. Johnson then points out a machine he says he helped install, then operated while working 12-hour night shifts at PACUR, the manufacturing company he helped launch in 1979. "Now I'm working hard to keep Wisconsin prosperous and America safe," Johnson says. It's the second ad highlighting Johnson's business background. The first sought to cast Democratic challenger and former Sen. Russ Feingold as a career politician, although Johnson's campaign has yet to name Feingold in an ad. While Johnson, 61, is the incumbent, he is currently serving his first term in the Senate, his first elected office. Feingold, 63, served three terms in the Senate between 1993 and 2011 and was a state legislator before that. Johnson ousted him with a five-point victory in the conservative wave of 2010. Johnson has been deemed one of the most vulnerable senators up for re-election in 2016. Feingold launched his fifth ad of the campaign late last week. A Marquette University Law School poll released last week shows Feingold leading Johnson, 45 percent to 41 percent. His lead is one point smaller than it was in March. 24 Nepali workers return from Kabul (with name list) Along with the mortal remains of 12 Nepalis killed in the Monday's suicide bombing in Kabul, twenty-four Nepalis working in Afghanistan have also made their way back home on Wednesday. Nepali woman elected in UN CEDAW committee Bandana Rana is the first Nepali to get elected in the UN CEDAW Committee. Rana got elected as UN CEDAW member with 106 votes. Brawl breaks out at NSU programme, one injured A brawl broke out among the students of Nepali Congress (NC) aligned Nepal Students Union (NSU) during a programme chaired by senior NC leader Ram Chandra Poudel in Kathmandu on Wednesday. Brazil 'Olympic' jaguar shot dead A jaguar has been shot dead shortly after it was used in an Olympic torch relay in the Brazilian city of Manaus, the army said. Chair Dahal cancels his Australia trip Chairman of the CPN Maoist Centre, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, has cancelled his Australia visit in the eleventh hour due to his busy schedule. Dahal was scheduled to leave for Australia today itself. China denies selling human flesh as tinned corned beef in Zambia in Africa China's foreign ministry has denied reports that Chinese food companies are canning human flesh and selling it in Africa as corned beef. Dream of a golden future Fundamental reforms of the political parties are necessary if we are to ensure democracy and development Dream of better life turns into despair for Kabul terror victims Chandra Bahadur Rana Magar had quit police service after witnessing eight of his friends killed in a battle with the Maoist rebels in 2003. EU referendum: Leave and Remain clash in BBC Great Debate Leading names from both sides of the EU referendum have traded blows in a live TV debate at Wembley Arena on the eve of the final day of campaigning. Govt buckles under pressure, to return amendment bill With the removal of key provision designed to ensure good corporate governance, the revised bill drew sharp criticism from the bankers and economists Govt forms team to review online media directive Govt agrees to form review team after journalists flay the clauses contradicting the constitution Jordan declares Syria and Iraq borders closed military zones Jordan has declared its border regions with Syria and Iraq to be closed military zones after a suicide bombing on Tuesday that killed six soldiers. Killing of innocent Nepalis cowardly and inhuman: PM Oli Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said the cold-blooded murder of innocent Nepalis who had gone to Afghanistan for employment is 'cowardly and inhumane'. Kings College to host meet on social entrepreneurship Kings College is organising International Conference on Social Entrepreneurship on June 30 and July 1. Lessons from tragedy Leaders should fix the mess at home, not merely give lip service to Kabul carnage Menarche celebration Women are agreeable to marking their first menstruation cycle, but with close ones Ministers flayed for anti-charter acts Lawmakers from the opposition Nepali Congress on Tuesday accused the government of tolerating some high position holders who have publicly gone against the constitution, demanding their immediate resignation. Kabul suicide bombing: Bodies of 12 Nepali victims arrive home, relatives receive bodies The bodies of 12 Nepalis killed in Kabul suicide bombing were flown to Kathmandu from the Afghan Capital on Wednesday. NAC plane reaches Kabul to bring home bodies of dead (Update) The special aircraft chartered to bring the mortal remains of Nepali nationals who lost their lives in Kabul attack on Monday has reached the Afghan capital on Wednesday, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Nepal-China meet deferred until next notice Finding ways to implement the deals signed during PM Olis visit to China were on the list of agendas for the meeting Officials hint at ban on working in Afghanistan In the aftermath of a deadly terrorist attack that claimed lives of 12 Nepalis in Kabul, senior government officials have hinted that there could be a blanket ban on migrant workers from going to Afghanistan. Picking deputy a tough call for NC President Deuba As per the party statute, all the nominations were supposed to be made within two months of the general convention that concluded on March 7 Protesting gas bottlers reject delivery orders Gas bottlers did not collect purchase delivery orders (PDOs) from Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) in protest against the governments decision to ban Himalayan Petrochemicals following an explosion of its HP Gas cylinders in which three people were killed. Rio 2016: Jaguar in Amazon torch relay shot dead A jaguar has been shot dead shortly after it was used in an Olympic torch relay at a zoo in the Brazilian city of Manaus, the army said. Sexual violence victims wary of case Rights activists argue that the government is not doing enough to reach out to the victims of sexual assault. Traffic resumes at Narayangadh-Muglin road stretch The vehicular movement along the Narayangadh-Muglin road stretch resumed after landslide debris was removed from Khalikhola area. UN General Secretary condemns Kabul attack UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has condemned the attack in Afghanistan capital Kabul which killed 12 Nepalis on Monday. Wukan, China: Villagers rally behind chief after 'confession' Residents of a village in southern China that staged a revolt in 2011 over corruption have rallied demanding the release of the village chief. 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 The Uganda National Examinations Board has explained its role in clearing Members of Parliament whose academic credentials court has since found to be wanting. Daniel Odong, the executive secretary of the exams body says although he has not looked at the documents for the affected MPs, their board only verifies academic documents as required by the law. He explains that the legal requirement is that one presents their Alevel certificate. He says UNEB is not mandated to ask whether one did Primary One or Primary Seven and from where or whether they actually went to secondary. Last week, the Jinja High Court threw Lugazi Municipality MP Isaac Mulindwa Ssozi out of Parliament citing lack of academic qualifications. Earlier, the High Court in Kampala declared Busiro South MP seat vacant after NRMs Peter Ssematimba was found lacking the requisite academic papers. The High Court in Mbale also nullified the election of Vincent Waboya of Budadiri East Constituency over lack of academic qualifications. Lawmakers in the Senate are slamming the brakes on any future plans to develop new camouflage and utility uniforms. Buried inside the recently-passed Senate version of the National Defense Authorization Act for 2017 is a provision that would prevent the Defense Department from developing or fielding any new camouflage utilities until one year after the secretary of defense formally notifies the House and Senate Armed Services committees of the intent to do so. Lawmakers and Defense Department officials have long had a sticky relationship over the issue of camouflage and the many patterns the various military services use. In 2009, Congress attempted to slip a provision into the defense budget that would require the services to adopt a common ground combat uniform. In 2013, lawmakers again inserted language requiring a common pattern. Some military brass pushed back, however; then-Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James Amos said the Corps planned to stick to its propriety MarPat camo "like a hobo on a ham sandwich." Development of new camouflage patterns can be costly--the Washington Post reported that the Army's "universal" Army combat uniform camouflage cost $2.63 million to develop--and not all are great successes. The Navy has taken heat for its blue Navy Working Uniform Type 1 pattern, which is worn aboard ships, and which critics have said will only work as camouflage if sailors fall overboard. A 2012 Government Accountability Office report found the Army stood to spend $4 billion over five years as it selected and fielded its next family of camouflage uniforms. That process is ongoing; the Army is now fielding its Operational Camouflage Pattern, with plans to require its use for all troops by 2019. The 2017 Senate version of the NDAA must still be reconciled with the House version, which does not include the camouflage provision. That's expected to happen later this summer. KENDALLVILLE Kendallvilles newly crowned Miss Indiana Brianna DeCamp and Miss Indianas Outstanding Teen Jordan Axel were honored Tuesday evening with a surprise ride on a fire truck, keys to the city and accolades from hundreds of onlookers along Main Street and those gathered in front of City Hall. It was a community welcome home for DeCamp, who was crowned Miss Indiana Saturday night at the Miss Indiana Scholarship Pageant in Zionsville, and Axel, who was crowned Miss Indianas Outstanding Teen. This is so cool, said DeCamp as both young women addressed the gathering. How cool it was seeing so many people in the community supporting us. I will do my very best to represent this community and state. This is my time to give back to those who have supported me. Mayor Suzanne Handshoe and Ann Barnard of Kendallville secretly planned the community surprise. Handshoe invited DeCamp and Axel to join her for a meal at Applebees before the City Council meeting Tuesday, but the fire truck was waiting to pick them up at the restaurant. Kendallville traditionally has honored its state winners with a fire truck ride through the city. This so seriously crazy, remarked Axel, who thanked everyone for their support and paused to acknowledge her school friends among those gathered in front of City Hall. Im so grateful to this community. Miss Indiana Scholarship Pageant producer Craig Munk of Kendallville introduced Axel by saying she was Miss Fort Waynes Outstanding Teen at the pageant, but now that she is Miss Indianas Outstanding Teen, Kendallville can claim her as its own. In another surprise, DeCamp was given the keys to a 2016 Chevrolet Equinox to use for a year from Shepherds Chevrolet Buick GMC of Kendallville. DeCamp, 22, the daughter of Brian and Jodie DeCamp of Kendallville, and Axel, 17, the daughter of Michael and Natalie Axel of Kendallville, were honored at the City Council meeting. Handshoe presented them with keys to the city. Axel leaves July 29 for Orlando, Florida, where she will represent Indiana in the Miss Americas Outstanding Teen Pageant Aug. 2-6. The pageant is not televised. DeCamp, who was Miss Limberlost in the state pageant competition, will represent Indiana in the 96th Miss America Pageant Sept. 6-11 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. ABC is televising the finals on Sept. 11. Both young women received all-expenses-paid trips to the national pageants. Axel received $4,500 in scholarships at the state pageant, and DeCamp received $10,000 in scholarships. Sara Engerman Church, formerly of Kendallville, was the citys first Miss Indiana in 1997. Before Axel, DeCamp was Miss Indianas Outstanding Teen in 2011. Brooke Campbell of Kendallville was the state teen winner in 2012, and Maddie Bryant was the state teen winner in 2014. Munk described how great it was to see two Kendallville young women, Axel and Anna Wicker, on the stage together holding hands before the first runner-up and then the winner were announced Saturday. Wicker was named first runner-up to Axel. Youre on your way, and Kendallville will be behind you the whole way, Munk said to Axel and DeCamp before the City Council. This is the first time in state pageant history that two young women from the same community have been named Miss Indiana and Miss Indianas Outstanding Teen. With millennials ascending, the world is sick of lousy leaders. Servant leadership is the answer. James Hunter spoke about the importance of inspiring employees through servant leadership during his keynote address Wednesday at the second annual Wisconsin State Conference on Servant Leadership at Viterbo University, the fourth time he has spoken at the university. Hunter, consultant to household names such as American Express and McDonalds, penned The Servant almost 20 years ago. Servant leadership guru Dave Skogen, chairman of Festival Foods, the company his family founded in 1946, admires Hunter. Viterbos master of arts in servant leadership degree program, which started in 2001, presented the conference Tuesday and Wednesday. With a theme of La Crosse-style servant leadership, the conference offered sessions on how to use servant leadership techniques to motivate employees, grow companies and communicate more effectively. Tom Thibodeau, director of the Viterbos servant leadership program, which focuses on collaborative leadership skills and public service, and Viterbo President Rick Artman started off the days events. Artman spoke about how servant leadership has become one of Viterbos premier programs, training future business and organizational leaders. One of the things we believe at Viterbo is if service is beneath you, leadership is beyond you, Thibodeau said. Dave and his wife, Barb Skogen, introduced Hunter, whose presentation was sponsored by the Skogens and the Viterbo University Paula Ripple Comin Fund. Dave Skogen briefly recounted how he came to know the business expert nearly 20 years ago. An acquaintance had given Skogen a copy of The Servant, saying it was required reading at his company. Dave was on the way to a conference and read the book on the flight, not knowing that the conferences keynote speaker was none other than Hunter. Skogen said Hunters book book inspired him, and Skogen introduced himself to Hunter backstage after the speech. Hunters philosophy of servant leadership inspired Skogen to change the corporate culture at Festival, and the two have been colleagues ever since. During his remarks, Hunter focused on how rapidly the world is changing, especially the business world. Growing up in Detroit in the 1950s, he said he saw firsthand what happens when leaders fail the people they serve. Old models of leadership only care about the person from the neck down, he said, while servant leadership focuses on the neck up. True leaders are able to motivate and inspire their colleagues, unleashing their creativity and ambition to make their company or organization a better place. Creating an employee-centered culture focused on servant leadership has helped make companies like Southwest Airlines and Starbucks household names, he said. When Herb Kelleher started Southwest more than four decades ago, analysts told him he was crazy to focus on his employees first instead of the customer. Hunter added that Southwest has had 43 years of profits, unlike other major airline firms that have suffered from mergers, bankruptcy and the aftermath of 9/11. The data is in, he said. The data on servant leadership is in and you cant touch it. Character and culture are two important aspects of servant leadership, Hunter said. Both are incredibly important in a world sick of lousy leaders who act more like little tyrants. Great leaders are focused on others and are able to capture both the heads and the hearts of their employees. Leadership is very simple, he said. It is the skill to influence and inspire people to excellence. Can you get your people to own it? Chuck Roth, director of business administration for Quincy Media and the 2015 Oktoberfest Festmaster, will be inducted into the Wisconsin Broadcasting Hall of Fame on June 23, during the Wisconsin Broadcasters Association conference at the Radisson Hotel. Roth is one four inductees being honored, along with Lindsey Wood Davis, Aline Hazard and Larry McCarren. Roth got his start in broadcasting during high school, working part-time for WCLO Radio in Janesville. Roth graduated from UW-Stevens Point in 1980. Roth worked for WQOW-TV in Eau Claire for five years before moving to La Crosse in 1988 to take the position of vice president and general manager for WQOW and WXOW-TV. The time I spent at WXOW and WQOW was the most meaningful of my career, Roth said. I worked with outstanding individuals, and we accomplished so many of the objectives we set out to achieve. After 20 years at WQOW and WXOW, Roth was promoted to director of business administration for Quincy Media, the stations parent company, located in Illinois. Rather than relocate, Roth chose to operate out of an office in La Crosse. I feel very fortunate to have worked my entire career in Wisconsin, Roth said. Roth has served many roles in the community, including board president for the La Crosse Area United Way, La Crosse Community Theatre and Weber Center for the Performing Arts, and member of the La Crosse Chamber of Commerce and WBA board of directors. There is so much about broadcasting that I enjoy, Roth said. But the opportunity to be of service to our community, that would be at the top of my list. Its a college brochure cliche, the image of college student stretched out on the cool green grass of Bascom Hill. And it could be a more popular summertime sight in the future at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. This year, students attending summer session have more course choices than ever before, including more online options. And the universitys schools and colleges have greater incentive to offer students the classes they want and need under a plan outlined a year ago. That plan called for a concerted effort by UW-Madison to increase the number of undergraduate students attending summer session by nearly 50 percent to 9,241 and double revenue to $21.4 million by 2020. Ramping up summer session is a no-brainer UW-Madison Chancellor Rebecca Blank told faculty last fall. Many of our buildings are empty 3 1/2 months a year. Not only will more class offerings that meet students needs boost campus revenue during a time of steep cuts in public funding, it also will enable students to save some money, Blank said. By offering courses students need to graduate, we can reduce time to degree and student debt, while reaching out to new audiences, she said. Who doesnt want to come to Madison in the summer? More offerings enabled Anna Rossmeisl to take on a tougher schedule this summer. Its bittersweet, Rossmeisl said last week of getting into a summer math class only after the number of discussion groups was expanded from two to three. That meant the aspiring engineering major would be taking two classes calculus and chemistry in the eight-week session. Its really helpful to take classes over the summer; that way I can get a jump-start on the course work, Rossmeisl said. But its really competitive, youve got to keep up. Many of her friends are going to school this summer, too, she said. I feel like everyone at some point takes a summer class. The summer session model at UW-Madison was not cutting it anymore, a campus committee concluded in a report released in May 2015. The fiscal model was outdated, the report authors wrote. And the program lacks agility to address student needs and lags behind peers in terms of innovation and revenue generation, said members of the UW-Madison Summer Term Committee. Fewer UW-Madison students enrolled in fall semester chose to go to summer school than at other big public universities, the committee found. For example, 48 percent of fall 2013 students at Michigan State attended summer school there in 2014, compared to 21 percent of students at UW-Madison, according to data included in the committee report. In an era of decreased funding, emerging technologies, and increased global competition, the university must question old assumptions and embrace its leadership role among 21st century institutions of higher education. Repositioning summer term is a place to start, the committee concluded. Summer term 2016 is a test run of the Summer Term Committees recommendations, said Sarah Barber, assistant dean in the Division of Continuing Studies and director of summer term. Key among the recommendation is a new budget model designed to spur schools and colleges on campus to increase their summer offerings. In the past, summer session tuition revenue went to a central campus fund, which allocated money to schools and colleges to run summer school. Under a new model, schools and colleges will get all tuition revenue from the summer classes they provide, send baseline revenue (the level generated before 2016) to central campus, and keep 80 percent of new revenue. The remaining new revenue will be split evenly by central campus and the Division of Continuing Studies. Such a model incentivizes revenue growth and rewards cost control, the Summer Term Committee said. Schools and colleges will take a much greater role in evaluating student demand and assessing the return on investment of summer courses. This is an experiment, Barber said. Well spend a lot of time reviewing it after the summer. The summer term committee also recommended attracting new groups of students, including high school students and international students. Those groups are not yet a priority growth area and pose challenges, Barber said, including additional academic and social support needs of pre-college students and differing academic calendars in the home countries of international students. But campus administrators have been focused for several years on better utilizing summer instruction, she said. We are getting more nimble at addressing student needs. Demand for classes required in several areas of study may be so high that they are difficult to get into during the fall and spring semesters and administrators are being more intentional about identifying those courses and offering them in summer, Barber said. Anatomy, for example, was never before offered in summer despite high demand. A summer course offered this term has an enrollment of more than 100 students, she said. Introductory courses in microeconomics and macroeconomics, always popular in fall and spring semesters, previously were offered in summer only in small sections of 20 or so students. New online offerings in both courses allow for enrollment of more than 100 in each, Barber said. Student demand is very strong. Much of the growth in course offerings is in online versions, following a trend of several years. For summer 2016, nearly two-thirds of new offerings 47 of 71 courses are online, Barber said. And online courses are a growing portion of summer term enrollments, which is the total number of classes taken by students, many of whom take more than one. Online summer enrollment has more than tripled since 2012, to 5,166, so that one-quarter of summer 2016 enrollment is online. Online courses are especially attractive for summer term, when the option to participate anytime, anywhere fits in with student summer expectations of going back to their hometowns or working longer hours while staying in Madison, Barber said. Online courses are not a potentially unlimited source of new revenue, however, UW-Madison officials say. They remove some limits on the number of students that can be enrolled, but they are costly to develop, said James Montgomery, associate dean in the College of Letters and Science. The college is boosting its offerings substantially this summer with 50 new online and face-to-face courses, for a total of 210, Montgomery said. Summer classes are designed to offer an experience comparable to other semsters, he said. The college uses a mix of faculty, adjunct and graduate student instructors for summer. Most faculty members are on nine-month contracts, so teaching summer school is an opportunity to earn extra salary, while it provides academic staff and graduate students an opportunity to gain teaching experience. Summer courses provide the same number of classroom hours, with classes meeting more often or for longer periods during the abbreviated eight-week session, he said. The new budget model was well-received by department heads in L&S, where deciding what to offer in summer is pretty much left up to each department, Montgomery said. Allowing colleges and schools to keep some revenue from summer session may remove the financial barriers to more offerings. They see that if they teach more than in the previous summer, theyll capture some revenue, he said. Weve had some that have been saying for years they would like to do more in summer. It will take a few years for departments to learn how best to respond to the new model, Montgomery said. Expanding summer programs is a trend among members of the North American Association of Summer Sessions, said president Gary L. Simon. The Connecticut-based nonprofit organization assists its members in developing summer session standards and programs. Id like to think the strongest reason is to provide more flexibility for students to get the courses they need and graduate sooner, but with cutbacks in state and other funding, summer school is a revenue generator, said Simon, director of adult and summer programs at the University of Tampa. And while it generates revenue, summer school typically has lower additional costs associated with it, he said. The facilities are in place, the air conditioning is running, the maintenance and cleaning crews are already on campus, Simon said. So the overhead associated with growing a summer program is relatively small. Faculty, however, may not be eager to teach in summer if they are planning to focus on research without the distraction of classes, Simon noted. Whats more, students may find that they have used up federal financial aid in the fall and spring, and dont have any left to pay to summer school, he said. Simon pointed with enthusiasm to a U.S. Senate panel recommendation to expand funding of Pell grants to low-income students to include summer sessions. UW-Madison stepped up to fill the financial aid gap by increasing aid offered this session ten-fold, to $250,000. Funding for the expanded aid was from discretionary balances that were designated to support the initiative, said Jeffrey S. Russell, dean of continuing studies and vice provost for lifelong learning. No state funds were used, he said. To receive a scholarship, students had to demonstrate both financial need and academic excellence and explain how summer term fits into their academic plans. More than 500 students applied, compared to 160 in 2015. Scholarships have been offered to 228 students this summer, Russell said. Individual scholarships range from $500 to $1,500. Summer Term offers tremendous value to students, and the additional scholarships will allow more undergraduates take advantage of it, Russell said. Tuition for a three-credit course at UW-Madison is $1,315 this summer, compared to $1,340 in spring. Tuition for six to nine credits is $2,604 this summer compared to $2,629 to $3,919 this spring. So from a strictly dollars-and-cents perspective, its more economical to take three classes than two in summer. The summer term committee recommended going to a per-credit summer tuition rate, eliminating the six-to-nine credit plateau to boost revenue with the same enrollment. Wilson Ma is taking three courses this summer. As a classroom filled to capacity for Computer Science 540 Introduction to Artificial Intelligence last week, Ma explained that during fall and spring, the class fills up so quickly he cant get in. Ma, a computer science major who will be a senior in the fall, said he also is taking a math course on campus and an online English class in crime fiction. Ma said he loves online learning. Ive done only online courses in summer in the past, because I normally fly back to China, he said. On the second day of class, professor Chuck Dyer, the Intro to AI instructor, said he was still trying to figure out how many students he can admit from a waiting list to end up with an enrollment of 100. The class hadnt been offered in summer school for a decade, and draws long waiting lists each fall and spring, Dyer said. Recent summer sessions have offered mostly introductory classes in computer science, so an advanced course like the one he is teaching is a new direction. Dyer said he noticed that a lot of graduate students who are not computer science majors are trying to get into the class. Artificial intelligence is hot, he said, both in the field and among non-majors who want to learn about it because of its many uses in data science and research in a variety of fields. The growth of the computer science major at UW-Madison has been so significant in recent years that some students are eager to get into the class whenever they can, he said. The challenge with summer session is that everything moves so fast, said Dyer, who has been teaching at UW-Madison since 1982. These programming assignments take time, he said. If students have jobs or other activities or want to do some travel, its hard to keep up. Frankly, thats my biggest worry. Well see how it goes. Ellen came down off the ridge the other day and held her hands up wide, exclaiming, I saw a moose! Of course, she saw a huge big buck in velvet. She said she had also been startled while walking along a field. She stooped to pick up a big rock when a wild turkey burst out of the alfalfa a few feet away. She also saw a doe in the Christmas tree plot. She checked out kiddie pools turned watering hole pools in the Grouse Hollow and at the Oak Stand. Both were holding water, as much as five inches in one. She said that the clover was recovering nicely in the food plots I mowed last week. So were some thistles that just got knocked down. (Im not happy about that.) After recent rains, I imagine those pools are running over. If the rain ever holds off, Ill try another run up the ridge with the John Deere soon to mow again. Speaking of the John Deere, this powerful little diesel tractor feels a bit tippy when mowing or working on any kind of incline, so I thought maybe some tractor weights might help. Our friend Will Beitlich said he had some I could use, so his son, Andy, texted me he had them, so I drove up to pick them up. Pick them up might be a bit of a stretch. Grabbed ahold of and lugged and swung the chunks of iron up into the back of my truck is more like it. Andy and his son, Austin, had just stopped to have a popsicle, so we discussed the problems of the world for a bit. The biggest right now for them and most area farmers is finding a window in the rainy weather to make hay. There is hay down everywhere, but that doesnt mean it will dry to bail. Austin, 13, asked me if I wanted a pet. Huh? His pet sow was about to farrow. This required another Hmmm... I told him well talk when they are thinking about butchering. They also have a cow thats ready to calve they wanted to get in a trailer and moved to the other farm. No matter the weather, life goes on at the farm as always. Back at our ranch, the tractor weights worked to keep the front end on the ground, but they are too tall for my machine,as they drag in places and catch on stuff. This may take some jury-rigging to work. Mark Manske brought us some gravel for our driveway last week. Proksch Coulee Road is under a major upgrade, so we took advantage of all the trucks coming and going to spruce up our driveway after so much of our gravel disappeared in recent storms. We raked some and I used the bucket on the tractor to even out the road some. That night the heavens burst and I had to use the tractor and blade to recover some of the $300 worth of new gravel trying to escape down the coulee. Ellen and I drove up Oak Ridge to get some strawberries from the Byler family on Co. K. El was worried the berries might not be very nice what with all the heat and rain, but we got eight quarts of beautiful, sweet stuff for making Els amazing jam. She and Pearl Sikora made a couple dozen jars together. Pearl labeled them Ellens Famous Strawberry Jam. Pearls brother Jake and I got to be quality control. Until next time, get out... I should be spinning a tale about Canadian lakes, big perch, walleyes, bass, northerns, muskies, crappies, moose, bears, and some great fish fry feasts by then, eh? Enjoy. Residents of 14 western Wisconsin counties can expect to hear and see low-flying planes in the early morning, depending on weather conditions, starting next week. Single seat, yellow planes will be applying mating disruptor flakes specifically targeting gypsy moths. These invasive pests defoliate trees during their caterpillar stage, causing stress and potentially tree death. Through late June and much of July, yellow spray planes contracted by the U.S. Forest Service in a joint project with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP), will be applying pheromone flakes, or mating disruptor, to 28 sites in a 14 counties in the western third of the state. One site in Dunn County totaling about 44,000 acres will be treated with an alternative liquid-organic mating disruptor in mid-July. Female gypsy moths dont fly. They give off a pheromone, or a chemical scent, which attracts male gypsy moths, Nolan Stracke, public information officer for DATCPs gypsy moth program, said. The flakes that we apply to the tree leaves emit the same scent. This confuses the males and makes it very difficult for them to find a mate. Next spring, there should be far fewer gypsy moth caterpillars in these areas. The gypsy moth has a wide range of negative effects on local communities. The cost of removing dead trees around a house can range from several hundred to over one thousand dollars and the loss of mature trees will decrease property values. During the spring and summer, caterpillars shed bristly skin as they grow. Bristles from the cast skins can become airborne and irritate eyes, skin and the respiratory system. People may develop a rash if they come in contact with the bristles. About the spray treatments The flakes are extremely thin, tiny pieces of green plastic that are about 1/8 by 1/16 inches. The flakes are applied to the tree leaves at a low rate so they are not easily detected. Past research shows the flakes can reduce gypsy moth populations by nearly 90 percent from one year to the next. We mix the flakes with a sticking agent that is similar to white school glue so the flakes adhere to the tree leaves. We use airplanes to apply the flakes at a rate of 1-2 flakes per square foot of tree canopy, Stracke said. The flakes dont harm the gypsy moth in any way; they make it more difficult, if not impossible, for a male to find a female gypsy moth. The flakes are not harmful to humans, animals, birds or other insects. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, there is no health risk to humans nor have any adverse effects been reported during the nearly two decades that these pheromones have been used. Stay updated Spray dates and times are weather dependent. People can sign up to receive email notifications about spray plans at gypsymoth.wi.gov. They can listen to a recorded message about spray plans by calling the toll-free Gypsy Moth Information Line at 1-800-642-6684. Press menu option 1 for updates. Spraying will resume in late June and end in northern Wisconsin in late July. Maps of the specific spray areas are available online at http://datcp.wi.gov/Environment/Gypsy_Moth/Aerial_Spraying/index.aspx Spraying will be completed by the Slow the Spread Program -- conducted by the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. It focuses its efforts in western Wisconsin where gypsy moth populations are low or just starting to build for the first time. The objective is to slow the westward spread of gypsy moth. The Slow the Spread treatments are planned in the following 14 counties over the course of four weeks: Barron, Buffalo, Chippewa, Crawford, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Grant, Pepin, Rusk, Saint Croix, Sawyer, Trempealeau and Vernon. No matter how hard the Coon Valley Village Board tried there was no golden nugget available to fix the downward spiral of the municipal sewer fund, which has had a declining cash flow for several years forcing them to approve a rate increase at its June 14 meeting. In May, the village of Coon Valley received confirmation from auditor Joe Haas that the village sewer fund is in desperate need of attention. In 2014 the sewer fund lost $18,878 and in 2015 the fund lost $19,006. Hass said operations are not paying expenses for the sewer fund. He stopped short of saying a sewer rate increase was needed, but said the sewer fund has been losing money for several years and the village has simply been borrowing from Peter to pay Paul for too long. Then at the boards June 14 monthly meeting, Public Works Director John Langaard added to the misery when he informed the board that the municipality had received a failing grade for fiscal management of the sewer fund in its 2015 DNR Sewer Utility Compliance Maintenance Report. The failing grade was received because the sewer fund account is in the red, instead of in the black, without any funds available to cover unexpected repairs or upgrades. To alleviate some of the shortfall the village board flushed out all the pros and cons finally approving a smaller then proposed sewer rate increase, which should help the sewer account build some reserves, without over stressing village residents and businesses with a huge rate increase at one time. The village sewer rates have not been increased since 2011, so the board agreed to a 3-percent increase in the quarterly base rate and an 18-percent increase in per 1,000 gallons of water usage. For a single party household the average annual increase is approximately $13.60 or $3.40 quarterly. A family of four would see an annual rate increase of $41 or $10.25 per quarter. Village Board President Rick Stegen has been dead set against slapping the residents and businesses with a huge sewer rate increase all at once, like the city of Westby did. He was pleased with all the hard work committee members put in to finding a solution that didnt break the bank, but will help alleviate some of the burden. City of Westby residents saw a 49-percent increase in their monthly sewer rates in 2016. The last sewer rate increase in Westby occurred in 2005 and the sewer department fund balance had dried up. The PSC does not control sewer rate charges and recommended increases are based on financial reviews by the city auditors. In Westby, the average residential customer saw its sewer rate increase from $15-$25 per month, while Coon Valley residents will see a much smaller increase billed quarterly, not monthly. The increased sewer rates in Coon Valley went into effect on June 20. The additional revenue generated from the sewer rate increase is expected to bring in $3,400 quarterly or $13,800 annually into the sewer fund. Ocooch Dairy near Hillsboro hosted the 36th Vernon County Dairy Breakfast on Saturday, June 18. Mother Nature cooperated for Jim Mlsna and Family with sunny skies and warm temperatures as an estimated 2,100 people attended the event. This was only the fourth time in the Vernon County Dairy Breakfast history that the event has been held in Hillsboro since it began in 1978. Ocooch Dairy, located at E16843 Kouba Valley Rd, five miles west of Hillsboro, is one of Vernon County's largest dairy farms, consisting of 1,125 acres of land and 700 milking cows. The farm is owned and operated by Jim Mlsna, along with his five children, Jacqui (Davison), Stacy (Sosinsky), Peter, Thomas and Tony. The farm operates 24/7, 365 days a year and employs 25 full and part-time team members, including its six family members, all of which help to make the farm successful. When Jim Mlsna purchased the farm in 1978, he was also a licensed large animal veterinarian and continued his practice for many years along with the farming operation, until a series of unfortunate work related accidents forced him to choose his true passion in life, farming, over a thriving business in veterinary medicine. Today he holds the General Manager title for the farm and handles the veterinary work; daughters, Jacqui and Stacy, care for the farm's calves and heifers; Peter manages the farm's 20 employees, as well as field work and maintenance; Tony oversees feeding and crop management; and Thomas oversees wildlife management of the farm. Jim got choked up as he introduced and thanked his family, as well as the entire community, for working together and allowing Ocooch Dairy to host the dairy breakfast. He said it takes four virtues to keep the family business going, faith, hope, patience and love and it took the entire community working together to make the dairy breakfast happen. The family also presented a special award to Don Hubbard, the farms longtime milk hauler. Guest speaker for the program was Viterbo University's Master of Arts in Servant Leadership Director, Thomas Thibodeau. He spoke about the importance of the dairy industry. Farmers are peacemakers that know how to care for one another and people that serve the land, serve the country, Thibodeau said. Outgoing 2015 Vernon County Dairy Promotion royalty and sisters Brianna and Krista Hall, of Westby, relinquished their crowns to the 2016 Princess, Mikayla Lepke, the daughter of Mark and Theresa Lepke of Viroqua was crowned. Joining Lepke in promoting the dairy industry throughout the year will be a trio of cousins and newly crowned Vernon County Dairy Promotion attendants, Bekka Bast, the daughter of Kristine Bekkadal and Tracy Bast of Viroqua; Lexi Wagemester, the daughter of Steve and Sara Wagemester of Viroqua; and Karly Anderson, the daughter of Rob and Kari Anderson of Westby. Besides a hearty breakfast, served by volunteers, events on the grounds included wagon and self-guided farm tours of the property; a souped-up tractor pull by the American Mini Pullers Club pull; a family photo booth; music by COW 97; health and information booths; plus kids' activities and a petting zoo. MedLink Air also made a short stop on the farm and drew a nice crowd of visitors who stopped by to check the flying medical center. A huge thank you to the Mlsna family for hosting the 2016 Vernon County Dairy Breakfast along with all the volunteers who donated their time to make the event successful. The 2017 Vernon County Dairy Breakfast will move to the other end of the county being hosted at Hamburg Hills farm, outside of Chaseburg on Co. K. The farm is owned by Tim and Lisa Servais and family. The date of the 2017 event has not been announced. Josi Bishop of Westby is headed for the 2016 National Junior High School Finals Rodeo in Lebanon, Tennessee, June 19-25. She earned her trip to Tennessee competing at the Wisconsin Junior High Finals Rodeo held in Arcadia earlier this month The top four finishers in the state rodeo finals earn the chance to compete at Nationals. The Wisconsin Junior High School Division was established by the National High School Rodeo Association. in June of 2005. Competition is open to boys and girls in the sixth, seventh, and eighth grade and gives them the opportunity to be involved in the sport of rodeo before they become high school age. They are also given the opportunity to not only win awards and prizes on a state level but also win college scholarships at the national level. Today, all 48 states and provinces that belong to the National High School Rodeo Association (NHSRA) also produce a Junior High Division, with over 2,500 members competing. Junior High Division students compete in Barrel Racing, Pole Bending, Goat Tying, Breakaway Roping, Tie-Down Roping, Chute Dogging, Team Roping, Ribbon Roping, Junior Bull Riding, Bareback Steer Riding and Saddle Bronco Steer Riding. Bishop has been competing in the Wisconsin Junior High School Rodeo Association (WJHSRA) circuit since sixth grade and has been riding horses since the age of six. At Nationals, she will be competing in four events, Pole Bending, Goat Tying, Breakaway Roping, and Ribbon Roping. She just missed the chance to compete in Barrel Racing, finishing fifth at the state level. Bishop rides her horses daily in the summer, plus 5-6 times a week when school is in session. She keeps the horses in condition sorting and tracking cattle on the farm, practices roping from the ground on a bale of hay and tying the family goat as much possible. To aid the process, the family built an arena on the farm several years ago, plus the Bishop family has been very fortunate to have some wonderful horse-minded individuals help them over the years. "Josi puts in a lot of time and commitment with her horses and rodeo events," her mother, Sandy Bishop said. In 2016, Bishops first goal was simply to qualify once again for Nationals, which she attained. She is returning to the national stage in the same four events as the previous year and is hoping for a better outcome with more experience under her belt and knowing this is her last hurrah at the junior rodeo level. The competition level at Nationals will definitely be a tough challenge, but one Josi said she is up for. She is also looking forward to traveling to a state she has never visited. Her favorite event is goat tying and qualifying in the event meant the family goat has been her partner in practice more times then he cares to count. I have improved tremendously in goat tying and it is very rewarding and a real accomplishment when you continue to get faster and faster, Josi said. The Bishops will be hauling two horses to Nationals, Josis quarter horse, Betsy, plus her sisters horse Rocky. She rides Betsy for Goat Tying and Rocky for Pole Bending. In her other two National events Bishop will be using a family friends horse for Breakaway Roping and is teamed up with Jacob Dressler for Ribbon Roping. Even more than the events Bishop will be competing in at Nationals, she was thrilled to have reached a personal goal she set for herself at the end of the 2015 season, when she was awarded the All-Around Cowgirl Title at the State Finals. At that time she set a personal goal to bring home the same title in 2016, which she did and more. The talented Westby competitor earned the Girls All-Around Cowgirl Award, plus the Best Boot Forward Award, presented to a competitor for helping out and working hard at rodeos. "I am thrilled to have won the All-Around Cowgirl Award again this year, but it didnt happen without a lot of hard work and winning the Best Foot Forward Award shows just how hard I do work to improve," Josi said. At Nationals, in addition to competing for more than $75,000 in prizes, NJHFR contestants will also be vying for more than $100,000 in college scholarships and the chance to be named a National Junior High Finals Rodeo National Champion. To earn this title, contestants must finish in the top 20 - based on their combined times/scores in the first two rounds - to advance to the final round of competition on Saturday, June 25. National champions will then be determined based on each competitors three-round combined times/scores. 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 Sure, Monday's heat was really terrible. But what's even more terrible is how days of "extreme heat," like Monday, are probably going to become commonplace in the Los Angeles area into the 21st century. A recent study, conducted by the UCLA Center for Climate Change Solutions, modeled just how hot the Los Angeles area could get depending on various climate change scenarios, according to the Los Angeles Times. The study defines days of "extreme heat" as those with high temperatures exceeding 95 degrees. For now, they're relatively rare in most parts of the Southland. The study determined that during the 1980s and 1990s, downtown Los Angeles averaged just six days of temperatures over 95 degrees. That number, however, was modeled to increase dramatically, and unmitigated climate change could draw that number up to 22 by 2050, and 54(!) by 2100. As you might expect, inland areas and valleys are hotter. For example, parts of the often-baking San Fernando Valley frequented by roughly 50 days of extreme heat during the final two decades of the 20th Century, would see up to 150(!!) days of 95+ temperatures by 2100. The San Gabriel Valley has similar projections, bumping up from 32 "extreme heat" days during the 1980s and 1990s, to a 117. As if that isn't harrowing enough, the study also warns that L.A. could lose the little vestiges of "winter" that we have now. The weather models predicted that the Decembers and Januarys of the future, will feel more like the Aprils of the past. Balmy. There is some hope, though. The dire predictions listed above will only come true in the event of unmitigated climate change. In the event humans band together and somehow drastically reduce our collective global carbon emissions, we should only see a modest increase in "extreme heat." Assuming we do, and hold ourselves to the standards set at Paris Climate Accord last year, downtown L.A. would see only 15 "extreme" heat days instead of 54. Still balmy, though. 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 Last year, the entire class of USC Roski's MFA art program dropped out. They painted a dreary picture of their experience, saying that administrators had rescinded funding for their tuition, prompted valued faculty members to quit, and left the curriculum in disarray. "We feel betrayed, exhausted, disrespected and cheated by USC of our time, focus and investment," the group of students said in a joint open letter. It looks like the problems haven't been fixed, as artnet reports that the sole MFA art student at USC has just dropped out. HaeAhn Kwon, who earned her BFA from Cooper Union in 2009, was the only person to accept an offer from USC's graduate art program last year. Kwon arrived at the school with an International Artist Fellowship. According to the Daily Trojan, Kwon had accepted her offer two weeks before the news broke out that the class was dropping out. She said that, due to the news, she was hesitant in enrolling, but she couldn't pass up on the free tuition and boarding that her fellowship afforded her. She now says that she regrets the decision to enroll. In an open letter directed at USC provost Michael Quick, Kwon said that she is "perplexed that the administration of a renowned educational institution would allow anyone to attend such a dismantled and disorganized program." Chief among her complaints is the perceived lack of structure and direction: I had no functioning "Group Critique" class, the central component of an MFA degree, for which I was registered to meet twice a week for three hours each session. Instead, there was a single one-and-a-half-hour session in November, hastily put together with a 1st year MA student with a BFA background, and one of the new faculty members. [...] Further, the fall term entirely lacked the studio component of the program. In short, it did NOT existthere was no midterm, no finals, nor any review of any kind for my studio practice, which is the essential purpose of an MFA degree in visual art. I must hold your office partly responsible and remind you that it is predatory to invite young artists to such a fractured program, with the Vice Dean of Art and the Vice Dean of Critical Studies falsifying the status and contents of the school in their own students' and the public's eye. Furthermore, Kwon felt that she was deceived by USC's offer of enrollment: And if her feelings weren't clear enough, she also said that the program's "only option seems to be to burn itself to the ground in hopes that some phoenix may eventually rise." Yikes. Kwon added that faculty members were "silenced" on the topic of forming a union. This January, faculty members at Roski (many of them being adjuct professors) voted to unionize and join the Service Employees International Union Local 721, Los Angeles County's largest employee union, the L.A. Times reported. Faculty at USC's Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences voted against joining the union. The National Labor Relations Board later accused USC of influencing the Dornsife decision by giving some non-tenure track faculty members pay raises right before the vote was set to take place. Note: This is the first article in a three-part VOA series about Islamist extremism in the United States. The mass shooting in Orlando, Florida this month was the worst in modern American history: 49 people killed, and 53 more were injured. During the massacre, the shooter told an emergency telephone operator that he was faithful to the leader of the Islamic State. The Orlando shooting is one of several recent attacks in the U.S. in which the killers say they support Islamic extremist thinking. These violent events have made many people ask: Why is Islamic extremism attractive? And is Islam itself the problem? Watching IS supporters in the US The Center for Cyber and Homeland Security is one of many groups in the United States that studies extremism. One of their methods is to follow IS supporters on social media, such as Twitter. Researcher Audrey Alexander says social media makes the IS group seem real and powerful. The Islamic State and its online messages have influenced a small but active number of supporters in the U.S. Last year, 56 people were arrested for taking actions to help the group. Researchers do not know why these people support violent Islamic extremism. VOA spoke to terrorism experts who said IS supporters in the U.S. have little in common. Of the 56 people who were arrested, 86 percent of them were male. Almost all were American citizens or legal permanent residents. They were between 15 and 47 years old. Many were not even Muslims when they first became supporters of the group. Lorenzo Vidino was one of the researchers. He says those arrested had all kinds of backgrounds. Failing at life IS supporters have one thing in common, however. Anne Speckhard is a research psychologist. She is the director of the International Center for the Study of Violent Extremism in Washington, DC. She says people who are likely to find IS attractive are off track. In other words, they are failing in their lives somehow. Speckhard has interviewed hundreds of IS supporters throughout the world. She says religion is part of extremist ideology, but it is rarely the most important part. She says joining an Islamist extremist group or even discussing it on social media often provides meaning and purpose to a persons life. She tells about a young Christian religion teacher who lived with her grandmother in an isolated community in the northwestern United States. After IS murdered an American reporter, she tweeted, Why would a terrorist behead a journalist? IS answered: Because this is a revolution. Blood is shed in a revolution and we are changing the world. The IS recruiter then asked the young woman, Did you know Islam is the completion of Christianity? The question was the beginning of the womans conversion to Islam and radicalization. Speckhard says the woman was lonely. Then, all of a sudden, people were paying attention to her, tweeting her, offering to Skype with her. And eventually, says Speckhard, she converted because she wanted to belong to something. She wanted something in her life. In the case of Omar Mateen, the man who killed 49 people in Orlando this month, investigators still do not know how much contact he had with the IS network and ideology. However, they have a lot of evidence that his life was off track. His first wife said she divorced him because he became violent toward her. She said she believed he may have been suffering from bipolar disorder, a sickness of the brain. A co-worker said Mateen often insulted women and other groups. And Mateens father said his son was deeply angered after seeing two men kissing. These cases, along with information researchers are collecting, challenge the belief that Islam is the cause of many terrorist acts. Psychologist Anne Speckhard says many IS supporters have converted to Islam because it is meeting a need, not because they are necessarily looking for a religion. If Speckhard and others are correct, and religious beliefs are not the cause of violent extremism, some may now ask this question: How do we use our resources effectively to stop attacks? Im Jonathan Evans. In the second part of this series, VOA explores what effect anti-Muslim rhetoric has on the Islamic community in the United States, and on the countrys ability to effectively counter terrorism. VOA Correspondent Jeff Swicord reported this story from Washington. Christopher Jones-Cruise adapted it for Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly 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 extremism n. belief in and support for ideas that are very far from what most people consider correct or reasonable background n. the experiences, knowledge, education, etc., in a persons past off-track expression away from the main point, thought, etc.; following a course of action that will lead to failure isolated adj. separate from others behead v. to cut off the head of (someone) especially as a punishment (blood)shed v. the killing of people especially in a war Christianity n. the religion that is based on the teachings of Jesus Christ radicalize v. to cause (someone or something) to become more radical especially in politics Skype v. to communicate on the internet using the program Skype bipolar disorder n. a mental illness in which a person experiences periods of strong excitement and happiness followed by periods of sadness and depression (also called manic depression) challenge v. to say or show that (something) may not be true, correct or legal North Korea appears to have successfully launched a mid-range missile after several recent failures. U.S. and South Korean officials said North Korea conducted two tests of its Musudan missile Wednesday. The first missile failed shortly after launch and crashed into the Sea of Japan, also known as East Sea in Korea. But the second was able to fly about 400 kilometers before falling into the sea. U.S. military officials said the missile did not reach the 3,000-kilometer distance it was designed for. It apparently also did not demonstrate the technical ability to accurately hit a target. But analysts believe the latest test did show that North Korea continues to learn from each failure. Since the second missile did not crash very quickly, it showed clear progress, they said. North Korea is believed to have up to 30 Musudan missiles, which were first deployed around 2007. The first known Musudan test happened in April this year. Jeffrey Lewis is the director of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in California. This is a very important milestone because the previous launches had blown up either very shortly after launch or possibly even right at launch. So this is a real sign of progress. International tensions increased this year when North Korea carried out a nuclear test in January and launched a long-range rocket one month later. The United Nations Security Council ordered strict sanctions on North Korea for carrying out those tests. The U.N. has also condemned the countrys human rights record. North Koreas missile tests in recent months show the sanctions have not had much effect, according to Lewis. Pyongyang is still able to get materials and technology for making the weapons, he said. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has declared his country a nuclear state and responded to sanctions by conducting more missile tests. Reactions to missile test Japan said it would issue a strong protest to North Korea for the latest violation of U.N. sanctions. Japan's Self Defense Forces have been on high alert in case North Korean missiles enter its airspace. Anti-missile launchers are stationed around Japan. South Korea called the missile test a clear provocation against us. A South Korean spokesman, Jeong Joon-hee, urged North Korea to put more effort into peace on the Korean peninsula and their people's livelihood. In Washington, U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby condemned the launch. He said the United States planned to raise its concerns at the U.N. and try to get international support to hold North Korea accountable for these provocative actions. Im Bryan Lynn. Brian Padden reported this story for VOAnews.com. Bryan Lynn adapted it for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story accurately adv. done it a way that is correct, exact milestone n. action or event marking significant change long-range adj. long-distance respond v. to do something as a reaction to something that has happened or been done conduct v. to plan and do (something, such as an activity) issue v. to give (something) to someone in an official way provocation n. act or statement making someone annoyed or angry peninsula n. a piece of land that is almost entirely surrounded by water and is attached to a larger land area livelihood n. earning money in order to live accountable adj. required to be responsible for something Manufacturing is an important industry in the United States. However, for many years, Americans have expressed fear that the industry is in decline. In the late 19th to middle 20th century, America stood as the industrial powerhouse of the world. Consumers sought the latest American-made products, from cars to refrigerators to televisions. But, things began to change in the late 1970s. Japan and China caught up with the U.S. in the production of many consumer goods. Today, China is a manufacturing powerhouse itself. It produces about 80 percent of the worlds air conditioners, 70 percent of its mobile phones and 60 percent of its shoes. Chinese products represent almost half of all the goods made in the world. And, now in the United States, it can be difficult to find a manufacturer to help develop a product. Matthew Burnett knows this all too well. The American businessman started a watch company in 2007. At first, he had overseas manufacturers make all his products. As a result, Burnett often faced shipping delays, a lack of quality control, and time zone issues. Later, he expanded into leather goods. Still, he struggled to find domestic factories to make the wallets, belts, and other products of his new brand. And he was not alone. Many American entrepreneurs found it easier to go out of the country for manufacturing. There was no central marketplace for the industry. So, Matthew Burnett, and his business partner Tanya Menendez, created one. They called it Makers Row. Since 2012, the online marketplace has been connecting entrepreneurs with American manufacturers. Matthew Burnett explains. What we try to do at Makers Row is to encourage the brands to start producing in the United States so that you see more made in America products on the shelves. We used to produce 97 percent of the apparel that we consume here in the United States, today its less than three percent. So it makes it very challenging to find sometimes made in America products, but thats the narrative were trying to shift, by bringing these brands back home to produce. Makersrow.com also helps brands and businesses find and organize their supply chains. A manufacturer pays a monthly fee to be listed on the site. It includes project planning software and a search feature. Manufacturers can also receive factory bids through the site. For an additional cost, entrepreneurs get additional support. Makers Row can be especially helpful to new or part-time entrepreneurs. The site can provide a plan for turning an idea into a business. And co-founder Tanya Menendez says Makers Row offers classes and training. We have an online academy so people can take free online courses. Theyre designed for people with busy lifestyles. A lot of people that come to Makers Row start off working 9-to-5 and having this become like their side hustle so we cater to those entrepreneurs too and then we have project software where established businesses can organize all of their ideas in one place. Today, the Makers Row website has 80,000 registered users. The registration and fee structure to access the site helps ensure the users are serious about their business, Menendez says. The BCG company in Boston advises businesses around the world. It estimates the average cost to manufacture goods in the U.S. is only five-percent higher than in China. And the company predicts that by 2018 the cost difference will narrow further, to as little as two percent higher. Makers Row and other similar efforts could play a big part in making that prediction come true. Im Marsha James. Marsha James wrote this story for Learning English. Caty Weaver was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. Quiz - People in America Maker's Row Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz And next time on People in America, meet actor, comedian, and author Maz Jobrani! _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story decline - n. the process of becoming worse in condition or quality powerhouse n. a group of people or an organization that has a lot of power caught up - v. to overtake someone or something or surpass a competitor air conditioner - n. a machine that is used to cool and dry the air in a building or room domestic - adj. relating to, or made in your own country brand n. a category of products that are all made by a particular company and all have a particular name entrepreneur - n. a person who starts a business and is willing to risk loss in order to make money marketplace n. a place in a town where products are bought and sold encourage v. to make (someone) more determined, hopeful or confident apparel n. clothing of a particular kind challenging adj. difficult in a way that is usually interesting or enjoyable narrative n. a story that is told or written shift v. to move or to cause (something or someone) to move to a different place, position, etc. chain n. a group of businesses (such as stores, restaurants, or hotels) that have the same name and basic appearance and sell the same products or services academy n. a school that provides training in special subjects or skills side hustle - a way to make some extra cash on a service or product and you do it on the side of your normal paying job cater to phrasal verb to provide what is wanted or needed by (someone or something) Police arrested a British man in Las Vegas last Saturday for what they say was an attempt to kill Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. Michael Steven Sandford attended a Trump campaign event in Las Vegas. The complaint says he tried to take a gun from a police officer who was providing security. The Secret Service wrote in the court document, "Sandford claimed he had been planning to attempt to kill Trump for about a year. The document, however, does not provide any motive. Sandford told officials that the first time he fired a gun was last Friday when he went to a Las Vegas gun range to learn how to shoot. He went on to say that if he were released from custody, he would try again to kill Trump. Sandford told officials that if he had not acted in Las Vegas, he would have acted at a Trump campaign event 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. Im Mehrnoush Karimian-Ainsworth. Chris Hannas reported on this story for VOANews.com. Mehrnoush Karimian-Ainsworth adapted it for Learning English. Hai Do was the editor. _______________________________________________________________ Words in This Story complaint n. a formal charge saying that someone has done something wrong : the act of saying or writing that you are unhappy or dissatisfied with something motive adj. a reason for doing something We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section. In a rare and difficult mission, a plane successfully rescued two sick workers from the U.S. science station at the South Pole Wednesday. The medical rescue took place in the dark. Regular flights to the South Pole are usually considered too risky between the months of February and October. The Amundsen-Scott station is run by the National Science Foundation. The plane arrived there after a difficult 2,400-kilometer, nine-hour trip from a British base on the Antarctic Peninsula. NSF spokesman Peter West told VOA the rescue operation went according to plan. It was a very challenging operation for the pilots, for everyone who is around to support the pilots, everyone from weather forecasters, to flight followers, all those people. So it was extremely challenging and they have performed exceedingly well in the face of those challenges. The National Science Foundation did not release the workers names, nationalities, or medical conditions. The NSF decided last week to evacuate at least one person from the station. The station has a doctor and a physicians assistant. They make contact with doctors in the U.S. as needed. But, the worker needed medical care that the stations doctor could not provide. They decided to evacuate a second worker who was also sick. West said the rescue operation was considered risky because right now Antarctica is always dark and extremely cold. It is dark there now, because we are into the Antarctic night. It is very cold at the South Pole. The average temperature is minus 60 Celsius, though it can be colder and can be warmer. There is weather to contend with, which is not the same as temperature. Blowing and drifting snow and all of those things. There have been three emergency medical evacuations from the Amundsen-Scott station since 1999. In 1999, a flight rescued the station's doctor, Jerri Nielsen. She had breast cancer and had been treating herself. She was rescued in the Antarctic spring, when weather conditions are somewhat better. Rescue operations also took place in 2001 and 2003. Tim Stockings is the operations director at the British Antarctic Survey in London. He told the Associated Press that the latest rescue mission is pushing the limits of what is safe and acceptable. Things can change very quickly down there," he said. "The air and Antarctica are unforgiving environments and punishes any slackness very hard. Tuesday afternoons temperature at the South Pole station was minus 60 degrees Celsius, according to the NSF weather station. The wind chill made it feel like minus 78 degrees Celsius. West said the extreme cold affects many things on planes. Most aircraft are not set up to be able to fly in very cold temperatures. The hydraulic systems that move things around like flaps and that sort of thing freeze very easily, get cold very easily. There are issues with fuel and how cold that can be. But West called Twin Otter planes used for the rescue mission very tough aircraft. He said they are designed to fly in conditions as low as minus 75 degrees Celsius. A South Pole webcam showed the station in the distance during the landing. West told the Associated Press there was some light because of the full moon. West called the research taking place at the Amundsen-Scott station very important science. Research at the station includes astronomy, physics, and environmental science. Scientists have been researching gas levels in the atmosphereincluding carbon dioxidefor more than 50 years at the South Pole. Until Wednesday, there were 48 people living and working at the South Pole station. Now there are 46. The National Science Foundation runs two other science stations in Antarctica. Im Anne Ball. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section and visit us on our Facebook page. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story mission n. an important job to do exceedingly - adj. beyond expectations slackness n. something done poorly and carelessly hydraulic adj. something operated by the pressure of fluids flap n. a part of the wing that helps an airplane fly Deuel County Deputy Michael Hutchinson, who lost his county-provided family health insurance last month after being shot on duty last year, will receive a $1,500 stipend from the county. Hutchinson said he would use the money to pay for about 10 months of insurance purchased through the Affordable Care Act. Im not unhappy about it, he said Tuesday. They did something, which was better than nothing. The one-time payment, requested by Hutchinsons attorney, ends the wounded western Nebraska deputys campaign to regain the insurance coverage. The issue drew widespread attention, including threats, angry letters and social media comments directed toward county officials. County Commissioners Steven Fischer of Chappell, William Klingman of Chappell and Jerome Radke of Big Springs voted unanimously Tuesday to approve the payment. Their meeting attracted a standing crowd to the courthouse in Chappell, including law enforcement officers from Colorado and as far away as Omaha. Hutchinson, 52, has not returned to work and continues to recover from four gunshot wounds suffered while serving an arrest warrant in Big Springs in December. All of his medical bills related to the shooting have been paid by the countys workers compensation insurance carrier. But Hutchinson fell off the countys group plan May 31 after the county switched to a new third-party provider and it was noted that he wasnt working at least 30 hours a week. Rules regarding who is qualified to participate in the group health plan are not set by the county, and the county does not have a right to deviate from those rules, officials said. Omaha attorney Ron Frank, who was not in Chappell for the meeting, said in an interview that its not uncommon for employees to lose health insurance coverage if they dont meet the requirements of the employers contract with an insurance carrier. Theres a lot of sympathy for the deputy, but its a benefit that can expire, he said. Hutchinson had asked the county to pay for either temporary group coverage known as COBRA or for coverage through the federal marketplace. The county, however, is prohibited from spending tax dollars for any purpose without receiving a service in exchange. County Attorney Joel Jay said the stipend solution came at the suggestion of Hutchinsons attorney, Randy Fair of Ogallala. Commissioners last week said the outpouring of support for Hutchinson is a tribute to the hard work and dedication of the nations law enforcement officers. They also said they expected the countys workers compensation insurance carrier would continue to work with Hutchinson to ensure he receives his benefits. If projections hold, Africa will have over 1.1bn consumers by 2020 - more than the populations of Europe and North America combined. Incomes are increasing: in 2020, Africa will have twice as many affluent consumers as the UK, according to a new report by The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and BCG's Center for Customer Insight. The report, entitled African Consumer Sentiment 2016: The Promise of New Markets, was released yesterday. BCG polled 11,127 consumers across 11 African countries: Algeria, Angola, Cote dIvoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, and South Africa. The consumers surveyed represent a broad range of ages, incomes, education levels, and household types. Besides exploring the attitudes, budgeting, and spending behaviours of Africans, BCG tracked the effect of income levels on the purchase of specific products. For multinationals hoping to capitalise on the continents growing consumer market, the report offers insights on where to invest marketing resources for the greatest impact. Africas countries, markets, and consumers have varying tastes, preferences, and behaviours, explained Stefano Niavas, a BCG partner and one of the reports authors. Understanding these differences is critical when trying to make inroads. Optimistic consumers Our survey showed that 88% of African consumers are very optimistic about the future. This bodes well for the continent because optimistic consumers are more inclined to buy, which helps drive an economy forward. In the major consumer markets of Egypt, Kenya, and Nigeria, optimism is above 90%. The overall optimism of African consumers is reflected in their eagerness to buy new things and the high levels of happiness they derive from their purchases. Although Africans continue to highly value brands, especially global ones, todays shoppers are more open to new brands - a development that bodes well for new products targeting the African market. Internet access is growing rapidly - up 8% since 2013 among survey respondents. At the time of the survey, 63% of consumers across the continent had online access, but connectivity reached 83% in some countries. Fully 75% of consumers with internet access were online every day. This growth of online access and the mobile internet is creating new business opportunities in areas such as e-commerce, online advertising, and especially mobile financial services. But power outages and slower connection speeds overall will present obstacles. To succeed, companies will have to innovate and adapt to these conditions, as well as to the specific needs of African consumers. Market Attractiveness index The report introduces BCGs Market Attractiveness index, which aggregates its research to reveal the consumer markets and products showing the strongest growth - and growth potential. The research pointed to the emergence of two potentially important markets. The first is Ethiopia, the economic strength and growth of which indicate a bright future. The second is Africas rural consumers, who are often overlooked by companies focusing on the continents urban populations. As rural consumers are harder to reach than urban consumers, the cost to serve them is higher. To capitalise on the opportunity, companies will need to rethink how they market and distribute their products, said Jacqueline Foster, a BCG consultant and one of the reports authors. Old-fashioned word of mouth and trust building are still the most effective marketing tools. MNCs that succeed are creating innovative, tailored solutions. This year, the Architect Africa Film Festival (#AAFF2016) opened up its call for participants to showcase new productions, emerging filmmakers and students. The #AAFF2016 selection panel, comprising Professors Lesley Lokko, Lone Poulsen, and Jyoti Mistry, in collaboration with curator Dr Costanza la Mantia, evaluated the submissions based on watchability, technical execution, relevance of message, and relation to architecture. The #AAFF2016 will be held at The Bioscope in Maboneng, Johannesburg, from 23-26 June. Highlights include: The Arcades Project 2.0 (2015) and Keeping the City in Line? (2015) Director: Thomas Aquilina and Alex Lyons These two short films portray the dominant downtown arcade buildings in Kampala, and the partially disused railway line in this city respectively, which were identified as fundamental to urban life. The parallels between these spaces of the Kampala landscape will, it is anticipated, become important in understanding how to propose new architecture in the city. The Arcades Project 2.0 (2015) A Place to call Home (2015) Director: Briar March By narrating the story of the privatisation of state housing in New Zealand through the eyes of two Maori women involved in opposing housing projects, this film examines the new global trend in which social housing is run by private trusts and interest groups who care for specific subgroups within a community. A Place to call Home (2015) Excuse me while I disappear (2014) Director: Michael MacGarry The film was shot in Kilamba Kiaxi, a new city built outside Luanda, Angola. Built by Chinese construction company, CITIC, and financed by Hong Kong-based China International Fund, the new city is to be home to more than 210,000 people and is the single largest investment project by China in Africa. Fictions: en route City (2016) Director: Kgao Mashego Fiction is a dimension of the mind that materialises the conscience of what we know and do not. In this film, Johannesburg is a fictional character and setting within and outside her own ends history, present, future a city en-route. Tickets are available at www.thebioscope.co.za. Mumbai: Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut on Wednesday condemned superstar Salman Khan's "insensitive" rape analogy but said he should not be targeted for it. Salman, in a group interview to promote Sultan, made the remark that he felt like a "raped woman" after the gruelling shoot for the wrestling drama. "We all agree that it is a horrible thing to say, it is something which is extremely insensitive," Kangana said, when asked about it at the launch of Shirish Kunder's short film Kriti. The National Award-winning star, however, said one should not encourage the mentality of pointing fingers and trolling. "But what I would like to say is let's not encourage the mentality where we want to point fingers at each other and want to feel greater by just running people down by trolling them," Kangana said. "As a society we have to take responsibility... It is disgraceful to the whole society and not an individual," she added. Salman has faced a lot of flak on social media and from women's rights activists and political parties over his comment. While his father, scriptwriter Salim Khan, apologised on his behalf, the chorus demanding apology from Salman himself is growing. Kangana said everybody should be collectively sorry about the thought process. "What Salim uncle says is right, we are all sorry about it. It is not about an individual, we all collectively feel sorry for that thought process." New Delhi: Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap, who feels it's a waste of time and energy to wrangle with the Indian censor board for certification of adult films, says it's important that in a scenario when the censor body is chaired by a "senile" and "intellectually incapable" person such as Pahlaj Nihalani, movie makers must be empowered to approach the court directly. "Give us the power that if we are making an adult film, and we are seeking an adult certificate, we can go straight to the court or straight to the Tribunal (Film Certification Appellate Tribunal - FCAT). Why should we go through the humiliation of going through him (Pahlaj Nihalani) and waste time," Kashyap, 43, told IANS in a no-holds-barred interview here. Kashyap's co-production Udta Punjab, a movie on the drug menace in Punjab, could release in India only after the Bombay High Court intervened and overruled the Central Board of Film Certification's (CBFC) directive to make 89 cuts. Now another of the filmmaker's co-productions, Haraamkhor, is left in the lurch for a certificate as its theme of a teacher-student romance has been deemed unfit for the Indian market. There are more films -- Sunny Deol's abuse-laden Mohalla Assi and Manoj Bajpayee-starrer Saat Uchakkey which is also laced with expletives. According to Kashyap, one of the most outspoken filmmakers of his times, the recent hassles on certification are a result of one man's ego. "He's a very strange man who hates that somebody took his power away. What the court said to the censor board was that 'You can't cut a film and if you have a problem, refuse the censor certificate'. So in four days, he refused certificate to some films randomly... including Haraamkhor and Saat Uchakkey. "His ego is so big that he can't take the fact that someone took his powers away," stressed the filmmaker, who is acclaimed for handling dark themes deftly, and had earlier hit out at Nihalani by calling him an "oligarch". After the Examining Committee suggested 89 cuts to Udta Punjab, it went to the Revising Committee which scaled down the cuts to 13. Kashyap says filmmakers are now increasingly skipping going through the latter and reaching out straight to the FCAT. "There's no difference left. The same people sit there and the same mindset follows. So, it's a waste of time and energy. Pahlaj-ji dictates terms," he said, adding that he finds Nihalani "intellectually incapable of the position" he holds. "He is an ancient mindset. Cinema has grown beyond him. The world of internet has changed the way information flows. People are well-informed and they are much more mature... He doesn't understand that cinema has far more responsibility now than just to entertain," Kashyap said of Nihalani. Kashyap hopes the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting acts upon recommendations of the Shyam Benegal Committee -- which has suggested a revised system of certification and abolition of censorship. Meanwhile, he is happy that "Udta Punjab" released intact -- the way it was meant to -- in India. "I am happy that the film has resonated well with the people, especially in Punjab. And when people see the movie, the only thing that I'm happy about is that now they can see what was being cut out. They can imagine what it would have been like (with the CBFC-suggested cuts)," he said. Photoshop is to magazines what misogyny is to Salman Khan. Magazines have been using the tool to "enhance" features of celebs on the cover for years. Public figures like Amy Schumer and Huma Qureshi have even spoken up against it. However, the overused photo correction tool recently came into focus when it was used on our latest export to Hollywood: Priyanka Chopra. But for internationally famous FBI-agent playing, Baywatch-starring Priyanka Chopra, courting controversy is not a big deal. Here is Priyanka Chopra featured on the June-July issue of Maxim: 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 Look closely and you will see that Priyanka has Barbie's smooth creaseless armpits, and Buzzfeed India was the first one to point this out. If we start calling out every cover that uses photoshop to enhance a magazine we'll run out of time. But the grossly unrealistic ideal potrayed in the cover started a big twitter discussion. Priyanka Chopra's armpits took centerstage, leaving less important issues behind. Even the Queen of gossip Perez Hilton tweeted about it And this made it to news websites like The Independent who took a breather from discussing UK's Brexit and tweeted about Priyanka Chopra's underarms. People are talking about Priyanka Chopra's armpits on the cover of Maxim https://t.co/juiOB1Mq8B pic.twitter.com/ZrwJQ4BsIy The Independent (@Independent) June 21, 2016 However, Priyanka Chopra then went on to post a photo of her un-photoshopped armpits, which though not photoshopped, look great. And more importantly, real. Priyanka Chopra's armpits were trending on twitter, gaining international attention. The debate inevitably turned to the need to use Photoshop to make women's bodies look a certain way. Why is there an inevitable need to improve on a way a woman's body looks? This is not the first time a magazine has been under fire for the need to use an airbrush tool to smoothen an armpit or calm down a blister. Richa Chaddha recently spoke about how unrealistic beauty standards in the film industry made her develop an eating disorder. Kerry Washington has repeatedly called out magazines on photoshopping her cover photo to make her look skinnier and lightening her skin tone. Then there is Lena Dunham speaking out against her body looking completely different from what she is used to on a magazine. Closer to home, take a look at the July 2015 cover of Vogue's covergirl Rani Mukherjee. The 38 year old actress, though stunning in her own right looks very different in person (and in candid photos) as compared to the cover. Miley Cyrus's cover for Candy, armpit hair and all is another extreme.Though the cover was just meant to shock, the armpit hair proves a point, that it is natural and there is nothing wrong with having it. Photoshop isn't only being used by magazines to promote their covers, bloggers have taken to it too to use it on their Instagram and blog posts. Everybody wants to look perfect and the digital world allows us the freedom to use tools that make us. We all want to look like we are right out Vogue's latest cover, but real life starts to take a toll and we slowly start to hate the way our own body looks to us. Underneath the facade of glamour aren't we promoting a culture of negative body image and festering eating disorders? So while Priyanka's armpits were definitely photoshopped, the fact that Maxim was called out on this makes us think that the internet is definitely taking a step in the right direction. Yes, there is an unrealistic beauty standards, but atleast now there are people pointing it out. While the 'rape remark' controversy was raging on TV studios, #PaidMediaCan'tPullSalmanDown was trending high on Twitter for a considerable amount of time. It suggested that while media was seething in sanctimonious anger over Salman Khan's regressive comment, legion of his fans were solidly behind Bhai, registering their protest through social media and vowing to make his upcoming Eid release 'Sultan' the sultan of all Bollywood movies. This presented a curious chasm. While a Bollywood superstar was rightly being criticized for trivializing violence against women, millions of his followers were taking umbrage at the criticism. For them, it was almost a personal affront. Before we address this dichotomy, let's recall what the 51-year-old teenager actually said. During an interview with Spotboye magazine, Salman made a 'casual' observation that the grueling training schedule for the movie made him feel like a 'raped' woman. "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 When I used to walk out of the ring, after the shoot, I used to feel like a raped woman. I couldnt walk straight". Later in the interview, Salman even went on to say that he has left every vice, including cigarettes and coffee, except women. So this appeared to be a classic case of misogyny where a traumatic event with deep repercussions like rape was being compared to the physical exertions of a gym session. This is the first step towards 'making light of' and eventually establishing violence against women as a normative principle. Now consider the way Salman's legion of dedicated fans have reacted. Far from being enraged that their screen idol has regressively and in a cavalier manner sought to equate the deep mental and physical scar of rape with the exertions of training in a gymnasium, they have (mostly) perceived the entire controversy as 'fake'. #PaidMediaCantPullSalmanDown i support salman every body will waiting to target him all the time for silly things also get over it guys.. FahadAhmedKhan (@fahadahmedkhan2) June 21, 2016 Believe me or not. #PaidMediaCantPullSalmanDown. Sultan on top of the world. @sabinalamba Irfan Ahmad Khan (@KhanAhmadIrfan) June 21, 2016 #PaidMediaCantPullSalmanDown@BeingSalmanKhan Bhaiiiiiiii we always support u bhai love u RIP MEDIA PREM_MANISH (@MANISHHAZRA1) June 21, 2016 This is all a selective outrage for a unintentional comment made from a media targeted personality. #PaidMediaCantPullSalmanDown Prajakta ~ (@cool_nikkki) June 21, 2016 The popular reaction can largely be divided into two parts. According to some fans, their larger-than-life icon has been 'unfairly targeted by the media' for an entirely innocuous comment in search for easy TRPs. Bhai didn't mean it, of course. In other words, Salman here is the 'victim'. In the eyes of the other, mostly male section, Salman's popularity is sure to soar even higher than before because only he has the balls to say what everybody knows is the truth. Doesn't a backbreaking session at the gym leave you feeling as if you have been raped? In other words, far from being the perpetrator of a depraved comment, Salman Khan is that alpha male who has been wronged and victimized by a media eager to cash in on a controversy. And fans are ready to show solidarity with their victimized hero by flooding the theatres when the movie is released. And we would be utterly wrong to blame the fans for their perception. They didn't descend from Mars. They are us, they might even be you. In fact, by concluding that those who have to come to defend Salman are some sort of 'criminals' or 'hypocrites', the media is being part of the problem. It takes active part in propagating daily misogyny. It miserably fails to challenge the various ways in which patriarchy as a social system associates manhood and masculinity with dominance and control (consider the abundance of sexist TV commercials) because more often than not, men are the primary focus of attention in most cultural spaces. And yet, the media takes a holier-than-thou stand when those internalized patriarchal mores are expressed in uncomfortable ways. When Salman Khan made that blase remark about 'rape', the 51-year-old superstar at the height of his fame was accurately describing the popular perception about the deprivation of women's bodily sovereignty that usually leave lifelong scars. In their seminal thesis Rape Trauma Syndrome, psychiatrist Ann Wolbert Burgess and sociologist Lynda Lytle Holmstrom, as far back in 1974, showed how the psychological trauma experienced by a rape includes disruptions to normal physical, emotional, cognitive, and interpersonal behavior. Collectively called RTS, these are a cluster of psychological and physical signs, symptoms and reactions common to most rape victims immediately following and for months or years after a rape. So just instinctively blaming the people who are defending Salman won't do. We should also challenge the innumerable ways in which male domination is pushed down our throats to such an extent that we have internalized it as the 'normal'. Women are a joke, girls are a joke, rape is a joke, the degradation of women is perhaps the most hilarious joke ever. If rape which signifies male control over the sexual and reproductive uses of women's bodies as a central defining element of patriarchy can be turned into a jocular remark by hero number one and if legions of his fans swear that it isn't anything but 'normal' then it points to a deep rot in our psyche that we must address. Merely blaming and shaming them misses the point by a mile. London: Actor Leonardo DiCaprio is set to make an action thriller based on the real-life search for a fugitive fishing ship. The 41-year-old actor will produce the movie, titled 'The Outlaw Ocean', through his production company Appian Way for internet video streaming service Netflix. The movie will tell the story of how a vigilante crew stalked a notorious fish poaching ship across 10,000 miles and three oceans, reported Female First. Leonardo, a committed environmental activist, had signed a deal with Netflix to produce non-fiction based films and documentaries about controversial environmental themes. "There's never been a more critical time for our planet or more of a need for gifted storytellers to help us all make sense of the issues we face," he said. It has been a week of high-profile clashes between one of Indias largest film industries the Mumbai-based Bollywood and the Central Board of Film Certification a.k.a the Censor Board. First, the Punjabi-Hindi film Udta Punjab raked in big bucks on its opening weekend, thanks in large part to the free publicity graciously engineered by the Boards illogical, legally untenable objections to it. Then the Nawazuddin Siddiqui-starrer Haraamkhor, featuring a teacher-student romance, was flatly denied clearance because the examining committee found the theme per se unacceptable. Now social media is abuzz with news that the invective-filled Saat Uchakkey starring Manoj Bajpayee and Anupam Kher has been thrown out too. Hold your thoughts on these films for a moment. Let us turn our attention instead to a song that has also emerged from Bollywood in recent weeks: Teri ma-behen Ma-behen ma-behen ma-behen ma-behen ma-behen ma-behen Teri haddiya tootey Teri khopdi phootey Teri izzat har koi lootey. In case you do not understand Hindi, here, in effect, is what these lyrics mean in English: M*th*rf*ck*r s*st*rf*ck*r M*th*rf*ck*r s*st*rf*ck*r m*th*rf*ck*r s*st*rf*ck*r m*th*rf*ck*r s*st*rf*ck*r m*th*rf*ck*r s*st*rf*ck*r m*th*rf*ck*r s*st*rf*ck*r m*th*rf*ck*r s*st*rf*ck*r May your bones break May your skull crack May you be repeatedly raped. For those who do not know, these are the words of a rap song sung by Abhishek Bachchans character Bunty in another of this months Bollywood releases, Housefull 3. The Censor Board, which went ballistic over the abuse, drug abuse and politics featured in Udta Punjab including the same expletives motherfucker and sisterfucker appears to have had no qualms about clearing Housefull 3s rape rap. The situation is steeped in irony and double standards. Director duo Farhad-Sajids Housefull 3 and Abhishek Chaubeys Udta Punjab have reached theatres within a fortnight of each other. The Censors initially demanded changes in Udta Punjab that, according to various media reports, would have amounted to anything from 89 to 94 cuts. The film ultimately managed to come to theatres with just one cut and an A (restricted to adults) rating when the producers sought the intervention of the Bombay High Court in the matter. Housefull 3 with its abundance of cuss words and a rape curse set to music, however, was awarded a UA certificate, which means any child can watch this film and the Board is merely putting out a cautionary note for parents who care enough to monitor their childrens film-viewing habits. The UA rating stands for Unrestricted Public Exhibition but with a word of caution that parental discretion is required for children below 12 years. While the countrys film industries have been complaining for decades about the inconsistency in Censor rulings from film to film, the current CBFC chief Pahlaj Nihalanis authoritarian ways, personal whims and strange public pronouncements make his tenure a perfect showcase for the extent of ambiguity in the Boards responses to different films. The contrast between the treatment meted out to Udta Punjab and Housefull 3 is a fine example. The past few months have been littered with similar instances, although none made as much news as Udta Punjab, possibly because of the scale of the Censorship in this case and, more important, the strong stand taken by the films producers particularly Anurag Kashyap. Housefull 3s encounter with the CBFC, which has not attracted media attention, is bizarre in its own way. It is a telling illustration of the contradictions often delivered within rulings on the same film in this country. This Akshay Kumar-Junior Bachchan-Riteish Deshmukh-starrer may have managed a UA rating despite its rape rap, but the strictures placed on it (eight in all) throw light on the Boards conflicted misogyny and hypocritical, medieval ultra-conservatism. For those who have not seen the film, here is the context of the rape rap song. Bunty is an aspiring Indian rapper participating in a contest in London. The judge who is a white man derides our desi boys performance, but accepts his request for a second chance, at which point Bunty belts out the string of Hindi insults that make up the Teri ma-behen number. Get this: the rape slur in Buntys rap song was added AFTER the Censors objected to the original material which featured many variants of ma-behen and multiple derisive references to fathers, mothers and sisters. The lyrics were rewritten, every mention of dads was dropped and the rape curse added. The result: a go-ahead from the Board with a UA. When contacted, Farhad-Sajid refused to comment on the kid-glove treatment given to their film or the apparent inherent confusion within the Boards ruling. So what is one to read from this verdict? That dads are sacred, moms and female siblings are not? That insults referring to relatives are acceptable in limited quantities, but wishing rape on a man is unquestionably okay? Incidentally, the makers of Housefull 3 were also asked to remove the dialogue Yeh Baba Shamdev hai and replace it with Yeh Tiger Shroff hai. Clearly, Baba Ramdev and other supporters of the ruling BJP are holy cows in the CBFCs view. Nihalani and the Board make no bones about their political affiliations, but the rest of their decisions could come across as random to observers. In truth, there is a pattern to the seeming randomness. Makers of films that are deemed arty, niche, serious or offbeat in public perception are far more likely to get scissored than films by directors who are considered commercially driven and massy. Likewise, reality and straight talk are frowned upon, while fantasy, comedy and innuendo are most likely to pass muster. And while films with big stars have occasionally run into trouble in the past (Udta Punjabs cast, after all, was headlined by Shahid Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Alia Bhatt), the fact is that all other things being equal, a film with established, major mainstream stars is far safer in the hands of the Censor Board than a film with unknowns, newcomers and actors who tend to lean towards niche films. Just seven days before Housefull 3, a small Hindi film called Phobia came to theatres. This excellent psychological thriller directed by Pavan Kirpalani featured a flawless performance by actress Radhika Apte. The A certificate to the film is perfectly understandable Phobia is inexorably frightening. What is not understandable is that despite the A, the Board asked for the words bitch (twice) and screwed up to be muted. So according to the Censor Board, it is all right to trivialise and demean women as U and UA-rated Hindi films routinely do, but when a word of abuse is used realistically within a specific context, the Indian adult psyche will be damaged? In the same week as Phobia, Anu Menons Hindi-English-Malayalam film Waiting starring Naseeruddin Shah and Kalki Koechlin was released. This gentle tale of life, death and the relationships that come in between has no violent or scary content, yet it was given an A rating because of the heroines penchant for profanity. Despite the A, despite the thematic significance of the young womans crude tongue which becomes a subject of discussion between her and the elderly male protagonist, the producers were forced to mute chutiya, bastard and motherfucker while other equally colourful expressions were untouched. Some might consider that better luck than many A films have had. Menon minces no words about her exasperation with the Censor Board. Waiting is upfront, and as a society we dont understand upfront discussions. When something is presented clearly, everybody gets uncomfortable, as they did with Udta Punjab. Waiting shows a mirror to young people about how we talk. Everyone prefers films in which everything is slipped under the carpet, she says, adding, You know Housefull is considered a family film in our set-up? The general understanding of family films among producers is these Whatsapp jokes that go around most are sexist, most are really rude and everybody giggles over them. So actually, the response to Housefull is a representation of our society. So is the Censor Board. Menon and other industry members point to another factor that governs Censor inconsistency: the filmmakers own logistical and practical compulsions. Kanu Behl, debutant director of last years release Titli, explains: The Censor Boards response to a film depends on whether you have the willingness to fight, the resources or the time. Yash Raj and Dibakar (Titlis co-producers Dibakar Banerjee and Yash Raj Films) are well known in the industry for not pushing for these things with their clout. Titli a story about a family of violence-prone, foul-mouthed, amoral carjackers in Delhi may have been considered worthy of the 2014 Cannes film festival and praised by Indian critics when it came to theatres here 17 months later, but between those two occurrences lay the Himalayan hurdle that is the Censor Board. The film, Behl lets on, was submitted to the Board six weeks before the scheduled release date. The initial examining committee did not clear it, but it was okayed by a revising committee (RC) the second rung of the Censorship process with a couple of cuts and an A rating. The director tells us though that ultimately he had to remove either through muting, ambient sound overlays or other devices most abuses in the film because Pahlaj Nihalani first kept him and the producers waiting for about two weeks for the certificate and then verbally overruled the RC. Time is one of the most powerful weapons in the hands of a Censor Board chief on a power trip. If I had a couple more weeks, I would still have fought on, says Behl. Its just that the back and forth took several weeks, and the planned release date was essential for a small film like mine given that just two weeks after me was Prem Ratan Dhan Payo (Sooraj Barjatyas film starring Salman Khan and Sonam Kapoor). Missing the planned date would have meant another six months postponement to get a Friday on which we would not be clashing with a big film. That the Board is unashamed of its games and unspoken prejudices became most glaringly evident in December 2015 when Pan Nalins Hindi-English Angry Indian Goddesses and the Hindi film Hate Story 3 were released on the same day. Nalins film a hard-hitting story of how Indian women stay positive while battling extreme patriarchy on a daily basis was not just certified A, it had to suffer the ignominy of being a blank-filled experience for viewers since he was asked to mute every single swear word and, weirdly enough, Indian figure from a conversation in which a woman tells her friends not to be jealous of her Indian figure, adivasi when a corporate CEO mentions protests by adivasis outside her factory and sarkar (government) from a discussion about institutionalised homophobia and government interference in our personal choices in India. In addition, a film that used Hindu goddesses as a metaphor for the intrinsic strength of Indian women was mindlessly made to blur out all visuals of those deities. When you make a movie by the Censor Board rules, you can make the most vulgar picture and get away with it, is Nalins lament. There have been a series of films such as Guddu Ki Gun and Grand Masti in which everything is based on sleaze and double meanings, but they dont see a film like Angry Indian Goddesses in its totality. Case in point: The same Board in the same week permitted numerous sex scenes and the liberal use of the F-word unmuted in Hate Story 3, while granting it an A certificate. The sex in Hate Story 3 is so poorly simulated and poorly acted that you can rest assured this is not what happens in the countrys bedrooms. That could be a reason why those scenes were cleared along with the swearing, unlike Angry Indian Goddesses that featured language real women of that milieu do use, in dialogues that flowed naturally. Milieu and context, of course, are concepts alien to the Censor Board. So are realism and reality as evidenced by the attitude to Udta Punjab. The films makers could perhaps derive some consolation from the Boards action against Ram Gopal Varmas Veerappan. The film, released last month, featured a scene in which the notorious real-life sandalwood smuggler mentions that LTTE chief Prabhakaran killed former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. The Censors insisted that instead of a statement of fact, the dialogue should be changed to a speculative sentence about Prabhakarans role in Rajivs murder. Apparently they feared that Tamil sentiments could be hurt by widely known information about an episode in recent Indian history. The sentiments of rape survivors, on the other hand, are irrelevant of course. What is the big deal when children are allowed to watch as rape is wished on a man and couched in comedy, right Mr Nihalani? (Footnote: This article is based entirely on CBFCs clashes with Bollywood. The Censor woes of Indias other film industries, especially southern Indias giants, are far worse and merit a separate story. Watch this space.) Related article by Anna M.M. Vetticad: Its tempting to mock Pahlaj Nihalani over The Jungle Book, but lets mock the film censorship system instead Bengaluru: Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan on Wednesday said startups lacking collateral is the main reason for not being able to get funded by banks. "Across the world startups don't have collateral. The banker wants to see what he can take as a collateral which is non-existent for the startups," said Rajan at an interactive session organised by industry body Assocham. Rajan said those who want to start a taxi service can go take a loan against the fleet of cars they have as security but for startups that is not the case. He said a bank will lend to a kirana shop owner or an auto repair shop owner but shy away from startups for the reason they do not have assets or collateral. The governor said a software programme written by a startup hanging around somewhere in the cloud might be hard for a bank to readily understand its value and thereby lead to backing off from funding. However, Rajan highlighted that startup funding in India exploded 30 to 40 times through a variety of sources like venture capital and angel funding among others. Bengaluru: On the eve of 'Brexit' referendum, RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan on Wednesday said the central bank is watching the situation and will infuse whatever liquidity is needed to keep Indian markets "well behaved." "We are watching the situation and we will infuse whatever liquidity is needed to keep markets reasonably well behaved," Rajan told reporters here on the sidelines of an interactive industry meet organised by the business chamber Assocham. The UK will vote tomorrow on whether to remain in the 28-nation European Union or to leave. Britain's exit from the EU, or Brexit, is being debated globally as it could have implications for financial markets and exchange rates globally. Earlier in the day, RBI had said in a statement that in the run up to the referendum in the United Kingdom on its continuing in the European Union (Brexit), uncertainty about the poll outcome has resulted in some amount of turbulence in global financial markets, including in India. The RBI is maintaining a close vigil on developments, and will take all necessary steps including liquidity support to ensure orderly conditions in financial markets, it added. Assocham has said the government must put in place a contingency plan to fight off volatility arising out of the referendum on Brexit, as it is bound to unnerve the global financial markets. India has significant trade with the UK as well as the EU. It also receives large investments from the Europe. India Inc's one of the longest-serving Chairman, ITC's Yogesh Chander Deveshwar, has decided to make way for the young brigade to take the reins of the company after he steps down from his current position in February 2017. Post this, the 69-year old and India's highest paid CEO will serve in as non-executive chairman of the now widely diversified cigarette-to-FMCG company. Here are some of the key points to know about India's one of the finest corporate chieftain, and his various initiatives at ITC spanning over two decades. 1) In 1968, Y C Deveshwar joined ITC and became executive chairman in January 1996. In 2011, the company's board gave him an extension to continue as chairman from 2012-2017. 2) In 1990's Deveshwar proved his mettle as a smart businessman, when he staved off British American Tobacco company's takeover attempt, Moneycontrol website reported. 3) In fact, Deveshwar's smart business acumen can be seen when he made a smart move to de-risk the company's sole cigarette business and foray into FMCG sector. Under his stewardship, the company also created several world-class Indian brands in the FMCG space. The company diversified into businesses ranging from FMCG, hospitality, paperboard and packaging, IT and agri business. "He is the one who decided tobacco is not the future of any business in any country today. His foray into fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) was great," said Sunil Alagh of SKA Advisors. 4) Under him, ITC launched e-Choupal in 2000, an initiative to link directly with rural farmers via the Internet for procurement of agricultural and aquaculture products like soybeans, wheat, coffee, and prawns. There are 6,500 e-Choupals in operation in 40,000 villages in 10 states, affecting around 4 million farmers. "I think the work is already in progress and I believe that stepping down at the current level and guiding in his next three years as a non executive chairman to the next leader, I think that will work well for the company," ET quoted Kaustabh Pawaskar, FMCG analyst with Sharekhan. 5) Competing with some of the country's large FMCG companies, ITC has seen its market-cap reach $40 billion, while 57 percent of its net revenue comes from non-cigarette segments. Also, the company's compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) in last 20 years accelerated to 12.2 percent as against Sensex's 10.6 percent during the period. 908 (almost 9 times). When Deveshwar took charge at the helm in mid-90s, ITC was confronted with formidable challenges. The companys revenue was less than Rs 5,200 crore and profit before tax was Rs 452 crore. In absolute terms, the company saw its profits surge 37 times (from Rs 261 crore to Rs 9,845 crore) and revenues grow nine fold (from Rs 5,115 crore to Rs 51,582 crore) indicating compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.2 percent for topline and nearly 20 percent for bottomline. Shareholders' returns grew by a whopping 23.3 percent (CAGR) as against Sensex's return of 10.6 percent (CAGR) during the period. Bengaluru: Describing BJP MP Subramanian Swamy's remarks against Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian as "noise" in a democracy, industry body CII's President Naushad Forbes on Wednesday said people should not judge India on the basis of a politician's "outlandish" statements. Calling Arvind "as one of the finest brains" among economists, officials of Confederation of Indian Industry said as a vibrant economy, India must welcome talent from all parts of the world and underscored that government would have taken into consideration all issues before appointing him as the Chief Economic Advisor. "If you are asking me about his tweets, I would describe Subramanian Swamy as the noise in our noisy democracy. It is a part of vibrancy of our democracy that you hear all kinds of statements and frankly you should not judge India on the basis of any politician's outlandish statements," Forbes told reporters in Bengaluru. After attacking RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan, who has said no to a second term as the central bank's head, the BJP leader has now trained his guns on Arvind Subramanian and demanded his sacking. Swamy tweeted that it is Arvind Subramanian who encouraged Congress to become rigid on GST (Goods and Services Tax) clauses, apparently referring to CEA panel recommendations on GST. In his second tweet, he had alleged that Subramanian had encouraged the US Congress to act against India to defend the interests of US Pharmaceutical companies. Forbes said since India's is the most robust economy in the world, it is necessary to welcome talents from various parts of the world. "In terms of this particular issue, I think every country benefits from attracting talent from everywhere, and we are the most vibrant economy in the world. I repeat, we must welcome talent. We must make talent comfortable and get the best out of it," he said. Commenting on one of the tweets seeking Subramanian's sacking, CII Director General Chandrajit Banerjee said he has not gone into the details of Swamy's allegations, but the industry's experience with him had been good. Banerjee said "Subramanian's report on GST itself answers a big part of the question, and his comments on different points of history about Indian economy needs to be seen in perspective." "We have been working very closely with him and we have seen that he is one of the finest brains as far as an economist is concerned," he said. Reacting to the second tweet by Swamy, Forbes said the government would have taken these things into consideration before appointing him as the Chief Economic Advisor. New Delhi: The government on Wednesday approved Rs 10,000 crore 'Fund of Funds for Startups' to support them with an aim to generate employment for 18 lakh persons. "The fund is expected to generate employment for 18 lakh persons on full deployment...A corpus of Rs 10,000 crore could potentially be the nucleus for catalysing Rs 60,000 crore of equity investment and twice as much debt investment," an official statement said. The decision was taken in the Union cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "The Cabinet has approved the establishment of 'Fund of Funds for Startups' (FFS) at Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) for contribution to various Alternative Investment Funds (AIF), registered with SEBI which would extend funding support to startups," it said. This is in line with the 'Startup India Action Plan' unveiled by the government in January. The corpus shall be built up over the 14th and 15th Finance Commission cycles, subject to progress of the scheme and availability of funds, it said. "This would provide a stable and predictable source of funding for startup enterprises and thereby facilitate large scale job creation," it added. An amount of Rs 500 crore has already been provided to the corpus of FFS in 2015-16 and Rs 600 crore earmarked in the 2016-17. Further provisions will be made as grant assistance through gross budgetary Support by Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) which will monitor and review performance in line with the 'Start up India Action Plan', it said. Further, the statement said the expertise of SIDBI would be utilised to manage the day-to-day operations of the fund. The monitoring and review of performance would be linked to the implementation of the action plan to enable execution as per timelines and milestones. The move assumes significance as startups face several challenges such as limited availability of domestic risk capital, constraints of conventional bank finance, information asymmetry and lack of hand holding support from credible agencies. A majority of successful startups have been funded by foreign venture funds and many of them are locating outside the country to receive such funding, it said. "A dedicated fund for carrying out 'Fund of Funds' operations would address these issues and enable flow of assistance to innovative startups through their journey to becoming full fledged business entities," it added. This would encompass support at seed stage, early stage and growth stage, it said. PTI New Delhi: A consortium led by Oil India has signed an agreement to acquire 23.9 percent stake in Russia's second biggest oil field of Vankor from Rosneft. The deal is valued at $2 billion. The stake acquired by OIL-led consortium is in addition to the 15 percent interest picked up by ONGC Videsh Ltd in the Vankor oilfield for $1.268 billion. "Indian consortium, led by OIL, along with Indian Oil Corp and Bharat PetroResources Ltd, a subsidiary of Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL), signed definitive agreement to acquire up to 23.9 percent shares from Rosneft Oil Co in JSC Vankorneft, a company organised under the law of Russian Federation which is the owner of Vankor and North Vankor field licenses," OIL said in a statement. The deal is expected to close by September 2016. The 23.9 percent stake would be split in the ratio 33.5-33.5-33 between IOC, OIL and BRPL (IOC and OIL picking up 8 percent stake each while the remaining 7.8 percent stake would go to BRPL). Rosneft holds 85 per cent shares in Vankor while ONGC Videsh Ltd (through its subsidiary) holds 15 per cent at present. Vankor field, located in East Siberia, is Russia's second largest field by production and accounts for around 4 percent of Russian production and currently producing about 422,000 barrels of oil per day. "It is the largest of the fields, discovered and commissioned in Russia during the last 25 years and is located in the North of Eastern Siberia in Turukhansk district of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, 142 km away from Igarka town," the statement said. The recoverable resources of the Vankor field as of January 1 stood at 361 million tonnes of oil and condensate and 138 billion cubic meters of gas. "With the closure of the Vankor deal, IOC's equity oil portfolio will go up by 1.6 million tons per annum," it said. Further, Rosneft has agreed to sell another 11 percent stake in Vankor to OVL. Details of this deal are yet to be finalised. The acquisitions have significant strategic importance to India, both in terms of augmenting energy security as well as enhancing its stature in the global political and economic arenas, the statement added. New Delhi: In a 15-year-old matter, Sebi on Wednesday barred Tata Finance Ltd's former managing director Dilip S Pendse and three other entities from the capital market for manipulations at the time of the firm's right issue in 2001. The watchdog has imposed a three-year ban on Pendse, A L Shilotri -- former CEO of the company's subsidiary Niskalp Investment and Trading. Besides, the debarment would be in place for two firms -- Pat Financial Consultants and Superior Financial Consultancy Services. Pendse and Shilotri have also been restrained from holding any key managerial position in any listed company for three years. In October 2002, Tata Finance had filed a complaint with Sebi following which the latter carried out an investigation into the company's rights issue. Tata Finance had come out with the rights in March 2001. The investigation found that false disclosures were made in the letter of offer for the rights issue about the financials of Niskalp. As per Sebi, Tata Finance had informed its shareholders that Niskalp had incurred an actual loss Rs 14.57 crore as on 30 September, 2000 and a provisional loss of Rs 79.37 crore for the year ended 31 March, 2001. But in the letter of offer, it was mentioned that there was a profit of Rs 11.46 crore for the six month period ended 30 September, 2000. In its 43-page order, Sebi said as the CEO of Niskalp, Shilotri was required to be aware of the financial transactions of the company and "had not raised any voice or concern when the losses were converted to profits in the hands of Niskalp". Shilotri had submitted that investors were given options to withdraw their monies from the rights issue not once but twice and that no investor has ever lost any money due to the alleged anomalies in the letter of offer. "This submission is of no relevance as it has already been proved that there were mis-statements in the rights issue letter of offer," it noted. According to Sebi, Pat and Superior by issuing letters regarding fictitious transactions aided and abetted Niskalp in making backdated/fictitious transactions in shares of GECS. The probe prima facie found backdating of the transactions of sale of GTL and GECS shares in September 2000 by Niskalp and purchase by Tata Finance. Then, there was reversal of such trades in December 2000 which were at the behest of Pendse, Shilotri and other entities. Such fictitious/ backdated transactions in the scrip of GTL and GECS had converted loss into a profit in the books of Niskalp, Sebi said. "Further, such profit in the hands of Niskalp was disclosed in the offer document for the purposes of the rights issue of Tata Finance Ltd," it added. At the time of the issue, Pendse was managing director of Tata Finance and also a director of Niskalp. He had also signed the letter of offer pertaining to the rights issue. "Therefore, he was fully in charge of the rights issue of Tata Finance during the relevant period and his involvement in the misleading statements cannot be wished away. "Considering the admitted mis-statement made in the letter of offer pertaining to the rights issue regarding the accounts of Niskalp, it can be concluded that the affairs of the companies were mismanaged to commit fraud on the investors," the order said. A day after SoftBank's India-born President Nikesh Arora stepped down from his current post, there was wide-spread speculation that the move could hurt the company's shares in the near-term. However, some investors were relieved and hailed Masayoshi Son's decision to extend his stay for longer at the company's helm. In early Wednesday trades, SoftBank's shares rose 2.6 percent. SoftBank Group investors shrugged off on Wednesday the surprise departure of the heir apparent at the Japanese internet and telecoms conglomerate, welcoming founder Masayoshi Son's decision to stay in the top seat for longer. Nikesh Arora, a former Google executive, joined Softbank in 2014 and was named as the next chief executive by Son last year. He invested heavily in SoftBank stock last year. "Shareholders are welcoming this, I think," said Shigeru Kanno, one of the company's shareholders gathering for the group's annual meeting on Wednesday. "The share rise today reflects investors' hopes that Mr. Son will be in charge for much longer," said Kanno, a pensioner who said he had been a shareholder since SoftBank went public. But analysts said Arora's abrupt exit late on Tuesday raised questions over the conglomerate's disparate investment strategy. Arora had been reshaping the portfolio and bolstering the balance sheet in recent months through a series of asset sales. SoftBank shares have fallen over 15 percent in the past year, mainly on concerns about U.S. wireless carrier Sprint Corp, in which SoftBank acquired a majority stake in 2013. Arora, who was Google's highest paid executive in 2012, has also been highly paid at SoftBank, raising questions among some investors. He has received over $200 million in compensation over the last two years, though he has sold the $500 million of SoftBank shares he bought last year to Son at a small loss. "Considering his high compensation he hadn't been able to produce results, so his departure would be accepted by investors," said Yoshihiko Tabei, chief analyst at Naito Securities, citing a slow turnaround at Sprint. The fourth-ranked U.S. mobile network provider has struggled for profitability in recent years, and for January-March reported a wider quarterly net loss and added fewer subscribers than expected. To address investor concerns over Sprint, SoftBank has announced three major asset reshuffles in the past month, one of which was the sale of $10 billion worth of shares in the Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding. On Tuesday, SoftBank said it was also selling its majority stake in 'Clash of Clans' maker Supercell to China's Tencent Holdings. Arora was credited for those moves, which brought much-needed stability to SoftBank's finances, as well as bold moves into India's fast-growing tech space - prompting at least some on Wednesday to voice concern. "Mr. Arora did achieve, in terms of finding investment targets that bring returns faster," said Ikuo Mitsui, a fund manager at Aizawa Securities. "They've stemmed the bleeding at Sprint but they've yet to achieve growth. So that's worrying." With inputs from Reuters PARIS Iceland snatched a stoppage-time winner to continue their fairytale story at Euro 2016 by making it through to the last 16 after a deserved 2-1 victory against Austria in their final Group F match on Wednesday. Iceland end their section second with five points. Austria go out with one point. In humid conditions at the Stade de France, the islanders had the better chances in the early stages taking the lead in the 18th minute when Jon Dadi Bodvarsson coolly steered the ball home after a flick-on in the box. Austria, who missed a penalty in the first half and laid siege to Iceland's goal in the second, gave themselves hope when Alessandro Schopf scored in the 60th minute, but Arnor Traustason secured the win in stoppage time. (Reporting By John Irish; Editing by Toby Davis) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Vadodara: A top official of city-based Parul University has been arrested after a nursing student accused him of raping her, police said on Wednesday. The woman rector of a girls' hostel has also been arrested for allegedly abetting the crime. Jayesh Patel, the founder and former president of Parul University, who was accused of raping the student a few days back and evading arrest since then, was arrested by the rural police on Tuesday night when he was coming to the city from Anand, in his car, they said. "We had been searching for him since last many days. Based on a tip-off, 66-year-old Patel was nabbed by rural police at Asodar cross roads near Anand at around 11 pm on Tuesday. He has been brought here for further questioning," Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP), Vadodara rural police, SL Bhatt said. "After his medical check-up, we will produce him before a court to seek his remand," Bhatt said. Patel is the founder of Parul University, a private varsity located at Limdi village under Waghodia taluka in the district. After the rape complaint was filed on 18 June, Patel went underground. He was subsequently expelled from the post of president of the university by its authorities. Later, he was also expelled from BJP, which he had joined in 2014, party spokesman Bharat Pandya said. In the FIR, the 21-year-old girl, who is studying in a local nursing institute affiliated to the varsity, also accused the girls' hostel woman rector Bhavnaben Patel of abetting the crime. The complainant said in the FIR that she was allegedly raped by Jayesh Patel at his house located near the girls' hostel, after Bhavnaben took her there during the intervening night of 16 and 17 June. The victim also alleged that Patel threatened to rusticate her from the institute and spoil her career by failing her in exams if she revealed it to anyone, police said. "Since Bhavnaben was also involved in the crime, we arrested her on 19 June and took her remand," Bhatt said. A case was lodged at Waghodia police station against them under sections 376 (rape), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 114 (abetting the crime), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC, police said. Prior to joining BJP in 2014, Jayesh Patel had contested the state Assembly election twice as Congress candidate against sitting BJP MLA Madhu Srivastav and lost on both the occasions. Before his arrest on Tuesday night, police recovered a video, which was purportedly recorded a day before the FIR was lodged. In the video, which went viral a few days back, Patel is seen as saying that he would be in trouble if a case is registered against him. Meanwhile, the Parul University, in a statement issued on Wednesday, said that the allegations against Jayesh Patel are individual in nature. The varsity's new president, Devanshu Patel, in a statement said his father Jayesh Patel has been removed from the president's post after the case was lodged. He also said that the administration of the university was now in the hands of two women officials. Ahmedabad: Gujarat has assured the Centre that the Agricultural Land Ceiling (Amendment) Bill, 2015, which proposes to empower the government to allot surplus land to the industry and the civic bodies, won't affect the agricultural production. The Centre had asked the state whether the bill deviates from the purpose of the original act, and whether it will affect the agricultural production. In its reply sent last week, Gujarat government assured that the provisions are in accordance with the original act and the amendments will not impact the present agricultural output, said K Srinivas, principal secretary, revenue. "We sent the bill for Presidential assent after it was passed by the Gujarat Assembly last August....Centre had raised some questions to which we sent our reply recently. We are hopeful of getting the Presidential nod," he said. "We have assured the Centre that Government will allot surplus land only in return for land elsewhere. So the agricultural land bank will remain the same," said Srinivas. The Agricultural Land Ceiling Act, 1960, puts a ceiling on the agricultural land-holding and empowers the government to acquire surplus land and to allot it to landless farmers. Under the amendments, the surplus land can also be given to industry and the civic bodies. According to Srinivas, some of the surplus land acquired by the Government is not useful for farming. Also, civic bodies can be given the land for public amenities. "The industry as well as the civic bodies will be required to make available equivalent area of land (elsewhere) in return for the land given," he said. Following a CBI probe, it has been declared that the same weapon and the motorcycle were used in the killing of two Maharashtra rationalists, Govind Pansare and Narendra Dabholkar. Narendra Dabholkar was leading the rationalist movement in Mahrashtra and was engaged in fighting superstition and black magic through the organisation Andhashradha Nirmoolan Samity'. Even with allegations of him receiving threats from extremist groups such as Sanatan Sanstha and Hindu Janajagruti Samiti, he refused to seek police protection. Virendra Tawde, Hindu Janajagruti Samiti member, and an accused in the murder of Dabholkar, rode the motorcycle in question from Panvel to Pune in January 2013, reports The Indian Express. The same vehicle was used by the main absconding accused Sarang Akolkar and another sadhak from Sanatan Sanstha for the killing of Dabholkar on 20 August, 2013 outside his Pune residence, reports Mid-Day. According to the report, Tawde upon questioning by the CBI, had earlier claimed to have sold his vehicle so a scrap dealer in Pune in 2013. When questioned further regarding the reasons for selling the vehicle, which incidentally was in a good condition, Tawde was unable to provide answers. The CBI on Tuesday had also questioned Tawde's wife Nidhi Tawde, as they carried out a search her house in Kalpataru Society in Panvel. CBI seized 17 documents, including a passport and 35 CDs of Sanatan Santha programmes, from Tawde's Panvel residence, reports Asian Age. We learnt that Tawade abandoned all family responsibilities and devoted all his time to Sanstha, said sources from the CBI after questioning his wife. Tawde, suspected to be the brain behind the murder conspiracy, is said to have hatched the plan to murder the activist along with Akolkar. The plan was finally executed on 20 August, 2013, when Dabholkar was shot dead by two unidentified men while he was on a morning walk on Omkareshwar Bridge in Pune. Sources also believe that Tawde was unhappy with Dabholkar for his relentless campaign against religious superstition. Meanwhile the sanstha has maintained its denial of any role in Dabholkar's murder and termed Tawde's arrest as "mysterious". New Delhi: 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 on Monday 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 on Tuesday. 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 percent from existent 25 percent, instead it has been reduced to 20 percent. "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. The Times of India, on Monday, reported that 27,000 of the 75,489 schools in Karnataka had three or fewer classrooms. Quoting provisional figures for 2015-16 released by the District Information System for Education (DISE), the report said that this was because of the government policy of determining the number of classrooms through the number of teachers in each school. The DISE has revealed in its report that while 10,592 schools in Karnataka had three classrooms, 14,064 had two classrooms, 2,083 had one classroom and 164 schools had no classrooms at all. The DISE data is collated by the National University of Educational Planning and Administration (NEUPA), Delhi, established by the HRD ministry. A couple of months ago, Bangalore Mirror reported, quoting DISE figures again that an estimated 48.87 percent school teachers in Karnataka were not even graduates. Of the 4.25 lakh teachers in Karnatakas urban and rural schools, 2,08 lakh teachers do not have a graduate degree, of which some 3,000 teachers had passed below secondary school, 63,000 secondary and 1,42 lakh higher secondary. According to the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education (RTE) Act, schools should have graduate teachers in upper primary schools and higher secondary teachers in primary schools. Statistics dont lie and lack of qualified teachers is a problem in most schools, both private and government schools. This is because teaching has always been the last career option for most young people. When every other job, including a call centre job is more lucrative and attractive, why would a young person graduating out of college choose teaching? A teachers salary is far better now, yet, it is not a young graduates first choice. And when teachers get posted to rural schools, its a known fact they will either go on leave or apply for a transfer immediately. A rural government school that I visited some time ago, I found that the teacher was not only handling a combined age group in a single classroom, but she was also disgruntled and exhausted. I have applied for a transfer back to the city, I am waiting for it to come through. She told me that she cooked the family meal, got her own children ready for school in the morning, before taking the bus to commute for two hours to reach the school, where she worked. However, what also ails our government schools is the dropout rate. Educationists, find it very difficult to retain children in schools, more so in secondary school, especially when these children start earning money outside school through petty jobs. When this money takes care of their needs and also helps in supplementing the incomes of their families, their interest in school withers. No talk about bettering their prospects by working hard at school, so that they can land a job works with them, for these children are already earning for themselves. The dropout rate is also high among girls once they reach puberty, as many rural government schools dont even have decent toilets. The International Center for Peace and Development has found that early childhood education in India was subject to two extreme, but contrary deficiencies. "On the one hand, millions of young children in lower income groups, especially rural and girl children, comprising nearly 40% of first grade entrants never complete primary school. Even among those who do, poorly qualified teachers, very high student-teacher ratios, inadequate teaching materials and outmoded teaching methods result in a low quality of education that often imparts little or no real learning. It is not uncommon for students completing six years of primary schooling in village public schools to lack even rudimentary reading and writing skills. A neighbourhood government school in Bengaluru, where I volunteer my time has a similar issue. Secondary school children lack rudimentary English reading and writing skills, skills that are needed even if they go out looking for a salespersons job in one of grocery chains or a mall. The principal of the school, requested me to run Std 8 and 9 classes to teach the students basic English reading and writing skills so that they would do better in their boards. But she also advised me to conduct these classes midweek. Keep your sessions during the mid-week, as the dropout rate is highest on Mondays and Fridays. I followed her advice, but was hard pressed to find more than 25 to 30 children on a Wednesday afternoon in a combined Std 8 and 9 class. Arresting dropout rate should be our primary aim, rather than worrying about whether the schools have enough classrooms or not. If the school has a low turnout, it makes better sense to run combined classes for the same age-group of early graders, middle graders, tweens/teens and young adults. Its not only classrooms and teachers our government schools in the country lack, they lack basic infrastructure too. The DISE report finds that 30% to 40% of even the available classrooms is in need of serious repair work. Computers donated to government schools by IT companies as part of their CSR programme, often sit unused in the principals room, because there are no teachers to teach the students how to use them. In the neighbourhood government school I volunteer, there are more than enough classrooms and the school located in a prime locality, has a large playground too. But the benches the children sit on, are broken and cracked in several places, some dont even have back support and many have dangerous nails sticking out of the sides. Last year, the school had not received notebooks even three months after the school had opened. We have the teachers, but how do we conduct classes, they have no notebooks to write their notes on, used to be the principals plaint. Meanwhile, while we can spend hours debating about the lack of infrastructure, low turnout, unqualified teachers, and general poor quality of education in urban and rural government schools, it appears as though the private schools have them all. Not really. Theyve the infrastructure and the prestige and a high turnout of students. But many of the classrooms in these schools are overcrowded and also have a skewed student/teacher ratio. Teachers are called upon to handle anywhere between 40 to 50 children in a classroom. Worse still, the children, even in primary school, are pitted against each other in a cut throat competitive environment. Yes, nation building definitely needs a skilled workforce, which the private schools are excellent in providing, but should it be at the cost of childhood? But thats a debate for another day. New Delhi: As part of its green initiative, Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways (MoRTH) will plant trees along 1,500 km of highways on 1 July. This will be a part of Rs 5,000-crore initiative as the Ministry has already announced earmarking of 1 percent of the about Rs 5 lakh crore projects for plantation and transplantation. "It is our endeavour to save and plant trees to conserve the environment...we had to cut trees for building roads but it will be our effort that trees are not cut, we will encourage transplantion. We will also be planting trees on 1,500 km on July 1," Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari said on Wednesday As part of the initiative, four trees in the campus of Road Transport and Highways Ministry, where an automated parking plaza is being built, will be shifted somewhere on the highway, he told reporters. It will be the first government building to have an automated multi-level car parking facility in its premises at a cost of about Rs 9 crore. The transplantation could soon be taken on a massive scale and crores of trees could be saved during highways building and other construction activities, the minister said. He said wide-ranging consultations have already been done with 100 agencies including Malaysian and American consultants on the topic. "We are encouraging people working in this direction so that no trees are cut in future... We have allocated 1 percent cost of the road construction for plantation, transplantation, which comes to Rs 5,000 crore," he said. "NGOs, schools, colleges, charitable trusts, cooperatives, corporates should come forward for this drive. We will plant trees based on the soil of the regions," he added. The foundation stone for the plaza was laid on 9 May. The automated parking lot project is being undertaken by NHIDCL. The facility will comprise ground plus seven floors. Spread over an area of 314 sq metres and with a height of 22 metres, the facility will be able to house 112 cars. The retrieving time for cars will be 120 seconds. The facility is being built by a Swiss Company. New Delhi: The Centre will take up highway projects worth Rs 1.5 lakh crore in Bihar and is committed to package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday said. The Prime Minister in the run up to Assembly polls in Bihar last year had announced to provide a special package of Rs 1.25 lakh crore for Bihar. "In our five years regime we will do work worth Rs 1.5 lakh crore in Bihar. Whatever package the Prime Minister declared, that will be done," Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari said addressing the media. Gadkari said as of now the total projects approved in Bihar by the Centre stood at Rs 60,000 crore. Bihar has 4,967 km of National Highways including the 2,100 km approved by the Centre recently, he said. "We will increase it by another 2,000 km," the Minister said adding, currently work is on 77 projects worth Rs 20,000crore in the state and another 27 projects worth Rs 5,000 crore will be awarded soon. He said under the Setu Bharatam projects, 13 railway over bridges (RoBs) will be built in the state at a cost of Rs 900 crore. The BJP is under attack, yet again. But this time it is not from the Left or other Opposition parties, but from within its own mould the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS), a farmers' representative organisation affiliated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), has raised a red flag against the Centres nod to 100 percent foreign direct investment (FDI) in food processing and animal husbandry sectors, besides others. The government's decision to allow 100 percent FDI in trading of food products including through e-commerce to boost food processing sector in India through government-approved routes has not gone down well with the right-wing farmers union. Expressing serious concerns over the issue, the BKS has shot a letter to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) stating that the move would prove damaging for the rural economy. Hundred percent FDI in food processing sector will have a damaging impact on micro industries in the rural sector. Theres a large-scale employment in villages who are engaged in tiny processing industries, and they are manual workers. With the entry of large foreign companies, these people will lose their jobs," Badri Narayan Choudhary, national general secretary, BKS, told Firstpost. "These small entrepreneurs will become workers in large factories. We welcome governments move in technology and defence sectors, but why in animal husbandry? Does the government want multi-national companies to do fishing instead of local fishermen? Weve communicated our objections to the PMO, Choudhary said. One hundred percent FDI in food will happen only through the approval route, but is potentially a game-changing idea. It could interest the Wal-Marts to enter into domestic sourcing of food items and help the farmer obtain a better price. But the BKS argue that it could have a cascading effect on the rural economy. In the Union Budget, the government made allocations to boost traditional farming but nothing worth mentioning has happened at this front because the onus is on state governments. So, it depends on the will and policy of state governments whether to encourage traditional farming or not. The pesticides banned abroad are being used in India, as if our country is a dumping ground. Similarly, FDI in food processing and animal husbandry will have a cascading effect on rural economy and employment, Choudhary added. Its not the first time that the Kisan Sangh has opposed an initiative of the NDA government. In 2015, RSS-affiliated bodies like Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) and Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SWJ), along with the BKS had strongly opposed the Centres amended version of the Land Bill. They were on a common platform with the Left-affiliated unions on the land bill issue. Bharatiya Kisan Sangh's apprehensions on 100 percent FDI in food processing: - There will be no growth in employment. In fact unemployment will go up. - Due to FDI, the revenue outflow will be more and the MNCs will invest very little for the growth of local markets. - The NDA opposed this move of the UPA government, when it was in the Opposition, but now doing the same. - Exploitation of farmers, fishermen, people involved in animal husbandry will increase. - Local entrepreneurship will decline. Prabhakar Kelkar, senior RSS functionary and all-India vice president of BKS, said, Along with the BJP, we too had opposed this FDI move strongly during the UPA regime. Its really surprising that today the same NDA in power has allowed 100 percent FDI. Lets not forget that 25 years ago, the MNCs had asked Punjab farmers to grow potato in large quantities for making potato chips, but the farmers had to face a huge loss as the produce wasnt bought by the companies as promised," "History will be repeated in this case too. Well have a meeting with SJM and BMS on this issue soon and an action blueprint will be chalked out. This decision of the Centre will virtually finish off rural India and our indigenous cottage industry. Government should ensure that small processing units up to Rs one crore should be tied up with MNCs, so that their products can be used, Kelkar said Following the announcement of the Centre's decision, Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal had said that the FDI in the food processing sector could cross USD 1 billion in the next two years helped by reforms in the FDI space and the streamlining of regulations by food safety regulator FSSAI. The food processing sector attracted USD 5,285.66 million FDI in the period between April 2012 and December 2015. However, Sompal, former union minister for agriculture in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, and an agriculture expert, differed: I dont agree with this argument. The rural markets are facing contraction due to temporal glut during harvest as farmers fail to sell their produce. There is also regional glut due to fluctuation in market prices of produce, as there lacks proper storage facility," "Indian farmers are unable to access export market. The reason is that the raw produce needs to be processed prior to export, but due to low capacity of the cold chain, its not possible. FDI will help in the expansion of market, Sompal said, who was also the chairperson of the first National Agriculture Commission. Even during the Vajpayee government, when FDI was proposed, the then senior Cabinet ministers and BJP leaders opposed the move. This is unwarranted, Sompal added. Kochi: In a suspected case of suicide, a 25-year-old sailor was found dead at the Naval Aircraft Yard in Kochi on Wednesday morning, the Navy said. Roopa Ram, an Electrical Artificer (Air Radio) was found hanging at the yard, the Navy said in a release. "In what appears to be a case of suicide, the sailor was found hanging at the Yard when personnel reported for work," the statement said. Roopa Ram, hailing from Nagour in Rajasthan, is survived by his wife and a nine-month old son. The family has been informed, the release said, adding the Navy has ordered an inquiry into the incident. Chandigarh: With the end of the second phase of Jat stir in Haryana, the state government today decided to withdraw the paramilitary forces from several districts except Sonipat where the forces would continue to be deployed as a precautionary measure. "As normalcy has now returned to the state, there is no need to continue with the deployment of paramilitary forces. Therefore, it has been decided to do away with the forces from the state (which were deployed during the Jat stir in June), except district Sonipat," an official release quoting Haryana's Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Law and Order, Muhammad Akil, said here. Akil was addressing officers of police and paramilitary forces at Bhiwani on Wednesday. He said that the situation remained peaceful in several parts of the state during the Jat reservation agitation which had commenced from 5 June. During this period, behaviour of police, administration and paramilitary forces with the general public remained appreciable and all the three deserve praise for maintaining normalcy, he said. Akil said that it was a challenge for the police to maintain peace and harmony after the call for agitation was given by some organisations. But the police worked with an aim to ensure that peace in the state was not disturbed at any cost, he added. The second phase of Jat stir came to an end recently after the discussion between state government representatives and the Jat leaders spearheading the agitation ended on a positive note. The Jat quota agitation in February had turned violent, in which 30 people lost their lives. Massive damage was caused to property at various places in the state, particularly Rohtak district, which had remained the epicentre of the stir. Kozhikode: The Kerala Police has approached its Karnataka counterparts to register a case against two college students for brutally ragging a Dalit nursing student from Kerala. Speaking to IANS, Jaleel Thotathil, Circle Inspector of Police, said that they have recorded the statement of the 19-year-old victim who is presently undergoing treatment at the Kozhikode Medical College hospital. "Since the place of occurrence of the crime is in Karnataka where we have no jurisdiction, her statement has been recorded and through a special messenger we have send it to the Roza Police station at Gulbarga in Karnataka," said Thottathil. "The two accused of brutally ragging the student are Lekshmi hailing from Kollam and Athira from Idukki. The charges that have been put up include attempt to murder besides sections in the Kerala Ragging Act and Atrocities under SC/ST Act," Thottathil added. According to the victim, a first-year nursing student of Al Qamar College of Nursing at Gulbarga, she was forced to drink a bathroom cleaning liquid last month was due to which she fell ill. After spending a few days in a hospital in Karnataka, she was sent back home and has since been hospitalised at the state-run Medical College hospital at Thrissur. Following the episode, she has developed serious oesophagus problems and she has been put on intravenous fluid supplements. Her mother Janaki, on Wednesday told the media that the college authorities failed to act and has been protecting the accused. Kerala Culture Minister A.K.Balan said the state will bear the entire treatment expenses of the victim and will take up the case with the Karnataka government. New Delhi: State-run life insurance behemoth LIC Chairman SK Roy, appointed by previous UPA government, has resigned nearly two years ahead of completion of his five-year term. Roy, who has been with LIC since 1981, took charge as chairman in June 2013. According to sources, Roy has officially tendered his resignation and the finance ministry will send it to the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet for acceptance. However, the exact reason for his sudden exit could not be ascertained immediately. He had made similar request some months ago but the finance ministry asked him to reconsider that, sources said. After the approval from ACC, the finance ministry would begin search for his replacement, sources added. Roy joined Life Insurance Corporation of India in 1981. On 31 May, 2013, he assumed charge as Managing Director of LIC. Prior to his elevation, he was head of the International Operations division. Patna: At least 53 people, including women and children, were killed and dozens injured by lightning in different parts of Bihar since Tuesday, the state's disaster management department said on Wednesday. However, Bihar Disaster Management Minister Chandrasekhar told the media that toll has increased to 56. An official of the disaster management department confirmed that seven people were killed by lightning in Rohtas district followed by five each in Patna, Kaimur, four each in Aurangabad, Buxar and Nalanda districts. According to the official, three each were killed in Saran, Purnea, Saharsa and Katihar district. Two each were killed in Bhojpur, Samastipur, Bhagalpur, Munger and Madhepura district and one each in West Champaran and Gaya district. In Patna and Rohtas, 16 people were injured by the lightning. Over a dozen people were also injured in Kosi region of Saharsa. The state government has announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh to the victims' families. Lighting strikes during the monsoon season which started from the second week of June, is common in Bihar. The rains that started earlier this week were the first of this monsoon season. Anantnag: Visibly confident of her victory, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday toured many of the polling booths in Anantnag Assembly constituency which went to polls to decide whether she would enter the state legislature. Mehbooba, currently an MP from Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency, is locked in a three-corner contest in the bypoll with Hilal Shah of Congress and Iftikar Misger of National Conference. Women young and old alike - jostled to hug Mehbooba and click a selfie with her as the PDP leader, along with her brother Tasaduq Mufti, visited polling booths in the constituency where elections were necessitated due to the death of her father and former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on 7 January this year. The Chief Minister's security had a tough time in keeping the crowd of her supporters away but Mehbooba greeted everyone in her way and interacted with them in Kashmiri. Though Mehbooba chose not to speak to a battery of journalists present, she talked freely to the women who came out from the polling booths after casting their votes. She even obliged to selfie requests with many of the young especially first-time voters clicking their picture with her. Some older women also asked their relatives to click them with Mehbooba, calling her "our leader." "We are here to support and vote for her. She belongs to this land and I am sure she will work for its development and prosperity," one such woman Kulsooma said at Ranbirpora in Kehribal area of the constituency. As Mehbooba, popularly called 'baaji' (elder sister), made her way out of the polling booths, young supporters of her party PDP raised slogans of her victory. "25 June, baaji zuin" (25 June, is Mehbooba's win)," they said. They also raised slogans eulogizing her father. Many of her supporters said it is a vote for loyalty as she was taking forward the agenda of her father to take the state towards peace and development. "We supported her father. Now that he is no more, we are supporting her. We are loyal to the family as they have done so much for us, for our area which was otherwise neglected," said one Mohammad Younis. He said Sayeed always wanted the state to prosper and "now his daughter is taking his agenda forward and we will not leave her at this stage when she needs our support the most to take the state towards peace, development and prosperity," he said. New Delhi: The Monsoon Session of Parliament is likely to begin in the third week of July and end by mid August, with the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs set to meet on 29 June to decide on the schedule. Sources say that the Session is expected to start from 18 July and continue till 13 August. The CCPA headed by Home Minister Rajnath Singh will, however, take the final call at its meeting on 29 June. With increased strength and support from some opposition parties in Rajya Sabha, the government is keen to get the GST Bill, which has been pending for a long time now, passed in this session in the Upper House. The government has already missed the target of implementing the GST regime from 1 April, this year in the wake of stiff opposition to the tax reform measure by Congress and some other parties. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has recently claimed that almost all the states have agreed to support GST. After a meeting of State Finance Ministers in Kolkata recently, Jaitley had said that except Tamil Nadu, which has some reservations, all other states favour the proposed legislation. The GST is being touted as a key tax reform measure by the Modi government which will help give a fillip of 1 to 2 per cent to the country's GDP. The Bill has already been passed by Lok Sabha. Jodhpur: The Rajasthan High Court has directed that a medical board be constituted for examining self-styled god-man Asaram who is in jail since August 2013 in a rape case after he sought interim bail on health grounds. The counsel for 74-year-old Asaram, who has been denied bail on seven occasions in the past, submitted that the accused has been suffering from about a dozen ailments since long and that his condition has been deteriorating in absence of proper treatment. "We have also submitted reports from different hospitals on his health condition in support of our plea," the counsel, Neel Kamal Bohra, said. After hearing the arguments, vacation judge Kailash Chandra Sharma here ordered setting up of a medical board comprising a neurologist, an orthopaedist, a urologist, a physician and a radiation oncologist. Bohra said the report of the Board would be submitted in the court on 5 July, when the next hearing on the bail plea will be held. Asaram's bail plea was rejected by the trial court in Januray. He was sent to jail in August, 2013 for allegedly sexually assaulting a 16-year-old school girl. Earlier, four bail petitions of Asaram were turned down by lower court. He had twice unsuccessfully approached the High Court and was also denied relief by the Supreme Court. In a fresh controversy over the caste of Rohith Vemula, the Hyderabad university research scholar who had committed suicide in January this year, a fresh probe has been ordered by a Guntur district collector to determine whether he was a Dalit or not. The Guntur district collector, Kantilal Dande, has said that Vemula's caste status is shrouded in 'ambiguity'. Incidentally, Dande himself had submitted a report to the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) stating that Vemula was a Dalit who belonged to the 'Mala Caste', which is listed in the Scheduled Caste category in Andhra Pradesh, earlier in June 2016. Dande's report cited in The Hindu, also stated that Rohith's family was living below the poverty line. However, according to The Times of India, Dande has now done a U-turn and stated that a fresh probe into Vemula's caste identity was needed as two previous reports that looked into Vemula's roots gave contrasting accounts. One of the reports that was prepared by the Guntur administration, where Vemula was born, concluded that he was a Dalit, while another report submitted by the Gurajala district administration, where Vemula's father is from, said that he belonged to the OBC category. Dalit is an umbrella term used in India to denote Scheduled Castes, whereas OBC is a caste category defined under the Mandal commission and has higher social status than Dalits. Dande said that he had only forwarded the Guntur administration report to NCSC and a fresh enquiry was needed to determine whether Vemula was really a Dalit. However, Vemula's caste status has been mired in mystery ever since the news of his suicide hit the news. Determining his caste status has been even trickier as his parents were separated, but never officially divorced, and Vemula was brought up by his mother and her adopted family. Vemula's mother has claimed that though her husband was a Vadara (an OBC), she was a Mala Dalit and her husband did nothave anything to do with the upbringing of Vemula or his siblings, according to The News Minute. The controversy around his caste first started two days after his death after a caste certificate signed by Vemula's mother surfaced in several media reports. These reports that claimed Vemula belonged the 'Vadara' community which comes under the OBC category. Then, countering these claims Vemula's own caste certificate, issued by the Government of Andhra Pradesh was cited, which categorises him as a 'Mala' Dalit. The question of his identity is far from being resolved. Vemula, who was doing his PhD from the Hyderabad University, was active in student politics and called himself an 'Ambedkarite'. He was also a former member of Ambedkar Student Association, a student union actively campaigning for the SC/ST student's cause. At the time of his death, he was suspended from the college under a disciplinary order issued at the behest of Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya and Appa Rao Podile. The varsity had alleged that Vemula and his friends had assaulted a ABVP leader a claim that is largely contested with whom they had fought on a previous occasion over the screening of the controversial documentary, Muzaffarnagar Baaqi Hai. Rohith Vemula is dead, irrespective of his caste an issue that will have an impact only on the legal aspects of this case. Union Minister Dattatreya and varsity Vice-Chancellor Podile, prime accused in the Rohith Vemula case, are being charged under the SC/ST Atrocities (Prevention) Act for abetting Rohith's suicide. If found guilty, not only will the quantum of punishment be stringent, but according to the new law, there is a presumption to the offence clause in the act according to which the court may assume that the accused was aware of the victim's caste identity unless proved otherwise. Moreover, BJP has drawn much flak from the Opposition over its handling of the case, the Union HRD minister Smriti Irani maintaining that the disciplinary action was required and fair, as reported in News18. Following the 25-year-old's death, all major political parties and Dalit right activists have made a huge ruckus alleging wilful mistreatment of Dalit student and abetment to suicide, according to a Hindustan Times report. According to the Times of India report, neither Rao nor Dattatreya have been questioned so far in the case. The police claims that the collector hasn't sent the proper caste status of Vemula which is essential for the case. As the controversy around his caste identity grows, it is but ironical that Vemula in his suicide letter had said, "The value of a man was reduced to his immediate identity and nearest possibility. To a vote. To a number. To a thing... My birth was a fatal accident" Mumbai: Lambasting Salman Khan for his remark that he felt like a "raped woman" after a gruelling shoot of an upcoming film, the Shiv Sena on Wednesday urged directors respecting women to boycott the Bollywood super star till he tenders an "unconditional apology" for his comment. "I have not seen a celebrity who can get more shameless than Salman Khan. He has a destructive nature from the beginning. He shoots endangered animals, kills people living on footpaths and now this (remark on rape). People still, ironically, consider him a hero," Sena spokesperson Manisha Kayande told PTI. Salman had landed himself in a controversy for his remark that he felt like a "raped woman" after one gruelling shoot for his upcoming wrestling-themed film "Sultan", sparking demands for an apology from the actor. Reacting on his son's behalf, Salman's father Salim Khan had said,"Undoubtedly what Salman said is wrong, the simili (sic), example and the context. The intention was not wrong." Kayande said it is shameful that "a 50-year-old man cannot own up to his words and his 80-year-old father has to come to his rescue." "There are certain political parties that are taking his side. But they should introspect. Today, even the entire film industry is silent over the issue which usually goes hammer and tongs over issues not relevant to them," she said. According to the Sena spokesperson, Salman has to tender an unconditional apology for his rape remarks "because people are furious with him". "All directors respecting women should boycott him until he apologises for his remarks. Even people should stop watching his films," Kayande added. Mumbai: Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam on Wednesday accused senior Shiv Sena leader and MoS Housing Ravindra Waikar of "usurping" 20 acres land worth Rs 20 crore in Aarey Colony area in Mumbai. He also alleged that Waikar has made an additional construction in the state-run gymnasium located adjacent to the "grabbed" land and is running the facility through his private unregistered trust. Demanding ouster of the minister, Nirupam said an FIR should be registered and the "usurped" land taken back by the government. "Aarey Milk Colony's CEO has been sending letters to Mhada (Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority) to demolish the illegal part of the structure in the gymnasium for over a year. However, as Waikar is minister of Housing, he is misusing his influence and the structure has not been razed so far," Nirupam claimed. Aarey Milk Colony, which has significant greenery, is situated in suburban Goregaon. Part of its total land area is leased out to various organisations and institutions of state and central governments. Addressing reporters, Nirupam said the minister has put barricades around the 20-acre land worth Rs 20 crore and is planning to construct a 'Matoshree'-like structure there. 'Matoshree' is the residence of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray at Kalanagar in suburban Bandra. "This is very strange (given) that Shiv Sena is against the proposed car-shed for Metro-3 project in the green zone of Aarey Colony. "Sena's own minister has not only made illegal structure in that zone, but has also usurped the 20-acre vast tract of land. This is not only a huge scam and a perfect case of the conflict of interest, but also a criminal conduct on behalf of the minister," Nirupam told the press conference. Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited has been seeking land at Aarey for constructing a metro rail car-shed. Nirupam, a former MP, said he would write to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Lokayukta about the "land scam". "I will ask Fadnavis to sack the minister immediately from his Cabinet," he added. He alleged that Fadnavis is "patronising" corruption. "I have least hope from the Chief Minister to act against the tainted ministers like in other cases. This CM is using his full energy to protect the tainted ministers of his government. I am going to burn his effigy near his residence in coming days as he (Fadnavis) has become the patron of corruption," he alleged. Waikar did not respond to repeated calls and a message sent to him for his reaction. New Delhi:The Congress on Wednesday described BJP leader Subramanian Swamy as the 'undeclared spokesperson' of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "A nominated member of Rajya Sabha with BJP's backing has launched a scathing attack on the Chief Economic Advisor of the Prime Minister, Arvind Subramanian and has described him as an agent of US Pharma companies. But the Prime Minister has not uttered a word on this issue," Congress spokesperson PL Punia said while addressing a press conference at the party headquarters. "Swamy has always attacked the political opponents and adversaries of Prime Minister Modi, who has although spoken at length on various issues but has never spoken on Swamy's statements. This shows that Subramanian Swamy is an unofficial spokesperson of Prime Minister Modi," Punia said, asserting that Swamy's attacks on people have suited Modi. "Swamy is doing all this because he wants to be the country's Finance Minister," Punia said insisting that the primary target of Swamy's attack is Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. He added that Modi's silence "has encouraged the attacks on honest, credible and impartial officers who believe to work on merit." "This government insults honest officials and discourages them from carrying out their duties," Punia said. Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh too attacked Modi and Swamy. "Subramanian Swamy now guns for Arvind Subramanian Economic Advisor to NDA. Target is Arun Jaitley not Arvind Subramanian," Singh tweeted. "Is Modi handing over Finance Ministry to Subramanian Swamy," asked Digvijaya Singh. Subramaniam Swami now guns for Arvind Subramanian Economic Advisor to NDA. Target is Arun Jaitley not Arvind Subramanian . digvijaya singh (@digvijaya_28) June 22, 2016 Is Modi handing over Finance Ministry to Subramaniam Swami? digvijaya singh (@digvijaya_28) June 22, 2016 "He (Swamy) has been claiming that PM has assured him as quid pro quo if he targeted the Nehru Gandhi Family," Digvijaya Singh said. Supporting Digvijaya Singh's claims, Punia asserted, "He never says anything without any basis or reason." Mumbai: Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu on Wednesday ordered an inquiry into the recent disruption of suburban train services in Mumbai. On Monday, the services of Western Railway were hugely affected for nearly an hour following the power failure caused by theft of a battery box at Mahim station. "Review of monsoon preparedness is being done at the highest level. Ensuring safe commute for the people is our priority," Prabhu tweeted. "We will explore not only reasons of disruption but also focus on remedial measures and act swiftly," the minister said. "Ordered time bound enquiry to come up with the causes. Disruption in Mumbai suburban has been taken up very seriously," he said. BJP Mumbai unit President Ashish Shelar, who met Prabhu in Delhi, on Wednesday said he was grateful to the minister for such a "huge commitment" to redress problems of local trains during rains. Prabhu has informed that a Railway Board team is being sent to Mumbai to monitor situation, Shelar said. Thane: A 45-year-old man was allegedly beaten to death over a minor dispute at Khardi village in Thane, police said on Wednesday. According to PI Sanjay Dhumal of Sahapur police station, the incident took place in the late hours on 19 June when the victim Trimbak Ladku Mukne and his wife were standing near the village Gram Panchayat office. Three persons Bansi Kalu Wagh (45) Yogesh Gurunath Wagh (24) and Arjun Prakash Ghatkar (30) of Murbad reached the spot and attacked Mukne. He was roughed up severely and allegedly left to die there, police said. Police said the murder was the result of an old rivalry over the issue of a petty quarrel between the children of the accused and the victim. The accused trio were arrested on Tuesday and offences have been registered under various sections of the IPC. Agartala: Demanding a separate state, a tribal outfit in Tripura on Wednesday blockaded the National Highway No.8 and the railway line the northeastern state's two vital links with the outside world. The Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT), which has been agitating for the past few years for creation of a separate state, started its scheduled 24-hour rail and road blockade at 6 am on Wednesday at Khamting Bari in Baramura hill range in western Tripura. Tribal protesters led by their leaders sat on the highway and the state's sole railway line. "Around 10,000 agitators blockaded the national highway and the railway line, shouting slogans intermittently," West Tripura district police chief Abhijit Saptarshi, who is camping at the agitation spot, told IANS over phone. He said that so far no untoward incident has occurred. "We have made adequate security measures in and around the sites of rail and road blockade. Tripura State Rifles and central para-military forces, led by senior officials, have been deployed in the areas," Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) Anurag told IANS. The IPFT wants a separate state to be carved out of Tripura by upgrading the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC). The ruling Left Front dominated by the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) is now governing the TTAADC, which was formed by amending the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution in 1985. IPFT President Narandra Chandra Debbarma accused the Left Front government of creating the TTAADC only as a "lame duck institution" without any real powers. "Very little development taken place in the tribal areas. The basic problems of the tribal people have not been solved. Tribals continue to lose their land. Even the state of affairs of the Kokborok language of the indigenous tribals is dejected," Debbarma told reporters. "We had submitted memorandum to the union Home Ministry several times. The ministry officials said our demand would be considered positively. Talks between the leaders of IPFT and the central government are on," the IPFT chief said. The ruling Left Front, the opposition Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and other political parties have strongly opposed the IPFT's demand for a separate state. They said the demand would encourage outlawed militant groups to regain foothold in the state. CPM central committee member Gautam Das told IANS: "A small state like Tripura cannot be divided further. They (IPFT) are merely trying to regain relevance in the state politics by raising such an impractical and provocative demand." Chief Minister Manik Sarkar had also earlier on many occasions rejected the demand, saying that the Left Front government would not allow any attempt to divide the state. Sarkar also said that he would resist any such move with all his might. The TTAADC, which has been playing a key role in the socio-economic development of tribals, has jurisdiction over two-thirds of Tripura's geographical area of 10,491.69 sq. km. Over 12.16 lakh people, more than 90 per cent of whom are tribals, reside in the areas administered by the TTAADC. Tribals constitute a third of Tripura's total population of 3.7 million people. Jabalpur: The Madhya Pradesh High Court here on Wednesday granted bail to mining baron Sudhir Sharma in a case related to the Vyapam scam. Sharma, accused of being a middleman, has been in jail for nearly two years. The HC had granted him bail in another Vyapam-related case earlier. A division bench of acting Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice A K Shrivastava granted Sharma bail after his lawyer Kapil Sharma pointed out that other accused in the case were already out on bail and the prosecuting agency had filed the charge sheet after completing the investigation. The Special Task Force (STF) of MP police -- which was probing the massive racket at the Vyapam (MP Professional Examination Board) where recruitment examinations for various government posts and educational courses were rigged -- arrested Sharma in four cases in July 2014. He got bail on Wednesday in the cases related to rigging of contractual teacher grade II, police constable and platoon commander recruitment tests. CBI is probing the Vyapam cases following the Supreme Court's order. Sharma is accused of acting as a middleman and helping at least 12 persons clear these three tests. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday hailed scientists for the monumental accomplishment of launching 20 satellites in one go, saying ISRO continues to break new barriers. "Our space programme has time and again shown the transformative potential of science & technology in people's lives," he said on Twitter. "Over the years we developed expertise & capability to help other nations in their space initiatives. This is the skill of our scientists," he said. The Prime Minister congratulated space agency ISRO for breaking new barriers. 20 satellites in a go! @isro continues to break new barriers. Hearty congratulations to our scientists on the monumental accomplishment. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 22, 2016 Our space programme has time and again shown the transformative potential of science & technology in people's lives. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 22, 2016 Over the years we developed expertise & capability to help other nations in their space initiatives. This is the skill of our scientists. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 22, 2016 Saw with immense joy that students from institutions in Pune & Chennai played a role in the making of satellites. This touched me. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 22, 2016 As a common citizen, was totally immersed in happiness to see our youngsters excelling & taking so much interest in science. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 22, 2016 Witnessed with immense pride and delight the brilliant moments on TV & took photos for my Instagram account. pic.twitter.com/lfGSkCUmjk Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 22, 2016 "20 satellites in a go! @isro continues to break new barriers. Hearty congratulations to our scientists on the monumental accomplishment," he said. He also lauded the role of students in the making of satellites. "Saw with immense joy that students from institutions in Pune & Chennai played a role in the making of satellites. This touched me. "As a common citizen, was totally immersed in happiness to see our youngsters excelling & taking so much interest in science," he added. I am reminded of a cold and overcast autumn day in 2002. It was polling day for the Jammu and Kashmir assembly. There was a sullen knot of people standing outside the womens college on the outskirts of Anantnag. They were not going to vote, they said. Indeed, there was hardly anyone at the polling booths inside the college premises. In the heart of Anantnag town, the effect of the boycott was even worse. Polling was almost nil. The situation was not much different through the morning of polling day when assembly elections came round again six years later, in 2008 although the general voter turnout across the Kashmir Valley was much higher that year. Polling in the Anantnag by-election on Wednesday has also been desultory, but the fact that queues of people voting were reported at least in the outskirts of Anantnag in the morning is a positive sign. For, three new factors have come into play in this by-election, each of which was bound to cause a decline in turnout compared with the past. One, this is the peak of the month of Ramzaan and it is a day after the summer solstice, when the daylight period of fasting is longest. Two, this is the first electoral opportunity that people in the Valley have had to show resentment against the PDPs alliance with the BJP and resentment has been deeply felt. Three, not only is militancy on the rise, the young militant icon Burhan who is based in south Kashmir, where Anantnag is located released a video-recorded statement warning against participation in state-sponsored activities just as the campaign for Anantnag was revving up. In light of these factors, this by-election has been a huge test for the new chief minister, Mehbooba Mufti, who is contesting. The seat fell vacant after her fathers death on 7 January this year, and had to be filled within six months. The political visionary in Sayeed had put his career on the line by opting to contest from Anantnag in 2008 and again in 2014. It is a largely urban constituency, and urban constituencies in Kashmir are far more prone than rural ones to boycott polls and generally to thumb their noses at the regime. Given the institutional party infrastructure at his command, Mufti Sayeed would probably have been able to romp to victory from his native Bijbehara and several other nearby rural constituencies as long as he secured a sinecure such as a seat in Parliament for the sitting MLA. The result of his courageous decision to contest from Anantnag town is that his daughter and chosen successor has had to campaign vigorously over the past few days. But the fact that the election is a real test, cuts both ways: if she wins (as she most likely will), she will be able to count her victory as a mark of genuine popular endorsement. The enthusiastic turnout of people for her 'road-shows' over the past few days and for that matter, those of her main rival, the Congress party has demonstrated that mainstream politics retains a lively pull despite the three negative factors (Ramzan, Burhan, BJP coalition) that are in play. There has been no dearth of nay-sayers claiming that the enthusiastic crowds who have cheered candidates and other campaigners (including actor Raj Babbar) were paid. The fact is that, for decades, there has been no dearth of money available to voters and to boycott agitators from various sides. So, if crowds emerge, it does demonstrate enthusiasm. Of course the fact that the likely winner is the sitting chief minister plays a huge part. A number of locals speak of it as their chief reason saying it as if the statement were self-explanatory. What they mean of course is that they expect much investment, development and responsiveness from the state government at all levels. If she does win, Mehbooba Mufti will have her task cut out to fulfil the very high aspiration levels of not only Anantnag constituency but also of the rest of the Valley, and indeed the various parts of this most diverse state. She has demonstrated cautious maturity in her initial few weeks in office. Her energy and dynamism will now be in high demand. If Subramanian Swamy, BJPs maverick leader, wants to target someone who has acted against the interests of the Indian economy and the country, he has good reasons to target Prime Minister Narendra Modis Parliamentary affairs minister, Muppavarapu Venkaiah Naidu. This is something Swamy should do if he agrees with Modi that foreign direct investment (FDI) is the need of the hour for this country. After liberalising norms for FDI across several sectors on Monday, and after doing so for the second time in the past year, it was Modi who tweeted that the reform measures make India the most open economy in the world for FDI, boosting employment. The FDI amendments will promote ease of doing business as there will now be 100 per cent FDI under the government approval route for trading, including e-commerce for food products manufactured or produced in India, the prime minister said. Does Swamy agree with Modi, the prime minister, under whose party leadership he is a Member of Parliament now? It is doubtful, since in the past, Swamy has spoken out against FDI in retail. But, if he has changed his views to support FDI, he should be out to sack the partys senior leader and Union minister Venkaiah Naidu, who had vehemently opposed FDI when the BJP was in Opposition. As seen in the picture above, it was Naidu, who was also former BJP president, who led a protest in Hyderabad on 21 November, 2012 where the placard shows the slogan: Demolish FDI and save India. If Swamy can target RBI governor Raghuram Rajan for allegedly being loyal to US soil and for being mentally half-Indian, and then train his guns at chief economic advisor, Arvind Subramanian who allegedly acted against Indian pharma companies back in 2013, why not target Naidu, who blocked FDI something that was very much needed to generate employments and transform the economy? Shouldnt the law that guides Swamy to act against those acting against national interest apply to all? Or for that matter, why not Modi himself? In a tweet on 5 December, 2012, Modi himself tweeted against the UPA-governments move to welcome FDI by accusing the Congress of giving the nation to foereigners. Congress is giving nation to foreigners. Most parties opposed FDI but due to sword of CBI, some didn't vote & Cong won through back door! Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 5, 2012 This, going by the Swamy logic, is an act that has gone against the national interests and Modi should be sacked from the prime minister's post for doing this in the past? And why not Finance Minister Arun Jaitley who when in Opposition, said he would oppose FDI in retail till his final breath. Last Monday, one of the segments that was opened up by the Modi government was 100 percent FDI was food retail. There is no word as politricks in the dictionary. But, a random search on the internet will fetch you the meaning: A word that refers to empty promises made by politicians that vapourise after elections. If one takes the freedom to expand the meaning of politricks, it can also include the tricks employed by politicians who dramatically take U-turns on their stance on crucial issues when they change sides in a power game. In other words, something a political party vehemently protested against in the past when in Opposition, becomes a virtue when it comes to power. The latest example of politricks is in the BJP camp. The new found love of the BJP for FDI makes one feel a sense of awe at the positive attitude of the party to foreign investments. Now, if Swamy doesnt share Modis love for FDI and being proud of the fact that the country is now the most open economy for FDI in the country and instead, thinks that FDI is bad for the country, that would mean that Swamy is acting against the thinking of the government to which he has sworn allegiance, but in the interest of the RSS lobby, which is against the FDI move. The RSS-affiliated Swadeshi Jagran Manch has already termed Modi-governments FDI norms in various sectors as a betrayal of peoples trust saying it said will spell a death knell for local businessmen. If Swamy agrees with them, that would confirm the theories of the anti-Modi RSS lobby that is gaining ground in the government. Over to you, Mr Swamy. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi tonight said he looked forward to fruitful outcomes at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit for which he will be travelling to Tashkent on Thursday. "I will travel to Uzbekistan for a brief visit to attend the SCO Summit & interact with leaders of SCO nations," he tweeted. "India is glad to be a member of the SCO & looks forward to fruitful outcomes particularly in the field of economic cooperation through SCO," he added. The SCO Summit will kick off the process of India's accession to the grouping as a full fledged member along with Pakistan. Modi said India attaches great importance to ties with Central Asia and always seeks to expand economic and people-to-people ties with the region. The Prime Minister will also have a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday on the sidelines of the summit during which he is expected to seek China's support for India's bid for NSG membership, which Beijing is opposed to. Kolkata: Apparently stung by TMC MLA Tapas Roy's attack on the Left Front-Congress alliance in West Bengal, both the parties walked out of the House separately in protest against Roy's words. While the Left Front MLAs walked out of the Assembly for the day, the Congress remained outside for a brief spell. The failure of the parties to put up a united show was in stark contrast to the joint press conference held by the Left and the Congress last week to attack the ruling TMC. The trigger for the walkouts was TMC MLA Tapas Roy's stinging attack against the Left Front-Congress alliance in the House. He said that both the parties had lost their political credibility as they compromised with their ideology while forming the alliance just to retain seats. "Both the parties have lost their credibility and compromised with their ideology just to win a few seats and become MLAs. The people have given you a reply," Roy said. While Left legislative party leader Sujan Chakraborty-led party MLAs walked out of the House to protest against Roy's choice of words, Congress MLAs, led by Chief Whip Manoj Chakraborty, trooped out to protest against Roy's reference to state Congress president Adhir Chowdhury. "We have staged a walkout against the language of threat, lies and malicious words used against us. We will ask the Speaker to expunge those words," Chakraborty said. On being Asked if the CPI-M would continue floor coordination in the Assembly with the Congress in view of the Central Committee's disapproval of the alliance and asking the Bengal cadre to rectify the political line, Chakraborty said, "The floor coordination and issue-based fight will continue." On the other hand, Leader of Opposition and senior Congress leader Abdul Mannan said, "We both have walked out at the same time but on different issues. We later attended the House proceedings as two MLAs were scheduled to speak." The Narendra Modi government's maverick MP Subramanian Swamy's rant against Arvind Subramanian, the chief economic advisor has brought back a situation of fear and uncertainty with regard to the government and captains that drive major policies of the country. Swamy has asked for Subramanian to be sacked. Guess who encouraged Congi to become rigid on GST clauses ? Jaitely's economic adviser Arvind Subramanian of Washington DC Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) June 22, 2016 Mohandas Pai, formerly on the board of directors at Infosys and currently chairman of Manipal Global Education said that he has been getting several calls from investors abroad and also from Indian industries wondering about the current state of affair where people holding positions in government are being publicly abused. "It is worrisome," said Pai. Conceding that is is the government's prerogative to choose whoever they deem fit for the job and bring in new faces, what Pai is vociferous about is the manner in which the excercise is being conducted. He suggests the government can remove people from posts in a 'graceful' manner. "To abuse someone who is associated with you and make public allegations, talk all kinds of silly things and then create an environment of fear and abuse is not good for India. It gives us a bad reputation and that is something that we certainly do not want. It is pushing us back. All of us want to see our country to do well. Modi has gone overseas and worked very hard and brought so many policies that is good for the country. This is not warranted." When Reserve Bank of India governor Raghuram Rajan decided not to go in for a second term, it was explained by Arun Jaitley, finance minister in an interview, said Pai. "We can certainly say that the government should have been more vociferous about it, but well, that is over now. It is a very sad episode though. But now at least, this public tirade against government officials should stop," he added. Swamy has made public his intentions of going for the jugular on a few targets. "If someone says I am going after 25 and 27 secretaries, then tell me why will anyone work in the government? If secretaries and government staff stop working, how will the country function?" asked Pai. When asked would Swamy take on people publicly without the tacit support of the government, Pai refused to consider the suggestion. "I don't want to speculate whether Swamy is doing it on his own or otherwise. It is unnecessary. We are all worried about the what is happening in the country. All this is creating a climate of uncertainty. We want the country to go forward. We want good policies. FDI was announced two days ago and textiles today. We want to see good work being done. These sorts of announcements and public humiliation is unnecessary, and diverts attention from the good things.People are worried about stability of policies and people in the government. People trust people and such an atmosphere creates uncertainty. Hence, the government has to step in and clear the air." Will someone stand up in the Modi government before Swamy dents its reputation further with his uncontrollable tongue and bizarre pronouncements? Kandahar: The Taliban have released 21 of some two dozen hostages pulled from their vehicles on a highway in southern Afghanistan, officials said on Wednesday, a day after they were abducted by the militants. The passengers were kidnapped in Washer district of volatile Helmand province as they were travelling on a bus and two trucks from southern Kandahar to western Herat province. Officials said on Tuesday that an estimated 25 people were taken. "Twenty-one of them have been released and are now with the police," the Helmand governor's spokesman Omar Zwak said. Afghan army corps in southern Afghanistan said they were freed in an operation on Tuesday evening in Marja district of Helmand. But the Taliban denied the claim, saying they decided to free the hostages after they were found to be "innocent". The insurgents had earlier said they were targeting Afghan government officials aboard the vehicles. "We found 21 of them innocent and released them," Taliban spokesman Qari Yousuf Ahmadi told AFP, saying six others were still being held captive, a number that could not be immediately verified by officials. Highways in Afghanistan passing through insurgency-prone areas have become exceedingly dangerous, with the Taliban and other armed groups frequently kidnapping or killing travellers. Earlier this month, gunmen abducted 40 people in northern Kunduz province, releasing some later, but an unknown number of others remain in Taliban captivity. New Delhi: Amidst stiff opposition by China to India's entry into NSG, France on Wednesday strongly backed New Delhi's case, saying it will bolster global efforts against nuclear proliferation and asking the member states to take a "positive decision" in the Seoul plenary meeting. A key member of the 48-nation grouping, France also asserted that Indias participation in nuclear control regimes will help better regulate the export of sensitive goods, whether they are nuclear, chemical, biological, ballistic or conventional materials and technologies. "France considers that Indias entry into the four multilateral export control regimes (NSG, MTCR, The Australia Group, The Wassenaar Arrangement) will bolster international efforts for combating proliferation. "Indias participation in these bodies will help better regulate the export of sensitive goods, whether they are nuclear, chemical, biological, ballistic or conventional materials or technologies. "In line with its active and long-standing support to Indias entry to the NSG as a full-fledged member, France calls on its members, who are meeting on 23 June in Seoul, to take a positive decision," the French Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The Ministry also mentioned that strategic partners since 1998, France and India share common goals regarding the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems. These goals were reaffirmed during the visit of the President of the French Republic to India, from 24 to 26 January 2016, it added. The French President was the Chief Guest at the Republic Day celebrations here. Yesterday, the US White House had in a statement said India was "ready" for NSG membership and asked participating governments to support India's application at the plenary session of NSG in Seoul starting tomorrow. 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. 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. New Delhi: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will on Thursday embark on a five-day visit to China, where he will attend the first annual meeting of the board of Governors of the $100-billion Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. During his stay in Beijing, the Finance Minister will also hold talks with Chinese investors and bankers to seek investment in infrastructure and other sectors in India, a Finance Ministry statement said. Jaitley will participate in the first annual meeting of the Board of Governors' of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) on 25 and 26 June in Beijing, it said. The minister will participate in different sessions of the two-day AIIB meeting including the session on 'Infrastructure and Global Economic Growth' and 'Financing Green Infrastructure: The Role of MDBs' among others. BRICS nations Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa founded the AIIB to boost infrastructure investment in Asia. Jaitley will also hold a meeting with his Chinese counterpart Lou Jiwei on 27 June. He will also participate in the 8th India-China Financial Dialogue. The Finance Minister will arrive in the national capital on 28 June, after completing his five day official visit to China. Brussels: The chief of the Nato alliance said on Wednesday that Britain remaining in the European Union is key for trans-Atlantic security and common efforts to fight violent extremism. "It's up to the people of Great Britain to decide whether to remain or leave," Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told AP. "But what I can do is tell you what matters for Nato. A strong UK in a strong Europe is good for the UK, but it's also good for Nato." Stoltenberg spoke one day before British voters are to cast ballots in a national referendum on EU membership. "We are faced with so much uncertainty, so much unpredictability, with terrorist threats, with a more assertive Russia in the east," Stoltenberg said. "I believe that a more fragmented Europe will be something which will only add to the uncertainty which surrounds us." Nato and the EU are stepping up efforts to cooperate on a range of issues, including in countering cyber attacks and what Stoltenberg termed the "terrorist threats" posed by the Islamic State group and other extremist organizations. "We need a strong Europe and a strong Nato together to address all these challenges, and the UK is key in making sure that that happens," Stoltenberg told the AP. India's bid for the Nuclear Suppliers Group membership could reach its conclusion on Thursday when the elite group meets at Seoul. While most of the member are on board to back India, it is China and its closest ally Pakistan that could act as a major stumbling block. China, however, has given mixed signals on its position regarding India's accession to the NSG. Beijing has been playing the NPT card to block India's entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group. India is not a signatory to the Non-Proliferation treaty. What has complicated India's chances at the NSG is a China-backed Pakistan too wanting to enter the elite group. The statement's released by the Chinese foreign ministry over the past few days indicate China's displeasure to see arch-rival India's case being heard in the Seoul plenary. On Monday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said that India's application for membership was not in the plenary's agenda. I want to point out the NSG agenda has never covered any issue concerning non-NPT countries joining the NSG", Hindustan Times quoted her as saying. On Tuesday, Washington urged member nations to back India's bid, giving a major setback to China. This seemed to have mellowed down Beijing as on the next day, it issued a statement suggesting that it is open to having a discussion on non-NPT nations joining the NSG, another report in Hindustan Times said. But China shifted position once again on Wednesday, reiterating that inclusion of countries not signatory to the NPT is not in the agenda of the Seoul plenary. The flipflops come despite Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar who is reputed to have good relations with the Chinese establishment meeting key Chinese officials to garner support on India's NSG membership bid on 16 and 17 June. Consensus is key to decision-making in the Nuclear Suppliers Group, which was formed in 1975 to regulate global nuclear technology trade. All 48 members have to unilaterally approve India's application for membership. But with China regularly changing its viewpoint, the path to an NSG seat looks difficult for India. TRIPOLI The number of people killed in an explosion and in clashes between militiamen and locals in a town east of Tripoli has risen to 40, an official said on Wednesday. Al-Sharif Ahmad Jaddallah, a spokesman for the municipal council in Garabulli, said at least 25 people had been wounded and victims' remains were still being gathered. Garabulli officials say fighting erupted after a dispute on Monday between a local shopkeeper and a member of a militia who was refusing to pay for goods. After the shopkeeper shot the militiaman in the leg, other militia members returned to loot the shop and burned down several houses, Jaddallah said. "Yesterday morning, armed locals went to the places where the members of this armed group were staying but they were shot and clashes erupted," he said. Locals then entered a house used by the militia for illegal activities including migrant trafficking. "An ammunition store exploded when the locals were inside the house and a great number of people were killed," Jaddallah said. Pictures from the scene showed a large crater and the aftermath of what looked like a huge explosion. A second Garabulli official initially put the death toll at least 20. Militias and other armed groups have proliferated in Libya since the uprising that toppled Muammar Gaddafi five years ago, and they have largely acted with impunity in the political chaos that followed. Libya's U.N.-backed unity government, based in Tripoli and which is tasked with uniting the country's political and armed factions, called for calm and restraint in the wake of the incident. It said Garabulli, located around 50 km (30 miles) from the capital, would be secured by regular police and army forces in the coming days and promising an investigation. (Reporting by Hani Amara and Ahmed Elumami; Writing by Aidan Lewis; editing by John Stonestreet) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. UNITED NATIONS/LONDON/ANKARA An international group that monitors money laundering worldwide is expected to decide this week to keep Iran on its blacklist of high-risk countries despite aggressive lobbying by Tehran to come off the list to help it access the global financial system, Western officials said. The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), established in 1989 to combat money laundering and the financing of terrorism and weapons of mass destruction, compiles the list, which it regularly updates. Its 37 member states are meeting in South Korea. "No changes to Iran's status on the blacklist are imminent, though I think perhaps we can expect some words of encouragement and recognition of Iran's attempts to make progress," said one Western official familiar with FATF discussions, who asked not to be named. Two other Western officials concurred this week with the opinion that Iran would not be taken off the blacklist at this time. Tehran has complained that it is not getting economic benefits it was promised during last year's negotiations on a nuclear deal with six major powers. As a result of that agreement, many international sanctions against Iran were lifted. The United States, however, still has sanctions in place that prohibit trade with Iran in dollars and Iranian access to New York's financial system. Financial Action Task Force spokeswoman Alexandra Wijmenga-Daniel responded to a request for comment by saying the group would publish an update on high-risk and non-cooperative jurisdictions after the session later this week. Getting off the FATF blacklist, which also lists North Korea, would remove a major hurdle Iran faces in dealing with outside banks and other financial institutions. Iranian and Western officials have said that is why Tehran has been pushing hard to come off the list or at least to have the current FATF warning about it softened. Paris-based FATF said earlier this year that it remained "particularly and exceptionally concerned" about what it called Iran's "failure to address the risk of terrorist financing and the serious threat this poses to the integrity of the international financial system." The burden of proof is on Iran to show that these concerns are unfounded. Iran has said such criticism is unfair and contributes to the reluctance of major Western banks and financial institutions to do business with it, despite encouragement from U.S. President Barack Obama's administration. Many large banks are disinclined to deal with Iran for fear of violating remaining U.S. sanctions. Since January, Iran has secured banking links only with smaller financial institutions. A spokeswoman for the European Union's foreign policy section declined to comment until the FATF meeting had ended. The United States also declined to comment, though a U.S. Treasury Department official said, "We are confident that the FATF will treat Iran fairly." One Iranian official said there had been multiple meetings between senior Iranian and European officials in recent months "to help Iran get off the blacklist." He said the head of Iran's central bank had discussed the FATF issue with U.S. officials during a recent visit to the United States. "We are very optimistic," he said. Adding to the unwillingness of international businesses to work with Iran is apprehension over the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' (IRGC) hold on the economy. The IRGC was the driving force behind Iran's nuclear programme, its money laundering activities and its foreign military activities, and remains subject to extensive international sanctions. Another Iranian official said the IRGC had hoped to use its front companies and banks to cash in after sanctions were lifted but was disappointed that foreign investors had shunned them. Businesses are also wary about wading into Iranian waters until after the U.S. presidential election in November. "If (Donald) Trump becomes the next president, then he says he'll tear up the Iran deal," a European official said. "Hesitancy on the part of business is understandable." European banking sources told Reuters that regardless of Iran's status on the FATF blacklist, they are not ready to do business with Iran because of the high risks. The United States has sought to assure international companies that doing legitimate business with Tehran is acceptable. Last month U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry told a meeting of bank executives in London that European banks should not fear punishment from the United States for resuming legitimate trade with Iran. The European banking source, who was familiar with that meeting, said Kerry was told, "You may want the European banks to do business in Iran, but you do not let the U.S. banks do so. The message to the politicians is that most banks still see too many risks." (Additional reporting by Michelle Nichols in New York and Arshad Mohammed in Washington; Editing by Toni Reinhold) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar left for Seoul on Wednesday to push for India's bid for Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) membership at the plenary of the 48-nation grouping on 23 and 24 June. Though China has been driving the opposition, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying on Tuesday said, "The door is open. We never said we are against a country. We did not target any country, India or Pakistan." Chunying's statement assumes particular significance as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to meet Chinese Xi Jinping in Tashkent on Thursday and likely to discuss India's NSG membership. The official-level session of NSG started on Monday, but the meeting of the NSG Plenary is scheduled for Friday. This twenty-sixth meeting of the NSG Plenary is crucial for India because Modi has been aggressively pushing for Indias entry into the NSG. The NSG consists of 30 nuclear supplier countries that seek to contribute to the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons through the implementation of two sets of guidelines for nuclear exports and nuclear-related exports. It was formed as a response to the 1974 nuclear tests conducted by India. The first guideline deals with technology and material designed for nuclear use and the second is for dual-use items that has the potential to be used in nuclear programmes. This group works on the basis of consensus. The Plenary meeting of all member governments is held once a year and the rotating chair coordinates the work and outreach activities. The main agenda of these meetings is to regularly update the two guidelines and hold discussions to ensure that nuclear trade for peaceful purposes does not contribute to the proliferation of nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices. The member countries also deliberate on civil nuclear cooperation with other countries. These Plenary meetings are usually chaired by the Ambassador of the host country, who usually delivers a welcome speech on behalf of the host countrys government. The speech revolves around the countrys unwavering support to the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. The NSGs significant contribution to global efforts to counter the nuclear threats is also addressed. At a usual Plenary, the group expresses its concern for the continued nuclear proliferation activities around the world and deplores the nations who conduct nuclear tests. All member countries reiterate their determination to continue to cooperate in order to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons. Since 2009, the member governments have been discussing the proliferation implications of the nuclear test conducted by the Democratic Peoples Republic of North Korea (DPRK). This concern is expected to increase in the 2016 Plenary at Seoul after North Korea conducted two back-to-back tests of a powerful new medium-range missile on Wednesday, though there is no official confirmation from Pyongyang yet. Till 2014, the group has also been anxious about Irans nuclear programme. However, after the deliberations on a nuclear deal between Iran and the P5+1 nations started, the NSG started expressing hope that it will yield satisfactory results at the earliest. The NSG Plenary can also instruct the Chair to conduct outreach activities with other interested countries. The aim of the outreach activities is to promote adherence to the NSG guidelines. The Consultative Group (CG) and the Information Exchange Meeting (IEM) also report to the Plenary. The Consultative Group meets twice a year to hold discussions on issues associated with the guidelines on nuclear supply and its technical annexes. The Information Exchange Meeting takes place during the Plenary week before the main meeting and provides another opportunity for NSG Participating Governments to share information of relevance to the objectives and content of the NSG Guidelines. The 2016 Seoul Plenary is expected to hold significant discussion on Indias entry to the NSG apart from following the routine processes. Washington: Democratic Party's presumptive presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has narrowed down her choices for a running mate, officials said. Clinton has not yet conducted formal interviews, but has devoted hours studying the records and backgrounds of several Democrats on a list that includes Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia, Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro of Texas, the party officials told CNN on Tuesday. The list also includes Labour Secretary Tom Perez, Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Representative Xavier Beccera of California. However, the list does not include Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, her primary rival who is yet to endorse her candidacy but has pledged to help defeat Republican Party's Donald Trump. He was not expecting to be considered, Clinton's aides said. John Podesta, chairman of the Clinton campaign and a trusted confidante, is leading the effort, along with Cheryl Mills, the former secretary of state's longtime adviser and lawyer. Clinton has repeatedly said in interviews, her top consideration is someone who would be able to step into the presidency should anything happen to her. "I want to be sure that whoever I pick could be president immediately if something were to happen," Clinton told CNN earlier this month, adding "That's the most important qualification". Paris: France would see Britain's exit from the European Union as "irreversible" if the Leave camp wins Thursday's referendum, President Francois Hollande said. "It is the future of the European Union... that is at stake," Hollande said on Wednesday, warning that a Brexit would put Britain at "very serious risk" of losing access to the bloc's single market. Hollande was speaking at a joint news conference with Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico, whose country will take over the EU's rotating presidency on 1 July. "It's more than the future of the United Kingdom that is at stake, it's the future of the European Union," Hollande said. A Brexit would "necessarily have extremely serious consequences," he added. France would consider such a decision "as the United Kingdom's departure from the European Union, and this would be irreversible," Hollande said. United Nations: India has demanded that the UN slap sanctions against the new Taliban leader in Afghanistan, saying it is "sheer folly" that the leader of a proscribed entity is not yet designated as a terrorist individual. "It is sheer folly that the leader of a proscribed entity is not yet designated as a terrorist individual," India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin said at a Security Council debate on the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) here yesterday. Supporting New Zealand's position that the anamoly should be corrected, Akbaruddin said the new Taliban leader should be sanctioned. The Taliban had named Mawlawi Haibatullah Akhundzada, a conservative cleric in his 50s, as its new leader after Mullah Akhtar Mansour was killed in an American drone strike last month. US State Department's deputy spokesperson Mark Toner had said in a press briefing then that Akhundzada was not on any kind of a terrorist designated list. Akbaruddin further emphasised that groups and individuals perpetrating violence against the people and government of Afghanistan cannot have safe havens and should not be allowed to exercise control and wield influence over any part of Afghanistan's territory. "This, in our view, is critical for lasting peace in the country," he said adding that effective implementation of the Security Council sanctions regime including the 1267 ISIL/Al-Qaeda Sanctions and 1988 Taliban's regime should also be carried out "consistently and with perseverance" for it to serve as a strong deterrent to the listed entities and individuals. Previously, India has slammed the UN sanctions committee for taking a "selective approach" in tackling terrorism when a technical hold was put on its application to include the name of Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar on the committee's list of designated terrorists. India had said in April that it finds it "incomprehensible" that while the Pakistan-based JeM was listed in the UN Security Council Committee as far back as 2001 for its known terror activities and links to Al-Qaeda, the designation of the group's main leader, financier and motivator has been put on a technical hold. Akbaruddin stressed that the Security Council needs to look into the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan and the means to contain it as it could pose serious threats to the gains made by the people of Afghanistan in the last 15 years. While there has been no dearth of efforts by the Afghan government and its citizens as well as by the international community, Akbaruddin voiced concern over the deteriorating security situation in the war-torn country. "The Taliban are continuing attacks at an unprecedented rate since the beginning of the year and there is continued violence by other armed groups," he said as he cited the UN Secretary Generals report that armed clashes have increased this year compared to the same period in 2015. "This situation has put renewed focus on the need for enhanced engagement and action by the international community," he added. Akbaruddin reiterated Indias believe that the path to reconciliation in Afghanistan should be through an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned process respecting the red lines drawn by the countrys people and the international community, especially the ones regarding giving up of violence and abiding by the Constitution of Afghanistan. He voiced India's commitment to help Afghanistan strengthen its defence capabilities to preserve its unity and territorial integrity, saying it is the "most important antidote" to the worsening security situation in the country. The Indian envoy also condoled the loss of lives and property in the bomb attack in Kabul on 20 June in which around 20 people including from Nepal and India lost their lives. Referring to the inauguration of the Afghanistan-India Friendship Dam, Akbaruddin quoted Prime Minister Narendra Modis remarks that while Indias capacity may be limited but its commitment to Afghanistan is without limits. "We are strongly committed to supporting Afghanistan in various plurilateral and multilateral fora," he said adding that India looks forward to hosting the 'Heart of Asia' Ministerial Conference in December 2016. Global foreign direct investment (FDI) jumped to $1.76 trillion in 2015 while foreign investment inflows to India reached a high of $44 billion almost touching record levels of 2008, a new UN report released on Tuesday shows. The UN trade agencys annual report on global FDI trends for 2015 has come only a day after the Narendra Modi government announced sweeping reforms in foreign investment rules. Inflows up, outflows down in India With inflows reaching $44 billion in 2015, the bounce-back in inward FDI to India continues after a sharp drop in 2012 (from $36bn in 2011) and gradually increasing 2013 onwards. After a nadir of $24 billion in 2012, the 2015 level is within shouting distance of the peak of $47 billion attained in 2008. As a result of rising FDI in India, total inflows to South Asia increased by about 22 percent to $50 billion surpassing FDI into West Asia, Dr James Zhan, director of investment and enterprise at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad), told Firstpost. However, India's position as the tenth largest FDI recipient in 2014 remains unchanged in 2015 though the FDI amount has increased from $35 billion to $44 billion in 2015. Greenfield investments in India accounted for the spike in FDI in 2015 while cross-border mergers and acquisitions (M&As) were at a low of $1 billion. The bulk of these greenfield investments were equity investments. Reinvested earnings and intra-company loans were low. The top 10 sources of equity foreign investment in India were Singapore, Mauritius, the United States, the Netherlands, Japan, Germany, United Kingdom, China, Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates, said the UN offficial. Singapore and Mauritius alone accounted for nearly three-fifths of the total foreign equity investment, reflecting a rise in significant business connections with the former and a degree of round-tripping FDI via the latter, Dr Zhan said. Last year saw a sizeable jump in Indian greenfield investment announced in manufacturing, especially in industries such as electrical and electronic equipment ($13.5 billion), metal products ($5.9 billion) and motor vehicles ($3.6 billion). The momentum created by the huge increase in announced greenfield investments, including in manufacturing is likely to carry through into realised FDI in 2016 and beyond, Dr Zhan added. Globally, 2015 had greenfield investments worth $63 bn surpassing the highest level of investment in 2008 with $62 bn for investment levels in the past decade. Another Unctad survey called the World Investment Prospects Survey 2016-2018 ranks India third after the United States and China as a prospective FDI host country. However, outward FDI from India, the dominant investor in South Asia, dropped by more than a third to $7.5 billion resulting in a drain of 36 percent outflows from South Asia and settling at $8 billion last year. India was the ninth largest investor in developing Asia. Between 2010 and 2016 (not including FDI reforms announced on 20 June), India passed 51 new investment policy measures as compared to 24 measures adopted by China during the same period. About 88 per cent of all Indian measures during this period were focused on FDI liberalisation and promotion. Worldwide, 85 percent of newly adopted investment policy measures in 2015 were addressed towards investment liberalization and promotion. The Unctad World Investment Report 2016 further finds that the remaining 15 percent of new investment measures featuring restrictions or regulations, reflecting concerns mainly about foreign ownership in strategic industries or national security considerations. The global report card A 38 percent jump in flows to $1.76 trillion dollars gives hope that global foreign direct investment is at long last returning to a sustainable growth path; however we are still not out of the woods," Unctad secretary-general Mukhisa Kituyi said. However, the global rebound in FDI in 2015 was due to a surge in cross-border M&As to the tune of $721 billion, up from $432 billion in 2014. These acquisitions were due to very large corporate reconfigurations by multinational enterprises (MNEs), including shifting their headquarters, for strategic reasons and for tax inversion purposes, the report states. If these large-scale corporate reconfigurations were discounted from the calculation then global FDI settled at a more moderate increase of about 15 percent last year. The value of announced greenfield investment remained at a high level of $766 billion. The US, Hong Kong and China were the top three host countries for FDI. Though China was highest FDI recipient in 2014, it slipped to the third position and exchanged places with the US which was the largest FDI host country in 2015, up from the third-largest in 2014. Chinas outward FDI rose from $123 billion to $128 billion in 2015, as a result of which it held its position as the third largest investor in the world, after the US and Japan. Last year, FDI inflows to the US almost quadrupled owing mostly to restructuring in the pharmaceutical industries whereas FDI flow to North America reached a high of $429 billion The year also saw historically high acquisitions globally that raised the share of FDI in manufacturing to more than 50 percent of cross-border M&As in 2015. Asian investment Developing Asia remained the largest FDI recipient region in the world with investment flows reaching $541 billion marking a 16 percent increase over the previous year. In East Asia, the spike was spurred by China while in South East Asia, the increase in investment came from Myanmmar, Vietnam, India and Bangladesh. FDI inflows to South East Asia as a whole has been consistently rising. Overall, FDI flows will decrease in 2016 with moderate increase in flows only to India, China, Vietnam and Myanmmar. Flows to tax havens remains high though marks a decrease from previous years Though investment flows to offshore financial centres in 2015 continued to roll back from a high of $132 billion in 2013 but remained in line with previous years. The magnitude of quarterly flows through Special Protection Entities, in terms of absolute value, rose sharply compared with 2014, reaching the levels last registered in 20122013, the report states. These flows are excluded from Unctads FDI statistics. Record levels of trade disputes By 1 January, 2016, there were at least 700 ISDS claims involving a 100 countries from plurilateral trade deals. New investor-State dispute settlement (ISDS) cases amounted to 70 in 2015 an all-time annual high, the report says. Advise governments to understand ownership and trade treaties better The ownership of foreign affiliates is becoming increasingly complex with 40 percent of them worldwide have multiple "passports" involving an average of three jursidictions while 30 percent benefit from mega trade deals through double passports. Policymakers can strengthen the assessment of ownership chains and ultimate ownership and improve disclosure requirements, advises the UN. However, policymakers should be aware of the administrative burden this can impose on public institutions and on investors. Overall, the report says it is important to find a balance between liberalisation and regulation in pursuing the ultimate objective of promoting investment for sustainable development, a press statement said. The report also notes that 80 percent of countries restrict majority foreign ownership in at least one industry. Indirect ownership structures strengthens the reach of international investment agreements (IIAs). Up to a third of intra-regional foreign affiliates in major or prospective megaregional treaty deals, such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) or the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), are owned by parent companies outside the region, raising questions about the ultimate beneficiaries of these treaties and negotiations. The prospective Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership deal of which India is a party has the highest percentage of foreign affiliates (among TTIP, TPP and RCEP) with 56 percent direct and ultimate owners outside the region. On the morning of 18 May, 1974, on Vesak, India conducted a peaceful nuclear test, aptly codenamed 'Smiling Buddha'. What made the test different from the others was the fact that India was the first non-UNSC member to test a nuclear device. Another noteworthy fact was that India did not secure help from either the Western powers or the East Bloc. What was a matter of great pride for India, however, was a heartburn for the established nuclear powers. In response, an elite group of nuclear suppliers emerged with an aim to regulate the nuclear technology trade. Their first meeting it had only seven founding members took place in November 1975 in London. The group is now called the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). India did not conduct any nuclear test for the next 24 years failing to execute a test in 1995 under US pressure until May 1998 when the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government conducted three underground nuclear tests at the Pokhran range. But more importantly, India also subsequently declared a unilateral moratorium on nuclear testing. While the world largely objected to outsider Indias tests, a look at the number of nuclear tests conducted by the five nuclear-powered NSG-cum-Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT) members between 1975 and 1996 gives us some important insights. The five countries together conducted around 765 nuclear tests until the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty was signed in 1996. Even if we discount China and France, the number stays high. The issue with the NSG, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) as well as the NPT is only one: dominance of the nuclear powers over the non-nuclear nations. All three entities are discriminatory in nature. While they talk of controlling, regulating, curbing nuclear technology from going into rogue parties, the nuclear powers had always been involved in enhancing their nuclear capabilities. Did anyone of them impose an unilateral moratorium? Like India or for that matter even its 'arch-rival' Pakistan? A new era for India Criticism of elite nuclear groups being biased towards the five UNSC members has been levelled since the 1970s. There is nothing new about it, however, things have changed now. It is no longer bipolar at least figuratively. The Soviet Union is history. The world is increasingly becoming multipolar. In the globalised, post-Cold War era, India is no longer a country of snake charmers. Its economy has been doing well ever since it was liberalised in 1991. An open economy has helped India to chart its own course in foreign policy. Establishing full ties with Israel, re-establishing contacts with East Asian nations and more so, repairing ties with the US, marked the dawn of the new era for Indian foreign policy. Any country that aspires to be a global power should start having an outward outlook. Remember, US' rise to the top coincided with the Paris Peace Conference (1920) where it played a pivotal role. Indias new age foreign policy achieved what it could have never even thought about in the pre-Cold War era: a nuclear deal with the United States. While its implementation and effectiveness are matters of debate, the sheer magnitude of the deal is noteworthy. The nuclear deal gave India a big waiver to participate in nuclear trade without being in the NPT. We could now officially receive advanced nuclear technology from the US. Fair to say, the deal more or less legitimised India as a nuclear power. The year 2008 also marked the beginning of Indias quest for a NSG seat. A major motivation behind the quest could have been the NSG waiver that it received as part of the nuclear deal. Indeed, becoming a member of the elite cartel will give India unlimited access to superior technological know-how. With the technology in place, it can be utilised for electricity generation and other civilian purposes. India can effectively become a nuclear energy exporter, helping New Delhi come into the mainstream of the global nuclear trade. The word nuclear evokes militaristic sentiments in India, which it must not. With a billion plus population, India can very well be the next emerging market for nuclear power generation. It is important to note that nuclear energy only contributes to about 2 percent of Indias power generation. There are many factors going in favour of Indias candidature for the Nuclear Suppliers Group. Despite not being a member of any of the nuclear clubs, India has generally had a good record in adhering to required international standards. This was also acknowledged by the NSG in 2008 when the Indo-US nuclear deal was under discussion. More over, as I have pointed out earlier, India has imposed a moratorium over nuclear tests. This is sufficient evidence to highlight Indias commitment towards a peaceful world. Add to that, the fact that India is now the member of the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR). As pointed out by the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (IDSA), even China is not a member of the MTCR owing to its poor and shady non-proliferation record. But here comes the Sino-Pakistan angle that can wreck Indias interest. Geo-political tangle The geo-political tangle in Asia is intriguing. Pakistan, Indias arch-rival, too wants to enter the NSG. Recently, its foreign policy adviser Sartaj Aziz claimed that Islamabads credentials for a NSG seat is superior to New Delhis. This is laughable. Any person who has heard of AQ Khan will be amused by the octogenarian's statement. For those unfamiliar with the saga, here is a brief: Bhopal-born AQ Khan is a nuclear scientist who while working in the Netherlands managed to sneak out the secret formula to create weapon-grade uranium. A national hero in Pakistan for helping it conduct its first nuclear test Chagai I and II he had a fall from grace when US authorities came to know of his involvement in leaking nuclear blueprints to rogue nations like North Korea and Libya. Another fact that goes aginst Pakistan is the fear of its nuclear warheads falling into the hands of the Taliban or other non-state actors. And enough has been said and written about that. Pakistans demand for a NSG seat stems out of its inferiority complex vis-a-vis India. The scars of partition and the quest to create an identity separate from India motivates Pakistan to try outsmart the former. In the process, however, it has only imitated India be it in Bollywood or diplomacy. However, Pakistan has an all-weather friend in China. But it would be fair to say that the former needs the latter more than it is the other way round. Islamabads utility to Beijing has more to do with the nuisance it can create for India. At the outset, China seemed to be playing the Pakistan card to block Indias entry into the elite club. The reason was simple: If India enters the club, then it will achieve parity with China. That will be a setback for Beijing at a time when it is rising as the counter-weight to the US. But, Beijing which has subsequently made a U-turn stating that it will not stand in the way of India's NSG entry, could still raise New Delhis lack of NPT membership as an issue. China has also been pushing for a consensus among the 48 nations over the minimum membership requirements mere delaying tactics to deny India its much-deserved membership. With most members backing India including the US it seems Prime Minister Narendra Modi will help India accede to the NSG. With India becoming diplomatically and militarily powerful, the US will get to create a geo-political balance in Asia. It is a foregone conclusion that India as a member of the NSG will block Pakistan. The stage is set for a showdown in Seoul. If and when India enters the club, it would be a red letter day in its diplomatic history. Till then, my fingers are crossed. Baghdad: Iraqi forces in Fallujah are facing resistance from holdout Islamic State group fighters in just two northern neighbourhoods of the city, the operation's overall commander said on Wednesday. "The northern and central parts of Fallujah have almost been cleared of Daesh," Lieutenant General Abdulwahab al-Saadi told AFP, using an Arabic acronym for Islamic State. "There are few Islamic State fighters left, only in the Al-Muallemin and Jolan neighbourhoods in the north of the city," he said. "The militants in Jolan are offering some resistance but we're pushing back and we've killed a number of them," he said. Operations against Islamic State in northern Fallujah were being conducted by the elite counter-terrorism service and forces from the federal and provincial police. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi launched the offensive against the jihadist stronghold, 50 kilometres (30 miles) west of Baghdad, a month ago. After an initial phase of staging operations to encircle Fallujah, elite federal forces stormed the city centre and were able to gain the upper hand relatively quickly. Abadi declared victory on June 17, saying only small pockets of Islamic State fighters remained after Iraqi forces raised the national flag over the main government compound in the city centre. Saadi and other Iraqi commanders have said government forces controlled at least three-quarters of the city. Christopher Garver, the spokesman of the US-led coalition assisting Iraqi forces, said Tuesday that by the US military's definition, only a third of the city had been cleared. US forces battling one of Islamic State's previous incarnations in Fallujah in 2004 suffered some of their worst losses since the Vietnam War, despite huge numerical and technological superiority. Iraqi forces that have been reconquering swathes of territory lost to Islamic State two years ago had been expected to face their toughest battle yet and Islamic State fighters to defend their mblematic bastion to the death. Yet after breaching the jihadists' defences in the south of the city, Iraqi forces have moved relatively rapidly and, despite persistent violence in northern neighbourhoods, the outcome of the battle appears in no doubt. WASHINGTON U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met on Tuesday with about 10 of the 51 State Department officials who last week wrote a cable disagreeing with U.S. policy toward Syria and arguing for "a more militarily assertive U.S. role." Multiple U.S. officials have said they do not expect the memo, conveyed through the State Department's relatively rarely used "dissent channel," a conduit for voicing contrary views, to change U.S. President Barack Obama's policy. In the cable, the diplomats call for military strikes against President Bashar al-Assad's government to stop its persistent violations of a civil war ceasefire Obama's policy toward Syria, where a civil war has burned for more than five years, has been predicated on the goal of avoiding deeper military entanglements in the Middle East, and has been widely criticized as hesitant and risk-averse. Obama's limited intervention has focused on fighting the Islamic State militant group that controls a swathe of Syria and Iraq and that has inspired attacks on U.S. soil. The memo by the State Department officials demanded a more muscular stance. While State Department spokesman John Kirby said that Kerry had met with about 10 of the officials for half an hour on Tuesday, he declined to provide details of their discussion about the cable, which the department has not made public. "We believe that achieving our objectives will continue to elude us if we do not include the use of military force as an option to enforce the Cessation of Hostilities (CoH) and compel the Syrian regime to abide by its terms as well as to negotiate a political solution in good faith," said a draft of the memo posted online by The New York Times. (Reporting by Arshad Mohammed; Editing by Sandra Maler) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Bengaluru: A high-tech monsoon experiment in the Bay of Bengal (BoB) in which British scientists will release underwater robotic vehicles, called gliders, and monitor them through aircraft packed with instruments has been security cleared at the highest level, a senior government official has said - but questions still remain. The month-long air-sea campaign, slated to begin on 24 June, will see the deployment of two ships, six gliders (diving to 500 metres every two hours) and eight floats (automated submersibles) that can rise and descend to 2,000 metres. Together with the sophisticated instruments aboard a special aircraft, they will collect a range of atmospheric and oceanic data that the British scientists claim will help forecast the arrival and intensity of the Indian monsoon "more accurately than ever before." Besides the fact that BoB is strategically crucial for India, oceanography and meteorology (weather) are two of seven research areas considered by the government to be militarily "sensitive". Parliament's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) had in 1975 stipulated that "investigations in these areas by foreigners or by foreign assisted programmes should be subjected to the most careful and comprehensive scrutiny" from the security angle before granting approval. When asked to comment on the British initiative, Madhavan Rajeevan, secretary in the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), said it "has taken all the approvals and clearances from the highest level." The $11 million project cost "is equally shared between MoES and Britain's Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)", Rajeevan told this correspondent. Foreign collaborations in ocean and weather science have always set off warning signals in India's defence community due to past experiences. For instance, in 1964, the United States, under a weather programme called "Nomad," placed an instrument "package" on a buoy anchored in the Bay of Bengal. It was supposed to continuously record and transmit wind speed, temperature and other weather data. But the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) received the data only for four days and no one in IMD is sure about the fate of the package or if it had any other undisclosed mission. Before Nomad, there was another collaborative programme under which the US sent an aircraft supposedly carrying equipment to collect weather data. The instrument-packed aircraft criss-crossed the subcontinent for eight weeks and returned to the US without sharing the data collected. The Indian Ocean expedition in the mid-1960s, in which the US and India collaborated was another such project. Primary data collected was sent to the University of Hawaii for analysis and what Indian collaborators got was a basket-load of algae and sea weeds collected by the ship in the Arabian sea. India had also been wary about sharing weather and atmospheric data collected by its Insat satellites over the Indian Ocean. It resisted for more than a decade sharing this data with the United States on a "real-time basis" but agreed to do so in 1998 only on certain conditions. But any security concerns in the coming experiment was dismissed by Professor PN Vinayachandran at Bengaluru's Centre for Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, a principal investigator who will lead the expedition. The ship in which he will be sailing with the British team "will confine itself to international waters," he told this correspondent, adding it is a "collaborative" project. "All the floats will be outside the 200-mile Exclusive Economic Zones of the coastal states bordering the Indian Ocean," Brian King, a scientist in the British team said in an email. Although the gliders released from the ship will beam the data directly to Britain, they will be re-transmitted "to global data distribution centres, where they are freely available to anyone in the world," he said. This is not the first experiment conducted in BoB to understand the monsoon. In 1999, during the peak monsoon period (July-August), India had carried out on its own a study with participation of 80 scientists from 15 different institutions making simultaneous observations from ships and moored buoys. Prior to this, there were two collaborative experiments: MONSOON-77 (in 1977) and MONEX-79 (in 1979) in which aircraft, research vessels, floating balloons and a geostationary satellite were used. During November-December 2013, under a project promoted by the US Office of Naval Research, its ship R/V Roger Reveller made a detailed survey of BoB using another modern instrument called "Underway-CTD" system. Will the new experiment "improve rainfall prediction and revolutionise subsistence farming" as claimed by the British scientists? A leading Indian oceanographer, who refuses to be named, is skeptical. "If probing the Bay of Bengal alone would unravel the dynamics of the Indian monsoon, why does it remain a mystery despite all these experiments done till now? Understanding BoB is important but it is not the only player," the scientist said. Vinayachandran said that use of gliders for the first time will make a difference but admitted that accurate monsoon forecasting will take time. The primary aim of the project is to understand why the ocean and atmosphere in the eastern and western parts of the BoB "have completely contrasting characteristics". Rajeevan was also candid. "We cannot guarantee that next year's monsoon forecast will improve," he said in an email, adding: "But the experiment definitely will help us to improve the forecasts." "While improved forecast is not guaranteed, what is certain is the company making the gliders will be selling them to us," the unnamed oceanographer said. He was not off the mark. Rajeevan confirmed that his ministry is going to buy an aircraft of the kind used during the experiment. "It will arrive in the next two years," he said on the telephone. That the project will have a commercial spin-off was anticipated by the British team. The University of Reading, the British lead organization in the project, said in a statement, "Weather forecasters both in government agencies and commercial companies around the world will benefit from Bay of Bengal Boundary Layer Experiment." Kuala Lumpur: Malaysia may amend the death sentence mandatory for 12 criminal offences after government-backed studies showed that the capital punishment had not led to the desired effects. "There are positive signs in Malaysia and a steady momentum towards possible change in the death penalty legislation," Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Nancy Shukri told the World Congress Against The Death Penalty in Oslo recently. Currently, the death penalty is mandatory in Malaysia for 12 offences while 20 other offences are punishable with discretionary death penalty. Murder, drug trafficking, and offences related to security are punishable with death, Nancy said. The minister said that a government-backed study on the death penalty had been completed and a paper was being readied by the Attorney General's Chambers. The study was conducted by the International Centre For Law and Legal Studies (I-CeLLS). However, Nancy said empirical studies showed that the death penalty had not led to "the deterring effect that such a penalty was created." "Although Malaysia is generally in compliance with international standards in so far as the relevant safeguards (on capital punishment) are concerned, Malaysia's position on death penalty has always been subjected to national and international criticisms." Berlin: NATO would currently be unable to protect the Baltics against a Russian attack, the commander of US ground forces in Europe, General Ben Hodges, said in a news report on Wednesday. "Russia could take over the Baltic states faster than we would be able to defend them," Hodges was quoted as saying in a German-language article by news weekly Die Zeit. The general said he agreed with an assessment by military analysts that says Russian forces could conquer the capitals of Baltic states Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia within 36 to 60 hours. Hodges also said NATO forces had found numerous deficiencies during the recent "Anaconda" military exercise in Poland, according to the article from Thursday's edition of Die Zeit released early to AFP. Heavy military equipment could not be moved fast enough from western to eastern Europe, he said, while also voicing concern about the alliance's communication technology. "Neither radio communication nor email are secure," he was quoted as saying. "I assume that everything I write on my BlackBerry is being monitored." The Anaconda manoeuvre included troops from more than 20 NATO member states but was officially a Polish national exercise. Hodges told Die Zeit that "some countries, like France and Germany, thought it would be too provocative toward Russia to call it a NATO exercise." NATO announced last week that it would deploy four battalions to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland to counter a more assertive Russia, ahead of a landmark summit in Warsaw on 8-9 July. All four countries were once ruled from Moscow and remain deeply suspicious of Russian intentions, especially after Russia's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. Russia bitterly opposes NATO's expansion into its Soviet-era satellites and last month said it would create three new divisions in its southwest region to meet what it described as a dangerous military build-up along its borders. Pyongyang: North Korean authorities are yet to confirm the suspected test-launch of two missiles on Wednesday morning. The state-run KCNA news agency told Xinhua that it was not aware of the missile launches. South Korea's Yonhap news agency quoted the Joint Chiefs of Staff as saying that North Korea launched a second missile, which was believed to be a Musudan, at about 8.05 am from Wonsan on the east coast, two hours after Pyongyang test-fired a ballistic missile, which Seoul said was presumably a failure. The latest intermediate-range missile launch was the sixth test-firing of its kind by Pyongyang after the five earlier launches were all believed to have failed. The South Korean military said it is not clear whether Pyongyang's second launch on Wednesday was a success or not. It is believed that a ballistic missile is required to fly at least 300 km to be considered successful in test-firing. The second missile launched on Wednesday flew about 400 km. The first test-launch on 15 April failed as the missile exploded in mid-air several seconds after take-off. The 28 April launch also failed as those exploded in mid-air or crashed in waters. The fourth test was estimated to have exploded on its mobile launcher even before take-off, according to the South Korean military. The missile launches came ahead of 25 June, the 66th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War. North Korea is scheduled to convene the fourth session of the 13th Supreme People's Assembly, the country's highest legislative body on 29 June. UNITED NATIONS United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon described North Korea's latest ballistic missile launches as a "brazen and irresponsible act" ahead of a U.N. Security Council meeting on the issue on Wednesday. North Korea, or the DPRK, launched what appeared to be an intermediate-range missile on Wednesday to a high altitude in the direction of Japan before it plunged into the sea about two hours after a similar test failed. "The continued pursuit by the DPRK of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles will only undermine its security and fail to improve the lives of its citizens," Ban's spokesman, Farhan Haq, said. Haq added that the launch, "in defiance of the unanimous will of the international community, is a brazen and irresponsible act," Haq added. French U.N. Ambassador Francois Delattre, president of the 15-member council for June, said the missile launches were an "unacceptable violation" of a U.N. ban. A council meeting later on Wednesday was requested by the United States and Japan. "We want a quick and firm reaction of the Security Council on this," said Delattre. "We hope that ... we'll have a press statement on this." The tests were the latest in a string of demonstrations of military might that began in January with North Korea's fourth nuclear test and included the launch of a long-range rocket in February. North Korea has been under U.N. sanctions since 2006. In March, the Security Council imposed harsh new sanctions on the country. (Editing by Bernadette Baum; Editing by Peter Cooney) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will leave for Tashkent on Thursday to attend the annual summit of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) which will kick off the process of India's accession to the grouping as a full fledged member along with Pakistan. The Prime Minister will have a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday on the sidelines of the summit during which he is expected to seek China's support for India's bid for NSG membership, which Beijing is opposed to. The two-day annual plenary session of the Nuclear Suppliers Group will begin in Seoul on Thursday during which India's application for membership of the elite nuclear trading club may come up for deliberation. Asked at the media briefing whether the PM will discuss the NSG issue with Xi, Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs Sujata Mehta refused to give a direct answer but said usually a "full review" of the bilateral ties takes place on such occasions. On India's SCO membership, Mehta said, "The process of India's accession to the SCO will start with a signature on the base document which is called the Memorandum of Obligations." Asked whether India will become a full member of the SCO, she said there was a schedule laid down for India to sign more than 30 other documents and it will happen as the year goes by. The Prime Minister will also have bilateral meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Uzbekistan President Islam Karimov. According to sources, India will attend the SCO summit as an acceding member but its speaking slot will be in the category of observer. On whether Modi will have a meeting with Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain, she said India does not even officially know who will represent Pakistan at the summit. At the same time, she said the Prime Minister will have couple of other bilaterals. Asked about Pakistan also getting membership of SCO, Mehta said India's membership of the SCO or any other bloc is not "predicated" by absence of any country. She said India follows "flexible multilateralism" and it is quite happy to get involved in multiple processes in extending cooperation. Mehta said the membership will provide India an opportunity to have extended cooperation with members of the grouping including China and Pakistan. Mehta said 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. Asked whether SCO membership will help India get a transit route for sending goods to Central Asia and Afghanistan through Pakistan, she said the issue has been taken up at the bilateral level. At the same time, she added overall there will be "net gain to what we have already." With majority of the SCO countries having huge reserves of oil and gas, India is expected to get greater access to major hydrocarbon projects in Central Asia after its entry into the bloc. Mehta said there is a talk of an SCO energy club and India aims to benefit from it. 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. On the NSG plenary meet in Seoul and whether India's membership bid may somehow figure in the SCO summit, Mehta said it was just a coincidence that both the meetings are taking place at the same time. UNITED NATIONS United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday met Saudi Arabia's powerful deputy crown prince, who remarked that he was not angry with the U.N. chief for briefly blacklisting a Saudi-led coalition for killing children in Yemen. Mohammed bin Salman is in New York this week, mainly for meetings with business leaders, after a visit to Washington and the U.S. West Coast. Earlier this month the Saudis threatened the United Nations with retaliation, including massive funding cuts for Palestinian aid and other programs, if it did not remove the Saudi-led Yemen coalition from a list of countries that maim and kill children during armed conflicts, U.N. officials said. Ban then withdrew the Saudis from the list pending a review of cases the U.N. had analysed, though he publicly criticized the Saudi pressure on him. On his way into the meeting, Salman was asked if he was still angry with Ban over the blacklisting. "I'm not angry," he said. Salman, who is also the kingdom's defence minister, did not answer questions when he left the meeting. It was not clear what was said, though one diplomatic source told Reuters without any detail that the meeting "went well." Salman kept Ban waiting for 45 minutes before arriving with his advisers and security detail. Also scheduled to attend the meeting was Leila Zerrougui, the U.N. special representative on children and armed conflict who originally decided to blacklist the Saudi-led coalition. Zerrougui had vehemently opposed Ban's decision to remove the Saudis from the blacklist, despite Saudi threats that the United Nations could face a fatwa declaring it anti-Muslim, U.N. diplomatic sources said. A fatwa is a legal opinion used in Sharia, or Islamic law. In Saudi Arabia fatwas can only be issued by the group of top, government-appointed clerics and are sometimes commissioned by the ruling family to back up its political positions. The Saudis have denied pressuring Ban, though they said the U.N. report was inaccurate. The U.N. report on children and armed conflict said the coalition, which began an air campaign in March 2015 to defeat Iran-allied Houthi rebels, was responsible for killing 510 children and wounding 667, or 60 percent of such deaths and injuries in the conflict last year. The coalition's removal from the blacklist prompted angry reactions from human rights groups, which said that Ban, in the final year of his second term, risked harming his legacy as U.N. chief. (Reporting by Louis Charbonneau; Editing by Steve Orlofsky) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. NEW YORK Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump staged a harsh attack on his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton on Wednesday, accusing her of corruption and dangerous incompetence as he tried to put his campaign back on track after recent setbacks. In a speech in New York that Clinton's campaign called "nutty" and "hypocritical", Trump argued that the former secretary of state is part of a political establishment that has cheated American workers through bad trade deals and endangered U.S. national security. Both candidates are seeking to overcome their high unpopularity rates among voters at the Nov. 8 election by painting the other as a villain who puts personal gain over the interests of less powerful Americans. Even by the standards of modern presidential races, the sparring between former first lady Clinton and brash businessman Trump has made for unusually acidic rhetoric. "Hillary Clinton may be the most corrupt person ever to seek the presidency of the United States," Trump told a small crowd of supporters at a hotel he owns in Manhattan, accusing her of having run the State Department "like her own personal hedge fund." Unlike many of his free-wheeling speeches during the Republican nomination race, Wednesday's remarks were delivered from a teleprompter by Trump. That change comes after senior Republicans asked him to strike what they view as a more "presidential" tone. But the former reality TV star pulled no punches. He said Clinton "has perfected the politics of personal profit and theft" and described her as "a world-class liar." Trump's campaign has been distracted in recent weeks by racially-charged comments he made about a Mexican-American judge and the Republican's firing of his campaign manager Corey Lewandowski this week. The New York real estate mogul is behind Clinton in most opinion polls and campaign finance figures released on Monday show he has raised only a fraction of the amount Clinton has brought in, although he has said he is willing to loan his campaign more money. CLINTON FOUNDATION In his speech, Trump repeated accusations that Clinton's decisions as America's top diplomat were influenced by donations to her family's Clinton Foundation and associated charities. Clinton and her staff have denied this and similar allegations, dismissing them as politically motivated smears. "The only thing Donald Trump offered today was more hypocritical lies and nutty conspiracy theories," Clinton spokesman Glen Caplin said. The State Department has said it is not aware of any evidence of improper influence, although it has acknowledged that new donations from foreign governments should have been submitted to the department's ethics advisors for prior review but were not, in breach of an ethics agreement Clinton signed before taking office. Trump attacked the Clinton Foundation for accepting millions of dollars from Saudi Arabia and other countries criticized by the United States for not protecting the rights of women and gay people. Clinton's husband, former President Bill Clinton, has said accepting such funding is not an endorsement of everything a foreign government does. Trump also said Clinton had used bad political judgment in her four years as secretary of state, failing to stop the rise of Islamic State, keep strong sanctions on Iran or avoid chaos in Libya. "Her decisions spread death, destruction and terrorism everywhere she touched," Trump said. On Tuesday, Clinton delivered her own blistering attack on Trump, saying that putting the real estate magnate in the White House would be a disaster for the U.S. economy. A Reuters/Ipsos poll this week showed that 44.5 percent of likely voters backed Clinton, while 35.5 percent supported Trump. Many of the accusations made by Trump on Wednesday are highly contested. He said Clinton would admit hundreds of thousands of refugees to the United States without any prior screening. But under the current process, refugees must wait months or years in foreign camps while U.S. security agencies review their backgrounds, a system Clinton supports. Trump said Clinton was sleeping "soundly" in her bed as a deadly attack unfolded in Benghazi, Libya, in 2012 in which four Americans were killed. State Department records show Clinton was in her State Department office when news of the opening assaults came through. She has said she later worked through the night on the U.S. response. (Additional reporting by Jonathan Allen; Editing by Bill Trott and Alistair Bell) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. NEW YORK Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump staged a harsh attack on his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton on Wednesday, accusing her of corruption and dangerous incompetence as he tried to put his campaign back on track after recent setbacks. In a speech in New York that Clinton's campaign called "nutty" and "hypocritical," Trump argued that the former secretary of state is part of a political establishment that has cheated American workers through bad trade deals and endangered U.S. national security. Both candidates are seeking to overcome their high unfavourable ratings among voters at the Nov. 8 election by painting the other as a villain who puts personal gain over the interests of less powerful Americans. Even by the standards of modern presidential races, the sparring between Clinton, a former secretary of state and U.S. senator, and brash businessman Trump has made for unusually acidic rhetoric. "Hillary Clinton may be the most corrupt person ever to seek the presidency of the United States," Trump told a small crowd of supporters at a hotel he owns in Manhattan, accusing her of having run the State Department "like her own personal hedge fund." Clinton's staff quickly dismissed that attack and others as "lies." Unlike his delivery of many free-wheeling speeches during the Republican nominating race, Trump read Wednesday's remarks from a teleprompter. That change comes after senior Republicans asked Trump to strike what they view as a more "presidential" tone. But Trump pulled no punches. He said Clinton "has perfected the politics of personal profit and theft" and described her as "a world-class liar." Trump's campaign has been distracted in recent weeks by racially-charged comments he made about a Mexican-American judge and the Republican's firing of campaign manager Corey Lewandowski this week. The New York real estate mogul is trailing Clinton in most opinion polls, and campaign finance figures released on Monday show he has raised only a fraction of the amount Clinton has brought in, although Trump has said he is willing to loan his campaign more money. CLINTON FOUNDATION In his speech, Trump repeated accusations that Clinton's decisions as America's top diplomat were influenced by donations to the Clinton Foundation and associated charities. Clinton and her staff have denied this and similar allegations, dismissing them as politically motivated smears. "The only thing Donald Trump offered today was more hypocritical lies and nutty conspiracy theories," Clinton spokesman Glen Caplin said. The State Department has said it is not aware of any evidence of improper influence, although it has acknowledged that new donations from foreign governments should have been submitted to the department's ethics advisers for prior review but were not, in breach of an ethics agreement Clinton signed before taking office. Trump attacked the Clinton Foundation for accepting millions of dollars from Saudi Arabia and other countries criticized by the United States for not protecting the rights of women and gay people. Clinton's husband, former President Bill Clinton, has said that accepting such funding is not an endorsement of everything a foreign government does. Clinton added a pointed defence of the Clinton Foundation in a speech later on Wednesday. "The Clinton Foundation helps poor people around the world get access to lifesaving AIDS medicine," she told cheering supporters in Raleigh, North Carolina. "Donald Trump uses poor people around the world to produce his line of suits and ties." Trump also said Clinton had used bad political judgement in her four years as secretary of state, failing to stop the rise of Islamic State, keep strong sanctions on Iran or avoid chaos in Libya. "Her decisions spread death, destruction and terrorism everywhere she touched," Trump said. On Tuesday, Clinton delivered her own blistering attack on Trump, saying that putting him in the White House would be a disaster for the U.S. economy. On Wednesday, Clinton won the endorsement of former U.S. National Security Adviser Brent Scowcroft, a Republican who served under Presidents Gerald Ford and George H.W. Bush. A Reuters/Ipsos poll this week showed that 44.5 percent of likely voters backed Clinton, while 35.5 percent supported Trump. Some of the accusations made by Trump on Wednesday appeared to contradict the public record. He said Clinton would admit hundreds of thousands of refugees to the United States without any prior screening. But under the current process, refugees must wait months or years in foreign camps while U.S. security agencies review their backgrounds, a system Clinton supports. Trump said Clinton was sleeping "soundly" in her bed as a deadly attack unfolded in Benghazi, Libya, in 2012 in which four Americans were killed. State Department records show Clinton was in her State Department office when news of the opening assaults came through. She has said she later worked through the night on the U.S. response. (Additional reporting by Jonathan Allen; Editing by Alistair Bell and Leslie Adler) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. England: A Sudanese man who walked through the Channel Tunnel last year in an extreme example of the desperate measures some refugees are prepared to take to reach Britain, was sentenced to nine months' jail on Wednesday but will walk free because of the time he has already spent in detention. Abdul Haroun, 40, had pleaded guilty at Canterbury Crown Court to obstructing a railway. Haroun, who fled his home in the war-torn region of Darfur, was arrested by British police after walking 50 km from France in near total darkness as trains sped by. He was the first refugee known to have made it through the Channel Tunnel on foot. The court heard him tell police that he had jumped over the perimeter fence near Calais and dodged the trains by clinging to metal brackets on the walls when he heard them approaching. "Even if I died, there wasn't another solution," he said. Haroun spent five months in jail until he was granted asylum in December and released on bail the following month, but continued to face a criminal charge under the obscure Malicious Damage Act of 1861. He had previously pleaded not guilty but changed his plea on Wednesday. Tunnel operator Eurotunnel and some politicians had called for him to face the full force of the law to deter others from following his example. But refugee rights campaigners said he should not have been prosecuted for the way he entered a country of sanctuary. 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. 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. Seoul/Tokyo: North Korea launched what appeared to be an intermediate-range missile on Wednesday to a high altitude in the direction of Japan before it plunged into the sea, military officials said, a technological advance for the isolated state after several test failures. The launch came about two hours after a similar test failed, South Korea's military said, and covered 400 km (250 miles), more than halfway towards the southwest coast of Japan's main island of Honshu. The launches and earlier nuclear tests show continued defiance of international warnings and a series of UN Security Council resolutions and sanctions, which North Korea rejects as an infringement of its sovereignty. Japanese Defence Minister Gen Nakatani said the second missile reached an altitude of 1,000 km, indicating North Korea had made progress. "We don't know whether it counts as a success, but North Korea has shown some capability with IRBMs (intermediate range ballistic missiles)," he told reporters in Tokyo. "The threat to Japan is intensifying," he added. Reclusive North Korea and the rich, democratic South are technically still at war because their 1950-53 conflict ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty. The North regularly threatens to destroy Japan, South Korea and the South's main ally, the United States. South Korean President Park Geun-hye denounced the test. "The North Korean regime must realise that complete isolation and self-destruction await at the end of reckless provocation," she said. Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also decried North Korea's "provocative actions". "I strongly condemn the launch by North Korea of two ballistic missiles," Stoltenberg said in a statement. "These repeated provocative actions ... undermine international security and dialogue," he said, calling for North Korea to "fully comply with its obligations under international law, not to threaten with or conduct any launches using ballistic missile technology and to refrain from any further provocative actions". The first missile was launched from the east coast city of Wonsan, a South Korean official said, the same area where previous tests of intermediate-range missiles were conducted, possibly using mobile launchers. Fifth Straight Failure South Korea's Yonhap news agency, quoting a government official, said the first missile disintegrated mid-air after a flight of about 150 km. Wednesday's first launch was the fifth straight unsuccessful attempt in the past two months to launch a missile that is designed to fly more than 3,000 km and could theoretically reach any part of Japan and the US territory of Guam. Jeffrey Lewis, of the California-based Middlebury Institute of International Studies, said missiles were usually fired at a certain angle to maximise range, so the high altitude of the second launch may have been chosen to avoid Japanese airspace. "That suggests the missile worked perfectly," Lewis said. "Had it been fired at its normal angle, it would have flown to its full range." Lewis said failures were a normal part of testing and that North Korea would fix problems with the Musudan intermediate-range missile sooner or later. "If North Korea continues testing, eventually its missileers will use the same technology in a missile that can threaten the United States," Lewis told Reuters. Nakatani said North Korea's repeated missile launches were a "serious provocation" and could not be tolerated. Japan indicated after the first launch that it would protest strongly because it violated UN resolutions, even though the launches posed no immediate threat to Japanese security. In Seoul, South Korea's presidential office said a national security meeting was convened to discuss the latest missile launches. Longer-Range Rockets The US military detected the two missiles, most likely Musudan, from North Korea, the US military's Pacific Command said. A Pentagon spokesman said both missiles fell into the Sea of Japan. 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 April. While North Korea has developed potential longer-range rockets, such as its 30-metre Unha-3, a home-grown three-stage rocket based on 1950s Soviet Scud missile technology, it needs to be fueled from a fixed launch pad making it easy to detect and impractical as a weapon. A smaller, powerful intermediate missile that is easier to deploy on a mobile launcher poses a harder threat to counter. The UN Security Council, backed by the North's main diplomatic ally, China, imposed tough new sanctions in March after North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test in January and launched a long-range rocket that put an object into space orbit. "At present, the situation on the peninsula remains very complex and severe. We think that the relevant party should avoid doing anything to further worsen tensions," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters at a regular press briefing on Wednesday. North Korea has conducted a series of tests since then that it claimed showed progress in nuclear weapons and long-range ballistic missile capabilities, including new rocket engines and simulated atmospheric re-entry. Washington: Americans' views of presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump have drifted slightly more negative over the past month and a half, while his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton's image remains steady, according to a Gallup poll. Trump's net favourable rating slipped to -33 for mid-June, from -28 in the first week of May, according to the poll released on Tuesday. At the same time, Americans' view of Clinton has remained significantly less negative and more stable, with a current -13 net favourable rating, Xinhua cited the Gallup as saying. By this point in an election cycle, when each party's nomination has been clinched, candidates typically have had a more positive image than has been the case for Clinton and Trump. Since 1992, Gallup has tracked a few presidential candidates with a negative net rating in June and July of an election year, Gallup found. The last month and a half has been an eventful period for both candidates. Trump for instance secured the number of delegates he needed to win the nomination. He also attracted a great deal of attention by questioning the impartiality of the federal judge who is hearing a case in which he was being sued by a former student of Trump University who claimed he did not get his money's worth. Both candidates also made highly publicised comments following the tragic shootings earlier this month in Florida, which underscored how each might handle such an event as commander-in-chief. Americans' views of Clinton improved modestly after she secured her party's nomination early the month, but that basically represented a return to where her image had been in early May -- better than Trump's but still negative. On the other hand, Americans' views of Trump began to worsen in the final weeks of May and have continued to slip since. Importantly, the trend reflects a slow slide, rather than an abrupt change in response to any specific event of the past month and a half. Gallup has been tracking the US public's views of Clinton and Trump since mid-July 2015. Since then, both candidates' images have become more negative. Americans' views of Clinton have consistently been more positive compared to Trump, with the exception of a brief period last August. Ankara: Turkey on Wednesday strongly backed Britain staying in the European Union, a day ahead of the referendum on its membership of the bloc. "We want Britain to stay in the European Union under any circumstances," Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told reporters in Ankara. London has traditionally been a strong supporter of Ankara's long-stalled bid to join the bloc. But Turkey's possible future membership has emerged as a major theme in the British referendum campaign. Supporters of Britain's exit from the European Union have argued that the country risks being swamped by millions of Turks in the future if it remains a member and Turkey joined. Prime Minister David Cameron countered that Turkish membership was not "remotely on the cards" and may not happen until the year 3000. "We desire Britain to stay in the EU," said Cavusoglu. "Britain's exit would certainly have a negative impact." But he also warned the EU would weaken if it failed to "renew itself, correct wrong policies and produce solutions to problems faced by European people... and stand strong against negative trends like racism and xenophobia". He said EU efforts on such issues would be "only half done" if it excluded Turkey. "The EU should not be scared of a strong Turkey, and instead it should cooperate with a strong Turkey." After applying in 1987, Turkey began EU accession talks in 2005 but its membership bid had been held up by an array of problems. Despite repeated rows with the bloc on issues ranging from press freedom to a crackdown on Kurdish militants, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan insists that EU membership remains a strategic goal for Ankara. UNITED NATIONS Confusion over command and control and rules of engagement marred a response by United Nations peacekeepers to deadly violence in a U.N. compound in South Sudan sheltering nearly 50,000 civilians, the world body said on Tuesday. During the two-day incident in Malakal in February, at least 30 civilians were killed and 123 people wounded. Aid group Medicins Sans Frontieres accused the U.N. peacekeeping mission, known as UNMISS, on Tuesday of taking up to 16 hours to act. The U.N. said it is discussing the incident with relevant troop contributing countries, which a diplomatic source said included Rwanda, Ethiopia and India. The source said several commanders could be sent home over failures in the response. U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said a preliminary U.N. Board of Inquiry report into the peacekeeping mission's response found "there was confusion with respect to command and control and Rules of Engagement and a lack of coordination among the various civilian and uniformed peacekeepers in Malakal." He said that the United Nations was reviewing a number of recommendations by the inquiry, including the performance of the troop and police contributing countries at a site that was sheltering some 48,000 civilians. A separate U.N. special investigation into the circumstances leading to the violence found that the immediate trigger for the fighting - which pitted Shilluk and Nuer people against Dinka and Darfuri people - was an attempt by two South Sudanese soldiers to smuggle ammunition into the U.N. compound. The report, seen by Reuters, found that some armed elements in South Sudanese (SPLA) army uniforms took part in the destruction of Nuer and Shilluk accommodations in the compound. "As the SPLA was the only armed force operating and in control of Malakal town, it is difficult to exonerate the local SPLA commanders and government-allied militia from involvement in the incident," the report said. U.N. peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous and head of field support Atul Khare will brief the Security Council on Wednesday on the Malakal incident. South Sudan spiralled into civil war at the end of 2013 after President Salva Kiir sacked his deputy Riek Machar. Thousands have been killed and millions driven from their homes during the conflict that began barely two years after the oil-rich state's independence from Sudan. U.N. peacekeepers are still sheltering 170,000 civilians at six sites, including Malakal. A June 17 note to the U.N. Security Council from U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon on the protection of civilians sites said 40 percent to 45 percent of the 12,000-strong peacekeeping mission was dedicated to guarding those compounds. "The mission has taken extraordinary action in 'opening the gates' to protect hundreds of thousands of civilians from physical violence," Ban wrote. "There are now serious concerns that the South Sudanese are turning to the mission to 'open its gates' in periods of minor unrest, or in some cases, simply turning to the POC sites to receive better shelter and humanitarian assistance," he said. (Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Alan Crosby) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. WASHINGTON Several dozen U.S. House Democrats pushing for action on gun control protested on the floor of the House of Representatives on Wednesday, chanting "no bill, no break!" and demanding that the chamber put off an upcoming recess until legislation is debated. The protest was the latest bold move by Democrats to persuade the Republican majority in Congress to consider gun control legislation in response to last week's mass shooting in Orlando, Florida, which was the deadliest in modern U.S. history. The Democrats stood or sat at the front of the chamber, where such disruptive tactics are relatively rare. When the presiding House officer, Republican Representative Ted Poe, entered the chamber, he declared the House not in order. After banging the gavel several times in an attempt to clear the protesters, he announced the chamber would be in recess and left. The Democrats remained on the House floor, calling for action before a vacation recess scheduled to start at the end of the week and run through July 5. Shortly before that, Assistant Democratic Leader James Clyburn, likened the push for gun control action to the civil rights movement of the 1960s when sit-ins and other civil disobedience prodded Washington to act on new protections for African-Americans. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton tweeted her support for the sit-in, saying, "This is what real leadership looks like." House Democrats frustrated by inaction on guns have staged several actions on the House floor in recent days. They have interrupted a moment of silence in honor of the Orlando victims and unsuccessfully seeking recognition to bring up bills on expanding background checks and preventing people on "no-fly" and other surveillance lists from buying guns. Democrats in the Senate last week took control of that chamber for nearly 15 straight hours as they called for gun control legislation. House Republicans have declined to advance gun control legislation and House Speaker Paul Ryan said earlier on Wednesday he was "waiting to see what the Senate does" before discussing the topic. On Monday, the Senate failed to advance four gun measures, including one that would have prohibited gun sales to people on a broad range of government watch lists. Senators from both parties now are pushing for a compromise. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he would schedule a vote on the measure by fellow Republican Senator Susan Collins that would prevent about 109,000 people on "no-fly" and other surveillance lists from purchasing guns. House Republicans say they see the problem differently. "We don't view the fact that someone becomes radicalized and decides to kill a bunch of Americans ... as a gun problem," Representative John Fleming of Louisiana said on Wednesday. "We view that as a terrorist problem." The Orlando gunman, Omar Mateen, pledged allegiance to Islamic State during the June 12 rampage in which he killed 49 people and wounded 53 with an assault rifle and pistol at a gay nightclub before being fatally shot by police. (Reporting by Susan Cornwell; Additional reporting by Richard Cowan and Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Bill Trott) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. United Nations: On Wednesday, the UN strongly condemned suicide blasts in Afghanistan, including the attacks on Nepalese and Indian guards, expressing "serious concern" at the threats posed by the Taliban, Al-Qaeda and Islamic State terror groups to the population in the war-torn country. The 15-nation UN Security Council "condemned in the strongest terms" the terrorist attacks on 20 June in Kabul and Badakhshan province. The detonation of an improvised explosive device (IED) in a bazaar in Kishem district, province of Badakhshan, killed ten civilians including five children, and injured 36 others, mostly children. In Kabul, following a suicide attack on Nepalese and Indian contractors, an IED detonated targeting a provincial council member. The attacks resulted in at least 27 deaths, including 13 Nepalese citizens. Taliban claimed responsibility for both attacks occurred in Kabul. Two Indians, Ganesh Thapa and Govind Singh, were among those killed in the Kabul attack. The members of the Security Council expressed their "deep" sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and to the people and governments of Afghanistan, Nepal and India. "The members of the Security Council reiterated their serious concern at the threats posed by the Taliban, Al-Qaeda, ISIL (Da'esh) affiliates, illegal and armed groups to the local population, national defence and security forces and international presence in Afghanistan, including attacks against diplomatic facilities and personnel," the Council said. The members of the Security Council underlined the need to bring perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism to justice and asked all States to cooperate actively with the Afghan authorities in this regard. "The members of the Security Council reiterated that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations is criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of its motivation and wherever, whenever and by whomsoever it is committed, and should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilisation or ethnic group," it added. They stressed that no violent or terrorist acts can reverse the Afghan-led process along the path towards peace, democracy and stability in Afghanistan, supported by the people and government of Afghanistan and by the international community. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also condemned the terror attacks and extended his condolences to the families of the victims and to the Governments of Afghanistan and Nepal. "He calls for those responsible for these indiscriminate attacks to be brought to justice," a statement issued by his spokesperson said. Islamabad: Pakistan's National Security Adviser Nasser Janjua has alleged that America's efforts to include India in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) was part of a "greater design" to contain China and prevent the resurgence of Russia. "It's [part of] a greater design," Janjua said at a seminar on 'Pakistan's case for NSA membership' on Tuesday. Janjua said the current move by the US to induct India into the 48-nation exclusive nuclear club should be seen in the context of 'global power politics trends'. He then listed "contain China, prevent the resurgence of Russia and keep the Muslim world in a controlled chaos" as some of the leading trends in the current global power politics, The Express Tribune reported. The paper reported that it is unprecedented that a top Pakistani official publicly made such a candid statement about a sensitive issue. Talking about the implications of these developments, Janjua cautioned that American policies would ultimately bring Pakistan even closer to China. Pakistan is upset at the US decision to aggressively campaign for India while ignoring Islamabad's aspirations to become an NSG member, the paper said. Last month, Pakistan formally applied for NSG membership, setting the stage for a showdown with India at the elite grouping's plenary session Seoul. The campaign for India's membership into the group is seen as carrying the risk of antagonising Pakistan as well as China, which could veto any India's application, the paper said. Pakistan fears that the induction of India into the NSG would disturb strategic balance and trigger a new arms race in South Asia, according to the paper. Meanwhile, Pakistan's former permanent representative at the UN in Geneva Zamir Akram said that Pakistan was only opposed to "exclusive membership" of the NSG for India. He was speaking at a seminar organised on Tuesday by the Strategic Vision Institute (SVI), a think-tank, in Islamabad. Dawn reported that Akram's comments follow remarks by Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj that India does not object to any country, including Pakistan, joining the NSG on merit. "Pakistan supports the evolution of criteria that can be applied across the board," Akram said. The Indian and Pakistani comments suggest that their respective campaigns for NSG entry had boiled down to 'merit' versus 'criteria', the paper said. Akram warned about the likely implications of a scenario in which India alone was admitted into the NSG, include dimming of future prospects for Pakistan's entry into the club and likely growth in India's nuclear arsenal. Beijing: In an apparent climb down, China on Wednesday said it will play a "constructive" role in the discussions on India's bid for membership of the 48-member NSG but at the same maintained that the issue was not on the agenda of the NSG meeting in Seoul. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told PTI that NSG members had three rounds of unofficial discussions on the entry of India and Pakistan into the grouping. "China hopes to discuss further this issue and will play a constructive role in the discussions," she said. "Although parties are yet to see eye-to-eye on this issue, such discussions help them better understand each other," she said. At the same time, Hua said the entry of India and Pakistan is not on the agenda of the NSG grouping's meeting in Seoul. "Deliberation on the entry of specific countries is on the agenda of the Seoul Plenary meeting. However, it is worth noting that the NSG Plenary meeting in Seoul is only to deliberate on the entry of members who signed the NPT," she said. "As for the entry of non-NPT countries, the group has never put that on its meeting agenda. Based on what we have at hand, the agenda of this year's Seoul Plenary Meeting circulated by the Chair does not include this issue either," she said. The NSG has never put the entry application of the non-NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty) countries on its agenda, so it makes no sense to say that discussions are blocked, Hua said. "It is true that all parties attach great importance to the entry of non-NPT countries," she said. The Chinese Foreign Ministry has been singing 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. China on Tuesday 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. The US, which has been supporting India's NSG bid, has said New Delhi is "ready" for NSG membership and asked participating governments to support its application at the plenary session of NSG in Seoul. Looters raided shops and burned-out cars blocked roads in South Africa's capital on Wednesday, the third day of violence triggered by the ruling party's choice of a mayoral candidate for local polls. Police said rioters were targeting foreigners' shops as public anger mounted over economic hardships in the build-up to August 3 elections likely to become a referendum on President Jacob Zuma's leadership. Residents of Pretoria's townships started setting cars and buses on fire Monday night after the ruling African National Congress' (ANC) named a candidate in the Tshwane municipality where the capital city is located, overruling the choice of regional branches. Violence flared again on Tuesday night and continued in parts of the capital on Wednesday, Tshwane Metro police spokesman Console Tleane said. "There is calm in some hot spots, (but) the navigation of the streets is difficult because of the rubble and the debris," he told eNCA television. Protesters were continuing to clash with police and "a disproportionate part of the looting was taking place at shops owned by foreign nationals," he added. Foreigners, many of them from other African countries, last suffered a wave of attacks in April last year, by crowds blaming them for taking jobs and business. Analysts warned of more unrest in the commercial hub of Gauteng province, which includes Pretoria and Johannesburg. "Intra-ANC, election-related, factional violence is being ignored by markets trading on external factors, but is worrying," London-based Nomura emerging markets analyst Peter Attard Montalto said in a note. Factions The mayoral dispute flared over 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 and refusing to back down as the violence mounted. The ANC said it picked the candidate as a compromise between two rival factions in Tshwane. But critics say the decision by the party, which has been in power since the end of white-minority rule in 1994, showed that it is losing its touch in areas - including Pretoria - where it was once unassailable. Zuma survived impeachment in April after the Constitutional Court ruled that he breached the constitution by ignoring an order by the anti-graft watchdog to repay some of the $16 million in state funds spent renovating his home. "Ahead of the August elections, disgruntled ANC supporters in Gauteng will be motivated by the Pretoria riots to stage further protests to demonstrate the unpopular ANC leadership's decisions," Robert Besseling, head of the EXX Africa business risk intelligence group said in a note. "There has never been a better time to invest in the United States, Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker said this week at a summit of global business leaders and investors in Washington. Pritzker told an audience of more than 2,400 that the U.S. economy "is 14.4 percent larger than it was in 2009, 14.5 million more people are employed, and overall U.S. economic growth is significantly outpacing that of every other advanced nation. WATCH: Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker Speaks at SelectUSA But investing in a market as big as the U.S. can be intimidating for many, especially for small and medium-size businesses. When they look at the U.S., they see 50 states plus the territories, so sometimes they just dont know where to start, said Felicia Pullam, director of outreach for SelectUSA, a Commerce Department-sponsored annual summit that promotes foreign direct investment in the United States. Its important, Pullam said, to help people understand the system [and] find the transparency the federal, state and local governments offer, and here at the summit, companies can meet people that represent thousands of miles of U.S. territories, all in one room. As of 2013, U.S. affiliates of foreign companies directly employed 6.1 million people in the U.S., the Commerce Department said. One of those companies, 85C Bakery Cafe, has over 900 stores in Taiwan, China and Australia and 19 locations in California. Our primary product is bread, but we do have cakes as well as beverages, such as coffee and tea, Gloria Gorden, 85C's human resources director, told VOA. "We are looking to expand in Texas, Washington state, D.C. and maybe New York. Solid research advised Establishing in California was not the easiest. Gorden said the state has a lot of rules and regulations to follow, and her company wishes it had done more research on the legal and regulatory aspects. "The ride would have been smoother, and finding a local partnership is also a must, she advised newcomers. Taner Basaga, general manager of flooring manufacturer Yildiz Entegre USA Inc., said his company has been in the U.S. for about six years, with locations in North Carolina and Alabama, and it hopes to build more plants in other parts of the U.S. Basaga said getting started in the United States was easy for his company because "we came with capital, but we did a two-year pre-study. He recommended that newcomers spend a lot time and try to understand the country first before establishing a business. WATCH: Participants Discuss Opportunities, Plans at SelectUSA Summit Other participants at SelectUSA were starting from scratch. Lingyan Andy Song, chief executive officer of JiangSu JingCheng Textile Co. Ltd., operates four factories in China. He told VOA he wanted to take advantage of the size of the U.S. market and hoped to strike some deals during the summit. So did Nandor Nagy of Xanga and InnovAir, a real estate, marketing and development company based in Hungary. He told VOA that his firm wanted to open offices in the U.S. "because its a big market with great possibilities and strong rule of law. Weve been here for five days and have visited Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C., and are headed to Charlotte after the summit to scout locations. Pitch for the South The tendency for many investors is to concentrate on better-known U.S. cities such as New York, Washington, Chicago, San Francisco and others. But Gene Stinson, president of Southern Economic Development Council, was at the summit to sell the unbeatable potential of doing business in 17 states in the South. Whether its manufacturing, automotive, aerospace, banking or health care, "transportation, energy and labor costs are lower in our region than in other parts of the U.S., he told VOA. Douglas Devereaux, program manager with the Manufacturing Extension Partnership at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, said some summit participants had questions about such matters as the availability of skills and how to transfer their existing technologies in America. We hope to introduce services that are provided by the federal, state government and private sector partners to any manufacturer coming to the United States," Devereaus told VOA. "There is a network in 580 locations that can serve these manufacturers" in such areas as workforce issues, supply chain development, compliance with domestic and international standards, process improvement and productivity. This was the third SelectUSA summit, and participation rates have gone from 1,300 the first year to 2,400 this year, with over 1,000 people who came from other countries, and 70 different foreign markets represented," Pullam said. "We have U.S. participants from 52 states and territories. WATCH: Excerpt of Obama's Keynote Address at SelectUSA Summit In his keynote address to the gathering on Monday, President Barack Obama insisted that "no country can match our competitiveness in cutting-edge manufacturing. ... No country has done more to build a culture of making and tinkering, and entrepreneurship and risk-taking, and of innovation and invention. And no other country is home to more foreign direct investment than the United States." The president also said that the summit was "not just about jobs and trade, it's not just about hard, cold cash. It's also about building relationships across borders." The value of that should not be underestimated, he said. International regulations aimed at curbing the trade in so-called conflict minerals have failed to stop rebel groups and elements of the army in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo profiting from gold mining in the region, according to a United Nations group of experts. The lack of a functioning traceability system for gold is a particular area of concern, the panel, which monitor sanctions on the Congo, said in a report to the UN Security Council published June 16. Gold from non-validated mining sites, and therefore possibly benefiting armed groups, is laundered into the legitimate supply chain and, subsequently, into the international market, it said. Gold production has increased exponentially in Congo from almost nothing in 2011 to 25.5 metric tons (820,000 troy ounces) last year, as commercial mines run by London-listed Randgold Resources Ltd. and Toronto-based Banro Corp. have started up. Officially, only 583 kilograms of gold was produced by artisanal and small-scale miners last year, much of which was sold in Dubai, the panel said, citing government statistics. The real figure is suspected to be much higher, it said. Congos Chamber of Mines in February said that as much as 400 kilograms of illegal gold leaves the South Kivu province alone every month. Congolese exporters under-declared exports by as much as USD174 million in 2015, depriving the state of tax revenue, the panel said in the report. Since 2010, when the U.S. Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act included a requirement for listed companies to disclose their use of conflict minerals tantalum, tin, tungsten and gold sourced from Congo and adjacent countries, significant efforts have been made to clean up mineral-supply chains in the region. Due diligence and traceability programs for tin, tantalum and tungsten have reduced opportunities for armed groups, of which at least 60 continue to operate in eastern Congo, to profit from trade in the minerals. No comparable program has been introduced for gold, which is more transportable and more valuable, leading to an increase in illegal gold mining. The UN experts found that Congolese exporters are ignoring due diligence requirements to source gold from validated mining sites, aggregating metal sourced from multiple sites, some which are not validated, and under-declaring exports to national and provincial authorities. In doing so, exporters in the Congo are enabling the laundering of illegitimate gold that is not conflict-free into the international supply chain, according to the report. In one example, five dredge owners operating on the Lubero River in North Kivu province told the UN experts that members of the rebel Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda were enforcing a tax of 5 grams (0.16 ounces) of gold a month, worth about $205 at current prices. In South Kivu province, the UN experts said that members of the Congolese armed forces were controlling parts of the gold trade in the Misisi area. Soldiers operate an illegal barrier between mining and processing areas, collecting 500 Congolese francs ($0.52) from each digger entering the mine and 1,000 francs from those bringing product back out, the group said. To address the problem, the military in March told the UN it would rotate all officials working in the area in the near future. Tom Wilson, Bloomberg Macau and Guangdong signed 12 cooperation framework agreements yesterday. More than 50 government officials from Guangdong were present at the conference which was held at the East Asian Games Dome, including Zhu Xiaodan, the Governor of Guangdong Province. Cooperation agreements have been signed regarding youth entrepreneurship and the Chinese medicine industry. All the agreements are expected to come into effect soon. During the conference, Zhu said that he felt that there is progress in the diversification of Macaus economy. Zhu believes it is a great time to deepen the cooperation between Guangdong and Macau, especially as the meeting was part of Chinas current five-year plan framework. He disclosed that the focus of all the agreements was to deepen the cooperation between Guangdong and Macau concerning the bilateral participation in Chinas One Belt One Road strategy. The first step as Zhu mentioned, is the emphasis on a large bay project around Jiangmen. The project is designed to connect cities around the bay area to surrounding countries. He also mentioned the importance of using Macau as a platform between China and the Portuguese-speaking nations. Regarding the youth communication and entrepreneurship, Zhu informed that a total of 124 enterprises have settled in Innovalley HQ. Of those, 93 are from Macau. Zhu also stated that, currently, the major goal is to speed up the development of Macau and Guangdongs young entrepreneurships bases, especially the youth innovation bases in Hengqin, Nanshan, Jiangmen and Zhongshan. In response, Chief Executive Chui Sai On claimed that the local government is confident of the development of youth entrepreneurships since both the central and the Guangdong governments have been putting all efforts into supporting Macau. In proceedings of the conference, the subject of Macaus single-plated cars entering Hengqin was included in an agreement signed by both parties. However, details will only be announced in the future, says Chui. Staff reporter The popular head of a Chinese village who won a rare open election in 2012 following a standoff with the ruling Communist Party said in a televised statement yesterday that he accepted kickbacks for government contracts, as thousands of his supporters marched in the streets calling for his release. Lin Zuluan was arrested early Saturday shortly before he planned to lead protests against land grabs by local developers. His arrest touched off days of demonstrations in Wukan village, where many residents maintain his innocence and say the confession, televised yesterday, was forced. The village received international attention in 2011 when residents held protests and won unusual permission from the Communist Party to hold an open election the following spring, which Lin won. Holding Chinese flags and parasols in the sweltering heat, thousands of Lins supporters marched yesterday to a local government office with a banner bearing their signatures and fingerprints seeking his release. Residents leery of the government through years of disputes say Lins reported confession was linked to the detention of his grandson on Monday. Hundreds of riot police have been patrolling Wukans streets since Lins arrest Saturday, apparently to prevent a repeat of the 2011 uprising, when residents expelled local officials and police and barricaded the village in an extraordinary show of defiance. There were no reports of clashes yesterday. Videos posted online showed heavily armed riot police standing in rows along village streets looking on as protesters marched by. While prosecutors have pushed ahead to bring charges against Lin this week, municipal officials administering the village have sought to defuse the situation by pledging to investigate residents complaints of land grabs. Gerry Shih, Beijing, AP The European Union Academic Programme in Macau (EUAP-M) will be holding an academic workshop titled The European Union in the Asia Pacific: Interests, roles and policies, with aims to provide information on the European Unions perspective, elaborating on EUs policy concerning Asia Pacific. The workshop will be held on this Friday and Saturday at University of Macaus Ho Yin Conference Hall. According to EUAP-Ms press release, the discussion will bring together scholars from both Asia Pacific and Europe, including experts from Belgium, Italy, the Czech Republic and Spain amongst others. Scholars will hold discussions on EUs roles, interests and policies on various issue areas for countries in the region. Given the rapid development of the Asia pacific over the past decades, the world is witnessing a dramatic shift of power redistribution, said the statement. The institution believes that rapid development has a significant impact on the relationship between Europe and the Asia Pacific, thus the European Union has redefined its strategies towards the Asia Pacific remarkably since the mid-1990s. Established in 2012, the EUAP-M is a partnership between the University of Macau and the Institute of European Studies of Macau (IEEM) and is co-financed by the European Union. The utility that ran the Fukushima nuclear plant acknowledged yesterday its delayed disclosure of the meltdowns at three reactors was tantamount to a cover-up and apologized for it. Tokyo Electric Power Co. 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 cover-up, 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 percent pay cut, and another executive will take a 30 percent 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 percent of the fuel but didnt say it constituted a meltdown, even though the figures exceeded the 5 percent 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. Mari Yamaguchi, Tokyo , AP Hong Kongs richest man stepped up his calls for Britons to vote in favor of staying in the European Union as the world braces for the outcome of this weeks vote. If Brexit happens, it will be detrimental to the U.K. and it will have a negative impact to the whole of Europe, CK Hutchison Holding Ltd. Chairman Li Ka-shing told Bloomberg Televisions Angie Lau in a wide-ranging interview, his first with international media since 2012. Of course I hope that the U.K. doesnt leave the EU. As one of the U.K.s biggest investors, Li has much at stake in the June 23 referendum and his concerns echo those voiced by business and market leaders worldwide as they prepare for the possible fallout from Britain leaving the 28-nation bloc. Executives at Toyota Motor Corp. to General Electric Co. have warned that future spending in the country could be undermined if voters choose to leave the EU. Li said three months ago he would scale back investments in the U.K. in the unlikely event that Britain were to vote to exit the EU. In Thursdays interview, where he also talked up the long-term outlook of Chinas economy, the 87-year-old billionaire stressed that his businesses in the U.K. and Europe would continue regardless of the results as polls indicate the outcome is too close to call. Though various surveys last week indicated the Brexit camp would win, polls from Survation taken June 17-18 for the Mail on Sunday newspaper gave the Remain camp a three percentage point lead over those preferring to leave, reversing positions from Survations previous survey. Li has amassed a fortune of USD28.6 billion, third largest in Asia after Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.s Jack Ma and Dalian Wanda Group Co.s Wang Jianlin on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Yet hes often been atop of the list, ranking as the regions wealthiest tycoon as recently as three months ago. Though hes known by local media as Superman for his business acumen, Li has been facing some setbacks lately, most recently in the U.K. European regulators last month blocked Li, the man behind the Three phone service, from creating the U.K.s largest wireless carrier after vetoing his plans to buy O2 for as much as $15 billion on concerns it would hinder competition and inflate prices. European authorities are also examining whether to approve a proposed merger of his telecom business in Italy with VimpelCom Ltd.s Wind Telecomunicazioni. Days after the O2 decision, which came about six months after minority shareholders rejected a $12.4 billion buyout offer for one of his units in Hong Kong, the tycoons eldest son and heir said at CK Hutchisons annual general meeting that the O2 setback may not be a bad thing in light of the growing possibility of Brexit and that the company would consider its next move after the referendum. Li missed that shareholders meeting his first absence in years because of a stomach bug. Though the ailment caused Li to lose weight, he said his health is fine. With the referendum days away, Lis attention is back on the U.K., where he operates Superdrug and Savers stores, ports, the Three phone service, as well as gas and electricity distribution. His Hong Kong-based flagship CK Hutchison generated 37 percent of its total earnings before interest and taxes from the country last year. That means a weaker pound, which is the worlds worst performer among Group of 10 currencies this year, is bad for CK Hutchisons profits. Every time the pound moves by 1 percent, the companys recurring earnings would swing 0.5 percent in the same direction, according to Benjamin Lo, an analyst at Nomura Holdings in Hong Kong. In addition, if Brexit causes the U.K. economy to slow down Bank of England Governor Mark Carney has warned it could lead to a recession CK Hutchisons port and retail operations in the country would be particularly vulnerable, Lo said. S&P Global Ratings said on Monday that although a U.K. exit could impact CK Hutchison and some of its affiliates, its unlikely to affect their credit ratings. Regardless of the outcome, the Hong Kong tycoon pointed out that his business will go on. Its not the end of the world if Brexit happens, said Li. Prudence Ho, Bloomberg Myanmar military authorities have recently punished 382 military personnel including 73 officers for recruiting child soldiers, the Committee for Prevention of Minors from Military Service announced yesterday. In March, Myanmar military released 46 such wrongly recruited child soldiers, earlier report said. The committee disclosed that it has been cooperating with the United Nations Country Task Force on Monitoring and Reporting (CTFMR) since 2012 and until now the committee had brought 744 minors back to their families. Cambodia receives 275,000 Chinese tourists in 4 months 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, according to a Tourism Ministry report launched yesterday. 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. 306,000 Vietnamese traveled to Cambodia during the period, down 3 percent year-on-year. The governments Non-mandatory Central Provident Fund System proposal was approved at the first reading yesterday at the Legislative Assembly (AL). After almost 2 days of heated debate, the bill that proposes the creation of a second tier of social welfare support to the retired population was approved with 25 votes in favor and only 3 against. Lawmakers Pereira Coutinho, Leong Veng Chai and Kou Hoi In voted against. Pereira Coutinho explained why he and Veng Chai voted against: Although 10 years have passed, the government continues to have no courage to present a fair regime for all. [] During this long debate, the government failed to provide answers to our questions or a calendar for the implementation of the law at its full extent. So we were forced to vote against, he concluded. Although voting in favor of the governments proposal, lawmakers Song Pek Kei, Si Ka Lon and Chan Meng Kam in a joint vote declaration left some remarks to the government: To have this bill [approved] is better than nothing, still the proposal falls far short of the expectations of the population, said Song Pek Kei. We hope that the government can use the three years [during which the regime will be in evaluation] to work and be realistic in order to accomplish the mandatory regime, she concluded. Lawmakers Ella Lei, Kwan Tsui Hang and Lam Heong Sam also voted in favor but with final remarks: The government must present during the discussion in detail, a clear implementation calendar as well as work on convincing the gaming concessionaires and other large companies to join the regime, and a revision on the rules that are not adequate for people that often change job. This needs to be improved, Ella Lei said, speaking on behalf of the three lawmakers. Another aspect which requires improvement according to Ella Lei, will be the articulation of the central provident system with the private systems that are already used in most of the private companies. Angela Leong who also voted in favor, noted that the non-mandatory pension scheme has some polemic matters. However, she said that Macau needs this first step, otherwise the guarantee for workers [after the retirement] would be sine die, she stressed. Similarly to what happened on Monday, when the proposal was first debated at the AL plenary, several lawmakers noted during yesterdays debate that it is important to assess the experience gleaned by the application of a similar system in Hong Kong for the past decade. Chui Sai Cheong stated: Of course there are also some problems there [in Hong Kong] but we have [from the neighboring territory] a framework that can advance our work, and we can learn from their experience. He also suggested the acquisition of insurance as a way to solve the issues regarding SMEs. Maybe the employers should acquire insurance and this insurance fee could then be deducted from their taxes [as tax benefits]. Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Alexis Tam, attended the debate for the second consecutive day. We must understand that the workers are a treasure for both the companies and for the MSAR. All the workers contribute to raise our general income, he said. Our idea is to start with the non-mandatory system to then gradually move into a mandatory regime. This will provide guarantees for our people to have some dignified living conditions. Alexis Tam also mentioned that the government is already investing much of the first level of the Social Welfare system when created the residents individual accounts, stating that this support is accountable for about 85 percent of the money spent on this sector. The secretary also informed that the government will work to bring the big companies that are currently using private funds to join this system. According to Tam, these company funds are accountable for around 40 percent of the total number of workers suitable to join the system. Asia-Pacific banks face a powerful storm which will probably hurt profit growth in an industry that earned half a trillion dollars last year, according to McKinsey & Co. A triple threat of slowing economic growth, technology disruption and weaker balance sheets could come together to cripple returns on equity by 2018, the New York-based consultancy said in an analysis of 328 banks in the region. Profit growth may slow to below 4 percent annually between 2016-2021, down from about 10 percent in 2011-2014, said Joydeep Sengupta, one of the reports authors. The regions slowdown has led to weaker lending growth and surging loan defaults, sending stressed assets in China, India, Indonesia and Japan to almost USD400 billion last year, according to McKinsey. Since the 2008 global financial crisis, lenders have been grappling with tighter regulatory and capital requirements that have curtailed their ability to dole out credit. Banks in the region have seen extraordinary growth over the past decade, Sengupta, a senior partner in McKinseys Singapore office, said in a phone interview. At this point in time, we would say were at the end of the golden era. There is a trinity of threats which we are seeing. Asia-Pacific banks have accounted for almost half of global banking profits each year since 2009, according to the report. In 2015, the regions lenders represented 46 percent of the $1.1 trillion in after-tax earnings generated by the industry worldwide, the report showed. The McKinsey study showed that ROE for the Asia-Pacific lenders had fallen to 14 percent in 2014 from 15 percent the previous year. That figure may fall to single digits if banks dont take action, Sengupta said. The consultancy is calling on banks to build their digital capabilities to fend off rising competition from technology start-ups and more established digital companies including Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. and Tencent Holdings Ltd., which are offering financial services from mortgages to payment systems. A customer-focused digital strategy would foster loyalty, as well as cut costs, according to McKinsey. In surveys, banking customers in Asia-Pacific frequently list limited digital financial offerings and unsatisfactory service as major sources of frustration, the report said. A well-designed digital bank could address these disappointments. To ease the impact of slowing economies, McKinsey recommended banks to tap into growth pockets in the region: the 1.1 billion individuals with no formal banking relationships, the regions affluent middle class, and small to mid-sized businesses. The reality is that doing things the way you do will create significant challenges, Sengupta said. By addressing these, there are opportunities which are hitherto untapped, but significant and large, that banks can pursue, he said. Darren Boey, Bloomberg About 120 local university students gathered this week at the Venetian Macaos Adelson Advanced Education Centre to attend an exclusive Integrated Resort Career Exhibition, organized by Sands China, targeting local university students and graduates. Departments from non-gaming sectors were represented, from housekeeping to food and beverage. During the exhibition, students had the chance to tour display rooms showcasing various career opportunities in areas such as conventions and exhibitions, food and beverage, hotel and concierge and housekeeping, as well as in the soon-to-open Parisian Macao. Sands China team members were on hand to give an introduction to the daily operations of different departments. Asked how many positions would be available to the candidates present yesterday Antonio Ramirez, senior vice president of human resources at Sands China, said: To all candidates present here today, if they want to work with us, we will have an opportunity for them. Ramirez expressed the belief that compared to other resorts in Macau, Sands China has specific advantages. Our advantages are our size and the different opportunities we have, he declared. However, he admitted that some positions struggle to find people willing to apply for them. Room attendant, it is a position that is not popular, he noted. The positions we have available here are not for room attendants. This event is for Macau students that graduated from Macau universities. We are trying to give opportunities to those who have a degree, Ramirez informed. Regarding hiring non-local employees, the Sands executive claimed that locals are presently the target of all current and future job fairs. Short-term programs such as the Parisian Experience Program, the Summer/Winter Break Integrated Resort Experience Program, or the Fast Track Supervisor Program, are also available, which carry the purpose of providing a flexible work experience, as well as of training exceptional graduates to fill-in for supervisory-level roles within four to 12 months. Applicant Chen Zhen, an undergraduate student majoring in Business Administration and Marketing at the Macau Polytechnic Institute, told the Times that he is looking forward to working for the procurement section of Sands. They have these programs, which other companies never mentioned they would be organizing, said Chen when explaining why the Career Exhibition attracted him there. Another applicant, Tony Ngan, a sophomore student majoring in Finance at the University of Macau, said that he went to the event in order to find a way of spending his summer vacations. My father works for Sands, he recommended me to come here. They are offering all these short-term programs which turn out to be good opportunities. I think Sands comes out ahead in what may concern Macau, since the opportunities they provide are the greatest, he said. Staff reporter Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha told UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon during a telephone conversation on Monday that Thailand is proceeding toward civilian rule according to its roadmap. The comment comes as the government has been accused of constraining public supervision over the coming referendum, Thai media reported yesterday. Red-shirts, or the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), filed a complaint on Monday to the UN since their proposal to watchdog centers for the August 7 referendum on the draft constitution was blocked by the Prayut-led government. Ban stressed that an open and inclusive debate would be essential to ensuring the legitimacy of the constitution and achieving national unity, according to a statement released by Secretary-Generals spokesperson. Prayut said he told Ban about activities of groups with ill intentions toward the country and also informed him of the UDDs petition to the UN office in Bangkok, Bangkok Post reported. Still, I explained to him that we have such freedom. As for the draft charter, people throughout the country have been given a chance to voice their opinions, Prayut said. He also told Ban about the referendum and preparations for a general election, adding that everything is proceeding according to the roadmap. Ban has reaffirmed the UNs readiness to support Thailand as the country prepares to vote on a final draft Constitution. According to UDD leader Jatuporn Prompan, they submitted the petition because monitoring centers were opened in only 47 provinces on Sunday, while the government prevented the opening of further centers in 29 other provinces. Asked about Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwans suggestion that the UDD should work with the Election Commission (EC) to monitor fraud instead of setting up its own anti-fraud centers, UDD Secretary-General Nattawut Saikuar said that was not possible because the EC had never shown any intention of wanting to cooperate. Meechai Ruchupan, chairman of Constitution Drafting Committee, asked UDD leaders not to act in a manner that would obstruct the campaign, otherwise they will violate the Referendum Act and face legal action. MDT/Xinhua 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 on 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. Yesterday, the Tuoi Tre newspaper reported that Loi had been suspended by his newspaper. Executives at the newspaper and Loi were not available for comment yesterday. 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. AP TWIN FALLS Two Twin Falls men told police they viciously beat another man and left him bloodied and writhing in an alley Saturday night because he beat a woman. Cory David Harmon, Jr., 27, and Charles Joseph Lee, 37, were each arraigned Monday in Twin Falls County Magistrate Court on felony counts of aggravated battery. Prosecutors say Harmon and Lee smashed a lamp over Curtis Weeks head, beat with him a pipe-like piece of the lamp, punched, kicked and stomped him while he was on the ground and then left him bleeding in an alley. An emergency-room doctor told police Weeks had a broken nose, a possible broken rib and blood in his stomach, which is an indication of internal bleeding. Weeks was no longer listed as a patient at the hospital Tuesday morning. Police responded to a 911 call about 10 p.m. Saturday night for the report of a man lying in an alley behind a home on Jackson Street. When officers arrived, they found Weeks laying in the alley covered in blood and writhing in pain, court documents said. A witness told police she heard a fight and when she went outside, she saw two men walking away from Weeks, one of whom told her he deserved it, just leave him there, hes a woman beater, court documents said. Weeks was taken to a hospital where a doctor said he likely had internal bleeding. Police arrested three men for the beating, including Harmon and Lee, though prosecutors decided not to file charges against the third man. Officers said Harmons pants and Lees shoes were covered in blood when they were arrested. Both men initially denied being part of the beating, but Harmon admitted his part after a detective asked him if Weeks deserved what he got, saying yes he did, he beat a (expletive) woman, he beat a woman, he did deserve it. Lee admitted his part when a detective pointed out that his shoe prints matched the print left on the side of Weeks face. Harmon told police Weeks was threatening a woman who lived at the home on Jackson Street and that Weeks punched Harmon in the face five times, so Harmon picked up a lamp and smashed it over his head. Later, Harmon and Lee chased after Weeks and hit him with a black piece of the broken lamp that looked like a pipe. Harmon knocked Weeks to the ground at which point Lee started kicking and stomping Weeks in the head, a police detective wrote in a sworn affidavit. Lee and Harmon stopped beating Weeks for a short time and Weeks got up and tried to attack Lee. Lee knocked him down and stomped on Weeks head several more times. After securing a search warrant for the Jackson Street home, police found pieces of the broken lamp, including a piece that resembled a pipe, and blood inside the home. The woman at the home, who Lee and Harmon said was being threatened, was also arrested and later charged with obstructing arrest and assaulting a police officer. Police said she was uncooperative with the investigation and kicked an officer while being detained. Harmon and Lee are each being held in the Twin Falls County Jail in lieu of $50,000, and preliminary hearings for both are scheduled for July 1. Register for more free articles. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy BOISE Asmaa Albukaie, a Syrian Muslim refugee, arrived in Boise with her two teenage sons about 18 months ago. There was a more welcoming spirit then, she recalls. Syria wasnt under a spotlight, like now, she said. But now I think people are more scared about refugees. And not just scared. In February, her younger son, 16, was assaulted in downtown Boise. His assailant first asked if the boy was Muslim. A Nampa man was arrested and charged under Idahos hate crime law. His trial is pending. Later, her son asked: Should he have lied about his background? I said, No. Why do you have to lie? He said, Because Im not safe now if I tell people Im a Muslim, Albukaie recalled. I said, No, you have to say you are Muslim, and you have to be a good Muslim to let people like you. She pushed her son to get an after-school job to fill his time. His social life isnt what it was before the attack. To build a new life here is not easy, especially for young people, she said. At this age, a teenager everything changed in his life in one day. Albukaie works as a case manager for the local resettlement agency that assisted her when she first arrived. The impact of her sons attack came back to her Tuesday following news that a made-up tale of a rape in Twin Falls had circulated on social media. The false story alleged that Syrian refugee boys had raped a young girl at knifepoint. The actual incident bore only faint resemblance to the accusation. The case involves juveniles and is thus mostly sealed from public disclosure. But police and prosecutors disclosed enough detail to refute the rumors. Resettlement records show there are no Syrian refugees in Twin Falls, and just a few dozen in Idaho overall. Only one Syrian has come to Idaho since last September, an elderly woman in poor health who joined family in Boise. She has since died. The previous year, 35 Syrians were resettled in Idaho, all in Boise. From October through May, 536 refugees have been resettled in Idaho, a little more than 1 percent of the more than 41,000 that have come to the U.S. in that period. Twin Falls has seen Idahos greatest tumult over refugee resettlement. Opponents have sought unsuccessfully to close the College of Southern Idahos refugee program. Albukaie has visited the city on her own just to see how people react with a refugee. The reaction has not been warm. Other people dont really smile and theyre scared, she said. Theyve also turned away, fallen silent, cursed. Maybe its our problem. Maybe we dont know how to deal with American people. Im trying just to fix and solve the problem, she said. Because I need peace for this country. For me, America is now my country, so I need peace, too. So I need to be safe with my kids, and I need safety for my neighbors, for American people. TWIN FALLS Fawnbrook Apartments is evicting the families of the three boys implicated in a sexual assault against a 5-year-old girl there on June 2. With the police investigation now largely complete, acting in our capacity as property managers, we have served the legally required notifications to terminate the tenancy of those households who the police have identified as responsible for the criminal acts, Jeffrey Passadore, president of Cambridge Real Estate Services, wrote in a letter to the complexs tenants. Passadore wrote that events of recent days have focused our collective attention on the complexities of living in a culturally diverse society. When management was first notified in broad terms of the truly horrific events of earlier this month, we immediately offered our full support and cooperation to local law enforcement. Passadore urged people to support the victims family and to focus on bringing about the positive changes necessary so that we might all contribute to a stronger community for our shared future. Idaho law gives wide latitude to whatever the lease agreement says when it comes to evictions. Federal law requires good cause to evict people receiving government-subsidized housing; criminal activity that threatens other tenants can be considered such. Passadores letter didnt specify how long the families have to leave; he was out of the office Wednesday, and the company didnt return a message seeking further details. The three boys are ages 7, 10, and 14, and the two older boys were taken into custody late last week. Two of the boys were from a Sudanese family, one from an Iraqi one. Officials suspect the boys have been in the Unites States fewer than two years. Police have said they arent sure if the families are refugees. The case is sealed because they are juveniles. Several residents addressed the City Council on June 13, before police had taken anyone into custody, questioning why no information had been released and asking if local officials were trying to cover it up. The story gained national attention over the weekend and was picked up by a number of anti-refugee resettlement and anti-Islamic blogs, with some incorrectly reporting the boys were Syrian refugees or including details, such as that the girl was held at knife-point or that the boys father high-fived them after the attack, that police and prosecutors have denied. News last year that Syrians fleeing a years-long civil war could be among about 300 refugees to be resettled in Twin Falls this year touched off an anti-refugee movement that sought to close the refugee resettlement office at the College of Southern Idaho. The measure failed earlier this spring when organizers couldnt gather enough signatures. WASHINGTON Idahos vacant federal judgeship has come a step closer to being filled. Nominee David Nye, a judge for Idahos Pocatello-based Sixth Judicial District, appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday morning for his hearing. Nye, who practiced law in Idaho for years before becoming a judge, has been nominated for the spot that opened when U.S. District Court Judge Edward Lodge assumed senior status last July, allowing him to provide volunteer service and handle a reduced number of cases. That left Lynn Winmill as the only federal district judge in Idaho. President Obama announced Nyes nomination in April, and he has the support of Idahos two Republican senators, Mike Crapo and Jim Risch. Mr. Nye, you represent something Ive never seen before, said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, who presided over the hearing. A person that can get Crapo, Risch and Obama on the same sheet of music. How did you do that? It was not easy, Nye said, as some of the people in the room chuckled. Thats the most honest answer I could find, Graham replied. Crapo praised Nyes qualifications, and also made the case for adding a third federal district judge for Idaho. There are two now, and the last time Congress created a new judgeship was 2002. Crapo said the Judicial Conference of the United States has recommended every year since then that a third judge be added for Idaho. The result is that we have a three-judge caseload state being handled by two judges, he said, adding that it has been one judge since last July. Judges from other states have been filling in where needed, Risch said. Risch commended the Obama administration for working with him and Crapo on finding a nominee, and also said Idaho needs more federal judges. The judicial problem were having in the state is not make-believe, he said. The Judiciary Committee didnt vote on Tuesday. After it does, Crapo and Risch will work with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnells office to schedule floor time for Nye, said Risch spokeswoman Suzanne Wrasse. Crapo spokesman Lindsay Nothern said he hopes Nye is confirmed before the Senate recesses in mid-July, and Graham gave no indication any of the nominees who appeared before the committee Tuesday would get held up. I just think all three of you should be proud of your accomplishments, he said. Ill do everything I can to move you through the process quickly. TWIN FALLS A Twin Falls woman who will be a delegate to the Democratic National Convention says she hopes to move the national partys platform to the left and ensure that, despite the tensions between Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton backers, everyone feels like their voices are being heard. I feel the need to make sure that everybody feels validated, said Brittany Ruland, one of 23 pledged delegates Idaho Democrats are sending to Philadelphia. Of the pledged delegates, 18 including Ruland are pledged to Bernie Sanders, the winner of the states caucus, and five are pledged to Hillary Clinton, who lost big in Idaho but won more delegates nationally and is the partys presumptive nominee. Idaho is also sending four superdelegates, who arent bound to any candidate. Of them, two have said they plan to support Sanders, one Clinton, and one is publicly uncommitted. Ruland is the only delegate from the Magic Valley, although Gini Ballou of Hailey is going as a Sanders alternate. The convention will run from July 25 to 28. We all have a story thats pushing us to want to do something to change the way things go, Ruland said. For her, that story includes struggling with a congenital condition that could leave her paralyzed without surgery while being one of the estimated 78,000 Idahoans in the Medicaid gap. Those in the so-called gap dont make enough money to qualify for subsidized insurance on the state exchange but also dont qualify for Medicaid. Ruland worked for Sanders campaign and she said that, while she knows he probably wont be the nominee, she hopes to help push the national party platform left on issues such as supporting single-payer health care. We want to at least come out with the end goal of pushing the Democratic Party as a whole to be more progressive, she said. Even if (Clinton) is the nominee. The state Democrats held their convention last weekend and adopted a new platform, which Ruland characterized as the most progressive platform the Idaho Democratic Party has passed in the states history. Ruland said she will be presenting it at the national convention on behalf of the state party, and she hopes to show the delegates from other states that even in really, really, super-red Idaho, we can still make these progressive ideas part of what goes on in our state. Ruland said she knows she lives in a heavily Republican area, and she said she is passionate about improving and wants to be thought of as representing her community in general. Ruland, who is 25, voted for Barack Obama, but she said she never really classified herself as a Democrat until I had someone to stand behind i.e., Sanders. Theres more to this than just being a Democrat, she said. JEROME A teen couple killed in a crash Monday night in Jerome County were wearing their seat belts but were thrown from the car when it was cut in half by a pole, police said. The crash, reported about 8 p.m. Monday at 200 North and 300 West, is still under investigation by the Idaho State Police. In a statement Tuesday, the agency said alcohol was involved. Lt. Robert Rausch clarified Wednesday morning. We know there was alcohol there, and there were five underage people involved, Rausch said. Were determining if any of them had consumed it. A crash reconstruction team is still investigating the deadly collision, which Rausch said was maybe not as straightforward as it first seemed. Were kind of in a holding pattern on determining the cause while doing all of our due diligence with the reconstruction team and talking to witnesses, Rausch said. In the statement released Tuesday, ISP said a 2002 Honda Civic ran a stop sign on southbound 300 West and collided with a 2011 Hyundai Elantra driving west on 200 North. Both occupants of the Civic 16-year-old Baily Helsley, of Nampa and his passenger, 16-year-old Deven Schulz, of Jerome were killed in the crash. They were both thrown from the car despite wearing seat belts. The reason they got ejected was because the car spun into a pole and cut it clear in half, Rausch said. The pole came right through the B-pillar the part of the car where the shoulder straps of a seat belt connect and it cut them free from their seat belts. The Twin Falls County Sheriffs Office said Schulz was the niece of Twin Falls County Deputy Neil Schulz, and Helsley was her boyfriend. The Magic Valley has experienced a higher than usual number of tragic vehicle fatalities since Memorial Day, the TFCSO said in the Facebook post. We urge you to slow down, to pay attention, and to not drink and drive These tragedies affect more than just the immediate family involved. On Monday night several lives were changed forever. The three occupants of the other car were all taken Monday night to St. Lukes Magic Valley Medical Center, but they had all been released by Tuesday afternoon, Rausch said. They were the 18-year-old driver, Casey Clapp, of Wendell, and his passengers Emily Lozano, 18, of Jerome and Salvador Bielmas, 16, of Wendell. For opponents of refugee resettlement, it had all the perfect themes. A rape committed by knife-wielding refugees. And not just any refugees they were Syrians. The victim was a child. And not just any child she was white and mentally disabled. The Muslim parents of the rapists condoned the attack even high-fiving their boys and congratulating them afterward for humiliating the girl. And worse, our local police werent doing anything about this heinous sex assault, prosecutors were covering it up, and local media were playing along in a vast conspiracy to protect the local refugee community. If there was ever a story to prove a political point about the dangers of refugee resettlement to scare people, to smear refugees and Muslims, to cast doubt on the government and journalists this was it. But as the community learned Monday, the entire story was false. There was no forcible rape. There was no knife. There were no Syrians. And the parents didnt celebrate. What did happen, in fact, was some inappropriate touching in an apartment buildings laundry room, egged on and videotaped by two older boys. The youngest boy, only 7, likely didnt even understand what was happening. Still, make no mistake: This girl was victimized, first by the boys and next by opportunistic racists. Local opponents to refugee resettlement reached a new and almost unimaginably deplorable low when they took what happened to the poor girl and began to spin a web of lies around the incident to fit their agenda. In just a few days, stories about Syrians gang-raping a child at knife-point were being reported as fact on refugee conspiracy websites and anti-Muslim blogs as proof that Syrian refugees are violent and dangerous and Islam is an oppressive religion of hate. Other, more credible outlets republished the stories without bothering to check their legitimacy. By Monday, police, prosecutors even this newspaper were being inundated by calls from around the country from furious people who had no clue they had been duped. Twin Falls County Prosecutor Grant Loebs took the highly unusual step of speaking publicly about the case, which has been sealed because all involved were children. The attempts to exploit the girls experience by somehow linking it to refugee resettlement was so obnoxious, Loebs felt compelled to release a basic account of what really happened to dispel the lies being spread. Not all opponents to refugee resettlement are racists, bigots and liars. But as this incident has proved, some clearly are. There is a small group of people in Twin Falls County whose life goal is to eliminate refugees, and thus far they have not been constrained by the truth, said the prosecutor. They have not been constrained by the truth in the past, and I dont expect them to be constrained by the truth in the future. Twin Falls Police Chief Craig Kingsbury briefed the City Council about the situation on Monday night, also hoping to dispel the lies. Two of the three boys have been arrested and are being held in a juvenile detention facility. Officers and paramedics responded quickly when parents called police. Theres no evidence that the parents of the boys congratulated their sons. Similar incidents where children commit sex acts against each other happen several times a year in Twin Falls County. Never in those cases do we hear demands for justice like we did in this case. Never do police face such public criticism. So whats different this time? Ruthless refugee opponents exploited the girl and sought to bring out not the better angels of our nature but the worst. Thousands of people shared the contrived story about Syrian rapists on their social media accounts, stoking renewed calls for an end to refugee resettlement and a fresh round of anti-Muslim maligning. And the liars almost got away with it. Both Loebs and Kingsbury deserve congratulations for taking a stand for the truth. They didnt have to speak out about this case, but both understood that doing so had to be done for the sake of our community. As for the refugee opponents who concocted the despicable lie, there simply arent words to describe the shame and contempt you deserve. The late, great United States In the wake of the recent terrorist rampage in Florida, Newt Gingrich has lashed out against President Obamas incessant ignoring of ISIS actions around the world. But, perhaps, Newt should try to understand the president is doing the best he can and how hard it is for someone in a high profile position to keep secret his allegiance and agenda. He has done the best he can to dismantle our military and destroy the few remaining fibers of morality we possess. We have seen Muslim federal judges sworn in with the Quran and Sikh military officers given the right to serve while wearing turbans. Oddly enough, one of the reasons for the wearing turbans in the Sikh culture is to promote equality and preserve the Sikh identity. But, isnt that what our military uniforms are supposed to do, and why theyre called uniforms!? In times past, immigrants came to America to become part of the American way of life. Yet, today, many come to spread their own. And, with the entitlement mindset dominating whats left of America, its working wonderfully. But then, in a nation where guns cause crime, spoons cause obesity, marriages cause divorce, and pencils cause spelling errors, what can we expect? Who needs patriotism? Wheres the benefit package? Some have seen the horrors of what it takes to get our populace seeing more than two feet down the road and something more than themselves. It will do so again; and its coming. With all the Allied might, the outcome of the Second World War was up for grabs until the very end. We couldnt do it today and the enemy knows it, not totally because we lack the firepower. But, because we lack the wisdom, guts and unwavering American determination. William Cook Twin Falls HARARE - 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. Forces loyal to the U.N-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) suffered a huge a casualty on Tuesday although they claim to have captured some residential districts in Sirte. At least 34 of their forces were reported killed and 100 wounded in clashes with the Islamic State group in and around the city. The GNA issues a statement claiming that militants of the extremist group are besieged in a small area of Sirte and their loyal forces have been able to repel all attempts. Spokesman Rida Issa of a government-backed brigade composed mainly of fighters from the western city of Misrata said they have taken over and secured several neighborhoods and infrastructures in the coastal city such as the electricity company headquarters, TV and radio building, Number 2 neighborhood and Bin Hamel mosques. The loss of the radio station is expected to affect the Islamic States propaganda efforts because it had used it to broadcast speeches of Abu Bakh al-Baghdadi, its so-called caliph. Our forces are combing the 700 neighborhood after fierce clashes, Rida Issa stated. Sirte is the headquarters of the Islamic State in Libya and losing it could be the beginning of the end of the group in North Africa. The extremists have increased their resistance lately with snipers, mines and car bombs as they continue to hold several pockets in the city. GNA is trying to coordinate the different militia groups fighting against the Islamic State through several operation rooms but it is yet to have control over their actions and around 200 loyal forces have been killed and hundreds wounded since the assault on Sirte was launched. Meanwhile, the deadliest scene on Tuesday took place almost 50kilometres away from Tripoli in Garabulli were a blast ripped through an arms depot killing 29 people and the toll is expected to rise. The victims include militiamen and armed residents who were fighting. King Abdullah of Jordan, in a Palace statement, vowed to respond with an iron fist to the car bomb attack that killed six army border guards in the Rukban district, close to the border with Syria. Six hours after the attack which took place in the early hours of Monday, Jordan closed its northern and northeastern border with Syria and declared the area closed military zones. The attackers used a booby-trapped car according to the statement from the military and the state TV described it as a cowardly terrorist attack. Several regional countries have condemned the attack including Syria. A source at the Syrian Foreign Ministry linked the attack to the ongoing war in the country. This terrorist attack stresses once again that terrorism knows no border and that no one is immune to it the source told Syria Arab News Agency. Damascus has repeatedly warned that terrorism will backfire on its supporters, the source said. No group has claimed the attack but it is believed to have been carried out by armed groups fighting in Syria. Syria has always stressed its readiness to cooperate with the brothers in fighting terrorism and preserving the security and stability of the region, the source added. The attack took place close to a refugee camp housing around 60,000 Syrian refugees. Amman has suspended all humanitarian aid to the area and will neither open new ones nor expand the current ones on its territory. Aid agencies have already raised concerns about the deteriorating living conditions of the refugees. Ankara and Tel Aviv are expected to announce the renewal of their bilateral ties on June 26 after talks between top Turkish foreign ministry official Feridun Sinirlioglu and Israels point man on Turkish relations, Joseph Ciechanover, according to reports from a local Turkish newspaper. An Israeli newspaper reported on its part that the meeting would take place in a European capital. Ties between the two countries were severed by Turkey in 2010 after Israeli commandos stormed a Turkish flotilla heading to Gaza, killing nine Turkish activists during the scuffle before the tenth succumbed to his wounds later. The two countries have been engaged in talks to ease the tension and Israel has fulfilled two of Turkeys three conditions for normalization. Tel Aviv apologized for its actions and compensated the victims but has not lifted the blockade on Hamas. As part of an alleged compromising deal between them, Israel will allow the completion of a hospital in Gaza, a new power station and a seawater desalination plant. Turkey will also be able to send aid to Gaza but through the Israeli port of Ashdod. Hamas controls the Gaza Strip and one of its officials under the condition of anonymity told London-based Rai al-Youm that President Erdogan informed the groups leadership that he must make progress on the normalization deal with Israel in order to serve Turkeys interests because he has done everything possible to lift the siege or ameliorate it, but the Israeli government stubbornly rejected his attempts. The normalization of ties is expected to boost Israels relation with NATO as the Jewish State prepares to open a mission there after its reconciliation with Turkey which had strongly opposed its cooperation with the organization. President Reuven 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. At least 16 people were reportedly killed and twenty others injured in northern Central African Republic in an attack blamed on armed Fulani herdsmen and mainly Muslim Seleka militia. According to AFP, the victims for most armed Fulani, were killed in clashes that are believed to have started last Sunday and extended to Monday. The attack, confirmed by local media, was the worst unrest since presidential and parliamentary elections in February and March, viewed as a key step to reconciliation after the sectarian trouble. On Monday, heavily armed members of the former rebel group Seleka took six police officers hostage in Bangui. According to AFP correspondent in Bangui, the operation carried out by local and international security forces with heavy firearms in the PK5 Muslim neighborhood has driven away hundreds of residents in neighboring communities to other districts of Bangui in the afternoon. The police said three people have been shot dead in the operation Last week, at least ten people were killed and several others injured in an attack by suspected Fulani and ex-Seleka rebels in the western part of the country. Landlocked Central African Republic, one of the worlds poorest, was plunged into chaos by the March 2013 ousting of long-serving president Francois Bozize, a Christian, by the mainly Muslim Seleka rebel alliance. A fifth of the population fled their homes due to violence and the country, largely divided along religious lines, remains controlled by warlords. More than 400,000 people have been internally displaced, and some half-a-million have fled to neighboring countries such as Chad, Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of Congo, UN said. Aliko Dangote, Africas richest person, fell 25 places on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index on Monday as the naira fell on its first day of trading without a peg to the U.S. dollar. The West Africa nations naira tumbled on Monday as the central bank ended a 16-month-long currency fix that caused investors to flee and sent the economy to the brink of recession. According to Bloomberg, the biggest losers for the day were Nigerian Breweries, Guinness, Dangote Cement and PZ. Dangotes fortune fell $3.7 billion, knocking him to No. 71 on the Bloomberg ranking, down from No. 46 on Friday. The majority of Dangotes $12.7 billion fortune is derived from a 91% stake in Dangote Cement Plc, which shed 2% in trading Monday. Banks in the African most populous nation have asked customers to submit bids in recent days, in a sign trading will be market-driven and not simply dominated by speculative interbank dealing. Foreign investors and economists have been calling for months for a naira devaluation as chronic foreign currency shortages choked economic growth and led to widespread capital flight. Africas biggest economy, which contracted by 0.4 percent in the first quarter, faces its worst crisis in decades after the decline in oil prices since 2014 and last years introduction of a currency peg. While allowing the nairas exchange rate to be market-driven, the central bank would intervene when necessary, Governor Godwin Emefiele said when he announced the new system on June 15. 'Like' us on Facebook Follow us: Posted on: June 23, 2016 Guru Poornima Special Offering (Daily Episode) Part - 15 In 2006, eager to start a service which will help everyone to connect with Bhagawan's teachings on a daily basis, Radio Sai began 'Sai Inspires'. All who subscribed to this service, received an email from us which had a concise message of Baba accompanied with His image. This daily offering was received well, and soon the subscriptions grew. Today nearly 100,000 people from all corners of the world wait for this message to help them tide over their day with peace and ease. The power inherent in these discourse capsules is indeed tremendous. How much we benefit from it and how best we harness this energy depends purely on how seriously we ruminate over these words and how sincerely we put our learning into action. To help us in this noble and elevating exercise, Prof. G. Venkataraman has taken time out to elaborate on these messages. His reflections will not only give us a deeper understanding into what the Lord is communicating to us but also give us tips to translate them into our daily practical life with more ease. The best way to value the Master is to master His values. As we prepare to celebrate Guru Poornima (July 19), when we pay our respects and obeisance to the Divine Master, let us work to offer Him the tribute that the Lord loves the most from us - to make our lives His message, to make His love and wisdom shine in us. To aid us in this endeavour we have this series where Prof. Venkataraman for the next 26 days from June 9, 2016 shares his insights on select Sai Inspires messages. We hope this will help us to understand His teachings better and bolster our determination to walk on the sacred path. Sai Inspires Message PROGRESS IN SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY DOES NOT MEAN SPIRITUAL PROGRESS! The astonishing progress of science and technology has not brought with it corresponding powers of discrimination and wisdom. Man must realize that the sense organs, through which he explores the external and discovers the powers latent in Nature and the physical universe, function because of the Divinity which is immanent in them. Without the power of the Divine, the eyes cannot see, the ears cannot hear nor would the mind be able to think. Divine Discourse, May 12, 1984. REFLECTIONS Sai Ram. The above Sai quote, is ideal for the present day, when almost everyone, in particular the young, is overwhelmed by the astonishing gadgets now available, and indeed spends a large part of his/her time, sending messages to all sorts of people, trying to find out what others are saying, following the gossip that is choking the airways or just playing games. This is merely the lower end of getting hooked on science and technology. One could also go to a higher level, becoming fully absorbed in understanding science itself or in using scientific knowledge for discovering technological applications, like a new and more efficient way of harnessing solar energy. At this stage, let me make it perfectly clear that there is per se nothing wrong in science or technology or in inventing scientific gadgets. I am from a scientific background myself and therefore all for Science & Technology, provided a) everything is kept within bound, and b) neither the knowledge nor the gadgets that knowledge gives us is misused, particularly to harm or hurt others. But does it all end there? Certainly not, and that is the point Swami is making in the quote we heard earlier. To appreciate better what precisely Swami is telling us, let us for a moment ask ourselves a few simple questions like: How do scientists go about their business? How do they work? What are the tools they use? And the answer to this is that man seeks scientific knowledge a) by keen observation, and b) by thinking deeply about how his observations can be explained? For example, thousands of years ago, people in Egypt and Greece, India as well as in China, independently discovered pattern in the movement of celestial objects across the sky, particularly the night sky, and derived empirical rules that allowed them to prepare almanacs, some of which are in use to this day. In other words, observation and hypothesis testing formed the two pillars of scientific enquiry. Where observation was concerned, in the beginning, humans used their senses directly, that is to say, they used their eyes and ears mostly to record their observations. Later, they began to use instruments, starting with those that enabled them to measure distance, weights and time. Soon followed others that could measure temperature, pressure, and so on. Along the line came the telescope which enabled one to look deep into space and the microscope which allowed one to peer inside small and tiny objects. These days, despite all the complex electronics and automation that form a part of scientific equipment, all of them represent nothing but extensions of the senses. In short, the pursuit of scientific knowledge depends solely on the senses and the human brain, which helps to codify the observations first into patterns and then into theories with predictive power, and so on. That somewhat lengthy preamble was intended merely to drive home the point that no matter what, science as it is today, simply cannot go beyond the senses and the mind. And yet we do know intuitively, that there are dimensions beyond the science and the Mind. The ancient seers dared to explore that transcendental realm, and were ecstatic to discover there a Supreme entity that we popularly refer to as God. Thus it is that Swami often used to quote the ancient rishis who said, There IS something beyond the realm of the senses, words and thoughts which is indescribable. We have been there and experienced the bliss of becoming one with that Supreme and indescribably effulgent entity, i.e., God. Keeping that in mind, let us return to the Sai quote. What Swami is saying essentially is: O man! You are so proud of your abilities to explore to the farthest reaches of the Universe and into the deepest recesses of the atom. Wherefrom did you get the ability to do so? When you make a discovery, you thump your chest and proudly declare, I made that discovery. But when you die, where does that I disappear? All that remains is a hunk of flesh that your relatives are in a hurry to get rid of, after shedding some tears may be. All your fantastic discoveries and achievements relate to what is within the boundaries of space and time, and have been made using your senses and their extensions called instruments and of course the power of your Mind. But wherefrom did the Mind get that power? Sadly, few have either the time or the inclination to ask such questions these days. In the Gita, Krishna explains to Arjuna how God is immanent in every human being at three levels. Simply put, the power of God is present in every single atom in the body, which is why the laws of physics and chemistry are able to operate and help the heart to work as a pump, the nerves to conduct electricity, the acid in the stomach to breakdown the molecules that constitute the food we eat and so on. All that is the power of God operating at the gross level. Next, says Krishna, God is present at a much higher level as the life force. It is not easy to explain what exactly life is, especially in scientific terms; but we all know when a person is alive and when the person is dead. Some mysterious power is present within when the person is alive and when that power is withdrawn or shut off, we find that the once active and vibrant person is now merely a hunk of flesh and bones that start to decay rapidly; which also is why the body, as it is now called, is disposed off quickly, maybe with some kind of a send-off. Vedanta refers to that mysterious life force as Prana Shakti and in the Gita, Krishna explicitly declares that He is the one who supplies all that motive power, the digestive power and even the power of the brain. So this is the second level of Divine presence within. God is present at a third level also, as the power of awareness, which is highly tuned in the case of humans. More explicitly, He is present as the Conscience. A few subtle points must be carefully noted at this stage. They are: Conscience is present in all without exception. However, some refuse to ever listen to it; some listen to it occasionally, while yet others always obey their Conscience. It is this that makes people different, with some being near devils, some being reasonably good people and other being angels or saints. What is referred to as Conscience is nothing but the Voice of God, speaking from within, and giving good advice to every single individual all the time. If some people refuse to listen to good advice, it is their fault entirely, and they also end up paying the price. No use complaining at that stage. That also is why Swami says often: Your Conscience is your Master. Always follow the Conscience. Although every person has his/her personal Conscience so to speak, it is not as if there is a multiplicity of Consciences. All the so-called Consciences are aspects of One God, and therefore speak the same language, the language of the Heart. Which also is why Swami sometimes says there is no such thing as Indian Truth, American Truth, Russian Truth and so forth. A few important comments and amplifications to the above must be added at this stage. The question arises: Why is it that some people listen to their Conscience while others dont? Swami has given the answer; it all depends on how sharp and tuned their buddhi or intellect is. If the word buddhi sounds strange, just note that it is nothing but the power of discrimination, and look up what Swami has to say about discrimination, especially Fundamental Discrimination - He has said a lot, and you will find it most educative. Recall Swamis saying: Bulbs are many but current is one. What He is implying is that though beings are many, it is the same God who, residing in every single Heart, gives the same kind of advice to one and all. That is why the Language of the Heart transcends all religions, because God is one and NOT many! We should also pay particular attention to the remark Swami often used to make, namely, I am in you, with you, above you, below you, behind you, around you, etc. Through this saying Swami is telling us, Bangaru, you may see Me with this form which people refer to as Sri Sathya Sai Baba. In truth, I am that Eternal, Transcendental Being that is Nameless, Formless and beyond both Space and Time. In this physical Universe, I am in you at three levels as I explained when I came as Krishna. I am also everywhere, as Krishna explained and revealed to Arjuna. This time, I shall merely offer a reminder, leaving it as an exercise to you to see Me not only within you at every single level, but also everywhere in the Cosmos, from the atom to the galaxy. Keeping that last point in mind, let us return to the last sentence of the Sai Quote we started with. Swami says: Without the power of the Divine, the eyes cannot see, the ears cannot hear nor would the mind be able to think. This is nothing but a reminder of the fact that life itself and the motive power of the living body come directly from God. The strange fact is that every one of us uses the power of God every single minute in some manner or the other. And yet, do we take even one minute off during an entire year to ask: What for has our Most Compassionate Lord given us such wonderful gifts as eyes using which we can see and enjoy so much beauty, our ears using which we can hear so many beautiful sounds, etc.? One wonders. Swami says the senses and mind no doubt are faculties intended to assist our survival; but the special and superior capabilities of awareness with which humans have been blessed are meant to make them realize 1) that there is God above, 2) that we all have come from Him, and 3) that life is meant to be a journey meant to facilitate our reunion with God. To those who claim they are fine here on earth, Swami says, O man! You may believe all is fine with you, and indeed it may well be true at this moment. But who knows what is in store for you in future? I alone do. If you come to Me and become one with Me then future would cease to have any meaning. Instead, it would be an Eternity of Bliss. Why do you thoughtlessly forsake that and bet on trinkets in the false belief that they alone would confer happiness? Happiness does not reside in objects, possessions, power and pelf. True Happiness is Union with God! This, Swami does not point out in today's Sai quote, but He has stated this on many other occasions. It seemed useful to lead from what we heard to what we must always keep in mind, which is why I steered the reflections in this particular direction. Think about it and write to us if you feel differently. Jai Sai Ram. Other Episodes Radio Sai Team New flights will connect Tbilisi and Beijing from September New flights are being introduced to connect Georgias capital with two cities in China.China Southern Airlines, a major Chinese airline, will begin regular flights from September 22, 2016 to stimulate bilateral tourism ties and increase the number of visitors between the countries.The flights will be between Beijing-Urumqi-Tbilisi.Urumqi is a city with more than three million people in northwest China.The new flights were revealed last night when officials from Georgias Civil Aviation Agency met Chinese air travel authorities."Georgia is becoming more and more attractive for Chinese airlines, the Agency said.The officials also noted that the Chinese side was satisfied with the level of air travel security in Georgia."Representatives of our Agency provided the Chinese airlines with information about Georgias loyal aviation legislation, which makes it easier to launch flights to Georgia, the Agency said.Yesterday Georgian officials met with representatives of several Chinese airlines; Air China, Hainan Airlines, China Southern Airlines and China Eastern Airlines. Georgian businessman to open McDonalds in Armenia A Georgian businessman may open the first ever McDonalds restaurant in Georgia's traditional rival Armenia, Sputnik Armenia reports.The news agency reports that the opening of the first of the chains restaurants in Armenia was decided at a meeting of managers in Orlando, U.S.I received an agreement from McDonalds main office to open a fast food branch in Armenia, businessman Temur Chkonia told Sputnik. Now there will be negotiations with the Armenian government. I am 100% sure that we will open a McDonalds there. It is only a matter of time.Chkonia specified that 1,500 square meters is necessary to build one branch and the plan is to build eight restaurants in Armenia, employing about 1,000 people in total.The two South Caucasus neighbours Georgia and Armenia have a long history of rivalry. A number of attempts have been made by Armenians to get a license to build a McDonalds, though fast foods chains KFC, Gyros and Karas are already established there.In February, Sputnik Armenia wrote that the issue of opening a restaurant in Yerevan was to be discussed at a meeting in Orlando in April. Chkonia said at the time that he was sure that the answer would be positive.First of all, many people come from Armenia to Tbilisi to go to McDonalds. This means that fast food is in high demand among the Armenian population. Secondly, of course it is possible to open a restaurant in cities with less than 150,000 population. The News in Brief Georgian Govt Extends Contract with Pillsbury Winthrop for U.S. Lobbying The Georgian government has extended a contract with a law and lobbying firm, Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, until the end of the year. The company has been providing its services to Georgian authorities since spring 2015. Under the contract, valid from April 1 to December 31, the government is paying the firm 30,000 USD per month for its services, which include activities supporting U.S.-Georgia bilateral relations and Georgias NATO aspirations, supporting relations with media and opinion makers, facilitate arrangement of relevant events and meetings, and educating U.S. leaders about developments in Georgia. Under the previous contract the Georgian government was paying Pillsbury USD 50,000 per month, but that deal also included the fee for a subcontractor for additional media services. According to filings submitted by Pillsbury to the U.S. Department of Justice under the Foreign Agent Registration Act, services the firm is providing include assisting the Georgian government in developing relationships with key groups in the U.S., among them senior officials in the White House and Department of State, members of Congress, and likely presidential candidates and their top advisors. The firm has is also assisting the government in securing demonstrations of support for Georgia from these key groups in the U.S. In other services, the firm helps arrange the visits of the Georgian Prime Minister and Foreign Minister to the United States, monitor developments in Washington related to Georgia, provide strategic advice on foreign policy, deepen NATO-Georgia relations, enhance defence cooperation with the U.S., as well as provide advice on drafts of op-eds, letters and speeches for the Georgian government officials. (Civil.ge) Irakli Okruashvili testifies against Vano Merasbishvili, Mikheil Saakashvili Former Defense Minister Irakli Okruashvili has testified against former Interior Minister Vano Merasbishvili and former President Mikheil Saakashvili. Irakli Okruashvili was questioned with regards to the beating of Valeri Gelashvili in July 2005. According to Okruashvili, Saakashvili was furious at Valeri Gelashvili because of his statements on his family members. "He asked me to take revenge on Gelashvili. I refused this request, but when I spoke with the President later, I was assured that his request had been fulfilled by Vano Merabishvili," Irakli Okruashvili said. (IPN) Georgian ecological startup qualifies for Switzerland competition A promising Georgian startup that encourages the planting of trees has won a national competition and will soon present the business to a global audience in Switzerland. A new business, Treepex, won the Seedstars World competition in Tbilisi, Georgia. Seedstars is a global organisation based in Switzerland with activities in more than 50 countries. It offers a global seed-stage startup competition for emerging markets and fast-growing startup scenes. For Treepex, winning the local competition was only the beginning of the race. The two young Georgian men behind the business will next year attend the Seedstars Summit in Switzerland and compete for up to $1 million USD in equity investment. Who are the winners? Treepex was co-founded by two young Georgian men and aims to involve private people and organisations in a green campaign that plants trees in Georgias Protected Areas. If someone buys a product with Treepex logo it means a tree will be planted in their name somewhere in Georgia. All items displaying a Treepex also features a unique QR code; entering this code in a Treepex free mobile application will mean a tree is planted and cared for at one of three Protected Areas in Georgia - the Tusheti Protected Landscape, Ajameti Managed Reserve or Borjomi Forest. When a tree is planted on a persons behalf, the donor is notified on the Treepex App and receives an email of a photo of the tree with their nameplate as well as its GPS coordinates. If donors ever travel to the Protected Areas of Georgia they can visit the tree they helped plant. Organisters of the Seedstars Tbilisi competition said Treepex was selected as the best startup in Gerogia for "its unique approach to combine green incentive programs and corporate social responsibility. Treepex will participate at the global Seedstars Summit, taking place in Switzerland in March 2017. The event is a weeklong training program that gives participants the opportunity to meet the other 60 national winners, as well as investors and mentors from around the world. Treepex was one of 12 startups that pitched their business ideas in front of an international jury in Tbilisi. A startup named Lingwing, a self-learning system for languages to serve the annual $5 billion e-learning market, placed second in the Tbilisi competition. Third place went to Mosavali, which provides farmers in emerging markets with learning, decision support and interaction with the agricultural value chain. The 12 startups chosen to compete in the final phase of the Tbilisi event were selected out of 50 initial startups applicants. This was the first time Seedstars came to Georgia. (Agenda.ge) @ByKristenMClark Attempting symbolic similarity to Martin Luther and his "95 Theses" to the Catholic Church, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate and U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson on Tuesday urged the Republican-led Florida Legislature to adopt stricter gun control measures in the aftermath of last week's shooting massacre at a gay nightclub near his district. The Orlando congressman affixed to the doors of the Florida House and Senate chambers in Tallahassee a summary of the bill analysis for the law Connecticut passed a few months after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in that state four years ago. Assault weapons were used in both the Orlando and Newtown tragedies. "It's much too easy in America today to kill so many people so quickly," Grayson told reporters who captured his photo op in the Florida Capitol. "This bill ended that for people in Connecticut." He said seven states have adopted either bans or heavy restrictions on assault weapons, and "I think that this state needs to do that." House Speaker Steve Crisafulli, R-Merritt Island, didn't acknowledge Grayson's request when asked for comment by the Herald/Times, but he did slam Grayson for using the Orlando shooting for political gain. "Last week, our first-responders bravely and selflessly ran into the Pulse nightclub to end the horrible terror attack in Orlando," Crisafulli said in a statement. "That is quite a contrast to Congressman Alan Grayson who is using the same tragedy to run in front of television cameras to gain attention for his floundering U.S. Senate campaign." @ByKristenMClark Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Alan Grayson blasted his potential opponent and current Republican Sen. Marco Rubio as "incompetent" and someone who has "no flare" for the elected office he's in. "I think it's a delightful situation," the Orlando congressman said Tuesday afternoon of the prospect of facing Rubio, who has yet to decide whether he'll change his mind this week and seek re-election. (The deadline to qualify is noon Friday.) Grayson made his remarks during a press conference he held in Tallahassee, after filing his paperwork to qualify for the August primary ballot and, then, urging Republican legislative leaders at the Florida Capitol to take up gun control measures after the Orlando shooting last week. Grayson -- one of five Democrats now seeking Rubio's seat -- slammed the Miami Republican for his lack of productivity in the Senate, saying Rubio has produced only one bill in his five years there. Grayson, who calls himself the "congressman with guts," touted his own record of passing bills and amendments through the U.S. House. <<< Politifact: "Alan Grayson says he passed more bills and amendments than any other current member" >>> "I think it's shocking that anybody who is that incompetent -- if I may use that term -- as a legislator would be considered for an extension on his contract, much less a promotion to the presidency," Grayson said. "I was genuinely puzzled why anybody thought he was a plausible candidate for the president because, frankly, he's so bad as a senator." "Maybe if he showed up more often he could get more things done," Grayson said, referencing Rubio's poor attendance record for which he's been relentlessly criticized. "I don't know why he wants to continue in the job. He doesn't seem to show any interest for it, and for God's sakes, certainly no flare. Maybe he should let somebody else do it for a while who has some ability to get good things done for the people of Florida." "There's a reason why he's called 'No Show Rubio,' and I'm called the 'most effective member of Congress,' " Grayson added, citing praise he quotes often from Slate magazine in an article that was published three years ago. Spokespeople for Rubio did not immediately return an email seeking comment this evening. Grayson is running against U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy of Jupiter, Miami labor attorney Pam Keith, Jacksonville attorney Reginald Luster and Orlando businessman "Rocky" Roque De La Fuente in the Aug. 30 Democratic primary. @PatriciaMazzei Another labor union endorsed Miami Democrat Annette Taddeo for Congress on Wednesday, continuing her effort to coalesce establishment support in her primary contest against former Rep. Joe Garcia. The United Teachers of Dade backed Taddeo over the ex-congressman, whom the teachers endorsed in 2014. In that race, Garcia ran against Republican Carlos Curbelo, who ultimately won that race. This time, Taddeo has the support of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee over Garcia. "Educators in Florida need leaders that will stand strong for our public schools," UTD President Karla Hernandez-Mats said in a statement provided by Taddeo's campaign. "We're proud to stand with Annette, because we believe she will be that leader in Congress, and that she'll fight for the future of our children." Taddeo noted her 10-year-old daughter, Sofia, attends a Miami-Dade County public school. "I know the importance of the role that educators play in our children's growth," she said in a statement. Taddeo already counts on the support from key unions such as the AFL-CIO and SEIU. Garcia, however, led Taddeo in the latest internal polls made public last month. via JKnipeBrown One thousand four hundred and sixty one days. Thats how long its been since Darren Rainey was forced into a shower by officers at Dade Correctional Institution and left there, under a blistering spray of scalding water, for nearly two hours. Its been four years since Rainey screamed and begged to be let out of the small stall before finally collapsing in a heap, his skin peeling. Since Raineys death, it was discovered that he and other mentally ill inmates at the prison had been tortured, beaten, starved and left to sleep in their own excrement. They were doused with buckets of chemicals, over-medicated, kept in extended isolation and placed in painfully cold or blistering showers as punishment for behavior caused mostly by their own illnesses. While Raineys death has led to some reforms in the treatment of the mentally ill in Florida prisons, the prison system remains dangerously understaffed and rife with violence, as evidenced by recent riots and turmoil at Franklin Correctional Institution in north-central Florida. Details of the June 9 incident at Franklin havent been made public, and may never be known. The absence of transparency by the agency, critics say, has bred distrust and a lack of confidence that the prison system is truly taking the steps necessary to keep inmates, officers and the public secure. Story here. @doug_hanks Three of the seven Miami-Dade commissioners up for reelection this summer automatically won four more years in office Tuesday when nobody registered to challenge them for the August primary. Bruno Barreiro, Esteban Steve Bovo Jr. and Barbara Jordan earned the coveted unopposed designation from the county Election Department after the noon deadline passed for candidates to qualify for the Aug. 30 primary. Nobody had even filed to run against the three commissioners, so the qualifying threshold was not an issue. Commissioner Xavier Suarez was on track to join the unopposed slate until a last-minute challenger, political newcomer Michael Castro, filed for his District 7 seat on Monday. Suarez joins commissioners Audrey Edmonson, Dennis Moss and Juan Zapata in facing challengers in the nonpartisan primary. The contests move to a November runoff only if no candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote. Should a runoff be needed, the top two finishers face off on Election Day. @MichaelAuslen A week after a gunman killed 49 people inside an Orlando gay nightclub, advocacy groups want new protections enacted to protect LGBT Floridians. Equality Florida, an advocacy group for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender rights has long pushed for state anti-discrimination laws to include sexual orientation and gender identity. In a move that could presage more forceful action when the state Legislature returns to Tallahassee next year, the groups lobbyist, Carlos Guillermo Smith, called on Gov. Rick Scott and Attorney General Pam Bondi to act now without lawmakers involvement. Gov. Rick Scott and Pam Bondi could issue an executive order today with the stroke of a simple pen that would forbid and make illegal anti-LGBTQ discrimination in our state, said Smith, a Democrat also running for the Florida House, in an interview Sunday on MSNBC. State law does not protect people from discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. For 10 years, lawmakers have proposed expanding Floridas civil rights protections, but their attempts have never reached a floor vote either chamber of the state Legislature. This spring, the proposal achieved a small victory: its first-ever committee hearing. The Senate Judiciary Committee considered the bill but did not approve it. Asked whether he would support anti-discrimination protections, the governors office reiterated comments Scott made Monday when reporters pressed him on his gay-rights record. Right now what I want to focus on is how do we make sure that we love everybody impacted: the gay community, the Hispanic community, he said. But lets all remember this was an attack on our entire nation. He did not say whether he intends to push for additional protections of LGBT groups. However, Scott could not extend full anti-discrimination protections to LGBT people in hiring, housing and public accommodations by executive order. In an interview with the Times/Herald on Tuesday, Smith said he wants Scott and Bondi to enact narrower, more immediate change: executive action to protect state workers and government contractors. This would be within the governors powers. Early in his first term, Scott issued an executive order requiring state workers to be randomly drug tested, although that was later struck down by a judge. Cabinet officials could set similar rules within their offices. Bondi already has done this, spokeswoman Kylie Mason said. The Attorney General does not have the authority to issue an executive order, she said in a statement. However, our office already has a policy in place against discrimination based on sexual preference. Some groups criticized Smith for pushing Equality Floridas agenda so soon after the shooting at Pulse nightclub. The Florida Family Policy Council, which advocates for social conservatives and largely opposes LGBT-rights groups agenda, tweeted Tuesday morning that Equality Florida is politicizing tragedy. Since the attack, Scott and Bondi have both issued statements supportive of the states LGBT community. We pray for our LGBT community, Scott wrote on Twitter. Our Hispanic community. Our state. Our nation. This was an attack on every American. But during more than five years in office, neither Republican official has taken up the mantle of gay rights. Bondi fought and lost a court battle to uphold a same-sex marriage ban, spending $493,000 in taxpayer funds in the process. Scotts administration is in the process of removing proposed protections for LGBT foster children in group homes from state rules. LGBT-rights advocates hope recent well wishes could turn into political action when the Legislature is in session next year. Equality Floridas wish list includes not only anti-discrimination laws but also expanding the definition of hate crimes to include transgender people and banning so-called conversion therapy. Smith said the group has requested a meeting with Scott and Bondi to discuss its agenda. Photo by Eve Edelheit, Tampa Bay Times. @PatriciaMazzei Expect Marco Rubio to see the endorsements pour in from Florida Republicans who had backed Rubio's friend, Carlos Lopez-Cantera, for U.S. Senate before Rubio chose to seek re-election. Here's one, from U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart of Miami: I commend Senator Rubio on his decision to run for re-election. In these challenging times, Senator Rubios experience and deep knowledge on issues of foreign policy and national security are desperately needed. Carlos Lopez-Cantera would have made a great member of the U.S. Senate. His decision to step aside and recognize our state and country needed Senator Rubios expertise once again demonstrates that Carlos always puts his country first. I am confident he will continue serving our state with honor and integrity. I look forward to supporting Senator Rubios re-election bid this fall. @PatriciaMazzei Miami Republican Rep. Carlos Curbelo on Tuesday filed legislation that would allow people brought into the U.S. illegally as children before 2010 to remain in the country -- a new version of the so-called DREAM Act. Under the proposed law, immigrants who entered the U.S. illegally before Jan. 1, 2010, and were 16 years old or younger, could follow a path to U.S. citizenship. The "Recognizing American Children Act" would offer high school graduates without a serious criminal record or dependence on public assistance conditional immigration status for five years. During that time, they could follow one of three ways to remain in the country permanently. If they receive a higher-education degree, serve in the military or remain employed, they could apply for permanent residency -- and, later, citizenship. Those enlisted in the military would get an immediate chance at naturalization. "There are many young immigrants in our country who came involuntarily with their families as minors. They have grown up with our own kids and attended American schools -- many speaking only English," Curbelo said in a statement. "Today they are trying to make a contribution to our great nation through the economy or the military. These are undoubtedly America's children." Curbelo filed the legislation with a fellow Republican, Rep. Mike Coffman of Colorado. Both represent two of the most competitive swing districts in the country, in states with a significant proportion of Hispanic voters. Coffman has received money from Curbelo's political committee, What a Country PAC, intended to support Republican members of Congress who like Curbelo back immigration reform. Curbelo's Westchester-to-Key West district leans in Democrats' favor. @MichaelAuslen Marco Rubios decision to run for re-election has upended the crowded Republican field jockeying to replace him. In the immediate aftermath of the news leaking early Wednesday, Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera dropped out of the race, an anticipated move after he said last week that hed step aside for Rubio. "Before today, I was our best chance to keep the seat Republican, Lopez-Cantera, a close personal friend of Rubios, told the Times/Herald on Wednesday. But if Marco runs then he's our best chance. That's more important." He also encouraged other candidates to step aside in a campaign statement released later. U.S. Rep Ron DeSantis, R-Ponte Vedra Beach, backed down, as well, after sending signals last week that he might do so if Rubio changed course. Instead, he'll seek re-election to Congress from a northeast Florida district. "In light of the Rubio development, I can best advance the cause by running for reelection to the U.S. House in the 6th Congressional District, where I can continue protecting taxpayers, promoting economic growth, helping our veterans, and supporting our military," DeSantis said in a statement Wednesday afternoon. But the two first-time candidates in what was until Wednesday a crowded field of largely unknown Republicans plan to continue challenging Rubio. The power brokers in Washington think they can control this race, Carlos Beruff, a Bradenton developer, said in a statement. But the voters of Florida will not obey them. Like Marco Rubio in 2010, Im not going to back down from the Washington establishment. Todd Wilcox, an Orlando defense contractor, has said for the last month that hell stay in the race regardless of Rubios decision. I decided to run for the United States Senate because of the complete failure on the part of our elected civilian leadership to solve the problems we face as a nation, he said in a statement Wednesday. I have 27 years of real world experience None of that has changed based on yet another career politician entering this race." On Friday, U.S. Rep. David Jolly, R-Indian Shores, announced he would leave the race and take on former Gov. Charlie Crist, a Democrat, in a re-election bid to Congress. The Rubio decision was leaked just hours after a Quinnipiac University poll was released Wednesday morning showing he was in the best position to beat either U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy or U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson, the two main Democrats running for the seat, in November. That appears to be why Republican leaders have been pressuring Rubio to run for at least a month. Almost immediately, the National Republican Senatorial Committee made its support clear. Marco Rubio is a valued leader for Florida and for our country, and I welcome his decision to ask voters for the opportunity to serve once again, Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi, the committees chairman said in a statement. His campaign will have the full support of the NRSC. Times/Herald staff writers Jeremy Wallace and Patricia Mazzei contributed to this report. Longtime probation and parole officer Landee Holloway received a unanimous vote Wednesday to be Justice of the Peace No. 2 for Missoula County. Holloway was among six candidates Missoula County commissioners interviewed to fill Justice of the Peace Karen Orzech's post upon her Friday, July 8, retirement. The incoming Justice of the Peace said she had been looking for her next career move, and she believed the job on the bench would suit her when she learned Orzech planned to depart. "I just felt like it was the perfect fit, so I went after it very diligently the last two months," Holloway said in a telephone conversation after the meeting. Commissioner Stacy Rye nominated Holloway, and Commissioners Cola Rowley and Jean Curtiss voted in favor of her as well after a brief discussion. No other candidates earned nominations, but Curtiss offered praise for each at the beginning of the meeting and shed light on the nature of the position. "It is a people's court, and they listen to people in different ways," Curtiss said. She said she especially appreciated Holloway's work on the Jail Diversion Master Plan and perspective on making mistakes. When people land in Justice Court, Holloway said she plans to take the whole person into consideration, and she will treat individuals with dignity. She has experience working at the tail end of the correctional system, and she said she'll bring that viewpoint to the forefront with a focus on positive outcomes. "Good people make bad decisions. They make mistakes," said Holloway, who has been a state probation and parole officer for more than two decades. In 2014, Gov. Steve Bullock honored Holloway with an Award for Excellence for her work in the field, and she was chosen to lead the Montana Department of Corrections Office of Offender Reentry. In the job, the incoming justice said she plans to continue Orzech's DUI court and will support the Jail Diversion Master Plan. As such, she said she will look for ways to keep the community safe in a fiscally responsible way. "The first thing I'm going to do obviously is tell all my friends and thank all my supporters," Holloway said. "It's an honor to be selected to serve in the position." Holloway will serve in the post through the end of 2016, and her name will appear on the November ballot to fill the remainder of Orzech's term, through 2018. Other candidates may file to run for the nonpartisan post from July 11 through 20. BILLINGS Coal politics drew more than 100 people to Billings on Tuesday at the invitation of U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., who insisted the federal Bureau of Land Management was ignoring regional concerns about coal policy. Coal supports nearly 5,000 jobs in Montana and generates about $118 million in tax revenue each year. It helps fund our schools, our teachers, our roads and bridges, Daines said, expressing shock that BLM hadnt included a Montana location in its slate of six public hearings on federal coal policy. The BLMs government parent, the Department of Interior, is preparing to rewrite federal policy on coal mined from public lands. For the first time, it is considering coals contribution to climate change, and also whether mining companies are paying a fair share in royalties for federal coal. In January, Interior suspended federal coal leases until it finished its policy work, which could take several years. Miners and residents of the power plant company town of Colstrip turned out by the dozens to give testimony. They called on the government to find ways to address coal pollution and keep coal energy viable. They were countered by members of the Northern Plains Resource Council who said Interior was on the right track. "Truthfully, I believe there is room for all forms of clean energy, including coal, especially coal," said Linda Wolff Bowen, of Colstrip. "The problem is, we have the technology, but no one in Congress, the Senate, Department of Interior, or any of the rest of them have the balls to make these companies who are doing the burning of our coal do it." Coal reform advocates focused on whether the public was getting a fair price for its coal under the current rules, which allow for sales with only one bidder. "It's high time that taxpayers get a fair price for public coal," said Steve Charter a Northern Plains member who ranches near Signal Peak Mine between Billings and Roundup. Charter called for collecting a fair price from public coal and using the money to help coal-dependent communities transition away from coal as the fuel source loses market share to natural gas. There were 57 people signed up to comment at the Daines hearing. Many of them also participated last August in a BLM regional hearing in Billings that covered many of the same coal issues as Tuesdays. That Aug. 11, 2015, hearing drew hundreds of people and overwhelmed BLM conference facilities. But Daines said he later learned that none of the comments from the event last summer would be included in the decision-making process. The comments from that listening session were not included in the Department if Interiors official scoping process and therefore will not be heard, Daines said. The closest public scoping meeting this spring was in Casper, Wyoming. The five other meetings were in Colorado, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Washington and Utah. *** Although no elected officials were in attendance, some had comments read into the record. This administration's war on coal is really a war not only on the Crow Nation, its a war on Montana and our nations ability to be competitive, said U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Mont., in video testimony. To take coal out of our energy mix, and they think its going to be replaced by wind or solar or alternate energy, whats the effect? Colstrip alone, by taking Colstrip out of the mix and replacing by say, wind. That will be over 200 square miles of wind farms. To take coal out of the mix in Montana would make Montana not competitive in manufacturing. Gov. Steve Bullock, was in Helena announcing a request to the 2017 Legislature that create a $5 million revolving loan fund for energy conservation projects. If re-elected in November, Bullock said would also promote wind and solar energy, as well as cleaner ways to burn coal. In a prepared statement at the Billings hearing, Bullock committed to a Montana energy future that includes burning coal. Montanas vast coal reserves are part of the energy future of this nation, Bullock said. We need to address climate change and we need to do so with new technology that will lower our carbon emissions. Unfortunately, Washington, D.C., doesnt see this as a priority. We must invest in innovation to show the world how to lead with low-carbon coal that is affordable. Bullock said coal companies were being treated unfairly by Interiors suspension of new coal leases. The governors Republican challenger, Greg Gianforte, called on Interior Secretary Sally Jewell to end plans to revise federal coal policy. Given the troubles in Montanas economy, it is important that Secretary Jewell calls off any plans to increase royalty tax rates on federal coal leases, said Gianforte in a statement read into the record by state Sen. Doug Kary, R-Billings. Id also urge her to reconsider plans to impose a moratorium on new federal coal leases Were facing troubling economic times here in Montana. The last thing we need is failed leadership from the Obama administration in Washington, and the Bullock administration in Helena, piling on. A representative for U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., submitted a handout about fairness, accountability and certainty for taxpayers. Roughly 6,000 people in Missoula County are eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program commonly known as food stamps and now a federal grant given to the Community Food and Agriculture Coalition of Missoula County will allow participants to get twice as much produce at local farmers markets. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has provided $94,000 to the coalition that will be used to increase the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables in low-income households by doubling their purchasing power at local food cooperatives, the Clark Fork Market and the Missoula Farmers Market. Bonnie Buckingham, the executive director of coalition, said that the goal is to increase the consumption of healthy food and boost the revenues of local farmers, thereby ensuring a sustainable local food production system. Its very exciting, she said. Its a very significant grant for us here in Missoula. Its certainly more funding than weve had in the past for this type of program. Essentially, people who are qualified for SNAP benefits can just swipe their card at the farmers market or the Western Montana Growers Cooperative or the Missoula Food Cooperative and they will get $2 of produce for every $1 they spend. The WMGC has a Community Supported Agriculture program that delivers produce boxes for 16 weeks throughout the summer, and SNAP-eligible citizens can get those at half price now. The farmers arent losing any money, Buckingham explained, because the grant money pays them the difference. The farmers are in fact benefiting because people who normally wouldnt use farmers markets are able to afford the food there, she said. Its helping our local economy through direct sales. Last year, for a pilot project, CFAC raised nearly $20,000 locally. It was really quite successful and we didnt have enough funds to serve all the people interested in the program, Buckingham said. The grant from the USDA comes from the Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive Program, authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill. The grants are competitive, and the USDA handed out nearly $16.8 million total to community organizations across the country. USDA is committed to providing low income families with the resources they need to consume more nutritious food," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack in a statement. "Last year, SNAP kept at least 4.7 million Americans including 2.1 million children out of poverty. Programs like FINI build on the success we've seen with the use of healthy incentives and with many of the projects being run at farmers markets, we're also helping to strengthen local and regional food systems." According to federal statistics, nearly half of SNAP participants are children and more than 42 percent of recipients live in households in which at least one adult is working but still cannot afford to put food on the table. The average new applicant remains on the program for just 12 months. The Community Food and Agriculture Coalition in Missoula is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring a viable, sustainable and successful local food system in western Montana. A hearing on whether a former Missoula County undersheriff deserves money after the Montana Human Rights Bureau found he likely had been discriminated against after losing a race for sheriff centered on the officer's professional conduct while serving administrative roles for the department. Tuesday was the first of a three-day hearing stemming from Josh Clarks complaint to the Montana Human Rights Bureau that he was discriminated against after T.J. McDermott was elected sheriff in 2014. Clark claimed he was retaliated against in part because he ran against McDermott for the position. In September, a HRB investigation found probable cause that Clark had been discriminated against. This weeks hearing comes after no settlement was reached between the county and Clark, who is seeking around $1 million in damages but whose attorney Quentin Rhoades has said would settle for $750,000. The hearing included testimony from witnesses on Clarks behalf, including several of his former colleagues, starting with former sheriff Carl Ibsen. When Ibsen took office, he promoted Clark from a senior deputy to a newly-created role of captain of professional standards. Ibsen said Clarks work had been stellar and that he was Ibsens first choice for the professional standards job, saying that Clark and then-undersheriff Mike Dominick were the only people who had the level of integrity and professionalism required to do the internal affairs investigation job. Clark also served as Ibsens undersheriff when Dominick stepped down to take up what he described as his career goal of being captain of detectives. When McDermott took office, Clark was reassigned back to patrol deputy, although he maintained his level of pay. Ibsen disputed an allegation that he told McDermott in late 2014 that Clark wanted to go back on patrol. Ibsen said it was the longstanding practice of the department that when an undersheriff left the position, he went back to the job he had before, in Clarks case, the captain of professional standards. I think a lot of us thought it was the law, Ibsen said, although he later clarified he has since learned it was not a legal requirement. Much of Ibsens testimony focused on a domestic assault incident between then-deputy Paige Pavalone and her husband, which was handled by the sheriff and Clark. Ibsen said he first became involved when a friend of Pavalones called to ask him to come to the hospital to see the deputy. When he arrived, Ibsen said he asked if she wanted him there as an officer or a friend, and decided he was there as a friend. Ibsen said he made a report, including taking photos and writing a timeline of events, but the report was different from the official kind he would do as an officer. He did not submit it. Steve Carey, the attorney hired to represent the county, said Pavalones domestic violence incident left broken bones in her hand. The lawyer questioned why Ibsen, a sworn peace officer, wasn't mandated to report the incident. I was not there as sheriff of Missoula County, he said. An assistant attorney general who later reviewed the handling of the Pavalone incident called Ibsen's actions "simply egregious." Ibsen said he was never interviewed as part of that review. After the incident, Ibsen and Clark together went to Pavalones home to serve a temporary order of protection against her husband. Ibsen said Clark wasnt involved in any investigation into the incident, and didnt find out about the assault until the sheriff had almost completed what I did with it. Ibsen did not specify the nature of his investigation or any action he took as a result. When Clark, as the captain who oversaw internal investigations, found out about the backstory, he also chose not to investigate. Pavalone, who was fired from the department after being accused of being untruthful in another investigation, has since filed her own HRB discrimination complaint and lawsuit. Earlier this year, the human rights board found no reasonable cause that she had been discriminated against. *** Brad Giffin, who left the sheriffs office just before the November 2014 general election to take a job with the University of Montana Police Department, said he had to be subpoenaed to show up at the hearing. When Clarks attorney Nicole Siefert asked why he had to be subpoenaed, Giffin said in part because he was worried about retaliation for testifying. Ive seen what happens to people. Im afraid for me and Im afraid for my family, he said. I understand how the Democrat party in Missoula County works. Giffin said McDermott had supported him one of the times he ran for sheriff, including contributing financially. When McDermott later was turned down for a promotion in the detective division, Giffin said McDermott was angry with him for not supporting him. Giffin subsequently supported Clark in his run for sheriff in 2014, both in the primary and later as a write-in candidate. After the 2014 primary election, Giffin said he began to hear rumors that the captain of professional standards job, which he had been appointed to after Clark became undersheriff, would be eliminated by McDermott. Giffin said after he left the sheriffs office, he received a law enforcement award for which McDermott had nominated him. Giffin, as well as Ibsen, testified regarding a meeting of a review board that Clark led while undersheriff. The hearing involved two deputies who had kissed, one while on duty during a break, the other was off-duty. Giffin said during that hearing Clark raised his voice and pounded his fist on the table, and that afterward someone had told him they felt the conduct was inappropriate. Giffin said that as the departments captain of professional standards at the time, he didnt feel the undersheriffs behavior warranted an internal investigation. Ibsen said he thought Clark had done a good job on the investigation. Although the review board had recommended both deputies be fired, Ibsen had chosen to suspend them, a penalty later overturned by the board of county commissioners, who later sent a letter to Ibsen saying they had serious concerns about how the hearing had been conducted. *** Dominick, who retired after he was moved from captain of detectives to the captain in charge of running the secure evidence facility, was the last law enforcement officer to testify Tuesday. Dominick, who also filed a discrimination complaint, later settled with the county and took a new position as an investigator with the Missoula County Attorneys Office. He said Clark had been an excellent choice to become a captain, and that he later supported Clark becoming undersheriff during his campaign for sheriff in 2014. After McDermott secured the nomination, Dominick said he heard he would be moved out of his role as captain of detectives. In December 2014, he met with McDermott, who said that was not the case. Rhoades showed Dominick an organizational chart McDermott had sent to Jason Johnson a month before, showing that he would be made captain of the evidence warehouse. I was put there to be punished, Dominick said. Carey asked him if he liked McDermott. Its not that I didnt like him, its that I didnt trust him, he replied. COLUMBIA FALLS Four months after merging with Plum Creek Timber Company, Weyerhaeuser announced it will permanently close its lumber and plywood mill here late this summer. A chronic lack of logs was blamed. Approximately 100 jobs will be lost, according to the company. Employees were informed of the move at 3 p.m. Wednesday, according to a company spokesman. Weyerhaeuser said it will continue to operate three Montana mills a medium-density fiberboard mill in Columbia Falls, a lumber mill in Kalispell and a plywood mill in Kalispell. Extra shifts will be added to both Kalispell mills according to Tom Ray, Weyerhaeuser Montana Resources Team Leader, and all 130 new positions will be filled by employees who currently work at the Columbia Falls facility. The Columbia Falls mill employs 230 people, leaving a net loss of 100 jobs. Well be adding a third shift to the plywood mill in Kalispell, and a second shift to the sawmill, Ray said. All 130 jobs will be filled by employees of the Columbia Falls operation. For the 100 people who arent transferred to Kalispell, Ray said Weyerhaeuser will offer a severance package, placement services and the option of applying for other Weyerhaeuser jobs in other locations. He declined to say what severance packages would include. *** Ray said a chronic log supply shortage dating back longer than a decade meant it made more economic sense for Weyerhaeuser to consolidate its Flathead Valley operations, and the companys president and chief executive officer echoed that. For some time now our operations in Montana have been running below capacity as a result of an ongoing shortage of logs in the region, Doyle R. Simons said. These closures will allow us to align the available log supply with our manufacturing capacity, including adding additional shifts at our Kalispell facilities. These moves will improve the operating performance of our remaining mills and best position these mills for long-term success. Weyerhaeuser had previously decided to move corporate positions that do not support manufacturing in Montana from Columbia Falls to its Seattle headquarters. The closure of the main office in Columbia Falls is scheduled for the end of the year. The lumber and plywood mill closure will happen in late August or early September, the company said. *** Reactions from Montana politicians were quick, and pointed. Ultimately, this closure is a consequence of activists who have strayed away from the multiple use doctrine to shut our forests down, U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Mont., said. We cant work, we cant hunt, we cant access our lands, but we can watch our forests burn. Superintendent of Public Instruction Denise Juneau, who's running against Zinke for Montana's lone U.S. House seat and is one of five members of Montana's Land Board, also weighed in. "Montana workers should not continue to lose job opportunities because of things that can be fixed by our leaders in Washington, Juneau said. Unfortunately, Congress has stopped doing its job. Instead of working together on solutions to improve the health of our forests and provide good-paying jobs for Montanans, the House has become a place of inaction and obstruction. I urge hard-working Montanans to stand with me and demand a change." Gov. Steve Bullock called it yet another extremely disappointing example of the federal governments failure to do its job. Hard-working Montanans shouldnt have to be forced from good-paying jobs when there is critically important work to be done to improve the health of our forests, Bullock, a Democrat, said. Bullock said he would call on Western governors to stand up to the federal government and look for new, responsible ways to open up supply for Montanas timber industry. U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., called it devastating news to the Columbia Falls community and the hardworking families who relied upon these good-paying jobs. This underscores the importance to urgently pass forest reform legislation to get Montanas abundance of logs to our mills and keep good-paying jobs in our state, Daines said. I will not sit idly by and watch Montana jobs disappear and families suffer as a result of frivolous lawsuits by fringe environmentalists and excessive regulations. U.S. Sen Jon Tester, D-Mont., who is pushing the Obama administration and Canadian officials to come to a new Softwood Lumber agreement he says would level the playing field for Montana wood products against foreign competition, called the announcement "a major blow to folks in Columbia Falls and across the Flathead Valley." "I will continue to push to create more job opportunities and increase timber harvests in the Flathead because I believe it is critical that everyone laid off at Weyerhaeuser has the opportunity to attain a good-paying job here at home," Tester said. Weyerhaeuser owns or controls more than 13 million acres of timberlands, primarily in the United States, and manage additional timberlands under long-term licenses in Canada. Prior to the February merger with Plum Creek, the two companies in 2015 generated approximately $8.5 billion in net sales combined, and employed nearly 14,000 people worldwide combined. BILLINGS - A judge sentenced a former nurse to prison for using his position of power and trust to commit sexual assault. Todd Edward Kinzel, 47, appeared Tuesday before Yellowstone County District Court Judge Russell Fagg for sentencing on one count of sexual assault. A second count of sexual assault was dropped due to statutory limitations. Kinzel was sentenced to five years incarceration with the Montana Department of Corrections followed by a 15-year suspended sentence. Fagg designated Kinzel a level-one sex offender and ordered him to register as a sexual offender and to complete sexual offender treatment. Kinzel, a licensed nurse, pleaded guilty to sexual assault in March, when he admitted to forcing a 13-year-old girl to remove her pants and underwear during a "breast exam" before touching her against her will. At sentencing, he also admitted to abusing a second girl, a crime he was charged with, but not convicted, due to the statute of limitations on the crime. Michael Sullivan, director of South Central Treatment Associates in Billings, testified at the hearing. Sullivan performed Kinszel's psycho-sexual evaluation and said Kinzel had a low risk of re-offending. He said Kinzel did not display interest in either violent sexual fantasies or pedophilia. He did display a sexual interest in adolescent females, something Sullivan said was considered non-deviant in most Western cultures. Sullivan noted Kinzel's eagerness to get treatment after he had "struggled with sexual obsessions" for a long time. The victim of the crime that Kinzel was not convicted of also spoke at the hearing. The now-24-year-old woman told the court her father had been absent in her life, and Kinzel had in many ways filled that role. "I hope your sick, twisted fantasy about me ... satisfied you," the woman said. "Because it has come to an end." The woman asked the court to send Kinzel to prison for the damage he had done to her ability to trust men and the prison of depression and anxiety she lived in after he abused her. Yellowstone Chief Deputy County Attorney Juli Pierce recommended the 20-year sentence with 15 years suspended. She said sentencing hearings often don't focus enough on the impact caused to the victim of a crime. "I believe all these women are very strong women, but their lives will never be the same," Pierce said. "The defendant was the adult. He took advantage of these girls at a young age, when they looked up to him." Kinzel apologized to his victims when given a chance to speak. He said he wished he'd gone to treatment earlier and said "once again I want to express my remorse." The victim Kinzel was convicted of abusing said there was no excuse for what he had done to her. "My life needs to be acknowledged," she said in her victim impact statement to the court. Fagg said he recognized Kinzel had lost his professional career as well as many of his personal relationships. "Your life has changed forever," Fagg said. "And your victims' lives have changed forever." Even acknowledging mitigating factors, including Kinzel's lack of criminal history, willingness to undergo treatment and acknowledgement of what he had done, Fagg said the prosecution's recommendation was the right one. Kinzel was employed with Billings Clinic at the time of the assaults, but was never involved in direct patient care. His nursing license is set to expire at the end of 2016, though a representative from the Montana Board of Nursing was present at the hearing and said the board planned to discuss Kinzel's license at its July meeting. Officers arrested Kinzel in 2015 when the girl reported to someone at her high school that he had abused her in 2009. The girl told officers that when she was 13, Kinzel had touched her after asking her to remove her pants and underwear. Kinzel wrote an apology letter before being arrested, which officers found on his work computer. In it, Kinzel admitted abusing one of the girls. "(The exam) was simply an excuse to have you take off your bra and pull down your pants," Kinzel wrote to the girl. "Stethoscopes do work on top of shirts too, not just under them." HELENA (AP) Montana could reduce its spending on jails and prisons if detention facilities and treatment programs focused their services on those most likely to re-offend while others could be supervised by an increased number of probation and parole officers, researchers said. The primary driver of costs and growth in the state's criminal justice system is past offenders committing new crimes or people being returned to custody for violating terms of their probation or parole, the Council of State Governments Justice Center found. The Justice Center, which began its review of Montana's criminal justice system last November, is presenting its recommendations to the Legislature's Commission on Sentencing during its two-day meeting that started Wednesday. The commission will review the recommendations and determine which ones it would like to see the state implement. Montana's prison population is at capacity and is projected to increase due to an increase in drug-related arrests and offenders violating the terms of their probation or parole, the Justice Center found. There are a lot of pressures on the criminal justice system, and they're all interrelated, policy analyst Karen Chung said. "The package of policy options is working toward addressing each of those pressure points," from jails and prisons to alternative facilities and parole. Montana should develop a risk/needs assessment tool to help determine a person's risk of re-offending. That, combined with clinical judgment, could help make decisions on pretrial release conditions, eligibility for deferred prosecution or problem-solving courts like drug courts, and whether someone should be released on probation or parole, the council said. The Justice Center recommends the state hire more probation and parole officers to supervise those who are determined to be at a lower risk to reoffend and that those officers be allowed to reduce supervision time for those who have been in steady compliance. The Justice Center suggested Montana's Board of Probation and Parole should have three paid members, instead of seven volunteer members, who would have more time for training, more availability and develop more expertise. It recommends the board rely on evaluations by prison staff in determining whether someone is eligible for parole and under what conditions, rather than adding their own conditions at a parole hearing. "One of the things that we're trying to stress is the Corrections folks are the true professionals on treatment, and what they think is needed is what the parole board should look to, rather than trumping a Corrections judgment and piling on additional conditions," said Carl Reynolds, the senior legal and policy adviser for the council's Montana team. There shouldn't be a big lag time between when an offender is eligible for parole and having a parole decision made, Reynolds said. That gap tripled to 26 months between 2000 and 2013, the Justice Center said. The state also should help inmates find post-prison housing, which is often a roadblock to their release, the Justice Center said. Inmates who are approaching parole eligibility, and who Corrections officials are recommending for parole, should be given priority for placement in prison treatment programs and then sent to prerelease centers from which they could be paroled, the council said. An offender's stay at a prerelease center should be limited to three months and the centers should receive incentives to increase the intensity of their counseling and treatment programs, the analysts recommend. Montana has a law that allows probation officers to detain someone who has violated their probation for up to 72 hours, but when the jails are full, probation officers are limited in handing down what would be a "swift, certain response" to violations, Reynold said. The state should take advantage of that "swift, certain response," rather than returning people to prison for technical violations. The council also recommends expanding eligibility for crime victim compensation benefits. Hello, you've been (semi-randomly) selected to take a CAPTCHA to validate your requests. Please complete it below and hit the button! Dear Hillary Rodham Clinton, I am voting for you to be our first woman president because Sisterhood is Powerful, and who doesnt love power? For a woman to be accepted as one of the boys, she has to be twice as good at the things boys like. War, for instance. Thats you, Sister! As Senator, you masterfully voted for the war in Iraq, and have for years expertly supported just about every U.S. military intervention without losing an ounce of your femininity. As Secretary of State, you deftly orchestrated the bombing of Libya. And when Muammar Gaddafi died, sodomized with a bayonet blade, you wittily quipped on TV news: We came, we saw, he died. You even got the State Department to approve $165 billion worth of commercial arms sales to 20 nations whose governments gave big bucks to the Clinton Foundation. Take THAT, sexism! So I wrote a little jingle that maybe your campaign can use: VOTE FOR CLINTON, DONT BE A CHUMP / SHELL START WORLD WAR III BUT SHES SANER THAN TRUMP! Airtight political logic, Ms. C, Dear Ms. Rodham Clinton, I forgot to thank you for advocating gun control. And for showing sympathy for those whove lost loved ones to mass shootings in U.S. cities. Its about time Americans realized that guns are BAD, because civilians shot dead on U.S. soil are innocent human beings. Unlike those loser anonymous foreigners shot dead in other places. Looking ahead to Iran: lets bomb em back to the Matriarchal Age! Follow your dream, Dear Hillary Clinton, Everybodys talking about how Bernie Sanders has pushed Hillary to the left. Like, how you were once FOR the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Keystone XL Pipeline, and then Bernie pushed you to turn AGAINST them? That makes me mad. Pushing a woman is never OK. So today, I called Bernies campaign headquarters and screamed into the phone: Bernie! Stop your straight, white, socialist male violence against Hillary Clinton! Get counseling already! And for gods sake: CONCEDE. There is so much sexism in the world, Ms. Clinton. Thats why it was good that you staged the 2009 coup in Honduras, ousting that other pushy socialist, Manuel Zelaya. Its not your fault that Zelaya was democratically elected, or that Honduras was plunged into violence, with at least 215 LGBT people and 100 environmental activists being murdered since 2010. I am sorry, however, that Berta Caceres, who was the best hope of environmentalists and indigenous rights activists, was assassinated last March. But Berta was probably asking for it. She actually told news reporters that Hillary Clinton legitimized the Honduran coup. Right over the airwaves, Berta said, The same Hillary Clinton, in her book Hard Choices, practically said what was going to happen in Honduras. . . . We warned this would be very dangerous. The elections took place under intense militarism, and enormous fraud. That was just catty. Ten to one, Berta was jealous of your book contract. I know you dont need me, Ms. Clinton. You already have lots of sexy, brilliant, right-on feminist supporters helping you. But I wonder if Gloria Steinem, Lena Dunham, Oprah, and Eileen Myles know about things like this. Sisterly group hug, P.S. Im glad you took out that coup stuff in your books paperback edition. Dont worry about the media linking you to Bertas assassination. If anybody asks me, Ill tell them Bernie did it. Madam Presumptive President, I woke up this morning and thought, Is Hillary happy today? I wonder who shes having for breakfast. I worry about you, Hillary. All alone, youve been soldiering on through years of abusive charges that you used your private email server for official, classified communication. It must have been hard to reassure the American people time and again that you complied with all government rules only to confront vicious findings by the State Department Inspector General (a man) that you never asked the governments permission in the first place. Please send me your pantsuit size. Id like to make you a stylish ensemble you can wear to your next congressional hearing. Hillary SHALL be vindicated! Dearest Hillary, Today, thanks to the magic of the Internet, I came across a campaign video you made about being a feminist! About how feminism is humanism sporting an unattributed quotation by Rosa Parks to prove it! Lets play it now, so we can be equals: youtu.be/b-dwobZGirc. I should have seen how the lot of U.S. women quietly improved, thanks to you and your presidential hubbys devising the 1994 crime bill that led to the worlds highest incarceration rate. And consider the countless American mothers in and out of prison whose children have grown up much more self-reliant, without all those patriarchal education and lunch programs foisted on them by the welfare system you demolished. When you think of it, nearly everything has been feminized: zip-up-the-front pants, the U.S. military, prison, poverty. . . Like, I just read that 3,000,000 kids now live in U.S. households with incomes of less than $2 a day per person. Talk about self-reliance! Sisters are doin it for themselves, Darling Bra Burner, Was sort of blue last night, so just to perk up my spirits, I held a little raffle at the local Quaker meetinghouse. I called this raffle, Win a Night on the Town with Hillary Rodham Clinton! Guess what, Hillary? I WON! I have never seen such hatred emanating from so-called pacifists. But I dont care. Have you ever been so happy that you were afraid? Afraid of losing it all? I hope you like Thai food! Susie Day is a writer. Her book Snidelines: Talking Trash to Power is available from Abdingdon Square Publishing: . Police reports DRUG ARREST Edward Cocking, 24, of Butte was arrested Tuesday for felony criminal possession of dangerous drugs after police assisted probation and parole. He was found with a small bag of methamphetamine on the first block of Platinum Street. He also faces a probation violation. ROADWAY BLAZE A dresser on fire on a roadway behind the M was extinguished by Butte-Silver Bow firefighters late Tuesday. Police have no other details. INJURED WOMAN A 36-year-old woman suffered a cut to her left arm, possibly from a knife. Police responded to St. James Healthcare early Wednesday. The wound required stitches. The assailant is being sought. 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? 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. -- John Sullivan and Hannah Ryan, both of Missoula, are avid public lands sportsmen who co-chair the Montana chapter of Backcountry Hunters & Anglers. Several people say theyre willing to sink big money into two distressed properties the county inherited because taxes on them werent being paid. A building with three storefronts at 57 W. Broadway St. has drawn four proposals for major repairs and renovations. Six pitches have been made for fixing a house at 68 Missoula Ave. Its the most impressive batch of proposals for saving such buildings the county has seen in some time. Everyone had fully developed their proposals and put a lot of consideration into then and they had well-developed time lines, Dori Skrukrud, Butte-Silver Bows community development coordinator, said Tuesday. We ask folks to do that and these folks responded in a very professional manner. Most of those who applied to buy and save the properties said they would invest $20,000 or more some a lot more in repairs and upgrades plus thousands of dollars in self labor or sweat equity as county officials like to call it. The county floated so-called developers packets on the properties recently with a cash purchase price of $1,000 for the building on Broadway and $500 for the house on Missoula, which sits high on the Butte Hill close to Walkerville. A committee of county officials has reviewed the proposals and listened to oral presentations on them recently. The applicants can introduce themselves and their ideas before Butte-Silver Bow commissioners when the council meets at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday on the third floor of the Courthouse at 155 W. Granite St. Opponents to any of the proposals also can speak. The review committee will make recommendations to council at a later meeting, with commissioners getting the final say on who gets the properties. The hope is the repair and renovation plans come through and the structures become useful again and return to the property tax rolls. Skrukrud said the county has saved about 35 houses or commercial buildings through this process over the years and put 15 to 20 vacant lots to use, including some along East Park Street that now have buildings and businesses on them. The Broadway building has three floors and three divided storefronts, one a barbershop at one time. Its applicants include Don Andrews, who wants to use it as living space for he and two others and use the third floor for a film studio. He estimates he would put just over $39,000 in materials and $18,280 in self labor into the project. The other three proposals are: John Markin said he would use the building, which he says was built in 1898, for private development and spend about $22,000 on materials plus $30,000 in sweat equity. Raul and Shirley Samaniego say they would spend up to $25,000 and use the building for a property management and photo business. Jessica Ingraham and Kelly Metcalf, both stylists, said they would rent out one storefront and use the other two for a full-service salon. The third floor could be living quarters for cosmetology students. They said they would spend $60,000 to $80,000. The house at 68 Missoula Ave. needs extensive work and six applicants said they would deliver. Those proposals are: John Brome said he has bought and renovated two other properties in Butte and would spend up to $39,500 to fix this one so it could be used for affordable housing. Lawrence and Elaine Hunter want to fix it up so their two sons can live in it. They said they would spend up to $39,605. Jason Cuchine and his fiance, Ginette LeTourneau, said they have been renting a three-bedroom house and would fix this one up as their own home. It is a perfect area to raise kids, they said, and they would put a lot of sweat equity and materials into the project. Tony Thomer said he has been in the construction business for 35 years and moved to Montana in 2006. He would spend up to $35,000 to make the house his new residence. Samantha Halvorsen said her father, Robert Fisher, would help her fix the house as her new home. We would have a chance to take this property and transform it back into a charming and inviting home in the neighborhood, she wrote in her application. She said they would spend up to $38,800 on it. John Koontz said he was selling his house in Bozeman and was moving to Butte with hopes of buying and renovating some old homes. He said he would spend up to $28,750. China is willing to push its bilateral ties with the Philippines back to healthy development with the new government, after the Philippine president-elect said on Tuesday that the country's territorial dispute with China in the South China Sea is no reason to go to war with China. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on Wednesday, "to properly handle relevant issues between Beijing and Manila, and to push bilateral relationship back to the track of healthy development conform to the fundamental interests of both countries and their people." "China is willing to work together with the new government of the Philippines for this end," said Hua at a press conference. According to the Manila Times,Rodrigo Duterte made his policy clear during a speech at a business forum against further fanning the conflict over such a little issue as the Huangyan Island. Duterte, who will take office on June 30, explained that he will not go to war because of this, and he will wait for the result of an arbitration unilaterally launched by the Philippines against China before deciding on his next move. China-Philppines relationship worsened in 2012 when the Philippines claimed sovereignty over China's Huangyan Island in the South China Sea. Bilateral ties hit further turbulence in 2013 after Manila initiated an arbitration case against China at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague to challenge China's sovereignty in the South China Sea. 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. MUSCATINE, Iowa State Senator Chris Brase of Muscatine has organized a listening post for Iowans and health care providers who have concerns about Medicaid privatization. The event will be held from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 28. It will take place in the Strahan Hall Little Theatre at the Muscatine Community College, 152 Colorado St. Medicaid is our states most important health care safety net. If we dont get this right, families and health care providers will continue to be hurt, said Brase. I am listening and I want to hear firsthand about local concerns and for suggestions that may help. Recently, Iowa care providers reported they are struggling to be paid by the out-of-state corporations picked to administer the health care of the more than one half million Iowans on Medicaid. Failing to promptly pay local health care providers is unacceptable, Brase said. These delays and mistakes are disrupting Iowa businesses, putting Iowa jobs at risk and could make health care for every Iowan less accessible and more expensive. Iowa Medicaid is a joint state and federal program. It is the ultimate health care safety net for Iowa families dealing with severe accidents, long-term illnesses and disabilities. Roughly 70 percent of Medicaid funds are used to care for Iowans living with disabilities and the very poor elderly. Governor Branstad launched the troubled attempt to put for-profit, out-of-state corporations in charge of Medicaid services. At the Iowa Legislature, Brase joined a bipartisan Senate majority voting to block Medicaid privatization. When the Iowa House refused to agree, Brase helped pass bipartisan, comprehensive Medicaid oversight and protections. Local residents seeking more information on the meeting are encouraged to call Senator Chris Brase at 563-260-5416. MUSCATINE, Iowa The deadline to register for the 10th Annual Muscatine Youth Show Choir Camp is Friday, June 24. The goal of the camp is to help students expand their performance skills, and first time students are welcome. Students will participate in an intensive week of rehearsals, learning choreographed routines, preparing music for performance, and will also have the opportunity to audition for a student talent showcase. "We hope to help build some confidence to show them that they can learn a song and a dance and perform it," said Johnathan Ryan, the director of chorale activities at MHS. He said the camp is a less intimidating introduction to show choir, with basic dancing and vocal skills. "And it's something fun to get kids moving in the summer and keep them engaged in the summer months," he said. The camp will have two divisions, one for elementary students who will be entering grades 4-6, and one for middle school students entering grades 7-9. Students will spend a week learning from faculty and students in the Muscatine High School Vocal Music Department. The camp will be held July 11-15, in the Muscatine High School choir room near the Cedar Street parking lot side of the school. Elementary division rehearsals will be held from 9 a.m.-12 p.m., and middle school division from 1-4 p.m. A final performance and talent showcase will be held at 7 p.m. Friday, July 15 in the Muscatine High School Auditorium. Donations to support the MHS Show Choir Program will be taken. Students can audition for the Student Talent Showcase during the week, with any talent of their choosing. Students are encouraged to bring any musical instruments, sheet music, CDs, tapes, or props necessary for their individual or group talent. A Camp Counselor Showcase will also be held for the camp members, with members of the MHS Vocal Music Department performing. During breaks from rehearsal, students will have to opportunity to get to know each other while enjoying snacks and fun games. The camp is $50 per student, although parents are encouraged to contact Johnathan Ryan if financial assistance is needed. The fee will cover daily snacks and the camp shirt. For more information, or to see if spots are still available after the enrollment deadline, email Ryan at jonathan.ryan@mcsdonline.org. "This week is a great opportunity for students who are looking at continuing on in music in high school, it's a good introduction to high school choir and show choir," Ryan. Close to 50 students have already registered, but the camp can accommodate up to 50 in each group. "We'd love to have more in the camp," Ryan said. Visit www.muscatinevocalmusic.org to access digital copies of all camp materials and additional registration forms located under Resources and Links. MUSCATINE, Iowa More than 80 Muscatine residents packed the Riverview Center Tuesday evening to provide input on preliminary designs for the Mississippi Drive Corridor Project. The public began offering ideas last fall, and the project is moving forward with design plans, which Harbaugh said should be finalized between June and September. Bid letting for the project should begin in February of 2017 with construction following later in the spring. The project became possible when the city took Mississippi Drive over from the state, a transfer of jurisdiction, and will stretch from Second Street at HNI to Carver Corner. City staff, council members, and residents were all provided an opportunity to participate in a public opinion poll, on topics from aesthetic improvements to intersections. Jim Harbaugh, the project manager with Bolton & Menk, the engineering firm working on the project, said he was not surprised by the input. "It helped reaffirm the direction the project is going," said Harbaugh said. After some minor technical difficulties, residents were able to press buttons on clickers to informally vote during the presentation, and the results were then displayed on a projector screen. Joe Spradling, a project engineer, asked residents if they would appreciate a roundabout at Carver Corner if it was feasible, and 81 percent of attendees said yes. He also discussed providing space for pedestrians in medians, which would vary in width along the length of the project. "We wanted to provide a safe refuge and halfway point for pedestrians, Spradling said. In several other polls, Casey Byers, a landscape architect with the project, asked residents to provide input on aesthetic improvements. General opinion appeared to be directed towards more informal, and more "hardscape" aesthetics as opposed to more formal plantings. Randy Hill, a contract employee for the City of Muscatine and former Public Works director, spoke briefly at the end of the meeting about a Riverside Park master plan that is also forthcoming. "It will be a real compliment to the Mississippi Drive Corridor Project," Hill said. More information on the project can be found at https://www.bolton-menk.com/mississippidrive. MUSCATINE, Iowa It's Bags, Brats and Beer on July 2 at Trinity Episcopal Church, 311 Walnut St. in Muscatine. The event will begin at 4 p.m. There will be a free will donation, Guests are asked to bring their own lawn chairs. WEST LIBERTY, Iowa Lawrence McNaul retained his job as West Liberty city manager after an effort to oust him during Tuesday night's City Council meeting narrowly failed. The council went into closed session to evaluate McNaul's performance and discuss his competency and possible termination. He has been the city manager in West Liberty for approximately three years. After returning to open session, the motion to terminate McNaul's employment with the city was made by councilmember Diane Beranek and seconded by fellow councilmember Felicie Simmons. Beranek and Simmons then both voted in favor of the motion. Councilmembers Joanne Iske and Melody Russell cast no votes. With the vote tied at 2-2, the deciding vote came down to councilmember Cara McFerren. Tension hung in the air as she hesitated, considering her words, before casting her vote. "It isn't an easy decision, but I have to clarify," McFerren told the council as well as several residents who had waited patiently outside council chambers for more an hour during the closed session. "I have to base my decision on my last six months in office," continued McFerren, who was only elected to the council last November. "I would need to vote 'no' only to give City Manager McNaul a fair chance to show improvement." Beranek was also elected last November, but she had previously served on the council. "I've sat at this table for a long time," Beranek said after the meeting. "From my evaluation and from my contacts with people, I feel we had issues (with McNaul) we couldn't resolve." Earlier in the meeting, the council unanimously approved an ordinance amendment requiring the City Manager to live within city limits but with specific language excluding a City Manager living outside the city "on or prior to June 7, 2016." McNaul lives outside the city limits. Declining fund balances and increased utility infrastructure needs apparently justify the higher utility rates West Liberty residents pay, according to an audit review conducted by McNaul during a council work session prior to Tuesday night's regular council meeting. McNaul reported the state audit of the fiscal year ending June 30, 2015 showed the sizeable utility fund balances began diminishing as the bills for capital improvements came due. "That balance that had been building up for years began eating itself away," McNaul told the council. McNaul said electric rates had been increased for only two years and will have to be increased again. "2008 was the last year of positive funds coming into the electric utility," he said. "Stuff like that affects our ratings when we go out for bonding." McNaul believes the city is doing well but needs to be cautious. "We did good," he said. "I think we can do better. Let's not go so far that we overextend ourselves." The planning for the extensive Maxson Avenue Improvement Project will include opportunities for public input, Jason McKenzie, design engineer from the Moline office of the Veenstra and Kimm engineering firm, reported during the work session. He said coordination meetings with adjoining property owners are being planned for August to discuss construction schedules and the possibility of needing to acquire easements for grading and driveway construction as well as to hear concerns from affected residents. McKenzie said he'll also meet with utility providers. "I like to direct them as to where I'd like them in a project," said McKenzie. "If I don't, they just kind of go willy-nilly." McKenzie said all of the surveying is complete as well as preliminary layout of utilities. Maxson's width will be increased by two feet on each side to a total of 29 feet. "That will allow you to have parking on one side," McKenzie said. The surface will be eight inches of concrete over a six-inch drainable base. "It allows for the life of concrete, permitting it to last longer," McKenzie said. And plans call for five-foot wide sidewalks along each side of Maxson. "For ADA, you need to go to five feet," McKenzie said. The project's original cost estimate was $1.3 million. A contract is expected to be awarded in October with project completion in November 2017. On a related note, City Engineer Leo Foley reported bids for the Spencer Street Improvement Project, estimated at $300,000, will be received Aug. 11 with project completion expected Nov. 16. IN OTHER BUSINESS: The council approved payment of claims totaling $232,156. The council approved Pay Estimate No. 6 of $332,447 to Ricklefs Excavating of Anamosa for the Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvements Project. The council approved a request from WeLead West Liberty to expand the area for the Wednesday Farmers Markets. The council approved a request from the West Liberty Youth Sports Foundation to hold the foundation's annual 5K run/walk along designated city streets Sunday, July 17. ROCKFORD, Illinois Gertrude, E. (Lockmiller) Wagner, 83, passed away at 9:30 p.m. Saturday, June 18, 2016, at her daughters home in Rockford, Illinois. Gertrude had been battling diabetes and congestive heart failure for a number of years. She passed peacefully under the loving care of her daughter and son-in-law, with professional help from the wonderful staff at Heartland Hospice. Gertrude is now reunited with her beloved husband of 61 years, Louis D. Wagner, who passed in August 2012. Funeral services will be 12:30 p.m. Monday, June 27, 2016, at Geo. M. Wittich-Lewis Home for Funeral and Cremation Services, Muscatine. Interment will be in Rock Island National Cemetery, Arsenal Island. Visitation will be 10:30-11:30 a.m. with a luncheon at 11:30 a.m. Monday, June 27, at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Mercer County Food Pantry, 1200 S. College Aledo, Illinois, 61231. We would love to see bags of groceries replace the normal flower bouquets at the funeral home. Feel free to draw flowers on the grocery bag if you feel so inspired! Grocery bouquets in bags with typical funeral cards can also be purchased and delivered to the funeral home from Muscatine Hy-Vee 2400 2nd Ave., Muscatine, 52761 Attn. Floral Dept. Gertrude Wagner Funeral 563-264-2420. All bouquets will be on display at the funeral home. This allows for expressions of sympathy that also help the community. Sympathy notes may be left for the family at www.lewisfuneralhomes.com. Gertrude is survived by their son, Larry (Nancy) Wagner; daughter, Miriam (Howard) Hedlund; grandson Wesley (Heather) Wagner, great-grandsons, Colton, Dagan and Myles Wagner; granddaughter, Jenna Wagner, and great-granddaughter, Stella Kempter. She is also survived by many dear cousins, nieces, nephews and friends, as well as sister-in-law Marcelia (Wagner) Ripley, and brothers-in-law, Wendall (Kil Sun) Wagner and Dwight (Susie) Wagner. She was preceded in death by her parents, George and Edrena Lockmiller; husband Louis Wagner; sister, Ruth (Lockmiller) Zaleski, and brother, Kenneth Lockmiller. Gertrude Eileen (Lockmiller) Wagner was born on a very hot June 6, 1933, in a tree-cooled room in the Lockmiller home in Aledo Township, Mercer County, Illinois. She was the second child of George Elmer and Edrena Alice (Stoner) Lockmiller. Gertrude attended the Goodwell one-room schoolhouse until eighth grade. In grade school, Gertrude and older sister Ruth would ride The Dolly from Aledo to Viola to visit her Aunt Cleda, Uncle Clarence and Cousin Dorothy Stoner. A much beloved teacher gave Gertrude a life-long love of nature, especially flowers. In high school, Gertrude often stayed in town after school, going to the malt shop, swimming at the pool, and going to the movies (probably seeing every movie, at both theaters, between 1948 and 1951). She also often visited her grandmother, Bertha Lockmiller, and her Stoner grandparents, Alice (Smith) and Carl. She graduated from Aledo High School in 1951. Gertrude was in FFA, a drum majorette, in chorus, 4H, and a production of "HMS Pinafore." Another favorite pastime was to go skating at Lake Nelson, where Gertrude met her future husband, Louis Duane Wagner. They dated and were married July 23, 1951. Gertrude and Louis have been to all but two of the United States of America and parts of Canada. Many of the travels made by Louis and Gertrude were in the company of their two grandchildren. Gertrude has been a member of the Naperville, Aledo, Joy and Muscatine United Methodist Churches, DAR, chairwoman for the Aledo Fair Flower house, Crafty Grandmas, Thomson Music Boosters (both president and member), and the University Extension. Gertrudes greatest joy in her last years was the visits from her grandson Wesleys family. Her adoration for her three great-grandsons knew no bounds. They were her solace when the pain of missing Louis was in her heart, because she knew that he lived on in them. 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 [] Former SABC CEO Solly Mokoetle has gone missing, Communications Minister Faith Muthambi said on Tuesday. Mokoetle disappeared on Friday. Muthambi had been in touch with his family in an effort to find him, she said in a statement. According to a missing person poster circulating online, he went to the gate of his Hillhead Drive home in Mount Edgecombe, Umhlanga around 22:00. He was in his pyjamas and went to meet someone. He never came back. Mokoetle is head of the broadcasting digital migration project in Muthabis ministry. She called on anyone with information about his whereabouts to contact his family or police. Update According to reports, Mokoetle has been found and is in a Durban hospital. News24 More on the SABC SABC slammed over Tshwane protest coverage The SABC is moving us towards a dictatorship: R2K Eskom had to send a security team with its team to fix a transformer in the heart of the Tshwane civil unrest that had plunged 25 000 customers into darkness on Tuesday. The transformer at the Mapopane East electricity substation tripped at 17:52 on Tuesday, impacting substations in Vuka, Winterveld, Nonyane and Makgatho, Eskom said, adding that 25 000 customers were affected. This is the same substation where our staff members were chased away by the community earlier because of the protest action that happened today (Tuesday) in Tshwane, Eskom said. In the interest of mitigating this challenge, security has since been dispatched to escort our field team to investigate. Police officers and lawmen from across Gauteng are bracing for another day of civil unrest in Tshwane on Wednesday after reports of widespread violence overnight. This follows days of protests in Atteridgeville, Soshanguve, Mamelodi, Hammanskraal and Mabopane after the announcement of Thoko Didiza as the ANCs mayoral candidate for the sprawling metro. On Tuesday buses were torched and police were stretched thin to quell mass looting of malls and shops owned by foreign nationals in the townships. The current violence in parts of Tshwane cannot be good for South Africas image, especially in these crucial six months before the ratings agencies announce their next review of the country, Dr Ernest Messina, CEO of business chamber AHi, told Fin24 on Tuesday. The current violence cannot be good for the business community or the general morale of individuals and the community at large, he said. What the result of the violence will be, is a million dollar question. We must remember how the outside world will view SA because of the violence. Fin24 More on energy Eskoms Ingula Unit 1 synchronised Former Eskom director found guilty of fraud, money laundering South Africans do not realise their democracy is at stake, KwaZulu-Natal violence monitor Mary de Haas said on Tuesday. We are sitting with a very serious threat to our communities. The face of democracy is local government and it is not working, she said at a discussion on the prospects for a peaceful election in KwaZulu-Natal. She said recent protests were nothing compared to what South Africa would see after the elections because issues affecting communities were not being addressed. We need to have a serious dialogue about democracy because there is no democracy in these elections. People are thinking of spoiling votes and changing parties. That is not democracy. De Haas, a researcher who had been monitoring violence in KwaZulu-Natal for decades, shared the sentiments of Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) provincial chairperson Mawethu Mosery. He questioned the quality of the candidates contesting in the August 3 local government elections. Unhappiness about the nomination of candidates to contest the elections has resulted in protests and clashes over the past few months. On Monday, ANC members in several areas around Tshwane began protesting against Thoko Didizas nomination as the metros mayoral candidate. At least 19 buses were set alight, shops were looted and City of Tshwane employees had to be withdrawn from the areas for their safety. Earlier this month, residents of KwaMashu and Inanda, Durban, protested against candidate lists. Too much power De Haas said councillors enjoyed too much power and were no longer working to ensure people had services. Some did their jobs, while others were seen once every five years, at election time. Being a councillor today is about lining your pockets if you are unscrupulous and buying votes through patronage. It is no longer about democracy or service delivery. Councillors had to be monitored, to ensure they did their jobs. They need to be out there making sure they deal with people problems and making sure that people get their social delivery. She challenged faith-based organisations to get more involved and said the countrys inequality was a ticking time bomb. The poor people out there are the ones that need us. They are helpless. She said South Africans had lost their moral compass. We are floundering, and morality in this place is gone. It all starts with family, we need to go back to basics. News24 More on protests SABC slammed over Tshwane protest coverage The SABC is moving us towards a dictatorship: R2K Peter Sunde, co-founder of The Pirate Bay, has told TorrentFreak he intends to sue major record labels for defamation. This comes after a Helsinki district court ruled that Sunde should pay 350,000 to Sony, Universal, Warner, and EMI. The court held Sunde responsible for the music of 60 of the labels artists being shared on The Pirate Bay. It said Sunde would also be held liable for another million euro fine if the infringements continue. Sunde said he has not been involved with The Pirate Bay for over a decade, and has called for the site to be shut down. Sunde said he wasnt even aware of the case against him. Im a public person in Finland and theyre calling me a criminal when they know Im not involved in what theyre suing me for. Its defamation, Sunde told TorrentFreak. Sundes lawyer said the judgement can be appealed within 30 days, which may result in a retrial. More on The Pirate Bay The Pirate Bay goes back to .org domain The Pirate Bay founder is going after online advertising Kanye West declares war on The Pirate Bay You can now stream movies and TV series through The Pirate Bay I dont care that The Pirate Bay is down: co-founder Spring break for most college students is about taking trips to have fun. For Solomon Self it was educating himself firsthand about one of the last remaining Communist nations in the world: Cuba. Self, a 2015 graduate of American Canyon High School, spent his Spring Break in Havana along with 15 of his classmates from American University in Washington, D.C., to explore the issue of U.S.-Cuba relations. The timing of the trip in March couldnt have been much better. The students arrived in Cuba about a week before President Barack Obamas historic visit that made him the first American president to visit the longtime adversary since the Cuban revolution in 1959. For seven days Self got to interview Cubans of all stripes, from academics to people on the street, to gather information on how they viewed the big issue of the day: Normalizing relations and ending the U.S. embargo. It was also a chance for Self to witness and experience, even taste, a world completely different from his own. It was unlike any other place I have ever been, said Self from his home in Vallejo, now on summer vacation. When you go into Havana, theres Spanish colonial architecture, Self said, describing homes with towering columns, large patios and courtyards, and right next to it will be a gas station. You have the old and the new jumbled together, he recalled. Cuba has struggled economically for decades, and it shows, according to the international studies major. The infrastructure is really bad there, its all falling apart, he said. Ive never seen ruins before in the middle of a city. It was like you were in Greece. Another thing that stood out to Self was how Cubans who have family members living in Florida dress. Many of them looked very American because they wore every brand name you could think of at once, said Self. A Polo hat, a Nike shirt, Levis jeans, Reebok shoes, a Gucci belt, all at the same time. What we learned was Cuban Americans in Florida and Miami, when they buy clothes and outgrow them, they send them to family in Cuba, he said. They look very eclectic, like they just went through a pile of clothes and put them on. Looks aside, the Cuban people left a positive impression on Self. They were very, very nice, he said. Professor Sally Shelton-Colby, who organized and led the trip, agreed her students were well received. Cubans were amazingly open to us, said Shelton-Colby, Distinguished Diplomat in Residence at American University and former U.S. ambassador to Grenada and Barbados under President Jimmy Carter. She was married to William Colby, head of the CIA under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, until his death in 1996. The trip was an outgrowth of a class Shelton-Colby teaches: Why They Hate Us, and Why They Love Us. The course looks at peoples all around the world Arabs, Israelis, Russians, Indians, Latin Americans, etc. and teaches students how the U.S. is perceived globally. Some hate us for good reason, and some love us for good reason, she said. The bottom line is Cubans love the American people, she said by phone from Washington. They hate the American government as a result of a long, antagonistic history that included U.S. attempts to assassinate Fidel Castro, the aborted overthrow of his regime through the Bay of Pigs operation, and the decades-long economic embargo. Although many Cubans struggle to earn a living, theyre very proud of their homeland, according to Self. From his interviews, which included economists, business owners and ordinary workers, Self heard Cubans say they would like to see a thaw in the old Cold War relationship with America. People were excited for American tourism, he said. At the same time, some in Cuba worry what will happen if their country fully opens its doors to U.S. commercialism. They were scared that American culture would overtake their own, said Self. During a visit to an art gallery, Self saw a painting of a large red banner that mimicked the Coca Cola brand image, but said Revolucion. They felt like theres going to be a McDonalds on every corner, a Starbucks in every hotel, he said. They fear American companies will turn Cuba into another U.S. state. Shelton-Colby, who believes the embargo will be lifted sooner than later, agreed with Selfs assessment. They dont want to see a Starbucks on every corner, she said. Food was one of the eye-opening experiences on the trip. The contingent of students largely ate in local restaurants, some of which were privately owned. Thats a relatively new thing in Cuba, according to Shelton-Colby, who said the government only last decade started allowing the creation of business owners, or Cuentapropistas, who must operate in a Communist system that sometimes micromanages down to the smallest detail. Her favorite example of a Cuentapropista was a woman who opened her own restaurant in 2008, the year Raul Castro officially took over the presidency for his brother, Fidel. The woman started with only eight chairs because thats all the chairs the Castro regime would allow her to have. Over the years officials have eased the restriction; she now has 40 chairs. Can you imagine the government telling you this? said Shelton-Colby. That wasnt the only limitation the visitors from American University saw while dining. The menus often had four entrees fish, chicken, pork or beef plus rice and beans. That was it, according to Self. But what really surprised him was how easily restaurants could run out of food. At one establishment, the kitchen had only two fish available to serve. At another French fries were off the menu because it wasnt potato season, which starts in late May, said Self. Im thinking, this is a restaurant, you order whatever you want [on the menu], said Self, referring to how things are in the U.S. But because of the embargo and the way their economy is set up, they dont have things. Nature is a real thing there when it comes to food production, he said. We dont have to deal with that at all because the U.S. can grow or import whatever consumers desire anytime of year. They have limited amounts, he said. Self loves Cuban sandwiches. But the one he was served in a Havana restaurant was a far cry from those he has enjoyed in American eateries that are stacked with meat, cheese, peppers and more. I got one there and it was this big, he said, holding his hands barely apart. It basically looked like a slider. This was not what I expected. Seeing the widespread poverty in Cuba, Self said the U.S. should lift the embargo for the sake of Cubans. Im not an expert on Cuba, he said. But from what Ive experienced and the people Ive talked to, its time to address this Cold War mentality weve had. Its time to move forward. Castro is still eating, he added. Hes sleeping in his nice bed. Its the people of Cuba who are living on $30 a month. Theyre the ones struggling to feed their families. Throngs of NASCAR fans expected to clog North Bay roads this weekend SONOMA Sonoma Raceway and the California Highway Patrol unveiled their plans to mitigate 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. The raceways traffic management plan includes an array of 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. 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. Business owners, politicians and community members of American Canyon gathered Saturday morning for an economic development town hall discussion that revealed a chicken-or-the-egg conundrum facing the city. On one hand business people say American Canyon has trouble attracting more retail and restaurants because local residents dont shop enough in town to entice new opportunities. The flip side has residents saying they would shop more in American Canyon if it got more of the things they seek, such as sit-down eateries and alternative grocery stores like Trader Joes. The town hall, organized by the American Chamber of Commerce and held at the Boys and Girls clubhouse, did not provide a definitive solution for this problem. But it did produce examples and ideas that may someday lead to American Canyon expanding its commercial sector. Michael Holcomb, a commercial real estate broker with Strong & Hayden, said locals often ask why their city doesnt get a Trader Joes. The current shopping options are limited to Safeway and Wal-Mart. The challenge, said Holcomb, is youre dealing with markets all over the state that are competing for the attention of big corporations considering the next locale for a franchise or outlet. He said cities with larger population densities and higher per capita incomes stand a better chance than American Canyon of attracting a Trader Joes. Other communities are perceived as lower hanging fruit that have markets with lower risks, said Holcomb, who helps lease commercial space in the city. Another business leader, John Naab with R. H. Hess Development, which owns and operates Canyon Plaza and Canyon Corners, said American Canyon was unlikely to ever get a Trader Joes, based on a conversation he had with a company representative. He said, No way, ever would Trader Joes set up in the city because it lacked all of the necessary qualifications the corporation seeks for a new location. American Canyon also has shortcomings when trying to attract dine-in restaurants to complement the Subways, Sonic Drive-In and small independent places at which to eat. Mayor Leon Garcia asked why the city of Winters, which is a third of American Canyons size with about 6,000 residents, was able to bring in a Buckhorn restaurant and not his own town. We talk about [the need for] family restaurants here, said Garcia. Why cant we have this? Naab cited American Canyons inability to provide sufficient numbers of weekday customers for restaurants due to the fact so many residents commute out of town for work and are not around Monday through Friday. The restaurants cant survive just on the weekend traffic, said Naab. They need people during the week, too. He also cited the high cost and risk of starting a restaurant as barriers to franchises and even mom-and-pop establishments. While a small retail operation might require $40,000-$50,000 to open, he said, a restaurant can demand half a million dollars or more to begin. Ive been trying for 10 years to get a barbeque in American Canyon without success, said Naab. The city will need to find a way to create more employment locally so fewer residents have to drive out every morning for work, said Councilmember Mark Joseph. We have a bedroom community phenomenon, said Joseph, which has our arms tied behind our backs because people commute out and no can shop or eat during the day. He said it was critical for American Canyon to develop better-paying jobs as well as more affordable housing. If it does these things, that will generate economic development. Joseph and others are hoping the mammoth Napa Logistics Park project on the north side of town, most of which still must be built, will help generate higher-income employment for residents tired of commuting. The town hall also was a chance to promote business success stories, specifically Walt Perlic, owner of FASTSIGNS. When Perlic set out nine years ago from Marin to establish a FASTSIGNS store in the North Bay, the company advised him to look in Vallejo. Vallejo had more space available and lower costs, said Perlic. But he decided to check out Benicia and American Canyon as well. He decided American Canyon was an ideal location because of its proximity to Vallejo, Benicia, Napa and other cities located just off Highway 80. American Canyon looked like the community we wanted to be a part of, said Perlic, noting that at the time the city was growing in size, its commercial sector was expanding off Green Island Road, and it was planning to build its first high school. The start-up wasnt easy, he said. In addition to the normal struggles a new business has getting established and building a client base, the economy crashed last decade after they opened. They overcame the downturn, and his business now is doing so well, Perlic recently acquired the Barber Sign Company in Vallejo. FASTSIGNS also was named Business of the Year at the citys annual Community Recognition Ball. Naab said Perlics business can serve as an example to showcase to other corporations that might otherwise overlook American Canyon as a place to consider. We need the FASTSIGNS to grow here and demonstrate what can happen, said Naab. The 22nd Annual Music Festival for Brain Health will be held on Saturday, Sept. 17, at Staglin Family Vineyard in Rutherford, Napa Valley, California. This years festival features musician, filmmaker and humanitarian, Michael Franti & Spearhead. Celebrating more than two decades of research funding, the Music Festival for Brain Health focuses on brain disorders, and, including leveraged grants from U.S. government agencies and private organizations, has raised nearly $225 million. Last year alone, the event raised nearly $5 million to support the research to find cures for brain disorders. The 22nd Annual Music Festival for Brain Health benefits One Mind Institute (IMHRO), and One Mind, each partnering to support research, education, treatment, and to fight the stigma surrounding brain disorders. Each year, we seem to reach new milestones in terms of research and awareness, said Shari Staglin, As we continue to develop critically important advances and improvements in brain health, we feel more confident that we will find the causes and cures of brain illnesses. The Festival kicks off with the scientific symposium, featuring keynote speaker Steven McCarroll, Ph.D., of the Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, and of Harvard Medical School. McCarroll will speak on how new technologies are enabling scientists to understand the causes of brain illness by analyzing gene expression in vast numbers of individual brain cells, as demonstrated in his teams news-making discovery of the C4 genes role in schizophrenia. Following the keynote will be a featured talk by David Okonkwo, M.D., Ph.D., of the University of Pittsburgh who will speak about how collaborative, open science is rapidly accelerating brain health advances. Eric J. Nestler, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Friedman Brain Institute at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York will moderate the symposium, which will also feature the 2016 Rising Star scientists. The symposium is followed by a cult wine tasting paired with hors doeuvres prepared by Chef Curtis Di Fede of Miminashi restaurant Napa. The day continues with a performance by Michael Franti & Spearhead. Following the concert, James Beard award-winning Chef Gerard Craft of Nichin of St. Louis and Nashville, will prepare a dinner served with Staglin Family Vineyard wines. Scheduled to appear at this years festival are former Congressman Patrick Kennedy, co-chairman of One Mind, Congressman Mike Thompson, and Peter Chiarelli, General, U.S. Army (retired), CEO of One Mind. Early bird festival passes purchased prior to Aug. 1 begin at $750. Festival passes will be $1,000 beginning Aug. 1. Individual sponsor passes including the post-concert VIP dinner begin at $5,000, and VIP sponsor tables of 10, including the post-concert VIP dinner begin at $50,000. Passes are available at www.music-festival.org. For sponsor opportunities call Cindy Dyar at (707) 963-4038 or email Cindy@imhro.org. Admission to the symposium only is free with prior registration. Proceeds to benefit mental health research projects nationwide. Grand jury members looked at Napa Countys Information Age headquarters its website and decided the place needs sprucing up. While not agreeing with every conclusion in the 2015-16 grand jury report, county officials plan to make changes. People using the website should see the results sometime next year. The website is a key way we communicate with the public and we have to meet their needs, county Public Information Officer Kristi Jourdan said on Monday. From January through May, the countys website was used an average of 57,336 times a month, county Webmaster Mehgan Ragan said. Grand jurors went to the countys web address of www.countyofnapa.org. Seventeen county departments and various county divisions, from planning to the tax collector to health, can be found there. But the grand jury concluded that people too often must go to the countys brick-and-mortar headquarters to schedule inspections or file applications. Its report said that various other counties make more Internet transactions available. An unnamed county manager quoted in the grand jury report said its better to have customers online than in line. Plus, the grand jury concluded that the county tucks some of its 250,000 virtual documents away in hard-to-find nooks of its online headquarters. For example, the grand jury had trouble finding the countys 2013 Performance Measure report. The website needs a better search engine, the report said. Napa County will soon be seeking bids for new content management software. It will also be working on a website redesign. All of that means that the countys website will be evolving. But whether the revamped website will offer more online applications and payment options is unclear. Doing so can require changes to a departments work flow, policies and procedures, the countys grand jury response said. That means departments must evaluate whether an online service will bring value to customers and staff and that it is sustainable, the response said. The revamped county website will have an improved search function, county Library Services and Community Outreach Director Danis Kreimeier said. It will also be formatted in such a way that the county can more easily remove dated materials. Ragan said the county will look at what other counties are doing as it moves ahead with the website redesign. But government doesnt always set the highest website bar. The county will also look at private enterprise, she said. While the public will have to wait until next year for the website changes, it can already make use of one new feature. A live chat bar on the countys home page allows people to ask questions over the Internet to a live person about county functions. Ragan called the feature a virtual reference desk. The live chat bar is blue when somebody is available to answer questions and gray when nobody is available. The public can use the gray bar to leave a message. Napa Countys website audience has various skills and needs for information, the county grand jury response said. The goal of the website is to serve this diverse audience. This is an obtainable goal, it said, but will require dedicated countywide resources to maintain fresh and relevant content and online services. Even when the county debuts its revamped website next year, the website evolution wont be finished. Its never done, county Chief Information Officer Jon Gjestvang said. Fideaux Outfitters for Dogs is celebrating its 20th anniversary (thats 140 in dog years) in St. Helena from noon to 4 p.m. Friday, June 24, and, according to shop owner Erin Morris, theres going to be a great party for both people and pets. There will be treats, a doggie cake with ice cream on the patio, raffles, prizes, and even a photo booth where you and your canine familiar can commemorate this special occasion. According to Morris, Fideaux was one of the first dog boutiques when it opened in 1996 on Oak Avenue, and its success spawned a second shop in Healdsburg. Since its opening every imaginable breed of dog has come to peruse the shops offerings. Every breed? Oh yeah, Morris said. Everything from Chihuahua to Great Danes in our little shop. Regular clients return again and again for the special gourmet dog foods and treats, she said. But they also see a lot of foot-traffic from tourists because St. Helena is so dog-friendly. Some people come in, too, because they are missing their special friends left at home, and they want to bring back a little something. Now an anniversary party for a dog boutique may seem a bit over-the-top, but theres an important benefit for those sniffing out great deals. Store manager Ashley Urban said everything in the store will be 20 percent off from 2 to 4 on Friday. This includes coats, sweaters, beds, collars, leashes, toys, harnesses, treats, food, and travel accessories: all the things designed to please even the most discerning of pooches. Finally, you might just want to stop by to say hello to Barkley and Olive, Fideauxs two resident canine shop assistants. Life as a retail animal couldnt be better for them, according to Urban, as they totally believe, its a dog-y-dog world. This is probably a completely understandable perspective coming from such happy Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. Fideaux is located at 1312 Main St. I strongly condemn the launch by North Korea of two ballistic missiles. These repeated provocative actions by DPRK undermine international security and dialogue. The launches are in direct violation of several United Nations Security Council Resolutions, including Resolution 2270 adopted on 2 March this year, which repeatedly call for North Korea to cease all activities related to its ballistic missile programme. NATO continues to call on North Korea to fully comply with its obligations under international law, not to threaten with or conduct any launches using ballistic missile technology and to refrain from any further provocative actions. Steven Mnuchin says China will face significant economic downturn that will affect rest of world German government allows Chinese company to buy reduced stake in Hamburg port terminal 'Corridor' between Armenia and Azerbaijan becomes subject of heated debate in European Parliament Awkward lunch: Macron humiliates Scholz in Paris 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 What will Israeli defense minister discuss in Turkey Erdogan: We cannot allow 'terrorist organizations' to take the issue of Sweden's membership in NATO hostage KGB: Opponents of authorities will begin to rock situation in country in November-December 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 Modern Turkey is turning into the Turkey of the Ottoman era, Armenian National Assembly (NA) Vice President Hermine Naghdalyan said at the Plenary Meeting of PACE Summer Session Wednesday during her speech on the report entitled The Functioning of Democratic Institutions in Turkey, strongly condemning the democratic situation in Turkey. Thanking rapporteurs Ms Godskesen and Ms Vuckovic for the considerable work done on the report and its comprehensive nature, Ms Naghdalyan noted noted that the document highlights all those serious concerns that Turkey should address without further delay. This report, according to her, clearly indicates the lack of large-scale democratic institutions in Turkey. Amongst numerous problems and serious violations in the fields of rule of law, legislation, judiciary, relations between communities, the report also makes a particular reference to the restrictions of the freedom of expression and media, political influence on media, as well as prosecution of investigative journalists, academicians and ordinary citizens. Any attempt to deliver true information that differs from the official position is persecuted and oppressed in Turkey. One of the first victims of this oppressive policy was Hrant Dink, a prominent Turkish journalist of Armenian descent, who was cynically killed in Istanbul in 2007. Dink had raised the issue of the Armenian genocide; he advocated reconciliation between Turkish and Armenian society and struggled for human dignity and freedoms in his country of Turkey, Hermine Naghdalyan noted. The NA Vice President expressed concern on and drew her European colleagues attention to the bill passed on 20 May by the Turkish Parliament, which allows to bring criminal charges against legislators. The new law is aimed at the lawmakers of the Turkish Opposition. Our Opposition colleagues in Turkey are in real danger. I remind the Assembly that the first victims in 1915 were members of the Turkish Parliament of Armenian origin. Let us prevent the repetition of history, Ms Naghdalyan added. Expressing gratitude to the German MPs for the adoption of the recent resolution on the Armenian Genocide by the German Bundestag, Naghdalyan noted that that document caused a storm of indignation among the Turkish authorities. According to her, the German legislators faced unprecendented display of hate speech and intimidation. The resolutions initiators received anonymous death threats, and some have been placed under police protection. President Erdogan demanded blood tests for German MPs of Turkish origin. As the President of the German Bundestag noted, the era of defining people by blood ended in 1945; Unfortunately not in Turkey, Mr Lammert, Hermine Naghdalyan concluded. In her speech Hermine Naghdalyan also touched on the problem of the preservation of cultural heritage. I cannot ignore the problem of the preservation of cultural heritage. Thousands of Armenian cultural and spiritual monuments in the territory of modern Turkey are being deliberately destroyed under a planned Turkish Government policy for the elimination of material testimony of Armenian culture. The Genocide of 1915 is continuing today in the form of cultural genocide. Modern Turkey is becoming the Turkey of the Ottoman era, and the direct heir of the values of that empire, Hermine Naghdalyan stressed in her address, calling on the European parliamentarians to launch monitoring process in Turkey, first of all, to the benefit of that country. Pope Francis has conveyed a message ahead of his visit to Armenia. The message reads as follows: "Dear Brothers and Sisters, In a few days I will have the joy to be with you, in Armenia. Even now, I invite you to pray for this Apostolic journey. With the help of God, I come among you to fulfil, as the motto of the trip says, a visit to the first Christian country. I come as a pilgrim, in this Jubilee Year, to draw on the ancient wisdom of your people and to steep myself the sources of your faith, which is steadfast as your famous crosses carved in stone. I come to the mystical heights of Armenia as your brother, animated by the desire to see your faces, to pray with you and to share the gift of friendship. Your history and the events of your beloved people stir in me admiration and sorrow: admiration, for you have found in Jesus Cross and in your own wits, the wherewithal ever to pick yourselves up and start anew even after sufferings that are among the most terrible in human memory; pain, for the tragedies that your fathers have lived in their flesh. Let us not allow the painful memories to take possession of our hearts; even in the face of the repeated assaults of evil, let us not give ourselves up. Let us rather do as Noah, who, after the flood, never tired of looking to heaven and releasing the dove again and again, until one day it came back to him, bringing a tender olive leaf (Gen. 8:11): it was the sign that life could resume and [that] hope must rise. As servant of the Gospel and a messenger of peace I desire to come among you, to support [your] every effort towards peace and I would share our steps on the pathway of reconciliation, which generates hope. May the great saints of your people, especially the Doctor of the Church, Gregory of Narek, bless our meetings, to which I look forward with tender longing. In particular, I look forward to embracing my Brother, Karekin, and, along with him, to give fresh impetus to our path towards full unity. Last year, from several countries, you came to Rome, and at the tomb of St. Peter, we prayed together. Now I come to your blessed land to strengthen our communion, to advance along the path of reconciliation, and to allow ourselves together to be animated by hope." " An arbitration tribunal would be wrong to decide in the Philippines' favor over claims it has brought unilaterally against China regarding South China Sea issues, according to a professor at Oxford University. Antonios Tzanakopoulos, associate professor of public international law at Oxford University Manila has packaged its case to persuade the arbitrators that it lies within the tribunal's jurisdiction, when it does not have this right, according to Antonios Tzanakopoulos, associate professor of public international law at the British university. He told China Daily in an exclusive interview there is little doubt that the claims made by the Philippines and the dispute are over sovereignty, a matter over which the tribunal does not have jurisdiction. Tzanakopoulos said he believes the tribunal would be wrong to decide that it has jurisdiction over most of the claims made by the Philippines. His views, originally outlined in an article on the Social Science Research Network, have attracted wide attention. "The dispute between the Philippines and China is obviously about sovereignty over maritime features in the South China Sea. Essentially, the Philippines' submissions challenge in one way or another the validity of the nine-dash-lines under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea," Tzanakopoulos said. He was referring to a term used by China to define its area of sovereignty and relevant rights and interests in the South China Sea. Tzanakopoulos said the claims made by the Philippines appear to be asking the tribunal to define the nature of certain maritime features, a matter over which it does not have jurisdiction. The claims are packaged in such a way to give the tribunal an excuse to exercise jurisdiction over them, he said. China has said it does not recognize the tribunal's "competence" in the sovereignty issue and will not accept its ruling. "Instead of asking who owns these features, the Philippines has asked what the nature of these features is," Tzanakopoulos said. "Is a particular feature an island, an islet, a low-tide elevation or a rock? But, in fact, definitions relating to these maritime features have significant implications for sovereignty issues." 11:33 Presumptive presidential Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton has alleged that her Republican rival Donald Trump launched a personal attack against her because he has no answers on the substance of the facts against him. "Look, I know Donald Trump hates it when anyone points out how hollow his sales pitch really is," Clinton told her supporters at an election rally in this key city of North Carolina, hours after Trump called her a "world class liar". "I guess my speech yesterday must have gotten under his skin because right away he lashed out on Twitter with outlandish lies and conspiracy theories, and he did the same in his speech today," she said. "Now think about it. He's going after me personally because he has no answers on the substance. In fact, he doubled down on being the King of Debt. So all he can do is try to distract us. That's even why he's attacking my faith, sigh," she said as a day earlier, Trump had questioned her religion. "Of course attacking a philanthropic foundation that saves and improves lives around the world," she said referring to Trump's allegations against the Clinton Foundation. "It's no surprise he doesn't understand these things. The Clinton Foundation helps poor people around the world get access to life-saving AIDS medicine. Donald Trump uses poor people around the world to produce his line of suits and ties," she alleged. "We can't let Donald Trump bankrupt America the way he bankrupted his casinos. We need to write a new chapter in the American Dream '" and it can't be Chapter 11," she said. "Economists left, right, and center all agree Donald Trump will drive America back into recession. Just this week, one of Senator John McCain's former economic advisors said Trump's policies would wipe out, wipe out three-and-a-half million jobs. His tax cuts tilted toward the wealthy would add more than USD 30 trillion to our national debt over the next 20 years," she said. "That is just astonishing and it's no wonder that the Economist Intelligence Unit, one of the leading firms that analyses the top threats to the global economy, now ranks a Trump Presidency at 3, right behind problems in China and volatility in the commodities markets," said the former Secretary of State. Clinton alleged Trump has no real ideas for making college more affordable or addressing the student debt crisis. "He has no credible plan for rebuilding our infrastructure, apart from his wall. He has no real strategy for creating jobs, just a string of empty promises," she said. "Maybe we shouldn't expect better from someone whose most famous words are, 'You're fired'. Well, here's what I want you to know: I do have a jobs program. And as president, I'm going to make sure you hear, 'You're hired'," Clinton said. Automotive students will be busy at vehicle show by Pete Rosenbery CARBONDALE, Ill. Students in Southern Illinois University Carbondales automotive technology program will be busy at this weeks General Tire Street Machine Nationals in Du Quoin. This is the fourth year students developed and will judge and present the Best Integration and Use of Technology Award since the event returned to Southern Illinois in 2013. Each year, students design and fabricate the one-of-a-kind trophy. Students assemble a judging team, develop a plan and put into action their processes to evaluate thousands of show vehicles over one weekend. Students will look at the more than 2,800 high performance street machines, hot rods and trucks expected in Southern Illinois, Friday through Sunday, June 24-26. The trophy, created from bits and pieces of a transmission, goes to show that random pieces of scrap metal can turn into a beautiful piece of art with a little imagination, said Aaron Weckhorst, a senior in automotive technology from Champaign, and president of Automotive Technology Organization, a registered student organization on campus. The trophy, designed by a 2016 automotive technology graduate, features gears that spin, Weckhorst said. The handful of students who will be involved in judging will carefully examine cars for what we collectively think meets our criteria best, he said. Students are also hosting a Hot Rod Hospital, where they lend a hand in making repairs, or will loan tools and equipment to event participants who need to make quick adjustments to their vehicles. In addition, the students will show off their 1966 Chevy Nova Super Sport, a project that started in 1985 with a $100 body. Students received first-hand knowledge in working on the drag car, which competes locally in Benton and Paducah, Ky. The Street Machine Nationals brings thousands of the nations finest custom vehicles to Southern Illinois. The craftsmanship in metalworking, painting, graphics, and vehicle technology displayed is absolutely amazing, Michael Behrmann, department chair, said. Having our students participating in this national event in this way helps fuel their passion and helps recognize the passion others have in their vehicles. About 10 students will be involved with the Street Machine Nationals this weekend, Behrmann said, with many returning to Southern Illinois from summer internships. Weckhorst said he is working through an internship in the parts department at CIT Trucks in Champaign. The internship is a valuable experience, said Weckhorst, who transferred to SIU Carbondale from Parkland College after two years. A second chance for Cisco Human impacts have made life tough for Florida's sea turtles. UF is trying to turn the tide. When the green sea turtle named Cisco Kid washed up on Hammock Beach in Palm Coast, it seemed his luck had run out. He was anemic, underweight, fighting a blood infection, stunned by the January cold, too weak to swim or eat. Tumors beneath his back flippers sapped his energy, robbing his blood supply and hindering his movement. One thing was in Ciscos favor, though: He had come ashore just a few miles from the University of Floridas Whitney Laboratory Sea Turtle Hospital in St. Augustine, where researchers are working to understand and treat the fibropapilloma virus spreading through sea turtle populations, causing tumors that can hamper their ability to breed, feed, even see. The hospital's major benefectors, the Condron family, had just donated a $40,000 carbon-dioxide laser to remove tumors like Ciscos. The surgery could save Ciscos life, but he was too sick to survive it. The hospital staff was determined to change that. *** Seven turtles, all with fibropapilloma tumors, paddled around four 1,100-gallon tanks as Burkhalter and her team brought Cisco into the hospital and placed him in a shallow padded pool. When they're that weak, they're not able to surface, she said. If you put them in deeper water, they'll drown. The staff didnt know if the turtle was male or female, and they never would juvenile green sea turtles have no outward indication of gender. But when donor Gary Condron chose the name Cisco Kid after a beloved family dog, they came to think of Cisco as a he. Cisco didnt fight Burkhalter as she gave him antibiotics and fed him through a tube the team had MacGyvered from a rubber dog toy. His lab tests revealed a red blood cell count less than half of normal. On the 1-5 scale used to rank a turtles body condition, Cisco was a 1, the worst possible score. His condition could have been due to the virus, which is related to herpes. Or the virus could have taken hold because his immune system was already challenged. Scientists dont know how the disease spreads, but they do know its spreading, says David Duffy, a Whitney Lab researcher studying potential treatments. The virus occurs naturally in the ocean, but it didnt seem to impact many turtles until the 1970s. Now the disease has been spotted in turtles all over the world, particularly in the southern United States. Studies have linked its spread to human impact: A study in Hawaii compared the water near a pristine, uninhabited island to the water surrounding a populated island. The virus was present in both places, but only the turtles near the populated area had tumors. Its not a classical viral spread where it goes from one population to another, Duffy said. Theres a clear link back to people. Something we're doing to the aquatic environment is activating the virus and promoting tumor growth. Cisco's tumors before surgery.Green turtles one of the five species found in Florida are particularly vulnerable. The tumors start in their adolescence, when they venture back from the middle of the Atlantic Ocean to forage along coastal waterways. When theyre healthy, green turtles can live more than 100 years. To have a shot at that kind of lifespan, Cisco needed help. A CT scan donated by a human clinic delivered some much-needed good news: Ciscos tumors hadnt spread to his internal organs. But as the days went by, Cisco refused even the most tempting treats herring, mackerel, shrimp. Seven days a week, the staff fed him formula made of powdered fish and seaweed. Then, three weeks into his treatment, he began to resist coming out of the water for his treatments. Turtles, like cats and dogs, have distinct personalities, Burkhalter says: Some, like their young patient Squidlips, are curious and friendly, sticking their heads out of their tanks to greet their caretakers. Others are standoffish. Cisco was beginning to show some spunk. When I saw that he didnt want to be handled, that was a good sign, she said. It was the first time I felt like I knew he was going to survive. Even for outgoing turtles, the hospital staff tries to limit interactions that could habituate turtles to people. They devised a system of PVC pipes to hold cucumbers and peppers at the bottom of the tanks to mimic feeding off of grasses on the sea floor, and they toss fish and squid into the water instead of feeding the turtles by hand. We dont want turtles associating people with food, Burkhalter said. The staff devises enrichments to keep the turtles busy and keep stress at bay. They freeze food inside ice cubes to make dinner more of a hunt than a handout. They build obstacle courses for the turtles to swim through and back scratchers for them to rub their shells on. Were doing a lot of research on how to reduce their stress, because stress works against you when youre trying to heal, Burkhalter said. Its just one type of research going on at Whitney Lab, which opened in 1974. Here, scientists look to marine organisms for clues to how the senses function, how regeneration works and how these discoveries could someday apply to humans. The hospital followed in 2015 and has treated more than 60 injured or ill turtles since opening. Supported by private donations, the university and the Sea Turtle Conservancys Florida Sea Turtle Grants Program, the hospital works in conjunction with UF's Archie Carr Center for Sea Turtle Research, which was recently named as part of a Disney initiative to protect these endangered animals. Along with rehabilitating sick and injured turtles and researching fibropapilloma, the hospital raises public awareness about the importance of sea turtles and the issues they face. Helping Cisco as an individual isnt going to save the species, Burkhalter said. "What it does is give people something to see and bond to. They learn the story and realize the bigger picture the impact of marine debris, pollution, climate changes. All of these things arent just hurting turtles, theyre hurting the world. If we lose turtles, it upsets the balance of the entire ocean. *** On April 11, Cisco lay on his back, flippers splayed, under anesthesia. Burkhalter stood over him, ready to use the laser on a patient for the first time. She had prepared for this moment in continuing-education sessions, practicing on oranges and chicken breasts. Unlike traditional surgery, which can cause too much blood loss, the laser cauterizes as it cuts away the tumors, resulting in less pain, less bleeding and faster healing. A less-invasive treatment could be on the horizon: Duffy, the fibropapilloma researcher, is genetically profiling tumors like Cisco's to identify medicines that could fight them. Just as in humans, determining the genes involved in creating the tumors can lead to treatments that target those genes. That could lead to a drug that could prevent the tumors from recurring after surgery, or point to the environmental factors switching on the cancer genes in the first place. I beg him every day to hurry up, Burkhalter said. Burkhalter uses a laser to remove Cisco's tumors.As a camera crew from Discovery Channel Canada looked on, Burkhalter began removing Ciscos tumors. Then her heart sank. Although the procedure was going perfectly, she saw that the tumors had grown deep under the skin, almost down to the knee joints. She continued removing them, hoping Cisco was strong enough to recover from the more-extensive surgery. With a waterproof bandage wound around both back flippers, Cisco slept off his anesthesia resting on foam noodles in a plastic kiddie pool. The next day, he ate. A few days later, he was swimming in his regular tank with his roommate, Mudpie. His recovery was picture perfect, Burkhalter said. *** On a Monday morning in June, more than 200 people lined up on the beach to cheer Cisco home. Burkhalter's daughter waved a hand-lettered "Goodbye Cisco" poster signed by the kids in the Whitney Labs marine-biology summer camp. A hospital volunteer live-streamed the festivities to a second-grade class in England. Inside a 27-gallon storage bin, Cisco rested on towels after being lifted from his tank, loaded into a Jeep and driven across the street to River to Sea Preserve. After his surgery and recovery, when she determined that Ciscos tumors werent growing back, Burkhalter contacted the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, which chose the date and place for his release. Weekdays are best, she explained, because there are fewer people and boats in the water that could disorient or endanger a newly released turtle. But the crowd that turned out for Ciscos release gave the staff another opportunity to convey that our actions collectively and individually have an impact on sea turtles. Duffy listed a few simple steps: preventing boat strikes by respecting no-wake zones. Safely disposing of fishing line to keep turtles from getting tangled. Reducing plastic garbage and runoff that degrades their habitat. We need to be more aware of impact people are having on the marine environment, he said. Burkhalter lifted Cisco and carried him toward the crashing surf, his flippers flapping faster and faster as he neared the water. She waded in until she was waist deep. A wave crashed over her, but she held on to Cisco. She wanted to get him out just a little deeper, beyond the worst of the waves and into calmer waters. After months of nursing him back to health, it was one last gift she could give him, a tiny head start in the vast ocean. She lowered him into the water and let go. Cisco darted north, raising his head and taking three deep breaths before diving beneath the waves. They dont tend to turn around and say thank you. There's no little wave goodbye," Burkhalter said. "But the faster they leave, the stronger they are, and that makes us happy. After the crowd dispersed, the team regrouped in the hospitals surgical suite. Burkhalter and veterinary care manager Rachel Thomas scrolled through comments on the hospitals Facebook page, where people as far away as Hungary wished Cisco well. Thomas erased Ciscos name from a whiteboard diagram of the hospitals four tanks, leaving a blank space next to Mudpie. At 11:03, less than an hour after Ciscos release, the phone rang. It was the Volusia Marine Science Center an hour south in Ponce Inlet, asking if the hospital had an opening for another green sea turtle with fibropapilloma tumors. The team began rallying volunteers to transfer the turtle to the hospital. In a few hours, they would start again. gallery Video by Brenton Richardson/UF Office of Development and Alumni Affairs. Additional photos courtesy of Jessica Long and Brooke Burkhalter/Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience. To fight antibiotic resistance, we need to fight bad prescribing habits Doctors know that inappropriate prescribing can lead to antibiotic resistance. UF associate dean for clinical affairs and professor of pharmacy and medicine John Gums asks: Why do they keep doing it? Mays announcement that a strain of bacteria with genes conferring resistance to colistin, our antibiotic of last resort, was identified in the United States, is just the latest report highlighting the growing threat of antibiotic resistance. Antibiotic resistance is driven by many factors, the most significant of which is inappropriate prescribing. This is when patients get a prescription for an antibiotic that they dont really need, or get a prescription for the wrong antibiotic, the wrong dose or the wrong duration. And doctors know that inappropriate prescribing feeds the problem. So why do they keep doing it? As a clinical pharmacist who has studied antimicrobial resistance and developed intervention programs to reverse the trend, I know firsthand how challenging this problem is to solve. I believe there are two reasons inappropriate prescribing is so hard to curb. First, there is a philosophical disconnect between the data about antibiotic resistance and what drives prescriber behavior. The second is that physicians may bend to patient demand for antibiotics, even if the physician knows it wont help or isnt really needed. Physicians: Does your hospital have a resistance problem? Typically, antibiotic resistance data is captured at the population level. Reports about resistance look at what is going on in countries, states or regions. But antibiotics are prescribed by individual physicians to individual patients. So looking at population-level data makes it easy to deny that its a problem in your clinic or hospital, and that your behavior is contributing to it. That means one of the solutions to curbing antibiotic resistance is to personalize the problem for doctors to get them to change their prescribing habits. And, at least in hospitals, this approach has been shown to work. In the 1990s, I led a group at the University of Florida College of Pharmacy that established the Antimicrobial Resistance Management (ARM) Program. ARM worked with over 400 hospitals nationwide and in Puerto Rico. We sent customized reports to hospitals that included their antibiotic use over at least the past three years, which was compared to resistance levels for several types of bacteria that commonly cause infections. That meant we could determine if there was any statistically significant relationship between antibiotic prescribing habits and resistance at the hospital level. Because the data was institution-specific, providers couldnt deny that their hospital had a resistance program, and that they may be contributing to it. What does that mean in practice? ARM examined the relationship between imipenem, a broad spectrum antibiotic, and Pseudomonas, a bacteria that often causes healthcare-acquired infections, at a particular medical center. The program found that if the medical center did not change their prescriber behavior for this antibiotic, resistance would rise one percent for every 30 average daily doses in adults. This tells prescribers much more about the chance that a key antibiotic will become less effective against a common infection than general population-level data would. Knowing this, hospital staff and individual providers might think carefully about when to prescribe antibiotics, and to prescribe the right dose, the right frequency of dose and the right duration if and when they do. Those behavior changes have a big effect. For example, at the same medical center, these reports helped to change prescribing habits for ciprofloxacin, a widely used antibiotic that you may know as Cipro, to the point that it became 26-76 percent more effective at treating infections caused by certain organisms, especially those associated with hospital-acquired infections. Patients play a role So theres a way to get physicians in hospitals to think about how they prescribe antibiotics. But most antibiotics are prescribed in outpatient clinics. In fact, a recent sample of outpatient visits in the United States revealed that there were about 506 antibiotic prescriptions per 1,000 people in the U.S. Of these, about 69.7 were deemed appropriate. The rest werent, and were often prescribed for diseases include bronchitis, sinusitis, ear infections and sore throats, which will often go away on their own. And many of these diseases are often caused by viruses, which wont respond to antibiotics. So to really combat inappropriate prescribing, we also need to reach physicians in outpatient clinics. Targeted data could help here. But the problem is that the systems that monitor antibiotic resistance and prescribing rates do not collect quality data on outpatient clinics. Even if they did, there is no standardized mechanism to deliver that information back to the community-based provider. Beyond that, we also need to reach their patients. Part of the reason physicians prescribe antibiotics is that they bend to the expectations of their patients. If a patient with a chest cold decides to see his provider, the patient most likely took off work, spent time in a waiting room, then more time waiting in the exam room until the provider finally came in to spend a few minutes of face-to-face time with him. The last thing the patient wants to hear is that he should get some rest, drink plenty of fluids and take Tylenol. He feels as if he made an investment, and for his investment, he wants a return. Hence a prescription, often for an antibiotic. Providers know this and realize that patients will leave sooner and happier if the provider gives patients what they want. The challenge for patients is complicated by the fact that numerous pharmacies will now provide them free antibiotics with a proper prescription. This not only increases the demand from patients for an antibiotic from their provider but it also increases the demand for select antibiotics since not all antibiotics are offered free of charge. The increased demand for a select group of antibiotics speeds up the development of resistance against those drugs and cuts down on the time before they become useless. While physicians should avoid prescribing antibiotics to patients unless they are truly necessary, patients must also accept the fact that not all infections require an antibiotic. Patients have to take responsibility for the retention of antibiotic efficacy for future generations. They should share with their provider that they want to partner with him or her toward a more responsible level of infectious disease care. There are solutions, but to realize them, we need to stop discussing antibiotic resistance as an abstract, population-level problem and drive the solutions down to where the problem started, the patient-provider relationship. This article originally appeared in The Conversation on June 21, 2016. According to a leading daily, Dharma Productions has managed to convince the 49-year-old actress to play Alia's mother in the film, reports Bollywood.life. Interestingly, the 'Devdas' actress, who is widely known for her glamorous look in the movies, would be essaying such a role for the first time. The upcoming movie, which will be co- produced by Dharma Productions and Sajid Nadiadwala, also stars Varun Dhawan in the lead role. Meanwhile, actor Arjun Kapoor, who was too approached by the makers, is yet to give green light to the project. (ANI) Seven months after revealing his HIV positive status, Charlie Sheen recently opened up about his sexual relationships. Ahead of the release of an expose-style documentary focusing on his sexual history, the 50-year-old actor said that though he did not always disclose about his HIV to his sexual partners, he was careful enough to use condoms in those cases, reports News.com.au. The 'Two and a Half Men' star revealed that 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," he said. Sheen's ex-fiancee Brett Rossi, however, claimed that the actor had unprotected sex with her and did not disclose his HIV positive status. Reportedly, a representative for Rossi told, "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 Sheen's 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 misdemeanour. Even, according to California Health and Safety Code 120290, "Any person afflicted with any contagious, infectious, or communicable disease who wilfully exposes him/herself to another person (and any person who wilfully exposes another person afflicted with the disease to someone else) is guilty of a misdemeanour." Further during the interview, Sheen admitted of not using 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. (ANI) Amidst the uproar over Salman Khan's 'raped woman' comment, actress Pooja Bedi has come out in his support as she thinks there was nothing wrong in what the actor said. The 46-year-old actress took to her Twitter handle to send out her message, saying, ""If @BeingSalmanKhan's intention was 2 use the term rape to describe something that shatters someone physically and emotionally, is it wrong?" "Is @BeingSalmanKhan controversy justified? If I say I fee FAT as an elephant will @PetaIndia file a case? is India getting OVERSENSITIVE?" one of her other tweets read. "agreed it's not the best simili, but if 2 @BeingSalmanKhan rape is the most brutal physical experience anyone could experience, is he wrong?" Bedi tweeted. "As educated & sensible people we need 2 calmly see how much of this "protest" against @BeingSalmanKhan is for political gain&Media TRP!" she added. Another person to come out in the 50-year-old actor's defence was his 'Yuvraaj' director Subhash Ghai, who claimed the actor's comments were misrepresented. Though Salman made the comments in English, Ghai claimed it was a "mistranslation" and blamed it on the actor's "poor English" and said he was "just a child." Interestingly, shortly thereafter, 'Bhai' found himself in a soup when the NCW and the BJP asked him to apologise for his comment. His father Salim Khan came up with an apology on behalf of his star son and said that his statement was wrong but not intentional. The 80-year-old screenwriter took to his Twitter handle to share a thread of posts, saying "Undoubtedly what Salman said is wrong, the simili, example and the context. The intention was not wrong." "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," read his second tweet. "To err is human to forgive divine. Today on Intl yoga day lets not run our shops on this mistake," added senior Khan. The drama began when the 'Dabangg' actor during his recent interaction with a leading webloid shared that he felt like a "raped woman," while portraying the role of a wrestler in his upcoming film 'Sultan'. "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," he was quoted as saying. Some have, however, termed it a miscommunication. (ANI) Participating in the 4th Wellness Rules Conclave here earlier this week, the Lt. Governor of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lt. General A.K. Singh, gave a clarion call to all people living on the islands to live in hope and urged them to look beyond self, and work in the larger interest of society and the nation. "Life is not a race, pause for a while; catch your breath and look at the beautiful moments that surround us. Live in hope rather in despair. Don't let your ego drive your discourse," said the Lt. Governor, while asking people to come out of negative discourses leading to despair. "It should be a positive discourse leading to hope," he advised. He complimented the organizers -- the Sleepwell Foundation and the Directorate of Social Welfare, Andaman & Nicobar Administration -- for conducting the conclave at Port Blair and said it is a very topical seminar and aims to benefit the Islanders. "The wellness conclave is happening on the eve of Yoga, which itself is agreat way to achieve wellness," he said. Vice Admiral Bimal Verma, Commander-in-Chief of the Andaman and Nicobar Command, also addressed the conclave, while Chief Secretary Raajiv Yaduvanshi delivered the concluding address. Many senior officers from the defence and civil administration and civil society groups attended the conclave. In her introductory address, Namita Gautam, Managing Trustee, Sleepwell Foundation, said, "The Sleepwell Foundation team is delighted to be in Port Blair and hopes to make these Islands more beautiful with mantras of proactive wellness. Our mission is to sensitize and positively impact the lives of the youth of India, especially the women through our awareness programmes, actions and advocacy on wellness (Proactive Wellness), Clean India (Act Clean), Skill Development (Pro-Skill) and Education (Shining Girls). We dedicate ourselves to help Young India unlock its true potential." Participants at the conclave were addressed and counselled by a panel of eminent experts from various disciplines. The list of eminent panelists included Dr. Sadhna Gupta, Yogacharya Dr. Kapil Bajaj, Ms. Arvinder J. Singh, Ms. Shubra Gupta, Ms. Harmeet Bajaj, Ms. Revathy Menon, Ms. Rene Singh, Ms. Avni Sethi and Mr. Kamal Ahmed. (ANI) Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan, yoga guru Swami Ramdev and Professor H.R. Nagendra will address the valedictory session of the conference on Thursday. Minister of State (Independent Charge) for AYUSH Shripad Yesso Naik will be the Guest of Honour in both the sessions. 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 the U.A.E. Minister of Health and Quality of Life, Government of Mauritius, 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 the 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 the Ministry of AYUSH and managed by the Quality Council of India for Yoga Professionals and Yoga Schools. (ANI) With the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scripting history by launching 20 satellites in a go, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday lauded Indian scientists for the 'monumental accomplishment', saying that ISRO continues to break new barriers. In a series of tweets, the Prime Minister said that India' space programme has shown the transformative potential of science and technology in people's lives. "Over the years we developed expertise & capability to help other nations in their space initiatives. This is the skill of our scientists," he said. Asserting that he felt immense joy when he saw students from institutions in Pune and Chennai playing a role in the making of satellites, the Prime Minister said he was touched by this development. "As a common citizen, was totally immersed in happiness to see our youngsters excelling & taking so much interest in science. Witnessed with immense pride and delight the brilliant moments on TV & took photos for my Instagram account," he added. ISRO launched 20 satellites, including 17 foreign payloads, using its flagship rocket Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) C34 from its Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh's Sriharikota today. The launched vehicle lifts off with India's Cartosat 2 series satellite meant for earth observations as the primary payload and 19 other micro and nano satellites. Making two unique records, ISRO launched an unprecedented 20 payloads in a single mission from the second launch pad of Satish Dhawan Space Centre. The mission lasted for 26 and a half minutes by which time all satellites were put into a polar synchronous orbit of 505 km height one by one. Later, the fourth stage engine of the rocket is going to be subjected to a complex experiment by re-igniting it twice to check for its ability to launch many satellites at different heights in a single mission. (ANI) BJP today distanced itself from party leader Subramanian Swamy's demand to sack Chief Economic Advisor (CEA) Arvind Subramanian, saying it doesn't subscribe to the same view. ''BJP does not agree with Subramanian Swamy's views on government CEA. Mr Subramanian. This is his personal opinion,'' party spokesperson Shrikant Sharma told mediapersons here. After hounding out RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan, Dr Swamy trained his guns this morning on the CEA, demanding his removal on the ground that it was he, who encouraged the Congress to become rigid on the crucial Goods and Services Tax Bill, still stuck in the Upper House. Dr Swamy, who recently brought Dr Rajan under heavy fire over his 'integrity' and 'capability', following which the latter announced his decision not to opt for a second term, went after Mr Subramanian on Twitter. The Rajya Sabha MP attacked Mr Subramanian on various issues such as his opposing India on the Intellectual Property Rights, 'lobbying for US pharmaceuticals firms' and others. Dr Swamy added that he had 27 bureaucrats on the list and he will have to fix them one by one.UNI RG RSA RJ 1545 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0090-798707.Xml Two Africa-focused funds have created a new energy joint venture capable of generating 1,575 megawatts (MW) of electricity in at least 10 countries by merging assets totalling $3.3 billion.Chronic power shortages are one of the biggest obstacles to growth in countries across Africa, with a dearth of electricity or regular blackouts strangling industries and the continent is turning to outside investors and renewables to boost output.The deal to develop and finance projects, announced on Wednesday, brings together Lagos-based Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) and Harith General Partners, which has offices in South Africa and Ivory Coast.Harith's interests include Azura Edo independent power plant (IPP), a gas turbine power station in Nigeria, and Kelvin Power Station in South Africa. AFC's include the Kpone IPP under construction in Ghana, and Cabeolica wind farm in Cape Verde."The joint venture's near-term portfolio supplies reliable energy to over 30 million people in at least 10 African countries and has a combined gross operational and under-construction capacity of 1,575 MW," they said in a statement.A report published last month by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) said an estimated 643 million people are living without electricity in Africa, with 80 percent based in rural areas.Established in 2007, the AFC provides public and private money for major infrastructure projects around Africa and has a balance sheet of $3.2 billion.It is 42.5 percent owned by Nigeria's central bank, 47.6 percent by other African financial institutions and 9.8 percent by industrial and corporate shareholders, according to its website. REUTERS DS RAI1538 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0177-798726.Xml Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak has a contrarian message for those who question the wisdom of freezing global levels of oil output.Despite the collapse of talks on restraining production among OPEC and non-OPEC members earlier this year, he thinks the discussions were a success that might soon be repeated."It (the build-up to the meeting) paved the way for a reversal of negative trends in the oil markets," Novak told reporters last week after meeting OPEC member Venezuela's oil minister Eulogio del Pino."We have seen a large amount of short positions being closed while long positions have been opened," Novak said in reference to speculative bets - shorts - in the market that prices will fall, and the opposite - longs - that they will rise.The statement is important as oil ministers often talk about oil supply, demand and balance but rarely touch on how market speculators - dominated by hedge funds - build their positions.Oil has risen to $50 a barrel, up 85 percent from a 12-year low reached in January as supply outages in Nigeria and Canada reduced the need to prop up prices. At its most recent meeting, in June, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries made no change to its pump-at-will output policy.As del Pino begins another campaign to freeze global output later this year, watching price levels and the market mood will be key to gauging when top producers might step up cooperation - even if only verbally - despite mutual distrust.So far, OPEC's de facto leader Saudi Arabia has signalled it wants to avoid another drop in oil prices. Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih has said the kingdom will prevent shocks by adding extra barrels to an already oversupplied market.The rationale behind the move is simple.Sources familiar with the matter say Riyadh does not want prices to fall again because of fiscal pressures at home and as it fears that a drop in oil investment around the world could lead to acute shortages and price spikes.The world's top oil exporter is likely to keep its output relatively stable in coming months in what one source called "a confidence-building exercise" with Iran and non-OPEC producers - in case a joint deal is needed.Saudi Arabia kept its crude production steady in May, while supply figures were higher as it pulled out more barrels from storage to meet seasonal domestic demand."WINTER RISKS"OPEC member Iran has been the main stumbling block for a freeze as it insists it will be ready for joint action only once it regains output levels seen before the imposition of now-ended Western sanctions.Del Pino told Reuters last week that Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh had told him Iran should reach desired output levels of 3.8-4.0 million barrels per day by September, making a deal on production restraint more likely.The International Energy Forum, which groups producers and consumers, meets on Sept. 26-28 in Algiers. Qatar said OPEC members had agreed to hold talks on the sidelines.Iranian sources say cooperation is possible but depends on where the market stands in September when OPEC and non-OPEC producers meet in Algeria, two months before OPEC's next formal discussions in Vienna on Nov. 30."We should look at the magnitude of the surplus in the market. At the moment, it is ambiguous because of the production disruptions in various countries. Maybe in a couple of months it will be more clear," said a source familiar with Iranian thinking.A senior OPEC delegate said: "Gulf countries will support any cooperation between OPEC and non-OPEC.""(But) it's too early to say now whether anything will happen in Algeria."A number of OPEC delegates are concerned prices could weaken during the rest of the year as some of these barrels return. This came a step closer on Tuesday as Nigerian officials said militants and the government had agreed a ceasefire."The problem is with the supply side - it will depend on Iranian production, U.S. shale, Libya and Nigeria," said another delegate. "If the production of all these four goes up, then the second half will be a lower-price session."Russia's Novak, whose country is not in OPEC, also said he feared price weakness this winter."Demand growth is falling and some volumes could return to the market after outages ... If prices begin to fall steeply again, then we will be able to and should continue consultations," Novak said.Most observers believe though that even if agreed, any deal to freeze output would be a weak agreement compared to previous attempts by OPEC to cut output.For veteran OPEC watcher Jamie Webster, the group would need more incentives than just a low oil price in order to reduce production.The period of strong output growth among OPEC countries must be complete and the U.S. shale sector has to show it is inadequate at raising or lowering supply in accordance with short-term market needs, Webster said.REUTERS DS NS1743 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0177-799010.Xml The government today approved the signing of a Protocol amending the Agreement between India and Belgium for avoidance of double taxation and prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income.The Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the signing of the Protocol. The amendment in the Protocol will broaden the scope of the existing framework of exchange of tax related information between the two countries, which will help curb tax evasion and tax avoidance, an official statement said here. The Protocol will also revise the existing treaty provisions on mutual assistance in collection of taxes.UNI RN SW RJ 1626 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0311-798885.Xml Expressing its concerns over deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan, India has demanded at a UN platform that new Taliban Chief Hibatullaj Aljimdzada be designated as proscribed terrorist forthwith. "It is sheer folly that the leader of a proscribed entity is not yet designated as a terrorist individual," India's permanent representative Syed Akbaruddin said at the Security Council Debate on United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). He said, ''Despite best efforts by the government and the people of Afghanistan as also the international community, we do note that the security situation in Afghanistan has deteriorated. "The Taliban are continuing attacks at an unprecedented rate since the beginning of the year and there is continued violence by other armed groups. As per the Secretary General's report, armed clashes have increased this year compared to the same period in 2015," he said. This situation has put renewed focus on the need for enhanced engagement and action by the international community, he argued. " The Security Council needs to look into the deteriorating security situation and the means to contain it as it could pose serious threats to the gains made by the people of Afghanistan in the last 15 years," the Indian envoy said. UNI MK RSA RJ 1911 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0090-799225.Xml A day ahead of the crucial Nuclear Suppliers Group(NSG) meeting in Seoul, France today came out strongly in support of the India's membership of the elite 48-member club, even as China continued its Opposition. ''In line with its active and long-standing support to India's entry to the NSG as a full-fledged member, France calls on its members, who are meeting on 23 June in Seoul, to take a positive decision,'' the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. It asserted that India's entry into the four multilateral export control regimes (NSG, MTCR, The Australia Group, The Wassenaar Arrangement) will bolster international efforts on combating proliferation. The statement said India's participation in these bodies will help better regulate the export of sensitive goods, whether they are nuclear, chemical, biological, ballistic or conventional materials or technologies. It pointed out that as strategic partners since 1998, France and India shared common goals regarding the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems. On the other hand, China maintained that the discussions at NSG were only about the entry of countries that had signed the NPT. It, however, said, "China will play a constructive role in the discussions, although parties are yet to see eye-to-eye on this issue, such discussions help them better understand each other." Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar has rushed to Seoul to intensify India's diplomatic offensive to bring the NSG member countries on board. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also expected to raise the issue during his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the SCO Summit in Tashkent tomorrow.UNI NAZ AE 2101 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0091-799610.Xml The Court has also instructed to submit specialist comments presented by commission along with affidavit. Next hearing in the case will be on July 5. The petition was filed in the division bench of Justices Arun Tondon and Sunita Agarwal by students preparing for different competitive exams. Advocate of the petitioners said answer key released by commission has 12 wrong answers in it which disqualified those students who had given right answers. At least 4,000 students will be affected if the copies were re-checked. UNI XC-MB PY AE 2153 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0298-799656.Xml Bihar government today approved a proposal to invite agency on single tender basis for providing computer training and improving communication skill besides others for enriching the efficiency of the youths to get employment. Joint Secretary of State Cabinet and Coordination Department Upendra Nath Pandey said here a decision to this effect was taken by state cabinet in its meeting chaired by Chief Minister NitishKumar. "Knowledge Frame Work Provider, e-Content Provider and Implementation Support Agency would be invited for imparting training to youths for upgradation of their skills, on the basis of awardingsingle tender system," Mr Pandey said, adding that the exercise would be carried out to fulfill one of the seven resolves of the Bihar government. The Joint Secretary said in an another important decision, the state cabinet approved a proposal for installation of jammer at Beur Central Jail in Patna to prevent jail inmates from operating behind the bars to carry out their illegal activities by giving instructions to criminals through cell phones. "A scheme of Bharat Electronic Ltd (BEL) for installation of jammer in Beur Jail with investment of Rs 6.5 crore has been sanctioned by the cabinet," Mr Pandey said, adding that once the jammer was installed, it would help to check the crimes operated by the jail inmates.UNI KKS RD PY AE 2156 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0298-799664.Xml RJD supremo Lalu Prasad today came down heavily on the Narendra Modi government for giving permission to 100 per cent Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in defence sector, saying Public Sector Units (PSUs) should have been strengthened instead, to meet the requirement of defence sector. Mr Prasad tweeted that the decision of the government had exposed Mr Modi on what he did and what he used to say earlier. There was no parallel between the saying of the Prime Minister and his action, he lamented. "Mr Modi used to say that there was an urgent need to strengthen the public sector units to enable them for playing vital role in accelerating the pace of growth but what the government did was in total contrast,'' the RJD supremo said, adding that the action of Mr Modi had reminded the old days when East India Company had come to India for spreading its business at the cost of the interest of the people of the country. Mr Prasad said DRDO, HAL and OFB were some of the important public sectors which could have played vital role in meeting defence requirements, if these units were strengthened. Not only thesecurity of the country had been jeopardised by the decision but there would not be any relief to the poor and toiling masses of the country, he remarked. Interestingly, the youngest son of Mr Prasad and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Prasad Yadav was in all praise for Mr Modi's government for giving a nod for construction of four lane bridge over Ganga river in Bihar as the present Mahatma Gandhi Setu was in shambles, causing great difficulties in traffic flow between North and South Bihar. Mr Yadav said it was good that Mr Modi's government had ultimately heeded to his request for granting sanction for the construction of a new bridge over Ganga river which could bring relief to the people of the state.UNI KKS RD PY AE 2207 -- (UNI) -- C-1-1-DL0298-799714.Xml It was not right that Turkey's status as a candidate to join the European Union was being used as an argument in the Brexit campaign, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said today."It is not right that the issue of when Turkey will become a member of the EU is used in the Brexit campaign. Turkey has never been a burden on the EU," Cavusoglu told a news conference in Ankara.Cavusoglu added that Turkey would like Britain to stay in the EU for a stronger bloc.REUTERS DS NS1553 -- (Reuters) -- C-1-1-DL0177-798775.Xml 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. Enditem GUANGZHOU, June 21 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese court on Tuesday heard an appeal from video sharing site QVOD about a hefty fine for copyright infringement. The Shenzhen company lodged an appeal after the city's intermediate people's court rejected its demand to revoke an administrative fine of 260 million yuan (about 39.6 million U.S. dollars) imposed by Shenzhen Market Supervision Administration in June 2014. The fine came three months after Internet company Tencent filed a complaint for copyright infringement. During the Tuesday trial by the Higher People's Court of Guangdong Province, Shenzhen QVOD Technology Co., Ltd. insisted that it is a "neutral" online service provider and it has nothing to do with websites and videos that violate copyright. It declined the accusation of "harming the public interest," citing that Tencent was the only complainant. The bureau said its infringement was an "indisputable fact" as the local court convicted the company of the charge many times. In addition, a warning issued by the National Copyright Administration meant the company had disrupted order in cyberspace. The company also challenged the jurisdiction of the market supervision bureau and the amount of the fine. The fine is three times the earnings QVOD made by violating information network transmission rights, according to the bureau. Founded in 2007, QVOD used to offer pirated and pornographic videos with peer-to-peer video streaming technology. Its user base quickly grew to 300 million. In early April 2014, the company shut its QVOD (quasi video on demand) servers after the National Copyright Administration said it, along with video service of domestic search engine Baidu, violated copyrights. The verdict will be given on another day. WASHINGTON, June 21 (Xinhua) -- A veteran Pennsylvania congressman was convicted in Philadelphia on Tuesday on corruption charges, including racketeering, fraud and money laundering, multi TV networks reported. Chaka Fattah, who had been in Congress since 1995 and served on the powerful House Appropriations Committee, was found guilty of all counts against him, including allegations that Fattah borrowed one million dollars from a donor during his unsuccessful campaign for Philadelphia mayor and later repaid part of the loan by using federal grants and non-profit funds. The Justice Department further alleged that Fattah used funds from his mayoral and congressional campaigns to help pay off his son's student loan debt, said a The Hill news daily report. He was also charged with accepting financial bribes while trying to secure an ambassadorship or appointment to the U.S. Trade Commission for former Philadelphia Deputy Mayor Herbert Vederman. Defense lawyers acknowledged Fattah might have gotten himself in financial trouble after a costly 2007 mayoral bid, but they said any help from friends amounted to gifts, not bribes. "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." Fattah, a 59-year-old Democrat, lost both the primary in April and his bid for his 12th term. His current term ends in December. He will remain free on bail until he is sentenced on Oct. 4. Related: Powerful leaders focused on climate change for good reason: U.S. Congressman UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 1 (Xinhua) -- Climate change is drawing the attention of the world's most powerful leaders for good reason, Eliot Engel, member of the U.S. House of Representatives told the Fourth World Conference of Speakers of Parliament here Tuesday. "This is an issue drawing the focus of powerful leaders for good reason: climate change is a threat to security and prosperity around the world," said Engel. Full story U.S. should tell Abe to cease "provocative behaviors": former U.S. Congressman WASHINGTON, April 28 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. government should convey to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that the mutual defense treaty requires cessation of all its "provocative behaviors," including denying the existence of "comfort women," former U.S. Congressman David Wu said Tuesday. BUKHARA, June 21, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping (C,front) and his wife Peng Liyuan visit a carpet and silk workshop in the old city of Bukhara as accompanied by Uzbek Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyoev, in Bukhara, Uzbekistan, June 21, 2016. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang) BUKHARA, Uzbekistan, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping toured the Uzbek city of Bukhara, which he called a "shinning pearl on the ancient Silk Road" on Tuesday after arriving here for a state visit. Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, accompanied by Uzbek Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyoyev, took a detailed tour of the UNESCO World Heritage Site in central-southern Uzbekistan with great interest. The Historic Center of Bukhara, situated on the Silk Road, is more than 2,000 years old. It is one of the best examples of well preserved Islamic cities of Central Asia with an urban fabric that has remained largely intact. Standing on the Ark fortress of Bukhara, Mirziyoyev told Xi history of the city during its prime time on the Silk Road trade corridor. "The kids in the city were playing with golden coins, in stead of playing with stones like kids elsewhere," the prime minister said. Now a city culture museum, the Ark fortress, once residence of Bukhara's ancient rulers, hosts a series of antiques and relics including manual scripts of the Koran, art crafts, ancient coins and old weaponry that witnessed the stretching history of the city. Bukhara was long an important economic and cultural center in Central Asia and served as a major center of Islamic culture for many centuries. Xi and Peng then visited the Samanid Mausoleum and the Poi Kalyan ensemble, which consists of Kalyan Minaret, Kalyan Mosque and Miri Arab Madrasah. After asking detailed questions on the history and traditions of Bukhara, the Chinese president said the tour gave him more profound understanding of the deep-rooted historical connections between China and Uzbekistan. Hailing Bukhara as the "shinning pearl on the ancient Silk Road," Xi said the tour will help China and Uzbekistan carry forward the Silk Road spirit, boost the friendship between their two peoples, and jointly promote the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative. Bukhara was the first stop of Xi's state visit to the Central Asian country. The Chinese president then traveled to the Uzbek capital Tashkent, where he will hold talks with President Islam Karimov on bilateral relations and major international and regional issues. In Tashkent, Xi will also attend the 16th meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Council of Heads of State on June 23 and 24. Uzbekistan is the third and final stop of Xi's three-nation tour, which has taken him to Serbia and Poland. CHICAGO, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) corn, wheat and soybeans all extended their losses on Tuesday. The most active corn contract for July delivery lost 25 cents, or 5.93 percent, to close at 3.9625 dollars per bushel. July wheat delivery fell 14.50 cents, or 3.07 percent, to settle at 4.585 dollars per bushel. July soybeans dropped 10.25 cents, or 0.90 percent, to close at 11.3325 dollars per bushel. Corn settled sharply lower on technical selling, analysts said, adding that the rain weather forecast in the U.S. Midwest prompted funds' selling. AgResource said in its daily commentary that the corn market has paced the decline on fund liquidation. According to the Chicago-based agriculture consultancy, funds have sold 24,000 contracts of corn before Midday Tuesday. Wheat and soybeans followed corn's sharp decline on Tuesday, according to analysts. In its weekly crop progress report released late Monday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) rated 75 percent of U.S. corn in good to excellent condition as of the week ending June 19, unchanged from the previous week, but 4 percent lower than previous year. As for the wheat, USDA said that winter wheat harvested finished 25 percent, 14 percent higher than the previous week. USDA rated 61 percent of winter in good to excellent condition, also unchanged form the previous week. However, the USDA rated 76 percent of spring wheat in good to excellent condition, 2 percent lower than the previous week. USDA rated soybeans as 73 percent in good to excellent condition, which was 1 percent lower than the previous week. USDA also said in its daily export sales report Tuesday morning that private exporters reported export sales of 132,000 tons of soybeans for delivery to China and export sales of 126,000 tons of soybeans for delivery to unknown destinations. Additionally, USDA also announced export sales of 40,000 tons of soybean oil for delivery to China. Enditem BUCHAREST, June 21, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Han Qide(L), vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), who is also president of the Chinese People's Association for Peace and Disarmament (CPAPD) meets with Calin Popescu-Tariceanu, the President of the Senate of Romania in Bucharest, capital of Romania, June 21, 2016. (Xinhua/Chen Jin) BUCHAREST, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Han Qide, vice chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) met with Romanian Senate President Calin Popescu-Tariceanu here on Tuesday to discuss ways to further enhance the bilateral ties and cooperation through the china-proposed Belt and Road Initiative. "There is a real potential for cooperation between the two countries in the fields of infrastructure, transport, telecommunications and energy," said Han, who is also president of the Chinese People's Association for Peace and Disarmament (CPAPD). For his part, Tariceanu expressed appreciation about the Belt and Road Initiative, stressing it will boost not only China's development but also that of other countries in Asia and Europe. Han arrived in Bucharest on Monday, at the invitation of the Senate of Romania's Parliament. WASHINGTON, May 30, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, addresses motorcyclists participating in Rolling Thunder parade in Washington D.C., capital of the United States, May 29, 2016. (Xinhua/Yin Bogu) by Matthew Rusling WASHINGTON, June 21 (Xinhua) -- U.S. presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has come out strong against terrorism after the recent terror attack in Florida, but many experts doubted it will help him clinch the White House. In one of the worst terror attacks in the U.S., a gunman who pledged allegiance to the terror group Islamic State (IS) shot dead 49 people and wounded 53 others at a gay night club in Orlando, Florida on June 12. It is also the worst shooting attack in the U.S. history. In response, Trump has come out strong against terror at a time when Americans are looking for a strong, no-nonsense leader to keep the country safe. But at the same time, Trump is calling for a halt in immigration of people from countries linked to terrorism -- a controversial statement in a country built on immigration. While Trump has whipped up excitement among the Republican Party rank-and-file that the party has perhaps not seen in decades, his negatives rates are sky high. In other words, many people strongly dislike the mogul for what they see as over-the-top statements and a way of speaking they feel is un-presidential. "In his comments on terrorism, he went too far in re-introducing the idea of banning Muslims. That reinforces his political extremism," said Darrell West, vice president and director of governance studies of the Brookings Institution. Trump initially came out strong against terrorism in a speech the day after the attack, and showed himself to be what many observers saw as a capable leader in the fight against radical Islamism. But not far into the speech he again elicited controversy by calling for a ban on immigration of people from countries linked to radical Islam. While his stance was welcomed by his supporters, independent voters will likely be turned off by a policy many feel would unfairly impact those who have nothing to do with terrorism. Such statements will not help lower his 70 percent negative rate -- the highest in recent memory for a Republican presidential nominee. Some experts contend that such a move would isolate the country' s Muslim community - which is for the most part moderate, successful and non-political - and would perhaps breed more sympathy for radical ideas. Julian Zelizer, professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University, told Xinhua that Trump might not overcome his high negatives with his tough stance on terror. "Thus far his response has only undercut his support. Rather than a moment to show why he would be a good leader, he has raised more doubts about how he would act as Commander-in-Chief," Zelizer said. Moreover, many Americans are seeing the issue not as one of Islamic extremism but of gun control. While the shooter, Omar Mateen, pledged allegiance to IS, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton has emphasized what she said was a need for stricter gun laws. Now, two competing narratives are emerging - one that says lax gun laws are to blame and the other that blames the influence of Islamist extremist ideology spread through the Internet. While it remains unknown whether Mateen - who was killed by police during the attack - ever had any direct contact with IS, there is evidence that the killer was influenced by online Islamist propaganda. Mateen had once been on an FBI terrorism watch list, but he was still able to legally purchase fire arms. Related: Donald Trump fires campaign manager amid controversies 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. Full story Trump defends stance on gun rights, immigration at Houston rally HOUSTON, June 17 (Xinhua) -- The presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump defended his stance on gun rights and immigration at a rally in the United States' fourth largest city of Houston on Friday night. Trump told thousands of his supporters at the rally in northern Houston that he supported the second amendment of the U.S. Constitution on gun rights. Full story Trump urges denial of border entry of hate-filled people following Orlando attack HOUSTON, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said Thursday that the U.S. must stop people with "hate in their hearts" from entering the country, in the wake of the deadly terror attack in Orlando of Florida. SEOUL, June 22 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK) fired what is believed an intermediate-range Musudan ballistic missile from its east coast on Wednesday morning, Yonhap news agency reported citing military authorities. The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) was quoted as saying that the DPRK launched a missile, believed to have been Musudan, at about 5:58 a.m. local time from its Wonsan area in its east coastal region. The South Korean military has been closely monitoring relevant situations after saying on Tuesday that the Musudan missile was deployed in the east coast to conduct the fifth test-launch of the missile, which is known to be capable of hitting part of the U.S. territory such as Guam and the outer reaches of Alaska. Related: S. Korea says DPRK appears to have failed in 4th Musudan missile test-launch SEOUL, May 31 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) appeared to have failed in its fourth test-launch of an intermediate-range Musudan ballistic missile after its dialogue overtures on military matters were repeatedly dismissed by South Korea, Seoul's military said Tuesday. An official at South Korea's defense ministry told Xinhua on the phone that the DPRK tried to test-fire one unidentified missile at about 5:20 a.m. local time from its Wonsan area in its east coastal region. Full story S.Korea's military tracking signs of possible DPRK ballistic missile launch SEOUL, May 30 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's military said on Monday that it was tracking signs of possible ballistic missile launch by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) after a Japanese broadcaster's report on it. U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trumppoints to a supporter as he leaves a campaign event in an airplane hanger in Rome, New York April 12, 2016. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri by Matthew Rusling WASHINGTON, June 21 (Xinhua) -- U.S. presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has come out strong against terrorism after the recent terror attack in Florida, but many experts doubted it will help him clinch the White House. In one of the worst terror attacks in the U.S., a gunman who pledged allegiance to the terror group Islamic State (IS) shot dead 49 people and wounded 53 others at a gay night club in Orlando, Florida on June 12. It is also the worst shooting attack in the U.S. history. In response, Trump has come out strong against terror at a time when Americans are looking for a strong, no-nonsense leader to keep the country safe. But at the same time, Trump is calling for a halt in immigration of people from countries linked to terrorism -- a controversial statement in a country built on immigration. While Trump has whipped up excitement among the Republican Party rank-and-file that the party has perhaps not seen in decades, his negatives rates are sky high. In other words, many people strongly dislike the mogul for what they see as over-the-top statements and a way of speaking they feel is un-presidential. "In his comments on terrorism, he went too far in re-introducing the idea of banning Muslims. That reinforces his political extremism," said Darrell West, vice president and director of governance studies of the Brookings Institution. Trump initially came out strong against terrorism in a speech the day after the attack, and showed himself to be what many observers saw as a capable leader in the fight against radical Islamism. But not far into the speech he again elicited controversy by calling for a ban on immigration of people from countries linked to radical Islam. While his stance was welcomed by his supporters, independent voters will likely be turned off by a policy many feel would unfairly impact those who have nothing to do with terrorism. Such statements will not help lower his 70 percent negative rate -- the highest in recent memory for a Republican presidential nominee. A group of interfaith religious leaders protest against Republican U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump outside a hotel where he was to meet with evangelical leaders in New York City, U.S., June 21, 2016. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid Some experts contend that such a move would isolate the country' s Muslim community - which is for the most part moderate, successful and non-political - and would perhaps breed more sympathy for radical ideas. Julian Zelizer, professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University, told Xinhua that Trump might not overcome his high negatives with his tough stance on terror. "Thus far his response has only undercut his support. Rather than a moment to show why he would be a good leader, he has raised more doubts about how he would act as Commander-in-Chief," Zelizer said. Moreover, many Americans are seeing the issue not as one of Islamic extremism but of gun control. While the shooter, Omar Mateen, pledged allegiance to IS, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton has emphasized what she said was a need for stricter gun laws. Now, two competing narratives are emerging - one that says lax gun laws are to blame and the other that blames the influence of Islamist extremist ideology spread through the Internet. While it remains unknown whether Mateen - who was killed by police during the attack - ever had any direct contact with IS, there is evidence that the killer was influenced by online Islamist propaganda. Mateen had once been on an FBI terrorism watch list, but he was still able to legally purchase fire arms. LA PAZ, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Bolivia has recovered 21 archaeological artifacts in Germany which are suspected to belong to the legendary Tiahuanaco culture and others from eastern Bolivian cultures, President Evo Morales said Tuesday. "Thanks to some German brothers with a conscience, they decided to return these archaeological pieces from the Altiplano (Bolivia's highlands) and also eastern Bolivia. We greet them and thank them," said the president during a public event in the presidential residency. According to Morales, these artifacts are already inside the Bolivian Embassy in Germany after the Foreign Ministry of the South American country made the necessary arrangements to recover the pieces. Morales announced that he may travel to the European country in the presidential plane in order to transport the 21 pieces back to Bolivia. The Culture Ministry noted that these archaeological pieces that belong to the Inca and Tiahuanaco cultures were in private hands in Germany. The items were in the possession of Tobias Wagnerberger in Munich. He had inherited them from his grandfather, German photographer, cameraman, writer and war correspondent, Hans Ertl. Morales said these pieces were taken from the South American country by German citizens that arrived in Bolivia after the Second World War. Ertl, the explorer, moved to Bolivia with his family once the war had ended, like many other Germans in the 1950s. Morales said his "great wish" is that Bolivia will have a suitable place to put these artifacts, which could be in La Paz or Tiahuanaco. He was convinced that Bolivia would continue recovering more archaeological items from other countries. WELLINGTON, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Cook Islands is risking to slide into a political deadlock following an opposition move on Monday to pass a vote of no confidence in Prime Minister Henry Puna and his cabinet while he was on an overseas trip. The opposition coalition resumed Parliament with 13 MPs on board, over half of the 24 member legislature forming a quorum, passing the motion against Puna and his Cook Islands Party (CIP) with apparent support of CIP MPs. Puna left early last week for a visit to Singapore attending the Airshow and Aviation Leadership Summit 2016 and later the 2nd Pacific Islands States Transport Minister's Visit Program. During the session in the parliament, Opposition leader Teina Bishop, former Education and Tourism Minister in the CIP government, relieved Clerk of Parliament John Tangi, who opposed the session, of his duties and requested deputy speaker CIP MP Rose Brown to chair the session in the absence of speaker Niki Rattle. The opposition put forward a number of motions with Democratic Party leader William Heather moving a motion of no confidence in cabinet which later passed. The opposition went to meet the Queen's Representative Tom Marsters to inform his of the results. The meeting, however, did not happen as Marsters was not at his residence at the time. Cook Islands Finance Minister Mark Brown warned the opposition of their actions as "bordering on treason" while opposition leader Bishop defended the move as legitimate and in accordance with the Constitution. CIP narrowly retained a majority in parliament by one seat when the self-governing islands in free association with New Zealand went to snap elections in 2014. TOKYO, June 22 (Xinhua) -- The Japanese government on Wednesday protested against missile launches by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) earlier the day, with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe calling the move "simply can not be tolerated." Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani said the act is extremely regrettable and called it a "grave provocation" in light of international security, according to local reports. "The launch of a ballistic missile is banned by multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions," vice Foreign Minister Shinsuke Sugiyama was quoted by Japan's Kyodo News as reporting. He added that Japan will coordinate with the United States, South Korea and other related countries to deal with the matter. The DPRK reportedly launched two ballistic missiles early Wednesday and the first one has failed, according to reports. Japan prepared to intercept the missiles with Nakatani ordering the Self-Defense Forces on Tuesday to do so if any DPRK missiles flew toward Japanese territory or waters. A local resident watches the screen broadcasting the news that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) fired a missile, at a train station in Seoul, South Korea, June 22, 2016. (Xinhua/Yao Qilin) SEOUL, June 22 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Wednesday fired the sixth suspected Musudan intermediate-range ballistic missile, the second in the day, after the fifth test-launch had failed, Yonhap news agency reported citing military authorities. The Joint Chiefs of Staff was quoted as saying that one more missile, which was believed to have been a Musudan missile, was launched at about 8:05 a.m. local time from its Wonsan area in the east coastal region. It has yet to be known whether the DPRK's sixth test-launch of the missile, which is known to be capable of hitting part of the U.S. territory such as Guam and the outer reaches of Alaska, was successful. It allegedly has a range of about 3,000 to 4,000 km. Earlier in the day, the DPRK test-fired what was believed to have been a Musudan missile near Wonsan area at about 5:58 a.m., but it appeared to have failed as the missile flew in an abnormal trajectory in a distance short of what a normal ballistic missile can fly. A local resident watches the screen broadcasting the news that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) fired a missile, at a train station in Seoul, South Korea, June 22, 2016. (Xinhua/Yao Qilin) South Korea's military believes that a ballistic missile is required to fly at least 300 km to be considered successful in a test-firing. A South Korean government source was quoted as saying that the first suspected Musudan missile of the day flew about 150 km or more before being fragmented into several pieces during the flight. Yonhap reported that top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un was known to have observed the test launches. The first test-launch on April 15 failed as it exploded in mid-air several seconds after take-off. The April 28 launch also failed as those exploded in mid-air or crashed in waters after lift-off. The fourth test was estimated to have exploded on its mobile launcher even before take-off, according to Seoul's military. The test-launches was in line with top leader Kim's order on March 15 to test a nuclear warhead and ballistic rockets capable of carrying the warhead "in a short time." SYDNEY, June 22 (Xinhua) -- The Australian government has denied it is using border security as a wedge issue to win re-reflection in two weeks after announcing its Navy had intercepted a boat full of asylum-seekers earlier in June. While the number of asylum seekers trying to reach Australian shores pales in comparison to those seeking refuge in Europe, the issue is politically sensitive in Australia with both major parties supporting the harsh treatment of refugees in offshore detention facilities. Australian immigration minister Peter Dutton on Wednesday revealed the Australian navy had intercepted an asylum-seeker boat from Vietnam, with 21 on board, earlier in June, and warned the Australian public not to be complacent about the issue. "People who think this problem has gone away, please don't believe that," Dutton told reporters in Brisbane, adding the 65 million refugees and asylum seekers worldwide "could come to a country like ours tomorrow." Consistent with Australia's current policy, the asylum seekers were processed at sea and the boat was turned back to Vietnam. "They claimed that they were wanting protection, it was found that they were not owed protection and they were returned to Vietnam," Dutton said. It was the Australian government's 28th "boat turnback" since it came to power in 2013. Dutton denied he was playing politics to win the July 2 election, saying he had to wait until people were returned and enquiries were made into the people smuggling operations. At the same time however, he criticized the opposition Labor party for being divided on the issue, warning people smuggling operations would again ramp up should they be elected. "People smugglers in Indonesia are watching very closely and they believe if there's a change of government on July 2, the people smugglers will be back in business and people will be back on boats coming to our country," Dutton said. Recent polls show the incumbent Liberal/National party coalition and the opposition Labor party in a dead heat, suggesting Australia is headed for another hung parliament. Both camps' immigration policies are nearly identical. KUALA LUMPUR, June 22 (Xinhua) -- AirAsia, Southeast Asia's leading budget airlines, is in quarrel with the Malaysian authorities over the naming of its main airport terminal in the country, local media reported Wednesday. AirAsia announced that the Kuala Lumpur International Airport second terminal (KLIA2), where it operates most of its flights, would be rebranded to low-cost carrier terminal 2 (LCCT2), in the promotional materials to its website, tickets and even taxi services. However, Malaysia's airport authorities MAHB responded that the unilateral renaming of the terminal by AirAsia would be a violation of aviation law. AirAsia and MAHB have been long in strain relations over the Kuala Lumpur airport terminal, the major gateway to the country. The budget airlines was forced to relocate to the new terminal from its original low-cost carrier terminal in 2014. AirAsia's Chief Executive Aireen Omar complained that the airlines growth had since been hampered by the design and check-in system of the terminal, which could not handle larger volume of passengers. She also described the new terminal as "beyond repair" for its building quality, which cost AirAsia to maintain operations. LIMA, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Peruvian President-elect Pedro Pablo Kuczynski warned on Tuesday that the relationship between Latin America and the United States would be difficult if Donald Trump is elected president. Kuczynski said he expressed this concern during a phone conversation with U.S. President Barack Obama on Monday evening. Trump's migration policies, including the idea of building a wall along the border with Mexico, were of great concern, the 77-year-old economist, who will be sworn in next month, told a news conference. WENCHANG, June 22, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Long March-7 carrier rocket is transferred vertically to the launch pad in Wenchang, south China's Hainan Province, June 22, 2016. China plans to launch its new generation Long March-7 carrier rocket between Saturday and Wednesday from a new launch ground in Wenchang. The Long March-7 is a medium-sized rocket using liquid propellant that can carry up to 13.5 tonnes to low-Earth orbit. It will transport cargo for China's planned space station and is expected to become the main carrier for space launches. (Xinhua/Zeng Tao) WENCHANG, Hainan, June 22 (Xinhua) -- China plans to launch its new generation Long March-7 carrier rocket between Saturday and Wednesday from a new launch ground in south China, according to the manned space engineering office on Wednesday. The rocket was vertical when taken to the launch pad in journey that took three hours this morning. The Long March-7 is a medium-sized rocket using liquid propellant that can carry up to 13.5 tonnes to low-Earth orbit. It will transport cargo for China's planned space station and is expected to become the main carrier for space launches. The rocket arrived at Wenchang in south China's Hainan Province in May for final assembly and testing. This will be the first launch from Wenchang, the fourth launch site in China. Its construction was completed in November 2014. According to the local tourism department, all hotels are fully booked until Sunday. The city can only provide accommodation for 80,000 people and suggested tourists avoid the maiden launch, as there will be more in the future. BEIJING, June 22 (Xinhua) -- India andPakistan are expected to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) as members during its 16th meeting of the Council of Heads of state in the Uzbek capital of Tashkent on June 23-24. The expansion of the group from six members to eight is an eloquent testimony to the drawing power of the SCO's underlying values -- the "Shanghai Spirit" of mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diverse civilizations and pursuit of shared development. Born together with the "Shanghai Five" 20 years ago, the "Shanghai Spirit" not only serves as the core value of the SCO, but also has contributed to the growing influence of Central Asia as a whole. "It used to be a Central Asian bloc that pursues collective security. With two more members, the group is establishing itself as a Eurasian bloc that can achieve more both in security and economic terms," said Wang Yiwei, head of theEuropean UnionResearch Center at China's Renmin University. SUCCESSFUL SECURITY COOPERATION As an effective and constructive regional mechanism, the SCO has gained a reputation for successfully ensuring regional stability, something that the 16th meeting of the Council of Heads of State will reiterate this week. Its predecessor, the "Shanghai Five" that grouped China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,Russiaand Tajikistan, has successfully guarded Central Asia against conflicts thanks to two important regional treaties signed under the guidance of the "Shanghai Spirit," the Treaty on Deepening Military Trust in Border Regions in 1996 and the Treaty on Reduction of Military Forces in Border Regions in 1997. The treaties, said Erik Ashimov, Kazakhstan's permanent delegate to the SCO Secretariat, are "unprecedented" because they have "turned the once conflicting border areas into peaceful ones that even serve as a bond of friendship between bordering countries." In 2001, the bloc included Uzbekistan in the "Shanghai Five" mechanism before the six countries adopted the Declaration of the SCO in June, leading the organization to attain a higher level of international cooperation. Since its establishment, the bloc has effectively fought against traditional security threats like the "three evil forces" of terrorism, separatism and extremism as well as non-traditional ones like cross-border crimes. "The SCO has yielded the most impressive results in security cooperation through such joint efforts as regular anti-terrorism training exercises, exchanges of information on terrorist activities, and coordination among intelligence departments," said Alexander Lukin, director of the Center for East Asia and SCO Studies at the Moscow State University for International Relations. According to Sergey Katyrin, president of Russia's Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the SCO, carrying forward the "Shanghai Spirit," has contributed greatly to regional stability, steadily gaining influence as an effective working mechanism for peacekeeping and a guarantor of stability in the Eurasian region. GREATER RESPONSIBILITIES ASSUMED The 16th SCO summit is poised to further advocate the "Shanghai Spirit" and guide the direction of the bloc's further development, featuring security cooperation in a broader region of Eurasia and wider economic cooperation. "By admitting India and Pakistan into the bloc, the SCO is facing up to a security threat in the broader Eurasian region," said Ye Hailin, researcher on South Asian issues at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. "The group will be combating security threats like terrorism in a broader regional space." Ye's remarks are highly relevant as the situation is changing swiftly though the security situation is relatively stable in Central Asia. "There has been an increase of violent regional tensions and terrorist activities," said Andre Kazantsev, director of the Analytical Center at Russia's Moscow Institute of International Relations. He said the Islamic State has recruited a large number of people from this economically uneven area and the possibility that terrorist activities will originate from Central Asian nations is on the rise. "We are faced with increasingly heightened border stress, which could grow more grave in the future," said Yuri Tavrovsky, professor at People's Friendship University of Russia. "Therefore, it is absolutely necessary for us to enhance our coordination to combat terrorism and safeguard the security of Central Asia," Kazantsev said. Mechanisms within the SCO have been created for joint anti-terrorism drills, intelligence exchanges and cyber terrorism. But more coordination and cohesion are needed, said Zhang Xinfeng, former director of the Executive Committee of the SCO's Regional Anti-Terrorism Agency. Sun Zhuangzhi, secretary-general of the SCO Research Center at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that the SCO is also facing unconventional security threats. "Securing food sources has become a priority for many Central Asian countries whose food supply relies heavily on imports," Sun said, adding that "nations such as Kazakhstan that are better off economically need to attach importance to financial security." BROADER COOPERATION PROSPECT With India and Pakistan on board, the bloc might also add a few countries to the observation list, which, said Wang, is a step forward in expanding the region's economic prosperity. To promote common prosperity, SCO member countries have been aligning themselves with China's Belt and Road Initiative, which Chinese PresidentXi Jinpingproposed in 2013 in a bid to boost connectivity and cooperation among Asia, African and European nations. Some programs have already yielded results and others remain ongoing. The Western Europe-Western China international transit corridor and the Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan-Iran-Oman transport corridor are under construction and are crucial in the rebuilding of the Silk Road. This expansion of international transportation would benefit some 3 billion people in countries along the ancient road. When the China-Kyrgyzstan railway project is completed and put into operation, Kyrgyzstan will be able to connect its railway lines with those of Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and even Europe, increasing regional interconnectivity. Furthermore, SCO member states have also made headway cooperating in the energy and telecommunication sectors, among others. In order to fund larger projects, Chinese PremierLi Keqiang, speaking at the SCO Prime Ministers' Meeting in the central Chinese city of Zhengzhou last December, called for a steady expansion of the SCO Interbank Consortium. He also added that China would promote the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the BRICS New Development Bank to support SCO member projects. These measures are intended to fulfil China's pledge to build a community of common destiny in the region, a pledge fueled by the "Shanghai Spirit." Related: SCO boasts great vitality and bright prospects: secretary-general BEIJING, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Secretary-General Rashid Alimov has lauded the vitality and prospects of the SCO, saying it has strived for political stability, security, economic cooperation and common development among its member countries. "Within the group, no one dominates, wins or loses, and agreements are reached through negotiation and consultation, which has made the SCO a paradigm of the peaceful co-existence of nations with different powers and various political systems and cultures," said Alimov. Full story Quotable quotes: Chinese FM's remarks on role, further development of SCO TASHKENT, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday hailed the role of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in promoting regional prosperity and stability, and proposed to further develop the bloc. A worker counts Chinese currency Renminbi (RMB) at a bank in Linyi, east China's Shandong Province, Aug. 11, 2015.(Xinhua/Zhang Chunlei, file photo) SANTIAGO, June 21 (Xinhua) -- China Construction Bank (CCB) has opened the first clearing bank for transactions in renminbi (RMB) in South America in Chile's capital Santiago, the CCB said on Tuesday. The branch was inaugurated Monday night, after receiving all the needed permits from Chile's banking authorities. More than 200 guests attended the inaugural ceremony. Guo You, president of the CCB's Supervisory Council, expressed his appreciation for the support the entity received in the South American country. The South American branch of the CCB, one of the world's top 10 banks, will not only help boost economic and trade exchanges and financial collaboration between China and Chile, but also help the bank expand its services in Latin America, said Guo. Initially, the branch will provide corporate banking services and actively promote cross-border RMB transactions, which will help facilitate trade, Guo said. "The inauguration of this bank in Chile is a fundamental milestone in ties between the two countries," former Chilean President and current Senator Eduardo Frei told the opening ceremony. While Chile-China ties have been close, Chinese investment in the country has lagged behind, said Frei. Opening a bank branch in Chile is the most important Chinese investment in the country to date, he said. "It's going to be the first renminbi clearing bank not just for Chile, but also for South America," said Frei. During Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's visit to Chile in May 2015, the presidents of the two countries' central banks signed an agreement that paved the way for the opening of the CCB branch, recalled Frei, underscoring the importance of having a banking entity in Chile capable of carrying out direct transactions in the Chinese currency. "The financial losses from currency exchange operations were significant, and carrying out operations directly in China's currency, the RMB, is going to particularly benefit Chile and China's small and medium-size companies," said Frei. The CCB, said Frei, is one of the world's largest companies and by establishing itself in Chile, it is demonstrating not just the high level of ties between the two countries, but also its trust and confidence in Chile's development, and in becoming an economic platform for all of Latin America. Chilean Economy Minister Luis Felipe Cespedes said the CCB's entry into Chile was a reflection of the country's robust business climate. The branch, said Cespedes, "allows us to tighten and strengthen ties between the two countries, which today are strong because China is our leading trade partner and, with the establishment of the bank, we can raise the financial channels and investment in our process of integration with the world." Rodrigo Vergara, Chile's central bank chief, stressed the importance of the 2015 monetary agreement that facilitated the use of the RMB in Chile, and allowed Chilean investors to invest in China's stock market. Chinese ambassador to Chile Li Baorong said: "The opening of the branch is not just about a Chinese bank expanding operations abroad, but also about the deepening of substantial cooperation between the two countries, and of the confidence that Chinese financial institutions have in the future of our sister country, which is Chile." In 2015, Chile and China celebrated the 45th anniversary of diplomatic ties, while 2016 marks the 10th anniversary of their free-trade agreement. "Over this period, bilateral trade has grown fourfold," said Li. Related: Spotlight: One year on, Toronto RMB hub gains solid foothold, yet far to go TORONTO, March 23 (Xinhua) -- The renminbi hub in Toronto has started with strong footprints but still has a long way to go, business insiders say as Wednesday marked the first anniversary of inauguration of the first of its kind in the Western hemisphere. SEOUL, June 22 (Xinhua) -- South Korea on Wednesday denounced the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s test-launches of two missiles, which were believed to be intermediate-range Musudan ballistic missiles, as it violated UN Security Council resolutions banning any test of Pyongyang's ballistic missile technology. Unification Ministry spokesman Jeong Joon-hee told a press briefing that all DPRK launches of projectiles using ballistic missile technology were in violation of UN Security Council resolutions, saying that the Wednesday launches were clear provocations against South Korea. The DPRK test-fired what was believed to be a Musudan missile at 8:05 a.m. local time from its Wonsan area in the east coast, about two hours after launching another missile near the area, according to Seoul's defense ministry. The second missile launched in the day flew about 400 km, nearing to a required distance to be considered successful in test-firings. Seoul's military believed that an intermediate-range ballistic missile can be successful only when flying at least 300 km. Yonhap reported that the minimum flight range of such missile should reach at least 500 km, but it was launched at a high angle with a possible aim to intentionally lessen the flight distance. A senior South Korean government official was quoted by Yonhap news agency as saying that the DPRK's missile technology and capability were believed to have advanced after repeated failures in test-launches. If confirmed, it would mark the first success of the Musudan missile launch since it was deployed by DPRK forces in 2007. All of the previous four test-firings earlier this year were considered failures as those exploded in mid-air or crashed in waters several seconds after lift-off. The first launch of the day was also believed to have failed as it flew about 150 km before being fragmented into several pieces during the flight. The military authorities of South Korea and the United States are conducting detailed analysis on whether the Wednesday launches were successful. Seoul's foreign ministry said in a separate statement that Pyongyang would face strong sanctions and pressures from South Korea and the international community, lambasting the missile launches. South Korea has focused on pressures and sanctions against the DPRK after Pyongyang's fourth nuclear test in January and a launch in February of a long-range rocket, which was condemned as a disguised test of ballistic missile technology. 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. The South Korean government convened a National Security Council (NSC) meeting, chaired by Kim Kwan-jin, top security advisor to President Park Geun-hye, to discuss countermeasures. Attendants at the closed-door meeting include ministers of foreign affairs, unification and defense as well as chief of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), the country's spy agency, and presidential senior secretary for foreign affairs and security. BEIJING, June 22 (Xinhua) -- China's central bank on Wednesday pumped more money into the market for a third day this week to provide liquidity. The People's Bank of China (PBOC) conducted seven-day reverse repos worth 150 billion yuan (22.8 billion U.S. dollars). The reverse repos were priced to yield 2.25 percent, unchanged from the injection on Monday and Tuesday with a total worth of 280 billion yuan. Reverse repos worth 65 billion yuan matured on Wednesday, so the central bank effectively injected 85 billion yuan into the market, bringing the net injection this week to 180 billion yuan. This week, liquidity is relatively tight as companies pay taxes and commercial banks face the central bank's macro-prudential assessment as the second quarter ends. BRASILIA, June 21 (Xinhua) -- Brazil's Chamber of Deputies, the lower house of parliament, approved a proposal Tuesday, authorizing complete foreign ownership of the country's airline companies. The original proposal submitted to Congress by suspended President Dilma Rousseff would have allowed foreign capital to control 49 percent in airline companies. However, interim President Michel Temer's government altered the proposal to allow complete foreign ownership. Now that the proposal has been approved by the chamber, the proposal will go to the Senate. In the chamber, the proposal was opposed by members from left-wing political parties, who were particularly worried about the possibility of reduced internal flights and layoff of staff in the companies. UNITED NATIONS, June 21 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday condemned a terrorist attack against a Jordanian guard post on the border with Syria. A suicide attacker detonated a car bomb in the border buffer zone, killing six Jordanian officers and injuring 14 others. "The secretary-general is particularly concerned that the attack took place opposite an encampment where Syrian asylum seekers await entry into Jordan," said a statement released by Ban's spokesperson. "The secretary-general urges all governments to strengthen their efforts to combat the scourge of terrorism and violent extremism, and to support the government of Jordan in this context," it added. Jordan has declared its north and northeastern borders closed military zones after the attack. Mishal al Zibn, chief of staff of the Jordanian army, said any movements of vehicles or individuals in the mentioned areas without prior approval will be treated as enemy targets. YANGON, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar military authorities have concluded that the death of an ethnic Kachin resident on Monday night was caused by a "misfire" from a soldier's gun, according to an announcement of the Defense Ministry published Wednesday. According to the announcement, two soldiers deployed to the Bala Minthin Bridge in Myitgyina in the northernmost Kachin state were escorting four civilians who asked them for help as they were being threatened by a group of eight men attempting to rob their motorbikes. When the soldiers returned to the bridge, the eight-man group fought the two soldiers, attempting to grab the gun of a soldier who then misfired his gun, killing a young man among the group. The others escaped, a Myitgyina police official told Xinhua. The two soldiers also sustained injury during the fighting, the official added. by Raimundo Urrechaga HAVANA, June 21 (Xinhua) -- As Cuba sets its vision of a sustainable, rational industry that contributes to the country's development plans, the ongoing Second International Convention and Exposition, or CubaIndustria 2016, is witnessing a strong Chinese presence. Over 30 Chinese companies attended the annual industrial fair from Monday to Friday to further develop their ties with Havana in the industrial, transportation, textile, electronic and technology sectors. ' "China has gained experience in many of these areas and we are willing to share it with Cuba for its rapid development," said Miao Wei, Chinese Minister of Industry and Information Technology, at a forum in Cuba on Tuesday. The senior official told reporters that Beijing supports Havana's path to transform its economic model and the newly approved development plan. "Just like economic reforms in China, this will lead to a new path of development for Cuba. I see opportunities for Chinese companies and I hope that more will come and contribute to Cuba's social and economic development," said Miao, who is leading a delegation to CubaIndustria. "China and Cuba are at different phases of development and many of our companies have technology and products which can meet the needs and demands of the Cuban economy. Our government supports the strategy of our companies to invest and develop in Cuba," added the minister. Various Chinese companies have presence on the island. Among them is Beijing North Star, a high-tech firm which has been in the country since 2003, selling electronic products to Cuban homes. "We have sold a wide array of home appliances and products but we are currently developing other projects, such as LED lights that are compatible with the island, water treatment plants and robotic arms for factories to speed up production rates," Yang Longchuan, CEO of the company, told Xinhua. Cuba has become the company's main market in Latin America and the Caribbean, with North Star's revenue reaching 33 million U.S. dollars in 2015. Chinese technology and home appliances giant, Haier, has been in the country since 2004. The company is developing a renewable energy plan, including a plant for photovoltaic products, LED lights and wind energy, Zhuo Yong, a top executive in Haier's renewable energy division, told Xinhua. Over the years, Haier's home appliances, including TV sets, monitors, refrigerators, washing machines and air conditioners have become popular on the island and are sought after for their competitive prices. In its endeavor to update the socialist model, Havana views Beijing as a vital and strategic partner to develop its aging industries. Cuban Industry Minister Salvador Pardo told Xinhua that a variety of bilateral projects will promote the modernization of Cuba's industry and bring immediate benefits to the economy. The projects include a factory to assemble high-definition TV sets with Chinese technology, a printing press system for Cuba's main newspapers and an industrial unit to build photovoltaic panels in the western province of Pinar del Rio. "China is a strategic partner in Cuba's industrial development. We have been sharing experiences for many years and we will continue to upgrade our industries with the help of Chinese companies," added Pardo. "We are accelerating investments in different areas, which is a win-win relation for both sides," said the Cuban minister. HONG KONG, June 22, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Firefighters put out fire at a multi-storey industrial building in East Kowloon area of Hong Kong, south China, June 22, 2016. A firefighter was killed Tuesday night in a deadly fire that broke out in an industrial building in Hong Kong. Seven other firemen were injured when battling the blaze, which has lasted for over 24 hours. (Xinhua/Ng Wing Kin) HONG KONG, June 22 (Xinhua) -- A firefighter was killed Tuesday night in a deadly fire that broke out in an industrial building in Hong Kong. Seven other firemen were injured when battling the blaze, which has been lasted for over 24 hours. The fire broke out on Tuesday morning at a multi-storey industrial building in Hong Kong's East Kowloon area. It was upgraded to No. 4 alarm on Tuesday night. Firefighters continued to battle the blaze on Wednesday morning, shooting water into the third floor as smoke kept billowing out. Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying on Tuesday expressed sadness over the death of Fire Service Department Senior Station Officer Thomas Cheung. The officer left behind a wife and a four-month-old baby, said Leung, who pledged to provide support for Cheung's family. BEIJING, June 22 (Xinhua) -- China will launch a campaign against online comments and reposts that feature illegal or malignant content, according to an official statement released on Wednesday. The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) held a televised conference attended by heads of commercial websites to put forward plans for the campaign. The campaign will focus on three aspects: cleaning up illegal or malignant information that violates bottom lines, boosting law enforcement and supervision, and public education to create positive, healthy cyberculture. Comments and reposts that violate basic principles of the Constitution; jeopardize state security, honor and interests; incite ethnic hatred; or spread rumors, pornography or slander, among other violations, will be key targets of the campaign, according to the statement. Ren Xianliang, deputy head of the CAC, urged online media not to blindly pursue website traffic, rather, to fulfill their social responsibilities. JALALABAD, June 22, 2016 (Xinhua) -- People gather at a blast site in Behsoud district of Nangarhar province, Afghanistan, June 22, 2016. Two people including a child were killed as a bomb planted by militants went off in Behsoud district on Wednesday, spokesman for provincial government Attaullah Khogiani said. (Xinhua/Rahman Safi) JALALABAD, Afghanistan, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Two people including a child were killed as a bomb planted by militants went off in Behsoud district of the eastern Nangarhar province in Afghanistan on Wednesday, spokesman for provincial government Attaullah Khogiani said. "A bomb planted by militants next to a road in Behsoud district exploded at around 01:00 p.m. local time today killing an innocent child and a policeman," Khogiani told Xinhua. A car at nearby was also damaged due to the blast, the official added, without giving more details. No group or individual has claimed responsibility for the blast. Both Taliban and Islamic State group are active in parts of Nangarhar province with Jalalabad as its capital, 120 km east of Kabul, and both the militant outfits occasionally organize suicide and roadside bombings in the province. PRETORIA, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Protesters defied a stern government warning against violence overnight in Pretoria, with some resorting to looting overnight, police said on Wednesday. Some foreign-owned shops were looted, houses burned down and buses torched during the violence which started on Monday, according to police. Foreign shop owners had to flee to different places of safety. Roads leading to several violence-stricken townships were barricaded with stones, tree branches and rocks. The township of Mabopane was the hardest hit by acts of violence, where a heavy contingent of police force was at scene to contain the violence. A police helicopter could be seen hovering around the township. The protests was sparked by a decision by the ruling African National Congress (ANC) to place Thoko Didiza as its mayoral candidate for Pretoria to replace current mayor Kgosientso Ramokgopa in the upcoming elections, scheduled for August 3. Unhappy with Didiza, protesters have vowed to intensify their protests if the ANC party does not withdraw its decision. But the party said it would not change its decision. As violence intensified, the government is considering to send in armed troops to restore stability. On Tuesday, the government warned that violence, damage to property and infrastructure and infringing on others' rights and free movement including incitement of others to commit this type of offences will not be tolerated by law enforcement agencies. "Those who make themselves guilty of such acts will face the full might of the law," government spokesperson Siphiwe Dlamini said in a statement. "The destruction of property and chaos we have witnessed is highly unacceptable and should not be allowed to continue," said Dlamini. The government calls for calm and for people to continue with their normal businesses as the government is responding adequately to the situation, said Dlamini. "We call on people to be vigilant and avoid any violence related activities. We also call on all people not to allow themselves to be misled by a lot of misinformation circulating on social media and other platforms which are intended to cause confusion and unnecessary panic," she said. The government has increased visible policing of members of the South African Police Service. The law enforcement agencies are currently hard at work to ensure that calm returns to all areas, Dlamini said. Criminal matters arising out of these incidents are being prioritised, she said. The government reiterates that violence is not the answer to grievance. "Our democracy offers many avenues for people or communities to address any grievances. We therefore call on communities to raise grievances within the confines of the law. Those who ultimately decide to exercise their right to protest are advised to do so in a peaceful and orderly manner," said the spokesperson. Security personnel, she said, will act decisively against individuals who engage in acts of intimidation and incitement or violence, and the law enforcement agencies will not hesitate to arrest those who are found to have contravened the law. LANZHOU, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Chinese tourists could bring a total revenue of 200 billion U.S. dollars to countries involved in the Belt and Road, a tourism official said. Du Jiang, deputy head of the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA), told an ongoing tourism festival that 150 million Chinese tourists are expected to travel to Belt and Road countries in the next five years. Another 85 million tourists from those countries are expected to visit China, bringing revenue of up to 110 billion U.S. dollars, he said at the Silk Road International Tourism Festival in Lanzhou, Gansu Province. Over 25 million tourists are travel annually between China and Belt and Road countries, and the market has plenty of potential to expand. The Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road include over 60 countries in Asia, Europe and Africa. Opening on Monday, the one-month festival is organized by the CNTA and Gansu provincial government. KABUL, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Differences within Taliban have further widened as fighting between supporters of Taliban leader Mawlawi Haibatullah Akhundzada and commander of breakaway group Mawlawi Mohammad Rasoul Akhund have left at least 20 people dead from both sides in the western Herat province since weekend, local officials said. The clash, according to Herat provincial governor Jilani Farhad, flared up in Adraskan and Pashtun Zarghon districts on Sunday and ended on Tuesday, during which some two dozen fighters had been killed and several others injured. Preliminary reports from the area suggested that up to nine fighters loyal to Akhundzada and 11 others from opponent faction had been killed. The clash, according to the official, flared up between Mullah Asmatullah, the strong commander of Taliban main faction led by Akhundzada, and commander Abdul Manan Niazi loyal to Mullah Rasoul in Abgarmak area of Adraskan district on Sunday and soon covered parts of the neighboring Pashtun Zarghon district. Civilians have also suffered loss of life and property damage during the infighting between the rival groups, both the officials and locals said. Although Taliban militants are tightlipped on the report, locals have confirmed the bloody infighting between Taliban groups and called on government to check the incidents which often harm civilians. "Usually we are the victims of infighting. Taliban forcibly collect 10 percent of our agricultural products from us as tax to support their fighters," a resident of Pashtun Zarghon district told Xinhua, but he refrained from revealing his name due to security concerns. In the wake of confirmation of the death of Mullah Mohammad Omar, the founder of Taliban, last July and taking charge of Taliban leadership by Mullah Akthar Mohammad Mansoor last August, the armed outfit has divided into two factions and the splinter group leader Mawlawi Mohammad Rasoul Akhund begun fighting Mansoor's men. Mansoor was killed in a drone attack last month and his successor Haibatullah has failed to unite the Taliban fighters. More than 200 fighters including some senior commanders from both sides, according to officials, have been killed in the infightings in Herat, Farah, Zabul and other parts of the country over the past three months. First Vice President of South Sudan and former rebel leader, Riek Machar (L), and President Salva Kiir (R), sit for an official photo with the 30 members of the new cabinet of the Transitional Government at the Cabinet Affairs Ministry, in Juba on April 29, 2016. The new cabinet of the Transitional Government includes former rebels and members of the opposition, a step forward in a drawn-out peace process aimed at ending more than two years of conflict. / AFP PHOTO / ALBERT GONZALEZ FARRAN by Denis Elamu JUBA, June 22 (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. South Sudanese first Vice-President Riek Machar addresses the press after his arrival at Juba international Airport in Juba, capital of South Sudan, April 26, 2016. Riek Machar has sworn in as South Sudan's first vice president, hours after his return to the capital Juba on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Denis Elamu) 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. NICOSIA, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Turkey has offered to send two helicopters and an airplane to help put out a huge forest fire which has been burning since Sunday noon on the eastern Mediterranean island, a Cyprus government statement said on Tuesday. The statement said the offer was conveyed officially to President Nicos Anastasiades by Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci, adding Anastasiades thanked Akinci, and Cyprus accepted Turkey's help. "The Republic of Cyprus accepts the Turkish help, provided that it will be part of the state operational planning, within the framework of which international assistance is under way, with the participation of Israel, Greece, the United Kingdom, France and Italy and the institutional organs of the European Union," the statement said. Turkey's Minister for Forests and Water Veisel Eroglu has said that the two helicopters are currently stationed on the southern Turkish shores and are ready to take off on request. Turkey occupied the northern part of Cyprus in 1974 in reaction to a coup by the military rulers of Greece at the time. The two countries are still technically at war, as they did not sign a truce and their troops stopped fighting on the strength of cease-fire agreements signed by field commanders. Akinci had offered to provide men and equipment to help the firefighting but Anastasiades told him there was adequate manpower and equipment on the ground, adding the firefighting effort lacked enough air power. One Italian and three French airplanes arrived in Cyprus on Tuesday night and will join 16 other aircraft in dousing the flames at day break on Wednesday. The Russian embassy in Nicosia said Cyprus has requested additional help from Moscow through the Minister of Agriculture Nicos Kouyialis. "The request has been passed immediately to Moscow and a reply is expected," an embassy spokesman told the Cyprus News Agency. A Cyprus Forestry Department official said that the fire is still burning out of control in two fronts and is threatening houses in two mountain villages in the central mountain region of Cyprus. Two firefighters died on the job on Monday and three other people were injured, one of them critically, hospital sources said. SHANGHAI, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Two Disney subsidiaries have sued three Chinese companies for infringement of intellectual property rights and unfair competition. Disney Enterprises Inc. and Pixar, holders of the copyrights of animated comedies "Cars" and "Cars 2" as well as the character images, sued G-Point in Beijing, PPTV in Shanghai and Bluemtv in Xiamen of east China's Fujian Province, after they found images and posters of the animated movie "The Autobots" resembling those of "Cars" and "Cars 2". "The Autobots," screened last July, was produced by Bluemtv, released by G-Point and shown on the website of PPTV. The case was heard in Shanghai Pudong New District People's Court on Tuesday. At the court, attorneys for the plaintiffs said that images of the main characters in "The Autobots" -- "K1" and "K2" -- plagiarized the characters "Lightening McQueen" and "Francesco Bernoulli" in "Cars" and "Cars 2". They also said the Chinese name of the movie bore a high resemblance to the Disney and Pixar movies. The plaintiffs asked for immediate stop to the infringement, and compensation of 4 million yuan (607,000 U.S. dollars) to cover the economic losses and the lawsuit expense. Lawyers for the defendants replied that images of "K1" and "K2" were created independently, based on the appearance of real automobiles. They also argued they had emphasized that "The Autobots" was a domestic movie, so consumers would not be confused by the name. In addition, the film was not successful and filmmakers did not profit. A verdict of the case will be announced later. 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 22 (Xinhua) -- The United States likes to think of itself as a force for peace, law and justice, and the deployment of two aircraft carriers on a "training mission" in East Asia obviously backs up that aspiration. Or does it? The timing of the operation -- just ahead of a ruling on South China Sea disputes -- is surely a deliberated one. The United States has dressed up the illegal, unilateral arbitration instigated by the Philippines as a noble act of homage to international law, while China's complete ambivalence toward irrelevant proceedings in The Hague is painted as disrespectful and a violation of that same international law. Why the big show of strength now? After countless promises not to take sides in South China Sea disputes, the arrival of the warships is presumably just another aspect of the "peaceful resolution based on international law" which the Obama administration has so consistently advocated. Since the Philippines took it upon itself to open the arbitration, China has been drawn as the neighborhood bully who wants to militarize the region, but facts speak louder than hollow words and now more than 60 countries openly support China's stance. Could that be what all these warships, fighter jets and troops are about? To the United States, these moves might look like "peace, law and justice," but to everyone else they appear to be exactly what they are: militarization. Even the Philippines smells a rat. On Tuesday, Rodrigo Duterte, the Philippines' president-elect, said that he had asked the U.S. ambassador whether Washington would support the Philippines in a confrontation with China. "Are you with us or are you not with us?" asked Duterte. "Only if you are attacked," the ambassador replied. There's the rub. Is U.S. support for the arbitration really for the sake of the Philippines? Or is it all about China? If there are any lessons to be learned from the past, the Philippines would know that bringing outsiders into any dispute invariably complicates matters, and never calms things down. To paraphrase "Game of Thrones," the Philippines may well ask themselves whether it is worthy "to fight for the master who would never fight and die for you?" As a new president preparing to assume office, Duterte would do well to give a thought to returning to the negotiating table. China will welcome him there. Related: Dozens of countries support China's stance on South China Sea: FM 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." Full Story 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. ANKARA, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Turkey declared it will open the Hatay border with Syria during the upcoming Muslim Eid al-Fitr feast for Syrians in Turkey to return home, the local Dogan News Agency said Wednesday. The border opening will be restricted to Cilvegozu, the southern city of Hatay, located close to the Syrian city of Aleppo. The border will open from June 30 until July 5, the first day of the feast during which Muslims celebrate the end of their fast following the holy month of Ramadan, according to the report. Only Syrians in Turkey with a valid passport and those who registered in state-run refugee agencies will be permitted through into Syria. Last year, 13,000 Syrians in Turkey traveled home during the feast. Cilvegozu has recently closed its borders with Syria since armed conflict escalated in southern Syria. TASHKENT, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping's signed article in a leading Uzbek newspaper has won wide praise from Uzbeks, who expect further development of bilateral relations and cooperation. Ahead of his visit to Uzbekistan, Xi on Tuesday published a signed article in Narodnoye Slove titled "A Glorious New Chapter in China-Uzbekistan Friendship." Anvar Sharipov, a former professor at the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan, said he thoroughly read the article, in which Xi spoke highly of bilateral relations and appreciated the role of Uzbekistan in Central Asia and the international arena. "The publication of the signed article shows the strategic value of bilateral relations, the long-time friendship which has passed from generation to generation, as well as the similar traditional culture and spirit (of our two countries)," Sharipov told Xinhua. "We believe that bilateral ties would keep developing and cooperation in different fields would flourish under the leadership of Uzbek President Islam Karimov and Chinese President Xi," Sharipov said. Vice President of the Uzbekistan-China Friendship Association Bekmurodov Ismatulla noted that the signed article presented a blueprint for the future of bilateral relationship. Joint efforts to build up the Silk Road Economic Belt are giving strong impetus to and will become the cornerstone of bilateral cooperation, Ismatulla said. In recent years, under the Belt and Road initiative proposed by China, dozens of cooperation projects have been implemented in industry, air and railway transport and other fields in Uzbekistan, Chinese and Uzbek officials say. The Pengsheng Industrial Park, located southwest of the Uzbek capital of Tashkent, currently houses nine companies manufacturing tiles, leather, shoes, cellphones and other products, contributing to local economic development and improving local people's livelihood. The completion of Qamchiq, the longest railway tunnel in Central Asia, is expected to significantly improve the transport network of Uzbekistan and inject fresh impetus into local economic development. Uzbek merchant Botir Zhuraev told Xinhua that he hoped the Silk Road Economic Belt would open new prospects for business, trade and entrepreneurship in all areas. President Xi attaches great importance to the two countries' interaction on international affairs and security issues, as major economic projects cannot be fulfilled without a stable and safe environment, Zhuraev noted. "Peace and stability in the world is the key to business success," Zhuraev said, echoing President Xi's idea. In 2015, two-way trade reached 3.5 billion U.S. dollars, up by more than 70-fold compared with the early days of diplomatic relations between the two countries, according to Chinese official figures. Other Uzbeks pay more attention to the fast-growing cultural links with China. Tilovo Ozod, a Chinese-language postgraduate student, expressed his keen interest in the Chinese culture. He cannot agree more with President Xi's appraisal of the traditional and cultural links of the two countries and the deep mutual understanding between the two peoples, Ozod told Xinhua. College teacher Gulnora Azimova also noted that more and more young Uzbeks want to learn Chinese and study Chinese culture. In recent years, tremendous progress has been made in student exchange, language training, joint archaeological projects, translation of literary works and other cultural programs between China and Uzbekistan. China has established a Uzbekistan Research Center in Shanghai for studying Uzbek history and social customs. The Uzbek language is also being taught and learnt in Chinese colleges. Related: China, Uzbekistan elevate ties to comprehensive strategic partnership TASHKENT, June 22 (Xinhua) -- China and Uzbekistan upgraded their ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership Wednesday after talks between visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Uzbek counterpart, Islam Karimov. BEIJING, June 22 (Xinhua) -- China's Belt and Road construction projects are gaining steam, with various achievements and accords between China and Eurasian countries, a senior official with the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) said Wednesday. Economic cooperation between China and Eurasian countries has seen rapid development, Tong Daochi, assistant minister of the MOC, told a press conference. Tong said achievements included the agreement with Russia on aligning the Belt and Road initiative with the development of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) and joint development strategies with the European Union, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Indonesia. Direct investment by Chinese enterprises in countries along the Belt and Road amounted 14.8 billion U.S. dollars in 2015, up 18.2 percent year on year, and the total contract value with these countries last year rose 7.4 percent to 92.6 billion dollars, said Tong. China will continue to promote construction projects along economic corridors including the China-Mongolia-Russia economic corridor, the new Eurasia land bridge economic corridor, and the Bangladesh-China-India-Myanmar economic corridor, to facilitate international logistics, according to Tong. The Belt and Road initiative, proposed by China in 2013, refers to the Silk Road Economic Belt, which 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. It is a development strategy and framework that focuses on inter-connectivity and cooperation among countries primarily in Eurasia. DAKAR, June 22 (Xinhua) -- There has been mixed reaction from Senegal's political class over eventual release of Karim Wade, former minister and son to ex-president Abdoulaye Wade. Wade was sentenced to five years in prison for corruption, in an anti-graft campaign that was launched by President Macky Sall after coming to power in March 2012. "We never wanted to have Wade imprisoned, but we live in a country that respects the rule of law and everyone is subject to it," said Youssou Toure, the secretary of state in charge of literacy, who is also an official of the ruling party, Alliance for the Republic (APR). "If the presidential pardon is accorded to him, we applaud that move since it is on humanitarian grounds," Toure added. "We are in a country of laws. Everyone has a right to think and say whatever they want. Today, there are many people saying a lot of things, but no one so far knows how Wade is going to walk out of the prison," another APR official and member of parliament Abdou Mbow added. "No one knows whether it will be a presidential pardon, conditional release or an amnesty," Mbow said, deploring the habit of most Senegalese people to "read much" into political and judicial decisions. Ahmet Fall who is a parliamentarian on the ticket of former ruling party, Senegal Democratic Party (PDS), expressed joy at the willingness of Sall to release Wade. Addressing the press recently in Dakar, Fall asked the president to respect his commitment on the issue. "Wade was prosecuted and sentenced. Today, he should leave the prison, but all that I want to ask is that Sall honours his word before the people. The release of Wade will be a breath of fresh air for his father who has given everything for this country," he said. In an interview that appeared in a local daily newspaper, parliamentarian Modou Diagne Fada who is a former confidant of ex-president Wade, said the former powerful minister was "politically arrested, and he should be politically released." "Karim Wade is not supposed to be in prison. Until now when I am speaking to you, there is no evidence linking him to corruption and we continue to insist that his detention was arbitrary," Fada said. However, some members of the ruling party did not hesitate to criticise the decision of Senegalese president to release Wade from prison. "If today, Wade who was found guilty of corruption is released, it will be a political message directed to all people who will want to embezzle public funds or engage in corruption," warned Mamadou Ndoye, a member of the Democratic League that supports the government. "Wade's release will signify: Yes, you can steal and in any case, we shall set you free. This is why we think such an act is not good under the current political situation, even though a pardon is a prerogative of the president of the republic," he affirmed. BEIJING, June 22 (Xinhua) -- The revival of Eurasia entails both stability and economic growth. The 16th meeting of the heads of state of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) will begin on Thursday in Tashkent, capital of Uzbekistan, and it is the leaders' responsibility to work together in that direction. From 2001, security and economic cooperation have been the two "wheels" of the SCO. Now, apart from regular joint counter-terrorism drills, members are extending the organization's reach into finance, energy, food and the environment. The prospects for economic cooperation are brightened by the linkage of China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, which seeks to form a trade, investment and infrastructure network to connect Asia with Europe and Africa, and the construction of the Eurasian Economic Union(EAEU). In recent years the two "wheels" have spun increasingly in tandem. Terrorism and extremism simmer on all fronts and every nation is faced with systematic financial risk. Food security and humanitarian crises challenge underdeveloped countries in the region. SCO members dare not turn a blind eye to these risks that undermine stability and hamper development. The capability of the SCO in handling security issues is beyond doubt. In 2015, with the help of SCO anti-terrorism body, more than 150 members of international terrorist organizations were killed and 1,000 accomplices arrested. It is time for that same fruitful cooperation on the security front to be brought to bear on economic growth. The "wheel" of economic cooperation cannot be allowed to lag behind. Members are exploring fiscal and financial cooperation and contemplating the creation of an SCO development bank. China has proposed six platforms for cooperation -- connectivity, finance, production capacity, security, social affairs and trade -- new directions for the SCO to face down economic pressure, low energy prices and a slow global recovery. This is the 15th year of the SCO, an exemplary bloc of good neighbors, friendship and mutual benefit. In that time, China has been a willing and a positive contributor to stability in Eurasia and regional economic development, and now looks forward to many more fruitful years to come. Related: Spotlight: Kyrgyz official, experts hail SCO's achievements, great potential BISHKEK, June 18 (Xinhua) -- Official and experts from Kyrgyzstan have spoken highly of the achievements made by the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), saying the organization is very "promising" and has great potential. In a recent interview with Xinhua, Kyrgyzstan's Minister of Economy Arzybek Kozhoshev said the SCO has proved to be one of the strongest and most promising organizations in the world. Full Story Uzbek foreign ministry holds press conference about 16th SCO summit TASHKENT, June 20 (Xinhua) -- The Uzbek Foreign Ministry held a press conference here Monday about the 16th Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit, saying a series of documents will be signed and tasks completed during the meeting. MOGADISHU, June 22 (Xinhua) -- The Somali army killed seven Al-Shabaab militants during an operation in the east of Galgudud region in central Somalia on Tuesday evening, an army officer has said. The army commander in Galgudud region, Col. Ahmed Mohamed, told reporters on Wednesday that the operation was well-planned and targeted the militants' base in the area. "We conducted very successful operation at a terrorist base in Messagawa location east of this region, we destroyed the base completely," Mohamed said. Eight other militants escaped with injuries, he said. He did not reveal whether the militants inflicted any casualties on the army during the fighting. The Somali army, supported by the African Union troops in Somalia, has been battling the Al-Shabaab Islamist group for years. The militants have been driven to rural areas in southern Somalia, but still frequently attack military and civilian targets in the country. PARIS, June 22 (Xinhua) -- French unions said they have gained an approval to hold a march on Thursday in Paris, media reported on Wednesday. WUHAN, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Rural migrant Wang Yu, who now works in Wuhan, capital of central China's Hubei Province, hopes he could enjoy the same medical reimbursement as his urban peers. "In my hometown, I pay only a little over 100 yuan (15.20 U.S. dollars) a year under the new rural cooperative medical system and can get around half my medical expenses reimbursed," said Wang, a native of Xiantao in Hubei. "But in Wuhan, many of the drugs prescribed by the doctors here are not on the reimbursement list for rural residents," he said. Wang is just one of a large number of rural migrants who live in cities but are not entitled to the local medical insurance policy. The good news for Wang, however, is that the authorities in Hubei this month promised to unify the basic rural and urban medical insurance systems from next year. The authorities in the northern province of Hebei and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region made similar pledges. The State Council, earlier this year, urged all provincial-level regions to unify medical insurance starting 2017. Ten provincial-level regions have already finished. Under the new regime, rural citizens can enjoy higher government subsidies, more hospitals and a longer reimbursement drug list -- no matter where they are. They can also choose higher government-subsidized medical insurance when they move to cities and not have to pay medical insurance again there, said Dai Wei, head of the medical insurance department under the Hubei Provincial Bureau of Human Resources and Social Security. Basic rural and urban medical insurance, in most regions, are still managed by two different government departments, which is inefficient and costly. Xiang Yunhua, a professor with Wuhan University, said with a longer reimbursement list, rural citizens will enjoy a fairer medical service. In Inner Mongolia, rural residents will have 30 percent more drugs available for reimbursement. In Hebei, rural citizens will enjoy nearly triple. Chu Fuling, head of the China Social Security Research Center under the Central University of Finance and Economics, said authorities should continue to gradually bridge the gap between services for rural and urban residents. The unified system also could help the allocation of the medical insurance budget, so regions could help each other should there be a shortfall of funding, said Xiang. Many regions in China have reported increased medical expenses over the past few years. XINING, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Ma Shemu wipes the floor of the vestibule with paper hand towels, puts down his black jacket, faces West, kneels down on his jacket and prays for 20 minutes. Ma, from northwest China's Gansu Province, is a member of the Hui ethnic group. As with Muslims everywhere observing the holy month of Ramadan, Ma prays five times a day, even when aboard a train. The Z917 train from the provincial capital of Lanzhou is speeding Ma to Nyingchi in southwest China's Tibet. He is visiting his son who has been in business there for four years. To catch the early train, Ma stayed at a relative's home near the station. At 4 a.m. he had beef noodles for "suhur," the meal eaten before daybreak that will sustain him through his day's fast. Muslims do not eat or drink from dawn to dusk during the holy month, a practice widely observed in China by Hui, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Tajik, Uygur and Uzbek ethnic minorities, among others. On the train, Ma makes small talk with another passenger, Su Hebibu, also Hui, from Linxia of Gansu where they boarded the train together. Su, 35, runs a fruit business in Nagqu, Tibet. He returns home every May or June, when business is quiet. He too is fasting. "I sometimes feel dizzy and weak during the day, pretty much like the altitude sickness I encountered when I first arrived in Nagqu," Su said. At 8:45 p.m., Ma takes out tea leaves, pancakes and some salad and begins to prepare "iftar," a most welcome meal taken when the sun finally sets. He bought the salad at a halal noodle stall before getting on the train. "We usually break our fast at 8:40 p.m. at home, but on the train, I will delay my dinner because of the time difference," he said pointing at the sun, still hovering above the horizon. At 9 p.m., bidding farewell to some fellow Muslim passengers disembarking at Golmud Station, Ma takes the first swallow of tea before tucking in to the salad and pancakes. The train, carrying 787 passengers, is running on the Qinghai-Tibet Railway, the world's highest, and a lifeline between Tibet and the rest of China. The line celebrates its 10th anniversary on July 1. According to chief train conductor Yang Xiaomeng, during Ramadan, most Muslim passengers choose to pray in the restaurant car or vestibules. Many carry their own "sajjada," or prayer mat. At 4 a.m. the next morning, as the train is arriving at Tanggula, the world's highest railway station, Ma takes his "suhur" once again and begins another long day's fast. Ma has never taken a plane. The furthest he has ever gone is Lhasa, capital of Tibet, where has been three times by train. "The railway keeps me close to my son," he says. RIYADH, June 22, (Xinhua) -- Saudi Arabia has announced a distance education program for one million Yemenis from the beginning of the new academic year, local newspaper Okaz reported on Wednesday. Launched by King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre, the program will cover both male and female Yemeni students who live in Yemen or seek refuge in Djibouti and Saudi Arabia, according to the report. The Saudi Education Minister Dr Ahmed Al Isa said the agreement on the program was signed on Tuesday between the Yemeni government and Saudi Education Development Company. He highlighted there are 20,000 Yemeni students who study at different Saudi schools. Students will establish direct and regular contact with their teachers through relevant websites that contain curriculums and teaching activities following the Yemeni syllabus, said the minister. They will also have online exams and tests, he said. The minister has faith in the success of the program as a similar program covering Saudi students in the western borders has led to fruitful results. Saudi Arabia was forced to close many schools near its borders with Yemen when the Saudi-led military operations against Houthis in Yemen began in March 2015. Enditem Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying (Source: fmprc.gov.cn) BEIJING, June 22 (Xinhua) -- A Foreign Ministry spokesperson on Wednesday said China was willing to work with the new Philippine government to bring bilateral ties back on a sound track of development. In his speech Tuesday, president-elect Rodrigo Duterte mentioned the benefits of nurturing friendly relations with Beijing. China sticks by pursuing friendship and partnership with its neighbors, including the Philippines, spokesperson Hua Chunying told a daily news briefing. It serves the fundamental interests of the two countries and meets the shared aspirations of the two peoples to deal with disputes properly and improve bilateral ties, Hua said. The sound development of bilateral ties will also result in opportunities for the common development of the two countries, Hua added. BEIJING, June 22 (Xinhua) -- A circuit court under the Supreme People's Court (SPC) has been assigned to conduct a retrial of rape and murder case in which a man was found guilty and executed two decades ago. The Second SPC Circuit Court in Shenyang, capital of northeast China's Liaoning Province, will rehear the case of Nie Shubin, the SPC said in a statement Wednesday. A review found that evidence presented in the original trial was insufficient to identify Nie as the perpetrator beyond all doubt. President of the Shenyang court Hu Yunteng will be the chief justice in the retrial. Nie, from Hebei Province, was convicted and executed in 1995 for the rape and murder of a woman. In 2005, another man confessed to the crime. In December 2014, the SPC, following an application from Hebei Higher People's Court, assigned the higher court of Shandong Province to review the case. The review panel concluded that the evidence was questionable and suggested the case be reheard. The SPC statement noted that decisions and rulings of its circuit courts are deemed to be those made by the SPC itself. HANGZHOU, June 22 (Xinhua) -- More than 3,900 volunteers have been recruited for the upcoming G20 summit to be held in the eastern city of Hangzhou in September, officials said Wednesday. The volunteers, who are mostly college students and teachers who can speak a foreign language, were chosen from over 26,000 applicants from 15 universities across Zhejiang Province, said volunteer coordinator Wang Huilin. Wang said around 3,200 volunteers will assist participants during the meeting. Some 700 people will be on standby, should demand increase. The volunteers have undergone training, including event services and first aid. "I'm so excited to be a part of the G20 summit," said Luo Dandan, a volunteer who studies translation and interpretation at Zhejiang Gongshang University. "I've never had any experience with something as huge as the G20. Working as a volunteer for the summit will also help my confidence," Luo said, "I'm really looking forward to this summit." LONDON, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Buckingham Palace was forced on Wednesday to insist that Queen Elizabeth II did not take part in politics after two of Britain's big selling morning newspapers brought the monarch into the Brexit discussion. On the eve of the polling day in the British referendum on EU membership, both the Daily Express and the country's top selling tabloid, the Sun, published reports the monarch had been quizzing her dinner quests about the benefits of the European Union. In what is the last day of campaigning ahead of Thursday's historic vote, both sides were making their final efforts to win over the millions of people yet to decide how to vote. The Daily Express carries the headline "Queen issues EU challenge to dinner guests: Give me three 'good reasons' to stay in the EU'." The paper said the Queen's biographer Robert Lacey revealed the monarch's alleged comments and said she had also been asking people "why Britain should be part of Europe?" Lacey was quoted as saying, "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." A similar report made the front page of the Sun. In response to the reports, a Buckingham Palace spokesman said Wednesday: "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." Meanwhile, more than 1,280 executives, including directors from 51 companies of the FTSE 100, Britain's benchmark stock market gauge, signed a letter published in the London Times newspaper, backing Britain's membership of the EU. The Remain campaign said the letter showed "unprecedented" support from across business and finance. Leave supporter Daniel Hannan, a Conservative MEP (Member of the European Parliament) said Wednesday the business community in Britain was divided on EU membership, with the exception of the "mega banks and the large multinationals." Most of the polling organizations continued to report that the outcome result of the EU debate was too close to call. BEIJING, June 22 (Xinhua) -- India and Pakistan are expected to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) as members during its 16th meeting of the Council of Heads of state in the Uzbek capital of Tashkent on June 23-24. The expansion of the group from six members to eight is an eloquent testimony to the drawing power of the SCO's underlying values -- the "Shanghai Spirit" of mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diverse civilizations and pursuit of shared development. Born together with the "Shanghai Five" 20 years ago, the "Shanghai Spirit" not only serves as the core value of the SCO, but also has contributed to the growing influence of Central Asia as a whole. "It used to be a Central Asian bloc that pursues collective security. With two more members, the group is establishing itself as a Eurasian bloc that can achieve more both in security and economic terms," said Wang Yiwei, head of the European Union Research Center at China's Renmin University. SUCCESSFUL SECURITY COOPERATION As an effective and constructive regional mechanism, the SCO has gained a reputation for successfully ensuring regional stability, something that the 16th meeting of the Council of Heads of State will reiterate this week. Its predecessor, the "Shanghai Five" that grouped China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan, has successfully guarded Central Asia against conflicts thanks to two important regional treaties signed under the guidance of the "Shanghai Spirit," the Treaty on Deepening Military Trust in Border Regions in 1996 and the Treaty on Reduction of Military Forces in Border Regions in 1997. The treaties, said Erik Ashimov, Kazakhstan's permanent delegate to the SCO Secretariat, are "unprecedented" because they have "turned the once conflicting border areas into peaceful ones that even serve as a bond of friendship between bordering countries." In 2001, the bloc included Uzbekistan in the "Shanghai Five" mechanism before the six countries adopted the Declaration of the SCO in June, leading the organization to attain a higher level of international cooperation. Since its establishment, the bloc has effectively fought against traditional security threats like the "three evil forces" of terrorism, separatism and extremism as well as non-traditional ones like cross-border crimes. "The SCO has yielded the most impressive results in security cooperation through such joint efforts as regular anti-terrorism training exercises, exchanges of information on terrorist activities, and coordination among intelligence departments," said Alexander Lukin, director of the Center for East Asia and SCO Studies at the Moscow State University for International Relations. According to Sergey Katyrin, president of Russia's Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the SCO, carrying forward the "Shanghai Spirit," has contributed greatly to regional stability, steadily gaining influence as an effective working mechanism for peacekeeping and a guarantor of stability in the Eurasian region. GREATER RESPONSIBILITIES ASSUMED The 16th SCO summit is poised to further advocate the "Shanghai Spirit" and guide the direction of the bloc's further development, featuring security cooperation in a broader region of Eurasia and wider economic cooperation. "By admitting India and Pakistan into the bloc, the SCO is facing up to a security threat in the broader Eurasian region," said Ye Hailin, researcher on South Asian issues at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. "The group will be combating security threats like terrorism in a broader regional space." Ye's remarks are highly relevant as the situation is changing swiftly though the security situation is relatively stable in Central Asia. "There has been an increase of violent regional tensions and terrorist activities," said Andre Kazantsev, director of the Analytical Center at Russia's Moscow Institute of International Relations. He said the Islamic State has recruited a large number of people from this economically uneven area and the possibility that terrorist activities will originate from Central Asian nations is on the rise. "We are faced with increasingly heightened border stress, which could grow more grave in the future," said Yuri Tavrovsky, professor at People's Friendship University of Russia. "Therefore, it is absolutely necessary for us to enhance our coordination to combat terrorism and safeguard the security of Central Asia," Kazantsev said. Mechanisms within the SCO have been created for joint anti-terrorism drills, intelligence exchanges and cyber terrorism. But more coordination and cohesion are needed, said Zhang Xinfeng, former director of the Executive Committee of the SCO's Regional Anti-Terrorism Agency. Sun Zhuangzhi, secretary-general of the SCO Research Center at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that the SCO is also facing unconventional security threats. "Securing food sources has become a priority for many Central Asian countries whose food supply relies heavily on imports," Sun said, adding that "nations such as Kazakhstan that are better off economically need to attach importance to financial security." BROADER COOPERATION PROSPECT With India and Pakistan on board, the bloc might also add a few countries to the observation list, which, said Wang, is a step forward in expanding the region's economic prosperity. To promote common prosperity, SCO member countries have been aligning themselves with China's Belt and Road Initiative, which Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed in 2013 in a bid to boost connectivity and cooperation among Asia, African and European nations. Some programs have already yielded results and others remain ongoing. The Western Europe-Western China international transit corridor and the Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan-Iran-Oman transport corridor are under construction and are crucial in the rebuilding of the Silk Road. This expansion of international transportation would benefit some 3 billion people in countries along the ancient road. When the China-Kyrgyzstan railway project is completed and put into operation, Kyrgyzstan will be able to connect its railway lines with those of Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and even Europe, increasing regional interconnectivity. Furthermore, SCO member states have also made headway cooperating in the energy and telecommunication sectors, among others. In order to fund larger projects, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang, speaking at the SCO Prime Ministers' Meeting in the central Chinese city of Zhengzhou last December, called for a steady expansion of the SCO Interbank Consortium. He also added that China would promote the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the BRICS New Development Bank to support SCO member projects. These measures are intended to fulfil China's pledge to build a community of common destiny in the region, a pledge fueled by the "Shanghai Spirit." Related: SCO boasts great vitality and bright prospects: secretary-general BEIJING, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Secretary-General Rashid Alimov has lauded the vitality and prospects of the SCO, saying it has strived for political stability, security, economic cooperation and common development among its member countries. "Within the group, no one dominates, wins or loses, and agreements are reached through negotiation and consultation, which has made the SCO a paradigm of the peaceful co-existence of nations with different powers and various political systems and cultures," said Alimov. Full story Quotable quotes: Chinese FM's remarks on role, further development of SCO TASHKENT, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Tuesday hailed the role of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in promoting regional prosperity and stability, and proposed to further develop the bloc. HANOI, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Binh Son Refinery and Petrochemical Company (BSR), management unit of Vietnam's first oil refinery plant, is seeking partners of equitization. BSR is negotiating with partners from Russia and the Middle East to get the Dung Quat Oil Refinery Plant equitized, reported Vietnam's state-run radio Voice of Vietnam (VOV) on Wednesday. The BSR, whose investment is 100 percent from Vietnam's National Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam), is now conducting expansion of Dung Quat plant and continuing negotiation for equitization at the same time. In July, a Russian delegation is scheduled to come to Vietnam for further negotiation, reported VOV. Earlier, Russia's Gazprom Neft and PetroVietnam have signed a document, in which Gazprom Neft said it intends to buy 49 percent of ownership and management of the BSR. The construction of Dung Quat Oil Refinery Plant started in 2005 in central Quang Ngai province and was inaugurated in 2009. The refinery cost some 3 billion U.S. dollars with a designed capacity of processing some 6.5 million tons of crude oil annually. In mid-2015, a project to upgrade and expand Dung Quat plant was approved with investment of 1.82 billion U.S. dollars to raise capacity of the plant to 8.5 million tons a year, scheduled to be completed in 2021. The BSR posted a cumulative loss of around 44.8 million U.S. dollars from 2010 to 2014, local Thanh Nien (Young People) online newspaper said, citing statistics by PetroVietnam in 2015. Yemeni students sit for the final-year school exams at a secondary school in the capital Sanaa, on May 28, 2016. (Xinhua/AFP Photo) RIYADH, June 22, (Xinhua) -- Saudi Arabia has announced a distance education program for one million Yemenis from the beginning of the new academic year, local newspaper Okaz reported on Wednesday. Launched by King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre, the program will cover both male and female Yemeni students who live in Yemen or seek refuge in Djibouti and Saudi Arabia, according to the report. The Saudi Education Minister Dr Ahmed Al Isa said the agreement on the program was signed on Tuesday between the Yemeni government and Saudi Education Development Company. He highlighted there are 20,000 Yemeni students who study at different Saudi schools. Students will establish direct and regular contact with their teachers through relevant websites that contain curriculums and teaching activities following the Yemeni syllabus, said the minister. They will also have online exams and tests, he said. The minister has faith in the success of the program as a similar program covering Saudi students in the western borders has led to fruitful results. Saudi Arabia was forced to close many schools near its borders with Yemen when the Saudi-led military operations against Houthis in Yemen began in March 2015. DAMASCUS, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Syria's President Bashar al-Assad on Wednesday ordered the current minister of electricity, Emad Khamis, to form a new government, state news agency SANA reported. Assad appointed Khamis to be the prime minister of the new government, replacing former prime minister Waerl al-Halqi. The formation of a new government came weeks after the Syrian parliament was elected. According to the law, a new government should be formed within 40 days following the parliament elections. The new government will be the sixth to be formed under the presidency of al-Assad. The last government was formed in August 2014, following the re-election of al-Assad, and was headed by al-Halqi. The names of the new ministers are expected to be announced within the next two days. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying (Source: fmprc.gov.cn) BEIJING, June 22 (Xinhua) -- China urged parties to avoid actions that will escalate tension on the Korean Peninsula following the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s two suspected missile launches on Wednesday. "Given the complicated and sensitive situation on the Korean Peninsula,all parties should avoid moves that escalate tension on the Peninsula and work to maintain regional peace and stability," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said when asked to comment on the issue. The DPRK fired what were believed to be two Musudan intermediate-range ballistic missiles on Wednesday, Yonhap news agency reported, citing military authorities, but the DPRK has not confirmed the report. The Korean Peninsula nuclear issue has complicated roots, which require a package of measures to resolve. Peace and stability there serve the interests of all parties and deserve unremitting joint efforts, Hua said. "We have explained our stance to the DPRK and the rest of the world," Hua said. A healthy and stable relationship between China and the DPRK is conducive to solving the nuclear issue on the Peninsula and maintaining peace and stability there, she said, adding that China will continue to work in this direction. Hua called on all sides to make constructive efforts to help ease the situation and resume dialogue. CANBERRA, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Debris which earlier this month washed up on Kangaroo Island in south Australia did not come from the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, the Australian government said on Wednesday. A statement released by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) said careful examination by Malaysian and Australian authorities, as well as the aircraft manufacturer, determined that the debris was not from the missing Boeing 777 aircraft which disappeared in March 2014. "The ATSB recovered the part and examined it, in conjunction with Malaysian authorities and the aircraft manufacturer, Boeing," the statement said. "Information received from the manufacturer indicates that the item is not consistent with the manufacturing specifications of a Boeing commercial aircraft," said the statement. "As such, the ATSB has assessed that the item is not related to the safety investigation or on-going search for MH370." The ATSB also said that, on June 20-21, officials from Australia, China and Malaysia met to discuss a "range of matters" pertaining to the operational search being undertaken in the southern Indian Ocean, and "agreed to plans for recovery activities, including securing all the evidence necessary for the accident investigation" should the aircraft be found in the search zone. According to the government organization, more than 105,000 square kilometers of the 120,000 square kilometer sea floor zone has been searched, with completion expected before the end of the year. The latest update from the ATSB comes after photographs of possible passenger luggage, recently found in Madagascar, were released to the public. On Tuesday, the ATSB said any investigation into the photographs was under the jurisdiction of Malaysia. 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 aboard MH370, 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 told Xinhua. He said 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." MH370 was a scheduled passenger flight from Kuala Lumpur bound for Beijing which disappeared on March 8, 2014 with 239 passengers and crew on board. DAR ES SALAAM, June 22 (Xinhua) -- The newly appointed Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) CEO has called on workers of the railway firm to be customer-centric in order to turn the authority into the best transport organization in the region, a TAZARA statement said on Wednesday. Bruno Ching'andu, TAZARA Managing Director, met over 500 Dar es Salaam-based TAZARA employees and told them that he wanted to preside over a workforce that was proud to work for TAZARA, paid handsomely and competitively and operating in a safe environment, with plenty of opportunities to learn and grow. "I dream of a TAZARA whose workers are proud and happy to be working for this company," said Ching'andu. "I want us to be customer-centric, giving maximum respect to our clients and contributing to the growth of the economies of Tanzania and Zambia by paying taxes and dividends to the shareholders," he added. He challenged the workers to work as a unified team with one common goal in order to eliminate the divisive tendencies that pulled the authority backwards. He said he left a well-paying job in South Africa to join TAZARA because he knew it was possible to turn around the authority and begin to earn sustainable revenue, enough to pay employees' salaries, taxes and dividends to the shareholders. "This company has everything it needs to make money. The Chinese came, built the infrastructure and handed it over to us to manage," said Ching'andu. "They (the Chinese) gave us fishing rods and taught us how to fish, but immediately after they left, we went back to sleep, threw away the fishing rods and started to beg for fish," he said. Ching'andu is in his second month at the helm of TAZARA, having taken up the position as the authority's CEO in April 2016. Last week, TAZARA and the National Railways Company of Democratic Republic of Congo agreed to aggressively market their services to increase the volume of freight between the port of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania and the DRC. TAZARA hit its lowest ebb in the 2014/15 financial year when only about 88,000 metric tons of freight were transported, the lowest figure recorded since 1976 when TAZARA operations officially began. Aged between 25-30 years, most mainline locomotives that are currently in operation have outlived their life spans and are frequently breaking down, a situation that has been exacerbated by the authority's failure to adhere to maintenance schedules due to liquidity challenges. Over the years, the passenger service operational levels had also dropped to the very minimum, where barely 455,000 passengers were transported in the 2014/2015 financial year, compared to ten years ago when the authority used to convey more than 900,000 passengers annually. TAZARA was constructed as a turnkey project between 1970 and 1975 through an interest-free loan of 500 million US dollars from China, with commercial operations starting in July 1976, covering 1,860 kilometres from Dar es Salaam in Tanzania to New Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia. Enditem COLOMBO, June 22 (Xinhua) -- The Maldivian government announced its shuffle to the cabinet Wednesday, with Minister of Finance and Treasury Abdulla Jihad being appointed as vice president. Abdulla Jihad is the third vice president in the presidency of Abdulla Yameen, and also the successor of Ahmed Adheeb, who was dismissed after being suspected of being involved in the explosion on board the presidential boat eight months ago. The Deputy Minister at the Education Ministry, Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim, has been appointed as the Health Minister. While Ahmed Munawar has been appointed as the new Minister of Finance and Treasury, Aminath Zeneesha Shaheed Zaki has been appointed as the Minister of Gender and Family. At a ceremony held at the President's Office Wednesday, the newly appointed ministers took their oath in front of the Maldivian Supreme Court Judge, Abdulla Areef. TASHKENT, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping called for building a "green, healthy, intelligent and peaceful" Silk Road while addressing the Uzbek Parliament Wednesday as China is promoting its Belt and Road Initiative. COLOMBO, June 22 (Xinhua) -- The Sri Lankan government on Wednesday announced that it had decided to suspend a private consultancy firm involved in the construction of the new defence headquarters. The former Sri Lankan government decided to shift the headquarters of the tri-forces from the capital Colombo to Akuregoda outside Colombo. Last year current Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake proposed that a committee be appointed to submit a report on the entire project which had been estimated at an exorbitant cost including its scope, total cost, operational time frames and awarding of consultancy contracts and to pursue action in pursuant to the report. The committee appointed by the current government has now observed that the selection of consultancy firms for the project and their payments have been done without providing true information to the cabinet of ministers. Accordingly on a proposal made by President Maithripala Sirisena, the cabinet has decided to suspend the services of the selected private firm and to review the payments made for the firm. Once the project is completed, Sri Lanka's Ministry of Defence and tri forces headquarters will be shifted to the new state of the art facility. KATHMANDU, June 22, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Army personnel carry the coffin of a Nepali victim who was killed in the suicide bomb attack in Afghanistan, in Kathmandu, on June 22, 2016. The Nepalese government dispatched an aircraft to Afghanistan to bring home the remains of 12 Nepalese nationals killed in the Kabul suicide bombing on Monday. (Xinhua/Pratap Thapa) KATHMANDU, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Nepal on Wednesday received the bodies of the 12 Nepalese killed in a suicide bomb attack in Kabul on Monday. The bodies of those killed were airlifted to Kathmandu through a chartered flight of national flag carrier Nepal Airlines(NA). Nepalese Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Kamal Thapa, Minister for Home Affairs Shakti Basnet, among others, went to the Tribhuwan International Airport (TIA) in the afternoon to receive the bodies. After offering final tributes to the Kabul victims, the prime minister expressed grief over the loss of the innocents in the violent act. Talking briefly with media, PM Oli said that it was a cowardice act to kill Nepalese, who didn't have any relations or rivalry with Taliban. Taliban has claimed the responsibility of the suicide bombing, which took place in Kabul at the wee hours of Monday. The 14 people including 12 Nepalese were killed in a suicide bombing on Monday while they were riding in a mini bus to their duty station. All those were working as security guards for the Canadian Embassy. The victims, majority of them retired Nepal Police and Nepal Army officials, were hired by a British security consultancy firm Sabre International. Seven Nepalese migrants were also injured in the Kabul attack. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, five of them were evacuated and are undergoing treatment at New Delhi based Apollo hospital. Meanwhile, 24 Nepalese working in Afghanistan have also returned home in the same special flight of NA owing to security concerns. All the returnees were working as security guards in the Canadian mission. According to the Department of Foreign Employment, 8,889 Nepalese migrants had received permission to work as security guards in war-hit Afghanistan within the last 10 years. The government has been sending its citizens to Afghanistan to work as security guards for the United Nations and diplomatic missions. There are six recruiting agencies for sending the workers to Afghanistan. According to the Foreign Employment Act 2064, 110 countries are regarded as legal destinations for the Nepalese migrant workers. BEIJING, June 22 (Xinhua) -- The Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) publicized a regulation that defined prosecutors' responsibilities when supervising compulsory medical care, including the institutionalization of people with mental health issues. According to the regulation, made public Wednesday, prosecutors should demand reassessment of committed patients if there is any doubt about their assessment. Prosecution agencies, if they find patients do not meet certain criteria or a court's judgement is in question, should demand a review of the decision, the regulation said. The review should be completed within 20 work days by a procuratorate of the same level as the court that made the decision. Moreover, it stipulated that procuratorate must supervise medical care provided to subjects and the discharge process. Prosecutors are also required to demand correction in cases where subjects are denied visits or correspondence with relatives or legal representatives, or denied regular evaluations, among other irregularities. RAMALLAH, June 22 (Xinhua) -- A senior official in Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Fatah Party on Wednesday called on the states of South China Sea to resolve their current disputes through dialogue. Abbas Zaki, the Fatah official, who is in charge of the Chinese-Palestinian relations said in an emailed press statement that Fatah movement follows with concerns the difference of the Asian states that overlook South China Sea. He stressed that China is aware and knows its commitment in protecting the freedom of the sea and air navigation in the South China Sea area in accordance to the international law. "Fatah supports its friend China and support its sovereignty over the waters in the South China Sea. China seeks to establish the rules of right and justice through its principled position based on the peaceful resolution of disputes that achieve justice and participation among these states," said Zaki. Zaki also reiterated that China seeks to achieve a common win through revitalizing economic development of the countries of the world, especially countries bordering the South China Sea. Fatah movement called on the states of South China Sea to resolve their differences throughout the direct peaceful negotiations without any foreign intervention. "Fatah considers foreign intervention as one of the means that would feed conflicts and lead to more tension among the states of the region," he said, adding "Fatah believes that the presence of U.S. ships and submarines in South China Sea is provocative." Related: Dozens of countries support China's stance on South China Sea: FM 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." Full Story 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. CAIRO, June 22 (Xinhua) -- An Egyptian court on Wednesday acquitted 22 defendants charged with illegally protesting in April against a government decision to transfer two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia, state-run Ahram Online reported. Wednesday's verdict came one day after Egypt's 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 waters. The deal stirred controversy in Egypt and led to widespread protests on April 15 and 25. None of the 22 defendants exonerated were in detention before Wednesday's verdict; all had been already released, according to the report. It was the last group of defendants charged in the case. Others had been either found not guilty or released after paying hefty fines. An Egyptian anti-protest law stipulates obtaining police permits to stage rallies; otherwise protesters could be fined or jailed. POYANG, June 22, 2016 (Xinhua) -- An excavator fills up a breach at Xiangyang dyke in Poyang County, east China's Jiangxi Province, June 22, 2016. About 500 armed police started to mend a 100-meter gap in the river defenses on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Zhou Mi) NANCHANG, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Repair work on a breached dike in Poyang County in east China's Jiangxi Province started Wednesday afternoon. After days of heavy rain across the region, a river in Guxiandu Township, Poyang County, breached its banks Monday evening. About 13,000 people have been relocated to safer places and more than 10,000 mu (667 hectares) of farmland was inundated. Around 500 police were mending a 64-meter gap in the river defense. As of Wednesday afternoon, more than 2,000 people were involved in the project. "I hope the police can help us block the gap as soon as possible so that we can go back to our normal lives," said Zhu Yuwen, an official from Guxiandu Township. Chen Meizhi, from Jianyang Village, said her 20 mu plot had been damaged by the flood. "If they can mend the breach quickly, we still have time to plant late rice and harvest it in the second half of the year, which is our only hope," Chen said. The repair project, however, has been fraught with difficulties, the access road to the dike is too narrow for heavy vehicles, and two bridges near the site are unsafe, which stalled the transportation of materials to block the breached bank, according to the police. The rescue work is expected to be finished before Sunday, the police said. BISHKEK, June 22 (Xinhua) -- China is a locomotive of economic cooperation within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), a Kyrgyz official said in an interview with Xinhua Tuesday. China enjoys a very good economic relationship with each SCO member on a bilateral level, said Irina Orolbaeva, a Kyrgyz SCO coordinator and special envoy for SCO affairs at Kyrgyzstan's Foreign Affairs Ministry. "There are a lot of projects being implemented with the support of the Chinese government, not only in Kyrgyzstan, but also in Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan," said Orolbaeva. "And as a full member of the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), Kyrgyzstan is doing its part to promote the alignment of the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative and the EEU," she said. Orolbaeva believed the Chinese economic firewalls indeed support the regional economy against risks. "We have received investment and help from China. And we have a very good initiative to form a financial mechanism to support SCO project activity to form an SCO bank within the framework of the organization." The Kyrgyz official hoped that the initiative of creating a free economic zone and liberal trade regime within the SCO will be discussed too. Orolbaeva said that SCO members welcomed the initiative and its integration within the EEU, adding that these demonstrate real capacity cooperation. "The topic of the alignment of EEU projects and the Silk Road Economic Belt initiative was discussed actively during the Ufa Summit last year. And during the past year this topic has been discussed on various platforms," she said. "The last meeting of the Council of Heads of government took place in Zhengzhou in December last year. The Chinese side proposed to develop projects and capacities of ongoing industrial projects, and to move some projects to the territory of some SCO countries," she said, adding that more than 30 projects will be moved to Kyrgyzstan. Orolbaeva said that the SCO has big prospects, because SCO cooperation covers security, economic cooperation and the humanitarian area, or in general all international issues, and is attracting a growing number of members. During the Tashkent summit, Memoranda of Obligations by the Indian and Pakistani sides for obtaining SCO member status are expected to be signed, which Orolbaeva said are one of the important steps for India and Pakistan to join the organization as full members. "The fact that such important countries in the region like India and Pakistan want to be full members of the SCO testifies that the SCO's power is growing and during the 15 years of its existence, it became powerful and an instrument for solving many problems," said Orolbaeva. "Certainly, we are accepting two big countries and there is a risk, and not only is the geographical region that the SCO covers increasing, but also its political issues. We adhere and try to adhere to the guideline that bilateral discords between two countries will not be submitted to the SCO platform. We should work jointly taking into account security issues," she said. Orolbaeva believed that SCO memberships of these two countries can give an impetus to the organization to find and develop ways to address challenges, as India and Pakistan address these issues on a global level. Talking about security cooperation, Orolbaeva noted that heads of state always pay attention to crises that happen in the world. Certainly at the Tashkent Summit they will touch upon the Syrian crisis, Ukraine and Afghanistan, and ponder a nuclear weapon-free zone in Central Asia. "The security threat in the region makes us think how to use the mechanism better," she said, adding that a regional anti-terrorist network is already in place to share information for fighting the "three evil forces -- extremism, terrorism and separatism." Concerning the achievements of the SCO in the past 15 years since the organization was founded, Orolbaeva said that a very close relationship has been established between ministries and departments of SCO countries. "There is a program between the ministries of emergency situations, ministries of internal affairs, national security departments, ministries of culture and business councils, and there is a good relationship in the defense sphere," she said, adding that this is all due to the political will of the SCO member countries' leaders. "During the past 15 years, SCO member states have also learned the principle of making decisions and reaching consensus; in the SCO, all members, regardless of their political weight and economic condition, are equal," she said. JERUSALEM, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Israeli cabinet ministers said Wednesday they have requested Facebook to delete "inciting" posts against the country within 24 hours, as part of its struggle to quell a nine-month Palestinian uprising. Israeli Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked and Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan have met with visiting top Facebook officials, according to a statement by their offices. Social media have been used as a primary tool for "inciting terror acts" during the recent wave of violence, the statement said. The meeting was part of a move by Shaked and Erdan to draft a new bill to remove "terror" content from social networking sites. Under the bill, warnings will be sent to social media providers which host "forbidden content," including posts that encourage attacks against Israelis. If the providers do not remove the content, a court could issue a mandatory order to do so. Erdan, vowing to act quickly to get the bill passed, said he had instructed the police to focus on detecting "inciting contents on social media that encourage terror and violence." Israel's broad definition for "incitement" involves much of the Palestinian resistance to Israeli occupation, as the recently-approved Anti-Terror Act forbids membership or any other connection to groups announced as a "terror organization," including Hamas and the Palestinian Islamist movement. At least 205 Palestinians and 32 Israelis have been killed since the Palestinian uprising began in mid-September. Israel accuses the Palestinian National Authority of "inciting" the violence, while the Palestinians said it is the result of 49 years of Israeli occupation of the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, where more than five million Palestinians live and hope to establish an independent Palestinian state. TAIPEI, June 22, 2016 (Xinhua) -- People attend a sacrifice ceremony to pay tribute to Fu Xi, a culture hero in Chinese legend and mythology, in Taipei, southeast China's Taiwan, June 22, 2016. Fu Xi is believed to be the inventor of writing, fishing and hunting. (Xinhua/Wei Peiquan) TAIPEI, June 22 (Xinhua) -- A grand ceremony was held Wednesday in Taipei to commemorate legendary hero Fuxi, who was said to be the first man to use ropes to make nets for hunting and fishing. A similar annual event was also held the same day in Tianshui, Gansu Province, where Fuxi was born. It was the third time since 2014 that compatriots across the Taiwan Strait jointly commemorated this legendary character. After a drum beat and three tolls of a bell, participants made offerings and bowed in front of an icon resembling Fuxi in a large hall in downtown Taipei. A visiting delegation from Gansu also attended the event. During the ritual, a eulogy was read lauding the great contributions made by Fuxi to Chinese culture and wishes of common development and prosperity across the Taiwan Strait were expressed. A dance was performed at the end of the ceremony telling of Fuxi's feats. "It is significant for both sides of the Strait to jointly commemorate Fuxi," said Lin Junq-tzer, vice chairman of Kuomintang (KMT), at the ceremony. Much of Taiwan's cultural and religious traditions have their roots on the mainland, he said. "Fuxi is our common ancestor. Jointly commemorating him will promote cultural exchange and strengthen the sense of national identity," said Li Zhenya, head of the Gansu delegation. According to old records, Fuxi created "bagua" (a set of divination symbols), invented writing, advised people to marry and taught people to fish with nets. Tianshui in Gansu is recorded as Fuxi's birthplace and there are many Fuxi-related relics and historical sites located in and around the city. BEIJING, June 22, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Liu Yunshan (R front), a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, meets with senior foreign representatives who participated the third forum on China-Africa media cooperation in Beijing, capital of China, June 22, 2016. (Xinhua/Li Xueren) BEIJING, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Senior Communist Party of China (CPC) leader Liu Yunshan on Wednesday met with senior foreign representatives who participated the third forum on China-Africa media cooperation in Beijing. Liu, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, hailed the issuance of a joint declaration on exchange of personnel. Calling China and Africa "one community with a shared destiny," Liu said China had always valued relations with Africa and ties should support common development. The China-Africa media forum is an important part of China-Africa cooperation, said Liu, adding that China is willing to further enhance media cooperation with African countries in order to inject new impetus into ties. The China-Africa relationship was elevated to a comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation during Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Africa last December. Chad's Minister of Communication, Spokesman of Government Moustapha Ali Alifei, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the African Union, said media cooperation between China and Africa would increase communication competence and influence of developing countries. Representatives agreed that Africa would like to enhance media cooperation with China to lift the comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation to a new level. The two-day forum, which began in Beijing on Tuesday, was attended by 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 increase personnel and information exchanges to contribute to the China-Africa comprehensive strategic partnership. ZHENGZHOU, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Four people died and nine others were injured in an accident at an aluminum plant on Wednesday in central China's Henan Province, local authorities said. The accident occurred at 4:50 p.m. due to a piece of falling equipment, according to the provincial administration of work safety. Among the injured, two were seriously wounded. The plant is owned by the the Henan branch of the Aluminum Corp. of China. VIENTIANE, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Tourism ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) adopted on Wednesday a declaration calling for a roadmap to strategically identify, plan and develop an inter-connected network of ecotourism sites. Adopted at the ASEAN Ecotourism Forum 2016 held in southern Laos' Champasak Province, the Pakse Declaration on ASEAN Roadmap for Strategic Development of Ecotourism states that the ecotourism clusters and tourism corridors will be developed to traverse all ASEAN member countries, transcending borders and wildlife frontiers, facilitating tourists' travel deep into rural areas and nature reserves and allowing them to experience the essence of ASEAN's ecotourism attractions. The ministers state in their declaration that the 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, Lao state-run news agency KPL reported Wednesday. The Pakse Declaration is expected to be tabled at the ASEAN Summit in Vientiane Capital in September 2016. The ASEAN Ecotourism Forum 2016 fell under the theme "ASEAN without Borders: A Roadmap for the Strategic Development of Eco-tourism Clusters and Tourism Corridors" and was held on June 22 in Pakse, Champassak Province, some 470 km southeast of Lao capital Vientiane by aerial distance. The forum was held in the presence of Lao Minister of Information, Culture and Tourism Bosengkham Vongdara, ASEAN Secretary General Le Luong Minh, ASEAN Tourism representatives, and representatives of World Tourism. "This forum is an opportunity for ASEAN countries to cooperate closely to achieve ASEAN Vision 2025 and ASEAN Tourism Strategy (2016-2025). By 2025, ASEAN will become a quality tourist destination blessed with unique identities and diverse experiences," said Bosengkham. The Lao minister urged member countries to fulfil obligations to develop tourism in a responsible, participatory and balanced manner to contribute to the promotion of social and economic wellbeing in the ASEAN community. JERUSALEM, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry next week amid international efforts to restart peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, his office said on Wednesday. Netanyahu will visit Rome on June 26 and 27, where he is set to meet with Kerry as well as with Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement. The scheduled meeting will take place as France is advocating for its international peace initiative, which Israel opposes. Israeli officials instead suggested a regional move to restart peace talks, with Egypt and other Arab states being involved in the process. According to the Israeli Channel 2 news, Netanyahu prefers a potential Egyptian-led efforts to revive negotiations rather than the international approach pushed by France. On Monday, a forum of the European Union's foreign ministers voted in support of the French initiative, first suggested in January, which includes a plan to hold an international peace summit in Paris later this year. Earlier this month, representatives from 28 countries, as well as the European Union, the United Nations and the Arab League, met in Paris to lay the grounds for the planned French peace summit and discuss how to restart peace talks. Netanyahu and Israeli officials charge the French initiative would "push peace further away" and let Palestinians "avoid direct negotiations" by setting preconditions. The Israeli prime minister repeatedly stated there is "no replacement" for direct talks. The Palestinians support the French bid. Lately Netanyahu as well as recently-appointed Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman expressed their support of recent statements made by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who urged Israelis and Palestinians to resume negotiations, with Egypt playing a mediating role. The 2002 Saudi Peace Initiative, adopted by the Arab League, was mentioned in this context as well. The initiative states that if Israel and the Palestinians reach a two-state peace solution, other Arab states in the region will make peace with Israel as well. While Netanyahu mentioned it positively recently, he was also quoted as saying in closed circles the changes must be made into the initiative in order for Israel to accept it. Israel occupied the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip territories, home to more than five million Palestinians, in the 1967 Mideast War. The Palestinians wish to establish a Palestinian state in these territories. The last round of talks between Israelis and the Palestinians ended without results in April 2014 and was mediated by Secretary Kerry. Mounting international pressure for Israel and the Palestinians to resume talks follows an ongoing nine-month-long wave of violence, in which 32 Israelis and 205 Palestinians were killed. NAIROBI, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Kenya is set to have guidelines on parallel importation of medicinal substance in the next three months, an official said on Wednesday. Fred Siyoi, the Deputy Registrar of the Pharmacy and Poisons Board, said the guidelines will help reinforce the existing act on parallel importation that has been abused in the past. "All medicine importers will henceforth be required to avail their consignments for inspection at the port of entry to ensure that the imported products retain their quality, safety and efficacy," Siyoi said in Nairobi at a stakeholders' meeting. Parallel importation is the importation of a medicinal substance by an importer outside the manufacturer's or its licensed distributor's formal channels. According to the World Health Organization, parallel imports often takes place when there is differential pricing of the same products -- either brand-name or generic drugs -- in different markets, usually owing to local manufacturing costs or market conditions. In the recent past, Kenya's regulation of parallel importation of trademarked medicinal substance has become a contentious issue involving conflicting principles and policies that required a review to ensure that the regulation continues to serve the public interest. Siyoi said that lack of guidelines had led to pharmacists in the country selling medicine at the prices that were not dictated by the market. "We have witnessed instances where importers concentrate in economic value by taking advantage of price difference between markets to capitalize upon the imbalance to gain profit," Siyoi said. He added that stakeholders had focused on the economic issues of parallel imports rather than a critical analysis of the value of parallel imports to patients in a broader context. "The guidelines are set to determine the cost benefit to the patients and not merely making gains by the importers," Siyoi said. Wilberforce Wanyanga, a pharmaceutical expert with the UN Industrial Development Organization, said that the guideline will help close the window for counterfeit medicine in the country. "This move is likely to help protect patients by availing medicines at a cheaper price," Wanyanga added. The Chairman of Kenya Pharmaceutical Association, Kamamia Muricho, said the development of a guideline in parallel imports can reduce the price of health products and pharmaceuticals by introducing competition. He said that patients with non-communication diseases were the most affected as the price of medicine kept varying. "The guideline now stands to benefit Kenyans outside Nairobi and Mount Kenya region as they will access medicine cheaply," he said. Muricho lamented that it was unfortunate that many patients sold their properties including land to enable them to access good treatment. KIGALI, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Chadian President Idriss Deby who is also the African Union (AU) Chairperson, arrived in Rwanda, Capital Kigali on Wednesday for a one-day state visit ahead of forthcoming African Union Summit. Kigali is set to host the 27th AU summit from July 10th -18th under the theme; "2016: African Year of Human Rights, with particular focus on the Rights of Women." President Deby who was received by Rwanda foreign minister Louise Mushikiwabo upon arrival at Kigali International Airport is expected to meet and hold talks with Rwanda president Paul Kagame regarding AU summit preparations. His visit comes barely a week, since African Union Commission chairperson, Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, visited Rwanda to assess the country's preparedness to host the 27th AU summit. Speaking to reporters, Mushikiwabo said that, the Chadian leader is in Rwanda on working visit and to consult on various issues which they anticipate will come up during the summit. "Rwanda is hosting the AU summit in two weeks time. His Excellency Deby who is also the Chairperson of AU is in our country on vital matters concerning the upcoming summit," she added. More than 3,000 high-level delegates are expected to be in attendance at the summit, including about 50 African. During the meeting, African Passport will be launched as part of the continent's wider efforts to promote free movement of Africans within their region and other parts of the continent. Some of the major highlights of the summit will be election of 10 elective positions in the commission's Secretariat which is entrusted with executive functions. The positions include the AU commission's chairperson, a deputy chairperson and eight commissioners. TIKRIT, Iraq, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Iraqi security forces repelled an attack by Islamic State (IS) militants in the province of Salahudin Wednesday, a provincial security source said. Furthermore, in the same province, four people were killed in separate bomb and gunfire attacks. Dozens of IS militants attacked security forces posts along with those of allied paramilitary Shiite units, known as Hashd Shaabi, in the area of Zargah, 50 km east of the provincial capital city of Tikrit, seizing some of the military posts following heavy clashes, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. The troops regained control of the military posts following four hours of fierce clashes however, driving out the extremist militants towards the nearby Himreen Mountain, after additional troops arrived and launched a counter-attack covered by Iraqi aircraft, the source said. The battles in Zargah resulted in the death of 25 IS militants, including seven who were wearing explosive vests, and the destruction of two car bombs, whilst at least five security members were killed and 19 others wounded, added the source. Elsewhere, two Hashd Shaabi members were killed and three others wounded in a roadside bomb explosion near their patrol area in Albu Khaddo in south of Tikrit, 170 km north of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, the source said. Also in the same province, a civilian was killed and three others wounded when an unidentified gunmen opened fire towards a group of people as they left a mosque after the dawn prayer in the ethnically mixed town of Tuz-Khurmato, 90 km east of Tikrit, the source added. The attacks in Salahudin come as Iraqi security forces and allied Hashd Shaabi units undertake operations to drive out IS militants from the north of the province, including the IS-held town of Shirqat, 280 km north of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, the source said. The operations in the province of Salahudin are part of a major offensive to free areas in southern Mosul, including the town of Qayyara, so as to surround Mosul from the south and east, before attacking major IS strongholds in Mosul to flush out IS militants from the city, 400 km north of Baghdad. Iraq has witnessed intense violence since the IS controlled parts of its northern and western regions in June of 2014. TOKYO, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Japan's multinational healthcare company Fujifilm Corporation announced Wednesday that it had signed a patent license agreement on an effective ingredient of its anti-influenza drug with a Chinese pharmaceutical company. "Under this agreement, Fujifilm grants Hisun Pharmaceutical a license to use its Favipiravir-related patents in China to develop, manufacture and market an anti-influenza drug in China," said the leading global healthcare company based in Tokyo. "Fujifilm will receive a lump-sum payment and loyalties once such a influenza drug is successfully introduced to the market." Favipiravir is an effective ingredient of Fujifilm's anti-influenza drug "Avigan Tablet 200mg". Avigan Tablet, created by the Fujifilm Group company Toyama Chemical Co., Ltd., is an anti-influenza drug approved for manufacturing and marketing in Japan in March 2014. It is the first time that Fujifilm has reached a licensing deal with a foreign company for the drug. China's major pharmaceutical company Zhejiang Hisun Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. directed its attention to Avigan, which has manufacturing and marketing approval in Japan, to counter the growing concerns about a possible influenza pandemic in China. It approached Fujifilm last year to seek a patent license for the drug's effective ingredient, Favipiravir. Hisun Pharmaceutical, established in 1956, conducts research and development, production and marketing of active pharmaceutical ingredients and pharmaceuticals such as anti-cancer drugs and antibiotics. The company operates in over 70 countries and regions around the world. China has had reports of humans infected with avian influenza in addition to regular seasonal influenza. The need to develop new drugs for treating influenza has come amidst mounting concerns in recent years that avian influenza viruses could mutate into a new type of virus, capable of human-to-human transmission. Such a mutation could potentially trigger a pandemic. JUBA, June 22 (Xinhua) -- The number of sexual violence victims in South Sudan in the aftermath of the more than two years of civil war has reached 32,000 excluding death-related cases, the UN said on Wednesday. The spokesman for the UN Mission in South Sudan, Ariane Quentier, said that despite measures put in place to mitigate the scale of sexual violence in the country, nothing will be achieved unless victims are free to speak out and report about it to relevant authorities. "We shall not be able to address sexual violence unless people who have been victimised speak out and report it," Ariane told journalists in Juba. Several UN reports on the South Sudan civil war have accused both former warring parties -- the government troops (SPLA) and the rebels (SPLA-IO) -- of raping women, girls and abducting children. "Some 32,000 have been victimised since conflict broke out in December 2013 and it has been used as a weapon of war to destabilise communities," said Naweza Muderhwa, the UNMISS Women Protection Officer. Ariane said: "all parties including SPLA, SPLA-IO and other local militia groups affiliated to both parties committed sexual violence during conflict." Ariane said sexual violence was still a "new notion" in South Sudan despite officials trying to create awareness on it. She added most cases were committed in the northern states of Jonglei, Unity and Upper Nile, which had been hit hard by the brutal conflict. "Accountability is important. It's why we (UN) and other independent organizations are documenting human rights violations," she said. Ariane added they were currently involved in documenting witnesses and had conducted workshops across the country to highlight sexual violence effects. South Sudan is recovering from the aftermath of the civil war, which was ended by the formation of a transitional unity government by the former warring parties in April. VIENTIANE, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Laos and India are willing to launch direct flights as part of initiatives to boost cultural exchanges and bilateral trade between the two countries in the near future, Lao state-run Vientiane Times online newspaper reported Wednesday. India's ambassador to Laos Ravi Shankar Aisola recently said the direct flights between India and Laos were in the final stages of approval and very soon there would be flights between the two nations without the need to stop in a third country, according to the report. "Routes and other details are being worked out," Aisola said, adding that Indian companies can take advantage of the various incentives offered by the Lao government like export promotion zones to set up small-scale manufacturing units in the country. He also said that Laos, being in the category of a Least Developed Country, gets a preferential tariff policy from various other countries and Indian businesses stand to benefit greatly if they export materials from the country. Lao Ambassador to India Southan Sakonhninhom said Indian businesses could use Laos as a gateway to gain access to Asean markets. He also urged Indian companies to increase investment in areas of power, tourism and agriculture in the country, according to the report. India's investment in Laos is around 150 million U.S. dollars, much less than China's six billion U.S. dollars, according to the report. According to the latest official data from Laos' Tourism Development Department, 4,547 Indian tourists travelled to Laos in 2014, a decrease of 0.09 percent from 4,551 in 2013. BRUSSELS, Jan. 29, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Photo taken on Jan. 29, 2016 shows the UK and EU flags outside the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker met with British Prime Minister David Cameron here on Friday. (Xinhua file photo/Ye Pingfan) by Larry Neild LONDON, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Up to 46 million Britons will make their most important decision in decades in Thursday's referendum on the nation's membership in the EU, according to political experts. Their votes will decide the nation's future, either as one of the 28 member states of the European Union, or as a self-governing island country. The decision, said Prime Minister David Cameron, will have wide implications for generations to come. People yet unborn will have to live with a decision taken on June 23, 2016, he said. Britain joined what was the European Economic Community (EEC) in 1973 without a referendum, though in a national poll two years later the country voted by a margin of two to one to remain in the bloc. Jon Tonge, a politics professor at the University of Liverpool, told Xinhua that "this will be the most important decision Britons will make in their lives. Those few minutes people spend in polling stations on Thursday are hugely important." "You can sense that the British public is agonising on this question. Earlier today I was walking past a construction site in Liverpool and I could hear building workers arguing about whether to stay or leave. As well as being important, it will be the most difficult decision people will take." Opinion polls have shown the Remain and Leave sides are neck and neck in terms of voter support. "There is no clear indication of how the vote will go," said Tonge, adding he did not expect a second referendum if the Remain side wins, but there could be further referendums if Brexit were to win by a small margin. "In Ireland they had several re-runs of EU referendums until they finally reached a conclusion" to accept relevant treaties, he said. Thursday, added Tonge, could be the most dramatic day in British political history, but that drama will lessen if Remain scores a conclusive victory. The Remain side has constantly warned about the risk to the British economy and the threat to hundreds of thousands of jobs if the Leave side wins the referendum. It will slam the door, they say, on a single market of over 500 million people, leaving Britain to arrange trade agreements not just with the EU, but around the world. Brexit supporters say the 50 million pounds (74 million U.S. dollars) a day Britain pays to Europe can instead be used to boost the British economy and support the cash-strapped National Health Service. They also say the referendum is Britain's last chance to control its borders in the wake of massive immigration from poorer EU member states. But another fear has loomed on the horizon with a Brexit win, the prospect of other EU member states deciding they want to follow Britain and leave the EU. Peter Stoney, honorary senior fellow at the University of Liverpool's Management School, believes a Brexit could have ramifications for the EU. Cameron and the Remain camp accept that the EU must be reformed, but they say it is better for Britain to stay so it can play a key role in those reforms. Stoney feared a Brexit could lead to disintegration of the eurozone. BEIJING, June 22, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Yu Zhengsheng (C), chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), attends the opening meeting of the 16th meeting of the Standing Committee of the 12th CPPCC National Committee in Beijing, capital of China, June 22, 2016. Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang also attended the meeting. (Xinhua/Gao Jie) BEIJING, June 22 (Xinhua) -- China's senior political advisors met Wednesday to discuss poverty alleviation. Yu Zhengsheng, chairman of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) National Committee, attended the meeting. Vice Premier Wang Yang delivered a report, in which he stressed the need for precise, accurate data on those below the poverty line. Authorities should design accurate, targeted measures to ensure food, clothing, basic education, housing and medical care for the poor, Wang said. An appraisal and inspection mechanism should established to make sure that local governments implement the central policies in this regard. He also said the environment in the poverty-hit areas should be protected as local authorities strive to develop these areas. Political advisors also discussed various issues concerning poverty relief in panel discussions. Yu, who is also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, attended the panels. The central authority should take "extraordinary measures" and use the full strength of the Party and society to fight poverty, political advisors proposed. They also put forward suggestions on preferential policies for residents of border areas, increased poverty relief funds, improved health facilities and the selection and promotion system for officials in poverty-hit regions. BRUSSELS, June 22 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) agreed on Wednesday to establish a reinforced EU border agency, which will be up and running starting this summer, to ensure a strong and shared management of external borders. According to a Commission press release, the establishment of the European Border and Coast Guard system will build on the work of the current EU border agency, Frontex. The new system will create an agency made up of Frontex and authorities from EU member states' responsible for border management, who will continue to exercise the day-to-day management of the external borders. According to the Commission, the limitations of Frontex have hindered its ability to effectively address and remedy the situation created by the refugee crisis. For example, it is not able to purchase its own resources, hasn't got its own operational staff, relies on member state contributions, is unable to carry out its own return or border management operations without the prior request of a member state, and it does not have an explicit mandate to conduct search and rescue operations. "We need to strengthen Frontex significantly and develop it into a fully operational European Border and Coast Guard system," said European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker. The hope is that with the measure to strengthen the external borders, Europe can once again "get back to the normal functioning of the Schengen area and the lifting of temporary internal border controls by the end of the year," said the commission. Media reports said the scheme must still be endorsed by the full European Parliament, although this should be a formality. According to the Commission, between January and November 2015, an estimated 1.5 million people crossed the EU external borders illegally, an all-time peak. PHNOM PENH, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen's ruling party on Wednesday called on the parties directly concerned in the South China Sea issue to resolve their disputes through peaceful negotiations. "The Cambodian People's Party (CPP) insists that all parties concerned exercise self-restraint, do not use force or threaten to use force on the issues of South China Sea in order to give possibility to the parties directly concerned to negotiate with each other based on the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC)," said a CPP's statement. The statement also rejected the unjust allegations that Cambodia had spoiled a recent ASEAN joint statement on the South China Sea issue in China's Kunming and a joint statement in Cambodia's Phnom Penh in 2012. Enditem PHNOM PENH, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen's ruling party on Wednesday called on the parties directly concerned in the South China Sea issue to resolve their disputes through peaceful negotiations. "The Cambodian People's Party (CPP) insists that all parties concerned exercise self-restraint, do not use force or threaten to use force on the issues of South China Sea in order to give possibility to the parties directly concerned to negotiate with each other based on the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC)," said a CPP's statement. The statement also rejected the unjust allegations that Cambodia had spoiled a recent ASEAN joint statement on the South China Sea issue in China's Kunming and a joint statement in Cambodia's Phnom Penh in 2012. "In contrast, Cambodia has played a good role in mediating the South China Sea issues in order to maintain solidarity and harmony in ASEAN-China relations. Moreover, the South China Sea issues are not the issues between ASEAN and China," it said. The CPP voiced its support for Hun Sen's remarks on Monday that did not back the arbitral tribunal's upcoming decision over the South China Sea disputes, which was unilaterally launched by the Philippines. "Cambodia will not join in issuing any statement that supports the arbitral tribunal's ruling related to the dispute in the South China Sea," the statement said. 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. Hun Sen said at a graduation ceremony in Phnom Penh on Monday that the arbitral 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," he 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 also urged all parties concerned to resolve their differences through bilateral negotiations and appealed to the outsiders not to meddle in the issues. The Chinese government has reiterated its non-acceptance and non-participation stance in the case. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in its 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. Enditem PHNOM PENH, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen's ruling party on Wednesday called on the parties directly concerned in the South China Sea issue to resolve their disputes through peaceful negotiations. "The Cambodian People's Party (CPP) insists that all parties concerned exercise self-restraint, do not use force or threaten to use force on the issues of South China Sea in order to give possibility to the parties directly concerned to negotiate with each other based on the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC)," said a CPP's statement. The statement also rejected the unjust allegations that Cambodia had spoiled a recent ASEAN joint statement on the South China Sea issue in China's Kunming and a joint statement in Cambodia's Phnom Penh in 2012. "In contrast, Cambodia has played a good role in mediating the South China Sea issues in order to maintain solidarity and harmony in ASEAN-China relations. Moreover, the South China Sea issues are not the issues between ASEAN and China," it said. The CPP voiced its support for Hun Sen's remarks on Monday that did not back the arbitral tribunal's upcoming decision over the South China Sea disputes, which was unilaterally launched by the Philippines. "Cambodia will not join in issuing any statement that supports the arbitral tribunal's ruling related to the dispute in the South China Sea," the statement said. 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. Enditem CAPE TOWN, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Rising levels of violence and intimidation are characterising political and campaign activities ahead of the 2016 local elections, the Independent Electoral Commision (IEC) said on Wednesday. Incidents of what appear to be politically-motivated murders, assaults and other forms of intimidation of candidates have been reported across a number of provinces including Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal. Mpumalanga and the North West over the past few days, the IEC said. The IEC issued the statement as violent protests in Pretoria went into their third day. Protesters went on a looting rampage, burned houses and torched buses. Roads leading to several violence-stricken townships were barricaded with stones, tree branches and rocks. The protests were sparked by a decision by the ruling African National Congress (ANC) to place Thoko Didiza as its mayoral candidate for Pretoria to replace current mayor Kgosientso Ramokgopa in the upcoming elections, scheduled for August 3. In other cities like Durban, similar protests over mayoral candidates have also taken place over the past few days. The IEC condemns in the strongest possible terms all unlawful conduct and any behaviour which contravenes the Electoral Code of Conduct and undermines the democratic process of free and fair elections, IEC spokesperson Kate Bapela said. Violence, intimidation, destruction of property and intolerance have no place in a country with a Constitution based on respect for human rights, the rule of law and democracy, said Bapela. "That some of these acts are being carried out under the guise of 'defending democratic processes' is all the more shameful and incongruent with our democracy," he said. The IEC calls on all political leaders and candidates to speak out strongly against any conduct which undermines the conditions conducive to free and fair elections and especially the involvement of any of their members and supporters in such actions, Bapela said. Political leaders, he said, are ultimately responsible for the conduct of their supporters and members. The IEC also reminds all political parties, candidates and voters that infringements of the Code of Conduct carry severe penalties including disqualification from elections. Any criminal conduct may lead to prosecution and penalties including fines and jail terms, said Bapela. Enditem A stand of China takes part in the 2nd edition of the International Convention and Exhibition Industry of Cuba, in Havana, capital of Cuba, on June 21, 2016. (Xinhua/Joaquin Hernandez) by Raimundo Urrechaga HAVANA, June 21 (Xinhua) -- As Cuba sets its vision of a sustainable, rational industry that contributes to the country's development plans, the ongoing Second International Convention and Exposition, or CubaIndustria 2016, is witnessing a strong Chinese presence. Over 30 Chinese companies attended the annual industrial fair from Monday to Friday to further develop their ties with Havana in the industrial, transportation, textile, electronic and technology sectors. ' "China has gained experience in many of these areas and we are willing to share it with Cuba for its rapid development," said Miao Wei, Chinese Minister of Industry and Information Technology, at a forum in Cuba on Tuesday. The senior official told reporters that Beijing supports Havana's path to transform its economic model and the newly approved development plan. "Just like economic reforms in China, this will lead to a new path of development for Cuba. I see opportunities for Chinese companies and I hope that more will come and contribute to Cuba's social and economic development," said Miao, who is leading a delegation to CubaIndustria. "China and Cuba are at different phases of development and many of our companies have technology and products which can meet the needs and demands of the Cuban economy. Our government supports the strategy of our companies to invest and develop in Cuba," added the minister. Various Chinese companies have presence on the island. Among them is Beijing North Star, a high-tech firm which has been in the country since 2003, selling electronic products to Cuban homes. "We have sold a wide array of home appliances and products but we are currently developing other projects, such as LED lights that are compatible with the island, water treatment plants and robotic arms for factories to speed up production rates," Yang Longchuan, CEO of the company, told Xinhua. Cuba has become the company's main market in Latin America and the Caribbean, with North Star's revenue reaching 33 million U.S. dollars in 2015. A stand of China takes part in the 2nd edition of the International Convention and Exhibition Industry of Cuba, in Havana, capital of Cuba, on June 21, 2016. (Xinhua/Joaquin Hernandez) Chinese technology and home appliances giant, Haier, has been in the country since 2004. The company is developing a renewable energy plan, including a plant for photovoltaic products, LED lights and wind energy, Zhuo Yong, a top executive in Haier's renewable energy division, told Xinhua. Over the years, Haier's home appliances, including TV sets, monitors, refrigerators, washing machines and air conditioners have become popular on the island and are sought after for their competitive prices. In its endeavor to update the socialist model, Havana views Beijing as a vital and strategic partner to develop its aging industries. Cuban Industry Minister Salvador Pardo told Xinhua that a variety of bilateral projects will promote the modernization of Cuba's industry and bring immediate benefits to the economy. The projects include a factory to assemble high-definition TV sets with Chinese technology, a printing press system for Cuba's main newspapers and an industrial unit to build photovoltaic panels in the western province of Pinar del Rio. "China is a strategic partner in Cuba's industrial development. We have been sharing experiences for many years and we will continue to upgrade our industries with the help of Chinese companies," added Pardo. "We are accelerating investments in different areas, which is a win-win relation for both sides," said the Cuban minister. ABUJA, June 22 (Xinhua) -- At least 26 people have been confirmed killed in a series of violence which broke out early this week in central Nigeria's Benue State, local authorities said on Wednesday. Three local districts have so far been affected by the attacks suspected to be a perpetration of local herdsmen in the state, said Michael Oguwche, a traditional chief in Anyii, one of the three attacked villages. According to the local chief, the gunmen had first attacked Vase Village on Monday, before moving to the two other villages to wreak havoc late Tuesday and early Wednesday. He said the sequence of the attacks on Vase Village, Uzzar Village and his village showed that they were coordinated. More than 30 people sustained various degrees of injuries from the attacks, he added. Local police have confirmed the attacks, saying riot policemen were deployed to put the situation under control. Investigation was underway to ascertain the cause of the attacks, said local police. Enditem KATHMAMNDU, June 22 (Xinhua) --Hongshi-Shivam Cement Private Limited, a China-Nepal joint venture company, is struggling to acquire the land required to set up a cement factory in Nepal as the land law in the country bars to hold over 8 hectares of land in proposed location of factory. The company official told Xinhua that they require around 40 hectares of land to set up factory which will have the capacity of producing 6,000 tonnes of cement in a day. The company has planned to set up a factory at Nepal's South Western district-Nawalparasi and its mine site is located at neighboring Palpa district. As per Nepal's law, a cabinet decision is necessary to hold more than upper limit set by the law. "The Land Reform Ministry has sent the proposal of clearing our company to hold more lands to the cabinet," said Satish More, a director of Joint Venture Company. "We are awaiting the clearance from the government at the earliest and we are hopeful that it will happen soon." The company had initiated the process of getting clearance from the government nearly four months ago. Investment Board Nepal (IBN) which deals with big foreign investment has been facilitating the process. According to a company official, a longer procedure taken in clearance for land holding could lead to delay in construction of the factory. "We cannot move ahead to construct the factory without clearance on landholding from the government," said the official. The IBN had approved the Hongshi's FDI proposal in July 2015. China's Jiangxi-based company is one of the largest cement manufacturing companies in China. Kedar Bahadur Adhikari, secretary at the Prime Minister's Office in Nepal told Xinhua that it would not take much time to get approval from the cabinet if the proposal has already reached the cabinet. The company is also seeking clearance from the government for the terms of reference and scoping of the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) to be conducted before setting up the factory. The Hongshi-Shivam has planned to start construction of the factory from October and complete it within three years. It has now built a residential building at the factory site to carry out necessary homework for starting construction of factory. The Hongshi's FDI of 360 million US dollar is the largest Chinese investment in Nepal's cement industry and the second largest after Nigeria's Dangote Cement, which has also entered Nepal with FDI pledge of 550 million US dollar. Ships are docked at Piraeus port in Athens, Greece on Feb. 17, 2016. (Xinhua/Marios Lolos) by Maria Spiliopoulou ATHENS, June 22 (Xinhua) -- The Greek Competition Commission approved the sale of a majority stake in Piraeus Port Authority (PPA or OLP in Greek) to COSCO during its meeting on Wednesday, saying it is in line with Greek competition laws, Greek national news agency AMNA reported. The next and final step for the changing of hands at Piraeus port is for the concession agreement to be submitted to parliament for approval, which was expected to take place this Friday. After the parliament gives the green light, under the agreement sealed in April COSCO will pay to the Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund (HRADF) 280.5 million euros (317.3 million U.S dollars) for the 51 percent of shares in PPA and the management of the port. Following investments of another 300 million euros total worth in infrastructure works within the next five years, under the deal, COSCO will pay Greece's privatization fund an extra 88 million euros for an additional 16 percent of shares in PPA. COSCO was declared in February Preferred Investor for the sale of the controlling stake in Piraeus port after winning an international tender. In March, the Court of Audit approved the deal, while earlier this June the contract was ratified by the general assembly of PPA's shareholders. One of Greece's leading think tanks, the Foundation for Economic and Industrial Research (IOBE), has estimated that the privatization will add a total of 1.5 billion euros to Greek economy until 2052, when the concession deal expires. Since autumn 2009, China COSCO Shipping's subsidiary Piraeus Container Terminal (PCT) has been operating Piers II and III at Piraeus port under a 35-year concession agreement, posting impressive results. By taking over also PPA's Pier I officials by both sides and international analysts expect that Piraeus will soon be transformed into a leading transit hub for products and services from Asia to Europe. The privatization is expected to create thousands of much needed job positions in the recession-hit country and help attract more investments to restore growth to exit the six-year debt crisis. (1 euro = 1.13 U.S. dollars) Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) and Uzbek President Islam Karimov sign a joint statement after their talks in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, June 22, 2016. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin) TASHKENT, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping's signed article in a leading Uzbek newspaper has won wide praise from Uzbeks, who expect further development of bilateral relations and cooperation. Ahead of his visit to Uzbekistan, Xi on Tuesday published a signed article in Narodnoye Slove titled "A Glorious New Chapter in China-Uzbekistan Friendship." Anvar Sharipov, a former professor at the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan, said he thoroughly read the article, in which Xi spoke highly of bilateral relations and appreciated the role of Uzbekistan in Central Asia and the international arena. "The publication of the signed article shows the strategic value of bilateral relations, the long-time friendship which has passed from generation to generation, as well as the similar traditional culture and spirit (of our two countries)," Sharipov told Xinhua. "We believe that bilateral ties would keep developing and cooperation in different fields would flourish under the leadership of Uzbek President Islam Karimov and Chinese President Xi," Sharipov said. Vice President of the Uzbekistan-China Friendship Association Bekmurodov Ismatulla noted that the signed article presented a blueprint for the future of bilateral relationship. Joint efforts to build up the Silk Road Economic Belt are giving strong impetus to and will become the cornerstone of bilateral cooperation, Ismatulla said. Chinese President Xi Jinping (C,front) and his wife Peng Liyuan visit a carpet and silk workshop in the old city of Bukhara as accompanied by Uzbek Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyoev, in Bukhara, Uzbekistan, June 21, 2016. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang) In recent years, under the Belt and Road initiative proposed by China, dozens of cooperation projects have been implemented in industry, air and railway transport and other fields in Uzbekistan, Chinese and Uzbek officials say. The Pengsheng Industrial Park, located southwest of the Uzbek capital of Tashkent, currently houses nine companies manufacturing tiles, leather, shoes, cellphones and other products, contributing to local economic development and improving local people's livelihood. The completion of Qamchiq, the longest railway tunnel in Central Asia, is expected to significantly improve the transport network of Uzbekistan and inject fresh impetus into local economic development. Uzbek merchant Botir Zhuraev told Xinhua that he hoped the Silk Road Economic Belt would open new prospects for business, trade and entrepreneurship in all areas. President Xi attaches great importance to the two countries' interaction on international affairs and security issues, as major economic projects cannot be fulfilled without a stable and safe environment, Zhuraev noted. "Peace and stability in the world is the key to business success," Zhuraev said, echoing President Xi's idea. In 2015, two-way trade reached 3.5 billion U.S. dollars, up by more than 70-fold compared with the early days of diplomatic relations between the two countries, according to Chinese official figures. Peng Liyuan (2nd R, front), wife of Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Tatyana Karimova (1st R, front), wife of Uzbek President Islam Karimov, watch students practicing Chinese calligraphy as they visit the Confucious Institute in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, June 22, 2016.(Xinhua/Ding Lin) Other Uzbeks pay more attention to the fast-growing cultural links with China. Tilovo Ozod, a Chinese-language postgraduate student, expressed his keen interest in the Chinese culture. He cannot agree more with President Xi's appraisal of the traditional and cultural links of the two countries and the deep mutual understanding between the two peoples, Ozod told Xinhua. College teacher Gulnora Azimova also noted that more and more young Uzbeks want to learn Chinese and study Chinese culture. In recent years, tremendous progress has been made in student exchange, language training, joint archaeological projects, translation of literary works and other cultural programs between China and Uzbekistan. China has established a Uzbekistan Research Center in Shanghai for studying Uzbek history and social customs. The Uzbek language is also being taught and learnt in Chinese colleges. TASHKENT, June 22, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping delivers a speech at the Legislative Chamber of the Uzbek Supreme Assembly in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, June 22, 2016. (Xinhua/Lan Hongguang) TASHKENT, June 22 (Xinhua) -- The encouraging progress of the Belt and Road Initiative, cited by Chinese President Xi Jinping in an address to the Uzbek parliament on Wednesday, has injected promising dynamics in the economic development of Uzbekistan and the wider region, experts said. Xi looked back on the progress in the Belt and Road cooperation and outlined a number of proposals aimed at furthering such cooperation. He said that over 70 countries and international organizations are participating in the Belt and Road Initiative and that China's trade with countries participating in the initiative surpassed one trillion U.S. dollars in 2015. "China is the largest investor in Uzbekistan. It is very important for the country and for the entire Central Asian region as a whole," said Stanislav Pritchin, research fellow at the Center for Central Asia and Caucasus Studies of the Institute of Oriental Studies, Russia. Pritchin said the Eurasia region needs investment, and lauded the role of Chinese investment in promoting regional development. China has been Uzbekistan's second largest trading partner and biggest source of investment for three years in a row. At present, there are some 650 joint ventures involving Chinese investors in different sectors in Uzbekistan, Pritchin said. The Belt and Road Initiative, proposed by Xi in 2013, 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. It is a development initiative and framework that focuses on inter-connectivity and cooperation among countries primarily in Eurasia. "Investment in transport infrastructure, in the first place, contributes to the development of the region, as well as to the development of its relations not only with China, but also with world markets," Pritchin said. In his speech on Wednesday, Xi compared ancient cities like Tashkent and Bukhara to pearls scattered along the ancient Silk Road, which witnessed exchanges between East and West. Located in the center of a large continent, Uzbekistan has a need to enhance connectivity with the outside world. Yismat, a scholar at the Tashkent State Institute of Oriental Studies, said that the Belt and Road Initiative has opened up many opportunities for Uzbekistan and that early harvests are expected on some projects. Pritchin believed the Belt and Road Initiative and the investment in specific projects have made it possible for countries in the region to tap their potentials by giving them opportunities to display their products in world market and expanding their circle of economic partners. Vladimir Evseev, deputy director of Russia's Commonwealth of Independent States Institute, said he is looking forward to the Belt and Road cooperation bringing long-term investment of up to 20 years. "Uzbekistan is very interested" in such investment, he said. People visit products made by robots during an expo in Yinchuan, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, July 10, 2015. China's economy grew by 6.9 percent in 2015. (Xinhua/Wang Peng) GENEVA, June 22 (Xinhua) -- A senior UN official said on Wednesday that China's liberalization efforts of investment regime, driven partly by its investment administrative reform, will create opportunities for global foreign direct investment (FDI) flows. James Zhan, director of Investment and Enterprise at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), told Xinhua during an interview that Chinese investors were very active and FDI outflows in China had increased significantly over the last few years. According to the latest annual global investment report by UNCTAD, China in 2015 was the third largest investor in the world, after the United States and Japan. The report revealed that FDI inflows and outflows in Chinese mainland stood at 136 billion U.S. dollars and 128 billion U.S. dollars respectively. "China represents roughly 10 percent of the global FDI flows," noted Zhan. In 2015, global FDI flows rose to 1.76 trillion U.S. dollars in 2015, hitting their highest level since pre-crisis peak in 2007. However, UNCTAD warned that cross-border investment is expected to contract by 10 to 15 percent this year, barring another wave of cross-border mega deals and corporate reconfigurations. Zhan predicted that "FDI flows into China will remain at a high level but won't have a drastic increase in 2016." He added that China's FDI structure change would create potential opportunities, noting the FDI inflows in China tend to target high-tech industries, R&D areas, as well as involving automation in manufacturing. "For outflows, I see that China will continue to be very active in acquiring firms and engaged in green field investment," he said. Over the medium term, FDI flows are projected to resume growth in 2017 and to surpass 1.8 trillion U.S. dollars in 2018, according to UNCTAD. A Local resident watches the screen broadcasting the news that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) fired a missile, at a train station in Seoul, South Korea, June 22, 2016. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Wednesday fired the sixth suspected Musudan intermediate-range ballistic missile, the second in the day, after the fifth test-launch had failed, Yonhap news agency reported citing military authorities. (Xinhua/Yao Qilin) UNITED NATIONS, June 22 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Wednesday kicked off a meeting behind closed doors to discuss the reported latest launch of two suspected missiles by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). The 15-nation council began the meeting at around 15:15 EDT (19:15 GMT) at UN Headquarters in New York. "The ballistic launches (by Pyongyang) are a clear and unacceptable violation of the Security Council resolutions," Francois Delattre, the French UN ambassador who holds the rotating council presidency for this month, told reporters here before the start of the closed meeting. "The North Korean ballistic programme is a serious threat to regional and international peace and security." "Confronted with a threat of proliferation we consider that weakness is not an option," he said. "Based on all this, we favour a quick and firm reaction of the Security Council." "We will most likely have a meeting of the Council later this afternoon," he said. "And we hope that at one point we will have a press statement on this." The council president said that the council meeting is only closed consultations at this stage. The meeting was convened at the request of the United States and Japan, UN officials said here. DPRK has not confirmed the suspected test-launch of two missiles on Wednesday morning. The state-run KCNA news agency told Xinhua in Pyongyang over the phone that it was not aware of the missile launches and asked Xinhua to wait for official news. South Korea's Yonhap news agency quoted the Joint Chiefs of Staff as saying that the DPRK launched a second missile, which was believed to be a Musudan, at about 8:05 a.m. Seoul time (2305 GMT Tuesday) from Wonsan on the east coast, two hours after the DPRK test-fired a ballistic missile, which Seoul said was presumably a failure. The latest intermediate-range missile launch was the sixth test-firing of its kind by Pyongyang after the five earlier launches were all believed to have failed. The South Korean military said it is not clear whether Pyongyang's second launch on Wednesday was a success or not. It is believed that a ballistic missile is required to fly at least 300 km to be considered successful in test-firing. The second missile launched on Wednesday flew about 400 km. On June 1, the Security Council "strongly condemned" the most recent failed ballistic missile launches by the DPRK on May 31 and April 27-28. "These repeated attempted launches are in grave violation of the DPRK's international obligations under United Nations Security Council resolutions," the 15-nation UN council said in a statement. The Security Council has adopted five resolutions -- resolutions 1718 (2006), 1874 (2009), 2087 (2013), 2094 (2013) and 2270 (2016) -- to curb the DPRK's nuclear and missile programs. The latest one adopted in March imposes the most severe sanctions yet on the country, including an export ban and asset freeze. TASHKENT, June 22, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) holds talks with Uzbek President Islam Karimov in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, June 22, 2016. (Xinhua/Ma Zhancheng) by Xinhua writers Yang Yijun, Luo Jun, Li Jianmin TASHKENT, June 22 (Xinhua) -- In a two-day state visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping, China and Uzbekistan, two important nations along the ancient Silk Road, agreed to upgrade their bilateral relationship to a "comprehensive strategic partnership," vowing to deepen ties in various fields. LIFTING RELATIONS Following three-hour-long talks in Tashkent on Wednesday, Xi and his Uzbek counterpart, Islam Karimov, signed a joint statement to elevate China-Uzbekistan relations to a "comprehensive strategic partnership." The upgrade was based on the "unprecedented high standard of China-Uzbekistan high-level interaction, political mutual trust and win-win cooperation" they have scored since establishing a strategic partnership in 2012, said the document. In the joint statement, both sides outlined the cooperation plan for their new partnership in such areas as political mutual trust and support, the China-proposed Silk Road Economic Belt initiative, national and regional security, cultural and people-to-people exchanges, and collaboration on international affairs. "The upgrade set a new significant milestone in China-Uzbekistan relations," Chinese Assistant Foreign Minister Li Huilai told a press briefing later Wednesday, noting it "opened a new page in the history of bilateral ties." The two sides decided to continue to strengthen mutual support on issues concerning their core interests such as territory, sovereignty and security, render strong support to each other in their choices of development paths, and enhance communication and coordination on major international and regional issues. They also vowed to resolutely crack down on "the three evil forces" of terrorism, separatism and extremism, and actively cooperate on cyber security, drug control and combating cross-border organized crimes. "To strengthen all-round cooperation between us is in keeping with the trend of the times and serves the fundamental interests of both countries and peoples," Xi said in an address to the Uzbek Parliament on Wednesday afternoon. He called on both sides to "think creatively to explore the full potential of our cooperation, so that it will have new models and richer contents." BELT AND ROAD Addressing the parliament, the Chinese president highlighted the role of Uzbekistan and other Central Asian countries in the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative. The initiative, proposed by Xi in 2013, refers to the building of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road. It is aimed at building a trade and infrastructure network connecting Asia with Europe and Africa along the ancient trade routes. China would like to invite Uzbekistan and other countries to seize the historic opportunity to jointly pursue greater progress of the Belt and Road Initiative in both breadth and depth, stressed Xi, noting the Silk Road has witnessed the peaceful and harmonious interactions between Chinese and Uzbeks for over 2,000 years. China has been Uzbekistan's second largest trading partner and biggest source of investment for three years in a row. Yismat, a scholar at the Tashkent State Institute of Oriental Studies, said that the Belt and Road Initiative has opened up many opportunities for Uzbekistan and that early harvests are expected on some projects. During the visit, both sides agreed to push for the implementation of previously agreed projects and strengthen win-win cooperation in wide-ranging fields such as high-tech, trade, investment, energy, transportation, agriculture and finance. On Wednesday afternoon, Xi and Karimov hailed the inauguration of the 19.2-km Qamchiq Tunnel, which is part of the Angren-Pap railway line that connects Tashkent and Namangan. Built by the China Railway Tunnel Group, the tunnel goes through Qurama Mountains and is the longest of its kind in Central Asia. "It is a major outcome of the Belt and Road Initiative that China and Uzbekistan are jointly promoting, and also a new link in the friendship and cooperation of both peoples," Xi said. In his address at the parliament, the Chinese president called for building a "green, healthy, intelligent and peaceful" Silk Road. He pledged to uphold the principles of wide consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits in the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative. The initiative's primary planning and layout have completed and it is now stepping into the stage of taking roots and intensive cultivation for sustained development, according to the Chinese president. CULTURAL CHARM The first stop of Xi's Uzbekistan visit was the famous historical and cultural city of Bukhara, which he called a "shinning pearl on the ancient Silk Road." On Tuesday, Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, accompanied by Uzbek Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyoyev, took a detailed tour of the UNESCO World Heritage Site in central-southern Uzbekistan with great interest. After asking detailed questions on the history and traditions of Bukhara, the Chinese president said the tour gave him profound understanding of the deep-rooted historical connections between China and Uzbekistan. Qodir Djuraev, a member of the Uzbek Parliament, told Xinhua after Xi's speech on Wednesday that he is impressed by Xi's extensive knowledge of, and respect for, the Uzbek culture. In the speech, Xi said that Uzbekistan has a rich and proud cultural heritage. "This land has produced a galaxy of eminent scholars of world renown," he said, adding the precious jewels of Uzbek culture continue to exude wisdom and truth now as ever. Xi's visit to Bukhara showed his "true respect" for the country's history and culture, Karimov said, calling Xi and the Chinese people "true friends" of the Uzbek people. In recent years, China and Uzbekistan have maintained close cultural and people-to-people exchanges. 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 Xi visited during his first state visit to Uzbekistan in 2013. Accompanied by Karimov's wife Tatyana Karimova, Peng paid a visit to the Confucius Institute in Tashkent on Wednesday, encouraging the institute to cultivate more talents for promoting bilateral friendship. In Tashkent, Xi will also attend a summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization on June 23-24. Uzbekistan is the third and final stop of Xi's three-nation tour, which has taken him to Serbia and Poland. (Xinhua reporter Hao Weiwei also contributed to the story) Local residents watch the screen broadcasting the news that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) fired a missile, at a train station in Seoul, South Korea, June 22, 2016. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Wednesday fired the sixth suspected Musudan intermediate-range ballistic missile, the second in the day, after the fifth test-launch had failed, Yonhap news agency reported citing military authorities. (Xinhua/Yao Qilin) UNITED NATIONS, June 22 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations on Wednesday condemned Pyongyang's launch of two suspected missiles as an "irresponsible act" and an "unacceptable violation" of a ban imposed by relevant UN Security Council resolutions. The reported launch by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) is "in defiance of the unanimous will of the international community, (and) is a brazen and irresponsible act," Farhan Haq, the deputy UN spokesman, told reporters here. "The continued pursuit by the DPRK of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles will only undermine its security and fail to improve the lives of its citizens," Haq said. Haq made the remarks at a daily news briefing here ahead of a closed meeting of the UN Security Council on the DPRK's latest missile launch, which was held at the request of the United States and Japan. "We want a quick and firm reaction of the Security Council on this," said Francois Delattre, the French UN ambassador who holds the rotating council presidency for this month. "The ballistic launches (by Pyongyang) are a clear and unacceptable violation of the Security Council resolutions," Delattre told reporters here before the start of the council meeting. "The North Korean ballistic programme is a serious threat to regional and international peace and security." The DPRK on Thursday announced that it has successfully test-launched a surface-to-surface medium- and long-range strategic ballistic missile Hwasong-10, according to state media KCNA. South Korea's Yonhap news agency quoted the Joint Chiefs of Staff as saying that the DPRK launched a second missile, which was believed to be a Musudan, at about 8:05 a.m. Seoul time (2305 GMT Tuesday) from Wonsan on the east coast, two hours after the DPRK test-fired a ballistic missile, which Seoul said was presumably a failure. The latest intermediate-range missile launch was the sixth test-firing of its kind by Pyongyang after the five earlier launches were all believed to have failed. The South Korean military said it is not clear whether Pyongyang's second launch on Wednesday was a success or not. It is believed that a ballistic missile is required to fly at least 300 km to be considered successful in test-firing. The second missile launched on Wednesday flew about 400 km. On June 1, the Security Council "strongly condemned" the most recent failed ballistic missile launches by the DPRK on May 31 and April 27-28. "These repeated attempted launches are in grave violation of the DPRK's international obligations under United Nations Security Council resolutions," the 15-nation UN council said in a statement. The Security Council has adopted five resolutions -- resolutions 1718 (2006), 1874 (2009), 2087 (2013), 2094 (2013) and 2270 (2016) -- to curb the DPRK's nuclear and missile programs. The latest one adopted in March imposes the most severe sanctions yet on the country, including an export ban and asset freeze. BEIJING, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Volkswagen will recall 5,462 vehicles due to defective sunroofs, China's quality watchdog said on Wednesday. The recall, set to begin on July 20, affects 623 imported Phaeton sedans manufactured between April 26, 2007 and June 17, 2008, and 4,839 imported Audi A8L vehicles produced between May 3, 2007 and June 18, 2008, according to a statement from China's General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine. Parts of the sunroofs do not adhere to frames tightly, and may fall off when driving. Volkswagen will check all the affected vehicles and replace defective parts free of charge. (Source: english.cctv.com) By Xu Xiujun, deputy director of International Politics and Economics Department, Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences; cartoon drawing by Liao Tingting, Chi Ying Chinese President Xi Jinping started his state visit to Poland on June 19 after concluding a Serbia visit. Poland deployed fighter jets to escort Xi's plane when it entered into Polish territory. Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan visited the Palace Belwederski, Poland's presidential residence, where Xi and Polish President Andrzej Duda discussed China-Poland friendship and developments. On June 20, Xi attended a grand welcoming ceremony hosted by Duda at the presidential palace in Warsaw. Ahead of his visit, Xi published an article on the leading Polish newspaper, Rzeczpospolita, entitled, "Setting Sail for Full Speed Progress of China-Poland Friendship," which aroused much support from the Polish people. Poland is located at the heartland of Europe is where the Amber Road and the Silk Road meet. And Poland is a "bellwether" of East European members of the European Union. China and Poland have a long tradition of friendship. Bilateral ties have sailed into a "fast track" mode since establishing a strategic partnership in 2011. Xi's visit was highly-appreciated by Poland. Polish people are hoping to bring a historical opportunity to deepen development of bilateral relations, and usher in new prospects for the docking of the Belt and Road Initiative and China-CEE(Central East Europe) "16+1" cooperation. They look forward to China-Poland friendship setting sail at full speed ahead with a win-win approach to open a new chapter for an upgraded strategic partnership. ( The opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Panview or CCTV.com. ) (Source: CNTV.com) BEIJING, June 22, 2016 (Xinhua) -- Fan Changlong (R), vice chairman of China's Central Military Commission, meets with visiting chief of Serbian armed forces Ljubisa Dikovic in Beijing, capital of China, June 22, 2016. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling) BEIJING, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Vice Chairman of China's Central Military Commission Fan Changlong on Wednesday met with visiting chief of Serbian armed forces Ljubisa Dikovic in Beijing. Hailing the rapid growth of China-Serbia relations, Fan said the two countries' military-to-military ties have maintained a good momentum of development, with increasing professional exchanges and personal training as well as many high-level visits. He called for more cooperation in defense and military fields. The two countries agreed to lift their relations to comprehensive strategic partnership in a new chapter of cooperation during Chinese President Xi Jinping's recent state visit to Serbia. Dikovic echoed Fan in his desire to expand cooperation between the two armed forces, listing personnel training, UN peacekeeping, medicine and joint exercises as further cooperation fields. UNITED NATIONS, June 21 (Xinhua) -- The international community should support Afghanistan in the field of security and increase assistance to prevent setbacks in the security situation, said a Chinese envoy on Tuesday. Liu Jieyi, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, made the remarks at a Security Council meeting on the situation in Afghanistan. He emphasized that improvement of the security situation is the basis for Afghan stability. Liu said the recent security situation in Afghanistan has taken a turn for the worse, and domestic armed clashes have been escalating with rising civilian casualties. "We hope that the United Nations will do more in assessing the security situation in Afghanistan, promote cooperation between Afghanistan and regional countries in the fight against terrorism, drugs and cross-border crimes, and jointly create enabling conditions to improve the security situation in Afghanistan," Liu said. On Monday, bomb attacks took place in in the Afghan capital of Kabul and in Badakhshan in the north of the country, killing at least 22 people. "China strongly condemns the multiple terrorist attacks in Afghanistan," said Liu. "China firmly supports Afghanistan's efforts in fighting terrorism and will continue to provide assistance to Afghanistan to strengthen its security and capabilities." Liu also noted that the promotion of economic and social development is a necessary condition for Afghan prosperity and stability. He said the international community must support the Afghan government in stopping its economic downturn, promote comprehensive economic and social development, and strengthen regional cooperation in infrastructure, trade, and investment. "China firmly supports Afghanistan's integration into regional cooperation," he said. "We will integrate the Belt and Road Initiative with Afghanistan's national transition and development strategy, and we will continue to contribute to Afghanistan's early attainment of sustainable peace and development." TIANJIN, June 22 (Xinhua) -- A new flight between Russian city Vladivostok and Tianjin in north China took off on Tuesday afternoon. The Tianjin Airlines flight by Airbus A320 will depart three times a week, leaving Tianjin on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 3 p.m., with the inbound flight arriving at 9:10 p.m. Vladivostok is the third Russian city with direct flights to Tianjin, after Irkutsk and Moscow. It is a free port and the biggest Russian city in the Far East. CAIRO, June 22 (Xinhua) -- A special event was held in a park in Cairo on Tuesday night to mark the 2nd International Day of Yoga. More than 100 yoga enthusiasts gathered to practice yoga on the grass and enjoy some traditional performances organized by the Embassy of India in Egypt. "We have noticed strong growth in the practice of yoga in Egypt over the last year, both in popularity and in the expertise of the yogis," said Sanjay Bhattacharyya, the Indian ambassador. "We are proud of Egypt's support of IDY (the International Day of Yoga). This has encouraged us to reach out wider to students and other groups and to host the event in a large public park," he added. As a healthy lifestyle and a physical, mental practice originated from India, yoga now is popular around the world. On Dec. 11, 2014, the United Nations General Assembly designated June 21 as the International Day of Yoga. Evil spirit lurking in the land This is the belief expressed by relatives of Marvin Clement, a 29-year-old Laventille man who was riddled with bullets in La Horquetta early on Fathers day. Relatives yesterday said an evil spirit is inciting violence among youths. There has to be some evil spirit lurking in this place, said Gregory Clement, the slain mans uncle. There is something in this country that wants souls and it wants blood, and we have to acknowledge that. Imagine back down to young school children are being pulled out of a car and being shot in cold blood. We have to cover our children and watch over them, because when you are inside sleeping or at work, you dont know what your son or daughter is doing. Gregory said that he was sleeping when his nephew was gunned down a stones throw away from his home in Alcala Circular, La Horquetta. It was reported that Clement left his home at about 12.15 am on Sunday, to meet a person at a nearby track. Moments later gunshots were heard. Gregory who was awakened from sleep, went to investigate. I came outside in the yard and when I looked, I saw someones foot close to the wall near our home, Gregory said. Police came and cordoned off the scene, so I knew someone was dead, but I didnt want to believe it was my nephew. When morning broke, I went to the police station to make a report that he didnt come home. A police officer asked me to describe him and when I did, he told me he was going to show me a picture on his phone and to tell him if it was my nephew. He warned me that the picture was not nice and it really wasnt...but it was him. Gregory told Newsday that Clement had only been staying in La Horquetta for about a month, and two weeks ago began working with him as a plumber and electrician. He described his nephew as a hard working man. Gregory also noted that another family member died in the same spot that Clement was gunned down. He said that Melvin Clement, 22 was shot dead in the same spot in 2010. A motive has not yet been ascertained for Clements murder and no arrest has been made. Autopsy confirms man was stabbed to death Police sources said they are still in search of two women who stabbed St Rose to death on Sunday. Newsday understands that St Rose left his Petit Valley home early on Sunday night with the two women in a white car. At about 9.40 pm, St Rose and the women were travelling along Wrightson Road in Port-of-Spain, when they got into an altercation. 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. Police say they are using CCTV footage to ascertain the make of the car, in an effort to track the two women down. Investigations are continuing. Three defence witnesses testify in doctors murder trial First to testify before Justice Hayden St Clair-Douglas in the San Fernando High Court was health record officer Sita Ramlackan-Jaggernauth. She recalled that back in June, 2007, on the request of police, checks were made to determine whether or not the accused, Roger Greene, was at the Accident and Emergency Department of the San Fernando General Hospital (SFGH) on January 11, 2006. Documents showed that a person bearing the same name was assigned a number. But further checks revealed that the same number was also assigned to another person. As such, the defence witness was unable to confirm whether or not Green was at the Accident and Emergency Department. Green, 38, of Pleasantville, is on trial for the murder of Maharaj, 63, who was beaten in his home located at Chacon Street, San Fernando, on January 11, 2006. Greene was 28-years-old at the time. The accused is being represented by attorney Kwasi Bekoe instructed by attorney Jared Ali while attorney Trevor Jones is representing the State. The two other defence witnesses to take the stand were masons Kareem Joseph and Jimiju Saunders, both of Pleasantville. Joseph recalled that 10 years ago, he and the accused were employed on a project by the National Housing Authority (NHA), which is now called Housing Development Corporation (HDC), at Pleasantville. Joseph told the court that in January 2006, Green arrived at work with a swollen face and indicated he was going to the SFGH. Saunders, who at the time was a helper at the NHA site, also testified that Green was seen on the location with a swollen face and said he was going to the hospital. Yesterday the accused did not take the witness stand. The defence is expected to make its closing address on Friday. Ex-soldiers in court for murder Ross Russell and Julius Balondemu who along with another person, were charged with the murder of 28-year-old Selwyn Gaff. The three were also charged with shooting at Jesse Quashie with intent to do him grievous bodily harm. According to the indictable charge read out by Chief Magistrate Marcia Ayers-Caesar in the Port-of-Spain Eight Court, the alleged offences took place on June 5 along a trail on the Covigne to Macqueripe Forest range between Diego Martin and Chaguaramas. They were also charged with being in possession of firearms and ammunition and were ordered to return to court on July 5. According to reports, Gaff of Savannah Road, Diego Martin, went into the forest with four other men. He was shot at and left to die. When he was found, he was weak and lying in some bushes. He was taken to the St James Medical Facility where he was pronounced dead on arrival. The two former soldiers were discharged from the TT Defence Force on June 13 and handed over to the TT Police Service last week Friday, following which they were charged after instructions were given by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Roger Gaspard. The two were represented by attorneys Karuna Bisramsingh and Criston J Williams. Father of six denied bail on rape charge The charge read alleged that at Longdenville, Chaguanas, between the period May 1 to May 31, the accused allegedly sexually assaulted a 15-year-old female whom he had a familiar relationship with. The charge was laid indictably by WPC Joseph under Section (18) of the Childrens Act. Attorney Orin Kerr who represented the accused man told the magistrate his client was a father of six children. In making a bail application Kerr asked that his client be instructed to leave his current residence where the alleged victim was also residing. Police court prosecutor Sgt Ken Ali in objecting to bail said the man has two pending matters of a similar nature before the court. One of the matters, Ali said, also allegedly involves the same 15-year-old girl. The prosecutor said that whilst on bail, the accused man committed two offences of a similar nature. The magistrate denied bail and remanded the man into police custody. The case was adjourned to July 19. PM: No IDB funding for Tobago Sandals In a statement issued by the Office of the Prime Minister, Rowley emphasised that the IDB has approved funding for the extension of the Valencia Highway as well as the construction of a port in Toco. Both of these projects are mentioned in the ruling Peoples National Movement (PNM) 2015 general election manifesto which is now government policy. Rowley spoke about Sandals possibly building a hotel in Tobago, the extension of the Valencia Highway and the construction of a port in Toco at a PNM public meeting in St Joseph on June 14. The PNM held another public meeting in San Fernando last night. At a post-Cabinet news conference at the Office of the Prime Minister in Clair on June 16, Minister in the Office of the Prime Minister Stuart Young indicated that conversations about the Sandals project are ongoing And Rowley was yesterday given an extensive tour of the state of the art drill ship Deepwater Invictus. A statement issued by the Office of the Prime Minister said the Invictus is currently engaged in an offshore drilling campaign on behalf of Trinidad and Tobago and BHP Billiton. Rowley was greeted at the Piarco International Airport by Vincent Pereira, BHP Billiton Country Manager for Trinidad and Tobago, and Derek Cardno, Vice President of Drilling and Completions, BHP Billiton. Upon landing on the ship, Rowley and BHP Billiton officials were greeted by on-board officials. He previously expressed optimism that the offshore drilling campaign could lead to the discovery of new hydrocarbon reserves. Following last months bilateral discussions with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Rowley indicated agreement was reached for TT to access natural gas from the offshore Dragon Field in Venezuela. He also indicated progress was made with respect to monetising natural gas reserves in the Loran- Manatee field which straddles the TT-Venezuela maritime boundary. What you need to know about the Octagon Art Festival on Sunday in Ames news Clintons tried to hide foreign donations to their foundation using an obscure NY charity board (Clinton.news) In what appears to be yet another example of the Clintons sneaking around in an attempt to hide embarrassing and possibly dishonest behavior, The Daily Caller has learned that the pair used an obscure New York charity board to report that their non-profit foundation took in nearly $17.7 million in donations from foreign governments while Hillary was secretary of state. The news site found that while the specific foreign governments were not identified on the document entitled Exhibit A the money was given to the Clinton Foundation between 2010 and 2013, smack dab in the middle of Hillarys tenure as the countrys top diplomat. Whats more, the filing was made in January to the public charity division, which is operated by New York Attorney General Eric Schneidermann, a Democrat. The filings were also odd because it now constitutes the third official revised version of the foundations financial statements for its activities during Clintons State Department tenure. Last November, foundation officials to much fanfare issued a second revised edition of the foundations federal tax filings for the four years 2010-2013. But a new line was added in the January submission that stated: All other government grants came from foreign governments. The total figure for each of the four years equaled $17.7 million, The Daily Caller reported. Even stranger, the donations from foreign governments have still not been included on the foundations website despite claims in November by Donna Shalala, the non-profits president and a former Clinton administration official, that there is nothing to suggest that the foundation intended to conceal the receipt of government grants, which we report on our website. Of course, you havent seen any of this in the so-called mainstream media because it is in full Clinton protection mode now that President Obama has endorsed her as his successor. But many of those who have learned about the shady filing are suspicious and concerned about it, and they come from both sides of the political aisle Leslie Lenkowsky, a philanthropy expert who was appointed by former President Clinton in 1993 as a founding director of the Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal government-operated volunteer organization, told The Daily Caller that the Clinton Foundation is an appearance of a conflict of interest waiting to happen. Lenkowsky was later appointed by President George W. Bush to serve as CEO of the corporation after he was elected in 2001. Also Sandra Miniutti, the vice president of an organization that grades and ranks financial disclosures of charities, said her group wants more, not less, transparency from non-profits. I think more transparency is better than less and this is an issue that the public is questioning. Yeah, they should make it a point to be more transparent about it and share that information, Miniutti, of Charity Navigator, said. Onetime U.S. Attorney Joseph DiGenova told The Daily Caller that the Clinton Foundations failure to specifically list the donations from foreign governments was all part of an effort to protect Hillary while she served as secretary of state. There is no doubt that the foundation purposely refused to make public certain things as a way of protecting the Secretary of State during her tenure, DiGenova said. The entire process to hide information from the public is completely inconsistent with a public charity. He further noted that the new revelations will up the ante for the FBI, which is investigating Clinton for a number of things, whether her use of a private email server compromised national security and whether the foreign donations to her familys charity were improper and unethical. This will just add fodder to the ongoing investigation, DiGenova said, adding that he did not believe the $18 million figure is accurate. At some point dont even the most sycophantic of Hillarys supporters have to ask themselves why she and her husband feel the need to constantly hide what they are doing? We shall see. Sources: DailyCaller.com Clinton.news Science.NaturalNews.com Submit a correction >> Did Gen. Petraeus betray us over the issue of gun control? (Freedom.news) Just a few years ago, General David Petraeus was a highly respected military leader; the commander of U.S.Forces in Afghanistan, and later serving as the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. Sorrowfully, human foibles undid the Great Man shamed and prosecuted for revealing classified national security information during an affair with his biographer. Now, rather than atoning for his betrayal by standing up for the Constitution he swore to defend and the men and women of the Armed Services he failed by violating his oath, the disgraced general is doubling-down on his poor judgement. Petraeus has joined forces with gun-control Leftists, including former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Astronaut-turned-activist Michael Kelly, and launched yet another gun control advocacy organization. The Petraeus-Kelly group calls itself the Veterans Coalition for Common Sense. However, as with other gun control groups, it is long on misleading rhetoric and painfully short on common sense. The only apparent difference between this new group and earlier gun control organizations, is the veneer about helping veterans; and this is misleading at best and downright harmful to many veterans at worst. For example, while the group claims to be interested in reducing the suicide rate for veterans, it quickly pivots into the familiar gun-control mantra about keeping guns out of the hands of dangerous people a non-sequitur it attempts to bridge merely by pointing out the truism that veterans know first-hand the incredible power of firearms. Petraeus resume, spanning leadership roles in both military and national security settings, could have provided him with a platform from which to do real good for veterans; on public safety issues as well as those involving health care. After all, who better to take up the cause of reforming the broken Veterans Administration, which arguably is responsible in some measure for suicide rates among veterans? Perhaps of even greater relevance in the wake of the mass shooting this week in Orlando who better understands the threat posed by ISIS and other Islamic terrorists and how to meet that threat, than the man who oversaw the very war against those terrorists in their homeland? Yet, sadly, Petraeus took the easier path of joining the chorus of liberal do-gooders who fear and misunderstand the role firearms play in the natural right to self-preservation. His approach reflects more a philosophy of retreat in the face of danger, rather than of self-reliance and initiative. Fundamentally, the principle around which the Petraeus group has concocted its mission has nothing to do with keeping guns out of the hands of evil individuals, much less preventing a mass shooting like that in Orlando. Petraeus solution fails to articulate the deeper, true nature of what we face. The tragedy in Orlando was as much as a clash of ideologies as it is a terrorist attack; actually, two clashes of ideologies. The more obvious of the two clashes is that of freedom versus religious tyranny (a conflict well-known to true students of American history). The concept of personal liberty at the foundation of the United States is antithetical to the crushing tyranny of radical Islam. What we witnessed in Orlando is a stark reminder of the unbridgeable chasm between these two world views; a reminder seemingly lost on Petraeus. The other clash is between individual responsibility the obligation to defend oneself and reliance on others to protect you passivity. This clash is something we routinely see in government efforts to limit the ability of individuals to defend themselves with a firearm a limitation now championed by groups like Petreaus. We also see this defeatist ideology reflected in companies and businesses that prohibit people from defending themselves when they enter those establishments. This ideology of passivity invites incidents such as occurred in Orlando; where an individual (or individuals, in the case of the San Bernardino shooting) intent on mayhem, know that such facilities offer a concentration of unarmed victims in an environment in which they the terrorist(s) are able to maintain a high degree of control. Indeed, there is no more protected of environments for such cowards than those that essentially guarantee a disarmed and fearful universe of victims relying not on self-defense as a response, but on waiting for the authorities to arrive and take action (which, as we saw in Orlando, may take literally hours). Until our nations leaders, and we as a society, recognize the obligation we have at a personal level to ensure our own self-preservation, terrorists and other criminals will use this passivity against us with ruinous consequences. Gen. Petraeus is not helping us, and his timing could not be worse. By Bob Barr, BobBarr.org. More: Freedom.news is part of the USA Features Media network. Check out our daily headlines here. Submit a correction >> Former cyber chief at the National Security Council says global cyber treaty needed to head off disaster (Cyberwar.news) The modern world operates on electric power the loss of which would instantly toss civilization back to the 18th century. And yet, that remains one of the top concerns of cyber experts everywhere, especially in the United States, the worlds No. 1 economy. To mitigate that danger, a one-time National Security Council cyber chief says the great powers should get together, and soon, to craft a cyber treaty that [allegedly] would take power grids and vital infrastructure off target lists for cyber warriors during any future conflict. As reported by Breaking Defense, Richard Clarke, co-author of the 2010 book Cyber War and a fixture in the cyber security community through several administrations, does not believe the Pentagon has done enough to security military and civilian networks against cyber attack and may find out the hard way what it missed during a conflict with a sophisticated adversary. Then again, even with enhanced cybersecurity measures in place, Clarke sounds like a man who isnt convinced that any amount of security would be enough. The nightmare scenario that I hear a lot of flag officers worrying about is, they get involved in a combat situation against a sophisticated enemy and that sophisticated enemy activates trap doors and shuts off systems and youve got beautiful aircraft and beautiful naval vessels or missiles that just sit there, Clarke said at an American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics conference in Washington, where he spoke on cyber security last week. His idea: An international treaty to put certain infrastructure and entities off-limits to cyber assaults, as well as require signatory countries to pass laws that enforce treaty provisions and give the United Nations Security Council authority to impose sanctions on violator nations like it did when Iran was found to be in violation of the International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards regarding nuclear proliferation. He also noted that last fall President Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping signed an agreement that, in principle, bans either from cyber theft of each nations intellectual property. Such agreements should also put banks, hospitals and aviation off-limits too, he said. Breaking Defense went on to question Clarke about whether he thinks the U.S. is winning the cyber arms race against Russia, China, North Korea and others. The problem is that we dont know, said Clarke, who as chairman and chief executive officer of Good Harbor Security Risk Management spends most of his time consulting on cyber security. The problem is that theres millions of code applications running in weapons systems. Some of them have been verified by running repeated different ways of checking the code, Clarke added. But theres so much code there, and the way you develop code today in major corporations is, you take the code thats out there in open source material and bring it in, he continued. Frequently, people dont even know that they have open source code buried in the code that theyre just bought from somebody. That makes it very hard to tell whether the code that is running in weapons systems is secure. And the only time I think were going to find out is when somebody actually proves that theyve put a trap door in, put a vulnerability in, by shutting off a weapons system. And theyre not going to do that until were engaged in combat. One spot of good news: Clarke says the military is on the problem, with the Pentagon finally paying giving the attention to the situation that it warrants. That said, he also added that he didnt think the military is quite there yet in terms of understanding how important it is to protect weapons systems from cyber attack. You think of all the software thats necessary for the support systems to work. If the support systems dont work, it doesnt really matter if the weapons system does. I dont think theyve begun to be able to address that, he said. More: Cyberwar.news is part of the USA Features Media network. Check out our daily headlines here. Submit a correction >> Liberal crybaby of the New York Daily News actually claimed shooting an AR-15 gave him temporary PTSD In the wake of the Orlando nightclub shooting, liberal journalists from all over the country set out to prove how easy it is to purchase guns as well as how dangerous they are. Almost every single one of them completely missed the point that Second Amendment advocates have been trying to make in regards to individuals rights and personal freedoms, but weve reached a point with regressive leftism that itll be almost impossible to change their minds, or even get them to consider other possibilities. Of all the silly articles written about firearms in recent weeks, Gersh Kuntzmans New York Daily News article What is it like to fire an AR-15? Its horrifying, menacing and very very loud is certainly the most well-publicized, and justifiably so. After all, its one of the most pitiful things published in a major news outlet in quite some time and thats saying a lot. In the article, Kuntzman discusses his experience firing an AR-15 at a shooting range. He writes, The recoil bruised my shoulder, which can happen if you dont know what youre doing. The brass shell casings disoriented me as they flew past my face. The smell of sulfur and destruction made me sick. The explosions loud like a bomb gave me a temporary form of PTSD. For at least an hour after firing the gun just a few times, I was anxious and irritable. Considering the fact that there are numerous videos of seven-year-old girls firing excitedly firing AR-15s and other semi-automatic firearms, its especially hilarious that Kuntzman had such a wimpy reaction. There are literally little girls who are more courageous than this grown man. Im not sure if thats more funny or pathetic. Part of why the Ar-15 is such a popular choice is because it is known to have minimal recoil. This is also what makes it so easy for children to practice their skills with. As a whole, the article serves as a borderline satire piece about the crybaby nature of liberals. People like Kuntzman are complete wimps; beta males who know that their only way to not look weak is to make being weak the norm. No thanks, Kuntzman. I think Ill pass. Sources: New York Daily News The New American YouTube Liberty.news Submit a correction >> NATO sending combat-ready battalions to perimeter with Russia, along with a message to Moscow (NationalSecurity.news) NATO is preparing to send four combat-ready battalions to its perimeter with Russia, as a means of thwarting future aggression from Moscow and as a way of informing President Vladimir Putin that the forces he would face should he decide to do so can most definitely fight. As reported by The Washington Post, NATO ministers have agreed in recent weeks to amass a contingent of 4,000 troops in Poland and the Baltic States, a decision that will likely agitate Moscow but one that was, nevertheless, in response to Russian aggression in the Crimea and Ukraine. The same day of NATOs announcement, which came last week, Russia launched a week-long series of snap readiness drills aimed at ensuring its forces were ready to mobilize quickly in the event of a conflict. The Russian drills also came as NATO countries were preparing the largest military exercise in Poland since the end of the Cold War. The Post reported further: The plans to deploy the rotational force have been in motion since earlier this year. The troop contingent, composed of four battalions from the United Kingdom, Germany, the United States and one other country that hasnt been announced will deploy throughout Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Poland sometime in 2017. The Baltic States and Poland have all asked for a bolstered NATO presence in the wake of Russian action in Ukraine. Some in NATO and the U.S. were growing increasingly concerned that, if left unchecked, Moscow might begin pressuring the Baltic States with force, even to shift away from the military alliance and back towards Moscow. After announcing the deployment of additional forces to the Baltic region, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance would examine the possibility of letting Romania to command a multinational brigade within its borders, to enhance security on the resource-rich Black Sea. I welcome the commitments made by many allies today to contribute, Stoltenberg told reporters following the announcements. The additional forces are but one element to a growing number of deterrent factors that were announced at a 2014 summit in Wales that have been fully implemented in recent weeks, the secretary general said. Those measures include a 40,000-strong quick reaction force and a spearhead task force that can respond to hot spots in just days. Combined with an enhanced U.S. military presence, NATOs forces are part of U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carters new NATO playbook, which is aimed at shifting the posture of the alliance from reassurance to deterrence, the Post reported. More: NationalSecurity.news is part of the USA Features Media network. Check out our daily headlines here. Submit a correction >> Senate does the right thing in blocking all four recent measures aimed at decimating the Second Amendment (BigGovernment.news) The Senate blocked four separate gun control measures in recent days following the Orlando terrorist attack and for a change, the august body got something right. Two of the measures were sponsored by anti-gun Democrats, while two others were sponsored by Republicans as a means of placating anti-gun Democrats. All measures went down to failure, although had any of them passed they didnt stand much of a chance of getting through the GOP-led House. Good. This is a good day for constitutionalism, liberty and freedom. Of course, not everyone was happy with the outcome. In fact, too many Americans generations removed from the tyranny of the British empire over its colonies prior to our American Revolution are eager to surrender the Second Amendment altogether. They are all in for leaving the people vulnerable to tyranny, as well as turning them into sitting ducks for criminals and terrorists. That includes Voxs Dylan Matthews, who tweeted out recently, This is not Dems sales pitch but Im totally down with letting the prez unilaterally ban people (hopefully everyone!) from buying guns. Thanks for the input, Mr. Matthews, but frankly were not down with giving this president or any other unilateral authority to do anything. You shouldnt be for that, either, because once a president develops a taste for tyranny, there is usually no going back. And sooner or later such a president would get around to banning something you and yours find really important like, say, freedom of the press. Oh, it could happen alright and, truth be told, if Obama could wave a magic wand and get rid of all opposition media (starting with Fox News and Newsmax TV) you can bet that he would. To him freedom of the press means the freedom to publish only political news and views that are favorable to him. You know, kind of like what happens in North Korea, Cuba and Venezuela. While there will be others like Matthews who would foolishly surrender their inalienable rights as human beings and Americans, the Senates majority Republicans did the rule of law and constitutional government a massive favor when it dispatched all four post-Orlando gun control measures. But it wasnt just the Second Amendment under assault by Democrats; the Fifth Amendments due process clause was also under attack as Leftists sought to give federal authorities the right to prevent American citizens who have not been charged or convicted of any crime from taking advantage of their gun rights. Yes, we get it the Orlando terrorist bought guns after being questioned twice by the FBI. But under our Constitution, being suspected isnt enough; you have to be charged and found guilty of a crime before you are forced to surrender some of your rights. Why would any American support ditching due process and probable cause? Do such people also support getting rid of freedom of speech and assembly (pay attention Sanders supporters and Trump haters) simply because there might be a lawbreaker or terrorist among the crowd? How about we get rid of the right to trial by jury, as stated in the Sixth Amendment? After all, shouldnt judges be able to unilaterally make rulings and issue decisions? Maybe, for certain crimes, we should ditch the Eight Amendments ban on cruel and unusual punishment? And so on. The lesson here that the Senate just reinforced, for anyone who cares to listen, is that constitutionalism and freedom can sometimes be imperfect and even messy, but the alternative an authoritarian dictatorship is worse. We mourn those killed by a terrorist in Orlando but we would mourn the loss of our freedoms even more and oh, the terrible cost we would bear trying to get them back. The Senate also reminded us to remain focused: Democrats and the president have put the Second Amendment on trial as a means of distracting our attention from the fact that what occurred in Orlando was a failure of this administration to keep us safe. In other words, the presidents anti-terrorism policy, not the Constitution, needs to be scrutinized. Meantime, as Americans we should continue to hope that the majority of our representatives continue to take their oath to uphold and defend the Constitution seriously enough to actually do so. More: BigGovernment.news is part of the USA Features Media network. Get caught up on ALL of the days most important news and information here. Submit a correction >> Watch Action King Akshay Kumar's first Ever Fight Scene In Movie Saugandh Bollywood, Wed, 22 Jun 2016 NI Wire Akshay Kumar today is one of the most versatile actors present in bollywood in the present scenario. Be it comedy, action, emtions, drama, the actor does know how to raise the bars of acting in every genre. With movies like 'Baby', 'Special 26', 'Airlift', Akshay Kumar has given bollywood some of the greatest movies, recently. From a waiter in Bangkok, to one of the greatest actors in Indian Cinema, today, Akshay Kumar has definitely travelled a long road. Without having any 'Godfather' to guide to, Akshay Kumar marked his own journey and stood as what he is today. Akshay Kumar has been known to perform deathe defying stunts all by himself. Akshay Kumar had studied Martial Arts in Hong Kong before entering the Indian Cinema, and hence, he started utilizing his Martial Art skills in the movies giving us some great action sequences. The talented 48 year old actor moved in the industry out of nowhere, and his very first movie, 'Saugandh', managed to come into the notice of various great directors. In his first movie, 'Saugandh', Akshay played the role of 'Shiva', a love interest of an arrogant landlord's daughter. The film begins by presenting the character of Chaudhary Sarang, played by Mukesh Khanna, an extremely arrogant and powerful landlord, whose sister Chand falls in love with Shiva, a young man, belonging to one poor family in the town. When Sarang comes to know of their relationship, he mercilessly murders Shiva's entire family and his own sister in order of his pride. The only one surviving this incident is Shiva's pregnant sister Ganga, played by actress Rakhee. Ganga, in order to avenge for his family, takes an oath, that she will make Sarang bow his head, as that is one thing that he would never do. She challenges Sarang that she will have a son and Sarang will have a daughter and her son will become Sarang's son-in-law. Sarang accepts the challenge and declares that he will have her son killed when the time comes. Sarang also names his daughter after his sister Chand to prove his indifference. The whole concept of the movie is based on rivalry between families and an oath of vengeance forms the entire gyst of the movie, hence naming it 'Saugandh.' The movie was directed by Raj Sippi and had other brilliant actors like Rakhi, Paintal, Mukesh Khanna. The movie had some nice moments of romance, comedy and ofcourse action. The melodious Music by Anand-Milind in the movie is one of the great aspects of it. Though, the movie could not do well in the boxoffice but Akshay's performance was largely appreciated by the critics as well as the audience. Here is the video where one can see Akshay Kumar's great action skills in a fight scene in Saugandh. Be it his first movie or his recent movie, Akshay Kumar truky stands out as an actor. Coming from a non filmy background, the actor here has given some serious professional goals. And not just professionaly, Akshay is a champion in his personal life as well. With his recent trips with Wife Twinkle Khanna, Akshay is providing major personal goals as well. Way to go, Khiladi Kumar! 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. "With 100 per cent FDI now to be allowed in marketing of food products produced and manufactured in India, it is expected that the farmers will also get better prices from the heavy reduction in post-harvest losses". The Organisation of Pharmaceutical Producers of India (OPPI) today welcomed the Centres decision to allow up to 74 per cent Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in pharmaceutical sector under the automatic route. "Govt radically liberalizes FDI regime with the objective of providing major impetus to employment & job creation", Modi said in a tweet. He said in a tweet that the amendments in FDI policy announced on Monday will promote ease of doing business and India was rated as number one FDI destination by several global agencies. "The condition of access to "state-of-art" technology in the country has been done away with", a statement from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) announcing the reforms said. "These changes are fairly significant, particularly if you look at them in the context of what happened over the weekend with Governor Rajan's decision to step down", said Shilan Shah, India economist at Capital Economics in Singapore. With these changes, India is now the most open economy in the world for FDI, the PMO statement said. Under the current policy, FDI up to 49 per cent was allowed under automatic route and beyond that under the approval route. At present, 100 per cent FDI is permitted in single-brand retail, but FIPB permission is required beyond 49 per cent. Apple sells its products through Apple-owned retail stores in several countries, including China, Germany, the United States, the United Kingdom and France. Besides Apple, which is said to have been seeking a blanket exemption and not for three or five years, several other foreign retailers may also benefit from the relaxation. For Apple, which has less than a two percent share in the smartphone market in the country, gaining a bigger footprint in India is crucial at a time when growth in China and the USA has stalled. Till yesterday's move, foreign investment was allowed to the extent of 49% under the FDI policy in scheduled air transport service, domestic scheduled passenger airline and regional air transport service. "We welcome (the) governments decision to make changes to the FDI policy". Under the changes introduced on Monday, the government said it has done away with the requirement of "controlled conditions". The government has permitted up to 49 per cent FDI under the automatic route. Earlier, in 2013, the UPA II government had said that it could consider 100 FDI in defence on a case-to-case basis if a proposal would bring in cutting-edge technology. Topics for a new meeting include creating the French peace initiative aimed at increasing efforts to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts and a Quartet report to be released Thursday criticizing Israeli policies in the West Bank. Palestinian officials initially said the deceased was 14 years old, but later corrected themselves. The Israeli army, hours after the shooting, have officially admitted to have mistakenly shot and killed bystander Mahmoud Badran (15), and that he had nothing to do with attacks on Israeli settler vehicles. The spokeswoman told Reuters the Palestinian boy was one of the "bystanders" mistakenly hit. The Israeli regime on Sunday approved United States dollars 18 million in extra funding for the illegal settlements across the occupied Palestinian territories despite global criticism. Over the past eight months, Palestinian attacks have killed 32 Israelis and two visiting USA citizens. The Israeli army said they fired after Palestinians allegedly threw Molotov cocktails and stones at Israeli vehicles. The extra money for Israeli settlements, which are illegal under worldwide law, come at a time when Israel is being criticized for demolishing unlicensed Palestinian homes and livestock pens in the West Bank, reported The New York Times. Four other Palestinian teenagers traveling with him were injured, with one in critical condition. The military said two additional suspects were arrested. According to details, the Israeli military had identified the as an assailant. Those settlements have always been a point of contention between Israel and the United States, as well as much of the rest of the world. In March, he killed Taylor Force and wounded 10 others in a stabbing attack on a Tel Aviv beachfront promenade. Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expedited home demolitions of Palestinian attackers in a bid to deter violence, a measure human rights groups say amounts to collective punishment, forcing families to suffer for the acts of others. The Japanese automaker said Friday, June 17, 2016, it will take a 50 billion yen ($913 million) charge to cover mileage-rigging expenses, including for the eK minicar models sold in Japan since 2013, and also under the Nissan label, as well as 30,000 yen ($290) compensation each for some other Mitsubishi models. The former was responsible for spotting the deviation in the fuel efficiency figures, prompting an internal investigation by Mitsubishi. Mitsubishi's domestic vehicle sales are slumping, and the automaker's research and development costs are to balloon as the company vows to prevent a recurrence of the scandal. During the early 2000s, Mitsubishi was forced to disclose a long history of covering up defects including faulty brakes, clutches and fuel tanks. The company blamed the scandal on pressure to deliver competitive readings and poor supervision of testing processes. Nissan last month threw a lifeline to Mitsubishi as it announced plans to buy a one-third stake in the crisis-hit automaker for $2.2 billion, forging an alliance that will challenge some of the world's biggest auto groups. 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. Mitsubishi has said the company had no part in the cheating. The Japanese carmaker recently admitted to manipulating fuel economy tests for certain models that it sold in Japan, as reported by Automotive News. Mitsubishi Motors will announce its earnings outlook for this fiscal year Wednesday. So, despite the fact that Japan's economy is performing relatively well, Mitsubishi can not benefit from consumers who overall are feeling more confident and are willing to spend. At least six members of Jordan's security forces were killed in a vehicle bomb attack launched from the Syrian side of the border Tuesday, according to a statement from the Jordanian Armed Forces. The Jordanian army stated that the bomb hit at 5:30 am (0230 GMT) in Rukban, on the Syrian border, in the far northeast of the country. The Jordanian army says other vehicles deployed in the attack were destroyed, and that in addition to the six fatalities, 14 people were injured. A flare-up in Syria's war sparked a new influx of refugees in the area last month, with almost 5,500 arriving at Rukban within days in early May, bringing the total to more than 60,000. 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. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack but the Islamic State militant group (ISIS) has named Jordan as a target because of its involvement in the USA -led coalition campaign against its fighters in Iraq and Syria. The decision was taken after killing of its six soldiers in a suicide bombing on Tuesday. It was not clear if the attack would lead to a change in procedures. On the first day of Ramadan, a gunman killed five intelligence officers in an attack on their base on the outskirts of the Baqaa Palestinian refugee camp. Rukban is the last crossing where refugees fleeing violence in Syria and Iraq can gain entry to Jordan. No group has claimed responsibility. Terming the steps "sovereign procedures", Jordan's minister of state for media matters, Mohammad al-Momani, told reporters that the government was taking "immediate steps", including closing the border crossing near the site of the incident. The security forces have cracked down on Islamic State sympathisers since the group rose to prominence in 2014. Jordan has fortified border defences, including with US -funded surveillance systems, to try to stop attackers and infiltrators. The King made the remarks as he visited the General Headquarters of the Jordan Armed Forces, where he chaired a meeting attended by top civil, military and security officials. A daring rescue mission is underway to save the life of a worker at the South Pole, one of the most inhospitable places on the planet. One Twin Otter rescue plane left a British base in Antarctica Tuesday for the 1,500-mile trip to the National Science Foundation's Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, with a second aircraft remaining at the base. The Otters, driven by two propellers, are created to fly in extreme cold and land on skis on the compacted snow. Workers at the South Pole are isolated from February through to October, the coldest and darkest months, when it is considered too risky for routine flights. "The crew will then assess weather conditions at both the Pole and the British Antarctic Survey's Rothera Station before flying back to Rothera", the U.S. National Science Foundation said in a statement. The NSF said a crew member, who is stationed at the South Pole, needed to be evacuated and receive immediate medical attention. The workers are employees of Lockheed Martin, which deals with logistics at the station, but they have not been named. "It went all according to plan", Mr West said from Arlington, Virginia. Spokesman for the National Science Foundation Peter West has been quoted by several sources on how the rescue team would have to fly out to take the member to a hospital. Although officials didn't specify what was wrong with the contractor, the risks involved with such a rescue indicate a need for urgent medical care. There have been three emergency evacuations from the Amundsen-Scott station since 1999. In this 2003 photo, provided by the National Science Foundation, a Twin Otter flies out of the South Pole on a previous medical flight. The British Antarctic Survey station at Rothera, where the aircraft touched down en route to the South Pole. "We couldn't get the plane loose". "The planes are rated to operate in temperatures as low as -75 Celsius". The station has a doctor, a physician's assistant and is connected to doctors in the US for consults, West said. The foundation runs two other science stations in Antarctica. Macala says he would pass along to the current station manager the advice he was given by an old Antarctic hand: "You're going to hear a lot of things from a lot of people, but ultimately you have to make the calls down there". Researchers there are studying the atmosphere and dark matter using two radio telescopes, as well as an observatory that monitors subatomic particles produced by black holes and other cosmic incidents. Americans have continuously occupied the South Pole for research purposes since 1956. Pakistan is expected to sign the "Memorandum of Obligations" in Tashkent, a major step in this regard. The SCO's development strategy was adopted in the Ufa summit held a year ago. 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 Heads of States Council (HSC) is the highest decision-making body of the Organization", said a Foreign Office statement on Tuesday. "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. AIR correspondent covering the event reports that SCO leaders are likely to reaffirm that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is not directed against any other states in accordance with the principles of the SCO charter. The SCO aims at strengthening friendly relations amongst member states and maintaining peace, stability and security in the region. It will certainly increase block's political and economic potential and improve the ability to counter pressing regional challenges. SCO is an important organisation founded in Shanghai in 2001 with China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as member-states. From Observer states Prime Minister of India, Presidents of Afghanistan, Belarus, Mongolia, Pakistan, and Foreign Ministers of Iran will also take part in the summit. But the Court's refusal to hear an appeal of a circuit-court decision against plaintiffs alleging that Connecticut's ban on certain assault weapons - including the one used in Orlando, an AR-15 - will get attention all right. The assault weapons bans in question were passed in CT and NY after the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, in which a man armed with a semi-automatic rifle fatally shot 20 students and six educators. The high court's decision not to review the SAFE Act's assault weapons ban comes at a pivotal time in the nation's debate about gun control, which flared yet again in the wake of the mass murder of 49 patrons at Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, Fla., only eight days ago. At oral argument, the case seemed likely to follow the pattern set by other appeals courts, including the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit, which in October reviewed and let stand the bans in NY and CT. Hales Corners native John Hirsch is reacting to a supreme court ruling Monday that allows states to keep already existing gun control laws in place in each state. But the appeals court ruled that the CT law passed constitutional muster. President Scott Wilson Sr. of the Connecticut Citizens' Defense League, one of the advocacy groups that attempted to contest the ban, vowed to renew the challenge "as soon as there are five Justices sitting on the Supreme Court committed to the proper understanding of the Second Amendment". The Second Circuit, they argued, used wrong test to reach a decision and the death of Justice Antonin Scalia - who authored the Heller decision - may have influenced the Supreme Court from taking up a challenge. "Congress must stand up to the NRA, enact a nationwide assault weapons ban, and take action that can help save lives", she said. Current public opinion will certainly play a role in the Supreme Court's decision-making because of the pressure that has fallen on any and every part of government with some sort of influence on the issue of gun control following the deadliest mass shooting in American history. Today's decision by the U.S. Supreme Court isn't a surprise, but it's still very important. When he was a state senator, Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh was a chief architect of Maryland's assault weapons ban and ushered its passage through the Senate. [Photo by Pete Marovich/Getty Images] Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has called for the assault weapons ban to be reinstated, and so has President Obama. In March, however, the court said MA likely went too far in banning non-lethal stun guns. Whether aliens seeking admission to the United States who are subject to mandatory detention under Section 1225 (b) must be afforded bond hearings, with the possibility of release into the United States, if detention lasts six months. Iraqi prime minister Haider al-Abadi declared victory on Friday after special forces had recaptured most of the city following weeks of fighting. Iraqi troops are continuing to battle ISIL militants in pockets of the city of Fallujah, days after the government declared the centre had been liberated. Government troops launched the operation on May 23 to retake Fallujah, a bastion of the Sunni Muslim insurgency against US forces that toppled Saddam Hussein, a Sunni, in 2003, and later against Shia-led governments. Iraqi forces pushed into the center of Fallujah on June 17, retaking a government complex. According to the United Nations, more than 82,000 residents have fled Fallujah to overwhelmed camps operated by the Iraqi government and 25,000 more are likely in the process of evacuating. A vehicle of Iraqi army is seen in Dhubbat district, northeast of Fallujah city in Iraq's western Anbar province on June 19, 2016. He claimed about 15 percent of them were foreign fighters. Iraqi soldiers stand guard by civilians who fled from Falluja on the outskirts of the city. "Most critically, it lacks a strong local force of Sunnis supporting the government, due to the well-documented sectarian behavior of Iraqi leaders in Baghdad since 2011". The exodus, which is likely to be many times larger if an assault on DAESH's northern stronghold Mosul goes ahead as planned later this year, has caught the government and humanitarian groups off guard. "The estimated total number of displaced from Fallujah in just the last three days is now at a staggering 30,000 people", the Norwegian Refugee Council said. Many IS militants have been routed but Iraqi forces were still battling remnants on Monday. The temperature in Baghdad has been hovering above 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) and it often gets hotter in Anbar province, where inhabited areas along the Euphrates River are flanked by desert. Despite being under attack on several fronts in Iraq and Syria, the extremists carried out a suicide truck bomb attack near the office of a Kurdish group in northern Iraq. India's entry into an elite club controlling nuclear technology is not on the agenda of the group's 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. A day after China said India's application to join the Nuclear Suppliers' Group (NSG) was not on the agenda of the bloc's plenary later this week in Seoul, Beijing on Tuesday said India's membership was being discussed amongst members of the exclusive club. Asked whether China was linking India's membership of the nuclear group with that of Pakistan, Swaraj said that each country's membership should be decided on merit. "The source of conflicts comes from the dilemma of such mechanisms in accepting both India and Pakistan", the article said. "Instead of speaking about a criteria, one should speak about our credentials". Reports from Vienna where the NSG is based said that while majority of the 48-member group backed India's membership, China along with New Zealand, Ireland, Turkey, South Africa and Austria were opposed to India's admission. Swaraj addressed an hour-long annual press conference in which she highlighted the achievements of the NDA government in the diplomatic spehere in the past one year, dwelling at length on initiatives to expand India's global engagements. A five-member Joint Investigation Team (JIT) from Pakistan including an ISI officer had visited India in March to collect evidence on the attack. South Korea, which now holds the NSG chairmanship, is expected back India. "First, members should stay focused whether the criteria should be changed" regarding allowing non-NPT countries, said Hua. Sushma Swaraj said the Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad had met Pakistani officials and "they said they are analysing (the evidence)". India's hopes of making progress towards Nuclear Suppliers Group(NSG) membership at the plenary meeting of the 48-nation grouping which began in Seoul on Monday received a setback with China saying that this was not even on the agenda of the meeting. 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. Chinese analysts have spoken of India's NSG quest, and US President Barack Obama's support to it, as potentially hitting a raw nerve in Pakistan. The Indian government was "hopeful of success in convincing China" by then, indicating that Beijing would not wish to go against the consensus. Some 20 members are said to be backing India, some are undecided and some are opposed to it. "I would like to say there is an 'ease and warmth" in relationship between the two prime ministers". Nebraska is facing one of the worst droughts in years. We see the effects of this drought in our everyday lives. When driving down the highway, we see our once verdant landscape replaced with yellowing and desiccated crops and plant life. This dryness provokes hardships for the economy and a Members of the European Parliament have underscored the soundness of the Morocco-proposed initiative to grant large autonomy to the Sahara under the Kingdoms sovereignty, deeming this initiative as the best acceptable compromise for settling the conflict. Their remarks came in a letter they addressed to the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, following their recent visit in the Moroccan southern provinces, reports the official news agency MAP. The MEPs stressed that under the Moroccan proposal, the Sahrawis will be democratically elected to run their local government, a fact that will bestow legitimacy on the peoples representatives. This will also ensure an effective management of borders in the region, which is crucial for collective security, they stated in their letter. The MEPs, including Gilles Pargneaux, Dominique Riquet and Yunus Omarjee, underlined that Europe is an indispensable partner for Morocco and the Maghreb in matters of both security and development and urged the EU to use its diplomatic and economic weight and to take a strong initiative to settle the Sahara conflict. We believe that European diplomacy should play a leading role in contributing to peace and stability in the region, the letter signatories, stated, drawing the attention to the implications the situation in the Maghreb region can have for Europe. The artificial Sahara conflict is fueled by neighboring Algeria, which finances and hosts on its territory, in Tindouf, the Polisario separatist movement, claiming the independence of the Sahara. This long lasting conflict that dates back to the cold war era hinders the Maghreb economic integration and jeopardizes security in the whole region. The region is facing security challenges in view of the terrorist groups roaming in the Sahel, the proximity of Libya, which fuels terrorism in the Sahel, and the situation in neighboring Algeria, which remains highly unstable and uncertain, the MEPs warned, deploring the low or inexistent inter-Maghreb cooperation in security matters. The Arab Maghreb Union, which could fulfill this role of anti-terrorism coordinator, does not work because of the persistence of the Sahara conflict, they said. They pointed out that beyond the fact that the non-Maghreb costs 2 pc of GDP annually for each of the Maghreb countries, the seriousness of the security situation makes it imperative to have a genuine Maghreb cooperation. The Arab Maghreb Union musters Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia. The MEPs argued that Europes security and the management of migration flows from sub-Saharan Africa depend largely on the Maghrebs ability to act as a coordinated regional bloc. Referring to their recent visit in the Moroccan southern provinces, the letter signatories underlined what they called the impressive economic and social development they witnessed in the Sahara cities of Laayoune, Smara, Dakhla and Boujdour. They also underlined the freedom of movement and expression enjoyed by the NGOs they met during their trip and highlighted the important work conducted by the Regional Centre for Human Rights to promote the culture of human rights. Likewise, the letter signatories stressed that the members of the Sahrawi tribes they met have all emphasized the historical ties binding their tribes to the Alawite Dynasty and their attachment to the Moroccan identity of their territory. The MEPs delegation representing different political groups and trends visited Morocco June 2 to 6 and conferred with several Moroccan officials on major issues of concern to the two shores of the Mediterranean. Tuesday clashes between the Islamic State group militants and the militias loyal to the Government of National Accord in Sirte left 34 pro-GNA killed, forces operations-room told media. Tuesday confrontation was the bloodiest for GNA forces, which have been pushing into the coastal city to dislodge the jihadists who have seized Muammar Gaddafis home last year in June and turned it into their nerve center in North Africa. Military source speaking from the Misrata operations-room told the media that death toll grew from 18 to 34 while 100 have been wounded in the clash. GNA loyalists have since May launched military operations to retake the coastal city. Forces with aircrafts and tanks are pounding militants positions. IS militants, in their fighting back, are using suicide attacks, snipers and explosives. The military says the militants have barricaded themselves in buildings and in some pockets of the city. Since the beginning of the assault, more than 200 pro-GNA fighters have been reported dead and around 500 wounded. Death toll on the side of the jihadists has been difficult to verify. The terrorist group has fed on the power vacuum which occurred in the wake of the fall and death of former ruler Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 in a NATO-backed revolution. The group has been able to conquer vast swathes of the country and tried to seize Libyas oil fields. In a bid to restore stability in the North African country, the UN last year in December rallied the rival brothers to sign a political agreement known as Libyan Political Agreement, which gave birth to the GNA led by Prime Minister-designate Faiez Serraj. But rivalries are still hampering the GNAs work. Egypts tourism industry Tuesday received another major blow as UK top airline British Airways (BA) announced it was suspending flights to Sharm el Sheikh indefinitely. The British carrier says the decision was made out of concern for the security of its customers. 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, the Airline said. Like other British airlines, BA on instruction of the British government in November last year suspended flights to the Red Sea resort following the downing of Russian Metro jets A320 in the Sinai in October, shortly after take-off from Sharm el-Sheikh airport. The Islamic State group in the Sinai claimed responsibility for the crash. Egyptian authorities have spent millions of dollars to enhance security at main airports and have been hoping for quick resumption of the flights at the latest by end of October. BA reportedly indicated on June 15 that it might resume its air traffic with the resort city on September 15. Other British airlines, including Monarch, Thomson Airways, would resume flights to the resort city if the Foreign Office cancels its travel warning. French and world cement giant Lafarge paid the Islamic State group (IS) in Syria to maintain its business, French daily Le Monde revealed on Tuesday. Investigations conducted by the French daily indicate that the French company which acquired the Jalabiya cement works, located at some 150 Km northeast of Aleppo, in 2007 entered into a deal with IS through intermediaries to ensure that the group does not attack the business. The deal reportedly helped the company to keep its plant running over the 2013-2014 period at the time the terrorist groups conquests in Syria were in full swing. Le Monde claims to have evidence that Lafarge struck a deal with the terror group to be able to continue production until September 19. The deal also allowed workers at the production site to have free passage through IS checkpoints. In what it claims to be another case of deals between the French company and the militant group, Le Monde revealed that Lafarge bought licenses from and paid taxes to Islamic State middle-men and oil traders to secure free circulation of its goods. IS took over the production site in September 2014 forcing the company to leave. Kurdish militia YPG backed by the US and allies overran the site the following year. The operation site has been turned into a military base for the western coalition forces combatting the jihadists. Egypts Highest Administrative Court Tuesday ruled as unconstitutional the Governments April decision to transfer two Red Sea Islands to Saudi Arabia and the cabinet announced that it would appeal the decision. The court indicated that the decision was illegal and violated the Egyptian constitution, ordering that the islands of Tiran and Sanafir should remain part of Egypt and within Egypts borders. A Maritime border demarcation agreement, signed on April 8 during King Salmans visit to Egypt, stipulates that Egypt should surrender the two Islands located in the month of the Gulf of Aqaba to Saudi Arabia. The cabinet said on Tuesday that it respects the decision but would appeal it. 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, said Magdy al-Agaty, minister of legal and parliamentary affairs. The border demarcation agreement triggered public outrage and thousands of Egyptians took to the streets to protest the decision, accusing President al-Sisi of trading the Islands for economic assistance. A group of lawyers, contesting the decision, filed a lawsuit against the government. The Government argues that the islands belong to Saudi Arabia and have been under Egypts custody since 1950. It cites a 1990 decree by former president Hosni Mubarak concerning Egypts maritime boundaries, which did not include the islands, a US diplomatic note, academic references and a report of a joint committee of experts. The Egyptian parliament dominated by pro-al-Sisi lawmakers is yet to discuss and endorse the deal. It is unclear how the courts ruling will affect the parliamentary debate. Trump is counting on the Christian Right to help him win the general, but the Christian Right does not seem enthused. Photo: John Moore/2016 Getty Images Throughout the election, Donald Trump has proven a divisive force for conservative Christians. Theyve watched Trump morph from someone who claimed to be pro-choice into someone who proclaimed there should be some form of punishment for women who get abortions. That comment drew ire from both the left and the right, and Trump recently made a memorable biblical gaffe, but his list of conservative potential Supreme Court justices proved particularly appealing to Christians whod like to see the legislative body rule in favor of their ideology. In short, although polls show that a majority of Evangelical Christians support Trump, religious leaders have been hesitant to back the presumptive GOP nominee. And despite Trumps effort to win them over he held an event for thousands of Christians who traveled across the country to hear him on Tuesday many are still unconvinced. This is a process as Ive stated, Tony Perkins, the president of the Family Research Council, told the New York Daily News during a press conference after the event. There are some very concrete things that have to take place. Donald Trump does not have a track record when it comes to being in public office. The best indicator of future performance is past performance. Penny Nance, the president of Concerned Women for America, echoed Perkins. I dont think he hurt himself, but there was a general lack of specificity on some of these issues, she said. I dont know that he did anything to bring new people over to his side. He doesnt know people like us very well, she went on. Hes getting to know us and we welcome it, but there is still work to be done. But Marjorie Dannenfelser, the president of the Susan B. Anthony List an organization that seeks to advance pro-life women in politics and that previously called Trump unacceptable, said she was encouraged by Trumps list of potential SCOTUS judges and by some of the recent hires his campaign has made to act as liaisons between the Trump campaign and Evangelical voters. Personnel is policy, and he has put people in campaign that we trust, she said. But when reporters asked Dannenfelser to raise her hand if she had decided to endorse Trump, she declined, as did Perkins and Nance and the four other conservative Christian leaders who helped organize the meeting. The confab itself took place at the Marriott Marquis near Times Square while both pro-Trump and anti-Trump protesters demonstrated outside. Inside, Trump reassured Christian leaders he was so on their side. Im a tremendous believer, and were going to straighten it out, he said. He promised to place pro-life judges on the Supreme Court, as well as to end the ban on the ability of tax-exempt groups including churches to participate in the political process. You talk about religious liberty and religious freedom, you dont have any religious freedom if you think about it, he said to much applause, according to the Washington Post. He went on: I think maybe that will be my greatest contribution to Christianity and other religions is to allow you, when you talk religious liberty, to go and speak openly, and if you like somebody or want somebody to represent you, you should have the right to do it, Trump said. A ban was put in place by President Lyndon Johnson on tax-exempt groups making explicit political endorsements. Religious leaders in America today, Trump said, are petrified. He also took the opportunity to bash presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, who he said We dont know anything about in terms of religion. (Clinton has, in fact, been a practicing Methodist all her life.) Now, shes been in the public eye for years and years, and yet theres no theres nothing out there, he said. Its those kinds of remarks that have drawn ire from other Christian leaders, who have condemned his politics of personal insult. The bullying tactics of personal insult have no defense and certainly not for anyone who claims to be a follower of Christ, said Mark DeMoss, a close associate of Jerry Falwell Sr., after Falwell Jr. endorsed the mogul. Whats more, policies such as Trumps Mexican border wall and his proposed Muslim ban have worried other prominent Christian leaders such as Deborah Fikes, executive advisor to the World Evangelical Alliance, who endorsed Hillary Clinton on Tuesday. Mr. Trumps proposals are not just un-Christian theyre un-American and at odds with the values our country holds dearest, Finkes said. It troubles me deeply to see abuse of the vulnerable and intolerance toward religious minorities on the rise. When candidates like Mr. Trump start sounding eerily similar to some of the worst global offenders, its time for some serious soul searching. Round and round he went, until he returned where he began. Since he telegraphed this latest flip-flop extensively, even attributing it somewhat clumsily to how he was impacted by the Orlando massacre, no one will be surprised when Marco Rubio announces today that he will, after all, run for a second term in the Senate. Thanks to his many pledges not to do this, he will immediately have to sit down and eat bowl after bowl of his own words. But a bigger problem is probably the contempt he so often showed for the Senate during his presidential campaign, brushing off missed votes as meaningless and all but blaming his immigration-policy albatross on the corrupt and corrupting nature of Congress. It probably wont help Rubios frayed reputation for consistency that the very symbol of the congressional RINOism he deplored on the campaign trail, Mitch McConnell, is being given a great deal of credit for talking the Floridian into reversing course once again. But for ol Mitch all that matters is that Rubio may have improved his odds of holding on to his gavel. And even Lil Marcos nemesis, Donald Trump, tweeted his congratulations, also citing the conventional wisdom that Rubio will help maintain the GOP hold on the Senate. The race will not be the cakewalk, however, that it might have been had Rubio not detoured into a disastrous presidential campaign that culminated with a landslide loss to Trump in his own state. While the most formidable GOP candidates in the race to succeed Rubio, representatives David Jolly and Ron DeSantis and Lieutenant Governor Carlos Lopez-Cantera, are all getting out of Rubios way, there are two potentially self-funding outsiders who could pick right up where Trump left off in mocking the incumbent as both calculating and ineffective. The general election will be much tougher, especially if Democratic Establishment darling Representative Patrick Murphy gets past fiery lefty Representative Alan Grayson to win the nomination. There are two very recent polls of this race that point in different directions. Quinnipiac has Rubio up 47-40 over Murphy (and 48-4o over Grayson). But PPP has Murphy up 42-41, with Rubio well underwater with a 30-49 job approval rating and his ability to stay even with Murphy depending on the temporary phenomenon of higher name ID. Clearly, Rubios path to reelection will be to win the entire Trump vote in what will presumably be a relatively competitive presidential contest in Florida, and then top up his totals with a significantly better performance than the presidential candidate among Hispanics, and especially Rubios fellow Cuban-Americans. But he wont have any margin for error. And he might want to start his comeback bid by showing a little more constancy and a lot less willingness to turn and spin in the wind. We all know from his famous performance in that New Hampshire primary debate that Marco Rubio is capable of staying on message, even when he shouldnt. If theres ever a time for Rubio to get in touch with his inner robot, its now. Scott Walker. Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images Scott Walker was an early favorite to become the GOPs 2016 standard-bearer. The Wisconsin governor had won three elections in four years in a blue state while implementing the conservative movements policy agenda. The Koch brothers loved him. And he had appeal to both the tea-party grassroots and the GOPs country-club set. And then, Donald Trump revealed that the Republican base finds xenophobia and insult-humor far more appealing than collective-bargaining reform. And Walkers campaign folded before the primaries even began. Now, the only thing that remains of Scott Walker 2016 is $800,000 in campaign debt. Or, maybe not. The stench of flaming refuse that hangs over the Trump campaign has a growing contingent of Republican delegates plotting a Cleveland coup. Their goal is to have the conventions Rules Committee pass a conscience clause that would allow delegates to unbind themselves if they feel a moral aversion to the candidate theyre supposed to support. And Walker has emerged as a possible white-knight candidate, as some suggest that his early exit from the primary race makes him a less-divisive replacement. On Tuesday, the governor gave the coup attempt his blessing. I think historically, not just this year, delegates are and should be able to vote the way they see fit, Walker told the Associated Press. The governor endorsed Ted Cruz ahead of the Badger States primary, but had endorsed Trump after the real-estate heir secured the nomination. But he backed off that support following Trumps Mexican heritage fiasco. In March, Walker predicted, [I]f its an open convention, its very likely it [the nominee] would be someone whos not currently running. The chances of a Trump coup remain slim. But the Washington Post reports that ranks of the #NeverTrump delegates have swelled from around 30 last Friday to nearly 400. Republican Susan Collins announced the measure on Tuesday. Photo: Mark Wilson/2016 Getty Images When lawmakers rejected four partisan gun-control measures on Monday, Senator Chris Murphy, who led a 15-hour filibuster to force a vote on the measures in the first place, called the Senates failure to agree on legislation proof of the NRAs vice-like grip. But a new bipartisan effort, spearheaded by GOP senator Susan Collins, is reportedly gaining traction, and a handful of Republicans have expressed their support for the proposal despite the NRAs vocal objections. Collinss bill, which is more restrictive than those proposed by Democratic senators Dianne Feinstein and Chris Murphy and more sweeping than either proposed by Republican senators John Cornyn and Charles Grassley, would allow the attorney general to ban sales of guns to people who appear either on the governments no-fly list or on a selectee list, members of which require additional screening at airports. Federal authorities would be notified if anyone on either list going back five years purchased a gun, and the FBI would then put that individual under surveillance the measure wouldve assured authorities were at least alerted to the fact that the Orlando gunman had purchased a weapon. In an appeal to Republicans, it would also give people who are wrongfully put on the list a chance to appeal the attorney generals ruling. If you are too dangerous to fly on an airplane, youre too dangerous to buy a gun, Collins said Tuesday as she revealed the terms of the bill. Surely the terrorists attacks in San Bernardino and in Orlando that took so many lives are a call for compromise, she added. Although many remain skeptical, her measure which could come up for a vote as early as Thursday is gaining traction among some Republicans. Senators Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Jeff Flake of Arizona, and Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire all co-sponsored the bill, and sponsors reportedly estimate that at least seven more GOP senators will support it. Senator David Purdue of Georgia said he was hopeful hed be able to back the bill, and its co-sponsors are reportedly trying to convince Senator Marco Rubio to joint the cause. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is expected to schedule a vote for the measure, and one lawmaker said McConnell will not be dictated to by the NRA. Graham spoke directly to the NRA as he expressed his support for the bill: To my friends at the NRA, I understand your concern about denying somebody the right to buy a gun but every right has boundaries on it, he said. The likelihood of someone being on this list and buying a gun to use it in a terrorist act to me is far greater than the likelihood of an innocent person being on this list. We can fix the problem with the innocent person. Once the guns bought, you dont fix that. The NRA, however, was not swayed. No one wants terrorists to have legal or illegal access to firearms, Chris Cox, the NRAs chief lobbyist, said Tuesday. Unfortunately, Senator Collins and others are focusing their efforts on unconstitutional proposals that would not have prevented the Orlando terrorist attack. Photo: Daniel Munoz/Getty Images The American conversation about mass shootings is excruciating and circular because there is no possible universe in which our lawmakers will tighten gun control in a meaningful way anytime soon. Among advocates for stronger restrictions on who can buy guns or at least the most deadly ones the best hope, for now, is to simply keep building the case and amping up the pressure, in the hopes that some sort of tipping point will eventually be reached. One way to do that is to highlight gun-control research from countries that have taken significant action on this front. One important such example was just published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, or JAMA, in an article by Simon Chapman and Philip Alpers of the University of Sydney School of Public Health, and Michael Jones of Macquarie University (also in Sydney). That article, and an accompanying editorial by Daniel Webster of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, take a nuanced, deep look at the impact of Australias famous gun-control law. And while the results are open to interpretation because of the statistical difficulty of sussing out the effects of any one law and, as Ill explain, its particularly difficult in the case of Australia they suggest that a lot of lives would be saved if the Republican Party ever changed its tune and was willing to look Down Under for guidance on our gun problem. A bit of background is helpful here. Australias gun-control law, the 1996 National Firearms Agreement and Buyback Program, or NFA, was passed in 1996 in the wake of the so-called Port Arthur Massacre, in which a 28-year-old man with intellectual disabilities killed 35 people and wounded 23 other in Tasmania. In shocked response to that act, the countrys lawmakers quickly came together across partisan lines and, led by conservative Prime Minister John Howard, passed the NFA. That law, as Margaret Hartman explained in a great rundown of the Australian and British approaches to gun control, included a ban on many types of semi-automatic, self-loading rifles and shotguns. Each gun required a separate permit with a 28-day waiting period, and Australia created a national firearms registration system. Firearm owners had to be 18, complete a safety course, and have a genuine reason for owning a gun, such as sport shooting, hunting, or occupational requirements (personal protection did not count as a legitimate reason). Licenses expired every five years, and could be revoked if police found reliable evidence of a mental or physical condition which would render the applicant unsuitable for owning, possessing or using a firearm. And, as the name of the act implies, it included a program to buy back now-outlawed weapons at market value. The NFA had a seismic effect on Australias gun landscape. As the authors point out, the proportion of Australian households reporting private gun ownership declined by 75% between 1988 and 2005. Chapman and his colleagues main goal, then, was to use Australias crime and mortality statistics to find out what effects this massive reduction had on the stuff gun control is supposed to address: homicides, suicides, and mass shootings. Lets start with what we cant say their study shows. We cant say, definitively, that it shows that the NFA worked at reducing the rate of firearm deaths in Australia. Thats because the passage of the law happened at a time when these sorts of violent acts were already on the decline in Australia. And specifically, while [t]here was a more rapid firearm deaths between 1997 and 2013 compared with before 1997 meaning after the law passed, firearm deaths dropped faster than they already had been there was also a decline in total nonfirearm suicide and homicide deaths of a greater magnitude. Because of this, it is not possible to determine whether the change in firearm deaths can be attributed to the gun law reforms. This is a common problem in evaluating public policy; theres always other stuff going on. In other words, even as you tweak one variable of interest in this case, Australias gun laws there are a zillion other things constantly changing that also affect the outcome of interest: the rate of violent deaths. Theres often just no easy way to explain, decisively, exactly how much of a trend can be traced back to a given act. None of this is made any easier to figure out by the fact that Australia has, for decades, had a pretty low homicide rate between 1993 and 2007, for example, the number has fluctuated around 300 total murders per year (there are American cities that have that many in a year). And last year, Australia hit a record-low rate of 1.1 murder victims per 100,000 residents, which is about a quarter of the American rate. If you sort the list of all the countries in the world by murder rate, in fact (yes, yes, Wikipedia, I know but the article is well-cited and there isnt a better online table that I can find), you can see that Australia is one of the very safest countries in the world, at 185 out of 218 (the U.S. is 107, lumped in, depressingly and unsurprisingly, with a lot of countries way less stable and wealthy than our own). So, in a society that already doesnt do a lot of killing, it can sometimes be even tougher to explain increases and especially decreases (since there isnt that much room for them to go down) in the murder rate. In this case, that may be forcing researchers into a more cautious interpretation of the data than is warranted. The main reason there is uncertainty around the effect of Australias NFA on firearm homicides is that their rates are so incredibly low and a shooting here or there makes for big swings in percentage terms, explained Webster in an email. But they have gotten to a level where being murdered with a gun is an incredibly rare event. I suspect that has something to do with how guns are regulated in Australia. He also noted that Australia, like the U.S., had state-by-state (and territory-by-territory) differences in gun laws before the NFA was passed, and that prior studies of the effects of Australias NFA demonstrated that the states and territories that experienced the largest changes in their gun regulations (the NFA brought the less strict regulating places into line with the most restrictive places with respect to who is eligible to have guns, how they must be stored, etc.) [link added by me] also saw the largest reductions in murder gun-death rates. Whatever the overall impact of the NFA on Australias already-low rate of gun deaths, there is a strong case, according to Chapman, his co-authors, and Webster, that the NFA reduced mass shootings in Australia, which they define as shootings involving five victims or more, excluding the perpetrator when he is killed (theres no universally accepted definition of the term). In fact, since the laws enactment, there hasnt been a single mass shooting in Australia. As Webster points out in his editorial, this doesnt make for a slam-dunk case that the law reduced mass shootings, but it does make for a strong circumstantial one, partly because of what we know about mass shootings in the U.S.: What is most clear from the current study is that Australias NFA coincided with an elimination of mass killings with firearms. It is difficult to pinpoint precisely which aspect of the policy contributed to this success, but the substantial reduction in the populations exposure to semiautomatic long guns capable of accepting large-capacity magazines (LCMs) for ammunition is likely to have been key. Examinations of fatal mass shootings in the United States have found that when assault weapons or pistols with LCMs are used in these shootings, the number of victims shot is about 2.5 times higher than in mass shootings with other firearms. In other words: You cant prove that the ban was the reason mass shootings stopped entirely, but since we know from the U.S. that theres a common-sense link between these weapons and shootings with a large number of victims, it isnt much of a stretch. So does this mean that banning assault weapons would reduce the frequency or number of mass shootings in the U.S.? Maybe. There are a couple factors that defeat a simple apples-to-apples comparison. One is the aforementioned massive difference in the countries murder rates they are just very, very different places when it comes to shootings, so it isnt necessarily the case that you can translate these findings to the United States. Along those same lines, the sheer number of guns in the U.S. could complicate things one could make the case that a law reducing the number of the deadliest weapons would have less of an impact here, since it would be easier for would-be shooters to simply use handguns instead. Still: There are some very good empirical reasons to think an assault-weapon ban like Australias would reduce the number and severity of mass shootings here, and the U.S. has never actually tried it. This is something a lot of people fail to realize, and which Webster explains in his article: the [U.S.] law was written in a way that made it possible for gun manufacturers to perform slight modifications to make military-style weapons legal for sale. Importantly, the US law did not follow Australias NFA model and ban the possession of assault weapons or LCMs and recover the weapons purchased before the ban. So there were still a ton of those weapons floating around, and the bill only lasted from 1994 to 2004, anyway. The point is that weve never made a good faith effort, said Shapiro. We will not go to the lengths that Australia did for a variety of reasons, but it demonstrates that access to semi-automatic long guns that accept large-capacity ammunition magazines matters for mass shootings. As you can probably tell, measuring all this stuff is complicated. What we do know is that Australia passed a strict gun-control law that outlawed the mostly deadly weapons, and that nation hasnt had a mass shooting since. In the U.S., weve never tried that, and mass shootings frequently involving weapons that are illegal in Australia have become a horrifying, relentless part of our news cycle. Make of that what you will. Photo: Joao Paulo Burini/Getty Images Youve no doubt read the headlines and seen the pictures: Since late October, more than 1,500 babies have been born in Brazil with a devastating birth defect caused by the mosquito-borne Zika virus, and another 3,000 possible cases of Zika-linked microcephaly have yet to be confirmed. While the outbreak has, thus far, hit Central and South America, experts are predicting that up to a quarter of people in Puerto Rico will be infected with the virus by the end of the year. There have been a few hundred Zika cases in the United States, but they were all picked up elsewhere or passed on through sexual contact. We dont have local transmission yet. For that to happen, a mosquito would need to bite an infected person while theres high levels of the virus in their blood, and then bite another person. News sites have been warning you that Zika is coming and the Obama administration has sought more than a billion dollars to fight its spread. Now that summer is officially here: How worried should you be about it? What is Zika exactly? Zika is not a new disease, its just that when it reached Brazil in 2015, it infected as many as 1.5 million people, enough for even relatively uncommon side effects to become visible. Most people never develop symptoms, but the 20 percent who do experience a rash, fever, and joint pain. It usually lasts for about a week, then goes away on its own, or with some acetaminophen and rest. People are understandably more concerned about the reports of microcephaly and an immune condition called Guillain-Barre syndrome that can lead to weakness of the arms and legs. But Guillain-Barre is relatively rare and usually temporary. Out of 756 travel-associated cases in the United States thus far, only three people have developed it. Theres no vaccine or cure, but U.S. regulators just gave the makers of a possible vaccine the go-ahead to start human trials. The researchers hope to report their findings of the 40-person study later this year. Zika is spread by the same mosquitoes that carry other scary-sounding viruses like dengue, yellow fever, and chikungunya, says Shannan Rossi, PhD, a virologist and research scientist at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, Texas. That bug is called Aedes aegypti, or the yellow-fever mosquito, and it does live in the southeastern United States, especially Florida and Texas, says Rossi, who specializes in the viruses transmitted by mosquitos. All the bug needs to start the process is a drink from an infected tourist or an American returning home. So, is Zika coming to the U.S.? And how bad could it be? For her part, Rossi isnt convinced that it will. Its certainly possible, but previous outbreaks of other mosquito-borne viruses offer some insight, plus there are structural differences to consider. In Central and South America, she says, there are huge mosquito populations, and peoples homes arent necessarily insulated from the bugs. If you go down to Brazil, for example, they dont have screens on their windows, very few places have air conditioning, and theyre in an environment where the mosquitoes have contact with them almost all the time. In previous outbreaks like the one that you saw for chikungunya and dengue, that was really a huge factor in prohibiting the virus from establishing itself in the U.S. She also points to the fact that youll see cases of dengue on the Mexico side of the Rio Grande, but not on the Texas side. For these reasons, shes cautious about foretelling impending doom. I wouldnt necessarily say that its going to come with certainty. Absolutely, it has the possibility to and I dont want to discount that it might happen, but I dont think the question we should be asking necessarily is when. But if we are going to see it, well see some cases soon. Although, a little more than six weeks ago, one expert told NBC News that the risk of Zika circulating here would be peaking in the next few weeks, and yet here we are. Im actually surprised we havent seen a case yet, but a lot of people are expecting at least a few cases of local transmission, says Jeanne Sheffield, MD, an expert in pregnancy and infectious disease and the director of Maternal-Fetal Medicine at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. Dr. Sheffield says she believes there will be limited, local transmission. People are comfortable in saying that we dont expect the outbreak to be, say, what were seeing in Puerto Rico right now, or Brazil, or Colombia. And the risks of contracting Zika and experiencing possible ill effects will vary depending on where you live and what stage of life youre in, Rossi says. Okay, how screwed am I? Back to the bugs. Some maps show that yellow-fever mosquitos exist in almost half the country, which is unsettling. But theres a second mosquito that has the potential to transmit Zika, at least in a lab setting, Rossi says. The Asian Tiger mosquito (or Aedes albopictus) has been spotted in even more places in the United States than the yellow-fever mosquito, but it remains to be seen if it carries the virus in the real world. Either way, these maps have the tendency to make people terrified. When you look at maps from what major news outlets have published, or from what the CDC published, it can be really alarming if you see your entire state glowing But that doesnt necessarily mean that your backyard has that mosquito. Those maps can be kind of misleading and really conjure up fear. The CDC at least includes some words of caution: These maps include areas where mosquitoes are or have been previously found. Maps are not meant to represent risk for spread of disease. Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are more likely to spread viruses like Zika, dengue, chikungunya and other viruses than other types of mosquitoes such as Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. But even if the Asian Tiger can transmit Zika, Rossi thinks sexual transmission will probably end up affecting Americans more than mosquito bites, again, thanks to our screened-in windows and air conditioning. (Pro tip: Both kinds look different from the so-called southern-house mosquito thats known for transmitting West Nile virus; namely, they have white stripes on their legs.) Experts believe that Gulf Coast states like Florida, Texas, and Louisiana have relatively higher risks than other states, and travel hubs could see more Zika activity, too. If I live in Montana, Zikas not an issue. You just dont have the mosquitoes, you dont have the influx of traffic coming from endemic areas, Rossi says. The risk is a little bit higher in some places like New York City where you have traveler-associated cases, but you dont necessarily have the high prevalence of the mosquito population to sustain it. And if, say, youre an older man not planning on having kids any time soon, your concerns are different from younger people thinking about kids. If youre pregnant or youre seeking to become pregnant quickly, you need to take more precautions than if youre really young or you just dont plan on starting a family anytime soon, she says. If youre really, really wanting to plan a family and youre living in Minnesota where the mosquitoes arent, you shouldnt delay your family. But at the same point, if youre pregnant, dont go to Rio. Yeah, Im pregnant. Whats the risk of birth defects from Zika? Not all pregnant women infected with Zika will pass the virus to their fetus, or have babies with microcephaly. Some will miscarry, some will have totally healthy newborns. Its believed to be most risky when the mother is infected in the first trimester, but there have also been reports of miscarriages and birth defects when the mother was infected relatively late in pregnancy. But, at this point, experts still dont know the prevalence of birth defects in Zika-infected pregnant women. There are multiple studies that offer some ideas but, unhelpfully, they say different things. A study published in March that looked at an outbreak in French Polynesia between 2013 and 2015 found that one percent of women infected in the first trimester gave birth to babies with microcephaly. Another paper from May said the risk was up to 13 percent. One of the leaders of the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions birth-defects team says the estimated risk is between one and 15 percent. A small study involving women in Rio de Janeiro found that, of the 42 women who tested positive for Zika and had fetal ultrasounds, abnormal results were seen in 12 cases, which works out to 29 percent. This sounds terrifyingly high, but there were another 30 infected women not included in that calculation: Two miscarried and 28 declined the scans, so we dont know the full picture. Why are these numbers all over the place? Partially because so few people develop symptoms, Dr. Sheffield says. We still dont know how many pregnant women actually have been infected with Zika, she says. We have a number of how many pregnant women have been tested, but there are probably a ton of pregnant women out there who were infected that were completely asymptomatic. Trying to figure out a true percentage of transmission is incredibly difficult because we just dont know what our denominator is in the first place, says Dr. Sheffield, who worked with the CDC, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine to publish guidance for health-care providers on treating pregnant women with Zika. She says it would be almost impossible to test every pregnant woman in the United States, where there are more than 4 million births per year, and even more pregnancies. Currently, doctors here are only testing women who may have been exposed. Jamaicas health department recently said it would start testing every pregnant woman for Zika, symptoms or no symptoms. (The island nation has between 35,000 and 45,000 births per year.) Dr. Sheffield says that information would be a great step forward, but we wont have it anytime soon. Meanwhile, Sheffield and other doctors are simply being forthcoming about the knowledge gap. When were counseling pregnant women [with exposure risk], we are literally telling them, We still dont know what the transmission risks are, whether youre symptomatic or asymptomatic, if you are infected we will be following you the same. Currently, the protocol includes serial ultrasounds. What should I do to protect myself? If youre pregnant, the CDC recommends avoiding travel to areas with Zika transmission (heres a list of countries) and taking steps to prevent mosquito bites. That includes clearing standing water around your home, using screens on windows and doors, staying in air conditioning, wearing long sleeves and long pants when outside, using EPA-registered insect repellent and, for extra protection, treating clothes with permethrin. The CDC also advises that women and men avoid bites if theyre trying to get pregnant. And, yes, Dr. Sheffield says DEET is safe for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding when used as directed. The CDC and ACOG agree. Even the chemophobe Environmental Working Group recommends pregnant women use repellent with 20 to 30 percent DEET for Zika protection. You dont have to use DEET since the active ingredients picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or para-menthane-diol work well, too. Bottom line: This is not a time to try some natural balm from your weird neighbor or a new product being marketed specifically for Zika. Please use what is known to work, she says. And take note: Repellent should be applied after sunscreen and only on exposed skin, not under clothing. Zika can also be transmitted sexually and, thus far, its only been passed from men to their partners, not from women. (Eleven of the countrys 756 cases were sexually transmitted.) If youre pregnant and your male partner traveled to an area with Zika, the CDC recommends using condoms until the baby arrives for any kind of sex, including oral. The alternative is to remain celibate. What if Im not ready to have kids, or not sure, or too scared? Dr. Sheffield says lots of women ask her if they just shouldnt get pregnant right now, and she reminds them that this isnt Brazil. I keep telling them Look, Im not going to tell you not to get pregnant. For one thing, we dont have it in the United States yet and, if we do, I do expect that it will be limited compared to what were seeing elsewhere. Im telling people that if they do get pregnant, or if theyre considering pregnancy, they should absolutely use preventive measures. If people want to get pregnant and theyve been exposed to Zika, both the CDC and the World Health Organization recommend waiting eight weeks before trying. If a man develops symptoms or tests positive, couples should wait six months. And if you happen to get the virus now, she says theres no need to worry about it affecting pregnancies months or years later. The CDC has come out and said pretty comfortably that if you are Zika-infected and you clear the virus, there are no long-term consequences, Dr. Sheffield says. Their reason for saying so isnt because they know for certain that future pregnancies wont be affected, but other viruses in the same family, like dengue and chikungunya, arent chronic, and they can look to the previous Zika outbreak in French Polynesia. And because this is the United States, not a country in Central or South America, women here have much better access to birth control and long-acting contraceptives like IUDs should they choose to keep their uterus a baby-free zone. If youre not trying to get pregnant soon, theres no reason to freak out, though Dr. Sheffield recognizes that worrying is only natural. Women could worry about the possibility of a viral outbreak that could maybe, possibly affect their not-yet-conceived children, but Rossi says she wouldnt lose sleep over it. There are so many other risky things that we do. Youre probably way more likely to get hurt trying to cross a street in Manhattan than you are from Zika, she says. Every day we make risk assessments based on what we know around us. We shouldnt be paralyzed by fear moving forward, but its good to know whats out there, so that you can take the appropriate precaution. So you can say, Okay, I wore my bug spray; Ill reapply it in a couple hours after I sweat if off, and move on with my life. CBC, Netflix to adapt Margaret Atwoods Alias Grace, written by Sarah Polley https://t.co/p2OjVtv9C0 via @nparts pic.twitter.com/rzplP2f2rC National Post (@nationalpost) June 21, 2016 - The six-episode miniseries will feature the true story of Grace Marks, who was convicted of murdering employer Thomas Kinnear in 1843. - All episodes will be written and produced by Sarah Polley, who was tapped to write a film adaptation of Little Women last year. Mary Harron, best known for directing American Psycho, will direct. - Production is scheduled to begin in August. Alias Grace will air on CBC, and stream globally on Netflix. & Little over a week until Canada Day, ONTD! How will you celebrate? Which (Atwood) book needs to be turned into a Netflix series next, ONTD? Lmao Reply Thread Link Maybe I should say "hdu, that's very rude" but it's CMTV so... lmao. Reply Thread Link is cmtv bad? idk about these things. Reply Parent Thread Link Horrible. Worse than The Sun. Crash kids funerals. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link YES. it's by far the worst 'newspaper' in our country, and essentially just a really shitty tabloid. Reply Parent Thread Link Yes, absolute trash. Reply Parent Thread Link Lmao yes, everyone in the country knows how shitty and unreliable they are tbh Reply Parent Thread Link oop i thought it was country music tv but i guess thats cmt Reply Parent Thread Link I only found out how shitty they are after posting this which makes it even more hilarious. I love when athletes are pissed at the press, idk lol Reply Parent Thread Expand Link Correio de Manha also claimed Ronaldo is a pedophile, and Ronaldo also won a court case against them for saying he isn't the father of his kid. Reply Parent Thread Link Lol seriously. Still rude but CMTV ain't shit. Reply Parent Thread Link If they get eliminated it will serve him right for his crappy attitude... Reply Thread Link That prick. I'm still mad at him for badmouthing my bbs from Iceland. Reply Thread Link This is hilarious idc Reply Thread Link What a poor sport. What a bad display. And it's funny cause I just saw an interview with him where he was talking about how important it is to be a good role model for kids. Well one of the first things we teach kids is how to play nicely, and accept defeat and victory with some dignity. Reply Thread Link Nah, this "news" station is trash. They crash kids funerals. Fuck them. Reply Parent Thread Link If the station is known for harassing people it's understandable I guess, but his attitude has not been good this tournament. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link in this case, sorry to say but you have no idea what you're talking about. he should've thrown the reporter in the lake too, not just the mic. Reply Parent Thread Expand Link I hope they get eliminated. Reply Thread Link I don't even like him but this is just hilarious to me lol Reply Thread Link Slightly OT - i'm heading to Portugal on vacation next week - any must-see sites?? Reply Thread Link which part of the country? Reply Parent Thread Link I was there last year, loved it. Obidos was my favourite spot but I'm a sucker for medieval towns. loved Porto too Reply Parent Thread Expand Link do you have reddit? We always give tons of advice of must-see places to tourists in /r/portugal Reply Parent Thread Link lmao i love how you can hear the whooshing of the air while the mic goes flying Reply Thread Link well it was CMTV so honestly good on him lmao wish he could have done worse Reply Thread Link never liked him at all Reply Thread Link how very catfish-nev of him Reply Thread Link lmao mte Reply Parent Thread Link Oil is only just beginning to regain some of the ground that it has lost over the last few years, but already some analysts are looking for much higher prices. Raymond James & Associates is out with a forecast that oil will reach $80 a barrel by the end of next year, stating that "Over the past few months, we've gained even more confidence that tightening global oil supply and demand dynamics will support a much higher level of oil prices in 2017. "We continue to believe that 2017 WTI oil prices will average about $30/barrel higher than current futures strip prices would indicate." Raymond James sees a few issues pushing prices significantly higher over the next 6-18 months. First the firm sees continuing opportunities for supply disruptions throughout the rest of the year. In particular, while Canada and Nigeria should return to robust production soon, Venezuela is continuing to deteriorate (to the point where there are now widespread hunger riots through the country), and the Libyan Civil War continues in full force. These factors could create significant supply disruptions offsetting any growth in the near term. Second, while the North Sea, Russia, Iran, and Kuwait all appear poised to bring more production online in the next 12 months, Raymond James sees declining output around structural concerns for China, Mexico, Angola, and Colombia creating tailwinds for price. Finally, Raymond James is forecasting robust challenges in activity ramp up in the U.S. due to labor and equipment shortages. These issues could be significant. Just as the housing decline decimated much of the pre-Recession supply chain in residential construction, leading many construction workers to change careers, oil may be following the same path. There have been significant layoffs across the oil sector and with the rest of the economy doing well, its difficult to imagine that oil workers will want to stay in places like the Bakken for long if they are unemployed. Related: To Avoid The Oil Curse, Russia Needs To Take A Leaf Out Of The Saudis Book To be sure there are significant signs that oil may have bottomed, but black gold is not completely out of the woods yet either. With that said, Raymond James is not the only firm that is becoming incrementally more bullish on oil. Goldman Sachs, a long time bear, has recently become more constructive and even the EIA is looking for higher prices. Raymond James is still very optimistic on oil prices compared to the Street overall the average analyst forecast for WTI for 2017 is $54. With that said, analysts were largely caught flat footed by the fall in oil prices, so there is little reason to suspect that they will be particularly accurate as a group in forecasting any rebound. The reality is that oil prices at this stage are being driven by a variety of factors which are largely unknowable, including the degree of damage that has been done to U.S. production infrastructure. While the Baker Hughes Rig Count has rebounded slightly in recent weeks, that rise has been trivial compared to the magnitude of the fall in rigs. Only time will tell whether or not U.S. producers are able to rapidly adjust to new higher oil prices by producing more. If U.S. producers do have this level of flexibility, oil prices are unlikely to stay elevated for long. If U.S. producers are more hamstrung though, any rebound will likely be more long-lived. By Michael McDonald of Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: Necessity is the mother of invention, as Israels Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz has recently demonstrated, pushing forward with his idea for a detachable offshore port to be built in Gaza. Katz first put forward his idea in 2011, when he estimated that the project would cost $10 billion. It was perhaps because of the price tag that the idea didnt progress any further at that time. Now Katz is saying a detachable seaport, later to possibly include an airport as well, will cost $5 billion. He has backing from Israeli Defense Force officials and Construction Minister Yoav Gallant, a former IDF senior officer. The idea is being discussed by the security cabinet, and Katz told media that he hoped it will soon be voted on by the Knesset. Katzs proposal envisages the construction of a seaport in the international waters near the Gaza Strip, to be located on a 5-km-long artificial island. The port will be connected to the land by a detachable bridge, which will be under Israeli supervision. Should Hamas or anyone else give cause for concern to the supervisors, the bridge will be detached from the land. According to Katz, the major concern is arms smuggling for Hamas. The Transportation Minister believes this will be a mutually beneficial solution to at least some of the problems that Israelis and Palestinians have with each other. On the one hand, he says, Gazans will gain some economic independence despite the blockade installed by Israel and Egypt after Hamas took power in 2007. On the other, Israel will supervise security, making sure this independence doesnt backfire. Related: OPEC May Be Forcing Venezuela Into Regime Change As an idea, this may sound good, but it has had its critics. The Palestinian Authority of Mahmud Abbas, for one, does not seem too happy with the port. One aide to President Abbas said such a project will cut the final strings connecting Gaza to the rest of the Palestinian territories, adding that the motivation behind it was political. Israeli commentator Martin Sherman slammed the idea as harebrained and absurd, arguing at length that its supporters are mistaking causes for effects and basing their plans on this wrong notion. Katzs stated aim is to improve the wellbeing of Gazans. Sherman refers to senior IDF officials backing the project as explaining that the better life Gazans have, the less they would be willing to support Hamas and its terrorist activities. He calls the idea preposterous, saying this reasoning is just as far-fetched as the idea that plunging Gazans into deeper poverty will prompt them to rise and remove Hamas from power. Related: $1 Trillion In Spending Cuts Could Lead To An Oil Price Spike Whatever the doubts regarding the motivation behind the idea of a detachable port, there are purely practical concerns that need to be addressed should the project be approved by Israels legislators. The state is unwilling to foot the bill, so it will be looking for international investors to fund the construction. The Financial Post quotes Katz as suggesting the money could come from Saudi Arabia or China, but no further details are given. In any case, the project is at a very early stage with no blueprints or timeframes for its possible completion, so chances are, what is happening right now is that this 2011 idea is getting an airing to see if it will get more support than it garnered last time. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: When it comes to notable parks in the Milwaukee area, Postman's Plot located on Wells Street and 2nd Street is rarely one that comes immediately to mind. However, inspired by an unexpected collaborator several miles south, the small pop-up park now has an updated look. The park dedicated to the founding of the National Association of Letter Carriers received a facelift last month thanks to more than 100 volunteers, local designer Ryan Tretow, the Main Street Now Conference, NEWaukee and, oddly, leaders from the town of Middlesboro, Ky. To learn more about how Middlesboro and Milwaukee came together, visit here. The end result is a hopefully revitalized park, now outfitted with all sorts of new blue furniture including a large communal table, a stage area, plenty of new seating, an oversized mailbox where visitors can leave letters to the city through NEWaukee and more. Be sure to visit the renovated park sometime soon and maybe leave a letter to Milwaukee while you're there. When political historians look back on the 2016 presidential contest, they'll likely consider May 4th to the present as the decisive period. On May 4th, Donald Trump won the Indiana Republican primary; his last competitor, Ted Cruz, dropped out; and the press labeled Trump the presumptive GOP candidate. A week later, Trump got a polls "bump" and was effectively tied with Hillary Clinton. Then Donald lost his mojo. At the moment, Hillary Clinton leads Donald Trump by 7.5 percent in the Huffington Post Poll of Polls and the spread increases daily. Clinton also leads in fundraising and is generally credited with having a more effective campaign. Clinton was the first to run TV ads in critical swing states. What happened to Trump? How did he squander his advantage? Donald didn't adjust. It's a political axiom that it takes different tactics to win a general election for president than it does to win a primary election -- it's one thing to win over Party partisans and quite another to win over the general population. Trump didn't recognize this and, therefore, kept running the same style of campaign and employing the same tactics. Trump doesn't have a campaign infrastructure because he hasn't raised the money necessary. A recent Huffington Post article said that Trump only has 70 paid staff members compared to Clinton's 732. The New York Times reported that, in this 45 day period, Trump has yet to run a TV ad; Clinton and surrogates have spent $25.5 M on ads. A Time Magazine article observed: "[Trump] has planned no big fundraising blitz or major TV ad campaign for the fall. He has little interest in the latest advances in data analysis or digital strategy. And despite a personal fortune that runs into the billions, Trump does not want to hire a big staff in the states to get out the vote and to court local leaders. He prefers to talk to reporters and surrogates himself, betting on his own gut and guile. Trump's campaign is entirely ad hoc. It's a guerilla operation built on the concept of mass communication." On June 20th, Trump fired his campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski. Donald lost focus. For the first three weeks after he won the GOP nomination, Trump kept doing what he had been doing -- emphasizing key Trump issues such as immigration and attacking Hillary Clinton. Then he lost focus. On May 27th, a Federal judge in a civil case involving Trump "University" ordered the depositions made public. The next day, Trump used a California campaign speech to attack the judge, accusing him of bias because the judge's parents emigrated from Mexico. When asked about his comments, Trump doubled down. In a May 31st press conference Trump repeated his charges against the judge and attacked the press, in general. On June 2nd, Hillary Clinton gave what she had labeled a foreign policy speech. It was a prolonged attack on Trump. Clinton declared Trump temperamentally unfit to be President. She declared his ideas as "dangerously incoherent," adding that they consisted of "a series of bizarre rants, personal feuds, and outright lies." Trump was so obsessed with the "Trump University" case that he didn't respond to Clinton. Donald blew his opportunity to get back on course. Presidential campaigns take a long time and external events usually present an opportunity for course correction. On June 12th there was a horrendous shooting spree in an Orlando gay nightclub. Because the killer was an American Muslim, the event was an opportunity for Trump to trumpet his signature issues: domestic security, immigration reform, and Muslim ban. On June 12th Trump tweeted: "Appreciate the congrats for being right on radical Islamic terrorism." On June 13th, Trump responded with a speech so over-the-top that it was universally panned. Politico reported a spot poll: 51 percent of respondents did not like the way Trump responded to the Orlando massacre, while only 25 percent approved. Donald failed to united Republicans. After he secured the nomination, Trump had a chance to unite Republicans. He didn't do this. He got a lukewarm endorsement from Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan and did not garner the support of Republican elders such as George W. Bush and Mitt Romney. Next Page 1 | 2 (Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher). Reprinted from Paul Craig Roberts Website Below is my wrap-up of Orlando. I invite you to contrast it with what you have learned from the TV and print media. A few readers are still trying to help me to prove the official Orlando shooting story line. Unable to find videos of the massive presence of ambulances and Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) that 50 dead people and 53 wounded people would require, readers are reduced to supplying me with telephone numbers of someone who might know something. Amid conflicting reports of one shooter vs. several shooters, the proven presence of crisis actors on the scene, the substitution, as in Sandy Hook, of photos and names as proxies for bodies, the interviews by media of only one hospitalized shooting victim as proxy for the 52 others, internet reports that many of the alleged victims have no social media presence, etc. and so on, we are reduced to what strangers tell us on the telephone! This constitutes powerfu evidence that we cannot substantiate the story we are told. As I said in the beginning, I do not know what happened or why. What I see in Orlando is the same pattern as in the other events: no bodies, questionable shootings, crisis actors, an official story set at the moment of the event's announcement, no EMTs, conflicting testimony, no investigation by media, just endless repetition of a set story. We know that governments lie in order to serve their agendas. To mention only a few recent proven government lies: the Gulf of Tonkin North Vietnamese attack on a US Navy ship, Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction, Assad's use of chemical weapons, Iranian nukes, Russian invasion of Ukraine. These lies are monstrous. They resulted in wars that killed thousands of US soldiers and killed, maimed, and displaced millions of Vietnamese and Muslims, some of whom are now over-running Europe as refugees from Washington's wars. Other of the government's lies brought risk of war with more powerful militaries such as Russia's and Iran's. It seems to me that a government that will lie on this scale will lie on smaller scales as well, such as Orlando, Boston, San Bernandino. If I had to bet on what Orlando is about, I would place my bet on gun control. Sandy Hook also led to a big push for gun control. The victims being children was a plus for gun control, but apparently 20 was not a large enough number. The absence of wounded children did not raise any questions. Lanza's kill ratio was 100 percent. The Orlando shooter's ratio was just under 50 percent. The Orlando shooting produced a reported 103 casualties. Moreover, the victims are not children in a school, but people having fun in a night club. In other words, everyone is threatened by guns in the hands of lone nuts, but not by guns in the hands of authorities -- despite the fact that US police killed more Americans during eight years of the Iraq war than the US lost soldiers in combat. Some time ago I wrote that the Second Amendment was the only remaining provision in the Bill of Rights, which became part of the US Constitution in order to protect citizens from government. I made the point that the Second Amendment is inconsistent with a police state and that as Americans, Congress, and the legal community have accepted the police state, the Second Amendment would have to go, along with habeas corpus, due process, privacy, and all the rest. I also noted how strange it is that progressives and the left-wing are on the side of the police state and want to disarm American citizens. The way the issue is now positioned, the "moral" element in the population demand gun control and only the immoral "gun nut" portion want to allow crazy people to continue mass slaughter. Some time ago I concluded that the American people are too gullible to be capable of preserving liberty. Nevertheless, I have continued to try to help people break out of the Matrix that controls their consciousness. One of the most frustrating aspects of many Americans is their naive disbelief in conspiracy because "someone would talk." It boggles the mind that anyone would think that people involved in a successful conspiracy to achieve their agenda would blow the whistle on their success. Uninvolved people who might stumble upon the conspiracy know that it is their voice against the government's and that credibility, career, job, and perhaps life itself is at stake. Just look at the fate of whistleblowers who disclose government crimes. Despite their legal protection under US federal law, they are mercilessly prosecuted. Just look at the invective thrown at people such as myself who try to raise the public's consciousness. Moreover, there are people who talk, such as 118 firemen, policemen, first responders, and WTC maintanence personnel who were in the towers and report hearing and experiencing massive explosions one after the other. We even have an organization, Firemen for 9/11 Truth. The chairman, vice chairman, and legal counsel of the 9/11 Commission talked. They said that the government lied to the committee, withheld information from the committee, and set the committee up to fail. Reprinted from The Nation The US Supreme Court just made a deeply flawed, and profoundly unsettling, decision that upsets historic protections against using evidence obtained in illegal searches to convict Americans of wrongdoing. The decision, announced Monday, reinstates the particular convictions of a Utah man who was tried on drug charges. But this is about much more than one case. The Court's 5-3 determination effectively signals that police officers do not themselves have to follow the letter of the law when they are enforcing the law. The calculus, argued dissenting Justice Elena Kagan, "practically invites" police to illegally stop Americans who are not acting suspiciously. That was fine by a Court majority that included Chief Justice John Roberts, conservative Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, and Anthony Kennedy, and moderately liberal Justice Stephen Breyer. Justice Thomas wrote in a convoluted majority opinion that evidence gathered in an illegal search could be used to arrest and convict the target of the search because the Court majority did not find indications of "flagrantly unlawful police misconduct" in an unconstitutional stop in Salt Lake City parking lot, and because the officer eventually learned of an outstanding warrant against the man who was targeted. The majority ruling so unsettled Justice Sonia Sotomayor that she wrote a scathing dissent, which spoke with the fury of the classic dissents of Justice Louis Brandeis and Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. that almost a century ago helped to frame our modern understanding of basic liberties. The dissents of Justices Brandeis and Holmes laid the groundwork for later decisions by more enlightened Court majorities. In her remarkable dissent, Justice Sotomayor found herself raging against the dying of the more enlightened approach that the Court had long accepted as a necessary defense of civil liberties. "The Court today holds that the discovery of a warrant for an unpaid parking ticket will forgive a police officer's violation of your Fourth Amendment rights," wrote Justice Sotomayor. Click Here to Read Whole Article While rogue State Department employees clamor for the US to bomb Assad, RT reports this morning that a Muslim entrepreneur in London has set up a website to help his fellows find second wives. Never mind that bigamy is against British law, he justifies it by saying it's better than seeing prostitutes or having a mistress. Until now, most of the ruckus over the Islamization of Europe has been about the prospect of having to obey Sharia law, although few Westerners have even a clue as to the ways in which it differs from "Enlightenment" law. Now, at least, there's a clear discrepancy for Brits to deal with. But how to complain if a Muslim living in Britain - citizen or not - follows the Western injunction to create". a business, and multiply one's income? However much the Europeans may insist on seeing their Islamization as a threat instead of a reality they will have to adapt to, the process will not be reversed: Europe's days as the bastion of Christianity are over, thanks to the US having taken over that mantle and done stupid stuff with it. As a reminder, there are 2.2 billion Muslims in the world and Islam is increasingly making (voluntary) converts. With its population of half a billion, Europe's fate is sealed. And while the US hasn't been able to cope with its black problem for four centuries, Russia during that time has been sharing Eurasia with Muslims, and as Europeans grapple begin to consider breaking free of US hegemony, they may may be reminded of that. Reprinted from Sputnik Russian President Vladimir Putin's comparison of increasing US-led NATO aggression towards Russia to the attack by Nazi Germany on the Soviet Union is advisedly apt. Putin was addressing the Russian State Duma this week on the occasion 75 years ago when the Nazi Third Reich launched Operation Barbarossa on June 22, 1941. Nazi Germany's aggression, which led to the Great Patriotic War in which up to 30 million Soviet citizens lost their lives in order to gain victory against that fascist power, was at bottom an attack by Western imperialism. As Putin reminded, this fundamental fact is often omitted in Western commentary. In that way, the significance of NATO's current military buildup -- what else is that but aggression? -- on Russian territory is all too often absent in Western media. And, by extension, Western public appreciation is lacking on how sinister the unfolding situation is. Russia's history over centuries is replete with examples of where Western imperialist powers have tried -- and failed -- to subjugate Russia with military attack from its Western flank. It is consistent with historical precedent that Putin should describe "increasing aggression" by the American-led NATO military alliance in the same context as the repugnant Nazi assault on Russia. The burgeoning US-led aggression towards Russia -- in the form of provocative political campaigns to demonize and vilify with false accusations, economic sanctions and the spurning of diplomacy and dialogue, as well as the expansion of military forces, including the deployment of missile systems -- is in a long, reprehensible tradition of Western belligerence towards Russia, going back to, among others, French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte and German Fuhrer Adolf Hitler. This congenital aggression towards Russia stems from the dynamic of the Western economic system of capitalism, which in turns begets imperialism as its necessary tool for expropriating natural resources and subjugating foreign nations. Russia is not the only target of Western aggression, of course. But the largest nation by land mass on Earth is and always has been a prime target. The little-known historical record -- at least in Western media -- is that Nazi Germany was fomented by American and British capitalism as a proxy with which to vanquish the Soviet Union. The subsequent Western alliance with Soviet Russia to defeat Nazi Germany was merely a cynical damage-control move by the Western powers who were witnessing their Nazi attack dog being muzzled and liquidated. How could anyone who has a sound understanding of history -- as opposed to the anesthetizing non-history common in the West -- be not perplexed by the current US-led military menace on Russia's Western flank? It should be a matter of deep concern that even Germany's foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier last week denounced the largest-ever NATO war exercises being conducted in Poland as "warmongering." What underscores the alarm is that Washington and certain NATO allies are pushing this confrontational agenda without the slightest discussion in Western media or among the Western public. As President Putin pointed out, people in the West are oblivious to the dangers of potential global war because the Western media is committing a huge disservice by not informing accurately on developments. There are any number of flash-points where NATO's military could combust into all-out war with Russia. The Baltic region, Eastern Europe, Ukraine, the Southern Caucus region, or the Black Sea where US warships continue to penetrate in violation of international treaties. Certainly, historical precedent strongly suggests this geographical swathe. As the US presidential election swings towards Democrat contender Hillary Clinton, that portends ominously for relations with Russia. It was Clinton who as Secretary of State in the first Obama administration in 2009-2013 plunged bilateral relations into the freezer and who set the course for the present geopolitical tensions. Of further concern is Clinton's likely selection to head the Pentagon . It is hotly tipped that Clinton will appoint Michele Flournoy as the first female Secretary of Defense. Flournoy (56) is a prominent Pentagon insider, with close links to the military and CIA. We can be sure that this duo will keenly push a bellicose agenda towards Russia. Only last week, Flournoy made strident calls for increased US military intervention in Syria. She wants to deploy large numbers of American troops and openly use military force to topple the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad. Under Obama, regime change has been a covert enterprise through proxies such as Saudi Arabia, Turkey and a menagerie of terrorist militia. Under Clinton, the signs are that regime change in Syria will be made an overt military objective. Flournoy is calling for the use of cruise missiles to hit Assad targets, including those of allied Russian forces in Syria. 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." 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 National Security State Censoring of Anti-Imperialist Voices part of their Long-Term Strategy to Control the Left Discussion on how the US government and corporate America have manipulated and divided the left in the US. We also review the methods they use today to censor anti-imperialist voices. Sunday, October 2, 2022Discussion on how the US government and corporate America have manipulated and divided the left in the US. We also review the methods they use today to censor anti-imperialist voices. SHARE Political Prisoners in the United States, 2022 Categories of political prisoners: state agents and reporters locked up for publicizing blatant government criminality; representatives of foreign governments the US seeks to overthrow; Black, Native American, and Latino activists fighting for the rights of their peoples; US Arab and Muslims targeted after 9-11; prisoners in Guantanamo torture center; women defending against violent attack; and environmental activists. Sunday, August 14, 2022Categories of political prisoners: state agents and reporters locked up for publicizing blatant government criminality; representatives of foreign governments the US seeks to overthrow; Black, Native American, and Latino activists fighting for the rights of their peoples; US Arab and Muslims targeted after 9-11; prisoners in Guantanamo torture center; women defending against violent attack; and environmental activists. (1 comments) SHARE The Gains of Nicaraguan Women During the Second Sandinista Government This is a review of how women's liberation has advanced during time second Sandinista government. Friday, March 11, 2022This is a review of how women's liberation has advanced during time second Sandinista government. SHARE 21st-Century US Coups and Attempted Coups in Latin America During the 21st century, the US, working with corporate elites, traditional oligarchies, military, and corporate media, has continually attempted coups against Latin American governments that place the needs of their people over US corporate interests. US-organized coups in Latin American countries is hardly a 20th-century phenomenon. Monday, January 17, 2022During the 21st century, the US, working with corporate elites, traditional oligarchies, military, and corporate media, has continually attempted coups against Latin American governments that place the needs of their people over US corporate interests. US-organized coups in Latin American countries is hardly a 20th-century phenomenon. SHARE Is the US Global Empire Actually in Decline? Part 2 It is often claimed that the US empire is in decline. We analyze this claim and consider whether it is wishful thinking or has actual basis in reality. While the standard of living of the people in the US has decline, the empire remains strong. Friday, November 12, 2021It is often claimed that the US empire is in decline. We analyze this claim and consider whether it is wishful thinking or has actual basis in reality. While the standard of living of the people in the US has decline, the empire remains strong. SHARE Is the US Global Empire Actually in Decline? Part 1 it is often claimed the US empire is in decline. We consider whether this claim is wishful thinking or has actual basis in reality. We conclude that while the standard of living for most US people has declined, the empire has not. Wednesday, November 10, 2021it is often claimed the US empire is in decline. We consider whether this claim is wishful thinking or has actual basis in reality. We conclude that while the standard of living for most US people has declined, the empire has not. (1 comments) SHARE The US Plan to Imprison Businesspeople in other Countries for "Violating" Illegal US Sanctions The US has taken its unilateral coercive measures to a new level by attempting to extradite foreign businesspeople who have been abiding by international law rather than these US sanctions. The cases of Alex Saab, a Venezuelan, Meng Wanzhou from China's Huawei tech giant, and Mun Chol Myong from North Korea are each charged with violating US sanctions even though all are non-US citizens living outside the US. Wednesday, May 26, 2021The US has taken its unilateral coercive measures to a new level by attempting to extradite foreign businesspeople who have been abiding by international law rather than these US sanctions. The cases of Alex Saab, a Venezuelan, Meng Wanzhou from China's Huawei tech giant, and Mun Chol Myong from North Korea are each charged with violating US sanctions even though all are non-US citizens living outside the US. (5 comments) SHARE The Failure of Trump's "Coup": A Victory for the US Empire - but the Left gets on their bandwagon The best result for the US empire would be for Trump to lose the election, his "coup" to fail, and he be banned from running for political office. The US rulers achieved almost all that agenda. US leftists, declared opponents of the empire, must ask themselves why this very agenda was also their own agenda. Wednesday, March 3, 2021The best result for the US empire would be for Trump to lose the election, his "coup" to fail, and he be banned from running for political office. The US rulers achieved almost all that agenda. US leftists, declared opponents of the empire, must ask themselves why this very agenda was also their own agenda. (4 comments) SHARE What We Will Miss with the End of the Trump Presidency With Trump gone, we can expect renewed threats against North Korea and increased military action in the Middle East. We will experience not just an end to presidential condemnations of the national security state, but its further unleashing on the US people and the world. Sunday, January 31, 2021With Trump gone, we can expect renewed threats against North Korea and increased military action in the Middle East. We will experience not just an end to presidential condemnations of the national security state, but its further unleashing on the US people and the world. (2 comments) SHARE Combating the US Economic War on Venezuela - Differences in the Chavista Ranks A look at the pluses and minuses of the new The Popular Revolutionary Alternative (APR), made up of the Venezuelan CP and other organizations. They are running in the Venezuelan elections independently of the dominant Chavista party, the PSUV. Saturday, October 24, 2020A look at the pluses and minuses of the new The Popular Revolutionary Alternative (APR), made up of the Venezuelan CP and other organizations. They are running in the Venezuelan elections independently of the dominant Chavista party, the PSUV. (4 comments) SHARE Part 2: Why the US Can Keep Increasing its Debt and not Suffer Inflation The US, protecting the dollar as the world's reserve currency, is not subject to the same rules other countries are: it can spend more than it produces, maintain its consumerist lifestyle, by simply printing more dollars. It can use this extra money to gain control of goods and resources, giving them inflation and debt in exchange. These exported dollars often return home through now uncollectible loans as Treasury Bonds. Tuesday, October 13, 2020The US, protecting the dollar as the world's reserve currency, is not subject to the same rules other countries are: it can spend more than it produces, maintain its consumerist lifestyle, by simply printing more dollars. It can use this extra money to gain control of goods and resources, giving them inflation and debt in exchange. These exported dollars often return home through now uncollectible loans as Treasury Bonds. (1 comments) SHARE Part 1: Inadequacy of Modern Monetary Theory (MMT) and the Power of the US Dollar in the World Economy Modern Monetary Theory (MMT) has become popularized by some of the liberal-left. We summarize the basics of MMT on the significance of a "sovereign" currency and consider which currencies meet the conditions of being sovereign in the existing structure of the world Friday, October 9, 2020Modern Monetary Theory (MMT) has become popularized by some of the liberal-left. We summarize the basics of MMT on the significance of a "sovereign" currency and consider which currencies meet the conditions of being sovereign in the existing structure of the world SHARE The Wasp Network Highlights our Lack of Freedom to Tell the Truth on the Cuban Five Case The Netflix film on the Cuban 5: Wasp Network makes clear the US is the aggressor, that Cuba used the Wasp Network to defend itself. It quotes Fidel Castro pointing out "how amazing it was the biggest spy in the world would accuse the most spied upon country in the world of espionage." Yet the film won't educate people on the Cuban Five case, or on the long history of US terrorism against Cuba. Sunday, June 28, 2020The Netflix film on the Cuban 5: Wasp Network makes clear the US is the aggressor, that Cuba used the Wasp Network to defend itself. It quotes Fidel Castro pointing out "how amazing it was the biggest spy in the world would accuse the most spied upon country in the world of espionage." Yet the film won't educate people on the Cuban Five case, or on the long history of US terrorism against Cuba. SHARE Chicago Mayor Lightfoot's Coronavirus Threats and Government Incapacity to Handle a Pandemic A look at Chicago city and Federal government incapacity to respond to the needs of the people in face of a pandemic, and what we may expect in the future. Thursday, May 7, 2020A look at Chicago city and Federal government incapacity to respond to the needs of the people in face of a pandemic, and what we may expect in the future. SHARE Condemn Trump Administration's Hypocritical Indictment on Drug Charges of Venezuelan President Nicolas Ma Open Letter to Condemn Trump Administration's Hypocritical Indictment on Drug Charges of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and High-Ranking Venezuelan Officials Tuesday, April 7, 2020Open Letter to Condemn Trump Administration's Hypocritical Indictment on Drug Charges of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and High-Ranking Venezuelan Officials (2 comments) SHARE A Case Study of Corporate Media Disinformation: Keith Bolender's "Manufacturing the Enemy: The Media War Against Cuba" Some alternative media have exposed the US government and its corporate media fake news reporting on Russian "election interference," on Venezuela, the war on Syria, China's Xinjiang and Hong Kong, Nicaragua, Palestine, among others. One of the longest running media disinformation campaigns has been directed at Cuba. Saturday, March 14, 2020Some alternative media have exposed the US government and its corporate media fake news reporting on Russian "election interference," on Venezuela, the war on Syria, China's Xinjiang and Hong Kong, Nicaragua, Palestine, among others. One of the longest running media disinformation campaigns has been directed at Cuba. (2 comments) SHARE The Coup in Bolivia: Lessons for our Movement What we can learn about the coup in Bolivia, both about their process, and more importantly, what the response here says about the state of our movement. Monday, December 23, 2019What we can learn about the coup in Bolivia, both about their process, and more importantly, what the response here says about the state of our movement. SHARE Bernie Sanders' Present Fight against Corporate Rule vs. the Bernie of 1989 A review of how the Bernie Sanders campaign and Sanders' views towards working in the Democratic Party have dramatically changed over the years. Monday, July 15, 2019A review of how the Bernie Sanders campaign and Sanders' views towards working in the Democratic Party have dramatically changed over the years. (1 comments) SHARE Is Russia Imperialist? A look at capitalist Russia today and its place in the world economic system. In this article we look at the degree capitalist Russia today shares in the features outlined by Lenin. We consider the role Russian capitalist monopolies play in the world imperialist system, the nature of Russia's export trade, the export of Russian capital, the world role played by Russian finance capital, and finally Russian military power. Monday, December 31, 2018A look at capitalist Russia today and its place in the world economic system. In this article we look at the degree capitalist Russia today shares in the features outlined by Lenin. We consider the role Russian capitalist monopolies play in the world imperialist system, the nature of Russia's export trade, the export of Russian capital, the world role played by Russian finance capital, and finally Russian military power. (8 comments) SHARE Russiagate McCarthyism Led to Internet Censorship of the Anti-War and Social Justice Movement Russiagate has been the excuse for this new McCarthyite censorship of non-corporate media voices representing the anti-War and social justice struggle against corporate America. Thursday, December 6, 2018Russiagate has been the excuse for this new McCarthyite censorship of non-corporate media voices representing the anti-War and social justice struggle against corporate America. Page 1 of 2 First Last Back Next 2 View All Oregon Senate Republicans Salem, Ore. Earlier this month, Senate Republican Leader Ted Ferrioli (R-John Day) sent a letter to the Oregon Educators Benefit Board (OEBB) asking the board to eliminate a proposed rule to impose a $100 fee per month per teacher or other public education employee who opts out of OEBB medical coverage. On June 17, April Kelly, rules coordinator for OEBB, responded to Ferrioli saying OEBB had decided to drop the $100 monthly fee on educators for exercising their right to choose the medical coverage best suited for their families. This is a victory for teachers and other school employees, as well as the school districts that could have borne the expensive burden of this new $100 per teacher monthly fee, explained Ferrioli. These hard working public servants should have the ability to opt out of employer-provided health insurance, especially if they are already covered through a spouses medical benefits or can find less expensive insurance through the health care exchange. I am pleased OEBB decided to drop this $100 fee that would have cost school districts more money when they are already facing budget challenges. Kellys letter explained that OEBB had spent several weeks gathering input from stakeholders and made a decision at the June 7, 2015 Board meeting to not move forward with the proposed rule at this time. A copy of the letter can be viewed here. This was a sound decision on the part of OEBB and I sincerely hope they do not pursue a similar fee on teachers who choose to make responsible health care decisions for themselves and their families in the future, said Ferrioli. Objectives behind drone strike in Baluchistan 22 June, 2016 By Asif Haroon Raja Pakistan is caught up in a paradoxical situation. The US as well as the unity government in Kabul have been pressing Pakistan to convince the Afghan Taliban to come to the negotiating table and help in restoring peace in war torn Afghanistan. At the same time they do not want Pakistan to maintain contacts with Taliban and are urging it to fight them. Last year, with great efforts Pakistan managed to arrange a meeting at Murree on July 7, 2015 which was attended by Taliban leaders including Mullah Akhtar Mansour. The next meeting was scheduled at the same place on July 31 and some breakthrough was expected. The roguish airing of the news of death of Mullah Omar by USA, Afghan government and India on July 30 scuttled the scheduled talks. The trio was averse to Pakistan facilitated talks and wanted peace on its terms. Derailment of peace talks was aimed at dividing and weakening Taliban movement and then talking to the reconcilable from a position of strength. A peace deal of choice with reconcilable Taliban was to be arrived at and irreconcilable Taliban were to be sidelined and droned. Once this ill-conceived plan backfired, and barring a small faction under Mullah Mohammad Rasoul, the rest remained loyal to Mullah Mansour, Pakistan was once again deceptively cajoled to renew the peace process under the umbrella of Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG). At the same time, Pakistan was coerced to not only force the Taliban to talk but also to fight with the irreconcilable Taliban. Puzzlingly, the US has no objection to the contacts made with the Taliban by Afghan regime, India, Iran, Qatar or any other country but has different rules for Pakistan. It became extremely difficult for Pakistan to once again bring the Taliban leadership to the negotiating table since the Taliban were achieving victories in the battlefield and field commanders were averse to peace talks. They had laid down certain pre-conditions which Kabul and Washington were not prepared to fulfill. Pakistans advice that fight and talk policy will not work fell on deaf ears. Ultimately, Pakistans efforts began to bear fruit. The Taliban became a bit flexible and showed signs of giving peace a chance despite the fact that Afghan government had adopted a hostile posture against them and was not even prepared to give due recognition to their political office at Doha. Taliban attack in Kabul in April 2016 killing over 60 persons and injuring a large number changed the mood of the ones sitting in Kabul. Drone strike on May 21, 2016 killing Taliban Ameer Akhtar Mansour who was pro-peace has ruined the ongoing reconciliation process undertaken by QCG consisting of representatives from USA, China, Pakistan and Afghanistan. It has also nosedived Pak-US relations. Prior to the drone strike, a change in the US behavior was discernible. It was pressuring Pakistan to cap its tactical nuclear capability which Pakistan had devised to offset the danger of Indias Pakistan specific Cold Start Doctrine, release American spy Dr. Shakil Afridi and send him to Washington, pick up arms against Haqqani Network (HN) and Quetta Shura allegedly based in Baluchistan, and force them to come to the negotiating table. It started to twist the arm of Pakistan when it didnt get the desired response. The eight F-16 jets release was blocked by the US Congress saying that Pakistan will have to make full payment of $ 699 million. Release of the scheduled $300 million Close Support Fund (CSF) was also stopped. After making the relations tense, the US then abruptly violated Pakistans sovereignty by droning Mullah Mansour which wrecked the prospects of reconciliation. To make matters worse, Washington stated that both the PM and the COAS were informed well in advance about the intended strike and their consent was obtained. This was sheer travesty of truth since the two were informed 7 hours after the incident and it was announced with confidence that Mullah Mansour had been killed. This lie was maliciously circulated to tarnish the image of Nawaz Sharif and Gen Raheel Sharif. The drone strike in Baluchistan was a well calculated act to achieve certain objectives. These were as under: 1. Blame Pakistan for harboring Taliban leaders and helping them to destabilise Afghanistan. 2. Reinforce the allegation that Quetta Shura is in existence in Baluchistan duly patronized by Pakistan. 3. Reinforce the Indo-US-Afghan accusations that Pakistan is a hub of terrorism. 4. Justify the US hardline approach adopted against Pakistan and pave way for further tightening the screws of Pakistan. 5. Justify drone war in Baluchistan province and continue droning irreconcilable Taliban leaders. 6. Once again make Baluchistan restive that has begun to stabilize. 7. Instability in the province would help in impeding CPEC, which is being developed at a fast pace and has become the major cause of worry for both USA and India. 8. Provide fuel to a segment of foreign paid Pak media and disgruntled politicians to badger the government, which is under pressure on account of Panama Papers scandal and deadlock over Terms of Reference, and thus smoothen the ground for another round of agitational politics. 9. Force Pakistan to pick up arms against Afghan Taliban and HN and thus further add to the problems of Pakistan. 10.Defame Pakistan by alleging that it is in league with HN and is playing a double game and not helping in restoring peace in Afghanistan. 11. Break the momentum of Taliban Spring Offensive, dishearten the Taliban and bolster the dwindling morale of Afghan unity government and ANSF. 12.Weaken Taliban movement by once again creating leadership crisis and further accentuating their divides. 13.Frighten Taliban leaders of their fate if they refused to reconcile with the peace plan formulated by Washington and Kabul. 14.Further strain Pak-Afghan relations and deepen misgivings in Pak-Iran relations after the episode of Kalbushan Yadav in March this year when Rouhani was on a visit to Pakistan. 15.Justify the US tilt towards India by projecting it as helpful and a natural ally. 17. Pave ground for making India member of MTC and Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). 18. Above all, isolate Pakistan and create conditions for imposing punitive sanctions with a view to undermining its economy which has begun to show signs of recovery, and also to undercut nuclear program. 19. Create favorable conditions for India to exercise military option against weakened and isolated Pakistan. 20. Justify further stay of Resolute Support Mission (RSM) of US-NATO in Afghanistan beyond December 2016 and to adopt a more proactive role against Taliban. 21. Give a justifiable reason to intimidate Pakistan and to break its axis with China. The offensive act became all the more fishy when it was gathered that the vehicle carrying Mullah Mansour was not as badly splintered and charred as it should have been and the driver Azam had received only 30% burns and hence could be easily identified. Most intriguingly, the passport and ID card of Mansour were found intact a few yards away from the site of occurrence and so was number plate of the vehicle. There were reasons to suspect that the 7 hours time delay in reporting the matter was to allow time to someone else to place the identity documents and then cross back into Afghanistan. Possibility of bomb blast by Blackwater or BLA cannot be ruled out. And then who put the chip in the vehicle hired in Taftan? If Mansour had a Mashadi base camp in Zahidan since long and had frequented Iran 26 times besides his visits to Qatar and Dubai, why he could not be nabbed/killed elsewhere? Why no questions have been asked from Iran? Drone strike against Mullah Mansour was the first in Baluchistan and it was authorized by Obama and recommended by RSM Commander Gen Nicholson. Obamas assertion that suchlike strikes against non-state actors and irreconcilable in Pakistan will continue whenever actionable intelligence comes forth is a clear cut warning that the US will not hesitate to take the war into the Pakistani territory. He had hurled a similar warning in 2009 after issuing dangerous Af-Pak policy in 2009 and had accelerated drone war in FATA. This is exactly what India has all along desired and has been advising Bush and Obama to adopt a hard-hitting approach towards Pakistan to achieve long lasting results. This change implies victory of the hawks and spoilers who are anti-peace and desire chaos and war to keep their drugs, defence and mercantile industries running. Pakistan government has termed the drone attack a clear violation of Pakistans sovereignty and expressed its serious concerns. The US Ambassador in Islamabad was invited by Gen Raheel in his office in GHQ and had a straight talk with him. China after 17 days finally broke its silence by giving a statement calling upon the international community to respect Pakistans sovereignty and territorial integrity. It commended Pakistans contribution to the war against terrorism and stressed that the Afghan reconciliation process within the framework of the QCG should not be jeopardised. It was a rebuke to Washington over the drone killing of the Taliban chief. The statement was timed with the visit of a delegation of senior US officials Richard Olson, Peter Lavoy, and Gen. John Nicholson, Commander of the US forces in Afghanistan to Islamabad. The visiting delegation also heard strong denunciation of the drone strike in Baluchistan during their separate meetings with Gen Raheel and foreign Office advisers. They were also told of the decisive shift in the US policies towards India which has disturbed the military balance in the region. They were reminded of Indias track record, its aggressive designs and constantly rising defence budget and acquisition of the civilian nuclear deal, supply of latest state-of-art weaponry and technology from the US, Israel, and the west, and now its efforts to become member of NSG. They were also shown proofs of RAWs involvement in Pakistan and arrest of Indian RAW officer Yadav and NDS officers and their confessional statements. After a hard and arduous battle with the terrorists that were duly funded, armed and equipped by foreign agencies and achieving spectacular results, Pakistan was now seeing light at the end of the long tunnel. However, sudden change in tone and tenor of the US and its aggressive and discriminatory attitude against Pakistan are indicators that the war on terror has a long way to go and so is the case with the instability in Afghanistan. Since volatility in Afghanistan directly impacts Pakistan, as such it will not buy the changed policy of use of force against the Afghan Taliban as suggested by Washington and Kabul. Likewise, China cannot but view with uneasiness the growing US-Indian-Afghan axis in regional politics now further reinforced with inclusion of Iran and working as a prototype of the US rebalance in Asia. Beijing understands that the shift in the US policy in Afghanistan and towards Pakistan and the strategic alliance with India is in reality aimed at encircling and preparing for war against China. This is evident from rising tension in South China Sea and the US haste to shift its strategic pivot from the West Asia to Asia-Pacific. From the above it has become clear that Pakistan has never fitted into the security paradigm of the US. Whenever it befriended Pakistan it was only to achieve its short term objectives. While the US want Pakistan to treat Afghan Taliban as its enemy, it sees nothing wrong in its efforts to broker peace with them. In other words, the US will feel satisfied when all segments of Afghan society turn against Pakistan. The US want Pakistan to roll back its nuclear program, accept India as the policemen of the region and its hegemony and to forget about Kashmir. It wants Pakistan to help in strategic encirclement of China, roll back CPEC and concentrate on TAPI project. Since these demands run counter to Pakistans national interests and cannot be possibly accepted, the US seems to have lost patience and has reached a stage of once again abandoning Pakistan and putting it under sanctions as it had done in 1989. Pakistans policy makers should be mentally and physically prepared for such an eventuality and should make requisite changes in foreign policy to meet the future challenges squarely. The writer is retired Brig, defence analyst, columnist, author of 5 books, Director Measac Research Centre, Director Board of Governors Thinkers forum Pakistan. Delivers talks and takes part in TV talk shows. asifharoonraja@gmail.com I am not lobbying against Pakistan interests: Hussain Haqqani ISLAMABAD: Former Pakistan ambassador to the US, Hussain Haqqani, on Tuesday said he was not lobbying against Pakistan's interests, reacting strongly to Sartaj Aziz's 'allegations' from earlier in the day. Aziz, while addressing lawmakers in the National Assembly, had claimed a former Pakistani ambassador to the US - without naming anyone - was 'lobbying against his own country' and 'creating hurdles for the government'. In his rejoinder, Haqqani said he knew Aziz was talking about him because another minister had attacked him by name with similar claims. Government officials should take "responsibility for failed policies" instead of "looking for scapegoats to divert attention from criticism at home" he said. "A former Pakistani ambassador is working against his own country in the US," Aziz had stated during the NA session, adding that Pakistan's diplomatic mission in the US is facing challenges due to the former ambassador's campaign. I am now a scholar in the US, not a lobbyist, Haqqani's statement said. He added that if his 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 his opinions rather than treating him like a pariah and making false allegations against him in the Pakistani media. "Pakistans 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, Pakistans dependence on US aid made it susceptible to changes in the US national mood and attitude," elaborated Haqqani in the statement released. 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 fiasco, said Haqqani, elaborating on the reasons for the trust deficit witnessed in Pak-US relations. "This person is trying to tackle all our diplomatic efforts in boosting the bilateral ties between Pakistan and the United States," Aziz had said earlier today. Without revealing the identity of the person, the adviser had added, "The Foreign Office has serious reservation on the activities of the said person in the US." Aziz also said that Pakistan is 'making successful efforts' against India's Nuclear Suppliers Group membership. The adviser's remarks come just days after Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj said India is "not opposed" to Pakistan's entry to the NSG. Winding up a discussion on demands for grants, the adviser rejected the impression that Pakistan is being isolated and said Pakistan has to prioritise foreign policy on the basis of new alignments taking place in the world. Aziz said Pakistan is pursuing a balanced policy based on non-interference and protection of national interests and nuclear assets. Aziz said the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, CASA-1000, and the Tapi and Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline projects are concrete achievements that will help increase regional connectivity. He also claimed that Pakistan's political role would be enhanced through membership of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. 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 the Republic, Pak-Iran relations will be strengthened. Pakistan is pursuing a 'no-favourite' policy regarding Afghanistan and making efforts to establish peace in the country by means of the Quadrilateral Coordination Group. Work is in progress with respect to border management along the Pak-Afghan border, Aziz said. Opposition members, however, criticised the government's foreign policy, saying that Pakistan is becoming isolated and stressed the need for good relations with neighbouring countries. The opposition demanded that foreign policy should be reviewed keeping in mind shifts taking place in the region. They pointed out that economy should be strengthened to support an independent foreign policy and termed the efforts of the Foreign Office with regards to gaining NSG membership insufficient. Those who took part in the discussion included Shaikh Rashid Ahmad, Syed Naveed Qamar, Dr Shireen Mazari, Shaikh Salahuddin, Ayesha Syed, Jamshed Dasti, Mussarat Rafique Mahesar, Imran Khattak, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui and Shazia Marri. Contrary to assertion by some chiefs, mostly of the New Patriotic Party stock that, twice failed flag bearer of the biggest opposition party would be third time lucky in the upcoming November polls, facts on the ground show otherwise. Available narratives, statistics and uncontestable evidence will show that Nana Akufo-Addo's dream of ascending the highest office of land will continue to be a mirage after November 2016 elections. The former Foreign Affairs Minister and former Member of Parliament for Abuakwa South in the Eastern region, from all investigation and findings on the grounds, will not only lose this year's election, but will suffer his worst political humiliation after the November polls, The aL-hAJJ can confirm. The political climate in Ghana today and Akufo-Addo's own conduct, behavior and approach towards his ambition will show that it's utterly at variance with the personalities of late Prof Mills, Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal, General Buhari of Nigeria and even former President Kufuor, among others who were 3rd time lucky. While the aforementioned individuals, for example, added 'something' new to their various tickets in their quest to become presidents, same cannot be said of Nana Addo. Unlike Nana Akufo-Addo who has maintained his belligerent, uncompromising, divisive and intimidating character even after the two excruciating defeats, Mills, Gen Buhari, Wade, Kufuor and others were very humble, submissive and identified with people regardless of their status, ethnic and political persuasion. Nana Addo also, in all his three attempts at the presidency has maintained Dr Bawumia as his running mate thus, not adding anything new to the ticket. In the case of the late tax professor, after losing the 2000 elections to Mr Kufuor with Martin Alamisi Amidu as his running mate, he replaced him with Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni for the 2004 elections but again lost. On his third attempt at the presidency in the 2008 elections, he nominated then MP for Bole-Bamboi, John Dramani Mahama as running mate and succeeded in defeating NPPs Nana Akufo-Addo and his running mate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia. Ironically, while Nana Akufo-Addo and his ilk have made countless references to third time lucky candidates, what they never told us is that none of them went into each election with same running mates as he (Akufo-Addo) has maintained Dr Bawumia since 2008. What is also missing in Nana Akufo-Addo third-time bid is that the third time lucky flag bearers in their various attempts to secure the highest office of their respective lands saw their popularity soaring unlike Ghana's Akufo-Addo whose fortunes since 2008 continue to dwindle. Abdoulaye Wade was President of Senegal from 2000 to 2012. He was also the Secretary-General of the Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS) and has led the party since it was founded in 1974. A long-time opposition leader, he ran for President four times, beginning in 1978, before he was elected in 2000. He won re-election in 2007 with a majority in the first round, but in 2012 he was defeated in a controversial bid for a third term. Wade first ran for President in February 1978 against Senghor, taking 17.38% of the vote. Subsequently he ran in the presidential elections of 1983 and 1988, taking second place each time, behind Senghor's successor Abdou Diouf. Abdoulaye Wade in the first round of the 2000 presidential election, held on February 27, again took second place, receiving 31% of the vote, and consequently a second round was held on March 19. Wade won this round with 58.49% of the vote, having received the support of candidates from the first round, including third place candidate Moustapha Niasse. On his part, Nigerias Muhammadu Buhari unsuccessfully ran for the office of President in the 2003, 2007 and 2011. In December 2014, he emerged as the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress for the March 2015 general elections. General Buhari won the election, defeating incumbent President, Goodluck Jonathan. This marked the first time in the history of Nigeria that an incumbent president lost to an opposition candidate in a general election. He was sworn in on 29 May 2015. In the 2003 elections in Nigeria, Buhari, then as the candidate of the All Nigeria People's Party was defeated by the People's Democratic Party nominee, President Olusegun Obasanjo, by a margin of more than 11 million votes. In the 2011 presidential elections, Buhari left the ANPP for the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), a party that he had helped to found. He became the CPC Presidential candidate for the 16 April 2011 general election, running against incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), and Ibrahim Shekarau of ANPP among others. The elections were marred by widespread sectarian violence, which claimed the lives of 800 people across the country, Buharis won 12,214,853 votes, coming in second to the incumbent president Goodluck Jonathan of the PDP, who polled 22,495,187 votes and was declared the winner. In the run up to the 2015 Presidential elections, the campaign team of incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan asked for the disqualification of General Buhari from the race, claiming that he is in breach of the Constitution. According to the fundamental document, in order to qualify for election to the office of the President, an individual must be educated up to at least School certificate level or its equivalent. Buhari has failed to submit any such evidence, claiming that he lost the original copies of his diplomas when his house was raided following his overthrow from power in 1985 Buhari contested the 2015 Presidential election as candidate of the All Progressives Congress party. His platform was built around his image as a staunch anti-corruption fighter and his incorruptible and honest reputation. In February 2015, former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo and other leading lights quit the ruling PDP party and threw their support behind the Buhari/Osinbajo ticket. On 31 March, incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan called Buhari to offer his concession and congratulations for his election as president. Buhari was sworn in on 29 May 2015 in a ceremony attended by at least 23 Heads of State and Government. Mr John Kufuor, who has been one of the reference point of Nana Akufo-Addo and his men, changed running mates two times before winning the presidency. In the 1996 elections, candidate Kufuor nominated Mr Kow Nkensen Arkaah, then sitting vice president who had fallen out with his boss, Mr Rawlings, as running mate, but lost. Keen on adding value to his ambition to become president on his second attempt, Mr Kufuor nominated Tamale based engineer, the late Alhaji Aliu Mahama after winning the partys flag bearer primaries ahead of the 2000 elections and this time round succeeded in beating the late Mills. While former President Kufuor made marginal incursions into NDC strongholds during his days in opposition and eventually succeeding in snatching Greater Accra, Central, Western, Brong Ahafo and Eastern regions from the NDC, Nana Akufo-Addo has rather taken the NPP backwards, leaving it with only two regions, Ashanti and Eastern. After losing to Mr Kufuor and taking his party into opposition, the late Mills marshaled forces to win the regions he lost to the NPP and eventually succeeding in winning eight out of the 10 regions in the 2008 elections to defeat Nana Akufo-Addo. Before that he had won some of the regions he lost to Mr Kufuor in 2000 elections. An important ingredient that enabled the aforesaid people to achieve their ambitions was their ability to attract the various opposition elements to their side which made it possible for them to form alliances to dislodge incumbents in their various countries. Additionally, the aforementioned individuals had their party intact without divisions and rancor at the time they were gunning for the position of presidents in their respective countries and, also put out convincing and compelling alternative policies to sway voters to their sides. In contrast, the three-time NPP flag bearer, in his quest to become absolute ruler has not only alienated the opposition parties in Ghana, but also dissipated away critical members of his party including former President Kufuor, Kwadwo Mpiani, Dr Richard Anane, Mr Paul Afoko, Kwabena Agyepong and Dr Nyaho Tamakloe among others who were also, brains behind the partys victory in the 2000 elections. As if the Gods has destined Nana Akufo-Addo to be the president that never was, the unprecedented performance of the John Mahama administration, the cohesion and united front prevailing in the NDC will conspired to consign Mr Akufo-Addo to political dustbin come November 2016. Aside the internal bickering in the NPP which is threatening its survival before and after the upcoming polls, the NPP party is still struggling to put together a convincing campaign message to counter President Mahama and his NDCs #changing lives, #transforming lives message. In the absence of a campaign message, the NPP has resorted to making unfounded and spurious corruption allegations against President Mahama and his appointees a strategy many say would not yield them the desired result of coming back to power. Source: The Al-Hajj 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 Posiflex Launches New Point Of Sale Terminal for Non-Stop Service HAYWARD, Calif.(BUSINESS WIRE)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 industrys 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. 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. Heartlands XT3915 certification is based on superior performance and extremely fast touch response. Adding SSD speed to Posiflexs solid legacy of reliability makes the XT3915 a solid terminal choice for the Heartland Dealer channel. The XT3915 comes with 2 GB of RAM, 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 XT3915s Intel 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 Posiflexs 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 Windows software. Posiflex designs, engineers and manufactures all its own terminals, tables and peripherals in Taiwan. The Point of Sale News relies on sponsors to keep the lights on. You can help by letting vendors know when you have seen them on www.Pointofsale.com. Thank you. MORE POINT-OF-SALE NEWS FROM POINTOFSALE.COM For full functionality of this site it is necessary to enable JavaScript. Here are the instructions how to enable JavaScript in your web browser I spent part of Monday chasing a rumor that a hiker had died in the Lake George area over the weekend. The rumor was started by a New York City newspaper that reported Monday that a New York Fire Department lieutenant died in a "rock climbing" accident near Lake George, citing no sources. At least one local television station picked up on it. So I made a bunch of calls to local police and the state Department of Environmental Conservation, and no one around here knew anything about it. Eventually I found out from the DEC that the accident happened near Lake Placid, not Lake George. Sadly, the hiker fell from a cliff near Roaring Brook Falls and died. As one officer I spoke with put it, many downstate residents think anything north of Saratoga Springs is Lake George. -- Don Lehman Our politics are beyond parody, and for those who think that's not true, this story is offered -- a story about a billboard placed by a candidate for Congress from Tennessee. The billboard says, "Make America White Again" and it features a confusing quartet of images: one of a family, one of a historical painting. "Make America White Again" is the slogan that some critics have accused Donald Trump of promoting subliminally with his "Make America Great Again" red hat campaign. But this fool in Tennessee has made it explicit. Candidate Rick Tyler has said he meant no offense but wants the country to go back to a 1960s, Ozzie and Harriet, Leave it to Beaver time when there were no break-ins; no violent crime; no mass immigration. Apparently, he's too dense to grasp the inherent offensiveness of his message. Or, more likely, he understands it perfectly well but has calculated that a majority of voters will appreciate that message in the same way some appreciate Trump's subliminal one. Warren Countys Public Health Department has tested a number of people in recent weeks who thought they might have contracted the Zika virus, but so far it hasnt been found to affect anyone locally. The Public Health Department briefed county supervisors Wednesday on concerns about the disease and what the department is doing to check if it has arrived locally. Ginelle Jones, an assistant director with the county Public Health Department, said the people who asked to be tested had traveled to areas where the disease has been documented as present, and they had illness symptoms that matched some of the Zika virus symptoms. Tests came back negative, however. She said only one in five healthy adults who are exposed to the virus will develop any symptoms, which include mild fever, rash, joint pain and eye problems. But the virus is a particular concern for pregnant women because of its link to birth defects that include shrunken infant heads. While it is primarily spread through bites of certain types of mosquitoes, it can also be spread person-to-person through bodily fluid exposure. Glens Falls 2nd Ward Supervisor Peter McDevitt asked public health representatives what was being done to track whether the disease had affected anyone locally. Right now we are saying the mosquitoes that carry the virus are not in our county, Jones said. Jones said some species of mosquitoes that have made their way north can carry it, and Queensbury Supervisor John Strough pointed out those cousin mosquitoes to the infected ones do show up locally. The Public Health Departments experiences in recent years tracking other mosquito-borne illnesses, such as West Nile Virus, will help with the effort to watch for Zika virus, Jones added. Jones said experts have recommended that women who can become pregnant limit physical contact with those who have traveled to areas where the virus is prevalent, including South America, where recent outbreaks were documented. The virus is believed to stay present in some bodily fluids for as long as six months. GLENS FALLS Actor Will Smith, actress Queen Latifah, musician Lionel Richie, Miami Heat Forward Luol Deng and Jeffrey Towne, better known as DJ Jazzy Jeff, are among about 90 people in the family of investors and management of Just Goods Inc., parent company of Just Beverages, the start-up packaged water company headquartered in Glens Falls. The company revealed its investors and management on its website Wednesday, ending months of speculation in the Glens Falls area about celebrities thought to be involved, including a rumored visit from Smith to the companys local operation in December. The company posted the information a day after Smith publicly disclosed his involvement in the company on Tuesday. He (Will Smith) and his family have been involved for a number of years in the company in its founding, in its inspiration, in its capitalization and in its support, said Jim Siplon, the companys chief operating officer, in an interview on Wednesday. Others include Massachusetts Institute of Technology and University of Colorado professors, a former state attorney general candidate in California, a guest shark on the seventh season of the ABC reality show Shark Tank, and dozens of business and investment managers. Smith briefly discussed his role in the company in a little product plug during an interview Tuesday at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, an advertising industry convention, according to a report by Claire Atkinson published on the New York Posts pagesix.com. Smith and Jackie Cooper, global chairwoman of creativity for Edelman PR, jokingly slurped from the recycled bottles on stage, and revealed that Smith managed to launch the product and win distribution in Whole Foods, without the aid of his fame, Atkinson reported. Siplon said Smith became interested in alternative packaging for water about seven years ago when his son, now 17, read about an island that was polluted by plastic washing ashore from the ocean. It was when he (Jaden Smith) was 10. So this was many years ago, he said. Just Beverages packages water in recycled cartons as an alternative to traditional plastic bottles. Siplon would not say what specific role Smith plays in the company or what share of the company he holds. Its important to know he is one of many that are part of this, Siplon said. Drew Fitzgerald, a Glens Falls native and investment manager who co-founded Just Goods, brought many of the investors and company managers together, Siplon said. Fitzgerald, who now lives in Los Angeles, will be speaker at the Glens Falls High School graduation ceremony Saturday. It has long been rumored in Glens Falls that Smith was an investor in the company, and there were rumors that Smith landed in a private jet at Warren County airport in December, but company officials had previously repeatedly refused to confirm his involvement. Siplon would not confirm the December time frame on Wednesday, but said Smith has visited the Glens Falls operation. He and his family have been involved in and seen what was happening here up close and personally, he said. Glens Falls Mayor Jack Diamond also would not confirm the time frame, but said he was invited to meet with Smith and his family when they were here. I had an invitation, but it just didnt work out to meet with him, he said. Diamond said he has known for quite a long time that Smith and other celebrities were investors, but company officials had asked him to keep it confidential. Diamond said hes happy that he can boast now about the citys connection with Smith and others. Not every day do you get an opportunity to have famous celebrities not only come to your community but invest in it, he said. Siplon said the company had purposely kept the identities of celebrities confidential, temporarily, so the Just Water brand could become known on its own. We needed to find out, Is it going to be embraced on its own merits? he said. Liz Wilcox and Jennifer Kraft, owners of Samanthas Cafe and Catering on Glen Street, which sells Just Water, said they were aware Fitzgerald had contacts in the entertainment industry, but they were not aware of specific investors. Thats awesome, Wilcox said, referring to news of Smiths involvement in the company. Before we know it, were all going to hipsters. Wilcox said shes proud that Just Beverages is headquartered in Glens Falls. I think they deserve all good things. They work hard and do all the right things, she said. Siplon said the company, indeed, is doing well. Distribution, in one years time, has reached 13,000 stores in every state in the United States and every province in Canada. Company officials will present a report on its first year of operation at the city Common Council meeting on Tuesday, he said. The meeting, at 7:30 p.m. in the Common Council chambers on the third floor of City Hall, is open to the public. The company has a contract to draw water from an underground well on city of Glens Falls watershed property in Queensbury. The company headquarters and packaging plant is at the former St. Alphonsus Roman Catholic Church building on Broad Street in Glens Falls. Just Goods, the parent company, has offices in Los Angeles. Inventory needs to be managed and managed well, or you are going to get in recurring trouble, and lose your credibility and hard-earned conversions, whether Read more The day before Kate Messner was scheduled to speak to students about her latest novel, The Seventh Wish (Bloomsbury, June), the author received a troubling message from the schools administrators: Dont come. Though the librarian at the Vermont elementary school had specifically requested Messners appearance, the invitation was rescinded when someone at the school grew concerned that students were not prepared to handle one of the novels threads, a subplot about heroin addiction. Messner was dismayed, to say the least. When we decide a book is inappropriate for a school library because it deals with a tough subject, were telling kids in that situation that their problems cant even be talked about, she said. The cancellation of Messners appearance happened on the heels of the Round Rock (Tex.) Independent School Districts decision to cancel author Phil Bildners appearances this coming fall at eight of its elementary schools. A district spokesman said Bildner, who has visited the Texas school district for the past seven years, made inappropriate remarks to students about challenging adult authority during his presentations last year. But in a statement posted to the American Library Associations Office of Intellectual Freedom blog, Bildner wrote he believes the real reason is an objection to some of the books he recommended to students last fall, including Alex Ginos novel, George (Scholastic Press), which describes a fourth-grade students gender transition. Kristin Pekoll, assistant director of the American Library Associations Office of Intellectual Freedom, says Bildners case is especially noteworthy because the dispute became public. Far more common are incidences of quiet or soft censorship. Potentially controversial books and authors are not banned; they are just not purchased or invited to appear. Its something were discussing more and more, said Pekoll. It runs the gamut from libraries not ordering certain books, to requiring parental permission slips, or keeping the book behind the counter. Just the act of requiring parental permission for a student to read a particular book is problematic, Pekoll said. Unless you get a permission slip for every book, youre prejudicing against that one book. In fact, after Messner blogged about the withdrawal of her invitation to speak in South Burlington, an elementary school librarian from a different state e-mailed her to say she had The Seventh Wish on her order list, but removed it after learning it addressed opioid addiction. Maybe there are some liberal communities out there that totally embrace telling children every possible bad thing that could happen to them in their life, the librarian wrote in an e-mail to Messner, but once that innocence bubble is popped they can never unlearn those things or remove those images. I want some more hours of sprinklers, mud pies, and running around with light sabers. (Messner promised the librarians anonymity in exchange for her permission to publish their e-mail exchange on Messners blog.) Messner, a former middle school English teacher, did not set out to write about heroin. The Seventh Wish began as a retelling of the Brothers Grimm folktale, The Fisherman and His Wife, about a poor man who frees a flounder that begs for its life and is granted a series of (increasingly disastrous) wishes. Messners main character is 12-year-old Charlotte (called Charlie), who turns to ice fishing to raise money to buy a fancy Irish stepdancing dress. But while she was still developing the plot, Messner ran into a neighbor as she arrived home one day with groceries. I waved at her from my driveway and asked, Hows it going? Her response was terrible, which is not the answer youre supposed to get, Messner said. The conversation that followed revealed that the neighbors college-age daughter had become addicted to heroin. Im right on Lake Champlain, in an upper middle-class neighborhood, where we love to believe these kinds of things dont happen, but they do, Messner said. The newspaper had been full of headlines about an opioid epidemic in northern New York and Vermont. Why had I thought we would be exempt? Messner decided to explore how addiction would affect a younger sibling. Over the course of the story, Charlies wishes change dramatically. I had to explain to my editor that the fairy tale retelling about a magic fish she was expecting was going to include a subplot about heroin addiction, Messner said. But I felt it was important to tell a story about this through the eyes of a young person because so many families are shattered by addiction and nobody talks about it. When the school librarian requested Messners visit in January, she was sent an advance copy of the book and a letter written by Messner explaining that the novel contained an honest but age-appropriate look at the effect heroin addiction has on families. Messner is not sure the letter or her book were read until just before her scheduled visit. I dont think this was censorship, but I do think there was a breakdown in communication, Messner said. Since the initial cancellation, the principal has assured Messner that the school library will shelve The Seventh Wish, and e-mailed parents to let them know that the South Burlington Community Library and Phoenix Books, an independent bookstore in Burlington, Vt., will host an event with Messner on June 28. Supporters donated more than 100 books so that every child who attends can go home with something new to read this summer. The ALAs Pekoll says the way to avoid what happened to Messner is for librarians to build a network of pro-active engagement ahead of time. Dont let people be blindsided. If theres a mature aspect of a book you think is important, talk about it with teachers, the principal, parents. Pekoll sent a personal note to Messner when she heard about the cancelled visit. I lost a brother to heroin addiction, she said. I could have really benefited from a book like Kates. How do you tell people that your brother died that way? Its so important to have a way to talk to kids on their level about harder issues. Bildners impasse with the Texas school district remains unresolved. The author declined to comment for this story, referring questions to Pekoll, and hoping that the school district might rethink its cancellation after R.J. Palacio, the author of Wonder, sent a strongly worded letter asking them to reconsider. Whether the reason for the cancellation was, as many believe, because Phil booktalked George, or it was, as you state, because of a comment he made that was not acceptable to you, the message you are sending to those of us who have ever visited or plan to visit your schools is the same: unless every comment that comes out of our mouths is in alignment with your belief system, we will be subject to the same treatment as Phil, Palacio wrote. The fact is, Round Rock, when you disinvited Phil Bildner, you disinvited me. You disinvited all of us who may have opinions that differ from yours. Pelpuo says "few" young people come to his office for support to go into the sector, describing the situation as not encouraging. Agriculture grew by 0.4 percent in 2015, a sign that Ghana maybe catching the Dutch disease after striking oil in 2007. Agriculture we all agree is the life blood of every nations economy including Ghana and if close to 60% of our youth is into Agric do you know what that will mean for our economy, there are only few young people who come to my office for guidance or support to go into the sector and that is not encouraging for the future of this country, the youth are just not interested in farming no matter how opportunities are abound, they want white man job,Pelpuo said on Accra based Onua FM. Pelpuo said millennials turn to appreciate investing in the financial sector, hardware or commodity trading. If they dont invest in the financial sector then they are dealing in hardware or even buy and selling, he said. Pelpuo said it was time people took advantage of many opportunities created by government to start thinking agric or we will still keep complaining that the sector is collapsing. Meanwhile, SADA has secured the backing of the Finance Ministry to establish a financial institution to provide short term loans to small farmholders. The yet to be established financial institution will be called the Savannah Investment and Development Bank. Pelpuo challenged young people to see him with their plans for agric and he will willingly provide them with the necessary support. The conclusions of the forum would inform the SADA Master Planning process and the National Development Planning Commissions Long-Term National Development Framework. Mr Seth Tekper, the Minister of Finance, in a speech read on his behalf, said government was deeply concerned about the way the SADA Zone lagged in key areas of socio-economic development while the potential remained untapped. He said in spite of the huge resource and benefits to be derived from the SADA Zone, the agricultural sector remained overwhelmed with challenges including the lack of long-term financing, poor infrastructure such as irrigation systems and road networks, and lack of improved seeds and fertilizer supplies to farmers. He said there was also the challenge of duplication of efforts among key players in the sector, desertification and climate change impacts, high cost of inputs and low use of technology, limited agricultural extension services, and very little value addition to make products competitive and inadequate skills of small-holder farmers. The NSEZ has been identified as the countrys untapped economic reservoir with immense agronomic resources, having about eight million hectors of arable agricultural land that could trigger the economic transformation of Ghana and the sub-region. It is also fertile enough to produce abundant grain and rice to feed the whole country and export to the rest of the sub-region, and has the potential to produce all the tomatoes to meet the countrys need, with these commodities alone representing over 400 million dollars of annual savings to the countrys foreign exchange reserves. Mr Tekper said: In other words accelerating agricultural growth in the SADA Zone does not only answer our food needs, it also stabilises our currency and could potentially reduce our need for external loans. He affirmed Governments commitment to support the development of the NSEZ within the context of a broader national policy and development goals and called for massive private sector investment in strategic infrastructure in the sector. He said the growth of agriculture in the SADA Zone was governments strategy to creating wealth, employment, balancing the trade deficit, reducing poverty and enhancing the life chances of the people. Alhaji Limuna Mohammed Muniru, the Minister of Food and Agriculture, said government was keen on promoting the development of agribusiness in the SADA Zone to ensure financing and development of key irrigation schemes. It would also ensure the development of aquaculture and water transportation to link production centres to markets, develop modern agribusiness processing industries, and enhance the supply chains of key products as part of efforts to unearth he potential of the zone. He said this when he took his turn at the Institute for Economic Governance (IEA) Forum, Evening Encounter with the Presidential Candidate, Tuesday evening. 2016s will be Dr. Edward Mahamas fifth election campaign. Recognizing that corruption has assumed a national discussion, Dr. Mahama stressed steps he would take to tackle the problem head-on. He said the Public Procurement Law which had been abused by politicians and other public officers would be reviewed to exact tighter controls on the public procurement system. Sole-sourcing which is only supposed be done under very limited circumstances, has rather become the order of the day, ensuring that contracts are given to kin, cronies, and political bank-rollers. This will change under a PNC government, Dr. Mahama said. He added that he will decouple the Attorney-Generals department from the Ministry of Justice. 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! Addressing the gathering at a Chartered Institute of Marketing event in Accra, Lampe Omoyele said, times like this may be difficult for businesses, but advertising can help them achieve their targets. READ MORE: Snapchat vs Instagram Instagram launches first advert campaign in France Research by Nielsen indicates that advertising has a considerable influence on consumers and shoppers with over 38 per cent of purchases being influenced to a very large extent through advertising. He said that was followed by promotion and CSR which stood at 35 per cent and 24 per cent respectively. The energetic politician popularly referred to as Lion, could not live up to his accolade as he was struggling to stay awake while the President was addressing the people. The Minister explained that he was fatigued following the enormous task hes performing for the success of the ongoing Accounting to the peoples tour. He spoke on Anopa Kasapa on Kasapa 102.5 FM. He however feels that the hassle about him dozing off was needless since he was not the one being talked to by the President. Wu Liangshu stood in front of the district court half naked with leftovers of his gown showing his bare legs and under pants. A number of Chinese lawyers have already gone through similar ordeals with some even kept in police custody. Speaking to BBC, Mr. Liangshu Wu said I wasnt shocked. I have heard plenty of weird and violent stories of things happening to lawyers in China but I didnt expect it to happen to me. The officers, on the other hand, say that he refused to hand over his mobile phone when they asked for it. Mr. Wus aim was to draw public attention as to what lawyers in China face every day so when he was offered replacement of the torn clothes he refused and said no thanks The lawyer was bold enough to come out from the court compound carrying his court materials, with a pen still stuck in the top pocket of his ripped shirt. He was accused of making illegal recordings of court officials. According to the first official investigation, the court police did not beat the lawyer but were found to have adopted abusive coercive means when forcing him to hand over his phone. Over thousand Chinese lawyers have reportedly signed a statement criticizing the attack and calling for the CCTV footage from inside the court to be released to actually tell what happened. Subsequently, the Chinese Lawyers Association has described Wu Liangshus incident as really distressing. The court, presided over by Mrs. Arit Nsemoh, remanded him in custody while awaiting the Attorney Generals advice. Chief Inspector Gregory Yeboah had mentioned that Kotei is a taxi driver who resides at Chorkor, a suburb of Accra. Upon reaching there, Kotei saw Armah talking to his wife. He then accused Regina [his wife] of engaging in extramarital affairs, which led to an argument between the two men. Kotei threatened to kill Armah in the course of the argument, after which he entered his taxi and drove off. I later found out Ian was being bullied by some of his class mates and some seniors because he was chubby. His parents did not know, his teachers had not paid particular attention and his friends who cared could not help. Types of bullying include physical bullying which involves hitting, shoving, pushing, tripping, and other kinds of force. Verbal bullying involves hurtful comments, name-calling, teasing, insulting and other abusive use of words. Social or relationship bullying include refusing to talk to someone, excluding someone from group activities and other activities that makes one feel inferior in a relationship. The final type is cyber bullying which involves the use of electronic communication to bully others. As a parent how will you know your child is being bullied? How do you deal with it and what can teachers and other stakeholders do to help? On the topic of tips of being bullies, heres a guide to calm bullying in the society. Know your child/student Knowing your child will help you realise even the smallest change in your childs emotions. You will know when the emotions, sleep pattern and other behaviours of the children change. You cant know them if you dont get involved in their activities. Chat with your children when they come back from school, from the playground and also to the teachers ask the children how their day went. Act immediately you notice any changes in the childs response to conversation. Talk to kids about bullying Teachers and parents alike must educate children on the reasons why it is not right to bully and also how to prevent people from bullying them. If the children are not educated on such things issues they become vulnerable. Also remember bullied children also go ahead to bully others. It also takes a toll on the victims self-esteem. This means you will be curbing this menace if you speak about it with your children. Teach your child how to respond to bullies Bullies look for kids who cant stand up for themselves; they pick on people who take things to heart. But they stop mistreating you when you dont regard what they do or they realise you are becoming more assertive than before. Its important to teach your child all these things about bullies and how to prevent people from bullying him. Affirm your childs strength (be on his side) At a time in your childs life he does not need any more derogatory comments, at least not from those expected to be his number 1 funs; his parents. Telling your child of his strengths in such times has a very great potential of morally lifting him up. Speak to your childs teacher or any authority in charge Immediately your child is able to tell you about his/her challenges speak to the supervisor in charge at wherever the bullying occurs. Explain your challenges in a friendly manner to the supervisor. You can request that the supervisor keeps an eye on your child and also ask for their recommendation on what to do. Also find a teacher or supervisor who can help the child develop his self-esteem in your absence. Talk to the parents of the perpetrators If possible talk to the parents of the children bullying yours. They may not know what their children do when they are away. They may also help educate their own children against such acts. If they are concerned parents they will also find out the rationale behind their childrens action. This may also help the perpetrator of the act. Find out from your child if the bullying still continues After putting in all the efforts, talk to your child to find out if the bullying still continues. You should encourage your child to tell you what the reactions of the teachers were after you reported the act. What actions have been taken to prevent him/her from being bullied again? Enrol your child to participate in an extra curriculum activity Enlisting your child in an extra curriculum activity will help boost his self-esteem. It will also help him make new friends who will encourage him/her to be a better person. This will also encourage your child to learn a new skill that will go a long way to develop him/her and be an all-rounder. It has been revealed the ECG has been unfairly charging customers and this has been blamed on its new software system for billing clients. An Inter-Agency Taskforce was put together to rectify the incessant complaints from Ghanaians on the outrageous bills from the ECG. The taskforce earlier this month submitted its report and solution for immediate implementation. Addressing traders at the Madina market on his Accounting to the people tour of the Greater Accra region on Tuesday June 21, President Mahama said Because the electricity billing is done in monthly cycles, they have to start on the first of a month with the billing cycle. So I have asked Ghanaians to exercise patience, from first July theyd start the new billing cycle and Im sure that a lot of us will see some relief in the electricity bills. Ive explained that the bills went so high because the waters in our hydro dams are low and hydro is the cheapest source of power. Now all the power we are produce is either with gas or with crude oil and these are more expensive that hydro. But we are praying that this year the rains would be good so that the dams would recover. As we put in cheaper hydro power we will adjust the tariff to reflect the cheaper power we are getting.So I would ask Ghanaians to exercise patience, government is sensitive to what is going on and wed do our best to give them some relief the president said. The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) last month ordered 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. Dr. Edward Mahama, a practicing medical doctor believes that gays and lesbians in spite of the unhealthy acts that partake in, have rights that need to be respected by the general public. As a Christian I think homosexuality is condemned by the Bible, but I think also as a Christian, Christ said we should love our neighbor as we love ourselves so I love them. I may disagree with them and their lifestyle. I have a very close friend whose son was a homosexual and I always looked at him and loved him inside me but the fact that he was doing the wrong thing for himself, said Dr. Mahama. According to him he doesnt endorse the act however he continues to advice homosexuals who come to him to shun the lifestyle. "As you know being a pastor, Paul says that when we commit sexual sin its against our own body first. There are the scientific basis which others may disagree with. So basically it is not a very healthy sexual practice." Adding that "And I tell lesbians and gays who come to me that it is not a very healthy sexual practice. If you enjoy it, do it, but you are taking the risk. What I am saying is that its their right to do what they like with their body but I dont endorse it and I think its wrong which is why I educate them. And thats all I can do because I am not going to think for somebody, This is the fifth time Dr. Mahama will be making the attempt at the presidency after he lost the bid to represent his party in 2008 when he lost to APC presidential Candidate Hassan Ayariga. Ghanaian laws are silent on the illegality of homosexuals and lesbians which is illegal in certain African countries. However, there is a criminal code on sexual relationship among men. uncarnal knowledge of another man may lead to a 3-year jail term if arrested. They are therefore requesting that the police launch a full scale investigation into the matter. The statement also explained that since CHRAJ does not have a substantive head they are demanding a multi-party investigation instituted by Parliament to inquire into this matter. Find below the full statement OCCUPYGHANA DEMANDS A POLICE AND PARLIAMENTARY INVESTIGATION INTO THE FORD EXPEDITION DONATION TO THE PRESIDENT OccupyGhana has been following the story broken by award-winning journalist, Manasseh Awuni Azure and JoyFM, of the alleged donation of a Ford Expedition vehicle to the President by one DjibrilKanazoe, a Burkinabe private contractor. OccupyGhana has also studied closely, the reactions, rebuttals and explanations offered and given, and has concluded that there is a lot to be concerned about. These are matters that should not be treated lightly. It is not for nothing that ours is probably the only Constitution to mention "Corruption" by name and in Article 35(8), impose a mandatory and imperative duty on the state to "take steps to eradicate corrupt practices. Article 69(1)(b)(i) which provides The President shall be removed from office if he is found, in accordance with the provisions of this articleto have conducted himself in a mannerwhich brings or is likely to bring the high office of President into disrepute, ridicule or contempt gives us clear cause to be worried about any conduct in violation of same. It is on the bases of the foregoing that OcccupyGhana wishes to make three key points: First, we unreservedly congratulate Manasseh Awuni Azure for a great job done. This is still an unfolding story with a few still moving parts. However, we are impressed with the work and effort that Manasseh has put into this project and the courage it has taken to publish this story. We believe that Ghana owes Manasseh and JoyFM a great debt of gratitude for this work. Second, the facts that we have studied strongly suggest possible breaches of our criminal laws on corruption. Those facts show that a public official (the President) has received a gift. That alone does not constitute a criminal offence. However, if it is also established that there was an agreement or offer by which the conduct of the President, in respect of his duties as a public officer, would be or was influenced by this gift, then the offence of corruption would have been committed, both by him and by DjibrilKanazoe. As at now, we do not have sufficient grounds to state emphatically that the offence of corruption has been committed. But the known facts are disturbing. The unknown facts may be frightening or benign. It is in the light of these we demand a full-scale police investigation into this matter. If the investigations establish that there are sufficient grounds to initiate prosecution (within the rules laid down by our Constitution and criminal laws), then the law ought to be allowed to take its course to the fullest extent possible. Third, we are convinced that at the very least, a clear case of Conflict of Interest and by it, a breach of Article 284 of the Constitution, has been established. Article 284 expressly forbids public officers from putting themselves in a position where their personal interests either conflict or are "likely to conflict" with the performance of their official functions. Thus what is prohibited is even the mere likelihood of a conflict. That would mean that the Article is breached even if there is no direct conflict, but just a probability, chance, prospect, possibility or risk of a Conflict of Interest. We observe also that the code of conduct for ministers and appointees in section 1.4.1 (b) rightly requires ministers and appointees to avoid such "appearances" which it says "are as important as actual conflict of interest situations." While we believe that there is no real ambiguity or uncertainty on the issue of Conflict of Interest, we nevertheless believe that it is important for all the facts to come out. That is why we are convinced that the breach of Article 284 should trigger a formal investigation into this matter by the Commissioner for Human Rights and Administrative Justice under Article 287 of the Constitution. We however recognise, sadly, that CHRAJ currently has no substantive head and therefore suffers from a leadership vacuum that can act effectively and decisively on this matter. The failure to appoint a substantive head of that institution is unpardonable. We therefore demand a multi-party investigation instituted by Parliament to inquire into this matter. We conclude by putting to sleep, the laughable claim that there have been no breaches of our laws because the vehicle was allegedly put in the President's pool of official cars. A wrong is not made right by the use to which the wrongly acquired asset it put. The Office of the President of this dear country is one of trust. Any and every occupant of it owes a fiduciary duty to the people of Ghana. As a fiduciary, that person is under a duty, created by his election to that high office and by law, to act primarily for the benefit of Ghanaians who have reposed trust and confidence in him, and are entitled to demand of and from him, the exercise of a corresponding degree of fairness and good faith. The saying that "Caesar's wife must be beyond reproach" is apposite here. It is ironic that the Supreme Court quoted this axiom in its recent judgment relating to the judicial bribery scandal. We note that in the wake of that scandal President Mahama was outstanding in ensuring that the law was followed to the letter, and that judges were dismissed only after they were found culpable after being investigated and given a hearing. The circumstances and treatment of the inappropriate conduct of those judges cannot be different from what we face now with respect to the President. Yours in the service of occupying hearts and minds for God and Country OccupyGhana Signed In the ruling, the court indicated the agreement will only be seen in-camera and not in open court. Two people Madam Margaret Bamful and Henry Nana Boakye filed a suit against the Attorney General and Minister of Justice and Minister of Interior accusing President John Mahama of illegally bringing two former Guantanamo Bay detainees into Ghana with recourse to the law. The two detainees acceptance into the country sparked huge public outcry with other arguing that Ghana has opened itself up for a possible terror attack . Acting Solicitor General Helen Ziwu arguing their case on an application filed by two plaintiffs asking for the agreement to be made public said the Supreme Court justices that there was no formal agreement between the two countries. She explained that the the only form of agreement reached was a Note verbale which is a diplomatic communication prepared in the third person and unsigned. The two are seeking among other reliefs a declaration that on a true and proper interpretation of Article 75 of the1992 Constitution of Ghana, the President of the Republic of Ghana acted unconstitutionally by agreeing to the transfer of Mahmud Umar Muhammad Bin Atef and Khalid Muhammad Salih Al-Dhuby In an interview on Accra-based Joy FM, Deputy Commissioner of CHRAJ, Joseph Whittal, said I will like to assure Ghanaians that the Commission will live up to its constitutional responsibility in ensuring that thorough investigation is done and we will not sacrifice the thoroughness of the outcome of the investigation on the altar of the issues that may border on elections. He added that the Commission has received two formal petitions from the Convention Peoples Partys youth league and a private citizen on the matter. A third petition is being expected by the Progressive Peoples Party, Deputy Commissioner of CHRAJ said. Many anti-corruption campaigners have slammed the president for what they describe as his disregard for the guidelines on conflict of interest in accepting the vehicle gift. Acting National Chairman of the party Freddie Blay made this request at a press conference in Accra today (Wednesday). Mr. Blay said the presidents long silence is rather worrying since he ordinarily would have responded to other issues at the slightest opportunity if it wasnt a corruption allegation against him. He asked if different rules apply to different citizens in the same circumstance. Who is to tell the police man not to take gift from ordinary motorists, are we now being told that when it comes to matters of corruption and integrity there must be one law for President Mahama and his minsters and staffers on one hand and another law for everyone else in the country? Most political parties in the countryhave condemned the act with some of them petitioning the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) over the same matter. Mr. Blay said the president must come clean on the matter since the contractor in question has already confessed. His comments come on the wake of a controversy surrounding a Ford Expedition car gift given to him by a Burkinabe contractor which some have described as a bribe. Acting National Chairman of the party Freddie Blay said the presidents long silence is rather worrying since he ordinarily would have responded to other issues at the slightest opportunity if it wasnt a corruption allegation against him. But in a response, the President told a gathering at Ashaiman during his Accounting to the People tour of the Greater Accra region that Baseless accusations wont win you the Presidency. Ghanaians are discerning and I believe come November 7, they will make their decision. Some sections of Ghanaians have expressed anger over reports that President Mahama was given a brand new Ford Expedition in 2012 by a Burkinabe contractor, Djibril Kanazoe who won the bid to construct the $650,000 Ghana Embassy Wall in the Burkina Faso capital, Ouagadougou. Many anti-corruption campaigners have slammed the president for what they describe as his disregard for the guidelines on conflict of interest in accepting the vehicle gift. Speaking on Joy FMs Midday News, Wednesday, Dr Mahama said the event was supposed to be live on Metro TV and GTV but these television stations failed. He lamented that there have been other instances where he has been sabotaged just so Ghanaians do not get to know the plans he has for the country. I think there was an attempt to sabotage the program because it was supposed to be live on Metro TV. My house girl was watching Metro, she waited and gave up. GTV interviewed me the day before and said they will be there; I didnt see them. I have always known that people say you are running and running but sometimes, there is a sabotage in getting my ideas to the people, he said. Meanwhile, Dr Mahama has said his party is developing a detailed manifesto which will provide solutions to issues of corruption and other economic problems in the country. Below are policies the party intends to implement if voted into power: Agriculture Agriculture has become a non performing agriculture sector growing at zero per cent. The rather slow pace of agriculture modernization and low level of participation in an otherwise productive sector is unfortunate. The PNC is convinced that if the government programs are properly planned and executed the youth can get into agriculture as happened in the operation feed yourself policy under the Acheampong regime. The PNC will adopt a climate smart approach to agriculture by making use of irrigation projects. Sanitation Ghana is the second dirtiest in the world according to research. The PNC sees this as an unfortunate development. If it wins power, the PNC will turn waste into resource and add value to it in a way that can create jobs. Other products can be derived from Municipal waste and the PNC will explore that opportunity. Waste will be tackled under PNC in three different ways including generation and collection. Under generation there will be levies to entities whose activities lead to waste generation in the country. For the collection the PNC will provide incentives for private participation in waste collection; there will be the national sanitation guard programme that will recruit men to police sanitation programs. Youth Unemployment Youth unemployment is rising at fear provoking pace. The youth have been excluded in the socio-economic transformation of the country. The youth are assets to the country but if you have an asset and you don't look after it they reduce in value. PNC will provide up to date data on labour and engage the youth in jobs. Corruption we were surprised to see PNC, one of the parties we were fighting for, to now accept a private arrangement to go and appear on that platform. If we had insisted that each one for himself God for us all, so we are not affected by that decision to cut off other people, after all, we are big, let us go in, will PNC have gotten the opportunity to participate? he asked on Accra-based Citi FM. He said The betrayal in our view is not consequential; it just puts us on alert that any time they are in trouble they wouldnt need anybody to come to their defence. The National Democratic Congress had earlier announced its decision not to participate in any debate to be organized by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) ahead of the November polls. A statement signed by the General Secretary of the party, Johnson Asiedu Nketiah said the decision was taken at the end of the partys Functional Executive Committee (FEC) Meeting on Tuesday, June 21, 2016. All Party Structures (especially the Youth and Womens wings), are to take note and comply accordingly, the statement added. The ruling NDC had raised its misgivings from the start about the approach being adopted by the IEA for this years presidential debate. The IEA had indicated that it was considering holding a separate debate for the presidential candidates of the two major political parties; NDC and NPP. But some political parties, mainly the NDC subsequently accused the IEA of failing to consult them before announcing plans for their presidential debate. The National Organiser of the governing NDC, Kofi Adams, had charged the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) to work on building a positive image for itself before the party will consider a one-on-one debate between its flagbearer, President John Mahama and main opposition leader Nana Akufo-Addo. He said the think tank has over the years allowed themselves to be used in making derogatory remarks against the NDC. Meanwhile, the presidential candidate of the Peoples National Convention (PNC), Edward Mahama on Tuesday presented his vision for governing Ghana if he is voted president in the upcoming elections. This was done at the Evening Encounter Series that was hosted by the Institute of Economic Affairs. The Evening Encounters will give the opportunity to each presidential aspirant to make their vision and plans known to a cross section of civil society. These encounters are prior to the Presidential and Vice Presidential Debates to be held in August. Speaking at the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) Evening Encounter Series, Edward Mahama said We [Ghanaians] have a system where those who loot are held in high esteem. He said in unlike other countries where some presidents had to resign for being involved in corrupt practices, the situation is totally different in Ghana. In Germany, Christian Wulff resigned from high office of President in 2009, put on trial for corruption because his friend was alleged to have paid for his hotel room and his food valued at 700 euros, he added. He therefore urged all Ghanaians to vote for the PNC for Ghana to rise again. Working together, Ghana can rise again. Lets go for the PNC. We have a unique and inspiring preposition to transform the fortunes of this country. The new beginnings, the new deal, the new force. He added that the country has failed to tap fully the potentials of the youth, a situation he will change if voted into power. The PNC campaign will be divided into three including the New Force. The New Force will be the socio economic force to drive change in the economy. The New Force will constitute the youthful population which has potential to develop the country but the potential of the youth has been left untapped and PNC will change that. The new force can be catastrophic in its current state. There could be the Ghanaian uprising as happened in the North of Africa if the state of youth joblessness is not addressed, he said. Below are policies the party intends to implement if voted into power: Agriculture Agriculture has become a non performing agriculture sector growing at zero per cent. The rather slow pace of agriculture modernization and low level of participation in an otherwise productive sector is unfortunate. The PNC is convinced that if the government programs are properly planned and executed the youth can get into agriculture as happened in the operation feed yourself policy under the Acheampong regime. The PNC will adopt a climate smart approach to agriculture by making use of irrigation projects. Sanitation Ghana is the second dirtiest in the world according to research. The PNC sees this as an unfortunate development. If it wins power, the PNC will turn waste into resource and add value to it in a way that can create jobs. Other products can be derived from Municipal waste and the PNC will explore that opportunity. Waste will be tackled under PNC in three different ways including generation and collection. Under generation there will be levies to entities whose activities lead to waste generation in the country. For the collection the PNC will provide incentives for private participation in waste collection; there will be the national sanitation guard programme that will recruit men to police sanitation programs. Youth Unemployment Youth unemployment is rising at fear provoking pace. The youth have been excluded in the socio-economic transformation of the country. The youth are assets to the country but if you have an asset and you don't look after it they reduce in value. PNC will provide up to date data on labour and engage the youth in jobs. Corruption Now pastors have become superheroes for the congregation. And people go to church not on their own faith but believing in a man of God. You cannot grow your faith by just believing in a man of God. Your faith must stand on its own. Its not what Mensah Otabil can do for you; its what God can do for you when you trust Him. Because when you are in trouble at midnight, youre not going to call on me. You have to be able to stand and pray about that situation. You must stand on your own faith. The job of a man of God is to equip you to stand on your own faith. Its not to make you climb on their faith and go along, he said. On an interview he had on the Today Show on Tuesday, June 21, 2016, the actor mentioned that he rues not using a condom in his different sexcapades and ruining his Two and a Half Men TV series. Sheen said, 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. Thats about it. We can only move forward from today. They wouldnt call it the past if it wasnt. The interview is a follow-up on an earlier discussion, where he exclusively disclosed his HIV status. He has however maintained that none of the women he had sex with were infected or affected in anyway by his present health condition. According to Us Magazine, Sandford tried unsuccessfully to grab the gun of a police officer in a bid to assassinate Trump. The suspect revealed that he has been training himself on how to use a gun so he can kill the politician. He reportedly visited Battlefield Vegas, one of the shooting range in the state on Friday, June 17, 2016, to prepare himself for the mission. This was confirmed by detectives investigating the case, who visited the range to determine the truth in the suspect's claim. Donald Trump has made a fight against the American Muslim community the subject of his campaign. He blamed migrant communities for the acts of terror faced in the United States. As Aisha Buhari continues to dominate headlines and conversations on social media as Nigerians have trooped out to criticise her for the classless reaction to the Governors claims, Freeze has come to the defense of the president's wife. According to him, Aisha is human and capable of getting emotional in the face of baseless allegations aimed at ruining her hard-earned integrity. The CoolFM presenter, took to Instagram today, June 22, 2016 writing, "I would have done the same if I were in Mrs Buhari's shoes. Her excellency is only human, and there is a limit to what she, or anyone else can take! Fayose, who I respect for his down to earth leadership approach, has proven to be quite tactless and immature in his criticism of the president and his family. The sum Mrs Buhari allegedly transferred according to Fayose is $170,000? About N58 million using todays exchange rate, while Fayose himself is being accused, along with Musiliu Obanikoro, of having links to an arms fund, totaling N4.7billion(13million dollars). In my opinion, this is a clear case of a pot calling a kettle black, because if someone being fingered for $13million, is now fingering someone else for only $170,000 I see it as hypocrisy........." Governor Segun Mimiko of Ondo state while launching radio station advised the management to work together as one and for the betterment of the Ondo state people. King Sunny Ades radio station called M & C Radio will operate on 106.5FM. ALSO READ: Juju icon becomes visiting lecturer at Obafemi Awolowo University He follows in the same line with Yinka Ayefele who established Fresh FM in Ibadan about three years ago. King Sunny Ade has enjoyed a very successful career. He is regarded as one of the few African musicians who have gained international recognition for their attractive style of music. ALSO READ: King Sunny Ade Juju icon pays courtesy visit to Aso Rock As a confirmation of his worldwide acceptance, he embarked on a tour of Europe and America in the 1970s and 1980s. He has featured in musical joints with highly reputable international musicians, such as Stevie Wonder in his song "Aura". 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! Mala, who is one of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the state, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Maiduguri, the capital of Bornu. According to him, he was not always addicted to drugs. Before the attack on his community by Boko Haram, he owned a prospering business. I was not a drug addict before; I had a flourishing business in Gamboru where I make good money to carter for my parents. Unfortunately, everything was taken away from me, including all my family. What do you expect me to be doing; how do you think I can forget this memories; to me, life means nothing. I need to forget the memory of the sad event and that is only possible through the taking of drugs. I love to be like this (drug addict) because it makes me forget all those madness. The father of the deceased refused to comply with the demand, stating that his Christian faith does not permit such. According to Punch, Temidayo, who is a first-year student of the Faculty of Art and Humanity, died at the Choba River. He was rendering menial services at a construction site in the area. His dead body was found by a search group days after he was reported missing. His father, Mr. Andrew Omoseebi, has made arrangement for the corpse to be transported to their hometown in Oke Oro Ijero Local Government Area, Ekiti State. Eze Raymond, who is the traditional ruler of Choba, gave an explanation of the dictates of the tradition when someone dies by drowning. He said, The father of the late boy came to my palace alongside some other pastors to tell me that their son drowned in the Choba River. I told them that in our culture, the corpse would be buried by the riverside. I also told them instances of what happened to people who disobeyed. I told them to carry the corpse if they insisted on taking the corpse to their place for burial. We considered them so much and never wanted to give them strict conditions as the culture would demand. This is because it would have been bad for the corpse to decay into the river. The money they said we demanded was for the burial rite by the riverside. Those who will bury the decaying corpse are not slaves. They were meant to pay N150, 000, but I subsidized the money for them with my own money to ensure that the boy is buried and is not allowed to decay into the river. I did not hinder them from carrying the corpse for autopsy or going ahead with other investigations into the events that lead to the death of the boy. The bone of contention between the parents and the traditional ruler is that demanding money from grieving people is not appropriate. Our mission: to hunt down Abujas exhilarating sites and capture them in powerful detail So, we figured starting our photography race with Abujas popular landmarks wouldnt be a totally bad way to tackle our Day three mission- my CAMON C9, please. I trusted my TECNO CAMON C9 to bring Abujas many exhilarating sites alive through its powerful camera technology and it didnt disappoint. About the CAMON C9 camera specs, its not all the time you find a budget camera phone flaunt Dual 13.0MP front/back low-light cameras which shoot 83 wider angle shots plus first-of-it-kind120 panoramic camera presets on both the front and back cameras. I will spare you CAMON C9 reviews for now; just do your research- you can start here if that will help. Anyways, back to the adventure. Our next stop was the National Cathedral Abuja and you wont believe this shot was taken while in motion-it no hype the camera preset on CAMON C9 is fantastic! Fill up the fuel tank and to Gurara falls we go We figured adding a bit of nature and color to our photography will give it richness and a broader scope, so we headed for the border. To Niger state we go! It was a fifty minute drive to the land of the Gurara Fallsand we could hear waters tumbling down rocks in crashing symphony. Gurara Falls beckons us Abuja conquered; we set out for the city of coal Mr. James Ibor, the Executive Secretary of Basic Rights Counsel Initiative, wrote a petition to the Cross River Commissioner of Police, Mr. Jimoh Ozi-Obeh, stating this. The petition, which was submitted on Tuesday, June 21, 2016, reads, We act for the best interest and welfare of the many helpless children in Cross River State who are victims of criminal witchcraft branding and stigmatisation. May it please you to know that most of these cases have been reported to the police but the police are often indifferent. We are by this letter most humbly calling for your urgent intervention, investigation and necessary action in the above named cases, especially with a view to bringing the culprits to book as required by law. Ogunmiluyi is being tried for allegedly sharp practice with her electricity meter to avoid paying bills to Ikeja Electric. The prosecutor, Sgt. Yomi Egunjobi, had told the court that the accused was caught cheating the company by by-passing a meter in her house at Millenium Estate, Ikorodu.He said the offence was committed on March 31 at her residence resulting to revenue loss to the company. He said the offence contravened Section 321 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011. The accused had earlier been granted bail in the sum of N100, 000 with a surety in like sum. According to her, she only called an electrician to help her to connect the wire from the house to the pole. Counsel to the accused, Mr Olakunle Ilesanmi, also appealed to the Ikeja Electric to allow out-of- court settlement, promising that the accused will not try it again.Reacting to the accused's plea, an official of the Ikeja Electric, who pleaded anonymity, said it was the court that had the final decision on the issue. Meanwhile, Mr Felix Ofulue, Head, Corporate Communications Unit of the company, has appealed to consumers within the zone to report energy theft in their communities. Ofulue said the case should serve as a warning that the company would no longer take the issue of electricity theft lightly. Daily Post reports that Ojeriahi, a businessman who resides on Ibefun Street in the Alapere, Ketu area of the state, had told his neighbours that his sister-in-law had refused to give his elder brother a child after five years of marriage, and as such, wanted her to leave the house so the brother can marry another woman who would give him kids. The accused was charged on one-count of assault occasioning harm for the offence he committed on June 14, 2016. According to the police prosecutor, Lucky Ihiehie, the incident happened shortly after the complainant, a trader, came back from the market that night. She looked for the key where her husband normally kept it for her, but did not find it. As she waited outside for her husband to come back, her brother-in-law came into the compound. He walked to where she was standing and pushed her. She fell. He then took the torchlight the complainant was holding and started hitting her face. The accused beat her to a pulp until neighbours came to her rescue, Ihehie told the court. Ihiehie added that as soon as the womans husband came back and saw what his younger brother had done, he confronted him and was about to beat him up when neighbours stopped him. Ojeriahi, who pleaded not guilty to the offence, alleged that the complainant refused to let him into the house when he came back from work. The suspects, Johnson Igadu, 25, Daniel Poku, 25, and Sterling Longlife, 26, who were paraded by the NSCDC at the Command headquarters in Ikeja, said their leader identified only as Soji, who is still at large, had concluded the arrangements with the soldiers who assured them that they would be covered. The vandals, it was gathered, were, on May 21, 2016, engaged by Soji to convey 10 barrels of fuel in a boat from 7th Avenue, FESTAC Town, to a place called Ghana village, telling them that he had settled the military men monitoring the waterways in the area. The gang had allegedly scaled through with the fuel at two checkpoints manned by soldiers before luck ran out on them. Igadu, an indigene of Delta State, said he could not tell why the operation went wrong as his friend, Poku, had allegedly spoken with a soldier on the phone who assured them of safety. I came to Lagos two months ago. Soji called us to bring 10 barrels of fuel from a creek on 7th Avenue, FESTAC Town. We went there to carry the fuel to Ghana village. We knew there were soldiers in the area, but he said he had already paid them and that we should not be afraid. He sent Pokus number to one of the soldiers to call us when it was safe to get the fuel. The soldier called Poku and said we should come to carry the fuel. That was why we got the confidence to move. We carried the fuel around 12.30am and left in their presence. We passed the first two checkpoints. The soldiers there checked the fuel and told us to go. When we got to the third checkpoint, we heard gunshots. We fled the boat and escaped through the waterways. We ran to a man and begged him to allow us pass the night at his house. But he alerted the vigilantes around the area who handed us over to the police. The police handed us over to the army and we were later transferred to the NSCDC. Poku, also an indigene of Delta State, said he had declined to embark on the deal but Soji persuaded him. "I am a businessman. I came to Lagos to hustle. I later met Soji. He engaged the three of us to carry the fuel to Ghana village and promised to give us N10,000 each. I told him soldiers were around the area and he said he had settled them. The soldiers at the checkpoints knew we were carrying fuel but they did not stop us. It was at the third checkpoint that some of them started shooting. Maybe Soji didnt settle those soldiers. However, the Public Relations Officer of the 81 Division, Lt.-Col. Kingsley Samuel, refuted the allegations of the suspects, saying they could have mistaken the officers of other forces for soldiers. That is an allegation from suspects; it is spurious. Can they identify the soldiers? The Nigerian Army, the Air Force and the Navy wear the same camouflage. There is uniformity in the camouflage, so you cant tell who is a soldier, an air force officer or a naval officer. Punch reports that according to the agency, about 98 people sustained varying degrees of injuries emanating from accidents on the same road, which is clearly a cause of concern for the nation. The statistics were obtained from cases reported by either the FRSC, the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (TRACE), the Ogun State Police Command, as well as other agencies. However, records obtained from the Ogun State TRACE indicate that 91 crashes occurred on the Ogun State end of the expressway in six months, which saw 44 people dead while 149 persons were injured. The Zonal Commanding Officer, FRSC, Zone 2, Nseobong Akpabio, attributed the accidents to reckless driving, adding that some failed portions on the expressway also contributed to the accidents. Indiscipline is the major cause of most of the accidents. For instance, between the Ogunmakin and Ogere end of the expressway, drivers speed because construction work had just been concluded and the road is smooth. The same is applicable between the Mowe and Sagamu end of the road. There are also failed portions in some parts. If any vehicle runs into some of the bad portions at full speed, it would veer off the road and the vehicle would end up in the bush. We wrote a report on the various failed portions on the expressway and that informed the ongoing construction works which will cover several kilometres." On his part, the Public Relations Officer, TRACE, Babatunde Akinbiyi, said efforts taken by the agency to reduce road accidents included public enlightenment and training of arrested drivers. From the data we have, 10 people died in each month of January, April and June, while there were three deaths in February, six in March and five in May, making a total of 44 deaths. An autopsy has been conducted, and has revealed that the death of the twins were heat related. According to People, no charge has been given against the parents of the deceased. The focus will be on how the twins got into the vehicle, a spokesperson for the police revealed. "Our investigation will focus on how the kids ended up in the pickup truck, and whether it was due to someone's actions or was accidental," "We've yet to determine whether anything occurred here that could warrant criminal charges." According to Punch, John-Morrison was killed when he was on a motorcycle on Tuesday, June 21, 2016. The rider of the motorcycle was however spared in the attack. Report says that John-Morrison was killed following an Appeal Court ruling, which favoured his party, APC, in a case involving 22 sacked local government chairmen. Mr. Gift Igoma, a former Caretaker Committee Chairman of Abua/Odua LGA, confirmed the killing of the APC chieftain. He said the incident happened around 6 AM on the day. The Head of MAPS in Nigeria, Mr Oluwole Adeusi, disclosed this in Uyo on Tuesday in a windup ceremony to mark the end of MAPS projects in the state. Other areas of capacity building included malaria Rapid Diagnostic Test (mRDT) and training of 25 laboratory scientists in the state on malaria microscopy. Adeusi said that within the two years of MAPS existence in Akwa Ibom, over 95 per cent of confirmed uncomplicated malaria cases had been appropriately treated. He said that MAPS in collaboration with other partners worked assiduously to improve adherence to national malaria guidelines, planning, budgeting and development of annual operational plan in the state. Presenting an overview of MAPS implementation in Akwa Ibom, the State Coordinator, Mr Ime Akpan, said that the project started in March 2014. Akpan said that the programme had implemented monthly data validation exercise from local government areas as well as monthly state meeting on monitoring and evaluation. The coordinator said that the programme had trained 150 personnel on Health Management Information System (HMIS) and supported robust health data consultative meetings. Akpan said that the programme had assisted the continuous distribution of long lasting insecticidal nets through ante natal clinics and during immunisation days. He said that the greatest challenge he had while the programme lasted was the nonchalance attitude of some health workers. In his welcome address, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Dominic Ukpong, commended MAPS for living up to expectations by contributing to significant reduction of malaria burden in the state. Ukpong noted that MAPS project had made positive impacts and promised to create conducive environment for partners to operate in the state. ``It is imperative that such gains be sustained for the achievement of the desired global targets, Ukpong said. He thanked the Federal Ministry of Health, the United States Government and other implementing partners for their efforts towards eliminating malaria in the state and Nigeria as a whole. In his goodwill message, the State Chairman, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr Augustine Umoh, noted that malaria was one illness that had defied preventive measures. Umoh called on the Akwa Ibom government to evolve strategies that would sustain the gains recorded by MAPS in the state. He also commended MAPS for partnering with the NMA in the state to train doctors on treatment and management of malaria. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that MAPS is a six-year programme spanning 2010 to 2016, implemented by FHI360 in partnership with Malaria Consortium (MC) and Health Partners International (HPI). In a series of Tweets late hours of Tuesday, June 21, 2016, Mrs Buhari described the Ekiti state governor as an "" "Enough is Enough Fayose. A mad dog that isn't chained. I refuse to keep quiet. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH FAYOSE IS AN UNCHAINED MAD DOG If Buhari is 73 years old, I Aisha am 45 years old, I have more than enough energy to face you," she tweeted. Meanwhile, the Federal Government has debunked claims by the Ekiti state Governor, Ayo Fayose, that the first lady was implicated in the Halliburton scandal. In a report by The Street Journal, Ms Buhari reportedly broke her silence on her alleged involvement in the Halliburton bribery scandal. Ms Buhari reportedly stressed that though she shares the same name with the Presidents wife, Mrs Aisha Buhari, she's neither the person referred to in the bribery scandal by the Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose nor by the ex-EFCC boss, Ibrahim Lamorde. This is like pouring water on a sleeping person. I have never done anything with Halliburton, I dont know the colour of the company. I am not in the line of business with Halliburton, so linking me with the bribery is wicked, Ms Buhari allegedly told the medium. ALSO READ: Continuing, she said, They are desperate to cover their dirty track and link my name with the scandal that they have to first of all steal my passport. My passport was stolen early this year. And to give credibility to their story, details from the passport were used. They should come to the US, to find out If they are curious about the case. If somebody commits crime in the US, he or she must face trial. Have you heard I am being tried in the US? Let them stop this malicious allegation against me that they do not have proof of, I hate people who do not cross check facts before talking, they should find out in the US the kind of person I am because I belong to organisations there. If they think they are politician and can break the law and go free, they should realise that nobody is above the laws of a country including me,, she disclosed. Narrating her experience to Pulse.ng, Aisha said the insurgents who came in their numbers, ambushed the village, killed all adults and escaped with some girls. She said: "They killed my mother, father, my big neighbours (adults) and carried some big girls away." Aisha is an aspiring Medical Doctor. Aisha's story is one of many at the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp located in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. At the Gwoza/Bama IDP camp located in Durum, Area 1, the Chairman, Ibrahim Ahmudu said there are 2226 persons (comprising men, women, youths, orphans and babies) in the facility. With no power supply, the only source of water at the is a borehole. There is a clinic in the camp which lacks essential drugs like paracetamol syrup for children. There is also no registered nurse in the camp. "As you can see, we have five classrooms, four permanent teachers, two volunteers and three NYSC corps members who teach these children," Ahmudusaid. A corps member who identified himself as Anthony Otah lamented the limited number of teachers per class. He said: "I take them through all the subjects and sometimes, I have to take other classes too. Another problem is the language barrier. It is so difficult to communicate with children because most of them do not understand English." The Camp Secretary, Umar Ali told our correspondent that they are yet to receive relief items from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). He said: "We depend solely on items donated to us by Non Governmental Organisation (NGOs) and good spirited Nigerians. We even sell these items to pay the teachers because the government is not helping us. We have not gotten anything from NEMA since we started this camp in December, 2014." In a awift reaction, the NEMA Abuja Operations Coordinator, Isa Ishaya Chonoko said the agency had taken relief materials to almost all camps in the FCT. "I am sure we have taken relief materials to almost all the locations where we we have IDPs in the FCT, particularly that Area 1 that you are talking about. If you can come to my office, you will see proof of my claims," he said. At the New Kuchingoro IDP Camp which is home to displaced persons from Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states, the camp chairman, Emmanuel Philimon noted that some IDPs have relocated to their villages. ''Some people have started going back but some are afraid since we still hear on radio that Boko Haram are there. If they stop attacking, we will go back,"Josiah Madaki, an indigene of Madagali local government area of Borno state told our correspondent. JNDLF said the the military officers are planning to promote civil unrest and bombing of oil pipelines. Daily Post reports that the militants, in a statement signed by the following officers, General Torunanaowei Latei (Creek Network Coordinator); General Agbakakuro Owei-Tauro (Pipeline Bleeding Expert); General Akotebe Darikoro (Commander, General Duties) and General Pulokiri Ebikade (Intelligence Bureau), said We are constraint to let the cat out of the bag today that President Mohammadu Buhari should be wary about the security of this country as some military men are making move to remove him from power by instigating civil unrest in the country. Some top military men through their civil agents approached us to cause and continue the vandalization of the oil and gas pipelines in the Niger delta region so as to use as an excuse to take over the government from democracy to military rule in the country. We said no as such plan will not work and not in conformity with our genuine desire of agitation.The military want to disgrace him now and let him quickly look into the issues and make pronouncement for his administration to be in peace. We received several calls unknown to persuade us to continue the bombing and that when succeeded in overthrowing the government we will be placed on a better position, we said capital NO! When asked of their names they are above Major Generals level. They refused to disclose their names but their intonations seem like yoruba and Hausa. Our agitation is not for selfish interest but for the overall benefit of the Niger delta region. Well not kidnap any person, kill or hostage taking of any expatriate in the country but will continue our agitation with clear determination to actualize our course in Nigeria. We believe their sinister plan because there is ceasefire in the region for dialogue, but since then, the attitude and actions of the service chiefs show that such plan could work for them. Fashola disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja while briefing the House of Representatives Committee on Works on how to implement the ministry's 2016 budget. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that lawmakers had agitated that the Housing Scheme be spread across the federation. Speaking further, the minister said not all states were able to submit their housing scheme plan as requested by the Federal Government reason that some were not interested in the scheme. He explained that the budget set aside for housing for the year would not solve the challenge of accommodation, the country was faced with as various housing pattern would be required. He said that different housing pattern were still being proposed, adding that when the ministry finalised on the required pattern, the Private Public Partnership would be allowed to participate. Earlier, the Chairman of the Committee, Rep. Mustapha Dawaki (APC-Kano) had questioned the delay in providing the housing pattern by the ministry even after the budget was passed six months ago. According to the ministry, six federal secretariats in each geopolitical zones will be ready for commission by the end of July this year. The entire fraud started from the company that Obanikoros sons were operating. The company was set up by some people but curiously made Obanikoro sons signatories to the account, the source said. The owner of A. A. G. B. S Oil and Gas confirmed to us that the company is a BDC but was only bearing the name of an oil company. He confirmed that he received N168m from Sylvan McNamara and $1m was delivered to Obanikoro in cash while he was the Minister of State for Defence based on the exchange rate at the time, an EFCC detective told Punch. Obanikoro acknowledged receipt of the cash and we have recovered evidence. Some of the remaining dollars was received by Obanikoros son, Gbolahan. On June 12, 2014, barely 10 days to the Ekiti State governorship election, Obanikoro and a man, who claimed to be his Aide-de-Camp by the name of A. O. Adewale, chartered a private jet belonging to OAS Helicopters. About N724,500,000 was conveyed on the plane with tail number N638MA. The plane was an HS125 jet, operated by Okin Travellers, a subsidiary of Elizade. The plane landed at Akure at 9.38am and then went back to Lagos to get an extra N494,900,000 and landed at Akure at 5.57pm. Obanikoro handed the money over to one Abiodun Agbele, otherwise known as Abbey, an associate of Fayose. Officials of Zenith Bank arrived at the tarmac in a bullion van to convey all the cash to the banks vault, located at 13 Alagbaka Estate, Akure. Abbey directed the bank to pay N137m into the account of Ayodele Fayose with number 1003126654 and Bank Verification Number 22338867502. The bank teller dated June 26, 2014, was filled by Abbey with teller number 0556814. Abbey directed the bank to transfer N118,760,000 to the same account and paid in N50m cash into Fayoses account. On April 7, 2015, several months later, Fayose personally moved N300m to his fixed deposit account at Zenith Bank with number 9013074033 with the same BVN. The account is domiciled at 15 Olusola Abiona Street, Estate, Alapere, Ketu, Lagos, he added. He also said I have no financial transaction whatsoever with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) under Col Sambo Dasuki (rtd) and former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro either by cash, cheque or electronic transfer. This is following allegations levelled against him that he received funds connected to the arms purchase scandal, from Dasuki. Fayose, in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, said it is on record that the President has visited USA three times and his wife did not travel with him. Equally, she ought to have visited USA last year September to chair a United Nation programme but she sent wife of the Senate President, Mrs Toyin Saraki to represent her. The management of Zenith Bank, which majorly funded my election, called me to a meeting where I was assured that fund will be provided for my election. I was asked to nominate a trusted ally to be relating with and I nominated Mr Abiodun Agbele. All the payments into Abiodun Agbeles account domiciled in Zenith Bank were directly from Zenith Bank. In actual fact, the account was opened by Zenith Bank hurriedly at that time and Abiodun Agbeles identity card which ought to have been collected before the account was opened was only collected last week in the banks desperation to perfect the account obviously after submitting to the intimidation and harassment of the EFCC. Most of the funds posted into Agbeles account were through the Ibadan, Akure and Lagos branches of the Zenith Bank and sometimes; they brought cash. Assuming but not conceding that cash moved from Lagos to Akure as being claimed by the EFCC in its usual manner of media trial, was meant for my election in Ekiti, why was the cash not moved to Ado Ekiti branch of Zenith Bank or the cash handed to me directly? Why was it deposited into Zenith Bank, Akure and did the bank make any report on the transaction to the appropriate authorities? Why did the bank send its bullion van to move the money from Akure Airport to their Akure branch if it was illegal money? I must say it categorically that I dont have any link financially with Obanikoro and I know as a fact that he (Obanikoro) has not; and cannot mention my name, as beneficiary of whatever money any company in which he has interest could have gotten from the ONSA if truly. Obanikoro collected money from the ONSA as being claimed by the EFCC. Therefore, bringing Obanikoro and his sons narrative or that the Zenith Bank is telling different stories, having been blackmailed and coerced into submission by the EFCC is a joke that will not fly. I wish to state further that if it becomes evidently clear that those who willingly provided money for my election can no longer stand by what they did, may be because of threat from the EFCC, I will not hesitate to name names. The Ekiti Governor earlier alleged that Mrs. Buhari was implicated in the infamous Halliburton scandal. Fayose also said the first lady has not been able to travel with President Buhari on his trips to the USA because of the case. Daily Post reports that the Governor, through his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, said It is on record that the President has visited USA three times and his wife did not travel with him. Equally, she ought to have visited USA last year September to chair a United Nations programme but she sent wife of the Senate President, Mrs Toyin Saraki to represent her. Aisha Buhari in a reaction to Fayoses allegation, posted a tweet calling the Ekiti Governor an unchained mad dog. The information is contained in a statement issued by SP Ahmad Muhammad, the Public Relations Officer of the police command in the state. Muhammad stated that Adebanjo succeeded Mr Musa Kimo who had been deployed to Force Headquarters, Abuja. He added that the new commissioner joined the Nigeria Police in 1984 as Cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police and rose through the ranks to his present rank to be Commissioner of Police in 2012. He said that the new CP holds a Bachelor and Masters Degrees in Criminology/Criminal Justice Administration and Management from the University of Central Oklahoma, United States of America. Adebanjo is an alumnus of the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Jos. He had served in various capacities in the force, including Commissioner of Police, Explosive Ordinance Disposal (Anti-Bomb), Force Headquarters, Abuja and Edo Command. The police spokesman then quoted Adebanjo as saying ``I urge the good people of Rivers to remain confident and trust in my ability to dutifully discharge the police constitutional mandate of ensuring public peace and security.'' The commissioner then called for cooperation, support and understanding from Rivers people to enable him to put in place ``sustained security architecture that will bring the crime level in the state to the barest minimum.'' Fayose had accused the First Lady of participating in a 2009 bribery scandal which involved US Congressman, William Jefferson. 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, Fayose said via a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, after the governors account was frozen by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). 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 added. The truth however came out when former EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Lamorde said that the Aisha Buhari in that case was a different person entirely. I can tell you authoritatively that the Aisha Buhari named in that case is not President Buhari's wife. It is another Aisha Buhari entirely, Lamorde said on Tuesday. The Presidency also issued an official statementdismissing the reports and describing Fayose as a man childishly obsessed with the desire to grab the headlines and insulting people at will because of his incurably boorish instincts. Therefore, Nigerians were unprepared for the rude shock they got when the mad dog commentwas tweeted from Mrs Buharis official and verified handle. The nationwide surprise was made even more intense by the fact that Mrs Buhari is a classy lady and such words would never leave her mouth even if they, for some reason, entered her head. And indeed, the words did not enter the First Ladys head or leave her mouth, but they entered the head of the person handling her Twitter account, and this person, against all reason, went ahead to tweet the comment, which will be remembered for all time. However, nobody is talking about the person who sent the tweet, they are all talking about the First Lady, because its the First Ladys name thats is on that tweet, and her picture that is attached to the account, so for all intents and purposes, Mrs Buhari said those words. The entire scenario is a lesson on why public officials should hire professionals to handle their communications. The digital world is not a place for costly mistakes, like this one, because such mistakes will be on record for all time. In these changing times, public officials can choose from a wide array of social media managers, online reputation managers and digital media experts to work with, but most of them prefer to operate by sentiment and hire their cousins. Hopefully, this debacle with Aisha Buharis handle will teach officials who are willing to learn that dealing with professionals is always better than dealing with amateurs. Samuel Ikon said that he was sick while in the US so he could not have solicited prostitutes. Entwistle earlier wrote to Reps speaker, Yakubu Dogara accusing Ikon (Akwa Ibom), Mohammed Gololo (Bauchi) and Mark Gbillah (Benue) of committing the offences while attending the Leadership Visitor Program in the US in April. Read Ikons letter below: It is with a deep sense of sadness and great hurt that I write to respond to a letter dated June 9, 2016 addressed to the Rt. Hon. Speaker of the House of Representatives of Nigeria, copied to me and signed by you, alleging that I, Hon. Samuel Ikon, with Hon. Mark Gbillah requested hotel parking attendants assist us solicit prostitutes. Let me state unequivocally sir that this allegation is not just false, but in bad taste. I Hon. Samuel Ikon never on that trip, nor on any trip to the US or anywhere in this world, ever sought to consort with prostitutes. This act would not only be inimical to my health, but totally unacceptable to my faith. May I draw your attention Mr. Ambassador to the fact that I almost did not make that trip due to my state of health, a situation that was well known to your mission accompanying staff Mrs. Victoria Ibi. Even at the airport before our departure, I still was not sure but travelled due to the deep respect and appreciation I had at the time for the US government nominating me for the program on one hand, and the fact that I carried necessary medication for the Malaria and Typhoid that I was diagnosed of. Mr. Ambassador, I was miserable throughout our stay in Washington DC and only got a bit stable in Cleveland when the medication began to kick in. Secondly, I was at the same time on medication to reduce my PSA level which tests in February this year had indicated a disturbing increase thus the issue of sex was totally ruled out for me in view of my health (laboratory results available if needed). I therefore find it funny and unacceptable to be so linked as in your letter. I have another proof of my innocence which wiII completely tear down this false conclusion but will leave it out for a later time should you fail to redeem my integrity and I am forced to take legal action. I wish to categorically state that at no time did I either alone, or in the company of Hon. Mark Gbillah a gentlemen with impeccable moral standing, approach any parking lot staff or any hotel staff for that matter to assist me solicit for prostitutes. It never happened nor was ever intended or thought of. I have been in the legislature in the past nine (9) years and has attended over 30 conferences, seminars and meetings in about 20 countries globally and has never sought for a prostitute in any of these countries including the USA. I was in New York for a UN hearing on Narcotics in February for 4 days and never sought for a prostitute. My impeccable record of accomplishment is there to be seen. I have done programs in Harvard and Stanford Universities in the US and completed them successful without an incident or request for prostitutes. I am an Elder in my Church since 2006 and clearly knows the tenets and doctrines of my faith one of which abhors such desires for prostitutes as such very offensive to be so linked. His Excellency sir, let me inform you that I am happily married to a woman who is a mother, friend and confidant to me for twenty (20) years now and I have no reason to seek comfort in the bosom of a prostitute with all the attendant health risks especially the latest known as Zika Virus which has entered the USA. Mr Ambassador, I therefore find this false allegation condemnable, repugnant and totally unacceptable to me. Most distressing is the statement in your letter that your mission took pains to confirm this allegation and my identity. How sad. How can you confirm it to be my identity when I never had such an encounter with any hotel staff? Moreover, how did you come to such conclusion without any fair hearing as you never sought my own view or account? Not driving a car myself, what would I be doing at the parking lot area, to then meet a staff there for such discussions? May I draw your Excellencys attention to how he would feel or react if after a meeting, say in the state department in Washington DC, he returns to Abuja only to receive a letter two months later that he sought to consort with prostitutes whilst in DC, an allegation His Excellency knows is false because he never did such. Thats exactly how I feel now. I therefore urge that you review this case within 7 days taking a more detailed look at the evidences available for such like video recordings especially audio showing time and date of such discussions. So you can realize that a mistake has been made here and my integrity restored, else I will be seeking legal redress in competent courts of law both in Nigeria and in the US. Mr Marcel Ukweni, the Zonal Liaison Officer of the commission, South South Zonal Office, stated this in a meeting with the returnees in Eket Local Government Area of the state. He said that United Nation Inter Agency had begun need assessment mission to people who were affected by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) judgment. ``The team is in Akwa Ibom as a result of ICJ judgment implementation as regarded Nigerian, Cameroun International Boundaries. ``As a fall out of that judgment, United Nation Inter Agency conducted need assessment mission concerning the people that was affected by the implementation of the ICJ judgment, Ukweni said. He explained that the aim of the meeting was to enable the UN to come out with a final project designed to aid the re-integration of DBR into the society. ``In conducting the need assessment mission, three sectors of Nigeria are sample in the states of Adamawa, Cross River and Akwa Ibom. ``The main reason for the assessment was to see our best our people that were affected by the ICJ ruling could be reintegrated back into the society, the liaison officer said. He said UN had appointed consultants to look at five key areas of intervention of the DBRs in the state. According to him, the intervention areas are Water Sanitation and Hygiene, Capacity Building, Skill Acquisition, Sustainable Energy and Small and Medium Enterprise. He, however, lamented that some DBRs may had died since the assessment was carried out last since 2011 and now in the state. ``The team of consultants is here to rub minds with you, ask you questions on what you want and as they ask you, we believe you will give good answers to what you want, Ukweni said. He commended the people for coming out en-mass and said the Bakassi plight would be taken to UN for considerations. Speaking on behave of the consultants, Mr Ayokanmi Wright, Small and Medium Enterprises and Livelihood Consultant for the UN, stressed the need to resettled the DBRs in the state. ``There is a need to see the Displaced Bakassi Returnees to have something doing that can sustain their means of livelihood through micro finance so that they can be empowered, Wright said. He noted that meaningful resettlement would be given to the DBRs, adding that source of income would also be given to them to be self-reliant. ``We want to see that the Bakassi Returnees have the enabling financial ability to carry out their businesses, he said. Wright said that the team came to conduct base line survey to find out the needs of the DBRs in the state. He said that the facts and reports would be collated so that the Federal Government would provide an Action Plan for a possible solution. ``So, that there will be a tremendous change in the life of the Bakassi Returnees and re-integrating the people back to their normal status, Wright said. Also speaking, Mr Frank Archibong, the Transitional Chairman of Eket commended the UN team and National Boundary Commission for bringing succour to the DBRs. He promised to donate land to the UN consultants to execute projects for the returnees while expressing hope that the team would alleviate suffering of the DBRs in the state. He regretted that the camp where the returnees stayed in Eket local government area is in deplorable condition. The DBRs said that they need real integration of their members, empowerment, accommodation and skill acquisition programme for their members, among others. Marine Lieutenant General Thomas Waldhauser, the nominee to lead the U.S. military's Africa Command, suggested the internal division was illustrative of limits of Islamic State's influence over Boko Haram so far, despite the West African group's pledge of allegiance to it last year. "Several months ago, about half of Boko Haram broke off to a separate group because they were not happy with the amount of buy-in, if you will, from Boko Haram into the brand," Waldhauser said at his nomination hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee. Shekau, he said, had not fallen into line with Islamic State's instructions, including by ignoring calls for Boko Haram to stop using children as suicide bombers. "He's been told by ISIL to stop doing that. But he has not done so. And that's one of the reasons why this splinter group has broken off," he said, adding Islamic State was trying to "reconcile those two groups." Reuters reported on June 9 that U.S. officials had seen no evidence that Boko Haram has so far received significant operational support or financing from Islamic State. The assessment suggested Boko Haram's loyalty pledge had so far mostly been a branding exercise. Waldhauser acknowledged differing opinions about how much influence Islamic State has actually had so far over Boko Haram, which won global infamy for its 2014 kidnapping of 276 school girls. "They certainly have not given them a lot of financial assistance. So the point being is that perhaps improvement in tradecraft, in training and the like," he said. While it is estimated to have killed more than 15,000 people since 2009, Boko Haram has not attacked U.S. interests and has deep roots in Nigeria's Christian-Muslim divide, which long predates the Syrian-based Islamic extremist group. Waldauser noted Shekau's local focus and voiced concern about whether a splinter group might act more in concert with Islamic State's transregional ambitions. "What concerns me is the breakoff group of Boko Haram who wants to be more ISIL-like, and consequently buy into the ISIL-brand of attacking Western interests," he said. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mrs Buhari said this in Sokoto on Tuesday in a message to the celebration of the 2016 World Sickle Cell Day.NAN also reports that the event had as its theme: ``United We Stand Against Sickle Cell Disease''. The wife of the president was represented by the state Commissioner for Women and Children Affairs, Hajiya Kulu Sifawa. She said: ``Nigerians should also endeavour to know their genotypes through testing.`Sickle cell is a disease that is ravaging many families and the government is determined to reduce its prevalence.'' The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Balarabe Kakale, disclosed that the State Government has set up sickle cell free counselling, screening and testing centres across the state.He added: ``The state government's gesture is to provide quality management of sickle cell disease.'' The minister gave the assurance on Tuesday at the Third Forum on China-Africa Media Cooperation in Beijing, China. In a statement issued on the event by Mr Segun Adeyemi, the Special Adviser to the Minister, Mohammed described the Nigerian media as one of the most vibrant in Africa and indeed across the world. In the statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, the minister noted that Nigerian media has come a long way.``On our part as Government, we do not intend to do anything to stifle press freedom. Media practitioners have nothing to fear from us.``Of course, as I hinted earlier, we are the ones who have much to fear from the media practitioners. ``As a government, we believe that democracy itself is imperilled when the media is in chains. We see the media as a partner in progress, not some enemy to be crushed. However, the minister, according to the statement, said that government expected a high level of responsible journalism from the practitioners.He said that journalists were expected to put the collective interest above individual consideration and safeguard the truth rather than push out rumours as facts. The minister specifically stressed the need for media practitioners, especially those in the social media, to self regulate themselves in order to remain credible and viable.``Putting the awesome power of the media in the hands of not just professional journalists but citizen journalists, many of who neither subscribe to any code of ethics nor respect the laws of the land, could be catastrophic. ``Little wonder then that rumours have donned the garb of the truth and reputations long built and nurtured are being rubbished under the guise of the social media.``Make no mistake about it, the democratisation of information gathering and dissemination has its advantage, but there must be some form of control, he said. Mohammed, however, reiterated that the government had no plans, either in the short or long run, to regulate the media, whether traditional or new.He called for continuous capacity building for media practitioners so that they can play their important role more effectively. He also challenged African journalists to change the negative narrative about their continent.The minister also assured that the country was on course to meeting the June 2017 deadline of migrating from analogue to digital broadcasting.``This past April, we successfully set the ball rolling by launching the pilot phase of the migration from analogue to digital broadcasting in the city of Jos. ``We are now in the process of expanding this to other parts of our vast country. ``We will succeed, because there is no shortage of political will on the part of the government, or of unalloyed support and dedication on the part of other stakeholders, to make it happen, he said. GIABAs Head of Information Centre in Nigeria, Mr Timothy Melaye, who disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, commended President Buharis current effort at fighting corruption. GIABA is an institution of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) responsible for facilitating the adoption and implementation of Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Counter-Financing of Terrorism in West Africa.Melaye said: ``The present Nigerian government of President Muhammadu Buhari has so far shown greater commitment to fighting against corruption, money laundering and terrorists financing.``GIABA is really ready to support the Nigerian government in its ongoing fight against corruption, money laundering and terrorists He said that Nigeria had commenced her registration for membership of Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and GIABA was giving Nigeria technical and other support to become a member of FATF. The GIABA representative in Nigeria said that FATF was a global organisation meant to regulate operations against money laundering and terrorists financing. We strongly believe that Nigerias registration as member of FATF would give more power to the Nigerian government in fighting against corruption, money laundering and terrorism financing.Until now, it was only South Africa that had registered as member of FATF in the whole of Africa.``Nigeria is now the second African country also registering for FATF membership.``GIABA is giving Nigeria all its support technically and otherwise, in ensuring that Nigerias FATF membership interest and registration becomes a reality Melaye also announced his organisations readiness to increase its training programmes for officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC). He said that GIABA would also be sustaining its training programmes for officials of the Directorate for State Security (DSS) and Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and Nigerian Customs Service (NCS). The 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 Nigeria's national income and the vast majority of that oil comes from the southern swampland. "The Avengers might be giving the federal government some time to do something about the demands," said Godspower Gbenekema, who said he met oil minister Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu last week to find ways to end attacks on oil facilities. Gbenekema is from an area in the southern swamps where officials suspect the Avengers, who have claimed a series of attacks on facilities in Nigeria's oil and gas hub, are hiding. Kachikwu travelled to the Delta last week to meet community leaders who oil sources say pass on messages to the militants who have not engaged in direct talks. "Nobody represented the Avengers in that meeting," Gbenekema said. "We used that opportunity to relay to the minister the problems of the Niger Delta such as lack of development and neglect." "The issue of truce or not depends on the seriousness of the federal government to address the issues at stake," he said, citing fighting poverty and providing jobs as examples. No follow-up up meeting had yet been agreed, he added. The Avengers have also called for independence of the southern region, a demand widely seen as impossible for the government to meet. Among the factors standing in the way of a ceasefire in the hard to access swamps is that militants are divided into small groups that tap widespread anger over poverty and oil spills and leaders have little sway over unemployed youths willing to work for anyone who pays them. 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 previously laid down arms in 2009 in exchange for cash benefits under a government amnesty. 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 fall has also been responsible for pushing up global oil prices, which had plummeted earlier in the year. The fighting came a day after Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said operations in the mainly Kurdish southeast had ended, apparently referring to the months-long clashes in some urban centres, and added the government would focus on reconstruction. The air strikes in Kurdish-run northern Iraq destroyed targets belonging to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), including shelters and weapon stores. The PKK leadership is mainly based in northern Iraq. Baghdad and Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish Regional Government frequently object to such air incursions. The jets also hit sites near the Turkish towns of Lice, northeast of the regional capital of Diyarbakir, and Semdinli, further east near the Iraqi border, sources said. Some 25 villages near Lice were put under a round-the-clock curfew on Tuesday after authorities determined PKK militants were sheltering and keeping weapons there, the Diyarbakir governor's office said. The new curfews show a shift to rural areas away from cities, where much of the fighting since a ceasefire collapsed last July has taken place. "The operations in the eastern and southeastern regions are finished," Yildirim told members of the ruling AK Party on Tuesday, apparently referring to fighting in cities like Diyarbakir, Cizre and Nusaybin that has killed thousands of militants and hundreds of soldiers and civilians since July 2015. Swathes of these towns have been destroyed. The three-decade conflict with the PKK reignited last year after a two-year ceasefire collapsed, and fighting has been at its most intense since the peak of the insurgency in the 1990s. This is contained in a statement signed by Sheriff and Prof. Wale Oladipo, the former National Secretary of the party, made available to newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja. The statement described Mondays primaries of the party in Edo which produced Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu as PDP candidate as ``contraption of an illegal Caretaker Committee. It stated that the party had written a letter, jointly signed by Sheriff and Oladipo to the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission urging him not to give legitimacy to what happened in Edo. It added that the party was going to conduct a proper primary in Edo. In a separate statement, the party released a scheduled congress in Edo State to start from June 23 to June 29 with the inauguration of Congress Committee scheduled for Thursday. The statement warned state Chairmen and officers of the party not to deal with the Sen. Ahmed Makarfi led committee saying it is an illegal Caretaker committee. It also announced the appointment of some deputy national Officers as members of the National Working Committee in acting capacity with immediate effect. The officers are: Mr Okey Nnadozie as acting National Organising Secretary; Mr Alonge-Niyi Dennis as acting National Youth Leader; Mrs Hannatu Ullam as acting National Women Leader and Mr Bashir Maidugu as acting National Legal Adviser. According to the statement, the appointment of the officers is as a result of the resignation of five members of the NWC. ``This is in accordance with the provisions of sections 39(2), 42 (2), 43 (2), 44 (2) and 47 (6) of the Constitution of the party 2012 as amended, it stated. Meanwhile, INEC Deputy Director of Publicity and Voter Education, Mr Nick Dazang in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) said that the commission was yet to receive a letter from Sheriff. ``As at this (Tuesday) evening, Department of Party Monitoring and Observation is yet to receive Sheriff's letter. ``However, if you look at the INEC schedule for Edo election, the schedule date for primaries is between June 2 and July 4. ``For anyone to hold a convention, he needs to serve the Commission 21 days notice. ``21 days notice from today will exceed the period allocated for the conduct of party primaries for Edo which ought to be over by July 4, Nick said. The Governor also said the EFCCs action shows that Nigeria is in crisis, adding that it is a violation of the constitution. The Governor who is also the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum, issued a statement saying: What has happened is a blatant and violent infraction on the provision of the Constitution and our democracy. It is an attempt to subvert the constitution and it is fascist. The intention is to achieve a penal sanction without going through the due criminal procedure and criminal proceedings. What they have done now is to distract the Governor of Ekiti and this is not good for our democracy. The president, who was speaking at the breaking-of-fast dinner for members of FEC at the Presidential Banquet Hall, Abuja, said that the Month of Ramadan was a special time when ``God listens and answers prayers from the faithful.'' According to him, the Ramadan period provides leaders the opportunity to be more conscious of their responsibilities to the people they are leading. ``It strengthens our resolve to build our country to make it stronger and to make sure that the generations coming are sufficiently motivated to be patriotic. ``It is no news that we are the biggest country in Africa and that we are the economic engine of , which are true by the way. ``But we must always be patriotic in our dealings with others. ``In this () month of prayers and service to God, let us keep on praying all the times, believing that God in His infinite mercy will listen to our prayers, give us peace, security and better the economy once more, so that we can quickly rebuild and even do more for our country. ``Let me assure you that the time of Ramadan is making us more conscious of what leaders at every level ought to do. Leading the people is not a joke; it means accepting responsibilities for good or wrong. ``We need a lot of prayers, certainly, with the nations economy going down. We havent developed our agriculture, we are still trying to talk to those who will come and develop our solid minerals for us, he said. The president reiterated that Nigeria needed a lot of prayers, in view of the economic and security challenges facing the nation. He particularly cited the activities of the militants and those agitating for the state of Biafra, reminding such people and their sponsors of the calamities that befell the country during similar agitations between 1967 and 1970 when about two million lives were lost. ``We need to reflect very seriously on what happened between 1967 and 1970 when over two millions Nigerians lost their lives. ``At that time, as young military officers, you hardly heard of anything about petroleum or whatever money you got from it. `` Look at what Gen. (Yakubu) Gowon said: `To keep Nigeria one is a task that must be done and every soldier, whether he had been to school or not, knew what the general meant. ``But we were quarreling with our brothers, we were not fighting an enemy and now, somebody is saying that once again, he wants Biafra. ``I think this is because he was not born when there was Biafra. We have to reflect on the historical antecedents to appreciate what is before us now and what we intend to leave for our children and our grandchildren, he warned. Buhari thanked the ministers and other members of the cabinet for accepting to serve and identify with the APC-led Federal Government. The resolution emanated from the adoption of a motion sponsored by Rep. Garba Mohammed. Presenting the motion, Mohammed said most drugs dispensed by the hawkers were fake and expired ones. He held that people who ignorantly purchased them end up in critical conditions or die. ``These hawkers do not have pharmaceutical or medical qualifications and even go as far as prescribing drugs to unsuspecting Nigerians who buy because they are cheap and readily available. ``Despite the ban on illegal sale of drugs, hawking has continued to thrive, aided in part by the patronage of the public who have indirectly continued to sustain the practice, Mohammed said. Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara, mandated the Committee on Healthcare Services to liaise with NAFDAC to work out modalities to eradicate the menace. The group gave the response following news reports that an agreement had been reached. The NDA high command never remembers having any agreement on ceasefire with the Nigerian Government, the group said via Twitter on Tuesday, June 21, 2016. International news agency, Reuters had reported that the government reached an agreement with various Niger Delta militant groups including the avengers. 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, the official said. Popular for buying banana from a young boy who was hawking while his mates were in school, to buying fish at the market, to drinking palm wine at a local relaxation centre in Ekiti, the list is endless. These and many more earned him the title "The Peoples Governor." Fayose's popularity grew even more during the build up to the 2015 General Elections (especially the Presidential election) as he and former First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan were more vocal than the then Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) spokesman, Olisa Metuh. From criticising the All Progressives Congress (APC) to personal attacks on the then APC Presidential Candidate, Muhammadu Buhari, some loved (and still love) his criticism of the APC and President Buhari, while others are of the view that the governor is only seeking attention. Most Nigerians had felt that after the elections, the governor would focus on his job of delivering the dividends of democracy to the people of Ekiti state. At the last count, Fayose (and his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi; media aide, Lere Olayinka) still hold the record for releasing the highest number of press statements for all of President Buhari's moves; trips, ministerial appointments, anti-corruption fights, his health and so on. No one can doubt Fayose's ability to remain in the news regardless of what it takes, be it good or bad. Wife of the President, Aisha Buhari on the other hand has maintained a "classy but low profile" since her husband won the election. Unlike others, she prefers to be addressed "Wife of the President" rather than the usual "First Lady" title that we are used to. Well, trouble started on Monday, June 20, 2016 when Governor Fayose's Zenith bank account was frozen by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). A source at the EFCC alleged that Fayose received sums of money from the office of the National Security Adviser with which he bribed security officials and voters to get into the Ekiti governorship for the second time. The said account contained the sum of N2.1billion despite blaming Kayode Fayemi's government for the state's financial crisis. Fayose had told the workers that the state was broke adding that he cannot sell himself or his family to pay their salaries. Fayose while reacting to the incident, described the action of the anti-graft agency as criminal and illegal adding that Section 308 of the 1999 constitution gives him immunity as a sitting Governor. The EFCC in a swift reaction said that the immunity being enjoyed by any governor does not prevent the commission from investigating suspicious movements of money into his accounts. On Tuesday, June 21, 2016, Fayose in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary accused President Buhari of corrupt practices adding that his wife was indicted in the Halliburton bribery scandal. "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. The Federal Government has debunked claims by the Ekiti state Governor, Ayo Fayose, that the first lady was implicated in the Halliburton scandal. Similarly, Former EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Lamorde dismissed reports that Mrs Buhari participated in a bribery scandal involving a U.S. Congressman, Williams Jefferson. But Mrs Buhari who was not satisfied took to Twitter and described Fayose as an "Unchained Mad Dog." "Enough is Enough Fayose. A mad dog that isn't chained. I refuse to keep quiet. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH FAYOSE IS AN UNCHAINED MAD DOG If Buhari is 73 years old, I Aisha am 45 years old, I have more than enough energy to face you," she tweeted. Here is a screen shot of the tweets before they were deleted: Was deleting the tweets the best thing to do? Maybe these reactions could help answer the question. She was angry, Yes! But there are better ways to vent your anger. Social media is definitely not one of them. Tiwa Savage and Tee Billz; Wizkid and Linda Ikeji; Davido and Dele Momodu remain classic examples. While some have advised that she should have called Fayose instead, I feel the best thing to do was to just ignore. Silence itself is a response, the best in this situation. Replying him could make people think that you might have acted in fear since the case is currently being investigated. Truth is, Fayose does not care about what others think about him but as the wife of the president, you have a lot to protect; one of them is your image. The group also condemned moves to prosecute Saraki and the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, saying it is a major threat to democracy. They also described the actions of the Ministry of Justice and the Attorney General of the Federation, as unfortunate. Daily Post reports that the leader of the non-governmental organisation, Abdulsamad Amadi issued a statement, saying We are here again speaking up, against some actions that is gradually becoming a big threat to our democracy. It is no longer news that some persons with vested interests have been instigating and watering the unwarranted and politically motivated trial of the President of the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT). This trial has been a very huge distraction to the Senate President whom we all know is determined to play his role in the task of rebuilding our nation and its nosediving economy. Every member of the public is very much aware that this so called forgery case has since been resolved at the floor of the Senate. For some people to now want to capitalize on the issue shows the extent they are willing to go in order to scuttle the leadership of the 8th Senate. It is obvious that there is a move orchestrated to cripple the legislature in order to make it ineffective and nonfunctional irrespective of how detrimental such actions will be to the polity. The executive and the APC leadership are more interested in arms twisting aimed at forcing a leadership change in the senate than solving the numerous economic and infrastructure problems facing us as a nation. We are aware that for peace to reign and for the smooth running of this administration, the Senate has on numerous occasions ignored many infrastracture and inefficiencies of the executive. Obviously, the gentle strides of the lion are being mistaken as a sign of weakness. Consequently, we condemn in its entirety, the recent case initiated by the office of the Attorney General and minister of Justice against the leadership of the Senate. We call on all Nigerians and the international community to stand up against this act of recklessness and impunity. We will not fold our arms and watch few individuals with vested interests scuttle our democracy. We, therefore, call on President Mohammadu Buhari to call those he selected to work with to order. The Attorney General and Minister of Justice should as a matter of urgent national interest withdraw the baseless charges of forgery initiated against the principal officers of the Senate. Speaking during the meeting held at Government House Wednesday, June 22, 2016, Tambuwal said the state government has made concrete arrangements to actualize the programme by providing 50,000 bags of high yield rice seeds to be distributed to farmers across the state free of charge. A statement issued by Tambuwal's spokesman, Imam Imam, said Sokoto state government has also procured 5000 pumping machines at the cost of N30,000 each to be sold to anchor farmers at the cost of N10,000 each. Governor Tambuwal noted the major problem of the farmers was low level of awareness and urged the participating entities to increase awareness among farmers on the benefits of the programme. While urging the officials of the anchor scheme to do their best to ensure the success of the programme, Tambuwal appealed to the farmers to embrace new techniques of farming and cooperate with Anchor officials so as to achieve the desired objectives. As banks, you have to make the processes of registration easy to comprehend especially for rural farmers. Banking guidelines are a bit complicated for the people, so you should put in machinery that wil explain everything in details for them to understand, he added. In his remarks, Chairman of the State Committee for the Revitalisation of Agriculture, Alhaji Chiso Abdullahi Dattijo, said so far, 6,265 farmers have opened accounts with various banks to signify their interest in the anchor borrowers scheme. He said his committee has received applications from 19 input suppliers who have expressed interest to supply fertiliser, seeds, pumping machines and chemicals. The minister, who is also the leader of APC in the state told NAN that since his appointment as the Federal Minister he has been under furious attacks through fictitious newspapers report and petitions. According to him, information reaching him indicates that already, there are people coming into town to recruit miscreants and other undesirable elements to stage a protest against him. The minister, however, said that he would not be distracted by the sinister plans of his political opponents as he has sworn allegiance to the Federal Government of Nigeria to serve dutifully. He also said that his unalloyed loyalty is to President Muhammadu Buhari, who has graciously appointed him at this critical period of our national history to pilot the affairs of the Niger Delta. ``My immediate concern now is to turn around the fortunes of the Niger Delta region and create an environment conducive for development. My ministry has, therefore, rolled out a master plan to salvage the environment and to restore Niger Delta as the glory of all lands, he said. Fayose had accused Mrs Buhari of participating in a 2009 bribery scandal involving US Congressman, William Jefferson. Kashamu made the call via a statement issued in Abuja. It reads in part: It is interesting that Mr. Fayose is talking about the rule of law and the need to do things within the ambit of the law. I never knew that he has ever heard of the concept of the Rule of Law. When he trampled on other peoples rights in a bid to abrogate their tenure in office where was the Rule of Law? Now he is crying out because he is afraid he might have to get a taste of his own medicine because a man must certainly reap whatever he sows. Mr. Fayose is talking about the fact that he enjoys immunity under the law. If I may ask: can a governor who disobeys the law with reckless abandon seek protection under the law? You cannot say because immunity covers you, you should not be investigated if you are suspected to have benefitted from the funds that were meant to buy arms for the protection of Nigerians. I think it is high time that we, as a people and government, address the issue of people committing crimes and hiding under the immunity clause. Fayose must stop chasing shadows and address the allegations against him. It is preposterous that he suddenly remembered that someone was involved in the Halliburton scandal at exactly the same time that he is being investigated over the funds he allegedly collected from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA). The questions are: Was he a beneficiary of the ONSA funds? Is it true that over N300million was frozen in three accounts traced to him? Were suspicious cash deposits made into the accounts in 2014, in clear violation of the Money Laundering Act and other enabling laws? It is said that you can fool some people all of the time but you cannot fool all the people all of the time. Nigerians can now see that what is playing out is a confirmation of my earlier position that the loudest among us are not necessarily the most pious. If he is being asked questions about his campaign funds, he should be bold enough to give explanations without necessarily casting aspersion on anyone. He should allow necessary investigations to go on unimpeded. That will not only help to prove his innocence or otherwise but could possibly boost his rating. He could even choose to waive his immunity to aid the investigation if he does not have anything to hide. Immunity does not preclude any public officer even a governor from explaining how he funded his election campaign or the source (s) of deposits made into his account (s). The reality that Mr. Fayose must come to terms with is that the allegations against him are too grave to be sidelined for a seemingly spurious allegation against the wife of the president. Months of workers salaries are yet to be paid in Ekiti State; development partners have abandoned state, just as families are languishing as a result of his ill-advised political scheming. This current campaign of calumny and juvenile tantrums cannot sweep the issue of corruption under the carpet; neither can it kick enough dirt to make any right-thinking Nigerian to shut his or her eyes to the truth. Governor Fayose in a statement signed by his chief press secretary, Idowu Adelusi alleged that Mrs Buhari was indicted in the Halliburton scandal. Reacting to Fayose's claim, the presidency and former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Lamordedismissed reports that the President's wife participated in the bribery scandal involving the United States Congressman, Williams Jefferson. The argument took a dramatic turn when Mrs Buhari took to Twitter describing the governor as an "" The tweets were deleted about two hours later. In a reaction, the PDP through its official Twitter handle (@PdpNigeria) said: "Governor Fayose may have to take extra security measures to prevent Aisha Buhari or the 1st family from assassinating him." The Chairman, Appeals Committee on the primaries, Mr Opeyemi Bamidele, made this known to newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday. He, however, said that the petitioners did not include their names, but that the committee had sent letters to all the aspirants and the Chairman of the Election Committee, Gov. Bello Masari of Katsina, for clarifications. It would be recalled that Mr Kenneth Imansuagbon and Mr Chris Ogiemwonyi, both contestants in the primaries, addressed a news conference in Benin on Monday, rejecting the outcome of the primaries. Bamidele said, ``we have also read about the news of the press conferences by some of the aspirants, but what is important to us as a party, is that everyone must be given a free and fair hearing. ``We confirm as a committee that we have received two petitions. The National Chairman of the party was also copied; the party has given us the go ahead and a freehand to conduct our sittings. ``We also have got in touch with the two aspirants, who sent in their petitions, and by the grace of God, both of them will also be appearing before us tomorrow (Wednesday), Bamidele said. He assured that all parties in the process would be heard to ensure that the committee had a balanced report. ``Some of the people that will appear, we have already contacted and for the ones that we need the support of the party to also get in touch with, we have discussed extensively with the National Organising Secretary of the party. Other members of the three-member primaries appeals committee are Alhaji Mustapha Salisu and Mrs Ekwy Onyido. Explaining his choice of APGA as against PDP, Onaiwu said he was looking for a model of development he intended to bring to Edo and was able to find it in Anambra state. "I have been serving 36 governors, not just only in the PDP but 36 governors of the country. "I am looking at a model of government for my people in Edo state and APGA has that model. Anambra state government is a model in governance today", Onaiwu said. On his chances to win the contest on Sept. 10, Onaiwu said he was confident of victory as the contest was not about money but about vision and the ability to deliver. Onaiwu, who resigned as DG of the PDP forum on Monday, pledged to make industrialisation the focus of his administration, if elected. The National Chairman of APGA, Dr Victor Oye, described APGA as a party for the future, saying our party and its aspirant for Edo governorship seat have a clean bill of health. Oye said APGA was poised to take over the nation ahead of 2019 general elections. "APGA is the fastest growing political party in Nigeria and we are going to replicate the achievements of Anambra in Edo", he said. "Pastor adeboye is one of my favorite people to photograph . .. I've never met someone as simple .. There truly is an uncommon power in humility . I learn so much from every opportunity I get to photograph him. He truly has a father's heart ..God bless Daddy G.O" He also commended the approval given to universities to screen candidates with intention to gain admission with fake results. Speaking at a media conference for the 21st convocation ceremony of the institution, Bandele also disclosed that he has banned public smoking within the campus. During his speech, he also mentioned that he has ordered students of opposite sex living together, popularly called couple life to stop such forthwith. Bankole made another announcement which revealed that 18,685 candidates were to receive degrees, diplomas and post-graduate diplomas during the convocation slated to take place on Friday, June 24. Of the figure, 3,054 were full-time students, 392 were for Sandwich,10,613 for Affilliate colleges and 3,937 were part-time students. 78 will get their PhD degrees, 366 for Masters, 127 for professional Masters and 118 for Post-Graduate Diploma. The management of the school reached a decision to shut down the school after persistent protest by some of its workers. Dotun Awoyemo, who is the Registrar of the institution confirmed the news in a telephone conversation with Punch. He said, We have shut down the university indefinitely pending the time that we will resolve issues with our workers Non-academic Staff of University (NASU) and Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (SSANU). We have asked our newly admitted students to go home and postponed the resumption of old students indefinitely. The incident happened a week before students of the university, who had been on a two-month break were to resume. The Senate Disciplinary Panel, according to SaharaReporters, has sent out invitation to students to attend the panel with plans to punish them for their action. The students staged the protest in April, in an effort to call the school management's attention to the deplorable living condition and lack of amenities on campus. The management has already suspended the University of Lagos Students Union following the protest. It ejected members of the union from their campus accommodation once the school reopened after the protest. ALSO READ: Every member of the suspended Students' Union has been invited to the oanel. SaharaReporters obtained information that the move is part of a plot to distract the students from launching a fresh protest for the restoration of the suspended union. On the platform, Devcenter will handle all transactions including invoicing and payments so clients who utilize the services of a developer only have to pay for work done. Developers on the site are ranked by peer-review ratings from the community and ratings from clients. This is aimed at keeping both parties satisfied. "From the outset, we found the developers approach to the work to be of a particularly high standard. His responses to our issues were second to none. We greatly appreciate his structured and professional manner. Thank you Devcenter for going over and above and for the amazing support throughout the entire process," says Jenika Mukoro of nTel, who has utilized a developer from Devcenter, according to Innovation Village. Speaking on the new platform, Akin Falomo, Co-founder of Devcenter, said, "Through the years, weve gotten hundreds of developer requests within the community. There are only so many requests we can manually fulfill .We decided to create Devcenter jobs to scale this process. Nigerian developers are at par with the rest of the world. Its time to get these jobs." Also, people who don't have experience or time to manage a software team can hire Devcenter to deliver their project. Such clients will get a quote from the company in 24 hours. I like the direction Devcenter is taking. Generally, Nigerian software developers are still being largely overlook in the industry. Most companies will rather take their search outside the country, which does not help Nigeria's human capital development. Devcenter can change this with their approach. The Devcenter Jobs site went live on June 117, 2016. Back in 2013, Akintola Williams lecture series with the theme: "Good Corporate Governance in Nigeria- The Telecommunications Sector Example", NCC, was lauded as an epitome of a good regulator in the country through good corporate governance that has been sustained over the years. This comes after the NCC set up a Corporate Governance Working Group, CGWG, between 2012 and 2013; on corporate governance for the industry, which eventually led to the launching of the Corporate Governance Code for telecommunications service providers in 2013. However, roughly three years down the line, the industry regulator is putting forward a review of the business ethics code in the industry, Nigeria CommunicationsWeek reports. According to NCC boss, Prof. Umar Danbatta, this has become necessary since good corporate governance in institutions encourages corporate success and therefore business sustainability. We are not relenting as things are evolving in ensuring that policy that captures mode of operations are reviewed. This review became necessary following the increasing significance of corporate governance beyond the capital markets, where according to him there is enforcement through listing rules and compliance with best practices," Danbatta said. Between the rich wildlife, exotic islands and hospitality, it's no wonder countries like Kenya and Tanzania regularly show up on must-visit country lists. But East Africa isn't the only region with exciting sites to offer, indeed the entire continent is laced with an interesting line-up of culture, food, sites and people to keep any tourist well entertained for the duration of their stay. That said, here are 5 popular African tourist destinations you should definitely visit this summer 1. Kenya: This East African country isn't new to celebrity tourists from Prince William and wife, Princess Kate to United States president, Barack Obama, Kenya's rich wildlife and culture remains a constant attraction to tourists around the world. 2. Tanzania: Home to Mount Kilimanjaro, Lake Victoria and Serengeti National Park to name a few attractions, Tanzania is another great spot for nature lovers. Should you get bored with nature and seek a thrill, simply hop on a ferry to the island of Zanzibar for some sand, surf and great island food. 3. Rwanda: If Rwanda conjures images of the genocide in the nineties then please understand that you're a little behind on things. Rwanda has since advanced into a tourist haven filled with breath-taking sites and truly warm, friendly people. The best part - it's super affordable to visit. 4. Morocco: One of the most exotic countries on the African continent, Morocco's close proximity to Europe sees a good deal of influence on it's culture and lifestyle. Whether it's a stroll through the souks, a taste of its famed tea or an encounter with the snake charmers, you can be assured of a trip of a lifetime after a visit to Morocco. Now Piyara, 30, has taken shelter in Panchgachi village, 8 kilometres away in the same sub-district of Kurigram Sadar. I am always concerned about where Piyara and her three children are living, and how she manages her family expenses, as she has lost everything due to erosion, said her uncle, Abdul Majid, who still lives in Garuhara village. The loss of Piyaras home is taking a toll on her mental and physical health, he added. Riverbank erosion is a common problem along the mighty Brahmaputra during the monsoon, but scientists say climate change is making the phenomenon worse by contributing to higher levels of flooding and siltation. According to villagers in Garuhara, about 200 families have been displaced by erosion there in the last two years. Majid fears that if the trend continues, the whole of the village will go underwater, rendering about 1,000 families homeless. But some of those who want to escape that prospect cannot because they are unable to turn their assets into the cash they need to pay for their move. Abdul Malek, 45, a farmer in Garuhara, had 0.4 acres of agricultural land on the bank of the Brahmaputra, but the river washed away half his plot during the monsoon last year. My family had no problem in the past as we cultivated crops on the land to meet our food demand. But now we are facing trouble, he said. Malek and his family are planning to migrate to another part of the country after selling their homestead, but they cannot find a buyer because the property is at high risk of erosion. Other families in Garuhara village who also want to sell up and leave are trapped there for the same reason. EROSION RATES RISING The Brahmaputra is a transboundary river, originating in southwestern Tibet, flowing through the Himalayas, Indias Assam State and Bangladesh, and out into the Bay of Bengal. Climate change has contributed to rapid siltation of the river in recent years, which is intensifying bank erosion during the monsoon, Bangladesh Water Resources Minister Anisul Islam Mahmud told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. A 2014 study from the International Union for Conservation of Nature showed that the flow of the Brahmaputra is influenced strongly by the melting of snow and ice upstream, mainly in the eastern Himalaya mountains. This century, as temperatures rise, the river is likely to see an overall increase in flows throughout the year, driven by more rainfall, higher snow melt rates and expanded run-off areas, the study said. Every year, the river carries silt from the Himalayas and deposits it downstream in Bangladesh, creating myriad islands known as chars. When floods occur upstream on the Brahmaputra, amid more intense bursts of heavy rainfall linked to climate change, the silted-up river has less capacity to carry the huge volume of water, accelerating bank erosion. Maminul Haque Sarker of the Center for Environmental and Geographic Information Services (CEGIS), a Dhaka-based think tank, said the erosion rate has increased at some points of the river in Kurigram, Gaibandha, Jamalpur and Sirajganj districts. A 2015 CEGIS study put the annual rate of erosion along the Brahmaputra at around 2,000 hectares (4,942 acres) in recent years. Bangladeshs major rivers combined consume several thousand hectares of floodplain annually, destroying homes and infrastructure and leaving people landless and homeless. 'SILENT CANCER' A 2013 study by the Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit at the University of Dhaka and the UK-based Sussex Centre for Migration Research estimated that riverbank erosion displaces 50,000 to 200,000 people in Bangladesh every year. Those displaced by erosion become isolated from their families and wider social networks, and most have no scope to return to their roots. Majid from Garuhara village said many of his neighbours and relatives have already left for other parts of the country and do not see each other even once a year. Minister Mahmud said riverbank erosion works like a silent cancer and can be more devastating than storms or floods because it takes everything people own, including their land. People have the chance to return to a normal life if they are hit by a cyclone or flood, he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. If people once become displaced due to bank erosion, it is quite impossible to return to normal life. CEGIS deputy executive director Fida A Khan said people often have family cemeteries or other religious monuments on the riverbanks that are claimed by erosion. Those structures may not be worth much economically, but have high social value, he added. Jahera Begum, 45, another victim of riverbank erosion, had a homestead in Balchipara village in Kurigram Sadar sub-district, but the river washed away all the village land during last years monsoon, uprooting about 100 families. My husband has already gone to Feni district seeking work. I am temporarily taking shelter in my relatives house at Garuhara, said Jahera, who is planning to head to Feni or even Dhaka soon. The blaze broke out over the weekend in several parts of the Solea region, near the base of the Troodos mountain range. It has since turned into what Cypriot media has called the island's biggest fire in decades. Thick clouds of smoke rising far above the country's highest mountains could be seen from all over Cyprus, witnesses said. "This is a catastrophe like none we have ever experienced," Anastasiades said during a visit to the region, in comments broadcast on local television. The president said he hoped the fire could be under control by nightfall, with the help of airplanes dropping water on the flames. Cypriot fire-fighters are receiving assistance from Greece and Britain, among other EU nations. The fire department said 15 square kilometre of forest and farmland had been destroyed in the fire, which is believed to have been accidentally started by a 12-year-old boy, according to state media. Greece, France and Italy are all providing fire-fighting planes and helicopters to help stop the spread of fires, the European Union's executive said. He said that the bloc can help with the cost of transporting assistance. "The EU stands by Cyprus to help in the response to this natural disaster," Humanitarian Aid Commissioner, Christos Stylianides, said. The ruling comes a day after Egypt's administrative court annulled the maritime agreement, announced in April, that would have seen Egypt lose control of Tiran and Sanafir. The accord had caused uproar and rare protests in Egypt, where many have long considered the islands Egyptian. More than 200 people were arrested in connection with protests over the islands in April. Since then, more than 150 have been handed jail sentences or fines, according to judicial sources. Wednesday's verdict will bring to at least 107 the number of people acquitted. The 22 who were acquitted on Wednesday had been sent to trial on charges of violating a protest law by demonstrating without a permit and blocking traffic. "Maybe yesterday's annulment encouraged the judge's decision to acquit the defendants," said Khaled Ali, a lawyer who was representing some of the accused. The public prosecution can appeal the verdict, he said. The prosecution did not issue any formal statement. Saudi and Egyptian officials say the islands at the centre of the controversy belong to the kingdom and were only under Egyptian control because Riyadh had asked Cairo in 1950 to protect them. A court ruled on Tuesday, however, that Egyptian sovereignty over the islands held and could not be given up. 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. Asked by Republican Senator Lindsey Graham whether it would be wise for Obama to give the commander of the Africa Command the authority to go after Islamic State targets in Africa "on your own," Waldhauser said: "It would be wise." "It would certainly contribute to what we're trying to do inside Libya," he responded. Islamic State established a presence in several parts of the country from 2014, and has been active between Benghazi and the militant group's coastal stronghold of Sirte, about 380 km (240 miles) to the west. In recent weeks, however, the ultra-hardline group has retreated into the center of Sirte after forces aligned with Libya's U.N.-backed unity government advanced from the western city of Misrata. One reason Islamic State established itself in Sirte, Waldhauser told the Senate Armed Services Committee, was "to be kind of a backup if Iraq and Syria fail," he said. Waldhauser estimated that Islamic State faced between 3,000 and 4,000 opponents fighting the group around Sirte, drawn from the Mirsratan militia forces and the Petroleum Facilities Guard Central Branch. But he cautioned that alliances can shift among the Libyan militia, driven by everything from tribal ties and religious beliefs to material gain. "The unpredictable nature of paramilitary group patronage will most likely remain a significant obstacle to the GNAs efforts to establish sovereignty," he said in written testimony. For months, the United States has had a small number of U.S. forces rotating in and out of Libya, establishing contact with fighters inside the country. Member States, he said, also needed to endow resolution 1540 with the means to guard against the misuse of technological advances. He also urged members of the Security Council to take responsibility for improving the world's preparedness in response to the possible use of a WMD by a non-state actors. He said that resolution 1540 has become an important component of the global security architecture. ``It is a pillar of the UN strategy to confront the global challenge of non-state actors acquiring weapons of mass destruction. ``It must be strengthened to keep up with the times. ``We have made good progress in prevention, but we must also think about what to do if, despite all our efforts, prevention fails. ``I would like to stress that the best way to prevent non-state actors from using WMD is by eliminating all such weapons, completely and irreversibly. ``I count on the international community to urgently step up its efforts on disarmament and non-proliferation of all kinds of weapons of mass destruction. Let us redouble our efforts to create a safer and more secure world,' he said. Ban said that throughout his tenure as secretary-general, Security Council resolution 1540 has been an important tool to prevent non-state actors from acquiring weapons of mass destruction. For twelve years, it has functioned as a fine example of international cooperation. He said the alliances forged between the Committee and regional and sub-regional organisations has greatly benefitted the world. Likewise, he applauded the committee for the partnerships it has established with civil society, academia and the private sector. A collective approach, he said,is critical for a robust and adaptable resolution. He expressed his gratitude to those Member States that have provided funds or in-kind assistance, including to the Office of the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs and its regional centres, to support implementation of the resolution since 2004. ``However, we must all acknowledge that the world has changed since 2004. Sadly, this has not always been for the better. ``The use of poison gas in the Syrian Arab Republic was an alarming reminder of the continuing threat of weapons of mass destruction, or WMD. ``Dangerous non-state actors have demonstrated global reach. They have actively sought the full range of WMD capabilities. ``They often operate on the territory of states that unfortunately lack the capacity to address these dangerous activities,' he told committee members. These non-state actors, he said, take advantage of the open borders and technologies that define the modern world and our global society. Ban said that they seek to misuse the broad diffusion of technology, for their own evil ends. The UN chief said that he was concerned about the increasing danger of malicious use by terrorists of Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear material against a population centre. NAN reports that resolution 1540 (2004), imposes binding obligations on all States to adopt legislation to prevent the proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, and their means of delivery. It also imposes binding obligations on states to establish appropriate domestic controls over related materials to prevent their illicit trafficking. It encourages enhanced international cooperation on such efforts. NAN also reports that the current review of the resolution is the second one, since its adoption in 2004. The findings of the first review were endorsed in resolution 1977, adopted in 2011, in which the Council decided that the committee should conduct another review within five years, as well as prior to the renewal of the Committees mandate, which expires in 2021. The current process started officially on April 28, 2015, when the committee approved a paper outlining the modalities for the conduct of the review with a view to completing the process by 30 November 2016, as called for in resolution 1977. According to the report , the review is meant to be both retrospective and forward-looking. It aims to improve implementation of the resolution by recommending specific action, while analysing the operation of the committee and making recommendations for adjustments if necessary. Over the past year, the comprehensive review has been a key focus of the committee and its Group of Experts. It has also been a high priority for the current committee chairman, Amb. Roman Oyarzun. Top on the review are several areas and challenges that participants may want to address. On the topic of monitoring and national implementation, the data analysis conducted in preparation of the review shows that there has been progress in the rate of implementation over the last five years. The paper also notes, however, that there was less progress with regard to accounting, security and export control measures. BEATTY The weather for the last weekend of October may or may not be chillier than normal, but it is certain to be chili weather for Beatty Days this weekend. The annual event runs Oct. 28-30 at Cottonwood Park. A German man found dead along a remote road in Death Valley National Park on June 9 was overcome by the heat, according to the coroner in Inyo County, California. A German man found dead along a remote road in Death Valley National Park on June 9 was overcome by the heat, according to the coroner in Inyo County, California. Reinhard Egger, 60, died from hypothermia because of exposure to extreme heat, said Carma Roper, spokeswoman for the Inyo County Sheriffs Office. It is believed Egger may have been dead for one or two days before his body was discovered near his motorcycle, which was parked upright and in working condition on Harry Wade Road, a dirt track at the southern end of the 3.4 million-acre park. Death Valleys official weather station in Furnace Creek, California, about 61 miles west of Pahrump, recorded a high temperature of 118 degrees on the day the man was found. The high at Furnace Creek was expected to hit at least 115 degrees every day through next Monday, according to the National Weather Service. The mans death and two other recent incidents in remote parts of the park prompted a warning from the National Park Service about the dangers of off-highway travel in extreme heat. Contact Henry Brean at hbrean@reviewjournal.com. Find @RefriedBrean on Twitter. A Davenport man arrested earlier this year at the home of Davenport 3rd Ward Alderman Bill Boom pleaded guilty Tuesday afternoon to charges stemming from a crystal methamphetamine conspiracy in the Quad-Cities. Gage A. Wenthe, 25, entered an open plea meaning there is no agreement on a sentence to possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine and possession with intent to deliver marijuana in Scott County District Court. He faces up to 15 years in prison on those charges. As part of his plea agreement with prosecutors, Wenthe also stipulated that he violated the terms of his probation on a deferred judgment in an unrelated drug possession and criminal mischief case. He will be sentenced Aug. 4. Prosecutors will dismiss an additional charge of conspiracy to commit a non-forcible felony at sentencing. Scott County Sheriffs deputies searched Booms house in the 400 block of West 7th Street just before 9 a.m. April 6 as part of an investigation into the narcotics activities of Wenthe, specifically the sale of crystal methamphetamine out of the home, according to arrest affidavits. Deputies seized the drug, also known as ice, marijuana, suspected marijuana wax, an unknown white powder, drug paraphernalia, a digital scale, packaging materials and two rifles, according the affidavits. Wenthes cellphone had several text message conversations conspiring with others in the sale, purchase and use of illegal controlled substances in the Quad-City area, according to the affidavits. Wenthe, when questioned by deputies, admitted to being a middle man for the sale of methamphetamine and marijuana to several people in the area, the affidavits stated. Boom was representing the City Council at a broadband conference in Austin, Texas, at the time his home was searched. Boom told the Quad-City Times in April that Wenthe lived in his home for six years and that he has been taking care of the young mans health care, including making sure he stayed on a regimen of prescription drugs. He said he knew nothing about the illegal drugs found in his home. He has not been charged in connection with the case. Several hours after Wenthe's arrest, deputies arrested co-defendant Joseph Allen Terry, 39, at his home in the 2000 block of North Clark Street, Davenport. According to arrest affidavits, deputies interviewed several people who said they purchased methamphetamine from Terry. Deputies found approximately 63 grams of ice methamphetamine, a digital scale, $1,375 cash and 37 hydrocodone pills. Packaging materials and drug paraphernalia also were seized. Terry is charged with two counts of possession with intent to manufacture or deliver methamphetamine, conspiracy to commit a non-forcible felony by planning or commission, two counts of failure to affix drug tax stamp and possession with intent to manufacture or deliver hydrocodone. He will be back in court July 27 for a final pretrial conference. A 21-year-old woman pleaded not guilty Tuesday to charges stemming from the fatal shooting of Rock Island teen Jescie J. Armstrong in late April. Chelsea M. Raker, shackled and dressed in yellow jail garb, waived her right to a preliminary hearing through her attorney, Dora Villarreal, during a short hearing at the Rock Island County Justice Center. During a preliminary hearing, a judge hears evidence to determine whether there is enough probable cause to justify a trial. The judge does not make a determination of a defendant's guilt or innocence. Rock Island County Associate Judge Norma Kauzlarich was questioning Raker on her intent to waive her right to have a hearing when a man in the courtroom gallery loudly said, Chelsea dont do this. He was removed from the courtroom by bailiffs after the outburst. Crying, Raker told the judge the man is her father and she did not know he was going to attend the hearing. After consulting briefly with Villarreal, Raker persisted in her decision to waive the preliminary hearing. She will be back in court July 8 for a pretrial conference. During the hearing, Rock Island County Assistant States Attorney Heidi Weller said Raker will voluntarily submit to a DNA cheek swab. Raker also demanded a speedy trial, meaning that prosecutors must try her within 120 days. Continuances requested by the defense do not count toward the speedy trial clock. Shes not from here, and she doesnt have any relatives in the area, so shes very scared and very confused about everything thats going on, Villarreal said after the hearing. Hopefully, we can speed things along and find out whats going on in the case. Villarreal said she recommended that Raker waive the preliminary hearing because she had not yet received discovery or police reports in the case. She was appointed to represent Raker on Saturday. I would rather have my opportunity to look over everything before its released to the public, she said. Villarreal said she had not talked to Rakers family prior to Tuesdays hearing. Police were dispatched just before 2 p.m. April 27 to the 500 block of 20th Avenue after receiving a report of shots fired inside a home. Officers found Armstrong with a gunshot wound to the head inside the residence. He later died at Trinity Rock Island. Prosecutors say Armstrong was shot while Carr and Raker were committing an armed robbery. Prosecutors also say that after the shooting, Raker drove Carr from the scene and out of Rock Island County. Carr, who is believed to have pulled the trigger, was arrested April 28 in Columbus, Ohio, by the U.S. Marshals Service. He is charged with four counts of first-degree murder. He remained at the Mary Davis Juvenile Detention Home in Galesburg, Illinois, on a $1 million cash bond. Carr will be back in court Thursday. County State's Attorney John McGehee said he plans to file a motion to have Carr housed at the Rock Island County Jail once he turns 18 next month. Raker was arrested May 28 in Chatham County, Georgia, where prosecutors say she originally is from. A Columbus, Ohio, address is listed for her in court documents. McGehee declined to comment Tuesday on specifics of the case. He has said previously that Raker and Carr met while they were both down South but did not know the exact nature of the relationship. When asked whether the two will be tried together, McGehee said that will be up to the defense at this point. McGehee said in these types of cases, defendants generally are not tried together and have their own individual rights and their own individual trials. A 61-year-old Davenport man was arrested Monday for allegedly trafficking marijuana, Davenport police said. Randall Joseph Modler, of 3812 Mississippi Ave., is facing charges of possession and distribution of marijuana, failure to affix drug stamp, and possession of a firearm by a felon. All of the charges are Class D felonies under Iowa law that carry a prison sentence of up to five years. According to the arrest affidavit filed by Davenport police detective Brandon Koepke, the arrest was made after members of the Davenport Police Department's Tactical Operations Bureau and NETS unit executed a search warrant at Modlers house. During the search, police located 869.95 grams of marijuana, a loaded .45 caliber rifle, a black powder pistol and ammunition. Police also located 21 marijuana plants while searching Modlers back yard. According to the affidavit, Modler admitted to police he grew and sold marijuana, and that the marijuana located in his home belonged to him. Modler also admitted that the firearms belonged to him. Modlers criminal history also revealed a felony conviction for third offense of drunken driving, which is a felony in Iowa. Modler was released Tuesday on his own recognizance. A breakthrough in a year-old sexual assault case finally came Monday when a 52-year-old man was arrested after he was identified through matching DNA samples, Davenport police said. Kenith Lamar Lewis, of St. Paul, Minnesota, is facing charges he sexually abused a woman while breaking into her house last year. Lewis is charged with one count of third-degree sexual abuse, a Class C felony under Iowa law that carries a sentence of up to 10 years in prison. He also was charged with burglary in the first degree, a Class B felony that carries a prison sentence of up 25 years. According to the arrest affidavit filed by Davenport police detective Scott Lansing, Lewis broke into the victims residence on West 6th Street in Davenport, in the early hours of June 15, 2015, as she was sleeping. Lewis then sexually assaulted the victim. The affidavit also stated that Lewis made the victim take a shower in front of him, and sprayed her with a spray bottle of cleaner he found in the house. Police were able to identify Lewis through DNA comparison from DNA located in the sexual assault kit and a known DNA sample from Lewis. Lewis was being held Monday night in the Scott County Jail on a $25,000 cash-only bond. U.S. Reps. Cheri Bustos and Dave Loebsack joined dozens of other Democrats in holding a sit-in Wednesday on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives to protest the lack of action on gun bills in the aftermath of the Orlando shooting. The sit-in prompted Republicans to recess the House. Led by Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., about 100 Democrats participated, according to The Associated Press. Too many mothers and fathers have lost their children to gun violence and they deserve more than thoughts and prayers, they deserve action," Bustos, D-Ill., said in a statement. Her office said that since Republicans recessed the House and shut off the cameras, Bustos took to interviewing fellow Democratic members and posted the videos to Snapchat, a mobile messaging app. At least one other lawmaker was using Periscope, an app that shares live video, to broadcast the sit-in. C-SPAN, whose cameras were turned off, took to using Periscope and Facebook feeds to broadcast it. It wasn't clear how long the protest would last, but lawmakers were demanding a vote. "No bill, no break," they chanted from the floor Wednesday. The House is scheduled to begin its July 4 recess later this week. About 3 p.m., Bustos tweeted, "we're gonna be here for a while." As the sit-in wore on, some members of the Senate joined in, including Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Illl. Some brought soft drinks and snacks to the demonstrating House members. On Twitter, Speaker Paul Ryan's spokeswoman, AshLee Strong, said: "The House cannot operate without members following the rules of the institution, so the House has recessed subject to the call of the chair." Congressional Democrats have been urging a vote on bills to expand background checks and a measure that would block gun purchases by people who are on certain watch lists. The Senate defeated a series of gun measures this week. On the subject of the watch lists, GOP critics say they are flawed and that prohibiting people on the lists from buying guns would deny them their constitutional rights. Bustos' statement pointed to two pieces of legislation, one that would expand background checks and another she said would deny anyone on a "no fly" list from purchasing a weapon. In a statement, Loebsack, D-Iowa, said: As a father and former teacher, keeping our children and communities safe is one of my top priorities. We have held many moments of silence on the House floor honoring those who have lost their lives to gun violence. We should honor them, but silence alone is not enough; it is time for action. The Republican Party of Iowa took a dim view of Loebsack's action. In an email Wednesday, a spokesman said: "Dave Loebsack is really earning his title of most ineffective member of Congress today." Over the next five years, 220 new market-rate housing units could be accommodated in downtown Davenport, an official predicted Wednesday at the Downtown Davenport Partnerships annual meeting. Kyle Carter, the partnerships executive director, gave a generally upbeat assessment of conditions in the citys central business district, which has seen relatively strong growth in housing development. And he said that even with new units coming online over the past few years, the occupancy rate for market-rate housing has remained roughly the same, about 98 percent, since 2012. We have not moved the needle at all regarding demand, Carter said. Since 2013, 284 market-rate units have been added to the downtown, while more than 350 other units are either under construction or in the planning stages. Not all of those projects in the planning stages will come to fruition, Carter said. Even if they do, however, there appears to be room for more. Carter said the Ohio-based consultant it works with predicted another 220 new units could be added over five years before demand begins to diminish. Downtown housing in Davenport has grown substantially in recent years. Currently, there are 1,266 residential units downtown, with roughly two-thirds of those market rate, according to the partnership. About 400 of the units are considered affordable housing, which are aimed at lower-income renters. The partnerships annual progress report was given at a meeting at the Hotel Blackhawk on Wednesday, and much of it was a review of development projects completed or in the pipeline. But Carter also said the partnership has commissioned a yet-to-be-released study on the idea of converting 3rd and 4th streets from one-way to two-way traffic, which has been discussed for years. Carter said the group is approaching City Hall about the idea but plans to release the study in the future. He also urged action on the RiverVision plan, a blueprint for riverfront development between Davenport and Rock Island that was adopted in 2004. Parts of the wide-ranging plan have been accomplished, but "the goal now is to make sure we don't settle for what is just OK," Carter said. The partnership has lobbied for the plan for years, but with the move of the Rhythm City Casino to Interstates 80 and 74, there is added interest in what will happen on the riverfront. Tim Baldwin, co-owner of Bluffstone, a developer with property close to the riverfront, said he's interested in seeing what happens there. He praised the idea of a transient boat dock to lure people downtown, which is included in the RiverVision plan. "I think those things would help keep people here," he said. This year's annual meeting featured Debi Durham, director of the Iowa Economic Development Authority. In brief remarks, she praised downtown development here, saying a vibrant central business district is integral to overall economic development efforts. She also pointed to her department taking on a greater role in managing the state's historic tax credit program. Proponents hope the change, which was approved by lawmakers this session, will mean loosening more tax credits to encourage development. Durham said her department would work to make it successful. "It is my commitment to you and to the legislators who entrusted us with this that we are going to run the best historic tax credit program in the nation," she said. Negotiations are heating up between Rock Island County and the union representing employees of the county-owned Hope Creek Care Center. During Tuesday night's county board meeting, a union representative accused the countys bargaining representatives of lying from the first day of negotiations. Miguel Morga, the staff representative for AFSCME Council 31, which represents the 200 employees of Hope Creek, told board members that the East Moline nursing home's employees have been working without a contract since the old one expired Nov. 30. We were assured on the first day of bargaining that any economic and benefit concessions we made would be used for an equivalent wage increase, Morga said. Morga claimed that attorney who is bargaining for the county and Hope Creeks management firm, Health Dimensions Group of Minneapolis, has been dishonest all along. The first day in bargaining I counted the phrase money in the box at least 15 times, Morga said. All the management side talked about was converting benefit dollars to wages, he added. He used this to gain concessions, Morga said. But after six months of negotiations and a number of concessions, there have been no increases in wages, he added. It wasnt their intention to convert any of our concessions on benefits to wages, he said. Now the two sides are in mediation and the union has filed an unfair labor practice with the state of Illinois. Morga said two other county bargaining units have contracts that include a two-year wage freeze. Were trying to achieve the same level of parity and equity as the other bargaining units, he said. That includes a two-year wage freeze. Also, the union already has made a big concession by lowering the starting wage at Hope Creek by $1 an hour, he said. The average wage at Hope Creek is now $14.76 an hour, down from $15.12 an hour, Morga added. The attorney for the county, Chris Walters, addressed the board in closed session Tuesday. Negotiations are tough, county board member Don Johnston, of Moline, said after the meeting. There are so many serious problems with the county at this point, its a struggle, Johnston said. "There likely are ruffled feathers and ruffled feelings on both sides. The union wants to get its members the best deal and Walters is a tough negotiator, Johnston said. Both sides make compelling statements and issues." Also at Tuesdays meeting, a member of the Hope Creek advisory board accused the county of keeping the advisory board in the dark regarding the functions of the nursing home. Advisory board member Greg Johnson said that the board was reinstated last week and that he tried to sit in on a caucus of Walters and management from Health Dimensions Group during negotiations Monday, but was told he could not. I looked at the bylaws and they say members of the board can come to a session and participate in caucusing on the management side, Johnson said. Johnson said he showed Walters the bylaws and that Walters still would not let him into the management caucus. He said he should be able to be in the caucus because Walters and the management company both work for county taxpayers. Board member Brian Vyncke, of Moline, said after the meeting that if the by-laws allow others into a caucus, that would be a problem and that the bylaws may need to be amended. As an oversight board I dont think theyre supposed to go to that degree, Vyncke said. Vyncke said it would be acceptable if Hope Creek Board members sat in on actual negotiations, but not in the individual caucuses of the bargain parties. Their Chihuahuas already made it there. Caesar and Phoebe landed about 2:30 a.m. Wednesday morning in Frankfurt, Germany, and the rest of the family isnt too far behind. On Saturday, Craig Shields, a civilian employee for the U.S. Department of Defense who has worked the last 10 years for the Army Sustainment Command at the Rock Island Arsenal, will join his pups overseas. Coincidentally, the 51-year-old, whose wife and daughter will accompany him, has been reassigned to Kaiserslautern, Davenports German sister city. But Germany wont feel too foreign for the Baltimore native. He spent the first 19 years of his 23-year career in the U.S. Army there, met his spouse there and even found a little fame there. Thats right. In his late teens and early 20s, Shields made a name for himself scratching vinyl throughout the country as Mix Master C. He and his group, known as The Bamberg Crew, even hired an agent to book their gigs. We had groupies that would follow us from city to city, Shields recalled recently during a break from packing at his Bettendorf home. That was one of the reasons I got out of it I couldnt go anywhere without someone knowing me. His wife, Christine-Sabina Shields, a native German who worked as a nurse at a U.S. Army health clinic in Vilseck, where the couple first met, confirmed his claims. It was wild back then, she said with a slight European accent. He played good music. From Run-D.M.C. and Michael Jackson to Phil Collins and Journey, Shields said he scratched, cut and blended various genres of music together to captivate his crowds on tours. After calling the Quad-Cities home for a decade, Gabriella, the Shields daughter who spent the first five years of her life in Germany, said she isn't "happy" about the upcoming move and transition. The 15-year-old recently finished her freshman year at Pleasant Valley High School. Ill just have to get used to it and meet new friends, she said. Davenport and Kaiserslautern became sister cities on June 10, 1960, through Sister Cities International, which was founded by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956. According to Shields' contract with the Department of Defense, the family will live in Kaiserslautern a maximum of five years. Following their time there, Shields said they'll probably return to the Midwest. It's not the same as Europe, but I've really enjoyed it here," he said, noting the community's family-friendly atmosphere and emphasis on active lifestyles. "She'll (Gabriella) give us a good reason to come back." Although he stopped performing after just a few years, Shields still experiments with his collection of 1,000-plus records on his turntables. And he doesn't plan on stopping anytime soon. Everybodys got their vice, he added. Music is mine. Duane Haas of Davenport was so excited about entering his first Hemmings Motor News Great Race Presented by Hagerty in 2015 that he did so without having a car. I filled in the blank asking for the car 'to be determined,' he said. Haas found a yellow 1971 Volkswagen Standard Beetle, stock except for the disc brakes he later added. The bug was a California car. My wife had Volkswagens, and I always liked them, he said. "And this car was rust-free." Haas and his navigator, Dave Schramm of Moline, are among the 120 teams in this year's 2,400-mile race. It began Saturday in San Rafael, California, and ends Sunday in Moline after touring the Lincoln Highway, Mount Rushmore and the Badlands. Haas and Schramm hope to excel as they did as rookies in last year's race from Kirkwood, Missouri, to Santa Monica, California. They finished 31st out of the 121 drivers and were third out of 40 in the rookie class. Haas, 60, a retired operations training manager at the Exelon Quad-Cities Generating Station, got hooked on the Great Race while watching competitors in downtown Davenport during a 2013 overnight stop. The Great Race is a time/speed/distance rally. Drivers and navigators are given daily instructions on the distances to be driven, detailed to the second. The teams are scored at secret checkpoints and penalized for each second they arrive too early or too late. First place prize is $50,000, and the total purse is $150,000. The vehicles competing in this year's race must be a 1972 model or older. The oldest vehicles include a 1916 Hudson four-passenger Speedster, a 1916 Chevrolet Phaeton and a 1917 Peerless Racer. A 1911 Velie race car piloted by Howard Sharp and Douglas Sharp, of Fairport, New York, won the 2011 Great Race. The Great Race, was started in 1983 by Tom McCrae. It gets its name from the 1965 movie, "The Great Race," a comedy based on the real-life 1908 automobile race from New York to Paris. The race has passed through the Quad-Cities for lunch stops or overnight stays in 1990, 1993, 2000, 2005 and 2013, but this year marks the first time it will finish in the Quad-Cities. Dave Meier of the Iowa 80 Truck Stop also is in this year's race, driving a 1938 Kenworth truck. Iowa Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds, at the cusp of the 2016 general election campaign, helped open the Scott County Republican Partys office on Tuesday by urging volunteers to put in an extra effort up and down the ticket. Reynolds, in particular, urged party activists to work for local candidates, noting that gains in the Iowa Senate could give the GOP the majority. "Weve got some great things going on in Iowa, I cant even imagine what we could do if we had the majority in the Iowa state Senate, she said. Democrats hold the Iowa Senate by a 26-24 margin. Losing it would give Republicans complete control of the Statehouse, as well as the governors mansion. One of the most competitive Iowa Senate races this year is expected to be in the Quad-City area, where Sen. Chris Brase, D-Muscatine, will face former Iowa Rep. Mark Lofgren, a Muscatine Republican. The Senate district also includes parts of Scott County. Afterward, Reynolds said Republicans have momentum going into the general election, noting high turnout at the Feb. 1 presidential caucuses and at county conventions. About 60 people attended the grand opening of the office, on the second floor of the Quad-City Bank and Trust building at 5405 Utica Ridge Road. Also on hand Tuesday night was Chris Peters, a Coralville physician who is running against Iowa Rep. Dave Loebsack, D-Iowa. Peters said that Scott County, the most populous county in the 2nd Congressional District, would be crucially important to his campaign. Weve got to do well here, he said. He added he hoped that his residence and work in Johnson County will help him, too. Johnson County is heavily Democratic, but if Peters can limit his losses there it could help in the fall election. Brenda Jones said she cannot wait to show off her personal pancake recipe, perfected over 17 years, to hungry guests of Isle Casino Hotel Bettendorf. With a new gaming facility reopening on site Friday, Jones, one of the casinos longtime chefs, anticipates shell be serving up her popular apple with caramel frosting breakfast treats to the delight of a host of new customers. Anything you can put into a cake, I can jam into a pancake, Jones proudly declared on Tuesday, as Quad-City area newspeople toured the new casino and buffet days ahead of the grand opening. Guests will find plenty that is familiar, especially the location. Nancy Ballenger, Isle Casino Hotels vice president and general manager, said the casino has moved only 223 feet from the old riverboat, which closed Sunday evening. The Diamond Lady casino boat opened at the same location 25 years ago. Ballenger has been associated with casino boats in Bettendorf since the earliest days when the boats had low ceilings and multiple gaming floors. It was a great era, but this is the new expectation, Ballenger said from the new casino, where rows of 1,000 slot machines surround 19 card table games, all on a single, 35,000-square-foot floor under a high, vaulted ceiling. Customers dont want to climb stairs anymore. They want to see their friends. This is what they desire. Unlike Illinois, Iowa allows smoking on gaming floors. Ballenger said the air is changed out 100 percent three times an hour. New features also include three restaurants with a buffet and a bar on the gaming floor. Isle Casino Hotel already features more than 500 hotel rooms, 40,000 square feet of convention space, swimming pool, fitness center and marina. We think we've got an exciting, convenient experience that customers are going to love, Ballenger said. Construction lasted a year. The new casino was built on the old courtyard between the two hotel towers. Ballenger said a gazebo that used to be in the old courtyard was donated to the city. There is still plenty of preparation and finishing touches to go in the days ahead. Tuesdays tour had to navigate the many ladders and wires throughout the casino, and several table tops were still packed in boxes as carts were being pushed here and there. Ladder coming through! someone yelled. Casino employees were able to try out the new buffet. Ballenger called it a pressure test on the equipment, temperature and pace of the food. Were sampling with our staff, she said. Lucky them. Were doing this today and tomorrow. We always practice on our staff first. Theyre good guinea pigs. I ate lunch. It was very good. Jones said she loves cooking the food and already is finding her way around the new kitchen after spending so many years on the boat. The only thing Ill miss are the windows, but I can work with it, Jones said. Ballenger said food for the new Farmers Pick Buffet comes from Midwestern farms. As for the boat, Ballenger said there are no immediate plans, yet. The Isle Casino does not have the same restrictions going on land as Rhythm City Casino has downriver in Davenport. Rhythm City opened its new casino near Interstates 74 and 80 last week and has about three months to clear its boat, service barges and porte-cochere from the riverfront. Ballenger used a boating metaphor to address the competition with having two new land-based casinos in the Iowa Quad-Cities. High tides raise all ships, she said. Gamblers like to try different places. A lot of out-of-town guests stay at our hotels. We have very high expectations. Whereas Davenport is trying to convert much of the old Rhythm City Casino boat parking lot to public greenspace, Isle is also working with Bettendorf to create a small, riverfront park at the location where a casino boat used to be moored to the shore. Ballenger said plans call for the bicycle path to run along the top of the levee with an ADA-accessible ramp to the new park. With Isle Casino Hotel sitting inside a 24.6-acre parcel, Ballenger said there is room for more expansion in the future. It has been amazing to watch this riverfront evolve, she said. Who knew back in 1991. When the "Great Race" concludes Sunday near the John Deere Pavilion in Moline, a collection of Velie automobiles will be at the finish line to greet the drivers of the nine-day, cross-country race of vintage automobiles. The finish will mark the first time in the history of the race formally known as the Hemmings Motor New Great Race presented by Hagerty that it will end in the Quad-Cities. The 2,400-mile race begins in California and includes 120 teams, including at least two from the Quad-Cities. The public is invited to mingle with drivers as they come in and also visit with the Velie owners. Craft beer will be sold on the street, and downtown restaurants will be open. Pronounced VEE-lee, the cars that will be at the finish line were manufactured in Moline from 1908 to 1928. The line outlasted several other automobile marques that came out of Quad-City factories during the first half of the 20th century. The Velies, including the first one ever built, will be on display from 2-5 p.m. on River Drive between 12th and 15th streets, between the John Deere Pavilion and the iWireless Center, downtown Moline. They will be joined by about 30 other antique vehicles furnished by the Antique Automobile Club of America and the Antique Ford Club. The Velie gathering is part of the Viva Moline 2016 celebration organized by the Velie Register, with support from the Moline Preservation Society. Viva stands for Velie Invitational for Vintage Automobiles and also translates to Long life in Italian, organizers said. The Velie Register, established in 1993, is the basic source for all things Velie. It publishes a directory with photos of all known Velie cars and trucks as well as a newsletter, and it brings together Velie buffs from around the world. They share technical expertise, help each other find parts, delve into Velie history and share stories about their favorite vintage car. Velie Motors Corp. was founded by Willard Lamb Velie, a maternal grandson of plow pioneer John Deere. Competing with mid-priced cars such as Buick, the Velie was known for its no-nonsense styling and durability. John Nikodym of Red Cloud, Nebraska, editor of the Velie Register and newsletter publisher, said Viva Moline 2016 is timed to coincide with the finish of the Great Race in Moline, the birthplace of the Velie. The finish line display will bring together the largest number of the marque since the Velie centennial celebration was held in Moline in 2008. Velie buffs also will enjoy events relating to Velie history, including a tour of historic homes associated with the Deere and Velie families. We will have tours of sights in and around Moline, visit private collections and have presentations of Velie history, Nikodym, said. The eight Velies registered for the Moline gathering include Nikodym's Old Maude, the first Velie ever made when it rolled out of a downtown Moline factory on Nov. 20, 1908. Nikodym is the fifth owner of the car, a Velie 30 Model A, whose original owner was a produce merchant from Peoria. Other than a new folding top and upholstery, the car is original, down to its red paint. Also showing a car will be Neil West of Bettendorf. A retired Deere & Co. engineer, he will share his 1917 Velie Model 28 touring car. West is the fifth owner of the car, which originally belonged to a man from Deming, New Mexico. West reassembled the car's engine, which was in pieces when he bought it in 2005. Another challenge was tracking down parts and getting the speedometer operating again. West has driven his car on numerous outings. In 2011, he joined other Velie owners at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to commemorate the first Indianapolis 500, held in 1911. In that race, Howard Hall, driving a Velie, finished 17th. Around town, West has offered his Velie driving services to weddings and church festivals. I enjoy sharing the car, he said. Yes, Hitler. Some of you questioned my evocation of history's great villain in a recent column on House Speaker Paul Ryan's surrender to presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump. I likened Ryan to Franz von Papen, a German politician who helped Adolf Hitler rise to power under the naive delusion that he could control him. A handful of Trump fans found that, as one put it, "a bit of a stretch." One guy expressed his skepticism through the time-honored expedient of the triple punctuation mark: "Hitler???" Yes, Hitler. Not that their dubiousness is unreasonable. In recent years, Hitler and the Holocaust have popped up in political debate as routinely as dandelions on the lawn. One man said having to tack a "No Smoking" sign on his building was like being a Jew forced to wear a yellow star; another claimed popular anger over the excesses of the rich was reminiscent of Kristallnacht. Almost by definition, Hitler and Holocaust comparisons trivialize that era and reveal the ignorant insensitivity of those who make them. But the key word there is, almost. Because for the record, I'm not the only one who sees the shadow of Germany in the 1930s over America in the 2010s. Once again, a clownish demagogue bestrides the political landscape, demonizing vulnerable peoples, bullying opponents, encouraging violence, offering simplistic, strongman solutions to difficult and complex problems, and men and women who bear more moral authority on this subject than I ever could see something chilling and familiar in him. "I don't want to make any comparison to Hitler, but believe it or not his delivery and the way he conducts himself is very similar to Hitler's way of doing things. He discredits everybody who disagrees with him. He's insulting. He discriminates against everybody." So says Martin Weiss. He's a survivor of Auschwitz. "It is repeating itself and it is again the inattention that people pay to real cues that one should understand. ... I think one has to speak up. And that's the one lesson from the Holocaust. Do not be a bystander." So says Margit Meissner, who fled occupied France on foot through the Pyrenees. Like Weiss, she spoke in January to Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank. Then there is Eva Schloss, who in January said of Trump, "I think he is acting like another Hitler..." Schloss, who spoke to Newsweek, was the stepsister of Anne Frank. No, I don't predict a new Holocaust if Trump bamboozles America into electing him. But some new calamity, inconceivable to us now, but repulsive to the values we claim to hold dear, does seem certain. And that raises a question: If one should never be too quick to make comparisons to Germany in the 1930s, is it not also important, on the rare occasions it is merited, to make sure one is not too slow? One reason, after all, that no one saw Hitler for what he was is that people simply could not conceive of anything as preposterously monstrous as what eventually occurred. They took refuge in the assurance -- the false assurance, as it turned out -- that reason would eventually reassert itself. The failure of imagination is often a component in tragedy. That's why I've always declined to blame the Bush administration for 9/11. Before that, who could have conceived of fanatics using jetliners as missiles? But afterward is another story. Once you have seen for yourself that the unthinkable is not, it moves from the arena of imagination to that of history. And then, you must use it to understand where we are and help chart where we should -- and should not -- be going. You can't blame people who didn't realize what Hitler was. They had never seen anything like him before. You and I, however, have no such excuse. Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA) 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 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 Labour MP Jo Cox. Omar Mateen was a radical Muslim who pledged his allegiance to 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 says 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. Readers may email Cal Thomas at tcaeditors@tribpub.com. SPRINGFIELD With the start of the new fiscal year just more than a week away, the Illinois Department of Transportation is preparing to put the brakes on road and transit projects statewide. The department began notifying contractors this week that they shouldn't start tearing up any roads or closing bridges lanes unless work can be completed by June 30, the final day of the current fiscal year. No work, including engineering, will be able to continue after that unless the General Assembly gives IDOT authority to spend money in the new fiscal year, Transportation Secretary Randy Blankenhorn said Wednesday. Repeating a message he delivered last week at a Statehouse news conference with Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, Blankenhorn urged lawmakers to pass a bill that would allow work to continue. "The message from last week isn't different," he said. "It's just we're another week that we've gone by without a budget, and this brings this crisis even closer." Steve Brown, a spokesman for House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, dismissed the warnings as a "PR stunt" and said House Democrats are "trying to work with the administration on the stopgap budget." Brown noted that the House passed a spending plan for the new budget year that appropriated money for IDOT projects. The plan, which was more than $7 billion out of balance, was rejected in the Senate but could be reconsidered. Democratic lawmakers continue to participate in working groups in "a good faith effort to negotiate" with their Republican colleagues and the Rauner administration on a plan to keep state government operating while broader discussions over the full budget and the governor's policy agenda continue, Brown said. Blankenhorn said IDOT's announcements aren't a PR stunt but represent "the reality of the day." "I'm glad the working groups are continuing to talk," he said. "I remain optimistic that something can happen in the next eight days or so, but the reality of the situation is, without an appropriation, I have no ability to pay any bills." The shutdown would affect more than 800 ongoing road projects statewide, totaling $2 billion. Another $2 billion worth of projects slated for next year wouldn't be able to move forward. The state also would incur "tens and tens of millions of dollars" in additional costs by stopping and restarting the projects, Blankenhorn said. The Transportation for Illinois Coalition, made up of business, labor, government and nonprofit organizations across the state, issued a letter to its members and state officials Wednesday urging immediate action. "A shutdown of this extent is unprecedented, and presents very real economic hardship and safety concerns," reads the letter from co-chairmen Todd Maisch, president and CEO of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, and Michael Kleinik, executive director of the Chicago Laborers District Council's Labor-Management Cooperation Committee. "The coalition expects as many as 25,000 workers to be without work directly as a result of the shutdown, with many others impacted at local businesses who now provide goods and services to these workers," the letter adds. Pennington County commissioners on Tuesday publicly reprimanded fellow board member George Ferebee for alleged workplace bullying and harassment of county Planning Department staff. Officials complained he used his position to create a "hostile working environment." Fellow commissioners barred Ferebee and his lawyer from their private executive session before their vote, saying he had a "conflict of interest." Ferebee and his attorney Kenneth Jasper argued because Ferebee is not a public employee or officer, the matter did not qualify for a closed session. "I would like on the record an objection by Mr. Ferebee to his exclusion," Jasper said. "This is unconstitutional." After emerging from the session, the commission unanimously reprimanded Ferebee for violating the county's Code of Conduct and suspended Ferebee from sitting on the Planning Commission. The reprimand, read by county human resources director Nick Stroot, said Planning Department Director P.J. Conover filed the complaint and that Ferebee was, "given the opportunity to address or refute the claim and chose not to do so." Conover's complaint, in part, states that Ferebee repeatedly," used his Office to pursue answers to questions/topics/words/definitions directly related to his Court Case and not concerning the report or issue at hand." Conover also cited, "unresolved staff concerns relative to my July 21, 2015, Misconduct memo." On Tuesday, county officials declined to make Conover's memo from last year public. Jasper complained Tuesday that Ferebee never had a chance to respond to the complaints. However, Commission Chairman Lyndell Petersen said Ferebee had a chance to respond when the charges were read to him during an executive session earlier this month, on June 10. In the complaint, Conover argues that Ferebee demonstrated, "gross partiality relative to septic issues brought to open-public meetings." He says the commissioner, "has voted against septic items despite facts being presented that are in concurrence with County Ordinances and when asked why he voted no by other Commissioners, Commissioner Ferebee stated, essentially, I just don't agree." Ferebee was elected to the commission in June 2014 after years of active involvement as a citizen at county meetings. He advocated for limited government, specifically in regulating on-site wastewater systems like outhouses or septic tanks. Assistant State's Attorney Jay Alderman who was involved in Tuesday's meeting, was ordered by the commission in August 2011 to investigate what laws may be applicable to citizens harassing county employees after a verbal altercation between Ferebee and then-Planning and Zoning director Dan Jennissen. On-site wastewater system regulations were also discussed Tuesday by the commission in relation to two petitions filed by Ferebee with the South Dakota Department of Environmental and Natural Resources Water Management Board. Ferebee is asking the board to declare that cities and counties are bound by a South Dakota law that exempts from regulations on-site wastewater systems like septic tanks and outhouses that existed before Feb. 28, 1975. "The rules have the force and effect of law," Ferebee said Tuesday during the discussion of the motion. "Those rules were passed in 1975, and the public had a chance to comment on the rules. All I'm asking is do those two specific rules mean what the words say or do they mean what a local government wants them to say?" Commissioner Ron Buskerud argued that all laws are up for interpretation and that is why lawyers are important. Buskerud said he will vote to oppose Ferebee's petition because this is, "very important because we have an ordinance that Ferebee is trying to say is no good," he said. "We need to protect our water supply." Buskerud is referencing the septic regulations in the county's zoning ordinance passed in 2010 which requires owners of septic systems to obtain a permit for their operation. The county ordinance was passed after studies showed that a significant portion of fecal bacteria in county streams were from septic systems. Ferebee was a vocal opponent of those regulations when they were being considered and passed by the county commission. In October, Ferebee was charged with violating this county ordinance. The court case is pending. He could face up to 30 days in the county jail and a $500 fine for each day the violation stands. He was first cited in February 2015, according to Journal reports. Commissioner Deb Hadcock on Tuesday asked Ferebee if the petitions he filed with the Water Management Board are for his personal gain or for his constituents. Ferebee said he is, "doing this for all the rural residents of South Dakota." He argued that Pennington County is the only county in America with a retroactive ruling on residents' septic systems. Hadcock said she did not agree with Ferebee, but she appreciates his "passion." "You gotta give it to George because that freakin' on-site wastewater stuff, thats just his passion, and hes gonna fight it no matter what," she said. "And I had told him before if you're gonna do something, do something about it. If you're gonna keep whining about how the system sucks, then do something, George." The commission voted unanimously, with Ferebee abstaining, to file a petition with the Water Management Board opposing Ferebee's petition and to ask the board for an automatic delay of the hearing. The hearing is scheduled for July 6. The full complaint against Ferebee by Conover and the transcript of the public reprimand can be found at rapidcityjournal.com. Queen contest coordinator Kellie Yackley of Onida said the South Dakota High School Rodeo event is an opportunity to learn life skills that will benefit the girls for the rest of their lives. That seemed true for this year's winner, Kelly Schopp of Meadow. Schopp is the daughter of Ray and Julie Schopp and is starting her senior year of high school at Lemmon this fall. She has participated in the sport of rodeo, particularly barrels and the queen contest for the past four years. She took top honors in the areas of appearance, personality, interview, speech and the modeling and photogenic award. Schopp has enjoyed participating in the sport of rodeo since she was 10 years old. "I tell the girls that anyone who can handle an interview in front of six judges can handle any job interview they come into," said Yackley, who also was involved with high school rodeo more than 20 years ago. Yackley has coordinated this high school rodeo event for the past two years and is proud of the SDHSRA heritage and what it can provide for the young people. She is a volunteer coordinator and does her job for the benefit of the youth. "I believe in paying it forward," said Yackley, who puts a great deal of time and effort into the event. South Dakota is a charter member of the NHSRA, helping to start the organization in 1951 and now has non-profit status. The state was one of the states to compete at the first National High School Rodeo Finals. Members are required to conduct themselves in an exemplary manner, to abide by a western dress code while competing, and to maintain their grades at the same level as other school sports. Schopp will continue a tradition of carrying the sport of rodeo in South Dakota to many different areas and events including: Black Hills Stockshow, the Black Hills Roundup and the Days of '76. Schopp plans to attend college after she finishes high school at Lemmon, but not in the sport of rodeo. "I plan to attend either the University of Wyoming or Northern State in Aberdeen," said Schopp after her victory on Saturday, June 18 at the Belle Fourche rodeo grounds. "I want to either be a high school history teacher or become a (registered nurse)." First runner up was Tyler Hintz of Aberdeen Central High School, who also won the horsemanship and was the test award winner. Second runner up was Jayton McKay of Wall High School. PIERRE | Four members on the state Board of Education recently filed waiver requests regarding South Dakotas new conflicts of interest law. They are Sue Aguilar of Sioux Falls, Kelly Duncan of Aberdeen, Glenna Fouberg of Aberdeen and Don Kirkegaard of Sturgis. A fifth member, Julie Mathiesen of Sturgis, resigned because, she said in her letter to the governor, complying with the law would have been too complex. She is head of the Technology In Education organization that works with school districts throughout South Dakota. A sixth member, Stacy Phelps of Rapid City, resigned last year. Phelps and two other people were indicted this year on state criminal charges regarding the GEAR UP program. GEAR UP is a federally funded program administered through the state Department of Education and the Mid-Central Educational Cooperative at Platte. It is intended to help Native American students and their families know what is needed for further education after high school graduation. A state audit found financial problems. The GEAR UP scandal triggered South Dakotas new conflicts law for members of state boards and commissions. The conflicts law also covers people in leadership positions in K-12 education organizations. The state Board of Regents and Black Hills State University now administer GEAR UP under a contract with the state Department of Education. The state Board of Education has nine members. A majority have situations they felt should be disclosed. Sue Aguilar requested a waiver out of an abundance of caution because her husband serves on the board for Lutheran Social Services. The organization receives grant funding for literacy work from the state Department of Labor and Regulation. Aguilar said she has nothing to do with those contracts and their household doesnt benefit from them. Kelly Duncan currently is dean of education for Northern State University. She had been a long-time consultant on education projects in South Dakota and received payments from state government and from other organizations including Mid-Central. In her waiver request, Duncan said her university work could fall within the subject matter of the state board. She said in her waiver request she would disclose a potential conflict of interest and abstain from the vote. Glenna Fouberg said she sometimes fills in at Northern State University to monitor administration of Praxis tests used for teacher certification. A retired teacher, Fouberg said she doesnt have a formal contract and might be paid $40 to $100 per month when she temporarily works. I do things like making sure the test-takers get their computers set up and that the area is secure. I do not score the tests, she wrote in her waiver request. Fouberg further explained: This is not a conflict with my role as a Board of Education member, and it is in the public interest for NSU to have someone to do this so these test-takers can get their Praxis test done. Because it is a contract with the State (NSU) which is potentially within the subject matter of the Board of Education, I am seeking a waiver for this work going forward. Don Kirkegaard requested waivers for two reasons in his role as Meade School District superintendent. He highlighted five major amounts of funding the district receives through the state Department of Education. Neither Meade School District nor myself are receiving any special benefit in regard to these funds because all school districts apply for the same, Kirkegaard wrote. The purpose of all these funds is to provide services to students, so they are obviously in the public interest. The South Dakota Board of Education has no oversight of this funding, he continued. Kirkegaard also disclosed his employment contract as superintendent. The (state) Board of Education has no oversight of funds received by the district from the (state) Department of Education, he wrote. The Meade School District Board of Education determines whether to renew my contract and terms of my contract, in the public interest of the students and citizens of the district. The new conflicts-disclosure affects 22 state boards and commissions. Bobbi Rank, the lawyer for the state Department of Education, provided a 10-page memorandum about the new law to the state Board of Education members. The memo included this summary of the new law: The Disclosure Laws prohibit a Board Member from contracting with the State, or from deriving a direct benefit from a contract or transaction with the State, if the contract or transaction is within the jurisdiction or relates to the subject matter of the Members Board. The Disclosure Laws also prohibit a Board Member from contracting with, or deriving a direct benefit from, a contract with a political subdivision of the State if the political subdivision administers or executes similar subject matter programs as the Members Board. Waivers can be granted if the board decides the transaction and terms of the contract are fair and reasonable and not contrary to the public interest. The waiver requests are public documents. The value of generosity, the vitality of innovation and how to lead people with realistic optimism. Pam Moret, a retired Fortune 500 executive, extolled those ideals and others at Tuesday's Morning Fill Up. The series of public conversations with local and national leaders is held at The Garage in downtown Rapid City. Moret is the current chairperson of The Bush Foundation Board of Directors. The foundation and the Numad Group sponsored the program. Moret described herself as a leader who was born not made. She views herself as a person wired from the beginning to derive satisfaction from having her hand on the steering wheel. Most of the time Im like a lion with raw meat dangled in front of it, Moret said. If someone says, Do you want to tackle this? Most of the time I say yes. In reflecting on her philosophy as a leader in the financial industry, Moret returned to a lesson she learned from her parents at an early age. 'To whom much is given much is expected. It was a familiar refrain in our house, Moret said. We were growing up in a home with school, and clothes, and two folks that loved us. We were given a lot, and we were expected to give back. The idea of giving back to the community, to the company, to the mission, and to the people she works with has been a guiding principle for Moret. Helping develop peoples talents was one of the things she enjoyed most during her previous leadership roles. Its the best gift you can give someone, to give them enough freedom, enough rope, to go out and do something, Moret said. Leaders come in many shapes and sizes, Moret said, and their effectiveness is entirely situational. But truly good leaders share certain characteristics, in her view. Good leaders need to care about what they do while realizing that the work is not about them, but the mission at hand and the people helping to take the hill, as Moret puts it. Another trait of a good leader is a strong sense of realistic optimism. Understanding the realities of a situation, Moret said, is crucial to embodying genuine optimism that obstacles can be overcome. If youve got that combination, youve got a pretty good lineup for a leader, whether theyre building the playground down the street or tackling some major global initiative, Moret said. She went on to discuss the area of social entrepreneurshipsmall for-profit businesses with a social missionas an area to keep an eye on. Millennials in particular are keenly interested in this space, Moret said. They really want to have good jobs and make a living and do good stuff, but they also want to make an impact on the world. She encouraged those in the audience to also be aware of innovation happening in Rapid City, particularly at the School of Mines & Technology and in certain areas of the private sector, like The Garage itself. Innovation is not one of the words that regular people in Rapid City use all that often, Moret said. Well, youd better change that narrative because its happening here like crazy. Innovation has been one of Morets focuses during her career. Before she retired, she served as the president and CEO of Brightpeak Financial, an independent division of Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, that offered financial services for young families. She also served as CEO of the IDS Life Insurance Company, held a variety of positions throughout her 20 years at American Express, including in product development, marketing, public affairs and legal affairs. A native of Fargo, N.D., Moret currently serves on the boards of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota, Optimum Mutual Funds, Minnetonka Moccasins and The Bush Foundation. The next guest to speak at Morning Fill Up will be Lisa McNulty, the producing artistic director for the Womens Project Theater in New York. HOT SPRINGS | A 20-year-old Hot Springs man was in fair condition at Rapid City Regional Hospital where he was being treated for injuries after being shot by a Hot Springs police officer around 1 a.m. Wednesday. South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley in a release said Dylan Louis Huff, who was carrying a knife, confronted officers responding to a disturbance call. Officer Kyle Maciejewski shot the man after Huff advanced on officers and refused several commands to drop the knife. No officers or other people were hurt in the incident. Jackley confirmed the state Division of Criminal Investigations is investigating the incident at the request of the Hot Springs Police Department. He said Maciejewski had been placed on paid administrative leave, a routine step during reviews of incidents involving law enforcement officers. Once the investigation is complete, DCI will issue a case report and shooting summation to be reviewed by the attorney general and county state's attorney for a final determination on the officer's actions. The attorney general's office says that summary is expected within 30 days. ROCHFORD | In the last 10 days alone, weve witnessed carnage at an Orlando nightclub, the heart-breaking tragedy of a little boy dragged off by an alligator at the happiest place on Earth and a contentious presidential campaign marked by an ongoing dialogue so divisive it threatens to turn millions away from participating in the electoral process at all. But down the trail less traveled, in the shady, well-watered heart of the Black Hills, is a refuge a world away from your regular day. Six years ago, Dave Snyder, a retired pig farmer who spent four years as executive director of the South Dakota Science and Technology Authority when the Sanford Lab in Lead was in its infancy, established the Pathways Spiritual Sanctuary as a far-away respite from the modern world. Here, on an 80-acre preserve, stands of aspen replace 24/7 news cycles, a gurgling brook overpowers breathless political pundits and alpine meadows help slow the heart rate and restore the soul. I have long felt that we have a lot of conflict in the world and that we live in a time too often dominated by separateness, a separateness that results in human conflict and contentious interactions, Snyder says during a pause in building fence on his property last week. Ive always been open to the fact that what I believe may be different than someone elses beliefs, but it doesnt necessarily make me right or wrong. Pathways Sanctuary is about tolerance, he explains. When we look beyond our differences, we as humans are all the same. I wanted to create a place that embraced that concept. And he did. Down a quiet lane off Rochford Road, surrounded by the wondrous woodlands of Black Hills National Forest, a large wooden gate signals arrival at Pathways Spiritual Sanctuary and opens to another world. Just inside the gate, visitors discover walking sticks and umbrellas to aid their journey down the path of compassion, forgiveness and healing. Soon, a heroic statue called The Invocation, soars heavenward, depicting a Native American man atop his steed holding a buffalo skull to the sky. Along the meandering 1.2-mile trail, visitors find other artwork and circle a large meadow and traipse through the trees, discovering hand-hewn benches for solitary introspection and notepads on which to record their thoughts. I love the world, 4-year-old Jenna wrote in one notebook. I am a skeptic to the core, an unnamed visitor penned in another. If I cant see it or touch it, it does not exist. But there is something in this place that I cannot explain. I feel joy, sorrow, peace, beauty, and a whole range of human emotions, all at the same time. At the headwaters of Elk Creek, a small pond reflects the pines and billowy clouds overhead. Along the route, whitetail deer bound through a grassy meadow while a jackrabbit, stirred to action by an approaching hiker, hops away into the darkened forest. Inspirational plaques scattered along the route tout quotations from the historys great philosophers and religious leaders, allowing visitors to contemplate life on a larger scale, as well as the gentle breezes which tend to carry away the accumulated stresses of the day. When Snyder, now 71, created this special place, he says he had no idea if anyone would ever visit. To date, hes relied solely on word-of-mouth and a website to attract prospective visitors. But today, a half-dozen years after he opened the gate at the Juso Ranch homestead he had acquired in 1993, he notices some visitors stay for two or three hours, meditating and taking in the natural world around them in an attempt to break-away from the stresses of the modern day. As it turned out, its really created a space that seems to be needed, Snyder says. No matter who you are or what you believe, you can come out here and be who you are. Its probably the most fulfilling thing Ive ever done. NEWCASTLE, Wyo. | Georgia Mills Ratigan, 92, ended her earthly life journey on June 20, 2016. Georgia was born Oct. 5, 1923, to George and Pinky Mills in Wall, SD. Her birth mother died when Georgia was an infant. Her father was a country doctor with an erratic schedule, so Georgia and her sister Dede went to live with their grandparents and Aunt Fern on the familys homestead north of Wall. George Mills remarried (Alice), and Georgia and Dede returned to the home in Wall. Georgia was a remarkable academic achiever. She wrote a letter to the school superintendent when she was five asking that she be considered for early enrollment in the Wall school system. Georgia finished the educational steps in Wall, and entered the University of South Dakota at age 16. She graduated in 1944, majoring in Social Work. Georgia married John Ratigan on Dec. 22, 1945, in Newcastle, where they made their lifelong home. They raised five children, Mike, Joe, Dan, Mary, and Jean. She had a professional career that included high school teacher, bookkeeper for Ratigan Standard Service and the NAPA store, and social worker for the State of Wyoming. She had an intense love for reading and was very active in several local book clubs over the years, which she greatly enjoyed. She also loved to do the crossword puzzles in the newspapers. She loved to quilt and made quilts for her family that they treasure. Georgia was very active in the Corpus Christi Catholic Church and volunteered locally for several causes, including the local B.R.E.A.D. food pantry. Georgia was preceded in death by her parents; her sister, Dede; her daughter, Mary; and her husband, John. She is survived by her children, Mike (Candy) of Newcastle, Joe (Alys) of Rapid City, SD, Dan (Rosie) of Lander, and Jean (Walker) of Custer, SD; 10 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. Services will be at 10 a.m. today at the Corpus Christi Catholic Church. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the church. Worden Funeral Directors is in charge of arrangements. Former Sakhalin governor's ex-wife appeals against asset forfeiture MOSCOW, June 22 (RAPSI) Irina Khoroshavina, ex-spouse of former Sakhalin Governor who stands charged with large-scale embezzlement, has filed an appeal against forfeiture of his assets valued at 1.1 billion rubles (about $17 million), her lawyer Sergei Zhorin told RAPSI on Wednesday. In May, a court in Yuzno-Sakhalinsk granted a lawsuit filed by prosecutors seeking confiscation of property owned by Khoroshavin, his wife and son. Expensive apartments, fancy cars, money, jewelry were taken to the state based upon the facts of corruption established by investigation. In August 2015, Russias Prosecutor Generals Office filed a motion with the Yuzno-Sakhalinsk court to confiscate the assets registered to Khoroshavin, his wife and son. Last September, Irina Khoroshavina filed for divorce and division of property. Investigators announced in March 2015 that Khoroshavin and several other officials were arrested for allegedly taking a $5.6 million bribe to secure a contract to build a power unit for the Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk thermal plant. In April 2015, Khoroshavin was charged in another criminal case with taking a bribe of at least 15 million rubles ($233,800) for providing credits on advantageous terms to one of the local businessmen. He pleaded not guilty. In January, the third criminal case was opened against Khoroshavin. According to investigators, he took 27 million rubles ($420,800) in bribes from candidates for the positions in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk City Duma in 2014. President Vladimir Putin dismissed Khoroshavin from his post due to loss of trust in March 2015. Russian company withdraws from 538k lawsuit against Ukrainian firm MOSCOW, June 22 (RAPSI) Russian UTG company engaged in provision of aviation services in Vnukovo airport has withdrawn from a lawsuit seeking to recover 538,400 from Ukrainian Azur Air Ukraine, previously known as UTair-Ukraine, a court ruling says on Wednesday. The respective legal action has been dismissed. Besides, the court plans to examine similar claims the firm filed against the Ukrainian company demanding 784,100 and 571,900 on 28 June and 4 August respectively. UTair-Ukraine airlines phased out regular flights in 2014. At the same time it retired regional ATR-72 airplanes it obtained in 2012 from the manufacturer. The company runs passenger charters to popular resorts and is based primarily at the Borispol airport. Earlier it has been reported that the color design of Azur Air Ukraine companys planes is similar to the Azur Air operating on the Russian market; however, the key colors were changed and instead of Russian national colors the Ukrainian firm uses colors of the Ukrainian flag (blue and yellow). 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 dispatched to a report of a suicidal male traveling through Missoula en route to Ravalli County from Helena. A Montana Veterans Affairs staffer also called 911 to say that Culver would be coming to the Montana VA clinic in Missoula with his mother. The staffer 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. Jones 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 Jones 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. Culvers mother was in the courtroom, and she asked if it was OK to speak with her son on the phone as long as they didnt discuss the case. Her request was granted by Orzech. A visit set up through an online dating service led to a Spokane, Washington man facing a felony drug charge and a Corvallis woman shaken over an apparent attempt at identity theft. Joel Robert Denenny, 39, appeared Monday before Ravalli County Justice Jim Bailey on felony criminal possession of dangerous drugs charge and a misdemeanor count of obstructing a peace officer. Denenny was arrested on June 17 after a Corvallis woman asked for a deputy to remove him from her property. The woman told the deputy she had met Denenny on an online dating site and shortly after he arrived at her home, she began noticing fraudulent financial activity in her name. When she looked up Denennys name on Google, she discovered that he had been convicted of about 47 counts of identity theft in the state of Washington and that there were active warrants out for his arrest, said an affidavit filed in the case. A second deputy arrived on the scene and made contact with Denenny. Initially, Denenny identified himself as Roland Skala and said he lived in Michigan. After one of the deputies showed him a photograph that identified him as Denenny, he recanted that story. When Denenny was taken into custody on outstanding warrants, the affidavit said he told the deputies that he had some methamphetamine in his pocket. The deputies allegedly found .8 grams of the drug in a cigarette case. It field tested positive for methamphetamine. A day after Denennys arrest, a deputy followed up with the woman after she had time to get her financial information together. Denenny had arrived at her home on June 12. On June 13, she received an alert from Credit Karma that someone had attempted to change her email account. A day later, a Barclay Master Card was delivered to her home by Federal Express. On June 17, Bank of America contacted her to say that someone was attempting to set up a checking account in her name. Finally, on June 18, she received credit cards from Wells Fargo, American Express and Citi Bank. The woman hadnt applied for any of them. She also reported that someone had removed two checkbooks from her home and discovered that one missing check had been cashed for $300 at Allied Bank. An investigation into possible forgery and theft charges is ongoing. Bailey set bail at $50,000. Hamilton High School and their Graduation Matters Hamilton efforts won the Raising Aspirations Award from the Office of Public Instruction at the Graduation Matters Montana conference in Bozeman on Tuesday. Denise Juneau, Superintendent of Public Instruction, honored five Graduation Matters Montana communities and one foundation in Bozeman during the 2016 Impact Awards. Juneau honored the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation, Graduation Matters Hamilton, Graduation Matters St. Ignatius, Graduation Matters Columbia Falls, Graduation Matters Great Falls and Graduation Matters Billings. Its an honor to present the 2016 Impact Awards to six groups who continue to exceed expectations when it comes to raising the bar for students and working with community partners to support that ongoing effort, Superintendent Juneau said. 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. Becky Brough, Graduation Matters Grant coordinator and K-12 Career Education coordinator for Hamilton Schools, and Jonathan Driggers, Hamilton High School math teacher, attended the Bozeman conference and received the award for the school. Its is really exciting because it has been such a team effort, Brough said. It is the counselors working with students to help them with the specialty classes and completing the forms. The counselors have been meeting with kids on career readiness and helping them with making a decision on what they want to do. So, when students graduate they have dual credits or a certification of some sort. Brough said thanks to the principal, vice principal, superintendent, school board and community members. Most of all it is thanks to the community for supporting the levy so we could have more classes, AP classes and work with the college to do the dual enrollment classes and CNA program, Brough said. It is the whole team effort that includes all the counselors in the district. Angela Dondero is working at building a very successful leadership program at the middle school. Brough said receiving the award was exciting and that they received national recognition by the ACT College and Career Readiness Campaign last week. Overall were doing a lot in the school district and at the high school to help our kids, Brough said. According to the Office of Public Instruction, Graduation Matters Hamilton received the Raising Aspirations Award because of the schools efforts to increase students college preparedness. The school has developed several advanced placement classes. Nearly a third of their students took AP classes last year. The high school and Graduation Matters Hamilton worked with Bitterroot College to develop dual enrollment classes in Certified Nurses Assistance, OSHA safety certification and other career and technical education programs. Graduation Matters Hamilton has a 78 percent FAFSA (college financial aid) completion rate, which is more than two times the state average, and a 94.4 percent high school graduation rate. Other awards presented by Juneau included the Champion Award given to the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation Community for visionary leadership in the field of education in Montana. Graduation Matters St. Ignatius won the Seventh Generation Award for increasing its graduation rate and placing an emphasis on student voice and leadership. Graduation Matters Columbia Falls won the Engaging Student Voices Award for creating a more supportive school community with Speak Out a safe anonymous space to have a community conversion to improve the school. Graduation Matters Great Falls won the Shining Star Award for engaging American Indian students and families and creating strong community partnerships. Graduation Matters Billings won the Attendance Matters Award for increasing attendance by community members going door-to-door alerting families to the start of school and the importance of attending school every day. Softball made a difference for education last weekend. Six teams came together on the ball field to compete for bragging rights in the first annual softball tournament hosted by the Hamilton Police Association. By the time all the bats and balls were put away, the association had raised $1,637 that will help a fortunate Hamilton High School senior toward achieving their dreams of higher education. It was a pretty big surprise that we raised that much, said Garrett Koppes, a Hamilton Police patrolman and association vice president. We were really happy about it. The Hamilton Police Association formed a couple of years ago and has since found different ways to help out in the community. Weve been able to take donations from different organizations for the last couple of years, Koppes said. When association members decided to create a scholarship fund, they opted to try to raise money with a softball tournament. They reached out to a local league and invited county employees to come up with their own team. Darby even sent a team. Each of the teams paid an entry fee and a number of local businesses donated items for a raffle. The association is still working out the details on how the student will be selected for the scholarship. This was the first money that weve designated for the scholarship fund, Koppes said. Its a good start. We want to thank the Hamilton community for supporting our tournament. It was really, really nice. Guwahati: Nature's Beckon and Journalists' Forum Assam (JFA) have expressed utter dismay at the poaching of another one-horned rhinoceros at Kaziranga National Park (KNP) in a fortnight, and demanded stringent actions against the culprits. Both the organizations opined that the killing of seventh rhino till date this year at the most protected forest reserve establishes that the poachers are more organized and the international wildlife trade remains too aggressive to be dealt with than it was understood. Assam witnesses the killing of altogether 12 rhinos this year where the KNP (7) lost the highest number of the precious animals with Orang National Park losing 3, Burhachapori Wildlife Sanctuary and Manas National Park losing one each till date. 'The relentless poaching of rhinos in KNP reflects the desperate attempt by those criminals to sabotage the anti-poaching conservative initiative. But it must continue to target the poachers and also the illegal wildlife traders across northeast India, 'said a statement issued by Nature's Beckon and JFA. Both the organizations appreciate the recent crackdown on rhino-poaching by the new government at Dispur which resulted in the arrest of many professional poachers. Effective interrogation of those poachers and necessary investigations may lead to some vital clues regarding the illegal wildlife trades, added the organizations. 'It needs no mention that both Nature's Beckon and JFA claimed a decade back that a section of Assam forest officials were involved in the illegal wildlife trade, which is now vindicated by the recent statement of the State forest minister Pramila Rani Brahma'sA asserted the statement. However, the forest department still possesses dedicated forest official and workers. They should be strengthened by the department and their conservation initiative should be supported by the nature loving people. In addition to it, the fringe villagers as well as the committed skilled youths may be engaged effectively in the protection initiatives. Guwahati, June 20 : Meghalaya police on Monday had recovered over Rs 3 crore from a vehicle and nabbed three persons, who allegedly involved with illegal drugs trade at Pilingkata area, outskirts of Guwahati. According to the reports, acting on a tip-off, a team of CID and Meghalaya police had launched operation at Pilingkata area near Basishtha, bordering with Assam-Meghalaya and recovered over Rs 3 crore from a XUV vehicle (AS-01-BR-0027). The Meghalaya police also recovered huge quantity of drugs and apprehended three persons in connection with it. Among the nabbed persons two were identified as Kartik Gopal Chetry, Tauhid Ali. A top police official said that, the nabbed persons are allegedly involved with illegal drugs trade. (Reporting by Hemanta Kumar Nath) 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 Recipient of the Matt Brown "Monumental Drop" Award for most deserving second-weekend plunge, Duncan Jones' Warcraft already looks like an afterthought. Rightly so: Warcraft's terrible. Absolutely terrible. It makes Krull look like Dragonslayer. Makes Dragonslayer look like Willow. Makes Willow look like The Hobbit. Makes The Hobbit look like The Lord of the Rings. I mention Warcraft's lineage in the post-Star Wars fantasy blockbuster world only to point out that it's part of a cycle - one with varying degrees of silliness. But even having mentioned Star Wars, the real sea change came - of course - with The Fellowship of the Ring in 2001. That was the quantum leap the genre had spent decades waiting for (The Two Towers, and Gollum, would come the following year). You can draw a straight line from FOTR to where we are now - or more precisely, from Peter Jackson's 2000 "internet teaser" for the Lord of the Rings trilogy, which unveiled his Massive-driven CGI orc armies storming across the plains of Gorgoroth. As with most quantum leaps, both Hollywood and the majority of the audience got it wrong. The visual effects, and consequent verisimilitude, of The Lord of the Rings certainly did change the way fantasy could be made on film, but were not the reason the film was revolutionary, or even the reason it kicked off a deluge of FX-enhanced fantasy projects, of which Warcraft is only the latest. No, The Lord of the Ring trilogy's success, and the success of many fantasy projects since, came from the other side of the coin: the ability to take fantasy seriously while adapting it accessibly for the masses; the decision to treat the source as received history, but not gospel; and the optimistic belief that earnest human drama would translate, regardless of whether the "humans" in question had giant, furry feet. In those key elements we can see where Warcraft screwed up. Here, I'll mark the passages over again in red: the ability to take fantasy seriously while adapting it accessibly for the masses ; the decision to treat the source as received history, but not gospel ; and the optimistic belief that earnest human drama would translate, regardless of whether the "humans" in question had giant, furry feet. It's those three critical aspects that continue to thrill me in every successful fantasy adaptation, just as much as when I see a Shakespeare adaptation that makes the language sound like something someone would actually say (Branagh's Much Ado About Nothing) instead of, well, Shakespeare (Zieferelli's Hamlet... and Branagh's Hamlet, for that matter). The adaptation, and illumination, of the content is the thing. Adaptation is fiendishly interesting artistic process - which pieces, in which order, drawing what meaning? - and illumination is the greatest achievement these craftspeople, actors and directors and everyone around them, can offer: what does it mean? Warcraft, arguably, means nothing. In that cadence of fantasy adaptations I mentioned earlier, even the much-put-upon Hobbit trilogy at least mined Tolkien's text to find an interesting throughline about displaced populations - refugees, to put it in eerily relevant contemporary terms - and the way cultures around them grasp at aggression. Not so much, Warcraft. It really is like watching a cutscene from a video game you've never played and probably never want to. In the most egregious sin a fantasy adaptation can commit - especially given one based on an astonishingly popular role playing game - it doesn't offer an aspirational world, i.e. one that any member of the audience would fantasize about belonging to. All the great fantasy cosmologies evoke this aspirational aspect. Where do you think cosplay comes from? Ever since at least Star Wars, part of the success of this genre has been the degree to which the story is all well and good but the worldbuilding is a feat in itself, positing an alternate reality that seems so gall-darned nifty that you're looking for the nearest teleportation portal to get you there. There are literal teleportation portals in Warcraft, but if I saw one on the horizon I'd run the other way. Everything in Warcraft world looks like it would basically suck. Sex would suck - the movie opens on two orcs cooing about their imminent baby, but envisioning the night of their coupling recalls that time I saw daddy rhino mount mommy rhino at the zoo and all the children started screaming. Getting around would suck - unless you have a griffin, but even then, you apparently have to jump out a window to get on one, and how many times does that fail before you stick the landing? Getting dressed in the morning would completely suck, because good lord, look what these people wear! I dunno. Maybe in videogameland, Warcraft's worldbuilding feels different. But the "received history" aspect of fantasy adaptations seems to be lacking, too. Critical to the mode of fantasy is the process, or at least suggestion, of the mediation from our world to the fantasy world - a literal rabbit hole in Alice's case, or all the more figurative, elusive rabbit holes that followed. "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away" is a rabbit hole (and quite a specific one, actually); the heraldry and hierarchy of Westeros is another, suggesting a relationship to a world we understand even when we do not. We speak of the sensational decision to film The Lord of the Rings in New Zealand standing in as Middle-Earth as though Peter Jackson were merely creating the cinema's greatest travel brochure (he did that, as well); but the real genius - one that the Hobbit trilogy perhaps lacks - was not in the cost-savings or near-at-handness of Jackson's back yard, but rather in the degree to which those recognizeably tangible landscapes assured us that for all the ways Middle-Earth was not like ours, it was also very much like ours. (In Tolkien's case, a presumed "lost history" of British myth - stuck somewhere between Beowulf and Chaucer.) The strength of fantasy, in any medium, is not in whole-cloth creation of totally imagined (read: CGI) worlds, but in articulating an idea about a world by tweaking and skewing the familiar. We see glimpses of this in Warcraft - politically, at least, it is somewhat more sophisticated than most "us vs. the bad guys" fantasy films - but all of it is buried under so much unintelligent surrealism (and bad CGI) that it's hard to know where to look in any given frame, let alone what or who to care about. This last is the ultimate failing. I've come to accept, over a lifespan as a fan of this genre, that there really are people who fundamentally do not "get it" - for whom Ents and Wookiees and White Walkers, and any other truly fantastical layers on otherwise analogizeable fantasy worlds and storylines, are so fundamentally distracting that these people can simply never access the basic human drama at the heart of the story. Warcraft, then, is a useful tool in empathy for those of us among the fantasy-prone; I defy anyone who knows his Elbereth from his Alatar to not at least see, in Warcraft, the edges of what it's like to feel completely left out of a fantasy world. But the lack of recognizeable human characters and concerns - which I'd argue pretty much all the other fantasy works I've mentioned here do, indeed, contain - is what ultimately stumps Warcraft, and in so doing, buries the value of the genre. Because it is those recognizeable human concerns that render fantasy so useful: not because we can tell normal human stories in bizarre circumstances, but because we can attack complex dramas in oblique ways and with precisely-curated sets of rules, allowing for outcomes and dynamics not possible in the real world. This gives fantasy the opportunity to articulate anxieties and concerns in a framework that allows those concerns leg room and white space; solving those puzzles becomes the ultimate boon, in the Joseph Campbell sense, that we can all bring back to our ordinary worlds. That's a quest worth undertaking. Destroy All Monsters is a weekly column on Hollywood and pop culture. Matt Brown is in Toronto and on Letterboxd. Jessica Yu has created some of the finest and most formally innovative documentaries of the past decade, such as In the Realms of the Unreal (2004) and Protagonist (2007). Her latest film Misconception, which had its world premiere at last year's Tribeca Film Festival, is somewhat of a step down from these in formal terms, as it is much closer to traditional documentaries than her previous work. Still, Jessica Yu brings considerable style and verve to her examination of the issue of the world population explosion, with a triptych of compelling stories that bring the vast parameters of this complex and often overwhelming issue down to a human level. Also, the film provocatively challenges received wisdom about the actual nature of the problem of overpopulation, and admirably proposes solutions for the problem. In this way, Misconception deftly avoids one of the most common weaknesses of issue-oriented documentaries: presenting us with a problem and simply leaving the viewer with little to do about it other than visiting a website or donating to a charity of some sort. Misconception is built around the theories of its expert and adopted guru, global heath professor and statistician Hans Rosling, a popular speaker at the TED talks. The film begins with a rather sobering statistic: by the year 2050, the world population, which now currently exceeds 7 billion, will rise to about 9 billion. Rosling essentially argues that everything we thought we knew about the world population crisis is wrong, based on his analysis of the actual data concerning this issue. He has come up with some surprising findings: the number of children born per year worldwide has stopped growing since 1990; 80% of the world's population lives in societies where the average is two children per couple. In other words, overpopulation is not a problem in the vast majority of countries in the world. The other 20 percent of the world well above the two-child average, which mostly constitutes the poorest societies, can be vastly helped by providing them with greater access to basic healthcare, education, and family planning services such as contraception. The film gives these abstract statistics a human face by focusing on three people in different areas of the world, each of which illuminate an important facet of this issue. The first, and strongest, section takes place in a logical place to start in a film about world population: China, the world's most populous country, currently at about 1.35 billion people. With a major assist from documentary filmmaker Lixin Fan (Last Train Home), who served as a cinematographer, this engaging and revealing section introduces us to Bao Jianxin, a young man in Beijing approaching 30 who is desperately searching for a wife. The countdown clock is ticking, and in addition to his own desires, he is under great pressure from his parents living in the countryside, who have reserved a "marriage apartment" for when he finds a bride. This story shows the effects of the government's one-child policy, which was a resounding success in terms of population control, but has caused a host of social problems. For example, government policy combined with the preference for boys over girls has resulted in a large gender gap of 118 boys born for every 100 girls, resulting in some 30 million men who will potentially be without a mate. We follow Bao's efforts to find a wife, as he goes on speed-dating parties and consults with an expert on picking up women. However, Bao's quest is stymied by his unrealistically high standards and his cluelessness when it comes to dealing with women. For example, he seems not to understand that telling a woman to her face that she's overweight - as he does to an ex-girlfriend his parents try to reconnect him with - is perhaps not the best way to make yourself an attractive prospective marriage partner. Another obstacle in Bao's quest is the changing nature of Chinese society in terms of growing economic and career opportunities for women, which leads many of them to forgo marriage and having kids. This buttresses Rosling's contention that women who are presented with more life choices naturally choose to have smaller families. While this is great news in terms of the curbing of overpopulation, where this leaves men like Bao, who are in danger of being "leftover men" perennially without a mate, remains to be seen. The second story follows Denise Mountenay, a Canadian conservative activist, as she travels to New York to attend the U.N.'s Commission on Population and Development to lobby against expanding access to reproductive services globally, since she believes this is a way to push contraception and abortion on women. Her strong convictions arise from her regrets over aborting a child at the age of 16, and her subsequent born-again conversion. The film tries mightily hard to take Mountenay's views seriously, but her awkward attempts to relate to every nonwhite person she comes across, as well as her penchant for passing out gift bags with chocolate and plastic fetuses, make this a daunting task. The third story takes us to Kampala, Uganda, where journalist Gladys Kalibbala makes it her mission to find the parents of the many lost children out in the streets who have lost their parents through civil war, abandonment, or accidental circumstances. Uganda is a relatively small country with a population of 35 million and the 3rd highest birth rate in the world. This section of the film brings home the consequences of women's lack of access to reproductive and maternal care, education, and basic health services. Kalibbala's story has the conventional inspirational bent of many issue-oriented documentaries, but this makes it no less compelling or moving. Misconception is ultimately a very entertaining and well-made documentary, though not without its weaknesses, such as having the lopsided quality of beginning with its most engaging and witty section, which makes the rest of the film seem less impressive by comparison. Also, the lack of other experts besides Rosling runs the risk of making his perspective the be-all and end-all of the debate on the causes and solutions for overpopulation. This dearth of dissenting voices threatens to oversimplify what is a vast and complex issue. We are left, however, with the undeniably powerful idea that overpopulation can be greatly ameliorated by grabbing, to use Rosling's term, the "low-hanging fruit" solutions of improving access for the world's poorest people, especially women, to reliable facilities where their most basic needs - food, health, shelter, education - can be met. The resources and technology are abundantly available; all that's missing is the political will to make this a priority. Review originally published during the Tribeca Film Festival in April 2014. The film opens in select theaters in the U.S. on Friday, June 24. 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). "Making Hard Time Harder: Programmatic Accommodations for Inmates with Disabilities Under the Americans with Disabilities Act" | Main | "Religious Objections to the Death Penalty after Hobby Lobby" June 22, 2016 Anyone interested in making bold predictions on the last four criminal cases still to be decided by SCOTUS this Term? Amy Howe at SCOTUSblog has this helpful new post reviewing the final eight cases still to be resolved by the eight Justices before they take their summer vacations. Some of these opinions will be handed down tomorrow and the others are likely to be released early next week. Notably, four of the remaining eight are criminal cases (and I am leaving out of this accounting the big immigration case). Here are Amy's review of the four criminal cases left: Voisine v. United States (argued February 29, 2016). Stephen Voisine and William Armstrong, the other petitioner in this case, both pleaded guilty in state court to misdemeanor assaults on their respective domestic partners. Several years later, each man was charged with violating a federal law that prohibits the possession of firearms and ammunition by individuals who have previously been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. Voisine and Armstrong contend their state convictions (which the First Circuit affirmed) do not automatically qualify as misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence because the state-law provisions can be violated by conduct that is merely reckless, rather than intentional. Birchfield v. North Dakota (argued April 20, 2016). Twelve states and the National Park Service impose criminal penalties on suspected drunk drivers who refuse to submit to testing to measure their blood-alcohol levels. The question before the Court is whether those penalties violate the Fourth Amendment, which only allows police to search someone if they have a warrant or one of a handful of exceptions to the warrant requirement applies. Three drivers from North Dakota and Minnesota argue that neither of those conditions is met, and so the laws must fall. The North Dakota and Minnesota Supreme Courts ruled in favor of the states, and now the Justices will weigh in. Mathis v. United States (argued April 26, 2016). After having been convicted of several burglaries in Iowa, Richard Mathis was later prosecuted by the federal government for being a felon in possession of a firearm and received a mandatory minimum sentence under the Armed Career Criminal Act based on his burglary convictions. The Eighth Circuit affirmed his conviction. The question before the Court is how to determine whether state convictions like Mathiss qualify for federal mandatory minimum sentences and for removal under immigration law. McDonnell v. United States (argued April 27, 2016). Former Virginia governor Bob McDonnell is challenging his convictions for violating federal laws that make it a felony to agree to take official action in exchange for money, campaign contributions, or anything else of value. The Fourth Circuit affirmed, and so the Justices agreed to weigh in. He argues that merely referring someone to an independent decision maker in his case, in an effort to help promote a Virginia businessmans nutritional supplement doesnt constitute the kind of official action that the statute bars. I think it is possible that any of these cases could turn into a blockbuster, and Birchfield and McDonnell arguably require the Justices to do some "big" jurisprudential work to resolve the issues before them. Narrow/technical rulings seem more likely in Voisine and Mathis, though the former may get some extra attention in light of the on-going political discussions and sparring over gun control following the Orlando shootings and the latter seems sure to add yet another chapter to the lengthy and complicated ACCA jurisprudence. As we await these final rulings (and especially because all are sure to be eclipsed in the mainstream media by the abortion, affirmative action and immigration cases also on tap), I would be eager to hear from readers about what they are expecting or even hoping for as the SCOTUS Term winds down. June 22, 2016 at 05:51 PM | Permalink Comments I will be amazed if North Dakota wins inBirchfield. The civil penalty of automatic revocation for failure to cooperate will remain fine but not criminal prosecution. Posted by: Soronel Haetir | Jun 22, 2016 7:09:36 PM I'm a defense lawyer with a long memory (experience) and I think Voisine and Mathis could be very instructive for lawyers who have or who are filing 2255 petitions in the next few days based upon Johnson v. US. Johnson found the "residual clause" of the ACCA was void for vagueness. Voisine and Mathis will hopefully be very illuminating as to how SCOTUS deals with the potentially abrogated "modified categorical" approach and the scope of the elements clause of 922(g), ACCA, and 924(c) et al. Posted by: ? | Jun 22, 2016 11:09:48 PM Post a comment "Society would benefit from rewarding attorneys for identifying the wrongly and unnecessarily imprisoned" | Main | Ninth Circuit discusses timing and tolling for successor 2255 petitions making Johnson claims Corey Brettschneider has this lengthy new commentary at Politico with this lengthy full headline: "Why Prisoners Deserve the Right to Vote: Giving inmates the vote isnt just constitutionally the right thing to do, it could also help the country solve one of its most intractable problems." I recommend the full piece, and here are excerpts from its closing sentiments: Perhaps the most important reason to allow prisoner voting is that prisons, not just prisoners, would benefit. Prisoners need the vote to serve as the natural defenders of their own interests. But in defending their own interests, prisoners could substantially improve the prison system itself. We can start with the issue of prisoner abuse. We already know that prisoners are subject to abusive and inhumane conditions. In a 2011 ruling that held overcrowded California prisons in violation of the Eighth Amendment, Justice Anthony Kennedy wrote that in California alone, an inmate needlessly dies every six or seven days. Plenty of other prison practices, such as solitary confinement, are just now receiving public scrutiny, and there are likely more troubling conditions we dont know about. Under the current system, ending abusive practices requires years of expensive litigation as prisoners sue over maltreatment and prisons adjust to the rulings. We could improve prisons much more quickly and cheaply by creating a political constituency of prison voters. How would that work? Obamas historical 2015 visit to a federal prison was noteworthy because politicians rarely listen to those incarcerated. A prison and jail constituency, numbering roughly 2 million across 50 states, would make it routine for politicians to hold town halls and seek ways to improve prison and jail conditions from those who are subjected to them. This is not coddling prisoners. More and more politicians are looking to reform our criminal justice system, and this would be a common sense way to help them identify needed changes. Of course, granting the right to vote is not enough to create a robust prison constituency. Prisoners will also need to be granted the right to speak freely and receive information, both of which are rights that are often limited for prisoners currently. Superstar litigator and former Solicitor General Paul Clement has already filed a lawsuit defending the right of prisoners to gain access to news about public life. Indeed, government can be held accountable only when citizens have information about the actions of their representatives. Many will resist the idea of a prison constituency. The point of prisons, they say, is to inflict punishment, not to allow organizing. But this is shortsighted. Prison is itself already severe punishment. The deprivation of liberty and the loss of control over everyday interaction, including the ability to see ones loved ones on a daily basis, are all severe constraints imposed by incarceration. One can be punished without being subjected to civic exile. Some will argue that it is enough to allow prisoners to regain their right to vote after release. But we cannot expect prisoners to be deprived of all rights and then emerge from prison ready to use them well. The new consensus around post-release enfranchisement demands a smarter way to think about prisoners political rights behind bars. A prison constituency with rights to vote and related rights of free speech can engage in civic activism that will continue after release. Although voters in Massachusetts saw prisoner political participation as a kind of insurrection, it is nothing like the violent insurrections that marked prisons of the 1970s. As Joe Labriola, chairman of a Massachusetts civic prison organization called the Norfolk Lifers Group, put it, In the 70s, we thought we could make change with violence. Our whole point now is to make prisoners understand that we can make changes by using the vote. We have the ability to move prisons in a new direction. Research by Avidit Acharya, Matthew Blackwell and Maya Sen suggests another reason to care about voting in prison: They show that even temporary gaps in voting will have a long-term impact on participation. If we really care about felons post-release political participation, it is important that they be able to participate while they are in prison.... The creation of a prison constituency is not yet on the national agenda. But the increasing end to post-felony disenfranchisement makes this a good time to think about deeper changes to the way we treat the incarcerated. In the meantime, alternative measures could move things in the right direction: We should affirm nationally and, if need be, litigate for the right of prisoners to form PACs on the model of the Massachusetts group. Although legitimate concerns exist about the impact of PAC money on politics, these committees do provide a way to further a groups policy interests. We can no longer grant that right to non-incarcerated citizens as a matter of free speech and deny it to prisoners, who are, according to the Supreme Court, citizens no less. The backlash from Massachusetts citizens was from an era in which mass incarceration was lauded and prison organizing was anathema in national politics. But today, citizens from both political parties are mobilizing against the harsh prison policies of the 1990s. Giving prisoners the right to free political speech is a sensible corrective to our misguided practice of mass incarceration. In the end, restoring these basic rights is not only the right thing to do constitutionally; it could also present positive solutions to a major national political problem. The prison system would be more effective if it were accountable to its constituents. Prisoners have often committed heinous crimes. But they remain a part of our democratic polity, and we can learn from what they have to say. The drama continues across the Bay as anti-police-violence activists raise a call for the ousters of Mayor Libby Schaaf, saying that the cycle of three fired police chiefs in the last two weeks suggests she should not be in charge of running Oakland any longer. The East Bay Times quotes Cat Brooks, co-founder of the Anti Police-Terror Project, saying, "Our local government has demonstrated that they are incapable of controlling or holding accountable this rogue police department." Brooks was joined in her statements at the Oakland City Council meeting Tuesday night by representatives from the Oakland Alliance, Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, Asians 4 Black Lives, Causa Justa/Just Cause, Black Lives Matter Bay Area, Black Power Network, Oakland Rising Action and The Way Christian Center. Schaaf issued a statement in response on Tuesday saying she also wanted to hold officers accountable for misconduct, and adding, "Even today, we know that there are disparate impacts of law enforcement practices on communities of color, which is why I am dedicated to reform of our police department." ABC 7 has footage from the anger-filled city council meeting that you can see above, but of course a recall would be a much more complicated process than just a public outcry at the council. Schaaf has only held office for six months, and the problems with the Oakland Police Department go back decades, with one particular scandal, known as the Riders Case, landing the department a federal overseer over the past 13 years. Currently, two OPD officers have resigned amidst a scandal involving a sex worker who was underage when several officers began having intercourse with her in exchange for tips about prostitution stings, and three others have been placed on leave. Two additional officers have been placed on leave for misconduct allegations involving racist texts and the mishandling of evidence in a homicide investigation, which we learned of last weekend. Meanwhile, KRON 4 digs up some older dirt on new Acting Assistant Chief David Downing, whom other officers have reported was racially insensitive in what he suggested as a use of force against protesters in the city in the past. They claim he advocated the use of water cannons on protesters during an OPD meeting, and was seemingly "oblivious to the racial overtones" of that. Downing has issued a statement in response, saying, "I did not intend to suggest that such a method would ever be appropriate in Oakland, or any other community, as a legitimate crowd control method." And Schaaf has quickly issued a statement saying: In mid-2013, then-Deputy Chief Downing participated in a discussion regarding OPDs crowd management policies and practices. The discussion specifically focused on identifying different force options available to OPD for crowd management during protests. Several participants expressed concern about the use of CS gas (or pepper spray), which is a less-lethal law enforcement tool. Deputy Chief Downing shared his concern that if a tool such as CS was taken away, the Department could be left with methods that no modern-day police force would consider and rhetorically referenced use of such antiquated options such as water hoses. During a break, one of the meeting attendees pointed out that the reference to water hoses could be perceived as racially insensitive due to their use during civil rights protests; he acknowledged this and did not use this term again. The scandals have, meanwhile, caused the city council to put the police academy on hold and suspend efforts to hire new officers "until they have a better process to weed out unsavory candidates," as CBS 5 reports. All previous coverage of the Oakland Police drama here. You've likely seen prong collars (like the one pictured above) on dogs in San Francisco perhaps you've even used one yourself! (On a dog, jeez, what you do in private is your business.) But now SF's SPCA is taking a stand of the controversial devices, by refusing to allow animals wearing them to set foot on their campuses. As described by the US Humane Society, in a prong collar, "the loop that fits around your dog's neck is made of a series of fang-shaped metal links, or prongs, with blunted points. When the control loop is pulled, the prongs pinch the loose skin of your dog's neck." According to the Humane Society, "These collars rely on physical discomfort or even pain to teach the dog what not to do. They suppress the unwanted behavior, but they don't teach him what the proper behavior is. At best, they are unpleasant for your dog, and at worst, they may cause your dog to act aggressively and even bite you." However, a quick cyberspace search will show you plenty of presumable dog lovers who are all about prong collars, like this trainer who says "There are very few dogs that I would not train with a prong collar" and this dog rescuer who says that "of all the tools used in dog training, perhaps none is more widely misunderstood and maligned than the prong collar." Like I said, it's controversial. And now San Francisco's SPCA (which is an independent, community-supported, non-profit animal welfare organization, not to be confused with the city-run Animal Care and Control) has come down on the "against" side of the controversy, and has banned the collars from both of their locations in the city. It's all part of "a new education campaign about the harm caused by prong collars," SF SPCA spokesperson Krista Maloney says via email. "Prong collars cause injuries and behavioral problems," the SPCA says in their announcement of the ban, arguing that "prong collars are designed to inflict pain and discomfort and can cause serious physical, behavioral, and emotional damage." Not only, says the SF SPCA, can prong collars lead to injuries "from skin irritation and punctures to spinal cord problems," but they "often lead to long-term behavioral problems," as "if pain is experienced during everyday activities, like walks and vet visits, dogs can begin to associate an owner's presence, and other harmless stimuli encountered while wearing the prong, with fear and discomfort." And yet, Dr. Jennifer Scarlett, SF SPCA co-president says, they are still commonly used, as "there's a huge need for community education." Part of that education will be ending their use on SF SPCA land, as their campuses in both the Mission and Pacific Heights "will become prong-collar-free environments in the coming months." Visitors who arrive with dogs in prong collars will be required to remove the devices while on campus and "instead use flat collars, which will be provided free of charge," the SPCA says. In addition to the issues Scarlett says the collars cause dogs, they are "a safety concern for our medical staff. Veterinarians and technicians can easily harm themselves while trying to examine a dog who's wearing a prong collar," she says. It will be interesting to see how this plays out, as even Scarlett admits that use of prong collars is widespread, and "We continue to regularly see prong collars on dogs throughout San Francisco." And many dog guardians that use the collars are passionate proponents, like this one who says that "The very people that speak poorly of prongs are the people that have never actually used them. Isnt that amazing that theyre so unwilling to leave their comfort zone theyd rather sentence the dog to death by labeling it 'aggressive' than try something that actually works?" For their part, the SF SPCA appears stalwart in their opposition to the devices. "Despite what some trainers or pet store employees might say, prong collars are not safe or humane," they write on their website. "Theres no good reason to use them when many humane, effective alternative walking equipment options exist...These collars do nothing to train your dog what behaviors to perform, they only tell him what not to do, using pain and fear." We learned last winter that the first Dunkin' Donuts to debut in the Bay Area would be out in Walnut Creek, and now that has come to pass. East Coast transplants who want a taste of that signature bland coffee or one of their mediocre doughnuts can rejoice and jet out on Highway 24 to treat themselves this weekend. Yes, yes, I know. Many people love Dunkies. I grew up on the East Coast, in fact, and had the occasional Boston Kreme though I don't recommend the jelly. And given how the chain really is everywhere, especially in New England, it was a gathering spot for all kinds of people, from working schmos who saw each other every day grabbing their six a.m. coffee, to teenagers who congregated there after school and smoked cigarettes on the curb. And people say this is this "best cheap coffee in the country," which among fast food chains is probably true, with a small cup ringing in around $1.19. Dunkin' Donuts did exist in California in earlier decades, and had a Bay Area location or two as of the early 1990s, but the company only had about a dozen locations in the state and decided to fully exit the market by the late '90s, as the LA Times explained. Now, though, they're back with much bigger plans for about 200 locations in the state in the next few years. The Walnut Creek location at 1250 Newell Avenue had its grand opening this morning at 5 a.m., and locals flocked for fresh doughnuts and the aforementioned coffee, as well as photos opportunities with Cuppy, the mascot I never knew existed for the brand. And as KRON 4 notes, the location will be open until 9 p.m. every night, and it has free wi-fi. And as ABC 7 reports, as of 8:49 a.m., the place had already sold over five thousand doughnuts. People in SF who are fans but not super-fans can rest assured that we'll have our own Dunkin' Donuts here in the city come fall though the exact location of that one has not been announced and there will be a whopping 24 more Bay Area locations apparently coming within a year. Previously: Bay Area Gets Its First Dunkin' Donuts... In Walnut Creek LOS ANGELES The first time Michael Price saw a bottle of Estrella Jalisco beer, at a liquor store near his Los Angeles-area home, the 26-year-old immediately texted his friends. I told all my buds, look, check it out, they got Estrella, he says. It was a pretty big deal because you could only get it in Jalisco. Price, a bartender at Five Star Bar in downtown Los Angeles, says many of his friends are from Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco state in Mexico, where Estrella Jalisco is made. Until March, the beer could not be found in the United States. Anheuser-Busch InBev is betting on that hometown loyalty. The worlds largest brewer introduced Estrella Jalisco this spring in a bid to grab a piece of the U.S. beer market that it hasnt dominated: Mexican imports. Forced to give up the rights to market Corona and other big-selling Mexican brands here three years ago, as part of its purchase of Grupo Modelo, Belgian-based Anheuser-Busch has had to improvise. For now, instead of trying to mass-market Estrella or another Mexican import, Anheuser-Busch is using it to target people who have roots in the part of Mexico that sends the most people north. There were 34 million people of Mexican origin living in the United States in 2012, according to the Pew Research Center. In 2014, 1 in 4 migrants from Mexico were from Jalisco, Michoacan, or Durango, all western or central western states, according to the nonprofit Migration Policy Institute. For people from the center-west part of Mexico, their parents grew up with that beer. There is such a powerful element of heritage and authenticity, said Jorge Inda Meza, marketing director of the western region for Anheuser-Busch. We know thats really powerful to first-generation Mexicans, and also to second- and third-generation Mexicans who are trying to express their heritage, he said. Industry analysts are skeptical that Anheuser-Busch can carve out a significant market with a niche beer such as Estrella. For one thing, it tried something similar two years ago with limited success. But the latest effort is a sign that Mexican beer, which has been outselling other imports and mainstream domestic brews for the last few years, has become too profitable for even the wealthiest companies in the industry to ignore. In 2015, sales of foreign beers in the U.S. rose 11 percent while beer sales overall remained relatively flat. Modelo increased sales a startling 25 percent last year while Corona and Dos Equis, which is owned by Heineken, also saw sales increase by double digits, according to IRI, a market research firm. Modelo and Corona alone accounted for nearly half the $5.5 billion in import beer sales last year. In the last five years you have had two growth engines: craft and Mexican beer. Mainstream brands have suffered, says Eric Shepard, the executive editor of Beer Marketers Insights, a trade publication that analyzes sales statistics. Anheuser Busch is overrepresented in nongrowth segments. Shepard said 3 percent of Anheuser Buschs sales volume comes from imports and 1 percent comes from craft beers. In the 2013 compromise with the U.S. Justice Department over the Modelo deal, Anheuser-Busch sold the rights to Corona, Modelo and Pacifico beer to Constellation Brands, whose sales have more than doubled and profit has nearly tripled since then. But if Anheuser-Busch is jealous, it claims at least to have no interest in trying to replicate Constellations beer portfolio. The company is using Estrella to home in on a very specific group of Mexican consumers, and says it has no immediate plans to make a play for a broader audience. Estrella debuted in U.S markets with substantial communities of Mexicans from that countrys Pacific coast, including California, Nevada and Texas; in chains that are popular with Mexicans; and in neighborhood Mexican restaurants. Ricardo Flores, head chef at Birrieria Chalio, a colorful haunt in East Los Angeles, says he ordered Estrella in March. At first he could only sell one case, which has 24 bottles, per week. But after about a month, he put out Jalisco-branded flyers that proclaim, this is Mexicanidad, a term that refers to Mexican identity, and sales started to pick up. Now the restaurant goes through two cases a week, which is about half of what it sells of Corona and Modelo. Its catching on, said Maria Luis, whose family owns the restaurant. I think it could sell like Corona. Corona is still the queen, but theyre asking for (Estrella Jalisco) a lot. SIOUX CITY | Several people stood up during Tuesday's county board meeting to voice criticism of a Facebook post made by Woodbury County Supervisors Vice-Chairman Matthew Ung the day of the shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida. The post, which posed a question about Islam and Christianity in relation to the shooting, appeared on his public Facebook page shortly after 2 p.m. June 12. The post said: Just wondering: When the world showers their prayers over the worst mass shooting in U.S. history, are they praying to the Allah the Muslim shooter was hollering about, or are they praying to the Christian God whose preachers down the street told people not to go to that gay bar? Choose this day whom you will serve." During Tuesday's meeting, 10 people came forward during the citizen concerns portion of the meeting to request an apology for the comments or to defend Ung's stance and character. They included representatives of local churches, the local Pride Alliance, as well as Ung's friends and family. The Rev. Paul Johnston, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Sioux City, was among those requesting an apology. There are people in this community that are Muslim in their faith. There are people in this community that are LGBT in their orientation, and you represent all of them, Johnston said. I would also ask for your apology on the basis of the people that have elected you and that you represent. After everyone had spoken, Ung responded by reading a prepared statement. Ung said his post was a rhetorical question that had been posed by others, including American TV host Bill Maher. Ung said he had been called derogatory names by people for the post. There is no moral equivalence between a Christian pastor preaching about marriage and an Islamic terrorist going on a shooting spree, Ung said. We can talk about diversity. I agree. Embrace diversity of ideas. The hate isnt coming from me. Its coming from you and your friends. But I will not be bullied into submission. After Ung's response, Supervisor Larry Clausen clarified that Ung was speaking for himself, not the board. Ung declined to make any additional comments after the meeting. AKRON, Iowa | An childcare facility in Akron, Iowa, was closed Wednesday due to an overnight furnace fire that damaged the structure. Akron Fire Chief Shane Coyle said the Akron Fire Department responded to a fire call at Akron Children's Center, 270 North Fourth St., shortly before 8 p.m. Tuesday. Upon arrival, firefighters found the center's furnace unit completely engulfed in flames. Coyle said firefighters cut a ventilation shaft into the roof, and flames burned up through the ceiling into the attic. Smoke traveled throughout the building, he said. No one was injured. Akron Children's Center Director Debbie Kroksh said she is working with a state licensing consultant to find an approved alternate location while repairs are made to the damaged facility. "Luckily we don't have a lot of fire damage, but we will be having some work to do before we can open back up," Kroksh said. ORANGE CITY, Iowa | Authorities are searching for a man who allegedly attempted to abduct a 10-year-old girl at a park in Orange City on Wednesday. The attempted abduction occurred around 2 p.m. in Kinderspeelland Park, according to the Sioux County Sheriff's office. The man was reported to be white, 55 to 65 years old, and wearing a brown shirt, brown John Deere hat, brown shorts, blue shoes and had a white beard. The man told the girl his name was Bill Benson, and stated that her mother sent him to pick her up, according to an alert issued by the sheriff's office. The girl ran away after the man did not know the family password. The alert said the man did not attempt to grab the girl. He was last seen walking south from the park. There was no vehicle description. Anyone with more information is asked to call 911. SIOUX CITY | Clear skies look to continue around Siouxland for the rest of the work week. According to the National Weather Service in Sioux Falls, today will be sunny with a high of 90 degrees. North-northwest winds in the afternoon could gust as high as 25 mph. Tonight will be mostly clear with a low of 61. Thursday will be sunny and slightly cooler, with a high of 85. Thursday night will be clear with a low of 65. Sunshine will continue Friday, with a high of 91. Friday night will have a low of 73. Saturday will bring the next opportunity for rainfall, with a 30 percent chance of rain during the day. Saturday will be partly sunny with a high near 90. Rain chances increase to 40 percent Saturday night. Skies will again clear on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, with highs in the mid-80s. IDA GROVE, Iowa | Two Northwest Iowa school districts are one step closer to officially becoming one, unified system. The Northwest Area Education Agency and the Prairie Lakes Area Education Agency on Monday approved petitions asking for a reorganization of the Battle Creek-Ida Grove and Odebolt-Arthur school districts. The two have been whole-grade sharing in grades six through 12 since 2009. Under the agreement, students attend middle school in Odebolt and high school in Ida Grove. Both towns have an elementary school for kindergarten through fifth grade. However, the schools are still technically two separate entities. With the approval of the petitions Monday, residents in both school district boundaries will vote on Sept. 13 to reorganize the school systems into one district, governed by a single board of directors. Superintendent Terry Kenealy said, if approved by voters, the grade level configuration would remain the same, as would staffing for the most part. What a reorganization would do is finalize that (whole grade sharing agreement) and show that we are committed to being partners now for a long, long time in the future, he said. He said the reorganization would help with efficiency within the administration. Wed have one set of books, one master contract, the same board policies and the things we purchase that all would be one now, he said. From the outside, no one will see anything different. Kenealy said the board finalized the petitions in March, which were then passed around the communities. In order to receive AEA approval, both petitions had to have signatures equaling 20 percent of voters in the previous election. Tim Grieves, chief administrator at the Northwest AEA, said both districts met the requirements in order to receive AEA approval of the petitions. He added that no objections were received at the hearing. With the petitions approved and the vote set for Sept. 13, Kenealy said efforts are being made to inform voters of the plans before poll time, including community meetings and information on the districts website. The vote must be approved by a simple majority in order to pass. If it does, the reorganization will be effective July 1, 2017. Katja Bails, 36, was sentenced Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Sioux City. She pleaded guilty in July to one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Bails admitted that from about 2012 through November 2014 she was involved in a conspiracy that sold more than 5,000 grams of meth. She traveled periodically from the Denison, Iowa, area to Omaha to obtain large quantities of meth, which she sold in the Denison and Ida Grove, Iowa, areas. SIOUX CITY | A Sioux City man has pleaded guilty to his role in a January home invasion. Deloyd Fields, 38, entered his plea Tuesday in Woodbury County District Court to second-degree burglary, which was reduced from first-degree burglary as part of a plea agreement. Sentencing was set for Aug. 5. His plea agreement calls for a suspended 10-year prison sentence and two years of probation. Charges of first-degree robbery, second-degree theft and unlawful possession of a prescription drug will be dismissed. According to court documents, Fields and Tykell Robinson forced their way into a home in the 4300 block of Springfield Street on Jan. 25, threatened the occupants and took an AR-15 rifle, ammunition and electronics. Robinson, 19, of Sioux City, has pleaded not guilty and awaits trial. A third man, Keegan Ingram, was initially charged, but his case has been dismissed. 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. 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 Assad's 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 Syria's 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? Moscow's alliance with Damascus goes back decades. Syria provides Russia with a naval base in the Mediterranean. Vladimir Putin's 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" Pershing's 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 alliance's 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 Steinmeier's 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 Putin's actions in Ukraine to Hitler's actions in Germany in the early 1930s. Looking for a four-year faceoff with a nuclear-armed Russia? Hillary's the one! State government in Iowa deserves praise for creation of a new address confidentiality program designed to protect survivors of violence. Safe at Home is aimed at victims of violent crimes, including domestic violence, sexual assault, trafficking and stalking. The program allows Iowans to protect themselves from further violence by preventing their home address from appearing on public records. Participants in the program, which is administered by the Secretary of State's Office, use a post office box in Des Moines as their legal address; their mail is forwarded to their confidential home address by the state. "City, county and state offices, such as city clerks, county clerks, county treasurers, schools, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Human Services and other similar offices are required to accept the substitute address when presented with certification from a program participant," according to the program website. "Private organizations requiring a mailing address must also accept the substitute address as the participants legal address." Participants do not pay for the program. Safe at Home is funded through a $100 surcharge imposed on all persons convicted of domestic abuse and a $50 surcharge on violations of protective orders, according to the Secretary of State's Office. The program, approved unanimously by the Legislature in 2015, launched on Jan. 1. State Rep. Dean Fisher, R-Garwin, was the bill's chief sponsor in the House. He said the bill was inspired by the story of a domestic abuse victim who moved from Iowa to another state in which an address confidentiality program was in place. "It bothered me greatly that (she) did not feel safe at home here in Iowa and felt the need to move to another state to achieve that safety," Fisher told Radio Iowa last year. With passage, Iowa joins 33 other states in providing an address confidentiality program for victims of violence. We commend the state for arming victims of violence with this valuable tool of protection. As the program website states: Every Iowan deserves to be safe at home. For more information, visit www.SafeatHome.iowa.gov. SIOUX CITY | With more of their questions now answered, the Woodbury County Board of Supervisors plans to take action next week on whether it will contribute funding to a proposed $6.7 million Ag Expo & Learning Center. Chairman Jeremy Taylor said Tuesday the board will likely decide at its next meeting whether to enter into an agreement to work with other local organizations involved in the project, as well as decide how much money it plans to offer. County assistance could be the linchpin in securing a requested $13.9 million in future sales and hotel taxes from the Iowa Economic Development Authority. Those funds would support three proposed construction projects in Sioux City, including the Ag Center. Taylor said the board has been optimistic about the synergy surrounding the project but wants to make sure the project is viable and does not pose a burden on taxpayers. The county has been in discussion with the city of Sioux City and the Ag Expo's board of directors with several questions about the project's specifics. We asked some of the due diligence questions that we thought were very, very important in order to make sure that the county was being responsible regarding taxpayer dollars, Taylor said. Leading up to Tuesday's meeting, the county had requested an outline of funding sources, as well as an agreement of funding participation by Western Iowa Tech Community College. The county also wanted to be sure it would not be involved in the day-to-day operations of the center or responsible if the center experienced financial losses in future years. Ag Expo planners presented their answers Tuesday. They shared that the day-to-day operations would be managed by a knowledgeable private sector management company" rather than the county. Planners also provided a letter from WITCC committing to $250,000 in funding, as well as a breakdown of the current funding sources. The Sioux City Council in November had pledged $2 million and 12 acres of land near the site of the former John Morrell plant. The city's funding hinges on pledges of $2 million from Woodbury County and $1 million from the nonprofit Missouri River Historical Development, which was awarded last week. A remaining question that may or may not be addressed next week, Taylor said, will be where the county's funding will come from. Previous suggestions have included gaming revenue and tax-increment financing. Information needed to make this decision would be whether money is needed up front or over a period of time. I hope you guys come back with a clear vision of what you need because we have decisions here on how we will make which I hope we will a contribution. I want to see this project come to fruition, said Supervisor Jaclyn Smith during the meeting. I will look to your group to come back and say, Its not going to work as well if its over a few years.' ... Please be clear about whats going to make this expo center work. Council members also expressed a desire to move toward a decision soon after hearing the city of Coralville had received approval for $12 million in funding from the Iowa Economic Development Authoritys Reinvestment District program last week. Those who believe that Americans are far-removed from the threat of Zika are in for a wake-up call. Puerto Rican blood banks have seen a steady rise in the number of Zika-infected blood units collected a clear sign of how quickly the disease is spreading in the area, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Tom Frieden told reporters Friday. If current trends continue, thousands of pregnant women will get infected with Zika, said Frieden. And there could be between dozens and hundreds of children with microcephaly born [there] in the next year. Currently, Puerto Rican women give birth to about 32,000 babies a year, according to STAT. The blood bank data reveals that 1.1 percent of donated blood was infected, meaning that approximately 2 percent of Puerto Rican adults are contracting the virus monthly and mosquito season hasnt even reached its summer peak yet. Frieden estimated that this translates to an annual infection rate of about 25 percent for Puerto Ricos 3.5 million residents. This news from Puerto Rico is a sure sign that Zika is slowly-but-surely prowling towards more of the United States. CDC officials said on Thursday that the number of pregnant women infected with Zika in the continental U.S. has risen to 234. Of those who have given birth, they cited six cases with abnormalities three of which died before birth but still showed evidence of defects. If the Zika virus does penetrate more of the country, HealthGrove found the 10 cities that would likely be most afflicted. Using data from a recent study in the Public Library of Science, HeathGrove considered five factors that would warrant a high risk for a Zika epidemic: - Counties with recent local Dengue and/or Chikungunya transmission - Potential abundance of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes (known to carry the virus) in January and July, classified as None, Low, Moderate, or High - Estimated monthly average arrivals to the U.S. from countries on the CDC Zika travel advisory - Population HealthGrove then weighed all of these factors (in the order listed above) to calculate an overall "risk level" of a Zika epidemic in each city, scored out of 10. The city with the highest risk level had the score closest to 10. When studying the results, HealthGrove found that the biggest risk areas in the United States are in the South and Southeast particularly Florida and its surrounding states. These warm, humid climates are ideal for mosquitoes to thrive. They also receive many visitors from South and Central America (where many countries plagued with Zika are found) due to their relative proximity. The risk levels were rounded to the nearest hundredth place, though their ranking reflects each city's unrounded score. In the case of a true tie, the tie goes to the city with a higher population. Even the term "Daesh" fights Daesh, as a pejorative acronym for the so-called Islamic State, as well as a reminder that the fight is not just on a military level. It is clear that Daesh is a threat that will not go away soon. Now, in addition to its forces in Syria and Iraq, forces in Libya, Egypt, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Afghanistan have pledged themselves to Daesh. And beyond the armed groups is the threat of radicalized individuals, such as Omar Mateen whose recent rampage in Orlando killed some 49 people. Military efforts have forced Daesh to surrender large swaths of territory in Iraq and Syria, greatly reduced the influx of new fighters traveling to Syria and encouraged desertions by those already there. Nevertheless, the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency stresses that Daesh remains a significant threat as it expands an interconnected global network tied to a sophisticated internet system. This appeals particularly to marginalized Muslims with a core theme that the West is fighting to suppress Islam. So military efforts against Daesh have two effects: they reduce the territory it holds but validate its larger picture of a West hostile to Islam. Indeed, Omar Mateen specifically said that his rampage was motivated by the bombing in Syria and Iraq. So from a Daesh point of view, the bombing is a double-edged sword that also cuts against the West. But the bombing has directly supported the fall of Fallujah to Iraqi troops and this has two significant positive consequences. The first is the obvious reduction in Daesh territorial control with its attendant loss of credibility and reduced appeal to foreign fighters. But the other consequence is an opportunity for the West to fundamentally undermine the Daesh picture of a hostile West. The fighting has resulted in widespread destruction within Fallujah and has created tens of thousands of desperate refugees. This is a monumental opportunity for the West to demonstrate a striking and inspiring program of support for everyday Muslims. A concerted effort to re-build Fallujah and bring its refugees back into a renewed and vibrant city could do more to undermine the global Daesh appeal than any military actions. It would also demonstrate Iraqi government support of its Sunni population and help to reduce the inter-denominational frictions that are badly the weakening the country. And it would help reduce the flow of Iraqi refugees toward Europe and provide a model of development so badly needed in this troubled area of the Middle East. Daesh indeed needs to be confronted on a military level. But more fundamentally it needs to be confronted on a social level and the conquest of Fallujah provides an enticing opportunity to do exactly that. Some businesses can succeed regardless of their location. Others are only created with a specific location in mind. Such is the case for Black Dinah Chocolatiers. The founders fell in love with Isle au Haut in Maine. And they built a chocolate business to support their life on the island. Read about their journey and the business in this weeks Small Business Spotlight. What the Business Does Creates unique chocolate confections and truffles. The company is mostly known for its chocolate truffles. But it also sells a variety of other chocolate goods. And none of the companys products can be found anywhere else. CEO Steve Shaffer told Small Business Trends, Confections that we created and are unique to Black Dinah Chocolatiers. Business Niche Making chocolate into an experience. Chocolate Presentation is Key. Shaffer explains, It begins with the crafting of a well-balanced confection that brings all the intended flavors into play. By using only fresh ingredients, these flavors are slowly revealed to the palate. The chocolates are carefully and beautifully packaged so that the recipient is enticed and intrigued. Under the ribbon that seals the box is a scroll that tells you about who we are and what we do. So, when the recipient receives the box, they are automatically slowed down. They remove the scroll and are seduced by the story. They slide the ribbon off and lift the lid to be presented with a foil wrapped shell and an insert that lets them know what awaits. And when the candy pad is lifted, beautifully hand crafted chocolates sparkle back at them. The customer feels transported and in that moment, feels cared for and appreciated. Oh, and then the first bite. How the Business Got Started Because of a desire to live and work on Isle au Haut. Shaffers wife Kate originally worked as a seasonal chef at a bed and breakfast on Isle au Haut. And the couple discussed moving there for years before actually taking the plunge. Thats where she started experimenting with chocolate and making chocolate truffles. The couple eventually converted the addition on their house into a cafe and used it to open Black Dinah Chocolatiers. Biggest Win Getting featured in Martha Stewart Magazine. Shaffer says, One typical day, when I was gazing out the window, looking at the dirt road that led to our home, and wondering if anybody knew we existed, we got a call from Martha Stewart Magazine. They wanted to know if we would like to be featured in their magazine and if so, would we be able to handle the expected deluge of orders. Kate and I looked at each other and said absolutely. We knew that this would be the chance to move the business out of the house and into a barn that was on the property. Biggest Risk Expanding off the island. Shaffer says, Five years later, we found ourselves again in need of expanding, and this time we had to take production off island. This expansion would be riskier and more costly. It was necessary to be located in a more populated area, which meant a move four hours south. Again the expansion involved a place to live, a space to lease and new equipment. How Theyd Spend an Extra $100,000 Marketing. Shaffer explains, We are in need of increased sales. I would spend the money on creating a marketing strategy and then implementing it. Team Tradition Making jokes. Shaffer says, During the busiest times of the year, everyone does Yo Mama Jokes to keep the atmosphere light. * * * * * Find out more about the Small Biz Spotlight program See Also: Infusionsoft Propel Supplies Mobile Marketing Experience 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 Shady Side resident David Williams with his ceremonial $50,000 lottery prize check. BALTIMORE (June 22, 2016)Shady Side resident David Williams has delivered everything from ice cream to mail over the years. This week, while picking up carryout food at a local restaurant, the retired postal carrier added a $5 Hot Hand scratch-off to his purchase and delivered his own $50,000 top-prize win!The 80-year-old began his career as an ice cream man, meeting his wife Alice along his delivery route nearly 60 years ago. He carried mail in southern Anne Arundel County for 35 years prior to retirement and passed the route on to other members of the Williams family.Alice was delivering mail along the route when she phoned David to ask him to pick up a bowl of her favorite cream of crab soup from Shady Side Market in Shady Side. Not long after, David called back to say that he got her soup and a $50,000 Lottery prize. The Anne Arundel County man had purchased two Hot Hand scratch-offs while picking up the soup."I thought it was a joke," Alice explained to Lottery officials. She initially didn't believe him so David positioned the lucky ticket on the fireplace mantle so she'd see it when she came home.David and Alice plan to pay bills with their winnings and save the remainder. As for Shady Side Market, the store located at 1481 Snug Harbor will share in their success and receive a $500 bonus from the Lottery for selling the top-prize scratch-off in the Hot Hand game. Brady Alan Hart, 36, of Virginia, was charged as a fugitive from justice, and Charles Innis Garber, 37, of Virginia, was charged with manufacturing methamphetamine. LA PLATA, Md. Police provided this photo of some of the crude drug production materials. (June 22, 2016)Police executed a search and seizure warrant last Friday at a house in the La Plata area after an extensive investigation regarding drug activity. An active methamphetamine lab was located in a trailer near the back of the house.Police say quantities of cocaine with a street value of $10,000, marijuana, methamphetamine, narcotic prescription medication, ammunition, two long guns and numerous items to indicate distribution of controlled substances were recovered.Two people were arrested on scene: Brady Alan Hart, 36, of Virginia, was charged as a fugitive from justice, and Charles Innis Garber, 37, of Virginia, was charged with manufacturing methamphetamine.The raid was executed by members of the Charles County Sheriff's Office Narcotics Enforcement Section, assisted by Emergency Services Teams from both the Charles County and St. Mary's County Sheriff's Offices, along with COPS officers and Animal Control officers.The Bel Alton VFD and HAZMAT responded and assisted with dismantling the lab. The OneOrlando Fund, established by Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer in response to the Pulse shooting, has now raised more than $9 million. Last week The Walt Disney Company made headlines with a $1 million donation to the fund. Other major donors include Darden Restaurants, $500,000; The Orlando Magic, $100,000; JetBlue, $100,000; and Mears, $50,000. "The purpose of the Fund is to provide a way to help respond to the needs of our community, now and in the time to come," Dyer told the Orlando Sentinel. The monies will be used to assist those affected by the massacre in Orlando. We are heartbroken by this tragedy and hope our commitment will help those in the community affected by this senseless act, said Bob Chapek, chairman, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts last week in a prepared statement. With 74,000 Cast Members who call Orlando home, we mourn the loss of the victims and offer our condolences to their families, friends and loved ones. In addition Disney is providing complimentary accommodations for the families and friends of the victims. The funds will be given to the Central Florida Foundation, who will oversee the distribution. Visit OneOrlando.org to donate to the fund or for more information. Donations to help the victims and their families are also being accepted through an Equality Florida GoFundMe page and a fund set up by the LGBT Center in Orlando. The expressions of sympathy over Orlando sent by the Roman Catholic pope, cardinals and bishops in the form of sweet words for the victims and their families need to be returned to sender because no heap of flowers nor blazing bank of candles can glove the blood on the hands of those who daily condemn us in the name of their god. The pope refused to mention the LGBT community in his official expression of horror at the massacre. He said, We all hope that ways may be found, as soon as possible, to effectively identify and contrast the causes of such terrible and absurd violence. He will not have to look far beyond his own house to find those causes of hatred. But how will he uproot them when he cannot even bring himself to say that the specific target of the gunman was the LGBT community? I suspect his heart is filled with guilt. Boston Cardinal Sean OMalley says, There is no place in the church and in society for hate and vilification of any person or group of persons. All people are created in the image and likeness of God, blessed with the gift of human dignity that calls for our respect and love. What he avoids mentioning is his belief that LGBT Catholics who have gay sex forfeit that God-given dignity and choose a clear and speedy road to hell. I do not think the 49 Orlando victims were celibate. Does he? In his heart, does he see their unrepentant souls in hell? Chicago Archbishop Cupich said, You know, 30 years ago the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith issued a letter describing as deplorable the fact that some homosexual persons, as they put it, have been and are the object of violent malice in speech or in action [] they said that such treatment deserves condemnation from the churchs pastors whenever it occurs, so I believe it was important to raise my voice in this moment because this is what the church is asking us to do and has asked us to do for over 30 years now. If the directive has been in place for thirty years, his words invite us to ask the obvious. Could this slaughter have been avoided if this church had practiced what it preaches rather than effectively exclude LGBT souls despite all its rhetoric? Cupich also calls for greater outreach to the LGBT community. Greater outreach? How about calling up all those Dignity chapters that were booted out of Catholic Churches and told they would have to hold their meetings elsewhere? How about apologizing for that and inviting them back? Until that happens, these official statements are just sweetly worded veneer over something rotten. These insensitive patriarchs of Roman Catholicism have no right to jump on the bandwagon of Orlando grief in order to feel reconciled with those they continue to ostracize and persecute. To honor the victims, we must rebuff the Catholic bishops looking to be photographed with us in mourning just as they have shunned and excluded us from full celebration at their table. We should not allow the Catholic Church to enjoy its deceitful and self-serving performance unchallenged. Locally, many Catholic parish priests stand by the open doors of their churches to receive the coffins of the victims and to recite traditional words of mercy and to sprinkle the remains with holy water, but these gestures are false. In life, the men and women in those coffins were not allowed to enjoy the consolation of the Catholic Church if they were openly and actively gay. In death, they are being used to assuage the guilt of their arrogant shepherds. Only one Catholic bishop, the soon-to-be-retired Robert Lynch of St. Petersburg, Florida, goes beyond hollow rhetoric and owns his churchs complicity in the massacre when he says, Sadly it is religion, including our own, that targets, mostly verbally, and often breeds contempt for gays, lesbians and transgender people. Attacks today on LGBT men and women often plant the seed of contempt, then hatred, which can ultimately lead to violence. This is not the first time Lynch has spoken with authenticity about LGBT issues. He will be missed. The Roman Catholic Church is not the only church to have nurtured a culture of homophobia and fear that coaxes a maniac to murder, but it is first among many. Real sympathy calls for action. Orlando is an opportunity that will be ignored by Catholic bishops whose false requiems are unacceptable. Magnetar NASA 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 Yorks 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 Earths. Magnetar fields reach strengths a thousand times stronger still, and scientists dont 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 NASAs 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 dont 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 magnetars rotational energy loss is powering the nebulas 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 Agencys (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 Universitys 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 pulsars 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 doesnt just stream into space, said co-author Alice Harding, an astrophysicist at NASAs 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 magnetars 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 Raanana, Israel. It represents a unique opportunity to study the magnetars historical activity, opening a whole new playground for theorists like me. ESAs 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. Enceladus CBRS With eruptions of ice and water vapor, and an ocean covered by an ice shell, Saturns moon Enceladus is one of the most fascinating in the solar system This may especially be true 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 dAngers), Charles University in Prague, and the Royal Observatory of Belgium (and the Instituut voor Sterrenkunde) recently proposed a new model that reconciles different data sets and shows that the ice shell at Enceladuss 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 Enceladuss 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 Earths 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 Enceladuss 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 Enceladuss 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! Reference: Enceladuss Internal Ocean and Ice Shell Constrained from Cassini Gravity, Shape and Libration Data, Ondrej Cadek, Gabriel Tobie, Tim Van Hoolst, Marion Masse, Gael Choblet, Axel Lefevre, Giuseppe Mitri, Rose-Marie Baland, Marie Behounkova, Olivier Bourgeois & Anthony Trinh, 2016 June 11, Geophysical Research Letters [http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/2016GL068634/full]. We can all, each one of us, use some good news from time to time, and this story is a happy update to one of our favorite sets of features in the 7-year history of Sprudge. Way back in July of 2012, we ran a story titled, simply, You Should Buy This Cafe. It was a plea for someoneanyoneto buy the charming little cafe space located at 14th and Commercial in the heart of downtown Astoria, Oregon. That post was seen by a couple of Sprudge readers out in Berlinone of whom happened to be a native Oregonianand a plan was set in motion. Jennifer & Micha Cameron-Lattek bought the cafe after reading our feature, and in the years since have established Street 14 Cafe as arguably (happy to argue it) the best coffee destination on the Oregon Coast. Just about 90 minutes from Portland, Astoria is undergoing a real renaissance these days, with a couple of really good hotels, a few good restaurants, beautiful scenery and history, access to incredible local seafood and produce, and great beer. Like really great beer, from Buoy and Fort George in Astoria proper, and wild AF natural yeast experimentalists De Garde just a few miles down the coast in Tillamook. Street 14 has been happy to serve them all as a daytime coffee bar and cafe over the last few years, but still, they yearned for something more. Enter chef Andrew Catalano, a veteran of Danny Meyers restaurant group in Manhattan, whose love of fresh pasta and seafood is a perfect match for upstart Astoria. The result is a beautiful partnership, one that has Street 14 moving beyond the traditional confines of the coffee bar into something else entirely: neighborhood cafe by day, well-considered restaurant by night, and home to a truly superb after-dinner cappuccino. After a recent dinner at Street 14order all the pastasI sat down digitally with Micha Cameron-Lattek to chat about the challenges and inspirations of fusing specialty coffee with fine dining. If youre visiting Oregon for delicious things, or live here and have neglected the coast, get thee to Astoria for dinner & coffee at Street 14. Why expand into dinner service at Street 14 Cafe? What made you want to try this? For about three years, we served food and coffee from our bar area. As our business grew, that space kept getting smaller and smaller for our needs. When the neighboring space in our building became available, we realized we had a chance to build a restaurant kitchen to keep serving breakfast and lunch. But it also gave us the opportunity to serve dinner. Right as we were beginning construction, chef Andrew Catalano and us started talking. Andy and his wife Sara had come in as regulars and loved the atmosphere and our dedication to handcrafted coffee and pastry programs. We talked about each others plans and soon realized they lined up pretty perfectly. Andy had years of fine dining experience at Gramercy Tavern and Maialino in New York and was ready to run his own kitchen. The added space also gave us an opportunity to serve more seasonally changing, local food. Theres a vibrant and longstanding community of supporters of sustainable farming out here. Some of our customers have small farms in the area and we wanted to work with as many local growers as possible. Less than a year in, were proud to support a community of over a dozen farmers, purveyors, and foragers from right here in Astoria, the Oregon Coast, and Southwestern Washington. Your role at night is very front of housewhat challenges does this present? Has it been fun? I came to coffee as a customer and always think of a cafe from the customer perspective first. Stepping away from the espresso machine and serving people at their table has changed some things but others are remarkably similar. Interacting with customers over the course of a whole meal is a very rewarding experience. It has more layers than the brief relationship baristas and customers have at the counter over coffee. Morning rituals are important but people seem to be more willing to indulge, experiment, and enjoy when they come in for dinner. I see my role as a barista as a steward of the people that came before me in the coffee journey: roasters, green coffee buyers, farmers. Serving local food makes that role much more tangible: we visit our farms, talk with our purveyors about whats in season, what challenges theyre facing, and what theyre growing. It allows us to provide context to what customers have on their plates. The biggest challenge for us has been to transform a counter service cafe into a table service restaurant in 60 minutes and we couldnt do it every week without a great team of people who share our vision and enthusiasm. The biggest kick I get out of dinner are the many regulars our service has already attracted. The number of locals who come in every week is great encouragement and a wonderful compliment. We serve a weekly changing menu, a unique concept in Astoria, and it has definitely found an enthusiastic following. Few things make me happier than when those customers are staff from other restaurants, businesses, or farms in our area. It reminds us what a welcoming and enthusiastic town Astoria can be. What are some of your future plans for chef dinners, wine dinners, etc? On July 3, 2016, we will host a dinner event showcasing locally, sustainably raised meats. We recently put beer and wine on tap and are looking forward to a fun party. Details will be available via our newsletter. Well be hosting special dinner events every six to eight weeks highlighting farmers, purveyors, and foragers of the Oregon Coast and Southwest Washington. Jordan Michelman is a co-founder and editor at Sprudge Media Network. Read more Jordan Michelman on Sprudge. Photos courtesy Street 14 Cafe. MOSCOW (Sputnik) The Nigerian Navy seized an illegal oil refinery used by pirates for crude processing in Delta State, Nigerian oil producing region, Christian Ezekobe, director of information in the Nigerian Navy, said Wednesday. "In the raid, which was carried out at Ogbe-Igoh community in Warri, Delta State, the Nigerian Navy team destroyed an illegal refinery site and one Cotonou boat containing about 50MT of stolen crude oil and 6 X 15, metal tanks containing illegal refined AGO," Ezekobe said, as quoted by the Today newspaper. No arrest were made during the raid, as oil smugglers fled the site earlier, he added. If San Juan really wants independence, Klee suggested, it should restructure its debt and support the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA) that is being debated in Congress. If Puerto Rico walks away from the debt they will not get any support or resources from other nations and the world financial system. There are certain benefits for the United States, Klee claimed, if Puerto Rico became independent, because it would eliminate a large economic drain and staunch the flow of immigration which has heavily affected the southeastern part of the country. Besides, Klee observed, Puerto Rico is not nearly as significant to the United States and the entire world as it was one hundred or more years ago. "This is not the late 1800s or early 1900s where the shipping lanes through the Caribbean made Puerto Rico a prized port." Klee said he understands the frustration of the Puerto Rican independence supporters because no one likes outsiders telling them what to do. Puerto Rico Clearinghouse Principal Cate Long told Sputnik the island would be hard-pressed to operate as an independent nation-state without US financial support. "I'm not sure how the Puerto Rican government would replace the almost 25 percent of their GNP [Gross National Product] that federal funds provides if they separated from the United States," Long noted. Were the United Kingdom to remain within the bloc, the British Army, as a key military power, would be expected to become more deeply involved in pan-European defense structures, an idea nurtured by EU officials for a long time. As media reports revealed last month, following the British vote Brussels intends to make its plans to create an EU army public. Later, Minister of State for the Armed Forces Penny Mordaunt confirmed that the United Kingdom would have to join the EU army if it were created under the Lisbon Treaty. One of the strongest cases against British participation in such a formation has been made by Veterans for Britain, a group of retired senior British military officers. As the group's member Lt. Gen. Jonathon Riley, who served as deputy commander of NATO Forces in Afghanistan in 2007-2009 argues, British soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines should not be sent into danger "by a body over which we have no control, and which answers to none of us." Similar ideas were voiced last week by Field Marshal Lord Charles Guthrie, former chief of Defence Staff, who said that Brexit would be "better" for UK defense since the creation of a joint European army "would cause an awful lot of duplication and waste huge sums of money." "There are too many ministers, officials, HQs, generals, admirals and air marshals as it is. It would be a signal disaster to have a European Army as rivals to NATO. I am concerned that the Army which I was in for 45 years could become very damaged and therefore less useful to our country," he told The Telegraph. According to Lt. Col. Stuart Crawford, former director of Communications for the British Army and veteran of the Gulf War, "Lord Guthries fear is that Britains military might be even more 'watered down' if an EU army, for example, was to be created." "Personally I think it would be safe enough to have a foot in both camps, and indeed the military might be able to use a EU military commitment as a tool to bargain for more resources," Crawford told Sputnik, adding that NATO will remain the cornerstone of UK defense policy in any case. Post-Brexit EU Security Although the expected costs of Brexit for the European Union are high, its outcome could be considered partially beneficial for the bloc as it would make the prospects of deeper integration more feasible. London has been consistently holding back the evolution of the European Unions Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), and its self-imposed isolation could facilitate EU integration in the defense sphere, Andrea Frontini said. "The UK is also one of the countries which have vetoed the enhancement of EUs CSDP in the past few years, for instance on the issue of the EU standing headquarter, so Brexit would, in a way, lighten the EU from Londons skepticism vis-a-vis the idea of a stronger CSDP," he told Sputnik. Another issue which would need to be addressed post-Brexit is tuition fees for EU students, which would likely double in the event of the United Kingdom terminating its EU membership, causing international students to choose other English-speaking countries to obtain their degrees. "EU students currently pay the same fees as UK students, as they are treated as home students. The impact on fees for EU students is likely to depend on the type of deal that is negotiated and for this we would have 2 years. If no deal is reached, then EU students could be treated as international and hence may pay much higher fees than their UK counterparts," Elizabeth Jones, director of undergraduate studies at the University of Warwick, explained to Sputnik. For example, the tuition fee for home or EU students undertaking their first undergraduate degree at the University of Oxford amounts to some $13,264 a year. However, international students from outside the European Union are paying up to $33,000 a year for the same program, out of most peoples price range. The decline has started Despite Londons status as the worlds global city, for example, students increasingly see it as unaffordable. They will go to locations which give a warmer welcome, where they can pay their way, and where they have the chance to work, post qualification, Dean of GISMA Business School Dr. Steve Priddy warned. The drop in EU students would undoubtedly affect the UK economy, as a total of 124,575 EU students studying in 2014-15 in the United Kingdom generated roughly $5.25 billion and supported over 34,000 jobs within the country, according to Universities UK estimates. We are better able to collaborate with the best minds from across Europe to carry out cutting edge research that leads to innovations and discoveries that boost our economy, create new jobs and improve peoples lives, Dame Julia Goodfellow, president of Universities UK and vice-chancellor of the University of Kent, told Sputnik. Although a shortfall in EU students may occur, it could be compensated for by the higher fees paid by those Europeans who will still choose to study in UK universities. Additionally, an exit from the bloc may bring equality in terms of treating international and EU students in the same way. If we were to leave it may create more spaces for UK students to study at the top institutions, Elizabeth Jones added. Brexit to Limit Working Rights of Academics According to the Universities UK advocacy organization, 15 percent of academic staff at UK universities come from other EU countries, which poses the question about their working rights in the event of Brexit. Some people are concerned about it becoming more difficult for academics in the remainder of the EU to be able to work at British universities post-Brexit because theyll require visas and that may have a small impact on the composition of departmental staff, Young noted. However, this would also result in academics from outside the bloc, who prevail in numbers, finding it easier to get visas, he added. In any case, negotiations held after a vote to leave will be decisive regarding this issue. The deal negotiated will also affect EU researchers/teachers and how easy it would be for them to work in UK higher education institutions, Jones added. Moreover, the United Kingdom leaving the European Union would also cause complications for EU students, who might suddenly require study visas and have limited to no working rights during their studies and post-graduation. In the wake of a Brexit vote and tightening of the UK border even further, international students can rationally be expected to look elsewhere for English language delivered programmes in countries such as Canada, Australia and the US who have been positioning themselves to exploit the UKs more restrictive requirements, Dr. Steve Priddy warned. Still, it is unclear if these difficulties will actually emerge, as facilitating cooperation with the bloc will be one of Londons top priorities, given that research with international partners has nearly 50 percent more impact than research done nationally, according to Universities UK. Theres no reason to suppose visa-free travel for students in both directions will end, or that EU nationals will no longer have access to UK student loans. Its in everyones interests to maintain a mutually beneficial arrangement, Young suggested. Nevertheless, the British government will have to work hard to uphold the caliber of scientists and the resulting research in the event of Brexit. Quality of UK Education to Remain Unchanged MOSCOW (Sputnik), Anastasia Dmitrieva Voters across the United Kingdom will participate in a national referendum on June 23 to decide whether the country should exit the European Union. A so-called Brexit will render rulings by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) no longer obligatory for the United Kingdom, reverting ultimate control to the Supreme Court in London. Leaving the bloc would affect the legal systems in the United Kingdom in many ways, as such an outcome in the referendum will equate to a rejection of the European Communities Act 1972, which provides for the incorporation of EU laws into domestic law across the United Kingdom. Although the UK government in a post-EU scenario will have the power to overrule judgments made by the CJEU, it is unlikely to do so due to the principle of legal certainty, as well as the potential restrictions such a move could entail for the countrys trade with Brussels in cases of non-compliance with the EU courts rulings. Today, Norway's population sits at 5.2 million. According to Statistics Norway's calculations, Norway will have surpassed the six-million mark shortly after 2030, which would mark a period of the most rapid growth in Norway's history. However, the progress remains unequal across the country, as urban areas are growing fast, whereas rural areas are rapidly ageing. "By 2040, the population may grow 20 percent, but the growth is unevenly distributed. The population is mainly expected to grow in central municipalities," researcher Stefan Leknes told Norwegian national broadcaster NRK. "There are clear signs that urban areas are expanding, and centralization continues to intensify," Leknes said. Large urban areas such as Oslo, Sandnes and Drammen are expected to grow at least 30 percent by 2040, whereas population growth in the adjoining municipalities is expected to be even higher and reach a staggering 50 percent. The incident occurred in the city of Haifa, according to Life.ru. The sixth graders received an unusual surprise at their class graduation party. The discs which were supposed to have a film about their school instead had pornographic footage on them. The parent of one of the students was shocked to discover the actual content of the DVD. Upon this unusual discovery they rushed to inform other parents. Angry parents appealed to the board of the school for clarification. The board explained this incident saying that it could have happened because the company which was recording the school film on the DVDs was reusing the discs on which earlier adult films were being recorded. "The North launched an unidentified missile from areas near Wonsan at around 5:58 am," said the South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff, according to Yonhap news agency. 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. MOSCOW (Sputnik) On March 29, Thailand's Constitution Drafting Commission said that the nationwide referendum on the new draft constitution would be held on August 7. The draft document had been amended 88 times based on 258 citizen submissions and 30 academic seminars. "The Thai junta is using threats and intimidation to bludgeon people into supporting a constitution that would prolong military rule. The generals expect the Thai people to just shut up, obey their orders, and approve their draft constitution without any discussion or debate," Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said in a statement published on its website. According to the official note of the Maharashtra Government, The decision is based on the Maharashtra State Minority Commission Act 2004. Happy Maharashtra CM has decided to designate Mumbai Jews a recognised minority community Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) 22 2016 . Being recognized as a minority community will empower Jews to improve the status of their educational institutions, better protection for their community spaces and a greater and more official recognition of their many contributions to Indian society. Up until now, Jews were not listed as a separate category in India's official demographic divide based on religion. However, with Maharashtra granting them minority status, in the next census an actual picture of their presence will be gained. According to an estimate, approximately 2200-2500 Jews reside in Maharashtra and an equal number reside elsewhere in the country. Sources have revealed that the Central Government is also planning to grant minority status to Jews, tentatively before Prime Minister Narendra Modi's upcoming visit to Isreal. It is estimated that 10 to 20 million dogs are killed for their meat every year in China. The tradition of eating dog meat dates back some 500 years. The locals believe that eating dog meat helps cope with the heat; however, the Yulin festival is a relatively new one, having begun only in recent years. According to the local government, the festival does not even have official backing and is instead run by private businesses. The cruel event has faced widespread domestic and international opposition, and over 11 million have signed a petition calling for it to be banned forever. American activist Marc Ching travelled to Yulin before the start of the festival on his seventh mission to Asia, and started work trying to rescue the frightened caged dogs. By the end of Tuesday, Ching and his companion had managed to save over a thousand dogs from six slaughterhouses. In fact, it was the common security concerns of the SCO member states that drew them together. Since then, the SCO has accumulated ample experience in security cooperation, for example, through multiple joint anti-terrorism exercises, which have effectively curbed the spread of the "three evil forces" of terrorism, separatism and extremism in the region. The rise of terrorist groups in the Middle East, the Islamic State in particular, and the rampancy of the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan pose real threats to Central Asia. With the world intensifying its anti-terrorism campaigns, the possibility of IS terrorists fleeing or spreading out to Central Asia has become real. Some terrorists returning from the Middle East have already been caught in Central Asian countries while trying to instigate terrorist attacks. Adding to the region's security concerns, the Taliban and some other terrorist groups are gaining ground in northern Afghanistan. The SCO meeting in Tashkent, therefore, has to provide some answers on how to deepen security cooperation among the member states in light of the new situation and security challenges in the region. As far as China is concerned, it has remained a staunch supporter of deepening all round cooperation under the SCO framework. President Xi Jinping will attend the Tashkent meeting and elaborate on China's proposal to expand the realm of the SCO's cooperation and new objectives for the growth of the bloc. Beijing has proposed the Silk Road Economic Belt which aims to link China with Europe through Central Asia. The ambitious initiative has won the support of almost all the countries along the ancient Silk Road because it will create opportunities for development for the entire region. It would be in the development interest of all if SCO member states could better integrate their national strategies with China's initiative. And hopefully, the Tashkent meeting will shed light on this aspect as well. By Wang Hui (China Daily) The Chang Zheng 7 or the Long March-7, is a medium-sized liquid fuel rocket, which is environment-friendly and relatively cheap. The rocket will carry a test model of China's next-generation manned spacecraft and several small satellites. It is capable of carrying up to 13.5 tons to low Earth orbit and is expected to become the main carrier for domestic space launches. The launch is scheduled for Monday from a new launch pad in South China, the manned space engineering office said in a press release on Wednesday. The Long March-7 arrived to the launch site in the morning and has been moved vertically to the launch pad, where it is ready for its take-off. If there will be poor weather on Saturday, the launch may be delayed to any subsequent day up until Wednesday, the office said. The public will be able to watch the rocket's flight on the mainland for the first time in China. Eight viewing areas are ready to accommodate about 25,000 viewers. "It is a fact that environmental pollution is a challenge for cities around the globe and we are all attaching great importance to how we treat the environment. That is why a major consensus has been reached globally to save the environment," said Fu Jihong, deputy director general of the Shanghai Municipal Foreign Affairs Office, while speaking at a gathering to commemorate the event of the 15th anniversary of the Shanghai Cooperation Council (SCO). "With such a consensus as an important foundation, there will be increasingly closer collaboration in the world when it comes to conservation of the environment," Fu added. China has long been coming up with innovative measures to tackle the growing environmental pollution in the country. The Shanghai administration has also been working to create more green spaces by coordinating with the industries located on the outskirts of the city. While the Indian capital, which is frequently touted as the most polluted city in the world in terms of particulate matter concentration, has also recently embarked on various measures to curtail the air pollution in the city. The Delhi government has been experimenting with the odd-even policy of allowing vehicles with odd and even numbers to drive only on alternate days. Earnest noted that Pyongyangs actions strengthen the international communitys resolve to force North Korea to comply with its nuclear and ballistic missile obligations. Tensions over North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs escalated after Pyongyang said on January 6 that it had successfully carried out a hydrogen bomb test and put a satellite into orbit on February 7. The moves violated UN Security Council resolutions, and prompted the United Nations to impose additional sanctions on North Korea. MOSCOW (Sputnik) The uprising occurred on April 26, 1985, at the Badaber fortress near Peshawar, Pakistan, where Soviet and Afghan prisoners of war were held. "Today, we have gained information that one of the participants of those events lives in the United States. And we asked Americans to specify how we can get in touch with him," retired Maj. Gen. Alexander Kirilin, who is also secretary of the Russian Military Historical Society's academic board, said. He said that during the Badaber uprising a group of Soviet and Afghan prisoners killed the guards, seized the camp and entered the unequal battle with Afghan Mujahedeen and the Pakistans army. The attempt to break the siege failed and after an explosion at an ammunition depot the camp was taken with most of the participants of the revolt being killed. She further recalled how she was held by the Japanese police and they did not allow her to seek any medical help although she was begging for an ambulance. I was taken to the hospital the following morning and realized that back in 2002 there were no rape test kits in Japan and the Japanese police, after they finished doing their barbaric treatment towards me, sent me off home without even any underwear on, Fischer said. She said that the major problem with the sexual violence incidents in Japan was the lack of education and training by the police force, there were neither centers nor any test kits back in 2002. Since then, Fisher has been lobbying for that, for the last fourteen years. She said that if the Japanese government had acted upon her requests to set up centers for rape victims, the young lady who was recently raped in Okinawa may have been alive today. Fischer further spoke about her struggles after rape and how she tried to seek justice by taking her rapist to court. However, as soon as she managed to take him to court, the rapist had fled the country. She asked the Japanese government for their support but it refused saying that there is nothing it could do. So I had to look for the rapist by myself for ten years. When I did finally located him he was in prison for another crime, Fisher said. She said that she went back to the Japanese government and said that she found the person and asked them to kindly send her court hearing to the United States, but the Japanese government blatantly refused to do so saying that under the agreement with the US, the military personnel should respect the Japanese laws but are not obliged to follow them. "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]. With countless spacecraft already orbiting the earth, ALE has promised that they will prevent their satellite from becoming space junk by purposely guiding it to reenter the atmosphere within 25 years, becoming a large meteor on its own. The company hopes that their outer space firework show will help the science community learn more about meteors. They also have not ruled out providing them for large-scale events, such as the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. "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 stated. Although during the Middle Ages Russians and Tatars were sworn enemies, a lot has changed since then. Nowadays, Tatars are a part of the greater Russian nation with their unique republic, Tatarstan, located in the western part of Russia, along the Volga River. Kazan, the capital of the Tatar Republic, is considered the third capital of Russia [after Moscow and St. Petersburg] and is the economic and cultural center of the entire Volga Region. Kazan is over 1,000-years old, which makes it one of Russias oldest cities. The city was named after the Bulgar word kazan, which means a large cooking pot. According to a legend, one of the ancient Bulgar kings was running to safety from a Mongol army and decided to stop at a bank of the Volga River. As his servant went to the river to get some water in a cooking pot, he dropped the kazan while trying to climb the bank, sending the pot back into the river. "Further continuation of the bilateral restrictions complicate the resumption of cooperation between Russia and Europe. Sanctions is a political dead end. We want dialogue and we need it. It is in the interest of Germany and the whole European Union. And, of course, in the interests of the Russian economy," Seele was quoted as saying in a statement issued by the Chamber. Since 2014, the European Union has introduced several rounds of anti-Russia sanctions, accusing Moscow of interfering in the Ukrainian crisis a claim Moscow has repeatedly denied. MOSCOW (Sputnik) The United Kingdoms exit from the European Union could negatively affect the UK farmers, as they will be deprived of the single market and the EU financial aid, French government spokesman and former Agriculture Minister Stephane Le Folle said Wednesday, a day before the so-called Brexit referendum. "If the United Kingdom quits the European Union, there will be no European aid to the UK farmers. There will be no single market anymore. I am asking them to think this through thoroughly," Le Folle told the France Info radio station. He reminded that Switzerland and Norway, who are not part of the bloc, have to pay for the access to the single market. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Putin will pay an official visit to China on June 25 at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. "[The sides] will discuss issues of cooperation in aircraft building, rocket and space industries, obviously intergovernmental agreements will be signed which will launch a program of joint development and the creation of a wide-body long-haul aircraft and a heavy civil helicopter," Ushakov told a briefing. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) The growth forecast for the US economy in 2016 has been downgraded to 2.2 percent from 2.4 percent predicted in April, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) report issued on Wednesday. "[US] Growth is forecast to be 2.2 percent in 2016 and 2.5 percent in 2017," the report stated. On April 12, the IMF World Economic Outlook report said the US economy would grow at a rate of 2.4 percent this year, while expanding an additional 0.1 point in 2017. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) The US government should ratify the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade agreement and reach a trade deal with the European Union to address existing economic challenges, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said in a report on Wednesday. "The IMFs staff recommends the following policy actions Ratify the Trans Pacific Partnership, conclude a trade and investment treaty with Europe, and resist all forms of protectionism," the report stated. BUDAPEST (Sputnik) He reminded that Russia and Hungary had prolonged their long-standing gas contract, which was expected to expire last year. Hungary will get 25 million cubic meter of gas under the new contract, he said. "Last year, we got 6 billion [cubic meters of gas], if this course remains we will guarantee our energy security in terms of gas supply. Respecting business secrets, I can say that pricing structure for Hungary changed very positively and because of that we signed an agreement that we will purchase 600,000 cubic meters more," Szijjarto told reporters. The contract was extended until the end of 2019 during talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Moscow in February. Earlier, Hyperloop One, the Russian group of companies Summa, and the Moscow government signed a memorandum to create the concept of the use of Hyperloop technology in Moscow. According to Pishevar, if the railway is built the delivery time from China to Europe via Russia would decrease to just one day. The Silk Road Economic Belt is one of the most ambitious infrastructure projects in Eurasia. It is expected to transform transportation infrastructure across the continent, including several transit corridors from China to Europe. "In 2015 Saudi Arabia displaced Russia in the top position [among oil producing states] for the first time since 2005," OPEC said in its Annual Statistical Bulletin (ASB). OPEC has been publishing the ASB, which focuses on statistical information about oil exports, imports and output, as well as infrastructure for oil production and transportation since 1965. The ASB focuses on OPEC member states, comprising Algeria, Angola, Ecuador, Indonesia, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Venezuela, but also provides statistical information about non-OPEC members. In blatant contravention of international law and UN resolutions on Syria, the probable next White House administration is declaring war on Syria. Such a move is an unabashed aggression towards Russian strategic interests and calculated explicitly with military strikes on Russian forces in Syria. In short, a wider war with Russia. Whether the Middle East proves to be the flash-point of American aggression towards Russia remains to be seen over the coming months. But one thing seems irrefutably clear by now. Washington is already on the path of war. An American war on Russia is looming. Maybe the people of the US and Europe can stop that outcome by threatening political ad social revolt, on the streets if necessary since the electoral process seems to be stacked against the democratic will. On the solemn anniversary of Nazi Germanys ill-fated invasion of the Soviet Union 75 years ago, it is astounding that such horror seems largely forgotten in the West. The criminal, reckless aggression by US-led NATO forces towards Russia is a sign of the dangerous ignorance and apathy in the West. Russia is once again facing a recurring historical pattern of Western aggression. President Putin is correct in his contextualization of NATOs actions and attitude alongside the historic Nazi war on Soviet Russia. Only those who have been brainwashed by banal Western disinformation would consider such a warning as alarmist. The beast that is Western capitalist imperialism is salivating for war again. The positions of war are aligning, and certainly Syria is among the most volatile, especially if Hillary Clinton takes over as Commander-in-Chief. Hekla, one of the world's most active volcanoes, is heading towards a powerful eruption and may cause a huge international disaster, researchers warn. "Mount Hekla is a very dangerous volcano," Pall Einarsson, professor of geophysics at the University of Iceland, told the Icelandic newspaper Visir. According to Einarsson, Hekla now has accumulated more magma and higher pressure than before the two recent eruptions and is therefore "ready to go off anytime." Located only about 100 kilometers east of the Icelandic capital Reykjavik, Hekla is a popular tourist destination, with 20-30 aircraft flying around it daily. According to Einarsson, Hekla has a tendency towards explosive eruptions. Therefore, he called upon locals and tourists to stay away from the volcano. But the trends were reversed in 1988, when then-European president Jacques Delors delivered a speech to the Trades Union Congress (TUC), vowing a social Europe, with full employment for British miners who were on strike at the time. This marked the emergence of the right wing of the Labor party, that has long been struggled in favor of the European Union, the politician said. However, the left wing, headed by politicians like Jeremy Corbyn who have traditionally been opposed to the EU, remained. Dempsey, who is left wing, says that the EU concept is undemocratic, as it undermines the principles of public ownership of services and industry. The EU treaties and legislation specifically takes many industries and many public services out from our ability to take them back into public ownership. It makes socialism illegal. Giving an example of EU policies, he said that under the Brussels' plan, UK nationalized railways will be privatized by 2019. The EU was formed by a roundtable of European industrialists as a tool for establishing market based on neoliberal principles across Europe. The bloc is essential to subvert national democracies, impose austerity everywhere and get access to markets, making sure they [states] have as much public services and industries in private hands. Cooperation in conjunction with the European Commission, which is unelected, by their working groups forming legislation, and thats been passed down to the European Parliament, which is the only institute European citizens can directly elect people to. Moreover, they cannot propose anything, they can only reject or accept [decisions]. MOSCOW (Sputnik) On Tuesday, the Swedish parliament by a majority of votes passed the new law that introduces a temporary residence permit and restricts conditions for family reunification. The law will be in place for three years. The aim of the new legislation, along with the introduction of ID-checks and border controls, has been to generally reduce the number of persons seeking asylum in Sweden. That has already come into effect but there are no predictions on how many will come to Sweden after the bill is passed, Jonatan Holst said. Last year, Sweden received some 160,000 migrants with preliminary estimations, announced in February by the migration authorities, of up to 140,000 asylum applications in 2016. KIEV (Sputnik) The situation in the conflict-torn southeastern Ukraine remains unpredictable because of violations of the Minsk peace deal on Ukrainian reconciliation, the principal deputy chief monitor of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine told Sputnik. "The situation remains highly unpredictable, especially at the line of contact. And the main reason for this unpredictability is the non-adherence to Minsk [deal]. That in particular relates to moving of positions, which should not happen. It relates to the non-withdrawal and use of weapons. And it relates to the continuation of the mining of the security zone," Alexander Hug said in an interview. He added that the Minsk peace agreements were violated by both parties to the conflict. KIEV (Sputnik) The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe's (OSCE) could deploy a police mission to Ukraine's breakaway southeastern region only if all 57 organization's members agree with such a move, the principal deputy chief monitor of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission (SMM) to Ukraine told Sputnik. "I can explain you what needs to happen so that a police mission could, an emphasis on could, be established. The 57 participating states of the OSCE need to decide in consensus that they want this mission," Alexander Hug said in an interview. He added that the discussion of this move should take place in organization's Permanent Council in Vienna. MOSCOW (Sputnik) The labor unions including the CGT and Force Ouvriere (FO) originally wanted to organize a march between Place de la Bastille and the Place de la Nation squares in central Paris, however the authorities wanted them to hold a static rally. According to the police statement, the sides held talks on the issue, "which did not lead to an agreement as trade unions categorically refused to hold a static rally, instead proposing alternative routes." After careful consideration, the police reportedly concluded that these alternative proposals do not allow to meet the necessary safety of persons and property requirements, or to mobilize police forces to the maximum level against the terrorist threat, which has been set at a high level and requires exceptional measures on the national territory. LONDON (Sputnik) According to the politician, membership of the European Union makes the United Kingdom more influential and powerful when in comes to negotiations and relations with other countries. "The UK within the EU has a far greater power and clout to be able to negotiate better terms [for multilateral deals] than what it can have outside the European Union," Ali said. "Had we been outside the EU, I would claim that the UK already would have brokered an arrangement with the US, which would have been far less beneficial for the citizens, it would have been done behind the closed doors, and nobody would have known about it. It would have been worse," Ali concluded. BRUSSELS (Sputnik) On Thursday, Britons will vote on whether their country should stay in or leave the European Union. "Ministers for European Affairs will discuss the results of the UK referendum in Luxembourg on Friday, " the source told RIA Novosti. 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. However, he does believe that EU citizens living here should be allowed to vote. "I think it's fair because it's the decision of this country. Maybe there should be a limit, so if you've lived here for 10 years for instance, you should be allowed to vote. Even if I had the right to vote I wouldn't at the moment because I don't feel I've earned it," Rokas told Sputnik. Rokas believes that most Lithuanians are happy with the EU. However, he also recognizes that Lithuania is a small country and benefits greatly from being in the Union. "You go everywhere and you see schools, roads, farms funded by the EU. I never hear of anyone who is unhappy about it. Only for older people, like my gran, it is more difficult because of the different currency now which they are not used to. It is very different for the UK because it is a strong, big economy, so it thinks it can manage on its own," Rokas told Sputnik. However the biggest concern for Rokas, would be the fall out if the UK were to leave. He believes this will pave the way countries like Denmark and others to follow suit. Non-Muslim refugees have to hide their ethnic and religious identity. The Armenians in Yozgat speak their native language at home but have to switch to Arabic in public places and pose as Arabs just to be on the safe side, the report says. It also says that non-Muslims are either unable to exercise their religion or have to do it in secret. Contrary to popular belief, Western countries give no preference to Christian refugees with some of these forced migrants having to wait until 2023 to have their asylum applications considered. Non-Muslim refugees living in Turkey find it extremely hard to find a job and even if they do they are forced to work for peanuts. They also have little if any access to medical services and need special permission to leave town. In an interview with Sputnik Selina Dogan, an ethnic Armenian RPP deputy from Istanbul, shared her impression of a visit to Yozgat. Yozgat is a very conservative town. Out in the street the Armenians have to speak Arabic because they fear provocations by the locals. Only a handful of them have been able to find a job, and even they receive meager pay, Selina Dogan said. While in Turkey they appealed to the UN to let them move to Canada only to be told that their request would not be considered before 2022. When asked why non-Muslim refugees had wound up in a place known for its stringent Muslim traditions, Selina Dogan said after refugees are registered in Turkey it is up to local administrations to decide where to settle them. Arriving at their designated place of residence, the refugees are not allowed to leave without special permission. Moreover, they are supposed to regularly report to police. The authorizes ignore all these problems because otherwise they wouldnt have settled Christian refugees in Yozgat where they are unable to exercise their religion and bury their near and dear according to Christian funerary customs. According to migration experts, even if peace eventually returns to the countries the migrants came from, up to 70 percent of them will never get back because some 150,000 children have already been born in Turkish refugee camps and about 450,000 elsewhere in the country. These kids learn Turkish before their do their mother tongue, and they see Turkey as their home country. Thats why we must treat them as our own, Selina Dogan emphasized. MOSCOW (Sputnik) According to the results of the survey carried out by the Ifo Institute, 38 percent of German manufacturers think Brexit could have negative consequences for their business, while 61 percent expect no effect at all from the United Kingdom revoking its EU membership, and 1 percent believe that such a move would have a positive impact. Poll also showed that large companies with more than 500 employees were particularly interested in the outcome of the upcoming referendum. Furthermore, German exporters were more likely to have a negative outlook on Brexit, with 41 percent of this group believing it would damage their business. About 1,478 manufacturers in Germany took part in the survey. Rankin-Gee says she is English and has lived in France for the past five years and admits she has personally benefited from Europe's open borders and freedom of movement. "We've tried to keep this campaign as a-political as possible but I agree with the sentiments that we are stronger together. No man is an island." Imogen Roy, who joined Rankin-Gee in London for Operation Croissant, told Sputnik they'd received hundreds of messages. "The response from French people was so positive. So many people wanted to write a message, or help volunteer. We received hundreds of messages from Parisians and from people living in Northern France. "They speak of feeling really connected with the UK. One wrote, 'In culture, in food and in lifestyle, in France we feel more connected with the UK than we do with Paris.' " Other messages simply said: "We love you please don't go." "Some of the messages were really moving and we started receiving message of support from Holland, the US and Australia showing their solidarity to the European Union," Roy told Sputnik. #OperationCroissant at King's Cross station in London, messages from Paris to London with love #EUref pic.twitter.com/JdSR03Lig8 Sputnik UK (@SputnikNewsUK) June 22, 2016 "I'm an immigrant to France. I was born in London, grew up in Germany, schooled in Scotland and live in France. I feel European first, British second." The croissants had been baked in a 12th century Parisian bakery in a wood fire oven but after a conversation with the Metropolitan Police and the Electoral Commission, they agreed not to hand them out. "So we've donated them all to the St Mungo's homeless shelter in Kings Cross instead, who have said they are very pleased to receive them." Our croissants at first light in Paris this morning. Their final destination- a homeless shelter #operationcroissant pic.twitter.com/1yhrIwH4pg Rosa Rankin-Gee (@rosarankingee) June 22, 2016 The inspiration for Operation Croissant came from a conversation Rankin-Gee had with a friend in the UK who hadn't made up her mind whether to vote Leave or Remain. "What if I bring you a croissant from Paris, maybe it will change your mind?" Rankin Gee responded, "And she put a cross in the Remain box in her postal vote. "It's the simplest thing maybe you can change someone's mind with the simple act of breaking bread," Rankin-Gee told Sputnik. Make it a warm pain au chocolat and I'm sold!#OperationCroissant pic.twitter.com/Bu6OshnoU4 Sam White (@Whitesv2128) June 22, 2016 Polling stations open across the UK at 07:00 BST, Thursday 23 June 2016. MADRID (Sputnik) The European Union should reconsider the deal on migrant exchange reached by Brussels and Ankara, the coordinator of the International Affairs Committee of Spain's Citizens party told Sputnik Wednesday. "The agreement with Turkey should be reconsidered and a viable political consensus should be reached," Francisco Andres Perez said. He added that the Spanish government could "make more" in the issue of refugee adoption, as Madrid had shown the absence of political will and had failed to take in the number of refugees, required by the European quota system. Mr Cottaskis is not the only one concerned about the impact a potential Brexit could have on students. Barbara Aubin, head of a team at the 1989 Generation Initiative at LSE, believes that students will be at a greater disadvantage if the UK leaves the EU and has already spoken to fellow European and international students who are considering going to Canada and the US to study. "I'm a recent graduate and I spoke to my friend and we are all very worried about Brexit, as it will mean that EU students will pay the same as international students which can be double. We came to the UK with the prospect of getting a job and I think that many EU students will rethink whether they should come here. It will be a less attractive business proposition," Ms Aubin told Sputnik. However, there are those students who are on the fence, unsure what the best option would be for the UK and the EU. Some international students in the UK are unable to decide whether to vote leave or remain. Pijus Simonaitis from Lithuania, is on a Computer Science internship at Edinburgh University, and is very confused when it comes to the referendum. He understands the dilemma and says that some voters may opt for "Remain" when it comes to voting on the Thursday, 23 June 2016. "I'm a European citizen and I profit from Britain being in the EU. I'm considering doing my PhD here so from the academic point of view it's very convenient for me being in the EU. But when you consider the arguments for leaving, it's natural because Great Britain has always opposed France and Germany in the EU. "The understanding of the EU is different in Britain and on the continent. In France and Germany you feel that communal, continental identity and we as Lithuanians feel this as well whereas in Britain, it is more related to the economic aspects. So for the EU itself, it may better if Britain decides to leave and follows its own course and then we will feel more consolidated ourselves. But then the fear of the EU breaking up as a result is great as well, so I'm really confused," Mr Simonaitis told Sputnik. Crises in Europe The European migrant crisis has thrown one of the central pillars of the EU that of freedom of movement of people into chaos. The Schengen zone was set up to remove all border controls within member states which excludes the UK and Ireland. The and #Schengen mustnt be allowed to further damage the EU. Latest CER Insight: https://t.co/RWdCVerP7J pic.twitter.com/irZAPG1UL3 Simon Tilford (@SimonTilford) 22 June 2016 However, following the huge increase in migrants crossing the Mediterranean, the Aegean Sea and through the West Balkan route, many countries have erected razor wire fences or border controls to stem the flow. The discovery that the outer Schengen borders were full of holes has led to calls for a fundamental reforms of the Schengen area and for the establishment of a bigger and more effective border force and coastguard agency. My prediction for #eurozone in 2017. The #EU South can only take so much punishment before it breaks or rebels. pic.twitter.com/nzPCT1ifYt Teacher Dude (@teacherdude) 19 June 2016 The Eurozone is in trouble, with Greece struggling to meet the terms of its third bailout and both Spain and Portugal under warning for breaching debt targets. The European Council on June 21, approved a new directive on anti-tax-avoidance, which it said would address "situations where corporate groups take advantage of disparities between national tax systems in order to reduce their overall tax liability." EU misses key oppty to stop companies from shifting profits to tax havens: https://t.co/H8HWy1yxP8 #EndTaxHavens pic.twitter.com/Lxy0Cw847n Oxfam International (@Oxfam) 21 June 2016 However, Oxfam has criticized the reforms as being insufficient to prevent companies moving profits to tax havens. Oxfam International EU Policy Adviser on Inequality and Taxation, Aurore Chardonnet, told Sputnik: "We have the impression that there is double discord among finance ministers. On the one hand, after the Panama Papers and other tax scandals, all the finance ministers of the EU made a commitment to take up the fight against tax avoidance. BUDAPEST (Sputnik) In late 2014, Russia and Hungary signed a deal to build units 5 and 6 at Paks , to be fitted with Russian VVER-1200 reactors. Russia is expected to provide Hungary with a loan of up to 10 billion euros ($11.14 billion at the current exchange rate) to complete the project. On November 19, the European Commission opened an infringement procedure against Hungary to determine whether the financing of the Paks project complies with EU public procurement rules. "Paks is the most important investment, the EU is only examining aspects [of the deal] related to public procurement and anti-corruption issues, which is normal, and there are no obstacles to finalizing this project," Szijjarto said at the Russian-Hungarian intergovernmental meeting. MOSCOW (Sputnik) The Arbitration Institute of the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce (SCC) dismissed a suit by Lithuania against Russia's Gazprom energy company on 1.4 billion euro ($1.58 billion) compensation for allegedly unfair gas prices, Lithuanian Minister of Energy Rokas Masiulis said Wednesday. "Stockholm Arbitration Institute has not found any violations by the Russian company," Masiulis said. He also noted that Lithuania was disappointed by the decision. Some of Scotland's top musicians joined forces to lead Scots from all walks of life in a "Strip the Willow" dance in front of the parliament building in Edinburgh. As the "flashmob ceilidh" kicked off, Scottish politicians and their staff joined hundreds of members of the public outside Holyrood, with politicians from Scottish Labour, Scottish Liberal Democrats and the Scottish National Party showing cross party support for a vote to stay in the EU. As one of the dancers told Sputnik, this was their way of saying "Scotland is sick of Project Fear." LAU fiddler, Aidan O'Rourke, was one of the organizers of the event and told Sputnik it was time to send a positive message: Five hundred bees have been fitted with special number plates on their black and yellow abdomen and released from the rooftops of Queen Mary University of London (QMUL). Basically, researchers want to know where the bees are going, what they get up to and how they manage to get back to their hive after drinking so much nectar. Project leader Professor Lars Chittka from the School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, said: "Bees are fascinating subjects: they travel the distance of London's congestion charging zone everyday foraging for nectar and somehow remember to return to their hive. 18% des Francais se sentent capables de pratiquer la torture. https://t.co/QM75G3DkRv pic.twitter.com/TygEbMqanm ACAT (@ACAT_France) June 21, 2016 Whilst a further 18 percent said they would in fact like to carry out the method of torture, when the National Front was questioned, this number increased to 40 percent. However, for the organizers of the survey, these results are concerning and only prove that people are now more inclined to use torture as a tool against terrorists and even those who are only suspects. "It is very worrying over a third of French people think that special circumstances can justify torture. Even more frightening is the fact that faced with the scenario of a bomb, more than half of those surveyed support the use of torture," Jean-Etienne de Linares, CEO of ACAT said. After terror attacks in #Paris,#French people much more in favor of torture on terrorists:54% for it when suspect has info on a ticking bomb Olivier Guitta (@OlivierGuitta) 21 June 2016 In addition to this, one in two French adults do not feel concerned by torture and the younger generation are even less worried then their elders. There are also some preconceptions of torture that French nationals have wrong. 39 percent of those surveyed consider religious and ethnic groups to be the main people who are tortured, however in reality it is political and common criminals who are tortured the most. More than 100 people have been arrested in #France in 2016 for links to terrorism, says Interior Min Cazeneuve. Alexander Marquardt (@MarquardtA) 14 June 2016 At least 51 percent of French adults think that guerrillas and armed groups carry out the most torture, however it is in fact they who tend to be tortured the most by governments and agents of states. The main unions had called for a mass march through Paris, June 23, to bolster support for the campaign to have the labor reforms overturned, despite the loss of public support. However, the authorities threatened to ban the march if the unions refuse to stage a static protest in one place. The unions said they would defy the order and march through Paris. Les organisations obtiennent le respect du droit de manifester Communique CGT, FO, FSU, Solidaires, UNEF, UNL, FIDL https://t.co/a7tnEmX0pT La CGT (@lacgtcommunique) 22 June 2016 (Tweet: "Unions win respect of the right to protest.") The labor reforms would give employers more scope to lay-off workers and 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. Milorad Dodik said that his meeting with President Xi Jinping was an excellent opportunity to thank China for its principled policy of support for Republika Srpska. Chinese politicians simply want the rights of other nations to be respected. They do not interfere in the internal affairs of foreign countries, like some the Western powers do. Such meddling usually complicates things in those countries, while giving [the Western countries] a reason to stay there for decades, if not centuries, Dodik added. Mentioning the recent economic forum in St. Petersburg he said that the way it was organized spoke volumes about Russias rebounding after Western sanctions, which though caused certain damage to the Russian economy, eventually have cause more damage to Europe itself. Speaking about his countrys cooperation with Russia and the EU Milorad Dodik said that Republika Srpska will never scale down its partnership with Moscow. Unlike Europe, Russia has always been holding out for the fullest possible implementation of the provisions of the Dayton peace accords. Geographically, we are part of Europe and share much of its values. However, Europe has changed and there is much fear about a possible Brexit. Just what Europe will look like in future remains anyones guess. One thing is clear: we must stick with our trusty partner Russia no matter what, Milorad Dodik said in conclusion. Milorad Dodik took part in the recent International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg and later met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Belgrade. "It's completely disproportionate. We've been arguing against bulk hacking powers for that very reason, that hacking powers are themselves highly intrusive, even when done in a highly targeted way, let alone if it could be done in such an indiscriminate way." Responding to assurances that these powers would only negatively affect criminals, Kambo said that wasn't a convincing argument: "People have a right to protect their privacy, to protect their information and I think it's a highly dangerous and insidious argument to say that if you are innocent of a crime, that you should be perfectly happy to open up your information. It's quite a perverse logic that they use to justify intruding into innocent peoples' lives." The UK Home Secretary Theresa May has instigated a review, which will assess the "bulk powers" proposals, as well as whether or not less intrusive approaches might be possible. The Home Office faces strong opposition from within the UK Parliament, particularly from the Green and Liberal Democrat parties. Sputnik contacted the Home Office and received the following statement: "Bulk powers are used by security and intelligence agencies to generate intelligence about threats that cannot be acquired by more targeted means. "Bulk equipment interference is a set of techniques used to obtain information from the devices of people who pose a threat to the UK's national security, in circumstances where the information is not available through other methods. These techniques enable security and intelligence agencies to overcome methods used by people of interest to hide their identities or their communications," the Home Office said in a written statement to Sputnik. "We have been clear that bulk powers must be subject to robust safeguards and independent judicial oversight and the Investigatory Powers Bill will strengthen these processes. "Bulk equipment interference warrants will need to be authorized by a Secretary of State and an independent Judicial Commissioner. A warrant may only be issued if the activity is considered to be both necessary and proportionate." Consideration of "bulk powers" is due to take place in September, with key votes on the bill in the autumn. MOSCOW (Sputnik) According to the Sky Data poll, 40 percent said the Leave and Remain camps were actively unhelpful, while 35 percent of those polled considered them neither helpful nor unhelpful. One in four people told the pollster the campaigns had helped them to decide how to vote. The poll results also showed that 50 percent of those interviewed had less respect for politicians after the campaigns, while 42 percent said their opinion on public officials had not changed because of the referendum debate. As many as 8 percent said they now had more respect for politicians. The poll came on the eve of the referendum on Thursday on whether the United Kingdom should stay in or leave the European Union. "The West coast of Scotland has many islands of which we will typically see maybe three or four coming to the market each year this one is quite unique because it's so close to the mainland." While it may be close to the mainland, it still does require a short boat ride, but prospective buyers can rest assured that they need not charter their own boat, a Savills agent will sail you over, no doubt to the envy of all their colleagues stuck in the office. "Part of our offering as an agent is that if clients want to have a look at the island, we will take them to the island and show them around in the right weather, there's no place I'd rather be," Parratt told Sputnik. @hansmollman if we Brexit I want to run away to a remote island, somewhere near Tahiti & hope you come with me Adrie (@adrievdm) June 14, 2016 House prices in rural Scotland are, understandably, much-much lower than city center trends, but this island comes with a price tag that has turned many heads. Parratt was hopeful that the unique opportunity could attract interest from around the globe. "Typically islands appeal to very busy people, people that have very hectic working lives in a city and they want to escape that lifestyle for something completely different the polar opposite to their busy midweek lives, and the island offers that. It's not unusual in the previous islands that we've sold we've had interest from America, from the far East, from Australasia, we are expecting we will see some international interest in this as well." Perhaps the island will attract interest from those upset with Thursday's (23 June) EU referendum vote, looking to create their very own island utopia. While spokespersons for the advisers said they did not sign the letter because they lacked an official stance on the issue in their companies, Brexit backers concluded that Camerons own advisers believe that leaving the European Union would have a positive effect on the British economy. The letter in favor of the United Kingdom staying in the European Union published in The Times on Wednesday was signed by 1,285 business leaders. "My serious fear is that English nationalism and xenophobia are on the march. Ive never looked ahead and been so worried about the crisis facing British politics. This is a campaign that has thrown up the worst sets of debates Britain has ever seen and so, logically I fear as I look ahead, that we have potentially an enormous political crisis on our hands," McLeish, who also used to be a former Labour Party member, said. McLeish said comments made 16 years ago by former UK Home Secretary Jack Straw who warned of the dangers of English nationalism were being realized during the EU referendum campaign. The bill was supported by 102 parliamentarians, while 27 lawmakers opposed it, the news portal added. According to the news outlet, during the Wednesday session the Parliament has also allocated some 230 million euros on the issues related to immigration. Officials have attempted to alleviate these concerns by insisting that these troops are rotational and do not technically constitute a permanent presence. But in a new report for the Atlantic Council, former US ambassador to NATO Nicholas Burns and Gen. James Jones, former supreme allied commander for Europe, have argued that even this small concession should be eliminated. Abortions are generally illegal in Northern Ireland, and women must travel abroad, even in the case of rape, incest, or if the fetus will not survive. The procedure is only legal when the life of the mother is proven to be at risk. Research by the world health organisation has proven that an abortion with pills can be done safely at home by women themselves till 10 weeks of pregnancy, Dr. Rebecca Gompers, the founder of Women on Waves, said in a news release. The health impact is similar to a miscarriage. Restrictive abortion laws will not keep women from accessing abortion pills, by ship, by mail, through the internet, drone or RC speedboat. The drone has become more than just a means for women to choose what to do with their own bodies, but it has also become a protest symbol between those in the north and the south, showing solidarity with one another. Todays action is a clear message of intent North and South we will build an unstoppable movement of women and young people until women have the right to control their own bodies, Rita Harrold of Rosa, one of the groups involved with the drone deliveries, said in a news release. Last year, drones made a delivery from Germany to Poland, a country that also has strict abortion laws. LONDON (Sputnik) Cox was shot and stabbed in the street last week as she held a regular meeting with her constituency in West Yorkshire. Jo Cox often lamented absence of moral compass in foreign policy. But she was that compass. #LoveLikeJo pic.twitter.com/ABzVbAPKFu Samantha Power (@AmbassadorPower) June 22, 2016 Mourning rallies dedicated to Cox were held across the whole country. The United Kingdom will vote in a referendum on Thursday on whether it should stay in or leave the European Union. MEXICO CITY (Sputnik) On Monday, massive clashes between the teachers union and police took place in the Nochixtlan province in the state of Oaxaca, which resulted in deaths of ten out of twelve people after police had opened gunfire to clear the municipal roads. Teachers blocked the roads to protest against an employment reform which seeks to tighten requirements for teacher applicants. "The government of Mexico on behalf of the Interior Ministry reiterates its willingness to hold a meeting with the SNTE-CNTE union. The meeting is aimed to push for constructive solutions to restore order in the country's regions which have been hard-hit recently by the protests," the ministry said in a statement. The meeting will be held at the Interior Ministry's premises and will be led by country's Interior Minister Miguel Chong, the statement specified. The patients are being monitored at local hospitals. Their condition has been described as satisfactory, the Cuban health authority reported. The Caribbean nation announced the first case of the infectious disease in March after a Venezuelan woman on the island came down with fever in February and was placed under quarantine. . 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. MONTEVIDEO (Sputnik) The government of Colombia and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrilla group announced Wednesday that they had reached a definitive ceasefire agreement, putting an end to the decades-long conflict. "The delegations of the National Government and FARC-EP inform of the public that we have successfully arrived at the Definite and Bilateral Agreement to Cease Fire and Hostilities," the government said in a statement seen by Sputnik. "There were other Shiites targeted, but the predominant number was Lebanese and Iranian Shiites, and we are talking aboutquite a large number of people murdered." Azal added that disruptive activities traced to the Saudis are "coming from all directions," recalling the sanctions the country imposed against Lebanese financial institutions dealing with Hezbollah, predominantly Shiite resistance forces allied with the Syrian government led by Bashar Assad, that has friendly relations with Russia and Iran. "The Saudis initiated this scheme of putting sanctions on Lebanese financial institutions that were dealing with Hezbollah from Lebanon, and then immediately the United States picked up on it several months later," Azal said. "And so we're in a situation where the Lebanese financial system is being forced and blackmailed into not dealing with Hezbollah." According to Azal, Saudi Arabia still functions as the United States' proxy in the Middle East, although there have been signs of growing independence, as America's influence appears to be diminishing in the Gulf region. The kingdom remains dependent on American oil companies, he said, and, if there are political tensions, they are "surface ones" only. "My thinking is that Saudi Arabia is a client of the angry American Empire," Azal said. Speaking at a Center for New American Security (CNAS) think tank conference on Monday, Flournoy, a senior fellow of the organization, urged the US military to put boots on the ground in Syria to assist in toppling the al-Assad government, recently successful in reclaiming large areas of the country from Daesh. To accelerate the defeat of the legitimate Syrian government, Flournoy introduced the notion of a no bombing zone for the moderate rebels. These so-called moderates are widely accepted as being, in reality, the US-backed armed militias that have been tearing the country apart since the beginning of the civil war in 2011. To justify her hawkish proposals, Flournoy took the traditional path, resorting to the Russian factor. She claimed that Moscows engagement since September 2015 in the war, at the invitation of the Syrian government, does not support the kind of negotiated conditions we would like to get to. Shoeib Bahman, a prominent Iranian political analyst and specialist on the Middle East, said that the statements of Kuwaiti officials can be considered in four aspects. First, each of the Gulf Cooperation Council nations is interested is having stable diplomatic relations with Iran because all of them pursue their national interests in the region. What is more, many of these countries have maritime borders with Iran and they cannot be isolated from their neighbor, the analyst told Sputnik. Second, the Council members understand that Iran is one of the key players in the region. It has much economic, political and military influence in the Middle East. These countries want to have normal ties with Iran, but without diminishing his regional role. Furthermore, some of the Council members have territorial disputes with Saudi Arabia. Riyadh seeks military dominance in the region, and this has sparked concerns among other players. This is why these countries are now turning to Tehran, Bahman explained. MOSCOW (Sputnik) He added that the first 160 civilians have been already conscripted. They will get a 45-day training in the Kurdish People's Protection Units ( YPG ) camps. Conscripts will be used only for the protection of Kobani and not to fight Daesh, Nassan noted. "[After the training] they will serve for nine months and then they stay with [People's Protection Units] YPG or go home," Nassan was quoted as saying by the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) press service. PUK noticed that people of Kobani were not happy with the conscription, with some of them saying that Iraqi Kurdistan's approach, where militia was both voluntary and paid, was preferable. DAMASCUS (Sputnik) Earlier in June, media reported that Julani had been captured by Hezbollah fighters as the latter were fighting against the jihadists in Syria. "These reports are absolutely wrong. Hezbollah has captured several militants of al-Nusra Front and Jaish al-Fatah in the fights south of Aleppo province, but Julani is not among them," the commander said. Al-Nusra Front is an affiliate of al-Qaeda and a rival of Daesh in Syria and Iraq. Al-Nusra Front is regarded as the second most powerful group after Daesh. Julani has been commander of the terrorist group since 2012. DUBAI (Sputnik) Ismail Mahlavi told Alsumaria broadcaster that the aircraft also managed to destroy two militants' stocks with weapons and ammunition. "The aircraft of international coalition in coordination with commanders of the ground operations in Anbar province managed to conduct airstrikes on several targets and groups of Daesh militants in the Zankura area north of Ramadi, which resulted in deaths of 50 terrorists," Ismail Mahlavi said. The Anbar province is home to Daesh's stronghold, where Iraqi forces are continuing their advances against militants with the help of Shiite militias. In December 2015, the country's forces regained control over most parts of Ramadi. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) In April, the Defense Department officially announced it had begun the use of offensive cyber tactics in the fight against Daesh. The US military acknowledged that it had to carefully weigh decisions over when to use cyber tactics to shut down communications networks versus using the networks to gather intelligence. "Certainly going after specific nodes to hamper and stop the use of the Internet by ISIS [Daesh] is important, but we also have to respect the privileges and rights of citizens to have access to the Internet as a whole and as a country," Atkin told members of the US House of Representatives Armed Services Committee. MOSCOW (Sputnik) According to Lebanese Al-Mayadeen broadcaster's Twitter account, the Syrian military came under attack in the western part of province with the terrorists using the nerve agent VX. The VX nerve agent is an extremely toxic substance used for chemical warfare, and is classified as a weapon of mass destruction by the United Nations. In May, the Syrian army launched an offensive in the direction of Tabqa, which lies on the way to the city of Raqqa, the Syrian stronghold of Daesh, outlawed in many countries worldwide, including Russia. The Israeli general said that, "Withdrawal of the superpowers from the region and letting Israel alone in front of Hezbollah and Iran that possess good abilities will put Israel in a hard position. Therefore, weve got to do all we can so as not finding ourselves in such situation." In January, Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon told the Institute for National Security Studies' (INSS) conference in Tel Aviv that hed "choose [Daesh]" over Iran in the Syrian conflict because Iran and Iran-backed groups pose more of a threat to Israel. "We believe [Daesh] will be eventually defeated territorially, after the blows it has been suffering, and in light of the attacks on its oil reserves," he claimed, referring to Iran as a "rogue regime with designs on a regional hegemony. Hezbollah is Iran's proxy, with the ability to declare war. Iran currently has terror infrastructure in place in five continents: Asia, Africa, Europe and both in South and North America." Four additional ships are planned, and Turkish officials say these will be "more advanced and bigger vessels," according to Defense News. Ankara wants to reduce its dependence on foreign militaries. The country currently produces 60% of its own hardware, up from 25% over a decade ago. In addition to corvettes, Erdogan said that Turkey will soon "be in a position to make our own aircraft carriers." To that end, it has already teamed up with Spanish shipbuilding company Navantia, preparing to spend over $1.5 billion on a landing platform dock. Assyrian Bishop Wants Friendship With Israel Archbishop Awa Royel. Israel has stability, the ear of the world community, and the ability to be a modern state in the Middle East. Israel has withstood the test of time," says Mar Awa Royel, the first American-born Assyrian bishop in history. Born David Royel in Chicago, Illinois on July 4, 1975, His Grace Mar Awa, Bishop of the Assyrian Church of the East, who presides over the Diocese of California, conveys his desire for friendship between Israel and the Assyrian people. Noting that "we've had a long history," he cites prophecy in the Book of Isaiah in order to provide a biblical foundation for his desired brotherhood with Israel, and describes several church-organized pilgrimages that he has led to Israel. While there are very few Assyrian Christians in Israel, until 1853 the Assyrian Church of the East shared a part of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Numerous records and Assyrian manuscripts are now in the possession of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in Israel. Bishop Royel also described the relations and commonalities between Jews and Assyrian Christians in Iraq prior to the establishment of the state of Israel. Even after the Arab Muslim conquest of the Middle East, which installed Arabic as the lingua franca of the region, Assyrians continued to speak Assyrian. The Nash Didan (Aramaic for "our people") refers to Jews who lived in villages in northern Iraq (modern-day Kurdish Regional Government) and near the borders of Iran, Turkey, and Azerbaijan. Tradition indicates that the community was founded by Jews who fled to that area during the Babylonian Exile, and did not return to their homeland after the declaration issued by Cyrus II of Persia. Assyrian and the Nash Didan dialect are very close. It is currently estimated that about 300,000 of the Nash Didan live in the state of Israel. "We are the most Semitic of the churches," says Bishop Royel. Jews and Assyrians in the region were bound by more than a common linguistic heritage. Royel describes the Targumim (the Aramaic translations/paraphrases of the Hebrew Bible and accompanying rabbinic teachings) as an influential text in Church doctrine. In fact, the Targumim are the antecedents of the version of the Old (and New) Testament of the Assyrian Church of the East. Queen Helena of Adiabene, an Assyrian who converted to Judaism in about 30 C.E., spent the latter part of her life in Jerusalem, where she gave gifts to the Second Temple of Jerusalem and was meticulous in her observance of the precepts of Judaism. Assyrian churches themselves are a fusion of synagogue and Jerusalem Temple worship. "There are no examples like it in any churches that are found in North America," says Royel. "Facing east, there is a Holy of Holies, and a bima in the middle of the church building where the Scriptural readings take place." The Assyrian Church of the East also follows the Jewish practice of not pronouncing the holy name of God when the Bible is read in church. Readings from the Old Testament are also featured more prominently than in other church services. The Assyrian Church at one time had an estimated 80 million adherents. As it now stands, their worldwide numbers have been reduced to a little less than 4 million people collectively. In Iraq, 1.5 million Assyrians lived in the country at the start of the US invasion in 2003. Today, the Assyrian Christians in Iraq number around 150,000. That is a 90 percent reduction of Assyrian Christians in their ancient homeland. "Iraq does not view Assyrians as part of their society," says Royel. "Maybe, it is time to reconsider Sykes-Picot. There is talk of establishing martial law in Iraq, like in Egypt, but that doesn't seem practical. Egypt is more homogenous than Iraq." When asked what a modern state of Assyria would look like, Royel stated that he would like very much to see a free Assyrian homeland for his people to live in peace within its borders. Friendship between Israel and Assyria would be mutually beneficial, with both countries being strong allies. Whereas Israel would serve as a model for a successful Middle Eastern state for Assyria, Israel would gain a strong ally in an increasingly tumultuous region. Bradley Martin is a Fellow for the Haym Salomon Center for American Jewish Thought and Research Assistant for the Canadian Institute for Jewish Research. According to the BuzzFeed news outlet, the intelligence bill calls to revive the Cold War-era presidentially-appointed group to counter "Russian spies and Russian-sponsored assassinations" in the United States. The group would have to also investigate the funding of Russian "covert broadcasting, media manipulation" and secret funding. The bill, among other measures, calls to tighten how Russian diplomats can travel within the United States without official notifications to US authorities, limiting it to a 50-mile perimeter around the embassy. All movement outside that perimeter would have to be investigated by the security services, the media outlet reported. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman denies talks with Washington on defense package have been stalled due to his country's poor relations with the United States and expects the deal by November. "The talks are being run well and correctly. There are concerns in the Israeli defense industries [but] my assessment is that this will be concluded by November," Lieberman said, as quoted by The Jerusalem Post. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Earlier in the day, South Korean media reported that North Korea appeared to have test-fired another medium-range ballistic missile, a second one on Wednesday. "I strongly condemn the launch by North Korea of two ballistic missiles. These repeated provocative actions by DPRK undermine international security and dialogue," Stoltenberg said in a statement. According to the Alliance's head, Pyongyang's move violates a number of resolutions of the UN Security Council, including Resolution 2270 dated March 2, which urge North Korea to stop all activities on its ballistic missile program. MOSCOW (Sputnik) On June 6-17, NATO held the 2016 Anaconda drills with the involvement of troops from over 20 member states of the Alliance, bringing together some 31,000 servicemen, 100 aircraft, 12 vessels and 3,000 vehicles. According to Hodges, the exercises showed that the Alliance had several problems and was too slow compared to the Russian military. "Russia could conquer the Baltic States faster than we would be there to defend them," Hodges said in an interview with the Zeit newspaper published Wednesday. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) The United States is planning to send a motorized brigade of about 5,000 servicemen to Eastern Europe to strengthen NATO's eastern flank. Last Tuesday, NATO announced its readiness to deploy additional forces in the Baltic States and Poland. The declared aim of the maneuver is to "protect its Eastern European allies from the so-called Russian aggression." "The agreement facilitates collaborative efforts to enhance defense capabilities across a wide spectrum of activities," the release stated. "It also permits the establishment of working groups and the transfer of equipment and material to improve collaboration and innovation." WASHINGTON (Sputnik) On Wednesday, BuzzFeed News, citing intelligence sources, reported that the US Senate Intelligence Committee proposed a bill to re-establish a Cold War-era interagency committee to counter Russian espionage activities on US soil. "The overall increase in tension between the United States and Russia over the past year or so, especially with regard to events in Ukraine, clearly is part of the background to the Senate Intelligence Committee taking this step," Pillar said. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) On June 18-21, Mcgurk held meetings with the leaders of Iraq and the Kurdistan Region. "Detailed meetings in Cairo with FM [Foreign Minister] Shoukry and MOD [Ministry of Defense] officials on fight against ISIL's [Daesh] global networks and affiliates," McGurk said in a Twitter message. A US-led coalition of nearly 60 nations has been conducting airstrikes against Daesh in Iraq and Syria since the summer of 2014. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) Earlier on Tuesday, DPR head Alexander Zakharchenko told reporters that there is a "very high" probability full-scale hostilities will return to the countrys east. He cited the increased number of tanks and soldiers from Kiev to the north and south of Donetsk. "As far as the resumption of the same intensity of the military conflict using tanks and the full potential, I think the probability of that is low for various reasons," Nemyria said on Tuesday. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) On Friday, de Misturas representatives held talks with the Moscow-formed Syrian opposition group. Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said a day earlier that the representatives are expected to travel to Damascus, Moscow, Riyadh and Cairo to hold technical talks with Syrian opposition members. We strongly support Special Envoy de Misturas efforts to facilitate constructive intra-Syrian talks. We want talks to take place in a constructive atmosphere and have encouraged the opposition to engage robustly in the current technical talks with the UN, Sisan said. The ambassador alos called on the Syrian government to respond to the special envoys questions and requests for detailed and constructive thoughts on a political transition. Russia, Japan to Build on Earlier Peace Treaty Talks Russia and Japan will build on the previous two rounds of talks when they discuss the belated peace treaty this week, the head of the Russian delegation in Tokyo said Wednesday. The two countries have been de facto at war after a spat over sovereignty of the Kuril Islands prevented them from signing a truce. "These [previous] consultations have been very useful as they gave us a clear idea of our stances and allowed us to narrow the gap in the understanding of historical realities," Morgulov told Harada. Japan Hopes for Fruitful New Round of Peace Treaty Talks With Russia Japan expects the fresh round of talks with Russia on the signing of an overdue post-WWII peace pact with Russia to be fruitful, the island nations representative Chikahito Harada said Wednesday. "I expect todays negotiations to be as fruitful as they were last time," Harada told his Russian counterpart Igor Morgulov. Harada emphasize the importance of the meeting, which is the first since Russian President Vladimir Putin and Japans Prime Minister Shinzo Abe came together in the southern Russian city of Sochi last May. "It was agreed at that meeting to work on a solution that would be acceptable for both sidesbased on a new approach," Harada continued. "I want these talks to be constructive and positive." Intensive Russia-Japan Dialog Reenergizes Bilateral Relations Recent dynamics in the Russian-Japanese relations suggest that their intensive dialog has been a positive thing, the head of the Japanese delegation also said. "Japanese-Russian relations have been marked by a positive dynamic thanks to an intensive political dialog." The US Strategic Command said earlier it had detected and tracked what it assessed were Korean-launched missiles that were fired from Wonsan. "The missiles were tracked over the Sea of Japan, where initial indications are they fell," the command said in a statement, adding that "the missile launches from North Korea did not pose a threat to North America." All previous test launches of Musudan missiles with a range of 1,550 to 2,500 miles were botched. State Duma Chairman Sergei Naryshkin echoed this sentiment when he said that cooperation between two countries was inevitable. "I believe that Russia and Japan fully understand that there is no alternative to fostering cooperation between our nations," he noted while on a visit to Japan. Both countries have "built up mutual trust" by developing ties and removing artificial barriers that stand in the way of a fruitful relationship. During his visit, Naryshkin also attended the opening ceremony of an annual festival of Russian culture. This year the event marked six decades of diplomatic relations between Russia and Japan that were restored on October 19, 1956. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Moscow and Japan have agreed to continue peace treaty talks following a meeting between senior officials on Wednesday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said. "On June 22 in Tokyo, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov and Japanese government representative in charge of Japan-Russia relations Chikahito Harada held the third round of Russian-Japanese talks on the peace treaty issue," the ministry said in a statement. "An agreement was reached to continue dialogue in this format," the statement reads. "These opinions make one inevitably come to a conclusion that the decision on the sanctions prepared by EU officials in Brussels has not taken into account people's views in specific countries at all," the diplomat concluded. However, the attendance of the annual St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) on June 16-18 by Spanish companies was not affected by anti-Russian sanctions, Korchagin added. "I think that sanction did not affect this [attendance of Spanish companies]..The forum aroused much interest primarily in Spanish business community, it was attended by a number of companies, including such high-profile firms as Amadeus, Fundacion Metropoli," Korchagin said. SPIEF 2016 was attended by some 10,000 participants. According to the SPIEF Organizing Committee, at least 332 agreements worth more than a trillion rubles ($15.7 billion) were signed at the event. Since 2014, the United States and the European Union have coordinated sanctions targeting Russian individuals and key sectors of its economy. The sanctions were initially imposed in response to Crimeas reunification with Russia and Western allegations of Moscow's involvement in the Ukraine crisis. Moscow has repeatedly refuted allegations of meddling into Ukraine's internal affairs. In response to the Western sanctions, Russia has sanctioned US individuals and also imposed a food embargo on some European countries. TOKYO (Sputnik) Tokyo has been laying claims to Russia's Kuril Islands , which has prevented the countries from signing a peace treaty after WWII. The talks on peace treaty in Japans capital Tokyo kicked off earlier in the day. The two countries have been de facto at war since World War II ended over 70 years ago. "Based on today's talks, we agreed to hold the next meeting in Moscow. The specific program will be agreed through foreign ministry channels. But our stance is that we would like to hold [talks] as often as possible. This issue needs to be settled," Chikahito Harada told RIA Novosti, adding that Japan would like for the next peace treaty meeting to be held "before the meeting in Vladivostok." TOKYO (Sputnik) Earlier in the day, the US, Japanese and South Korean militaries detected two launches of presumably Musudan medium-range ballistic missiles from North Koreas eastern coast. "[Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor] Morgulov is in charge of North Korea issues and we exchanged opinions regarding today's DPRK ballistic missile launch during a working dinner. We shared our mutual concerns and agreed to closely cooperate within the UN Security Council and other [organizations]," Chikahito Harada told reporters. BUDAPEST (Sputnik) Szijjarto described the 28 EU ambassadors' unanimous agreement to extend anti-Russia sanctions without a proper political discussion as "cunning." "The Hungarian government has always held the view that this issue should be discussed at the highest political level That is why we are very disappointed and consider the European Unions actions anti-democratic," Szijjarto said at a meeting of a Russian-Hungarian Intergovernmental Commission. The main condition for the removal of sanctions is the Minsk agreements on the Ukrainian crisis. However, Kiev does not want to observe the agreements. Initially, Brussels hoped that Washington would pressure Ukraine, but the US understood that pressuring Kiev would only deepen the political crisis in the country. As a result, the EU has to work out a scheme to ease sanctions, pretending that the agreements are being implemented, the article read. Recently, President Holland said that the gradual removal of sanctions is possible if the Minsk agreements are implemented. According to the article, European leaders will now prepare public opinion for the easing of anti-Russian sanctions, in accordance with the gradual implementation of the Minsk agreements. On Monday, President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker said in an interview with Euronews: "For the time being it is quite clear that in June we will prolong the sanctions. But in the course of the next coming six months we will have to check if there is enough progress as far as the Minsk implementation is concerned to lift part of the sanctions." Last week, Juncker attended the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum. The politician set a tone for discussions on anti-Russian sanctions. French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault underscored that the prolongation of sanctions should not be automatic and that a discussion is needed. "Today, dialogue, not standoff, is needed. Tensions between Russia and Europe should not evolve into a new Cold War. No one is interested in this," Bapt said. Furthermore, Slovakian Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak said that the EU should not ignore political pressure by some European countries calling 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. "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. PARIS (Sputnik) The United States could join Russia, France, Germany and Ukraine at the next high-level meeting, the spokesman told reporters following the French Cabinet session. "The president also touched on the Ukrainian issue. He said progress has been achieved and a new summit within the Normandy format can be envisioned in July," Stephane Le Foll said. The group of four countries dubbed "Normandy Four" after their leaders met during WWII Normandy landings' anniversary celebrations in northern France has been holding regular meetings on the Ukraine conflict since June 2014. TOKYO (Sputnik) Earlier in the day, the US, Japanese and South Korean militaries detected two launches of presumably Musudan medium-range ballistic missiles from North Koreas eastern coast. "The six-party talks are dead," Choe Son Hui, the North Korean Foreign Ministrys deputy director for North American affairs and deputy chief nuclear envoy, said at the closed-door forum quoted by the South Korean Yonhap news services insider. Tensions over North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs escalated after Pyongyang said on January 6 that it had successfully carried out a hydrogen bomb test and put a satellite into orbit on February 7. The moves violated UN Security Council resolutions, and prompted the United Nations as well as the United States to impose sanctions. BEIJING (Sputnik) President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said on Wednesday he will hold the talks with Chinese Presedent Xi Jinping on June 23. "I will talk with Chinese President Xi Jinping tomorrow," Lukashenko said. Earlier, Lukashenko's press service said that the president will pay a working visit to Uzbekistan on June 23-24, in order to participate in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit which will take place in the Uzbek city of Tashkent. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Minister Imad Mohammad Deeb Khamis will form the government under degree 187, according to the news agency. Earlier in June, Hadiya Khalaf Abbas was elected as the Speaker of the People's Council of Syria, becoming the first woman to hold the post. Since 2014, the United States and the European Union have coordinated sanctions targeting Russian individuals and key sectors of its economy. The sanctions were initially imposed in response to Crimea's reunification with Russia and Western allegations of Moscow's involvement in the Ukraine crisis. Moscow has repeatedly refuted allegations of meddling into Ukraine's internal affairs. In response to the Western sanctions, Russia has sanctioned US individuals and also imposed a food embargo on some European countries. At the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow could withdraw its food embargo against European countries, if the EU would put pressure on Kiev in order to reach progress in the peaceful settlement in Ukraine. "It was a clever move by Vladimir Putin," the magazine wrote. Presumably this week the EU will decide on the extension of sanctions against Russia. "The upcoming extension of the EU sanctions might be the last one. Critics of restrictive measures indicate that Russia can't ensure the implementation of the Minsk agreements alone because the Ukrainian government is also involved in the issue. And as noted by some observers in Brussels, it [the Ukrainian government] would be pleased if the anti-Russian sanctions will last even longer," the magazine concluded. MOSCOW (Sputnik) On Tuesday, 28 ambassadors from the European Union agreed unanimously to extend the anti-Russian sanctions through January 2017. A final decision on extending the sanctions will be reached at the end of June. I would like to see the removal of parliamentarians from the Russian and EU blacklists. Dialogue and interaction are important tools, particularly, in times of strained relations, Liisa Jaakonsaari said. Earlier, Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz has said that the European Union should progressively lift its anti-Russia sanctions in response to the countrys steps toward fulfilling the Minsk accords on Ukrainian settlement. Russian President Vladimir Putin said during the recent St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) that experts disagreed on the impact that Brexit could have on the European Union's stability and strength. "Some experts say that Europe would be more consolidated, some say that it could be the first step toward disintegration of the rest of Europe and so on," Putin said. He added that Moscow would prefer to be engaged in a dialogue with stronger Europe. "You want me to say what Russia's stance is on this, whether Russia wants to talk to a strong Europe or a weak one. Russia certainly wants to talk to a strong Europe, because having dialogue with a weak partner is not worth it. One can always expect that someone else will somehow pressure him [partner] and all agreements and joint plans will be ruined. While a strong partner will never allow something like that to be done," Putin said in a response to a question regarding the upcoming UK referendum. He refused to express his own opinion on the matter. "I think that we should respect the choice of the British people, regardless of what it will be. We just have to wait a few days and see what happens," Putin added. Diplomats' Reaction The representatives of Russia's diplomatic corps have said that Moscow would accept any outcome of the referendum, refuting statements of several UK officials that Brexit could bring benefits for Russia. "Our position is simple, we will accept any outcome [of the voting]. It's the British people who should decide. We are not interfering in the issue. Some of British politicians say that the exit of the United Kingdom from the EU is advantageous for Russia. This approach is absolutely wrong. We will accept any outcome of the voting, as it [outcome] is the will of the British people," Russia's Ambassador to the United Kingdom Alexander Yakovenko told RT television in an interview. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Earlier in the day, Syrian President Bashar Assad tasked the countrys Electricity Minister Imad Mohammad Deeb Khamis to form a new government. "This is like a chessboard: one has been removed, the second has been appointed. They are appointed just like civil servants. But they represent the one group, that's why new policy will not change very much [from the old one]," Abd Salam Ali said. He added that Damascus would not recognize Kurdish bid for democratization and federalization regardless of the name of the country's prime minister. MOSCOW (Sputnik) According to Khakimov, on June 24, during the SCO summit in Uzbek city of Tashkent, a memorandum on the obligations of India and Pakistan to obtain the status of the SCO member states will be signed in the presence of SCO member states' heads, and the process will be completed later. "In accordance with this memorandum, the conditions of India's and Pakistan's participation in the organization's general budget formation are set, as well as their quota for the participation in [SCO] permanent bodies and the deadlines for states-applicants to join current SCO treaties and agreements. These dates depend on what deadlines India and Pakistan, accordingly, put. While India said that two months will be sufficient for them, Pakistan said they will need seven months to join," Khakimov said. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Earlier in the day, Syrian President Bashar Assad tasked the countrys Electricity Minister Imad Mohammad Deeb Khamis to form a new government Earlier in June, Hadiya Khalaf Abbas was elected as the Speaker of the People's Council of Syria, becoming the first woman to hold the post. "The issue [of government reshuffle] has not been discussed with us by no means I do not think that there will be rearrangements in key ministries," Ahmad Asrawi said. In other words, the document offered "a blunt approach" that has never worked. There are several cases to prove this point. This strategy has most recently been applied to Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya, bringing destruction and chaos to once stable countries. Since post-intervention planning has not been Washington's strong suit, there is no reason to assume that the next regime change will bring peace and stability to any country, be it Syria or someone else. It follows then that Washington should focus on a different strategy when it comes to Syria. "If there is an actual American interest in the conflict it would be to work with those who are enemies of [Daesh] instead of so-called friends like Turkey and Saudi Arabia that are actually enabling the group," Giraldi added, referring to Moscow, Damascus and Tehran. However, Russia or its possible response to the US launching targeted airstrikes against the SAA does not seem to have come to the mind of those, who penned the State Department memo. "Apparently the 51 'diplomats' who have been unable to practice much diplomacy in the real world somehow believe that bombing the Syrian government can be accomplished with Moscow sitting idly by, too terrified by Washington's show of force to respond," he noted. "It would be a mistake to think that." Then again, the document might not have been a policy guideline, but rather "an application letter to join the hawkish Hillary Clinton foreign policy team," Giraldi observed. After all, the former US State Secretary has repeatedly called for a more muscular approach to handling al-Assad. What "the fiercest chair-borne warriors," as the analyst called the dissenters, do not seem to understand is that this "vision of peace through military dominance" is precisely what has ruined the Middle East and brought the US into trouble. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to Tashkent tomorrow to attend the SCO Summit. During the summit, India along with Pakistan will be inducted as full members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). The organization deals with security and defense and during the summit the leaders of the member states will explore ways to deepen security cooperation and intelligence sharing. India has shown its interest in strengthening its Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure. However, the most important event of the conference will be Indian Prime Minister Modis meetings with Russian President Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping. MOSCOW (Sputnik) A possible high-level meeting in July with the participation of the United States was suggested by French government spokesman Stephane Le Foll, who cited President Francois Hollande earlier in the day. "As for the quartet, there is no clear understanding on the terms [of the next Normandy summit]," Peskov told reporters. In Platzeck's opinion, Germany should have organized official celebrations to mark the anniversary of this historic event Instead, there is a summer festival taking place in the country. "Of course, there was no evil intent to do so. Most likely, the thing wasn't just properly thought out," Platzeck said. Nevertheless, he stressed that Germany could use the date as an opportunity to restore friendly relations with Russia and resolve tensions that arose between countries amid the conflict in Ukraine. "We have a wrong attitude to our national responsibility and miss a historic opportunity in the context of relations with our biggest neighbor in Eastern Europe," Platzeck said. Relations between Russia and Germany deteriorated in 2014 over the Ukrainian crisis, when the European Union along with the United States and some other countries imposed several rounds of sanctions against Russia, accusing it of meddling in Ukraine's internal affairs, a claim Moscow has repeatedly denied. "Russia again and again showed us what real forgiveness is. Germans are being welcomed as friends in the places where the greatest tragedies of the Second World War took place, on the battlefields near St. Petersburg, Volgograd and Kursk," the politician stated, adding that Germany should make more efforts to restore friendly relations with its Eastern neighbor. MOSCOW (Sputnik) The SCO summit will be held on June 23-24 in Tashkent. "Our president will attend the meeting and hold several separate meetings with other [SCO] countries' heads. The issues to be discussed are concrete steps for further improvement of the organization, the development of cooperation in priority areas such as the security and counter-terrorism, economy and humanitarian ties. The exchange of views on key regional and global problems, first of all, in Afghanistan and the situation in the Middle East, is also planned," Ushakov said. Iran's bid to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) will be discussed at the summit as well. MADRID (Sputnik) On Tuesday, Publico news site published records of Diaz conversations with the head of the Catalan anti-fraud agency, where he asked for corruption evidence on members of the region's largest parties supporting independence. The talk was reportedly held ahead of the November 2014 non-binding vote on Catalonia's independence. "I am the victim of this outrage," the acting minister told reporters, as quoted by the Spanish infoLibre online newspaper. Diaz added that his words on the recording were taken out of context and stressed that Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy was unaware this conversation took place before the leak. China may be interested in closer integration with the union if Beijing can use it to export oversupply of coal, cars and steel to those markets, the author wrote. Recently, Russia has been looking to "befriend" China. Over the last two years, Moscow and Beijing have signed a number of agreements, mainly on oil and gas. Commenting on the upcoming visit, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that it will give a powerful impulse to the strategic partnership between Russia and China. "The Russian-Chinese partnership, the best ever, is an excellent example of the intergovernmental relations in 21 century," the minister said. The Russian economy is still in crisis, and the recent rebound of oil prices has not done much to help improve the situation. In this context, Russias pivot to the East is a good step, but it is many decades behind the US, Rapoza wrote. "It comes at a time when Chinas economic growth is slowing, and persistent oversupply does not bode well for frontier nations that want Chinas money, but also want to develop their own manufacturing rather than import Chinas unwanted goods," the article read. "For Putin, getting Xi Jinping on Russias side is probably more political than economic. If China agrees to become an affiliate member of the EEU in some sort of trade arrangement, it will be seen as a positive from a long term, top down perspective," Rapoza suggested. "Russia would like to present Sino-Russian relations as balancing or a bulwark against the West," Agnia Grigas, senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, told Newsweek. She added that Russia needs building up ties with China for both pragmatic and political reasons. Russias pivot to China is a "big signal" to Europe, Lauren Goodrich, a senior Eurasia and Soviet Union specialist at the US think-tank Stratfor, said. "Russia is looking for eastern partners and if it appears that Russia is moving close to China, it adds to the already shaky resolve on sanctions in Europe," Goodrich said. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Russia hopes that India and Pakistan will become full-fledged members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) at the next SCO summit to be held in 2017 in Kazakhstan, Russian Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov said Wednesday. "The decision by the [SCO] heads of state to approve the memorandum on the India and Pakistan chairmanships aimed to obtain their SCO member-state status is expected soon. These documents and memorandums will be signed by the foreign ministers of SCO member states, SCO Secretary General and by the authorized representatives of the applicant countries," Ushakov said. "Thus, the process of accepting India and Pakistan to the SCO enters its final stage, and we expect that India and Pakistan will finally be accepted to the SCO at the next summit which will be held in Kazakhstan, Before that, they will have a year to accede to all the [SCO] documents that make up the legal base of the organization," Ushakov said. MOSCOW (Sputnik) During recent months, the supporters of the Leave campaign have been arguing that the United Kingdom would be swamped by Turkish migrants if it continued its EU membership and Turkey joined the block. "It is not right that the issue of when Turkey will become a member of the EU is used in the Brexit campaign. Turkey has never been a burden on the EU," Cavusoglu told journalist as quoted by the Daily Sabah outlet. Cavusoglu also noted that Turkey supported the UK membership in the European Union under any circumstances. ROME (Sputnik) On Tuesday, 28 ambassadors from the European Union unanimously agreed to extend the anti-Russian sanctions through January 2017. A final decision on extending the sanctions will be reached at the EU summit at the end of July. "Renzi should keep his promise given at the forum in St. Petersburg. He should prove, that he was not lying and give an opportunity to the parliament to vote on sanctions on July 31," Sibilia told RIA Novosti in an interview, adding that his party fellows filed petition to Renzi and drafted a resolution opposing EU trade restrictions' extension. "It's time to settle accounts with the municipalities supporting terrorism," the Hurriyet Daily News quoted Prime Minister Binali Yildirim as saying. "We'll ask these local governors to pay the price for not using the state means given to them for the people." Yildirim also said that the government plans to put forward a bill that would prevent local authorities from sponsoring the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). He did not provide further details. The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), according to Karayalcn, is most likely planning to use these latest reforms to fully limit the autonomy of municipal authorities. "I think that the AKP will cover all provinces and not only south eastern regions," he said. Indian Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar reached Seoul on Wednesday in an effort to convince the NSG members to garner support for Indias bid for NSG. While it is true that the Foreign Secretary has flown to Seoul, the NSG Plenary has not begun yet. As I have cautioned earlier, please dont jump to any conclusions. This is a delicate and complex process. At this point let us not speculate, government sources told Sputnik. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Ahead of Thursday referendum in the United Kingdom on the future of the countrys EU membership, some member of Greenlands parliament and business leaders suggested to look into the option of rejoining the EU as a way to attract investment. There are no current plans in the Government to review the possibility of rejoining the EU, Soren Hald Moller said. In early 80s, Greenland, which is a part of the Kingdom of Denmark with self-governance on numerous issues, was a part of what is now the EU, but following a referendum in 1985 the territory left the bloc, becoming the only member to ever do so. On May 2, 1941, less than two months ahead of the beginning of Nazi Germany's Operation Barbarossa, Richard Sorge, one of the greatest Soviet spies, informed the Kremlin that Adolf Hitler was determined to invade the USSR. "I talked to German ambassador Ott [Eugen Ott, German ambassador to Japan] and a marine attache about the relationship between Germany and the USSR. Ott stated that Hitler is determined to defeat the USSR and get his hands on the European part of the Soviet Union as a grain and resource base for Germany's control over the whole Europe The possibility of a sudden war is especially high, since Hitler and his generals are confident that the war with the USSR will be no hindrance to [Germany's] war against Great Britain," Sorge wrote, as quoted by Russian historian and analyst Professor Anatoly Koshkin in his article for Regnum. "German generals estimate that the Red Army's military capabilities are so low, that the Red Army will be destroyed within a few weeks. They believe that [the USSR's] defense at the Soviet-German border is extremely weak," the Soviet intelligence agent added. BERLIN (Sputnik) She added that dialogue and defense readiness are "two pillars" of modern NATO policy. "Germany always supports the continuation of dialogue with Russia. And this happened under the framework of the Russia-NATO Council On the other hand, Germany sees it necessary to strengthen NATO's eastern flank," Merkel said. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) The decision of former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to support regime change in Syria has urged Daesh to carry out terrorist attacks in the West, presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said on Wednesday. "Hillary Clintons support for violent regime change in Syria has thrown the country into one of the bloodiest civil wars anyone has ever seen while giving ISIS [Daesh] a launching pad for terrorism against the West," Trump stated as quoted by Politico. The candidate added that the invasion of Libya supported by Clinton has also handed the country to Daesh. TALLINN (Sputnik) Earlier in the day, Terras met with his French counterpart Pierre de Villiers in Tallinn. "The French Armed Forces are making a significant contribution both to their [country's] own domestic security, as well as into international military operations. It shows their desire to participate in the strengthening of the eastern flank of NATO and support the system of the Alliance's collective security," Terras said following the meeting, as cited by the General Staff of the Estonian Defense Forces. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) declined to comment on the possible revival of a Cold War-era group to counter Russian espionage due to the fact intelligence legislation in Congress is still pending, the agencys spokesperson told Sputnik on Wednesday. "We have no comments," the spokesperson said. When asked whether the CIA is not able to comment because the 2017 Intelligence Authorization Bill to revive the committee is still pending, the official said, "yes." WASHINGTON (Sputnik) On Monday, a BuzzFeed news outlet report cited a US intelligence community source saying the proposed intelligence bill in Congress calls for a revival of the Cold War-era group to counter Russian spies and Russian-sponsored assassinations in the United States. The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) declined to comment on the issue. "We have seen the reports. All this is saddening. Such actions contradict any logic, and only bring back the spirit of the Cold-War era," the the press office said. MOSCOW (Sputnik) In July, German politicians planned to visit Turkey and several Middle Eastern nations within the framework of a mission to visit facilities in the international coalition, fighting against Daesh, and to inspect the living conditions of German personnel deployed abroad. The German Spiegel magazine reported that the fact-finding mission headed by Ralf Brauksiepe, parliamentary state secretary for the country's defense ministry, was prohibited from visiting Incirlik, in a signal that German officials were not welcome guests in Turkey. The magazine added, citing a military source, that the move by Ankara followed the decision of the German parliament to recognize the 1915-1916 massacre of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire as genocide. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) On Friday, US State Department spokesperson John Kirby told Sputnik that an internal memorandum was under review urging the United States to take military action against the Syrian government. A draft of the memo, signed by 51 diplomats, was obtained by The New York Times from a State Department official on Thursday. "I would anticipate they will cover a range of issues, I would not rule out that this topic could come up, but this meeting is not focused on the so-called dissent cable [on Syria]," Earnest stated on Wednesday. Russia recognizes Assad as the legitimate authority in Syria, and has repeatedly stated the Syrian people should be free to choose their leadership without outside intervention. The United States and some of its allies have been supporting elements of the opposition, including Islamic extremists with ties to al-Qaeda, and have urged Assad to resign. "The cessation of hostilities has fallen apart. There is no nationwide ceasefire," he claims. These remarks are apparently aimed at evoking US Secretary John Kerry's "Plan B" that envisages the partition of Syria. Indeed, back in February 2016 Kerry declared that Washington will implement its Plan B if the Syrian ceasefire fails. Interestingly enough, Riyadh is expressing enthusiasm about the plan's realization. "We believe we should have moved to a 'Plan B' a long time ago," Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir told reporters in late May, as quoted by Reuters. On June 17, commenting of the diplomatic cable, al-Jubeir confirmed that his government supports airstrikes against the Syrian Arab Army and Bashar al-Assad. 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 a court in Cairo overturned this ruling and the protesters were released. Egypt has been in control of Tiran and Sanafir for over 60 years. The islands could be potentially used for constructing a bridge across the Red Sea, announced on April 8 by Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. "Kosovo deserves recognition from all countries of the world, therefore I invite you, participants from Latin America, Asia and Africa, to lobby for recognition of Kosovo's independence on your continents. Kosovo is a country with great economic potential and natural resources which combined with human capital means that we represent a great opportunity for foreign investment," the minister said, as quoted by the Kosovar Epoka e Re newspaper. BEIJING (Sputnik) Zubov stressed that the representation office would be open in the near future. "The Russian side has suggested to open a representation office of the Russian Interior Ministry in Harbin, that would coordinate joint actions," Zubov said after a meeting with Chinese deputy ministers of public security Meng Hongwei and Chen Zhimin. The Russian and Chinese officials also agreed to hold regular meeting between the interior ministries to discuss cooperation. "This peace will indeed will take part in uprooting terrorism, and this armed extremist groups, which in the name of Palestine claim things that have nothing to do with our course," Abbas said at joint press conference with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini. He reaffirmed his commitment to "fully transparent" institutions in Palestine, and to work on improving the rights of women and the performance of civil society organizations. Brian is joined by Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, executive director of the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund, as well as Eugene Puryear of the Stop Police Terror Project to discuss the watershed Supreme Court ruling and the historic dissent offered by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latina Supreme Court judge. Will Hillary Clinton accelerate the drive for regime change in Syria if she becomes President? A State Department document released last week calls for airstrikes against the Damascus government as a means to defeat Daesh, but would it bring the US to war with Russia and Iran? Becker is joined by political analyst Daniel McAdams to discuss the importance of the dissent within the State Department. A new corruption scandal in Brazil could implicate a third of the country's lawmakers. As the coup government of Michel Temer struggles for legitimacy in the eyes of the Brazilian people, what does this mean for impeached President Dilma Rousseff? Joining Becker to talk about these developments is writer and activist Kim Ives and Aline C. Piva of Brazilian Expats for Democracy. On today's BradCast I'm joined by Ariela J. Gross, professor of law and history at USC, co-author of several history text books, and the author of What Blood Won't Tell: A History of Race on Trial in America to discuss a number of U.S. mass killings from early in the 20th Century that were, arguably, far 'worse', in that the death toll was much higher. Several of them, including those in East St. Louis, Illinois and Tulsa, OK, have been largely obscured by history as "race riots" instead of the mass killings they actually were. Some historians, she explains, now use the term "'massacre' because 'race riot' makes it sounds as though there were something two-sided" about these wholesale slaughters of African-Americans. "Some historians refer to them as 'racial cleansing', not unlike the ethnic cleansing that we saw in parts of Eastern Europe in the late 20th Century," Gross tells me. The exact number of deaths in those horrific incidents (not to mention similar slaughters of Native Americans) are still unknown, but are believed to be in the hundreds in a number of cases. Gross notes, however, that had the killers at the time "had access to military-grade weapons the way (the Orlando shooter) did, we'd be talking about thousands of people dead." She also details how "racial terror has gone hand-in-hand with our gun culture" or the years. NATO has intensifies aggressive anti-Russian rhetoric, the president said, adding that "we will be forced to respond in the same way." Russian President Vladimir Putin called for a collective security system that would serve the interests of all countries equally, adding that Russia is ready for dialogue. "It is necessary to create a non-aligned, equal for all states system of collective security. Russia is ready to discuss this important issue and has repeatedly declared its readiness to engage in dialogue." Commenting on the Crimean reunification with Russia, Putin thanked the members of the Russian parliament. "You've adopted more than 200 laws in the shortest time span," Putin said. On Anti-Corruption Legislation Russian lawmakers have adopted several anti-corruption laws this year. Putin thanked the members of the parliament for great job. "It's important that all political groups recognize their responsibility for the lives of people of our country," Putin said. "I'd like to thank you for your work in the State Duma," the president concluded. One of the three options being considered envisions the use of a general Made in Russia logo on each and every domestically made product. The government is also mulling a system of promoting foods and manufactured goods produced in Russian regions. The projects manager Mikhail Sadchenkov fears, however, that a shift towards the products regional identities would be counterproductive. Alexander Murychev, Executive Vice-President of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, disagrees arguing that vital as the unified Made in Russia brand may be, a mention of the products territorial origin is equally important. Consumers usually want to know where exactly this or that product was made. Therefore, we should name the concrete manufacturers and regions this product was made in, Murychev emphasized. The NORAD catalog also restricts data on defense satellites of Washingtons allies, including France, Germany, Israel, and Japan. But it lists Russian military satellites. Moscow has proposed to merge national databases into one catalog available for every county involved in space activities. Such a platform would provide information on potentially dangerous situation in space (for satellites and objects on earth) as well as on possible dangers for rocket launches. According to a source close to the matter, the Russian proposal was supported by China, but opposed by the US. "The US wants to preserve its monopoly in regulating space traffic. Moreover, the US military doesnt want make data on its objects public," the source said. "The American may not be concerned over disclosure of their military satellites information. This would happen anyway," Shilin said. The US brought up the idea of deterrence in space last year, citing Russia and China among the possible rivals. According to the Pentagon, Moscow and China is building up their presence in space while the US is lagging behind. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Russia's Technodinamika Holding company is planning to substitute a number of components being made abroad for a new Russian passenger plane, MC-21, including the fuel system, airborne auxiliary power and other equipment, the company's Design Center Director Viktor Nikolenko told Sputnik. "We delivered for this aircraft [-21] only landing gear components so far, but we have a number of proposals to design the electrical power supply system components, airborne auxiliary power, system parts, including the fuel system. As of today many of these components are being delivered for MC-21 from abroad," Nikolenko said. According to Nikolenko, products developed by Technodinamika for -21 have not yet reached contracting stage due to preparations for the aircraft's maiden flight. MOSCOW (Sputnik) Russia plans to issue a 10-year extension of its scientific and technological cooperation with the United States, a government decree published on the state legal information portal stated Wednesday. "Accept the Russian Education Ministrys proposalto extend the term of the agreement between the Government of Russia and the United States on Scientific and Technology Cooperation dated December 16, 1993, to December 16, 2015, for a next 10-year period," the decree read. It added that the Education Ministrys proposal has been coordinated with the Russian Foreign Ministry, the Russian Justice Ministry and has been provisionally agreed with the United States. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) The Maritime Monitoring and Messaging Microsatellite (M3MSat) has been placed into orbit by an Indian Space Research Organization rocket, the Canadian Space Agency said in a press release on Wednesday. "The M3MSat mission will improve ship detection and marine traffic management in Canadian waters by testing new technologies, including an innovative antenna designed by the University of Waterloo that promises improved identification of ships and better resolution between conflicting [identification] signals in regions with high maritime traffic," the release stated. Cox further said that Americans want Congress to forget about politics and pass legislation that will actually protect them from terrorists, and not encroach on their rights. The US Senate is expected to vote on the compromise amendment either this week or the next. The amendment has gained wide support from both Democrats and Republicans. Four other gun control proposals were rejected by the Senate on Monday. This renewed effort on gun control legislation comes in the wake of the June 12 shooting in Orlando, Florida that killed 49 people and injured 53 others. The attacker, Omar Mateen, pledged allegiance to the Daesh terror group. Robyn Greene, policy counsel for the Open Technology Institute, said, "It seems that the FBI has again crossed the line when it comes to ECTRs (electronic communication transactions records), even after being explicitly told, under the Bush administration, no less, that they were not legally authorized to demand these personal records absent a court order." Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) said, "The Justice Department told FBI officials that if they want to demand Americans email records, they need a court order. It is very troubling that the FBI has apparently not been adhering to that guidance." One tactic the FBI employs to get more information than they are legally allowed to possess is to send companies a long list of requests and let the recipient figure out the legal niceties. This is particularly difficult for smaller companies who dont have the resources to sift through all the legislation. "Essentially, the FBI believes they can ask for the sun, the moon and the stars in an NSL, while knowing that tech companies dont have to turn over anything more than name, address and length of service," said Chris Soghoian, chief technologist at the American Civil Liberties Union. "The FBI asks for so much, because it is banking that some companies wont know the law and will disclose more than they have to. The FBI is preying on small companies who dont have the resources to hire national security law experts." They both said that the 48-year-old ethnic Tatar was a non-violent man who no longer represented a "continuing significant threat to the United States." "Ravil's son, ex-wife and other in-laws currently live in the United Kingdom under political asylum and have written numerous letters pledging to support Ravil upon his release," his representative said at the court hearing. The Federal Government has its own set of problems to deal with at this point. Whether it is the economy or massive unrestricted immigration, war issues, the Federal Government has a lot on its plate and it does not know how to handle it, Miller told Sputnik. He further said that as the referendum draws closer, the Federal Government will react in a way similar to how they have reacted to Brexit. Talking about the issues that Texas could end up facing if it separates from the United States, Miller said that it is important to separate facts from fear. They want people to fear governing themselves so that they have the power. What the opposition has to offer the people of Texas has been centered on fear. If Texas was standing as an independent nation right now, could this opposition convince Texas to join a nation that has 90 trillion dollars worth of national debt? the president of the organization said. Miller further said, Would it join the nation that has 175,000 pages of federal laws and regulations? I do not believe that anyone can make a case at this moment in time for Texas to join the Union, so therefore, it is easy for us to make the case that we should leave the union. He further said that the fact is not whether to choose to stay or to leave, but the fact is that just like in the UK it is important to be able to debate on this. We have to be able to show that it is possible for the first world powers, for major economic powers to go and have public debates, to have adult conversation about governance and then to go and have a vote on it and thats all we are asking for, Miller concluded. The latest initiative of Texas Nationalist Movement is not the first attempt to hold a referendum in a bid to secede from the United States. Back in 2012 a similar Texit petition gathered more than one hundred twenty five thousand votes, but was shot down by the White House. Texas was an independent republic from 1836 to 1845, when the United States annexed it. Texas Nationalist Movement emerged in the late 1990s and is reportedly backed by more than two hundred sixty thousand Texans. Its members campaign for the states secession, arguing Texas would be politically and economically better off as an independent country. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) The amendment was included in the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, which will see its final vote later in the week, according to the release. "The Senate failed to pass an amendment to expand the FBI's National Security Letter powers and to make the lone wolf provision of the Patriot Act permanent; however, the amendment will be voted on again later today," the release stated. Earlier in the day, the EFF urged the Senate not to expand FBIs authority. WASHINGTON (Sputnik) On Monday, a BuzzFeed news outlet report cited a US intelligence community source saying the proposed intelligence bill in Congress calls for a revival of the Cold War-era group to counter Russian spies and Russian-sponsored assassinations in the United States. "Since this is a question on pending legislation, we dont have a comment on it," Thompson said. Senator Richard Burrs press office said last month that the 2017 Intelligence Authorization Bill, which was passed by the Senate Intelligence Committee in May, "requires the President to establish an interagency committee to counter Russian active measures," however, no details on the requirements were provided. "The State of Israel is proud to be the first in our region to receive and operate the plane," Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman said during the ceremony, according to the Jerusalem Post. Liberman described the aircraft as "the most advanced in the world, and is the best selection by defense chiefs for safeguarding Israels aerial superiority." Israel has ordered 33 F-35As, the conventional takeoff and landing variant of the aircraft, and has an option to purchase 17 more. Specifically, intelligence officials warn that the group's losses in Fallujah and other areas will turn Daesh, also known as ISIS/Islamic State, toward violence against soft targets in the United States and Europe. Since their losses were primarily due to Shi'ite and Kurdish fighters, it also threatens to legitimize the terror group in the eyes of Sunni Muslims. "We can expect [Daesh] to harass local forces that are holding cities it previously controlled, thereby drawing out battles into protracted campaigns, an intelligence official speaking anonymously to Reuters stated. Seizing territory in regions of Iraq and Syria allowed the group to collect funds through taxes and oil, and provided them a geographical base. Seth Jones, an analyst with the RAND Corp, told Reuters that the loss of these areas could lead them to adopt an increasingly guerilla approach to warfare. "We will continue to press for both access and clarity for protesters so that the DNC will not be just a showcase for party mechanics, but also a genuine celebration of democratic small 'd' values, Roper said. Many protest organizers have stated that while they will attempt to obtain permits, denial will not be a deterrence. "The First Amendment is our permit," Scott Williams, an organizer with the International Action Center, told AP of their planned march. The city has passed legislation allowing police to issue $100 fines instead of making criminal arrests for the typical charges incurred during protests, including disorderly conduct, blocking a street, and failure to disburse, but have prepared space to house protesters in the Holmesburg Prison gymnasium in case of mass arrests. In Cleveland, the ACLU has filed a lawsuit to reduce the parameter which protest will be barred from. What the city has done here is draw a gigantic blanket area that covers most of downtown Cleveland, Elizabeth Bonham, staff attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio, told Boing Boing. 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. Here there are no alternatives. During the Clinton administration, the expert said, a straightforward requirement was put in the place that those who are prohibited from purchasing guns cannot buy weapons at retail outlets. But that law doesnt extend to private sales, and anyone, including criminals and the mentally ill, can buy privately. The first step toward common-sense gun laws would be a move toward some sort of universal background check, Donohue stated. Reports consistently show that between 80-90 percent of Americans are in favor of such checks. But the Republican-controlled Congress, heavily influenced by the concentrated and powerful lobby of the NRA, has stalled action on the proposals, despite Democrats in the House of Representatives pushing laws through. When you dont want to confront Islamist terrorism so you sit on the House floor to score political points. pic.twitter.com/wfu5jKf6w3 Heritage Foundation (@Heritage) 22 2016 . Its one of the issues of American democracy when tightened special interests with intense loyalty can thwart the will of the majority, Donohue said. A possible shift in legislation is expected to occur after the presidential election, the expert said. Theres a lot of suspicion that the Democrats will do very well in this election. Its the Republicans who largely stand in the way of gun control. If the Democrats are able to take over the Congress, youll see changes. Earlier this month, US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter voiced concerns with North Korean missile testing, suggesting that the country was not acting in accord with other nations on missile development. "We have elements of cooperation, strong elements of cooperation, with China, even as we have some elements of competition," Carter said. "Now, I dont want speak for the Chinese, but I think everybodys very frustrated at North Korean behavior." Carter discussed the five recent North Korean missile-launch failures, saying, "Whatever the outcome of the test, the fact remains that theyre trying to make those missiles fly. Whatever the outcome, this is something that is provocative. Its destabilizing. Its contrary to the United Nations Security Council resolutions." VILNIUS (Sputnik) The representatives of the Russian Embassy, non-government and veteran organizations gathered on Wednesday at Antakalnis Military Cemetery in Vilnius to commemorate the victims of the World War II. "Years pass and the meaning of the war is becoming more and more serious. The understanding of what was happening during the Great Patriotic Warit divides people. Thus, it is very important for us, who understands what it is about, to take a correct position and not to allow revision of the outcomes of the World War II," Udaltsov told RIA Novosti. On June 22, Russia marks the 75th anniversary of Nazi Germanys invasion of the Soviet Union during the World War II, what was to become known in Russia as the Great Patriotic War. MOSCOW (Sputnik) He added that Leonid Khrushchev's fighter aircraft was reportedly downed in 1943 but this fact had not been confirmed yet. "Particularly, Leonid, the son of Nikita Khrushchev, the [former] first secretary of the [Communist] Party [of the Soviet Union] did not return from the front line and is still considered missing in action," retired Maj. Gen. Alexander Kirilin, who is also secretary of the Russian Military Historical Society's academic board, said in an interview. The first crop of Warrawee Needy wasn't large, but it's already making an impact and getting attention around the globe. On Saturday night, Warrawee Needy had his first two-year-old winner from his five-foal first crop. Warrawee Speedy, a daughter from Dragon Again mare Warrawee Jangle, tripped the timer in 1:57.1 at Hiawatha Horse Park in her lifetime debut for trainer-driver Eddie Green and owner Mona Racette of Oshweken, Ont. That's the fastest time for a two-year-old pacing filly on a five-eighths mile track in Canada thus far. Two days later, Trot Insider learned that the Ontario-based pacing stallion would be shuttled downunder for stallion service in Australia at Yirribee Stud Farm, operated by Rod Woodhouse and his partner Diane Sutherland. Ruleen Lilley of Mac Lilley Farms noted that Warrawee Needy will stand for a service fee of $3,500 + GST or $3,850. (The Canadian and Australian dollar are almost equivalent in value.) According to Lilley, Australian service fees are due after the mare is checked in foal at 42 days. If the mare does not have a live foal, then a rebreed is offered the following year. The service fee is refunded if the stallion dies. Warrawee Needy will head to quarantine at Walnridge Farm in New Jersey for two weeks, then fly over to Melbourne, Australia for another two weeks of quarantine. He'll arrive in time for the start of the Australian breeding season on September 1. HM King Mohammed VI Receives Rwanda's President Paul Kagame Contact: K.Drawi, 240-994-2476ROCKVILLE, Md., June 22, 2016 / Standard Newswire / -- Rwanda's President Paul Kagame arrived in the Kingdom of Morocco on Monday, June 20, 2016, for a two-day official visit at the invitation of his counterpart, HM King Mohammed VI.On this occasion, King Mohammed VI held, at the Royal Palace in Casablanca, a meeting with President Paul Kagame.Afterward, the King decorated Rwanda's Head of State with the highest state decoration of the Kingdom.Previously, King Mohammed VI chaired at the Meshuar square in the Casablanca Royal Palace, the official welcome ceremony for President Paul Kagame.Upon his arrival at the Meshuar square, the Rwandan President was greeted by the King accompanied by his brother Prince Moulay Rachid. The Sovereign and President Kagame then joined the VIP stand to salute the flags while the national anthems of both countries were playing.Afterward, the King was greeted by the members of the delegation accompanying the President of the Republic of Rwanda.For his part, President Paul Kagame was received by members of the honorary committee, notably Salaheddine Mezouar, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, and Abdelilah Benryane, Ambassador of Morocco to Rwanda with residence in Nairobi.Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Louise Mushikiwabo, who is also in Morocco on President Kagame's delegation, told the press that the visit falls in the spirit of reinforcement of the already good existing relations between the two countries.This is President Kagame's first official visit to Morocco, and it reflects the two countries' desire to boost their relations and will surely open up a new chapter in their political and economic partnership. Ninth Circuit to Hear Argument on Counseling Restrictions Today Contact: Brad Dacus, Pacific Justice Institute, 916-719-9510 SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., June 22, 2016 /Standard Newswire/ -- Pacific Justice Institute is taking the next major step in challenging a law that restricts the constitutional rights of mental health providers and their clients, including ordained clergy and their parishioners. The next major step in the litigation takes place today and members of the media are welcome to attend. When: Wednesday, June 22, at 3:00 p.m. What: Oral argument challenging SB 1172. PJI represents Dr. Donald Welch, Dr. Anthony Duk, and Aaron Bitzer. Where: Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals at 95 7th St., San Francisco, CA 94103 Who: Pacific Justice Institute attorney Kevin Snider Pacific Justice Institute represents plaintiffs prohibited by SB 1172 from giving counsel to minors struggling with same-sex attractions and gender identity. SB 1172, signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown in September 2012, restricts mental health professionals from using "change therapy" as an option for helping minors. In December 2012, the United States District Court sided with Pacific Justice Institute by granting a preliminary injunction against SB 1172. However, the Ninth Circuit reversed that injunction in August 2013. At that time, the Ninth Circuit considered only these plaintiffs' free speech claims. The court will now consider religious freedom and privacy implications of the law. Kevin Snider will be available to media at the courthouse immediately following his argument. Brad Dacus, the Founder and President of PJI, will also be available for comment at 916-719-9510. Voters interested in getting to know PUD commissioner candidates will get a chance this Sunday at a candidate forum hosted by the League of Women Voters of Cowlitz County. The event takes place in the third floor meeting room at Cowlitz County Administration Building at 207 N. Fourth Ave. in Kelso. Four candidates are vying to replace PUD Commissioner Ned Piper, who is stepping down after 24 years in office. Candidates Dan Clark, Mike Kayser, Lonnie Knowles and Dave Quinn will all have an opportunity to speak at Sunday's forum. The League of Women's voters also will host a state representatives forum July 10 at the same time and location. Plans to bring a new semitrailer plant and hundreds of jobs to Longview hang on whether the Denver-based company can secure additional financing. Nimble Trailers announced in April its plans to build a manufacturing plant here on 6.7 acres of property owned by the Sari family near the junction of California Way and Industrial Way. The company estimates it would create 500 new jobs within four years roughly the same number of employees at Weyerhaeuser Co.s liquid packaging board plant. Originally, Nimble Trailers director of manufacturing, Todd Wessels, said the company hoped to break ground in June, although city officials said at the time it wouldnt happen until November. So far, Nimble and the Saris have yet to close a deal on the land, and no construction has taken place. Wessels said Tuesday though that Nimble is working to develop a business partnership with an East-coast trailer company to help finance the project. He declined to offer the name, but said it would likely be a 50-50 joint investment. Right now were trying to get financing down from a second source like a partnership with another company because without that we cant purchase it, Wessels said. The initial investment would be about $3 million to $4 million, but that could grow to $40 million to $50 million by 2020, the company said. These delays arent unusual for new developments, said Joe Phillips, City of Longview economic development coordinator. From my professional standpoint, probably the announcement was a little sooner than it should have been in terms of developing expectations, Phillips said. Im not surprised and at this point I wouldnt say Im disappointed or anything. I think its just working through the process. Theyre not experienced developers, and things always feel like they should go faster than they really do, he added. The Longview plant would use a new technology to build 33-foot carbon fiber semitrailers, boosting trucking capacity from the typical 28-foot trailers used today. The expanded capacity would significantly reduce fuel usage and the trucking industrys carbon footprint, Wessels said. It also would improve safety, he said, because the converter dolly a trailer wheel assembly with a steel hitching plate is embedded in the trailer itself, decreasing the sway of the trailers. Were optimistic that something will come about and theyll be some new development going on in Longview, said Pat Sari, owner of the property and principal dealer of Columbia Ford. Theres more and more people looking to Longview every day, and I think good things are going to happen. hidden A British Labour Party MP received a message via micro-blogging website Twitter which threatened the lives of her children and grandchildren. Yvette Cooper, a former Cabinet minister and MP for MP Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford, said she received the message on Tuesday, BBC reported. The comment accused her of sending pro European Union (EU) "propaganda", adding "Please stop or I will kill your kids and grandkids". The account from which the message was sent now appears to have been removed, police said. The incident comes amid increased security for MPs following the death of Labour MP Jo Cox last week. Cox died after being shot and stabbed in an attack in Birstall near Leeds on June 16. A 52-year-old man has been charged with her murder. Cox had previously contacted police after receiving "malicious communications" and they had arrested a man in connection with the investigation in March. Police said that the man they had arrested at that time was not the 52-year-old man who was being held in custody in West Yorkshire following his arrest close to the crime scene. "Officers received an allegation of malicious communications from Jo Cox MP, and in March 2016 arrested a man in connection with the investigation," police said. "The man subsequently accepted a police caution." Cox, a 41-lawmaker for the opposition Labour Party and a vocal advocate of Britain's European Union membership, died after she was shot and stabbed repeatedly by a man who witnesses said shouted "Britain first". Both sides in Britain's EU referendum suspended campaigning after the attack. IANS with inputs from Reuters hidden 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." "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 organizations 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. Reuters hidden The US space agency has released its popular NASA app for a new platform - the fourth-generation Apple TV - that will provide you access to NASA TV on your TV as well live views from the International Space Station (ISS). This version joins the app's other versions available for iOS in iPhone and iPad versions, Android and Fire OS. The NASA app, available for free in the App Store on Apple TV, has been downloaded more than 17 million times across all platforms. "The NASA app has been a fantastic way for the public to experience the excitement of space exploration from their mobile devices," said David Weaver, NASA associate administrator for Communications."Now, users with the latest Apple TV can explore and enjoy our remarkable images, videos, mission information, NASA Television and more on the big screen with the whole family," he added in a statement. The NASA app for Apple TV offers several features for users. You can watch live streaming NASA TV and get a real-time view of the Earth from the space station. The users can view more than 15,000 images individually or as a continuous slideshow and play "on demand" NASA videos. They can view other NASA satellites pass overhead, based on their location and discover the latest NASA mission information. "The users can listen to NASAs online radio station Third Rock and view the Earth as art image gallery, NASA said. IANS hidden By Asheeta Regidi Virtual currencies show great promise as the currency of the future. Everyone, including governments, are examining how best to exploit cryptocurrencies and are even attempting to create their own version of them. The technology behind it, particularly the blockchain technology, has the potential to revamp the entire financial system as we know it. Bankers are looking to blockchain technologies for a range of purposes: introducing transparency in the financial payment and settlement systems, reducing the costs for international payments, use in governance and audit costs, and even to tackle software piracy. The reports that attempts are being made at patenting these technologies, therefore, has all entities interested and invested in this technology very worried. Who is Craig Wright? Craig Wright is an Australian man who claims to be the creator of Bitcoin and hes going around attempting to patent the technologies behind Bitcoin. The question of whether he can get a patent on the Bitcoin and other technology is subject to a lot of factors. The patent applications have been made in Britain, and the applicable laws are codified under the Patents Act, 1977. Under this law, for an invention to be patented, it must be new. Considering that Satoshi Nakamoto disclosed the technology behind bitcoins as far back as 2008, and made it freely available to the public for use, its possible that the technology may simply be considered to be not new, or part of the prior art. If this is proved, there will be no question of patenting it. Despite this, a problem may arise if Craig Wright does indeed turn out to be the mysterious Satoshi Nakamoto. Under UK Patent law, a patent is granted to the inventor. The inventor need not be the first inventor of the invention. He may be a subsequent or simultaneous inventor, provided that he is the first to disclose the invention. Therefore, if Craig Wright turns out to be the person who disclosed it, it is very well possible that the patent be granted to him. Even if Craig Wright is not proven to be Satoshi Nakamoto, it is possible that the invention will simply be considered to be new, and therefore patentable. Patents are also granted for new combinations of technology, so if the patent application relates to a combination using the bitcoin technology that is considered to be new, then it may be patentable. Intentions of patent holder will determine the impact of the patent grant The grant of a patent on these technologies will definitely impact all projects that are being designed around it. The extent of this impact, particularly in terms of revenue payment or collection, is entirely subject to the intentions of the patent holder. For example, if the patent holder chooses to continue to provide the technology on the same basis on which it was available, then the impact will be minimized. However, it seems unlikely that a person would invest the huge amounts required to acquire 51 patents, as are said to be applied for by Craig Wright, just to make them available free of cost. In the more likely event, the patent holder may provide the technology under the terms of some license or the other. Once patented, all such projects using this technology will have to obtain a license from the patent holder in order to continue using it. Otherwise they run the risk of patent infringement suits. The payment of royalties will also increase the costs of such projects. Even if the technology is licensed on an open-source basis, it can have a negative impact. For example, open-source software licenses allow users to create derived software, or software that modifies or is based on the original open-source software. These licenses often contain restrictions such as that the derived software can only be used for non-commercial purposes, or must in turn be licensed as open-source software. Either way, this will spell trouble for ongoing projects who are hoping to obtain returns on their investments through royalties or other commercial use of the derived technology. Considering that the cryptocurrency technology being attempted to be patented forms the basic building blocks for future virtual currencies as well, until a new building block is invented, all future inventions will have to be licensed. Bitcoin holders neednt worry The patenting will not affect holders of bitcoins and other virtual currencies. The patent, if granted, will apply only to the technology behind virtual currencies, not to the currency in itself, which is too abstract to be made subject to intellectual property rights like copyrights and patents. The use of bitcoins themselves will therefore not be affected. Individual bitcoin production will become more expensive However, the patenting will have an impact on the individual production of bitcoins. Until now, the bitcoin software was freely available for anyone to download and use. As a result, anyone could mine their own bitcoins. Bitcoin mining is already an expensive process, particularly in terms of power (electricity) consumption. A further increase in cost in the form of royalties may prove to be a major deterrent to the mining. Once patented, only a person willing to pay the required royalties will be able to mine their bitcoins. Patenting was inevitable, but perhaps necessary The outcome of the Craig Wright patent applications will be closely watched. Though the original Satoshi Nakamoto made the technology behind bitcoin freely accessible to the public for use, along the lines of open-source software, an attempt at patenting this technology was inevitable. Whether Craig Wright is Satoshi Nakamoto is being widely debated. But if not him, this attempt would have been made by some patent troll or the other. Even open-source software, though freely available, is often patented by the owners to prevent such misuse. Patenting of this technology is therefore probably necessary in order to allow the continued free use of the technology behind virtual currencies. However, this comes with the risk that the intentions of that one patent holder alone will determine the future of virtual currencies and blockchain technology. The author is a lawyer with a specialisation in cyber laws and has co-authored books on the subject. hidden Avasarala Technologies Ltd, the city-based tier-1 supplier of critical components to strategic sectors, has secured more orders to supply heat pipes for Indian satellites, a top official said on Thursday. "We have got additional orders from ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) to supply heat pipes for satellites it launches for various applications," Avasarala chief executive T.T. Mani told reporters here at an event. As an import-substitute component, the pipes are used in satellites to collect heat generated by electronic devices and release it in space to keep them cool. "Made of light-weight aluminium, heat pipes keep spacecraft cool and stabilise inside temperature, as thermal uniformity is critical for orbiting satellites under adverse solar heating," said Mani. The company handed over its 3,000th heat pipe to ISRO satellite centre director M. Annadurai at its factory here. Promoted by eight former technocrats of state-run Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) here over three decades ago, the privately-held company also supplies critical components and subsystems to diverse industries spanning nuclear, defence, aerospace, factory automation and healthcare. The state-run Indian space agency had used all the 2,986 heat pipes the company supplied since 2003 in 38 satellites launched for communications, broadcasting, remote-sensing and space exploration such as Chandrayaan-1 and Mars orbiter. "We also make high frequency wave guides that open solar panels of satellites after their deployment in the intended orbits, for converting sunlight into thermal energy and keep their instruments, including transponders charged," Mani said. The company has also received orders to make subsystems for semi-cryogenic engines the space agency is developing for launching heavy rockets to carry four-tonne and above satellites from its spaceport at Sriharikota, about 80 km northeast of Chennai. "As ISRO plans to launch heavier satellites into geo-stationary orbits, we are partnering with it to make sub-systems for its semi-cryogenic engines used in a heavy rocket's upper stage for deploying the spacecraft," Mani noted. The Rs.260-crore company with 650 employees has invested about Rs.200 crore in setting up its two manufacturing facilities in the city and a third assembly unit in Puducherry. IANS hidden LeEco, a global internet and technology, today announced a strategic alliance with HCL Care Services, a division of HCL Services Ltd., to deliver superior after-sales service experience to its customers. HCL Services is a wholly owned subsidiary of HCL Infosystems Ltd. (India's premier IT Services and Distribution Company). HCL Care Services will provide one-stop solution for all service requirements to Le Eco customers through existing 265 HCL Touch centres in more than 240 cities across the country. Customer Services for LeEco phones have already been activated in the 265 HCL Touch multi-brand centres for walk-in-centre support for customers and Supply Chain Support. Speaking on the strategic partnership, P. Seshachalam, Head-Operations and Vice President, HCL Care Services, said,We are delighted to tie-up with LeEco, one of the fastest selling Super-phones in India, for providing superior after-sales support for their leading-edge phones. We are confident our state-of-the-art HCL Touch centres will enable LeEco to cater to the Indian markets more effectively and efficiently.This initiative is in line with our constant endeavor to deliver service excellence and be a preferred partner for leading Indian and international brands. Atul Jain, COO, LeEco India commented, As a leading Superphone brand in India, we believe that the real test of brand loyalty is the after-sales service that a customer can rely on. In this context, we are happy to partner with HCL Services to cater to the needs of our consumers in a truly professional and timely manner. We have a total of 555 service centres out of which HCL will provide service in 265 centres. We are confident that an eminent and trusted entity like HCL Services will fully support us in serving LeEcos users in the best possible manner. HCL Care Services has a network of more than 300 service centers across 250 cities in India, and serves more than 3 million consumers in a year. It is also the most preferred partner of OEMs with maximum numbers of Exclusive Service Centres. Through its specialized retail outlets Touch, HCL Care Services provides end-to-end solutions to customers, including Contact centers, Walk-in centers, On-site support, Supply-chain operations, Repair factory services and After-sales value added services. This is a promoted post. tech2 News Staff KFC in association with Blink Digital is launching a new limited edition 5-in-1 meal box that will help you charge your phone as you eat your food. It is the first ever meal box that comes with a built-in power bank as you eat your food which combats many scenarios where you are trying to search for a power outlet under the tables or in the corners away from your seat in local coffee shops and restaurants. We launched the 5-in- 1 Meal Box in March this year with the objective of providing an abundant complete meal and at an affordable price for our customers. With the launch of Watt a Box, we have gone a step ahead and also introduced an element of utility into the box. Each one of us spends a considerable time on our smartphones daily and the phone battery going dead is almost like a nightmare! No longer so with Watt a Box around, said KFC India CMO, Lluis Ruiz Ribot. The gradual add on of services and adding convenience to mundane things, coupled with existing products like providing power to charge your phone is making the market competitive. Restaurants are battling it out to attract time sensitive and hungry consumers by providing such added services. hidden SoftBank Group Corp president Nikesh Arora, the former Google executive handpicked by the Japanese company's founder as his successor, is to step down on Wednesday. SoftBank cited differences between Arora and Masayoshi Son over when Arora would replace him as head of the group. Son is currently chairman and chief executive. Arora wanted to begin the handover process in a few years' time, while Son planned to stay longer to ensure a turnaround of loss-making U.S. wireless carrier Sprint Corp as well as complete the transformation of SoftBank into an Internet investment powerhouse. For that, Son, 58, said he needed to stay at the helm for at least another five to ten years. "I feel my work is not done," Son said in a statement. "I want to cement SoftBank 2.0, develop Sprint to its true potential and work on a few more crazy ideas." Arora, who was Google's highest paid executive in 2012, came to SoftBank in September 2014 to take charge of its overseas operations. Just days after being named as Son's successor, he announced a plan to pump $1 billion into South Korean online retailer Coupang. During his two years at the group, Arora has used an extensive contact book to make new investments, including Indian online marketplace Snapdeal and ride-hailing service Ola. He has also been credited with making SoftBank more disciplined about investment exits. SoftBank, whose lucrative early investments included Alibaba Group Holding, has announced three major asset reshuffles this month, one of which was the sale of $10 billion worth of shares in the Chinese e-commerce giant. Earlier on Tuesday - in another deal that should help to shore up a balance sheet weighed down by Sprint - SoftBank is to sell its majority stake in 'Clash of Clans' maker Supercell to China's Tencent Holdings. SoftBank earlier this year said it would separate its domestic and overseas businesses, with Arora taking charge of the overseas unit. Arora will stay on as an adviser, but is expected to make his departure official at the group's annual general meeting on Wednesday. Reuters Microsoft is on a mission to empower India through technology, and acknowledges the critical role that technology start-ups can play in achieving this objective. The company is committed to fostering innovation among start-ups in India by providing resources, technology and mentoring to drive this innovation. Microsoft aims to provide the right tools, resources, connections, knowledge and expertise that startups need to leverage the full potential of the cloud and create innovative, SaaS solutions built on the cloud. Earlier this month, Microsoft CEO, Satya Nadella was in Delhi where he urged Indian developers to use Microsoft platforms to innovate. He had said, I want us to be the platform to foster the ingenuity of the people of India. To that effect, Microsoft has launched multiple programs to support startups in the country, acknowledging the emergence of born-in-the-cloud start-ups i.e. new-age start-ups that understand the possibilities and benefits of the public cloud and build their SaaS solutions on the cloud. Its BizSpark Plusprogram offers free Azure Cloud services to qualified startups to power their business. The program also provides free software, developer tools, and technical support to help startups be successful. Committed to offering support throughout the growth journey, Microsoft has also partnered with 13 startup accelerators to roll out this program.Microsoft Accelerator too works with mature and late stage startups, focusing on their core needs such as guidance on scaling up and customer acquisition. Close to 100 startups have graduated from eight batches of the Microsoft Accelerator program. Microsoft, today in an event showcased some marquee SaaS solutions for enterprises and organizations, developed by born-in-the-cloud startups. The solutions range from technologies for offering better customer experiences, building intelligent infrastructure through cloud, local market on chat and talent management platform. All these SaaS solutions have been built on the Microsoft Azure public cloud platform that offers reliability and scalability and ensures that the solutions built future-proof them, allowing these startups to keep pace with the rapidly changing customer preferences, hardware evolutions and to manage hyper business growth. Indian datacenters provide local customers with data residency and replication in multiple regions for backup and recovery, and the option of a private connection to the cloud. Harish Vaidyanathan, Director of Independent Software Vendor Programs at Microsoft, said, Our strategy is to build best-in-class platforms and productivity services for a mobile-first, cloud-first world and we realize the pivotal role that startups, with their ideas and enthusiasm, can play in leveraging those platforms to create newer solutions. We are committed to partner with the startups and provide them with all means necessary to grow while helping India become a more connected and empowered nation. Startups displaying their cloud-based SaaS solutions included Ameyo that offers an Omni-channel platform to streamline customer interaction across all conduits of communication and has helped businesses increase customer conversion by 6% to 15% while reduced cost of sourcing, lower churn and higher customer retention. Vymo a personal assistant app for enterprise sales or service teams focusing on schedules, routes, alerts and recommendations that are actionable. Vymos solution has helped increase sales productivity by 30% for one of the leading insurance companies in India, and lower TAT by 80% for one of the leading Indian Banks. FlamencoTech a cloud solution provider that creates its own services layer customization on top of various technologies that fulfill varied business needs of each customer; QUSTN (Capabiliti) a mobile-first talent management platform to Recruit, Onboard, Train and Assess frontline employees has helped companies improve employee engagement index by 65%, with new hires becoming productive team members in less than half the usual time. Yellow Messenger a universal messaging platform to Shop, Book, Order anything on Chat. The solution helps reduce marketing and support costs by 30% and increases customer conversion and retention by 20%. @Technuter.com News Service Assassination Attempt on Head of Syrian Orthodox Church Revives Ghosts of Massacres Past Three bodyguards died in protecting Moran Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, left, the patriarch of the Syriac Orthodox Church. ( Getty) 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 clergyman's 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. 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. Patriarch Shimun XXI Benyamin was assassinated in 1918. The British had encouraged the Assyrians to join the imperial Levies after Iraq's 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. 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. 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. Kerry concerned over violence against LGBT activists Dhaka, June 22 (UNB) - The United States has expressed concern about violence facing transgender persons in various parts of the world saying they are taking steps with partners globally to reduce it. Xulhaz was brutally murdered for being gay and for founding a magazine showing pride in that identity, US Secretary of State John Kerry said while addressing an event at the Dean Acheson Auditorium in Washington on Tuesday. He termed Xulhaz Mannan, a local employee of USAID, as a champion of human rights who was hacked to death at his apartment in Dhaka in April this year. Kerry said they have to keep moving forward, and that is why they are engaged at every level of leadership through their embassies, with their global partners - in a concerted diplomatic effort to push back against bigotry, against violence in all of its forms, according to US Department of State. DIU apprenticeship project kicks off Md. Sabur Khan, Chairman, Board of Trustees, Daffodil International University addressing the apprentices at the grooming session of \'Apprenticeship Project\' organised by Daffodil International University in the city recently. Campus Report : With the theme "Be leader of the next generation", the first phase of the Apprenticeship Program (Selection Process) of Daffodil International University (DIU) ends successfully at DIU Auditorium recently. From the 500+ mass applicants, the jury panel shortlisted up top 51 DIU graduates/ alumni for the second phase (Grooming Session). While selecting, the panel took into consideration: dress code, technology friendliness, punctuality, body gesture, attitude, communication, manners, question and answer, presentation, IQ, English and general knowledge quiz and written tests, among other criteria. Md. Sabur Khan, Chairman, Daffodil Group led the program from the front with his interactive direction to the candidates. Brig. Gen. Mirza Baker Sarwar Ahmed, NDC, PSC, Mohammed Masum Iqbal, Head, Dept. of Business Administration, Syed Mizanur Rahman Raju, Director of Students Affair, Prof Dr AKM Fazlul Haque, Head, Dept. of ETE, Syed Maruf Reza, Director, Career Development Center & Head, Dept. of Entrepreneurship, Mohamed Emran Hossain, Director (Administration), DIU and Amena Hasan Ana, SA to Chairman, BoT (Business Development) were present as the judge panel with their sessions, while more than 25 played voluntary role as the invigilators from faculty and management personnel to select the best candidates for the next phase. It is to be noted that, Apprenticeship is a new concept in Bangladesh initiated by DIU management. Under this program, best-fit candidates from DIU Alumni will be finally recruited and groomed up as "Apprentice" under the top leader and decision-making management of DIU and Daffodil Group, and other corporate bodies in future. Inclusion of universal health issues in edn curriculum stressed Academics and health experts at a symposium on Wednesday urged the authorities to incorporate universal health coverage issues in education curriculum at primary, secondary and higher education levels to educate people for protecting their health from different diseases. "Inclusion of universal health coverage issue in curriculum at different academic levels will produce good yield to make people aware on health," they told the symposium on "Integrating Health Journalism to Universities" at the Press Institute of Bangladesh (PIB) here. Prime Minister's Media Adviser Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury addressed the inaugural session of the symposium as the chief guest while Managing Director and Chief Editor of Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) Abul Kalam Azad spoke as the special guest. PIB Director General Md Shah Alamgir presided over the function. Iqbal Sobhan said, "Despite resource constraints, Bangladesh has made a significant progress in the health sector. The country needs to achieve more progress in the sector for ensuring universal health for all." He stressed the need for concerted efforts by public and private sector to promote theconcept of universal health in the country. Abul Kalam Azad said a massive awareness campaign should be launched to check food adulteration for protecting human health. He urged journalists to write their reports against food adulteration practices through mixing different harmful chemicals to ensure good health of the people. Journalists from different print and electronic media took part in the symposium. Participants at an Iftar Mahfil organised by Islami Andolon Bangladesh in honour of journalists at Hotel Rajmoni Isha Kha in the city on Wednesday. Iftar Mahfil , discussion meet of IIUC held Chittagong Bureau : Vice Chancellor of Islamic International University Chittagong Dr. AKM Azharul Islam said that the session jam, absence of quality education ,terrorism and other negative factors hamper the educational activities in public universities. Following the situation private universities are rapidly growing in our country. He said that IIUC was established in 1995 . This University brings quality education .He also disclosed that IIUC has six faculties and 11 departments. IIUC is also opening Journalism Department with in short time. He farther added that 304 full time faculty members and 98 part time teachers teach the students . The permanent campus is located in Kumira on about 60 acres of land . The campus is sounded by natural beauty. VC said that IIUC is an exclusively a different education institution in considering its curriculums and study and IIUC is trying to introduce a new phase in the education sector rather business gain. Many Foreign Students also study in this University like India, Nepal, Srilanka, China,Somalia,maldwiap ,Naizaria, Ethiopia, and Sudan. Among others, present in the discussion meeting , Prof. Dr. Delwar Hossain,Pro-Vice Chancelor,Prof. Dr. Giasuddin Hafiz, Dean, Shoriah Faculty,Prof. Dr. Farid Ahmed Sobhani,Dean, Business Studies, proctor, Professor Dr. Shofiuddin Madani and the divisional Head and Director of all division also present. The senior journalist also spoke on the occasion. Advance train tickets sale begins Thousands of passengers thronged the Kamalapur Railway Station to buy advance tickets for enjoying the longest ever Eid-ul-Fitr hold with their dear and near ones at their village homes. This photo was taken on Wednesday. M M Jasim :Bangladesh Railway (BR) authorities began selling advance train tickets from yesterday to ensure hassle-free journey for the Eid passengers. Like past, holidaymakers had to queue since Tuesday night at the Kamalapur Railway Station in Dhaka.The sale of tickets began at Kamalapur and Chittagong Railway Stations from 8am on Wednesday.This year the sale of the train tickets was very smooth and no one faced any trouble to collect the tickets on the first day. Shamsul Alam waited in front of the counter for tickets to go to Chittagong since early hours of Wednesday.After five hours, he finally got tickets for the Turna Nishita Express train at 8:30am. "I feel relieved. There is no more tension," Shamsul told The New Nation. Meanwhile, the BR has already taken special initiative to ease the movement of the passengers as 14 special trains have been added to the existing ones. The railway authorities have cancelled Eid leave of its officials and employees, the BR office sources said. The sale will continue till June 26 and a passenger will be able to buy maximum four tickets at a time.Return tickets will be distributed on July 4, 5 and 8 for July 8, 9 and 12 respectively while tickets of July 7 will be available on July 10 and 11.Manager of the station, Shitangshu Chakravarty, told this reporter that they would be selling 18,000 tickets everyday for 33 destinations during the time of Eid travel sales.Large queues could be seen in front of all the 23 counters. The authorities this year have arranged a separate counter for women, he said. Additional security forces have been deployed at the station. Kamalapur Station's Railway Police OC Abdul Majid said that they have detained 10 people for suspected involvement in black-marketing of tickets.Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) will start the selling of advance tickets for the first class passengers from June 26 (Sunday). There is no schedule time to collect the tickets. Assistant Director of BIWTA Joynal Abedin said the BIWTA would monitor the overall system of the launches during the Eid time. No irregularities would be tolerated. And even the launch owners have been asked to follow the rules and regulations of the BIWTA. No launch will be allowed to carry over loaded passengers, he said. Advance sale of bus tickets kicked off in the capital on Monday morning. But many of the people alleged that they did not get advance tickets from the bus counters. "I went to collect the tickets for June 2 for going to Kurigram at Gabtali Bus Stand, but came back from there with empty hands," Ashraful Alam said. CID quizzes 5 local artistes Staff Reporter : A special team of Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Police interrogated five persons including two female friends of slain Sohagi Jahan Tonu in Comilla district town on Wednesday. The two girls came to the CID office in the town at about 10:00am where they were interrogated over the killing of Comilla Victoria College student Tonu. However, the CID police did not disclose their names. Apart from Tonu's two female friends, the CID police also interrogated three youths - Khokon, Sarwar and Rabbi, Nazmul Karim, Superintendent of Police of CID told The New Nation yesterday afternoon. "Khokon, Sarwar and Rabbi were the activists of same theatre group where Tonu was also a member," the police super said. The CID police also visited Tonu's house and met her father Yaar Mohammad. The CID team instructed the local police station to provide all out security to the victim's family as her (Tonu) father alleged that some people continued to issue death threat to him that he would be crushed under the wheel of car. On March 20, Tonu was found dead within several yards of her residence inside the Comilla Cantonment, where her father, Yaar Mohammad, works as an office assistant. BB`s 200 contractual jobs to be axed Staff Reporter :The government plans to axe Bangladesh Bank's 200 contractual jobs as part of its ongoing effort to strengthen the security of the bank.The decision has been taken in view of stealing of $81 million from the BB's account maintained with the Federal Reserve in New York."We have planned to cut jobs of BB's 200 contractual employees for the greater interest of the bank," Finance Minister AMA Muhith told reporters after a meeting with Rosatom's Deputy Director General for International Relations Nikolai Spasskiy in Dhaka on Wednesday.The minister alleged that former BB Governor Atiur Rahman had weakened the structure of the central bank by appointing employees on contractual basis."Now, the government plans to remove them from the bank to strengthen the security of the bank," he added.Muhith also said that the government has already devised a plan to provide cyber security for the central bank. "Measures are underway according to the plan to ensure cyber security of the bank," he said. Ashraful wants UK to remain in EU bdnews24.com :Senior Awami League leader Syed Ashraful Islam has urged expatriate Bangladeshis in the UK to vote for remaining in the European Union. Britons will vote on Thursday on whether to quit the 28-nation bloc amid warnings from world leaders, investors and companies that a decision to leave would diminish Britain's influence and unleash turmoil on markets. "I will also vote in this referendum. And I will go for 'remain', I ask you to do that as well," Syed Ashraf, the public administration minister, told a gathering in London organised by party's UK chapter."We want the UK to remain with Europe, which will make it strong and benefit Bangladesh," he said on Tuesday. Bangladesh-origin British MPs Rushanara Ali and Tulip Siddiq have already called the members of their community to vote for 'remain.' The referendum, which is being dubbed as 'Brexit', have shaken the world with leaders including US president Barack Obama, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Bangladesh Prime Minister Shiekh Hasina calling Britons to vote for not leaving the EU. For a university well-versed and well-steeped in energy history, the move is as forward thinking as it is economically sensible. Photovoltaic panels in Southern California Photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons A joint project to build a $5 million solar power lab and generator on campus will make UL Lafayette one the latest American universities to foray into renewable energy. Funded by energy giant NRG Energy, five acres of green space at ULs Research Park will host a phalanx of solar panels that will reduce the universitys use of fossil energy by 10 percent. Students and faculty will study solar technologies at the newly dubbed Photovoltaic Applied Research and Testing Laboratory, providing valuable measurables to the energy industry and an educated solar power workforce. NRG Energy will pay to build the facility through its subsidiary Louisiana Generating LLC., and provide an endowment to continue funding the program for the next 25 years. UL will own and operate the lab, expected to be completed within a year of groundbreaking. This project is a powerful demonstration of how one solar energy project can provide multiple and far-reaching benefits in Louisiana reducing energy costs for the university, abating emissions, and providing valuable opportunities to advance solar energy research, said Jennifer Vosburg, president of Louisiana Generating and senior vice president of NRG. A roof of solar panels covers a parking garage at Arizona State University Photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons Universities across the United States have pursued solar technologies as a means of securing energy independence, lowering climate changing emissions and reducing operating costs. Several universities have chased carbon neutrality by way of solar energy purchasing agreements. The PART Lab site will feature 5,300 individual panels producing about 3.5 percent of UL's annual energy needs. UL's annual energy consumption is roughly 64,000 megawatt-hours. UL joins a smaller class of energy-forward schools like Princeton University, which produces 5 percent of its energy with a 27-acre solar area featuring 16,500 photovoltaic panels. Arizona State University recently covered a parking garage with photovoltaic panels which double as a source of electricity and shade from the punishing Arizona sun. Recently, the Louisiana solar industry has been strained by abatements to previously robust state sponsorship. Between 2008 and 2015 Louisiana solar companies enjoyed a generous 50 percent state tax credit that spurred rapid growth of the industry in the state. Coupled with a 30 percent federal credit, the industry ballooned with many companies moving into leasing rather than selling panels. Some lawmakers saw leasing as an unintended and undesirable consequence of the states credit program and moved to tighten the credit amid the 2015 budget crisis. The legislature passed a $20 million global cap on deductions through 2018 in an effort to close a $1.6 billion budget deficit in the Jindal administrations final year. Solar industry advocates complained that the renewable industry was targeted disproportionately at a time when credits to oil and natural gas producers accounted for a much larger revenue shortfall. By 2015, the solar credit had reportedly cost the state $147 million in lost revenue since inception. Severance tax exemptions awarded to the oil and gas industry cost the state more than $1.1 billion between 2010 and 2014, according to a 2015 legislative audit. Shale fracking of natural gas accounted for 96 percent of the handout. ULs partnership with NRG marks an important step toward diversification of the areas energy portfolio, and one of most significant recent corporate investments in the technology. The PART lab facility will be among the largest solar-sourced generators in the state, and easily the largest in Lafayette. Over the past 24 months 15 companies have paid back to Louisiana Economic Development $8.3 million in reimbursements to the state for up-front business incentives because the companies did not measure up to expectations outlined in their cooperative endeavor agreements. Over the past 24 months Louisiana Economic Development has seen 15 companies pay back $8.3 million in reimbursements to the state for up-front business incentives they were provided to relocate to or expand here. The money had to be returned to the state because the companies, most often due to unforeseen market conditions, did not measure up to expectations outlined in their cooperative endeavor agreements. The issue made a splash in statewide news coverage last month as a handful of companies that had received incentives announced plans to make layoffs, shutter operations or abandon construction. Thats why, LED Secretary Don Pierson said, that the state requires contract language, in the case of discretionary incentives, that compel companies to reimburse. For statutory incentives, or those established by law, LED also builds in performance-based rules. The number of projects that have triggered clawbacks in the form of reimbursements or reduced payments so far this year has been four, valued at a total of $134,357. But more could be on the way as reporting deadlines draw near. AARs aircraft maintenance operation in Lake Charles is one of the latest that has observers concerned. Expansion plans appear to be slowing and LED is currently evaluating the companys performance an analysis that may lead to a reduction of our reimbursement of AARs capital expenditures. LED Secretary Don Pierson We are working hard to support AAR in its goal of continuing and expanding operations at its Chennault International Airport facilities, Pierson said. The company is actively pursuing long-term contract with major airlines and air transport companies. In the event that the company were to close its facilities before Sept. 30 an outcome we are working hard to avert the company would owe approximately $490,000 to the state for payroll underperformance in the project year ending Sept. 30, 2015. The company also would owe the state of Louisiana $2 million for unmet performance targets in future project years. Over the past couple of months, Bell Helicopter changed its jet production plans in Lafayette and Union Tank Car moved forward with lay offs in Alexandria. Bell Helicopter is not in an underperformance situation right now, Pierson said, but the company would owe the state a reimbursement equal to 30.5 percent of any payroll shortfall should it not create 75 jobs by the end of the calendar year. Union Tank Car did have payroll underperformance issues and has made clawback payments totaling $1.7 million. Nucor announced plans in December to shutter its St. James Parish steel mill. Pierson said Nucor and the state continue to maintain a positive dialogue about the companys existing facilities and investment, as well as constructive discussions about potential future investment in Louisiana. To date, Nucor has received a $30 million performance-based grant. Due to the companys decision not to move forward with another phase of capital investment, Nucor is repaying $30 million in state bond obligations. Pierson said its important to note that sometimes clawback penalties are not fully invoked. If a company produces a portion of what they projected, LED will provide a portion of the incentive benefit at a reduced rate. Often a reduction is in a scheduled payment to the company, he added, because the company will typically have to demonstrate performance before gaining a benefit from the state. Louisiana, through an un-elected, largely unaccountable board called the Commerce & Industry Board, is forgiving roughly $16.7 billion in local governments property tax revenue all in the name of job creation for a cost of about $535,000 per job created. The kicker: local governments have no say in the matter. Thats the jarring conclusion of a new study, Costly and Unusual, released this week by Together Louisiana, a consortium of more than 250 civic groups and religious congregations that largely focuses on issues such as tax fairness, workforce development, criminal justice reform and access to health care and food for the poor and working poor. Through a program called the Industrial Tax Exemption, manufacturing companies are eligible for a 100 percent exemption of local property taxes on the value of new investment: for expanding a facility, for example, or even routine replacement of machinery and other equipment. The exemption lasts 10 years in two five-year increments. The idea supply side economics in its DNA is that the Industrial Tax Exemption encourages businesses to expand operations, thereby creating good-paying jobs in the process. It works to an extent, but the return on investment suggests its a scam one that exploded in the trickle-down fever of the Bobby Jindal years. (Continue reading below the graphic.) Here in Lafayette Parish, according to the study, there are $47.1 million in corporate property that is currently exempt from taxes due to the subsidies, resulting in a corresponding $4.7 million in lost revenue that would otherwise go to our schools, law enforcement, infrastructure and other needs. Of that $4.7 million in lost revenue, the study estimates, the lions share $1.9 million would go the school system while $1.25 million would otherwise go to public safety such as police, the sheriffs office and the parish jail. But where the taxpayer bamboozle is most readily apparent where the idea that cutting taxes on the rich and subsidizing corporations because those tax cuts and subsidies will trickle down in the form of jobs and prosperity should have long ago been discredited is in the return we taxpayers get on these subsidies, i.e., job creation. Together Louisianas study finds that the $16.7 billion in subsidies the state has provided to corporations for locating in Louisiana or for expanding their operations here over a decade have created about 31,000 jobs for a taxpayer-supported total of $535,343 in lost property tax revenue per job created. Let's say that another way: Each job created through the Industrial Tax Exemption cost Louisiana taxpayers $535,000. And heres the rub: One of the poorest, least healthy, most dependent on the federal government (red) states in the nation, Louisiana, far and away forgives more corporate property-tax revenue per capita than any other state nearly twice as much per capita as the next closest state, New Mexico. (Continue reading below the graphic.) According to Together Louisianas report, the Commerce & Industry Board has no process of evaluating the return on investment from these subsidies and conducts no assessment of whether these corporate expansions and investments would have occurred without the subsidies. Similar programs in most other states exempt school boards from the subsidies. Not so in Louisiana, where public school districts across the state are deprived of precious tax revenue even as the current economic malaise occasioned by low oil prices drives down sales tax collections. Even some red states like Alabama require local approval of corporate tax abatement. Could Lafayette use the $4.7 million its giving away annually through the Industrial Tax Exemption? Oh, you betcha! So as the Louisiana Association of Business and Industry clutches its pearls and stays close to its fainting couch over some recent sensible reform to commercial tax programs, remember that Louisiana this year paid our more in tax credits and rebates to corporations than it collected, according to the Department of Revenue. Supply side/trickle down economics is the pernicious lie that has helped bankrupt Louisiana and Kansas! and needs to be fixed before we all choke on Ronald Reagans jelly beans and Ayn Rands cigarette smoke. See the full version of Costly and Unusual by clicking here. Home >Police Enforcement > Checkpoints and Stops > US Supreme Court Allows Gathering Evidence Through Illegal Traffic Stops President Joe Biden has decided to ban Russian oil imports, toughening the toll on Russia's economy in retaliation for its invasion of Ukraine. The United States generally imports about 100,000 barrels a day from Russia, only about 5% of Russia's crude oil exports, according to Rystad Energy. Last year, roughly 8% of U.S. imports of oil and petroleum products came from Russia. Gas prices have been rising for weeks due to the conflict and in anticipation of potential sanctions on the Russian energy sector. The U.S. national average for a gallon of gasoline soared 45 cents a gallon in the past week and topped $4.06 on Monday, according to auto club AAA. Should the US ban Russian oil imports over Ukraine war? You voted: The sextoy market is growing quite rapidly in India right now. Although it is not a big trend, it is a hot topic on the internet as it is secretly expanding its market. In this article, we will focus on sextoy and introduce recommended sextoy for Indian beginners of sextoy by gender. India, the birthplace of the Kama Sutra, is very strict about sex. Also, premarital sex is basically not allowed. 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. CHESTER A homicide investigation is under way in Chester after one man was killed at a Chester bar Wednesday morning. Randolph County Coroner Randy Dudenbostel has confirmed that Timothy Michael, 26, of Chester, was stabbed and killed outside of the bar, Bernasek's, sometime after midnight Wednesday. Dudenbostel said Michael was taken to Memorial Hospital in Chester, where he was pronounced dead about 1 a.m. He said the Randolph County Coroners office, the Chester Police Department, and the Randolph County States Attorney are investigating the incident. An Illinois Department of Corrections parole compliance check Tuesday resulted in the arrest of three people in Royalton, according to a news release from Franklin County Sheriff Don Jones. Ricky A. Dunning, 42, of Royalton; Ricki L. Carter, 23, of Royalton; and Laci A. Carter, 23, of Herrin, have been charged with a number of methamphetamine charges, including possession of meth with intent to deliver, possession of meth-making materials, possession of meth precursors and illegal disposal of meth-related trash. Upon the compliance check on Dunning, agents observed drug paraphernalia and alerted the sheriff's office. Deputies responded and obtained a search warrant for the residence, All three suspects are being held in Franklin County Jail. The investigation continues, and more charges are possible, according to the release. The Southern The following editorial appeared in Tuesday's Washington Post: 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 didn't 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 Treasury's 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. 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 isn't 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. 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 there's a cost-free way out of their predicament. The sooner politicians level with them about that, the better. COLUMBIA. Borgeson Universal Company Inc., a manufacturer of steering joints, is launching its first South Carolina operations in Greenville County. The new development will bring $4.5 million investment to the Upstate and lead to the creation of 36 new jobs. Founded in 1914, Borgeson Universal is a manufacturer of steering universal joints and components for the industrial, automotive, military and aerospace markets. Utilizing the latest manufacturing and inventory control procedures to maintain stock, the company features rapid turnaround on orders. To establish operations in Greenville County, the company is locating in an existing 101,500-square-foot facility at 9 Krieger Drive in Travelers Rest. For more information on Borgeson Universal, including the companys product catalog, visit www.borgeson.com. The Coordinating Council for Economic Development has approved job development credits related to this project. A 67-year-old Gaston man will spend the next 35 years in prison after pleading guilty to sex crimes against an 8-year-old girl. Keith Wayne Berry of Berry Hill Lane pleaded guilty to first-degree criminal sexual conduct with a minor and first-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. Prosecutor Tommy Scott said Berry committed the crimes on five or six occasions between Nov. 1, 2014 and Dec. 1, 2015. Berry recorded videos of the girl while he was sexually abusing her, Scott said. The Calhoun County Sheriffs Office learned about the abuse after the girl told her mother what happened. Ultimately, witnesses discovered three video files on Berrys computer showing him sexually abusing the victim. Before Berrys hearing, Judge Robert Hood watched the videos, although Berrys attorney objected to the judge reviewing the evidence. Hood sentenced Berry after several individuals addressed the court, including the girls mother. Shes my hero. Shes the smartest and bravest little girl, her mother said. The girls mother told Hood that Berry was someone her daughter trusted and loved at one point. She told the judge that her daughter has said things like, Mama, you know he taped me and Mama, he used to tell me to smile when he took his pictures. But I didnt feel like smiling. She also told the judge that her daughter said she never really trusted Berry. When she asked her daughter why she never really trusted him, her daughter replied, Because I could see it in his eyes. He doesnt have trusting eyes. The girls tearful mother told the judge, I worry the milestones of when she grows up. She worries about how it will affect having her first boyfriend, her first kiss, her marriage, having a child and other moments. Keith going to prison doesnt just fix everything, she said. What Keith has done has caused a tidal wave to everyone that Keith knows or has known him, she added. Berrys wife also addressed the court, stating shes sorry for what her husband did. I acted as quickly as I could to prevent any further harm, she said. After Berrys arrest on Dec. 1, 2015, he declined to provide any statement to law enforcement officers, Scott said. The prosecutor said Berrys wife convinced him to talk. A week after Berrys arrest, his wife contacted law enforcement to tell them that her husband wanted to talk with them, Scott said. On Dec. 7, 2015, Berry spoke with investigators and provided a written statement. Although he is the love of my life and always will be, I can no longer support him in this action, Berrys wife told Hood. She said that her husband of 30 years has a lifetime of hard work and service for others including 32 years as an engineer for BellSouth and three decades in the U.S. Army Reserve. All of the good he has done in his lifetime is now tainted, his wife said. Ive lost my sanity, my peace of mind, my dignity. All that was precious to me has been lost because of him, she said. Turning toward her husband, whose hands were shackled in front of him while he wore a bright orange jumpsuit, she said, Keith, Im sorry for you, for the decisions youve made. Ill never understand why. A tearful Berry addressed the court. Im sorry for what I did. I take full responsibility for what I did. I wish I could undo my life, he said. In comments directed at the girls mother, he said, Im glad you had the courage you did to make me stop what I was doing and protect your daughter. Berry also said, Im sick knowing that Im not going to spend the golden years with my wife. No matter what the future holds, I will always love her forever and ever. Im sorry for everything Ive done, he said. He told the court that hes reached a point where he realizes that God has forgiven him and is hopeful that one day others will be able to forgive him too. My mind seems to be failing me more and more every day, he said. Ive been locked up for seven months. I pray that one day Ill get the proper psychological treatment and mental health treatment, he added. Before sentencing Berry, Hood explained that hes handled cases of similar sexual abuse. These crimes are like explosives because you set off a bomb and it affects dozens of people, Hood said to Berry. Addressing the girls family, he said, Dont let this define her. She can be whatever she wants to be. Let her be her own person. Just love her, thats all you can do for her. Just surround the child with love and pray for her and God will take care of the rest, he added. Hood directed additional comments to Berry, But you betrayed that little girls trust completely and totally. You dont fit the model for this, Mr. Berry, its usually a 30-year-old after watching pornography for years and it becomes an obsession. How we made it here with a 67-year-old is something I dont think wed ever figure, Hood said. Hood explained that Berrys offenses are considered violent and he will be placed in a prison that houses the states most violent offenders. He ordered Berry not to have any contact with the victim and the victims family. Berry is required to register as a sex offender. Hell be 102 when his sentence ends. This story has been updated to include a correction of a 35-year prison term. Oh, the poor, maligned AR-15. The American media seem to keep thick files full of disinformation on this "assault rifle" available for instant use. Anti-AR-15 filler went up on the web and out on the airwaves before law enforcement had even named Omar Matteen as the perpetrator of the June 12 attack on The Pulse, a nightclub serving Orlando, Florida's LGBTQ community. Here are a few problems with that filler. Problem 1: Contra early speculation, the weapon Matteen used in his killing spree wasn't an AR-15. Police initially described it as an "AR-15-type assault rifle." Now we're told it was a different weapon, the Sig Sauer MCX. Problem 2: Some media outlets continue to propagate the myth that the "AR" in AR-15 stands for "assault rifle." It actually stands for "Armalite," the company that first produced the gun. Problem 3: Speaking of which, the term "assault rifle" isn't exactly meaningless, but it doesn't mean what you probably think it means. All it means is that a weapon looks ugly and scary and therefore makes a nice juicy target for demagogues. The expired 1994-2004 U.S. "assault weapons ban" was about cosmetic features -- bayonet lugs, flash suppressors, pistol grips and so forth -- not about the performance characteristics of the weapons it applied to. Problem 4: In point of fact, as scary as it might look, the AR-15 is actually a fairly under-powered weapon for killing people. Most rifles for hunting large American game animals shoot bullets in the .270 to .308 caliber range. The AR-15 fires a .223 bullet, just a little bigger than the .22 that most rural American 12-year-olds used to hunt rabbits and squirrels with. That's one reason the U.S. military likes the M-16, its version of the AR-15 -- kill an enemy soldier, his buddies keep fighting; wound an enemy soldier, two of his buddies stop fighting to help him out. Problem 5: There's nothing new, high-tech or unusual about the AR-15. "Semi-automatic" rifles -- rifles which fire one bullet each time the trigger is pulled and automatically reload themselves -- have been around for more than a century, and the AR-15 itself for nearly 60 years. If someone tries to tell you that the AR-15 is an "automatic weapon" or a "machine gun," they're just flat wrong. No amount of blaming the AR-15 (or the Sig Sauer MCX) for the Orlando attack will make the gun responsible for the attack. The shooter is to blame for the attack. No amount of fear-mongering about the AR-15 or any other weapon will make victim disarmament -- what its supporters call "gun control" -- legislation either moral or practical. More than 100 million Americans own more than 300 million guns and are going to keep them. Too bad a few of them weren't at The Pulse on June 12. There were 2,709,918 Americans who served in the Vietnam War. Of that number approximately 850,000 are alive. The youngest is 54. Because there were senior officers and non-commissioned officers in Vietnam who fought in World War II, the oldest are past the century mark. Forty-two years ago the last American serviceman, probably a U.S. Marine, died fighting the Khmer Rouge at Koh Tang Island on May 15, 1975. I served my tour in the relative comfort of Udorn Royal Thai Air Base, Thailand in 1970 and 1971. I turned 25 before going over. I am now 70. My first wife, who served with me, died of cancer at the age of 35. Some claimed the cancer was Agent Orange related. Who knows? Her war ended in 1981. Vietnam is in my rear-view mirror. On May 23, President Barack Obama ended Washingtons half-century old arms embargo against the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Vietnam will spend $5 billion on weapons this year. Russia, Britain and the European Union will profit. So should the United States and for good reasons beyond monetary gain. One of the geo-strategic reasons more than 58,000 Americans died in the war was to stop perceived Chinese expansion southward. Cold War thinking was that if South Vietnam fell to communists, the rest of Southeast Asia would fall as well. That happened in Cambodia and Laos less than six months after Saigon fell on April 29, 1975. There were, even then, good reasons to fear Chinese expansion. A Chinese general told me he was one of 140,000 Peoples Liberation Army volunteers in North Vietnam in 1972. He was an anti-aircraft artillery gunner. The Chinese army also was building a road through northern Laos toward Thailand. The China Road, as it was dubbed, bristled with anti-aircraft guns. An Air Force RF-4C Phantom reconnaissance aircraft was so badly shot up on April 10, 1970 that it crashed while attempting to land at Udorn. Both crewmen successfully ejected, the plane careened through two officers hooches and engulfed a trailer housing the radio station. The screams of nine airmen inside were heard across the base before the transmissions and the men died. Fifteen years earlier, West Germany rearmed. Men who fought for Nazis trained to fight the Soviet Union alongside American and European former enemies. De-Nazification was far more extensive in Soviet-occupied East Germany than it was in West Germany. I have a photograph in my 1969 University of Alabama yearbook praising the director of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, former SS Colonel Werner von Braun, for cooperative programs with the university. China. Its no longer about ideology. It is about geo-strategic positioning. While Vietnam and China are socialist countries and both are hostile to religion in general and Christianity specifically, a self-declared socialist has been among the top three contenders for our nations highest office. Furthermore, American Christianity in 2016 differs significantly from that of 1955 when Washington relieved Paris of its Mission Civilisatrice in Southeast Asia. China is expanding its influence to the south as it reaches for regional hegemony with future global geo-political aspirations. Vietnams history with China is far less sanguine than its experience with Europeans and Americans. Thats why the time has come to put Vietnam in our rear view mirror. All questions about servicemen missing in action are not going to be answered. There still are many more MIAs from World War II than there are from the Vietnam War, and some of them were murdered by the forefathers of our friends in Japan and our allies in Germany and Eastern Europe. Many missing from the Vietnam War were airmen shot down over Laos and North Vietnam. Statistically, only one out of six American aircrew members who went down over North Vietnam was recovered in the immediate aftermath. Most were killed but also carried as missing in action, a term that applied without confirmation to someone who ejected and survived. In part, declaring a downed aviator missing was to protect surviving family members who continued to receive pay and benefits until their loved one was declared killed in action. It also offered hope, some of it false. Worse, the politically unscrupulous who waved a modern version of the bloody shirt occasionally exploited it for their own gain. Finally, there are far more Vietnamese missing from the war than there are Americans. There will be other wars. Now, and for the immediate future, a new geo-strategic reality confronts United States. Vietnam is part of that reality. The vital question today, as it was over half a century ago, remains: What is in the best national security interest of the United States? As always, politics flaws the process, but getting the right answer is a matter of life and death, as it always has been and forever will be. South Carolina State University had been waiting for June 16, trusting the date would bring good news about its accreditation. The decision by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to lift a giant cloud from the university by removing probation came as the answer to many prayers. The night before, the university family and supporters were joined in those prayers by hundreds of Seventh-Day Adventists meeting in Orangeburg for Camp Meeting 2016 at the River Oaks Campground on Neeses Highway. South Atlantic Conference officials and pastors converged at the podium in the gigantic conference hall on Orangeburg Night, summoning SCSUs 1890 Extension Director Delbert Foster to join them in a prayer of well wishes for a university described as vital to generations past, present and future. Foster was at the event representing Interim President Franklin Evans as the South Atlantic Conference honored Orangeburg as a 30-year host. Joining in prayer for the university and also being honored were Sheriff Leroy Ravenell and his department, as well as representatives of Claflin University, the City of Orangeburg, the Orangeburg County Chamber of Commerce and The Times and Democrat. The Adventists words of praise for SCSU were echoed Thursday by officials thankful that the university can now move forward without the fear of impending doom. Without university accreditation, students would no longer be eligible for federal grants and loans to attend. The loss of enrollment would essentially spell the end for SCSU. "We were very, very pleased," said board Chairman Charlie Way, who traveled to Memphis, Tennessee, with school officials Wednesday to make their case to SACS. The accreditation issue "was just hanging over our heads. A lot of parents don't want to send their children to a school if it's on probation." With accreditation firmly in place, Way is looking for enrollment to increase, which will bring with it additional revenue for a university that is now operating with a balanced budget. Coupled with the General Assemblys forgiveness of debt that removes an impossible fiscal burden for an institution finding a way to permanently operate in the black, the future looks brighter than it has in a long time on the Orangeburg campus. Difficult times bring people together to tackle problems, which is what has occurred in Orangeburg as SCSU faced potential closer. Willie B. Owens, immediate past president of the Greater Orangeburg Chapter of the S.C. State National Alumni Association, said the crisis has brought the community and the university much closer together. It is a relationship that must continue to grow and prosper. South Carolina State University received donations totaling $850,000 for the Earvin "Magic" Johnson Endowed Scholarship fund during a special gathering of alumni and friends in Washington, D.C. Earvin "Magic" Johnson, the chairman and CEO of Magic Johnson Enterprises, committed $500,000 to fund the scholarship. "This really is about raising funds in which we can bless South Carolina State University students. I just want to make sure young people have an opportunity to come to the campus, receive an education and go on to have a great career. That's what it's all about," Johnson said to S.C. State supporters attending the fundraiser. S.C. State alumnus Michael Triplett Sr. contributed $250,000 to the scholarship during the June 12 event, which was hosted by the S.C. State University Foundation. Employed with Cigna Corporation, Triplett is president of the global healthcare company's United States Regional Segment, Payer Solutions, Government and Taft-Hartley. He earned a bachelors degree in business administration from S.C. State in 1983. "It is the duty of all loyal sons and daughters to do all they can to ensure continued commitment and investment in our beloved university," Triplett said. An additional $100,000 from various sources was also donated towards the new endowed scholarship fund. S.C. State Interim President W. Franklin Evans said, "Historically Black Colleges and Universities across the nation are in dire need of corporations, philanthropists like Earvin Magic Johnson or alumni like Michael Triplett, who recognize the true public value of HBCUs. These universities and colleges produce many of the minority leaders who are effecting change in America and across the world. We are certainly grateful for the generous contributions made by Mr. Johnson and Mr. Triplett. We know that others will follow their sterling example of giving. Congressman Jim Clyburn said Johnson's personal gift of $500,000 is the largest one-time contribution from one individual in the history of the university. Triplett's gift of $250,000 is the largest individual one-time alumni gift in the history of the university. I am so inspired by Magic's commitment to my alma mater and I am going to continue to do all I can to ensure that this investment is just the beginning of such efforts," Clyburn said. Johnson has agreed to participate in special fundraising events in support of the endowed scholarship fund and the university foundation, notes A.L. Fleming, associate vice president for institutional advancement and executive director of the S.C. State University Foundation. The Earvin "Magic" Johnson Endowed Scholarship will be awarded to undergraduate and graduate students in the School of Business. For more information, contact A.L. Fleming at 803-536-8542 or aflemin6@scsu.edu. Orangeburg County voters may have the opportunity to decide in November whether they want to allow the sale of alcohol on Sundays. If voters agree, the county would allow the sale of beer and wine in bars and stores on Sundays. Its not for council to approve but for the citizens of Orangeburg County to vote on, County Administrator Harold Young said. Council gave first of three readings on Monday to an ordinance that would place the question on Novembers ballot. Young said the change has been asked about for a long time. The lack of Sunday sales has caused the county to miss out on restaurants bringing their business here, he said. Its a revenue source, Young said. The change will generate additional revenue as far as the state is concerned and the county as well, he said. The town of Santee already allows the sale of alcohol of Sundays. Other counties also allow Sunday sales, including Dorchester, Berkeley and York counties. Young says Orangeburg Countys prohibition causes it to lose out on revenue. Council member Janie Cooper-Smith agrees the Sunday sale of beer and wine will bring additional revenue to the county. There are a lot of people who travel through Orangeburg, she said. They want to eat and have a drink. She says when tourists hear that a restaurant is not serving alcohol, they walk out. They say, No thank you, and walk out. If you multiply that over a couple of years and the number of tourists, that adds up to quite a bit of revenue, Cooper-Smith said. She believes that lifting the ban could bring more jobs to the people of Orangeburg County Were just behind, she said. Were in a rural area, we need the revenue. Council member Harry F. Wimberly voted against the referendum. Im totally against it period, he said. I dont think you should be selling alcohol on Sundays in Orangeburg County. He also doesnt believe the prohibition on Sunday sales is hindering the county. Chick-Fil-A closes all day on Sunday and people havent stopped eating chicken, he said. Tony DeAloia, manager of Ruby Tuesday, says allowing Sunday sales has been a personal crusade he has been pushing for since 2012. You have no idea how excited I am about that, he said. Im ecstatic! He says many people in Orangeburg go to Columbia to purchase alcohol, causing the county to miss out on revenue. DeAloia has spoken to several travelers and says the reactions are just so negative. Its not just, Oh OK, he said. They ask, Where are we again? Im never coming back. He feels leaving the decision to the voters is the way it should be. Council member Heyward Livingston assured citizens present that the vote to approve the ordinance is not council being in favor of Sunday sales. All we voted for is to allow the public to vote on it. This does not mean that we encourage it one way or the other, Livingston said. 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. EAGAN, Minn. Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters business and leading attorney ratings service, has launched a redesign of its Super Lawyers Magazine and website, superlawyers.com. In addition to a new look, the magazine offers expanded editorial content and visual elements for its 1.2 million readers, while the revamped website features new content, an improved user interface and enhanced features for mobile users. We are excited by Super Lawyers new look, and we believe our magazine readers and visitors to our website will be as well, said Cindy Larson, publisher, Super Lawyers. But at the core, Super Lawyers is steadfast in its commitment to act as a trusted, vetted source for consumers to start their search for respected attorneys who can help them with their legal needs, as well as a referral resource for lawyers. Among the first of the newly redesigned magazines were Florida Super Lawyers Magazine and Pennsylvania & Delaware Super Lawyers Magazine. The respective issues feature oral histories from Floridas first big wave of female lawyers that began to practice in the state in the 1970s and 1980s and five Pennsylvania attorneys who graduated from law school in the 1950s. To view other newly launched issues, or to see back issues of Super Lawyers Magazine, please visit www.superlawyers.com/about/digital_magazine.html. Super Lawyers selects attorneys from more than 70 practice areas using a patented, multiphased selection process. Peer nominations and evaluations are combined with independent research, and each candidate is evaluated on 12 indicators of peer recognition and professional achievement. Selections are made on an annual, state-by-state basis, to create a comprehensive and diverse listing of outstanding attorneys. No more than five percent of attorneys in each state qualify to be on their states Super Lawyers list. To learn more about Super Lawyers, visit superlawyers.com. For more on Super Lawyers patented selection process, visit www.superlawyers.com/about/selection_process.html. 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. For more information, visit www.thomsonreuters.com. CONTACT Alex Cook Thomson Reuters Tel: +1 651 687 6319 Email: alex.cook@thomsonreuters.com NEW YORK/LONDON Responding to new regulations and the growth of socially responsible investing, Thomson Reuters has enhanced its environmental, social, and governance (ESG) offering on Thomson Reuters Eikon with the launch of a new application that enables buy-side professionals to analyze real-time ESG data and incorporate it into socially responsible investment decisions. Developed and supported by TruValue Labs, Inc. (TruValue), Insight360 complements Thomson Reuters existing ESG offering by providing real-time access to material, relevant data and events related to sustainability, and ESG statistics for over 7,500 publicly-traded companies. ESG financial data incorporated in the asset management industry grew by 45% over the last four years, representing $59 trillion of assets under management. The use of ESG is particularly relevant in Europe as a result of EU mandates requiring companies with more than 500 employees to disclose diversity, environmental, and other related factors. In the U.S., a number of large pension funds - particularly public sector funds and other institutional investors have increased ESG scrutiny related to their investments. Changing regulations, market conditions, and political factors are driving greater awareness and scrutiny of ESG-related metrics among asset managers globally, said Ranjit Tinikar, managing director and head of advisory and investment management, Thomson Reuters. Through our collaboration with TruValue, Inc., financial institutions now have access to a set of comprehensive data solutions to analyze sustainability and ESG factors, and apply them to their relevant investment decisions. This further demonstrates our ongoing pledge to offer powerful solutions that drive informed investment strategies for our clients. Corporate risk comes in many forms and extra-financial risk - including regulatory concerns, social/cultural backlash, product liabilities, intellectual property portfolios, employee actions, and political risk- all impact performance, said Hendrik Bartel, CEO and co-founder, TruValue Labs. We are proud that Thomson Reuters recognizes the power and value of Insight360 technology for extracting meaningful signals from the noise. ESG, extra-financial risk and Corporate Social Responsibility are critical factors in todays investment decisions and a meaningful differentiator to investors and capital market players looking for a competitive edge. The addition of Insight360 to the expanding list of third party apps in Eikon further demonstrates our commitment towards partnering with innovative companies, and providing collaborative solutions over open platforms that meet the needs of our clients, added Yvette Jackson, global head of product management and partner platform. Thomson Reuters provides structured and standardized ESG research data for over 400 metrics, including all exclusion (ethical screening) criteria and all aspects of sustainability performance. ESG data is gathered from publicly available information sources and is manually collected to ensure that the information is standardized, comparable and reliable. All of the ESG data collected is quality controlled and verified in a rigorous process by our experienced analysts and robust automated checks. The Thomson Reuters Environmental, Social and Governance Indices allow firms to mitigate and assess the risk of companies against ESG factors and help socially responsible investors to navigate around ESG risks. Insight360 is fully integrated with context-sharing within Eikon. The app collects and analyzes data related to 14 categories of sustainable investing from over 75,000 data sources. The data is fully transparent and makes ESG factors easy to understand and communicate. Thomson Reuters Eikon is a powerful and intuitive next-generation solution for consuming real-time and historical data, enabling financial markets transactions and connecting with the financial markets community. Its award-winning news, analytics and data visualization tools help its users make more efficient trading and investment decisions across asset classes and instruments including commodities, derivatives, equities, fixed income and foreign exchange. Eikon is an open platform, customizable to the individual needs of a financial professional or institution. In March, Thomson Reuters announced a series of content and workflow enhancements for buy side analysts and portfolio managers. In addition to the ESG data, Eikon customers can now access I/B/E/S estimates, Reuters news, unique StarMine quant models, a renowned Deals database, fund ratings from Lipper, Datastream economics, and other products. This is the first time all these content sets have been available in a single platform, potentially enabling users to make more connections between data sets, gain unique insights and generate new ideas. 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 Brian Bertsch Public Relations Manager, Financial & Risk Office +1 646 223 5985 Email: brian.bertsch@thomsonreuters.com Brian Mairs Vice President, Financial & Risk Mobile +44 7799 477998 Email: brian.mairs@thomsonreuters.com /By Azernews/ By Laman Ismayilova Fete de la Musique, an annual music celebration, kicked off in Paris Bistro restaurant in Baku on June 21, Trend Life reported. The concept of an all-day musical celebration began in Paris in 1982, and was founded by the popular French cultural minister, Jack Lang. The festival originated in a humble burst of musical idealism and a few power connections, and yet, in only two decades has become a wildly popular global event French Ambassador to Baku Aurelia Bouchez, addressing the event, stressed that the music festival has been held for several years in Icherisheher, as well as in one of concert halls of the capital. "Music festival is an opportunity to demonstrate to the public the work of young musicians", she added. The ambassador voiced hope that such kind of events will be held on a larger scale in future. The festival was held in a friendly and warm atmosphere. Guests enjoyed various styles of music, all of the musicians, bands, orchestras, choirs, soloists and DJs that performed for free on that day. The concert, organized by the French embassy in Baku, involved French and Azerbaijani musicians: the winner of "The Voice Azerbaijan" Araz Ozar , Milan Mammedov, Les Gamins + Fafee, as well as students of Baku French Lycee. The 28th volume of "Ilham Aliyev. Development is our goal" multivolume book has been published. The material included in this volume of the book covers the period from December 2007 to February 2008. It begins with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev's letter to the Emperor of Japan Akihito. The volume also includes the head of state's speeches which he made at the meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers dedicated to the results of socioeconomic development of 2007 and objectives for 2008, as well as the conference on results of four-year implementation of the "State Program for socio-economic development of regions of the Republic of Azerbaijan." The volume highlights President Ilham Aliyev's visit to Switzerland, his participation in the World Economic Forum in Davos, as well as his meetings on the sidelines of the event. The book also includes material on President Ilham Aliyev's meeting with Hungarian President Laszlo Solyom as part of his state visit to the country, bilateral documents signed by the two leaders, the head of state`s receiving Honorary Doctorate from Corvinus University of Hungary, as well as his speeches and statements. Azerbaijan State News Agency (AZERTAC) contributed to the publication of the 28th volume of the book. Turkish fighter jets hit terrorist-declared PKK targets in southeastern Turkey and in northern Iraq on late Monday, Daily Sabah reported. The Turkish Air Forces carried out airstrikes in the Qandil, Sinat and Haftanin regions of northern Iraq between 10:00 and 11:00 p.m. [19:00-20:00 GMT], according to a statement issued by the Turkish General Staff on Tuesday. The airstrikes in northern Iraq destroyed five PKK targets, including shelters, hideouts, and ammunition dumps, said the statement. Turkish jets also carried out separate air strikes in Turkey's southeastern province of Diyarbakir. They were conducted between 9:00 and 9:40 p.m. on Monday [18:00-18:40GMT], destroying 11 targets in the rural Lice district, including shelters, hideouts, and gun emplacements, the military added. The PKK-listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU-resumed its 30-year armed campaign against the Turkish state in July 2015. Since then, nearly 600 security personnel, including troops, police officers and village guards have been martyred and more than 5,000 PKK terrorists killed in operations across Turkey and northern Iraq. /By Azernews/ By Fatma Babayeva Iran increased natural gas exports to Turkey by 11 percent since March 20 (the beginning of Iranian current calendar year) compared to the same period of the previous year. Iran has sold an average of 21.5 million cubic meters of gas during the given timeframe, Caretaker of the Dispatching Department of the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC) told Shana news agency on June 21. Some 551 million cubic meters of gas has been recovered from gas reveres of the country on a daily basis which is 5 percent higher than the same period of the last year. Iran is the second biggest supplier of natural gas to Turkey and delivered 7.8 billion cubic meters in 2015, according to the BPs estimates. Increasing imports of natural gas from Iran, as well as from Azerbaijan (additional 6 billion cubic meters per year via TANAP pipeline) will contribute to Turkeys diversification of the gas supply routes and make the country less dependent on Russian gas in the future. Irans main gas reserves are located in the southern part of the country. Its estimated gas reserves amount to 34 trillion cubic meters which accounts for 18.2 percent of the total global proven gas reserves. In 2015, Islamic Republic produced 192.5 billion cubic meters of natural gas which is equal to 5.4 percent of the worlds total blue fuel output, according to the BPs statistical review of world energy 2016. After commencing the new phases in giant South Pars gas field with Qatar, Iran was able to increase its actual sweet gas production to more than 178 billion cubic meters of natural gas in 2015, while its raw gas production capacity reached 260 billion cubic meters for the same timeframe. Five more phases of the South Pars field are expected to become operational during the current year. Once, all phases of this field become operational by 2019, Iran will increase raw gas production capacity from current 260 billion cubic meters to 390 billion cubic meters per year. Iran has introduced 21 gas fields to foreign investors based on a new designed contract type Iran Petroleum Contract (IPC). When all these fields become operational, about 380 million cubic meters of gas per day will be added to the production level, while the associated gas from the oil fields can add additional 200 million cubic meters per day to the output level as well. By March 2025, Iran plans to invest $231 billion including foreign fund in the upstream oil and gas sector. The country strives to sell its natural gas in the European markets soon. Nevertheless, it lacks necessary export infrastructure to realize this goal. Recently, Iran commissioned construction of Iran-Oman pipeline which envisages transferring Iranian gas to Oman where it can use already existing LNG plants. Diyar Al Muharraq, one of the leading urban developers in Bahrain, said it has signed an agreement donating a plot of land to the Ministry of Health (MoH) for the latters future use and development. The contract was signed by Dr Aisha Buanq, the undersecretary for the MoH, and Dr Maher Al Shaer, the chief executive of Diyar Al Muharraq at the company's headquarters in the presence of Yousif Al Thawadi, the chief operating officer at Diyar Al Muharraq and Maher Al Onais, the undersecretary of finance for the MoH. Dr Al Shaer, expressing delight at the noble cause, said: "It is our duty as one of Bahrains leading private sector companies to support the governments efforts in further developing and enhancing the local communities." "Diyar remains committed to furthering Bahrains socio-economic development and the donation of this land to the ministry further reiterates our mission. This is one of a series of donations the company has made in line with its CSR programme," he added. Lauding the gesture, Dr Buanq said: "An agreement of this nature between the private and public sectors supports the efforts of the government for sustainable development in the local health industry in line with the national economic vision. Such collaboration fuels the creation of additional health facilities for the benefit of the community." Diyar Al Muharraq is developing a unique masterplanned city for the people of Bahrain offering a range of housing options and quality lifestyle. It offers a cohesive mix of residential and commercial properties with a strong line-up of projects aimed at creating a long-term and sophisticated township.-TradeArabia News Service Flowcrete Middle East, has launched a new website, designed to make it easier for contractors, architects and end users in the region to find the flooring information they need while onsite, on the move or in the office. The fresh website has been developed with the principles of usability at its core to ensure that technical information, contact details and Flowcretes flooring advice is all as readily available as possible. Centralising the content and shortening the users pathways around the site makes it quicker and easier to navigate, while the responsive design means that the website works equally well across desktop computers, tablets, laptops and cell phones. Flowcrete Middle East managing director Kevin Storey, said: "It s important for construction professionals to be able to find the information they need quickly, regardless of whether they are at their desk or right in the middle of a busy construction project - and a sluggish, confusing website can be a real barrier to this!" Our new website has been designed to make this research easier. To achieve this weve orientated it around helping people to easily locate the information they need, whether its to find out which solution is best for their industry, how a resin floor is installed or the technical data of a specific system," he noted. Storey pointed out that a refocused strategy based around highlighting flooring attributes, the types of ranges available and the best solutions for each market sector makes it easier for construction professionals, who may not be aware of Flowcretes various surfaces and solutions, to find what they are looking for. "Alongside these overviews, users can access a vast library of technical data, flooring ideas and advice. All of Flowcrete Middle Easts product data sheets can be downloaded from the site alongside brochures, whitepapers and complementary literature. Videos detailing application techniques, high-profile case studies and Flowcretes news stories are all available on the website to inspire, inform and advise," he added.-TradeArabia News Service Iftin General Trading, a company based in Sharjah, is planning to expand its facilities in the Hamriyah Free Zone to meet the growing demand for its products. Hassan Ali, the managing director of Iftin General Trading, said they would add a 215,278-sq-ft area to its existing facility as part of its plan to build new warehouses and offices in the newly leased area. "The construction work of warehouses and offices will commence soon," Hassan Ali said after signing the new lease contract with Saud Salim Al Mazrouei, the director of Hamriyah Free Zone Authority (HFZA) and Sharjah Airport Free Zone (SAIF Zone). The country's second largest industrial free zone, HFZA is also the fastest operating free zone in the Middle East taking less than two-hour processing time for licensing formalities. We will build five warehouses as well as offices in the newly leased area. Currently we have over 70 staff members and we are going to recruit more as we are going to add many more products," said Hassan Ali. We have a strong presence in South Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Iraq, Libya and the Middle East region," he added. Al Mazrouei said the continuous investment by Iftin General Trading in HFZA shows its confidence and edge in the market in production and quality. The free zone houses over 6,500 enterprises from 157 nations, attracting foreign investment from more than 500 industry verticals in the key sectors like oil and gas, petrochemicals, maritime, steel, construction and food. "We are always happy to see the growth of existing companies," he added.-TradeArabia News Service Young Adipec, an annual initiative by the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (Adipec) aimed at high school students, expects an increase of 26 per cent in participation this year. The initiative, which aims to cultivate the next generation of home-grown energy professionals, expects 450 pupils to participate from 18 private and public schools across Abu Dhabi. The increase is being attributed to a recent partnership between the initiative and the Abu Dhabi Education Council (Adec). The partnership will allow it to raise greater awareness of its work through Adecs official communication channels, which should lead to higher recruitment and engagement of students, stated a senior official. Mohammed Salem Al Dhaheri, Adecs school operations executive director, said: "Encouraging youth to innovate and create is crucial for industry development, which is exactly why this initiative is timely." "Our aim is to engage students in as many activities as possible that will motivate them to learn and explore, all in favour of preparing a curious, well-read and equipped workforce that will help further fructify the economy," he stated. Young Adipec is aimed at educating high school students between the ages of 14 and 17 about career opportunities in the energy sector and to encourage them to pursue studies in science and engineering. Over 700 students from across the UAE have passed through the programme since its inception in 2013. Ali Khalifa Al Shamsi, CEO of Al Yasat Petroleum Operations Company and Adipec 2016 chairman, said: As the global energy mix evolves, so does the skillset required for those who work in the industry. Technology, research, innovation, and application are playing a central role in driving industry progress, and prospective candidates must be equipped with the ability to be agile in such a dynamic business environment in order to succeed." "With the communitys firm support that is the support of parents, educators, and employers we can help inspire our children today to become the energy leaders of tomorrow. In the first phase of Young Adipec, students will have an exciting opportunity to get hands-on experience during trips to oil field sites, training centres, innovation centres, as well as workshop and manufacturing facilities belonging to leading oil and gas companies. These include the Abu Dhabi Company for Onshore Petroleum Operations Ltd., (ADCO), Al Mansoori Specialized Engineering, Al Mazroui Engineering, Borouge, the National Petroleum Construction Company (NPCC), Schlumberger, Takreer, and Weatherford. The second phase will be an experiential and edutainment component that will enable students to explore different aspects of the industry.. This year's Adipec will take place from November 7 to 10 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (Adnec).-TradeArabia News Service Danat Al Emarat Hospital for Women and Children and Moorfields Eye Hospital Abu Dhabi have partnered to examine the eyes of all newborn premature babies who were born earlier than 31 weeks of gestation at Danat Al Emarat. The initiative is being launched to avoid the development of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), a potentially blinding condition that affects premature babies and is one of the most common causes of visual loss in childhood. Moorfields Eye Hospital Abu Dhabi is part of Moorfields Eye Hospital London and United Eastern Medical Services in Abu Dhabi. Mohammed Ali Al Shorafa, CEO of the United Eastern Medical Services in Abu Dhabi said: As we see more premature babies at Danat Al Emarat Hospital, the need to implement such a program is high. The agreement will be fully implemented within the coming three months, and includes examining the eyes of all neonates at Danat Al Emarat Hospitals Neonate Intensive Care Unit (NICU) following the latest international standards. Examinations will be carried on by Moorfields ophthalmologists in Abu Dhabi and also visiting consultants from Moorfields London, who will visit the hospital as part of the program. He also explained that advanced high-tech equipment will be purchased for the eyes examination and the timely diagnosis of ROP cases which is essential to identify an immediate treatment plan and to avoid the occurrence of any complications. He pointed out that ophthalmologists from Moorfields Eye Hospital Abu Dhabi have actually started the first phase of the agreement, where initial basic screening is being done. Through this agreement, the aim is to improve neonates care, keep newborns safe and healthy by protecting them from various possible diseases through early diagnosis and the avoidance of complications. Professor Robert Scott, Medical Director and Retinal Surgery and Vitreous Consultant in Moorfields Eye Hospital Abu Dhabi, seconded from Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, stated, as part of the first phase of the agreement, Moorfields ophthalmologists have already screened 15 newborn premature babies at Danat Al Emarat Hospital, and the results showed that all 15 babies were in good health and not suffering from any problems in their retina. He explained that during the 31st week of pregnancy, the retina is fully developed in the fetus inside the uterus. And in case the baby was born before the 31st week of pregnancy, or weighed less than 1500 gm after birth, his retina must be examined to ensure it is healthy. He pointed out that if a baby is born before the 31st week of gestation, he is more prone to developing ROP, which leads to complications like blindness if the treatment was delayed. Prof. Scott said, When the agreement is fully implemented in few months, all premature newborns born before the 31st week of pregnancy, will undergo this examination by ophthalmologists from Moorfields Eye Hospital in the Neonate Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Danat Al Emarat Hospital in Abu Dhabi, noting that in case a baby was diagnosed with ROP condition, the baby will be treated early at the hospitals NICU or Operating Theatre using the latest technologies of laser therapy focusing on the complicated part of the newborns retina. The therapy session lasts for 45 minutes, and treatment may continue for several days. Infants suffering from ROP are more prone to developing eye problems in the future, including myopia, glaucoma, strabismus, amblyopia and others. In case of early diagnosis of this condition, treatment should follow in a timely manner and thus complications are avoided, Dr Scott added. He said, in case ROP was diagnosed late, the newborn might need complicated surgery. If the newborn was not diagnosed within the first 1-2 weeks after birth, 5% of the cases develop retinal detachment, which leads to blindness. He stated that it is very important that the parent demands his/her newborns eyes to be examined before leaving the hospital in case of preterm birth, or in case the newborn weighed around 1500 gm or less, to avoid developing retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). According to international statistics, 15 million babies are born preterm every year, and this number is rising. Retinopathy of prematurity is usually more severe in very premature babies and if they are given too-high level of oxygen. If not recognized and treated, this can result in lifelong visual impairment or blindness. TradeArabia News Service The first phase of Irans Maroon Petrochemical Plant will go on stream by March 20, 2017, said a senior company official in a report. The unit is being constructed with the goal of completing the value chain in the downstream sector of the industry and to prevent the sale of raw materials, Rahim Sharif Mousavi, CEO of Maroon Petrochemical Plant, was quoted as saying in an Iran Daily News report, citing Shana. Mousavi was speaking on the side-lines of a visit by National Petrochemical Company (NPC) managing director Marzieh Shahdaei to Pars Special Economic Energy Zone (PSEEZ), it said. McDonald's Corp has received more than half a dozen bids for its planned sale of China and Hong Kong stores, including offers from Beijing Tourism Group, Sanpower and ChemChina in a deal worth about $3 billion, people familiar with the matter told Reuters. McDonald's is offering a 20-year master franchise agreement to buyers as part of the deal, but has placed restrictions which has discouraged some private equity firms from participating in the process, the people added. Still, some global buyout firms including Bain Capital, TPG Capital and Carlyle Group (CG.O) have entered the auction with a view to team up with some of the Chinese strategic bidders, the people added. Other bidders who were preparing to place first-round bids ahead of Monday's deadline include Beijing Capital Agribusiness Group, McDonald's China partner, and GreenTree Hospitality, the people added. It was not immediately clear if the last two suitors proceeded with the bids. Oak Brook, Illinois-based McDonald's has hired Morgan Stanley to run the sale of about 2,800 restaurants in China, Hong Kong and South Korea, Reuters previously reported. The sale in South Korea is being run separately and it was not known if the same parties have expressed interest in the South Korean sale, the people added. The China and Hong Kong business had about $200 million in earnings before interest, depreciation and amortization, and could be sold for about 15-16 times its core earnings, taking the deal value to about $3 billion, one of the people said. ChemChina and Sanpower officials were not available to comment immediately, while Beijing Tourism Group said it did not know about the matter. An official at Beijing Capital Agribusiness Group said the company did not participate in the bidding. A spokeswoman for GreenTree said the company was not bidding currently. Bain, Carlyle and TPG declined to comment. Sources declined to be identified as the sale process is confidential. "We are making progress as we look for long-term strategic partners with local relevance who have complementary skills and expertise coupled with a strong understanding of McDonald's Brand and who share our values and vision with a dedicated focus on accelerating growth initiatives," a company spokeswoman said. "As no decisions have been made, it would be premature to speculate further," she told Reuters in an email. McDonald's does not break out country-by-country revenue details but industry data shows it is China's No. 2 fast food chain behind YUM Brands, which operates the KFC and Pizza Hut chains. Both firms are facing increasing competition from cheaper domestic rivals, particularly in China where they are both trying to recover from food safety scares. Yum is also in the process of spinning off its 6,900 China restaurants, and is in talks with buyouts firms including KKR and Hopu Investments to sell up to a 20 per cent stake after battling sliding sales over the past few quarters. Bruised by food safety scandals and changing tastes, McDonald's is also selling a big stake in its Japanese arm. Reuters Iran's Petrochemical Commercial Company International (PCCI) is holding discussions with investors from Japan and South Korea for investing 520 million ($591.01 million) in petrochemical projects in the country, said a report. The investments will be made in the form of usance letter of credits (L/Cs). PCCI has initiated talks with Japanese and South Korean investors to finance petrochemical projects in the Islamic Republic, Isa Mashayekhi, managing director of PCCI, was quoted as saying in an Iran Daily News report. He said Iran's Ministry of Economy should provide state guarantees with the supervision of the Central Bank of Iran for PGPIC to access credit from countries such as Japan and South Korea. He said a South Korean credit line valued at 13 billion ($14.7 billion) is available for Iran while a 10 billion ($11.37 billion) Japanese credit line will be accessible in August 2017, added the report. Le Royal Meridien Abu Dhabi, part of Starwood Hotels & Resorts, celebrated Iftar with taxi drivers across Abu Dhabi yesterday (June 21) as a part of its seventh annual Iftar for Cabs. This years initiative brought 48 hotels across the Emirate together for the worthy cause. Individually packed Iftar boxes were prepared by hotels, which included a selection of food and beverage items. The Iftar packs were then distributed to cab drivers at the main entrance of each hotel with the help of various members across the different departments of the properties, in celebration of the spirit of the holy month of Ramadan. Launched in 2010, the Iftar for Cabs initiative has turned into an annual tradition for many cab drivers throughout the region. The initiative has also been widely appreciated by hotel owners, local communities and transport authorities. - TradeArabia News Service Abu Dhabi Airports said it has achieved a major milestone with the completion of the final de-propping of the last arch in the roof of the new Midfield Terminal Building (MTB). The de-propping took three days and 90 jacking points were used around the building for support while the process was under way. This last stage released 8,000 tonnes of weight onto the roof, which weighs 21,000 tonnes in total, it stated. With the successful completion of the final de-propping, the structure is now completely self-supporting, said a statement from Abu Dhabi Airports. Sulaiman Al Siksek, the chief programmes officer at Abu Dhabi Airports, said: "Now that the complex process of de-propping the roof structure has been completed, the construction team has started clearing the 50 support towers under the roof, which will take them another four to five weeks." "Meantime, the work can now start on the exterior enveloping of the front facade and on the preparation necessary for the interior work on the central processor," he added. On completion, the MTB will be the largest architectural structure in Abu Dhabi, visible from more than 1.5 km away. Its roof span is 319 m at the widest point with 18 arches, the largest of which is 180 m wide and 52 m high, said the statement from Abu Dhabi Airports. Over the coming months, Abu Dhabi Airports will start building the stand-alone retails units in the duty free area of the building, it stated. The MTB, along with the existing terminals at Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH), will serve the increasing number of passengers flying through Abu Dhabi, a figure expected to surpass 45 million within the next decade. Situated between the two runways at the airport, the new terminal, once operational, will provide the passengers a quicker and smoother experience offering them the shortest possible journey from runway to parking stand, it added.-TradeArabia News Service Meet award-winning artisans and buy their products at Kerala Arts and Crafts Village Natural gas prices hit a 2016 high Tuesday, as a heat wave broiled California. Spot prices at Opal, the western Wyoming trading hub that serves the California market, reached $2.61 per million British Thermal Units, the highest level since a brief price spike in late December. That news represented a welcome respite for Cowboy State natural gas producers, who have been bludgeoned by weak prices in recent months. Two large production firms, Ultra Petroleum and Linn Energy, have filed for bankruptcy, in part due to sub-$2 natural gas prices stemming from an oversupplied market. Wyoming producers are among the primary suppliers of natural gas to California, analysts said, making them well-placed to benefit from increased demand in the Golden State. Still, they expressed wariness over the extent of those benefits. Pipelines connecting western Wyomings gas fields to the southern California market, where demand is greatest, are already running near capacity, they noted. Competition from renewables and other natural gas-producing basins also present long-term headwinds, they said. I think in the short-term these heat spikes are bullish Rockies, but you reach limitations, said Rick Margolin, a senior gas analyst at Genscape, a consulting firm. When you start looking past that, there are some bearish factors for Rockies suppliers. Much of natural gas rebound can be attributed to warming weather, which has prompted an increase in electricity demand. The situation has been compounded by the closure of Southern California Gas Co.s storage facility at Aliso Canyon, the largest in the state. A massive gas leak at the Los Angeles County facility displaced thousands of nearby residents last year. Its closure has left California more reliant on natural gas imports from other states and prompted a call Monday from the state grid operator for residents to limit their power use until later in the evening when temperatures drop. Temperatures exceeded 100 degrees in the Los Angeles area Monday. With Wyomings capacity largely maxed out, demand for west Texas and New Mexico gas is likely to spike, said Brian Jeffries, head of the Wyoming Pipeline Authority. Producers in places like the Jonah Field and the Pinedale Anticline are nonetheless likely to benefit indirectly, as the increased demand will prod prices higher, he said. But Jeffries noted that national gas inventories entering summer remain above their five-year averages, meaning much work remains for the market to return to balance. Speaking of the California heat wave, he said, That alone isnt going to change the overall supply and demand dynamic. Its a happy event, but not something alone that you can say has fixed the issue for us. The rebound will have to be sustained to make an appreciable difference for producers balance sheets, said Michael Scalia, an industry analyst at Stifel, an investment bank. There are encouraging signs to that end. Natural gas production, which has surged nationwide in recent years, has finally shown signs of abating, he said. Warm weather, too, could help stoke demand. It would have to be more than a blip, Scalia said, but it certainly helps. The Casper City Council slashed almost 40 percent of its budget Tuesday night, the result of sliding local and state revenues from a staggering energy industry that may continue to decline. About 23 vacant positions have been cut and 24 employees took the citys offer of early retirement, saving Casper millions. When asked by Councilman Charlie Powell if the reduction in employees would negatively impact service to the community, City Manager V.H. McDonald was uncertain. For the next year the city will make do with fewer people, utilizing part-time workers and contract services for things like janitorial work, he said. Beyond that, the city manager expressed concern. We cant continue to cut staff. There is a point where you cant provide the services, he said. That is a relationship with population. ... We have to watch that carefully. The budget of $129.4 million is $74.6 million less than last years projections. The capital projects budget was also whittled down, by about 73 percent, to about $26.4 million. The Municipal Court will lose five open positions: two bailiffs, a clerk and the court manager. Seven vacant positions for equipment operators for streets were cut, as well as three police vacancies a captain, a lieutenant and an officer. Sales tax is down 30 percent, which supplies much of the citys revenue, McDonald said. How much further the citys income will dip in the future is uncertain, he said in an interview. It is possible that continued declines in revenue, and potential declines in Caspers population, will force the city to cut more in the future. With unemployment hovering around 7 percent, a population decline is likely, he said. The truth is, the financial climate in Casper all depends on coal, oil, gas and mining, council member Bob Hopkins said in an interview. We are planning for a really long-term downturn. The city has a five-year goal to reduce personnel to 2004 levels. But that does not mean the city has been overstaffing its departments for over a decade, Hopkins said. I dont know that we had too many folks, he said. The bottom line, we had more going on in this city than we do now. The outlook for Caspers finances is not promising. The general fund reserves can run the city of Casper for six months without revenues, a safety net greater than many cities two-month minimum, McDonald told the council Tuesday night. However, the city will slowly get closer to that benchmark, dipping into reserves so that Casper residents dont experience a sudden change in services. For the coming year personnel cuts allowed the budget to be trimmed by 37 percent. McDonald told council members that he wasnt sure where cuts would be made in the future. We are operating on a month-by-month basis right now and seeing how revenues perform, the city manager said in an interview. You see the states budget today, significant changes, and we are trying to slow that change down by using general fund reserves. But there may need to be changes of services. We are doing everything we can to make sure those changes arent abrupt. A Mills police officer shot and killed a man who had been firing a rifle into houses Tuesday night near First and Fenway streets, Casper police Chief Jim Wetzel said. The gunman fired multiple shots at police, but no officers were hit. One neighbor was injured by broken glass. Police did not identify the gunman and the Natrona County Coroners Office said it would not release his name until his family had been notified. Authorities did say he was 50 years old. Authorities did not release a motive for the gunmans behavior. Neighbors, however, said the man had been behaving erratically over the past week. Casper police began receiving calls at about 10:45 p.m. Tuesday reporting shots fired in the central Casper neighborhood. Several callers reported a man with a rifle was shooting at homes. Officers from the Casper and Mills police departments, Natrona County Sheriffs Office and the Wyoming Highway Patrol responded and cordoned off the area. Wetzel said the man continued to fire through the neighborhood, shooting out all the windows in his neighbors house. One of the neighbors was cut by the broken glass. When officers arrived, they encountered the shooter armed with what police described as an assault-type rifle on the front porch of a home. The shooter had a laser sight on one of the guns, Wetzel said. The gunman ignored officers, who told him to disarm, and he retreated back into the house, according to a statement from Wetzel that was released by the department on Wednesday morning. Authorities established a perimeter. The man reemerged at some point and fired multiple rounds at officers, police said. As the subject continued to fire all kinds of rounds, a Mills police officer fired two rounds into the subject and killed the individual, Wetzel said. Fortunately, no one got hurt other than the neighbor who was cut by the broken glass. Lane Bailey, who lives in an apartment kitty-corner to where the shooting took place, heard gunshots and went outside to investigate. Bailey said he saw what appeared to be a man shooting into a house across the street. The man then walked back into his home. More officers arrived and eventually shined a spotlight at the gunmans home. The man later emerged and appeared to be dancing and holding a portable speaker to his ear, Bailey said. This process repeated itself two more times. Then between 11:30 p.m. and midnight, the gunman emerged again, this time with a rifle, Bailey said. Bailey did not hear the gunman fire at police, but he did hear officers tell the man to drop his weapon. Bailey said he saw police fire three times at the gunman, who fell after the second shot. After the shooting stopped, police officers checked the home and medics arrived. Leonard Bordeaux Jr., who lives in the same apartment building as Bailey, said he was home with his 7-year-old grandson at the time of the shooting. After hearing gunshots, he told his grandson to hit the floor. I was making sure my grandson was taking cover, Bordeaux said. It was kind of spooky. It was a scary night. Bordeaux said the gunman had been out of control for the past week. Ive seen him ranting and raving, he said. He wasnt sure what the man was saying when he would yell outside his home, but he did hear him say cuss words. I was thinking, man, hes losing it, Bordeaux said. The Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation is investigating the shooting. Casper police will also conduct an internal investigation to determine whether department policies and procedures were followed, Wetzel said. Several DCI agents were working the scene Wednesday morning. Yellow crime scene tape blocked off the area where the shooting took place. Yellow evidence markers had been placed in the front yard of the gunmans home. At about 11 a.m., an official from the coroners office removed a body bag from the area and placed it in the back of a white truck. The police chief commended the officers, troopers and deputies who responded to the incident for their conduct. The nature of these incidents, with the following investigations and the inherent scrutiny over actions, can be trying for everyone involved, he said in his Wednesday morning statement. I ask for the community to please be patient and keep all involved in your thoughts and prayers during this time. Mills Police Chief Bryon Preciado declined to release the name of the officer who shot the gunman. In a statement issued Wednesday morning, the department said the officer involved had been placed on administrative leave while the shooting is investigated. The officer was not injured during the incident and is doing fine at this time, the department said. The coroners office said an autopsy for the gunman would be scheduled. CHEYENNE At the beginning of June, Wyoming Medical Center laid off 58 employees and eliminated another 57 vacant positions. The cuts were necessary to remain viable over the long term, administrators said, in part because the Legislature refuses to accept millions of federal dollars to expand the Medicaid program. On Tuesday, Gov. Matt Mead, in discussing $86.2 million in reductions to Wyoming Medicaid, warned that other health care facilities could suffer a similar fate. I think with these cuts, I think thats what youll see in other areas of the state, Mead said. The hospitals will be able to maintain their standard level of care, but they wont be able to do so for as many people. Money for Wyoming Medicaid is evenly split between the state and federal government. To cut $248 million from the state budget, Mead is proposing reducing the states contribution to Medicare by $56.3 million over the next two years. Normally, the federal portion would decrease by an equal amount, but with some shifting of Medicaid money at the Health Department, the cut in federal funds will likely be $29.9 million. Thats a nearly $90 million reduction in Medicaid, or 6 percent. It looks like the (Medicaid) cuts are mainly going to be to hospitals and doctors, said Eric Boley of the Wyoming Hospital Association. When you compound that with the shrinking tax revenues some of my hospitals are going to see, more uncompensated care, its just huge when it comes to being able to deliver health care to people in our communities throughout the state. For each of the past four years, the Legislature has rejected Medicaid expansion, a program a bit different from traditional Medicaid. While Wyoming residents qualify for traditional Medicaid based on specific medical conditions, such as blindness or disability, people would qualify for expansion solely on income. And while under traditional Medicaid, the federal split is half, under expansion, the federal government pays most of states costs. Mead, a Republican, has advocated for expansion in recent years a departure from members of his party in the Legislature, who have repeatedly voted down the program. He said the new cuts may make the case stronger for expansion. I think its another reason why we should not give up on the Medicaid expansion issue, he said. I certainly will be pressing for it hopefully (with) better success. The government cuts will affect the most vulnerable Wyomingites, said Brianna Jones, executive director of the Equality State Policy Center, which has led a coalition to push lawmakers to expand Medicaid. Nearly 700 private-sector health care workers are expected to lose their jobs as a result of the proposed cuts. Many people employed in the health industry care for more vulnerable members of society, such as seniors or developmentally disabled preschoolers. Those jobs tend to be held by women and many of them are low-paying, she said. Its those people who are not making huge salaries who are already having their jobs cut, she said. Does that mean theyre falling into the Medicaid expansion population? Probably. SALT LAKE CITY Police say they've found the body of a 21-year-old Utah State University student who went missing on a hike near a Salt Lake City-area ski resort. Unified Police Lt. Lex Bell said Marie Caseiro's body was found Wednesday at the bottom of a 100-foot cliff near Alta Ski Resort. Bell says it appears Caseiro slipped and fell while on her solo hike Tuesday. Bell says the student's boyfriend called police when she didn't return home after dark. Authorities used aircraft and ATVs to search near the resort in Little Cottonwood Canyon overnight. Bell says Caseiro is from New Jersey was an experienced hiker. You have to be present to accomplish anything. Thats why the Natrona County School Districts new attendance policy makes so much sense. The new rules, which will take effect this fall, hold students accountable when they miss class without parental permission. Once high school students amass five unexcused absences, school officials will take steps to address the problem. If a student fails to meet the remediation conditions and also tallies three more unexcused absences that means missing class eight times with no justification then the student loses credit for the course. It sounds tough, and it is. It has to be. First, this is part of a plan to boost graduation rates in the district. The states rate is below the national average. Attendance is a key part of success in school, according to a district task force. Second, the policy enriches the value of a high school diploma. Diplomas should signify that someone who graduates from high school has learned more than just good study habits or how to get along with others. A degree should also signify that a student has learned the importance of showing up for obligations, no matter what activity might sound more fun. Students have to learn the value of commitment and follow-through in the adult world whether that means holding down a job or honoring promises in other arenas of life. This policy reinforces those principles. Younger students will be governed by a similar system, but the district rightly worried about punishing these children too early, since much of the responsibility for getting them to school rests with their parents. Its important, however, to have these policies in place early. Thats when parents must impress upon their children the significance of attending classes regularly. Students whose parents fail to get them to school or set expectations that they will attend every day are set up to struggle in high school and beyond. Parents must take their obligation seriously, knowing what it could mean to their childs life if they dont. If students dont attend, they miss out on important lessons. Their classmates, too, are robbed, since a discussion is far less rich if fewer people participate. Then, once their fellow students do show up, they wont be able to learn at the same pace. That has the potential to slow the progress and preparation of a class of even the most eager learners, and then everyone loses. The new policy also has the benefit of complying with state law, which requires districts to hold students accountable when they miss classes. The old policy, which was described as vague and ineffective, failed to do that. This is an improvement. For many reasons, district leaders are wise to crack down on attendance. Thats among the most effective ways for them to fulfill their mission: to prepare Natrona County students to succeed as adults. By now, you have hopefully enjoyed the fine handcrafted spirits that the good people at Backwards Distilling are making right here in Mills (if not, please go enjoy a cocktail or three in their delicious tasting room today). But you may not know that Wyomings finest distillery exists in part because of the Pollack familys deep appreciation for the sheer diversity of unique flavors that are found only in craft cocktails and the spirits used to make them. For Amber Pollack, the force and creative genius behind Backwards cocktail menu and tasting room program, this appreciation for quality flavors was already well underway in college where she became famous for her gourmet jello shots, made using fresh-squeezed juice, gelatin and handmade garnishes. Ambers budding passion for creative, well-balanced flavors came into full bloom after visiting the 2014 Tales of the Cocktail in New Orleans, the worlds premier cocktail festival. This passion has since led the Pollacks all over the United States on tasting missions and even to places like London in pursuit of cocktails most cutting edge. Their love for creative flavor combinations has splashed into teaching as well. Backwards teaches infusion classes, novice and intermediate classes on ingredients and mixing technique, and even classes on spirits history. Up next is a class on the role rum played in early American history; that sounds delicious. Until then, Amber and her well-trained staff are always eager to share their recipes or helpful information with any of their patrons who are eager to learn more. As a distillery, one challenge Backwards faces is that they cannot use any of the endless liqueurs that most bars or cocktail programs enjoy. In some ways, though, this has been a blessing in disguise. Pollack keenly reflects, This limitation has pushed me to be more creative. A lot of times creativity comes from parameter. I have a strict set of parameters here. I can only use what we make, but that is liberating because it restricts possibilities and forces us to focus on what we make. Backwards most recent menu, however, makes clear they are winning the creativity game. The menu is big on diversity with standard flavors and cocktail standards to wild, delicious creations using a variety of fruits, herbs, teas, and vegetables. There really is something for everyone on this menu. People can pick whatever theyre in the mood for from the simple to adventurous and explore from there, Pollack said. When I create a drink, I usually have a flavor concept or flavor pairing in mind. I can almost always taste the main flavors in my head with the other ingredients I want to try and build from there. Pollack then fine-tunes the supplemental ingredients, such as sweeteners, through trial and error. At that point I have to make the various versions side by side to see which one is best. Ambers last word of advice for anyone who wants to step up their cocktail flavor game: Buy a citrus juicer and throw away the yellow squeeze bottle. It will ruin your cocktail every time. And find a cocktail book that you like to read, something with engaging photos that inspires you to make new drinks. I couldnt agree more. For this round of drinks I wanted to shake things up and create three originals that showcase each of Backwards main spirits. These creations are not meant to improve on the already impressive bevy of cocktails Backwards has dreamed up their creative drinks are hands down the best around. But therein lies the beauty of the cocktail canvas. Because taste is so individual, there are no wrong answers. There are only endless opportunities for each of us to imagine and experiment new flavor combinations into delicious cocktail existence. Thats my burden of proof. One of the mainstays on the Backwards menu is the Chang and Eng, a spirits-only drink made by combining two distinct vodka infusions. Amber named the drink after two conjoined twins who were traveling circus performers in the mid-1800s. Like its namesake, the drink has only two ingredients and pairs flavors that together are much greater than the sum of their individual parts, usually a fruit with a savory, spicy or herbal ingredient. The fourth and current version of Chang and Eng weds plum and bay leaf vodka infusions. Even after we experimented with new infusions, I didnt feel I could change the name away from Chang and Eng, she said. They were traveling performers, so now with each version we just have them traveling to a different region where one or both ingredients are prominent. Theyre in Fresno right now. Backwards Ringleader Vodka is delicate and clean, but not as neutral as some vodkas. I find it to be slightly grainy with a creamy floral sweetness. It is delicious and very drinkable no astringency or harshness here. For my vodka drink, I made my own Chang and Eng infusion using blackberries and fresh sage. Of course, the longer you infuse the blackberries or sage in the vodka, the stronger your infusion will be. However, herbs can be tricky because they start to oxidize if left to infuse too long. When that happens, the infusion can turn from green to brown and impart off flavors. With sage, I find that a 24- to 48-hour infusion works best, but experiment and find what you like. Id give the blackberries a week to 10 days. I gently swirl the infusions a few times each day and taste them often so I know when to strain out the fruit and herbs. Thats the best gauge. Chang and Eng go to Croatia 1.5 oz. blackberry-infused Ringleader Vodka 1.5 oz. sage-infused Ringleader Vodka The woody pine notes of the sage are an flawless match for the earthy blackberry flavors. Combine vodkas and stir with ice for 15 seconds and strain into a chilled cocktail coupe. Enjoy! Queen BEElizabeth As with the vodka, Backwards Contortionist Gin is gently sweet. Its also not a juniper powerhouse. I taste citrus peel and floral notes, which both work well in numerous cocktails. For me, the subtle floral backbone was a natural invitation to lavender. The other flavors all play so nicely together that they just fell into place. Serve this fruity, floral, creamy quaff at your next brunch and your guests will feel like true royalty. 2 oz. Backwards Contortionist Gin 1 oz. fresh lemon juice 1 oz. heavy whipping cream 1 oz. 2:1 honey syrup 1 plum (cut into cubes) 2 sprigs of fresh mint 1 bar spoon each lavender bitters and vanilla extract Thoroughly muddle the plum alone, then add the mint sprigs. Muddle gently. Combine the other ingredients in an ice-filled Boston shaker and shake vigorously for 20 seconds. Strain into a Collins or highball glass. Top with soda water or San Pellegrino pamplemousse or blood orange and garnish with a mint sprig and few lavender buds. If you do not have lavender bitters, a few dashes of Angostura bitters will work. In that case, I recommend adding a drop or two of lavender essential oil or a half teaspoon of lavender buds before shaking (you can find a half-pound bag, which may last you a lifetime, on Amazon for less than $10). A big thank you to my good friend and talented mixologist Eric Anderson for helping to inspire this last drink, which again showcases the endless flavor possibilities that exist for the creative drink-maker. The foundation for this drink is a peanut butter fat-washed Backwards Sword Swallower Rum. On its own the rum is lightly spicy with tropical fruits, not cloyingly sweet. Because it is distilled from sugar cane juice, not molasses, it is deliciously grassy and not too rich. To fat-wash the rum, thoroughly stir in 120 grams of creamy peanut butter (I prefer Adams 100% Natural) into 750 ml of rum. Freeze the mixture in a tall skinny glass, or several, then after it settles pour off the clearish fluid and discard the sediment. Further clarify the rum by filtering through a clean coffee filter. This make the best drink, but you can also use plain rum and then add peanut butter to the actual drink before shaking. Fit to be Thaied 2 oz. Peanut butter fat-washed Backwards Rum 1 oz. Coco Real or Coco Lopez 1 egg 4-5 stalks fresh cilantro 2 slices of English cucumber 2 slices ginger 1 small Thai chili (or 2 slices of serrano chili) oz. fresh lime juice 3 dashes Regans Orange Bitters No. 6 Whisk the egg for 20 seconds, then thoroughly muddle the cucumber, ginger and chili. Combine all ingredients with ice in a Boston shaker. (Add a rounded tablespoon of creamy peanut butter if you are using plain, unwashed rum). Shake vigorously for 20 seconds. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish the top of the drink with a few drops of Angostura bitters, cucumber and crispy fried rice noodles. This is essentially my imagining of pad Thai in a glass; it is subtly sweet, refreshingly crisp and absolutely delicious. The burden of proof is now yours. The sky is the limit that and maybe the size of your shaker and your access to fresh ingredients. Imagine big, experiment big, taste big. Then go make a good, flavorfully wild drink for a good friend. Around here, bad news comes in fours ... After the closure of Proper, Buddy's Grill and Sir Veza's on Speedway, I just got word that yet another restaurant has fallen victim to the Tucson summer. Dolce Vita Italian Restaurant, which has been in business since 1977, served its last meal on May 21. Owned by Harry and Irene Katerelos from the Greek island of Kefalonia, Dolce Vita served Italian classics like pasta primavera and spaghetti with a chunky meat sauce. The restaurant had moved around over the years, but had been in the same east-side location at 7895 E. Broadway since 1997. The Katerelos family decided to call it quits after the entire Broadway Plaza shopping center was sold to national firm Phillips Edison and Company, threatening a rent increase. The couple's son John who owns Greek House at 1710 E. Speedway, said that rather than renewing the lease, the two decided to take a break for the summer and look for someplace new. The lagging economy was also a factor in the decision. John said that he thought the east side still hasn't fully recovered from the recession. Harry and Irene haven't decided if the new spot will be a Dolce Vita, another Greek House or perhaps a breakfast restaurant, John said. Here is Dolce Vita's parting Facebook message: "To our valued customers, friends, and family, We regret to inform you that as of May 21st, Dolce Vita will be closing its doors. Over the past 20 years, we've worked hard to serve quality Italian cuisine to Tucson. In doing so, we've made friends with some incredibly kind and generous people. This is a business that has thrived due to the patronage of our regular customers and to those people we are eternally grateful. So from the Katerelos family, myself and the rest of the Dolce Vita staff, we'd like to say thank you. Sincerely, -Stephen PS MURPHY, Ore. They say good fences make good neighbors. Then there are the fences that enclose the growing number of Josephine County's marijuana grow sites. There are a lot of them. And they are often ugly, especially when topped by a couple feet of plastic. Among those who are unhappy with the proliferation of Visqueen view blockers is Chris Locke, a Murphy landscape nursery owner who endures the sight of a neighbor's fenced marijuana grow. Locke, co-owner of Murphy Country Nursery, says the fences are ruining Josephine County's rural landscape. They're tall and typically made of wood, or wood topped with plastic. Many are easy to spot. "There are so many people who are unbelievably unhappy over the fences," said Locke, who has erected a sign that says, "That's not ours," with an arrow pointing at the marijuana grow next to her business, located just south of the Applegate River and within plain view of traffic on Williams Highway. "I think the laws should be changed," Locke said. "Whoever made the laws that (a grow) had to be covered up, it's ridiculous." Last year, the fence next door to Locke's business was an ugly black plastic barrier. This year, it's been upgraded to an ugly black plastic barrier adorned with brightly painted artsy fish, turtles and dragonflies. It looks to be about 12 tall or higher. The artwork could be described as having a psychedelic Northwest tribal motif. A local artist did the work, according to a man tending the property. He asked not to be named. "We have the nicest fence in the valley," he said at the site. "We did this to make everybody happy." Locke says the fence, backed by chain link, is better than it was, but believes she lost business last year when would-be customers saw the fence and thought it was her marijuana grow. Her sign disclaiming ownership of the grow went up about a month ago. Since then, people stop about once a day to say they've stayed away because they thought the grow was hers, she said. "I realized last year, when they became real obvious, boy, it's really slowed down here," she said. "I passed it off." The number of fences in the county has increased as the use of medical marijuana and the number of medical marijuana grow sites increased since 1998, the year Oregon voters approved the use of pot as a medicine. In January, Josephine County had more than 2,700 medical marijuana grow sites, up nearly 300 from the previous year. The county also had nearly 6,500 medical marijuana patients, up about 1,300 from a year earlier. This year, following voter approval of recreational marijuana, the state has approved 11 grow sites in Josephine County to provide marijuana to retail outlets. Rules for the recreational program mandate that grows be shielded from public view, with one option to accomplish that being the construction of an 8-foot fence. However, a fence isn't required, said Mark Pettinger, a spokesman for the Oregon Liquor Control Commission, regulators of the new recreational market. "They just need to make sure it's obscured from the eyes of the public," he says. "As long as they can prevent public access and obscure it from public view, they don't necessarily need an 8-foot fence." Exactly why marijuana in the field should be shielded from public view isn't something Pettinger or his counterpart with the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program, Jonathan Modie, is able to answer definitively. Pettinger said it goes back to the intent of lawmakers and program founders. Rep. Carl Wilson, R-Grants Pass, could only guess how the idea for shielding pot from public view came to be. He was a member of a joint legislative committee overseeing implementation of recreational marijuana. "Everybody knows what's behind the screen," he said. "That's crazy." Josephine County Board of Commissioners Chairwoman Cherryl Walker, herself a medical marijuana grower, also didn't know the origin of the rule to shield pot from view. "I don't understand why it has to be," she said. "You know what's behind it (a fence). You're not concealing it. The complaint we've had is they're detrimental to property values." Walker, who said she fields complaints daily about grow sites on a range of issues, not just fences says the plastic fences get holes in them, rip and blow with the wind. "It does look pretty shabby," she said. "I find it to be a very unsightly aspect of the industry." Some growers, in an apparent effort to avoid county permit fees, build solid wood fences up to 7 feet tall, the limit at which a fence may be built without a permit in the county, and then add an additional foot or two of plastic to shield grows, Walker surmised. The county is considering allowing 8-foot-high fences without the need for a permit. At a recent town hall meeting in Williams, pot industry proponents suggested the use of wire fences, and one person said that tall solid fences inhibit the migration of wildlife. John Reynolds and LeRoy Smith Surprised at Hiding Place on North Fourth Ave. and Taken Into Custody George Moran, one of the eight federal convicts who escaped from the Maricopa county jail Wednesday, has been taken into custody by U. S. Marshal Dillon, according to information received here yesterday. Moran believes the J. C. Traut, another of the fugitives, is dead, as Moran and other in flight left Traut lying on the desert, unable to go further. If Traut is dead, only three fugitives remain to be accounted for. Acting on information that two of the federal prisoners who escaped from the Maricopa county jail Wednesday, were at 212 North Fourth avenue, Deputies Sullinger, Montgomery and Miles and Rangers Taylor and Simpson, acting under the direction of Deputy United States Marshal Hudson, hurrying to the place in an automobile, each heavily armed, surrounded the house. Deputy Montgomery was selected as the one to open the front door, while the others guarded all avenues of escape and stood ready to render assistance to Deputy Montgomery. Prepared to meet armed resistance, Deputy Sheriff Montgomery opened the door just as LeRoy Smith, convicted of violating the Harrison anti-narcotic law, was in the act of drawing a hop-gun for the purpose of taking an injection of dope in his arm. John Reynolds convicted of violating the federal immigration law by bringing women into the United States for immoral purposes, was also in the room. The men were completely surprised and even had they been prepared to resist being taken into custody, they would have been powerless. However, they were not armed. Smith took his arrest stoically by Reynolds appeared much depressed. The plans of the deputies for taking the men into custody were ready for execution at 3 oclock yesterday afternoon. Information had even received by them previously that two men believed to be escaped federal convicts were seen to get off a Southern Pacific train at Jaynes Station Friday morning. Suspecting that the men might try to reach Mexico via Tucson, officers watched a discharged prisoner who had been in jail at the time the federal prisoners were being held there awaiting trial on federal court. He was seen yesterday afternoon to go to 212 North Fourth avenue in an automobile. Later the driver of the automobile was employed to direct the officers to the place, where they confirmed their belief that two of the escaped convicts were hiding in the house. Returning to the sheriffs office, the posse was formed and all of the deputies went to the house in an automobile, where Reynolds and Smith were taken into custody. George Moran, the fourth of the eight escaped prisoners to be captured, was taken at Phoenix yesterday afternoon according to word received by local federal officers. Leroy Smith and Joe Reynolds, captured by local officers in Tucson at 3 oclock yesterday afternoon, and Captain Hastings, alias Dr. Stevens, captured in Phoenix Friday are the other taken this far. At the county jail yesterday evening, the two men, Smith and Reynolds, were more or less heroes among the prisoners, most of whom had known them during their former imprisonment in the jail. They were more or less non-committal about their trip. We didnt ride a freight, Reynolds said about their trip from Phoenix. We came in an automobile. The Phoenix papers said you all had plenty of money, he was told. Well, thats the only thing that they had right about it, Smith replied. We got out clean and now were back and thats all there is to it. But another twelve hours, Reynolds interrupted, and wed have been across the line. If someone here hadnt turned us in, Smith declared, Wed been with Pancho Villa in a little while. They were asked why Trout sent the machine after Mrs. Trout. Maybe he didnt, one of them answered, but they refused to tell anything about the midnight ride that Roberts, the chauffeur, and Carpenter, the Santa Fe news butcher, gave them four miles north of Glendale. They admitted, however that the news that Mrs. Trout and the two men had spent the remainder of the evening at a roadhouse on the Tempe road, was unknown to them. Both Smith and Reynolds were in good shape and did not seem to show any signs that the trip had been a hard one on them. Smith was in good spirits and was disposed to joke about his hard luck in getting caught, but Reynolds seemed to feel rather blue. They declared that they did not believe Mrs. Trout knew anything about the jailbreak until it happened, but they did not go into any further particulars. A University of Arizona librarian was in the stacks Tuesday afternoon packing up old U.S. Bureau of Mines circulars and reports of investigation. A representative of a sportsman group was trying to figure out how to move thousands of topographical maps of Arizona, all housed in large metal cases with rolling drawers. And the staff at the Arizona Geological Survey was preparing for an important meeting Wednesday. Today, they finally break apart the decades-old collections of their library, parceling out the pieces among members of Southern Arizonas geological and mining communities. Its a frantic, haphazard effort to remove a treasured resource, necessitated by an edict from Phoenix. In the state budget, passed last month, the Legislature ordered that the Geological Survey be absorbed by the University of Arizona. The states previous $941,000 appropriation for the survey was zeroed out. Of course, this was done via the states top-down budget process, in which the affected agencies and departments are given no opportunity to explain their activities. The message from those who pushed the measure was: You figure out how to do it and how to pay for it. Youll get no help from us. This was done in the name of consolidation of government agencies and cost savings, but also on the argument that it will help end users. Anytime we can find a way to make government work better for people who interact with it, we want to approach that opportunity, Daniel Scarpinato, the spokesman for Gov. Doug Ducey, told me Tuesday. In this particular case, you have a lot of resources and wisdom to bear at the U of A that can really enhance the geological surveys work. On top of that, you have an agency thats more of a research/academic type agency than a state agency like DCS (Department of Child Safety) thats providing some kind of regulatory role. Its true the geological survey is different from typical state agencies, in that it performs research projects and provides information. And when your philosophy of governing is that less is more, then naturally youll look askance at oddball offices like this. But I dont see why it or similar offices, such as the Employment and Population Statistics division of the Arizona Department of Administration, should be downgraded. They provide valuable, baseline information to industry and the public. If theres one state in this country that ought to have a geological survey, its Arizona, Bob Cummings, president of Saguaro GeoServices, said Tuesday. Pennsylvania can have a well-funded geological survey, but we cant? He and other end users I talked to couldnt disagree more that this consolidation is a good idea. Since the University of Arizona had no significant input into the decision, it had to scramble to find space. It found 2,500 square feet to house the 10,000-square-foot survey office. Naturally, the library and other archival material is whats being sloughed off to whoever could offer a good home, as state geologist Lee Allison explained. The state library has been down. The state archive has been down. We shipped off three boxes to the American Geosciences Institute this morning, he said. The Arizona Railroad Museum in Chandler was down and picked up a lot of topographic maps. Private companies, too, have carted off some of the archives for their own purposes. The survey is retaining 100 boxes, and the rest is scheduled to go out today. That hurts a lot of geologists and small or new mining companies, as my friend Brad Herbert explained. For me, when I go into a new project, the first thing I do is go into the Geological Survey library, Herbert, a geologist, said. I look up any information on the site I'm looking at the existing geology, water depths. The survey has been working to digitize the geology of the entire state or at least as much as has been researched already. But thats a long, incomplete process, one that will be harder to complete thanks to this state move. For the little guys, the loss of the library means the disappearance of a valuable source of baseline data for people involved in road-building, mining and other projects around Arizona. It also gives a further advantage to the big companies and erodes the public sphere of knowledge, Cummings said. The big companies can afford to do the basic research on the geology of a given area that little companies cant. And when they do it, they keep it, he said. You dont want to make everything proprietary, he said. But thats the effect of casually diminishing the agencies like the Arizona Geological Survey. The public sphere of knowledge, the one that anyone can access, shrinks. The private sphere grows and becomes available only to insiders or those who can pay the price. A German man who went missing while hiking in the Catalina Mountains during a record-breaking heat wave Sunday was found dead, officials said Tuesday. This brought to four the number of people who died outdoors in the Tucson area on a day that saw the high temperature reach a record 115 degrees. The Pima County Sheriffs Department and other agencies began searching for Marcus Turowski, a 33-year-old German man visiting Tucson, on Sunday afternoon. Turowski and two other German men apparently became dehydrated while hiking Ventana Trail #98. Searchers found Turow- skis body at 7 a.m. Tuesday, said Deputy Ryan Inglett, a Sheriffs Department spokesman. The search had resumed at about 5 a.m. by the sheriffs search-and-rescue team, along with the Southern Arizona Rescue Association and other groups. Searchers focused on off-trail locations and found Turowskis body west of the trail, Inglett said. One of Turowskis hiking companions, 57-year-old Stefan Guenster, was found dead Sunday about 4 miles from the trailhead near North Craycroft and North Kolb roads. The third member of the hiking party was able to hike out and alert authorities. In addition to the two Germans, officials said the two others who died Sunday were also from out of town. The Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner said Tuesday that 54-year-old Jana Kirkpatrick, of Piedmont, Alabama, was found dead after going for a walk. Authorities said Kirkpatrick left at 3 p.m. Sunday, and her husband called 911 when she didnt return. She was found on The Loop multi-use path near the 5000 block of South Outlet Drive near East Irvington Road and Interstate 10. Kirkpatrick was a traveling nurse who had been in Tucson for the last few months. Chief Medical Examiner Gregory Hess identified an 18-year-old hiker found dead on the Finger Rock Trail as Adrienna Rasmussen. According to Hess, Rasmussen was studying in Tucson but is from Washington state. Authorities said she and a 22-year-old man got lost and ran out of water. The man was airlifted to Tucson Medical Center and treated. Republican congressional candidate Edna San Miguel dropped out of the Congressional District 3 race Tuesday, leaving incumbent U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva, a Democrat, with no formal opposition in the November election. A write-in candidate, Harvey Martin, will not appear on the November ballot. During a Tuesday morning hearing, San Miguel told Pima County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Bergin she was resigning from the race under duress. She said she was told by lawyers that she could face lawsuits over recovering their legal fees incurred during a petition challenge. Betty Villegas, a Pima County resident, filed the challenge, claiming a number of the signatures San Miguel collected in her petition to be added to the CD3 ballot were invalid. A report by the Pima County Recorders Office said 1,251 of San Miguels 2,035 signatures were invalid. That left her with 784 valid signatures 80 short of the 864 needed to meet the minimum signature requirement to be on the CD3 ballot. Attorney Vince Rabago, who represents Villegas, said there were a number of other issues with the petitions, in addition to the invalid signatures that the Recorders Office had already disqualified. San Miguels withdrawal disqualifies her from the race as a Republican and as a write-in candidate as well. She officially withdrew during Tuesdays hearing, but sent an email to the Arizona Secretary of States Office the night before indicating she would drop out. Please consider this communication as my withdrawal from the Congressional District 3 U.S. Representative race in Arizona, San Miguel said in the email. San Miguel originally indicated in the email that she did not intend to attend the hearing, but told court staff Tuesday that she would . With San Miguel arriving late to her hearing, court officials were confused as to her intentions. Some were concerned that she was reconsidering her decision to withdraw from the race. Bergin then delayed the hearing until 10 a.m., when San Miguel and representatives from her campaign arrived. A wide-ranging and often heated discussion Tuesday of how the county handles records requests saw one county supervisor leave the dais unexpectedly and the remaining board members direct the county staff to rethink records policies. The possibility that one of Supervisor Ally Millers staff members created a sympathetic news website on county time led to a number of records requests from several media outlets over the last month, including the Arizona Daily Star. The manner in which those requests have been responded to has raised questions about some of the public-records policies the county has in place, several supervisors said during their regular Tuesday meeting. I think what has become really very clear in this discussion is that our current policy stinks, Supervisor Ramon Valadez said. More importantly, it doesnt work. Some of those requests had to do with emails and other information that may be on personal devices, like computers and cellphones. However, the countys chief information officer, Jesse Rodriguez, told the board that his office is unable to track activity on such devices, as they are able to with county-owned equipment. Unless we had a court order we would not be able to ask the individual for access to their personal phones and equipment, he added. Thomas Weaver, deputy county attorney, said county business done on personal devices or email is subject to state records laws, though it is sometimes more challenging to retrieve that information and more so when that employee no longer works for the county. That is the case with the Miller staffer in question, Timothy DesJarlais, who resigned several weeks ago, Weaver pointed out. Rodriguez said the county is taking actions to try and address this very issue, including moving away from allowing employees to use their own devices to a policy where if you have the need to have a cellphone, the county will provide you that cellphone and we will control all aspects of the use of that cellphone. There is no such policy currently, he said in response to a question from Supervisor Sharon Bronson. Robin Brigode, the boards clerk, told the Star that Miller and some staff members told her they had not used private devices or email to do county business. Brigode also said that while the county doesnt have a countywide policy regarding such practices, it does instruct all employees about what constitutes a public record. However, the Tucson Sentinels Dylan Smith, who is also requesting records from Millers office, told the board that there were piles of evidence in records already released to him and others that personal emails were used. In response to a question from Bronson about whether she would turn over records from her personal devices, Miller said she will provide any records that are related to county business. Miller, who left the meeting abruptly shortly before noon for what she called an urgent appointment, did not respond to followup questions about the alleged use of private devices and emails in her office or the nature of her appointment. There were a number of tense exchanges and pointed comments directed at Miller during the meeting, with Supervisor Ray Carroll at one point accusing Miller of lying and Miller earlier responding that she will not be interrogated by Supervisor Carroll. Questions were also raised about the manner in which records released so far were redacted, work Brigode said was done by Millers office. In his comments to the board, Smith said portions of emails and other records he received were oddly, inconsistently and unjustifiably redacted, and responses were beyond any reasonable interpretation of prompt. Bronson said the county does not have a very cohesive policy when it comes to how redaction of records is done and who is responsible for doing it. To address some of the issues brought up by recent records requests to Millers office and requests to come, Valadez proposed directing the staff to develop a realistic policy that clarifies time limits for requests and who redacts records, while also ensuring timely, prompt and accurate responses. Additionally, the motion directed Brigode and her staff to redact materials from Millers office using criteria to be developed by the county staff this week, and quickly provide them to the outlets that requested them. The measure passed 4-0 after Miller had left. After the meeting, Brigode declined to say how much providing the records would cost the outlets, but said it would be less than the more-than $1,000 bill Miller recently sent to the Star and Sentinel. A German man who went missing while hiking in the Catalina Mountains during a record-breaking heat wave on Sunday was found dead, officials said Tuesday. Marcus Turowski, 33, was the second person in a hiking party of three German nationals who apparently succumbed to the heat while out on the trail. His fellow hiker, Stefan Guenster, 57, was found deceased Sunday on the Ventana Canyon Trail. Sheriff's officials said a third man hiking with the group made it down the trail and received medical attention. The Pima County Sheriff's Department announced Turowski's death after meeting with his family, who flew in to Tucson from Germany. The search for Turowski began around 5 a.m. Tuesday and searchers found his body off of the Ventana Canyon No. 98 trail at about 7 a.m. His death brings to four the number of people in Tucson who died while outdoors Sunday, when the high temperature reached a record 115 degrees. All of the deceased were from out of town. State wildlife officers are seeking information on the person who killed three javelinas in the Tucson area. The Arizona Game and Fish Department's Operation Game Thief is offering a reward of up to $750 for information leading to an arrest in connection with the illegal killings, which happened either late June 17 or early June 18. The remains of the javelinas were found near the intersection of North Diamond Hills and West Green Desert Drive in the Picture Rocks area. The javelinas may have been moved to that location after they were killed, Game and Fish said in a news release. One of the javelina's hind legs were bound and it was partially skinned. "We hope that someone with knowledge of this case will come forward. There are no open javelina seasons currently ongoing, so this is a clear act of criminal behavior," said acting regional supervisor Jimmy Simmons of the department's Tucson office. Anyone with information can contact Operation Game Thief at 1-800-352-0700. Callers can remain anonymous. Even though special master Ken Feinberg, who was in charge of the first federal Sept. 11 Victim Compensation Fund, distributed $6 billion to the estates of those killed on 9/11 an average of more than $2 million to the nearly 3,000 victims the House of Representatives passed its new Fairness for 9/11 Families Act to allow additional claims for the deaths inflicted by the terrorists and set aside $2.7 billion for them. "Independence Day" stars at Ft. Huachuca Jessie T. Usher shakes hands with base personnel after getting a tour of the UAVs at Fort Huachucha Army Base in Sierra Vista, Ariz. on June 21, 2016. Stars Judd Hirsch and Jessie T. Usher of "Independence Day: Resurgence" visited troops, toured the facilities and took in a screening of the film with the soldiers. Help India! By Nirjhari Sinha, TruthOfGujarat.com, Finally, the sentencing in the Gulbarg case is out. Finally, some of the guilty have been punished. But how did our justice system fare? Did they actually deliver justice? Lets try to answer this question via certain facts and figures. After the Godhra train carnage on 27th February 2002, for several months starting 28th February, 2002, innocent people were killed all across the state of Gujarat. In view of the plea filed by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) before the Supreme Court of India, stating that free and fair trial was not possible within Gujarat and many civil liberty organizations collectively complained about bias and faulty investigation by Gujarat police, Supreme Court appointed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) in 2008 headed by former IPS R.K. Raghavan. Nine most important cases of rioting including Godhra train burning case were assigned to the SIT. Support TwoCircles Out of the 9 cases assigned to SIT, with the announcement of the Gulberg verdict, trial in 8 of the cases has now been completed, though appeals before higher courts are still pending. The trial in the Naroda Gaam case where 11 people were killed is still in progress. We first want to present the data regarding arrests, deaths, sentencing in these various cases. Here are certain facts regarding the rioting and court cases that followed the Godhra training case 1. VHP which gave a bandh call, which was completely illegal, was never charged as conspirator in any case by SIT lead by Raghavan. This is even after a huge chunk of VHP cadre was out on the streets branding their swords and trishul and initiated the attack on the minorities. 2. Except Naroda Patiya case, all other cases including Dipda Darwaja case and Gulberg case, all prominent BJP leaders were acquitted due to lack of evidence or because the prosecutor could not prove the case. Even in Zakiya Jafery case, Narendra Modi was given a clean chit. 3. A special trial court in the 2002 Prantij British nationals murder case acquitted all the six accused on the grounds that the prosecution failed to prove the allegations. 4. Across all the 9 cases, only in one case of Dipda darwaja was one police person punished with just a one year sentence. Thus across 9 cases which resulted in ___ deaths with phone call records and ground reports suggesting clear connivance of police with the rioting mob, only 1 policeman got a sentence. 5. Apart from Godhara train carnage in which the judge suggested that there was a criminal conspiracy, only in two others cases did two women judges namely Justice Jyotsana Yagnik in Naroda Patia and Justice Poonam Singh in Ode village case had the courage to invoke charges of conspiracy against accused. In rest of the cases, SIT failed to prove conspiracy. 6.The harshest judgement was delivered in Godhra train burning case where this case was held to be the rarest of rare case and 11 death sentences were awarded. No death sentences were awarded in any of the other cases. So clearly different yardsticks are used for judging minority and majority accused. 7.Justice Jyotsana Yagnik gave a very strong and bold verdict where she held BJP MLA and Minister Maya Kodnani guilty for conspiracy and gave her sentence for 28 years and Babu Bajrangi for 32 years. 8. Whereas, in case of Gulberg which has second highest life-loss, only 11 life sentences were awarded. Among the cases where there was conviction, Gulberg has the minimum number of life sentences while having the 2nd highest amount of death toll. Moreover, a Riot victim Ehasan Jafri has been projected as a villain cum instigator for alleged firing on the crowd which was attacking the society. Did the crowd that had come to Gulberg society armed with weapons come to do meditation? 9.Including Godhra, totally 163 people have convicted across the above 9 cases till date. 10. It is needless to point out all the cases were investigated by Gujarat police under the supervision of Raghavan. In conclusion, compared to 1984 Sikh riots or Bhagalpur or any other riots, there are definitely many more convictions in Gujarat Riot cases. However, it is the foot soldiers who have been punished and the rich, mighty and the politically powerful people have not been convicted except in Naroda Patiya case. This speaks a lot about our criminal judicial system which is hugely influenced by political parties and gives the sense that justice is indeed blind. Judiciary being one the three main pillars of democracy in our country, with such injustice in cases across different parts of the country and different eras, it is evident that the Indian democracy keeps failing its citizens, especially the underprivileged and the minorities. Help India! Imphal : The Kangleipak Students Association (KSA) in Manipur has banned the sale of R. Guptas General Knowledge Book 2017, describing the book as offensive. No book shop shall stock, display or sell the offensive book, S. Bidyananda, secretary general of KSA, told the media on Tuesday. Support TwoCircles The book is published by Ramesh Publishing House in New Delhi. The book describes Lai Haraoba, the ancient Manipur religious dance, as a dance of Shiva, Durga and other gods and goddesses, he said. He argued that the Hindu religion came to Manipur in the 18th century whereas Manipurs religion has been there for generations. There are wrong photo captions, spellings and misleading descriptions. Rishang Keishing, a former Chief Minister of Manipur who recently retired as the oldest Rajya sabha MP, was described as a freedom fighter, he said. Help India! By TCN News, Foster City, California: As many as 75 students from different schools in Faizabad and Ambedkar Nagar districts of Uttar Pradesh received scholarship from The Aligarh Education Endowment Fund (AEEF). Support TwoCircles AEEF is a USA based charitable organization founded by AMU alumni and well-wishers in 2005 as a non-profit, secular, non-partisan, and non-political organization to serve the educational needs of the underprivileged communities in India. It started scholarship program in 2010 to help young students reach their full potential through education. This scholarship program is generously supported by alumni of Aligarh Muslim University, their friends and private foundations. The recipients for the scholarships were chosen after a selection process that drew applicants from various schools in Faizabad and Ambedkar Nagar districts of UP. The scholarships ranging from Rs 7,000 to Rs 12,000 per annum is given to the students depending on their financial needs and performance in schools. The selection criteria included academic achievement, financial need, and an interview by AEEF facilitator. Approximately Rs. 9 lakh were disbursed for the academic year 2015-2016. Support for exceptional students, particularly those bright boys and girls who cannot otherwise afford a decent education, can have a profound positive effect on society, said Umar Farooq, president of AEEF. These students are living under restraining conditions, have overcome tremendous obstacles, and we are proud to help them continue their education and prepare them to make valuable contributions to the society they live in, he added. Saba Kaleem, AEEF coordinator for Faizabad region thanked all the benefactors for their commitment to support the education of bright and needy students. She also thanked school management and Mannapat Foundation for their help with scholarship distribution process. Help India! By TCN News, New Delhi: The Welfare Party of India (WPI) strongly objected to the recent broad policy changes in FDI announced by the Modi government. Support TwoCircles Dr. S.Q.R. Ilyas, national President of WPI in a statement said the unrestrained changes without adequate and appropriate safety valves will be detrimental to the interests of the nation. He also criticized BJP for taking a complete U-turn on FDI. While in opposition with vociferous hymns and mantras of Swadeshi, it opposed every move of the UPA regimes FDI and liberalization policy citing national interest and security. It proves our political parties are driven by opportunistic interests rather than any concrete ideology or national interest and hence they change the stands as per the chair they occupy the statement continued. Dr. Ilyas added that opening vital sectors such as defense, civil aviation, pharmaceuticals etc to profit-only-motivated foreign players without any social concern will not be in the interest of the nation. Doing away the local sourcing clause for single-brand retail outlets for three years will invite death bells to the manufacturing sector already under declining mode. Government stand of impossibility of raising funds or investments within the country or from PIOs/NRIs is absurd as no serious effort in this regard has been made so far by any government, he added. He suggested that the union government initiate a serious effort in this direction first and make them the partners in the place of foreign players with unholy motives in most cases. LogicMonitor and other projects Growing reluctance to being held hostage to standard venture capital (VC) considerations is one reason why some companies look more to private equity firms when it comes to investments that will allow them to vault to the next level.One of those companies is LogicMonitor, which is less than a decade old, but recently received a $130 million injection of funding from Providence Strategic Growth. LogicMonitor helps monitor cloud infrastructures from one interface and its offer significantly differs from other companies such as New Relic and Splunk. Key differences That difference between businesses in this field can be seen by the fact that some companies such as those noted above only monitor application performance while others simply analysis logs. Combining the two offers an innovative approach that caught the attention of private equity investors. In this particular market, the fact that the company has grown so quickly and has amassed such value in a relatively short period of time stands out. In addition, LogicMonitor has been able to avoid falling into the trap of seeing its burn rate for funds increase as production begins to ramp up. The way LogicMonitor has developed its business model is one of the many things that firms like ours look for in a company, said Marwan Naja, CEO of Manixer, a leading Geneva-based private equity firm. In contrast to venture capitalists, private equity firms are willing to look at things from a long-range perspective. The standard VC timetable isnt deeply concerned with aspects like research and development; focusing instead on how quickly theyll be able to cash out.Adding to that conflict is the headache that comes with VCs being made up of different investors who may seek to take the firm in different directions. That sort of chaotic setup often ends up paralyzing companies into oblivion. Finally, the conflict also highlights how some VCs take a scattershot approach to their investments. They may not be fully engaged in understanding all facets of each particular company and lack the patience to accommodate the particular marketplace.LogicMonitor CEO Kevin McGibben has definite plans for the $130 million investment, with an eye toward expanding into both the European Union and North America in 2016. Next year, the plan heads east to the Pacific Rim and Asia.Research and development for the company will be enhanced, allowing new products to come to market more quickly. In addition, the possibility of the company buying out smaller competitors remains a consideration. Brazilian billionaire Jorge Paulo Lemann, who owns a controlling stake in Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world's largest brewer and the maker of Budweiser and Stella Artois, invested in Snapchat's last funding round in late May. Lemann, who also owns stakes in H.J. Heinz & Company and Burger King, made the investment through one of his private funds. He is also a partner in private equity firm 3G Capital, along with his longtime friends Carlos Sicupira and Marcel Telles. There is no information as of how much money he invested in the messaging app's Series F round, which raised $1.8 billion according to a regulatory filing on May 26, including $650 million raised last year and an additional $1.2 billion raised this year, and valued the company at $18 billion. According to reports, Snapchat's revenues in 2015 totaled $60 million, while predictions for this year's earnings show substantial growth and are between $250 million and $350 million, and between $500 million and $1 billion for 2017. Lemann, who is Brazil's richest man and the worlds 19th richest person, and is reportedly worth $31.5 billion, also controls the online retail company B2W, which operates mostly in Brazil and other South American countries like Argentina, Chile and Uruguay. Role model The Brazilian billionaire is no stranger to Snapchat's co-founder and largest shareholder, Evan Spiegel. Late last year, and after reading Brazilian author Francisco Souza Homem de Mello's The 3G Way -- a book about the management style of Lemann, Sicupira and Telles and their appetite for American brands -- Spiegel reportedly purchased several copies of the book for Snapchat's senior executives, in order to inspire them with the trio's successful business endeavors. Trouble ahead? Not everybody at Snapchat liked the idea of Spiegel having Lemann as a model though. According to Dealbreaker.com, people got very scared at Snapchat, because Lemann and his partners from 3G Capital are known for having 'raided' many companies, like Anheuser-Busch, Burger King, Tim Hortons, and Kraft Heinz, firing thousands and thousands of employees in each of these companies." A source at Snapchat was quoted by the site saying that "His [Lemann's] is a VERY fierce meritocratic culture. People are pretty scared Evan wants to do the same here. They might be even more scared now that Lemann has an interest in the app. An American astronomer proposed a new method for detecting aliens according to descopera.ro and nationalgeographic.com. The idea of the American scientist could be translated into reality only if a significant period of time is allocated for this project. David Kipping, an astronomer at Columbia University, suggests a new method for finding extraterrestrial civilizations. The researcher argues that aliens can be discovered by using the answer to a very trivial question: what is the best method to get noticed when you are in the middle of a crowd? The answer is as simple as it can be: you attract the attention of others somehow exactly in the moment they turned their attention to you. Geometrical figures could help us get in contact with aliens? The specialist says aliens could draw geometric figures in Space by using lasers. People could detect these geometric figures drawn by aliens by using a technique known as photometry. Astronomers have discovered more than 2,300 planets so far through this technique -- a technique which is used to analyze the light emitted by a star, while it is partially blocked by the shadow of a planet. Kipping believes that our prospective neighbors from outer space can use this principle to make their presence announced. The researcher says that it is much easier for aliens to direct laser beams in the direction of Earth, and for people to detect their transit instead of building giant structures like UFOs to get in touch. The scientist says that in order to detect the presence of aliens, we just have to intercept the beginning and the end of their transit. According to calculations made by Kipping, this procedure can only be done with the help of a laser beam of 30 megawatts, which should run uninterrupted for 10 hours. The procedure would require a very long time David Kipping says that the interception of the transit of an alien planets located outside our solar system would require a very long time, because light detected might only be observed during several hours in a year. Therefore, scientists have expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of the method suggested by Kipping. The scientist, however, is optimistic and believes that extraterrestrial civilizations will be finally detected. Kipping says that the chances for this to happen are great. Guangdong village head admits taking bribes Updated: 2016-06-21 15:11 (Xinhua) Print Mail Large Medium Small 0 GUANGZHOU - 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. Li vows to boost support for real economy Updated: 2016-06-22 02:24 By Hu Yongqi(China Daily) 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. Misreading the Venezuela move Updated: 2016-06-22 07:57 (China Daily USA) Some Western media outlets have reported that China recently sent an "unofficial envoy" for talks with Venezuela's opposition party to ensure its loans to the country are recognized after President Nicolas Maduro steps down and claimed the move marks a shift in Beijing's attitude toward Caracas. The continuous political turbulence in Venezuela has made the international community pessimistic about the Maduro government's survival. So it is natural for Chinese people to be worried about the safety of China's loans to Venezuela. But it is wrong to interpret China's gesture as a shift in attitude toward Venezuela, because Beijing is unlikely to reverse its friendly ties with Caracas. China has for long kept in touch with opposing forces in other countries. So even if China has contacted the Venezuelan opposition, there is no reason to brand it a "hurried move" to retrieve its loans. Also, it is not unusual for one country to keep in touch with different political parties in another country. Considering Venezuela's huge oil reserves, the oil-for-loan deal Caracas has signed with Beijing is basically safe. Friendly cooperation with China is Venezuela's strategic choice and goes beyond partisan interests. And most Latin American countries use their ties with China to geo-strategically balance their ties with the US. Even should Venezuela suffer a collapse, the loans extended by China and other international lenders will be secure, although the possibility of the resource-rich Latin American country collapsing is extremely remote. Recovering oil prices indicate Venezuela will overcome its ongoing economic hardship. And since China has generally received more benefits than losses from its all-round economic cooperation with other countries over the past decades, it would be myopic to consider the loans China offers to other countries as squandering of State money. (China Daily USA 06/22/2016 page11) Eco-watchdogs need to do their job to abate pollution Updated: 2016-06-22 07:44 (China Daily) Smoke rises from a chimneys of a steel mill on a hazy day in Fengnan district of Tangshan, Hebei province February 18, 2014.[Photo/Agencies] Weeks after a central government inspection team completed an extensive survey of environmental protection in North China's Hebei province, the central authorities have reportedly decided to dispatch environmental ombudsmen to several other provinces for a new round of inspections. Of course, this could be seen as the central government enhancing oversight of environmental policy implementation. More importantly, however, it shows that direct central government intervention has become the last-resort treatment for the country's environmental ailments. Since local environmental watchdogs have not been working as required. In official documents, in officials' public speeches, it sounds like there is a broad consensus on the necessity of eliminating excess capacities like heavy, chemical industries both to reduce pollution, and restructure and upgrade the economy. But as the Hebei case shows, it is quite another story when it comes to implementation. Dirty and inefficient as they are, the small, wasteful, technologically backward steel mills and chemical plants may be essential contributors to local government revenues, or job providers. An excited Hebei official once asked in an interview on TV: Is it fair for Hebei to give up its new-found path to wealth in exchange for some fresh air for Beijing? Hebei residents would not mind breathing in some polluted air, he argued, because those industries make them better-off. And that has been the typical defense for local protectionism in the provinces. With local leaders boldly extending umbrellas over their pet cash cows, few local environmental protection agencies stay loyal to their duties. After all, with their own well-being contingent on local revenues, putting environmental protection above local financial interests is an act not only of betrayal of neighboring areas, but also of inflicting self-harm. The latest scandal of enterprises tampering with online pollution monitoring data, too, has to do with watchdog inaction. The practice, which is believed to have become a "tacit rule", or standard practice, in polluting industries, would not have become so prevalent had local environmental protection agencies acted in earnest. It is not a bad idea to substantially raise the cost of violations. But perhaps it is more important to divest the environmental watchdogs of the fetters of local interests. Effective as they are, counting on central government inspection teams to discover and correct local environmental problems is costly and unsustainable. The only way out is to make local watchdogs work. Belt and Road will boost SCO strength Updated: 2016-06-22 08:24 By SUN ZHUANGZHI(China Daily) President Xi Jinping (L) and his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda attend a signing ceremony in Warsaw on June 20, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua] President Xi Jinping will attend the 16th meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Tashkent on June 23 and 24 to end his eight-day visit to Serbia, Poland and Uzbekistan which started on Friday. At the Tashkent meeting, he is also expected to discuss with other SCO leaders the applications of India and Pakistan to join the bloc, as well as other key issues including the fight against terrorism and transnational cooperation in the Beijing-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. Celebrating its 15th anniversary this year, the six-nation SCO was among the first regional organizations to address the issue of cross-border terrorism. In fact, before Uzbekistan joined the organization in 2001, the other five SCO members had already agreed to establish a routine communication mechanism involving their defense and law-enforcing departments. And on the day of its official founding, the heads of the six member states signed a pact on battling terrorism, separatism and extremism. The Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure was set up in Tashkent in 2004 as a permanent SCO organ, followed by the establishment of the Secretariat in Beijing. Regularized exchanges, including annual meetings of security authorities and joint anti-terrorism training exercises such as the "Peace Mission-2014" and the "Tianshan-2-2011" have also contributed to the coordination among the member states on the military front. Despite the United States-led anti-terrorism alliance, the Islamic State terrorist group has been threatening regional peace and exporting its extremist ideas to Central and Western Asia. And to counter the IS group's threat, all SCO member states have to abide by the new security concept of mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality and cooperation, and improve their joint enforcement and communications to better deal with emergencies. As a whole, the organization should also seek to play a bigger role in rooting out extremism from Afghanistan and helping the peaceful reconstruction of the country by taking measures to cut off the financial support to terrorists and reduce drug-smuggling and money-laundering. The possible inclusion of India and Pakistan, some observers say, may further complicate the situationeven deal a blow to the bloc's unitybecause the two nuclear powers are in constant conflict with each other and often adopt very different foreign policies. So discussing the pros and cons of taking in more members is an essential task for the existing SCO members and in line with the "Spirit of Shanghai". The inclusion of new members in the SCO, however, will enhance the group's international reputation, expand its geopolitical reach and facilitate more multilateral exchanges, which will likely give it a bigger say in regional affairs. Primarily focused on Central Asian affairs, the SCO has now added South and Western Asia to its agenda. That means it has to deal with increasing frictions within the group, because its members are at various stages of economic development and will thus adopt different approaches to safeguard their interests. The Belt and Road Initiative, which basically covers all SCO countriesthe six member states, six observer countries and six dialogue partnersis conducive to their pursuit of a community with shared destiny. For that to happen, however, all the countries involved need to make more efforts for the success of key demonstration projects while seeking closer cooperation in multiple fields, such as connectivity in Central and South Asia, trade and investment, and cross-border financing. The author is secretary general of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Research Center affiliated to the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. SCO meeting likely to deepen regional security cooperation Updated: 2016-06-22 08:24 By WANG HUI(China Daily) Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives in Tashkent for a state visit to Uzbekistan on June 21, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua] The Shanghai Cooperation Organization which turned 15 on June 15 will get a good opportunity to review its achievements and chart a new course at the meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the SCO in Tashkent on June 23-24. In the run-up to the Tashkent meeting, however, many speculations have been doing the rounds. Many believe the SCO will induct new members while others want to know how it will rise up to new security challenges in the region. It is widely perceived that leaders of the SCO member states will endorse the membership of Pakistan and India. The memberships of two South Asian countries were approved last year at the SCO's summit in Ufa, Russia, but a series of formal procedures need to be carried out before the two countries can be formally admitted to the bloc. Since its formation in Shanghai 15 years ago, the SCO, which groups China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, has become increasingly effective in tackling regional issues, and the time now is right for the bloc to increase its membership and expand its influence and political sway wider. Over the years, the bloc has set an example of forging multilateral cooperation in security and economic fields among countries with different cultural, political and development backgrounds. By increasing its membership, its security and economic cooperation, which are badly needed in the region, will benefit more countries and more people. If Pakistan and India are admitted to the SCO at the Tashkent meeting, it will also help improve the ties between the two South Asian rivals, and thus contribute to peace and development in the subcontinent. On the security level, it is believed the SCO will recalibrate its strategies in security cooperation to tackle new challenges in the region, which will enable it to play an even greater role in safeguarding regional peace and stability. In fact, it was the common security concerns of the SCO member states that drew them together. Since then, the SCO has accumulated ample experience in security cooperation, for example, through multiple joint anti-terrorism exercises, which have effectively curbed the spread of the "three evil forces" of terrorism, separatism and extremism in the region. The rise of terrorist groups in the Middle East, the Islamic State in particular, and the rampancy of the Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan pose real threats to Central Asia. With the world intensifying its anti-terrorism campaigns, the possibility of IS terrorists fleeing or spreading out to Central Asia has become real. Some terrorists returning from the Middle East have already been caught in Central Asian countries while trying to instigate terrorist attacks. Adding to the region's security concerns, the Taliban and some other terrorist groups are gaining ground in northern Afghanistan. The SCO meeting in Tashkent, therefore, has to provide some answers on how to deepen security cooperation among the member states in light of the new situation and security challenges in the region. As far as China is concerned, it has remained a staunch supporter of deepening all round cooperation under the SCO framework. President Xi Jinping will attend the Tashkent meeting and elaborate on China's proposal to expand the realm of the SCO's cooperation and new objectives for the growth of the bloc. Beijing has proposed the Silk Road Economic Belt which aims to link China with Europe through Central Asia. The ambitious initiative has won the support of almost all the countries along the ancient Silk Road because it will create opportunities for development for the entire region. It would be in the development interest of all if SCO member states could better integrate their national strategies with China's initiative. And hopefully, the Tashkent meeting will shed light on this aspect as well. The author is deputy editor-in-chief of China Daily Asia Pacific. jasmine@chinadailyhk.com For a Chinese supercomputer to top the list of the world's fastest is nothing new; one has held the spot for seven years straight now. But this time around marks a couple of firsts. For the first time, the winning machine uses only Chinese-designed processors. It's also head-spinningly fast at 124.5 petaflops (quadrillion) operations per second. Nothing the US has even comes close. China also nudged aside the US (for the first time) as the country with the most supercomputers in the top 500 - China 167, US 165. (Japan is a distant third with 29). The No 1 system, called Sunway TaihuLight, is maintained at the National Supercomputing Center in Wuxi, west of Shanghai, according to TOP500, the organization that runs the biannual computer showdown. It's used for advanced manufacturing like airplane design, Earth-system modeling and weather forecasting, life science and analyzing big data. Running such "sizeable applications", said Jack Dongarra, a professor of computer science at the University of Tennessee and one of the editors of the Top500 list, "shows that the system is capable of running real applications and is not just a stunt machine." "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," the TOP500 organizers said in a statement. By way of contrast, TaihuLight's top speed is about five times that of Oak Ridge's No 3-ranked Titan and uses almost twice as much electricity. "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," Professor Guangwen Yang, the Wuxi center's director was quoted as saying in the TOP500 press release. The TaihuLight uses Chinese-developed ShenWei processors, "ending any remaining speculation that China would have to rely on Western technology to compete effectively in the upper echelons of supercomputing," the TOP500 said. According to Dongarra, the TaihuLight is 2.75 times as fast as the former No 1, the Guangzhou-based Tianhe-2, which uses chips made by Intel. "Tianhe-2A was supposed to be upgraded with Intel's Knights Landing (their fastest) processors," Dongarra wrote online, "but last year the US Department of Commerce blocked the export of Intel technology to some parts of China." In response, "China invested heavily in HPC (high performance computing) research and development and they are replacing Intel with their own designs," he said. It's now a matter of debate whether the ban spurred the Chinese to develop their high-performance computer technology faster, but the trend worldwide is to reduce dependence on US technology. "The Chinese were already determined over time to move to an indigenous processor," computer analyst Steve Conway told Computer World. The ban, he added, "increases that determination." Supercomputing has become increasingly important in the economy, national security and high-end manufacturing and design and fraud detection. It is now "so strategic that you really don't want to rely on foreign sources for it," Conway said. In July 2015, just four months after the Intel ban, President Obama issued an executive order instructing government agencies to work together to break into the next level of speed above the petaflop - the exascale (or quintillion), delivering "a capable exascale computing system that integrates hardware and software capability to deliver approximately 100 times the performance of current 10 petaflop systems." Obama gave them 15 years to get it done. They aim is to have it done earlier, by 2023. Last week, China announced that it plans to break the exascale ceiling by 2020. The race is (still) on. Contact the writer at chrisdavis@chinadailyusa.com (China Daily USA 06/22/2016 page2) Angela Zeng (center) holds scholarship certificate for Student on Ice Arctic Expedition 2016 and poses for a group photo with Congresswoman Nydia M. Velazquez (second from right) on Tuesday at Chinese-American Planning Council in Brooklyn, New York. Angela is the first Chinese American in New York City who received the award. JUDY ZHU / FOR CHINA DAILY Angela Zeng of Brooklyn is the first Chinese American from New York to win a scholarship to the Students on Ice Arctic Expedition. The 2016 expedition will take 120 high school and university students from around the world on a two-week journey (July 21-Aug 5) to explore the eastern Canadian Arctic and Western Greenland. The students will be guided by a team of scientists and artists and will engage in hands-on research about the environment and culture of the area. They will learn about climate change and ocean conservation. Students on Ice was founded in 2000 and is funded by the Beatrice Snyder Foundation. Among the highlights of the trip are a visit to the Illulissat Icefjord UNESCO World Heritage Site in Greenland, and polar-bear watching and kayak-paddling in the Arctic. On Tuesday, US Congresswoman Nydia M. Velazquez congratulated Zeng, who lives in her district, at the office of the Chinese-American Planning Council in Brooklyn. Velazquez said Zeng could raise public awareness on climate change in the Chinese community. She also highlighted Zengs academic excellence and past involvement in volunteering and community service. We select students who really care about the community, Velazquez said. What matters is how they translate the information and knowledge they get from the experience to the community. I want to get a job concerning the environment in the future, said Zeng, 18, a senior at Brooklyn Technology High School. And for now my job is to educate people about what is actually happening. Zeng is excited about the two-week trip. This is the first time I am traveling by myself, so Im a little nervous, she said. Im stocking up with warm clothes and getting prepared. I expect to learn a lot from this trip, especially about what I can do to create impact for the community on environment-related topics. Nancy Kong in New York contributed to this story. US states woo Chinese investors Updated: 2016-06-22 10:57 By Chen Weihua in Washington(China Daily USA) Wu Xi (right), deputy chief of mission at the Chinese embassy in Washington, chats with Max Baucus (center), the US ambassador to China, at a reception on Tuesday evening at the Chinese embassy in Washington for the Chinese delegation attending the 2016 SelectUSA Investment Summit held in Washington from Sunday to Tuesday. Wu praised the bilateral economic and trade cooperation as playing the role of "ballast" and "booster" in China-US relations. Baucus said he was totally confident and bullish about US-China relations, whoever gets elected as US president in November. Chen Weihua / China Daily Andrew Lange, director of international business development at JobsOhio, can't tell you how proud he is about Fuyao Glass America, a $360 million Chinese investment in the state. The Fuyao factory is expected to create some 2,000 jobs by the end of the year and will produce glass for 4 million vehicles annually. It is already supplying products for Hyundai and General Motors. Lange called Fuyao Chairman Cao Dewang a "wise man to make that happen." "It was a quick entry. It was a great business culture. He and the governor and all the local government and state, we all got along very well," Lange told China Daily at the JobsOhio booth in the exhibition hall of the SelectUSA Investment Summit held in Washington Hilton on June 19-21. Ohio Governor John Kasich praised the Fuyao investment for creating American jobs while campaigning months ago as a Republican candidate in the 2016 presidential primary. One of his rally venues in March was a Fuyao factory in Moraine. "We think the Chinese economy and Ohio economy are very similar. We make things, really good things," Lange said. JobsOhio is a private non-profit corporation designed to create jobs and attract investment to Ohio. Ohio opened a trade office in Shanghai in 2006 and another in Beijing in 2008. China is the third-largest export market for Ohio, trailing Canada and Mexico. Lange said Chinese investors are coming to Ohio for visits almost on a monthly basis and "we are hopeful that we can have more nice investors like Chairman Cao." A typical foreign investment in Ohio creates about 100 jobs. Erron Smith, at the booth for the state of Connecticut, said some Chinese delegates attending the summit have talked to him about business opportunities in Connecticut. "We want to see if there's anything we can find to fit their needs," he said, noting that aerospace, defense, pharmaceuticals and healthcare are some of the strong industries in the state. Vincent Perez, project manager with Alabama's department of commerce, said some Chinese investments in the state are doing very well. "We have great logistics in the state, centrally located in the fastest growing region in the United States, all kinds of opportunities are in front of you in Alabama," he said. He also touted the state's competitive tax structure and one-stop environmental permitting system. Timothy Kelley, president and CEO of Imperial Valley Economic Development Corp in California, said he has a full-time intern originally from China working for him. He said Chinese investment there has changed quite a bit over the years. Many investments are now in renewable energy, agriculture, hospitality and manufacturing. Arlington, Virginia, just across the Potomac River from Washington, also had a booth to attract foreign investment. Sindy Yeh, senior business ambassador of Arlington Economic Development, said some Chinese delegates asked for information, including about the schools. "We have a wonderful school system," she said. "We also have a lot of technology companies if they want to invest in that. We are a prime location, with the proximity to Washington." While SelectUSA is a federal program that aims to draw foreign direct investment to the US, governors and mayors have also embarked on busy trade missions abroad, including China, to attract foreign direct investment into their cities and states. US Virgin Islands Governor Kenneth Mapp talked last week about his recent trade mission to China. He announced that the Sinopec's investment in the US Virgin Islands will result in hundreds of new jobs for the territory. Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts announced late last month that he will lead a delegation to China later this year to promote business ties with his state's fourth-largest trading partner. The group will include state representatives and businesses that want to expand into global markets on a trip that will include Xi'an, Shanghai and Hong Kong from Nov 9-15. At Idaho's booth, the Chinese flag was among the many foreign national flags displayed. Susan Davidson, business attraction manager at the Idaho department of commerce, doesn't like the fact that foreign investment is being demonized or politicized. "We are a global economy now," she said. "The more business we can bring over here, and employ US citizens and strengthen the economy - that's a good thing." chenweihua@chinadailyusa.com BHP Billiton chief extols trade benefits Updated: 2016-06-22 10:57 By Paul Welitzkin in New York(China Daily USA) In arguing for free trade between the US, China and the rest of the world, Andrew Mackenzie, CEO of BHP Billiton PLC, harkened back to the words of Benjamin Franklin. "Franklin was a man of science and the world who argued in favor of free trade and who said no nation was ever ruined by trade," Mackenzie told the Asia Society on Monday in New York. BHP is the world's biggest mining company by market capitalization. Mackenzie spoke on "Asia & Globalization: The Way Forward," as part of the Asia Society's CEO Series. He acknowledged that in the current political climate trade has become a hot-button issue. Mackenzie encouraged Congress to ratify the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), one of the most ambitious free trade agreements. In addition to the US, it involves 12 countries: Japan, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, Brunei, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Mexico, Chile and Peru. TPP eliminates most but not all tariffs on goods and services and attempts to establish minimal standards on environmental protection, worker rights and regulations that member countries will pledge to uphold. Mackenzie called for the Chinese to become part of TPP. "While China is not currently a party to TPP, I would advocate for their inclusion in future iterations," he said. Mackenzie said that if the US and China are connected through TPP, "the world will be drawn together and stabilized". TPP is an opportunity for US because it will give America a chance to provide the goods and services needed by an expanding middle class in Asia projected to number 3.2 billion by 2030. Critics of TPP in the US claim it is a giveaway to big business that still will enable companies to ship jobs overseas and that it would allow multinational corporations to challenge regulations and court rulings before special tribunals. Mackenzie said that 20th century change was driven by "the values, culture and economic influence of the US. Some people think that China will be to the 21st century what the United States was to the 20th." He said we are now in the early stages of what some call the Asian Century - an era defined by the convergence of developed and developing economies across Asia. "China, India and Indonesia account for 40 percent of the world's population. And by 2050, these economies will be three of the world's four largest economies with the US being the other," Mackenzie said. paulwelitzkin@chinadailyusa.com NY student wins Arctic-study scholarship Updated: 2016-06-22 10:57 By Niu Yue in New York(China Daily USA) Angela Zeng (center) holds certificate for Students on Ice Arctic Expedition 2016. Congresswoman Nydia M. Velzquez (second from right) attended the celebration for Zeng on Tuesday at the Chinese-American Planning Council in Brooklyn. judy zhu / for China Daily Angela Zeng of Brooklyn is the first Chinese American from New York to win a scholarship to the Students on Ice Arctic Expedition. The 2016 expedition will take 120 high school and university students from around the world on a two-week journey (July 21-Aug 5) to explore the eastern Canadian Arctic and Western Greenland. The students will be guided by a team of scientists and artists and will engage in hands-on research about the environment and culture of the area. They will learn about climate change and ocean conservation. Students on Ice was founded in 2000 and is funded by the Beatrice Snyder Foundation. Among the highlights of the trip are a visit to the Illulissat Icefjord UNESCO World Heritage Site in Greenland, and polar-bear watching and kayak-paddling in the Arctic. On Tuesday, US Congresswoman Nydia M. Velzquez congratulated Zeng, who lives in her district, at the office of the Chinese-American Planning Council in Brooklyn. Velzquez said Zeng could raise public awareness on climate change in the Chinese community. She also highlighted Zeng's academic excellence and past involvement in volunteering and community service. "We select students who really care about the community," Velzquez said. "What matters is how they translate the information and knowledge they get from the experience to the community." "I want to get a job concerning the environment in the future," said Zeng, 18, a senior at Brooklyn Technology High School. "And for now my job is to educate people about what is actually happening. "I will take in every single (thing), so when I come back to my community, I can tell people about it, and they can pass that on to their families and really make a difference in the world," she said. "This is the first time I am traveling by myself, so I'm a little nervous," she said. "I'm stocking up with warm clothes and getting prepared. I expect to learn a lot from this trip, especially about what I can do to create impact for the community on environment-related topics." Nancy Kong and Judy Zhu in New York contributed to this story. DPRK yet to confirm suspected missile launches Updated: 2016-06-22 12:12 (Xinhua) PYONGYANG -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has not confirmed the suspected test-launch of two missiles on Wednesday morning. The state-run KCNA news agency told Xinhua over the phone that it was not aware of the missile launches and asked Xinhua to wait for official news. South Korea's Yonhap news agency quoted the Joint Chiefs of Staff as saying that the DPRK launched a second missile, which was believed to be a Musudan, at about 8:05 am Seoul time (2305 GMT Tuesday) from Wonsan on the east coast, two hours after the DPRK test-fired a ballistic missile, which Seoul said was presumably a failure. The latest intermediate-range missile launch was the sixth test-firing of its kind by Pyongyang after the five earlier launches were all believed to have failed. The South Korean military said it is not clear whether Pyongyang's second launch on Wednesday was a success or not. It is believed that a ballistic missile is required to fly at least 300 km to be considered successful in test-firing. The second missile launched on Wednesday flew about 400 km. In case of a successful missile launch, the KCNA usually reports the news in the following early morning. In case of a failure, the DPRK will simply keep silence. The first test-launch on April 15 failed as the missile exploded in mid-air several seconds after take-off. The April 28 launch also failed as those exploded in mid-air or crashed in waters. The fourth test was estimated to have exploded on its mobile launcher even before take-off, according to the South Korean military. The missile launches came ahead of June 25, the 66th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War. And the DPRK is scheduled to convene the fourth session of the 13th Supreme People's Assembly, the country's highest legislative body on June 29. Philippines says no war with China over South China Sea Updated: 2016-06-22 19:46 By Mo Jingxi(chinadaily.com.cn) China is willing to push its bilateral ties with the Philippines back to healthy development with the new government, after the Philippine president-elect said on Tuesday that the country's territorial dispute with China in the South China Sea is no reason to go to war with China. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said on Wednesday, "to properly handle relevant issues between Beijing and Manila, and to push bilateral relationship back to the track of healthy development conform to the fundamental interests of both countries and their people." "China is willing to work together with the new government of the Philippines for this end," said Hua at a press conference. According to the Manila Times,Rodrigo Duterte made his policy clear during a speech at a business forum against further fanning the conflict over such a little issue as the Huangyan Island. Duterte, who will take office on June 30, explained that he will not go to war because of this, and he will wait for the result of an arbitration unilaterally launched by the Philippines against China before deciding on his next move. China-Philppines relationship worsened in 2012 when the Philippines claimed sovereignty over China's Huangyan Island in the South China Sea. Bilateral ties hit further turbulence in 2013 after Manila initiated an arbitration case against China at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague to challenge China's sovereignty in the South China Sea. What they say about Brexit Updated: 2016-06-22 21:34 (chinadaily.com.cn) British Prime Minister David Cameron reacts as he travels on his campaign bus from Bristol, Britain on June 22, 2016. [Photo/Agencies] REMAINBritain stronger in Europe * David Cameron (UK Prime Minister) "Britain will be worse off if we left" and "a permanently poorer country in every sense," Cameron warns. * Sadiq Khan (London Mayor) Leaving the EU would be a betrayal of British values and send a message to the world that the country wants to stand alone, Khan has said. * Nicola Sturgeon (Scotland's first minister) Remain vote was the "only sensible and logical" course for those who want a re-run of the 2014 poll, the First Minister says. * Richard Branson (Entrepreneur) "Brexit would deal a devastating blow to the UK's economy" and it is "not a risk I would want to take. Not as an investor, not as an entrepreneur," the Virgin Group boss says. * David Beckham (Former English footballer) Beckham believes a "vibrant and connected world where together as a people we are strong", and wants his four children to grow up "facing the problems of the world together and not alone." * Stephen Hawking (Physicist) "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." * Benedict Cumberbatch (Actor), Jude Law (Actor), Keira Knightley (Actress) "We believe being part of the EU bolsters Britain's leading role on the world stage. Let's not become an outsider shouting from the wings," three leading British actors and nearly 300 other artists, actors and musicians caution. European Union updates strategy for dealing with China Updated: 2016-06-23 04:55 By Fu Jing in Brussels(chinadaily.com.cn) Brussels announced it was updating its strategy in dealing with Beijing, a partner which it says is rapidly increasing its international influence and should be more closely engaged. The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the European Commission issued a Joint Communication on Wednesday entitled "Elements for a new EU strategy on China", which maps out the European Union's relationship with China for the next five years. The EU should pursue an ambitious agenda of cooperation with China. "China's needs are as great as ours and failure to cooperate also brings adverse consequences for China," the paper was cited as saying. Brussels announced the changes prior to the forthcoming summit in Beijing in the first half of July and European Commission said the elements in the paper can be used to prepare the summit. The European Commission's last Communication on China was adopted a decade ago in 2006. Brussels says the EU and China have both undergone considerable changes since then and China has a stronger presence in all regions of the world, economically and politically. "This new reality calls for a fresh EU narrative that recognize the need to deal with these new developments. The EU's new strategy therefore sets out to promote EU interests and underline EU values in its relationship with China for the next five years," the paper was cited as saying. Federica Mogherini, the High Representative and Vice-President of European Commission said: "The European Union and China already cooperate on so much...and the Joint Communication that we have adopted today will, I am sure, enable our relationship to fulfill its clear potential." 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. Ong Samuel Maruta nguoi ong sang lap cong ty Marou Faiseurs de Chocolat voi thuong hieu Chocolate Marou. HA NOI The law to support small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) will help generate over US$19 billion in taxes, according to an impact assessment by economic expert Le Duy Binh. Binh said the law, the draft of which was being made available for public comments, would contribute to realising the Governments goal of doubling the number of small businesses by 2020 and expanding the private economic sector. Further, he estimated that $10.5 billion in investment would be poured into business and production, which would help generate 8.5 million new jobs and collect an additional $19.2 billion in taxes for the State budget. Currently, private firms pay VN200 trillion ($8.9 billion) in taxes to the State budget annually, noted Binh. With a 5 per cent reduction on corporate income tax for start-ups, support in public procurement, banking loans and land access, Binh estimated that the Governments support would be equal to VN18.7 trillion, or 1.6 per cent of budget spending. The reduction in corporate income tax seeks to improve the capacity, as well as competitiveness, for SMEs in the long term, although this might cause drops in budget collections in the short term, according to the drafting agency. However, several firms questioned the feasibility of the law. According to Tran Thi ep, chairwoman of An Giang Business Association, the law should provide realistic support. Too much support along with implementation difficulties is not good, she said. For instance, the draft law stipulates that SMEs would receive a 5 per cent reduction on corporate income taxes in their first five years of operation. However, most SMEs often suffer losses in their initial years, ep said, adding that in such cases the support would be meaningless. Economist Vu inh Anh said that a reduction of corporate income tax might have positive impact on SMEs, but only enterprises that were earning profits could benefit. In fact, over the past five months, 28,500 enterprises filed for bankruptcy and most were SMEs, he said. "If enterprises want to have profits, they have to either cut costs or raise selling prices," Anh said, adding that "price hikes are not a wise decision given the competition." Therefore, the Government should create favourable conditions for companies to expand markets and eliminate unnecessary costs, such as road tolls that erode profits, he said. To Hoai Nam, deputy chairman of the SMEs Association, said that the supports should be more detailed to ensure that firms would benefit. In the latest draft version, any discrimination in business conditions or administrative procedures against SMEs or deeds, which were intended to cause difficulties to SMEs, were banned. Criminal prosecution could be applied for violations. Pham Thi Thu Hang, general secretary of the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, suggested that the law should encourage firms by improving the overall business climate, rather than subsidising them. This would be the first time Viet Nam had a comprehensive legal framework to support SMEs, which made up for 97 per cent of Viet Nams business community and contributed 45 per cent of the countrys gross domestic product. According to the drafting agency, the Enterprise Development Agency under the Ministry of Planning and Investment, SMEs needed support from the Government to overcome difficulties and develop, amid the countrys rapid integration, while the efficiency of existing support policies remained limited. SMEs still found it difficult to access resources such as land, capital and policy updates, a recent report on provincial competitiveness revealed. At a conference to seek comments on the draft, experts said the law should also pay attention to business households in Viet Nam, which were estimated to number 4.5 million in the country, and played a significant role in the economy. However, Ho Sy Hung, director of the Enterprise Development Agency, said that as the State budget was limited, the support policies would focus on SMEs. The development of SMEs will promote the the development of business households, as a result, Dung said. According to the draft, SMEs were defined as firms with revenues of less than VN100 billion ($4.5 million) in the most recent year, or fewer than 300 employees. - VNS Viet Nam Public Banks pre-tax profit is expected to fall by 8 per cent year-on-year to VN65 billion (US$2.9 million), on a revenue of VN5.5 trillion, in 2016. Photo cafef.vn HA NOI Viet Nam Public Banks pre-tax profit is expected to fall by 8 per cent year-on-year to VN65 billion (US$2.9 million), on a revenue of VN5.5 trillion, in 2016. The bank, also known as PVcomBank, has announced the figures in a business report. PVcomBank said it would continue to restructure itself over the next five years. Following Government approval last March, the Viet Nam Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam) will transfer its stake in the bank to the State Bank of Viet Nam. PVcomBank says on its website that it has VN100 trillion in total assets and VN9 trillion in equity. PetroVietnam holds a stake of 52 per cent in the bank, and strategic shareholder Morgan Standley owns 6.7 per cent of its equity. In May, the bank announced that it had provided financial services to PetroVietnam and its subsidiaries with a committed amount of up to $2.7 billion. It also underwrote activities related to payment, tender and contract performance, as well as bond issuance and capital borrowing of other units in the oil and gas sector. VNS HA NOI Vietnamese shares were volatile and closed mixed yesterday as investors remained cautious ahead of the vote to decide Britains membership in the European Union (EU). The benchmark VN Index on the HCM Stock Exchange edged down 0.3 per cent to finish at 626.41 points after rising 1.4 per cent in the previous two sessions. Investor confidence was low yesterday as investors worried about possible negative impacts on Viet Nams economy in case Britain decides to leave the European Union this Thursday, Maritime Securities Corp (MSI) wrote in its daily report. Investors concerned over the decline of major stock markets may switch to other safer financial assets, MSI said. Most listed companies on Viet Nams stock markets will suffer if the UK withdraws from the EU as they will face more competition in selling products in Britain and Europe, while a stronger US dollar and Japanese yen will cost local companies more to import raw materials from overseas suppliers, MSI said. Lower investor confidence pulled blue chips on the southern exchange down from Tuesdays gains, including insurer Bao Viet Holdings (BVH), property developer and retail firm Vingroup JSC (VIC), Vietcombank (VCB), Vietinbank (CTG) and the Bank for Investment and Development of Viet Nam (BID). BVH lost 0.8 per cent, VIC fell 2.8 per cent, VCB edged down 0.4 per cent, and CTG and BID dropped 0.6 per cent each. Brokerage companies also helped drive the southern market down. Sai Gon Securities Inc (SSI) was down 0.5 per cent and HCM City Securities Corp (HCM) slid 0.3 per cent. Meanwhile, the HNX Index on the Ha Noi Stock Exchange rose 0.4 per cent to end at 84.81 points, rallying 1.1 per cent in three trading days. The northern market index received strong support from Vietnam Construction and Import-Export JSC (VCG), which surged 9.2 per cent. Additionally, sugar producers such as Kon Tum Sugar JSC (KTS) and Son La Sugar JSC (SLS) continued to benefit from higher sugar price. KTS jumped 9.9 per cent and SLS rose sharply by 6.5 per cent. Energy stocks bolstered investor confidence as oil prices bounced back from Tuesdays losses. London-traded Brent crude edged up 0.3 per cent to trade at US$50.75 a barrel. Lower investor confidence also pulled market liquidity down significantly. Investors on both local exchanges traded nearly 165.8 million shares worth VN2.89 trillion ($128.5 million), a decrease of 17 per cent from Tuesdays trading value. VNS Vietnamese church wins second prize at international competition PAVIA Ka on Church in on Duong District in the Central Highlands province of Lam ong has come in second place at the 6th International Prize for Sacred Architecture. The prize was announced recently in Pavia City in Italy and the award ceremony will take place in the city on October 4, the day the Feast of St Francis of Assisi is celebrated. Ka on Church was designed by architect couple Vu Thi Thu Huong and Nguyen Tuan Dung in accordance with the ideas of priest Giuse Nguyen uc Ngoc. While the couple, from the Technical University of Berlin, were writing their dissertation on architecture design, they met priest Ngoc. The priest told them he wished to build a church around a simple design, stripping back on colour and decoration. The church, which took four years to build, was completed last July. The church portrays a closer relationship with nature by opening spaces outwards and by using simple local materials like pine wood and red tiles. The churchs design is similar to the architecture of the Churu ethnic group in the province. The groups population numbers some 15,000 people. The interior of the church was designed according to the Churu peoples traditional designs. The church keeps a low height and it therefore merges with surrounding mountains and hills. The bell tower is the only part of the church high enough to be visible to local residents. The wood-framed glass wall system allows interaction between those inside and outside the church during worship by the faithful. Vietnamese architects Huong and Dung received support from architect Finn Geipel, professor Klaus Zillich, professor Rainer Mertes and professor Eddy Widjaja. The International Prize for Sacred Architecture is held by the Frate Sole Foundation, which was created with the aim of stimulating awareness of the need for excellent churches and with the intention of giving active encouragement to their construction. The first prize in the sixth competition went to the church of San Sebastian in Spain, while the new Saint Trinitatis Church in Germany came in third place, after the Vietnamese entry. The competition is held once every four years. The last time, the first prize was awarded to architect Cristian Undurraga for the church built in Chile in 2012. -- VNS The award-winning documentary Cong Binh-The Lost Fighters of Viet Nam, highlighting the history of Vietnamese peasants conscripted for France during World War II, has been shown in Ha Noi. Directed by Le Lam, the film is about 20,000 Vietnamese young men who were forcibly recruited in French Indochina during World War II. They were shipped to France to work in weapons factories, replacing French workers sent to the front to fight against Nazis. Mistaken for soldiers, they were stuck in France after the 1940 defeat. They pioneered rice cultivation in the Camargue. During the Occupation, these workers called Cong Binh lived at the mercy of the Wehrmacht (unified armed forces of Nazi Germany) and lived like pariahs. Although wrongly accused of betraying their native Viet Nam, they were all strongly committed to Ho Chi Minh, rooting for Independence in 1945. Vietnamese-French director Le Lam talked with Bach Lien about the film. Why did you decide to make this film? More than 70 years have passed since the tragic years which the cong binh lived ended. Many French and Vietnamese people never heard of their stories. I was determined to make this film. It portrays a page of French-Vietnamese history that is often forgotten. In 1939, a great number of Vietnamese families had their members who were sent to work in France. The role of an artist and film director is to wake up forgotten stories. When the young generation knows more about the history of the country, they can create a better future. To make the film, I found 20 witnesses and survivors: 10 living in France, 10 living in Viet Nam. They talk of their daily lives under colonialism, when they worked under extremely difficult conditions for a miserable salary. Living in camps and prisons, they were given almost nothing to eat. Many died of serious diseases. Luckily, some of the surviving cong binh who stayed in France after the war succeeded in life and earned international reputations, like painter Le Ba ang. In 1952, 1,500 cong binh returned to Viet Nam after the war. But they were considered traitors to the country. Many Vietnamese believed the cong binh helped the French during the war. For a long time, I thought the cong binh were traitors, too. Your film features many water puppet scenes showing farmers living in Viet Nam talking about family members forced to go to work for France. Why did you use water puppet art in the film? The 20,000 Vietnamese men conscripted to go to France were around 18 years old and illiterate. They did not know what to expect. They were like puppets, manipulated by the French colonial authorities. This made me think of using water puppetry in the film. Water puppetry is a unique Vietnamese art, created by rice farmers. So I tried to transform water puppetry into cinematographic language. I made 14 puppets for the film. How did French audiences react to the film? The film was first screened in France three years ago. It was shown in 300 cinemas throughout France. It was highly acclaimed in France and won several prestigious prizes. In each cinema where the film was shown, I met one or two children or grandchildren of cong binh who went to watch the film. One woman about 50 years old saw the film three times and she travelled to different regions to watch the film. She is the daughter of a cong binh. But she didnt know anything about her fathers past. She was born in France. At four years old, her school friends mocked her and called her Annamite. She cried and ran home to ask her father why her classmates were mocking her. But her father could not answer. He didnt know how to explain why he was living in France. After she saw the film, she understood her fathers past and her origins. She said: Now that I know about my origin, my grandchildren will grow up well. Even though they are French citizens, they cannot forget they are Vietnamese. It took me three years to make the film, including several trips to Viet Nam to meet survivors and witnesses. The film lasts 120 minutes. But I filmed 120 hours of material. Watching the filmed scenes, I cried. I couldnt imagine that the cong binh had experienced such difficult times. Part of the modest funding for the film came from French producers. But I spent my own money to make the film because it is very important to me. I had to make it, no matter what it cost.-- VNS On the occasion of Viet Nam Journalism Day, June 21, Viet Nam News talks to o Doan Hoang, one of the countrys most prolific investigative journalists. During a nearly 20-year career, Hoang was honoured four times with the National Press Prize for his investigative reporting. Hoangs articles not only shed light on major social issues, including wildlife trafficking, illegal logging and sexual abuse of minors, but also contributed to changing social mindset and bringing about legislative revision in coping with such issues. He was threatened and blackmailed many times while carrying out his duty as an investigative reporter. Earlier in March, Hoang was assaulted by three unidentified men armed with wooden sticks while on duty in the vicinity of Ha Nois Hoang Mai District, suffering numerous injuries including a broken finger. Why did you choose investigative journalism in your career? At the beginning of my career, I worked at various newspapers in town. There was this time when I was preparing to move my things from one office to another. I wanted to copy all of my published articles from my computer at work to a new hard drive. As I was going over them one by one, I realised that I didnt want to keep any of them because none were worth saving. Why? They did not produce any impact on society. I came to a realisation that my works as a journalist, therefore, did not bring about any positive changes. In other words, I was just wasting my youth. That was when I decided to pursue investigative journalism. For me, the ultimate calling for reporters is to contribute to the betterment of society. Our articles must be able to help those who were forgotten, to sound the alarm bell on pressing issues and result in actual and positive changes in society. Also, investigative journalism is challenging and certainly not an easy path. In order to pursue a career of investigative reporting, journalists must double their efforts and strive to better themselves everyday. The incident in which you were brutally assaulted while on duty attracted a great deal of attention and raised concerns about safety for reporters. What would you like to share with readers regarding this incident? In a country where dozens of people lose their lives in traffic every day, stories of journalists being threatened, blackmailed or even assaulted would probably not make newspapers front pages. But I think we have a much bigger problem here than just a few attacks on some individuals. The issue at hand is how to protect honest and brave journalists, who risk so much to fight against corruption and other wrongdoings. As journalists, we fully comprehend the hazardous side of our profession but should we, as a society, fail to protect good, honest people, then naturally there will be less of them. As a journalist, I felt obligated to speak out against such cowardice and violence. It was not just my personal safety. It was also the safety of nearly 20,000 of my colleagues across the country. Many of them are blackmailed, threatened, harassed and even assaulted every day just because they want to speak the truth. I strongly believe that there is an urgent need to provide Vietnamese journalists with better protection to help them carry out their duties. At the very least, protection should be a priority in high-profile cases where threats to journalists are not just threats, but a real possibility. As a veteran journalist in the field of investigative reporting, what would you like to share with young and aspiring Vietnamese journalists? I want to remind them that journalism is a profession of great importance to society. The only standard for us, journalists, should be how our articles and our work contribute to a better community, a better society. Young journalists must be fully aware of how their articles may affect the people around them. Unfortunately, it doesnt always end on a happy note. Just like how good journalism may provide society with useful insights and help fuel positive movements, dishonest journalists may act to discourage and mislead the public from taking the right course of action. Knowing their responsibility, young journalists must continue to better themselves, not only as journalists but also as members of society. Courage and personality must be nurtured every day to produce the strength needed to stay true to the pursuit of truth. VNS The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has appointed Dinh Jean-Pierre as the Honorary Consul of Viet Nam in Nouvelle Caledonie (New Caledonia), France. VNA/VNS Photo An ang HA NOI The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has appointed Dinh Jean-Pierre as the Honorary Consul of Viet Nam in Nouvelle Caledonie (New Caledonia), France, in recognition of his significant contributions to reinforcing friendship and cooperation between the two countries. At a ceremony to present the decision to the new Honorary Consul in Ha Noi yesterday, Deputy Foreign Minister Vu Hong Nam said the appointment demonstrates the trust of the Vietnamese Government in Dinh Jean-Pierre who actively contributed to cementing the bond among the overseas Vietnamese in France, preserving the culture of Viet Nam, and popularising the mother tongue among overseas Vietnamese children. The diplomat said he hopes the newly-appointed Honorary Counsul will continue to work for the Vietnamese community and help bring the Vietnamese Governments policies to expatriates. Dinh Jean-Pierre expressed his honour in receiving the title and vowed to do his utmost to further tighten the solidarity between overseas Vietnamese and the home land. New Caledonia, a special collectivity of France, is located in the southwest Pacific Ocean more than 1,200 km east of Australia. Close to 4,000 Vietnamese currently reside there.--VNS Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (L) asked authorities of the Central Highlands province of ak Lak yesterday to boost economic restructuring in a more practical manner. Photo VGP HA NOI Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc asked authorities of the Central Highlands province of ak Lak yesterday to boost economic restructuring in a more practical manner. At a meeting with local officials, the Government leader suggested focusing on fostering agricultural production, seeking and expanding markets for farm produce, and running campaigns to promote agricultural products and trademarks. He also urged ak Lak to examine its land fund and mechanisms for the fair distribution of land to local residents in order to facilitate agricultural production and private economic development, as well as improve living conditions. While praising the local authorities determination to develop Buon Ma Thuot City into a centre of the region, Prime Minister Phuc urged the province to focus on ensuring the water supply for farm production and daily use in order to prevent deforestation and migration that is hindering growth. He underlined ak Laks obligation to implement ethnic and religious policies and encourage start-up activities, while taking measures to improve its investment climate and provincial competitiveness index (PCI). According to the Chairman of the provincial Peoples Committee, Pham Thanh Nghi, ak Lak will focus on building new-style rural areas aimed at providing sustainable growth for local farmers. The locality will invest in agricultural production and industries serving agriculture, as well as develop energy, services and tourism, he said. ak Lak has submitted a proposal to the Government to build the York on National Tourism Site based on the York on National Park, in order to promote tourism development. Agreeing in principle with the localitys proposal, the PM urged the relevant authorities to strictly abide by regulations on forest development and environmental protection in the national park. The site should also serve as a centre for training and performing traditional art forms of Central Highlands ethnic minority groups, contributing to preserving the unique cultural values of the region, he stressed. ak Lak has been one of the localities hardest hit by the prolonged drought in the Central Highlands. However, it still maintained stable socio-economic development, with estimated Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) hitting VN16.5 trillion (US$742.5 million) in the first two quarters of this year, up 4.6 per cent from last year. It also made remarkable achievements in budget collection, poverty reduction and support for people in drought-hit areas.--VNS A club for women at high risk of falling into prostitution will be set up in HCM City to apprise the women about labour laws and test them for sexually transmitted disease. Photo tiengchuong.vn HCM CITY A club for women at high risk of falling into prostitution will be set up in HCM City to apprise the women about labour laws and test them for sexually transmitted disease, a city official said. Huynh Thanh Khiet, deputy head of the city Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, said that the new club would be similar to the one already operating - the Sen Xanh Club for women sex workers. Ngo Mong Linh, the head of Sen Xanh, said she used to be a sex worker and is able to encourage others to attend her club. Information about the assistance provided by Sen Xanh is spread by word of mouth between sex workers, Linh said. At the club they get health and psychological counselling, are taught about legal procedures to obtain personal papers and are provided with vocational training and assistance to start small businesses, often in co-operation with other partners. The most disadvantaged among them are provided with free health insurance. The club was set up in late 2014 as part of a project to enhance access to social services for female sex workers by the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs in co-operation with CARE International Organisation in Viet Nam, a humanitarian organisation fighting global poverty. The project is being piloted in HCM City, Quang Ninh and Can Tho for women at risk of exploitation, abuse and violence, who have little access to basic services such as healthcare and legal protection. It seeks to address the underlying causes of the marginalisation of female sex workers and aims to forge supportive policy and legal approaches to sex work in order to provide the women with a stronger voice and equitable access to protections and services. Le Thi Ha, deputy head of the central Department of Social Evils Prevention, said her department would strengthen co-operation with other relevant agencies to improve the effectiveness of Sen Xanh and the new club. --VNS IEN BIEN Migrant people who lack land for production are being blamed for deforestation over the last decade in the northern ien Bien Provinces Muong Nhe District. The chairman of the district Peoples Committee, Lu Van Thanh, said that in the last two years, local authorities discovered that almost 300ha of forest had been cleared in 313 cases of illegal deforestation. He blamed the deforestation on a higher number of migrants flocking to the district. He said 60 per cent of the 7,800 households in the district were from the Hmong ethnic group, who moved to there after 2005. They chop down trees and grow crops for food, he said. On average, each household destroyed three hectares of forest to grow crops to feed their family. After two years, when the soil becomes exhausted, they continue to destroy another 3ha, Thanh said, estimating that at least 30,000ha of forest were destroyed by migrant people. He said that for years, local authorities failed to stop them. Those responsible for cutting down trees even attacked forest rangers, local officials and residents, he said, citing a March 3 attack using wooden sticks and knives against law enforcement officers that injured six. In some cases, they form groups of up to 50 people and threaten State officers who try to prevent them from cutting down trees. A Vietnam News Agency reporter witnessed treeless mountains and burned land along the way to Phu Ma Village in Muong Nhe Districts Lenh Su Sin Commune. Similar sites can be seen in Pa Lung Village in Chung Chai Commune, Na Pan Village, in Muong Nhe Commune. Just one year ago, trees blanketed these areas. Senior officials said Muong Nhe was known as one of most disadvantaged remote areas in Viet Nam. It used to take them three or four days to reach the districts centre because they had to cross thick forests that were dark even in daytime. Now, according to local statistics, only 71,000ha of forest land remain in the district, and forest coverage is just 45.3 per cent. - VNS HA NOI Viet Nam Coast Guard Commander Major General Nguyen Quang am has said that search teams were determined to locate the black box recorder of missing aircraft CASA 212 on Wednesday. He said search teams had narrowed down the location where the CASA 212 went down with nine military personnel aboard last Thursday, placing it near the delimitation line in the Tonkin Gulf. At about 10.30am Wednesday, wreckage from the aircraft was fished out of the sea but search teams had not yet found its black box. The aircraft is at a depth of some 60m, and weather conditions are quite good for the search party, am said, adding that divers and robots had been mobilised to approach the object suspected to be the airplanes black box. Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Nhat said that Airbus, the maker of the CASA 212, had offered technical assistance to identify the cause of the accident. Airbus suggested taking data retrieved from the black box and cabin sound recorder to its centre in Madrid for analysis. They expect to reconstruct the incident under the supervision of Viet Nams Ministry of National Defense to determine its cause. Nhat said the Transport Ministry co-operated closely with other forces under the direction of the National Committee for Search and Rescue during searches for missing aircraft and people. The ministry had asked the relevant agencies to prepare plans for fishing out such aircraft as soon as they were located. The CASA-212-40 went missing on June 16 during a search operation for a Su-30MK2, which had crashed offshore near the central province of Nghe An last Tuesday. One of the two pilots on the Su30 MK2, Major Nguyen Huu Cuong, was rescued, but the other, Lieutenant Colonel Tran Quang Khai, 43, was found dead at sea last Friday and was brought ashore. The CASA 212 turboprop plane is thought to have fallen into Hai Phong Sea, some 44 nautical miles from Bach Long Vi Island. The military personnel on board are still missing. VNS SEOUL - North Korea conducted two back-to-back tests of a powerful new medium-range missile on Wednesday, with both achieving a significant increase in flight distance over previous failed launches, South Koreas Defence Ministry has said. Both tests were believed to be of a much-hyped, intermediate-range Musudan missile capable of reaching as far away as Guam. The US State Department strongly condemned the launches, saying they represented clear violations of UN resolutions banning North Korea from any use of ballistic missile technology. The first test shortly before 6:00 am local time was deemed to have failed after reportedly flying around 150 kilometres over the Sea of Japan. The South Korean defence ministry said the second Musudan -- fired from the same east coast location two hours later -- had flown 400 kilometres. "South Korea and the United States are conducting further analysis," the ministry said in a statement that stopped short of labelling the second test a success or failure. North Korea had previously carried out four failed Musudan tests this year, all of which either exploded on the mobile launch pad or shortly after take-off. Todays tests came with military tensions still running high following Pyongyangs fourth nuclear test in January and a long-range rocket launch amonth later that saw the UN Security Council impose its toughest sanctions todate 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 Norths military, but Seoul dismissed all the overtures. AFP JAKARTA -- Indonesias foreign minister yesterday rejected Chinas stance that the two Asian nations have overlapping claims in the South China Sea, where there has been a run of skirmishes between Indonesian navy ships and Chinese vessels. Chinas foreign ministry on Monday said the two nations do not have any territorial disputes but there were some overlapping claims on "maritime rights and interests". "Our position is clear that claims can only be made on the basis of international law. For Indonesia, we dont have overlapping claims in any form in Indonesian waters with China," Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi told reporters when asked for reaction to Chinas statement. Indonesia is not part of a broader regional dispute over Chinas reclamation activities in the South China Sea (called the East Sea by Viet Nam) and Beijings claims on swathes of key waterways. But Jakarta has objected to Chinas inclusion of waters around the Indonesian-ruled Natuna Islands within a "nine-dash line" Beijing marks on maps to show its claim on the body of water. Chinas Foreign Ministry said over the weekend that an Indonesian naval vessel fired on a Chinese fishing boat near the chain of islands on Friday, injuring one person. Indonesias navy responded that it had fired warning shots at several boats with Chinese flags it accused of fishing illegally but there were no injuries. It was the third reported confrontation near the Natuna Islands this year and comes amid rising regional tensions over Chinas assertiveness in the South China Sea. Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla said on Monday the Southeast Asian nation would be more assertive in protecting its exclusive right to the waters around the Natuna Islands. Despite this more assertive stance, Retno said relations between the two countries remained good. "This is a matter of law enforcement, not politics," she said. REUTERS 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. After reforms in the foreign direct investment (FDI) regime, the government is likely to take up a few more measures to get spectrum proceeds and give a boost to the labour-intensive textile industry. Amidst stiff opposition by China to India's entry into Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), France on Wednesday strongly backed New Delhi's case, saying it will bolster global efforts against nuclear proliferation and asking members states to take a positive decision in the Seoul plenary meeting. A key member of the 48-nation grouping, France also asserted that India's participation in nuclear control regimes will help in better regulation of sensitive goods exports, whether they are nuclear, chemical, biological, ballistic or conventional materials and technologies. France considers that India's entry into the four multilateral export control regimes such as NSG, Missile Technology Control Regime, The Australia Group, The Wassenaar Arrangement will bolster international efforts for combating proliferation. "In line with its active and long-standing support to India's entry to the NSG as a full-fledged member, France calls on its members, who are meeting on 23 June in Seoul, to take a positive decision," the French Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The Ministry also mentioned that strategic partners since 1998, France and India share common goals regarding non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems. These goals were reaffirmed during the visit of the President of the French Republic to India, from 24 to 26 January 2016, it added. The French President was the Chief Guest at the Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi. On Wednesday, the US White House had in a statement said India was ready for NSG membership and asked participating governments to support India's application at the plenary session of NSG in Seoul starting on Thursday. 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. 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. 08:06 Is it over yet?: Worst televised political debate held in Pennsylvania The US has seen the worst televised debate between two politicians that has ever happened, says Sky News host Paul Murray. 03:58 Everybody knows the Russians are lying through their teeth: General Jack Keane Former US Army Vice Chief of Staff General Jack Keane says everybody knows the Russians are lying through their teeth amid their latest... 00:31 Betrayal of younger generation by climate cultists is the great scandal of our time Sky News host Rowan Dean says the betrayal of the younger generation by the climate cultists is the great scandal of our time. GOP senator seeks gun compromise 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. The proposal by Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine faces an uphill climb thanks to 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 mass shootings in Orlando, Fla., and San Bernardino, Calif., were a call for compromis On Monday, the Senate rejected rival Democratic and Republican proposals for keeping guns from known and suspected terrorists. Jaguar killed during Olympic ceremony RIO DE JANEIRO (WP) The jaguar was trotted out during an Olympic torch event in Brazil, where the official team mascot is named Ginga, a smiling, yellow jaguar. But the appearance at a zoo attached to a Manaus military compound did not end well for the jaguar: A soldier shot the animal after it escaped from its handlers, according to a Brazilian army statement. The jaguar was first tranquilized and then approached a soldier and was shot, the Amazon Military Command said. Animal-rights groups and conservationists reacted to the latest incident with outrage. Jet diverted as man tries to kiss teen SEATTLE (AP) An official said a flight was diverted to the Seattle area after a man tried to kiss a sleeping girl next to him on the airplane. A Seattle-Tacoma International Airport spokesman said Tuesday Port of Seattle police arrested the 23-year-old California man for investigation of fourth-degree assault. The man attempted to kiss a 16-year-old girl who was sleeping next to him. The pilot was notified and reported it to police. The Alaska Airlines flight was heading to Anchorage, Alaska, from Portland, Oregon. The girl remained on the plane when it later departed for Anchorage. Boeing signs deal with Iran Air DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) Boeing Co. said Tuesday it signed an agreement with Iran Air, setting up the biggest business deal between the Islamic Republic and America since the 1979 U.S. Embassy takeover in Tehran if it goes through. One Iranian official said the deal could involve 100 aircraft while another has suggested Iranian airlines may purchase airplanes worth $25 billion from Chicago-based Boeing. However, the long-standing enmity between the U.S. and Iran, sanctions and even presidential politics still could complicate any agreement even after last years nuclear deal. Officials: North Korea fires 2 missiles SEOUL, South Korea (AP) 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, Pyongyangs fifth such reported flop since April. Despite repeated failures, the Norths determination in testing the Musudan worries Washington and its allies, Tokyo and Seoul, because the missiles potential 2,180-mile range could target much of Asia and the Pacific, including U.S. military bases there. Missing drivers body found in ditch MONTGOMERY (AP) Dickinson County authorities are investigating after the body of a driver involved in a crash into a western Iowa ditch was pulled from the water. The body of 65-year-old Dale Peters, of Lake Park, was found in the water near a submerged wrecked vehicle Tuesday. The Dickinson County Sheriffs Office deputies received a report of a partially submerged SUV in water north of Montgomery. After finding the owner of the vehicle was not home, authorities searched the water and discovered Peters body. Investigators believe Peters lost control of the vehicle on the gravel road and entered the west ditch, where the vehicle overturned. Mason City man drowns in Clear Lake MASON CITY (AP) A Mason City man found floating in Clear Lake died. The Cerro Gordo County Sheriffs Office said boaters found 85-year-old George Baker afloat near the McIntosh Woods State Park ramp a little before 9:30 p.m. Tuesday. The sheriffs office suspects Baker slipped or fell while trying to move his boat out of the water. The boat was found about 300 feet from shore. Tiny S.E. Iowa city votes to dissolve MOUNT UNION (AP) The City Council in Mount Union has voted to dissolve the tiny southeast Iowa city, giving residents 30 days to seek a special election or watch as the community officially disappears. The council acted Tuesday night to proceed with disincorporation. Unless enough residents sign a petition calling for a special election, the state will work with Henry County to eliminate Mount Unions debts and sell its assets. The decision to disincorporate follows failed lawsuits filed by the city against an organization that built and operates the citys sewer system. The 100-person city is about 20 miles northwest of Burlington. Des Moines man dies after shooting DES MOINES (AP) Authorities say a 41-year-old man has died at a hospital after being shot in Des Moines. Police said in a news release that officers were dispatched a little before 2 a.m. Wednesday to an apartment in northwest Des Moines. They found Victor Robinson Jr., who was taken to a hospital. Police say Robinson died there later. He was a Des Moines resident. Police have not released details about the shooting. No arrests have been reported. Couple wants house like Kinnick Stadium IOWA CITY (AP) Some neighborhood residents want the City Council in Iowa City to bar construction of a house that would resemble the University of Iowas Kinnick Stadium. Reed and Sandy Carlson have filed building plans with the city for a nearly 7,500-square-foot house that would echo the 87-year-old stadium, complete with brick siding and a replica of the press box. Several residents spoke against the house at Tuesdays City Council meeting, saying the building plans show it would be out of character for the neighborhood. But City Attorney Eleanor Dilkes said it was her understanding code requirements have been satisfied, so the council doesnt have authority to force changes. The council asked for the issue to put on the agenda for its next meeting. Body sought in lake after foot found BURLINGTON (AP) Police in eastern Iowa are working to identify human remains found earlier this month near a small lake. Law enforcement officers from several agencies used a cadaver dog and a boat to search the West Lake in northwest Burlington for about six hours on Tuesday. That comes after they say a badly decomposed human foot was found June 8 by people clearing brush around the lake. Authorities said the foot was discovered where a missing 53-year-old Burlington mans bicycle was found last summer. Police say Steven Leasure has not been seen since May 2, 2015. Dayton mans body found in river LEHIGH (AP) Webster County authorities have identified a body found in the Des Moines River as a 23-year-old man. Sheriff Jim Stubbs said a body found Tuesday morning in Lehigh was identified as Colin James Murphy of Dayton. Authorities had been searching for Murphy since he was seen struggling in the water Sunday morning. WEST UNION A defendant accused of sexually abusing a young girl in Fayette County faces a steep bail if he hopes to get out of jail. Magistrate Larry Woods on Thursday set Pedro Candidos bond at $100,000. He also ordered Candido to provide cash only. The sheriffs office filed two criminal complaints against Candido. Authorities allege he committed second-degree sexual abuse and third-degree sexual abuse. Candidos alleged victim was 11 and 12 years old, according to the sheriffs office. Should Candido produce the cash, though, he likely would not leave custody. According to the sheriffs office, law enforcement officials placed a hold on Candido through the Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Federal officials allege Candido is in the United States illegally. If convicted of the abuse charges, Candido could face up to 75 years in prison and would be required to register as a sex offender. Man arrested for robbery 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., 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 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. Woman charged with sex abuse CHARLES CITY A Charles City woman is accused of sexually assaulting two female minors. Brittany Rae Beek, 27, was arrested Wednesday by the Charles City Police Department on two counts of third-degree sexual abuse, a Class C felony. Beek is accused of committing sex acts against the will of the female minors May 11 in her bedroom, according to the police. She allegedly bound the hands of one of the girls. Man arrested in OWI accident WATERLOO A Nora Springs man has been arrested in connection with a Sunday crash that sent a Waterloo woman to the hospital. Nellie Owens, 82, suffered a broken sternum in the collision at Newell and Mobile streets. Her condition wasnt available. Police said the other driver, Andreas Deshawn Frazier, 32, had a blood-alcohol level of .223, which is more than twice the legal limit to drive. Frazier was arrested for serious injury by vehicle, first-offense operating while intoxicated and possession of marijuana. According to the police report, Frazier was speeding and traveling east on Newell Street about 3:35 p.m. when Owens turned left from Mobile Street onto Newell. The impact spun Owenss vehicle 180 degrees and pushed it to the curb. Frazier smelled of alcohol and was unsteady on his feet, according to police, who found several beer cans on the floor of his vehicle. They also found a Swisher cigar package that contained marijuana. Man arrested for sexual assault MARBLE ROCK A Greene man accused of sexually assaulting a woman in Marble Rock in May has been arrested. Stephen C. Brodersen Jr., 46, who allegedly raped a female house guest visiting from out of state May 21, is charged with third-degree sexual abuse, a Class C felony. Brodersen was living in Marble Rock at the time the alleged offense took place and later moved to Greene, according to Deputy Travis Bartz of the Floyd County Sheriffs Office. Brodersen was released from the Floyd County Jail after posting surety bond. He has a court appearance scheduled for Wednesday. CEDAR FALLS The city is trying to float recreational improvements on the Cedar River without drowning its budget. Some of those improvements, the cost of which are as fluid as the river itself, were presented before a full house at a public input meeting Tuesday at the Island Park Beach House. Consultants presented plans for improvements to the Center Street dam, Gateway Park dam and bank improvements. Consultants include AECOM of Waterloo and McLaughlin Whitewater Design Group of Denver, Colo., assisted by HBK Engineering of Chicago. Several options were presented for the Center Street and Gateway Park dams. The more expensive options typically had the widest appeal to various kinds of users kayakers, canoers, tubers and shoreline spectators. No firm costs have been established for any option, said John Anderson, consulting whitewater architect with McLaughlin. Projected costs are based on projects elsewhere in the country, including Northeast Iowa. We have a couple that meet the clients (the citys) expectations. We were told at the beginning that they were expecting something in the $500,000 to $700,000 range. That price would be for a single project, either at Gateway Park or at the Center Street dam. One of those options would call for white-water improvements on the north shore of the Cedar adjacent to Gateway Park, including shoreline seating and trail improvements. The Center Street option within that price range calls for two big river waves through the existing dam gates near the Ice House Museum, with an upstream portage and viewing area along the shoreline. Both options offer moderate- to high-quality opportunities for kayakers but less for inflatables. More expensive options, better for inflatables and tubing, would involve constructing a lower-flow white-water bypass around the Center Street dam through either Tourist Park on the north side of the river or closer to the Ice House and Sturgis Park on the south side. The Tourist Park bypass was described as similar to a lazy river for young people. Larry Wiele of AECOM suggested improvements could be staged, with additional features added later. Take a small bite, and get something successful, then take another bite thats successful, he said. Proposed alternatives and public feedback are anticipated to be presented to the City Council next month when the council may direct preliminary designs be prepared on a selected option. The city also would seek grants and other funding. Some improvements could begin next year. City officials are still considering a joint application with the city of Waterloo to the Black Hawk County Gaming Association for a Cedar Falls project and one proposed in downtown Waterloo. WATERLOO Staff cuts are on the table as Black Hawk County looks to stem losses at its Country View care center. On Tuesday, Country View Administrator Dennis Coleman outlined options to the county Board of Supervisors to eliminate the $85,000 monthly budget shortfall at the county-run nursing and mental health care facility north of Waterloo. To make this facility viable long term were going to have to reduce our staffing, Coleman said. Its a move thats going to have to be made for the survival of the building. Colemans proposal, expected to be brought to the supervisors for a vote in coming weeks, would cut two full-time jobs, including a building cleaner and recreational aide; nearly eliminate $54,000 per month being spent on employment agencies by hiring four part-time nurse aides; and working to boost Country Views census from 147 to 155 residents. Historically, county taxpayers had subsidized operations at Country View because residents were unable to pay for their care and federal reimbursements through Medicaid and Medicare did not cover all expenses. Country View has a higher level of residents with mental health issues than similar privately owned centers, while its roughly 190 employees generally receive better-than-industry-average pay and benefits. Country View was placed in its own enterprise fund separate from the county general fund in 2011, but the tax dollars transferred in to serve as the fund balance have dwindled from a high of $4.8 million to less than $1.6 million due to annual operating losses. Supervisor Craig White, a long-time volunteer at Country View, cautioned against cuts or changes that could disrupt the lives of residents living there. Weve got to remember, folks, were talking about people, White said. But Supervisor Frank Magsamen said it wasnt fair for local residents to be covering losses at Country View when one in five residents there come from other counties. When we look at the bottom line, for Black Hawk County taxpayers to have to pick up the (shortfall) we want to make sure its run as efficient and cost-effective as possible, he said. Country View is thought to be one of just two county-operated nursing homes in Iowa. The other is in Dubuque County. Union representatives for Country View employees attended the work session but did not participate in the meeting. CEDAR RAPIDS Sen. Bernie Sanders came within a whisker of defeating Hillary Clinton in Iowas caucuses, but theres another image from the first-in-the-nation state that will stick with him. It was at a town meeting and I was talking about Social Security and this woman gets up and says Let me tell you what its like to live in Iowa on $11,000 a year, Sanders recalled Wednesday. The courage of her to speak up. We saw that a lot. People having the courage to say Im hurting, Im in pain and I want you to know about it. Although his campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination is over, the fight for progressive ideals and to transform the Democratic Party continues, he said. He and his campaign organization are negotiating with the presumptive nominee on a near daily basis to encourage Clinton to stake out the most progressive positions possible, Sanders said. There are areas where we have strong disagreement, the Vermont independent said about Clinton, who he called more or less an establishment candidate. He also repeated his pledge to do everything possible to defeat presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump, who he called unfit to hold the position. Sanders also said he doubts many who voted for me will vote for him. Sanders expressed enormous pride in his campaign that won 22 states and came close in others, including Iowa where he lost to Clinton 49.9 percent to 49.6 percent and more than 1,900 delegates. That may be enough to earn his a speaking role at the Democratic National Convention next month. However, in an hour-long interview with C-SPAN, Sanders said hes more concerned with moving Clinton and the party toward embracing his progressive positions. The response to his campaign already has moved Clinton in that direction, Sanders said. For example, her positions on the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Keystone pipeline changed during the campaign, Sanders said. She also moved in the direction of embracing his call for a $15-an-hour minimum wage. In addition to the Iowa town meeting he will remember, Sanders said, among his most vivid memories are being overwhelmed by the size of the crowds and the enthusiasm of the crowds. There are regrets, too. Look, we made mistakes, he said. We should have been smarter. On the other hand, we were right about so many things. The interview can be seen at www.c-span.org/video/?411569-1/bernie-sanders-discusses-presidential-campaign. AFSCME is excited to endorse Ras Smith. Our members know that he can be counted on to support working families and protect the rights of workers, AFSCME President Danny Homan said in a statement. Our members work hard and never quit. We see those same values in Ras Smith. CEDAR FALLS The word BIG is emblazoned across the front of the hardcover book. And it may be an understatement. The recently published book, written by artist and retired art teacher Bill Close, features the stories and photographs behind 23 years of Peet Junior High School megasculptures. Close, who taught at Peet for 33 years before retiring in 2002, designed and supervised ninth-grade art students in the construction and installation of such larger-than-life sculptures as a gigantic computer, 24-foot-tall Olympic torch, 22-foot-tall Godzilla and 115-foot by 15-foot tall Carnival Cruise ship the only megasculpture actually smaller than the original. In a way, the book is preserving a piece of Cedar Falls history, says Close. The kids loved working on the sculptures, and it was such a positive experience. He has devoted five years to working on the book, compiling photographs and original plans and sketches as well as soliciting comments from previous students. He enlisted Jerry Grier, a retired Hawkeye Community College photography instructor and graphics designer to help him design BIG. I didnt want a scrapbook or photo album. I wanted a coffee-table book. Jerry was excited about the project, and we had some fun with the layout, Close says. They worked together three days a week for four or five hours per session over three months to prepare the book for publication. There are hundreds of behind-the-scenes images illustrating construction of each sculpture, accompanied by anecdotal descriptions and quotes from more than 60 students who responded to Closes appeal for comments. It turned out to be fun, educational and memorable for the students, Close says. He also credits Jean Melick with keeping an archival record of each sculpture. She also kept original mega-sculpture pieces, including a giant faucet attached to a barn on her property and a massive paintbrush. I hated to see the sculptures torn down and thrown away, and I had plenty of room to store the pieces, Melick says. Close was originally inspired by American sculptor Claes Oldenburg, who is known for creating larger-than-life replicas of ordinary objects. Back in 1979, I had some boys in art class who just werent getting into it. The school cafeteria asked us to make something for School Lunch Week, and I decided wed make the worlds largest school lunch. I divided the boys into teams and gave them each a part of the sculpture to work on. They were really motivated. It was such a success, Close decided to keep it going. The next year, a massive No. 2 pencil appeared on the schools front lawn. In subsequent years, his ninth-graders created a chainsaw, weight bench and weights, boom box with cassette tapes, lightbulb, Big Mac and French fries, Swiss Army knife and a mountain bike that spent some time atop the Europa Bike Shop, among others. Local businesses provided sponsorships to underwrite costs, and the community turned out each year to celebrate a new megasculpture. Sadly, the art projects ended at Closes retirement. Proceeds from BIG sales will go to the Cedar Falls School Foundation to fund the Bill Close/Ron Streed smARTstart art scholarship, which will be awarded each year to a Cedar Falls High School senior pursuing an art degree after graduation. The book is available at Gallery 106, Barn Happy and the Cedar Falls Historical Society office. He will have a booth at the Sturgis Falls Celebration, and it can be ordered from the author at closeqtrs.com and Amazon.com. SUMNER Emma Burkhart Hough, considered Iowas oldest resident at 111 1/2, died Saturday at the Hillcrest Home in Sumner. Last November, Hough was treated to an early 111th birthday party at the Hillcrest Home, a day in which she kicked balloons and enjoyed being the center of attention. She was born in 1904 when Teddy Roosevelt was president. She had her early schooling in the Sumner area. She went on to college, receiving two bachelors degrees. She was a physical education teacher and a school librarian for years in Sumner and then in Michigan. The Courier interviewed her at her November birthday party. She was using a wheelchair, but that was a recent development. Before that she was walking the halls of the care center on her own. Upper Iowa University made her a guest of honor at last falls homecoming parade. She was the Peacocks oldest alum. She is an exceptional woman, Junever Heying, administrator at Hillcrest, told The Courier. Hough married her husband, Charles, in 1928 and they were together 53 years. Her husband died in 81, and thats when she picked up her suitcase, said Bonnie Seehase, one of Houghs friends. I always said, I must see that. I must go there, Hough added. She visited 48 states, including Alaska a couple of times, and also traveled overseas. Funeral services will be today at the Hillcrest Home Chapel. Honor Flight LINDA and MARLOW GRAY WATERLOO Many thanks to all who donated time, money and goods or to fundraisers to make the Honor Flights happen. May 24 was the wonderful Honor Flight day for my husband and me. We are both Vietnam-era vets. The various people all that day gave us good memories. The many people at the airport upon our return made us feel extra special and appreciated. Thank you to them for their greetings, gifts and presence. Photo sizes BARBARA GEHRKE WATERLOO June 14ths Nation&World page had an article about both presumptive presidential candidates. I could not help but notice Trumps photo was on top and twice as large as Hillarys photo. The article was about both of them. This is what sexism looks like. People with guns PRISCILLA BROWN CEDAR FALLS Guns dont kill people, people kill people. The ones with guns certainly do ... time and time again. Grassley recalcitrance JACK DARLAND JR. CEDAR FALLS What would you say if I told you the chairman of the Judiciary Committee of the U.S. Senate took an oath of office but now ignores his duty to, protect and defend the U.S. Constitution? Some wish the facts to go away, but facts dont go away. The U.S. Constitution will not go away, however, it is being ignored. A former law clerk for the presidents Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland was in Iowa last week urging hearings to be held so the nominee can get an up or down vote. In other words, hes asking the chairman to honor his oath of office, protect and defend the U.S. Constitution Ask yourself this question: How is not holding a hearing protecting and defending the U.S. Constitution? Senator Grassley, It is never too late to do the right thing. Bring back civility SHERRY ETRINGER WATERLOO Sadly, we live in a day and age where rudeness, lack of common courtesy and respect have become the norm. People will slam their car doors or shopping carts into a vehicle without a backward glance, causing door dings and dents. People leave shopping carts in the parking lot because it would expend way too much energy to walk it to the cart rack 20 feet away, and someone else can take care of it. Less doors are held open for the next person. Please and thank you are forgotten words. And then the lowest of low occurred. The flowers and solar light were stolen from my parents grave. Who does that? I am sure not the people who are reading this, and I know I am preaching to the choir. We need to bring back civility and kindness. Talking about it with everyone we know can give us a start. Grave theft PEGGY GRENDLER CEDAR FALLS Every year my sister, brother and I put flowers on our parents graves at Greenwood Cemetery. I went out to water the plants right after Memorial Day and my sisters beautiful hanging basket was gone, the shepherds hook stood empty. I cant understand how someone can steal from the dead. Next time, buy your plants like we do and quit the grave shopping. 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Heres what you should look for when choosing an online casino Are they regulated? A lot of the larger ones have licenses issued by the authorities in their respective regions, so its worth checking this first. Do they offer games from different software providers? Some casinos just use one software provider and limit your selection. This is fine if you like playing those types of games but you may want to check other casinos as well. What does their payout percentage look like? The payout rate refers to how much money you can expect to win after every bet. A high payout rate means youll be able to play more often without having to worry about losing all your money. Its also important to know the minimum and maximum bets allowed on each game. If youre going to play roulette, for example, then you probably dont want a casino with a minimum bet of less than $2.50 or even lower than that. The players used to play the game slot online in the land based casinos in the past time. But now with time after the invention of the online casinos players play the game slot online. Online platform provide the players with the convenience in playing and even better winning. Even after keeping a good percentage of the profits, they distribute good funds to players. How many games do they offer? There are lots of different types of games to choose from. Roulette, blackjack and poker are some of the most popular options, but you might find slots, video pokers, video bingo and others as well. You can usually filter these games down to only show the ones that interest you best, so make sure that your list isnt too long! Is there a bonus offer? Many online casinos offer free bonuses as part of their welcome package which includes new players being awarded 100% up to $10 instantly, for example. These offers are great but not everyone has access to them all the time (and some require you to deposit real money). If youd prefer to avoid paying a fee, some casinos offer no-deposit bonuses where you can get a certain amount of funds before you need to put any actual money into the account. These are usually offered alongside welcome bonuses, so make sure you read both parts of the terms and conditions carefully before signing up. Does it offer live dealer games? Live dealers are much preferred by many over regular virtual versions, so it pays to check this option out too. Most online casinos now offer live dealer games in addition to their regular offerings, allowing you to experience the thrill of the real thing without needing to leave home. Now that youve got an idea of what to look for when choosing an online casino, heres some tips for making the right choice It really comes down to personal preference. No two people are exactly alike, so everyone has an opinion on what they like and dislike about each casino. That said, here are some things to consider in order to narrow down your choices Popularity. Check out reviews, forums and Facebook pages to see what other people think of the casino. Also, ask around at work or friends houses who they would recommend to you. You could always take a look at the casinos website too, to see what kind of information they provide about themselves. Reputation. Find out what the general public thinks about the casino. Check out any customer reviews on sites like Trustpilot, Amazon and Google Play to find out more. As far as gaming goes, you can also check out the Better Business Bureau to see whether there have been any complaints against the casino. Security. Make sure the casino uses SSL encryption to secure its transactions, meaning that your private data stays safe during transactions. Other than that, look for security seals on the site itself and verify that theyre legitimate. You can also check out the casinos privacy policy to see how they handle confidential information. Payment methods. Its good to have multiple payment options available, especially if you plan to play frequently. Its also nice to find a casino that accepts cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum. If youre worried about safety, you can always opt for a credit card or PayPal instead. With all those criteria in mind, heres our top picks Betway: Betway is a relatively new UK casino offering online gambling to residents of the United Kingdom and European Union. They offer hundreds of games across both land based and digital platforms, with plenty of top software providers like Net Entertainment, Microgaming and Yggdrasil Gaming Network. With a generous welcome offer that gives players 100% up to 100, you really cant go wrong with Betway. Coral Casino: Coral Casino is operated by the same company that runs the famous Caribbean casino, Grand Reef. Like many casinos, Coral Casino offers a wide variety of games, including plenty of video slots and table games. New players can benefit from a huge 100% match bonus up to 1000, while existing customers enjoy 25% cash back on deposits made within 48 hours of opening an account. Ladbrokes Casino: Ladbrokes Casino is owned by the same company as the famous bookmaker that started life in 1921. With more than 500 games from leading software providers such as Amaya, NetEnt and Microgaming, you wont be disappointed by the quality of the games here. New players get a 200% match bonus up to 500, while existing customers can claim 35% cashback on their first three deposits. Paddy Power Casino: Paddy Power is another Irish-owned casino that operates throughout Europe. Not only does Paddy Power Casino offer traditional casino games like blackjack, roulette and slots, but it also provides a full range of sports betting, including football, tennis, boxing and horse racing. New players can receive a massive 100% match bonus up to 200, while existing customers can claim 35% cashback on their first three deposits. William Hill Casino: William Hill Casino is one of the biggest names in the industry, operating in Europe, Asia and North America. Founded in 1984, this online casino has more than 400 games to choose from, including slots and table games, with a wide array of software providers like WagerLogic, Big Time Gaming and Rival. Bonus: 100% Match Bonus up to 100 Register Now Betway: 100% Match Bonus up to 100 Claim Now Coral Casino: 25% Cash Back on Deposits Claim Now Ladbrokes Casino: 35% Cash Back on First 3 Deposits Claim Now Paddy Power Casino: 100% Match Bonus up to 200 Claim Now William Hill Casino: 100% Match Bonus up to 200 Claim Now If youre interested in trying out an online casino but arent quite ready to commit to one, why not try out one of the many no deposit casinos weve reviewed? You can test drive various casinos completely risk-free, so you can feel confident about your choice before you make a single penny deposit. Jun 22, 2016 | By Benedict Materialise has launched Mimics Innovation Suite 19, the latest edition of its popular medical 3D imaging software package. The updated software offers faster segmentation, easier FEA meshing, improved usability, and other new features. Many medical and dental professionals swear by Mimics, and Materialise has just delivered an update which should keep both new and existing users happy for the foreseeable future. Mimics Innovation Suite, which contains both the Mimics image processing software and 3-matic design and meshing software, is used to generate 3D models from CT scans, MRI scans, and other sources of stacked image data, and can be used for surgical simulation, the optimization of 3D printed medical devices and implants, and various other applications. With Mimics Innovation Suite 19, Materialise has introduced a handful of new features and improvements which will purportedly allow users to perform tasks with greater and ease and precision than in previous editions. An important refinement made to the latest software package is the ability to perform faster segmentation: users can now split different anatomies with a Split Mask tool, alternate between 2D and 3D editing in a single Edit Mask operation, and make minute adjustments to a 3D model using an intuitive Contour Editing feature. An updated CT Heart tool enables faster semi-automated heart segmentations, while the Mask 3D Preview lets medical professionals review their mask operations in 3D before creating the final 3D models. The Split tool is a great addition to the base functionality of the Mimics software, said Danielle Beski, a biomedical engineer and Mimics user. It saves a lot of time on segmentation by requiring the user to only make selections on one slice. The new 3D preview tool is a great way to see changes in real time without having to recalculate 3D models multiple times. Another new feature in Mimics Innovation Suite 19 is an easier FEA meshing process. Workflow has been improved with new robust algorithms capable of building uniform meshes and non-manifold assemblies, as well as a new and improved FE solver link and simplified user interface. Materialise claims that the revamped FEA meshing process will be easier for beginners while also giving experienced users a greater degree of flexibility and control. The Uniform Remesh tool, grid-based non-manifold assembly tool, and simplified remesh menu are just some of the features improved in the new update. I will no longer have to spend hours or even days on getting complex meshes ready for FEA, said the University of South Floridas Jonathan Ford about the new grid-system non-manifold assembly tool. This is a dream come true. a live 3D mask preview In addition to the improved segmentation and FEA meshing processes, Materialise has taken steps to improve the overall usability of the Mimics Innovation Suite. Users can now add measurements, annotations, and analytical primitives to a 3D PFD, while Mimics files can now be saved faster. Materialise Mimics Research customers can now also enjoy ultrasound imports from GE Vivid, General Electrics ultrasound technology system. Existing license holders can download the new version of Mimics Innovation Suite immediately. Posted in 3D Software Maybe you also like: Nilesh Thorat wrote at 2/13/2019 3:10:24 PM:where i can buy these machines in india... we are working with CT / MRI machine in pune... our company interested to buy this 3D module making machine and software also .... Andreas Kluth in 1843 Magazine: Many Germans have been glued to a television series, Where We Come From, that explains Germanys long, complicated and often tragic history. The we in the title, however, is deceptive, for the host and narrator is Sir Christopher Clark, an Australian historian knighted for his services to Anglo-German relations. His academic credentials are excellent. His book on Prussia, Iron Kingdom, may be the best on the subject. His tome on the first world war, The Sleepwalkers, became a bestseller. But Germany has plenty of its own historians. Why Clark? The answer starts with the dappled bow tie he wears as he drives around Germany in a red cabriolet vw Beetle: the quintessential Brit (Aussies are close enough) in the quintessential German vehicle. Then theres the language. Clark speaks grammatically flawless German, but with enough of an English cadence to sound cheeky, witty and incisive. Occasionally he uses humour, which can still be shocking on German public television. Sometimes he even says nice things about the countrys past, which to Germans is truly shocking. He does not seem full of himself. To Germans that is refreshing. German Anglophiles consider such attributes Anglo-Saxon. The term is stretchable in this context and includes anybody English-speaking, whether Celtic or Saxon, pale or brown, from down under or beyond the pond. Clark is not an isolated case. The late Gordon Craig, a Scottish-American historian, achieved similar success. So has Timothy Garton Ash, a historian at Oxford and Stanford, who wows Germans with pithy insights delivered in sophisticated German. More here. Sumayya Kassamali in Caravan: AND WERE YOU POLITICALLY INVOLVED in Beirut? an interviewer once asked Faiz Ahmed Faiz, arguably the greatest Urdu poet of the last century. I was, indeed, yes! he replied. You had to be, if you were part of the suffering of the place and of the people. Today, the most visible signs of the subcontinents involvement in Beirut are the neon-green-uniformed South Asian men emptying plastic garbage bins into large green trucks on the street. Images of India abound in the citys hip yoga culture, with Pakistan harder to find. The Arabic word for Sri Lankan, in its feminine adjectival form, is widely synonymous with maid. Diversity fares mildly better in elite liberal enclaves such as the American University of Beirut or the contemporary art scene, which are generally sprinkled with a few brown faces. There are moments, of course. An independent film festival recently screened the Indian filmmaker Anurag Kashyaps crime drama Gangs of Wasseypur, a Palestinian refugee camp includes a grocery store stocked with imported ingredients for its Bangladeshi residents (cheap housing and limited state intervention attract the camps mixed occupants), and a Nepalese feminist organisation offers a stream of regular programming for its community of domestic workers. In Faizs day, Asians had just begun to enter Lebanons manual and domestic labour force. But for politically conscious intellectuals in Lahore or Delhi, the tiny Arab country bordered by Syria and Palestine was a closely followed news item in an era marked by the spirit of socialism and Third World solidarity. In 1977, General Zia ul-Haq deposed Pakistans elected prime minister, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, in a coup that would lead to over a decade of American-supported military rule. Soon afterwards, the 67-year-old Faiza former political prisoner, close associate of Bhutto and outspoken socialistdecided to leave his home in Karachi for Beirut. This seemed a curious choice. More here. There are so many great rivers, lakes, and ponds to escape to in Northern California, but these hidden gems stand out beyond the rest. Jump from cliffs into waterfall-fed pools. Lie out on boulders to warm up after a cool dunk. Sip (at your own risk!) crystal clear water from mountain runoff. These swimming holes are perfect for a summer day trip or camping excursion. (Aron Bosworth, via Outdoor Project) Richardson Grove Swimming Hole Richardson Grove is one of Humboldt County's beloved redwood state parks. During hot summer months, visitors' attention will likely be drawn beyond the shade of the giant redwood trees toward the South Fork of the Eel River, where a stretch of tranquil swimming holes and beaches offers respite from the heat. Richardson Grove's main swimming hole is located across from a jumping rock with a deep pool below. Jumping options range from 5 to 20 feet in height. Shade is limited, so bring a beach umbrella. Parking and camping are available. (Aron Bosworth, via Outdoor Project) Standish-Hickey State Recreation Area Swimming Hole The emerald waters of the South Fork of the Eel River serpentine through a redwood landscape at Standish-Hickey State Recreation Area (SRA) in northern Mendocino County. A beautiful, albeit hot, summertime destination, Standish Hickey is home to an enticing swimming hole that will help alleviate that midday summer heat. The swimming hole has a large pool deep enough for rock jumping and a family-friendly sandy beach. Beyond the main pool, other shallow pools both upstream and downstream offer additional swimming options. The swimming hole is accessed by driving down into the river canyon from the Standish-Hickey SRA entrance, and parking is at the day-use area adjacent to Redwood Campground. A quarter-mile walk across the river plain and a seasonal footbridge brings you to the swimming hole. Despite the tall redwoods surrounding the river, there is limited shade at the swimming hole, so plan to bring an umbrella. Parking and camping are available. *Update: The Redwood Campground is currently. For additional camping options, visit parks.ca.gov. (Aron Bosworth, via Outdoor Project) Upper Falls, McCloud River Known best as an overlook/picnic area along the McCloud River Three Falls Hike, Upper Falls offers a quieter, more sheltered swimming hole compared to its waterfall counterparts downstream at Middle and Lower Falls (see below). While the waterfall itself isn't all that impressive in terms of height, the falls and pool below sit within a deep basalt rimmed bowl. Given it's depth, the swimming hole is in the shade for part of the day, and with the chilly spring-fed water of the McCloud River, Upper Falls is best enjoyed during the peak summer heat. (Aron Bosworth, via Outdoor Project) Middle Falls, McCloud River Located a mile upstream from Lower Falls, Middle Falls is the second in a trio of waterfalls referred to as McCloud Falls, on the Upper McCloud River running southeast of Mount Shasta. Larger than both Lower and Upper Falls in drop and breadth, Middle Falls is an incredibly scenic 40-foot waterfall with a curtain-like appearance. While less popular than Lower Falls, perhaps because it's slightly less accessible, Middle Falls also provides an inviting pool and swimming hole. The pool is accessed by walking a quarter-mile path from the parking area and overlook down to the river. A bit of scrambling over basalt boulders is required. The spring-fed water of the McCloud River is certainly chilly, but it is inviting and refreshing on hot summer days. (Aron Bosworth, via Outdoor Project) Lower Falls, McCloud River Lower Falls swimming hole area is concentrated around the falls itself, which drops approximately 15 feet into a pool below. The surrounding bedrock is popular for jumping with heights ranging between 10 and 20 feet. A wooden jumping platform has been constructed on the accessible edge of the pool. Lower Falls sees quite a bit of traffic. It's adjacent to Fowler's Campground, serves as the trailhead for the McCloud River Three Falls hike, and offers a day-use picnic area. (Aron Bosworth, via Outdoor Project) Potem Falls Nature couldn't have designed Potem Falls better. A hidden gem of the greater Redding area, Potem Falls offers the perfect respite from Shasta County's scorching summer heat. Potem is a beautiful watershed to experience any time of year, but summer is when Potem is at its best, with a postcard-worthy pool at the base of a sheer 70-foot waterfall. Those seeking to escape the heat will enjoy swimming out and around the waterfall's veil crashing down into the pool, and the rope swing provides Tarzan-like aerialists with a pendulum toward the pool's center. Perhaps the only downside to Potem Falls is the limited amount of lounging spaces on the surrounding rocks and the sunning real estate fills up pretty quickly. (Gina Teichert, via Outdoor Project) Lake Anza Lake Anza is a man-made, freshwater lake in Tilden Regional Park. Families looking to escape the heat (or fog) make the short trip into the Berkeley Hills for supervised swimming and the sandy beach. Swimming within the buoyed area is monitored by lifeguards daily in the summer months and on weekends only in fall and spring. The swim facility is closed from November through April. Runoff from the nearby watershed can boost bacteria levels in the rainy season. It's a good idea to verify water quality before swimming any time of year. Weekly test results can be found at the East Bay Regional Parks website. (Aron Bosworth, via Outdoor Project) Oregon Creek Day Use Area If you find the Highway 49 Crossing swimming hole a bit too crowded or you're simply looking for a quieter scene, head down the Golden Chain Highway another few miles to the Oregon Creek Day Use Area. Here, a lesser known swimming hole awaits. The day-use area provides access to the confluence of the Oregon Creek tributary and the Middle Yuba River. Both sides of the creek have shaded, sandy beaches, and slightly upriver you'll find small cascades and inviting granite slabs that are perfect for sun worshippers. The Oregon Creek Covered Bridge provides walking access between the parking area directly off Highway 49 and the main day-use area parking lot. For the latest conditions, visit fs.usda.gov. (Aron Bosworth, via Outdoor Project) Highway 49 Crossing Polished, house-size granite boulders and enticing emerald pools are what you'll find at the Highway 49 Crossing, a scenic and accessible stretch along the South Yuba River. This popular swimming hole welcomes visitors who want to escape the summer heat in the Sierra foothills. Making four crossings within South Yuba River State Park, Highway 49 explores California's Gold Country and historic mining communities. One can easily imagine miners panning for gold in the rugged river canyon. In fact, you just may see gold panning in action, as it is still practiced in the area by hobbyists and tourists alike. (Aron Bosworth, via Outdoor Project) North Fork Falls Located on the North Fork of the American River, North Fork Falls is a secluded and picturesque stretch of tributary on the western slope of the Sierra. Here, tucked under the limbs of an evergreen forest, a series of refreshing pools and cascading waterfalls await. Those in search of a thrilling way to cool off will find cliff jumps ranging in height from 10 to 25 feet, where millennia of winter snowmelt has carved away the granite and left beautiful cascades. A waterfall at the upper pool offers the largest jump; shorter options are available at the lower pool. While the upper pool requires a scramble up rocks to access, the lower pools are family friendly and easily reachable from the trail. (Aron Bosworth, via Outdoor Projects) D.L. Bliss State Park Lying just north of Emerald Bay State Park, D.L. Bliss State Park is another destination highlight along Lake Tahoe's southwestern shoreline. Together the two state parks boast more than six miles of shore. Named after Duane Leroy Bliss, a timber and mining tycoon of the 19th century, D.L. Bliss welcomes campers, beachgoers, and hikers to this scenic stretch of Tahoe shoreline. Typically open from May through September, D.L. Bliss caters to summer visitors with the beaches and clear waters of Calawee Cove and Lester Beach. With easy access from both the campground and day use parking area, both beaches are well suited for families and for launching boats. (Aron Bosworth, via Outdoor Project) Emerald Bay State Park Emerald Bay and its namesake state park are tucked into the southwest corner of Lake Tahoe. The long bay's shimmering waters beckon boaters, swimmers and hikers to explore. Adding to the natural beauty, Emerald Bay is surrounded by glacially carved granite peaks that rise steeply from the water's edge. Emerald Bay State Park is well known as the home of Vikingsholm, an impressive historic Scandinavian mansion-turned-museum, and the bay houses the only actual island found in Lake Tahoe. While Emerald Bay is accessible from May through September, you'll have to work just a bit to access park amenities. Most visitors walk a mile-long trail down to the main beach area at Vikingsholm or boat-in from elsewhere on the lake. The state park can also be reached via the Rubicon Trail from D.L. Bliss State Park, a contiguous park located to the north of Emerald Bay. (Aron Bosworth, via Outdoor Project) Meeks Bay Beach With its white, sandy beach and cobalt waters, Meeks Bay Beach sits right up there with Sugar Pine Point and D.L. Bliss State Parks as one of Tahoe's West Shore standouts. A fine place to spend a warm summer day, horseshoe-shaped Meeks Bay draws campers, swimmers, and beachgoers to enjoy the clear waters and recreational opportunities found in the area. Located adjacent to Meeks Bay Campground, the day-use beach offers easy access for launching watercraft such as stand-up paddleboards and kayaks. Summer weekends and holidays often bring a crowd, but the broad beach provides plenty of room to find your own lakeside oasis. And if a break from that intense Lake Tahoe summer sun is in order, shaded picnic areas equipped with charcoal grills are located behind the beach. Caution! Be Safe. Swimming holes and cliff jumping can be extremely dangerous and unpredictable outdoor activities that pose significant risks to health and personal safety. Changing water levels, unseen rocks, and river bottoms that have shifted with currents and seasonal weather can turn a well-known jumping area into a serious hazard. Prior to engaging in these activities, extensively scout the current conditions, and understand the risks involved with serious injury and the logistical challenges of evacuation from the water. Make safe decisions. Argonaut is an international mineral exploration company listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX:ARE). The principle activities of Argonaut Resources are to enter joint ventures with a series of partners on South Australian tenements and to progress the exploration and development of two Laos based tenements. Sovereign Gold Co Ltd (ASX:SOC) provides update on the current activities of Mount Adrah Gold. Recent drilling at the Mount Adrah Gold Project, tested peripheral high-grade gold reefs, both proximal and distal, to the main Hobbs Pipe resource. The initial program using the Company's own Mac200 scout rig comprised three short holes drilled at the Hobbs SE, Arcadia and Crown Reef prospects. Updated Pre-Feasibility Study - Low Capital Starter Mine for Groundhog North Sydney, June 22, 2016 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Atrum Coal NL ( ASX:ATU ) is pleased to provide an update on the Pre-Feasibility Study ("PFS") for the Groundhog North Mining Complex ("Groundhog North Complex"; refer Figure 1 in link below), British Columbia, Canada. Highlights: - Atrum is currently finalising a revised Pre-Feasibility Study for the Groundhog North Mining Complex, which now includes a staged approach to development initially employing a low cost starter mine producing 880,000tpa ultra-high grade anthracite. Starter mine economics: - Total capital requirement of US$142M, with 64% funded by third parties (the majority through the equipment financing arrangement with China Coal Technology and Engineering Group ("CCTEG")) - Project NPV of US$239M - Project IRR of 21%, and equity IRR of 38% - Potential major customers for Atrum's anthracite are now requesting access to bulk samples for testing - Following the grant of the Bulk Sample Permit, Atrum team has commenced preparations for site works GROUNDHOG NORTH: Activity Update The Company announced results from its initial Pre-feasibility Study on 6 May 2014 (refer to ASX announcement 6 May 2014 "A$2.1 Billion NPV for First Stage Production at Groundhog Anthracite Project") and provided supplementary guidance on the Pre-feasibility Study on 20 October 2014 (refer to ASX announcement on 20 October 2014 "Supplementary PFS delivers A$1.7 Billion NPV for Groundhog North"). Over the last year the Company has been updating the PFS based on additional studies. In preparing the revised PFS, the Company has evaluated a number of small scale starter mine options that accelerate early cash flows for minimal capital cost which maximise shareholder returns. A preferred option has been identified and modelled which has been incorporated into the draft development plan for the Complex. The Company has now started engaging with potential strategic and financial investors in relation to funding the bulk sample extraction and ultimately, subject to permitting, a small scale starter mine development. Robert Bell, Executive Chairman commented: "The award of the Bulk Sample Permit and the updated PFS with the smaller, starter mine demonstrates the economic viability of the Groundhog North project and accelerates Atrum's plans to achieving commercial production. We can now proceed with detailed discussions with potential long-terms buyers of Groundhog anthracite, as well as potential strategic and financial investors. We will update the market as these discussions deliver partners that share our vision to become a world class, low cost, anthracite producer." "The supply-demand dynamic of high-grade and ultra-high grade anthracite used in metals manufacture, filtration, plastics manufacture, for briquettes and for specialty carbon products continues to be encouraging for Atrum's near term entry to production. Global seaborne supply of anthracite has halved over the past decade, creating a structural supply shortage of anthracite." Following drilling in 2014, the Company completed a JORC 2012 Coal Resource Estimate for the Groundhog North Complex (refer to ASX announcement 14 August 2015, "Resource Increase at Groundhog North" including the accompanying JORC Table 1, see link below) and identified potential mining areas that could be developed with small scale starter mines. These areas have now been investigated in more detail and added to the PFS. GROUNDHOG NORTH: Revised Pre-Feasibility Study An updated PFS is being finalised at present. In the updated PFS, the Company has adopted a staged approach to development, beginning with a low capital cost underground mine, capable of producing up to 880,000tpa of saleable ultra-high-grade anthracite (based on the assumptions set out below). The updated PFS, when finalised, will include subsequent development stages for the larger underground operations at the Groundhog North Complex. This development approach has been well-received by potential off-take investors and joint venture funding partners. The staged approach to the development of the Groundhog North Complex importantly provides the Company with early cash flows while the larger underground operations are being developed in step with infrastructure capacity. The smaller, starter mine will allow the Company to: - establish operations in the area; - prove the logistics chain for transporting larger amounts of product; - continue to develop long term and sustainable relationships with the Company's aboriginal partners; - train aboriginal and local personnel to build a workforce that will support sustainable, long-term operations; - establish customer channels; - investigate alternative high value markets; - increase debt funding potential for the larger underground mini-wall operations and thus provide superior shareholder returns, by leveraging greater debt servicing ratios from cash reserves; - generate early cash flows, not just for the Company, but for local families, contractors, communities, and government; and - build credibility with a range of key stakeholders, including parties interested in the Company's growth and value potential. The scaled down starter mine will establish access to existing road, rail and port infrastructure in the local area, minimizing capital expenditures through a staged approach. The overall Groundhog North Complex has been designed around a resource base of 1.016 Billion tonnes of anthracite (JORC 2012 - refer to Table 1 and Figure 2 in link below and to ASX announcement 14 August 2015, "Resource Increase at Groundhog North"). The starter mine included in the revised PFS is located in the Western Domain of the Groundhog North Complex has estimated total capital of US$142M# is capable of producing up to 880,000tpa of saleable ultra-high-grade anthracite (comprising of 26% Measured resources; 32% Indicated resources; 43% Inferred resources). The Mineral Resources underpinning the production target have been prepared by a Competent Person in accordance with the requirements in Appendix 5A (JORC Code). There is a low level of geological confidence associated with inferred mineral resources and there is no certainty that further exploration work will result in the determination of indicated mineral resources or that the production target itself will be realised. The material assumptions made by the Company in calculating the production target for the starter mine of 880,000tpa of saleable ultra-high-grade anthracite are: - Seam thicknesses - defined by exploration data and seam modelling; - Mine layout options and productivity - revised layout to promote early production; - Mining methods and productivity - use of pillar extraction methods to enable early production volumes prior to miniwall operations; - Equipment selection - review of continuous haulage systems to improve development performance; - Modified seam access location and entry methodology - lower depth of cover location and combination of access means. The initial small mine allows the Company to prove the mining concept in the region, and generate cash so that further mines can leverage cash flows, maximising shareholder returns. Not only is it forecast for the starter mine to return US$239M NPV (real, WACC 7.6%, post-tax Project NPV) based on the production target of 880,000tpa of saleable ultra-high-grade anthracite, this mine is expected to provide investors with a lower risk entry into a rising anthracite market. The forecast operating cash cost of this small scale mine is US$96/t FOB. Based on equity capital of US$51M the equity IRR is 38%. The material assumptions made by the Company in calculating the forecast financial information are set out in Table 2 (see link below). Pre-Feasibility Economic Assessment (starter mine)', Table 3 (see link below). Capital Expenditure estimates (starter mine)' and Table 4 (see link below). Operating Cost estimates (starter mine)'. From the small scale starter mine, numerous development paths can be selected from a staged ramp-up to a 1.6Mtpa continuous miner operation through to a larger mini-wall operation as noted in previous PFS releases (refer ASX announcement 6 May 2014 "A$2.1 Billion NPV for First Stage Production at Groundhog Anthracite Project" and ASX announcement on 20 October 2014 "Supplementary PFS delivers A$1.7 Billion NPV for Groundhog North"). The Company is updating the economic modelling of these options at present, and will release these results in the coming weeks. The low capital start-up mine can be a stand-alone operation, established with a relatively low equity contribution of US$51M as shown in Table 2, with approximately US$15M funded for infrastructure development from third parties and the remainder from the existing CCTEG equipment finance facility (refer Atrum Coal ASX release 5 May 2015, "Atrum Signs US$100 Million Equipment Finance and Supply Agreement"). It is envisaged that Atrum Infrastructure and Logistics Pty Ltd ("ATIL") will fund much of the off-site infrastructure associated with the both the initial starter mine and subsequent infrastructure buildouts for larger operations at Groundhog and will charge Atrum a service fee. The Company is assessing a number of options to fund AIL, including an option to 'spin-out' the infrastructure unit. Forecast operating costs of the starter mine are competitive with other anthracite exporters, and well below current available pricing for high-grade anthracite, subsequently producing strong average EBITDA margins. The continuous miner operation will use modern roof-bolt methods for improved strata control, and a modified pillar extraction method for maximum resource utilisation. Run-of-mine coal will be transported by conveyor to a small, modular coal handling and preparation plant, for beneficiation into primary, low ash lump and fine products. Product yields from the Duke E seam can reach up to 85%, but the financial analysis of the starter mine uses conservative 62.5% yield estimates. Transport from the mine will be via road and rail to export ports in Stewart and Prince Rupert. Administration and overhead charges account for sales and distribution, as well as work teams growing the broader Atrum business, including the advancement of other mines at Groundhog and Panorama, and Atrum Infrastructure and Logistics Pty Ltd. Anthracite Market and Pricing The Company has updated the "Anthracite Market" section of the PFS and provides the following update: Global anthracite markets remain undersupplied, and market prices for anthracite are strong. Current prices for imported anthracite are approximately US$150/t for lumps and US$100/t for fines (basis 5% volatile matter; 12% ash), see Table 4 and Figure 4 (see link below). The Company is utilising conservative long-term average anthracite prices as its benchmark for long-term pricing forecasts in all PFS modelling, as shown in Table 5 (see link below). The premium in anthracite pricing has remained throughout the coking coal cycle and as metallurgical coals increase in price due to supply/demand imbalances, anthracite has maintained and in some cases, improved its relative price position. With the growth in specialty markets (see below), anthracite is enjoying increased demand, leading larger metallurgical coal companies, steel mills, traders and carbon suppliers to look for emerging supply sources in a tight market. With the award of the Bulk Sample Permit, Atrum's Groundhog resource has been enjoying significant interest from potential customers and off-takers, including for speciality anthracite (see following pages). Speciality Anthracite Markets Anthracite is not only used as a sinter feed and coke replacement in blast furnaces. Speciality markets include water filtration, electric arc furnaces, chemical production, plastics manufacture and the conversion of anthracite into synthetic graphite for electric vehicle batteries. According to recent research by Market/Markets and TechSci Research, the worldwide air filtration market is growing at 7.4% CAGR, and is forecast to grow from US$14.5b in 2015 to US$20.6B in 2020. Anthracite is used as one of the filter media in this market. Further, according to a 2014 report "Global Media Based Water Filters Market Forecast and Opportunities 2019" the worldwide market for water filtration media is expected to exceed US$12b by 2018. Again, anthracite is a filtration media used in this market. Speciality anthracite markets are being investigated by the Company in some detail as, although volumes are small, pricing is typically much higher than in the steel sector and this can substantially increase the forecast returns of the smaller scale starter mine. Bulk Sample Operations Update With the recent award of the Bulk Sample Permit (refer to ASX announcement 9 May 2016 "Atrum Coal receives Bulk Sample Permit for Groundhog North Mining Complex"), the Company is preparing for site operations to extract bulk samples for potential customers, primarily in Japan and Korea, although since the award of the permit, there has been strong interest from other carbon users for samples of Groundhog anthracite. The award of the Bulk Sample Permit and upcoming commencement of onsite activities represent a major milestone and phase change as the Company transitions from exploration to mining. As part of the award of the Bulk Sample Permits, the Company is able to establish ground based site access to Groundhog, which has not been possible previously. The ground based access will aid in: - reducing onsite costs; - facilitating significant project equipment mobilisation; and - establishing the production supply chain to the market place and customers Initial construction, which includes ground based access to Groundhog North is planned to commence during the 2016 construction season, with bulk sample mining activities planned to immediately follow. Atrum will also be working with Aboriginal Groups and local communities in planning for participation in site construction and mining activities. The Company has been preparing a development plan that outlines how anthracite mined under the Bulk Sample Permit will be transported offsite for processing and distribution to potential long-term customers in North America, Europe and Asia. Establishing the transportation route will allow Atrum to demonstrate its capability to develop a reliable and sustainable supply chain from the world's largest high grade / ultra-high grade anthracite deposit to Atrum's customers. Since the award of the Permit, the Company has fielded numerous enquiries from anthracite users around the world seeking samples for test purposes. During this next phase of the project Atrum will evaluate the potential to supply Groundhog anthracite to specialty users in high-value markets, such as filtration media and activated carbon. The Company is also investigating the supply of upgraded anthracite products to industrial smelters, to users of calcined anthracite and to the rapidly growing markets for synthetic graphite. While the Company has maintained conservative pricing assumptions in all economic analyses, these high-value markets represent a genuine opportunity to achieve materially higher margins for custom washed and custom sized fractions of ultra-high grade anthracite. To view tables and figures, please visit: http://abnnewswire.net/lnk/9A3TP2XW About Atrum Coal Limited Atrum Coal Limited (ASX:ATU) is a metallurgical coal developer. The Company flagship asset is the 100%-owned Elan Hard Coking Coal Project in southern Alberta, Canada. Elan hosts large-scale, shallow, thick, hard coking coal (HCC) deposits with a current JORC Resource Estimate of 298 Mt (70 Mt Indicated and 228 Mt Inferred). Comprehensive quality testing of Elan South coal on samples from the 2018 exploration program, combined with review of substantial historical testwork data for the broader Elan Project, has confirmed Tier 1 HCC quality. The initial focus for development is the Elan South area, which is located approximately 13 km from an existing rail line with significant excess capacity, providing direct rail access to export terminals in Vancouver and Prince Rupert. Elan South shares its southern boundary with Riversdale Resources Grassy Mountain Project, which is in the final permitting stage for a 4.5 Mtpa open-cut HCC operation. Around 30km to the west, Teck Resources operates five mines (the Elk Valley complex) producing approximately 25 Mtpa of premium HCC for the seaborne market. Distribution of company announcements to the professional platforms, finance portals and syndication of important corporate news to a wide variety of news aggregators and financial news systems. This past weekend fathers across the nation were surprised with new socks, neckties and homemade cards. Some were served breakfast in bed and others, like President Obama, took time to share their love of nature with their children. The president traveled to Carlsbad Caverns and Yosemite one of the first places protected by a U.S. president not as the commander-in-chief but simply as a dad enjoying a weekend with his kids in the great outdoors. They hiked, fished and took in all the beauty that these extraordinary places have to offer. Its fitting that President Obama would spend Fathers Day weekend in the great outdoors as he has preserved more land and water than any other president in history 265 million acres. But his commitment to future generations and his legacy as an advocate for public lands doesnt stop there. He has established or expanded 23 national monuments, which stitch together the fabric of Americas history. Places like the Belmont-Paul Womens Equality National Monument in Washington, D.C., and Ohios Charles Young Buffalo Soldiers National Monument remind us of the tenacious fight for equality many in this nation have waged and continue to wage. The Pullman National Monument, in the presidents backyard of Chicago, celebrates a planned industrial community that provided workers with a safe place to reside and a better standard of living at a time when these werent always commonplace. As fathers we have a responsibility to share the past with our children to ensure that the future of our nation is filled with progress, hope and prosperity. President Obama is ensuring we can do this through the preservation of these lands and the designation of monuments that honor great Americans not only their triumphs but the struggles of the entire country. This seems especially relevant today as we mourn the 49 lives lost in the tragic attack on a LGBT nightclub in Orlando. Just last month, a public hearing took place in Greenwich Village to allow community members to share their vision with the administration for the long-term preservation and management of Christopher Park, which is located across the street from the historic Stonewall Inn one of the birthplaces of the LGBT rights movement. The First Familys trip also comes at a historic time for the National Park Service as it celebrates 100 years of protecting our nations public lands and preserving our countrys heritage. All year, President Obama, Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and everyone at the National Park Service have been urging every American to get out and Find Your Park a movement to spread the word about the amazing places the Park Service manages. The president and his administration have done an immense amount of work to preserve our public lands for the generations of people who come after us. Now its our responsibility to introduce that next generation to these amazing places. So to fathers everywhere: Whether your park involves waves crashing onto sandy shores, a somber field honoring those fallen in battle, or snow-covered mountain peaks that remind us what a gift nature is, go out and share that wonder with your children. Show them our nations history. Use it as an opportunity to teach a lesson in progress how far weve come and where we are headed as a country. And dont forget to wear your new socks. I pledge of allegiance to [omitted]. I pledge allegiance to [omitted] may God protect him [Arabic], on behalf of [omitted]. First FBI transcript of Orlando gunmans 911 call I pledge allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi may God protect him [Arabic], on behalf of the Islamic State. Second FBI transcript of gunmans 911 call Though it made an incredibly fast about-face under withering criticism, the Obama administration seems determined to replace the nations anti-terrorism mantra if you see something, say something with if you hear something, pretend it never happened if it offends a group we dont want to offend. Thats what happened when FBI Director James Comey announced last week that he would not speak the Orlando nightclub gunmans name because part of what motivates sick people to do this kind of thing is some twisted notion of fame or glory, and I dont want to be part of that for the sake of the victims and their families, and so that other twisted minds dont think this is a path to fame and recognition. Surely Comey understands that devout followers of Islamic extremist groups are very real threats motivated by warped religious zeal. They are not imaginary villains, like He Who Must Not Be Named from the Harry Potter books. (FYI, that villain is Lord Voldemort. The twisted killer who slaughtered 49 people in Florida is called Omar Mateen.) Pretending they dont have names makes the leader of the nations premier law enforcement agency look foolish and would have made George Orwell proud. And this is the same FBI that had no problem uttering the names Timothy McVeigh, Ted Kaczynski, Eric Rudolph, Adam Lanza, Eric Harris, Dylan Klebold or Dylan Roof, to name a few. Yet a week after the head of the FBI decided fighting terrorism requires misplaced political correctness, his boss, Attorney General Loretta Lynch, followed suit, announcing that when the transcript of Mateens 911 call was released, What were not going to do is further proclaim this mans pledges of allegiance to terrorist groups, and further his propaganda. Instead, she opted to further the Obama administrations obfuscation of exactly what kind of threat the nation faces and from where. Then again, both Lynch and Comey are presidential appointees and have refused to turn over records of Hillary Clintons email server because they are part of a vague pending or prospective law enforcement proceeding, although they have refused to justify their secrecy by categorizing the investigation as a criminal one. These recent actions are a sad indication of the politicization of a traditionally respected federal law enforcement agency the nation relies on to be impartial and nonpartisan. It smacks of the use of the Internal Revenue Service to delay or deny nonprofit applications from conservative groups. Massive public outcry this week forced Lynch, Comey & Co. to quickly backtrack and release an unredacted version of the Mateen tape, although they still did not include Mateens apparent references to Allah or other phrases he made in Arabic, which as presented are unclear. Rep. Steve Pearce, R-N.M., points out, This is the highest law enforcement agency in the country and yet, even after releasing the fully redacted version the president is still editorializing it. For example, choosing to use words like God to replace Allah. People should know the truth the full truth. Hes right. And whether Mateen was involved with Islamic State in reality or only in his mind and online, it is an important fact that he was inspired by the Islamic extremisms visceral hatred of the United States, inspired to the point of spouting its key catchphrases to a 911 operator while he killed 49 people and injured 53. Rather than concern for whom Mateen pledged allegiance to, this administration would better serve its nation by remembering a pledge most grade school children recite each morning, one regarding a flag and the republic for which it stands. Because that is who and what they are supposed to be protecting. 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. WASHINGTON One day after several partisan gun control bills failed in the U.S. Senate, Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., on Tuesday joined with Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine to offer another proposal: denying those on the federal no-fly list the right to buy firearms. If youre too dangerous to fly on an airplane, youre too dangerous to buy a gun, Collins told reporters Tuesday. Heinrich called it a straightforward, common-sense proposal. Its time to start putting progress in front of politics, Heinrich said. I think were all heartsick at the kind of terrible Groundhog Day feeling we have as weve seen shooting after shooting in this country. It should not be complicated. If you are on the no-fly list, you really shouldnt be buying a gun. I say that as a gun owner myself. Collins said she and Heinrich worked feverishly over the weekend to fine-tune the legislation, adding that they exchanged at least 30 phone calls and text messages about the bill between Maine and New Mexico. Unlike Mondays failed votes on legislation to close the gun show loophole and prevent those on the federal terror watch list from purchasing guns, the Collins-Heinrich legislation introduced Tuesday dubbed No Fly, No Buy could get some traction on Capitol Hill. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a conservative South Carolina Republican, said Tuesday that he supports the bill, and Collins said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has promised a floor vote as soon as next week. Democrats in Congress are pressing hard for additional gun control measures in the aftermath of the massacre in Orlando this month in which a man who claimed allegiance to Islamic State killed 49 people at a nightclub and injured dozens. Most Republicans and the powerful National Rifle Association have opposed the Democratic efforts, citing the Second Amendment right to own guns. Theyve also accused Democrats of trying to shift the blame for the massacre from an ineffective strategy against terrorism to firearms. Democrats supporting the Collins-Heinrich bill include Sens. Bill Nelson of Florida and Tim Kaine of Virginia. Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., said he is still considering the legislation, and other Democrats have suggested the bill may not go far enough. But some Republicans, including Collins, Graham and Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona, are joining the Democrats call for at least limited action by Congress. Surely the terrorist attacks in San Bernardino and Orlando that took so many lives are a call for compromise, a plea for bipartisan action, Collins told reporters at a Capitol Hill news conference. The Collins-Heinrich bill targets those on the no-fly list. It also would flag potential gun buyers who are on a secondary security screening list that prompts extra scrutiny when those people try to fly. Those two lists of people totaling about 110,000 names make up a much smaller group of potentially dangerous individuals than those targeted in the failed Democratic-backed legislation, which could have prohibited approximately 1 million people on the governments full terror watch list from buying guns. The Collins-Heinrich bill also would provide an appeals process for those denied a gun purchase. They could appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals and recover attorneys fees if they prevailed. Graham a longtime supporter of the NRA said he supports the bipartisan bill because it makes sense. The NRA told the Journal on Tuesday that it will oppose the legislation. No one wants terrorists to have legal or illegal access to firearms, said Chris W. Cox, executive director of NRAs legislative lobbying group. Keeping guns from terrorists while protecting the due process rights of law-abiding citizens are not mutually exclusive. Unfortunately, Sen. Collins and others are focusing their efforts on unconstitutional proposals that would not have prevented the Orlando terrorist attack. America is quickly running out of time to ensure the viability of its nuclear deterrence and must invest the funds to upgrade not only its nuclear weapons stockpile, but the missiles, submarines and bombers capable of delivering a strike we hope we never have to make. Thats what Adm. Cecil D. Haney, commander of U.S. Strategic Command, told about 250 defense contractors, defense employees, military officials and academics attending the 2016 Strategic Deterrent Coalition Symposium on Tuesday at Crowne Plaza Albuquerque. Were fast approaching the point where having an effective nuclear deterrent will be put at risk, without those steps, he said. In his current post, Haney who has commanded submarines, sub groups and the U.S. Pacific Fleet is responsible for preventing strategic attacks against the U.S. and its allies. The event was sponsored by the nonprofit Strategic Deterrent Coalition, dedicated to education of decision-makers on the importance of a valid nuclear triad strategic bombers, land-launched missiles and submarine-launched missiles according to its board president, Sherman McCorkle. Haney presented an overview of the worlds strategic environment which he said may be at its most precarious point in history in large part because of the actions of Russia, China, North Korea, Iran and extremist groups such as the Islamic State and al-Qaida. Russia poses a threat just by virtue of the size of its nuclear arsenal, which it continues to modernize, but its also improving its conventional military forces, maintaining a significant quantity of non-strategic nuclear weapons and aggressively pursuing new war-fighting technologies, he said. Coupled with Russian President Vladimir Putins rhetoric and destabilizing actions in Syria and Ukraine, Haney cautioned that Russia must understand that it would be a serious miscalculation to consider nuclear escalation as a viable option. North Korea continues to undermine regional stability by conducting nuclear tests and advancing its ballistic missile technology, Haney said. Irans continued involvement in Middle East conflicts and development of ballistic missile programs and cyberspace capabilities require vigilance, particularly if there are any shifts in Irans nuclear ambitions, he said. And the United States is part of an international campaign against violent extremist organizations groups seeking to destroy our democratic way of life. To effectively keep adversaries and potential adversaries in check, America must maintain a safe, secure, effective and ready nuclear deterrent. All three legs of the nuclear triad must receive the considerable investments to ensure their long-term viability, he said. Today, our stockpile is the oldest its ever been, with the average age of a (nuclear) warhead at 27 years and growing, he said. The nations national security labs like Sandia, Los Alamos and Lawrence Livermore are key to ensuring the viability of the nuclear arsenal. Despite the challenges, Haney said, U.S. Strategic Command is a ready force capable of delivering comprehensive war-fighting solutions. A barrage of hard-hitting campaign mailers sent in the days leading up to this months primary election may have tipped the scales in a GOP contest in House District 32. The mailers highlighted past abuse allegations against a youth program run by Tierra Blanca Ranch and were sent by Advance New Mexico Now, a Super PAC run by Gov. Susana Martinezs political adviser, Jay McCleskey. Scott Chandler, a Deming Republican who owns the Sierra County ranch, has decried the mailers as bully tactics by Albuquerque-based consultants in a southwestern New Mexico race. The machine operatives spent thousands in a local primary where their presence was neither invited, wanted, nor appropriate, Chandler said in a recent statement. Chandler ended up losing the race by a 24-vote margin to Vicki Chavez, his Republican opponent, with 1,768 ballots cast in the race, according to unofficial results, though the margin of the contest is narrow enough it is expected to trigger an automatic recount under state law. Chandler outpaced his opponent in absentee and early voting but lost decisively in Election Day voting, which suggests the campaign mailers may have swayed some voters, McCleskey said Tuesday. The mailers did not mention Chandlers opponent by name, instead focusing on the allegations against Tierra Blanca Ranch they have led to at least four lawsuits being filed and urging recipients to Vote No on Scott Chandler for state representative. We dont believe Scott Chandler would be a viable general election candidate, McCleskey told the Journal. We were monitoring the race, and when it became clear he was likely to win the primary, we chose to remind voters of Scott Chandlers controversial history so they could be fully informed. BOOST FOR DEMS: A political group formed last fall to help Democratic candidates for the state Senate has made a recent splash in New Mexico. The group, called New Mexico Together, ran colorful ads on several newspaper and political news websites days after this months primary election. Heather Brewer, a spokeswoman for the group, said the recent campaign ad blitz was intended to highlight policy issues, including the current standardized testing system put in place by Gov. Susana Martinezs administration. But she downplayed suggestions the group might be trying to offset pro-Republican political committees, including Advance New Mexico Now. This isnt about competing with big-dollar special interest groups; its about building a brighter future for New Mexico, Brewer told the Journal. New Mexico Together was formed in October by Tim Padilla, an Albuquerque lawyer, according to records filed with the Secretary of States Office. The filings indicate the group plans to operate as an independent expenditure group, or super PAC, meaning it does not have to abide by the states political donation limits but cannot coordinate directly with any candidates. According to its most recent spending report, New Mexico Together had received $10,100 since being formed and spent just over $3,000. Those figures will likely change when a new report is filed next month. Dan Boyd: dboyd@abqjournal.com For nearly 60 years, he kept the memories of his rape a secret, not telling his parents or later a string of wives and children that when he was 8, his priest raped him. That act and more by the Rev. Clement Hageman in a Catholic church in Gallup in 1949 stayed buried, surfacing in his life as a struggle to maintain marriages and a struggle to shed a haunted sexuality. But in 2008, the memories finally burst out and he became one of the first in Arizona and New Mexico to file a lawsuit against the Roman Catholic Churchs Diocese of Gallup. He and his girlfriend drove from Phoenix to Albuquerque on Tuesday to hear a federal bankruptcy judge order the Diocese of Gallup to pay settlements to him and about 55 other victims of predatory priests. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge David T. Thumas ruling ends the Chapter 11 bankruptcy case against the diocese, which will reorganize to pay $21 million in settlement payments to the victims. Most victims will likely get an average $350,000 payment. And attorneys have agreed to cap their total payment at about $3.5 million. Thuma said the settlement was monetarily a good resolution for the abuse victims in what he called a kind of catastrophe for the abuse victims and the church. Many of the victims have struggled with depression, addiction, prison or homelessness. Diocese of Gallups Bishop James Wall told the court that he intended to do all that I can to make sure that something like this never happens again. Bad men committed bad and sinful acts against good people, and theres no excuse for that, he told the court and the victims. He said he will work toward a sense of healing and sense of peace. The money indeed is some consolation, said victim Prudence Jones, who is in her 40s. But what she and other victims also want, she said on Tuesday, is for the church to release the predatory priests files to the public. For many folks, they couldnt talk about what happened to them. If they could see these records, it gives survivors of abuse the proof they need, even just for themselves, an immediate validation and can give courage to open a dialogue to heal, Jones said. But the Diocese of Gallup has no plans to release the records, diocese communication director Suzanne Hammons told the Journal Tuesday afternoon. She said she understands the victims request and frustration. But those will not be made available to the public. Its not because we are trying to hide something. It (the file) doesnt just contain information about that particular priest or clergy member. A lot of time there is a lot of information about other parties, other names that didnt have anything to do with abuse cases. It is an attempt on our part to leave other people out of it, she said. That choice, she said, is the choice of each diocese and is not a directive from the larger Roman Catholic Church. The common practice of the Diocese of Gallup cases has been to allow the victim to see the church file on the individual perpetrator, but to not release the documents to the public. But some documents on Hageman and other predatory priests who raped children in the Diocese of Gallup area have been collected by the group BishopAccountability.org, a group that documents abuse cases in the Roman Catholic Church. Documents on the site show that rumors of the Rev. Hagemans pattern of raping young boys were officially known for years before he was moved to the Diocese of Gallup, where he molested and raped more boys, sometimes singling them out during their time in the confessional booth. Hammons called Hageman one of the worst of the time noting unfortunately there were quite a few predatory priests. The diocese has confirmed 31 rapist and molester priests active in its region between 1939 and 2005, according to the diocese website. Hageman was a priest in the Gallup diocese from 1940 until his death in 1975, and was assigned to parishes in Thoreau, NM, and three Arizona parishes in Winslow, Holbrook and Kingman. One victim in court Tuesday testified that he was initially scared of confession time with Hageman and later had his fear confirmed. Hageman treated the boy, who had expressed interest in being a priest, to a special trip out of town, buying him dinner and comics and letting the boy play at the pool. That night, Hageman raped the boy in the hotel room, according to his testimony. The boy was 10. Hageman continued in the weeks and years later to manipulate and assault the boy, who as a teenager ran away from the church, abandoned his dream of being a priest and instead joined the military. He recalled a trip to a seminary as a teen. A tour of Vietnam was more appealing than a few days at a Catholic seminary, he told the court. The trauma of the abuse reverberated through his life, he said, setting up destructive patterns that kept him from happiness, peace and success. He condemned the church. They do not worship God. They worship money, their land, their buildings, the cathedral, he said. His wife said she and her husband, like most of the other victims present in court on Tuesday, hadnt attended all of the hearings but felt compelled to attend on Tuesday as part of their healing process and for closure. The settlements end a three-year case against the Diocese of Gallup region of the Roman Catholic Church. The diocese has separately settled other lawsuits with other victims. Part of the settlement money will go into a fund for any future lawsuits brought against the Diocese. Funding will come from 11 sources, the largest share $11.55 million from 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. Other sources include money from the Diocese of Phoenix, some parishes and Catholic foundations. In November 2013, the Diocese of Gallup became the ninth Roman Catholic diocese to file for bankruptcy in response to a growing number of lawsuits filed by people alleging that, as children, they had been sexually abused by clergy members. More than a dozen of the 195 dioceses in the nation have been sued. Hammons said the hearing on Tuesday closes what she expects to be the last of suits against the diocese because of the efforts made to reach all possible victims. She said the church chose to go into Chapter 11 bankruptcy to settle the mass of cases at once instead of the civil suit route in which each individual victim would have to pursue his own case and possibly have to testify. The whole purpose of this, the whole reason is not at all to dodge the responsibility. It was to actually bring them (victims) all, all of the past possible people, to make sure they receive something to help them move forward with healing, Hammons said. This will hopefully cover all their needs This ultimately is a good thing. Its good we were able to find so many people. Now they get to get counseling. They have their voices heard. Christopher Lackmann, chief deputy district attorney in the 2nd Judicial District, died early Tuesday at his home of a heart attack, District Attorney Kari Brandenburg told members of her staff in an e-mail. He was 63. Brandenburg said he was a genuinely good guy. I cant think of a time he said he was too busy for someone, or when he didnt laugh at one of my bad jokes, she told her staff. I didnt often agree with him and we had many a heated debate, but I loved his intellect, his kind ways, his spirit and his can do attitude. Lackmann is survived by his wife, Lisa, and two daughters. Brandenburg nominated Lackmann for the 2015 Juris Prudence Prosecutor of the Year award, which he was awarded, citing his efforts in dealing with the new local rule in criminal cases after being hired back in the office in spring 2014. He handled legal issues related to personnel, reviewed public records requests and generally acted as legal adviser for the office and expanded his role by aiding younger attorneys. There wasnt an issue, or case, that he didnt know something about, Brandenburg said in nominating him. Lackmann began his career in private practice but became in-house counsel to the Albuquerque Metropolitan Flood Control Authority and joined the District Attorneys office in 1999, handling mostly white collar and economic crimes. In 2006, he joined the New Mexico Attorney Generals Office as a supervisor prosecuting public corruption cases. Then-Attorney General Gary King fired him in 2014 and Lackmann in turn filed a lawsuit over the firing, saying it was retaliation for complaining about being solicited for a donation to Kings campaign. Lackmann subsequently rejoined the 2nd Judicial District Attorneys Office. LOS ANGELES Tesla Motors Inc. has offered to buy SolarCity Corp., a $2.8 billion deal that would unite two Bay Area companies funded and driven by Los Angeles billionaire Elon Musk. If a deal for the rooftop solar giant is approved, Tesla would become more than just an electric car maker, evolving into an increasingly diverse company with interests across a range of green technologies. The world does not look for another car company, the world looks for sustainable energy companies, Musk told reporters and analysts in a call Tuesday. The combination would allow customers to generate solar power from Tesla rooftop installations, store the energy in Tesla batteries and transfer the energy into Tesla electric cars. Its now time to complete the picture, Tesla said in a blog post. Tesla customers can drive clean cars and they can use our battery packs to help consume energy more efficiently, but they still need access to the most sustainable energy source thats available: the sun. One of the biggest rooftop solar companies in the United States, SolarCity sells or leases its system to homeowners, the U.S. military and big businesses including Intel, Walgreens and Wal-Mart. SolarCity did not respond to requests for comment. Under the proposal, Tesla would acquire outstanding shares of SolarCity in exchange for Tesla common shares at a value of $26.50 to $28.50 per share, a 21 percent to 30 percent premium over SolarCitys Tuesday closing price but far below its 52-week high of $61.72. The Tesla board said its intention is to proceed only on a friendly basis. The two companies already are on unusually friendly terms. Musk is chairman of SolarCity and owns 22 percent of the company; at Tesla, he is chairman and chief executive and owns 21 percent. He is the top shareholder of both. In 2006, he helped found SolarCity with his cousins, Lyndon and Peter Rive, respectively SolarCitys CEO and chief technology officer. (Their mothers are twins.) Overall, the deal makes sense, said Karl Brauer, an auto analyst at Kelley Blue Book. There is a lot of shared purpose between the two. The companies already are engaged in several partnership deals. For example, Tesla makes battery packs for SolarCity installations, while SolarCity provides solar panels for Teslas network of car-charging stations. Tesla is building a so-called gigafactory in Nevada to make Powerwall battery packs for homes and business; the facility will have substantial competition from rival battery makers when it gets off the ground. Analysts have suggested that the battery business could one day rival Teslas car business in revenue. While he is optimistic, Brauer sees challenges ahead: Neither company is profitable, and the electric car industry and solar energy are reliant on government subsidies and incentives. Stock analysts and investors will be picking over the details of the stock swap a more complicated undertaking than a straight cash deal. Robert McCullough of Portland, Ore.-based McCullough Research questioned Musks offer, saying he thought it was a very strange choice for him. I was a little surprised. McCullough said it appeared that Musk was doubling down on solar at a time when the economics of solar installations has been called into question. Solar, he said, has become so cheap that its becoming difficult to make money, as the industry learned with SunEdison, which went bankrupt in April. These guys are victims of their own success, McCullough said. Now the question is whether Musk is buying in at the wrong time, he said. But there are upsides to officially bringing the two companies together. Company mergers often fail to meet expectations when different corporate cultures dont gel, but given the current close relationship, the question of culture clash is kind of a nonissue, Brauer said. And as solar companies such as Solyndra went under, SolarCity grew strong. Tesla, meanwhile, surprised the entire automobile industry by designing and manufacturing electric cars that sparked enthusiastic customer demand. Culturally, this is a great fit, Tesla said in its blog post. Both companies are driven by a mission of sustainability, innovation, and overcoming any challenges that stand in the way of progress. The proposed deal is subject to the completion of due diligence as well as approval of a majority of disinterested stockholders not including Musk or Valor Equity Partners founder Antonio Gracias, who is a board member at both Tesla and Solar City. Tesla said it would become the only company offering end-to-end clean energy products to customers. The automaker unveiled a line of inexpensive residential and commercial battery-based systems in April 2015. At the time, Musk said he envisioned off-the-grid homes and businesses and remote villages powered by solar. SolarCity has been incorporating more of Teslas battery storage systems in its solar installations. In Hawaii, SolarCity is offering homeowners the equivalent of cutting the cord when it comes to electricity with packages that include solar panels, battery storage and smart technology. The offer is to allow customers to separate from their electric company or go off the grid. Lyndon Rive has said he expects to make similar offers to homeowners on the U.S. mainland in the next five years or so. But SolarCity has been under pressure. Despite increasing its number of installations, the company has seen its stock plummet about 35 percent in the last year. The San Mateo, Calif., company has increasingly faced resistance to its business model from regulators and utilities in Nevada and Arizona. In December, for instance, SolarCity announced that it would cease operations in Nevada after regulators drastically cut benefits to rooftop solar owners. Utility companies argue that rooftop solar owners do not pay their fair share of the cost for the poles, wires and substations that make up the electric grid. Utilities have pressed regulators in states nationwide to increase fees on rooftop solar owners and to decrease the amount paid for electricity that solar owners produce. Regulators in California, by far the nations leader in use of solar power, have continued to support benefits for rooftop solar owners. 2016 Los Angeles Times Visit the Los Angeles Times at www.latimes.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. _____ Anti-business mentality hurts NM GOOD ARTICLE BY Winthrop Quigley (June 12) reciting a study by Matt E. Ryan, professor at Duquesne University, showing a wide disparity of economic growth between Arizona and New Mexico since 1963 (Separated at birth). The study asserts that the primary reason for the wide divergence in growth is New Mexicos dependence on government investment, while Arizona depends on private spending. The study points out that neither state has an inherent geographic or demographic advantage since the states are very similar in make up. One of your readers expressed the opinion that water availability is the difference, since Arizona draws water from the (Colorado River), yet New Mexico also draws water from the same source. Both states have a water problem. No, the major difference has more to do with New Mexicos anti-business mentality and its liberal, Third World, pro-labor attitude compared to Arizonas right-to-work stance than to the impact of government or private investment. Arizona owes much of its economic and population growth to the migration of disillusioned Californians fleeing oppressive regulations. I was one of those disillusioned California business owners who fled to Arizona a few years ago for that reason. Being very familiar with New Mexicos political milieu, I would not risk starting a business here. New Mexico should stop trying to emulate California and start behaving more like Arizona. STEPHEN F. BACA Rio Rancho Focus should be on our advantages WHILE THE comparison of Arizona and New Mexico is interesting and informative, the evaluation of all the possible causes of the difference between the two states falls short. The point about the focus of New Mexico being more public i.e., federal government spending than Arizona deserves further discussion. First, New Mexico put its focus on military facilities and national laboratories. While both states have about an equal number of major federal facilities N.M. has four military facilities, two national laboratories and WIPP, while Arizona has seven military facilities the politicians of Arizona were smart enough to work through their senators and representatives to get the Central Arizona Project built. That brought a supply of water to central Arizona that is unparalleled by any water resource in N.M. A huge difference. It enabled impressive growth in their agricultural economy. It also made Palo Verde Nuclear Plant possible, which, in turn, gave Arizona reliable and plentiful electricity for growth. Further, Arizona focused its public works projects on facilities that provided the basics needed by businesses throughout the state water, electricity, etc. N.M. opted to spend on projects such as the Spaceport and the Rail Runner that only provided a regional boost, if at all. As for basic earth resources, Arizona is only big in copper, while N.M. has that as well as coal, oil, natural gas, potash and uranium as major sources. So, why arent we better utilizing those resources to grow the economy? Its partly because we ship almost all of those out of state for conversion into products. Reasons for that transportation, lack of skilled labor, water, etc. Note that there are areas of business that N.M. is far ahead of Arizona dairy being one. Beef cattle being another. Further, our climate should be more attractive for living than the Arizona Central Valley. Those are the advantages we need to boost and use for growth and a better life. CHRISTOPHER M. TIMM Albuquerque Changes in government would help WINTHROP QUIGLEYS column (Separated at birth, June 12) comparing New Mexico and Arizona correctly describes the difference between the economies of the two states, but fails to mention the most likely cause. Quigley points out that New Mexico went after government investment, while Arizona built a private economy. But he omits the significant fact that Republicans have controlled the Legislature and most state offices in Arizona since the 1960s, while Democrats have dominated New Mexico despite the occasional Republican governor. The two states are a dramatic illustration of red-state versus blue-state governance, but Quigley is color blind on this point. Studies of government regulation rank Arizona significantly higher in economic freedom than New Mexico. Arizona has adopted business-friendly regulatory and tax policies, including a right-to-work law, that have contributed to a robust private economy. New Mexico, by contrast, has adopted blue-state policies like those in Illinois, New York and Puerto Rico and is seeing comparable results. At the end of his column, Quigley acknowledges that modest changes in tax and regulatory structure can help the economy. But thats unlikely without some major changes in state government. JAMES A. MCCLURE Albuquerque Water the main issue in growing NM (WINTHROP) QUIGLEYS front page article comparing New Mexico with Arizona using a study by a professor from back east (Separated at birth, June 12) is a prime example of the ignorance displayed by people not of the Western states. New Mexico is slightly larger than Arizona, but our major water source, the Rio Grande, is less than half the size of the Colorado river in Arizona. Arizonas yearly average rainfall is 12.5 inches, while New Mexicos is almost a third less at 8.91. How outsiders ignore the fact that every human being needs water to survive and that industry requires orders of magnitude more is astounding. Apply this to the Santolina project and you find the same sort of thinking. Apparently, they think Build the houses and the water will come. This is what I call the Beancounter Fantasy. Another instance of this is how we consistently come in as an impoverished state with below-average income. I personally know people who basically live off the land. They have more toys than Ill ever have and yet their yearly income is low. Why? Because they know how to build things themselves instead of buying them new or paying someone else to do the work. LEW CRITCHFIELD Albuquerque Speak Up Rules If you want to gripe, grouse, whine or bellyache about a generic topic, submit your message at ABQjournal.com/letters/speakup . The same goes if you want to dish out praise or thanks. Either way, you have to do it in 50 words or less. You cant identify anyone you criticize. Keep it clean. No cursing, please. We dont need your name, just initials. And its cheaper than therapy. THE ORLANDO SHOOTER did not win; the coming together of so many around the country to honor the victims wins. Love always trumps hate. K.O. WHEN ARE WE going to have rallies larger than this in Albuquerque, Santa Fe and other New Mexico towns to demand that Congress outlaw the AR-15 military-style assault rifle? All this crying might make you feel good for a while but it doesnt create change. J.A.I. DO REQUIRED APS subjects such as English or math get their own associate superintendent? Why does the elective ethnic studies get one? J.B. THE CITY OF Albuquerque did a poor job of crowd control during the Trump rally. The protesters should not have been within 100 yards of the rally attendees, like I saw in San Diego. Instead they had to walk down a narrow path between the protesters. Plus why have the police there to just watch? S.B. JUST BECAUSE you clear up a mans speech and tone does not mean that you change his character or beliefs. T.M. OUR OBSESSION with promoting diversity coupled with all of the political correctness is going to prove to be our downfall. We are slowly sinking into the abyss. J.C. RE: NEW MEXICO vs Arizona: Arizona built its economy on private enterprise and New Mexico on the government and Democratic rule. B.C. KUDOS TO Winthrop Quigley for his Sunday Journal (June 12) piece Separated at Birth. Its worth noting since 1960, New Mexico has had a mostly Democratic Legislature and governance. Arizona, on the other, had mostly Republican. Our state suffers from a decades old anti-private business culture, seeking instead handouts from the feds. S.W. LOVE THE SINNER, Hate the sin. If your god or candidate loves only people who look and think like you, I dont want to hear about them, especially at social events. J.C.S. EVERYONE WONDERS why business does not come to Albuquerque. Here is one reason. If a business person comes to town, one of the things he/she will look at is the evening TV news. And what they will see is news that one would expect to see in a town of 5,000, not 500,000. Wake up people. J.E.H. WHEN IS THE city of Albuquerque zoning going to start enforcing the clear sight triangle regarding overgrown trees and shrubs on corner lots residential and commercial. Lack of enforcement is making unsafe streets at a time when more kids are out of school. Arent streets dangerous enough? T.M. THIS ELECTION is pretty much over! The Republican National Committee placed a massive order for Prozac. The Democratic National Committee placed a massive order for popcorn. B.F. THE CITY OF Albuquerque announces that the city streets can not be repaired because there is no money available. But there is enough money for the city to spend on a new bus system down Central Avenue that nobody wants. J.P.B. IT WAS MY turn to get a hair cut. The cutter asked for my phone number. I said I dont give it out. She froze like a robot getting switched off. I told her if she didnt want to cut my hair, that Id go elsewhere. Since she was still switched off, I left. B.B. ITS TIME New Mexico got off the government feeding trough. Free enterprise, not government handouts. J.D. IM JUST SURPRISED that New Mexico is even a state with its lack of opportunity for college graduates W.H. MAN IN TEXAS gets life in slammer for ninth DWI; here in New Mexico hed get 30 days and a letter of reprimand. J.K. I GUESS THE judges do not care about the wildlife of our country! What about the ecosystem? You know, nature being in charge! A.C. President Obama today signed into law sweeping legislation to reform the national chemical regulations, marking a triumphant end to Sen. Tom Udalls three-year effort on the issue. At a White House ceremony, Obama called the bill a really significant piece of businessa big deal. The president also said it proved that bipartisan agreement in still possible in a capital that often seems hopelessly gridlocked. This is proof that even in the current polarized, political process in Washington, things can work, Obama said. The bill would give the Environmental Protection Agency new powers to test 85,000 chemicals currently in use. It also gives the EPA authority to review the approximately 750-1,500 new chemicals that emerge annually before they go on the market. Udall, a New Mexico Democrat, thanked the president in a statement shortly before the signing ceremony. I want to thank President Obama for his support for this landmark new law, Udall said. When the ink dries on his signature, we will put 40 years of broken law behind us. It is a historic step forward that will improve the health and safety of every American family. It took 40 years and a lot of hard work, and Im elated that with this new law, were finally creating a regulatory system that will protect them, their families and the health of all Americans, he added. This isnt the last step we must ensure the new program is a success. And as the lead Democrat on the Appropriations subcommittee that oversees the EPAs budget, Im putting the EPA and the industry on notice: I will be watching. SHOW LOW, Ariz. Firefighters are working to secure the eastern flank of a wildfire that still threatens some communities in eastern Arizona. The fire that began June 15 has burned almost 67 square miles and remained 22 percent contained Wednesday. It is about 2 miles north of Cedar Creek where 300 people live. More than 15,000 people in Pinetop-Lakeside and Show Low, along with others in the surrounding communities, remain under pre-evacuation notice. Fire officials say the containment line is along the northern cap of the blaze and crews are trying to stop any expansion from reaching outside the burn scar of a wildfire in the area last year. Crews now are focused on expanding fire lines and conducting burnout operations, which is increasing some smoke in the air above the communities. DALLAS The head of a United Nations agency on Wednesday condemned the death of a freelance journalist in Texas whose body was found with a gunshot wound in the back yard of a home. UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova said from Paris that authorities must determine the motive for the killing of Spanish-language journalist Jacinto Torres Hernandez, 57. He was a longtime reporter and photographer for La Estrella who used the byline Jay Torres. La Estrella is a weekly publication of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram serving readers in the Dallas-Fort Worth region. I call on the authorities to investigate this killing and its motives so that those responsible for it be brought to trial, Bokova said in a statement. Police have not determined whether his freelance work may have contributed to his death. He operated a real estate business that involved renovating homes and his body was found June 13 at a home in the Dallas suburb of Garland that he either had purchased or was considering buying. Investigators said he had been dead for multiple days and that robbery does not appear to be a motive because nothing was taken from him. Family members said at a news conference last week that Torres had worked on stories such as human trafficking that could place him in danger. More recently his work was more intense, riskier, his daughter, Aline Torres, said during a news conference last week covered by the newspaper Al Dia. He was lifting up stones that perhaps people did not want to have lifted. Son Gibran Torres said his father was at the Garland residence as part of his other work flipping homes. He did not mention to me that he was the target of any threats, Torres said. However, he said his father had been investigating human trafficking and human exploitation for the newspaper. As for his real estate business, Torres said his father had occasionally dealt with angry tenants. One person who was buying or renting a house from his father was arrested in a massive roundup of cocaine trafficking suspects, Torres said. As part of the investigation, detectives have confiscated reporter notebooks from Torres car and family members have provided the names of his tenants. Theres so many different angles, Garland police Lt. Pedro Barineau said. He was a journalist as well as real estate (agent) so they have to look at both aspects of his life, and theyre looking at all of the different types of things that could lead them to somebody else. Juan Antonio Ramos, executive editor of La Estrella, told the Star-Telegram that Torres will be remembered for his devotion and passion for journalism. He was a person who always focused on covering the Hispanic community in a full, objective and professional manner, he said. Ramos did not return calls from The Associated Press for comment. Although the motive in Torres killing must still be determined, the Committee to Protect Journalists says since 1992 at least seven journalists have been killed in the U.S. because of their work. ___ Associated Press writers Nomaan Merchant and Terry Wallace in Dallas contributed to this report. ARLINGTON, Texas The Cincinnati Reds reinstated University of New Mexico and La Cueva High alumnus Jordan Pacheco from the 15-day disabled list on Wednesday, then outrighted him to Triple-A Louisville. Pacheco, a utility player, refused the outright assignment and instead elected to become a free agent. Cincinnati needed the 40-man roster spot when it reinstated right-hander Michael Lorenzen from the 60-day disabled list. Pacheco was hitting .157 (8 for 51) in limited duty with the Reds, his third big-league team. His 377 major league games are the most by any former Lobo. HUMANSVILLE, Mo. A flying team participating in an all-female cross-country airplane race crashes into a Missouri field, but both crew members were able to walk away unhurt. The Warrensburg Daily Star-Journal reports the Cessna 182 went down shortly before noon Wednesday near Humansville, about 70 miles south of a planned stop in Warrensburg. It was one of 50 airplanes racing in the 40th Annual Air Race Classic, which departed from Prescott, Arizona, on Tuesday morning. Race spokeswoman Dianna Stanger says preparations were being made Wednesday afternoon to remove the damaged aircraft from the field. The race covers more than 2,700 miles across 12 states over four days and ends at 5 p.m. Friday in Daytona Beach, Florida. Stanger says there have been no fatal crashes in the events four decades. ___ Information from: Daily Star-Journal, http://www.dailystarjournal.com, SANTA FE The Santa Fe Police Department has arrested a man for allegedly stealing from up to six abandoned vehicles along a big stretch of Interstate 25 early Wednesday morning. Someone called 911 at 1:30 a.m. Wednesday and said he followed a yellow pickup truck for 200 miles along I-25 as the driver, later identified as 27-year-old Maclovio Villa-Diaz, took items from abandoned vehicles, including a 2004 burgundy Cadillac at the St. Francis Drive off-ramp, according to an SFPD press release. SFPD officers spotted the truck, which had a hard tonneau cover over the bed that wouldnt close because the bed was so packed, on Cerrillos Road and pulled it over. Villa-Diaz admitted to officers that he took an iPad, tool belt, tools and other items from the Cadillac. Villa-Diaz, who told police he was traveling home to Colorado Springs, said his vehicle was broken into, so he thought he would do the same. SFPD said the Cadillacs owner couldnt be found because the license plate belonged to a different car. Villa-Diaz is currently being held at the Santa Fe County jail for burglary of a motor vehicle on no bond and has yet to go in front of a Santa Fe Magistrate Court judge. Court records show he has no criminal history in New Mexico. Albuquerques Sutin, Thayer & Browne law firm is moving from its Two Park Square penthouse suites, putting some prime Uptown office space on the market later this year. The two floors coming into play total 20,000 square feet, said Jim Long, Albuquerque businessman known best as the CEO of Heritage Hotels & Resorts and part owner of Park Square a Class A office complex in the heart of the citys Uptown corridor. Jay Rosenblum, president and CEO of Sutin, said the firm is moving to new offices at 6100 Uptown NE. Rosenblum said the space better fits Sutins workforce of 60 people, which is evenly divided between lawyers and support staff. Long said he expects strong interest in the prestigious Two Park Square space. Its the first availability (to lease the top floors) in 30 years, said Long, adding the law firm, formed in 1946, has been a tenant in the 10-story structure since 1985. Long touts the buildings access to freeways and nearby amenities, such as Ruths Chris Steak House and the Japanese Kitchen. He said the leasing team is targeting top financial firms, such as banks and brokerages, to come on board. The Park Square complex includes the two 10-story office buildings, each of which has 200,000 square feet, 68,000 square feet of retail space and two parking structures, Long said. Other major tenants in Two Park Square include Morgan Stanley and KPMG. Long said the building is about 95 percent occupied. A 7-year-old boy from the Albuquerque area was fatally shot early Monday during a family camping trip in the San Juan Mountains in Conejos County, Colo., according to Colorado news reports. The shooting happened at or near a campsite at Stunner Pass, according to the Conjeos Valley Courier and the Pueblo Chieftain. The child was not identified, and Conejos County Coroner Richard Martin said Tuesday that he could not comment, citing a local judges gag order imposed in the case, according to the Courier. Conejos County Undersheriff Chis Crown told the Courier the boy was with three generations of family for a camping trip. The call about a child with a gunshot wound to the chest came in to authorities at 8 a.m. Monday, and family members drove the boy to meet an ambulance. He was taken to the Conejos County Hospital, where an attending physician pronounced him dead, the Courier reported. Conejos County sheriffs personnel told the Chieftain on Tuesday that they were waiting for a warrant to search the familys campsite. A spokeswoman for the Colorado Bureau of Investigation said the agency has been asked to help investigate the incident. An obituary published in Wednesdays Journal said a 7-year-old boy named Donte Morris died unexpectedly Monday during a fishing trip in Colorado. There was no confirmation that the boy was the one mentioned in the Colorado news reports. The for-profit Brown Mackie College has confirmed its Albuquerque campus is closing. Once all students who are currently enrolled complete their education, we will be closing, said Bob Greenlee, Brown Mackie spokesman with the colleges parent company, Pittsburgh-based Education Management. Greenlee confirmed that students received a letter earlier this month saying the school, near Eubank and Lomas NE, would no longer accept new students, and current students would be taught out. The colleges website also says the school is no longer accepting new students. Education Management is closing 22 of the 26 Brown Mackie campuses as part of a national evaluation of regional demand, said Greenlee. He said he had no knowledge of a set closure date for the Albuquerque location. It depends on how long it takes to serve our current students, he said. Many of our students have just enrolled in two-year programs. The for-profit school had 394 students and 107 staff members, including faculty, as of the beginning of this month, said Greenlee. Were focusing all our efforts on our current students, he said. James Cheslek, former dean of the college in Albuquerque, said he was not surprised the school was closing. I told everyone earlier this year that it wouldnt last six months, said Cheslek. The focus got away from the students. Cheslek said enrollment had fallen in recent years, and as a result of financial pressures, many of the schools best instructors were let go. These were people that the students really looked up to, he said. Cheslek was placed on leave in March for reasons related to issues in the independent studies department, although he said the reasons made no sense to him. He was officially let go in May. He had been dean of the school since its opening in April 2010. Cheslek said at one point during his tenure, an instructor was found to have taught a class in the nursing program despite not having the proper credentials and was subsequently fired. He said the incident did not have anything to do with his own termination. The New Mexico State Board of Nursing recommended in March that the schools nursing program be closed, Cheslek confirmed. Greenlee said the colleges closure was unrelated to the nursing instructor incident. 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. IMGCAP(1)]In a recent article on Accounting Todays website, Auditors: Friends or Foes, Jillian Rojas explored an interesting comparison between public company auditors and the police. Leaving the policing side for another time, and for those with competence in the theory and practice of police sciencesome further exploration of the function and role of the auditors is indicated Rojas sees a clear conflict of interest in the auditor/client relationship because, as she puts it, public companies hire auditors because of an obligation to scrutinize their financial statements not on their behalf, but on behalf of the public, outsiders and government agencies. She goes so far as to describe the model of client-provided compensation as an ongoing unethical activityone that is enabling crime and simply unethical and illegal. Some historical perspective might well serve to reduce the heated tone of this rhetoric. To start, it should be remembered that, ever since the original development of the independent audit function in the middle of the 19th century, client pays has been the only relationship model to stand the tests of practical application, broad user satisfaction and acceptance by the capital markets. Private delivery of audit services under client pays has been challenged, but prevailedin England in the 1860s when Parliament first required audits of the railroads, and in the 1930s with passage of the foundational U.S. securities laws. The concept of auditor obligations to third parties and the eventual layering on of legal duties also followed. But however subject to debate and criticism over the elusive and shifting limits of appearance of independence, the fundamental principle of auditor selection and payment by the company has a history spanning over 160 years. Likewise, from todays end of the timeline, Rojass further suggestion that clients should not be allowed to choose the firm they work with appears rather than being rather practical in implementation, as she puts itto be a considerable step too far. Although Rojas presents no particulars of an alternative mechanism for the selection, assignment and payment of public company auditors, the concept of a supra-national audit supervisory authority defies both the logic of global business reality and the capability of the agencies of government. Simply putand with focus on the large-company sector of the global market, as completely dominated by todays Big Four networksthe question practically answers itself, What structure of civil servants could conceivably be authorized and capable of evaluating and choosing among competing Big Four networks, when the execution of a global-scale audit engagement could involve the personnel and resources of separate country-level firms in 125 or more different countries? Auditor skills and resources are neither fungible nor transferable, either by geography or by industry specialty. To pick a single, simple example, while KPMG is by far the dominant firm serving large companies based in Germany, across the border in France it has by good measure the smallest presence among the Big Four in that market. Consider the limits on the jurisdiction, geographic scope and effectiveness of even the most mature of the worlds regulatorsthe Financial Reporting Council in the United Kingdom or the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board in the United States. How could a regulator with limited remit, staff, language skills and resources hope to make a selection on behalf of, say, a large American-based company such as Apple or Ford or JP Morgan Chase, whose far-flung operations would require audit expertise in each of those foreign countries (and scores of others)? The persistence of the expectations gap between auditor performance and the professed needs and desires of financial information users make entirely legitimate the kind of inquiry proposed by Rojas about the nature and value of the current audit model. At the same time, a grounding in both history and the dynamics of the marketplace should shape the dialogue for which she calls. Jim Peterson, an attorney who specializes in representing international accounting firms, regularly blogs about accounting and auditing and is the author of the recently published book, Count Down: The Past, Present and Uncertain Future of the Big Four Accounting Firms. By Justin Gardner Its the stuff of libertarian dreams. The IRS admits that it wrongfully took money from innocent citizens, and it gives the money back. This is actually happening to victims of a little-known form of civil asset forfeiture carried out by the IRS on the premise of structuring violations. In case you didnt know, depositing or withdrawing just under $10,000 from your bank account multiple times is viewed as suspicious and possibly criminal activity. In a victory for lawmakers working to make it harder for the government to take property from innocent Americans, the Internal Revenue Service plans to give people who have had money seized over the last six years the chance to petition to get their money back, The Daily Signal has learned. According to a GOP source, the IRS told the House Ways and Means Oversight Subcommittee that it will send letters to everyone the agency seized money from for alleged structuring violations, which involves making consistent cash transactions of just under $10,000 to avoid reporting requirements, starting in October 2009. One petition has already been granted, and others are likely to follow. The IRS has seized entire bank accounts with no notice or due process, alleging the owners sought to avoid federal bank reporting requirements. The aforementioned pattern of banking is described as intentionally structuring cash transactions, and they call it a crime. This nefarious provision of the Bank Secrecy Act is purportedly targeted at drug traffickers, money launderers and terrorists, but it has swept up hundreds of innocent peopleincluding small business owners who lost everything because they deal wholly or partly in cash. Carole Hinders, owner of a Mexican restaurant in Iowa that only accepted cash, had her entire bank account of $33,000 seized even though she did nothing wrong. The IRS seized $63,000 from Randy Sowers, a dairy farmer in Maryland, because he was depositing under $10,000 into his bank account. Ken Quran, the owner of a convenience store in North Carolina, had his entire bank account of $150,000 seized after working nonstop for years to build it up. His crime? Withdrawing cash from his bank account in amounts under $10,000. But the truly shocking thing is what happened next. A group of government agentsboth from the IRS and local policecame to Kens store with an agreement already written up, under which Ken would agree to forever forfeit the money to the federal government. The agents searched his store with dogs, barred the entrance to keep out customers, and then demanded that he sign the paper. Ken initially refused, explaining that he did not read English well and did not want to sign an agreement he could not understand. Then, under compulsionafter one of the local police yelled and demanded that he sign, and after one of the IRS agents made clear that, otherwise, their next stop would be to talk to Kens wife to pressure herKen agreed to sign. Between 2007 and 2013, the IRS seized $43 million in over 600 cases where only structuring violations were committed, according to the Institute for Justice (IJ). The IRS abandoned this policy in 2014 after IJ put heavy pressure on the agency through lawsuits and media exposure. 10 Strategies to Survive and Thrive During Economic Collapse - Subscribe To Get Your Free Copy Email address: Yes - I consent to receive emails Leave this field empty if you're human: Subscription is FREE and CONFIDENTIAL - Subscribe To Get Your Free Copy But the noble public interest law firm was not done. IJ pioneered a legal mechanism, called petitions for remission, to fight for the return of seized assets from closed cases involving only structural violations. And, amazingly, it worked. IJ filed a petition to the IRS on behalf of Ken Quran, and the agency actually gave Quran all of his money back. This is a startling admission of wrongdoing by the feared federal agency, and a rare win for liberty. After an investigation by the House Ways and Means Oversight Subcommittee, the IRS has been forced to invite 700 other property owners with closed cases to petition for their money back. However, IRS said it has identified only 75 cases where money was wrongfully seized. The true number will be known after everyone goes through the process. In a further rebuke to the agency, members of the Oversight Subcommittee have introduced a bill that prohibits the IRS from seizing money from people who commit structuring violations unless the agency proves the money was tied to a crime. These brazen acts by the IRS are only a small part of the enormous network of thievery called civil asset forfeiture that is cast upon the populace by every level of law enforcement. It has nothing to do with protecting and serving, and everything to do with policing for profit. Countless innocent people across the country have had cash, assets and life savings stolen by local police departments, DEA and other agencies. Nothing but a fabricated suspicion of a crime is needed for this to happen, and the struggle to get ones assets back is often not worth the effort and legal fees. Fortunately, this too is being fought by IJ and others who realize the sheer injustice of it all. New Mexico became the first state to require a criminal conviction for asset forfeiture, effectively abolishing civil asset forfeiture, and other states are following suit. At the federal level, attention must be focused on the Equitable Sharing Program which allows local police departments to skirt state laws by sharing the loot with the feds. Resistance is not futile. When the ugly truth of civil asset forfeiture is exposed, it can be stopped. Justin Gardner writes for TheFreeThoughtProject.com, where this article first appeared. By Bernie Suarez Its no secret that when a person trains in a certain field they become very knowledgeable about how things operate in that field, dont they? Today were led to believe that unless you pursue a degree in a particular field it is okay to be ignorant of knowledge in that field. Its like weve outsourced the process of critical thinking to those who have degrees in specific fields. Thus not being trained in that field becomes the excuse many people use today to blindly accept whatever they are told (in this case by mainstream media) about issues pertaining to that field of study. What Im describing here is someone who doesnt want to think on their own. Stepping back and taking a birds-eye view of the situation, were describing someone who not only doesnt want to think on their own but someone who considers critical thinking a bothersome (mental) exercise. This is actually no different than the person who doesnt ever want to go to the gym because they are lazy. This willful ignorance is then similar to a mental laziness. As the controllers continue to conduct one false flag shooting event after another to destroy our mental peace and sense of safety, and as they deliberately tamper with the general publics psyche to prepare them for martial law and permanent enslavement, this mental laziness or willful ignorance becomes a key tool that allows the controllers to get away with what I call medical miracles and fantastic improbabilities playing out before our very eyes as few are even catching them or (for that matter) even questioning them. Orlando Shooting: Missing medical reality Taking a closer look at the mass shooting false flag in Orlando, Florida, however, well observe that in this event (as Ive already written about) we saw medical impossibilities, miracles and massive protocol and ethics violations on full display in broad daylight with few saying a word. Ill provide emphasis on the word zero to make my point more clearly. From police officers playing the role of emergency medical services and paramedics, to another big shooting scene with zero ambulances clearly seen anywhere saving lives, to the miracle of police being given the power to pronounce people dead, to zero accounts of people who almost died then were saved during surgery, to zero accounts of people who were thought to survive and then crashed later on, to zero cases of stories from the front-line nurses, doctors and paramedics telling us of specific challenges with those who sustained gunshot wounds. No stories, for example, of any victims who perhaps suffered a pneumothorax or pulmonary embolism from the gun wound but was later saved with other life support measures. No tense days of waiting to see who makes it or who dies. Amazingly, everyone died at the same time during that immediate aftermath period when the story and ceremonies were being constructed. This medical miracle of all patients dying at the same time as Ive said many times again assumes the fictional reality of one shot one kill video game-style. We see this medical miracle pushed on us all the time in staged mass shootings. At Sandy Hook were told that a weapons-untrained featherweight boy magically wielded his assault rifle with such skills, precision and speed that his victims were hit and killed immediately without any possibility of being alive, entirely rationalizing why the police (of all people!) were able to look visually , examine and confirm death, completely rendering unnecessary the skills and services of the medical professional emergency service and paramedics workers, etc. This my friends, is a wild medical impossibility of epic proportions. I couldnt help but to notice that in an attempt to control the 2-dimensional reality the mainstream media set up what appears to be a staged doctor press conference where doctors tell how lucky they were that no one died at the hospital, according to Dr Michael Cheatham chief trauma surgeon who happened to be the same doctor selling the lockdown rationale the morning of the shooting. As a former medical professional, I personally sense no reality to this conference and political interviews. Doctors generally dont behave this way getting prettied up and prepped for the camera to calmly tell their story. The odds of this luck where no one died in surgery from massive assault rifle wounds are extremely bizarre in light of the event that took place. So what we have is zero footage of ambulances, emergency rescue workers saving lives, and a bunch of doctors seemingly staging a press conference to explain what they know is an improbable medical coincidence. This is exactly what I predicted earlier this year when I said that false flags would migrate to a hospital near you with plenty of stories told to us by the doctors and surgeons themselves. Stories you and I cannot confirm for reasons of patient confidentiality. Get it? You decide. I believe the reason these doctors bounced out of character to do these bizarre storytelling interviews selling the all-or-nothing idea that everyone at the club died due to (presumably) head wounds (?), while everyone who came in with body wounds was miraculously saved in surgery, is because they know that studies have shown that a person rarely dies from one single gunshot. The human body is actually resilient and tends towards life. Lets listen to Dr Andreas Grabinsky talk about gunshot wounds and how most people actually survive gunshot wounds. So, as I see it there is reason to highly suspect these Orlando doctors are telling us these stories in a manner that conveniently suggests the fictional body-shots 100% lucky and alive dead people 100% dead at club, no need to bring to hospital with no in-between organic reality. This all or nothing claim is highly suspicious! Again, this idea that someone gets shot one time (or even twice) and automatically they are dead is a delusion not based on reality. In fact, nowadays medical researchers will tell you people are surviving gunshot wounds at a better rate than ever. Listen to Dr Thomas Scalea professor of surgery at University of Maryland Medical Center explain this. Writer Rachael Rettner writes (emphasis added to point out rather important facts): Over the last 20 years, the chances that a person will survive a critical gunshot wound have increased substantially, perhaps by around 30 to 40 percent, said Dr. Thomas Scalea, professor of surgery at the University of Maryland Medical Centers R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, who has treated thousands of patients with gunshot wounds over his three-decade career. The most important factors, in terms of a persons survival odds, are the location of the injury, the amount of blood lost and how quickly the victim is transported to the hospital, said Scalea Being shot in the trunk or torso is more life-threatening than being shot in an extremity, Scalea said. And within major organs such as the heart or liver, some injuries are more serious than others because they cause more bleeding, Scalea said. For example, being shot in the left side of the heart generally causes more bleeding than being shot on right side of the heart, because the right side has lower blood pressure, Scalea said. An injury to more than one of the hearts four chambers causes more bleeding than an injury to only one chamber, and a wound that goes through the septum which separates the hearts left and right sides is worse than an injury that does not go through the septum, Scalea said. With gunshot wounds that involve the liver, an injury to the organs center causes more bleeding than an injury to its periphery, and a wound on the right side is worse than the left, Scalea said. The main concern with gunshot wounds that involve the intestine or stomach is not bleeding, but infections that result from spillage of the contents of those organs, Scalea said. Both technical advances and changes in trauma practice have led to an increase in the percentage of people who survive gunshot wounds, Scalea said. Rather than trying to stabilize victims in the field, health care personnel now try to get injured people into a transport vehicle and to a hospital as soon as possible, Scalea said. While people can, theoretically, survive a gunshot wound to any part of their body, the chances of survival vary on a case by case basis, he said. Pass it on: More people now survive critical gunshot wounds than they did several decades ago thanks to changes in trauma practice and technical advances. There you have it. As you can see, again, the idea of one shot one kill is not grounded in reality, especially given the circumstances of a dark nightclub, aimless gunfire, people running and all the confusion in the middle of poor lighting, etc. Again, to make up for this extremely odd improbability, Dr Cheatham implies but doesnt say it directly that the people who died were shot in the head. If that is the case they should be prepared to prove that. And in light of the video above, as you can see the odds of all of the body-shot victims surviving is extremely small also because a shot to the heart or vital organ can make a big difference between life and death even if that person doesnt die right then and there. However, were told of no such stories. Thats an extremely bizarre coincidence in more ways than most people realize. Also, from the shooters standpoint, its one thing to fire an assault rifle; its quite another to aim and precisely hit your target with little time to think and the pressure of hitting every single target perfectly. Every human that gets hit by one or more bullets will react differently and has a completely different outcome compared to the person next to them. There are simply too many variables at play to assume they would all somehow die at the same time and the body shot people all conveniently run out and are saved in surgery accounting for zero deaths in the operating room as told to us by perfectly posed doctors. All this aside, thats just one medical miracle and impossibility among many others we are seeing now regularly because the controllers apparently only care about convincing the mentally lazy, willfully ignorant segment of the population as we discussed earlier. Obviously they realize that those of us who are thinking critically are going to figure out that none of their stories make medical sense; its the mental zombies they feel they need to convince. Well, apparently their assumptions about this ignorant segment of the population is accurate; they are indeed falling for these medical psyop miracles and fantastic ironies that defy nature, and not just once but with every false flag shooting. Body identification I imagine everyone needed a proper ID according to Florida state alcohol distribution laws to enter the club; then why the confusion over how many dead people and who died? How can the death toll number change for a smaller (not larger) number? How can you count one more dead person who isnt dead. Oh I know what the sheep will say, its a simple mistake. Dont look now but there hasnt been one shooting event where the dead body count hasnt changed. Ask yourself, where is the only other place we see changing body counts in both directions? Video games perhaps. In the organic world one cannot be counted dead then rise from the dead. Again, since every single person at the club had an ID on them, at that time the death count should have been very precise and easy to calculate. I digress. Police playing role of paramedics! Then there is my pet-peeve issue, where we are now seeing police being inserted into the role of paramedics and EMS as the image below shows, not to mention being given the absolute medical authority to pronounce people dead or, more properly, not worthy of life-saving intervention as we saw in Sandy Hook. The only theoretical role the police department would play in any real life-saving situation is the obligation to protect the medical professionals as they do their jobs, and to move their cars OUT of the way so that medical professionals can get in and out. The entire process of saving lives, including CPR, providing of oxygen, saline into your veins to build up your blood pressure, blood transfusions to replace loss of blood, tourniquet applications, chest pumps, the application of chemical and electrocardioversion, making the key decision when NOT to move an injured person and HOW to move them. All of these actions only describe a fraction of the responsibilities of a professionally trained medical emergency worker. They get a license and training for a reason. As I often point out, making a mistake in this critical life-saving process could be a subject of a life-altering lawsuit or malpractice charge against a medical professional. There are rules that guide the ethical behavior and obligations of these medical professional workers in real life-saving situations, and for this reason many medical professionals especially doctors pay a very high premium for medical heath malpractice insurance. Thats because we are talking real lives here. In the typical false flag pre-planned and staged shooting event we are not only seeing police playing the role of paramedics despite that they have no training whatsoever in medical care, but the police seem to move around confidently as if they know that no one is going to sue them for moving that injured patient and causing the rupture of his aortic or femoral artery and triggering a pulmonary embolism, or whatever it might be. When it comes to medical injuries, every medical professional knows that you simply never know what is happening. This is why the professionals train for so many years. All of this reality is now taking a back seat to the staged false flag psyop reality we are told. Im not suggesting I know who died and who didnt die and Im not even claiming that no one died. Im saying that we have to challenge every segment of the reality they are presenting us with in the proper context not in the mainstream media context. In this case Im offering readers a chance to prove me wrong and to deliver the medical reality of this shooting. In fact, here is sequence of events that will add more reality to the Orlando shooting above and beyond those that are telling us they know someone who knows someone who died. We should all know this list of criteria as weve all done this before. Steps on how to easily prove this article wrong 1. For all 49 deceased victims we should account for 49 stories telling exactly how they died and what exact time. 2. For all 49 deceased victims we need 49 medical records with details of the cause of death written and signed by a licensed medical doctor to include the surgeon who attempted the life-saving surgery, the ER doctor and or the licensed Coroner who did the autopsy. All of this is standard medical practice and should not be a problem for all researchers who commit to proving this article wrong. Needless to say Ill be very curious if indeed all of these victims suffered wounds to the head as is being implied. 3. Building on #2, Id like to see a list of all the surgeries that DID take place that evening for comparison. Im actually wondering why no lives were lost whatsoever during these presumably intense surgeries. Yes, theyve told us they were lucky to save everyone, but now we need to see the full reality of HOW this happened. This claim again is more remarkable than most people realize given the circumstances. 4. All 49 deceased victims should come with easily and quickly available clear-to-see (no resistance please) death certificates. 5. We should see organic clear and undeniable funeral images of these victims. With every single person walking around with a smart phone which has a built-in video camera this should be a rather easy task. Sadly, should they get this far and prove the actual deaths of these victims, these deaths would still not account for all the other fakery surrounding this complex false flag event, but it would at least allow us to check off the death claims and label this both a staged fake event and a Gladio-style murder. So while were waiting for the conveniently missing police scanner audio from the hours of the shooting and hostage scenario to appear; while were waiting for the countless cell phone videos from people who were there; and while were digesting that one guy would hold the door shut from the outside so that no one can get out AND then brag about this crime on CNN; and while were waiting for the unredacted 911 calls, the clear overhead helicopter videos of the standoff, a reason for the unethical hospital lockdown which would surely cost lives and much more consider that maybe, just maybe the Orlando shooting event was a multi-dimensional event with mixed realities designed for maximum psychological and political effect. Consider that the obvious crisis actors weve been laughing about were perhaps intended to be shown to us. Consider that the conflicting realities are all put there deliberately because they know they can do it this way. So, instead of wondering if anyone died or not, or how many did actually die if anyone; and instead of wallowing in the FBI obvious connection to the accused now-dead patsy killer which we actually have no proof of either (Mateens death), the obvious implied foreknowledge and all the connections neatly being presented to us by both mainstream and alternative media, what if we treat this one differently? I say Im holding on to my final verdict in terms of how many people died until I see all the actual proof. Im a living breathing organic person and I demand living real organic proof of these simple easily verifiable things. Realize that if we think this way, from a scientific integrity and scientific method and organic reality point of view this event is not much different from Sandy Hook or perhaps San Bernardino or Boston bombing. Perhaps this is the intended purpose, to have people divided on many different fronts fighting over whose reality is more real. When you practice something many times eventually you get really good at it, and perhaps they are getting very good at this. No, not the skill of hiding that its fake; they are getting better at dividing us while getting away with it. Perhaps THATS the real reason for the obviously fake crisis actors. The lacking medical reality, however, is a special challenge I pose to all. Show me the medical reality of this event and then well go from there. Either way its another false flag which we have to cope with. Its time we fight back by using our intelligence and all our senses to think at a much higher level. Then and only then will we be able to categorize these events properly and not take the bait they are obviously too happy to put there for us to react to and then for them to observe and see how we react to them. Finally, stop thinking that you are a spectator in their events and consider for a moment and for a change that THEY might be the spectators in the event that YOU, the casual observer, are in the middle of. If you agree please share this message. Bernie is a revolutionary writer with a background in medicine, psychology, and information technology. He is the author of The Art of Overcoming the New World Order and has written numerous articles over the years about freedom, government corruption and conspiracies, and solutions. A former host of the 9/11 Freefall radio show, Bernie is also the creator of the Truth and Art TV project where he shares articles and videos about issues that raise our consciousness and offer solutions to our current problems. His efforts are designed to encourage others to joyfully stand for truth, to expose government tactics of propaganda, fear and deception, and to address the psychology of dealing with the rising new world order. He is also a former U.S. Marine who believes it is our duty to stand for and defend the U.S. Constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic. A peace activist, he believes information and awareness is the first step toward being free from enslavement from the globalist control system which now threatens humanity. He believes love conquers all fear and it is up to each and every one of us to manifest the solutions and the change that you want to see in this world, because doing this is the very thing that will ensure victory and restoration of the human race from the rising global enslavement system, and will offer hope to future generations. By Jon Rappoport I wrote this piece in 2012, in the wake of the Sandy Hook shooting. I re-post it now, because it equally applies to the Orlando shooting. No, Im not talking about the flicker of the television picture. Im talking about an on-off switch that controls information conveyed to the television audience. The Sandy Hook school murders provide an example. First of all, elite media coverage of this tragedy has one goal: to provide an expanding narrative of what happened. Its a story. It has a plot. In order to tell the story, there has to be a source of information. The topflight television anchors are getting their information fromwhere? Their junior reporters? Not really. Ultimately, the information is coming from the police, and secondarily from local officials. In other words, very little actual journalism is happening. The media anchors are absorbing, arranging, and broadcasting details given to them by the police investigators. The anchors are PR people for the cops. This has nothing to do with journalism. Nothing. The law-enforcement agencies investigating the Sandy Hook shootings on the scene, in real time, were following up on leads? We dont know what leads they were following and what leads they were discarding. We dont know what mistakes they were making. We dont know what evidence they were overlooking or intentionally ignoring. The police were periodically giving out information to the media. The anchors were relaying this information to the audience. So when the police privately tell reporters, We chased a suspect into the woods above the school, that becomes a television fact. Until it isnt a fact any longer. The police, for whatever reason, decide to drop the whole suspect in the woods angle. Therefore, the media anchors no longer mention it. Instead the police are focused on Adam Lanza, who is found dead in the school. So are the television anchors, who no longer refer to the suspect in the woods. That old thread has gone down the memory hole. What does this do to the audience who has been following the narrative on television? It sets up a flicker effect. An hour ago, it was suspect in the woods. Now, that bit of data is gone. On-off switch. It was on, now its off. This is a break in logic. It makes no sense. Which is the whole point. The viewer thinks: Lets see. There was a suspect in the woods. The cops were chasing him. Now he doesnt exist. We dont know his name. We dont know why hes off the radar. We dont know whether he was arrested. We dont know if he was questioned. Okay, I guess Ill have to forget all about him. Ill just track what the anchor is telling me. Hes telling the story. I have to follow his story. This was only one flicker. Others occur. The father of Adams brother was found dead. No, thats gone now. The mother of Adam was found dead. Okay. Adam killed all these children with two pistols. No, thats gone now. He used a rifle. It was a Bushmaster. No, it was a Sig Sauer. One weapon was found in the trunk of a car. No, three weapons. At each succeeding point, a fact previously reported is jettisoned and forgotten, to be replaced with a new fact. The television viewer has to forget, along with the television anchor. The viewer wants to follow the developing narrative, so he has to forget. He has no choice if he wants to stay in the loop. But this flicker effect does something to the viewers mind. His mind is no longer alert. Its not generating questions. Logic has been offloaded. Obvious questions and doubts are shelved. How could they think it was the dead father in New Jersey when it was actually the dead mother in Connecticut? Why did they say he used two handguns when it was a rifle? Or was it really a rifle? I heard a boy on camera say there was another man the cops caught and they had him proned out on the ground in front of the school. What happened to him? Where did he go? Why isnt the anchor keeping track of him? All these obvious and reasonable questions (and many others) have to be scratched and forgotten, because the television story is moving into different territory, and the viewer wants to follow the story. This constant flicker effect eventually produces, in the television viewerpassivity. He surrenders to the ongoing narrative. Surrenders. This is mind control. The television anchor doesnt have a problem. His job is to move seamlessly, through an ever-increasing series of contradictions and discarded details, to keep the narrative going, to keep it credible. He knows how to do that. Thats why he is the anchor. He can make it seem as if the story is a growing discovery of what really happened, even though his narrative is littered with abandoned clues and dead-ends and senseless non-sequiturs. And the viewer pays the price. Mired in passive acceptance of whatever the anchor is telling him, the viewer assumes his own grasp on logic and basic judgment is flawed. Now, understand that this viewer has been watching television news for years. Hes watched many of these breaking events. The cumulative effect is devastating. The possibility, for example, that Adam Lanza wasnt the shooter, but was the patsy, is as remote to the viewer as a circus of ants doing Shakespeare on Mars. The possibility that the cops hid evidence and were ordered to release other suspects is unthinkable. Considering that there appears to be not one angry outraged parent in Newtown (because the network producers wouldnt permit such a parent to be interviewed on camera) never occurs to the viewer. Wondering why the doctor of Adam Lanza hasnt been found and quizzed about the drugs he prescribed isnt in the mind of the viewer. The information flicker effect is powerful. It sweeps away independent thought and measured contemplation. It certainly rules out the possibility of imagining the murders in an alternative narrative. Because there is only one narrative. It is delivered by Brian Williams and Scott Pelley and Diane Sawyer. Interesting how they never disagree. Never, in one of these horrendous events do the three kings and queens of television news end up with different versions of what happened. What are the odds of that, if the three people are rational and inquisitive? But these three anchors are not rational or inquisitive. They are synthetic creations of the machine that runs them. They flicker yes and they flicker no. They edit and cut and discard and tailor as they go along. Yes, no, yes, no. On, off, on, off. And the viewers follow, in a state of hypnosis. Why? Because the viewers are addicted to STORY. They are as solidly addicted as a junkie looking for his next fix. Tell me a story. I want a story. That was a good story, but now Im bored. Tell me another story. Please? I need another story. Im listening. Im watching. Tell me a story. And the anchors oblige. They deal the drug. But to get the drug, the audience has to surrender everything they question. They have to submit to the flicker effect and go under. Actually, surrendering to the flicker effect deepens the addiction. And the drug deal is consummated. Welcome to television coverage. Finally, while under hypnosis, the viewing audience is treated to a segue (transition) that leads tothe guns. Something has to be done about the guns. The mind-control operation that brought the passive audience to this point takes them to the next moment of surrender, as if it were part of the same overall Sandy Hook story: Give up the guns. In their entrained and tranced state of mind, viewers dont ask why law-enforcement agencies are so massively armed to do police work in America, why those agencies have ordered well over a billion rounds of ammunition in the last six months, why every day the invasive surveillance of the population moves in deeper and deeper. Viewers, in their trance, simply assume government is benevolent and should be weaponized to the teeth, because those viewers also assume the television anchors are government allies and spokespeople, and arent those anchors good and kind and thoughtful and intelligent and honorable? Therefore, isnt the government also kind and honorable? In case you think the public is too stupid to emerge from its trance, and would never be able to follow a line of rational discourse, if by some miracle television anchors presented one, I disagree. During my investigation of the 1995 Oklahoma City Bombing, I encountered several local citizens who were exceedingly awake, alert, and helpful. Again and again over the years, I have had help from private citizens in my research. This is why Ive always supported the idea of citizen grand juries, convened to investigate crimes in the area where they live. Tasked to discover the truth, wherever it leads, such people would suddenly display surprising skills. Opportunity is all that is necessary. The media put people under, flick the on-off switches that short-circuit logic. The media practice hypnosis. The media work for surrender of the mind. The media present boggling absurdities that put the mind to sleep. The media appoint themselves as the final authorities. This is perverse theater. Thats all it is. (To read about Jons mega-collection, The Matrix Revealed, click here.) The author of three explosive collections, THE MATRIX REVEALED, EXIT FROM THE MATRIX, and POWER OUTSIDE THE MATRIX, Jon was a candidate for a US Congressional seat in the 29th District of California. He maintains a consulting practice for private clients, the purpose of which is the expansion of personal creative power. Nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, he has worked as an investigative reporter for 30 years, writing articles on politics, medicine, and health for CBS Healthwatch, LA Weekly, Spin Magazine, Stern, and other newspapers and magazines in the US and Europe. Jon has delivered lectures and seminars on global politics, health, logic, and creative power to audiences around the world. You can sign up for his free NoMoreFakeNews emails here or his free OutsideTheRealityMachine emails here. By Claire Bernish According to a new report, the Japanese government worked in concert with TEPCO to purposely cover up the meltdown at Fukushima in 2011. I would say it was a coverup, Tokyo Electric Power Company President Naomi Hirose announced during a press conference. Its extremely regrettable. Masataka Shimizu, president of TEPCO at the time of the earthquake, tsunami, and subsequent nuclear disaster, told employees not to go public with the term meltdown allegedly in capitulation to pressure from the Prime Ministers Office. For two months, TEPCO officials euphemized the meltdown in public statements as core damage, even as they had full knowledge of the true extent of the catastrophe. Though a few company officials initially used the term meltdown, it abruptly vanished from public discussions just three days after the disaster struck. According to the report, Shimizu rushed a note to Vice President Sakae Muto as he held a press conference that warned him against using the word meltdown. Considering this fact, it is presumable that the Prime Ministers Office requested Shimizu to be careful about admitting to a meltdown in public, the report states, as Japan Times noted. Though the three lawyers who authored the report did not find direct evidence, they surmised it was highly likely governmental pressure was behind the amelioration of information about the scope of the disaster. As CBS News reported, former officials from the Prime Ministers Office denied all allegations a coverup had taken place. In fact, former government spokesman and current secretary general of the opposition Democratic Party denounced the report as inadequate and unilateral particularly as the lawyer-authors are allied with the current ruling party. Attorney Yasuhisa Tanaka, who headed the panel investigation, admitted TEPCO likely didnt intentionally cover up that a meltdown had occurred, saying, Looking at the situation back then, we think it was too difficult for Tepco to use the term meltdown because even the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency couldnt use it, because of pressure from the government, Japan Times noted. That agency had been Japans nuclear watchdog in March 2011, at the time of the disaster. Notably, five years after the catastrophe, TEPCO revealed the existence of a company manual in which a meltdown is official once 5 percent or more fuel rods have suffered damage. But, as Japan Times explained: As of March 14, 2011, Tepco estimated that 55 percent of the fuel rod assemblies in reactor No. 1 and 25 percent of those in reactor No. 3 were damaged but did not declare they were damaged until May that year. In euphemizing the meltdown, TEPCO and the Japanese government left countless civilians in peril; despite evacuations, many had been reluctant to leave their homes and might have done so sooner had the full scope of a meltdown been clear. TEPCO remains embroiled in controversy over secrecy and alleged incompetent handling of the cleanup of Fukushima. In February this year, three former TEPCO executives were charged with negligence over the disaster. This article (New Report Exposing Cover-Up of Fukushima Proves Conspiracy Theorists Right) is free and open source. You have permission to republish this article under a Creative Commons license with attribution to Claire Bernish and theAntiMedia.org. Anti-Media Radio airs weeknights at 11pm Eastern/8pm Pacific. Image credit: YouTube. If you spot a typo, email edits@theantimedia.org. By Matt Agorist In another devastating blow to the 4th Amendment, on Monday, the Supreme Court ruled that evidence of an alleged crime can be used against a defendant even if police did something inappropriate or even illegal to obtain it. In a split 5-3 decision, the justices voted to reinstate the drug-related convictions of Joseph Edward Strieff. In the case of Strieff, he was illegally detained during a concededly unconstitutional detention, which eventually led to the discovery of drugs inside his vehicle. In Strieffs case, a trial court judge later found that the officer did not have enough evidence to initially stop and question him. But the judge ruled that Strieffs subsequent arrest on an outstanding traffic warrant justified the search implying that the use of criminal behavior to catch criminal behavior is just. The Utah Court of Appeals agreed with the trial court that the drug evidence was admissible at trial, but, in a moment of logic, the Utah Supreme Court last year reversed that decision. The Utah Supreme Court noted in its January 2015 decision that the case presented a gap of substantial significance in terms of prior rulings by the U.S. Supreme Court on Fourth Amendment issues, and that other courts that have addressed the issue have come to substantially different conclusions regarding search and seizure law. The Fourth Amendment exclusionary rule allows criminal defendants to suppress fruit of the poisonous tree that is, evidence obtained as a result of a search or seizure that violates the Fourth Amendment. The reason this rule exists is due to the obvious conflict of interests in cops breaking the law to enforce the law. However, thanks to Mondays ruling by the Supreme Court, that is exactly what will happen now. Police have essentially been given a free pass to violate the rights of individuals just so long as they find evidence of a crime. On Monday, the logic applied by the Utah Supreme Court in 2015, was thrown to the wayside in a handout to the police state. Given the reality of the militarized police state rising up from the horrors of the war on drugs, the fact that cops can now legally act illegally to bust people for possessing arbitrary substances is chilling. As if breaking the law wasnt enough, prior to this ruling, police were no longer required to even give the appearance of an understanding of the laws theyre tasked with enforcing, thanks to a recent court decision surpassing even the veritable green light previously granted in Heien v. North Carolina. In the Heien case, the Supreme Court ruled a police officers reasonable mistake of law gives rise to reasonable suspicion that justifies a traffic stop under the Fourth Amendment. A motorists broken tail light caused an officer to make a traffic stop during which evidence of a separate violation of the law was discovered in the vehicle. But in North Carolina, a broken tail light wasnt illegal, thus not sufficient cause to justify the stop nor the arrests stemming from it, lawyers argued, because that would be a violation of unreasonable searches and seizures. However, the Supreme Court ruled the officers ignorance of the law essentially didnt matter effectively allowing police around the country the ability to make stops if they reasonably believe the cause for the stop is legal. Plainly, police can stop and search you despite ignorance of the law. Now, in U.S. v Shelton Barnes et al. a case that seemed to slip by largely unnoticed even that flimsy justification has been deemed too constricting of police power, and police ignorance can actually be used against you in a trial. On Monday, Justice Sonia Sotomayor said in dissent that the decision in Utah vs. Edward Joseph Strieff, is a blow to constitutional rights. 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, Sotomayor wrote. Sotomayors dissent was joined by Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Justice Elena Kagan. Now, police need not understand the law, or even abide by the law to enforce the law. In what world is this considered acceptable? Matt Agorist is the co-founder of TheFreeThoughtProject.com, where this article first appeared. He is an honorably discharged veteran of the USMC and former intelligence operator directly tasked by the NSA. This prior experience gives him unique insight into the world of government corruption and the American police state. Agorist has been an independent journalist for over a decade and has been featured on mainstream networks around the world. Follow @MattAgorist. Positive Parenting Advice for Kids with ADHD Most parents are good parents. But if your son or daughter has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, good may not be enough. To ensure that your child is happy and well-adjusted now and in the future and to create a tranquil home environment youve got to be a great parent to a child with ADHD. Fortunately, its easier than you might imagine to go from good to great ADHD parenting. All it takes is a few small adjustments to your parenting strategies and the way you interact with your child and react to their bad behavior. Heres what works, and why: 1. Accept the fact that your child like all children is imperfect. ADHD in children is common but not straightforward. Its not easy to accept that theres something atypical about your child. But a child who senses their parents resentment and pessimism about their prospects is unlikely to develop the self-esteem and can-do spirit hell need in order to become a happy, well-adjusted adult. For a child to feel accepted and supported, he needs to feel that his parents have confidence in his abilities, says Ken Brown-Gratchev, Ph.D., a special education instructor at Kaiser Permanente in Portland, Oregon. Once parents learn to look at the gifts of ADHD things like exceptional energy, creativity, and interpersonal skills they can see the shine inside their child. Carol Barnier, of New Fairfield, Connecticut, certainly sees the shine in her child with ADHD. My child is destined for something wonderful, something that would be impossible for those calmer, regular-energy level children, she says. I can think of several occupations where boundless energy would be an incredible asset. Im even jealous of his tireless enthusiasm for life and wonder what more I could accomplish if I were so blessed. [Take This Test: Could Your Child Have ADHD?] Do your best to love your child unconditionally. Treat him as if he were already the person you would like him to be. That will help him become that person. 2. Dont believe all the bad news about your childs ADHD. Its no fun to hear school employees describe your child as slow or unmotivated; its not productive to hear only about the bad behavior. But dont let negative remarks deter you from doing everything in your power to advocate for their educational needs. After all, kids with ADHD can succeed if they get the help they need. While its true that your childs mind works differently, he certainly has the ability to learn and succeed just like any other kid, says George DuPaul, Ph.D., professor of school psychology at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Look at it this way if your child was diabetic or had asthma, would you, for one single minute, hesitate to advocate for his benefit? Just as a diabetic needs insulin and an asthmatic child needs help breathing, a child with ADHD needs their learning environment regulated. Sue Greco of Warwick, Rhode Island, is adamant about being her 11-year-olds strongest advocate. My son has a great brain, she says. Hes a leader, with great ideas, but hes been labeled unable to succeed at the local public school. Because I know hes capable of more, Ive enrolled him in a Catholic school, hoping the higher academic expectations and greater structure will challenge him in a positive way. [Take This Test: Could Your Child Have Oppositional Defiant Disorder?] 3. Dont overestimate the importance of ADHD medication. Theres no doubt that, for many children, the right ADHD medication makes a huge difference in improving bad behavior. But by no means is medication the only thing that makes a difference, and talking about it as if it were will leave the child feeling that good behavior has little to do with her own efforts. When you catch your child doing something youve repeatedly asked her not to do, fight the urge to ask, Did you forget to take your medication this morning? And dont ever threaten to increase your childs dosage because they did something inappropriate. Statements like these give your child the impression that her behavior is controlled solely by external factors, says Dr. Brown-Gratchev. Its a parents responsibility to send the clear message that, while medication will improve the skills she already possesses, it wont magically fix all of her troubles. As Sara Bykowski, a mother of two sons with ADHD living in Angola, Indiana, puts it, I tell my kids that their medicine is like glasses. Glasses improve eyesight that the person already has. My kids know that their self-control, no matter how limited, is the main factor in their behavior management. 4. Make sure you know the difference between discipline and punishment. How often have you complained to friends or family members (or even a therapist), Ive yelled, lectured, threatened, given time-outs, taken away toys, canceled outings, bribed, begged, and even spanked and nothing works! Do you see the problem with this approach? Any child exposed to such a variety of sticks would be confused. And one of the most effective approaches to discipline the carrot of positive feedback isnt even mentioned. Many parents use the terms discipline and punishment interchangeably, says Sal Severe, Ph.D., the author of How to Behave So Your Preschooler Will Too! (#CommissionsEarned) In fact, theyre vastly different. Discipline, he says, is preferable because it teaches the child how to behave. It includes an explanation of the bad behavior and redirection to acceptable behavior along with positive reinforcement each time the child makes a good behavior choice. Punishment, on the other hand, uses fear and shame to force the child to behave. Punishment certainly has its place. However, it should never involve physical or verbal abuse, and it should be used only as a last resort. For example, if your child continues to yank the cats tail despite being repeatedly told not to he should be punished. Often, the best way to discipline a child with ADHD is via a simple program of behavior modification: Define age-appropriate, attainable goals and then systematically reward each small achievement until the behavior becomes routine. By rewarding positive behavior (rather than punishing negative behavior), you help your child feel successful and further increase their motivation to do the right thing. 5. Never punish a child for bad behavior that he is unable to control. Imagine telling your 10-year-old to make their bed. Now imagine finding him, minutes later, lying on their unmade bed playing cards. What should you do? Give him a sharp word and put him in time-out? According to Dr. Severe, thats probably not the best approach. In many cases, he says, a child with ADHD fails to comply not because he is defiant, but simply because he becomes distracted from the task at hand (in this case, making the bed). Distractibility is a common symptom of ADHD something that he may be unable to control. And when you repeatedly punish a child for behavior he cant control, you set him up to fail. Eventually, their desire to please you evaporates. He thinks, Why bother? The parent-child relationship suffers as a result. The best approach in situations like this might be simply to remind your child to do what you want him to do. Punishment makes sense if its abundantly clear that your child is being defiant for example, if he refuses to make the bed. But give him the benefit of the doubt. 6. Stop blaming other people for your childs difficulties. Are you the kind of parent who finds fault with everyone except your child? Do you say things like That driver has no control over the kids on the bus, or If only the teacher were better at behavior management, my daughter wouldnt have so much trouble in school? Other people can contribute to your childs problems. But trying to pin the blame exclusively on others encourages your child to take the easy way out. Why should they take personal responsibility for their actions if they can blame someone else (or if they repeatedly hear you blame someone else)? 7. Be careful to separate the deed from the doer. Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me? Dont believe it. Kids who repeatedly hear bad things about themselves eventually come to believe these things. No matter how frustrating your childs behavior, never call him lazy, hyper, spacey, or anything else that might be hurtful. And stop yourself if you start to say something like Youre such a slob why cant you keep your room clean? or Whats wrong with you? If Ive told you once, Ive told you a thousand times.. . Carol Brady, Ph.D., a child psychologist in Houston, explains it this way: Parents must make ADHD the enemy not the child. When you personalize a childs ADHD-associated problems, her self-esteem plummets. But when you team up with your child to problem-solve various negative behaviors, you create a climate where your child feels loved and supported despite her shortcomings. Next time your childs room is a disaster, tell her, We have a problem, and I need your help to solve it. Tell her its hard for you to tuck her in at night because youre afraid you might trip over the toys on her bedroom floor or that leaving food in her room attracts bugs. Ask for her input. The more involved your child is in the solution, the better the outcome. 8. Dont be too quick to say no. All children need to be told no at certain times to keep them from doing something dangerous or inappropriate. But many parents say no reflexively, without considering whether it might be OK to say yes. And a child who hears no too many times is apt to rebel especially if he is impulsive to begin with. Why are parents so quick to say no? Often, its out of fear (No, you cannot walk to school by yourself.), worry (No, you cant sleep over at Jakes house until I meet his parents.), a desire to control (No, you cant have a snack before supper.), or a competing need (Not tonight, kiddo, Im too tired.). Smart parents know when to say no, and when it makes more sense to take a deep breath and answer in the affirmative. In many cases, a small change in the way you use the words yes and no with your child can mean the difference between a pleasant interaction and a nasty confrontation. Lets say your child wants to go outside to play but you want them to sit down and do their homework. Instead of automatically saying no, suggests Dr. DuPaul, ask him to help you brainstorm a workable solution. That way, he feels that he has at least some measure of control over the situation and that you are trying to accommodate their wishes. He will feel less frustrated and be more cooperative. 9. Pay more attention to your childs positive behavior. In their quest to quash behavior problems, many parents overlook all the positive ways in which their child behaves. The resulting negativity can cast a pall over the household that affects every aspect of life. Retrain yourself to look at the positives, says Dr. Severe. Catch your child being good or doing something well, and praise her. When you point out and praise desirable behaviors, you teach her what you want not what you dont want. According to social psychologist Barbara Fredrickson, Ph.D., research shows that a ratio of three positive comments for every one critical comment results in the best outcomes in terms of fostering well-being, building resilience, and maintaining healthy relationships. This Losada ratio has been covered extensively in Fredricksons 2009 book, Positivity (#CommissionsEarned) and her 2013 follow-up Love 2.0 (#CommissionsEarned). Bear in mind, too, that some of the problem behaviors you ascribe to ADHD may be common to all children of that age. Its helpful to read up on the stages of childhood development especially if your child with ADHD happens to be your first-born. Make happiness and laughter the cornerstones of family life. Spend fun time with your children. Go with them on bike rides. Play with them at the park. Visit museums together. Take them to the movies. Sure, life with ADHD can be challenging. But the rewards are great for parents who really connect with their children. 10. Learn to anticipate potentially explosive situations. Imagine that your daughter has been invited to a party. Thats good news, especially for a child who isnt very popular with her peers. Now imagine that the party is hosted by a girl with whom your daughter recently quarreled. Do you simply cross your fingers and hope for the best? Absolutely not, warns Dr. DuPaul. Parents spend a lot of time in reactive mode instead of thinking ahead and planning ahead. A simple plan, he says, is all it takes to keep a positive experience from turning negative for all concerned. In our house, we have the plan,' says Sara Bykowski. Before we go into a store or to a friends home, we talk about the behavior that is expected and possible pitfalls. We also have a routine for any problems that arise. I might say, Can I talk to you for a minute? and then take him away from the group. We discuss whats happening and try to come up with a solution. Sometimes we still have to leave early, but that happens much less often now. Whatever you do, be consistent. All kids benefit from consistency, says Dr. DuPaul, but ADHD kids, in particular, need consistency. Its not a luxury for them. A last-minute change in schedule or an interruption of a familiar routine can wreak havoc with a child who already feels like they spend most of their time off-balance and catching up. Better to have set routines and plans and do all you can to stick to them. Set your home up in a way that encourages organization and responsibility, then run it like an army barracks, suggests ADHDer Shirley McCurdy, an organizational expert and the author of The Floor Is Not an Option. Think easy and accessible clear storage bins for clothes, zippered pouches for homework, and a large, color-coded family calendar. Make sure you and your spouse are in agreement on matters of organization and discipline. Parents who arent on the same page in their general approach to motivation and discipline with their child with ADHD can cause problems, says Stephen Grcevich, M.D., a child psychiatrist in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. Behavioral interventions for kids with ADHD are unlikely to be successful unless applied consistently. When parents present a united front, their children know exactly what to expect. Ultimately, the more predictable and consistent your childs environment becomes, the happier the whole family will be. 11. Be a good role model. Parents are a childs most influential role model, so think carefully about your behavior. If youre unable to control yourself, how can you expect your child to exercise self-control? Yelling sets a poor example of how your child should handle his emotions, says Dr. Brady. Parents tend to think that, the louder they get, the bigger the impact on the child but it doesnt work. The only thing the child hears is the anger. The situation quickly spirals out of control. Its perfectly normal to feel angry at your child from time to time. Its not OK to continually shout at her. You wouldnt dream of screaming and swearing at friends or coworkers, so you know you can control your anger if you must. Next time your child does something that causes your blood to boil, leave the room, take a few deep breaths, or do something else to calm yourself. When you demonstrate self-calming techniques in this way, you teach your child the importance of managing her emotions. If you do lose your temper, do not hesitate to apologize to your child. 12. Seek help from others. Some things in life simply cannot be done well alone, and raising a child with ADHD is one of them. If you take the Clint Eastwood approach, youll wind up exhausted mentally, emotionally, and physically, says Dr. Brown-Gratchev. Build a NASA-worthy support system. That way, when your own system overloads or fails, as it inevitably will from time to time, theres someone to put you back together again. Ask your pediatrician for the name of a psychologist or other mental-health professional who specializes in ADHD. Or contact CHADD chances are, theres a chapter in your community. Sue Kordish, of Tyngsboro, Massachusetts, knows the value of a reliable support system. For years, my husband and I worried that no sitter would understand our sons special needs, she says. We tried hiring a teenager, but it didnt work out, and the experience left us even more wary. With no family members living nearby, the situation was hard. We just didnt go out. Then we found a sitter who works with special-needs kids. We were finally able to relax and enjoy some seriously overdue couple time. [8 Discipline Rules for Parents of Defiant Kids] SUPPORT ADDITUDE Thank you for reading ADDitude. To support our mission of providing ADHD education and support, please consider subscribing. Your readership and support help make our content and outreach possible. Thank you. #CommissionsEarned As an Amazon Associate, ADDitude earns a commission from qualifying purchases made by ADDitude readers on the affiliate links we share. However, all products linked in the ADDitude Store have been independently selected by our editors and/or recommended by our readers. Prices are accurate and items in stock as of time of publication. Ram Gopalan, who has had a distinguished corporate career where he was heading the Indian operations of SapientNitro, has joined as a member of Board of Advisors for strategy of business expansion for Amura Marketing Technologies, a leading digital marketing agency based in Pune. Ram will be contributing towards building business strategies to explore markets and expand into multiple sectors and verticals at Amura. Ram comes with a vision of building Amura as a global brand and Sell.Do as a strong tech platform that delivers value. Ram has spent over 2 decades in the advertising and marketing industry. In his previous role at SapeintNitro, he served as a VP and Country Manager. Ram brings decades of first hand senior executive experience of working across the gamut of organizations like Rediffusion Y&R, Rediff.com, Leo Burnett, etc. Mr. Vikram Kotnis, Founder and Managing Director, Amura Marketing Technologies said, We are fortunate to have Ram in our advisory team. With his expertise in technology, we at Amura will expand our business and raise the company in multi-folds. Ram brings the much needed mindset and experience for us to focus and succeed in the industry. On his new role, Mr. Ram Gopalan said I am delighted to be a part of the Amura team. I look forward to share my knowledge and expertise as the company and the product Sell.Do have a huge growth potential. The vision is to see Amura on a global platform and help the company expand into other sectors and verticals. Rams track record for building successful teams, including an award-winning digital agency that supported global clients such as Coca-Cola, Seagrams, Taco Bell and Citibank, gives Ram both credibility with his clients as well as real understanding of the challenges they face. The International Advertising Association (IAA) has elected its team for the coming two years during its annual Board of Directors meeting. Felix Tataru, IAA Chairman and World President, stated, We are very excited to assemble our leadership at such an exciting and challenging time in our industry. The IAA, representing all areas of marketing communications advertisers, agencies, media and educators is committed to inspire the industry and society. Everyone in our industry is empowered to contribute in their own way and the IAA looks forward to harnessing the resources and energy of our members around the world. Current industry issues for the IAA include the continued importance of best practices and integrity; the defense of unwarranted bans and interference with brands and advertising, and the development of talent within the industry. Board of Directors confirmed the following IAA Officers for 2016-2018: Felix Tataru Chairman and World President, GMP Group, Romania Faris Abouhamad Immediate Past Chairman and World President, CEO, InterOne Resonance, UAE Srinivasan Swamy Senior Vice President, President, RK Swamy BBDO, India Diane Slade General Secretary, Head of Advertising Edith Cowan University, Perth, Western Australia Venanzio Camarra Treasurer, Managing Partner and Chief Consultant of Studio Aldabra, Italy Carla Michelotti Vice President Corporate Members and Government Affairs, President, Carla Michelotti LLC, USA Kaushik Roy Vice President Area Director Asia Pacific, President - Brand Strategy & Marketing Communication, Reliance Industries, India Tom Brookbanks Vice President Area Director USA/Canada, Senior Vice President, Starcom Mediavest, USA Kyra Roest Vice President Are Director Europe Business & People connector, /UM'GE:BUN/, Netherlands Saad El Zein Vice President Area Director Middle East Africa Saad El Zein Company, UAE Michael Lee Managing Director IAA, USA Felix Tataru at 42 is the youngest IAA Chairman in our history, commented Michael Lee, IAA Managing Director. We have an ambitious agenda for the next two years and our exciting mission continues today. The IAA plans to announce its Global VP later this week. Nothing beats nostalgia! Its time to relive the fabulous 90s with Indias most iconic and 1st ever science fiction television series on superhero Captain Vyom. The space adventure; the saga of the superhero and his inter galactic super villains starring the heartthrob and Indias first ever supermodel Milind Soman. Directed by internationally acclaimed film director, Ketan Mehta and produced by Deepa Sahi, is set to be resurrected and revived by Cosmos Maya. The classic from the turn of the century is set to break the internet on 23nd, June, Thursday 2016. Directed by National Award winning director Ketan Mehta, Captain Vyom is the first Indian live-action superhero science fiction (sci-fi) television series, which was aired on DD National at the end of the century. The TV series pioneered the art of computer animation and visual effects in India. In this show, Captain Vyom takes you to the future - 2123, where humans conquer the entire solar system. Speaking about the relaunch, internationally acclaimed Producer, Director Ketan Mehta, who had directed the show said It has been almost 20 years since this landmark show, was first aired. The show went on to achieve a cult following amongst its viewers, who were then introduced to a show that was much ahead of its time, and in an era when science-fiction and superheroes were unheard concepts not just on television, but also in films. On the relevance to audiences today, he further added While we are sure that many who have grown watching the show would enjoy revisiting it, many others from the newer generation would also take pride in its engaging and fascinating storytelling and special effects. Captain Vyom had captured the imagination of every child in the country who aspired to take off into a space voyage to the future. The story of the series is about Captain Vyom, played by Milind Soman. He is a space warrior, who is assigned the job of arresting 12 deadly criminals who escape the high security prison in the IO. IO is located on the eighth moon of the planet Jupiter which gets dissembled after a meteor strike and its security system disables. Caption Vyom, the son of scientist Dr. Om Swaroop receives superpowers by training Yoga. He is the only one on the universe who is capable of catching the fugitives. The series also has industry legends like Vishwapramukh (Tom Alter) who provides the captain with the best team of exceptionally-powered soldiers to fight the criminals. Captain Vyoms indestructible team includes - Commander Pablo, Lieutenant Maya (Kartika Rane), Captain Blaze (Sanjay Singh), Dr. Zen (Divya Palat), Fuller, Syd-E - the Android (Shehzaad Saeed), and Surya (Jeto Sanjana). Captain Vyom along with his team leaves for his mission on a spaceship named Ulka. The highlight of the series was the galaxy of stars who played the super villains like the ravishing Madhu Sapre, the versatile Rahul Bose, the dashing Dino Morea and the talented Ravi Khore amongst others. After a span of 2 decades, this show will once again give a glimpse of the golden era of Indian television and take everyone from the 90s down memory lane. The restored and revamped TV series with amazing visual effects and action sequences is ready to mesmerize our audiences on our digital platform. Stay tuned to our YouTube channel "Wow Teenz" to catch your Made in India superhero Captain Vyom enthral us with his action packed and adventurous episodes. Global marketing communications consultancy Maxus today announced the appointment of Vivek Ballabh as General Manager Maxus Digital for North India. Ballabh joins Maxus from Cheil India, where he managed the media operations for multiple clients . He brings with him extensive experience in digital marketing and branding, which enables a significant understanding in planning/ executing various integrated digital campaigns. In a career spanning 14+ years, Ballabh has worked with leading agencies/ companies, including Cheil India, Monster.com, Webchutney, Digitas and Razorfish, among others. His body of work also includes working with several fortune 500 brands like HP, Samsung, AMD, Fritolays, 7Up, Microsoft, Makemytrip.com, Maruti Suzuki, Axis Bank, Nestle, Dabur and Airtel, among others. Commenting on Ballabhs appointment Vishal Jacob, National Director, Maxus, said, Vivek brings invaluable experience in digital marketing. He brings the right mix of talent, experience and enthusiasm we seek to inject into our talent pool and will help the Maxus team in Delhi take a leap forward. The mandate for Vivek is to consolidate and grow the North operations, which Im sure he will do a fabulous job of and successfully achieve all milestones. Ballabh started his career with the online marketing domain with Careercommunity.com, which launched Indias first online job portal - Winjobs.com. He had spent two years at Monster.com as Brand Manager, where he handled marketing operations for South East Asian markets. With over five years spent at Digitas and Razorfish, Ballabh launched the digital media practice and also set up a SEM-centric off-shore centre of 120 people, catering to the groups business needs worldwide. Elaborating on his new role, Ballabh said, I believe the digital revolution has just taken off in this market and the times ahead will be more exciting than ever. Brands have evolved in their digital thinking and Maxus is strongly poised to deliver cutting edge digital innovations, leading to more meaningful brand and consumer connections. I look forward to working closely with the super talented and energetic team that exists within the agency. Sections Acquisition Aerospace, Defense & Security Aircraft Aircraft systems Airlines Airports Business & Regulation Business Aviation Cargo Connectwise Data Digital Disruption 5G AI Covid-19 Environmental Future of Work Governance IoT Social Sustainability Diseases Drones Enhancing Defence Digital Connectivity Facilty Flight test Fossil Gas Oil Fundings Management MRO Operation Operational Ports & Destinations Projects Regulations Renewable Solar rocket Rovers Satellite Satellites Security Services Space Space craft Sponsored Bahrain EDB EDB Bahrain FPL Omnetics Connector Corporation VPT Technology Telescope Unmanned Aircraft Urban Air Mobility Categories Adhesives and Sealants Aerospace Buildings and Infrastructure Aircraft and Aviation Insurance Aircraft Interiors Aircraft Materials Aircraft Sales, Leasing, Charter and Brokerage Airlift, Logistics and Cargo Aluminium, Steel and Special Metals Aviation Consultancy Bearings, Seals and Fasteners Design and Information Management Software Electrical Equipment, Batteries and Power Supply Electronics, Subsystems and Components Flight Control and Avionics HVAC, Fans and Blowers In-flight Entertainment (IFE) and Communications Landing Gear, Braking Systems and Aircraft Tyres Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul Manufacturing, Engineering, Test and Measurement Equipment Noise, Shock and Vibration Control Paints, Protective Coatings and Surface Finishing Passenger Safety and Survival and Fire Warning Precision Machining, Casting, Forging and Component Manufacturing Recruitment, Staffing and Personnel Training Rotables, Parts and Spares Satellite Systems, Communications and Components Space Systems Technology TBA Thermal Insulation Training and Simulation National Guard chief nominee says new world requires agile forces Todays National Guard is in the best shape its been in for its almost 380 years of history, President Barack Obamas nominee to lead the National Guard Bureau told the Senate Armed Services Committee here June 21. Air Force Lt. Gen. Joseph L. Lengyel has been nominated to succeed Army Gen. Frank Grass. He currently is the Guard Bureaus 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. Extraordinary times 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 DOD. 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 Guards evolution as an operational force is a chapter in our nations security at home and abroad that is written through the incredible skill and devotion of Americas 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. USAF. (U.S. Air Force Graphic by Rosario "Charo" Gutierrez) The first African Partnership Flight in Kenya officially began its mission following opening ceremonies here June 21.More than 50 U.S. Airmen, along with participants from the Kenyan and Ugandan defense forces, were welcomed by Robert Godec, the U.S. ambassador to Kenya, and Raychelle Omamo, the Kenyan cabinet secretary of defense.Ladies and gentlemen, it is a great pleasure to be here today as we launch this training event on personnel recovery and combat search and rescue, Godec said. These capabilities are vitally important to ensure the safety, security and morale of the Kenyan security forces. This weeks training exercise represents yet another example of the ongoing cooperation between the United States and Kenya.APF was designed as a collaborative learning environment that combines U.S. and African partner nations expertise to help build upon professional knowledge and skills.It is important to work together because it helps us to not only guarantee regional interoperability but also regional cooperation, said Maj. Todd Tyler, the flights mission commander. Our aim for APF Kenya is to help these partner nations fight their own transnational threats and strengthen their own armed forces to the point where they are self-sustaining.Over the course of 10 days, instructors and participants comprised of total force Airmen from U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa and the Massachusetts Air National Guard will conduct classroom instruction and hands-on training in areas such as personnel recovery, command and control, survival and evasion principles, and tactical combat casualty care.Training will conclude with exercise Linda Rhino, a two-day, Kenya Defense Forces-led personnel recovery exercise.I would like to thank the U.S. for sponsoring this program, said Brig. Francis Ogolla, the deputy commander of the Kenya Air Force. It is obvious that you have a lot of experience in personnel recovery and combat search and rescue, and this is what we want to learn.The intent of APF is to build strong regional partnerships among African partner nations that prepare them for potential conflicts before they start.We will continue to stand with the Kenyan government and people to find ways to assure peace and prosperity across Africa, Godec said.Community engagement through medical outreach and the USAFE - AFAFRICA band is also scheduled throughout the duration of the program. Events will conclude on June 29. Airmen join multinational effort, offer medical care in Cambodia Medical professionals from several nations and agencies recently came together in Pacific Angel 16-2 to promote interoperability with partner nations while delivering humanitarian aid to Cambodians in the Kampot province. The Royal Cambodian Armed Forces worked alongside U.S., Thai, Vietnamese and Australian counterparts to give care during the humanitarian assistance/civil-military operation mission that also involved nongovernmental organizations. The majority of the medical supplies were purchased in Thailand and Vietnam, flown in to Cambodia, and then bussed to a local school ground where Pacific Angel medical teams set up centers for pediatrics, physical therapy, pharmacy, optometry, dentistry and general/preventative health. Each center was 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, California. 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 said. Cambodian Brig. Gen. Candara Vuth, the deputy director of the Ministry of National Defenses health department, 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 who live in rural areas are very poor and cant travel to the hospital in the province. Instead, they rely on natural remedies, like some of the trees that grow around the country. Being out in the field, you miss some of things you use when you are practicing medicine at home, said RAAF Flight Lt. Rowan McCarthy, a 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 focusing on the quality of care and attention to detail they gave to each patient. Its always good to find out how similar some people are, McCarthy said. Even though there are different languages and training backgrounds, everyone is pretty similar in our working toward a common goal. Most patients had major concerns addressed and were impressed with the level of care provided by the medical providers. Sok Moeun, a dental patient, said that she was very happy with the care given to her 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 multinational 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 allowed multiple nations to work together so that in the event there was a natural disaster in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region, the regions militaries will be prepared to work together to address humanitarian crises. Kenyan, Ugandan troops learn combat rescue tactics from Airmen The first African Partnership Flight in Kenya officially began its mission following opening ceremonies here June 21. More than 50 U.S. Airmen, along with participants from the Kenyan and Ugandan defense forces, were welcomed by Robert Godec, the U.S. ambassador to Kenya, and Raychelle Omamo, the Kenyan cabinet secretary of defense. Ladies and gentlemen, it is a great pleasure to be here today as we launch this training event on personnel recovery and combat search and rescue, Godec said. These capabilities are vitally important to ensure the safety, security and morale of the Kenyan security forces. This weeks training exercise represents yet another example of the ongoing cooperation between the United States and Kenya. APF was designed as a collaborative learning environment that combines U.S. and African partner nations expertise to help build upon professional knowledge and skills. It is important to work together because it helps us to not only guarantee regional interoperability but also regional cooperation, said Maj. Todd Tyler, the flights mission commander. Our aim for APF Kenya is to help these partner nations fight their own transnational threats and strengthen their own armed forces to the point where they are self-sustaining. Over the course of 10 days, instructors and participants comprised of total force Airmen from U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa and the Massachusetts Air National Guard will conduct classroom instruction and hands-on training in areas such as personnel recovery, command and control, survival and evasion principles, and tactical combat casualty care. Training will conclude with exercise Linda Rhino, a two-day, Kenya Defense Forces-led personnel recovery exercise. I would like to thank the U.S. for sponsoring this program, said Brig. Francis Ogolla, the deputy commander of the Kenya Air Force. It is obvious that you have a lot of experience in personnel recovery and combat search and rescue, and this is what we want to learn. The intent of APF is to build strong regional partnerships among African partner nations that prepare them for potential conflicts before they start. We will continue to stand with the Kenyan government and people to find ways to assure peace and prosperity across Africa, Godec said. Community engagement through medical outreach and the USAFE - AFAFRICA band is also scheduled throughout the duration of the program. Events will conclude on June 29. Get AfricaFocus Bulletin by e-mail! Format for print or mobile Africa/Global: "Stop the Bleeding" Updates AfricaFocus Bulletin June 22, 2016 (160622 ) (Reposted from sources cited below) Editor's Note "A new report by Tax Justice Network-Africa and ActionAid says that East African countries (Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda) are losing approximately $2 billion a year of revenue each year by granting tax incentives to multinational companies. ... According to Yaekob Metena, ActionAid Tanzania's country director, 'Though there have been improvements in recent years in addressing the issue, governments in East Africa continue to give away domestic resources in tax incentives, funds that could pay for the regions' education and health needs and meeting the development objectives.'" This AfricaFocus Bulletin contains a press release on this new report from two of the organizations actively involved in the Panafrican civil society campaign to stop illicit financial flow from the African continent, which has been endorsed by the African Union and is gaining worldwide momentum from a series of reports from the Panama Papers and other investigative journalism. The first report, on tax incentives, concentrates on the legal but illicit policies that enable bleeding of resources from Africa to multinational corporations through tax breaks. The second, from the UN Environment Programme and Interpol, highlights the rapid increase is losses due to black-market environmental crimes such as ivory smuggling, illegal logging, and toxic waste disposal. Such crimes are now the 4th largest illicit enterprise sector worldwide, following drug smuggling, counterfeiting, and human trafficking, For brief talking points and previous AfricaFocus Bulletins on illicit financial flows and the Stop the Bleeding Africa campaign, visit http://www.africafocus.org/intro-iff.php For a database of articles and reports on illicit financial flows, provided by the Stop the Bleeding Campaign but including data from many sources, visit http://iffoadatabase.trustafrica.org/ For another hard-to-excerpt but revealing expose released today, see Finance Uncovered's investigative report on the shady financial dealings holding up the renovation of the Rift Valley Railway (RVR). The report is entitled "Trouble on the Lunatic Express," and results from a collaborative investigation by Kenyan, Belgian, and British journalists. See http://www.financeuncovered.org/ - direct URL: http://tinyurl.com/zz5v77d "We have discovered that the fabled RVR modernisation programme has not resulted in the purchase of new trains as claimed by the owners of the railway, Qalaa Holdings. We have trawled accounts which show that Qalaa has created an offshore structure of shell companies which has extracted millions in advisory fees from RVR, despite the railway suffering losses in recent years." ++++++++++++++++++++++end editor's note+++++++++++++++++ East Africa losing up to 2 billion dollars to unproductive tax incentives Governments have taken few positive steps to curb loss of revenue http://www.taxjusticeafrica.net / direct URL: http://tinyurl.com/gmrmhde http://www.actionaid.org / direct URL: http://tinyurl.com/hthr9dj Dodoma, 18 June 2016 - A new report by Tax Justice Network-Africa and ActionAid says that East African countries (Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda) are losing approximately $2 billion a year of revenue each year by granting tax incentives to multinational companies. The report follows the EAC report series produced by the two organizations in April 2012, examining the impact of tax incentives on the region and giving recommendations to the EAC on how to end a race to the bottom. This follow up report assesses what has changed since 2012. The report, entitled 'Still Racing towards the Bottom? Corporate tax incentives in East Africa', states that while statements indicating commitments to revise tax incentive policies have been made by policymakers of the region, many questions abound on how eliminating tax incentives will be realized. It is unclear how these tax incentives will be revised, costed and phased out in practice and what resources and expertise are at the disposal of the governments to carry out this work. According to Yaekob Metena, ActionAid Tanzania's country director, "Though there have been improvements in recent years in addressing the issue, governments in East Africa continue to give away domestic resources in tax incentives, funds that could pay for the regions' education and health needs and meeting the development objectives." East African governments have taken some positive steps to reduce tax incentives, especially those related to VAT, which are increasing tax collection and providing vital extra revenue that could be spent on providing critical services. However, they are still failing to eliminate all unnecessary tax incentives. Countries are still providing generous tax breaks in the form of tax holidays, capital-gains tax allowances and royalty exemptions and these East African countries continue to lose colossal amounts of revenue through unnecessary tax exemptions and incentives given to corporations. "There is need to shift the policy environment in the region on the issue of incentives as; political and financial national and institutional authorities have admitted that tax incentives are in fact harmful to domestic revenue mobilization and need to be revised, costed and in most cases eliminated. In fact, as our report shows that giving tax incentives is still fueling competition at 1the EAC level, and derailing any meaningful progress towards regional harmonization of tax policies. Regional competition for investors through providing tax incentives is still alive and is undermining integration," said Metena. The report follows the EAC report series produced by the two organizations in April 2012, examining the impact of tax incentives on the region and giving recommendations to the EAC on how to end a race to the bottom. This follow up report assesses what has changed since 2012. "Many leaders are promising to take greater measures towards progress on this in the region but there is a need for tangible actions to be taken towards that end," said Tax Justice Network-Africa's Deputy Executive Director, Jason Braganza. Evidence gathered suggests that collectively, the four East African countries (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda) could still be losing around $1.5 billion and possibly up to $2 billion a year. The report calls for East African governments to review the tax incentives they are granting with a view to abolishing all unproductive incentives. Any incentives that are determined to be effective should be targeted at achieving specific social and economic objectives that benefit East African citizens. "The East Africa Community (EAC) must accelerate the harmonization of its tax legislation with the EAC Agenda by ratifying the East African Code of Conduct on Harmful Tax Competition and implementing at national levels, the recommendations of the African Union High Level Panel on Illicit Financial Flows that was adopted at the AU Summit in January 2015," added Braganza. ENDS Paulina Teveli Communications Coordinator - ActionAid Tanzania Tel: +255 (0) 22 2700596 | Mob: +255 755 706322 Email: Paulina.Teveli@actionaid.org. Michelle Mbuthia Assistant Communications Officer - Tax Justice Network-Africa Tel: +254 724 994796 Email: mmbuthia@taxjusticeafrica.net Editors' Notes: Four countries alone - Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda - could still be losing around $1.5 billion and possibly up to $2 billion a year through the granting of corporate tax incentives to foreign companies. Uganda loses around US$370 million, Kenya around US$1.1 billion, and Rwanda up to US$176 million. This amounts to, total revenue losses that would amount to up to $2 billion a year. The 2 billion a year figure (less than the 2.8 billion a year figure from our 2012 report) reflects a welcomed commitment by the EAC government's. Governments have taken some positive steps to reduce tax incentives, especially those related to VAT, which are increasing tax collections and providing vital extra revenues that could be spent on providing critical services. However, the figure is exceedingly estimated and may well be short of reality as accurate reliable data in most cases does not exist for all incentives given to foreign firms. While welcome statements indicating commitments to revise tax incentives have been uttered by politicians of the region, many questions arise how eliminating tax incentives will be realised. It is unclear how these tax incentives will be revised, costed and phased out in practice and what resources and expertise are at the disposal of governments to carry out this work. For Burundi, determining the revenue losses due to tax incentives was particularly challenging in this case owing to an almost complete lack of data. However, Burundi's President Pierre Nkurunziza, recently indicated that at least 81 billion Burundian Francs ($52 million) has been lost to companies or officials who have been given tax exemptions to import goods to build infrastructure and instead sold on the materials. In Tanzania, revenue losses from tax incentives given in 2014/15 were likely to be around US$790 million; although this figure predates the new VAT law which is claimed will result in extra revenues of US$500 million. Kenya, the amount of revenue lost through tax incentives is likely to be near the KShs100 billion (US$1.1 billion) a year level. In Uganda, it remains unclear how much Uganda is losing to tax incentives since government figures do not appear to provide full figures, but the amount is likely be around US$370 million. In Rwanda, estimates suggest that Rwanda is losing between Rwf 87 billion (US$115 million) and Rwf123 billion (US$176 million) a year. ActionAid is a global movement of people working together to achieve greater human rights for all and defeat poverty. We believe people in poverty have the power within them to create change for themselves, their families and communities. ActionAid is a catalyst for that change. Tax Justice Network-Africa (TJN-A) is a Pan-African initiative established in 2007 and a member of the Global Alliance for Tax Justice. It is a network of 29 members in 16 African countries. Through its Nairobi Secretariat, TJN-A collaborates closely with these member organisations in tax justice activities at the national, regional and global level. TJN-A seeks to promote socially just and progressive taxation systems in Africa, advocating for propoor tax policies and the strengthening of tax systems to promote domestic resource mobilisation. TJN-A aims to challenge harmful tax policies and practices that favour the wealthy and aggravate and perpetuate inequality. Environmental crime now the world's fourth largest illicit enterprise, says new report June 13, 2016 http://www.africaeconews.co.ke/ - Direct URL - http://tinyurl.com/jnjo59x Environmental crime is now the world's fourth largest illicit enterprise after drug smuggling, counterfeiting and human trafficking. According to a joint report by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and Interpol (see full report at http://unep.org/documents/itw/environmental_crimes.pdf), it is estimated that the value of the black market industry behind crimes such as ivory smuggling, illegal logging and toxic waste dumping has jumped by 26 per cent from 2014 to between US$91 billion and US$258 billion annually depriving countries of future revenues and development opportunities. "Environmental crime has impacts beyond those posed by regular criminality. It increases the fragility of an already brittle planet," observed Mr Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary General and Unep Executive Director. Interpol Secretary General Jurgen Stock says an enhanced law enforcement can help address this worrying trend. "There are significant examples worldwide of cross-sectoral efforts working to crack down on environmental crime and successfully restore wildlife, forests and ecosystems. Such collaboration, sharing and joining of efforts within and across borders, whether formal or informal, is our strongest weapon in fighting environmental crime," says Mr Stock. Environmental crimes cover not only the illegal trade in wildlife, but also forestry and fishery crimes. It includes illegal dumping of waste including chemicals and use of ozone-depleting substances. Destruction of natural flora and fauna, pollution, landscape degradation and radiation hazards, with negative impacts on arable land, crops and trees adds to the list. The debate on environmental crimes also includes exploitation of natural resources such as minerals, oil, timber and marine resources. In recent years, the joint report says, the debate has reached the global stage due to its serious and deleterious impact on the environment and ecosystems, as well as on peace, security and development. Environmental Crimes makes simpler for Illicit Financial Outflows Illegal exploitation of natural resources, including ITW, has negative consequence on potential revenues from tourism, timber, mining, gold, diamonds, fisheries and even oil and charcoal. These natural resources could have produced revenue for development needs in health care, infrastructure, schools and sustainable business development. Indeed, the illegal trade especially in natural resources like fish, timber and minerals undermine legal and sustainable businesses through unfair competition and non-payment of legitimate taxes for social benefits. Currently, the scale of different forms of environmental crime is likely in the range of USD 91259 billion or twice the size of global official development assistance (ODA). This total amount of USD 91259 billion is a loss to society because the commercial activity takes place as an illegitimate enterprise. It undermines governance, legal tax-influenced price levels, and particularly legitimate business. An unknown proportion will nonetheless be re-introduced into the legitimate economy through money laundering. A research by Development Initiatives (DI) on foreign aid and stimulating domestic revenue mobilisation in Kenya and Uganda revealed that tax revenue makes up the largest proportion of total revenue, which is over 85 per cent for Kenya in the last three years (and over 80 per cent in Uganda). It also found that ODA to domestic revenue mobilisation in Kenya and Uganda amounted to close to US$ 21.5 million in 2014 (with more funding to Uganda than Kenya). DI suggests in order for the country's efforts to mobilise domestic revenue to bear more fruit, there is need to develop approaches that increase tax revenue without necessarily increasing the tax burden. However, broadening the tax base to mobilise more domestic revenue might be undermined if attention is not given to leakages including illicit financial flows. Meanwhile, the Panama Papers showed that illicit financial flows are not only an Africa problem, and that there is a need for global collaboration to track them. "Countries such as Kenya and Uganda should target job-creating economic growth, and shift away from growth based solely on extractive industries oil and gas and services that require the employment of fewer people," says the joint report. About 10 per cent of the total amount is estimated loss of revenue to governments. The number is based on two assumptions: That the criminal activity generates an average profit of 30 per cent, and that government tax revenues could be 30 per cent of the profits, if the environmental crime activities had been legal and legitimate. For an approximate comparison the average world total tax rate percentage of commercial profits was 40.8 in 2015 according to the World Bank. For the USD 91259 billion range, with a profit of USD 2778 billion, the tax income, which is loss for government revenue, would be 823 billion, or 8.8 per cent of the total amount, giving an average loss of government revenue of USD 926 billion. The report points out an escalating species extinction due to wanton wildlife poaching and trafficking. Illegal logging and trade results in climate change emissions from deforestation and forest degradation. The reports adds that illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing has resulted into fish stocks depletion, loss of revenues for local fishmongers and states. Most targeted fish species are Tuna, Toothfish and Sharks. Criminals exploit the lack of international consensus and the divergence of approaches taken by countries. What may constitute a crime in one country, is not in another. This effectively enables criminals to go "forum shopping" and use one country to conduct poaching, and another to prepare merchandise, and export via a third transit country. According to UNODC, corruption is the most important enabling factor behind illegal wildlife and timber trade. Identifying the optimal legal framework for preventing, combating and prosecuting environmental crimes requires careful consideration. There are proposals, according to the UN report on environmental crime; firstly, designating any violation of wildlife or environmental laws and regulations to be designated as "serious crimes". Another proposal is to designate illicit trafficking in protected species of wild fauna and flora involving organised criminal groups" as serious crimes. In as much as the UN Convention on Transnational Organised Crime (UNTOC) defines organised criminal groups, the new report recommends a broader applicability of the convention on new and emerging forms of crime. In 2014, the Interpol General Assembly passed a Resolution on Interpol's response to emerging threats in Environmental Security (Resolution AG-2014-RES-03). In that resolution, instead of defining environmental crime, Interpol instead focused on "environmental security" by recognising the impact that environmental crime and violations can have on a nation's political stability, environmental quality, its natural resources, biodiversity, economy and human life. Interpol also recognises that criminal networks engaged in financial crime, fraud, corruption, illicit trade and human trafficking are also engaged in or facilitating environmental crime. Experts say the approach by both Interpol and the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ) in regarding environmental crimes more as a collective term, makes the criminalities fall under already established laws on serious crimes, including, but not limited to, serious financial and corporate crimes, forgery, fraud including tax fraud, terrorist finance. Such an approach provides prosecutors with far more powerful tools for prosecution and prevention and importantly proportionality between offense, intent and punishment. UN Security Council Resolution S/RES/2195 (2014), recognised that; natural resources are increasingly driving conflicts. Three conventions control the international trade and movement of hazardous waste and dangerous chemical substances by setting procedures and standards for import and export. Both the environment and human health are exposed to hazardous waste and chemicals through the cycle these products go through from production, transport, use to disposal. There are three interlinked conventions: the Basel Convention on the Control of Trans-boundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal, which primarily covers wastes trade; the Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in International Trade and The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants which primarily covers chemicals, including restrictions on production. The consensus based on Montreal Protocol of 1987, which controls ozone depleting gasses (ODS), has been ratified by 197 parties, making it universal. Projects worth USD 3.2 billion have been approved by its executive committee to phase out over 450,000 tonnes of substances with ozone depletion potential including the implementation of Project Sky Hole Patching by the Regional Intelligence Liaison Office of the World Customs Organisation in the 2000s. Unep, Unido, UNDP and the World Bank are the implementing agencies of the protocol. Unep Governing Council's Decision 27/9 is the first internationallynegotiated document to establish the term "environmental rule of law". The decision emphasised the role of organised criminal groups in trafficking hazardous waste, wildlife and illegal timber. The Council recognised that environmental crime undermines sustainable development, the successful implementation of environmental goals and objectives, the rule of law, and effective governance. The council also noted that these issues have been recognised in UN General Assembly resolution A/RES/67/1 (2012) and A/RES/67/97 (2013) which urged member states to address transnational organised crime's impact on the environment. United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) reaffirms the need to making illicit trafficking in protected species and forest products into a serious crime as defined by UNTOC. World Environmental Law Congress in Rio in April 2016, where the Chief Justices, Heads of Jurisdictions, Attorneys Generals, Auditors General, Chief Prosecutors and other high-ranking representatives were gathered, agreed on a list of seven core principles to strengthen the environmental rule of law. The congress passed recommendations not limited to linking environmental crimes to other crimes such as money laundering, and strengthening courts' capacity as guarantors of the environmental rule of law. AfricaFocus Bulletin is an independent electronic publication providing reposted commentary and analysis on African issues, with a particular focus on U.S. and international policies. AfricaFocus Bulletin is edited by William Minter. AfricaFocus Bulletin can be reached at africafocus@igc.org. Please write to this address to subscribe or unsubscribe to the bulletin, or to suggest material for inclusion. For more information about reposted material, please contact directly the original source mentioned. For a full archive and other resources, see http://www.africafocus.org Amidst stiff opposition by China to Indias entry into NSG, France today strongly backed New Delhis case, saying it will bolster global efforts against nuclear proliferation and asking the members states to take a positive decision in the Seoul plenary meeting. A key member of the 48-nation grouping, France also asserted that Indias participation in nuclear control regimes will help better regulate the export of sensitive goods, whether they are nuclear, chemical, biological, ballistic or conventional materials and technologies. France considers that Indias entry into the four multilateral export control regimes (NSG, MTCR, The Australia Group, The Wassenaar Arrangement) will bolster international efforts for combating proliferation. Indias participation in these bodies will help better regulate the export of sensitive goods, whether they are nuclear, chemical, biological, ballistic or conventional materials or technologies. In line with its active and long-standing support to Indias entry to the NSG as a full-fledged member, France calls on its members, who are meeting on 23 June in Seoul, to take a positive decision, the French Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The Ministry also mentioned that strategic partners since 1998, France and India share common goals regarding the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems. These goals were reaffirmed during the visit of the President of the French Republic to India, from 24 to 26 January 2016, it added. The French President was the Chief Guest at the Republic Day celebrations here. Yesterday, the US White House had in a statement said India was ready for NSG membership and asked participating governments to support Indias application at the plenary session of NSG in Seoul starting tomorrow. 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. 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. The proposal of renaming Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) as Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose University by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy has sparked debate over social media. Swami has often pitched for cleansing of the prestigious JNU. The recent announcement of JNUs central library to be re-named after Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar gave hopes to change the name of the university. However, this will not be an easy task for the ruling BJP to do so. Replying to Swamys controversial demand, Supreme Court lawyer Adv. Virag Gupta said, The demand for renaming JNU as Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose may be politically motivated. However, changing name of an institute would not change the character of the installation. Earlier, we have seen that certain cities names changed because of the demand from certain sections of the society. However, we are not seeing any difference after that. Similarly, Aurangzeb Road in New Delhi changed to Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Road because the former was religious fanatic; nevertheless we are not seeing any changes in it. Mr. Gupta further stated that the Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru was the first PM and many institutions are on his name. If name of the JNU changed, then demands for more such changes will arise and it will create more political sensation and thus obstruct the education and development of the country. It may also go against the agenda of PM Modi who always talks about good governance and high development, added Gupta. Switching the name will also attract financial burden on government to republish all the documents, which in the present scenario is unproductive. JNU has international reputation, with the new name it may take time to get recognition to the varsity, apex court lawyer explained. The plea that Nehru wasnt sufficiently educated to get a university to his name is not tenable as a lesser educated person is currently heading the HRD Ministry. Instead of changing the name, efforts should be made to evoke patriotism and feeling of national integrity through better education and social harmony. This is not the first time, BJP leaders had demanded to name changing of the university, Mr. Gupta reminded us. Earlier this year, one of the BJPs MP suggested that the JNU should be shut down for four months after the final examinations in May for fumigating the hostels by rejecting students who do not swear allegiance to the Indian Constitution. Swamy had also suggested in his demand that those students who have not passed out their bachelors courses from this university and those who have not received their masters degrees in three years should be expelled from the varsity. When AV spoke some other eminent personalities over the issue, the newspaper received mixed reaction from the society. Mr. Shahid Akhtar, a political activist, termed the whole saga of renaming as a conspiracy and said, JNU is not an institution but its a brand which promotes liberal, cultural and plural values. Thus, its not only a matter of renaming a university, its a deep conspiracy. And under the garb of changing the name, they are trying to change the whole ethos of this premier university. When AV approached to Mr. Wasim Khan Baloch, a Political Analyst, he said This is sheer politics, BJP is applying its agenda of Congress Mukth Bharat but how will they erase the contribution made by Congress leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru by changing names of institutions or roads However, there are some who are against naming any institute by the famous personalities. In their opinion, there is no need to give names to any educational institution after political leaders. Manoj Vijay Kulkarni, a business consultant opined, Dont use anybodys name for any institution. Why cant we recognize the things with its locations itself? At Dadar, we have Mahatma Gandhi Swimming Pool and Veer Savarkar Vegetable Market. Ironically, swimming pool should be named after Savarkar, because he swam away while vegetable market should be named after Mahatama Gandhi, who in his whole life propagated vegetarian lifestyle. Mr. Sumit Kashyap has very different opinion on the whole issue. A professional by work and staunched Congress supporter, Kashyap said, Since, RSS has no contribution in building India; Modiji is trying hard to acquire some leader from other parties. He has special vendetta against Nehru Gandhi family. So, he is trying to erase their name but even in replacement they are taking former Congress presidents name only. It only shows, RSS dont even have one face that can be presented in public. These things expose RSS mentality. Its shameful at every level. Dhruv Pandit, a student said, If I have to say in short, then this shows the insecurity of BJP. They are scared of Nehru even today. They are shaken with the Nehru-Gandhi existence. Anyway, they will never succeed in changing the name. Let Swamy talk about his fantasies. BJP has even tried to omit the chapter on Nehru from the schools books in Rajasthan. Suresh Nakhua, a BJPs IT cell member supports his partys MPs proposal and said It is indeed a good decision. Its not necessary that all institutions, roads, infra projects should be named after one family. There are many freedom fighters who have contributed to our nations freedom struggle. I go with this proposal because people who fought for the country other than one family have been ignored for more than six decades of Congress misrule. Its high time; those heroes should be given respect. Syed Zafar Andrabi, journalist from Jammu & Kashmir said, Such decisions are never in the interest of the nation. Tomorrow, they will suggest to change the countrys name and such steps would create division in the country and others will personify us as a radical nation. Washington has rejected Pakistans notion that the death of Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour in a U.S. drone strike damaged prospects for reconciliation with the militant group. Mansour was killed in a rare U.S. drone strike in Naushki district of Balochistan on May 21. Following the death, Islamabad condemned the attack saying the US violated the commitment it made earlier at the quartet meeting that talks remain the only option for bringing an end to the lingering conflict in Afghanistan. Richard Olson, the U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, defending the drone strike said it was Talibans repeated refusal to join talks with the Afghan government that the action was taken. Talibans repeated refusal to join talks with the Afghan government contributed to US governments decision to take action against Mullah Mansour on May 21, the Express Tribune quoted him as saying. Some commentators have speculated that this strike represented a shift in US strategy or a weakening of our commitment towards peace process but it has not, he added. Pointing out that Mansour was an obstacle to peace, Olson said the Taliban chief posed a continued threat to U.S. nationals through his support towards operations against U.S. forces. He acknowledged that the conflict in Afghanistan cannot end through military solution and the future of the country will be decided through discussion, negotiation, and reconciliation. We will also continue to encourage an Afghan-led, Afghan-owned peace process in which the government in Kabul and Taliban can bring this conflict to an end, he added. Underscoring the need for persistent coordination and cooperation between Kabul and Islamabad as a crucial aspect of long-term regional stability, he said that the U.S. remains committed to serving as a constructive conduit in advancing these efforts. There is space for the Afghan Taliban to integrate in Afghanistans pluralistic society, with the Afghan constitution providing protections for all Afghans regardless of their ideology, he added. Taking strong on the militant group he said, Let me say that the Taliban are mistaken if they think they can wait for us to withdraw our support, believing that Afghan forces will become vulnerable to defeat as the international community disengages. Pakistans permanent Ambassador at the UN, Maleeha Lodhi informed the UN Security Council that United States drone attack that killed Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansour on the Pakistani territory was a violation of Pakistans sovereignty and territorial integrity. US drone attack on Pakistani territory was violation of sovereignty, territorial integrity, Radio Pakistan quoted her as saying. Taking part in a debate on Afghanistan situation, she said the drone strike has raised serious questions about whether the international community was ready to invest in war instead of peace in Kabul. Lodhi pointed out that the use of force over the last 15 years had not led to peace. On a reply to remarks by Afghanistans UN Ambassador Mahmoud Saikal accusing Islamabad of interference in his countrys internal affairs and allowing anti-Afghan terrorist groups to operate from safe havens inside the Pakistani territory, she said the comments made by the former as unjustified and untrue and gratuitous on Pakistani institutions. She asked Afghan Government not to externalize its internal problems and blame others for its own failures. President Barack Obama will sign into law the first overhaul of toxic chemical rules in 40 years while hailing a rare moment of cooperation between Republicans and Democrats. Lawmakers from both parties planned to join Obama today for the ceremony, along with Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy, environmental advocates and industry groups that backed the legislation. White House press secretary Josh Earnest said the bill, which passed with broad bipartisan support, was an outlier in a political climate in which the two parties agree on little. Any time you see Democrats and Republicans come together on a piece of legislation, it does reflect a measure of compromise, which means that there may be some people who will criticise it because its not perfect, Earnest said. In addition to updating rules for tens of thousands of everyday chemicals used in household cleaners, clothing and furniture, the bill also sets safety standards for dangerous chemicals like formaldehyde, asbestos and styrene. The goal is to standardise on the national level what is currently a jumble of state rules governing the USD 800 billion-per-year industry. Congress spent more than three years working on the bill, which rewrites the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act and aims to bring chemical regulation into the 21st century, according to the American Chemistry Council, which backed the overhaul. The bill passed the Senate on a voice vote, reflecting an unusual degree of consensus for legislation that gives the EPA new authority to assess the safety of new and existing chemicals. In recent years, many Republicans have worked to pull funding for the EPA or eliminate it entirely. But business groups had sought a single, federal standard to eliminate the complexity of dealing with state regulations that dont always line up with each other. Still, some Republicans opposed the legislation and called it an overzealous Washington takeover of a matter they said should be left to the states. The bills namesake, former New Jersey Sen. Frank Lautenberg, died in 2013 after having worked for years to fix the law. When asked about other doctors who refuse vaccines he said, "There are some that do that, most of them just fall in line with the rest of the herd. I dont do that anymore. I wont do it. I told them they either have to fire me or find another job somewhere because Im not going to wear a mask, first of all, second, Im not going to get a vaccine. This is a rare physicianone who is willing to take on the medical community when it comes to mandated vaccinations. He and his wife have educated themselves on the risks associated with vaccines. Both the doctor and his wife are obviously well-informed on vaccine safety issues. Not only that, he's willing to stand up for his beliefs. He's an ER doctor who refused the mandated flu vaccine. He also refused to wear a mask in lieu of being vaccinated. By Anne Dachel First of all, let me say that due to the crowd scene following the screening of "Vaxxed" in Seattle, no one got the name of this doctor who was interviewed by Polly Tommey. (And if anyone knows who this man is, please let me know.) Doctors wife: "I have a true passion for children with autism." She went on to describe how she watched her grandchild "getting more and more disconnected" as a toddler. She was worried and she began to research the problem. She became convinced that vaccines were at fault after four years of investigating this for herself. In her words, I just want to help. I really am avid about getting onboard and getting this message out. Next this doctor talked about what he personally saw in the emergency room. ER doctor: Im an emergency room physician and Ive seen a lot of kids coming in after having vaccines, had seizures, even to the point that I believe that Sudden Infant Death Syndrome [SIDS] has been misdiagnosed. Its probably vaccine injury in some cases. And calling the pediatrician and saying, Look, you know, got this kid in here, you just gave him shots the other day, and theyre having seizures. Obviously its the vaccine thats causing itand just having a total denial fromthe pediatrician. Ive seen that happen over and over again. The doctor went on to talk about the fact that a huge part of their incomepediatriciansis from vaccinations. The medical community as a whole is kind of disabled. He said that doctors dont want to hear this. They believe in people like the CDC, and when you start realizing you cant believe those people anymore, it causes a huge problem for you and your practice. The doctor brought up the push to give people who come to the ER a tetanus vaccine. The doctor and his wife talked about the requirement that he get a flu shot every year. He was required to wear a mask if he refused. I just refused to wear the mask. He said he told his superiors, Why isnt it that the family members that come in here arent all required to wear a mask as well because we dont know which ones of those have gotten the flu vaccine. The doctor noted, I work in emergency medicine. Im around the flu all the time. Do I ever get the flu? No. He attributed his good health to a healthy gut. I take care of it. I take probiotics. The doctor said it was unbelievable to him that gastroenterologists hes dealt with dont know what a probiotic is. Polly asked him what he was taught about vaccines in medical school. Doctor: You never heard about the negative effect of a vaccine. Never. Doctors wife discussed the serious side effects from the adjuvants used in vaccines. She said her sons peanut allergy was probably from the use of peanut oil in vaccines. The doctor said that Vaxxed reinforced many things that he and his wife had found out about vaccines. Its caused a huge dilemma for me, obviously in the medical field., because now Im starting to question a lot of the things that we were taught in medical school, first of all. And then secondly, its also starting to make me wonder about the CDCall the people that send all the information to the physicians. Certainly I think pharmaceuticals are heavily involved in the medical education portion of what we get, and it causes a problem. If I was a pediatrician and I saw the film, Id get the heck out. He said questioning vaccines at a medical meeting was like having a third eye on your head. Change, he said, was not going to come from the medical community. Its going to come from people like the ones promoting Vaxxed. Now I want to contrast what this doctor said with the letter to the Wichita (Kansas) Eagle by a group of doctors who were angry because Vaxxed was being shown in a local theater. June 16, 2016, Letters on anti-vaccine film The following letter was submitted by physicians Rebecca Reddy, Stephanie Kuhlmann, Venessa Y. Lopez, Mayssa Zayat, Lana Hattar, Katherine Melhorn, Sid Sivamurthy, Natalie Sollo, Robert Wittler, Deborah Kroeker, Larry Hund, Mary Boyce, Jamie Page and Gautham Reddy: As community physicians who provide care to children in Wichita, we are deeply disturbed by recent local showings of Andrew Wakefields anti-vaccine film, Vaxxed, and by the discredited former doctors appearance at Tuesdays screening. In 1998, Wakefield falsified vaccine research for his own gain and misled the public about the MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccine being linked to autism. His research has been proved false by numerous subsequent studies, and he has been stripped of his medical license. Still, Wakefields falsehood persists, and it continues to endanger the lives of thousands of children whose fearful parents needlessly avoid the vaccine. Wakefield is a pariah in his native England but has moved to the United States, where he apparently is reinventing himself as a filmmaker but should only be seen as the danger he is. We encourage conscientious readers and concerned parents to talk to their doctors about the vaccines Unlike the doctor in Seattle, these physicians didnt say if they actually saw Vaxxed, or if they did, they were willing to overlook egregious charges of fraud, corruption, and cover-up at the CDC as shown in the movie. What should have disturbed them was the claim that the agency they look to for assurance that vaccines are safe has been accused of knowingly putting millions of childrens health at risk. Actually their letter is a fraud because this is not a movie about Andrew Wakefield at all. Pretending that it is, shows a total disregard for the children that they claim to care about. The real message of this letter is: THERE IS NO LINK BETWEEN THE MMR VACCINE AND AUTISM. THERE JUST CANT BE. WE COULDNT POSSIBLY BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ALLEGED CONNECTION TO MASS NEUROLOGICAL DAMAGE IN A GENERATION OF CHILDREN. Anne Dachel is Media Editor for Age of Autism. A new generation of air taxis has attracted billions of dollars in investment and thousands of orders, but there are major challenges This week saw Jet2.com double down its commitments with Airbus for dozens of new aircraft, but how much do you know about the UKs largest leisure carrier? Here's your chance to put your knowledge of Jet2 2 the test! Good luck! The Cypriot carrier has given its aircraft branding a refreshed look. See here for pictures and more... Discover what the future fleet outlook is for the Kazakh flag carrier, regarding both narrow- and widebody types, by reading here on Key.Aero The Latest Commercial Aviation News All in One Place Commercial aviation covers a broad range of topics from airlines to airports and manufacturers to operators. This page has everything you need to stay on top of all the latest news from the industry. Whether youre looking for engineering and manufacturing updates from the likes of Boeing and Airbus or want to see all the latest technological innovations in commercial flight, youre in the right place. From small private jets from Honda through to 400+ seater commercial long-haul airliners like the Airbus A350-1000 and Boeing 777X, well cover all the latest news and updates for you. Weve also split this section out into smaller sections to help you find articles relevant to you. 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As an industry spanning the globe, aviation technology moves quickly, with airports often testing and adopting new systems regularly to meet local and international legislations surrounding environmental and security challenges. We have everything you need all in one place. Aviation Engineering Read all of our articles on aviation engineering, from the latest Rolls Royce commercial jet engines to new models of aircraft and engineering projects at international airports around the world. From civil and commercial airliners through to military fighter jets, the aviation industry covers a range of technological challenges being overcome with impressive engineering feats. June 21, 2016 I do not fear arrest, and more leaks will be forthcoming next year unless the educational system improves and corruption is eradicated in Egypt. Thus, the administrator of the Chao Ming Bighachich Thanaweya Amma (Chao Ming Helps High Schools Cheat) Facebook page threatened the Ministry of Education June 15, following a leak of national high school exam questions and answer sheets. In 2012, a few students exploited the proliferation of electronic devices in Egypt to form a Facebook page with the motto God, Country, Chao Ming, where high school exams were leaked in order to undermine the educational system. Four years later, in 2016, the page went beyond leaking exams to posting the ministrys official answer sheet. This has caused a political crisis in Egypt after the Arabic-language exam and the ministrys answer sheet were leaked on June 5, merely 30 minutes after testing began despite the fact that their dissemination is outlawed. This, in turn, forced the ministry to postpone the theology exam, scheduled to take place on that same day, until June 29. Approximately 570,000 students take the national high school exams, which started June 5 and will end June 28. The secondary school phase of education represents a source of great pressure to students and parents alike because of the economic drain it causes on the resources of families bent on garnering the highest possible grades needed to join the best universities. In this general context, Egyptian Minister of Education El-Hilali El-Sherbini stated that the Council of Ministers had resolved to change school exam and university admissions criteria, with said decision coming into effect next year. In that regard, Ministry of Education spokesman Bashir Hassan conceded that the exam leaks originated from inside the ministry and accused the banned Muslim Brotherhood of being responsible for the leaks to sully the states image. In TV statements made June 9, Hassan said, The theology exam was leaked, but the Arabic-language exam represented a case of mass cheating. After the cancellation of the theology exam, Chao Ming challenged the Ministry of Education by affirming that he would publish the English-language exam 40 minutes before its start time of 9 a.m. On his Facebook page he wrote, The English language exam will be posted at exactly 8:40 a.m. One day before the exams scheduled date of June 7, the Public Prosecutors office announced the arrest of a person accused of running the leaks page and said that he would be held for four days pending investigations. By doing so, the Ministry of Interior thought that it had prevented Chao Ming from carrying out his threats, but the English-language exam and answer sheet was posted 40 minutes before the start of the exam. Major Khalid Abu Bakar, the general coordinator of Egypts electronic warfare army unit, later announced that they had uncovered the official page used by Chao Ming Helps High Schools Cheat, which had more than 1 million followers, and successfully took it down by exploiting errors committed by its administrators, though the administrators later replaced it with an alternate page. In TV statements made June 7, Abu Bakar added, We determined the location of the person responsible for the leaks page, which is run by a company called G.R., located in Al Hasri Square of 6th of October City. In that regard, the Egyptian Ministry of Education decided to disqualify the exams of students with identical answers in one or more subjects, which would indicate the existence of mass cheating, in accordance with the provisions of Ministerial Resolution 500 of 2014, governing the conditions necessary for disqualification and exam-taking bans. The campaign of prosecutions began in 2014 against several people whom the government accused of being responsible for the leaks, despite the fact that the administrator of the page wrote numerous posts in which he affirmed being outside of Egypt and in which he defied the Egyptian government by stating that he would continue leaking exams until the educational system was reformed. On June 17, the administrator of the Chao Ming Bighachich Thanaweya Amma page appeared in a live broadcast on his Facebook page wearing the mask made famous by the protagonist of the acclaimed American movie V for Vendetta. He affirmed being a freshman high school student and boasted that he did not fear being located or arrested. He said that he would continue leaking exams and answer sheets until the educational system was reformed. A source at the Ministry of Education in Asyut governorate told Egypts Al Shorouk newspaper June 4 that 120 students, the sons and daughters of police officers, the judiciary and senior officials, were transferred to the Badari secondary school to take their exams. The school is infamous for its mass cheating incidents. Salah Fathi, the acting undersecretary of the Ministry of Education, stated that the students transfer decisions were taken with the ministers approval, in accordance with applicable rules in that regard. In June 9 statements made to Egypts Al Bawaba News daily, eyewitnesses said that what occurred during the exams taken by the children of senior officials was catastrophic in the governorates of Minya, Asyut and Qena, where supervisors who refused to allow cheating were threatened and had guns drawn in their faces, leading the chairman of the exam committee in Al Jihad school to announce that he was unable to continue performing his duties. In that regard, educational expert Kamal Maghith told Al-Monitor, Due to its inability to put an end to the leaks, the Egyptian education system has lost all credibility. It thus has demonstrated that it is fragile and capable of being hacked. Maghith said, What is occurring represents a student protest movement against a system that drains their money and destroys their nerves. The current educational system is faulty and reliant on 1960s practices based on the use of red wax seals and secret numbers assigned to documents this in the face of a generation endowed with modern technological means. The accusations leveled against the Muslim Brotherhood are nothing but attempts to find a scapegoat, particularly considering that the Facebook page first appeared during, and targeted, the Brotherhoods regime. Meanwhile, the chairman of Egypts Parliamentary Education Committee, Gamal Shiha, said that only one exam was leaked since testing began. Other exams were photographed with modern means and published after testing began, which is a form of electronic fraud. In statements to Al-Monitor, Shiha said, Despite its flaws, the current system will endure until the end of the ongoing exam period for the three secondary school levels. This system is not perfect and [is] replete with defects. The problem is decades old, and solutions have not been forthcoming. He said that once equity is achieved between students, a new system will be implemented for secondary school and university admission exams. Shiha explained, The educational system as a whole must be completely overhauled, and not just the secondary level. He asserted that studies are underway to rectify the educational systems foibles. June 21, 2016 GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip Palestinian women in the Gaza Strip who master the art of cooking prepare in their own small kitchens large quantities of food and meet customers requests as efficiently as restaurants. The women are creating online profiles offering to cook and deliver meals to customers in exchange for a price based on the cost of each meal and the effort it takes to prepare it. The orders are placed one or two days ahead so the women can get the ingredients and prepare the meal for the agreed delivery time. The women show off their skills and compete for customers by posting photos online of the meals they cook, such as Umm Said who created the Facebook page Original Mandi Kitchen. Sabreen Sununu runs a home-based food business called Our Kitchen Is Different. Sununu, 38, told Al-Monitor that she learned the art of cooking from her husband, who is a government employee and a great cook. She taught herself how to prepare tasty dishes by watching cooking programs on TV and online; she has now mastered most of the Middle Eastern cuisine and a large part of the Western cuisine. After my home was indirectly targeted and destroyed by the shelling during the recent war on the Gaza Strip [summer 2014], I began looking for a small project to contribute to my familys income and help with expenses. Since I only excel in cooking, I resorted to the online kitchen project, she said. While there is no shortage of restaurants in the Gaza Strip as documented by the Palestinian Committee for Restaurants, Hotels and Touristic Services that noted there are about 220 restaurants in Gaza Sununu tapped into a niche market: tasty homemade meals. She launched her business in January 2016. At first, Sununu was worried about the competition, as many women had already started their own online food delivery service. But encouraged by her skills and enthusiasm, Sununu started her business knowing that initially the revenue would be modest. Most of Gaza's residents quickly learned about my business venture, and it has become famous for its cleanliness and tasty dishes, she said. She added that customers mostly order grape leaves, kibbeh (meatball), maftoul (Palestinian couscous with chickpeas), kabsa (rice dish), musakhan (chicken and onions) and the Palestinian al-Qadra (chicken and rice), most of which are dishes that require time and effort to prepare that working women may not have. Orders have significantly increased during the month of Ramadan. I now prepare several dishes every day with the help of my husband and our children, she said, adding that when she has several large orders, she asks her neighbors and friends to assist her. She said that orders must be placed one or two days ahead, online or by phone. She claimed that the prices she charges are affordable for everyone, as she takes into account Gazans' financial situation. Few customers have told her that the price of a meal is too high; she charges a reasonable price of $12 for a meal for five people. However, the women face many obstacles in preparing the meals, such as frequent power cuts and having to prepare several orders at the same time in a small kitchen. Sununu hopes one day to open a takeout kitchen outside her home, where she can easily prepare several meals at the same time. Islam Mohammad is a working woman who regularly orders homemade dishes online. She told Al-Monitor that many working women do not have time to prepare food or do not know how to cook and thus rely on online meal services; in addition, most restaurants do not offer dishes such as maftoul. Mohammad, 28, who works at the Ministry of Women's Affairs, said that during the month of Ramadan, when many people come over for iftar (breaking of the fast), she orders dishes online. These services have also allowed her to offer her family meals they had not eaten in some time. According to the 2015 statistics of the Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor, the Gaza Strip is home to 1.95 million people, 40% of whom live below the poverty line and 43% of whom are unemployed. In this regard, economic analyst Ibrahim Abu Aisha told Al-Monitor that these small businesses could help improve Gazas harsh economic conditions. He said, These small businesses play an important role in the development of the Palestinian economy, especially in light of the increasing rates of poverty and unemployment. He pointed out that home-based food businesses, which are easy to set up and do not require a large starting capital, encourage women to become part of the workforce and support their families, create job opportunities, reduce the poverty rate and stimulate the local economy. Speaking about the major challenges facing these businesses, Abu Aisha said they include power outages and the lack of certain kitchen equipment and appliances, which, if available, are often expensive because of the Israeli blockade imposed on Gaza. Also, there are no lending, tax and incentive policies for small businesses in the Gaza Strip. For his part, the deputy director of the Ministry of Economy, Emad al-Baz, told Al-Monitor that the ministry cannot currently monitor and follow up on the activities of home-based food businesses in the absence of a law, but that it is in the process of setting up a system to ensure that homemade meals are prepared in a clean environment and are safe to be offered to consumers. In light of the circumstances Gazans face, customers will continue to order meals from online food businesses and support the women who have come to rely on their small businesses as an important source of income. June 21, 2016 On June 10, Libyans awoke to yet another horrific event news of the shooting deaths of 12 men whose bodies were then disposed of at different locations around Tripoli. What actually happened and who is to blame remains far from clear. Emerging details suggest the same old pattern of armed militias claiming nominal loyalty to the government acting with impunity. The United Nations urged the Government of National Accord (GNA) on June 13 to investigate the murders, and the GNA has promised to do so and hold the perpetrators accountable. The case, however, has raised suspicions about the government's power and its relationship to militias, which it is supposed to be taming. Innocent people get killed almost every day in Libya, but this time it is different. All 12 men had been granted conditional release by court order, and their families had been notified to come to the Ain Zara prison, just south of Tripoli, to pick them up. Their murders marked the second single-day mass killing in Libya since nearly 50 civilians were killed on Nov. 15, 2013, by Misrata militias in what became known as the Gharghour massacre, referring to the southwestern Tripoli district where the massacre took place. Al-Monitor has seen all but one of the court orders for the men's release on the condition that they report to the prosecutor generals office in Tripoli twice a month pending verdicts against them. This is a common practice in Libya. A local prosecutor explained to Al-Monitor, on condition of anonymity for security reasons, that in such cases, Most likely the court will return a not guilty verdict, and such individuals will be set free since they were given conditional release. Siddiq al-Sur, from the prosecutor generals office, was quoted as telling a local TV station on June 11 that what had happened was nothing more than a pure crime, punishable by law. He asserted, [All the] perpetrators will be held accountable. The murdered men had been jailed for allegedly taking part in suppressing anti-regime demonstrators during the February 17 Revolution in 2011. Yet the four years they spent in jail without being convicted can only be interpreted, as one legal expert told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, as a weak case in which evidence is lacking and witnesses lack credibility. One day before the inmates' release, some hardline, pro-revolution activists had gone on Facebook to implicitly call for them to be killed. Neither Sur nor any other official who talked about the massacre offered a plausible scenario of what happened to the victims. Even Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj appeared to lack any facts on the case. He only mentioned the tragedy at the end of a 15-minute speech on June 13 on security developments, saying that his interior minister, Arif Khoja, is taking steps to ascertain what had happened and to bring the murderers to justice. Ain Zara prison director Ali Saadi, a former rebel and notably not a police officer as required by law for jail directors, claimed that all the victims had left the prison grounds and that some of them had been met by their families and relatives outside the facility's gates. One victims sister, however, disputes this claim, telling a local TV channel that her brother was never handed over to his father, who had been waiting at the jail for him. Her claim would appear to be supported by the procedures in place for inmate releases. Al-Monitor spoke to Mohamed, who would not reveal his full name but has been with the judicial police for the last two decades and works at Ain Zara. Mohamed described the procedure for releasing an inmate as follows: The inmates family or lawyer must be notified, and any one of them must come to the jail, where he or she will be taken into a special room inside the jail to wait for the inmate to be released. Once the release takes place, the relative or lawyer has to sign a register that he was present when the release occurred. No evidence of the victims' relatives having signed such a register has been produced, and no one has come forward with claims to have seen one. Indeed, a February 2016 YouTube video featuring Ain Zara documents the procedure for releasing inmates. In the video, the inmates are indeed met by their families or lawyers inside the jail, not outside it. The video appears to have been produced by the prison authority for propaganda purposes given the reputation of Ain Zara. Human Rights Watch criticized conditions at the jail in a December 2016 report. One must remember that the killings took place in a jail that is supposedly under the control of the GNA, which is recognized by major world powers as Libyas legitimate government. Since its members' arrival in Tripoli on March 30 from their base in neighboring Tunisia, many have accused the GNA of being at the mercy of armed militias in the capital, which means it is not free to do what is expected of it as the national government. In regard to the killings, Ali Qatrani, a boycotting member of the GNA, accused the GNA of working with militias that it are supposed to have disarmed and been banned altogether. Indeed, the murders raise the issue of the relationship between the GNA and armed militias and who is really in control of the Libyan capital. June 21, 2016 GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip The findings of a recent opinion poll conducted by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research were clear and surprising. The survey, conducted June 2-4, showed that 65% of the public in the West Bank and Gaza Strip want President Mahmoud Abbas to resign. Demand for Abbas resignation stands at 64% in the West Bank and 67% in the Gaza Strip, read the findings. The survey indicated that 31% want Abbas to remain in office. If presidential elections were held now, according to the poll, Abbas and two other candidates Ismail Haniyeh, deputy chairman of Hamas' political bureau, and Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti, who is currently incarcerated in Israel would receive 20%, 35% and 40% of the vote, respectively. Walid Ladadweh, an official with the Ramallah-based centers survey research department, told Al-Monitor that the center applies the latest scientific methodologies when conducting its surveys and the margin of error does not exceed 3%. The center chooses the survey sample in cooperation with the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics. In this particular survey, the sample included 1,270 people from the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Ladadweh said the center divided the Palestinian territories into 127 regions and a team of qualified researchers and coordinators conducted face-to-face interviews with 10 participants in each region. The information was audited and reviewed more than once before being published. He pointed out that the citizens were very responsive to the survey and gave their opinions freely, a detail he said adds to the findings' credibility. This is due to the respect for freedoms and the advanced democratic situation in the Palestinian territories, unlike in many Arab countries, where the citizen is forced to hide his real opinion for fear of the authorities, he said. He noted that the center is sharing the results with all segments of society in the Palestinian territories, through the media and workshops held by the center to discuss the polls. Government authorities haven't been all that interested in the findings, he added. Palestinians cited specific reasons they want Abbas to resign. Journalist Ahmed Labed from Gaza City told Al-Monitor, President Abbas, who has been in power for 11 years, has been illegitimately occupying the presidential office. His mandate expired in January 2009. Moreover, throughout the period of his presidency, Abbas hasn't accomplished any noteworthy achievement for the Palestinians. A woman from Ramallah told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity, since she feared possible public harassment for her opinion, Abbas resignation has become a necessity for the Palestinian cause. Lawlessness has spread in the West Bank under his reign, and the Gaza Strip was abandoned after being seized by Hamas in 2007. University student Khaled Shatat told Al-Monitor he wants Abbas to stay in office given that the Hamas-Fatah internal division now entering its 10th year has prevented presidential and legislative elections from being held in the Palestinian territories. There has been much talk about Abbas' legitimacy since his presidential term ended in 2009, but no presidential elections have been held. Abbas has stressed more than once that he would not run for another term if elections are held in the Palestinian territories. He also said he believes regional and international efforts are being deployed to search for his successor, according to statements made by Fatah leaders. Mukhaimar Abu Saada, a professor of political science at Al-Azhar University in Gaza, emphasized that Abbas' term should have expired after four years in accordance with Article 36 of the Basic Law. He said, Abbas, who is now 82 years old, was elected on Jan. 10, 2005, and his term ended on Jan. 10, 2009, which means he has been president for 7 years after his term expired. He added, The continued negotiations with Israel, which reached a standstill, are a key factor that led the people to call for Abbas resignation, not to mention the suffering experienced by the Palestinian people in the West Bank and Gaza because of the internal divide between Hamas and Fatah. A segment of Palestinians blame Abbas for this continued divide, since he refuses to reconcile with Hamas. Still, Abu Saada said he finds the 65% figure surprising. Previous polls indicated that support for Abbas would decline if he decided to run in any upcoming presidential elections, but this new survey's results go far beyond that projection. This percentage is alarming since it [comes from] the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research, which has been conducting surveys for 16 years and enjoys credibility among the Palestinians. It remains up to the Palestinian people to decide who their next president is, he added. However, Mustafa Sawaf, a political analyst and former editor-in-chief of the Hamas-run Palestine newspaper, said he is not surprised by the high percentage of Palestinians calling for Abbas resignation. He told Al-Monitor, This is natural given Abbas policies, which hurt the people and the Palestinian cause, and in light of the failures of his political project. Sawaf said the poll was conducted because of efforts by Arab, regional and international parties such as Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Israel and the United States to find a successor to Abbas. These parties, he said, believe Abbas has done all he will do as far as battling Palestinian factions that are fighting Israel and improving security coordination with Israel. These parties believe there must be another person who can assume the presidential office and give more concessions to Israel at the expense of the Palestinian cause. Regardless of the number of Palestinians calling for Abbas resignation, choosing a new president is not just an election matter, but is also subject to regional and international consensus. Elections could bring a president who does not enjoy the approval of these regional and international parties, especially Israel. Indeed, the legislative elections in 2006 brought Hamas to power without the approval of foreign parties. Meanwhile, those same parties, particularly Israel, Egypt and the UAE, believe Abbas has become too old and is unable to hold the reins of power. They fear Hamas will exploit the situation and find its own successful candidate for the presidency. June 21, 2016 Since the holy month of Ramadan began June 6, Saudis have been enchanted and enraged by Selfie, a famous serial TV comedy now in its second season. The show has inflamed public opinion and infuriated many Saudis. Ramadan is associated with piety and intense rituals including prayers, charitable deeds and supplication. But in recent years, Ramadan has also brought heated debates, excommunication and even calls for beheading those who challenge peoples sense of piety and propriety. Emotions run high during Ramadan. Public displays of piety are highly valued, while at the same time transgressors can be severely punished. In the past, Saudis have come to appreciate new television series aired every night during Ramadan to entertain and pass the time. From the glorified lives of pious Muslim leaders and commanders of medieval times to the intrigue of later caliphs, TV producers draw their audiences with stories narrated with obvious political, and always ideological, messages. Given that reading books is not on the agenda of many young Arabs, these dramatized historical episodes inform people about the past, often without a critical gaze. The serial dramas create nostalgia about a glorious history, standing in contrast with everyday lives. But this year, a black comedy is causing a great deal of controversy. Many Saudis impatiently wait for the evening show and enjoy the laughter generated by Nasser al-Qasabi, an actor and comedian who makes fun of a range of contemporary personalities and issues. His comedy is a huge departure from the formulaic and serious dramas about historical heroic battles and caliphs. Selfie replicates Saudi dialects and situations and exposes social and religious problems pertinent to Saudi Arabia. From showing women forced to walk on special pavement to prevent mixing between the sexes to religious clerics giving opinions on jihad to lazy civil servants, Selfie exposes the contradictions and problems Saudi Arabia faces today. In 2015, Qasabi received a death sentence from the Islamic State (IS) on Twitter following an episode in which he played the role of a Saudi father going to IS territory to save his son who had joined its ranks. There he fakes surprise as he discovers a group of other Saudi boys already enchanted by global jihad. When the father arrives in what looks like Raqqa, Syria, he says, It feels like Tahliya Street, a fashion and retail hotspot in Saudi Arabia. "Selfie" comically portrays the lives of men and women under IS, in addition to mocking rigid social traditions related to marriage, gender and other topics relevant to Saudi society. This year in Saudi Arabia, Selfie started with a hilarious episode called Alla Mathhabak (Your Sect). It tells the story of two clerics, one Shiite and one Sunni, waiting for their wives to give birth at a hospital. Under the pressure of the Gulf War in the 1990s, the hospital staff mixed up the newborns, who ended up being handed to the wrong fathers. One day, each father receives a call from the hospital informing him of the error. After deliberations, the fathers agree to exchange the now-grown boys to receive their own biological sons. Here the comedy starts and laughter follows. The mothers weep as they cannot cope with the return of their real biological sons brought up in the wrong sect, while the fathers struggle to re-educate the boys in their own religious tradition. The parents have a hard time exorcising Yazid and Abd al-Zahra, two symbolic characters lurking in the boys psychology after having been brought up by the wrong parent. For the Shiites, the Muslim Caliph Yazid represents Sunni atrocities against Ahl al-Bayt, the prophets household. For the Sunnis, Abd al-Zahra (the Slave of Zahra, the name given to Fatima, the prophets daughter) represents Shiite innovation and heresy, as all Muslims should be slaves of God. The comedy was certainly divisive, and its "Selfie" hashtag becoming a heated platform for admirers and critics. Lawyer Abdul Rahman al-Lahim praised the episode, saying it was better than hundreds of books on sectarian coexistence and interfaith dialogue. Similarly, Shiite ex-dissident and writer Tawfiq al-Saif also praised the episode for criticizing sectarianism. On the other side of the sectarian divide, some Saudis imagined the praise to be a Shiite-liberal conspiracy to undermine Sunni Islam on TV screens. Qasabi has earned several fatwas excommunicating him since he tackled sensitive religious issues in his previous comedies, the most famous being Tash ma Tash. Qasabi and his wife, sociologist and novelist Badriyah al-Bishr, moved to Dubai, she once said, because she didnt want to send her two sons to a school where the teacher depicted their father as a kafir (nonbeliever). This year, several clerics expectedly spoke against Selfie and how it has gone too far, undermining Islam and mocking its clerics. The main criticism seems to point to an alleged bias against Sunnis and in favor of Shiites. Qasabi is reprimanded for concentrating his mockery on the largely Sunni IS and not dramatizing the killing of Sunnis in Iraq at the hands of al-Hashd, the Iranian-backed Shiite militia. In his comedy, Qasabi always mocks the attire of Saudi Salafists by wearing a shorter-than-usual white shirt and an excessively bushy beard, both considered cherished traditions and upheld by Saudi Salafists. The cleric's speech and sermons are dramatized to depict ignorance, misogyny, sectarianism and literally uninspiring but potentially dangerous preaching. He also mocks those who swiftly move from leading a life of debauchery to becoming ardent supporters of radical religious views. He plays on the zealotry of born-again Salafi Muslims. Selfie has truly made a mockery of Salafists, and this seems to be not only appreciated, but also encouraged by its Saudi sponsors. MBC, the TV station where all this unfolds daily, is owned by Walid ibn Ibrahim, the brother-in-law of the late King Fahd. While religion is truly interlinked with politics in Saudi Arabia, the comedian and his team have only chosen to target the former with their humor. It will be a long time before they dare to tackle the other wing of this drama in the lives of many Saudis namely the political agents who had worked in, cooperated with and sponsored what has become a global menace: the Salafi-inspired jihadi violence and sectarian killing. We may never see a Saudi Blackadder, a British comedy in which comedian Rowan Atkinson mocks the stupidity and ignorance of the prince regent. June 21, 2016 GAZIANTEP, Turkey Since the Syrian revolution began in 2011, the Kurds have not engaged in direct military confrontations with the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, which has not shelled their areas as it has other Syrian cities, even though the Kurds have always opposed successive Syrian regimes. Kurdish fighters from the Peoples Protection Units (YPG), who are accused of embracing the ideology of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), managed to earn the international communitys trust after the 2014 battle for Kobani. This feat led to an international consensus, including the United States and NATO, to support them in the face of the Islamic State. Yet the Syrian opposition accuses the Kurds of being allies of Russia, which is shelling Syrian areas, and of cooperating with the regime through Russia. Buthaina Shaaban, political and media adviser to the Syrian regime, said in a Feb. 20 statement that the Kurds are cooperating with the regime through a Russian agreement. In October, the Washington Institute for Near East Policy published an article by Fabrice Balanche warning that the US-supported, Kurdish nationalist Democratic Union Party (PYD) "will not hesitate to cooperate with Damascus and Moscow in the north if Turkey and the United States continue prohibiting the unification of Kurdish enclaves including Afrin, Kobani and Jazira. Talk of Kurdish ties with the Kremlin raised concerns, particularly in the United States, whose government armed the Kurds. Also, the possible Kurdish-Russian ties increased Turkeys fears that the Kurds influence would grow near its border with Syria. Those fears increased in October, when Moscow expressed its readiness to cooperate with any forces fighting against IS in Syria and commander Sipan Hemo demanded that Russia supply the YPG with weapons and coordinate with the group against IS. While Russia hasn't confirmed its military support for the Kurds, it did declare its political support at Oct. 21 meetings with the PYD in Moscow. The meetings resulted in Syrian Kurds opening a representative office in Moscow on Feb. 10. Maram Daoud, a leader of the Charter of Dignity and Rights, told Al-Monitor the majority of political parties in Syria have regional and international ties and agendas. Relations are [usually] built with one or more than one regional or international party, particularly those having a military agenda," he said. The Syrian Democratic Forces [SDF] that was recently formed to replace the Kurdish YPG has ties with both Russia and the US-led coalition based on mutual interests. Daoud believes the SDF is taking advantage of the international community's priority of fighting terrorism, which is a common denominator for Russia and the United States. The SDF is advancing in areas held by terrorist organizations such as IS and Jabhat al-Nusra in Syria. He believes the SDF, which includes groups of different ethnicities, is introducing itself as the nucleus of a new military force with a secular bent. Regarding Russian political support for the Kurds, Daoud said Russia wants to expand the opposition circle in the Geneva talks by supporting the PYD on one hand and a Syrian opposition group based in Hmemim on the other. Russia supports all of the forces that do not clash with the Syrian Arab army, as well as all of the forces opposing the Turkish- and Gulf-backed opposition, he said. Daoud added that it is possible for any party to open a representative office in Russia and the United States without being recognized as a federation. The YPG defeated IS in 2015 in Kobani. Today, the SDF is besieging IS strongholds in northern Aleppo province, starting with the city of Manbij and its surrounding areas, with the support of political parties such as the Kurdish political umbrella group the Movement for a Democratic Society. Nasser Haj Mansour, an adviser to the SDF general command, told Al-Monitor that the SDF is fighting IS for strategic and ideological motivations. He said of SDF relations with Russia, The Russian airstrikes against IS and Jabhat al-Nusra in Syria serve and support the SDF. He added, Russia politically supports the Kurds participation in a political solution in Syria, considering that this position is based on Russia's deep and realistic understanding of the situation in Syria. British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said in February that the Kurds are coordinating with the regime and Russia. However, Haj Mansour said that perception is not based on fact. He described the statement as a way to woo" "international parties," referring to Turkey, which he described as the regional anti-Kurdish policeman. The Kurdish city of Afrin in Aleppo province has been besieged since 2013 by the Syrian opposition, making relations between the Kurds and the opposition hostile. Afrin Defense Committee spokesman Fawzi Suleiman told Al-Monitor, There is no serious cooperation between us and the Russians, but we coordinate with them and inform them of our locations in Aleppo province so they are not bombed, he said. Suleiman added that Kurds need to establish relations with all countries without exception even with Turkey, if necessary, saying, We will not turn our back on those who wish to help us." Alaeddine Khaled, a member of the Syrian Democratic Councils governing body, agrees with Suleiman that the SDF and even the council welcome the support of all countries that seek to halt the Syrian war. Khaled, who is also general coordinator of the Syrian National Democratic Alliance, told Al-Monitor the groups support good ties with Russia and the United States as sponsors to finding a political solution in Syria. He said the alliance is ready to build bridges with the parties that recognize the right of Syrias components in general and the Kurds in particular. Khaled accused Turkey and the Gulf countries of standing in the way of the Kurds participation in the on-again, off-again Geneva peace talks on Syria. Yet he mentioned that a meeting was recently held between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Syrian oppositionists, and that the meeting was attended by PYD representative Khaled Issa in Vienna, where Lavrov spoke of the Kurds participation in the Geneva conference. He said he considers the Syrian Democratic Council to have a natural right to participate in the Geneva conference, and that the conference will fail if such a key Syrian component is marginalized. June 21, 2016 Ankaras bid for European Union membership used to underlie Turkeys appeal for many of the Middle Easts progressive elements in the past. The Arab Spring enhanced Turkeys importance as a model country for other Islamic countries. With the Arab Spring gone sour and the EU battling its own crises, while Turkey becomes more authoritarian under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, these hopes have all but faded. It was a negative issue, the refugee crises, which appeared momentarily to inject fresh life into ties between Ankara and Brussels recently. Following the highly controversial migrant agreement concluded by the sides in March, then-Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu announced a new era in relations with Europe. Today we realized that Turkey and the EU have the same destiny, the same challenges and the same future," he said over-optimistically. Davutoglu also came back from Brussels with a bonus he hoped would mollify domestic critics of the migrant agreement; these critics said the pact would turn Turkey into Europes refugee camp. Turks would be given the privilege of visa-free travel to Europe by the end of June, provided Ankara met 72 criteria for this. Erdogan has since fired Davutoglu, and the general impression is not one of deeper engagement between Turkey and the EU, but what appears to be a continuing process of disengagement. Ironically, it is the bonus Davutoglu brought from Brussels in March that has become the Achilles heel in this respect. It is clear that Turks will not gain the right of free travel in Europe by the end of June. That has been already deferred to October and many doubt it will happen then. At issue is Turkeys refusal to fulfill a specific EU demand, even though Ankara has met most of the 72 criteria required. Turkey is being called on to change its anti-terrorism law so that journalists, academics, activists and ordinary citizens are not charged under it for merely expressing their views something that is happening with increasing frequency. Ankara is currently embroiled in a bloody war against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which the United States and the EU have also designated as a terrorist group. Erdogan, who is clearly displeased with the way Davutoglu negotiated the migrant deal, reacted to the EU demand with his familiar abrasive manner. Early in May he made it clear that Ankara would not comply with the deal, indicating that if the EU is not pleased with that, it can go its way while Turkey goes its. In a separate address in May, he said, Asking for the definition of terrorism to change is to call for a stop to fighting terrorism. This amounts to supporting terrorism. Erdogan also recalled that PKK supporters were allowed by Belgium to open a publicity tent outside the European Commission building in Brussels in March, while Davutoglu was negotiating the migrant deal inside. They give them euros and tell them to go and divide Turkey. They give them weapons. Do they think we dont know all of this? he said angrily. Prime Minister Binali Yildirim, who replaced Davutoglu in May, also indicated recently that Turkey would forgo the visa privilege for the sake of fighting terrorism. In an address to his parliamentary group, Yildirim said the EUs demand regarding Turkeys anti-terrorism law was unfriendly, adding that Ankara would never bow to this. Even if it is the visa waiver that is in question, this will not happen. Let [that waiver] stay where it is, Yildirim said defiantly. Turkish government officials have also suggested that Ankara will refuse to fulfill its obligations under the migrant agreement if the visa waiver does not go through as promised. Already under intense criticism for allegedly caving into Turkish blackmail with the migrant agreement, top EU officials are adamant with regard to their demand, despite concerns that this might undermine the migrant deal. Regardless of the controversy surrounding it, this agreement which is being silently implemented even though the Turkish parliament has not ratified it yet has reduced the number of illegal crossings to Greece from Turkey. Analysts argue, however, that Turkey cant afford to scuttle the migrant deal over the visa issue because the refugee crises and the related threat from Islamic terrorism cut both ways. The fact that the final decision on the visa issue has been deferred to October buys time for the sides to try to overcome the impasse. The current state of affairs also vindicates those who argued that it was a fatal mistake to lump the refugee question with Turkeys EU bid, and the visa issue. The result, they point out, has left Turkish-EU ties in a worse state. Retired Ambassador Osman Koruturk, whose past posts included Paris and Berlin, says that using refugees to advance unrelated political needs was unethical on the part of both sides to start with. Both sides acted dishonestly with regard to their promises, so it was not hard to see then that the whole business would have negative results for Turkish-EU ties, Koruturk, who is currently a deputy from the main opposition Republican People's Party, told Al-Monitor. He recalled that German Chancellor Angela Merkel had started the campaign against Turkeys EU membership while he was ambassador in Berlin and she was then in the opposition; Koruturk indicated that it was less than honorable for her to give the impression now that she was supporting this bid purely for the sake of the migrant deal. The negative results of this deal were also seen in the UKs Brexit campaign. Anti-EU campaigners used the visa question to argue that Turkey will eventually be given "free EU membership even if it doesnt fulfill the democratic prerequisites for this, and flood Britain with Turks. Opinion polls show that most Turks believe that the EU will never admit Turkey as a member. This also makes Erdogans life easier, enabling him to continually lambaste Europe for its perfidy. Koruturk also believes that the current situation plays into Erdogans hands. When he said Turkey would go its own way if the EU insists on its demands, he was probably expressing his true desire, Koruturk said. He considers the West to be degenerate and believes its values are not suitable for Turkey. Erdogans continuing railings against Europe seem to confirm this assessment. Meanwhile, the recent resignation of Hansjoerg Haber, the EUs ambassador to Ankara for reasons to do with Turkey, according to EU officials also shows where Turkish-EU ties stand. Given this general situation, the impression that these ties are in the throes of a slow death appears unavoidable. June 21, 2016 Every year, the Istanbul Chamber of Industry lists the biggest 500 industrial companies of the country based on sales of products they manufacture. The latest such list, called the ISO-500, was released at the beginning of June. In 2009, there were 153 foreign companies on the list, but in 2015 this number dropped to 125. This means that the proportion of foreign companies on the ISO-500 went down from one-third in 2009 to a quarter in 2015. This report is somewhat confusing because meanwhile, the number of foreign companies in Turkey has been booming. In the 56 years between 1954 and the end of 2010, 25,000 foreign companies established a presence in Turkey, but by the end of March 2016 this number reached 49,095. This figure means 24,000 foreign companies have opened branches in Turkey over the past five years. But the decline in the number of large companies indicates that production capacity has not simultaneously increased because most of the new companies are small- and medium-size operations. Data from the Ministry of Economy suggests that foreigners are mostly engaging in marketing and trading instead of production. Today, 17,905 foreign companies operate in wholesale and retail commerce. Next are 7,948 companies operating in the real estate sector. The production industry claims the smallest segment at 6,308 companies. These numbers may help explain why the number of foreign companies on the ISO-500 is decreasing. Only about 8% of about 49,000 companies are in manufacturing. Nearly 82% of foreigners are active in nonproduction fields. Mehmet Donen, a former minister of industry and commerce, told Al-Monitor, Companies set up in Turkey in recent years are generally of Middle East origin and small. Those coming from Iraq and Syria deal in commerce. Meanwhile, major companies producing industrial goods are leaving Turkey. There are three reasons: They dont trust the legal system in Turkey. The second is polarization and growing tensions in the country. The third is terror. Not only foreigners but also local major companies are leaving the country. Of the foreign companies in Turkey, 20,918 are of European Union origin. Among the EU countries, Germany leads the list with 6,602 companies followed by Britain with 2,933, the Netherlands with 2,610 and Italy with 1,321. Non-EU European countries have 4,783 companies operating in Turkey. Following Europe, the next region is the Middle East, with 15,417 companies that include the recent influx of Syrian companies. North American companies from the United States and Canada number 1,976. Of them, 1,647 are American. African countries have 1,743 companies in Turkey. In Asia, China has 772 and South Korea has 283. But an assessment based on the number of companies may be misleading. The amount of capital these countries have invested in Turkey paints a different picture. For example, between 2002 and 2016, the country that brought in the most foreign capital is the Netherlands with $21,354 billion. The United States is the second-largest importer of capital with $10,798 billion, and Austria is third with $9,590 billion. Some of the other countries in the top 20 direct investors are Britain with $8,719 billion, Luxembourg with $8,662 billion, Azerbaijan with $4,231 billion, the United Arab Emirates with $4,136 billion, Saudi Arabia with $1,944 million, Lebanon with $1,134 billion and Qatar with $1,131 billion. Thus, not only is the number of foreign companies increasing, the amount of foreign investments is also growing. But why is the number of major foreign companies involved in production declining? According to Donen, the reason is the incoming foreign investments are generally "hot money" and not used in industrial production. The Turkish government is also concerned with the changing types of foreign investments. A new incentive package is being prepared to encourage foreigners to establish financially stronger industrial facilities. These incentives, which include tax breaks, are expected to be introduced soon. Whether foreign or local, investors' top priority is confidence. No matter how many incentives are offered, if the future is uncertain it may be difficult to attract any investment at all. The tendency of foreigners in recent months to slow down their investments but engage in stock market transactions is a sure sign that the government first has to overcome the loss of confidence before introducing an incentives package. Birmingham Food Trucks app.jpg The new Birmingham Food Trucks mobile app will help users locate their favorite food trucks in real time. (Image courtesy of Moxy) Finding your favorite food truck should become a lot easier with the launch of a new mobile app designed by the Birmingham talent and creative agency Moxy. The Birmingham Food Trucks app -- whose logo features a pig on wheels -- will make its debut at the Summer Food Truck Rally this Sunday, June 26, at Regions Field downtown. App users will be able to search in real time to see what Birmingham food trucks are in their area, as well as link to menus and contact information for more than 20 trucks. "It really came about one day from us saying, 'Where's that food truck? Birmingham really needs a food truck app,'" Kelly Knudsen, co-owner of Moxy, told AL.com. "There was nothing that showed you where you can find a food truck in real time. "So it came about organically," she added. "We saw there was a huge interest in the community from people wanting to find out where these food trucks are. We've already got about 4,000 likes on our Facebook page." The free app will be available in the App Store for iPhone users and on Google Play for Android users. Sunday's Summer Food Truck Rally, which will feature more than 15 Birmingham food trucks and carts, takes place from 1 to 6 p.m. on the concourse at Regions Field. Tickets are $5 in advance here and $7 at the gate. Children under 12 will get in free. Participating trucks include Bendy's Cookies & Cream, Cantina on Wheels, Dreamcakes, Eugene's Hot Chicken, Fetch: A Treat Truck for Dogs, Greg's Hot Dogs, The Heavenly Donut Co., Melt, NOLA Ice, Off the Hook, Old Town Pizza, Repicci's Real Italian Ice & Gelato, Saw's Street Kitchen, Shindigs Catering, Slice, Southern Wanderer Fashion Truck and Snapper Grabber's Coastal Kitchen. One secret to happiness is to work in a field you are passionate about. For Willie Nelson, that field is big and green and full of seven-bladed leaves. So the country music legend has gone into the marijuana business. And now Willie's Reserve, based in Denver, is hiring. "I've bought a lot of pot in my life," Willie told GQ this past fall. "And now I'm selling it back." Since 2012, marijuana sales in Colorado have been legalized, regulated and -- pay attention here, Willie -- taxed. Looking for a career change? Open positions listed by the company: compliance officer, bookkeeper/admin/office assistant, production manager, sales director and extractor. The company's Web site says its products pay "tribute to a tradition of sharing, caring and toking. It's as if the Red Headed Stranger has offered an invitation aboard the Honeysuckle Rose (the name of Willie's tour buses) to sample the choices selections of his stash." Willie has long been an advocate for legalizing marijuana. We should note he is still alive and touring hard at 83 while most of his hard-living contemporaries have passed away or retired. At this writing he's on tour in the Midwest, doing several stops with fellow octogenarian stoner Kris Kristofferson. They'll be in Illinois for a couple shows this weekend. If you're looking for them, just turn left and follow the smoke trail. John Cassimus on CNBC.JPG John Cassimus, the founder and former CEO of the Zoe's Kitchen restaurant chain, appeared on CNBC's "Squawk Box" on June 22, 2016. (Photo courtesy of CNBC) UPDATED at 12:15 p.m. CDT on Thursday, June 23, 2016, to add statement from Zoe's Kitchen Inc. saying that John Cassimus is not authorized to speak for the company. John Cassimus, the founder and former CEO of the Zoe's Kitchen fast-casual restaurant chain, appeared on the CNBC's "Squawk Box" this morning, where he weighed in on a number of business topics, including the debate over raising the minimum wage. "Squawk Box" co-anchor Andrew Ross Sorkin asked Cassimus how the prospects of raising the minimum wage would impact the restaurant industry. The current federal minimum wage is $7.25 an hour, but the Obama Administration has advocated raising it to $12 an hour by 2020, which has been met with great resistance from some business leaders. Here is a transcript of the exchange between Sorkin and Cassimus regarding the minimum wage issue: Sorkin: "Minimum wage -- what's it doing to your business?" Cassimus: "For us, we typically pay higher than any of our other competitors." Sorkin: "So what do you pay on an hourly basis?" Cassimus: "Ten to 12 bucks an hour. So we are ahead of that curve." Sorkin: "And if I made that 15 (dollars), what would happen?" Cassimus: "It depends on what type of business, but typically where it's going to affect people is in the fast-food business, the quick-service, meaning McDonald's and those types of restaurants. The problem there is that when you have a model where you're paying a (franchise) royalty and then you also have wages increasing, whether it's 15, 20 percent, at some point in time, the cash on cash return to go open and to grow that business just isn't there, and it's going to really affect it. And then you can't pass it on to the consumer because the people that eat at McDonald's and places like that, typically their customer is a less-educated, lower-income customer and you can't pass that (increase) -- I don't think you can pass that -- on to them." However, after the show aired, Zoe's Kitchen Inc. released the following statement: "Today, John Cassimus, son of our founder, Zoe Cassimus, conducted an interview on CNBC's 'Squawk Box' where he made comments regarding the company's performance and plans. It is important to note that Mr. Cassimus has had no role with the company since 2008. Since 2008, he has not been a part of the executive team at Zoe's Kitchen and is not involved in, or privy to, the day-to-day operations or strategic plans of the brand. He is not privy to any nonpublic information about the company and is not authorized to speak for the company. Zoe's Kitchen cautions that his comments should not be interpreted as the views of the company, or an indication of its current or future business development plans." Beginning the late 1990s, Cassimus, a Mountain Brook High School and University of Alabama graduate, took the Zoe's Kitchen Mediterranean restaurant that his mother and father, Zoe and Marcus Cassimus, opened in Birmingham in 1995, and he grew it into a regional brand with locations in six states. Cassimus sold his majority interest in Zoe's in 2007 and later stepped down as its CEO, but he remains a shareholder in the company. Now headquartered in Plano, Texas, Zoe's Kitchen went public on the New York Stock Exchange in 2014 and currently has more 180 locations in 19 states. Cassimus, meanwhile, now owns and operates five Maki Fresh fast-casual Asian restaurants, two full-service Jinsei Sushi restaurants and two Miss Dots fast-casual chicken restaurants. The former city clerk of Goodwater received a 46-month suspended sentence after pleading guilty to stealing money on the job. Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange said Leslie S. Parker, 27, pleaded guilty to one count of first degree property theft. She was also sentenced to five years of probation and ordered to pay $264,181.44 restitution to the city. Prosecutors said Parker used the city's payroll to pay herself more than her salary for two years, until last December when she was arrested. In a news release, Strange's office said Parker was entitled to sick leave, holidays, and vacation time, but she was not entitled to convert those to pay, and she was not entitled to overtime pay. Prosecutors said Parker entered false hours in the vacation and overtime pay categories into the city's payroll system, in order to increase her paycheck. She also wrote and cashed checks to herself from the city account and wrote a check to a third party for her own benefit. "This defendant has been held accountable for gross misuse of her public position for personal gain, and she is now required to pay back the money she stole from the taxpayers of Goodwater," Strange said in a statement. "This case arose from the vigilance of a concerned citizen, and was completed through the dedicated hard work of those in our Special Prosecutions Division." Strange thanked the Coosa County Sheriff's Office for its assistance. One of three men, who were arrested during a March traffic stop in Oxford while allegedly on a mission to steal a safe from a house and turn the occupants over to a Honduran drug enforcer, has pleaded guilty to a firearms charge. Josue Lopez-Benegas, 24, pleaded guilty Wednesday in a hearing before U.S. District Court Judge Abdul Kallon to one count of unlawful transport of firearms by an illegal alien. The charges relate to the recovery of pistols during a March 25 traffic stop by Oxford police. Kallon set Sept. 20 for Lopez-Benegas' sentencing. Lopez-Benegas entered a blind plea - meaning no plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney's Office. Lopez-Benegas' attorney, Ken Gomany, said that prior to sentencing he will be looking for any mitigating factors that could lessen the sentence. But whatever sentence he receives, Lopez-Benegas faces deportation because he was in the country illegally, he said. Police found several pistols, loaded magazines, a tactical vest, knife, utility rope, a machete, handcuffs, and a black ski mask inside the white four-door 2015 Dodge Dart in which Lopez-Benegas and two other men were riding, according to federal court documents filed Friday. The driver, Camilo Antonio Espinoza-Medrano, 31, of Honduras, and other passenger, Enrique Echeverria Benitez, 24, of Mexico, were also each indicted on the same charge as Lopez-Benegas, federal court records show. All three men continue to be held in jail pending disposition of their cases. Assistant U.S. Attorney Austin Shutt is prosecuting the case. According to affidavits filed by a special agent for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations here is what happened: On March 25, an Oxford police officer was notified by a local citizen, who reportedly saw two males climbing over his fence onto his private property. The citizen then followed the Dart in which the two men had left the property. The citizen pointed the officer to a white four-door car travelling westbound on Bynum Boulevard in Oxford. The officer caught up to the vehicle near the intersection of Bynum Boulevard and Beck Road and initiated a traffic stop of the Dart. When the officer stopped the vehicle and made contact with the driver, two males in the back seat were wearing camouflage. The Smith & Wesson model SD9, with an attached laser and a loaded magazine containing 15 rounds, was recovered from the glovebox. It was confirmed stolen by the Arlington, Texas Police Department. The officer also recovered a loaded Caspian Arms .45 caliber pistol from under the driver's seat and from the trunk a Smith & Wesson M&P 9mm pistol and a SIG Sauer SP2022 pistol and loaded magazines. "Other items found in the vehicle included a tactical vest, a knife, utility rope, a machete, handcuffs, and a black ski mask," according to the affidavit. In an interview two days later with an FBI agent, Lopez-Benegas said he received a phone call around March 4 from a Honduran friend who wanted Lopez-Benegas "to travel to Alabama to do a security job," according to the affidavit. Benegas told the agent he was promised $60,000 once the job was completed. "The job was supposedly arranged through a security company, owned by the friend's boss, who (Lopez-Benegas) knew as an enforcer and debt collector for drug organizations," according to the affidavit. "The job involved taking a safe from individual(s) at an Alabama residence identified by GPS coordinates," the affidavit stated. "Once the residence and safe were secured, Lopez-Benegas and the others were to turn over the occupants to the boss." "Lopez-Benegas further stated that he and other individuals traveled to Oxford, Alabama, and were provided firearms, bullet proof vests, camouflage clothing, and other gear to use on this job," the affidavit states. "Lopez-Benegas' specific duty was to conduct surveillance on the residence, located near the Talladega National Forrest," the affidavit stated. "The group was instructed to assault the residence and take its occupants captive. The primary goal of this operation was to take custody of a safe that was supposedly located at the residence." Lopez-Benegas reported that the group was told not to contact law enforcement, the affidavit states. He admitted, according to the affidavit, that he was armed with a handgun that he kept on his person while conducting surveillance on the target residence. "Lopez-Benegas planned to use the handgun to shoot the occupants of the house if they presented a firearm during the home invasion," the affidavit states. An Alabama group representing the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community has responded to suspended Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore's request on Tuesday to have judicial ethics charges be dismissed against him. "It is clear that Roy Moore not only believes he is above the law, he believes he is above judicial ethics," Eva Kendrick, Alabama state manager for the Human Rights Campaign, said in a prepared statement. "Moore was tasked with upholding the law of the land when marriage equality was affirmed by the Supreme Court of the United States, and he defied that task, in the process harming loving, committed same-sex couples across Alabama for his own personal, discriminatory reasons. We remain optimistic that the sanctions against Moore will be upheld," Kendrick stated. The Human Rights Campaign and other civil rights organizations joined the Southern Poverty Law Center in filing an ethics complaint with the Judicial Inquiry Commission of Alabama, seeking Moore's removal. "HRC has been a vocal proponent of the #NoMoore campaign to remove Moore from his position due to his legal and ethical failings," according to the HRC statement. After an investigation, the JIC in May filed charges against Moore to the Alabama Court of the Judiciary. The JIC charges center on Moore's order issued to probate judges in January telling them that an order issued by the Alabama Supreme Court in March 2015 telling the judges not to issue same-sex licenses was still in effect. The order came out six months after the U.S. Supreme Court in June 2015 declared same-sex marriage legal nationwide. The complaints by SPLC and HRC detail Moore's blatant disregard for the law, including communications in which he urges Gov. Robert Bentley and members of the state's probate judges association to ignore federal court rulings striking down Alabama's ban on marriage equality. Moore, in his response to the JIC charges on Tuesday, asked the Alabama Court of the Judiciary to dismiss the charges. Moore denied defying the U.S. Supreme Court. He said the purpose of his January order was to "instruct" probate judges on the status of the state-court injunction that had first been imposed upon them in March 2015. Moore's attorney, Mat Staver with the group Liberty Counsel, also says the JIC lacked jurisdiction to issue the charges because they all deal with a legal interpretation that is beyond its authority. As of Wednesday, the Court of the Judiciary has not yet set a trial date for Moore. Experts weigh in on whether UKIP EU Referendum poster, which was likened to Nazi propaganda, breaks moral code. BREAKING POINT screams the red lettering on an anti-immigration poster from the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP). The poster was released days before Thursdays EU Referendum, when Britons will decide whether to remain in or leave the European Union. Set over an image of thousands of refugees in Slovenia in 2015 who had just crossed the border with Croatia on their perilous journey, many of whom were fleeing war and persecution, the poster has been likened to anti-Semitic propaganda in the 1930s and been condemned by a number of politicians and observers. A caption calling on voters to tick Leave the European Union on June 23 reads: We must break free of the EU and take back control of our borders. When you get so involved in your British nationalism that you slip into acting like Nazis. #JustUKIPthings pic.twitter.com/pgWfizUGel Brendan Harkin (@brendanjharkin) June 16, 2016 British Prime Minister David Cameron of the ruling Conservative Party, who is leading the Remain campaign, said the poster was wrong in fact and in motivation. Opposition Labour MP Chuka Umunna said UKIPs poster stands contrary to the values Britain has fought for. Jo Cox, the pro-Remain Labour MP who was stabbed and shot dead in her constituency one week ago by a suspect with links to the anti-immigration far-right Britain First group, would have responded with outrage to the poster, said Stephen Kinnock, a Labour MP. Her husband, political activist Brendan Cox, called the poster vile, just a day before she was killed. UKIP did not respond to Al Jazeeras request for comment. Brexit Q&A: All you need to know Aside from condemnation, the poster raises questions of ethics. Is it fair to depict vulnerable people in a political campaign without their explicit consent? Can the photographer object to the use of the image? What is the purpose of documenting the refugee crisis? And does it incite hatred? The image was taken by Jeff Mitchell of Getty Images, who refused to comment directly to Al Jazeera. It is always uncomfortable when an objective news photograph is used to deliver any political message or subjective agenda, however the image in question has been licensed legitimately, said Getty Images, but did not comment further. Al Jazeera asked a few experts to weigh in. Diego Cupolo, photojournalist on the refugee crisis [If it were my photo] at first I would feel terrible, since any decent journalist produces work to present a situation as it happens. In my work, I try to present the viewer with an image of reality and leave it up to them to decide how they perceive the image. It is something else, to present an image and tell the viewer what they are seeing. By linking cause and effect, migration and your countrys economic hardship, is to misguide the audience because real life is much more complicated than A equals B It takes the blame off our shoulders, but to use my own photos to misguide the public, no, that would be offensive and counter to everything I stand for as not just a journalist, but as a human being. In documenting the refugee crisis for English-language media and trying to present what is happening in refugee camps, I find myself constantly countering the toxic rhetoric coming from so many British papers and tabloids, which are full of hateful talking points and easy-to-swallow slices of racism that bit by bit can render a casual news consumer completely insane. [As for consent], there is a difference between being vulnerable in private and in the public. In general, each photojournalist must set their own ethics in regards to consent and if they feel they are doing something wrong, then they probably are. Can the photojournalist complain about the use of this photo? Probably not, stock photo agencies have photographers sign lengthy contracts to cover themselves in case of such issues. Marius Luedicke, professor focused on brands with regards to moralism When I saw the poster I was not pleased at all. The EU Referendum campaign has been all about limiting immigration to a certain extent; this is inherently unethical but unavoidable in a world divided by nation states. Its not a humanistic idea. The refugee crisis is one thing it is massively different from economic migration. Mixing the two is not fair, its terrible. We are talking about two immoral issues the nation state can never be fair to humans. Using that imagery of refugees to refer to gradual immigration that happens over the years as a threat is plain wrong. Its a provocation, part of a strategy. The problem we have with the Brexit campaign is that it has a clear image, a very drastic image which appeals to fears such as overcrowded cities, feeling like a foreigner in your own country. The In campaign has nothing to counter, in terms of powerful images. They are working with the economic consequences of leaving the EU how can a normal person imagine that? I wasnt surprised that the rhetoric got more extreme towards the last days. UKIPs poster wasnt surprising given the rhetoric they have used before plain tasteless. In Austria [and elsewhere across Europe] you see the same rhetoric from the far-right parties. Its all about immigration those people born in the country are by birth better. It goes down the nation-state route. This is a difficult moral dilemma we are facing. Mel Bunce, journalism lecturer and ethics researcher at City University London UKIPs use of refugee images in their campaign is extremely unethical. The photo demonises refugees, a vulnerable group who deserve our compassion and empathy not our blame. The image suggests that refugees are somehow to blame for financial issues in the United Kingdom and this is simply not the case. Framing the photo in this way turns the image into a piece of political propaganda. It fuels race-based discrimination and hatred. The UKIP image has important similarities with some Nazi propaganda from the 1930s. Both use images to suggest that foreigners are coming in overwhelming numbers and they threaten our culture, our way of life and our economic prosperity. They are both based on the same core lie. The lie at the heart of much Nazi propaganda was that Others Jewish citizens, foreigners, and minority groups were to blame for Germanys problems. The same lie is at the heart of the UKIP [poster]. There are important differences as well. Its important not to overstate the similarity. Nazi propaganda rarely held back from blatant racial stereotyping and vilification. UKIP images work on a more subtle level to suggest that foreigners should be feared. Tom van Laer, marketing lecturer at Sir John Cass Business School Ethics become a great concern when storytelling is adopted for the promotion of political views It is unlikely that already vulnerable voters will resist the power of stories in general and political, mediates stories in particular. This reinforces the need to restrict voters exposure to this type of political advertising, especially in situations in which these vulnerable people are likely to be lost in the story. [But] political advertising has been exempt from the Advertising Code of the Advertising Standards Authority, the UKs independent regulator for advertising across all media. The Electoral Commission, which oversees British elections and referenda, has rejected the idea of regulating political ads. [As for privacy of the refugees depicted], a right to privacy exists in the UK law, ironically as a consequence of the incorporation of the European Convention on Human Rights. However, it is legal to photograph anyone on any public property. A photographer at Getty Images took the picture. Getty Images has licensed the picture to UKIP legitimately. Neither side of the debate has really covered itself in much glory. The arguments to remain part of the European Union or to leave have been aggressive, poisonous and based largely on fear-mongering storytelling, rather than facts. Whether they contributed to the murder of [Jo Cox], an elected Member of Parliament , which in itself is an affront to democracy, as well as a human tragedy, it is too early to speculate. However, sadly, the awful scenes in Birstall, West Yorkshire, seem to sum up a country that has been tearing itself apart, spurred on by negative storytelling. While these stories were temporarily suspended following Coxs death, and before the vote on Thursday, there is a strong argument that political storytelling should be stopped for good. Follow Anealla Safdar on Twitter: @anealla I would hope that after what happened with Jo Cox everyone would pause and reflect and things would maybe be better. Glasgow, United Kingdom The British electorate have not lacked direct political engagement in recent years. From the September 18, 2014 Scottish independence referendum to last years UK general election and even last months national parliament and assembly elections across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, the popular will of Britains voting public has loomed large. Tomorrow, on June 23, voters across all four corners of the United Kingdom will wearily trudge to the polling booths to exercise their democratic right in yet another crucial political decision whether their country should remain in or leave the European Union of which it has been a member for decades. Seen by both sides of the debate as Britains most important decision in recent political history, the EU referendum campaign came to a (temporary) tragic halt when British Labour Party MP Jo Cox was murdered in her English constituency in West Yorkshire last week. For many observers, Coxs death, allegedly at the hands of suspect Thomas Mair who is believed to have had far-right sympathies, was the terrible nadir to a political campaign that had turned sour long ago. The general tone of political debate [in Britain] has reached the point where politicians are almost despised by the population, said British political blogger Mark Thompson to Al Jazeera. He said that this has not just been apparent during the referendum campaign itself, but had been symptomatic of British political discourse for years. And, so therefore, you could certainly imagine a situation where someone who had psychological issues and who had become radicalised on the right-wing could get it into their head that actually politicians are worthless. Indeed, prior to the death of pro-EU Cox, a 41-year-old wife and mother-of-two who only won her West Yorkshire seat in last years UK general election, both sides of the EU referendum campaign had been accused of malicious scaremongering. Last month, British Prime Minister David Cameron on the Remain side claimed that Islamic terror group the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) would welcome a British exit from the EU. And just last week, Leaves Nigel Farage, the leader of the anti-EU UK Independence Party (UKIP), unveiled a controversial anti-migrant poster just hours before Coxs death that drew comparisons with fascist propaganda from 1930s Germany. North Sea oil, Brexit and Scottish independence Voting to stay For millions of people across the UK, accusations that the EU referendum campaign has generated more heat than light have not only come from British citizens, but also the countrys large immigrant population of which only Irish citizens and those from the Commonwealth have a right to vote in the in/out EU plebiscite. I feel the whole atmosphere has been charged with a lot of emotional overtones around this issue of Brexit, said 38-year-old Nino Puglisi, an Italian national who works as a scientist in the English city of Oxford, to Al Jazeera. There are racist overtones too which is the sad truth as well. Puglisi, who lives in London and who hopes that the UK votes to retain its EU status, added: Immigrants in this country have contributed significantly to the economy the overwhelming majority are financially active and are making a fantastic contribution to British society. Australian Tahnee Conn, who works as an occupational therapist in Glasgow, Scotland, has also been left frustrated by the EU campaign. She told Al Jazeera that while the Remain side had struggled to articulate the positive case for Britain staying within the EU, the Leave side had appeared border-line racist. And like Thompson, she also speculated that Coxs death was a tragic result of Britains highly-charged political atmosphere. When theres all this negativity and hostility in the media, people take hold of it and probably people with mental illness or who have an extreme agenda get wound up by that negativity pervasive in the media, said the 38-year-old who will be voting to remain in the EU. Brexit Q&A: All you need to know Leave supporters With the result too close to call, Britains Leave supporters, many of whom have been persuaded that a vote to withdraw from the EU is a vote to regain control over their countrys borders, reject the notion that their sides focus on immigration has been racist. One Leave voter told Al Jazeera that it wasnt immigration itself that concerned him, but the UKs ability to control it. Theres a housing shortage, the schools are overcrowded and the [British National Health Service] is struggling you just cant accept the quantity of people coming into the country like this forever, said Stephen Reader, a retired engineer from Derby in the English Midlands. Yet, it is the death of Cox, which has dominated many thoughts in the run up to tomorrows vote. Speculation as to the political significance of Coxs assassination has been rife in the British press with most focusing on the alleged killers apparent fixation with the far-right. Indeed, during his court appearance after his arrest, Mair gave his name as death to traitors, freedom for Britain. Political blogger Thompson contended that with the rise of radical right-wing party UKIP which won the European Parliament elections in Britain in 2014 and secured nearly four million votes in last years UK general election has come a ramping up of the political rhetoric surrounding immigration into the UK which has itself fed into the referendum campaign. Although not all UKIP politicians are guilty of this, quite a lot of them are guilty of exhibiting the kind of views that were not really accepted within the political mainstream a few years ago, said Thompson. He added that elements like the Farage-issued poster, which portrayed a queue of migrants under the slogan Breaking Point, were giving legitimacy to people who have even more extreme views although the UKIP leader angrily hit out at any suggestion that Coxs alleged killer had in someway been motivated by the Leave campaign. In the wake of Coxs murder, there have been calls to reduce the toxicity of UK politics, with an appeal to the British public to show greater respect to their countrys elected representatives, most of whom work tirelessly for the constituents they have been elected to serve. Yet, irrespective of the referendum result, Thompson believes that any ambitions to inject a calmer and more reasoned air into the domestic political scene may be difficult to come by. I would hope that after what happened with Jo Cox everyone would pause and reflect and things would maybe be better but I fear that that wont happen, he stated. READ MORE: Brexit and Boris Johnson: A perfect political pairing? Follow Alasdair Soussi on Twitter: @AlasdairSoussi Mogadishu, Somalia Its Friday afternoon on Lido beach in the Somali capital, Mogadishu. It is the start of the weekend and families in their Friday best outfits have flocked to the beach and the eateries that hug the pristine blue waters of the Indian Ocean. Come together, closer, smile. This one is going up on Snapchat, Zakariye Abdirahman instructed out loud as he took photos on his smartphone. Abdirahman and his five other friends have come to the citys most popular beach to show the other side of Somalia, the side they say the media ignores. They are volunteer social media activists and go around the city and nearby towns and villages when they are not at work or at school, taking photographs of the changing faces of their country. Thousands of people follow the activists on their social media accounts to get a glimpse of the everyday life in the horn of the African country. I post the photos on my social media accounts to show people the reality in our city. I take photos of the latest developments in Mogadishu. Many people have contacted me saying they never knew Mogadishu is like this. Others have visited the city after seeing some of my pictures. Abdirahman told Al Jazeera. The Somali capital, which was reduced to rubble by warring clan militias after more than two decades of civil war, has been undergoing a revival. Al-Shabab, the al-Qaeda-linked armed group which is fighting to overthrow the countrys western-backed government, was pushed out of the city in 2011. The group has also lost control of most towns and cities in the country but still carries out attacks and targeted assassinations. With a sense of normality returning, thousands of people have returned to Mogadishu as security has improved. Investors poured millions into the countrys fragile economy. The old part-blown buildings of city have been given a facelift. READ MORE: Facebook sells paradise on earth to young Somalis But Mogadishu is still struggling to shed its image of recent years. The activists blame the media for what they claim is inaccurate portrayal. The reason why I take pictures is because when people Google Mogadishu on the internet pictures of people killed in explosions, people who are bleeding or starving people appear. And that is not the whole picture, Ayan Mohamed told Al Jazeera, as beachgoers watched from a few metres away. I take pictures to counter that image. The media creates and perpetuates these images, he said. The Somali government, which has its hands full fighting al-Shabab, has welcomed the moves of these activists. We encourage people to show the world the changes the country is undergoing. It is not just the job of the government, Abdisalam Aato, the government spokesman told Al Jazeera, sitting in his office with a picture of a smiling child at the beach hanging from the wall. We welcome those who are doing their part in sharing these positive sides of our country. We encourage the Somali people to counter the media, which is often interested only in news of explosions, Aato said. But the activists have their work cut out for them. Somalia may be turning a corner but some of the old issues remain. The country was back in the media headlines at the end of last month as the UN said some 1.7 million people in the northern part of the country 40 percent of people in northern Somalia may die due to lack of emergency food aid as a result of El Nino-related drought. READ MORE: Somalias post-conflict banana harvest revival Yet the activists say that they dont want the world to focus solely on the suffering of the Somali people. We dont want the media to just show the negative, the suffering. We want them to show our full lives. There is so much happening in Mogadishu and other towns and cities. It seems like they are not interested in anything other than the suffering of our people, Abdirahman said. As the sun disappeared behind the waves of the warm sea, the group dashed to Daljirka Dahsoon a monument erected in the heart of the city in honour of the men and women killed defending the country another popular hangout spot for the citys residents, to capture the last rays of the day. These are the images the world also needs to see. This is also Somalia, and the happy people you see here are Somalis, Mohamed said while taking photos with her phone. The activists said they will continue taking and sharing photos of everyday life in Mogadishu until the world accepts there is more to the city than violence. Nothing will stop us. We will tell our story fully. And we will make sure the beautiful side of Somalia will also be online, Abdirahman said. Follow Hamza Mohamed on Twitter: @Hamza_Africa How the US became the enemy of the mujahideen and how, in the process, both walked into cages constructed of ignorance. In the sixth part of his Chronicle of a caged journalist series, Egyptian war correspondent Yehia Ghanem asks how the mujahideen and the Americans came to view each other as enemies. Plato once said: Only the dead see the end of war. Having covered multiple conflicts on three continents over 19 years, I certainly concur. I have met and interviewed many mujahideen in different war-stricken countries. Plenty of them were people the West might call terrorists. But none of them were characters Id recognise from an academic report, policy paper or movie on the topic. From Afghanistan to Bosnia, I have spoken at length to these people hearing about their lives and motivations, the places from which they came and the causes for which they fought. But what has struck me most about the many participants in these wars is the extent to which they are caged. Some have entered their cages willingly; others under force. There are those who cage each other and those who cage themselves. And their cages can take so many varying forms mental, emotional and physical with one type often leading to another. But in almost all instances, the hardest cages from which to break free are those constructed of ignorance. And what applies to individuals applies all the more to countries. Just as people sometimes create their own enemies, so too do states forging veritable Frankensteins monsters along the way. As the war between the Soviet Union and Afghanistan ended, the Arab mostly Egyptian mujahideen who had gone to fight there followed one of three paths. Many returned to their home countries to continue their campaigns against their own dictators. Others moved on to another war joining the Bosnians in their fight against the Serbs. Some stayed where they were supporting one Afghan group against another as conflict seeped deeper into that society. Among those who took their fight back home with them, a critical shift in thinking was beginning to take place. During the 1960s and 1970s, their enemy had been the Arab dictators. In the 1980s, it was the Soviets opposition to which, ironically, united the mujahedeen and their governments. But at the beginning of the 1990s, their anger started to shift towards the US, the country they considered to be the sponsor of their brutal rulers. For a while, these mujahideen were split. Those who had gone to Bosnia had only limited reservations about American intentions in the Arab world, while those who had stayed in Afghanistan were primarily concerned with the threat posed by the vestiges of the communist government there. They had never considered the US to be their enemy and as many of the top Taliban officials I spoke to told me: We have no issue with the US unless they have an issue with us. But for the mujahideen who had returned to Egypt, things were different. Although the US had no imperial legacy in the Arab world in the strict sense of the term, returning mujahideen were able to access a body of literature written, most often, by leftists, socialists and Nasserites, supporters of the late Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nassers pan-Arab nationalism that connected the US to the history of European imperialism in the Arab world. This literature created a false impression that offered greater weight and conviction to their growing frustrations with the role played by Washington in propping up their Arab oppressors. And so it was that as the US began to paint the Taliban in Afghanistan as their enemy although, at that time, the feeling was far from reciprocated many of the foreign fighters whod returned from Afghanistan began to craft an ultimate enemy in the form of the US. Both had walked into cages of ignorance in which they would remain trapped with far-reaching and devastating consequences . Chronicle of a caged journalist is a series of excerpts from an upcoming book. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy. Banda Aceh, Indonesia Banda Aceh is an autonomous province in the north of Sumatra Island, and the only place in Indonesia the country with the worlds largest Muslim population where Islamic law is currently in effect. Aceh was the area hardest-hit by the 2004 tsunami. More than 170,000 inhabitants lost their lives. Many Acehnese viewed the disaster as punishment for their lack of devotion to God. Although Islamic law was introduced in 2006 as part of Indonesian government efforts to appease the Free Aceh movement separatists and end the conflict, some believe the natural disaster helped religious authorities accelerate growing religiousity within the province. Alcohol, gambling, not dressing in accordance with Islamic code, premarital relationships, and adultery are now outlawed and punishable by public flogging. A Sharia police team issues warnings and reports transgressors to the relevant authorities. Still, in underground subcultures, artists, musicians, dancers, skaters and surfers find their own creative spaces within this conservative setting. But it isnt always easy. They must often go against the will of their families, dodge the prying eyes of neighbours and avoid the Sharia police. Skopje, Macedonia For more than two months, thousands of demonstrators have flooded the streets of the Macedonian capital, Skopje, almost daily. In what has been referred to as the Colourful Revolution, Macedonians are protesting against the government, corruption and a major wiretapping scandal in which the opposition accuses the government of surveilling more than 20,000 people. The protests were sparked in early April, when President Gjorge Ivanov issued pardons to 56 politicians and businessmen, most of them connected to the ruling party, the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organisation Democratic Party for Macedonian Unity (VMRO-DPMNE). Under pressure as the Colourful Revolution gained steam and European Union and NATO both of which Macedonia aspires to join voiced objections, Ivanov revoked the pardons earlier this month. On Monday, more than 20,000 Macedonians came out for the largest protest since the movement was launched more than two months ago. Colourful Revolution supporters have called for the government to resign and politicians, among them former Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, to be put on trial for the crimes they accuse them of committing. The gun lobby in the country will lose the debate over guns but not just yet. Americans love their guns, as any good historian will tell you. Following the recent Orlando, Florida murders, in which some 50 patrons of the Pulse Bar were shot dead by a rifle-toting assailant, United States news outlets described the tragedy as the largest mass shooting in American history. That was true, but only if you counted its most recent predecessors at Virginia Tech University (32 dead), at Sandy Hook Elementary School (27 dead, including 20 children), in San Bernardino (14 dead), in Charleston (nine dead), and at Columbine High School in Colorado in 1999, in which two teenagers massacred 12 of their fellow pupils and one teacher. Not the largest In truth, the competition for the mother-of-all mass shootings predates the Columbine killings, which stands as a kind of modern talisman of what ails the US. The murders spawned a popular movie, Bowling for Columbine and three bestselling books. But, despite their horrific toll, Orlando and Columbine and Virginia Tech, Sandy Hook, San Bernardino and Charleston are not that unusual. The Wounded Knee Massacre claimed the lives of at least 150 American Indians in 1890, white mobs bludgeoned and shot 100 African Americans in East St Louis in 1917, and more than 50 others were murdered in a race riot in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1921. That is to say, the largest mass shooting in the US history was the largest but only so long as you dont count Indians and African Americans. OPINION: A Muslim homophobe targets US presidential election Or worse: in 1967, President Lyndon Johnson wanted to deploy the 82nd Airborne Division to Vietnam, but couldnt because it was needed in Detroit, where rioting killed 43 and burned out large parts of the city. The riots, which looked more like an uprising, were broadcast live on national television, but they quickly subsided, allowing Americans to return to their daily fare of watching US bombers dropping napalm on Vietnamese villagers. The new level of absurd Not surprisingly, the Orlando killings have widened the disagreement between Democrats and Republicans about how to end this latest spate of spectacle killings as they have been dubbed with progressives arguing for stricter gun laws. The Orlando gunmans easy access to a rifle, they say, made it easy for him to carry out his murderous spree, while conservatives defend the Constitutions Second Amendment, giving Americans the right to own guns. The prospect of gun owners joining in an anti-gun crusade seems a fantasy, but that will change if gun manufacturers see their profits disappear. by The disagreement is a chasm. Just this week, the Senate voted down four attempts to control gun purchases, including a bill that would have barred those on the US terrorist watchlist from buying a rifle. Some of this debate has reached the level of the absurd: People suspected of having terrorist ties cant get on a plane, but they can walk into a gun shop and buy a Sig Sauer MCX rifle, the weapon of choice for the Orlando gunman. The debate is as perverse on the other side. Statistics show that banning assault rifles would have a marginal impact on gun violence, which is fuelled primarily by handguns. Just two weeks before Orlando, 64 Chicago residents were shot in three days of gun violence, the vast majority from handguns. One mother said that she was happy her son was in prison, because he would have been killed if he had been on the streets. The Orlando murders will be front-and-centre during the upcoming national election, which doesnt mean that the issue will be resolved. It wont. Rather, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump will score debating points with their supporters by mouthing predictable positions. Clinton will say that Trump is in the pocket of the gun manufacturers; Trump will claim Clinton is an enemy of freedom. Neither will tell voters what is obvious that a legislative solution to the problem is out of reach. The country is too divided. Successful cases But that doesnt mean the issue wont be resolved. American history is replete with examples of how divisive social problems are successfully solved. Its happened before. The abolitionist, temperance and public hygiene crusades stigmatised slavery, public intoxication and spitting in the streets ubiquitous in the US cities until the 1950s. Most recently, distilleries proved no match against Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), who were enraged that US highways were being turned into the equivalent of a demolition derby. OPINION: The hate behind the Orlando massacre These crusades had three things in common: They were led by women, aimed at men, and succeeded in the face of political paralysis. There is no guarantee the same will happen now, but the signs are there. A recent report cited Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America (MDA), as the National Rifle Associations worst nightmare. MDA lobbies for gun control, stigmatises gun use, boasts a membership of 1.5 million and successfully lobbied Target stores, the nations fourth largest retailer, to announce that firearms were no longer welcome in its stores. That victory, though modest, shows that stigmatisation works. While gun sales have doubled over the past two decades, gun homicides have actually been cut in half since 1993. MDAs activism replicates the MADD model, which demonised drink driving so successfully that distilleries joined their crusade. Now, the US largest beer producer provides funds for MADDs public outreach programme. The prospect of gun owners joining in an anti-gun crusade seems a fantasy, but that will change if gun manufacturers see their profits disappear. That is to say, pro-gun groups are gambling that theyll be able to overcome a nation of enraged women whose political ancestors scored political victories over slaveholders, brewers and tobacconists. As history shows, thats a poor bet. Mark Perry is a Washington DC-based foreign policy analyst and author of Talking to Terrorists: Why America Must Engage with its Enemies. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy. Iran, the US and Iraqi militias are locked in a menage-a-trois that now defines the regions geopolitics. While Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi recently declared victory in Fallujah, there are still pockets held by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) in the city. Regardless of these final military operations, there are two significant political dynamics that have been established. First, the United States has had an uneasy relationship with the Iraqi Shia militias, otherwise known as the Popular Mobilisation Units (PMUs), since it began its air campaign against ISIL, yet close to exactly two years into conflict, it is these Iranian-sponsored forces that have become integral to Washingtons efforts. Second, Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, in his capacity as a respected cleric, has become embedded in Iraqs domestic politics. Yet the battle for Fallujah shows how he has leveraged his position to dictate military strategy and tactics. Shia militias and the US In June 2014, just a few days after the fall of Mosul, David Petraeus, the former commander of US forces in Iraq and architect of the surge, issued a warning about the US siding with the Iraqi Shia militias. I specifically recall the various headlines that emerged afterwards, such as, Petraeus: US Must Not Become the Shia Militias Air Force. READ MORE: Iraq the reinvention of Muqtada al-Sadr The reason that those headlines resonated with me was because back then I knew Petraeus admonition would go unheeded. In Washington's view, the PMUs' potential to alienate Sunnis in Fallujah took precedence over the military effectiveness of the militias. by The US Air Force would become the Shia militias air force because at that juncture there was no Iraqi air force or army to speak of. Given the US aversion to boots on the ground in Iraq, Washington would have to rely on the Shia militias, and the Shia militias would have to rely on the US Air Force. It was not exactly a match made in heaven, but a forced marriage. The battle for Fallujah involved the regular Iraqi military and militias. To allay fears that the Shia militias would take the predominantly Arab Sunni city, Abadi announced that they would play a supporting role, and not participate in the assault on the citys centre. The bargain was that if the militias were held back, the US would increase the tempo of its air strikes, as it did in the battle for Ramadi in December 2015. In both cases, US air power was contingent on sidelining the Shia militias. In Washingtons view, the PMUs potential to alienate Sunnis in Fallujah took precedence over the military effectiveness of the militias. Like in Ramadi, Iraqs Counterterrorism Forces and a thousand Arab Sunni tribal fighters led the assault into the centre of Fallujah, capturing ISILs urban HQ. Regardless of whether it might have taken longer for Iraqs formal military to achieve this aim, or that it could have resulted in burn-out for the overworked Counterterrorism Forces, Washington still prioritised the political value of having a national Iraqi force secure the urban centres of Ramadi and Fallujah. Lesson from the Battle of Tikrit Washington knows that the PMUs are central to any assault on an urban centre, whether they play a support role as in Ramadi, and now Fallujah, or take the city itself, as in Tikrit in April 2015. Then the militias, most likely on Irans order, boycotted the battle when the US was called in to conduct air strikes against well-entrenched ISIL positions. READ MORE: A new formula in the battle for Fallujah The militias complained in public statements then that the US would steal their glory and victory. In fact, the militias advance had stalled after three weeks and it was American air power that turned the tide in favour of the PMUs. Before the US committed its air force to the battle for Tikrit, General Lloyd Austin, the head of US Central Command, told the Senate Armed Services Committee on March 26: I will not, and I hope we never, coordinate or cooperate with Shia militias. Yet just close to a week earlier, his bosses, Army General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Defense Secretary Ashton Carter, spent three hours in front of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee defending their management of the military campaign. These officers, as well as the US Secretary of State John Kerry, repeatedly dodged questions from the senators about the length of time Americas commitment in the fight against ISIL would take. The consistent fear among policymakers and politicians has been the US commitment to a potentially open-ended campaign. The Shia militias have become a pillar of the US achieving its war aims in a much shorter time span. by This debate within the Washington Beltway revolves around timing, and in this regard the Shia militias have become a pillar of the US achieving its war aims in a much shorter time span. The Iraqi military, despite the US-led training effort that has spanned more than two years, is still not in a position to take urban centres without the support role of the militias. The Shia militias are allowing this campaign to unfold a lot faster, which is most likely on the mind of the American generals squirming in their chairs in front of Congress. The role of Sistani Sistani already played a military role in Iraq, calling for volunteers to rally to the defence of Baghdad in June 2014. In a statement in May, he urged the militias to show restraint against the civilian inhabitants of Fallujah in order to stave off abuses that happened when Tikrit fell. READ MORE: What success would look like in Fallujah In a second statement, he reiterated this plea, saying that saving an innocent human being from the dangers around him is much more important than targeting and eliminating the enemy. Sistani is not a general, but a cleric dictating military discipline on the battlefield. It is easy to forget he is Iranian. Sistani has also demonstrated, albeit subtly, that he is wary of the preponderant influence of the Islamic Republic and thus Ayatollah Khamenei in Iraq, via their proxies, the PMUs. This is a struggle between two Iranian Shia clerics over a Sunni city. In Fallujah, Iran and the militias learned their lesson on the need of US air support to defeat ISIL in urban combat. Iran and the PMUs will never admit this publicly, just as the US will not admit publicly that it owes a debt of gratitude to these militias. Iran, the Shia militias, and the US are locked in a menage-a-trois to which they will never admit to, but it has become part-and-parcel of the regions geopolitics. Ibrahim al-Marashi is an assistant professor at the Department of History, California State University, San Marcos. He is the co-author of Iraqs Armed Forces: An Analytical History. The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeeras editorial policy. MSF says a catastrophic humanitarian emergency is unfolding at a camp in Bama, where 24,000 people have taken refuge. Nearly 200 refugees who fled Boko Haram attacks have died of starvation and dehydration in the northeastern Nigerian city of Bama in the past month, Doctors Without Borders said on Wednesday. The refugees speak of children dying of hunger and digging new graves every day, according to a statement from the global medical charity group, also known by its French acronym MSF. A catastrophic humanitarian emergency is unfolding at a makeshift camp on a hospital compound where 24,000 people have taken refuge, it said. READ MORE: The midwife who fled Boko Haram The doctors referred 16 emaciated children at risk of dying to their special feeding centre in Maiduguri. One in five of the 15,000 children are suffering severe acute malnutrition, the group found. We see the trauma on the faces of our patients who have witnessed and survived many horrors, said Ghada Hatim, head of the Doctors Without Borders mission in Nigeria. Her team reached Bama on Tuesday following a military convoy from Maiduguri, the Borno state capital that is the headquarters of Nigerias military campaign. Though Bama is just 70km southeast of Maiduguri, ongoing clashes between the rebels and government troops make travel unsafe and farmers have not planted crops for 18 months, Dr Christopher Mampula of MSF explained by telephone from Paris. Meet the Nigerian woman taking on Boko Haram Boko Haram fighters routinely burn down homes and destroy wells, leaving few water sources in an area where temperatures often soar above 40 degrees. The armed group seized Bama in September 2014 and Nigerian troops recaptured it in March 2015. Nigerias military has greatly curtailed the seven-year-old armed rebellion that has killed some 20,000 people, but fighters still attack villages and deploy suicide bombers. Boko Haram has also staged attacks across Nigerias borders in Chad, Niger and Cameroon. The refugees in Bama are among 1.8 million Nigerians forced from their homes and living inside the country, with another 155,000 in neighbouring countries, according to the UN. Chinese cruise ships will regularly bring tourists to the contested Spratly Islands in the South China Sea by 2020, according to Chinese media. Tensions have been high in the region as Beijing asserts sovereignty over almost all of the strategically vital South China Sea, despite rival claims from its Southeast Asian neighbours. The China Daily, which is published by the government, said on Wednesday that a new proposal seeks to develop routes to the Spratlys, citing a document released by authorities in the southern island province of Hainan, from where the ships will depart. INTERACTIVE: Islands row around China The Nansha Islands are virgin territory for Chinas tourism industry, provincial tourism official Sun Xiangtao told the newspaper, using the Spratlys Chinese name. Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan, Brunei and the Philippines all have rival claims over portions of the Spratlys. Cruises to Paracels Chinese tourists have been allowed to travel to non-militarised areas of the South China Sea since 2013, but foreign passport holders are not allowed to join the trips. Companies have already been operating cruises to the disputed Paracel Islands further north for Chinese nationals only. A previous China Daily report said that the mayor of Sansha city, on Woody Island in the Paracels, estimated that some 30,000 people have already visited the islands, and many people with a patriotic spirit want to try it. Competing claims to the South China Sea, which covers more than three million square kilometres, have for decades been a source of tension in the region. READ MORE: The scramble for the South China Sea The sea is the main maritime link between the Pacific and Indian oceans, giving it enormous trade and military value. More than $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes through the sea each year. Major unexploited oil and natural gas deposits are believed to lie under the seabed. The sea is also home to some of the worlds biggest coral reefs and, with marine life being depleted close to coasts, it is important as a source of fish to feed growing populations. More than 30 civilians killed and 150 injured in Russian air strikes targeting ISIL-held city, activist group says. More than 30 civilians have been killed and 150 injured in air strikes targeting areas held by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant group (ISIL) in Syria, an activist group has said. Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently group said on Wednesday that 32 civilians were killed and 150 injured in Russian strikes on Raqqa city, the de-facto capital of ISIL. #Raqqa Death toll increase to 32 civilians who got killed due the Russian Airstrikes on Raqqa city yesterday and 150 injured #Syria #ISIS (@Raqqa_SL) June 22, 2016 The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which relies on a network of activists inside Syria, put the death toll at 25 civilians, including six children. The raids came a day after ISIL, also known as ISIS, pushed government forces some 40km from the strategic city of Tabqa, an area west of Raqqa city that has Syrias largest dam and an airbase. Government troops and allied militiamen had reached within 7km of the airport on Sunday, according to the Observatory. 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. READ MORE: In Raqqa, support ISIL or die ISIL has imposed strict rule in Raqqa city home to more than 220,000 people before the Syrian conflict and committed atrocities against the civilian population since its takeover more than two years ago. The group has been under pressure in Iraq, Syria and Libya in recent weeks, but the recent gains in Raqqa show it is still able to take on Syrian troops backed by Russian warplanes. But according to defence analysts at the think-tank IHS Jane, ISIL has lost about 14 percent of its territory in 2015 and is struggling to hold on to territory under bombardment from the coalition and having to fend off rival armies and factions on multiple fronts. The Syrian civil war started as a largely unarmed uprising against President Bashar al-Assad in March 2011, but quickly developed into a full-on armed conflict. United Nations special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, estimated in April that more than 400,000 Syrians had been killed, though he said that number was not an official UN statistic. Almost 11 million Syrians half the countrys pre-war population have been displaced from their homes. Bilateral ceasefire marks latest attempt to bring peace to the country after a half-century of bloody conflict. The Colombian government has agreed to a bilateral ceasefire with FARC rebels, a historic agreement that could move towards the signing of a peace agreement. The parties issued a communique in the Cuban capital, Havana, on Wednesday, the seat of the peace process that started in November 2012. The national government and FARC delegations inform the public that we have successfully reached an agreement for a definitive bilateral ceasefire and end to hostilities, they said in a statement carried out by AFP news agency. The Colombian civil war between the government and the Marxist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) has claimed more than 220,000 lives and displaced almost five million people during half a century of conflict. It is truly a historic agreement and it shows the two sides were able to reach a deal on the most sensitive points still standing in the very long peace negotiations, Al Jazeeras Alessandro Rampietti, reporting from Bogota, said. First and foremost it is a definitive full ceasefire, which essentially means an end to hostilities in the civil conflict. But they also announced that they have a deal on the disarmament of the FARC in the handing over of weapons and the demobilisation of all the FARC rebels. And finally they have the deal on how to provide security to the FARC once they give up their weapons. IN PICTURES: FARC rebels in Colombian jungle FARC commander Carlos Lozada tweeted: On Thursday, June 23, we will announce the last day of the war. Colombia: A war of two narratives The means of implementation of the final peace deal remains to be settled. The questions of disarmament and justice for victims make the road to peace and reconciliation a hard one. The sides are discussing designating zones where the FARCs estimated 7,000 remaining fighters can gather for a UN-supervised demobilisation process. Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos wants a referendum to put the seal of popular approval on its peace effort. But it faces resistance from some political rivals. To hold a plebiscite, it needs the countrys constitutional judges to approve a law already passed in Congress. READ MORE: Will Colombias child soldier recruiters face justice? The Colombian conflict started as a rural uprising in the 1960s. It has drawn in various leftist rebel groups, right-wing paramilitaries and drug gangs over the decades in this South American state of 49 million people. Human rights groups say atrocities have been committed on all sides. Many families are still searching for missing loved ones. An inside look at a FARC rebel camp Peace talks received a boost when the FARC declared a unilateral ceasefire a year ago. The Marxist armed group agreed to remove child soldiers from its ranks as part of the peace deal. According to government figures, authorities have taken some 6,000 children from illegal armed groups over the past 17 years, more than half of them from the FARC. Santos and the countrys second-biggest rebel group, the leftist National Liberation Army (ELN), have also said they will start peace talks. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini visited Bogota in May to show support for a deal. She said the bloc would contribute a new package of some $640m to support the transition to peace. Investigators say peacekeepers left their posts in attack on UN-protected site in city of Malakal that killed 40 people. Juba, South Sudan UN investigations have detailed the organisations failure to protect civilians during an attack on a UN site in the city of Malakal in South Sudan earlier this year. In February, the UN-protected site in Malakal that held nearly 48,000 civilians was attacked by men in South Sudanese army uniforms, the report said. About 40 people were killed and 20,000 people lost their homes after they were burned and destroyed by the attackers based on the occupants tribal affiliation. The local government had a policy of forced displacement and relocation of ethnic minorities, the confidential summary of the UN Department of Peacekeeping report said. It is difficult to exonerate the local [government] Sudan Peoples Liberation Army (SPLA) commanders and government-allied militia from involvement, the summary added. Civil war South Sudan descended into conflict in December 2013 after President Salva Kiir accused his former deputy Riek Machar, who he had sacked earlier that year, of plotting a coup . Civil war broke out when soldiers from Kiirs Dinka ethnic group disarmed and targeted troops of Machars Nuer ethnic group. Machar and commanders loyal to him fled, and tens of thousands of people died in the civil war that followed. A peace agreement signed in August collapsed and fighting continues in many parts of the country, despite both leaders joining a unity government two months ago. The attack in Malakal threatens to deepen the conflict further. Leaders of the Shilluk ethnic group, the third largest tribe in the country who hail from Malakal, say that if they are not given their land back, fighting could ensue. Another confidential investigation into the UN peacekeepers response during the Malakal raid found a lack of a proactive mindset with regards to the protection of civilians and confusion with respect to command and control and lack of coordination. A summary of the investigations, obtained by Al Jazeera, was sent to the UN Security Council. Sources say the full report contains damming information about peacekeepers failing to protect civilians. A UN spokesperson said the full investigations will likely not be made public. Peacekeepers fled Ethiopian peacekeepers abandoned their posts during the attack, a UN military official in Malakal told Al Jazeera. The official also said that Rwandan peacekeepers asked for permission in writing to fire their weapons as the base was under attack, even though peacekeepers are obligated to use force to protect civilians. After a confrontation with South Sudanese government soldiers at a local airport during the attack, Rwandan peacekeepers fled their posts, according to an internal UN timeline obtained by Al Jazeera. The initial promise of these investigations appears threatened by the UNs unwillingness to present their full findings, either publicly or to the Security Council, Matt Wells, a senior adviser on peacekeeping at the Center for Civilians in Conflict, said. Attackers entered in the backyard of a UN base and proceeded to shoot and kill civilians and to systematically burn down large parts of the camp, as peacekeepers responded slowly and ineffectively. In a statement, Doctors Without Boarders (MSF) said that the UN failed in its duty to safeguard the people at the site and could have averted many fatalities. READ MORE: South Sudan marks two years of ruinous war The organisation, which lost two staff members during the attack, said that the UN blocked South Sudanese refugees from reaching safety when the base was under attack. Many of the people who live inside the UN site in Malakal arrived shortly after South Sudans civil war started in December of 2013. Although a peace agreement was signed in August, fighting continues across the country. Its very sad that something like 18 people, probably slightly more, have lost their lives the spokeswoman for the UN Mission in South Sudan Ariane Quentier said in a radio interview after the attack. We are really sorry. Sorry is an understatement, Quentier added. The rocket carries the highest number of satellites on a single Indian mission and the third highest in history. India has successfully launched a rocket carrying a record 20 satellites, as its space agency looks to grab a larger slice of the lucrative commercial space market. The rocket carries the highest ever number of satellites on a single Indian mission and the third highest in history. It blasted off on Wednesday from the southern spaceport of Sriharikota, carrying satellites from the US, Germany, Canada and Indonesia. INFOGRAPHIC: Indias mission to Mars Most of the satellites will enter orbit to observe and measure the Earths atmosphere, while one of them aims to provide service for amateur radio operators. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, known to be highly ambitious about the countrys space research programme, described the launch as a monumental accomplishment for the state-run Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). ISRO chairman AS Kiran Kumar told the national NDTV news network: Each of these small objects that you are putting into space will carry out their own activity, which is independent of the other, and each of them will live a wonderful life for a finite period. . Frugal space programme The business of putting commercial satellites into space for a fee is globally growing as phone, Internet and other companies, as well as countries, seek greater and more high-tech communications. In 2008, India launched 10 satellites on one rocket, setting a world record that has since been broken by the United States and then Russia. Pallava Bagla, a science editor with the privately run Indian TV channel NDTV, told Al Jazeera that it was significant feat and symbolised why big tech companies were flocking to India. Its like dropping off, one by one, school children from a bus travelling at high velocity he told Al Jazeera. Its a tricky maneuver because you dont want the mothership and the babies to collide with each other. India offers launch costs that are fifty percent cheaper than the rest of the world, so if Space X, Arianespace or NASA can do it at $100, India is willing to do it at $50, he added. India is competing with other international players for a greater share of the commercial launch market, and is known for its low-cost space programme. In 2013, the ISRO sent an unmanned rocket to orbit Mars at a cost of just $73m, compared with American space agency NASAs Maven Mars mission that had a $671m price tag. The successful mission was a source of immense pride in India, which beat rival China in becoming the first Asian country to reach the Red Planet. In May, the ISRO launched a rocket carrying an experimental spacecraft it hopes will mark an important step towards the countrys first re-usable space shuttle. At least 56 people die in Bihar and more killed in nearby Uttar Pradesh, with most victims working in farming industry. Lightning has killed at least 70 people, mostly farm labourers working in fields, in eastern India this week as a much anticipated summer monsoon advances across the country. An official in the eastern state of Bihar said on Wednesday that at least 56 people had been killed by lightining since Monday. Another 24 were injured by severe thunderstorms and monsoon rains in at least 14 districts of the state. Authorities in the neighbouring state of Uttar Pradesh said at least 20 people had been killed over the past two days. The Bihar disaster management official Vyasji, who uses only one name, said that scores of cattle also died after being struck by lightning. READ MORE: Monsoon advances across India The dead included at least eight shepherds out grazing their sheep, said Vyasji. Lightning strikes are common during Indias monsoon season, which runs from June to September. However, the past days toll in Bihar was unusually high. Lightning kills thousands of Indians each year, most of them farmers working the fields. More than 2,500 people were killed by lightning in India in 2014, according to the National Crime Records Bureau, the most recent figures available. Amiriyat al-Fallujah When Um Anwar, a resident of Fallujah, was asked to describe her life in the refugee camps at Amiriyat al-Fallujah, she summed it up in a sharp, clear voice: We are staying inside the camp but living outside the tents. Um Anwar left Fallujah on Friday June 17, with her four daughters. We have been sleeping out in the open for days now, she told Al Jazeera. My four daughters and I take turns in sleeping during the night. Two of us have to stay up watching while the rest of us fall into sleep. This is the only way to ensure no one is coming our way during the night. They told us that they had no tents to spare us one as a family. Her son, Anwar, fled the city 15 months ago and has been trying to make a living in Baghdad ever since, while her husband was killed in a bombing in Fallujah city shortly after her son left. The camps of Amiriyat al-Fallujah, 40km west of Baghdad, hosts thousands of displaced Iraqis, like Um Anwar, who mainly fled from Anbar province. An estimated 10,000 families have fled to several central camps for the internally displaced, in addition to other informal settlements in and around the city. It is the holy month of Ramadan, and we are fasting. We barely have enough food in the camp, and the water is very scarce. by Sabah Hassan, a Fallujah resident According to a recent report by the World Health Organization, the recently arrived families [from Fallujah], estimated at nearly 3,250 families, or 19,500 people, are living in five camps for internally displaced people and five informal settlements around the Bzibiz area . The report states that more than 42,000 Iraqis have been displaced from Fallujah and the areas surrounding it since the beginning of the military operations in the city in May 2016. The International Organization for Migration estimated that 1,758 families fled Fallujah district between June 11 and 13, as the Iraqi army advanced into the city. Diaa Salal, a member of the Aid Committee in Amiriyat al-Fallujah, an aid organisation affiliated with the Iraqi Ministry of Migration and Displaced, described the flow of families as a human wave that hit the city in 24 hours. He said that the response was very minimal and the city had no real resources to host the displaced. When hundreds of families started arriving, we only offered them the very basic necessities, tents and some food. We need more support from international aid organisations especially because, when the battle for Mosul starts, we are expecting a substantial amount of displaced Iraqis, he added. READ MORE: Residents fleeing Fallujah tell of horrific ISIL rule Sabah Hassan, an elderly citizen of Fallujah, complains about the inhuman conditions that the displaced have to endure. He said that civilians are the only ones who pay the price of the conflict. What is happening to us is unfair, we have done nothing. Hassan blames the Iraqi government for the miserable situation in the camps. It is the holy month of Ramadan, and we are fasting. We barely have enough food in the camp, and the water is very scarce. We suffered from the lack of food supplies for months in Fallujah, and it seems our agony isnt ending any time soon. Shaker Mahmoud Hadi, an aid worker with the Iraqi Ministry of Migration and Displaced, described the displaced peoples situation as really catastrophic. He explained that many families have no place to stay. They were not even given tents. The resources are not enough, we can only provide for 30 percent of the displaced. Hadi pointed out the efforts of the local community. In Amiriyat al-Fallujah, the mosques are urging people to donate to help the displaced. Many responded by opening their houses to host families from Fallujah. But that is not enough. Hadi called upon the international community to help the Iraqi government in dealing with the internally displaced people. Wahab Abbas, a Fallujah resident, said that many families in Amiriyat al-Fallujah camp share a tent with other families. Sometimes, three or four families are put in one tent. It is better than having to stay out in the open. Abbas, who fled Fallujah with his family, added that he could afford to buy them some food with the money he carried with him when they fled. We are lucky. We have saved some money that helps us buy some food supplies. But other families have nothing with them. They rely on what is given to them. It is hard for everyone. The temperature is high during the day. There is no clean water. On June 13, the Iraqi government said that the number of displaced people in the country had reached 3.6 million. Iraqi officials have expressed concern over the slow response by the international community to the increasing numbers of displaced Iraqis. Raed al-Dahlakie, the head of the migration and displaced committee in the Iraqi parliament, warned of a possible human disaster that will fall upon the displaced Iraqis because of the lack of aid and proper medical care. Al-Dahlakie said that the government has run out of funds to help the displaced. But the lack of food supplies and clean water are not the only problems facing the displaced. Most of them have fled Fallujah, which has endured a siege for more than two years since it fell to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) in January 2014. Most of the families in the camps havent had proper medical care for almost two years, and that puts in danger all those who have chronic diseases, while the health of the children is being compromised, said Ralf al-Haj, the Red Cross spokesman in Baghdad. Al-Haj added that there is an urgent need to supply the camps with food and clean water, or the situation will deteriorate. As the fighting between governmental forces and ISIL is still ongoing in the southern neighbourhoods of Fallujah, there are no clear numbers on the civilians trapped inside the city. The Red Cross spokesman told Al Jazeera that they are not being able to enter the city because of the fighting, and that is why they cant give accurate numbers of the civilians who are still inside Fallujah, but they estimate them by a thousand probably. Kurdish and Iranian officials in talks to transfer as much as 250,000 barrels per day of Kurdish oil to Iran. Erbil Iran and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) have hammered out the technical details of a plan to build a pipeline that could transfer as much as 250,000 barrels a day of Kurdish oil to Iran, but signing off the deal has yet to happen, according to Kurdish officials. We [the KRG and Iran] have an understanding on how to do this [exporting KRG oil and gas to Iran]. The technical aspects have been talked about and are clear to both sides. What remains is the political and commercial side of it, Taha Zangana, the KRGs deputy minister of natural resources, who led the talks from the KRG side, told Al Jazeera. Zangana added that a high-level Kurdish delegation is expected to visit Tehran after the Muslim holy month of Ramadan to finalise and sign the deal. He, however, declined to say whether or not a specific date had been set. If a formal deal eventually emerges, observers say, it could have long-term geopolitical ramifications by possibly bringing Tehran and the KRG closer together. READ MORE: Iraqi-Kurdish oil deal is slipping away Since 2014, discussions about building a pipeline between Iran and the Kurdish region had been continuing between senior Kurdish and Iranian officials. However, serious talks kicked off in March this year, according to Kurdish official sources. If finalised, the energy export scheme will include both oil and natural gas since according to KRG data Iraqi Kurdistan is believed to have some of the worlds largest gas reserves amounting to as much as 5.6 trillion cubic metres. Exclusive dependence on Turkey, given the imbalance of size and power, is a tremendous risk for the KRG. by Bilal Wahab, American University of Iraq, Sulaimaniya The KRG already exports around half a million barrels of oil a day to world markets through its sole pipeline that ends in the Turkish port of Ceyhan, on the Mediterranean. Its important for us to have an alternative route for exporting oil by building [another] physical oil pipeline to transport Kurdistan oil to international market, Zanagana said. On April 4, Kurdish and Iranian officials reached an understanding on the technical aspects of the energy export project, but the KRG has yet to convey its readiness to its Iranian counterparts regarding a date to sign the deal, Nazim Dabagh, the KRGs permanent representative to Tehran, told Al Jazeera. Dabagh said some disagreements still persist as to the price and volume of the KRG oil delivered to Iran. However, the agreement so far is to pump a maximum of 250,000 barrels a day. Another possible challenge to signing a final deal is whether Iraqs federal government would support such a plan.The government in Baghdad has cut off the KRGs share of the Iraqi national budget since early 2014 after the Kurds exported oil directly via neighbouring Turkey. There is no agreement between Baghdad and Tehran over this issue [exporting KRG oil to Iran], said a high-ranking official within the Iraqi National Alliance (INA) parliamentary bloc, who spoke on condition of anonymity owing to the sensitivity of the subject. The source, however, added that Iranian officials had briefed the Iraqi authorities about such a scheme as early as 2014 and that Baghdad had not made official objections to the matter. The INA is the major Shia parliamentary bloc and many of its members are viewed as supportive of Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi. Zangana of the KRG says that although official approval from Iraqi authorities has yet to come, they have privately expressed their happiness over it. However, an Iranian diplomat in the Kurdish capital, Erbil, told Al Jazeera that his country would not sign an energy export deal with the KRG without Baghdads approval. Within the framework of the larger package of disputes between Erbil and Baghdad, if these issues are settled, then this [KRG-Iran energy deal] will be resolved too, said Mohsen Bavafa, Irans deputy general consul in Erbil. According to the current understanding between Iranian and Kurdish officials, the KRG will export oil to refineries near the Iraqi border such as the western province of Kermanshah or the northwestern province of Tabriz and possibly Arak as well as Tehran, two KRG officials told Al Jazeera. In return, the KRG will receive crude oil from the Iranian ports in the Gulf to sell it in international markets. The Kurdish oil will probably be pumped to Iran from fields in Sulaimaniya and possibly Kirkuk regions, according to Dabagh. But given that Kirkuk is a disputed zone between the Iraqi and Kurdish governments, its not clear whether Kirkuks oil will flow to Iran. Kirkuks governor Najmaldin Karim had told the Kurdish Rudaw network that he didnt think exporting Kirkuks oil to Iran was practical. While the KRG had set a target of producing one million barrels a day by 2105, it is far short of reaching that goal. Kurdistans natural gas production is also at an early stage, mostly covering domestic consumption. Experts believe building a second pipeline to export energy resources to Iran will probably generate a mix of results. Exclusive dependence on Turkey, given the imbalance of size and power, is a tremendous risk for the KRG, said Bilal Wahab, director of the centre for development and natural resources at the American University of Iraq, Sulaimaniya. Wahab says that if Tehran benefited from its oil deal with Kurdistan, this may help in improving the relationship between Baghdad and Erbil given Irans close relations with Baghdad. But such leverage goes both ways. Irans leverage would also increase, of course, akin to Turkeys growing political and economic clout in Kurdistan since the [launch of] Ceyhan pipeline [in 2014], added Wahab. READ MORE: The Kurds take Kirkuk, now what? In recent months, there have been growing doubts in Kurdistan about the extent of Turkeys reliability as the main energy export corridor. The pipeline transporting KRG oil to Turkey has experienced periodical outages either owing to the ongoing conflict between Turkey and the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) in the southern part of the country or acts of theft and sabotage by unknown assailants. The energy talks with Iran come amid deep domestic divisions among Iraqi Kurdish parties. The Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) one of the two major Kurdish ruling parties with its popular base in Sulaimaniya and Kirkuk provinces appears to be enthusiastic about the deal. Doubts had even emerged in recent months that PUKs rival, the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), which dominates the KRG, might stand against an energy deal with Iran. But KRG spokesman Safin Dizayee had denied those accusations in a statement. Given regional rivalries between Turkey and Iran and the tense relations between Ankara and Baghdad over what Baghdad perceives as Turkeys meddling in Iraqi affairs, there were questions as to how Turkey might react to another pipeline route exporting KRGs oil to Iran. Turkey has been KRGs major energy partner so far and there are plans for the KRG to export as much as 20 billion cubic metres of natural gas a day to Turkey by the early 2020s. The former Turkish consul general in Erbil said that Turkey does not necessarily view an Iranian-Kurdish energy deal through the lens of regional rivalries. Ankara sees the choice between Erbil and Baghdad as a false dichotomy, said Aydin Selcen, who currently has no affiliation with the Turkish government, adding that Ankara also refuses to have Irans role, as a balancing factor in the region, imposed on it. Speaking to Al Jazeera, KRG spokesman Dizayee said that Turkey has not had any negative reaction to the ongoing energy talks between his government and Iran. The oil and gas that goes to Turkey has its own market and goes to Europe but the one that goes to Iran is for Asia, he said. In defiance of UN sanctions, Pyongyang carries out further tests of its intermediate-range Musudan ballistic missile. North Korea has conducted back-to-back tests of a mid-range ballistic missile from its eastern coast, South Korean officials say. One test of the powerful Musudan intermediate-range missile made considerable improvements in flight distance and altitude over previous failed launches, but still fell well short of the missiles projected range. Wednesdays tests marked Pyongyangs fifth and sixth attempt since April to successfully launch its Musudan missile. South Korean defense officials didnt want to label it as either a success or a failure, but that does appear to be the most effective test of this Musadan intermediate-range missile so far even though it did fall far short of its expected range, said Al Jazeeras correspondent in Beijing Florence Looi. The first five launches failed, either exploding in midair or crashing, and the sixth only flew about 400km well short of the missiles 3,500-km potential and not long enough to be classified as intermediate. One of the missiles launched on Wednesday reached an altitude of more than 1,000km, displaying marked progress in comparison with previous attempts, Japans defence minister said on Wednesday. We dont know whether it counts as a success, but North Korea has shown some capability with IRBMs, Gen Nakatani told reporters in Tokyo. The threat to Japan is intensifying. The ongoing tests, apparently linked to an order made by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in March, show the Norths determination to pursue its goal of a nuclear missile programme capable of threatening the United States mainland. US condemnation Despite the repeated failures, North Koreas persistence in testing the Musudan missile has worried Washington and its allies, Tokyo and Seoul. The missiles range puts a large part of Asia and the Pacific, including US military bases, within reach. The US State Department condemned the launches on Wednesday, saying that they represented blatant violations of United Nations resolutions banning nuclear-armed North Korea from any use of ballistic missile technology. READ MORE: Indias embarrassing North Korean connection We intend to raise our concerns at the UN to bolster international resolve in holding [North Korea] accountable for the provocative actions, State Department spokesman John Kirby said in a statement. And while US and North Korean diplomats were due to attend a six-nation security forum in Beijing on Wednesday a rare opportunity for contact between the two powers the State Department has said there were no plans for direct talks. This is the first time in two years that North Korea has attended the six-nation forum, which is attended by representatives from the same nations that attend the six party nuclear talks, now stalled since 2008. But while there are expectations that Pyongyangs attendance may foreshadow a resumption of the six party talks, the US has mandated that in order for those talks to resume, North Korea must give up its nuclear programme. From what weve seen, from Wednesday and from the past six months alone, North Korea seems to be doing exactly the opposite, according to Al Jazeeras Florence Looi. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was quoted by national broadcaster NHK as saying such tests cannot be tolerated. South Koreas Unification Ministry called the launches a clear provocation that violated UN Security Council resolutions banning any ballistic activities by North Korea. Rising tensions Pyongyang conducted its fourth nuclear test in January, and later that month launched a long-range rocket that some say was a cover for a test of banned missile technology. It claims to have tested its first hydrogen bomb, although this account is disputed, but experts do say they appear to have at least tested some components of a hydrogen bomb, said Al Jazeeras Florence Looi. So it does appear that they are accelerating their nuclear program and their ballistic weapons programme. And it has increased tensions, not only on the Korean Peninsula, but also in the region. The tests in January saw the UN Security Council impose its toughest sanctions to date on the North. North Korea has claimed a number of technical breakthroughs in recent months in its push to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of delivering a nuclear payload to targets across the continental US. But officials in South Korea say the North does not yet possess such a weapon. READ MORE: North Korea missile crashes moments after launch Recently claimed achievements include the creation of a solid-fuel missile engine, the development of a nuclear warhead capable of withstanding atmospheric re-entry, and the miniaturisation of a nuclear warhead. Experts outside the country have been sceptical of Pyongyangs claims, but have acknowledged that the North has made significant gains in improving its nuclear arsenal. The Korean Peninsula has remained in a technical state of war since the end of the Korean War in 1953, when an armistice brought an end to fighting but a peace treaty was never signed. The US has some 28,000 soldiers stationed in South Korea to deter any potential aggression from North Korea. Salalahs green season has arrived and will be around for three months Salalah is one of those rare places in the Arabian Peninsula that experiences a monsoon season. It is called Khareef and lasts, roughly, from late June to early September. Khareef means autumn in Arabic, but it is used to refer to monsoon in Salalah. It rained in the morning, and still the skies are cloudy, Bader Ali Al Baddaei told The Times of Oman. He was referring to Salalah in the Dhofar region of Oman. (Bader is an administrator of www.rthmc.net, a local web-based forum that monitors the weather) According to Bader, in addition to rain, low-lying fog and mist have blanketed many parts of Salalah, especially in the Sarfeet area. Basil Peter, an official at Salalah Port, said: I got drenched in rain. The climate is perfect here. He was not being sarcastic. During this time, the brown landscape of Salalah and its surroundings are completely transformed to a beautiful and lush green, and locals and tourists alike flock to the area to take advantage. The Southwest Monsoon arrived late in India this year, but in the last 24 hours it has surged northwards. This prompted a sudden influx of cloud and humidity over southern Oman. While the temperature in Omans northeast hovers around 46C and the sun beats down, Salalah has now dipped below 30C. Humidity is high and will usually be above 90 percent both day and night. The plain upon which Salalah sits is dampened by mist and drizzle at this time of the year. In both July and August, Slalahs average rainfall is 25mm. The escarpment that surrounds the plain and rises to the Dhofar Plateau catches the clouds and can double the amount of rain that falls. This is what makes Salalah so green. The bloc with 28 member states is put to the test as Britain votes to remain or leave. All eyes are on the UK as Britons head to the polls to decide whether they want to stay in the European Union, or leave. On the continent, the vote is being watched with much concern. The EU has already been tested to its limits in recent years by a series of financial crises and by the unprecedented movement of refugees and migrants. But if Britons vote to leave, it could prove to be the EUs biggest challenge since its founding. The problem for European officials is that the anger driving anti-EU sentiments in the UK, also exists elsewhere on the continent. A recent Pew survey polled 10,000 people in 10 major EU nations. And it found Euroscepticism is on the rise. So, after decades of existence, whats the future of the EU? Presenter: Dareen Abughaida Guests: Pieter Cleppe Head of the Brussels office for Open Europe. Maria Demertzis Fellow at the independent research institution, Bruegel. Philipp Rotmann Associate Director at the Global Public Policy Institute. AR's Editor Joe Shea Talks About Elections On Iranian TV Bear Stearns Saved By Fed As Lehman Bros. Falters; Major Bank Failure Looms Over Wall Street, Sends Markets Into 200-Pt. Dive Lie Upon Lie Five Years Into the Iraq War The Administration Still Churns Out Lies by Randolph Holhut A Small Tragedy Even at 90, As Friends Turn Cool She Knows the Show Must Go On by Joyce Marcel I'll Take Me Imagine John Wayne or Arnold In Heels, Silk and a Girdle by Elizabeth Andrews Sen. Nelson Calls For New Fla. Primary; Gov Crist Backs 'Do-Over' Who'll Win? Ask Spock Spock.com Engine Predicts Winners By Site Searches; It Can be Wrong by Jay Bhatti Chatting Up The Cat God Gave Me Dominion Over Him But I Think He's a Non-Believer by Constance Daley Death of a Thug The Life and Horrors of Suharto by Andreas Harsono ___________________________ This Just In Sierra Club: McCain Ducked All 15 Key Votes On Green Laws (AR) A Work By AR's T.S. Kerrigan Is Chosen As 'Best Poem' By Wordpress Site Murder At Mile 63 The Deadly Assault and Bush Administration Cover-Up by S. Eben Kirkesby and Andreas Harsono 5427 14th St. West, Bradenton, FL 34207 $6.99 Fish Fridays! Manatee Co.'s Only 24-Hr. FREE Wi-Fi Paid Advertisement On Native Ground AFTER 5 YEARS, WE'RE STILL LIED TO ABOUT IRAQ by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- Next week is the fifth anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq. And it is likely that sometime in the next couple of weeks, the 4,000th American soldier will die in Iraq. [MORE] Momentum OFF TO SEE THE WIZARD by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt. - It's 1931, and a 14-year-old girl is standing alone on a stage. She's small and lively with dark curly hair, widespread hazel eyes, slender wrists and an open, eager face filled with the wonder of performing. Her name is Rose, and one day she will be my mother. But now she is performing an Eugene O'Neill monologue called "Before Breakfast" for a ladies' club in a wealthy suburb of Long Island. [MORE] One Woman's World COMFORTABLE WITH MYSELF by Elizabeth T. Andrews CARTERSVILLE, Ga. -- I'm not sure but I think I may be socially incorrect. [MORE] On Native Ground ENOUGH FOR A WAR, NOT FOR A PEOPLE by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- Last week, the National Governors Assn. met in Washington, D.C. One of the tasks the NGA had on its agenda was to ask President Bush to increase federal spending on roads, bridges and other public works projects as a way to stimulate the economy. He rejected their pleas out of hand, claiming that infrastructure projects wouldn't offer any short-term economic boost. [MORE] Brasch Words BEWARE THE SELF-REVERENTIAL PRESS by Walter Brasch BLOOMSBURG, Pa. -- Shortly before the primary votes this past week, Newsweek's Jonathan Alter called Sen. Barack Obama's surge to the Democratic nomination "inevitable." It also called for Hillary Clinton to "start her campaign for Senate majority leader." [MORE] Constance A CONVERSATION WITH MY CAT Constance Daley ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. -- Normally, when the cat starts his evening rant of meowing continuously until he makes his point, I just take it as long as I can, pick him up, and put him in the garage for the night. He doesn't want to go, but the meowing stops and I don't care if he likes it or not. [MORE] Momentum OUT OF STRUGGLE, ART by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- Here we are again at the crossroads of art and social change, having the opportunity to watch good and great films about the lives of women in support of the Women's Crisis Center. [MORE] Campaign 2008 HOW TO PREDICT SUPER TUESDAY II WINNERS? ONLINE SEARCH by Jay Bhatti NEW YORK, March 4, 2008, 7:00PM ET -- With the outcomes of the Texas, Vermont, Ohio and Rhode Island primaries to be decided tonight, how possible is it that online searching can predict who will win tonight's primaries? [MORE] One Woman's World DON'T VOTE; IT ENCOURAGES THEM by Elizabeth T. Andrews CARTERSVILLE, Ga. -- Call me angry and disgusted but don't call me un-American because I won't be voting come November. [MORE] On Native Ground BUSH AND THE KEYBOARD COMMANDOS by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- As the days tick down toward the eventual departure of President George W. Bush from the White House, it's a hopeful sign that most Americans are no longer moved by his Administration's constant exploitation of terrorism for political gain. [MORE] Momentum WHICH AMERICA DO YOU LIVE IN? by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- It's a little confusing. [MORE] Make My Dat THE LAWYER THAT ATE NEW YORK by Erik Deckers INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- I used to know a guy who, quite literally, didn't get hyperbole. He didn't understand exaggeration. As a result, he missed most jokes that came his way. [MORE] On Native Ground FIDEL RETIRES: NOW THE COLD WAR IS REALLY OVER by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- Maybe now, we can finally say the Cold War is over. [MORE] Make My Dat THE LAWYER THAT ATE NEW YORK by Erik Deckers INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- I used to know a guy who, quite literally, didn't get hyperbole. He didn't understand exaggeration. As a result, he missed most jokes that came his way. [MORE] One Woman's World POLITICS IS NO PARTY by Elizabeth T. Andrews CARTERSVILLE, Ga. -- Are you having a hard time focusing your eyes? Do you have faint red spots all over your body? Is there a ringing in your ears and do you see wavy lines when you look at your television set? Do your hands shake when you try to hold a cup of coffee? And have you recently been forgetting what day of the week it is - or what year? [MORE] Make My Day FOR BETTER OR WORSE ... A LOT WORSE by Erik Deckers INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- "Marriage: It's Only Going to Get Worse." [MORE] Constance YOU CALL THESE RIGHTS? by Constance Daley ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. -- When you express an opinion you hope to persuade others to your point of view. It doesn't always happen but still, opinion writers try. [MORE] Momentum THE BRIDGE WOMAN by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt. - Out there in America - yes, still - is a generation of women who were born in the 1940s, raised in the 1950s, and who came to radical consciousness in the late 1960s and early 1970s. I am one of them. Hillary Clinton is one of them. [MORE] On Native Ground OBAMA AND MY GENERATION by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- I originally planned on voting for Dennis Kucinich in the Vermont Primary on March 4. [MORE] The Willies: WARNING: THIS MEDICATION MAY MURDER YOUR FRIENDS by Joe Shea BRADENTON, Fla. -- You've heard the warnings, haven't you? Stop Prozac and you may take a shotgun, an Uzi or an AK-47 and mow down your family and friends, or even a whole classroom full of your fellow students. You didn't? Well, that warning is not on the bottle, but like countless mass-murder incidents before it, Friday's shootings at Northern Illinois University, as well as the Virginia Tech shootings that killed 32 last year, was probably precipitated by the effect of stopping medications that suppress anger and other powerful emotions but do not relieve the underlying cause. Isn't it time we started warning people - or stopped prescribing these medicines? [MORE] One Woman's World DON'T KNOCK ON MY DOOR by Elizabeth T. Andrews CARTERSVILLE, Ga. -- I wish I could feel delight in my poet's mansion being like Grand Central Station all the time, but I can't. And I wish my place was such a place that someone would one day write: "Her door was always open and she always made you feel all fuzzy and warm in her presence. She could make a cup of coffee seem like a banquet." [MORE] Reporting: Panama PANAMA'S VIOLENT LABOR UNREST INTENSIFIES Mark Scheinbaum PANAMA CITY, Panama, Feb, 15, 2008 -- After just one day of relative calm, wildcat construction strikes by some members of Panama's largest union flared up again Friday morning, four days after a police sniper shot one worker. More than 140 demonstrators have been injured and at least 500 arrested, authorities say. [MORE] Brasch Words TO STIMULATE ECONOMY, BUY A CHINESE-MADE U.S. FLAG by Walter Brasch BLOOMSBURG, Pa. -- Walking down Main Street, pushing a grocery cart loaded with clothes, toys, and appliances was Marshbaum. Fastened to the right front corner of the cart was an American flag tied onto a three-foot ruler. [MORE] Make My Day THE TOOTH, AND NOTHING BUT THE TOOTH by Erik Deckers INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- To commemorate the death of noted shark exploder Roy Scheider, and the "Jaws" movies that resulted in Erik never setting foot in the ocean again, we are reprinting this column from 2003. Shark Experts 0, Sharks 1 [MORE] Momentum THE WINTER OF MY DISCONTENT by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt. - As I write this, it's raining ice. Maybe a half a foot of snow and ice has already landed up here in the woods of Dummerston. Our cars are encased in it, and the door to the house is blocked. The satellite dish that brings in our Internet service quit about 20 minutes ago - frozen solid. [MORE] The Willies AMERICA TO HILLARY: GET OUT! by Joe Shea BRADENTON, Fla., Feb. 13, 2008 -- Sen. Hillary Clinton has adopted the Rudy Giuliani strategy, and it's working - for Sen. Barack Obama. It turns out to be the strategy all Democrats are seeking - an exit strategy. But it's not for Iraq. It's for her exit from the race for the 2008 Democratic Presidential nomination. [MORE] Constance CONFESSIONS OF A DISAPPOINTED VOTER by Constance Daley ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. -- A week ago at just about this time, I completed an article and was about to submit it as scheduled to The American Reporter. I was feeling rather elated, ready to show up on Super Tuesday morning, firmly touch the X next to Rudy Giuliani's name and get on with my day. He was my choice; he would get my vote. [MORE] Reporting: Florida SIERRA CLUB SET TO SUSPEND FLA. CHAPTER by Joe Shea BRADENTON, Fla., Feb. 10, 2008 -- The national Sierra Club is set to suspend its Florida chapter after years of divisive infighting, the president of the national club told Florida members in a letter delivered to some this weekend. It is the first time in its 116-year history that such a step has been considered by the club, according to news reports. [MORE] One Woman's World PLANT A NEW WORLD THIS SPRING by Elizabeth T. Andrews CARTERSVILLE, Ga. -- For a little while, the men will just have to toss and turn in their fear-free-women beds. For a small space of time Hillary Clinton will just have to trudge on toward the White House without my faint applause in the background. [MORE] On Native Ground VERMONT AND THE 5 STAGES OF CONSERVATIVE GRIEF by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- First, Vermont tried to convince the nation to impeach President Bush and Vice President Cheney. [MORE] Make My Day REBEL WITHOUT A TONGUE by Erik Deckers INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- Kids' brains work in amazing ways. At times, they can grasp complex concepts and make impressive discoveries. Other times, you have to wonder how we ever survived as a species. [MORE] The Willies FOR DEMOCRATS, NOW IT'S ABOUT RACE, INCOME AND GENDER by Joe Shea BRADENTON, Feb. 6, 2008 -- It's not a good time to be a Democrat. As the Super Tuesday results demonstrated, the presidential race between Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton has divided the partly along clear racial, income and gender lines - the very distinctions the party has sought to erase in principle but has emphasized in its pursuit of diversity. [MORE] Momentum SUPER TUESDAY BLUES by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt. -- Super Tuesday has come and gone and I still can't get excited about the upcoming presidential elections. [MORE] The Willies ON THE BRINK OF HISTORY, YOUR PUSH IS NEEDED by Joe Shea BRADENTON, Fla., Feb. 5. 2008 -- I'm expecting a sea change tonight. I believe that for the first time in this nation's history we will once and forever banish racism as the deciding factor in the destiny of African-Americans, and indeed adopt diversity as our path to the future. [MORE] Campaign 2008 AT 88, EVERY VOTE REALLY COUNTS by Ted Manna DENVER, Feb. 5, 2008 -- Pearl Turner will caucus for Mitt Romney tonight in Denver. [MORE] One Woman's World STAND BY YOUR WOMAN by Elizabeth T. Andrews CARTERSVILLE, Ga. -- The black vote. The gay vote. The fundamentalist vote. The Hispanic vote. [MORE] An AR Special SUSPECTS IN BENAZIR ASSASSINATION HAVE TIES TO MUSHARRAF by Ahmar Mustikhan WASHINGTON, D.C. -- When Gordon Brown this past Monday feted coup-leader-turned-President Pervez Musharraf at 10 Downing Street, Britain's new prime minister probably didn't ask the Pakistani dictator a question that is now on many minds: Did you order the murder of Benazir Bhutto? [MORE] Momentum TO THE VERMONT DELEGATION: WHAT HAVE YOU DONE FOR US LATELY? by Joyce Marcel DUMMERSTON, Vt. Back when President George W. Bush and Dick Vice President Dick Cheney were building up to their loathsome war in Iraq, very few people were brave enough to call the bullies' bluff. [MORE] On Native Ground IF BUSH HAS HIS WAY, WE'LL NEVER LEAVE IRAQ by Randolph T. Holhut DUMMERSTON, Vt. - In his final State of the Union address on Jan. 28, President Bush cautioned against accelerating U.S. troop withdrawals from Iraq, saying that it would endanger the process that has been made over the past year. [MORE] Campaign 2008 CLASH OF COMMENTS AND PROTESTORS AT CLINTON, OBAMA RALLIES IN DENVER by Ted Manna DENVER, Feb. 1, 2008 -- At least four presidential campaigns of both partiers rolled into in Denver this week ahead of the Feb. 5 "Super Tuesday" primaries in 22 states, but it was the Democratic presidential contenders who drew the big crowds and duked it out Wednesday. If sheer numbers are any indication, Sen. Barack Obama - preceded by a buoyant and beautiful Caroline Kennedy - won the round handily. He is the overwhelming favorite to win the Colorado primary next Tuesday. [MORE] The Willies WHY THE FLORIDA PRIMARY STINKS by Joe Shea BRADENTON, Fla., Jan. 30, 2008 -- I was with my wife and daughter driving the back way from Miami home to Bradenton when we stopped at a McDonald's in Clewiston, the only big town along the vast shore of Lake Okeechobee, the state's precious freshwater reservoir. The McDonald's had three televisions at a central seating area, each tuned to a different network, and our table was in front of CNN as the very first election results started to pour in around 7:30PM. With them, almost as counterpoint, suddenly came such an overwhelming odor of cow plop that my wife started to throw up as we all ran to the parking lot. [MORE] Passings: Suharto DEATH OF A KEMUSU THUG by Andreas Harsono JAKARTA - A few minutes after hearing that former president Suharto had died in his hospital bed, Marco, a militia leader in downtown Jakarta, raced to Suhartos house, wearing his jungle camouflage and began guarding the Suhartos residence on Cendana Street. [MORE] Constance I REMEMBER YOU by Constance Daley ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga.. -- It seems to be more often lately that the sentiment is spoken but it's always been out there: "You never get over the death of your child." This is true. But the heartfelt expressions come from some who cannot fathom the notion of losing a child; their own child is who is in their mind, not another mother's child. [MORE] On June 16, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued its long-awaited Current Expected Credit Loss impairment standard, or CECL. The standard, which requires "life of loan" estimates of losses to be recorded for loans at origination or purchase, has drawn significant concern from community bankers over the new rule's complexity and implementation costs. Regulators, on the other hand, have indicated their intent to reasonably apply the accounting standard based on the size of the institution and in consideration of the nature, scope and risk of the traditional lending activities of community banks. Should bankers believe the regulatory assertions? One way to predict what mayhappen under a new standard is to analyze the extent to which regulators tailored implementation of existing accounting standards for smaller institutions, and then to extrapolate from there. With this in mind, economists at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis conducted empirical tests to determine how, under generally accepted accounting principles, regulators have evaluated the methodologies used by banks to manage their allowances for loan losses. Using data from thousands of commercial banks in varying size categories over the last 20 years, the St. Louis Fed economists applied the regulatory expectation that changes in the level of the reserve for loan and lease losses should "be directionally consistent with" concurrent changes in credit quality. This was based on the 2006 Interagency Policy Statement on the Allowance for Loan and Lease Losses. That guidance stated that changes in the level of the allowance should be "directionally consistent" with changes in factors that, taken as a whole, evidence credit losses while also keeping in mind the characteristics of an institution's loan portfolio. For example, if declining credit quality trends relevant to the types of loans in an institution's portfolio are evident, the allowance as a percentage of the portfolio should generally increase. The study found that annual changes in allowances for smaller banks, relative to larger banks, are less closely correlated with concurrent changes in nonaccrual loans. This is consistent with the idea that, while regulators expect all institutions to comply with GAAP, regulators have scaled their expectations, allowing smaller banks to operate within a broad "reasonable range of probable credit losses" as described by FASB. The study authors used the level of nonaccrual loans as a benchmark for changes in factors that evidence credit losses. Nonaccrual loans can generally be described as those with observable and significant deterioration in the financial condition of the borrower. They were chosen as a metric, in part, because they are simple to understand, intuitive and representative of other benchmarks used in the industry. In addition to this empirical test, qualitative evidence exists that regulators currently scale their expectations regarding the sophistication and complexity of methodologies utilized at banks of different sizes. Larger more complex banks routinely use methods such as probability of default and loss given default, while smaller community banks utilize much simpler methods such as loss rate multiplied by principal balance. Regulators have not in the past required smaller community banks to switch methodologies to these more sophisticated and complex methods, and we do not expect to in the future. To be sure, assuming that past approaches will be carried into the future is a speculative exercise. And the methodology used by St. Louis Fed economists to make the empirical connection is subject to potentially important caveats. Nonetheless, the main conclusion of the study is encouraging. Quantifiable and qualitative evidence of historical scaling in approach may offer some encouragement to bankers as we begin this important transition. Julie Stackhouse is the executive vice president and managing officer of Banking Supervision, Credit, Community Development and Learning Innovation for the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. U.S. Bank likes to share financial advice. Capital One has posted about promotions with Uber. Umpqua Holdings uses it to spread the word about its podcast about money and stress. These are just a few instances of how banks are relying on social media to connect with their customers and communities at a time when face-to-face interactions are declining. And it turns out there might be nearly as many social media strategies as there are banks. "There is no one-size-fits-all," said Terry Golesworthy, president at The Customer Respect Group. Golesworthy's firm last month co-published a study with Troy Janisch, vice president of social intelligence for U.S. Bank, that spotlighted the way banks are using social media. There were two components to the study. One was based on feedback from attendees (mostly representatives from smaller financial institutions) of the BankSocial conference in April. The other part was a study of the Twitter and Facebook content produced by big banks during the first quarter of the year. There were a few differences between the two groups. For instance, promoting sponsorships was the top driver of content for the community bankers at the conference. "For community banks, this could best be described as 'look at us,' " the study says. Promoting products was second, while talking up philanthropy was the third driver of content. Big banks most often posted information about products, with sponsorships being the secondary driver. Philanthropy was fifth, below financial advice and branding. As Golesworthy sees it, there's no right or wrong method as long as the banks are using social media to help accomplish their big objectives. Choosing specific focal areas to reflect the brand's mission marks a departure from the early days, when banks just blasted stuff out on Twitter or Facebook simply for the rush of some exposure. "The social landscape is always changing," said Eve Callahan, executive vice president of communications at Umpqua. "In the last couple of years, it has grown up in a lot of ways for financial services." Umpqua uses platforms like Twitter and Facebook to champion great things happening in the community, just as it has long done within its branches that it calls stores. "We try to use social to create community," Callahan said. That includes tweeting about "random acts of kindness contests" and pushing out content aimed at reducing people's fears about money. For instance, it is airing its second season of its podcast, which tackles the issues of money and stress, and promoting the podcast on its social channels, including by asking followers to be open about things they are avoiding. "Money is a scary thing," Callahan said. "It's stressful to everybody, but banking doesn't have to be." And for the bank, the conversation lines up with its core values. Beyond specific campaigns, Umpqua builds out a content calendar every month to address holidays and events such as going back to school. Although product pitching is one of the most common things banks share, Callahan is not keen on it. Customers "don't want to be sold a product in a personal space," she said. "At least not yet." That speaks to a larger point: It's doubtful that banking by itself draws eyeballs and clicks. "I don't think there is such a thing as a bank audience," Golesworthy said. "We are individuals." Further, Golesworthy says measuring social media success must go deeper than looking at retweets and likes. "The key is what can we learn from looking at data analysis," Golesworthy said. For instance, one bank may have more followers than another, but perhaps the one with fewer followers is actually driving more engagement per 1,000 followers. Additionally, one of the challenges of a successful social media strategy is the need to frequently tweet or post. That's one reason some banks are relying on curated content rather than putting only out their own intel. "We believe good advice and content is something customers value whether we create it or not," Janisch said. Banks also have to contend with the evolution of social media. After all, today's hot platform could be tomorrow's Myspace. More recently, banks like Liberty Bank for Savings in Chicago and U.S. Bank have been monitoring Yelp and other review sites more actively to glean insights. Liberty is running a campaign that features Yelp review quotes on screens within its branches and on its website one of the strongest endorsements for a brand, says Kevin Tynan, the bank's senior vice president of marketing. Likewise, U.S. Bank is also seeking to pay more attention to review sites that usually include more detail than on Twitter or Facebook. U.S. Bank manages reviews for each of its 3,163 branches on Yelp, Google, and Facebook as well as monitoring general review sites and app store reviews. "We know that online reviews influence the banks that individuals choose," Janisch said. "When people read a branch review that describes a great experience, it raises the expectations of new customers. We want them to have the same quality of experience." But what catches on next SnapChat or otherwise is something that consumers decide, not bankers. "You need to be aware of what customers are using," Janisch said. Tynan urges banks to determine its target audience before setting a social strategy. Are they small businesses or consumers? Are they millennials or seniors? Do they live in rural areas or cities? Further, the strategy depends on what the bank's core values are. And the need to do something more than post branch hours is becoming more pronounced at a time when transactions at brick-and-mortar locations continue to decline. "We have to branch out more because people aren't coming in," Tynan said. It played out like a Hollywood script. First Mid-Illinois Bancshares in Mattoon was told in December about a chance to bid on an unnamed bank. Imagine the surprise when the leaders of the $2.1 billion-asset company found out, after signing a confidentiality agreement, that they had unsuccessfully courted the bank First Clover Leaf Financial in Edwardsville, Ill. a few years earlier. First Mid and the $644 million-asset First Clover Leaf initially discussed a merger in mid-2012, according to documents recently filed in conjunction with the companies planned $90 million merger. First Mid had planned to bid $10.75 a share, and was preparing an offer, before First Clover Leaf backed out of talks in early 2013. Time has a way of changing perspective. First Clover, disappointed by unsuccessful efforts to buy a bank in 2014 and 2015, hired an investment bank in October to help it look for a potential buyer. The issue for First Clover Leaf had been its stock price, which was not trading at a high enough value to make an attractive acquisition proposal, the filing said. The investment bank, starting on Oct. 30, contacted six institutions but not First Mid that First Clover believed would be interested in buying a bank with operations around St. Louis and would be able to offer a compelling price and a high level of banking services. While four banks expressed interest and signed documents necessary to find out First Clovers identity, only two made offers. First Clover Leaf added First Mid to its list of prospects in November after noticing a significant improvement in First Mids stock price. (First Mids stock price rose nearly 4% in November.) First Mid, which had just raised capital the prior summer, discovered First Clover Leafs identity after a confidentiality agreement was signed on Dec. 11. During a first round of bidding in early December, an unnamed bank offered to pay $12.50 to $13.50 a share in cash and stock; the institution also wanted to vet First Clover Leafs credit card portfolio. A second unnamed bank offered $12.25 a share in cash. First Mids initial offer, presented in early January, valued First Clover Leaf at $12 a share, with 60% of the consideration involving stock. First Clover Leafs investment bank told First Mid that it would have to increase its offer to conduct credit due diligence. One of the competing banks was largely ruled out by First Clover Leaf after it lowered its bid. The other bank increased its bid to $13 a share in cash, but it also wanted time to review First Clover Leafs credit card portfolio. First Mid in late January raised its bid to $12.75 a share, including a higher percentage of stock to boost the amount. First Mid was also allowed to review First Clover Leafs 75 biggest credits. Following the review, First Mid increased its offer to $12.87 a share. The other bank backed out in mid-February, based largely on a determination that First Clover Leafs markets did not meet its desired targets, the filing said. First Mid wasnt informed that the other bank had walked away. By March, First Mid and First Clover Leaf were exchanging drafts of a merger agreement and conducting more due diligence. Various directors of both companies met on April 18 to discuss strategies and philosophies. The boards approved the merger shortly afterward, and the deal was announced on April 26. The filing noted that Robert Cook, a First Mid director who owns less than 1% of First Clover Leafs common stock, abstained. The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter. HomeStreet Bank in Seattle is buying another batch of branches. The $5.3 billion-asset company said in a press release Tuesday that it will buy two branches in the California markets of Granada Hills and Burbank from the $7.3 billion-asset Boston Private Financial Holdings in Boston. A HomeStreet spokesman said the company will pay a 2.5% deposit premium for $110 million in deposits; no loans are included in the acquisition. The deal is expected to close in the fourth quarter. The overall price was not disclosed. HomeStreet has 48 branches in five states, including 10 in Southern California. The company plans to keep the 10 employees working at the Boston Private branches, the spokesman said. HomeStreet in recent years has reached deals in to buy Orange County Business Bank in Irvine, Calif.; a former AmericanWest branch from Banner Corp.; and two branches from Bank of Oswego in Lake Oswego, Ore. Boston Private announced in May that it would open an office in Los Angeles to house its West Coast commercial lending and community investment teams. The company has 35 offices nationwide. "We are positioning our footprint and optimizing our resources to operate where we can best develop and serve our wealth management, private banking, trust clients, and our local community, as evidenced by our new offices in Beverly Hills and downtown Los Angeles," George Schwartz, president of Boston Private Bank and chief executive of Boston Private Banking Group, said in the release. Sandler O'Neill served as financial adviser, and Goodwin Procter served as legal adviser in the deal announced Tuesday. Kabbage is licensing its digital lending technology to one of Canada's largest banks, which plans to offer an online application process to small businesses. Under the agreement, announced Wednesday, Scotiabank will establish the underwriting criteria for the loans, which will go to small businesses in Canada and Mexico. Scotiabank will keep the majority of the loans on its own balance sheet, while Atlanta-based Kabbage has the option to buy a minority of them, according to Kabbage Chief Executive Rob Frohwein. The loans will be co-branded by the two companies. Kabbage, founded in 2009, focused initially on making its own small-business loans. But today the firm, like rival OnDeck Capital, also licenses its technology to banks. The Scotiabank deal is similar to Kabbage's recently announced partnerships with ING and Santander, according to Frohwein. In all three instances, Kabbage is licensing technology to multinational banks that want to digitize the small-business lending process. Scotiabank said that Kabbage's technology will allow the bank provide a fully automated application process, as well as fully automated underwriting, servicing and monitoring of loans. "Scotiabank is transforming the banking landscape by embracing technologies that drive new and improved experiences for its customers worldwide," James O'Sullivan, the firm's group head of Canadian banking, said in a press release. Americans may flatter themselves that they arent susceptible to putting much faith in a mere politician. But one sees a lot of emotion at our campaign rallies. And at national conventions, one can see actual fervor for a partys nominee. Such displays are embarrassing, and are unseemly in a nation founded by individuals who had a healthy distrust of government and of anyone in power. One of the more revolting things in American politics is when our politicians get onstage and allow us to watch them embrace each other. Even male politicians will wrap their arms around each other and hug each other as though they were the best of friends and havent seen each other in twenty years. As they gallivant around the nation, they pull these stunts at each campaign stop. Youd think theyd get tired of the fake emotion, but they probably just need the attention. What are we, the American people, supposed to think of such displays; that these politicians are human, just like us, or that theyre celebrities, or what? Particularly disgusting is when politicians publically kiss each other (video). Were supposed to vote for you because you kiss your husband for all to see; even when we know hes cheated on you for decades? Gag me with a spoon. Enough already! Just tell us how youre going to balance the budget. For more than a year now, America has had to watch these guys campaign and listen to them tell us how great they are and how bad the other guy is. Imagine how different the last year would have been if we had no primaries and party nominees were chosen by delegates only. In such an America neither Bernie Sanders nor Donald Trump would have had a chance at being a major party nominee. Also, they wouldnt have received millions of dollars of free media. When outsiders like Sanders and Trump can take over a major party, you know that the primary system is fundamentally messed up. All eligible Americans should be able to run for any office, including Sanders and Trump. But why do the parties allow anyone to run in their primaries? Indeed, why do we have these stupid primaries? The main reason is, supposedly, delegate selection. But as I reported recently, the parties are sovereign when it comes to seating delegates. Not only that, but all GOP delegates are unbound. Unbound: The Conscience of a Republican Delegate by Curly Haugland and Sean Parnell was published on May 22, 2016, and it posits that GOP delegates are not bound to vote for anyone; not Trump, not Cruz, not Rubio. The only way that could change is if the Rules Committee changes the rules. (Unbound was published by Citizens in Charge Foundation, where one can download it as a free PDF.) If Haugland and Parnell are correct, then the primary system is an expensive and irrelevant sideshow. What have the primaries accomplished this year but produce a bunch of disaffected, het-up, dug-in voters who threaten to stay home on Election Day if their candidate doesnt get nominated? And because the major parties have already (supposedly) chosen their nominees, theres the possibility of outside agitators disrupting the conventions in protest over those very nominees. Oh, and theres one other thing the primaries have produced this year: the two presumptive nominees with the highest negatives ever. Primary voters comprise a minority of eligible voters. So we have a minority of voters determining whom all voters get to vote for. Those minorities have chosen very badly. Consider what it would mean to elect Mrs. Clinton. Not only is she the subject of an FBI investigation, but she would be dragging back into the White House the only president impeached in 150 years, who lied to us repeatedly, who presided over the Branch Davidian siege, etc., etc. There were about 31 million votes cast in the 2016 GOP primaries and Mr. Trump received less than 45 percent of them, a minority of a minority. Primary voters seem to have quite a knack for choosing divisive, deeply unpopular candidates. In July of last year, I wrote: Parties exist to save voters from themselves. Convention delegates need to be able to do an intervention and override the selections of primary voters. A year from now, delegates to the Republican convention may be facing a hard choice: go down with the primary voters or do something bold. Pretty prescient, Id say, (perhaps Im a precog). The only thing I would change about that is Democrat delegates also need to do an intervention. Despite my dissatisfaction with its presumptive nominee, Ive said that Ill support the GOP nominee. But there is a remote possibility that Id support a Democrat nominee. And thats if the Democrat delegates dump Hillary and draft someone decent. But the Democrats no longer have a Henry M. Jackson or a Daniel Patrick Moynihan. What if the Dems took a cue from the GOP in 1952 and drafted a general? If the Dems nominated, say, General Jack Keane, and the alternative was Trump, Id vote Democrat, something I thought Id never do again. Binding the convention delegates is a progressive thing, and quite undemocratic. The establishment and the media have encouraged the voter to think he has a right to have a say in how private organizations (i.e. parties) are run and whos in charge of them. Next thing you know, ThinkProgress is going to insist that country clubs start interviewing bag ladies and hobos to get input on whom they think should be the clubs presidents. Americas two major political parties are failing us. Institutions that can be taken over by outsiders cant be taken very seriously. Delegates to both conventions need to correct this nonsense this year. Delegates need to ignore the primaries, nullify them, so they can enter into nomination new people, the best people, perhaps even Americas savior. After eight years of Obama, well need one. Jon N. Hall is a programmer/analyst from Kansas City. revised 1102 EDT Matters of form, not substance are the things that get Donald Trump in trouble with the media and the establishment in 2016. Trump has not mastered the Orwellian arts; empty words, doublespeak, vacuous promises, and cluelessness. Trump is especially vulnerable because he is not one of the usual suspects, not a career politician, nor career activist, nor a card carrying member of the American Bar. Pardon any redundancy. No major political party welcomes the parvenu these days, any newcomer who actually builds things or makes a career or a living outside of government. Neither party trusts workers or entrepreneurs either, folks who actually do useful things: work for a living, care for their families, and pay taxes. America has been captured today by three demographics: official social democrats, right and left, with permanent government tenure; an urban underclass that has come to see inert dependency as just another career choice; and various micro-cultures that use skin color, gender, religion, or sexual proclivities to define their special or hyphenated status. The hyphenated American is partial to simplistic adjectives like black, brown, or white to characterize the other. Racial parsing with adjectives of color is now a common form of democratic racism. So along comes Trump, a guy who creates jobs and employs people; a chap who speaks candidly about the aforementioned social pathologies that politicians have exploited for decades. Alas, racism and immigration are but two of many issues where Trump runs afoul of media, political barons, and that host of urban special pleaders. So far, the Trump campaign has been saved by the wisdom of crowds, ordinary Americans who dont work for the government or live off handouts. Cops, firemen, and the military are worthy government exceptions too. Elites have little affection for men and women in uniforms of any sort. You may have noticed that press and politicos now have police in the crosshairs as if the thin blue line, not urban punk culture or Muslim terror, is the real threat. Many Trump supporters, taxpayers without college degrees for example, are special targets this year too; a demographic which includes almost anyone in the country who actually works for a living. If Trump has done nothing, he has exposed the pervasive contempt that liberal American elites have for ordinary citizens who didnt go to college, but still hold jobs, care for their kids, and pay the bills. Attitudes, images, and opinions about Trump now seem to be coalescing around two issues, race and immigration. Truth be told, they are two sides of the same coin with a host of subordinate issues like national security and financial Armageddon. Still, 21st Century America might be approaching a binary abyss: ghettoes of dependent, hyphenated special pleaders at odds with independent fellow citizens who dont require adjectives to modify the meaning of American. We should note that Barack Hussein Obama had a golden opportunity to address the American racial divide for seven plus years. He did not! Indeed, Obamas half-assed tenure may, in part, be a function of defining himself by halves, as a black American, a reality that can never be more than half true. Indeed, disingenuous skin color parsing at the White House is a now a benchmark for that national edition of politically correct racism. Identity politics and bigotry are brothers from the same sorry mother especially if mom was white. Trump is an outspoken opponent of open borders, a policy that might alter the hegiras of illegal Mexicans and hostile Muslims alike. Immigration has been an open wound for decades, but only Trump has made novel, if not radical, suggestions for new policy. For this he is labeled a racist. Piers Morgan, of all people, pointed out that the late Muhammed Ali, erstwhile melanin role model, had more vile things to say about Jews, women, Christians, and white men than Donald Trump could ever imagine. Of course, Ali wasnt running his mouth for anything at the time other than the Nation of Islam -- or jockstrap sainthood. Muslim can be an adjective or an ideology, never a race; and Mexican is merely an adjective too that describes a nation of origin, not a race either -- no matter what La Raza believes. Terms like Hispanic and Latino are fairly recent neologisms born of political correctness. Most countries with Spanish and Portuguese heritage are now faint echoes of motherlands in Europe. If class distinctions, skin color parsing, and human rights abuses are social metrics, save Islam, no demographic is worse than that of rhetorical Hispania south of the American border. Few genuine Spaniards or Portuguese call themselves Latino or Latina. Italians and Frenchmen have better claim to Latin, or Roman, roots anyway; yet neither uses such cloying terms of self-aggrandizement. Ethnic authenticity in Spanish speaking South America is factually limited to the indigenous or Native Americans. Ironically, colonial abuses like slavery and genocide are imports from Spain and Europe, not necessarily native pathologies. Withal, pale skin is still a social asset, and whiter is customarily thought to be better in the Spanish speaking third world. If ideology matters, it was Mexico and South America that welcomed the human detritus of totalitarian Communism and National Socialism at the end of the last century. Trotsky was a Mexican favorite. The so-called Hispanic world provided refuge for some of the worst genocidal bigots fleeing Europe before and after WWII. Melanin parsing and religious bigotry among Latino/Latina elites is traditional. Racial parsing in the Americas is home grown tradition reinforced by the church and the descendants of European colonists, often successful Latinos/Latinas like Gonzalo Curiel and Sonia Sotomayor in the United States. Both Sotomayor and Curiel define themselves by hyphen or adjectives that suggest racial separatism under a guise of common professional interests. La Raza, literally the Race, is an example, although neither Mexicans nor Puerto Ricans, as noted earlier, have ever been classified as races. Modeled on groups like the Black Panthers and the Nation of Islam, La Razas predicate is ethnic or religious superiority and separation. The stillborn ambition of La Raza, in many of its incarnations, seeks to return the American southwest and California to Mexico. Cutting California loose might have some merit, while retuning Mexico to Spain might make more sense these days rather than ceding the entire American southwest to Mexico. Beyond La Raza affiliations, Justice Sotomayor cemented her place in the skin game by claiming that a Latina brought sensitivities to the bench that might be absent in white males. Ms. Sotomayor is clearly a captive of the Latin myth too, complimented by sexism and white fright. No surprise that the first Latina justice trashed her white male colleagues at UC Berkeley. If Sotomayor were truly the wise Latina, she might limit her trash talk to chambers. If you are on the bench and think of yourself, or others, as gifted by adjective or hyphen, best keep it to yourself. Gonzalo Curiel has roots in a hyphenated barrio too. As a student, Gonzalo was a member of a race predicated college fraternity. Indeed, at a time when he had hair, the aspiring jurist curated an afro and pledged the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity, a black, Greek house with a skin predicate and a toxic history of brutal pledge hazing. Judge Curiel is also a founding member of an affiliated Kappa race based alumni association. That history is now augmented by memberships or affiliations, like Sotomayor, with various La Raza legal groups. If you follow the news, La Raza is the group that flies the Mexican flag, not the stars and stripes, during parades, protests, demonstrations, or riots. Beyond language, Sotomayor and Curiel have a profession in common. They are both lawyers, the real nexus of Trumps complaint. Lawyers, like journalists, are universally reviled, with approval rates in single digits. If it bleeds, it leads is the core ethic for media types just as billable hours are the lodestar for lawyers. Nevertheless, there is no evidence, beyond assertion, that lawyers or judges are any more objective than journalists or skin tone fraternities like Kappa Alpha Psi or La Raza. Elevation to the bench doesnt change beliefs. Demi-god status just illuminates the past -- and hidden agendas. What man would want to come before Sotomayor with her bias towards white males? Sotomayors misandry may be a wash in a stew like the Supreme Court, but Judge Curiel is a solo act on a Left Coast bench where any La Raza ties are more than probative. If race politics now play an essential role in judicial appointments, how do identity politics not play a part once an appointment has been made? The American judiciary has the right, maybe even an obligation, to be as partisan and corrupt as any other American institution. For hyphenated Americans, especially misandrist racists, Donald Trump is the great white whale of American politics, a symbolic phantasm that must be harpooned -- and destroyed. The browning of America may be inevitable, but identity politics, the melanin ethic, is enlightened in the same sense that open borders are cultural progress. When a white, should we say pink, chap like Donald Trump comes before a California bench, the accused knows better than to expect an O.J. Simpson outcome. No jurisdiction plays the skin game better than the Left Coast. The only thing worse than being too dark, in many so-called Hispanic subcultures, is being too white. As a successful, white, male, heterosexual who opposes open borders with Mexico, Donald Trump has every reason to question the impartiality of a hyphenated-American jurist with life-long ties to a de facto, if not de jure, black fraternity and more recent ties to a macho Mexican malapropos like La Raza Its always good to be underestimated. Donald Trump G. Murphy Donovan writes about the politics of national security. No media organization worked harder to get at the truth behind the destruction of TWA Flight 800 than the DC-based, Accuracy in Media. AIM founder Reed Irvine got involved in this project several years before I did and opened doors for me that I could not have opened. AIM has remained committed to the project and has never hesitated to share its research. -- Jack Cashill When I arrived at AIM in 1997, we were just getting involved in the story behind the tragic downing of TWA Flight 800 off the coast of Long Island, New York, in July 1996. We worked with two different groups of investigators -- those pursuing the naval exercise gone wrong theory, and those pursuing the notion that it was terrorism that brought the plane down. At the end of the day, we all agreed that missiles brought the 747 down. Theres no question about the fact that that airplane was shot down, former Chairman of the Joints Chief of Staff Admiral Thomas Moorer told us. This theory had been reinforced well before Moorers comment when investigative reporter and former cop James Sanders obtained some fabric from the wreckage that proved to contain explosive residue, as we noted in 2011 in an article entitled Investigating the Mystery of TWA 800. While most of the mainstream media condemned the idea that the plane was brought down by a missile or missiles as a conspiracy theory, Accuracy in Media fought to expose the government cover-up through the use of the Freedom of Information Act. We also produced a documentary titled TWA 800: The Search for the Truth, which maintains that TWA Flight 800 did not simply explode. The flight was brought down by one or more missiles. The FBI interviewed 736 eyewitnesses who saw TWA Flight 800 fall out of the sky. As AIM reported, Eyewitnesses were not allowed to testify, and their words were only summarized in FBI reports which they could not personally review. Accuracy in Medias founder Reed Irvine scoured the eyewitness statements for additional clues to this mystery and discovered that one of the statements mentioned the word wire, which was in fact a name that the redactors failed to redact. AIM tracked down witness Mike Wire, a millwright, who said he saw a white light that was traveling skyward from the ground at approximately a 40-degree angle, after which he saw an orange light that appeared to be a fireball. The CIA animation that aired on national television during a press conference claimed that Wire had said there was fire coming from the plane and not a missile moving toward it. As we reported, He [Wire] never realized that it was him they were talking about in the CIA video until he received the call from Irvine some three years later. This July marks the 20th anniversary of the crash. Yet the media continue their virtual blackout, failing to ask questions as to whether this was a terrorist incident or a naval exercise gone wrong. Last year the anniversary of the flights demise was greeted, at most, with local media reports. It remains to be seen whether this year the mainstream media will take seriously the deaths of the 230 people on board that flight. Both the terror incident and naval exercise theories remain credible. But what is not credible is the governments ongoing official narrative that the planes fuel tank simply exploded due to a wiring short-circuit that ignited the fuel. Yet it is likely that the mainstream media will continue to swallow the governments story. After all, if the plane had simply exploded, why would the Federal Bureau of Investigation have tampered with the evidence afterward? Hank Hughes, a senior National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator, told Congress that he saw an FBI agent in the middle of the hangar with a hammer in the process of trying to flatten a piece of wreckage. In investigative work you do not alter evidence. Said Hughes, Not to our surprise, we found that seats were missing and other evidence had been disturbed. Hughes is not the only one claiming that the FBI tampered with the evidence during the investigation. Last year 28-year airline veteran Andrew Danziger came forward and explained why he thought that the government was covering up the facts behind the downing of this plane. Lots can go wrong with an airplane. Engines can fail; they can catch fire. Devices can malfunction. Pilots make errors, he wrote. But jets do not explode in midair. Danziger says that a lead investigator of the Flight TWA 800 wreckage told him that During the investigation, the FBI periodically required everyone to leave the hangar due to national security issues. When they returned, the area had been sterilized. Yet according to the mainstream media, this story is settled and requires no more investigation, even if witnesses believe they saw something moving toward the plane. Not only are the media uninterested in litigating the facts, reporters seem to have forgotten the importance of unearthing inconvenient facts that might contradict a political narrative that they endorse. The mainstream media have shown themselves to be content to rely on government narratives that suit the administration in power -- especially if its Democratic -- instead of pushing for real facts to substantiate those narratives. As the 20th anniversary of TWA Flight 800 nears, the media should reopen this case and demand that the government explain why it continues to cover up the facts. In 2013, I got to see the wreckage of the plane reassembled. It had been moved to the NTSB facility near Washington, D.C. It was a powerful and moving experience for me, having been so intimately involved in investigating the story and producing a documentary that looked at the governments explanation, as well as the two missile theories. You can watch that documentary here. With investigative reporter Jack Cashills great new book coming out in July -- which I got an early look at -- we are getting closer to having a definitive answer. Roger Aronoff is one of the family members, whistleblowers, researchers and others who have not given up the pursuit of the truth. He is the Editor of Accuracy in Media, and a member of the Citizens Commission on Benghazi. He can be contacted at roger.aronoff@aim.org. There can be no ifs and buts about it the EU is a Dictatorship. How come? How dare I say such a thing? Answer: When the Commission headed by Herr Juncker issues a Regulation it has the force of law for all 28 member States immediately. Let me repeat that one word immediately. Nobody has the right to question this Regulation it is incontestable. It simply arrives from the EU and it is Law! There are no discussions in Parliament, no processes, no debate, absolutely nothing. Once you clearly understand this my friends, and my friends also on the Remain side, I say to you Think again. It is true that both the Lords and the Monarchy are an anachronism, in some ways logically indefensible. So we have a Monarch by whom all laws are promulgated by Royal Assent, but whose Assent is assured. The Monarch actually has almost absolute power, which in practice is never used. The House of Commons is the legislature, where laws are proposed by the majority Party and opposed by the Opposition. The Executive is formed by the leader of the majority Party, who becomes Prime Minister, but still has to report weekly to the Monarch. (Not everybody knows this.) The Lords were originally landed gentry who had a natural stake in the Kingdom, and the Bishops, both of whom were reckoned to be above being bought and above Party politics, - precisely because they were not elected. Alas too many Prime Ministers have sought to fill the Lords with their cronies. Nevertheless, in spite of the abuses of power, the Lords has proved to be a wonderful brake upon the Commons, and a means of publicising issues to the general public and modifying laws. So although some things like the Royal occasions are fundamentally anachronistic yet they have worked. Our Houses of Parliament have worked precisely because they are founded on precedent and history. And this same system with modifications has been copied in Canada, Australia, New Zealand and other Commonwealth countries. They have been copied, albeit with modifications, precisely in order to prevent an abuse of power. The Legislature is always composed of Government and Opposition. Even though the United States has a written constitution nevertheless if also has two Houses and two well-defined Parties. So there is always an opposition, and the President of the United States may find his wishes thwarted again and again by the opposition in Congress. Even some grossly mismanaged African states still have a semblance of a democracy, even if the ruler is a de facto Dictator. But when we come to the EU, it is the very opposite of democratic. It is utterly totalitarian. There is no opposition to the 28 man Commission, which simply issues Directives and Regulations. It flatters the leaders of Nations to have occasional conferences, but that is all smoke and mirrors, signifying absolutely nothing. It is true that many of our big businesses are sitting pretty in the EU as the munificent EU hands out contracts with funding that it does not have. So they will face an uncertain future, but they will all soon recover. What does Cameron know of business or finance? As Nigel Farage so pertinently points out, neither Cameron nor his Chancellor have ever had a proper job. All the Remain arguments are venal. The economy might suffer, the sterling might go down and so on and so forth. We are to be persuaded that Remain is safer and is best for the country as a whole. Big business and Richard Branson agree. But the Vote Leave side is founded on principle the principle that we are or should be a self-governing nation. That is more important than any pounds, shillings and pence. It is not to do with immigration, since the immigration problems are simply a symptom of the fact that we no longer have control. We are all in favour of helping those who are fleeing from despots and despotic regimes, but that is not the point. It is or should be up to us and our Parliament to decide, not a cabal of 28 in Brussels, who presently make decisions for us and effectively rule this country. Yes, they rule us right now. The economic dangers of remaining in the EU far outweigh the dangers of Brexit. Mark my words. Should we vote to Remain there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, as our so-called contribution to the EU will skyrocket. Demands will be put upon us that we cannot resist. We will have voluntarily submitted to be a minor part of a totalitarian dictatorship, unlike anything in the rest of the world. That is why I say to my friends in the Remain camp, some of whom I grant are idealistic and young, dont be deceived. The EU is a giant spiders web from which it will be difficult to extricate ourselves, later if ever. The Patriots and the Royalists have already decided to Vote Out. The Federalists are voting to Remain. Those who are really undecided and dont understand the issues would better abstain. Documents obtained by the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) show that the Obama administration "misrepresented" the number of serious crimes committed by illegal aliens released by ICE. In fact, the number of crimes is close to 10 times the number that the administration gave Congress. Breitbart: According to FAIR, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) records the Immigration Reform Law Institute (IRLI) obtained via a Freedom of Information Act (FIOA) request on FAIRs behalf reveal that the 30,558 criminal aliens ICE released in FY 2014 committed 13,288 additional crimes. The number of subsequent convictions contained in FIOA documents is far higher than the 1,423 additional offenses ICE reported to the House Judiciary Committee last July. The criminal aliens released in FY 2014 who went on to commit those additional crimes had convictions for offenses like homicide, kidnapping, assault, sexual assault, and drunk driving. The new crimes, according to ICEs report to Congress, included vehicular homicide, domestic violence, sexual assault, DUI, burglary and assault. Rather than end dangerous politically-driven policies that have put a total of 85,000 deportable criminal aliens back onto the streets in the last three years, ICE tried to hide them by providing grossly inaccurate information to Congress and the American people, Dan Stein, the president of FAIR, said in statement. In April, ICE revealed that it released an additional 19,723 criminal aliens who had a total of 64,197 convictions among them including 101 homicide convictions, 216 kidnapping convictions, 320 sexual assault convictions, 1,728 assault convictions, and 12,307 driving under the influence of alcohol convictions from custody in FY 2015. In response to the FY 2015 numbers, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte warned that the Obama Administrations immigration policies are creating a sanctuary for tens of thousands of criminal aliens. The American public has been misled by the enforcement priorities, deferred action, and executive action policies of this Administration, which categorize only certain so-called serious criminal aliens as worthy of detention and then removal, Goodlatte said in a statement. Despite its rhetoric, the fact remains that the Obama Administration continues to willingly free dangerous criminal aliens, allowing them to continue to prey upon communities across the United States. I'm sure this is just a misunderstanding that the White House will clear up in a jiffy. I mean, it's not as though they deliberately lied or anything, right? In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if this miscalculation was just a joke a little bit of bureaucratic humor. If that's what it was, no one is laughing. ICE will come up with an alternate set of stats showing that they didn't lie so much as shade the truth. They simply refused to count most crimes committed by illegal aliens released into an unsuspecting population. The discrepancy is in their definition of "serious crime," I'm sure. The White House and ICE have serious problems with the truth. Every single statistic given to Congress on immigration should be disbelieved, and ICE should be forced to document its assertions. Perhaps they think if they minimize the problem enough, things will just take care of themselves. Some of us are old enough to remember the phrase "expletive deleted." It happened when the Nixon administration deleted some of the R-rated language from the frank exchanges between the president and his advisers. We got the Obama version of redacted transcripts on Monday. It was an effort to delete information that connected the Orlando terrorist to ISIS terrorism. The Obama administration has been on a mission since Benghazi to disconnect Islamic terrorism from any attack against Americans, from the consulate in Libya to San Bernardino and now Orlando. President Obama wants you to think these events were inspired by a video, workplace violence, or just an attack against people on Latino night at the Pulse. The New York Post makes a good point this morning in its editorial: Four years ago, Team Obama made then-UN Ambassador Susan Rice tour all the Sunday shows to blame the deadly Benghazi attack on an internet video, rather than on the terrorist plot they all knew it was. She looked a fool once the administration finally admitted the truth, just as Loretta Lynch does now. It makes you wonder: Who at the White House feels compelled to send women of color out to humiliate themselves on national TV? The real question is, why is the Obama administration so eager to disconnect terrorists from terrorism? President Obama told us he had ended the wars and referred to ISIS as the J.V. team. Most of all, talking about terrorism or sending troops to Iraq is the last thing Obama's voters expected in year eight of his presidency. Nixon was deleting bad language. Obama wants to delete reality! P.S. You can listen to my show (Canto Talk) and follow me on Twitter. Documents released by the hacker known as "Guccifer 2.0" that were hacked from the Democratic National Committee servers show that the party performed opposition research on Hillary Clinton's speech contracts and travel records. The purpose of the research was to prepare responses to GOP attacks. In addition to the hack of DNC servers, Guccifer 2.0 also hacked the Clinton Foundation, revealing a list of sizable donations to the organization. Smoking Gun: The hacker this morning began distributing more than 250 files--totaling thousands of pages of records--that appear to have been prepared by DNC research staff. In e-mails to TSG, Guccifer 2.0 claimed to be from Romania (like Guccifer) and portrayed himself as a hacktivist with a lot of fans and an unknown hacker with a laptop. He also chafed at TSGs prior description of him as a felon. Ok, but stop calling me the vandal. I'm not a criminal I'm a freedom fighter, the hacker wrote. As for the DNCs claim that the breach was the work of Russian intelligence agents, Guccifer 2.0 dismissed the assertion as a Total fail!!! In recent correspondence, the hacker has used an AOL France e-mail account. The bulk of the material released today centers on Clintons position on scores of domestic and international issues and criticisms leveled against her by assorted opponents. The documents include Clintons counterarguments to those attacks from Republican officials and other foes. Along with Clintons tax returns, personal financial disclosure reports, and U.S. Senate travel records, the DNC dossier included src="http://thesmokinggun.com/sites/default/files/assets/gulfstreamjet16.jpg" style="border:0px;float:left;" width="323" />copies of contract documents related to the presidential candidatespaid speeches. In addition to a standard $225,000 fee, Clinton required achartered roundtrip private jet that needed to be a Gulfstream 450 or a larger aircraft. Depending on its outfitting, the Gulfstream jet, which costs upwards of $40 million, can seat 19 passengers and sleeps up to six. Clintons contract also stipulated that speech hosts had to pay for separate first class or business airfare for three of her aides. As for lodging, Clinton required a presidential suite and up to three (3) adjoining or contiguous rooms for her travel aides and up to two extra rooms for advance staff. The host was also responsible for the Clinton travel partys ground transportation, meals, and phone charges/cell phones. Why would "Guccifer," who may or may not represent more than one hacker connected to Russian intelligence, want these political documents? Bloomberg: Why would Russia go to this trouble? Simple answer -- because it met their foreign policy objectives, to weaken the U.S. in the eyes of our allies and adversaries, said Conlon, now CEO of Vahna Inc., a cyber security firm in Washington. Publishing the DNC report on Trump weakens both candidates -- lists out all the weaknesses of Trump specifically while highlighting weaknesses of Clintons security issues. The end result is a weaker president once elected. Speculation about motive includes the idea that Putin would have something so damaging on Hillary Clinton that he could blackmail her into silence or a different foreign policy direction. This sort of gangsterism is perfectly in keeping with Putin's M.O., so the blackmail angle can hardly be dismissed. Guccifer is apparently saving the juicy stuff for another day. Meanwhile, either the Republicans were successful in fending off hacks on their servers, or we just haven't caught them yet. The hacks certainly show we are living in a brave new cyber-world, where secrets are cheap and transient. There was a time when you could see Rep. Chaka Fattah almost every day on cable news, especially MSNBC, as a spokesman for the Democrats, the Congressional Black Caucus, and the black left. But now that he has been convicted of multiple felonies in federal district court, the mainstream media have almost no interest in him, and the phrase "culture of corruption" is nowhere to be heard. His local newspaper reports at Philly.com: U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah (D., Pa.) was convicted Tuesday on federal racketeering and bribery charges, putting an ignominious stamp on the career of one of the region's longest-serving members of Congress and all but ensuring that his public life will be capped with a prison sentence. The specific charges Rep. Fattah was convicted of reveal venality of the highest order: The verdict came after four weeks of testimony in which prosecutors painted the congressman as an arrogant lawbreaker who repeatedly turned to the money of others - taxpayers, charities, wealthy fund-raisers - to cover his personal and political debts. (snip) Chief among his crimes - according to prosecutors Eric Gibson, Paul Gray, and Jonathan Kravis - was his theft of funds from an education nonprofit to repay an illegal $1 million campaign loan. (snip) Fattah was also found guilty of misdirecting federal grant money to a fake nonprofit in order to pay one of his political strategists, and was convicted of siphoning funds from his campaign coffers to cover college debts owed by his son. (snip) The case's most colorful charges involved a bribery scheme between Fattah and [former Philadelphia deputy mayor Herbert] Vederman, 70, one of his most prolific fund-raisers. Through cash payments to the congressman's children, college tuition payments for his South African au pair, and $18,000 given to help purchase a vacation home in the Poconos, prosecutors said, Vederman bought Fattah's support in seeking appointment by the Obama White House to an ambassadorship. In other words, Fatah lived large and ripped off taxpayers, charities, and anybody else whose money he could grab. And his family members were not at all different: His wife, former NBC10 news anchor Renee Chenault-Fattah, though not charged in the case, saw her career end this year after she was linked to the sham sale in 2012 of her Porsche convertible - a transaction prosecutors said was intended to cover up a bribe to her husband. And his son, Chaka "Chip" Jr., was sentenced to five years in prison in February in a bank and tax fraud case tied to loans he fraudulently obtained to fund a luxury lifestyle. But while the younger Fattah's crimes stemmed from his extravagant taste in fancy cars, clothes, and apartments, most of the congressman's misdeeds centered on money he owed creditors after a disastrous 2007 bid to become mayor of Philadelphia. Fattah has not resigned his seat, though he did lose the Democratic primary, and will not be re-elected. Nancy Pelosi has not made any comments about expelling him or demanding his resignation. Although South Africas apartheid era ended more than twenty years ago, there is still a palpable economic tension between the blacks and the whites. The black majority occupies the bottom rung of the society where they continue to be confronted by deep poverty, unemployment and inequality. The economic divide gets even more tangible once you get airborne. Thats what American Photographer Johnny Miller, who now lives in Cape Town, wanted to capture when he began his photo series Unequal Scenes. Drone photography is interesting because it affords people a new perspective on places they thought they knew, Miller told CityLab. Humans have this amazing ability to think we know a situation, having seen it so many times from the same perspective. It becomes routine, almost a pattern. When you fly, you totally change that. I wanted to disrupt that sense of complacency that I felt, and that I knew a lot of privileged people in Cape Town feel, he said. So Miller took his drone to some of the most contrasting neighborhoods of Cape Town, such as Masiphumelele, a community of some 38,000 people, most living in small tin-roofed shacks. Just next to the impoverished area is Lake Michelle, an upscale suburban neighborhood where properties run into millions of dollars. I can tell you that it (segregation, inside Cape Towns urban settlements) is desperate, Miller said. In some cases, it is like an urban hell. There is disease, there is crime, there is unemployment, there is anger, and there is hopelessness. Not in every single case, but in many. And literally, in some cases, next door, there are all the wealthy pleasures of life. Internet. Cars. Comforts. Swimming pools. Access to wealth. Jobs. Hope. Some of these ultra-rich neighborhoods are physically divided from the seedy shacks, sometimes by electric fences and guardhouses, and sometimes by wetlands. Many of these communities were designed with separation in mind. Others have grown more or less organically. Miller says that the problem is not limited to Cape Town. Similar contrasting scenes exist in other South African cities from Durban and Johannesburg. All images by Johnny Miller Related: Oscar Ruizs Aerial Photos of Mexicos Rich And The Poor Samsung has become known for a lot of key features they pump into their Galaxy S and Galaxy Note devices, but one of the more distinct of those has always been the Super AMOLED display. A cornerstone of the Galaxy S line since the original launched, the Galaxy Note line inherited the best displays that Samsung could get their hands on, and theres no sign of that changing with the upcoming Galaxy Note. Right now, the upcoming Galaxy Note is rumored to be the Galaxy Note 7 to bring the two flagship lines inline with each other, but whether or not thats the final name of the new device is unclear. According to a new report out of South Korea however, it looks as though the OLED supply chain for the Galaxy Note 7 has already been established and confirmed, as well as details of the Galaxy Note 7. Earlier today, we heard that the Galaxy Note 7 would be launching with a 5.8-inch curved display, featuring a similar look to the Galaxy S7 Edge, but now we know the resolution and the suppliers lined up to make it happen. It appears as though Samsung will be sticking with a Quad HD, 2560 x 1440, display for the Galaxy Note 7. While this might be disappointing for some, its more important for Samsung to be able to create a great-looking display all round, not just one thats super-crisp. On top of that, the South Korean giant needs to make sure that they can keep with the demand, and using a relatively new panel, that will most certainly have a lower yield rate would make it difficult to do just that. Ultimately, Samsung Display will no doubt take care of the manufacture of whatever Super AMOLED displays end up in the new Galaxy Note, but they cant do everything on their own. As such, Samsung SDI will be providing the phosphorescence green base layer, with The Dow Chemical Company and Idemitsu Kosan taking care of red and blue components, respectively. The three together will give Samsung Display the RGB tools and chemicals they need to create the new panels. Those three suppliers were the backbone of the supply used in the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 Edges display as well, which shouldnt come as much of a surprise. This should give Samsung the ability to ensure parity in the overall look of their Super AMOLED displays in both the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy Note 7. Honor had introduced several smartphones this year, including the Honor 5C handset which was announced back in April in China. At the time, we had no idea if the company plans to offer this smartphone in any other market, but they did. Honor had introduced the Honor 5C in the UK the other day, and has now added yet another country to that list. The Honor 5C was just announced in India, read on. The company has just introduced the Honor 5C in India as well. The company has opted to release the Chinese variant of the device here, the model that comes with the fingerprint scanner. The Honor 5C model that was introduced in the UK does not sport a fingerprint scanner, unfortunately. Anyhow, the device comes with a 5.2-inch fullHD (1920 x 1080) IPS display, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of expandable internal storage. The phone is fueled by the Kirin 650 64-bit octa-core processor, along with the Mali-T830 GPU. One the back of the device, youll find the 13-megapixel camera (f/2.0 aperture, 5P lens), and the LED flash. The 8-megapixel shooter (f/2.0 aperture, 4P lens) is placed up front, and the 3,000mAh battery is also a part of this package. Android 6.0 Marshmallow comes pre-installed on the Honor 5C, and on top of it, youll be able to find Huaweis EmotionUI (EMUI) 4.1 skin. 4G LTE with VoLTE is also a part of this package, and so is Smart PA amplifier and SWS sound. The phone measures 147.1 x 73.8 x 8.3mm, while it weighs 156 grams. Advertisement The Huawei Honor 5C is made out of metal, it has not physical keys up front, theyre all placed on the right-hand side of this phone. The SIM tray slot is available on the left side of the device, and youll find Honors branding in the lower portion of the phones back. The device comes in Gray, Silver and Gold color variants, and it is priced at Rs. 10,999 ($163) in the country. The Honor 5C will be available exclusively from the Honor Store and Flipkart, and the first flash sale will start on June 30th, while the registrations begin today. It is also worth mentioning that the phone comes with 15 months of warranty, and you also get a free screen replacement for 1 month. Last year was very successful for Huawei, the company has not only managed to become the worlds third largest smartphone manufacturer, but also sell 108 million smartphones. Huawei ended the year as the third largest smartphone manufacturer in the world, and the second largest in China, though it almost trumped Xiaomi. That being said, the company had huge plans for this year, they were aiming to ship 140 million handsets by the end of the year, but it seems like things didnt exactly go as they planned, read on. Huawei still has big plans for this year, but it seems like they decided to reduce the sales target, at least according to the supply chain sources. Sources say that Huawei reduced their sales target from 140 million to 120 million smartphones, mainly because the company failed to reach internal goals due to the high pricing of their high-end devices. Now, this doesnt mean that Huawei has failed or anything of the sort, if they actually manage to hit the 120 million number, that means theyll still have an 11% growth compared to last year, which is great, especially if we take into account that the Chinese market is quite saturated at the moment, and Huawei sells a huge chunk of their smartphones in that market. Advertisement Now, despite the fact their high-end phones are not selling as well as theyve hoped, Huawei has still managed to sell over 2.6 million Huawei P9 and P9 Plus devices which were announced earlier this year, and that is quite a success for the company. It will be quite interesting to see what happens by the end of the year, but as already mentioned, the Chinese market is quite saturated, theres plenty of competition there, and the company is definitely looking to sell as many smartphones in other regions, thats for sure. Xiaomi and Huawei are still at the very top of the smartphone market in China, and that probably wont change anytime soon, but OPPO and LeEco are also doing great and are stealing market share from Xiaomi and Huawei bit-by-bit. LeEco has been selling smartphones for approximately a year at this point, while OPPO has been around for quite some time now, but theyve managed to surprise everyone when they released their sales numbers last year, theyve sold 50 million devices in 2015. UPDATE: You can see Huaweis response to this report by clicking here. T-Mobiles Binge On is a service which looks to offer consumers a way to conserve data allowances and yet still engage with one of the most data-demanding formats, video. As such, T-Mobiles customers can make use of the service to watch video content from affiliated companies like YouTube, Netflix, and others, without having to worry about the content impacting on their monthly set data amounts. In spite of what seems to be a noble intended service on the face of it, Binge On has repeatedly been met with criticism with some focusing on the quality of the video transmission and some focusing on whether the service infringes Net Neutrality regulations. The latest criticism of the service has now surfaced and by way of a 6-page report published by Northeastern University. To sum up the report, the researchers do believe that Binge On infringes on Net Neutrality. However, the researchers also note that the service does not always provide what it sets out to and most notably, in terms of quality and its ability to zero-rate all relevant data. While the report does not explicitly suggest T-Mobile actually looks to deceive customers, the report does note that the way in which the service is set up including its infrastructure and the quality of that infrastructure does result in a not entirely consistent over time experience, one which is transient. Advertisement In terms of the quality issue, when it was noted that Binge On does not provide a maximized video watching experience, it was stated by T-Mobile that it is an optimized experience. One which sets the bar at 480p. However the researchers found that even reaching 480p was not always achievable or even actively provided, with the researchers noting when Binge On is enabled, YouTube selects medium (360p) quality, lower than the 480p specified by T-Mobile. A particularly concern for YouTube usage as it seems the 360 setting is irrespective of device screen size or resolution capabilities. While the report suggests that sometimes Binge On charges for zero-rated data wrongly, strangely the report also notes the current structure of the service is one which is prone to being abused. The Northeastern University researchers note that users are effectively able to make non-Binge On eligible video content seem as if it is eligible for Binge On and therefore, eligible to be zero-rated. While the researchers do not go into too much detail on how this can be achieved, they do note that they were able to confirm the vulnerability and do consider Binge Ons systems to be brittle, potentially inaccurate, and easily subverted to free-ride on T-Mobile. A point they have informed T-Mobile of. Those interested in reading the full report from Northeastern University can do so by heading through the source link below. OnePlus has a rich history with the Android enthusiast crowd, and was among the first companies to stick truly flagship level specs in a phone that was the cost of a mid-range device at the time. This spurred a war among companies, particularly Chinese OEMs, to bring up their base level specs and continue to drop their prices. OnePlus offered a value over many though on the software front, an advantage that was somewhat removed in last years follow-up, the OnePlus 2. This year theyre stepping up the build quality game, all while keeping the specs high and the price low. Does this one top what weve seen thus far in 2016 flagships, or is this a mediocre offering? Lets take a look! Video Review Advertisement Specs Advertisement As is to be expected from OnePlus at this point, the OnePlus 3 has cream of the crop specs, and unexpectedly actually has some specs better than any other flagship on the market right now. At $399 this isnt expected from mainstream OEMs by any means, but this is OnePlus game and theyre clearly becoming more adept at playing it. On the front of the device is an Optic AMOLED display, measuring at 5.5 inches and pushing 1080p resolution with Gorilla Glass 4 protection. Underneath the hood is a Qualcomm Snapdragon 820 SoC MSM8996 containing one dual-core 2.15GHz Kryo CPU and one dual-core 1.6GHz Kryo CPU, as well as an Adreno 530 GPU. A whopping 6GB of RAM sits inside the all-metal frame too, 50% more RAM than any other phone on the market. While theres no expandable storage, theres at least 64GB of internal storage here, which should be expected from OnePlus at this point. Above that screen is a front-facing 8-megapixel 1/3.2-inch camera sensor with 1.4-micron sized pixels, while the back holds a 16-megapixel 1/2.8-inch camera sensor with 1.12-micron sized pixels, f/2.0 lens, phase detection autofocus and a single LED flash. Theres a 3,000mAh battery inside of the non-removable back, and the ability to use two nano SIM cards at once too. The frame itself measures 152.7mm tall by 74.7mm wide by 7.4mm thin with a camera hump on the back, and the whole package weighs a rather solid 158 grams. OxygenOS 3.0 powers the front end, while Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow powers the backend of the software experience. The phone ships in the graphite color, which we have as our review model, as well as a solid gold color. Advertisement In The Box As the phone is the real value in the package, youre not going to be getting much else in the box for the OnePlus 3. Aside of course from the aforementioned phone youll be getting a brand new Dash Charger, one of the big marketing pushes from OnePlus this time around. As youll see later the Dash Charger is pretty incredible, and will get you out of a tight spot of low battery in a jiffy. Youll also find the usual manuals and a SIM tray ejector tool here, as well as a nice little note from Carl Pei, co-founder of OnePlus, thanking you for supporting the company. Advertisement Display Thus far in OnePlus history weve had two flagship phones ship with LCD screens, which at the time were the most affordable option. These werent bad screens by any means, but nowhere near the best available on the market. The OnePlus X ushered in the AMOLED change late last year, and now were getting a full scale top-tier AMOLED display on the OnePlus 3. This panel, dubbed an Optical AMOLED panel, is OnePlus take on the traditional Super AMOLED which normally features high contrast and overly high saturation levels. OnePlus has toned these factors down quite a bit, resulting in a panel thats not as stark looking as many other AMOLED panels, rather it delivers natural colors that are still rich, and those patented black levels that only an OLED based display can deliver. Advertisement Everything about this panel screams quality, from its absolutely incredible viewing angles that exhibit no color shifting until youre looking at it almost sideways, to the refresh rate of the panel and the low persistence of its pixels. Its a slightly cooler panel than some other AMOLED displays, resulting in whites that have a tint of blue to them, and while theres a built-in color temperature adjustment its difficult to bring these colors to true white. Still this issue pales in comparison to the myriad of other issues that still cause problems in displays in other smartphones, and its a minor trade-off to deal with when looking at all the other positives. OnePlus also claims that its adjusted the panel to make it easier to see outdoors and in sunlight, but I found that it really wasnt much better than the AMOLED panel in the Nexus 6P for example, and pales in comparison to the insane brightness levels Samsung offers on their AMOLED panels for the Galaxy S7 series. Its not bad in most outdoor situations, but its very difficult to see in direct, super bright Florida summer sunlight. Thankfully though the digitizer is absolutely top notch, an issue that OnePlus corrected in last years OnePlus 2 over the original One, and feels every bit as good as something from Samsung or LG for instance. Every tap of your finger, no matter how fast or close together, will register with perfection here. Hardware and Build Advertisement The single biggest change over previous generations of OnePlus flagships is the design language. OnePlus seems to have completely thrown away all of their telltale design language in every way but the home button it debuted with the OnePlus 2. This home button is now larger and more rounded off, as if you cut a circle in two vertically and stretched it out. This is not a physical button you click, rather a capacitive touch button that feels like the on-screen buttons would. On each side of it is a hidden pair of capacitive touch buttons, in which all of these can be disabled in favor of software buttons if you wish. Other buttons on the device include a power button on the right side, situated just below the SIM card tray, and a volume rocker at about the same elevation on the left. Above the volume rocker is the brilliant priority mode switch that debuted with the OnePlus 2, and deeply ties in with Androids priority notifications feature. The bottom of the phone features all the ports, with a USB Type-C port in the middle, 3.5mm headset jack to its right and a single speaker on the left. Around the back is where youll find the biggest design change of all though, and one that ultimately makes it look less like a OnePlus phone and more like something out of HTCs labs. Sporting a large metal slab on the back, only separated by antenna lines, the incredibly solid body of the OnePlus 3 is nothing short of a joy to hold. This phone isnt just thin, its also incredibly strong feeling, lending a feeling of premium high quality construction from a company that hasnt always been known for its build quality in the past. Advertisement Its these previous build quality issues that OnePlus seems to have improved upon the most, and as far as I can tell there are no issues here with the build in any way, shape or form. Theres no weird digitizer issues, no yellowing screens, no faulty home buttons and no overheating issues, just an incredibly solid, well built device that you could mistake for any other high quality, premium Android phone. And thats both the blessing and the curse of the OnePlus 3 from a hardware standpoint; while youre getting an incredibly premium device for 2/3 of the cost of most premium Android phones, youre not getting something that looks unique, which likely is a non-issue for the vast majority of folks out there. Its just disappointing in a way from a company thats sought out to differentiate itself so much both visually and in their use of materials in the past. Performance and Memory As can be expected from a Snapdragon 820 powered device, the OnePlus 3 is nothing short of a powerhouse in the performance department. Anything you can throw at this phone, from the latest high-quality 3D games, to minor video editing tasks that can be done on a touch screen, the OnePlus 3 simply does not slow down for anything. It also doesnt get hot when firing through high-performance tasks either, something that cant be said of every phone on the market. 6GB of RAM is an industry first too, and one that OnePlus can rightfully say was their entry into the 2016 spec race. The problem thats been found, however, is that the phone wont actually use all 6GB unless its modified. Out of the box it seems that 2-3GB is the maximum amount the phone will use at any given time, meaning 10-15 apps can be kept in memory until they are cleared out for new apps to be used. While 10-15 apps is certainly more than most users would ever need to navigate back through, the idea of having 6GB of RAM and not being able to fully utilize that, however silly the reason, just feels wrong. Its clear that 6GB of RAM was used for more of a selling point on the spec list than actual usage, but this one isnt a poor performer by any means. VR Performance Being the most powerful mobile SoC on the market has its advantages for sure, and the Snapdragon 820 paired with the Adreno 530 are a fantastic combination for VR applications. VR applications and games ran absolutely perfectly for me on the OnePlus 3, a lot of which is helped by the fact that the screen is only 1080p resolution. This means it will always perform better than most other Snapdragon 820 powered devices simply because the majority of them are likely running Quad-HD screens or higher at this point. The downside to this resolution is that the visual fidelity of the images displayed is going to be worse than on a higher resolution screen. Its very easy to identify the pixels on this panel when in VR, and almost as easy to identify the pixel structure itself. Its not too distracting though once you get into the action, but you will definitely notice it without a doubt. Regardless of the resolution though, persistence rate of the screen is a far more important factor when it comes to actually enjoying VR and keeping it from making you sick. Its this particular benchmark that brings the OnePlus 3 into the absolute top of the top VR experiences on Android, and one that will make it rival any other phone on the market for a stellar VR experience. Benchmarks As would be expected from the previous two performance categories, the OnePlus 3 shines in benchmarking scores. This is especially true in the internal storage speed test portion of PCMark, where the OnePlus 3 shows significant speed improvements over other flagships on the market, in some cases showing 3x the performance. Check out all the benchmarks below. Phone Calls and Network The OnePlus 2 shipped without an NFC radio, a decision that was considered incredibly objectionable by many at the time. This year OnePlus isnt making that same mistake, and has reintroduced NFC to the OnePlus 3. This means full Android Pay support among other advantages that NFC brings over other similar tech, and especially over not having it at all. As a globally unlocked phone its important the OnePlus 3 supports as many wireless frequencies as possible, and as many wireless technologies as possible too. Googles Nexus program has outdone every other phone on the market in this category for 2 generations now, and while thats not going to be knocked off its pedestal quite yet, the OnePlus 3 will certainly give the Nexus phones a run for their money in many respects. There are two models, a Global model and a North American model, which differ in their connectivity as youll see in the list below. Reception and quality are perfect and exactly what you would expect from a modern smartphone. Even technologies like Voice over LTE are supported, giving you higher quality calls than you might be used to depending on what phone youre coming from, something thats not often found in non-carrier branded phones here in the US. Theres also full dual-SIM card support here with color coding available for each SIM, and clear markings and distinctions as to which network is being used in every scenario needed. Check the list below for full connectivity options: Global Model: 2G: 850/900/1800/1900MHz 3G: 850/900/1800/2100MHz 4G LTE Bands: 1/3/5/7/8/20/38/40/41 North American Model: 2G: 850/900/1800/1900MHz 3G: 850/900/1700 AWS/1900/2100MHz 4G LTE Bands: 1/2/4/5/7/8/12/17 Battery Life Battery life is something that many modern smartphones still struggle with from time to time, and that includes allowing you to use the phone at your pleasure while still delivering a full days worth of charge. The OnePlus 3 has a somewhat difficult time managing this, something particularly puzzling when OnePlus cites restricting the RAM usage to help battery life, but wasnt impossible to achieve. I got slightly less than average battery life for most phablets, around 3 hours of screen on time over a full days use for me before needing to get charged. I found that using it a little less, say 1.5-2 hours of SoT, would help it get through an extra half a day before needing a top up. Its this recharge period where the OnePlus 3 excels so much too, and ultimately helps negate its woefully average battery life in most cases. OnePlus is using a new method called Dash Charge which takes a 5v/4a current and places it squarely into the USB Type-C port on the phone. This is a full 5W-10W more than most QuickCharge phones, and definitely charges it as fast as youd think. OnePlus cites a full 60% charge in 30 minutes, which I absolutely achieved in that time frame, if not slightly more. From 30%-100% took 31 minutes for me, an impressive feat that will get it through another 24 hours of full use in my estimation. On top of this the quick charging wont heat up the phone even in the slightest bit. Thats a stark contrast from other quick charging methods that can heat up the phone to uncomfortable levels for many people, and theres no way you could actually play games or other demanding processing tasks while charging either. All these things can be done on the OnePlus 3, which is fantastic to say the least. Sound One of the big selling points for the OnePlus One and OnePlus 2 were its AudioFX capabilities. Debuting with Cyanogens AudioFX panel on the OnePlus One, OxygenOS on the OnePlus 2 took where the One left off and improved upon user interface and usability. Unfortunately OnePlus seems to have decided that allowing users to tweak the audio capabilities of the phone isnt an important quality and has completely left out this option. Thankfully though the stock audio quality coming from the 3.5mm headset jack is nothing short of excellent, and provides a superior sound experience to some other phones out there, especially in the sub-$400 price range. You wont be getting 24-bit high-res audio, Apt-X or anything else like that here, just good high quality 16-bit audio from the 3.5mm headset jack, and standard A2DP Bluetooth audio if you prefer that connection method. The speaker on the bottom feels about the same way as these options too. Its in the same place OnePlus has always put its speakers, and it shares a lot in common with those too. Its loud and clear, something thats incredibly important in a smartphones external speaker for sure, and it sounds rather decent compared to some previous generation single bottom-facing speakers, but its not going to give something like an HTC 10 or a Nexus 6P a run for its money any time soon. You can listen to music fairly pleasurably on it without a doubt, but its not the best speaker in the world, just one youll happen to have on you all the time. Software Since its debut about a year and a half ago, OxygenOS has gone through two major revisions, each time showing some significant steps toward a modern smartphone OS skin. OxygenOS 3.0 launches with the OnePlus 3, appropriately enough, and is built upon Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow, the latest version of Android currently available. As we saw last year with OxygenOS, this year proves to be another year where things become more and more stable, and features have been added and tweaked since the last iteration. A few adjustments have been made to the launcher of late, as well as some enhancements to how the shelf feature of the OnePlus launcher works. Theres also plenty of ways to customize those buttons found under the screen, including completely replacing them with software buttons on screen. Whats not clear is how much of an update schedule is planned for the phone. While theres absolutely no reason to think that OnePlus wont support the phone outside of the initial launch period, they have been incredibly slow at delivering timely, stable updates in the past. This is obviously a serious thing to consider in the world of smartphones, and while its at least $200 cheaper than its next closest major competitor, its entirely possible that those other phones will receive their Android N updates much faster than the OnePlus 3 will. Its all speculation and hearsay at this point for sure, but history is a smart judge and weve seen plenty of evidence not entirely in OnePlus favor up to this point. UI/UX While theres not nearly the level of customization the OnePlus One launched with two years ago, OnePlus still offers some interesting levels of personalization that are worth noting. Highlight colors can be changed for the entire OS from a palette of 9 different colors total (default plus the swatch presented). The entire UI defaults to Material Light designs, where the menus and other background elements are a pleasing off-white color, but a true black color can be chosen from options that presents an incredibly beautiful to behold color palette on the AMOLED screen of the OnePlus 3. Outside of these slight customizations youre going to find a mostly stock looking interface, as many of the changes are pure visual changes instead of feature enhancements or drastic UI changes that likely would ruin things. Fingerprint and Security App permissions are now standard in Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow, so this is no longer a unique feature of any phone running that version of Android or higher. Whats still a very unique hardware and software based solution, however, is the accuracy and speed of the fingerprint scanner on the phone. Weve seen some amazing fingerprint scanners come about this year, with every single flagship phone shipping with one minus the oddly priced Sony Xperia X, but none holds a candle to the fingerprint scanner on the OnePlus 3. This is unequivocally the fastest fingerprint scanner Ive ever seen on any phone, ever. Theres almost no time between placing your finger on the home button and the device being unlocked and ready for you to use. Its quite literally instantaneous from the moment your skin touches the glass, and its a really satisfying thing to use. There have been a few times where it wouldnt recognize my print if I was trying to unlock the phone while my wife was holding it or something out of the ordinary like that, but most of the time it was dead accurate when being used. Huawei likely still has the most accurate fingerprint scanners with their ability to read your print even when fingers are wet or dirty, but this is absolutely the fastest and most responsive without a doubt. Camera Software OnePlus camera software has come a long, long way over the years. From the slow capture speeds of the OnePlus One to the initial feature-shallow release of OxygenOSs camera software on the OnePlus 2, the camera on the OnePlus 3 fits right in with what youll expect from a smartphones camera software in 2016. Visually it looks almost identical to the last major OxygenOS camera software, that is seemingly identical to the iOS camera until you start actually using it. Aside from the big white camera shutter button theres little representation to the iOS camera, which is a good thing in many ways. Mode swiping is restricted to photo and video mode, so swiping up or down will toggle quickly between these two most used and most important modes at any time. This eliminates the confusion of the previous OxygenOS camera software where swiping could sometimes result in directional changes depending on the mode, for instance panorama which previously required users to hold the phone vertically. All other modes like Panorama, slow motion, time lapse and manual mode are all found in the left-hand slide-out menu, which can be accessed by either a slide inward from the left, or the menu button on the top left of the interface. Everything here is ultra quick, and its pretty mode rich too, but theres not a whole lot of tweaking or adjustments to be made for most modes. For instance you can choose from 16:9 or 4:3 aspect ratios in the camera mode, toggling the timer or toggling an on-screen grid, but theres no image quality adjustments to be found here. Video mode is just as simple, with toggles for resolution between 4K, 1080p and 720p, as well as a grid toggle. Advanced features can all be found in the manual mode, which is generally pretty good, but doesnt include absolutely everything that some other phones do. Theres options for manual focus, shutter, white balance and ISO, but curiously enough the manual ISO tops out at 3200 instead of the 6400 that auto mode will allow. Camera Performance and Results Launching the camera is incredibly fast, and can be done in one of two quick ways; drawing a circle on the screen while its off, or double tapping the power button. This will bring up the camera and allow you to take a picture in less then 2 seconds flat. Autofocus is also incredibly fast, and rivals the fastest out there thanks to its advanced Phase Detection AutoFocus (PDAF). While this isnt quite the 100% pixel usage PDAF of the Galaxy S7s sensor, its generally quite a bit faster than any laser-assisted autofocus phone out there, including the HTC 10, LG G5 and Nexus 6P to name a few. Two sub-modes that warm my heart are found in the default photo mode, which the camera always launches in. Auto HDR is always toggled no matter what you set it to previously, and generally works quite well. I found that I would like it to be a tad more aggressive when deciding to use HDR, as there were times that HDR should have obviously been toggled (such as the scene in the gallery below with the fountain and bright windows behind it), but even with HDR off the dynamic range of this sensor is nothing short of fantastic. HDR is also completely instant this time around too, with no processing done either during the shot or afterward, so being able to take multiple HDR shots in a row and then instantly view them is an amazing thing. Previous OnePlus phones included a mode called Clear Image, which took multiple shots at a time and stitched them together for a larger megapixel photo that exhibits more details, sometimes significantly so, than a regular auto shot would. This time around that mode has been renamed to HD and is a simple toggle on the top of the interface next to HDR. While it cannot be used in conjunction with HDR, I found that I generally liked using HD mode over HDR unless I was in extreme lighting conditions. Unlike Clear Image modes from the past, the new HD mode requires no processing time either during or after the shot, a far cry from the slow Clear Image modes of the past. The detail enhancements seen from using HD mode are stunning, and while they can be sometimes subtle it can mean the difference between reading the words on a distant sign and barely being able to make them out. Detail levels in these 16-megapixel shots look exactly like you would expect them to, which is a breath of fresh air when comparing images with the Galaxy S7, for instance. OnePlus has created a brand new denoise filter that works unbelievably well, and I think this is the first time in history where I actually enjoy the effects of a denoise algorithm on a smartphone over not having one. Generally companies are way too aggressive with the way they filter digital noise and end up canceling out actual detail, but OnePlus has achieved something pretty special here with the OnePlus 3s camera. The only place that the camera seems to struggle at all is in very low light conditions, where the physical limitations of the 1.12-micron pixels come in to play. Theres simply not enough space on these pixels to accept the light needed for super dark shots, and often times youll find night time shots are a tad too dark without some minor photo editing. Performance in low light is stellar otherwise though, and I found almost no blurring or slow shutter use with this phone, once again a breath of fresh air when comparing to some other big OEMs that always prioritize lower ISO over shutter speed, a stupid decision that often times causes blurry photos even in relatively decent light. That front-facing camera is quite good too, and generally does a good job of capturing selfies as it should. The pixels on this sensor are larger than the one on the rear sensor and will do a better job of getting low light shots, which is important since many selfies are likely taken indoors or in poor lighting. Video mode is just about as good as the front facing camera too, and performs well but doesnt break any new ground in quality or features. OnePlus uses optical and digital stabilization to produce a more jitter-free video than without, but it doesnt seem to work quite as well as the LG G5, HTC 10 or Galaxy S7s OIS modules do. I also noticed some odd compression artifacts in 4K video, which is odd given that its about a 40k bitrate, an amount thats normally enough to get around most compression artifacts. Slow-motion video also doesnt record audio, which is disappointing to say the least. This camera is a much better photo taker than a video one, but thats not to say its bad by any means. Check out the full Flickr gallery below for all our sample shots taken during the review period. The Good Amazing build quality Incredible, accurate AMOLED screen Great VR experience Top-tier performance Top-end specs for a middle-tier price Light Android skin with some nice added features Unbelievably fast fingerprint scanner Phenomenal camera Dash charging is insanely fast NFC The Bad Average battery life at best No sound adjustments like previous generations had Mediocre external speaker OnePlus has a pension for slow OS updates, no telling if this phone will struggle with that too Conclusion OnePlus has done it again, and this time around it seems that theyve taken all the good things they did with the OnePlus One and stripped out all the bad things introduced with that phone and its successor. The company also seems to have learned a thing or two about build quality and supply, two of the biggest issues theyve faced over the past two years since their inception. This time around weve not only got a top-tier spec phone thats still got a mid-range price, but one that looks and feels every bit like the high-end premium brand that OnePlus has been gauging itself toward for years. This is one seriously amazing phone, and I would absolutely recommend it to people over other flagships for many, many reasons. If you absolutely have to have the most features or something special that those other big OEMs offer, or if you want cutting edge Android updates the moment Google makes them available, this may not be the phone for you. But if you want one incredibly well built phone at an amazing price, with specs that arent going to get old in a few months or even years, and a phone thats as well rounded as any of the best out there, you should look no further. OnePlus has returned to deliver the 2016 flagship killer, and this time its for real. Sony, a Japan-based company, has announced that it has decided to cease production of its smartphones in Brazil. This decision has been made by Sony, as Brazil has ended tax benefits for locally produced smartphones and computers that cost up to R$1,500 ($530), thats the main reason at least. This comes as a big move from Sonys investment back in 2015, in which the company injected R$250 million (which was equivalent to $83 million at the time of announcement) into the Brazilian smartphone market to expand its presence in the country. Sony was confident that its sales would be driven up by consumers demand for smartphones even with the challenging market and economic crisis that are plaguing Brazil. Before this decision was made, Sonys smartphones produced in Brazil were manufactured by companies such as Foxconn and Arima. Both companies had manufacturing plants producing smartphones for Sony based in the countryside of Sao Paulo. However, those of you who live in Brazil and like Sonys smartphones do not have to worry, as Sony will now be importing their devices to Brazil. Sony will bring in their smartphones from China and Thailand, which is where Sony assembles their devices. The Japanese multinational company will also import their latest smartphones to Brazil, the Sony Xperia X and Sony Xperia XA, which were launched in Brazil earlier this month. This move will enable Sony to distribute their products with more flexibility in Brazil according to Ana Peretti, who is Sonys marketing director in Brazil. Advertisement Another smartphone manufacturer to take the same path as Sony, is a China-based electronics company, Xiaomi. The companys CEO, Hugo Barra, recalled its handset team back to China from Brazil in early June. Although extremely popular in its home country of China, Xiaomi has been struggling in Brazil a year after they launched the Xiaomi Redmi 2 in the country. This was most likely due to the brand having trouble in promoting their devices in the country, and also due to the very complicated tax system implemented by the Brazilian government. Xiaomi currently has no plans to bring any of its latest devices, such as the Mi Max and Mi 5, to Brazil. However, Hugo Barra has reassured everyone that the company is not leaving the Brazilian market. The wireless market is crowded. There is simply no question about it. No matter where you look, in almost any semi-developed country, youll find major competition in the wireless scene. Likewise, competition mostly blooms in the cable scene, marred by relatively few local monopolies. The larger cable companies out there, like the larger wireless providers, tend to stretch across the entire nation, providing coverage to huge swaths of the population. Recently, a trend toward convergence has been taking root in the two industries. Verizon has long been a provider of both home and mobile services, while AT&T recently scooped up DIRECTV and even offered customers unlimited data to sign up across services. This could be viewed as wireless carriers getting too big for their breeches and trying to box out the cable companies if it werent for the fact that the reverse is also happening, though the process is still very early on. Any wireless network requires an absurd amount of setup, using an absurd amount of resources, before its ready for any kind of commercial use. Even when it comes to cable providers, its quite hard to imagine a wireless network without traditional cellular signals. Cable companies, as it turns out, seem to want no part in such a process, and quite a process it is. Getting set up would require getting your hands on wireless spectrum, setting it up to only be usable for wireless networking, then installing relevant equipment across your service area. Rather than having to convert their home services to work on limited and costly cellular networks, cable companies have been simply signing deals with carriers to become MVNOs, or mobile virtual network operators, which is basically exactly what it says on the tin. With the terms of their contracts dictating their access rights to the carriers networks, cable companies will use them as a backbone for wireless service. Comcast, for example, recently signed such a deal with Verizon. Advertisement Instead of the traditional cellular-first approach, cable companies seem poised to mimic smaller MVNOs like Republic Wireless and FreedomPop in offering a Wi-Fi first service, prioritizing Wi-Fi connections over cellular and throwing customers onto them whenever possible. Rather than the traditional costly cellular buildout, this would require cable providers to build their networks from chains of Wi-Fi access points. While cable companies may have the expertise, networks and equipment to build out networks full of Wi-Fi coverage, that doesnt mean it wont require oodles of money, manpower and, most of all, time. They will be, after all, building out Wi-Fi to bolster their network to the point that cellular access becomes a backup. Thats not even considering the fact that the way Wi-Fi access points work by nature is not conducive to a massive amount of users in a given area, requiring potentially hundreds of hotspots in some more crowded areas, and software to shift users around on them seamlessly. Some, however, are not taking the easy way out. Comcast, after their aforementioned deal with Verizon, is not planning to solely piggyback off of their new contract. Instead, theyre planning on building out a 5G cellular network, skipping over the roadblocks, maintenance and cost associated with building a normal network for current consumer use, instead leaving that to Verizon and their own network of Wi-Fi networks. Through their recent acquisition of Time Warner, Charter Communications is likewise in cahoots with Verizon and planning to build out a 5G network. With 5Gs limited ability to pierce buildings and obstacles, as well as its relatively short distance and lower capacity of users per node, while overlap between providers is highly likely, it will wind up being mostly meaningless unless all of the major players end up in contracts with one another. Providers will have to build small, tightly knit networks of 5G nodes in order to build out a comprehensive network, which will require permits, labor, equipment and, again, time. On top of all of that, the FCCs 600MHz spectrum auction is in initial stages and vital spectrum for wireless buildout will be making itself available in the very near future, presenting the opportunity for newcomers with deep pockets to buy up spectrum and potentially build out networks to rival the major carriers in the coming years. In essence, if there was ever a time for brand new blood to hit the market and have the tools available to compete with the Big 4 in the United States, its now, and cable companies know it. 360-degree cameras are one of the hottest things in the consumer technology space right now, what with anything and everything related to virtual reality eliciting a lot of interest from media and consumers alike. With a marked increase in interest in cameras able to natively shoot panoramic images without having to stitch them up later with the help of software, South Korean consumer electronics giants LG and Samsung both announced their respective 360-degree cameras at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) trade show held earlier this year in the Spanish city of Barcelona. Neither company, however, had revealed anything about the pricing or availability of the devices at that stage, but the LG 360 Cam has since been put on the market for around $199 on a number of e-commerce sites. Now it is the turn of Samsung to officially announce that its offering in the VR camera space will come with a price-tag of $349 in the U.S. once it is available for purchase in the country. Interestingly, the device was already listed on B&H Photo Video at $349.99 back in April, although, it was said to be Out of Stock at that point in time. The Gear 360 went on sale in South Korea later that month for 399,300 Korean Won ($347). Curiously, though, the company has not yet said anything about when retailers will finally start stocking the product, so it could still potentially take a while longer before consumers can lay their hands on it. The only thing Samsung has mentioned in its press release is that the Gear 360 will be available for purchase on a limited basis during VidCon in Anaheim, California this week. Advertisement Meanwhile, the Gear 360 is not the only thing Samsung has on its mind right now. The company earlier today announced that it is rebranding its Milk VR platform to Samsung VR, and adding user-generated content to the mix. The company is also believed to be working on the next-generation Note-series smartphone that is expected to be named the Galaxy Note 7 to align it with the companys popular Galaxy S line even though this will only be the companys sixth-generation flagship phablet. Pogba transfer balls: Manchester United boost and Real Madrid talks The Daily Paul Pogba: a look at the former Manchester United player being touted as future Manchester Untied player. Marca says Real Madrid have open talks with from Juventus. We are talking [with Real] but nothing is decided, says Pogbas agent Mino Raiola. [The manager Zinedine] Zidanes wish is important and the clubs wish is important. We are in the initial phase, its not a negotiation. Its just a natter over coffee. The Manchester Evening News has an alternative view, yelling: Manchester United get Pogba boost. How so? Isnt his agent talking with Real Madrid? Samuel Luckhurst finds a single thread and ties in it knots: It is difficult to think of one Jorge Mendes client who has not been linked with Manchester United Bebe, Nani, Anderson, Falcao, Angel Di Maria all were. In fact, United bought all of them. Nani was ok. The rest were not so good. but the politicking and mischief-making of the transfer window could work to Jose Mourinhos and Mendes advantage. Valencia midfielder Andre Gomes has recently reaped the benefits of being represented by Mendes but is one Gestifute-connected player who might not end up at United. Gomes not going to Manchester United. Ok. Got it. How is this linked to Pogba giving United a boost? The Portugal international, 22, has been tipped to join Juventus by Gazzetta dello Sport in a 40million deal, which is more good news for United. Top player could be joining Juventus. And that is more good news for United. What was the original bit of good news? Mourinho vetoed signing Miralem Pjanic , who joined Juve last week, from Roma so United could focus on the Serie A champions prized Paul Pogba. A second midfield addition in Gomes would suggest the France international has played for the Bianconeri for the last time. Luckhurst then write in another story on Pogba in todays MEN: Manchester United have not bid for Pogba. This we know because Juventus chief executive Giuseppe Marotta told media We have not received any offers. He is a fundamental and indispensable player for the present and future of Juventus. And the bidding war cranks up. Anorak Posted: 21st, June 2016 | In: Back pages, manchester united, Sports Comment | TrackBack | Permalink Queen did not ask guests for 3 good reasons to stay in Europe The Queen, reportedly, has stepped into the EU Referendum debate. The Express leads with: QUEEN ISSUE EU CHALLENGE. Give me 3 good reasons to stay, she asks guests. How many guests preferred it when Her Majesty just held up her gloved robotic waving hand and asked And what do you do? Now she wants three reasons why the country should remain in the European Union. Gongs and pudding portions depend on guests giving a favourable answer. The source for this story of regal parlour games is Royal biographer Robert Lacey, who says he believes the Queen is a Eurosceptic but not necessarily a Brexiteer. The story is taken up with the gusto in the Sun, which leads with Sorry Maam, we cant think of ONE. Proof that the Queen asked her guests the question comes there none. The tabloids story is rooted in a story Lacey wrote for the Daily Beast. Below the headline Why the Queen Should Oppose Brexit he says the Queen apparently has been asking her dinner guests for three reasons for the country remain in the EU. He adds that Buckingham Palace has rightly deplored the impropriety of disclosing Her Majestys private remarks. Total balls, then. Anorak Posted: 22nd, June 2016 | In: Politicians, Reviews, Royal Family, Tabloids Comment | TrackBack | Permalink Wembley EU Referendum: newspaper sketch writers wear blinkers Did you enjoy the EU referendum debate live from Wembley Arena? Helping us decide what we saw and missed are the newspapers political sketch writers. What did they see? ON SADIQ KHAN (Labour, In) Quentin Letts, Daily Mail (OUT!): But the new London mayor is a feral little nipper and came up with the most vicious slurs of the first hour when he accused the Leave camp of running Project Hate on immigration. The crowd oohed and booed. Michael Deacon, Daily Telegraph (Dunno): Inevitably the fiercest clashes concerned immigration. Boris, your campaign has been Project Hate! squawked Mr Khan. This won the nights most furious cheer, followed by riotous stamping. It was like listening to an army charge across a tin roof. John Crace Guardian (IN!): Youre not Project Fear, youre Project Hate, said Sadiq, to the biggest cheer of the evening. Mikey Smith, Daily Mirror (IN!): Sadiqs attack was the first damaging blow of the two hour event, and it attracted a long and loud round of applause from the audience. What they said: Boos. Applause. Huge cheer. ON RUTH DAVIDSON (Tory, In) Michael Deacon, Daily Telegraph (Dunno): Ms Davidson, though surely the nights star performer won cheers with her rocket-powered zeal and patriotism. Quentin Letts, Daily Mail (OUT!): did the highly rated Miss Davidson slightly underperform? She twice invoked the name of President Obama, who has supported Remain. Maybe that sort of thing works in Edinburgh but at Wembley last night it earned raspberries. What they said: Star. Rubbish. ON BORIS JOHNSON (Tory, Out) Quentin Letts, Daily Mail (OUT!): And then his closing remarks. Let Thursday be our Independence Day. As those south American commentators say, Gooooallllll! Michael Deacon, Daily Telegraph (Dunno): When Mr Johnson promised that June 23 would be Independence Day, the crowd nearly blew the roof off. John Crace Guardian (IN!): Boris bounced around on his feet, disappointed he hadnt been able to get any of his favourite gags in. And thats the way the rest of the night continued. Daily Express (OUT!): Huge cheers for Boris after his closing statement. The Wembley crowd are on their feet and chanting his name. What they said: Scores. Disappointing. Such are the facts. Anorak Posted: 22nd, June 2016 | In: Broadsheets, Politicians, Reviews, Tabloids Comment | TrackBack | Permalink (ANSA) - Rome, June 22 - Italy's transport minister Graziano Delrio said Wednesday that discussion resumed with Qatar Airways about a partnership with struggling Sardinia-based airline Meridiana but that "there are many problems". Qatar Airways had on Tuesday pulled out of negotiations due to the uncompromising stance of trade unions, ANSA sources said Wednesday. "There have been many problems over the past 24 hours," the minister said on the sidelines of a lower house of parliament hearing, "since a rapid and final closing of union talks was demanded and this was unsatisfactory for Qatar." (ANSA) - Taranto, June 21 - Police on Tuesday arrested 35 suspected members of the Di Pierro clan of Puglia's Sacra Corona Unita (SCU) mafia in Taranto. The suspects face charges of attempted murder, extortion, drug trafficking conspiracy, mafia association, and illegal weapons possession. Police also seized 350 grams of hashish, five revolvers, and some archeological artefacts in the operation that saw 200 officers involved. "The city is ours," alleged Taranto crime boss Cosimo Di Pierro, 61, said in a wiretapped call. Thanks to the bug, police were able to document mafia initiation ceremonies and even a request for affiliation being made by a woman. "The woman can be initiated," she says. "It may be done in Bari but not in Taranto," came the answer. "You don't know me". (ANSA) - Rome, June 22 - Rome Mayor Virginia Raggi on Wednesday reiterated her opposition to the capital's bid to host the 2024 Olympics. "It's not really a priority for the people of Rome," she told Euronews in her first interview as mayor. "They seem to me to be more like construction Olympics than sporting Olympics...the economic and historic data tells us all the cities that have hosted them have indebted themselves to the hilt". Raggi cited the 1976 Montreal Olympics, whose initial budget estimate was overrun by 796%. "With debt of 13 billion euros, Rome can't afford to take on further debt to build more cathedrals in the desert," Raggi said. "I am in favor of sport, but let's begin with city sporting facilities," she went on. "Rome has over 160 of them and they are falling to pieces, and no one ever cared to maintain or renovate them". The fledgling mayor also said Rome needs policies to reconnect its impoverished, crime-ridden outlying districts to its more affluent center. UGENTO (PUGLIA) - A group of 53 migrants disembarked in Torre San Giovanni at the Ugento Marina in Salento on Wednesday. A Coast Guard motorboat intercepted the migrants as they were leaving a boat that managed to escape. The group of migrants is composed of two Syrians, 37 Pakistanis (including a woman and 11 minors), five Somalians, nine Afghanis (including five women and three minors). All are in good health.(ANSAmed). EU approves 200 mln more for Syrian refugees Projects in Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan (ANSAmed) - BRUSSELS, JUNE 22 - The European Commission on Wednesday gave the go-ahead for over 200 million euros in funding for projects to help Syrian refugees in Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon. The package was approved in the fourth meeting of the EU's regional trust fund set up to respond to the Syrian crisis. Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policies Johannes Hahn noted that over 730 million euros had been mobilized by member states, the EU and Turkey in only a year and that the aims included improving living conditions for refugees and their host communities as well as get refugee children in schools by next year. (ANSAmed). Qatar Airways pull out of Meridiana talks - sources Delrio trying to bring company back to the table (ANSAmed) - ROME, JUNE 22 - Qatar Airways on Tuesday pulled out of negotiations for a partnership with struggling Sardinia-based airline Meridiana due to the uncompromising stance of trade unions, ANSA sources said Wednesday. A deal with Qatar Airways has been described as the only was to guarantee Meridiana a stable future. Transport Minister Graziano Delrio is working to bring Qatar Airways back to the negotiating table, the sources said. (ANSAmed). PLO art collection resurfaces in Tehran and Beirut Went missing in 1982 Israeli bombing (ANSAmed) - BEIRUT, JUNE 22 - Artworks that had been part of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) collection but which went missing during Israeli bombing of Lebanon in 1982 have resurfaced in the basement of a Tehran museum and some private homes in the Lebanese capital. The Palestinian artist Nasser Soumi is working to recover part of the almost 200 works donated in the 1970s by painters from 31 countries who supported the Palestinian cause, including Guttuso, Miro, Tapies, Gio Pomodoro, Samona and Treccani. Soumi has recently returned from Iran, where he received a pledge from the director of the Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art, Majid Molla-Norouzi, to send 37 of the works - which have been in storage in the museum for 34 years - back to Beirut. The paintings had been in the Iranian capital for a temporary exhibition when Israeli troops invaded Lebanon and the PLO left Beirut and head for Tunisia. Soumi has established a foundation in Paris, where he has lived since 1980, to reconstruct an 'International Museum of Solidarity with Palestine' that would from next year be hosted by Beirut's Dar Al-Nimr. ''Once Palestine is liberated, we want to bring it there,'' he said. The Palestinian Museum built near Ramallah with funds raised by a Palestinian diaspora charity is meant to be where it will eventually be permanently located. The museum, which was inaugurated by President Mahmoud Abbas in May, has not yet hosted any exhibition. Italy, with 28 artists, and France were the two countries that contributed the most to forming the collection. (ANSAmed). France authorizes limited union march in Paris After meeting with Interior minister (ANSAmed) - PARIS, JUNE 22 - French unions on Wednesday were granted the right to hold a march protesting labor law reform scheduled for Thursday along a route drawn up by the interior ministry. The march will begin and end in Bastille Square and will be about a kilometer long, announced General Confederation of Labour (CGT) leader Philippe Martinez after a meeting with Minister Bernard Cazeneuve. ''We told the minister that we could not call it off. We will be present at the protest tomorrow,'' Martinez added in speaking by another union chief, Jean-Claude Mailly, from Force Ouvriere. Unions and student groups have been authorized to hold another protest on June 28 but will have to discuss the details with the prefect's office first. (ANSAmed). Migrants: 53 land on Ionian coast of Puglia Boat with traffickers escapes Coast Guard (ANSAmed) - UGENTO (PUGLIA), JUNE 22 - A group of 53 migrants disembarked in Torre San Giovanni at the Ugento Marina in Salento on Wednesday. A Coast Guard motorboat intercepted the migrants as they were leaving a boat that managed to escape. The group of migrants is composed of two Syrians, 37 Pakistanis (including a woman and 11 minors), five Somalians, nine Afghanis (including five women and three minors). All are in good health.(ANSAmed). FLORENCE - At dawn and dusk on June 24-25, Giotto's Campanile in Florence will celebrate the city's patron saint with an initiative focusing on the theme of flight in the Divine Comedy. Migrants, detainees, refugees and people in disadvantaged situations will recite parts of the Divine Comedy in which Dante speaks about birds, flight and angels, of experience of the world and the courage of men who want to surpass limits. ''Piume Dante/2021 Legato con Amore in un Volume Cio che per l'Universo si Squaderna'' was produced by the Culter cultural association with a contribution from Comune di Firenze-Estate Fiorentina, Ente Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze, Fondazione Brunello Cucinelli and Mazzanti Piume, and in collaboration with Opera di Santa Maria del Fiore. During the two days (performances at 5:30 AM, 7:00 AM, 7 PM and 8:30 PM), two companies of about 40 people each from the abovementioned categories will offer the public a view of a ''population'' of birds that live in Giotto's Campanile. Entrance is free but reservations are required. The small groups of visitors will walk up the four internal levels of the monument, where they will meet first with a ''population of birds'' symbolizing people's aspirations to go beyond everyday life, which herein takes the form of wings. On the third floor, Dante's verses will be recited that speak of humanity in pain as it goes through life on earth and - as the top of the Campanile is reached - wants to take flight, since everyone including migrants and refugees (who will be at the top of the monument) seeks the best for their life. ROME - Jordan has closed borders with Syria and Iraq, declaring them military zones following the suicide bombing yesterday that killed six soldiers, said BBC online. The Jordanian government said that there won't be new refugee camps and that the existing ones won't be expanded. The attack happened Tuesday morning near the Rukban camp, used by the Jordanian Army to host and question civilians fleeing nearby Syria. A truck full of explosives entered Jordan at a high speed from Syria and was detonated near an army checkpoint.(ANSAmed). BERLIN - The German government has approved expansion of its military mission in the Mediterranean to fight ISIS and terrorism. The measure has to be ratified by Parliament, and a yes vote seems assured, although the date for the vote hasn't yet been determined. German military ships have been participating in the EU's Operation Sophia in the Mediterranean since June 2015. Their efforts have been primarily focused on migrant rescue and fighting illegal immigration. Since November 2012, Slattery has been the business units Chief Commercial Officer. He joined Embraer in March 2011 as Vice President of Customer Finance and Asset Management. Prior to joining Embraer, he spent 15 years in executive and leadership roles at various aircraft leasing business and financial institutions. Austrian dignitaries, officials, VIPs and media attending an invitation-only event at the airport today were the first ever non-operational people to set foot inside this brand new, state-of-the-art aviation icon since it arrived in Vienna yesterday. Guests toured the aircraft for a glimpse of the stunning interior which will be part of the A380 experience Austrian travellers will be able to enjoy from 1st July when Emirates becomes the first airline to operate a scheduled A380 service into Vienna. Preparations have been underway for many months in readiness for the start of operations. Vienna Airport has embarked on a long term project that includes changes to the apron infrastructure, investments in aircraft handling equipment, gate and boarding facilities, and airside terminal areas to ensure passengers have a smooth transition through the airport and onto the aircraft. This special one-off visit by the 80th A380, captained by Austrian national Florian Ragg, was the final stage in this detailed planning. Its mission was to test technical procedures like pier docking, movement of the aircraft on the apron into its correct parking position, specialised aircraft cleaning inside and out and the loading and unloading of catering and baggage. To provide a large enough space for docking and handling of this wide body aircraft four airport gates will be merged into one. To be eligible for the discounts, students must be Omani citizens, aged between 18 and 25 years old at time of travel, who have just graduated from high school, or an equivalent educational institution. In addition, they will have been accepted for full-time study on an accredited course at an overseas college or university. Oman Airs country manager for Oman, Jamal Bin Saif Al Azki, said: Oman Air is delighted to offer our nations new high school graduates the opportunity to save money when they travel overseas to continue their studies. As the national carrier of the Sultanate of Oman, we are proud to be making this investment in the countrys future and to be providing extra motivation to achieve their full potential. We look forward to welcoming many more students aboard our award-winning aircraft as they fly to seats of learning throughout Asia, the Middle East and Europe. YEREVAN, JUNE 22, ARMENPRESS. Nicolas Sarkozy has told Angela Merkel that Turkish membership in the EU is 'unthinkable', reports The Independent. 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. YEREVAN, JUNE 22, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Nagorno Karabakh Arayik Harutyunyan on June 22 held a meeting with Secretary of the National Security Council of Armenia Armen Gevorgyan, press service of the NKR Government informed Armenpress. The NKR Prime Minister congratulated Armen Gevorgyan on his new post. Arayik Harutyunyan highly appreciated A. Gevorgyans professionalism and expressed confidence that his knowledge and practice acquired during his different posts will contribute to his new job, as well as the achievement of significant progress in a cooperation field. The NKR Prime Minister said many works need to be done in terms of demonstrating coordinated approach in the security sphere and agreed terms of decision-making in different situations. According to various departments, the cooperation between the two Armenian republics is at the high level, however, I think, we must intensify our joint activities, he said. In his turn, Armen Gevorgyan said the works need to be done in terms of strengthening cooperation on security-related issues. He ensured that all the issues, that were discussed, will be resolved. Minister-Chief of the NKR Government Staff Levon Grigoryan also took part in the meeting. You can see a half constructed fountain in front of 10/2 building in Gyumris Mush district. The friends of 23-year old lieutenant Meruzhan Stepanyan, who heroically fell during the 4-day April war, are the initiators of the memorial (fountain). Mrs. Nune, Meruzhans mother, organized our meeting with the presence of Meruzhans friends and relatives. Mrs. Nune met me. I had prepared lots of ideas, but as soon as the door opened, I had the feeling that all those words are futile and senseless. So I said nothing, just greeted and entered. Meruzhans father, mother, uncle, uncle-in-law, friends, the teacher, and finally, his beloved fiancee were sitting in the living room. I settled on a sofa, but did not know what to start with. Eventually I was unable to avoid that irrelevant question how are you? It was irrelevant since the heavy silence following my question was rather predictable. I asked Mrs. Nune to recall the best episodes of Meruzhans life starting from January 17, 1993, the day of his birth. He was a soldier since childhood When Meruzhan was born I was so happy to have given birth to a son. He had a very interesting character since childhood. All his toys had to be either a car, or a tank. He was curious to see them from inside, so he used to dismantle them before starting to play. Even if he wanted to play with a ball but had none, he would prepare one with sheets of paper until we would buy a real ball. He had lots of ideas. He could think of one and implement it instantly. Meruzhans father is a serviceman. My son used to accompany his father to the regiment since 4 years. He was fond of the moments when his father said do you want to come with me to the regiment?.Meruzhan would wake up at 6 and call his father We are late, we have to hurry. Interestingly, he did not like the moments of returning home. He liked to watch the soldiers, do exercises with the soldiers. Anything in that sphere was interesting for him and sine then fell in love with army life. Mrs. Nune mentions that Meruzhan was also deeply interested in education and he was a progressive student at school. He was the smallest in the class, 6 years old. He was so small and slim that he was trusted the school-bell, an upper-class student lifted my son and he proudly he proudly rang the bell and entered the classroom .He enjoyed the love of both peers and teachers. He did not miss any school events and often played a role of a soldier. From time to time Mrs. Nune was silently looking at Meruzhan's photos , trying to recall more and more episodes from his life. There were more girls in Meruzhans class than boys. I was always afraid that someone would tell me that Meruzhan has missed a class. But it happened sometimes. I work in that same school. Once the teacher of history complained to me, telling that Meruzhan with some girls disturbed the class. I reproved Meruzhan, but the same thing happened the next day. Once I came home and told everything to his father. He slammed Meruzhan which made me extremely upset. The next day when I went to school the teacher again approached me with the same complaint: Meruzhan again disturbs the lesson. Suddenly it came to my mind to say that I and Meruzhans father got divorced and I no longer live with them. The children stay with their father, if you want, you can call him. The teacher was confused, apologized and left the teachers room. When we came home I told Meruzhan not to come to me at school for some days not to be seen together. During those days seeing me at school he would come up to me, hug and say Mom, give me some money to go to the canteen or I will tell Mrs. Asatryan (teacher-edit) that you have told a lie. Talented, kind hearted, humane, modest child with a great sense of humor: This is how Meruzhans teacher of Armenian language, Silva Ghazaryan, who is also their neighbor, described him. He was the most beloved student in our school. He was a unique boy with endless sense of humor. Even in the worst situations he could change everyones mood by his humor. The teacher kept silent for a while and then continued barely suppressing excitement, Indeed, this was a huge loss for us. Meruzhan was very supportive towards his surrounding and always reacted to everyones problems. If someone was in need of something, he always hurried to help. His mother was a teacher at school which obliged him to behave better. After leaving school he frequently visited us. He used to come to school, knock on the door of his classroom and with some sense of guilt and a smile on the face say Can I enter?, Of course you can, its you dear Meruzhan, even if you disturb the lesson. He was always happy, with a smile on the face He always found time for friends. He could never deny saying that he is busy or has no mood when we called him asking for some help. We were always together, says Meruzhans friend, Hrach, adding that there was no field that he could not cope with. He always tried to examine and understand everything. He was happy, with a smile on his face even when there were problems. Meruzhans mother says he made up his mind to enter the Military Institute after Vazgen Sargsyan when he was on 8-9th grade. Initially I and his father were against this idea. We did not want him to do that, explained the difficulties that could encounter him. He would listen silently and answer in the end I will not get disappointed. He left the school in 2009 and entered the military institute the same year. It was particularly difficult to overcome that feeling of missing since he was never away from home. Even when I told him to stay at his grandmothers house, he would say no, mom, lets go and see them and then come back home, everyone should stay at his own place. This longing was suffocating him; it was the only hardship for him. Meruzhan was interested in all the branches of art. He was good at singing, painting and writing. He never attended any music school but learned to play the flute and the piano on his own. Meruzhan has also devoted a poem to his sister: To my best sister Even if we are far away from each other And have no chance to meet one another Remember the word brother Not to forget each other Since difficult moments of life Or the path to bereavement Can be defeated only by life, love And your brother MERUZH Meruzhan and his friend wrote a song and performed it during the ceremony of the last bell. But his most beloved song was I have the honor (patriotic song edit.). He always sang that song saying I will sacrifice my life to motherland, and it happened exactly like the words of the song, the mother added. Suddenly the teacher interrupts the conversation. You know I have to say that he was born a hero, as heroes are born from simple people: his father is a servicemen, mother is a teacher. He was born in a humble family and ended up in a heroic way, ensuring peace for us at the expense of his life and blood. He extinguished like a candle to give us light. He triumphed over both death and the Turks by his feat. But it is extremely difficult to reconcile with the loss. The most terrible thing is Meruzhans physical absence We were not just father and son. We were real friends and relied on each other in any situation. Meruzhan learned much from me.He was quick in catching everything and was my first helper. Now sometimes I blame myself for that Meruzhan chose my profession, but at the same time I am proud for that he was not frightened by hardships, Meruzhans father, Artur Stepanyan, says glaring at his sons photos, and then adds, Most terrible thing is his physical absence; its extremely difficult for everyone. My Meruzhan left so much positive behind him that we can only be proud of him. According to Artur Stepanyan, Meruzhan proved himself not only as a good pupil or student, but also a good commander. These are not my words; these are the words of his soldiers saying that they have never had an officer like him. He did not differentiate among the soldiers; everyone was equal for him and he took care of each of them. He tried to create a comfortable atmosphere for them to meet all their needs. He even created bathing facilities in the positions and refurbished the blindage. Mrs. Nune informed that during these days many people, including from abroad, have contacted them, expressed sympathy and offered help. One of the soldiers wrote to us that he is extremely proud to have had the chance to know Meruzhan and that my son was his commander. I was unaware that during his vacation my son visited one of his soldiers who was sick, got acquainted with his parents and asked them what they needed. Now the call me and ask the same question. Another soldier wrote that my son was great man for him as when he was ill Meruzhan did not allow him to go to the positions, instead gave the sick soldier tea and drugs and went to the position himself. Meruzhan never boasted but sometimes whined that he was awarded with no medals for his activities, only certificates. I always said it is not important, first of all you should be safe. He used to say that medals are also very important and promised to conquer new and new heights. Meruzhanhas recently got engaged to Zara, the bride is from Shushi, Nagorno-Karabakh. Mrs. Nunes only concern over her sons bride was Zaras Karabakhdialect, which is not so easy to understand. Meruzhan would sometimes call me and speak in Karabakh dialect. I could not understand anything and asked him to speak in Armenian. Later, when I learned that the bride is from Shushi I was afraid that there would be some language barriers, but Meruzhan calmed me down saying that Zara speaks Armenian very well. The engagement took place on December 5, 2015. It was an extremely snowy day. It took us 12 hours to reach Shushi. Meruzhan was in positions from December 8 to March 25, 2016. He together with Zara came to Gyumri to celebrate Easter and then returned to Talish on March 31 where fierce clashes with Azerbaijanis broke out during the succeeding days. Proud look, kind smile, last words-I have the honor It was the morning of April 2. I talked to Meruzhan on phone. He told how they fought against the enemy in the morning. He said mom, I cannot speak long, I will tell everything when I come home on holiday. He told me how many Azerbaijanis he had killed, but I told him not to be so happy about that, they also have parents and children. He told me, Mom, if we dont do that, they will kill us. Will you be happy if I die?. I grew angry and told him not to tell such things again. When I called him in the evening, he was in a bad mood and told me not to call him anymore. He asked me to take care of myself and became unavailable. A little later we learned what had happened. He gave a retreat command to his soldiers, but two of them did not obey and remained with him. After the bullets were out, they started to fight with knives. Those godless creatures fired at him from the back. My son would be with me if they did not do so, says Mrs. Nune, adding in tears, I was very happy with my problems, but I am unable to resolve myself to the loss of my son. The wife of Seyran Ohanyan (Defense Minister of Armenia-edit.) visited us recently and asked what she could do for us. I looked at her and said, If you can, bring back my son, and in answer she said, I am sorry, but it is out of my capabilities. Be comforted by the fact that at least you have seen your son, many did not even have that opportunity. But even that does not comfort me. The fiancee was sitting in a corner soundless. She was attentively listening to all the stories. I asked her to tell something about Meruzhan. Meruzhan was very educated and balanced. He enjoyed preparing my lessons instead of me. If I had difficulties, even if it was late night, he would come, help me and quickly return to Talish. Zara studies environmental design in Shushi. She says Meruzhan often came as a surprise. He would come to the institute, call me and say that he has gone to the positions. Going out into the corridor I could see him with flowers in the hands and smiling. I can never forget his smile; he smiled even when he was in trouble. I try to console myself by thinking that he has not died, he is in the positions and I am still waiting for his return. I am also consoled at the thought that he reached his goal, conquering the heights he had dreamt of by his own efforts and blood. At the end of the conversation I asked the relatives to show me a number of Meruzhans photos. Each photo refreshed their memories, as each of them was a separate story. Mrs. Nune looks at her sons photo and again gets anxious saying that feeling of longing stuck in her throat. I always think how he took pity on the parents of the other soldiers and commanded them to retreat, the same way he should have come back even if people would say that he was afraid, but I knew, felt that he would never flee for which I am so proud. One of the soldiers has heard and later told that Meruzhan said We have reached here, we have advanced so much, and we have to continue until death. I saw a dream these days Meruzhan came to me without wounds or bandages and hugged me, saying Mom, someone else has been killed instead of me, it is not me, I will come back, do not tell anyone about it, but I will come back. I was afraid of waking up that morning, because I saw my kind, smiling Meruzhan as he used to be. I am still waiting for my sons return. Mrs. Nune turned to the corner prepared for Meruzhan, looked at her sons photo and recalled the lyrics of his beloved song Proud look, kind smile, last words-I have the honor. The only wish of the hero is that her son, as well as all the other heroes, are always remembered. P.S. Recently I came across an expression saying Sometimes those who are absent are so present, while the present are so absent. Meruzhan was so much present at the conversation. In these days I was often thinking that taking the pain on themselves our nation recognized our heroes, but on the other hand I dream we would not have recognized them, at least they would be alive. Hover proudly over the heights you dreamt of, hero! Meruzhans sister gave birth to a son on May 23 and was called after his hero uncle. Lieutenant Meruzhan Stepanyan, killed in the combat operations in Talish direction in the morning of April 3 during the 4-day war against Azerbaijan was posthumously awarded with "Combat Cross" of 1st degree on May 28. Syuzi Muradyan Science Detectives Investigate a 'Mitey' Big Problem By Jan Suszkiw June 22, 2016 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists are hot on the trail of a honey bee killer, and their detective work has taken them from hives in Tucson, Arizona, to those in Bismarck, North Dakota. Led by Agricultural Research Service (ARS) supervisory research entomologist Gloria DeGrandi-Hoffman, the team is staking out the entrances of victimized hives, eyeing the comings and goings of foraging honey bees that they suspect may be unwitting accomplices. Instead of cordoning off the sites with crime-scene tape, the scientists are blocking access to the hives using cut lengths of PVC pipe with a slit about midway down. There, a sliding wire-mesh door separates incoming bees from outgoing ones. None of the busy little winged bearers of pollen and nectar will get by without inspection-and for good reason: the researchers suspect the bees are physically harboring their target: an oval-shaped, pinhead-sized parasite called the Varroa mite. The Varroa mite is public enemy number one to not only honey bees nationwide, but also the 90-plus flowering crops that depend on the insects to pollinate them, including apples, almonds, blueberries and cantaloupe. The team's investigations in Bismarck this June are actually a follow-up study to the one they completed last year at two Arizona sites. Findings from that study suggest that bees can bolster their hives' existing mite population by carrying in Varroas from other colonies-an influx that most often occurs in the fall, especially November. Varroa populations grow slowly because females produce only three to five offspring. If mite populations in colonies are low, then they should remain that way for at least a season before chemicals called "miticides" need to be applied, explains DeGrandi-Hoffman, who leads ARS's Carl Hayden Bee Research Center in Tucson. Sometimes, though, Varroa numbers soar to potentially hive-wrecking levels during the fall. To the researchers, this suggested that factors other than mite reproduction were involved-namely, "mite migration" via foraging bees and wayward "drifters" from other colonies. At the Arizona hive sites, this influx of migrating mites correlated to population increases of 227 to 336 percent, starting in November. The findings appeared in the February 2016 issue of Experimental and Applied Acarology. In addition to further investigation at a Bismarck apiary, the researchers will also evaluate placing hives in refrigerated storage in the fall to head off mite migration into colonies. They'll determine the strategy's effectiveness based on whether it reduces the need for miticide applications, keeps Varroa populations low and results in high winter survival rates for colony members. ARS is USDA's principal intramural scientific research agency. Best Health Products and Services Would you like to submit an article in the Health category or any of the sub-categories below? Click here to submit your article. Would you like to have your product or service listed on this page? Contact us. A slyly subversive look at the reclusive state by the Russian filmmaker Vitaly Mansky, [Under the Sun] had been scheduled to be shown at the museums 2016 Doc Fortnight festival in February. But assistant curator Sally Berger, spooked by the Sony Pictures hack allegedly associated with the 2014 satire The Interview, decided to drop Under the Sun from the schedule. Bye-bye, Joseph Roulin! The National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), Melbourne, recently announced that it will be the exclusive venue for a multi-disciplinary installation of some 150 MoMA masterworks, June 8, 2018-Oct. 7, 2018. Fans of the home team are going to miss these heavy-hitters by van Gogh, Dali and Lichtenstein (top to bottom), among many others: If you scroll down at this link, youll see many more players from the A-team who will be AWOL from MoMA. Organizing their Australian road trip is Samantha Friedman, MoMAs assistant curator, department of drawings and prints. Is this a rent-a-show deal, designed to enhance the lenders bottom line at the expense of the borrowing institution? So far, MoMAs not telling. MoMA had entered into a rent-a-show arrangement in 2011 with another down-under institution, the Art Gallery of Western Australia, Perth. Some $6 million in government money supported a series of MoMA loan shows there, according to a statement then issued by John Day, Western Australias Minister for Planning, Culture and the Arts. Also in 2011 (as I reported here), MoMA dispatched a big trove of Abstract Expressionists to the Art Gallery of Ontario and some 100 modern masterworks to the High Museum, Atlanta. The latter was known for paying megabucks for mega-loans. MoMA tends to be coy about describing its financial arrangements for these shows. I asked MoMAs press spokesperson how much was being paid for Masterworks from MoMA at the NGV and whether the show was financially structured to raise significant revenues (or just to cover costs). I also asked whether MoMA would participate in revenues earned by the show (i.e., admissions, retail) and how much those were projected to bring. The non-answer to my queries was: We cant discuss specific financial arrangements. Maybe Australian institutions can be more transparent about financial arrangements, as occurred with the Art Gallery of Western Australias MoMA shows. I have queries pending with the NGV. If I learn more, youll learn more. This masterpiece migration is likely related to MoMAs planned renovation and expansion, which will cause temporary reductions, if not closures, of galleries. MoMA has already temporarily shuttered its architecture and design galleries, as part of the first phase of the museums expansion project, according to Martino Stierli, chief curator of architecture and design. Notwithstanding its need to boost financial resources in anticipation of its next capital project, MoMA should resist the temptation to use its collection as a cash cow. For the benefit of all institutionswhether art-rich, cash-rich, both or neitherloans should be collegial, not rentals. Amman (AsiaNews) - Jordanian authorities have declared border regions with Syria and Iraq"closed military zones". The decision follows the suicide bombing yesterday that has cost the lives of six soldiers. 14 others were wounded. There has been official claim for the attack on the refugee camp in the Rukban district, launched across the border in Syria. At this time many citizens took part in a candlelight vigil in the capital, Amman, in memory of the victims of the attack. Even the Jordanians Christian leaders have strongly condemned the attack, speaking of "a cowardly terrorist act". Fr. Rif'at Bader, director of the Center for Catholic Studies and Media (CCSM), points out that terrorism has unveiled once more "its barbarism, brutality and contempt of every human, religious and moral value". He spoke of the value of national unity and called for God's protection on the Hashemite leadership. The attack yesterday is the first of its kind in Jordanian territory since the beginning of the Syrian conflict in March 2011. The suicide bomber, on board a truck stuffed with explosives launched at full speed along the border between Syria and Jordan, in the northeast of the country, crashed into a station of Amman border guards. In an official statement the Jordanian army said that "every movement of vehicles and people" in the area of the attack "that are not authorized" by the authorities will be considered "enemy targets and" dealt with firmly and without indulgence". The order, the document adds, has "immediate" effect. Jordanian Information Minister, Mohammed Momani, told the BBC that there has been a state of alert for possible attacks by militants for months, including Islamic State jihadists, prime suspects in yesterdays attack. Militants of the extremist group could be hiding among Syrian refugees amassed across the border. He added that the Jordanian people are outraged by this attempt to undermine the security and stability of the nation. Government authorities have also suspended the sending and distribution of all humanitarian aid in the area of the attack, stressing that such actions threaten the very lives of refugees. Even today tens of thousands of Syrians are stuck in this desert border, waiting to enter Jordanian territory. Moreover, Jordan is one of the countries, along with Lebanon, which has paid the highest price in terms of the flow of refugees from the war zones in Syria and Iraq. According to UN sources, there are at least 635 thousand refugees in the country. Yet Amman says the figure is even higher: 1.4 million, about 20% of the population. 130 thousand are Iraqis and 1.3 million Syrians, but this figure does not include unregistered refugees. Police raid the building housing the clerics offices, including student residences. For the clerics associates, the move is provocative and offensive. The authorities threaten to deport him unless he goes into voluntary exile. Manama (AsiaNews) Bahraini police raided one of the offices of Ayatollah Isa Qassim, supreme leader of the Shia community in the tiny Gulf state. Only two days ago, the authorities stripped the cleric of his Bahraini citizenship for allegedly using his position and role to serve the interests of foreign powers. Police forced the doors to the building in Karranah, a village west of the capital Manama. They searched upper floors where students attending the clerics courses live. For Qassims associates, the authorities actions are provocative and offensive and compound the loss of his citizenship. As one of Shia Islams foremost cleric, he has become a target of the state for his opposition to the countrys ruling family. General Qassem Soleimani, commander of the al-Quds Brigade of Irans Revolutionary Guards, spoke in defence of the Shia religious leader. For the high-ranking Iranian official, the decision to revoke his citizenship crosses a red line that could inflame the country and the region. He also attacked Bahrains ruling Al Khalifa family and its supporters for their pressures on a peaceful people, which could lead to a bloody uprising. Born in Duraz (west of Manama) in 1940, Ayatollah Isa Qassim is one of the foremost scholar Shia legal jurisprudence, which he has taught since 1960. A member of the Constituent Assembly of Bahrain in 1971, he ran for parliament and was elected. However, he could not take his seat because the legislature was dissolved. Later, he left for advanced studies in Islamic religious sciences in Qom, Iran, where he obtained the title of ayatollah. He enjoys great popularity among Bahrains Shias and is regarded by them as the highest religious official in the country. In 2011, when Bahrainis began clamouring for political and civil rights and greater democracy, the authorities accused him of plotting to overthrow the government because of his strong criticism of the authorities violent crackdown against demonstrators, especially Shias. On Monday, Bahraini authorities stripped him and his family of Bahraini citizenship, threatening to deport him unless he chose voluntary exile. This has sparked further unrest and tensions that could lead to more clashes. (PB) Mgr Joseph Nguyen Van Yen led a delegation on 6 June that brought rice and donations to the people of the diocese of Vinh. Over two months, pollution has devastated fishermens livelihood, who now find themselves jobless and hungry. About five million people live in the affected area. On 12 June, residents in Vinh took to the streets to demand justice from the government. Hanoi (AsiaNews) Central Vietnam has been facing an environmental emergency for the past two and half months. Watching it unfold is heart-breaking and sad, said Mgr Joseph Nguyen Van Yen, who visited the area with Caritas. For the bishop emeritus of Phat Diem, it was heart wrenching to see personally fishermen dejected by polluted waters filled with dead fish, jobless and without the means to take care of their children. I am praying that all those who live and work thanks to the sea, whether Catholics or not, can have a better future, the prelate said. The local fishing industry has received a knockout punch after hundreds of thousands of fish died as a result of the Formosa Plastics-owned Hung Nghiep steel plant discharging every day 12,000 cubic metres of wastewater through a sewage pipe into the sea. About five million people live in Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Hue City and Quang Tri provinces. As the main source of income disappears, poverty awaits them. For weeks, the Church and civil society groups have criticised the Vietnamese government for failing to protect public health, and prosecute those responsible, whilst cracking down harshly on protesters. Quickly, Caritas Vietnam moved in to help local residents. On 6 June, a delegation led by Mgr Van Yen, vice-president of the Charity Commission, travelled to the parishes of Thu Chi is My Hoa (Ha Tinh province, Vinh diocese) bringing rice and donations. "We are looking forward to the authorities finding out what killed the fish and fix the environmental disaster, so that fishermen can get back to work, said a parishioner in My Hoa. For weeks, people have spontaneously protested against the governments inaction. The authorities have responded with repressive steps against demonstrators. In the Diocese of Vinh, about a thousand Catholics took to the streets demanding transparency and justice, after the government was accused of paying some fishermen to hush up the affair and associated health risks. As if the pollution crisis was not enough, drought haunts the Mekong Delta, in southern Vietnam, which could provoke the worse famine since the 1940s. by Fady Noun Beirut (AsiaNews) - The Greek-Catholic Patriarch Gregory III Laham announced last night that he will not resign from his patriarchal seat on the back of pressure from some rebel bishops who boycotted the synod which was to have opened two days ago on 20 June in Ain Trez (Mount Lebanon), the summer seat of the patriarchate. He also confirmed that the annual Church synod will be held around October. Out of 22 bishops in office, only 10 attended the meeting which requires the participation of at least 12 for validity. The absent bishops who have joined forces against the patriarch and boycotted the synod, are considered "in open rebellion." Of the prelates boycotting the synod, the best known is the Archbishop of Beirut, Msgr. Cyrille Bustros (77 years). He and others call for the resignation of Patriarch Gregory III (83 years),claiming he has squandered the wealth of the Greek-catholic Church. The patriarch defended himself defining the allegations as "misleading". Months ago, the coalition of bishops sent a letter to the Congregation of Eastern Churches laying the same claims, but the Congregation, led by Cardinal Leonardo Sandri gave no credence to their complaint, responding it could not act as a referee in this dispute, demanding the bishops participate in the Synod and recalling that no one can force a patriarch to resign. Gregory III, for his part, urged the bishops who are hostile to him to voice their criticism transparently and with charity during the synod. Unfortunately, their absence at the opening of the meeting shows their preference for a showdown. "Open rebellion" Last night, returning to the events of the last two days, and concerned about the feelings of his community shocked by the allegations, the patriarch issued a second statement in which he states that he will not resign under pressure. Harshly condemning the dissenting bishops, Gregory III emphasizes that their absence from the synod is a "case of open rebellion" that contradicts the provisions of Canon Law of the Eastern Churches (104). The Patriarch also states that the Congregation of Eastern Churches has been clear on the issue of his function, noting that "the patriarchal seat is considered vacant only if the patriarch's death or renunciation of his office" (n. 126) and in no another case. In the statement, Gregory III says: "I consider the boycott of the work of the synod on the part of some bishops as an act of open ecclesiastical rebellion against patriarchal authority and that of the Congregation of the Eastern Churches (Rome), as well as against a clear provision of canon law ... Demanding the unconditional resignation of the patriarch is irresponsible conduct, not ecclesial and illegal, and has caused a wave of anger, protests, doubts and perplexity among the faithful. This very serious situation has prompted us to publish this explanatory statement, out of the concern for protecting the conscience and feelings of our children, clergy and laity, as well as the dignity of our Church, at all levels ... I shall not resign, and not I give in to illegal and deceptive pressures. I will remain at the service of my Church. " The patriarch has also stated that the suspended synod could be held in October and encouraged some mediation to make the meeting possible. by Mathias Hariyadi Jakarta (AsiaNews) - Hundreds of young Indonesians have welcomed the proposal to attend the World Youth Day (WYD), to be held in late July, and have collected the money to pay for the trip that will take them to Poland to meet with Pope Francis. According to local sources, nearly 200 young people from 22 dioceses have registered to attend the event which will be held July 25 to 31 in Krakow. 18 volunteers have also registered with the Commission for Youth Ministry (Komkep KWI). The latter will depart July 19 with Fr. Antonius Haryanto, a priest of the Diocese of Bandung, responsible for the entire pilgrimage. The priest said that the great desire of young people to participate in the WYD prompted them to go beyond the economic barrier (the trip costs about 2 thousand dollars each), seeking and finding some donors that have helped them to cover the costs: "For today, dozens of youth in our community have contacted Komkep Kwi to inform of their firm intention to participate. " According to Fr. Haryanto, the presence of Pope Francis is one of the main reasons behind the enthusiasm of young people, who do not want to miss the opportunity to see the Pope and take part in Mass with him: "The WYD - he says - is a kind of spiritual journey for young people, where they can meet and get to know people from different parts of the world to celebrate one faith with them and experience the same values within the Catholic Church". Anyone who wants to participate, the priest explained, is obligated to register online: "Everyone sends their application and later the Komkep Kwi contacts the individual diocesan commissions for information on candidates. Then it makes a sort of election to decide the representatives of each group. " Msgr. Pius Riana Prabdi Pr, Bishop of Ketapang (West Kalimantan), will fly to Krakow to accompany the young people. The prelate said that Indonesia has already begun the preparation, with the dioceses that organize community events among the participants. Every weekend, young people gather in groups to meet and share their reasons to make the pilgrimage. Some are preparing cultural performances to be staged during the WYD. The Indonesian Catholic youth will be the focus of two other important events for the Church in the near future. In October, the diocese of Manado (North Sulawesi) will host the Indonesian Youth Day in 2016. In 2017 the Archdiocese of Semarang and Yogyakarta will host the Asian Youth Day. New Delhi (AsiaNews / Agencies) - This morning India launched 20 satellites into orbit in a single space mission. This is the most ambitious initiative of the Indian space program, which confirms a major role in the Asian countrys economy and in global technology. Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), Kiran Kumar, has stressed the importance of the mission: "Each of these small objects that you are putting into space will carry out their own activity, which is independent of the other, and each of them will live a wonderful life for the finite period for which they have been designed". Even the prime minister Narendra Modi has praised the "monumental success of the enterprise." The rocket PSLV C-34 was launched from the Sriharikota space center in Andhra Pradesh, at 9:26 (local time). It was carrying three satellites manufactured in India (of which two were university projects) and 17 other foreign-made, from the United States, Germany, Canada and Indonesia. The entire launch mission lasted 26 minutes in all. Among the devices expelled by the missile, there is the Cartosat-2, a satellite that will be used for terrestrial observations. The images that it will collect will be used to develop mapping, study the urban, rural and coastal areas, the distribution of water and other applications. Another satellite, produced by Google, will capture images and high-definition video. The Indian space program has come a long way, considering that the first rocket launch took place in 1963. On that occasion the rocket was transported to the launch pad with a bicycle. During another mission in 2008 India launched 10 satellites. The launch with the highest number of satellites with a single mission belongs to NASA (the US space program), which three years ago put 29 into orbit. by Christopher Sharma A suicide bomber blew himself up as a minibus carrying Nepali guards was on its way to the Canadian Embassy. Nepal has already banned regular work permits. Only 5,292 Nepalis working for UN agencies or diplomatic missions are left. Nepali Hindus could be the new target of Islamic terrorists. Kathmandu (AsiaNews) Nepali authorities are considering banning work permits for Nepalis who want to go to Afghanistan. Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli and his government are vetting the option following a terror attack that killed 12 Nepali security contractors travelling on a minibus in Kabul on Monday. Nepali officials have reached the afghan capital to organise the repatriation of the victims. In the wake of the tragedy, the Nepali government has urged Nepalis in Afghanistan to come home. On Monday, a suicide bomber blew himself as the minibus went by. The security guards were employed by a private security agency hired by the Canadian Embassy. Two Indian nationals were also killed in the attack. Eight more people were wounded. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was an act "against the forces of aggression in Afghanistan." Brave Hindu Nepalis may be new targets in Kabul, since they are among the best trained guards, said Nepals Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Kamal Thapa. In light of this, we might ban work permits for the Afghan capital." Nepal has already banned regular travel to Afghanistan, except for those working for UN agencies and diplomatic missions. According to the Foreign Ministry, 5,292 Nepalis live in Afghanistan with regular work permits. Man Bahadur Tamang lost his brother Dambar in the attack. "My brother was a Hindu and was killed, he said. Why did the Taliban strike at Hindu guards? We have to react to Islamic terrorism." "All the Hindus in Nepal and abroad should pay attention to the terrorists, because they can attack at any place and at any time, said Gautami Thapa, who lost her husband, Jitendra Thapa. Nepali President Bidhya Devi Bhandari spoke on the phone with her Afghan counterpart. "The president not only condemned all terrorist activities, but also asked the Afghan government to take immediate measures to deal with the situation, a presidential spokesperson said. Meanwhile, Nepals Labour Ministry has begun paying compensation to the victims families. The Foreign Ministry will pay for the repatriation of the dead and the medical expenses of the wounded. Vatican City (AsiaNews) - "The Christian does not exclude anyone, but gives a place to all". Pope Francis once again returned to the issue of welcoming migrants, with a small group sitting right beside his chair this Wednesday as he gave his general audience, the last before the summer break. "Today - he said - these guys are with me here: so many of them think that it would have been better to stay in their land, but there was suffering so much, they are our refugees, but many consider them to be excluded, please: they are our brothers, Christians do not exclude anyone, we give a place to all, let them all come. " After touring among the 30 thousand people present in St Peter's Square and inviting four children around ten years of age, two girls and two boys, in their first Communion dress, to join him on his open topped jeep -Francis spoke of welcoming and building a relationship with the poor. Inspired by the Gospel passage of the healed leper and the man's question to Jesus "who not only asks to be healed, but to be 'purified', in other words fully healed in body and heart," the Pope confided that "In the evening I pray: 'Lord if you want you can make me clean' and I say 5 our Fathers, one for each of Jesus wounds. Thats what I do and you can too in your own homes, say an our Father one for each of Jesus wounds. Earlier, commenting on the Gospel passage he stressed that "the leper does not resign himself to his disease or to laws that make him an outcast. He was not afraid to break the law and enter the city, in order to reach Jesus (he had to... it was forbidden for him) and when he found him "he fell down before him, begging him: Lord, if you want, you can make me clean" ( v. 12). Everything that this man, regarded as unclean, does and says is an expression of his faith! He recognizes the power of Jesus, he is sure [Jesus] has the power to heal him and that everything depends on his will. This faith is the power that allowed him to break every convention and to seek an encounter with Jesus and, kneeling before him, call him 'Lord'. The supplication of the leper shows that when we present ourselves to Jesus, long speeches are not necessary. Just a few words, provided they are full of faith in his omnipotence and goodness. Trusting God means losing ourselves in his infinite mercy. " "Jesus - he continued - is deeply impressed by this man. The Gospel of Mark emphasizes that "he felt compassion, stretched out his hand, touched him and said," You! "(1:41) I am willing; be clean. Jesus accompanies his words with a gesture in an explicit teaching. Against the provisions of the Law of Moses, which prohibited people from approaching a leper (cf. Lv 13,45-46), Jesus stretches out his hand, and even touches him. How many times have we meet a poor man who comes to meet us! We can also be generous, we can have compassion, but we never usually touch him. We offer money, but avoid touching his hand. And we forget that this is the body of Christ! Jesus teaches us not to be afraid to touch the poor and the excluded, because He is in them. Touching the poor can cleanse us from hypocrisy and disquieted by his condition". "After healing the leper, Jesus commands us not to tell anyone, but he says:"Go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them"(v. 14). This provision of Jesus shows at least three things. First, the grace working in us does not seek sensationalism. Usually it moves quietly and without fanfare. To dress our wounds and guide us along the path of holiness it works patiently shaping our hearts on the Lord's heart, so as to assume more and more his thoughts and feelings. Second, by his healing officially verified by the priests and celebrating by making an offering, the leper is readmitted into the community of believers and social life. His reintegration completes his healing. Just as he had he pleaded, he is now completely purified! Finally, introducing himself to the priests the leper gives testimony about Jesus and his messianic authority. The strength of compassion with which Jesus healed the leper brought the faith of this man to open up to mission. He was excluded, but it is now one of us" "We think of ourselves, of our miseries ... everyone has their own !, Sincerely. How many times do we cover them with the hypocrisy of 'good manners'. And then you need to be alone, to kneel before God and pray, "Lord, if you want, you can make me clean '". By Sherman Chan, Special to The Post The miso ramen broth was rich and lightly creamy. There was a balanced saltiness to the broth due to the miso. I'm not a huge fan of ground pork in my ramen, but it worked. As for the spicy miso, it was creamy and thick with a lingering spice with an Earthiness. Of the miso ramen, the Chiba Black Ramen was the best. The black garlic oil took the spotlight. It wasnt too salty. The ajitama egg and tender chashu were on point. The King's Ramen had carrot, cabbage, mushroom, green onion, spring onion, bean sprouts, shredded pork, seaweed, bamboo shoots, kamaboko and egg. The ingredients diluted the chicken broth. The Okinawa Umi Ramen featured fresh mussels, garlic, green pepper, red pepper and green onion. The chicken broth was mild, briny and peppery. Too many green and red peppers overwhelmed the broth. The Nagasaki Champon Ramen had black tree fungus, bak choy, onion, cabbage, red pepper, green pepper, Thai chili, prawn, scallop, mussel, squid and bean sprouts. The Kimchi Ramen featured shredded pork, kimchi, mushroom, onion, green onion and cabbage in a chicken broth. The kimchi was too dominant while the broth was spicy, almost sour. The house-made noodles were firm and chewy while the pork was melt-in-my-mouth tender. The rest of the bowls featured the same chewy noodles. The Tako Wasabi had tako that was tender while the pickled veg added a crunchy tang. The nori strips were too small. The Pork Gyoza filling was meaty and succulent. Overall, the ramen at Ramen Koika were pretty solid featuring flavourful rich broth and were well-portioned. Stay away from the complicated versions. Ramen Koika 1231 Davie Street, Vancouver, BC The Good: Large bowls of ramen Interesting array of options Flavourful broth(s) The Bad: Some bowls contained far too many ingredients which diluted the flavours Sherman Chan is the #1 ranked food blogger on the Vancouver portal of Urbanspoon.com. Read more of his reviews at www.shermansfoodadventures.com. The Marine Corps New Combat Standards Are Harder For Both Women And Men Trending News: Check Out The Grueling New Marine Corps Physical Standards Why Is This Important? Because now the playing field is truly equal. Long Story Short The Marine Corps have implemented new physical standards for troops applying for combat roles. The new rules are gender-neutral, and up the ante for anyone who wants to serve on the front lines, regardless of gender. Long Story Ever since combat positions were declared open to women in 2013, the US military has slowly adapted to the changes. The branch struggling the most was the Marine Corps, who first defended their strict physical standards and later released a study suggesting that mixed-gender combat units were a bad idea. Now, it would appear that the Marines are coming around in the most Marines way possible: physical standards for non-combat roles will remain gender-normed, but ALL combat recruits will have to pass new physical tests that are, to put it in technical terms, hard as balls. The gender-norming of non-combat physical evaluations is exactly what it sounds like different standards for men and women, based on the Marine Corps' extensive knowledge of a Marine's capabilities. Prior to boot camp, for instance, the IST (initial strength test) may require 2 pull-ups for men, but only a 12-second flexed arm hang for women. Men must complete a 1.5 mile run in 13:30; women in 15:00. But if you want a combat job? Buckle up, because the standards have changed, and they care not whether you have anything dangling between your legs. Here are the standards for the MCS (Military Occupational Specialty Classification Standard), required by all commissioned officers and enlisted personnel hoping to enter combat. Washington Post That's no picnic, but doable. But that's also just the initial test if recruits' have satisfactory MCS scores, they have to take something called the MOS Specific Physical Standards, or MSPS. It's a job-specific exam, with varying tests based on occupation. Here's an example of some of the evaluations. Washington Post In those ground-combat-arms jobs, being strong is a requirement, and these initial standards are all relevant to the continued success of our Marines, said Lt. Col. Eric Dent, a Marine Corps spokesman told the Washington Post. Gender is irrelevant; performance is key. That's a lot of lifting, and that's by no means a comprehensive list. The new standards, predictably, have made earning combat roles harder, and not just for women. According to documents obtained by the Washington Post, of 5,916 Marines who were evaluated by their MSPS from January 1 to May 17, only 12 failed and were reclassified to non-combat jobs. That's certainly promising, and even more so that only 3 of the 12 were women. According to the Post, all three women were would-be combat engineers, whose MSPS required the Marine to lift a 100 lb weight from floor level to above their heads. War is a brutal business, and hopefully the new combat standards are geared in such a way to ensure maximum capability (and therefore safety) for all Marines serving on the front lines. Here's hoping that they also put to bed the hand-wringing over whether or not women are fit for combat roles they wanted gender-neutral standards, and now it's up to them to meet them. Own The Conversation Ask The Big Question Will this mean more or less women make it into combat roles? Disrupt Your Feed I've always said women should be allowed to do whatever they want if they can meet the same standards, and now we have them. Drop This Fact Women made up about 10% of the forces that served in Iraq and Afghanistan. You are the owner of this article. Global fines for cartels have dropped by 65 per cent in US dollar terms in the first half of 2016 but Asia-Pacific is bucking the trend.A report from Allen & Overy shows that there have been U$1.1 billion of fines globally, down from $3.17 billion in the first half of 2015. However, more than half of this years total so far has been from Asia-Pacific.Koreas Fair Trade Commission alone has increased fines by 95 per cent, the law firm says, and it also imposed the largest single fine of the year so far; U$305.6 million against a cartel of 13 companies accused of rigging bids for LNG construction companies.John Terzaken, global co-head of Antitrust at Allen & Overy comments: Lower levels of fines are by no means a reflection of a softening by the authorities and should not be seen as a sign that cartel enforcement is being approached with any less vigour.The drop in global fine levels is partly due to the cyclical nature of enforcement with a number of high-profile investigations concluding last year compared to 2016. Herbert Smith Freehills has promoted 42 lawyers to senior associate across its Australian offices. The promotions are effective 1July 2016 and span the corporate, disputes, finance, real estate, projects and employment practices in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth. More than 70 per cent of the promoted lawyers are female.One of Australias leading diversity advocates has been appointed to a full time advisory role at PwC Australia.Julie McKay is a former executive director of UN Women in Australia and has also been the gender advisor to the Chief of Defence Force as well as working with businesses.She has been on PwCs advisory board since 2015 but will now take a full time role, as a partner of the firm and taking responsibility for PwCs diversity and inclusion advisory business, as well as overseeing diversity and inclusion strategies and targets across PwCs Australian business which includes the legal services division. Aussie NewLaw firm lexvoco has gone Trans-Tasman, opening up shop in New Zealand. The firm, which seconds in-house legal talent at a lower cost to traditional outsourcing, is the only NewLaw firm currently operating in both Australia and New Zealand. Former GC Stephen Mullins has been appointed NZ general manager and senior legal counsel. He said the similarities between the markets are surprising given the small number of NewLaw firms infiltrate the legal market. Because we are really the first of our kind to really come here, there is less knowledge of NewLaw in the market, he told Australasian Lawyer. Over the past 6-8 weeks, Ive spent a lot of time meeting with prospective clients, really to sound them out on what we do in Australia and therefore what we are looking to do here in New Zealand and thats been met with a lot of enthusiasm. It seems that legal teams here, just as they are in Australia are pretty much facing this more for less challenge, being demanded to provide more legal services at less cost with lower head count. Anthony Wright, principal of lexvoco, said the launch of a New Zealand office came from the demand from Australian clients, enquiring whether the firm could do work in New Zealand. There are not many businesses from Australia that can justify a New Zealand in-house lawyer and often the Australian legal team would have to try and do the work, Wright told Australasian Lawyer. Most of the time that was ok, but the fact is they are not New Zealand lawyers so they would have to brief it out to the top firms anyway. So we were starting to get enquires from our Australian clients about whether we can help them do New Zealand work. The firm will look to expand into other parts of the Asia-Pacific legal market over the next 12 month period. According to a report by The Australian, UK lawyers may lose the right to represent clients in EU courts and the protection from disclosing legal advice to clients in the event of a European Commission antitrust investigation.Ahead of the UKs referendum on Thursday, a record 186 UK lawyers have registered in Ireland this year with many applications still underway, a massive increase from 101 UK lawyers admitted in 2015 and just 51 in 2014.Theres been an unmistakable surge, said Ken Murphy, director-general of the Law Society of Ireland.Lawyers need to produce proof of good standing and three character references to register in Ireland, along with a 300 ($US340) fee, in addition to a 2,500 annual fee.Ireland is the most obvious choice for UK lawyers, due to the relatively simple rules for admission to the roll of solicitors that the Law Society of Ireland operates for English solicitors, said Becket McGrath, a partner specializing in competition law at London law firm Cooley LLP.Reports say that lawyers from Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, Slaughter and May, Clifford Chance LLP and Hogan Lovells International LLP have rushed to register in Ireland.A member of campaign group Lawyers-In for Britain and partner at Sidley Austin LLP Stepehn Kinsella, said that there would be more than just the loss of EU privileges effecting the legal profession in the event of an exit vote by the UK.Many law firms in London are only the size they are because London is a financial centre, he said.Even if theres a relatively modest downscaling [of financial services], thats going to have a major impact. Australians are more positive about the benefits of immigration but education and health and the most important issues facing the country today, according to a new poll.Some 885 named education as being a very important issue while 83% names health, 79% domestic violence and 77% the economy.With a general election coming up in a couple of week, the annual Lowy Institute poll, which seeks to ascertain the views of voting age adults in Australia on the most important national issues, found that people are dispirited about domestic politics.They are also disappointed in regard to Australia's foreign policy and not keen on Donald Trump being the next President of the United States, indeed the poll found that 45% believe that "Australia should distance itself from the United States if it elects a president like Donald Trump". While 51% say Australia should remain close to the United States regardless of who is elected US President.Other issues that make headlines, such as refugees and asylum-seekers, immigration, climate change and China's importance in the world are of significantly lower priority for today's Australians.The poll found more evidence that views of the US and China are shifting. When asked two years ago which relationship was more important, 48% said the US and 37% said China. This year each country gets 43% of the vote.The institute's executive director Michael Fullilove pointed out that the US was the only country towards which feelings cooled significantly this year, with warmth dropping five points to 68%. However, Australians remain confused about China. "It appears most Australians see much to admire about China but are genuinely alarmed at its increasing military assertiveness," said Fullilove.When it comes to immigration the Government's tough stance on turning back boats full of asylum seekers continues to attract strong support. Nearly two out of three voters believed stopping the boats meant Australia could take more refugees through the United Nations.The poll also found that support this policy did not mean that Australian's are against immigration and indeed the majority see it as good for the economy. Some 73% agreed that overall, immigration has a positive impact on the economy of Australia and 72% that accepting immigrants from many different countries makes Australia stronger.When asked about the potential negative impacts of immigration, only a minority, 40%, agreed that overall, there is too much immigration to Australia and the same number felt that immigrants are a burden on the social welfare system. Just 35% agreed that immigrants take away jobs from other Australians.Optimism about the Australian economy has lifted this year after the sharp decline recorded in last year's poll, when public optimism about the performance of the Australian economy in the world dropped to its lowest level since the first poll in 2005.In 2016, some 70% of Australians are either "very optimistic" or "optimistic" about Australia's economic performance in the world over the next five years, a seven point increase on last year's result, which represented the single largest fall in optimism in the firm's polling history.However, the overall level of optimism this year is still 16 points lower than its peak at the height of the financial crisis during 2009/2010 when 86% of Australians were optimistic about the future of Australia's economy.Despite this year's lift in optimism overall, the proportion of Australians who are very optimistic about the economy remains at 9%, unchanged since last year. 187 wanted to leave employer I've been here in Australia for the last 5 years with the same company...PR RSMS visa 187 was granted in 2015 and I'm in my 22 month for the required 2 years to stay with my sponsor...the problem is I'm thinking of quitting my job for I can no longer take the work condition that most of the time specially at night when we close the restaurant..it's just me who do all the task[i.e. dishes, floors and paperworks]..being by yourself is quite hard but I was able to do it until now...I was with the gp and said it's fatigue and stress and suggested to get some time off from work..which I did..now...I don't want to go back to work anymore after my leave expires..would that be in jeopardy of my 187 requirement?..or would it show that I have the genuine effort to stay for 24 months but just couldn't after 22months?...another is that being in the hospitality, the 38 hours per week is not happening..it's been 50 to 60 hours per week and get paid 38 hours just the same, being hired as a salary position...need some advice please. I have some questions with regards to subclass 309 and 100.Which I am applying online.1. For certified copies of the marriage certificate and passport- when I apply nline, can I scan the originals while applying online rather than get copies and attest them2. I read somewhere that when I apply for subclass 309 I should also apply for subclass 100 too online. Is that right? Because when I read it on 1127 Partner Migration booklet says after 2 years of applying for 309 I can Apply for 100.3.There was a checklist asking for 4 passport size photos of mine, and have my name printed on the back. Is this applicable when I do it online also?4. on Form 47SP says that if I plan to come to australia, I need to give my travel details. As of now, I have no plans, but later after some months, if I have to move with my husband to australia, should I make a note of it on Form 47SP?5. When I provide pictures of us with other people, should I make a note of it when I submit it?6. The form 47SP and 40SP, it says to fill in using a pen and in Block letters- however since I am doing it online- is it acceptable that I fill it online and print it for signing it and then scan it for applying online?I know the list is a lot. But it would help, to have these details confirmed for us. Hi, Im brazilian and i gonna lodge for skilled visa 189 subclass. Ive more than 5 years work experience as a Construction Project Manager in 4 differents companys, from 2010 till 2016, wich gonna give me 10 points (; . In the company 1, I was registered as a Director Executive;2010 In the company 2, I was registered as a Director of Branch;2011 In the company 3, I was business partner, with 5% shares in contract.2012 - 2014 In the company 4, I was business partner, with 1% share in contract. My question is? 2014 - 2016 In all those work experiences, my job were Construction Project Manager. How can i proof that experience? Is it by ex employee letters? Thanks in advance, sorry about my english mistakes (; Dennis. Production of Enjoy expected to come to an end with the possible sell out of the company's facility in Halol; Tavera's production to be shifted. Chevrolet India is likely to end production of the Enjoy MPV in the coming weeks with a possible sell out of the companys Halol production facility in Gujarat to the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation (SAIC). Rather than shifting production to a new plant, the carmaker thinks it's best to end production of the Enjoy considering the low sales of the vehicle and the general dip in the MPV market. Since its launch in May 2013, the Enjoy has only amassed sales amounting to an average of about 877 units per month. However, production of the Tavera which is also made at the same Gujarat plant is expected to move to the companys other facility in Talegaon. Despite its age, the Tavera has been a better performer for Chevrolet with sales of over 10,000 units in the last fiscal year (2015-16) as against the Enjoys 4,567 units in the same period. Chevrolet has also announced its plans to launch five new models in the next two years, with three models confirmed to be the new Beat, the Beat Essentia compact sedan and the Beat Activ crossover hatchback. Ever wondered how Lamborghini heresy looks like? For one thing, the concept is rather difficult to envision. After all, the Raging Bull itself started in a heretical way - imagine a tractor builder complaining about the imperfections of a Ferrari back in the day.Well, we may have come across a piece that passes as the perfect Sant'Agata Bolognese Heresy. Fortunately, this is but a rendering, one that brings us a twin-turbo Countach.With the pixels here having been rearranged by digital artist Jon Sibal , this looks like one mean machine. The boost-delivering setup is clearly visible at the back, with the twin turbos drawing attention like a magnet.In fact, there's something about the exposed posterior of this Countach that reminds us of the Gallardo-reimagining Sesto Elemento concept. You know, the one friends call the under-one-ton Lambo (and for good reason ). As for that generously-sized diffuser, this could very well come from a Gallardo or a Huracan racecar.Given the racing setup that seems to be present on this imaginary octane behemoth, we can only imagine the vicious soundtrack such a beast would deliver while doing its purist-offending thing - keep in mind that Lamborghini is currently the only major supercar builder that remains fully committed to atmospheric engines.And while this digital contraption might seem off, allow us to remind you the real world has already delivered something that's even more outrageous. We're talking about the Countach drag racer , a sprinting tool that comes with a supercharger the size of Italy. The purpose of such a vehicle? Low-7s quarter mile runs. The WeekendersSocialFlightcalendar runs from Oregon to Georgia with a variety of campouts, cookouts and vintage car and airplane displays. Join fellow vintage aircraft pilots at the Greatest Little Airport in Kansas in Gardner, where the fun starts Friday with a potluck, movies and camping. Saturdays fly-in will feature breakfast, lunch, light-sport landing and beanbag drop contests, plus an evening shrimp boil (space is limited, so get your tickets early). The third annual Cottage Grove Wings & Wheels fly-in in Oregon on Saturday offers new and vintage aircraft alongside classic cars and trucks. Bring your aircraft or land vehicle for display at no cost. The Pickens County Airport Management in Jasper, Georgia, and EAA Chapter 268 will host their Summer Airport Appreciation Festival Saturday. Young Eagles Flights will be available all day, with a cookout lunch on the field. Saturdays fly-in to Harriet Alexander Field in Salida, Colorado, will feature military aircraft, helicopters, gyroplanes, jets, classic cars, search and rescue demos, plus a pancake breakfast, barbecue all in conjunction with the weekend-long Salidas Art Walk festival. Aviation news events covered at a distanceby us, or anyone elsedont always convey, shall I say, a lucid reality. Ive been following the Kenn Borek Aviation rescue mission to the Amundsen-Scott Station in the Antarctic a little more closely than I might otherwise because Ive got a little Twin Otter time and Im curious about how theyre pulling this off. The details are a real eye opener when you consider the conditions, the distances involved and the limitations of the airplanes. Theyre making it sound like its all in a days work, but this is general aviation flying right out there near the edges of whats possible with airplanes never intended to do what needs to be done here. Or at least do it over such great distances. Kenn Borek is widely experienced in Antarctic operations, typically fielding as many as 17 airplanes on the continent during the summer flying season. But its the dead of winter down there now, so their assets are working in the northern hemisphere. That required moving two Otters from Calgary to Punta Arenas, Chile, the traditional jumping off point toward the Antarctic Peninsula. Thats about 6300 miles or 45 hours as the Otter flies. Thats a lot flight time, but at least theres fuel and places to land along the way. From there, it gets even more interesting. No matter how much tankage you stuff into it, the Otter doesnt have the range to fly from Punta Arenas to Amundsen-Scott Station at the South Pole and return. (Its at least 2100 miles, one way.) In fact, theres no tankage combination that would make it work even one way while still leaving room for necessary equipment. So the Otters are stopping at a British research station halfway down the Antarctic Peninsula called Rothera. The station has fuel and rudimentary runway lighting, but no landing aids. During the summer, its supplied by ship while the stations further inland are supplied by air, including Jet A for aircraft operations. From Rothera, its another 1300 nautical miles to the Amundsent-Scott station, according to the National Science Foundation, although the map I dug up suggests its closer to 1700 miles. Kenn Borek is declining any press interviews until the trip is completed, but it appears that theyre flying DH-6 300-series Otters with a useful load right around 5000 pounds and 375 gallons of standard fuel, plus wing tip tanks. That gives a range short of 1000 miles, so obviously, ferry tanks are a must. But even so, the Otter cant carry enough fuel for a round trip so their alternate is their departure at Rothera and, according to NSF, theyll use a point of no return for that. (Im writing this on Tuesday evening and weve just learned that the Kenn Borek Otter landed at Amundsen-Scott and will remain there for several hours, at least.) A source whos flown this remote region of the world in Otters told me that with ferry tanks installed, plus many pounds of survival and critical airplane equipment, such as engine blankets and heaters and maybe a start cart, theres not much room for anything else in the cabin. So this will be no pleasure cruise for whomever is being evacuated. Theyre reportedly carrying two pilots, a medical technician and a fourth crew member. The second Otter, by the way, was brought along to provide SAR in the event the primary aircraft goes down en route. Its the one-is-none, two-is-one theory of survivability.Even so, the prospect of that is bleak, given the lack of daylight, possible high winds and temperatures in the mid minus 70s F. This is not the stuff of a Bass Masters Cold Weather Survival Kit. If the lead Otter were to break at the South Pole, would you send the second to rescue the mission, completely unsupported in the event it has problems? Thats how doable goes to desperate in a heartbeat. Theres really nothing between Rothera and the South Pole, with the exception of a summer-only station or two. Patriot Hills is one. Its unclear if it would be usable or even accessible during the winter, for theresno harsher or more remote region on the planet. A tip of the hat of the 40 hardy souls who are overwintering down there and to the gutsy pilots willing to fly one of them to urgent medical attention. P.M. Update: Late Wednesday afternoon, NSF reported that Borek Air had completed the return trip with two patients from Amundsen-Scott to Rothera. The two will be flown to Punta Arenas, Chile, for further treatment. Well done, Kenn Borek. And a good word for the incomparable Twin Otter. Not many airplanes can operate in such harsh conditions with their mission profile stretched almost beyond recognition, but a DH6 can. Bravo! 22 June 2016 11:04 (UTC+04:00) By Gunay Camal France, as a co-chair of the Minsk Group, is ready to host a meeting between President of Azerbaijan and President of Armenia, said the French Embassy in Baku. The embassy made the statement following the St. Petersburg meeting of the Azerbaijani and Armenian presidents. Paris welcomes the outcome of the meeting, which took place in St Petersburg on June 20 and which has offered to President Aliyev and President Sargsyan the opportunity to pursue their dialogue started in Vienna on the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh, according to the embassy. Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan sat at a table of talks arranged by Russian President Vladimir Putin after the recent worst violence in decades in the Nagorno-Karabakh region. It became their second meeting following the heavy clashes in Nagorno-Karabakh in early April. The leaders of Azerbaijan and Armenia agreed to bolster the number of monitors in Nagorno-Karabakh with a view to shore up a fragile ceasefire. 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. The French embassy further announced that its only through a steady and frank dialogue between Azerbaijan and Armenia that a peaceful solution to the conflict will be found. The Minsk Group co-chairs will continue to perform their duties as mediators between the two parties to the conflict and will pursue their efforts towards the implementation of confidence building measures and the conclusion of a comprehensive and peaceful settlement of the conflict, the statement reads. For over two decades, Azerbaijan and Armenia have been locked in conflict which emerged over Armenia's territorial claims against its South Caucasus neighbor. Since a war in the early 1990s, Armenian armed forces have occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan's territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven surrounding regions. Over the entire period of its existence, the OSCE Minsk Group, which acted as the only mediator in resolution of the conflict, failed to move forward in resolving the long lasting conflict. When the situation in the occupied Nagorno-Karabakh region has exploded unexpectedly following Armenias provocation, the international community, including the mediators realized danger of a status-quo and the urgency of solving the conflict. Earlier, U.S .Ambassador to Azerbaijan Robert Cekuta, commenting on the St. Petersburg meeting, announced that the United States supports peaceful resolution of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 22 June 2016 12:57 (UTC+04:00) By Amina Nazarli Victims of the ArmenianAzerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which left about one million Azerbaijani internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees, were remembered on UN World Refugee Day, which is commemorated each year on June 20. The event took place at the Press Club Brussels and saw presentation of the Khojaly Witness of a War Crime Armenia in the Dock book, a landmark publication from The European Azerbaijan Society (TEAS). In 2014, the book was for the first time published in English in a London publishing house ITHACA Press. The book was translated into Russian, Turkish and French. This book is the first collection of the Khojaly tragedy issued by well-known publishing houses of the West. Organized by TEAS Benelux, the event was attended by Ambassador Khazar Ibrahim, Head of the Azerbaijani Mission to NATO; EU and Belgian diplomats; press and NGO representatives; members of the Azerbaijani diaspora; and supporters of international law. Marc Verwilghen, Director at TEAS Benelux, addressed the ceremony, by quoting from Ban Ki-Moon, UN Secretary-General, who previously acknowledged. Refugees are people like anyone else; like you and me. They led ordinary lives before becoming displaced, and their biggest dream is to be able to live normally again in their homes and country, he said. He noted that today, TEAS Benelux puts on display the fate of over one million Azerbaijanis who fled their homes and lands due to Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, stressing that this is the largest IDP population in Europe, and one of the largest IDP populations per capita in the world. For over two decades Armenian armed forces have occupied over 20 percent of Azerbaijan's internationally recognized territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and seven adjacent regions. Despite the official ceasefire back in 1994, each year the conflict becomes a cause of the deaths of dozens of civilians and military. The latest outbreak of violence on the contact proved that it is impossible to resolve the conflict by keeping a status quo. He then explained the background to the Khojaly Witness of a War Crime Armenia in the Dock book, saying that Armenia continues to resist accepting responsibility for its actions over Nagorno-Karabakh and on the night of 2526 February 1992 with the Khojaly Massacre, which was masterminded by Serzh Sargsyan, the current Armenian President, who was a military commander at the time. Fuad Isgandarov, Azerbaijani Ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg and Head of the Azerbaijani delegation to the EU, said: I am a witness to and victim of this war. It is for me to make the link between UN World Refugee Day and the Khojaly Massacre. Due to the policies of the former Soviet Union, there was a war between two neighboring countries Azerbaijan and Armenia. This led to the occupation of approximately 20 percent of Azerbaijani territory, leading around approximately one million Azerbaijanis to become refugees on their own land. The Khojaly Massacre and the conflict had an indescribable impact on the civilian population, he said. Our war and the massacre concerned civilians, and the concept of the refugee problem primarily relates to civilians. The Armenians fired on peaceful civilian people who were forced to leave their houses, losing members of their families. This tragedy happened just 24 years ago, and knowing about this enable us to avoid the future recurrence of such scenarios, Isgandarov said, adding that all organizations acknowledge that the status quo is unsustainable. Khojaly Massacre became the largest massacre in the course of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Within one night, Khojaly, one of the oldest settlements in Karabakh with a population of about 7,000 people, was razed to the ground. As many as 613 people were killed, including 63 children, 106 women and 70 old people were killed as a result of the massacre. Eight families were totally exterminated, 130 children lost one parent and 25 children lost both. -- Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 22 June 2016 16:54 (UTC+04:00) The OSCE mission conducted a monitoring on the line of contact of troops near Aghdam village of Azerbaijan`s Tovuz region in accordance with the mandate of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office. The monitoring held on June 22 ended without an incident. Azerbaijan`s Defense Ministry reported that the monitoring was held, on the Azerbaijani side, by field assistants of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Hristo Hristov and Simon Tiller. On the opposite side, the monitoring was conducted by field assistants of the Personal Representative of the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office 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 22 June 2016 16:29 (UTC+04:00) Chile has once again voiced its support to Azerbaijans territorial integrity and sovereignty, as the Senate and Chamber of Deputies of Chiles National Congress have adopted a resolution on Azerbaijan. The resolution emphasizes the recognition of Azerbaijans territorial integrity and says that sufficient measures have been taken by the country to strengthen the process of democracy, Chiles legislative body reported. The document was adopted by the Chile MPs from various parties and factions in the parliament. Eighty-six MPs voted for the adoption of the resolution, while one MP voted against it. The resolution supports the activities of international community on the effective fulfillment of the UN Security Councils resolutions on the settlement of the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The conflict between the two South Caucasus countries began in 1988 when Armenia made territorial claims against Azerbaijan. As a result of the ensuing war, in 1992 Armenian armed forces occupied 20 percent of Azerbaijan, including the Nagorno-Karabakh region and seven surrounding districts. The 1994 ceasefire agreement was followed by peace negotiations. Armenia has not yet implemented four UN Security Council resolutions on withdrawal of its armed forces from the Nagorno-Karabakh and the surrounding districts. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 22 June 2016 11:23 (UTC+04:00) By Amina Nazarli The newly established French-Azerbaijani University, aiming to turn Azerbaijan into a regional university center, has announced student admission for the 2016/17 academic year. The French-Azerbaijan University (UFAZ) is a project implemented on the initiative of the Azerbaijani and French presidents. In 2016/2017 academic year, the Azerbaijan State University of Oil and Industry (ASOIU) will start teaching in four specialties including Chemical Engineering, Computer Science, Geophysical Engineering and Development and exploitation of oil. The university established in cooperation with the University of Strasbourg on the program of the first three majors, and with the University of Rennes 1 on the latest specialty. University graduates will be issued a double diploma -- University of Strasbourg and ASOIU (the first three specialties) and the University of Renn1 and ASOIU (the last specialty). The duration of the education is four years (one year of training + three years of basic study), which will be conducted in English. Training is planned to be fully conducted in the ASOIU in Baku. Students, showing good results during the semester will have a chance to go to the summer schools in France. This year, 120 received in UFAZ (with best results) are exempt from paying tuition fees. Some 40 places will be offered on a fee basis. Entrants who scored 500 points or more on the entrance exams to the first group can participate in the qualifying examinations. The qualifying exam for UFAZ is scheduled for July 25. Entrance examinations will be held in the following disciplines in Azerbaijani and Russian languages: physics (tests), chemistry (tests), mathematics (tests) and English (the essay). Classes for students will be first in English, then in French, which means that University graduates can be provided with jobs in Azerbaijani, English and French companies. -- Amina Nazarli is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @amina_nazarli Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 22 June 2016 10:44 (UTC+04:00) Azerbaijan`s multicultural and tolerance environment were highlighted as State Adviser on Multinational, Multicultural and Religious Affairs, Academician Kamal Abdulla has met a French delegation led by President of the Association of Friends of Azerbaijan in France, member of the National Assembly Jean-Francois Mancel, Azertac reported. Abdulla informed the guests about multicultural and tolerance environment in Azerbaijan and the activity of the Baku International Multiculturalism Centre, as well as President Ilham Aliyev`s care to the relevant field. The advisor said several European and Russian Universities started to educate Azerbaijan`s multiculturalism model. Mancel, in turn, said his Association brought together influential persons of France, adding he spared no efforts for development of relations between the two countries. Current political and economic relations between the two countries would positively influence to the development of ties, according to him. The French senator further said he was eye witnessed with the current multicultural environment, as well as the development of Baku. The President praised high-level organization of the Formula 1 Grand Prix of Europe in Baku, saying Azerbaijan had a rich experience in arranging such international events They discussed issues on studying Azerbaijan`s multiculturalism in French higher schools. Earlier the French delegation was received by President Ilham Aliyev and First Lady,President of the Heydar Aliyev Federation Mehriban Aliyeva. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 22 June 2016 15:28 (UTC+04:00) By Gulgiz Dadashova The parties to the Armenian-Azerbaijani Nagorno-Karabakh conflict have agreed during the St. Petersburg meeting on a phased settlement to the conflict, said Novruz Mammadov. "That is, from now on in the conflict resolution it is needed to move step by step first liberation of five regions of Azerbaijan, then two more regions and identifying the corridor. Then comes definition of a status of Nagorno-Karabakh. In this regard, in principle, the two sides reached an agreement," Mammadov stated. The commentary from the state has proved positive statements and opinions voiced by experts after the recent presidential summit, saying that real steps taken for the just solution of the conflict, erupted back in 1990s following Armenias territorial claims. Mammadov, the deputy head of Azerbaijani presidential administration, chief of the administration's foreign relations department talking to local TV stated that at the St. Petersburg meeting the priority was given to a phased solution to the conflict. However, a quick resolution to the conflict would be difficult given Yerevans ever-changing stance. Baku is still skeptical over Yerevans willingness to follow through on its agreements given its history of impeding the peace process and attempts to keep the status quo. "This is agreement achieved for now," said Mamnadov, who does not exclude the possibility that the Armenian side as it was before takes steps provocative and refuses to fulfill this promise. Baku has repeatedly stated that it may become impatient if it sees that the negotiations are drawn to no avail. If the peace talks will not be able to overcome strategic gap in the positions of the parties, it may trigger a war in the region. President Ilham Aliyev, recently warning about the inadmissibility of ever-lasting status-quo stated that it is time to take concrete steps. The occupier should be faced with very serious pressure, so that the issue is resolved peacefully, he said in Baku, ahead of the June 20 meeting. The Nagorno-Karabakh talks held in St. Petersburg between the Armenian and Azerbaijani presidents and mediated by the Russian president were deemed useful and important by observers, while Baku called it constructive. The summit on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict in St.Petersburg has created a favorable psychological atmosphere for further advancing the political process, believes Matthew Bryza, the former co-chair of OSCE Minsk Group US, former Assistant Secretary of State for South Caucasus. Talking to Trend he said global change and a breakthrough in resolving the conflict was not expected after the meeting. "But, the meeting consolidated the results achieved in Vienna on May 16. It was decided to increase the number of OSCE observers. In general, the fact that the meeting took place, it is certainly a positive fact, he said. MP Aydin Mirzazade is also hopeful over the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, saying that the recent meeting raises hopes. Although no specifics of the meeting and agreements achieved are disclosed, still the fact that the talks held on a trilateral basis, that is with participation of Azerbaijani, Russian and Armenian presidents and agreement on continuation of talks gives grounds to say that there were recorded progress in the process, he said. Mirzazade stressed that if Armenia again demonstrates non-constructive position in the negotiations to extend the status-quo, then Azerbaijan will have to think seriously about the next steps. "Azerbaijani side has already stated about this. Azerbaijan's position is clear. In no case, not an inch of its territory will be compromised to Armenia. Local expert Emil Huseynli also is sure that the St. Petersburg meeting will open new opportunities for the gradual settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The statement voiced by the Azerbaijani Foreign Minister on holding of a constructive discussions, shows that Armenia has realized the impossibility of preserving the status quo, said Huseynli. "It is clear that the OSCE Minsk Group, Russia in particular, show a serious will for the prompt settlement of the conflict," believes Huseynli. -- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 22 June 2016 15:15 (UTC+04:00) The 28th volume of "Ilham Aliyev. Development is our goal" multivolume book has been published, Azertac reported. The material included in this volume of the book covers the period from December 2007 to February 2008. It begins with President Ilham Aliyev's letter to the Emperor of Japan Akihito. The volume also includes the head of state's speeches which he made at the meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers dedicated to the results of socioeconomic development of 2007 and objectives for 2008, as well as the conference on results of four-year implementation of the "State Program for socio-economic development of regions of the Republic of Azerbaijan." The volume highlights President Aliyev's visit to Switzerland, his participation in the World Economic Forum in Davos, as well as his meetings on the sidelines of the event. The book also includes material on President Aliyev's meeting with Hungarian President Laszlo Solyom as part of his state visit to the country, bilateral documents signed by the two leaders, the head of state`s receiving Honorary Doctorate from Corvinus University of Hungary, as well as his speeches and statements. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 22 June 2016 17:13 (UTC+04:00) By Laman Ismayilova Every region, every corner, every village of Azerbaijan is in the spotlight of the state. President Ilham Aliyev made the statement while talking to residents of the Nardaran settlement of Baku on June 21, adding that he makes every effort so that not a single settlement was left without the proper infrastructure. The president spoke about 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. Addressing the residents of the settlement, the president stated that issues relating to the living conditions of people, jobs, and landscaping should be tackled. I am confident that in the years to come unresolved problems will be solved and even better conditions will be created in all the villages, he added. President Aliyev further emphasized that opening new jobs should be in progress as well. Noting that Azerbaijan did much work in this direction in recent years, the president also reminded that the number of population increases, necessitating opening more jobs. Demographic rise is also a manifestation of our economic development, as people live better, their demographic situation is improving, the president said. The country's economy, industrial production should be developed in accordance with this demographic situation. Therefore, the creation of jobs is an ongoing process. Despite the fact that we created over a million jobs in recent years, we need to keep this issue in the spotlight, President Aliyev said. The president reminded that creating jobs requires investment, and both the government and the private sector should invest in it. Therefore, the business environment must be improved. Recently very serious steps have been taken to deepen the reform and thus ensure the sustainable development of our country, the president noted. The president, speaking about socio-political situation in the country, emphasized that everywhere in Azerbaijan the rule of law must be ensured and is ensured, and people everywhere need to live comfortably. Azerbaijan has all the guarantees of liberty. Azerbaijan from this point of view is a rapidly developing country. Religious freedom is ensured, as well, he added. President Aliyev went on to say that currently there is no disagreement on these issues in society. Every patriotic citizen of Azerbaijan is committed to strengthening the state, including the residents of Nardaran. They also made a valuable contribution in this regard. I am sure that things will go here now even better, the president said. On behalf of Nardaran residents, Agasaid Orujov expressed his gratitude to President Aliyev for his care and attention. President Aliyev during his visit to the Nardaran settlement inaugurated newly reconstructed Mashtaga-Bilgah highway, and Absheron and Nasrulla Asgarov streets in Nardaran. The reconstruction of Mashtaga-Bilgah highway began 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. The head of state tested the highway by driving a car. President Ilham Aliyev was informed about the project of reconstruction of the Absheron and Nasrulla Asgarov streets. The president also toured Rahima Khanim Mosque-Shrine complex in Nardaran. 22 June 2016 22:02 (UTC+04:00) Azerbaijans First Lady, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation Mehriban Aliyeva and Vice-President of the Foundation Leyla Aliyeva attended the opening of Zira Juma Mosque complex after major overhaul. The complex is 30 metres in height. It occupies a total area of 3400 square meters. The complex can handle up to 400 people. A 250-man ceremony hall was built here. Akhund of the complex welcomed First Lady Mehriban Aliyeva on behalf of the residents, and thanked her for renovation and reconstruction work done in Khazar district. He expressed gratitude to President Ilham Aliyev and the first lady for preserving religious and moral values in the country. Mehriban Aliyeva congratulated local residents on the opening of the mosque. She said hundreds of mosques were built in Azerbaijan by the government and the Heydar Aliyev Foundation in the last several years. The president of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation said that in Khazar district alone four mosques were built. Mehriban Aliyeva was then presented with a Holy Qur'an. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 22 June 2016 13:42 (UTC+04:00) By Nigar Abbasova Economic reforms implemented in Azerbaijan have given positive results, Mercy Tembon, World Bank Regional Director for the South Caucasus said talking to Trend agency. Azerbaijan and other countries of the South Caucasus region currently experience difficulties which are triggered by the drop in oil prices. Slowdown in the economic growth rate of other countries such as Russia has also influenced trade between the countries of the region. Moreover, the national currency has subjected to the process of devaluation. Nevertheless, it should be mentioned that the government of the country is working on dealing with the current situation, she said. Tembon underlined that the countys finance ministry closely cooperates with the Central Bank to tackle problems occurred in the financial sector, the WB renders all necessary technical assistance in this regards. The WB special mission paid a visit to Azerbaijan in January 2016. Thereafter the countrys government has prepared a number of reforms concerning banking sector which have provided for the comprehensive insurance of deposits. The government also works over tackling bad loans and banks liquidity problems. In my opinion we are moving in the right direction, she added. Touching upon the issue of state budget defining WB representative said that the matter is the responsibility of Azerbaijans Ministry of Finance. She also underlined that defining the state budget depends largely on a number of factors such as revenue, expenditure, capital expenditures, investment and the current expenditure. I never doubt in the judgment of the Finance Ministry, she said. Previously Economy Minister Shahin Mustafayev stressed that the country is able to neutralize negative effects of the external factors on its economy therefore it is not going to reconsider the state budget forecasts for 2016. Commenting on the issue, World Bank (WB) country manager for Azerbaijan, Larisa Leshchenko said that the creation of the Financial Markets Supervision Chamber as well as decisions taken by the entity will also yield positive results for the financial sector of the country. Creation of a new financial institution with qualified professional staff, strong support of the financial structures and consultants will definitely give a positive outcome, she said. She stated that any intervention of the financial regulator should be considered as a positive step as it promotes adaptation of the country to new challenges in the sphere. The sphere faces certain problems and challenges, but we should keep in mind that the majority of countries have also experienced such developments. Any changes are for the better, the main feature is forward motion. Decision-making and adaptation to the current conditions always lead to successful results. Public budget revenues in 2016 are expected to reach 16.822 billion manats ($11.202 billion), while the rate of expenditures will amount to 18.495 billion manats ($12.316 billion). The budget deficit is expected to be at the level of 1.673 million manats ($1.109 million) which stands for 2.9 percent of the GDP. The forecast is based on an average oil price which amounts to $25 a barrel. As of June 21, the price of Dated Brent oil, produced in the North Sea, was $48.8 per barrel. The price of Azeri Light crude oil rose to $50.8 per barrel. Official exchange rate of the US dollar and euro to Azerbaijani manat was set at 1.527 manats and 1.7201 manats, respectively on June 22. -- Nigar Abbasova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @nigyar_abbasova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 22 June 2016 10:30 (UTC+04:00) By Laman Ismayilova Carpet Museum, the most visited art museum in Baku, will host "Family Festival" on June 25-26, Trend Life reported. The festival is organized with support of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Culture and Tourism under the initiative of children's museum under the Carpet Museum. The curator is Asli Samadova. The event program will meet interests of different age groups. Guests will have a chance to get acquainted with the history of Azerbaijani carpets and decorative applied art, as well as to observe the process of carpet weaving. In addition, festival will feature various interesting competitions and excursions. Young visitors will enjoy a special program, prepared by Museum staff. Bright, colored and unique Azerbaijani carpets are well-known all over the world for their quality and high artistic value. The country has seven carpet producing regions including Baku, Shirvan, Guba, Tabriz, Karabakh, Ganja and Gazakh and each of them had its own technology, typical patterns and colors. Antique Azerbaijani rugs are the honorary "residents" at the White House, State Department, and every important museums in the world including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Louvre, Victoria and Albert Museum, Vatican, and the Hermitage. Amazing and fantastic carpets of Azerbaijan represent a real mystery, leading one inside the fairy tales full of majestic feelings. In this context, Salahov's works are true reflection of this wonderful fairy world... Azerbaijan Carpet Museum displays Azerbaijani carpets and rug items of various weaving techniques and materials from various periods. It is named after Latif Karimov and has the largest collection of Azerbaijani carpets in the world. The collection of the museum includes over 10,000 items of ceramics, metal works of 14th century, jewellery from the Bronze Age, carpets and carpet items from 17th-20th centuries, national garments and embroidery, and applied art works of modern age. --- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 22 June 2016 17:18 (UTC+04:00) By Laman Ismayilova Azerbaijani talented dancer Oksana Rasulova has been appointed as celebrity Ambassador of numerous projects, organized in the framework of International Yoga Day (June 21) by Indian Embassy in Baku, Trend Life reported. "This is a unique day designed to bring together hundreds of people, who share the same purpose to be healthy, strong, active and happy. Yoga provides a harmony of thoughts and actions, demonstrating a holistic approach to health and well-being of the person," said dancer. "I express my gratitude to Ambassador of India Sanjay Rana for such a great honor to become celebrity Ambassador. Everyone is welcome to join the yoga class until June 26," she added. Oksana enjoys high popularity in Azerbaijan for her splendid performance of Indian dances, and could gain hearts of the eminent jury of the reality show, which enthusiastically adopted the Azerbaijani participant. She is the winner of the most popular project of India -- "India's Best Cine Stars Ki Khoj". The practice of Yoga which originated in India has been growing in popularity all over the world. It received recognition by the United Nations when member states, recognizing the universal appeal of Yoga proclaimed June 21 as International Yoga Day by adopting a resolution in the UN General Assembly in New York in December 2014. International Yoga Day aims to raise awareness of many benefits of practicing yoga. The 2nd annual International Day of Yoga is being celebrated with much fanfare all across the world. In India, millions of people in cities across India celebrated the Yoga Day. Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi led a mass Yoga Session with 30,000 school children and other residents in the city of Chandigarh. PM Modi urged people to make Yoga a regular part of their lives and get rid of the stress of modern life by connecting with inner self and the nature through Yoga. He said yoga was not a religious practice and people could embrace it for a better mental and physical health without any religious consideration. He also said that the Yoga practice was accessible to all and provided health assurance for free without discriminating between rich and poor. --- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 22 June 2016 17:22 (UTC+04:00) By Laman Ismayilova A solo exhibition by Mexican artist Margarita Morales presented in Shamakhi, one of the most beautiful cities of Azerbaijan on June 22, Trend Life reported. The event, organized jointly by the Mexican Embassy in Azerbaijan and the Culture and Tourism Ministry already traveled to such cities of the country as Baku, Ganja, Mingachevir and Gabala. The exhibition "Symphony of Color" will feature 26 works, which reflect the nature and its vibrant colours. Margarita Morales, born in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas, attended college in Mexico City and later lived some years in London. The artist has exhibited her paintings in numerous international institutions and museums, including the National Art Museum of Azerbaijan in 2015. "My work is not substantial a reason conclusion, none think over something during the creative process, but an expression of something consisting of the past, the present and the future. My painting originates from the internal reaction to a socio-cultural surrounding field, is to be mastered only spontaneously to create an expression of the realities, the moments, the instants which consist of space and time; a decoding in the form of colors, lines, contours, outlines", said artist. Located in a region 135km from Baku, Shamakhi used to be a capital city itself centuries ago. The ancient city found of the 5th century BC was the center of the powerful Shirvan kingdom in 11-16th centuries. Once a main stop along the Great Silk Road, Shamakhi is home to famous Azerbaijani poets, philosophers and thinkers, which is why choosing the region as the host is not by accident. Shamakhi has always attracted people for its flamboyant nature. Exceptional nature and mild climate adorn the city and its suburbs, which are famous for their shady forests and green meadows. The region is also well known as a center for winemaking and carpet weaving. Despite being located on an active seismic zone, the city retains its many historical monuments. The "must see" attractions in Shamakhi are Juma mosque with its two minarets, the mausoleum of Shahihandan and Diri-Baba, the tomb of the Shirvan Khans, the ruins of the Gulistan citadel and the Gala-Bugurt fortress --- Laman Ismayilova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Lam_Ismayilova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 22 June 2016 11:51 (UTC+04:00) By Laman Ismayilova An open-air Yoga session was held at the historical complex 'Ateshgah' in Surakhani district of Baku on the occasion of 2nd International Day of Yoga on June 21. The session was attended by several Yoga practitioners and enthusiasts from Azerbaijan and launched the Yoga Week being celebrated in Azerbaijan from June 21 to June 26. This Week is organized by the Indian embassy in Baku in collaboration with Yoga institutions in Azerbaijan such as the Art of Living, Yoga Shahi, Alaia Yoga, with support of the Culture and Tourism Ministry of Azerbaijan, the Administration of State Historical-Architectural Reserve "Icherisheher" and YARAT. The Yoga Week in Azerbaijan will include several events by various Yoga institutions in Baku and Ganja, the embassy reported. Yoga celebrations will culminate with a Yoga and cultural fair at YARAT Contemporary Art Space on June 26 in partnership with Yoga Shahi studio. In addition to open air yoga classes held by Yoga Shahi studio at Boulevard around Yashil cafe and lectures on Yoga, the event will include Indian music, dance performances as well as Indian cuisine. The event is free and open for all public. The practice of Yoga which originated in India has been growing in popularity all over the world. It received recognition by the United Nations when member states, recognizing the universal appeal of Yoga proclaimed June 21 as International Yoga Day by adopting a resolution in the UN General Assembly in New York in December 2014. International Yoga Day aims to raise awareness of the many benefits of practicing yoga. The 2nd annual International Day of Yoga is being celebrated with much fanfare all across the world. In India, millions of people in cities across India celebrated the Yoga Day. Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi led a mass Yoga Session with 30,000 school children and other residents in the city of Chandigarh. PM Modi urged people to make Yoga a regular part of their lives and get rid of the stress of modern life by connecting with inner self and the nature through Yoga. He said yoga was not a religious practice and people could embrace it for a better mental and physical health without any religious consideration. He also said that the Yoga practice was accessible to all and provided health assurance for free without discriminating between rich and poor. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 22 June 2016 16:05 (UTC+04:00) By Fatma Babayeva Turkmenistan managed to expand gas bearing part of the country's largest gas field Galkynysh based on an exploration work conducted by Geology State Corporation. The statement was published by the Ministry of Oil and Gas on June 21. A commercial inflow of the natural gas was obtained from the well No.26 located in the area of Gunorta Yoloten, which allowed expanding the Galkynysh field in the southern direction. In the meantime, a commercial inflow of the natural gas was also obtained from well no.1 in Bagli field and well No.1 in Giurgiu field, which is also located in the Galkynysh field. 3D seismic survey conducted in the area revealed the larger territory containing the gas reserves. Along with work carried in the eastern part of Turkmenistan (Galkynysh and Yashlar fields), the exploration was also carried out in the southwestern Turkmenistan (Akpatlavuk and Korpeje fields). The survey enabled to study and develop new deep laying prospects of massive oil and gas reserves, to set up a system of methodical prospecting and exploration work with an objective to to detect the previously identified structures. Turkmen Geology State Corporation plans to up the number of 3D field seismic surveys, which will increase the quality of geophysical explorations. The data content will be obtained via the application of new geophysical techniques, as well as, modern software for processing and interpreting geological and geophysical data. Geophysical service possesses modern field seismo, gravitational and exploratory fittings with processing and interpreting complexes which allow implementation of various scientific, exploratory and project-related works in a high level. The estimated total reserves of the Galkynysh field together with the adjacent Yashlar area amounts to 26.2 trillion cubic meters of gas, according to the results of the independent audit carried out by the British Gaffney, Cline & Associates. If the reserves in newly discovered Garakel field are also added to this figure, the block's reserves would rise to 27.4 trillion cubic meters. Nine new wells are set to begin production at Galkynysh field by the end of 2016. Turkmenistan plans to add the extracted gas from this field to its exports to China. Earlier, Turkmengaz signed an agreement with the Chinese national petroleum cooperation - CNPC on providing 65 billion cubic meters of gas annually to China by the end of 2021. Roughly, 35 percent of Chinas gas import accounts for the Turkmen gas. The construction of the gas booster station is underway at Malai gas field which will serve to increasing gas supplies to China as well. After Russian Gazprom stopped buying Turkmen gas, the country directed this gas to other markets, mainly to China. Additionally, Turkmenistan commenced the construction of its section of TAPI pipeline recently, which envisages transferring Turkmen gas to Pakistani and Indian markets. The country plans to enlarge its LNG exports as well. Currently, the country sells LNG to Pakistan, Afghanistan, Georgia, Iran and Tajikistan. By diversifying its pipeline routes, Turkmenistan gains a better position to negotiate a better price for its natural gas. Turkmenistan enjoys the world's fourth largest natural gas reserves after Russia, Iran, and Qatar. Turkmenistan holds 9.4 percent of the worlds total proven natural gas reserves and produced 2 percent (72.4 billion cubic meters) of the worlds total blue fuel output in 2015 which is up by 4.5 percent compared to the countrys production level in 2014, according to the BP statistical review of 2016. --- Fatma Babayeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Fatma_Babayeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 22 June 2016 10:37 (UTC+04:00) Irans National Development Fund and China Investment Corporation (CIC) are looking forward to launching a joint committee to facilitate investment in private sector projects in Iran. CIC is interested in investing in new-technology, low-risk, quick-to-fulfill projects in Iran, Iran National Development Fund Chairman Safdar Hosseini said, ISNA news agency reported. He noted that in recent meetings, CIC side has requested a joint group from ICI Capital and Iranian counterparts start working on the existing projects in Iran and find investment opportunities. Last year a high-ranking delegation from the CIC visited Iran to explore the grounds for cooperation. Irans Development Fund constantly receives 20 percent of the countrys oil and gas revenues, which has ranged from six to fifteen billion dollars a year based on global prices. Many projects in oil, gas, and petrochemicals are available for foreign investment. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 22 June 2016 10:32 (UTC+04:00) Turkish fighter jets hit terrorist-declared PKK targets in southeastern Turkey and in northern Iraq on late Monday, Daily Sabah reported. The Turkish Air Forces carried out airstrikes in the Qandil, Sinat and Haftanin regions of northern Iraq between 10:00 and 11:00 p.m. [19:00-20:00 GMT], according to a statement issued by the Turkish General Staff on Tuesday. The airstrikes in northern Iraq destroyed five PKK targets, including shelters, hideouts, and ammunition dumps, said the statement. Turkish jets also carried out separate air strikes in Turkey's southeastern province of Diyarbakir. They were conducted between 9:00 and 9:40 p.m. on Monday [18:00-18:40GMT], destroying 11 targets in the rural Lice district, including shelters, hideouts, and gun emplacements, the military added. The PKK-listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU-resumed its 30-year armed campaign against the Turkish state in July 2015. Since then, nearly 600 security personnel, including troops, police officers and village guards have been martyred and more than 5,000 PKK terrorists killed in operations across Turkey and northern Iraq. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 22 June 2016 12:28 (UTC+04:00) The 36th meeting of the commission for biological resources of the Caspian Sea, which includes representatives of five Caspian countries, is being held in Kazakhstan on June 21-23, according to the Kazakh Ministry of Agriculture. During the meeting, representatives of Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan, Russia and Turkmenistan will hear reports on the research carried out in the Caspian Sea in 2014-2015, on the basis of which joint recommendations will be developed for conservation of the Caspian Seas biological resources. The sides will also touch upon the measures taken for artificial reproduction of fish resources and the fight against poaching. Following the meeting, it is planned to sign a protocol with recommendations on the measures for conservation of the Caspian Seas biological resources. --- Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 22 June 2016 17:38 (UTC+04:00) By Nigar Abbasova The volumes of oil refinery in Kazakhstan may reach the level of 14.15 million tons, Kapital.kz quoted the countrys energy minister Kanat Bozumbayev as saying. He said that the volumes will be increased by means of shortening the term of preventive maintenance operations in Pavlodar petrochemical plant and Shymkent oil refinery plant. The current backlog from the target figure in oil processing amounts to 200,000 tons. The measures are expected to eliminate the lag, process additional 150,000 tons of oil, and manufacture additional volumes of petrochemicals. The volume of diesel fuel output is expected to reach the level of 41,000 tons, while the volume of petrol will amount to 22,500 tons. Commenting on the operations which are currently implemented on Kashagan field, Bozumbayev stressed that repair-and-renewal operations have already been conducted by 87 percent. We are planning to commission the field ahead of schedule. The volume of oil extraction is expected to increase to 70.5 million tons, he added. The oil production in Kazakhstan decreased by 2.8 percent to 27.67 million tons in January-May 2016. Oil sector of economy accounts for approximately 20 percent of the countrys GDP. The country's proven oil reserve as of early 2016 stood at the level of 30 billion barrels, according to BP Statistical Review of World Energy. Largest oil fields of the country are Tengiz, Karachaganak and Kashagan. -- Nigar Abbasova is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @nigyar_abbasova Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 22 June 2016 16:38 (UTC+04:00) By Fatma Babayeva Iran increased natural gas exports to Turkey by 11 percent since March 20 (the beginning of Iranian current calendar year) compared to the same period of the previous year. Iran has sold an average of 21.5 million cubic meters of gas during the given timeframe, Caretaker of the Dispatching Department of the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC) told Shana news agency on June 21. Some 551 million cubic meters of gas has been recovered from gas reveres of the country on a daily basis which is 5 percent higher than the same period of the last year. Iran is the second biggest supplier of natural gas to Turkey and delivered 7.8 billion cubic meters in 2015, according to the BPs estimates. Increasing imports of natural gas from Iran, as well as from Azerbaijan (additional 6 billion cubic meters per year via TANAP pipeline) will contribute to Turkeys diversification of the gas supply routes and make the country less dependent on Russian gas in the future. Irans main gas reserves are located in the southern part of the country. Its estimated gas reserves amount to 34 trillion cubic meters which accounts for 18.2 percent of the total global proven gas reserves. In 2015, Islamic Republic produced 192.5 billion cubic meters of natural gas which is equal to 5.4 percent of the worlds total blue fuel output, according to the BPs statistical review of world energy 2016. After commencing the new phases in giant South Pars gas field with Qatar, Iran was able to increase its actual sweet gas production to more than 178 billion cubic meters of natural gas in 2015, while its raw gas production capacity reached 260 billion cubic meters for the same timeframe. Five more phases of the South Pars field are expected to become operational during the current year. Once, all phases of this field become operational by 2019, Iran will increase raw gas production capacity from current 260 billion cubic meters to 390 billion cubic meters per year. Iran has introduced 21 gas fields to foreign investors based on a new designed contract type Iran Petroleum Contract (IPC). When all these fields become operational, about 380 million cubic meters of gas per day will be added to the production level, while the associated gas from the oil fields can add additional 200 million cubic meters per day to the output level as well. By March 2025, Iran plans to invest $231 billion including foreign fund in the upstream oil and gas sector. The country strives to sell its natural gas in the European markets soon. Nevertheless, it lacks necessary export infrastructure to realize this goal. Recently, Iran commissioned construction of Iran-Oman pipeline which envisages transferring Iranian gas to Oman where it can use already existing LNG plants. --- Fatma Babayeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Fatma_Babayeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz 22 June 2016 18:11 (UTC+04:00) By Fatma Babayeva Irans Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif is on a two-day official visit to Paris within his next European tour, Iranian media reported. Heading a high-ranking delegation, Zarif met with several French officials during the Paris visit. In his meeting with Gerard Larcher, President of the Senate of France, Zarif told that no one can tear the nuclear deal reached between Iran and the six world powers. Referring to an agreement between Iran and the US Boeing company, Zarif noted that the agreement will solve the problem of Iran's agreement with Airbus. Zarif participated in the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Armed Forces of the French Senate, following his meeting with Larcher. In his speech during a meeting in the Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defense and Armed Forces of the French Senate, Zarif stated that the Foreign Ministry will provoke Iran-France parliamentary ties, which is efficient for Tehran-Paris friendship and can strengthen the two nations' understandings of each other. Touching upon the combat against terrorism, Zarif underlined that it requires global cooperation. Additionally, Iranian FM attended a meeting at France's International Diplomatic Academy with participation of representatives of French media and researchers and took part in an Iftar (fast breaking feast) ceremony in the residence of Irans ambassador to Paris where some French officials and representatives from 33 Islamic states were present. This visit is the third trip of the Iranian FM to European countries in a row. He has already made two rounds of official visits to a number of the EU countries like Poland, Sweden, Finland, Latvia in late May - early June, and Norway and Germany in mid-June. In particular, his visits to Europe aim discussing ways to expand relations after the implementation of the nuclear agreement known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). The main discussion topic is the expansion of the bilateral cooperation in the scientific, cultural, economic and political fields between Iran and EU countries. After his European tour, Zarif will travel to Uzbek capital Tashkent in order to participate in a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization June 23-24. --- Fatma Babayeva is AzerNews staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Fatma_Babayeva Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz The supermarket chain threw away the equivalent of 119m meals last year, with bread and sandwiches among the most commonly discarded items. Tesco dumped approximately 59,400 tonnes (t) of food in the last year. Fresh bread, fruit and pre-packaged sandwiches are the items thrown away most. Food waste from Britains biggest supermarket increased last year to 59,400t, the equivalent of 119m meals. The rise seen by Tesco came despite a series of initiatives to tackle the problem, including donating huge quantities to food banks. The figure is a 4% increase on 2015 the supermarkets beers, wines & spirits aisles and bakeries were blamed for the rise. The amount wasted was the equivalent of one in every 100 food products sold by Tesco during the last financial year. Chief executive Dave Lewis said: When I arrived at Tesco, we were the only UK retail company to publish our food waste data. What the data shows is that its clear where we need to focus our efforts nearly three years after we announced it, we are still the only UK retailer publishing our data. 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We do not include the universe of companies or financial offers that may be available to you. Bad Mouth We know that if we want the cool thing, we have to make it, Erin Adair-Hodges explained from across the table where we settled in at Zendo with our tea and lattes. Rebecca Aronson echoed the sentiment as we continued talking about the two local writers new project, a multi-genre reading series called Bad Mouth. The eventthe inaugural reading of which is on Friday, June 24blends tonally aligned music, poetry, memoir and other media in a curated hour-or-so experience meant to elucidate each work through both contrast and facsimile. After a year of thinking and talking about it, it was now or not, Aronson said and the two plunged into preparations for Friday's reading, which will be held at the ever-loved and cherished Tannex in Barelas. In this first round of the dynamic series, Mike Smith will read from his full length memoir-in-progress. Smith's piece is a chapter centered around the millisecond of a camera's shutter click. Smith has been published widely in the likes of Tin House and The Florida Review, and one of his pieces was recently selected as a Notable Essay in The Best American Essays of 2015. A taste of Smith's presage in words from Origins, which was published in Booth: I am not waiting to come together, but I will come together. I am not waiting to have an origin, or to go out from it, but I will have an origin, and I will go out. Making footnotes to time and space, Smith enunciates the cosmic power of each of our origins, and does it so very tenderly. When I read Smith's work I feel both exultant as a human being and so damn envious of his talent. Smith's work will be mingled over the course of the evening with Adair-Hodges' funny and trenchant verse, which explores topics that are also prevalent in Smith's prose, [We] both write a lot about family [and] apostasy through a similar intellectually curious and humorous lens, Adair-Hodges said of the similarities across their work. In Adair-Hodges poem Regeneration she writes: After he was born/ I did not want to die but nor did I exactly want to not-die so I imagined escape/ to Prague to arrive over the city's storied skin bulging with violins/ and sadness, kavarnas exhaling smoke, drunks/ spitting crude come-ons because it is late/ and I am beautiful and I am alone. The wit and meditative, often cutting focus Adair-Hodges trains on her subjects has earned her the 2015 Sara Patton Poetry Award, the 2014 Loraine Williams Poetry Prize and the role as this year's Rona Jaffe Foundation Scholar in Poetry. Bad Mouth diverges from a traditional literature reading in its incorporation of other artistic mediums and the way it will be structured. This time around Marty Crandall, of Sad Baby Wolf, The Shins and the more recent project High Desert, will perform. The music of Crandall and the words of Smith and Adair-Hodges will be interspersed with one another. We like the idea of having things weave together a bit [that's why] we try to pick artists that have some similarities, so their work might speak to each other, Aronson explained. As such, Bad Mouth seeks to create an illuminated whole. We really just wanted to build a thing that we ourselves would want to go to, Aronson laughed. Adair-Hodges interjects that, more honestly, We're just tricking people who like music into listening to poetry. Either way, attendees can expect a singular marriage of words and melodies. Yet, Bad Mouth is more than just a fun and layered evening of art, it is a platform to highlight emerging writers and to encourage the vibrancy of Albuquerque's literary community as a whole. Writing is incredibly solitary, and yet we rely so much on our community to support us, Adair-Hodges posited. Coming back to poetry after almost a decade-long break it was very much because I found a community who said 'It matters that you write.' It gave me the courage to take myself seriously. Without the support of established writers like Aronson, who isn't reading this time around, but is notably the author of the soon-to-be-released Ghost Child of the Atalanta Bloom, which won the Orison Books Poetry Award in 2016, Adair-Hodges explained that she wouldn't have committed herself to writing poetry again. And so, [Bad Mouth] is our little contribution to building a mutually supportive literary community, Adair-Hodges said. Through Bad Mouth, others might find that same foundation from which to build their literary careers. As we delved into heady topics of community, creation and the visceral impact of sharing creative work, we still returned to the simple joy of all of these things. One of the reasons that people are interested in performance poetry [and the like] is because it is geared to be exciting and engaging and interactive, Aronson said. After a pause, Adair-Hodges whispered across the table quietly, one word nerd to another, But I like a good quiet poetry reading with lots of corduroy and flannel, too. Whether your penchant is for the emotive tunes of Marty Crandall, the expansive work of Mike Smith, or the humor and enigmatic lines of Erin Adair-Hodges, there's something waiting for you at Bad Mouth. The uncle of a man who was run over and killed as he was walking down a St. Petersburg sidewalk on Monday wants the community to come forward to help police catch the driver. Jeron Davis run over and killed as he was walking down a St. Petersburg sidewalk on Monday Uncle believes Davis was murdered "If you know something, why not go and tell," said the victim's uncle, Rodney Davis, 52. "Youre complaining about your community or what the cops are not doing, but you have to help the cops for your community." Davis' nephew, Jeron Davis, 29, was walking down a sidewalk on MLK Street S. near 22nd Avenue S. at about 1 p.m., when he was hit and killed by a Chrysler 300, according to police. The driver abandoned the car and ran away on foot. Jeron died at the scene. "He was a great guy. Hes very respectful," Davis said. "We were just talking about celebrating his birthday, which is next month, on the same day mine is." Police said the car was being borrowed and are searching for a suspect that they're not yet identifying. Witnesses told detectives that it appeared the driver intentionally hit Jeron. "It was murder," said Davis. "I even think it was premeditated." St. Petersburg Police said their homicide detectives are working on the case and they hope to make an arrest soon. Governor Rick Scott met with more than a hundred members of Florida National Guard in Sarasota on Tuesday before they deploy to Washington D.C. The occasion was a reminder of the battle against terrorism being fought in our own backyard. The governor referenced the June 12 terrorist attack in Orlando frequently during his remarks. FL Gov. requested $5 mil. in emergency funding after Pulse FEMA denied the request, citing precedence Governor plans to appeal the decision "It brings it home that we've got to focus on how we defend freedom, destroy ISIS, how we make sure that doesnt happen again," said Governor Scott. Governor Rick Scott requested $5 million in emergency disaster funding from FEMA -- but got denied. "Personally, Im shocked, said Scott. If you look at the fact of the things they have approved in the past, when you look at that, it makes no sense to me why they wouldn't approve this. FEMA administrator Craig Fugate stated in a public letter to the governor: Because your request did not demonstrate how the emergency response associated with this situation is beyond the capability of the state and affected local governments or identify any direct federal assistance needed to save lives or protect property, an emergency declaration is not appropriate for this incident. Well clearly appeal it and its wrong, added Scott. According to FEMA, no governors from the mass shootings sites of Virginia Tech, San Bernardino or Newtown requested an emergency declaration from the federal government. But the governor isn't giving up. He has 30 days to appeal the decision. Ground and air teams are searching for a Treasure Island man who disappeared while hiking the Grand Canyon Saturday. Floyd Roberts III went missing in Nevada Saturday Described as an avid outdoorsman Ground and air teams continue to search Floyd Roberts III, 52, is described as 511 tall, 170 pounds, with grey hair. He was last seen wearing a red long-sleeved shirt, blue jeans, multi-colored mesh Nike sneakers, a blue Lowe Alpine backpack and white-rimmed sunglasses with orange lenses. The National Park Service said Roberts and two hiking companions started their hike at the Grand Canyon Parashant National Monument, which is the far west side of the Grand Canyon by the Nevada border. The area the teams are searching is rugged and covered in thick brush and transportation there takes several hours. Crews are also battling triple-digit temperatures, and the National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat warning. "You need to prepare, said Mike Ratliff. He's hiked the Grand Canyon 22 times. I have seen people not prepared on the trail where we have given out food and water and you need to be prepared to go into that type of environment." Ratliff said its also important to stay in groups. At least two people, you never want to go alone, Ratliff said. You want to have at least two people and leave your contact information here with people staying here and check in when you get out. The National Park Service said this wasnt Roberts first time hiking the Grand Canyon and that he did have food, water and supplies with him. They are still investigating how Roberts got separated from his group. If you have any information youre asked to call the National Park Service at (928) 638-7300. As the investigation into the background of the Orlando nightclub gunman continues, new information suggest the FBI had been warned about Omar Mateen. Fort Pierce resident Mohammed Malik says he told FBI about Omar Mateen in 2014 Malik said remarks Mateen made were increasingly concerning Resident said he is coming forward now because Trump said Muslims do nothing to stop terrorism PULSE SHOOTING latest According to Fort Pierce resident Mohammed Malik, who worshipped with Mateen, there may have been an opportunity to stop Mateen before the Pulse nightclub shooting that killed 49 and wounded dozens. Malik, who was a friend of Mateen's when they attended the same mosque in Fort Pierce, wrote an editorial piece for the Washington Post this week about how he contacted the FBI in 2014 about Mateen. Malik said he first met Mateen in 2006, saying he was quiet and often serious. Malik said he didn't think Mateen fit the profile of a radical, but the comments he continued to make were concerning. Malik said he last saw Mateen in January of this year and last spoke with him by phone in mid-May. "Omar Mateen brought (up) the name Anwar al-Awlaki, who is the radical cleric who has radicalized several people including Nidal Hasan, who is the Fort Hood shooter," Malik said. "And mentioned that he had also seen videos of Anwar al-Awlaki and my reaction to him was what he thought about the videos and he told me they were powerful. "Both of those raised a red flag for me and prompted me to speak to the FBI." Malik said in the article that he wrote it because presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump said no Muslims did anything to stop the Pulse shooter. Malik says that clearly was not the case and the real question is did the FBI do enough with the information it had. Attorney General Loretta Lynch said finding answers to questions like that is part of the ongoing investigation and could take years. Support continues for those affected by the recent tragic events in Orlando. Florida Blue offers bilingual grief counseling at St. Pete Pride weekend Counseling free of charge, select hours Saturday and Sunday Open to anyone in need of assistance, not just Florida Blue members Florida Blue, in partnership with New Directions Behavioral Health and Metro Health, Wellness & Community Center is offering free grief counseling during the upcoming St. Pete Pride weekend, June 25 to 26. Grief counselors will be available in person at the Metro LGBT Welcome Center, located at 2227 Central Ave. in St. Petersburg, on Saturday, June 25, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday, June 26, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The counseling sessions are free of charge to anyone in need of assistance coping with the Orlando tragedy, whether or not they are Florida Blue members. The company also is providing the community with access to specially trained behavioral health counselors via a 24-hour, toll-free help line: 800-843-6514. The help line is free of charge to anyone statewide and is available to both English and Spanish-speaking individuals. Three separate marijuana grow houses were discovered by Hernando County authorities this month after thousands of dollars worth of services were reported stolen from Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative. Alexander Ponce, 33, was arrested June 8 Danny Torres, 32, was arrested June 16 Jose Rodriguez, 65, was arrested June 20 Detectives with the Hernando County Sheriffs Office identified that in each case, power was being diverted. All together, the thefts totaled $143,295. Following this discovery, the HCSO says the execution of several search warrants quickly followed. In each case, at least one individual was arrested and charged with multiple offenses ranging from trafficking marijuana to grand theft. JUNE 8 The first search warrant was executed at 18303 Macek Road in Weeki Wachee on June 8. According to deputies, Alexander Ponce, 33, had the following at his residence: 17 large marijuana plants, 56 plants growing in various stages, several bags of processed marijuana and plant material, and numerous items of grow equipment and paraphernalia. A total of 210 pounds of processed marijuana was seized. He was arrested and charged with trafficking marijuana, cultivation of marijuana, grand theft, and several other crimes. His bail was set at $38,000. JUNE 16 The second search warrant was executed at 10280 Javelin Road in Brooksville on June 16. Upon arrival, detectives say they observed two individuals on the property. Contact was made with one individual, later identified as Danny Torres. The other individual ran into a nearby wooded area. He was never located. On Javelin, 60 marijuana plants were found, along with 267.30 grams of processed marijuana. Torres, 32, reportedly admitted to tending the plants. He was charged with cultivation of marijuana, grand theft and possession of marijuana over 20 grams. He was given a $12,000 bond. JUNE 20 The third search warrant was executed at 13451 Taft Street in Brooksville on June 20. Upon entering the residence, detectives located Jose Rodriguez. With the assistance of a Spanish speaking deputy, Rodriguez admitted to being the sole person responsible for the grow operation. He advised he was doing this "for his retirement," but, according to deputies, refused to provide any other details. 76 pounds of marijuana ready for distribution, or $228,000 worth, was seized. Rodriguez, 65, was charged with cultivation of marijuana, grand theft, trafficking marijuana and trespassing on a utility fixture. His bond was set at $36,000. Through their investigation, detectives say they learned that one individual was making in excess of $100,000 every three months as a result of their operation. Another was making approximately $1,000 per week by tending to the marijuana plants. If convicted, the suspects face a maximum of 30 years in prison. "These criminal operations not only ignore the drug laws, said Sheriff Al Neinhuis, they steal from each of us in the way of higher electric bills. The Hernando County Sheriff's Office will continue to work very closely with local power companies in holding these people accountable." Wildlife experts are trying to find the person responsible for shooting a sand hill crane with a nail gun. Sand hill crane shot with nail gun Taken to Save Our Seabirds but did not survive Florida Fish and Wildlife investigating It happened in the area near the Gates Creek neighborhood in East Bradenton. Justin Matthews, with Matthews Wildlife Rescue, said he was called out to check on the injured bird earlier this week. When he arrived, he was able to find the young male bird and catch him. He took the injured bird to Save Our Seabirds for medical care. During the exam, it was discovered the bird had been shot in the neck with a nail gun. (Photo: Justin Matthews, with Matthews Wildlife Rescue) Theres no way this is was an accident, said Matthews. You have to pull on the end of a nail gun in order for it to fire and then you just pull the trigger. The sand hill crane did not survive. Matthews said the Florida Fish and Wildlife is now investigating the incident. He said sand hill cranes are protected and if caught, whoever did this, could face a fine of $5,000 or up to a year in jail. A $500 reward is being offered for information leading to an arrest in this case. A Lecanto man was arrested Tuesday following a police chase after his girlfriend reportedly got caught stealing from Walmart. She switched price tags on an item before checking out in order to pay a lesser price. A man and his girlfriend were arrested after high speed chase Citrus Deputies say Sara Miller stole from a local Walmart, which prompted the chase Connor Kirschner, 23, was driving a blue SUV with Florida plates when deputies with the Citrus County Sheriffs Office say they saw Sara Miller, 36, running from the Walmart located at 1936 N. Lecanto Highway towards a nearby McDonalds. According to reports, Miller hopped into the vehicle and Kirschner quickly sped away. Deputies attempted to conduct a traffic stop at the fast food restaurant, to no avail. The defendants then apparently took deputies on a chase around the nearby area that impacted several other motorists. At one point, Kirschner drove over a median, and deputies say they decided to disengage. Thats until two reports of hit-and-runs matching Kirschners description came through the wires one involving a mother and her children. When patrol units caught up with them, the vehicle was found in a ditch located near 903 East Gulf Lake Highway. Kirschner and Miller attempted to flee on foot. Kirschner was apprehended immediately, but Miller managed to elude deputies for several more minutes. Miller was charged with retail petit theft and resisting arrest without violence. Her bond was set at $2,000. Kirschner was charged with resisting arrest without violence, reckless driving, leaving the scene of a crash and fleeing/eluding law enforcement. His bond was set at $7,500. Once in custody, Kirschner reportedly told deputies he only drove away because Miller told him to and that he was scared he would get shot if authorities caught him. No one was seriously injured in either hit and run crash. A Patrick Air Force Base major is accused of sexual battery at a Father's Day gathering this past weekend. Brandon Snyder is a pilot recruiter at Patrick Air Force Base He's charged with sexual battery stemming from off-base incident Brevard County Sheriff's Office investigators say 32-year-old Brandon Snyder of Melbourne sexually battered the woman while the two were alone at an off-base home. He was arrested Tuesday morning on a charge of sexual battery on a person over 18. The woman is from out of state and was visiting friends. Investigators say Snyder denied the accusations initially but later confessed after witnesses gave details. Snyder is an Air Force pilot recruiter at the base. He is being held without bond at the Brevard County Jail and will be in court Wednesday afternoon. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call Lt. Carlos Reyes at (321) 633-7162 or Crimeline at 1-800-423-TIPS (8477). 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 U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio announced Wednesday that he will be running for re-election. After saying he would not seek re-election, Rubio announces he'll run Rubio: Senate will keep Clinton or Trump in check Poll says Rubio leads the Senate race The Republican senator originally said that he would not be running for his senate seat when he suspended his campaign for the White House in March. At the time, he said that he hoped to become a "private citizen." But last week, there were rumors that Rubio may be reconsidering his original declaration, and a spokesman from his D.C. office said the senator would not be releasing a public statement about entering the campaign to our digital media producer just last week. I have decided to seek re-election to the United States Senate, the former Republican presidential candidate wrote on his website. Rubio stated that he was proud of the work that the Senate has done to help Floridians but that he is looking toward the future about the Senates importance. The Florida Senate seat could determine the course of Supreme Court nominees and the direction of the countrys economic politics, Rubio wrote. Two of the reasons why hes running are the two presumptive nominees running for president: Democratic challenger Hillary Clinton and Republican hopeful Donald Trump. Rubio said he believes that a strong Senate would provide a check and balance on the excesses of a new president. With Hillary Clinton, we would have four more years of the same failed economic policies that have left us with a stagnant economy. We would have four more years of the same failed foreign policy that has allowed radical Islam to spread, and terrorists to be released from Guantanamo." But he did not shower any praise toward Trump. The prospect of a Trump presidency is also worrisome to me. It is no secret that I have significant disagreements with Donald Trump. His positions on many key issues are still unknown. And some of his statements, especially about women and minorities, I find not just offensive but unacceptable." Rubio continued that with America facing such challenges as possible terrorist attacks, economic, health care and education issues, Clinton and Trump would provide backward and uncertain responses. Not everyone was happy to hear that Rubio is running to keep his seat. Democratic challenger U.S. Rep. Alan Graysons camp released a response regarding Rubios senate announcement: While Rep. Grayson is busy passing good, progressive legislation, he welcomes the chance to beat basically two Do Nothing Republicans in Patrick Murphy and No Show Marco this fall. But its shameful that Marco is trying to use the Orlando tragedy to further his 2020 presidential ambitions from a Senate seat that hes barely sat in. Floridians will see through it. The Trump-Rubio ticket will fail, Grayson campaign manager Mike Ceraso stated. In a Quinnipiac University Swing State poll released earlier Wednesday morning, Rubio leads the Senate race. He is also leading Grayson by 48 to 40 percent, according to the poll. Assistant director of the poll, Peter Brown, stated that Rubio might help Republicans in this years elections. With Republican national leaders worried about keeping control of the U.S. Senate, Sen. Marco Rubio might ride to their rescue if he decides to reverse field and seek re-election, Brown stated earlier Wednesday morning, before Rubio made his official announcement. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Developers of a proposed $7.6 million meat-processing plant rejected by Port Arthur leaders in April are considering at least five Southeast Texas communities for their project, officials said. Riceland Farms has met with leaders in Kountze and is scouting Beaumont, Silsbee, Lumberton and Newton, as well as Dallas, for the site of a commercial-scale slaughterhouse that could employ up to 200 people, company spokesman Nick Lampson said. "The plant is going to be built," Lampson said. Lampson said that over the next few weeks he expects the company to give multiple presentations in Southeast Texas communities and gauge interest. In the works for months, the proposal faltered amid high infrastructure costs in Chambers County and was rejected in Port Arthur, where residents expressed concern about the smell and the impacts on the water and sewer systems. Lampson said the plant will not emit an odor, that the water released into the sewage system will be treated and that the slaughtering of animals at the facility will be done humanely. The project is backed by the Javed family, who own Beaumont-based Starco Implex, a national distribution network. Tahir Javed, CEO of Riceland Health Care in Winnie, hosted a fundraiser for presumed Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton at his Beaumont home earlier this year. The project aims to supply a Houston-based chain of meat markets that primarily serves the Hispanic community, Lampson said. Riceland's long-term goal is to broaden its reach nationally and process up to 800 cattle and 10,000 goats or sheep per week, he said. The possible Kountze locations would fall outside of city lines but be close enough to link with the small town's water and sewer systems, city manager Rod Hutto said. Neither the city nor Hardin County have zoning laws, meaning the local governments would have little means to block the proposal if they wanted to, Hutto said. "If it's a private landowner and their private business, the taxpayers don't have anything to do with it," Hutto said. "If they do what they say they're going to do, it's going to stimulate the economy." Lampson said Riceland would likely seek job-creation incentives offered to new businesses through economic development groups as a "show of support from the community." Port Arthur City Council in April approved a land-use rule written by the city's Economic Development Corp. - against its director's wishes - that prevented Riceland from building a slaughterhouse in the EDC's industrial park. Port Arthur's mayor and two city councilmembers asked Riceland Farms to find a location inside the city limits but off EDC property. The city's unemployment rate in May was 8.3 percent. EBesson@BeaumontEnterprise.com Twitter.com/EricBesson_news 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 A proposed voting district map for next year's Beaumont school trustee election soon will be available on BISD's website for public review and comment after the Board of Managers approved it Tuesday. The proposal contains five single-member and two at-large districts, an allocation that voters approved in May 2011 but because of lawsuits and other delays never was put in place. The district's website, www.bmtisd.com, will feature the map proposal and invite public comment through August. The board will schedule a public hearing, likely at the beginning of the school year, to collect more comment before the board votes on the new 5-2 voting map. The illustrative map and its analysis are available on the school district's website under the Board of Managers tab. Go to "agenda" and then select "agenda packet" and look for item G on the agenda and click on "Illustrative Plan 1" for details. Information on how to post comment or for the public to propose alternate plans will be available soon, the board said. The board also likely will vote by mid-July to call for a trustee election for next May, which by then will have gone six years without one. The new map, largely based on a map previously drawn but never accepted by the dismissed Board of Trustees, follows identifiable geographic boundaries likes major streets and protects minority voting rights in majority African-American districts. The map was drawn by the Austin law firm of Bickerstaff Heath Delgado Acosta LLP, which specializes in voting districts. In an analysis of the voting plan, firm partner David Mendez said the map meets all of the criteria specified by the Board of Managers and it attempts to balance African-American population percentages across the three majority African-American single-member districts so that they are "equally strong." Because of voting rights lawsuits at the beginning of the decade and the subsequent replacement of the Board of Trustees by a Board of Managers appointed by TEA in 2014, Beaumont ISD has not had an opportunity to put a redistricting plan into place this decade, Mendez said in his analysis. Beaumont ISD operated under a 7-0 single-member district structure since 1985. In 2011, the Board of Trustees called an election to convert the 7-0 single-member district structure to a 5-2 structure based on a voter-initiated petition, which voters approved in May 2011. From 2011 through the summer of 2013, the board resisted changing to a 5-2 map and lawsuits ultimately prevented the district from redistricting in either configuration. In the summer of 2014, the Texas Education Agency commissioner swept aside the elected trustees and put an appointed Board of Managers in place to serve two years. The redistricting plan proposes to transfer just three election precincts among trustee districts. They are: n Election Precinct 6, from Trustee District 3 to Trustee District 4. n Election Precinct 39, from Trustee District 4 to Trustee District 3. n Election Precinct 12, from Trustee District 4 to Trustee District 3. Trustee Districts 1, 2, and 5 remain the same with no additional changes. The territory of Precinct 6 that transfers from District 3 to District 4 is generally bounded to the north by Calder Avenue and North Avenue. It is bounded to the east by North Seventh Street and Rusk Street. It is bounded to the west by South 23rd Street and to the south by the Southern Pacific Railroad line. The territory of Precinct 39 is composed of the Pear Orchard neighborhood. The precinct would transfer from District 4 to District 3. It is bounded to the north by Washington Boulevard, to the east by Avenue A, to the west by South Fourth Street and to the south by West Virginia Street. The territory of Precinct 12 would transfer from District 4 to District 3. It is generally bounded to the north by Buford Street, to the west by Sabine Pass Avenue, to the south by Doucette Avenue and to the east by Carroll Street. DWallach@BeaumontEnterprise.com Twitter.com/dwallach House Republicans presented a health insurance plan in which the party would replace the Affordable Care Act with tax credits, according to Wall Street Journal. Here are six points: 1. The plan, which GOP members refer to as a "healthcare backpack," would allow Americans to use the tax credit to pay for private insurance. Republicans said the backpack gives Americans, "financial support for an insurance plan chosen by the individual and can be taken with them job-to-job, home to start a small business or raise a family, and even into retirement years." 2. Republicans didn't specify the credit's exact value, but said the government would provide the credits on an advance basis monthly. GOP members parallel Donald Trump's health plan in that they proposed forgoing the mandate requiring Americans to buy health insurance or face a penalty. 3. The proposal also sets out to expand health savings accounts, and would allow Americans to purchase plans offered in other states. Donald Trump's health plan also advocates for expanding HSAs. 4. However, unlike Mr. Trump's plan, the GOP proposes providing Medicare beneficiaries the option of obtaining a government subsidy to buy private, fee-for-service insurance via a newly created Medicare insurance exchange. 5. Drawing on an idea Sen. John McCain (R., Ariz.) supported when he ran for president in 2008, the GOP is proposing a mandate that workers pay taxes on the value of the health insurance their employer offers. Rather than getting rid of the tax break, the proposal would set limits on how much of health insurance costs could be excluded from taxes. The proposal did not delve into when premiums would no longer be excluded from taxation, however. 6. Additionally, the plan would allow children to stay on their parents' health plans until they are 26, and payers could not turn away consumers during the renewal process if consumers become sick. Consumers also have a one-time opportunity to sign up for coverage, and thereafter would be mandated to maintain insurance so they could benefit by purchasing the insurance at the same price, no matter their medical history. More articles on coding & billing: Federal investigators indict 5 individuals in $86M Medicare, Medicaid kickback scheme: 5 things to know US healthcare spending to reach $21.1T: 4 notes Why antitrust regulators remain skeptical about the Anthem-Cigna merger & how this may impact the $48B deal: 6 key notes The American Medical Association's House of Delegates passed a resolution to get rid of recertification examinations, despite some officials voicing their opposition of the resolution. Here are five things to know: 1. Association of American Physicians and Surgeons Executive Director Jane Orient, MD, said if physicians missed one too many questions, their degrees would expire, and they would lose their jobs. 2. Dr. Orient went on to say older physicians who successfully completed advanced specialty training are board certified for life, while physicians who completed their training in the late 1980s or even later received time-limited certification. 3. For those physicians with a time-limited certification, they technically can voluntarily take the recertification exam, which Dr. Orient refers to as expensive and difficult. However, for those who decline or even fail, they risk losing insurance panel membership or hospital privileges. 4. The AMA passed the resolution despite the AMA's Reference Committee's best efforts. Florida and Pennsylvania state medical associations' delegates played a crucial role in passing the resolution. 5. In response to the AMA's decision, the American Board of Medical Specialties said continuing medical education is not enough and the resolution "erodes the public's trust." More healthcare news: Will AmSurg exit the ASC business following its Envision Health merger? Cantor Fitzgerald analyst weighs in Endoscopy Center of Western New York undergoes $884k expansion: 6 things to know SCA, Naperville Surgical Centre partner: 4 key notes Andrew Gurman, MD, is an orthopedic hand surgeon from Hollidaysburg, Pa., and the newly inaugurated president of the American Medical Association. Mr. Gurman also doesn't use an EHR, according to MD Magazine. Mr. Gurman, the first hand surgeon and second orthopedic surgeon to ever serve as AMA president, has a solo practice in Pennsylvania. He told MD Magazine that it's cheaper for him to forgo the financial incentives of the meaningful use program than to adopt an EHR. "I don't have an EHR," Dr. Gurman told MD Magazine. "I just take the penalties." MACRA's payment adjustments are scheduled to begin in January, but Dr. Gurman said he is optimistic that CMS will provide support to individual and small practice owners like himself. And CMS has already made moves to do so. HHS announced this week it will award $100 million over the next five years to organizations that provide support and training to Medicare physicians in group practices with 15 or fewer clinicians to comply with MACRA. According to September 2015 data from the ONC, solo practitioners reported the lowest rates of EHR adoption among office-based physicians, with 64 percent adopting the technology. More articles on EHRs: The 'digital dystopia': 4 thoughts from AMA CEO Dr. James Madara Empowering the clinician around the EHR How opioid prescription laws are challenging EHR vendors Arlington-based Texas Health Resources has purchased Atrium Medical Center in Cornith, Texas, with plans to convert the long-term acute care hospital into an inpatient and outpatient behavioral health hospital. Texas Health will immediately begin a $13 million renovation to convert the 60-bed facility to a behavioral health hospital. The 62,500-square-foot hospital will be renamed Texas Health Behavioral Health Hospital Cornith. Ramona Osburn, senior vice president of behavioral health services for Texas Health, expressed excitement about the deal. "We are happy to be able to expand our behavioral health services throughout North Texas, especially with inpatient and outpatient offerings for patients," she said. The renovation project is expected to take about a year with an opening date for the behavioral health hospital set for June 2017. More articles on healthcare industry transactions: HCA buys Dallas hospital 8 recent healthcare transactions and partnerships Metro Health to join University of Michigan Health System A federal jury awarded more than $500,000 to a former Covenant Medical Center employee June 17, finding that her termination from the Saginaw, Mich.-based hospital was retaliation for taking medical leave, according to MLive. The eight-person jury determined Covenant Medical Center violated the Family and Medical Leave Act and the Michigan Persons with Disabilities Civil Rights Act when it fired 41-year-old Amanda Perry in November 2014. After working as a biller at Covenant's Visiting Nursing Association Department for a few years, Ms. Perry, who had a history of psychiatric diagnoses, was promoted to office coordinator of two of Covenant's physicians' offices in 2012. In July 2014, Ms. Perry's symptoms related to her psychiatric diagnoses worsened. She subsequently requested a leave of absence as a result of her medical condition. According to court records, she took several days off between July 25, 2014, and Aug. 15, 2014. In August 2014, Ms. Perry's supervisor allegedly expressed concerns about the amount of time Ms. Perry was taking off from work and told her "to get it together." Ms. Perry remained off work from Aug. 15, 2014, through Oct. 6, 2014. When she returned to work she was reassigned as the coordinator for two primary care clinics. A few weeks later, she received a "step I" discipline for behavioral and performance issues. She subsequently received a "step III" discipline a final warning for unprofessional conduct and crying in front of a patient. Ms. Perry was effectively fired when she received a "step IV" discipline for allegedly asking a co-worker to provide a false statement. Although the hospital claimed Ms. Perry was fired for the issues identified in the disciplinary warnings, Ms. Perry said she was let go because she requested time off and due to her disability. The jury awarded Ms. Perry more than $30,000 in back pay, $445,000 in front pay and $25,000 for mental anguish. The court is going to double the back pay amount as a sanction, according to the report. In addition, Covenant is responsible for attorney fees, which are about $100,000. Ms. Perry's lawyer Victor Mastromarco Jr. is pleased with the verdict. Regarding Covenant's disciplinary warnings against Ms. Perry, he told MLive, "They skipped steps and didn't do anything to help her correct her actions." Larry Daly, a Covenant spokesman, told MLive that the system is disappointed with the lawsuit's outcome. "Covenant acted fairly and within the confines of the law. The employee was terminated because she was unable to perform the duties of her job," he said. Covenant intends to file an appeal in the case, according to Mr. Daly. More articles on healthcare industry lawsuits: 18 recent lawsuits involving hospitals Nurses claim discrimination in lawsuits against NJ hospital Ex-health clinic CEO guilty of 98 counts in $14M fraud suit Board chairman of the Luling, La.-based St. Charles Parish Hospital was arrested Monday on four counts of filing false public records and four counts of conspiracy to file false records, according to the St. Charles Parish Sheriff's Office. John Joseph Landry III, 59, was arrested after criminal charges were filed in an ongoing investigation conducted by the State Attorney General's Office, according to the police report. This investigation is related to the parish's former district attorney, Harry Morel, who was arrested for obstructing justice and offering leniency to women in exchange for sexual favors, according to a local report from The New Orleans Advocate. Mr. Morel pleaded guilty only to the obstruction of justice charge after helping a woman falsify community service records, according to the report. As a favor, the Luling-Boutte Lions Club agreed to attest that the work had been performed, Mr. Morel admitted in his plea. Mr. Landry was the president of the Lions Club and friends with Mr. Morel, thus he was charged in connection to the case, according to the report. More articles on legal and regulatory issues: Obama health officials uphold California's required abortion coverage Device maker Analogic to pay $15M for bribery violations Jury awards former Covenant Medical Center employee $500k for wrongful termination HHS' Office of Civil Rights sustained California's 2014 requirement for insurers to cover elective abortions Tuesday, rejecting a challenge from religious groups that claimed the state was breaking federal law, according to the Los Angles Times. In 2014, California healthcare authorities told seven insurers several of which had limited or eliminated elective abortion coverage in plans offered at Loyola Marymount and Santa Clara Universities that they had to obey the requirement to cover elective abortions. The California Catholic Conference, which represents the state's bishops on policy matters, responded with a complaint to HHS in 2014. It claimed the rule violated the federal Weldon Amendment, which protects healthcare entities from discrimination if they decline to cover abortions. Another group of churches filed a complaint claiming the rule forced religious organizations to violate their religious beliefs by offering health plans that covered abortion. HHS said none of the healthcare entities, or health plans in this case, are objecting or saying they are being discriminated against. Officials also said the Weldon Act applies to health plans, not the universities or employers. Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente Medical Group tops the list of the largest medical groups in the U.S., based on physician participation, according to a SK&A report. Here are the five largest medical group in the nation, according to the report. 1. Kaiser Permanente Medical Group (Oakland, Calif.): 7,948 physicians 2. Cleveland Clinic: 2,138 physicians 3. Mayo Clinic (Rochester, Minn.): 1,776 physicians 4. Mercy Clinic (St. Louis): 1,674 physicians 5. Northwell Health Physician Partners, formerly North Shore-Long Island Jewish Medical Group (Syosset, N.Y.): 1,380 physicians More information on the rankings can be accessed here. Editor's Note: This article was updated June 24, 2016. A previous version included the incorrect headquarters for Mercy Clinic. A string of bad news at Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle continues this week as the Joint Commission denied the hospital full accreditation after a surprise review in May revealed noncompliance with 29 standards, according to The Seattle Times. The accreditation announcement follows news of a possible hepatitis B exposure at the hospital affecting nearly 650 patients. The Joint Commission made its unannounced visit to the medical center May 20. Commission members who surveyed the hospital concluded that a condition existed "that posed a threat to patients or other individuals served," according to the report, and the Joint Commission issued a preliminary denial of accreditation. Following another visit on June 1, the Joint Commission issued a contingent accreditation to Virginia Mason. According to the Joint Commission's website, this status occurs when a healthcare organization "has successfully abated an immediate threat to life situation through direct observation or other method," among other possibilities. Some standards Virginia Mason was deemed out of compliance on include labeling all medications, conducting fire drills, implementing an infection prevention and control plan, inspecting and maintaining medical equipment and managing safety and security risks. Virginia Mason spokesman Gale Robinette explained there are several parts to each Joint Commission standards, and if a facility misses any part, it is considered out of compliance. "Let's take an easy one," Mr. Robinette told The Seattle Times. "We do have fire drills. But in the view of the Joint Commission surveyor, there should be more variability in the scheduling of our drills." The spokesman declined to comment further to The Seattle Times on how the hospital failed to comply with the rest of the standards included in the Joint Commission report. A statement released to the Times by Virginia Mason indicates hospital officials are "confident we will address [the issues] to the Joint Commission's satisfaction in the coming weeks." The accrediting agency will conduct another unannounced follow-up survey at Virginia Mason within the next three months to make sure the hospital has corrected the deficiencies identified in the original survey. For a complete list of the 29 Joint Commission standards Virginia Mason failed to meet, click here. More articles on safety violations: Dirty scopes infect 16 Huntington Hospital patients, including 11 who died South Dakota hospital set to lose Medicare funding over EMTALA violations Vermont hospital makes changes after citation for patient rights violations A University of Cincinnati Health nurse has filed a whistle-blower lawsuit against the system, claiming UC Health failed to prevent the spread of multidrug-resistant bacteria and covered up its role in the outbreak, FOX 19 NOW reports. According to the report, as many as 100 patients may have developed an infection as a result of the care they received at UC Health. The nurse's lawsuit claims UC Health launched an investigation after recording a spike in the number of infections in patients who had undergone a bronchoscopy. Allegedly, the nurse suggested reaching out to an outside agency to investigate the medical devices and infections, but was told "no" because the organization didn't want an audit. Eric Deters, a spokesman for the law firm that took the nurse's case, told FOX 19 NOW the health system decided to simply deal with the patient infections rather than tackling the root of the problem the bronchoscopes being used for the procedure. "They stop checking the bronchoscopes," Mr. Deters told reporters. "They were culturing these scopes to check and see if they were causing an infection or if they were infected. Well, by no longer checking the scopes they weren't going to find any problems so there would be no need for an outside audit." A UC Health spokesperson released a statement to FOX 19 NOW that reads, "We are committed to maintaining the highest standards of quality and safety for our patients; however, we do not comment on pending litigation." To access the full civil suit, click here. More articles on scope-related infections: Avoiding a dirty scope crisis: 5 steps to improve quality assurance with enhanced visual inspection Dirty scopes infect 16 Huntington Hospital patients, including 11 who died UCLA, Cedars-Sinai act quickly to address scope-related 'immediate jeopardy' violations Student Angel Reyes with Danny McAllister of Caterpillar NI at the firms Larne plant Former First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness visiting Diamond Corrugated A Brexit would mean tariffs that would make trade less competitive and cost jobs, the boss of a fourth-generation Londonderry manufacturing firm that sends the bulk of its exports to the Republic has claimed. Paul Diamond, managing director of packaging company Diamond, which employs 80 people, said an exit from the EU could also mean his firm putting off or reconsidering investment. Mr Diamond added a vote to leave was a vote for uncertainty. "We manufacture corrugated packaging, for example, supermarket shelf-ready packaging," he explained. "We supply people in the food and drink sector, pharmaceutical, aerospace, e-commerce and general manufacturing. "We supply throughout Ireland, and two-thirds is sold into the Republic. "Realistically, no one really knows what will happen. If you vote to leave, you are voting for uncertainty. "We are also working on the next stage of investment, and obviously if the vote is to leave we will have to weigh how that might affect our business. "All businesses are in the exact same position. We don't know what is going to happen." The firm has just invested almost 6m, which included putting money into Europe's most advanced flexographic printer. Mr Diamond said there was a "lack of clarity" on both sides of the Brexit debate. "We are unique in the UK in the fact we share a border with the Irish Republic," he added. "This would leave us potentially less competitive. If we are less competitive, that means businesses shrink and that means jobs will go. That's the reality. "If there are tariffs and some sort of cost applied, it will be applied to exports. "Like most exporters, manufacturers work in a very competitive environment. If there is going to be an additional cost, it may leave us less competitive, and that's the fear we have. It's crucial that we get a remain vote. "The only thing that really matters from a business perspective is the economy. We need to bring jobs." He also claimed that in the worst case scenario, any tariffs applied between Northern Ireland and the Republic would leave firms less competitive. "Until such times, we can't make the key decisions which will potentially effect the further growth of our business," Mr Diamond explained. Meanwhile, generator maker Caterpillar NI, formerly FG Wilson, has told its 1,800 staff here that the business and the whole of the UK would be better off remaining part of the EU. It said that it had told employees "it believes the UK's continued membership of a reformed and competitive EU is fundamental to the economic growth and wellbeing of both the UK and EU economy and best serves Caterpillar's business interests". Leave campaigners are the "grave-diggers of our prosperity" and will have to answer for their lies during the referendum campaign, Sir John Major has said. In a clear swipe at Tories Boris Johnson and Michael Gove, the former prime minister said David Cameron had faced abuse from people "we might have expected better from". Quitting the European Union will not stem immigration and risks creating a broken Britain, he insisted. Leaving would be a "disproportionate" response to migration concerns and the country would live to regret it for a "long time to come". During a campaign visit to Bristol with Mr Cameron and Labour's Harriet Harman, Sir John warned Britain not to "pull up the drawbridge". He said: "If our nation does vote to leave, we must respect their decision, but if they vote to leave on the basis of half-truths and untruths and misunderstandings, then pretty soon the grave-diggers of our prosperity will have some very serious questions to answer." "They will have to account for what they have said and done but that will be of little consolation for we will be out, out for good, diminished as an influence on the world. A truly Great Britain shrunk down to a little England perhaps without Scotland, perhaps with a grumpy Wales, and certainly with a Northern Ireland divided from the south by the border the controls that would then be the edge of the European Union." Dismissing accusations that the Remain campaign had been "project fear", he insisted that Mr Cameron had a "duty" to to warn the nation of the dangers of quitting. He said: "In return for doing that he has faced a great deal of opposition and sometimes abuse from people who, frankly, we might have expected better from. "I think the way in which he has conducted himself in putting the country before self and the country before party is quite remarkable." Sir John went on: "In a world that is on the move in almost every part of the world, leaving the European Union is no solution to the scale of migration around the world. "It is a reaction to it, but it is not a solution to it and to try and solve a short-term problem that will diminish as the European economy begins to grow again and leave Europe and risk a far greater long-term impact to our prosperity in the world is quite disproportionate to the problem that we face." He attacked the "absurdity" of suggestions that huge numbers of Turks would head to Britain if Turkey gains EU membership and claimed they would earn a better wage in France and Germany. He added: "We would also be diminished as a country. I don't want to see a broken Britain with less influence, less importance in the world and yet that is what we risk if we leave." Mr Cameron told the crowd in Bristol that the Remain campaign could be summed up in the single word "Together". "If we want a bigger economy and more jobs, we are better if we do it together," said the Prime Minister. "If we want to fight climate change, we are better if we do it together. If we want to win against the terrorists and keep our country safe, we are better if we do it together. "So please give it everything you've got in these last hours to make sure that people go out and vote tomorrow - go out and vote Remain for a bigger, better Britain inside a reformed European Union. Stronger, safer, better off. A day to go. Let's do it." The PM said the range of support that Remain had garnered across the political spectrum was a telling point in its favour. "We've got the Green Party, we've got the Liberal Democrat party, we've got the Labour Party, we've got a Conservative Government and Prime Minister, we've got the trade unions, we've got business large and small all saying we are stronger, we are safer, we are better off if we stay," he said. Standing alongside Mr Cameron and Sir John, Ms Harman said: "It's an irrevocable decision and I hope that people, when they vote tomorrow, will have in their hearts the knowledge and the belief that we are better as a country when we are outward-facing, when we are inclusive, when we are confident and looking to the future. So let's vote Remain tomorrow." Setting out Labour's case for Remain, Ms Harman said: "For people in this country, the EU means jobs, it means investment, it means the opportunity to export what we manufacture and the services we provide. "We want, as Labour people, Britain to stay in the EU because we want more jobs for the future." And she added: "The EU has given people more rights in the workplace and we want to strengthen those rights." Mr Cameron's mini-tour is taking in a variety of venues including a housing development, farm, school and nature reserve as he seeks to present a case that Brexit would harm every part of society. Individuals including builders, doctors, nurses, farmers, veterans and business people - as well as prominent politicians from other parties - are among those joining the bus at points along the way to travel to a closing rally. After touring a housing development near Swindon, the PM welcomed construction apprentice Maisey Capen on board. Paediatrician Xand Van Tulleken is also among those travelling on the bus. "It's obviously a very close fight and I am putting everything into it," Mr Cameron said. "Today we are going round and getting people - nurses, doctors, farmers, small businesses, entrepreneurs - coming into this bus, explaining why they want to stay in. "Because there is an amazingly wide range of people." Mr Cameron joined forces with ex-Liberal Democrat leader Paddy Ashdown to chat with military veterans at a farm shop in Oxfordshire. Among them was 92-year-old Patrick Churchill who served with the Royal Marines at the D-Day landings. He told the PM that he saw immigration as a "great problem" but that Brexit - with the perceived economic risks - was not the answer. "A great problem is the immigration and all that," he said. "But you cannot solve that overnight and you have to make sacrifices one way or another. "My worry is what is going to happen to these young people when they are married, they have sons and daughters and grandsons and granddaughters. What will happen in 10 or 20 years? Where are the safeguards?" At Warriner School in Bloxham, Oxfordshire, the PM high-fived cheering pupils before talking to sixth formers voting for the first time tomorrow. Only one of the group admitted to being set to back Brexit - a frankness called "brave" by ex-special forces soldier Lord Ashdown who had told them he was "trained in cruel and unusual punishment". After the school, the growing party was due to visit a hospital and a large business before heading for the rally, which will feature speeches from figures from across the political spectrum and some of the individual Remain backers who Mr Cameron met up with on the way. PathXL, which has been bought by Philips, won the Excellence in Technology accolade at the Belfast Telegraph Business Awards in 2015. C0-founder Dr Jim Diamond and software engineer Nicola Montgomery accepted the award from Paul Convery, head of BT Business, and Christine Wright and Jayne Deasy from British Airways Belfast software firm PathXL is set to double its workforce to more than 60 people after being bought up by Dutch technology giant Philips. The company is also staying put at the rebranded Northern Ireland Science Park, now called Catalyst Inc. It will, however, move to a bigger office at the centre. The firm creates software for medical researchers to process slides and provides software for use in research, healthcare and education, including in the analysis of tumours. Co-founder Peter Hamilton told the Belfast Telegraph: "In terms of our technology, we have been limited in what we can do in terms of our cancer recognition. But we can now begin taking that forward for clinical diagnosis." He added the business would be able to help make "those really difficult decisions" and develop new therapies. "It means the expansion of 30 new jobs, on top of the 30 existing," a spokesman for PathXL added. "It will be skilled workers in software development roles. It means these jobs will be staying in Belfast. Philips know we have been doing well here. "I think it will only change for the better. It gives us the name and the brand, allowing us to go in to new areas and look into creating more business for ourselves. "But by joining the Philips brand, we have the ability to grow bigger, and stronger, and to improve the quality of our products." The Queen's University spin-out's co-founder Professor Peter Hamilton will head up the business in Belfast, taking over full-time as chief scientist. PathXL will continue to have autonomy, despite now being owned by a multibillion-pound corporation. "Philips has the same culture as PathXL, and they spend a lot on research and development," Mr Hamilton said. He also explained that the deal meant "Philips are getting to acquire our knowledge, and we get to expand our research". "(Our software) is international, and across the US and Europe - a mixture of universities and different areas," Mr Hamilton told this newspaper. "That will not change. Our strength is with education - and that will continue." Speaking about the new deal, the value of which has not been disclosed, Russ Granzow, general manager of Philips Digital Pathology Solutions, said PathXL was a powerful company. "With this acquisition, we are accelerating our drive to support global medical institutions in their transition to digitised pathology workflows," he added. "Together with PathXL, we see a unique opportunity to amplify our combined technology leadership positions. "We will be able to offer an intelligent, integrated solution that fulfils needs in computational pathology, education, workflow solutions and image analytics." Alastair Hamilton, chief executive of Invest NI said the purchase of the firm was great news for the life sciences sector in Northern Ireland. "PathXL has been a fast-growing business, making a real name for itself specialising in software which improves the analysis of cancer tumours, and it has caught the attention of this global brand," he explained. George Osborne is facing a set-back in his efforts to shore up the nation's finances after borrowing reached a worse-than-expected 9.7bn last month. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said public sector net borrowing, excluding public sector banks, fell 0.4bn in May compared with the same month last year, but failed to meet economists' expectations of 9.5bn. The ONS added public sector net debt, excluding banks, rose 49.6bn to 1,606.9bn over the period, the equivalent to 83.7% of gross domestic product (GDP). It also noted that the Chancellor was now judged to have borrowed 74.9bn 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 76bn - a 2bn rise on its initial estimate. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) had forecast borrowing to hit 72.2bn for 2015/16. It means Mr Osborne has now missed this target by 2.7bn. The Chancellor 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 10.4bn in 2019/20 and 11bn the year after. However, Mr Osborne has already been blown off course, with borrowing in the current financial year to date hitting 17.9bn - a 0.2bn jump compared with 2015. It comes despite Government tax receipts rising over the period by 3.4% to 103.8bn. The Government's 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% rise in Government expenditure to 119.7bn between April and May this year as net social benefits, net investment and debt interest costs all increased. Samuel Tombs, chief UK economist of Pantheon Macroeconomics, said the public finance figures for May "cast more doubt" over whether Mr Osborne could achieve a budget surplus by the end of this parliament. Passionate intensity: actor Colin Morgan stars as a brooding investigator of the supernatural in The Living And The Dead As he takes on one more eerie and mysterious series, actor Colin Morgan from Co Armagh tells Gemma Dunn that it's not entirely deliberate, but he is drawn to dark, supernatural roles. He's played more than his fair share of mystifying roles, but Colin Morgan admits that while he's "drawn to the darkness", he's certainly not confined to it. "I never choose a genre over quality," quips the 30-year-old Merlin and The Fall star, from Co Armagh. "I never think, 'I want to do that', and sacrifice the fact it might not be very good. "I always look for the character that gets into your guts and tells you, 'You have to play this'. You have to be brave enough to let everything else go and let the character guide you. When I read a script, I look for that kind of pull." To be fair, mull over his current CV and it seems his pledge to "try new things all the time" is paying off. Since causing a stir as a boy wizard in BBC fantasy series Merlin eight years ago, Morgan has gone on to impress on stage, TV, film and radio - most recently in psychological thriller, which was set here, The Fall, opposite Gillian Anderson; Kray brothers' biopic Legend alongside Tom Hardy; sci-fi drama Humans; short film The Laughing King and Hollywood epic The Huntsman: Winter's War. But point out that he's garnered a lot of praise and he comes over surprisingly coy. "Generally people are very nice," he says, blushing. "If anyone has anything to say, there's never anything that's ... I haven't had anyone throw eggs in my face yet," he adds. Judging by his upcoming lead in BBC One's latest original drama, The Living And The Dead, he's not likely to get pelted any time soon. Morgan describes the 1894-set series as "a blend of horror, love, supernatural, relationships, life, death, losses, grievances, joy". At its heart is the love story of Nathan (Morgan) and Charlotte Appleby (Charlotte Spencer of Glue fame) who, after inheriting a farm - Shepzoy House - and leaving London to start a new life in the Somerset countryside, are enraptured by supernatural goings-on, and put under extraordinary pressure to save their marriage and home. The edgy six-parter, created by Life On Mars co-creator and writer Ashley Pharoah, plays on the eeriness of the rural world at the point when the industrial revolution came crashing in, disrupting all the old certainties. "It's a time of change and moving forward; of traditions not being completely lost but being smothered a bit, which is unsettling for the people whose livelihood is the land," says Morgan. "You get the impression that the land holds trauma, pain and memories. Digging it up, unearthing the land itself, gives a feeling of something else being unsettled. That is a catalyst for things that happen." At the forefront of the unexplainable is Nathan, who Morgan claims possesses that "damaged character" element he enjoys tackling. "First and foremost, he's a healer. He sees hurt in people, he sees the pain and there's something about him that wants to take that away from people. He's fiercely passionate, so there's a lot of love, especially for his wife. "He's determined to have a good future, but a big theme of the show is what lies beneath, and his reasons for doing things are unresolved, unhealed." The ominous West Country setting plays an important role in the mood of the piece, too. "It was a very unsettling house," reflects the actor of the set, before reeling off strange happenings that surfaced during filming. Does that mean he believes in the supernatural? "It gets under your skin," Morgan - dressed to impress, with a quiff of dark hair and piercing blue eyes - confesses. "Ghost stories, the paranormal and the supernatural hasn't really ever gone away. It's got a fierce tradition about it." One thing that's certainly convincing, however, is Morgan's London accent - so convincing, in fact, that he had his colleagues fooled by not dropping any hint of his native tones. "Every role dictates a different way, but for some reason on this project, I stayed in an accent the whole time. A lot of people didn't know I was from here until we finished shooting," he adds, chuckling. "The only time I didn't stay in accent was when I was talking to my family, because they would have been saying, 'What are you doing?'" It won't be long until they can hear Morgan's accent, however, because the show has already been released as a box set on BBC iPlayer (two weeks before starting 'traditionally' on telly). Despite being labelled a bit of a technophobe - "I think there are pros and cons to social networking, but on a social, personal level, it's just not for me" - Morgan admits to being excited by the move. "It's how people are watching now," he reasons. "What's good is it's still being broadcast on TV, so while the BBC is moving with the times, allowing people to watch it on their own terms, it's still looking after the past too and how people like to watch TV week-by-week, episode-by-episode." With The Fall's series three in the pipeline, a return to the critically-acclaimed Humans and a central role in biopic film The Rising: 1916 on the table, the rest of the year is looking busy for Morgan - not that he's not complaining. "You have to strike while the iron is hot. You have to take downtime to see friends and family but my passion is acting, pursuing those scary, challenging characters and working with passionate people," says Morgan. "It doesn't have to happen for anybody at all, this acting game, so you have to count your blessings. "If I am lucky that the right things have come along at the right time, I'm just going to ride that wave." The Living And The Dead is available as a box set on BBC iPlayer now, and starts on BBC One on Tuesday, June 28 at 9pm Tens of thousands of new jobs for Northern Ireland could be at risk if the UK leaves the EU, business leaders warned yesterday. Tomorrow, people across the country will make their decision in what is being called the most important vote in a generation. The turnout for the referendum is expected to be the biggest since the vote to approve the Good Friday Agreement. And with just hours of campaigning left, Remain and Leave campaigners remain bitterly divided over the potential economic impact of a Brexit. The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) argued up to 50,000 jobs in the province were linked to the EU Single Market, and that there was the potential to create another 36,800. Nigel Smyth, CBI Northern Ireland director, said a Brexit would mean "pulling the rug from under our economy". "The UK's membership of the EU has been of enormous benefit to Northern Ireland for over 40 years," he added. "Some of the key sectors that lie at the very heart of communities across the region, from manufacturing and food processing, to financial services and retail, rely on our membership of the Single Market. "Virtually every leading economist agrees that leaving the EU would likely cause an economic shock, creating uncertainty and damaging Northern Ireland's prospects." The CBI cited Treasury figures as to where the new jobs would come from. The positions are said to include more than 3,000 jobs in the manufacturing sector, 5,000 in distribution and retail, and nearly 7,000 in banking. Mr Smyth also claimed that the Executive's plan to reduce corporation tax to 12.5% was a major incentive for foreign investors, but it would be jeopardised by losing access to the Single Market. In stark contrast, businessman Irwin Armstrong, whose Ballymena-based CIGA Healthcare exports medical kits, said it would be "unthinkable" and an "exercise in self harm" for the EU not to negotiate a free trade deal with the UK after a Brexit. "Northern Ireland's economic future depends upon the ability of businesses to trade globally, rather than regionally," he argued. "Brexit has the potential to open the door for local companies to take a global approach, because we can be part of a UK that dismantles trade barriers with emerging economies. "If only the Single Market was a true single market, rather than a means to create a regulatory quagmire that stifles growth." The Northern Ireland Electoral Office said 1,260,955 people were eligible to vote tomorrow. A recent poll for the Belfast Telegraph predicted that 68% of those eligible are expected to vote - around 857,000 people. This is nearly 100,000 less than the 951,845 people who voted in the 1998 Good Friday Agreement. Bookmakers Paddy Power are confident of Northern Ireland choosing to stay in the EU, with betting odds of 1/14 in favour of a remain vote compared to 6/1 for an exit vote. Campaigners on both sides of the close debate are now working at full tilt to persuade undecided voters to join their side. The DUP, which supports a Brexit, took out an expensive front and back page advert in the Metro newspaper in London, which is not distributed in Northern Ireland. North Antrim DUP MLA Mervyn Storey said the price was worth paying. "Northern Ireland hasn't been on the periphery of this campaign," he added. "The DUP has been a central player in the campaign, and therefore it's conceivable to take that advert in that particular publication." Leave campaigner Lee Reynolds said people had a chance to get out of "an inward-looking, bureaucratic, wasteful, cumbersome and unreformable EU". "What a Leave vote offers is more powers for Belfast, more money for our priorities, more trade with the world and a fairer immigration system," he added. Student unions in Northern Ireland and the Republic, meanwhile, threw their support behind staying in Europe. "The European Union has consistently helped to shape a more stable, cohesive and prosperous society in Northern Ireland," NUS-USI president in Northern Ireland Fergal McFerran said. "When students and young people go to the polls on Thursday, I urge them to do so reflecting on the vast array of opportunities that our membership of the EU secures - not just for our generation, but for generations to come too." In the Republic, USI president Kevin Donoghue urged anyone with a vote in Britain to vote Remain, saying a Brexit would have a negative ripple effect throughout Ireland. Northern Ireland film star Liam Neeson has urged the UK to vote Remain in tomorrow's historic EU referendum vote. Polling opens at 7am on Thursday. In a statement released to AFP, Ballymena man Neeson said a 'Brexit' would have the "worst ramifications for the island of Ireland" and would reverse the progress made since the Troubles. He said: "Border controls would be implemented to allegedly stop illegal immigrants coming into the UK through the back door. Trade will be enormously impacted. "It would be truly a shame to sacrifice all the progress that has been made by the peace process regarding border controls." The 64-year-old declared his support for the "Irish4Europe" campaign to encourage Irish people living in Britain to vote in favour of EU membership. "There is strength in unity. A Brexit vote will make us weak," Neeson wrote. "I urge you to go out and vote to remain in the EU." More: Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Trade unionists, politicians and members of the public attended the Rally For Future organised by the Unite union. Photo Aidan OReilly/Pacemaker Press Trade unionists, politicians and members of the public attended the Rally For Future organised by the Unite union. Photo Aidan OReilly/Pacemaker Press Trade unionists, politicians and members of the public attended the Rally For Future organised by the Unite union. Photo Aidan OReilly/Pacemaker Press Trade unionists, politicians and members of the public attended the Rally For Future organised by the Unite union. Photo Aidan OReilly/Pacemaker Press Trade unionists, politicians and members of the public attended the Rally For Future organised by the Unite union. Photo Aidan OReilly/Pacemaker Press Trade unionists, politicians and members of the public attended the Rally For Future organised by the Unite union. Photo Aidan OReilly/Pacemaker Press Trade unionists, politicians and members of the public attended the Rally For Future organised by the Unite union. Photo Aidan OReilly/Pacemaker Press Trade unionists, politicians and members of the public attended the Rally For Future organised by the Unite union. Photo Aidan OReilly/Pacemaker Press Trade unionists, politicians and members of the public attended the Rally For Future organised by the Unite union. Photo Aidan OReilly/Pacemaker Press Trade unionists, politicians and members of the public attended the Rally For Future organised by the Unite union. Photo Aidan OReilly/Pacemaker Press Trade unionists, politicians and members of the public attended the Rally For Future organised by the Unite union. Photo Aidan OReilly/Pacemaker Press Trade unionists, politicians and members of the public attended the Rally For Future organised by the Unite union. Photo Aidan OReilly/Pacemaker Press Trade unionists, politicians and members of the public attended the Rally For Future organised by the Unite union. Photo by Matt Mackey / Press Eye Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Trade unionists, politicians and members of the public attended the Rally For Future organised by the Unite union. Photo by Matt Mackey / Press Eye Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Finance Minister Mervyn Storey joins takes take part in a Rally organised by Unite the Union which is calling for a future campaign for investment and jobs in Ballymena. Picture by Matt Mackey / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Trade unionists, politicians and members of the public attended the Rally For Future organised by the Unite union. Photo by Matt Mackey / Press Eye Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Liam Neeson address the rally in Ballymena by video organised by Unite the Union which is calling for a future campaign for investment and jobs in Ballymena. Picture by Matt Mackey / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Liam Neeson address the rally in Ballymena by video organised by Unite the Union which is calling for a future campaign for investment and jobs in Ballymena. Picture by Matt Mackey / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Trade unionists, politicians and members of the public attended the Rally For Future organised by the Unite union. Photo by Matt Mackey / Press Eye Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Trade unionists, politicians and members of the public attended the Rally For Future organised by the Unite union. Photo by Matt Mackey / Press Eye Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Trade unionists, politicians and members of the public attended the Rally For Future organised by the Unite union. Photo by Matt Mackey / Press Eye Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Trade unionists, politicians and members of the public attended the Rally For Future organised by the Unite union. Photo by Matt Mackey / Press Eye Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Jim Allister with supporters take part in a Rally organised by Unite the Union which is calling for a future campaign for investment and jobs in Ballymena. Picture by Matt Mackey / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye Ian Paisley and Mervyn Storey with supporters take part in a Rally organised by Unite the Union which is calling for a future campaign for investment and jobs in Ballymena. Picture by Matt Mackey / Press Eye. Kelvin Boyes / Press Eye / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Trade unionists, politicians and members of the public attended the Rally For Future organised by the Unite union. Photo Aidan OReilly/Pacemaker Press A leading unionist has accused the Home Secretary of "talking nonsense" after she claimed that Brexit could hurt businesses in Northern Ireland. Independent cross-bencher Lord Kilclooney also predicted that the Irish Republic would quickly follow the UK out of the European Union if people backed a Brexit. "If the UK leaves the EU, there will be no strengthening of the border here because the Irish Republic will swiftly follow suit," the former MP said. "The UK will have two years to negotiate the terms of its exit and, during that period, the Republic will leave too. "As the main trading partner of the UK, it would be disastrous for them to remain." Lord Kilclooney said that the farming community in the Republic would lobby strongly for an end to EU membership. "Most of their beef, lamb and dairy exports go to the UK," he added. "They would be destroyed if we leave the EU, so they will do the same in order to continue trading with us." Former Ulster Unionist MEP, Lord Kilclooney, also said Mrs May was "talking nonsense" after she predicted extensive border controls in the event of a Brexit. "The very idea that we would have the equivalent of a Donald Trump-type wall around us is utterly ridiculous and, as someone who lives within 10 miles of the Border, I'd be very opposed to that," he explained. During a visit here to support the Remain campaign, Home Secretary Theresa May said that it would be "inconceivable" that border arrangements with the Republic would remain the same if Britain decided to leave the EU. After meeting staff at the Denroy Plastics manufacturing plant in Bangor, she said: "If you just think about it, if we're out of the European Union with tariffs on exporting goods into the EU, there would have to be something to recognise that between the Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. "If you pulled out of the EU and came out of free movement, then how could you have a situation where there was an open border with a country that was in the EU and had access to free movement?" The Denroy group is one of Northern Ireland's most successful exporters, with annual sales of more than 10m. Its range includes the popular hairbrush brand Denman, medical devices and aircraft components. Denroy's finance director Kevin McNamee said: "From the group's point of view, we have a number of issues. One is that we're an exporter - about 40% of what we manufacture goes around the world. "We're quite concerned about the impact of trade tariffs after a Brexit. Obviously, if we're exporting to anywhere in Europe, then a trade tariff could affect our competitiveness in that market." An SDLP MLA and Remain campaigner who blamed a "senior moment" for her struggle to name a single EU commissioner during an interview has been slammed by a leading Leave proponent. DUP MP Ian Paisley said Claire Hanna's slip was proof of the "remote and unaccountable nature" of the EU. During an interview on the BBC's Noland show yesterday, Ms Hanna (36) was asked if she could name an EU commissioner - a policy-maker for the EU. She said she could, before adding: "What is it about knowing names? I'm not going to start." When pressed, the MLA said: "My mind has gone blank now. But does it matter?" Later, she identified Ireland and Agricultural Commissioner Phil Hogan, and called the incident a "senior moment" in a tweet. But Mr Paisley said: "In a single interview Claire Hanna unwittingly highlighted the remote and unaccountable nature of the European Union. "How many people could tell you what the European Commission is, let alone identify a single member? "Similarly, how many people in Northern Ireland know the difference between the European Commission, the Council of the European Union and the European Council? Do they know how European directives are formulated before they are imposed? "The difference between all those people and Claire Hanna is that they would not blame a so-called 'senior moment'. "Our older people deserve better than to be referenced by a flailing politician searching for an answer." Some of the Semtex plastic explosive found at a block of flats in north Belfast Some of the Semtex plastic explosive found at a block of flats in north Belfast The Police Federation has warned that the discovery of Semtex at a block of flats in north Belfast points to a "ramping up" of the terror threat against officers. Federation chairman Mark Lindsay said there was enough explosive in the find to make several under-car booby traps. Police found 1.5kg of Semtex at Maeve House in the New Lodge area on Monday after a report from a member of the public. It is the second time in two years that explosives have been found in Maeve House. Two-and-a-half kilos of the explosive was found in a cupboard at the building in May 2014. "There is a threat level that is rated severe in Northern Ireland and finding this quantity of Semtex points to no let-up in the determination of terrorists to kill and maim officers or other members of the security services," Mr Lindsay said. "We must be constantly vigilant and aware. There must be no let-up or relaxation in our efforts to thwart and frustrate these mindless individuals." Chief Superintendent Chris Noble said the items will now be subject to a detailed forensic examination. "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," he added. "We are appealing to the public to assist us and continue working with us, and give us any information they have about any suspicious activity in this area which might assist our investigation." Justice Minister Claire Sugden said she had been briefed about the "worrying find". "Those responsible really do have no regard for public safety and they do not conduct anything with care - their intent is to cause havoc and unfortunately this can cause injury or kill," she said. "I find it incomprehensible that this material was found in a residential area." In recent months two terrorist hides containing bomb-making components were discovered in two forests near Larne. Last month it emerged that the number of bombing incidents across the region increased by 44% within a year. Last year there were 52 bomb attacks - including the booby-trap that killed prison officer Adrian Ismay - compared to 36 incidents in 2014/15, according to PSNI statistics. These incidents include devices which exploded or were defused. Sarah Ewart, who went to England for an abortion, outside court this week A woman who travelled to England to terminate a pregnancy with a fatal defect is a victim of Northern Ireland's abortion laws, the Court of Appeal has heard. Senior judges were told the denial of services to Sarah Ewart in her own country was discriminatory, inhuman and degrading. Counsel for the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission also accused Attorney General John Larkin QC of making "pernicious" submissions about requiring actual victims of sexual crime for the legal challenge. Nathalie Lieven QC was responding on the third day of the court battle over the current abortion regime. Unlike other parts of the UK, terminations are only legal within Northern Ireland 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 the failure to provide exceptions to the near-blanket ban for cases of fatal foetal abnormalities (FFAs) and victims of rape or incest breaches private and family life entitlements under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). In a case brought by the Commission 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 of Justice at Stormont and the Attorney General. The Commission is also mounting a cross-appeal in a bid to have the regime further declared in breach of Articles 3 and 14 of the ECHR prohibiting degrading treatment and discrimination. 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. As part of the appeal against Mr Justice Horner's landmark verdict judges were told the case lacked a required victim. But Ms Lieven highlighted the example of Ms Ewart - a woman from Northern Ireland who had to travel to England for an abortion after learning her unborn baby had no chance of survival. She told the court: "If one takes the failure to change the legislation plainly there are and there will be victims. "Ms Ewart is a victim, she is a victim now on the facts as recorded in her two affidavits and unchallenged." The barrister continued: "She has been denied an abortion in circumstances that we say are breaches of Articles 3, 8 and 14. "She is in a position of risk; hopefully a very small risk but a small risk of being in the same situation again." Turning to the category of sexual crimes, Ms Lieven argued that any woman or girl in Northern Ireland who becomes pregnant due to rape or incest and wants an abortion is a victim. "It isn't possible to narrow the class further than that," she said. "There's a very pernicious side to the Attorney General's argument that if you need an actual victim of sexual crime who has sought an abortion in Northern Ireland and been refused, the chances of such a person coming forward and taking an action is minimal." She cited the example of a 13-year-old girl sexually assaulted and made pregnant by a relative. "It's simply inconceivable, it's disingenuous to suggest such a girl would be protected by an anonymity order when she is the victim of family rape," Ms Lieven contended. "It means such a victim simply cannot get access to justice." The appeal continues. Five men have been arrested following the burglary Five men have been arrested following a burglary at a commercial premises in Belfast. A member of the public reported the burglary at the premises between College Street and Royal Avenue in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Inspector Murphy said: "Id like to thank the quick thinking member of the public who called police to report the burglary. Local officers arrived quickly and arrested five men who are currently in police custody." Police are appealing for anyone who noticed anything suspicious in the College Street/Royal Avenue area of the city centre Wednesday morning to contact Musgrave Police Station on 101 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. 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." 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." Retweeting someone who called him racist, the peer said: "You ignorant fool. How can my comment be classified as racist. Crawl back under your rock." Adjourning the application for bail, the judge stressed that he would not consider releasing Byrne without seeing a psychiatric report. A disgruntled customer allegedly locked staff in a printing shop and threatened to burn it down in a dispute over a dressing gown, the High Court has heard. Prosecutors claimed employees at the business in Belfast city centre were left terrified by Gary Byrne's actions. The 29-year-old is also accused of attacking up to four police officers after they were called to the scene earlier this month. Byrne, of Hawtree Park in Lisburn, Co Antrim, faces charges of false imprisonment, threats to kill and threats to damage property, disorderly behaviour, four assaults on police and criminal damage to a PSNI cell smeared in excrement. During a bail application it was claimed he went into Dstar Printing Boutique on Castle Street on June 7 demanding to speak to the manager. A judge was told he shouted: "You wrecked my new born baby's house coat." Prosecution counsel alleged Byrne continued to scream and rant incomprehensibly before going behind the counter and declaring: "Right, this shop is f****** shut." The premises were locked for a period with three members of staff inside, the court heard. "They all appeared to be terrified as he appeared to be completely out of control," the prosecutor added. It was claimed that he then threatened: "I'm going to burn this f****** shop down while you're all in it." Bryne allegedly continued by telling staff there were three ways to sort out the situation: the right way, the wrong way or the illegal way. He then unlocked the shop, approached police outside and asked: "Are youse looking for me?", the court heard. Officers were forced to put him into leg restraints and handcuffs amid fears he was going to strike out, it was claimed. Byrne is accused of threatening to bite one constable and kicking two others. The prosecution lawyer contended that at one stage he told police: "Third warning, I will take your face off." Mr Justice Horner also heard that after Byrne was brought into custody he allegedly daubed excrement on a cell wall and wrote the word "Dirty" on it. Defence barrister Michael Boyd accepted: "He (the accused) for whatever reason seems to deal very, very poorly with any sort of conflict situation." Adjourning the application for bail, the judge stressed that he would not consider releasing Byrne without seeing a psychiatric report. He said: "This man has got clear issues that require resolution before he can be let out, given the risk to the general public." A man who attacked his landlord with a hammer before dumping his body in a quarry and then going on the run abroad has been found guilty of murder. Swansea Crown Court heard that David Craig Ellis, 41, smashed the skull of Alec Warburton following a row over unpaid rent. Weeks before the killing, Ellis had sent a note to his fellow housemates pretending to be the 59-year-old bachelor saying that he was "going away for a while". After bludgeoning Mr Warburton to death in his own home in Sketty, Swansea, Ellis drove his landlord's lifeless body 200 miles to north Wales before throwing it almost 100ft down the side of a disused slate mine. Ellis later jumped on a ferry from Birkenhead to Belfast before going on the run. He was eventually arrested at a guest house in Galway, Ireland, more than a month later. Ellis had admitted manslaughter and claimed he had "lost control" after his landlord made unwanted sexual advances towards him. However, on the third day of deliberations a jury convicted Ellis of murder. Following the jury's verdict, senior prosecutor Felicity Galvin described Ellis as a cold-blooded killer. She said: "Ellis went to great lengths to plan the attack and then attempt to cover his tracks. Prior to the attack, he devised a note that he used later to deceive Mr Warburton's tenants into believing he was still alive. He made concerted efforts to clean the murder scene and used Mr Warburton's phone to facilitate further deception of his victim's family and tenants. "He then drove to North Wales to dispose of Mr Warburton's body, before fleeing the country in a bid to evade justice. However, thanks to the diligence and persistence of the investigating and prosecuting teams, he was brought back to Wales to face up to his actions in a criminal court." Ms Galvin said the Crown was able to build a strong case against Ellis thanks to witnesses who provided statements to police and gave evidence in court. She added: "While today's criminal case outcome cannot take away the hurt and loss felt by Mr Warburton's family and friends, we hope that Ellis' conviction may at least be of some comfort to them as they move forward with their lives." Jurors heard that Ellis moved into Mr Warburton's home in Vivian Road in May 2015 following a break-up with his girlfriend. Within weeks, the jobless North Walian had fallen behind with his rent. In the prosecution's opening of the case, the Crown told jurors about a letter Ellis had typed up on July 28 pretending to be from Mr Warburton. The fake letter, which was sent to the four other tenants in the three-storey property, read: "Unfortunately I'm having to go away for a while to give palliative care to an old friend. "I've spoken to Dave, he'll cover my chores and will also be responsible for collecting rent which is due on August 1. "Please pay promptly so Dave can pay it into my bank account. Any problems, don't hesitate to contact me ... Alec." Ellis later claimed his landlord had barged into his room demanding sex to make up for the missed rent payments and he had "lost control", hitting Mr Warburton five or six times. However, forensic Home Office pathologist Brian Rodgers later told the trial he found no sign of any defensive injuries on Mr Warburton. Dr Rogers said he believed that three serious skull defects inflicted on the deceased had been caused by blows from a hammer to the back of the head. On August 1, Ellis then used Mr Warburton's green Peugeot to transport his landlord's dead body up to secluded and disused Prince Llewelyn slate quarry in Dolwyddelan - which he knew about from his childhood days in north Wales. He later drove back to Swansea before using the vehicle to get to Birkenhead port - where it was found abandoned. Detectives later discovered Ellis had boarded a ferry to Belfast before sneaking across the border to Ireland. He was arrested at the Abbey Lodge guest house in Galway, more than 230 miles south of Belfast, on September 18. Garda Sergeant Adrian O'Neill later said Ellis had asked him to get "Google Maps" on his phone "so he could show where he had dumped a body". Ellis will be sentenced by High Court judge Mr Justice Knowles on Thursday. Michael Gove has compared economic experts warning about the fall-out of Brexit to the Nazis who orchestrated a smear campaign against Albert Einstein in the 1930s. The Justice Secretary, who co-chairs the Vote Leave campaign, said experts cannot always be trusted and pointed to the German scientists used to denounce Einstein to back up his point. He told LBC: "I think the key thing here is to interrogate the assumptions that are made and to ask if these arguments are good. "We have to be careful about historical comparisons, but Albert Einstein during the 1930s was denounced by the German authorities for being wrong and his theories were denounced, and one of the reasons of course he was denounced was because he was Jewish. "They got 100 German scientists in the pay of the government to say that he was wrong and Einstein said: 'Look, if I was wrong, one would have been enough.'" Mr Gove added: "The truth is that if you look at the quality of the analysis, if you look at the facts on the ground, you can come to an appropriate conclusion. "And the appropriate conclusion, I think, all of us can come to is that with growth rates so low in Europe, with so many unemployed and with the nature of the single currency so damaging, freeing ourselves from that project can only strengthen our economy." He made his comments after being challenged over why he is not heeding the advice of many economists who have warned that Brexit could have dire consequences and tip the economy into recession. The International Monetary Fund, ten Nobel-prize winning economists and the Bank of England have all warned that leaving the EU could damage the economy. Police officers at Workmans Avenue junction of the Springfield road , a parades commission determination has ruled that the Whiterock Parade will not pass through the gates for the first time this coming weekend. Picture - Kevin Scott / Presseye Police officers at Workmans Avenue junction of the Springfield road , a parades commission determination has ruled that the Whiterock Parade will not pass through the gates for the first time this coming weekend. Picture - Kevin Scott / Presseye The Orange Order has described a decision to bar the annual Whiterock parade from passing through the Workman Avenue peaceline gates as "outrageous" and "ill-judged". The parade, which takes place on Saturday, has been told it may not pass through the peaceline gates earlier this week. Around 950 participants and 16 bands are due to take place in this year's parade on Saturday June 25 which will travel from West Belfast Orange Hall along the Shankill Road, Ainsworth Avenue, Workman Avenue back towards the Shankill Road. Over the last number of years a small group from the head of the parade has been allowed to travel through the gates while the remainder of the parade goes through the site of the former Mackies factory. But this year the Parades Commission has ruled that none of the parade can go through the gates. Read More The west Belfast parade is organised by the Orange Order's No. 9 District Lodge. The officers and members of that lodge have issued a statement to say they are "repulsed and appalled by yet another outrageous and ill-judged determination re their annual Whiterock Parade". "It is clear that the Parades Commission has once again rewarded the intransigence of Republicans," they said. "Only last year senior Republicans breached their protest determination and have subsequently yet again been rewarded for their wrong doing. The Parades Commission continues to demonstrate that it is not part of the solution, but is increasingly part of the problem around parading in Northern Ireland." The statement added that officers have been working to seek a resolution to the situation. "Throughout the past 10 years, No. 9 District has abided by a series of unpalatable determinations for both the Whiterock Parade and 12th July," they said. "The District will continue to work with Grand Lodge, Belfast County Lodge and our political representatives, to seek a just and equitable solution to the parading issue on the Springfield Road, in the interests of community relations. Expand Close North Belfast MLA William Humphrey has blasted the Parades Commission decision over the Whiterock parade as "bizarre" / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp North Belfast MLA William Humphrey has blasted the Parades Commission decision over the Whiterock parade as "bizarre" "This determination does not provide that." A spokesperson for the Parades Commission said it has received complaints about the conduct of the parade and related protest last year. The Commission has determined that no part of the parade may cross the peace lines through the Workman Avenue gates, but should instead proceed in full via the Invest Ni site to the Springfield Road. "Conditions about paramilitary trappings have also been imposed. "In reaching its decision, the Commission is mindful of the persistent breaches of determinations particularly in relation to colour parties, flags and emblems. The Commission has also received complaints about conduct of the parade and related protest last year. "This decision reflects perceptions of paramilitary influences at the interface and is consistent with the approach by statutory agencies in relation to putting victims and survivors needs at the centre of decision making. "The opening of permanently closed gates of the peace wall without cross community consultation is not in keeping with current policy recommendations. No dialogue about the parade has recently taken place. "The impacts are escalating tensions at the Springfield Road interface each summer, with community life disturbed over many hours and an extremely high risk of public disorder." She added: "the Commission continues to urge all parties to engage in dialogue about all aspects of the parade." A group of shamed student PSNI officers who were stopped from graduating amid an exam cheating scandal have restarted their police training. Eighteen students who had completed their training when they were caught cheating have now rejoined week three of the Student Officer Training Programme. Another squad of officers caught up in the cheating furore, which has caused major embarrassment for the PSNI, are due to restart training from week one on July 4. More than 50 student officers were told they were to be back-squadded as punishment earlier this month after they were caught sharing and memorising exam questions ahead of assessment. The scandal was uncovered following a complaint from a whistleblower just hours before a squad of student officers were due to graduate from the PSNI's training college at Garnerville two weeks ago. A complaint of bullying against the whistleblower has since been made to bosses within the training college, the Belfast Telegraph has learned. Chief Constable George Hamilton was last week criticised by members of the Policing Board for his handling of the scandal. They claimed sanctions imposed by the PSNI were "inadequate". Mr Hamilton insisted that he had acted in "good faith and with integrity" and that his actions "have been proportionate and appropriate in all the circumstances". Some board members believed the cheating students should have been sacked on the spot. "There was a lot of anger within the Policing Board that this had been kept so quiet. There was a feeling that the Chief Constable had been too lenient. This has caused massive damage to public confidence. If a constable is starting out his or her career dishonestly, how can they be deemed trustworthy by the public," a police source said. Another added: "There was a level of organisation to the cheating that should have been taken more seriously by the top team." The PSNI training the students were caught cheating in is accredited by the Ulster University, which means student officers are both students of the Police College and the UU. Although the university is very strict on cheating, disciplinary action in this case was left up to the PSNI. A UU spokeswoman said: "We were made aware of the allegations when they first arose and we have been liaising with the PSNI on the matter. "The PSNI is a recognised partner institution of Ulster University and has formal processes and policies in place, aligned with Ulster University practice, to deal with allegations of cheating." She continued: "Our responsibility is to ensure that the PSNI has followed agreed policy and process for dealing with allegations of cheating." Paedophile Robert Howard admitted in prison that he killed schoolgirl Arlene Arkinson , a coroner's court has been told. The sex predator was overhead boasting about getting away with murder while he was being held at a jail in England, it was revealed. Howard said in 2009: "On my first, I know I got away with it." A year later, he was overheard saying: "I thought I got away with it ... I did." The revelations emerged as a top detective who led the Arkinson inquiry for nine years gave evidence to Belfast Coroner's Court. Chief Superintendent Raymond Murray said the conversational snippets had formed a vital part of his investigation. Mr Murray said: "This was an implicit admission at the very least, if not an explicit one, that he had got away with murder. "The only murder that he had ever been acquitted of in a court of law, that we know of, was Arlene Arkinson." Fifteen-year-old Arlene, from Castlederg, Co Tyrone, vanished after a night-out across the border in Co Donegal. She was last seen being driven off during the early hours of August 14, 1994, down a country road with the convicted child killer. Her body has never been found. Chilling conversational extracts in which Howard appeared to recount murder, clean-up and disposal of a body were also read to the inquest. They included talk of drugging, choking and a blood-soaked body. He also mentioned "burning her". Howard was quoted as saying : "See, I couldn't hold her ... I got her over to the sink that's just inside. He added: "She's strong" and "I bound her". The conversations were reported to police over a three-year period between 2009 and 2012, although the source of the information was not disclosed to the court. At the time, Howard was serving a life sentence for the murder of South London teenager Hannah Williams. He further stated: "She was covered ... feeling really guilty ... it can last forever, covered in blood ... violence." At one point Coroner Brian Sherrard halted proceedings when Kathleen Arkinson, the missing schoolgirl's sister, broke down in tears. In some discussions, Howard appeared to relive the killing. "I'll stick you in the f***ing ground ... I can't be done again ... Jesus ... what were you doing back up in the .... you shouldn't have done," he said. The talk also referenced a sex attack. "And on the drive .... I f***** her." Regarding the disposal of a body, he stated: "There was a dead body in the back of me van, unfortunately there was." On another occasion he said: "Body was in the boot." In 2005, Howard was found not guilty of murdering Arlene by a jury which was never told of his lengthy criminal history. He remained the prime suspect in the high-profile case until his death in prison last year aged 71. The court was told he had expressed concerns about double jeopardy and was overheard claiming: "It doesn't matter because I was found not guilty but now they resurrect the case." Although police believed the prison conversations were hugely significant, prosecutors did not believe they met the high evidential threshold to overturn the acquittal and commence a re-trial. They did, however, reinvigorate the investigation and prompted a three-week forensic examination of Howard's former flat on Main Street in Castlederg which unearthed a number of new leads. "The nature of the conversations clearly indicate that somebody is recollecting the actions of killing and the resulting clean-up and disposal of the body," said Mr Murray. "The information from the conversational extracts indicated that the maisonette at 49A Main Street, Castlederg, was the locus of the attack." Mr Murray was responsible for overseeing the Arkinson investigation from October 2005 until early 2014 - longer than any other senior officer. Although he did not personally interview Howard, the detective was present when he was quizzed in prison, describing him as a cunning character "There is no doubt there was a shrewdness although not the academic ability to back it up," he said. Mr Murray also acknowledged relations with the Arkinson family had, at times, been difficult, adding: "It is fair to say that relations with the family were tense and strained." The scope of the long-running inquest is to examine whether Arlene Arkinson is dead, how, when and where she died. Mr Murray said the evidence suggested she had been murdered by Howard. "It is my firm belief that Arlene Arkinson is dead," he told the court. "Given the totality of the information, I believe she was murdered during the early hours of August 14, 1994 and the location of the murder was 49a Main Street, Castlederg, and the person that murdered her was Robert Howard and he murdered her in a sexually-motivated attack." The case has been adjourned. Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson walks onto the stage to take part in The Great Debate on BBC One Scottish Conservative Party leader Ruth Davidson attacked Boris Johnson during the EU referendum debate - calling into question his patriotism. Mr Johnson criticised the European troops' failure to stop the massacres during the Balkans wars which left 140,000 people dead and many more displaced. Appearing on a BBC referendum debate panel, the Brexit-backing former London mayor said the killing only halted and peace was brokered when an American-led Nato force "asserted its primacy". But his comments were quickly rounded upon by fellow Conservative Party politician and Remain campaigner Ms Davidson, who served as a signaller in the Territorial Army and spent time in Kosovo as a reporter. She said: "I think Boris maybe misjudged this panel by talking about the Balkans because what he probably doesn't know is that I was sent to the Balkans at the end of the Kosovo war as a reporter and I have never been more proud of being British in my life than watching British troops with a union jack on their arms, believing in something, pulling their weight, and helping in the European Union. "That's what caused me to join up and serve. I think I am the only one on this panel that has ever worn the Queen's uniform." She said that while she had deep respect for military figures like Field Marshal Lord Guthrie, the former Chief of the Defence Staff, who backs Brexit, current military chiefs are united in opposing it. She said: "While I have the greatest of respect for retired general Lord Guthrie, I have the greatest of respect for him, and with the greatest of respect for him I would gently remind the other side of this debate that as a retired general he is not currently in charge of the safety and security of our nation. "And all of those people who are currently charged, every single one of them and every single one of our major allies, says we are safer within the European Union." Her comments came after Mr Johnson warned the EU has its sights on a bigger defence role and heading towards a "United States of Europe". He said: "I believe that the EU is going in totally the wrong direction and I think it is a great mistake for it to try to take on this defence component and for it to try to evolve into a United States of Europe in the way that it is." He said it was "a disaster" when the EU was given the task of "trying to sort out the tragedy in the Balkans", and many people died. He added: "It was only solved when the Americans came. I was there, I remember reporting it and saw what happened with the Dayton Accords and Nato finally asserted primacy. That was the right thing." The tense exchange came after it was reported that Ms Davidson will declare independence from her UK party if Mr Johnson becomes leader. There is no love lost between the pair and Ms Davidson has repeatedly criticised Eton-educated Mr Johnson, who she has depicted as out of touch. Rock stars U2 have waded into the European Union referendum debate by declaring: "Don't go - we'd miss you." With just a day to go until the polls open, they said Europe without Britain would be unimaginable to them. The Irish rockers made a direct appeal to fellow country men and women voting in the referendum to back Remain. On their official Facebook page, they reposted a video showing barriers coming down and bridges being built in Ireland since the peace process. The video by the Ireland4Europe campaign warns of the risk that new border controls would bring to all the progress made over 18 years since the Good Friday Agreement. In the event of a Brexit, the now seamless border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland would become the only land frontier between the UK and Europe. "We were asked to repost this video," U2 said on their fan site. " We like it and we're humbled to be in it." "For Irish voters in Britain, don't go we'd miss you ... Europe without Britain seems unimaginable to us. Bono, Edge, Adam and Larry." Irish actor Liam Neeson OBE also lent his support to the Remain camp, warning of the "worst" ramifications for Ireland in the event of Britain opting out. "I would like to lend my voice to Irish4Europe's campaign to encourage Irish citizens to vote for the UK to remain in the EU," he said in a statement. "A UK exit would have the worst ramifications for the island of Ireland. Economically, this would be a backwards step for Ireland. "Border controls would be implemented to allegedly stop illegal immigrants coming into the UK through the backdoor. Trade will be enormously impacted. "It would be truly a shame to sacrifice all the progress that has been made by the peace process regarding border controls. "There is strength in unity. A Brexit vote will make us weak. I urge you to go out and vote to remain in the EU." Irish voters represent up to 10% of the UK electorate. With the Remain and Leave sides neck and neck, their role could be critical in the outcome of Thursday's poll. David D'Arcy, of Irish4Europe, pleaded with each and every Irish voter to make voting Remain their first task on the day. "Don't leave it. In such a close race, the Irish could make the difference," he said. Frank Feighan is the first TD to wear a poppy in the Dail since 1996 An Irish Senator has suggested that the Republic of Ireland should rejoin the Commonwealth. Speaking in the Seanad, Roscommon senator Frank Feighan said consideration should be given to the merits of Ireland rejoining the organisation currently made up of 53 members. The Republic officially left the Commonwealth in 1949 but Feighan said that as the decades of deep political and societal upheaval are now firmly behind us it may be time to reconsider. He also pointed out that 33 republics are members and that many of them are home to a large Irish diaspora. He said: Among the Commonwealths many noble objectives is the promotion of democracy, rule of law, human rights, good governance and social and economic development. He added that the peace process in recent years has led Ireland to a point at which becoming a Commonwealth member was "the next intelligent step". He asked the Seanad: Would rejoining not help further develop a pluralist Ireland where all our different identities are always mutually recognized and respected? "Would it also not just strengthen existing trade, business, cultural and political relationships but nurture new ones across the world? By doing so, will it not promote Irelands values to a global audience while strengthening and growing important economic and cultural ties internationally? Taoiseach Enda Kenny ruled out Ireland joining the Commonwealth in 2013 but according to Irish Central, he said Kenny equally acknowledged the growing links between Ireland and Commonwealth, in terms of trade, diplomacy, culture. The former TD previously hit headlines for wearing a red poppy on Remembrance Day each November as he said he wanted to commemorate the thousands of men from across the Island of Ireland who fought in the Great Wars. He said: I wanted to publicly show that we had well and truly moved on from that dark, bloody era in the North before the evolution of the peace process - a time when the politics of fear and divisiveness tore apart communities living side by side. I wanted to affirm the wide acceptance that there is now a new political dawn in this country which has allowed us to move on from the divisions of the past and which had created so much tension on our island and between Ireland and Britain. American vice-president Joe Biden (left) receives a hurley as a gift from Taoiseach Enda Kenny during a welcome ceremony at the Government Buildings in Dublin. Photo: Paulo Nunes dos Santos/AFP/Getty Images US vice-president Joe Biden touched down in the Irish Republic yesterday for a six-day official visit that will take in stop-offs at his ancestral homes. After landing in Air Force Two at Dublin Airport last night, Mr Biden travelled in a cavalcade of black cars to Government Buildings, where he met Taoiseach Enda Kenny. They posed for pictures on the steps before going into Mr Kennys private office for a meeting. It is good to be home, remarked Mr Biden, who brought along his children and grandchildren to learn more about their Irish roots. Mr Biden made no secret of his wish to visit the country before his term in office ends later this year. Mr Kenny gave the vice-president a hurley and sliothar as a an official gift. Mr Bidens great-great-great grandfather, Edward Blewitt, and great-great grandfather, Owen Finnegan, both emigrated during Irelands famine. "Evil" Ben Butler has been jailed for life for killing his six-year-old daughter in a rage 11 months after winning her back in a high-profile custody battle. Jobless Butler (36) inflicted horrific injuries on Ellie while left at home to look after her and younger sibling in October 2013. He was sentenced to a minimum of 23 years for murder, with five years to run concurrently for breaking Ellie's shoulder and failing to get her medical attention weeks before her death. His partner, Jennie Gray (36) was jailed for 42 months after being found guilty of child cruelty, having admitted perverting the course of justice. Sentencing, Mr Justice Wilkie told Butler: "You are a self-absorbed, ill-tempered, violent and domineering man who regarded your children and your partner as trophies, having no role other than to fit in with your infantile and sentimentalised fantasy of family life with you as patriarch." The trial heard that Butler battered his daughter to death at the family home in Sutton, south London, in a momentary but volcanic loss of temper after months of subjecting his partner and the little girl to abuse. He then put off dialling 999 for two hours and instead summoned Gray back from work in the City of London. Mr Justice Wilkie said they embarked on an elaborate cover-up as their dead daughter lay unattended "like a carefully placed prop in a stage scene". Butler then went out with his dog, waving casually to neighbours and commenting on the "awful" weather as he dumped incriminating evidence. The judge said to a sobbing Gray that she was "exceptionally naive and stupid" to have taken part in the plan. He told her: "You played your full part in the grotesque charade that was the 999 call whilst subjecting your dead daughter to the indignity of pointless CPR when you knew full well she had been dead for two hours." The couple even involved Ellie's younger sibling by sending the child into her room to "discover" the body on the pretext of fetching her for cake. The killing came months after the children were returned to their parents after accusations that Butler violently shook Ellie when she was seven weeks old. Butler had been found guilty of assaulting Ellie in 2007 but this was quashed on appeal. In November 2012, he was "exonerated" by a family court judge who declared a "happy ending" as she handed the children back. 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 that she would have "blood on your hands". A serious case review found the judge had handed "all the power to the parents", so Ellie's concerned teachers and other agencies were "paralysed". In 2013, Butler, who had a string of convictions for violence, was frustrated at being a stay-at-home father while graphic designer Gray was breadwinner. The jury was shown a stream of expletive-ridden text messages which showed Butler as violent towards his partner. Gray searched the internet for "urgent spells" to make Butler stop hurting her and love her again, the court heard. Ellie suffered a series of bumps to the head, which the couple put down to "clumsiness" and falling on the stairs. In October, Butler broke her shoulder bone, but neither parent sought medical treatment for the painful injury. Weeks later, she was dead. Throughout the trial, the couple put on a united front and Gray denied they lived in a "house of horrors". Butler accused authorities of bias against him because of the "miscarriage of justice" in 2007. He claimed Ellie cracked her skull by tripping on the stairs while playing with the puppy before her death. Gray admitted trying to cover for her partner, but said it was to protect an "innocent man". In a statement, Ellie's grandparents, Linda and Neal Gray, described their devastation at losing their "shining light", adding: "We did not realise that some people could be so wicked." Mrs Gray died during the course of the trial, but her estranged daughter was not told until the day of her conviction. Melissa Reid at Lima Airport with her father Billy before boarding a flight back to the UK (AP) Drug mule Melissa Reid has arrived back on home soil after spending nearly three years in jail in Peru. The 22-year-old Scot arrived at Glasgow Airport at 21:44 on Wednesday after completing the last leg of her journey to the UK from Lima. Reid, from Lenzie, East Dunbartonshire, was caught in August 2013 with 23-year-old Michaella McCollum, from Dungannon, Co Tyrone, trying to smuggle cocaine worth 1.5 million in food bags from Peru to Spain. The pair - nicknamed the "Peru Two" - were jailed for six years and eight months after admitting the offence. But a judge last month ordered Reid to be expelled from the South American country under an early release scheme for deporting first-time drug offenders. Reid, who is understood to have travelled to Scotland on a flight from Amsterdam, was accompanied by her father Billy. She did not appear before waiting media at the international arrivals area. It is understood she accepted an airside transfer. Around 24 hours earlier, Reid smiled as she arrived at Lima Airport on Tuesday evening with her father and British Embassy staff, before being whisked through security by Peruvian officials overseeing her deportation. Janeth Sanchez, a spokeswoman for Peru's prison service, said that the Scot had "served her time in prison according to the law and can now go to her country, free, to the streets". A Scottish Prison Service spokeswoman said it is not involved with Reid's case. McCollum was freed in March under new legislation but was required to remain on parole in Peru for an undisclosed period of time. The two women had initially claimed they were forced into carrying the drugs - around 24lb (11kg) of cocaine - but then pleaded guilty to the charges. McCollum and Reid faced the prospect of a maximum 15-year prison term but struck a behind-closed-doors plea bargain to secure the shorter sentence. Around nine in 10 of the 1,809 foreigners in Peru's prisons are either sentenced or awaiting trials for drug trafficking. Reid's father has previously said the impact of his daughter's crime on his family had been ''horrendous'', and spoke 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." It is understood Reid, who has served about a third of her sentence, will not have a criminal record in the UK as a result of her conviction in Peru. British astronaut Tim Peake has given a vivid account of his "really exciting ride" back to Earth and said he would return to space "in a heartbeat". Speaking at his first press conference at the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany, since leaving the International Space Station (ISS) and landing in Kazakhstan on Saturday, he told how he was "feeling fantastic". Major Peake described a series of adrenaline-pumping events, including his tiny Soyuz capsule "tumbling" in space, watching a pyrotechnic display of sparks and flames during the fiery descent through the Earth's atmosphere, and the sensation of "falling back to Earth" as the building G-force pushed him back in his seat. He also spoke of his "dream" of going to the Moon, his hope that the UK continues to fund manned space missions - and his relief at using a gravity-assisted toilet at last. The 44-year-old father-of-two returned to Earth from a six-month European Space Agency mission on the ISS with American Nasa astronaut Colonel Tim Kopra and Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko. Their "descent module" - the only part of the three-section Soyuz TMA-19M spacecraft to complete the journey - parachuted down on to a remote spot on the vast Kazakhstan steppe at 10.15am UK time on Saturday. Former helicopter test pilot Major Peake said one of the most "dynamic" moments came after undocking, when the still-orbiting Soyuz was blasted apart with explosive bolts. Major Peake said: "The spacecraft really does blow itself apart, which is really quite exciting... these pyrotechnic bolts are only a few millimetres of metal away from your ear when they go off." During separation, the crew sit in the descent module, which is just over 6ft across. The two other sections of the Soyuz are discarded and allowed to burn up in the atmosphere. From then on the capsule "tumbled" high above Earth as the crew waited to enter the atmosphere, said Major Peake. As it shot through the atmosphere, the craft's heat shield slowed it from 17,398mph to 514mph and raised the outside temperature to a scorching 1,600C. The British astronaut said he was treated to a firework display as he looked out of the window beside his head. He added: "It's great being sat next to the window because you're able to look out ... I started seeing sparks and flames coming off because all the multi-layer insulation around the spacecraft is burning away. Again, it was very exciting to see that." And describing the plunge Earthwards, the astronaut explained: "You're at almost 100km and I looked out the window, having spent six months watching planet Earth from 400km in a very controlled attitude. "To look out the window and see Earth approaching at 100km in what looked like a fairly uncontrolled attitude was really quite surprising. You get a very strong sensation that you are just falling back to the planet." Major Peake looked well and relaxed at the press conference, in contrast to the first minutes and hours after landing when he was unable to walk unaided. He said re-adjusting to Earth had been harder and taken longer than adapting to life in space, but added: "I'm feeling fantastic." The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh have a busy day of engagements planned in Liverpool The Queen visited a major business fair as she began a day of engagements in Liverpool. Accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, she toured the best of British creativity, innovation and design at the International Festival for Business, hosted by the city. The royal couple visited stands including Invest Liverpool, viewed a 125,000 BAC Mono supercar built in the city, and saw a demonstration of a robotic hand at the UK Trade and Investment display. Later, the Queen unveiled a plaque to officially open the new 66 million venue, Exhibition Centre Liverpool, and adjoining Pullman Liverpool hotel. The buildings are part of 240 million worth of development on the waterfront over the last decade, paid for through UK Government and EU funding. The Queen, wearing a peach-coloured Stewart Parvin coat with matching floral silk dress and a hat by Rachel Trevor-Morgan, also heard a medley of tunes from the Pagoda Chinese Orchestra, with Liverpool, twinned with Shanghai, keen to do business with China. Max Steinberg, chair of the International Festival for Business, in a welcome address, told the royals the event was staged to showcase British business and help firms export across the world, with 12,000 delegates attending from more than 120 countries. He added: "Your majesty, your royal highness, your presence with us today has been of immense encouragement and I know I speak on behalf of all the festival team in expressing my sincere thanks for the interest shown by your majesty, your royal highness, in the aims and objectives of this festival. "This city, my home city of Liverpool, is in my view, perfectly placed to host such an international festival on behalf of the United Kingdom. "It is a city that for hundreds of years has welcomed communities from across the globe and indeed is home to the oldest Chinese community established in Europe. "It is also true to say that music is an essential part of the DNA of our city and we have exported many of our musical talents across the world." The Chinese youth orchestra were then introduced and the royal visitors clapped after the youngsters played their brief medley. Ellie Lafferty, 11, from Prescot, Merseyside, presented the Queen with a posy of peonies and roses, before the royal party departed for the Town Hall where they will view crowds from the balcony before lunch with local dignitaries. FA president William, who attended the Euro 2016 goal-less draw in Saint-Etienne- is spending the first part of his birthday travelling back to the UK, Kensington Palace said The Queen tweets on a tablet from the white drawing room at Windsor Castle to thank everyone for their birthday messages. Photo: PA 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." 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. "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." Meanwhile, on his 34th birthday, the Duke of Cambridge woke up in France after England's frustrating draw against Slovakia. FA president William, who attended the Euro 2016 goal-less draw in Saint-Etienne- is spending the first part of his birthday travelling back to the UK, Kensington Palace said. After being reunited with his family, he will spend the rest of the day privately. Colombia president Juan Manuel Santos will travel to Cuba to unveil details of the agreement Colombia's government and leftist rebels have announced that they have reached a deal on a ceasefire that would be the last major step toward ending Latin America's oldest guerrilla war. President Juan Manuel Santos will travel to Cuba on Thursday to unveil details of the agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or Farc. UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon announced he also would be present to witness the signing of the accord. Colombia's conflict has killed more than 220,000 people and displaced millions. But a 15-year, US-backed military offensive thinned the rebels' ranks and forced its ageing leaders to the negotiating table in 2012. Momentum had been building toward a breakthrough after Mr Santos said this week that he hoped to end a half-century of bloodshed by July 20, marking Colombia's declaration of independence from Spain. But Wednesday's agreement went further than expected, removing all doubt that a final deal is around the corner. In addition to announcing a framework for the ceasefire, both sides said they agreed on how the Farc's estimated 7,000 fighters will demobilise and hand over their weapons, as well as the security guarantees that will be provided to leftist activists after the conflict ends. Negotiators in January tasked the UN with monitoring adherence to an eventual ceasefire and resolving disputes emerging from the demobilisation. "Tomorrow will be a great day," Mr Santos blasted out on Twitter. "We're working for a Colombia in peace, a dream that's beginning to become reality." The presidents of Cuba, Venezuela and Chile - the three nations sponsoring the now almost four-year-old peace talks in Havana - were also expected to attend Thursday's ceremony, and the Obama administration was sending its special envoy to the talks, former diplomat Bernard Aronson. With the latest advances, only few minor pending items remain, the biggest being how the final deal will be ratified and given legal force so that it will not unravel should a more conservative government succeed Mr Santos, who leaves office in 2018. The two sides must also settle on a mechanism for selecting judges who will preside over special peace tribunals evaluating the war crimes of guerrillas as well as the military. The peace talks have been bumpy and extended much longer than Mr Santos or anyone else anticipated. Mr Santos has vowed to put the Farc deal to a referendum vote so Colombians can express their opinion. AP Survey ship HMS Echo and a Lockheed P-3 Orion help search the southern Indian Ocean for the flight recorder from Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 which went missing in March 2014 (MoD/PA) Debris found on an Australian island has been ruled out as coming from missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, i nvestigators have said. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau was notified on June 9 that the debris had been found on Kangaroo Island off the southern Australian coast. The bureau, which is running a search for the plane in the southern Indian Ocean on Malaysia's behalf, said on Wednesday that it had been advised by Boeing, the maker of the missing plane, that it was "not consistent with the manufacturing specifications of a Boeing commercial aircraft". The bureau did not say where the debris was likely to have come from. Flight 370 vanished with 239 people on board on March 8 2014 after flying off course during a flight from Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia to Beijing in China. AP North Korea has test-fired two powerful new Musudan mid-range ballistic missiles, US and South Korean military officials have said. The launches mark the North's fifth and sixth such attempts since April. Five of those launches failed, many exploding in mid-air or crashing, while the sixth flew only about 250 miles, South Korean military chiefs said, well short of the missile's potential 2,180-mile range. The North's determination in testing the Musudan has worried diplomats in Washington, Tokyo and Seoul, because the missile's range puts much of Asia and the Pacific, including US military bases, within reach. Each new test - apparently linked to a command from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un - also provides valuable insights to the North's scientists and military officials as it pushes towards its goal of a nuclear and missile system which can threaten the US mainland. Pyongyang conducted a nuclear test, its fourth, this year, and launched a long-range rocket that outsiders say provided cover for a test of banned missile technology. In April, North Korea made an unsuccessful attempt to launch three suspected Musudan missiles, but all exploded in mid-air or crashed, according to South Korean defence officials. Earlier this month, North Korea had another suspected Musudan failure. Before April's launches, North Korea had never flight-tested a Musudan missile, although one was displayed during a military parade in 2010 in the capital, Pyongyang. 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 US-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. Meanwhile, diplomats from the US and North Korea are attending a six-nation security forum in Beijing in a rare opportunity for contact between the sides. Despite their joint attendance at Wednesday's event, the US State Department said there are no plans for direct talks between the US special representative for North Korea policy Sung Kim, and North Korea's deputy director general of its Foreign Ministry's department of US affairs, Choe Son Hui. The conference is described as a multilateral forum involving high-level policymakers, defence ministry officials, military officers and researchers from China, Japan, North and South Korea, Russia, and the United States. The nations taking part had participated in years of talks on North Korean nuclear disarmament which have been stalled since 2008, with little apparent prospect of a resumption. AP Tomorrow's vote on whether or not the UK should remain within the European Union is the most important ballot here in Northern Ireland since the referendum on the Good Friday Agreement. In essence, the same critical decision is at stake. It is about what sort of future are we going to bequeath to our children and grandchildren. The fact that the EU referendum did not really catch fire in Northern Ireland - certainly, it was conducted in a much less inflammatory and controversial manner than in England - should not undermine the importance of which way people cast their vote. It is imperative that as many people as possible in the province turn out to vote. Northern Ireland may be a peripheral region of Europe, but the electorate must weigh up the very significant role that the EU plays in all facets of our lives. It has to be conceded that the EU as currently configured is an unwieldy, undemocratic and overly bureaucratic institution that requires reform. On that the Remain and Leave camps are at one. But that is not to damn it irrevocably, and certainly not when it comes to its influence on Northern Ireland. Instead, we should look at the evidence of the benefits of EU membership to the province. In 2013/14 38,000 farmers and rural projects shared almost 350m in European funding under the Common Agriculture Policy. Agriculture and agri-foods are our biggest industries, and not only is that funding vital to those farmers who work the land, but the free movement of people throughout Europe has provided the sector with economic labour which would otherwise have been difficult to find. Northern Ireland is a province in transition, and there are encouraging signs that the political arrangements at Stormont are bedding down into a more constructive and energetic phase. While there has been debate about the impact of a Brexit vote, what is irrefutable is that European funding has played an enormously beneficial role in creating a more stable and inclusive society. The PEACE IV funds, which runs until 2020, will pump around 176m into projects throughout the province and in the border regions. While it is impossible to be empirically precise on the impact of such projects since such funding first became available in 1995, it is undeniable that it has been consistently positive, changing attitudes at a grassroots level and aiding cross-community discussion and work. Leave campaigners argue that the UK puts more into EU coffers than it receives back, and that that extra money could replace the subsidies and grants already given from Brussels. In theory, that is an appealing prospect, but it is totally untested and there is no precedent for the Treasury being over-generous, never mind matching pound for pound what previously would have come from the EU. But EU membership is not simply about handouts, but rather about a hand-up. Almost every reputable financial and economic forecasting body has come down in favour of the UK retaining EU membership. Just today, the CBI issued compelling evidence of how Northern Ireland could prosper by staying in. It said there is the potential to create 36,800 future jobs in the province. Key sectors like manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade and banking and business, which already depend heavily on the Single Market, would be strengthened by continued membership of the EU. The CBI also argued that the proposed cut in corporation tax rates makes most sense to foreign investors if Northern Ireland continues to be a gateway to the EU. Some 78% of foreign investors see this as a key attraction. It is all well and good arguing that there is a big wide world of trade outside the EU, but why does it make sense to put existing economic prosperity at risk in the hope of finding new markets - markets where we would be up against even greater competition that exists within the EU? EU membership gives us the economic stability to enable business and commerce to do trade with other regions of the world while still having access to a marketplace we know and do well in. Leaving the EU would undoubtedly make trade with our nearest neighbour, the Republic of Ireland, more difficult without any attendant benefit. Is the EU perfect? No. Does it need reform? Yes. David Cameron certainly needs to strengthen his demands, but that can only be done from within. The UK is a senior member of the EU, and its voice carries weight. A remain vote would show that Northern Ireland regards itself post-conflict as a forward-looking progressive society with a role to play within the wider Europe. It would also put an end to the debate about the break-up of the UK and reinforce our union within the UK, which has already been largely settled in any case. Leaving the EU is building hopes of greater prosperity, more stable society and a bigger role in the world on a foundation of sand. The compelling evidence points towards remaining within the EU, and that is how a majority of people in Northern Ireland should view tomorrow's poll. The decision made by UK voters in tomorrows referendum will mean that nothing will be the same again In the past few weeks, the rest of the country has discovered what it's like to be Northern Irish, as every important issue is reduced to one simple choice - in or out? Should we stay, or should we go? For us, historically, this madness was known as the "national question". For the rest of the UK right now, it's the "international question", as voters debate whether to leave, or remain part of, the European Union. The resulting paranoia and hostility is depressingly familiar, as is the absolute certainty that everyone on the other side of the argument must either be a traitor, or a fool, a liar, or a dupe. This style of debate seems to have come as a shock to British voters. Welcome to our world. The variables are too complex to compute, so we invariably turn huge questions of national identity into tug-of-war contests to see who's more Irish, more British, more wrong, more right. The bad news for our fellow citizens, as we could have warned them, is that the rancour doesn't end when you have a final answer. Whether it's Remain, or Leave, after the votes are counted tomorrow night, nothing will ever be the same again. Say it's Brexit. Not hard to imagine, with pundits and polls agreeing that the race is neck-and-neck. The first obvious change is that it will be bye, bye for David Cameron. The Prime Minister will be on the hunt for a new job, though he'd be advised to go looking for one in the City of London, rather than in Europe, where he'll be as welcome as an attack of dysentery in a diving suit as the humbled leader of the only country ever to exit the EU. To be honest, we could probably cope with a new PM, even if we are then forced to endure the unedifying spectacle of Boris Johnson and Michael Gove slogging it out to be crowned King of the Brexiteers. Whoever wins would then have the Herculean task of negotiating the best deal for Britain with 27 countries who all hate his, and our, guts, to a backdrop of meltdown in the Labour Party as swathes of traditional working-class voters rise up to hail Ukip's Nigel Farage as a saviour. Scotland, meanwhile, will be eyeing up another referendum, just as soon as someone figures out how to stop the price of North Sea oil plummeting. Northern Ireland will be in the strangest position of all. Not only are we the only ones not physically attached to the rest of the UK, and, therefore, by far the easiest to cut loose if we ever start looking like a luxury they can no longer afford, we'll also have a First Minister who - despite belonging to a party so passionately unionist that the blood runs red, white and blue when her male colleagues cut themselves shaving - came out for a Brexit which may well lead to the very break-up of the United Kingdom. As for the border, where do you start? It probably won't be as big a problem as the Remainers are claiming - good neighbours should be able to thrash out some mutually agreeable arrangement - but it wasn't meant to be a problem at all any more. Republican dissidents will be delighted that it's back and will be scrabbling to exploit any confusion around security. Smugglers may find themselves in demand again. The economy will be trickier still. With growth rates one-third lower than the rest of the UK and higher unemployment, we're not as insulated from the shocks as our compatriots. And, with a whopping 55% of our exports going to the EU, the future may quickly look ... challenging. Isn't that the word they always use to soften the blow? Of course, the bulk of those exports go south to the Irish Republic, and they wouldn't turn their backs on us, would they? Not unless Angela Merkel tells them to, that is, and European leaders will hardly be in a mood to show magnanimity. They let cancer patients in Greece suffer to punish one uppity Left-wing government. Why would they lose sleep over what they'd see as our self-inflicted woes? Overall, the Assembly's Enterprise Committee reckons that Northern Ireland could lose 1bn a year as a result of Brexit. That's better than 1bn, but it's not small potatoes. Speaking of which, the farmers will need paid regularly. The Brexiteers will no doubt promise to make up any shortfall from the cash saved by stopping our contribution to the gargantuan, bloated EU budget, but they've already pledged that money to everyone from the junior doctors to the fishermen. If all that makes your hair stand on end, it's not entirely clear that a Remain vote tomorrow will usher in a land of milk and honey, either. David Cameron may immediately face a leadership challenge from disgruntled Outers in the Tory Party. That would be petulance, but then they are politicians. Shrug off that and the PM may feel emboldened to stamp his authority on the Cabinet. That, surely, would mean a new Secretary of State, as Theresa Villiers is shuffled off to make way for a Cameron loyalist, paying the ultimate career price for having finally expressed an opinion about something (who knew she had it in her?) Perhaps Baroness Warsi, who switched sides at the start of the week to back the Remain camp, would get the job as a reward, though, as the first Muslim to hold the role, she'd face the inevitable question on arriving in Stormont - is she a Catholic Muslim, or a Protestant Muslim? Don't rule out a cull. John Major famously lambasted what the eurosceptic "b******s" in his Cabinet; Cameron, too, will know his true friends from his enemies. What's bizarre is that Arlene Foster would have positioned herself in the second category. Dr Ian Paisley may have relished his battles with Westminster, but the new DUP leader appears much less comfortable being at odds with Downing Street. Suddenly, she'd find that the new good eggs in the political basket were Martin McGuinness and Gerry Adams, who'd helped Eton boy Cameron secure his victory by campaigning for Britain to stay in the EU - despite not wanting to be part of Britain in the first place. It's surreal scenarios like these which illustrate just what a topsy turvy, Alice in Wonderland world has been thrown up by this referendum in every corner of the UK. The "national question" may turn out to have been relatively straightforward by comparison. At least we knew back then who was on what side and why. The good news is that we in Northern Ireland only make up 3% of more than 40 million voters around the country, so we're unlikely to swing it. But with the stakes so high, it's important that we back the winner. No one wants to be in the losing corner when the final bell is rung. Not least when we're the one part of the UK which is still least able to stand alone. Britain as a whole will survive and arguably thrive, whatever the verdict. But will we? Antoine Predock Whether capturing a site visited on one of his globe-trotting trips, or imagining one of his buildings, Antoine Predock's sketches trace the hand's intuitive rush across a surface, condensing a rich sensorium of perceptions and experiences into memorably succinct collations of line and color. Visitors to the Albuquerque Museum will see nearly 200 sketches, some still in their original sketchbooks, and dozens of models, some carved by hand, others digitally 3-D printed. Co-curated by Christopher Mead and Mira Woodson, Drawing Into Architecture: Sketches and Models by Antoine Predock makes a case for the continued relevance of drawings made by hand in our increasingly electronic world. The exhibition will be accompanied by a book published by University of New Mexico Press, Drawing Into Architecture: The Sketches of Antoine Predock, edited by Mead and designed by Woodson. As a student in the 1950's at the University of New Mexico, Predock regularly drifted from the architecture program (in Engineering) over to the Art Department to study with the sculptor and painter John Tatschl, and the painters Elaine De Kooning and Walter Kulhman. These artists showed Predock how seeing and making ran together in a dialogue between visuality and materiality mediated by the human body: as De Kooning explained at the time, "painting to me is primarily a verb, not a noun, an event first and only secondarily an image." Carved by hand with a knife, in place of a drawing's pen or brush, Predock's clay models use a sculptural material to painterly effect, shaping form and space into planes of solid and void. On Saturday, June 25, Drawing Into Architecture opens to the public with a visit from the architect himself. At 1 p.m., the public is invited to attend a discussion between guest curator Christopher Mead and Antoine Predock. Other events on opening day include: 1-4pm. Family Art Activity: Create your own art inspired by Antoine Predock's work. 2-5pm. Art in the Afternoon: featuring music by New Mexican Marimba Band. All events are included with the price of admission. Albuquerque Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 5pm, closed Mondays. General Admission - New Mexico residents: Adults and Teens $3, Seniors $2, Children $1. General Museum admission is free every Sunday from 9am-1pm, from 9am-5pm on the first Wednesday of every month, and from 5-8pm on the 3rd Thursday evening of every month. Fees for special exhibits and events still apply on free times. For more information, call Albuquerque Museum at 243-7255. The argument that the EU and its predecessor, the EEC, have prevented war in Europe is completely spurious. You might as well claim that the Commonwealth has prevented a war between Australia and New Zealand. What conceivable reason has there been for a war in post-war Western Europe, between who and about what? In particular, post-war Western Germany emerged as a peaceful democracy, which acknowledged the terrible things done in her name under National Socialism and tried to make amends. The post-war military threat to Western Europe came from the Soviet Union and her Warsaw Pact allies and it was Nato, which included countries not in the EEC/EU, which countered this threat. The EEC/EU was irrelevant to the military situation. But the EU certainly failed to stop the bitter ethnic wars that ravaged former Yugoslavia when that state disintegrated. SEAN BRADLEY By email Nattawut Saikeau, a leader of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship speaks to reporters at the Army Club in Bangkok, May 19, 2016. With less than two months left until Thailand holds a controversial constitutional referendum, a spokesman for the Thai junta Wednesday defended its move to prevent the political opposition from monitoring the Aug. 7 vote. The NCPO needs to keep the peace and take care of the people, therefore the former politicians and other political parties must be careful to not stir up the already calm situation, Col. Piyapong Klinpan, a spokesman for the National Council for Peace and Order the juntas formal name told BenarNews. Despite comments from international bodies, the NCPO still needs to keep [strict] measures, he said in a phone interview. Piyapong was referring to a statement issued late Tuesday by Human Rights Watch (HRW), which criticized Thailands military-controlled government for forcibly blocking efforts by the opposition to scrutinize the upcoming vote through establishing referendum-monitoring centers nationwide. The U.S.-based global rights watchdog cited a recent public comment by Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha, who warned that anybody monitoring support for the proposed charter could be arrested or tried before a military court. Prayuths government this week stopped a plan by the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) to set up referendum-monitoring centers across the country. On Sunday, Thai police raided the UDDs headquarters in Bangkok and cancelled a ceremony to inaugurate the monitoring campaign, according to media reports. The UDD is a political faction associated with the Red Shirts, who are aligned with the Pheu Thai party of former prime ministers Thaksin Shinawatra and Yingluck Shinawatra. Thaksin was deposed in a military coup in 2006, and his sister Yingluck was toppled by a coup led by Prayuth two years ago. In its statement, HRW called on Thailand to put an immediate stop to arbitrary restrictions on free expression, permit open discussion of the draft constitution, and ensure a fair referendum. The Thai junta is using threats and intimidation to bludgeon people into supporting a constitution that would prolong military rule, said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. The generals expect the Thai people to just shut up, obey their orders, and approve their draft constitution without any discussion or debate. Human Rights Watch also urged the United Nations and Thailands allies to intervene over the issue. The U.N. and Thailands friends around the world should publicly make clear to Bangkok that they will only recognize a referendum that meets international standards, Adams said. A free and fair referendum affecting Thailands future cant be held when the rights of people to speak and exchange their views is suppressed. In the run-up to the referendum, the junta has also imposed a ban on criticism of the proposed charter through a new law that prohibits misleading or rude speech related to the issue. On June 1, the office of the Thai Ombudsman announced that it was asking Thailands Constitutional Court to rule whether the new law Section 61 in particular was unconstitutional. The court has yet to issue a ruling on the matter. The referendum in early August will be the first time that Thais will be going to the polls since the military seized power in May 2014. They will be voting on a proposed constitution, which has drawn criticism from at home and aboard, because a yes vote in the referendum would allow the junta to hand-pick all 250 members of the Thai Senate, including six officers from the militarys top brass thus consolidating its control over government in Thailand, according to critics. A boy holds a box of Legos that he picked up from the toy section at the Ramadan Garage Giveaway program, June 19, 2016 [Afif Adree/BenarNews]. A Rohingya girl sits on a sack of rice and holds a stuffed toy animal given to her at MyWelfares Ramadan garage program, June 19, 2016 [Afif Adree/BenarNews]. Due to the overwhelming crowd of refugees, a Rohingya women and her children have to wait outside the offices of MyWelfare, June 19, 2016 [Afif Adree/BenarNews]. A Rohingya boy eyes a loaf of bread being offered to him as he emerges from the building with a sack of rice, June 19, 2016 [Afif Adree/BenarNews]. A woman chooses clothes being given away to refugees by Malaysian NGO MyWelfare at its offices in Selayang, June 19, 2016. [Afif Adree/BenarNews] Rohingya refugees wait outside the Selayang offices of Malaysian NGO MyWelfare, as it opens its doors for its Ramadan Garage Giveaway program, June 19, 2016. [Afif Adree/BenarNews] In Malaysia, the holy month of Ramadan is known for its spirit of giving and sharing. Everyone from ordinary folks to employees and managers at companies spread this spirit in the majority Muslim nation by providing less fortunate people, such as orphans and homeless citizens, meals with which to break their daily fasts. Now, several Malaysian NGOs and individuals are shifting the focus of their Ramadan-time charity to refugees. This week, the Malaysian International Welfare and Humanitarian Organization (MyWelfare), a local NGO, opened its doors to some 500 Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar, who have fled religious persecution in that country and are among 151,560 refugees and asylum seekers registered in Malaysia, according to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). During weekends in Ramadan, MyWelfare gives away food, clothes and toys to refugees through its Ramadan Garage Giveaway program. On June 19, hundreds of Rohingya refugees, who are not housed by UNHCR but live in the Kuala Lumpur area and hold refugee cards issued by the U.N. agency, converged on the offices of MyWelfare in the K.L. suburb of Selayang to reap the blessings of the NGOs generosity. The idea is to help refugees meet their most basic needs during the month of fasting and the Eid ul-Fitr holiday that marks the end of Ramadan, MyWelfare community advisor Ustaz Rafik told BenarNews. The main objective of the organization is to facilitate all refugees, not only the Rohingya refugees. Everyone is welcome, he said. 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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Please click here to update your email address if you wish to receive notifications. Otherwise, you may click here to disable notifications and hide this message. For Immediate Release, June 22, 2016 Contact: Kristen Monsell, (510) 844-7137, kmonsell@biologicaldiversity.org Unprecedented Offshore Fracking Threatens Alaska's Endangered Belugas Federal Officials Urged to Halt Oil Companys Dangerous Plan to Frack Cook Inlet ANCHORAGE, Alaska The Center for Biological Diversity today urged federal officials to block an oil companys plans to drill multiple new wells and conduct the first large, multistage offshore fracking ever done in Alaskas environmentally sensitive Cook Inlet. In a letter to the National Marine Fisheries Service, the Center noted that the unprecedented offshore fracking planned for this summer threatens Cook Inlet beluga whales among the most endangered whales in the world. BlueCrest Energys plan for what it calls a huge multistage frack would be the first project of its kind in the inlet, according to state oil regulators and the company itself. Fracking in Cook Inlet threatens beluga whales and their prey due to the toxic chemicals used in fracking fluid, read the Centers letter. The company needs a permit from the agency to legally conduct oil and gas activities in the Inlet. Cook Inlet belugas already face a barrage of man-made hazards threatening their survival the last thing they need is offshore fracking, said Kristen Monsell, a Center attorney. If federal officials are truly committed to saving these incredible animals, they need to step in and prohibit oil companies from fracking Cook Inlet. Offshore fracking blasts vast volumes of water mixed with toxic chemicals beneath the seafloor at pressures high enough to fracture rocks and release oil and gas. The practice increases environmental damages beyond those of conventional oil drilling by increasing pollution and the risks of oil spills and earthquakes. Cook Inlet belugas are especially vulnerable to these threats through direct exposure and through the killing or harming of their prey. New technologies, including horizontal drilling, have led to the widespread use of fracking in the lower 48 states. Fracking proliferation has come with a host of problems, including groundwater contamination, air pollution that makes people sick, earthquakes and spills of toxic chemicals that killed fish and other wildlife. So far there have been only a few small, fracture stimulations in the Inlet; fracking using horizontal drilling has never before been used there. The Centers letter urged the Fisheries Service to conduct a thorough review of the environmental impacts of offshore fracking and its effect on the survival and recovery of Cook Inlet belugas. It argued that such review should lead to a decision to forbid the company from using fracking during its operations in the Inlet. The only way to truly protect Cook Inlet belugas from the risks of offshore fracking is to prohibit this toxic technique, Monsell said. Fracking is inherently dangerous and has no place in the Inlet or other fragile ocean ecosystems. At least 10 fracking chemicals routinely used in offshore fracking in other states could kill or harm a broad variety of marine species, including sea otters and fish, Center scientists have found. Other scientists have identified some common fracking chemicals to be among the most toxic in the world to marine animals. Of the five genetically unique beluga populations in Alaska, Cook Inlet belugas number the fewest. The species is under great duress from the industrialization of their habitat near Anchorage. In recent years the population has plummeted from approximately 1,300 to just over 300 whales. 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. Ann Nurock at Cannes spoke with Nicola Mendelsohn, Facebook VP of Europe, Middle East and Africa, about the need for creative collaboration, especially in the mobile world. With users spending almost an hour a day on average on platforms such as Instagram and Facebook, mobile creativity has never been more important. Nurock: Facebook has huge presence at Cannes, what are your primary reasons for coming here? Mendelsohn: As you know our mission is to make the world more open and connected so that people can come and share more. But actually here at Cannes its all about creativity, and what were seeing more and more is that when people come together, thats where you really unlock creativity in a digital age. Nurock: Facebook is hiring a lot of creatives at the moment. What are your motives behind that? Mendelsohn: Within Facebook we have something called the Creative Shop, which is a collection of people from around the world who have been creative directors or creative strategists, so theyre coming together to really hack on our platforms to truly understand how you can do creativity at scale, in new ways and on mobile. One of the things weve been doing at Cannes this week is unveiling a whole new suite of things were doing for creative agencies. So were building a creative hub, an interface where agencies can go on and see what theyre work will look like on mobile. As you know people are spending on average 50 minutes a day on Facebook and Instagram, so creative agencies need to know what theyre work looks like and how they can experiment. Its also a place where different people can come together and collaborate, and thats one of the main things were saying here this year people need to work together to produce great creative in the mobile world. What were also doing is providing insights from all the incredible data we have from Facebook to have right at the beginning of the creative process, so creatives can come and learn about people in different ways that can inspire them to make amazing new work. Then of course we have some incredible new products - last year Chris Cox had this vision for this new type of mobile format, and thats called Canvas which we only launched a few months ago, and weve already seen 100 years of time spent in the product. Nurock: Explain what Canvas is Mendelsohn: Canvas is a way of bringing together everything we know on what people love about mobile, its immersive, it uses video, it uses text. Its a format where you can spend time, it opens up like a Pandoras Box you can use it for a brand or performance message. If you havent tried it and youre at a creative agency, experiment with it because people love spending time on it. Nurock: What are some of the implications for Africa? Mendelsohn: One of the products for creative agencies that came out of our trips to Africa is Slideshow. If youre in an area which doesnt have great bandwidth or only a 2G connection and you still what to be able to tell a story through video, what Slideshow does is bring together still images to make it look as though its moving. Were seeing huge engagement and take-up, interestingly not only in Africa but all over the world, and its expanded to over 100 countries. It was developed with the emerging markets in mind, but it can be used anywhere. We saw a great example of Coca-Cola using Slideshow to tell their stories and connect with people and theyre seeing great results as well. Nurock: Tell us more about how Facebook is really helping small businesses succeed in both Africa and around over the world Mendelsohn: When Ive been in different parts of the world, its wonderful to see how small and big businesses can come together and use the same tools on Facebook, so what were really seeing is a democratisation of marketing. It was never possible before for the mom and pop who had a corner business to be able to do the same marketing as the worlds biggest advertisers. Today we have over 3 million advertisers on the Facebook platform and the thing that inspires me every day is that theyre growing their businesses thanks to connecting with customers all over the world. Its a really humbling thing to see. Nurock: How has business been in Africa? Mendelsohn: We launched in Africa about a year ago and its fantastic to have Nunu Ntshingila as our head of Africa, who will be talking at Cannes this week about connectivity and bringing the world together, and focusing on people who really appreciate and care about creativity in the mobile world. We are called for such a time as this. More people on the planet own mobile phones than toothbrushes. These levels of mobile technology adoption have created the ability for people that were previously excluded to be part and parcel of local and global business. This may range from accessing financial services to education and even broader opportunities in commerce. This inclusion has forced traditional businesses to re-think their business models and imagine them in a new context. The wholesale inclusion of people through mobile technology coupled with the disruptive spirit by which companies that are forward-thinking are surviving, makes for really exciting changes in the world today. Our continent requires wholesale leadership changes. We now have seven of the fastest growing economies in the world on our continent. Our economies are undergoing severe accelerations and external pressures to produce and compete simultaneously. Global businesses are looking to African economies for opportunities and companies that they can partner with or acquire to realise the Africa Opportunity. We need leaders that will meet this opportunity head on with the interests of Africa at the centre of their thought process and decision-making. The South African digital industry is no different and continues to face diversity challenges in building representative and inclusive workforces. The talent pool has been made that much smaller by the globalisation of the workforce and the mobility of the younger generations. Skills acquisition continues to hamper the talent pool that show promise and where the skill exists, we still have to master the sharing process that leads to scalable value sharing. I also believe that we need to materially enhance the quality of conversation between clients (brands), agencies and industry bodies. We are not exempt from external forces as the volatility in the foreign exchange rates and the downstream impact thereof impacts on ability to acquire sufficient inventory without material depreciation over time. Although there are many things to consider, I think it is increasingly important to address the black elephant in the room when it comes to the South African digital industry. We are not in a position to skirt around the need for wholesale transformation and the reasons why this kind of transformation is vital to the industry. Stating the obvious. But someone has to do it. Let me start by telling you a few things that you know (or at least should know). Most black South Africans and most Africans in particular remain severely disadvantaged compared to white South Africans. The numbers tell us that 4% of adult Africans have a tertiary qualification; 25% of white South Africans do. We have seen this statistic lived out in the media and social spaces as young students fight for their right to education. When they take to the streets they do so to address this skew and crippling education scenario faced by most young South Africans. Throughout the South African economy 70% of top managers and 59% of senior managers are white. White senior management structures will unintentionally preserve the status quo and while I choose to believe that this is not always intentional, it is a reality it is human nature. The unemployment rate among Africans is 28.8%; among white people it is 5.9%. This, once again is a result of many years of disadvantage. White families can easily find employment for their children, nieces and nephews; the same doesnt apply for black kids of the same age. In South Africa, 16% of Africans live in extreme poverty and regularly suffer hunger; 99.9% of white South Africans are better off than that. Even those in South Africa that may go on to become successful still have residual memory in their lived experience and the people close to them. This is nearly impossible to truly quantify, but is a material reality that compounds the social status of most South Africans. Diversity is the destination. Transformation is the journey. So, my belief is that we are all in this together and the key question is much like I am challenging you, how would you challenge your colleagues in the industry to promote transformation? For one, I think we should stop spending time trying to figure out ways of crooking our way around the imperative and need to transform. All that energy needs to be repurposed and focused such that we spend time solving for diversity. Starting the journey is difficult, but if we begin with something simple and iterate as we gain in confidence and understanding, the probability of success is that much higher. A very practical way of uncovering some of our bias is to encourage external interaction as much as possible and engage contrarian conversations. Yes, go ahead and speak to some people who would benefit from transformation. Speak to their peers and understand their challenges. Then go ahead and engage in contrarian conversations, listen, learn and then start applying your mind to how you can affect transformation The digital revolution has given every person on the planet the ability to change the world. What we do with that responsibility is up to us. My plea to every one of you today is that you absolutely have a responsibility to dream big and push generational boundaries. You need to endeavor to dream about a world of freedom, inclusion and prosperity. But in your quest to change the world change Africa first, change South Africa first, change your business first and change yourself first. Transformation absolutely does not mean that there is no place for white staff or that white South Africans cannot expect to enjoy the rewards due to hard work and to skill. What it means is that all of us black and white must do everything we can to create a demographically normal society in which everyone has a fair opportunity to succeed. Masiye Phambili. To build this better world for future generations of South Africans a little patience and a degree of sacrifice is required from all of us. This is not an extraordinary burden, however mature and responsible leadership is required to carefully plan for the future, in so doing exercise self-restraint and sure-footed leadership towards the common goal of a diverse and inclusive digital industry. About the IAB South Africa: The Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB) South Africa, formerly the DMMA, is an independent, voluntary, non-profit association focussed on growing and sustaining a vibrant and profitable digital industry in South Africa. The IAB South Africa represents the digital industry across all sectors including the media, the marketing community, government, and the public, and also acts as the channel through which international bodies can enter the South African digital market. The IAB South Africa currently represents over 200 members including online publishers, creative, media and digital agencies, brands, and educators, between them accounting for more that 28 million local unique browsers, and 887 206 168 page impressions. The IAB South Africa strives to provide members with a platform through which they can engage, interact, and address digital issues of common interest, thereby stimulating learning and commerce within the South African digital space. To find out more about the IAB South Africa, visit its website, like its Facebook page and follow @iab_sa on Twitter. The Europas Startup Conference and Awards by TechCrunch to celebrate Europe's brightest and best tech companies, has honoured Jorn Lyseggen, the founder and CEO of Meltwater, with The Europa Hall of Fame award. Founded in 2009, The Europas are the premier awards for Europes hottest tech startups. While it concentrates on the newest companies on the scene, it also brings together the mid and late stage technology startups. It is an editorially driven, independent awards, judged by the technology community itself. The awards celebrate the most forward-thinking, progressive and innovative tech companies across over 20 categories. Speaking on receiving the award, Jorn Lyseggen, said: It is an absolute honour to be recognised by The Europas organised by the leading technology media property TechCrunch. Awards like these are an inspiration for technology entrepreneurs like me to achieve more and foster an entrepreneurial culture. Currently the CEO and founder of Meltwater, Jorn Lyseggen started his career as a research scientist in artificial intelligence and has two patents to his credit. He is an experienced entrepreneur with four start-ups, two trade sales and one IPO under his belt. With only $15k in starting capital he grew Meltwater to the global leader in news and social media intelligence. Meltwater gives organisations sharp, fresh insight into their markets and customers, helping them to understand the dynamics shaping modern business while giving them the tools they need to compete and is headquartered in San Francisco with 50 offices, 1000+ employees, and 23k+ corporate clients on six continents. Under Jorn's direction, Meltwater wrote European copyright law in a landmark CJEU and UK Supreme Court ruling against the UK Newspaper Licensing Agency (NLA) in 2014. This ruling was later ratified by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) and secured the citizens of all EU countries the right to browse the internet freely without the threat of breaching copyright law. Jorn also founded the non-profit Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST) in Ghana in 2008. MEST is a school, a seed fund, and an incubator and was designed to provide training and mentoring to young African tech entrepreneurs. MEST has been recognised by Fast Company as one of the Top 10 Most Innovative Companies in Africa (2015) and is regularly featured in international media such as CNN, BBC, Al Jazeera, Forbes, and TechCrunch. About Meltwater Meltwater helps companies make better, more informed decisions based on insights from the outside. We believe that business strategy will be increasingly shaped by insights from online data. Organisations will look outside, beyond their internal reporting systems to a world of data thats constantly growing and changing. Our customers use these insights to make timely decisions based on real time analysis. More than 23,000 companies use the Meltwater media intelligence platform to stay on top of billions of online conversations, extract relevant insights, and use them to strategically manage their brand and stay ahead of their competition. With 50 offices on 6 continents, Meltwater is dedicated to personal, global service built on local expertise. Please contact: Adele Coelho, Head of Marketing, India, Middle East & Africa Email: moc.retawtlem@ohleoc.eleda Website: www.meltwater.com/za Small, medium and micro-sized enterprises (SMMEs) in the grocery retail sector are reaping the rewards of big investments by dominant players in the industry, such as Massmart and Pick n Pay. A Game store, operated by Massmart, in Rosebank, Johannesburg.Picture: Sunday Times In the 2015-16 financial year, Pick n Pay spent more than R40bn on South African suppliers, with 94% of its fresh-food products procured from local suppliers. The companys spend on SMMEs quadrupled in 2015 and expenditure on broad-based black economic empowerment businesses rose more than 39.2% to R33bn, with a particular focus on women-owned businesses. On Tuesday, Pick n Pay disclosed that it had chosen 24 finalists in its #BoostyourBiz competition, from a pool of 540 aspirant entrepreneurs and potential suppliers. The winning businesses will be guaranteed direct access to Pick n Pays retail shelves. This includes preferential trading and payment terms, packaging development and design. This also includes guidance and continuing expert advice in all aspects of business such as financial planning, strategy, mentorship and distribution, to ensure their sustainability. Massmart, through is supplier development fund, will have spent in excess of R200m by the end of 2017 on SMMEs who are either already on its books or are potential suppliers to the company. Preference but not exclusivity is given to black-owned and women-owned businesses. The government expects SMMEs and co-operatives to provide more than 707,000 jobs per year, according to the National Development Plan. Challenges for local businesses in the retail industry include high production costs, which often make it cheaper for big grocers to import, along with poor productivity and labour relations. Other constraints are high raw material costs, insufficient expertise, insufficient innovation to satisfy customer demand and a lack of particular products. Over the last six years, Rock Girl has grown from a small grassroots art and education programme for girls to become the charity of choice for South African artists and designers committed to creating a safer South Africa for all. The Rock Girl Safe Spaces campaign, launched in August 2010, has seen designers like Laurie Wiid van Heerden, Atang Tshikare, Mokena Makeka, Lovell Friedman, and the late Paul du Toit create one-of-a-kind public benches around the city. Rock Girl has also successfully advocated for the construction of a new school in Manenberg for 800 learners, and, most recently, organised a 35km pan-community run from Khayelitsha to Cape Town to bridge the divide between communities and raise awareness about the need for safe spaces in every part of the Cape Town. Picture: Supplied Following the success of the Safe Spaces campaign, which saw the installation of 55 Safe Space public benches around Cape Town, in 2015 Rock Girl embarked on a series of road trips around South Africa. High school girls were trained as journalists and photographers, and travelled over 2,000km to document the stories of girls and women on radio and film and explore their own country, returning home with a new lens on their lives. On 29 and 30 July the Southern Guild Gallery will host the inaugural Brave exhibition and auction and awards dinner, featuring photographs, artwork, poetry, and stories collected by Rock Girl youth reporters and photographers, who live on the front lines of some of the most dangerous, under-served communities in the country. Auction dinner At the auction dinner on Saturday, 30 July, artists and designers, along with luminaries from across South Africa, will come together to raise funds to support Rock Girls 2016 road trips and ongoing work to ensure safe spaces for girls, and everyone. At the event, the first Brave mobile studio will be unveiled (a partnership with Greenpop) and three Brave awards will be given to a teenage girl, a woman, and an organisation or business that demonstrates a commitment to creating a culture of non-violence. After a dinner created by Karen Dudley and her team at The Kitchen, Southern Guild will host an auction of one-of-a-kind pieces created by well-known artists and designers, including Brave earrings by Kirsten Goss, a Brave bench by Lionel Smit and Laurie Wiid van Heerden, an exclusive Brave piece from Pichulik, bespoke safaris from Wilderness Safaris and Singita, and a weekend at a Perfect Hideaways retreat. In addition, a Brave pop-up shop will offer limited-edition necklaces, T-shirts, scarves and more by South African designers. The highlight of the night will be the launch of the Brave accreditation for businesses. Criteria for Brave accreditation will be announced and at least two businesses will receive the first official accreditation, with invitations open to businesses across South Africa opening in late 2016. Fundraising event On Friday, 29 July, teenagers from across Cape Town will be invited to the Southern Guild Gallery for a fundraising event targeted at youths. Rock Girls from Manenberg, Gugulethu, Elsies River, Khayelitsha and Goodwood will mingle with learners from schools across the Western Cape, discussing strategies to end violence in general, and, specifically, to end gender-based violence. To find out more about the event, go to www.rockgirlsa.org or contact India Baird on +27 (0) 82 734 4569 or indiaviva@earthlink.net or Ruby Schalit on +27 (0) 82 729 5336. STOCKHOLM - Swedish fashion brand Hennes and Mauritz (H&M) said on Wednesday an unusually cool European spring kept shoppers away, depressing profits in the three months to May. Net earnings fell 17% to 5.36bn kronor (575m euros, $648m) in the period, the second quarter of the company's financial year, as a strong dollar added a layer to its problems, which also included low sales prices and high investment costs. "The sales increase in March and April was significantly below our plan. "These two months were negatively affected by cold spring weather in many of our markets," H&M chief executive Karl-Johan Persson said. This mostly affected big European markets Germany, Britain and France. The month of May had been much more promising, Persson added. "It has been a challenging half-year for fashion retail in many markets," he said. Expressed in local currencies across the world, H&M group sales rose by five percent in the second quarter, but only by two percent once they were converted into Swedish kronor, the company's reporting currency. The retailer's operating margin slipped to 14.8% from 18.2% in the same period a year earlier. H&M shares eased slightly in early Stockholm stock market trading to 250.40 kronor, a decline of 0.1%. Not many 28 year olds have achieved what Nigeria's Obinwanne Okeke has. Not only does he run a successful company spanning five African countries, but he has graced the cover of Forbes Africa, in their "30 under 30 people to watch in 2016" feature. Master of his fate Named after Nelson Mandelas favourite poem by William Ernest Henley, his company, Invictus Group comprises construction, oil and gas and agricultural development interests, operating in South Africa, Nigeria, Uganda, Zambia and Botswana. Like the man in the Invictus poem, Okeke says he is the master of his fate and captain of his soul whatever the weather. I became an entrepreneur because of a dream. I say that because I have known from a very young age that all I needed was to dream and work towards it. Biggest risk He started his first business enterprise at 14, but then being the youngest of 17 children does tend make a person resilient and willing to take chances. The biggest risk was investing my whole life savings in a business that was at that time very risky and had no guarantees. This ability to take risks has paid off. Today he has 28 permanent and 100 part time employees across nine companies. Many hands, without dropping the ball Okeke explains that rather than focusing on one industry, he has kept his business interests diverse as it presents more opportunities. We are consistently filling in the gaps that we identify as viable in the markets within which we operate. Our approach is to have as many hands in as many interests as possible and whilst doing this, ensuring that we dont drop the ball in any area - this is definitely one of the many keys to our success story. Solving the continents problems What he loves the most about his job is the flexibility. I am currently working out of my Johannesburg site office in South Africa, while skyping my main office in Abuja. I could be working out of any country or continent at any time. This is the most exciting part of my job and also the possibility of meeting interesting young people full of ideas to solve our continents problems, says Okeke His advice to young entrepreneurs out there, wanting to start out. Start a business now! Do it now! Dont wait for tomorrow. Giving back Okeke spends a lot of time shaking hands and making life-changing decisions in boardrooms across the world, but his humble beginnings keep him grounded and inspire him to give back. My foundation; Invictus Foundation initially started off as a personal charity project. I do work with the Zandspruit informal settlement in Honeydew, Johannesburg and make sure that they receive some aid, says Okeke. His hard work has paid off, but most importantly, to him, was buying his mother a house. This is my most proud achievement to date, because of the happiness I see in her face whenever she talks about the comfort in her own house. She has been a huge source of inspiration for me as I went through life and being able to do that for her will always top everything else. Is he a billionaire yet? Soon, he says. The whole payment mechanism space is evolving, and Innovation is not about cool gimmicks, but rather creating a meaningful internal and external environment, says new head of FNB Innovation, Yolande Steyn. Yolande Steyn Getting staff thinking Innovation is at the heart of FNBs DNA. Internally there has been a massive cultural shift, and we are creating a safe space to teach staff to innovate. The FNB Innovators programme has rewarded staff with over R42m in prizes since its inception in 2004. All types of innovation require a degree of independence, so that people can work in a specific way without having to worry about the constraints of red tape. We want our people to think and act differently. We want them to be able to change the status quo. The innovation strategy serves as an incentive for entrenching a philosophy of entrepreneurship among our staff and enables ideas that make a difference, so we can efficiently serve our customers, she explains. Steyn says the bank has introduced several learning opportunities for staff, both in the real world and through TED-type broadcasts on the company intranet, which have had a tremendous uptake. Seconds after we announce a learning session, all the spots are taken up. FNB CEO, Jacques Celliers, adds: There is no rule book, and a lot of what change is all about is allowing people to make mistakes. Getting small businesses off the ground There is a lot of innovation going on in the engine room, but often ideas have to be parked, because the environment isn't quite ready for them to be introduced, he says. About 80% of start-ups in South Africa fail in their first year. Yet small businesses are seen as a catalyst for growth and development. Hence, the importance of supporting these businesses cannot be understated, so Celliers says, FNB is re-engineering its whole approach to small business. The result is the Instant range of business solutions, which has approximately 102,000 customers. The free service allows fledgling businesses to open a business account, do their CIPC (Companies and Intellectual Property Commission) registration and BEE certification, all online, as well as providing accounting and invoicing systems. FNB also supports a number of incubator programmes to help start-ups get off the ground. Other innovations Other customer-focused innovations include the FNB Connect sim card, which has 200,000 subscribers and the eWallet, which has 6,7m users who transact R1,4bn every month, Celliers says. And while bank branches seem to becoming a relic of the past, in FNBs case, they are being reinvented. Celliers explains that cash-accepting ATMs can accept bulk cash and coins, with the record being R222,000 being counted and deposited in 93 seconds. But, he says, roll-outs are staggered because the needs of clients differ across the country. A client in Matatiele isnt looking for the same thing in banking services as someone in Sandton. In a prolonged period of economic, political and regulatory uncertainty, long-term saving is more vital than ever, but the cocktail of global pressures raises questions about the future of investment as we know it. A new report from KPMG, Evolving Investment Management Regulation, indicates that there is a multitude of opportunities for investment managers, but the sector is under pressure on transparency, technology, communication and costs. The industry risks losing out unless it fundamentally reviews the way it builds products. Governments across the globe have an urgent need to encourage serious long-term consumer saving. Investment will form the bedrock for much of that reform, but while firms struggle to address legacy issues like fund charges and distribution processes, they risk falling behind on product innovation and choice. Meanwhile, fintech companies develop simple, transparent and innovative products with increasing rapidity. Justin Chait, partner at KPMG in South Africa, says: The financial regulatory environment in South Africa is in the midst of significant change, with very important and extensive regulatory reforms planned for the next few years. An overarching theme for the regulatory changes in the South African financial services sector is market conduct aimed at consumer protection. Owing to this, many investment management firms are critically evaluating their products and operating models, impacted by a new era of changing regulation and customer needs. The demographics in Africa, which include a younger population and rising middle class, the increasing demand for infrastructure development and government initiatives to increase the savings pool are positive macro-economic factors that support the investment management industry. Investment managers that are truly customer-centric, and that are agile enough to embrace new technologies as well as adapt to new regulations, will be well placed to succeed in the new customer era. According to Phumla Vilakazi, the acting CEO of the Agribusiness Development Agency (ADA), Africa has been identified as a sleeping economic giant in terms of its resource potential wherein one component is the presence of fertile soils and conducive climate for agricultural purposes. Agriculture has the capability to transform the agricultural landscape if all the African countries can work together towards providing support to farmers. Phumla Vilakazi We all need to put our heads together in addressing challenges faced by this sector and provide much-needed solutions as a collective. With the right strategies, it is possible to win this economic war and eradicate the twin problems of poverty and food crisis currently ravaging the African continent. ADA is a public entity that was established to act as a one-stop-shop to assist entrant black commercial farmers who have acquired land through the Governments land Reform Programme and on a private basis. However, the entity has recently undertaken a strategic review process which resulted in the change in its strategic focus. This was mainly due to the need to align its services with that of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD.) In the medium to long term, the organisations service delivery model will evolve with a suite of agribusiness support products and services supporting a broad range of entrepreneurs through investments (in hard and soft infrastructure) and support systems. We seek to promote, establish, facilitate and support the growth of black-owned and managed agricultural enterprises along agricultural value chains in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) through partnerships with individuals, communities, the private sector and other public sector institutions in order to achieve a transformed agribusiness sector in KZN, Vilakazi says. These product and service categories are: Project management: Manage the implementation of high impact agro-processing projects in KZN from planning to handover, act as an implementing agency for complex agribusiness projects on behalf of other government departments in KZN. Agribusiness facilitation services: These include connecting agribusiness entrepreneurs to information, innovations, technologies and markets Infrastructure development: Manage the development of agro-processing infrastructure and investment in physical capital Knowledge and information services: These include design and dissemination of agribusiness models, agribusiness training modules, and business leadership development Agribusiness market infrastructure services: These include agri-business capacity and systems development and investments in infrastructure. Financial resources mobilisation: Package bankable projects and assist them to access development finance, public and private funding as well as investments Providing agribusiness support to land reform beneficiaries Our mandate is to provide agribusiness support services to entrant black commercial farmers who have acquired land through the government's Land Reform Programme, and on a private basis. In that regard, we were initially conceived as part of a strategy to implement and coordinate intergovernmental support for the Land Reform Programme in the KZN province. Specifically, we anticipated the agency to be a special purpose vehicle to coordinate government support to land reform beneficiaries. We positioned ourselves to resuscitate as well as develop commercial agriculture in the province. Through this agency, we were able to increase the value of farms owned by black commercial farmers, reduce the number of farms being repossessed as well as deal with the declining local economies of many rural towns that relied on commercial agriculture for their livelihoods. We have since reviewed our mandate and shifted our strategic focus to agro-processing. The year 2016/17 is the first year of implementing of our five-year strategic plan which we recently tabled at the Legislature. Vilakazi says, Our interventions have changed the agricultural landscape in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. Although our Provincial footprint is very limited because of limited funding, we have made great strides in achieving our mandate. Before our interventions, some of the land reform beneficiaries were facing the challenge of getting financial assistance because they were often illiterate and poor. Some were in a dire situation taking into consideration that these financial institutions require security prior to providing funding which they lacked. In addition to that, some of these land reform farms were on the verge of being repossessed by the banks because of debt. Providing funding to these beneficiaries improved their agribusinesses and welfare. This funding enabled the beneficiaries to gain access to markets through capacity building programmes. Training on basic market principles (e.g., market and price search, bargaining and negotiation, contracts, etc.) business and financial management, farm records. Interventions lead to improved livelihoods and production It had been beneficial to our beneficiaries. They are now able to produce high-quality products at the required market quantities. The stories of success and hope are indeed many. There is overwhelming consensus among our farmers that the ADAs interventions have improved their livelihoods. Evidence from our Planning, Monitoring & Evaluation Reports indicated that some farmers talked about improved food security, highlighting that they have never slept on an empty stomach in the last two years. Others were developmental in their outlook, indicating that the money that they have raised from selling their produce in the informal and formal market has been used to pay schools fees for their children and buying additional farming equipment. Whereas the farmers received little to no income from their farming activities, being beneficiaries of the project has resulted in them being market-oriented and raising incomes from farming activities. The positive attitude and optimism towards farming is linked to the confidence in their skills (farming techniques, marketing, value addition, etc.) that they received from us. We have managed to turn around ailing farms including dairies, piggeries, grain farms, vegetable farms and livestock farms from zero production levels to a position where they are able to consistently supply the market. We have linked them to markets. The success and effectiveness of the ADA have been determined by the extent to which it achieved its objectives or outcomes. The number of farmers trained has been exceeded over the five years suggesting a successful capacity building programme. We have empowered our farmers in both hard skills (such as farming techniques, business, and marketing techniques, etc.) and soft skills (such as group and social cohesion, rights, influencing policies, etc.) Our interventions have resulted in increased welfare through improved levels of production and productivity, greater business management and marketing skills, sharing of knowledge, as well as increased market participation. The Association of Meat Importers and Exporters of SA (Amie) said on Tuesday it does not agree with the SA Poultry Association (Sapa) that new regulations limiting the practice of injecting chicken with saltwater (brining) would render chicken unaffordable to the poor and hurt the local industry. Cathy Yeulet via 123RF David Wolpert, CEO of Amie, told Fin24 that as far as his organisation is concerned, brining amounts to "customer abuse". That is why he and Amie are happy that the Department of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries (DAFF) decided to limit brining levels as from October after having completed investigations into the issue. The department gazetted new regulations over the sale of poultry meat, adjusting the maximum brine limit for individually quick frozen (IQF) and fresh chicken portions to 15% and for whole chicken at 10%. According to Wolpert current brining levels for portions of some locally produced chicken could even be as high as 30% to 40%. "We are saying it is nonsense that the price of local chicken will go up if the brining levels are reduced to 15%," said Wolpert. In his view, all that brining enables is "the selling of water for the price of chicken". Read the full article on Agri Africa. Though full implementation of Basel III is not due until 1 January 2018, South African banks are under pressure to conform to the new standards and should already have started reporting on how they are positioned for compliance. The recently promulgated Amendment to the Banks Act regulations, which come into effect on 1 July 2016, are paving the way for the regulators to assess whether or not South African banks will be ready to conform to the Basel III standards. Material changes Subsequent to the implementation of Basel III in South Africa on 1 January 2013, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision (BCBS) issued revised requirements in respect of a wide range of matters, which necessitated amendments to South Africas existing regulations. The Regulations now cater for the changes to capital disclosure requirements, changes to the Liquidity Coverage Ratio (LCR), requirements related to intraday liquidity management and public disclosure requirements related to the LCR. Regulation 38(16) was amended to incorporate South African Reserve Bank (SARB) Directive 05/2014, which dealt with obtaining the Registrar of Banks consent before reducing qualifying capital and reserve funds. Regulation 38(5)(a)(i)(K) which deals with deductions which need to be made from a banks common equity tier 1 capital and reserve funds has been amended to include investment in a foreign branch to clarify the treatment of capital invested in foreign branches. Regulation 38(17) dealing with the calculation of a banks LCR has been substituted by a new Regulation 38(15), which incorporates the latest Basel III framework, as well as SARB Directive 4/2014, which sets out a revised method for calculating the exposure measure under the LCR. Banks are required to apply the new requirements set out in Regulation 38(15) in order to monitor the readiness of relevant institutions to implement and fully comply with the said requirements and any subsequent amendments thereto as a minimum standard from 1 January 2018... The LCR will help ensure that banks have sufficient high quality liquid assets to meet cash outflows during a liquidity stress period of 30 days. The LCR is set at 70% this year and will continue to increase until it reaches 100% in 2019. The Net Stable Funding Ratio (NSFR) was designed to encourage banks to use stable funding sources and reduce their dependence on short-term funding and the new principles dealing with the calculation of a banks NSFR have been included in Regulation 26(14). Economists have stated that the NSFR requires long-terms assets to be funded with longer-term liabilities which could negatively affect the profitability of banks unless the additional costs are passed to the consumer. Regulation 39(5) dealing with a banks risk management processes has been amended to make provision for a banks intraday liquidity positions. This will enable banks to monitor its intraday liquidity risk and its ability to meet payment and settlement obligations on a timely basis. Data submission As part of Basel III monitoring, South Africa has to submit data on a bi-annual basis to the Bank of International Settlements. Currently, all G20 countries are in a transition phase to the full implementation of the Basel III framework. In order to facilitate the transition phase, an additional data column has been added to the form BA700 (ie the monthly/quarterly return concerning capital adequacy and leverage) for line items 27 to 89 which will be used to calculate the fully phased in Basel III capital adequacy ratio. Line item 98 (ie the capital adequacy ratio, after the application of all relevant capital transitional arrangements) has been added to reflect the fully phased in Basel III capital adequacy ratio based on current exposures. Disclosure requirements The revised disclosure requirements, which aim to promote market discipline, were issued by the BCBS in 2015 and will supersede the existing Pillar 3 disclosure requirements first issued as part of Basel II in 2004. Extensive disclosure requirements including those prescribed in SARB Directive 3/2015, have now been incorporated in Regulation 43. Banks are to publish their first Pillar 3 report in accordance with the revised framework along with their annual report for the 2016 financial year-end. For the reports in relation to the periods preceding the 2016 financial year-end, the requirements in Regulation 43 prior to the amendments will apply. Banks will be required to build archives of their Pillar 3 disclosures from 2016 onwards. The Regulations also contain two disclosure templates, one template must be used by banks for reporting periods up to and including 31 December 2018, and a separate template for reporting periods as of 1 January 2018 onwards. The revised Pillar 3 disclosure requirements will apply, as a minimum to all banks at top consolidated level, in accordance with Regulation 43(1) read with Regulation 43(3). A bank is also required to disclose to the public, on a quarterly basis, its tier 1 capital and reserve funds, the banks exposure measure and the LCR. The Regulatory Consistency Assessment Program was set up by the BCBS to monitor the implementation of Basel II, Basel 2.5 and Basel III by member jurisdictions. The Federated Hospitality Association of Southern Africa for the Western and Northern Cape's (FEDHASA Cape) 12th Annual General Meeting (AGM) was held early June at the Vineyard Hotel in Cape Town. Chairperson Rob Kucera, general manager of The Westin, Cape Town was re-elected during the proceedings and has now entered into his second term on the Board. Seated row from left to right: Ruth Kamau (Small Accommodation segment Chair), Rob Kucera (FEDHASA Cape Chairperson), Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa (National CEO), Karin Augustyn (Trusted Partners segment Alternate), Noli Mini (Young Professionals segment Chair)Standing row from left to right: Terence Lategan (Restaurant & Catering segment Alternate), Sissel Tellefsen (Small Accommodation segment Alternate), Marvin Rashopola (Young Professionals segment Alternate), Rema Wiese (Fedhasa Cape Executive Officer), Chris Godenir (Hotels segment Alternate) and Carl van Rooyen (Restaurant & Catering segment Chair). (Absent on this picture: Jeff Rosenberg (Hotel segment Chair) & Alan Lester (Trusted Partners Chair). The AGM presented an opportunity for FEDHASA National to contextualise the gains and goals achieved in the 2015/16 financial year against the backdrop of a challenging tourism landscape where international and domestic arrivals decreased and total revenue dropped. Fedhasa National CEO, Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa pointed out that this only highlighted the importance of the tourism industry, supporting FEDHASA as its official voice and lobbying force to represent our members and the industry at the highest level and on various relevant boards and forums. He also highlighted some future projects that FEDHASA will be undertaking on behalf of its members, such as continuing to influence the industry regulatory environment, research, and skills development, promoting service excellence (including our Imvelo Awards for Responsible Tourism) and improving the communications strategy etc. Over the past year, FEDHASA has been active in lobbying, negotiating and/or been involved with various important pieces of legislation on behalf of the industry such as the National Liquor Act, Tourism BBBEE scorecard, Labour Legislation, Visa/Immigrations and Unabridged Birth Certificates. Rob Kucera commented: As the industry watchdog with our members best interest at the heart of FEDHASA Capes mandate, were committed to on-going, active lobbying to ensure that the changes that make it easier and more attractive for foreigners, especially tourists, to travel to and from South Africa are implemented. Partnerships, events and initiatives FEDHASA Cape has also been active over this time-period in a variety of valuable, partnership-building events, initiatives and meetings including Cape365, a project to address the impact of seasonality; JAMMS, a strategic partnership between Cape Town Tourism, FEDHASA Cape, SAACI Western Cape and SATSA Western Cape, and Business meets Government, a series of engagements that brings industry together with politicians. Through the Employers Body Registration and with the assistance of expert labour consultants, FEDHASA Cape assisted more than 300 members to settle outside of the Labour Court. As testimony to FEDHASA Capes goals over the past year of growth and retention of members, staying relevant and delivering tangible value to its members, the association was pleased to report that despite the challenging tourism landscape, which generally sees industry players cutting back on membership fees, FEDHASA Cape reported a nett growth in membership during 2015 by 21,7%, and the organisation will go on to represent almost 700 members in the financial year ahead. The new Board Outgoing Board member Matt Pae was warmly thanked for his contributions, while new board member Ruth Kamau was welcomed as Small Accommodation Segment Chair. The new board will guide FEDHASA Cape in the year ahead to take action to achieve new goals and deliver value to members through both the local and national efforts. FEDHASA Cape Board Members for the 2016/17 financial year: 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. It all begins with a "hello". Living Your Brand (LYB) takes hello to the next level by connecting digital, communication and creative agencies with clients. Theres no doubt that growth challenges face South African businesses in todays tough economic climate. To help address this, LYB has launched a new service that facilitates worthwhile introductions and delivers qualified leads to agencies, with a view to closing sales. All our leads are sourced from our extensive long-term connections with roleplayers in the advertising and marketing sectors. We act as a trusted neutral party that connects people with ideas and key products with the right marketers and decision-makers. We facilitate the introduction and possibly more in terms of clinching sales, says Jaco Van Zyl, MD of LYB. You can get better at winning There are numerous advantages in turning to a virtual new business developer such as LYB, says Van Zyl. These include not having to hire an additional salesperson, as well as tapping into a wealth of knowledge, expertise and connections at a fraction of the cost. LYB has developed a tried-and-tested six-step approach to make brands better at clinching sales. The six steps are: Briefing session: a strategic get to know your business workshop. Generating a prospect list: a prospect list is generated of clients that you would like to be connected with. Contact prospects: our team makes contact and presents your unique offerings to these prospects during initial introductions. Introductions: we cultivate the prospects to a point where they are eager to hear more about your offering and then introduce you with the intent to set up the meeting. Survey: measurement is key. Well provide a post-meeting report to help you sharpen your strategy even further. Monthly reports: these will measure the effectiveness of our service against your business needs. Contrary to popular belief, sales is not just a numbers game, says Van Zyl. Just because you are pitching to the masses doesnt mean you will clinch more sales. While you may not close every sale, you can get better at winning. Rather than pitching big crowds and using blanket approaches, we help you target a specific industry or group with accuracy. We help you identify key stakeholders, resources and the buying power that can benefit from your product and/or services. In this way, you greatly improve your chances of making a sale. Connected with great precision Nothing compares to the power of a lead particularly if its an introduction from a well-respected source. LYB has extensive connections with active industry leaders, gathered from a comprehensive database of marketers who attend their conferences, such as the acclaimed Integrated Marketing Communication Conference (IMC Conference). Its not just about introductions amongst strangers, but about nurturing an environment where new business leads can be fostered and groomed. Six years of relationship development with key industry marketers gives us a unique direct line to decision-makers. We measure everything and have the expertise to get you a one-on-one meeting with the whos-who that your competitors can only dream of, states Van Zyl. General Motors SA (GMSA) has begun discussions with its workforce to reduce employment at its Struandale vehicle assembly plant in Port Elizabeth, in the face of shrinking local and export demand for its products. The US-owned company confirmed yesterday that "a significant decline" in demand had forced it to cut back on planned production. To minimise the effect on the company's business and 1,800 employees, the company said it was working with stakeholders to consider all alternatives, with voluntary separations and early retirement preferred options. Spokeswoman Denise van Huyssteen said GMSA had informed staff of its situation and asked the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration to facilitate talks with staff and unions. The talks would not have come at a more awkward time as the company's main union, the National Union of Metalworkers of SA, is already engaged in difficult discussions on a new three-year industry agreement on wages and conditions. GMSA is not alone in struggling with new vehicle sales in SA. The local market is expected to shrink up to 12% in 2016, the third successive year of decline. But where most other companies are more than compensating with booming exports, GMSA is almost wholly reliant on SA. Out of 333,802 new vehicles exported from SA in 2015, GMSA contributed just less than 5,000. All those vehicles went to sub-Saharan Africa, where low oil prices and other economic constraints have put a brake on new vehicle sales for all brands. Most local manufacturers, however, have outlets beyond Africa, so while GMSA expects a reduction in exports in 2016, the industry as a whole is forecasting an all-time record of about 370,000. The end result is that Struandale, which has annual production capacity of 100,000 vehicles, will produce less than half that number in 2016. Having built fewer than 45,000 in 2015, Van Huyssteen said the figure would fall this year. She declined to say by how much but market shares so far suggest the number could get close to 40,000. Struandale builds the Isuzu KB one ton bakkie, Chevrolet Utility small bakkie and Chevrolet Spark car. Source: Business Day The Saab car brand was dumped on Tuesday on the scrap yard of automobile history when the trademark's most recent user said they would give up trying to recycle the venerable name. Chezet472 via Wikimedia 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 conveyer belt 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 late 2015 NEVS won a contract worth 11 billion euros ($12.4 billion) to supply 250,000 cars to Chinese rental company Panda New Energy. Source: AFP Accelerating its growth strategy in Africa, Carlson Rezidor 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 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 (groups first residence concept in Africa); Radisson Blu Hotel Abidjan Airport, Ivory Coast (261 rooms) and West Africas tallest hotel at 106 metres height; and Radisson Blu Hotel 2 Fevrier in Lome (320 rooms). The Radisson Blu Hotel 2 Fevrier in Lome is hosting the first Africa Hotel Investment Forum in West Africa in Togo. Running on 21 and 22 June 2016. Speaking at the opening of the Africa Hotel Investment Forum (AHIF 2016), 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. Our ambition is to be the leading player in the travel and tourism sector across the continent. Maintaining momentum Carlson Rezidors has also announced 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. Carlson Rezidors executive vice president and 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. The Africa Hotel Investment Forum is hosted by the Government of Togo and focuses 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 in the hotel industry, said 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. On the next Biz Takeouts Marketing & Media radio show on Thursday, 23 June 2016, from 9-10am, show host Warren Harding takes a look at MI-Ashanti International (Pty) Ltd, a 21C business solutions, training and education company who will be piloting an eight week short course at Vega School in Cape Town from 2 July to 20 August 2016. The company's vision is to play an active social and economic role in the local and global market to reduce the failure rate of start-up entrepreneurs and enable a higher percentage of start-up entrepreneurship success. We host Wendy van Schalkwyk, CEO and founder of MI-Ashanti International. She's an entrepreneur, business consultant and has an international masters in business with Business School Netherlands. The Global Economic Monitor (2015) confirms that 90% of start-ups fail within the first two-three years largely due to personal reasons, lack of effective business and funding models. Tune into Biz Takeouts every Thursday from 9am-10am live from the 2oceansVibe Radio studio in Cape Town as we discuss the topics that matter in Marketing & Media. How to listen Comments or questions Podcast A podcast of the show will be available in the Biz Takeouts special section on Biz later during the week. The off-grid solar and battery storage facility successfully commissioned at the DeGrussa copper and gold mine in Western Australia could pioneer the way in Africa for off-grid mining. South Africas juwi Renewable Energies has been tracking the performance of the Australian installation very carefully and believes there is enormous potential to apply the hybrid solution in Africa, as juwi South Africa MD Greg Austin explains: "Solar/diesel hybrid systems are currently considered state-of-the-art for micro-grids and offgrid applications, delivering the lowest overall cost of power while guaranteeing power availability around the clock, at the same time reducing the fuel bill by around 25%. Thats a massive saving and a competitive advantage," said Austin. The innovative $40m project, designed and implemented by the juwi Australia local entity is the largest integrated off-grid solar array in Australia, and has established DeGrussa as an industry leader in the use of renewable power for mining and processing operations. Cutting-edge technology According to Austin the solar/diesel hybrid solution is a first step toward a 100% solar solution with battery backup: There are less than 100 projects globally that combine the solar/diesel solution, but in mining there are less than 10, so this is cutting-edge technology. DeGrussa has leveraged juwis technical leadership and global partnerships to deliver one of the worlds leading solar PV / energy storage projects yet designed and constructed, said Austin. This pioneering project on the other side of the globe will bring learning, technical development and project experience to off-grid mining and industrial customers in mineral-rich Africa. With 120MW of solar PV under its African belt, juwi looks to stabilise energy supplies at a reduced cost. Well be in Lusaka at ZIMEC 2016 this June and look forward to presenting the learnings and competencies from DeGrussa at this forum, he added. Solar hybrid system For Sandfire Resources NL, a mid-tier Australian mining company, the juwi Group developed the 10.6MW solar hybrid system to fully integrate with the existing 19MW diesel-fired power station at the DeGrussa Mine. Single axis tracking and a 6MW battery maximise the use of solar power to provide the majority of daytime electricity while reducing the mines total diesel consumption by approximately 25%. The DeGrussa mine has achieved full generation capacity after successfully attaining key milestones during commissioning. The facility is currently generating approximately 7MW of power, which is in line with expectations given the time of year. Commissioning of the project commenced in mid-March following installation of the last of the 34,080 solar photovoltaic (PV) panels. The solar array covers a total area of over 20ha at the site, which is located immediately adjacent to the DeGrussa underground mine and processing plant. The DeGrussa mine is very remote, located 900km north of Perth, Australia and 150km from the nearest town Meekatharra - population of 800 people. The projects 34,080 solar PV panels are attached to a single-axis tracking system mounted on 4,700 steel posts. This tracking system enables the panels to track the sun during the day, improving the plants overall production by 20%. The panels are connected via an extensive network of low-voltage, high-voltage and communication cables to a 6MW lithium-ion battery storage facility and the existing 19MW diesel-fired power station at DeGrussa. The DeGrussa Solar Power Project is owned by French renewable energy firm Neoen with juwi Renewable Energy responsible for the project development, EPC and O&M. The plant was constructed by national surveying and infrastructure construction company OTOC Limited, with project financing provided by the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) and recoupable grant funding support from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA). The solar facility has been integrated with the diesel-fired power station owned and operated by Pacific Energy subsidiary KPS continuing to provide base-load power to the DeGrussa mine with sufficient minimum load to ensure it can respond quickly to meet the power requirements of the process plant and underground mine. The fifth annual Success Summit will take place on Friday 24 June 2016 at the Protea Hotel Fire & Ice in Menlyn, Pretoria. Dr Nondumiso Mzizana, honoured as 2011 Business Woman of the Year by the Business Woman's Association of South Africa, hosts the summit. Small and medium-sized enterprises have the potential to boost South Africas anaemic economic growth and to provide much-needed jobs and opportunities for self-development to the millions of unemployed young people. However, according to the 2015 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, while 73% of South African working-age adults believe entrepreneurship is a good career choice, only about 45% believe they have the skills to succeed as entrepreneurs and only 9.2% go on to start businesses. The focus of the Success Summit is to equip new and current entrepreneurs with the skills and knowledge that will allow them to be more confident and competent business people. Young entrepreneurs especially need help developing their marketing, sales, accounting, business planning skills, as well as knowledge on how to access government business. The Success Summit provides opportunities for all of these, says Dr Mzizana. In addition to workshops with industry leaders and experts, attendees of the summit will have the opportunity to listen to a line-up of powerful and influential speakers, including deputy minister of trade and industry Mzwandile Masina, Businesswoman of the Year 2015 Nosipho Siwisa-Damasane and Prasa Rails Gauteng Manager Tembeka Kulu. Attendees will also have opportunities to secure funding for their businesses and to gain access to mentorship and networking opportunities. My experience has shown that networking can make all the difference for new entrepreneurs. Hearing from and interacting with other entrepreneurs helps build confidence and motivation, and creates business opportunities that could take entrepreneurs to the next level, Dr Mzizana adds. Tickets are available at www.successsummit.net for R1,000 per delegate, with a 30% discount for members of Success Summit, who enjoy the support, mentorship and other benefits of the programme all year round. The World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) has announced the new members of the International Newspaper Color Quality Club 2016-2018 (INCQC). 85 newspaper titles, produced by 64 publishing and printing companies in 26 countries, including South Africa, have achieved membership for two years. Once every two years since 1994, WAN-IFRA has offered newspapers worldwide an opportunity to demonstrate their colour printing excellence by organising a print-quality competition. Newspapers that succeed in qualifying for inclusion in the list of the worlds best printers can draw on this distinction to optimise their work processes, motivate their personnel, improve their standing among their readers and impress demanding advertising customers. Participating in this years competition were 128 companies from all over the world. Club membership is offered to all companies that show they can produce high-quality newspapers consistently over an extended period. Two-part evaluation Evaluation of newspapers is divided into two parts an evaluation based on objective measurements made on a test element (WAN-IFRA Cuboid) that newspapers have to print every day of one week per month for a period of three months and a visual inspection by a jury of international newspaper experts. Participating newspapers must prove that they can consistently print in accordance with proven international quality standards and ensure that the newspaper copy is clean and free of quality defects. With their successful participation in the competition, the companies have demonstrated that they can supply newspaper printing of outstanding quality and offer readers and advertisers high-quality products. The Color Quality Club is more than a technical printing competition, since it offers participating companies the additional possibility to benchmark their printing quality against recognised international standards and improve it. INCQC 2016-18 was tougher than the previous editions of the competition. We asked newspapers to print the WAN-IFRA Cuboid test element every day of one week per month for three consecutive months, and we picked the date for evaluating the copies, said Manfred Werfel, deputy CEO of WAN-IFRA. Still, 64 companies have secured membership into this prestigious club. It is proof that quality continues to be a passionate area for printers and they are committed to produce high-quality products for their readers and advertisers. A brochure presenting the successful participants and their newspaper titles will be available at this years World Publishing Expo from 10 to 12 October in Vienna, Austria. More about the International Newspaper Color Quality Club and the World Publishing Expo can be found at colorqualityclub.com and worldpublishingexpo.com. Members The following is a list of all the members of the Color Quality Club 2016-2018, in alphabetic order: Novartis has announced that it will further expand its long-standing partnership with Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) to develop next-generation antimalarial treatments. Image by 123RF Novartis will develop antimalarial compound KAF156 with scientific and financial support from MMV, in collaboration with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. This agreement sets out the terms and conditions for the development of KAF156 and its future availability to patients. With a child dying from malaria every two minutes and the threat of drug resistance growing year-on-year, there is a real urgency to step up global efforts to combat this disease, said Joseph Jimenez, CEO of Novartis. Partnerships and collaborations like this one with MMV are essential for the development of next generation antimalarials and accelerating efforts to eradicate this deadly disease. KAF156 belongs to a novel class of antimalarial molecules and is one of the first antimalarial drug candidates to enter Phase IIb clinical development in more than 20 years. It acts against the two parasites responsible for the majority of malaria deaths (Plasmodium falciparumand Plasmodium vivax) and against both the blood and liver stages of the parasites lifecycle. Further, it has the potential to provide a more convenient dosing regimen and to address the multidrug resistance that has emerged in five countries of the Great Mekong Sub-region (GMS). KAF156 builds on the heritage of Novartis in antimalarial drug development and the launch in 1999 of Coartem, the first fixed-dose Artemisinin-based Combination Therapy (ACT). ACT is the current standard of care in malaria treatment. We are delighted to extend our partnership with Novartis in the development of this exciting candidate antimalarial medicine with the potential to tackle drug resistance and improve patient compliance, said Dr David Reddy, CEO of MMV. As such, this agreement marks an important milestone, as MMV continues its mission to discover, develop and deliver new, effective and affordable antimalarials to the patients who need them most. The Novartis Malaria Initiative is committed to drive research, development and access to novel drugs to eliminate malaria. It is one of the pharmaceutical industrys largest access-to-medicine programs. Since 2001, the initiative has delivered more than 750 million treatments without profit, including 300 million dispersible paediatric treatments, developed by Novartis in collaboration with MMV, mostly to the public sector of malaria-endemic countries. Although preventable and treatable, malaria continues to kill a child every two minutes and threatens the lives of many more. It is caused by parasites transmitted to people through the bite of infected mosquitoes. A comprehensive range of interventions is required to eradicate the disease, from bed nets and spraying for prevention to diagnostics and medicines to treat the disease and block its transmission. In the not too distant future The stars of the movie-mocking cult TV series Mystery Science Theater 3000 have spent the last decade or so fronting rival gigs. Some of the MySTies have been running RiffTrax, while others went off and launched Cinematic Titanic. Now the gang is getting back together for one epic night of movie bashing with the MST3K Reunion Show. Mike J. Nelson, Joel Hodgson, Kevin Murphy, Trace Beaulieu, Bill Corbett, Frank Conniff, Mary Jo Pehl and Bridget Nelson are all coming together for a Satellite of Love-fest, celebrating 10 years of RiffTrax. Theyll be joined, live on stage at the State Theater in Minneapolis, by Jonah Ray, star of Comedy Centrals The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail and host of the newly revived, Kickstarter-funded Mystery Science Theater 3000 reboot. During this special live broadcast, the gang will riff on a cavalcade of goofy, educational shorts and comic interludes before concluding the evening with a grand finale Super Riff-a-Palooza! The reunion show will be simulcast locally at Century Rio (4901 Pan American West Freeway NE) and Century Downtown (100 Central SW) on Tuesday, June 28, staring at 7pm. Tickets are $12.50 adults, $11.50 students/seniors and $10.50 children. You can get them now through fathomevents.com. Paws for a cause This Saturday the Second Annual Feline Film Festival pounces into KiMo Theatre (423 Central NW) for a selection of fantastic, cat-based shorts. Presented by Animal Humane of New Mexico and the City of Albuquerque Film Office, this is a chance for pet lovers to share stories of their favorite felines while raising funds for homeless pets. Screenings will take place on Saturday, June 25, at 2pm and 7pm with an Aristocat VIP soiree at 5:30pm. In addition to all the feline films, organizers promise playful cat crafts, a photo shoot and a bunch of adoptable kittens from area shelters in the KiMo lobby. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children. For more info go to kimotickets.com. View in Alibi calendar Dhaka has recently made a formal offer for financial assistance and expertise to Burma to assist it in resolving the Rohingya problem, the officials added. Dhaka has also offered to increase its engagement with Arakan and support for its economic development through import of various agricultural products from the state. Earlier Bangladesh was trying its engagement with Arakan and support for its economic development through import of various agro-base products from Arakan, but ex-Burmese government did not show its interest. To remove irritants, Bangladesh last month advised that Myanmar should not register Rohingya Muslims in their country as Bengalis or term them illegal migrants from Bangladesh, according to foreign ministry. Bangladesh has taken a fresh move to build good relations with Burma and decided sending a special envoy to Nay Pyi Taw, soon, the foreign ministry official said. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is sending Foreign Secretary Md Shahidul Haque as her special envoy to Burma at the end of this month, according to diplomatic source. The visit also aims at giving a signal to remove misunderstanding and gap between the two countries. Bangladesh has already proposed through diplomatic channels to work with Burma in areas of climate change, energy, agriculture, education and increase border trade and tourism. According to Dhaka officials, Bangladesh has expressed its readiness to allow Burmese vessels use its inland ports as both countries have already marked - Chittagong, Mongla, Narayanganj and Teknaf ports in Bangladesh and Yangon, Pathein, Sittwe and Maungtaw ports in Myanmar - for mutual use. The two countries have re-established Dhaka-Yangon air connectivity and are now working on road and marine connectivity. Apart from more than 32,878 registered Rohingyas along with their 5,000 unregistered children live in two refugee camps Nayapara and Kutupalong under Cox's Bazar, about 17,000 unregistered Rohingya have been living in temporary sheds in a village named Leda under Hnila since 2008 and around 35,000 unregistered Rohingyas can be seen living near the Kutupalong camp called unregistered Kutupalong makeshift camp, some are living in the local areas of Coxs Bazar which a total of about 300,000 Rohingyas are living without registered in the district as government banned to register the Rohingya since 2005, according to the reliable sources. The Rohingyas community living in coxs Bazar is much more and other district Chittagong, Dhaka, Patuakhali, Khagrachari, Bandarban and Rangamati. and other- have also living Rohingyas. A total of Rohingyas in Bangladesh is about 500,000, according to NGOs and individual account. The statistics came from the first round of government census, held from February 1 to 23 to identify Rohingya families in Bangladesh and the second and final phase of the census, which was to identify Rohingya individuals, took place from June 2 till June 13. Its results could not be known yet. We want to collect information about the undocumented Burmese nationals residing in Bangladesh and thats why, we conducted the census, said Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque, briefing foreign diplomats about the census on Rohingya on June 20 in Dhaka. We expect to get the final result of the census by November or December, the Foreign Secretary said. About the left out Rohingyas, the Foreign Secretary said: The census process is completely voluntary. If anybody is not interested to be included in the process, very little we can do. If any left out undocumented Burmese national want to be included in the census, he or she can do it in the next two months. The objective of the census is to collect information about Rohingya and to know how many undocumented Burmese nationals are living in Bangladesh. But, we dont have any intention to force them to go back to Burma, the secretary added. Another official of the foreign ministry seeking anonymity said the diplomats wanted to know about the future of Rohingya and what is the purpose of conducting the census. About the future plan, the government has not any plan so far, the secretary said According to the office of Relief and Rohingya Refugee Repatriation Commissioner (RRRC) in Cox's Bazar, about 250,000 Rohingyas entered Bangladesh in 1978 fleeing from Burmese government's Dragon Operations in Arakan (Rakhine) State. Almost all of them were sent back through mutual understanding between the two countries Bangladesh and Burma in 1979, according to RRRC. Similarly, again, over 250000 Rohingyas entered Bangladesh through Cox's Bazar and Bandarban border points in 1991-92. The Bangladesh government then set up 21 temporary camps for them in the two districts, according to RRRC. With the help of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the government registered the names of Rohingya refugees in these camps. Of the 21 refugee camps set up between 1991 and 1992, only two now exist -- one at Nayapara in Teknaf upazila and the other at Kutupalong of Ukhia upazila under Cox's Bazar. Sources in the RRRC office said a total of 236,000 Rohingyas have been repatriated from 1992 to 2005 with the help of the UNHCR through discussions between the two countries. According to the RRRC office, the last batch of Rohingyas -- two members of a family -- were sent across Teknaf's Naf river to Burma on July 28, 2005. Though repatriation of Rohingyas has remained stalled since 2005, the Rohingyas community have not stopped coming to Bangladesh. Following a large-scale attack on Rohingyas in Burma in June and October of 2012, thousands fled the country and tried to enter Bangladesh, despite Bangladesh government's strict measures for not allowing anymore Rohingyas. After the repatriation stopped in 2005, the Burmese government had agreed to take back only 9,910 Rohingyas out of the 32,878 registered refugees in the two camps, after extensive dialogue mediated by UNHCR between Bangladesh and Burma. After the Rohingya repatriation came to a halt, high-level government delegations have visited Burma and requested the country to solve the refugee problem. Burma has time and again assured Bangladesh of taking back the Rohingyas, but there has been no visible measure from the country yet. At the meeting, there were more than 70 Rohingyas participate - most of them are not invited by township admin officer, he invited only his loyalty person and their associated, Halim said. In the meeting, Arakan state border affair minister colonel Htin Lin, Arakan State Immigration Director U Win Lwin and other government officers join the meeting, Halin, more added. We come here to introduce the NVC - National Verification Card which will identify you as documented person in the country and it is also the direction of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. It will slove all your problem movement restriction, education, health and other. So,if you will join the NVC process, it will better for you and the government will help every sides, Colonel Htin Lin said at the meeting. The NVC process is the first step of citizenship processing under 2008 citizenship law, so you need to join the NVC processing and believe the recent government Aung San Suu Kyi government, said the immigration director U win Lwin told at the meeting. But, Sultan Ahmed, former high school teacher from Myoma Khayoungdan village said, We had before all identity card -National Registration Card (NRC) which every Burmese people had hold before, but other Burmese people had received pin color citizen card, we received only white card which is Temporary card. It is not used for us as an identity document. This all are in your office. The government had been checking us two times by year of our documents the family list, government issued identity cards and group photo. it is also our identity. Welcome signboard of Maungdaw entry gate Welcome signboard of Maungdaw entry gate "We are living in this place since long and have all documents which will identity us as citizen. You are saying to hold the NVC which will process under 2008 citizen law, but to hold the NVC, please mention the article and cause under 2008 citizenship," said Zakar from Habib village. "I was elected as parliamentary member in 1990 where we have the rights of voting and standing for candidate since Burma independent, but in 2015, we lost all our rights for voting and standing for candidate. Now you are saying to hold NVC, which is only for foreigner who want to apply for citizenship. We are living here since decade long, why we need to hold this card," said Fazal Ahmed, an elected MP in 1990. Another Rohingya, Muhib Ullah mentioned that all Rohingya had NRC card before and still some are holding this card. Whenever, new government changed the system of Rohingya people identification had also changed. How we believe this government, after 5 years if they change, we face again another card to hold. It is not possible for us to hold the NVC. The Maungdaw district police officer said there are some people who had already the light green card and why not you. The Rohingyas in the meeting said that may be their willing to accept Bengali identity, the Human Rights watchdog Halim said. The minister told the Rohingyas not to disturb or harass to the Rohingyas who wish to join the process or hold already NVC or light green card. The government will not force the people who didnt want NVC. Similarly, Rohingyas from Buthidaung also rejected the NVC process where the working group of the Central Committee for Implementation of Peace and Development in Rakhine State held a meeting at Buthidaung Township admin office hall on June 21 at 9;00am to 1:00pm, according to Mohamed Rafique, who participate in the meeting. Original Bop Htaw statue, before getting removed, at the roundabout (Photo: Internet) The Bop Htaw statue was erected in 2005 to coincide with the opening of the Thanlwin Bridge connecting to Martaban [Mottama] Moulmein [Mawlamyine], in Mon State. However, it was removed under the ex-junta Senior General Than Shwe of the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) in 2007. The statue was removed without approval from the local ethnic people during the middle of the night in 2007s rainy season. The statue has been in storage at the municipal office near Basic Education High School No. 5, in Shwe Taung Quarter, Moulmein Capital. Upon its removal, the military regime then replaced the Bop Htaw statue with a large alms bowl. The Chief Minister has considered to remove the alms bowl at the roundabout in front of High School No.10 and replace it with the Hinthar. Mon political parties have also requested to reinstate the Hinthar statue, said an official from the Mon State government. The Mon word Bop Htaw, known as golden Hinthar in Burmese, translates to golden Brahminy Duck or Sheldrake in English. The bird is the national symbol of millions of ethnic Mon people, particularly those currently living in lower Burma. Nai Ngwe Thein, Chairman of the Mon National Party (MNP), affirms the account of the Bop Htaw statues confiscation under the command of the SPDC government and its sudden substitution of an alms bowl. Each group of people have their national heritage symbols. Those symbols should be restored. I have heard that the state government will remove the alms bowl and replace it with the Hinthar, said Nai Ngwe Thein. In May, when the leaders of the New Mon State Party met with the Mon State government, NMSPs vice-chairman Nai Hongsar talked with State Chief Minister about replacing the Bop Htaw at the roundabout. The matter has been considered by the chief minister and he will meet with leaders of Mon culture to discuss which direction the Bop Htaw will face, according to the Mon State Government Office. 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 Conjunctivitis - Symptoms & How To Treat Them Quickly Wellness oi-Staff When our eyes are exposed to allergens and irritants, the most common being pollen from trees, perfumes and cosmetics, air pollution, smoke, etc, it affects and causes irritation to the conjunctiva. This conjunctiva is a kind of a thin membrane that covers our eyes. Hence, this allergic infection is known as the conjunctivitis. There are certain allergic conjunctivitis that are seasonal caused by pollens and few that occur throughout the year and are caused by the everyday dust mites at home. Also Read: Beware, Conjunctivitis Is Here However, the best part about allergic conjunctivitis is that it does not affect one's vision. With accurate diagnosis and timely medication, it is curable. Symptoms of Conjunctivitis: The major symptoms of allergic conjunctivitis include itchy eyes and then the white inner lid area around the eye turns red, as a result one gets tears in the eyes. When the condition turns worse, few of them also get mucus discharge from the eyes accompanied with swelling of the eyelids. Treatment for Conjunctivits: Keeping the House Clean: The first and foremost thing which one can do is to stay away from the allergens leading to conjunctivitis. The floor carpet is the single most absorber of dust mites in one's house, which should be kept clean. Prevent Outdoor Allergens: The pillows and mattresses that you use need to be allergen free. Keeping the windows and doors closed is yet another prevention against outdoor allergens to enter one's house. Careful With Pets: Those having pet animals need to be extra careful, for they are also one of the main reasons that can lead to the spread of allergens, which might prove harmful for our eyes. Cold Water Compress: Apart from all these, taking up the first line of treatment that is easily available at one's home is safe. Soak some cold water in a fresh, clean cloth and apply it as a compressor to the eyes. This will help reduce the irritation caused by allergies to the eyes. Medications Available For Allergic Conjunctivitis: There are several medications that are available to reduce the allergens from causing conjunctivitis. Anti-histaminic and decongestant drops also help in relieving the itching and redness in the eyes. Meanwhile, in order to prevent the regular recurrence, mast cell stabilisers can be used. However, the most important fact that should be kept in mind before taking up any medication for the eyes is that it should be administered only with the advice of doctors and specialists, as wrong dose and medications could lead to permanent blindness. Arun Samprathi Ophthalmologist and Squint Specialist D.N.B.(Ophthalmology), FRCS (Edinburgh) in Ophthalmology Know more GET THE BEST BOLDSKY STORIES! Allow Notifications Dont Become A Victim Of Air Pollution! Follow These Simple Steps To Safeguard Your Family Improvement oi-Staff We live in an age where pollution is considered a necessary byproduct of development. With more than half the world's population living in towns and cities, a higher percentage of humans are exposed to increasing industrial and vehicular emissions. The result is a rising incidence of lung cancer, chronic respiratory ailments such as asthma, heart disease, damage to brain, nerves, kidneys and liver. The term 'death by breath' that came up during the Delhi government's effort to clean up its air is unfortunately apt in today's context. While WHO estimates that 7 million premature deaths are linked to air pollution across the globe each year, Global Burden of Disease says outdoor air pollution caused 627,000 deaths in India and 17.7 million healthy years of life lost in 2010. To put that in perspective, each year, around 1.25 million people die in road accidents. This means we're more likely to die of diseases or complications arising from air pollution than in a road accident. If we look at Delhi which was recently in news for its toxic air quality, the situation is very grim. A recently conducted study by Kolkata based Chittranajan National Cancer Institute found that the killer particulate matter (PM10) levels in the air are double of that in Beijing. This has led to irreversible lung damage in around 22 Lakh schoolchildren in the National Capital Region. Children are far more vulnerable to air pollution as they have higher oxygen demands and also because lungs are still developing and hence are more vulnerable to airborne insults. Even as governments world over are bringing tougher laws and implementing various measures to curb this menace, their efforts need to be supplemented by changes at the individual level. Apart from co-operating with local bodies in campaigns such as No Car days, we could plant more trees, segregate garbage etc. However, we also need to focus on combating indoor air pollution as its impact on health far outweighs that of outdoor air pollution. In developing countries like India, bio fuels continue to be used for cooking in homes, releasing a large amount of pollutants. Increasing construction activities cause particulate matter to enter busy residential areas. Use of household pesticides, cleaning agents, aerosols, even cigarette smoke and humidity also add to the level of air pollution within our houses. So, what can we do to keep ourselves and our communities safe from this indoor killer? Switch to cleaner fuels, install exhaust hoods and ensure sufficient ventilation in kitchens. Use ceramic tiles on bathroom walls instead of plaster and use exhaust fans while showering to dispel humidity. If you have had water damage like that in the Chennai floods, discard all items which have a possibility of developing mold. Throw away anything that rots or accumulates humidity and/or dust mites. Using a vacuum cleaner with HEPA filter and disposable bags as well as microfiber cloth for mopping will remove dust and other allergens more effectively. Reducing usage of household cleaners, mosquito and insect repellents and not storing chemicals like solvents and pesticides at home help. Simple things like removing shoes and placing an easy to clean mat at the entrance to the house can go a long way too. Keeping plants at home not only helps reduce air pollution, but also gives your house more aesthetic appeal. In homes, offices and factories, cleaning of air-conditioning ducts should be a matter of routine. Installing air purifiers, both in offices and at homes, will also make the indoor air quality more ambient. Apart from inhibiting allergens and bacteria, purifiers can get rid of dust as well as odours in the air. The Panasonic Air Purifier offers added benefits such as memorizing the pollution pattern and developing an automatic operation pattern to detoxify the air around you. So, don't wait any more. Go ahead and detoxify your surroundings and your life! The Importance Of HIV Testing In Pregnancy Prenatal oi-Staff Every year, around 27 million women get pregnant in India! Each pregnant woman needs to be tested for the haemoglobin levels, hepatitis C infection, VDRL/RPR test for syphilis and HIV infection. All these tests are important because any abnormality in any of these tests can affect the newborn child and its normal growth and development. If these abnormalities are detected early enough, then the mother or child can be treated in time and the life-threatening consequences can be prevented. Prenatal Test That You Cannot Miss The HIV test in the mother is a very important test because if the mother is HIV positive and pregnant, she can pass on the HIV infection to her newborn during the pregnancy itself, during labour and delivery, or during breastfeeding. If a baby gets infected with HIV, then the baby remains HIV infected for life and may present to the doctor with failure to thrive, stunting of growth, recurrent illnesses, etc. The baby's life then becomes one of recurrent visits to the hospital, recurrent admissions, constant medication, and this may sometimes even result in death. However, if the mother is tested early in pregnancy for HIV infection and found to be HIV positive, then she can be started on antiviral medication and this needs to be continued throughout her pregnancy, labour and breastfeeding period, and also throughout her life. Such medication for the mother during the pregnancy will help to prevent the baby from acquiring the infection and the baby will then be HIV negative and can look forward to a normal healthy life. Since we want the mother to be there for the baby for as long as possible, we advise the mother to continue with the antiviral medication even after the pregnancy also and life-long, so that she can be healthy and look after her baby well. The HIV test needs to be done for the mother with her consent and along with the other tests explained above. If the HIV test is positive, then the full implications of this test needs to be explained to the mother by the doctor and counsellor, and the husband and other children in that family also need to be tested subsequently. In our own cohort at the ASHA Foundation, the risk of transmission of HIV infection from mother to a child has been brought down from 30% to less than 2%. Antiviral medication for HIV infection has made a world of difference in the lives of people living with HIV (PLHIV). Not only does it prevent the risk of transmission from the mother to child or mother/father to spouse, it has also resulted in transforming HIV infection from a fatal life-threatening illness to a chronic, manageable illness; and PLHIV can look forward to years of good health and make a positive contribution to the society. Glory Alexander Internal Medicine MBBS, M.D. Internal Medicine Know more Janet Yellen, vice chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve, listens during an open meeting of the Federal Reserve Board in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Thursday, Dec. 16, 2010. Visa Inc. and MasterCard Inc. plunged more than 12 percent in New York trading after the Federal Reserve Board proposed rules that may slash debit-card interchange fees by 90 percent. Photographer: Joshua Roberts/Bloomberg *** Local Caption *** Janet Yellen Joshua Roberts/Bloomberg WASHINGTON The Senate is expected to keep Puerto Rico waiting for progress on a House bill to help the island address its debt crisis, as other options for the commonwealth have continued to be eliminated. Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn, R-Tex., said that the Senate is expected to take up the bill, called PROMESA, next week while the House is on a recess that ends July 5, according to media reports. That announcement came a day after Federal Reserve Board chair Janet Yellen told the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee that Puerto Rico's struggle with roughly $70 billion in debt and $46 billion in unfunded pension liabilities "is inherently a matter for Congress." "Our authority is extremely limited. and it wouldn't be appropriate for us to give loans to Puerto Rico," Yellen said in answer to a question from Sen. David Vitter, R-La, on Tuesday. "We have very limited authority to buy municipal debt and the authority we have, if we were [able to] buy eligible debt, I don't think it would be helpful to Puerto Rico Beyond that we have no ability to make emergency loans." Her comments come a week after the Supreme Court eliminated another possible fix Puerto Rico had to address its debt. The Court ruled that a Puerto Rico law that would have allowed the commonwealth's utilities to restructure their debts in a similar way to what is allowed in municipal bankruptcies violated federal bankruptcy code and thus the Supremacy Clause of the Constitution. The Senate leadership's decision to take the bill up next week means that if the Senate approves the bill with any amendments, the bill cannot move through Congress until after the House returns to consider the changes. The timing leaves Puerto Rico vulnerable to creditor lawsuits that would stem from an expected commonwealth default on a $1.9 billion debt payment due July 1. PROMESA contains a provision that would stay such suits, but the stay only becomes effective after the bill becomes law. The commonwealth already faces several debt-related lawsuits, including one that hedge funds holding Puerto Rican general obligation bonds filed in New York on Tuesday after debt restructuring talks broke down. Though PROMESA passed the House 297 to 127 on June 9, the measure has drawn criticism from senators on both sides of the aisle, leaving amendments a strong possibility. The bill would create a seven-member oversight board that would have the power to require balanced budgets and fiscal plans, as well as to file debt restructuring petitions on behalf of the commonwealth and its entities in a federal district court as a last resort if voluntary negotiations fail. Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said on Tuesday that there are "some serious concerns" from Democrats about the bill and that the legislation will need some amendments. He didn't specify amendments, though he said one area of focus could be a provision that gives the governor discretion to allow employers to pay individuals under 25 years old a wage of $4.25 per hour instead of the federal minimum wage of $7.25. Sens. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Bob Menendez, D-N.J., have also been vocal opponents of the bill, comparing it to colonialism and critiquing, among other things, the lack of a say Puerto Rican officials get in choosing who will serve on the board. Start of dialog content How guest reviews work Each review score is between 1-10. To get the overall score that you see, we add up all the review scores weve received and divide that total by the number of review scores weve received. In addition, guests can give separate subscores in crucial areas, such as location, cleanliness, staff, comfort, facilities, value for money and free Wi-Fi. Note that guests submit their subscores and their overall scores independently, so theres no direct link between them. You can review an Accommodation that you booked through our Platform if you stayed there or if you arrived at the property but didnt actually stay there. To edit a review youve already submitted, please contact our Customer Service team. 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Google disclaims all warranties related to the translations, express or implied, including any warranties of accuracy, reliability, and any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose and non-infringement. End of dialog content Thursday 23 BattleBots: Robots Activate (KOAT-7 7pm) As far as summer reality show competitions go, we could do worse than watching armored robots smash each other to bits in an arena. Queen of the South (USA 8pm) USA remakes the popular Mexican telenovela La Reina del Sur, about a poor girl from Jalisco who flees to America after her cartel member boyfriend is killed and ends up building her own drug empire. Alice Braga (City of God, I Am Legend) takes over for previous star Kate del Castillo. Thirteen (BBC America 8pm) In this dark, five-part mystery/drama, a young woman tries to rebuild a life with her family after being held captive in a basement for 13 years. Friday 24 Adventures in Babysitting (Disney 9pm) This loose remake of the kinda fondly remembered 1987 comedy of the same name replaces Elisabeth Shue with not one but two harried babysitters (Sabrina Carpenter from Girl Meets World and Sofia Carson from Disneys Descendants). Saturday 25 Center Stage: On Pointe (Lifetime 6pm) A new director (Peter Gallagher) is tasked with infusing more contemporary style into the American Ballet Academy. The solution? An American Idol-style dance off competition. This hip-hop ballet is directed by music video guru Director X (whos made videos for Drake, Jay Z, Kanye West, Wiz Khalifa, Usher and Iggy Azalea). Sunday 26 BET Awards 2016 (BET/ Spike/ Nickelodeon/ VH1/ MTV2 6pm) Sheila E., The Roots, DAngelo, Janelle Monae and others show up to pay tribute to legendary artist Prince. Celebrity Family Feud/The $100,000 Pyramid/Match Game (KOAT-7 7/8/9pm) ABC is evidently going to spend its summer resurrecting old daytime gameshows in primetime. Celebrities include Kellie Pickler, NeNe Leakes, Sherri Shepherd and Kathy Najimy. Roadies (Showtime 8pm) Rolling Stone journalist- turned- screenwriter- turned- filmmaker Cameron Crowe (Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Almost Famous, Jerry Maguire) is the creator of this comedy series about the hardworking road crew behind a popular rock band. Hamilton (History Channel 7pm) Alexander Hamilton is red hot on Broadway these days. Im surprised its taken History Channel this long to jump on that train. Certain fans may be disheartened to learn that he didnt rap nearly as much in real life. Monday 27 Shark Week: Shallow Water Invasion (Discovery 6pm) Planning on going to the beach this summer? Discovery Channel is here to help! Tuesday 28 Dead of Summer (Freeform 7pm) This new horror series by the creators of Once Upon a Time finds a bunch of teenage counselors showing up at a long-shuttered summer camp in the 1980s. Of course its not long before the bodies start piling up. Seriously, what did they expect? Happened all the time back in the 80s. Wednesday 29 Sharks vs. Dolphins: Face Off (Discovery 8:01pm) Seriously: Who would win in a fight? Lets find out. SHIMLA (PTI): Defending the NDA government's decision to allow 100 per cent Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in defence sector, Union Minister Rao Inderjit Singh on Tuesday said it would help make Indian army strong by acquiring state-of-the-art technology. "The inflow of FDI would help in acquiring state-of-the-art technology and indigenous manufacturing of defence equipment and the army would not be dependent if there is any problem with our neighbours," the Union Minister of State for Defence said on the sidelines of International Yoga Day programme. "We would not have to take the help of other countries as we will have in-house capacity to respond to threats from neighbours," Singh said. Terming Indian army as one of the best armies in the world, he said despite being highly professional and well trained, it is lacking in modern equipment and state-of-the-art weaponry. Rao said earlier the FDI in defence was capped at 49 per cent and rest was managed through Foreign Investment Board but now if anyone sets up an industry and provides employment, the government would clear it which would give boost to "Make in India" programme. "We want India to become a major investment hub and for this door of FDI is open," he said. He said, "We had manufacturing capacity for decades but we were not having the design and development capability and even the industrialists were wary of investing in design and development." "But now when best designed technologies would be manufactured in India, foreign direct investment would flow into the country and give boost to its economy," Singh said. An internet photo of a North Korean rocket launch. SEOUL (AFP): North Korea conducted two back-to-back tests of a powerful new medium-range missile on Tuesday, with at least one launch ending in failure, South Korea's Defence Ministry said. The first test shortly before 6:00 am (2100 GMT Tuesday) 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 tests were believed to be of a much-hyped, intermediate-range Musudan missile capable of reaching US bases as far away as Guam. 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. UN resolutions ban North Korea from any use of ballistic missile technology and, just hours before Tuesday's launch efforts, the Pentagon had warned Pyongyang against pressing ahead with any missile test. 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." The Musudan 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. 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. Tuesday'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. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 22/06/2016 (2317 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Trican Well Service abruptly suspended operations at its Brandon shop on Wednesday, forcing roughly 40 employees to look for work elsewhere. The international oil services company opened its Brandon location in January 2012 and moved into its current 23,000-sq.-ft. building on Limestone Road in September 2013. Rob Cox, Tricans vice president, Canadian region, broke the news to the employees at 8 a.m. on Wednesday and the shop shuttered its doors later that day. Bruce Bumstead/Brandon Sun Trican Well Service's Riley Ruttan, left, and Eric Hudson, right, lead Mineral Resources Minister Dave Chomiak on a tour of their Brandon headquarters yard during Friday's grand opening of the oilpatch service company. Id have to ask what the value in giving more notice is. When you tell somebody Two weeks from now youre not going to have a job where is the focus? he said. Cox wouldnt say when the decision to close the Brandon shop was made. Weve been trying to justify keeping the base open for some time and we finally made the decision to close it down, he said. Some of the employees are being offered transfers to other Trican bases and some are being laid off; however, its unclear how many employees will be transferred. The closure is due to faltering oil prices and a drop in demand for the pumping services that Trican specializes in, according to Cox. The goal is to reopen the Brandon location down the road. We anticipate being able to start up operations there again in two to three years as oil prices come back and client spending increases, Cox said. But its far enough off in the future that we couldnt stay open for the time being. The company recently closed three other bases in Alberta. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 22/06/2016 (2317 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. MONTREAL The co-founder of the Cinar animation company was given a nine-year prison term Wednesday for his role in a $120-million fraud case. With time already served, Ronald Weinberg still has eight years and 11 months left in the sentence. Crown prosecutor Matthew Ferguson was seeking the maximum penalty of 10 years, while Weinbergs lawyer had told the judge she thought a more appropriate sentence would be five years. Weinbergs two co-accused, John Xanthoudakis and Lino Matteo, were sentenced to eight years later in the day. Ferguson told reporters outside the courtroom he believes the message is getting through that white-collar crime is as serious as other crimes. He added the judge didnt think all the media attention the case received was a factor that should have led to lesser sentences. (The sentence) has to send a message in this case that white-collar crimes will be met with severe punishments, he said. Weinbergs lawyer, Annie Emond, said she didnt know if her client will appeal. Its not a decision we will make today, she said. A jury reached guilty verdicts against Weinberg and the two former financial advisers earlier this month following a trial that began in May 2014. The three men were charged with transferring funds from Cinar to the Bahamas between 1998 and 2000. Weinberg was found guilty of nine of the 16 charges against him, including fraud and using false documents and false prospectus. Matteo, who was president of the Mount Real investment firm, was acquitted on two charges but convicted of nine others, including fraud, using false documents and forgery. Xanthoudakis, the former head of Norshield Financial Group Inc., was convicted on 17 charges. The men were arrested in 2011 following a lengthy provincial police probe that alleged the men orchestrated elaborate and large-scale fraud using money from Montreal-based Cinar. A fourth accused, ex-Cinar senior executive Hasanain Panju, previously pleaded guilty and was sentenced to four years in prison. He testified for the Crown at the trial. Cinar created popular childrens shows such as Arthur and Caillou. Weinberg co-founded the company with his wife, Micheline Charest, who died in 2004 after a lack of oxygen to the brain following six hours of facial and breast surgery at a Montreal clinic. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 22/06/2016 (2317 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. LAC-MEGANTIC, Que. The Quebec town that was devastated in 2013 when a runaway train derailed and exploded, killing 47 people, will not pursue legal action against Canadian Pacific Railway. Lac-Megantics city council voted Tuesday evening to drop all possible charges against the railroad. Mayor Jean-Guy Cloutier said it would cost considerable sums of money to pay for experts over several years and that there is no guarantee the town would win. Smoke rises from railway cars that were carrying crude oil after derailing in Lac Megantic, Que., July 6, 2013. The Quebec town that was devastated in 2013 when a runaway train derailed and exploded, killing 47 people, will not pursue legal action against Canadian Pacific Railway.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson There are many reasons for this decision, Cloutier said in a statement. We thought long and hard about it and reached the conclusion the risks of such action were too high in terms of the costs to the community. The train that exploded in the town on July 6, 2013, was owned and operated by Montreal, Maine and Atlantic Railway not CP as were the tracks on which the locomotive was travelling. Canadian Pacific (TSX:CP), however, owned the tracks on which MMAs train began its journey from North Dakota. When the train arrived in Montreal, it switched onto MMA tracks to complete its scheduled journey to New Brunswick. Victims and creditors of the disaster blame MMA but also CP, which they claim acted negligently in a number of areas. CP is the only company accused of responsibility in the derailment that has not paid into a settlement fund. More than $400 million has been collected from roughly 25 companies accused in the crash. All of them except MMA received legal immunity from future prosecutions relating to the derailment. CP maintains it had nothing to do with the disaster because the crash occurred on MMA tracks involving MMA trains. The Quebec government has launched a $409-million lawsuit against CP and a class action lawsuit against the railroad has been authorized to proceed. For Lac-Megantic, however, its legal case against CP is over. We would be obliged to spend considerable sums on experts over several years, Cloutier explained. And there is no guarantee we would win. We find the process long, complex and very costly. We cant put this burden on the shoulders of Lac-Megantic residents. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 22/06/2016 (2317 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. CALGARY A Calgary CEO whose oil and gas company has extensive holdings in Europe says he thinks it would be a mistake for Britain to vote to leave the European Union in the so-called Brexit vote on Thursday. But Tony Marino of Vermilion Energy (TSX:VET) added Wednesday that he doesnt think a leave vote would have a big impact on his company, which produces about half of its oil and gas in European countries including Ireland, the Netherlands, Germany and France. I think (remaining) will give Europe greater stability and its probably good for the overall European economy. Thats my view, he said. I think, to me, its in the U.K.s interest to stay in and I think its in Europes interest as well. Marino said some of Vermilions natural gas production is sold based on a British commodity index and therefore priced in pounds, but the value is based on demand for the fuel from Europe as a whole and wouldnt likely suffer if the pound falls after the vote. Jason Langrish, executive director of the Canada-Europe Roundtable for Business, said Canadas energy exports will probably gain favour in the United Kingdom if it votes to leave the EU. If the U.K. were to leave, I could see a real appetite for sourcing Canadian energy, he said. I could see the U.K. being quite keen on a deepened relationship with Canada, including on the energy side of the equation. Langrish said Britains trade focus will likely shift to Canada and other Commonwealth countries if European ties are snipped and that Britains interest could extend to investing in liquefied natural gas exports from Canada. Meanwhile, the British would be less likely to discriminate against Canadian energy products over environmental issues, he said, recalling the five-year battle won by Canada last year to eliminate a dirty oil label attached to oilsands crude under the European Unions proposed fuel quality directive. Langrish said the U.K. economy could be damaged if it votes to leave the EU, thus reducing overall trade, but added that a lower value for the pound could present an less expensive opportunity for Canadian companies to enter the British marketplace. Langrishs organization represents private sector groups that support free trade deals with Europe. John Ries, a professor specializing in international trade at the University of British Columbia, pointed out Canadas merchandise trade with Britain is small, with exports of about $16 billion to Britain and imports to Canada of $9 billion in 2015. He said he didnt expect a leave vote to significantly change Canadas trade access to either Britain or Europe. Follow @HealingSlowly on Twitter. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 22/06/2016 (2317 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. TORONTO Two Ontario cabinet ministers will head to the Grassy Narrows First Nation next week to talk about how to deal with mercury contamination that has plagued the remote northwestern community for decades. Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation Minister David Zimmer said he and Environment Minister Glen Murray, along with technical experts, will sit down with Grassy Narrows leaders to discuss various reports about the mercury and how to clean it up. Theres been stories in the media, and there are reports floating around, and I think its time for Minister Murray and I, and our technical people and the First Nations technical people, to sit down and try to work through to see just what the situation is, Zimmer said Tuesday. The government wants to find out any new information from the community and sort out the different reports on the mercury contamination before deciding what it can do to help, added Zimmer. Once weve determined what reports are on the table, and what reports perhaps should be on the table, then well figure out a course of action, he said. This is a first step in getting to the bottom of this. Some Grassy Narrows residents suffered mercury poisoning since the Dryden Chemical Co. dumped 9,000 kilograms of it into the Wabigoon and English River systems during the 1960s. The government closed the local fishery that formed the basis of the Grassy Narrows economy, but some residents ignored the order to stop eating the fish. Chief Simon Fobister Sr. said he wants an investigation into another possible source of contamination after a former worker at the Dryden mill wrote the government saying he had buried more than 50 barrels of mercury and salt in a pit in 1972. No more fancy talk. No more studies, Fobister said Tuesday. We just want it cleaned up. Murray said the environment ministry took some samples from the area June 6 in response to the claim about the barrels of mercury the results are still pending but officials still havent located where they were buried. Thats the point of the inspections right now, so the ministry has been told to be very, very thorough, to look at other possible locations for this on site and continue more intensive testing, said Murray. As soon as that is completed, we should have the answer to that question. A recent report concluded there may be an ongoing source of contamination because the mercury levels havent fallen since the 1970s as scientists expected they would. John Rudd, a former government scientist who examined the mercury problems in the Wabigoon in the 1980s, and helped prepare the updated report, called for an investigation to see if theres a new source of contamination or if the shuttered chemical plant is still leaching it into the water. The province found Rudds report very helpful and takes it seriously, added Murray. The report was a good analysis of what needs to be done next, and it argues that a major field study would have to be done to look at where the sediment is and also to look to see if there are any secondary leaks, he said. The study actually looks at whether certain types of remediation would work in certain areas, and looks at whether by disturbing it you could make the situation worse. The government is worried any action to remove the mercury could stir up more of the chemical in the sediment of lakes and rivers. New Democrat environment critic Peter Tabuns said the government knows what needs to be done in Grassy Narrows but for years ignored the mercury poisoning and the health problems it caused. They dont need to go on a sightseeing trip, said Tabuns. They need to send up scientists. They need to determine if there are any other leaking sources and then need to clean it up as has been recommended. Follow @CPnewsboy on Twitter Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 22/06/2016 (2317 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. TORONTO Canadas food landscape is becoming awash in swamps, or areas where theres an overabundance of unhealthy items, says a University of Saskatchewan professor. And no matter where in Canada you live or what your income level is, accessing healthy food is not always easy, says Rachel Engler-Stringer. Think about your day-to-day movement throughout the neighbourhood or the city or wherever you go. How many times do you encounter chocolate bars, potato chips, pop? Engler-Stringer says from Saskatoon. Were at the point now where you cant even go to a car mechanic without there being chocolate bars on the counter. Theyre literally absolutely everywhere and our grocery stores are heavily dominated by foods that are not considered healthy. It becomes an even bigger issue when were talking about lower-income households because the foods that are the cheapest sort of bang for your buck when it comes to calories and feeling full and satiated are those unhealthy foods. A discussion of unhealthy food landscapes in this country is explored in a new series of papers entitled Retail Food Environments in Canada: Maximizing the Impact of Research, Policy and Practice, recently released in a supplement of the Canadian Journal of Public Health. Engler-Stringer, the supplements co-ordinator and an author on four included papers, notes much has been written about food deserts, or areas lacking easy access to a large grocery store such as in rural and indigenous communities. Food swamps are defined as marginalized neighbourhoods dominated by fast-food outlets and/or convenience stores with low-nutrition food. Food mirages, an even newer term, are neighbourhoods where nutritious foods are available but not affordable. This frequently occurs in urban areas undergoing gentrification. People of higher socioeconomic status move into lower-income neighbourhoods. The businesses they attract may sell healthy foods, but theyre at a higher price point and not affordable to the original inhabitants of those neighbourhoods, Engler-Stringer explains. Lower-income areas also tend to have a higher concentration of fast-food restaurants and convenience stores. Many people in these areas dont own a vehicle or cant afford to use one very often. After housing, theres little left for food, even less if a taxi is needed. Its far easier to carry home a bag of potato chips on the bus than a bag of potatoes. People are born with an innate taste for sugar and fats and develop a taste for salt as youngsters, so items like potato chips cater to that, Engler-Stringer says. Because theyre deep-fried they have more calories, in some cases (theyre) more filling and you feel satisfied from eating those, and yet theyre not really what we should be eating and youre also more likely to find those on sale, she says. Were put in a difficult situation that is a whole heck of a lot worse when youre dealing with low income. As well, checkout aisles and grocery shelves typically place candy and sweeter cereals at kids eye level. Its all these small things that individually dont mean very much, but when you add them all together they make for a very unhealthy food environment broadly. And then we blame individuals for not being able to resist and yet were constantly surrounded by it and it triggers all our innate needs when it comes to food. To be honest, it surprises me completely that people think its an individual problem. Its not. Its a problem of an environment that is really not conducive to making a healthy choice. Another study in the supplement looked at the availability of fast-food restaurants in relation to the development of diabetes, which places a heavy burden on the health-care system. It found Canadians under 65 have a greater risk of developing diabetes if they live near three or more fast-food restaurants without healthy dining options. Its this lack of balance. Its where you had a lot of fast food but few other options, says lead author Jane Polsky, a University of Toronto PhD candidate at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health. Those (areas) had the worst profile for diabetes risks. Many public health units and municipal governments have discussed restricting fast-food restaurants and convenience stores near schools, says Polsky. What our study adds or suggests is that policies that achieve a better balance of restaurant types with more alternatives to fast food might actually go a long way towards reducing, at least in this case, the risk of diabetes, she says. Follow @lois_abraham on Twitter. Already have an account? Log in here WINNIPEG - Winnipeg police say a warrant has been issued for a Manitoba mother who police believe disappeared with her two children. We need your support! Local journalism needs your support! As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed. Now, more than ever, we need your support. Starting at $4.99/month you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website. or call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527. Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community! Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 22/06/2016 (2317 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA The federal government is coming to the rescue of a small frog in a Montreal suburban area on the south shore of the St. Lawrence. Environment and Climate Change Canada is imposing an emergency order to protect a habitat for the western chorus frog, a 2.5-cm amphibian which has seen a sharp population decline in recent years. The order covers about two square kilometres in the municipalities of La Prairie, Candiac and Saint Philippe. The department says the order wont affect the planned development a school and arena in La Prairie, but it does mean that 171 units of a proposed 1,200-unit housing project will not be built. The order bars construction or the destruction of any vegetation, forbids any activity that would change water flows and prohibits an off-road use of motor vehicles, all-terrain vehicles or a snowmobiles in the affected area. The tiny chorus frog is listed as threatened species due to habitat loss and degradation because of, among other things, urban development, intensified agriculture, climate change and pesticides and fertilizers. In the Monteregie region south of Montreal, the amphibian has lost more than 90 per cent of its historical range, with the greatest loss in La Prairie. The chorus frog is native to southern Ontario and parts of eastern Quebec. It breeds in temporary ponds, then moves into surrounding woods, prairies and pastures. In spring it can be recognized by its breeding call, which resembles the sound of a fingernail running along the teeth of a comb. The government said it consulted the affected municipalities, the Quebec government, developers and environmental groups before imposing the emergency order. We have also ensured that the socio-economic impacts of the order are kept to a minimum, Environment Minister Catherine McKenna said in a statement. We firmly believe that economic development and the protection of biodiversity can, and must, go hand in hand. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 22/06/2016 (2317 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. OTTAWA The Senate committee on Aboriginal Peoples wants the federal government to look at challenges faced by First Nations communities that straddle the Canada-U.S. border. The committee has released a report entitled Border Crossing Issues and the Jay Treaty that details some of the logistical hurdles faced by residents of the Akwesasne reserve, which extends from Ontario and Quebec into the U.S. The report says parts of the Canadian side can only be accessed via the U.S., frustrating residents with families or jobs on the opposite side of the border. The Jay Treaty, signed in 1794 by Great Britain and the United States, was established to resolve issues arising from the independence of the U.S. in 1776 and was meant to allow aboriginal people to freely cross the newly created border. The committee says the federal government has offered little help, and that the Canada Border Services Agency is in any event not in a position to provide a solution. The Senate is recommending Indigenous Affairs Minister Carolyn Bennett appoint a special representative before the end of the year to look into possible remedies. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 22/06/2016 (2317 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. TORONTO William Russell (Russ) Davies, of Richmond Hill, Ont., was 19 when he was sentenced to life in prison in 1988 in Daytona Beach, Fla., for a murder he says he didnt commit. Davies, who is still behind bars, spoke recently to The Canadian Press from Wakulla Correctional Institution near Crawfordville, Fla. Q: You were obviously a messed up kid. What do you think accounts for that? Why did you head to Florida? A: I was just being a dummy. I didnt want to hear nothing. Thats all. I was a kid that thought I knew everything and nobody could tell me nothing. Thats the truth of it. Everything in my life I was touching was messing up. And the easiest answer I had was to start again. William (Russ) Davies, centre, poses with his parents, Richard Davies, right, and Carol Davies as they visit their son in a Florida prison in this April 2015 handout photo. Davies is currently serving a life sentence in a Florida prison for a he denies committing in an incident 30 years ago. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO Q: What was it like in Florida? Why did you take to carrying a gun? A: We just went crazy. Completely out of control. I thought I was all of a sudden somebody important. I was hanging out with these big tough guys. I was a little kid that was scared to death. I was trying to be somebody. Q: Tell me how Jack Chaney died? A: He started talking trash and I hit him on the top side of the head with the gun and the gun shot off. (The bullet) went way off. Tim Hagan said it shot past him and went out through the woods. Chaney wasnt even knocked all the way out. Tim Hagan went over, slapped him twice, Chaney woke up, started coming up. Hagan said, Hes all right. And thats when Cavallaro went over, grabbed the gun out of my hand, kicked him in the jaw, and shot him. I froze when the gun went off. Im scared to death. I dont know what to do. Im stuck. Q: When did you realize you were in serious trouble? A: I realized I was in deep shit when they put me in a juvenile block and everybody I talked to and told that I was 18 years old told me to shut up. I realized I was in deep shit every time I called my parents and told them I needed help they told me, Thats your problem, you got yourself into the mess, get out of the mess. I realized I was in deep shit when I was absolutely by myself and there was no one in the entire world that was going to do or say anything on my behalf. Q: Carmen Corrente was appointed your lawyer. Why didnt you co-operate with him? A: I didnt trust him at all. The first thing that he said to me was talking about how was he was going to get me a deal. I told him: Im not taking a deal. I didnt do this. He always wanted me to plead out. I wouldnt have pleaded out for nothing. I didnt do it. Id rather do the time that Ive done then plead guilty to something I didnt do. The longest I talked to him was five minutes. I felt like I was just this inconvenience. Carmen Corrente probably did more to put me in prison than anyone else did. Q: What did you expect going into trial? The judge made much of your composure when you were convicted. A: I really, truly expected the truth to come out. I expected to be found guilty of a battery charge. (The judge) didnt see the rashes that were all over me. I was just absolutely stunned. I was scared to death. I was in actual physical pain. I thought Id get the death penalty. I was sure of it. Q: Suddenly you find yourself a lifer in the toughest environment. How do you survive? A: First I survived by being an idiot, just living in a void of caring nothing. When you dont care about nothing, you dont care about yourself. Its difficult to explain. There was no remorse, no logical thinking. I was living in a world of pure reaction. I have been in the worst shitbag institutions that the state of Florida has. I have lived in a hell that you probably have watched on television and dont really have a grasp of. Q: You say youve changed. How did that happen? A: What really took place is that I got embarrassed. And thats the most truth that I can give you. I was just ashamed to the core of my existence that I had kissed an entire life away and created an entire life of victims and people that I hurt and I said, I refuse to let that continue. (The interview has been edited and condensed. John Cavallaro pleaded guilty to attempted murder amid conflicting accounts of his role.) Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 22/06/2016 (2317 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. TORONTO An Ontario municipality opposed to wind turbine projects acted in bad faith when it unfairly threw up a roadblock that made it impossible for a company to proceed with one, Ontarios top court ruled Wednesday. The decision means Kawartha Lakes will have to take another look at how it dealt with a project application from Sumac Ridge Wind as previously ordered by Divisional Court. Divisional Court found that the city had acted in bad faith by exercising its jurisdiction over roads for an improper purpose, that is to frustrate the Sumac Ridge approval and prevent wind-energy projects from being constructed within its jurisdiction, the Court of Appeal said. This was an inference it was entitled to draw. The $40-million Sumac Ridge project by wpd Canada based in Mississauga, Ont., entails erecting five industrial wind turbines in Kawartha Lakes. Access to the private construction area, however, involved widening and levelling a municipal road allowance known as Wild Turkey Road. Sumac Ridge undertook to pay for the costs involved, but the city stalled when approached in 2011. In mid-2012, with final provincial approvals pending, Kawartha Lakes told the company that the use and upgrading of Wild Turkey Road would require the citys green light. In March 2013, the city passed resolutions stating that it was not a willing host for wind projects and that it would be looking for legal advice on how it might stop the Sumac Ridge proposal. The province approved the project in December 2013, which required sticking strictly to the submitted plans, including access via Wild Turkey Road. However, Kawartha Lakes council passed a resolution in March 2014 essentially denying use of the road for wind projects. Negotiations between company and municipality failed, prompting Sumac Ridge to ask Divisional Court to intervene. Last August, Divisional Court found the city had behaved badly and ordered it to reconsider the applications in good faith. (The city) was not exercising or attempting to exercise any legitimate jurisdiction over the use of the roads, Divisional Court found. Kawartha Lakes turned to the Court of Appeal, arguing among other things that Divisional Court was wrong to say the city had stepped on provincial jurisdiction and that it had acted in bad faith. The Appeal Court rejected the citys arguments, finding that provincial legislation such as laws on renewable energy supersedes municipal bylaws where theres a conflict. The only concerns a municipality can advance are reasonable considerations such as costs, indemnification, and liability, and only so long as it does so in good faith, the Appeal Court said. Permits may not be refused simply because the municipality disagrees with the overall project. In the current situation, the court said, council acted unreasonably and arbitrarily and without the degree of fairness, openness, and impartiality required of a municipal government. A project spokesman noted the city has to pay $85,000 for wpd Canadas court costs and said construction on the access road would begin this summer. When complete, the turbines should provide power equivalent to the average annual use of 1,514 homes. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 22/06/2016 (2317 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. LONDON, Ont. The mayor of London, Ont., says hes returning to work a week after temporarily stepping aside in the wake of admitting a brief inappropriate personal relationship with the deputy mayor. What occurred should never have happened, Matt Brown told a news conference on Wednesday, adding that it is something I take responsibility for and it is something that I deeply regret. Last week, Brown said in a statement that during a period of intense workload, he developed a close working relationship and ultimately an inappropriate personal relationship with deputy mayor Maureen Cassidy. Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic (left to right) Halifax Mayor Mike Savage and London Mayor Matt Brown attend a news conference at the big city mayors' conference in Toronto, Thursday, Sept.24, 2015. Brown says he's returning to work a week after temporarily stepping aside in the wake of admitting a brief "inappropriate personal relationship" with the deputy mayor.THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn Cassidy resigned as deputy mayor last Tuesday and used a news conference to appeal for privacy as she worked with her family to rebuild the trust that has been broken. Brown said he has taken the initial steps to repair the damage he has done in his personal life and that he is ready to focus on the future and on the work that needs to be done to move our community forward. Londons integrity commissioner looked at the disclosure by Brown and Cassidy and said in a report released earlier this week that he would not investigate further or recommend any sanctions. I believe that to conduct any further search for details would be to engage in an exercise in seeking out the salacious details of the situation an exercise which, other than satisfying curiosity, would serve no purpose, Gregory Stewart wrote. Stewart noted that he could recommend a formal reprimand or suspension of pay, but said the public nature of Brown and Cassidys disclosures and the resulting public comment and criticism is in and of itself a significant penalty. Hopefully city council and the community can get beyond the anger, outrage and disappointment that have been expressed over the past several days and get on with the business of the city, Stewart said. Brown said he will need to work very hard to regain the trust and the respect of Londoners and apologized for the negative attention he brought on the city. The integrity commissioners report pulled no punches, Brown said, adding that he accepts Stewarts criticisms and conclusions. I think that Ive taken full responsibility for my actions, Brown said. Ive been open and Ive been honest. But he noted that regaining the trust of council and the people would not happen overnight. Already have an account? Log in here PETERBOROUGH, Ont. - A 44-year-old Ontario woman is in hospital with serious injuries after she was hit by a car after stopping to help a turtle. We need your support! Local journalism needs your support! As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed. Now, more than ever, we need your support. Starting at $4.99/month you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website. or call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527. Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community! Already have an account? Log in here SEPT-ILES, Que. - Quebec provincial police say a hostage-taking at a courthouse in a remote Quebec town on Wednesday ended after a few hours. We need your support! Local journalism needs your support! As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed. Now, more than ever, we need your support. Starting at $4.99/month you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website. or call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527. Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community! Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 22/06/2016 (2317 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. MONTREAL A Quebec mine exploration company has big dreams of helping power the growing electric vehicle market. Nouveau Monde says a study by engineering firm Norda Stelco confirms the financial viability of its proposal to build North Americas largest mine to produce flake graphite, a key material used in lithium-ion batteries. Chief executive Eric Desaulniers says the study demonstrates that a section of its Matawinie project north of Montreal has the potential of becoming a reliable supplier of the material. Eric Desaulniers, CEO of Nouveau Monde, talks about a about a graphite mine project that's being developed about 120 kilometres north of Montreal during a news conference, Wednesday, June 22, 2016 in Montreal. The Quebec mine exploration company is looking to become a leader in graphite production, an important element in the growing electric car market. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Chiasson The firm also hopes to convert an idled panel mill into a plant to process the flake into spherical graphite to be used in EV batteries. It estimates the plant would create up to 30 jobs on top of the 100 direct positions at the mine, starting in 2021. China is currently the worlds largest supplier of graphite, controlling up to 70 per cent of the market. But Desaulniers said Chinas product is less pure and requires washing using materials that are released into the environment. He said carmakers are looking for a way to reduce their impact on the environment. We really believe that we have something that the lithium-ion manufacturers in America will like a lot, Desaulniers said in an interview. Graphite use by battery makers has grown by 30 per cent annually since 2013 and now trails only demand from steelmakers. Graphite is also used in electronic equipment, lubricants and pencils among other things. Nouveau Monde (TSXV:NOU) hopes to get approval to open a mine in Saint-Michel-des-Saints, 160 kilometres north of Montreal. The facility would produce 50,000 tonnes a year of graphite concentrate. Saint-Michel Mayor Rejean Gouin said there is minimal opposition to the project, with most of the communitys 2,400 residents anticipating the arrival of good jobs following a string of plant closures over the last decade. One hundred and thirty jobs for a small community like Saint-Michel its worth a lot, Gouin said. Building the open pit mine, with an operational life of 25 years, is expected to cost about $145 million. An expansion to double the capacity is possible if demand is proven. The company is backed by a subsidiary of Quebec pension fund manager Caisse de depot, as well as the union Solidarity Fund, the Quebec mining exploration agency Sidex and the Desjardins financial co-operative. It plans to also seek financial support from Canadian and U.S. banks. Unlike Timmincos failed project in Becancour to make commercial solar-grade silicon, Desaulniers said the graphite mine has no technical risk. It sits near a smaller operation by Imerys Graphite and Carbon partially owned by Power Corp. (TSX:POW) that produces about 25,000 tonnes of material a year, or two per cent of world supply. The market is kind of obvious. There is a already a track to follow that investors like to see, Desaulniers said at a news conference announcing the study results. Electric cars currently make up less than one per cent of global automobile sales but their share is expected to grow in the next decade. Tesla is building a large battery factory in Nevada, while Volkswagen has said it wants to build up to three million electric cars a year by 2025. Apple is also rumoured to be working on an electric car. When big guys like this start to invest massively into a gigafactory for batteries, thats very exciting because they will require a lot of graphite and lithium and all the raw materials, said Desaulniers. Note to readers: This is a corrected story: A previous version mis-spelled Matawinie Already have an account? Log in here TORONTO - William Russell (Russ) Davies, of Richmond Hill, Ont., was 19 when he was sentenced to life in prison in 1988 in Daytona Beach, Fla., for a murder he says he didn't commit. Some key dates in his story: We need your support! Local journalism needs your support! As we navigate through unprecedented times, our journalists are working harder than ever to bring you the latest local updates to keep you safe and informed. Now, more than ever, we need your support. Starting at $4.99/month you can access your Brandon Sun online and full access to all content as it appears on our website. or call circulation directly at (204) 727-0527. Your pledge helps to ensure we provide the news that matters most to your community! Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 22/06/2016 (2317 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. EDMONTON Final arguments began Wednesday in a trial for an Alberta man accused in the deaths of two Alberta seniors. Lyle and Marie McCann disappeared nearly six years ago while driving to British Columbia for a family get-together. Travis Vader is charged with first-degree murder. Here is a timeline with key events in the case: 2010 July 3: Lyle and Marie McCann are last seen fuelling up their motorhome in their hometown of St. Albert, north of Edmonton, for a trip to Abbotsford, B.C. July 5: The couples burned-out motorhome is discovered in the bush near Edson, about 200 kilometres west of St. Albert. Mounties phone the couples home and knock on their door. Officers later explain that they werent alarmed because vehicles are often found burning in the bush and its not unusual for people to be away from home during the summer. July 10: Trudy Holder calls RCMP when her parents fail to show up in Abbotsford. Mounties start searching for the couple. July 13: Two people go to the RCMP detachment in Prince George, B.C., and report having spotted a green Hyundai Tucson like the one the McCanns were towing behind their motorhome. But they are rebuffed. Mounties later issue a public plea for the tipsters to return. July 16: RCMP announce that the SUV the couple was towing has been found off a bush trail near Edson. Officers name Travis Vader as person of interest in the case and release his photo. July 19: Vader is arrested on outstanding warrants on unrelated charges. 2011 July 20: A judge declares the McCanns dead so their wills and estates can be processed. Dec. 22: Vader is sentenced to 33 months in prison for arsons and break-ins in the Whitecourt, Mayerthorpe and Barrhead areas of Alberta in 2009. He gets credit for time served but is kept in custody on other charges. 2012 April 18: Vader is charged with first-degree murder in the deaths of the McCanns. May 1: Vader is convicted of drug trafficking, theft and weapons charges that occurred in the Barrhead area in June 2010. Oct. 19: Before Vader can be sentenced for those offences, a judge declares a mistrial because evidence was not properly disclosed to the defence. Justice June Ross cites the RCMP as negligent and orders a new trial. 2014 Feb. 7: Vader files a lawsuit against the RCMP and justice officials claiming they kept him behind bars on trumped-up charges until he could be charged with murdering the McCanns. He had faced charges related to passing off a forged employment letter in court, but they were dropped. March 19: Crown prosecutor Michelle Doyle issues a stay on the murder charges, days before the murder trial is to begin, after discovering Mounties failed to disclose all evidence in the case to lawyers. The RCMP later make changes to the way disclosure is handled in major investigations. April 22: Vader files another lawsuit alleging misconduct by RCMP, malicious prosecution by the Crown and mistreatment by prison guards. Oct. 8: Vader is found not guilty of the previous drug, theft and weapons charges after a second trial. He pleads guilty to failing to comply with a 2010 court order and is sentenced to one day of time already served. He is released from custody for the first time in four years and tells reporters his treatment by the justice system has been a witch hunt. Dec. 19: RCMP arrest Vader and charge him again with murder in the deaths of the McCanns. 2016 Jan. 26: Justice Denny Thomas denies an application by defence lawyers to drop the case over alleged abuse of process and an unreasonable delay in getting to trial. March 8: Vaders first-degree murder trial begins. He tells the judge: I am not guilty of that charge. May 30: Vader is denied bail on new charges laid during his murder trial. They include break and enter, possession of stolen property and breaching conditions of his release. His bail had already been reviewed once before after he came to court late four times during the trial. June 22: Final arguments begin. Crown asks judge to look at the totality of the evidence. Defence has suggested not enough evidence to prove the couple is dead and that police should have looked at other suspects. Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 22/06/2016 (2317 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. VANCOUVER A woman who complained to the University of British Columbia about the chair of its writing program says shes glad the acclaimed writer is no longer employed by the school. The university issued a statement Wednesday saying Steven Galloway no longer works there over what it calls an irreparable breach of trust. Im so relieved that UBC did the right thing, said the woman, who asked that her name not be used out of concern for the impact it may have on her career. She declined to discuss what led her to complain, but said she has been living with extreme stress and anxiety as the investigation progressed. This has been the worst year of my life, she said. Galloway was suspended in November while an investigation was completed over what UBC said were serious allegations of misconduct. Additional complaints were also received after he was suspended and Mary Ellen Boyd, a former B.C. Supreme Court justice, was appointed to conduct an investigation. Details of those allegations werent released, but the school said Galloway did not dispute any of the critical findings when the dean of arts, Gage Averill, reviewed the report with him. The woman said she was frustrated by the lack of information complainants were given, but believes details about what happened will eventually come out. Honestly, Im just relieved (UBC) took action. It would have been easier for them to not take actions, she said. Philip Steenkamp, the vice-president external relations at UBC, wouldnt say if Galloway quit or if he was fired. He noted that when the president recommends termination of a faculty member it needs to be approved by the board and that approval was given on Tuesday. Galloway could not be reached for comment. His publisher did not return an email seeking comment Wednesday. Steenkamp said all of the complainants who came forward have been offered support and counselling services by the university. Galloway is the author of three novels, including The Confabulist and The Cellist of Sarajevo and was nominated for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award and the Scotiabank Giller Prize. He started working as an assistant professor at the school in September 2001 and was appointed chair of creative writing in 2013. The university said its president met with Galloway on June 3. As a result of the findings in this meeting, coupled with the deans recommendation and the investigative findings the president concluded that there was a record of misconduct that resulted in an irreparable breach of the trust placed in faculty members by the university, its students and the general public, the schools statement said. The university said it had to balance a number of issues in investigating the case and reporting on its outcome. The university acknowledges the communitys need for information and assurance that its processes have been applied fairly. At the same time, the university must balance the need to respect the personal privacy of both complainants and respondents and to provide them with a safe space in which to bring forward their concerns and perspectives. Opinion Hey there, time traveller! This article was published 22/06/2016 (2317 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current. Change is inevitable in human life. Not only is this a terribly common cliche, it also happens to be true. And rarely, if ever, is it easy to achieve. More often, change is slow or painful and instead of smooth transitions, significant shifts often come in fits and starts or at least, so they appear on the surface. A clear example of this came earlier this year when the Conservative Party of Canada voted to scrub a policy that opposed same-sex marriage from its books, thereby attempting to drag many of its more small-c conservative elements into the more contemporary body politic. More than a decade ago, this would not have been thought possible. It was just 11 years ago that Stephen Harper vowed, as Conservative Opposition leader, to bring in legislation that will define marriage as the union of one man and one woman. But this was a fight that Conservatives were never going to win, as Canadian society itself has moved to recognize gay and lesbian rights, which are guaranteed under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and upheld by our courts. Staying on the losing side of history does not usually help political careers. Even under the decade of Conservative rule, the writing was on the wall, as former prime minister Harper refused to bring the subject of gay marriage back for a vote in the House of Commons, nor let any member of his party do so. While he was demonized for it, both from Opposition members and his own maverick MPs, Harper stuck to his guns. And under the leadership of the partys interim successor, Rona Ambrose, very clearly the Conservative Party has evolved on this issue, even if not all of its MPs have. The fact that not all Conservative MPs are necessarily happy with their partys directives on gay rights has come into sharp focus over the last few days, as controversy flares in Steinbach. A predominantly Mennonite community located in Manitobas Bible Belt, Steinbach residents have been slow to change over the years even as societal views once considered overtly progressive have become the norm. At issue are comments made by Conservative MP Ted Falk, who said he would not attend Steinbachs first pride march on July 9 because of his personal beliefs. He had initially told media that he had a conflict with another festival that he had already committed to the Frog Follies in St-Pierre-Jolys. But when Follies organizer Marie-Christine Bruce urged Falk to opt for the pride event instead, the MP issued a written statement saying he had no intention of attending any pride march whatsoever. Even without a scheduling conflict, my decision to not attend would be the same. Ive been clear on this issue many times, and have made my position public on my values of faith, family and community, the statement read. Just as I respect the right of people to participate in this event, I am hopeful the event organizers will be respectful of my choice, and the choice of many others, not to participate. And hes not alone. Steinbach Mayor Chris Goertzen and Progressive Conservative MLA Kelvin Goertzen have also declined to attend the march. This has become an issue, in part, because of a public skirmish between the Hanover School Division that governs Steinbach schools, and a lesbian couple, Michelle McHale and Karen Phillips, both of whom now live in Winnipeg. One of the couples two children was bullied in a Steinbach school when it became known the child had two mothers. McHale also happens to be one of the organizers of the Steinbach pride march. Earlier this month, the board rejected a request from an openly gay Grade 12 student in the school division to let teachers discuss sexual-identity issues in their classrooms. In spite of overtures by McHale and Phillips to change this policy, division trustees have not budged. As a result, the couple this week has filed a human rights complaint against the school division. These two issues Falks non-attendance at the pride march and a decision to limit constructive classroom conversations about the LGBTTQ* community are separate yet connected. We happen to agree with Falk that he has the right not to attend events that he personally disagree with. That is his right under the charter and he should not be browbeaten into submission by those who believe otherwise. But our politicians also have a duty as elected officials to uphold the laws of the land, including charter rights for people with lifestyles that they dont necessarily agree with. Its a shame he cannot bring himself to extend support for all of Steinbachs residents, no matter their orientation. Falks religious convictions have never been a secret. He has long been a staunchly conservative Conservative, and was voted into office by his constituents in spite of or perhaps because of those views. But change, as we have said, is inevitable. Even in Steinbach. The day may come when every Conservative politician in the Bible Belt feels compelled to attend the local pride march. It may be a long wait, though. The Dail Bar in Galway is on the hunt for a man who went the extra mile to return one of their employee's lost property. While cheering on the boys in green in Bordeaux with other members of the pub's staff, barman John OConnor lost his wallet. A pub in Mullingar has made a strong offer to the Italians in advance of tonight's make or break match. John Daly's Pub posted a pic of the board outside their establishment that has since gone viral. By David Raleigh Hundreds of residents in South East Clare have been left high and dry for five days after a water main burst last Saturday. People in Parteen, claimed they were told the burst pipe would be fixed last Saturday, however they are still without water. One elderly resident, who was helping a relative cope with the recent tragic loss of her daughter and husband, described the lack of water as "awful". Brigid O'Neill, 73, said: "We haven't had water since last Saturday." "When I rang Irish Water they said it would be fixed by 5pm that evening. We still don't have water," she said. "They are quick enough to take my money out of my bank account by direct debit, but they're slow on this," she added. Six-year-old Sarah Horkan, Fairyfield, Parteen, Co Clare shelters from the rain as the fire brigade distribute water to households in the area. Pic: Press 22 Ms O'Neill, a mother of one living in the Fairyfield estate, claimed that after she contacted Irish Water about the problem, no one at the company seemed to know there was an issue. "First of all the person on the phone didn't know what I was talking about. Then she told me I should have water back by 5pm," said Ms O'Neill. "I believed her," she added. Angry at what she said was a lack of communication from Irish Water, Ms O'Neill added: "I'll never believe them again." "No one told us about it," she said. "There are an awful lot of young families here with children and there are elderly people living here too. You must have the basics, like water," Ms O'Neill said. Residents have been forced to fork out for bottled water for washing and cooking, and watering their flowers and filling toilets. "You can't do anything without water...it's terrible," Ms O'Neill said. Local firefighters have been helping residents by supplying water from a tanker for cooking and flushing toilets. "Again, no one told me (the tanker) was coming," Ms O'Neill said. Irish Water issued a notice on its website on June 20th stating a water mains had burst in the area. It estimated repair works would conclude by 5pm that evening. On June 21, Irish Water issued another notice that a tanker would supply water in Fairyfield from 11am-3pm on June 22. Ms O'Neill said was not aware of the notices as she did not have access to the Internet. In a statement Irish Water said it "is aware of a series of recent bursts in the Parteen area. Crews are on site there since this morning as repairs to the network are ongoing and updates will be provided as the work progresses." "This is as a result of the poor condition of the network and Irish Water has approved the replacement of a section of water main in the area, which is intended to address the frequent nature of bursts and the inconvenience to residents." "This work is scheduled to begin on 4 July." A spokesperson for a irish Water said it was working to fix the problem as soon as possible. Fianna Fail is calling on the Government to appoint an Arts Minister and increase funding for the sector. The Dail will this afternoon debate a motion put forward by Fianna Fail which calls for increased support and protection for the arts. US Vice President Joe Biden said he was emotional and moved by his visit to Aras an Uachtarain this morning, writes Jack Power of the Irish Examiner. Mr Biden visited with President Michael D. Higgins and the two held a 30-minute meeting in which they discussed human rights, Northern Ireland, and Irish - American relations. On his arrival at the Aras Mr Biden was ushered into the state reception room by Mr Higgins and his wife Sabina to sign the Visitors book. Mr Biden said to be in the Aras was moving and that his grandfather Finnegan would be very proud. Mr Biden quoted John F. Kennedys words upon his visit to Ireland back in 1963 beside his signature, our two nations, divided by distance have been united by our people. Vice President Joe Biden quoted JFK in the Aras an Uachtarain visitors book: pic.twitter.com/YSjWhMSTEl President of Ireland (@PresidentIRL) June 22, 2016 Mr Biden wrote that he would like to add, we are united by the hearts and souls of our people. While signing the book Biden remarked he was writing a letter to the Irish people, to which President Higgins responded that it reminded him of the name of a song, A Letter from your Son. The US Vice President is currently visiting Ireland to trace his Irish roots and connect with rediscovered distant relatives in County Louth. President Higgins and Mr Biden were joined by the US Ambassador to Ireland Kevin OMalley, and two other members of the VPs foreign relations staff, his National Security Advisor Dr Colin Kahl and Anna Makanju, his senior director for Europe. Pic: Maxwells Irelands Ambassador to the US Anne Anderson was greeted by President Higgins and Mr Biden, and was described by Mr Biden as the best Ambassador in the world. President Higgins secretary-general Art OLeary and his advisor Liam Herrick were also present for the occasion. Mr Bidens 20-car motorcade left the Aras to continue on the Vice Presidents trip around Ireland down to Mayo later today. A Corkman who volunteered to fight ISIS on the front line in Iraq has appealed to the people of Ireland to help support efforts to thwart the spiralling crisis, writes Liz Dunphy of the Evening Echo. Former military man, Michael Martin, from Cork city, a former pupil of the North Monastery school and played hurling with Glen Rovers, who has seen, and felt, the brutality of war. Friends have been violently injured and killed and he has exchanged fire with ISIS, or Daesh the terrorist organisations Arabic acronym. Knowledge of the bloodshed and innocent victims claimed by an illegally waged war inspired him to travel to Iraq to join the Kurdish Peshmerga regional army on the frontline in Iraq. I have four children, were lucky to live in a safe, stable country. I had skills that I knew would be useful to the Peshmerga forces so I volunteered to help them. If we in Ireland were faced with a threat like ISIS, we would want other people to come and help us and our children, he said. On that flight to Iraq he met broadcaster Ross Kemp who was making a documentary on Western volunteers fighting in Syria, which is due to be screened on Sky One this autumn. He was a nice guy, it was uplifting to meet him, we have the same goals, he said. Mr Martin is adamant that the war is not about Islam. I stood beside Muslims on the front line. I worked with Muslim men who are fighting other Muslim men. The Muslim religion is not the problem. ISIS is the problem. When the IRA were bombing the English in the 80s every Irish person was tarnished as a terrorist, now were doing the same to the Muslims and we cant do that. He said that there is a natural affinity and great similarities between the Kurds and the Irish. We have the same sense of humour, and a love for our countries, he said. The Kurds are the worlds largest stateless nation and they have proved to be the Wests most effective partner in the war against ISIS. They have been brutalised and subjected to genocidal campaigns in the recent past. In the 1980s, 182,000 civilians were slaughtered by the Iraqi government, and thousands more displaced and deported. But Mr Martin said that he has never met a more resilient, courageous, resourceful or hospitable people. Theyre working and fighting for love of the land, and nothing else. Life on the front line is tough, but the soldiers guard each other with their lives. He said that protective gear could lesson Peshmerga injuries, and more medical training and supplies could drastically reduce mortalities and lesson injuries sustained by both fighters and civilians. He has appealed for people to contact the Kurdish Irish Society on Facebook to offer help or supplies. There is nothing stopping anyone from contacting the Kurdish Irish Society to ask what they can do, whether its donating shoes, socks, crayons, or paper. There are ways to fight violence without using violence, he said. Mr Martin plans to return to Kurdistan, but he first wants to rally support for the cause and get equipment to bring over. On one of his first nights back home he met a Kurdish man working in a chipper in Cork, a reminder of how close the conflict really is to many people in Ireland. Mr Martin spent four months in Iraq and hitchhiked hundreds of miles across the country to visit various Peshmerga units. Hitchhiking, with ISIS, the number one terrorist organisation in the world just 20km away, was a surreal experience. But I never got any trouble there and I never saw any street crime. He chose not to travel armed to respect civilians and children and not to intimidate locals. In Iraq itself, the main cities are like Las Vegas with marble floors, people wear Rolex watches and drive Range Rovers. But when you go down south or up north you see the distinction in the refugee situation. When we were down in Makhmur, people were living in rubble shells of houses, with sheets as windows, and children had no shoes. ISIS are only 10 km away, so the threat of them coming is constant. "We had other refugees escaping villages that were controlled by ISIS coming to our lines and basically leaving their homes, their livestock, their lives to flee ISIS. We were the first aftercare that they had. If they were dehydrated wed give them fluid, medical care, shoes, food and basically be some reassurance for them. In his opinion, the West could do more to aid the Kurdish struggle and defeat ISIS in the Middle East. People are saying ISIS is taking over Iraq, Kurdistan, Syria. The Syrian Kurds and the Peshmerga are some of the most resilient, courageous men Ive ever met. They go into battle with their bare hands, not caring about money. They have limited access to weapons. If we want the problem in Iraq and Syria to disappear we need to get behind the Kurdish people and the Peshmerga because the job theyre doing is fantastic. For people to have the worlds number one terrorist organisation on their doorstep and still fight them and live their everyday lives, its so commendable. No words can describe it. He said that recent speculation about mercenaries being hired to fight this war are unfounded and he was not paid to fight with the Peshmerga. This is totally voluntary. Im just a volunteer for a humanitarian group and Im personally funded. I paid for my own weapons, transport, and food. But the Kurdish people looked after us, they shared whatever food they had and offered us somewhere to sleep. They are the most hospitable and courageous people I have ever met, he said. This story first appeared as an exclusive in today's Evening Echo. Kerry Senator Paul Coghlan has called for action on the problem of seagulls in Dublin city centre, who he said " wreak havoc with their breaks ripping rubbish bags, writes Jack Power of the Irish Examiner. Mr Coghlan, the leas-chathaoirleach of the Seanad yesterday told the house of an incident on Dawson street he witnessed leaving Leinster House on Monday night. Mr Coghlans statements followed a debate on the rise of obesity in Ireland and the overuse of antibiotics among Senators, he said that what he witnessed must be mentioned. The Senator continued to tell the Upper House how he came across a number of seagulls tearing at plastic bin bags left out on the street for collection by city centre businesses. They are perched on ledges ready to swoop ... and seem to have a voracious appetite said Mr Coghlan. Mr Coghlan placed the time of the incident at 11 pm, they do not seem to understand bed time he said. Mr Coghlan did confirm he was not seeking to propose legislation to deal with the practice of seagulls pecking at rubbish bags. But Mr Coghlan did say he wanted to bring attention of the issue to business owners who are putting out bundles of plastic bags. The birds are destroying the bags with their beaks. Litter is being strewn all over the place. Offering potential solutions to the capital citys seagull scourge Mr Coghlan said, perhaps a repulsive spray can be found if business owners are to continue putting out plastic bags or maybe they should be encouraged to use wheelie bins, as plastic bags are leaving litter all over the place. Senator David Norris followed Mr Coghlans statements on seagulls to bring attention to the lack of media attention given to Seanad Eireann in recent weeks. He said he was disappointed, and that it is a serious matter when the Seanad is not recorded at all. In the absence of any pending legislation for the Seanad to debate, Mr Norris said that the practice of hearing isolated statements from Senators had given rise to a climate that had a lack of intellectual activity within the house. Rock stars U2 have waded into the UK's European Union referendum debate by declaring: "Don't go - we'd miss you." With just a day to go until the polls open in Britain, they said Europe without Britain would be unimaginable to them. They made a direct appeal to fellow country men and women voting in the referendum to back Remain. On their official Facebook page, they reposted a video showing barriers coming down and bridges being built in Ireland since the peace process. The video by the Ireland4Europe campaign warns of the risk that new border controls would bring to all the progress made over 18 years since the Good Friday Agreement. In the event of a Brexit, the now seamless border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland would become the only land frontier between the UK and Europe. "We were asked to repost this video," U2 said on their fan site. "We like it and we're humbled to be in it." "For Irish voters in Britain, don't go we'd miss you ... Europe without Britain seems unimaginable to us. Bono, Edge, Adam and Larry." Liam Neeson also lent his support to the Remain camp, warning of the "worst" ramifications for Ireland in the event of Britain opting out. "I would like to lend my voice to Irish4Europe's campaign to encourage Irish citizens to vote for the UK to remain in the EU," he said in a statement. "A UK exit would have the worst ramifications for the island of Ireland. Economically, this would be a backwards step for Ireland. "Border controls would be implemented to allegedly stop illegal immigrants coming into the UK through the backdoor. Trade will be enormously impacted. "It would be truly a shame to sacrifice all the progress that has been made by the peace process regarding border controls. "There is strength in unity. A Brexit vote will make us weak. I urge you to go out and vote to remain in the EU." Irish voters represent up to 10% of the UK electorate. With the Remain and Leave sides neck and neck, their role could be critical in the outcome of Thursday's poll. David D'Arcy, of Irish4Europe, pleaded with each and every Irish voter to make voting Remain their first task on the day. "Don't leave it. In such a close race, the Irish could make the difference," he said. Joe Biden will visit Co Mayo today. The US Vice President has family links to the county after his great-great-grandfather Patrick Blewitt emigrated from there in 1835. Biden began his six-day visit to Ireland last night and held a private one-on-one meeting with Enda Kenny at Government Buildings. There he was presented with a hurley and sliotar. This morning he will visit Aras an Uachtarain to sign the same visitors' book that his president Barack Obama did just over five years ago. After a private meeting with President Michael D Higgins he will fly to Knock Airport to spend the day in Co Mayo. Biden will spend the day touring the county, led by Taoiseach Enda Kenny, and is likely to meet some of his distant cousins there. CHICAGO: US soyabean futures eased on Monday and corn was mixed as concerns about dull demand anchored prices as... 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... BRUSSELS: European Union countries will attempt on Monday to agree their negotiating position for this years UN... PRINT | EMAIL | PERMALINK Food News Taste on TV Dennis Apodaca, the famous chef at Elis Place, has been picked to star in an episode of Chopped, one of those mystery ingredient Food Network cooking competition shows. He'll go up against three other chefs for a chance at $10,000 and some nationwide facetime. Apodaca is heading to New York in August to film. Phony Chiles Induce Tongue-Twisting Legalese The US 10th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the Hatch Chile Association and El Encanto to subpoena records proving the source of Hatch Chile Company's chiles. In other words: Hatch Chile Company's chiles probably aren't all from Hatch. Phew. Say that three times fast. While Project Lighting chief executive Maryanne Gore has worked for decades to make homes brighter, she has also spent one night of the past seven years sleeping rough to shine a light on the complex issue of homelessness. On Thursday, the longest Canberra participant in the annual Vinnies CEO Sleepout will again brave a harsh (and possibly rainy) winter's night to snooze outdoors with 110 other community leaders this time outside Questacon. Vinnies CEO Sleepout veteran Maryanne Gore gets ready at Questacon for a cold night. Credit:Graham Tidy Ms Gore has raised $16,000 for St Vincent De Paul over the years and is just $600 short of reaching this year's target of $3500. "It feels great that I've actually done something worthwhile," Ms Gore said. Sacrifice: The Lost Songbirds of the Somme, Andrew Goodwin tenor, Anton Wurzer accordion, Jason Craig bagpipes and the Sculthorpe String Quartet. Artistic director Chris Latham. High Court of Australia, Tuesday, June 20, 2016, 8pm. Of all the many commemorative events in this World War I centenary year marking the particular battles of 1916, Chris Latham's Sacrifice: The Lost Songbirds of the Somme must rank among the finest and most moving. In an audience replete with military and civil dignitaries, an all-pervading atmosphere of humility was palpable, as those gathered listened to the harvest of creativity from the battlefield. How poignant to listen to the music composed by young soldiers who hoped to leave behind for future generations music embodying the beauty within the human soul despite the barbaric behaviour and horrific conditions that surrounded them. John Barker, Sorrowing Mother, 1916, National Gallery of Australia. Latham is the artistic director of the four-year Flowers of War project, which is funded through several sources, including the Anzac Centenary Cultural Fund, the Mission Centenaire in France, the Franco-German Fund and the Catalyst Fund. At the core of the project is extensive research into the artistic contributions of composers, musicians and visual artists who were killed, gravely injured or affected by World War I. Tenor Andrew Goodwin sang with the voice of that golden generation, born into an era of such promise as modernism replaced the formality of the Victorian age. Goodwin's slow-walking entry with the opening pianissimo bars of Handel's Dead March from Saul set the grave, underlying tone for the evening. In the subsequent songs with their nuances of pastoral themes, echoes of Palm Court salon music redolent of pleasant summer afternoons beyond the sound of bombardment, Goodwin's pure notes soared like the questing spirits of the composers who sought to recapture in music the blessed memory of freedom. The Sex Party has been told by the ACT government it must take down "offensive" election corflutes posted around Canberra or face fines. The offending corflutes say, "Screw the major parties - Vote for the Sex Party", and have an image of a hand making an obscene gesture. Steven Bailey with the "offensive" Sex Party corflutes. ACT Sex Party Senate candidate Steven Bailey said he was contacted on Monday by Territory and Municipal Services, which said the signs had breached local code by being likely to "cause offence to a reasonable adult". Mr Bailey said he had been asked to also take down another corflute, "Tax the Church Vote for the Sex Party'', with an accompanying image of a cross with a dollar sign. Chief Minister Andrew Barr says a developer will effectively become the "bank for the CSIRO" when it signs up to build housing on a large swathe of the agency's land in north-west Canberra. The CSIRO is set to bring in developers to build homes on a 701-hectare block it owns between Belconnen and Gungahlin, known as the Ginninderra Field Station. Chief Minister Andrew Barr again used estimates to question a plan to build a major housing development on CSIRO land, saying a developer would effectively become the organisation's "bank". Credit:Jeffrey Chan It began considering what to do with the land in 2011, after a review found it was "significantly underutilised for research", and is currently evaluating expressions of interest from developers after federal authorities rezoned the land in May. Tender documents associated with the proposal show any developer who enters a partnership with the CSIRO would need to pay the organisation $15 million by July next year, the same amount by July 2018, $29 million by July 2019, and $47 million by July 2020. AFL players Cyril and Daniel Rioli will miss their matches this weekend to attend a family funeral in the Northern Territory. Grandfather Cyril Kalippa died earlier this month, aged 81. Richmond will be without Daniel for Saturday's match against Brisbane at the MCG. And Cyril will not play for Hawthorn this Sunday against Gold Coast in Launceston. Uber gets the green light in Victoria Uber took out a full-page advertisement in Melbourne's Herald Sun the day after an independent state parliamentarian met the Transport Minister to discuss ride-sharing legislation. Uber has also borrowed the Victorian Liberals' previous campaign slogan "moving Victoria" and added a campaign disclaimer at the bottom of the advertisement: "Authorised by Matthew Denman, 64 Gwynne Street Cremorne VIC 3121". This is the address of Uber's office in Melbourne and Mr Denman is the general manager for Uber in Victoria. The following day the Victorian government announced plans to legalise the service by the end of the year. GPT Metro Office Fund's independent board has backed the sweetened cash and scrip offer made by Centuria Metropolitan REIT, which is valued at about $317 million. This has put the pressure on other bidder, the South African-backed Growthpoint Properties Australia, to either surpass the revised Centuria offer, or walk away. It is understood Growthpoint is reviewing its offer, but no decision has been made as yet. GPT Metropolitan Office Fund's 5 Murray Rose Avenue asset at Olympic Park in Sydney. GPT Metro's board, while backing the higher Centuria offer, has said it is doing so subject to there being no superior proposal; an independent expert saying that the Centuria revised offer is fair and reasonable to GPT Metro unitholders (other than Centuria and Centuria Capital) and not withdrawing that recommendation. Centuria Metropolitan REIT and Centuria Capital together hold a 16.1 per cent stake in the target fund. The Centuria Metropolitan fund is run by Nicholas Collishaw. But Judge Thelton Henderson of US District Court in San Francisco said in his ruling Friday, "This is not a case where the alleged deception is simply implausible as a matter of law." The plaintiffs, Siera Strumlauf and Benjamin Robles, contended in a class-action complaint filed in March that the popular drinks were underfilled by about 25 per cent of their advertised sizes: 12, 16 and 20 ounces (355ml, 473 ml and 591 ml). Two people who accused Starbucks of deliberately underfilling lattes can continue their lawsuit after a federal judge in California dismissed three counts against the beverage retailer but allowed five to remain. "The court finds it probable that a significant portion of the latte-consuming public could believe that a 'Grande' contains 16 ounces of fluid, measured without milk foam or in its cooled state," he wrote. "If nothing else, it is probable enough that the issue should be decided by a trier of fact, not on a motion to dismiss." In their complaint, the plaintiffs said Starbucks used cups that held the advertised amounts only when filled to the brim, but that the drinks were not filled that high. They said that in 2009, Starbucks made a "conscious decision" to save money on milk by using pitchers with etched-in "fill to" lines that were too low, and the recipe required baristas to fill a quarter-inch below the brim of the cups, the lawsuit says. In a statement, Starbucks said the lawsuit was "without merit." "All of our handcrafted beverages are made in accordance with our customers' preferences," the company said. "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." It's not the first time that Starbucks has been sued over its drinks. A separate class-action lawsuit in April by Stacey Pincus of Chicago accused the company of putting too much ice in cold drinks, leaving consumers with just over half the amount they paid for, according to Courthouse News. Telstra has completed the sale of a 47.4 per cent stake in Chinese car website Autohome, giving it funds for a $1.5 billion capital management program - most likely an on-market share buyback, according to one analyst. Ping An Insurance Group paid $US1.6 billion ($2.1 billion) for the stake, with Telstra pocketing about $1.8 billion from the sale once adjustments including foreign exchange rates are made. Details of a planned capital management program will be announced in August, Telstra boss Andy Penn says. Credit:Bloomberg "Autohome has been an excellent investment for Telstra and we are pleased to have realised significant value for Telstra shareholders," said Telstra chief executive Andrew Penn, who added details on the capital management program will be announced in August when the company reveals its full-year results. Telstra will retain a 6.5 per cent stake in the site after the sale and keeps one seat on the board. The deal faces "residual litigation" in the Cayman Islands, which the company is contesting, Telstra said. A CFA crew is at the site of the chemical spill. Credit:Jessica Shapiro United Firefighters Union national and state secretary Peter Marshall said he had spoken with the member concerned. "He categorically denies the allegations. Any suggestion to the contrary would be highly defamatory," Mr Marshall said. "We have no further comment while the matter is before the police." Last week, leading firefighter Alex Batty was among a group of career and volunteer staff from the Traralgon CFA station, east of Melbourne, who were rattling CFA fundraising cans at traffic lights. Some motorists questioned whether the firefighters were career or volunteers before they donated, he said, and others erupted with vile abuse. "One particular person put a .22 shell in the donation bucket and said, 'You can give that to the career staff and the Premier'," Mr Batty recounted to Fairfax Media. "Another said, 'Why the f--- would we donate to you? Didn't you get enough money in your EBA?" In recent weeks, there have been heated protests across Victoria by furious CFA volunteers who fear the union deal will sideline them in favour of paid staff. It is understood that career firefighters elsewhere in Victoria have been booed and jeered at while responding to callouts. The disturbing revelations come as the volunteers' association scored a small win in the Supreme Court. Having secured an injunction two weeks ago against the CFA board signing the agreement with the United Firefighters Union, Volunteer Fire Brigades Victoria has won talks with the new board. The Supreme Court agreed to a consent position between the two parties on Wednesday morning that will see the volunteer association handed a copy of the EBA; talks between the volunteers and the CFA board about concerns; and an undertaking that the EBA will not be signed off before July 20. Premier Daniel Andrews' intervention in the protracted dispute threw his government into chaos, with a minister quitting, and igniting anger among volunteers who feared the deal with the union will undermine their role. The CFA's career firefighters - nearly all of whom are members of the UFU - have been repeatedly cast as bullies and "thugs" during the explosive industrial feud. Mr Batty, a career firefighter, said it was "heartbreaking" to be abused by members of the public. "We are trying to treat all of this as noise in the background, but it saddens me immensely, it's heartbreaking," he said. "Irrespective of being volunteer or career staff, this is a job we are proud of doing - we are there at people's times of need and when we turn up we are generally very well-respected. "But now we feel uncomfortable going out in public and being in our uniforms." Emails show Liberals advising volunteers The CFA saga has been seized on by the Coalition parties at both state and federal level. The Liberal Party has set up and registered a website, HandsOfftheCFA, which includes a petition to sign. Some people have reported that after signing the petition they have received emails from the Liberal Party trying to solicit donations. The Liberal Party has also been advising local CFA volunteer branches about how to campaign, in a bid to maximise the impact it has on the federal election. In an email seen by The Age, one CFA captain says he has been talks with the Liberal party about firefighters appearing at polling booths on election day. "[Liberal official] also advises that our best course of action is to simply win the Federal Election, as there is no hope at a State level of government in assisting us," the email to CFA brigades said. "Every effort should be focused on having representation in the form of a static rally at 56 polling booths in District 8 on Election day." It is common knowledge that overpopulated cities have higher costs of living, high unemployment, pollution and desecrated natural habitats, among other problems. Shouldn't we learn to build Canberra's communities, not by filling a paddock with homes, but by improving existing suburbs and offering people healthier lives, better infrastructure and a natural environment that maintains as much of our native flora and fauna as possible. We need to start a discussion and come to an agreement on what is Canberra's sustainable population. Andrew Tye, Cook Levies lazy form of tax It is a pity that the Canberra community has not reacted more strongly to the introduction of the domestic violence levy which is an addition to the fire and emergency services levy (which has tripled over six years), the ambulance levy, the road rescue levy and the former insurance levy. This is not an argument against funding responses to domestic violence but an economic argument concerning the inefficient allocation of resources. The use of levies is a lazy form of taxation, is regressive in nature and is not at all equitable in that it often targets only sections of the general population. And who is it that decides that it is better to fund domestic violence measures rather than say youth homelessness which has resulted from family violence? Funding of initiatives and services such as those above should be done through progressive taxation and the lack of opposition to additional levies imposed by the ACT government only encourages it to introduce more levies in the future. Ric Hingee, Duffy Finding the truth The plea for an open inquiry into the death of Steven Freeman by his mother, Narelle King, and echoed by Julie Tongs "Too little, too late for Freeman", Times2, June 20, p1) must be heeded by the ACT government and AMC. Steven Freeman died in prison custody despite the promises by the authorities to keep him safe, while knowing that he had almost died last year after being bashed by other prisoners soon upon his arrival at the AMC ,then on remand for petty offences. One hopes that the independent inquiry called for by the Corrections Minister, Shane Rattenbury, is guided by pertinent findings among the 339 recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, especially recommendations from six to 40 . In particular, the role of independent , well-resourced and qualified coroners could play a key role in revealing the true facts in this tragic event. Keith McEwan, Bonython Gas bills mystery I have some sympathy with Roger Allnutt (Letters, July 17) and his frustration in trying to get an accurate account from his natural gas provider. I, and many of my fellow residents of our apartment complex, have had a similar experience. Our natural gas bill almost doubled in the recent billing period despite us being away from Canberra for much of the period. Our bill was also designated an "estimate". However, rather than an estimate based on previous usage, the usage figures appeared to be derived from a random number generator. We have called our provider three times and, as requested, I have provided meter readings on each occasion. We now have four different bills for the period. The latest is still incorrect since it charges us for gas through a line cut off years ago. Roger was hopeful his correct reading would result in a bill reflecting his actual usage. I wish him luck! John Huppatz, Kingston Housing pain David Pederson ( Letters June 21) points out house and unit prices in Watson and Downer increased 12 per cent from 2014 to June 2016, 12 per cent in Kaleen, 14 per cent in Kambah and 32 per cent in Aranda. Similarly, there were significant price increases in new housing in the Molonglo area once cashed-up former Mr Fluffy owners entered the market. It's time for Senator Seselja to stop his scare advertisements parroting Malcolm Turnbull's misleading rant about negative gearing, and the senator's wish that the ACT government give him a new Tuggeranong suburb. Instead, could he please set down what positive action the Coalition will take to make housing more affordable, particularly for younger families? I would hope the policy does not include Malcolm Turnbull's suggestion that parents buy their children a home. Bill Bowron, Farrer How we deal with refugees is the great moral challenge of our time The biggest lie of the campaign is that a future Coalition government will sell off Medicare? Rubbish. The biggest lie of the campaign and of the past 20 years is that we need protection from refugees. Another big lie is that "stopping the boats" helps. It doesn't; it's just an easy way to get racists' votes by persecuting refugees, while people smugglers change their business model to kidnapping, extortion, torture and murder. The two real problems relating to refugees are firstly, resolving the situations that make these people refugees, and secondly, to quickly and permanently resettle the many refugees stranded in camps in appropriate countries. Neither is easy. Even if it's possible, the first will obviously take a very long time, especially given the stuff ups in Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria. The second would be possible if we (i.e. Europe and North America as well as ourselves) got collectively organised to work with the countries accommodating huge refugee populations. Dealing with refugees is really the great moral challenge of our time. The great moral challenge for our Labor and conservative coalition politicians is to stop lying and start behaving like decent human beings. R. Neville, Fraser Johann Shellar (Letters, June 16) stated inter alia that "under Labor/Greens ... 50,000 boat people supplanted genuine refugees". Boat people not refugees! As to Mr Shellar's assertion that on refugee policy "there is a stark choice" between the two major parties, I fervently wish there was such a choice. Unfortunately both major parties' refugee policies fall short of being humane and compassionate, (notwithstanding recent ALP announcements about emptying Manus and Nauru and allowing journalists to find out the truth of conditions there.) D.J. Taylor, Kambah All a bad dream? I woke this morning with the copper taste of fear in my mouth, and awful memories at the back of my mind. I had dreamt that I was living in a country where it was OK to ignore the wishes of the majority; where paying tax was optional for the rich and a silly joke for the big companies, while multi-nationals were actually subsidised by the government! Where speaking the truth could get you fined or jailed but threatening the lifestyle of the majority was tolerated because those radical views were "part of their culture". Where the major parties treated the public as morons who could be bribed in election campaigns while all the promises made were promptly broken after the election. A country where the shouts of "what's in it for me?" drowned out the few voices asking what they could do to improve the country for their kids and grandkids. A country where the few honest politicians were all independent, and so could be marginalised (unless the majors needed their vote). Where work was becoming more casualised (when you could get it) while unions were demonised and employers resented paying minimum wages. A country where farmers and manufacturers were forced out of business by big conglomerates who preferred to import cheap foreign goods so their massive profits could be funnelled to foreign owners via tax havens. But then I awoke, and knew it must have been a dream, because those things couldn't happen in Australia. Stuart Kennedy, Birtinya, Qld End procrastipolicy Readers may not be familiar with the portmanteau 'procrastibake'. This is when one does something useful and constructive (baking!) instead of what they should be doing (often, studying). This election campaign is accurately described as 'procrastipolicy'. Most players are debating the merits of policy proposals (which is useful and constructive). But what they should be doing is debating how to fix the system. We need proportional representation to end pork barrelling. We need political donation reform so parties are influenced by voters, not money (whether union or business). We need question time reform so it ceases to be a vacuous reality show. We need a federal anti-corruption body so we can trust that politicians are as honest as they say they are. We need (proper) Senate voting reform, so the Senate's make up reflects voters' intentions. We need longer and fixed terms to prevent short-sightedness. Like all procrastination, procrastipolicy is an ultimately self-defeating distraction. Christopher Budd, Turner Gun laws do work Hans Zandberg (Letters, June 17) repeats Donald Trump's argument that had some of the nightclubbers in Orlando been armed, they could have returned fire and reduced the death toll. But that is to forget that although these mass shootings are a daily occurrence, they do not happen in the same place every day, and there is generally no warning. So to stop the madman or terrorist, ordinary citizens would need to be armed all the time and everywhere. No thanks. On the other hand Gerry Murphy (Letters, June 17) rightly says that strict gun laws would not stop massacres like the one in Paris, but big deal! Mr Murphy seems to be saying that if a law doesn't stop all crime therefore the law is useless? I took a brief look at the comparable statistics between the US and France. The latter, with stricter laws, has vastly lower numbers of gun deaths, whether homicide, suicide or accident. Those laws make a difference. Mick Callinan, Waramanga Comments insulting Craig Cormick ("Why emotions blind us to science and facts", Times2, June 20, p5) tries to understand why many of us don't want GM food. I find insulting his notion that it is because emotions blind us to the science. He misses what for many of us are significant issues. First, can we trust the science, when there are claims that the research he cites was funded by biotech and agribusiness companies? Second, should we accept his definition of "safe"? The food he promotes is grown in soil-degrading monocultures with regular use of glyphosate. Third, would he claim that farmers sent into bankruptcy by the business practices of GM seed corporations are "safe"? Janet Grevillea, Wangi Wangi, NSW Residents foot the bill for municipal neglect La Perouse Street at the corner of Arnhem Place in Red Hill has been flooded several times following rain in the past few weeks. The cause is undoubtedly due to blockage with autumn leaves from the oak street trees. Not only a traffic hazard, it is a symptom of gross municipal neglect. When I raised this with the previous minister (Shane Rattenbury) in 2014, I was informed that suburbs with deciduous street trees where there is a heavy leaf fall during autumn months are swept by Roads ACT once per month (an "additional service" to twice per year for all ACT streets!) with additional loaders and trucks said to be used "as required" from May to August to remove accumulated leaves. Local residents spend significant time and money each week during autumn removing fallen leaves. They can attest that sweeping the leaves once per month is completely inadequate and explains why ACT taxpayers were paying today for a contractor to pump out the drain at Arnhem Place. The attitude of the present Minister is unknown to me. It took more than 11 weeks to receive a response to an email sent on March 7 about a pressing need to trim the branches of oak trees being hit by passing trucks and overhanging private properties. Why bother? John McEwen, Red Hill Meat has to make way There is a strong environmental argument to reinforce Jan Darby's passionate call (Letters, June 21) to stop raising animals so that they can be slaughtered and eaten. Her plea was made on moral grounds, but in addition, sooner or later as the human population continues to expand it will no longer be possible to continue the environmentally costly practice of raising billions of animals so that they can end up on a dinner plate. Apart from the production of qualities of potent greenhouse gas methane entailed, we are going to need all the fertile land to grow food for ourselves. Harry Davis, Campbell TO THE POINT THE SPENDING CYCLE What a shame it only happens at election time. So many promises and so much money to spend. Hard to believe we had to tighten our belts not that long ago. Barbara Mecham, Melba LABOR'S MEDICARE LIE I am a longstanding Liberal Party member and I am sick and tired of the accusation by Labor that Malcolm Turnbull will be privatising Medicare. That is a lie, and must be stopped. Bill Shorten is becoming so desperate that he will go to any length to become prime minister. Anne Prendergast, Reid POLICY DOESN'T ADD UP So Mr Turnbull now wants to compel all students to undertake maths and science throughout their high school years ("PM pushes for maths, science to be compulsory", June 20, p4). A good case can no doubt be made for such a policy in terms of the importance of these areas to our future. However, to avoid confusion the PM better make no reference to the treatment meted out to the CSIRO. Tim Hardy, Florey ZONE OF UNFAIRNESS I find it surprising the ACT government pays top dollar for a prime piece of real estate in Civic based on its potential use after rezoning. If only Mr fluffy homeowners were afforded this same convenience. Instead, they received a price for the land based on zoning as is, with the government reaping the reward of "rezoning" prior to the on-sell of those blocks. Shouldn't the one rule apply to all? Bob O'Bryan, Yarralumla QUICK HISTORY LESSON Andrew Barr says West Molonglo was eight years from conception to starting ("Barr tips backlash over land project", June 21, p1). In 1956 the NCDC was created. By 1961 the CSIRO Research Farm on Northbourne Avenue was gone and all the streets laid out, and the first houses were being built in Downer. Brian Hatch, Berrima, NSW QUESTION FOR PM Malcolm Turnbull explained on Q&A that he felt compelled to follow his Coalition Party colleagues and respond to their views. The key question he has never asked is: what if they are wrong? Howard Spicer, Bondi Beach, NSW SPECIAL COMMISSION Having sent my postal vote to the Electoral Commission last week I was amazed and delighted to receive an email from them, the next working day, to let me know that my vote had arrived safely. A big thank-you to the AEC for their efficiency and user friendliness! Gay von Ess, Aranda Email: letters.editor@canberratimes.com.au. Send from the message eld, not as an attached le. Fax: 6280 2282. Mail: Letters to the Editor, The Canberra Times, PO Box 7155, Canberra Mail Centre, ACT 2610. The debate has instead descended into fear and demonisation of people on the basis of race and even political belief. This should have been a non-partisan civil debate on the economic costs and benefits of Brexit as well as the problems Britain faces in the 28-member, heavily bureaucratic EU. The popular movement supporting Brexit has waned in recent days but the fervour could bring out more Leavers than Remainers in the voluntary referendum. Credit:Bloomberg The closer Britons come to deciding their fate in the European Union, the clearer are the dangers of a vote to leave. The murder of pro-Remain Labour MP Jo Cox last week revealed a disconnect between the political mainstream and a minority who blame others for all manner of personal and social ills. It served to remind everyone what happens when extremes distort political discourse with an agenda that is anathema to respect and tolerance of difference. A victory for Brexit in the vote on Thursday (London time) will be a victory for those destructive forces of hate. In the biggest public debate of the campaign, the Labour Mayor of London and Remain supporter Sadiq Khan accused his predecessor, Leave leader Boris Johnson, of "running project hate as far as immigration is concerned". Mr Johnson replied that "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". We agree with Mr Johnson that you can support immigration while also wanting to know who and how many people are coming. Britain's economy is a powerful lure for workers and families from eastern Europe in particular. Freedom of people movement is a tenet of the EU pact. The number of EU nationals living in Britain has risen by 2 million to 3.3 million since 2003. We accept that most Leave supporters have good intentions and that the Remain side has made errors in its campaign by downplaying the pressures on the National Health Service and community cohesion. Sometimes it takes an 11-year-old to nail it. "Why are the politicians saying bad things about the other side," my daughter asked yesterday, "and not saying what they would do?" It's because fear works. Fear that Medicare might be sold, despite assurances it won't be. Fear that asylum seekers are holding secret parties, gearing up for a Labor victory. Fear that a slip of the tongue will turn an avalanche of voters. The result is a vanilla election, akin to watching drying paint and where the focus is on a real-fake-real tradie from Sydney, and the scandalous revelation that Labor leader Bill Shorten might have once visited a strip club. Thank goodness he didn't answer the question about sex up against a washing machine! Fear and hate, not vision or even substance, are now the core motivators of our political campaigns. And they are both such loathsome time wasters. It was a point made by Rosie Batty, last year's Australian of the Year, at yesterday's Brisbane business chicks' breakfast. Rosie Batty, after having her son stolen from her through the violent act of her ex-partner, has nothing to fear any more; a point she made herself. And she wasn't going to waste a single inhalation of oxygen on hate. Not even on Eddie McGuire, the Melbourne schoolboy who thought it was fun to talk about drowning a female journalist. Batty's response to McGuire? He's done a bunch of good stuff too, she told an audience packed to the rafters, but a bit like Tony Abbott he tended to wear his mouth as a sock. And while we needed "to stop accepting what is not acceptable", Batty made the valid point that the community, which has vocally derided McGuire, had matured in its view of how women should be treated. Of course there's room to improve. Two women a week were still being killed. Family violence was still the core work for our police officers, responsible for 40 per cent of all call-outs, and one in four of our children was now affected by family violence. The court system was stuck in the past, too, still believing it was appropriate to hand a child over to someone who had showed the propensity to be violent. But it is Batty's respectful activism, without preaching fear or hate, that wraps her message up so successfully. It's a raw power that not only Eddie McGuire should listen to but our politicians as well. Just take Pauline Hanson who despite losing her lower house seat in 1998 and failing in at least eight campaigns since conceivably will be elected to the Senate on July 2. "We have to take a strong stance against Muslims," she said this week. And that wasn't where the fear and hate stopped. We had to say "no" to more Muslims in Australia to protect our security, our safety and our people. "We have laws here that we don't bring in pit bull terriers because they're a danger to our society ... so if we know this is the case with terrorists radicalised by Islam and what it teaches, why does our government ignore that fact?" As Hanson was spreading fear, members of the Queensland Intercultural Society (QIS) were hosting Iftar dinners in their homes a scheme started in 2007 where a Muslim family welcomes another family into their dining room at the end of the day's fast during Ramadan. Around the table at a home in Calamvale, where I dined, the talk was of tolerance, and how most Australians show disdain for the hatred preached by a few. It seemed a world away from Pauline Hanson and her anti-Muslim comments. Rosie Batty and Pauline Hanson. Two women this week advocating for change in our country, on Queensland soil. One driven by a murderous ex-partner and the loss of her only child. The other by equal doses of political ambition and ignorance. Worlds apart. And which one do you get to vote for? The Prime Minister knows that a referral to the people is hard to argue against once offered even though he used to do so persuasively himself. Abandoning that position as a condition of his promotion is thus among the easier tasks for a prime minister who is going back on his word. When Malcolm Turnbull is asked about his now enthusiastic support for Tony Abbott's public plebiscite, he invokes the unimpeachable virtue of democracy. Clearly, the Prime Minister has not spent much time on social media lately where the personal dignity of supposed adults is casually surrendered by those who cannot wait to belittle and denigrate those with whom they disagree. Pro-plebiscite: Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Treasurer Scott Morrison. Credit:Andrew Meares Penny Wong's personal and social group experience has prompted her to warn of a tide of bigotry and hate speech, which she fears would be licensed by a public campaign period ahead of a vote and which is in any event purely advisory, carrying no legal force. Turnbull must have been delighted when, in a pitiable attempt at claiming equal victim status with the marginalised, Scott Morrison merely proved Wong's point. If he as an empowered middle-aged white man who opposes marriage equality knows the pain of foulness and bigotry, then the chances of it being worse for minorities are pretty strong. As Morrison reveals, an ugly undercurrent in this debate is already there, and that will be turbo-charged by a formalised public argument. In any event, the time has now come to change the question because for practical political purposes, the plebiscite debate is now fixed. Neither side will change its stance between now and July 2. If you want to stymie same-sex marriage (the original purpose of the plebiscite) or genuinely favour a public expression, you'll get that from the Coalition. And now to the EU referendum. It's the eve of the Brexit vote, meaning this time tomorrow the polls will be just hours away from closing. The result is likely to be known around Friday lunchtime Australian time or anywhere between 4am to 7am Friday morning London time. (Polls don't close until 10pm in the UK and they count all through the night.) Of course we'll be live-blogging the events online, so make sure you keep Fairfax open in your browser for all the developments. Both sides had a bad final day of campaigning. On the Vote Leave side, Michael Gove was forced to apologise for making Nazi analogies, proving once again that when you start citing the Nazis to make your point, you really can't expect to end up anywhere good. But the bigger blow was delivered to Remain when the President of the EU Commission Jean-Claude Junker said the British should not to expect any further reform of the EU should it elect to stay. Unhelpful? Understatement! Last night's BBC debate at Wembley Arena was most interesting for the stand-out performance of Ruth Davidson, who absolutely outclassed the rest on stage. Davidson is the Scottish Conservative leader but clearly destined for much bigger things. An excellent piece on an MP to watch in UK politics in the London Telegraph here. 3. Trump and Brexit 'It's not just Donald Trump. There is a global phenomenon going on and it ties up with all sorts of things going on in the world.' Credit:AP A few months ago I began to realise that what's at the heart of Trump's rise "Make America great again" and the Brexit push to "take back control" is essentially latent anti-globalisation movements. When I was a kid, globalisation was rarely talked about in any negative sense the world was our oyster, we would all travel freely, communicate immediately and trade openly. But the reality for many, particularly the demographics most attracted to Brexit and Trump, has been the widespread elimination of domestic manufacturing industries, uncertainty about the jobs of today and the future, and the realisation that not all players are equal on the great field that is the globe. If you're interested in this, there are some really great pieces (paywalled, I'm afraid) in the Financial Times here and the Times here. Donald Trump explicitly stated this in his just-delivered speech when he said: "Our country lost its way when we stopped putting the American people first. We got here because we switched from a policy of Americanism focusing on what's good for America's middle class to a policy of globalism." Full transcript here. He dedicated most of his comments to "pathetic liar" Hillary Clinton, claiming she needs to go to prison, would be blackmailed by the Chinese etc etc. Also fascinating, he appealed directly to Bernie Sanders' "anti-Establishment" voters. The campaign of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has been the target of Russian hackers. Credit:AP 4. Abbott wants back in cabinet Tony Abbott has finally confirmed the worst-kept secret of the federal election campaign of 2016: he wants back in cabinet and possibly the Defence gig held by Marise Payne, a NSW moderate Liberal senator. Abbott spoke on Sky with Andrew Bolt, who he praised to the hilt beforehand in a rather awkward kind of sounding (and looking) Facebook video he posted on his page. Worth reading his comments, which will be carefully noted internally as there was a whole load in there about gay marriage and his new hardline stance on Muslims. My report here. Regarding gay marriage, opponents are getting worried Malcolm Turnbull might be able to bring on a vote in Parliament if the Senate rejects plebiscite bills. Fresh positioning from the right on this is canvassed in this report in the Financial Review. In other news: Treasury-commissioned analysis says the Coalition's corporate tax cut would deliver "one of the largest pay-offs imaginable from a government decision," Jacob Greber reports. Labor will widen its scare campaign to claim students' vaccination records could end up in the hands of private companies. A senior vet was expelled from her government role after she exposed the pain and suffering of the live cattle export trade, including animals coated in faeces and dying of heat exhaustion. Dr Lynn Simpson is now suing the Commonwealth. This report contains distressing images. 6. Deadly lightning strikes in India It is monsoon season in India and the annual storms are taking a heftier toll than normal with at least 79 dead from lightning strikes, most in the state of Bihar (incidentally, the state in which I was born). Bihar is one of India's poorest states and borders Nepal in the north-east of the country. Lightning strikes are a big killer in India. 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". "Bill Shorten is weakening already. He has 50 candidates and members and senators who are on the record as being opposed to our border protection policy. How can he, in government, in alliance with the Greens and Independents, possibly resist that?" the Prime Minister said. "The challenge of people smuggling is greater than it has ever been. The only thing that stops them is the steely resolve of my government to turn those boats back." Mr Turnbull said Labor's plan to abolish temporary protection visas would mean the 30,000 asylum seekers who had come by boat under the Labor government, who are in Australia, will get permanent residence. "This will send an absolutely unequivocal signal to the people smugglers that under a Labor government, anyone who manages to get to Australia on a boat will be able to stay here permanently. It will be used aggressively as a marketing tool by people smugglers," he said. "Imagine the chaos that we would be presented with under a Labor, Greens, independent government? Even now, before the election day, they are abandoning critical elements in our border protection policy." Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has given Brisbane's crucial underground rail project the $5.4 billion underground Cross River Rail qualified support just nine days before the July 2 federal election. Mr Turnbull said before promising money the federal government needs to examine the project business case, which was only given to Queensland's deputy premier Jackie Trad on Sunday. The project proposes to build an underground rail connection from Dutton Park to Bowen Hills, providing much-needed north-south rail capacity as South Brisbane's rail bridge chokes by 2020. "We are certainly going to look at it very closely," Mr Turnbull said Wednesday. The first chief executive of the National Broadband Network has weighed into the election debate on broadband policy to declare the Coalition's multi-technology rollout a "colossal mistake" and back Labor's plan to increase the use of fibre directly to the home. In a rare public intervention, Mike Quigley told the University of Melbourne in a speech on Wednesday night that Labor's original plan to deliver fibre-to-the-premises to 93 per cent of the population would have cost $45 billion - far less than estimates of $64 billion to $94 billion. He criticised the financial assumptions which the Coalition used when it was in opposition to discredit Labor's project. He called their forecast of a cost blow-out to over $94 billion "a fiction" and "impossible to be arrived at by sane analysis". Elle Fanning is unrecognisable and knife-wielding in new photographs for V Magazine which definitely show the young actress is no longer a child star. The 18-year-old younger sister of Dakota, who has become a household name in her own right through roles in Maleficent and We Bought a Zoo, appears in a series of fierce photographs in the magazine's July issue to promote her new film, The Neon Demon. Elle Fanning appears in a sheer garment with a knife to her chin in a shoot for V Magazine. In the pictures, photographed by Steven Klein, Fanning is shown holding a knife to her chin while wearing a sheer dress and dramatic hair and makeup. The actress also appears alongside co-stars Abbey Lee Kershaw and Bella Heathcote, both incidentally Australian, for the magazine's cover, with the line "Killer Fashion". "They kept giving me bottles of Valium, and in the end, on the last occasion I was raped, I went down to the shower and I was washing myself and I suppose I was embarrassed and just ashamed. "The second and third time I went back I told the medical officer what was happening, that I was being raped," Mr McIlwain said, his voice beginning to shake. He sought help from the base's medical officer three times and was initially rebuffed, being told pain in his backside and stomach was just "anxiety". "I took it up one time and he usually just [paid] me a small amount of money to do it, but this time he grabbed me and threw me on the bed and had oral sex with me, telling me that was my payment. There was also someone else in the room." "And at that time I decided I'm not going to get away from this, so I went and got a can of Pepsi and I remember I had three bottles of Valium left, so I remember counting them, there was 72 [pills]. I took the whole lot to commit suicide because I was happy to go. I mean there was no way, there was no way I could get out of it." After going to hospital, he was admitted to Concord Psychiatric Hospital for several months. He said his parents came to visit him, and when he told them what happened, his father beat him and called him a liar. "From that day I said I would never tell another soul, because the only person that believed me was God," he said. "From that day I said nothing, until the Skype issue on TV." The rapes had a profound impact on him as he got married and started a family, as he dealt with certain "triggers" like bulk-buying the same brand of soap he had used to wash himself with after each assault, in case he ran out. "I can talk about it now without tears," he said. "I went through a lot in the last five years. I just hope there's other people out there right now, other Defence people, who see me tonight and say goodness me, I'm going to speak about it. You need to." An Australian man has been arrested in the Philippines capital during a drug raid that allegedly netted 160 ecstasy tablets. Damian John Berg and Canadian man Jeremy Eaton, both 34, were arrested in Makati City, Manila, on Monday during a drug raid, in which ecstasy pills with an estimated value of $5500 were allegedly found. Damian Berg, 34, from Adelaide,has been been arrested in Manila. Credit:Facebook "Suspects were brought to AIDG headquarters for further investigation ... while the drug evidence was submitted for screening and examination," the Philippine National Police said in a statement on Wednesday. Cases against the two men for drug supply were currently being prepared, police added. Foreign minister Julie Bishop has defended a small group of Canberra based public servants charged with delivering radical change to the public service. Last week, the federal opposition announced it would cut funding for DFAT's Innovation Xchange agency if elected, claiming it "focused on purchasing bean bags". Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop with InnovationXchange staff. Credit:Andrew Meares Labor senators have routinely targeted the agency at senate estimates asking public servants to justify a $6300 ping-pong table and three bean bags costing $590 each. Ms Bishop launched the $140 million agency with a brief to disrupt traditional aid processes and to identify inefficiencies and savings across the workforce. The state's highest court has rejected a bid by mining mogul Travers Duncan and three of his associates to overturn corrupt conduct findings made against them over a multimillion-dollar coal deal. Mr Duncan, lawyers-turned-businessmen John McGuigan and John Atkinson, and investment banker Richard Poole were the founding investors in Cascade Coal, a company seeking to exploit a coal tenement in the Bylong Valley near Mudgee. Mining mogul Travers Duncan outside the ICAC in 2012. Credit:Rob Homer After an explosive public inquiry that also made corruption findings against former NSW Labor ministers, the Independent Commission Against Corruption made adverse findings against the businessmen and Cascade Coal in 2013. The businessmen lost a Supreme Court bid in July 2014 to have the findings overturned. A senior NSW cabinet minister has been forced to back down after it emerged he told a young female MP that the process of building a road was "not like buying a handbag." The comments, made in a meeting this week by Roads Minister Duncan Gay, were widely interpreted as a patronising jab at young rising Liberal MP Eleni Petinos. Eleni Petinos is a young Liberal rising star. Credit:Louise Kennerley Ms Petinos was lobbying the Minister about construction of an F6 motorway extension in her southern Sydney electorate of Miranda, and was left furious by the comments, the Nine Network reported. In a statement on Wednesday Mr Gay clarified his remarks and issued an apology "if any [offence] was taken". Brisbane City Council's sole Greens councillor has blasted the city's highest-ranking bureaucrat over a decision to "censor" a gazebo to be used at community events. The Gabba ward councillor Jonathan Sri said the council's chief executive, Colin Jensen, refused to allow him to use his discretionary ward funding to purchase the gazebo because it contained "political messaging". Greens councillor Jonathan Sri says he's being censored by Brisbane City Council chief executive Colin Jensen. Credit:Glenn Hunt The reason, Cr Sri said he was told, was the 'people before profit' slogan on two sides of the design. "Stopping councillors from using public money on producing party-political materials is an excellent measure, but 'people before profit' is not a party-political slogan," Cr Sri said. Cars stretch south from a crash on the Gateway Motorway at Rochedale. Credit:Penny Dahl @pennycopter Delays stretched back 18 kilometres at one point but the government-run traffic service reported no delays about 9.40am. Congestion is clearing on the Pacific Motorway following an earlier crash that played havoc with the morning commute. It's "absolute gridlock" on the M1 this morning, with northbound delays stretching back almost 20 kilometres after an earlier crash. The crash just past the Miles Platting Road exit on the Gateway Motorway, near the merge with the Pacific Motorway has been cleared but delays are far from easing. Traffic cameras showed crawling traffic extending back along the Pacific Motorway to Loganholme, some 18 kilometres to the south. An Environment Protection Authority Victoria investigation into water quality at Altona Beach has found this week's fish and penguin deaths were likely due to natural causes. EPA officers investigated after several people reported seeing about half a dozen toadfish and two little penguins dead on the shore on Monday night. Acting EPA Metropolitan Manager Danny Childs said in a statement that seeing dead wildlife washed up on Victoria's beaches can be distressing, but it isn't always due to pollution. "EPA officers found no evidence of pollution at the beach, so we believe these deaths were most likely due to natural causes," Mr Childs said. "Fish and penguin deaths can occur due to range of factors including changes in water temperature and weather conditions, which may have occurred here," he said. Construction work will begin next year on three massive shafts in the CBD to make way for the Melbourne Metro Tunnel project. Excavation is set to start early next year to prepare for the CBD North station at Franklin and A'Beckett streets and CBD South beneath City Square. Construction company John Holland won the contract for the excavation works which includes the 35-metre deep shafts. The $324 million works package includes building acoustic sheds to reduce noise. Snow is on its way to Melbourne. The Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting snow down to 700 metres on Friday which means areas of higher ground close to Melbourne such as the Yarra Ranges and possibly Mount Dandenong could see flurries of powder. Further afield, the Grampians and, Mount Macedon are also likely to receive a dusting. Bureau senior forecaster Richard Carlyon said Friday was going to be the big day for snow across the state. 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. A WA politician has directed a professional graffiti artist to paint a mural depicting him with a mullet and a handlebar moustache on one of his campaign posters which was defaced by vandals. Canning MP Andrew Hastie enlisted the help of Perth-based artist David Garland, from Abnormal Design, to create the mural after his campaign sign on Pinjarra Road was tagged over the weekend. Mr Garland was at the site of the vandalism on Wednesday afternoon, where it was revealed his new work would new mural would include Mr Hastie's image with a handlebar moustache and a mullet added. He was also asked to include the words: "That's how it's done, mate". The father of teenager Aaron Pajich has paid tribute to his son describing him as a "very kind and very generous" young man who "loved everyone". Mr Pajich's father Keith Sweetman told WAtoday his family "was still trying to comprehend what had happened", after the 18-year-old's body was found buried in a southern suburbs backyard on Tuesday night. Aaron Pajich's father Keith Sweetman has paid tribute to his son. "He was a great person, very kind, very generous and he loved everyone," he said. "We will honour him, we have no details yet, I am fairly numb as you can imagine." Commemorative silver dollar coins are bouncing out of the Perth Mint faster than the mint can produce them because of demand from American investors. The Perth Mint produced five million of the silver dollar coins, emblazoned with a kangaroo on them, when it first minted them in September. The silver dollar kangaroo coin has drawn huge interest from US investors. Credit:Perth Mint But US collectors have fallen so in love with the coin, the 117-year-old Perth Mint has been forced to more than double its original run. Perth Mint CEO Richard Hayes told financial analyst and journalist Ross Greenwood on Radio 4BC, the mint was expecting to sell more than $12 million worth over the next 12 months. Fitness fanatics are fighting off plans of a curfew for popular exercise spot Jacob's Ladder. The City of Perth is considering plans of a night time curfew, which would mean closing the 242 steps from 7pm to 7am. Nine News Perth put complaints such as loud noise from those exercising on the ladder to the test in the early hours of the morning - with the help of an acoustic engineer. The noise recording at the top of the staircase revealed a consistent base noise of 62 db, the equivalent of background noise coming from nearby Kwinana Freeway. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has confirmed that three Australian citizens and one resident are among a group of people kidnapped in a fatal ambush on their vehicle in south-east Nigeria. The driver of the vehicle was shot dead in the attack on the outskirts of the city of Calabar, the capital of Cross River State, about 5.30am on Wednesday, local time, Nigerian police commissioner Jimoh Ozi-Obeh said. Five people who worked for Australian mining and engineering giant Macmahon, which was contracted to cement company Lafarge Africa, were abducted, Nigerian police said. Peter Zoutenbier, from Brisbane, was one of those kidnapped, his family have said. Also among the group were Jack Couranz, from Perth, and Mark Gabbedy, who is understood to originally be from Tasmania but had worked in Western Australia. The Queen has reportedly been canvassing opinion by asking dinner guests: "Give me three good reasons why Britain should be part of Europe." Her Majesty's biographer, Robert Lacey, reported the comments in a blog. Mr Lacey reported the Queen's comments and suggested they may mean the Queen favours withdrawal from the European Union. Buckingham Palace would neither confirm nor deny that the Queen had been debating the merits of Brexit in private, but royal sources pointed out that the words attributed to the Queen were "a question not a statement". Washington: US 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 US 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. Senator 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. 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. Louise is the only one in her family who wants Britain to remain. Her parents and her 80-year-old grandfather want out. Young people kiss each other at Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany, during a demonstration in support of the Remain campaign. Credit:AP "This is a little island," her mother said matter-of-factly, lighting up a cigarette and letting the ash fall on her glittery sneakers. "We should look after our own first. Charity begins at home." "But we are all people!" Louise said. "We should help each other." English flags at an amusement park in Southend-on-Sea in Essex. A fierce sense of English identity could prove critical to the outcome of the referendum. Credit:New York Times "It don't work that way, darling," her mother replied, shaking her head. "If you're born here, you pass as English. I don't care whether you're black, white, green or blue, or purple with pink spots on - you're English." Those born abroad, Leslie Driscoll said, "have got their own governments, their own parliaments, whatever". Boris Johnson, former mayor of London, has experienced his own family divisions over the EU referendum. Credit:Bloomberg Up and down the country, the debate over Europe is pitting husband against wife, children against parents, sisters against brothers, divisions unlikely to be healed easily after the referendum is decided. Even the family of Boris Johnson, the former mayor of London and the most prominent face of the Leave campaign, has not been immune to disputes: His father, Stanley; sister, Rachel; and brother Jo, who is an MP, favour remaining in the union. People celebrate the Queen's 90th birthday in Southend-on-Sea in Essex. Credit:New York Times In Islington, the neighbourhood in London where members of the Driscoll family have lived for eight generations, rows of houses on some streets have "Remain" posters in their windows. On a thoroughfare filled with butchers, bakeries and fish-and-chip shops, tradespeople nodded their head vigorously when asked whether they were planning to vote Leave. For many, the referendum is as much a chance to register displeasure with the country's direction as it is an opportunity to reject or embrace Europe. The stance of some voters is being shaped by personal experience and anecdote. A baby wears a "Labour In" badge as party leader Jeremy Corbyn addresses an audience at the People's History Museum in Manchester in favour of voting Remain. Credit:Getty Images There is, for example, a widespread perception that European Union citizens are flocking to Britain, especially from eastern Europe, to take advantage of its social welfare system. But Britain's welfare system is not as generous as those of many other European nations, and fewer than 7 per cent of immigrants receive benefits. In Leslie Driscoll's case, she remembers her grandfather pawning and re-pawning his suit to get by. That memory was revived, she said, with the discovery a few years ago that a newly arrived Polish family in her neighbourhood had received money to buy a car and move into a four-bedroom house. People have a discussion after a debate on the EU referendum in Glenrothes, Scotland. Credit:New York Times "Years ago, we never had social security or anything like that," Leslie Driscoll said. "You sold your own." Having different cultures and communities is "fantastic", she said, "but what I don't like is the fact that, through having that, we've now left ourselves open. I feel like a second-class citizen in my own country." Leslie Driscoll is proudly English (not, in her mind, British - she crossed out the word on her passport and replaced it with "English"). Her father fought in World War II, and her grandfather in World War I. She has lived all her life in this area of London. Her daughter Louise grew up in the same area but in a more prosperous, multicultural Britain than earlier generations had. In school, she was one of only two white students. Her friends are Eritrean, Nigerian and South African. Louise Driscoll voted for the Greens in last year's general election and was appalled that her mother, traditionally a Labour voter, had opted for the anti-Europe, anti-immigration UK Independence Party. ("Sorry, I know I'm a bit antiquated - can't help it, love," Leslie Driscoll replied, somewhat sheepishly, after her daughter uttered an expletive.) Louise Driscoll said she understood the pressures that immigration placed on schools and hospitals. But leaving the EU worried her, she said, because it risked wrecking the economy and making it hard for young people to secure employment. It took her eight months to find work as a barista, she said. "If I wanted to work abroad, it would be a lot easier if England was in the EU," Louise said. Her mother suggested that Louise move to New York, possibly unaware of the paradox that this would make her an immigrant herself. Almost inevitably, the debate over immigration veered into an argument about terrorism. Britain's porous borders were letting terrorists slip through, Leslie Driscoll said, repeating a message the camp to leave the European Union has relentlessly pushed. "It ain't the nice ones I'm worried about," Leslie Driscoll said. "It's the nasty ones. "To have opened the floodgates, it's like saying, 'Come, and come and kill us'," she said, adding that members of the Irish Republican Army had at least notified the public before setting off bombs across Britain during the 1970s and 1980s. "We can get on a bus tomorrow with a bloke with a backpack, and bye-bye, boom," Leslie Driscoll said. Louise Driscoll rolled her eyes. In what sounded like a final plea, she said: "At the end of the day, the EU is going to affect my generation more than it will affect your generation. So shouldn't it be down to us to decide whether or not to stay?" Her mother fell silent. "I am 55 years of age," she said slowly. "I know - I appreciate that in 50 years' time, you'll be here and I won't, and you'll have to put up with whatever's happened." She paused. "But I still want out," she said. "Sorry." The Mortgage and Finance Association of Australia ( MFAA ) has announced the resignation of Siobhan Hayden as its chief executive officer.The associations board has accepted Haydens resignation effective immediately, telling Australian Broker the decision was based on strategic differences between the board and the CEO. Hayden was appointed as CEO to replace long-time CEO Phil Naylor in October 2014.Hayden has thanked the board for the opportunity, and thanked the members who are the lifeblood of this organisation.Im proud of what Ive achieved in the role and think the mortgage broking industry is well positioned into the future, she said.The MFAA has told Australian Broker the association will commence a search both internally and externally for a replacement CEO once the board has defined what they are looking for. The process will be a thorough and lengthy one, with a new replacement not expected to be announced until the end of the year.In the interim, the management of the association will be guided by the chief operations officer, Evan Thomas; the head of finance and HR, Stephen Bisgrove; and the head of marketing and communications, Stephen Hale. The group will continue to implement the framework set by the board in February 2016. They call him Dr. Alan, the cancer slayer. Nationally acclaimed cancer gladiator Dr. Alan Astrow a Yaliet who loves to battle malevolent molecules in the trenches, and leave no stone unturned to cure his patients is New York Methodist Hospital latest high-tech weapon in its anti-cancer arsenal. The new chief of hematology and medical oncology a breast and gynecologic cancer expert will join a squadron of specialists, and oversee services related to all non-surgical and non-radiologic treatments, including attacking proteins fast-tracking breast cancer in some patients with exciting new targeted therapies. The physician is psyched. Hematology-medical oncology is a field where you really get to know your patients, you are with them for the long haul, he said. You want to leave no stone unturned on a patients behalf. The new chief will team up with clinicians and administrators to help develop a clinical cancer center at the Center for Community Health, providing infusion services, clinical research, psychosocial care, medical education, and community outreach. Astrow played a key role in developing a cancer program at Maimonides Medical Center, and was associate medical director, chief of clinical oncology, and fellowship program director at St. Vincents Hospital prior to that. His colleagues are thrilled to have the high-class physician aboard. Dr. Astrows reputation in cancer treatment precedes him, said Dr. Stephen Peterson, chairman of the Department of Internal Medicine. But just as important, he is dedicated to the belief that cancer treatment should be centered on the whole patient, and not simply the illness he or she is confronting. 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 ... Campus News Envisioning a new city center By RACHEL TEAMAN The 48-hour urban planning challenge was part of a laboratory practicum led by Daniel B. Hess, UB associate professor of urban and regional planning. Hess is currently a visiting Marie Skodowska-Curie fellow in the Centre for Urban and Migration Studies at the University of Tartu, the top university in Estonia. Two students in Tartus Department of Geography were joined by visiting students from UB and Alfred State College to develop new schemes for redeveloping Tartu city center. Imagine redesigning a city in only two days. Thats exactly what some UB students did recently as part of a summer study abroad program in Estonia. Students sought to enhance public space on the east side of the Kaarsild pedestrian bridge by trimming trees, enhancing lighting and adding a small amphitheater. Students sought to enhance public space on the east side of the Kaarsild pedestrian bridge by trimming trees, enhancing lighting and adding a small amphitheater. Focusing on Tartus town square and nearby locations, the students began by identifying problems in the built environment, including limited access to the banks of the Emajogi River, an overburdened Kaarsild pedestrian bridge connecting the east and west sides of the river, incomplete bicycle networks and a lack of greenery in the town square. The students then set about re-conceptualizing the workings of various parts of this section of the city center. At the end of the assignment, the students presented their results to Tartu officials. The purpose of the exercise is to generate new ideas for Tartu, Hess says, while giving students the experience of working at a fast pace and in a dynamic environment. The teams were interdisciplinary, featuring bachelors and masters students in architecture, environmental design, geography and urban planning. I especially enjoyed working closely in this challenge with the Estonian students, says UB urban planning student Constance Strother. It was an unforgettable experience and when we combined our talents, we created projects that I am proud of. Adds Taavi Rebane of the University of Tartu: It was fascinating to learn about how visitors view our city and their suggestions for improving public space. Grange has announced a significant additional investment from its parent company Stelmet in the form of an expanded supply chain capacity. This will create additional manufacturing capability and provide an additional UK distribution site in the South East of England. A new 30m manufacturing facility opening this autumn in Grudziadz, Poland will enable further commitment to high quality product development as Grange continues to focus on product differentiation throughout its existing ranges and its new product development plans. The site will also add capacity for greater volumes of product in response to demand and ensure consistency of materials and manufacturing quality. The new distribution site in the South East, with its supply links to the new Polish manufacturing facility, will improve distribution across the board creating a number of operational efficiencies. This will shorten lead times, enable improvements in customer service and create a stronger distribution network working in tandem with Granges Telford headquarters and production site. At Telford itself, the investment will enable improved speed of service and additional storm cover product availability, as well as develop productivity and distribution capability. There is a consequent proposal to close the companys Hull-based manufacturing and distribution facility, which is currently going through a consultation period. Neil Taylor, managing director of Grange, said: Recent investment from Stelmet has been extremely positive in terms of sales volume and customer gains. The company is now increasing both its production capacity and its supply chain efficiency in order to ensure it can deliver growth. The company continues to forge ahead with online and offline promotional and communications activity, including a new website, increased social media presence and ongoing trade and consumer PR and advertising. The Grange team is committed to providing customers with stunning products, quality service and a real opportunity to maximise consumer appeal. Fourteen-year-old multi-skill student Kenneth Sylvester from Doncaster College has been named as the overall winner of Dunlops Multi-Skill Champion Competition 2016. The competition was launched by the manufacturer as a way to celebrate and recognise the best multi-skill tiling and decorating students in the country. Eighteen students aged from 14 to 40 from FE colleges across the UK, which provide the City & Guilds Construction Skills qualification (6219), competed against each other in a series of tiling and decorating tests at the competitions grand final, which was held at Dunlops Innovation and Technology Centre in Stoke-on-Trent on 16 June. Following the rigorous assessment, Mr Sylvester was declared the winner and was presented with the winners trophy and 1,000 worth of tiling and decorating tools, products and equipment, as donated by sponsors Bellota and Coleman Brothers. After being named the winner Mr Sylvester said: Im absolutely speechless, I dont think this will sink in for a long time. I just cant put it into words what it means for me, its the best thing I ever done. Doing the multi-skill course at the college and taking part in this competition has been amazing. Ive enjoyed every minute of it, and I just got the hang of it so quickly. Its definitely something I want to do when I finish college. Gareth Birks, national technical support manager at Dunlop, added: This is the first time weve run this competition and the interest has been amazing. Weve been teaching in colleges for many years and thought this would be a great opportunity to recognise students skills, while familiarising them with our range of Dunlop tiling adhesives and decorating fillers and smoothers. Congratulations to Kenneth who despite his relatively young age was a deserved winner, showing great skill and application, and to all the other competitors for taking part. Debi Boulton, Dunlop sales and marketing manager, concluded: The Dunlop Multi-Skill Champion competition was a great chance for construction skills students across the country to test their skills against their peers and win tools and products to give them a good start in the construction industry. Multi-skill students are often overlooked and under supported compared with other trades, but with the help and support of suppliers like Dunlop we can ensure they are given the tools and training to succeed in their chosen careers. Picture caption: Kenneth Sylvester, the winner of Dunlops Multi-Skill Champion Competition 2016, with Debi Boulton, sales and marketing manager at Dunlop. 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. News / National by The Citizen Asylum seekers The Citizen spoke to said 'it seems to be up to your luck if you get asked to go to the "deportation room"'.According to two Malawian brothers who have been living in South Africa for more than 10 years, home affairs is "'randomly deporting" Malawians and Zimbabweans, and perhaps people of other nationalities too.One of the brothers, Andy (not his real name), told The Citizen how, earlier this month, he and his brother went to the home affairs offices at the showgrounds in Pretoria to have their asylum-seeker papers stamped to allow them to live and work in South Africa legally for another three months. He claimed that he was then "sent into a different room than my brother. He got his papers stamped, but I was asked to wait in this other room; it was me and some other guys, about 15 of us. Our names were called from behind a section. They said 'just sign these papers', and we signed before we could read what was going on there. It was something like a letter and it was in my folder with all my papers from, like, 2010."We were told to wait. I wanted to know what was happening, so I walked out of the room and found an official, another woman, sitting somewhere else."I asked her: 'What is going on? Why are we waiting in that room?'"She said: 'Oh, you are in that room? That means you are going to be arrested and they are going to deport you. If I was you, I would run away.'"'But they still have my papers.'"'It's up to you, but you are better off just going.'"That's what I did. I just left quietly and the other guys in that room saw me leaving too and also decided to leave. They knew something was wrong.Andy is now living in South Africa as an undocumented migrant and says he will rather take his chances with getting arrested."There's no way I'm going to go back to home affairs. Going there was not worth it. My brother and I got our asylum papers in 2006 and went back every month, two months, three months to get them stamped. You have to get up early, pay taxi fare from Joburg to Pretoria, and then wait in long queues. But there's not enough benefit. Some days they can't even help you and tell you to come back the next day. That's another day that you can't work."Andy says he's a qualified electrical technician and works for a small company in Joburg. He says his brother will continue to have his papers stamped in Pretoria for as long as they keep doing it, but that if he gets asked to go to "the other room, then he'll know what to do. He'll have to run."He adds: "We got those papers because we thought there would be an amnesty. We thought amnesty was coming. But you keep having to wait, and just keep getting your stamps. Every time you go, you wonder if you will be stamped again or they will tell you that you are rejected. Then you get deported."We are integrated into South Africa now. There's nothing for me in Malawi after all these years. Now without that paperwork, I can't go to the bank, I can't do anything official. It's a disgusting situation. For 10 years they'll take your fingerprints and photos, only to reject you.Another Malawian The Citizen spoke to, Patrick (also not his real name), said he knew the situation of his "homeboys" Andy and his brother."That's what happened, yes. I thought they were both going to be given their days, but the one brother got three months and the other one went into that other room with the other guys. He's lucky that woman told him to run, but they had to leave their papers. That was not cool. They told me that home affairs is now deporting us secretly."Patrick, who works for a plumbing company in Johannesburg, said the incident had happened in the middle of May."It's because they want to reduce the numbers of foreigners. They're trying to get rid of some of the old ones. They send them home, but they just come back again. There's no war in Malawi, so you get told that you can't be an asylum seeker any more. The same thing is happening with Zimbabweans. The UN doesn't know this is happening."To the SA government, Malawi and Zimbabwe are safe, but there are no jobs there. My whole family relies on me, on what I send home. I think government is trying to 'create jobs' by sending foreigners home, hoping South Africans will then do those jobs."Patrick explained that, the way he understood it, the modus operandi of how deportations happened had changed over the years."Before, years ago, they would send you home on the aeroplane. Then they ran out of money and started to put people on the bus. Then [Zimbabwean President] Robert Mugabe said, 'You can't be using my roads to deport my African brothers and sisters,' and he stopped those buses. So now they arrest you and, after three weeks they send you to Lindela [repatriation centre]. You can be kept there for four months, and then they will just release you with a transit paper to get out of the country on your own in 21 days or they will arrest you again. They just tell you to make your own way."Lindela is bad. You can die there. You can get pneumonia. Even if you make it, when you get back to Malawi, you're sick, you've got TB. The only way to get out of Lindela before the 120 days are up is if you or your brothers buy a plane ticket for you. They will drive you to OR Tambo [Airport] and put you on that plane. Otherwise you are stuck at Lindela for the whole four months. After they release you and your 21 days expires, you can go through all of that again if they catch you again without papers."It's crazy. I've never been there [to Lindela], but I know it's bad. It's just luck now if this is what happens to you. There's no system. Those brothers have the same story, but one was getting deported, the other one could stay? Why? They are deporting us secretly."When The Citizen called refugee advocate group Passop, the NGO's director, Bernard Toyambi, explained that he had heard similar stories before but could not say whether anyone was being "secretly deported"."It's not a secret. That guy probably just received his final rejection letter. After more than 10 years, they just rejected him."He explained that, by law, undocumented migrants could only be held at Lindela for 120 days, after which they would have to be deported or released."If you can buy a bus or plane ticket, that's the only way to get out of there earlier. They call it early deportation. If you wait for the state, they will take a long time."He advised people like Andy and Patrick to approach a lawyer, preferably through the Legal Resources Centre, in the event that they felt their rights were being infringed."That's the only way they'll be able to challenge an illegal deportation, if it's illegal. If they've been at Lindela for more than four months, their documentation needs to be submitted again."The law needs to be reviewed because it's difficult to expect someone to make their own way home when they've got nothing."He said the problem with people from non-conflict zones such as Malawi and Zimbabwe was that they could not expect to get asylum and permanent residency would also prove difficult, regardless of how many years they'd lived in South Africa."The Malawians are economic refugees. The best thing is to work through their employer, if they have a job. Go back to Malawi, apply for a work permit and get the employer to process the papers. But employers don't like to do it. It's a lot of admin. But it's still the best way."When called for comment, home affairs' spokesperson, Mayihlomo Tshwete, asked for the actual names of the people involved to determine why anyone was "being deported". When told that it was a general query about whether home affairs is randomly deporting foreigners, he said "my brother, there is no such policy".South Africa is hosting more asylum seekers than any other country in the world by the end of 2015, according to a report released by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency."South Africa has, by a large margin, the highest reported number of applications pending at any stage of the asylum procedure," according to the report that was released on World Refugee Day, observed yesterday."The number of asylum seekers at the end of 2014 in South Africa is now estimated to be 1 057 600," according to the report. The next highest was Germany, at 420 600. 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. Final appeals have been made to residents in the Burnham-On-Sea area from both sides of the EU referendum debate. With just hours to go until polls open for Thursdays historic vote, local representatives from the Remain and Leave camps have made a last attempt to sway voters. Burnham-On-Seas MP, James Heappey, is campaigning for the UK to remain in the EU. Helen Hims, Burnhams former UKIP parliamentary candidate and the leader of the local Leave campaign, is pushing for voters to back the move to leave the EU. Burnhams MP James Heappey told Burnham-On-Sea.com: Thursdays vote matters a lot. It will shape the direction of our country for decades to come and the choice is not straightforward. There will be arguments made that this is all about sovereignty. Vote to leave and we get our country back. Beyond that well make something up as we go along and itll all be fine. But it isnt as simple as that. The world has changed since we joined the EU the age of the nation state replaced by the age of globalisation and interconnection. People might wish it could be like it was in the good old days, but theyre gone. Now our strength comes through our influence. And our influence comes from being a part of things. From being on the pitch playing the game rather than carping from the sidelines. So beware the siren call of sovereignty and worry about the economic abyss that awaits if we leave on Friday. I wont go so far as to say that disaster is guaranteed as the referendum campaign has already had far too much hyperbole. The truth is that we just dont know what our economic plan would be should we leave. For me, thats too risky. And I reject wholly the suggestion that five or ten years of pain is alright if we get our country back in the end. Tell that to the young person just starting their career, or the person saving for a mortgage. Tell it to the small business that is trying to grow or the person trying to plan for their retirement. The stock exchange and currency markets have recovered this week because they are betting on a remain vote. Make no mistake, if they thought the opposite outcome was coming, the pound would rapidly lose value and the stock market would lose billions. If we actually left, people suggest it would be worse than Black Wednesday. Who cares? Its just bankers losing money. Nope. Its our pension funds, its our ISAs, its our companies ability to invest and create new jobs, its the cost of importing things like petrol and its recession. To me, thats just too big a risk to take. So Im voting to remain and expecting that after the battering weve given the EU here and with French and German General Elections to come in the next eighteen months; Im expecting that theyll finally see the writing on the wall and accept the need for more change. Finally, no matter what the result, please lets learn from last week that the great thing about our democracy is that we have the right to disagree with one and another. Nobody who votes to remain is a traitor, nobody who wants to vote to leave doesnt care for our country. We will all be voting for what we think is best for the United Kingdom. We must respect that and respect the result too. Burnhams Helen Hims, who is leading the local Vote Leave campaign, told Burnham-On-Sea.com: Many people are being increasingly confused by the countless arguments being flung back and forth. Its time to narrow our decision down to the fundamental issue of: who runs our country?' Im pro-European and pro-World, but anti-EU. To me this referendum is all about self-governance. One of the most precious things we possess is the ability to control our destiny through the ballot box; electing and removing those who govern us. The EU commission might do some things we like, and our elected politicians might do some things we dislike, but if thats the basis on which we vote to stay, we might as well accept tyranny. Voting In on 23rd June doesnt mean no change, it means surrendering everything weve ever known to a foreign, unelected, undemocratic government which will ultimately have the final say over every aspect of our lives no further ballot boxes required! As the oldest, most stable and most successful country in Europe, the UK has a duty to remind the European Union, barely 50 years old, that government is the servant and not the master of the people. The EU model is outdated and failing, the Euro currency doesnt work, its borderless regime is breaking up, the migrant crisis is overwhelming and European solidarity is coming to an end. It should be clear the future of Europe lies not with an integrated German-led federal union, but with closely-co-operating independent sovereign nations, seen as normal everywhere else in the world except the EU. This referendum is our chance. We can see the direction in which the EU is going, and we know that no re-negotiation can alter it from within. As the EU shrivels economically, and yet continues its relentless march toward full statehood, we have one last opportunity to stand amicably aside and negotiate a better relationship based on free-trade and self-governance: Vote Leave. Polling stations will be open across the Burnham-On-Sea area from 7am-10pm on Thursday. State-run telecom operator Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) on Wednesday said it added most number of subscribers in April, beating its private sector competitors for the third month in a row. "Growth of in April 2016 is 1.32% against the industry average 0.06%. has given highest growth consistently in last months i.e, February, March and April," said in a statement. According to latest data released by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, telecom subscriber base in April marginally grew to 105.92 crore from 105.88 crore in March. Mobile subscriber base increased by 0.06% from 103.36 crore in March to 103.42 crore in April. Growth in mobile segment in April was led by BSNL which added 11.39 lakh subscribers, followed by Bharti Airtel (9.78 lakh), Aircel (5.72 lakh), Reliance Communications (1.1 lakh), Vodafone (46,600), Quadrant (Videocon group firm - 25,012) and MTNL (11,591). Videocon, which has sold its mobile business to Airtel, lost 14 lakh subscribers. which lost subscribers in April included Tata Teleservices (3.97 lakh), Idea Cellular (3.87 lakh), Sistema (42,290) and Telenor (25,496). PRINT | EMAIL | PERMALINK Show Up! Following Pennimans Example A happy soul digs rocanrol Stuart Sevastos via Wikipedia Long about ten I'll be flying high/ Rock on out unto the sky/ But I don't care if I spend my dough/ Tonight I'm gonna be one happy soul/ I'm gonna rock it up/ I'm gonna rip it up/ I'm gonna shake it up, gonna ball it up/ I'm gonna rock it up and ball tonight.A song sung by Little Richard but written by Robert Blackwell and John Marascalco. Marascalco and Blackwell were two important early proponents of the rocanrol sound. Blackwell was the first producer to record Richard; Marascalco also wrote Good Golly Miss Molly and later collaborated with the mysterious Harry Nilsson. The two spent their lives looking for, recording and distributing the new sounds they heard all over the nation, deeply influencing the genre and its associated lexicon. Basically you can thank these two dudes for being able to say you are going to rock out, that you're a balla, and so on and so forth. Which reminds me to remind you: Check out this week's concert preview selections for hints on how to manifest the stuff going on in that important first paragraph. Thursday Courtesy of the artist Low Spirits (2823 Second Street NW) is the site of a synthetically realized sonic situation that relies (mostly) on darkness for its Sturm und Drang. The atramentous output of La Fin Absolute Du Monde circles, sometimes anxiously, other times languidlyas if momentarily sated, around a dark binary star composed of husband and wife duo Cyndy and Jason Myles. The classically trained Cyndy Myles adds a sharp formalism to the crashing, careening experimentation that Jason Myles worked on developing for years before he met his favorite instrumentalist in 2009. Together the two make music that is horrifically and sometimes voyeuristically alluring, like a highway accident or a domestic disturbance at your neighbor's run-down house. A band from the shadowy subculture known as the Noctivigant Collectivewho are apparently adherents of of Gnosis and ambient tuneage (let my pet goat know if I'm wrong about this by the way, he told me it was so)will also be represented at the evening ritual. The name of those ones is ia~mt~hi~ng, in case you want to know. Obviously they are not phonies. Bluesy stoner-rock stalwarts Marsupious begin the evening's stygian discourse. A Lincoln is the only sacrifice you'll have to make to enter unto this great 21+ gig. On Thursday, June 23,(2823 Second Street NW) is the site of a synthetically realized sonic situation that relies (mostly) on darkness for its Sturm und Drang. The atramentous output ofcircles, sometimes anxiously, other times languidlyas if momentarily sated, around a dark binary star composed of husband and wife duo Cyndy and Jason Myles. The classically trained Cyndy Myles adds a sharp formalism to the crashing, careening experimentation that Jason Myles worked on developing for years before he met his favorite instrumentalist in 2009. Together the two make music that is horrifically and sometimes voyeuristically alluring, like a highway accident or a domestic disturbance at your neighbor's run-down house. A band from the shadowy subculture known as the Noctivigant Collectivewho are apparently adherents of of Gnosis and ambient tuneage (let my pet goat know if I'm wrong about this by the way, he told me it was so)will also be represented at the evening ritual. The name of those ones is, in case you want to know. Obviously they are not phonies. Bluesy stoner-rock stalwartsbegin the evening's stygian discourse. A Lincoln is the only sacrifice you'll have to make to enter unto this great 21+ gig. View in Alibi calendar Friday Courtesy of the artist AMIT. Hell make an appearance at Sister (407 Central NW) on Friday, June 24. A south-Londoner, AMIT uses his knowledge of dubstep, infuses those aesthetics with middle-Eastern accents, adds the glitchiness of modern urban life to the mix and calls it absolutely fantastic. Clearly his better angels at the Beeb agree; BBC listeners have consistently voted AMIT best producer and most listenable single-releasing artist in the UK. His combination of deft subsonic dropbeats, panoramic delay and tendency to let things roll at 174 bpm have established AMIT as the king of where EDM goes from here. Five bones in advance or 10 at the door will get the riddim going in your bones at this 21+ techno partay; it begins at 8pm. The London music scene is notable for a world-spanning spectrum of influences. The grungy guitar of Northwestern America got the English treatment in the 90s and before that, the Caribbean was a deep source of inspiration for musicians making their home on the sceptered isle. Jamaican Sound Systems perfected and then deconstructed already potent and postmodern formsdub and dubstepto create musical languages that can be deciphered with dance. Among the latest proponents of such forays into groovy gamboling is a fellow known as. Hell make an appearance at(407 Central NW) on Friday, June 24. A south-Londoner, AMIT uses his knowledge of dubstep, infuses those aesthetics with middle-Eastern accents, adds the glitchiness of modern urban life to the mix and calls it absolutely fantastic. Clearly his better angels at the Beeb agree; BBC listeners have consistently voted AMIT best producer and most listenable single-releasing artist in the UK. His combination of deft subsonic dropbeats, panoramic delay and tendency to let things roll at 174 bpm have established AMIT as the king of where EDM goes from here. Five bones in advance or 10 at the door will get the riddim going in your bones at this 21+ techno partay; it begins at 8pm. View in Alibi calendar Saturday Let me be clear. Paul Oakenfold didn't invent EDM music in the 90s. He actually came up with the whole schmear while celebrating his birthday in Ibiza in the late 1980s. Under his aegis acid house music became a thing and though folks weren't quite ready for the sound and its trance-y, trippy implications back then, by the time the mid-90s rolled around, everyone was doing it. And it's all Paul Oakenfold's fault (though I'm sure the folks who manufacture Vick's Vapo-Rub and rainbow-colored, knee-high toe socks were also somehow involved). In any case, Oakenfold brings his multi-dimensional sonic suitcase to The Stage at Santa Ana Star Casino (54 Jemez Dam, Bernalillo) on Saturday, June 25, for a show that deftly positions the word trance in a pulsating poetic couplet alongside the word dance. Oakenfold's done it all, from hosting the Theatre of Madness in the aforementioned Spanish rave town to traveling to Southern India for inspiration to pioneering the EDM scene in the Americas. For a mere $20-25 you can witness something wickedly wise that begins with music and somehow ends up with the infinite space inside us all. For those 21+, that's a pretty trippy break. ...it's all Paul Oakenfold's fault (though I'm sure the folks who manufacture Vick's Vapo-Rub and rainbow-colored, knee-high toe socks were also somehow involved). View in Alibi calendar Mangaluru-based Corporation Bank has reported 199 fraud cases totalling Rs 1,318 crore in FY16. This represented an increase in the size over the previous year and the number amounted to over double the net loss reported by the lender this year. Rating agency ICRA on Wednesday revised up its outlook on the long term ratings of Anil Ambani-led Reliance Communications and two of its subsidiaries Reliance Infratel and Reliance Telecom to 'stable' from 'negative', on account of improving business profile of the group. In separate statements, the rating agency revised up the outlook on the long-term ratings of the firms - Reliance Communications (RCom), Reliance Infratel and Reliance Telecom with the underlying logic being that RCom was on a better footing in the telecom industry. Indias pace of wins slackened on the fourth day of the Cannes Ad Fest in what professionals described as the onset of mid-week blues. Contrary to expectations, the Indian contingent took home only four metals two silver and two bronze and remained one short of the magical figure of 20 at the end of four days. 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. It might take a little more convincing by the start-up entities in this country where investments were initiated by Nikesh Arora, ex-president and operations head of Group (SBG), to get more funding, say experts. It might take a little more convincing by the start-up entities in this country where investments were initiated by Nikesh Arora, ex-president and operations head of Group (SBG), to get more funding, say experts. Sameet Gupte, Sanjay Purohit and Aseem Soni belong to a group of chief executives who quit their corner office at a large multinational company (MNC) this year, to join a relatively smaller entity, owned by private equity (PE) funds. Enterprise software provider Systems has set up a wholly-owned subsidiary in Manila, Philippines to address the market opportunity in the country. As the second largest populated nation in ASEAN, Philippines has been witnessing the fastest economic growth among the countries in the region. The company has set up its fourth office in the region and will employ local talent as the IT sector in the country is moving beyond business process outsourcing (BPO) to include implementation of cloud-based technology to transform local enterprises in the area of ERP, HR, Payroll, Aviation and logistics, said the company. Demand of processed tomato sauce has risen by 40% in the last one month due to consumers rapid shifting to sauce from raw tomato to prevent impact of rising prices, an Assocham study finds. Aveek Sarkar has stepped down as editor-in-chief of the ABP Group after leading it for more than three decades. Sarkar will slip into the role of vice-chairman and editor emeritus. His brother, Arup Sarkar, the editor of the groups Bengali magazines, will take charge as editor-in-chief. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued a notice to a firm linked to Robert Vadra, son-in-law of Congress President Sonia Gandhi, in connection with its probe into alleged money laundering in a land deal in Rajasthan's Bikaner district. Official sources said the notice has been issued to the firm Ms Skylight Hospitality under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The company has been asked to submit certain financial statements and other documents to the Investigating Officer (IO) of the case, the sources said. The ED had conducted extensive searches in this case in Rajasthan and other places last month and had claimed to have seized a number of documents. 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 last year 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 had referred to a firm allegedly linked to Vadra which had purchased some of these Bikaner located lands. 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 last year. Rajasthan government had in January last year 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 charge sheets in the 18 cases in a court in Kolayat last year. With the Enforcement Directorate (ED) reportedly issuing a notice to a firm allegedly linked to in Rajasthan's Bikaner city, Haryana Cabinet Minister Anil Vij on Wednesday said Congress president Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law is a 'Shahi Damaad' (royal son-in-law), adding the governments of the grand old party in various states acted like 'land mafia' in allotting land to him in 'dowry'. " is a 'shahi damaad' and there is a tradition in India of giving something to son-in-laws in dowry. The Congress government, which gifted land to their 'shahi damaad' misusing its power, is coming to the fore from various places now," said Vij taking a pot-shot on the previous Congress government in Rajasthan. "In Rajasthan, the Enforcement Directorate has registered cases against various firms, including the firms owned by . More such cases will come to the fore if we institute a probe in various Congress-ruled states. Land was 'looted' under the Congress regimes, which worked like land mafia," he alleged. Talking about a judicial probe marked by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar's government in Haryana into Vadra's alleged land allotments, Vij said the commission has almost finished its probe and the report will be submitted any moment now. "When the report comes, it will unveil many things, and action will also be taken on it," he told ANI. According to sources, the notice has been issued to Skylight Hospitality firm under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The ED had on May 6 conducted searches of eight premises in Bikaner and nearby areas in this connection and registered a money laundering case against certain real estate developers and Rajasthan government officials to probe the Bikaner land scam. The investigation is related to the purchase of 275 bighas allegedly by the company in the Kolayat area of Bikaner. A day ahead of the crucial Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) meet to discuss India's membership, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar on Wednesday left for Seoul to make a last minute push for New Delhi's entry into the elite group. According to sources, this move is being seen as a final push on India's part to make its case. Jaishankar, who is not a part of the negotiations in the NSG's inner circle, will reportedly lobby for India's bid. This comes days after Jaishankar made a two-day trip to China on June 16 and 17 to discuss the matter with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. "Yes, I can confirm Foreign Secretary visited Beijing on June 16-17 for bilateral consultations with his Chinese counterpart. All major issues, including India's NSG membership, were discussed," the MEA statement read. 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 on Monday. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had earlier insisted that China is not blocking India's entry to the NSG, but is talking about the 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. However, Beijing said that its stance does not target any particular country, but applies to all non-NPT countries. "China maintains that the NSG will fully discuss the accession of non-NPT countries and make decisions based on consultation in a way acceptable to all. China's stance does not target any particular country, but applies to all non-NPT countries," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying. Hua said China has made it clear that the NSG meetings have never put the accession of any specific non-NPT countries on their agenda. The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said the upcoming NSG Plenary Meeting in Seoul on June 23 will not cover the matter as well. "It is worth noting that NSG meetings have never put the accession of any specific non-NPT countries on their agenda. The upcoming NSG Plenary Meeting in Seoul will not cover this issue either. Therefore, there is no point talking about supporting or opposing the entry of a particular non-NPT country at this moment," she said. With India leaving no stone unturned to ensure its entry into the group, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping in Uzbekistan capital Tashkent on Thursday in an attempt to win Beijing's support for India's membership. Highly placed sources told ANI that the meeting between Prime Minister 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. On the other hand, the United States has called on the participating governments of the NSG to support India's application for membership The plenary discussion on the matter will be held in Seoul and the final meeting in which India and Pakistan's fate in the NSG would be decided will take place on Thursday. However, the Congress Party has firmly stated that India would be able to enter the NSG only if it initiates dialogue with Pakistan and China. "I think there is no difference in what Pakistan and China are saying. China has on this issue said that there must be a discussion whether to include those who have not signed the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT).We are not going to become a member of the NSG in the upcoming meeting in Seoul and we will never become unless and until we hold talks in this regard with China and Pakistan," Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar told ANI. He also said that there should have been some preparation in this matter and talks should have been held with China in the very beginning, adding that talks with the US were pointless as they were already on our side. Talking about Swaraj's confidence in the matter of India being able to convince to China over the NSG bid, Aiyar said, "Sushma Swaraj is a very intelligent person. When she says procedure, she knows very well it could take forever." 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. Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz had said that the government's "active and successful foreign policy" has blocked India's entry into the NSG, adding that New Delhi would not be able to join the group alone. "We have been successful in preventing India from gaining access to the NSG and I am hopeful that whenever it happens, we will both join it together and India will not be able to join the NSG alone," the Dawn quoted Aziz as saying. He also said that he had recently approached many countries, including Russia, Mexico, South Korea and New Zealand, to gain their support on Islamabad's viewpoint that there should be a criteria-based approach while deciding about inclusion of any country into the NSG. FYJC Mumbai and Pune declared the general merit list with cut off marks of Standard 11 online admission on June 20 and 21, respectively. The provisional merit lists for both the regions had been announced earlier. A decision on Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajans successor is imminent and could be announced as early as next week, as the government looks to curb speculation and uncertainty regarding the matter. ON FIRE The vehicle lifted off at 9.26 am from Sriharikota, with a 725.5-kg earth observation satellite for defence needs and 19 satellites Customers include Google-owned Terra Bella and former NASA employees-owned Planet Labs There are 34 satellites in orbit now, comprising communication, earth observation, navigation and space science satellites Expected to take on competitors like One Web in the small satellite launch space The Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) rocket, PSLV-C34, a reliable workhorse of the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro), launched 20 satellites into orbits on Wednesday.The success of the mission is expected to help the space agency get more orders from across the world, boosting its commercial operations.The vehicle lifted off at 9.26 am from Sriharikota. It carried a 725.5-kg earth observation satellite for defence needs and 19 satellites for customers such as Google-owned Terra Bella and former NASA employees-owned Planet Labs. This is a record for in terms of the number or satellites it is sending to space at one go.Chairman A S Kiran Kumar said, "Let me congratulate the entire team for the wonderful job they have done in ensuring that we have been able to successfully put all the 20 satellites in a record time. We have a lot of activities ahead where we are attempting to complete a sequence of earth observation satellites and GSLV Mark II and Mark III later this year. I wish the entire team wonderful days ahead."Speaking to reporters, Kumar said over the next five year, around 70 satellites would have to be put into orbit. There are 34 satellites in orbit now, comprising communication, earth observation, navigation and space science satellites."Once the existing bottlenecks are removed and if there is a need for new facilities, we will go for that," Kumar said on if Isro would make a third launch pad at Sriharikota. "We can't take a private company's approach. There has to be certain minimum requirements for our government needs."Isro is expected to take on competitors such as One Web in the small satellite launch space. One Web plans to hurl around 700 small satellites into space within a short timeframe.Senior officials of Isro said the just-completed mission was tough, as the time available to get the systems ready was short. This could well be the norm, as the frequency of rocket launches were expected to go up from this year, to almost one launch every month. The space agency was looking at getting more industries on board to have an end-to-end satellite making process, they said.Isro is making a consortium with Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, Godrej Aerospace and Larson and Toubro to assemble and launch PSLV rockets by 2020 for local needs and to tap global customers.A day after the launch, Isro would meet industry players to decide on the course of action and 100-odd companies have registered for participation in the event. "They have to increase the capacity and new vendors needs to come in, so that end-to-end satellite making is possible. Everymonth we are seeing almost one satellite being launched, Indian industry also seeing a bigger part in this, reliable systems coming into place and it is opening up a market to provide their services to the global satellites point of view," said M Annadurai, director of ISRO Satellite Centre (ISAC). The move would help crunch the time to launch a PSLV rocket once in three weeks from India's space pad in Sriharikota as against the current norm of once every two months. The admission of India into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) is taking new turns every day. China has now lowered its stance against India's membership by saying that is open to discussing the entry of the countries who have not signed the Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT). The southwest monsoon, after making a delayed entry, has made steady progress and is set to cover the entire country by the end of this month, barring a few pockets in west Rajasthan, west Haryana and Kutch bordering Pakistan, senior meteorologists said. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Rajya Sabha MP on Wednesday said that he wants Chief Economic Advisor (CEA) Arvind Subramanian to be sacked, alleging the CEA had badmouthed India in the international arena and had also encouraged the Congress to adopt a rigid position on the GST Bill. Earlier in the day, Swamy had launched a Twitter attack on Subramanian after some reports over the past few days suggested the CEA could be a probable successor to Rajan. He also directly called for the sacking of the CEA. Swamy raised charges similar to those he had used against outgoing RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan, saying that the CEA was a 'green card holder' and was probably not an Indian citizen. Incidently, both Rajan and Arvind Subramanian have worked at the IMF. "He used to work in America and he is also a green card holder type. I don't even know if he is a citizen or not but I'm sure he has a green card. There was this American Congress Committee for pharmaceutical purposes and they held a hearing to figure out India's opinion on the matter. There he said in a statement that India was not working according to America in this matter and for that, they should be taught a lesson in WTO. How can we can such a person an advisor here?," Swamy said. He added that when Arvind was appointed by the Indian government, he gave a note to the Finance Ministry asserting that the clauses demanded by the Congress in the GST Bill were absolutely justified. "I think that such people who can fail our government should be tossed out. Now, it's been two years and I think it's about time," he added. "Who said to US Cong on 13/3/13 the US should act against India to defend US Pharmaceuticals interests? Arvind Subramanian MoF !! Sack him!!! Guess who encouraged Congi to become rigid on GST clauses ? Jaitley's economic adviser Arvind Subramanian of Washington DC," he tweeted. He also said, "Now PTs (Patriotic Tweeples) can understand why our core economic sectors could not perform last two years. Trojan horses galore in MoF/Fin Institutions." "Was AS (Arvind Subramanian) deposing before US Cong Committee against India as a US citizen or Indian? Does any PT know?," he asked. The attack on Subramanian comes days after Swamy - who has also said he has a list of 27 people who he would fix' soon - announced that his next 'project' is to expose a group of bureaucrats loyal to Congress party president Sonia Gandhi. "My next project is to expose 27 bureaucrats who are in various Ministries and loyal to TDK. They were handpicked and positioned by PC," Swamy said in a tweet, using the initials for P Chidambaram, who was finance minister in the UPA government. While Rajan was a UPA appointee, Arvind Subramanian was appointed by the Modi government. Reacting to the attack on the CEA, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh said Swamy's target was not Arvind Subramanian but Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and asked whether PM Narendra Modi was handing over the finance ministry to Swamy. " now guns for Arvind Subramanian Economic Advisor to NDA. Target is Arun Jaitley not Arvind Subramanian. Is Modi handing over Finance Ministry to He has been claiming that PM has assured him as quid pro quo if he targeted Nehru Gandhi Family," Singh said in a series of tweets. Earlier, Swamy had welcomed Rajan's decision to leave his post as RBI Governor on the completion of his three-year term, saying that he had taken such a step in order to save his 'self respect'. Swamy had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in May asking for Rajan's dismissal. The Union ministry of coal (MoC) has issued a showcause notice to Reliance Power (R-Power) for the delay in developing two coal blocks associated with its 4,000-Mw Ultra Mega Power Project (UMPP) at Tilaiya, Jharkhand, awarded to it in 2009. The latest policy on opening the food trading sector to foreign investment might not be very different from the one on multi-brand retailing, sector watchers say. Government said it is revising its drugs law to make it easier for companies to do business while ensuring the safety and efficacy of medicines, in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's latest move to encourage industry. Until last year, India was trying to tweak its archaic Drugs and Cosmetics Act of 1940, and an amendment bill was introduced in the upper house of parliament in 2013. But that has now been withdrawn, the government said in a statement on Wednesday. Ministers decided the current law cannot effectively regulate areas such as biological drugs, stem cells and regenerative medicines, medical devices, and clinical trials, the statement said. Draft guidelines to regulate the medical devices industry have already been prepared after consultations with stakeholders, and these will be "notified shortly." So far, medical devices in India have been regulated as drugs, but companies have been clamouring for separate rules over the years as the industry has grown to roughly $5 billion. With Modi championing a "Make in India" campaign, the government statement said the medical products sector is "poised for exponential growth in the near future" and "has the potential to become an international hub." A draft of the revised drugs law is expected to be ready in two months, top drug controller G.N. Singh told Reuters last week. "We thought it was better to revise the law than to put more bandages on it." Singh, who heads the Central Drug Standard Control Organisation, said the revision would also aim to improve regulatory standards to bring the drugs industry into line with global norms. The move follows regulatory warnings and bans in recent years on Indian drug factories for failing manufacturing standards. More than 40 of the factories are under a US ban, including many owned by some of India's largest drugmakers. The $15 billion drugs industry, seen as a reliable supplier of cheap generics to the world so far, is now battling its slowest pace of growth in the critical US market. Singh said the health ministry has been in touch with the US and EU regulators and would ask them for suggestions on the new law. "We want to know what their expectations are in terms of compliance." He also said the revised law would seek to improve enforcement of rules, and take a fresh look at penalties and punishment for companies violating manufacturing and clinical trial guidelines. The Indian Drug Manufacturers Association, which represents more than 900 small- and mid-sized drugmakers, has sought softer penalties and lesser punishment for violators, citing lagging growth, in a letter sent to the health ministry last week, a copy of which was seen by Reuters. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and top officials at South Block are bracing for a hectic week of diplomacy, as they try to convince Beijing and some other countries to soften their opposition to India's entry to the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). India will need huge investments adding up to more than Rs 10 lakh crore in mining and its allied sectors like power, steel, cement, infrastructure for logistics, and washeries to achieve the governments target of 1.5 billion target of production by 2020, says a PwC study released today. The government on Wednesday announced a slew of measures for the textile sector, to generate 10 million jobs, boost exports by a cumulative $30 billion and investments by Rs 74,000 crore over three years. Coal availability in the country, when there is muted power demand growth has resulted in a situation with plants requesting Coal India Limited (CIL) to stop further supply. Close to a dozen power plants across UP, Maharashtra and West Bengal have written to CIL and its subsidiaries, citing reasons like high stock at sites and backing down of power demand by host states. The government is said to be considering a mega merger of 26 banks, which will create six big lenders, news agency Reuters reported, citing a government official, on Wednesday. Amid speculation over mergers of smaller public sector banks with five to six larger ones, finance ministry officials on Wednesday said only consolidation of State Bank of India (SBI) with its associates and Bharatiya Mahila Bank (BMB) would happen this year. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved the development of four laning of Hubli-Hospet Section of NH-63 in Karnataka. . . The cost is estimated to be Rs.2272.20 crore including cost of land acquisition, resettlement and rehabilitation and other pre-construction activities. The total length of the road to be developed is approximately 144 kms. . . This work will be done under the National Highways Development Project (NHDP) Phase-IV on Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) basis. . . The project will help in expediting the improvement of infrastructure in Karnataka and in reducing the time and cost of travel for traffic, particularly heavy traffic, plying between Hubli and Hospet section. The development of this stretch will also help in uplifting the socio-economic condition of this region in the State. . . It would also increase employment potential for local labourers for project activities. It has been estimated that a total number of 4,076 mandays are required for construction of one kilometre of highway. As such, employment potential of 5,86,600 (approx.) mandays will be generated locally during the construction period of this stretch. . . Background: . . The project was earlier approved on BOT (Toll). Bids were invited for the project three times and one more time with increased Viability Gap Funding (VGF). However, no bids were received. As such, it was decided to implement the project through EPC mode. The project has been appraised by Expenditure Finance Committee (EFC) in its meeting held in March, 2016. . . In its thirty sixth flight (PSLV-C34), ISRO's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle successfully launched the 727.5 kg Cartosat-2 Series Satellite along with 19 co-passenger satellites today morning from Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR, Sriharikota. This is the thirty fifth consecutively successful mission of PSLV and the fourteenth in its 'XL' configuration. The total weight of all the 20 satellites carried on-board PSLV-C34 was 1288 kg. . . After PSLV-C34 lift-off at 0926 hrs (9:26 am) IST from the Second Launch Pad with the ignition of the first stage, the subsequent important flight events, namely, strap-on ignitions and separations, first stage separation, second stage ignition, heat-shield separation, second stage separation, third stage ignition and separation, fourth stage ignition and cut-off, took place as planned. After a flight of 16 minutes 30 seconds, the satellites achieved a polar Sun Synchronous Orbit of 508 km inclined at an angle of 97.5 degree to the equator (very close to the intended orbit) and in the succeeding 10 minutes, all the 20 satellites successfully separated from the PSLV fourth stage in a predetermined sequence. . . After separation, the two solar arrays of Cartosat-2 series satellite were deployed automatically and ISRO's Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) at Bangalore took over the control of the satellite. In the coming days, the satellite will be brought to its final operational configuration following which it will begin to provide remote sensing services using its panchromatic (black and white) and multispectral (colour) cameras. . . The imagery sent by the Cartosat-2 series satellite will be useful for cartographic applications, urban and rural applications, coastal land use and regulation, utility management like road network monitoring, water distribution, creation of land use maps, precision study, change detection to bring out geographical and manmade features and various other Land Information System (LIS) and Geographical Information System (GIS) applications. . . Of the 19 co-passenger satellites carried by PSLV-C34, two SATHYABAMASAT weighing 1.5 kg and SWAYAM weighing 1 kg are University/Academic institute satellites and were built with the involvement of students from Sathyabama University, Chennai and College Of Engineering, Pune, respectively. . . The remaining 17 co-passenger satellites were international customer satellites from Canada (2), Germany (1), Indonesia (1) and the United States (13). . . With todays successful launch, the total number of satellites launched by Indias workhorse launch vehicle PSLV has reached 113, of which 39 are Indian and the remaining 74 from abroad. . . Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister, Shri Radha Mohan Singh said that Central Government is determined to bring a positive change in the lives of farmers and the Ministry of Agriculture is taking all efforts to achieve the goal. The Minister of Agriculture said this to the media today here after having a live question & answers session on Facebook. . . Shri Singh said that people from all parts of the country asked agriculture related questions. Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister answeres the questions related to Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana and the process of applying, organic farming, and progress related to Soil Health Cards in the States, FDI in Livestock, Agro product and startup. And also to agriculture education and employment. Shri Singh added that awareness is on rise regarding agriculture. . . Shri Singh said that a live chat like this leads benefit to agriculture students, agriculture scientists, agriculture traders, professionals as well as startups and conveyed that farmers were taking help from their kids and relative in asking questions today. . . Minister of Agriculture said that through direct conversation, one comes to know the kind of activities taking place in different regions of the country related to agricultural sector and what is the progress of central schemes. Through these queries, the task performed by the States is also reviewed, as the implementation of central schemes is carried through the assistance of the states. . . Shri Singh said that he would continue to have facebook live chats with all stakeholders. . . SS The Vice President Shri M. Hamid Ansari has said that Yoga can play a vital role in improving the health profile in developing countries. . . Inaugurating the Second International Conference on Yoga, Mr Ansari said that given the inability or unwillingness to augment public health funding in developing countries, the quest for complementary health approaches assumes urgency. Amongst these is Yoga, which has acquired a following worldwide, he added. . . The two day-long Conference that started in Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi today has been organized by Ministry of AYUSH as a part of International Yoga Day celebrations. Over 70 delegates from 35 countries are participating in the Conference that has the theme Yoga for body and beyond." . . In his speech, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for AYUSH, Shri Shripad Yesso Naik remarked that Yoga is one of the greatest gift of India to the humankind and it is deeply embedded in our lineage. He pointed out that as many as 177 out of 193 UN Member States not only supported the idea of declaring 21st June as the International Day of Yoga, but also co-sponsored the resolution. He said that this has accelerated the global initiative for Yoga promotion and adoption. He said that it is a matter of pride that people in India and in countries all across the globe celebrated the International Day of Yoga with gusto and fervour. He hoped that benefits of Yoga will reach to every individual by the combined efforts of Governments and the Civil Society. . . The inaugural session of the Conference was attended by many eminent Yoga Gurus, including Swami Ramdev, Dr. Pranav Pandya, Swami Amrita Suryananda, Swami Chidanand Muni and Prof. H.R. Nagendra. . . 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 were presented to the winners of Best Yoga Apparels and Best Yoga Geet, competitions for which were commissioned by Ministry of AYUSH. . . Lok Sabha Speaker Smt. Sumitra Mahajan, will grace the Valedictory Session of the Conference tomorrow evening at 5 pm. 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. . . At least 20 militants were killed in Herat province as the differences have widened between supporters of Taliban leader Mawlawi Haibatullah Akhundzada and commander of breakaway group Mawlawi Mohammad Rasoul Akhund, officials said. The clash, according to Herat Governor Jilani Farhad, flared up in Adraskan and Pashtun Zarghon districts between Sunday and Tuesday, during which around two dozen fighters were killed and several injured, Xinhua news agency reported. Preliminary reports suggested that up to nine fighters loyal to Akhundzada and 11 from the opponent faction were killed. The clash, according to the official, flared up between Mullah Asmatullah, the commander of Taliban's main faction led by Akhundzada, and commander Abdul Manan Niazi, a Mullah Rasoul loyalist, in Abgarmak area of Adraskan district and soon covered parts of the neighbouring Pashtun Zarghon district. Civilians have also suffered loss of life and property during the infighting between the rival groups, both the officials and locals said. Although Taliban militants are tightlipped on the report, locals have confirmed the bloody infighting between the groups and called on the government to check the incidents which often harm civilians. "Usually we are the victims of infighting. Taliban forcibly collect 10% of our agricultural products from us as tax to support their fighters," a resident of Pashtun Zarghon district said. In the wake of confirmation of the death of Mullah Mohammad Omar, the founder of Taliban, last July and Mullah Akthar Mansour assuming Taliban leadership last August, the armed outfit has divided into two factions and the splinter group leader Mawlawi Mohammad Rasoul Akhund has begun fighting Mansour's men. Mansour was killed in a US drone attack last month near Quetta, Balochistan, in Pakistan and his successor Akhundzada has failed to unite the Taliban fighters. More than 200 fighters, including senior commanders from both sides, according to officials, were killed in the infightings in Herat, Farah, Zabul and other parts of the country over the past three months. 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. conducted two back-to-back tests of a powerful new medium-range missile today, with at least one launch ending in failure, South Korea's Defence Ministry said. The first test shortly before 6:00 a.m (2100 GMT Tuesday) 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. 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. UN resolutions ban from any use of ballistic missile technology and, just hours before today's launch efforts, the Pentagon had warned Pyongyang against pressing ahead with any missile test. 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." 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. Today'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. In a scathing attack, has accused "elements within the state structure of Pakistan" of facilitating most of the terrorist groups active in the region and said the country needs political will and not 'nuclear deals or F-16s' to take action against terrorists. In his statement to the powerful UN Security Council on the debate on UN Assistance Mission in (UNAMA) here yesterday, Afghanistan's Permanent Representative to the UN Mahmoud Saikal said Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour was "tracked" and killed in Pakistan's Balochistan in an American drone strike. The incident "exposed" that Mansour had a Pakistani passport in a fake name that he had used to fly numerous times from Pakistani airports. "Despite this, the charade of plausible deniability, duplicity, and blame of Afghan weaknesses continues, which must come to an end if we are to succeed in counter-terrorism," he said. Saikal accused "elements within the state structure of Pakistan" of facilitating most of the terrorist groups active in the region and warned that a country using "good and bad terrorists" against each other is "playing with fire". He further pointed out that in the past 15 years, numerous leading figures of terrorism, including bin Laden and Taliban leaders Mullah Omar and Mansour have lived and died in Pakistan. "The fact that notorious terrorist leaders were found and killed in their safe havens there is a clear proof that the country has violated the sovereignty of other nations," he said adding that this constitutes a flagrant violation of UN Security Council resolutions on the Sanctions Regime against the Taliban. "We believe that there is an urgent need for proper implementation of the existing counter terrorism resolutions of the UN Security Council," he said. Saikal quoted President Ashraf Ghani's address to joint sitting of the National Assembly where the Afghan leader had called on Pakistan to respect the QCG agreements and take action against terrorists who have their bases and leaders in the neighboring country. "We believe that there is a need for political will and honest police action -- rather than nuclear deals or F-16s -- to fulfil the task," of taking action against the terrorists. Apart from the Taliban, the "constantly morphing" global and regional terrorist groups seek to turn into a "launching pad" against Central Asia, South Asia, West Asia and the Far East, Saikal said. "Al-Qaeda has gone dark and deep. Other regional terrorist networks, with links to Central Asian republics, Chechnya and China are highly active in our region. Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, in coordination with other terror groups, remains a long-term threat to the security and stability of our region," he said. "What is more important, most of these terrorist groups and networks enjoy the facilitation and orchestration services of elements within the state structure of Pakistan who believe in the use of violence in pursuit of political objectives. "Any country contemplating the use of good and bad terrorists against each other and against is playing with fire which will catch itself. It is imperative that the community undertake an initiative to establish objective criteria to identify and confront state sponsorship of terrorism in our neighborhood," he said. However, despite the challenges, Saikal said Afghanistan remains committed to the peace process with reconcilable Afghan elements in parallel to strengthening its defense and security capabilities. "It is important that we remain vigilant against the instrumentalisation and misuse of the peace process to buy time and refuel the war machine of the Taliban by their supporters," he said. Saikal said last winter, the Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) comprising Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and the US had finalised a roadmap for the peace process with the expectation that the Taliban would use the opportunity and join the process. However, in April this year the Taliban responded with their spring offensive simultaneously across 42 different locations in Afghanistan causing heavy civilian suffering, and "proving once again that they are irreconcilable to peaceful political initiatives". Slamming the "unforthcoming attitude" of Pakistan, he said other QCG members have remained committed or even given effect to their words for the peace process. He said that "provocative actions" along the de-facto separation line including illegal construction of military installations, abuse of Afghan nationals and restrictions on trade and transit have escalated "by our neighbour". "Most recently, and in contravention of bilaterally agreed consultation mechanisms, our neighbour attempted to build new infrastructure at Torkham Pass, thereby provoking a needless military clash with casualties on both sides. The situation, a threat to peace and security, remains tense with devastating impact on trade and transit," he said in clear reference to Pakistan. He said an Afghan delegation is currently in Islamabad, exploring a diplomatic breakthrough for a diplomatic solution to the illegal construction at Torkham Pass. "We hope the voice of reason will prevail but our message is very clear: make no mistake, the proud Government and people of Afghanistan have not, do not and will not surrender to intimidation, violence, and aggression. Our history is a testimony to this," he said. Motors on Wednesday warned it is on track to lose $1.4 billion this financial year in the wake of a mileage-cheating scandal that slammed the brakes on sales. The expected shortfall would reverse a year-earlier profit and mark the automaker's first annual loss in eight years as it grapples with the embarrassing scandal. It is also more than double what analysts had expected, as faces big compensation costs. The announcement comes about two months after the company admitted it had been falsifying mileage tests for years, manipulating data to make cars seem more efficient than they were. On Tuesday, said it would resume selling four car models at the centre of the scandal all minicars sold in Japan. They were on average 11% less efficient than they claimed, the transport ministry said. Mitsubishi stopped selling the cars voluntarily in the wake of the scandal. Two of the models were made for rival Nissan, which first uncovered problems with the fuel economy data. Among the compensation costs, Mitsubishi is on the hook to pay about 100 billion yen to Nissan and other suppliers, and about 50 billion yen in payments to customers who bought the affected cars. Nissan last month threw a lifeline to Mitsubishi as it announced plans to buy a one-third stake in the crisis-hit automaker for $2.2 billion, forging an alliance that will challenge some of the world's biggest auto groups. A fall in demand and lower prices in the ongoing auctions is likely to impact tobacco cultivation, with many farmers expected to go for lower risk alternatives in the kharif and rabi seasons this year. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Wednesday said it was maintaining a close vigil on related developments and will take all necessary steps to smoothen out volatility in the market. Indian stocks fell for a second day before the UK votes on whether to leave or remain in the European Union. Tata Motors Ltd, owner of Jaguar Land Rover that gets about 25 per cent of its revenue from Europe, tumbled for the first time in seven days. ITC Ltd, India's biggest cigarette company, slid for a second day this week after its chief said he will step down next year. GAIL India Ltd retreated for a third day, while Reliance Industries Ltd, owner of the world's largest refining complex, decreased the most in a week. The S&P BSE Sensex lost 0.2 per cent at the close in Mumbai, ... New Delhi, June 22 (ANI): World Refugee Day wasobserved in New Delhi recently to recognize and applaud the contribution of forcibly displaced people around the world. On the occasion, an Afghan migrant narrated her journey from war-torn Afghanistan to New Delhi. The event was organized by the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and TERI University and brought together refugees from countries like Afghanistan, Myanmar and Eritrea. Salma, the Afghan refugee, who now teaches yoga in New Delhi, told ANI, "I had organized a fashion show for girls in 2013 in Afghanistan and got lot of criticism from the Afghan government for adopting western culture which is against Islamic culture. As the Government did not support me, I left my country and migrated to India in 2013." As per UNHCR data, there are 21.3 million refugees worldwide and 40.8 million are internally displaced. "On 20th of June, the United Nations celebrated the World Refugee Day. It is the day when we celebrate the courage, resilience of the refugees those who were forced to leave their countries that's why we have organized a panel discussion today to create empathy about refugees who are in India," said Suchita Mehta, a coordinator. The UNHCR says that there are around 14,000 Afghan refugees in New Delhi. "I think there is couple of areas particularly where academic institutions can get involved with the refugee agenda one is that there is not enough awareness what we called the recipient societies on refugees and we tend to look upon them as somebody who is a kind of impinging on our society, competing with the resources that are available not necessarily integrating in our culture and so on. We do not tend to focus on the challenges and the background they are coming from what is the value that they bring to our society and how do they help us as Indian citizens integrate into the world better by allowing this multi cultural understanding to develop in society," said Dr. Leena Srivastava, Vice Chancellor, TERI University. World Refugee Day is celebrated on June 21 every year. A Chennai-bound Air India (AI) flight with 172 passengers on board developed a hydraulic problem while landing on Wednesday. Chennai airport director Deepak Shastri told ANI that the landing of the Air India flight was delayed by 15 to 20 minutes due to the problem. "It was a minor incident, which was caused because of a technical issue of the aircraft. It did not affect flights. There were no diversions. The runway was opened in 15 minutes," he added. Two other flights were diverted and their landings were delayed because of the problem. Like every other person, Anushka Sharma too has had a high on 'Game of Thrones' mania, and hence she decided to have her own GoT moment. The 28-year-old actor took to Twitter to post a video from her 'Budapest' shooting Days for 'Sultan,' and wrote alongside, "A girl has no name. Just fierce sword fighting talent. #GameOfThrones moment on #Sultan sets at Budapest." The video showed the 'PK' actress fighting with two swords in slow-motion. Anushka will portray a female wrestler, named Aarfa, opposite 'Sultan' Salman Khan. The film, directed by Ali Abbas Zafar, is set to release this Eid. On the work front, Anushka will next be seen in Karan Johar's 'Ae Dil Hai Mushkil' and Anshai Lal's rom-com 'Phillauri. In what was a first for Brasilia, the second International Day of Yoga was celebrated on 21 June 2016 in the premises of the Memorial of Indigenous Peoples overlooking the Kubitschek Monument that commemorates the founder of Brazil's capital. In a tweet, Brazilian Foreign Minister Jose Serra felicitated India on the 2nd International Day of Yoga. Messages of Prime Minister and External Affairs Minister were aired and Ambassador reiterated the importance India attached to sharing its civilizational heritage of Yoga for the good of mankind. Solidarity was expressed with the indigenous people of Brazil and all those realizing the wellness effects of Yoga were exhorted to start a virtuous cycle by sharing their experiences with friends. Director Alvaro Tucano thanked India for staging a prestigious event at the Museum that not only spread the message of peace and harmony through the unifying medium of Yoga, but also accorded the indigenous peoples respect by sharing a platform with them. Brazilians from all walks of life took active part in the event which was also attended by representatives of the host government and diplomatic missions. A large number of Yoga schools, individual instructors as well as Yoga practitioners in and around Brasilia participated in the Common Yoga Protocol. The second International Day of Yoga was celebrated across Brazil with the main events taking place in Sao Paulo (June 19) and Brasilia (June 21). Rio de Janeiro's iconic Ipanema Beach will host a Yoga event on 26th June to conclude celebrations. With an aim to make earth a better planet, believers Church's child care project Bridge of Hope concluded 15 Day sapling plantation drive across India. The drive was started on June 5th 2016, on the occasion of World Environment Day. More than 3 lakh saplings were planted across 29 states and seven Union Territories of India by 80,000 children and 5000 staff members of the organization. As a part of the drive, children and staff conducted various rallies, skits, street plays and distributed one sapling a home and asked them to take care of it. The children also motivated and urged the citizens of the country to purchase one tree for their home and nurture it to give a better future to the coming generations. Under this project the team also planted saplings in local government offices and identified various road side medians and planted saplings in the area. The first sapling of the drive was planted by Rajnath Singh (SHO) of Towari Pur Police station, Gorakhpur, UP in the presence of Gorakhpur Diocesan staff and other members of the organization. "It is a great move by Believers Church. I really laud them for taking these measures to protect environment as well as combat global warming. I will extend full support to them whenever they carry out such socially significant activities," said Rajnath Singh. "We at Bridge of Hope are committed to improve the environment which is currently depleting at a very rapid pace due to global warming, felling of trees, setting up of various industries and multiple other reasons. It is no more a choice but a necessity to save our environment so that this planet is livable for our future generations," said Director Bridge of Hope, Prince Josiah. "I really thank children, countrymen and our staff for making the 15 day drive successful. We believe in making our mother earth a great place to live in and this is one such step in that direction. Preserving and protecting the environment for a better future of our country men is top most priority. I request our citizens to help us in the drive and each family to plant a tree to maintain the ecosystem for our coming generation," said Metropolitan of Believers Church' Dr. K P Yohannan. Last year, in a similar drive Bridge of Hope planted one lakh saplings across India. A day ahead of the crucial Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) meet to discuss India's membership, Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar on Wednesday left for Seoul to make a last minute push for New Delhi's entry into the elite group. According to sources, this move is being seen as a final push on India's part to make its case. Jaishankar, who is not a part of the negotiations in the NSG's inner circle, will reportedly lobby for India's bid. This comes days after Jaishankar made a two-day trip to China on June 16 and 17 to discuss the matter with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. "Yes, I can confirm Foreign Secretary visited Beijing on June 16-17 for bilateral consultations with his Chinese counterpart. All major issues, including India's NSG membership, were discussed," the MEA statement read. 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 on Monday. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had earlier insisted that China is not blocking India's entry to the NSG, but is talking about the 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. However, Beijing said that its stance does not target any particular country, but applies to all non-NPT countries. "China maintains that the NSG will fully discuss the accession of non-NPT countries and make decisions based on consultation in a way acceptable to all. China's stance does not target any particular country, but applies to all non-NPT countries," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying. Hua said China has made it clear that the NSG meetings have never put the accession of any specific non-NPT countries on their agenda. The Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said the upcoming NSG Plenary Meeting in Seoul on June 23 will not cover the matter as well. "It is worth noting that NSG meetings have never put the accession of any specific non-NPT countries on their agenda. The upcoming NSG Plenary Meeting in Seoul will not cover this issue either. Therefore, there is no point talking about supporting or opposing the entry of a particular non-NPT country at this moment," she said. With India leaving no stone unturned to ensure its entry into the group, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping in Uzbekistan capital Tashkent on Thursday in an attempt to win Beijing's support for India's membership. Highly placed sources told ANI that the meeting between Prime Minister 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. On the other hand, the United States has called on the participating governments of the NSG to support India's application for membership The plenary discussion on the matter will be held in Seoul tomorrow and the final meeting in which India and Pakistan's fate in the NSG would be decided will take place on Thursday. However, the Congress Party has firmly stated that India would be able to enter the NSG only if it initiates dialogue with Pakistan and China. "I think there is no difference in what Pakistan and China are saying. China has on this issue said that there must be a discussion whether to include those who have not signed the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT).We are not going to become a member of the NSG in the upcoming meeting in Seoul and we will never become unless and until we hold talks in this regard with China and Pakistan," Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar told ANI. He also said that there should have been some preparation in this matter and talks should have been held with China in the very beginning, adding that talks with the U.S. were pointless as they were already on our side. Talking about Swaraj's confidence in the matter of India being able to convince to China over the NSG bid, Aiyar said, "Sushma Swaraj is a very intelligent person. When she says procedure, she knows very well it could take forever." 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. Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz had said that the government's "active and successful foreign policy" has blocked India's entry into the NSG, adding that New Delhi would not be able to join the group alone. "We have been successful in preventing India from gaining access to the NSG and I am hopeful that whenever it happens, we will both join it together and India will not be able to join the NSG alone," the Dawn quoted Aziz as saying. He also said that he had recently approached many countries, including Russia, Mexico, South Korea and New Zealand, to gain their support on Islamabad's viewpoint that there should be a criteria-based approach while deciding about inclusion of any country into the NSG. Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday backed Arvind Subramanian, who is the latest in the line of fire from BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, and said the government has 'full confidence' in the Chief Economic Advisor. Array Jaitley, at a press briefing, said the BJP does not share Swamy's views, adding that the Chief Economic Advisor's advise to the government in economic matters have been of 'great value'. Array "The government has full confidence in Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian. His advice to the government from time-to-time has been of great value," he said. Array "The party has said they don't share Dr Swamy's view. I will also add one more fact, from the point of view of discipline of Indian politicians, to what extent should we attack those, the discipline and constraints of whose offices prevent them from responding. And this has happened more than once," he added. Array When asked if it was time to reign in comments from people like Swamy, Jaitley said, "Thank you for the suggestion." Array Swamy earlier said that he wants Arvind Subramanian to be sacked, as he had badmouthed India in the international arena and had also encouraged the grand old party to become rigid on their GST Bill clauses. Array Earlier in the day, Swamy had launched a scathing attack on Arvind in a series of tweets. Array "Who said to US Cong on 13/3/13 the US should act against India to defend US Pharmaceuticals interests? Arvind Subramanian MoF !! Sack him!!! Guess who encouraged Congi to become rigid on GST clauses ? Jaitely's economic adviser Arvind Subramanian of Washington DC," he tweeted. Array Speaking to ANI here after he tweeted against Arvind, Swamy reiterated his salvo he had used against RBI Chief Raghuram Rajan, saying that the CEA was a 'green card holder' and was probably not an Indian citizen. The BJP leader also said that he had a list of 27 people with him and that he will 'fix' them soon. Array Swamy had earlier in May written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking for the dismissal of the Reserve Bank of India governor Raghuram Rajan. Rajan last week announced that he would return to academic world at the end of his term on September 4, 2016, adding he will always be available to serve his country when needed and asserted that his 'successor' would take the nation to new heights. Actress Shruti Haasan, who is currently busy shooting her upcoming film 'Sabaash Naidu' in Los Angeles, has recently shared a picture wherein she can be seen enjoying with her body double. The 30-year-old actress took to her Instagram page and shared a picture with her body double, writing, "With my lovely stunt double @noelani_tsunami shooting in la for sabash Naidu." 'Sabaash Naidu' is directed and co-produced by Kamal Haasan, who also enacts the lead role of Balram Naidu in the movie that is slated to hit the theatres on December 1. Asserting that the United Nations Security Council needs to look into the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan, Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin, India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, said that Kabul has New Delhi's full support in strengthening its defence capabilities to preserve its unity and territorial integrity. Speaking at the UN Security Council debate on United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) on Tuesday, Akbaruddin highlighted that if the security situation is not contained, it poses serious threats to the region. "The Security Council needs to look into the deteriorating security situation and the means to contain it as it could pose serious threats to the gains made by the people of Afghanistan in the last 15 years," he said. "Afghanistan has our full support for strengthening its defence capabilities to preserve its unity and territorial integrity, as it is the most important antidote to the worsening security situation in the country," he added. Expressing condolences at the loss of lives and property in the bomb attack in Kabul on June 20, in which around 20 people had died, Ambassador Akbaruddin stressed on the fact that attacks by the Taliban in the region were on the rise. "The Taliban are continuing attacks at an unprecedented rate since the beginning of the year and there is continued violence by other armed groups. According to the Secretary General's Report armed clashes have increased this year compared to the same period in 2015. This situation has put renewed focus on the need for enhanced engagement and action by the international community," he said. He also pressed before during the UN Security Council Debate that those perpetrating violence in Afghanistan should not be allowed to exercise control in any part of the region. "Groups and individuals that perpetrate violence against the people and the Government of Afghanistan cannot have safe havens and should not be allowed to exercise control and wield influence over any part of Afghanistan's territory. This, in our view, is critical for lasting peace in the country," he said. Ambassador Akbaruddin said that Security Council sanctions on regimes like Al-Qaeda, Taliban should be carried out consistently. The effective implementation of the Security Council sanctions regime including the 1267 ISIL / Al-Qaeda Sanctions regime and the 1988 Taliban's regime should also be carried out consistently and with perseverance for it to serve as a strong deterrent to the listed entities / individuals. It is sheer folly that the leader of a proscribed entity is not yet designated as a terrorist individual," he added. Speaking at the joint inauguration of Friendship Dam on June 2016, he recalled, "Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi and the President of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani inaugurated the Afghanistan-India Friendship Dam. As, Prime Minister Modi mentioned then, India's capacity may be limited but our commitment to Afghanistan is without limits." He also highlighted the signing of Chahbahar trade and transit agreement signed by India, Afghanistan and Iran on May 23, which India hope will provide a new path to prosperity and reliable access to Afghanistan. He reiterated that India is strongly committed to supporting Afghanistan in various plurilateral and multilateral fora. Ambassador Akbaruddin said that India looks forward to hosting Heart of Asia Ministerial Conference in December 2016. "We welcome cooperation of participating countries as well as supporting countries and organisations for the Ministerial Conference and related events in political, security, economic, connectivity and cultural spheres, to be organised in the run-up to the Conference," he said. He added, "We believe that the path to reconciliation in Afghanistan should be through an Afghan-led and Afghan owned process respecting the red lines drawn by the people of Afghanistan and the international community especially the ones regarding giving up of violence and abiding by the constitution of Afghanistan." The ambassador also applauded the role of UNAMA in providing assistance in the various sectors of Afghanistan's transformation decade. Internet and technology conglomerate LeEco announced a strategic alliance with HCL Care Services to deliver superior after-sales service experience to its customers. A wholly owned subsidiary of HCL Infosystems Ltd., HCL Services will provide one-stop solution for all service requirements to LeEco customers through existing 265 'HCL Touch' centers in more than 240 cities across the country. Customer Services for LeEco phones have already been activated in the 265 HCL Touch multi-brand centers for walk-in-centre support for customers and supply chain support. "We are delighted to tie-up with LeEco, one of the fastest selling Super-phones in India, for providing superior after-sales support for their leading-edge phones. We are confident our state-of-the-art HCL Touch centers will enable LeEco to cater to the Indian markets more effectively and efficiently," Head-Operations and Vice President HCL Care Services, P. Seshachalam. "This initiative is in line with our constant endeavor to deliver service excellence and be a preferred partner for leading Indian and international brands," added P. Seshachalam. On the other hand, COO LeEco India, Atul Jain said, "As a leading superphone brand in India, we believe that the real test of brand loyalty is the after-sales service that a customer can rely on. In this context, we are happy to partner with HCL Services to cater to the needs of our consumers in a truly professional and timely manner." "We have a total of 555 service centers out of which HCL will provide service in 265 centers. We are confident that an eminent and trusted entity like HCL Services will fully support us in serving LeEco's users in the best possible manner," added Atul. HCL Care Services has a network of more than 300 service centers across 250 cities in India, and serves more than three million consumers in a year. It is also the most preferred partner of OEMs with maximum numbers of exclusive service centers. Through its specialized retail outlets 'Touch', HCL Care Services provides end-to-end solutions to customers, including contact centers; walk-in centers, on-site support, supply-chain operations, repair factory services and after-sales value added services. Congress veteran Mani Shankar Aiyar, a regular at Iftar dinners hosted by the Pakistani High Commissioner, has not been invited for the June 25th bash. Aiyar, who no longer enjoys a Rajya Sabha berth, probably thought that it was not important to his relationship with the Pakistanis with whom he has had a longstanding warm relationship. The Lahore born former diplomat and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi's confidante has made a name for himself for being a strong proponent of strong ties between India and Pakistan. He is the one who first said that India and Pakistan should have uninterruptible talks, something that is trashed by the hawks of Lutyen's Delhi. Aiyar has visited Pakistan often and been part of several track 2 initiatives. But he drew flak recently when on a talk show in Pakistan he seemed to appeal to the civil society of Pakistan to throw out the BJP from office if it wanted good ties with India. Within a few weeks of his comment, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a surprise visit to Lahore to meet his Pakistan counterpart Nawaz Sharif, something that the former's predecessor Dr. Manmohan Singh could not do despite being a strong proponent of India-Pakistan peace talks. Aiyar is a permanent fixture at all India Pakistan social gatherings in New Delhi. The Pakistani High Commissioners are known to pick and choose their guests with great care for their Iftar dinners. And Aiyar has always been a regular, as also Kashmiri separatists. In his interview with ANI, Aiyar appeared a little downcast of not being invited but he focused on the invitation extended to the Hurriyat by the Pakistani High Commission. He said that the BJP government should shun the attitude of distancing themselves from the Hurriyat. The Congress leader said the need of the hour is to initiate talks with the Hurriyat leadership for stabilising peace in the valley. "For the last 15-16 years after former prime minister Vajpayee ji's directions, the Pakistanis have been talking to the Hurriyat leadership," Aiyar said. "This in turn has neither benefitted them nor has damaged India, but making it as a hitch by saying that we won't talk to Pakistan until they stop talking to Hurriyat is benefitting none," he added. The Congress leader further said Hurriyat is not a stake holder for Pakistan, but for India. "If you want to run democracy then a dialogue is needed with them who oppose you. If you don't talk to Congress in Delhi, if you don't talk to Hurriyat in Kashmir then how can you solve the problems," he said. 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. The mortal remains of 12 Nepal citizens, who were killed in Kabul suicide attack and those injured arrived in Kathmandu on Wednesday. Twenty four Nepali workers wishing to come back to home following the brutal attack on Monday also arrived on the same aircraft. The plane landed at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) at 2:38 p.m. local time. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nepal tweeted, "RA special aircraft that brought the mortal remains and 24 Nepalese workers landed at TIA." Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Kamal Thapa, Minister for Home Affairs Shakti Banset and Minister for Labour and Employment Deepak Bohara were also present at the airport to receive the bodies, reports the Himalayan Times. Twelve Nepali workers were killed and seven others injured when a suspected Taliban suicide bomber targeted a minibus they were travelling on Monday. The Nepalis were on their way to the Canadian Embassy where they were working as guards. They were hired by a British security consultancy firm, Sabre International, for the security of Kabul-based Canadian mission. Dressed in their parading costumes, a contingent of 554 newly trained Tripura police personnel carried out a momentous passing out parade ceremony at K.T.D Singh Police Training College in Tripura. The 83rd batch comprises of cadets from different parts of Tripura, who completed an eleven months basic training. Tripura Chief Minister, Manik Sarkar and other senior police officials were present to grace the occasion. "The main duty of police is to help the administration in maintaining law and order. The second duty is to maintain peace, harmony and unity. The third duty is to stand beside people during crisis like natural or man-made disaster and play an active role," Sarkar said. The newly trained cadres have been trained for counter insurgency operations. They have also undergone rigorous training including stress management, disaster management, human rights, use of different arms and ammunitions, forensic science, and community policing. "Right from my childhood I wanted to join the Tripura Police to serve my motherland. I have pledged not only to protect my family, but the entire country. I am very happy that my wish and dream have been fulfilled today," said Raman Singh, a newly inducted Cadre. "I always wanted to join the security force since I was young and now I am finally a part of it. I want to help the administration and protect the people of my state. We are quite happy today as we passed out after nine months of rigorous training. We are really very happy," said a passed-out Cadre, Rabadul Hussain. The Tripura government has set-up four All Women Police Stations in the state. Five more such stations are likely to come up. The new recruitments have been made to increase the police presence in the interiors of the state. North Korea fired two missiles from its eastern coast on Wednesday, claimed South Korean and U.S. officials. Commander Dave Benham, spokesman for the U.S. Pacific Command said both are believed to be Musudan intermediate-range missiles, fired from the North Korean port city of Wonsan. South Korea's Unification Ministry spokesman Jeong Joon Hee called Pyongyang's move provocation towards the country. "According to the U.N. Security Council resolution, any launches that involve ballistic missile technology are a violation of the treaty and we think this is clearly a provocation towards us," CNN quoted Jeong as saying. According to the South Korean military official, the first missile flew 93 miles (150 km), and is considered a failed launch. While the second missile traveled 249 miles (400 km) and the data is still being analyzed by the South Korean military. Pyongyang has made at least four attempts this year to test this type of missile, reports suggest. Commander Benham said that both missiles were tracked over the Sea of Japan, also known as the East Sea. Stressing that the move was in violation of U.N. resolutions, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said that his country could "never forgive" the test. "We can never forgive this and lodged a firm protest. We would like to continue taking a close coordination with the U.S. and South Korea and working on North Korea (at) the United Nations, so that North Korea would not conduct such an action again," he said. The first missile launch occurred at 5:58 a.m. local time and about two hours later, North Korea fired the second missile at 8:05 a.m. local time. The U.S. State Department also condemned the missile tests in a statement. "We are aware of reports that the DPRK fired two ballistic missiles. We are monitoring and continuing to assess the situation in close coordination with our regional allies and partners," said U.S. State Department spokesperson John Kirby. Kirby said that Washington has Pyongyang to stop its ballistic missile tests and said it only strengthened the international community's resolve to press forward with U.N. sanctions. "We remain prepared to defend ourselves and our allies from any attack or provocation," he added. Despite facing strict UN sanctions, North Korea remains undeterred and continues to conduct test like such on regular basis. In just four years, since Kim Jong-un took control of North Korea's affairs, the country has reportedly witnessed 27 missile launches with the two most recent tests today. Pakistan's former Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva Zamir Akram has said that Islamabad is the only country opposed to giving 'exclusive membership' to India in the 48-member Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). Akram's comments are a follow-up to what Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj said that India does not object to any country, including Pakistan, joining the on merit. "Pakistan supports the evolution of criteria that can be applied across the board," the Dawn quoted Akram, as saying. The ex-diplomat was speaking at a roundtable discussion organised by the Strategic Vision Institute (SVI), a think tank, on the implications of the upcoming plenary session of the . The plenary session is scheduled to be held on June 23-24 in Seoul. While New Delhi seeks a merit-based approach, Islamabad reportedly has been insisting on uniform and transparent criteria for non-NPT states. Akram also warned about the likely implications of a scenario if India alone was admitted into the NSG. His warning included dimming of future prospects for Islamabad's entry into the club and likely growth in Indian nuclear arsenal. He was of the observation that India was one of the worst proliferators. Akram recalled that New Delhi once had scornful disdain for non-proliferation regimes, which has now been conveniently forgotten by the world. India and Pakistan are both non-signatories of Non-Proliferation Treaty and are striving to make into the Nuclear Suppliers Group. While India is being backed by many countries including the United States, Pakistan is being backed by China to make in into the 48-member nuclear trade cartel. At a meeting of the group in Vienna on June 9, some other countries, including a few of those which had earlier pledged support for Indian case, voiced reservations over Indian candidature. Pakistan's former Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva Zamir Akram has said that Islamabad is the only country opposed to giving 'exclusive membership' to India in the 48-member Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). Akram's comments are a follow-up to what Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj said that India does not object to any country, including Pakistan, joining the NSG on merit. "Pakistan supports the evolution of criteria that can be applied across the board," the Dawn quoted Akram, as saying. The ex-diplomat was speaking at a roundtable discussion organised by the Strategic Vision Institute (SVI), a think tank, on the implications of the upcoming plenary session of the NSG. The NSG plenary session is scheduled to be held on June 23-24 in Seoul. While New Delhi seeks a merit-based approach, Islamabad reportedly has been insisting on uniform and transparent criteria for non-NPT states. Akram also warned about the likely implications of a scenario if India alone was admitted into the NSG. His warning included dimming of future prospects for Islamabad's entry into the club and likely growth in Indian nuclear arsenal. He was of the observation that India was one of the worst proliferators. Akram recalled that New Delhi once had scornful disdain for non-proliferation regimes, which has now been conveniently forgotten by the . India and Pakistan are both non-signatories of Non-Proliferation Treaty and are striving to make into the Nuclear Suppliers Group. While India is being backed by many countries including the United States, Pakistan is being backed by China to make in into the 48-member nuclear trade cartel. At a meeting of the group in Vienna on June 9, some other countries, including a few of those which had earlier pledged support for Indian case, voiced reservations over Indian candidature. Hitting out at for targeting technocrats appointed by the government, Former Infosys Director TV Mohandas Pai on Wednesday called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley to show the senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader his place, or end up with no outsider or experts wanting to work for the Indian government. Speaking to ANI here, Pai asserted that it was unprecedented that a government minister was targeting the very people appointed for a certain purpose by the nation's decision making authorities. "The government has a prerogative to appoint people at a senior post. If they don't want someone there, they must talk to them quietly and tell them that they want someone else and should resign. Nobody will hang on. They have all been appointed by the government for a particular term. They are not permanent bureaucracy, they are technocrats," Pai said. Hitting out at Swamy for going after Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Raghuram Rajan and Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian, he added that the situation had turned dangerous as people had begun questioning as to who was actually running the country. All of us respect PM Modi and Finance Minister Jaitley, but people in the country and outside are asking who is running India. Is Swamy the super person influencing policy? Is Swamy the decision making authority? What is happening in this country? In no other country have we seen such things happening," he said. "It is very important now that the PM and the FM put their foot down and tell Swamy where he gets off. If Swamy has some evidence then he can talk to people in the party and they can take a call then. They can do what they want but should do it quietly," Pai added." Asserting that nobody can question the Prime Minister or the Finance Minister as they are the right authorities, Pai also stated that decisions need to be made carefully or the people from outside will have issues in working with the Government of India. "Why will people who are not in the bureaucracy work with the Government? The bureaucracy does not have the confidence or the capability to run the country. We need experts from outside. Next, Swamy may go after Dr. Arvind Panagariya, he can go after anybody," Pai added. Earlier in the day, Swamy demanded that Arvind Subramanian be sacked, as he had badmouthed India in the international arena and had also encouraged the grand old party to become rigid on their GST Bill clauses. Speaking to ANI here after he tweeted against Arvind, Swamy reiterated his salvo he had used against RBI Chief Raghuram Rajan, saying that the CEA was a 'green card holder' and was probably not an Indian citizen. "He used to work in America and he is also a green card holder type. I don't even know if he is a citizen or not but I'm sure he has a green card. There was this American Congress Committee for pharmaceutical purposes and they held a hearing to figure out India's opinion on the matter. There he said in a statement that India was not working according to America in this matter and for that, they should be taught a lesson in WTO. How can we can such a person an advisor here?," Swamy said. Continuing his assault, he added that when Arvind was appointed by the Indian government, he gave a note to the Finance Ministry asserting that the clauses given by the Congress in the GST Bill were absolutely justified. "I think that such people who can fail our government should be tossed out. Now, it's been two years and I think it's about time. I have a list of 27 people in the government and I will slowly, one by one, fix them soon," he added. This development comes days after Swamy announced that his next 'project' is to expose a group of bureaucrats loyal to Congress Chief Sonia Gandhi. "My next project is to expose 27 bureaucrats who are in various Ministries and loyal to TDK. They were handpicked and positioned by PC," Swamy said in a tweet. Earlier, Swamy had welcome Rajan's decision to leave his post as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor on the completion of his term, saying that he had taken such a step in order to save his 'self respect'. Rajan had earlier announced that he would return to the academic world at the end of his term on September 4, 2016, adding he will always be available to serve his country when needed and asserted that his 'successor' would take the nation to new heights. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Describing the recent U.S. drone strike on its territory as a blatant breach of the United Nations Charter and international law, Pakistan has claimed that these strikes have disrupted the Afghan peace process and further complicated the political and socio-economic situation in the region. Pakistan's permanent Ambassador at the UN, Maleeha Lodhi informed the UN Security Council that United States drone attack that killed Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansour on the Pakistani territory was a violation of Pakistan's sovereignty and territorial integrity. "US drone attack on Pakistani territory was violation of sovereignty, territorial integrity," Radio Pakistan quoted her as saying. Taking part in a debate on Afghanistan situation, she said the drone strike has raised serious questions about whether the international community was ready to invest in war instead of peace in Kabul. Lodhi pointed out that the use of force over the last 15 years had not led to peace. On a reply to remarks by Afghanistan's UN Ambassador Mahmoud Saikal accusing Islamabad of interference in his country's internal affairs and allowing anti-Afghan terrorist groups to operate from safe havens inside the Pakistani territory, she said the comments made by the former as unjustified and untrue and gratuitous on Pakistani institutions. She asked Afghan Government not to externalize its internal problems and blame others for its own failures. Washington has rejected Pakistan's notion that the death of Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour in a U.S. drone strike damaged prospects for reconciliation with the militant group. Mansour was killed in a rare U.S. drone strike in Naushki district of Balochistan on May 21. Following the death, Islamabad condemned the attack saying the US violated the commitment it made earlier at the quartet meeting that talks remain the only option for bringing an end to the lingering conflict in Afghanistan. Richard Olson, the U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, defending the drone strike said it was Taliban's repeated refusal to join talks with the Afghan government that the action was taken. "Taliban's repeated refusal to join talks with the Afghan government contributed to US government's decision to take action against Mullah Mansour on May 21," the Express Tribune quoted him as saying. "Some commentators have speculated that this strike represented a shift in US strategy or a weakening of our commitment towards peace process but it has not," he added. Pointing out that Mansour was an obstacle to peace, Olson said the Taliban chief posed a continued threat to U.S. nationals through his support towards operations against U.S. forces. He acknowledged that the conflict in Afghanistan cannot end through military solution and the future of the country will be decided through discussion, negotiation, and reconciliation. "We will also continue to encourage an Afghan-led, Afghan-owned peace process in which the government in Kabul and Taliban can bring this conflict to an end," he added. Underscoring the need for persistent coordination and cooperation between Kabul and Islamabad as a crucial aspect of long-term regional stability, he said that the U.S. remains committed to serving as a constructive conduit in advancing these efforts. "There is space for the Afghan Taliban to integrate in Afghanistan's pluralistic society, with the Afghan constitution providing protections for all Afghans - regardless of their ideology," he added. Taking strong on the militant group he said, "Let me say that the Taliban are mistaken if they think they can wait for us to withdraw our support, believing that Afghan forces will become vulnerable to defeat as the international community disengages." Pakistan's permanent Ambassador at the UN, Maleeha Lodhi informed the UN Security Council that United States drone attack that killed Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Mansour on the Pakistani territory was a violation of Pakistan's sovereignty and territorial integrity. "US drone attack on Pakistani territory was violation of sovereignty, territorial integrity," Radio Pakistan quoted her as saying. Taking part in a debate on Afghanistan situation, she said the drone strike has raised serious questions about whether the international community was ready to invest in war instead of peace in Kabul. Lodhi pointed out that the use of force over the last 15 years had not led to peace. On a reply to remarks by Afghanistan's UN Ambassador Mahmoud Saikal accusing Islamabad of interference in his country's internal affairs and allowing anti-Afghan terrorist groups to operate from safe havens inside the Pakistani territory, she said the comments made by the former as unjustified and untrue and gratuitous on Pakistani institutions. She asked Afghan Government not to externalize its internal problems and blame others for its own failures. Stating that Islam is the religion of peace, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said that her government will do whatever necessary to curb terrorism and militancy in her country. "Bangladesh government is determined in this regard. Islam is the religion of peace. We will always try to take this peace-loving religion to new heights. Our government will do whatever necessary to curb terrorism and militancy," Daily Star quoted her as saying. Hasina was responding to a query by a lawmaker's in the parliament. "Our government has taken the decision to show zero-tolerance against militancy and terrorism. In no way shall we allow these militants and terrorists," she added. Hasina said that she spoke of a united stand of the Muslim Ummah against militancy and terrorism to the King of Saudi Arabia, the OIC and other Muslim countries. "The Saudi government has taken an initiative to fight militancy and terrorism. Bangladesh has joined the Islamic coalition. Almost 40 Muslim countries are in the coalition. It paved a way for the Muslim to unite. Bangladesh has taken up this opportunity," she said. Bangladesh in recent months have witnessed a spate of murders of bloggers with secular or atheist leanings, non-Muslims, members of the LGBT community, and other progressive or liberal thinkers. More than 50 people have been killed in the country, often through machete attacks and these killings were subsequently claimed by IS or Ansar al-Islam, a Bangladeshi militant group linked to Al-Qaeda, but their involvement has not been established. The government, however, denies the presence of both groups in the country. The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has been apprised of signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Steinbeis GmbH Co. KG for Technologietransfer, Germany on technology resourcing in manufacturing, including sub-sectors of Capital Goods. The MoU was signed on 25th April, 2016 during the Industrial Exhibition Hannover Messe 2016 in Hannover, Germany. Steinbeis GmbH is leading organization for applied industrial research in Europe. It will act as a Technology Resource Partner for implementing identified projects in manufacturing. The field of cooperation envisaged in the MoU are: a) profiling of specific technologies; b) technology road mapping for specified Capital Goods sub-sectors, c) assessment of technology status of Capital Goods Cluster; d) cooperation in events on technology; and e) upgrading existing technology institutes / setting up Greenfield institutes in India and other technology related co-operation and collaboration. The MoU is a framework instrument to facilitate industrial technology projects by Indian Capital Goods Sector. The MoU will provide a platform to various public sector undertakings and Capital Goods Sector units to have easy access to capabilities and expertise of Steinbeis GmbH for identifying and plugging technology gaps. Powered by Capital Market - Live News On 29 June 2016 Chromatic India will hold a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Company on 29 June 2016 to convene 29th Annual General Meeting of the Company,to pass the following items by way of Postal Ballot,Sale of the whole or substantially the whole of an undertaking of the company u/s 180 of the Companies Act 2013. Powered by Capital Market - Live News Dion Global Solutions jumped 8.38% to Rs 74.40 at 12:25 IST on BSE after the company announced that Bank of Cyprus chose its case & control management solution, FinCASE. The announcement was made during market hours today, 22 June 2016. Meanwhile, the BSE Sensex was down 14.52 points, or 0.05%, to 26,795.69. High volumes were witnessed on the counter. On BSE, so far 47,672 shares were traded in the counter, compared with an average volume of 8,486 shares in the past one quarter. The stock hit a high of Rs 78.80 and a low of Rs 70.60 so far during the day. The stock hit a record high of Rs 204.70 on 10 July 2015. The stock hit a 52-week low of Rs 63 on 25 May 2016. The stock had underperformed the market over the past one month till 21 June 2016, falling 22.99% compared with the Sensex's 5.97% rise. The scrip had also underperformed the market in past one quarter, declining 11.08% as against Sensex's 6.04% rise. The small-cap company has an equity capital of Rs 32.23 crore. Face value per share is Rs 10. Bank of Cyprus chose FinCASE for the automation of payment investigations and bank to bank charges. FinCASE is a scalable and flexible application suite designed to assist financial institutions with a broad range of requirements for automating specific processes to an enterprise wide solution for tracking of all kinds of issues and queries. Dion Global Solutions reported consolidated net loss of Rs 53.13 crore in Q4 March 2016 compared with consolidated net loss of Rs 15.23 crore in Q3 December 2015. Net sales fell 25.5% to Rs 42.35 crore in Q4 March 2016 over Q3 December 2015. Dion is a global financial technology company. The company provides a broad range of solutions that meet specific business needs across the financial markets. Powered by Capital Market - Live News The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved the establishment of "Fund of Funds for Startups" (FFS) at Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) for contribution to various Alternative Investment Funds (AIF), registered with Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) which would extend funding support to Startups. This is in line with the Start up India Action Plan unveiled by Government in January 2016. The corpus of FFS is Rs.10,000 crore which shall be built up over the 14th and 15th Finance Commission cycles subject to progress of the scheme and availability of funds. An amount of Rs.500 crore has already been provided to the corpus of FFS in 2015-16 and Rs.600 crore earmarked in the 2016-17. The Fund is expected to generate employment for 18 lakh persons on full deployment. Further provisions will be made as grant assistance through Gross Budgetary Support by Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) which will monitor and review performance in line with the Start up India Action Plan. The FFS emanates from the Start up India Action Plan, an initiative of Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP). The expertise of SIDBI would be utilized to manage the day to day operations of the FFS. The monitoring and review of performance would be linked to the implementation of the Start Up Action Plan to enable execution as per timelines and milestones. A corpus of Rs. 10,000 crore could potentially be the nucleus for catalyzing Rs. 60,000 crore of equity investment and twice as much debt investment. This would provide a stable and predictable source of funding for Start up enterprises and thereby facilitate large scale job creation. Background: Accelerating innovation driven entrepreneurship and business creation through Start-ups is crucial for large-scale employment generation. An expert committee on Venture Capital (VC) has opined that "India has the potential to build about 2500 highly scalable businesses in the next 10 years, and given the probability of entrepreneurial success that means 10000 Start ups will need to be spawned to get 2500 large scale businesses". Start-ups face several challenges - limited availability of domestic risk capital, constraints of conventional bank finance, information asymmetry and lack of hand holding support from credible agencies. A large majority of the successful Start-ups have been funded by foreign venture funds and many of them are locating outside the country to receive such funding. A dedicated fund for carrying out Fund of Funds operations would address these issues and enable flow of assistance to innovative Start ups through their journey to becoming full fledged business entities. This would encompass support at seed stage, early stage and growth stage. Government contribution to the target corpus of the individual Fund as an investor would encourage greater participation of private capital and thus help leverage mobilization of larger resources. Powered by Capital Market - Live News Ramco Systems rose 1.28% to Rs 709.80 at 11:40 IST on BSE after the company announced that it has set up a subsidiary in Philippines to address the impending market opportunity in the region The announcement was made during market hours today, 22 June 2016. Meanwhile, the BSE Sensex was down 15.17 points, or 0.06%, to 26,797.61. On BSE, so far 12 shares were traded in the counter, compared with an average volume of 1,763 shares in the past one quarter. The stock hit a high of Rs 709.95 and a low of Rs 695 so far during the day. The stock hit a record high of Rs 1,113 on 5 August 2015. The stock hit a 52-week low of Rs 571.20 on 20 January 2016. The stock had underperformed the market over the past one month till 21 June 2016, falling 2.52% compared with the Sensex's 5.97% rise. The scrip had also underperformed the market in past one quarter, declining 1.14% as against Sensex's 6.04% rise. The mid-cap company has an equity capital of Rs 30.03 crore. Face value per share is Rs 10. Ramco Systems said that triggered by the success seen with the winning of 5 new clients in the last few quarters, it has set up a wholly-owned subsidiary in Philippines under the name Ramco System lnc. As the second largest populated nation in Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Philippines has been witnessing the fastest economic growth among the ASEAN countries. To better address the market opportunity arising in Philippines, Ramco Systems has set up an office, its fourth in the ASEAN region and 21st, globally. Ramco's new-office will employ local innovators, at a time when the Philippines lT sector moves beyond business process outsourcing - a pillar of economic growth in recent years - to include implementation of cloud-based technology to transform local enterprises in the area of ERP, HR, Payroll, Aviation and Logistics. Commenting on the expansion, P R Venketrama Raja, Vice Chairman & Managing Director, Ramco Systems, said, a buoyant economy and drive to embrace disruptive technologies is driving enterprises in Philippines to invest in latest technologies. The company is opening an office in Manila to enable local enterprises to leapfrog to cloud technology and derive significant business benefits. Given the excellent technical manpower in Philippines - it will also serve as a base for addressing company's clients in the ASEAN region. With focus on innovation and cloud, the company looks forward to becoming the region's most favored cloud enterprise software provider, he added With Singapore as the regional headquarters, and offices in Malaysia and Hong Kong, Ramco Systems in ASEAN has seen a steady growth for all three product offerings - ERP, HCM and Aviation MRO. For the year ended 31 March 2016, Asia Pacific (including ANZ) contributed 29% to the overall revenue. The company recently set up an 'lnnovation Lab' in Singapore funded by the Singapore Government with anchor partner Air France lndustries & KLM Engineering (AFIKLM). While innovative offerings get tested in Singapore, Ramco in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) has transformed itself into an R&D and support hub for HR & Global Payroll requirements, company said. Consolidated net profit of Ramco Systems fell 11.1% to Rs 10.41 crore on 6.53% rise in net sales to Rs 206.33 crore in Q4 March 2016 over Q3 December 2015. Ramco Systems is a software products and services provider incorporated in India. Ramco Systems is a provider of enterprise resource planning, human capital management and aviation maintenance & engineering (M&E) & maintenance repair & overhaul (MRO) software. Powered by Capital Market - Live News On 22 June 2016 UCO Bank announced that Prof. Sunil Kumar Maheswari, who was appointed on the Board of the Bank as part time Non-official Director for a period of three years under Section 9(3) (h) of Banking Companies (Acquisition and Transfer of Under takings) Act, 1970 vide Government of India notification dated 21 June 2013 has demitted his office on completion of his tenure. Powered by Capital Market - Live News The University of Delhi (DU) received 2.5 lakh applications for its undergraduate courses, a sharp decline of around 40,000 as against last year. Last year over 2.9 lakh students applied for 54,000 seats of DU. The registration process for UG courses was completely online this year and ended on June 22. "Around 3,60,460 registrations were received for 57 UG courses. Of the total applications, 2,50,220 applicants completed the online registration including the payment of registration fee", a statement from the university said. DU was the first varsity which started including students from the transgender community in the UG courses from 2014 and received 15 applications from other gender as against 66 last year. "Among all 1,29,910 applications are from male candidates and 1,20,295 from female candidates, while 15 applicants have applied under other gender category", the statement said. Delhi tops the list with the highest number of applications, that is 1,24,940 followed by Uttar Pradesh and Haryana with 50,246 and 33,766 applications respectively. English Honours was the most applied for course with 1,15,786 applications, followed by BA (Bachelor of Arts) with 98,294 applications and BA (Honours) Political Science with 90,195 applications. The first cut-off list will now be announced on June 30. The university will release five cut-off lists this year. --IANS av/ahm/bg A Special Anti-Corruption Bureau Court on Wednesday granted bail to former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal and his nephew Sameer Bhujbal in various land scam cases. However, the two accused will remain in judicial custody in connection with a multi-crore money laundering case filed against them by the Enforcement Directorate. "They were produced before the court and granted bail on a surety of Rs 50,000 each," Special Public Prosecutor Pradeep Gharat told mediapersons. But the court declined to issue a non-bailable warrant sought by Gharat against Bhujbal's son Pankaj Bhujbal, whose lawyers sought exemption. He will appear before the court soon. Pankaj Bhujbal has been summoned by the ED, which earlier issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against him. Nationalist Congress Party leader Chhagan Bhujbal was arrested on March 14 and former MP Sameer was nabbed on February 1 for their involvement in scams involving the Maharashtra Sadan in New Delhi and at Kalina, Mumbai. In February, the ACB had lodged a 20,000-plus-page chargesheet against 17 people, including the Bhujbals, in the cases and named more than 60 witnesses, besides providing documentary evidence and details of fund transfers and bank transactions. The ACB said the original cost of constructing the Maharashtra Sadan in New Delhi was estimated at Rs 13.50 crore, which was later hiked to Rs 50 crore. The ACB claimed the Bhujbals got Rs 13.50 crore as kickbacks while the contractor firm -- Chamankar Associates -- profited by around Rs 190 crore from that contract and other PWD works. It further alleged that the contractors earned 80 per cent profits while the official circular permitted the gain (profits) to be only 20 per cent. However, it claimed that the books of accounts were fudged to show the earned profits of only one per cent. The ACB said Chamankar Associates had allegedly transferred the money to Niche Infrastructure and other companies in which the Bhujbal cousins -- Pankaj and Sameer -- were on board. Moreover, many companies launched by the Bhujbals were named after their employees and they used to siphon off funds. The Niche Infrastructure was also owned by some staffers of Maharashtra Educational Trust, run by the Bhujbals. Following a complaint filed by former Aam Aadmi Party leader and anti-corruption activist Anjali Damania, the ACB registered two FIRs against Chhagan Bhujbal, Pankaj, Sameer and 14 others in June 2015. In March this year, the ED attached a sugar mill and 290 acres of land in Nashik worth around Rs 55 crore in connection with the money laundering cases filed against the Bhujbals and others. --IANS qn/bim/mr The full Chamber of Deputies of on Wednesday approved an executive order allowing foreign investors up 100% ownership of Brazilian airlines, compared to the current 20% limit. The executive order, presented last March by President Dilma Rousseff before she was stripped off her duties, subjected to impeachment and replaced by Vice President Michel Temer, was modified to be more progressive than the initial proposal, EFE news reported. The then Brazilian President proposed to lift from 20% to 49%, the maximum foreign stake in domestic airlines, but the rapporteur of the initiative raised the cap to 100% and was supported by 199 in favour to 71 opposed. The approved order stipulates that foreigners can hold up to 100% stake of a Brazilian airline through bilateral reciprocity agreements, meaning that the investor's country of origin also allows Brazilians to acquire 100% ownership. The decision of the Lower House was celebrated by the interim president's government. According to Brazil's lower house spokesman Andre Moura, the decision will help the sector to face the current crisis and allow fare reduction. "For the government, it is important to allow the participation of foreigners in the sector, even because the country's economic crisis forces us to do so," said Moura, for whom the relaxation will boost investment in the sector and allow Brazilian airlines to have more technology, more aircraft and more security. "Those benefiting are the passengers, who may pay less for the tickets," he said. For Rousseff's allies, however, this relaxation of limits on foreign investment threatens national sovereignty. "Foreigners will be able to create monopolies due to competitive capacity. They come to to gain more profits and not to increase flights and lower fares," said Deputy Ivan Valente of the Socialism and Freedom Party (PSOL). If the executive order is also approved by the majority of the Senate, will become, along with countries like Chile and Singapore, one of the few nations that give total freedom to foreigners to control national carrier. The union cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday approved the rehabilitation of four-lane Mahatma Gandhi Setu on Ganga River in Bihar, said an official statement. The rehabilitation of four-lane 5.575 km long Mahatma Gandhi Setu at National Highway No.19 will be done at Patna in Bihar, the statement said. "The bridge will be constructed after dismantling the damaged pre-stressed cantilever arms superstructure and subsequent re-decking by steel truss," the statement said. The project will be in Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) mode. The cost is estimated to be Rs 1,742.01 crore. According to the government, the project is covered in the region of Patna-Hazipur connecting North and South Bihar. "It will help in expediting the improvement of infrastructure in the state besides reducing the time and cost of travel for traffic, particularly heavy traffic, plying between North and South Bihar. The rehabilitation of Mahatma Gandhi Setu will also help in uplifting the socio-economic condition of this region," said the statement. --IANS rup/py/vt The union cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday cleared a proposal for four-laning of the Mahatma Gandhi Setu, which connects state capital Patna to north . "The proposal of four-laning of the Mahatma Gandhi Setu has been cleared," Finance Minister Arun Jaitley told the media after the cabinet meeting. "This proposal has been pending for 15 years, and it was a major proposal in the package announced by the prime minister," he said. "It is the rehabilitation of the old bridge. The expenditure will be Rs 1,742.01 crore. All amount will be spent by the Centre," he said. The union cabinet on Wednesday gave its approval to a Memorandum of Understanding with Steinbeis GmbH, Germany, on technology resourcing in manufacturing, including the sub-sectors of capital goods. The MoU was signed on April 25 this year during the Hannover Messe 2016. "Steinbeis GmbH is leading organisation for applied industrial research in Europe. It will act as a technology resource partner for implementing identified projects in manufacturing," a statement from the cabinet said. "The MoU will provide a platform to various public sector undertakings and capital goods sector units to have easy access to capabilities and expertise of Steinbeis GmbH for identifying and plugging technology gaps," it added. --IANS mak/ahm/vt China plans to launch its new generation Long March-7 carrier rocket from June 25-29, officials said on Wednesday. The rocket has been moved vertically to the launch pad after a three-hour transport from the test lab this morning, the officials said. The Long March-7, a medium-sized rocket using liquid propellant, can carry up to 13.5 tonnes to low Earth orbit, Xinhua news agency reported. It will transport cargo for China's planned space station and is expected to become a main carrier for space launches. --IANS ksk Bangladesh is vulnerable to climate change and many people are getting displaced because of it in the coastal areas, says noted economist Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmad, who was Bangladesh's lead negotiator in the Paris climate conference. In an interview to IANS, Ahmad also said that even though Bangladesh hardly contributed to climate change, this riverine South Asian nation is reeling under the impact of change in rainfall pattern, rise in sea level and resultant salinity in water. "It is known that Bangladesh has not contributed to the climate change at all. But climate change is posing a massive threat to our country, more than those nations that had a major role in this environmental episode," said Ahmad, who was in New Delhi to attend a Knowledge Forum on Climate Resilient Development in Himalayan and Downstream Regions, organised by Kathmandu-based ICIMOD last week. He said as a result of green house gas emissions by developed nations, the sea level is rising, there are frequent natural disasters and the permafrost is melting. And the poor countries are bearing the brunt. Ahmad pointed out that Bangladesh is not required to reduce emission of green house gases. Bangladesh emits only 0.3 tonne per capita per year, compared to 10-20 tonnes in developed countries, about seven tonnes in China, eight tonnes in South Africa, and about two tonnes in India. Bangladesh's per capita annual emission constitutes only about one-sixth of the average in developing countries, Ahmad said. He said salinity in water due to rise in the sea level has affected millions in Bangladesh -- agriculture and availability of potable water have been hit hard because of it. "Rainfall pattern has changed in the last few years and it is a matter of concern. Farmers do not get water when they need it the most, but then at other times they are affected by flooding," Ahmad said. It used to happen earlier, but now this has become frequent due to climate change, he added. Referring to displaced people, Ahmad said: "We call them climate migrants. It's a reality that climate change and displacement of the people in Bangladesh are simultaneous and it is a matter of grave concern." No wonder then that Bangladesh has been identified as one of the most vulnerable countries by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), he said. Severe climatic events have had their impact on the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country as well. Bangladesh loses about one to two per cent of its GDP every year due to such events, Ahmad said. So how serious is Bangladesh to counter the effect of climate change? "There is a strong political will in Bangladesh to combat climate change. In the last six years, Bangladesh has invested billions from its national budget to implement actions, largely adaptation projects but also mitigation projects," Ahmad asserted, adding that Bangladesh must focus mainly on adaptation to climate change impacts. Referring to Bangladesh's involvement in the international negotiations on climate change, Ahmad said the concerns of his country were voiced during the Paris talks in 2015. "Our negotiation team for the climate change talks is very strong. In the Paris agreement our concerns were reflected quite well. But it remains to be seen how things get implemented," Ahmad said, adding that support from international organisations is essential to negate the impact of climate change. "Bangladesh needs finances and transfer of technologies to reduce the impact of climate change," he said. "Unless we can adapt well, there will be problems in food production and poverty will increase," Ahmad added. Ahmad, who is the chairman of Palli Karma Sahayak Foundation -- the largest agency in Bangladesh for rural development funding, skill development and management -- said the country's economy has been performing well in the last 10 years despite the adversities. "Our economic growth rate is more than six per cent annually despite global downturn," he said. "This year the GDP was at seven percent. There is a plan to notch it up to 7.2 percent next year. Our per capita income is 1,466 dollars. It was 600 dollars a decade back," Ahmad said. According to Ahmad, the health sector in Bangladesh is better than what it used to be. "We have done very well in social sector, health services, education and skill development, and poverty alleviation. In fact, we have done better in some of the social aspects compared to other South Asian countries," Ahmad stressed. "Our main concern is to increase human capacity and skill development. For this, the investments have to be increased," he said. On Palli Karma Sahayak Foundation (PKSF), Ahmad said that the credit offered by the organisation is called 'Appropriate Credit', rather than 'micro credit'. "And that's because we also impart skill training to the people in rural areas, equip them with necessary technologies and assist them to market their products," he informed. He said PKSF has now reached 10 million households, covering the poorer lot besides others. When asked about the fundamentalists in Bangladesh, Ahmad said these people are fanatics who are targeting people across the religious spectrum. There is a pattern in trying to destabilise Bangladesh, he said. "However, the number of these fanatics is not large and the government is serious about dealing with these people," Ahmad assured. (Imran Khan attended the Knowledge Forum at the invitation of the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development [ICIMOD]. He can be contacted at imran.k@ians.in ) --IANS ik/bim/hs The Congress on Wednesday slammed Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar's recent criticism of a section of NGOs and green activists, and accused the former Goa chief minister of interfering in the state administration and matters of policy. Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters in Panaji, Congress spokesperson Trajano D'Mello said that as Leader of Opposition in the Goa legislative assembly, Parrikar in the past used to encourage NGOs to agitate, which in turn had brought development in the state to a "grinding halt" back then. "The defence minister's attack on NGOs, that they are objecting every development, is an absolute lie. He should remember that as Leader of Opposition he was encouraging them to agitate, was participating in agitations and brought development to a grinding halt," D'Mello said. Addressing a government function in Panaji on Monday, Parrikar said that NGOs backed by vested interests were filing cases in court against government projects and were delaying creation of infrastructure. "There are some professionals, who regularly file cases against government projects. That is why I urge state officials to take all the necessary environmental and other required clearances before starting work on a project, so that these so-called NGOs do not find the courage to file cases against us," Parrikar said. "This constant filing of cases against government projects has become a business. If we are wrong, punish us, but do not stop developmental projects unnecessarily," he said, adding that such habitual litigants should be "exposed". D'Mello claimed that Parrikar was now crying foul because his party is in power. "When he was doing it, it was to save Goa's destruction. But now when rampant destruction has started and has been objected to legally, he terms it as obstructing development," the Congress spokesperson said. Reacting to another comment by Parrikar about his non-interference in key state issues, like the contentious medium of instruction policy for state's schools, D'Mello said: "No one believes in Parrikar any more. He is and will continue to interfere in state government affairs." A fatwa has been issued against actor Jimmy Sheirgill for starring in political drama "Shorgul", which has also been banned in several cities of Uttar Pradesh, the film's makers said on Wednesday. The makers are planning to approach the state's Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav to resolve issues regarding the ban in places like Muzaffarnagar, Kanpur, Ghaziabad and Lucknow. "Shorgul" is a political drama which also touches upon the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots. The fatwa has been issued by Khamman Peer Baba Committee to Jimmy and the makers, read a statement issued on behalf of the film's producers. "The fatwa states that a seasoned actor like Jimmy has hurt the sentiments of the Muslim community by enacting scenes that will cause unrest in the community through the dialogues and scene depictions," read the statement. Jimmy will be barred from shooting in Uttar Pradesh and his film's release in the region will also not be allowed, the statement further read. A 24 FPS Films Production, the movie is based on intolerance and aspires to make audiences contemplate where humanity stands amidst the noise of religious, social, political and economic prejudice. Also featuring Sanjay Suri, Narendra Jha, Hiten Tejwani, Eijaz Khan, Suha Gezen, Anirudh Dave and Deepraj Rana, "Shorgul" touches upon grave subjects that have transpired in the recent past such as the Muzaffarnagar, Godhra and Babri Masjid riots apart from making references to bureaucratic misdoings, mind games and controversial master strokes of some high profile dignitaries. Earlier this month, a PIL filed by Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Milan Som against the film was dismissed by the Allahabad High Court bench in Lucknow. The film is slated for release on June 24. Swatantra Vijay Singh, one of the producers of "Shorgul", said: "Yes, we have received the PIL and the fatwa but as we have stated earlier our film is a cinematic recreation of various incidents that have transpired in the past without a reference to any specific issue...We believe no one can ban 'Shorgul' if the population supports films like these." Aman Singh, who is also a co-producer of the film, shared: "This news is extremely unfortunate and we will approach Akhilesh Yadav in the matter. Every citizen has the right to watch this film as the film is a reflection of the voice of the common man." Jimmy is currently in Canada. --IANS sug/rb/vt On the eve of the NSG plenary in Seoul, South Korea, France on Wednesday strongly supported India's bid for a membership in the bloc that controls global atomic trade and technology, saying New Delhi's inclusion "will bolster global efforts against (nuclear) proliferation". French Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that India's entry into atomic control regimes "will help better regulate the export of sensitive goods, whether they are nuclear, chemical, biological, ballistic or conventional materials or technologies". "In line with its active and long-standing support to India's entry to the NSG as a full-fledged member, France calls on its members, who are meeting on June 23 in Seoul, to take a positive decision." The statement said that India and France have been strategic partners since 1998 and "share common goals regarding the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems". The French support came even as China ruled out that India's application was on the NSG agenda at a June 23-24 meeting in the South Korean capital. --IANS sar/vt Keeping up the momentum in key economic decisions, India's federal cabinet on Wednesday approved the norms for the next telecom spectrum auction that can fetch over $83 billion to the exchequer and a textiles package to push 10 million new jobs and $30 billion more in exports. The decisions, along with approvals for a fund of funds for start-ups with a corpus of Rs 10,000-crore and extension of the scheme to assist debt-ridden power distribution companies, were taken at the cabinet meeting presided over by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The decisions come just two days after India opened its doors further to foreign investment in nine areas including aviation, single-brand retail, defence and pharmaceuticals. The government hopes the steps will add to the record $53 billion India got as foreign investment last year. Briefing the media after the cabinet meet, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and Communications and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said while airwaves auction norms had been cleared, the matter pertaining to spectrum usage charges had been referred back to the telecom watchdog. The ministers said the suggestions on spectrum usage charges -- which have evoked strong opinions from stakeholders -- came from the attorney general's office and the Telecom Commission later, the matter was referred back to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI). The brief for the regulator is just to spell out the quantum of fee -- which it had recommended as 1 per cent of a telecom operator's annual revenue for 2500 MHz band and 3 per cent for the other bands. More than 2,300 MHz of airwaves will be on the block for telecom operators in seven bands -- 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1,800 MHz, 2,100 MHz, 2,300 MHz and 2,500 MHz. Based on their pan-India reserve price the mop up can be as much as $83 billion against $17-billion the last time. The previous round had seen 470.75 MHz on the block and as much as after Rs 109,874 crore worth of bids were received from the 115 rounds spread over 19 days. Earlier, 390 MHz was put up for auction in November 2012 and 426 MHz in February 2014. In the textiles space, the approval was for a package with measures such as tax incentives and relaxation of labour laws -- all aimed at a three-year target of creating 10 million more jobs, $30 billion additional exports and $11 billion fresh investment. Officials said the meeting also took note of India's falling share in the global textile exports to Bangladesh and Vietnam, yet with the potential to grab the market being ceded by China. The package includes full burden of provident fund on the government, reduction in the yearly working days for calculation of income tax rebate to 150 days from 240, and additional subsidy for buying machinery under the amended technology upgradation fund scheme. The package has many labour-friendly measures, including Employee Provident Fund (EPF) scheme reforms, whereby the government will bear the entire employer's contribution of 12 per cent under EPF for new employees of the garment industry earning less than Rs 15,000 per month, for the first three years. "With today's decision, the Ministry of Textiles will provide the remaining 3.67 per cent share towards employer's contribution, amounting to Rs 1,170 crores over next 3 years," the ministry said in a statement, adding it will apply to employees drawing less than Rs.15,000 per month. As per official data, the textiles and apparel sector contributes 14 per cent to India's factory output, 4 per cent to its GDP and 13 per cent, or nearly $40 billion, to exports. With 45 million people engaged in it, it is also among the largest sources of employment in the country. Officials said the new package was mainly aimed at women empowerment since they constitute 70 per cent of the workforce in the garment industry. This apart, the measures are labour-friendly and will create jobs and economies of scale and boost exports, they said. As regards what is called Uday (Ujwal Discom Assurance Yojana), states have been given time till next March to join the scheme, which allows for the distressed power companies to issue bonds and clean up their balance sheets while agreeing to some conditions. So far, 19 states have joined the scheme, an official statement here said. --IANS ap-ag-bc-rv/bg On the eve of NSG's plenary in Seoul, China said on Wednesday that India's entry into the bloc was not on the agenda as New Delhi was not a signatory to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). "The meeting is only to deliberate on the entry application of countries that are state parties to the NPT," the foreign ministry said. "As for the entry of non-NPT countries, the group has never put that on its agenda. "The NSG (Nuclear Suppliers Group) has never put the entry application of non-NPT countries on its agenda. So it makes no sense to say that discussions are blocked," a ministry statement added. China opposes Indian's entry into the 48-nation NSG saying it is not a signatory to the NPT. The NSG, which regular global nuclear commerce, works on the principle of consensus and lets in a new member only if all existing members agree. The Chinese statement came as Indian Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar flew to Seoul. He had earlier made a quiet visit to Beijing, apparently to seek support for New Delhi's membership. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping at Tashkent during a two-day summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). (Gaurav Sharma is IANS correspondent in Beijing. He can be contacted at sharmagaurav71@gmail.com and gaurav.s@ians.in) --IANS gsh/mr/sar Israeli cabinet ministers on Wednesday requested Facebook to delete inciting posts against the country within 24 hours as part of its struggle to quell a nine-month Palestinian uprising. Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked and Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan met visiting Facebook officials regarding the issue, Xinhua news agency reported. The social media has been used as a primary tool for "inciting terror acts" during the recent wave of violence, officials said. The meeting was part of a move to draft a new bill to remove "terror" content from social networking sites. Under the bill, warnings will be sent to social media providers which host "forbidden content," including posts that encourage attacks against Israelis. If the providers do not remove the content, a court could issue a mandatory order to do so. --IANS ask/py/mr Iconic Italian fashion brand Cadini has made its debut in India with the launch of its first store here. Cadini, a brand known for its menswear, on Tuesday launched its first flagship store at upmarket Colaba here. Cadini has embarked upon an investment of Rs 15 crore for its retail foray and is poised to open 10 to 15 stores in cities including Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, Bengaluru, Chennai and Kolkata this year, read a statement. Cadini was founded in 1970 in Florence, Italy, as a manufacturer of men's garments and accessories. In pursuit of expanding its global footprint, Cadini is establishing its presence in India as a part of the global venture of menswear brand Siyaram. Daniella Nicolle Faralli, Brand Director of Cadini, flew in especially for the store launch. Faralli said: "With the launch of this first flagship store in India, the brand is strengthening its global presence by establishing its footprint in India." "The store reflects the characteristics of Cadini in its interiors and merchandise as part of bringing the globally admired Cadini experience to the Indian consumers with a range of premium Italian menswear product offerings." Cadini is positioned to gratify the luxury needs of the Indian man. --IANS sug/rb/vt itel Mobile that entered India recently has broken into top 100 "Most Admired Brands in Africa" in 2015, the company said on Wednesday. Ranked 51st, itel was launched by China-based 'Transsion Holdings' with a focus on delivering cost effective and high-specification mobile devices. "Being named amongst the 'Most Admired Brands in Africa' highlights the difference we have made to the continent's consumers by bridging the technological gap between the urban and rural geographies," said Sudhir Kumar, CEO, itel Mobile India, in a statement. itel has sold more than 70 million handsets worldwide since its inception, and was previously ranked 72nd in the 2014 list of "Most Admired Brands in Africa". Transsion Holdings recently unveiled its flagship brand itel with three smartphones and three feature phones varients in India. The feature phones -- SmartSelfie, SmartPower and Shine series -- will be strategically priced below Rs.2,000 while smartphones SelfiePro, PowerPro and Wish series will be available at prices below Rs.10,000. --IANS anuj/na/vt Popular whisky brand Jack Daniel's is planning its 150th anniversary in style with a worldwide barrel hunt competition. The planned initiatives also include limited edition bottles, themed on-ground events, special duty free promotions and social media outreach among other initiatives. The first 'Jack Daniel's Barrel Hunt' will take place at the home of the distillery in Lynchburg on July 1 and it will visit more than 50 countries in 90 days. Jack Daniel's will provide clues via its local Facebook pages to help fans find the hidden whisky barrels around the world, giving them the opportunity to win unique, especially designed prizes to commemorate the distillery's 150th anniversary. "Jack Daniel's has grown from a local name in Lynchburg to an iconic brand in more than 170 countries by remaining true to its legacy of authenticity, independence and integrity," Mark McCallum, President of Jack Daniel's, said in a statement. "The 150th anniversary is a major milestone for the distillery and is a perfect opportunity to invite everyone to join us in our celebration of Jack Daniel's with our first-ever global Barrel Hunt," he added. From July through September, 150 handcrafted whisky barrels will be hidden in various regions across the globe at historic and cultural sites, with clues on Jack Daniel's Facebook pages to help guide fans to the secret location. Clues tied to the history of each region will be provided on the day of each local barrel hunt and barrels will be opened when the first person to arrive speaks the correct barrel password. Updates and results will be shared as barrels are found around the world and prizes are claimed in each region. Barrel Hunt winners will also receive the authentic Jack Daniel's barrel they found along with prizes tailored to each region that participates in the hunt. "The barrel is key to crafting Jack Daniel's Tennessee Whisky as it accounts for 100 per cent of its colour and 70 to 80 per cent of its flavour," Jack Daniel's Master Distiller Jeff Arnett said. "It is an important part of our process that is remained unchanged for 150 years, and that tradition will continue to live on in every barrel we make and each drop of our whisky," he added. --IANS ank/rb/bg The Police has approached its Karnataka counterparts to register a case against two college students for brutally ragging a Dalit nursing student from . Jaleel Thotathil, Circle Inspector of Police, said that they have recorded the statement of the 19-year-old victim who is presently undergoing treatment at the Kozhikode Medical College hospital. "Since the place of occurrence of the crime is in Karnataka where we have no jurisdiction, her statement has been recorded and through a special messenger we have send it to the Roza Police station at Gulbarga in Karnataka," said Thottathil. "The two accused of brutally ragging the student are both from - Lekshmi hailing from Kollam and Athira from Idukki. The charges that have been put up include attempt to murder besides sections in the Kerala Ragging Act and Atrocities under SC/ST Act," Thottathil added. According to the victim, a first-year nursing student of Al Qamar College of Nursing at Gulbarga, she was forced to drink a bathroom cleaning liquid last month, due to which she fell ill. After spending a few days in a hospital in Karnataka, she was sent back home and has since been hospitalised at the state-run Medical College hospital in Thrissur. Following the episode, she has developed serious oesophagus problems and she has been put on intravenous fluid supplements. Her mother Janaki, on Wednesday told the media that the college authorities failed to act against the accused and has been protecting them. Kerala Culture Minister A K Balan said the state will bear the entire treatment expenses of the victim and will take up the case with the Karnataka government. The Maldivian government on Wednesday appointed Minister of Finance and Treasury Abdulla Jihad as the new vice president. Abdulla Jihad is the third vice president in the presidency of Abdulla Yameen, Xinhua news agency reported. He succeeds Ahmed Adheeb, who was dismissed after being suspected of being involved in the explosion aboard the presidential boat eight months ago. The Deputy Minister in the Education Ministry, Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim, was appointed the health minister. Ahmed Munawar was appointed the new Minister of Finance and Treasury and Aminath Zeneesha Shaheed Zaki was appointed as the Minister of Gender and Family. The new ministers took their oath in front of the Maldivian Supreme Court Judge Abdulla Areef. --IANS ask/py/mr Microsoft on Wednesday showcased Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions for the Indian enterprises and organisations which are developed by startups that understand the possibilities and benefits of the public Cloud and build their SaaS solutions on the Cloud. Microsoft aims to provide right tools, resources, connections, knowledge and expertise that startups need to leverage the full potential of the Cloud and create innovative, SaaS solutions built on the Cloud, the company said in a statement. "Our strategy is to build best-in-class platforms and productivity services for a mobile-first, cloud-first world. We realise the pivotal role that startups, with their ideas and enthusiasm, can play in leveraging those platforms to create newer solutions," said Harish Vaidyanathan, Director, Independent Software Vendor Programmes at Microsoft, in a statement. Microsoft has launched multiple programmes to support startups in the country. Its "BizSpark Plus" programme offers free Azure Cloud services to qualified startups to power their business. The programme also provides free software, developer tools, and technical support to help startups be successful. Microsoft Accelerator too works with mature and late-stage startups, focusing on their core needs such as guidance on scaling up and customer acquisition. Earlier this month, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella was in Delhi where he urged the Indian developers to use Microsoft platforms to innovate. "I want us to be the platform to foster the ingenuity of the people of India," he had said. --IANS anuj/na/vt Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday expressed condolences over the death of people due to lightning strikes in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand. "Deeply anguished by loss of lives due to lightning in parts of UP, Bihar, Jharkhand and other parts of the nation over the last few days," the prime minister wrote on Twitter. "My thoughts and prayers are with those who lost their near and dear ones due to the lightning. May the injured recover quickly," Modi said in a tweet. At least 53 persons, including women and children, were killed and dozens injured by lightning strikes in different parts of Bihar since Tuesday, the Bihar disaster management department said on Wednesday. Bihar Disaster Management Minister Chandrasekhar told the media that the toll has increased to 56 with more reports and information pouring in from rural areas across the state. "The toll may increase further. It all depends on information we receive from distance rural pockets now," he said. --IANS nd/pgh/vt Accusing government entities in Pakistan of aiding terrorist networks in violation of United Nations Security Council mandates, Afghanistan's Permanent Representative Mahmoud Saikal said on Tuesday that Islamabad does not need nuclear deals and F-16s to fight terrorists, rather it requires political will and "honest and police action". Speaking at a Security Council debate on the situation in his country, the envoy raised the recent construction of a border post by Pakistan at Torkham, which Kabul says is an incursion into its territory, and 820 artillery shellings of Afghanistan's eastern provinces of Nangarhar, Khost, Paktika, Kunar and Nouristan by Pakistan. In the continuing downward spiral of relations between the two neighbors, he warned Islamabad, "Make no mistake, the proud government and people of Afghanistan have not, do not and will not surrender to intimidation, violence, and aggression. Our history is a testimony to this." Outlining an alarming scenario of far-reaching international threats, Saikal said that Taliban and several terrorist groups were seeking "to turn Afghanistan into a launching pad against Central Asia, South Asia, West Asia and the Far East." And "other regional terrorist networks, with links to Central Asian republics, Chechnya and China are highly active in our region," he added in a pointed appeal to Security Council members Russia and China, the patron of Pakistan. Islamic State (IS) and Al Qaeda are trying to re-emerge in Afghanistan despite the recent "heavy blows" they suffered at hands of the Afghan security forces, while "Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan, in coordination with other terror groups, remains a long-term threat to the security and stability of our region," Saikal stressed. "What is more important, most of these terrorist groups and networks enjoy the facilitation and orchestration services of elements within the state structure of Pakistan who believe in the use of violence in pursuit of political objectives," he said. Referring to the killing of Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour last month in a US drone strike, the Afghan envoy said the incident exposed his Pakistani passport with a fake name that enabled Mansour to fly around the country. Islamabad's "charade of plausible deniability, duplicity, and blame of Afghan weaknesses continues, which must come to an end if we are to succeed in counter-terrorism", he said. Over the last 15 years several terrorist leaders like Osama Bin Laden of Al Qaida, and Mullah Omar and Mullah Akhtar Mansour of the Taliban have lived and died in Pakistan, he pointed out. "The fact that notorious terrorist leaders were found and killed in their safe havens there, is a clear proof that the country has violated the sovereignty of other nations," Saikal said. "This constitutes a flagrant violation" of the Security Council Resolutions imposing sanctions on the Taliban, he added. On the positive side, Saikal spoke of the inauguration of the Afghan-India Friendship Salma dam in Herat and the signing of a transit trade agreement for the Chabahar Port between Afghanistan, India, and Iran. "We have already started to export agricultural products through this new trade route," he said." (Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in) --IANS al/vt Paris Jackson slammed critics after getting backlashed for not posting a Father's Day tribute to her late father Michael Jackson. After fans attacked the 18-year-old for not posting about Father's Day on June 19, she took to Twitter to hit back, reports aceshowbiz.com. "If you try to harass someone into posting online about a holiday (Father's Day), ask yourself if it is any of your business," Paris wrote. Hours later, she wrote: "Having eight tattoos dedicated to someone overrules a single post about them on a stupid social media account because of a holiday." She also retweeted another user's post which said: "Wait, they are really giving you a hard time for not posting yesterday? Really? How you remember your father is your business." Paris was 11 years old when Michael passed away. She has paid tribute to her father with several tattoos, including a tattoo of Michael's eyes and a group of animals. Previously on her 18th birthday, she revealed a new tattoo featuring the words "Queen of My Heart" in her late father's handwriting. --IANS ank/nn/mr Police arrested a terror suspect as he tried to board a flight at London's Heathrow airport to leave the country. The police confirmed that the 29-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of possessing information of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism, the Daily Mail reported. The suspect was held as he tried to board a flight bound for Saudi Arabia on Monday. A house in West London is also being searched by anti-terror police in connection with the inquiry. "He has been taken to a London police station where he remains in custody," an official said. "A number of electronic devices have been seized for further examination in connection with his investigation. Inquiries are ongoing," the official added. --IANS ask/ksk/vm The song "Qatl-E-Aam' from filmmaker Anurag Kashyap's forthcoming film "Raman Raghav 2.0" has garnered one million views on YouTube. "I'm delighted with the success of the song, especially because it captures the essence of characters as intriguing as Raghav and Simi in 'Raman Raghav 2.0'," Ram Sampath said in a statement. The song features actress Shobita Dhulipala and Vicky Kaushal. "Raman Raghav 2", releasing on June 24, also stars Nawazuddin Siddiqui. -*- Irrfan keen to promote 'Madaari' in every nook, corner Actor Irrfan Khan is off to Pune to promote "Madaari", which is very special to him, and says he wants to spread a buzz about the movie all over. "'Madaari' is a 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," Irrfan said in a statement. The film, releasing on July 15, has been shot across various locations in India. It is directed by Nishikant Kamat. -*- Jacqueline, John, Varun shoot with real python Actors Jacqueline Fernandez, John Abraham and Varun Dhawan have shot with a real python for a song for the upcoming film "Dishoom". Jacqueline says she and the two actors were initially scared to shoot with the python for the song, which has been picturised in Morocco. "Shooting for the song was too much fun, though all of us were scared when we got to know that we had to shoot with real pythons," Jacqueline said in a statement. The actress added that there were a bunch of people who were looking after the creatures and made sure that the shoot went off smoothly. Directed by Rohit Dhawan, "Dishoom", which also features actor Saqib Saleem, is slated to release on July 29. --IANS dc/rb Saudi Arabia has announced a distance education programme for one million Yemenis from the beginning of the new academic year, the media reported on Wednesday. Launched by King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre, the programme will cover both male and female Yemeni students who live or seek refuge in Djibouti and Saudi Arabia, Xinhua news agency reported. Saudi Education Minister Ahmed Al-Isa said the agreement on the programme was signed on Tuesday between the Yemeni government and Saudi Education Development Company. Saudi Arabia was forced to close many schools near its borders with Yemen when the Saudi-led military operations against Houthis in Yemen began in March 2015. --IANS ask/py/mr A sparse number of folks braved the nearly triple digit heat to attend the June 20 meeting of the Albuquerque City Council. A relatively light agenda eased Councilors into the long summer days of a month long break. They will return to the Council table on August 1. Rapid Consent Tucked into the consent and regular agenda were six measures funding the way for the proposed Albuquerque Rapid Transit. There was no real discussion by the Council and only a couple of general public comments from folks on each side of the project. The rapid transit project is currently being contested in US District Court. It has recently come to light that Mayor Richard Berry and his legal team paid $75,000 to retain an out-of-state law firm to fight the property owners, businesses and residents who are opposing the project. Burque Accolades Former Albuquerque Chief Administrative Officer David Campbell stopped in to let the Council know Albuquerque is still a great place to live and vacation. Campbell and his wife Shelly left Albuquerque, along with his top job with Mayor Richard Berrys administration, five years ago for a foreign diplomat traveling gig with the State Department. They have recently been in Ecuador and after their vacay will head to Washington, D.C. for their next assignment. Sometimes you have to go away to realize how great Albuquerque is, Campbell said. Public Chitchat Public comment was a little disjointed with no one topic dominating the conversation. It was a tough night for Council President Dan Lewis when several commenters leveled harsh words at him over incidents where Lewis had people removed or cut off from meetings. One commenter scolded Lewis for making a snarky comment to a previous speaker. Lewis had quipped that he would protect anyones right to say whatever they wanted to say even if the comments were mostly wrong. Other random comments include: It was a tough night for Council President Dan Lewis when several commenters leveled harsh words at him over incidents where Lewis had people removed or cut off from meetings. One commenter scolded Lewis for making a snarky comment to a previous speaker. I am not going to be talking about little kittens little doggies little children. I am very concerned with roadway fatalities. Not one person on this Council stood up for our rights. There is no protection for slaves. The citys best and brightest are leaving. It is time for us to get creative on policies. No Nasty River Councilors gave some teeth to the citys storm water quality ordinance by implementing criminal and or civil charges for violations. All of the citys storm water drains directly into the Rio Grande through a series of underground pipes and aboveground arroyos. This means some nasty pollutants like automotive and other chemical fluids along with lots of animal and household waste get washed into our river from yards, streets, parking lots, etc. The city has to comply with strict US Environmental Protection Agency standards. Melissa Lozoya, from the citys municipal development department, said the goal is for nothing other than storm water to go into the citys many drains and arroyos. Lozoya said there is an outreach program in place to educate the public about the new, tougher rules. If we catch someone putting something in a storm drain we are going to try to educate them first, not fine them, she said. According to the feds, Albuquerque could do a little better job keeping stuff like e-coli and automotive fluids out of the river. Reining in PNM Councilors spent a chunk of time discussing a matter that ended on a split vote, approving a resolution that has no real bite. The resolution outlines the City Councils position on the Public Service Company of New Mexicos pending rate increase request. The big power company has an extensive rate increase application pending at the states Public Regulation Commission asking for a number of things including an average customer increase of about 14.3 percent. The resolution says the Council wants some limitations on PNMs requested revenue. Councilor Isaac Benton tried but failed to get approval of a vague amendment saying that the Council does not oppose decoupling. What is decoupling? Well it is complicated, in a nutshell decoupling means allowing PNM to separate sales from its revenues and removing the disincentive for the utility to sell more energy as a means of increasing revenue and profits. Representatives from several local environmental groups gave comments supporting decoupling. They say decoupling will encourage PNM to invest in more renewable wind and solar energy. Amy Miller, PNMs director of local government told the Council decoupling is an issue where PNM and environmental groups agree. She said PNM proposed decoupling as part of its rate case. Miller went on to say PNM opposed the resolution on the table in general due to inaccuracies. Jeff Albright, the attorney handling the rate case issue for the city said there were no substantial inaccuracies other than PNM not agreeing with the resolution that in part asks for a lower rate increase and a hard cap on the profits the company can make. Flying Dollars Councilors approved raising the Passenger Facility Charge for each enplaned passenger at the Albuquerque International Sunport. The charge will go from $3.00 to $4.50 for the pleasure of flying out of our unique and historic Sunport. The proposed money, about $20 million, will go toward a number of safety and security improvements along with other upgrades. Actress Sayani Gupta has been chosen as the official host of the Facebook Live for the 17th edition of the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards, set to take place here from Thursday. The "Fan" actress said in a statement: "This will be my first IIFA. That too in Spain! And I get to host the backstage and live both for Facebook and Colors channel for IIFA 2016." "This is a great opportunity and should be super fun too. This is the perfect way to mix work and fun! We are off to Madrid tonight (Wednesday)." On the films front, the actress is all set for "Baar Baar Dekho" release in September. --IANS nn/vt While the world is witnessing cloud data breach incidents more often -- micro-blogging website Twitter being the latest one -- and governments the world over are looking for ways to ensure data security, India has also joined the chorus for a safe, secured cloud experience. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) this month issued a consultation paper on cloud computing, inviting the stakeholders to join the debate on how to implement a secured cloud service. The fact is: Practically no work has been done in India till date on having an adequate legal framework to deal with cyber security and data security on the Cloud. "India's concerns on data security when it comes to cloud services are distinctly real and topical. A lot more work needs to be done in terms of protecting and preserving security of cloud data for the businesses and companies whose data is being stored on cloud servers in foreign shores," says Pavan Duggal, one of the nation's top cyber law experts. The TRAI paper, whose deadline to feed comments online is July 8, comes after Twitter co-founder Evan Williams's account was compromised and hackers may have used malware to collect credentials of more than 32 million logins of Twitter users. "The current legislations in India are not able to address the present and future issues arising in cloud computing services comprehensively. This is because the Information Technology Act, 2000, is completely silent on issues of cloud computing. Further, cloud security-related issues are completely missing in the said legislation," Duggal, also a Supreme Court advocate, told IANS. The Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, is completely silent in the context of cloud computing. The Information Technology Act, 2000, has not addressed issues pertaining to cloud computing. According to the cloud service providers, cyber security is now a boardroom discussion and has emerged to be a key concern for IT and business managers alike. "While there are concerns around data security in India, a lot of the technologists in the country are quite skilled and are aware of what needs to be done. By following practices such as segregation of duties, on-disk encryption, data redaction and robust identity management, India can tackle security constraints well," explains Shailender Kumar, Managing Director, Oracle India, one of the global leaders in providing cloud services across the spectrum. The real security issue is when customers take older products that were not built for the Internet, rack them and put them on the Internet. "This makes those products vulnerable. But sometimes security is also used as a reason to avoid change because shifting to the cloud involves change. Though worrying, companies that adopt the cloud can emerge as winners," Kumar states. Nearly 46 percent of all spending on IT infrastructure (servers, storage and switches) globally will be towards cloud infrastructures by 2020, predicts market research firm IDC. Cloud computing accounted for about 33 percent of the total IT expenditure in 2015 across the world. In India, the overall cloud computing market reached $1.08 billion by the end of last year and IT/ITeS, telecom, manufacturing and government sectors contributed the largest to this. "Cloud service providers need to ensure secured, hacking-free services for Indian companies. This can be done by adopting latest international standards on cyber security. Further, all cloud service providers are intermediaries and are required to implement and maintain reasonable security practices and procedures while dealing with, handling or processing sensitive personal data in the cloud," says Duggal. The Indian law has already stipulated ISO 27001 as a standard for intermediaries who are dealing with, handling or processing sensitive personal data. According to Kumar, Oracle is focussed on security. "Security is essential for all our products. We give customers the option of deciding which part and how much of their business migrates to the cloud. This enables us to allay fear and apprehensions about the security aspect," states Kumar. The legal, policy and regulatory issues pertaining to cloud distinctly need to be addressed by appropriate national legislation, feel experts. Internet jurisdiction is one of the major legal challenges in the context of cloud computing as in a majority of times, the hardware of the cloud where third party data is located, is often placed outside the territorial boundaries of the relevant national laws. (Nishant Arora can be contacted at nishant.a@ians.in ) --IANS na/hs/ky Global technology major SoftBank Group Corporation on Wednesday said Ken Miyauchi would be the new representative director, president and chief operation officer a day after India-born Nikesh Arora resigned from the executive posts to become its advisor from July 1. "Ken Miyauchi has been elected as representative director, president and chief operating officer in pursuit of enhancement of the management structure," the Japanese holding firm said in a statement here. Arora, 48, resigned from the SBG board after its 36th annual general meeting of shareholders here on Tuesday. Miyauchi Son will continue as chairman and chief executive of SBG. Ken, 67, is also a SBG director, president and CEO of SoftBank Corporation, the group's multinational, with operations in broadband, fixed-line telecom, e-commerce, internet, technology services, finance, media and marketing. Arora joined SBG in September 2014 from global search engine major Google, where he was its chief business officer. During Arora's tenure, SBG invested in growth stage firms 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. With Son, 60, deciding to continue as the group's chief executive for another five-10 years, Arora's prospects of replacing him soon dimmed. "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," Son said in a statement on Tuesday. SoftBank acquired the US-based telecom major Sprint Corporation in July 2013. Son, however, lauded 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. On his part, Arora said helping Masa (Masayoshi) begun 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," Nikesh said. --IANS fb/py/bg Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday expressed grief over reports of numerous deaths due to lightning in Bihar. Gandhi expressed the hope that the Bihar government was ensuring adequate safety and relief measures and directed the state Congress and other Congress frontal organisations to provide relief to the affected families. As per officials, at least 53 persons including women and children were killed and dozens injured by lightning in different parts of Bihar in the 24 hours till Wednesday morning. --IANS ao/ksk/bg Syria's President Bashar al-Assad on Wednesday ordered Minister of Electricity Emad Khamis to form a new government, the media reported. Assad appointed Khamis as prime minister of the new government, replacing former Prime Minister Waerl al-Halqi, Xinhua news agency reported. The formation of the new government came weeks after the Syrian parliament was elected. According to the law, a new government should be formed within 40 days following the parliament elections. The government will be the sixth to be formed under the presidency of al-Assad. The last government was formed in August 2014, following the re-election of al-Assad, and was headed by al-Halqi. The names of the new ministers are expected to be announced within the next two days. --IANS ask/py/vt Long before the controversial film, professional caterer Sameer Barabde's Bollywood catering company 'Udta Punjab' had attained popularity for its special Punjabi cuisine in suburban Goregaon. After 'catering' to several movies, including "Rocky Handsome", "Fitoor" and "Madari", Udta Punjab diversified to speedy, home-deliveries in the western suburbs. The company, run by the Barabde brothers -- catering graduate Sameer and Bollywood line producer Sunnyl, yes, Sunnyl -- has introduced what is perhaps the city's first 'Party by Kilo' food service. "We have seen that many Mumbaikars have regular small parties of 10-15 persons at home. But ordering everything on piece-portion basis proves very expensive," Sameer said. "Now, Udta Punjab is offering everything on a kilo basis, which can drastically cut down the budget and enable them order more items on the menu, besides making our deliveries flexible to cover entire Mumbai and Navi Mumbai," Sunnyl explained. Citing an example, he said for a party of around 15 people, at least two kg of biryani would be required, but by the kilo system, they can order one kg biryani, and one kg of other items to make it a full variety, yet economical meal. However, despite the experience of Bollywood catering behind them, Sameer and Sunnyl have not labelled any of their dishes after stars or starry preferences. "For us, each of our customer is a star and their response is what we starve for," smiled Sameer. His professional catering qualifications notwithstanding, Sameer, with origins in Nagpur, magnanimously gave due credit for the food preparations and menu items to his chef, Simon Rodrigues, hailing from West Bengal's 24 Parganas. "Simon is the backbone of this business. Without him, it would be difficult to please hundreds of hungry and discerning customers daily in these areas which comprise a generous mix of people from Bollywood, IT and call centres, national and multinational corporate houses and upper-class residential areas," Sameer said. Referring to the name, Udta Punjab, Sameer grinned, obviously waiting for the question, and said it is part of his company, Tirupati Hospitality, and over a year old. "However, the recent controversy over the film 'Udta Punjab' had definitely helped us and most customers enquire 'who inspired whom' for the name," he chuckled. The reason for the name Udta Punjab was to signify the special authentic Punjabi flavour in the cuisine and 'flying' delivery to its customers all over, he explained, adding that the decision to go retail was taken in February 2016, long before the "Udta Punjab" promos were released. Detailing the concept of take-aways and speedy deliveries, Sameer said he was reluctant to venture into the restaurant business for various reasons, including the location, maintenance and upkeep, availability of staff, fluctuating numbers of patrons and the like. A take-away or delivery service permits chef Rodrigues to prepare quality dishes and explore more varieties depending on customers' requirements and varied palates. "Yes, catering to Bollywood and vibrant film sets at various locales is great fun, but take-aways and deliveries, and now 'Party by Kilo' gives more satisfaction with genuine reactions from the patrons," Sameer said, with future plans to open more such outlets. The top moving items from Udta Punjab's kitchen are mutton and chicken biryanis, paneer lajawab, dal makhni, murgh Lajawab (an unusual tandoori-gravy preparation which goes with rice-rotis), bhuna gosht and dum gosht masala, topped off with malai firni, hot gulab jamuns and chocolate mousse. FAQs: Where: Near Vibgyor School, Link Road, Goregaon W. Tel. No: 08080806969 Cost: A multi-course vegetarian meal for two costs approximately Rs 600; non-vegetarian around Rs 750. Hours: Open all days. Only deliveries/take-aways. No alcohol served/sold. (The writer's visit was at the invitation of Udta Punjab. Quaid Najmi can be reached at q.najmi@ians.in ) --IANS qn/vm/hs Demanding a separate state, a tribal outfit in Tripura on Wednesday blockaded the National Highway No.8 and the railway line -- the northeastern state's two vital links with the outside world. The Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT), which has been agitating for the past few years for creation of a separate state, started its scheduled 24-hour rail and road blockade at 6 a.m. on Wednesday at Khamting Bari in Baramura hill range in western Tripura. Tribal protesters led by their leaders sat on the highway and the state's sole railway line. "Around 10,000 agitators blockaded the national highway and the railway line, shouting slogans intermittently," West Tripura district police chief Abhijit Saptarshi, who is camping at the agitation spot, told IANS over phone. He said that so far no untoward incident has occurred. "We have made adequate security measures in and around the sites of rail and road blockade. Tripura State Rifles and central para-military forces, led by senior officials, have been deployed in the areas," Inspector General of Police (Law and Order) Anurag told IANS. The IPFT wants a separate state to be carved out of Tripura by upgrading the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC). The ruling Left Front dominated by the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) is now governing the TTAADC, which was formed by amending the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution in 1985. IPFT President Narandra Chandra Debbarma accused the Left Front government of creating the TTAADC only as a "lame duck institution" without any real powers. "Very little development taken place in the tribal areas. The basic problems of the tribal people have not been solved. Tribals continue to lose their land. Even the state of affairs of the Kokborok language of the indigenous tribals is dejected," Debbarma told reporters. "We had submitted memorandum to the union Home Ministry several times. The ministry officials said our demand would be considered positively. Talks between the leaders of IPFT and the central government are on," the IPFT chief said. The ruling Left Front, the opposition Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and other political parties have strongly opposed the IPFT's demand for a separate state. They said the demand would encourage outlawed militant groups to regain foothold in the state. CPI-M central committee member Gautam Das told IANS: "A small state like Tripura cannot be divided further. They (IPFT) are merely trying to regain relevance in the state by raising such an impractical and provocative demand." Chief Minister Manik Sarkar had also earlier on many occasions rejected the demand, saying that the Left Front government would not allow any attempt to divide the state. Sarkar also said that he would resist any such move with all his might. The TTAADC, which has been playing a key role in the socio-economic development of tribals, has jurisdiction over two-thirds of Tripura's geographical area of 10,491.69 sq. km. Over 12.16 lakh people, more than 90 per cent of whom are tribals, reside in the areas administered by the TTAADC. Tribals constitute a third of Tripura's total population of 3.7 million people. --IANS sc/pgh/vt Turkey beat Czech Republic 2- 0 in the UEFA EURO 2016 Group D here on Tuesday to earn the opportunity to qualify for last 16. Turkey' s forward Burak Yilmaz, who played in China's Beijing Guoan, scored in Turkey's first counter-attack in the 9th minute from Emre Mor's assist. In the 65th minute, Selcuk Inan winged a free-kick into the box. Mehmet Topal dinked the ball back and Ozan Tufan lashed it inside Petr Cech's left-hand post. Turkey collected three points in the group and have to wait to find out if they qualify for the last 16 of EURO 2016. The final round of group games will come to a close on Wednesday evening. Czech Republic only got one point by a draw with Croatia. --IANS vr/ Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi made an emotional appeal to the British people not to make "the wrong choice" in the EU referendum, saying a decision to leave would exchange "autonomy for isolation, pride for weakness and identity for self-harm". As campaigning enters the final stretch, many European Union (EU) leaders are refraining from pleading publicly with Britain to vote to stay, fearful of making a counter-productive intervention in a bitterly fought contest that looks likely to go down to the wire. In a piece to the Guardian published on Wednesday, Renzi urged Britain to be true to its character and reject an isolationism that could see the country become a "Britain less great". Britain, he said, is not a country that walks alone. "(It) would not be a disaster, a tragedy or the end of the world for you if the UK chose to leave the EU. It would be worse, because it would be the wrong choice," Renzi wrote, adding that to leave would not be in keeping with Britain's tradition of refusing to shirk a challenge. The centre-left coalition Italian prime minister invited Britain to use the strength of a mandate provided by a "remain" vote to demand a more effective EU, "one that works better, and better recognises the individual character of the markets of its constituent countries". He insisted that "the union is a tool, one that can be improved upon to turn our individual weaknesses into a common strength." The British people will not be persuaded to make the choice to remain in the EU by curses, threats or hatred, Renzi said. Instead, he appealed to the British willingness to confront difficulties. "If there's one thing the British have never done when faced with a challenge that concerns their future, their very identity, it is to make the wrong choice," he said. A "less great Britain" would be the opposite of what those that want an EU exit desire, he suggested. Although Renzi has previously said there will be no chance of an EU return if Britain votes to leave, he stressed that the former must adapt and learn the lessons of the referendum. Britons on Thursday will go to polls to vote in a second referendum since 1975 on whether Britain should remain or leave the EU. Yoga is not just about physical exercise and it seeks to bring harmony in one's environment, Indian spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar told the European Parliament here. "Though yoga was born in the Indian sub-continent, it belongs to the world," the Art of Living founder told European Parliament members as well as European Union officials here on Tuesday. Ravi Shankar was speaking on the occasions of the International Yoga Day. "Is yoga only a physical exercise? No! Yoga is bringing rhythm in life," he said. "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." Participating members of the European Parliament included Geoffrey van Orden, Neena Gill, Jo Leinen, Nirj Deva, Jakob von Weizsaker and Cora van Neiuwenhuizen. Ravi Shankar later interacted with Parliament members, answering their questions and through a guided meditation at the Yehudi Menuhin Hall. Meanwhile, an Art of Living statement said millions from 156 countries joined the group in celebrating the second International Day of Yoga all over India on Tuesday. A month-long free yoga camps concluded in all major districts of the country, it said. Yoga sessions based on a common protocol were held in prisons, corporate offices (about 1,000 locations), on cargo ships, schools for specially-abled children, the India-Pakistan border, public parks and many different locations, the statement said. Ravi Shankar will also lead a series of public events on the importance and relevance of meditation in the cities of Washington, Boston, Columbus, Minnesota, San Francisco, Portland and Seattle, it said. --IANS mr/sar/ As Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal continued to fire salvos at the central government, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said how it was easy running a government in Delhi because the Centre invests a lot in development there. "If the state government performs even five to six per cent of its work, Delhi will run on its own," he said. Kairana, a small town in the western UP district of Muzaffarnagar is in the news. If one had mentioned in a conversation till sometime back, it ran the risk of being mistaken for kirana (a neighbourhood retail store selling groceries) and you could have expected people to groan about the rising prices of Dal. But the town is rather famous now -- to be fair, it was already famous as the home of the Kirana gharana, a school of Indian classical music) and there is nothing for the residents of this town to feel happy about. With the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) of the Delhi Police registering an FIR against former chief minister Shiela Dikshit and incumbent CM Arvind Kejriwal, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday demanded that Kejriwal must quit the post of chief minister for a fair and transparent probe into the alleged . "Since, ACB has filed an FIR against Kejriwal and Shiela Dikshit, now Mr. Kejriwal must quit as the chief minister for a fair and transparent probe," said BJP leader R P Singh. "The issue is both are involved in that corruption. When we raised this issue, saying that there is a scam of Rs. 400 crores and why Mr. Kejriwal is not forwarding the report of his own minister to the LG or the CBI, he has no replies," said Singh in view of inordinate delay in taking a call on the report submitted by Delhi Water Minister Kapil Mishra. "But when we forced him to file the report; and after we saw the report, it was very clear that those companies which were supplying water tankers had paid some money to Shiela Dikshit or the government at that time," he said. "Now, if they have done so, the first thing that Mr. Kejriwal should have done is to cancel the contracts of all those companies and should ask for fresh tenders, but he didn't do so. And what his minister Kapil Mishra said, 'the moment I file the report you will remove me'. And it happened, within two days Kapil Mishra was removed. He further said, 'if you take action on the report, your government will be gone'," Singh added. Questioning that what was holding Kejriwal from taking action against those companies, Singh said, "It means there was something among Mr. Kejriwal, Sheila Dikshi and those companies to transpire, which should be probed now. And, since ACB has filed an FIR, Mr. Kejriwal must quit for a fair and transparent probe." When asked about Kejriwal's condemning Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the FIR, the BJP leader said, "When elephant walks down the street, stray dogs keep barking. He can keep doing whatever he has to say, but the fact is that he is answerable to the Delhi's public at large. He must answer Delhiites today that why not he cancelled the contract of those water tanker suppliers whom his government held corrupt. He needs to answer more questions than anyone else." Speaking over Congress leader Ajay Maken's alleged roughing up a Dalit party worker, he said, "He probably abused a Dalit worker of the party, which shows how much regards they have for the Dalits in the country. They have no respect for Dalits and Balmikies in the country." A 22-year-old man was killed and five others were injured today when two groups clashed over burying of a woman's body in a graveyard in Haribhanpur village here, police said. The incident took place when some persons were burying the body of the woman in the graveyard in the village. They were stopped by a group which objected saying the land belonged to them, leading to a scuffle between the two groups, Kapsethi SHO Akhilesh Mishra said. The groups, in which some were armed with sticks and rods, attacked each other in which a man named Kaju Ali was seriously injured and died later at the hospital, he said. After the incident, villagers blocked the Kapsethi-Varanasi road, which was cleared when District Magistrate Vijay Kiran Anand and SSP Akash Kulhary assured agitating villagers that action will be taken against the guilty. An FIR has been registered in this connection and the body of the deceased has been sent for postmortem, Mishra said. At least 34 Libyan pro-government forces were killed 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 yesterday. 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 yesterday'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. Nearly 450 Sikh pilgrims from India have arrived here in Pakistan to observe the 177th death anniversary of king of the first Sikh empire Maharaja Ranjeet Singh and to participate in a series of events. Officials of theEvacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB),which looks after the holy places of minorities in Pakistan, greeted the 448 Sikh pilgrims at the Wagah Railway Station yesterday. "We are happy to be here to visit our holy places. We receive love from the people here. We are thankful to the board for taking care of our holy places," group leader Sardar Govinder Singh told reporters. He said there should be a soft visa policy for the citizens of both the countries so that people could easily visit their holy places. The government of Pakistan has made all arrangements for comfortable and secure stay of the Sikh pilgrims, said Khalid Ali, ETPB Additional Secretary for gurdwaras. Ali said special arrangements have been made for their travel to different gurdwaras in Punjab province. The main event will be held at Gurdwara Dera Sahib in Lahore on June 26 to observe the 177th death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjeet Singh, he said. The pilgrims will also visit holy places including Gurdwara Janamasthan in Nankana Sahib between June 22 and 25, said ETPB spokesman Amir Hashmi. They will return to India on June 28. Five Nepalese guards, injured in the recent attack on the Canadian Embassy in Kabul, have been admitted to a hospital here. "We have received five Nepalese patients who were working as private security guards in Kabul. They are being treated for blast-related injuries," a senior authority at Indraprasta Apollo hospital said. The hospital did not give any further information. A string of bombings had claimed over 20 lives including two Indians in Afghanistan on Monday. 14 Nepalese nationals were also killed in the first blast while scores of others were injured. At least seven Chinese workers people were killed and five others still missing in an accident at an aluminium plant in central China's Henan Province. The workers were dismantling the aluminium plant in the provincial capital of Zhengzhou City when a piece of falling equipment hit the employees of the engineering and construction company, said the officials of the Henan branch of the Aluminium Corporation of China, which owns the plant. Eight other workers who were injured in the accident have been admitted to hospital, state-run Xinhua agency reported. According to police, 23 people were working at the site when the accident occurred. One person has been detained by police. Maharashtra Social Justice minister Rajkumar Badole today said BJP MLA Ravindra Chavan should face action if has said anything "regrettable" against the dalits, after a video appeared in which the legislator purportedly used analogy of pigs while talking about "uplift of dalits". "It is regrettable if he had said such a thing but I think he did not say anything like it," Badole said, adding that he had not seen the video. "If he had said it then action should be taken. The Chief Minister will definitely take action if he said it," the minister said here. The video showing Chavan, BJP MLA from Dombivali, using analogy of pigs while talking about "uplift of the Dalits" has gone viral on the social media, prompting NCP to demand that he apologise. The video is purportedly of an event in Thane district on June 17. NDA ally Republican Party of India (RPI) too has demanded BJP to take action against Chavan. "I condemn Chavan's statement and on the behalf of Republican Party of India, I demand that BJP should take action against him because it is a very objectionable statement," said RPI leader Ramdas Athwale. He, however, defended BJP saying that not only the party but Prime Minister Narendra Modi also "fully" supports dalit community and the philosophy of Dr Ambedkar. "BJP is fully supporting dalit community. Narendra Modi is also taking many decisions to support the community and he is also supporting Babasaheb Ambedkar's philosophy," he said. Afghanistan today made a strong pitch for making India a party to the already operational Afghan-Pakistan transit and trade agreement (APTTA), a move that will give New Delhi better access to Central Asia and boost regional connectivity. Afghan envoy Shaida Abdali also sought robust military cooperation with India and referred to training of its officers at the National Defence College here and the recent transfer of helicopters to Afghanistan. Blaming Pakistan for terror in Afghanistan, he said it is clear that it is coming from "across the border" and cautioned that "terrorism backfires" and affects "all of us equally". "The distrust between Afghanistan and Pakistan exists today. It's a very dangerous time," he said. Abdali, who has written a book, 'Afghanistan-Pakistan- India: A Paradigm Shift', talked about four factors behind the instability in his country over the last few years. These are the pursuit of "geographical impatience" by countries like Pakistan in the region through Afghanistan, activities of non-state armed groups, "weak" Afghanistan government and state institutions, and the link between drug cartels and terrorist groups. He said Afghanistan has suffered due to "misplaced" and "miscalculated policies". Abdali also warned that an unstable Afghanistan could be a "threat" to the world order once again as it was the case some time ago. Holding that peaceful relations between India and Pakistan are crucial for Afghanistan, Abdali said, "Today, we have a very strategic relationship with India and a very strange relationship with Pakistan. That equal partnership is a pre-requisite to a peaceful and stable Afghanistan. We have to examine how Afghanistan can become a catalyst." "One is India's inclusion to AAPTA and (the second is) giving Pakistan access to Central Asia through Afghanistan," he said, adding that this could be on the lines of cooperation between India, Afghanistan and Iran on the Chabahar port. APTTA was signed between the governments of Afghanistan and Pakistan in 2011. It allows trucks from landlocked Afghanistan access to markets in India, China and the rest of the world through seaports of Karachi, Port Qasim and Gwadar. On the sidelines of the 'Heart of Asia Conference' held in Islamabad last year, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj had expressed India's willingness to join APTTA. Pakistan is opposed to any such move. Emphasising that India was one of the few countries "without any personal agenda" in Afghanistan, Abdali said his country was looking to increase the number of officers being trained in India. The Afghan envoy said, "We have a big number of officers being trained here. It's an ongoing process. Our relationship with India is very comprehensive and at strategic level, in view of the helicopters given to Afghanistan, the military cooperation is picking up." "And training system that we have with NDC... They train about 200 officers. So Afghanistan is going to expand that in the future," he said. Abdali said terrorism is a common ground for cooperation between India and Afghanistan. The envoy said over the last 15 years, the situation in Afghanistan has remained unchanged and the current times require "a new idea". (REOPENS DES54) Former National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon said strong, viable and visible Afghan-India relations can help improve India's ties with Pakistan. Menon, a former Foreign Secretary, said he did not agree with the view in Kabul that India prefers normalisation of relations with Pakistan to its relations with Afghanistan. Menon said he also did not agree with the view in Kabul that India's sensitivity to Pakistan's concerns is stopping it from playing a much bigger role in Afghanistan. "I am not so sure. It is much more complex," he said, asserting that Indo-Afghan ties are based on much stronger logic and that it has survived all twists and turns in the last over 60 years. The former NSA said the "strange spectacle of" US, China and Pakistan negotiating with Taliban for taking part in government is unlikely to solve the problem and bring stability to Afghanistan and the region as Taliban has no respect for democratic principles or modern government systems. "We have seen foreign interventions earlier too. This too cannot end differently," Menon said, noting that until there is a meaningful change in Pakistan's policy on terror and using it as a state policy, the situation is very difficult to improve. Former Indian Ambassador to Afghanistan Vivek Katju, who was in Kabul after the fall of the Taliban government, said India had never imposed its agenda on Afghanistan and it was only interested in the development of the people and the country. Vikram Sood, former head of RA&W, said after spending more than 60 billion dollars in the last 16 years, the US will not leave Afghanistan without results. Actors Ajay Devgn and Emraan Hashmi have teamed up again for Milan Luthria's historical fiction "Baadshaho", set against the backdrop of Emergency. Apart from Ajay and Emraan, the film will also feature Ileana D'Cruz, Esha Gupta ad Vidyut Jamwal in prominent roles. Co-produced by Milan and Bhushan Kumar and written by Rajat Aroraa, "Baadshaho" is a thriller set in the Emergency era of the 70s. "This is a historical fiction film. We have used some facts, there is lot of stuff that was unusual and exciting. It (Emergency as subject) is a great backdrop for action and thrills. We have done extensive research on the subject," Milan told PTI. In India, the 'Emergency' refers to a 21-month period in 1975-77 when Prime Minister Indira Gandhi unilaterally had a state of emergency declared across the country. When asked if any of the actors would play real life characters, Milan said, "It's a historical fiction film, all characters are grey." Ajay and Emraan played gangsters in Milan's 2010 blockbuster "Once Upon A Time In Mumbai". In "Baadshaho" they will sport a different look. "Their (Ajay and Emraan) look will be completely different. It will be rustic...The look will be timeless," Milan said. The "Dirty Picture" helmer will collaborate with a foreign action director for "Baadshaho". The music includes Rajasthani folk with a funky twist, composed by Ankit Tiwari. The multi-starrer film is all set to go on floors this August with a 15-day schedule in Mumbai, followed by a two month schedule in Rajasthan. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has sought a review of the ongoing UDAY scheme, aimed at reviving debt-laden power distribution companies, citing increase in coal prices. In this regard, Yadav has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Noting that there has been an increase in coal freight as well as price in the last two years, Yadav said UDAY scheme needs to be reviewed in order to ensure that its benefits reach the beneficiaries. "In last two years, coal price has increased by Rs 595 per metric tonne following which power tariff has gone up by 40 paise per unit. This increase is against the spirit of UDAY," Yadav said in his letter, contents of which were released today. He said the project talks about rationalising coal prices based on Gross Calorific Value (GCV) and ensuring supply of 100 per cent crushed coal from Coal India by April 1, 2016. "These steps are not only contrary to the spirit of UDAY but it is also against the connotation of public interest. This may have a retrograde impact on power sector and in turn outdo the benefits of other nationalisation methods specified under UDAY," he said. Yadav has requested the Prime Minister to review the proposals once again so that the project can be implemented in letter and in spirit. Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh today warned officials in the police and administration not to discriminate and victimise Congress workers. "It is a matter of six more months when those responsible for persecuting Congress workers will face justice," he said at a meeting with party workers as a part of his outreach programme 'Halke Vich Captain' (Captain in Assembly constituency) here. Several party workers alleged discrimination by the administration as well as victimisation by police with false cases. "Remember that I have taken an oath on Gutka Sahab (religious book) and I am repeating it now that I will not only cancel the false FIRs against my party workers but will also ensure that those responsible for lodging false cases, including Akali leaders and police officials, are taken to task (when Congress forms the government in Punjab)," the former Chief Minister said. The party workers listed several instances of being "ignored" when it came to distribution of development grants or issuing of 'blue cards' for the below poverty line (BPL) people. They alleged that localities with a strong presence of Congress supporters were not even provided basic amenities such as roads and drains. Replying to a question, Amarinder said he has already announced that when Congress comes to power in Punjab, it will ensure "at least one job in one family" with a decent and reasonable income enough to sustain it for a month. At the same time, he said, it will require a lot of efforts and building up of trust and goodwill of private investors and industry because all jobs cannot be provided by the government. Amarinder said healthcare and quality education for everyone will be his topmost priority when Congress forms the government. He also announced that health insurance will be provided to all the economically weak sections as he is aware that many cannot even afford basic treatment. Replying to a question from a cancer patient, Amarinder said a super-specialised cancer treatment hospital will be set up where patients will be treated for free if his party forms the government. He expressed concern over the alarming rise in cancer cases, adding that he was surprised why Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has "not done anything" for their treatment. He agreed with the observation of one of the party workers that private educational institutions were not honouring the commitment of providing 25 per cent reservation to children from less privileged families saying he was aware of the problem and will ensure that these institutions fall in line. Replying to a complaint regarding poor quality wheat and pulses supplied under the 'Atta-Dal' scheme, the Amritsar MP said he will not only ensure that the scheme continues but also good quality Atta-Dal is provided to the people. Besides, he added, the Congress government will add other essential items such as sugar and tea in the list. Amarinder alleged that Badal was not in favour of getting the SYL canal issue resolved to Punjab's advantage. "If the SYL issue is settled in Punjab's favour, it will not suit Badal politically and he is deliberately trying to spoil the case to make political capital out of it," he said, reiterating that he will "go to any extent" to save Punjab's waters. Amarinder played down recent reports regarding presence of terrorists in Pathankot. "This is quite an irresponsible statement whosoever has made it," he said, adding, "our soldiers are guarding the borders and it is not that everyday terrorists can sneak in at their free will". Under 'Halke Vich Captain', Amarinder spent the entire day at Akali bastion Jagraon in Ludhiana, meeting over 3,000 people, listening to their grievances for 180 minutes and assuring them of redressal within 100 days of his party forming the government. A 77-year-old American woman died at Don Bosco school in the city, prompting state government to seek a report in the matter from the police, who said they were not informed about her stay. "We got the information yesterday that Judith Winslow, a US national from Washington, had died. There is no doubt about it being a natural death, but her stay at the school was illegal as we had not been informed about it," district superintendent of police Kumar Saurabh told PTI. "It is mandatory for foreigners or their hosts to inform local police about their stay," he said. Police were tipped about the death after her body was taken to Vadodara in Gujarat, the SP said. "We are investigating why police were not informed about her stay and since when she was here," Saurabh said. Police said they are probing the matter with regards to the purpose of Winslow's visit to Alirajpur and other details, while local residents claimed that the US national had been visiting the city for over last four decades now and was popular among them. Civil Surgeon Dr Prakash Dhoke said he was called to Don Bosco school at 5 AM yesterday and when he reached there, the woman was dead. The school management refused to comment on the issue. The state government has sought a police report on the issue, official sources said. Rajasthan Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria today said that Anandpal Singh, who is wanted in several criminal cases, should surrender before police and there will be no threat to his life. "Anandpal Singh will be kept safe in jail," Kataria said when asked about a letter by the criminal's counsel to High Court authorities stating that Singh wants to surrender but fears encounter. Singh along with two others had escapedfrom police custody in September last year while they were being taken back to Ajmer prison from a court in Parbatsar in Nagaur. Anand Pal Singh is the head of an infamous gang that is charged in multiple cases of robbery and extortion in Nagaur district of Rajasthan. Singh is also charged in the infamous Didwana murder case where he and his accomplices had killed Jeevan Ram Godara at Didwana town of Nagaur district in 2006. Arunachal Pradesh government has knocked the doors of the Union Home Ministry alleging discrimination at the hands of the Defence Ministry which had red-flagged its ambitious highway project connecting remote areas of the state. During a recent meeting, which was attended by officials of the state government and representatives of Defence and Home Ministries, a senior Army officer raised objections to the alignment of the 1,500km trans-Arunachal Pradesh highway connecting Tawang with Vijoynagar. The Army officer opined that the road would be too closer to the Sino-Indian border and sought changes, a suggestion that upset the state government, official sources said. The state government alleged that the army was creating hurdles in its development project and pointed out that the Defence Ministry gave clearances to eight advance landing grounds (ALGs) near the border. The construction for ALGs, at Mechuka, Zero and Tezu were being completed without informing the state government and the local administration. However, the Ministry sources that the infrastructure was being built for defence of the country for which required permission was taken from the state government. Pasang Dorjee, an MLA from Arunachal Pradesh, said that "in the case of the highway, the army is putting hurdles. Instead of saying that the road should be closer to the border, like China did, the army is saying it should not be along the border." Dorjee claimed that the land for the ALGs was given on a condition that it would be used for both military and civilian purposes. "Now, they are shutting the doors for us. When the Mechuka ALG was inaugurated, neither the state government nor the district administration was informed," he said. Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Kalikho Pul will soon write a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to lodge a protest against the Defence Ministry's "attitude", he said. Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, who belongs to Arunachal Pradesh, said that he was informed about the development and would soon convene a meeting to sort out the differences. The trans-Arunachal Highway is a planned mega two-lane highway project in Arunachal Pradesh. It extends from Tawang in the western part of the state to Kanubari (Vijoynagar) in the east covering 1,559 km and touching eleven of the existing district headquarters. : Members of the Kumbakonam Bar Association went on a one day fast here today in protest against the amendments to the Advocates Act. The Association staged the fast before Gandhi Park, covering their mouths with black cloth, in protest against the recent amendments brought in the Act by the Madras High Court. The association, headed by its president M Rajasekar, demanded that the amendments be withdrawn. On May 25, Madras High Court had issued a notification making amendments to existing rules under the Act with a view to ensure peaceful conduct of court proceedings and suggesting disciplinary action to be taken against erring advocates. Madras High Court Advocates Association, Women Lawyers Association and other Bar Associations had conducted a rally on June 6, opposing the amended rules. (REOPEN SRG7) An Erode report said 300 members of the Bar Association and Advocate's Association in the district conducted a token fast in the town, demanding immediate withdrawal of the Act. They demanded that Bar Council of India (BCI) dissolve the office bearers of Tamilnadu Bar Council and sought fresh election for its office bearers. They also demanded immediate withdrawal of the show-cause notice issued to Bar Associations by BCI for boycotting courts. Chemical firm BASF India today said its parent firm has signed an agreement to acquire specialty chemicals firm Chemetall for USD 3.2 billion. Germany-based Chemetall supplies specialty chemicals which are used in surface treatment of metals and plastics. It has 2,500 employees globally and 21 production sites in more than 20 countries. In India, Chemetall has 150 employees and had reported turnover of USD 24 million in 2015 and has around 150 employees. The chemicals manufactured by Chemetall are used in automotive, aerospace, coil and metal forming. "The company has received information from its parent company BASF SE, Germany that globally BASF has signed an agreement to acquire Albemarle's global surface-treatment business of Chemetall for a purchase price of USD 3.2 billion," BASF India said in a regulatory filing. The transaction is expected to be closed by the end of this year. Products of Chemetall complements BASF's current portfolio by adding higher surface treatment business to its coating offerings, BASF India added. Disney announced a new installment in the mega-successful franchise "Frozen Northern Lights", which will be an original story spanning multimedia art forms including books and animated shorts. "It's a new story that follows Anna, Elsa, Olaf, Kristoff and, of course, Sven on an epic adventure to restore the Northern Lights," Gad explains in a newly released video. "All of the voice talent from the original film is back, this is going to be unbelievable guys!" Gad, 35, reunites with costars Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel and Jonathan Groff to restore the glimmer of the Northern Lights in a four-part animated series from the LEGO Group that will premiere on the Disney Channel in the fall, reported People magazine. "Natural phenomenon meets cultural phenomenon in this all new story, Frozen Northern Lights,'" Andrew Sugerman, executive vice president, Disney Publishing Worldwide, said in a statement. "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." The animated film, released in 2013, raked in more than USD 1.2 billion worldwide. To ensure redress of complaints regarding electricity woes, 'Bijli Samitis' comprising members of local self government institutions would be constituted in the state, the government said today. A meeting in this regard was held by Haryana Power Utilities here which was presided by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. The 'Samitis' will have 10 members, including panch, sarpanch, zila parishad members and panchayat samitis, an official statement said. They would meet once in every two months and address issues like inflated electricity bills, low voltage, defective meters, power theft, it said. The Chief Minister was informed that power department has prepared a comprehensive plan to address power cuts in Gurgaon, the statement said, adding a smart grid concept is also being implemented in a phased manner in the region. The state, at present, has an availability of 10,937 MW power capacity as against the peak demand of 9300 MW, it said. The bodies of 12 Nepalese guards who were killed in a Taliban suicide attack in Afghanistan were today flown back to Nepal in a special chartered flight. The Nepal Airlines chartered flight that landed at Tribhuvan International Airport also brought back 24 Nepalese guards who worked with the ones killed in Afghanistan, officials at Foreign Ministry said. A Taliban suicide bomber killed 12 Nepalese security guards on June 20 in a blast targeting their Kabul minibus. Nine other people were wounded, including five Nepalese and four Afghans. The Nepalese worked for private security company Sabre International to guard the Canadian embassy. Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli and Foreign Minister Kamal Thapa received the bodies at the airport. The bodies have been handed over to the family members and relatives of the victims. Nepal sent a chartered flight as otherwise the bodies had to be brought from Kabul International Airport via three connecting flights. Five other Nepalese who were injured in the attack have been airlifted to Delhi for further treatment, the officials said. Meanwhile, the Parliamentary committee on Labour and International Affairs has directed the government to provide compensation to family members of those killed in the terror attack in Kabul. British politicians today made their final pitch to a bitterly divided electorate on the eve a crucial referendum to persuade undecided voters of the merits of remaining in or leaving the 28-member EU with polls showing a razor-tight race whose outcome could shape Europe's future. In the biggest backing yet for the "Remain" camp, 1,280 business leaders, which included representatives of 51 FTSE 100 companies, signed a letter warning that Brexit - or Britain's exit from the EU - would mean "economic uncertainty and put jobs at risk". Their warning came on the last day of the four-month-long campaigning before polling booths open at 7 am local time tomorrow with the final result expected early on Friday. More than 46 million people are eligible to vote in the referendum in which people are being asked to choose whether the UK should stay in the European Union or leave in the first vote on the UK's links with Europe for more than 40 years. Opinion polls have suggested that while big business is broadly in favour of staying in the EU, small firms have been evenly split in what looks like a photo-finish with one poll showing "Remain" at 45 per cent and "Leave" 44 per cent, with 11 per cent undecided. Prime Minister David Cameron welcomed the support from top businesses as he kicked off the final hours of his campaigning, stressing that the UK enjoyed a "special status" within the EU and the "best of both worlds". Cameron, who has appeared alongside former Prime Minister John Major and former Labour leader Harriet Harman in Bristol, said that the decision will be irreversible and there will no coming back if the UK votes to leave. "You can't jump out the aeroplane and then clamber back through the cockpit hatch," he told BBC Radio 4's Today. Leaving the EU would be a "massive problem" for the UK, he said, doing "untold damage" to economic growth, jobs and family finances and hindering the opportunities and life chances of future generations. Speaking to the BBC, he said "We are not shackled to a corpse. You can see the European economy's recovery. It's the largest single market in the world. Making a personal plea to those who fear greater European control, he described himself as a "deeply patriotic person". "We have not been invaded for 1,000 years, we've got institutions that have served us well. I don't want to give that up to some sort of 'United Europe' and that's not what we're going to do. But Boris Johnson and other Leave campaigners said only a vote to leave the EU could give the UK the freedom it needs to set its own course, rejecting the economic forecasts suggesting the country would face a downturn following Brexit. The former mayor of London urged people to "believe in our country" and seize the moment. "This is a crucial time, lots of people will be making up their minds, and I hope very much they will believe in our country, believe in what we can do," Johnson said. In his closing speech, the UK Independence Party (UKIP) leader Nigel Farage said it had been a "long, lonely road" for him and his party - which has campaigned for EU exit for more than 20 years - and he believed his party's supporters would "crawl over broken glass" to vote for Brexit. He urged others yet to have made up their mind to "vote with their heart and soul", saying he wanted Britain to be a "normal country that makes its own laws and is in charge of its own destiny in the future". Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has sent a message to Labour supporters that "leaving the EU would hurt our economy - which would mean fewer jobs and less money for our NHS and other vital public services". The political climate leading up to the referendum has been unusually toxic, with both sides accusing the other of lying and making up their arguments. Last week, the country was shocked by the killing of Labour's Jo Cox, a pro-"Remain" advocate in her first term in Parliament, in her electorate in northern England. She was the first member of Parliament to be killed in office in 26 years. Brendan Cox, her widower, said that she had worried before her death about politics becoming "too tribal and unthinking." "She was very worried that the language was coarsening and people were driven to take more extreme positions," he said. Meanwhile, polling booths up and down the UK are preparing for the big day. At the close of the polls, thousands of sealed ballot boxes will be collected from schools and church halls which double up as polling stations and transported to one of 382 counting venues across the UK. In a departure from the norm, no major broadcasters have commissioned any exit polls over concerns about accuracy following the fiasco of the 2015 General Election which had wrongly predicted a hung Parliament. The resultwillbe declared by Jenny Watson, the chair of the UK's Electoral Commission and thereferendum's chief counting officer at Manchester Town Hall on Friday morning. Thunderstorms and flooding is forecast in many parts of the UK, which could affect turnout. According to pundits, the "Leave" side is expected to benefit the most from a low turnout. (Reopens FGN28) The European Union is made up of 28 countries who have come together for trade and security. It was originally set up as the European Economic Community (EEC) in 1958 with six members: Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. The EEC changed its name to the European Union (EU) in 1993. The UK had joined the EEC back in 1973. There has only been one other UK-wide referendum on the issue of EU membership, in 1975 when the country voted to stay in the European Community. The question in the ballot papers this time, with the option to answer Yes or No, will be: "Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union or leave the European Union?" Eligible voters include anyone over the age of 18 who is a British citizen resident in the UK and UK nationals who have lived abroad for less than 15 years. Citizens of Ireland, Malta and Cyprus resident in the UK can vote as can Commonwealth citizens resident in the UK and Gibraltar, including Indians. Singapore must ensure the rights of its gay citizens if it wants to keep its reputation as a global business hub, Human Rights Watch said today, after the country warned foreign firms not to sponsor LGBT events. Earlier this month the conservative city-state warned Google, Facebook and Goldman Sachs not to interfere in its internal affairs after they and other multinational corporations sponsored an annual gay rights rally. The New York-based rights watchdog said in an open letter to Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam that the admonition against the sponsors "encourages discrimination" against gays. The group said the warning was a "threat to the fundamental rights of all Singaporeans, and is a stain on your country's reputation as a welcome home for international business". "Human Rights Watch urges you to swiftly reverse course, repudiate your statement, and end efforts to restrict LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) Singaporeans in exercising their rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly, free from discrimination and intimidation," it said. The annual gay rights rally known as Pink Dot was held in Singapore on June 4 and backed by multinational firms that also included Twitter, BP, Barclays and J P Morgan. Singapore's home affairs ministry issued a statement three days later warning that it would "take steps to make it clear that foreign entities should not fund, support or influence such events". "The Government's general position has always been that foreign entities should not interfere in our domestic issues, especially political issues or controversial social issues with political overtones," the ministry said. "These are political, social or moral choices for Singaporeans to decide for ourselves. LGBT issues are one such example," it added. In a later statement, the ministry said no action would be taken against this year's sponsors. Singapore's leaders have had to maintain an uncomfortable balance between increasingly vocal conservatives and gay rights supporters. In 2014, Singapore's top court upheld the law criminalising sex between men. And, earlier this month, producers of a local staging of the musical Les Miserables were forced to cut a scene showing a kiss between two male actors because of public complaints. In an interview with journalists last year, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said the country was not ready to legalise same-sex marriage, but added that the local gay community was not harassed or discriminated against. The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi was today apprised of an agreement between India and Germany on technology resourcing in manufacturing, including sub-segments of capital goods sector. "The MoU will provide a platform to various public sector undertakings and capital goods sector units to have an easy access to capabilities and expertise of Steinbeis GmbH for identifying and plugging technology gaps," an official statement said. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed with Steinbeis GmbH Co. KG on April 25 during the Industrial Exhibition Hannover Messe 2016, in Germany. Steinbeis GmbH is a leading organisation for applied industrial research in Europe. It will act as a Technology Resource Partner for implementing identified projects in manufacturing. The field of cooperation envisaged in the MoU are profiling of specific technologies; technology road mapping for specified capital goods sub-sectors; assessment of technology status of capital goods cluster. Besides, the MoU calls for cooperation in events on technology; and upgrading existing technology institutes/setting up Greenfield institutes in India and other technology related co-operation and collaboration. The MoU is a framework instrument to facilitate industrial technology projects by Indian Capital Goods Sector. Gearing up for the biggest auction of mobile phone radiowaves in the country, government today cleared sale of spectrum in seven frequencies estimated to be worth about Rs 5.6 lakh crore. The auction will help operators augment expansion of high-speed 4G voice and data services in the world's second largest mobile phone market by users after China. "This may be the largest ever auction in history of the country. It has been approved," Finance Minister Arun Jaitley told reporters after the meeting of the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He however did not give timelines for the auction. Spectrum will be sold in the following bands: 700 Mhz, 800 Mhz, 900 Mhz, 1800 Mhz, 2100 Mhz, 2300 Mhz and 2500 MHz. Jaitley said the government has decided to refer back to the sectoral regulator TRAI the issue of spectrum usage charge (SUC) paid by operators. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) had proposed a 3 per cent of annual revenue of operators as SUC, a recommendation that inter-ministerial panel Telecom Commission also backed. However, the government's chief law officer Mukul Rohatgi opined against hiking SUC for broadband wireless access (BWA) providers such as Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Jio Infocomm from the current 1 per cent. Jaitley said opinion of TRAI will be taken again as AG opinion came later. Sources said TRAI is likely to give its recommendation in one month. In the upcoming auction, more than 2,300 MHz of airwaves will be on the block for telecom operators in seven bands -- 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1,800 MHz, 2,100 MHz, 2,300 MHz and 2,500 MHz. Of the Rs 5.66 lakh crore expected from the auction, the government would get Rs 64,000 crore this fiscal as part of staggered payment schedule. Another Rs 98,995 crore would come from various levies and services in the telecom sector. The government had got Rs 1.1 lakh crore from sale of spectrum in March 2015. Lock-in period for trading in spectrum won under the auction has been reduced to 1 year from 3 years at present, a move that will encourage consolidation in the telecom industry. TRAI had recommended a pan-India reserve price of Rs 2,873 crore for spectrum in 1,800 MHz band; Rs 3,341 crore for 900 MHz; Rs 5,819 crore for 800 MHz; Rs 3,746 crore for 2,100 MHz; Rs 11,485 crore for 700 MHz and Rs 817 crore each for 2,300 MHz and 2,500 MHz bands. "The appetite for India's telecom sector is very big," Communications and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said when asked if such a large auction will evoke the kind of interest which the government is hoping for. Trai has recommended SUC at a uniform rate of 3 per cent across the industry and gradually bringing it to 1 per cent. The premium 700 Mhz band is to be auctioned at a reserve or base price of Rs 11,485 crore per Mhz. The cost of delivering mobile services in this band is estimated to be around 70 per cent lower than 2100 Mhz band, used for providing 3G services. A company interested in buying spectrum in 700 Mhz band will need to shell out a minimum of Rs 57,425 crore for a block of 5 Mhz on pan-India basis. This band alone has the potential to fetch bids worth over Rs 4 lakh crore. The total potential revenue of Rs 5.66 lakh crore from the spectrum sale is more than double of telecom services industry gross revenue of Rs 2.54 lakh crore reported in 2014-15. (REOPEN DEL 69) The process to seek Trai view is expected to delay auction which the Department of Telecom wanted to start in July. According to official sources, the issue of SUC should be finalised within a month after which spectrum auction will be held. The Telecom Commission has suggested stringent payment conditions as compared to liberal method suggested by Trai. The panel has favoured that companies winning spectrum in higher frequency bands -- above 1 Ghz like 1800 Mhz, 2100 Mhz, 2300 Mhz -- should make 50 per cent upfront payment and the rest in ten years after a 2-year moratorium. In earlier auctions, companies were given option to make 33 per cent upfront payment. For spectrum below 1 Ghz band such as 700 Mhz, 800 Mhz, 900 Mhz, companies will require to pay 25 per cent upfront and rest in ten years after a 2-year moratorium. It is in line with practice of earlier auctions but differs from Trai suggestion. Prime Minister David Cameron today made a last-minute plea to British voters not to give up the "best of both worlds" by voting to remain in the 28-nation EU, a day before a crucial 'Brexit' referendum with polls showing a razor-tight race whose outcome could shape Europe's future. In the biggest backing yet for the "Remain" camp, 1,280 business leaders, which included representatives of 51 FTSE 100 companies, signed a letter warning that Brexit - or Britain's exit from the EU - would mean "economic uncertainty and put jobs at risk". Their warning came on the last official day of campaigning before polling booths open at 7 am local time tomorrow with the final result expected early on Friday. Opinion polls have suggested that while big business is broadly in favour of staying in the EU, small firms have been evenly split in what looks like a photo-finish with one poll showing "Remain" at 45 per cent and "Leave" 44 per cent, with 11 per cent undecided. But the 'Britain Stronger in Europe' (Remain) camp described today's letter as "unprecedented" as it included around 900 small businesses, ranging from a salt maker in Anglesey, dairy farmers in Devon, printers in Antrim and whisky distilleries in the Scottish Highlands. Their letter reads, "Britain leaving the EU would mean uncertainty for our firms, less trade with Europe and fewer jobs. Britain remaining in the EU would mean the opposite - more certainty, more trade and more jobs. EU membership is good for business and good for British jobs. That's why, on 23 June, we back Britain remaining in the EU". Cameron welcomed the support as he kicked off the final hours of his campaigning, stressing that the UK enjoyed a "special status" within the EU and the "best of both worlds". Speaking to the BBC, he said "We are not shackled to a corpse. You can see the European economy's recovery. It's the largest single market in the world. "The idea you have to choose between being a success in the European single market of 500 million and campaigning to have jobs and wealth created by trading with other economies - you don't have to choose, you should do both. "We're in that single market, we're driving that single market, there are lots of things that Britain can help Europe to achieve - whether it's tackling terrorism or signing better trade deals in the future - but we have our own special status protected," he said. Making a personal plea to those who fear greater European control, he described himself as a "deeply patriotic person". "We have not been invaded for 1,000 years, we've got institutions that have served us well. I don't want to give that up to some sort of 'United Europe' and that's not what we're going to do. "We're out of the euro, out of ever-closer union, we're proud Brits and really proud of what our country can achieve, but, frankly, we achieve more if we're in these organisations fighting for British interests and British values rather than standing outside for them," Cameron said. His latest appeal came a day after a hastily organised doorstep statement outside his 10, Downing Street office when BBC also wrapped up its last major "Great Debate" on the issue at Wembley Stadium Arena in London. It saw Vote Leave's star campaigner - former London mayor Boris Johnson - clash with his successor Sadiq Khan and Scottish Conservative colleague Ruth Davidson. Johnson declared in his closing statement that Thursday could become "our country's Independence Day", adding, "The ideal position for us is to take back control tomorrow - of huge amounts of money, so we can spend it on our priorities. Take back control of our immigration system, take back control - fundamentally - of our democracy. Khan, who broke his Ramadan fast during the debate, accused his predecessor of changing his mind over the benefits of the EU to businesses. "The problem is this, Boris. You might start off by saying how wonderful immigration is. But your campaign hasn't been Project Fear, it's been Project Hate as far as immigration is concerned," he told Johnson. Meanwhile, polling booths up and down the UK are preparing for the big day. Though voting willclose at 10 pm UK time tomorrow, the future of Britain's relationship with the EU willnot be known until at least nine or 10 hours later, at around 7 am local time on Friday. At the close of the polls, thousands of sealed ballot boxes will be collected from schools and church halls which double up as polling stations and transported to one of 382 counting venues across the UK. In a departure from the norm, no major broadcasters have commissioned any exit polls over concerns about accuracy following the fiasco of the 2015 General Election which had wrongly predicted a hung Parliament. The resultwillbe declared by Jenny Watson, the chair of the UK's Electoral Commission and thereferendum's chief counting officer at Manchester Town Hall on Friday morning. Thunderstorms and flooding is forecast in many parts of the UK, which could affect turnout. According to pundits, the "Leave" side is expected to benefit the most from a low turnout. A state-of-the-art centre to conduct research on medical benefits of yoga was inaugurated at the AIIMS today as part of the government's emphasis on yoga and traditional systems of medicine. "This is an initiative in the quest for integration of India's ancient and traditional medical practices with allopathy and to conduct an evidence-based research. The centre will also seek scientific validation of our ancient medicine systems with a focus on Yoga," Union Minister of Health J P Nadda said after inaugurating the centre. "The national centre at the premier institute of the country shall be dedicated to research, documentation and delivery of holistic healthcare," he said, adding this step shall witness an integrated approach to healthcare, where the focus shifts from "treatment" to "well-being and prevention" of diseases. The centre will provide a potent platform for integrating the contemporary allopathy with the benefits of traditional knowledge in healthcare such as yoga and Ayurveda. "The government has placed a significant emphasis on yoga and traditional systems of medicine and the establishment of the integrative centre is a major step forward in the government's efforts to promote yoga as an integrative discipline," Nadda said. The centre has been designed as a perfect platform for rigorous research to establish the efficacy of traditional methods of healing, which in turn should pave the way for their greater international scientific acceptability, he said. Noting that such studies were already underway in foreign universities, Nadda said AIIMS is now attempting to drive this effort in the country through the establishment of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). AIIMS has also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Swami Vivekananda Yoga Anusandhana Samsthana (S-VYASA), a deemed university, for technical support in yoga and Ayurveda. Ayurveda and yoga specialists will come to the centre to offer their expertise to run joint trial in research. Speaking at the event, Dr H R Nagendra, Chancellor, of the Bengaluru-based varsity noted that evidence through research has demonstrated that traditional practices of India have been effective in preventing and controlling several diseases. "The centre shall be the first of its kind in the country combining, research, education and healthcare delivery. This will help to rationally translate the thousands of years old science into a scientific practice that can be used for the well-being of the human kind," he said. The centre is spread over 4,000-sq-ft on the seventh storey of the 10-storey Convergence block at AIIMS and is divided into gargantuan yoga studio with wooden flooring and an Ayurveda and Naturopathy therapy centre. "All the departments will be asked to participate in the comparative research. Rehabilitation of patients who have suffered from a stroke or a heart attack will be studied at the centre. Apart from this therapy of patients with respiratory illnesses including asthma will be addressed. Patient's consent will be taken before they are enrolled in the study," said Dr M C Mishra, Director, AIIMS. The launch of the centre comes just a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for making yoga even more popular globally. A Chinese court has jailed a former top executive in one of the country's largest state-owned conglomerates for 10 years for bribery and embezzlement, officials said, amid a corruption probe into its parent. Wang Yujun, former president of Hong Kong blue-chip stock China Resources Power, was sentenced last week by a court in the eastern province of Jiangsu, local prosecutors said on their website. Wang accepted bribes worth more than 427 million yuan (USD 64 million) between 2005 and 2013, they yesterday cited the court as saying. Chinese President Xi Jinping has targeted the country's sprawling state-owned companies in a much-publicised anti-graft drive since assuming power in 2012. The ruling Communist party said last year that Song Lin, the chairman of the firm's parent conglomerate China Resources, would be removed from all his official posts for taking bribes and committing adultery. China Resources, a Fortune magazine Global 500 company in 2013, has five listed units in Hong Kong, with utility China Resources Power -- a constituent of the benchmark Hang Seng Index with a market capitalisation of USD 7 billion -- considered the flagship. An investigation into Wang was announced in 2014. In an apparent climb down, China today said it will play a "constructive" role in the discussions on India's bid for membership of the 48-member NSG but at the same maintained that the issue was not on the agenda of the NSG meeting in Seoul. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said that NSG members had three rounds of unofficial discussions on the entry of India and Pakistan into the grouping. "China hopes to discuss further this issue and will play a constructive role in the discussions," she said. "Although parties are yet to see eye-to-eye on this issue, such discussions help them better understand each other," she said. At the same time, Hua said the entry of India and Pakistan is not on the agenda of the NSG grouping's meeting in Seoul. "Deliberation on the entry of specific countries is on the agenda of the Seoul Plenary meeting. However, it is worth noting that the NSG Plenary meeting in Seoul is only to deliberate on the entry of members who signed the NPT," she said. "As for the entry of non-NPT countries, the group has never put that on its meeting agenda. Based on what we have at hand, the agenda of this year's Seoul Plenary Meeting circulated by the Chair does not include this issue either," she said. The NSG has never put the entry application of the non-NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty) countries on its agenda, so it makes no sense to say that discussions are blocked, Hua said. "It is true that all parties attach great importance to the entry of non-NPT countries," she said. The Chinese Foreign Ministry has been singing 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. China yesterday 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. The US, which has been supporting India's NSG bid, has said New Delhi is "ready" for and asked participating governments to support its application at the plenary session of NSG in Seoul. China today continued to make ambivalent statements on India's bid for NSG membership amid clear indications that it was unrelenting in its opposition. Clubbing India and Pakistan once again, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said members of the 48-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group have had three round of unofficial discussions on the membership of the two countries. China is seeking to equate India with its impeccable non-proliferation record with that of Pakistan for which it is batting. But Beijing maintained that the entry of the two countries was not on the agenda of the two-day NSG plenary in the South Korean capital Seoul starting tomorrow. India's Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar will be in Seoul but a breakthrough on India's entry is unlikely. Pakistan yesterday claimed that it had successfully blocked India's bid for NSG membership, and China's clubbing of the two countries is seen as a ploy to block New Delhi. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying also underlined the differences within NSG members, saying "parties are yet to see eye-to-eye on this issue". On it's part Beijing will play a constructive role in the discussions, she said. Accusing the US of playing "extremely destructive role" by wading into the South China Sea dispute, a flagship Chinese daily today said Washington has "chosen a wrong opponent" to make forays into the region and Beijing will not let Washington "have its way". "Conveying a so-called message about security through the exhibition of military might and furthermore describing the events as an act of deterrence is something that the US has done far too many times," the ruling Communist Party's official mouthpiece 'People's Daily' said in a commentary. "Regardless of how many times it may have gone smoothly in other parts of the world the US has chosen the wrong opponent by selecting China for this type of game. Behind all of this is lack of patience and brassy moves and it also reveals a nature of hegemony beneath the surface," it said. "Statements from high ranking officials in the US military as well as the aircraft carrier drills themselves once again demonstrate that the US is definitely not a regional security safeguard, and instead precisely a trouble maker. In the regard of the South China Sea issue, the US is playing an extremely destructive role," it said. "China will continue to maintain strict supervision of the sea area conditions and will take appropriate measures should there be any incidences, and defend against the occurrence of situations that harm Chinese territorial sovereignty or security benefits," it said. China will not let other countries have their way with their temper or to act arbitrarily regardless of the rules in the regard of South China Sea stability, it warned. China is locked up in a maritime dispute with Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan over the South China Sea. The resource-rich South China Sea is the main maritime link between the Pacific and Indian ocean, giving it enormous trade and military value. The sea connects East Asia with Europe and the Middle East and over USD 5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes through the sea annually. Beijing is concerned over US backing the smaller states to challenge China to assert their rights. "The United States is a country outside the territory of the South China Sea, coming from one side of the Pacific Ocean all the way to the other side of the Pacific Ocean to demonstrate their military power is for the purpose of intensifying the situation and to provoke disturbances and break peaceful stability and then to fish in troubled water and make an effort to maintain hegemony thereat at all costs. "This deceitful business is despised in the regard of international law, and it is also harmful to the security benefits of the country," it said. Describing BJP MP Subramanian Swamy's remarks against Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian as "noise" in a democracy, industry body CII's President Naushad Forbes today said people should not judge India on the basis of a politician's "outlandish" statements. Calling Arvind "as one of the finest brains" among economists, officials of Confederation of Indian Industry said as a vibrant economy, India must welcome talent from all parts of the world and underscored that government would have taken into consideration all issues before appointing him as the Chief Economic Advisor. "If you are asking me about his tweets, I would describe Subramanian Swamy as the noise in our noisy democracy. It is a part of vibrancy of our democracy that you hear all kinds of statements and frankly you should not judge India on the basis of any politician's outlandish statements," Forbes told reporters here. After attacking RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan, who has said no to a second term as the central bank's head, the BJP leader has now trained his guns on Arvind Subramanian and demanded his sacking. Swamy tweeted that it is Arvind Subramanian who encouraged Congress to become rigid on GST (Goods and Services Tax) clauses, apparently referring to CEA panel recommendations on GST. In his second tweet, he had alleged that Subramanian had encouraged the US Congress to act against India to defend the interests of US Pharmaceutical companies. Forbes said since India's is the most robust economy in the world, it is necessary to welcome talents from various parts of the world. "In terms of this particular issue, I think every country benefits from attracting talent from everywhere, and we are the most vibrant economy in the world. I repeat, we must welcome talent. We must make talent comfortable and get the best out of it," he said. Commenting on one of the tweets seeking Subramanian's sacking, CII Director General Chandrajit Banerjee said he has not gone into the details of Swamy's allegations, but the industry's experience with him had been good. Banerjee said "Subramanian's report on GST itself answers a big part of the question, and his comments on different points of history about Indian economy needs to be seen in perspective." "We have been working very closely with him and we have seen that he is one of the finest brains as far as an economist is concerned," he said. Reacting to the second tweet by Swamy, Forbes said the government would have taken these things into consideration before appointing him as the Chief Economic Advisor. Colombia's government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrilla force have agreed on a definitive ceasefire, taking one of the last steps towards ending Latin America's longest civil war. The announcement heralds an end to a half-century conflict that has killed hundreds of thousands of people in the jungles of the major cocaine-producing country. "We have successfully reached an agreement for a definitive bilateral ceasefire and end to hostilities," the two sides said in a joint statement yesterday. FARC commander Carlos Lozada tweeted: "On Thursday, June 23, we will announce the last day of the war." The deal resolves one of the final points in peace talks between the government and the FARC, the country's biggest rebel group. The deal is to be formally announced Thursday at a ceremony with Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos and FARC commander Timoleon Jimenez. The statement said that foreign leaders and officials, including UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, would attend. Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said this week that he hopes to seal a full peace deal by July 20. "Tomorrow will be a great day!" he wrote on Twitter. "We are working for a Colombia at peace, a dream that is starting to become a reality," he added. The Colombian conflict started as a rural uprising in the 1960s. It has drawn in various leftist rebel groups, right-wing paramilitaries and drug gangs over the decades. The violence has left 260,000 people dead, 45,000 missing and nearly seven million displaced, according to official figures. Human rights groups say that atrocities have been committed on all sides. Many families are still searching for missing loved ones. The accord covers "the laying-down of arms, security guarantees and the fight against the criminal organisations" accused of fuelling the conflict, the statement said. "This means the end of the longest and most bloody conflict in the western hemisphere and a new opportunity to bet on democracy," said Angelika Rettberg, a conflict resolution specialist at the University of the Andes. The means of implementation of a final peace deal remain to be settled. Santos's government wants a referendum to put the seal of popular approval on the peace. Peace talks have been underway in Havana since 2012. They got a boost when the FARC declared a unilateral ceasefire a year ago. The Marxist guerrilla group then agreed to remove child soldiers from its ranks. Provisional accords have been signed on compensating victims and fighting the drug trade that fuels the conflict. Congress today demanded arrest of Ravindra Chavan, a BJP MLA from Dombivali, who was purportedly seen in a video using analogy of pigs while talking about "uplift of the dalits." The remarks of Chavan showed the mindset of the ruling BJP, party spokesman P L Punia told reporters. He said it was "shameful" that the government as also the BJP have failed to react. A video, has gone viral on the social media, purportedly showing Chavan using analogy of pigs while talking about "uplift of Dalits" at an event in neighbouring Thane district on June 17. Chavan had allegedly cited the example of Abraham Lincoln narrating a story where the US President 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 had said. Punia, who also heads the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, said he has sought a report from the DGP, Maharashtra as also Commissioner of Police, Thane including the action taken in the matter. Maharashtra unit of Congress today accused the ruling BJP of posting plainclothes policemen to spy on a party meeting in Pune. "'Modi model', which BJP has been practising in Gujarat, is being replicated here....When a meeting of Congress's district level committee was being held in Pune on June 19, plainclothes policemen were loitering there. When asked they said they were there on the orders of seniors," said Sachin Sawant, state Congress spokesperson, here. "Policemen won't be involved in such an act unless they have the backing of those in power. We are now wondering if our phones are also being tapped by the government," he said, demanding a clarification from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. BJP leader Ashish Shelar dismissed the allegation saying that spying was not BJP's "culture", while Congress had indulged in anti-democratic actions many times since Independence, such as during the Emergency. The opposition party should provide evidence before making such allegations, he added. Congress has targeted the ruling BJP in Rajasthan over its MLAs' alleged use of abusive language, threats and display of political arrogance while conducting themselves. Rajasthan Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria is the latest addition to the list of BJP MLAs courting controversy after he allegedly abused former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh though he was prompt to issue an apology. PCC President Sachin Pilot, former chief minister Ashok Gehlot and senior legislator Pradhuman Singh have condemned the use of such language and conduct shown by the BJP MLAs who for one reason or other were embroiled in controversies for over a year despite condemnation from the party's state leadership. Apart from Kataria, there are at least eight other BJP legislators who have courted controversies for allegedly badmouthing, abusing, threatening and showing political arrogance to public servants, journalist or Congress leaders. One of them was even allegedly involved in attacking a social activist in the constituency of Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje. "BJP MLAs are continuously using such criminal language. They are elected public representatives and they cannot use this kind of language. They have been exposed among people and the party should take action against them," Pilot told PTI. "The conduct of an MLA or any other pubic representative should be decent. Public watch every single move and the language of course, so everyone should be careful," senior Congress legislator Pradhyumn Singh said. He said if a legislator uses such language inside the House, it can be expunged from the proceedings as this is in the purview of the Speaker but if any member speaks something outside the house, it is for himself and for the party to look into. "If any changes in the rule is done in this regard, it will be welcomed," he said. Former Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot also condemned the conduct and abusive language used by the BJP MLAs. However, Assembly Speaker Kailash Meghwal refused to comment on the issue. BJP State president Ashok Parnami said the party disapproves any the use of any abusive or objectionable language. "I express disapproval of such language, which should be discouraged. Action against one MLA was taken while cases of others were not taken up because nothing was proved," Parnami said. (Reopens DES 38) The name of BJP MLAs whose names have popped up are Anita Singh, Prahlad Gunjal, Ashok Dogra, Dharmpal Choudhary, Kanwar Lal Meena, Kailash Choudhary, Gyan Dev Ahuja and Jagat Singh with Kataria being the latest name in the list. On Sunday, Kataria allegedly hurled abuse at former prime minister Manmohan Singh while addressing party workers in Churu district. Later, he apologised for his comments. "I haven't said anything against Manmohan Singh with wrong intention. If anybody has been hurt, I express regret," he tweeted. Kataria is the only leader who was quite prompt to express apology for his statement. The first instance of a BJP leader allegedly using foul language came to light when a purported audio clip of Prahlad Gunjal in which he was heard using abusive language surfaced in December 2014. He was subsequently suspended from the party but it later revoked after he expressed regret over the incident. Except Gunjal, party took no action against any other BJP leader. Kota (North) MLA Prahlad Gunjal had allegedly threatened a CMHO in Kota for not appointing his close man to a desired place whereas in another case, Nagar MLA Anita Singh allegedly threatened a BDO for not reporting to her after joining. Bundi MLA Ashok Dogra allegedly abused and threatened an engineer of the Electricity Department while Mundawar MLA Dharmpal Choudhary allegedly hurled abuses at a journalist for publishing a story against him. Purported audio clips in which these four MLAs were heard speaking in abusing language or threatening people went viral on WhatsApp. Another instance of BJP MLA stoking controversy over use of derogatory language was when Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi was called a traitor by Baytoo MLA Kailash Choudhary. He said Gandhi should be hanged and shot for joining the 'anti-national' protest in Jawaharlal Nehru University. In another controversial statement, Ramgarh MLA Gyan Dev Ahuja alleged that those studying in JNU of indulging in "illicit" activities as condoms, empty bottles of liquor and cigarette butts were found in the campus and also targeted Gandhi for siding with the "anti-national elements". Aklera MLA Kanwar Lal Meena allegedly attacked a group of social activists working for Aruna Roy in Jhalawar district. The activists lodged an FIR against him and staged a dharna repeatedly to demanded his arrest but it did not happen. Kaman MLA Jagat Singh, son of former union minister Natwar Singh, in a meeting in Bharatpur allegedly assured his support to locals involved in mining and transport irrespective of the work being legal or illegal. In a video clip, he was purportedly seen saying that he has asked the CM that she should not pay attention to such aspects. Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma today denounced the Modi government's decision to allow 100% sector by easing norms, saying the Prime Minister was working under pressure from the US and his party would oppose it in Parliament. "The Congress government had allowed with a pre-condition that it would be for state-of-the-art-technology but the present government has eased the conditions. The Prime Minister is working under pressure from the United States. This is not in the country's interest and Congress would oppose it in Parliament," he said. "The Reserve Bank of India would issue a notification under FEMA on easing FDI norms which would be ratified by Parliament and Congress would oppose it at that stage," he said. Sharma questioned "on what basis BJP was celebrating its two years in office when over the last two years, FDI saw a decline, exports gone down, industrial production fell and the government miserably failed to generate employment". He accused the Modi government of unleashing a "political vendetta" against Congress, trying to destabilise Congress' governments in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand and toppling the party-led government in Arunachal Pradesh in a bid to accomplish its agenda of a 'Congress-free India'". "The NDA government is totally insensitive towards the agriculture sector. Farmers are committing suicides, but instead of visiting the affected villages, the Modi government is busy celebrating its achievements, which are nowhere visible on the ground," he said. Asked about his party's stand on GST, Sharma said, "Such issues should be resolved with the consent of all parties and not by vote." Replying to another query, he said he was not in run for post of the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh. The Madras High Court today asked Tamil Nadu government to file a detailed report on the postmortem and other details of the elephant 'Maharaj' which died in captivity at a camp in Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) last night. An interim direction to this effect was issued by the first bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice R Mahadevan when a mention was made by counsel for a PIL petitioner who had moved the courton Mondayto stop the authorities from tranquilising and trapping the free-roaming animal in the wild. The jumbo, which caused extensive panic and destruction around Madhukkarai region in Coimbatore district for the past one year and killed three persons, caught public attention after forest authorities decided to capture and convert it into a camp elephant in a sanctuary. However, on June 17, conservationistPrema Veeraraghavan filed a PIL to restrain Chief Wildlife Warden or anyone from in any manner capturing, taming, tranquilising or harming the elephant. Instead, she wanted the court to order authorities to systematically study man-elephant conflict in forest areas and take steps for mitigation and for making the area safe for settlers through alternative methods like making concrete trenches, maintaining fences and other methods suggested by wildlife experts. The PIL, however, was listed for hearing onlyfor June 20, when the authorities informed the court that the elephant had already been captured and sent to Varakaliyur camp in Top Slip, about 60 KMs from Coimbatore, with the help of four kumkis (trained and tamed elephants). Responding to the PIL-petitioner's apprehension that officials may endeavour to keep the elephant in captivity rather than translocate it as per the requirement of the second proviso to Section 11(a) of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, the government had told the court that all norms had been followed during the capture and transportation. Belying the assurance, however, the pachyderm died while in forest department custodyyesterday. A mention was made of the episodetoday before the first bench and the government said the postmortem of the animal was scheduled to be done by government veterinarians and that the entire process would be video-taped too. "We will keep the court informed of the development after postmortem, Additional Advocate General P H Arvindh Pandian told the court. Taking note of the submission, the bench said once it is over, a report should be filed in court. No date was fixed for submission of the report. In a move that may trigger further tussle between the Centre and AAP dispensation, Delhi BJP has registered a complaint with ACB accusing the Kejriwal government of indulging in corruption in contract of High Security Number Plates, a charge denied by it. Two senior BJP leaders including national secretary R P Singh and Harish Khurana recently complained to the Anti- Corruption Branch (ACB) regarding the alleged "scam" in the HSNP project. The complaint claimed a contract between Delhi government's Transport Department and a private company was "terminated" after which the company went into arbitration but it was allowed to issue the number plates "under the garb of arbitration". "The two committees formed by Delhi government in 2014 and 2015 had found various irregularities such as procurement of the plates from unapproved source and overcharging but the company was allowed to issue the registration plates under the garb of arbitration," Khurana alleged. Rubbishing allegations of irregularities, the AAP government said in January 2014, the then Transport Minister Sourabh Bhardwaj had formed a three-member fact-finding committee. On the basis of the committee's report, the AAP government had terminated the contract with the company in February 2014, said a senior government official. Singh alleged in his complaint that the scam was to the tune of Rs 300 crore. "It is a more than Rs 300 cr number plate scam involving Kejriwal govt. Let ACB enquire into my complaint?" he said in a tweet. "False, frivolous, baseless and unsubstantiated allegations and complaints are being run against Rosmerta HSRP Ventures Pvt. Ltd at the behest of its competitors in business with a view to stifle competition in implementation of HSRP Projects," the company said in a statement. It further claimed that the Ttribunal in its order on May 21 this year had restrained the Delhi government from taking any "final action" without its permission. On January 12, the Transport Department had written to ACB recommending an FIR against the company in connection with alleged irregularities, the government official said. Another government official said the transport department had told the tribunal that if contract is cancelled, it would issue temporary ordinary number plates to the vehicles. "We received a complaint from Delhi government in January and initiated probe into the matter," ACB chief M K Meena said. Delhi BJP president Satish Upadhyay has said that the government should "immediately clarify" its position on the high security vehicle registration plate alleged "scam". "It appears to be an economic scam but it is also connected with the security of Delhi and the country. Hence itis necessary that Delhi government should immediately clarify its position on it," he said. Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray are on course for a Wimbledon final showdown after being confirmed as the top two seeds for the grass-court Grand Slam. World No. 1 Djokovic and second ranked Murray will be seeded in those positions, All England Club officials announced today, meaning they can't meet until the final as they will be placed at opposite ends of Friday's draw. Djokovic is bidding to win Wimbledon for the fourth time and third year in a row as the Serb chases a rare calendar Grand Slam. Murray is aiming to win his third Grand Slam title and his first since he beat Djokovic in the 2013 Wimbledon final to become the first British male singles champion at the All England Club for 77 years. The Scot has lost 13 of his last 15 matches against Djokovic, including this year's Australian and French Open finals, but he has won their last two meetings on grass and is in fine form after lifting the Queen's Club title for a record fifth time last week. If the world's top two make the Wimbledon title match it would be a record-equalling eighth Grand Slam final between them. Djokovic has defeated Roger Federer in the last two Wimbledon finals and the Swiss legend will be seeded third in his bid for a record eighth Wimbledon title. Federer, a 17-time Grand Slam winner, hasn't won a major title since lifting the Wimbledon trophy in 2012 and has endured an injury-plagued year that saw him miss the French Open. Federer's compatriot Stan Wawrinka is seeded fourth and Japan's Kei Nishikori is the fifth seed. World number 10 Richard Gasquet has been moved up to the seventh seeding after reaching the Wimbledon semi-finals last year, while 2014 US Open champion Marin Cilic is lifted from a world ranking of 13 to a seeding of ninth. Defending champion Serena Williams will be top seed in the women's draw as the American looks to equal Steffi Graf's Open era record by sealing a 22nd Grand Slam triumph. Williams, who has won Wimbledon six times, has failed at the last hurdle in her last two major tournaments, enduring surprise defeats at the Australian and French Open finals this year. The world number one's conqueror at Roland Garros, Spain's Garbine Muguruza, is seeded second with Poland's Agnieszka Radwanska, the 2012 Wimbledon runner-up, named as the third seed. Johanna Konta is the first British female to be seeded at Wimbledon since Jo Durie in 1984. The 25-year-old's ranking has shot up from 146th to 18th and she was named as the 17th seed following her shock run to the Australian Open semi-finals in January. Seedings at Wimbledon, which starts on Monday, are determined using a combination of a player's ranking points and their results in grass-court matches. In his three-films old career, Vicky Kaushal is already being touted as the new poster-boy of independent cinema but the actor says he wants to stay away from such labels because they are limiting. He made an impressive debut as Deepak in "Masaan" and his turn as a man on a self-discovery journey in "Zubaan" cemented his standing as an able actor. The 28-year-old star says it's the audience who has categorised him in a certain type but for him, he is just an excited performer who wants to keep exploring different characters as he grows in the industry. "The moment I start categorising myself, I will start limiting myself as an actor. I don't know what I am capable of as of now. I did not know I could play Deepak in 'Masaan' or do 'Zubaan'... And that's how I want to keep it. When you are not sure if you can do a film, then you feel excited as a performer," Vicky told PTI in an interview. The actor says audience's perception is something that he would like to break with every film. "I want them to believe in an image and then break it. I want to create an image and then break it. I don't mind the perception of being an indie actor though because it means 'Masaan' stayed with them. It's a compliment." Vicky is ready to surprise his fans again with Anurag Kashyap's crime-thriller "Raman Raghav 2.0", where he is ditching his romantic, boy-next-door image by playing a troubled cop. "That is a deliberate effort from my end. Whatever I do, should surprise me and the audience and I want that with every film people should feel 'What is he upto now?'." Vicky says it was a huge deal for him that a director of Kashyap's stature had shown trust in him. "I feel very fortunate that in my third film, I am playing a character like this and a director like Anurag Kashyap has shown trust in me. It means a huge deal... I also had to push myself as far as I could to portray this role. Vicky, who started his career as an assistant director on Kashyap's "Gangs of Wasseypur", has known the filmmaker since he was 12. The actor says Kashyap wasn't initially sure that he would be able to pull off the complicated character. "Anurag sir told me he had three-four actors on his mind and I was last on his list so he wanted me to audition for it. The reason he was skeptical because he knows me inside out and nothing in my life comes close to Raghav." But the director believed in his capabilities as an actor and was surprised to see Vicky finally transform into the drug-snorting cop that was needed for the movie. Losing on sleep, locking himself up in a room for days and detaching himself from family and friends were few of the things that Vicky had to follow to get into the skin of Raghav. This is why, the actor was more than happy to get rid of the character once the film was over. "When you play a character like Deepak in 'Masaan', you want to stay in that space for as long as possible because he is such an endearing person. So, it becomes more difficult to move out of it. You start enjoying it and it becomes difficult to clean your slate. "With a character like Raghav, it's so complex that you don't enjoy being in that space. It takes a toll on you because it's not you. You want to get out of it." Also starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui, "Raman Raghav 2.0" releases this Friday. Israel has allowed private companies to use drones to locate stolen cars, providing them capabilities that were till now limited to the security forces, according to a media report. Ituran, a company that provides tracking and protection services for vehicles has successfully employed drones to locate stolen car in the past few weeks, web portal Ynet reported. Drones are now providing the largest stolen car tracking companies in Israel with capabilities that were till now limited to the security forces. These companies can use drones in locating the stolen cars in orchards and non-residential areas until law enforcement reaches the scene. They will also employ them to locate stolen vehicles that cross the green line into the Palestinian areas, the report said. Ituran is said to have recovered a stolen Buick Lacrosse last week from the West Bank town of Tulkarem under the Palestinian Authority. Company employees reportedly first used the drone to locate the car in the Palestinian city and then traveled there with Israel Defence Forces and loaded the car onto a tow truck. "Drones constitute an additional force in the war on car theft," Oded Paz, Ituran's head of Operational Systems, told the portal. Israel has seen a downward trend in the number of cars stolen since the beginning of this year. According to police data, 5,400 cars were stolen between January and May, a decrease of 19 per cent compared to the same period in 2015. School board exams began as early as mid-March leading to extended summer holidays for Indian travellers in 2016 which went on till July, according to a survey by Thomas Cook India. "A unique trend specific to Summer 2016 was an extended summer across source markets. Typically, India's peak summer travel season for west and south India covers April and May. "However, this year saw demand extending to June and July, courtesy varying vacation periods across school boards -- starting as early as mid-March. This has seen cascading demand into June, July and August," said the '2016 Indian Summer Travel Report Card' (ISTRC'16). Key markets such as Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata mainly contributed to this trend along with mini- metros like Pune, Indore and Ahmedabad. ISTRC'16 was based on bookings and queries made for key holiday season starting as early as mid-march onwards at Thomas Cook across India. The survey also revealed that more than 39 per cent Indian travellers were early planners this year, planning almost 120-180 days prior to departure and opting for long haul destinations such as Australia, South Africa, US and New Zealand. Considering a number of long weekends in 2016, more than 66 per cent of travellers preferred clubbing public holidays with personal leave. The survey also found that 65 per cent people opted for foreign tours. Also, emergence of 'slow travel' with options like walking tours saw an increase. There was high demand for Australia and New Zealand, South Africa, UK, Switzerland, France, Spain, Italy, Hungary, Czech Republic and Croatia. Short hauls like Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Hong Kong-Macau and Bali were also preferred with new entrants like Korea, Japan and China. The US saw strong interest with marked increase for New York, San Francisco and LA along with Philadelphia, Las Vegas and Florida. "Spurred by a burgeoning economy that has improved the spending power, coupled with declining airfares, Indians have emerged as the world's newest globetrotters. "Despite a depreciating rupee, travel sentiment remained highly upbeat with focus on early planning and maximising savings. The survey saw new trends including an extended summer and slow travel," Thomas Cook (India) president and Country Head - Leisure Travel, MICE - Rajeev D Kale said. However, according to the study, the bay of Kata located south of Karon Beach in Phuket is relatively deserted and lends itself wonderfully to solitude. Its distance from town and traffic makes it a preferred location to relax. Visitors can also indulge in adventure sports like snorkelling which is only a swim away. While Chennai and Bangalore might be the most popular cities in Southern India, the study suggests planning a getaway to Coorg in Karnataka. A tiny place away from the hustle bustle of Bangalore, Coorg was once home to royalty and is blessed with green valleys and towering hills. The majestic Abbi Falls are poised in perfection with the spiritual marker Byle Kuppe, one of the biggest Tibetan settlements down South. The cuisine highlights include pork ribs and spice infused prawn curry. The role of Mumbai police and erstwhile Hutchison telecom in illegal tapping of telephones of politicians and industry leaders, allegedly at the behest of its promoter Essar Group, may be probed by a central agency, a senior government functionary said today. There have been instances in the past when certain individuals and organisations took the help of police to tap telephones. Under such circumstances, it is possible that the phones were tapped with the help of someone in Mumbai Police, the functionary said. Meanwhile, a Home Ministry official said the file related to the alleged illegal tapping of phones, which was sent by the Prime Minister's Office, is currently with Home Minister Rajnath Singh and so far no decision on the next course of action has been taken. The official said there is a possibility of conducting an internal inquiry, likely by the Intelligence Bureau, before ordering a formal probe by an organisation like CBI. The PMO had forwarded to the Home Ministry a complaint by lawyer Suren Uppal alleging that the Essar Group had ordered its former security chief Albasit Khan to tap into its business rivals' telephone conversations when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was the Prime Minister. The complaint incorporated call logs of purported conversations of Mukesh and Anil Ambani with Directors and Promoters of their companies and other senior officials. The tapped conversations showed how business rivals reached out to politicians to seek favours. The complaint also mentioned purported conversations of senior officials of the Vajpayee PMO, former National Security Advisor Brajesh Mishra and the then Prime Minister's foster son-in-law Ranjan Bhattacharya. The name of present Home Secretary Rajiv Mehreshi, who was posted in the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, also figures among the officers whose phones were allegedly tapped. Essar has denied any wrongdoing. (REOPENS DEL70) Meanwhile, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said the issue of Essar tapes has been referred to the Home Ministry. "Well, the matter has already been referred to the Home Ministry. The Home Ministry is seized of it and they will let you know what they are doing in the matter," he said. Jaitley was responding to a question at the media briefing called to give details of the decisions taken by the Cabinet today. "Desperate Housewives" star Eva Longoria and Jose 'Pepe' Baston are celebrating their first month anniversary. The 41-year old actress took to Instagram to wish her husband on the ocassion. "Happy one month anniversary to this amazing, beautiful soul! Only 49 years, 11 months to go!! #Love #Husband #My Life," she captioned the black and white photo of them on Instagram. Longoria and Baston, 48, got married in Valle de Bravo, Mexico, located on the shore of Lake Avandaro, one month back. The couple the knot in front of close family and friends, including fellow celebrities. Longoria's best friend and her wedding dress designer Victoria Beckham attended the special day with husband David Beckham. industry body FAI has sought relaxation in import duty on raw materials used for producing complex nutrients as domestic production has become unviable due to rise in cheap imports of finished products. Association of India (FAI) accused foreign suppliers of forming cartel and keeping raw material prices artificially higher to dump the complex fertiliser, including Diammonium phosphate (DAP),in the country. Exporters of raw materials and finished products are same entities. These entities are pricing the raw materials and finished products in a manner that it is completely unviable to produce in India, FAI Director General Satish Chander said on Wednesday. Leading firm Tata Chemicals has suspended production of DAP at its Haldia plant due to policy and taxation issues which have not been addressed, he said. At present, there is 5% import duty on phosphoric acid, ammonia, sulphur and 2.5% on rock phosphate. The duty on finished products like DAP and complex fertiliser is also at the same level, he added. "Industry has been crying hoarse for slashing the import duty on raw materials from last several years but to no avail. Simultaneously, import duty on products not covered by bound rate other than the DAP should also be raised to a level of 10%," Chander said. Free imports, same level of custom duty on inputs as well as finished products and finally, equal subsidy on imported and domestic products have adversely affected the domestic industry, he said. "Same level of import duty on inputs and finished products has specially posed unfair competition," he added. Domestic fertiliser industry does the value addition of almost $40 per tonne of fertiliser which adds to the GDP, and also provides employment in fertiliser and ancillary industries, the FAI said. These steps are required to save capital assets of hundreds of thousands of crore from turning non-productive. Prime Minister David Cameron today held several rallies to seek support for Britain remaining in the European Union (EU) as campaigners made a final dash for votes in tomorrow's crucial referendum. Cameron began the day alongside senior Conservative party leader and former PM Sir John Major and former Labour party leader Harriet Harman in Bristol today,the last official day of campaigning before polling booths open tomorrow morning. "You can't jump out of the aeroplane and then clamber back through the cockpit hatch," he warned those contemplating Brexit - or Britain's exit from the 28-nation economic bloc. Earlier speaking to the BBC, Cameron had reiterated the case for Remain that the UK enjoyed a "special status" within the EU and the "best of both worlds". He said: "We are not shackled to a corpse. You can see the European economy's recovery. It's the largest single market in the world. "The idea you have to choose between being a success in the European single market of 500 million and campaigning to have jobs and wealth created by trading with other economies - you don't have to choose, you should do both. "We're in that single market, we're driving that single market, there are lots of things that Britain can help Europe to achieve - whether it's tackling terrorism or signing better trade deals in the future - but we have our own special status protected." Making a personal plea to those who fear greater European control, he described himself as a "deeply patriotic person". "We have not been invaded for 1,000 years, we've got institutions that have served us well. I don't want to give that up to some sort of 'United Europe' and that's not what we're going to do. "We're out of the euro, out of ever-closer union, we're proud Brits and really proud of what our country can achieve, but, frankly, we achieve more if we're in these organisations fighting for British interests and British values rather than standing outside for them," he said. With opinion polls this week indicating an extremely close fight, the opposing camp played up the notion of tomorrow as an 'Independence Day' for the country to whip up votes from those still undecided. London mayor Sadiq Khan, a key Remain supporter, accused his predecessor Boris Johnson of changing his mind over the benefits of the EU to businesses. "The problem is this, Boris. You might start off by saying how wonderful immigration is. But your campaign hasn't been Project Fear, it's been Project Hate as far as immigration is concerned,"he told Johnson. The resultwillbe declared by Jenny Watson, the chair of the UK's Electoral Commission and thereferendum's chief counting officer at Manchester Town Hall on Friday morning. France would see Britain's exit from the European Union (EU) as irreversible if the Leave camp wins Thursday's referendum, President Francois Hollande said. "It is the future of the EU that is at stake," Hollande said on Wednesday warning that a would put Britain at a very serious risk of losing access to the bloc's single market. Hollande was speaking at a joint news conference with Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico, whose country will take over the EU's rotating presidency on July 1. "It's more than the future of the UK that is at stake, it's the future of the EU," Hollande said. " would necessarily have extremely serious consequences. France would consider such a decision, as the UK's departure from the EU, and this would be irreversible," Hollande said. Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar today headed for Seoul ahead of the crucial NSG Plenary from tomorrow, where India is hoping to clinch membership which is strongly opposed by China and some other countries. Jaishankhar, who was closely monitoring the goings-on during the officials' level meet of the 48-nation grouping which started on Monday, left for the South Korean capital to lobby with members to boost India's prospects of getting membership. 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. However, China continues to stonewall India's bid for NSG membership with the members divided over the entry of a non-NPT signatory country like India. The NSG works under the principle of unanimity and even one country's vote against India will scuttle its bid. 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. 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 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. The government today permitted export of an additional 1,146 tonnes of raw sugar to the US under the tariff rate quota (TRQ), which entitles shipments to enjoy low tariff. "Additional quantity of 1,146 tonnes of raw cane sugar to be exported to USA under TRQ upto September 30 has been notified," Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) said in a notification. It said that with this allocation, quantity for export of sugar to the US under TRQ during US fiscal year 2016 would be 10,293 tonnes. TRQ is a quota for a volume of exports that enters the US at low tariffs. After the quota is reached, a higher tariff is applied on additional imports. The move assumes significance as the government has recently imposed 20 per cent customs duty on sugar exports to boost domestic supply and check prices which are ruling high at Rs 40 per kg. India, the world's second largest sugar producer after Brazil, has exported 1.6 million tonnes of sugar so far in the 2015-16 marketing year (October-September). Further exports are unlikely to take place with the latest decision. The country's sugar production is estimated to decline to 25 million tonnes in 2015-16, as against 28.3 million tonnes last year. The annual domestic demand is pegged at 26 million tonnes. Moreover, the government has forecast further decline in output in next year at 23-24 million tonnes. However, it has maintained that there would be no shortage as the country would have the opening stock of 7 million tonnes at the start of the next marketing year, taking total availability to 30-31 million tonnes. Gujarat BJP's state executive meet commenced at Mehsana today where top party brass engaged in a brainstorming session in view of the state Assembly elections next year. Chief Minister Anandiben Patel, state unit BJP chief Vijay Rupani, state party in-charge Dinesh Sharma and party national vice-president Parshottam Rupala are among prominent leaders participating in the two-day conclave being held on the premises of Dudhsagar Dairy. "In his speech, Rupani asked the party workers to step up their efforts to reach out to people through various programs in coming days, as entire nation is having its eyes on Gujarat," stated a party release. Rupani also stressed on creating "a huge army of full-time party workers to move ahead in the direction of Congress-mukt Bharat (Congress-free country)". BJP leaders also passed a resolution thanking the Narendra Modi-led central government and Patel-led state government for ensuring development and corruption-free rule, added the release. Consumer appliances and electronic goods maker India is looking to treble its revenue to Rs 6,500 crore by 2020 on the back on increased manufacturing and increased penetration of consumer goods in the country. "By 2020, we are looking at being a $1 billion company. Our turnover will be close to Rs 6,500 crore. There is no reason why we should not go close to this number that we are targeting. We will also have our higher production capacity in place," India president Eric Braganza told Press Trust of India. He further said: "Penetration levels (of consumer goods) in India are not very high, we estimate that our industry and market will keep growing, by 2020 the market should be at least 30 to 40% bigger as compared to what it is today." India, which is expecting to close the year with over Rs 2,000 crore revenue, has invested Rs 490 crore to expand capacity at its existing manufacturing facility at Ranjangaon near Pune. "We have invested Rs 490 crore at our plant at Ranjangaon Pune to double capacity of refrigerator production and make new products too. We had to increase the production capacity due to the growth in the sales, therefore we had to build up additional manufacturing facility in India," he said. Earlier the company was only making refrigerators at the plant. Now it will also make washing machines, ACs, TV panels and water heaters. Haier India, a 100% subsidiary of China's Haier Group, began operations in 2004 and started manufacturing in India by acquiring a 40-acre plant at Ranjangoan in 2007. A hardcore ULFA(I) militant has been apprehended by security forces in Assam's Dibrugarh district, police said here today. Acting on tip-off, a joint team of police and Army personnel launched an operation in Rajgarh village under Lahowal police station and nabbed the militant late last night, an official spokesperson said. The security officials also recovered from his possession a cache of ammunition, including 14 rounds of AK rifle, five rounds of 9 mm, nine rounds of .22 bore and two empty cases of .22 bore ammunition, he said. A case has been registered under the Arms Act in this connection, the spokesman added. Haryana government has decided to develop a two-lane highway along the banks of Western Yamuna Canal connecting Karnal, Panipat and Sonipat districts as well as Bawana and Rohini in Delhi, to provide an alternative route to decongest National Highway 44. This came out in a meeting presided by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar to review pending issues of metro and other railway projects here today. The proposed 121.302-km-long highway, which would cost about Rs 1,400 crore, would be constructed from Ghogripur near Karnal to Outer Ring Road near Haidarpur Water Treatment Plant in Delhi region, an official release stated. It would be constructed under a scheme of National Capital Region Planning Board, Khattar said. Reviewing various projects, the Chief Minister directed Public Works (Building and Roads) Department officers to construct a "magnificent and glorious" Swarn Jayanti Dwar at the entry point of Gurgaon from Delhi. He also directed the officers to construct welcome gates on the inter-state border at the remaining 27 entry points to the state to commemorate the golden jubilee of Haryana. Describing the railway link between Kurukshetra and Haridwar of "vital significance", Khattar said there is no direct railway link between the two holy cities and directed the officers to explore the possibilities of starting a Delhi-Haridwar route via Ambala and take up the issue with Railways. Khattar also directed them to frame a policy in consultation with National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) for rescheduling of toll taxes at various locations so that the rates can be reduced. The state government has decided to elevate the existing Rohtak-Gohana railway line in Rohtak city at a cost of about Rs 230 crore. This would be a first-of-its-kind in the country, said Khattar. The Chief Minister also reviewed the progress of Sonipat-Jind and Rohtak-Meham-Hansi railway lines. He also reviewed the progress of Metro projects in Haryana and gave necessary directions to the officers concerned. The meeting was told that Gurgaon metro -- Badarpur to YMCA in Faridabad and Sikanderpur Station to NH 8, Gurgaon -- have already been made operational. The metro link from Sikanderpur station to Sector 56, Gurgaon, Bahadurgarh metro project and Ballabhgarh metro project are under implementation and would be completed by the end of 2017. The state government has requested Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) to carry out a techno-feasibility study of three projects -- metro connectivity from HUDA City Centre to Old Faridabad, extension of Delhi Metro till Kondli and metro connectivity between Faridabad and Gurgaon. The Gujarat High Court today issued a notice to the state government on a petition challenging the government's policy of reservation being followed in the promotion of State Reserved Police (SRP) personnel. A division bench of Chief Justice R Subhash Reddy and Justice V M Pancholi issued the notice while allowing an application filed by Dadubhai Chavda, a head constable with SRP Group I in Vadodara. Chavda, in his application, said candidates from Scheduled Tribe (ST) category got "accelerated promotion" due to the policy of the state government to the disadvantage of personnel belonging to other categories. ST candidates get "accelerated promotion" from the rank of constable to head constable as there is reservation of 25 per cent for them. Then they are promoted to the rank of armed Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) on the basis of their seniority, the petitioner said. They erroneously become eligible to appear for examination for further promotions to the rank of platoon commander, he said. He said that the roster register, which is the register of the seniority of police personnel made after taking into account the category to which each police personnel belongs, "is erroneous since it does not follow the law laid down in this regard." "Irregular promotion of ST candidates has been to the disadvantage of police personnel of other categories and their opportunity for an early promotion to the rank of armed ASI is prejudiced," Chavda said. "A candidate belonging to reserved category, even though junior to a candidate of the general category, gets faster promotions even to the rank of armed ASI," he said. "This accelerated promotion has cascading effect when it comes to appearing to promotion examinations for platoon commanders as it requires an experience of two years in their rank of armed ASI. Deserving candidates who are still armed head constable, like the present petitioner, do not meet eligibility criterion," he stated. Chavda sought rectification of the roster register and cancellation of examination for promotion. He also sought to fix his seniority after rectification of the roster register and give him all consequential service and financial benefits. After a 50-day wait, seven IPS officers of the Superintendent of Police rank were finally given new postings today in a reshuffle that also saw the transfer of eight other officers in Andhra Pradesh. Chief Secretary Satya Prakash Tucker issued the transfer orders this evening in which Vinay Ranjan Ray of 1986 batch has been posted as Director General (Prisons and Correctional Services). Harish Kumar Gupta (1992 batch) has been posted as Inspector General (Technical Services) and K V V Gopal Rao appointed Deputy Inspector General (Vigilance and Enforcement) in the existing vacancy, the Chief Secretary's order said. Strengthening the police set up in the functional capital Vijayawada, the government named Koya Praveen as Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order-1), G Pala Raju as DCP (L&O-2) and Kanthi Rana Tata as DCP (Traffic) in the existing vacancies, the order said. D Nagendra Kumar, who has been waiting for posting, has been appointed Joint Director in the Anti-Corruption Bureau in the existing vacancy. Gopinath Jatti has been posted as Group Commander, Greyhounds, while the incumbent S Senthil Kumar has been posted as Commandant of Andhra Pradesh Special Police (6th battalion) in the existing vacancy, it said. Grewal Navdeep Singh has been posted as SP (Intelligence Security Wing) in the existing vacancy; S Hari Krishna as SP (Intelligence); K V Mohan Rao as SP (Crime Investigation Department) in the existing vacancy. Naveen Gulati has been posted as DCP (L&O), Visakhapatnam city, in the existing vacancy, while S Ranga Reddy has been posted as Assistant Inspector General (Administration), the order said. N Swetha has been posted Assistant Superintendent of Police, Chintoor, in East Godavari district, it added. Seven of these officers were transferred 50 days ago, but their new postings were announced today. Delhi Assembly Deputy Speaker Rakhi Birla said Delhi Lt Governor Najeeb Jung might be summoned by Petition Committee of the House for questioning, if required. The development comes hours after Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday wrote to the LG demanding that he and Anti Corruption Branch (ACB) chief M K Meena be made co-accused in four cases pertaining to alleged scams during the Sheila Dikshit government, including the one related to the pricing of gas from the KG basin. Birla, who is chairperson of the nine-member Petition Committee of Assembly, said the committee has called its meeting on Thursday where a decision on whether to summon the LG will be taken. An AAP functionary claimed the committee has power to quiz LG. The Committee looks into complaints received from public. "We have sought legal opinion from the Government's Standing Council and if required, the LG will be summoned for questioning in connection with the alleged scams," Birla, who is AAP MLA from Mangolpuri, said. Ealier on Wednesday, 12 AAP MLAs went to Raj Niwas, the LG's residence, around 11.30 a.m. with demands. They later claimed that LG refused to meet them. The LG Secretariat, however, said Jung's schedule was already prepared for the day and procedures have to be followed for seeking an appointment. The ruling party legislators then approached Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel and gave him complaints pertaining to the alleged scams. Goel forwarded the letters of Bharti and another AAP MLA Rajendra Pal Gautam, along with complaints received from common public, to the Petition Committee of the House. The development came days after ACB Chief had said Chief Minister Kejriwal may also be quizzed apart from Dikshit in the tanker scam case after an First Information Report (FIR) was lodged. "You (LG) have been protecting Smt Dikshit in these four FIRs through your inaction. Shri Meena, imposed by the Union government as ACB chief, has also colluded with you in this criminal activity. Kindly forward my letter to ACB with a direction that Shri Meena and yourself should be made co-accused in these four FIRs," a letter signed by Rajendra Pal Gautam said. Five houses were destroyed and a government school partially damaged in lightning strike in Udhampur district of Jammu and Kashmir today. The incident took place at Pachound village in Dudu tehsil around 10:30 AM, Tehsildar of the area, Sushil Kumar said. Five houses were completely damaged, he said adding that one government school was also partially damaged. Himachal Pradesh Cabinet today gave its nod for taking over Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) medical college at Ner Chowk in Mandi district. The state government will reimburse the interest free balance liability of Rs 285.83 crore in five installments and has approved the terms and conditions for the take over. The Cabinet also gave its nod to give Rs 10,000 as ex-gratia (in lieu of bonus) to the officers/officials of the State Civil Supplies Corporation not covered under the payment of bonus Act for the 2014-15. Meanwhile, it approved transfer of land in favour of Intelligence Bureau and Union Ministry of Home Affairs for construction of office-cum-residence building at UP-Mohal Baag in Una district. The Cabinet also approved the proposed amend the Rules of 'Mukhya Mantri Kanya Daan Yojna 2006' seeking to increase marriage grant to the guardians of destitute women/girls is enhanced from Rs 25,000 to Rs 40,000. For inmates of Nari Seva Sadan, the marriage grant is enhanced from Rs 25,000 to Rs 51,000. The Cabinet decided to open new government degree college at Majheen in Kangra district and also approved 18 posts of different categories to be filled through contract appointment. The Cabinet approval filling of 244 posts of Assistant Professors (College Cadre) on contract basis and creation ofposts of Music Teachers in all colleges across the state. It also approved filling of 159 posts of Supervisors in Social Justice and Empowerment Department on contract basis and 24 posts of Clerk in Transport Department on contract basis. India has demanded the UN to slap sanctions against the new Taliban leader in Afghanistan, saying it is "sheer folly" that the leader of a proscribed entity is not yet designated as a terrorist individual. "It is sheer folly that the leader of a proscribed entity is not yet designated as a terrorist individual," India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin said at a Security Council debate on the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) here yesterday. Supporting New Zealand's position that the anamoly should be corrected, Akbaruddin said the new Taliban leader should be sanctioned. The Taliban had named Mawlawi Haibatullah Akhundzada, a conservative cleric in his 50s, as its new leader after Mullah Akhtar Mansour was killed in an American drone strike last month. US State Department's Deputy Spokesperson Mark Toner had said in a press briefing then that Akhundzada was not on any kind of a terrorist designated list. Akbaruddin further emphasised that groups and individuals perpetrating violence against the people and government of Afghanistan cannot have safe havens and should not be allowed to exercise control and wield influence over any part of Afghanistan's territory. "This, in our view, is critical for lasting peace in the country," he said adding that effective implementation of the Security Council sanctions regime including the 1267 ISIL/Al-Qaeda Sanctions and 1988 Taliban's regime should also be carried out "consistently and with perseverance" for it to serve as a strong deterrent to the listed entities and individuals. Previously, India has slammed the UN sanctions committee for taking a "selective approach" in tackling terrorism when a technical hold was put on its application to include the name of Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar on the committee's list of designated terrorists. India had said in April that it finds it "incomprehensible" that while the Pakistan-based JeM was listed in the UN Security Council Committee as far back as 2001 for its known terror activities and links to Al-Qaeda, the designation of the group's main leader, financier and motivator has been put on a technical hold. Akbaruddin stressed that the Security Council needs to look into the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan and the means to contain it as it could pose serious threats to the gains made by the people of Afghanistan in the last 15 years. While there has been no dearth of efforts by the Afghan government and its citizens as well as by the community, Akbaruddin voiced concern over the deteriorating security situation in the war-torn country. "The Taliban are continuing attacks at an unprecedented rate since the beginning of the year and there is continued violence by other armed groups," he said as he cited the UN Secretary General's report that armed clashes have increased this year compared to the same period in 2015. "This situation has put renewed focus on the need for enhanced engagement and action by the community," he added. Akbaruddin reiterated India's believe that the path to reconciliation in Afghanistan should be through an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned process respecting the red lines drawn by the country's people and the community, especially the ones regarding giving up of violence and abiding by the constitution of Afghanistan. He voiced India's commitment to help Afghanistan strengthen its defence capabilities to preserve its unity and territorial integrity, saying it is the "most important antidote" to the worsening security situation in the country. The Indian envoy also condoled the loss of lives and property in the bomb attack in Kabul on June 20 in which around 20 people including from Nepal and India lost their lives. Referring to the inauguration of the Afghanistan-India Friendship Dam, Akbaruddin quoted Prime Minister Modi's remarks that while India's capacity may be limited but its commitment to Afghanistan is without limits. "We are strongly committed to supporting Afghanistan in various plurilateral and multilateral fora," he said adding that India looks forward to hosting the 'Heart of Asia' Ministerial Conference in December 2016. Creating a record, India today successfully launched 20 satellites including 17 foreign and its earth observation satellite in a single mission in 26 minutes from here, in a crucial step to become a key player in the multi-billion dollar space launch market. In a precision launch, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) workhorse Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C34) took off in clear skies from the second launch pad of Satish Dhawan Space Centre here, about 110 km from Chennai, at 9.26 AM and placed the new generation earth observation satellite( Cartosat-2 Series) and 19 others in the designated polar Sun Synchronous Orbit (SSO) 26 minutes later. Thirteen of the satellites are from the US including the 12 earth imaging Dove satellites from Planet Labs organisation, each of which weighs just 4.7 kg, and a 110-kg earth imaging satellite called SkySat Gen-2 made by a Google- owned company. There are two Canadian satellites and one each from Germany and Indonesia. Launching 20 satellites in a single payload was like "allowing birds to fly in space", a beaming ISRO Chairman Kiran Kumar said, adding, "PSLV C-34 has done its job." Earlier, ISRO had sent 10 satellites into orbit in a single mission in 2008. The record for the most number of satellites launched in a single mission belongs to Russia, which sent up 37 satellites in 2014. The US space agency NASA launched 29. The payload included devices ranging in weight from more than 700kg to as little as 1.5kg. "We have the current generation of earth observation satellite of Cartosat 2 series," he said, adding ISRO had done a "wonderful job". Cartosat also has strategic applications. Prime Minister Narendra Modi while hailing ISRO's feat said, "20 satellites in a go! @isro continues to break new barriers. Hearty congratulations to our scientists on the monumental accomplishment". "Our space programme has time and again shown the transformative potential of science and technology in people's lives", he said. "Over the years, we developed expertise & capability to help other nations in their space initiatives. This is the skill of our scientists", he said in another tweet. The 727.5 kg Cartosat-2 series satellite will provide regular remote sensing services with its panchromatic and multispectral cameras and its imagery will be of multiple use. Two academic satellites are from Sathyabama University (Sathyabamasat) in Chennai and from College of Engineering (Swayam) at Pune. Use of Cartosat 2 includes cartographic, urban and rural applications, coastal land use and regulation, utility management like road network monitoring and water distribution. Also, creation of land use maps, precision study, change detection to bring out geographical and man-made features and various other Land Information System and Geographical Information System applications can be done. It is similar to the earlier Cartosat-2, 2A and 2B. P Kunhikrishnan, Director, SDSC-SHAR, said that it was a major accomplishment by PSLV in its 35th consecutive successful mission. "PSLV has become a success symbol for ISRO and India. ISRO is adopting more and more professionalism," he said. D Jayakumar, Mission Director, described today's launch as a major landmark and said that the vehicle was performing "exceedingly well." This is the 14th flight of PSLV in "XL" configuration known for its capacity to carry more load which uses 'solid strap-on motors'. The total weight of all the 20 satellites carried onboard PSLV-C34 is about 1288 kg. India has 11 operational earth observation satellites, including RESOURCESAT-1 and 2, CARTOSAT-1, 2, 2A, 2B, RISAT-1 and 2, OCEANSAT-2 are in orbit. Beginning in 1988, ISRO had launched many remote sensing satellites (for earth observation) and the data are for varied use including agriculture, water and ocean resources besides disaster management. Jayakumar said initially there was a little hesitancy in taking up 20 satellites at one go. "Our team ISRO could resolve it," he said, adding the order of precision was perfect and what ISRO achieved today showed it has enough expertise. "With this we can make commitment for any complex type of missions and launch still larger number of satellites in a single mission since that much expertise is available." Project Director, Cartosat 2 Series, Satyanand Rao said Cartosat 2 satellite was the fourth in the "Cartosat-2 family" which would have panchromatic and multispectral colour images in four bands. This was also the first satellite in the Indian Remote Sensing series with a new technology 'Time Delayed Integration Mode of Operation', enhancing imaging efficiency and imagine modes with respect to our earlier missions." He said the satellite data would "enhance lot of areas of applications" in the cartographic realm in terms of rural and urban development communication networking and new area precision farming in the coming days. "The satellite is going to complete all its calibration activities and subsequently it will be ready to deliver data to users," he said. India is committed to security and economic prosperity of Afghanistan and will stand like a "rock" with it, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today said. "We want to convey this to the people of Afghanistan through Osmani Sahab (Afghanistan Minister) that India will stand like a rock with them. We are committed to your economic prosperity and security," she said. Swaraj made the remarks at an event organised by the Water Resources Ministry to felicitate its personnel and workers who successfully completed the construction of India-Afghan Friendship Dam in Herat province. Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti and Afghanistan's Energy and Water Minister Engineer Ali Ahmad Osmani also attended the event. Swaraj noted the dam was built in "very difficult and hostile" conditions by WAPCOS Ltd, a public sector undertaking under the Water Resources Ministry, even as Indian nationals were attacked in Afghanistan. She likened the "valour and determination" shown by the personnel working on the project to that of soldiers guarding country. Referring to the recent bomb blast in Afghanistan in which two Indians were killed, Swaraj said the Indian Consulate, rest houses and Indian nationals were attacked 16 times and 24 Indians have so far been killed in such attacks. "This is not an ordinary dam...Attacks keep taking place on our consulate there, blasts occur...Amid such a situation, if an organisation like WAPCOS says it will construct the dam, it reflects the determination and valour which our soldiers show...Several Afghan security forces personnel too were killed, but they were determined," she said. Lauding the tradition of Chishti Sufism, she said it came to India from where the dam has been built in Afghanistan. The Minister said the dam, funded entirely by the central government, will contribute heavily to the economic growth of Afghanistan. Bharti described the dam "as an example of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's efforts aimed at pushing development agenda at international-level too". "Before Modiji became Prime Minister, there used to be politics of division. But he made a pitch for development. Internationally too, he is pushing the agenda of development. This dam is example of that," she said. The dam was built keeping in mind the needs of local people. It will help irrigate swathes in Afghanistan and generate electricity, she said. Osmani said his country received a lot of funds over the past 15 years from international donors but India's cooperation was "very effective" and hoped other countries will follow India's model. He lauded India for supporting development activities in Afghanistan and constructing the dam at a time when "some countries are supporting terrorism" in his country. "Surely, the history and the people Afghanistan will remember these two types of actions. This time terrorists and their supporters were disappointed. We proved that friendship succeeded and terrorists failed. The completion of the dam shows terrorists cannot stop our development," he said. Special Secretary in Water Resources Ministry Amarjit Singh, WAPCOS CMD R K Gupta and other government officials, Sufi saints from Afghanistan were also in attendance at the event. Modi and Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani had on June 4 jointly inaugurated the Rs 1775-crore dam. The multipurpose project, constructed on Chist-e-Sharif river in Heart province of Afghanistan, is expected to irrigate 75,000 hectares of land and generate 42 mega watt power, besides ensuring water supply and other benefits to local people. Funded by Indian government, the project work was completed in over 10 years by 1,500 Indian and Afghan engineers and other professionals. Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Council today directed the state government to make a statement over the roll back of a controversial clause in the New Industrial Policy after members from Opposition sought clarification on the issue. The government yesterday ordered modification of Industrial Policy-2016 with the deletion of the controversial clause which allowed non-state subjects to get land on lease in the state for setting up industrial units. As soon as the House met this morning, Congress MLC Ghulam Nabi Monga raised the issue and asked whether government succumbed to the pressure of separatists who had been demanding roll back of the policy. "Government should issue a statement in the House and cite the reasons behind the amendment. We want to know is it because of separatists pressure," he said. Council Chairman Anayat Ali asked Monga to sit and let Question Hour function. After the Question Hour was over, Monga, along with his party colleagues and National Conference legislators, once again raised the issue. The Opposition members created uproar and accused government of succumbing to the pressure of the separatists. Amid noisy scenes, the Chairman of the Upper House directed the state government to make the statement in the House tomorrow regarding the amendments to the Policy. Meanwhile, cutting across party lines, the legislators lashed at the government over the lack of facilities to them. BJP lawmaker Ramesh Arora said there is no place in the Legislature complex where the members could sit after the proceedings. "Even a fourth class employee has a place in his office where he can sit. What is the provision for our sitting place?" he asked. Arora was supported by all members from the Opposition and the ruling parties. The House members demanded constitution of a House Committee to look into the grievances. The Chairman urged the government to look into the matter and after which Education Minister Naeem Akhtar made a brief statement, saying the concern of the legislators was genuine and they must have a lobby where they could sit. "We will look into the matter," he added. The Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT), a tribal based party today blocked the Assam-Agartala National Highway at Khamtingbari in Baramura hill range to press for their demand of a separate state. Superintendent of Police, West Tripura district, Abhijit Saptarshi said around 10,000 protesters blocked the highway from morning to press for their demand, which paralysed vehicular movement. The blockade would continue till tomorrow morning. A large contingent of police and paramilitary forces have been deployed there to avert any untoward incident, Saptarshi said. IPFT has been demanding a separate state by carving out the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) constituting two third of the state's territory. The tribal council is the home to the tribals who form one third of the 37 lakh population of the state. Almost all major political parties have rejected the demand on the plea saying it was divisive and geographically impossible because it would divide the entire state. Earlier the ruling Left Front, the Opposition Congress and Trinamool Congress and the state unit of BJP have also discarded the demand. Kedar Jadhav struck his maiden Twenty20 International half-century as India overcame a poor start to post 138 for six in the series-decider against Zimbabwe here today. Jadhav smashed 58 off 42 balls before Axar Patel (20 off 11) came up with a late cameo to take India to a competitive total. India, batting first for the first time on the tour, had a tough time against the Zimbabwe bowlers on a pitch where scoring freely proved to be difficult, as it was the case earlier in the series. It was a golden opportunity for the young batsmen to make an impact in a must-win match but some of them ended up squandering it. Opener Lokesh Rahul was put under pressure in the very first over as pacer Tendai Chatara bowled a rare maiden in this format. Rahul was tentative at the start but bounced back in Chatara's following over, smashing him for a straight six and a couple of fours. Eventually, he did not last long and neither did his opening partner Mandeep Singh. Mandeep, who scored 31 and 52 not out in the last two games, was the first one to go back. He tried to cut a short ball over cover but mistimed it to be caught just outside the circle. Rahul too was out to a lose stroke as he tried to whack Neville Madziva over mid-wicket, only to play on to his stumps. With Manish Pandey run out after a brilliant direct hit from Elton Chigumbura, India were struggling at 29 for three in six overs. Jadhav and Ambati Rayudu (20) were left to do the repair job and they took the innings forward with a 49-run stand off as many balls. Barring Jadhav, the Indian batsmen could not find the big hits that were needed in the middle overs. Captain M S Dhoni, who failed to get his team over the line in opening T20, was bowled by Donald Tiripano after making 9 off 14 balls. Jadhav held his end to reach his maiden half century and his innings was laced with seven fours and a six. Dhoni did not get going with the bat but added another feather to his illustrious cap when he walked out for the toss. By playing this game, he equalled Ricky Ponting's record of captaining in 324 international matches to be at the top of the list alongside the Australian. Dhoni, who was appointed captain in 2007, has led India in 60 Tests, 194 ODIs and 70 T20 Internationals. (REOPENS DEL 55) The seamers did well to trouble the openers but failed to give any breakthrough as it was England's session, giving them a clear chance to reach 350-plus. Roy brought up the fifty with a six over long on against Jadeja but only to become his bunny. Roy once again failed to convert his start. It was a chance to convert his start. He was done in again after a half-century. Jadeja's delivery skipped on and bowled him. Put in, England were off to a watchful start with the ball moving around thanks to the green patches on the centre strip. There was pace and bounce in the first over as Bhuveneshwar impressed once again hitting the deck and getting movements off the seam. Drafted into the side in place of the injured Alex Hales, Billings had an anxious start and was lucky to survive with the ball beating his edge as both the openers remained on zero after two overs. Bairstow released some pressure with a sweep off Ashwin for four and had luck going on his way when he survived twice on 28 and 46. First it was a short ball and he guided straight to third man, but only for replays to show it was a no-ball by Bumrah. Then with Pandya bowling, umpire Anil Chaudhary gave him a caught-behind dismissal before Bairstow went in for a successful review. It's a short ball, cramping him for room, went in for a pull despite that and it seemed like he missed it but Dhoni loud appeal made it look like convincing. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will tomorrow embark on a five-day visit to China, where he will attend the first annual meeting of the board of Governors of the USD 100-billion Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. During his stay in Beijing, the Finance Minister will also hold talks with Chinese investors and bankers to seek investment in infrastructure and other sectors in India, a Finance Ministry statement said. Jaitley will participate in the first annual meeting of the Board of Governors' of Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) on June 25 and 26 in Beijing, it said. The minister will participate in different sessions of the two-day AIIB meeting including the session on 'Infrastructure and Global Economic Growth' and 'Financing Green Infrastructure: The Role of MDBs' among others. BRICS nations Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa founded the AIIB to boost infrastructure investment in Asia. Jaitley will also hold a meeting with his Chinese counterpart Lou Jiwei on June 27. He will also participate in the 8th India-China Financial Dialogue. The Finance Minister will arrive in the national capital on June 28, after completing his five day official visit to China. Japanese conglomerate today said Ken Miyauchi, head of the group's Japanese telecommunications operations, would replace Nikesh Arora as president and chief operating officer. Yesterday, Arora had abruptly resigned from his position after it became clear that Chairman and CEO Masayoshi Son wanted to continue in his current post for another 5-10 years. Miyauchi held 1,101,230 shares of SBG as of March 31, 2016, according to a statement by . Arora, who was touted as heir apparent at SoftBank, had said he can't be "CEO-in-waiting past his sell-by date" as his 58-year-old boss Son wanted to continue. Arora, who was hand-picked by Son two years ago to succeed him, was among the top-paid executives globally. He will remain in an advisory role at for a year. Arora's exit came just a day after he got 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 realty 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, has said he intends to focus more on Indian startup ecosystem going forward. Leader of Opposition in Kerala Assembly Ramesh Chennithala today attacked Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on the Mullapperiyar dam issue, saying his stand has strengthened Tamil Nadu's demand that the level of the over 100-year-old dam be raised to 152 feet. Chennithala, a senior Congress leader, also urged the CPI(M)-led LDF government to take a strong position against Tamil Nadu's pitch for the Pamba-Achankovil-Vypar river-linking project. "The Chief Minister's stand on the Mullapperiyar issue is against the interest of the people of Kerala. It literally strengthened the position of Tamil Nadu on the issue. "It was because of the position taken by Vijayan that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa urged the Prime Minister toraise the water level of dam to 152 feet," he told reporters here. He was responding after reports said Jayalalithaa during her meeting with Modi last week had requested him to ensure raising the permissible level of the dam to 152 feet. The two states have for long been at loggerheads over the Mullaperiyar dam, located in Idduki district of Kerala, but is under the administrative control of Tamil Nadu as per a 999-year lease agreement and caters to irrigation requirements in southern districts of Tamil Nadu. While Kerala had been pressing for a new reservoir on the ground that the existing dam was in a dilapidated state and weak, Tamil Nadu is opposing it saying the structure was safe. Based on the report by the Empowered Committee, the Supreme Court had allowed Tamil Nadu to raise the water level to 142 feet in 2014. Chennithala asked the CM to take steps to protect the interests of people of Kerala on the Mullaperiyar and Pamba-Achankovil-Vypar river-linking project. The proposed Pamba-Achankovil-Vypar river linking project is to divert waters from Achankovil and Pamba rivers in Kerala to Tamil Nadu's Vypar River. Kerala Water Resources Minister Mathew T Thomas today said there has been a 73.49 per cent reduction in allocation for the state under the National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP) and requested the central government to increase the annual grant to Rs 200 crore. "Have requested the Centre to enhance the allocation for the year 2016-17 to Rs 200 crore," he said after a meeting Union Minister for Rural Development, Drinking Water and Sanitation Chaudhary Birender Singh here. The central allocation for this financial year is just 49.77 crore, he said. Noting that the reduction in allocation has affected various project implementation, he said Rs 1,188 Crore is required to complete the pending projects. "At present, Kerala Water Authority has 185 ongoing projects worth Rs 2,040.33 crore under various stages of progress and an amount of Rs 1,188.45 crore is required to complete these projects," he said. NRDWP is a programme under which rural water supply coverage is achieved in every state and the funding have different cost-sharing pattern between the Centre and the State. Kerala on Wednesday said the chances of constructing a new dam on Mullaperiyar but made it clear it would oppose any unilateral attempt by Tamil Nadu to raise the water level. "Chances of a new dam on Mullaperiyar cannot be ruled out. But it needs a proper study on practical issues like the huge expenses and the technical requirement," Minister for Water resources Mathew T Thomas told reporters here. Here to attend the 30th Annual General meeting of National Water Development Agency (NWDA), he said that Kerala will oppose if Tamil Nadu unilaterally attempts to raise the water level at Mullaperiyar. "Supreme Court had agreed to raise the water level at Mullaperiyar to 152 feet if the dam is strengthened. But if Tamil Nadu takes a unilateral decision, we will oppose it," Thomas said. Kerala Water Resources Minister reiterated the state Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's view that the state could not convince the Supreme Court about its apprehensions on the safety of the dam. "We are not interested in any confrontation with the Tamil Nadu but will try to reach a consensus with the that state," he said. The minister also said that the government understands the apprehensions of the people. "Mullaperiyar is a very complex issue and its a problem faced by the state. We will deal with it properly," he added. Earlier ,the Kerala CM had said that the TN plan to raise the water level at to 152 feet will be opposed. In its May 7, 2014 verdict, the Supreme Court had held that the 120-year-old is safe and allowed the Tamil Nadu government to raise the water level to 142 feet and ultimately to 152 feet after completion of strengthening measures on the dam. Tamil Nadu CM J Jayalalithaa had met Prime Minister Modi last week and sought help in raising the water level to 152 feet. Former Bihar School Examination Board Chairman Lalkeshwar Prasad Singh, his wife Usha Sinha and a relative arrested along with them were on Wednesday remanded in three-day police custody by a district court here in connection with the toppers scam. Special vigilance judge Raghvendra Kumar Singh accepted the plea of Special Investigation Team (SIT) and granted police custody of the three for three days. The SIT sought their custody to gather more details about the merit muddle in the +2 examination this year. The Ex-BSEB Chairman, his wife Usha Sinha who is a former JD (U) MLA and a kin Prabhat Jaiswal, who had provided refuge to them for over a week when they went into hiding, were arrested from Varanasi in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh on last Monday. The same court had sent them to 14-day judicial custody on Tuesday. The scam had rocked Bihar earlier this month after Ruby Rai, a student of Bishun Roy College in Vaishali district who had topped in the arts category, failed to answer basic questions and described political science as 'prodigal science' that taught cooking. The state government had ordered a SIT probe in the matter during which Bachcha Rai, the principal of Bishun Roy College, was arrested besides some other accused persons. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis today said the land for the Pune international airport would be finalised in three weeks. "We have identified three locations for the proposed international airport and a team including the director of Airport Authority of India will visit and inspect these three lands and after that, within three weeks, the land will be finalised," he said. The Chief Minister was speaking at a round-table meeting of representatives of the US companies at Chakan in the district. Stating that his government was taking efforts to increase the ease of doing business and cut red tape, Fadnavis exhorted the US companies to invest more in the state. "Initiatives like Make In India and Make In Maharashtra are creating a lot of opportunities for the industry and US companies should cash in on these opportunities," he said. Pune is rapidly growing as an automobile hub and it will soon turn into a start-up hub as well, he added. Fierce clashes in Libya between pro-government militiamen and Islamic State militants in the city of Sirte and an explosion at a depot near the capital, Tripoli, left more than 60 dead in just one day, a spokesman and a Libyan state agency reported today. In Sirte, the last bastion of the Islamic State group in the North African country, yesterday's clashes killed 36 militiamen aligned with the newly-UN brokered government. The militias, mainly from the western town of Misrata, have been leading an offensive since early May to take full control over Sirte. At first, the militiamen rapidly advanced into the city but the push got bogged down in recent days amid a series of suicide bombings by IS. Along with the 36 militiamen killed, mostly in direct gun battles with IS militants, Misrata hospital spokesman Abdel-Aziz Essa also said that about 140 were wounded in yesterday's battles. IS fighters reportedly have hunkered down at the militant group's headquarters in Sirte, the sprawling Ouagadougou convention center that was built by late dictator Moammar Gadhafi. Sirte was also Gadhafi's birthplace and the city he fled to during the 2011 civil war, when Libyan rebels backed by NATO bombings forced him out of the capital, Tripoli. Meanwhile, the state LANA agency said an explosion at a depot yesterday in the town of Garabuli, near Tripoli, followed clashes with militias and killed 29 civilians. According to a statement on the Facebook page of the Qarabouli municipal council, the clashes took place between militiamen in charge of the town security and armed local protesters. When the protesters stormed the militia's barracks, the depot exploded, the statement said. It said that the depot housed firecrackers, not ammunition. Photographs posted on the page showed charred bodies covered in plastic sheets. The UN envoy to Libya, Martin Kobler, said on his Twitter account he was "shocked and saddened by reported violence and lives lost in Garabuli tonight." The high death toll illustrates the violence that has roiled Libya since Gadhafi's ouster and death in the 2011 uprising against his rule that turned into a civil war. Over the past years, rival militias and governments have torn the country apart while IS-linked militants gained strength, setting up a base in Sirte, along Libya's central Mediterranean coast. As Libya slid into chaos, hundreds of thousands of mostly African migrants flooded the country's coastline, attempting to cross to Europe. Prime Minister Narendra Modi tonight said he looked forward to fruitful outcomes at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit for which he will be travelling to Tashkent tomorrow. "I will travel to Uzbekistan for a brief visit to attend the SCO Summit & interact with leaders of SCO nations," he tweeted. "India is glad to be a member of the SCO & looks forward to fruitful outcomes particularly in the field of economic cooperation through SCO," he added. The SCO Summit will kick off the process of India's accession to the grouping as a full fledged member along with Pakistan. Modi said India attaches great importance to ties with Central Asia and always seeks to expand economic and people-to-people ties with the region. The Prime Minister will also have a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping tomorrow on the sidelines of the summit during which he is expected to seek China's support for India's bid for NSG membership, which Beijing is opposed to. The Maharashtra Women's Commission today summoned Bollywood actor Salman Khan on June 29 over his controversial "rape" remarks. Salman had landed himself in a controversy for his remark that he felt like a "raped woman" after one gruelling shoot for his upcoming film 'Sultan', sparking demands for an apology from the actor. "We have asked Salman or his lawyer to appear at our office at 2 PM on June 29 to give their clarification over the remarks," Commission Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar told PTI. "If the actor does not turn up we will presume he has nothing to say and will proceed unilaterally in the matter," she said. "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...," the 50-year-old actor had said. The National Commission for Women had also taken suo motu cognisance of the "insensitive" remark by the superstar and shot off a letter to him asking for an explanation in seven days failing which he will be summoned. Reacting on his son's behalf, Salman's father Salim Khan had said, "Undoubtedly what Salman said is wrong, the simili (sic), example and the context. The intention was not wrong. Maharashtra government will soon announce a policy to regulate app-based cab services like Ola and Uber, and restrict their operations in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region besides providing them with fare meters. "The new policy, that is awaiting final approval of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, entails regulating the fares of these online cab service providers," state Minister for Public Transport Diwakar Raote said. Replying to queries from the media on yesterday's strike by Mumbai's traditional yellow and black taxis (who were protesting the rates charged by cab aggregators), he said that app-based taxi services will be provided with fare meters. Raote said app-based taxi operators like Ola and Uber will be allowed to operate only within the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). In view of rising popularity of ride-sharing firms, Raote said the regular yellow and black taxis should improve the quality of their services and may launch their own mobile applications. Commenting on college-going students driving two wheelers, Raote said the government plans to allow teenagers in the age group of 16 to 18 years to drive gear-less two wheelers. "Parents of these teenagers are at fault for allowing their children to drive two wheelers," he said. Raote said if teenagers were found guilty of rash driving, action will be taken against their parents. The state government intends to bring a law to deal with traffic violations and it will cover provisions that have been left out of the purview of the central Act, he stated. "The amendment Bill will be introduced during the Monsoon Session of the state legislature beginning next month," he said. Henceforth, while approving tenders for new state highways, the government will incorporate provisions for installation of integrated traffic management systems like CCTVs to detect rash driving, drunken driving, speeding, lane cutting and other traffic violations, the minister said. "After the June 6 tragic accident on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway that killed 17 people, the RTO monitored vehicular movement on the motorway and also on busy roads in Pune and Mumbai between June 9 and June 17. "During the surprise checking in Pune and Thane, 2,168 vehicles were found violating traffic rules and a fine of Rs 3.78 lakh was recovered," he said. Raote disclosed that RTO flying squad vehicles fitted with CCTVs were deployed on the expressway and during checking between June 16 and June 21, action was taken against 1,165 vehicles for lane cutting and violating speed limits. (Reopens WRG85) Referring to the monitoring done by RTO to detect traffic violations in Mumbai between January 1, 2015 and June 21, 2016, Raote said the transport agency suspended driving licences of 1,533 vehicle owners, while 1,055 motorists underwent counselling for traffic violations like not wearing seat belts and talking on mobile phones while driving. During this period, action was taken against 39,885 vehicle owners and fines worth Rs 5.40 lakh recovered from them, the Minister said. During the surprise checking done by RTO in Pune, Pimpri-Chinchwad and Panvel, violations like rash driving, drunken driving, overloading, speeding and not wearing seat belts, among others, were detected. Action was taken against 2,764 vehicles and fines worth Rs 30.36 lakh was recovered. Also, 34 vehicles were seized. "The RTO has started issuing notices to vehicle owners found violating traffic rules based on the footage obtained from CCTVs. "The RTO officials are delivering these notices personally at residences of the owners. If the owners are not found at their place of residence, the notices are pasted on the doors," he added. "So far, 750 such notices have been served while another 450 will be issued soon. If the owners fail to reply to the notices they will have to pay fine," Raote said. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai today paid a moving tribute to murdered British MP Jo Cox as hundreds of people gathered for a special memorial event at Trafalgar Square in London to mark what would have been the lawmaker's 42ndbirthday. The Pakistani activist, who survived a shot to the head by Taliban gunmen, said the gathering and the outpouring of support from the world over for the British MP proved that extremists have failed once again. "Extremists resort to bullets because they cannot win the battle of minds. I am living proof that they cannot win with bullets either. Jo's message of peace is more powerful than any weapon of war and once again proves that the extremists have failed," said the teenager, who is now based in Birmingham with her family. "When my family needed a haven, this country offered it with open arms. Jo's arms were open to all humanity. She embodied all that is best about this country," said Yousafzai, as she joined the MP's family and friends at the #MoreInCommon event to commemorate the life of the Labour MP who was shot and stabbed to death on the street near her constituency office in northern England last week. The organisers of the event in a statement said, "One of the causes which was closest to Jo's heart was education for girls andMalala and Jo's work intersected at many points. Malala was shot for daring to defy those who had banned education for girls in her region of Pakistan and has spent much of her life since campaigning for human rights and education." People gathered at Trafalgar Square as well as the Market Square in Jo's constituency of Batley, West Yorkshire, to celebrate her life. Herhusband, Brendan Cox, and two young children made their way down the river Thames on the family house-boat for the memorial service in Trafalgar Square. The vessel, decked with colourful flags, sailed through the city tugging a miniature boat called the Yorkshire Rose in a tribute to Cox. "When she saw pain, she wanted to do all that she could to alleviate it. Jo lived her life to the full with a pedal to floor and missing brake-pads," her husband said in his tribute to his late wife. He had tweeted earlier in the day: "Today would have been Jo's birthday. If you can, please join us this afternoon to celebrate her life & legacy." A moment of silence was observed as actor Bill Nighy performed a reading and there was also be a musical tribute from U2, recorded by the band in Los Angeles. Tributes are also planned in New York, Paris,Washington DC, Dublin, Brussels, Oslo, Buenos Aires and Beirut. The event in London included an honour guard from Jo's friends from the women's movement,wearing sashes in the suffragette colours of white, green and purple. Brendanhad earlier said that his late wife, a passionate campaigner for human rights, international development and the plight of refugees during her parliamentary career and in her previous role working for the charity Oxfam, "died for her views". Tommy Mair, a 52-year-old far-right loner, has been remanded in custody after being charged with Jo's murder and will appear in court again tomorrow. Malaysian government has asked a leading university in the country to probe how it allowed the publication of a controversial teaching module that depicted Hindus in India as "unclean and dirty". Higher Education Minister Idris Jusohhas handed over the case to the Universiti Technologie Malaysia's (UTM) disciplinary committee. "We view the matter seriously because in a multi-racial country, we have to have tolerance and respect for one another," he was quoted as saying by state-run Bernama agency. The lecture materials, in the form of slides for UTM Tamadun Islam Tamadun Asia (Titas) subject had caused an uproar among the minority Hindu and Sikh communities here after the contents went viral recently. The slides claimed that Hindus consider the dirt on the body as part of their religious practice to achieve nirvana. The module also claimed that Islam had introduced civility to the lives of the Hindu community in India. Another slide aimed at teaching the origins of Sikhism claims that founder Guru Nanak had a poor understanding of Islam and had combined it with his surrounding Hindu lifestyle in forming the early foundation of the Sikh faith. Muslim majority Malaysia's 28 million population consisted of 8 per cent ethnic Indians. Idris said the university, as an institution with autonomy, is empowered to take action against the lecturer or lecturers responsible for producing the slides. The Titas module is mandatory for all tertiary students regardless of religion since 2013. India had expressed concern over the "negative and incorrect" picture conveyed about Hinduism and Sikhism in the educational module. "We are concerned at negative and incorrect picture being conveyed about Hinduism and Sikhism. Hinduism and Sikhism are two great religions which India has given birth to," theHigh Commission of India in Malaysia had said in a statement last week. The Maldives' president appointed a new vice president today, weeks after his former deputy was convicted of attempting to assassinate him. President Yameen Abdul Gayoom appointed Abdulla Jihad as vice president. Jihad, who was previously finance minister, is the third vice president to be appointed by Gayoom since he was elected in October 2013. Jihad's predecessor, Ahmed Adeeb, was sacked eight months ago after being accused of trying to assassinate Gayoom by exploding a bomb in his speedboat. Gayoom escaped the blast unhurt but his wife, an aide and a bodyguard were injured. Adeeb was sentenced to 25 years in prison earlier this month on two counts of terrorism, including the assassination attempt. Gayoom's running mate in 2013, Mohamed Jameel, was also sacked and now lives in exile. Widely known for its luxurious tourist resorts, Maldives became a multiparty democracy in 2008 after years of autocratic rule. Human rights groups have accused Gayoom of harassing and jailing political opponents. Those imprisoned since last year include former President Mohamed Nasheed, former Defense Minister Mohamed Nazim and opposition party leader Sheik Imran Abdulla. Nasheed was allowed medical leave for back surgery earlier this year and traveled to Britain, where he was given asylum. A 45-year-old married woman was stabbed to death with a pair of scissors in public view by a neighbour in east Delhi's Gandhi Nagar area today, police said. The incident took place around 10 AM when the woman, Lalita Devi, whose husband is "mentally unstable", was heading towards office when the accused, Rakesh, waylaid her. After heated argument, he suddenly pulled out a pair of scissors and attacked Lalita, a police official said. As he tried to escape after the incident, a group of local residents who had witnessed the crime caught Rakesh and thrashed him. During investigation, it emerged that Rakesh was frustated over Lalita not responding to his advances for the past few days, the official said. Lalita lived with her husband, Ramesh Bhatia, and other family members in Multani Mohalla. The couple have a 15-year-old daughter who lives at her aunt's house. Since Ramesh does not work, it was Lalita who was working to make ends meet for her family. Lalita sustained injuries on her abdomen, back and arms. She succumbed to her injuries by the time she was rushed to a hospital, the official said. A day after a parliamentary panel claimed some "terrorists were still hiding" in villages close to the "vulnerable" Pathankot airbase, Punjab Police today carried out a massive door-to-door search in at least 28 hamlets near here. "We conducted a search operation in 28 villages starting at 5 am for five hours. We asked people whether they have seen any person or suspect who is not from their village. They said they have not seen anyone," Pathankot SSP Rakesh Kaushal said. Led by the Pathankot SSP, a total of 300 policemen including 2 SP-rank officers conducted search operation in villages such as Dhira, Tajpur, Akalgarh and Chonga near Pathankot airforce base. The search team also comprised highly trained and specially equipped Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) commandoes. The police also inspected security outside the Pathankot airforce base and found that everything was safe. "Everything is safe there," said Kaushal, adding that the airforce was also secured by its own Garud commandoes. Search operations were also carried in areas inhabited by 'Gujjars', officials said. "We found nothing suspicious," said the SSP. He, however, said security has been intensified in the border district which had witnessed a terror attack at the airforce base in January. Yesterday in Jammu, Chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee (PSC) on Home Affairs P Bhattacharya had said, "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." "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...," said Bhattacharya. Notably, early this month, shoot-at-sight orders were issued at airforce station in Pathankot and security was stepped up following intelligence inputs. Meanwhile, a meeting was held between officials of Army, BSF, Air Force and Punjab police to review security arrangements here, the Pathankot SSP said. Hitting out at separatists, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today said they rake up unnecessary controversies over Article 370 of the Constitution and asked them to rather focus on protecting the people and the environment of the state. She also made it clear that dialogue with separatists can take place only after "the situation improves". "I am surprised that (Muslim) preachers talk so big about Article 370 (in their sermons). What is Article 370? It is of significance only if we are at peace," Mehbooba said in the Assembly while replying to a debate on demand for grants for departments under her charge. In an apparent reference to Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who is the chief priest of Kashmir and gives sermons after Friday prayers at Jamia Masjid, the Chief Minister said it was not for the preachers to look after the special provisions of the Constitution with regard to the state but for the mainstream political parties of the state. "What are they talking about safeguarding Article 370... They are looking for something else. It is we (pointing towards MLAs) who have to protect it. It is our shared inheritance and nothing in it will change," she said. Mehbooba said the preachers do not talk about harassment of women and girls in the society nor do they mention enviromental degradation in their sermons. "I also belong to the family of preachers. We have to strive for protecting the environment and the water bodies. For years, we dumped our garbage in River Jhelum and it retaliated by dumping it back in our homes for 10 days (by floods). But we still did not learn any lessons," she said. The PDP chief also hit out at opposition National Conference and Congress for repeatedly questioning her party's alliance with BJP and asserted that she will enter into such a coalition thousands of times if it brought peace with dignity to the state. "The alliance with the BJP was taken to respect the mandate of the people. We cannot have a government of one religion (sic) and opposition of another religion. I will form this alliance thousands of times if it helps in restoring peace with dignity in the state," she said. Mehbooba said she did not need to justify her party's alliance with the BJP everytime as it was her late father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed's decision. "For me, this decision is engraved in stone. He (Sayeed) has always taken difficult decisions during his 60-year career and he did not make U-turns. If we are in (such a) situation, it is due to the constant U-turns of some (leaders)," she said, targeting the opposition. The Chief Minister said it was the endeavour of her government to provide good governance with accountability along with a sustained political process. "If we give only good governance without political process or a political process without good governance, it will not work. We have to do both simultaneously but for that you have to give us some time," she said. "There are so many challenges on political, security, development, economic and administrative fronts confronting Jammu and Kashmir. We will have to provide not just good governance, but ensure proactive and pro-people governance to address the enormous challenges confronting the state," Mehbooba added. She said while she was for dialogue to resolve issues, the situation should improve for such a process to be started. "The tourism has started reviving.. We want dialogue but let the situation improve," she added. The Chief minister again hit out at some TV channels for negative portrayal of the situation in the state. "While they did not find the valour of a boatman, who drowned while saving tourists, worthy of a story, they held a discussion when some pilgrims were accidentally caught in stone pelting on police," she said, referring to a recent incident in Srinagar. "May be some vested interests from other states, who want to crush the tourism industry of our state, are behind it (negative coverage)," Mehbooba added. On the amnesty to stone-pelters, she said the government was reviewing all cases since 2008. "Those not involved in heinous crimes will be released and some may be released before Eid," she said. The Chief Minister appealed the opposition to set aside political differences and help in the government efforts for bringing back Kashmiri Pandits to the valley. "We will continue fighting elections against each other but let us work together to bring back Kashmiri Pandits," she said. Referring to the demand of Pandit community for opening Sharda Peeth pilgrimage to Pakistan occupied Kashmir, Mehbooba said she will take up the matter with the Centre so that it can be opened to Pandit pilgrims from this side. (Reopen DEL79) On the demand of legislators for salary hike, the Chief Minister said she will ask the Finance Minister to explore the possibility of doubling it. "I will ask the Finance Minister to double the salaries of the legislators if there is scope for it," she said. With regard to demand for raising the constituency development fund from current Rs 1.5 crore per year to Rs five crore, Mehbooba said the MLAs should not seek everything in one go. She commended the army, police and paramilitary forces for having done a commendable job in bringing peace to the state. Stressing the need for making the police force professional, the Chief Minister said it will be equipped with the state-of-the art technologies to ensure speedier crime detection, traffic management, investigations and busting of drug trafficking rackets. Describing journalism as an inseparable pillar of accountable governance, the Chief Minister said the state will promote free and fair journalism. She said she will revive the proposal of developing Press Club at Srinagar. "I will also go over the State Advertisement and Empanelment policies to promote institution of journalism," she stated. She also announced shifting of Central Jail out of Srinagar and Jammu cities and said the premises would be developed to create recreational facilities for the locals. The decision of Maharashtra government's housing arm Mhada to include MPs and MLAs in the low income and economically weaker sections while announcing auctioning of a new set of flats for different categories has drawn flak from activists and Opposition Congress. Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (Mhada) today came came out with an advertisement of auctioning 972 flats in August though lottery system. The state-run body has reserved 19 flats for sitting or former MPs and MLAs, of which 13 apartments fall in the categories of Economically Weaker Section (EWS), Lower Income Group (LIG) and Middle Income Group (MIG). The criteria of falling in these income groups has been fixed on the basis of monthly income -- up to Rs 25,000 for EWS, from Rs 25,001 to Rs 50,000 for LIG, from Rs 50,001 to Rs 75,000 for MIG and Rs 75,000 or above for Higher Income Group (HIG). Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam slammed the housing body and said its move was "totally unwarranted". "This is shameful. Flats meant for poor people are being reserved for MPs and MLAs. This government stands totally exposed. This should be rectified immediately," he said addressing a press conference. RTI activist Anil Galgali said he was shocked to see flats for weaker sections and lower income group being reserved for MPs and MLAs. "This is unbelievable. How can MPs and MLAs be treated at par with people who fall in weaker sections and lower income groups? This is unjustifiable and should be rectified immediately," he said. Galgali said he has shot off a letter to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also serves as Chairman of Mhada, over the issue. "I am not against reservation of flats for MPs and MLAs. What I am opposing is encroachment on the rights of needy people by MPs and MLAs," he said in the missive. He demanded that those MPs and MLAs, who have already got flats under government schemes, be barred from applying for Mhada apartments. Meanwhile, applications for Mhada flats, spread across the metropolis, will be available for sale from tomorrow. The name of allottees will be made public after a draw of lottery on August 10. Apartments built by Mhada are cheaper than those made by private developers and their ads attract a large number of home buyers in the space-starved metropolis. Two Union Ministers from Bihar today asked Road Minister Nitin Gadkari to ensure strict monitoring against "minting of money by the state" in the proposed Rs 1,742-crore revamp of the famous Mahatma Gandhi bridge there. The remarks by IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan were made in presence of Gadkari after the Union Cabinet approved the Rs 1,742-crore project to revamp Patna's lifeline Mahatma Gandhi Setu. The project to rehabilitate 5.57 km long four lane bridge on National Highways -19 to link North and South Bihar was constructed in 1972. However, bridge in Patna-Hazipur region has been in a dilapidated condition in absence of proper maintenance. The ministers were addressing a press conference after the Cabinet approval to the project. "The bridge has become a source of minting money for the Bihar government. The Centre has alloted Rs 200 crore for its maintenance but nothing happened. Bihar government is taking commission in the name of maintenance. I fear same would continue now," Paswan said urging Gadkari to take control of the monitoring of the project. Echoing views, Prasad said, "I call it a 'handicapped' bridge. Even Nitish Kumar (Bihar Chief Minister) has to resort to taking helicopter several times to visit Hajipur. Rs 200 crore has been given to the state for maintenance. Where that money has gone?" Gadkari said that now after Cabinet nod the tenders will be received by July 13 and work will commence on August 15. He said previously the government has roped in JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) to study whether the bridge can be revamped with the use of Japanese technology for which they had come out with a seven year plan entailing Rs 2,800 crore cost including Rs 2,200 crore civil cost. However, to expedite it another consultant was appointed which proposed to build it at a cost of Rs 1,742 crore including the civil construction cost of Rs 1,355 crore. "We are glad that the Cabinet has approved this proposal and it is scheduled for completion in 3.5 years but we will try to build it in 2.5 years. We have also roped in IIT Roorkee," Gadkari said. The Minister also said that a detailed project report for another Rs 6,000 crore parallel bridge will be ready within three months and the work on the project is likely by December. He said the construction of these bridges will decongest traffic there. Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh also expressed concerns about the poor condition of the bridge. Paswan, who is Lok Janshakti Party chief and is a parliamentarian from Hajipur constituency in Bihar said he has been voicing concerns about the bridge since 1977. Both Paswan and Prasad said that poor condition of the bridge was causing severe problems to citizens of Bihar and the condition was such that many a time pregnant women delivered babies on the way. Both the leaders had stressed that reaching Patna is easier from Delhi but going to Hajipur from Patna via the bridge was a nightmare. The Ministers said that despite people of Bihar not voting NDA to power in the state, the centre is committed to fulfil the package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the state. The setu (bridge) will be constructed after dismantling the damaged pre-stressed cantilever arms superstructure and subsequent re-decking by steel truss. The project will be in Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) mode. It will help in expediting the improvement of infrastructure in the state besides reducing time and cost of travel, particularly for heavy traffic plying between North and South Bihar. Trade with Nepal and Bhutan is also flowing through this route. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has made efforts to rehabilitate this bridge in the last 15 years but the efforts were not successful, an official statement said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed his gratitude to the Chinese people who turned up in large numbers to participate in yoga events on the International Day of Yoga. "Glimpses of International Day of Yoga celebrations across China. My gratitude to all those who joined these celebrations in large numbers," he posted on Chinese microblog Weibo which is akin to Twitter. "I joined a Yoga Day programme in the city of Chandigarh, where I spoke about the benefits of yoga," he said. Modi has thousands of followers in his Weibo post, opened ahead of his visit to China last year. Over the years, yoga has become immensely popular in China. Indian Embassy and Consulates in Shanghai and Guangzhou in association with local yoga centres organised scores of events in number of cities. A large group of enthusiasts of Yoga and ancient Chinese martial art Tai-Chi took part in a 'Jugalbandi' exercise at the Great Wall organised by the Indian Embassy and the Chinese state-run Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC), climaxing a host of yoga events held across China in the run up to the International Yoga Day. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will leave for Tashkent tomorrow to attend the annual summit of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) which will kick off the process of India's accession to the grouping as a full fledged member along with Pakistan. The Prime Minister will have a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping tomorrow on the sidelines of the summit during which he is expected to seek China's support for India's bid for NSG membership, which Beijing is opposed to. The two-day annual plenary session of the Nuclear Suppliers Group will begin in Seoul tomorrow during which India's application for membership of the elite nuclear trading club may come up for deliberation. Asked at the media briefing whether the PM will discuss the NSG issue with Xi, Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs Sujata Mehta refused to give a direct answer but said usually a "full review" of the bilateral ties takes place on such occasions. On India's SCO membership, Mehta said, "The process of India's accession to the SCO will start with a signature on the base document which is called the Memorandum of Obligations." Asked whether India will become a full member of the SCO, she said there was a schedule laid down for India to sign more than 30 other documents and it will happen as the year goes by. The Prime Minister will also have bilateral meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Uzbekistan President Islam Karimov. On whether Modi will have a meeting with Pakistan President Mamnoon Hussain, she said India does not even officially know who will represent Pakistan at the summit. At the same time, she said the Prime Minister will have couple of other bilaterals. Asked about Pakistan also getting membership of SCO, Mehta said India's membership of the SCO or any other bloc is not "predicated" by absense of any country. She said India follows "flexible multilateralism" and it is quite happy to get involved in multiple processes in extending cooperation. Mehta said the membership will provide India an opportunity to have extended cooperation with members of the grouping including China and Pakistan. Mehta said 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. Asked whether SCO membership will help India get a transit route for sending goods to Central Asia and Afghanistan through Pakistan, she said the issue has been taken up at the bilateral level. At the same time, she added overall there will be "net gain to what we have already." With majority of the SCO countries having huge reserves of oil and gas, India is expected to get greater access to major hydrocarbon projects in Central Asia after its entry into the bloc. Mehta said there is a talk of an SCO energy club and India aims to benefit from it. 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. On the NSG plenary meet in Seoul and whether India's membership bid may somehow figure in the SCO summit, Mehta said it was just a coincidence that both the meetings are taking place at the same time. Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma today inaugurated the 23rd conference of the police chiefs of seven North Eastern states and West Bengal. Two-day conference dwelt at length on the security scenario region and stressed on inter-state and inter-departmental coordination besides issues such as the international border management, a statement from the police said. The conference was attended by Spl DG of the IB, DG Narcotic Control Bureau, DGPs of Meghalaya, Assam, Sikkim, Nagaland, and ADGs of Tripura, Manipur as well as West Bengal, it said. Shillong had hosted the conference for a record eight times in past 24 years since it was first convened. NATO would currently be unable to protect the Baltics against a Russian attack, the commander of US ground forces in Europe, General Ben Hodges, said in a report today. "Russia could take over the Baltic states faster than we would be able to defend them," Hodges was quoted as saying in a German-language article by weekly Die Zeit. The general said he agreed with an assessment by military analysts that says Russian forces could conquer the capitals of Baltic states Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia within 36 to 60 hours. Hodges also said NATO forces had found numerous deficiencies during the recent "Anaconda" military exercise in Poland, according to the article from Thursday's edition of Die Zeit released early to AFP. Heavy military equipment could not be moved fast enough from western to eastern Europe, he said, while also voicing concern about the alliance's communication technology. "Neither radio communication nor email are secure," he was quoted as saying. "I assume that everything I write on my BlackBerry is being monitored." The Anaconda manoeuvre included troops from more than 20 NATO member states but was officially a Polish national exercise. Hodges told Die Zeit that "some countries, like France and Germany, thought it would be too provocative toward Russia to call it a NATO exercise". NATO announced last week that it would deploy four battalions to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland to counter a more assertive Russia, ahead of a landmark summit in Warsaw on July 8-9. All four countries were once ruled from Moscow and remain deeply suspicious of Russian intentions, especially after Russia's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. Russia bitterly opposes NATO's expansion into its Soviet-era satellites and last month said it would create three new divisions in its southwest region to meet what it described as a dangerous military build-up along its borders. Reserve Bank will shortly put in circulation Rs 10 denomination coins to commemorate birth centenary of Swami Chinmayananda. "The Reserve Bank will shortly put in circulation Rs 10 coins minted by the government to commemorate birth centenary of Swami Chinmayananda", RBI said in a release. The reverse of the coin will bear the portrait of Swami Chinmayananda in the centre. It will also have an inscription in Devnagri and English script on upper and lower periphery depicting "Birth Centenary of Swami Chinmayananda". The year '2015' shall be written below the portrait in international numerals. The obverse will bear the Lion Capital of Ashoka Pillar in the centre, rupee symbol and denominational value "10". RBI said the coins to be circulated would be legal tender and the existing coins in this denomination will also continue to be legal tender. As government proposes to bring new guidelines to regulate BT cotton market, apex seed industry body NSAI on Wednesday said there should not be any need for licensing agreement with technology providers as seed firms have right to access transgenic varieties to develop hybrids. The Union Agriculture Ministry last month issued a notification prescribing new guidelines for licensing and royalty/trait value fixation of BT cotton seeds. Under the fresh norm, royalty for the new genetically modified (GM) traits was capped at 10% of the maximum sale price of BT cotton seeds for the first 5 years. Eligible seed firms get access to the GM technology was also ensured. But later, the government withdrew the notification and turned it into a draft guidelines to seek comments from stakeholders amid opposition from crop biotech industry. "There is no need of any licensing agreement for GM traits to be signed by the plant breeders, farmers, researchers either in public or in private sector according to the provisions under the Protection of Plant Varieties & Farmers' Right Act, 2001," National Seed Association of India (NSAI) President M Prabhakar Rao told Press Trust of India. He said "the breeders have a right to access any transgenic variety for developing new varieties and need not sign any licence agreement for carrying out the basic activities of the seed companies". Rao termed the overall draft guidelines issued by the government as balanced. US biotech major Monsanto's India joint venture 'Mahyco Monsanto Biotech Ltd (MMBL)' has sub-licensed Bt cotton seed technology since 2002 to about 50 domestic seed companies, which sold over 5 crore packets of cotton seeds last year. "The one-sided licensing agreement imposed by Monsanto has created monopoly in Bt cotton seed market," NSAI Executive Director Kalyan Goswami said. On trait value, Goswami said the association would support the payment of royalty if it is "fair and reasonable" and encourages the development of new GM technology. NSAI has prepared a draft response and put it on its own website for comments from its 377 members by July 15. The government's draft policy came two months after it fixed the MSP of Bt cotton seed packets at Rs 800 per packet for bollgard (BG)-II version of Bt cotton hybrid, including Rs 49 for the trait value. The seed price was fixed according to the Cotton Seeds Price Control Order issued in December 2015. According to the draft 'Licensing and Formats for GM Technology Agreement Guidelines, 2016', after the first 5 years, royalty would reduce by 10% of initial value every year. If the GM technology loses efficacy, technology provider would not be eligible for any royalty. A new format for bilateral agreements has been proposed while the existing signed pacts between licensors (technology providers) and licensees (seed firms) would become invalid. The licensing norms seek to ensure that technology provider gets adequately rewarded under the "fair, reasonable and non-discriminative mechanism (FRAND mechanism)". The US has said the killing of Taliban leader Mullah Mansour in a drone strike in Pakistan does not represent a strategic shift in the approach to Afghanistan, but conveys a clear message to all parties in the region that America is prepared to protect its interests. "The Taliban's repeated refusal to join talks with the Afghan government contributed to the US decision to take action against Mullah Mansour on May 21," Special US Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Richard Olson told a Washington audience. "Some commentators have speculated that this strike represented a shift in US strategy or a weakening of our commitment to a peace process. It has not," Olson said in his remarks to the Atlantic Council, a top American think-tank. US President Barack Obama, he said, made clear in his public statements that the removal of Mansour and the expanded US authorities do not represent a strategic shift in our approach to Afghanistan. "The US is not resuming day-to-day combat operations in Afghanistan. The Afghan National Defence and Security Forces have full responsibility, as they should, for providing security in their country," he said. "Nonetheless, this strike should make clear to all parties in the region that the United States is fully prepared to protect its interests," Olson said. "Mullah Mansour was an obstacle to peace, posed a continued threat to US persons through his support for operations against US forces, and was perpetuating a war without end," he said. "Even though the United States has ceased combat operations against the Taliban, we will continue to protect our people and our interests," he said adding that the US will continue to encourage an Afghan-led, Afghan-owned peace process in which the Afghan government and the Afghan Taliban can bring this conflict to an end. "Persistent coordination and cooperation between Afghanistan and Pakistan is also a crucial aspect of long-term regional stability. The United States remains committed to serving as a constructive conduit in advancing these efforts," Olson said. Booking Delhi Development Authority (DDA) community halls in Delhi is set to get easier as the urban body has decreased the time for making payment for online booking from 45 minutes to 15 minutes. "For making the procedure faster and easier, the time for making payment has been decreased to 15 minutes," said in a statement. Applicants earlier had to fill in their details and upload scanned copies of required documents and were required to make the payment within 45 minutes through the payment gateway. Also, bookings were to be confirmed/approved online by the Superintending Engineer concerned of the zone but no time limit was fixed, it said. "Now for public convenience and to bring in transparency and efficiency, it has been decided that the Superintending Engineer concerned of the zone will approve the booking within three working days, failing which it shall be deemed to have been approved with the full personal liability of the Superintending Engineer concerned," said. had in 2012 started an online booking facility for 383 open spaces and 44 community halls for organising religious, spiritual and commercial functions as well as for circus and marriage activities. Union minister M Vankaiah Naidu today took a dig at the Congress leadership, claiming now "Team Modi decides" on public welfare unlike the days when "Madam decided and PM obeyed". "The biggest change Modi government has brought is that we have ended the situation of policy paralysis. Today the PM presides and Team Modi decides on public welfare unlike the days when Madam decided and PM obeyed," Naidu was quoted as saying in a statement by his party. He was addressing a 'Vikas Parv' programme organised by the BJP in east Delhi to celebrate two years of Narendra Modi government's rule and its "achievements". "At the behest of Congress, Modi was denied US visa 9 times but now the same American people are hailing Narendra Modi as an an icon," Naidu claimed. Union Minister of State for Finance Jayant Sinha said today the world is "eager to invest" in the country that has emerged as the "top" hub for investors. A large number of BJP leaders including state president Satish Upadhyay, MPs Maheish Girri and Manoj Tiwari, and Delhi in-charge Shyam Jaju were also present. Telecom value-added service provider OnMobile today said the bankruptcy of its client 'Oi' will have a negligible impact on its financial performance. Oi, one of Brazil's wireless and broadband telecommunications service provider, has filed a bankruptcy recovery request on June 20 in Rio de Janeiro. "The outcome of this process will have a negligible impact on OnMobile's financial performance. OnMobile's revenue from Oi constituted less than 0.5 per cent of consolidated revenues in the last financial year," it said in a statement. For FY2015-16, the company's revenues stood at Rs 387.38 crore. * * * * LeEco partners HCL Care Services for after-sales services * Chinese handset maker LeEco today said it has partnered HCL Care Services, a division of HCL Services, for its after-sales service for customers. HCL Care Services will provide one-stop solution for all service requirements to Le Eco customers through existing 265 'HCL Touch' centres in over 240 cities across the country, LeEco said in a statement. Atul Jain, COO at LeEco India, said the company has a total of 555 service centres, out of which HCL will provide service in 265 centres. HCL Care Services has a network of more than 300 service centres across 250 cities in India and serves over 3 million consumers in a year. * * * * Amazon.In launches Bengali, Gujarati language book stores * Amazon.In today launched two new dedicated online language book stores for Bengali and Gujarati readers. The selection, with over 10,000 titles, ranges from classics, literature, fiction, biographies, business and finance, self-help, cook books and children's books as well as translated versions of various English bestsellers like The Oath of the Vayuputras, Amazon.In said in a statement. "We started launching our dedicated language book stores last year and have witnessed an enthusiastic response from readers across the country. Having launched Hindi, Tamil, Kannada, Marathi and Malayalam, we are excited to launch the dedicated Gujarati and Bengali book stores on Amazon.In," Amazon India Director Category Management Noor Patel said. * * * * Ramco sets up subsidiary in Philippines * Buoyed by the addition of new clients in Philippines, Ramco Systems today said it has set up a wholly-owned subsidiary in the country to address the market opportunities in the region. "To better address the market opportunity arising in Philippines, Ramco Systems has set up an office, its fourth in the region and 21st globally," Ramco said in a statement. With Singapore as the regional headquarters, and offices in Malaysia and Hong Kong, Ramco Systems in ASEAN has seen a steady growth for its products -- ERP, HCM and Aviation MRO. For the year ended March 31, 2016, Asia Pacific (including Australia and New Zealand) contributed 29 per cent of the overall revenue. Lightsource Renewable Energy bags solar project in Maha * European firm Lightsource Renewable Energy today announced it has bagged a 50 mw solar project in Maharashtra under the government's solar programme. This is the maiden solar project secured by the company in India, a company statement said. Nick Boyle, CEO, Lightsource said: "We are...Taking the first steps towards our ambitions for investment in India's solar PV market. The Indian Government has a huge appetite for solar energy and we believe that Lightsource will contribute significantly towards their targets." The government has announced a goal of achieving 100 GW of solar capacity by 2022. Lightsource is Europe's largest developer and operator of solar photovoltaic (PV) projects. * * * * * * Olympian Abhinav Bindra invests in health and wellness segment * Olympic champion Abhinav Bindra along with Franchise India has funded a company in the health and wellness segment. Bindra's Shooting Star Sports and Franchise India has funded Add Veda, which is manufacturing products close to nature with holistic and authentic Ayurvedic formulations. Commenting on the development Add Veda Founder & CEO Ankush Passi said: "I am extremely delighted to start my company with world renowned Ace Shooter Abhinav Bindra, who is also our brand ambassador." * * * * * * Super Plastronics partners Amazon to sell Kodak TVs * Super Plastronics Pvt Ltd, which has the brand licence for Kodak range of TV, today announced its association with online retailer Amazon. Now Kodak HD LED TV 40' (smart & standard) and 50' series will initially be made available on Amazon. Other size Kodak HD LED TV will be made available in the future. Mahindra Retail sells 100% stake in MICPL * Mahindra Retail Private Limited (MRPL) today said it has sold its entire shareholding in Mahindra Internet Commerce (MICPL). "Hence, MICPL has ceased to be a subsidiary of MRPL and as such of the company," Mahindra and Mahindra said in a regulatory filing. MRPL is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Mahindra and Mahindra. As per the filing, MRPL sold its 100 per cent shareholding in MICPL to Mukesh Bhandari and Pranay Pandya for Rs 14 lakh. The two buyers have bought 50 per cent stake each. Turnover of MICPL was Rs 25.19 crore for the year ended March 31. A consortium led by has signed an agreement to acquire 23.9% stake in Russia's second biggest oil field of Vankor from Rosneft. The deal is valued at $2 billion. The stake acquired by OIL-led consortium is in addition to the 15% interest picked up by ONGC Videsh Ltd in the Vankor oilfield for $1.268 billion. "Indian consortium, led by OIL, along with Indian Oil Corp and Bharat PetroResources Ltd, a subsidiary of Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL), signed definitive agreement to acquire up to 23.9% shares from Rosneft Oil Co in JSC Vankorneft, a company organised under the law of Russian Federation which is the owner of Vankor and North Vankor field licenses," OIL said in a statement. The deal is expected to close by September 2016. The 23.9% stake would be split in the ratio 33.5-33.5-33 between IOC, OIL and BRPL (IOC and OIL picking up 8% stake each while the remaining 7.8% stake would go to BRPL). Rosneft holds 85% shares in Vankor while ONGC Videsh Ltd (through its subsidiary) holds 15% at present. Vankor field, located in East Siberia, is Russia's second largest field by production and accounts for around 4% of Russian production and currently producing about 422,000 barrels of oil per day. "It is the largest of the fields, discovered and commissioned in Russia during the last 25 years and is located in the North of Eastern Siberia in Turukhansk district of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, 142 km away from Igarka town," the statement said. The recoverable resources of the Vankor field as of January 1 stood at 361 million tonnes of oil and condensate and 138 billion cubic meters of gas. "With the closure of the Vankor deal, IOC's equity oil portfolio will go up by 1.6 million tons per annum," it said. Further, Rosneft has agreed to sell another 11% stake in Vankor to OVL. Details of this deal are yet to be finalised. The acquisitions have significant strategic importance to India, both in terms of augmenting energy security as well as enhancing its stature in the global political and economic arenas, the statement added. National Conference leader Omar Abdullah today criticised Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti for her comments that a 1947-like situation would have emerged in Jammu had her PDP not entered into alliance with the BJP after the 2014 assembly elections. "In the Legislative Council, you said that if you had not aligned with BJP there would have been a repeat of 1947. We were not there in 1947 but we have heard that situation had deterioated in Jammu and there was a massive communal flare up," Omar said while taking part in discussion on grants for departments under the charge of Chief Minister in Legislative assembly. He asked Mehbooba whether her statment meant that to save Muslim population in Jammu, she was forced to align with BJP. "I feel for the Hindus of Jammu as you are saying that if they had not been part of the government, they would have set the region on fire," he said. Omar said it was not for the first time that the mandate in Jammu and Kashmir was divided. "Before 1987, there was a clear cut division of votes. National Conference emerged with majority in Kashmir and Congress in Jammu. Congress mostly remained in oppiosition and NC in power but there was no communal flare up in Jammu," he said. Hitting out at the 'Agenda of Alliance', the NC leader said it has been a failure because of its non-implementation. "Don't tell us that this is two-month-old government. It is the continuity of Mufti sahib's government. Unfortunately, he is no more but most of the ministers are same with same portfolios. Even your colleagues said that the Agenda of Alliance is a failure," he added. About the Handwara incident, Omar said the governent has failed in its promise to present a report in the assembly. "Two versions have come, one from the girl and one from the police. The speaker had assured that a report will be presented within two days but two weeks have passed and no such report was presented. I am sure no report will be presented during this session," he added. Pakistan has raised the issue of the recent US drone strike that killed the Afghan Taliban chief, in the UN Security Council, describing it as an "unacceptable and blatant violation of its sovereignty" and of the UN charter and international law. Speaking in the quarterly debate on Afghanistan in the Council, Pakistan's Ambassador Maleeha Lodhi said the Afghan peace process was undermined by the US drone attack of May 21 which killed Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour in Balochistan province close to the Afghan border. This action has dealt "a blow to the Afghan peace process" and added to the intensity and complexity of the Afghan conflict, she added. While expressing Pakistan's readiness to support a genuine Afghan peace process, Lodhi warned that her country will not tolerate violations of its sovereignty and its territorial integrity, "from whatever source". She asked whether the international community wanted a negotiated peace or a military solution in Afghanistan. She warned that those seeking a renewed recourse to a military solution need to think through its consequences. "Is it ready to invest in war rather than peace in Afghanistan?" she asked the 15-member Security Council. Referring to the Secretary General's report on Afghanistan, the Pakistani envoy said that this reinforced the firm international consensus that, "only by a negotiated political agreement will Afghans achieve sustainable peace". She said Pakistan agreed to facilitate the first-ever direct peace talks between the Afghan government and the Afghan Taliban in Murree in June 2015. Depicting these talks as a "promising start", she regretted that days before the second round in which the two sides were to also consider a de-escalation of violence, the talks were scuttled by developments "well known to all". She argued that for the past 15 years the use of military force has failed to stabilise Afghanistan. "Continued resort to military means will further destabilise the situation in Afghanistan and the region," she said adding Pakistan would advise against such a strategy. Urging the Afghan government and the international coalition to take action against Pakistani Taliban elements, which have sought refuge in Afghanistan, she emphasised that the elimination of these sanctuaries was essential to peace and security. Centre has asked states and union territories to set up district-level advisories and monitoring committees to oversee implementation of its various urban development schemes. Union Urban Devlopment Minister M Venkaiah Naidu has given his approval in this regard. "States/union territories will appoint the senior most Member of Parliament as the chairperson of the committee. Two more MPs, one each from Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha, will be the co-chairpersons," an official statement said. The members of the committee will include all MLAs from respective districts representing the urban local bodies (ULBs), mayors and chairpersons of ULBs, chairpersons and chief executives of urban development authorities in districts, among others. These committees will monitor implementation of schemes such as Swachh Bharat Mission, Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY), Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Housing for All (Urban) and Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission. The committees will meet at least once in three months and submit action taken reports to state/UT governments for necessary action, the statement said. States/UTs in turn will submit consolidated reports every year to the Ministry of Urban Development and Ministry of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation, it said. The Kerala government has decided to constitute a string of people's committees to check production and supply of illicit liquor and create awareness about its dangers. The committees, to be set up at the corporation and municipality levels, will have government officials, political activists and representatives of youth outfits as members, an official release said here. The corporation level committee will have the respective corporation mayor as the chairman and assistant excise commissioner as convener along with other members, while the municipal-level committee will be headed by municipal chairman, the release said. A 30-year-old physiotherapist was today arrested for allegedly harassing a woman while she was undergoing treatment at a clinic here. Police said physiotherapist Ashley was arrested by Ernakulam South police, a day after the woman, an Indian origin American citizen, lodged a complaint with the police. According to the complaint, Ashley forced the woman to touch his private parts and misbehaved with her while performing physiotherapy treatment. Ashley was produced before a court here which remanded him in judicial custody, police said. Prime Minister will arrive here on Thursday to attend the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), a China-dominated six-nation grouping, which is likely to focus on exploring ways to enhance security cooperation to combat terrorism. India, along with Pakistan, is set to be inducted as full members into the bloc which mainly deals with issues relating to security and defence. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin will attend the two-day 16th annual summit of bloc to be held in the Uzbek capital. Pakistan will be represented by President Mamnoon Hussain. Modi is likely to have a bilateral meeting with Xi on Thursday on the sidelines of the summit. In the meeting, Modi is expected to seek China's support for India's membership in the Nuclear Suppliers Group. The two-day annual plenary session of the NSG will begin in Seoul on Thursday during which India's application for membership may come up for deliberation. In the SCO summit, the leaders are expected to explore ways to deepen security cooperation and intelligence sharing. Membership of the grouping will help India have a greater say in issues relating to security and defence. Ensuring peace, stability and security in the region, building a just and rational international political and economic order and combating terrorism and extremism have been the major focus areas of the SCO in the last few years. With majority of the SCO countries having huge reserves of oil and gas, India is expected to get greater access to major hydrocarbon projects in Central Asia after its entry into the bloc. The SCO had set the ball rolling to make India a member of the bloc during its summit in Ufa, Russia in July last year when administrative hurdles were cleared to grant membership to India, Pakistan and Iran. 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 favouring permanent SCO membership for India while China pushed for induction of Pakistan. Congress leader Pramod Tewari today hit out at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for his remarks against party leaders including Sonia Gandhi in his statement on the multi-crore tanker scam. "I advise Kejriwal to desist from making cheap statements against national leaders of Congress in the future...He should remember that he is commenting on Sonia Gandhi, the lady who had given up the post of Prime Minister as she has no temptation for power," Tewari said. "On the other hand, Kejriwal is the one who went back on his promises just for the post of Chief Minister and also betrayed his guru Anna Hazare," he alleged. The AAP national convener had yesterday in a statement said, "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." Kejriwal had made the statement while hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleging that the FIR linking his government to the multi-crore rupees water tanker scam was filed at the latter's behest. Tewari claimed that barring the "fake drama and advertisement campaign", Kejriwal has "nothing to boast of" as the Chief Minister of Delhi. President Pranab Mukherjee had to return to New Delhi today without paying obeisance at the Kedarnath temple due to bad weather. The chopper carrying the President twice attempted to land at the Himalayan temple, located at a height of 3,581 metres in Rudraprayag district, but could not do so due to inclement weather, Additional DGP Anil Raturi said. Later, the President returned to Raj Bhawan in Dehradun from where he left for Delhi after a few hours of rest. The MeT department had announced arrival of monsoon rains in Uttarakhand yesterday. However, Mukherjee's visit to Kedarnath was scheduled prior to the announcement. Earlier, Governor Krishna Kant Paul and Chief Minister Harish Rawat received the President as he arrived at the Jollygrant Airport here this morning. At the Raj Bhawan, he was welcomed by Governor K K Paul and his wife Amita Paul, who presented him a coffee-table book titled "Beyond Belief" brought out by the Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam and a set of vials of oil extracted from aromatic plants prepared by the Centre of Aromatic Plants, Dehradun. Before leaving for Delhi, Mukherjee also planted saplings of camphor and Belpatra on Raj Bhawan precincts. President Pranab Mukherjee today could not pay obeisance at the Kedarnath temple as his chopper failed to land due to inclement weather. The chopper carrying the President twice attempted to land at the temple, located at a height of 3,581 metres, but could not do so due to inclement weather, Additional Director General of Police Anil Raturi said. The President has now left for Dehradun from where he is scheduled to return to New Delhi, Raturi said. The MeT department had announced arrival of monsoon rains in Uttarakhand yesterday. A French sex tourist was sentenced today to 16 years in prison for raping or abusing dozens of young boys in Sri Lanka, Tunisia and Egypt over a decade. Thierry Darantiere, 52, who confessed to the crimes, was also ordered to accept treatment for the next 10 years. Taking the stand on yesterday, Darantiere's voice shook as he expressed "regrets which seem futile... To these young people I will never see again". The sheer number of the minors he allegedly abused between 2002 and 2011 -- 66 -- made the trial the biggest in France for sex crimes committed abroad. Darantiere testified, however, that the number may have been much higher. Despite the magnitude of the sexual tourism industry, such hearings are rare, given a lack of evidence and plaintiffs. Darantiere, a former director of a Catholic retirement home, was charged with rape and sexual assault, corrupting minors, using under-age prostitutes, and recording and disseminating child pornography. It was the FBI that first tracked him down, finding dozens of images on the Internet of him abusing young boys in 2011. French police arrested him the following year. Investigators found thousands of photos and hundreds of videos on hard disks seized from Darantiere's home. They counted 41 victims in Tunisia, 19 in Sri Lanka and six in Egypt. The boys ranged in age from six to 17. Darantiere told investigators he was "bisexual with paedophile tendencies", a "loner" and a "sick person who needs help". But he denied forcing the boys to commit sexual acts, saying he paid them with money and gifts. Darantiere told of his upbringing in a devout Catholic family in which homosexuality was unthinkable. He said he had "never" had intimate relations with an adult in France but invented a wife and child as he took a job as the head of a retirement home in Le Pecq, west of Paris. A psychiatric expert said the defendant did not accept that he was a paedophile. "Overseas there are no limits, while France is the place for a conformist existence." To Darantiere, "they aren't victims, they're partners", the expert said. Darantiere was given a one-year suspended prison sentence in Austria in 2000 for sexually abusing children in 1994. To curb criminal activities carried out from prison using mobile phones, Bihar cabinet today approved a proposal to install cell phone jammer inside Beur Jail here. The proposal of the Home department to install mobile jammer in Beur Jail as a pilot project was approved at a meeting of the state Cabinet presided over by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. The cabinet gave its consent on a proposal of Rs 6,50,96,939 submitted by Central public sector Bharat Electronic Limited (BEL), Joint Secretary of Cabinet Coordination Department Upendra Nath Pandey told reporters. Media reports have highlighted use of mobile phone by criminals from jails for committing crime like kidnapping for ransom outside. The Bihar cabinet also approved 14 proposals of different departments in today's meeting. In an another important decision, the cabinet okayed a proposal to provide Rs 14,000 a month to retired Chief Justices and Justices of the Patna High Court for keeping orderly, driver and security guard. They would get a monthly payment of Rs 12,000 for assistant and telephone allowance of a maximum 1500 calls a month. Dozens of Turkish demonstrators gathered in Istanbul 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. Yesterday, 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. 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 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. BJP today targeted Samajwadi Party over the merger of gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari's Quami Ekta Dal with it, alleging it was a case of "appeasement and vote-bank politics" and the party was trying to win Uttar Pradesh polls "with the help of gangsters". National secretary of BJP Shrikant Sharma alleged that SP wants to throw the state into "communal fire" as Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav knew that "his government has failed on all fronts and lost people's trust." Addressing a press conference here, he dismissed Akhilesh's decision to sack his minister, Balram Yadav, for allegedly facilitating the merger, as an "eyewash". "People had voted for Samajwadi Party to get the state rid of corruption and crime which was prevalent during the BSP rule. The Akhilesh government has failed on all fronts and 'goondaraj' is everywhere. It has become SP's practice to shelter criminals and seek their support. "This merger is the height of vote-bank and appeasement politics. SP wants to win polls with the help of criminals, rioters and gangsters. It wants to throw the state into communal fire and orchestrate communal riots," Sharma alleged, adding, people will not let SP vitiate the atmosphere and will vote it out. The merger was announced yesterday by senior Cabinet Minister and Akhilesh's uncle Shipal Yadav, with some party sources claiming that the Chief Minister was "unhappy" with the move. Referring to the Mathura incident and Kairana episode, Sharma also alleged that criminals are "ruling the roost" in the state. In Lucknow, BJP's Uttar Pradesh chief Keshav Prasad Maurya claimed, "The CM's displeasure over the merger of QED with SP is purely a drama of the Saifai family. If he is displeased with the merger then why his uncle Shivpal Yadav was not dismissed?" Claiming that SP was already taking support of QED, Maurya alleged that the ruling party has failed to fulfil its promises made during 2012 Assembly elections. "To hide the failures of the government, the party was indulging in displeasure of QED merger," he alleged, adding "Criminals are having patronage of SP as a result of which law and order has derailed in the state. (REOPENS DES 36) Sharma also took a dig at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over the FIR in the alleged tanker scam, and said he should resign and "present himself for the probe". "He used to run campaign against corruption but it is now clear that it is in his nature to do corruption and protect the corrupt. He has been exposed on all fronts. "Kejriwal would protest over every small issues and demand resignation of politicians. Why is he silent today? Why is he not following the same standards? Why is he not resigning? If only a little bit of shame and morality is left in him, he should resign and present himself for probe," Sharma said. Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu on Wednesday ordered an inquiry into the recent disruption of suburban train services in Mumbai. On Monday, the services of Western Railway were hugely affected for nearly an hour following the power failure caused by theft of a battery box at Mahim station. "Review of monsoon preparedness is being done at the highest level. Ensuring safe commute for the people is our priority," Prabhu tweeted. "We will explore not only reasons of disruption but also focus on remedial measures and act swiftly," the minister said. "Ordered time bound enquiry to come up with the causes. Disruption in Mumbai suburban has been taken up very seriously," he said. BJP Mumbai unit president Ashish Shelar, who met Prabhu in Delhi, said on Wednesday he was grateful to the minister for such a "huge commitment" to redress problems of local trains during rains. Prabhu has informed that a Railway Board team is being sent to Mumbai to monitor situation, Shelar said. Outgoing Governor on Wednesday rejected suggestions for RBI to infuse its surplus funds to capitalise ailing public sector -- proposed by CEA Arvind Subramanian -- saying it is a "non-transparent" idea that can create "conflicts of interest". Rajan, who last weekend surprised everyone by making public his no to a second term, said RBI should continue paying as much dividend as possible to the government, which in turn should be recapitalising the public sector . "The Economic Survey has suggested the RBI capitalise public sector . This seems a non-transparent way of proceeding, getting the banking regulator once again into the business of owning banks, with attendant conflicts of interest," Rajan told an Assocham event here. The suggestion made in this regard in the latest Economic Survey, prepared by Chief Economic Advisor Subramanian, has reportedly found traction with the government, though there is no official word in this regard as yet. Rajan, however, said rather than this, RBI should pay as much dividend as possible to to the government, which over the past two years has run into billions of dollars. Rajan, who will return to academia after his three-year term at RBI ends on September 4, added that RBI has paid all of its surplus to the government for the last three years. In 2013-14 the RBI had transferred a surplus of Rs 52,679 crore to the government, which in 2014-15 rose to Rs 65,896 crore. The surplus transfer in 2010-11 was much lower at Rs 15,009 crore. According to a media report published days after Rajan's surprise decision, the government is mulling to use up to Rs 4,00,000 crore of RBI capital. The Governor stressed that the government should continue to capitalise its banks and clarified that a higher dividend payout by RBI and bank-recapitalisation should not be linked. If the government cannot arrange the required capital, Rajan suggested issuing to the banks "government capitalization bonds" in exchange for equity. "The banks would hold the bonds on their balance sheet. This would tie up part of their balance sheet, but would certainly be capital," he explained. Till 2007, RBI was holding nearly 60 per cent stake in the public sector lender SBI on behalf of the government. However, this stake was transferred to the government after amendments to the relevant acts, as it was felt that it was inconsistent with the principles of effective supervision that the regulator (RBI) was also an owner of a bank (SBI). In the Economic Survey, Subramanian, who is among those being speculated in race to succeed Rajan at RBI, had first spoken about deploying the RBI's capital to bolster the state-run banks' buffers. Incidentally, Subramanian today became the latest target of a tirade by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, though Minister Arun Jaitley came in his strong defence and the party also distanced itself from Swamy's comments. Dismissing doomsday theories, industry body CII said on Wednesday the exit of RBI Governor will not cause a panic reaction as the Indian economy is very strong and robust. "His (Rajan's) leaving the office is not going to cause a panic reaction, and also not cause a flight from rupee and all those doomsday scenarios that they have been talked about," CII Director General Chandrajit Banerjee told reporters here. "As an economy we are a strong robust, complex and diverse economy that's beyond the scope of anyone," he added. CII President Naushad Forbes said the industry is confident of the government appointing a competent person to work and steer RBI to greater heights. "We are confident that the government will quickly appoint somebody very competent to work and steer RBI to greater heights," he said. Forbes further said Rajan has done a fine job and the industry was confident that the next Governor will be as strong and equally do a fine job. Interestingly, following the Rajan's announcement to exit RBI in September, the rupee had tumbled by 61 paise to a low of 67.69 on Monday but later recovered to end down by 23 paise. Since Monday, the rupee has lost 40 paise against the US dollar mainly due to forex outflows from debt. Congress leader Ashok Gehlot today accused the BJP-led government in Rajasthan of "betraying" the people by "not fulfilling its poll promises". Alleging that an Asha Sahyogini, contractual health worker under NHM scheme, died during an agitation by them demanding regularisation of their jobs, he claimed, "Asha Sahyoginis are on agitation against the government but the government is trying to suppress them." The ruling party had promised to set up a high-power committee to form a policy to regularise Asha Sahyogini, Aanganwadi workers and others but nothing was done, the former chief minister alleged. He also alleged that Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje had made "false promises" at the time of election and is now avoiding them. Prime Minister Najib Razak today asked Malaysian companies, which heavily rely on workers from countries like India, to reduce their dependence on foreign labour by adopting new technologies. The premier said businessmen should consider the long- term effects of their reliance on foreign workers on the country's competitiveness. "I have heard that businesses need more foreign workers to increase productivity, which will bring more revenue. "But, I would like you (businessmen) to be less dependent on foreign workers by adopting new technology to improve productivity," he said in Kuantan. Najib said companies should also look into using robotics and automation systems in place of labour-intensive work to raise productivity. "I would like to place greater emphasis on improving productivity in the years to come," he said. Malaysia heavily relies on foreign labour in several fields like construction, plantations, restaurants. India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Cambodia and Bangladesh are some of the key countries it sources its labour. Renowned Qawwal Amjad Sabri was shot dead by unidentified motorcycle-borne gunmen today in Pakistan's port city of Karachi. Sabri, 45, and an associate were travelling in a car in Karachi's Liquatabad 10 area when unidentified gunmen fired at their vehicle, critically injuring them. The two were rushed to Abbasi Shaheed hospital, where Sabri succumbed to his injuries. "Three people including Amjad Sabri have been killed in a targeted attack on his car in Liaquatabad 10 area this afternoon," a senior police official said. "He was shot in the chest and head and he was shifted to Abbasi Shaheed hospital immediately, where he succumbed to his injuries. The driver and associate have been killed in the targeted attack," the official said. Additional police surgeon Dr Rohina Hasan confirmed Sabri's death. He was shot thrice - twice in the head and once on the ear - police sources said. Amjad Sabri was the son of renowned Qawwal Ghulam Farid Sabri whose family is famous in the subcontinent for their contribution to this sufi art and mystic poetry. Amjad was one of Pakistan's finest qawwals, known for his soul-stirring renditions of mystic poetry. Almost whatever the Sabri brothers sang became an instant hit. But some of their most memorable and famous qawwalis were Bhar Do Jholi Meri, Tajdar-i-Haram and Mera Koi Nahin Hai Teray Siwa. Amjad Sabri, one of Pakistan's finest Sufi Qawwals best known for his soul-stirring renditions of mystic poetry, was today killed by unidentified gunmen who shot him in the head in a targeted terror attack here. Sabri, 45, and an associate were travelling in a car in Karachi's congested Liquatabad 10 area when two unidentified motorcycle-borne gunmen fired at their vehicle, critically injuring them. "Two attackers riding a motorcycle intercepted his car and targeted Amjad Sabri, who was driving," said Sindh police chief Allah Dino Khawaja. The two were rushed to Abbasi Shaheed hospital, where Sabri succumbed to his injuries. His associate also died. "Sabri was shot in the chest and head and he was shifted to Abbasi Shaheed hospital immediately, where he succumbed to his injuries. His associate was also killed in the targeted attack," a police official said. Additional police surgeon Dr Rohina Hasan confirmed Sabri's death. He was shot thrice - twice in the head and once on the ear. "Two riders used 30-bore pistols to shoot Sabri five times, the bullet to the head took the qawwal's life," a senior police official said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility but a senior police official said, "It was a targeted killing and an act of terrorism." Sabri was apparently heading for the studio of a private television channel when he was attacked. Police officials recovered five 30-bore casings from the scene of the attack, which have been sent for forensics. Both front side windows were shattered and three bullet holes could be seen on the front screen. Amjad Sabri was the son of renowned Qawwal Ghulam Farid Sabri whose family is famous in the subcontinent for their contribution to this sufi art and mystic poetry. Sabri was one of Pakistan's finest qawwals, known for his soul-stirring renditions of mystic poetry. Some of the most memorable and famous qawwalis of the Sabris were 'Bhar Do Jholi Meri', 'Tajdar-i-Haram' and 'Mera Koi Nahin Hai Teray Siwa'. Sabri, who travelled widely to Europe and USA for his concerts, was known as the "rockstar" of Qawali due to his modern style of rendition. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has condemned the attack and has directed authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice. Fakhre Alam, Chairman of Sindh Censor Board, has claimed in a tweet that Sabri had earlier submitted an application for security, but the home department did not act on it. His killing comes just two days after the son of the Sindh High Court Chief Justice was kidnapped and it raises serious concern about the security situation in Pakistan's biggest city. This week a doctor belonging to the minority Ahmadi community was also shot dead in his clinic by gunmen. The West Bengal government is mulling to appoint retired teachers as guest teachers as a "stop-gap measure" to fill up a large number of vacant posts at primary and secondary schools in the state. Replying to a calling attention motion moved by Congress MLA Nepal Mahato, in the Assembly, state education minister Partha Chatterjee today said, "We are thinking of appointing retired teachers as guest teachers in the schools where needed." The state government is looking into the issue of appointing teachers in primary and secondary schools with "extreme urgency", he said. The minister said the state government had written to the Centre twice, asking for its nod to announce results of teachers' recruitment exams for the primary and secondary schools, "immediately". "We have written to the Centre to allow us announce the results of the tests for recruitment of primary and secondary school teachers immediately. There is no response from the Centre and the principal secretary will visit New Delhi next week in this connection," Chatterjee told mediapersons. People without B.Ed degree were also allowed to appear in exams for appointment of teachers and the last date for such relaxation was fixed for March 31 this year. The appointment process got stuck after the state's decision to allow people without B.Ed degree in the exams was challenged in the court, he said. "Then the Model Code of Conduct was there for which we could not complete the process (of teachers' appointment)," the minister said, adding over 35 lakh people had appeared for the tests and around 70,000 vacancies were to be filled up. "If allowed, the entire process will likely be completed by Decemeber... A large number of aspirants are waiting eagerly for the results," he said. Chatterjee, however, described the appointment of retired teachers as guest teachers as a "temporary solution" and assured that it would be done in a "rationalistic" manner. "The governing bodies of the schools will decide whether they require teachers. On the basis of that they will send us a list for recruitment of a guest teacher. If a school has excess number of teachers and a nearby school has less, then the excess numbers of teachers will be transferred there," Chatterjee said. Expressing concerns over the spurt in number of trade restrictive measures by G20 economies, the WTO has said it could have a "chilling effect" on trade flows. According to a WTO report, during mid-October to mid-May 2016, G20 economies applied 145 new trade-restrictive measures as against 100 in the same period previous years. The G20 economies, a group of developed and developing countries are India, Australia, Brazil, China, France, the US and the UK and EU. WTO Director-General Roberto Azevedo said: "We have long been concerned about the growing stockpile of trade- restrictive measures, and our report suggests that this worrying trend is continuing. "A rise in trade restrictions is the last thing the global economy needs today with GDP growth sluggish and 2016 expected to be the fifth year in a row that trade has expanded by less than 3 per cent." He said these trade-restrictive measures, combined with a notable rise in anti-trade rhetoric, "could have a further chilling effect on trade flows", with knock-on effects for economic growth and job creation. Azevedo added "if we are serious about addressing slow economic growth, then we need to get trade moving again, not put up barriers between economies". He urged the countries to act on their commitment of not putting up barriers. The report said since 2009, a total of 1,583 trade measures were imposed by G20 countries and only a quarter of these measures have been removed. It added the main factor behind the rise in these measures was increase in the number of trade remedy investigations by G20 economies. Anti-dumping actions account for the majority of restrictive measures imposed, with most of the investigations concentrated in sectors such as metals (particularly steel) and chemicals, it added. The report assumes significance as the World Trade Organisation has already cut global trade growth forecast to 2.8 per cent from 3.9 per cent earlier, on account of slowdown in emerging economies and financial volatility. India's exports too are in negative zone since December 2014. Seeking to shed its 'anti-Muslim' tag, an affiliate is hosting a grand 'Iftar' on July 2 where it has invited ambassadors of many countries including Muslim nations like Pakistan to spread the message of unity and harmony and of making India "riots-free". Organised by Muslim Rashtriya Manch, an affiliate of RSS, the iftar party here would be a much bigger affair this time. It has also asked its members to hold small iftar parties across the country. "The aim is to tell the world about Indian-ness, helping people from all communities live in peace and harmony...India is a ray of hope and peace for the Muslim world," leader and patron of the Manch Indresh Kumar said. "Rashtriya Muslim Manch has urged members to host small iftar parties by inviting people from all communities and spreading the message of brotherhood ," he also said. Citing holy scriptures, he said even the Prophet has said that whenever he felt disturbed, he felt spiritual waves of peace and love coming from the east and referred to 'Hindustan' and that the day will come, when the message of peace and love will flow from Bharat. "Charity begins at home...All should live in harmony and help make the country free of riots and the world including India free from violence including terrorism," he said in his appeal to the minority community members. Indresh Kumar also said that he has urged the community members to plant a sapling to curb pollution and bring home the holy sapling (Tulsi) at home and worship it, saying it is referred to as "Rehan, also called the 'plant of heaven' in holy Quran". The leader said there should be no discrimination in slogans in favour of the country, irrespective of the language used, and said people should break free from the shackles of communalism to avoid spreading hatred in humanity. The Manch had organised a similar iftar party for some diplomats in Delhi, but this time it is being organised on a bigger scale. He said that invites to diplomats of 35 to 40 Muslim nations and some others have been sent. The MRM was formed in 2002 as a platform for Muslims at the initiative of RSS with the aim of bringing the two communities together. Hyderabad-based Saince Health Tech today announced the launch of a mobile-based electronic prescription application, RapidRx. This mobile app along with a web portal (www.Rapidrx.In) will enable physicians to prescribe medicines electronically to patients in any type of care setting like a hospital, clinic or even tele-medicine, a company release stated. RapidRx app is developed by Saince HealthTech, a subsidiary of Saince, Inc., a USA corporation. Unveiling the RapidRx features, Raghuvir Vedantham, president and CEO, Saince HealthTech said, "the unique feature of this application is accessibility of a first ever comprehensive database of over 26,800 licensed drugs sold in India that include generics, brands, strengths, in-take method and dosage. It is a very intuitive app that enables doctors to write prescriptions in few seconds". "RapidRx minimises medication errors, a leading cause of prescription related complications. Our goal is to push its adoption to doctors and patients," Raghu claimed. Today, increasing drug over prescription or over usage incidences are a result of non-availability of patients' past records at the point of care. This app from Saince HealthTech will help a registered doctor and his/her patient to keep track of all prescriptions including the history leading to better utilisation of harmful drugs and minimise side effects, he said. It would be a "fantastic gesture" by the NDA government if it announces to P V Narasimha Rao, said Sanjaya Baru, who has been media advisor to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. "I think next week is the 95th birth anniversary of P V Narasimha Rao. It would be a fantastic gesture on the part of Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi to announce 'Bharat Ratna' (to Rao)," he said in reply to a query from audience during a panel discussion to mark the 25th anniversary of Rao becoming India's Prime Minister. Baru's new book "1991-the year that changed India" would be released next month. Baru hailed the contributions of Rao as the Prime Minister who initiated the economic reforms in the country and steered the country in difficult times. Former CBI director K Vijayarama Rao and Rao's grandson Subhash, a BJP leader, were the other panelists in the discussion held last night. Contrary to the "popular perception", Rao was elected as the Prime Minister by Congress MPs in 1991 and not nominated to the post, Baru said on the occasion. Dismissing the claims that Rao only "implemented" suggestions on the economic reforms programme, he said it was Rao who decided to implement the policies. "Various committees submitted a series of reports suggesting various policy changes. None of these policy changes were implemented during the five years when Rajiv Gandhi was Prime Minister. He had 400 MPs in Parliament. It was Narasimha Rao who decided to implement those policies," Baru said. Subhash said a memorial for Rao is being built in New Delhi and that the governments of both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have favoured conferring 'Bharat Ratna' on the former Prime Minister. Actress Selma Blair is sorry for her behavior on a Los Angeles-bound plane after which she was taken off flight on a stretcher. The "Hellboy" star was on vacation in Cancun with her four-year-old son and her designer ex-boyfriend Jason Bleick, and reportedly lost her cool in the Delta flight raging about an unseen foe, said The Hollywood Reporter. "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. "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. I am a flawed human being who makes mistakes and am filled with shame over this incident. I am truly very sorry," Blair said in the statement. Two nurses aboard the plane helped subdue the 39-year-old actress who was shouting uncontrollably. Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam today accused senior Shiv Sena leader and MoS Housing Ravindra Waikar of "usurping" 20 acres land worth Rs 20 crore in Aarey Colony area here. He also alleged that Waikar has made an additional construction in the state-run gymnasium located adjacent to the "grabbed" land and is running the facility through his private unregistered trust. Demanding ouster of the minister, Nirupam said an FIR should be registered and the "usurped" land taken back by the government. "Aarey Milk Colony's CEO has been sending letters to Mhada (Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority) to demolish the illegal part of the structure in the gymnasium for over a year. However, as Waikar is minister of Housing, he is misusing his influence and the structure has not been razed so far," Nirupam claimed. Aarey Milk Colony, which has significant greenery, is situated in suburban Goregaon. Part of its total land area is leased out to various organisations and institutions of state and central governments. Addressing reporters, Nirupam said the minister has put barricades around the 20-acre land worth Rs 20 crore and is planning to construct a 'Matoshree'-like structure there. 'Matoshree' is the residence of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray at Kalanagar in suburban Bandra. "This is very strange (given) that Shiv Sena is against the proposed car-shed for Metro-3 project in the green zone of Aarey Colony. "Sena's own minister has not only made illegal structure in that zone, but has also usurped the 20-acre vast tract of land. This is not only a huge scam and a perfect case of the conflict of interest, but also a criminal conduct on behalf of the minister," Nirupam told the press conference. Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited has been seeking land at Aarey for constructing a metro rail car-shed. Nirupam, a former MP, said he would write to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Lokayukta about the "land scam". "I will ask Fadnavis to sack the minister immediately from his Cabinet," he added. He alleged that Fadnavis is "patronising" corruption. "I have least hope from the Chief Minister to act against the tainted ministers like in other cases. This CM is using his full energy to protect the tainted ministers of his government. I am going to burn his effigy near his residence in coming days as he (Fadnavis) has become the patron of corruption," he alleged. Waikar did not respond to repeated calls and a message sent to him for his reaction. (Reopens BES31) Meanwhile, Waikar has rubbished the charges terming them as "politically-motivated". "Every rule and regulation has been followed in the construction of the gymnasium, (besides) due permission was taken from the Collector. The allegations levelled against me by Nirupam are politically motivated and are being made eyeing the (upcoming) elections to BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation), " Waikar told Lambasting Salman Khan for his remark that he felt like a "raped woman" after a gruelling shoot of an upcoming film, the Shiv Sena today urged directors respecting women to boycott the Bollywood super star till he tenders an "unconditional apology" for his comment. "I have not seen a celebrity who can get more shameless than Salman Khan. He has a destructive nature from the beginning. He shoots endangered animals, kills people living on footpaths and now this (remark on rape). People still, ironically, consider him a hero," Sena spokesperson Manisha Kayande told PTI. Salman had landed himself in a controversy for his remark that he felt like a "raped woman" after one gruelling shoot for his upcoming wrestling-themed film "Sultan", sparking demands for an apology from the actor. Reacting on his son's behalf, Salman's father Salim Khan had said,"Undoubtedly what Salman said is wrong, the simili (sic), example and the context. The intention was not wrong. Kayande said it is shameful that "a 50-year-old man cannot own up to his words and his 80-year-old father has to come to his rescue." "There are certain political parties that are taking his side. But they should introspect. Today, even the entire film industry is silent over the issue which usually goes hammer and tongs over issues not relevant to them," she said. According to the Sena spokesperson, Salman has to tender an unconditional apology for his rape remarks "because people are furious with him". "All directors respecting women should boycott him until he apologises for his remarks. Even people should stop watching his films," Kayande added. The National Commission for Women (NCW) has taken suo motu cognisance of the "insensitive" remark by Salman and shot off a letter to him asking for his explanation in seven days failing which he will be summoned. Meanwhile, Khan's statement generated mixed reactions from oppositon parties in Maharashtra, with Congress saying that the matter should not be raked up further. "Salman Khan does not apply his mind while speaking in enthusiasm and keeps making wrong statements. This comment of his is akin to disrespecting women. But since his father, who is a respected figure, has apologised, this matter should not be raked up further," Congress MP Hussain Dalwai said. Meanwhile, NCP legislator Kiran Pawaskar said politicians, who use star power to shore up their electoral prospects, should now wake up and stop doing so. "People have not forgotten Prime Minister Narendra Modi's kite flying drama with Salman Khan. Nor have they forgotten that this is the same person who was sitting in the front row when Modiji took oath as the Prime Minister," Pawaskar claimed. "On one hand he (Modi) speaks of 'Swachh Bharat' and on the other entertains people like him (Salman) who take the country 10 steps back?" the MLC said. "If politicians, who use people like him to shore up their electoral prospects now wake up, such people, who are a menace to the society will know where they really stand when nobody remains interested in them," Pawaskar added. Showing courage, a Delhi University girl student overpowered one of the two youth who allegedly snatched her mobile phone in Pitampura area of northwest Delhi, police said today. Rakhi, a BA IInd-year student of DU, caught one of the two youths who tried to snatch her mobile phone when she had gone to an institute in Pitampura yesterday, DCP (Northwest district) Vijay Singh said. The incident happened at around 4.45 PM when she was walking towards Kohat Enclave metro station. Two youths came on a motorcycle and tried to snatch her mobile phone, but responding quickly and bravely, Rakhi overpowered the pillion-rider with the help of locals, he said, adding his accomplice managed to flee leaving behind the bike. The arrested accused was later identified as Vasu. Rakhi is being rewarded for her daring effort while efforts are on to arrest the other snatcher, he added. The incident came days after a visually impaired M Phil student, Shakir, had overpowered and captured one member of a gang of mobile phone snatchers near Delhi University's north campus area on June 19. In a remarkable show of persistence, North Korea on Wednesday fired two suspected powerful new Musudan midrange ballistic missiles, US 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 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 US military bases there, within reach. 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 programme that can threaten the US 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 US official also said the first launch appeared to be another failure, adding that the US 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 US 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 US-South Korean military drills, which North Korea views as an invasion rehearsal. BJP MP Kirit Somaiya today demanded that the government of the party-ruled Rajasthan register a criminal case against firms linked to Robert Vadra in connection with a land deal. Somiaya, who has been targeting Vadra, today wrote a letter to the Director General of Rajasthan Police, a day after the Enforcement Directorate issued a notice to a firm allegedly connected to the son-in-law of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi. "I would once again request the Rajasthan government's authorities concerned to register a criminal conspiracy case against Vadra group of companies. Vadra has dismissed the charges against him. The ED issued the notice in connection with its probe into alleged money laundering in a land deal in Rajasthan's Bikaner district. Expressing concern over slow implementation of farm schemes in some states, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh today said he would take up the matter with state governments to speed up the work. "All states do not show equal interest in agriculture. There are states which are slow in implementing the schemes. We will pursue with them and speed up the work," Singh told reporters after interacting with citizens on Facebook. For instance, the Centre has proposed setting up of a seed centre in Bihar, but the state government has not yet given the required land, he said. Similarly, the Bihar government has not given land for establishment of a farm machinery training institute whereas Maharasthra, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh have allotted the required land, he added. The minister said he received around 420 queries related to various schemes like soil health card and crop insurance during an hour-long social media interaction being done on a monthly basis. "Most participants sought details about the new schemes and some of them gave suggestions also. We replied to as many as 300 queries today. We will reply to all of them," Singh said. To a query on the status of soil health card scheme by a participant from UP, the minister said the scheme is "running vigorously" in the state. Soil samples in all districts will be collected by the end of this month. In reply to another query on non-payment of claims to farmers for the 2015 cotton crop in Dwarka district in Gujarat, Singh said the payment process will be completed soon by the Agriculture Insurance Company (AIC). On pending files in NABARD for sanction of funds under some agri-schemes, he said, "As far as pendency of sanctions under AMIGS and AMI schemes is concerned, it is due to shortage of funds. As and when we received funds, the pendency will keep getting resolved." On non-allotment of budget to Small Farmers Agriculture Consortium (SFAC) for last five months, the minister said, "Allocation of funds to SFAC is under process and it will be done shortly." To another query on non-payment of salaries to officials of Krishi Vigyan Kendras, the minister said, "KVKs are being provided regular salary....Payment in eastern UP may be delayed because of some administration deficiency on the part of the university. Armed men today shot at and injured a stamp vendor before looting Rs. Six lakh from him near Rani Pokhar Chowk in Bihar's Vaishali district, a police officer said. The stamp vendor Sanjeev Kumar was riding on a bike on way to Hajipur from Mahua block when three armed criminals riding on another bike intercepted him and shot in his leg before looting a bag containing Rs. Six lakh cash, Superintendent of Police (SP) Rakesh Kumar said. The injured stamp vendor has been admitted at Sadar hospital, he said. A case has been registered in this connection and raids were on, the SP added. BJP leader Subramanian Swamy today met Home Minister Rajnath Singh, two days after he joined a protest with Lok Sabha member Maheish Girri who was demanding proof from Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal on the allegations that he was involved in a murder. Sources said it was an one-on-one meeting and what transpired in the 20-minute discussion was not known immediately. Swamy had recently said that after outgoing RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was his next target. "I was after (Raghuram) Rajan and now he is gone. In this, too, I will tell the government to remove him (Kejriwal). He has been made by the Congress," claimed Swamy. On Monday, Swamy had written a letter to President Pranab Mukherjee requesting his urgent intervention "in the state of affairs in the administration of Delhi". "Although the Constitutional provisions of the so-called state of Delhi are well defined, nevertheless, the Chief Minister is acting in reckless regard of all the Constitutional provisions. "There appears to be a complete break-down of any semblance of governance in the NCT of Delhi. The AAP is functioning in a highly arbitrary, unreasonable and mala fide manner," he wrote to the President, seeking his intervention. Amjad Sabri, one of Pakistan's finest Sufi Qawwals best known for his soul-stirring renditions of mystic poetry, was today killed by Taliban militants who shot him in the head in a targeted terror attack here. Sabri, 45, and an associate were travelling in a car in Karachi's congested Liquatabad 10 area when two motorcycle-borne gunmen fired at their vehicle, critically injuring them. "Two attackers riding a motorcycle intercepted his car and targeted Amjad Sabri, who was driving," said Sindh police chief Allah Dino Khawaja. The two were rushed to Abbasi Shaheed hospital, where Sabri succumbed to his injuries. His associate also died. "Sabri was shot in the chest and head and he was shifted to Abbasi Shaheed hospital immediately, where he succumbed to his injuries. His associate was also killed in the targeted attack," a police official said. Hakimullah Mehsud faction, a splinter group of the Taliban, has claimed responsibility for the murder. The outfit's spokesperson Qari Saifullah Mehsud said it killed Sabri because he was a "blasphemer." In 2014, the Islamabad Hight Court had issued a notice in a blasphemy case to two private TV channels for playing a qawwali during a morning show. The show had mixed a mock wedding with a qawwali sung by Sabri related to religious figures, and was considered offensive. Additional police surgeon Dr Rohina Hasan confirmed Sabri's death. He was shot thrice - twice in the head and once on the ear. "Two riders used 30-bore pistols to shoot Sabri five times, the bullet to the head took the qawwal's life," a senior police official said. Sabri was apparently heading for the studio of a private television channel when he was attacked. Police officials recovered five 30-bore casings from the scene of the attack, which have been sent for forensics. Both front side windows were shattered and three bullet holes could be seen on the front screen. A senior official of the Sindh home department said they were looking into reports that Sabri had recently submitted an application to the government for provision of security. Amjad Sabri was the son of renowned Qawwal Ghulam Farid Sabri whose family is famous in the subcontinent for their contribution to this sufi art and mystic poetry. Sabri was one of Pakistan's finest qawwals, known for his soul-stirring renditions of mystic poetry. Some of the most memorable and famous qawwalis of the Sabris were 'Bhar Do Jholi Meri', 'Tajdar-i-Haram' and 'Mera Koi Nahin Hai Teray Siwa'. Sabri, who travelled widely to Europe and the US for his concerts, was known as the "rockstar" of Qawali due to his modern style of rendition. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has condemned the attack and has directed authorities to bring the perpetrators to justice. The grievances of minority Tamils in Sri Lanka can only be addressed through a federal system of governance and the merger of north and eastern provinces, Northern province Chief Minister CV Wignewswaran has said. Wigneswaran said he had conveyed this to the Colombo-based ambassadors including those from the European Union during his recent engagements with them. The Tamil issue should not be seen by the government from the view point of the nationalist extremists in the south, Wigneswaran said in Jaffna yesterday. Wigneswaran said that the only solution to the ethnic problem of Tamils is to merge the north and the east and establish a federal government system. Wigneswaran who represents the main Tamil Party, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) was elected with over 80 per cent of the vote in the northern provincial council election held in 2013. He said the TNA would not be satisfied with any accountability mechanism that does not contain foreign judges. Sri Lanka government has opted for a domestic mechanism as articulated by the President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. It called for an international probe on alleged human rights abuses blamed both on the LTTE and the government troops during the final phase of the conflict which ended in May 2009. The textile industry in the region today welcomed the special package announced for the textile and apparel sector, particularly the relaxation of labour laws. In a statement, Indian Texpreneurs Federation Secretary, Prabhu Damodharan appreciated the understanding of government about the importance of textile sector and its potential in exports and fixing a target to regain number one position in 2018 with competing textile manufacturing nations Bangladesh and Vietnam. President of Tirupur Exporters Association, A Sakthivel, welcomed the package and said that these fresh impetus will help increasing exports growth and as well as creation of employment, mainly for women employees. Welcoming the package, Southern India Mills' Association chairman, M Senthilkumar said the slew of measures announced for the garment sector would greatly help the exports, which attract 16 to 20 per cent duty in all the major international markets. Making employees contribution to EPF optimal for employees earning less than Rs 15,000 per month was a good reform in the area of flexibility in labour laws and the whole textile value chain will get benefit from this move, they said. On the announcement on drawback at All industries rate should be given even when fabric inputs are imported under Advance Authorisation scheme, Prabhu said that the Government should carefully analyse and implement only for very very selective fabrics which are not available in India. Providing additional incentive of 10 per cent Capital subsidy in Amended Technology Upgradation Fund Scheme from 15 to 25 per cent will boost employment generation, Shaktivel said. A top official of city-based Parul University has been arrested after a nursing student accused him of raping her, police said today. Jayesh Patel, the founder and former president of Parul University who was accused of raping the student a few days back and evading arrest since then, was arrested by the rural police last night when he was coming to the city from Anand in his car, they said. "We had been searching for him since last many days. Based on a tip-off, 66-year-old Patel was nabbed by rural police at Asodar cross roads near Anand at around 11 PM yesterday. He has been brought here for further questioning," Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP), Vadodara rural police, S L Bhatt said. "After his medical check-up, we will produce him before a court to seek his remand," Bhatt said. Patel is the founder of Parul University, a private varsity located at Limdi village under Waghodia taluka in the district. After the rape complaint was filed on June 18, Patel went underground. He was subsequently expelled from the post of president of the university by its authorities. Later, he was also expelled from BJP, which he had joined in 2014, party spokesman Bharat Pandya said. In the FIR, the 21-year-old girl, who is studying in a local nursing institute affiliated to the varsity, also accused the girls' hostel woman rector Bhavnaben Patel of abetting the crime. The complainant said in the FIR that she was allegedly raped by Jayesh Patel at his house located near the girls' hostel, after Bhavnaben took her there during the intervening night of June 16 and June 17. The victim also alleged that Patel threatened to rusticate her from the institute and spoil her career by failing her in exams if she revealed it to anyone, police said. "Since Bhavnaben was also involved in the crime, we arrested her on June 19 and took her remand," Bhatt said. A case was lodged at Waghodia police station against them under sections 376 (rape), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 114 (abetting the crime), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC, police said. Breaking away from tradition, a 55-year-old transgender woman performed the last rites of her father at a village in Gujarat's Panchmahals district. Puja Masi performed the last rites of her 100-year-old father Samantsinh B Gohil, who was a carpenter as well as a farmer, at Dhanol village under Godhra taluka of the neighbouring Panchmahals district yesterday. "My father was 100 years old. He had two wives," she told PTI over phone today. Gohil is survived by Puja and her elder brother. Puja claimed that her father had earlier instructed all the family members to allow her to perform his last rites. She led the funeral procession and lit the pyre after reaching the crematorium. Puja is a priestess at a temple of Goddess Meldi Mata located in Godhra. The war of words between Donald Trump and his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton today reached a new high with the presumptive Republican presidential nominee calling her a "world-class liar" while she hit back describing him as "self-proclaimed king of death" for his rhetoric, economic policies. It all began from New York where Trump attacked Clinton as a "world-class liar" who had "perfected the of personal profit and theft" and lacked the judgment to be America's first woman commander-in-chief. "Clinton may be the most corrupt person ever to seek the presidency," he said in a speech. In the speech, which was fully focused on his Democratic rival for the November elections, Trump alleged that the book, "Clinton Cash" by Peter Schweizer, documents how Bill (Clinton) and Hillary used the State Department "to enrich their family in America and at America's expense." "Hillary Clinton gave China millions of jobs, and our best jobs, and effectively let China completely rebuild itself. In return, Hillary Clinton got rich," Trump told his cheering supporters in New York. "She gets rich making you poor," he said amidst applause. "Most people know she's a world-class liar. Just look at her pathetic e-mail server statements or her phony landing in Bosnia, where she said she was under attack, and the attack turned out to be young girls handing her flowers. This was a total and self-serving lie," he said. "Hillary Clinton has perfected the of personal profit and even theft. She ran the State Department like her own personal hedge fund, doing favours for oppressive regimes, and many others and really many, many others in exchange for cash. Pure and simple, folks. Pure and simple," he alleged. "Then when she left, she made $21.6 million giving speeches to Wall Street banks and other special interests and in less than two years, secret speeches that she does not want to reveal under any circumstances to the public. "I wonder why? Together, she and Bill made $153 million giving speeches to lobbyists, CEOs and foreign governments in the years since 2001. They totally own her and that will never ever change, including if she ever became president, God help us," Trump alleged. Within a few hours, Clinton, who is leading in polls, responded strongly at another election rally in Raleigh city in North Carolina. Clinton slammed Trump describing him as "self-proclaimed king of death" for his rhetoric, economic policies that would take the country back to recession. She alleged that Trump represents the interest of the rich and wealthy. She warned that the country would not only experience another round of recession, but the common man and the middle class would have to suffer under a Trump presidency. "Trump offers no real solutions to economic. I am here today to offer an alternative," Clinton said to her supporters in North Carolina, which is one of the few States where Trump is leading by a slim margin in latest opinion polls. "We need to make sure our economy works for everyone," Clinton said, challenging the economic policies of the billionaire from New York. In her appearance in Raleigh, which of late has seen influx of large number of Indian Americans because of relocation of various IT companies and scientific research institutions, Clinton appeared unperturbed by Trump's latest accusation. Turkish authorities have arrested three suspected Islamic State (IS) jihadists in a probe into a planned attack on a transgender rights rally last weekend, a report said today. The three, comprising one Turkish national and two men from Russia's volatile Caucasus region of Dagestan, were detained in raids on Friday and remanded in custody by a court yesterday, the Dogan agency said. Items including suicide belts packed with explosives, camouflage gear and military knives were seized by the authorities, it added. The three had been planning to attack a rally around Istanbul's Taksim Square promoting transgender rights. The gathering took place on Sunday but was broken up by police, Dogan said. It said the raids had been conducted in the Istanbul districts of Basaksehir and Pendik after police acted on a tip-off. The Istanbul authorities had broken up the transgender rally after banning that event as well as a larger gay pride rally planned for the coming Sunday. It had cited security reasons and safeguarding public order as the reason for the ban. Istanbul has twice been hit this year by deadly attacks blamed on IS. A blast in Istanbul's historic centre in January killed a dozen German tourists while an attack on the Istiklal Street shopping hub in March killed three Israelis and and Iranian. Two persons purpoted to be Trinamool Congress members were killed in a blast when they were engaged in making crude bombs at Ketugram in West Bengal's Burdwan district. Police said the blast took place at Kechuri village in the early hours of the day killing one of the two on the spot. The other man was rushed to Katwa hospital, where he died. The families of the two men have claimed that they were members of Trinamool Congress, which has been denied by local party leader Zahir Sheikh. Police said investigation into the incident is on. A Delhi resident was arrested here today in connection with the illegal uploading of Bollywood movie "Udta Punjab" ahead of its official release last week. The accused, identified as Deepak Kumar, was summoned to the office of the Cyber Cell of Mumbai Police here today where he was arrested, a senior officer said. The investigators have found that the original Censor Board copy was "stolen" and subsequently uploaded on a website, the officer said. The officer had earlier said that Kumar was held from Delhi but later clarified that he was summoned after a team of local police visited Delhi to make some preliminary inquiry and to trace the owner of a website in connection with the leak of the drug-themed film. Directed by Abhishek Chaubey, the movie starring Shahid Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Alia Bhatt and Diljit Dosanjh, was released on June 17 after a legal battle by its makers against the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) which had suggested multiple cuts to clear the film. A complaint of illegal uploading of the film on the internet was lodged with cyber police on June 15 by Satyajit Mukherjee, Deputy General Manager (legal) of Phantom Films Pvt Ltd, makers of the film. Mukherjee had also alleged that the film was uploaded on two separate links of website Torrent.Com, police said. When the movie was downloaded, it was realised that the original Censor copy was "stolen" and subsequently uploaded on the website by user robby007, the officer said. After Kumar arrived at the cyber cell office, he was quizzed thoroughly before being placed under arrest in the evening, police said, adding the movie was uploaded allegedly through website allmovies.In. According to the officer, police prima facie found that Kumar was actively involved in online leakage of the movie. He was booked under relevant sections of IT Act as well as under Copyright Act. The Union Cabinet today commended the Indian Space Research Organisation for simultaneous launch of 20 satellites. At the Cabinet meeting here, Prime Minister Narendra Modi briefed his colleagues on the successful launch of PSLV-C34 which carried multiple satellites. "The Cabinet then applauded ISRO and its scientists for the new record they have created," Finance Minister Arun Jaitley told reporters at a briefing of the decisions taken by the Union Cabinet. Creating a record, India successfully launched 20 satellites, including 17 foreign and its earth observation satellite, in a single mission in 26 minutes from Sriharikota in a crucial step to become a key player in the multi-billion dollar space launch market. The UN today strongly condemned suicide blasts in Afghanistan, including the attacks on Nepalese and Indian guards, expressing "serious concern" at the threats posed by the Taliban, Al-Qaeda and ISIS terror groups to the population in the war-torn country. The 15-nation UN Security Council "condemned in the strongest terms" the terrorist attacks on June 20 in Kabul and Badakhshan province. The detonation of an improvised explosive device (IED) in a bazaar in Kishem district, province of Badakhshan, killed ten civilians including five children, and injured 36 others, mostly children. In Kabul, following a suicide attack on Nepalese and Indian contractors, an IED detonated targeting a provincial council member. The attacks resulted in at least 27 deaths, including 13 Nepalese citizens. Taliban claimed responsibility for both attacks occurred in Kabul. Two Indians, Ganesh Thapa and Govind Singh, were among those killed in the Kabul attack. The members of the Security Council expressed their "deep" sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and to the people and governments of Afghanistan, Nepal and India. "The members of the Security Council reiterated their serious concern at the threats posed by the Taliban, Al-Qaeda, ISIL (Da'esh) affiliates, illegal and armed groups to the local population, national defence and security forces and international presence in Afghanistan, including attacks against diplomatic facilities and personnel," the Council said. The members of the Security Council underlined the need to bring perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism to justice and asked all States to cooperate actively with the Afghan authorities in this regard. "The members of the Security Council reiterated that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations is criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of its motivation and wherever, whenever and by whomsoever it is committed, and should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilisation or ethnic group," it added. They stressed that no violent or terrorist acts can reverse the Afghan-led process along the path towards peace, democracy and stability in Afghanistan, supported by the people and government of Afghanistan and by the international community. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon also condemned the terror attacks and extended his condolences to the families of the victims and to the Governments of Afghanistan and Nepal. "He calls for those responsible for these indiscriminate attacks to be brought to justice," a statement issued by his spokesperson said. A top US official warned today against a rise of "digital protectionism", which she said threatens access to information and ideas and can hurt economic growth. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker, who addressed a gathering of global leaders on the digital economy, expressed concern about measures that restrict content, limit data flows or impose standards that keep out foreign competition. "This 'digital protectionism' threatens access to the technologies and information that people want and need to succeed," Pritzker told a ministerial meeting in Mexico of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. "We expect such policies from authoritarian regimes that want to isolate their people not from nations that welcome the global exchange of ideas and commerce," she said. In a phone interview after the speech, Pritzker told AFP that "when governments engage in digital protectionism they leave their populations and others disenfranchised and disconnected". She added: "We're committed to the model of an open and free Internet and what we are seeing around the world is policies that threaten that." Pritzker declined to offer specific examples of countries adopting protectionist policies, but said in her speech she was concerned about "data localisation laws that constrict cross-border data flows; content controls that limit access to information; and onerous technical standards that keep foreign competitors out of new markets." She told AFP that some of the measures are "well-intentioned" but have unintended consequences that restrict online access. Pritzker said that the ministerial meeting, the first by the organisation of advanced economies on the topic in five years, should reaffirm the principles of an open Internet which is not controlled by governments or intergovernmental organisations. She said that the US decision to privatise the technical administration of the Internet's domain name system, on track for this year, should boost confidence in the so-called "multistakeholder" model that steers clear of government regulation. The plan will leave the nonprofit group that manages the system the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers as a self-governing entity with checks and balances that limit any single group or government from asserting control. She said that Washington agreed to cede this "symbolic" role "to blunt the arguments of Russia and China and other authoritarian regimes that do not want to see a free and open Internet". Aequs SEZ, India's first notified precision engineering and manufacturing SEZ, has signed an agreement with US-based Apollo Aerospace Components to establish a 10,000 sq ft unit for aerospace standard parts material distribution. This would be a part of "Free Trade Warehousing Zone (FTWZ)" in Aequs' Belgaun Special Economic Zone (SEZ). The 10,000 sq ft facility would be operational in first quarter of the next year, a statement said. Apollo Aerospace Components has been operating out of Aequs SEZ for the last three years and the expansion will generate additional capacity to provide local resource to support growing demand from Aequs and other Aerospace customers. This facility is a part of total 40,000 sq ft FTWZ which occupies five operating units. It is expected to accommodate nearly 10 operating units in the near future. "We are happy to expand our capacity. With this distribution centre located at Aequs SEZ, we are in a position to support all the customers supply chain needs," Jason Crabtree, Managing Director, Apollo Aerospace Component said. Aravind Melligeri, Chairman and CEO of Aequs said: "This FTWZ expansion at Aequs SEZ broadens the regional sourcing base. Out of five such operating FTWZ's in India, we are the only one focused on aerospace industry". West Bengal government has directed state-run hospitals to improve their services and set up patient grievance redressal cells. "Effective patient grievance redressal mechanism will be put in place in medical college hospitals and district hospitals within a month so that patients and their representatives can ventilate their grievances," R S Shukla, principal secretary of health and family welfare department, said today. He was talking to reporters after a review meeting of the Health department chaired by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who also holds the Health portfolio. During the meeting Shukla said the Chief Minister directed that quality and range of healthcare services should be improved. She also issued instructions for closer monitoring and supervision at all levels by various means including surprise visits at hospitals. Patient amenities like drinking water, waiting area, proper signage etc would be improved along with cleanliness and a facelift of the hospital buildings and surrounding areas. "An appeal is also made to the patient and patient parties to cooperate with hospital authorities in provision of patient care services," Shukla said. When asked about shortage of medical staff, he said altogether 6,000 to 7,000 such staff including nurses and technicians would be recruited this year. Highlighting the achievements of the government in the health sector, Shukla said institutional delivery has gone up from 67 per cent in 2010-11 to 87.4 per cent in 2015-16. Maternal mortality rate has reduced to 113 per one lakh births now, while infant mortality rate has also gone down to 32 per one thousand births, according to latest data from the National Family Health Survey. "We are among the best states in India in these parameters," the health department official added. A 26-year-old woman allegedly committed suicide by consuming poison in Khinavali area after her former boyfriend sent their photographs to her husband leading to a dispute between the newly-married couple, police said today. Vrushali Bhagrao, took the extreme step on June 19, days after her husband left at her parents' house in Shahapur taluka, police said, adding that the woman's husband was enraged after her lover, Razzak Peer Mohammed, sent his photographs with Vrushali to him. "The accused (Razzak) and Vrushali were in a relationship for the last two years. However, she got married to one Chetan from Murbad on April 29 this year," PSI V B Bhangar of Khinavali police station said. "After their marriage, Razzak sent his pictures with the woman to her husband on his WhatsApp. Annoyed over it, Chetan took the woman to her parents' house and left her there. After that the woman lodged a complaint against Razzak, accusing him of rape," he said. The woman filed a complaint against Razzak with Khinavali police and he was booked under IPC sections 376 (rape), 506 (criminal intimidation), 67(1) of the IT Act of 2008. Razzak was arrested on May 26 in this connection. "However, the woman, who was shattered due to problems in her marital life, committed suicide by consuming poison at her parents' house," the police officer said. After her death, another complaint was lodged against Razzak and he was booked for abetment of suicide. Further investigation into the case is on. President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tashkent beginning tomorrow during which India is expected to seek China's support for membership of the NSG. "We will release relevant information in due course," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said today. The spokesperson said the two leaders would be meeting on the sidelines of the SCO summit in the capital city of Uzbekistan. During his meeting with Xi, Modi is expected to seek China's support for India's bid for membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group, which Beijing is keen on blocking. Hua, however, refuted perception that China is blocking India's entry into the NSG. "With regard to India's entry into NSG, I would like correct that the word China blocking India's membership is not proper," she said. "The word blocking is not proper. In the NSG agenda we have never seen the topic of non-NPT countries entry. So it does not make sense to say we block the entry," she said. "As all of us can see all the countries are concerned about this issue and various issues relating to non-NPT countries entry into the NSG has been discussed through friends of chair presided over by the Chair of the NSG," she said. "We hope that relevant discussion will keep going and Chinese side will take constructive part in the discussion," she said. Vice President Hamid Ansari today said yoga is "science, not dogma" and could complement health care approaches in developing countries, including India. "It (yoga) is a science, not dogma. It helps improve the levels of fitness and the overall health profile. Most practitioners testify to its usefulness," Ansari said after inaugurating a two-day international conference on 'Yoga for Body and Beyond' here. The Vice President, in his inaugural speech, underlined that yoga was above religion. "All systems of faith or belief have within them the practice of meditation. The Indian experience is a particularly good instance of this, given the rich interaction that took place over centuries in the areas of belief, consciousness and practice. "Thus, we find yoga and meditation in Jain and Buddhist practices; similarly, great importance is attached to meditation in Christianity, Islam and Sikhism. The convergence or parallelisms are striking even if rituals or modalities of enunciation may vary," he said. Enumerating the economic cost of ill-health, Ansari said many developing countries, including India, that cannot augment public health funding must look for complementary health approaches, like yoga. "Given the inability or unwillingness to augment public health funding in developing countries (and that includes India), the quest for complementary health approaches assumes an urgency. Amongst these is yoga, which has acquired a following worldwide." AYUSH Minister Shripad Yesso Naik said, "Yoga doesn't represent any religion or region. Probably, that's the reason 177 countries out of 193 UN member states had not only supported the idea of declaring 21st June as International Yoga Day but also co-sponsored it." Seventy international delegates from 32 countries are participating in the two-day conference, which was also attended by yoga guru Ramdev. At the event, Ansari gave away certificates to the winners of 'Best Yoga Apparels' and 'Best Yoga Geet'. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, too, on the occasion of International Yoga Day, had sought to distance yoga from religion and called it a "zero-budget health insurance scheme". (REOPENS DES25) Shripad Naik said his Ministry has taken steps to ensure "credibility and authenticity" of the services provided by yoga professionals and yoga schools. "Last year, we launched a scheme for voluntary certification of yoga professionals. Recently, we have added a provision for certification of yoga schools. The scheme provides a mechanism to ensure credibility and authenticity of the services provided by yoga professionals and yoga schools," he said. Finding 'discrepancies' in the versions of the four friends of the deceased youth Ronit Mondal, who had died following an alleged fight with a group of people in Maddox Square in the southern part of the city, sleuths are directing the ambit of probe into the role of four. According to a senior officer of Kolkata Police, the post-mortem report of Mondal suggested that the "deep injury" on his head was the result of a hit by a heavy object but not because of a blow by a piece of brick as claimed by the friends. Another top Kolkata Police source revealed that the four friends of Mondal had "discrepancies" in their versions of the incident that allegedly took place in Maddox Square last Friday midnight. In fact, CCTV footages in and around the area, do not corroborate any such alleged incident on that night. "There are a few queries which still remain to be answered. The four friends said that after admitting Mondal to the hospital they went to Maddox Square that very night. We can't fathom why they had gone back to the place where people had threatened them. These questions need to be answered," the senior officer, part of the investigating team into the incident, said. Ronit, who had suffered serious head injuries during an alleged brawl between he, his friends and a group of people in Maddox Square last week, died last night at a private hospital where he was admitted on Friday. The 29-year old's friends alleged that the group of men broke one window pane of the car and while they decided to drive back, on the way they found Ronit was profusedly bleeding from the back of his head. Ronit's friends had lodged an FIR with the Ballygunge Police Station against unknown persons and police started a murder case. Stitching the version of Ronit's four friends, the official said on Friday night they drove from Sonarpur in South 24 Parganas district and bought biriyani from an outlet in Park Circus. They then drove to Maddox Square and were having food when a few unknown persons asked them to leave the place. As Ronit and his friends said they would leave after finishing the food the group then allegedly attacked them. "They took him to a medical facility in Gariahat that refused to admit him. Then they took to another one in the EM Bypass where Mondal died last night," he said stitching the sequence of Friday midnight's events as stated by the four friends. In an alleged case of medical negligence, doctors at a private hospital here have wrongly operated upon the left leg of a 24-year-old youth instead of the injured right leg. Ravi Rai, a resident of Ashok Vihar, injured his right leg after he fell down from stairs on Sunday. He was rushed to Fortis Hospital, Shalimar Bagh and underwent tests including CT-scan and X-Ray following which the doctors said that Ravi has suffered a fracture and that his condition was serious. "Doctors told us that there was a fracture in the ankle of his right leg and that they need to do surgery to insert pins in his ankle for support. "Trusting them we agreed for the surgery. But later, when our son gained consciousness, we realised that instead of the right leg, his left leg which was perfectly fine was operated," said Ramkaran Rai, father of the patient. Meanwhile, the hospital issued a statement saying, "Patient safety is of paramount importance to us. We are deeply concerned and are looking into the matter and will take appropriate action as deemed necessary." Ravi, a CA student, has been shifted to another hospital for further treatment. "We have also complained to the police. And we will also approach Medical Council of India (MCI) and Delhi Medical Association (DMA) for justice. How can they operate left leg when the injury is on the right leg? This is grave negligence," the father said. (REOPENS DES65) In a statement, Max Hospital, where he was later admitted, said "the patient came to us suffering from a calcaneal fracture in his right leg and unfortunately he was operated on his left leg at another private hospital, as per our preliminary assessment and feedback given by the patient's attendant." "On arrival at the hospital, the patient was immediately taken in for treatment for his right leg affected by calcaneal fracture. Currently a 3D CT scan is being done to understand the extent of fracture and to further decide on the course of action. The patient is currently in a stable condition," it added. Zambia's biggest independent newspaper has been shut down by authorities over unpaid taxes, the editor said today, calling the move an attempt to silence it ahead of August elections. Police and tax officials physically closed the Post newspaper's offices in Lusaka late yesterday, managing editor Joseph Mwenda told AFP, leaving staff gathered outside the locked building today. Mwenda said staff had managed to produce the daily paper overnight with the help of a private printing company. The Post admits owing about 53 million kwacha (USD 4.8 million) in unpaid taxes, but Mwenda said the closure of the paper was illegal. "This is a clear abuse of power because we have paid some money and we even have a court order stopping them from going ahead but they have disobeyed the courts," he said. "It's clear that they want us shut down ahead of the elections." General elections are due on August 11. The Post, which was established in 1991, has been critical of President Edgar Lungu, who is seeking re-election. Amnesty International said the publication was "one of Zambia's few politically outspoken and critically independent newspapers". "The closure of The Post newspaper is a disturbing development clearly designed to silence critical media voices," it added. At a limestone North London temple under the image of the Hindu god Krishna, a British Asian minister is striving to persuade ethnic minorities to support leaving the European Union with a message of 'fair' immigration and stronger ties to the Commonwealth. Despite polls showing Black and Asian Britons are more pro-EU than the rest of the population, prominent campaigner Priti Patel has led the charge to win over the fastest-growing section of the electorate ahead of Thursday's referendum. Leave campaigners have used worries about migration from the EU to tell millions of voters whose families hail from former British colonies that a could make it easier for people to come to Britain from places where their family roots lie. Whilst there is free movement for EU citizens, some British Asians are particularly unhappy at visa rules that apply to non-EU migrants, making it difficult to bring over relatives for social functions or staff for restaurants. "This is about having an immigration policy that brings fairness back and takes discrimination off our Commonwealth countries and off communities like the Indian community, the Pakistani community," Patel told Reuters, as a dozen praying women in colourful traditional dress chanted at the temple. There is no official definition of an ethnic minority but 14% of people in England and Wales identified themselves as non-white in the 2011 census, and nearly 20% said they were not white British, a sizeable group that could sway the outcome of a vote which polls show is too close to call. But the murder of British lawmaker Jo Cox, who had backed refugee causes, has raised concerns about the tone of the debate on immigration and could make some minority voters think twice about backing the campaign, experts and voters said. A poster bearing the message: "Breaking Point: The EU has failed us all" against a drop of a long line of refugees, unveiled by the leader of the anti-EU UK Independence Party, Nigel Farage, also damaged support among minorities. At the East London Mosque, one of the largest Muslim places of worship in Europe, one voter said she had been leaning "70%" towards backing Brexit until Cox's murder, which helped tip her in favour of continued membership. "It made me think that if she is someone who is saying that we should stay in, someone of her character then that's the right decision to go with," said 33-year-old Zinia Khan, who works in the voluntary sector. "You've got people like Nigel Farage with that poster and then you're thinking: What are they going to change? How are they going to make things more difficult for people from black and ethnic minorities... and you feel safer if you're in." Farage, who apologised for any offence caused but not for the content of the poster, has repeatedly denied accusations that UKIP is racist. "It was the truth," he said on Wednesday. "Not Enough Information" Black and Asian voters tend to back the pro-EU opposition Labour Party, and the little available polling data and previous voting habits suggest the Brexit campaign has faced a difficult battle to win over minority support. Whilst polls show Britons evenly split on the eve of the vote, four surveys which provided a breakdown by ethnicity showed that half or more of minorities want to remain in the EU compared to between a quarter and a third who back Brexit. Only around 20% back Brexit according to the most recent nationwide findings from the British Election Study (BES) conducted between April 14 and May 4, similar to the 28% who supported an exit in a May 2015 Survation poll. A YouGov poll taken this month in London, the most diverse part of Britain, showed 52% of non-white Londoners backed EU membership, compared to 46% of white respondents. Maria Sobolewska, a specialist in ethnic minority public opinion at Manchester University, said while many minorities backed tougher rules on immigration, they did not trust some of the leading campaign figures such as Farage. "They don't like the messengers," she told Reuters. "They do have to worry about what it means to hand these people a win and whether it would lead to more isolationist policies but they certainly think: these people are not friendly to minorities." While many minority voters share concerns felt by some white Britons about the impact of immigration on the National Health Service (NHS) and housing, polling shows they are less worried about the cultural impact. "What we know in election studies is that the main difference on issue preferences, which are very similar - jobs, the economy, the NHS - is that immigration ranks lower," said Sunder Katwala, director of non-partisan think-tank British Future, which focuses on migration and identity. Demographic factors could also help explain higher support for EU membership among ethnic minority communities which the Brexit campaign could find difficult to overcome. Britain's black and ethnic minorities are younger on average than the white British population, with younger voters among the most pro-EU regardless of background. There are also distinct differences between Britain's ethnic communities, many of whom hail from disparate Commonwealth nations in Africa and Asia, according to both the British Election Study and the Survation poll. Only 42% of Bangladeshi Britons want to stay in the EU compared with 63% of those from a black African background and 65% of Chinese voters, according to BES. British Indians, the country's biggest ethnic minority group numbering some 1.4 million people, are marginally more pro-European than the wider population but half said they would either back Brexit or had yet to make up their minds. "I think the Asian community is divided in the sense that they haven't got enough information," said Conservative Councillor Manji Kara, outside the Shri Vallabh Nidhi Mandir temple near Wembley Stadium during Patel's visit. A supporter of Brexit, he said his scientist son wanted to stay in the EU and that many others in the Asian community were leaning to remaining in the EU without all the facts. "Quite a few of the people think they should vote for 'In' without actually realising what's in it for them if they stay in or what are the benefits of getting out," Kara said. NEW DELHI (Reuters) - The cabinet on Wednesday approved fiscal incentives for the textiles sector aimed at boosting exports and creating more jobs, a senior government official said. The government will subsidise employers' social welfare contributions for employees in the textile sector, Rashmi Verma, textile secretary told reporters after a cabinet meeting. (Reporting by Manoj Kumar; Editing by Douglas Busvine) A 44-year old Indian-origin hedge fund portfolio manager, who was charged last week with insider trading, has committed suicide in his apartment in New York. Sanjay Valvani, had faced securities fraud and wire fraud charges after he had used confidential information obtained from a former official at the Food and Drug Administration to trade in the securities of two pharmaceutical companies and earned about USD 25 million in trading profits. A New York Police Department spokesperson confirmed to PTI that Valvani had committed suicide. The spokesperson said Valvani left "a note" and had a "slash wound" to his neck and wrist. A knife was found by the body. The police had got a 911 call from Valvani's wife at about 6 pm on Monday and he was pronounced dead by medical personal at 6:30 pm. The police spokesperson said Valvani's body was on the floor of the bedroom in his Brooklyn home and by the time the medical team reached the scene he was dead. Valvani's attorneys Barry Berke and Eric Tirschwell termed his death as a "horrible tragedy that is difficult to comprehend." They said he was a "loving father, husband, son and brother and committed friend, colleague and mentor." "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 in a statement. US Attorney Preet Bharara's office, which had brought the charges on June 15, declined to comment on the development. Former portfolio manager Stefan Lumiere was also charged along with Valvani in Manhattan federal court. A political intelligence consultant and former senior official at the Food and Drug Administration Gordon Johnston and former hedge fund portfolio manager Christopher Plaford had pled guilty and were cooperating with the government. The charges had alleged that between 2005 through January 2011, Valvani unlawfully obtained from Johnston highly confidential and material nonpublic information with the FDA about the agency's approval of pending generic drug applications. Valvani was also charged with passing certain highly confidential and material nonpublic information to Plaford, who also executed trades based on the information. Valvani was the latest Indian-origin hedge fund manager to be charged with insider trading. Previously, Bharara had brought insider trading charges against former Goldman Sachs Director Rajat Gupta and former hedge fund founder Raj Rajaratnam in one of the most high-profile insider trading cases in US history. Gupta was convicted in 2012 of passing confidential boardroom information about Goldman to Rajaratnam and spent two years in prison. Rajaratnam is still serving his 11 year prison term in a Massachusetts jail. As part of the scheme, at Valvani's direction, Johnston had obtained highly confidential and material nonpublic information from a senior FDA official about the status and approval of a generic drug called enoxaparin and passed to Valvani. He used this information to trade in the securities of two pharmaceutical companies likely to be affected by an approval of a generic enoxaparin application, earning approximately $25 million in trading profits when the FDA announced its first such approval. In January 2010, after receiving a tip from Johnston, Valvani told his healthcare-focused hedge fund that Johnston should be given a raise. In an email to the chief financial officer of the hedge fund, Valvani sought to justify providing a raise to Johnston by stressing how important he was to him, "(Johnston) is without question the most valuable consultant I've ever worked with and I'm pushing to reinforce the value of the relationship and encourage him to continue to go above and beyond for our team." Valvani surrendered to authorities yesterday morning. In separate actions, the Securities and Exchange Commission filed civil charges against Valvani, Lumiere, Johnston and Plaford. "As alleged, Valvani, Johnston, and Plaford conspired to extract highly confidential and tightly guarded information about pending applications for generic drug approvals from the FDA, and traded on such information, reaping millions of dollars in illegal profits," Bharara had said in announcing the charges last week. The charges had further alleged that beginning in or about 2005, Valvani directed Johnston to gather confidential and material nonpublic information from FDA employees about the FDA s consideration of the enoxaparin Abbreviated New Drug Application. Johnston, in turn, improperly obtained such information from a senior Office of Generic Drugs official, who was his close friend and a former colleague. The issue of India's membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) has been the focus of significant public and media attention over the past few weeks. It appears to have emerged as the single-most critical foreign policy priority for the Modi government. The government is according so much importance to the issue that Prime Minister Narendra Modi hurriedly decided to include visits to Switzerland and Mexico during his tour to the US - to obtain categorical support for India's membership at the NSG plenary in Seoul on June 23-24. It is a reflection on Modi that he was able to get unequivocal support from the two countries, although they had initially opposed India's entry into NSG in 2008. Opposition Under normal circumstances the issue would not have assumed such importance. What appears to have brought it in the spotlight is the blatant opposition by China to India's entry into the elite nuclear club. Over the past few weeks Beijing has issued several statements maintaining that no single country waiver should be granted to India. It stated that India, in any case, is not eligible to become a member of NSG as it is not a member of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT), adherence to which is necessary for the entry. At other times Beijing stated that Pakistan too has similar credentials to join the NSG. China has said in no uncertain terms that India's membership will "'jeopardise" China's national interests and touch a "raw nerve" in Pakistan. None of China's contentions appears to hold much water. Yet, it will be useful to understand what the purpose and mandate of NSG is. It is doubtless true that NSG was established in the wake of India's Pokharan tests in 1974. The intent and purpose of NSG, however, are different from that of NPT. NSG is not an international treaty. It is a group of "nuclear supplier countries that seeks to contribute to non-proliferation of nuclear weapons through implementation of two sets of Guidelines for nuclear exports and nuclear-related exports". After more than 25 years of its establishment, some suggested guidelines were evolved in 2001 at Aspen for admitting new members to the organisation. Amongst them, membership of NPT is only a guideline, a consideration, and not a mandatory requirement while deciding on a country's application. India is keen to become a member of NSG and other export control regimes as it seeks to significantly expand its nuclear power generation and also enter the export market in coming years. Although the 2008 waiver by NSG does provide significant possibilities to India to engage in civilian nuclear trade with other countries (and indeed, India has entered into such agreements with several countries like Russia, France, UK, US, Kazakhstan, Australia and others), membership of NSG will provide greater certainty and legal foundation to India's nuclear regime. This would also provide greater confidence to countries who invest billions of dollars for setting up ambitious nuclear power projects in India. Performance India's track-record in observing the provisions of NPT and NSG while not being a member of either body is impeccable. If NSG was able to grant waiver to India in 2008 on the basis of its past performance, it should have no objection to admitting it as a member this time. It is, however, obvious that decision on June 23-24 in Seoul will be taken by some countries on political considerations rather than on merit. Usually China has been seen to stay in the background and put up smaller countries in the forefront to articulate opposition to any issue that it does not concur with. This time, in addition to instigating smaller countries to raise objections, China has itself come out openly in opposition to India's membership. Since all decisions at NSG are taken by consensus, any country - small or big -can stand in the way of consensus. Diplomacy India has, however, launched a blitzkrieg of hectic diplomatic activity to explain its position and overcome opposition of a few countries. It has also reached out to China to explain that its interest in NSG membership is not guided by any political or strategic considerations but only to facilitate expansion of its clean and green nuclear energy programme. India took the unusual step of dispatching its foreign secretary S Jaishankar to Beijing to hold discussions on this and other important issues. If the issue goes to the wire, PM Modi is expected to take up the issue with President Xi Jinping in Tashkent where both leaders are likely to be present for the SCO Summit later this week. Most questions raised by China against India's membership have little validity. For instance, membership of NPT is not a condition for becoming a member of NSG. It is only a guiding principle to which consideration needs to be given. Pakistan's credentials for NSG membership are highly flawed and inadequate. Over the last eight years India has separated its reactors which are under IAEA safeguards and those which are not. Pakistan has not undertaken any such exercise. Decision at the NSG plenary session in Seoul will depend on China's stance. With Russian President Vladimir Putin assuring India that he would try to convince China, India can be reasonably hopeful. (The writer is former Ambassador of India to Kazakhstan and Sweden) (In association with Mail Today Bureau) The government on Tuesday denied reports in a section of media that India's income tax department has asked officers to even invoke the rare provisions of arrest, detention and auctioning of assets of defaulters, saying that no such orders had been given. "Certain sections of the press have been carrying news reports today that Income Tax Department is going to arrest wilful defaulters of tax. "It is clarified that no such statement has been authorised by the Income Tax Department," said a finance ministry statement here. "Though the provisions for arrest and detention by the tax recovery officers in respect of the non-compliant tax defaulters are contained in the Income Tax Act, these are used extremely sparingly," it added. It was reported on Tuesday that faced with increasing cases of defaulters evading taxes, the Income Tax department had asked its officers not to shy away from invoking the rare provisions of arrest, detention and auctioning of attached assets of the accused. The provision in question is Section 276C (2) of the Income Tax Act that stipulates action involving rigorous imprisonment for a period between three months and three years, and may also carry a fine. 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. ALSO READ: JLR rolls out Discovery Sport petrol model at Rs 56.50 lakh 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 1.6 billion pounds. JLR, which is owned by 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. An ambitious ten-year business plan targeting 100m investment value in driving innovation and technology has been announced by Catalyst Inc, which is the new identity for the Northern Ireland Science Park. The re-envisaging of the Northern Ireland Science Park to Catalyst Inc was revealed to tenants, staff and leaders of Northern Ireland business at a celebration breakfast this morning. It is hoped outcomes of the new outlook will include 5,000 additional high quality jobs and a total of 1 million square feet of space starting with three new buildings two of which will be in Derry-Londonderry with a strong cross-border connection and another on the existing Belfast site. The Northern Ireland Science Park was created in 1999 to support the vision for a vibrant new knowledge economy in Northern Ireland. Since then it has exceeded all its original targets and growth expectations by supporting the achievement of 2,600 jobs (representing an average 30% per annum growth by tenant companies), the development of 400,000 square feet of agile and connected workspace and leveraging additional private sector support and investment equating to 1m annually. This has been achieved in just sixteen years working closely, in particular, with both Universities as well as the political, public and private sectors. The organisation is now embarking on their next stage of evolution, re-envisaged as Catalyst Inc. Surpluses, supplemented by both financial and pro-bono support from the private sector and sponsors, will continue to be invested in growing the community led entrepreneurial innovation ecosystem primarily through their Connect programmes. Already home to 160 companies in science, technology and knowledge based industries with campuses in Belfast, Derry-Londonderry, Letterkenny and Ballymena, approximately 125 million gross value added is contributed to the economy per annum. Tenants include Citi, Novosco, Dow, Path XL, 8over8, Wurkhouse, Taggled, IRP Commerce, Automated Intelligence, IBM and Qualcom. Chief Executive of Catalyst Inc, Norman Apsley said, "Catalyst Inc is built upon the deep belief that in Northern Ireland we have a community of innovators so powerful its people can change the world. We provide the home, networks and empathy to support this talent and ambition to develop world leading products and services that will transform Northern Ireland into one of the most entrepreneurial knowledge economies in Europe." Source: www.businessworld.ie About us 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 penalise 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 travelling to London to join the climax of the campaign, alternating between defending membership of a reformed EU and criticising 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 don't ... 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. (Reuters) Source: www.businessworld.ie About us The Project Arts Centre (PAC) in Dublin is to be the recipient of a grant for 35,000 from the Metlife Foundation to support their Project Artist Programme it was announced today. Project Arts Centre is Irelands leading centre for the development and presentation of contemporary art, dedicated to protecting and nurturing the next generation of Irish artists across all forms of the performing and visual arts. It is the busiest arts centre in the country, with more than 600 events annually with theatre, music, dance, opera and visual art in two performances spaces and a gallery. In 2015, over 90,000 audience members engaged with PAC programmes. The new contribution will be used for commissioning of new work, development space, and expertise to grow services available to artists in areas such as financial management and best practice mentorship. This will in turn empower independent artists in the creation of new work, enabling them to reach new audiences nationally and internationally. MetLife Foundation was created in 1976 to continue MetLifes long tradition of corporate contributions and community involvement. Since its founding through the end of 2015, MetLife Foundation has provided more than $700 million in grants and $70 million in program-related investments to organizations addressing issues that have a positive impact in their communities. Artistic Director of Project Arts Centre, Cian OBrien said, "We are delighted to announce this very important grant from Metlife Foundation. As we celebrate our 50th Anniversary this year, it is a very exciting time for our organisation and this kind of support is absolutely critical for us to allow our artists to flourish." Source: www.businessworld.ie About us The Small Firms Association (SFA), has called on the UK to VOTE REMAIN in the Brexit referendum. The association claims that trade between the two countries directly supports over 400,000 jobs half of them in Ireland. Furthermore, the SFA claim that for small Irish businesses looking to expand, the UK is often their first export market and 43% of exports from indigenous Irish companies are destined for the UK. The SFA also stress that the UK is a strong voice for free trade, reduction in red tape and other pro-enterprise policies at EU level. Assistant Director of the Small Firms Association (SFA), Linda Barry says, "The looming referendum has already had a significant impact on exchange rates. Uncertainty has pushed the value of sterling lower, increasing the competitive pressures on Irish exporters. If the UK votes to leave, this effect will intensify. She added, "For the good of Irish small firms and the economic relationship between Ireland and the UK, the SFA urges voters in the UK, both Irish and British, to VOTE REMAIN on Thursday." Source: www.businessworld.ie About us 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. (Reuters) Source: www.businessworld.ie About us It was announced today that the 'dot IE Net Visionary Awards 2016' are officially open for entries. In partnership with the IIA and IEDR, the awards recognise the best in digital Ireland across four main pillars of digital excellence - technology, entrepreneurship, digital marketing and innovation. The awards will take place on October 7th at the RDS Concert Hall and are expected to attract a host of exciting newcomers that will join the industrys IIA Hall of Fame, which was launched last year. Speaking at the launch of this years awards, Chief Executive of IEDR, David Curtin said, "We are delighted to partner again with the IIA and the dot ie Net Visionary Awards 2016 to celebrate the Irish businesses that are leading the digital revolution in terms of entrepreneurship, innovation, marketing and web development and design." Source: www.businessworld.ie About us The Preston Idaho Rotary Club had their weekly meeting Tuesday at the Red Brick Inn and honored their Rotary Student of the Month, Lottie Roberts, and Teacher of the Month, Ruth Tueller. The main focus of the day, however, was on their fundraiser in July. Mark Beckstead is the Rotary president as well as the mayor of Preston. Were working on our big fundraiser for the year and thats our 24th of July Fireworks, Beckstead said. And so we build the ground displays, we have mid-range fireworks and long-range fireworks we put on a heck of a show. Douglas Webb is on the board of directors and said part of the money raised is to be used for their next international project. The most recent one helped people as far away as Nigeria. They were hauling water 15 miles for their little villages, Webb said. So we got a sprinkling, or a water system for them. They plumbed it into their towns, 15 villages and it amazes me, 30,000 people are drinking water instead of having to go to the river and get it. Beckstead said they will be selecting their next international project later this summer. Logan City Police detective talking with an employee while investigating an auto burglary at Wilson Motor Company. LOGAN Police have arrested a man they believe may have broke into a Logan car dealership early Tuesday morning and stole a truck. The burglary occurred at Wilson Motor Company around 3:00 a.m. and was reported by employees when they arrived later for work. Police Capt. Curtis Hooley said investigators believe the burglar entered the business and stole a truck that was in the repair garage. They drove the truck through the east door of Wilson Motors repair facility and had taken off, said Hooley. Officers contacted regional law enforcement agencies requesting them to be on the lookout for the truck. It was later found by police in the Idaho Falls area, who conducted a traffic stop, taking the driver Derek Henderson into custody for questioning. Hooley said investigators here are now working with detectives in Idaho to piece together what happened. Trying to determine whether or not he is the one that broke into Wilson, he was certainly the one who was in possession of the stolen vehicle. Henderson had been living in the Logan area. Charges and extradition are pending the completion of the investigation.

will@cvradio.com Transnational media cooperation: #BrexitDebate Published on June 22, 2016 Story by cafebabel DE en fr es it de pl Analysing the UK referendum on EU membership. Together with our European media partners, we are producing content to explain, deepen and understand the different perspectives of the UK referendum. WHO WE ARE A pan-European network of media outlets, independent portals, journalists and activists, sharing the belief that a forward-looking media is key to framing political debates for an open, fair, and democratic Europe. OUR AIM Together, we aim to establish an alternative media network in Europe able to speak and organise ourselves beyond borders in what is still a primarily national media landscape. We aim to connect our already existing audiences at the national level towards setting a shared European agenda. We aim to be an online space for a more connected generation of active citizens that engage with current events and social issues. We are engaged, which means that we challenge the status quo, and raise questions and demands on issues we consider as vital for democracy in Europe. FIRST SHOT - #BrexitDebate For our first months of collaboration, we are producing and disseminating content to explain, deepen and understand the different perspectives of the UK referendum. We want to bring together a whole variety of articles, interviews, videos, events, talk-shows, debates, conversation, reports and more, that are happening in every country. The UK referendum on the 23rd of June 2016 will be the first time in a generation that British and Commonwealth citizens will have the chance to decide whether or not they should stay in the European Union. No matter what the result will be, there is a need to debate and re-think the Europe project. PARTNERS and PRODUCTIONS Find Novara Media's production about #BrexitDebate here Find AthensLive's production about #BrexitDebate here Find European Alternatives' editorial about #BrexitDebate here Find Krytyka Polityczna's production about #BrexitDebate here Find ROAR's production about #BrexitDebate here Find openDemocracy's production about #BrexitDebate here Find eldiario's production about #BrexitDebate here Find The Wedge's production about #BrexitDebate here Find Precarious Europe's production about #BrexitDebate here Find Transform!'s production about #BrexitDebate here Find red pepper's production about #BrexitDebate here Story by cafebabel DE [Podcast] Belgrade: Dubai of the Balkans? Published on June 22, 2016 Story by Cafebabel en it pl de fr es The Belgrade Waterfront project a completely futuristic urban landscape on the banks of the Sava River and financed by Emirati millionaires has strongly divided the citizens of the Serbian capital. Balkans and Beyond presents its first ever podcast. I was born in Belgrade in 1981 and belong to the so-called last generation of Titos Pioneers of Yugoslavia. In 2000, I was one of hundreds of thousands of youths who decided to leave Yugoslavia to move abroad. Ever since then, Ive been living in Rome, capital of art and beauty. Little to nothing has changed in the Eternal City, compared to my hometown. Vracar, the historical district of Belgrade where I grew up, is famous for its small houses and green hills. Now it has been completely reshaped with brand new, tall buildings. Every time I came back over the last 15 years, something had been changed, reshaped, demolished, reorganised, or modernised. For many expats, scepticism and frustration about changes to urban areas are very common. But a much bigger change has been taking place in the very heart of the city: the construction of the Belgrade Waterfront. A completely futuristic urban landscape, right on the banks of the Sava, will rise up towards the sky in its completed state by 2019. Costing a total of 3.5 billion euros, the project is being financed by Emirati billionaire Mohamed Alabbar. Belgrade Waterfront will include the construction of a new business district, which will stretch across nearly 2 square kilometres, including apartments and luxury premises, shopping malls, hotels, parks, a 200 metre skyscraperthe tallest in the Balkans and the Serbian Champs Elysees. The citizens of Belgrade are still divided about the project. Some see the Waterfront as a necessary step towards progress and modernity in the Serbian capital. Others are terrified by the prospect of becoming citizens of the "Dubai of the Balkans". Since 2015, civil unrest has been growing, with activists denouncing the projects corruption and lack of transparency. Podcast: Belgrade, the Dubai of the Balkans? --- Text and Audio: Marina Lalovic Photography: Jasmin Brutus --- Beyond cliches. Beyond hate. Beyond the past. 25 years after the start of the Balkans War, cafebabel Berlin's Balkans & Beyond editorial project, showcases original stories that beautifully illustrate life and politics in Bosnia, Macedonia, Croatia, Kosovo, Slovenia, Serbia, and Montenegro. It's financed by Allianz Kulturstiftung and Babel Deutschland with moral support from the Babel International network. Story by Cafebabel Britain out, Balkans in? The view from EU candidate states Published on June 22, 2016 en it de fr es pl In the Balkans many countries are still trying to become members of the European Union, yet the United Kingdom could be on the verge of slamming the EU door. How is Brexit perceived by countries that have been asking to join for years? Even if, in the meantime, they continue to shop around. "I can tell you right away that nobody here is talking about it." Nedim Hadrovic is quick to interrupt me as soon as we broach the subject of Brexit. Seen from Sarajevo, European issues have been at the heart of economic and political reforms in Bosnia and Herzegovina for more than a decade, but they don't attract much public debate. Even as the date of tomorrow's referendum on the UK's possible exit from the EU approaches, there are countries who are still asking to enter the Union. Bosnia Herzegovina is one of them. In February 2016, the country submitted its formal application with the objective of obtaining the status of candidate country before the end of 2017. The mood in the Balkans Nedim Hadrovic, a 25-year-old freelance journalist, returned to Sarajevo after growing up in Germany, the Middle East and Asia. He explains that a large part of his country's prioritised reforms derive from the intention of becoming a EU member. "Economically, there are great differences between the states that are aspiring to enter the European Union," explains Nedim. "But parliamentarian debate is mostly favourable to changing national legislation in order to meet community rules." Counterbalancing these European winds of change, Bosnia and Herzegovina remains a country paralysed by an intricate and stratified administrative structure a system based on nationalism and ethnic quotas, sanctioned in the Dayton agreement of 1995. "Bosnian foreign policy is neutral for reasons of internal conflicts of interest, and the political caste rarely discusses Brexit above all with local elections just around the corner," explains Rasid Krupalija, editor at Bosnia Daily. Even the 2013 census has been transformed into an obstacles course. It turns out the results haven't been published yet because of "methodological divergences" with Eurostat. Around 500 kilometres south of Sarajevo, at the crossroads of the Balkan Route travelled by incoming refugees, Macedonian people are a little more interested in a potential UK walkout. "The Macedonian mass media discusses Brexit, but they don't pay great attention to it," argues Dragi Pavlovski (27) from Bistola, a financial coordinator for an NGO. "Perhaps online and on TV it's discussed a bit more." Macedonia also wants to become an EU member, and it already obtained the status of candidate country in 2005. But its entry was blocked by Greeces veto over a dispute about the official name of the former Yugoslavian republic. "The more time passes, the more Euroscepticism grows here, since negotiations with the EU have been going on for more than 10 years and there's still no progress," Dragi complains. Political instability, recent protests against the government, and corruption, only fuel feelings of distrust "towards the West in general", in Dragi's words. "Perception seems to be changing and we seem to be becoming closer and closer to Russia." This was witnessed last year when the country adhered to the Russian pipeline project, named Turkish Stream (then blocked because of the tensions between Moscow and Ankara). Even if, after a more detailed analysis, this can be put down to realpolitik decision-making on Skopje's part. Towards alternative models? "In my view, it would be stupid if the English voted for Brexit, it would be a disaster for the European unit," says a concerned Dragi. "But they are the only ones aware of what's best for them." Nedim elaborates on this point. "The problem is not Brexit in and of itself, but the threat of a potential EU collapse. The feelings behind Brexit may be noble, even logical, but it stirs up anger and encourages decrying the views of Conservatives and anti-EU supporters. Because of this the Union becomes a 'common enemy', a perception that has emerged from frustration and from the economic decline of the Old Continent. Though also from the refugees crisis." Bosnian people have always resorted to irony, comments Rasid: "When we finally get in, the EU will already have fallen to pieces." Up to now people referred to a lack of progress in Bosnia, but today we can speak of insufficient progress in the Union as well. "There's no doubt that Brexit would be a heavy blow to the very idea of European integration," says Nenad Stojanovic, a political expert from the University of Lucerna, born in 1976 in Sarajevo. Besides strengthening Eurosceptics in the Balkans, it's feared that Brexit will weaken the European membership prospects of "outsider" candidate countries. Stojanovic moved to Switzerland in 1992 and was made a member of parliament from 2007 to 2013. From here, the professor suggests an unusual hypothesis. "The creation of a group of countries that don't belong to the EU, but that are part of it structurally [and economically, ed.], could be an interesting solution for Great Britain, Switzerland, Turkey or Norway," he argues. "At that point, any European leader could feel tempted to include the non-EU member Balkan countries in such a group." But he goes on to say that if the "Swiss model" of bilateral relations with the EU "could be extended to other economically strong countries", for Bosnia, Macedonia and their neighbours, "Such a solution would be less favourable than a genuine adhesion." So do western Balkan states feel closer or further away from Europe? "By what measure?" Stojanovic asks. "Honestly, it's difficult to say. In 1990, the Yugoslav Federation was just one step away from entering the European Economic Community, well in advance of Poland and Hungary. The EEC made a historic mistake by not offering this prospect immediately. Today, the citizens of the countries of the former Yugoslavia don't have other prospects be they political and economic if not to join the EU. Provided that the EU wants them." --- 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 Lorenzo Bellini Translated from La Brexit, i Balcani e l'UE: si viene e si va? Map of the week: Generation Eurosceptic? Published on June 22, 2016 Story by cafebabel DE Translation by: Emily Spencer en de fr pl it es Young people on the Old Continent still have a positive view of the EU, according to a study published last week by the Pew Research Centre. Unfortunately, the same can't be said of their grandparents. If Great Britain decides to turn its back on the European Union in this Thursday's referendum, there will be serious consequences for young people in the country. Secretary of State for Education Nicky Morgan, who in March called on all those eligible to vote to choose "internationalism over isolation" on the 23rd of June, echoed this concern. Should parents and grandparents decide to vote for Brexit, Morgan warns, they would be putting the future of their children, and grandchildren, in jeopardy. Even David Beckham has agreed, announcing that he's backing Remain, "For the future of our children." In a recent Spring 2016 study titled Euroscepticism beyond Brexit, conducted by US organisation the Pew Research Centre, young people between the ages of 18 and 34 are on average more favourable towards the Union than older generations aged 50 plus. The survey interviewed 1,000 people from ten EU countries, over the phone. There is a stark generation gap in the EU debate, but nowhere is it more pronounced than in France, where there is a staggering 25% gap between the number of older people who feel favourable towards the EU and those young people who share the same sentiment. Similar trends can be seen across Europe. There's a 19% gap in Great Britain, 16% in the Netherlands, 14% in Poland and Germany, and 13% in Greece. Unfortunately, it's the older generations who are much more likely to vote tomorrow (about 80% are predicted to go to the polls), compared with a mere 50% of under 35s, who are thought to be casting their ballot. Source: Pew Research Centre --- This article is part of our Map of the Week series: charting the stats that matter to Europe, one map at a time. Story by cafebabel DE Translated from Map of the week: Generation euroskeptisch? Contributed photo Thomas Coleman's mansion, built on his ranch, was meant to out-lavish the Fulton mansion, the home of his rival, George W. Fulton. The Coleman mansion was 15 miles north of Taft on the south side of Chiltipin Creek. Thomas Coleman and George Ware Fulton founded one of the great ranches of South Texas, the Coleman Fulton Pasture Company. Coleman and Fulton became rivals for control of the company. Fulton, who made his fortune from beef packing plants, built a mansion he called Oakhurst. We know it today as the Fulton Mansion. Among the guests at the housewarming party in 1877 were Thomas Coleman and his wife. On the way home Mrs. Coleman complained to her husband, "If she can have one (meaning Mrs. Fulton's home) then I want one twice as big." Coleman lost no time in meeting his wife's demands. Construction began on a new home on his ranch on the south side of Chiltipin Creek (15 miles north of today's Taft). When it was finished it looked like a grander version of the Fulton mansion, but it was out in the country, in the middle of nowhere. At the Colemans' housewarming party in 1880 guests left Corpus Christi at sunrise to cross the reef road in buggies. They carried a change of clothes for the two-day party. The gateway was a mile from the house. Servants were posted along the route to offer refreshments to the guests. Some 25 acres were landscaped. There were stables and a racetrack. Among the marvels of the new home was an acetylene lighting plant, indoor bathrooms with water supplied by cisterns, a billiards room, music room, and quarters for maids. There were beautiful hand-carved mantels and specially made furniture of ebony and walnut. Guests ate barbecue spiced with the little peppers that grew along Chiltipin Creek. That night they danced on the veranda surrounding the mansion. The Coleman mansion cost $150,000, compared to $80,000 of the Fulton mansion. That $150,000 would amount to $3.5 million today. The fierce rivalry between Coleman and Fulton reached a point where one of them had to go. Coleman sold out to David Sinton from Cincinnati whose son-in-law, Charles Taft, took over the ranch operations and the Coleman-Fulton Pasture Company became known as the Taft Ranch. Coleman kept his great mansion on Chiltipin Creek. This was where the White children grew up after their parents died in the yellow fever epidemic in 1867. Thomas Coleman was the nephew of Edward White and brother Frank who settled at White Point across Nueces Bay from Corpus Christi. When Edward White and wife died in the epidemic, their four children became wards of Thomas Coleman. There were two sons and two daughters, Thomas, Frank, Alice and Eddie. In time, Eddie White married Edwin Atlee McCampbell in Corpus Christi. Her son, Coleman McCampbell, wrote the well-known history of Corpus Christi, "Saga of a Frontier Seaport." After Thomas Coleman died in 1896, the house was sold to John Welder and used briefly as a summer house then stood vacant until it was demolished in 1930. It was built as a result of wealth, envy and one-upmanship. After they were gone it was torn down. A big deal on King Ranch A British consul reported in 1837 that Corpus Christi Bay would never be of any consequence as a harbor because extensive sandbars hampered navigation. When Zachary Taylor's army arrived in 1845 transport ships had to be lightered and even shallow-draft lighters had to be dragged over the mud flats in the bay. Corpus Christi founder Henry Kinney bought a steam-powered dredge in 1848 and hired a crew to deepen the channel at the entrance to the bay. After this effort languished John Moore headed an effort to dredge a channel. His dredge boat was burned to the water line by federal ships during the Civil War. What was left of the dredge, tied up at a wharf at Corpus Christi, gradually disappeared as people ripped it up for firewood. In the early 1870s Augustus Morris and James Cummings dredged an eight-foot-deep channel across the bay. The Morris & Cummings Cut allowed the first oceangoing vessel, the Gussie, to dock at the Central Wharf on May 31, 1874, which was a big day for the city. After the 1919 storm wrecked the new port on Harbor Island, Corpus Christi's struggle to get a deepwater port reached a critical time. After years of lobbying, Congress authorized the Corps of Engineers to make a recommendation on where a new port should be located. The Corps at Galveston had to choose between Port Aransas, Aransas Pass, Rockport, and Corpus Christi. The recommendation would be made to Congress by the district supervisor of the Corps, Maj. L.M. Adams. Corpus Christi advanced several arguments. The other coastal cities were more vulnerable to hurricanes than Corpus Christi, which was hard-hit in 1919 but mainly in the low-lying areas of the city. Much of Corpus Christi was built on high bluffs, the highest elevation on the Gulf Coast. Another point in Corpus Christi's favor was its size, compared to its rivals, and the fact it was served by three railroads while Port Aransas had no railroad link and Rockport and Aransas Pass had one. Roy Miller, Corpus Christi's former mayor and most influential booster, took the Corps' Maj. Adams on a hunting trip to King Ranch on a hot day in December 1920. They drove around until Adams shot a buck. That night at the King Ranch's Big House, Miller got a bottle of whiskey and took it to Adams' room. After a few drinks and some conversation, Miller came out and whispered to Richard King, the banker and grandson of the ranch founder. Miller told him, "We got it." Sure enough. Adams made his report to Congress and recommended Corpus Christi over the other coastal cities as the best place for a new port. Whether that was the basis of an impartial assessment or whether a deal was made will never be known for certain. In 1926, on the anniversary of the 1919 storm, Corpus Christi residents watched the first ships enter the turning basin of the new port. It was the culmination of 75 years of effort. In 1930, when Maj. Adams retired as district supervisor of the Corps of Engineers, he was named director of the Port of Corpus Christi. If eyebrows were raised it went unreported, but perhaps a deal was made over a bottle of bourbon at the King Ranch. Murphy Givens is the retired Viewpoints Editor of the Caller-Times. Email him at givens.murphy@gmail.com. Be careful what you wish for. Maybe that's the lesson to be learned from what has emerged from the desire of Hispanic advocates to teach schoolchildren more about the history of Mexican-Americans. What they have gotten is a textbook now being reviewed by the Texas Education Agency that presents a decidedly one-sided view of the Hispanic experience in the Western Hemisphere. The textbook, "Mexican American Heritage," if approved by the TEA, would be available for use in Texas high schools. If so, those students, of which the majority are of Hispanic descent, would be reading a history that sees the Hispanic experience through very skewed lenses. Take this example. Comparing on the political foundations of democracy in the United States and in Mexico, the authors opine that the United States was built on a legacy of Protestant self rule, freedom of religion, and parliamentary government. But for Mexico? "Most Mexicans weren't literate, they could not own land and had been given the message that they should be subdued, not lifted up," the authors write. "How would they invent a system from nothing that depended on participation in political and economic life?" Score one for viewing the United States as exceptional. There is a subliminal message here: Only the Anglo Protestant heritage, not the dark-skinned Catholic, has the franchise on democracy. Never mind that the U.S. heritage is not strictly a Protestant one. Nor does that view account for the fact that the Spanish were creating a society atop indigenous peoples Aztecs, Incas who were living in urban, highly populated societies. The first arrivals in the United States, however, encountered relatively small indigenous populations. Recreating English society became easier once those native populations were eliminated. No wonder the proposed textbook has stirred up objections from scholars. They say the book presents a simplistic view of Native Americans, says the 1960s Chicano movement was out to "destroy" American society and largely whitewashes an American history of racism and ethnic hostility. That's not what advocates had in mind in 2014 when they pushed for a Mexican-American studies curriculum. That idea was defeated by a conservative majority on the State Board of Education, but it did decide to recommend textbooks that school districts could use in their own ethnic studies courses. The only offering so far is "Mexican American Heritage," a book that has been linked to a former member of the SBOE, Cynthia Dunbar, who was known for ideological zealotry during her tenure. One of her aims was to integrate the Bible into public school teaching. It's easy to see how the disastrous aftermath of the Mexican War, at least for Mexicans living on newly acquired U.S. lands, can be so easily dismissed. "Mexicans who were already over the border, who were living in territory suddenly American, had the best chance for a better life," the authors write airily. Any claims that Mexicans had lands stolen from them, they write, though the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo guaranteed their titles, are groundless. Much closer to the truth, however, is the description by British historian Felipe Fernandez-Armesto in his "Our America, A Hispanic History of the United States." "The easiest way to appropriate Mexicans' land was to kill them off under cover of war and create an atmosphere of terror that would send refugees fleeing in panic," Fernandez-Armesto writes. Despite the promises, "men on the spot never intended to honor those parts of the treaties ... 'Popular tribunals,' self-elected or appointed by interested parties administered discriminatory 'justice,' sometimes reinforced by lynchings." But Texas high school students won't read anything in the textbook about lynchings, about Texas Rangers indiscriminately killing Hispanics in South Texas or of towns that segregated Mexican-Americans into the most neglected sections of their communities, bereft of adequate educational resources or even sanitary plumbing. The pity is that scholarship on the history of minorities in the U.S. has made a lot of progress in recent years. The story of Hispanics in the United States is intertwined with the very beginnings of the country, whose presence even predates the first English colonists. That is a story that today's Texas high school students need to read in their textbooks. Unfortunately, the book now under consideration by the Texas Education Agency doesn't seem to be that book. Nick Jimenez has worked as a reporter, city editor and editorial page editor for more than 40 years in Corpus Christi. He is currently the editorial page editor emeritus for the Caller-Times. His commentary column appears on Wednesdays and Sundays. SHARE By Beatriz Alvarado of the Caller-Times Students who skipped the most days of school at Driscoll Middle School were given special attention this year. The campus was the site of a pilot program putting a truancy prevention strategy to the test. The partnership with the city's Juvenile Assessment Center, which helps families connect with social services, among other services, was prompted by a change to state law that decriminalized truancy last year. The pilot program at the school, which has one of the highest absence rates in the district, launched in March. David Prado, who is the agency's superintendent, said the services could be helpful for Nueces County schools to begin implementing uniform changes to adhere to the changes in the law. "We have really good connections that can help," Prado said. City council officials Tuesday were presented with the same recommended routes to comply with the law as county leaders were earlier this month. Implementing the recommendations is voluntary for city, county and school districts. Texas was one of two states for which truancy was a criminal violation before the law's changes took effect in September. A report on the implementation of the recommendations and compliance with the law are due to state officials Dec. 31, 2017. Adhering to changes to in the law only can be reached through extensive collaboration among school districts, city and county agencies, said John H. Milam, who is the deputy director of special programs for the Nueces County Juvenile Department. Milam gave the presentation to the city council. "Truancy is now a civil action that needs to be intercepted," Milam said. "The challenge now is trying to identify what case management services haven't been utilized and link (youth and parents) to them. Many don't know what is out there. There are resources that can help bring some stability to their lives." According to the old law, truancy cases for students with at least 10 unexcused absences in a six-month period were heard by justices of the peace or municipal judges and schools could opt to send students with three unexcused absences within a four-week period to the adult courts. Punishments could include jail time for students 17 and older. According to the new law, schools can no longer send students with three unexcused absences in a four-week period to truancy courts. Schools must notify parents of the absences and discuss consequences, which could be a fine or a loss of driving privileges. A face-to-face meeting between school officials and parents is being asked from school districts, and students have to enroll in a truancy prevention program. Now, for students 12 or older, 10 unexcused absences in a six-month period could lead to school officials focusing resources to determine the cause of the absences. If the absences are because the student is homeless, pregnant, in foster care or is a primary earner for the family then the school is to offer support. Driscoll Assistant principal Kimberly Craig said the collaboration between the campus and Juvenile Assessment Center led to needed, one-on-one interventions for students missing the most days of school. She said the partnership has helped lighten the load for campus staff. Driscoll has received subpar academic ratings from the state three consecutive years and staff was already being spread thin to work on improving academics. "This becomes another intervention," Craig said. "This collaboration gave families an opportunity to find help." Twitter: @CallerBetty Associated Press photo SHARE By Fares Sabawi of the Caller-Times Four undocumented immigrants and one juvenile abandoned by smugglers were rescued during the weekend by U.S. Border Patrol agents, according to a news release. The first rescue happened early Friday morning when agents found a Mexican man abandoned on a ranch near Falfurrias. The man was severely dehydrated, so agents gave him water and he was treated at a hospital. Later that day, agents found another man abandoned by smugglers and left without water. The man declined medical attention, according to the release. On Saturday, Kingsville agents received a call about a juvenile, whose age and gender were not provided, getting lost after smugglers left. The juvenile was treated for stomach cramps and dehydration. Agents found two other people later that day who were dehydrated in the brush near Sarita. According to the news release, Border Patrol agents from the Rio Grande Valley Sector have seen a 47 percent increase in rescues compared to the same period the previous year. Twitter: @Caller_Fares CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Duke Canchola SHARE By Fares Sabawi of the Caller-Times The Kingsville Border Patrol Station has a new agent in charge. In a news release, the agency announced that Duke Canchola will be the new Patrol Agent in Charge. Canchola has been with the Border Parol since 1997. He previously served in several other positions, including Acting Assistant Chief Patrol Agent and Patrol Agent in Charge the of Laredo Sector Special Operations Detachment. Canchola is a Carroll High School alumnus who attended the Marine Military Academy in Harlingen. Canchola earned a bachelor's degree from The Military College of South Carolina and graduated from the marine Corps Officer Candidates School in Qunatico, Virginia. Twitter: @Caller_Fares SHARE You'd think that if there was one step both parties in Washington could support in the wake of the nation's worst mass shooting, it would be to close a yawning gap in federal gun background checks a strategy supported by nearly 90% of Americans. Yet in an extraordinary act of cowardice on Monday evening, 56 senators 53 Republicans joined by three Democrats threw away yet another opportunity to keep guns out of the hands of more felons, fugitives, the mentally ill or people prone to domestic violence. These spineless lawmakers voted against advancing a commonsense measure to expand background checks to virtually all sales of guns, not just those sold by federally licensed dealers. The existing gap allows buyers who purchase from private sellers at gun shows, online or from newspaper ads to simply avoid the federal background check system. That system, run by the FBI, is efficient for buyers: More than nine of 10 gun buyers get a yes or no within minutes. And the system is effective for screening out those barred by federal law from buying firearms: It has denied guns to 2.4 million prospective buyers since it was created in 1994. The largest category is felons and people who've committed serious misdemeanors. This was the third time since the fatal shooting of 20 first-graders in Newtown, Conn., in 2012 that the Senate has derailed similar measures. (Senators also rejected three other gun amendments on Monday.) Would expanding background checks be a panacea? Of course not. The Orlando killer, a security guard, was able to purchase his guns legally. But no one should buy into the absurd notion, pushed by the gun lobby, that to be worthwhile a measure must demonstrate that it could have prevented the most recent atrocity or all mass murders. You don't have to go far to find shootings where the killers exploited this well-known loophole: n In 2012, Radcliffe Haughton killed his estranged wife and two co-workers at a Wisconsin spa, even though he was under a restraining order that would have prevented his buying a gun if there'd been a background check. Instead, Haughton found a willing private seller after posting a "want to buy" ad on an Internet site. n In 2009, Tyrone Adair, twice convicted of battery and under a restraining order, bought a 9mm Glock handgun by responding to a Wisconsin newspaper ad. The unlicensed seller jokingly asked: "You're not going to go out and kill someone, are you?" Within weeks, Adair's two daughters and their mothers were shot to death. Wanted by police, Adair was found dead of a gunshot wound. n In 1998, the students who killed 13 and then shot themselves at Columbine High School got their weapons through a friend who bought them from an unlicensed seller at a gun show. They bought another from a pizza shop worker who knew they were too young to make the purchase but sold it to them anyway. In the face of Washington gridlock, some states are tightening background checks on their own. Since 2012, legislators in six states Connecticut, Colorado, Delaware, New York, Oregon and Washington have shown the will to make this sensible, lifesaving change. California has had expanded checks for all guns since 1990, and voters in Maine and Nevada will vote on similar measures this fall. Seven states have also banned the sale of military-style assault weapons of the type used in Orlando, and on Monday the Supreme Court rejected challenges to assault weapons bans in Connecticut and New York. The court's action suggests that states may be the best avenue for sensible gun restrictions consistent with the Second Amendment. Those who want to prevent future mass killings apparently will need to look outside Congress for help. Monday's votes showed, once again, that too many members are too cowed by the gun lobby to take the actions necessary to save lives. USA TODAY's editorial opinions are decided by its Editorial Board, separate from the news staff. SHARE Rachel Denny Clow/Caller-Times file State Sen. Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa, D-McAllen, represents District 20, which includes the Corpus Christi area. I do not understand why there is so much hate for people who are "different." The shooting in Orlando was a horrific tragedy and a senseless act of hate and violence. I felt sad and angry at the same time. My first thought was my daughter. As a proud father of a gay daughter, that shooting could have happened anywhere. The nightclub could have been in San Antonio or South Texas. That could be anyone's son or daughter next time, simply because he or she is gay. In just the last year we have come so far. The U.S. Supreme Court declared same-sex marriage legal in all 50 states. Finally, marriage equality the freedom to marry. Yet at the same time, I feel we have gone backward with the hate and violence escalating. While those in the LGBT community may have the freedom now to marry, they still do not have the freedom to live without fear of hate or violence against them. In our country's history we have discriminated, and often continue to do so, against women, Hispanics, African-Americans, people of Jewish decent and other religions. Our LGBT community experiences the same discrimination. But why? They are human beings just like you and I. There is a disconnect in those who champion religious views but speak against gay rights. In the name of God, they discriminate against human beings. But God loves everyone. God does not discriminate. Same-sex couples are part of our communities, culture and country. They live in our communities, work in our communities, attend church in our communities, and volunteer for our military where they sacrifice and fight for our freedom and liberty. They are our sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, friends and neighbors. As a society we must not tolerate acts of discrimination, hate or violence for any reason. We must all work to build safer communities, to lead by example, and to be part of a solution that will safeguard the future of us all. I remain committed to equality and to treating every human being with dignity and respect. We must remain vigilant against terrorists, domestic or foreign, that threaten our community, and we must oppose violence and hate simply because people are different. State Sen. Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa, D-McAllen, represents District 20, which includes the Corpus Christi area. Four conventions signed Friday to the tune of FCFA 76 billion are expected to propel the already existing cordial ties to higher heights. ADS Bilateral relations between Cameroon and France, especially in the economic domain, are shooting for the skies judging from recent developments between the two countries. The visit of the President of the Republic of France, Francois Hollande to Cameroon on July 3, 2015 will certainly go down the annals of history of the two countries as one which bolstered long-standing relations between Cameroon and France. Coming some 14 years after the last French President visited Cameroon, President Francois Hollande had a package to grease the economic ties between France and Cameroon. Four Agreements Signed The visit paved the way for the signing of four accords between Cameroon and France. As Presidents Hollande and Biya looked on, Cameroons Minister of the Economy, Planning and Regional Development; Emmanuel Nganou Djoumessi for Cameroon and the Director of the French Development Cooperation, Anne Paugam, for France, penned four agreements. The Director of the French Development Agency in Cameroon, Herve Cona says the four accords amount to about FCFA 76 billion. The first of the accords, a loan agreement amounting to FCFA 42.6 billion is aimed at developing secondary towns of Cameroon, notably the regional capitals of Bafoussam for the West, Betoua for the East and Garoua for the North Regions. The second loan accord to the tune of FCFA 29.5 billion is for the construction of a new access road to second bridge on River Wouri in Douala, the extension of the SCDP roundabout in Douala and the creation of a new underground railway line in the port city of Douala. Meanwhile, the third convention is to support small and medium-sized enterprises especially those involved in agriculture to the tune of FCFA 3.3 billion in order to boost production in quality and quantity. The least of the agreements was not the fourth, this time around a subvention to the investment projects of the Diaspora amounting to FCFA 655 million. Analysts hold that the sectors selected in the new-found Cameroon-France economic cooperation speak of a common vision of the two Statesmen to make tomorrow better than today. This is more so as they tie with the growth objectives of Cameroon with pride of place position to infrastructure development, self-reliance agricultural production, a facelift to the small and medium-size sector and substantial and sustainable contributions of the Diaspora. Added to these conventions was the experience-sharing forum that grouped business people from the two countries on the sidelines of the Francois Hollande visit. Some 25 business executives from France took time off to listen to investment opportunities in Cameroon and the legal and administrative instruments in place to guarantee win-win investments. Pundits hold that an idea of that nature raises hopes of better things to come. As Cameroon relishes the new thrust in her economic cooperation with France therefore, it is hoped that potential investors will take advantage of the rich and varied resources in place and the laws available to set up mutually-beneficial investments. These include especially the revolutionary April 18, 2013 law on private investment incentives in the Republic of Cameroon with fiscal, customs and administrative advantages coupled with some of the investment-yearning sectors in the country like mining, agriculture, forest management et al. ADS | BY Martin Trevaskis | Paul Yole has attended the Cannes Lions Festival as a delegate every year for the past 10 years. Here he reports from Cannes for Campaign Brief, on why the case for creativity never ends. The case for Creativity. With a title like that, I had no option but to attend. And it was very worthwhile. James Hurman, founder of Previously Unavailable and former planning chief at Colenso BBDO New Zealand, talked through some of the highlights from the updated version of his seminal creative effectiveness book, The Case for Creativity. The book is based upon three decades of international research by universities, scientists, consultants and Hurman himself. It was motivated by his realisation that most of the work that we produce is, in fact, not very creative. Perhaps this is caused by a lack of confidence in the power of creativity or by the fact that any brand idea often needs many, many people to say yes, but it only takes one person to say no and the idea could be doomed. So Hurmans mission is to help people believe in creativity, not just by proving its efficacy, but also by providing the stimulus to keep creative effectiveness on the agenda. Hence the handing out of free copies of his book at the Festival. I agree with Hurmans view that it is perfectly fair for clients to ask us to prove that creative work is more effective, and his research goes a long way towards helping that cause (along with the work of people like Peter Field and Donald Gunn). About ten years ago, McKinsey undertook a study into the effectiveness of advertising in Germany after one client claimed, Creativity is irrelevant at best. Often it is harmful to advertising success. I suggest that many clients may share that view and even believe that high creativity is too risky. In fact, the opposite is proven to be true. High creativity is actually the safest way to grow a brand. As McKinsey concluded in the study, Other things being equal, creativity is an advertisers best bet. Every report James Hurman researched reached the same conclusion. Peter Fields rigorous study of advertising that has been recognized for proven effectiveness and ROI suggests that creatively awarded work can be up to 11 times more effective. Good planners around the world will relate to Hurmans assertion that a planners sole job is to help make the work more effective, and the best way to do that is to help make it more creative. So what do clients think? Because after all, they have the pivotal role in this. Two acclaimed former Cannes Creative Marketers of the Year, Jim Stengel (P&G) and Jonathan Mildenhall (Coca Cola and now CMO of Airbnb) shared some encouraging insights. To summarise some key take-outs from their advice: 1. The case for creativity never ends 2. Client companies need deep cultural change that puts creativity on the business agenda, and it needs to be socialised 3. To achieve culture change you need to go where the energy is 4. Keep the spotlight on those who are courageous 5. One person can make an enormous difference, even if they are relatively junior 6. Young marketers do not have to follow the beat of the drum from their leader if it is incompatible with creativity. But they do need to seek out like-minded people in their organization 7. Build a learning agenda and culture 8. Share the risk (agency and client) Finally, I really like the mantra that Jonathan Mildenhall relates every day to his people: Make this the best work of your career to date. With pristine reefs and abundant marine life, these serene remnants of an extinct volcano were named after British ship HMS Conflict which charted them in 1886. The 21 islands ranging from 1ha to 97 ha gathered in a pear shape around a sheltered lagoon are about 150km from Alotau at the eastern tip of Papua New Guinea. P&O Cruises Pacific Jewel has made history by becoming the first cruise ship to visit the remote Conflict Islands, putting the idyllic atoll and their fascinating owner briefly in the spotlight. SOME people dream of buying an island. Australian Ian Gowrie-Smith bought an entire archipelago sight unseen. In 1978 the uninhabited islands were purchased by Lu Nevels, a part-Native American based in Hawaii who was an American circuit court judge and global real estate speculator. In 2003 British-based Australian entrepreneur Ian Gowrie-Smith bought the islands on a whim without actually seeing them. Mr Gowrie-Smith has something of a Midas touch in business, with successes in pharmaceuticals, mining and the oil and gas industry. He went to PNG in the 1966 as Prince Charles travelling companion when the pair were classmates at Geelong Grammar. I purchased the Conflict Islands from the Nevels in 2003, more or less on a whim, sight unseen, he told me. The islands are part of my portfolio of various follies I have acquired around the world, including a game farm in South Africa and a castle in Lithuania. Conflict Islands are archetypical tropical islands white sand, palm trees, warm trade winds, beautiful sunsets over the water of the sheltered inner reef with turtles popping their heads up into the dusky evening air. Current development is confined to Panasesa, one of the largest islands. I have built a small private resort and restored the airstrip. It has been used primarily by my family and friends. Mr Gowrie-Smith is working towards a sustainable future for the islands including renewable energy, a turtle hatchery, a marine research centre and urging local fishermen from nearby islands to shift from unsustainable fishing practices including hunting turtles. The visit by Pacific Jewel will provide an income stream and guests disembark via a new $1 million deep water jetty. Passengers can look forward to activities and facilities including a new glass bottom boat, kayaks with glass bottoms, and stand up paddle boards for the more energetic, Mr Gowrie-Smith said. There will be drinks, music and BBQ food, island tours and we have our own native sailing canoe called a sailau. Our permanent staff of 10 will swell to 46 on the day. My aim in providing alternate employment opportunities is to reduce pressure on over fishing, shark finning, beche de mer fishing and turtle harvesting. I hope by building stronger relationships with my neighbouring island communities they will support conservation efforts, including creation of a marine protected area which requires their endorsement. Todays visit by Pacific Jewel is one of 17 inaugural calls to ports this year by P&O Cruises following the expansion of the lines fleet to five ships. These includes maiden calls at Wewak, Stewart Island in New Zealand, Ujung Pandang, Jakarta, Sabang and Probolinggo in Indonesia, Langkawi, Koh Chang and Koh Samui in Malaysia, Krabi and Phuket in Thailand, Sihanoukville in Cambodia, Gizo and Honiara in the Solomon Islands and Gladstone and Fraser Island in Queensland. Tuesday, June 21, 2016 at 8:05PM The crowd gathering in Yonge-Dundas Square for YouTube FanFest Its that time of the year again. YouTube will be bringing in some of its biggest Canadian and international stars at this years YouTube FanFest. Itll be held on August 13th at the Molson Canadian Amphitheatre. Some of the big names to appear at the event include Torontos own Lilly Singh (a.k.a. ||Superwoman||) alongside the likes of Mike Tompkins, Humble the Poet, and AsapSCIENCE. You can expect musical performances from the likes of Sam Tsui, Megan Nicole, Tiffany Alvord, KRNFX, and Max Schneider. Also hoping to get the crowd up on their feet is Marquese Scott (WHZGUD2) and Poppin John. Lauren Toyota, former MuchMusic VJ and host and now co-host at her YouTube channel Hot for Food, will be hosting the event alongside My Life as Evas Eva Gutowski. A limited number of ticketholders will even get a chance to meet and greet their favorite starts the day before the show. If this is something you want, you have to make sure you grab your tickets when they go live. Ticket prices are at $30 for front section seats and $25 for middle and back section seats. They go on sale on Tuesday, June 21 at 10 a.m. at all Ticketmaster outlets. Wednesday, June 22, 2016 at 2:16PM This fully illustrated guide shows how to create and program all kinds of fun and innovative gadgets with your Raspberry Pi. Raspberry Pi Electronics Projects for the Evil Genius features 10 complete projects that showcase cool RasPi applications in computing, communications, robotics, photography, and video. Each inexpensive Evil Genius project includes a detailed list of materials, sources for parts, schematics, and clear, step-by-step assembly and programming instructions. This entertaining, easy-to-follow book gets you up-and-running quickly on C, Java, and Python, and covers "all" RasPi versions, including the latest A+, B+, and B model 2 units. Learn how to: Explore the capabilities and features of your Raspberry Pi Display scrolling text and graphics on an RGB LED matrix screen Handle RasPi-to-RasPi communications using MQTT Incorporate interesting software defined radio (SDR) features Build your own super computer from eight RasPi model B+s Make a robotic car from Legos and control it with your RasPi Configure the RasPi to control a basic robotic arm through the I2C bus Assemble and program complex 3DOF and 6DOF robotic arms Construct a hi-res point-and-shoot and a digital single lens reflex (DSLR) camera Engineer a complete infrared video surveillance system using the Pi Noir camera About the Author: Donald Norris is an experienced engineer and adjunct professor at Southern New Hampshire University. He is the author of Programming the Intel Edison: Getting Started with Processing and Python, Raspberry Pi Projects for the Evil Genius, Build Your Own Quadcopter: Power Up Your Designs with the Parallax Elev-8, and The Internet of Things: Do-It-Yourself at Home Projects for Arduino, Raspberry Pi and BeagleBone Black. One international candidate could not be wooed to Australian shores despite being offered the position, and insiders say there is little interest from qualified candidates to take on the job given the full extent of industrial unrest at the school. Meanwhile, Dr Royston Gustavson has been the acting head while the search goes on. "Electrotechnology is a key industry for the ACT and will be increasingly so with the ACT government's focus on renewable energy. We want to make sure apprentices have the skills the industry requires," she said. TRUFFLE FESTIVAL Canberra's truffle season is in full swing, with the festival running until the end of August. There's local black truffles on the menu at restaurants around town, plus special dinners, events, cooking classes and of course hunts with the dogs to unearth truffles. For the full program and tickets, visit trufflefestival.com.au. If you see any accidents or have any info on the morning commute, let us know whenever it is safe to do so. Email morningblog@canberratimes.com.au or tweet us @canberratimes. An Iowa Republican's attempt to prevent Harriet Tubman from becoming the new face of the $20 bill has been rejected by the House Rules Committee. U.S. Rep. Steve King filed an amendment to a financial services spending bill that would block the Treasury from putting Tubman on any U.S. paper currency. King, R-Iowa, told Politico that it wasn't about Tubman. It was about his support for keeping the $20 bill the way it is with former President Andrew Jackson on the front. "Why would you want to change that?" King said while holding up a $20 bill. "I am a conservative, I like to keep what we have." But according to Politico, King did say he believes it's "racist" and "sexist" to suggest that a person of color or a woman should appear on U.S. paper money. He blamed President Barack Obama for "trying to identify people by categories, and he's divided us on the lines of groups." The House Rules Committee, though, didn't see it that way. Since King's amendment wasn't made in order, it won't be voted on by the full House. Laurel Ullyette, president of the Harriet Tubman Boosters Club in Auburn, said King's amendment was racist. "I don't think there's any other explanation for it," she said. "It's a complete waste of time. He's just showing his true colors." Treasury Secretary Jack Lew announced in April that Tubman would appear as the face of the redesigned $20 bill. Other changes to paper currency were revealed, including adding five women's rights leaders to the back of the $10 bill and three prominent Americans Marian Anderson, Martin Luther King Jr. and Eleanor Roosevelt to the rear of the $5 note. Alexander Hamilton and Abraham Lincoln will retain their spots on the $10 and $5 bills, respectively. The Treasury Department wants to release the new bills by 2020 the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment that gave women the right to vote. News of Tubman's addition to the $20 bill was celebrated in Auburn, where the abolitionist lived during the latter part of her life. U.S. Rep. John Katko, who represents Auburn in Congress, doesn't share King's view on whether Tubman should appear on the $20 bill. He lauded Tubman as an "incredible woman" and noted that Cayuga County will soon be home to a national park honoring the civil rights icon. "I had previously introduced bipartisan legislation to feature her likeness on a Federal Reserve note, and I continue to strongly support the U.S. Treasury's decision to feature Harriet Tubman on the $20 bill," Katko, R-Camillus, said. The precise content of Mr Barr's conversation with Mr Turnbull remains undisclosed. In March, Mr Barr said he had raised the issue with Mr Turnbull and NSW Premier Mike Baird and "neither have indicated support". Asked to clarify, Mr Barr said he had asked for "financial support for a process that looks at the history of the issue", but it had "not been forthcoming". "We think [950 jobs] is a realistic goal and we think once we can turn that many jobs back into the town centre that it can start to become self-fulfilling in terms of the growth and the stable long-term employment which provides that amenity and allows those long-term smaller businesses to operate and flourish," Mr Quinn said. "We absolutely welcome it, we know the community want it, we have people in our offices every day of the week asking how they can access it and the fact that a trial is going to be available in the ACT is brilliant," she said. None of this may happen given the recent powerful attacks on him. There have been various targets, including his record on Senate voting reform, his allegedly protectionist, anti-free trade policies, his public campaign against an Adelaide Catholic priest for alleged sexual abuse, his alleged populism, and the apparent anonymity of the other members of his Senate team. Senior local members of the major parties, Christopher Pyne (Liberal) and Senator Penny Wong (Labor), are now called upon to explain the popularity of the NXT. They flounder around in fear of contributing to a further backlash against the governing parties they represent. DEWITT It's a question central New Yorkers, particularly those in Syracuse, have been asking for a few years now: What should be done with the Interstate 81 viaduct that stretches through the city? The three Democrats vying to unseat U.S. Rep. John Katko addressed the topic at a debate Tuesday organized by the Central New York Alliance for Retired Americans, League of Women Voters and the New York State United Teachers Retiree Council 7. Two of the candidates Eric Kingson and Steve Williams reiterated their support for tearing down the existing elevated portion of I-81 and constructing a boulevard. The boulevard is one of the options being considered by the state Department of Transportation, which is overseeing the project. Kingson, D-Manlius, said such a byway is the "only viable" option. "I think the boulevard is going to be the best thing for our city and our community," he said. Williams, D-Baldwinsville, acknowledged that a boulevard might make it more difficult for motorists to travel into Syracuse. But he cited the benefits for the city, which he called "the heart of this district." "I think a boulevard is a sound and reasonable way to go," he said. Deacon, D-Syracuse, noted that she's the only Syracuse resident running for Congress. She didn't state her support for one proposal over another, although she would later say the boulevard is a "great option." At the moment, though, she doesn't believe there's enough information to make a decision on which plan is best for the I-81 viaduct replacement project. "We have to be bold," she said. "We have to be visionary. This decision has to be from the bottom up." Williams was quick to point out that Deacon previously stated her support for the boulevard option. The candidates were asked during a lightning round at the Time Warner Cable News debate Monday whether the I-81 viaduct should be replaced with a boulevard. Deacon tried to explain her response before being reminded that it was a yes or no question. She answered yes. At Tuesday's debate, Williams accused Deacon of not answering the question. Deacon defended her stance saying that all the options, including the boulevard, should be considered. "We need to look at the data," she said. The debate was the second in as many days for the Democratic candidates in the 24th Congressional District race. There is one more scheduled for this week a televised debate that will air at 7 p.m. Saturday on WSYR NewsChannel 9. The Democratic primary is Tuesday, June 28. Local officials say no public money was involved in an Albany man's alleged scheme to defraud investors in a multimillion-dollar cheese company once planned for Cayuga County. The state Attorney General's Office has charged Lawrence D. Rosenbaum with 27 felonies, alleging that he fraudulently solicited more than $1 million in private investments for several companies including the Saratoga Cheese Corp. He is also accused of diverting investor funds for his personal use and failing to file state personal income tax returns since at least 2008. Rosenbaum, a 64-year-old Albany insurance broker, served as the former chair of the Albany County Independence Party until resigning in 2004 amid questions about how he handled party donations that went directly to him. With the indictment announced Monday, the attorney general's office said Rosenbaum duped investors some whom he knew through his insurance job that their money was going to production facilities for kosher and halal cheese as well as bio-energy companies with services across New York state and Costa Rica. Investors were also promised substantial returns and stock shares. The facilities, including a much-publicized venture proposed in Aurelius, were never built. Instead, Rosenbaum could now face upward of 20 years in prison if convicted on charges including grand larceny, tax fraud and scheme to defraud. He pleaded not guilty Monday in Albany County Court and was remanded to Albany County Jail on $250,000 cash bail or bond. 'Seemed like it was on the up and up' Rosenbaum had founded the Saratoga Cheese Company around 2001 with the intention of developing a halal and kosher cheese plant in the Capital Region using local dairy products, according to the attorney general's office. That company was reformatted in 2006 into the Saratoga Cheese Corporation, and it was targeted for the Cayuga County Industrial Park in Aurelius before its eventual failure. Whereas private funding was subject of the attorney general's investigation, Saratoga Cheese received two public grants toward its development: An Empire State Development grant for $400,000 secured by state Sen. Michael Nozzolio in 2008, and another federal allotment for $196,514 through former U.S. Rep. Michael Arcuri. Nozzolio held a press conference in 2008 to announce the grant for Saratoga Cheese. In a statement Tuesday, Nozzolio said the state Empire State Development Agency is responsible for the management, administration and expenditure of those funds as well as the oversight of all aspects of job development projects. Tracy Verrier, interim executive director of the Cayuga Economic Development Agency, said those funds were all properly appropriated and monitored through the Cayuga County Industrial Development Agency. Further, the county did not invest any public money into the project beyond staff time, she added. The county board, which is staffed by CEDA, was asked to provide project documentation by the attorney general's office in February, Verrier said, which was provided "without question." Rosenbaum and his board worked with CCIDA members through the process of developing Saratoga Cheese, signing an initial land development agreement in 2010. That agreement was extended at least twice as company leaders struggled to secure suitable financing for further project development. Cayuga County Planning and Economic Development Director Steve Lynch, who worked on the Saratoga Cheese project between roughly 2008 and 2012, declined to comment Tuesday. "At the time the project was happening, everything seemed like it was on the up and up," Verrier said. "They wouldn't have done all this work if they had suspicions." CCIDA board members finally moved on from the project around June 2013, Verrier said. By that point, Verrier noted that much of the project grant funding had gone toward site surveys and studies of the land at the industrial park, which was later translated for other, separate agricultural opportunities namely, Cayuga Milk Ingredients, which was fully established in 2015. "The (CCIDA) has cooperated to the best of their ability," Verrier said. "I think it's just worked out quite well for the community to have that groundwork done for other reasons." 'Nobody really knew what was going on' Gregory Bell, a former board member with Saratoga Cheese, worked as a consultant during the development of the Aurelius-based cheese company. Bell said he resigned from his roles in January 2013 during an investor meeting after "it became obvious of what was going on." He said there had been suspicions six months prior to his own resignation, though Bell declined to detail specific observations in light of potential legal action against Rosenbaum. The indictment details charges committed against seven named individuals, while also alleging that Rosenbaum additionally defrauded 10 or more individuals to obtain property by false pretenses. Bell said the company raised about $2.4 million through 60 to 70 investors before it came to an end at the close of 2013. Parts of those investments funded site studies and other development initiatives for Saratoga Cheese, Bell said. Finding funding, he noted, was always difficult for the project given the state of the economy at the time. Following Bell's resignation, he said there were other consultants who wanted to continue the company with a reduced scope, which did not gain much traction. Investors, meanwhile, "were demanding accountability and they weren't getting it," Bell said. Bell, himself, said he was not an investor. "Nobody other than Larry was able to see the books," he said. "Nobody really knew what was going on." Regarding public funds, Bell also said that the grant funding was properly appropriated. Bell said the grant funding was administered by the Cayuga County Industrial Development Authority and never came into any Saratoga Cheese bank accounts. Rather, the company would submit vouchers to the firms they had worked with over the course of the project's development, he said. "There was no fraud at all in that money," Bell said of the public funds. "The fraud was in private money." After Saratoga Cheese came to an end, Bell said Rosenbaum approached investors to start up a new cheese company, Rosenbaum Cheese. Rosenbaum has websites for two separate cheese businesses: Rosenbaum Cheese, which focuses on kosher products; and Rose Tree Cheese, which emphasizes halal products for the Islamic faith. Bell said previous investors were sent an email around a year and a half ago vetting interest in supporting his new venture. "It was ridiculous," Bell said. "People, the investors with the company were quite angry with him because their money vanished." Owasco officials will host a public meeting in July for residents and business owners to review and give feedback on an ongoing update to the town's comprehensive plan. The meeting is scheduled for 5 p.m. Thursday, July 14 at the Owasco Town Hall, 2 Bristol Ave. An online review period of the draft comprehensive plan will continue through that date, while a hard copy can be viewed at the town hall. Officials said the plan update will include a conservation land and trails plan designed to address changes in land use, population and development and environmental resources. The update has been spearheaded by the town's Comprehensive Planning Committee, which was formed in 2014 of residents and municipal leaders. Assisting in this process are consultants from the Central New York Regional Planning and Development Board. The upcoming public meeting comes after officials gathered public input through a survey sent to town residents in December. Amanda Mazzoni, a representative with the CNY development board, said residents returned 411 completed surveys, or 27.8-percent response rate. To view the plan online, visit cayugacounty.us/towns/H-P/owasco. For more information, contact Mazzoni at (315) 422-8276 ext. 215 or at amazzoni@cnyrpdb.org. 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. He says his rival has "put political correctness above common sense, above your safety and above all else." She says his views are "shameful" and he is "temperamentally unfit and totally unqualified" to be president. So much for unity in the face of tragedy. The race for the White House is entering a new, vital phase. The formal end of the primary season and the eclipse of Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont have removed even the slightest diversion from the beginning of the general-election campaign. The massacre in Orlando has removed even the slightest doubt that terrorism would be a major theme in the presidential election and in the American story for 2016. Both factors seemed to liberate both candidates, and the two responded with unusual vitriol. Herbert Hoover hit Franklin Roosevelt at his most vulnerable in 1932 when he described the New York governor as a "chameleon on plaid," and Ronald Reagan taunted Jimmy Carter in 1980 with his "there you go again" repartee. But those were faint jousts and parries compared with Donald Trump's remarks that his rival "is in total denial" and Hillary Clinton's response that the Manhattan businessman's rhetoric was "a recruiting tool for ISIS." With the conventions only weeks away, it is impossible to ignore the prospect that the tone and timbre of this presidential race will spin out of control, that a campaign that already has defied every expectation and every custom will veer into dangerous new territory of incivility and indecency. At the same time, the success of Trump in becoming the presumptive nominee of the Republican Party and the persistence and strength of Sanders in challenging Clinton combine to produce serious threats to both parties and to the American political system. Conversations with two thoughtful political figures who a half-generation ago were considered outsiders themselves one a Republican and one a Democrat underline the severity of the tests facing the two major instruments of political life in our country. "Trump is making the party into something different, and a lot of us Republicans are troubled," said former Rep. Vin Weber of Minnesota, who was considered a 1980s Republican reformer and whose grandfather was a GOP president of the Minnesota Senate. "None of us wants to turn our backs on the party, but you can't assume we will fall in line." That sense of crisis also reaches into the Democratic Party, which is less likely to be torn asunder this summer but which is in search of an identity and ideology if no longer in search of a nominee. "The ideal I was working on to use the revolutions of globalism and information to expand the economic pie and thereby finance our social agenda got blurred over the years," said former Sen. Gary Hart of Colorado, who twice sought the Democratic presidential nomination in the 1980s and who, as the campaign manager for Sen. George McGovern in 1972, is an unusually appropriate bridge figure in the party. "It never made its way into the public policy of our nation." These frustrations broke into the open this year, perhaps because of economic issues, perhaps because of the constant fear of terrorism, perhaps because of the cumulative effects of disappointment, even a sense of betrayal, in both parties. Indeed, a comparison of Wall Street Journal/NBC News polls in the spring of 2012 and the spring of 2016 shows that Trump and Clinton are less popular than Barack Obama and his last opponent, Mitt Romney, were at the same time in the campaign cycle. Obama's favorability rating among his own party members in 2012 was 33 percentage points above Clinton's this year. Romney's ratings among Republicans were 19 percentage points above Trump's this year. This was the campaign, after all, in which a fellow Republican, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, said of his party's front-runner, "Donald, you're a sniveling coward," and in which Sanders said that Clinton, a former senator and secretary of state, wasn't "qualified" to be chief executive. That, plus repeated survey results showing that Republicans felt betrayed by their own party, speak of a deep unease among American voters. That unease is particularly strong on the terrorism issue, which shows every indication of gaining increased prominence as the campaign continues. Earlier this spring The Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll showed that only 1 in 5 Americans gave Trump good ratings for handling an international crisis. Clinton's 37 percent was better but not so much so that she could feel reassured. An ABC News/Washington Post poll less than a month ago showed that about 53 percent of voters had an unfavorable view of Clinton while 60 percent viewed Trump unfavorably. This is an era of broad rebellion against party elites a parallel phenomenon exists in Britain as Thursday's European Union referendum approaches and both Sanders and Trump have drawn strength from that impulse. Trump, to be sure, has star power of his own; so much that Clinton's efforts to extinguish or even dim it have been unavailing thus far. The best comparison to Trump may be to Theodore Roosevelt, himself a party rebel. "He was his own limelight," said Owen Wister, the author of "The Virginian," the 1902 novel considered the first Western, and a friend of Roosevelt's, "and could not help it: a creature charged with such a voltage as his became the central presence at once, whether he stepped on a platform or entered a room." That is the force Clinton now faces in a contest she could not have contemplated a year ago. And that is why she needs the forces assembled by Sanders, who won the heart of Democrats but not their nomination. Her cause may also depend on emphasizing that she was for a dramatic overhaul of health care before anyone knew Sanders' name, and that she is not an extension of either Obama or her husband. That may explain her emerging views on terrorism, which break from both men. But even as Clinton calibrates her position on terror, emphasizing a no-fly zone in Syria that Obama has resisted, Trump is doing some recalibrating of his own, particularly on guns for people on a terrorist watch list. A campaign that has changed everything is itself changing. Throughout our nation's history we have seen presidents such as Bill Clinton who was definitely lacking in character but was knowledgeable and had great leadership abilities. We have also seen presidents such as Ronald Reagan who was considered by most to have been a likable man of good character but, beyond that, merely an amiable dunce who barely knew what was going on around him. In presumptive candidate Trump we have the worst of both worlds extremely low character residing within a man who knows virtually nothing in regards to foreign and domestic policy. Trump's ignorance on issues was on display even in short time he had to speak during the multiple candidate debates. That is why he refused to debate Cruz one on one (too much time) and why he will likely refuse to debate Hillary Clinton. In regards to Trump's character (or lack thereof) we have seen his bullying and name calling on display throughout the debates and all of his rallies. After the New York Times story came out documenting his horrible behavior and attitude toward women, he and his minions tried to refute the story. Did Donald think we all forgot about his recently televised behavior toward Meghan Kelly and Carley Fiorina? We have also seen Trump openly mock a disabled reporter which, in and of itself, should have been a deal breaker for anyone. His words have debased virtually every group except his those in his hard-core base poorly educated white males. But now, aside from his ignorance and bigotry, voters have a third and perhaps even more important reason to not support Trump. Hillary calls it lack of temperament but that's code for what many are now beginning to realize Donald Trump is nuttier than a fruitcake. ACCC takes Heinz to court over nutritional claims The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has initiated legal proceedings against Heinz over nutritional claims made on its Little Kids Shredz infant food range. Little Shredz have been sold in major Australian supermarkets since at least August 2013. The ACCC is alleging Heinz made false and misleading representations on the packaging and engaged in conduct liable to mislead the public. According to the ACCC, images and statements on the packaging could lead consumers to think the food has the equivalent nutritional value of fruit and vegetables, the ACCC says this is not the case. Little Shredz packaging features images of fresh fruit and vegetables, statements such as 99% fruit and veg and Our range of snacks and meals encourages your toddler to independently discover the delicious taste of nutritious food. The ACCC says these features could lead a consumer to believe Little Shredz are a healthy nutritious food for children between one to three years which it disagrees with. The ACCC has brought these proceedings because it alleges that Heinz is marketing these products as healthy options for young children when they are not, said ACCC Chairperson Rod Sims. These products contain over 60 per cent sugar, which is significantly higher than that of natural fruit and vegetables for example, an apple contains approximately 10 per cent sugar, Sims said. Court case follows CHOICE investigation Although the ACCC said the legal action follows a complaint from the Obesity Policy Coalition on toddler foods which make health claims but are made mostly from fruit juice concentrate, consumer advocacy group CHOICE also reported on one of the Shreadz products produced by Heinz in May 2016. CHOICE had criticised Heinz Little Kids Fruit & Chia Shredz saying the product comprises of 35 per cent apple juice concentrate and a 18g serving contains the equivalent of more than three teaspoons of sugar. ACCC alleges products are likely to inhibit the development of a childs taste for natural fruit and vegetables Chairperson Rod Sims also said: We also allege that rather than encouraging children to develop a taste for nutritious food, these Heinz Shredz products are likely to inhibit the development of a childs taste for natural fruit and vegetables and encourage a child to become accustomed to, and develop a preference for, sweet tastes. The ACCC wants to make clear that major companies have an obligation under the Australian Consumer Law to ensure products health claims do not mislead the public. As part of the ACCCs current focus on consumer protection issues arising from health claims by large businesses, we are particularly concerned about potentially misleading health claims for products being marketed for very young children, Sims said. The ACCC is seeking declarations, injunctions, pecuniary penalties, corrective notices and costs as part of the legal proceedings. Australian Food News attempted to contact Heinz Australia but did not receive any comment on the matter prior to publication. France has a strange New Years tradition of torching cars and that happens especially in the largest cities, which compete every year for the No. 1 spot that is the highest number of torched cars. To fight this disturbing phenomenon, which cannot compare to isolated incidents like the one in Vancouver in 2011, the French government sent a record 53,000 law enforcement officers to patrol major cities from 6 pm on December 31 to 6 am on January 1. The result? The number of torched cars dropped by 10 percent compared to last year. While authorities may see progress in these figures, try telling the owners of the 1,067 torched cars across the country that things are going in the right direction French Interior Minister Manuel Valls held a press conference last Wednesday highlighting that December 31 was one of the years most important events in terms of public security. He also reported the deaths of three people that were stabbed in separate incidents. The embarrassing tradition of vehicle arson started in the poor suburbs near big cities and its mostly concentrated in these areas. In particular, it started in Strasbourg in the northeast of France in the late 1980s, growing into an alarming phenomenon during the 1990s. In 1997, national media began to obsessively cover the phenomenon , with local government official Patrice Magnier saying at the time that he saw a clear correlation between the media focus on the phenomenon and the rise in incidents. In fact, vandals from rival neighborhoods were competing for the media spotlight. Soon the tradition spread across France, with a new peak in New Years car burning being observed between 2005 and 2009. Observers say youths from poor communities burn cars as a form of protest against the state, blaming it for their lack of economic opportunities. Note: Video and print-screen are from 2012, courtesy of Tele/YouTube By Dan Mihalascu VIDEO A truck chock-full with more than half a dozen damaged BMW M3sor M3 F80 clones, believed to have been used for the upcoming movie Mission: Impossible 5, was photographed in Spain. A reader of Spanish website Motor shot the pictures just before he crossed into Gibraltar. A couple of weeks ago, The Mirror spotted actor Tom Cruise on set in the Kasbah of the Udayas near the Moroccan capital Rabat driving around in F80 M3s or modified 3-Series sedans made to resemble the performance model. This wouldnt be the first time that BMW is involved in the Mission: Impossible franchise, as the Bavarian firm promoted the i8 through the Vision EfficientDynamics Concept in the 4th installment of the series named Ghost Protocol in 2011. Mission: Impossible 5 is scheduled for a release on December 25, 2015. Hat tip to Juan Macias! / Photos Courtesy of Motor.es Photo Gallery Land Rover CEO Dr Ralf Speth said LandWinds X7 SUV qualifies as an Intellectual Property theft and will approach Chinese officials about the matter at the Guangzhou Auto Show. The fact that this kind of copying is ongoing in China is very disappointing. The simple principle is that it is not something that should happen; the Intellectual Property is owned by Jaguar Land Rover and if you break that IP then you are in breach of international regulations that apply around the world, Speth told Autocar magazine. The executive said Land Rover has invested heavily in China with its joint venture partner Chery and what LandWind has done with the X7 damages its business in China. I will talk to our officials and I will talk to our partners at Chery to find a way around this situation. I cannot imagine Chinese officials will be happy at any actions that undermine the credibility of the country. What we have seen today is not correct, Speth added. The LandWind X7 looks very similar to the Range Rover Evoque, a model that Land Rover recently started producing in China. While the Evoque is priced from around 40,000, the LandWind X7 will go on sale later this month for just 14,000. The Chinese lookalike is powered by a 188hp 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, mated to a six-speed manual or an eight-speed automatic gearbox. LandWind is a Chinese carmaker created as a joint venture between Changan Auto and Jiangling Motors Corporation. RANGE ROVER EVOQUE Land Wind X7 When it was launched at the 2015 Guangzhou motor show, the Landwind X7 was accused of blatantly copying the Evoque and kickstarted an intense legal dispute between Jaguar Land Rover and Jiangling Motors. The copycat (just look at it) was unveiled just as JRL launched a Chinese-made Evoque in collaboration with car manufacturer Chery. Soon after, Land Rover took legal action against Landwind and its parent company, but its complaints were dismissed by the Chinese authorities to which it responded by filing new legal actions. Now, according to The Financial Times, the local authorities have decided to cancel both companies patents, designating the Evoques and X7s exterior design filed patents as invalid by the State Intellectual Property Office at the beginning of this month. This was central to JLRs lawsuit against Jiangling for copyright infringement and unfair competition, putting the British car maker on a difficult legal footing. Once patents are invalidated, lawsuits based on external design often come down to a question of consumer confusion. It starts to get very subjective, explained Matthew Murphy, a partner at law firm MMLC Group. In Land Rovers case, the patents were cancelled on grounds that the Evoques design was put on public display a year before the patent was filed. The board also chose to invalidate Jianglings Landwind X7 saying that it strongly resembled the Evoque. Both car makers could appeal the boards ruling on the validity of the patents, but JRL is still continuing with litigation against Jiangling Motors. It could argue that Jiangling is competing unfairly by confusing customers or that the Evoques design is automatically protected under copyright law as a piece of music or other creative work would be, according to Chen Jihong, a Beijing-based intellectual property lawyer at Zhong Lun Law Firm. Given how the Chinese protect their own automakers, we wouldnt expect anything to come out of it though. via Automotive News PHOTO GALLERY River blindness is an infection that causes intense itching, skin discoloration, rashes, and eye disease that can lead to visual loss and permanent blindness. It is spread by the bites of infected black flies that breed in rushing rivers. River blindness is so pervasive in Africa that many global experts have believed it could only be controlled, not eliminated. But Uganda intends to rid itself of the parasite that causes the disease, and its using one of its greatest resources to do it: women. When it comes to eliminating disease, sometimes its not only what you know, its also who you know. In this photo from several years ago, a community volunteer in Abu Hamad, Sudan, measures a man to determine proper dosage of Mectizan, which prevents and treats river blindness. Today, the area is free from the parasitic disease. (Photo: The Carter Center/ M. Katabarwa) Christopher Olanya lost his sight to river blindness, but now that his Ugandan community is receiving ongoing treatment, he may be one of the last to do so. (Photo: The Carter Center/ E. Echwalu) A family walks to a community gathering in Lamwo district, Uganda. Women there have been asked to take charge of ensuring their families receive river blindness treatment. (Photo: The Carter Center/ E. Echwalu) River blindness nearly robbed Christine Akello of her sight. With treatment, the Ugandan womans vision is returning, little by little. (Photo: The Carter Center/ E. Echwalu) Ugandas Family Ties Almost every family I know has someone fighting this disease, said Christine Akello, a river blindness patient in Uganda. She survived decades of civil war in Uganda only to become infected during peacetime. What is tough is thinking that you made it through a long, grueling war, that you can rebuild your life, raise your family well and have a little peace, only to be confronted with another war in your very own backyard, she lamented. The good news is Akellos sight is returning after treatment with the medicine Mectizan , donated by Merck. Twice-yearly doses effectively treat the disease and halt its transmission. Ugandas government had been working with The Carter Center since 1996 to educate communities and distribute Mectizan, but the male-dominated volunteer distribution system failed to take advantage of traditional kinship structures and roles, Dr. Moses Katabarwa, the Carter Centers senior epidemiologist, found. However, when the program shifted its strategy in 2014, everything changed. The new approach moved away from village health teamsusually men appointed by health workersto community-selected drug distributors, with an emphasis on selecting women. These drug distributors were asked to make sure everyone within their own extended families received river blindness information and Mectizan. This solved several challenges, including volunteer turnover, social taboos, and program penetration into all households. In Ugandas Lamwo district, the proportion of the population covered by Mectizan treatment soared from 36 percent in 2013 to more than 90 percent in 2014. When The Carter Center in August 2014 celebrated its 200 millionth dose of Mectizan worldwide, the ceremony was held in Lamwo. It is believed that 2.7 million Ugandans are no longer at risk for contracting this disease, and that transmission of river blindness has been halted in 15 of Ugandas original 17 focus areas. With the Carter Centers help, the country hopes to eliminate river blindness from within its borders once and for all by 2020. The kinship approach has since been adopted by the Ugandan government as national health policy and has boosted other programs such as malaria control and reduction of infant mortality. Success in Sudan The isolated endemic community of Abu Hamad in northern Sudan was declared free of river blindness after implementing a similar kinship approach. Abu Hamad stopped transmission of the disease in 2012 and hasnt had a case since. The program relied on local volunteers particularly women to educate their own communities and see that each family member received a dose of Mectizan every six months. Overcoming river blindness in Abu Hamad is a historic achievement that all Sudanese can celebrate, said Alkhair Alnour Almubarek, minister of health in Sudans Federal state. I hope this success will further inspire us to do more, and encourage our African neighbors to tackle river blindness elimination. Dr. Frank O. Richards, director of the Carter Centers River Blindness Elimination Program, said Sudans decision to try to eliminate the disease rather than just control it made all the difference. Once elimination becomes the goal, it is no longer business as usual, he said. A program and its partners must ratchet up interventions, and thats exactly what Sudan did in Abu Hamad. This initiative, called Andimation, is designed to kickstart animation production in the Andean region. Using combined strengths to create story universes for animated TV series that can resonate across the territories, participants will communicate about common references and create new ones, [while revealing] local identities and values, and facilitate knowledge sharing, the organizers said in a statement. In doing so, Andimation will encourage cooperation, co-production, and the pursuit of ambitious international projects by local creative voices. Sign up for Cartoon Brew's weekly briefing The most important news stories of the week, curated by Brew editors, delivered every Monday. Please leave this field empty. You are now tuned into Cartoon Brew Thank you, you have been added to our mailing list. You will soon receive an email to confirm your subscription to our newsletter. Artists and producers in those five Andean countries are encouraged to apply by next months July 15 deadline. And theres a great reason why eligible artists in the region should apply: the program is completely free. All expenses are covered for the 15 participants, including flight, housing, and food while living for two months in Denmark, and the same for travel to Peru to pitch in December. Further, the team behind the winning pilot will receive all expenses to live in Bolivia while making the pilot, and will also receive a salary during production. For more details, visit Andimation.dk. In addition to The Animation Workshop, Andimation is supported by the Simon I. Patino Foundation of Geneva, and the Danish Embassy in La Paz, Bolivia. The Animation Workshop has been helping grow animation in the Andean region since 2009, when they launched Bolivianimation, which resulted in the production of Abuelo Grillo by Denis Chapon, who actually came up with the idea for this new program, Andimation. Watch Chapons short below: Artistically the fest has been enriched with an extensive focus on vr, showcasing two brand-new 360 experiences every day. They also stepped up their game when it comes to networking, establishing a section called Meet the Festival Programmers, where international festivals and film commissions come together to exchange catalogues, further promoting the art of animation all over the world. Less great was the festivals new pass strategy, forcing attendees to choose between a reasonably prized festival accreditation giving one access to the film screenings, and a more expensive meetings accreditation, allowing one to attend events like work-in-progress sessions, making-ofs and keynotes speeches. Especially unfortunate was that even with the meetings accreditation, you arent sure of securing a seat at those special events. With over 9,000 badgeholders this year (a 10% from last year), Annecy is really bursting at the seams. Unless you manage to make a few online reservations beforehand, prepare to miss out on much of your wishlist or spend half of the festival waiting in line. Spending three hours waiting just to get into the premiere of Finding Dory (or any other American feature film that will be theatrically released later) really doesnt surprise anyone anymore. Personally, I find it a bit disappointing that these blockbuster events are the most anticipated ones in the once indie-centered Annecy festival. Despite the increasingly persistent presence of the big American studios though, Annecy might still be the best place to promote small indie films. This years hidden gem was the sweet My Life As a Courgette. The Swiss/French co-production generated quite the buzz throughout the week, earning praise from directors like Tomm Moore. While it was easy to get a seat at the movies premiere on the opening day of the festival, by Wednesday its screenings were completely sold-out. Concluding the festival beautifully, Courgette took home both the Cristal for a feature film and audience award during Saturdays awards night. A studio that balances blockbuster and indie (and frequent Annecy guests), Aardman Studios from England, celebrated its 40th birthday in style, participating in signing sessions and panels, winning MIFA & Varietys Animation Personality of the Year Award, sharing their wisdom with Cartoon Brew readers, and presenting a keynote retracing the studios exciting journey. Annecy has made it a habit in recent years to publish presentations and Q&As online, so definitely check out their YouTube channel. With feature films garnering most of the presss attention, youd almost forget Annecys roots lie in the short film format. Over 100 shorts were selected from a record-breaking 2,700+ submissions. There seemed to be much enthusiasm for this years experimental Off-Limits section, even from colleagues I wouldnt expect to enjoy those type of works. It showed that as long as you frame them well, non-narrative and experimental works can live happily alongside more straightforward, narrative films. Below, you can watch one of the experimental shorts that competed at Annecy: Tracheal Shave by American filmmaker Gina Kamentsky. Perhaps the most discussed happening of the week was French president Francois Hollandes visit to the MIFA, which is Annecys business-minded segment, a market with 555 exhibitors from 63 countries. Accompanied by security all the way from the door to the roof, he walked around the market to chat with some of the exhibitors and get a feel of the event. While brief, Hollandes visit brought attention to the business of animation and shows just how seriously France takes it animation industry. (It was the first time a French president has visited Annecy in its 56-year history, putting the event on a par with the Cannes film festival, which has also been visited once by a French president.) Where Annecy failed to give its visitors the usual sunshine this year, it succeeded in pretty near everything else. Like usual, it has been an exhausting week full of inspiration, parties, and massive crowds, and despite some issues, theres nothing else like it. Im quite sure I wont be missing another edition for years to come. To see more photos from this years festival, go here. Photo: Deborah Pfeiffer During special events BC Transit and the City of Penticton will be providing free special event shuttle service to and from the South Okanagan Events Centre. The shuttles will operate for the following events, with more to be added: -Event: Don Henley Concert -Date: July 13, 2016 -Pick-up: 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. -Drop-off: 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. -Event: Rob Thomas Concert 'Date: August 31, 2016 -Pickup: 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. -Drop-off: 9:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. For more information and to see the route, go here. While we won't see the Martin Mars fighting fires this summer, you could get a chance to fly the plane yourself for only $32,000. Pegged as a "once-in-a-lifetime" experience, the Ultimate Aviation Experience is a two-day course that includes time in the cockpit of one of the only two Martin Mars aircraft left in the world The Martin Mars aircraft are truly amazing pieces of WW2 history as the largest aircraft ever built. These aircraft hold numerous world records during this era and before they are retired we are offering aviation enthusiasts a chance to fly this incredible piece of aviation history, says Wayne Coulson, CEO and president of Coulson Flying Tankers. Your experience includes orientation and systems overview, lunch each day and, of course, training for the pilot. The unique experience may be of special interest to Okanagan aviation enthusiasts, as the historic aircraft means a lot to the people of the Okanagan. The Martin Mars water bombers played a huge role in fighting the Okanagan Mountain Park forest fire in 2003. The Martin Mars flying boats were built in the 1940s for the U.S. Navy and served during the Second World War as long-range patrol craft and transports. It was the largest Allied flying boat to enter production, and only seven were ever built. After the war, the surviving aircraft were converted for civilian use and were operated for decades by a consortium of B.C. forest companies as water bombers. Now, only two remain the Philippine Mars and Hawaiian Mars, purchased in 2007 by Coulson Flying Tankers, based out of Port Alberni. Photo: Pete Solymosi Vernon's Sunshine Festival last Saturday attracted approximately 10,000 people to the city's main street, according to the Downtown Vernon Association. Although it poured in mid-afternoon, organizers say the rain held off for much of the day allowing young and old to listen to live music and take part in events that spanned about six blocks in the downtown core. The DVA says 150 vendors, artisans and non-profits took part. Photo: Getty Images Therapy apps have been coming ever since the invention of the smart phone. Really, since the Internet age began, so its been simply a matter of time before we figured out how to do mental-health care online. Today, there are a growing number of apps and websites offering various forms of therapy for mental-health issues. In many ways, this is in response to the way we communicate via social media or text message. It makes sense for established mental-health organizations to reach out by these media, especially for younger clients who are comfortable communicating by phone or computer rather than in person. The rise in online mental-health services also has the potential to make this kind of care much more accessible both here and abroad, where there is often a real shortage of trained, healthcare professionals. Most effective treatments for mental-health conditions recommend an element of psychological therapy led by a highly qualified professional, such as a clinical psychologist or psychiatrist. Unfortunately, even in North America, we have a shortage of these professionals and it is difficult for those who need health care to get it in a timely fashion. In developing countries, the situation is often much worse. For example, in India, there are roughly 5,000 mental-health professionals to service 1.2 billion people. Obviously, this is nowhere near sufficient. Although we need to continue training more specialists, this will not be the only solution to the problem of accessing mental-health services. Creating a new clinical psychologist or psychiatrist takes years and a lot of resources; we simply cant catch up to demand. Some countries are looking into task shifting training less qualified people to take on a specific task in therapy. This is interesting and may prove useful in certain settings, but there is a concern about compromising quality of care. Moving mental-health services online will perhaps prove to be the most effective way to dramatically improve access to these services and to stretch professional expertise through program-led treatments. Therapist-free interventions have been around for a while in the form of self-help books and some have good evidence to show they can be effective. Now, with smartphones and high-speed Internet, these resources can be enhanced to be more interactive and expanded. The development and use of these therapy apps and other online mental-health resources will need to be monitored and researched more fully, but studies show promise particularly for depression and anxiety disorders. One consistent finding is that these programs are most effective when there is additional external support. Ideally, this support would come from a call centre or non-specialist to ensure the intervention is still program led. Online resources have the potential to be a useful tool if they are developed by professionals with a nuanced understanding of the complex issues involved in mental-health conditions. I would also caution that although online, program-led treatments may be useful for some issues, they will likely not replace the need for thoughtful, professional care in many cases. Another difficulty will likely be sifting out the good, quality programs from cheap imitations, which may not be helpful, and could be damaging. This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet. Photo: The Canadian Press Aboriginal artwork, regalia and ancestral remains taken over centuries from British Columbia First Nations and placed in museums, universities and private collections must come home, Premier Christy Clark said Tuesday. Clark chose National Aboriginal Day to announce a joint government, First Nations and Royal B.C. Museum effort to repatriate aboriginal items that were removed from the province. The premier said there is a treasure trove of artifacts and ancestral remains from B.C. First Nations scattered around the world and she wants to help get them back. Flanked by about a dozen First Nations chiefs and aboriginal leaders, Clark said cultural items, of which many are human and grave remains, are trapped and crying to return to their homes. "It is long past time that those items of such spiritual significance to First Nations in B.C. found their way home to those communities," Clark told a news conference at the museum. "It is time for those institutions that have taken them away to give them back." Clark said when she visits museums around the world and sees B.C. aboriginal items she wonders why and how they left the province. "First Nations in B.C. over many centuries saw grave robberies, saw ceremonial regalia, shamanistic materials, grave goods and human remains taken from their territory and their homes and (moved) into public museums, private collections and universities all over the world," Clark said. The premier has written to U.S. President Barack Obama asking him to extend to B.C. the rights under the Native American Grave Protection Act that makes it law to return human remains. She said the law should also include items beyond human remains. "These items and remains should be returned to their original home, according to the wishes of indigenous peoples," Clark's letter stated. "It is the moral thing to do." First Nations Summit Grand Chief Ed John said many treasures were wrongfully taken and in some cases stolen, including the sacred burial remains of ancestors. He said many First Nations people have been mourning the loss for years. "Sometimes when it is housed in a place (museum) like this, as beautiful as it may look, you know that those spirits are feeling locked up and crying," he said. "This step around returning and repatriation some of these items is important, some of these are sacred objects." Jack Lohman, chief executive officer of the Royal B.C. Museum, said the museum will work with the province and First Nations to identify items and have them returned. He said the museum has offered to store the items on a loan-only basis for the First Nations. Some items have already been returned, including ancestral remains to the Victoria-area Tseycum First Nation from the American Museum of Natural History in New York and a totem pole to the Haisla Nation on the northern coast from the Museum of Ethnography in Stockholm. Photo: Contributed Lightning has killed 74 people, mostly farm labourers working in fields, across eastern and northern India over the past 24 hours, officials said Wednesday. A majority of the deaths occurred in the eastern state of Bihar, where 57 people died after being struck by lightning, a state official said. At least 24 others were injured when thunderstorms and monsoon rains lashed 14 districts of the state. Ten people were killed by lightning in neighbouring Jharkhand state, six in northern Uttar Pradesh state, and another in Maharashtra, police said. Bihar disaster management official Vyasji said scores of cattle also perished in the state after being struck by lightning. The dead included at least eight shepherds watching their sheep, said Vyasji, who uses only one name. He told reporters that he expected the death toll to go up as reports come in from remote districts of the state. Lightning strikes are common during India's monsoon season, which runs from June to September. However, the recent toll is unusually high. At least 2,000 people have died in lightning strikes in India every year since 2005, according to the National Crime Records Bureau. Cooler, wetter weather gave at least some temporary help Wednesday to crews battling dangerous wildfires in Southern California, while other blazes across the West were on the move. Improved weather in the aftermath of a severe heat wave allowed firefighters to make progress against two fires in the steep San Gabriel Mountains 20 miles northeast of Los Angeles. Some evacuations below in the foothill city of Duarte were being lifted, but the calm was not expected to last. "We will have stronger winds, so it could push the fire," incident commander Mike Wakoski said. He expected gusts of up to 25 mph in the afternoon and evening, posing additional problems for hundreds of firefighters attacking the flames. A fleet of helicopters and air tankers and other resources are helping fight the fires totalling about 7 1/2 square miles. "They're starting to make good progress, but there's a lot of line to put in, and it's in a real inaccessible area," Wakoski said. "It's very hard for the firefighters to engage the fire safely, but they are out there doing so." No homes have been lost, though flames have come close at times. More than 700 homes were ordered evacuated earlier this week, but it was not immediately clear how many were cleared for return Wednesday. Near the Mexican border, a wildfire that forced the evacuation of some 600 homes about 40 miles southeast of San Diego grew to just over 10 square miles and was only partially contained. Falling temperatures, rising humidity and cloud cover has helped, said Capt. Kendal Bortisser of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. But firefighters still must deal with rough terrain and vegetation that has not burned in decades, he said. Weather also helped on the rugged coast west of Santa Barbara. Fog moved into the area scorched by a blaze that began more than a week ago, and most mandatory evacuations were called off. With the more than 12-square-mile fire almost fully surrounded, firefighters shifted focus to battling hot spots within containment lines. Elsewhere in the West, firefighters were bringing in more help after a forest fire near the Colorado-Wyoming line exploded in size and forced campers to evacuate. The blaze grew to about 5 square miles overnight from about 1 square mile Tuesday, fire spokesman Chris Barth said. It was reported late Sunday in a heavily forested area with no permanent residents. Trees killed by a beetle infestation were fueling the flames 140 miles north of Denver and 2 miles from Wyoming. Campers and those staying in cabins were told to evacuate because of heavy smoke, high winds and spreading fire. It was not clear how many people fled. In southwest Utah, officials evacuated about 100 people Tuesday as a wildfire moved down a rocky slope toward the mountain town of Pine Valley. The blaze was about a square mile but moving dangerously close to homes in difficult terrain, officials said. In eastern Arizona, firefighters expected to keep a wildfire spanning some 67 square miles from moving any closer to a rural town. The flames threatening the community of Cedar Creek made no significant movement in the last 24 hours thanks to sparse vegetation. Residents of Cedar Creek, two mountain communities and surrounding areas have been told to prepare to evacuate. Gov. Doug Ducey declared a state of emergency to free up state funds to help. In central New Mexico, more evacuees were expected to return home as firefighters inch closer to snuffing out a massive wildfire that ignited last week. The nearly 28-square-mile blaze in the mountains south of Albuquerque is more than halfway contained after destroying at least two dozen homes. Photo: Contributed Penticton council voted this week to support the bid to bring the 2018 Scotties Tournament of Hearts to the city. Although there was some staff objection, with the Winter Olympics happening the same year, council felt it was important to jump on the opportunity, said Mayor Andrew Jakubeit. "We feel we have a great local host committee, we know we have a great reputation for putting on world class events, and we have the venue, the volunteers and the community support," he said. The Rock the Bid committee has been working tirelessly to bring the tournament to the city. For more information on how you can help the cause, go to the Rock the Bid Facebook page. Photo: CTV A Vancouver fire investigator will be busy this morning trying to piece together what caused an East Vancouver home to catch fire twice. Flames were tearing through the second floor of the home in the 1500 block of East 11th Avenue when fire crews arrived just before midnight. Reports indicate the fire originated in the kitchen area, although it's not clear if the fire is suspicious. CTV reports that no one was injured, but a person claiming to live in empty home was on scene. "We've been told there was one person claiming they lived in the house, but this person has fled the scene," Vancouver Fire and Rescue Chief Peter Bridge told CTV Morning Live. Crews were able to knock down that blaze, but it flared up again several hours later. Neighbours once again picked up the phone and called 911 at about 5 a.m. when they heard crackling and spotted flames shooting from the windows of the home. Firefighters were called back to the scene and managed to knock those flames down within a few minutes. As of this morning city workers had boarded up broken windows and the front door. Photo: CTV Who says there is never a cop around when you need one. On June 16 at 1:50 p.m., several on-duty Surrey RCMP plainclothes officers were in the 10600 block of King George Boulevard in multiple unmarked police cars. The officers were alerted to an armed robbery in progress at a retail store in the area, said Cpl. Scotty Schumann. Officers saw a male matching the suspects description fleeing on a bicycle and gave chase. The suspect eventually abandoned his bicycle and continued fleeing on foot with police close behind. Police captured the suspect in a nearby ravine. While trying to escape on foot, the suspect dropped a black replica handgun. The male suspect has been identified as 47-year-old Mark Sutherland of Surrey. Sutherland has been charged with robbery, disguising face with intent to commit offence and use imitation firearm while committing an indictable offence. Sutherland remains in custody pending his next court appearance. At any given time, our plainclothes officers are active around the city following up on any number of investigations and special enforcement projects, said Schumann. Most of the time the public wont even realize they are there, but they certainly do enhance community safety and complement our uniformed officers by responding to emerging crimes when appropriate. A New Jersey black bear that walks upright on its two hind legs and has become a social media darling has re-emerged and has been captured on video months after its last sighting. The bipedal bear nicknamed Pedals was spotted in the town of Oak Ridge, NJ.com reported Wednesday. The bear appeared to be in relatively good health and was moving briskly in a video posted to Facebook featuring the bear. The man who posted the video wrote that he spotted the bear Monday. Pedals apparently has an injured leg or paw that doesn't allow it to walk comfortably on all fours, according to experts. Prior to the latest video, there had been no reported recent sightings and officials asked the public for help in locating the bear. Lawrence Hajna, spokesman for the state Department of Environmental Protection, said officials expect the bear to make it through next winter. "The bear has an indomitable spirit," Hajna said. The bear first gained fame after it was spotted ambling around neighbourhoods and was caught on videos that were posted on social media and shown on national television. Last year, supporters pushed for Pedals to be moved to a sanctuary in New York state, but New Jersey officials have said they won't allow the bear to be captured and transferred to the facility. Hajna said at the time that the bear would do better in its natural habitat and the agency would step in if its condition deteriorated. Photo: Contributed Teachers in School District 23 voiced their frustration this weekend after the system used to log report cards went down. John Rever, director of instruction at SD23, said he received several messages from local principals on Saturday about the service provider for MyEducationBC not working. It was down Saturday from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and an error message came up on screen when teachers went to log in, he explained. While the problem was quickly rectified, the normal system maintenance that occurs early Sunday morning threw teachers in a tizzy once again. I dont think they realized that the system maintenance is usually done every Sunday, and is usually back online by 6 a.m., explained Rever. However, this Sunday I think it was 7 a.m. so teachers probably thought the system was down again. He says most schools will not hand out report cards for another week or so and there is still plenty of time for teachers to finish their grading online through MyEducationBC. I am sure this was an irritant for teachers because it is a busy cycle right now, he said. MyEducationBC is hosted by a service provider, but overseen by the Ministry of Education, according to Rever. There is criteria in place to make sure issues like this are resolved quickly otherwise the service provider could face financial penalties, or something similar, Rever explained. He notes that teachers are sensitive to outages with the online grading system after the Ministry switched from an old program to MyEducationBC last fall. We switched systems in September and there were some issues with data at the beginning and we have had some outages and difficulties over the year with the new system, said Rever. There has been a build up of frustration on the teachers' part, but there is still lots of time to finish the report cards for this year. Several teachers contacted Castanet on the weekend to explain their annoyance with not being about to update report cards during the busy end of school year. Photo: Marmot Recovery Foundation Experts monitoring the critically endangered Vancouver Island marmot say three dozen of the animals have died over the winter in the central island region of Strathcona. Biologist Adam Taylor, executive director with the Marmot Recovery Centre, posted an update on the centre's website saying the deaths amount to half of the entire population of the unique species in that area. He says biologists are trying to track several other marmots in the area, but the fate of those large, groundhog-like mammals is unknown. Despite the losses, Taylor says marmots in the Nanaimo Lakes and Mount Washington areas, west and north of Nanaimo, survived the winter very well. He says the centre is still trying to determine what caused the deaths, but adds that the drought last summer reduced the fall foliage marmots need to eat before hibernation. Fewer than 30 animals were found on Vancouver Island in 2003, but numbers had improved to about 300 by last fall, so Taylor believes the latest deaths won't push the rodents to the brink of extinction again. Photo: Getty Images The sun is shining, the mercury is rising and many people are letting the fresh summer air into their homes, but they may also be allowing unwanted guests in. The arrival of summer brings opportunities for criminals to prey on properties left unprotected with unlocked doors and windows. RCMP are reminding residents to protect their property by always keeping windows and doors locked. The reminder comes after a call was received by the police on June 4 from a resident in the 8900 block of Edward Street in Chilliwack who reported their automobile keys missing. There was also loose change and property stolen from her vehicle. Police attended the residence to investigate and determined the vehicles key was likely taken by someone who walked through the unlocked front door, said Cpl. Mike Rail. Doors and windows are often left unsecured in the heat to lower the temperature of a home. In this instance, the owner was home during the day with the front door left partially open to cool the apartment. It only takes a moment for a thief to strike. Police are asking the public to consider the following theft prevention tips: Photo: skylar noe-vack Firefighters in Penticton pounced on a grass fire this morning. Crews were called out at about 10 a.m. for a Rank 2 grass fire that was starting to spread up a small hillside. They were on scene for about an hour, putting out the fire and mopping up hot spots. The cause is still unclear. However, it may have started near a walking trail. Photo: CTV The University of British Columbia says the chair of its creative writing program is no longer employed by the school over what it calls an "irreparable breach of trust." In a statement, the school says acclaimed writer Steven Galloway was suspended in November of last year while an investigation was completed over what it said were serious allegations of misconduct. Additional complaints were also received after he was suspended and former B.C. Supreme Court justice Mary Ellen Boyd was appointed to conduct an investigation. Details of those allegations weren't released, but the school says Galloway did not dispute any of the critical findings. Philip Steenkamp, the vice-president external relations at UBC, wouldn't say if Galloway quit or if he was fired. He noted that when the president recommends termination of a faculty member it needs to be approved by the board and that approval was given on Tuesday. Galloway could not immediately be reached for comment. Steenkamp says all of the complainants who came forward have been offered support and counselling services by the university. Galloway is the author of three novels, including "The Confabulist" and "The Cellist of Sarajevo" and was nominated for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award and the Scotiabank Giller Prize. Photo: Getty Images In the wake of concerns over skyrocketing housing prices in Vancouver, the City of Vancouver has announced plans to tax vacant homes in the city, regardless of support from the province. Rental vacancy in Vancouver currently sits at 0.6 per cent, and Mayor Gregor Robertson says something needs to be done to pressure home speculators into renting out properties. Rental housing is almost impossible to find in Vancouver right now, Robertson said at a press conference Wednesday. We know that during this affordability crunch there are over 10,000 empty homes year-round in the City of Vancouver. Those empty homes would add a badly needed supply to our rental housing stock. Robertson urged Premier Christy Clark last year to implement a similar tax, but he now says the city will do it without the provinces support. He said while a provincial tax would be the best option, the city can establish a new business tax on empty homes that are held as investment properties. The citys new tax will be implemented by August, if the province refuses to take action. "If a home is basically being held as a business, as an investment, and it's empty 12 months a year, that's certainly where we want to intervene and take action," Robertson said. Housing is first and foremost about homes, its not just a commodity to make money with. The rate of the potential empty home tax has not been announced yet, but Robertson said it would be significant. - With files from CTV Vancouver Photo: The Canadian Press Donald Trump launched a blistering attack Wednesday on Hillary Clinton's record and character, slamming his presidential rival as a "world class liar" who raked in personal profits from her tenure at the State Department. The billionaire businessman claimed, "She gets rich making you poor." Trump's broadside marked his opening salvo in a general election faceoff with Clinton that has already turned bruising and deeply personal. The presumptive Republican nominee called Clinton the "most corrupt" person to ever run for president and accused of her of spreading "death, destruction and terrorism" while serving as the nation's top diplomat. Clinton, campaigning in North Carolina, called Trump's charges "outlandish lies." "He's going after me personally because he has no answers on the substance," Clinton said. "All he can try to do is try to distract us." Trump's tone was pointed yet measured as he ticked through several of Republicans' favourite critiques of Clinton, including her use of private email as secretary of state and her role in responding to the attacks on Americans in Benghazi, Libya. Several of his claims were inaccurate or exaggerated, including incorrectly saying she wants to spend hundreds of billions to resettle Middle Eastern refugees in the United States. Wednesday's address came at a pivotal moment for Trump's presidential campaign. The political novice has struggled with the transition to a general election race, getting bogged down by self-created controversies and failing to invest in the staff and infrastructure needed for the fall campaign. Earlier this week, Trump abruptly fired his campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, a move widely viewed as an acknowledgment of a need to recalibrate his organization. A new fundraising report released hours after Lewandowski's firing underscored how much ground Trump has to make up: He started June with just $1.3 million in the bank, a stunningly paltry amount for a major party nominee. Even as Trump blasted Clinton, he returned to some of the core themes that first powered his surprising presidential campaign. He railed against professional politicians and urged Americans to seize an opportunity to shake up a "rigged" system. "This election will decide whether we're ruled by the people or the politicians," Trump said, standing before a friendly audience in a ballroom at his hotel in New York's SoHo neighbourhood. While he assailed Hillary Clinton in personal terms, Trump did not make any mention of former President Bill Clinton's indiscretions, despite raising those issues earlier in the campaign. The real estate mogul did make a direct appeal to supporters of Clinton's primary rival Bernie Sanders, reminding voters that the Vermont senator, too, has raised questions about her judgment. Like Trump, Sanders also generated enormous enthusiasm among voters frustrated with Washington. Turning to his own plans as president, Trump argued that his opposition to a major Asia Pacific trade pact and his hard-line immigration position would be more beneficial than Clinton's for blacks and Hispanics, two groups that have overwhelmingly voted for Democrats in recent presidential elections. The Republican said Clinton has pledged to "end virtually all immigration enforcement and thus create totally open borders in the United States." While Clinton has called for a pathway to citizenship for millions of people living in the U.S. illegally, she has also called for focusing enforcement on "detaining and deporting those individuals who pose a violent threat to public safety." Trump frequently referenced sources of information that have been widely questioned, including the book "Clinton Cash" by Peter Schweizer. The book argues Clinton and her husband used the State Department to enrich their family, but it does not provide evidence of direct connections between business dealings by foreign interests, sometimes involving the Clinton Foundation, and decisions by Clinton when she was secretary of state. An Associated Press review of State Department calendars did show that she opened her office to dozens of influential Democratic party fundraisers, Clinton loyalists and corporate donors to her family's global charity. The AP found no evidence of legal or ethical conflicts in Clinton's meetings. Trump's remarks came one day after Clinton launched her own blistering attacks on her White House rival. She moved to undercut Trump's argument that his business record would help him create jobs as president, arguing instead that he had been "reckless" with his companies and "shouldn't have his hands on our economy." Photo: Getty Images It was an 'un-bear-able' situation for a North Vancouver resident after a hungry bruin tore open their car to get a meal. It's the second car in suburban Vancouver to be ransacked by a bruin. Police say a bear smashed into a vehicle that was parked in front of a home in North Vancouver to get the protein bars inside. The owners woke up Wednesday to find the car's windows broken, the interior ripped apart and pry marks on the door. North Vancouver RCMP say the bear left paw prints, claw marks and evidence of an empty box of protein bars. The break-in comes just days after a similar incident in nearby West Vancouver, where a bear destroyed a luxury vehicle when it broke in to access food inside. North Vancouver RCMP Cpl. Richard De Jong says bears have a very keen sense of smell and incredible strength, so people should not leave any food in their vehicles. Photo: Facebook A Michigan woman has called for gun control after finding her 3-year-old daughter standing on a toilet. MLive.com reports that Stacey Wehrman Feeley first thought it was a cute photo. The Traverse City woman said she broke down when her daughter told her she was practicing for a lockdown drill at her preschool. "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 said. The photo was posted after a gunman killed 49 people and injured dozens of others at a gay nightclub in Orlando. Feeley's Facebook post referenced a registration database for gun owners, a ban on high capacity magazines for civilians and mental health. The post has been shared nearly 34,000 times and has more than 38,000 likes. Photo: The Canadian Press Florida wildlife officials believe they've captured the alligator that dragged a 2-year-old Nebraska boy into the Seven Seas Lagoon at Walt Disney World. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said in a news release Wednesday that it has suspended alligator trapping activities in the area. The release says officials have based their conclusions on expert analyses and observations by staff with extensive experience in investigating fatal alligator bites. A total of six alligators were removed. Authorities say an alligator pulled Lane Graves into the water June 14, despite the frantic efforts of his father. Lane's body was recovered the next day. An autopsy showed the boy died from drowning and traumatic injuries. The beach at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa is across a lake from the Magic Kingdom. In the wake of the Orlando, Fla., nightclub atrocity, President Barack Obama has admonished us to do some soul-searching about how easy it is in this country to obtain firearms. Just so. But if we are to do an honest examination of conscience, we must begin with the facts. Omar Mateen, the Orlando jihadist, slaughtered his victims with a Sig Sauer MCX rifle, an AR-15-style rifle, and a Glock handgun. Contrary to mainstream media hysteria, neither is a machine gun, a category of weapon that has been illegal to purchase or possess since 1934. Each is, instead, a semiautomatic firearm, i.e., one pull of the trigger fires but a single round of ammunition. From that standpoint, as a matter of substance as opposed to cosmetics, the Sig Sauer MCX is not different from the millions of semiautomatic rifles that Americans have owned and possessed since the early 1900s. While the Sig Sauer may look like a military-grade machine gun, it is not. Think of it as a Volkswagen Beetle dressed up to look like a Maserati. This is not to deny that Mateen was able to cause tremendous mayhem using these semiautomatic weapons. They are most certainly dangerous implements capable of spreading death and carnage. But they are no more dangerous than any other semiautomatic gun. How was Mateen able to obtain such dangerous weapons? He bought them at a gun store. Commercial sales of firearms are regulated by federal and state law. A firearms vendor must hold a license issued by the federal government and must in conjunction with federal law enforcement authorities conduct a background check of anyone attempting to purchase a gun. A purchaser must verify in writing and under penalty of law that, among other things, he is not under criminal indictment; a convicted criminal; a fugitive from justice; a drug addict or user of controlled substances; an adjudicated mental defective; a former inmate of a mental institution; someone who was dishonorably discharged from the Armed Forces; or subject to a court order restraining him from stalking, harassing or threatening his child or intimate partner. He must also verify under oath that he has never been convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, has never renounced his U.S. citizenship and is not an illegal alien. All of the foregoing sworn information is then checked against the FBIs records. If the purchaser is cleared by the FBI, then the sale may be completed. The seller, however, may also decline to make the sale for any reason up to and including the purchasers looks, behavior or demeanor. Moreover, in the Orlando case, Mateen held a concealed-weapons license issued by the state of Florida. To obtain that, he had to be fingerprinted and photographed and to undergo a background investigation by Florida authorities. Also, in a bit of stomach-churning irony, he was required by Florida to undergo firearm safety training. Since he purchased his handgun in Palm Beach County, he was subject to a five-day waiting period before he could take delivery. Finally, Mateen was a security officer employed by a private firm that holds contracts with the Department of Homeland Security. Presumably his employer took additional measures to determine Mateens fitness for duty and possession of a weapon, but, as of publication, the nature and extent of that vetting have not been made public. In light of these facts, it is fair to ask what further safeguards, procedures or restrictions on the purchase, ownership or possession of firearms would have prevented the Orlando carnage. For example, advocates of what they call commonsense gun control argue that anyone on a terrorist watch list should not be permitted to legally buy a gun. Fair enough, but would such a prohibition be effective? Or would a determined terrorist such as Mateen simply resort to using a straw purchaser, a practice that has been used successfully by felons, drug users, wife beaters and others to evade existing legal restrictions? Should we follow Europes example of banning possession of firearms by civilians? If so, isnt it fair to ask how the Paris jihadis were able to gun down and murder 129 infidels and wound another 368 at the Bataclan nightclub in November? Putting aside the mandate of the Second Amendment, we must recognize that there are 90 million law-abiding Americans who legally possess an estimated 300 million firearms and who pose no demonstrable threat to their fellow citizens. Are they to be turned into outlaws by legislative or executive fiat? And are these newly minted criminals then to be stripped of their weapons? If so, how would that be done? By force of arms? If even a fraction of that 90 million were to resist confiscation of their weapons, does the government have the police, military, judicial and penal resources to search, disarm, arrest, prosecute and punish that vast legion of otherwise law-abiding citizens? Would the law-enforcement establishment willingly undertake such punitive actions? We have already seen substantial numbers of gun owners in Connecticut and New York openly defy hastily enacted antigun laws imposed in the wake of the Sandy Hook tragedy. Faced with other more pressing threats to public order, police and sheriffs departments in those states have wisely elected not to risk the mayhem that could very well result if they attempted to arrest and disarm defiant gun owners. And even if the government somehow managed to confiscate all 300 million legally owned firearms, what about the untold and uncounted millions of firearms already in the hands of criminals? So far, law enforcement has been unable to effectively prevent the possession and use of guns by our domestic criminal class. Should we expect a different result when dealing with bloodthirsty jihadis hell-bent on mass murder? These are but some of the questions that must be answered. To ignore them is to engage in magical thinking whereby the very real threats posed by armed terrorists and criminals can be defeated by simply passing a law. If only life were that neat and easy. ABOUT THE WRITER George Parry (lgparry@dpt-law.com If a restaurant has print out a calorie count for most meals on the menu, why not a letter grade for how safely it prepared its food? Thats one of the reactions to our story earlier this month reviewing the Coconino Countys food inspection procedures and listing some of the more serious offenders. We found that although most eating establishments were being inspected twice a year and some even forced to close temporarily, diners were kept largely in the dark. A closed restaurant must post a notice but is not required to give a reason, and the public health departments bimonthly report usually comes out well after any violations large or small -- have occurred. On the other hand, most restaurants never come close to being closed and their violations are relatively minor and fixed almost immediately. What benefit is it to diners to have outdated information about infractions that dont rise to the level of a health threat? We suppose that if a letter grade was the only information available to diners, it could be misleading. But in the age of the Internet, the Health Department can post a lot more information if diners are interested. They just have to know where to look. But unfortunately, Coconino Countys website has no portal through which citizens can obtain information about the results of a restaurants inspection or even lodge a complaint. Even when a restaurant like China Star, which has been forced to close twice in the past five years, posts a notice of closure, there is no way for diners to find the 16 complaints it received since 2009 or the multiple critical violations it accumulated. A brief tour of the Internet turns up dozens of cities with web sites containing interactive public databases of restaurant inspections and enforcement actions. Many have explanations of the scoring and ranking methods, the most commonly cited critical and noncritical violations and the risk associated with different types of violations. The sites dont say how the interactive databases are being paid for, but its likely the restaurants themselves pay an inspection fee that covers public recordkeeping. Its part of the cost of being entrusted to sell food to the public theres a health and safety component here that deserves not only more oversight but more transparency and public education than, say, selling carpets or painting houses. As it turns out, the safety record of Coconino County food establishments is extremely high. Of 1,929 regular inspections last fiscal year, 1,357 had no violations. Twenty-two percent had two violations or fewer. Which left just 8 percent or 147 with three or more violations. But with Coconino County and Flagstaff in particular attracting millions of visitors a year, those 147 could do a lot of damage to the tourism industry if word got around the Internet that the county was covering up for the bad actors. We dont believe that is the case, but right now it is impossible to know. We urge county health officials to put a restaurant inspection public database on the fast track. Rwanda: Cimerwa calls for protection from illegal exports 22 June 2016 Cimerwa, Rwanda's sole cement producer, has asked the government for protection, saying local dealers are exporting its cement illegally, affecting its key markets in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi. All Africa reported that Busisiwe Legodi, the Cimerwa CEO, said the problem is made worse by the fact that some of the local dealers buy cement at subsidised prices for the Rwandan market, but sell it on in small quantities to the DR Congo and Burundi, making it hard for the cement manufacturer to sell. "Local bulk buyers get the cement at subsidised prices and sneak it out of the country to our target markets," she said, adding that illegal cross-border trade remains a challenge, not only for Cimerwa, but all exporters in general. The Rwandan government and the private sector have intensified campaigns at encouraging Rwandans to consume locally-made cement, as well as broadening the country's exports base. Domestic cement demand currently stands at about 450,000tpa, driven by the increasing demand for cement by the local construction and real estate sectors. The surplus output is targeted for the export market in the region, especially Burundi and the DR Congo. The firm has also cut factory prices to attract clientele in the highly competitive regional cement market. Cimerwa reduced the factory price for bulk buyers (more than 700 bags of cement or about 30,000t) by RWF1200 (US$1.59) per 50kg bag of cement to RWF7300 from RWF8500. However, Busisiwe said retailers benefitting from low prices export to regional markets, which has eaten into the firm's export markets. "We we have raised the matter with the Rwanda Revenue Authority (RRA) customs department, but they yet to respond to our grievances," she said. Rwanda's cement imports fell to US$82.7m in 2015 from US$85.6m in 2014, according to the central bank statistics. Published under It is easily the consensus of the Hamilton County taxpayers that the idea of each of our nine County Commissioners having a $100,000 discretionary fund is ridiculous. County Mayor Jim Coppinger omitted the $900,000 line item from the budget last summer and when six commissioners then successfully conspired to steal the money from our rainy-day fund, we should have impeached some otherwise good people on the spot. Next Wednesday the 2016-17 budget should be easily approved without the hugely unpopular discretionary spending included but, very sadly, commissioner Tim Boyd is trying a last-ditch effort to revive it and his actions are flagrantly appalling. Tim just leveled discretionary charges on County Mayor Jim Coppinger in an effort so bizarre it makes your eyes run and your nose itch. Are you kidding me? Among the 10 items Boyd called out of the impending budget are the Humane Educational Society ($620,970.00), the countys Volunteer Fire Departments ($438,348.00), the Urban League ($50,000) and our READ 20 program ($295,091.00). Anyone who believes the Humane Society, which tends to our countys lost dogs and cats, is a discretionary item surely suffers from a strain of hoof-and-mouth disease where you open your mouth and insert your hoof. This is absolutely ludicrous all 10 items Tim contested in a misguided news release were approved in full public view by the County Commission Boyd was there while Coppinger had nothing to do with it -- and to insinuate the County Mayor has his own list of favorites is both unfair and degrading to the entire Hamilton County staff that does it right. Boyds desperate ruse stinks to high heavens and he should apologize to his fellow commissioners, if for nothing else, his aggrandizement and unsportsmanlike conduct. If youll look at the proposed budget the first thing you see is no tax increase. Not one person has publicly thanked or acknowledged that Coppinger has avoided a tax increase for six straight years while elsewhere across America tax hikes appear unavoidable. (Privately, Im for an increase; our schools are visibly desperate, and we are sadly underfunding some other basic services in the county that we shouldnt.) The two biggest gainers in the new budget are the Hamilton County Schools, now at $417 million with $10-plus million in new funding, and Public Safety (our Sheriffs Office and EMTs) with an over $2 million boost. The budget is tight, it always is, but it is universally agreed by those who have combed it time and time again that it is fair, it meets most of our needs, and makes the best use of taxpayer dollars. The best new addition? The county will open a Veterans Service to better care for our heroes who fought for freedom. It is believed there is ample money now available in various state and federal programs but it has gone unspent because no one is in charge of it, thus none of us knows what exactly is available. The county will soon pay the salaries of a veteran who will identify needy veterans and seek a myriad of solutions that they deserve. Lets call it what it is: Discretionary spending is a dinosaur in modern government. Sure, if youll go out to East Ridge you can see signage that some flagpole, for instance, was made possible by Commissioner Tim Boyd but that is pure bunk. Any spending is made possible with taxpayer dollars, not Boyds, but it is a ruse to gain favor and assure votes. Anybody can go online (hamiltoncounty.gov) and see that Boyd used $3,250 of taxpayer money to buy tutus for Chattanooga Ballets Nutcracker performance. Are you happy with that? You can also see where Boyd delivered $4,399.00 of county taxpayer money to the city of East Ridge (a municipality, mind you) for a flag and flagpole at Camp Jordan. Are you easy with over $4-grand of Hamilton County money buying a flag and flagpole for the city of East Ridge? That is clearly East Ridge governments responsibility. It is so stupid it defies reason. And it is clearly wrong. What is right is the fact that any of the nine commissioners, at any time, can request funding for a project in their district that discretionary money might have covered in years past. But the beauty of such a request is that it must pass a majority vote rather than meet the whim of one commissioner who wants a bumper sticker or senseless plaque to say, Hey, look at me! When six of the commissioners raided the countys rainy day fund last year, the sad fact is there is no way the $900,000 can ever be replaced. And because of a huge public outcry, the feeling is the days of the discretionary fund are long gone. A Hamilton County commissioner is paid approximately $24,000 a year. There is a mileage/expense addendum of $12,500 that each gets a year and, of course, health insurance is a real perk. I am solidly of the opinion any public servant definitely earns their money but when I hear Tim Boyd didnt attend any of the four budget workshops that carefully explained this years allocations, and then goes off like some loose cannon accusing Mayor Coppinger of $1.5 million in discretionary spending of his own, that is irresponsible and markedly untrue. Our County Commission think about this has no oversight but it should be held accountable to the taxpayers. How on earth could we install and series of checks and balances where the Humane Educational Society, the volunteer fire departments across our county and our marine rescue service will never be questioned for what they and other organizations under the county umbrella do for the common good? Any other notion is absurd. Unfortunately, we have to wait until 2018 for our true voices to be heard. royexum@aol.com You have permission to edit this collection. Edit Close With temperatures rising in the Tennessee Valley, many are turning to The Salvation Army for relief from the heat. To meet this need, Salvation Army caseworkers are distributing free box fans and water to low-income individuals and families affected by the heat. The Salvation Army also has its Day Center open for the homeless and is providing a hydration station outside for those who need a cool drink of water. For those in need of a fan, call 305-6200. Those in need of a cool drink of water may visit the hydration station at 800 McCallie Ave. Passersby will be able to quench their thirst from 9 a.m.5 p.m. every day that the temperature exceeds 90 degrees. In just two weeks we have already distributed over 50 fans," said Director of Marketing Kimberly George. "The East Lake Salvation Army has also seen over 100 children each day swimming to try to get relief from the heat. Overwhelming the largest need we have in the summer is relief from the heat. To meet these needs, The Salvation Army asks for new box fans and monetary support to provide utility assistance for low-income families. Monetary gifts for box fans and utility bill assistance should be marked Beat the Heat and mailed to 822 McCallie Ave., Chattanooga, TN 37403. Donations are also accepted online at www.csarmy.org or by calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY. For more information about The Chattanooga Salvation Army, please visit www.csarmy.org, Facebook, and Twitter. Physicists from the Technological Institute for Superhard and Novel Carbon Materials, the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, and the Siberian Federal University have mathematically modelled diamond-based microstructures for producing compact high sensitivity sensors. The researchers' study investigates the problem of selecting a useful acoustic signal taking into account the excitation of Lamb waves in promising microwave microresonators with substrates of synthetic diamonds. The scientists proposed a mathematical model and experimentally studied acoustic waves in the piezoelectric layered structure, described their dispersion and proposed a number of ways of decreasing the effects of spurious peaks. In the future, diamond crystal based structures may be able to be used as high sensitivity sensors to detect pressure, acceleration, temperature, the thickness of ultrathin films etc. "I think that the results we have obtained from a piezoelectric layered structure based on synthetic diamonds are ahead of world-class research in this field. Our microresonators were used to obtain resonances at record high microwave frequencies in a range of up to 20 GHz, with the quality factor remaining at several thousand. The behaviour of diamond as a substrate for the acoustic microresonator was very significant and I hope that using diamonds in acoustics and electronics will lead to more exciting discoveries," said the corresponding author of the study, Boris Sorokin, in an interview with MIPT's Communications Office. The quality factor is a feature of an oscillating system. It describes how quickly oscillations die down in a system; the higher the quality factor, the smaller the energy loss. A piezoelectric layered structure is a "sandwich" of various different materials with a piezoelectric effect. This term means that under compression or tension an electric field occurs around the material - and when an electrical voltage is applied, the material itself changes shape. Non-scientists will have seen the piezoelectric effect in lighters (pressing the button compresses the piezoelectric, which provides enough voltage for a spark). However, aside from lighters, the effect is used in microphones, precise micromanipulators, and many kinds of sensors for pressure, humidity, temperature etc. Another very important application of piezoelectrics is in highly stable piezoelectric resonators, which enable quartz clocks to display time accurately, for example, or computers to run programs smoothly. The effect of an electric field on a piezoelectric, in this case a thin film of aluminium nitride AlN, leads to deformation and causes elastic waves which pass to the substrate in the same way that an elastic wave falling on the piezoelectric film causes an electric field. When it reaches the edge of the substrate, the wave is reflected and within the layers of several materials a number of oscillations occur at the same time - this effect resembles an echo that can be heard when you shout in a tunnel or into a wide tube. Diamonds and waves Diamond substrates were not chosen by chance. Piezocrystals are ideal for such devices, as they have a combination of properties such as low acoustic absorption, a high electromechanical coupling coefficient, and a high speed of sound. Diamonds satisfy all these requirements except for one - there is no piezoelectric effect. This is why the devices needed the aluminium nitride film. Engineers are, of course, slightly apprehensive regarding the price, but synthetic diamonds are now becoming more affordable. The properties of synthetic diamonds are superior to those observed in natural diamonds, particularly in terms of their impurity profile and reproducibility, however large natural gem-quality diamonds are much more expensive. The authors of the study believe that synthetic single crystal diamonds are most promising for developing new acoustoelectric devices. Voluminous waves excited in the layered structure are able to resonate, creating both the basic type (mode) of oscillations, and also generating additional modes. In the substrate and piezoelectric film, in addition to the useful longitudinal-type oscillations, Lamb waves also occur under certain conditions. The spectrum of these waves is in separate branches with the phase velocity dependent on the frequency. Lamb waves are a complex combination of elastic oscillations occurring in thin layers of elastic media and were first described by the British physicist Horace Lamb. Interestingly, the particles in these waves follow an elliptical path. There are symmetric and antisymmetric (bending) Lamb waves. Phase velocity is the velocity at which a point moves from a predetermined phase - e.g. the crest of a wave; the phase velocity of waves in a particular medium often depends on their frequency and this effect is called dispersion. In this case it is geometric dispersion of waves in two-dimensional acoustic waveguides. On the one hand, excitation of Lamb waves is not useful in terms of the quality factor of the acoustic resonator in the main (longitudinal) mode, however these types of waves themselves may be of special interest. Using mathematical modelling, researchers studied in detail the spectrum of various acoustic modes occurring within the diamond structure, using a visualization of the areas of acoustic displacement. They paid particular attention to resonances that occur as a result of there being a whole spectrum of natural oscillation frequencies in the layered "sandwich". In the simplest case, this frequency corresponds to the frequency at which an elastic system would oscillate in the absence of external influences. If, for example, you touch and release an ordinary pendulum, it will swing with a natural frequency and applying force with this frequency is most effective for its swing. Resonance is when the natural frequency and the excitation frequency coincide - the oscillation amplitude increases sharply. Natural frequencies depend on the properties of the materials, as well as the geometry of the structure. This means that detectors can be made that are able to detect even individual bacteria that have become attached to their surface - the bacteria slightly increase the mass of the entire system and shift the resonant frequency. One of the main results was that the researchers succeeded in selecting and identifying different types of waves and forming dispersion laws for them. The results obtained will be useful in the development of microwave acoustoelectronic devices. Acoustoelectronics is a science combining solid-state physics, semiconductors, and radioelectronics that studies the principles of building devices to detect, convert, and process signals. Acoustic resonators are widely used in science and technology as sensing elements in various physical and chemical sensors and in medical devices. Cavity resonators are popular because of their miniature size and high quality factor, while resonating at high and ultra-high frequencies. The higher the operating frequencies, the smaller the cross-sectional dimensions of resonators are required (~100 microns for a frequency of ~10 GHz). The acoustic properties of these sensitive elements are developed and studied at MIPT's Department of Physics and Chemistry of Nanostructures, which is based at the Technological Institute for Superhard and Novel Carbon Materials. It was at this institute where scientists from a number of Russian organisations worked together to develop a method of creating a material harder than diamond; it was also the place where the secret of the abnormal stiffness of polycrystalline diamonds was uncovered - it was found that they are more rigid than single crystals. Celebrating jailhouse recovery Audio Article Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle Sears paid a visit to the Chesterfield County Jail last week, meeting with over 50 of the men and women participating in the HARP (Helping Addicts... An icons legacy memorialized Audio Article Enon Library was dedicated in memory of the Rev. Wyatt Tee Walker on Friday, Oct. 21. Board of Supervisors Chair Chris Winslow, right, was joined by Walkers daughter, Patrice Walker... Now is the time to purchase a new home at Meadows Edge at Highland Woods in Elgin where buyers who sign a contract between now and July 31 will receive a $10,000 cash rebate after closing.* "This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for new home buyers at Highland Woods," says Chris Coleman, Chicago Division president for William Ryan Homes. "The offer is good for to-be-built and quick delivery homes. Buyers simply need to sign a contract and place their deposit by July 31. The $10,000 cash rebate is issued after closing. What better way to start off in a new home than with $10,000 cash to spend on new furniture, decorating or whatever else may be on your family's wish list." Advertisement Highland Woods is a master-planned community featuring the multimillion dollar Owners Club and water park, 154 acres of open space with natural preserved areas, lushly landscaped green space, an 18-acre lake, seven parks and playgrounds, and over five miles of nature trails and bicycle/walking paths. William Ryan Homes offers eight floor plans, including two ranch plans, in the Meadows Edge neighborhood. Homes, which are priced from $274,990 to $359,990, range from 2,008 to 3,785 square feet in size with three or four bedrooms, 2.5 to 3.5 baths, basements and two or three-car garages. Advertisement One of the most popular plans at Meadows Edge is the two-story, 2,935-square-foot Jericho, which is priced from $319,990 and showcased as a professionally-decorated model. The home includes four bedrooms, 2.5 baths, full basement and three-car tandem garage. The model is shown with the optional William Ryan Homes Signature morning room. A two-story central foyer opens to the two-story living room on one side and the dining room with available coffered ceiling on the other. A graceful staircase with a landing separates the formal areas from the expansive informal living area. Family living and casual entertaining will have the advantage of plentiful space in the large family room, breakfast room, and spacious kitchen with walk-in pantry, and available butler's pantry. The morning room has three walls of window space. The first floor also includes a powder room and convenient mud room with access to the garage. Upstairs, the Jericho features a lavish master bedroom with available tray ceiling, his and hers walk-in closets and a deluxe compartmented bath with double vanities, corner soaking tub and separate shower. Three other large bedrooms have walk-in closets and a second-floor laundry room and compartmented hall bath complete the plan. The model and sales center are located at 3510 Gallant Fox Drive in Elgin. The sales center is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday through Saturday, 1 to 6 p.m. Wednesday and from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. To visit, take Randall Road to Lake Street (US 20) west two miles past Coombs Road to Highland Woods. The entrance is on the right. Call 847-305-3931 for more information or visitWilliamRyanHomes.com. * See a William Ryan sales associate for terms and conditions for $10,000 cash rebate offer. The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago announced a multimillion-dollar donation from philanthropists Pat and Shirley Ryan on Wednesday that will put her name on an innovative new research hospital in Streeterville. (RIC photo) The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago announced a multimillion-dollar donation from Pat and Shirley Ryan on Wednesday that will put her name on an innovative new research hospital in Streeterville. The AbilityLab, a $550 million, 1.2-million-square-foot research hospital under construction at 355 E. Erie, will be named the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab after the donation from the founder and former executive chairman of Aon and his wife. Pat Ryan said the gift is the couples largest single gift ever but would not disclose the amount, nor would the RIC provide details. Recent naming gifts at major institutions, including the Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago and the Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, have reached the $100 million mark. "We've had people we know, friends, who have had serious traumas in their life who were able to be treated at RIC saved their lives, changed their lives, made this dramatic difference in what their outcomes would have been," Pat Ryan said. "We've had this passion for RIC and the work that it does. So it makes us very proud to be a part of expanding that." The RIC also received a $10 million gift from the Harris Family Foundation and an eight-figure gift from Mike and Lindy Keiser earlier this year. Advertisement RIC President and CEO Dr. Joanne Smith said the donation from the Ryans will allow the RIC to increase its overall capital campaign goal to $350 million from $300 million by the end of 2017. Two months ago, it said the campaign had reached $213 million. The new hospital, expected to open in March 2017, will aim to bring together clinicians, scientists, technologists and others to improve patient outcomes. The facility will include Innovation Centers that will focus on research on subjects including the brain; spinal cord; and nerve, muscle and bone. Human labs in other spaces will focus on specific functions for patients, like strength or walking. If you came in with a stroke, you would have a physician and a clinical team of therapists and others, but youd also see and work with a research team that was surrounding you 24/7, with which you could participate in clinical trials or research activity, Smith said. But more importantly, that research team would be guiding us and literally integrating with patients to help us understand what problems we need to identify first and solve better and faster. Smith said the center will be an experiment itself prompting scientists and therapists and others who dont traditionally interact to work together in collaborative spaces. RIC worked with Gensler, HDR Architecture and Clive Wilkinson Architects to design the space. We are embedding the researchers and their teams right around the patient, she said. It will be spicy, it will be cultural collision, but we think through that, great things and innovation and great outcomes will happen. Ryan said he and Shirley were very interested in supporting translational research, the practice of "translating" discoveries to studies in humans. "Weve had a very strong belief for a long time of the importance of great clinical care blended with great research ... (which) gets outcomes for society that not only are innovative but are really profoundly impactive," he said. "Thats why were doing it." Dr. Julian Solway, Director of the University of Chicago Institute for Translational Medicine, said such spaces speed up innovation and tailor medicine to patient's needs. "This type of environment is the medical communitys version of the startup worlds open-office coworking spaces, where the physical design encourages organic collaboration," he said in an email to Blue Sky. "The new AbilityLab is part of a rich translational science ecosystem in Chicagoland, where many academic medical centers are integrating research with health care, and it's one of the first buildings specifically designed to meet the needs of researchers, physicians, and patients without the physical walls that often separate everyone," he said. RIC also announced that Pathways, the Glenview-based outpatient pediatric therapy clinic and educational website founded by the Ryans in 1985, will become part of the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab. The not-for-profits 38 employees will become part of the RIC network, Shirley Ryan said. She will remain chairwoman of Pathways and will join RICs governing board. She said the integration of Pathways into RIC will help her organization build on its original mission. She said more than 7,000 people each day view the groups educational videos, which seek to help parents understand subjects like developmental milestones. Its correct that every parent has access to this knowledge, she said. Pat Ryan said the partnership between the groups will help Pathways and RIC continue the work Shirley Ryan has done with the organization. Its sort of like the work shes been doing, but on triple steroids, he said. After six days of testimony from insurance executives, hospital CEOs and industry experts, the federal government's attempt to block the proposed merger of Advocate Health Care and NorthShore University HealthSystem came down to one witness. Steven Tenn was hired by the Federal Trade Commission to do an analysis of the Chicago area hospital market. He is well-qualified to evaluate the competitive effects of mergers. He has a doctorate in economics from the University of Chicago and even worked as an economist at the FTC. Advertisement The FTC relied on Tenn's expert opinion for a crucial part of its case, identifying the geographic market in which the merged hospitals might exercise monopoly power to raise health care prices. But U.S. District Judge Jorge Alonso said Tenn's analysis was "flawed" and the key reason the commission lost its challenge. The judge spent most of his 13-page decision, which was released late Monday, dissecting Tenn's rationale. The FTC was concerned that an Advocate-NorthShore combination would reduce competition for consumers who live in Cook and Lake counties because the two systems have overlapping hospitals in that geographic area. Advertisement Tenn helped the commission define the relevant market. He constructed an area that included six of the merging hospitals Lutheran General in Park Ridge, Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, Evanston Hospital, Skokie Hospital, Glenbrook Hospital in Glenview and Highland Park Hospital. Tenn's market also included Vista East Hospital in Waukegan, Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights, Presence Resurrection Hospital in Chicago, Swedish Covenant Hospital in Chicago and Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital. But he didn't count as competitors what he called "destination" hospitals, including academic medical centers such as Northwestern Memorial and Rush University Medical Center in Chicago. He also excluded hospitals such as Presence St. Francis in Evanston because it didn't overlap with more than one of the merging hospitals. Advocate and NorthShore disagreed with Tenn's market, especially the exclusion of Northwestern Memorial. They argued that Northwestern has numerous outpatient facilities in Cook and Lake counties, which help drive admissions to its academic medical center. Alonso agreed. The judge cited numerous witnesses who testified that physicians significantly influence a patient's choice of hospitals. Tenn's exclusion of destination hospitals ignores "the commercial realities of this industry," Alonso wrote. The FTC plans to appeal Alonso's ruling. Pending the appeal, Advocate and NorthShore are not allowed to close their merger. asachdev@tribpub.com Twitter @ameetsachdev This Chicago metropolitan area is one of 27 geographic "hot spots" identified by an analysis of Medicare claims data by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Inspector General. (David McNew / Getty Images) Chicago's home health care industry has a big fraud problem and a federal study released Wednesday suggests more scrutiny may be warranted. The metropolitan area is one of 27 geographic "hot spots" identified by an analysis of Medicare claims data by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Inspector General. The examination found dozens of home health agencies and physicians in the Chicago area whose recent Medicare claims have characteristics similar to those observed in cases of fraud. Advertisement Federal authorities are paying close attention to home health because it is playing a growing role in U.S. health care as insurers and physicians increasingly seek to manage patients with chronic conditions and keep them out of emergency rooms, hospitals and nursing homes. In 2015, the Medicare insurance program for the elderly paid $18.4 billion to more than 11,000 home health businesses. At more than $900 million, the Chicago region had the most home health payments last year, according to the report. Advertisement Chicago has been long recognized as having high rates of home health fraud, so much so that in 2013 the federal government imposed its first moratorium on new home care businesses in the six-county region. Federal authorities in Chicago also have pursued fraudsters aggressively. Dozens of physicians, nurses, home health agency owners and marketers have been charged and convicted in recent years. The investigations have revealed many problems, including doctors taking kickbacks for referrals and approving home nursing visits for patients who were not homebound. The indictments keep coming. On Wednesday, the Justice Department announced charges against a physician with an office in Buffalo Grove, Dr. Yevgeny Odessky, who is accused of taking cash kickbacks in exchange for referring patients to a home health agency in the north suburbs. Odessky was not immediately available for comment. In addition, the owners of two home health providers, Schaumburg-based Axis Health Care Services and Glenview-based TLC Healthcare Services of Illinois, have been charged with paying kickbacks to recruiters in exchange for referring elderly patients. The charges were part of what officials said Wednesday was the largest crackdown on Medicare fraud since a federal health care investigations team was started nine years ago. Federal agents have arrested about 300 suspects around the country, on charges ranging from taking illegal payments to false physical therapy claims that allegedly cost Medicare about $900 million. Despite numerous successful prosecutions, home health fraud remains an issue, said Adam Freeman, a leader of the study by the Office of Inspector General. The study flagged 37 home health providers and 257 physicians in the Chicago area as having suspicious Medicare claims. It didn't identify any of them by name. asachdev@tribpub.com Advertisement Twitter @ameetsachdev Chicago-area home prices continue to rise moderately as tight supply pushed the median home price in May up 6.1 percent over the previous year, according to Illinois Realtors. In the nine-county Chicago area, there were 11,664 homes sold in May, up 7.5 percent from a year earlier. Advertisement The median price was $234,500, an increase over $221,000 over the same month a year ago. Despite continuing gains, it will be more than two or three years before prices throughout the metropolitan area regain 2008 levels, according to Geoffrey J.D. Hewings, director of the University of Illinois' regional economic applications laboratory. In Cook County alone, prices are rising more modestly, with the median price of homes sold at $245,000 in May, a 4.3 percent gain over a year earlier. Condo prices dropped 1 percent to $243,000, while single-family homes rose 7.9 percent. Advertisement McHenry County experienced the largest local gains, with the median home selling at $200,000, a 13 percent increase over the previous May. Grundy County was the only county to experience price declines. Its median home sold dropped 6.3 percent to $155,500. Lake County homes appreciated moderately to $235,000, a 3.2 percent gain. The city of Chicago saw a 5 percent increase with 2,887 sales, up from 2,750 a year earlier. The median price was $291,000, up 3.6 percent compared with May 2015 when the median was $281,000. For the Chicago area as a whole, average prices are drifting higher as fewer foreclosures occur at ultra low prices. Only 14.2 percent of home sales in the metro area were foreclosures, the lowest since 2009, according to Illinois Realtors. The median price of foreclosed properties in the Chicago area was $152,777 compared with $245,000 for regular properties. As prices rise relatively slowly for homes generally, foreclosed properties are experiencing the largest jump. The median price has climbed 12.6 percent over the last year, while price appreciation for regular properties was only 1 percent. "We are going into a more normal market," said Mike Drews, president of Illinois Realtors. Yet, with many homeowners still waiting for homes to appreciate more before selling them, or simply comfortable staying in existing homes and remodeling, Drews said extremely tight inventory is creating a seller's market. If homes are priced right, he said, sellers are getting multiple offers. The typical home is on the market for just 40 days in Chicago, he said. "That's very short, like the heydays of the 2000s." But before the housing crisis, homes were moving quickly amid a mania. Drews said now it's "because inventory has shrunk and so there is competition for those on the market." Advertisement Still, the greatest movement is among mid- and lower-priced homes. Hewings notes that inventory has been building among homes priced over $700,000. He said he continues to note "fence sitting" among buyers and sellers. That may be because of uncertainty over the fall elections and also over Illinois' budget, he said. He is forecasting "moderate annual growth" in prices in Illinois and the Chicago area during the summer selling season. He predicts prices will rise 8.4 percent in June, 10.2 percent in July and 11.1 percent in August. In the Chicago area, the median price in 2008 was $250,000. To be fully recovered, the price now would be $278,115 in today's dollars, according to Hewings. Some areas of Chicago, such as Lincoln Park, have fully recovered now. Matt Silver, president-elect of the Chicago Association of Realtors, said he has noted nice increases in the West Loop, Logan Square, Lincoln Park and Rogers Park neighborhoods. "Areas close to the lake, both north and south, are the areas that recover quicker and then it moves from there," Silver said. Advertisement Hewings said the suburbs generally have lagged the recovery in the hot areas of the city. gmarksjarvis@tribpub.com Twitter @gailmarksjarvis Developer Sterling Bay unveiled plans for McDonald's Fulton Market headquarters June 22, 2016. The burger chain is slated to move to the site in spring 2018. The area where it is located is variously known as Fulton Market, West Loop and West Town. (Sterling Bay rendering) McDonald's planned new Chicago headquarters will bring a nine-story building, stores, green space and about 2,000 suburban office workers to the Near West Side, and not everyone is happy at the prospect. Residents of the area known alternatively as the West Loop, Fulton Market and West Town expressed their concern at a community meeting Wednesday night as developer Sterling Bay unveiled a plan for the new headquarters, a massive two-building, 608,000-square-foot structure to be built on the site of Oprah Winfrey's former Harpo Studios. The complex, nine stories at its tallest point, will be the most significant development to hit the rapidly gentrifying neighborhood yet. It will feature a public plaza, bike storage, first-floor retail and 300 underground parking spaces. The headquarters operation is relocating from McDonald's longtime home in Oak Brook. Advertisement Sterling Bay Managing Principal Andy Gloor, who led the packed meeting that was also attended by Ald. Walter Burnett, 27th, said there's a plan to build several hundred more parking spaces nearby in addition, but some worry that's not enough. Developer Sterling Bay unveiled plans for McDonald's Fulton Market headquarters June 22, 2016. The burger chain is slated to move to the site in spring 2018. The area where it is located is variously known as Fulton Market, West Loop and West Town. (Sterling Bay rendering) "There's been a bit of a parking shake-up in the community lately," said Roger Romanelli, executive director of the Randolph/Fulton Market Association, noting that two large parking lots recently shut down, making the lack of parking for residents a bigger problem. Romanelli said the McDonald's development seems to have a balance of transit options with parking, bike storage and a planned CTA shuttle but said the area is still in need of more parking and public safety improvements to prevent the flood of development from leading to more people circling blocks for hours or getting hit by cars. Advertisement "I think it's important to have everyone in the community put their heads together as we go forward," Romanelli said. There is an effort underway to get the city to create more diagonal parking spaces in the area, which take up less room. The association is also planning to add more green space in the areas surrounding the development on Randolph Street, Romanelli said. "The ward is concerned about it, the neighborhood is concerned about it, the whole city is concerned about it," said Burnett, adding that he's working to ease issues like the lack of green space and parking in the area. The McDonald's complex is expected to cost about $250 million. Demolition, pending a permit from the city, is expected to start next month. People listen to a presentation about plans for a new McDonald's corporate headquarters in Chicago during a public meeting June 22, 2016, at Revel Fulton Market in Chicago. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune) McDonald's will occupy just under 80 percent of the complex, allowing room for other tenants that have not been identified, Gloor said. In a nod to those future tenants, the main entrance to the complex at 1045 W. Randolph St. will be on Carpenter Street, a side street, a move that saves the more visible space along Randolph for retail use. The main entrance on Carpenter also will be closer to public transportation, Gloor said. The company will operate a shuttle bus between the complex and the nearest CTA station at Morgan Street, on the Green and Pink lines. And in a nod to the old tenant, Winfrey and Harpo will be memorialized in some way in the new building, Gloor said, adding that his mother and brother had both worked there. He didn't say exactly what that commemoration would be. The building will be notably different from the suburban headquarters campus McDonald's currently occupies in Oak Brook, which includes a hotel and an internal McDonald's restaurant. Neither of those features will be a part of the downtown site. The property is expected to generate approximately $4 million annually in property taxes, Gloor said, compared with current taxes of about $240,000 generated by the Harpo Studio site. Advertisement Officials representing the fast-food giant did not attend the meeting, and one neighbor questioned the lack of participation by corporations like McDonald's in community meetings. McDonald's said it will offer details about a neighborhood meeting at a later date. Earlier Wednesday, an ordinance was introduced at City Council that would increase the allotted density of the Near West Side space. If the expansion is approved by the city, developer Sterling Bay will pay more than $4 million to the city's Neighborhoods Opportunity Fund, Adopt-A-Landmark Fund and Local Impact Fund. More than $3.2 million of it will be directed to the Neighborhoods Opportunity Fund, which aims to direct money from downtown development projects to Chicago's depressed neighborhoods. McDonald's officially announced last week its intention to move to downtown Chicago. The move is part of the company's effort to court more young, tech-savvy workers who prefer urban living. McDonald's also has an office in River North that houses its digital staff. It's not yet clear whether those employees will move west once the new headquarters building is completed in 2018. Burnett said that McDonald's officials have informed him that they expect other companies to follow them downtown, but he did not elaborate on which companies, and McDonald's didn't immediately respond to a query on that point Thursday. Google was the first major employer to move to the West Side when it relocated its Midwest headquarters from the Loop late last year. The Google building is about two blocks north of Harpo. Sterling Bay bought the Harpo site in 2014 for $30.5 million. Harpo ended production at the site last year. Advertisement sbomkamp@tribpub.com Twitter @SamWillTravel It takes two hands to handle a whopper of a wine bottle, like this double magnum. It holds four standard bottles, which means about 100 ounces, which will get you a party's worth of servings (20!) from one bottle. Go. (Michael Tercha / Chicago Tribune) When I was a kid, and all books were made of paper, it was cause for celebration when the new Guinness Book of World Records (new Guinness World Records) started showing up in stores. The globe-adorned paperback cover promised new records in everything from feats of endurance to hard-to-believe natural oddities. I wondered where they found those people, and eventually I understood that many of those people found them. Who wouldn't want to be a certified world-record holder in something? Maybe not world's longest fingernails but something, right? I can recall the huge respect and slight tinge of envy I felt when I learned as an adult that a friend's brother had held a world record in pogo sticking. Damn! Why didn't I set my mind to that? Advertisement RELATED: 25 GREAT SUMMER COCKTAILS Pogo sticking records come and go (and with any luck, the Guinness longest fingernail category has been retired). But one entry that I knew I could count on, new edition after new edition, was that of Robert Wadlow, who was born in 1918 and raised on the eastern bank of the Mississippi River in Alton, Ill. At 8 feet, 11.1 inches, he was and decades after his death remains the tallest human ever to live. Advertisement Big bottles of wine, like the "Alton Giant," capture our attention. Just the look of an oversize bottle tells us that something beyond the ordinary is afoot. The shape is basically the same as a regular bottle, but it is so much bigger. What gives? It's a party that's what gives. This will be a night (or day) to remember. An oversize bottle says, "Soon we will partake in the same collective bounty." You have been lucky enough in your life to attend a pig roast? Part of that ritual's appeal is the apple in the mouth, I will give you that. But more than that is the idea that when that fine sacrificial beast is portioned, it will feed everyone within hollerin' earshot. A standard wine bottle holds about 25 ounces of wine, or 750 milliliters, and there is a school of thought that says it is the perfect amount for two people to share. Another school of thought says that it is the perfect amount for one person to not share that it is just enough for one. Then again, I know some people who might suggest that a bottle per person is a good start to an evening. On some nights, I might agree with them. But the really big bottles, the ones we refer to as large-format? They are built for sharing. Unless you consume like the late professional wrestler and "The Princess Bride" scene-stealer Andre the Giant, who once told David Letterman that after cutting back on drinking he still occasionally enjoys "two or three bottles" of white wine with dinner, large-format wines are for sharing. The big bottles start with the magnum, which holds the equivalent of two standard bottles (1.5 liters). After the magnum, some large-format bottle sizes have different names depending on their shape and the type of wine they hold. So, a Marie Jeanne holds three bottles (2.25 liters), and a double magnum probably doesn't need an explanation, since you can do simple math, but I'll give you one anyway, just for the sake of being thorough: four bottles in one (3 liters). When a bottle of this size has sloping shoulders, it is called a Jeroboam. Eat. Watch. Do. Weekly What to eat. What to watch. What you need to live your best life ... now. > A high-shouldered bottle that holds six bottles is also called a Jeroboam, and its slope-shouldered partner is a Rehoboam. An Imperial holds eight bottles, the equivalent of 6 liters. A Methuselah holds eight bottles, too, but has sloping shoulders, and is usually used for sparkling wine. Besides being festive, large-format bottles are better for aging wine than standard-size bottles. This is because the air-to-wine ratio is lower in bigger bottles. Large-format bottles can present challenges, too, but put into perspective they are similar to the problems you might face if you were to rent a dunk tank for a party. "Where are we going to put it?" "How long will it take to fill?" They are not problems that will keep you up at night. Advertisement With big bottles, it's mostly about getting the wine into the glasses and keeping it off the tablecloth. The pouring difficulty increases with the bottle sizes, eventually requiring two hands instead of one, and then possibly employing your hip for stability, and ultimately relying on the precision of a decanting cradle. The first time I witnessed this ritual, in which several grown men Iwo Jima-ed a giant bottle onto a table and into a tilting cradle, I wanted to clap my hands like a baby and shout, "Do it again!" Now for the really big ones, which are increasingly rare. A Salmanazar holds 12 bottles (an entire case of wine), which equates to 9 liters; a Balthazar holds 16 bottles (12 liters), and a Nebuchadnezzar holds 20 bottles (15 liters). Also, somewhere out there, in limited numbers, there are even a few more sizes, ranging from the 24-bottle-equivalent Melchior to the Melchizedek, which contains a stunning 40 bottles or 200 glasses of wine (figuring 5 ounces per glass). On the other end of the size spectrum are the half bottle (375 milliliters), and the split (187 milliliters). While these little cuties don't inspire awe and mirth the way the big bottles can, they do hold a certain appeal of their own. As I recall, the tiniest human in the Guinness Book also captured my attention on several occasions. For the record, the honor currently belongs to Nepal's late Chandra Bahadur Dangi, who stood 1 foot, 9.5 inches tall. Twitter @pour_man Official soundtrack for "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" is in the works as part of its 30th anniversary celebration. (Paramount Pictures) The official soundtrack for "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," John Hughes' teenage drama set in a fictional Chicago suburb, will finally be released later this year, according to Salon. The site reports La-La Records made a deal with Paramount Pictures to release the authorized official soundtrack, 30 years after the premiere of the 1986 movie. Advertisement John Hughes, who lived on the North Shore, directed the film, which starred Matthew Broderick as Bueller. Lake Forest hosted Ferris Fest earlier this year in celebration of the film. "Ferris Bueller" is scheduled to be featured Tuesday as part of at the free Millennium Park film series. Advertisement MOST READ ENTERTAINMENT NEWS THIS HOUR 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) Judith Stein talks with Julius Tucker, left, and his mother, Jennifer Tucker, before a jazz performance at Room 43 on June 19, 2016, in Chicago. (Brandon Chew / Chicago Tribune) You may not know her name, but if you've attended a jazz show or two in the past few years, chances are you've seen her and maybe even met her. She's the tall, striking woman handing out postcards, shaking your hand, looking you in the eye and rhapsodizing about her favorite music: jazz. Advertisement She'll find you at the Hyde Park Jazz Festival, Chicago Jazz Festival, Jazz Showcase, Green Mill, Andy's, Room 43, Orchestra Hall, the University of Chicago's Logan Center anywhere and everywhere jazz rings out in this city. You can run, but you cannot hide. Advertisement If you listen to jazz, Judith Stein will locate you. Which has been a boon to music in Chicago. For without being paid a cent for her considerable efforts, Stein a retired high school English teacher and English education professor who won a Golden Apple award in 1992 has enriched an already dynamic scene. As co-founder of the Hyde Park Jazz Festival, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this September, she has helped conceive, produce and promote the city's most creative jazz soiree. And the Sunday-evening jazz sessions she emcees and champions at Room 43 perhaps the friendliest jazz gathering in a city crowded with them long since emerged as a pillar of an expanding South Side scene. No wonder the Hyde Park Jazz Festival will be honoring her at its gala and benefit concert Thursday evening at the Logan Center, on East 60th Street. "She does so much for the Chicago jazz community writ large," says Kate Dumbleton, executive and artistic director of the festival. "Her contributions as a volunteer are quite extraordinary. I'm not sure people really know just how much she does, in particular at the Hyde Park Jazz Festival. In addition to all the early concept development, she continues to do an enormous amount of work on the actual producing of the festival. She writes every single bio you see on the website, which is roughly 40 programs. "She's an unbelievable fundraiser, like nobody I've ever met," Dumbleton says. "And then, of course, she can hand out more fliers and postcards than anybody on planet Earth. I literally give her about 10,000 postcards for the festival, and she hands out every single one." Yes, many jazz lovers have told me about encountering Stein in clubs, concert halls, festivals and on CTA buses, having a Hyde Park Jazz Festival postcard tucked in their hands and hearing a soliloquy about that year's lineup. Advertisement So why does she do it? "It happened by accident," says Stein, recalling the moment in 2005 when she ran into her old friend James Wagner. Wagner, a graduate of DuSable High School and a retired public health administrator, had been working for years to rejuvenate jazz on the South Side. "It was just one of these passing things on the street where he says, totally out of the blue: 'You don't happen to like jazz, do you?'" Stein said. "I says: 'Jim, we've known each other since 1965 how in the world don't you know that that's my favorite music?'" Indeed, Stein had grown up in the South Shore neighborhood and at age 15 discovered the allures of jazz, "not at home and not in my culture but from the radio," she says, "where Daddy-O Daylie and Mike Rapchak and Marty Faye, all these guys used to be on the radio, and I started listening, and I was hooked. Advertisement "When I was in college, you didn't go into clubs unescorted, so I would hope to find dates who would go to jazz with me." A distinguished career teaching at DuSable High School, Kenwood Academy High School, Roosevelt University, Columbia College and elsewhere intervened, but running into Wagner offered Stein an opportunity to direct her considerable energies into music. She soon joined the board of the Hyde Park Jazz Society that Wagner built, found herself involved in the planning for what would become the Hyde Park Jazz Festival and has been unstoppable ever since. In effect, Stein found not only a magnificent cause but also a reimagined identity belatedly shaped by the music of her youth. "I had always been Miss Stein and the schoolteacher and all that," she says. "And all of a sudden when walking down the street, instead of getting: 'Oh, Miss Stein, you taught my daughter,' I got: 'Oh, you-hoo, Miss Jazz Lady.' Advertisement "People started calling me Jazz Lady! I loved it. It was a reinvention that was serendipitous." Stein's personal transformation has been of significant benefit to the rest of us, her labors helping to make possible performances that might not have happened without her. Though she says she "never doubted" that the Hyde Park Jazz Festival would be successful in its first year, she's "stunned" that it has reached its 10th anniversary. "I figured it would be one year, maybe two years, and then we'd move on," she says. Instead, the event steadily has grown in stature and importance, its emphasis on new ideas in jazz with commissions of major young artists such as saxophonist Miguel Zenon and trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire illuminating the future of the music. Wagner, who laid the groundwork for all of this, died in 2009, at age 75, his dream now a reality. Advertisement "I think he would be amazed," says Almarie Wagner, his widow and a board member of the Hyde Park Jazz Festival. "I'm so pleased and so grateful that his vision has been fulfilled more than he could have ever imagined." In part, we owe that to Stein. The Hyde Park Jazz Festival Gala honoring Judith Stein starts at 6 p.m. Thursday, with concert featuring the Ken Peplowski Quintet at 7:30 p.m., at the University of Chicago's Logan Center for the Arts, 915 E. 60th St.; for tickets and other information, go to www.hydeparkjazzfestival.org/benefit. Howard Reich is a Tribune critic. hreich@tribpub.com Advertisement Twitter @howardreich RELATED STORIES: Thirty years later, Green Mill owner Dave Jemilo thrives at his jazz club One-handed pianist Norman Malone's triumphant concert debut Watch the latest movie trailers. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 122 Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, anger management student, in "Dark Phoenix." The film, the latest in the "X-Men" franchise, costars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jessica Chastain. Read the review. (Twentieth Century Fox) Andriana Chuchman as Boonyi and Sean Panikkar as Shalimar perform in the world premiere of Shalimar the Clown for the Opera Theatre of St. Louis. (Ken Howard) ST. LOUIS Giuseppe Verdi knew a thing or two about creating powerful operas around credibly human characters thrown into violent conflict. So, as it turns out, does the creative team responsible for adapting Salman Rushdie's "Shalimar the Clown" for the Opera Theatre of St. Louis. It is something of a happy accident, then, that the adaptation by composer Jack Perla and librettist Rajiv Joseph of the British-Indian author's 2005 novel commissioned for this, the company's 41st season should be playing in repertory with Verdi's "Macbeth," another operatic tragedy with flawed figures confronting their darker natures. Advertisement Each work gets a gripping production that exemplifies what this envelope-pushing, opera-in-English company does best: high-gloss music theater that speaks to the cultural and political issues of today. "Shalimar the Clown," the opera theatre's 25th world premiere, is the latest in a series of company commissions of new works that weave together diverse cultural strands to tell contemporary stories that are topical, risky, complicated, sometimes controversial. General director Timothy O'Leary has made these pieces an essential part of the company's mission of relevance. Advertisement The OTSL's 2011 restaging of John Adams' "The Death of Klinghoffer" revived a great American opera based on the murder of a wheelchair-bound Jewish man by Palestinian terrorists aboard a cruise ship. Terrence Blanchard's "Champion," mounted here in 2013, was about a gay African-American boxer. Neither work has been staged in Chicago, but they really should be. So should "Shalimar." As is the case with "Klinghoffer," a deep sense of our common humanity resonates across the increasingly grim narrative of "Shalimar," splendidly performed in a brilliant staging by James Robinson, the company's artistic director, with Jayce Ogren conducting members of the St. Louis Symphony. "Shalimar" the opera, like "Shalimar" the book, is about the loss of paradise the province of Kashmir at the far north of the Indian subcontinent, once peaceful but since its postwar partition a battleground of ethnic and religious strife between India and Pakistan. Rushdie, whose family hailed from that spectacularly beautiful region, grieved for the destruction of a stable interfaith and multicultural community and regarded with horror the radical religious fundamentalism that filled the political vacuum. The age-old Kashmiri conflict underscores another kind of loss, the loss of innocence, that is the two-act opera's real business. In Perla and Joseph's skillful condensation of the 300-page novel, with a story told largely in flashback, we learn how naive love can morph into murderous obsession. Shalimar, a young Muslim tightrope walker, meets and falls in love with Boonyi, a young Hindu dancer, while they are performing with a folk theater troupe in the idyllic Kashmiri village of Pashigam. Although she has misgivings about committing to wedlock, their wedding is blessed by the village elders, tolerant of the young couple's religious differences. Before long, Boonyi grows restless and longs to escape the arranged marriage in hopes of training as a dancer in the outside world. She leaves Shalimar and takes up with a married man, Max Ophuls, the U.S. ambassador to India, who promises help but only seeks selfish carnal comfort. In a situation redolent of many an Italian verismo opera, the distraught Shalimar can think only of avenging himself on his wife and her lover. Fueled by rage and despair, Shalimar is putty in the hands of a fundamentalist mullah, who enlists him as a jihadist assassin in the Islamic fight against the Indian army. Meanwhile Boonyi, having given birth to a girl by Ophuls, returns to Kashmir only to find Pashigam destroyed. She is ostracized by the surviving villagers and killed by Shalimar. The opera's epilogue suggests that the avenger meets his own violent end at the hands of India, Boonyi's aptly named daughter. This is risky, uncomfortable stuff how could it not be, given the issues raised? The important thing is that the opera works. Perla's accessible, eclectic, conservatively tonal music helps to soften the grim narrative, rescuing it from bald melodrama. The San Francisco-based composer comes out of a background in alt-jazz and cross-cultural musical performance. His score incorporates the local color of Indian ragas, played on the sitar and tabla (drums), conspiring with Joseph's taut libretto 31 scenes, including a prologue and epilogue to invest Rushdie's heartbreaking lament with the dramatic resonance of modern Shakespearean tragedy. If touches of Broadway kitsch inform Shalimar's love song, this is, on the whole, a most accomplished piece of music theater. Advertisement Director Robinson and his usual team of designers Allen Moyer (set), James Schuette (costumes), Christopher Akerlind (lighting), Greg Emetaz (video and projections) bring a difficult, complicated subject to life with fluidity and flair, right down to the Bollywood-style wedding party for Shalimar and Boonyi (choreography by Sean Curran). The vocal ensemble could hardly be better. Sean Panikkar's smooth, resilient tenor is equal to the strenuous vocal challenges of the title role. Former Lyric Opera/Ryan Opera Center soprano Andriana Chuchman sings, dances and inhabits the dual roles of Boonyi and India with equal parts vocal luster and charismatic stage presence. Both Gregory Dahl as the womanizing ambassador and Katharine Goeldner as his long-suffering wife are quite fine, as is the supporting cast. New operas come and go, but "Shalimar" is a keeper. I hope it travels to Chicago one day soon. Director Robert Ainsley's well-prepared chorus, integral to the success of "Shalimar," sounds like a bigger body of voices than it actually is in the fine new "Macbeth." This completes the trilogy of Verdi's Shakespeare-inspired operas at OTSL. It also completes conductor Stephen Lord's tenure as the company's music director, a role he has held with distinction and is doing so again with "Macbeth." He draws robust, incisive playing from the orchestra in support of a solid cast and a lean and mean production by Lee Blakeley. Here Verdi's chorus of witches, representing the forces of primeval nature, assumes greater than usual presence in the drama. Foretelling Macbeth's rise and fall, the crones arrange bare wooden branches in an incantatory circle. Those same branches are used throughout the action, eventually borne by the army of Macduff and Malcolm as it advances toward the castle of the usurper Macbeth. The production is elemental in its starkness and simplicity, making resourceful use of the intimate thrust stage. Mark Bouman's ancient-modern costumes are a symphony in black, their gloomy monochrome offset by crimson smears of stage blood. A configuration of shifting panels defines scene changes as director Blakeley goes about probing the twisted psyches of grand opera's most famous regicidal couple. Advertisement We see Macbeth and Lady Macbeth eating dinner in morose silence at opposite ends of a banquet table while, in the foreground, Macduff laments his slain family and vows vengeance. We later glimpse Macbeth crouching beside his throne during his wife's sleepwalking soliloquy another telling dramatic touch. The leading roles are splendidly taken by Roland Wood and Julie Makerov. The British baritone looks like a young Bryn Terfel and sings Macbeth like a young Sherrill Milnes, with a firm, burnished sound and absolute verbal acuity a discovery indeed. Verdi didn't want a beautiful singing voice for Lady Macbeth, and, to be sure, the California-born soprano emitted some paint-peelers at full voice. That said, her middle register was warm, her legato admirable and her dramatic sense sure-footed. Tenor Matthew Plenk made a plangent Macduff, and Robert Pomakov's sepulchral bass as Banquo capped a "Macbeth" of true international festival caliber. Space unfortunately permits only a capsule critique of the other show I caught in St. Louis, "Ariadne on Naxos." Richard Strauss' wry love letter to the theater, with its seriously absurd prologue and absurdly serious opera-within-an-opera, is another OTSL show prominently cast with Lyric alumni: Soprano Marjorie Owens brings a voluptuous soprano to the Prima Donna/Ariadne; Cecelia Hall sings stylishly as the put-upon Composer; and Levi Hernandez makes an admirable Music Master. Even so, director-choreographer Sean Curran keeps the emphasis on commedia dell'arte farce, and it's the comedians that dance away with the show. Leading them are So Young Park's pretty and charming Zerbinetta (agile in her coloratura although she spikes her high notes) and John Brancy's nimble Harlequin. Tenor AJ Glueckert copes well with Bacchus' cruelly high tessitura. Keeping things crisply animated in the pit is conductor Rory Macdonald, who draws an elegant, polished account of Strauss' miraculous score from the orchestra. Puccini's "La Boheme" completes the current repertory. Advertisement Next year's festival promises Puccini's "Madame Butterfly"; Mozart's "La Clemenza di Tito"; the American premiere of Philip Glass and Christopher Hampton's adaptation of Franz Kafka's "The Trial"; and the premiere of a new performing version of Ricky Ian Gordon and Michael Korie's "The Grapes of Wrath." The 2016 Opera Theatre of St. Louis season runs through Sunday at the Loretto-Hilton Center in suburban Webster Groves; 314-961-0444. www.experienceopera.org. John von Rhein is a Tribune critic. jvonrhein@tribpub.com Twitter @jvonrhein MOST READ ENTERTAINMENT NEWS THIS HOUR Watch the latest movie trailers. Expand Autoplay Image 1 of 122 Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, anger management student, in "Dark Phoenix." The film, the latest in the "X-Men" franchise, costars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jessica Chastain. Read the review. (Twentieth Century Fox) Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti, Africa, is as spartan as a U.S. military encampment gets, Mary Roach writes in her new book, "Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War." Other than a few shrubs struggling to grow under leaking air conditioners, the landscape is barren. And indoors, it's not much better. "Interior decor takes the form of emergency instruction placards ('Stop and listen to the Giant Voice ') and framed chain-of-command portraits," Roach writes. But she does find one deluxe extravagance in this luxury-free zone Charmin Ultra Soft. It makes sense in light of what goes on here, she says, pointing out a sign that reads, "Diarrhea Clinical Trial." Advertisement Welcome to military research as viewed through the eyes of America's funniest science writer. "Grunt" is Roach's sixth book of oddball exploration, and it's a swift and engrossing romp through topics that few would treat with anything other than grim solemnity penis repair, for instance. But Roach has a knack for making the horrific fascinating, fueled by delightfully nutty curiosity and a slightly off-center perspective. She long ago proved that she can make very unfunny topics laugh-out-loud material dead bodies in her 2004 book "Stiff"; digestion and all its unpleasant eruptions in "Gulp" (2013); and space travel in "Packing for Mars" (2010). In each outing, she scouts out the unexpected science and the delectable (or the exactly anti-delectable) morsels others would have missed or run from. She is never obvious. For instance, she mentions only one weapon in the entire book on military research: a gun that shoots dead chickens at airplanes to test aircraft for the ability to withstand fowl obstacles. Anyone can write about weapons. But who else would track down a Special Ops guy in Djibouti to discuss pooping, and the impact of biological urgency on military operations? Altogether, it's quite a performance. She's treading on near-sacred ground when she takes on the lives of those who put themselves in harm's way for their country. And watching her pull this off left me a little breathless. She manages to convey both respect for the soldiers and humor, often by making herself the punch line. In the chapter, "Leaky SEALs: Diarrhea as a threat to national security," the Special Ops guy she interviews advises her to go to Somalia if she wants the real story on diarrhea. She writes, "Yes, let's picture it middle-aged American with her cork-bed comfort sandals and wheelie bag, wandering the desert redoubts of the local al-Qaeda affiliate. 'Yoo-hoo! I'm looking for the Navy SEAL safe house?'" Advertisement Her humor often works because she is such a sharp observer. She describes a speaker as having "a wide superhero jaw and muscles so big that when he walks in front of the slide projector, entire images can be viewed on his forearm." She explains why NASCAR safety precautions can't help the Army protect personnel carriers and their human contents: "Race car drivers are packed in their seats like mail-order stemware." She writes about trying to hear orders shouted by a guy with a voice like a bullhorn while wearing standard military hearing protection. He sounded "like someone shrank him down and put him inside a mason jar." She describes a small laser-energy burst used to test fabrics as "a teacup IED." Roach's footnotes could be published all by themselves. Often only tangentially related to the topic at hand, they say a lot about how her mind works and reveal something about her devotion to detail. For instance, one footnote explains that the U.S. Army is so concerned about hook-and-loop fasteners, it has a Hook and Loop Task Group, a subcommittee of the Combat Clothing Utility Subcommittee. She doesn't use a footnote to tell us military button regulations cover 22 pages, but she does to explain appended to a discussion on Kevlar underwear that a codpiece has "nothing to do with genital protection or fashion, for that matter, or cod." She wanders away from the topic of flame-proof fabrics to investigate, in a footnote, the number of burns caused annually by melting pantyhose. Sadly, no such data exist in the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System she was searching. "I ran out of patience, somewhere around the thirty-seven-year-old man who tried to iron his pants while wearing them." On the way we learn how combat medics are trained, what maggots can do for wound healing, what sharks really want despite reports to the contrary, it's not you and sleep deprivation on submarines. I said earlier that Roach is America's funniest science writer, and while that's true, it sells her short. No other nonfiction writer so consistently manages to be both hilarious and informative. Even when she makes us utterly squeamish. Jenni Laidman is a frequent Printers Row contributor. "Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War" By Mary Roach; W.W. Norton, 285 pages, $26.95 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. 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 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. 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. 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 Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > 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 A pet pig seen playing on Montrose dog beach on June 18, 2016, has raised questions about whether pet pigs could pose a health hazards to the dogs. (Bethany Roeschley / Handout) A pig has been hogging some of the spotlight at Montrose dog beach recently. No, really. Advertisement Bethany Roeschley was about to leave the North Side beach this past weekend when she saw the bristly black-haired, red collar-wearing pig make a beeline to Lake Michigan on Saturday afternoon with a pack of dogs and their owners following behind. "It laid down in the sand and was basking in the sun and letting all the water wash over it and it was closing its eyes and relaxing," said Roeschley who along with her wife took their adopted 4-year-old rat terrier mix named Ollivander to the beach. Advertisement The pet pig hammed it up for the cameras as Roeschley and others snapped and posted photos to Instagram and other social media sites. While the pictures drew some chuckles, they also sparked serious conversation on Facebook with some questioning whether pigs should be allowed at the dog-friendly lakefront area. Some dog owners said they are fine with the pig if owners keep an eye on their pets, but others raised concerns about the potential for scuffles at the beach. It's not unheard of for owners to pry apart their dogs in an off-leash area. And it's technically against the Chicago Park District code to bring any animal other than a dog to the lakefront beach. Whether dogs and pigs can play together in such an environment is a concern, one expert says. Pigs and dogs are different species and communicate in very different ways, said Kelly Ballantyne, veterinary behaviorist at Chicago's Veterinary Behavior at Illinois, a clinic that is part of the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. Although pigs and dogs can and do live together, that relationship usually takes time to build, starting with gradual introductions and careful supervision and, typically, without a whole group of dogs it does not know, she said. The dog beach presents a scenario that is unpredictable because it's unknown how the city dogs will interact with the pig and how the pig will react to the dogs, she said. Getting approached by larger animals could make the pig feel threatened and, in turn, act aggressively or try to run away and that could start a chase, she said. It's possible for some dogs to view the pig as prey if they're unfamiliar with the animal and it's making noise and moving fast, she said. "I totally agree with them that it is a dog beach and it's not a pet beach. I think bringing a pet pig there really puts that pig at risk for serious injury or it could be serious injury or death and puts the dogs at risk for injury as well," Ballantyne said. At the beach, the pig rested on the sand for a bit as dogs sniffed it, Roeschley said, before the pig got up and walked along the edge of the water. She said she saw one dog try to hump the pig and another overly interested dog nudged the pig to play. The Tribune was unable to find out who the owner is. Meanwhile, Roeschley's 15-pound dog was mostly confused. "He could tell it wasn't a dog, but he didn't know what it was. He didn't go near it at first and then we encouraged him to give it a sniff and he did but he backed away," said Roeschley, 25, who lives in Albany Park. So far, Bill Sonntag, chairman of the Montrose dog-friendly area committee, a volunteer group that helps keep the beach clean and provides information to beach users much like a park advisory council, was not aware of any reported mishaps. Advertisement Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > "Personally, I think it's cute as hell and I love pigs," Sonntag said. "It's not that I'm against interspecies relations, it's just against the rules. Unfortunately, there's no way to enforce it. But if a citizen on the beach wants to complain, they could call the police." The Chicago Park District said that the dog beach one of two in the city is designated for dogs only and the Chicago Police Department is the enforcement agency. According to the Park District's code, fines can be as much as $500 for a violation. Dog owners concerned about potential health risks posed by the pig don't have much reason to worry because it's easier to transmit diseases within a species, said Jim Lowe, associate professor of veterinary clinical medicine at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. "A pig housed by itself as a pet is not likely to be infected with disease," he said. That's because the pig would not be exposed or have contact with other pigs if living as a domestic animal. Parasites tend to be species specific as well, meaning, for example, worms that infect pigs don't infect dogs, he said. Roeschley doesn't have a problem sharing the dog beach with the pig. "As long as the owner is watching out for him and other owners are watching out for their dogs and as long as the pig isn't carrying any diseases that can be passed on to dogs," she said, "I think it's fine." lvivanco@tribpub.com Advertisement Twitter @lvivanco Neighbors pitch in to clean up a damaged trailer on June 23, 2016, following a tornado that touched down in Pontiac the previous night. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune) Members of the Maierhofer family of Seneca hunkered down in their basement with several of their neighbors as tornado-producing storms roared through north-central Illinois on Wednesday night, causing extensive damage to their 260-acre farm and elsewhere. At first, "it was really calm," Jenna Maierhofer said. "And then all of a sudden our house was being bombarded. Our house was shaking." As of 8:45 p.m., tornadoes had swept through portions of Lee, LaSalle and DeKalb counties, said Ed Fenelon, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. Advertisement By the time the storm had passed Seneca, a grain bin had fallen on the Maierhofer house and a second house on the property was destroyed, as were several other structures. Debris from the grain bin that hit the house blocked a door, and firefighters had to remove it to help the people who were inside the house get out, according to the family. Advertisement The storm packed 60 mph winds and quarter-size hail and moved southeast at about 30 mph, spawning a funnel cloud in Harvey and quarter-inch hail in Chicago's Rogers Park neighborhood. About 50,000 fans at a soccer game between Chile and Colombia at Soldier Field in Chicago had to clear the stands. By Thursday afternoon, six tornadoes were confirmed, according to the weather service. A tornado near Pontiac has been rated as EF-2 with estimated peak winds of up to 125 mph, which the weather service lists as "significant." A tornado near Ottawa has been ranked as an EF-0 with winds of up to 85 mph, which is classified as "weak." "One (grain bin) is still standing, one is on the house and the other we don't know where it is," said Jeffrey Maierhofer, who was not home during the storm. The bins hold 3,000 to 4,000 bushels each. Four sheds also were destroyed, he said. Seven neighbors joined Jenna Maierhofer and her two sons in the basement. The Maierhofers have always told neighbors who live in trailers in a nearby campground to come to their house for shelter during violent weather. The neighbors began arriving when the rain started, and those in the basement ranged in age from 11 to 82. "Once we got the last person down there out of that doorway, I thought we were going to be OK," Jenna said. They remained in the basement for about a half an hour, she said. Their house, built in 1882, is inhabitable, Jeffery said. They were still trying to determine the cost of damage to all of their property. In addition to Seneca, which is about 75 miles soutwest of Chicago, damage was also reported near the towns of Marseilles and Pontiac. A Serena man said he drove through the area and saw damage in the areas of Serena, Earlville and Troy Grove. Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > "We physically saw two" tornadoes, said Nate Hermann, of Serena. "We were in between the one in Troy Grove and the one in Earlville at the same time." Hermann said was in his pickup truck and drove for 10 square miles in those areas describing the rural communities as "wiped out everywhere, it's bad." "Lines are down, trees are down, corn is flat everywhere," he said. Hermann said every road he saw showed signs of damage, and ditches were flooded. Roads were blocked and emergency vehicles are out, he said. Advertisement Scott Runyon, the fire chief in Pontiac, about 30 miles south of Seneca, said about 12 homes sustained moderate to severe damage in his town and throughout Livingston County. A retail strip center was destroyed. Two children who were in a bathtub in a mobile home were unharmed when the tub was tossed 20 feet, but their parents were injured, one with a broken pelvis and the other with a broken arm, Runyon said. Runyon said what was believed to be a tornado picked up strength when it crossed Interstate 55 near Illinois Hwy. 116. The retail strip, on an area 20 feet by 60 feet, was destroyed, and a semi tractor-trailer at a nearby gas station was tipped over onto its side. Two people in the gas station suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Nearby, a Wal-Mart sustained damage to its garden area. At least two hotels, and a car dealership also sustained structural damage. Map: Where tornadoes were seen by National Weather Service spotters (As of 5 a.m. Thursday, multiple reports can refer to the same tornado) In rural Livingston County, a number of homes are uninhabitable and residents are displaced, Sheriff Tony Childress said. "We have quite a bit of destruction," he said, noting there also was damage to metal sheds and metal grain bins. Within Pontiac city limits, a mobile home park was struck first and storm continued down Ray Street. Most of the damage there was caused by downed trees and power lines, he said. During a news conference Thursday morning, a ComEd spokesman said about 99 percent of power had been restored. Crews were still working in the area of Ray Street removing trees in order to access the remaining power lines. Russell said about 500 feet to the north of the tornado's path, there was no damage. He said in his home, which is on the north side of Pontiac, the lights did not even flicker. Pontiac police Chief Jim Woolford credited the fire department for sounding the sirens, which gave people about a 15-minute lead time. He said the area is in "pretty decent shape" considering the strength of the storm. As of 8:30 a.m., ComEd officials reported about 90 percent of the 26,000 customers affected by the storm power has been restored. For more updates, check the Chicago Tribune's weather page. Peter Nickeas, Liam Ford and Marwa Eltagouri are Chicago Tribune reporters. Erin Gallagher is a freelance reporter. Attorney Jon Loevy, left, and Thaddeus Jimenez speak to the media in 2012 after Jimenez was awarded $25 million for a wrongful murder conviction. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune) A reputed gang leader accused of using a whopping $25 million verdict for his wrongful murder conviction to pay bonuses to recruit new gang members pleaded guilty Wednesday to a federal gun charge stemming from a brazen daylight shooting on Chicago's Northwest Side that was allegedly caught on video. Thaddeus Jimenez, 37, who prosecutors allege heads the Simon City Royals gang, pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He faces up to about seven years in prison when he is sentenced in September. Advertisement Jimenez also is facing pending state charges alleging he shot a former gang member who had refused Jimenez's recruitment efforts. According to Jimenez's plea agreement, he and an accomplice, Jose Roman, drove around the Irving Park neighborhood on the morning of Aug. 17 armed with a .380-caliber pistol and a rifle while Roman shot video of their travels on his cellphone. During the drive, Roman, who also pleaded guilty to a weapons charge, could be seen patting the rifle with his left hand while saying "Yes, I had got that ... ready, one in the chamber, where they at?" Advertisement At one point, the pair encountered a man driving a white car. Roman yelled out to the man, "What you is? You ain't (expletive)? All right, this is Royals' hood, homie," according to Roman's plea agreement. After the man drove away without answering, Roman panned the camera back to his left hand, which was lowering the rifle while saying, "Ooh-ee, I got thirsty," according to the plea. About 11:30 a.m., Jimenez pulled up to the 33-year-old victim, who had gone outside to move his car in the 3500 block of West Belle Plaine Avenue, pointed the handgun at the man's head, and said, "Why shouldn't I blast you right now?" the plea filings show. After a brief verbal exchange, Jimenez shot the victim once in each leg while Roman continued to film. Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > As Jimenez sped from the scene, he ran a red light, prompting a police chase that ended when Jimenez crashed into a parked car on St. Louis Avenue, prosecutors said. He ran and dropped his handgun in a yard before he was arrested in the 3800 block of North Elston Avenue. Roman also ran but was arrested nearby after tossing the .22-caliber rifle, according to prosecutors. Jimenez was an alleged gang member with a lengthy history of arrests when he was arrested at 13, accused of fatally shooting a teenager in 1993. He was convicted and sentenced to 45 years in prison. Jimenez spent more than 16 years in prison before he was exonerated and released in May 2009. Prosecutors alleged that Jimenez was using his $25 million jury award from his wrongful conviction lawsuit to pay $50,000 recruitment bonuses along with guns and cars to bring new members into his gang. Roman faces up to about six years behind bars after pleading guilty in federal court Wednesday to being a felon in possession of a firearm. State charges against him are also pending. jmeisner@tribpub.com Advertisement Twitter @jmetr22b A man who was fatally shot on Lake Shore Drive downtown over the weekend and then driven to near Chicago police headquarters and left on the street has been identified. The man was identified as George Morgan, 21, of the 6200 block of North Richmond Street, according to the Cook County medical examiner's office. Morgan was pronounced dead at 11:13 p.m. Sunday at Northwestern Memorial Hospital after being found shot in the first block of East 35th Street, according to the office. Advertisement The man was shot about 10:40 p.m. Sunday in the 600 block of South Lake Shore Drive, police said at the time. He was then dropped off in the first block of East 35th Street in Bronzeville, where emergency crews found him, police said. Advertisement Morgan died of a gunshot wound to the torso, the medical examiner's office determined after an autopsy. Chicago police investigate after an officer shot and wounded a person who was allegedly pointing a gun at him in the 1600 block of North Washtenaw Avenue near Humboldt Park on June 19, 2016. (Alexandra Chachkevitch / Chicago Tribune) A judge set bail at $250,000 for a 19-year-old man who was shot by a Chicago police officer after he allegedly pointed a gun at him Sunday evening near the Puerto Rican festival at Humboldt Park. Angelo Dixon was charged with a felony count of aggravated assault to a police officer with a weapon and a felony count of aggravated unlawful use of a loaded weapon without possessing a firearm owner's identification card, according to court records and the Chicago Police Department. Advertisement Police were patrolling the perimeter of the Puerto Rican festival at Humboldt Park when they saw a large group of people about 9 p.m. Sunday. Dixon was in the group and the officers noticed he "was exhibiting behavior consistent with carrying a weapon," according to police at the time. Officers approached Dixon to investigate, but he ran away from the officers. The officers then saw that the suspect was carrying a gun in his hand and ordered him several times to drop his weapon, police said. Advertisement Once Dixon went around the corner of North and Washtenaw, he turned toward the officers with a gun in his hand. One officer discharged his weapon at least once, striking Dixon in the legs, police said. An officer administered emergency first aid and applied a tourniquet on Dixon until an ambulance took him to Stroger Hospital, where he was listed in serious condition, police said. Dixon remained at the hospital Tuesday. No officers were hurt, and a gun was recovered. Cook County Judge Laura Sullivan set Dixon's bail at $250,000 at a hearing Tuesday. Dixon, of 2200 block of West Diversey Avenue, is scheduled to appear in court again Monday. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel speaks after touring a new Whole Foods Market in the Hype Park neighborhood on June 21, 2016. (Zbigniew Bzdak / Chicago Tribune) Chicago police Lt. Raymond Hamilton identifies as a Republican, but when Mayor Rahm Emanuel was running for office in 2011, Hamilton spent dozens of hours volunteering to drive the Democratic candidate to campaign events, he testified Tuesday afternoon. But Hamilton didn't do the volunteer work hoping to land a prestigious job with Emanuel's security team. Advertisement "It's a very tough job and, in many ways ... it's just not a great job," he testified in U.S. District Court. "It's a lot of hours. There are hours you can't control. The mayor has an extremely hectic schedule and his schedule becomes your schedule. That's not something I was interested in." Hamilton was one of several Chicago police officers who have appeared in federal court in Chicago recently to testify about how a group of officers went from volunteers with the mayoral campaign to full-time members of Emanuel's security team once he was elected. Advertisement The hirings are at issue in court because four officers have sued the city, claiming they lost their long-held positions because of politics a violation of the Shakman decree that restricts political hiring. The officers were part of former Mayor Richard M. Daley's security team and claim they lost millions of dollars in salary and benefits when they were transferred to other positions. The case has garnered attention because it's the first in which Emanuel will be forced to testify. Emanuel is expected to be questioned about the hirings Wednesday afternoon, attorneys said. A transcript of his deposition will be presented in court Thursday and written closing arguments will be filed by Friday. U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber said he would make a decision on the case early next week. For three days, police officers, administrators and members of Emanuel's administrative team have testified, answering questions about how officers were selected for the security team. The lawyers representing the officers suing the city have leaned on emails between the officers and Emanuel's staff. While none of the emails presented in court specifically promises jobs or discusses paid positions, they have given a small window into some matters encountered during the campaign. At one point, for instance, Emanuel's assistant asked an officer in an email if he could check the plates of two "sketchy" cars parked outside the downtown campaign office. Police officers are not supposed to use department resources for nonpolice matters. In another email, Officer Hakki Gurkan said he was so eager to serve the campaign that he would make himself available whenever needed. "Hakki loves Rahm," one of Emanuel's campaign aides wrote to another, when sharing Gurkan's desire to volunteer more. "Adores," the other campaign officer wrote back. Advertisement Daywatch Weekdays Start each day with Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox. > Hamilton testified that he was encouraged to volunteer for the campaign by Gurkan one of the officers who later was hired for the full-time security detail. Hamilton said he started out driving Emanuel to appointments and campaign stops. Hamilton volunteered on his days off from work and at times took vacation and furlough days to help, he said in court. "At the time I volunteered," he testified, "I believed he was the candidate of choice that would be an effective mayor." Once Emanuel was elected, several officers were bumped up to work as his body guards. Hamilton was asked in the months before Emanuel formally took office to make a list of officers he'd recommend working as security guards. Once Emanuel was sworn in, several of those officers were placed on his full-time security team. The posts come with an increase in salary and special training. Hamilton did not go on to serve Emanuel. He is on leave from the Police Department, he said, and working for the Cook County Department of Homeland Security. "I was quite content that I helped put in place a strong, effective, transitional team," he said. "I was perfectly content going back to the Chicago police SWAT team." lbowean@tribpub.com Advertisement Twitter @lollybowean Chicago 43rd Ward alderman Michele Smith, who has been fighting for tougher Airbnb rules or "investor schemes," says Airbnb's are taking over her tony neighborhood by turning condos into hotels for partying out-of-towners, on June 22, 2016. Chicago city council also approved Uber and Lyft regulations despite complaints. (Phil Velasquez / Chicago Tribune) Mayor Rahm Emanuel-backed online home rental rules passed the City Council on Wednesday despite concerns from some aldermen that the attempt to regulate the new online economy epitomized by Airbnb does too little to protect residents from the proliferation of the business in Chicago residential neighborhoods. The 43-7 vote came after extensive debate. Lincoln Park Ald. Michele Smith said the new rules do too little to limit the number of commercial renters and give local residents too little say on the makeup of their own neighborhoods. Advertisement The 43rd Ward alderman, who has been fighting for tougher rules to prevent "investor schemes" she says are taking over her tony neighborhood by turning condos into hotels for partying out-of-towners, said the new rules are trying to cope with a situation that is already out of control. "This is about the new economy, and Chicago is racing to catch up with a runaway short-term rental train in our city," Smith said. Advertisement But Ald. Proco "Joe" Moreno, 1st, said residents in his hip Northwest Side ward are using the online rental platform to help make ends meet so they can afford to stay in their homes. "This is the 'Jetsons.' We're not going back to the 'Flintstones,'" Moreno said. Downtown Ald. Brendan Reilly, 42nd, said he would support the package after standing as an opponent of the plan for several months. But he predicted Airbnb would flout the new rules, "and we'll be back in a few months" trying to pass tougher regulations. Emanuel employed a familiar legislative strategy with the online rental ordinance, introducing it this spring, playing up a fee on the industry to help homeless people as evidence the rules would do good, and confidently predicting publicly that the City Council would back his plan. But the legislation stalled last month amid confusion and various interests loudly fighting for their version of the new rules on the rapidly evolving industry. The house rental package that passed Wednesday has undergone repeated changes as Airbnb mounted a well-funded lobbying and advertising campaign to pressure city officials not to adopt tough standards, aldermen in neighborhoods inundated with the rentals complained the city needed to bring the company to heel, Airbnb hosts said their livelihoods were being put at risk and city officials attempted to strike some kind of a balance with the rules. The version aldermen voted for is dizzyingly complex, setting various kinds of limits and ways to get around those limits for different types of residences in neighborhoods around the city. Buildings of fewer than five units will be allowed only one unit listed online at a time. Larger buildings will be capped at six units or 25 percent of the total number of units, whichever is less. But people who want to exceed the limit in the smaller buildings will be able to try to show the city Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection they are suffering "an extraordinary burden" because of it. In areas of the city with single-family homes, a late change allows residents in individual precincts to gather signatures on petitions to either outlaw new listings in those types of houses altogether, or to allow them only in the "primary residences" of the people listing the properties. If the petition gets signatures from 25 percent of registered voters in the precinct, the alderman for the area will be able to introduce a City Council ordinance enacting the language on the petition for four years. But the ordinance also includes a trap door for that process, granting residents within the precinct who oppose the petition language the right to get signatures on their own petition to overturn it. Advertisement In addition, various fees will be assessed to Airbnb. There's a 4 percent tax on each rental to fund services for homeless people, which Emanuel added early last month as he tried to play up the broader benefits to the city in setting new rules for the industry. Also included is a $60 charge for each Chicago address listed on the website, money the city intends to use to help cover the cost of enforcing the unwieldy new rules. And there's a $10,000 license Airbnb will need to buy to operate in Chicago. Much will depend on how well the city polices the new standards. It will be up to inspectors to identify violators and bring them to the company's attention. Airbnb will then be responsible for removing bad actors from its site. Critics say the different taxes amount to a pittance for a multinational company valued at billions of dollars that easily could have afforded to pay much more. And they accuse Emanuel of having passed far too lenient standards at a time major cities in Europe and elsewhere in the U.S. are taking a much harder line against online home renting. jebyrne@tribpub.com Twitter @_johnbyrne Lyft driver Michael O'Connor tries to draw customers at an official ride-hailing pick-up zone at Chicago's Navy Pier on June 22, 2016. The Chicago City Council approved ride-share regulations that critics say are too lenient. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune) Chicago aldermen adopted watered-down regulations on ride-hailing companies Wednesday despite critics complaining they hardly had time to consider the latest version of a proposal they worry will allow wealthy corporations like Uber to basically regulate themselves. The 36-12 vote came after much procedural wrangling, with Mayor Rahm Emanuel even threatening to adjourn the City Council meeting amid the chaos. Advertisement There was plenty of back and forth over the particulars of the contentious bill, with taxi industry supporters saying it does too little to even the regulatory playing field and supporters of the package arguing it's a good compromise. Northwest Side Ald. Scott Waguespack said the rules "don't do anything" to control the ride-hailing industry. And Northwest Side Ald. John Arena, 45th, said the watered-down rules will lead toward a "Wal-Mart economy" in Chicago, where "everything is cheaper, but you're not safer." Advertisement "Stop letting corporations write our laws to the detriment of our communities," Arena said. Ald. Leslie Hairston, 5th, likened the last-minute changes to the much-reviled parking meter deal that then-Mayor Richard M. Daley rammed through the council without giving aldermen time to digest it. But Ald. Joe Moore, 49th, said the ride-hailing rules have been sufficiently vetted at a series of meetings on the topic though the ink was barely dry on the copies of the new version of the ordinance when the vote took place. "We have been discussing this issue for months, years even," Moore said. Supporters said the growth of the ride-hailing industry is an example of how the economy is changing, saying new technology like the phone apps that allow people to offer rides for hire in their personal cars are a boon to minorities who can supplement their incomes and get rides in neighborhoods where cabs are scarce. Ald. Walter Burnett Jr. said the new industry is the reality in the city now. "I'm not trying to advertise for Uber, but this is the 21st century," the 27th Ward alderman said. Aldermen need to look out for what's best for constituents rather than worrying about the feud between the cab industry and ride-hailing companies, Burnett added. "Let those guys fight," he said. Chaos reigned in City Council chambers before the vote, with aldermen resorting to various procedural maneuvers and Emanuel threatening to adjourn the council for the day. Advertisement Waguespack, 32nd, moved to temporarily put off a vote on the proposal. Usually, that provides one month until the next regular meeting for both sides of an issue to press their case. But in response, Ald. Edward Burke, 14th, scheduled a City Council meeting for 1 p.m. Friday so aldermen could vote on the rules then. Emanuel then recessed the council meeting for the day. Waguespack withdrew his blocking maneuver, since the vote would happen Friday anyway. But he complained the new version of the ordinance had just been handed to aldermen. "That is not the way to run the City Council," Waguespack said. Emanuel was forced to deal with the ride-hailing issue after Far South Side Ald. Anthony Beale, 9th, brought forward his own proposal he said was meant to even the regulatory playing field with traditional cab companies that have seen their business take a big hit as Uber's popularity has swelled. Beale got a tougher version of the ordinance through committee last week, requiring fingerprint background checks for ride-sharing drivers and that ride-hailing companies provide a certain level of handicapped-accessible vehicles. But while he insisted he had enough support to get it through the full council, it was unclear whether a majority of his colleagues would join him in opposing Emanuel. Beale and other aldermen met this week behind closed doors with Emanuel administration officials, and emerged to say they had agreed to compromise language that had been watered down. Fingerprinting, which Uber officials have said is an ineffective burden that would likely force them to stop operating in Chicago, will now be studied for six months. And the companies will have a year to implement a plan to offer handicapped accessible rides. Advertisement The package would require all ride-sharing drivers get special chauffeur licenses specific to the industry. But the drivers would be able to fulfill their training requirements online rather than attending expensive classes like cabbies must do. The ordinance also eliminates the requirement that anyone applying for a public chauffeur license cabbies or ride-sharing drivers get an upfront drug test and physical exam, instead allowing the city's license commissioner to seek those for specific drivers when people complain. Though he would have preferred no new ride-hailing rules, Emanuel can claim a victory by preventing the council from enacting an ordinance with real teeth. Emanuel has repeatedly asserted in recent months that the roughly 90,000 registered Uber and Lyft drivers in the city give Chicagoans more options, promote competition and make it easier for residents to find rides in predominantly minority neighborhoods. Emanuel's brother, Hollywood superagent Ari Emanuel, is an Uber investor. jebyrne@tribpub.com Twitter @_johnbyrne Chicago Teachers Union members including Christopher McDaniel, center, chant during a rally at Thompson Center in the Loop on June 22, 2016. (Michael Tercha / Chicago Tribune) The Chicago Teachers Union and groups calling for an elected police oversight board teamed up to pack City Hall on Wednesday in a show of force aimed at pressuring Mayor Rahm Emanuel and aldermen for their respective causes. The teacher's union promoted its work as a call for city leaders to approve a series of local tax hikes, which it contends would avert the worst of the latest financial crisis besetting Chicago Public Schools and looming threats of a strike in the coming school year. Advertisement At the same time, the union employed its strategy of joining allied populist groups to reinforce its numbers. "We want an elected school board and an elected police board," CTU Vice President Jesse Sharkey said into a megaphone outside City Council chambers. "There needs to be accountability at all levels to stop racism and defend the future of our children." Advertisement Hours before the rallies were set to begin, CPS tried to get out front with an announcement it would challenge union efforts to discipline members who refused to participate in the union's April 1 work stoppage. The latest protest didn't rival that one, which saw thousands of demonstrators from several community groups flooding downtown streets to broadcast similar calls for an elected school board and dramatic changes to the way the city's police are supervised. Still, the several hundred protesters on hand Wednesday pushed their way through City Hall's doors, carrying signs and chanting slogans outside council chambers as aldermen geared up for a heated monthly meeting. Others crammed part of a hallway on City Hall's first floor, where chants of "banks got bailed out, schools got sold out" echoed. Signs written in Spanish and English called for "City funding for a fair contract," said "Teachers and students have already sacrificed enough" and suggested "The rich must pay their fair share." "We are terribly underfunded," said Gayle Gibbons, who said she has taught in Chicago for 34 years. "We aren't getting the money we need from the state, the city is misspending funds that could go toward education." In the absence of action from Springfield, the CTU demands that Emanuel and aldermen approve a "revenue recovery package." That includes a new tax on financial transactions, higher fuel and hotel taxes, plus a tax on ride-share services. Emanuel has taken a dim view of those proposals, however. During Wednesday's meeting of the Chicago Board of Education, district CEO Forrest Claypool criticized both Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner and the teachers union. "CTU leadership is asking instead that Chicago taxpayers make up for Gov. Rauner's failure to meet the state's constitutional obligation to fully and fairly fund our schools," Claypool said. "A half-billion dollars in new taxes for Chicago taxpayers is not the answer." Advertisement Rauner has noted Democrats had unfettered control of state government for a dozen years but failed to change the school funding formula. CPS' planned "unfair labor practice" charge to the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board repeated district arguments that the union's one-day strike violated state law. The district asserted the union "restrained and coerced" employees who did not participate in the action "by threatening to expose employees and hold them up to ridicule by their colleagues," telling employees that they would have to forfeit their pay for April 1 and "denying them rights as members of the CTU." The union retorted that CPS' move was a CPS effort to "thwart growing news coverage of today's Loop actions." Joining the CTU at the City Hall protest were members the Civilian Police Accountability Council, which wants an elected police oversight panel to replace the much-criticized Independent Police Review Authority. Mark Clements, who was released from prison in 2009 after receiving four life sentences for a 1981 arson that killed four people when he was 16, said a lack of accountability has degraded the community's trust in law enforcement. Advertisement "We're in 2016 and we're still operating as if we're still in bondage," Clements said. "The mayor needs to appoint crime victims to any board. I'd be willing to sit on that board." Also targeted by the union were wealthy and influential Chicagoans, including Ken Griffin, the state's richest man, Citadel hedge fund founder, Emanuel ally and frequent target of populist politicos. "We're here because we are advocating for progressive income tax, (and) the LaSalle Street tax," said Tony Johnston, president of the Cook County College Teachers Union, while protesting outside Citadel's headquarters. Griffin, a major Rauner campaign donor, "is advocating for a 'squeeze the beast' policy of public education," he said. The union also demonstrated at River Point Plaza at Lake and Canal streets. That was aimed at Larry Levy, a restaurateur and developer. Yet another effort unfolded outside Willis Tower targeting David Vitale, the former Chicago Board of Education chairman who sits on the board of United Airlines, which is headquartered in the building. "If there's one message that we want everyone to take away from this today, it's that we cannot have more cuts to our public schools," said Sharkey, the union vice president. "They've been cut too much already. We're not talking about cutting fat. Now we're talking about cutting bone, muscle and sinew." jjperez@tribpub.com Advertisement gwong@tribpub.com tjdavis@tribpub.com Members of the Chicago Teachers Union, shown during an April 1, 2016, march, will protest at five downtown locations June 22. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) 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 That sound you'll hear downtown Wednesday is a clamor for higher taxes led by the Chicago Teachers Union. Advertisement The union plans to protest at five sites, including at CPS headquarters prior to a Chicago Board of Education meeting. Demonstrators will call for an elected school board outside CPS offices, while another group is scheduled to converge on City Hall to back activists' demands for elected civilian police oversight. Yet another effort is set to happen outside Willis Tower targeting David Vitale, the former school board chairman who sits on the board of United Airlines, which is headquartered in the building. Advertisement The other two protests are aimed at wealthy and influential Chicagoans. One is Ken Griffin, the state's richest man, Citadel hedge fund founder, Emanuel ally and frequent target of populist politicos. That protest will take place at 131 S. Dearborn St. The union also will demonstrate at River Point Plaza at the northeast corner of Lake and Canal streets. That's aimed at Larry Levy, a restaurateur and developer. Later in the morning, CTU President Karen Lewis is expected to preside over a rally at the Thompson Center -- the center of state government in Chicago. The big union push is for money. The CTU wants action from Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the City Council, and it wants gridlocked state government to approve a financial rescue of CPS. The union wants a financial transaction tax, higher fuel taxes, a tax on ride-share services and a bump to the city's hotel tax. Emanuel's taken a dim view of the proposal, and called for Springfield lawmakers and Gov. Bruce Rauner to blink first. Lewis has said the impasse is borne from "a failure on the part of leadership." "We really feel that it's not right to just blame Springfield," Lewis told reporters this month. "The blame is in City Hall on the fifth floor, not asking and not being consistent or coherent or having a real plan for funding." While the union has said both city and state government need to pay more for school funding, Lewis has said the CTU is willing to accept a contract without some annual pay hikes. In case you're wondering why CTU members plan to protest instead of work: Wednesday is the second of three furlough days Chicago Public Schools imposed earlier this year for teachers and school-based workers. The days were supposed to be professional development days following the end of the regular school year when students would not be in the classroom, but CPS instituted a forced vacation it said would save $30 million. The protests are set to begin at 8:30 a.m. (Juan Perez Jr.) Advertisement What's on tap *Mayor Emanuel will preside over the Chicago City Council meeting. *Gov. Bruce Rauner has no public events. *A full agenda at today's jampacked City Council meeting: Ride-sharing rules showdown, Airbnb regulations, paid sick leave, Wrigley Field plaza booze rules, a Towing Bill of Rights, dog poop cleanup ordinance, resolution on assault weapons hearing and introduction of a CPS lead testing resolution. There will also be a protest (see our lead item above). What we're writing *Latest version of Emanuel's Airbnb rules on track for City Council approval. *Ricketts gets less than he wanted in Wrigley Field plaza booze rules. *A city Towing Bill of Rights on way to Chicago would require tow truck drivers to record their tow jobs. Advertisement *Chicago crossing guards want their badges back. *Latest twist in Lucas Museum saga: A deadline denied. * Officer testifies Emanuel security detail wasn't political post What we're reading *Former Tribune editor, publisher Jack Fuller obit. *OMG! "Hamilton" tickets. Did you get any? *Front-runner emerges in Tribune Tower sale. Advertisement From the notebook *All quiet on the budget front: For the third week in a row, Democratic House Speaker Michael Madigan has canceled a planned Wednesday session day in Springfield, saying lawmakers' time would be better spent in closed-door working group meetings. "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. "Gov. 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." When Madigan canceled the session last week, Rauner was asked why he hadn't exercised his power to call the General Assembly into a special session. The governor said then that it would be a "waste of time" to call lawmakers back "when they're not ready to vote." Now he's saying he'll start "evaluating" his options, as just over a week remains before the state enters a new budget year, though that traditional deadline didn't seem to matter much last year. The governor signed the schools budget and vetoed the rest. This time around, Rauner wants lawmakers to approve a six-month spending plan to keep universities, government operations and human services afloat through the November election, and a full-year funding bill for K-12 public schools. The short-term spending plan was first suggested by the governor on the final day of the legislative session, a few days after Democratic Senate President John Cullerton floated the concept and Rauner's GOP legislative allies shot it down. Madigan handed it off to the working groups, which had been working on negotiating a larger budget compromise. Advertisement The governor now contends the working groups have been hijacked by Madigan, and he disputes the speaker's claim that the groups are making progress. "I believe what's being done is the leadership on the other side of the aisle is using the working groups as an excuse not to do anything, to delay and create a crisis," Rauner said Tuesday as he called on lawmakers to return to the Capitol and take votes on his short-term spending solutions. (Kim Geiger) *Chamber goes for Dold in IL-10: Republican U.S. Rep. Bob Dold picked up two endorsements Tuesday in his contest against former Democratic U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider. Dold won the backing of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Illinois Chamber of Commerce. "Bob Dold is a proven, effective problem-solver who is not afraid to reach across the aisle to get things done in Illinois' 10th district," said Rob Engstrom, national political director of the U.S. Chamber. "At a time when partisan rancor is at an all-time high, Rep. Dold works with his peers to provide commonsense policies that provide certainty for all Illinoisans," said Todd Maisch, president and CEO of the Illinois group. The Nov. 8 election is the third match-up between Kenilworth's Dold and Schneider, who is from Deerfield. Each candidate has won once. (Katherine Skiba) Advertisement *A Mount Sterling example of budget impasse pain: The City Council in the tiny western Illinois community of Mount Sterling may have voted to keep the water on at the local state prison despite Illinois' budget impasse, but the payment battle may not be over. Vada Yingling, city administrator in the community of about 2,000 people, said in an interview with WFMB-1450 AM in Springfield that officials may discuss organizing with other towns also faced with nonpayment of bills from the state. Mount Sterling's City Council voted 6-0 on Monday not to shut off water to the prison, which employs about 400 people, despite being owed about $320,000. That came after a threat from the governor's office. "I think that, you know, as a city, our biggest fear is that our governor would make an example out of the first city who would make a stand," Yingling said, noting about 100 people packed into the council chambers, many associated with jobs at the prison. "We had gotten some phone calls from the governor's office not from he, himself, but from (the) governor's office saying that, you know, 'Well, it's a possibility if we have to move those inmates out because of the water being shut off, they may not be moved back and those jobs could be compromised. Do you understand that?'" she told the radio station. Yingling said Mount Sterling buys water from a local water district, and almost half the water the community purchases is for the prison. On the day of the vote, she said, the town shut off seven homes for nonpayment and "their bill is nowhere near the prison's and the prison is still getting water, so that's hard to justify." Advertisement Yingling said Mount Sterling has received calls from other communities also awaiting payment from the state. She said the Mississippi River city of Chester, home to the Menard Correctional Center, is owed "millions" from state government. "I would like to see if it's somehow possible for all of us (owed money) to come together as a unified front and stay together that we could somehow join forces and make a mightier stand together rather than individually," she said. "Maybe the governor can't say 'no' if we stand unified." (Rick Pearson) Follow the money *Track campaign contribution reports in real time with this Tribune Twitter account: https://twitter.com/ILCampaignCash Beyond Chicago *Republican leaders alarmed by Trump's fundraising start, but maybe he'll self-fund? *Clinton rips Trump's economic plan. *Trump vows to appoint anti-abortion judges. Advertisement *Why the Trump assassination attempt isn't bigger news. Keith Richards, left, walks Feb. 26, 2016, through the lot at Lincoln Towing to pick up his car that had been towed from the parking lot of his Evanston apartment building. (Nancy Stone / Chicago Tribune) Towing companies operating in Chicago would have to record their tow jobs and make the video available to city officials and people whose vehicles were towed under a Towing Bill of Rights that's poised for city approval. The new ordinance also would require that towing companies provide police with a list of all parking lots at which they have contracts to tow and whether those contracts permit towing only upon owner notification or whether they allow the company to patrol the lot. Advertisement And towing company signs posted at lots would have to include a number for the Illinois Commerce Commission, where complaints could be directed. The ordinance proposed by Ald. Ameya Pawar, 47th, and Ald. Ariel Reboyras, 30th was endorsed Tuesday by the City Council License and Consumer Protection Committee and is slated for routine approval at Wednesday's full council meeting. Advertisement "We all know about the tow companies that take advantage of the people that they tow," Pawar said. "If you get towed, I don't think it's too much to ask that you're not beaten up, threatened, have items from your car stolen, have your car damaged, etc., etc." Pawar was reacting to reports about alleged abuses by Lincoln Towing Service, a longtime North Side operator once dubbed in song as the "Lincoln Park Pirates." In the wake of a flood of complaints, the state Commerce Commission plans to determine if the company is "fit to hold a license to operate in Illinois," according to an agency news release. In one case that led to criminal charges, two Lincoln Towing employees allegedly knocked a 55-year-old worker off a 16-foot ladder as they towed away his truck, then mocked him while he was down on the ground with a broken leg. The commission's decision to consider stripping Lincoln Towing of its license came after 3,100 people signed a petition urging Pawar to work to suspend the company's business license. "I hope that the Illinois Commerce Commission takes action against Lincoln Towing," Pawar said. "I think it's time for them to go. They are the regulatory body, but we as a city are doing what we can to regulate tow trucks and ensure that there is proper consumer protection." The commission also plans to make the same determination for Rendered Services, which operates on the South Side. In November 2014, Chicago police seized computers, documents and vehicle keys from the company's offices. Pawar's measure would require towing companies to have video cameras on all tow trucks to document front and rear views, with audio. The video would have to be maintained for one year and be provided upon request without charge to the owner, city regulators or aldermen. "The city already requires tow truck companies to take a photo of every tow," said Pawar, who added that the idea was offered up by Rendered Services. "This just takes it one step further." Advertisement hdardick@tribpub.com Twitter @ReporterHal An Uber sticker is displayed on the front windshield of a parked car on Irving Park Road in Chicago on Wednesday, June 22, 2016. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune) Chicago aldermen on Wednesday easily passed Mayor Rahm Emanuel's plans to regulate two major parts of the online sharing economy, but the new rules for home rental platforms and ride-hailing sites aren't likely to calm the roiling controversy over what role city government should play in directing the behavior of companies like Airbnb and Uber. Strong feelings on how to handle the fast-evolving, person-to-person businesses erupted during a lengthy City Council meeting, which briefly descended into chaos as Emanuel threatened to adjourn the proceedings when aldermen tried to block a vote on the Uber ordinance. Advertisement The issues have been hot-button ones for Emanuel, aldermen and the public not only because the city is trying to get its arms around quickly growing businesses but because the ordinances touch on the sensitive topics of race, class and segregation in Chicago. And like similar fights taking place elsewhere, the debate has played out with the well-funded companies threatening to leave Chicago and fighting for less regulation by hiring high-powered lobbyists and launching advertising campaigns calling on residents to tell elected officials not to put in place heavy controls. Advertisement Emanuel tried to cast the council's approval as evidence City Hall can negotiate to get things done, drawing a contrast to the gridlock that's gripped Springfield. "Now, not everything is picture-perfect, but compromise, consensus, common ground has worked for Chicago today. And I would call on Springfield, after 385 days without a budget, where the basic culture is one of demonization rather than dialogue, that this is an example of where we're working together," he said. But opponents saw in the way Emanuel dealt with the issues echoes of the worst tendencies of his predecessor, Mayor Richard M. Daley, particularly on the ride-hailing rules. Ald. Leslie Hairston, 5th, compared the fact council members were expected to vote on an ordinance that was still getting amended Wednesday morning to the much reviled 2008 parking meter lease, which aldermen had little time to read before Daley called it for a vote. Ald. Scott Waguespack, 32nd, said, "The council should not operate this way," and briefly tried to use a procedural move to block a vote, which usually means an ordinance doesn't get voted on until next month's council meeting. But the mayor and 14th Ward Ald. Edward Burke countered by saying they would bring back the ride-hailing measure for a vote at a special meeting Friday afternoon, and Emanuel announced he was taking the highly unusual step of ending Wednesday's session with many agenda items yet to be addressed. Waguespack then dropped his objection rather than wear the jacket for dragging the entire council back to City Hall on the cusp of a summer weekend. Emanuel has tried to make the case that ride-hailing companies are a boon in minority neighborhoods where residents can make money driving part time and people who have long dealt with a shortage of cabs can more easily get rides. And he has defended Airbnb as a way for visitors to find places to sleep and spend money in less flashy neighborhoods outside the downtown hotel zone. Nonetheless, the companies pushed back hard against what they say is an overreach, arguing the past several months that various parts of the proposed rules would make it difficult for them to operate here. Both hired high-powered lobbyist Michael Kasper, who defended Emanuel in his 2010 residency fight to stay on the mayoral ballot, to represent their interests at City Hall. Kasper spoke on behalf of Airbnb at a hearing this week and worked the room behind City Council chambers Wednesday prior to the votes on the ordinances. Advertisement Arrayed on the other side of the legislative fight was a coalition of deep-pocketed legacy businesses like the cab and hotel industries, their aldermanic allies and residents who worry the laissez-faire attitude exhibited by City Hall toward the online economy is giving the hugely profitable companies too much say. "Stop letting corporations write our laws to benefit them at the detriment of our communities that are suffering," said Ald. John Arena, 45th. "We are letting them self-regulate themselves, and we continue to see what that does to our economy. It drives us further toward the Wal-Mart economy. Everything's cheaper, but you're not safer and the service is not better." The fact both ordinances came before aldermen Wednesday was somewhat happenstance. Emanuel backed a plan to regulate Airbnb and other online rental platforms early this year, then announced last month that the ordinance would require the company to pay a 4 percent surcharge on each rental. The $2 million a year the city estimated would be raised would go toward services for homeless people, allowing Emanuel to try to position the package as a way to get a wealthy corporation to kick in for the social good. But the mayor then watched as a handful of aldermen began complaining loudly that their hip North Side neighborhoods were getting transformed into ad hoc hotel zones for partying tourists thanks to investors renting out condos through online agencies year-round. Lincoln Park Ald. Michele Smith, 43rd, said the Emanuel plan was "throwing aside decades of zoning rules in order to turn over the keys to our neighborhoods to this $25 billion multinational company." Advertisement Downtown Ald. Brendan Reilly, who had been one of the staunchest backers of a tougher Airbnb ordinance, voted in favor Wednesday, but predicted the council would need to come back and tighten the rules in a few months when the company started flouting them. During negotiations, Airbnb threatened a lawsuit over language in the plan company officials said illegally made them responsible for the behavior of hosts who used the platform. And a lobbying group for the online rental industry aired TV ads, playing up the most sympathy-inducing type of online renting, featuring regular Chicagoans in different neighborhoods saying they use the extra money from hosting visitors in their homes to make ends meet. But after Wednesday's approval, Airbnb senior adviser Will Burns, who resigned as 4th Ward alderman this year to work for the company, released a statement saying, "The City of Big Shoulders is giving a big welcome to home sharing." City officials tried to balance the competing positions, leading to a dizzying number of proposed ordinances. It got so confusing that last month aldermen balked at voting on Emanuel's plan, with several saying they couldn't keep track of the specifics. The version that eventually passed includes a new clause to give residents in parts of the city zoned for single-family homes the ability to pass petitions to restrict the home rentals in those areas. But it gives no such possible local control in denser neighborhoods with larger rental buildings and condominium complexes. The mayor's efforts to placate various interest groups resulted in incredibly complicated rules. Even the petition clause comes with a trap door: Residents unhappy with precinct-level restrictions can get signatures on their own petition to overturn it. Advertisement In some ways, the ride-hailing ordinance was even more vexing to the mayor. Emanuel has been steadfastly arguing ride sharing is beneficial to Chicagoans, saying it increases competition and gives riders more choices, especially in minority neighborhoods where cabs have long been scarce. The mayor would rather there be no additional local regulations on Uber whose investors include his brother, Hollywood super agent Ari Emanuel and other such companies, like Lyft. The push to regulate ride-hailing companies, which compete with traditional taxi companies by allowing people to use phone apps to call for rides in drivers' personal cars, originated with Far South Side Ald. Anthony Beale. The 9th Ward alderman said he's acting on behalf of cabbies, trying to even the regulatory playing field between the two industries. Last week, Beale succeeded in getting a tough version of his proposed Uber rules through council committee, including fingerprint background checks and requirements that the companies provide handicapped-accessible vehicles. It was unclear whether he had 26 votes to pass the full council over Emanuel's wishes, however. And this week Beale reached agreement with the mayor on a watered-down version. The city now only has to conduct a study on the need for fingerprinting and gives the ride-hailing companies a year to implement plans to accommodate disabled riders. Uber spokeswoman Brooke Anderson released a statement saying the ride-hailing regulations showed the wishes of "hundreds of thousands of Chicagoans" were honored "thanks to Mayor Rahm Emanuel's leadership and good-faith efforts by many aldermen." Advertisement Beale and Emanuel slapped hands on the dais at the front of council chambers after the ordinance passed, and the mayor later characterized the new rules in both industries as examples of Chicago leading the way. "In both of these cases, Chicago now has new regulation, things totally different that have not been done in other cities, from licensing to revenue for homelessness, setting a new template where other cities will look to and mimic what Chicago has done," he said. "And for the first time, have new regulations on an emerging industry, which I think will stand the test of time for Chicago." jebyrne@tribpub.com hdardick@tribpub.com Displaced families at a refugee camp in western Fallujah, Iraq. More than 85,000 refugees have fled the fighting against the Islamic State and many people have been forced to sleep in the open desert as supplies have run low. (Nawras Aamer / EPA) HABBANIYAH, Iraq Families fleeing the battle for 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. Advertisement 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. 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. Advertisement 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. "We'll sleep here tonight," she said, indicating the one gray blanket they had between them. "What else can we do? We are desperate. We don't have anything." Nearby, men scuffled over a pack of bottles of water as a truck drove around throwing them out to families. "We've been treated like dogs," said 72-year-old Mohammed Jassim Khalil. "What's 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. "It's better than living like this." 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 organization's director in Iraq. "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." Advertisement The United Nations says it is severely underfunded as it deals with an unprecedented number of people displaced globally, with 1out 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 progress, adding strain in the already underserved camps. U.N. officials have appealed for $17.5 million in emergency funding. 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 1/2 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 from where he said he had been whipped with electric cables. Advertisement 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 didn't 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. Adnan's husband and 17-year-old son are still in detention. Advertisement "If the government can't 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 Iraq's 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. Advertisement "It's 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. Advertisement 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. The Washington Post's Mustafa Salim contributed to this report. A Pennsylvania man who lost his daughter to a heroin overdose earlier this year was arrested with two other people after they were stopped while trying to drive through the Holland Tunnel with a cache of weapons on their way to "rescue" a teenage girl involved with drugs in New York, according to officials and social media posts from two of the men. One of the people told investigators that they were headed to Brooklyn to "rescue" a teenage girl before they were stopped in Jersey City, according to a law enforcement official. The official spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because of the ongoing investigation. Advertisement John Cramsey, 50, and Dean Smith, 53, both of Zionsville, Pennsylvania, and Kimberly Arendt, 29, of Lehighton, each face several weapons charges. They remained in custody Tuesday night and could not be reached for comment; officials say they didn't know if any of the three had retained an attorney who could speak on their behalf. 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. Advertisement 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. Port Authority of New York and New Jersey police officers stopped the van around 7:40 a.m. in Jersey City for a cracked windshield, the agency said. An officer saw a weapon on a seat, and a subsequent search uncovered two rifles, five handguns and knives. Some of the weapons were loaded, authorities said. A Port Authority photo, obtained by media outlets, also showed officers found a large amount of ammunition, a military-grade helmet and night-vision goggles. A bag with the words "Firearms Instructor" and box with the phrase "Shoot Your Local Heroin Dealer" were also in the vehicle. The brightly colored Dodge van carried the name of a Pennsylvania gun range. The gun shop is registered to the same Zionsville address listed as Cramsey's address, according to records. Attempts to reach the business Tuesday were unsuccessful. The Port Authority said there was no link to terrorism. Associated Press Jim Stachowiak specializes in provoking strong reactions. In the past, he has called for the U.S. military to bomb Mecca. He made a point of standing outside a military recruiting office in Georgia with a rifle in his hands to provide the center with protection, he said, but was also accused of harassment. Advertisement Almost a year later, the former police officer and ardent Donald Trump supporter has put out a "clarion call" for "lone wolf patriots" to join him at the GOP convention in Cleveland this summer to confront Black Lives Matter demonstrators. "I am encouraging patriots and Trump supporters and those that support liberty and freedom to come lawfully armed with lethal and non-lethal weaponry," Stachowiak said in a video posted on his YouTube over the weekend. Advertisement Stachowiak has a lengthy criminal history, according to ABC affiliate WJBF. In 2008, while working as a public safety officer at Augusta State University, his certification was revoked after three years following a misconduct investigation, the station reported. Two years later, WJBF noted, Stachowiak was arrested and charged with criminal defamation for stealing a man's picture from a social networking site, posting it elsewhere and labeling the individual a terrorist. By his own admission, he's been banned from Facebook at least four times. In his latest video, Stachowiak accused activists with Black Lives Matter - which he refers to as "Black Lies Matter" - of threatening to kill Trump and planning to disrupt the gathering of Republican leadership. "They have threatened to cause riots in Cleveland and nationwide," Stachowiak said. "It is our sworn duty and obligation for all those like me and many of you who have taken the oath to defend this country against all enemies foreign and domestic." A spokesman for the Cleveland Police Department told The Washington Post that she had no information about Stachowiak or what sort of precautions the department might take in light of his plans. Audrey Scagnelli, national press secretary for the Republican committee organizing the convention, offered The Post the following statement when asked about Stachowiak's video. "For the past year planners have been working closely with the Secret Service, the FBI, and additional state, local and federal partners to make sure delegates, attendees and residents of the city of Cleveland are safe during the Convention. Law enforcement partners are monitoring and investigating threats and information related to building and implementing a security plan." Advertisement The Southern Poverty Law Center considers Stachowiak a member of the resurgent "Patriot Movement," whose members subscribe to a conspiratorial, anti-government ideology based on the belief that federal authorities seek to confiscate people's guns, impose martial law and force the United States into a socialistic "New World Order." Mark Potok of the SPLC called Stachowiak a "loose cannon" who is "not quite in contact with reality," but noted that he should still be considered dangerous. "People like him make these kinds of statements very frequently and sometimes it leads to real trouble," Potok told The Washington Post. "When you're encouraging an armed confrontation -- even if you're supposedly keeping it legal - you're inviting trouble." In his latest video, Stachowiak says he's hoping to "spark a revolution," but in the past he told the SPLC that his actions are always defensive in nature. "I'd rather go to a movie or make payments on a jet ski, but I have to buy ammo," he said in 2010. "I'm concerned about civil unrest, my neighbors going crazy, round-ups, foreign troops, the New World Order." Despite their anti-government impulses, Potok told The Post that many in the Patriot Movement have rallied around the candidacy of Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, because of his stances on several issues. Advertisement "Unlike the white supremacists that support Trump, the core of their support isn't based on racism, but they certainly are opposed to immigration, very much in favor of the 2nd Amendment and they think that big government is a wicked thing," Potok said. "They're sort of Republican beliefs on steroids. They're nationalists and Trump is certainly a super-nationalist." When it comes to Black Live Matters supporters, Stachowiak said in his YouTube video that he believed they "want to attack those of us for merely supporting a candidate." He added: "Let's answer the call, people." His opinions aren't limited to the Black Lives Matter movement, according to reports. On his Internet radio show, WJBF reported, Stachowiak accused Mohammad of being a child rapist and called Islam a "mental disorder." Last year, a Muslim woman who identified herself as Hawwa told WJBF she saw Stachowiak standing outside the military recruiting center. He followed her into a nearby store to get her to notice his shirt, she told the station. "On the front it says, 'Burn the Koran,' " she said. "On the back, it said something really bad about Allah." Advertisement The Richmond County Sheriff's Office told the station at the time that Stachowiak had done nothing illegal. "You don't egg on somebody like that," Hawwa told the station. "Ultimately, you should feel sorry for him." A man watches a TV news program reporting about a missile launch of North Korea, at the Seoul Train Station in Seoul, South Korea. (Lee Jin-man / AP) North Korean leader Kim Jong Un trumpeted the success of a powerful new midrange ballistic missile test that state media said Thursday propelled one of the weapons more than 1,400 kilometers (870 miles) high, saying it would allow strikes on U.S. forces throughout the region. That ability would back up years of threats and boasts from North Korea and has long been a worry for the United States and its allies, Tokyo and Seoul. It explains in part North Korea's tenacious testing of the Musudan missile, which was only a success after five failures in about two months. The missile's potential 3,500-kilometer (2,180-mile) range puts much of Asia and the Pacific within reach. Advertisement After observing the launch, Kim said it gives his country the "sure capability to attack in an overall and practical way the Americans in the Pacific operation theatre," according to the official Korean Central News Agency. Other governments said North Korea fired two Musduan missiles on Wednesday, after suffering four previous launch failures since April. Advertisement The first launch ended in failure again. But Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani said the second launch demonstrated a "certain level of capability," and could lead to a further strengthening of North Korea's ballistic missile capabilities that can cover Japanese territory. Each new test apparently linked to a command from Kim likely provides valuable insights to North Korea'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 the suspected first Musudan launch Wednesday from the east coast city of Wonsan failed. 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 on Wednesday, the South's military said the North fired another suspected Musudan, which flew about 400 kilometers (245 miles). Japan's Defense Ministry said that its radar analysis found that the missile reached an altitude exceeding 1,000 kilometers (620 miles), which suggests it was a Musudan missile. The KCNA report said the missile flew to the maximum height of 1,413. 6 kilometers (878.3 miles) before landing 400 kilometers away in waters the North had targeted. It said the launch was carried out by a high-angle fire system. "We have to see it as a success," Lee Choon Geun, an analyst at South Korea's state-funded Science and Technology Policy Institute, said of the second launch. "No other (previous) missiles fired by North Korea have ever flown that high." The U.S. Strategic Command in Hawaii said Wednesday its systems detected and tracked two suspected North Korean Musudan missiles that fell into the Sea of Japan. They didn't pose a threat to North America, it said. In April, North Korea attempted unsuccessfully to launch three suspected Musudan missiles, but all exploded midair or crashed, according to South Korean defense officials. Earlier this month, North Korea had another suspected Musudan failure, they said. Advertisement 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. Musudan is named by outsiders after a village near its test site. The KCNA report called it a Hwasong-10. The launches appear to stem from Kim'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. In the KCNA report, Kim said North Korea must bolster its pre-emptive nuclear attack capability to cope with U.S. threats and continue the development of strategic weapons systems. 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. "The impact of these provocations will be to only strengthen the resolve of the international community that has such serious concerns with North Korea's behavior," said White House spokesman Josh Earnest. "The United States will do what we have done in the past, which is work with the international community, particularly our allies in South Korea and Japan." Advertisement South Korea's Unification Ministry called the launches a "clear provocation." In Tokyo, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was also critical, saying, "We find it utterly unforgivable." Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said that Beijing didn't consider the missile launches to be an act of defiance against China, North Korea's long-time ally with whom its relations have cooled substantially in recent years. "To say such an act taken by North Korea shows disapproval against China is reading too much into it," Hua said at a press briefing. 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 those 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. Advertisement Associated Press A man who says he was the former lover of the Pulse nightclub shooter tells Univision News that Omar Mateen was acting out of revenge when he killed 49 people and put many more patrons of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender nightclub in the hospital. "The thing that makes me want to tell the truth is that he didn't do it for terrorism. In my opinion he did it for revenge," said a man identified simply as "Miguel." Advertisement The man, who lived in Orlando until December, wore a disguise for the exclusive interview with Univision News anchor Maria Elena Salinas. Miguel said in the interview: Advertisement He met Mateen on the gay dating app Grindr and described their relationship as "friends with benefits." They got together at least 15 times during the two-month relationship, which ended in December when Miguel left Orlando. Mateen was "terrified" of being HIV positive and felt rage toward Puerto Rican gay men possibly because of a sexual incident. Mateen had sex with two Puerto Rican men, and one later said he was HIV positive, Miguel said. "He adored Latinos, gay Latinos, with brown skin but he felt rejected," Miguel told Univision. "He felt used by them there were moments in the Pulse nightclub that made him feel really bad. Guys used him. That really affected him." Miguel recalled a conversation with Mateen. "When I asked him what he was going to do now, his answer was 'I'm going to make them pay for what they did to me,'" he told Univision. The FBI confirmed that it had interviewed Miguel, Univision said. Sitora Yusufiy, Mateen's former wife, has suggested he might have been gay. In an interview with Time, she said: "He might have been homosexual himself and lived that lifestyle but could never ever come clean about it because of the standards of his father, because of the obligation to be a perfect son." The thunderous chop of helicopter blades echoes from the glassy facades of skyscrapers as top bank executives return from weekend beach jaunts. The ear-splitting migration is heard most Sundays in the financial district of Sao Paulo, South America's biggest metropolis. But if Uber has its way, helicopter commutes will no longer be exclusively for Brazil's most elite financiers. The San Francisco-based ride-hailing company has chosen Sao Paulo, Brazil's congested financial hub of 20 million people, to test its helicopter service, appropriately named UberCopter. The company has toyed with helicopters during events such as the Cannes Film Festival, but Sao Paulo represents the first time UberCopter has gone live full-time, according to Gui Telles, Uber's Brazil manager. Advertisement The city is fertile ground for experiments in urban mobility. Gridlock is rampant, traffic jams can stretch for hundreds of kilometers, and the country is in the midst of an auto boom, thanks to tax incentives from President Dilma Rousseff. The excessive number of cars gives Uber a large pool from which to draw willing drivers. Despite early scuffles between Uber drivers and local taxi unions, Brazil is set to eclipse Mexico as the top market in Latin America for the company. It may get a further boost if the city decides to allow the use of public transport travel cards for Uber rides. Uber in the skies works in much the same way as Uber in the streets. Advertisement I opened up my Uber app and selected the UberCopter option. The app even gives users the ability to share helicopter rides with others going their way, similar to UberPool. An UberX driver wearing black sunglasses picked me up. The UberCopter concierge called three times during the drive to coordinate my departure from the helipad. I was dropped at an air taxi company whose website markets "heligourmet" trips to the beach for 2,400 reais ($707). A receptionist served me espresso in a spacious lounge with plush couches until a porter grabbed my bags and whisked me into the helicopter. It took about 15 minutes for clearance, a minor drawback for someone on deadline but not nearly as agonizing as Sao Paulo traffic. The "paperwork" was minimal - I punched in a few personal details in two minutes in the app on my smartphone. Once airborne, the flight from Campo de Marte in northern Sao Paulo to the Guarulhos International Airport took 10 minutes and cost 211 reais ($63), plus 30 reais ($9) for the car ride from house to helipad, or about twice what the trip would have cost by cab alone. The same trip in a cab, however, could have taken an hour or two in rush-hour traffic. UberCopter won't always make sense. In my case, I could've made it to the airport in less time at lower cost if I had grabbed a cab.The helicopter could probably save time for people who live or work in neighborhoods with a high concentration of helipads, such as the financial district. Nonetheless, the service might make sense for Uber. It turns out that Sao Paulo has a glut of helicopters, not just cars, and an oil bust has meant less work for air taxi companies that cater to the oil industry. The average helicopter is used 400 hours per year but has capacity for 2,000 hours, meaning that Uber has room to quintuple usage without adding a single helicopter to its 400-strong fleet, according to Uber's Telles. Early signs indicate demand can fill at least some of those available hours. My pilot said he had already shuttled too many Uber users to count. Telles said the program, which Uber launched in partnership with Airbus, has already attracted strong demand. Uber announced last week that customers could catch rides among four airports and five heliports around the city for promotional prices of as little as 66 reais ($20). Critics have accused the company of offering the service at an unsustainable discount, but Telles says that isn't the case. "We are always looking for the best price which is sustainable for partners and helicopter owners," Telles said. "The helicopter taxi industry has been around and idle here for ages, and we are just using technology to make better use of it." Advertisement Taking a helicopter is seen by most Brazilians as an ostentatious display of wealth. For a few bucks a ride, however, this luxury for the mega-rich may quickly lose some of its standing a status symbol. Bloomberg 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. Advertisement 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. Advertisement 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. Advertisement Associated Press NEW YORK Donald Trump launched a blistering attack Wednesday on Hillary Clinton's record and character, slamming his presidential rival as a "world class liar" who raked in personal profits from her tenure at the State Department. The billionaire businessman claimed, "She gets rich making you poor." Trump's broadside marked his opening salvo in a general election faceoff with Clinton that has already turned bruising and deeply personal. The presumptive Republican nominee called Clinton the "most corrupt" person to ever run for president and accused of her of spreading "death, destruction and terrorism" while serving as the nation's top diplomat. Advertisement Clinton, campaigning in North Carolina, called Trump's charges "outlandish lies." "He's going after me personally because he has no answers on the substance," Clinton said. "All he can try to do is try to distract us." Advertisement Trump's tone was pointed yet measured as he ticked through several of Republicans' favorite critiques of Clinton, including her use of private email as secretary of state and her role in responding to the attacks on Americans in Benghazi, Libya. Several of his claims were inaccurate or exaggerated, including incorrectly saying she wants to spend hundreds of billions to resettle Middle Eastern refugees in the United States. Wednesday's address came at a pivotal moment for Trump's presidential campaign. The political novice has struggled with the transition to a general election race, getting bogged down by self-created controversies and failing to invest in the staff and infrastructure needed for the fall campaign. Earlier this week, Trump abruptly fired his campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, a move widely viewed as an acknowledgment of a need to recalibrate his organization. A new fundraising report released hours after Lewandowski's firing underscored how much ground Trump has to make up: He started June with just $1.3 million in the bank, a stunningly paltry amount for a major party nominee. Even as Trump blasted Clinton, he returned to some of the core themes that first powered his surprising presidential campaign. He railed against professional politicians and urged Americans to seize an opportunity to shake up a "rigged" system. "This election will decide whether we're ruled by the people or the politicians," Trump said, standing before a friendly audience in a ballroom at his hotel in New York's SoHo neighborhood. While he assailed Hillary Clinton in personal terms, Trump did not make any mention of former President Bill Clinton's indiscretions, despite raising those issues earlier in the campaign. The real estate mogul did make a direct appeal to supporters of Clinton's primary rival Bernie Sanders, reminding voters that the Vermont senator, too, has raised questions about her judgment. Like Trump, Sanders also generated enormous enthusiasm among voters frustrated with Washington. Turning to his own plans as president, Trump argued that his opposition to a major Asia Pacific trade pact and his hard-line immigration position would be more beneficial than Clinton's for blacks and Hispanics, two groups that have overwhelmingly voted for Democrats in recent presidential elections. Advertisement The Republican said Clinton has pledged to "end virtually all immigration enforcement and thus create totally open borders in the United States." While Clinton has called for a pathway to citizenship for millions of people living in the U.S. illegally, she has also called for focusing enforcement on "detaining and deporting those individuals who pose a violent threat to public safety." Trump frequently referenced sources of information that have been widely questioned, including the book "Clinton Cash" by Peter Schweizer. The book argues Clinton and her husband used the State Department to enrich their family, but it does not provide evidence of direct connections between business dealings by foreign interests, sometimes involving the Clinton Foundation, and decisions by Clinton when she was secretary of state. An Associated Press review of State Department calendars did show that she opened her office to dozens of influential Democratic party fundraisers, Clinton loyalists and corporate donors to her family's global charity. The AP found no evidence of legal or ethical conflicts in Clinton's meetings. Trump's remarks came one day after Clinton launched her own blistering attacks on her White House rival. She moved to undercut Trump's argument that his business record would help him create jobs as president, arguing instead that he had been "reckless" with his companies and "shouldn't have his hands on our economy." Associated Press Mary Sawers had been a volunteer nurse with the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Program for just two years when Hurricane Marilyn slammed the Caribbean island of St. Thomas in September 1995, closing its hospital and leaving 13 dead, about 100 injured and more than 11,000 homeless. The former longtime Evanston resident was sent by the agency to the devastated island, where among the victims she aided was a woman in her eighth month of a high-risk pregnancy, and Sawers helped deliver a healthy baby girl. Advertisement "The woman was so grateful that she named her baby Mary, after my mother," said her daughter, Emily Berlinghof. The two women kept in touch, and over the years Sawers sent packages of clothes and supplies to help the woman care for her child. Advertisement "My mother was someone who just never stopped caring about people," her daughter said. Sawers, 81, who later became a volunteer team leader with the American Red Cross, died June 9 at The Vi at the Glen, an assisted living facility in Glenview, after a series of illnesses. "Mary's whole mission in life was to help as many people as she could," said Barb Juliar, a close friend who first met Sawers through their community involvement 50 years ago. "She helped people on a broad perspective, but also on a personal level. She was a warm and wonderful friend, who was always there for you." Following the attacks of 9/11, Sawers was sent by the American Red Cross to New York, where for four weeks she coordinated efforts to relocate people living in the area near Ground Zero, particularly those with disabilities and in need of medical equipment, such as wheelchairs and oxygen tanks. ) "She worked under horrendous conditions and put in 12-hour days," her daughter said. As a team leader, Sawers also was on hand in 2003 to help victims of Hurricane Isabel in North and South Carolina, and again, in 2005, to help those displaced by Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana. "There really wasn't anywhere she wouldn't go if she was needed," her daughter said. Born Mary Howell and raised in Providence, R.I., Sawers earned a bachelor's degree in nursing from Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., in 1956, and worked as a hospital nurse in New York. Advertisement In 1959, she married her husband of 57 years, Peter Sawers, in Rhode Island, and the couple then moved to Evanston. While raising her family, Sawers was a member of the Junior League of Women in Evanston and the League of Women Voters of Evanston. She also served on the Evanston Human Relations Committee, where she was assigned to the Housing Task Force aimed at providing fair and affordable housing for residents. After working as a paralegal in Chicago during the 1980s, she enrolled in courses to renew her nursing certification. "When her oldest son found out she was trying to renew her nursing license, he told her: 'Mom, you bringing your nursing credentials up to date is like trying to teach Wilbur and Orville Wright how to fly a 747,' " Juliar recalled with a laugh. In the early 1990s, Sawers joined Remote Area Medical, a Tenn.-based nonprofit, relief group aiding people in remote areas of the U.S. and abroad, and volunteered on Native American reservations in North and South Dakota. She became a volunteer with the American Red Cross in 1993. "She believed strongly that to whom much is given, much will be required," her daughter said. Advertisement In addition to her husband and daughter, Sawers is survived by two sons, Greg and Andy; and eight grandchildren. A memorial will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at Alice Millar Chapel, 1870 Sheridan Road, Evanston, with a reception to follow. Joan Giangrasse Kates is a freelance reporter. A crucial question about anyone who runs for president is: When the stakes are high, will the interests of the country come first? Or will political considerations dominate? On matters of foreign policy, the Supreme Court or the economy, though, we can only guess and hope. But one major decision can't wait until after the election. It has to be made and revealed long beforehand, offering an excellent preview of a presidential candidate's priorities, judgment and maturity. It's the designation of a running mate. Advertisement Not that this test applies to Donald Trump, whose unsuitability is beyond redemption by anyone who would consent to run with him. But it applies to Hillary Clinton, whose choice is especially important because she would be the second-oldest person ever to enter the White House. The traditional approach is to find someone to balance the ticket with respect to various attributes. The youthful New Englander Jack Kennedy enlisted the older Southerner Lyndon Johnson. Conservative Californian Ronald Reagan picked moderate George H.W. Bush, who was transplanted from Connecticut to Texas. Advertisement Often, however, this selection has been given far less weight than it warrants, on the assumption that the vice presidency is an inconsequential office that can be filled with an inconsequential person. The 19th century Senate giant Daniel Webster declined it, saying, "I do not propose to be buried until I am dead." Richard Nixon chose Spiro Agnew, a little-known first-term Maryland governor who eventually resigned the vice presidency in disgrace. George H.W. Bush went with Dan Quayle, who instantly gained a reputation as a laughable lightweight. But it's hard to think of a more appalling choice than the one John McCain made in 2008: Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. Shallow, uninformed and erratic, she was a deafening refutation of the commitment McCain claimed: "Country First." "I think the notion of Sarah Palin being president of the United States is something that frightens me, frankly," McCain campaign strategist Steve Schmidt later said. She was chosen, he confessed, because the campaign principals "were fueled by ambition to win." Americans also had dodged a bullet in 2004, when John Edwards ran on the Democratic ticket with John Kerry. The senator from North Carolina was later embroiled in a scandal after fathering a child in an extramarital affair while his wife was fighting cancer. He also was indicted on campaign finance charges, and his acquittal only marginally diminished his disgrace. Palin's nomination came after Barack Obama had chosen someone who, whatever his flaws, was eminently qualified for the presidency. Joe Biden was a veteran senator with broad experience on domestic and foreign policy. He had the essential trait: plausibility as president. Nor could Dick Cheney be faulted on his credentials. He had been a House member, White House chief of staff and secretary of defense during the first Iraq war. He turned out to be a regrettable choice only because of his atrocious judgment. So Clinton has a high standard to meet. While a presidential nominee can't afford an electoral liability on the ticket, political factors can't be allowed to substitute for essential attributes that make a vice president valuable even if he or she never has to succeed the president. Advertisement None of the people reported to be on Clinton's list of prospects is seriously unqualified, but some are merely adequate, such as Labor Secretary Thomas Perez, whose elective experience consists of one term on a county council, and Julian Castro, who spent five years as mayor of San Antonio and two as secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Elizabeth Warren has yet to serve a full term in the Senate, and at 67, she is nearly as old as Clinton. At 47, Cory Booker is young enough, but he too has a slightly thin resume, having been mayor of Newark before arriving in the Senate less than three years ago. There are better alternatives on Clinton's purported list, including Rep. Xavier Becerra, 58, of California, who has been in Congress since 1993; Sen. Sherrod Brown, 63, of Ohio, who arrived on Capitol Hill that same year; and Sen. Tim Kaine, 58, a former Virginia governor and Richmond mayor. None has quite the heft of Biden or Cheney, but all pass the qualification test with high marks. Choosing a running mate, Walter Mondale recently told The New York Times, is "like getting married without any divorce proceedings possible." That makes it important for Clinton and even more important for the rest of us. Steve Chapman, a member of the Tribune Editorial Board, blogs at www.chicagotribune.com/chapman. schapman@tribpub.com Advertisement Follow Steve Chapman on Twitter @SteveChapman13 and Facebook. The No. 1 trending question related to Donald Trump on Google at the time of this writing is "Who tried to shoot Trump?" Which means a lot of people don't know the answer. Which is probably because the assassination attempt on the presumptive Republican presidential nominee hasn't been covered as a major news story. The answer, authorities say, is Michael Steven Sandford, a 20-year-old British citizen who was in the United States illegally after overstaying his visa. Sandford allegedly tried to pull a gun from the holster of a police officer at a Trump rally in Las Vegas on Saturday. He was arrested and later told the Secret Service that he had driven to the event from California and had been planning to kill the candidate for a year, according to a criminal complaint filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Nevada. Advertisement Police remove Michael Steven Sandford as Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at the Treasure Island Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas on June 18, 2016. (John Locher / AP) News outlets have certainly reported on the incident, but it hasn't gotten anything resembling wall-to-wall coverage. Cable news shows devoted little time to Sandford Tuesday morning and afternoon. Trump's dismal fund-raising report from May and his recent firing of campaign manager Corey Lewandowski received far more attention. Trump called in to the Trump-friendly "Fox & Friends" morning show and wasn't even asked about the attempt on his life. It's worth noting that the real estate magnate didn't bring it up, either. Trump hasn't so much as tweeted about it, which suggests he doesn't consider it a huge deal or doesn't want to talk about it. Advertisement The most obvious explanation is that Sandford doesn't appear to have come particularly close to completing his alleged mission. He didn't even succeed in arming himself at the Trump rally, where he unsuccessfully attempted to grab an officer's gun. Sandford's plot seems to have been feebly unsophisticated; he told authorities the extent of his training was a visit the day before the rally to a gun range, where he fired 20 rounds from a 9mm Glock pistol, a common service weapon, to learn how to use one. In short, calling Sandford a legitimate threat might be giving him too much credit. A rough analogue might be Oscar Ramiro Ortega-Hernandez, who tried to kill President Barack Obama in 2011, but came nowhere close to doing so. Ortega-Hernandez got off shots but fired aimlessly at the White House from 750 yards away and hadn't done enough research to know that the president was in San Diego at the time. From Trump's perspective, Sandford doesn't fit neatly into his campaign narrative. The billionaire has positioned himself as a staunch defender of the Second Amendment, so he certainly won't use the failed assassination attempt to push for gun control. Sandford is an illegal immigrant and Trump is all about deporting illegal aliens but the candidate's focus is on building a wall to keep out Mexicans and barring foreign Muslims from entering the United States. A Briton who overstayed his visa isn't a very good poster boy for the cause. If Trump wanted to make this episode big news, he could do it. He's proven his ability to set the agenda over and over again. But he doesn't seem interested, and the media doesn't either. And indeed, to both sides, that could simply be because they don't want to give a poorly conceived assassination plot more attention than it's due. But some on the right see a double-standard at play. The conservative news site Hot Air posed a hypothetical on Tuesday: "Can you imagine the coverage we'd be seeing if someone had attempted to shoot Hillary Clinton? The same could be said if it had happened with Barack Obama in the summer of 2008. Questions would be debated on air for weeks on end about the evil lurking in the hearts of men and why someone would be so desperate to prevent the election of the first black or female president. But when someone plots for more than a year to kill Trump, travels across the country to find an opportunity and then launches his attempt, it creates barely a ripple in the media pond." Then there's this common sentiment from Trump supporters: Blaming Glenn Beck and Brad Thor. Glenn Beck, a prominent conservative commentator who opposes Trump, was recently suspended for a week by SiriusXM after Brad Thor, who writes political thrillers, made comments on Beck's radio program that some listeners interpreted as a call for Trump to be assassinated. Advertisement "If Congress won't remove him from office, what patriot will step up and do that if, if, he oversteps his mandate as president?" Thor said. Thor and Beck both said later that the remark was not about assassinating Trump. But for anyone already convinced that the media hates Trump, the coverage of Sandford's assassination attempt (or lack thereof) will probably only strengthen their belief. Washington Post Callum Borchers covers the intersection of politics and media for The Fix. How would you explain Donald Trump to a foreign audience? Could it be done in a coherent way? Could it be done at all? To citizens at home, this may be merely an intriguing exercise. But to our country's diplomats it is a daily challenge. As part of their jobs, especially if they are public diplomacy officers, as I was, they are charged with "telling America's story to the world," and this includes describing the leading figures and issues in an election year. Advertisement During my 32 years in the State Department, ending in 2011, I had to explain the Nicaraguan Contras to skeptical Brits, Ross Perot to stunned Bolivians, and the 2000 election mess to dumbfounded Italians. But I never had a task as difficult as that facing our Foreign Service officers today how Trump has come to be the presumptive presidential nominee of one of our two national parties. Reflecting on how I might approach the assignment, I imagine myself today among those foreigners I saw frequently over the course of my career. I spent a lot of time with journalists and co-workers. I met often with politicians, professors and artists of one kind or another. All tended to be well-informed and curious, just the types who would want to know more about Trump. Advertisement In Baghdad, for example, I'd have to explain to the dozen or so Iraqis who worked in the press office why Trump wanted to prohibit them and their families from entering the United States. These Iraqis, all of them Muslim by birth but few of them observant, waited for hours to pass through security to get into the protected Green Zone and the embassy where they worked. While in line, withering under a relentless sun, they might be atomized by a suicide bomber or mortar shell. Or they might be identified by one of the many groups who opposed America's presence in the country. If so, they might get an unwelcome visitor some night who would order them to quit helping the occupiers or pay a price. The embassy barber had such a visit. When he ignored the threat and returned from work a few days later, he lost his right hand to a butcher knife. What would the Italians make of Trump? Might the jut of his jaw and the narrowing of his eyes, the exaggerated gestures and bombastic rhetoric, recall Il Duce Benito Mussolini himself? And being attentive to manners and style, the "bella figura," Italians might find the candidate's breezy vulgarity offensive. And what would they make of his cantilevered hair and its day-glo color? They might ask, do you really want this man to represent America to the world? The Bolivians, at least those of a certain age, might find in Trump a familiar figure. Back in the 1960s, when plain-talking Gen. Rene Barrientos engineered a coup and took office, he advised Bolivians to travel with their last will and testament, even when walking down a city street, because they would never know when a bullet might find them. Now there was a man who spoke his mind, just like Trump. What about the Central Americans? I lived in three countries on the isthmus for a total of eight years. With the exception of Costa Rica, Central America has suffered from political instability and pervasive poverty, although conditions are now improving. Still, many Central Americans have a fragile self-image. To them, Mexico is the colossus of the North. If Trump thinks that most Mexicans are criminals and layabouts, they must ask themselves, what could he possibly think of us? We're poorer, weaker, smaller. They would want answers, some reassurance. The British, it is true, have an active appreciation for the silly and absurd, but it tends to show itself in subtle ways. And there is nothing subtle about Trump. But when the British go for blatant political humor, they leave no doubt as to what they think. One of their parties, now defunct but much in the news when I was there in the late 1980s, was called The Official Monster Raving Loony Party. Perhaps partisans could be persuaded to invite The Donald to lead the ticket, even though some of Britain's kill-joy politicians want to ban him from the country for his hate speech. The Greeks, like the Bolivians, have their own historical reference point for Trump. In 1967, as the other members of NATO were strengthening democracy and building strong economies, several Greek colonels led a coup d'etat, which distinguished them among their generation of Europeans, even those in the Soviet Bloc. Advertisement The colonels, among other bizarre initiatives, ordered that the language be altered. They had the schools jettison demotic Greek, which had been around for centuries, and begin teaching "Katharevousa," or purified Greek, a weird amalgam of the classic and the modern. If you can change by fiat the way the people speak, the colonels might argue, then it's perfectly logical to believe you can build a wall along the Rio Grande and make the Mexicans pay for it. One of those Greek colonels still lingered in prison when I lived there in the late-1990s. He would have surely admired the Republican nominee's penchant for intimidation, his fondness for water-boarding, and his readiness to see autocratic regimes acquire nuclear weapons. Come to think of it, if he's still alive perhaps the colonel can explain Donald Trump's appeal. I can't. Robert J. Callahan, a retired diplomat and former Chicagoan, served as U.S. ambassador to Nicaragua. A bustling downtown Gary is shown in this 1959 photo. The U.S. Steel Gary Works plant is in the background. When looking at how industry helped shape portions of Northwest Indiana, particularly Gary, East Chicago and Whiting, the steel mills and oil refineries play a huge role. Some might even say that these two industries were the main economic engines driving growth within these communities. Advertisement With Indiana celebrating its bicentennial this year, historians would be remiss to not point out the economic impact the refineries and steel mills had on the region. The refineries and steel mills played a critical role right from the start in these communities. The history and the importance that these industries had on the region is outlined in a book published in 2012 by Northern Indiana Public Service Company (NIPSCO) on the celebration of its 100 year anniversary titled, "These Responsibilities are Ours: The First One Hundred Years of Northern Indiana Public Service Company." Advertisement An excerpt from the book outlines the region's industrial history, "By 1889, the Standard Oil Company built a refinery in Whiting. East Chicago was incorporated the same year. Two years later the Inland Steel Company began operations there. Finally in 1906, the United States Steel Corporation began the construction of one its great mills amid the sand ridges along the lakefront in the area now known as Gary." NIPSCO President Kathleen O'Leary says in its 100-plus year history: NIPSCO has been powering some of the largest industries in the world and ensuring local businesses and homes have safe and reliable gas and electric services. "With advancements in technology and evolving customer expectations, NIPSCO has continued to adapt. Today, we are focused on modernizing our energy infrastructure so that we will be able to meet the energy needs of our customers for the next 100 years," O'Leary says. Stephen McShane, co-director and archivist/curator for the Calumet Regional Archives and Anderson Library at Indiana University Northwest, says prior to the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Gary and East Chicago didn't exist and Whiting was a small railroad settlement known as Whiting's Crossing. "With the American Industrial Revolution, however, all that changed in 1889 when John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil Company needed to build a refinery in the Midwest to meet market demand. He chose Whiting's Crossing, later shortened to Whiting," McShane says. East Chicago is actually two sections, an eastern section and a western section, also known as "twins," since East Chicago is known as the Twin City, according to McShane. The Western Twin, named East Chicago, was platted in the 1880s by a real estate group headed by General J. T. Torrence. "They advertised heavily in the national press, inviting industries to locate in East Chicago," McShane says. "They succeeded in attracting a number of industries to the new town." The Eastern Twin, named Indiana Harbor, was platted by another real estate developer, who also advertised, including offering to build a harbor, a belt-line railroad, and a company town for any manufacturer willing to locate there and spend at least $1 million to build a manufacturing plant. Inland Steel Company, founded in 1893 and located in Chicago Heights, Illinois, took up the offer and broke ground for its Indiana Harbor Works in 1901. The town of Indiana Harbor, the Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad, and the Indiana Harbor Ship Canal were constructed at the same time. Advertisement "I often say East Chicago was a 'companies town,' with more than 50 industrial operations in a town of 11 square miles," McShane says. In 1905, Judge Elbert H. Gary announced the building of a new Midwestern steel plant complex and city. Ground was broken for the mills and city in spring 1906. By 1910, Gary had a population of nearly 17,000. By 1930, population was more than 100,000 and later became the second largest city in the state. "I think it's safe to say that these three cities' economies were based on heavy manufacturing, pretty much from their beginnings," McShane adds. He says there is no doubt that the significance of these industries focuses on their dominance of the local economy for almost 100 years and evidence of that dominance is in the hard times suffered by East Chicago and Gary when the steel industry shrank in the last quarter of the 20th century. "These steel cities," McShane says, "also shrank" as a result of this downturn. Whiting, he adds, was able to do better because the petroleum sector didn't go through the changes that faced the steel sector and the BP's Whiting operations have become a "major part of the global petroleum industry." As to why this region was so attractive to these industries, McShane points to eight factors that came together at a particular time in this particular place. These included low taxes, cheap land, abundant land (for these sprawling complexes), a large railroad network, a supply of labor in Chicago, Lake Michigan (for transportation and cooling purposes), local incentives (such as tax breaks or free land), and the proximity to Midwest markets (which were the hottest market for industrial products at the time). Advertisement The heydays for steel started in 1901 with Inland, followed by U.S. Steel Gary Works in 1905, Mark Manufacturing (later known as Youngstown Sheet and Tube/Jones and Laughlin/LTV/ISG, etc.) Inland's East Chicago rival; Midwest Steel in Portage in 1959; and Bethlehem Steel in 1962. The Lake County plants' heydays began to end in the 1970s and really downsized in the 1980s. The Porter County plants also downsized, but not nearly to the extent of the Lake County mills, according to McShane. "BP," he says, "has fared better and even expanded its Whiting operations in the last few years." All five of Northwest Indiana's major steel producers are still operating, McShane adds, albeit with dramatically smaller workforces (in the case of the Lake County mills). Inland Steel is now Arcelor Mittal Indiana Harbor East; LTV is now Arcelor Mittal Indiana Harbor West; US Steel Gary Works is still a major part of the corporation; Midwest Steel is now US Steel Midwest Division; and Bethlehem Steel is now Arcelor Mittal Burns Harbor. "Northwest Indiana is still the steelmaking capitol of the nation," McShane says. For more than a century, the steel mills and oil refineries provided a strong local economy, with plentiful, good-paying, middle-class jobs, McShane adds. "They also attracted thousands of European and Mexican immigrants, Puerto Ricans and Asians, as well as African-American migrants from the South, resulting in a diverse, regional population," McShane says. Dr. Michael Nirenberg founded Friendly Foot Care in 1992 in a small two-room office and now is proud to offer patients the highest level of professional care in a custom-designed 4,000-square-foot state-of-the-art facility at 50 W. 94th Place in Crown Point. He is not only a podiatric physician and surgeon, but also an educator, writer, researcher and one of a handful of forensic podiatrists in the world. His long career of dedicated public service in the Chicago area has seen him assist law enforcement in criminal investigations that involved foot-related evidence at crime scenes. He has had the honor and privilege to treat many thousands of patients, including area doctors, nurses and their families, and has been featured on a wide variety of national media. Advertisement Nirenberg's paper "Forensic Methods and the Podiatric Physician," published in the Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association, earned him the prestigious Distinguished Podiatric Writing Award while he was a medical student. He was the first podiatry student to have a paper published in the journal without a co-author. The History Channel's "MonsterQuest" asked Nirenberg to examine footprints that may belong to the mysterious creature known as "Big Foot" in a remote area of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. Advertisement Nirenberg is a Student Mentor for the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA), and is active in a considerable number of academic and outreach programs. Nirenberg has also spoken at Chicagoland events organized by St. Mary Medical Center, the Kiwanis, the Y-Me Cancer Support Group and the Chicago Arthritis Foundation. He is a regular lecturer to salon and pedicure students on how they can spot foot and ankle problems on their clients. Nirenberg's caring approach to assisting patients is to treat each of them as a member of his own family. "I take a very thorough approach to each patient's foot or ankle problem," Nirenberg says. In fact, in one case, he was so thorough he discovered a young man's foot pain was due to a tumor in his neck. The case was published in the Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association. Nirenberg studied podiatric medicine in Chicago and completed a residency in foot and ankle surgery. He is board certified in Podiatric Medicine and Surgery, and holds both a Bachelors of Science Bachelors of Arts degree. For 15 years he served as a Podiatric Residency Instructor, teaching new podiatrists the art and science of treating their patients. He is a member of the APMA, the Indiana Podiatric Medical Association, and the American College of Forensic Examiners. He has served on the board of directors of the American Society of Forensic Podiatry, and on the APMA's Podiatric Seals Committee that determines which foot products would earn the coveted Podiatric Seal of Approval. Originally from Toronto, Canada, Nirenberg married his wife Miriam in 1992, and enjoys spending time with his family. The family parlor of the Waukegan History Museums Haines Farmhouse is furnished as it would have been in the 1870s, including the musical instruments and period furnishings. Home to the Waukegan Historical Society for more than 30 years, the historic Waukegan History Museum at the Haines Farmhouse has been transformed back to the era of the 1870s when gracious living and elegant furnishings were the order of the day. Owned by the Waukegan Park District and leased to the Society, the house has been occupied by several prominent owners. The original farmhouse was built about 1843 for Lake County pioneer James Montgomery, and consisted of what is today the northernmost section of the present house. The two-story Greek Revival structure was similar to many early residences built in what was then known as Little Fort. In 1857, the house and surrounding acreage was sold to John C. Haines of Chicago for use as a summer retreat. The following year he was elected mayor of Chicago, and he served for two years. During the 1870s, Haines significantly enlarged the house, which he made his permanent year-round residence in 1879. The addition included two parlors, a dining room, large entry hall, and additional bedrooms. He and his family continued living here until his death in 1896. Advertisement In 1909, Fred Buck was elected mayor of Waukegan and he acquired the property in the hopes of creating a park for the city. A grand celebration was held that summer celebrating the opening of "City Park," however city officials felt that the location was too far removed from the city, and the park never materialized. Finally, in 1912, Louise deKoven Bowen and Hull House founder Jane Addams identified the site as the location for the Joseph Tilton Bowen Country Club, after visiting more than 60 sites around Chicago. Addams said of the property, "In this place all desirable things seem to have been combined without the interference of man." Advertisement The property was purchased by Bowen and donated to Hull House for use as a summer vacation camp for underprivileged children from Hull House, many of whom had little if any opportunity to leave the congested conditions of the inner city. It was called a country club so as to remove the stigma of a charity, and make the residents feel as if they had a club of their own. In its heyday, the 72-acre parcel included playgrounds, a swimming pool, recreation hall, large commons and several dormitories that could accommodate up to 200 children. Lilac Cottage was constructed in 1928 adjacent to the Haines House and was used by Addams and Bowen when they visited the club. The Waukegan Park District acquired the property in 1963, renaming it Bowen Park. It was subsequently listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. In 1973, the Haines House was leased to the Historical Society, and the building continues to be maintained by both organizations today. The decision was made to restore the house to the 1870s, when Haines enlarged the house to its current size. Period furnishings, including many pieces from important Waukegan families, have transformed the house back to the high-Victorian opulence of the late 19th century. Additional rooms are used as exhibit spaces, showcasing items from the Society's collection of Waukegan and Lake County memorabilia. Boldly printed wallpapers, elegant carpets, vintage and reproduction light fixtures, and lush window treatments adorn all the main rooms on the first floor. The two parlors are furnished as they would have been at the time one for family use with musical instruments, and one for formal entertaining, featuring a suite of walnut furniture upholstered in rich red velvet. Both rooms contain ornate white marble mantels. The dining room features an elegant Renaissance Revival table and chairs. The library features several important paintings by Waukegan native Kate Cory, who lived with and studied the Hopi Indians at the turn of the last century. The kitchen contains a large coal burning stove, china cupboard, dry sink, icebox and a multitude of late 19th century cooking items. The second floor contains several bedrooms, two of which have been furnished to the period. The large front bedroom is known as the "Lincoln Room," for in it is found the sleigh bed in which Lincoln slept while visiting Waukegan during his campaign for president in 1860. At that time it was located in the Ferry home. The other bedroom has been furnished with an abundance of children's items including toys, games and dolls. The Society continues restoration work on the Waukegan History Museum as funds and new acquisitions become available. A great deal has already been accomplished, allowing visitors to truly step back in time and view one of Waukegan's finest residences exactly as it would have appeared more than 100 years ago. After Jack Aiello's eighth-grade graduation speech went viral, the Arlington Heights teen, left, was invited to perform his impersonations of the 2016 presidential candidates this week on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon." (NBC / Handout) After an Arlington Heights student's wickedly funny eighth-grade graduation speech went viral, garnering more than 2.1 million views on YouTube, the teen will perform his spot-on impersonations of the 2016 presidential candidates on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" Wednesday night. In addition to performing in a sketch, Thomas Middle School graduate Jack Aiello will also sit down on the "Tonight Show" couch for an interview with Fallon, officials at NBC said in an email on Tuesday. Advertisement Even before Jack's appearance this week on "The Tonight Show," the video of his graduation speech had already garnered a shout out from former Republican candidate Sen. Ted Cruz, who tweeted "Ok, this kid is funny! Nicely done, and congrats on graduating!" "When I first saw the speech title, I started to get nervous," Thomas Middle School Principal Brian Kaye recalled. "But when we were down to the final 20 speeches, and I saw the reactions of the adults in the room who were judging, they were all positive. My only request was that Jack go last, as I knew he was going to kill it on graduation night." Advertisement Launching his speech with a spirited impersonation of presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump, followed by his spot-on imitations of President Barack Obama, Cruz and presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, like a savvy stand-up comic, the teen whipped the crowd into a frenzy, while saving his best material for last an impassioned plea from Democratic candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, who praised the middle school cafeteria food, "things like pizza, tacos and chips, you name it, and some of the best cinnamon rolls I've ever tasted. But I do have one improvement for them though: They need to make them free! What we need is a cinnamon roll revolution!" Given the tragedies unfolding nationwide this month, Kaye said he was pleased that one of his student's graduation speeches was bringing a bit of cheer to the internet. "He's the most humble kid in the world he's always been a strong student, but I've never seen this side of Jack," Kaye said. "I honestly just feel a lot of pride that his speech became a national story, and is giving people an opportunity to laugh at this difficult time." kcullotta@tribpub.com Twitter @kcullotta These are among the dogs being helped through the Always Room 4 More Paws group. (Always Room 4 More Paws / Handout) Macy, a terrier/hound mix and her 4-week-old puppies - Penney, Tiffany, Jewel, Carson, TJ and Maxx - now are resting comfortably in the home of their foster mom South Elgin resident Lydia Turgeon. "When Macy came to me, she didn't know how to climb stairs, was afraid of a leash, and was somewhat shy around strangers," Turgeon, who sometimes like to name her rescued dogs with different themed names, said. Advertisement Retrieved from a kill shelter in Eastern Kentucky, Macy had been a stray before she was eventually rescued by Turgeon's newly-formed nonprofit, Always Room 4 More Paws. Seeing the need and knowing the unconditional love that dogs give to humans, Turgeon decided to form her own nonprofit in November 2015 with a goal of rescuing dogs from kill shelters. Advertisement "I have a passion for animals," she said. "When I moved out at 21, I got a puppy and within two months, I had a second one." Some of the Always Room 4 More Paws rescues have been retrieved from kill shelters in Southern Illinois, but most have come from shelters in Eastern Kentucky. There is a huge need in some parts of the country for dogs to be rescued from kill shelters, she added. First starting out volunteering as a dog walker at a local animal shelter 16 years ago, Turgeon eventually began fostering dogs in her home. "I really like the ability to get to know the dogs when they are in your home," she added. "When it is time for the dogs to be adopted, knowing their personalities leads to a better fit when placing them in a home." Partnering with Paws Aboard Rescue Transport which works with shelters in Eastern Kentucky, Always Room 4 More Paws has placed 35 rescue dogs in homes since March of this year, group officials said. Paws Aboard visits kill shelters every other week, evaluates the dogs, and sends photos and bios of the available animals to rescue groups in Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. Turgeon meets the transport in Belvidere every other Saturday to retrieve the dogs that she has agreed to rescue which is based on the availability of her volunteer foster families. Advertisement Working at a local bank with Turgeon, Wendy Corcoran agreed to fill in at the last minute as a Always Room 4 More Paws foster parent. Corcoran's family began fostering Daisy, a terrier/corgi mix dog with no intention of adopting another dog. Within two weeks, Corcoran said, her family fell in love with Daisy as did the family's 11-year-old dog, Emma, and they decided to adopt Daisy. "We are a foster failure," Corcoran joked. Turgeon said she is currently in need of more volunteers to serve as fosters for rescued dogs from shelters in Kentucky. The organization provides food, bedding, collars, bowls, and leashes for the rescued dogs. Advertisement "All we ask is that fosters give them love and a home until they are adopted," she added. One of Turgeon's long-term goals is to start a spay and neuter program in Kentucky and other areas where there is a need so that eventually "there is no need for me." More information about available dogs and volunteer requirements can be found at http://www.alwaysroom4morepaws.com/ Cathy Janek is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News Here are five things to do in the western suburbs June 24-30. The Fox Valley Park District Premiere Theatre Company presents the world premiere of "A Perfect Age" June 25-26 at the Prisco Community Center. Tickets are $8-$10. At 150 W. Illinois Ave., Aurora. Go to foxvalleyparkdistrict.org/tickets. Advertisement Center Stage Theater and Solemn Oath Brewery host Naperville Sound Stage, a concert featuring three Chicago-area bands June 25 at Center Stage Theater. Tickets are $10-$20. At Go to brownpapertickets.com/event/2549051. "The Next Thing You Know" continues through July 3 at Steel Beam Theatre in St. Charles. Tickets are $23-$28. At 111 W. Main St. Call 630-587-8521 or go to steelbeamtheatre.com. Advertisement Western author Larry Watson will be do a reading and book signing at 7 p.m. June 29 at Anderson's Bookshop in Naperville. Book purchase of "As Good As Gone" required for signing. At 123 W. Jefferson Ave. Call 630-355-2665 or go to andersonsbookshop.com. Former Chicago Bear Matt Forte will speak at 5 p.m. June 25 and 9 and 11 a.m. June 26 services June 26 at Christ Community Church in St. Charles. There is no charge to attend the service. At Randall and Bolcum Roads. Go to ccclife.org/forte. Do you have something going on we could include in Five Things to Do? Email your item, with time, date, place, price and contact information, to wweber@tribpub.com at least two weeks before the event. Dr. Tom Brooks (left), owner of the Fox Valley Veterinary Clinic in North Aurora, and his 38-year employee Dr. John Whitney, who will retire from the clinic July 1. (David Sharos / The Beacon-News) Pets almost invariably become part of the family they live with, but often so do the people who take care of them. After nearly 40 years of practicing veterinary medicine, it's safe to say Dr. John Whitney, of the Fox Valley Veterinary Clinic in North Aurora, has become a member of a lot of families. Advertisement Whitney, 67, plans to step down July 1 after 38 years of working at the clinic. Dog owners like Carolyn and Bob Middleton of Geneva say despite being in good hands at the clinic, things aren't going to be the same. Advertisement "Dr. Whitney has taken care of our basset hound Lillie for nine years, and if we weren't happy with his care, we'd have made a change," Bob Middleton said. "He's very gentle with her, and though she's had surgery everything turned out successfully and we're pleased with the results. She's been knock on wood a healthy dog." "I always felt he had a good sense of humor and he puts people at ease," added Carolyn Middleton. "He tells you things and gives advice without being too much of a teacher." A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Whitney said he went to college at Cleveland State expecting to major in history until he took a "prerequisite biology class" late his freshman year and decided to switch majors. "I can't say I got into veterinary practice because I lived on a farm and my family raised horses," Whitney said. "It was just about taking a science class, and I wound up getting involved with the department there which was very small." Whitney has worked side-by-side along with Dr. Tom Brooks, 70, who operates the local clinic which services almost exclusively dogs and cats. The doctors met in Detroit back in 1976, and have worked together here in Aurora since 1978. Brooks said the two have been joined together over the years "by a common ideology." "We've been able to work together the whole time and while no two people are exactly the same, we've been able to get along well at the practice, and John has spent his whole career here which is very unusual," Brooks said. "Thing have changed a great deal since we started as the standards of care have risen. Back then when we were still young, we had to take our own emergency calls in the middle of the night." Brooks describes Whitney as being "dedicated to his clients, a doctor with a good depth of knowledge, and a professional who has stayed current." Advertisement Victoria Moore, who has worked at the clinic for just over a year, said the veteran doctor appeals to patients "because of his personality and having a sense of humor." "He's wonderful when it comes to explaining things to owners and he takes the time and has a lot of patience," Moore said. "I think he has a lot of people skills when it comes to dealing with the owners, who can be more challenging at times than the patients. He knows how to handle them." Brooks said a local doctor raised in Aurora, Dr. Nicole Gillham, who has practiced for two years, will be taking over Whitney's position at the practice. "She has training in more of the exotic animals, which will allow us to expand our practice as well as bring a more extensive base of knowledge," he said. Whitney said for now, his retirement plans include helping volunteer at a local school where his wife still works as well as completing her "honey do" list. And he'll likely reflect on the many patients and stories spun over the years like that of Grace Merrill, a case he inherited when he and Brooks took over their original practice on State Street in Aurora near the old fire station. "Grace was in her 80s, and had this really mean Chihuahua, and she'd drive in from her farm, jump the curb, and come in with bite marks and be bleeding from bite wounds," Whitney recalled. "One day Grace took ill and had to go into this nursing home and I offered to take the dog for her. We had two of our own, and I'd go and visit her once a week and bring the dog with me." Advertisement Despite the dog's aggressiveness, Whitney swears the two were joined together inseparably as owners and pets often are. "These visits with 'Tinker' went on for about a year, and then Grace moved to another nursing home that was farther away," Whitney said. "Finally, Tinker died, and two days later so did Grace. Somehow, they were really connected." David Sharos is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News A Chicago man has been found guilty of traveling to Aurora to pay for sex with a teen girl, according to the Kane County State's Attorney's office. Marek P. Gaciarz, 34, of the 3700 block of North Octavia Street, was convicted Wednesday of involuntary sexual servitude of a minor, a Class X felony; traveling to meet a minor, a Class Three felony; and grooming, a Class Four felony. Advertisement Gaciarz waived his right to a jury trial and was convicted by Kane County Circuit Judge Donald M. Tegeler Jr. On Jan. 8, 2015, Gaciarz traveled from Chicago to an Aurora hotel with the intent to pay to have sex with what he believed would be a 15-year-old girl, according to evidence presented by Kane County prosecutors. When Gaciarz got to the hotel, he met a person he thought was the girl's mother, confirmed he wanted sexual favors, paid the person $150, and was then arrested by Homeland Security Investigations and Aurora police officers, according to officials. Advertisement "This conviction is a step toward ending human trafficking, and specifically child sex trafficking," said Kane County State's Attorney Joe McMahon. "These unconscionable crimes take place across the Chicago suburbs much more often than the general public could possibly know. Law enforcement nationwide, at all levels, is committed to ending the exploitation of children." Gaciarz is next scheduled to appear in court for motions and sentencing at 1:30 p.m. Aug. 26 in Courtroom 311 of the Kane County Judicial Center. He faces a minimum sentence of six years in state prison. In addition to whatever sentence is decided, Gaciarz must also register for 10 years as a sexual offender, in accordance with the state sex offender registration act. Gaciarz, who had been free on $12,500 bond before his conviction, is now in custody with bond revoked. hleone@tribpub.com Pepper Construction Superintendent Kevin Lally (left) and Tom Campagno, District 220 director of buildings and grounds, meet at Hough Street Elementary, near what will be the school's new main office. (Brian O'Mahoney / Pioneer Press) The summer construction season at Barrington School District 220 is busier than usual largely because of $1.3 million in renovations to Hough Street Elementary School, school officials said. The project, which started May 25, includes building upgrades that should make students safer and addresses security issues parents at the elementary school have sought to change. When people visit the school later in the fall, they'll have to be buzzed in at the main entrance and also at an adjacent main office, said Tom Campagna, district director of buildings and grounds. Advertisement If office workers do not recognize a visitor, they can scan the person's state identification card or driver's license, and the technology will check for past sexual predator information, Campagna said. Under the old design at Hough Street Elementary, the main office was located farther from the main entrance, and a staffer often would accompany unknown visitors to the office, he said. The new security measures also include laminated glass doors. Advertisement "The glass is not bulletproof, but it's shatter resistant that causes a delay in a forcible entry, allowing the police more time to respond," Campagna said. Construction workers at Hough Street Elementary also are remodeling the faculty lounge, making an accessible bathroom in the nurses' office that can accommodate disabled people and adding more bathrooms for staff. The renovation should be completed by Aug. 12, Campagna said. Elsewhere in the district this summer, the Sunny Hill Elementary cafeteria is undergoing a complete renovation and expansion for $228,500. The facility will receive new plumbing and updated electrical work, while the kitchen will be expanded with more storage and a new cafeteria serving line, Campagna said. "It's one of the busiest elementary cafeterias in the district, serving breakfast and lunch," he said. "This will really enhance the kitchen worker's ability to prepare meals and get them ready more efficiently." Work on the cafeteria will be done in early August, according to the district. At Lines Elementary School, crews recently started replacing drainage pipes near outdoor loading docks and adding new drainage materials for $218,500, Campagna said. "It floods with very heavy rains, like 2 to 3 inches," he said. Advertisement The Lines Elementary project should wrap up by Aug. 1, Campagna said. tshields@pioneerlocal.com Twitter @tshields19 Mondays will be late start days in Hinsdale High School District 86 this coming school year. The school board and faculty agreed to give teachers an hour and 20 minutes for collaboration and preparation on most Mondays. Advertisement Mondays will not be late start days if any of the following apply: the Monday is the first day of the first or second semester; it's in an already shortened week for student attendance; it is during finals week. On the late start Mondays, teachers and administrators will start work at 7:30 a.m., but classes will not start until 8:50 a.m. Advertisement The past school year, students started late on many Wednesdays to give the staff time for collaboration and professional development. The new arrangement gives students three hours fewer total instructional time than they had last year, but allows every class period to be at least 40 minutes long. On late start days the past school year, some periods were shortened to 25 minutes, which limited the activities and experiments students could tackle during that time, administrators said. A standard class period is 50 minutes. Freshman Orientation Day this year is Wednesday, Aug. 10 and the first day for all students is Monday, Aug. 15. Winter break begins Dec. 22 and students will not return until Monday, Jan. 9 for the start of the second semester. The last day of school will be May 31, with June 1-7 reserved for making up days schools are closed for emergencies or bad weather. Students will be in school for a total of 180 days, with 88 in the first semester and 92 in the second semester. The school board voted 5-2 to approve the calendar. Board members Edward Corcoran and Claudia Manley voted against it because they did not support the decrease in instruction time. Manley said she understands the reason for the change, but said instructional time is crucial. kfornek@pioneerlocal.com Twitter @kfdoings Anyone who watches "Game of Thrones" knows there's strength in numbers. In the popular HBO show, bands of people form alliances and unite to face a common enemy. They have to raise armies and muster enough fighting power to have any hope of survival. The ultimate goal in the fictional story is to rule the seven kingdoms. Advertisement Illinois government is feeling more and more like a storyline from "Game of Thrones." The year-long budget impasse is like a castle siege with each side entrenched for a prolonged stalemate. Hopes fade for a negotiated settlement. The objective seems to be gaining political power instead of governing. Mayors of nine south suburban communities are taking a stand on an issue related to the state budget crisis. They're hoping that collectively their message will carry more weight than if they spoke out individually. Advertisement The mayors attached their names to a June 19 letter to Gov. Bruce Rauner. They're calling on the governor to act on school funding reform. "Our current school-funding system penalizes the children from our communities," the letter states. "Many of them come from families in poverty. This is both morally indefensible and a threat to the future of Illinois." That's strong language from a band of top elected officials representing communities in the south suburbs and other areas. They know high property taxes are killing economic opportunity in their villages and small cities. Economic inequality diminishes the quality of schools in their towns. Population and business growth suffer. Property values are depressed. It's a vicious cycle created by an unfair, broken system of funding schools. "Our school districts must rely on local property taxes for the majority of their funding," the mayors wrote to the governor. "The result for many children is that their ZIP code becomes their destiny. None of us as elected representatives can accept this reality." Letter signers include mayors Jerry Bennett of Palos Hills, Dan McLaughlin of Orland Park, Eugene Williams of Lynwood, Charles Tokar of Chicago Ridge, Robert Kolosh of Thornton, John Ostenburg of Park Forest, Don De Graff of South Holland, Domingo Vargas of Blue Island and Vernard Alsberry of Hazel Crest. The mayors must know Rauner wants to be known as a leader who values public education funding as his top priority. They acknowledge the imbalanced system has existed for decades and isn't Rauner's fault. But they appeal to his ability to fix the inequitable formula instead of just increasing total funding. "Many of our school districts across the state have reached a tipping point," they wrote. "Hard-won academic progress is endangered by a lack of state support and the resulting over-reliance on property taxes. Maintaining the current funding formula for another year will only exacerbate this crisis." Advertisement The mayors made it clear that now is the time to tackle school funding reform. Rauner has said he'd prefer to wait to take on the issue until the state budget crisis is resolved. "Your full support for fair and equitable school funding in this session is necessary to offer hope and opportunity to millions of children while helping to secure a more prosperous future for our state," the mayors wrote. In some respects the mayors signal their allegiance by signing the letter. A total of 17 mayors signed the letter. At the top of the list is Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. By signing the letter, the mayors could be seen as choosing a side in the state budget battle. They could be viewed as aligning themselves with Emanuel and the supermajority Democrats led by House Speaker Michael Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton. At least that's one way Rauner might interpret the message. McLaughlin, the Orland Park mayor, said he didn't see it that way. "I don't see this as a Democratic or Republican issue," McLaughlin told me. "I think it's about the message of the letter. That the state has to come up with a more fair system of funding education." Advertisement There has been a lot of name-calling between Democratic and Republican state leaders since the legislative session ended May 31 without a budget agreement. Rauner recently said Emanuel's refusal to stand up to Madigan was a major disappointment of the governor's first term to date. The governor also doubled down on calling Chicago Public Schools "crumbling prisons" and told downstate constituents that Democratic-backed efforts at school funding reform amounted to a bailout of Chicago schools. Emanuel accused Rauner of driving down Chicago's economy and compared the businessman-turned-politician to Donald Trump, saying Rauner uses a "playbook of demonizing one group of people for his political advantage." State leaders are playing a political blame game. I think local mayors risk repercussions from Springfield by aligning themselves with the Chicago mayor. Never mind that it's the morally correct stand to take, and one I fully support. Politically, they risk becoming an enemy of the governor. "The intent wasn't to take sides with Chicago," Bennett, the Palos Hills mayor, told me. The letter was discussed at a recent quarterly meeting of the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus, he said. Is Rauner above exacting any sort of political revenge upon the mayors or their communities? He has deep pockets, after all, and has financially supported campaigns of challengers to his political opponents. Advertisement "Maybe the governor will look at it like that," Tokar, the Chicago Ridge mayor told me. "It shouldn't be about that. It should be about compromise. They ought to sit down and figure out some middle ground." Irony abounds in political warfare. My enemy's enemy can be my friend. Sunday's letter from mayors reminded me of another letter, sent to the governor on June 6 by 15 school superintendents, including Chicago Public Schools CEO Forrest Claypool. "The status quo is unacceptable when the future of our children is at stake," they wrote. "As superintendents we stand united in saying that Illinois can never fund its education system in the same way again." The messages of the two letters were similar, but there was a big difference in terms of the geographic representation of the signers. The mayors were almost exclusively from Chicago-area communities and especially the south suburbs. People around here disproportionately feel the negative effects of school funding inequality. Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday > Some of the superintendents signing the other letter to the governor serve Chicago-area districts, but many signers are from downstate. They represent towns like Taylorville, Harrisburg, Granite City, Peoria, Pana, Vandalia and Sandoval. Wait, aren't these places like the downstate towns the governor recently visited when he was trying to find friendly ears for his message? The governor essentially said increasing state funding for Chicago schools would be unfair to people in central and southern Illinois. Advertisement And now you're telling me that superintendents of downstate districts also are calling on the governor to do something about school funding inequality? Hmmm. It's a tangled web, this business of choosing sides. Public officials from Chicago, the suburbs and downstate appear united in their pleas for the governor to work toward resolving education funding inequality in Illinois. If he wants to be known as the governor who values education, Rauner should heed the calls for reform. tslowik@tribpub.com Twitter @tedslowik Four guns laws were shot down by the Senate. One would've required the attorney general to investigate any gun purchase by someone on the terror watch list. That, to many of us, seems rational and should've been OK'd immediately. How could it not have passed, for the public safety alone? Which side is our government on? Bob, Oak Forest Advertisement I believe that the financial records of the Chicago Public Schools should be audited or investigated because I'm curious to see just how much money has slithered away over the last 25 years or so. I bet that there's a ton of cash that's unaccounted for. It's been shuffled around, stolen, hidden and wasted on inappropriate or unnecessary purchases. Oh yes, I'm very curious. How refreshing to wake up to front-page headlines on a Sunday morning that is a feel-good story. Congrats to Allan, the graduate ,and his parents. Congrats to Reavis and their superintendent, and especially the Southtown for printing this story. It helps start the day with a more positive outlook on life. There really are good things going on in our world. Just dig a little deeper. They are there. Advertisement Linda, Burbank Where are Sean Penn, Oliver Stone, Michael Moore, Danny Glover and other Hollywood wonks when the Venezuelans need them, now that socialism has collapsed? I guess the photo ops won't be so self-promoting now. Tom, Evergreen Park I am responding to the guy waiting for an appointment at the VA hospital. First of all, thank you for your service and making our country a little safer. Secondly, at the VA some specialists have morning hours and some afternoon hours. There are so many specialties and so many patients to see, that they have to do it this way. These doctors do not set their own hours, the VA does it. I receive treatment at the VA and know that they can be very accommodating to patients, and they do the best that they can to accommodate to your needs. We would all love to have morning appointments so we have the rest of the day to do what we need to do. Do you think it's great to travel from Orland Park to the Hines VA for a 1 or 2 p.m. appointment? I do it because I am receiving some of the best medical care. So my suggestion to you is, maybe you should lose the attitude of "You owe me," and be a little accommodating yourself. Linda, Orland Park I can't figure out why people think that just because someone is able to get rich in the business world, their business expertise will translate into a good leader in government. Business and government are two different creatures with two different purposes for existing. One's purpose is to earn a return on investment for the owner(s) to make a profit, and the other's is to set rules and provide services that enable groups of people (large or small) to live together without total chaos. The compromises of those with opposing ideas is necessary to make government work in a democracy. There is no democracy in business. Whoever has the most money and is the biggest bully is usually the most successful. A government run this way would be a dictatorship. Is this what people really want, a dictator? El, Hegewisch Sen. Dick Durbin has a very short memory. Speaking of al-Qaida, he said, "They know that assault weapons can wreak more havoc in a short period of time than any plane might, sadly, if it were sabotaged. That is a reality." Let's see, Orlando 49 dead. On 9/11, 3,000 dead. Not a shot was fired. Advertisement Linda, Evergreen Park Where is our Sunday crossword puzzle? Once more you have changed the format of the Daily Southtown, not necessarily for the better. I liked it much better when you printed the answers to the puzzles the following day, not the same day like now. I do not see the need for more comics that are not even funny anymore. What we had was sufficient. The TV programming seems to be better now. But, no crossword puzzle on Sunday is not good. I do think there are customers that would like the additional puzzles, but please do not omit the crossword puzzle. I really liked the old, smaller-sized pages to the paper. It was much easier to handle. I am a longtime subscriber. Yvonne, Bridgeview After all these years of summer concerts at the outdoor music venue in Tinley Park, why has the Police Department not figured out a better management of traffic? Cadets manually controlling traffic lights, and officers blocking roads with their cars and flares, and pointing drivers in the direction to send traffic is not working any better than it did from the start. In fact, it's markedly worse. Tinley Park In response to Billy T's comments about Sweden taking in over 100,000 refugees and asking who is paying. I have family that lives in Sweden and they pay 78 percent of their salary in taxes due to socialism. So that's who is paying. Advertisement Linda, Orland Park About violence in Chicago and all that: You're putting too many guys out on parole. All you're doing is putting gasoline on fire. I don't care if anybody is white, black, yellow or whatever. There's no reason for this. We all should get along together in this world. Walk down the street. Don't be afraid to cross the street, and I won't be afraid to cross the street. You don't gain anything by hurting anybody. You hurt other people, and the repercussions go on forever and ever. Please be nice to each other. Learn to live with each other, please. You don't have to live with each other, but you have to respect each other as people. I hope so. A third-trimester pregnant woman infected with the Zika virus came to the United States from a foreign country and, one week later, gave birth to a microcephalic child. The child, an American citizen by birth, is in a pediatric intensive care unit. The child may need lifelong assistance. Who will pay the child's medical bills? I ask because my dad was a native-born, 84-year-old World War II Purple Heart veteran who needed 24/7 care. We could get no help, so I quit my profession to care for him. I don't care. I think it's disgraceful to have these people asking for $15 an hour to flip a hamburger. Give me a break. Every hamburger in the United States would be $7.99. Get real. Get a life. You want $15 for that minimum wage job? Never, never, never. RC, Oak Lawn Whereas, I think it was a horrible disease that boxer Muhammad Ali had and I don't think the man should have suffered like that with that horrible Parkinson's disease, I don't agree that he's some great American hero. Back during the Vietnam War days, he was a draft-dodger. I think it's a shame that we're immortalizing him like he's some great American hero when he avoided the draft. I think it's a slap in the face to our Vietnam veterans and the people who lost their lives in Vietnam. Advertisement Emily Get this. I went to the cemetery the other day to visit my family. At the gate, they asked, "Where is your passkey?" Come on now. When funeral parlors send the dead body to the cemetery or to the undertaker, do they say, "Oh, don't you have a passkey?" I think people make people have to have a key because money is money. My money will buy anything. This garbage of a passkey doesn't mean anything other than money. You can do anything for money. House Speaker Mike Madigan, shame on you and all the Democratic House members beholden to you. These career politicians are afraid to cross Madigan and lack the integrity to stand up to this powerful man. There was an opportunity to make history and help our state back on the long road to financial recovery. However, Madigan and his political munchkins said no and looked the other way. Rather than rolling up their sleeves and fixing the budget problems, these do-nothing politicians talk the talk and make promises only to get re-elected. As long as Madigan and his allies remain in office, Illinois will continue to erode. There will be a cure for cancer before the state budget is ever passed. Bob I would like to respond to a comment made by Judy stating that fair is fair, and she thinks we should lose the Barack Obama Presidential Center because she doesn't want a personal reminder of a president who screwed up our world. Sorry, Judy, but building a President Obama library isn't about you. Secondly, if you are so strongly against the building, then simply go after Friends of the Parks because, like it or not, money is coming in by the millions to build this library. One more thing: Why shouldn't he have the library built here in Chicago? This is where he started his political career. BJ, Hazel Crest Advertisement Daily Southtown Twice-weekly News updates from the south suburbs delivered every Monday and Wednesday > More about the Cincinnati Zoo incident: It's so stupid to kill an innocent animal. This kid decided to go by the gorilla. That mother should be shot. It sounds terrible, but it's no wonder our animal population is dwindling when they're endangered and get killed. Wake up, people. Watch our kids more. I'm sure that gorilla wouldn't have hurt the boy when he got in the enclosure. The gorilla probably would've put him down or got bored. Gorillas have saved kids who fell in. It's like a bad case of the movie "King Kong." I watched that the night before the zoo incident. It was sad. Then we lost a gorilla in real life who just had his 17th birthday. Pat, Chicago Ridge With the budget crisis in Illinois, both sides have to compromise. The main problem is Gov. Bruce Rauner. Rauner is so stern on his union-busting and pro-business ways that he's not looking at how he's hurting the little people. He doesn't care. He's hurting the poor seniors, the sick and our schools. Yes, the Democrats have to compromise somewhat too, but the main thing is he won't even budge unless his union-busting ways are accepted. He won't accept anything. Give it up, Rauner. It's not going to happen in a strong union state. Why don't you pick up your toys and go back to one of your 10 homes, or however many homes you have? We don't want you here. Kara I was watching the weather. Old Farmer's Almanac is printed a year ahead of time. They're right about 90 percent. Meteorologists are right about 50 percent. They've got all this equipment. Once they said a tornado was in Elgin. I was at 86th Street and Western Avenue in Chicago. A tree came at me. The tornado went right through. This guy said the tornado was 60 miles away. I almost got killed. Stick your head out the window. Any good farmer knows the weather by looking out the window. Weathermen don't do anything. Also, you ruined my vacations by saying everything was going to be fine and it wasn't, or saying it wasn't going to be fine but it was. What's Speak Out? Advertisement Speak Out allows readers to comment on the issues of the day. Email Speak Out at speakout@southtownstar.com or call 312-222-2427. Please limit comments to 30 seconds or about 120 words and give your first name and your hometown. Employees at Wal-Mart's new Carpentersville store prepare for the grand opening on Wednesday. The store is opening despite an ongoing lawsuit the village of East Dundee filed against Wal-Mart and Carpentersville. (Gloria Casas / The Courier-News) On the eve of the grand opening of a new Supercenter, a lawsuit the Village of East Dundee filed against Wal-Mart and Carpentersville is heading back to court. Illinois Second Appellate Court Justices this week vacated a Kane County judge's order dismissing the complaint, according to an appellate opinion. Advertisement Justice Kathryn Zenoff wrote the opinion with Justices Susan Hutchinson and Ann Jorgensen concurring which vacated 16th Circuit Judge David Akemann's decision based on a motion he denied for substitution of judge in the lawsuit. The appellate court opinion found East Dundee had a right to request and get a new judge assigned to the case so the case should be sent back to the circuit court, according to the documents. Wal-Mart moved ahead with constructing a new building in Carpentersville at 365 Lake Marian Road, and it is scheduled to open Wednesday. A ribbon cutting is planned at 7:30 a.m. The East Dundee store closed Tuesday evening. Advertisement The ruling "vindicates the village," East Dundee Village President Lael Miller said Tuesday. "The judge has thrown out all the rulings of the previous judge so we're excited to hear that," Miller said. "We'll have to get together with our legal team and decide what our steps moving forward are. But this puts us back at the beginning and I look forward to seeing where we go." Akemann had ruled against the village, which appealed based on the substitution of judge issue. The Appellate Court's decision means Akemann's ruling is void, East Dundee Attorney Tom Gardiner said. The case must be litigated again, he said, calling the opinion a "victory" for East Dundee. East Dundee's lawsuit arose from Wal-Mart's decision to close its store in the village and open a Supercenter in Carpentersville, which established a Tax Increment Finance (TIF) District offering Wal-Mart tax incentives to move to town, the lawsuit states. The lawsuit argues the Tax Increment Allocation Redevelopment Act, the basis of a TIF District, "provides that redevelopment costs may not include costs that would provide 'direct finance support' to a retail entity that is commencing operations in the redevelopment project area while simultaneously terminating operations at another location within 10 miles of the redevelopment project area but outside the boundaries of the municipality," the lawsuit states. An exception is if closing the operation is beyond the retailer's control, the lawsuit states. Carpentersville approved giving Wal-Mart $4.3 million in TIF funds to help the store move from its location in East Dundee to the new site. "It's a meritless lawsuit and it's a moot point" because the store is opening, Carpentersville Village Manager Mark Rooney said. The lawsuit is "wasting tax dollars for the village and its neighbor." Advertisement Justices ruled on a "procedural issue," a motion to substitute the judge, not on the substantive merit of the case, Rooney said. He said he thinks a new judge will be put in place and rule like Akemann. He does not understand why East Dundee continues to pursue the lawsuit, he said. Wal-Mart officials could not be reached for comment late Tuesday. Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News. Employees of the Kane County Forest Preserve District are in line to receive merit raises of an average of 3 percent, putting the total compensation for executive director above the maximum for the salary range. Following a recent vote by commissioners, the executive director's salary range is now $114,500 to $171,800, records show. Advertisement Executive Director Monica Meyers' salary increased by 3 percent effective this month, per her contract, and her base salary is now about $159,000, director of human resources Tracey Smith said. Meyers' total compensation package includes a vehicle stipend along with a county contribution to her Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund account, Smith said. Her total compensation package is about $175,000, according to county documents. Advertisement Meyers said the district does not give cost of living increases and only offers merit-based increases based on performance. Employees undergo an evaluation annually and the average 3 percent is based on performance, Smith said. The district offered 2 percent increases during the 2007 recession, she said. The commission also approved a 2 percent pay range increase to bring salaries in line with the market. The district hired consultants to study the pay structure 10 years ago, Meyers said. Consultants recommended increasing the scale by 2 percent each year to keep salaries competitive, she said. The increase that adjusts the salary range does not mean employee salaries automatically increase to amounts within the range, though, Smith said. Commissioners unanimously passed the resolution increasing the scale without any discussion this month. The executive director's salary is contractual and Meyers signed a new five-year contract last year, Smith said. Meyers is the highest paid executive in the district followed by Standish, whose total compensation with benefits is about $105,800, and Smith, whose total salary compensation is about $91,300, county documents show. Director of planning and development Gerald Culp's total compensation is about $91,000, according to records. Meyers' salary is higher than the salaries of some countywide elected positions, including the Kane County sheriff, treasurer, county clerk, circuit clerk, recorder, county auditor and the chairman. Earlier this year, the county board voted against increasing those salaries by 2 percent. The Forest Preserve District of Kane County is its own taxing body. Property taxes make up 68.4 percent of all revenue within the general fund, based on the current fiscal year, finance director Ken Standish said. This fiscal year, the district received $5.4 million in property taxes and had $7.9 million in the general fund in total revenues, Standish said. Advertisement Salaries make up 47.9 percent of all expenses in the general fund for this fiscal year, or about $3.7 million, and total revenues are $7.9 million, he said. Kane County Sheriff Donald Kramer's base salary is about $129,500 and his total compensation with insurance and other benefits is about $153,800, according to data from 2015. The data is based on a 27 payroll period, which happened in 2015, county officials said. County Clerk Jack Cunningham's base salary is about $103,800 with a total package of about $129,600, the data shows. Treasurer David Rickert's base salary is about $103,800, and with benefits it is about $139,000, the data shows. County Clerk Thomas Hartwell's base salary is about $94,100 with total compensation of about $127,300, according to the data. Recorder Sandy Wegman's base salary is about $92,900 with a total salary package of about $123,000, while Auditor Terry Hunt's base salary is about $91,600 and total compensation is about $121,400, the data shows. Kane County Coroner Rob Russell's base salary is about $91,600, and total compensation is about $114,400, according to the data. Chairman Chris Lauzen's salary is about $104,000 but was slightly higher in 2015 due to the extra payroll, according to county documents. He does not have benefits. Advertisement The salary ranges of the district's executives range from $77,200 to $115,000, according to the resolution. Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter. Beginning April 1, 2017, the South Elgin Police Department will be dispatched through St. Charles-based Tri-Com. The South Elgin Village board approved the contract this week on a 3-1 vote, with trustees Greg Lieser, Mike Kolodziej and Jennifer Barconi voting in favor, and Lisa Guess voting against. Trustees Scott Richmond and John Sweet did not attend Monday night's meeting. Advertisement South Elgin began looking at its dispatch services earlier this year. Its five-year contract with KaneComm, the emergency dispatch center operated by Kane County and located in Geneva, is set to expire on April 30, 2017, said South Elgin Chief of Police Chris Merritt. The Tri-Com contract will begin before the KaneComm contract ends to allow time for transition, Merritt explained. Advertisement After the first, 13-month contract, the contract will be renewed annually, Merritt said. South Elgin signed a five-year contract with KaneComm in 2012. At the time, South Elgin dispatched for both the police and South Elgin and Countryside Fire Protection District, but was facing a potential $1 million upgrade. The fire district signed a contract with the city of Elgin to dispatch through the Elgin 911 center. While South Elgin had approached Elgin about also dispatching for police, Tri-Com approached the village to consider the St. Charles-based dispatch center. Tri-Com is now celebrating its 40th year as a joint dispatch center, and includes Batavia, Elburn, Geneva, St. Charles and Sugar Grove's police departments, as well as those community's fire departments and the North Aurora Fire Department. The first year's dispatch contract will cost South Elgin $260,299. An additional $94,874 operational reserve contribution will be split into two payments, due March 31 of 2017 and again on March 31, 2018. South Elgin will also pay for the radio equipment needed to switch to Starcom radios, at the cost of $106,704. With South Elgin coming on board at Tri-Com, Merritt will also sit on the board for the dispatch center, he said. Advertisement The contract will automatically renew, and be renegotiated, on a yearly basis, Merritt said. At the June 6 meeting, some police officers had asked the village board reconsider going to Elgin for dispatch services. That service, however, called for an annual contract just shy of $400,000 annually. Going to Tri-Com solves one of South Elgin's most pressing needs a radio system that can penetrate large, big-box stores on Randall Road and South Elgin High School, Kolodziej said. The radio system used by KaneComm had caused problems for officers, often not penetrating those buildings, village officials said. That lack of radio coverage led to police officers in South Elgin filing a grievance with the police union, Merritt said. Kolodziej said part of the reason he preferred Tri-Com is because it is not run by a municipality, but by a consortium of the users. "Elgin (dispatch) belongs to Elgin. KaneComm belongs to Kane County. This is strictly there to serve this purpose," of dispatching for several communities, Kolodziej said. Advertisement In voting against the agreement, Guess said she was in favor of going to Elgin, as some officers had requested. All 911 calls in the village will automatically route to Tri-Com. If the calls are for fire or ambulance services in South Elgin, dispatchers there will then send those calls to Elgin. "With Tri-Com, there will be a delay in fire calls," Guess said. Janelle Walker is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News. District U46 School Board members cast their approval, 5 to 2, Monday to extend the contract of interim superintendent Kenneth Arndt. Arndt, who retired in 2014 as superintendent of Carpentersville-based Community School District 300, will be paid $700 per day, which includes a $5,000 pay increase. His contract states he is limited to just 100 days of work in order to not violate the Illinois Teachers' Retirement Pension Code. Advertisement The contract further states Arndt will not receive sick pay, vacation or personal days, health insurance or any other perks. His new contract begins July 1 and runs until June 30, 2017. Advertisement School Board President Donna Smith and the four board members who voted in favor of the extension said they were happy with the work Arndt has been doing in the district along side Chief Executive Officer Tony Sanders. "He has done a great job," said Smith. "Him and Tony have made a great team." The former permanent U46 Superintendent Jose Torres resigned in August 2014 to head up the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy in Aurora. Since Torres's exit, Sanders, who had long worked as the district's chief of staff, has continued to tend to the day-to-day operations of the district. However, due to state law, the district cannot officially give him the title of superintendent. Though he has extensive experience as an administrator he lacks experience as a classroom teacher or school principal, a requirement in earning the title. So, Arndt was hired to tend to the various tasks which can only be done by certified superintendents, according to district officials. However, should state law be amended and the Illinois State Board of Education grant Sanders a superintendent or provisional superintendent certificate, Arndt's contract would be "immediately" terminated, according to the contract. The new contract reflects a raise of little over 7 percent, an increase that School Board Members Jeanette Ward and Cody Holt objected to. Advertisement Both said they were pleased with Arndt's work, but because they are concerned with the district's budget and the unknown wranglings in Springfield, they had to object to extending the contract. School Board Member Traci O'Neal Ellis said Arndt has done an "outstanding job" and she is "happy to vote yes in spite of the budget concerns." Amanda Marrazzo is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News. Work on a railroad crossing that will go over Washington Street in Grayslake is among the construction projects being impacted by the Illinois budget stalemate. (Dan Moran / Lake County News-Sun) The first step in halting transportation projects across Illinois because of the state budget impasse started Wednesday when contractors were notified to secure construction zones by June 30 for a possible long-term shutdown, according to transportation officials. "We have started to inform our industry partners that all of our projects in both construction and engineering phases will be shutting down starting June 30 due to the majority party in the legislature's failure to pass a balanced budget," the Illinois Department of Transportation said in a statement. "The conversation about how individual projects will wind down is continuing." Advertisement IDOT officials said they have identified projects totaling $665.5 million underway in Cook, DuPage, Will, McHenry, Kane and Lake counties. The total includes $495.7 million in state projects and $169.7 million in local projects. Gov. Bruce Rauner and House Speaker Michael Madigan have been sparring over the construction, school funding and others issues as part of the budget stalemate. Rauner visited the IDOT offices this week to reiterate the danger of not coming to an agreement and shutting down the roadwork. Advertisement Work on a railroad crossing that will go over Washington Street in Grayslake is among the construction projects being impacted by the Illinois budget stalemate. (Dan Moran / Lake County News-Sun) "Transportation is one of the cornerstones of our state's economy," Rauner said in a statement released Tuesday. "The employees of IDOT are working hard day in and day out to keep our roads safe for all Illinois travelers and at a good value for taxpayers. "Without a safe, reliable system of transportation, people don't get to work. Goods and services do not get to where they need to go. Strengthening IDOT will continue to be one of my top priorities so Illinois is an even better place to live, work, raise a family and do business." Rauner added that all transportation projects "will be suspended unless the General Assembly passes the stopgap budget proposed by the GOP Leaders," saying that a stopgap funding solution backed by his office "will allow important projects and programs to continue past June 30 without interruption (and) will keep IDOT's summer construction program moving forward without delay." Steve Brown, Madigan's press secretary, said the negotiations on a budget are continuing, and he blasted Rauner and IDOT, saying, "Their strategy is create panic." According to Brown, a downstate city asked when the state would pay its water bill for rest stops, and IDOT immediately sent crews out to post signs saying it was closed when the city didn't say it would cut off the water. "We don't want (IDOT) to waste a lot of money on PR stunts when it is still under negotiations," he said. In a Wednesday statement, IDOT officials urged state legislature to return to Springfield and vote on the GOP funding bill backed by Rauner. Work on a railroad crossing that will go over Washington Street in Grayslake is among the construction projects being impacted by the Illinois budget stalemate. (Dan Moran / Lake County News-Sun) "The stopgap proposal is a fiscally responsible solution proposed by the Republican leaders that can be voted on today," the statement said. "There will be no interruption in our projects and programs if the General Assembly returns to Springfield and passes (the bill)." Advertisement Lake County officials also weighed in, saying the standoff could close down four Lake County road projects by the end of the month, including the Washington Street underpass at the Canadian Pacific Railway tracks in Grayslake. "In addition to human services and other state programs, transportation projects are the latest victim of the state's budget impasse," said Aaron Lawlor, chairman of the Lake County Board. "It's unfortunate the state work has to stop, but the county projects will continue," he added, referring to $111 million slated for transportation projects in the county this year. Lawlor said IDOT was expected to send a notice on Wednesday to its state contractors that all active construction must stop immediately and all contractors must work to make the sites safe for a possible "long-term" shutdown by June 30 due to lack of a budget, he said. "Construction workers work very hard during the construction season and they rely on this (income) during the off-season," he said. "I think its hard to find a person not impacted by what's going on in Springfield." According to IDOT, current work zones eyed for shutdown include the Jane Byrne Interchange reconstruction in Chicago; Interstate 55 and Lake Shore Drive in Chicago; Illinois 171 at I-55 in Cook County; 159th Street (Illinois 7/U.S. 6) from I-355 to U.S. 45 in Will County; I-55 at U.S. 6 in Channahon/Minooka; U.S. 30 from I-55 to Illinois 59 in Joliet/Plainfield; Illinois 19 and York Road in Bensenville; and Torrence Avenue over the Grand Calumet River in Chicago. Work on a railroad crossing that will go over Washington Street in Grayslake is among the construction projects being impacted by the Illinois budget stalemate. (Dan Moran / Lake County News-Sun) IDOT also listed projects that may not be awarded for the coming year, including part of the Jane Byrne project and lane expansion and bridge projects on the west end of the Kennedy Expressway in Chicago. Advertisement In Lake County, future projects that could be impacted include the Route 45 Millburn Bypass in Lindenhurst and Old Mill Creek, and improvements on Grand Avenue at Route 41 in Gurnee. Current Lake County projects identified by Lawlor and county transportation officials include not only the Washington Street grade separation but also an intersection improvement at Ela Road and Route 12; storm sewer and repaving on Deerfield Road in Deerfield and Highland Park; and technology improvements on Waukegan Road (Route 43). Brooke Hooker, spokesperson for LCDOT, said that the Washington Street overpass is unique in that it is being done in separate parts, so work on the overpass will be suspended, but road improvements on either side can continue. Hooker added that LCDOT will work with its engineers and contractors to make sure that the roadways are as safe as possible for the traveling public. Road construction projects that are locally funded will continue as scheduled. Lake County has a five-year plan calling for $550 million in transportation improvements. Lawlor said the shutdown won't affect the Hawley Street improvements in Mundelein or the many resurfacing projects. "Hopefully the state gets their act together," he said. Advertisement fabderholden@tribpub.com Twitter @abderholden native speaker An apple a day keeps the doctor away is a popular expression in the United States. It may be a common saying, but it is not scientifically confirmed. However, a new study adds to evidence that suggests taking a small amount of aspirin can help to keep the doctor away. Researchers have known for some time that a small daily dose of aspirin can be good for your health. Aspirin can lessen the risk of developing heart disease and even colon cancer. New findings suggest the painkiller may also increase survival in cancer patients by up to 20 percent. That is, if those patients are receiving chemotherapy as a cancer treatment. Chemotherapy uses drugs to destroy cancer cells. Peter Elwood is with Cardiff University's School of Medicine in Britain. Forty years ago, he was involved in the first study to explore the effects of aspirin in the prevention of heart disease. Elwood's team examined 47 studies for evidence that aspirin helped cancer patients. And they found some. "And there's fairly consistent evidence of a 15 to 20 percent reduction in death and a reduction in metastatic spread, by low dose aspirin." By low dose, he means 81 milligrams. The study followed cancer patients for five years. Elwood says the evidence is strongest that aspirin delays death among colorectal cancer patients. His team found that aspirin also helped people being treated for breast and prostate cancer. The reason appears to be the chemical salicylate. Elwood says many people have small amounts of salicylate in the body. In about 20 percent of patients, researchers have found a genetic mutation that may interact with the chemical. The mutation is known as PIK3CA. This change in the structure of genetic material could explain the reduction in colon cancer. Elwood says he was excited with the studys findings. He adds that it is not a cure but a small sign of better things to come, what he calls a glimmer of hope and encouragement. "Well, I feel very gratified because given the diagnosis of cancer. It's not a cure but it's a glimmer of hope and encouragement to them. So, I am thrilled to have this evidence from the study." Elwood says that if doctors told him he had cancer, he would not delay in taking aspirin once a day. But he says that decision is up to the individual. "If you asked me personally what I would do if I had a diagnosis of cancer, I would say I would have no hesitation in taking it. But I do not recommend it to people. I want them to have the evidence and take (make) their own decision." The only major risk is that aspirin can cause stomach bleeding. But Elwood says it is usually does not cause death. He adds that the evidence points to big health benefits of taking a daily aspirin. So, for some people, the pros might outweigh the cons. Elwood and his team published the findings in the journal PLoS One. A Chicago woman was killed Saturday night when the car in which she was traveling was hit while turning on a red light near Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, according to a witness. Dana Lukauskas, 85, sustained blunt force trauma in a crash at Indianapolis Boulevard and Casino Center Road, according to a release from the Lake County Coroner's Office; she was the front seat passenger. Lukauskas resided in the 2700 block of West 71st Street in Chicago. Advertisement Lukauskas was unresponsive when paramedics found her at the scene. She pronounced dead at 8:07 p.m. at Franciscan St. Margaret Health in Hammond. A Hammond Police report said the crash occurred around 7:14 p.m., when the car Lukauskas was traveling in a 2008 Chevy Cobalt was headed south on Indianapolis Boulevard. The driver, Felix Lukauskas, was waiting to turn left into a gas station, but there was a red light, according to police. Advertisement A second car a 2006 Chrysler 300C driven by 20-year-old Alejandro Ortega of Chicago was traveling north on Indianapolis Boulevard. Ortega approaching the intersection in the far right lane and his light was green, police said. A witness said that the left turn light was still red, but Felix Lukauskas started to turn left in front of oncoming traffic, police said. Ortega's car struck the passenger side of Lukauskas' car, which came to rest at the northeast corner of the intersection. Each driver showed no signs of impairment, and a portable breath test showed that alcohol was not a factor, according to police. Felix Lukauskas complained of chest pain and was transported to Franciscan St. Margaret Health in Hammond for treatment. Two of Ortega's passengers complained of pain, but it is unclear whether they were transported for treatment. cnance@post-trib.com Lisa Harris, from left, Julie Watherspy, and Bertha Talley prepare lunch items to hand out at the 151st Sreet. Recreation Center in East Chicago Tuesday, June 21. (Suzanne Tennant / Post-Tribune) For some children, finding a good meal during the summer isn't as easy as opening up the refrigerator. "Locally, we have school districts with very high free and reduced lunch rates," said Arleen Peterson, executive director of the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana. "But what happens in the summertime? Parents may arrange for their kids to stay with grandma while they work, but what if she's on a fixed income and is struggling to make ends meet?" Advertisement More than 20 percent of children in Lake and Porter counties 33,280 have limited access to nutritious food at some point during the year, according to Feeding America's most recent Map the Meal Gap report. The Food Bank of Northwest Indiana is helping to fill that gap by providing breakfast and lunch for more than 400 children this summer at a dozen sites across Lake County. Advertisement The Summer Food Service Program, part of a national initiative sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, runs through Aug. 5 at sites in Merrillville, Hobart, Gary and East Chicago. Any child 18 and younger can access the meals at the sites. The aim of the program is to serve many of the kids who received free and reduced lunch and breakfast during the school year. Peterson said the centers provide not only meals but a safe place and programming for kids. "They're a great place to engage and learn about the community," Peterson said. "You don't have to be enrolled at the site to receive the meals. We encourage the sites to invite adults who are with the kids in to eat with them as well." Peterson said a grant from Albertson's is covering the cost of summer staff. Chanda Dixon, program and volunteer manager for the food bank, said the number of kids served by the program could potentially grow as the summer progresses. "Usually by July, we're hitting higher numbers and the sites have told us how many kids they're anticipating," Dixon said. Meals on Wheels prepares both a hot and cold lunch option, while the food bank's four summer interns prepare a brown bag breakfast, typically cereal bars, fruit cups and other items. Advertisement The four interns said their work consists of putting together breakfast for the Summer Food Service program and loading it on pallets, as well as boxes of food for low-income seniors and other programs. "I haven't really thought about it, but I probably have served one of my classmates through the program before," said intern Myles Peterson. Dixon said the interns might not realize the impact of their work. "They might not think that they're doing much, but they're actually doing a lot," Dixon said. "They're feeding kids during the summer; kids who don't know where their next meal is coming from in a lot of cases. So it benefits a lot of families." cnance@post-trib.com The latest issue of China Briefing Magazine, titled Understanding Mergers and Acquisitions in China, is out now and available to subscribers as a complimentary download in the Asia Briefing Bookstore through the months of June and July. Contents An Introduction to Chinas M&A Market Anatomy of a Takeover: Conducting a Company Acquisition in China The Importance of Due Diligence in the M&A Process The environment for mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in China has fundamentally changed in recent years. Affected in part by the global economic crisis and wavering Chinese growth, the rate of foreign acquisitions in the country has fluctuated considerably over the past ten years, going from 42 deals worth approximately RMB 30 billion in 2008, to 39 worth 78 billion in 2013, to 61 deals worth 35 billion in 2015. Conversely, Chinese outbound acquisitions have experienced an unprecedented upsurge in the last two years. A sharp rise in capital outflows resulted in Chinese outbound investment surpassing that of major developed economies in 2015, while Q1 2016 saw China record its largest ever quarterly share of global acquisitions, making up a sixth of all M&A activity. Find Your Next M&A Opportunity Search now on The contrasting dynamics of outbound and inbound M&As in China has served to transform the M&A market landscape in the country. While the acquisition is still undoubtedly a swift and effective means for foreign companies to enter the Chinese market, there are now a host of new considerations for firms to take into account prior to committing to any investment, including uncertain market conditions, bigger domestic players, and new regulatory frameworks. In this issue of China Briefing magazine, we set out to guide foreign investors through the mergers and acquisitions process, from initial market research, to set-up procedures and regulatory hurdles, and finally thorough important due diligence considerations. With experience in Chinas M&A market since 1992, Dezan Shira & Associates is perfectly positioned to ensure that the M&A is the right investment vehicle for your companys venture into China. 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. 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. Internet Challenges & Solutions When Doing Business in China In this special edition of China Briefing magazine, we highlight how and why foreign companies will be negatively affected by Chinas internet, and provide methods to help solve these problems. We discuss ISP selection, internet connection types, CDNs and VPNs, and internal control systems. Finally, we examine the importance of network security in China and how it can help augment a companys internet connection. Guo You (2nd, L), chairman of China Construction Bank's board of supervisors and Eduardo Frei (1nd-R) Chile's extraordinary and plenipotentiary ambassador to the Asia-Pacific, participate in the inauguration of China Construction Bank's Chilean branch, China's first bank in Chile, in Santiago, capital of Chile, on June 20, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua] China Construction Bank (CCB) has opened the first clearing bank for transactions in renminbi in South America in Chile's capital Santiago, the CCB said on Tuesday. The branch was inaugurated Monday night, after receiving all the needed permits from Chile's banking authorities. More than 200 guests attended the inaugural ceremony. Guo You, president of the CCB's Supervisory Council, expressed his appreciation for the support the entity received in the South American country. The South American branch of the CCB, one of the world's top 10 banks, will not only help boost economic and trade exchanges and financial collaboration between China and Chile, but also help the bank expand its services in Latin America, said Guo. Initially, the branch will provide corporate banking services and actively promote cross-border yuan transactions, which will help facilitate trade, Guo said. "The inauguration of this bank in Chile is a fundamental milestone in ties between the two countries," former Chilean President and current Senator Eduardo Frei told the opening ceremony. While Chile-China ties have been close, Chinese investment in the country has lagged behind, said Frei. Opening a bank branch in Chile is the most important Chinese investment in the country to date, he said. "It's going to be the first renminbi clearing bank not just for Chile, but also for South America," said Frei. During Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's visit to Chile in May 2015, the presidents of the two countries' central banks signed an agreement that paved the way for the opening of the CCB branch, recalled Frei, underscoring the importance of having a banking entity in Chile capable of carrying out direct transactions in the Chinese currency. "The financial losses from currency exchange operations were significant, and carrying out operations directly in China's currency, the renminbi, is going to particularly benefit Chile and China's small and medium-size companies," said Frei. The CCB, said Frei, is one of the world's largest companies and by establishing itself in Chile, it is demonstrating not just the high level of ties between the two countries, but also its trust and confidence in Chile's development, and in becoming an economic platform for all of Latin America. Chilean Economy Minister Luis Felipe Cespedes said the CCB's entry into Chile was a reflection of the country's robust business climate. The branch, said Cespedes, "allows us to tighten and strengthen ties between the two countries, which today are strong because China is our leading trade partner and, with the establishment of the bank, we can raise the financial channels and investment in our process of integration with the world." Rodrigo Vergara, Chile's central bank chief, stressed the importance of the 2015 monetary agreement that facilitated the use of the renminbi in Chile, and allowed Chilean investors to invest in China's stock market. Chinese ambassador to Chile Li Baorong said: "The opening of the branch is not just about a Chinese bank expanding operations abroad, but also about the deepening of substantial cooperation between the two countries, and of the confidence that Chinese financial institutions have in the future of our sister country, which is Chile." In 2015, Chile and China celebrated the 45th anniversary of diplomatic ties, while 2016 marks the 10th anniversary of their free-trade agreement. China has launched its first dark sky reserve in the Tibet autonomous region's Ngari Prefecture. 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] 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. Follow China.org.cn on Twitter and Facebook to join the conversation. Thousands of homes were flooded in Poyang county, Jiangxi province, late on Monday after Bintian Reservoir overflowed as torrential rain continued to wreak havoc in South China. A rescuer escorts a sleeping 10-month-old infant to safety on Tuesday in Xiaba, a village in Guizhou province that has been left submerged by consecutive heavy downpours. [Photo/China Daily] The overflow forced the relocation of 5,600 residents in three villages late on Monday as the floods submerged homes, roads and farmlands, the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters said in a news statement on Tuesday. No casualties were reported. The Jiangxi provincial government said on Tuesday that the water is slowly receding. There are still more than 4,000 people mobilized in flood prevention efforts. It added that it could take at least three days to repair the riverbanks. Hu Guoyi, a villager from Jianyang who was forced to relocate, said the banks overflowed in a matter of hours. "The water level rose quickly to more than 2 meters and soon submerged the gate of our home," he told China News Service. After the floods, he and his wife took their two children to stay with relatives and then returned to the village to look after their home. In Hunan province, a flooded river in Longshan county forced about 18,500 residents to leave an ancient township. Torrential rains and floods have affected 213,800 residents and forced the relocation of 32,800 people in the province, according to provincial authorities. In neighboring Guizhou province, rescuers saved more than 150 residents who were stranded after their villages were flooded in Yanhe county. More than 1,500 people were relocated, local media reported. In Haozhang county, a landslide triggered by the rainfall hit a session of highway linking Bijie and Weining in the province, according to the provincial civil affairs authority. The National Meteorological Center on Tuesday continued a yellow alert for heavy rain in South China for the next 24 hours. China has a four-tier weather warning system, with red representing the most severe warning, followed by orange, yellow and blue. According to the State forecaster, rainstorms are expected across a vast region along the Yangtze River, including the provinces of Jiangsu, Anhui and Hubei. Some parts of Jiangsu and Anhui will see up to 15 centimeters of rain within 24 hours. Heavy rain is also expected in Tibet, Yunnan, Sichuan and Chongqing in the southwest and in Heilongjiang in the northeast, according to the forecaster. Floods triggered by heavy rain have left 22 people dead and 15 others missing in South China since Saturday, according to the authority. Hero, 2 others die in rescue attempt About 100,000 people lined the street in the county seat of Liping, Guizhou province, on Monday to bid farewell to Liu Shanping, a grassroots Party chief who lost his life while trying to save two fellow villagers. In the early hours of June 10, Jiuchao town in Liping was flooded, and Liu, head of Qiuchao village, received a desperate call from Wu Bingzhi, another resident, for help, as Wu and his daughter were stranded in their house by floodwaters. Liu managed to get near the home, along with 16 other villagers, and planned a daring rescue. Another resident wanted to help, but Liu told him to stay away because the man was an only son. Liu had a brother who could take care of his own family if he perished in the rescue attempt, Liu told the man. Liu waded into the rushing water with one end of a rope tied to his waist and the other held by residents. He managed to reach Wu's house and Wu's daughter climbed onto his back. As he was returning, the flood rose dramatically and washed away the pair, and then Wu. All three died. Liu's body was discovered on Saturday evening, two days after the bodies of the father and daughter were found. Cremation took place on Monday. As Liu's body was carried to the cremation, the way was lined by some 100,000 people with banners, calling him a hero, guardian of the village and a good Party chief. All Chinese living below the poverty line in rural areas will have access to basic medical care and other health services "close to" the national average by 2020, according to a guideline released by 15 central government departments on Tuesday. The government will mobilize various social resources and take more precise measures to support the development of health and medical care services in poor areas, the guideline said. The health poverty alleviation project is part of a national strategy to ensure that all people living below the poverty line in China climb out by 2020, the guideline said. Of the 55.7 million people living in poverty in rural China as of 2015, about 44 percent were impoverished because of expenses related to health, Hong Tianyun, deputy director of the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development, said at a news conference on Tuesday. The current poverty line in China is 2,800 yuan ($425) per person a year. To tackle health-related poverty with precision, several ministries, including the National Health and Family Planning Commission and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, have organized a nationwide investigation into the major health conditions responsible for the poverty of the rural population, said Wang Pei'an, vice-minister of the commission. The investigation, to be conducted by grassroots health workers, will cover every household that fell into poverty because of health expenses, and a record will be created for each in a database after the investigation is completed in July, he said. A report will be made based on the investigation and database to help authorities provide assistance to different groups according to need, Wang said. To help impoverished regions gain access to more health resources, the government will increase subsidies for insurance for the rural poor and encourage the private sector and nongovernmental organizations to invest in poor regions, Wang said. Medical resources such as hospitals and doctors are seriously lacking in the 832 counties with the largest number of poor people, a major gap between supply and demand, Wang said. Despite China's universal coverage for basic health insurance, a person with low income can easily go bankrupt because of out-of-pocket expenses. For example, a person may be reimbursed for 80 percent of a medical procedure, but the remaining 20 percent can gobble up a year's earnings or more. Nearly 30 million Chinese are in poverty because of this sort of basic math, according to the Chinese Red Cross Foundation. The foundation has partnered with an IT company to launch an online crowdfunding website to give poor patients direct access to donations for lifesaving medical care, the foundation said on Tuesday. 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. 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 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. China plans to launch its new generation Long March-7 carrier rocket between Saturday and Wednesday from a new launch ground in south China, according to the manned space engineering office on Wednesday. China plans to launch its new generation Long March-7 carrier rocket sometime from Saturday to Wednesday from a new launch ground in South China, said the manned space engineering office on Wednesday.[Photo/CNTV] The rocket was vertical when taken to the launch pad in journey that took three hours this morning. The Long March-7 is a medium-sized rocket using liquid propellant that can carry up to 13.5 tonnes to low-Earth orbit. It will transport cargo for China's planned space station and is expected to become the main carrier for space launches. The rocket arrived at Wenchang in south China's Hainan Province in May for final assembly and testing. This will be the first launch from Wenchang, the fourth launch site in China. Its construction was completed in November 2014. According to the local tourism department, all hotels are fully booked until Sunday. The city can only provide accommodation for 80,000 people and suggested tourists avoid the maiden launch, as there will be more in the future. Deb Shelden's attorney, Paul Korslund, got appointed to represent her on a murder charge late on a Friday afternoon in April 1989, started working on it on the following Monday and pleaded her to aiding and abetting eight days later. With the quick plea, Shelden became the first of the Beatrice 6 to fall, starting what the prosecutor, former Gage County Attorney Dick Smith, later would call the "domino effect." By the end of the year, five others -- Joseph White, Ada JoAnn Taylor, Tom Winslow, James Dean and Kathy Gonzalez -- would be convicted for the rape and murder of a 68-year-old Beatrice widow in 1985. In 2008, the case would unravel after DNA testing tied another man, Bruce Allen Smith, to Helen Wilson's brutal killing. White's conviction was overturned, and Shelden and the others later earned pardons. Then, they all sued Gage County, then-Sheriff Jerry DeWitt and the deputies involved in the cold-case investigation. The first trial ended in a mistrial after the jury deadlocked. On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court let an appeals court decision stand that said Gage County can be tried civilly for the investigation. Representing Gage County, attorney Jennifer Tomka had filed a petition asking the high court to review an Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals decision last August reinstating the county. In it, she asked the court to consider whether a Nebraska sheriff is a county policymaker for purposes of liability when supervising a criminal investigation if there is no evidence presented of a policy, custom or practice of unconstitutional conduct. Without elaborating, the Supreme Court denied the petition in its Monday order, issued about the same time a second jury trial in the civil rights case was moving into its third week in a Lincoln courtroom. Korslund, who retired this spring as a Gage County District Court judge, took the stand, and Shelden's new lawyer, Maren Chaloupka, questioned him about the quick plea in such a serious case. She asked him if his billing reports, which showed he had pleaded his client after doing 14 hours of work on her case, were right. Korslund said they were. "On a first-degree murder case with multiple defendants and forensic evidence?" Chaloupka asked. Correct, he said. She pointed out that Korslund didn't yet have serology reports or know that Shelden only confessed after multiple hours of being interrogated without an attorney present, and couldn't have checked out all the ways the statements didn't match up with the crime scene evidence. Korslund said the main thing he relied on was Shelden herself and what she told him. Shelden started having nightmares when she lived briefly in the apartment where Wilson, her great aunt, had been killed. Working with Dr. Wayne Price, also a part-time deputy, she came to believe the nightmares were memories of what had happened. "I never had any doubt, at that time, that she was present," Korslund said. He said Shelden was one of the most honest clients he ever had and didn't think she even was capable of lying. He believed what she told him. Korslund also said he remembered being struck by the fact that her own husband, Cliff, had named her as a suspect, and directed the jail at one point not to allow her mother and stepfather to visit her. "The only person she really had to stand up for her was you?" Chaloupka said. Yes, Korslund answered. After Shelden pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting second-degree murder, four more entered pleas. A jury found White guilty at trial. On cross examination, Korslund told Tomka that under the circumstances Shelden was in, "I definitely felt that (a plea) was the best option for her." And, to do it quickly, he said. Korslund said he knew there would be an advantage to being the first one to offer cooperation. On the day of her sentencing, Shelden testified Monday, she thought she was going to get two years of probation and cried when she got 10 years, a sentence that ultimately meant she would serve 5 years in prison. Chaloupka said less than a week later Korslund, who had represented the local Crime Stoppers when it put out a press release looking for information on Wilson's killing six weeks before the arrests in 1989, sent a newspaper clipping to Deputy Burdette Searcey, the head investigator, congratulating him on the fine job he'd done. On President Xi Jinping's current tour of the western-central sector of the proposed New Silk Road, he has decided not only to make bilateral visits to Serbia and Poland, but also to the Central Asian state of Uzbekistan. President Xi will, of course, be attending the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in the Uzbek capital of Tashkent; but his decision to precede the summit with a full-dress bilateral visit sends a signal that China attaches particular importance to relations with Uzbekistan, a staunchly supportive partner of China throughout the quarter-century of the country's existence. Since Uzbekistan's independence, relations with China have steadily grown. In order to prevent the emergence of a dangerous vacuum in the Central Asian region following the break-up of the Soviet Union, China has made every effort to engage the new countries to her immediate west. Since then, both countries have assumed a rising significance in each other's regional and international objectives. A Declaration of Strategic Partnership was signed in June 2012, and a permanent intergovernmental commission has been put in place to discuss the practical details of the cooperation program. As the region that is now Uzbekistan was a key link in the original Silk Road linking China with Europe, it's logical that the present nation has been sought out by China to play a similar role in the modern project. The groundwork for President Xi's current visit was laid down by a preparatory visit by Foreign Minister Wang Yi last month. Minister Wang met Uzbek President Islam Karimov as well as his Uzbek counterpart, confirming President Xi's plans to focus on the particular position of Uzbekistan within the "Belt and Road" program and to deal with SCO issues. In the last two years China has become Uzbekistan's leading trading partner, with trade figures reaching US$4.7 billion in 2014. This position was taken over by Russia following the rouble's devaluation, which was brought on by the slump in global oil prices. Uzbekistan produces some materials of use to China, such as mineral fertilisers, cotton fibres, non-ferrous metals and, most importantly, natural gas. China, which places great significance on diversifying her supplies of natural gas, has worked hard at establishing pipelines to bring Uzbek gas to the Chinese consumer. The fourth of these pipelines is close to opening up. However, trade between the two countries so far has been highly asymmetric. Though the amount of Uzbek trade going to China is approaching 20 percent, only a very small proportion of China's foreign trade is with Uzbekistan. Moreover, as regards the total Chinese trade with Central Asia, Uzbekistan still lies well behind Kazakhstan, China's main trade partner in the region. President Xi's visit aims at establishing Uzbekistan as a serious challenger to the larger countries of the region in terms of trade with China. In the political sphere, Uzbekistan has become one of China's most reliable supporters on global security issues, quite apart from the two nations' cooperation in the SCO forum. As a sufferer from the recent wave of terrorist activity in the Central Asian region, China has worked with Uzbekistan on counter-terrorism, counter-extremism and opposition to the separatism that China fears in the context of her western regions. Additionally, Uzbekistan has consistently expressed full endorsement of a "one-China" policy and opposition to "Taiwan independence." In return, China has expressed support for Uzbek concerns over trans-border river flows; in the water-deprived Central Asian region, rivers are a subject of great anxiety, and the diversion of water resources for hydro-electric projects has the potential to upset the ecological balance, even to the point of creating security problems. China supports Uzbekistan in supporting fair regulation of water resources in the region. However, China does not want the political aspect of the relationship to become too dominant. Although Uzbekistan's relations with both Russia and the USA include mutual security commitments, China does not want to go down that route. In accordance with the clearly laid-down path of modern Chinese diplomacy, partnerships with other countries are set firmly within the context of economic and developmental cooperation, rather than looking towards political alliances in the security field. This visit shows that both China and Uzbekistan take their bilateral relationship very seriously. China sees in Uzbekistan a reliable and supportive partner, and wishes to underpin the political relationship with solid and mutually beneficial economic links; Uzbekistan, without prejudice to her existing security commitments, clearly sees China as her key partner in the revival and underpinning of her own economic development and her integration into the regional economic structure. Tim Collard is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit: http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/timcollard.htm Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is holding an important summit this week in the Uzbek capital of Tashkent. The major highlight of the meeting is the expected induction of India and Pakistan as members. When India and Pakistan bitter rivals who both have nuclear weapons are admitted as full members, the working of the SCO may become more cumbersome, but at the same time its decisions will be more significant. It will be an organization with four nuclear states as members, though Pakistan and India are still not formally recognized as nuclear countries, because they have not signed the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty or the NPT. India and Pakistan have a common past as part of united India until 1947, when the country was divided by British colonists at the demand of Muslims who wanted to have a separate homeland due to the fear that, being in minority, they would be dominated by the Hindus. Unfortunately, communal violence broke out on the eve of partitioning of the country and thousands of Muslims, Hindus and people from other communities perished. Instead of having a sobering effect on the two new states, the killings set a hostile tone for their future relationship. The two sides went to war in 1984 over the former princely state of Kashmir. Another two major wars, several border skirmishes and intense suspicion about each other have defined their relationship over the past seven decades. Despite having a huge potential to benefit from bilateral trade and commercial ties, they have not normalized economic links with each other. Caught in the middle of distorted facts and fierce nationalism, it is not easy for any analyst to apportion blame and decide which country is more responsible for the strained ties. While fate of Kashmir is still undecided, a new challenge has emerged in the shape of militancy. Both recognize it as major threat but differ over how to meet the challenge. Rather, both accuse each other of involvement in subversive activities. The two countries are also the founding members of the South Asian Association of Regional Countries (SAARC), which was founded in the mid-1980s to increase economic cooperation among the countries of South Asia. However, the organization failed to make any substantial headway, primarily due to differences between India and Pakistan. Despite difficulties ahead, there is a greater likelihood that India and Pakistan will behave more responsibly as members of the SCO. There are several reasons for this optimism. First, the SCO is different from SAARC, as it will not be dominated by Pakistan or India. Second, its objective is much larger and it has already done considerable work against militancy and towards close economic cooperation. India and Pakistan know the groups objectives and understand its challenges. Hence, there is no space for them to carry out their own agendas in the meetings of the SCO. Third, the group offers a very good forum for the leaders of Pakistan and India to meet on the sidelines and discuss issues away from domestic pressures exercised by media and opposition parties. Fourth, the SCO will provide them a good platform to discuss the issue of terrorism and evolve a broader perspective on it than they can at a bilateral level. Fifth, they can become part of the economic cooperation mechanism that transcends bilateral fixations. Sixth, great interaction and cooperation may pave the way for the resolution of political issues, including Kashmir. Their joining of the SCO will also have a positive impact on the group and will increase its acceptance in the Western world. The presence of India especially, the worlds biggest democracy, will make it more prestigious institution. Sajjad Malik is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit: http://china.org.cn/opinion/SajjadMalik.htm Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn. Flash 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 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. Flash 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. Flash 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. 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] 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. Founded in 2001, the SCO comprises China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as full members, with Pakistan and India as observer states. Nasirov said that a memorandum of obligation will be signed by India and Pakistan to obtain SCO member status. Kyrgyzstan's Minister of Economy Arzybek Kozhoshev told Xinhua News Agency this month that after the two nations join the SCO, the total population of its members will comprise "more than half of the global population". An annual report on the SCO released on Tuesday by leading Chinese think tanks on Eurasian studies said the first expansion of its membership should be made discreetly and cautiously. The expansion is complicated and difficult, because it "matters to the future definition of the organization itself and its future path of development", said the report by institutes affiliated to the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and the State Council's Development Research Center. Flash At least 20 fighters of the Shiite Houthi group were killed Tuesday when they launched armed attacks on government-controlled areas and a strategic airbase in Yemen's southern province of Lahj, a military official told Xinhua. 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. According to the military source, the Houthi fighters captured a mountain overlooking the strategic military airbase of Al-Anad which is located about 60 kilometers 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 told Xinhua 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 armored 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 Yemen. 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 2216. 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 recognized 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. 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." Flash Kenya's security forces on Tuesday arrested eight wanted terror suspects in an ongoing counter-terrorism operation in the coastal region following reports of possible attacks during the month of Ramadan. A police officer said four terror suspects were arrested in a mosque in the coastal town of Lamu on Monday while four others were arrested in Kwale town. The four suspects arrested in Lamu have been moved to Malindi, where they will be charged over terrorism activities. The four were allegedly planning attacks in Lamu county, which has previously seen bloody attacks by Somalia's Islamist group Al-Shabaab. "We arrested the four after locals alerted security agents of strangers in one of the mosque who were holding secret meeting," said an anti-terror police unit officer in Lamu. The suspects were arrested just hours after five police officers were killed by suspected Al-Shabaab militants in Mandera county near the Somali border. The police officer said the other four were being interrogated over planned terrorist attacks in Kwale county and killing of three government officials. The four -- Ibrahim Mohammed Abdi, Hamisi Kassim, Idris Aden and Shadrack Mondao Kaya -- are believed to be Al-Shabaab members who have undergone military training in Somalia. They were arrested during a dawn operation in Kabigoni area, where another terror suspect identified as AlI Salim was gunned down on Monday. Flash Clashes with the Islamic State in Libya's Sirte, some 450 km east the capital Tripoli, killed 16 presidential guards and injured 60 others on Tuesday, a medical source told Xinhua. "The clashes killed 16 and injured 60 of the government's troops," said Aziz Isa, media official of Misrata's central hospital. A military source of the government forces said that heavy clashes with heavy weapons and air forces took place in western Sirte. The source also said that dozens of IS fighters were killed in the clashes. The clashes since May between the Libyan government's forces and IS affiliates in Sirte have killed and injured hundreds of the government troops, according to Misrata's central hospital. The presidential guards said earlier that they had managed to control most of Sirte. The UN-backed government has formed the presidential guards service, which is composed mostly of militias of Misrata, to fight against the IS in Sirte. Flash 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. Flash A Chinese official has called for relevant countries to carry out pragmatic cooperation and add impetus to Belt and Road Initiative. At the opening ceremony of the two-day "Silk Road International Forum 2016", which ended on Tuesday, Li Wei, President of the Development Research Center of the State Council, China's cabinet, hoped the forum could promote awareness and understanding of the initiative and enhance friendship among participating countries. The Belt and Road Initiative, proposed by China in 2013, 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. It is a development strategy and framework that focuses on inter-connectivity and cooperation among countries primarily in Eurasia. At the forum, vice minister of Poland's Ministry of Economic Development Radoslaw Domagalski expressed his support to further Poland-China cooperation. He hoped Poland could become China's most important partner in Central and Eastern Europe and cooperate with China in energy, infrastructure projects. Participants at the forum also discussed new mechanisms of financing, sustainable development, and the impact of the Belt and Road Initiative on the development of the regions involved. A total of 13 international organizations, 34 think tanks from 33 countries and more than 100 entrepreneurs attended the forum. Flash 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. Flash Cooperation between Argentina and China on security has led to a "reduction" in crime, especially within supermarkets, according to a senior police source. A recent operation by the Argentinean Ministry of Security, which was backed by Chinese security forces, has led to the dismantling of a criminal gang that targeted Chinese supermarkets. The senior police source told Xinhua that the investigation has led to 22 searches and the arrest of 40 suspects. "We need to deepen cooperation in order to tackle crimes such as extortion, which is at worrying proportions. We cannot allow people who go to work to face this," said the source who chose to remain anonymous. The type of cooperation began in 2011 when Chinese police officers first visited Argentina, followed by a similar visit in 2013. "We have seen a drop" in crime against Chinese supermarkets through this intervention, the source told Xinhua. "We should also have greater exchanges with the police from other countries. We should be globalized. If we do not exchange officers and information, we will always be a step behind," said the source, who added that police officers should receive language training. Argentinean police involved in this operation received lessons in the "Fujian dialect of Chinese" and the Chinese were taught Spanish. On June 13, the Ministry of Security announced that "an intelligence operation allowed us to infiltrate elements ... involved in extortion and intimidation. They identified targets before threatening supermarkets and attacking those who delayed payment or ignored their demands for money." The operation, known as "Dragon Head", also netted 40 criminals, including three high-ranking leaders of the criminal gang, while a fourth narrowly escaped, Xinhua learned. They will face charges of extortion, illegal possession of firearms and resisting arrest. Meanwhile, 14 guns, cash worth 15,000 U.S. dollars, four vehicles, chemicals used to manufacture drugs and various documents were seized. Flash At least five people were killed and 13 others injured in an attack by an armed group in Sudan's Central Darfur State, Sudan Tribune reported Tuesday. "The attack took place at Tour area, some 80 km southeast of Zalingei, the capital city of Central Darfur State," the report said. "An armed group, ridding on motorcycles, camels and horses, launched attacks on Monday and Tuesday against Tour area, which resulted in the killing of five people and injuring of 13 others, some of them suffering from serious wounds," the report quoted an eyewitness as saying. The attack forced hundreds of citizens to flee to the jungles, the eyewitness said, adding that the fate of many children who fled from their families is still unknown. No comment on the incident has been released from the Sudanese government authorities yet. Tribal conflicts have become a nagging concern for local population and the authorities of the troubled region, where all popular and official efforts have failed to end the phenomenon which negatively affected the social fabric of the Darfur population groups. Darfur region lies on the far west region of Sudan with estimated around 500,000 square km. It is considered Sudan's western gate, which shares joint borders with Libya, Chad and Central Africa Republic. Flash Iran's Intelligence Minister Mahmoud Alavi said on Tuesday the intelligence services of the country arrested 10 Takfiri terrorists who intended to target the capital and other cities in the country, official IRNA news agency reported. The terrorists were arrested in Tehran and three other provinces of Iran over the past six days, from June 15 to 20, Alavi was quoted as saying. Iran said on Monday its intelligence services thwarted "one of the biggest" terrorist plots targeting Tehran and other cities. "In this criminal plot, the anti-Islamist Takfiri terrorist group had schemed to carry out a series of bombings in different parts of the country, including in Tehran, on the occasions to come," state IRINN TV quoted the Intelligence Ministry as saying in a statement on Monday. A Takfiri is a derogatory term referring to a Muslim who accuses another of apostasy. Alavai said Tuesday that "the operations planed by the terrorists included bombing, distant explosion, suicide attacking, and car explosion on the crowded areas of the cities." They had identified 50 locations for carrying out the explosions, he said, adding that however, before any evil action, they were all arrested by Iran's intelligence agents. "So far, some 100 kilograms of explosives have been seized," he said. The Iranian minister urged the people to report any suspicious move in the society to the Intelligence Ministry's News Bureau through the telephone number of 113 inside the country. Flash The head of the Independent Commission of Inquiry on Syria warned Tuesday that ongoing fighting and systemic human rights violations were a matter of extreme concern for the country's desperate population and attempts to broker a political end to the five-year conflict. Paulo Pinheiro (C), head of the Independent Commission of Inquiry on Syria, gives an oral update to the Human Rights Council (HRC) which is currently holding its 32nd session in Geneva, Switzerland, June 21, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua] "We briefed the council about the violations and war-crimes concerning the daily lives of the population," Paulo Pinheiro said in stakeout after giving an oral update to the United Nations Human Rights Council which is currently holding its 32nd session here. "We affirmed our support to both the humanitarian and cessation of hostilities taskforces. Despite all the problems we think there is no other way to reach peace than by the process promoted by the UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura," he added. Against the backdrop of reported child recruitment by Jabhat al-Nusra and other al-Qaeda affiliated groups, the use of sieges as a war tactic and unlawful attacks carried by government forces, armed factions and terrorist groups, Pinheiro reminded the Council that more than half of Syria's population has been displaced as a result of protracted violence. He also recalled the commission's findings that genocide was being perpetrated by the Islamic State against the country's Yazidi population. IS controls large swathes of Syrian territory, the report noted. This was particularly concerning for delegations who called for an investigation into the crimes as well as a more proactive stance by the UN Security Council. In light of the crisis which has killed hundreds of thousands and displaced millions, Pinheiro voiced the need for all states to support Syria peace talks which have been on hold since April, while calling for unconditional humanitarian access to be granted to reach all those in need of assistance. He believed this could be achieved by implementing a number of confidence-building measures. This would include putting an end to indiscriminate bombardments, releasing those prisoners who have been arbitrarily detained, setting up independent monitoring of detention centers and establishing mechanisms to deal with instances of missing and disappeared persons. "We need all states to insist time and time again that influential states and the Security Council unconditionally support the political process. That they facilitate and foster dialogue amongst the warring parties. That they do not compromise for anything less than long lasting peace," he said. Established in August 2011 by the UN Human Rights Council, the Commission of Inquiry's mandate is to investigate all alleged violations of international human rights law since March 2011 in the war-torn country. Flash 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. 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. [Photo/Xinhua] 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. OMAHA, Neb. The Omaha school district is considering updating its anti-discrimination policy to include gender identity or gender expression. Omaha Public Schools board member Marian Frey said at a Monday meeting that the district should also directly address accommodations for bathrooms, locker rooms and other areas that affect transgender students. The district's policy was written in 2014 and bans discrimination on the basis of race, gender, religion, disability and age. Board member Katie Underwood said there had been a lack of leadership from the state on the issue and that comprehensive anti-discrimination policies are the bedrock of public schools, while board president Lou Ann Goding expressed concerns about student privacy. President Barack Obama's administration earlier this year issued a directive to public schools to allow transgender students to use bathrooms and locker rooms matching their gender identity. Gov. Pete Ricketts has said that the directive is a federal overreach and should be ignored by schools. The Nebraska State Board of Education resolution calling for the rejection of federal guidance ended in a deadlock earlier this month. According to board member Lacey Merica, students and staff should be surveyed to see how current policies can be made stronger. Resident Ben Perlman said at the meeting that children would not be put at risk if students were allowed to use facilities that are consistent with their gender identity, but Gwen Easter said she would not be comfortable with her nieces and nephews using the bathroom with transgender students. "I don't want my nieces and nephews growing up believing all this stuff is normal when it isn't," Easter said. Eris Koleszar, a transgender woman, said inaction would reinforce transgender students' fears that there is no room for them in the school district. The board took no action Monday. The board's policy committee is scheduled to meet June 29 and is expected to discuss the matter further. Flash A veteran Pennsylvania congressman was convicted in Philadelphia on Tuesday on corruption charges, including racketeering, fraud and money laundering, multi TV networks reported. Chaka Fattah, who had been in Congress since 1995 and served on the powerful House Appropriations Committee, was found guilty of all counts against him, including allegations that Fattah borrowed one million dollars from a donor during his unsuccessful campaign for Philadelphia mayor and later repaid part of the loan by using federal grants and non-profit funds. The Justice Department further alleged that Fattah used funds from his mayoral and congressional campaigns to help pay off his son's student loan debt, said a The Hill news daily report. He was also charged with accepting financial bribes while trying to secure an ambassadorship or appointment to the U.S. Trade Commission for former Philadelphia Deputy Mayor Herbert Vederman. Defense lawyers acknowledged Fattah might have gotten himself in financial trouble after a costly 2007 mayoral bid, but they said any help from friends amounted to gifts, not bribes. "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." Fattah, a 59-year-old Democrat, lost both the primary in April and his bid for his 12th term. His current term ends in December. He will remain free on bail until he is sentenced on Oct. 4. Flash The European Union (EU) 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. 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. [Photo/Xinhua] 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. Flash The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has not confirmed the suspected test-launch of two missiles on Wednesday morning The state-run KCNA news agency told Xinhua over the phone that it was not aware of the missile launches and asked Xinhua to wait for official news. South Korea's Yonhap news agency quoted the Joint Chiefs of Staff as saying that the DPRK launched a second missile, which was believed to be a Musudan, at about 8:05 a.m. Seoul time (2305 GMT Tuesday) from Wonsan on the east coast, two hours after the DPRK test-fired a ballistic missile, which Seoul said was presumably a failure. The latest intermediate-range missile launch was the sixth test-firing of its kind by Pyongyang after the five earlier launches were all believed to have failed. The South Korean military said it is not clear whether Pyongyang's second launch on Wednesday was a success or not. It is believed that a ballistic missile is required to fly at least 300 km to be considered successful in test-firing. The second missile launched on Wednesday flew about 400 km. In case of a successful missile launch, the KCNA usually reports the news in the following early morning. In case of a failure, the DPRK will simply keep silence. The first test-launch on April 15 failed as the missile exploded in mid-air several seconds after take-off. The April 28 launch also failed as those exploded in mid-air or crashed in waters. The fourth test was estimated to have exploded on its mobile launcher even before take-off, according to the South Korean military. The missile launches came ahead of June 25, the 66th anniversary of the outbreak of the Korean War. And the DPRK is scheduled to convene the fourth session of the 13th Supreme People's Assembly, the country's highest legislative body on June 29. Flash The international community should support Afghanistan in the field of security and increase assistance to prevent setbacks in the security situation, said a Chinese envoy on Tuesday. Liu Jieyi, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, made the remarks at a Security Council meeting on the situation in Afghanistan. He emphasized that improvement of the security situation is the basis for Afghan stability. Liu said the recent security situation in Afghanistan has taken a turn for the worse, and domestic armed clashes have been escalating with rising civilian casualties. "We hope that the United Nations will do more in assessing the security situation in Afghanistan, promote cooperation between Afghanistan and regional countries in the fight against terrorism, drugs and cross-border crimes, and jointly create enabling conditions to improve the security situation in Afghanistan," Liu said. On Monday, bomb attacks took place in in the Afghan capital of Kabul and in Badakhshan in the north of the country, killing at least 22 people. "China strongly condemns the multiple terrorist attacks in Afghanistan," said Liu. "China firmly supports Afghanistan's efforts in fighting terrorism and will continue to provide assistance to Afghanistan to strengthen its security and capabilities." Liu also noted that the promotion of economic and social development is a necessary condition for Afghan prosperity and stability. He said the international community must support the Afghan government in stopping its economic downturn, promote comprehensive economic and social development, and strengthen regional cooperation in infrastructure, trade, and investment. "China firmly supports Afghanistan's integration into regional cooperation," he said. "We will integrate the Belt and Road Initiative with Afghanistan's national transition and development strategy, and we will continue to contribute to Afghanistan's early attainment of sustainable peace and development." Flash China urged parties to avoid actions that will escalate tension on the Korean Peninsula following the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s two suspected missile launches on Wednesday. "Given the complicated and sensitive situation on the Korean Peninsula,all parties should avoid moves that escalate tension on the Peninsula and work to maintain regional peace and stability," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said when asked to comment on the issue. The DPRK fired what were believed to be two Musudan intermediate-range ballistic missiles on Wednesday, Yonhap news agency reported, citing military authorities, but the DPRK has not confirmed the report. The Korean Peninsula nuclear issue has complicated roots, which require a package of measures to resolve. Peace and stability there serve the interests of all parties and deserve unremitting joint efforts, Hua said. "We have explained our stance to the DPRK and the rest of the world," Hua said. A healthy and stable relationship between China and the DPRK is conducive to solving the nuclear issue on the Peninsula and maintaining peace and stability there, she said, adding that China will continue to work in this direction. Hua called on all sides to make constructive efforts to help ease the situation and resume dialogue. Flash Chinese President Xi Jinping's signed article in a leading Uzbek newspaper has won wide praise from Uzbeks, who expect further development of bilateral relations and cooperation. Ahead of his visit to Uzbekistan, Xi on Tuesday published a signed article in Narodnoye Slove titled "A Glorious New Chapter in China-Uzbekistan Friendship." Anvar Sharipov, a former professor at the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan, said he thoroughly read the article, in which Xi spoke highly of bilateral relations and appreciated the role of Uzbekistan in Central Asia and the international arena. "The publication of the signed article shows the strategic value of bilateral relations, the long-time friendship which has passed from generation to generation, as well as the similar traditional culture and spirit (of our two countries)," Sharipov told Xinhua. "We believe that bilateral ties would keep developing and cooperation in different fields would flourish under the leadership of Uzbek President Islam Karimov and Chinese President Xi," Sharipov said. Vice President of the Uzbekistan-China Friendship Association Bekmurodov Ismatulla noted that the signed article presented a blueprint for the future of bilateral relationship. Joint efforts to build up the Silk Road Economic Belt are giving strong impetus to and will become the cornerstone of bilateral cooperation, Ismatulla said. In recent years, under the Belt and Road initiative proposed by China, dozens of cooperation projects have been implemented in industry, air and railway transport and other fields in Uzbekistan, Chinese and Uzbek officials say. The Pengsheng Industrial Park, located southwest of the Uzbek capital of Tashkent, currently houses nine companies manufacturing tiles, leather, shoes, cellphones and other products, contributing to local economic development and improving local people's livelihood. The completion of Qamchiq, the longest railway tunnel in Central Asia, is expected to significantly improve the transport network of Uzbekistan and inject fresh impetus into local economic development. Uzbek merchant Botir Zhuraev told Xinhua that he hoped the Silk Road Economic Belt would open new prospects for business, trade and entrepreneurship in all areas. President Xi attaches great importance to the two countries' interaction on international affairs and security issues, as major economic projects cannot be fulfilled without a stable and safe environment, Zhuraev noted. "Peace and stability in the world is the key to business success," Zhuraev said, echoing President Xi's idea. In 2015, two-way trade reached 3.5 billion U.S. dollars, up by more than 70-fold compared with the early days of diplomatic relations between the two countries, according to Chinese official figures. Other Uzbeks pay more attention to the fast-growing cultural links with China. Tilovo Ozod, a Chinese-language postgraduate student, expressed his keen interest in the Chinese culture. He cannot agree more with President Xi's appraisal of the traditional and cultural links of the two countries and the deep mutual understanding between the two peoples, Ozod told Xinhua. College teacher Gulnora Azimova also noted that more and more young Uzbeks want to learn Chinese and study Chinese culture. In recent years, tremendous progress has been made in student exchange, language training, joint archaeological projects, translation of literary works and other cultural programs between China and Uzbekistan. China has established a Uzbekistan Research Center in Shanghai for studying Uzbek history and social customs. The Uzbek language is also being taught and learnt in Chinese colleges. You are here: Home Flash Chinese President Xi Jinping called for building a "green, healthy, intelligent and peaceful" Silk Road while addressing the Uzbek Parliament Wednesday as China is promoting its Belt and Road Initiative. A funeral Mass for Lane Thomas Graves was Tuesday in west Omaha, a week after the 2-year-old was dragged into the water by an alligator at Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. He was on vacation with his family and drowned despite his father's frantic efforts to save him. The funeral Mass at St. Patrick's Catholic Church was limited to family and friends. In a statement, Matt and Melissa Graves thanked the "friends and strangers who share in our loss and who have shown us profound compassion." Also Tuesday, the audio tapes from two 911 calls made moments after the alligator attacked the boy were released. The first came from the "drop phone" at a nearby lifeguard stand at Walt Disney World's Seven Seas Lagoon, and no voice could be heard. The second, about four minutes long, was made by a woman who did not witness the attack, said spokesman Tim O'Toole at the Reedy Creek Improvement District, which handles calls at Disney World and released the recordings. "Come to the Grand Floridian please," the woman says. "Someone's drowning in the Seven Seas Lagoon." The dispatcher asks if she means a pool. "No, lake," she replies. The dispatcher tells her to stay on the line while he answers another call, then returns a few seconds later. "Do you see the person right now?" "No, I didn't." "Was someone being pulled out of the lake?" "Yes." The dispatcher says authorities have no information, and asks if she could see the person pulling the boy out. "No," because she's on the phone, she says. The dispatcher then asks her to get closer to the lake and call back from a cellphone. "We are on our way right now," he says. Rescue crews arrived shortly thereafter, but it would take more than 15 hours to recover Lane's body, which was found in murky water just yards from the beach where he had been wading. 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. Nebraska could keep more inmates from returning to prison if improvement programs and access to them were upgraded, a study by analysts from the Council of State Governments Justice Center concluded. Justice Center analysts, who have been studying Nebraska prisons since 2014, were asked to do a separate, more in-depth study of the programs state prisons provide. Those programs are crucial to keeping people from committing more crimes once they are released and returning to prison. In 2014, the Council of State Governments made multiple recommendations on how to use alternatives to avoid sending about 1,000 offenders a year to prison, to reduce crowding and keep from having to build new prisons. As a result, senators passed major legislation in its next session to reform sentencing and reduce the repeat of crimes. This analysis, 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 programming, and inmates face persistent barriers to accessing them. Gov. Pete Ricketts said the top priority of his administration is public safety, and keeping inmates from committing more crimes after release is one way to keep people safe. The study can show the department how to go about doing 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, said Bree Derrick, program manager for the Justice Center, is that Nebraska has a number of good, state-of-the-art programs, some of the best in the country. But the prisons unnecessarily stretch program delivery out over time, the report said. That leads to inefficiencies that increase costs to the state by delaying parole readiness. One third of inmates within a year of parole eligibility are not getting a parole hearing for a variety of reasons, including their own refusal to set a hearing date, not completing programs or not having access to programs needed for parole. Numerous prisoners leave without supervision, known as "jamming out." The Department of Corrections misses opportunities to identify risks and needs of inmates, and target program resources accordingly, the Justice Center report said. Nebraska Inspector General for Corrections Doug Koebernick said The Council of State Governments has laid out an impressive plan for building upon the existing programs within the department. "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. Also, it's important, he said, that the 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 that 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. Photo taken on Jan 29, 2016 shows the UK and EU flags outside the European Commission headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. [Photo/Xinhua] While a United Kingdom 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 percent 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 percent worldwide within two years. Exports to the UK presently account for only 0.7 percent of Asian countries' GDP, according to Daniel Martin, senior Asia economist at Capital Economics. "Even a 25 percent decline in UK imports would knock less than 0.2 percent off from regional GDP." Only a few economies in Asia would see a noticeable effect on growth, Martin said. Examples include Cambodia and Vietnam, which have stronger trade ties with the UK. Martin said that Brexit would have only a limited impact on emerging Asia, and the main risks to the region lie elsewhere. In a separate paper, Capital Economics said the effects of Brexit would be equally subdued in the region's largest economy. China's exports to the UK are equivalent to just 0.5 percent of Chinese GDP, Chang Liu and Julian Evans-Pritchard wrote in a note published on Friday. "China is also well-placed to weather any post-Brexit selloff in financial markets," they said. "Because China's capital account remains largely closed, the financial linkages between China and the rest of the world are fairly limited. Meanwhile, large foreign reserves mean the authorities could support the renminbi in the event that it came under renewed downward pressure." Nevertheless, an array of Asian companies have made their preferences clear in favor of Britain remaining. Eric Delomier, an investment specialist at Capital Group's Singapore office, said there would be geopolitical and trade implications for the region. "The UK leaving the union would be seen overall negatively from a trading perspective by most Asian countries," he said. Li Ka-shing, chairman of CK Hutchison Holdings and Cheung Kong Property Holdings Hong Kong's richest man said the Chinese mainland's economic outlook is bright in the long term, casting a vote of confidence in the economy that has witnessed slower growth in the past quarters. China continues to have a trade surplus, the services industry is generating income and foreign money is flowing in, billionaire Li Ka-shing said in his first interview with international media since 2012. He also indicated that investors focusing on the country's rising debt levels are missing out on the larger picture. "The long-term outlook for the mainland is good," the 87-year-old chairman of CK Hutchison Holdings Ltd said from his office atop the Cheung Kong Center building in downtown Hong Kong. "People only see the debt in the State-owned enterprises and in households, when they need to recognize that China is a big exporter." Those export receiptsa "positive for China" according to Lihelped the trade surplus swell to 3.7 trillion yuan ($560 billion) last year, providing a buffer as the weaker yuan spurred capital outflows. Li's confidence in the world's second-largest economy comes amid signs of stabilization thanks to government stimulus measures. Li, who was born in the southeastern Chinese city of Chaozhou, has much at stake in the mainland. His real estate unit, Cheung Kong Property Holdings Ltd, counts about half its revenue from there and has dozens of properties in the mainland. His flagship company, CK Hutchison, generated 14 percent of its earnings before interest and taxes from the mainland, where he operates about 2,500 Watsons and ParknShop stores. Also during the interview with Bloomberg, Hong Kong's richest man stepped up his calls for Britons to vote in favor of staying in the European Union as the world braces for the outcome of this week's vote. "If Brexit happens, it will be detrimental to the United Kingdom and it will have a negative impact on the whole of Europe," Li said. "Of course I hope that the UK doesn't leave the EU." As one of the UK's biggest investors, Li has much at stake in the June 23 referendum and his concerns echo those voiced by business and market leaders worldwide as they prepare for the possible fallout from Britain leaving the 28-nation bloc. Workers assemble switchgears in the plant of Schneider Electric Infrastructure Ltd on the outskirts of Vadodara in Gujarat, India. [Photo/Agencies] Move to help company gain more quality technologies from selected Chinese enterprises French electric equipment and automation company Schneider Electric SA will invest in more small and medium-sized high-tech companies in China through a specialized investment fund, and provide training and learning materials to up to 100 vocational schools this year, its China president said. Zhu Hai, who is also the electric automation company's global executive vice-president, said these activities would help the company gain more quality technologies from selected Chinese SMEs, as well as enhance the company's ability to diversify its business. With revenue of 27 billion euros ($30.6 billion) in its 2015 fiscal year, Schneider has 160,000 employees in more than 100 countries and regions. China is now the company's second-biggest market. It operates 26 plants, eight logistics centers, three research and development centers and 40 branches in China. Schneider has transferred up to 2,500 jobs from China's coastal areas to major cities in the central and western regions such as Xi'an and Wuhan. That is to help expand market share in the regions, which have surging demand in the power, infrastructure and manufacturing sectors. Zhu said even though many global companies are confronting difficulties such as declining demand and rising labor and production costs, smart manufacturing will continue to be the key factor in determining competitiveness. Many countries have identified digital, intelligent and green sectors in the drive to develop high-end manufacturing, he said. "Smart manufacturing has distinct developing trendssmart equipment, smart control, the internet of things, and IT hardware and software," Zhu added. A visitor consults a medical service agency for overseas treatment and healthcare at an international tourism expo in Beijing. [A Qing/For China Daily] More and more Chinese from well-to-do quarters in need of advanced medical care are going abroad, particularly to the United States. They are the consumers of the global medical tourism industry. The number of such consumers globally doubled to 40 million in six years since 2006. In 2013, their total spending reached $438.6 billion, or 14 percent of the global tourism industry. Next year, it is projected to reach $678.5 billion or 16 percent of the global tourism industry, according to a survey by the Stanford Research Institute. Cai Jiangnan, director of the Center for Healthcare Management and Policy with China Europe International Business School, attributed the trend to three reasons: better medical environment and service abroad, state-of-the-art technology and availability of latest medicine. Wu Ming, 65, will probably agree. A two-month medical trip to California helped him to bounce back to good health and work from cancer. Wu had lost two years after starting to feel physical discomfort in 2012. A medical examination at a local hospital in Shanghai showed nothing abnormal. It was not until September 2013 that he was diagnosed with late-stage prostate cancer. Learning that traditional treatment would do little to tame the disease, Wu turned to a Shanghai-based overseas medical treatment service provider in September 2014. Two months later, he received a particle therapy treatment in the US. "Only 3 percent of the wealthy in China could go abroad for medical treatment in 2011. That figure jumped to 40 percent in 2015. The number of Chinese seeking overseas medical services increased threefold in the October-December quarter of 2015 compared to the early part of the year," Tang Heng, executive partner of GTJA Investment Group, told China Business News. There are no official figures for Chinese medical consumers overseas. Yet, quite a few foreign medical players are extending their business to the Chinese market. According to Fan Tailai, general manager of MEGA Healthcare, at least 3,000 Chinese may have availed of modern healthcare services in the US by flying out of Shanghai in 2013. "The actual number could be higher. As new visas are valid for 10 years, people can go on a medical tour even if their visas are for pure travel or visiting reasons," Fan said. The average cost of medical treatment for a serious illness works out to about $150,000 in the US.Most of the Chinese patients visiting the US come from major cities such as Beijing and Shanghai. Chen Jiaye, 37, and her family went to the US for a one-month visit last year. She spent around 20,000 yuan ($3,036) for a physical examination in Los Angeles. She is now considering regular health checks abroad. A man fixes a display in the aisle at a Wal-Mart store in Miami, Florida. [Photo provided to China Daily The new alliance between Wal-Mart Stores Inc and JD.com Inc is expected to give Wal-Mart wider customer access and offer a fresh start to its struggling retail business in China. Wal-Mart said the alliance expands its opportunity in e-commerce and provides its stores and Sam's Clubs with potential traffic from JD's huge customer base and also will allow it to use JD's same-day delivery network. Wal-Mart will receive about 5 percent stake in JD and the companies will partner in several strategic areas. Sam's Club China will open a flagship store on JD platform, vastly expanding the availability of Sam's Club's imported products across China. It will offer same- and next-day delivery through JD's nationwide warehousing and delivery network, which covers a population of 600 million consumers. Doug McMillon, CEO of Wal-Mart, said earlier that the company needs to succeed in China, where it estimates that 25 percent of global retail growth will be in the next five years. Wal-Mart's net sales globally fell slightly in 2015. According to Jason Yu, general manager of Kantar Worldpanel China, Wal-Mart continues to experience losses in shoppers as it strives to maintain profitability and close stores in areas where they are not competitive. In 2015, Wal-Mart took full ownership of YHD, its online retail business in China, but this didn't help much strengthen its competitive edge over players in the e-commerce space or achieve the desired synergies, Yu said. "I don't think it will necessarily give up its own e-commerce offer, which is more based on an O2O (online-to-offline) operational model and a mobile app," he said. However the partnership with JD will definitely broaden its consumer base beyond its current city-scope and will let the company leapfrog its expansion, though not necessarily under the Wal-Mart banner. "The vast scale of JD means that its products can go far beyond eastern China, YHD's stronghold, and provide a delivery network that will enable it to satisfy growing middle-class aspirations for high-quality imported products," said Yu. A doctor removes glass from a patient's hand in Xiamen,southeast China's Fujian Province, Jan 15, 2015.[Photo/Xinhua] Last year, in a desperate move, Gu (not his real name) and his wife sent their 5-year-old daughter to Germany after she was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, a highly aggressive and malignant form of cancer. "We don't have other choices," said the businessman from northeast China who is in his 30s. His daughter needed proton therapy that is too sophisticated to be available for children in China. While the outcome of the treatment in Germany remains uncertain, Gu said it has already cost his family "close to 1 million yuan". Gu's daughter is not alone. Many Chinese patients, old and young, have chosen a hospital outside China as their second option or the last resort. However, some medical professionals believe such patients and their families might be too optimistic. "Patients who choose to go abroad will certainly have more access to advanced medical technologies and new medicines that are unavailable in China," said Tai Jun, who is in charge of international cooperation at Beijing Children's Hospital, one of the finest of its kind in China. "Foreign hospitals have sufficient funds and time, which they spend on medical research and development. But, in terms of medical practices, Chinese doctors are doubtlessly more experienced." Hu Xingsheng, an internal medicine specialist at the Cancer Institute and Hospital, under the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, said, "For a tumor patient, there is only one scenario where medical tourism is meaningful patients specifically target certain kinds of medicines or therapies that are inaccessible in China. Otherwise, it's not necessary for patients to spend millions on overseas medical care." Medical environment and the quality of service in foreign hospitals might be better, but the transfers from Chinese medical facilities to foreign ones could be a major problem for many. To address this logistical problem, consulting companies have come into being. They claim to offer professional services ranging from translation to overseas accommodation arrangements. Tai said, patients could find the right hospitals abroad by consulting with such companies. However, they need to be careful because only a handful of consulting companies are qualified. "Overseas medical care initiated by reliable Chinese hospitals, like remote medical consultation, is always the best option," he said. Ni Yuchen contributed to this story. A baby born at a private maternity hospital in Beijing. More and more well-off Chinese are turning to privately owned hospitals for their high-end conditions and services. [Wang Yuyi/For China Daily] Asian countries, particularly Japan and Thailand, have become popular destinations for medical tourism for their cost-effectiveness and well-matched tourism as well as medical resources, said market experts. One of Thailand's major attractions is infertility treatment centers where tourists can receive in vitro fertilization treatment, or ovulation induction and assisted insemination. There are about 100 such centers in Thailand, many of which are based in Bangkok where tourists can relax in resorts and visit the treatment centers only when needed. The cost of such treatments, including a one-month stay, ranges between $7,000 and $30,000, which is about one-third of what it might cost in some developed countries, said Zhang Fangyue, a customer service officer with Wuhan-based De Bao Overseas Health Tourism. Li Hailun, 34, from Wuhan said she had tried IVF at domestic hospitals but that did not help her conceive. She thinks that may be because she tends to be "nervous" and "pressured" amid friends, family members and relatives. The latter, she said, often ask her about the treatment's effectiveness. This does not help her to rest and relax enough. "The domestic hospital I went to actually has a great team, and advanced technologies, and I do trust the doctors and nurses there. However, one problem was that my relatives often asked me about the results, and that put a lot of pressure on me," said Li. So, Li and her husband decided to shift to a foreign destination that is not too far from home. They went to Bangkok in December 2015, and Li is now expecting - her baby is due in October. "Thailand is a good choice. Fortunately, I could rest in a beautiful resort in Bangkok. I felt more like a tourist than a patient receiving treatments. Only, my husband is with me so we can just relax. He cooks for me, and that was perhaps the longest quality time we have had together after getting married," said Li. The trip cost the couple about 150,000 yuan ($22,800), almost three times that of their previous attempts in their hometown, but they said it was worth the money. "For a mother-to-be, perhaps the most important thing is to relax and to rest well, and Thailand's treatment center and environment can offer these," said Li. Japan is a destination in Asia that combines hot spring therapy and medical treatment which are particularly appealing to elderly patients. Hu Xinyu, a 78-year-old retiree in Shanghai, was diagnosed with a tumor in her left lung, and was prescribed radiation treatment. After her grandson Liu Dong did some research, the family decided to go to Japan for treatment. "We consulted some relatives who work in hospitals and medical research centers, and they told us that proton treatment and heavy ion treatment may help my grandmother the best. "We could have done it in a hospital in Shanghai, but my grandmother said she wished to appreciate Sakura (cherry blossoms) in March and visit some hotsprings in Japan because many of her friends had done so already. So, Japan was a natural choice for a medical tour," said Liu. Thus, the grandmother and the grandson went to Tokyo in March for treatment, and visited some hot-springs, avenues and parks famous for Sakura. Hu visited the treatment center when needed on certain days, and Liu took her to her favorite restaurants, parks, shopping malls and hotsprings on other days. The two-month tour cost the family about 6 million yen ($56,400) including some 4.2 million yen for treatment and health checks. "The result of the treatment is quite good. My grandmother is quite happy that she isn't suffering from much pain. She feels she can still enjoy life - a sentiment that's quite positive for her recovery. We can't say we've seen the last of her tumor, but at least we tried our best to minimize its impact on our lives," said Liu. Note: Names of the patients and their family members discussed in the story have been changed to protect their identity and privacy. WARSAW - A Chinese official has called for relevant countries to carry out pragmatic cooperation and add impetus to Belt and Road Initiative. At the opening ceremony of the two-day "Silk Road International Forum 2016", which ended on Tuesday, Li Wei, President of the Development Research Center of the State Council, China's cabinet, hoped the forum could promote awareness and understanding of the initiative and enhance friendship among participating countries. The Belt and Road Initiative, proposed by China in 2013, 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. It is a development strategy and framework that focuses on inter-connectivity and cooperation among countries primarily in Eurasia. At the forum, vice minister of Poland's Ministry of Economic Development Radoslaw Domagalski expressed his support to further Poland-China cooperation. He hoped Poland could become China's most important partner in Central and Eastern Europe and cooperate with China in energy, infrastructure projects. Participants at the forum also discussed new mechanisms of financing, sustainable development, and the impact of the Belt and Road Initiative on the development of the regions involved. A total of 13 international organizations, 34 think tanks from 33 countries and more than 100 entrepreneurs attended the forum. Li Ke, general manager of Synutra International, speaks to the media in Qingdao, Shandong province on June 21, 2016. [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn] The processing equipments and methods of China's dairy product companies are world-class, but the companies still lack trust among domestic consumers, according to an industry insider on Tuesday. "China's dairy product companies have developed to a 'Louis Vuitton' level in the world dairy product industry in terms of processing equipment and methods", said Li Ke , general manager of Synutra International, a leading infant formula company in China. The country's baby formula market is estimated to be worth 65.7 billion yuan ($10 billion) this year and is forecast to rise to 133.7 billion yuan by 2020, according to an earlier report citing Euromonitor International. However, China's public trust of its domestic dairy industry has been quite fragile since 2008, when infant formula produced by Sanlu Group, a leading domestic dairy firm, was found to contain melamine, said Li during a meeting with the media on Tuesday. In that scandal, six Chinese infants died and tens of thousands were hospitalized after drinking domestically produced milk powder contaminated by melamine. At present, even a tiny flaw in any domestic dairy firm, such as a small mistake on a product tag, could be unreasonably magnified by sensitive consumers as a fault of the whole industry, with the result of degrading the whole domestic industry, according to Li. In fact, China is tightening its supervision of baby formula. The food safety watchdog has issued a regulation, which will take effect this October, to do so. Both domestic and overseas baby formula producers must register and secure permits from the China Food and Drug Administration if they want to sell their products in China. In April, police arrested nine people implicated in the production and sale of fake baby formula for the brands "Similac" and "Beingmate". However, the industry still has a long way to go to regain public trust. The Chinese dairy industry needs the "spirit of the craftsmanship" and to train more professionals to safeguard food safety and provide better products, said Li Shengli, a professor at China Agriculture University and director of Sino-Dutch Dairy Development Center, in March. Now, the industry should not focus so much on the number of producers, but instead ensure that the threshold of industry access is high enough to guarantee quality, said Li Ke. An outlet of China Construction Bank (CCB) in Yichang, Central China's Hubei province, June 16, 2016. [Photo/IC] SANTIAGO - China Construction Bank (CCB) has opened the first clearing bank for transactions in renminbi in South America in Chile's capital Santiago, the CCB said on Tuesday. The branch was inaugurated Monday night, after receiving all the needed permits from Chile's banking authorities. More than 200 guests attended the inaugural ceremony. Guo You, president of the CCB's Supervisory Council, expressed his appreciation for the support the entity received in the South American country. The South American branch of the CCB, one of the world's top 10 banks, will not only help boost economic and trade exchanges and financial collaboration between China and Chile, but also help the bank expand its services in Latin America, said Guo. Initially, the branch will provide corporate banking services and actively promote cross-border yuan transactions, which will help facilitate trade, Guo said. "The inauguration of this bank in Chile is a fundamental milestone in ties between the two countries," former Chilean President and current Senator Eduardo Frei told the opening ceremony. While Chile-China ties have been close, Chinese investment in the country has lagged behind, said Frei. Opening a bank branch in Chile is the most important Chinese investment in the country to date, he said. "It's going to be the first renminbi clearing bank not just for Chile, but also for South America," said Frei. During Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's visit to Chile in May 2015, the presidents of the two countries' central banks signed an agreement that paved the way for the opening of the CCB branch, recalled Frei, underscoring the importance of having a banking entity in Chile capable of carrying out direct transactions in the Chinese currency. "The financial losses from currency exchange operations were significant, and carrying out operations directly in China's currency, the renminbi, is going to particularly benefit Chile and China's small and medium-size companies," said Frei. The CCB, said Frei, is one of the world's largest companies and by establishing itself in Chile, it is demonstrating not just the high level of ties between the two countries, but also its trust and confidence in Chile's development, and in becoming an economic platform for all of Latin America. Chilean Economy Minister Luis Felipe Cespedes said the CCB's entry into Chile was a reflection of the country's robust business climate. The branch, said Cespedes, "allows us to tighten and strengthen ties between the two countries, which today are strong because China is our leading trade partner and, with the establishment of the bank, we can raise the financial channels and investment in our process of integration with the world." Rodrigo Vergara, Chile's central bank chief, stressed the importance of the 2015 monetary agreement that facilitated the use of the renminbi in Chile, and allowed Chilean investors to invest in China's stock market. Chinese ambassador to Chile Li Baorong said: "The opening of the branch is not just about a Chinese bank expanding operations abroad, but also about the deepening of substantial cooperation between the two countries, and of the confidence that Chinese financial institutions have in the future of our sister country, which is Chile." In 2015, Chile and China celebrated the 45th anniversary of diplomatic ties, while 2016 marks the 10th anniversary of their free-trade agreement. An employee prepares brochures at the stand of Chinese real estate website Fang.com, formerly called Soufun.com, during a real estate fair in Shanghai, China, March 20, 2015. [Photo/IC] Thailand's leading property developer Sansiri Public Company Limited announced its partnership with SouFun Holdings Limited, China's biggest property portal, on Tuesday. The agreement is to launch a website for investment in Thailand's real estate market specifically for Chinese investors. The website thailand.fang.com will provide information on investment as well as serving as a channel to promote and sell Sansiri projects among Chinese customers throughout the country. Sansiri's sales to Chinese grew 300 percent in 2015. And it is expected that the online sales plus sales through property agents will boost Sansiri's sales to Chinese customers this year to as much as 187 million yuan ($28.7 million), or 230 percent higher than that in 2015. "More and more Chinese tourists are visiting Thailand each year. As Thailand becomes one of the most popular destinations for Chinese tourists, the demand for lodging that can be used as a second home, or as an investment has been growing too," said Cobby Leathers, Head of International Business of Sansiri Public Company Limited. BEIJING - Assets managed by China's mutual funds increased by 359 billion yuan (about $54 billion) last month to 8 trillion yuan. The amount remained below the record level of 8.4 trillion yuan set at the end of December, according to the Asset Management Association of China. The May increase was attributed to 293 billion yuan invested in money market funds. The safer bond funds also grew by 44.3 billion yuan, while riskier stock funds shrank by 527 million yuan as the equity market is still vulnerable and volatile. China is to take strong measures to further unlock business potential in the private sector and encourage private investment. This vow was made at a State Council executive meeting on Wednesday, chaired by Premier Li Keqiang, after he was briefed on a report resulting from extensive inquiries about private investment nationwide. Li also urged governments at all levels to heed problems revealed during the inquiries, especially private companies' difficulties in obtaining financing, and excessive administrative charges. A month ago, the State Council launched a nationwide fact-finding mission, covering 30 provinces and regions. An independent evaluation of the results was carried out by the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce and other research institutions. The inquiry covered 500 enterprises and involved more than 10,000 surveys on private investment policies. Major factors leading to slowing growth in private investment include ongoing efforts to reduce excess capacity, insufficient policy implementation and difficulty in obtaining financing for small private companies at the local level. Li said private investment is critically important for China to maintain stable economic growth, job security and economic structural reform. In November 2014, the State Council published 39 policies to support private investment. However, these policies encountered setbacks at lower levels and suffered from a lack of consistency, the inquiries found. Some private entrepreneurs complain that although the government has done much to ease institutional barriers obstructing them in recent years, they are still far from being treated equally with State-owned enterprises and are sometimes denied market access. These companies are calling for more transparency. High costs and difficulty in obtaining finance are also key culprits in restricting private investment growth. Huang Qunhui, director of the Institute of Industrial Economics at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said financial institutions must treat private enterprises and SOEs equally in granting loans and on the charges for loans. Contact the writers at huyongqi@chinadaily.com.cn Mark Ruffalo praises the Beijing subway. [Photo/workercn.cn] Now You See Me 2 star Mark Ruffalo showed up in Beijing on June 19 at the movie's press conference. In the following days, Ruffalo posted his little tour around the city on his Facebook page. Ruffalo posted that he tried to live as a local Beijinger. But in fact, he is more like a tourist experiencing pretty much everything the city has to offer: climbing the Great Wall, visiting the Imperial Palace, practicing tai chi, eating Beijing roast duck and Chinese hotpot. Aside from that, he went out of his way to take a subway ride, showing approval for his experience, "Not so different than NYC except nicer, newer, cleaner and about 10% the price for a fare".(sic) As reported, Ruffalo took his son and his family to Beijing this time, as his son's birthday falls on June 19. "I love Beijing, so I must bring him along," he said. Ruffalo is an American director, actor and film producer, he was known for his portraying of Bruce Banner in the movie Hulk. Michael Jackson projected on the LED screen of Citigroup Tower. [Photo provided to China Daily] Shanghai-based Xu Hao and his friend Zhao Yongbin have brought the King of Pop to the city's biggest outdoor screen. Estimated to cost at least 500,000 yuan ($76,000), the LED screen covering the Citigroup Tower on the Bund is about 140 meters tall and 43 meters wide. "Michael Jackson has never performed on the mainland. So, to mark the 7th anniversary of his death, we tried to arrange for fans to dance with him," Xu told China Daily. "It's a dream come true," he added. June 25 is an important day for Jackson's fans in the country and they hold events to express their love for the idol. Explaining how the idea came about, Zhao said Xu was not content with flash mobs and candle-lit nights and was thinking about "something big". They then spent time collecting money, not only for the LED screen but for a video shoot with the Chinese fans. They plan to release the video clip worldwide on Saturday, together with special events in Beijing and Shanghai. "We're glad if the world sees Chinese people act, motivated by their love for their idol," Xu said. According to head of Jackson's Chinese fan club Zhang Rui, known as Keen, on MJJCN.com, the news of the giant screen reached some of Jackson's friends in the United States. Michael Prince, Jackson's long-time recording engineer, called the idea superb, and beyond amazing, Zhang said. Related: Jacksons theme park to be built in Shanghai All Chinese living below the poverty line in rural areas will have access to basic medical care and other health services "close to" the national average by 2020, according to a guideline released by 15 central government departments on Tuesday. The government will mobilize various social resources and take more precise measures to support the development of health and medical care services in poor areas, the guideline said. The health poverty alleviation project is part of a national strategy to ensure that all people living below the poverty line in China climb out by 2020, the guideline said. Of the 55.7 million people living in poverty in rural China as of 2015, about 44 percent were impoverished because of expenses related to health, Hong Tianyun, deputy director of the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development, said at a news conference on Tuesday. The current poverty line in China is 2,800 yuan ($425) per person a year. To tackle health-related poverty with precision, several ministries, including the National Health and Family Planning Commission and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, have organized a nationwide investigation into the major health conditions responsible for the poverty of the rural population, said Wang Pei'an, vice-minister of the commission. The investigation, to be conducted by grassroots health workers, will cover every household that fell into poverty because of health expenses, and a record will be created for each in a database after the investigation is completed in July, he said. A report will be made based on the investigation and database to help authorities provide assistance to different groups according to need, Wang said. To help impoverished regions gain access to more health resources, the government will increase subsidies for insurance for the rural poor and encourage the private sector and nongovernmental organizations to invest in poor regions, Wang said. Medical resources such as hospitals and doctors are seriously lacking in the 832 counties with the largest number of poor people, a major gap between supply and demand, Wang said. Despite China's universal coverage for basic health insurance, a person with low income can easily go bankrupt because of out-of-pocket expenses. For example, a person may be reimbursed for 80 percent of a medical procedure, but the remaining 20 percent can gobble up a year's earnings or more. Nearly 30 million Chinese are in poverty because of this sort of basic math, according to the Chinese Red Cross Foundation. The foundation has partnered with an IT company to launch an online crowdfunding website to give poor patients direct access to donations for lifesaving medical care, the foundation said on Tuesday. Shan Juan contributed to this story. Rapid growth of mobile internet platforms leading to disputes with traditional outlets Copyright disputes between new and traditional media are growing, and require a mature copyright protection system, according to a new report. The annual report, released by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, China's top think tank, on Tuesday, looked into the development of new media in China. "Copyright infringement has restrained new media's development," said Tang Xujun, lead researcher of the report and director of the Institute of Journalism and Communication at CASS. This week, Beijing News, a newspaper with a reputation for investigative reports, sued dzwww.com, a Shandong-based news website, for illegally using more than 1,000 stories produced by the newspaper. The case was filed at the Dongcheng District People's Court. Toutiao, a headline news application, claims that it does not produce news but only transfers news to the platform. Toutiao was sued by many traditional news media organizations in 2015. Newspapers in Hubei and Jiangxi provinces sued Toutiao in August, accusing of the application "stealing" their intellectual property. The two papers also reported how the application infringes their intellectual property. "Toutiao does not have a team to produce news, but as a news collection platform it gathers many news products. Is it innovation or theft? There are many different views," Tang said. "It is a commonly agreed that copyright protection needs to be boosted to enhance the development of new media," said Tang, adding that Toutiao, for example, is making efforts to sign agreements with traditional media to use their content legally. "Social platforms are also becoming a breeding-ground for copyright infringement," the report said. Tencent, parent company of Wexin, China's most popular social platform, released copyright infringement statistics in January. It found that nearly 60 percent of complaints against public accounts were for copyright infringement. Many traditional media organizations have expanded their business to the internet, the report said. Last year media organizations accounted for more than 26,000 accounts. Of those, more than 17,000 were owned by traditional media, including newspapers, television and magazines, according to the report. "The internet has infiltrated every aspect of China's social development, becoming a new engine for the media's emergence. The internet has also become an important communication platform for China's voice and to enhance soft power," said Li Peilin, vice-president of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. "I get all news through my mobile phone, including Weixin accounts and news apps," said Peng Bin, a 31-year-old government employee in Beijing. "It is more convenient, I can read news on the subway and I do not need to pay," she said. Dog lovers holding photos against dog abuse call for people to protest the Yulin dog meat festival, in Pingliang, Gansu province, on Monday. [Photo by Zheng Bing/China Daily] The dog meat festival in South China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region arrived as usual on Tuesday but at a reduced size, as the local government pledged to take action to avoid public dog slaughtering. Peter Li, China policy specialist at Humane Society International, has visited Yulin frequently in the past three years and said he felt the atmosphere in Yulin this year was less tense than before. "I've seen hardly any abuse or slaughtering on the street," Li said. "At least for today, it is neither a nightmare nor a festival." In response to Hong Kong legislator Michael Tien Puk-sun's petition to end the festival, the local government promised to ban dog slaughtering in public and to check the health certificates of dogs transported to Yulin. Food safety and the problem of stolen pet dogs are the major objections. The festival is held annually in Yulin around the summer solstice, a day on the Chinese lunar calendar after which the hottest days of the summer are expected. Under pressure both domestically and abroad, the Yulin festival has shrunk in recent years. According to Humane Society International, the dog slaughtering peak was in 2012 or 2013, when more than 10,000 dogs were killed in three days. The number dropped to 2,000 dogs in 2015. Ever since the festival became a lightning rod for critics in 2012, the local government has said little beyond reiterating that there is no "organized festival" and that it's just a local people's gathering. Li Tingsheng, a local publicity official, said dog meat is a valid food choice, not a bad habit as some activists say. "We have made an effort to address public concerns over food security as well as the safety of pets," Li said. "However, there is no legal basis for preventing people from eating dog meat." A recent poll conducted by Horizon, a Chinese polling company, found more than half of Chinese want the local government to ban the festival, saying it tarnishes the country's image. When asked whether the central government should pass legislation to outlaw the dog meat trade, nearly 56 percent of respondents from outside Guangxi voted yes. Only 16 percent of respondents from Guangxi agreed. Qin Xiaona, director of the Capital Animal Welfare Association, said, "It is embarrassing to us that the world wrongly believes the brutally cruel Yulin festival is part of Chinese culture." Zhang Li in Nanjing contributed to this story. Contact the writers at huoyan@chinadaily.com.cn and suzhou@chinadaily.com.cn A rescuer escorts a sleeping 10-day-old infant to safety on Tuesday in Xiaba, a village in Guizhou province that has been left submerged by consecutive heavy downpours. KE YOUCHUAN/CHINA DAILY Rainstorms are expected across region along the Yangtze River Thousands of homes were flooded in Poyang county, Jiangxi province, late on Monday after Bintian Reservoir overflowed as torrential rain continued to wreak havoc in South China. The overflow forced the relocation of 5,600 residents in three villages late on Monday as the floods submerged homes, roads and farmlands, the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters said in a news statement on Tuesday. No casualties were reported. The Jiangxi provincial government said on Tuesday that the water is slowly receding. There are still more than 4,000 people mobilized in flood prevention efforts. It added that it could take at least three days to repair the riverbanks. Hu Guoyi, a villager from Jianyang who was forced to relocate, said the banks overflowed in a matter of hours. "The water level rose quickly to more than 2 meters and soon submerged the gate of our home," he told China News Service. After the floods, he and his wife took their two children to stay with relatives and then returned to the village to look after their home. In Hunan province, a flooded river in Longshan county forced about 18,500 residents to leave an ancient township. Torrential rains and floods have affected 213,800 residents and forced the relocation of 32,800 people in the province, according to provincial authorities. Students from the Qiang ethnic group study the regional textbook in Sichuan province. CHINA DAILY Former editor is driven to educate students about their ethnic identities and inspire them Wang Xiaoping says she quit her job in 2002 at the age of 55 when she came under pressure after working as commissioning editor on a controversial novel. Ten years later, that novel's author, Mo Yan, had won the Nobel Prize in Literature. Wang remembers that day as a crossroads. She said she told a friend who called up to comfort her: "Don't worry. I already have a new job." That new job, for a nonprofit organization called the Beijing Brooks Education Center, started out as wetland protection. But it was not long before, "spurred by an editor's instinct", she was finding people in remote areas in need of books. Along with several editor friends, she applied for support from foundations at home and abroad, and raised money to start building village libraries. A year later, she had helped establish more than 30 in some of China's least developed areas. But a 2005 visit to Jishou, a less-developed part of western Hunan province, gave her new inspiration. The mountainous region that had been a water transport hub for hundreds of years was home to several ethnic minorities. "But many locals, particularly the children, were not aware of the history and origins of the unique Jishou culture," Wang said. So, she started a new projectto compile cultural regional textbooks for children. During the past 10 years, with the help of local education authorities, schools, friends and charities, she has published 10 such books for primary and junior middle school students in the provinces of Hunan, Yunnan, Sichuan, Gansu, Guizhou and Heilongjiang, and the Inner Mongolia and Guangxi Zhuang autonomous regions. "The loss of regional culture is heartbreaking to me," Wang said. "If the children's knowledge always comes from afar and they are utterly ignorant of their hometown, how can they love the land of their birth and know about themselves?" The compilation of a regional textbook starts with obtaining funding from donors, then field research and a detailed outline, before Wang finds writers among friends and local teachers. Bao Guohua and his family in Wuhan. CHINA DAILY Migrant construction workers help build all the skyscrapers in China's big cities, but they typically cannot afford to buy an apartment in any of them. Bao Guohua, a 51-year-old carpenter from the small Hubei province village of Xiao Gan, bucked the trend. After 35 years of toil, he finally bought a house of his own in Wuhan. Bao left his hometown at age 16. Bright and diligent, he soon became a skilled laborer, which initially paid him 1.27 yuan ($19 cents) per day. "At that time, things were not as expensive as today. For example, one steamed bun only cost 2 cents. But to buy a house, that was too much to expect in my life," Bao said. In the ensuing years, he traversed China from south to north in search of better pay. In faraway Heilongjiang province, he overcame the cold and earned a reputation as a leader of a small team. He began to calculate his savings in the tens of thousands of yuan, but homeownership still proved elusive. "About 10 years ago, my brother still made jokes about me," Bao recalled. "He said, 'You may have built a lot of mansions, but not even a tile in this city is yours.'" Stung by those words, Bao decided to buy an apartment. But the dream faded when he calculated the mortgage payment. Still, with the encouragement of his only son, he persevered. A job as chief of woodwork in a State-owned construction company, with a salary of 7,000 yuan a month, made a difference. Last year, Bao thought it was finally time to make the dream come true. He found the ideal house for 800,000 yuan, and this time managed to obtain a mortgage. For this single shot at homeownership, he used all his savings, 230,000 yuan, as a down payment, leaving his son, Bao Jiaheng, who has worked with his father since graduating from a construction college in 2011, to pay the mortgage. "The south-facing apartment has three bedrooms, which is enough for a family. I will try my best to decorate it, because it will also be the marriage room for my son," he said. Although also in the construction industry, Bao's 24-year-old son has little in common with his father's hardscrabble life. Absorbed in social media, such as microblogging and text messaging on WeChat in his spare time, Bao Jiaheng is more eager than his father to integrate into city life. "To have our own house in Wuhan makes our life more promising," he said. Even though Bao Guohua has fulfilled his dream, he continues to work. "It's a new beginning in my life," he said. Zhang Li contributed to this story. LHASA -- 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 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. Li Shurong (right), 79, meets with her elder sister Ai Shuzhang, 81, at the Baiyun Airport in the southern city of Guangzhou on June 21, 2016. [Photo/IC] A woman finally met with her elder sister in the southern city of Guangzhou on Tuesday after years of search since she was abducted 73 years ago. Li Shurong, 79, was born in North China's Hebei province, and was abducted from her hometown and sold in Northeast China when she was six years old in 1943. Though Li was leading a happy life with her children and grandchildren, her sole aim in life was to find her family members. Through the help of volunteers she recently tracked down her elder sister Ai Shuzhang, 81, living in Guangzhou, South China's Guangdong province. On Tuesday, Li flew on a four-hour journey from Changchun, Jilin province, to Guangzhou, and met with her sister at the Baiyun Airport in the southern city. BEIJING - China's meteorological authority on Wednesday issued a yellow alert for high temperatures in North, Central and Southeast China, urging people to reduce outdoor activity. In the southern part of North China, central provinces and a major part of South China, temperatures will exceed 35 degrees Celsius on Wednesday afternoon, the National Meteorological Center (NMC) announced. Some parts of Fujian, Hebei, Henan, Hunan, Jiangxi, Shanxi and Zhejiang provinces will experience an extremely hot day of up to 39 degrees, the center said. China has a four-tier color-coded weather warning system, with red representing the most severe warning, followed by orange, yellow and blue. The center warned that people - especially the old, young and infirm - to avoid outdoor activity around noon, and asked local authorities to take precautions against of fires that may come from excessive electricity use for air conditioners. The NMC also issued a blue warning for storms from Wednesday to Thursday in some areas of northeast, east and northwest China. HONG KONG - A firefighter was killed Tuesday night in a deadly fire that broke out in an industrial building in Hong Kong. Seven other firemen were injured when battling the blaze, which has been lasted for over 24 hours. The fire broke out on Tuesday morning at a multi-storey industrial building in Hong Kong's East Kowloon area. It was upgraded to No 4 alarm on Tuesday night. Firefighters continued to battle the blaze on Wednesday morning, shooting water into the third floor as smoke kept billowing out. Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying on Tuesday expressed sadness over the death of Fire Service Department Senior Station Officer Thomas Cheung. The officer left behind a wife and a four-month-old baby, said Leung, who pledged to provide support for Cheung's family. The Shanghai Advanced Institute of Finance has made its debut in the Financial Times' annual ranking of the best Masters in Finance programs in the world, coming second in Asia and 28th in the world. For value for money, SAIF ranked 1st in Asia and 2nd globally. The FT rankings for Masters in Finance programs, started in 2011, are calculated according to information provided by business schools and their alumni. Ranks are based on a total of 16 criteria, including salary, value for money, and diversity of faculty and students. The 2016 edition saw 55 schools included in the ranking. SAIF is a new entrant following its accreditation in February by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International, the oldest and one of the most prestigious global accrediting bodies for business schools. In addition to value for money and its overall score, SAIF also outshone its Asian peers in terms of international mobility, international course experience, and faculty with doctorates. SAIF was established in 2009 as part of the Shanghai Jiao Tong University with the goal of supporting the development of Shanghai into a global financial center. SAIF boasts a faculty composed of about 60 professors all with PhD degrees from overseas universities and more than 40 with tenured positions from top business schools in North America and Europe. The Masters in Finance program is a flagship of SAIF with an average acceptance rate of lower than 5 percent since it first opened to students in the fall of 2009. "The FT ranking affirms our efforts to offer the best education in finance to the young talent of tomorrow and recognizes the achievements we have made on the journey to becoming the best in the world," said Chun Chang, executive dean of SAIF. The program provides students with a curriculum rooted in modern financial theory, which delivers sophisticated quantitative and analytical tools and imparts state-of-the-art practical knowledge and skills to meet the rigors of a profession in finance. The program is committed to fostering exceptional leadership and communication skills, the highest levels of professionalism, and an exemplary sense of social responsibility, according to Chun. A photo shows the derailed train in Taiwan on June 22, 2016. [Photo/Sina Weibo] At least two people were injured when a train running from Kaohsiung to Hualien derailed in Taiwan on Wednesday afternoon, according to media reports. The train, No 307, was running along the tracks in Ruisui township of Hualien county when the trains seventh, eighth and ninth cars derailed at 2:49 pm. The two injured, including one with severe facial injuries, have been sent to hospital. A local resident who lives near the site said that high temperature twisted the shape of the tracks, causing the train to derail. But another said it might be caused by falling electric poles. Because the railway line was one-way at the section, the traffic has been blocked after the accident. Taiwan railway authorizes have sent rescuers to the site, and the trains other cars were connected together to leave the site. A train also derailed near the site on June 4 at the section after high temperature twisted the shape of the tracks. Six cars of the train derailed, but miraculously no one was injured. A Sino-French program run by Sun Yat-Sen University and Sino-French Institute of Nuclear Engineering and Technology in Zhuhai holds a graduation ceremony in Guangdong province on Monday. [Photo/provided to China Daily] A Sino-French program run by Sun Yat-Sen University and the alliance for civil nuclear engineering education in France held a graduation ceremony on Monday for its first 72 master's degree graduates, who are expected to be a driving force in China's fast-developing nuclear industry. The alliance consists of four higher education schools and the technological research institute under the national supervisor of nuclear safety. Having completed six years of study, the graduates received nuclear engineer certificates that are acknowledged by the French government. The Sino-French Institute of Nuclear Engineering and Technology in Zhuhai, Guangdong province, was founded in 2009, aiming to meet China's urgent demand for talent in new energies such as nuclear power. It now has more than 500 students. France is strong in nuclear technology and has been cooperating with China since the Dayawan nuclear plant in Shenzhen 30 years ago. "As an important player in globalization, China will certainly cooperate with foreign partners, including France, to develop the new generation of nuclear power technology. I believe that IFCEN graduates will make great contributions to the process," said French Ambassador to China Maurice Gourdault-Montagne, who attended the graduation ceremony. "IFCEN graduates will become China's elite nuclear engineers in the future, managing the country's nuclear power stations and pushing forward technological innovation," he said. The Sino-French institute has a busy curriculum to get students prepared in language and professional skills. The final three years of the program adopt the French training model for engineers, with teachers sent from French partners and experts in nuclear enterprises invited to give lectures. Students need to accomplish three rounds of internships during this phase, progressing from blue-collar jobs to tasks as an engineer. Students can choose to graduate with a bachelor's degree after finishing four years of study, but most of them endeavor to get a master's degree. Most of the 72 IFCEN graduates have landed a job at China General Nuclear Power Corporation, a leading clean energy company headquartered in Shenzhen. Three of the remaining signed contracts with Electricite de France and two with AREVA, both major nuclear power enterprises in France. Six graduates will pursue a PhD. "IFCEN has built an international platform for us and provides diversified career choices," said student Li Yang. "I had the opportunity to work at the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission for my graduation practice, which helped me win a full scholarship for my Ph.D. studies in France," Li said. Wang Qishan (C), a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and secretary of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, attends a meeting on anti-graft inspection in Beijing, capital of China, June 22, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua] BEIJING -- China's next round of anti-corruption inspections, which will run over the next few months, will focus on the Party leaderships of 32 state and Party organs, the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) said Wednesday. Inspection teams will be dispatched to the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, and the top political advisory body, the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the CCDI said in a statement. They will also visit the Foreign Ministry; the Ministry of Public Security; the Ministry of Finance; the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development; the National Audit Office; as well as State Council organs in charge of legislative affairs and work related to Hong Kong and Macao, and overseas Chinese. Party organizations, such as the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee, the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, and a central leading group for the prevention and handling of cults, will also be scrutinized. In addition, this round of inspections will include a reexamination of Tianjin Municipality and the provinces of Jiangxi, Henan and Hubei, all of which have been inspected in previous rounds. At a meeting Wednesday on the new inspections, Wang Qishan, head of the CCDI, highlighted the role the inspections play in intra-Party supervision. Inspectors should conform with the CPC Central Committee "in both thoughts and actions," and focus on party building, anti-corruption work and policy implementation . They should also inspire institutional innovation to improve the Party, he said. Yu Jianchun shares his calculations at Zhejiang University in June. ZHANG BINGQING/CHINA DAILY A 33-year-old worker at a logistics company's packaging shop in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, made headlines when he shared his calculations about number patterns with mathematics PhD candidates at Zhejiang University recently. The worker, Yu Jianchun, is from mountainous Xinxian county in Henan province. He graduated from a technology training school in Zhengzhou, Henan province. Although he had little higher education and was a migrant worker after graduation, Yu maintains his interest in mathematics and spends almost all of his spare time studying it. Over time, he developed an interest in Carmichael numbers, a kind of pseudo-prime numbers that occur as positive integers about 255 times per 100 million. Yu came up with five formulas that Cai Tianxin, a math professor at Zhejiang University, found inspiring. "I made my discoveries through intuition," Yu said. "I would write down what I thought when inspirations struck about the Carmichael. I have hard work and make a hard living, but I insist on my studies." Yu was a migrant worker in many places, and everywhere he went, he would visit the math professors at the local university, hoping to get confirmation of his formulas. Yu said he spent eight years developing the Carmichael formulas. He has reached out to academics through emails. Cai was the first to respond. Cai found a formula proposed by Yu to be a more efficient way of identifying Carmichael numbers and invited him to share his thinking at the university with faculty members and doctoral and postdoctoral students in a class on June 13. Six professors and advanced students in Zhejiang University's math department listened to Yu's lecture. Some of the experts considered Yu's idea to be a "novelty", while some said "his results have a certain depth". Cai decided to include Yu's formula with his latest work in English, and he gave Yu a book to help the logistics worker in further study. New law would allow online self-help legal document services to operate in North Carolina consumers a means of viewing a blank template or a completed document before finalizing a purchase of the document; an attorney licensed in North Carolina to review each blank template offered to North Carolina consumers; the provider to inform consumers that the forms are not a substitute for getting advice from an attorney; the provider to disclose to consumers its legal name and physical location and address; the provider not to limit consumers' options to recover damages or other remedies; the provider to have a consumer satisfaction process. RALEIGH The General Assembly has codified many of the provisions of a 2015 consent judgment between LegalZoom.com Inc. and the N.C. State Bar, allowing the online self-help service to provide routine legal documents to consumers in the state. If Gov. Pat McCrory signs the legislation, it would end a battle that has lasted more than a dozen years.Both the House and the Senate approved a conference report that redefines the state's statute governing the unauthorized practice of law. House Bill 436 , approved on Thursday, will go to McCrory.The bill ends a long-running squabble between LegalZoom and the State Bar dating back to 2003 when the State Bar's Authorized Practice Committee opened an inquiry into whether LegalZoom's online documents constituted unauthorized practice of law.The new law is actually broader than the consent agreement between LegalZoom and the State Bar. It applies the provisions in the consent order to online legal services that are similar to LegalZoom.said Rep. Leo Daughtry, R-Johnston, who sponsored the bill.Daughtry continued.Not all companies are as easy to work with as LegalZoom, he said. "For example, some of these providers say that if there is a dispute, you [have to] mediate it in California," Daughtry said. "We don't want that. That's not good for anybody. We wanted to make sure that all the other providers were treated the same as LegalZoom."To address that concern, one provision of the bill prohibits online legal providers from requiring its customers to agree to resolve disputes in any state other than North Carolina.Other provisions of the bill require:Providers also must register annually with the State Bar. The initial registration fee can be up to $100. Annual renewal fees of up to $50 can be charged.Daughtry said.After the State Bar's 2003 inquiry, LegalZoom responded by saying its legal document service was simply an online version of off-the-shelf software widely available throughout the United States. Later in the year, the State Bar Committee wrote Legal Zoom, saying it had dismissed the complaint, citing insufficient evidence to pursue the matter.In January 2007, the committee initiated a second inquiry geared toward the company's documents for forming corporations. Again, the State Bar committee asserted that LegalZoom was engaging in an unauthorized practice of law. LegalZoom replied that its practice had not changed materially since the 2003 inquiry was closed.The State Bar sent a cease-and-desist letter to LegalZoom in May 2008, reasserting the claim of an unauthorized practice of law. The State Bar also threatened to seek an injunction against LegalZoom. The company responded by saying there were inaccuracies in the State Bar's assertions.The State Bar never responded to the 2008 LegalZoom letter, other than acknowledging its receipt. But it didn't pursue an injunction either.When LegalZoom tried to register its prepaid legal plans for individuals and businesses in North Carolina in July 2010, the State Bar refused to consider the application, citing the 2008 cease-and-desist letter and requesting more information.After further attempts to resolve the conflict proved unsuccessful, LegalZoom filed a lawsuit against the State Bar in September 2011.The case ended in October 2015 when the N.C. Business Court entered a consent judgment in the litigation. The consent judgment could have remained in effect for as long as two years had the legislation not been adopted. 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. 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. The Beijing International Book Fair has grown into a significant event where Chinese and foreign publishers display their latest books and seek opportunities for cooperation.[Photo/VCG] Despite being relatively new to the international book market, Chinese publishers are trying hard to sell their titles to overseas readers. They have made remarkable progress since the China Book International project was launched a decade ago. "We've developed overseas fans for Chinese works as books by Nobel laureate Mo Yan, Hans Christian Andersen award-winning Cao Wenxuan and sci-fi author Liu Cixin are widely read," Cui Yuying, deputy director of the State Council Information Office, said at a conference of the CBI project in Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, earlier this month. Readers outside China have seen a flood of Chinese works since last year, instead of the formerly scattered appearance of books on qigong (meditative exercises), cuisine and Confucius. The project was jointly launched by the State Council Information Office and the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television in 2006. It was a first-of-its-kind attempt of "crossing the river by feeling the stones" to push the country's publishers to compete and cooperate globally, says Cui. "Then, we were unsure of where to go and how to go, but we knew we were going to offer opportunities to the world to read and understand China better," she says. The project sponsors translation and promotion fees for Chinese publishers and their foreign partners to render and publish Chinese titles overseas. Its 38 members, including publishing groups, have sold the copyright of 4,375 book titles to more than 500 publishers from 70 countries over the past decade, almost quadrupling the 2007 figure of 1,132 titles, says Cui. The initiators of the project have worked closely with 35 top publishing experts from foreign agencies and publishing houses. Speaking of the progress the project has made, Cui says the change is not only in the numbers. She says Chinese publishers are now making bigger strides in the global market, and she sees more confidence at every level. Li Yan, a vice-general manager of China Publishing Group, says the group sees internationalization as one of its key strategies. It has built a team of 50 professionals from scratch for international trade and cooperation. "Formerly, we waited for foreign publishers to select what they would like to buy from us. Now we take the initiative and plan with them and for them," Li says, adding that her group focuses on Chinese development, literature, arts and children's books. Li Xueqian, the president of the China Children's Press and Publishing Group, says taking Chinese writers to international book fairs and working with world-renowned illustrators are key factors that helped Cao to win the Hans Christian Andersen Award. Albert Tsui has recently published Hong Kong Memory Since 1977 to promote mutual understanding between people from the two sides. [Phpto/amazon.cn] Born and raised in Hong Kong, Albert Tsuia fourth-generation descendant of a mainland immigrant familyhas recently published a book to offer mainland readers a glimpse of the real life and thoughts of a Hongkonger from a grassroots point of view. Titled Hong Kong Memory Since 1977, the book written in Chinese chronologically recounts both key events in Hong Kong's history and personal anecdotes and comments relating to the events. "I have always believed that people on the mainland and in Hong Kong will understand each other more as time passes," says Tsui. "But the misunderstandings between two sides seem to have increased in recent years." Based in Beijing for the past nine years, Tsui says he can understand both points of view more easily, especially as controversies arise. One of the issues he takes up is the row that erupted after Hong Kong put a quota on milk power purchases for mainland visitors in 2013. Another deals with the issue of a mainland parent allowing a toddler urinate in a Hong Kong street in 2014. "Hong Kong people say mainlanders have no culture, and mainlanders accuse Hong Kong people of regarding themselves as superior," says Tsui. "But labeling or overgeneralization is what causes conflicts." The book is Tsui's bid to bridge the gap. Tsui believes that the first step toward mutual understanding is getting to know each other. "I will be happy if my book can make people on the mainland get a sense of what life for common Hong Kong people is like," Tsui writes in the preface. Tsui, who works in an IT company in Beijing, speaks fluent Mandarin with slight Cantonese accent, and uses WeChat, the popular instant-messaging app on the mainland, to communicate with his mainland friends. Tsui says that the book was inspired by Taiwan author Liao Hsin-chung, who wrote We Taiwan Over These Yearsa popular read on the mainland for those interested in Taiwan's modern history. "We (Tsui and Liao) were both born in the same year, have experienced changes in our hometowns and have worked on the Chinese mainland," says Tsui. "So when I read Liao's book, I felt inspired to write a similar one about Hong Kong from an ordinary person's perspective." The book starts in 1977, the year Tsui was born, and ends in 2015, when his manuscript was accepted by the publishing department of Chinese National Geography. In May, Tsui toured seven cities, including Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen and Guangzhou, to promote his book. "I guess most readers will turn to this page once they open this book," Tsui writes in the chapter on 1997, the year the United Kingdom handed Hong Kong back to China. In that chapter, Tsui shows understanding of the happiness felt by people on the mainland during the handover. He says that, due to his interactions with friends from the mainland, he sees that Hong Kong's colonial past is considered a historical shame by most mainlanders and its return is seen as a mark of the revitalization of China. But Tsui also depicts the scene of the last British governor Chris Patten and his family leaving Hong Kong as the Royal Yacht Britannia sailed from the harbor. Besides political events, Tsui also focuses on cultural aspects. He writes about his alma mater Hong Kong University, Hong Kong's popular crime film series of the '90sYoung and Dangerousand the competition between Disneyland and Hong Kong's Ocean Park. Tsui, who worked for Yahoo in Silicon Valley in 2000 and studied law in Britain in 2002, also uses the book to compare how Americans and Britons view Hong Kong. "In general, ordinary people in the United States and the United Kingdom don't pay too much attention to tiny Hong Kong," writes Tsui. "But Englishmen are more concerned about how Hong Kong is doing after it was returned to China." Tsui, who moved to Beijing in late 2006, took the National Judicial Examination in 2010. Recalling the difficulty he faced while trying to remember laws and concepts of the mainland's legal system, which is mainly a civil-law system, he also explains the common-law system used in Hong Kong. The book is mainly based on archived newspapers published in Hong Kong. Documentaries on YouTube and video-streaming websites also helped Tsui to recall and write about events he did not witness. Responding to criticism of his effort, Tsui says: "Some Hongkongers criticize me for speaking in favor of the mainland, but all I wrote are words from my heart. "Everybody has a different understanding of the same historical events. My suggestion to those who disagree with me is to write a book themselves." Tsui says originally he did not plan to stay in Beijing for too long but gradually changed his mind. "The mainland is undergoing tremendous change, and one reason I chose to stay is to witness the change in person," says Tsui. Contact the writer at @chinadaily.com.cn A mother is showing her daughter how to draw a grain painting. [Photo by Wang Zirui/asianewsphoto] Shoudong village, formerly designated as a poor provincial level village in Central China's Hebei province, is no longer so thanks to its grain art economy. By introducing a grain art enterprise, unemployment has greatly reduced - over 200 women were hired as "painters" to produce grain paintings. In only two years, the village has been listed by China's Ministry of Culture as one of the top 10 most beautiful villages, and a 3A tourist site in Hebei province. China's Sunway TaihuLight, which is capable of performing 93 quadrillion calculations per second (petaflop/s), has replaced the country's Tianhe-2 as the world's most powerful supercomputer. The Top500 supercomputer list has been ranking supercomputers across the world every six months since 1993. Tianhe-2 had been heading the list for the past three years, and the basic difference between China's top two supercomputers is that Sunway TaihuLight uses chips made entirely in China while Tianhe02 uses Intel chips made in the United States. More surprisingly, the latest Top500 list also shows that with 167 China has more supercomputers than the US which has 165. China did not have a supercomputer till 2001, but within 15 years it has surpassed the US to have the highest number of supercomputers in the world, which shows the rapid development of supercomputers in the country. China has been deeply worried about being over-reliant on foreign technology, especially after the US announced an export ban on all high-performance computing chips to China last year. Experts say China's success in the supercomputers field, the indigenously developed Sunway TaihuLight in particular, marks a great step forward in the country's technological advancement. It also means China has mastered the core technologies of building supercomputers and can compete in this field globally. Chinese President Xi Jinping visits an Ecological Economic Development Zone in Yichun, Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, May 23, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua] NORTHEAST CHINA, comprising Heilongjiang, Jilin and Liaoning provinces, received only four angel investments totaling 7 million yuan ($106,000) last year, according to a recent report on China's investment market. Beijing News commented on Tuesday: That angel investors have little interest in the northeastern provinces has a lot to do with the exodus of young talents from the region, the rapidly aging population and the unfavorable atmosphere for innovation. But it would be unfair to say the region has no future, because a majority of northeast residents, be they civil servants, scholars or entrepreneurs, are neither narrow-minded nor against market-based competition. True, the old development mode, which is highly reliant on State-owned enterprises and labor-intensive heavy industries, appears to be an anachronism in these times of intensive market-oriented reform. That explains why local talents keep leaving home in search of better careers. Over a decade ago observers emphasized the need to revitalize Northeast China's economy, which still remains sluggish because the focus has been on making the traditional industrial bases "great again", not introducing market-oriented competition. On the other hand, as the central government has stopped issuing stimulant economic policies, traditional industries including coal and nonferrous metals will have to endure an institutional overhaul to tide over the current crisis. But not all employees of SOEs in Northeast China are willing to go through the pains of losing some of their "comfort". Some have decided to resign and restart their career elsewhere, while those who have chosen to stay are not happy with the ongoing reform. As a result, private fixed asset investment in the region has declined by almost 30 percent from January to May on a year-on-year basis. The truth is, Northeast China still has the potential to relive its glorious past as the country's economic powerhouse thanks to its abundant natural and labor resources as well as pivotal location for cross-border trade. But to fulfill that potential, local governments have to grant wider access to private enterprises instead of painstakingly sustaining the region's outdated growth model. Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro speaks during a national TV broadcast in Caracas in this March 9, 2015 picture provided by Miraflores Palace. [Photo/Agencies] Some Western media outlets have reported that China recently sent an "unofficial envoy" for talks with Venezuela's opposition party to ensure its loans to the country are recognized after President Nicolas Maduro steps down and claimed the move marks a shift in Beijing's attitude toward Caracas. The continuous political turbulence in Venezuela has made the international community pessimistic about the Maduro government's survival. So it is natural for Chinese people to be worried about the safety of China's loans to Venezuela. But it is wrong to interpret China's gesture as a shift in attitude toward Venezuela, because Beijing is unlikely to reverse its friendly ties with Caracas. China has for long kept in touch with opposing forces in other countries. So even if China has contacted the Venezuelan opposition, there is no reason to brand it a "hurried move" to retrieve its loans. Also, it is not unusual for one country to keep in touch with different political parties in another country. Considering Venezuela's huge oil reserves, the oil-for-loan deal Caracas has signed with Beijing is basically safe. Friendly cooperation with China is Venezuela's strategic choice and goes beyond partisan interests. And most Latin American countries use their ties with China to geo-strategically balance their ties with the US. Even should Venezuela suffer a collapse, the loans extended by China and other international lenders will be secure, although the possibility of the resource-rich Latin American country collapsing is extremely remote. Recovering oil prices indicate Venezuela will overcome its ongoing economic hardship. And since China has generally received more benefits than losses from its all-round economic cooperation with other countries over the past decades, it would be myopic to consider the loans China offers to other countries as squandering of State money. Chinese President Xi Jinping (R) meets with President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov in Beijing, Sept. 2, 2015.[Photo/Xinhua] When Xi Jinping launched the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in a pair of speeches in September and October 2013, it was clear that at the forefront of his mind was the need to further develop China's links economic, political and cultural with the Central Asian states (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan) which, along with Russia and China itself, form the membership of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). It is no random event that the first of these two speeches, which outlined Xi's vision for a 'Silk Road Economic Belt' (SREB) stretching via land from East Asia to Europe, was given at Nazarbayev University in Astana, Kazakhstan. The other, concerning the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, was given in Indonesia one month later, demonstrating the intent to link land and sea routes in a wide-ranging trade, transport and infrastructure network, the BRI (also called 'One Belt, One Road' (OBOR)), which is meant to connect all corners of the Eurasian landmass with each other as well as with Africa. On land, the SREB is supposed to stretch via rail and road links from China's east coast all the way to Germany and Spain via Central Asia and the Middle East. At sea, the 'Maritime Silk Road' is intended to connect the Pacific with the Indian Ocean, the Mediterranean and the Baltic in a network of shipping routes which are to be integrated with the overland routes of the SREB. China's president made clear, even at the launching of the BRI initiative, that Central Asian states were key players in his grand plan. After all, Central Asia lies directly on the path between East Asia and Western Europe, directly astride the ancient Silk Road whose name has been taken for the new initiative. Without close cooperation between the Central Asian states and China, neither the SREB nor the overarching BRI within which it is to be placed can come to fruition. Xi also explained in his September 2013 speech that the SREB is to be based on the work done within the SCO framework to establish closer ties between the six founding members since the founding of the group in 2001. Nobody is in any doubt that the SCO has been remarkably successful in cementing political and economic relationships between its members since its inception. As a result, the organization has begun to alter the geo-economic and geopolitical landscape of Central Asia in what some observers have termed a 'new great game'. One consequence of the growing impact of the SCO on international relations has been that a number of other countries have sought either to join the organization, to observe its discussions, or to become dialogue partners. Most notably, Pakistan and India are due to be accepted into the SCO ranks at some point in 2016. Other significant local players such as Iran, Turkey, Azerbaijan and Armenia are waiting in the wings, monitoring developments. As regards Uzbekistan, which is hosting the latest round of talks between heads of state within the SCO framework, this nation is clearly a key partner for China in Central Asia, not only in terms of transport connections, but also in terms of trade and natural resources. Uzbekistan has large gold and uranium deposits, meaning that the state-owned Navoi Mining and Metallurgy Combinat is one of the world's ten largest producers of these commodities. Uzbekistan also has considerable oil and natural gas reserves. China National Petroleum Corporation has been working in conjunction with Uzbekneftegaz, Uzbekistan's national oil and gas company, to develop oil fields in the country since 2006. The Central Asia-China gas pipeline, vital for Chinas natural gas supplies, runs through Uzbekistan via three pipelines, while a fourth is under construction. All of these facts mean that President Xi's visit to Tashkent for the latest round of talks on June 23-24 is far from ceremonial. Uzbekistan, Central Asia and the steadily expanding SCO all constitute vital cogs in Xi's vision of a new interconnected Asia-to-Europe economic zone unified under Chinese leadership. Consequently, the latest meeting of the SCO in Uzbekistan is likely to be followed with interest by both experts and lay observers alike. 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." A mother plays with kids at the beach in the seaside city of Qingdao in Shandong province. [Photo by Wang Haibin/China Daily] Nian Dai didn't want to travel during the Dragon Boat Festival from June 9 to 11. But a small person gave him a big reasonhis 9-year-old son. "I knew it'd be very crowded everywhere during the holiday," Nian says. "But my son would complain if I didn't take him somewhere. He has been busy with tests and homework and expects to go out." So the father brought the boy to the Beijing Badaling Wildlife Parkandto the family's surprisethey had a wonderful time. They saw lions and tigers and bears from cars and they hand fed herbivores. His son asked many questions. They chatted the most they had since the previous time he'd taken the boy out. Nian's family is representative of a trend: an increasing number of trips is made for Chinese children's sake, says Li Mengran, publicity manager of major outbound-travel operator Beijing Utour International Travel Service Co. "Parents are busy at work and only have time for their children during holidays," Li says. "Many feel they should spend more time with their kids and take them to see the world as much as possible." Bookings are set to surge as schools start summer vacation. In 2015, the overnight stays of Chinese in Dresden were more than 43,400, four times of that in 2008.[Photo provided to China Daily] German National Tourist Board recently held trade events in Beijing and Shanghai, with six German companies, including Steigenberger Hotels and Lufthansa, participating in them. The two fairs were aimed at strengthening ties between tourism industries of the two countries. The German companies, and local tourism offices of Berlin and Dresden, discussed with Chinese travel agencies ways to enhance integration of the two markets over the internet. According to the German government, the overnight stays of Chinese tourists in Germany were more than 2.54 million in 2015. In the first quarter of this year, the overnight stays of all foreign tourists in Germany was 15 million, up by 7 percent for the same period last year. Ralf Ostendorf, director of Berlin Tourism Bureau, said his city offers lots to offer from operas to museums, clubs, food and medical tourism. Related: Scenery of Dajiu Lake in Shennongjia, Central China's Hubei Passengers on Chinese high-speed trains will be able to keep up with their social networking and browse the internet when Wi-Fi service is made available in the coming years. The service will be accessible through an app passengers can download to their cellphones when they board a train. China Railway Rolling Stock Corp, the country's largest train maker by revenue, displayed the technology at the Modern Railway 2016 exhibition in Beijing, which ended on Wednesday. Xu Houguang, deputy director of the press office at CRRC's headquarters in Beijing, said the company is able to install a Wi-Fi system on its bullet and regular trains. CRRC's subway and bullet train factories such as Qingdao Sifang Co, CRRC Changchun Co and CRRC Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive Co can offer the service on products exported to overseas markets such as Malaysia and Malta, said Yao Kaijun, a researcher at the China Academy of Railway Sciences. China has the world's largest mobile internet population, which last year numbered 594 million users. However, commercially operated Wi-Fi service on bullet trains may still be years away, analysts said. "The project requires telecom companies and train makers to upgrade networking solutions step by step until they cover all routes," said Xiang Ligang, an independent telecom analyst and founder of the industry website cctime.com. Wi-Fi service on high-speed trains differs from that used in homes and offices, with the instability of Wi-Fi signals in tunnels and interference from mobile and static signals over the lengthy routes posing major obstacles, Xiang said. There are also many administrative procedures to go through before running this program, and permits and licenses from the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology will be needed, Yao said. Last year, three Chinese airlines received approval to provide in-flight Wi-Fi service. Ma Si contributed to this story. Contact the writers at lvchang@chinadaily.com.cn DPRK fires 6th suspected Musudan missile, 2nd in a day (Xinhua) Updated: 2016-06-22 08:35 SEOUL - The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Wednesday fired the sixth suspected Musudan intermediate-range ballistic missile, the second in the day, after the fifth test-launch had failed, Yonhap news agency reported citing military authorities. The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) was quoted as saying that one more missile, which was believed to have been a Musudan missile, was launched at about 8:05 a.m. local time from its Wonsan area in the east coastal region. It has yet to be known whether the DPRK's sixth test-launch of the missile, which is known to be capable of hitting part of the U.S. territory such as Guam and the outer reaches of Alaska, was successful. Earlier in the day, the DPRK test-fired what was believed to have been a Musudan missile near Wonsan area at about 5:58 a.m., but it appeared to have failed as the missile flew in an abnormal trajectory in a distance short of what a normal ballistic missile can fly. People walk along the river Thames past a 'Vote Remain' projection onto the exterior of Tate Modern, in the lead up to the EU referendum, in London, Britain June 21, 2016.[Photo/VCG] LONDON -- The latest polls showed the "Leave" camp was tied with the "Remain" camp in the EU referendum to determine whether or not Britain should stay in the 28-member bloc. The number of Remain supporters has grown just two days before the EU referendum. According to a poll conducted by market research firm YouGov for The Times newspaper, the Leave side is now two points ahead of Remain, at 44 percent to 42, with the Leave camp gaining one point compared with the last poll results, while the Remain camp lost two points. The poll by ORB International for The Telegraph newspaper showed Tuesday that 53 percent would vote stay, up five percentage points than a week ago to the 46 percent voting leave, down three points. San Diego Zoo's male giant panda, Gao Gao, goes to town on his birthday cake on Jan 21, 2009 in San Diego, California, US. [Photo/IC] CHENGDU -- 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. SEOUL - The Republic of Korea (ROK)s presidential office said on Wednesday it will hold a national security meeting to discuss the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea's latest missile launches, soon after Pyongyang launched two intermediate-range missiles. Jeong Yeon-guk, a spokesman for the presidential office, said the meeting was scheduled for later on Wednesday morning and would be headed by the president's chief adviser for national security. Democratic US presidential candidate Hillary Clinton smiles during a campaign rally in Columbus, Ohio, US, June 21, 2016.[Photo/Agencies] NEW YORK - Democrat Hillary Clinton's 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 US-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. BEIJING - The United States likes to think of itself as a force for peace, law and justice, and the deployment of two aircraft carriers on a "training mission" in East Asia obviously backs up that aspiration. Or does it? The timing of the operation -- just ahead of a ruling on South China Sea disputes -- is surely a deliberated one. The United States has dressed up the illegal, unilateral arbitration instigated by the Philippines as a noble act of homage to international law, while China's complete ambivalence toward irrelevant proceedings in The Hague is painted as disrespectful and a violation of that same international law. Why the big show of strength now? After countless promises not to take sides in South China Sea disputes, the arrival of the warships is presumably just another aspect of the "peaceful resolution based on international law" which the Obama administration has so consistently advocated. Since the Philippines took it upon itself to open the arbitration, China has been drawn as the neighborhood bully who wants to militarize the region, but facts speak louder than hollow words and now more than 60 countries openly support China's stance. Could that be what all these warships, fighter jets and troops are about? To the United States, these moves might look like "peace, law and justice," but to everyone else they appear to be exactly what they are: militarization. Even the Philippines smells a rat. On Tuesday, Rodrigo Duterte, the Philippines' president-elect, said that he had asked the U.S. ambassador whether Washington would support the Philippines in a confrontation with China. "Are you with us or are you not with us?" asked Duterte. "Only if you are attacked," the ambassador replied. There's the rub. Is US support for the arbitration really for the sake of the Philippines? Or is it all about China? If there are any lessons to be learned from the past, the Philippines would know that bringing outsiders into any dispute invariably complicates matters, and never calms things down. To paraphrase "Game of Thrones," the Philippines may well ask themselves whether it is worthy "to fight for the master who would never fight and die for you?" As a new president preparing to assume office, Duterte would do well to give a thought to returning to the negotiating table. China will welcome him there. 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. BEIJING - China urged parties to avoid actions that will escalate tension on the Korean Peninsula following the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK)'s two suspected missile launches on Wednesday. "Given the complicated and sensitive situation on the Korean Peninsula, all parties should avoid moves that escalate tension on the Peninsula and work to maintain regional peace and stability," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said when asked to comment on the issue. The DPRK fired what were believed to be two Musudan intermediate-range ballistic missiles on Wednesday, Yonhap news agency reported, citing military authorities, but the DPRK has not confirmed the report. The Korean Peninsula nuclear issue has complicated roots, which require a package of measures to resolve. Peace and stability there serve the interests of all parties and deserve unremitting joint efforts, Hua said. "We have explained our stance to the DPRK and the rest of the world," Hua said. A healthy and stable relationship between China and the DPRK is conducive to solving the nuclear issue on the Peninsula and maintaining peace and stability there, she said, adding that China will continue to work in this direction. Hua called on all sides to make constructive efforts to help ease the situation and resume dialogue. The Union Jack (R) and the European Union flag are seen flying outside The Rock hotel in the British Colony of Gibraltar, May 19, 2016. [Photo/Agencies] On Thursday, Britons will vote for or against UK's remaining in the European Union. These are the milestones which have led to the creation of a single market, grouping 500 million citizens from 28 countries, and hosting some of the world's most advanced economies. 1. Birth of Founding Treaty After the Second World War(1939-45), France, West Germany, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands signed the Treaty of Paris, establishing the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC), which subsequently became part of the European Union. This founding treaty of the European Community, came into force on 23 July 1952 and expired on 23 July 2002, exactly fifty years after it came into effect, it was seen as producing diplomatic and economic stability in western Europe after the Second World War. Some of the main enemies during the war were now sharing production of coal and steel, the key-resources which previously had been central to the material side of the war effort. 2. Treaties of Rome The Rome treaties establish the European Economic Community (EEC) and the European Atomic Economic Energy Community (Euratom). The first meeting of the Council of the EEC takes place on 25 January 1958 under the chairmanship of Victor Larock, the Belgian Foreign Affairs Minister. 3. Enlargements of European Union On January 1st, 1973, Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom join the community, raising the number of member states to nine after the original six countries established European Economic Community. Membership of the EU reaches double figures when Greece joins in 1981. Spain and Portugal become EU members on1986 January 1st. On January 1st, 1995, Austria, Finland and Sweden join the EU and the 15 members now cover almost the whole of western Europe. And on May 1st 2004, ten countries, including the Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia, joined EU, which is the EU's largest single enlargement in terms of people and number of countries. Bulgaria and Romania join the EU on 2007 January 1st and Croatia becomes the second country from ex-Yugoslavia to join the EU, after Slovenia, on July 1st, 2013. The EU now has 28 member states. 4. Evolution of European summits Following the Copenhagen summit in December 1973, which made provision for summits to be held whenever necessary, the Paris summit of December 1974 creates the European Council. It was created with the intention of establishing an informal forum for discussion between heads of state or government. First meeting of the European Council in Dublin on 11 March 1975. Since 1996, the European Council has met at least four times a year. Before that, only two meetings a year were required. And since October 2003, all formal European Council meetings take place in Brussels. In December 2009, for the last time, the European Council meeting is chaired by a president or prime minister of the member state holding the rotating Council presidency. At an informal meeting in Brussels on 19 November 2009, EU heads of state and government unanimously agree to appoint Herman Van Rompuy as the first permanent President of the European Council. The president chairs European Council meetings. A woman reads a newspaper on the underground in London with a 'vote remain' advert for the BREXIT referendum, Britain June 22, 2016. [Photo/Agencies] Britons are edging closer to voting in favour of remaining in the European Union in June 23's referendum, a result that would please many of the UK's closest allies, including China. An opinion poll by the Daily Telegraph, a consistent supporter of leaving the EU, showed that of those who say they will definitely vote the Remain campaign, headed by Prime Minister David Cameron, is leading with 53 percent, against 46 percent for the Leave campaign, headed by former London mayor Boris Johnson and Secretary of State for Justice Michael Gove. Many other polls in recent days have shown the Remain camp easing ahead, although many commentators here say the result is still too close to call. Ladbrokes, the giant UK betting company, said based on the wagers being placed, the company was forecasting a 78 percent chance of remaining, with only a 22 percent chance of leaving. Ladbrokes correctly forecast the result of last year's General Election, which saw a surprise clear majority for Cameron's Conservative Party, despite the opinion polls having predicted either a loss or a hung parliament, with no single party in power. The murder last week of a well-respected young Labour member of parliament, Jo Cox, by a man shouting "Britain First", the name of a small ultra right-wing nationalist group, is being seen by many here as being linked to the referendum campaign, which has become increasingly acrimonious. Her killing, when she was stabbed and shot on the street in her constituency, shocked the nation. Cameron called a temporary halt to campaigning out of respect. Cox had been an active Remain supporter and several commentators believe her death changed the momentum towards remaining in the EU. Much hangs on this vote in China, Juwai.com, an international property portal, said a recent survey showed 51 percent of the 411 respondents to the questionnaire said they had temporarily put on hold property transactions in the UK pending the outcome. Only 25 percent said they intended finishing deals before the vote. JLL, a global real estate services company, said its survey of 100 investors showed a similar trend, with 45 percent of investors questioned saying they would adopt a wait-and-see attitude. Chris Ireland, chief executive for UK at JLL, said that more and more people are taking this attitude, as they will decide after the referendum, especially for the commercial market in London, and it has little to do with the market. Many of Britain's allies, including China, would be expected to welcome a decision to stay in the EU. Chinese official pronouncements have been cautious President Xi Jinping reportedly indicated to Cameron during a state visit here last October that China would prefer the UK to remain in the EU, which was backed up by a later Foreign Ministry statement. During Xi's visit, deals with 40 billion pounds with Chinese companies were announced. US President Barack Obama says he would prefer UK to remain a member of the EU, as would major European players such as France and Germany. On Tuesday over 30 major French businesses took out full page advertisements in leading UK newspapers, headlined "S'il Vous Plait, Amis Britanniques, Remain! (If you please, British friends, remain). The text concluded with the words "Ne nous quittez pas! Vos amis Francais" (Don't go! from your French friends." Li Ka-shing, one of the richest men in Asia, told Bloomberg Television in an interview on Tuesday that he was urging Britons to vote to remain, because a decision to leave would cause "great damage to the country and the EU. He said a vote to leave would not be the end of the world, but as a major investor in the UK, he would continue to maintain his business interests in the country, as well as Europe in general. Bloomberg reported earlier remarks by Li, in which he said he didn't believe the exit vote would happen, but if it did, he would consider reducing his investment in the UK. Li has a fortune of 28.6 billion US dollars, according to both Forbes and the Bloomberg Billionaire List, making him the third-richest man in Asia. His CK Hutchison company operates the Superdrug and Savers stores in Britain, as well as port operations, the 3 mobile phone network, and energy providers. UK business accounts for 37 percent of CK Hutchison's earnings before tax. Many Chinese companies that operate in the UK see the country as a bridgehead into Europe, a function that would suffer in the event of a vote to leave the EU. That view was backed up by Yao Lin, deputy director of a research center under China's Ministry of Commerce, who warned in a paper than many Chinese companies investing in Britain as a way into the EU single market would see the "bridgehead curtailed" in the event of a vote to leave. John Zai, founder and CEO of Cocoon Networks, a Chinese-funded company based in London, told China Daily last week that a vote to leave would be bad. On June 23, the polling booths will be open from 7 am local time and close at 10 pm. Local counts will be announced from about midnight onwards, with predictions that a firm result may be known around 4 am on Friday. Some private exit polls are planned in order to give investors an idea of trends after the ballot boxes close. The official result is expected to be made public at 10 am on Friday. Contact the reporter at chris@mail.chinadailyuk.com Br itish Prime Minister David Cameron is flanked by a Brexit opponent (left) and a supporter. Cameron leads the campaign to remain in the EU. Photos by Reuters Britons are edging closer to voting in favor of remaining in the European Union in Thursday's referendum, a result that would please many of the UK's closest allies. An opinion poll carried out before the referendum by The Daily Telegraph a consistent supporter of leaving the EU showed that of those who say they will definitely vote, the Remain campaign is leading with 53 percent, against 46 percent for the Leave campaign. The Remain campaign is headed by Prime Minister David Cameron, while the Leave campaign is headed by former London mayor Boris Johnson and Secretary of State for Justice Michael Gove. Many other polls in recent days have shown the Remain camp easing ahead, although many commentators in Britain are saying the result is still too close to call. UK betting company Ladbrokes said that based on the bets being placed, it is forecasting a 78 percent chance of remaining, with only a 22 percent chance of leaving. Ladbrokes correctly forecast the result of last year's general election, which saw a surprise clear majority for Cameron's Conservative Party, despite opinion polls having predicted either a loss or a hung parliament, with no single party in power. Much hangs on this vote. In China, Juwai.com, an international property portal, said a survey showed 51 percent of the 411 respondents said they had temporarily put on hold property transactions in the UK pending the outcome. Only 25 percent said they intended completing deals before the vote. "The overall picture here is one of uncertainty," the site's UK head Bernie Morris said. JLL, a global real estate services company, said its survey of 100 companies showed a similar trend, with 45 percent of investors questioned saying they would adopt a wait-and-see attitude. Many of Britain's allies, including China, would be expected to welcome a decision to stay in the EU. Chinese President Xi Jinping started his state visit to Poland on June 19 after concluding a Serbia visit. Poland deployed fighter jets to escort Xi's plane when it entered into Polish territory. Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan visited the Palace Belwederski, Poland's presidential residence, where Xi and Polish President Andrzej Duda discussed China-Poland friendship and developments. On June 20, Xi attended a grand welcoming ceremony hosted by Duda at the presidential palace in Warsaw. Ahead of his visit, Xi published an article on the leading Polish newspaper, Rzeczpospolita, entitled, "Setting Sail for Full Speed Progress of China-Poland Friendship," which aroused much support from the Polish people. Poland is located at the heartland of Europe is where the Amber Road and the Silk Road meet. And Poland is a "bellwether" of East European members of the European Union. China and Poland have a long tradition of friendship. Bilateral ties have sailed into a "fast track" mode since establishing a strategic partnership in 2011. Xi's visit was highly-appreciated by Poland. Polish people are hoping to bring a historical opportunity to deepen development of bilateral relations, and usher in new prospects for the docking of the Belt and Road Initiative and China-CEE(Central East Europe) "16+1" cooperation. They look forward to China-Poland friendship setting sail at full speed ahead with a win-win approach to open a new chapter for an upgraded strategic partnership. By Xu Xiujun, deputy director of International Politics and Economics Department, Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences; cartoon drawing by Liao Tingting, Chi Ying ( The opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Panview or CCTV.com. ) President Xi says China willing to work with Poland to promote closer cooperation with CEE President Xi Jinping attended a ceremony to mark the arrival in Poland of the first China-Europe Block Train on Monday. Accompanied by Polish President Andrzej Duda, Xi traveled to Marywilska in Warsaw for the event. China currently has 39 rail lines to Europe. They start from 16 cities, including Chongqing, Suzhou, Chengdu and Zhengzhou and terminate in 12 European cities, including Warsaw, Madrid and Hamburg. On June 8, China Railway Corp brought the 39 rail lines together under the umbrella name China-Europe Block Train, giving the trains the same type of locomotive and uniform decoration. On the same day, eight trains set off from China to Europe. The train bound for Poland arrived on Monday afternoon during the ceremony attended by Xi. On Monday, Xi also attended an economic and trade forum attended by entrepreneurs and government officials in Warsaw. Xi said at the forum that China and Poland should make full use of Europe's advantage in technology, China's excellent production capacity, as well as Poland's unique geographic location and rich human resources. As an important member of the European Union, Poland leads the Central and East Europe region in many ways, said Xi, adding that China is willing to promote China-CEE and China-EU cooperation by working with Poland. Cui Hongjian, director of the Department for European Studies at the China Institute of International Studies, said China attaches great importance to its ties with Poland. "President Xi has positioned Poland at a high level. He said Poland is the bellwether of the CEE region," Cui said. "I believe this not only means that Poland is the largest country or the largest economy in the region, but is also an expression of hope that Poland will play a leading role commensurate to its economic size in fields including China's cooperation with the CEE countries." President Duda said at the forum that Poland supports the Belt and Road Initiative, the China proposed Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, and is dedicated to Europe-Asia cooperation. The Belt and Road Initiative is a huge geostrategic project for global change and Poland is an active supporter of it, said Jacek Bartosiak, an expert with the Centre for Analysis of the Jagiellonian Club. Sun Yuxi, former Chinese ambassador to Poland, said that Poland is an important transportation hub in Europe, and the geographic location makes it a good partner for the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative. Many CEE countries including Poland need to renovate their railways, while China has top-class technology, excellent construction workers and sufficient capital. The two sides can work together in railway construction, he said. Wang Qingyun in Beijing contributed to this story. anbaijie@chinadaily.com.cn (China Daily 06/22/2016 page3) President Xi Jinping will attend the 16th meeting of the Council of Heads of State of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Tashkent on June 23 and 24 to end his eight-day visit to Serbia, Poland and Uzbekistan which started on Friday. At the Tashkent meeting, he is also expected to discuss with other SCO leaders the applications of India and Pakistan to join the bloc, as well as other key issues including the fight against terrorism and transnational cooperation in the Beijing-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. Celebrating its 15th anniversary this year, the six-nation SCO was among the first regional organizations to address the issue of cross-border terrorism. In fact, before Uzbekistan joined the organization in 2001, the other five SCO members had already agreed to establish a routine communication mechanism involving their defense and law-enforcing departments. And on the day of its official founding, the heads of the six member states signed a pact on battling terrorism, separatism and extremism. The Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure was set up in Tashkent in 2004 as a permanent SCO organ, followed by the establishment of the Secretariat in Beijing. Regularized exchanges, including annual meetings of security authorities and joint anti-terrorism training exercises such as the "Peace Mission-2014" and the "Tianshan-2-2011" have also contributed to the coordination among the member states on the military front. Despite the United States-led anti-terrorism alliance, the Islamic State terrorist group has been threatening regional peace and exporting its extremist ideas to Central and Western Asia. And to counter the IS group's threat, all SCO member states have to abide by the new security concept of mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality and cooperation, and improve their joint enforcement and communications to better deal with emergencies. As a whole, the organization should also seek to play a bigger role in rooting out extremism from Afghanistan and helping the peaceful reconstruction of the country by taking measures to cut off the financial support to terrorists and reduce drug-smuggling and money-laundering. The possible inclusion of India and Pakistan, some observers say, may further complicate the situation - even deal a blow to the bloc's unity - because the two nuclear powers are in constant conflict with each other and often adopt very different foreign policies. So discussing the pros and cons of taking in more members is an essential task for the existing SCO members and in line with the "Spirit of Shanghai". The inclusion of new members in the SCO, however, will enhance the group's international reputation, expand its geopolitical reach and facilitate more multilateral exchanges, which will likely give it a bigger say in regional affairs. Primarily focused on Central Asian affairs, the SCO has now added South and Western Asia to its agenda. That means it has to deal with increasing frictions within the group, because its members are at various stages of economic development and will thus adopt different approaches to safeguard their interests. The Belt and Road Initiative, which basically covers all SCO countries - the six member states, six observer countries and six dialogue partners - is conducive to their pursuit of a community with shared destiny. For that to happen, however, all the countries involved need to make more efforts for the success of key demonstration projects while seeking closer cooperation in multiple fields, such as connectivity in Central and South Asia, trade and investment, and cross-border financing. The author is secretary general of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Research Center affiliated to the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Chinese President Xi Jinping (C,front) and his wife Peng Liyuan visit a carpet and silk workshop in the old city of Bukhara as accompanied by Uzbek Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyoev, in Bukhara, Uzbekistan, June 21, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua] BUKHARA, Uzbekistan - Chinese President Xi Jinping toured the Uzbek city of Bukhara, which he called a "shining pearl on the ancient Silk Road" on Tuesday after arriving here for a state visit. Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, accompanied by Uzbek Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyoyev, took a detailed tour of the UNESCO World Heritage Site in central-southern Uzbekistan with great interest. The Historic Center of Bukhara, situated on the Silk Road, is more than 2,000 years old. It is one of the best examples of well preserved Islamic cities of Central Asia with an urban fabric that has remained largely intact. Standing on the Ark fortress of Bukhara, Mirziyoyev told Xi history of the city during its prime time on the Silk Road trade corridor. "The kids in the city were playing with golden coins, in stead of playing with stones like kids elsewhere," the prime minister said. Now a city culture museum, the Ark fortress, once residence of Bukhara's ancient rulers, hosts a series of antiques and relics including manual scripts of the Koran, art crafts, ancient coins and old weaponry that witnessed the stretching history of the city. Bukhara was long an important economic and cultural center in Central Asia and served as a major center of Islamic culture for many centuries. China and Uzbekistan agree to intensify joint action amid increasing fears over extremists Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) meets with Uzbek President Islam Karimov in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, June 22, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua] China and Uzbekistan agreed on Wednesday to deepen their fight against terrorism amid rising concerns over extremists in Central and Western Asia. The joint decision was reached during President Xi Jinping's state visit to Uzbekistan. The two countries have reached consensus on jointly combating the "three forces of terrorism, separatism and extremism", combating cross-border organized crime, and jointly maintaining regional peace and stability, Xi said after talks with Uzbek President Islam Karimov. Xi also said the two nations pledged to deepen energy cooperation and ensure the safety of the China-Central Asia gasoline pipelines which are vital for China's energy security. Xi began his state visit to Uzbekistan his second since 2013 on Tuesday. He will also attend the 16th meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Council of Heads of State on Thursday and Friday in Tashkent, the Uzbek capital. China and Uzbekistan share concerns about terrorism, with extremists in the two countries sometimes conspiring together. Uzbekistan is also a key point for terrorists wanting to penetrate China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. Karimov said at a news briefing that Uzbekistan firmly supports China's fight against terrorism, separatism and extremism. Describing China as "a great neighbor" with huge advantages in its economy, innovation and talent, he called for ties with Beijing to be enhanced. (Photo : Getty Images.) Alibaba Group on Monday announced that its annual Gross Merchandise Value for the current fiscal year has exceeded 3 trillion yuan. Advertisement China's richest man wants to see his company in the ranks of the world's richest countries. Jack Ma, chairman and founder of retail giant Alibaba, spoke before investors last week last in Hangzhou, telling them that he foresees Alibaba's 2020 revenue equalling the world's fifth largest economy, that of Great Britain. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement To achieve that goal, Ma underscores the need to double the company's revenue from last year, which was over 3 trillion yuan ($463 billion). Aside from e-commerce, Ma also wants Alibaba to see growth in its cloud computing and big data unit, Aliyun. Ma explains that Alibaba "is not [just] a retail business," but also a data business "that is why it explores in collecting consumer data." Ma, nevertheless, is still not sure how to generate higher revenue from data. But he foresees that, in the future, data will be a key player in every person's life. Ma also told investors not to be to quick to evaluate Alibaba based on its gross merchandise volume (GMV). He considers this factor to be irrelevant. He said that in the past he was having problems with investor capitalists because they kept asking about Alibaba's page views, which were then the business model. After page views became irrelevant, he was asked about the company's click rate, then followed the GMV in 2005. "We started giving something called GMV that we learned from eBay," he said. Investors asked for it, so the Ma "gave it to them and it became standard." However, Ma knows that GMV is not the only basis in determining the company's value. Ma also expressed his plan of expanding Alibaba's operations outside China so it can cater to over 2 billion people by 2020. Alibaba already has its eyes on nearby countries, and it has already poured money into such e-commerce sites as Lazada and Paytm. Note: As of June 21, 2016, US$1 is worth approximately 6.58 Yuan. Advertisement TagsAlibaba, china, Jack Ma (Photo : Hu Guolin/Getty Images) Citizens walk in flood caused by rainstorms on June 15, 2016 in Jiujiang, Jiangxi Province of China. Heavy rainstorms continued to fall in many parts of China causing floods in Hunan, Henan, Guangxi, Guizhou, Guangdong and other places these days. Advertisement China's disaster relief authorities have been deployed to the provinces of Hubei and Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region due to the floods that killed 22 and displaced more than 140,000 citizens. According to Xinhua, the National Commission for Disaster Relief and the Ministry of Civil Affairs have begun responding to the citizens of the two aforementioned provinces. The two areas are ranked with the level-four emergency status. Different teams have also been deployed to carry out the relief operations work. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement Heavy rains and floods in the past days caused 22 deaths and has left 16 others missing. Six deaths were recorded in Hubei while Xinjiang reportedly has three casualties. The other deaths occurred in the other affected provinces. 15 people are missing in the Hubei Province while one person is still being searched for in the other aforementioned affected province. Around 140,000 have been displaced and relocated. Authorities have provided the people in Hubei with 1,000 tents and 1,000 folding beds. Hubei Provincial officials have also deployed four work teams to guide the disaster relief efforts. As for Xinjiang, two work teams have been sent to the areas affected and allocated a total of $142,000 for food and drinking water as well as tents. In Hubei, at least 2,400 houses and 20,900 hectares of crops were destroyed due to the disaster. It is believed that the damaged properties and crops amount to a total of $407.9 million. A total of 3.7 million residents in China have been affected due to the floods and heavy rains. Six more provinces were hit the hardest during the heavy rainfall, and they have been identified as Sichuan, Guizhou, Jiangxi, Yunnan, Zhejiang and Anhui. China has been hit by natural disasters in the past most of the time by earthquakes and floods. Flooding is an annual problem in the country due to poor drainage infrastructure and the increase of urban life extension. Advertisement TagsEmergency responders, flood, Chinese provinces, Hubei, Xinjiang, 22 deaths, 8 provinces, displaced citizens (Photo : Getty Images/Kevin Schafer) Picking a movie on Netflix on the iPad mini Advertisement Netflix is making a move on their branding strategy. On Tuesday, the streaming giant unveiled a new icon for its mobile app and social media channels with a redesigned look from its popular red and white-themed logo. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement The latest icon now looks like a bold, red letter "N" embedded on a black background. While the changes made are far from the company's inherent design, the company said that the old logo is here to stay. "We are introducing a new element into our branding with an N icon," a spokesperson told The Verge. "The current Netflix logo will still remain." The company will still incorporate the text-based "Netflix" logo for their promotional postings, including photo and video teasers for their web series like House of Cards. The same goes for their home page, but the N icon will still be used in some capacity. "The icon will start to be incorporated into our mobile apps along with other product integrations in the near future." The changes in the logo of the popular tech company has been a source of debate for users worldwide. A few weeks ago, Instagram tweaked its overall vintage design and replaced it with an icon constituting bright shades of pink, purple, orange and yellow. The alteration spurred a global debate, even mocking the Facebook-owned photo sharing app by calling the move amateur. While Netflix did not suffer the same backlash, social media users still had their share of mixed opinions about it. Netflix has a new logo and it's ugly. pic.twitter.com/Ha1BRPOXDG Punjai Kumaarasaamy (@arunk_) June 20, 2016 Besides the aesthetics, the company is still looking to expand its digital platform by picking up new movies and TV series to join its bigger slate of programming. Recently, British comedian Ricky Gervais announced that The Office spinoff movie has been acquired by Netflix and will begin streaming in 2017. Advertisement Tagsnetflix, new app icon, House of Cards (Photo : Reuters) One of the 2016 Google Nexus smartphones could sport the Snapdragon 821 chipset. Advertisement The tech community is abuzz with rumors that the 2016 Google Nexus phones will be made, once again, by Taiwanese company HTC. While a handful of indications support that rumor, there are some speculations that one of the 2016 Nexus devices will sport the unreleased Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 chipset. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement HTC has allegedly tasked to create two flagship Nexus devices which have been codenamed S1 Sailfish and M1 Marlin. Both of these devices are believed to be based on HTC's latest flagship device, the HTC 10. Many tech analysts believe that the Sailfish will be a slightly redesigned HTC 10. On the other hand, the Marlin is expected to sport the Snapdragon 821 chipset. Qualcomm's Snapdragon 820 is widely held as one of the best chipsets currently out in the market. In fact, it is at the heart of several flagship devices from major smartphone manufacturers including the HTC 10, LG G5, Galaxy S7 and the OnePlus 3. The Snapdragon 821 is the successor of the Snapdragon 820. There are speculations that the former will just be a tweaked and revised version of the Snapdragon 820. Nontheless reports indicate that the 2016 Nexus devices will be faster compared to other Android flagship devices. While some in the tech community are excited about the recent rumors, some are not totally convinced about it. It is important to note that almost a month ago, Huawei General Manager Charlenne Munilall hinted that Huawei is once again working with Google to make the next generation of Nexus devices. While both Google and Huawei are yet to confirm this, the success and accolades received by the Huawei Nexus 6P are enough to fuel speculation about a new Nexus device manufactured, again, by Huawei. Advertisement TagsHTC, Nexus, 2016 Nexus, htc nexus, Snapdragon, Qualcomm, 2016 HTC Nexus, Google Nexus (Photo : Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) Tesla has allegedly signed a deal with Jinqiao Group to set up a manufacturing base in Shanghai, China. Advertisement Tesla Motors Inc. is reported to have signed a non-binding agreement with Jinqiao Group to set up a production base in Shanghai. According to a Bloomberg report, the investment is worth $9 billion. Both Tesla and Jinqiao Group, a Shanghai-based state-owned company, will invest $4.5 billion (30 billion yuan) each. Jinqiao's share is likely to be in the form of land. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement While Tesla has refused to comment on the news, Jinqiao chose not to corroborate it. However, Tesla has been scouting for opportunities in China for quite some time. Several Tesla executives have allegedly visited different locations in the Suzhou region. They have allegedly also conducted talks with potential manufacturing collaborators. Setting up a manufacturing base in China would help Tesla to avoid a 25 percent import tax levied by the Chinese government. China has emerged as the second biggest market for Tesla as the country accounted for the largest number Model 3 reservations after the United States. The company's Vice President of Asia-Pacific Ren Yuxian said that Tesla received a "flood of pre-orders" for Model 3 from China. The country is also at the forefront of world automotive market. Tesla has long expressed its interest in China. In October last year, the company CEO Elon Musk tweeted, "Model 3 is due in [approximately] 2 years. A China factory for local demand could be as soon as a year after." As per the latest count, about 373,000 customers have pre-booked the Tesla Model 3. In its SEC filing, Tesla claimed that it "could further increase the number of Model 3 reservations with minimal effort." Advertisement TagsTesla, Model 3, Elon Musk, Jinqiao Group (Photo : Getty Images.) The highly controversial annual dog meat festival began on Tuesday in the southern Chinese city of Yulin. Advertisement Around 10,000 dogs and cats will be rounded up and killed during the controversial 10-day dog meat festival, which began in Southern Chinese city of Yulin on Tuesday. Annually, thousands of Chinese people flock to the Yulin festival to buy dog meat to eat. One supporter of this controversial festival claimed that the tradition of eating dog has been around for 500 years in China, South Korea, and other countries. However, critics challenge this claim, alleging that this tradition is only a recent invention, serving to drum up the local meat industry. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement "It's embarrassing to us that the world wrongly believes that the brutally cruel Yulin festival is part of Chinese culture," said Qin Xiaona, director of the Capital Animal Welfare Association Charity. Critics have further alleged that dogs are mercilessly killed in full public view and sometimes even beaten to death or cooked while still alive. Other critics, including doctors. claim that eating dog meat is extremely unhealthy, as it causes diseases like trichinellosis, rabies, and cholera. The Chinese government maintains that the dog meat festival has no government backing and it is purely run by private businesses. Meanwhile, animal right activists have once again raised their voices in forms of various petitions against the festival, a practice that activists have been passionately following since the festival came into being in 2009. This year, the petition seeking for permanent ban of the festival has garnered 11 million signatures from across the world. According to a recent poll published by state news agency Xinhua, a whopping 64 percent of Chinese people between the age of 16 and 50 said they supported a permanent ban on the festival. Advertisement TagsYulin Dog Meat Festival, china, Yulin, Dog Meat Festival See the entire speech to North Carolina Liberals /Socialists below. You may wish to fast forward through the long winded Jim Hunt introduction speech: Should Americans be thankful for North Carolinians setting precedent in taking a stand for their state's right to manage the safety of their public facilities, where separation of the sexes remains, or should they follow Bruce Springsteen's lead and boycott the state as bigots since they will not allow grown Transgender men to use the same bathrooms /locker rooms as pre-pubescent girls? North Carolina is right to control the separation of the sexes as a matter of decorum and safety. North Carolina is a bigoted state to not require that children of opposite sexes share the same public facilities with adults of the opposite sex, although misidentified - the Transgender. I generally prefer the natural environs of the vacant, although rather public, large tree. 236 total vote(s) What's your Opinion? poll#95 What should be the priority of the Federal Government after the "Pulse" massacre: Should we turn our attention toward destroying, earadicating ISIS as Candidate Trump suggests, or, as Democrats' President Obama suggests, broaden our efforts to effect stricter Gun Control laws to limit "Gun Violence?" 88.24% After many years of trying to degrade and contain the murderous ISIS, we should make it the nation's policy to destroy ISIS immediately. 3.68% Gun Violence in America can be eliminated by limiting access to guns for all American citizens. 8.09% I don't care either way; I just live here. 136 total vote(s) Voting has Ended! Standing behind the podium at a staged campaign stop in Raleigh, North Carolina , June 22, 2016, Hillary B. Clinton promised to 'return North Carolina back to the days of Democrat Control, after this recent detour (McCrory administration and Republican legislature)', when North Carolina suffered its first deficit budget - a three billion dollar big red hole.She continued by slamming businesses and Wall Street on one hand, while during this same week, Hillary Clinton will hold /attend three fund raisers by wealthy Wall Street millionaires /billionaires and super rich Hollywood Producers. Considering Hillary's chronic struggle with everyday truths, and her factual reality as a pathological liar from a long term perspective , this is just her Socialist face to a liberal North Carolina cheering mob, and nothing more.As she continued speaking, as a pattern socialist, Ms. Hillary B. Clinton spoke to one Liberals' pathetic understanding of real World situations to another, using Socialist buzz words, buzz phrases, and then continued to play to the Liberal simple perceptive constructs of real World truths by emphasising that she had no real understanding of House Bill 2 , by pandering to the "LGBT Community" at the expense of any semblance of common sense, which Hillary has more than demonstrated that she has none - remember the facetious 'wiping a server, like with a rag' comment.Hillary droned on about: free college (debt free was the code word here), free community college , free health care, free child care, free food, free housing ... free, well free everything. With over 19 trillion dollars in national debt, 11 trillion accrued under Obama, an administration that Hillary B. promises to emulate ( so that she may not be indicted by Hussein Obama's corrupt Justice Dept. on a multitude of current felony investigations by the FBI), Hillary never mentioned how we would pay for more free stuff for Liberals ... those that would vote for her, and others like her.Never, during the entirety of her speech on: unfunded free stuff for Democrat voters, the racism /bigotry of Whites /Patriots, etc., did she discuss the keeping of communities safe, or our nation defended from Radical Islam. It was a speech for liberal Democrats /Socialists. It was not a speech for an American patriot. (Photo : Neil P. Mockford/Getty Images) Sandi Thom, Lucy Watson, Carrie Fisher, Marc Abraham, Jenny Seagrove, Anneka Svenska and Victoria Stilwell attend a photocall as campaigners submit an 11 million signature petition calling for an end to China's Yulin dog meat festival at Chinese Embassy London on June 7, 2016 in London, England. Advertisement The Yulin dog meat festival in China has kicked off and had a low-key opening as there have been many protests from animal rights activists and residents asking the government to pass new measures about the matter. The event is an annual happening in the southern China city and it features the consumption of thousands of dog's meat. Around 10,000 dogs are said to be slaughtered this year. Animal rights activists earlier this month has forwarded a petition to Beijing authorities including 11 million signatures protesting against the festival. The dog meat festival has been regarded as cruel. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement According to NBC News, some of the dogs that were supposed to be killed for the annual event were bought by the human rights activists in an attempt to save them. One animal rights activist named Yang Yuhua flew from Chongqing to Yubin in order to buy the dogs. He said, "Dogs are man's best, the most loyal friend. How could we eat our friends? You tell me." Yang had to spend $150 to buy two caged dogs at the market of Yubin. Although some dogs have been bought, a dog vendor said that he hopes for a good business during the annual festival. He added that there are a lot of people who lie eating dog meat and it has become a habit for others. Dogs are sold openly in the market but dog meat is not being served in restaurants. A resident named only as Min said about the low key opening of the festival this year, "Why won't they (let us openly celebrate the festival)? The city government came out and told (the vendors) not to let restaurant owners sell (dog meat). The city government is always (handling this issue) this way." The local government of Yulin said that they do not back the festival and it was funded by private businesses and people who support the dog meat festival. The ten-day festival started on June 21. The annual festival has been held for a decade now. International stars such as Simon Cowell and Matt Damon have voiced their opinion via Twitter regarding this matter. Advertisement Tagschina, Dog Meat Festival, Dogs, dog meat, annual event, ten days, opening, Yulin (Photo : Getty Images.) China on Tuesday made a u-turn from its earlier statement, saying that NSG members are now open to hold discussion on inclusion of India in NSG. Advertisement Just hours after Washington reiterated its support to India's candidacy for Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), China softened its opposition to India's admissions into the elite nuclear club. China said that NSG members are now open to hold discussions on including India and other members that have not signed the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). Like Us on Facebook Advertisement "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." China's stance on Tuesday marks a complete shift from its earlier stance that India's application to join the 48-member nuclear club should not be on the agenda of the NSG's plenary meeting in Seoul, which is scheduled for June 23-24. "We did not target any country, India or Pakistan. We only care about the non-proliferation treaty," she said, suggesting that China's stance on NPT remains unchanged. Hua said Beijing fears that if Non-NPT members like India are admitted into NSG, then it could have adverse effect on the Iranian nuclear deal and the North Korea situation. China's tough stance against India on NSG issue is believed to be at the behest of its close ally Pakistan, which has also applied for NSG membership. Pakistan is also not signatory to NPT. China has constantly maintained that if India is included in the NSG, Pakistan must be granted membership as well. However, many countries are opposed to Pakistan's inclusion in NSG, owing to its poor track record on the nuclear proliferation front. Meanwhile, New Delhi is not leaving any stone unturned in convincing other nations to support India's candidature. The Indian government has reached out to Austria and Ireland, which reportedly have reservations about non-NPT members' inclusion in the exclusive nuclear club. However, India is more focused on China, as it remains the biggest stumbling block to India's inclusion in NSG. Sources from the Indian government have claimed that India is constantly negotiating with China and other opposing members through closed-door meetings and phones calls. Last week, India's top diplomat, S. Jaishankar, made an unannounced visit to Beijing and met China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi. The main agenda of that meeting was to convince China to soften its stance against India's NSG membership. Advertisement TagsIndia, NSG, china, Nuclear Supplier Group (Photo : Greg Baker-Pool/Getty Images) Czech Republic Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka (L) is greeted by Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in Beijing on June 17, 2016 in Beijing, China. Advertisement China's financial sector will play a stronger role in boosting the nation's real economy by creating sufficient liquidity and establishing a stable exchange rate for the renminbi. This was the commitment made by Premier Li Keqiang during his visits to the headquarters of the People's Bank of China, the country's central bank, and the China Construction Bank in Beijing on Monday, the China Daily reported. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement The Premier noted that despite the volatility of financial markets, the reforms being carried out by the Central government have been progressing smoothly and were instrumental in supporting domestic growth. "Prudent monetary policies must better coordinate with proactive fiscal policies for flexibility and accuracy in financing," Li said, as he cited the challenges being confronted by some regions and industries in the real economy. Li stressed that China's financial sector must be geared towards supporting the new economy, which is highlighted by the nation's integration with the internet, as well as the rise of innovative enterprises and smart manufacturing. He likewise called on local financial institutions to provide support to small and medium-sized enterprises and private businesses at a lower cost. "Commercial banks should support the development of the real economy by financing major infrastructure projects, SMEs and innovation-driven companies," Li said, as he addressed China Construction Bank employees. To date, the bank has given out 2.8 trillion yuan ($427 billion) in loans to finance infrastructure projects, including new loans of 110 billion yuan for the first quarter of this year, which reflects a year-on-year increase of 86 percent. The premier also called on domestic banks to continuously provide assistance to companies that are purchasing agricultural produce, and to support agricultural manufacturing as a strategy by China's financial sector to help increase the income of farmers. Advertisement TagsPremier Li Keqiang, China Finance Sector, China Finance News, china, China Financial Sector (Photo : Andrew Burton/Getty Images) Advertisement Jack Ma believes that the biggest mistake in his life was making Alibaba. That's what China's richest man said during the 20th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum on June 20. "My biggest mistake was that I made Alibaba," he said. "I never thought this thing would change my life." Like Us on Facebook Advertisement Ma shared that all he did was simply run his small business until it grew bigger and bigger. Alibaba is now China's biggest e-commerce business. The immense success eventually "brought so much trouble," Ma said. Jack Ma then revealed that if he could have a second chance at life, he would not build another business as big as Alibaba, preferring instead to be his "own self" and enjoy his life. While in St. Petersburg, Ma also met with a Russian government representative to discuss the possibility of getting Alibaba more business in Russia. "I think the development of e-commerce will bring more job opportunities there," he explained. A source revealed that the Russian government is in talks with Alibaba and Tmall to get the companies to set up offices in Russia. Alibaba is currently eyeing strategic growth in Russia, Europe, and Southeast Asia to achieve its goal of boosting its revenue to the point that it would be as big as the world's fifth largest economy. Ma sees the opportunity for Alibaba's expansion in those regions, particularly the countries that lay along the "one belt one road" area. These countries have tremendous potential for getting their products to the world but are having a hard time selling them because of poor infrastructure and technology. Advertisement TagsJack Ma, Alibaba, 20th st. petersburg international economic forum (Photo : Getty Images.) American electric car maker Tesla Motors is reportedly in talks with Jinqiao Group to set up a manufacturing plant in Shanghai city. Advertisement American electric car maker Tesla Motors is planning to invest close to 59.1 billion yuan ($9 billion) to set up a manufacturing base in Shanghai city, a person familiar with the matter said. An anonymous source said that Chinese construction company Jinqiao Group has signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Tesla Motors to construct an assembly plant in Shanghai city. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement However, Shanghai Jinqiao Export Processing Zone Development Co - a publicly traded unit of Jinqiao Group - said it has not signed any MOU with Telsa. Telsa Motors has also not confirmed the agreement. Khobi Brooklyn, a Tesla spokeswoman, said the company won't comment on "rumor and speculation." But unconfirmed reports suggest that negotiations are already in process between the two companies. Reports indicate that both parties will invest nearly 30 billion yuan ($4.5 billion) in the joint venture, with Jinqiao's investment comprising mostly land. Setting up a manufacturing base in Shanghai would give Tesla Motors an exemption on import levy tax, which would help Tesla's electric motor vehicles to become more cost effective against luxury-brand rivals such as BMW and Audi. It would also help the company to compete with electric cars offered by homegrown Chinese companies like BYD Co and BAIC Motor Corp. The decision would also help Tesla to expand its market share in China. Currently, most of Tesla's customers are affluent. China is the biggest market for Tesla after the U.S, and therefore the country assumes immense importance for company's future growth. Advertisement Tagstesla motors, china, Tesla China, Jinqiao Group, Shanghai (Photo : Getty Images.) China is planning to start a civilian cruise service to the Spratly Islands in the disputed South China Sea by 2020. Advertisement China is planning to offer the first regular civilian cruise service to the Spratly Islands in the disputed South China Sea by 2020, Chinese state media said on Wednesday. The cruise service will run from Hainan province to the Spratly Islands, in response to increasing demand from commuters. "The province (Hainan) plans a pan-South China Sea cruise line and cruise trips business covering countries along the Maritime Silk Road," state-owned newspaper China Daily said. Like Us on Facebook Advertisement Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said she does not have much information about the information, but stated that it was normal for Hainan to develop its tourism industry in Chinese territory. Experts claim that the Chinese government's plan to start the cruise service to the Spratly Islands would give China its first permanent presence in the maritime heart of Southeast Asia. It is not known whether or not foreign citizens would be allowed to use the cruise service. Beijing's latest plan is likely to further infuriate all other claimants in disputed maritime territory, as well as the U.S. China's construction activities in contested areas of South China Sea have already caused immense tension in the region. China has built many military facilities, airfields, and non-military facilities on various artificial islands over the recent months. China's excessive construction activities on artificial islands is widely seen as a symbol of China's assertiveness over the South China Sea. However, the Chinese government has always maintained that construction activities on artificial islands are purely for civilian purposes. China claims most of the South China Sea as its own, but its claim is challenged by other counries in the region - Malaysia, Philippines, Brunei, Taiwan, and Vietnam. Advertisement Tagschina, spratly islands, South China Sea, south china sea news Russia authorities raid more than a dozen Scientology sites 22 June, 2016 by Gregory Tomlin , | MOSCOW (Christian Examiner) Russian police have raided more than a dozen sites associated with the Church of Scientology, an organization regarded by both the government and the Russian Orthodox Church as a cult. The FSB (federal security service) launched the raids to conduct "simultaneous searches" at 14 sites in Moscow and St. Petersburg, both hubs of the organization's effort in the country. Police claimed they were looking into the church's financial practices, which allegedly include fraud and embezzlement. "Objects and documents were found and seized that proved the investigators' version [of events] about the marketing functions for goods and services of the Church of Scientology of Saint Petersburg in violation of the law," a police statement carried by the RIA Novosti news agency said. Police also took hard drives, notebooks and other materials from the sites. At least 10 people were arrested in St. Petersburg alone. Police hope the arrests will dampen support for the church, which was dealt a severe blow in November 2015 when a Russian court said the group could not operate in Moscow because it was only registered as a U.S. organization. "Parishioners are working for the good of the country, actively involved in an anti-drug awareness campaign, through which hundreds of thousands of young people and adolescents refused to take drugs. Hundreds of young people, volunteers of the church, are engaged in cleaning of streets, parks and squares. This is only a small part of what we do together for the prosperity of our country. Why the hands of law enforcement are trying to stop this useful activity for society remains a mystery. Natalia Alekseev, director of public relations for the church, told a Russian-language news service that the group was "outraged" by the raids and that "worshippers and servants of the Church of Scientology did not understand what had happened." "Parishioners are working for the good of the country, actively involved in an anti-drug awareness campaign, through which hundreds of thousands of young people and adolescents refused to take drugs," Alekseev said in the statement. "Hundreds of young people, volunteers of the church, are engaged in the cleaning of streets, parks and squares. This is only a small part of what we do together for the prosperity of our country. Why the hands of law enforcement are trying to stop this useful activity for society remains a mystery." Scientology has gained adherents in the metropolitan areas of Russia, but is increasingly unpopular among traditionalists in the government. That is why this is not the first time the church's offices have been raided. The first raids came in 2011 when police literally had to saw doors in half to enter the inner rooms of Scientology centers. They were also searched in January 2015 in an investigation on the illegal sale of land and, in August, police raided another venue and found hidden cameras and microphones. The "church" was apparently listening to what its members said when leaders were not present. The most recent raids were part of a continued investigation into alleged money laundering. According to authorities, Ekaterina Zaborskikh stole 130 million rubles ($2 million US) from 2012-2014 when she funneled money from her construction company to the church. She was selling high-end apartments "affordable castles" to people, taking their money but never building the living spaces. Scientology is based on the science fiction writing of L. Ron Hubbard, whose book Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health was published in 1950. The church was founded in 1954 and was led by Hubbard until his death. It is now led by David Miscavige, who critics claim is a cult leader who demands absolute devotion and is abusive of church members. Scientology is also publicly represented by actor Tom Cruise. Scientology has established centers throughout Europe and the European Court of Human Rights has said Russia is violating the rights of its adherents by refusing to register its centers as religious organizations. Russia's Orthodox Church, the faith home of most Russian churchgoers, considers Scientology a cult. In 1994, the Council of Russian Orthodox Bishops called the science-fiction based religion a "pseudo-religion" from the West which was meant to decieve the people. Korean Community Presbyterian Church of Atlanta held a ceremony on Sunday for the ordination of one of its youth pastors, John Park. "I commit to carry on the ministry that has been given to me in obedience to Christ, and to follow Jesus in my daily life, loving my neighbors and promoting peace, unity, and purity within the church," said Park in his ordination vows. The ceremony consisted of praise and worship, a time for prayer, a sermon preached by Dr. Kevin Park, an associate dean at Columbia Theological Seminary, a word of commendation for the ordained pastor, the ordination vows, words of encouragement, and musical performances, among others. "Moses confesses that he will not act before God," said Dr. Kevin Park during his sermon. "This is referring to walking with God. Let us learn what it means to be intimate with God through Moses," Dr. Park continued. "Just as God exists in a relationship in the trinity, it's important to have intimacy and good relationship with our Lord." "It's difficult for the Korean immigrant church to raise up the EM [English ministry]," said Rev. Hyun Sung Cho of Canaan Korean Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, who gave a word of encouragement at the ceremony. "And it's even more difficult to raise up an ordained pastor in a bigger church. But I congratulate you on this ordination. I hope you will continue to support Pastor Park and pray for him. I hope that you will not look at him through a first generation Korean's perspective, but that you will always pray for him in the Holy Spirit. And I hope that you will partner with himso that he would be a pastor that invests in and nurtures the next generation in the faith." Park moved to the U.S. from South Korea in high school, and studied Christian education in college. Thereafter, he ministered in Florida and Virginia, and received an M.Div. from Columbia Theological Seminary. I had the privilege or reading a pre-release version of "God Shines Forth: How the Nature of God Shapes and Drives the Mission of the Church." Here are 20 quotes from the book, which you should pick up. Ninth Circuit to Hear Argument on Counseling Restrictions Today Contact: Brad Dacus, Pacific Justice Institute, 916-719-9510 SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., June 22, 2016 /Christian Newswire/ -- Pacific Justice Institute is taking the next major step in challenging a law that restricts the constitutional rights of mental health providers and their clients, including ordained clergy and their parishioners. The next major step in the litigation takes place today and members of the media are welcome to attend. When: Wednesday, June 22, at 3:00 p.m. What: Oral argument challenging SB 1172. PJI represents Dr. Donald Welch, Dr. Anthony Duk, and Aaron Bitzer. Where: Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals at 95 7th St., San Francisco, CA 94103 Who: Pacific Justice Institute attorney Kevin Snider Pacific Justice Institute represents plaintiffs prohibited by SB 1172 from giving counsel to minors struggling with same-sex attractions and gender identity. SB 1172, signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown in September 2012, restricts mental health professionals from using "change therapy" as an option for helping minors. In December 2012, the United States District Court sided with Pacific Justice Institute by granting a preliminary injunction against SB 1172. However, the Ninth Circuit reversed that injunction in August 2013. At that time, the Ninth Circuit considered only these plaintiffs' free speech claims. The court will now consider religious freedom and privacy implications of the law. Kevin Snider will be available to media at the courthouse immediately following his argument. Brad Dacus, the Founder and President of PJI, will also be available for comment at 916-719-9510. Ahmadi Muslim shot dead as 'relentless' attacks on religious minorities in Pakistan continue An Ahmadi Muslim doctor was shot dead this week in the latest attack on Islam's minority sect. Chaudhry Khaliq Ahmad was killed in Karachi on Monday as he attended to his patients. His death follows a long line of similar incidents targetting Pakistan's Ahmadiyya community, which most Muslims hold to be blasphemous. Another Ahmadi doctor, Hameed Ahmed, was shot dead outside his house in Darul Islam Colony in Attock on June 5. And on 25 May, Daud Ahmad was killed near his home in the same Karachi neighbourhood as Ahmad. Pakistan's 1974 constitution declared Ahmadiyyas as "non-Mulim" and a subsequent ruling made it a criminal offence for them to be called Muslims. A spokesman for the Ahmadiyya Muslim community in Pakistan, Salim ud Din, said: "I am shocked and saddened at the news of Chaudhry Khaliq Ahmad's murder. Words cannot describe the sorrow felt not only by myself, but all Ahmadis in Pakistan and throughout the world on account of this heinous act. "It seems that there is no respite for Ahmadis even in the holy month of Ramadan. It appears that Ahmadis are being targeted in a clear and methodical way. The authorities need to act quickly to put an end to these indiscriminate murders." Mervyn Thomas, chief executive of the religious persecution charity Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW), said: "CSW extends our heartfelt condolences to Mr Ahmad's family. We continue to be dismayed by the relentless targeting of the Ahmadiyya community in Pakistan and the environment of impunity which promulgates such attacks. "We urge the police to apprehend and prosecute the perpetrators of this and other attacks. We also urge the government of Pakistan to amend discriminatory legislation and to take proactive steps to reduce the vulnerability of the Ahmadiyya community and other religious minorities in Pakistan." Boko Haram: Militant group fractures over ISIS allegiance Boko Haram has suffered an internal split after a group rebelled because leader Abubakar Shekau failed to adhere to guidance from Islamic State, a senior US general said on Tuesday. There is a concern that the splinter group might work more closely with ISIS, including by adopting its transnational focus, which has been absent from Boko Haram so far. Marine Lieutenant General Thomas Waldhauser, the nominee to lead the US military's Africa Command, suggested the internal division was illustrative of limits of ISIS' influence over Boko Haram so far, despite the West African group's pledge of allegiance to it last year. "Several months ago, about half of Boko Haram broke off to a separate group because they were not happy with the amount of buy-in, if you will, from Boko Haram into the ISIL brand," Waldhauser said at his nomination hearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee. Shekau, he said, had not fallen into line with Islamic State's instructions, including by ignoring calls for Boko Haram to stop using children as suicide bombers. "He's been told by ISIL to stop doing that. But he has not done so. And that's one of the reasons why this splinter group has broken off," he said, adding Islamic State was trying to "reconcile those two groups." Reuters reported on June 9 that US officials had seen no evidence that Boko Haram has so far received significant operational support or financing from Islamic State. The assessment suggested Boko Haram's loyalty pledge had so far mostly been a branding exercise. Waldhauser acknowledged differing opinions about how much influence Islamic State has actually had so far over Boko Haram, which won global infamy for its 2014 kidnapping of more than 250 schoolgirls. "They certainly have not given them a lot of financial assistance. So the point being is that perhaps improvement in tradecraft, in training and the like," he said. While it is estimated to have killed more than 15,000 people since 2009, Boko Haram has not attacked US interests and has deep roots in Nigeria's Christian-Muslim divide, which long predates the Syrian-based Islamic extremist group. Waldauser noted Shekau's local focus and voiced concern about whether a splinter group might act more in concert with Islamic State's transregional ambitions. "What concerns me is the breakoff group of Boko Haram who wants to be more ISIL-like, and consequently buy into the ISIL-brand of attacking Western interests," he said. "That would concern me." The Nigerian army is making significant inroads in its offensive against Boko Haram. On June 3, 245 hostages were rescued from the Islamist militant group. Last month, more than two years after 276 Chibok schoolgirls were abducted by Boko Haram, two girls were recovered among a further 97 abductees, raising hopes for the remaining group. On May 14, French President Francois Hollande told a security summit in Nigeria that "[Boko Haram] has been weakened, it's been pushed back, it's been chased around and has given up the territories it was controlling, and as a result it's being even better targeted and fought. However, this terrorist group remains a threat." Additional reporting by Reuters. Donald Trump's new evangelical advisers reveal political calculations It's hard for Brits to understand the relationship between politics and religion in the US. On this side of the Atlantic, faith is generally considered to be a liability when it comes to the ballot box. In America, meanwhile, every candidate for president will spend time trying to woo church leaders and display their Christian credentials. So it is for Republican candidate Donald Trump, who has been hard at work this week trying to improve his standing among evangelical Christians in the US. He announced a list of conservative Christians who will advise him, including televangelists Paula White, Kenneth Copeland and Jerry Falwell Jr, the Liberty University president who is the son of the famous founder of the 'Moral Majority'. The group has been described as the "old guard religious right" from the 90s, and it certainly reflects the standard conservative branch of the US church a branch whose power has waned in recent years. The 'Evangelical executive advisory board' will offer counsel on "those issues important to Evangelicals and other people of faith in America". It includes former congresswoman Michele Bachmann, and president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Coalition Samuel Rodriguez, Jr. The announcement preceded a meeting on Tuesday with hundreds of evangelicals, where Trump apparently received a "standing ovation". Unusually for a Republican candidate, Trump has got quite a bit of work to do, as many Christians strongly oppose his candidacy. This is partly due to his inflammatory rhetoric regarding groups such as Muslims and Mexicans, but more often, it's for his sometimes liberal views on moral issues and his previous support of abortion rights. Then there are his claims to have a "great relationship with God" while at the same time declaring he doesn't need forgiveness. Last year at the Values Voter Summit, Trump was booed. Earlier this month, 49 per cent of evangelicals said that they have a negative view of him. This month has been an especially bad one for the property tycoon, particularly following remarks deemed racist towards the Hispanic judge Gonzalo Curiel, who happens to be involved in a civil case involving Trump University. However Trump does appear to have stalwart support from certain parts of the Christian community. Falwell Jr recently called Trump a "breath of fresh air" after he made noises about protecting Christianity, and added: "In my opinion, Mr. Trump lives a life of loving and helping others... as Jesus taught in the New Testament." Other members, such as White and Ralph Reed of the Faith & Freedom Coalition, have openly supported Trump. In an interview with CBN, White said she has been friends with Trump for the past 15 years, after he called her to praise her preaching. (White is a well-known 'prosperity preacher'). She said she has had "private times of prayer with him" and she defended him from scepticism about his professions of faith. The members of the board are not all Trump supporters, by any means. James Dobson, the founder of Focus on the Family, and Richard Land, have been openly critical. Land wrote an article entitled "Donald Trump is a scam." Dobson's comments last December betray the dilemma the religious right faces. "I am very wary of Donald Trump," he said, citing Trump's business in gambling. "I would never vote for a king pin within that enterprise. Trump's tendency to shoot from the hip and attack those with whom he disagrees would be an embarrassment to the nation if he should become our Chief Executive. I don't really believe Trump is a conservative. Finally, I would never under any circumstance vote for Hillary Clinton." So the choices Trump made were probably political, knowing that he doesn't have great credentials when it comes to the more conservative voters. Some of the members of the board may have accepted, believing that they were being given an opening to influence the presidential candidate for the better. But for many Christians on social media, their membership gives evangelical endorsement to someone who really isn't on their side. For Trump there may be other more tactical considerations at play. The Atlantic notes: "One-third of the board members run churches or organizations that have campuses in Texas or California. Perhaps the Trump campaign is looking ahead to general-election math." Christians have been given a key role in the next US presidential election. But will they use it wisely? Facebook accused of restricting free speech after 'removing atheist pages' A coordinated campaign by fundamentalist Islamic groups has led to Facebook shutting down a number of Arabic atheist pages, according to The News Hub. The site reported that the social media platform has removed more than 16 Arabic-speaking atheist pages due to "violations" of its 'Community Standards'. The closure has left more than 100,000 atheists in Muslim dominant countries without a platform to share with other non-religious people. A campaign under the tag #FacebookVSFreeSpeech has been launched to challenge Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg by Atheist Alliance Middle East and North Africa (AA-MENA). The social media platform does not usually police reports of violations of Community Standards as they will vary around the world. Instead the site makes an automatic decision based on the number of complaints. If a post or groups gets enough reports of violations, Facebook will shut down the content and delete it. This leaves vulnerable groups open to being targeted by so-called "cyber jihadists" who urge their large following to flood Facebook with complaints. It is part of a wider online campaign in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) to quell expressions of atheism or anything other than the socially conservative Islamic norm. But the abuse is not just online. Yemeni activist Omar Bataweel was shot outside his home on April 22, according to The News Hub. The outspoken critic of Islam had shared his views on Facebook, which led him to receive death threats prior to his killing. His case remains open. The AA-MENA campaign has tracked the tracked the progress of Arabic-speaking atheist groups and pages and frequently criticises Facebook's approach to freedom of speech. The group has three goals for its campaign; reactivate the pages, convince Facebook to respect the rights of irreligious people in the MENA region and; convince Facebook to reform its procedures so a just evaluation is made of any alleged violation of Community Standards. Maryam Namazie, spokeswoman for the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain, tweeted she had been blocked by Facebook after she shared an ex-Muslim's page that depicted Zuckerberg as an ally of ISIS. Blocked for 7 days by @facebook for criticising its censorship of ex-Muslim/Arab atheist pages @rayhana @CEMB_forum pic.twitter.com/aD02zImSx7 Maryam Namazie (@MaryamNamazie) April 21, 2016 There remains a severe punishment for renouncing Islam in many Middle Eastern countries. Even if it allowed legally, ex-Muslims often face severe persecution and harassment from family and locals. Gains against ISIS 'not yet enough' and could backfire, US officials warn President Barack Obama and some administration officials have hailed recent military gains against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, but other US officials and outside experts warn that the US-backed air and ground campaign is far from eradicating the radical Islamic group, and could even backfire. While Islamic State's defeats in Iraq and Syria have erased its image of invincibility, they threaten to give it greater legitimacy in the eyes of disaffected Sunni Muslims because Shi'ite and Kurdish fighters are a major part of the campaign, some US intelligence officials argue. A second danger, some US officials said, is that as the group loses ground in the Iraqi city of Falluja and elsewhere, it will turn increasingly to less conventional military tactics and to directing and inspiring more attacks against "soft" targets in Europe, the United States and elsewhere. One US intelligence official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, warned that in response to losing Falluja and other cities the group likely would turn more to guerrilla tactics to disrupt efforts to restore government services. "We can expect ISIL to harass local forces that are holding cities it previously controlled, thereby drawing out battles into protracted campaigns," he said. The territory held by ISIL has enabled it to build up revenues through oil and taxes, provided it a base to launch attacks on Baghdad, and acted as a recruiting tool for foreign fighters drawn to the self-proclaimed Islamic caliphate. President Barack Obama said on June 14 -- two days after a gunman pledging allegiance to Islamic State killed 49 people in Orlando -- that the militant group was losing "the money that is its lifeblood" as it continues to lose territory. Brett McGurk, the presidential envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL, told a White House briefing on June 10 that the group has lost half the territory it had seized in Iraq, about 20 percent of its self-proclaimed caliphate in Syria, and at least 30 percent of its oil production, which accounts for half its revenue. But Islamic State fighters in Iraq are already showing signs of adapting a guerrilla war-style strategy, Seth Jones, an analyst with the RAND Corp, told Reuters. "It looks like the areas that the Islamic State has lost, they are generally abandoning, and that would mean preparing to fight another day," he said. Despite the progress against ISIL on the battlefield and in the financial realm, CIA Director John Brennan told the Senate Intelligence Committee last week: "Our efforts have not reduced the group's terrorism capability and global reach." "The resources needed for terrorism are very modest, and the group would have to suffer even heavier losses of territory, manpower, and money for its terrorist capacity to decline significantly," he said. Encouraging lone wolves Hassan Hassan, a terrorism expert at the Royal Institute of International Affairs in London, told the US Senate Homeland Security committee on Tuesday that the Orlando attack showed the group's territorial losses hadn't diminished its broader appeal. "The Islamic State's international appeal has become untethered from its military performance on the ground," he said. Sunnis in Iraq no longer view the ISIL radicals as liberators, and the Shi'ite role in the fighting is less important than it was a year ago, officials in Baghdad told Reuters. As a result, they said, the Iraqi army has gained Sunni acceptance and is seen less as a Shi'ite-led sectarian force than it was under former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. But the risk that offensives against ISIL involving Shi'ite forces could foment sectarian tensions and help the group have been underscored by allegations that 49 Sunni men were executed after surrendering to a Shi'ite militia supporting the army offensive to retake Falluja. Such reports "feed into ISIL's narrative," the US intelligence official said. Former US ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker, who visited the country in March, wrote last week in the Cipher Brief, an online intelligence publication, that extremist Shi'ite militias are on the scene in Falluja. Iranian Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani has underscored Iran's role in the conflict by appearing publicly on the battlefield. As ISIL has faced military setbacks, the flow of foreign fighters traveling to Iraq and Syria has dropped significantly, according to the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL. European counter terrorism officials said some 300-400 already have returned to Britain, raising concerns about what they called an increasing convergence of IS ideology and mentally unstable individuals. So called "lone wolf" attackers like the Orlando shooter are Islamic State's way of "overwhelming their enemies with threats that have to be run to ground," Bruce Hoffman, a terrorism expert at Georgetown University in Washington, told Reuters. "That is the true intention beyond the lone wolf attacks -- to distract and overwhelm the attention of law enforcement and intelligence." Eliminating the threat ISIL poses will require coupling the military gains in Iraq and Syria with political and economic reforms, say US officials and outside experts. "They became a strong organisation because of the political failure," Hassan said. "My fear is that there's so much focus on the military component, rather than on the political, and social and religious dimensions." India: MP accuses Mother Teresa of 'conspiracy for Christianisation of India' An Indian MP has accused Mother Teresa of being part of a "conspiracy for [the] Christianisation of India". The Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Yogi Adityanath said the Nobel laureate had conspired to convert Hindus to Christianity. "Incidents of Christianisation had led to separatist movements in parts of North East, including Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland," the Gorakhpur MP said, addressing a crowd in Uttar Pradesh. "You all are unaware of the situation in the North East. You should visit there to see the real situation." This is not the first time Mother Teresa, a nun who served the poor in India for the majority of her life, has been accused of conspiracy. In 2015, the head of the Hindu nationalist NGO Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Mohan Bhagwat, said Mother Teresa's service to the poor was aimed at converting them to Christianity. BJP is the political wing of RSS, which also has a religious wing the World Hindu Council, Vishwa Hindu Parishad. It uses nationalist ideology to promote Hinduvata, which equates being Indian with having a Hindu faith. Boasting almost seven million members, it regularly holds "reconversion" programmes, where Indian minority communities are encouraged to turn to Hinduism. The group has claimed that conversion to faiths other than Hinduism, including Christianity, is "the root of terrorism". The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom released a report last month highlighting a "negative trajectory" with regards to religious freedom in India. "Minority communities, especially Christians, Muslims, and Sikhs, experienced numerous incidents of intimidation, harassment, and violence, largely at the hands of Hindu nationalist groups," it said. "Members of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) tacitly supported these groups and used religiously-divisive language to further inflame tensions. These issues, combined with longstanding problems of police bias and judicial inadequacies, have created a pervasive climate of impunity, where religious minority communities feel increasingly insecure, with no recourse when religiously-motivated crimes occur." Mother Teresa worked in Indian slums with the goal to aid "the unwanted, the unloved, the uncared for." She started the Missionaries of Charity, which by the time of her death in 1997 worked with over 4,000 people, along with many thousands of volunteers, with 610 foundations in 123 countries on all seven continents. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 in recognition of her work "in bringing help to suffering humanity." Kenya: Christian leaders concerned over closure of world's largest refugee camp Christian clergy and humanitarian workers have warned the closure of the world's largest refugee camp this year could cause a humanitarian crisis. They have called for the Kenyan government to treat the refugees facing expulsion from Dadaab refugee camp with dignity, while fearing that infringement on their rights might well be inevitable considering the time frame. Dadaab was established in 1991 for 90,000 refugees fleeing warfare in Somalia. It is now comprised of five camps, home to 350,000 displaced people and has become a commercial hub in the region. There are make-shift cinemas, businesses, schools and hospitals. Kenyan Interior minister Joseph Nkaissery announced its closure last month, saying the settlement harbors terrorists. The camp is around 60 miles from Garissa University in northeastern Kenya, where 147 people including 142 students were killed last year in an attack by militant Somalia-based Islamist group al-Shabab. "Due to Kenya's national security interest, the government has decided that hosting of refugees has to come to an end," said Nkaissery. "The government acknowledges that this decision will have adverse effects on the lives of refugees. The international community must collectively take responsibility [for them]." Despite the UN urging the government to delay the closure, Kenya seems determined to go ahead with its plans. "Since they have decided to go ahead with it, we are now trying to see that the exercise is carried out with dignity and a humane manner," said Roman Catholic bishop Joseph Alessandro of the Garissa Diocese, where the camp is situated. The government has committed to providing security and social services to ensure that the refugees' rights are maintained. "They have made the promise," said Alessandro. "We hope the process will be smooth." The head of advocacy at Jesuit Refugee Service, Beatrice Mumbi, said she was concerned over the speed with which they plan to move the refugees. "The speed at which the camp is being closed is our main concern. We are not sure if this is logistically possible without infringing on the rights of the refugees," she said. "They said it will be done, but there is still very scanty information on how it will be carried out. Are they going to move them with buses?" Dadaab is not officially a city, but if it were it would be Kenya's third largest after Nairobi and Mombassa, according to the World Bank. Last diocese in the West Indies votes in favour of women priests Women are now able to be priests in every Anglican diocese of the West Indies, after the church in Guyana voted to allow the ordination of women yesterday. The synod of the diocese of Guyana voted without dissent to amend the diocesan canon to permit the ordination of women on June 21 at their 145th meeting at St George's Cathedral in Georgetown. "God calls all of us and empowers all of us and at some point in the life of the church our eyes are opened and we recognise that there is something we weren't doing that we should be doing," said the Bishop of Guyana, the Rt Rev Charles Davidson, speaking to local radio station Demera Wave. Davidson served for 20 years in the Episcopal Church of the USA where women have been allowed to be priests for more than 40 years. "I have worked with female priests for the last 20 years so I have no issues with working with anybody who will do God's work," he said. Davidson said that although change can be uncomfortable in the church, it is important to continue to move forward, and trust in God. "Because people are accustomed to tradition, it tends to cause uneasiness but trust God and decisions that we make prayerfully and studied, God is always with us," he said. The synod also discussed ways the church could serve the poor in the region and engage with its wider context. "We are hoping to change the public face of our church in a kind of a way that will allow people to want to become members of our church and that happens when our members are more involved, they are willing to invite people to be part of our church," Davidson added. #LoveLikeJo: Thousands mark death of Jo Cox MP Thousands of people took part in memorial events for MP Jo Cox on Wednesday afternoon under the banner #LoveLikeJo. The former MP for Batley and Spen was killed last week in an attack in her constituency town of Bistall, West Yorkshire. The mother of two would have celebrated her 42nd birthday today. Tributes from musician Bono and actor Bill Knighy were among dozens throughout the afternoon as the campaign on the EU referendum entered its last day. Cox's family travelled to the event in Trafalgar Square on a memorial boat on the Thames that bore the name "Yorkshire Rose". Cox's husband Brendan said his wife was opposed to extremism in all its forms and said she had become a symbol for tolerance. "Jo's killing was an act of terror designed to advance hatred against others," Brendan Cox told thousands gathered in Trafalgar Square. But "it has advanced an outpouring of love". Faith representatives laid 42 white roses at the event, to symbolise her age and Yorkshire heritage. Some of Cox's favourite songs were played live as central London paused to mark the first death of a sitting politician in more than 20 years. Malala Yousafzai also spoke at the Trafalgar Square event, which was called #MoreInCommon. The name was taken from an excerpt of Cox's maiden speech where she said what unites us is far more than what divides us. Malala, who was shot as a schoolgirl in Pakistan, said the phrase was not just a line from Cox's speech but a principle that she lived her life by. As well as the thousands in Trafalgar Square, another 2,000 gathered in the market square in Batley, according to local police, and hundreds of others met in other locations including Edinburgh, New York and Paris. Pope Francis: Death penalty 'violates God's merciful justice' Criminals are as much entitled to the "God-given right to life" as non-criminals, Pope Francis said yesterday. The Pope, in a message to the Sixth World Congress Against the Death Penalty in Oslo, Norway, said the curent Jubilee Year of Mercy was an "auspicious occasion" for promoting worldwide more evolved forms of respect for life and for the dignity of each person. "It must not be forgotten that the inviolable and God-given right to life also belongs to the criminal," he said. Pope Francis added that he drew hope from growing public opposition to the death penalty. "The death penalty is unacceptable, however grave the crime of the convicted person," the Pope argued. "It is an offence to the inviolability of life and to the dignity of the human person. "It likewise contradicts God's plan for individuals and society, and his merciful justice. "Nor is it consonant with any just purpose of punishment. It does not render justice to victims, but instead fosters vengeance. The commandment 'Thou shalt not kill' has absolute value and applies both to the innocent and to the guilty." He called on everyone to work towards the abolition of the death penalty and improved prison conditions. "There is no fitting punishment without hope. Punishment for its own sake, without room for hope, is a form of torture, not of punishment. "I trust that this Congress can give new impulse to the effort to abolish capital punishment. For this reason, I encourage all taking part to carry on this great initiative and I assure them of my prayers." The Pope has spoken many times in recent months on this issue. Last September he told the US Congress that he wanted the "global abolition" of the death penalty. He said then: "Every life is sacred, every human person is endowed with inalienable dignity, and society can only benefit from the rehabilitation of those convicted of crimes." More than 1,400 prisoners have been executed in the United States since 1976 although there has been a fall in numbers in recent years. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says the death penalty can be used "if this is the only possible way" of defending a life or lives. It also says criminals cannot be denied the possibility of redemption. It says: "The cases in which the execution of the offender is an absolute necessity are very rare, if not practically nonexistent." Prison Break Season 5 release date: Release date confirmed for early 2017, filming to start August After sorting out scheduling conflicts with Warner Bros. Legends of Tomorrow and Fox's revived Prison Break series which both feature main stars Wentworth Miller and Dominic Purcell, Fox has finally confirmed a release date for the series' fifth season. According to the network, the show will air in early 2017 and filming will start this August. When the studio earlier confirmed the revival of the series, there was a need to adjust the target air date as both Miller and Purcell were involved in the superhero franchise. Miller was Captain Cold while Purcell plays Heatwave on Legends, and the show could not proceed without the Michael Scofield and Licoln Burrows on board. It was not only the two lead stars who had to juggle schedules as Sara Wayne Callies, who played Sara Tancredi in the original series was also contacted to return but already had commitments to another show, Colony. Luckily, she committed to return to the franchise early this year. Amaury Nolasco, Rockmond Dunbar, Paul Adelstein and Robert Knepper have also been confirmed to return to the franchise to reprise their major roles that made the show the cult hit that it was. New faces will also add to the excitement of the series as Royal Pains star Mark Feuerstein who will play Scott Ness, who is married to Sara so fans of Michael and Sara may have to deal with that blow when the show returns. "Obviously we left off [the original series] with Michael presumably dead - he wasn't, he ended up working for this organisation. It got to the point where he couldn't do it anymore, and they threw him in a jail in Yemen to change his mind. "He didn't change his mind, they set him up...," Purcell said in an interview. It's expected that that Michael will call upon his old friends to help plot his escape and this will set the course for a fresh new conflict that the show has become known for. Original series creator Paul Scheuring will reportedly write all nine episodes of the limited edition revival. Raqqa: Air strikes 'kill 18 civilians' in ISIS stronghold At least 18 civilians have been killed in the ISIS-capital of Raqqa, Syria, according to local activists. The monitoring group Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said dozens more were injured in raids on Tuesday night. The British-based group said it was not able to verify who had carried out the strikes although another group said Russian warplanes were to blame, according to the BBC. Six children were among the dead, the SOHR said as it warned the number was likely to rise due to dozens of injured civilians being in a critical condition. Another activist group, Raqqa is Being Slaughtered Silently (RBSS), listed the names of the 18 dead and said 28 others were wounded. The strikes came after Russian-backed government forces were dealt a blow by ISIS in fighting around the town of Tabqa, 40km west of Raqqa. Two days of intense clashes forced the Assad-army back in a setback to the campaign to recapture the Syrian city. The ISIS controlled Amaq news agency released a video that purportedly showed jihadis in control of the Thawra oil fields after Assad's army had recaptured them on Sunday. ISIS militants face a two-pronged attack in Raqqa and neighbouring Aleppo from both the Russian-backed Syrian forces and the US-backed Kurdish and Arab fighters. Meanwhile Assad has asked his electricity minister Emad Khamis to form a new government, according to state media agency SANA. No details were given on why Khamis would replace Wael al-Halaki as prime minister, or whether Halaki would be included in the new administration or had left government. Halaki himself replaced a prime minister who defected to the opposition. The EU referendum code: What Christians say, and what they really mean Those of us who are Christians know that words matter, and those who have been observing the EU referendum debate know that how they are said matters, too. As I observe the Christian responses ahead of Thursday's vote, I see how we as Christians so often use our words badly. Some are less than subtle. I heard of one Irish Presbyterian minister who warned his congregation not to vote for the EU, which he called the "whore of Babylon". Then there's the Anglican vicar who suggested those who vote to leave are "a bit racist". Not to mention church leaders who struggle to decide whether Jesus actually died for our sins but seem to have no doubts that he would definitely have been pro-EU. However, most Christians are more subtle than that and I have noticed that evangelical Christians have developed a particular code that I will attempt to decipher, and offer an alternative in plain English... "God is a God of love and unity" I doubt any Christian is going to disagree with that truth. But it's the implicit application that is made which concerns me. The Trinity and love of God is not a reason to support the political project of the EU. Indeed to suggest it is, is somewhat blasphemous, just as it would be to suggest the opposite. It also manages to combine virtue signaling ('look how loving I am') with passive-aggressiveness. Those who vote to leave the EU are clearly not the kind and loving person that Jesus would want us to be. "I want to work together with our neighbours" In the Scottish referendum we witnessed the same passive-aggressiveness: We are 'better together'. Those who vote to leave are narrow-minded nationalistic separatists who hate the French, despise the Germans and want to abandon the Greeks. But this referendum is not about leaving Europe (despite all the misquotes of John Donne), and it is not about whether we should work with our neighbours, but rather the best way to do so. What if being part of a undemocratic corporate political entity is not the best way to work together? "As children of God we should not find our identity in nationality" Well, amen to that. But does that mean that those who believe a nation should govern itself are finding their identity in nationality? And why so Eurocentric? One of the reasons that I am voting to leave is because as a Christian I don't want to see Fortress Europe, where there is freedom of movement for (mainly white) Europeans, while Africans, Asians, Arabs and Americans are restricted. "I am for peace" Whereas those who don't want to join a European army are for war? Is it really the case that the EU is the cause of peace rather than the result of it? Maybe Nato had something to do with it? Perhaps the creation of world superblocks is more likely to lead to serious conflicts than the continuation of separate smaller sovereign states? "No one is perfect" Often used to defend the EU from those who would point out its many faults, as though they were claiming perfection was elsewhere. The doctrine of original sin can be easily misused. "They are not very nice" The reverse of 'no-one's perfect'. This time we forget the doctrine of sin and instead point out how horrible it is to identify with nasty people such as Farage/Gove/Boris. I personally don't know these men and so can't really comment on their characters, but then I'm not voting for them in the EU referendum. I'm voting for whether my country should be governed by those we elect, or by those who are appointed from elsewhere. "Think of the poor" Amen. Preach it brother. But what were you thinking? That the reason most of the major multi-national corporations, billionaires and elites are for the EU is because they are concerned for the poor? Hallelujah, the Millennium has arrived. The Kingdom of God is here. Or maybe those of us who are voting to leave is because we too are concerned for the poor, for the increasing atomisation of society into the haves and have nots, and about the development of a Europe where the rich can get their wage slaves ever cheaper, without having to import people from far away countries? "Think of the gospel" Of all the reasons I have heard this is the most surreal and out of touch. Does the gospel need the EU? Is the Holy Spirit restricted by British Christians having to get visas (the worst case scenario)? Does the Roman road mean Easy Jet flights to Milan, or is it not about the power of the gospel to overcome all obstacles? We are not voting for a mission strategy for the church, we are voting for a political deal for all the peoples of Europe. I realise that there are Christians who disagree with my stance. That's fair enough. I don't want Britain to be part of an anti-democratic, autocratic, European Super State designed for the benefit of the corporations and the elites, while they think we are leaving EU Utopia for a little nationalistic island. Let's make our votes prayerfully, humbly and considerately, but please spare me the passive-aggressive Christian jargonese! The Lord's will, will be done! David Robertson is the moderator of the Free Church of Scotland and director of Solas CPC, Dundee. Follow him on Twitter @theweeflea. Trump pleas for evangelical vote: 'America's leaders are selling Christianity down the tubes' Donald Trump questioned the sincerity of Hillary Clinton's faith as he warned America's leaders were "selling Christianity down the tube" in a private meeting with evangelical leaders on Tuesday. The presumptive Republican nominee asked for the support of several prominent faith leaders as he called himself a "tremendous believer" and assured them: "I'm so on your side". In clips of the behind-doors meeting posted on social media, Trump also boasted of picking up "massive majorities" of evangelical votes. "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," he said in one clip. "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." The New York billionaire went on to tell the leaders not to be politically correct and pray for all American leaders because many had damaged Christianity. "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." The meeting is one of a number of efforts by the Trump campaign to secure the support of key Christian leaders who command widespread influence in the US. Trump's newly announced evangelical advisory board is one such move and is expected to "provide advisory support to Trump on issues important to Evangelicals and other people of faith in America," according to a statement from his campaign. The 25 members were "not asked to endorse Mr. Trump as a prerequisite for participating on the board." "But Christianity; I owe so much to it in so many ways through life, through having incredible children. But I also owe it for, frankly, standing here," said Trump. Outside Trump's event, other Christians protested his bid for evangelical votes. Rev Emily Scott, a pastor who joined the protest, said: "My opinion is that you cannot support Trump and also support Jesus," according to Business Insider UK. "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." Hundreds of yoga practitioners covered the lawn at Discovery Green Tuesday evening to celebrate International Yoga Day in Houston, June 21, 2016. The Consulate General of India and Pralaya Yoga hosted the free event with several community partners and other yoga studios. A group session featured three yogis led by Robert Boustany in an hour long yoga session in the park. A separate group of acro yoga practitioners also 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 colors into the air. Each color represents a different virtue from love to peace to power. An executive with the Houston Technology Center will help guide the International Business Innovation Association with its efforts to promote business incubation and entrepreneurship around the world. Maryanne Maldonado, vice president and chief operating officer of the Houston Technology Center, has been elected to the association's board of directors for a three-year term. The LGBT community has made historic strides in the past few years, including a landmark U.S. Supreme Court case that legalized same-sex marriage throughout the United States. But along with the victories have come crushing tragedies, such as the mass shooting at the Orlando gay night club earlier this month. That makes this month's gay pride celebrations all the more important: It's a time to reflect on how far the community has come, and how much further it has to go. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Texas kids who got schooled in the history of the Lone Star State are surely familiar with Washington-on-the-Brazos, where in March 1836 a group of delegates met to make a formal declaration of independence from Mexico. That chunk of Texas history is the inspiration for a new restaurant to be called 60 Pioneers, named for the folks who helped birth the Republic of Texas. The restaurant, coming from the owners of Southern Goods, is under construction at 911 W. 11th St. at Herkimer. It's set to open in mid-August or early September, according to Southern Goods partners Lyle Bento and Charles Bishop. The space, the former Java Java Cafe, will be home to a 3,200-square-foot restaurant with a 3,000-square-foot back patio. The owners plan to also install a 1,000-square-foot front patio. And, a bonus for any restaurant, the space comes with parking for 50. Bento said he and Bishop weren't actively looking for a new spot to expand their business but their Southern Goods landlord owns the Java Java Cafe space and approached them about a lease. "All the factors came together," Bishop said. "Where are you going to find a space in the Heights with 50 parking spaces? We couldn't afford to pass it up." Southern Goods, not even a year old (its first anniversary is in August), will operate as a more chef-driven restaurant while 60 Pioneers will serve as a more casual version of the partners' popular first venture at 632 W. 19th St. The menu will be inspired by even more Texas history. Think of the flags over Texas, especially French, Spanish and Mexico, as well as historical cultural influences (German, Czech, Cajun/Creole) that's a wealth of possibilities for chef Bento to work from. "You can find these influences all over Texas," he said. The menu could include barbecue, Cajun dishes, bratwurst, chicken-fried steak, enchiladas and kolaches in addition to burgers and salads. About 25 items total, which is about double the offerings at Southern Goods. The new restaurant also aims to be very kid friendly, family friendly and even dog friendly. Bishop and Bento described the restaurant has having a large open kitchen with a large bar (it's in the "wet" part of the Heights) where craft cocktails will be served. About 20 taps for beer are planned as well as a wine list with an emphasis on Texas wines. Bento said he's excited to have another outlet for his culinary creative energy. He's even planning a gooey Texas riff on macaroni and cheese: a dish with four different Texas cheeses smothering Texas-shaped pasta. In the end, Ramsay Bolton got what he deserved. Well, that may be overstating things - it's hard to imagine a demise dire enough to adequately punish the scourge of the North, whose atrocities over nearly four seasons on "Game of Thrones" included rape, patricide, infanticide, Fat Walda-cide and castration. But - spoiler alert, if you haven't watched the most recent episode - his long-awaited extermination this past Sunday night, which began with a fevered bludgeoning by Jon Snow and ended with his hungry hounds making a meal of him, "was a really justified way for him to die," Iwan Rheon, the man who played Ramsay, said Monday. "He's been talking about those hounds for long enough, and he's been torturing and killing people with them for long enough," he said. Craving and predicting the manner of Ramsay's end had become an online parlor game in recent weeks, a testament to the sublime loathsomeness Rheon cultivated in Ramsay. Not only did he do terrible things, he did them with relish - the Welsh actor has described his portrayal as a mashup of Heath Ledger's Joker, Liam Gallagher and Dennis the Menace. True to form, Ramsay remained wry and arrogant up until the moment one of his "loyal beasts" tore into his face. More Information 'Game of Thrones' When: Sixth season finale at 8 p.m. Sunday Network: HBO See More Collapse Rheon discussed the mechanics of Ramsay's demise and why it was time for him to go, along with some of his favorite Ramsay moments. The sixth season finale of "Game of Thrones" airs at 8 p.m. Sunday on HBO. Q: Were you satisfied with Ramsay's death? A: He got a just end, didn't he? I wanted dragons, but you can't have everything in this life, can you? Q: Did you know going into this season that this would be it for the character? He'd reached a point of no return. A: Yeah, I had a feeling. I sort of thought last year I'd go, actually. A character like Ramsay is so extreme, and he's done such extreme things. What can you make him do next? He'd reached his natural conclusion. And also in terms of the story line, it's so important that the Starks get Winterfell back. That good kind of comes back into the world a little bit, before it all kicks off in the end. Q: People don't always stay dead on the show. Any chance Ramsay will be back? A: I made a bit of a joke to David (Benioff, one of the creators) about how he could be a White Walker now that he's been eaten by dogs. And David went, "No!" (Laughs.) So yeah, not to give away any spoilers, but Ramsay's done. And good riddance, I'm sure everyone would agree. Q: What was your final day like? A: That was my actual last day, that scene. That was the last thing we shot. So it was kind of fitting, really. And to be honest, at the end of that day, all I really wanted to do was go and get all the (grime) washed off me. I was covered in all manner of it, and it was quite uncomfortable. So that was my priority, as opposed to having a big round of applause and being sentimental. Q: Yes, you were covered in all sorts of stuff. How long did you have to sit in that? A: All day. Eating was a challenge. Q: The dog attack began with a pretty brutal strike to the face. How was that shot? A: I'd love to tell you it was me with some big scary dogs, but it was all CGI. There's very little contact with the dogs - they're trained to be brutal guard dogs. They're not pets. You're not allowed to make eye contact with them because they might think you're threatening them. It's just not safe to be anywhere near them. We did one shot where there was a real dog behind me in a cage. But the rest of them were digitally put there. It also adds extra pressure to shooting when you throw in a few dogs - you can't really ask them to be quiet. Q: Now that you've had some time to look back on it, do you have a couple of favorite moments from the show? A: What's so great about this show is that every season there seems to be one scene that stands out for an actor. This season, it was great to do that big parley scene on the horses, finally getting to meet Jon Snow. Also, the dinner-table scene with everyone was really cool. And the shaving scene in Season 4. That was probably one of the best scenes I've ever got to be a part of. Q: What do you think was Ramsay's most despicable act? A: So, so many. I think (castrating) Theon was pretty bad. But then, so is raping Sansa Stark. Killing his own brother and stepmother - that was probably not the nicest way to do that. There are so many. Q: What will you miss the most about being on "Game of Thrones"? A: Just that feeling of being part of the show. It's wonderful to be in something that you know is good. Everyone's really proud of the work, and it raises the level, I think. That time of the year when we get the scripts and it's time to start again, when July comes. I'll be very sad. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate At approximately 4:30 Tuesday evening, authorities arrived at the Carrington Court apartments at 7900 Westheimer Road. The authorities found a man and woman in their mid-50s in the apartment, both with gunshot wounds, according to Ivan Ulloa, a HPD homicide detective. So far in the investigation, the evidence shows that the female wounded the man with a handgun before taking her own life. The man survived the attack and was transported to Ben Taub Hospital to undergo surgery. Detective Ulloa said that the investigation is still ongoing. Come back for further updates to the story as the investigation continues. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate An undercover sting operation snared 19 men for child pornography and online solicitation of children in Fort Bend County. Dubbed Operation Broken Heart, the multi-agency sting occurred from April 11 through April 13 and from May 4 through May 6, according to the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office. The operation was part of an effort to identify and arrest persons engaging in the online sexual exploitation of children. These 19 men were among 126 alleged predators in a four-county area, whose arrests were announced Friday by a Houston-area task force. Those arrested in Fort Bend County included Johnny Lee Hidrogo, 55, of Houston, who was taken into custody for online solicitation of a minor. Hidrogo was working at a children's clothing donation drop site in Fort Bend County when authorities learned he was communicating improperly with a child. Also arrested, deputies said, was John Davila, 34, of Mount Vernon, a volunteer fireman and an oil-and-gas industry worker. Davila communicated online with an agent he believed was a child and arranged to meet her while he was at work-related training in Houston. His was charged with online solicitation of a minor and attempted sexual assault of a child. Also nabbed in the sting, deputies said, was Brad Bostick, 46, of Needville, a former reserve deputy with the Fort Bend County Precinct 1 Constable's Office. Bostick faces three charges of possession of child pornography. It's still dark when the sound of chopper blades cuts through the crisp morning air in Houston's Texas Medical Center. A rumble of boots hit the pavement as the Life Flight team of pilots, nurses and paramedics file in for duty. In under seven minutes they pile into a red twin-engine EC145 "air ambulance" helicopter. The team is off in the blink of an eye, racing at 150 miles per hour to the scene of a car accident. Gliding above Houston's traffic gridlock, the crew is directed to land by firefighters, where they take care of the critically injured and rush them back to the nearest Memorial Hermann trauma center. Inside the chopper, patients receive blood transfusions as crew use on-board ultrasound machines to scan for undetected internal injuries. The scene is just one of 3,000 similar rescue missions the Life Flight crew tackles each year and part of a typical workday for Houstonian and Braeburn Valley resident Aaron Young, 43. Young has been a paramedic for more than 20 years, eight of which have been with Life Flight. Young always knew saving lives was his calling, and he remembers as a boy watching Life Flight director Dr. James "Red" Duke's nationally syndicated "Texas Health Report" on television. But as a boy growing up in Galveston, Young thought he would one day save lives from a beach-side lookout post as a professional lifeguard. Born in Minnesota, Young's parents moved him to Austin when he was an infant when they started a yoga center. When he was about 5 years old, Young's father accepted a position with Galveston's University of Texas Medical Branch as a respiratory therapist and the family relocated to the Gulf Coast. It was there that Young learned to love the sea, though he held a respect for the danger it poses. He saw the lifeguards on the beach as heroes saving and protecting the public, and that became his dream. Young's path eventually took a different turn, but his mission remained. Young left Galveston after high school and headed for St. Cloud State University in Minneapolis, Minnesota. There, he followed a yearlong course of several certificate programs, hoping to complete an emergency medical technician program and land a lifeguard position in Los Angeles, California. Partway through his studies, an instructor said that he had a knack for working with patients and suggested that he should continue further with the program and become a paramedic instead of a lifeguard. Young took heed, and completed the paramedic program in 1994, returning to Texas when he was hired by the Montgomery County Hospital District. It was through this position he met his future wife Sandra, another MCHD paramedic. In 2008, a co-worker who had left MCHD to work for Life Flight phoned Young about an opening. Young knew that because of the critical nature of Life Flight calls, only the best and brightest in the nation join the Life Flight team. "It was something I had always pondered, but Life Flight was sort of the gold standard in care, and I wasn't sure if I was good enough," Young said. Young applied and was accepted. The trauma level of patients treated by Life Flight paramedics was a change from his years riding in the MCHD ambulances. In his new role with Life Flight, most patients would be classified as intensive care unit patients, many of them unable to communicate. On board the air ambulance helicopters, Young and his colleagues have to anticipate the unexpected. "Maybe they're unconscious and can't say 'Hey my stomach hurts,' which might mean they have a ruptured liver," Young said. "You have to be a detective." Today, eight years later, Young continues to work with a close-knit team he considers a second family. Together they've sacrificed some of the special moments of their individual lives so that they can be on call for 12-hour shifts to save strangers. "We've all missed birthdays, anniversaries, holidays," Young said. "9-1-1 doesn't get turned off for Christmas." But Young said he wouldn't have it any other way. "The people we're taking care of have families. We work hard so that we can help people survive a horrific event and have another holiday with their families," he said. "I would hope that someone would be there to do that for me." And as within any emergency medical profession, there are some patients that don't survive. Young said the heartache of not being able to save them all is tempered by the high success rate. "We save a lot more than we don't save, and that's what keeps me coming back," Young said. "We're really advancing pre-hospital health care and to be a part of that is very exciting." Young said he couldn't imagine doing anything different, and his only goals for the future are to further his medical skills and one day to teach incoming paramedics. "They say if you love what you do, you won't work a day in your life," he said. "Well I feel like I haven't worked in 20 years." Young and his wife, now also employed by the Texas Medical Center, have a daughter, Kathleen, 17, who attends Lamar High School. Young was featured in the six-episode docudrama series "Life Flight: Trauma Center Houston," which followed actual Life Flight crews and aired in 2015 on the Lifetime Television Network. A group of Heights residents calling themselves the Friends of the Yale Street Bridge Bricks are on a crowd-funding mission to keep one heaping pile of broken rubble out of a landfill: 30,000 bricks from the historic Yale Street Bridge. Built in 1931, the original Yale Street Bridge is one of seven bridges in Houston on the National Register of Historic Places, and carries Yale Street across the White Oak Bayou south of Interstate 10. The group is seeking donations from the public to raise $100,000 by June 30 to save the bricks. The bridge is being demolished after being given the poorest safety rating in the state in 2012, only slightly rising in 2013 after the addition of carbon strips. The bridge will be rebuilt by the Texas Department of Transportation for $2.8 million but will retain the historic look of the original, with completion scheduled for late 2017. In September 2015 when the demolition of the structure was first announced, locals and members of the Houston Heights Association decried the move. TxDOT considered several alternative plans to save the structure but ultimately the bridge demolition plans won out. Bill Baldwin, a Heights resident since 1998 and owner of Boulevard Realty, said TxDOT worked in some special provisions to salvage and reuse pieces of the original structure, but left a lot of perfectly good historic materials destined for the landfill. He and other concerned preservationists in the area wanted to do more, but they were running out of time. The bridge was closed to traffic just ahead of a scheduled April 18 demolition start date by TxDOT subcontractor Lone Star Road Construction. The April 15 Tax Day Flood halted progress unexpectedly for the preparations and gave the preservationists enough time to hatch a new plan. Baldwin said it was during this delay that he and several colleagues really began looking at what parts of the bridge could be saved, getting cost estimates and researching what could be salvaged. The original demolition plan for the bridge included saving 30 square yards of bricks, or about 1,200 individual bricks, as well as six light fixtures and two placards, said Danny Perez, a spokesman for TxDOT. These items were to be reincorporated into the new bridge. Baldwin and a group of residents considered many aspects of the remaining bridge features, though determining which parts were original and what fundraising was achievable in short order he said, was no easy task. On April 26, Lone Star estimated that for $100,000, it could save 30,000 additional bricks by changing the method of asphalt demolition to light scraping and hand removal and could do so without adding any time onto the bridge replacement project. From there, the Friends of the Yale Street Bridge Bricks was formed and their mission was clear. The previous preservation successes of many of those involved in the group allowed them to convince the city to go along with their plans, even before funds had been raised. Mecom initiative Baldwin and some of the other members were involved with the Friends of the Mecom Fountain initiative which fought to stop historically inaccurate changes slated to reface the iconic fountain with limestone. Sitting at the gateway to Hermann Park and the museum district's large round-about, the fountain was originally built in a mid-century modern style with clean lines of concrete. The limestone and new ledges planned by the City project were out of character for that time period, according to Baldwin. So the FMF convinced the City to stop mid-renovation on the fountain, and then set out to crowd-fund $60,000 to undo work already underway and restart the restoration in a historically appropriate way. The FMF ended up raising $104,000, more than twice the funds needed to restore the fountain in its original mid-century modern fashion. They convinced the city to stand behind them, and a new direction for the Mecom Fountain restoration began in May using the funds they raised. The excess money raised will also be put into the fountain, and will be used to restore the interior and plaza, covering the bill for a future project the City had earmarked taxpayer funds for, saving the City $40,000. Baldwin said crowd-funding is a brand new model for historic preservation, but one that is working and surpassing all expectations. He said through small denomination donations combined with large sums, 330 people banded together to save the Mecom Fountain. "The fountain was dear to peoples' hearts, but we don't have that same type of feeling for a bridge," Baldwin said. "What I am hoping is that we find the passion in the adaptive reuse of the materials keeping them out of the landfill." The the Friends of the group began its fundraising campaign April 29 through Generosity.com, an arm of the crowd-funding platform Indiegogo. All funds raised in the campaign will be held securely by the nonprofit Houston Parks Board. Baldwin said the total amount raised will determine the ultimate plans for the salvaged brick, which TxDOT, the city of Houston and the group will determine together. Baldwin said in a best-case scenario, the money raised would be enough to use the bricks in public projects around the Heights and other areas of Houston. His back-up plan if the crowd-funding efforts don't meet its goal is to sell enough of the historic bricks, which are in demand by landscapers and developers, to ensure the city will not be left paying the removal bill. "I will guarantee the city will not be out any money," Baldwin said. Janice Evans, a spokeswoman for the mayor's office, said the city has not made any guarantees regarding the future of the bricks once they are removed, but for now Lone Star has begun the hand removal sought by the group. The crew is saving 3,000 to 6,000 bricks per day, filling 1,200-pound pallets of bricks that are being stored under the bridge until later removal by the Parks Department. "We have confidence in their ability to fundraise to protect historic assets," Evans said. "The recent effort to restore the Mecom Fountain is a great example of their ability to fundraise." Local artist and bridge expert Kirk Farris, 67, a Montrose resident, placed the Yale Street Bridge on the National Register of Historic Places in 2014. Farris said the bridge was accepted on the register based on engineering uniqueness - namely the twisted support beams called "bents" which may add extra stability to the structure. Farris says he believes the entire bridge could have been saved, but that effort failed following a TxDOT decision to demolish the bridge in September 2015, saving as much of the bridge materials as can be re-purposed is an effort worth undertaking. "It is highly recyclable and they have a value," he said. "It's good that they're saving the bricks, and why not." Mayor Turner said, speaking to the group's crowd-funding efforts. "I knew this would be successful because Houstonians are always willing to step in and help when it comes to an important cause. "Given the city's tight budget right now, we would not otherwise be able to accomplish these 2 projects and that would be a shame. "We all benefit when we work together to make Houston better." Want to join? Those wishing to join the Friends of the Yale Street Bridge Bricks can make a tax-deductible contribution at www.yalebricks.org, or in-person or by mail to Boulevard Realty, 1545 Heights Blvd. The Humble school board confirmed Elizabeth Fagen as superintendent of schools at its June 14 meeting, despite objections from a group of parents and residents who circulated a petition appealing to trustees to reconsider appointing Fagen. Nia Hoyt, who was part of that group, expressed her disappointment at the board's decision. "We can be thankful that this controversy has brought awareness to our community," she said. "The best thing we can do is give our dissenting opinion and move forward." The board of trustees named Fagen as the lone finalist May 24 to replace Guy Sconzo, who has served Humble ISD for 15 years. Fagen's first day on the job will be July 5. She was offered a five-year contract with a base salary of $298,000, which is comparable to the base salaries in other Houston suburban districts. Fagen brings 20 years of experience in education, including eight as a superintendent. She earned her doctoral and master's degrees and her education specialist degree from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, and her bachelor's degree from William Penn University in Oskaloosa, Iowa. She comes to Humble ISD from the Douglas County School District in Colorado. Sconzo announced his retirement in December after more than 40 years in the education field. His last day will be July 4, and he will begin serving in a transitional role when Fagen officially begins her duties. He has vowed to remain in his transitional role to Fagen and the board, through the remainder of 2016. "I look forward to our community warmly welcoming Dr. Fagen," Sconzo said. "Like me, she advocates against excessive state testing and focuses on educating the whole child. As the grandparent of an Humble ISD student, I feel really good about Dr. Fagen leading the district. She has my full endorsement." Trustees, many of whom have been on the board for many years, expressed their gratitude to Sconzo for his service to the district. "A lot of folks don't remember what this district was like when Dr. Sconzo was hired on," said trustee Keith Lapeze. "He came to a fragmented district." Lapeze recalled that there was division between schools in Kingwood and Humble, the schools were overcrowded and there wasn't money to add schools and deal with the growth. Lapeze credited Sconzo with not only helping to unite the district, but with providing effective leadership. "He was the right guy at the right time for us," he said. Trustee Heath Rushing, one of the newest on the board, thanked Sconzo for his mentoring and his guidance. "You've shown me how to treat colleagues; you've shown me how to treat the community I will forever be grateful to you for that," he said. "I won't stop looking up to you." Sconzo appealed to those who have voiced concerns about Fagen's leadership, to give her there the same consideration he received in 2001. "Fifteen years ago, before I started, there were only seven people in Humble ISD who knew Guy Sconzo existed on earth. When I finally came, I couldn't have felt more welcomed by everyone, more supported by everyone, and I was an unknown quantity so I very much appreciate people then giving me the benefit of the doubt," he said. "I ask that you do the same for my successor." Fagen, who was present when she was named the lone finalist, didn't attend the June 14 meeting, but plans to meet residents and staff at three scheduled town hall meetings in July. Lapeze hopes to create a dialogue in the Humble ISD community that will allow everyone the opportunity to meet Fagen and see why the board said she was the right fit to be the new superintendent. "They will be able to ask any question they want," he said. "It is our hope that through these town halls, that you will understand what we as a board saw, and do see, in Dr. Fagen during our (selection) process, and gain the excitement that we have regarding the future of Humble ISD." Meet and greet Humble ISD town hall meetings have been set to allow staff and the public to meet new superindent Elizabeth Fagen. When: 6 p.m. July 19 at Kingwood High School Performing Arts Center, 2701 Kingwood Drive When: 6 p.m. July 21 at Humble High School Performing Arts Center, 1700 Wilson Road When: 6 p.m. July 28 at Atascocita High School Performing Arts Center, 13300 Will Clayton Parkway Flying a plane was something Delmer Jones, 91, thought he might never do again. The resident of Arbor Terrace at Kingwood Town Center had not taken the controls of an aircraft in 50 years, but he was able to try it again aboard a Boeing Stearman biplane thanks to the Ageless Aviation Dreams Foundation. The nonprofit gives seniors, mainly veterans and pilots, a chance to fly again. Foundation pilots take the seniors up and depending upon the situation, they may be able to take control. The group travels across the country to provide residents of long-term care facilities this opportunity, and recently invited seniors from Arbor Terrace at Kingwood Town Center in Kingwood and from Arbor Terrace Cinco Ranch in Cy-Fair to participate. More Information At a glance Ageless Aviation Dreams Foundation: www.agelessaviationdreams.org Arbor Terrace at Kingwood Town Center: 2807 Kings Crossing Drive. www.arborcompany.com/locations/texas/kingwood See More Collapse "The Arbor Company started their relationship with Ageless Aviation by happenstance," said Laura Ellen Christian, vice president of engagement for the Arbor Co. "One of their members reached out several years ago with the opportunity for residents living in an Arbor community in Greenville, South Carolina. After taking a chance and signing folks up, we quickly realized what a great experience ageless aviation offers veterans. "We were hooked and developed our relationship over the last three-to-four years to now offer flights for residents in most of our communities." Jones joined Armando Mares and Philip Howard from Arbor Terrace at Kingwood Town Center and Howard Davis, Anita Hughes and Barbara Baron from Arbor Terrace Cinco Ranch in Cy-Fair on May 9 for an air adventure. Each flew a short trip on their own with a pilot. "I enjoyed the flight immensely," Jones said. "It was really nice of them to put this on for us. "I think it was really good for the old pilots who went to remember what they did many years ago." He recommends other seniors sign up for the opportunity. Armando Mares agreed. "I think it was wonderful," he said. "It just felt good. The sun came up, and the wind stopped. We really enjoyed it." Jones said the trip is something the residents will remember. "It was great to get this chance. It was really morale-building for some of us," he said. That's a primary goal for Darryl Fisher, who established the foundation, located in Carson City, Nevada. He grew up with grandparents, William L. and Dorothy Fisher, who were pilots and who owned a senior living facility. "I was raised essentially around airplanes and seniors," Fisher said. "It was unusual, and I developed a passion for both." He started flying in his late teens and received his degree in aviation and earned a commercial pilot's license. "But I never made a living in flying," Fisher said. "I just did it personally." Instead, he got involved in the family business, caring for seniors. When his grandparents sold their business about 20 years, Fisher ventured on his own center and now has opened Mission Senior Living facilities around the west. In 2011, Fisher got a call from his father William, who bought a biplane that needed to be restored. "It was a dream for me and my dad," Fisher said. "We had talked about flying across the country together, a father-son thing." Once the plane was ready for pick-up, the duo decided to make an addition to their trip. They would offer seniors in long-term care communities an opportunity to fly in their newly restored Boeing Stearman. "Just because you get older doesn't mean you lose your dreams," Fisher said. "We thought how cool would it be to give seniors a free flight, but we didn't know how we'd get people in the airplanes or any of the details. "I had never done anything like it before." But it turned out to be a huge success. Fisher and his father gave 25 flights on their trip. Fisher was so moved by the experience that his wife Carol encouraged him to do it more often and to establish a nonprofit organization. The foundation was up and running a year later. "It's grown every year," Fisher said. Last year, the group tallied 650 flights, giving about 100 a year. There are now three airplanes and more than 30 volunteers who help make it happen. "It's been a remarkable journey," Fisher said. He said that every time he takes a senior on a flight has been an emotional experience. "It's a magic mission,' he said. "We want to give people the experience of a lifetime." A new student-driven literary skills partnership between Houston ISD's Westside High School and Askew Elementary school, both in the Briar Forest neighborhood, will be featured during the upcoming 2016-17 school year. The program is called "Beyond the Cover," and pairs volunteer high school students with elementary pupils at Askew who are struggling with reading comprehension. Westside students Heather Lucas, 17, along with her friend Lindsey Staskus, 17, created and facilitated the program. Pam Whitson, an intervention specialist at Askew, said the school has a large population of pupils who aren't getting reading support at home, leaving them behind grade standards. She said Beyond the Cover's extra help was just what these struggling pupils needed. Every Thursday morning during the school year, alternating groups of 12-to-15 high school volunteers sacrificed their late-start morning to carpool to Askew before class. The students were then paired with an elementary pupil, selected by teachers, for 30 minutes of individualized reading time. By the end of the school year, Whitson said the teachers had seen a notable difference in the reading skills and confidence of the students who went through the program. "A lot of those children benefited just from a little buddy coming and giving them one-on-one attention," she said. "They love it and want more, more, more." Spike in enrollment Whitson said she saw a spike in Askew pupil enrollment in the English as a Second Language program during the 2015-16 school year. She said many of the pupils were newly immigrated from places like Syria, Haiti and the Congo. She said these pupils immediately go into the ESL program where they work to catch up to their grade level. All elementary pupils must pass a word test, which includes 75 words frequently featured in grade level appropriate reading materials, but in some cases these pupils could only identify a handful of words. The test is a factor in grade promotion, so getting them on track was a top priority, though a formidable challenge. Adding to Askew's plate, Whitson said the school has many pupils from low-income households, where pupils statistically receive less after-school support. The school district reports that 62 percent of Askew pupils are economically disadvantaged. "We're a Title I school," Whitson said. "A lot of these economically disadvantaged students are coming from single-parent homes, and they're not getting help with the homework." Gold Award project At the same time Askew was facing these challenges just ahead of the 2015-16 school year, Heather Lucas, a then-junior at Westside High School, was brainstorming ways to give back to the community. A 12-year member of the Girl Scouts, Lucas wanted to develop an idea that would leave a lasting impact on the community in order to earn her Gold Award, which is the Girl Scout equivalent of becoming an Eagle Scout. She thought about doing something for the environment, but the Gold Award requires an ongoing or lasting impact from a recipient program, and Lucas said that figuring out ways to leave an ongoing impact proved a challenge. Lucas' mother, Sally Lucas, is a teacher at Askew and mentioned the reading comprehension challenges facing her colleagues to her daughter. Lucas saw the opportunity to help, and she knew she had a new mission to get high school students to help the Askew students with their reading comprehension. "Once I came across this idea, I really wanted to do it," Lucas said. "I didn't care if it met the Gold Award standards, it was something that needed to be done and I wanted to do it." Lucas enlisted the help of classmate and longtime friend Lindsey Staskus. They approached Askew administrators to pitch the idea and received overwhelming support. Spanish teacher helped In order to form an official club, Lucas and Staskus knew they had to find a teacher to sponsor their efforts, per HISD requirements. They approached their Spanish teacher Jennefer Aliaga, the director of languages at Westside High. "Heather explained it with a lot of passion. How could I resist that passion?" Aliaga said. Lucas and Staskus took to social media to spread word of their new club, and they gained approval from the National Honor Society to count club participation hours toward the 80 NHS service hours required for membership. About 30 high school students started with the Beyond the Cover the program, and Whitson said about 50 Askew Elementary pupils have benefited from the extra help. Staskus said working with the program has been beneficial for the high school kids just as much as the elementary students. Confidence grows She recalls one of her mentees, whom she began working with on October. "She spoke Spanish primarily at home; so she wasn't understanding the words or punctuation," Staskus said. "When we first started we were reading mostly picture books with few words, and then by May, she was reading chapter books. "You can see their confidence grow." Staskus said the program has influenced her to consider more community-service based careers after graduation next year. "I realize now that the reward of giving back is much bigger than a paycheck," she said. Lucas did earn her Girl Scouts Gold Award for the Beyond the Cover program, and she and Staskus plan to grow and continue "Beyond the Cover" next year, and their hope is that the popular club will after they graduate in 2017. Those interested in starting an HISD club like Beyond the Cover can get more information at www.houstonisd.org by locating the "clubs and organizations" tab for each individual high school. More than 300 people - including 22 in the Houston area - have been charged with stealing more than $900 million in what federal investigators say is the "largest Medicare fraud takedown in history." The 301 people charged with health care fraud include 61 doctors, nurses and other licensed medical professionals, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. "As this takedown should make clear, health care fraud is not an abstract violation or benign offense it is a serious crime," said U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch, in a news release from the justice department. "The wrongdoers that we pursue in these operations seek to use public funds for private enrichment," Lynch said. "They target real people many of them in need of significant medical care." The U.S. Health Department's Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has stopped payment to a number of providers under the Affordable Care Act, according to the news release. Twenty-two people in the Houston area face federal charges in 11 cases brought by U.S. Attorney Ken Magidson and the Justice Department's Medicare Fraud Strike Force in the Southern District of Texas. The local defendants are accused of fraudulently billing more than $136 million. Among those indicted in Houston is Dr. John Ramirez, 62, who was charged in an alleged scheme to bill the government $18 million for home health care visits that were not necessary or never provided. He is charged with four counts of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. In a related case, Ramirez was indicted along with Ann Sheperd, 60, and Yvette Nwoko, 27, both of Houston, on charges they conspired to commit health care fraud and committed health care fraud by improperly billing Medicare $20 million. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate PATTON VILLAGE - The chief of Patton Village's 20-person police force on Tuesday defended his officer's decision to pursue a suspect in a high-speed chase that left the officer and an 11-year-old dead. At a news conference in this Montgomery County hamlet, Chief Leon "Pete" Verot declined to comment further and discuss or release the department's policy on chases. With a black band across his badge, Verot confirmed the 6-mile chase began after Sgt. Stacey Baumgartner, 39, responded Sunday night to a 911 call about a man urinating and exposing himself at a Valero gas station at U.S. 59 and Texas 242. The chief said Baumgartner called out to the suspect and tried to detain him. Baumgartner gave chase west along Texas 242 until a 1998 Chevy Suburban carrying a family of seven collided with his cruiser in the intersection with FM 1485; the posted speed limit on both roads ranges from 50 to 60 mph. A child from the SUV, Adan Hilario Jr., died at the scene. "He decided he did not want to be detained," Verot said of the suspect, identified as 29-year-old Garrett William Nee, of Kingwood. Police have said that Nee also tried to strike Baumgartner's marked cruiser. Verot placed blame for the accident on Nee. "All the guy had to do was stop," he said, adding that he did not think the officer could have done anything to prevent the wreck. Tyler Dunman, of the Montgomery County District Attorney's office, said Nee returned to the scene after seeing the crash. He was arrested, taken to the Montgomery County jail and charged early Monday with murder, two counts of intoxication assault with a vehicle, and six counts of intoxication manslaughter with a vehicle causing serious bodily injury, jail records show.He is being held on $1.3 million bail. While many metropolitan police departments, including HPD, have adopted pursuit policies limiting when an officer can participate in a high-speed chase, Verot did not discuss whether the small Patton Village department had a written policy. "We just let this guy get away?" Verot said, calling the pursuit an example of "cause and effect." 'Questions should be asked' This is not the first time Nee has been arrested for a similar type of offense. He was arrested in February 2015 on felony charges of evading arrest in a motor vehicle, according to Harris County criminal court records. The arrest by Houston police, was later dismissed by a Harris County district judge after prosecutors said there was not enough for lack of evidence. The circumstances of the pursuit are part of an ongoing investigation by Texas Department of Public Safety troopers. Law enforcement experts say an extensive review of the Father's Day pursuit is warranted. "Any time there is an incident that results in this kind of outcome, questions should be asked," said professor Phillip Lyons, the dean of the college of criminal justice at Sam Houston State University. "It is quite common to have a debriefing to determine whether mistakes were made, and if so, what we might do to avoid those.'' Lyons said the inquiry should determine if the officer's decision to start the chase was warranted by the severity of the crime, and whether the chase could have been called off once there was enough information to arrest the driver at a later time. "The best practice would be one that balances the costs and benefits - the benefits of apprehending the suspect versus the costs of initiating and maintaining a pursuit," Lyons said. In Sunday's accident, the family of the boy who died was transported to Memorial Hermann at The Woodlands; two were admitted, hospital officials said, and 9-year-old Andrea Hilario remained in the hospital Tuesday in stable condition. In the incident, Baumgartner's vehicle was thrown against a utility pole. He was pronounced dead en route to the hospital, authorities said. Dunman said Tuesday the results of Nee's blood-alcohol test on Sunday night were not yet public. He added that Nee was charged with first-degree felony murder despite his indirect role because Texas law allows charges for anyone who, while committing a felony, commits a dangerous act that leads to a death. At the press conference, Dunman and Verot declined to go into detail about what happened, saying DPS is conduct the investigation. "The investigation is rightly not their (police) focus," Dunman said. Verot added the department is focused on funeral arrangements for Baumgartner, a husband and father of two. Funeral arrangements On Tuesday, area police departments joined a convoy of two-dozen police cars that escorted the officer's body to a funeral home, city secretary Joy Dawson said. Baumgartner had been on the force since 2012. The viewing and visitation will be 5-8 p.m. Thursday at Kingwood Funeral Home, Dawson added. The funeral will follow at 10 a.m. Friday at Fellowship of the Woodlands church. The 100 Club said it is giving a $20,000 check to Baumgartner's widow for immediate expenses. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A south Texas woman alleges she was sexually assaulted by a former La Joya police officer after she was arrested, according to media reports and court documents. The woman, identified as Autumn Renee according to the lawsuit posted by Buzzfeed, was arrested May 29, 2014, for a misdemeanor probation violation and booked into the La Joya City Jail. The lawsuit, filed May 27 in U.S. District Court in McAllen, states that Felipe Santiago Peralez, then-communications officer for the La Joya City Police Department, conducted an "all-night invasion of plaintiff's body." SEE ALSO: Bollywood's Salman Khan causes uproar with rape remark Peralez inserted his fingers and hands into Renee's private areas, according to the lawsuit. It also states he forced her to perform oral sex on him. Renee suffered injury to her private areas and that she was, "in staunch fear of further brutal, sadistic and invasive acts causing severe bruises, scratches, irritation and soreness... for repeated hours." The lawsuit calls Peralez's actions "malicious and (a) sadistic use of force." RELATED: Attorney says Ex-Baylor coach Art Briles broke promise to apologize to rape victim La Joya police Lt. Ramon Gonzalez reviewed the video recording on May 30, 2014, and "obtained (Renee's) statement, offered her a taco, declined her request for medical attention" the lawsuit reads. According to the lawsuit, La Joya Police Officer Nancy Venecia knew about the assault the same day Gonzaelz reviewed the video recording but did not request that Renee be transported to an emergency room for examination. Buzzfeed reports Peralez resigned after being suspended from the police department May 30, 2014. SEE ALSO: Former Vanderbilt football player again convicted of rape Renee's lawyer, Tammy Peden of Houston, cited the incident as a violation of the Prison Rape Elimination Act passed by U.S. Congress in 2003, which establishes a zero tolerance for rape and sexual assault. The lawsuit also highlights violations of the Eighth Amendment, which forbids "cruel and unusual punishment" and "prohibits excessive use of force and guard brutality." In addition to Peralez, Venecia and Gonzelz, the lawsuit is filed against the City of La Joya and the City of Penitas as she was originally arrested by the Penitas Police Department. The lawsuit states Penitas police conducted the follow-up investigation to the alleged sexual assault and failed to act against La Joya officers involved in the incident. Renee is seeking $5 million in damages and emotional distress. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A New Hampshire police department has shared a photo of what appears to be a coyote near an elementary school, New England Cable News reports. Or was it a coyote (Cue X-Files music)? Merrimack, N.H., police officers claim they saw the animal Tuesday morning off Baboosic Lake Road near Upper Elementary School. Some Facebook users commented the decrepit-looking creature resembled the legendary chupacabra, an ugly beast with a penchant for goat blood. Other, more grounded individuals, said it looked like a red fox with mange. RELATED: Creature believed to be a Chupacabra in Oregon is actually a really big rat In case you didn't know, the Chupacabra is an animal/urban legend that reportedly lives in parts of South America. According to observers, the creature is said to be reptilian in appearance with grey, leather skin. It hops about on two legs and is around 3 to 4 feet tall. The earliest reported sighting of the creature was in Puerto Rico around 1995. It has since been spotted around the U.S. and even overseas in Ukraine and the Philippines. Scientists have dismissed the creature as an urban legend. More often than not, what people believe to be a Chupacabra is actually a canine suffering from mange, a skin disease brought on by parasitic mites. The disease often causes the victim's skin to appear crusted and grey. RELATED: Houston 'Chupacabra' sighting could be real animal purposely bred And if you're itching for more information about Chupacabras, we've included a compilation of facts about the mythical creature. You can access them all in the gallery above. -- THE LATEST: Dump Trump movement preparing fight at convention, by the AP. Several hundred Republican delegates are organizing to oppose Trump at the convention. That's not enough delegates to topple Trump. But it's more than enough to create turmoil at an event that is typically used to bring a political party together in support of a presidential candidate. There could be floor fights over convention rules and the party's platform. And instead of a coronation, the roll call to nominate Trump could be an opportunity for delegates to voice their displeasure on national television. >> WashPosts Ed OKeefe reports that the anti-Trump forces have about 400 delegates in their ranks. MORE -- As we wait on the SCOTUS, read this: Obama immigration victory could help Trump, by the Chronicles Lomi Kriel.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. -- Texas Monthlys Erica Grieder Meanwhile, back with the Democrats: I cant imagine why Texas Democrats wouldnt take every opportunity they can, over the next five months, to point it out. Julian Castro, who eventually gave the keynote speech on Friday evening, was among the few Democrats to explicitly say that he hopes to see Clinton win the states electoral votes in November. It sure seems to me that they might at least try. This might be fact-challenged optimism,as the Austin American StatesmansKen Herman puts it, but whats the worst-case scenario? By competing to win they might, at least, narrow the margin between themselves and the Republicans, and pick up a few seats in the Texas Legislature. Or they can preemptively declare defeat, and wait for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that Trump represents to ever come around again. >> Heres every way this years STAAR test screwed Texas schools (so far), The Texas Observer -- Trumps bigotry is a drug to Texas Republicans, by Chris Hooks for Rolling Stone. But unlike his first Texas visits, Trump's appearance last week made clear that he's synced, finally, with some significant portion of the Republican Party in the state, and that bodes ill for both the state and the country at large. For a long time, Texas, despite its far-right reputation, had a gentler approach to undocumented immigrants than might be expected. The guiding principle was economic growth. A growing population, and cheap labor, were felt to be beneficial to the state. CAPITOL DAYBOOK no meetings scheduled SPEED READ Texas Take: From not being vetted to the short list, Houston Chronicle Garcia: Trump-Clinton race a study in negativity, San Antonio Express-News Greg Abbott makes unfounded claim about ISIS running through border, Houston Chronicle More specifics revealed on budget losses to Texas Racing Commission, Quorum Report ($) House Republicans offering proposals for health care changes, Associated Press Childrens well-being remains low in Texas, study finds, Houston Chronicle Adios, GOP, The Texas Observer Chase Towers 60th floor Sky Lobby closes to public, Houston Chronicle VA Houston wants to hear from veterans at town hall, Houston Chronicle We dont know about Hillary in term of religion, Associated Press In speech, Trump to ramp up critique of Clinton as failure, Associated Press RACE TO THE WHITE HOUSE -- Coming attractions: As Donald Trump gears up for his all-out war on Hillary and Bill Clinton, the presumptive Republican nominee on Wednesday is planning to draw ammunition from the controversies that have dogged the family, and particularly its Clinton Foundation, for years, per Politico. >> Paul Ryan has no plans to raise money for Trump, Politico >> Convention cities prepare for large protests, The New York Times -- What Clinton learned from Trumps GOP rivals, by CNN. The presumptive Democratic nominee and her formidable cavalry including President Barack Obama, Elizabeth Warren and Joe Biden are hitting Trump fast, hard and often. And they aren't making jokes about his hands. Instead, they are questioning his temperament, his business acumen and his fundamental values as an American in a nonstop bid to make him unpalatable to voters. The effort was on full display Tuesday when Clinton delivered stinging rebukes of Trump's business competence, which are at the heart of his public persona. 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. Warriors end season with win over Rebels SIOUX RAPIDS - The Alta-Aurelia football team traveled to face Sioux Central for their final game of the season and... Cherokee takes down Generals to finish season CHEROKEE - The Cherokee football team hosted Sibley-Ocheyedan on Friday and won 35-28 to finish out their season. The... Warriors suffer heartbreaking end to season ALTA - The Alta-Aurelia volleyball team hosted Lawton-Bronson last Wednesday and suffered a nail-biting 3-2 loss to end their season.... Unity ends Cherokee volleyball season ORANGE CITY - Out of sync early, Cherokee's volleyball squad fell hard in the first set 25-8 to ranked Unity... Theres an underappreciated side to the now-infamous New York Times Magazine story about Ben Rhodes, President Obamas deputy national security advisor for strategic communications. As shallow and self-important as Rhodes comes across in the article, he clearly knows his audience. The average reporter we talk to is 27 years old, and their only reporting experience consists of being around political campaigns, Rhodes said. Thats a sea change. They literally know nothing. Rhodes, like much of the media he spins, is a well-educated member of the upper middle class. He is a product of the same progressive cultural and ideological milieu, and he thus has keen instincts for what he can get away withand no shame about revealing it. Rhodes has good reason for such confidence. Surveying Americas elite liberal arts institutions, with a focus on Oberlin College, The New Yorkers Nathan Heller illustrates just how unhinged most institutions of higher education have become. Schools like Oberlin have for decades rejected the tenets on which they were foundednamely, that exposing young minds to the Western canon would teach them to think critically and yield productive, well-rounded members of society. Instead, Oberlin and many other once-prestigious schools have become cauldrons of radical leftism. Heller describes students who simply refuse to talk with classmates of other races; scholarship students who view the same college that provides them with free world-class educational opportunities as a tool of capitalist oppression; and students who feel they are being oppressed because their classwork distracts them from social activism. Hellers account confirms what critics of campus environments have been chronicling for years: that trigger warnings must be slapped even on the greatest books to protect students from ideas that might upset them, and that identity is treated as a kind of knowledge in itselfclassic literature, not so much. Students at many of todays leading institutions no longer study the classics. What do dead white males know about microaggression or cultural appropriation, anyway? At Stanford University, students recently voted down an initiative to institute a two-quarter Western Civilization requirement for undergraduates. Todays academy replaces the knowledge and wisdom gleaned from Plato, Aristotle, and Herodotus with political correctness, multiculturalism, and infantilizationto devastating effect. Supposedly liberal and tolerant campuses create safe spaces limited to certain identity groups and those of a certain ideological inclination. In reality, safe spaces are safe only from the diversity their inhabitants claim to cherish. Activist students decry institutions based in imperialism, white supremacy, capitalism, ableism, and a cissexist heteropatriarchy, as one group of aggrieved black students at Oberlin described it. One cant escape the impression that liberal arts schools are more focused on coddling the next generation of community-organizing social-justice warriors than on educating them. The end product is a cultural and political elite made up of entitled leftists ill-equipped to deal with the realities of a competitive world. As Ronald Reagan would say, the problem with Americas elites is that they know so much that isnt so. They see things as they wish them to be rather than as they actually are. They can be easily manipulated because theyve never examined their own assumptions. And this makes them ripe for the plucking by Ben Rhodes and his ilk. The progressive academy impairs the minds of Americas elite, leaving them lacking in both knowledge and judgment. This miseducation permeates the culture, which feeds back into our political system in a vicious cycle. Conservatives thus face a deep challenge. Our ideas are losing, and increasingly are not even being considered. We need our own long march through the institutions. Without one, we will continue to lose the country. For ideas truly do have consequences far beyond any one election cycle. Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images A divisive issue has arisen in Hillary Clintons tony adopted hometown of Chappaqua (population 1,400), in New Yorks Westchester County: affordable housingspecifically, whether to permit the construction of subsidized apartments for low-income families near the train station. In 2009, the county reached a settlement with the federal government of a lawsuit alleging that it had failed to remove racial and income-related barriers for poor residents seeking better housingin effect, that it had discriminated. Since then, HUD has doggedly pushed Westchester, including its wealthy localities, to finance hundreds of new units of subsidized housing and to market them aggressively, particularly to minorities. Whats at stake goes beyond Westchester County. Through its expansive fair housing policies, the Obama administration wants to ensure that poor minorities, who have historically clustered in low-income urban neighborhoods, can avail themselves of the better schools and greater safety of high-income suburban locales. As HUD puts it: No childs ZIP code should determine her opportunity to achieve. Support for deconcentrating povertythat is, reducing the percentage of poor people within specific localities by relocating them elsewherehas gained additional momentum from a recent Supreme Court decision and new social-science research. Its far from clear, though, that black or other minorities will benefit from such policies. An aggressive deconcentration push could introduce race and class tensions into hundreds of communities by overriding the powerful dynamic of the American housing market, in which residents earn their way up the socioeconomic rungs of a housing ladder. Deconcentration policies also undermine the achievements of minorities who have moved to more affluent communities through their own hard efforts. A better course would be to enforce an older view of fair housingsimply ensuring access for everyone who can afford to move to a neighborhood and aggressively prosecuting violationsand, crucially, to encourage a culture of upward mobility, in which people take advantage of opportunity. Since the 1930s, the federal government has subsidized housing for low-income households. But the various forms of such subsidized housing have all run into trouble of one kind or another. Public-housing projects have become the locus of crime and long-term poverty. Housing-voucher holders have tended to concentrate in lower-income neighborhoods. The original goals of subsidized housingto provide safe and sanitary living conditions as well as an environment that would increase the likelihood of upward mobilityhave proved elusive. Enter the Obama administration, with an approach that inverts the traditional approach to subsidized housingseeing relocation of still-poor families to wealthier areas as a key to economic advancement and favoring housing subsidies for these purposes. In its recently issued rule for affirmatively furthering fair housing, the administration has formalized this goal: HUD will provide publicly open data for grantees to use to assess the state of fair housing within their communities and to set locally-determined priorities and goals. . . . HUD will provide open data to grantees and the public on patterns of integration and segregation, racially and ethnically concentrated areas of poverty, disproportionate housing needs, and disparities in access to opportunity. This improved approach provides a better mechanism for HUD grantees to build fair housing goals into their existing community development and housing planning processes. Recent research, at least at first glance, suggests that neighborhood segregation is still holding blacks back. A Stanford Graduate School of Education study released in June 2015 and based on census data found that even affluent blacks are likely to live in communities in which average incomes are lower than their ownand that poor whites are likely to live in neighborhoods in which average incomes are higher than their own. Blacks earning $50,000 a year live in neighborhoods where the annual median income is just $42,000. White families with incomes as low as $13,000 a year, by contrast, live in neighborhoods in which the annual median income is $45,000. As the Stanford study summarized: [M]iddle-income black and Hispanic households are much more likely to live in poor neighborhoodswhich tend to have weaker schools, more crime and bigger social problemsthan whites or Asians who earn the same amount of money. This segregation may be constraining the upward mobility of black and Hispanic children compared with their white and Asian peers. The recent work of Harvard economists Raj Chetty, Nathanial Hendren, and Lawrence Katz, in turn, suggests that using federal programs to relocate poor minorities to wealthier areas could boost the upward mobility of disadvantaged kids. Their 2015 paper, The Effects of Exposure to Better Neighborhoods on Children, upended previous research on the Moving to Opportunity program, a HUD initiative that used vouchers to relocate poor families living in public-housing projects into more affluent areas of Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York. Earlier studies found virtually no benefits from these efforts. Some families were offered a housing voucher to move to a less poor neighborhood, others a voucher that let them move to any neighborhood they wished. Using IRS records to track the earnings of voucher recipients over time, the Harvard researchers, however, found that life prospects of young children whose parents moved to better-off, high mobility areas did improve: The findings imply that offering families with young children living in high-poverty housing projects vouchers to move to lower-poverty neighborhoods may reduce the intergenerational persistence of poverty and ultimately generate positive returns for taxpayers. Overreliance on public housing deprived blacks of one of the key means of upward mobility: home-value appreciation. On closer inspection, though, it isnt so clear what story the Harvard and Stanford studies are telling. The Stanford study doesnt answer a key question: Are people self-segregating? Nothing in its findings precludes the possibility that some minority households, whatever their income, simply choose to live in predominantly minority neighborhoods. That may, of course, reflect their view of likely white animosity, but it may also suggest their sense of where they will have more in common with neighbors. Nor do the findings rule out that a family may prefer not to move, even if HUD thinks that doing so is in its best interest. Blacks often lack financial resources to move to wealthier areas; by some estimates, blacks have less than eight cents in assets for every dollar in whites assets. Liberals often cite this racial wealth gap as evidence that historical discrimination continues to play a role in putting blacks at a disadvantage. But the idea that the wealth gap reflects only a history of housing discrimination ignores the role that public and subsidized housing has played in limiting the growth of African-American assets. The arrival of large numbers of African-Americans in northern cities in the 1940s and 1950s coincided with the dramatic expansion of public housing, which many of these newcomers moved into. Blacks overrepresentation in public housing continues today; the most recent HUD data show that blacks occupy 44 percent of HUD-subsidized rental housing. This long-term overreliance on public housing deprived blacks of one of the key means of upward mobility available to waves of immigrants: home-value appreciation. The Harvard study also merits skepticism, especially because of its call for a dramatic expansion of deconcentration programs. In fact, the United States already has broadly deconcentrated poverty: some 77 percent of poor black families live in nonpoor neighborhoods, according to Rutgers public-policy professor Paul Jagowski. (He also finds that the chance that a low-income white family will live in a high-poverty neighborhood has, since 2000, increased more than that for black families.) A disproportionate rate of black poverty has persisted, however. This is not to dismiss entirely the Harvard findings on the benefits that young black children enjoyed from living in wealthier areas, but data from a limited sample shouldnt be given equal weight with the much broader evidence that relocation is not a silver bullet for black advancement. The case for dispersing the poor through subsidized housing remains shaky, at best. Americas residential communities are not, as the HUD worldview implies, divided along a bright line between the poor inner city and wealthy suburbs. They can be thought of instead as rungs on a ladder, encompassing a series of neighborhoods where housing costs move up incrementally and where residents share many common characteristics, from socioeconomic status to the belief that they have earned that status. Though this phenomenon is often referred to as socioeconomic segregation or stratification, it can also serve to encourage tolerance, including among different races and ethnicities. As the sociologist Herbert Gans observed in his 1961 book The Levittowners, Experience with residential integration in many communities, including Levittown, indicates that it can be achieved without problems when the two races are similar in socioeconomic level and in the visible cultural aspects of class. So it was that ethnic groups that were rivals in the cities, such as the Irish, Italians, Jews, and Polessome not even considered white by nineteenth-century nativistsmade common cause in the postwar suburbs. They understood that they were joined in a virtuous conspiracy of shared values: maintaining public order, good schools, safe streets, and clean parks. Where todays HUD implicitly views such good communities as the creation of money and privilege, these residents saw the fruits of self-sacrifice and constructive life decisionsmarriage and education, as well as careful local governance. The converse of the Gans formula for tolerance is also true: forcing social classes together can generate considerable tension. As with affirmative action, it inevitably raisesfairly or unfairlythe question of whether new minority recipients are deserving. Nobody understands the risks of such a policy better than middle-class minorities. They have often sacrificed to move up and out of poor neighborhoods, in just the way that HUD once sought to encourage. As an African-American who happily resides in one of the aforementioned towns targeted for this deplorable lower-income housing, I am appalled at this decision to reward those individuals who . . . chose the easy way out instead of dedicating oneself to hard work, said a black resident of the affluent New York suburb of Larchmont, in response to the Westchester County settlement. My wife and I worked hard to be able to purchase a home and PAY TAXES in one of these towns, just like everyone else who resides in them. Another said: As an African-American, I am tired of the practice of placing government housing in otherwise middle-class and affluent neighborhoods. . . . All it does is reinforce a stereotype that all African-Americans are laggards when it comes to educating ourselves, rising socially and advancing economically. It is not as though there arent African-Americans already living in these neighborhoods in Westchester. These black residents of Westchester are yearning for a truly postracial America, where African-Americans are no longer a special case for social policy and where their own accomplishments matter. (See Housing as Busing, Autumn 2009.) They understand that good communities are neither inevitable nor inherited; they must be built and maintained day by day. But doing so requires a sense of commonality. America has had considerable success in achieving this, but HUDs approach threatens to alter, by fiat, the spontaneous ways in which Americans form tolerant, diverse communities. Based on their incomes, African-Americans are not underrepresented in Westchester County, even in the wealthiest communities. As of the 2000 census, Scarsdale was 1.5 percent black; Pound Ridge, 1.2 percent. That may sound low, but there simply arent many affluent blacks in the entire county. Only 2 percent of black households in Westchester earned more than $200,000 in 2000a total of 911 familiescompared with 12.6 percent of white households. What such figures dont show is any intent to exclude on the basis of racethe fundamental violation of fair housing, at least in its traditional interpretation. That interpretation has come under fire. In a June 2015 decision, the Supreme Court effectively affirmed HUDs right to interpret fair housing far more broadly. By a 5-4 vote, the Court agreed with a group called the Inclusive Communities Project that the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs had reinforced segregated housing patterns by allocating too many tax credits to housing in predominantly black inner-city areas and too few in predominantly white suburban neighborhoods. The case stemmed not from private-housing discrimination but from the application of the low-income housing tax credit, a government-subsidy program that supports the construction of low-cost rental units. Texas had chosen to subsidize more units in poorer neighborhoods rather than fewer units in affluent, more costly neighborhoodsas would inevitably be the case any time HUD pushed to locate subsidized units in wealthier suburbs, where property is more expensive. Under the Courts ruling, even if the state were not acting explicitly to deny individual households the right to rent or buy in nonminority communities, the disparate impact of its policy supported the case for change. Is HUD seeking to help the pooror to make sure that the rich cannot insulate themselves from the poor? In his dissent, Justice Samuel Alito noted that the ruling ignored the old-fashioned requirement to prove intent to discriminate. The Cato Institutes Walter Olson suggested that the ruling could encourage the Obama administration to turn disparate-impact law into an engine of revolutionary changes in local government and housing practice, introducing, for example, such concepts as a local government obligation to pursue subsidized federal housing grants and to enact laws forcing private landlords to accept Section 8 tenants. Such a push would mean more bad news for those minority homeowners who have worked hard and moved to better neighborhoods by making good life choices. Is HUD really seeking to help as many of the poor as possibleor to make sure that the rich cannot insulate themselves from the poor? Limited numbers of black (or Hispanic) families can afford to move to affluent suburbs. HUD gets the question right: How best to encourage poor African-Americans, and the poor generally, to advance themselves? But it gets the solution wrong. In fact, HUD proposes to send a pernicious message to African-Americans and other minority groups: a neighborhood in which you are the majority population must not be a good neighborhood. Moreover, isolated public-housing projects going up in the far corners of affluent suburbs could easily become new ghettosand with no guarantee that the relocated families will see their childrens lives improve meaningfully. Even if a program of emptying poor neighborhoods were a poverty cure, it can hardly be considered practical. Indeed, at some point, minority elected officials, losing constituents in poor districts, would likely object. The Moving to Opportunity and other relocation-first approaches are far from the only imaginable ways to encourage upward mobility among public-housing residents. Other ways might be found to use the rent-payment system to reward work. As it is now, when public-housing tenants incomes go up, so do their rentsby 30 cents on every dollar. Also helpful would be a time limit on new tenanciesperhaps five years, as with cash public assistance. An open-ended promise of an inexpensive apartmentmade more expensive if one works harder and succeedshardly seems like the way to encourage upward mobility. But thats our current policy. The most effective way for the American poor to improve their prospects is to embrace a culture of upward mobility. Such a culture would be based on constructive life choices supported by public policy that should seek to encourage and reward work and improve public education. As Nathan Glazer wrote in 2010: To frame a self-help policy narrative based on what is generally understood as the American immigrant path may be the best choice available: acceptance of how hard it is to get ahead in America, but recognition that ones efforts can and often will succeed. That approach, after all, does have the merit of being largely true. It may not be altogether fair to suggest that African-Americans compete on similar terms with other poor ethnic groups. But as the complications that quickly arise when considering HUDs new approach to fair housing make clear, theres simply no practical alternative. Photo: Downtown Chappaqua, in New Yorks Westchester County, where federal officials are trying to force the construction of affordable housing. (Hearst Connecticut Media/Greenwich Time, Tyler Sizemore/AP Photo) 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 Experimentation is often more helpful in highlighting what doesnt work than what does. Take a sponsored post from February 2015 that Deseret Digital Media produced for the Utah Transportation Coalition. Utah: A national model and blueprint for the future, reads a piece extolling the virtues of a plan to bolster the states transit system. Yawn, right? says Matt Sanders, senior director at Deseret Digital Media. It was A) a terrible headline; B) the wrong copy; and C) my goodness.We did mega-boring, useless content. And it failed. And thats a good thinga lesson for branded content efforts that the media organization has consistently expanded and sharpened. The company that owns the Deseret News, Salt Lake City NBC affiliate KSL, and FamilyShare.com has created native ad campaigns for several dozen businesses over the past three years en route to a seven-figure stream of new revenue. In 2014, it began a pilot program selling similar marketing services to other local publishers. That initiative was formally christened on Tuesday as BrandForge, a native advertising studio aimed at helping local media nationwide get a foothold in the fast-growing market for branded content. Local media companies have very different challenges than Manhattan media groups, which have Madison Avenue at their fingertips, Sanders says. We have a lot of empathy for and battle wounds in common with those [local] companies. A handful of innovative efforts notwithstanding, metro and local news organizations have generally fallen behind their nationally facing counterparts in this arena. Smaller outlets often lack both advertisers with advanced digital marketing strategies and the startup cash required to build branded content capabilities internally. Local media companies have very different challenges than Manhattan media groups, which have Madison Avenue at their fingertips. Sign up for CJR 's daily email Global-facing media companies such as The New York Times and BuzzFeed can build out large teams to produce branded content sophisticated enough to jive with their organizations editorial quality and sensibility. The same is true to a lesser extent with large newspaper chains, some of which have begun trying to package their disparate audiences into cohesive blocks for native advertising online. Gannett launched its own branded content studio in March, and in April it debuted a Honda-sponsored virtual reality video that was part of a reportedly seven-figure ad campaign. Podcasts have also proven a natural vehicle for transmitting native ads to highly engaged digital audiences. Smaller shops generally dont have such advantages. The quandary puts local news organizations at the heart of the foundational controversy of native advertising: a tug-of-war between publishers and advertisers respective brands. Deseret Digital Medias creation of a native advertising studio-for-hire is an attempt to bridge these divides and help local media get a piece of the action before its too late. The Utah-based company itself occupies a middle ground in terms of audience scale and geographic reach, which should help it blend local sensibilities with digital know-how for clients. DeseretNews.com drew 2.4 million unique visitors in May, according to comScore, while KSL.com attracted roughly 3 million. But coupled with the social Web-focused FamilyShare venture and other digital properties, Deseret Digital Media has a relatively long digital reach. You have to get to a certain scale before its worthwhile to create your own content studio, Sanders says. Over the past two years, the BrandForge pilot landed 30 contracts covering about 60 publishers, including the Midwestern newspaper chain Schurz Communications and the Pacific Northwest chain Pioneer News Group. The Utah-based team both trains local staffs on the minefield between editorial and advertising, Sanders says, and then works with them to produce specific campaigns for local advertisers. For the smaller organizations, theres a lot of tension between quality and costwhat they can get advertisers to pay, says Michele McLellan, who published a report on native advertising in May for the Tow-Knight Center for Entrepreneurial Journalism. The problem is that some publications are still doing advertisements masquerading as stories. And I think thats to the detriment of their credibility. A number of additional local and regional players have attempted to overcome those competing factors. Their efforts dont mirror Deseret Digital Medias exactly, but they do illustrate growing energy to pursue native advertising revenue by non-national players. In Dallas, decidedly toward the heftier end of the spectrum, the flagship Dallas Morning News joined with a local advertising agency in 2012 to create a standalone firm, Speakeasy, for digital marketing and native advertising services. The setup allowed both founding partners to leverage what theyre good atand avoid what they arent. The independence definitely helps us out, says Mike Orren, president of Speakeasy. But theres no way we would have grown at the pace we did without The Dallas Morning News sales force. Speakeasy, a particularly ambitious venture that employs about two dozen, primarily produces content for advertisers own sites and manages their social media strategies. Weve done some native on the Dallas News site, Orren says, but on the low scale it doesnt have the impact wed like it to have. (ComScore puts DallasNews.coms May audience at 11.7 million unique visitors.) With roughly 60 clientsOrren says annual retainer fees range anywhere from $60,000 to more than $1 millionSpeakeasy is profitable and is likely to continue growing. A couple of newspaper groups have reached out to us and asked how to do Speakeasy in their markets, Orren says. Were also in some very early stages of trying to do some syndication of branded content across newspapers. A few far smaller organizations have likewise incorporated branded content into their businesses. In the Washington metro area, Local News Now, a group of four hyperlocal sites, counts on columns by local businesses and freelancer-produced promoted posts for between 40 percent and 50 percent of total revenue, founder Scott Brodbeck tells CJR. Brodbeck argues that native advertising, if done correctly, makes even more sense for local brands than it does for national companies. How effective can it be [nationally]? he says. Its such a fragmented landscape out there. Here, in our areas, we have very high geographic penetration. So when we publish sponsored content, we know that a large percentage of the target readership is going to see it. Despite that potential, the psychological hurdles to branded content remain high among local media. In a February webinar on native advertising for Local Independent Online News Publishers, Brodbeck attempted to dispel this aversion in the second slide of his presentation. Readers like relevant, interesting local information, whether thats coming from editorial content or branded content, Brodbeck adds in an interview. Thats what makes native advertising attractive. And thats what led Deseret Digital Medias sponsored post from the Utah Transportation Coalition to fail last year: It wasnt particularly interesting and didnt feel authentic. Every user now has a really strong radar for when theyre being pitched something, says Sanders, the companys senior director. Now, he adds, if the company were to tackle the same project, it would produce a video on a day in the life of a Salt Lake City light rail line operator. Many of the companys native ads are simple text pieces geared toward mobile reading and social distributionlisticles aplentybut more multimedia offerings are on the way. Company brass claim such branded content often draws equal or greater audience engagement than editorial content. Deseret Digital Medias venture, BrandForge, aims to balance costs and quality by relying on a team of about 70 freelancers to produce most of clients content, and another half-dozen or so to focus on strategy. Company staff will provide coordination and support, along with shouldering some video and infographic production duties. The goal is to sell services to hundreds of publishers by the end of the year. Were very confident in our ability to scale, Sanders says. One of our key advantages is that we get to field test everything as a publisher. We have end-to-end vision of the entire value chain. Or, to put it another way, the ability to experiment. Small publishers cant often afford such a luxuryits welcome news that Deseret Digital Media, and potentially other entrants, are doing this legwork. Revenue from native advertising wont be enough to save local journalism alone, of course, but even modest new cash flows may be able to save individual journalists. Has America ever needed a media watchdog more than now? Help us by joining CJR today David Uberti is a writer in New York. He was previously a media reporter for Gizmodo Media Group and a staff writer for CJR. Follow him on Twitter @DavidUberti. With the nation spending billions on medical and indemnity expenses for employees injured on the job, as well as patients facing illnesses or surgeries, workers compensation carriers, group health insurers and Third Party Administrators (TPAs) are looking for innovative solutions to providing better and less costly health services. Two Thought Leadership papers one for workers compensation payers and one for group health organizations from PTPN, a national network for independent rehabilitation specialists, examine the role and benefits of physical therapy in both group health and workers compensation cases in the face of major changes in the American healthcare system. As they adapt to new value-based care models, health plans and workers comp carriers require new solutions to meet their needs and those of injured workers, says Michael Weinper, PT, DPT, M.P.H., president of PTPN. These papers show how a different approach to the changes in the nations workers comp and group healthcare can not only improve the delivery of health services, but also deliver better outcomes for a wide range of patients at a lower cost. According to The New Paradigm for Better Quality, Lower Costs papers Leveraging the Power of PT for Workers Comp and Leveraging the Power of Ancillary Services, workers comp carriers and health plans and may be missing an important ally in their efforts to meet the goals of healthcare delivery today: providers of physical therapy services. Studies show that bringing physical therapy into an injured patients treatment early can have major benefits, including better patient outcomes, reduced use of pain medicine, improved patient satisfaction, reduced re-admissions and lower medical and indemnity costs. Key points to consider from the PTPN papers include: While imaging often is used to diagnose patients with chronic and or acute back pain, it may not be the best first step. A 2015 study in Health Services Research Journal found that for patients who were first treated with physical therapy, costs were an average of $4,793 less than patients first sent to imaging. A landmark 2012 study in Spine reported that prompt referral of patients from primary care physicians to physical therapy resulted in decreased use of advanced imaging, surgery, injections and prescription pain medications. Savings were an average $2,736.23 less for patients receiving early physical therapy. The Workers Comp Research Institute reports that 65 to 85 percent of injured workers getting a pain medication are prescribed an opioid. Industry analysis of best practice data indicates that close to 90% of those injuries are more appropriately treated with over-the-counter pain medications and PT. Avoiding opioids can reduce the possibility of reliance or even addiction to the powerful drugs, a concern in the United States today. According to the American Hospital Association, organizations should seek to develop preferred relationships with post-acute providers that have demonstrated good outcomes and are willing to collaborate on performance improvement. The PTPN papers offer steps to finding PT providers who meet these criteria as well as what to expect from a quality independent PT network. These benchmarks include innovation in care pathways and readmission risk reduction; the highest credentialing and quality standards; and outcomes measurement. By collaborating with independent physical therapists who hold themselves to the highest standards of care, says Weinper, health plans and workers comp carriers can achieve the vision and promise of todays value-based healthcare programs. Source: PTPN Jimmy "Duck" Holmes, the Last of a Dying Breed, Says 'It Is What It Is,' Blue Porch [REVIEW] 'It Is What It Is' by Jimmy "Duck" Holmes (Photo : courtesy Blue Front Records) Jimmy "Duck" Holmes just may be the last of a dying breed. Straight out of the Mississippi Delta, his seventh album, It Is What It Is, is the premiere release on the new Blue Front Records out of Bentonia, Mississippi. It's filled with the real Delta blues, no rock'n'roll here, this one's for purists. Accompanied only by his three guitars-electric Harmony Stratotone, 12-string and acoustic Epiphone-plus his mouth organ and various percussive sounds he makes with his foot on the floor of the juke joint that housed the session, Holmes sings such traditional tales of terror like "Evil" and "It Had To Be The Devil" with the kind of holler that will seep into your soul. His originals are as low-down as anything by Son House, Charlie Patton or even Robert Johnson. Holmes is the heir to such blues and deserves a pedestal so more people can hear the real thing. It's the kind of blues that will bring your arm hairs to attention. It's so low-down that it cannot help but lift you up. As primitive as the moans and wails of the slaves who sang themselves into at least some semblance of happiness in the face of despicable circumstance, the cries, shouts and exclamations of this natural-born soulful vocalist are punctuated with drama and flair when he pounds out those minor-tuned chords and trilling lead notes on his ax. The cumulative effect, as with all great classic blues, especially the pre-WWII stuff, goes right through your defenses to the point where you can only nod your head, take a deep breath, and get down with what he's puttin' out. In listening to these tracks one after another, you get a sense of the Blue Front Cafe in Bentonia, one of the oldest juke joints in Mississippi. The place was owned by Jimmy's parents since 1948, and he's run it since 1970. Between its steel barrel stove, cinderblock acoustics and walls that have witnessed the legendary Skip James [1902-1969] himself performing on that small stage, it reeks of blues validity. Close your eyes. You can feel it. 2016 The Classical Art, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. TagsJimmy Duck Holmes, Blue Porch Records, REVIEW, Skip James MILWAUKEE, Wis. - This city has plenty to brag about when it comes to redeveloping polluted industrial wastelands and creating new jobs for city residents. Over the past 15 years, Milwaukee has turned the Menomonee Valley, where tanneries and meatpacking plants once fouled the air and water, into a gleaming 21st-century zone for work and play with 39 businesses that employ 5,200 workers. The valley also boasts Miller Park Stadium, home of the Brewers; the new Harley Davidson Museum; the Potawatomi Hotel & Casino; seven miles of recreational trails; and scores of acres of green infrastructure designed to capture storm runoff and reduce sewer overflows into Lake Michigan A two-day visit to Milwaukee last week left a group of Cleveland civic leaders duly impressed by the valley and other projects that are reshaping the city's Lake Michigan waterfront, lining its riverfronts with thousands of new apartments and condo units, and lifting impoverished neighborhoods. Convincing impressions The visit also convinced them that they need to ramp up their commitment to planning for Opportunity Corridor, a 400-acre redevelopment zone on Cleveland's East Side, where the Ohio Department of Transportation is building a three-mile, $331 million boulevard that could spur a Menomonee-style rebirth. The danger is that without planning, zoning and land assembly to control development, the road could become what skeptics and even some planners fear: a suburban commuter junk-scape lined with fast food joints, gas stations and payday lenders that extends from the stub end of I-490 at East 55th Street to employers in Cleveland's dynamic University Circle district including the Cleveland Clinic. The nonprofit Fund For Our Economic Future co-organized the Milwaukee trip with the Gund Foundation, the Greater Cleveland Partnership and the Sisters of Charity Foundation of Cleveland to examine Milwaukee's successes and to see how they might apply to planning for Opportunity Corridor. Some 29 Clevelanders attended, including members of the Opportunity Corridor Steering Committee, foundation officials, City Councilwomen Phyllis Cleveland and Mamie Mitchell, and directors of Cleveland community development organizations. More than anything, the trip emphasized the central role in Milwaukee redevelopment projects played by the administration of Mayor Tom Barrett, recently elected to a fourth term. Stand by your plan Rocky Marcoux, Milwaukee's commissioner of development, said for example that Barrett staunchly backed his planners when they turned down proposals for the Menomonee Valley from companies that wanted to build warehouses or distribution centers that wouldn't meet a minimum threshold of creating 22 jobs per acre. "At some point, the leader of the city has to say no," Marcoux said during a panel discussion with the Cleveland visitors in a renovated 19th-century coal gasification plant that now hosts the offices of Zimmerman Architectural Studios Inc. "The first time you get a 'yes' [to something] that doesn't fit, everything goes like dominoes," Marcoux said. "You better have folks willing to stand by the plan." Marcoux's description provided a sharp contrast to Cleveland, where Mayor Frank Jackson has refused for months to engage in planning for Opportunity Corridor. He's holding back while he negotiates with ODOT and Jobs Ohio, the state's nonprofit economic development agency, over issues including the installation of utilities along the boulevard, hiring commitments for city residents and companies in construction of the roadway, and money to clean brownfields. Holding out for jobs, utilities, money He hasn't allowed staff to attend meetings of the Opportunity Corridor Steering Committee, the goal of which is to help the city leverage the road project to recruit new industries and produce jobs. And he didn't send staff members to Milwaukee, even though the trip's organizers invited the city to participate. On Friday, after the Clevelanders had returned from Milwaukee, Jackson said in an impromptu interview at City Hall that he feels he's making progress in negotiations with ODOT and Jobs Ohio. But he also said that spending hundreds of millions of dollars on Opportunity Corridor would not have been first his choice about how to use such a sum. And he said he's not participating in any future planning for the area until his conditions are met. "I refuse to have a $300 million job go through impoverished neighborhoods without direct benefits," he said. For their part, ODOT officials say they are meeting if not exceeding hiring goals for participation by city residents and local firms. And they say they've found $3.1 million in a discretionary fund to complete utility construction on the boulevard without the city matching funds. ODOT's vow "This road's going to get built, we're going to meet our commitments, and I feel our relationship with the city is a good one," Myron Pakush, ODOT's District 12 deputy director, who attended the Milwaukee trip, said in a recent interview. Jobs Ohio did not respond to a request for comment on the negotiation over the $10 million the city wants for brownfield soil cleanup. In Milwaukee, descriptions of the Barrett administration's active role in the local development projects underscored the absence of members of the Jackson administration in the Cleveland delegation. "The city [of Milwaukee] and its partners here were intentional about what they wanted to happen," Chris Alvarado, executive director of the Slavic Village Development Corp. in Cleveland, said in a debriefing session at the end of the Milwaukee trip. "That's something we need to do better in Opportunity Corridor." The issue raised by Jackson's stance on Opportunity Corridor is whether bargaining for scores or hundreds of short-term construction jobs could jeopardize the chance to create thousands of long-term permanent jobs in the future. Ready or not, here it comes Because the project is nearly fully funded by Ohio through bonds backed by turnpike tolls, with strong support from Ohio Gov. John Kasich, the Opportunity Corridor boulevard will be finished by 2020, whether the city is prepared or not. The question is whether the city's current refusal to lead the planning energetically risks causing an outcome that would make Opportunity Corridor's name a joke. Planning consultant Paul Brophy of Columbia, Maryland, who helped lead the Milwaukee trip for the Clevelanders, concluded the event with advice and admonitions after lunch and a debriefing session at the Miller Inn, part of the historic Miller Brewing complex in the city's rejuvenating 30th Street Industrial Corridor. "You've got something really hot," he said, referring to Opportunity Corridor. "Frankly, guys, don't blow this." Brecksville Council B.JPG Brecksville City Council has agreed to hire a Richfield engineering firm to evaluate the VA hospital property. (Bob Sandrick, special to cleveland.com) BRECKSVILLE, Ohio - The city has hired a Richfield engineering firm to evaluate the 102-acre site of the former U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs hospital. The city will pay McCabe Engineering & Contracting $135,500 to determine the conditions of the hospital's 34 buildings, look for asbestos and mold and identify hazardous and medical waste. McCabe will then estimate how much it would cost to demolish the buildings and remove hazardous materials. That estimate will help the city decide whether to obtain the VA property from the federal government for redevelopment, or perhaps transfer the land directly to a developer. "Part of our due diligence is to determine if we will accept VA terms, plus what it will cost afterward to remove environmental (problems) and the buildings," Mayor Jerry Hruby said in a Tuesday email to cleveland.com. "These factors combined are necessary to make our decision." Earlier this month, the city announced plans to convert the VA property, at the northwest corner of Brecksville and Miller roads, into a multi-use district. The development might include restaurants, stores, offices, laboratories, manufacturing plants, warehouses, second-floor apartments over shops, a hospital and/or a hotel. McCabe, in a preliminary study for which Hruby said the VA paid, said it suspects the VA property has environmental issues. "There are reasons to believe that releases of hazardous substances and/or petroleum may have occurred on, (are) underlying or are emanating from the property," McCabe wrote in its report. In a February proposal to the city, McCabe said it will inventory hazardous waste - left in containers like 55-gallon drums - but would not analyze the waste. The firm will keep an eye out for pesticides, equipment containing mercury, discarded batteries and industrial products and chemicals, among other materials. Contaminated sections of the VA property might include an area with concrete debris and "unknown fill material," a former pond, a hazardous waste management unit, a FirstEnergy substation, a universal waste management unit, a former coal storage area, a diesel fuel tank farm, an above-ground ethanol storage tank, a coal and ash handling area inside a building, a paint shop, a former underground gasoline storage tank, a maintenance shop, a former water tower, emergency generator rooms and electrical transformer rooms. zika.jpg The first sexually-transmitted Zika virus case has been identified in Lucas County. (James Gathany, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) CLEVELAND, Ohio-- A 61-year-old Lucas County woman infected with Zika virus by her husband is the state's first sexually-transmitted case of the mosquito-borne virus. The woman's husband traveled to a country with active Zika transmission, according to a release from the Ohio Department of Health. It's the state's 15th travel-associated case, and the woman's husband's case brings the state total to 16. "Travelers to areas with active Zika virus transmission should take precautions to prevent mosquito bites, which is the primary way you can contract the virus," Dr. Mary DiOrio, medical director of ODH said in the release. "When travelers return home, they should follow [Centers for Disease Control] guidance to prevent sexual transmission of the virus, especially to pregnant women or women or may become pregnant." There are now 755 travel-associated Zika cases nationally, with another 12 cases acquired through sexual transmission, according to the CDC. No one in the U.S. has been infected with the virus locally through the bite of a mosquito. The CDC has provided the following guidance on sexual transmission of Zika: Men who have traveled to or reside in an area with active Zika virus transmission and their pregnant sex partners should consistently and correctly use condoms during sex (i.e., vaginal intercourse, anal intercourse, or fellatio) or abstain from sex for the duration of the pregnancy. Men and their The guidance is based on evidence that links certain birth defects to Zika virus. As of early June, 234 pregnant women in the U.S. had been infected with Zika, according to the CDC. Last week, the CDC reported that six women with the virus had delivered babies with birth defects. Three of the six pregnancies were lost or terminated due to brain damage from the virus. "We have been preparing to make sure we are ready in case something like this happened," Dr. David Grossman, Health Commissioner of Toledo-Lucas County Public Health said in the release. "It's important to take the necessary precautions to protect yourself from mosquito bites and control the mosquito population by eliminating standing water, wearing insect repellent along with long sleeves and pants, and have intact screens on doors and windows." Unlike the Ebola virus, which is transmitted through close contact with bodily fluids and is highly contagious, Zika is passed along when a mosquito bites an infected person, feeds, and carries the infected blood to another person. State officials say they have been preparing for Zika since January. For more information from the state's health department, go to www.odh.ohio.gov. IMG_0312.jpeg Throngs of RTA riders crowded Tower City following the Cleveland Cavaliers' victory parade. (Eric Heisig, cleveland.com) CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Commuters are experiencing lengthy delays leaving downtown Cleveland following the Cavaliers' victory parade. The county estimated that more than 1 million people attended Wednesday's parade and rally. The crowds caused delays on trains, buses and highways. Keep checking cleveland.com throughout the afternoon commute for updates on parking, traffic, road closures and public transportation. If you're experiencing delays, please tweet photos at twitter.com/kriswernowsky. 7:02 p.m. RTA buses have returned to their normal routes, a spokeswoman said. Buses through downtown had been rerouted to interim terminals on Prospect Avenue near East 22nd Street and the intersection of Superior, Prospect and Huron avenues. 6:51 p.m. The RTA is adding buses for Green and Blue Line services. Riders can board the buses outside the Jack Casino. 6:07 p.m. Heavy traffic at other RTA stations. RTA Rapid platform full @ W. 25/Ohio City station, and line wraps up the station & around the block pic.twitter.com/uIqJrHYEYZ Jane Morice (@janemorice) June 22, 2016 6:06 p.m. Tower City has reopened and RTA trains and buses are running, police said. 5:46 p.m. Lots are still full at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, officials said. 5:37 p.m. Car traffic leaving the city is slow during rush hour following the parade. Officials are asking motorists to be patient. 5:26 p.m. Traffic is still backed up leaving downtown. There are delays on the Shoreway near FirstEnergy Stadium, per cleveland.com reporter Chanda Neely. 5:21 p.m. Update: One woman was shot twice in the leg near Public Square. Suspect in custody. 5:08 p.m. The shooting near Public Square has shut down RTA service at Tower City, according to police scanner traffic. 5:08 p.m. Two women were injured in a non-fatal shooting near Public Square, police are reporting. The shooter is in custody. Ontario and Euclid, 2 females shot, non fatal, E. 4/Euclid male suspect is in custody. EMS enroute please avoid area. Cleveland Police (@CLEpolice) June 22, 2016 4:58 p.m. There's a long line of cars on Superior Avenue headed toward I-90. 4:51 p.m. The RTA has temporarily closed the entrance to the Tower City station due to overcrowding. Unclear when it will reopen. Tower City Trains are operating however due to large crowds the entrance to Tower City from Public Square has been temporarily closed. Greater Cleveland RTA (@GCRTA) June 22, 2016 4:53 p.m. Heavy traffic on city streets. Traffic totally gridlocked @ E. 13 + Superior Ave. as of 3:45 p.m.; not much has changed as of 5 p.m. pic.twitter.com/co1HWFGLFt Jane Morice (@janemorice) June 22, 2016 4:46 p.m. Witnesses told cleveland.com reporter Robin Goist that the person who pepper sprayed the woman during a fight was arrested. Police at the scene would not offer additional details. 4:36 p.m. More information on the report of someone being pepper sprayed: A woman was pepper sprayed during a fight, according to police scanner traffic. #CLE EMS taking care of young woman who was maced in Subway (restaurant) pic.twitter.com/Hwpb1nA69j Robin Goist (@robingoist) June 22, 2016 4:30 p.m. Overheard on police scanner: Report of someone being pepper-sprayed at Tower City, but not by a police officer. Cleveland EMS en route. 4:18 p.m. The RTA said on Twitter it hopes to resume normal bus routes by 7 p.m., but that is subject to change due to parade traffic. 4:18 p.m. There are significant delays on I-480 east to I-77 south due to a serious crash, according to ODOT. There is a medical helicopter at the scene. Here's a look at traffic in the area. Here's a look at traffic on I-480 east near I-77. pic.twitter.com/Kf9zkNdN5D Evan MacDonald (@evanmac3) June 22, 2016 4:16 p.m. Traffic heavy in downtown Cleveland, particularly on the East Side, per Google Maps. pic.twitter.com/DfbVsw4eYE Evan MacDonald (@evanmac3) June 22, 2016 4:13 p.m. The I-90 east and I-77 north ramps to East 9th are now open, according to ODOT. 4:08 p.m. Long lines at the Green Road RTA station. Photo by @PeterKrouse pic.twitter.com/QEqdytl0jq Evan MacDonald (@evanmac3) June 22, 2016 4:02 p.m. More updates from Tower City. 3:46 p.m. Officers are now estimating a three-hour wait for trains at the Tower City RTA station, per cleveland.com reporter Eric Heisig. 3:44 p.m. Heavy traffic on the I-90 ramp to Chester Avenue. Traffic from 90 E onto Chester is abysmal. Traffic also moving slow on 90 W. #cavsparade #ALLinCLE pic.twitter.com/z5P9Gj8QVR Cory Shaffer (@cory_shaffer) June 22, 2016 3:27 p.m. The line of riders waiting for the RTA at Tower City stretches out the side of the building facing Public Square, according to cleveland.com reporter Eric Heisig. One RTA police officer at Tower City estimated an hour-long wait to board the train. The station remains open but officers are allowing riders to enter in groups, an RTA spokeswoman said. The RTA has established two interim terminals for all buses leaving downtown. The terminals are expected to be in use through the evening commute, an RTA spokeswoman said. Bus riders heading east can catch a ride near the Stephanie Tubbs Jones Transit Center on Prospect Avenue near East 22nd Street. Those heading west can board a bus near the intersection of Superior, Prospect and Huron avenues. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The first truckload of boxes containing 75 years worth of Superman memorabilia from superfan Mike Curtis arrived at the Cleveland Public Library, and now the work begins. Curtis, 63, of Greenbrier, Arkansas, donated his collection of about 17,000 pieces to be used in a permanent exhibit at the downtown library honoring the Man of Steel and his creators, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. When it opens in 2017, it will be the closest thing to a Superman museum the city is likely to get. Curtis, writer of the syndicated Dick Tracy comic strip, said he wanted his collection to be enjoyed and appreciated, and felt that the birthplace of Superman was the perfect spot. Amy Dawson, manager of the library's literature department, said they will categorize every piece of paper, every magazine article about Superman, every lunchbox, every game, every glass, every toy and then preserve it the best way possible. "There is a lot here," she said, looking at the dozens of boxes in a library storage area. "We will apply for a grant to get money so we can preserve and restore the pieces. There are some valuable pieces here that people will want to look at." The job of doing the physical, painstaking labor involved goes to Michael Olszewski, president of the Siegel and Shuster Society. Olszweski is working toward a master's degree in library science, and working with this collection qualifies as work toward his degree. He is officially an intern with the Cleveland Library. He said it will take until the end of the year to categorize and describe each item. Dawson said they will work with specialists to clean up and preserve many of the pieces. "How do you get stains off of a Superman picture on a 40-year-old glass?" she mused. "I don't want to damage it, we have to talk to people who have done this before we go any further." Olszewski and Dawson carefully opened box after box and removed the items inside for examination. Olszewski, who has quite a Superman collection himself, would occasionally stop to ooh and ahh at a particular treasure. "This is a poster for the 1950 'Atom Man vs. Superman' serial and it's signed by Kirk Alyn, who played Superman. This is beautiful. This is a Superman 45 rpm record player from 1978, which is something you don't see very often. And it has Superman records on it." The serials would run before the regular movie feature at movie theaters for months. They would often end on a cliffhanger, designed to bring the audience back for the next Saturday matinee. Much of the Curtis collection is from the 1970s and later, including toys, games, dolls, costumes and other projects readily available at the time. All have value, some more than others. These will be the pieces that people will remember buying for themselves back when they were kids. Then there are the treasures like the 1942 hardback book "The Adventures of Superman" by George Lowther, complete with original Joe Shuster drawings. It is signed Kirk Alyn and Noel Neill, who played Lois Lane in the 1950's Superman television series starring George Reeves. There is also an odd-looking Superman costume that is part of the Superman costume George Reeves wore on the 1957 "I Love Lucy" show with Lucille Ball. Dawson said she hoped to put together a Superman exhibit using a selection of the items this November, to give people a taste of what the full display would look like. She also wants to show how carefully the library treats its possessions, to encourage other Superman collectors to make donations or loans of Superman items. "We would love more items to add to the collection," she said. "We will only be able to show portions of the collection at a time, and we will rotate it to keep it fresh. If there are other collectors out there who wish to loan us an item for a while, we would be happy to display it." Another reason is that Curtis is planning a trip to Northeast Ohio in November to be a guest at the Akron Comiccon, Nov. 5 and 6 at the John S. Knight Convention Center. Dawson said she would like to show Curtis how well they are treating his donations. Curtis will be brought back to Cleveland in 2017 for the official opening of the Superman display. There are many items of Superman (and Supergirl) inspired clothing, including pajamas, capes, costumes, raincoats, pants, shirts and shoes. Some are just a couple of decades, others go back to the 1950s. There are also some interesting non-sanctioned items that DC Comics never approved. Many of them are foreign interpretations of Superman like "Supermagnifico," featuring a man who wears a similar costume but facially bears no resemblance to Superman. Toys from Japan, Mexico and other places that feature a character that looks almost, but not quite, like Superman were in the boxes. Olszewski said it would be fun to put together a display of the knock-offs. The Superman exhibit will be the crown jewel of the library's already massive comic book and graphic novel section. The library has a Siegel and Shuster Reading Room in honor of the Superman creators, who spent so much time at the library in the 1930s. With the Superman statue promised for 2018, the 80th anniversary of the first appearance of Superman in "Action Comics" No. 1, Cleveland will look worthy of calling itself the birthplace of Superman. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A teen was shot outside Tower City shortly after the end of the Cavs victory parade in downtown Cleveland. The shooting happened shortly after 5 p.m. near Euclid Avenue and Ontario Street. Cleveland police said that a 13-year-old girl was shot and that a 15-year-old was taken into custody shortly after the shooting. Police said that two witnesses told investigators that the teen taken into custody was not the shooter. Police are searching for a second suspect. The shooting came toward the end of a mostly peaceful day in downtown Cleveland that saw an estimated 1 million people visit to revel in the Cavaliers championship victory. Lauren Harrison was inside the Euclid Arcade charging her phone when the shooting happened. "We heard screams, and a couple of people thought maybe the players came through," she said. "People looked nervous, scared. I found my daughter and the cops came running through...people were running up the steps to the [hotel] and tripping over each other." Tensions rose around Tower City as people leaving the parade were met with hours-long delays on RTA trains. The shooting brought transit out of Tower City to a standstill. Officials have not discussed a possible motive in the shooting. A cleveland.com reporter at the federal courthouse said that several traumatized witnesses walked into the courthouse after the shooting. I'm at the fed. courthouse. Security let people panicked from the shooting in from safety. There are a few dozen people here. #cavsparade Eric Heisig (@eheisig) June 22, 2016 SWAT officers searched nearby restaurants Harry Buffalo and Hyde Park after several calls reported possible shooters in those buildings. Officials later determined that those claims were unfounded. Cleveland Police Chief Calvin Williams said the initial report reported that the shooting happened inside the Jack Casino, but police cleared the building. The chief said the casino was expected to reopen later Wednesday evening. Another cleveland.com reporter who was outside Tower City said that she heard about four gunshots and saw people screaming and running away from the building. Mothers held their children. Reports of robbery at Harry Buffalo are false. No additional incidents to report. Cleveland Police (@CLEpolice) June 22, 2016 No one shot in casino. No shooting in casino. Cleveland Police (@CLEpolice) June 22, 2016 Cleveland.com reporters Cory Shaffer and Eric Heisig contributed to this story. If you would like to comment on this story, please visit our crime and courts comment page. Has the country's greatness faded? america from A1 Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine on Wednesday rejected a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow prayer in public schools. (David Goldman, Associated Press) COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Attorney General Mike DeWine on Wednesday rejected petitions from a group proposing a constitutional amendment giving Ohio children the right to pray in public schools and requiring schools to display the U.S. Bill of Rights. The Coalition to Return Prayer to Our Public Schools turned in 1,402 signatures to DeWine's office, 402 more than needed at this stage. DeWine's job is to certify whether the summary that will appear on future petitions is a fair and truthful summary of the proposed amendment. But DeWine didn't even get that far; the group's submission contained only the summary and lacked the actual proposed amendment language DeWine's office compares the summary to. "This deficiency is a fatal error that requires me to reject the submission," DeWine wrote in a letter to the group. The group made the same error and a few others in a 2013 submission for the same proposed amendment. Henry Johnson III of the Coalition to Return Prayer to Our Public Schools said the group plans to resubmit the language in the future but does not have a target election date. Johnson, senior pastor at Union Grove Baptist Church in Columbus, said the amendment was intended to give Christians the right to pray in schools. But he said it would not prohibit people of other faiths from praying "their way." "When I was coming up, it was quite different than what it is today," Johnson told cleveland.com. "We didn't have a problem of having prayer in school. We didn't have a problem with having Christmas plays and Easter plays. We feel like as Christians, our rights are being deprived" The summary says the amendment would express: That the right of Ohio citizens to express their religious beliefs shall not be infringed upon. That school children have the right to pray and/or acknowledge their religious beliefs voluntarily in their schools. That all public schools shall display the Bill of Rights of the U.S. Constitution. The attorney general's certification is the first step in a long, often expensive process to put a constitutional amendment before voters. If approved by DeWine, the bipartisan Ohio Ballot Board then decides whether the amendment should be one issue or multiple issues on the ballot. After that step, petitioners can start collecting the 305,591 signatures of registered Ohio voters needed to qualify the measure for the ballot. The pro-independence Scottish National Party's (SNP) move to ally with British Prime Minister David Cameron in rallying voters to stay in the European Union (EU) is coming under fire from an influential Scottish politician. Earlier this month, Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland and SNP leader, warned a British exit from the EU would place Edinburgh at the "mercy of the most right-wing Tory government in modern history." If the leave camp prevails at Thursday's vote, speculation is high that Cameron will resign and be succeeded by one of the right-wing figures behind the campaign, such as former London mayor Boris Johnson. Should that happen, Sturgeon said a number of rights, such as maternity leave or vacation leave, could be dismantled. But such arguments are deceptive and amount to scare-mongering, former SNP deputy leader Jim Sillars told CNBC on Wednesday. "Whoever forms a Tory administration after Thursday only has a majority of 12 in the House of Commons. No government with a 12 majority will ever start to try to undo the various benefits we have in British law in terms of maternity pay, paternal leave and the right to holidays." The SNP has also warned that a Brexit could hit Scottish trade with the rest of Europe "At the moment we are part of a free market where we have access to 500 million other consumers...If we voluntarily withdraw from that free market, we will no longer have access to trading with that free market," SNP politician Joanna Cherry said this week, according to the BBC. watch now McDonald's has received more than half a dozen bids for its planned sale of China and Hong Kong stores, including offers from Beijing Tourism Group, Sanpower and ChemChina in a deal worth about $3 billion, people familiar with the matter told Reuters. McDonald's is offering a 20-year master franchise agreement to buyers as part of the deal, but has placed restrictions which has discouraged some private equity firms from participating in the process, the people added. Still, some global buyout firms including Bain Capital, TPG Capital and Carlyle Group have entered the auction with a view to team up with some of the Chinese strategic bidders, the people added. Other bidders who were preparing to place first-round bids ahead of Monday's deadline include, Beijing Capital Agribusiness Group, McDonald's China partner, and GreenTree Hospitality, the people added. It was not immediately clear if the last two suitors proceeded with the bids. watch now Oak Brook, Illinois-based McDonald's has hired Morgan Stanley to run the sale of about 2,800 restaurants in China, Hong Kong and South Korea, Reuters previously reported. The sale of South Korea is being run separately and it was not known if the same parties have expressed interest in the South Korean sale, the people added. The China and Hong Kong business had about $200 million in earnings before interest, depreciation and amortization, and could be sold for about 15-16 times its core earnings, taking the deal value to about $3 billion, one of the people said. ChemChina and Sanpower officials were not available to comment immediately, while Beijing Tourism Group said it did not know about the matter. An official at Beijing Capital Agribusiness Group said the company did not participate in the bidding. A spokeswoman for GreenTree said the company was not bidding currently. watch now watch now North Korea launched what appeared to be a second intermediate-range Musudan missile on Wednesday that flew about 400 km (250 miles), in what appeared to be its most effective test yet, hours after another launch failed, South Korea's military said. It was not immediately clear if the second Musudan launch, about two hours after the first, was considered a success or failure, or how the flight ended. However, the distance it covered was theoretically more than halfway towards the southwest coast of Japan's main Honshu island. The first missile was launched from the east coast city of Wonsan, a South Korean official said, the same area where previous tests of intermediate-range missiles were conducted, possibly using mobile launchers. Yonhap, quoting a government official, said it disintegrated mid-air after a flight of about 150 km (95 miles). The launches were in continued defiance of international warnings and a series of U.N. Security Council resolutions that ban the North from using ballistic missile technology, which Pyongyang rejects as an infringement of its sovereignty. watch now Wednesday's first launch would have been the fifth straight unsuccessful attempt in the past two months to launch a missile that is designed to fly more than 3,000 km (1,800 miles) and could theoretically reach any part of Japan and the U.S. territory of Guam. However, Jeffrey Lewis of the California-based Middlebury Institute of International Studies, said failures were a normal part of testing and that North Korea would fix the problems with the Musudan sooner or later. "If North Korea continues testing, eventually its missileers will use the same technology in a missile that can threaten the United States," Lewis told Reuters. watch now Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani told reporters in Tokyo that North Korea's repeated missile launches were a "serious provocation" and could not be tolerated. He said further provocative action from Pyongyang could not be ruled out, and suggested the twin launches could have been timed to coincide with the 66th anniversary of the start of the Korean War in 1950. Japan had indicated after the first launch that it would protest strongly because it violated a United Nations resolution. While the launches posed no threat to Japanese security, Nakatani also said repeated failures indicated possible problems with the missiles' engines. In Seoul, South Korea's presidential office said a national security meeting would be convened later on Wednesday morning to discuss the latest missile launches. The U.S. military detected the two missiles, most likely Musudan, from North Korea, the U.S. military's Pacific Command said. A Pentagon spokesman said the missiles both fell into the Sea of Japan. Japan put its military on alert on Tuesday for a possible North Korean ballistic missile launch. South Korea's Yonhap News Agency, citing an unidentified government source, said the North had been seen moving an intermediate-range missile to its east coast. watch now Silicon Valley company 23andMe is a pioneer in personal genetic testing. The decade-old, privately held company based in Mountain View, California and backed by Alphabet 's Google Ventures, made a name for itself through direct-to-consumer "spit" tests, kits sent directly to customers at home who ship back a sample of their saliva for genetic analysis to determine whether they are carriers for a range of diseases. For $199, customers curious about their ancestry, physical traits, personal wellness, and carrier status for certain diseases have access to more than 60 genetic reports offered by 23andMe through genotyping, which is different from full-on DNA sequencing. "It's like going through the library but opening up each book to certain pages and looking at certain lines," said Erynn Gordon, 23andMe's director of clinical development. "We're looking at specific spots in the genome that we know are more frequently changed in carriers." The 23andMe spit kit, packaged for the mass market for genome sequencing Source: 23andMe But how useful or necessary these sorts of genetics are for consumers is still an open question. A recent poll commissioned by STAT News and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that only 50 percent of Americans know about genetic testing, and only 6 percent of adults surveyed said they had undergone genetic testing themselves. Of that number, 81 percent said the testing was "helpful" for determining their or their children's future health problems, or for digging into their ancestry and 10 percent said it wasn't. "Direct-to-consumer genetic testing is a different realm. It's relatively big and still relatively controversial over whether or not that should be done in the medical system," said Lawrence Brody, director of the Division of Genomics and Society at the National Human Genome Research Institute. Among companies that offer personal genetics testing, there is a split in belief as to how those tests should be offered to people. According to 23andMe, which has raised a total of $241 million in venture capital, consumers should have direct access to personal genetic information as it relates to whether they are carriers for certain diseases like cystic fibrosis or sickle cell anemia. "If we're going to have this genomics revolution, it's going to be driven by the consumer," said 23andMe CEO and cofounder Anne Wojcicki at Future of Genomic Medicine IX in March, which was No. 6 on the 2016 CNBC Disruptor 50 list. Wojcicki is the former wife of Google co-founder Sergey Brin. The Food and Drug Administration disagreed with 23andMe on how far it could go in putting the consumer first in the genetic information boom. In 2013, the FDA ordered 23andMe to stop marketing the health data of their genetic analysis kits, however, the product stayed on the market offering ancestry data that enabled customers to identify DNA relatives and explore their ancestry. At the time, the federal agency said 23andMe was selling a medical device directly to consumers without marketing authorization, and therefore needed to go through the FDA approval process. The FDA won some considerable concessions from the Google-backed company. In 2015, 23andMe received FDA approval for a scaled-back suite of tests. For this reason other companies such as Color Genomics and Counsyl that also make genetics tests for consumers involve people's primary care physicians from the start. Counsyl, for example, says that 85 percent of its carrier-screening tests are performed by drawing blood at the doctor's office. But even the saliva samples that are sent to Counsyl by customers for analysis begin with a doctor conversation. "Direct-to-consumer testing is a model for addressing certain issues, but we think that our model is stronger in the sense that it's partnering with health care providers who can have a direct relationship with the patient," said Eric Evans, Counsyl co-founder and chief science officer. Anne Wojcicki, co-founder of 23andme. Getty Images Whether physicians find any sort of clinical utility in a patient getting information about their own genome is questionable. A survey of physicians conducted for STAT News found that 74 percent of doctors think analyzing a patient's family medical history will offer them and their patients better clues than genome sequencing in gauging the likelihood of a heritable cancer. And whether customers fully understand the results of their own genetic tests and what to do with that information is another question entirely. It's important to note that carrier-screening tests are not diagnostic tests. They're more like risk assessments: the probability that a woman carrying a BRCA gene mutation will likely develop breast cancer. "I think we learned that patients really want their physicians involved in these kind of tests and the decisions that ensue thereafter," said Shivani Nazareth, director of women's health at Counsyl and a board-certified genetic counselor. "If you want genetics to be accessible and consumer-friendly, you can't just give them the data." If we're going to have this genomics revolution, it's going to be driven by the consumer. Anne Wojcicki 23and Me CEO and co-founder This is where 23andMe disagrees. The company says its genetics reports it prepares for customers are thorough and clear. When it received the go-ahead from the FDA, 23andMe had to show that 90 percent of its customers were able to comprehend their own genetics reports. Even so, 23andMe has its own seven-member medical team to answer physicians' questions, and it's currently producing webinars to educate physicians about the questions their patients might bring to them after completing a 23andMe test. But Gordon also points out there are reasons for people to have genetic tests done that are totally independent of their healthcare providers. Some people might want ethnic or ancestral information, and others "are interested in pursuing more than what their doctor is willing or able to offer." What is likely is that more and more people will be having their personal genomes examined. So far, about 600,000 people working through 6,000 health care providers have taken a Counsyl test. And 1.2 million customers have received genetic information from a 23andMe test. Of those, 80 percent have even given 23andMe permission to use their genetic data for the company's new internal therapeutics team. "We are trying to understand what predisposes someone to developing a certain kind of disease," said Joyce Tung, vice president of research at 23andMe. The splicing of big tech and big pharma The free movement of people is a key principle of the European Union, but it is being tested to the limit by the migrant crisis and the U.K's referendum on its future in the 28-country bloc. Meanwhile Africa is taking steps to establish the freedom of movement on its own continent. The African Union (which consists of 54 African countries and was launched in 2002) announced this month that it planned to launch an electronic passport scheme in July. The electronic passport will facilitate visa-free travel among all the countries of the African Union. Initially, only heads of state, government ministers and representatives of African Union will receive the passport. However, the intention is that each member state will be motivated to implement the laws and procedures required for visa-free travel and later issue an African passport to citizens. The African Union aims for visa-free travel for all African citizens within the continent by 2020. London's office buildings may become a lot less crowded if the U.K. votes to exit the European Union in its referendum Thursday, a new survey found. A survey of corporate occupiers found that nearly half expected to review their U.K. business space in both the short- and long-term in the event of a "leave" vote, global property agent JLL said Wednesday. "A third believed it will reduce leasing activity in the short-term and lead to reduced headcount in the longer term," JLL said in a statement. "Only around one in five think it will have no impact on strategy in the short term, a figure that falls to 13 percent in the longer term." The survey included 31 occupier respondents, which included major international companies and some of the country's "most significant institutional investors," JLL said, adding that 41 out of 53 property investors surveyed believed London offices were the most vulnerable. The London office market was seen as the most likely to be affected "by far," as the financial services market is the "most immediately vulnerable" to a Brexit, JLL said. "The most obvious issue is the potential withdrawal of 'passporting' rights allowing [financial service companies] to offer services throughout the EU from London," JLL said. Britons will head to the polls on Thursday, June 23, to determine the future of the U.K. within the 28-member trade bloc. A telephone poll conducted by Survation for IG on Monday showed the remain and leave camps were neck-and-neck, compared with a series of weekend polls that suggested momentum tilted in favor of the remain campaign. The results of JLL's survey jibed with previous comments from large global investment banks. First of all the EU has meant a more peaceful neighborhood. We well remember the time when we had little or no contact with our neighbors to the north in the Balkan region. The break-up of Yugoslavia in the 1990s brought horrifying ethnic cleansing, mistrust and artificial barriers around issues of religious differences. With our region steadily moving into the European Union we reversed that lack of co-operation, military build-up and ethnic tensions. Now there is trade, people-to-people cultural activities, co-operation in areas of infrastructure, energy and education that give meaning to our region. We established a road map for all that would guarantee the respect of human and minority rights as well as good neighborly relations. We can envision a common future together based on common values rather than a future of animosity and hatred. In the past few years, Cramer watched as the Federal government has turned violently against these deals and the repercussions are wreaking havoc on stocks. Companies are no longer automatically given higher price-to-earnings multiples based on an acquisition. For a long time the free market was able to take care of itself. Companies would merge to take out costs, and the market would respond. "Nothing can be done about it except survival of the fittest," the " Mad Money " host said. As stocks fell on Wednesday, Jim Cramer could not dismiss the notion that there is too much of everything. Too many stores, trucking companies, airlines, banks and oil companies among many other goods. The clock is ticking. The bids should be made, but it sure doesn't look like that will happen. "I think some of this is a backlash to the Justice Department's willingness to bless too many airline mergers, with the straw that broke the camel's back being the American Airlines -US Airways deal. That raised prices big-time across the entire group," Cramer said. Mergers have been in the doghouse ever since. Cramer thinks there are too many oil and oil service companies out there. Halliburton and Baker Hughes recognized this, but the merger was blocked. The oil patch itself has had many opportunities to combine, but nothing happened. Meanwhile, there are also a large number of big pharma companies. Yet, when Pfizer tried to merge with Allergan , the government shot down the deal. The combination of the two companies would have allowed it to stop paying taxes in the United States, so Cramer understood why it did not go through. "Boy did it ever freeze mergers in the pharmaceutical space," he said. Cramer also had the Dow -DuPont deal, Walgreen's takeover of Rite Aid the Anthem-Cigna merger on his radar. Those don't seem to be getting done, either. "Put all these blocked or stalled deals together and you can see there is something big going on here, big and bad for stocks," Cramer said. The government's increased resistance to M&A deals is a large overhang for the market. It prevents new money from flowing into stocks and creates record-high cash positions. Buybacks can help shrink the existing supply of stock, but it is not enough. Takeovers are the answer. "We need mergers that let these retailers sell real estate, while giving them more pricing power versus their suppliers and creating tremendous opportunities for cost cutting," Cramer said. Companies aren't taking a chance, though. Perhaps they also think their deals will be blocked. While there isn't a likelihood of large companies like Lowe's and Home Depot merging any time soon, Cramer did spot a few opportunities. He recognized media companies, auto parts, and Twitter as all being ripe for deals. "The clock is ticking. The bids should be made, but it sure doesn't look like that will happen," Cramer said. Disney CEO Bob Iger is focused on running one of the world's largest media corporations. But the media chief isn't ruling out running for elected office someday. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Iger said he is interested in politics and many people have encouraged him to seek office. "I will not be specific about any office. I wouldn't rule in or rule out," Iger said. "Honestly, I'm interested in politics, I'm interested in giving back in some form, performing some sort of civic duty. But I'm not exploring a run for governor or senator or anything along those lines. I'm focused on running Disney." Iger talked to the trade publication as part of its "Power 100" issue, in which Iger was named the most powerful executive in Hollywood. Iger, who started his career as a weatherman in Ithaca, New York, is a Democrat and Hillary Clinton supporter this election cycle. During his 11 years as Disney CEO, he has overseen acquisitions of Pixar and Lucasfilm, and the company's stock has risen substantially. Iger is not the first media executive to be mentioned as a possible political candidate. Former Time Warner CEO Richard Parsons, once a top aide to New York Gov. Nelson Rockefeller in the '70s, was frequently rumored to have political ambitions, and his name was even floated as a possible Cabinet member appointee under President George W. Bush. Check out which companies are making headlines before the bell: Winnebago The recreational vehicle maker earned an adjusted 53 cents per share for its latest quarter, 9 cents a share above estimates. Revenue also beat forecasts. Winnebago's results were helped by strong growth in its towable products. SolarCity Automaker Tesla offered to buy the solar company for $2.8 billion in stock. Tesla CEO Elon Musk is the chairman and majority shareholder in SolarCity. Priceline Group Barclays upgraded the travel website operator's stock to "overweight" from "equal weight," saying current valuation reflects undue pessimism about the company's prospects. Adobe Systems Adobe reported adjusted quarterly earnings of 71 cents per share, 3 cents a share above estimates. The software tools maker's revenue matched forecasts. However, Adobe gave a weaker-than-expected forecast for the current quarter. FedEx FedEx beat estimates by 2 cents a share, with adjusted quarterly profit of $3.30 per share. Revenue also came in higher than analysts' forecasts. However, FedEx reported an overall quarterly loss due to pension adjustments and costs related to its acquisition of Europe's TNT. KB Home KB Home reported quarterly profit of 17 cents per share, 3 cents a share above estimates. The home builder's revenue easily topped forecasts. KB's home deliveries increased a better-than-expected 30 percent and new orders were higher by 8 percent. Fortune Brands Home & Security The provider of home security products will join the S&P 500 after the close of trading tomorrow. The stock will replace Cablevision Systems, following the completion of that company's acquisition by Europe's Altice. Racetrack operator Churchill Downs will replace Fortune in the S&P MidCap 400. McDonald's The restaurant chain has gotten more than six bids for its China and Hong Kong stores, according to Reuters, which said the sale of those stores could bring in up to $3 billion. Separately, Nomura downgraded the stock to "neutral" from "buy," based in part on slowing restaurant same-store sales trends in the U.S. Walt Disney Disney sued three China-based firms in a copyright dispute involving Disney's hit movie "Cars" and a locally produced animated film called "The Autobots." Facebook Facebook signed nearly 140 deals for more than $50 million, paying celebrities and media companies to create videos for its live-streaming service, according to The Wall Street Journal. Post Holdings The cereal maker held talks recently to combine with the frozen potato business of food producer ConAgra , according to The Wall Street Journal. The paper said the talks stalled but could resume. United Continental The airline is reviewing how it uses its eight hubs at large airports, as it seeks ways to be as profitable as its rivals. United has a smaller market share at those hubs than those its competitors like American and Delta operate. Here is a fact-check of some of the claims in Donald Trump's speech . This post will be updated as our team researches more of Trump's claims. Donald Trump delivered a speech Wednesday billed as a broadside attack on presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton's foreign policy and economic record. Trump called the address an opportunity to "discuss the failed policies and bad judgment of Crooked Hillary Clinton." Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump delivers a speech during a campaign event at the Trump Soho Hotel in Manhattan, New York City, on June 22, 2016. CLAIM: "Now, because I have pointed out why [TPP] would be such a disastrous deal, she is pretending that she is against it. She has even deleted this record of total support from her book." The facts: After Clinton walked back her support for the Trans-Pacific Partnership last October saying the final deal wasn't what she'd hoped for when she advocated for it during negotiations as Secretary of State-- longer passages supporting the partnership were edited out of her book Hard Choice's paperback edition. The cuts were part of 96 pages of cuts made to account for the paperback's smaller size, according to a publisher's note. But not all of them were cut: there's still two pages praising the deal, or at least the idea of it. "It's safe to say that the TPP won't be perfect - no deal negotiated among a dozen countries ever will be - bit its higher standards, if implemented and enforced, should benefit American businesses and workers," she wrote. Trump has adamantly opposed TPP since before his campaign began; there's no indication that his remarks changed her mind. CLAIM: Hillary Clinton "is a world class liar" The facts: According to PolitiFact, 59% of Trump's checked claims have been deemed false or "Pants on Fire" false, versus 12% for Clinton. Donald Trump: True: 2% Mostly True: 7% Half True: 15% Mostly False: 17% False: 40% Pants on Fire: 19% Hillary Clinton: True: 23% Mostly True: 28% Half True: 21% Mostly False: 15% False: 11% Pants on Fire: 1% CLAIM: "It all started with her bad judgment in supporting the War in Iraq in the first place. Though I was not in government service, I was among the earliest to criticize the rush to war, and yes, even before the war ever started." The facts: Politifact ranks this oft-repeated claim False. More: In September 2002, Trump said he supported the Iraq invasion during an interview with Howard Stern. Then, in September 2003 - several months after the invasion, he said "It wasn't a mistake to fight terrorism and fight it hard, and I guess maybe if I had to do it, I would have fought terrorism but not necessarily Iraq." CLAIM: "Under her plan, we would admit hundreds of thousands of refugees from the most dangerous countries on Earth - with no way to screen who they are or what they believe." The facts: A screening system is in place that usually takes about two years, according to federal authorities. More, from Politifact: "While there are concerns about information gaps, a system does exist and has existed since 1980. It involves multiple federal intelligence and security agencies as well as the United Nations. Refugee vetting typically takes one to two years and includes numerous rounds of security checks." CLAIM: "She ran the State Department like her own personal hedge fund - doing favors for oppressive regimes, and many others, in exchange for cash." The facts: Trump is citing the claim by "Clinton Cash" author Peter Schweizer, who alleged that Clinton took direct action to benefit a Clinton Foundation donor from sale of a uranium mining company. But as Schweizer told NBC's Savannah Guthrie in April 2015, he had not direct evidence of a quid-pro-quo. "No, we don't have direct evidence. But it warrants further investigation because, again, this is part of the broader pattern. You either have to come to the conclusion that these are all coincidences or something else is afoot." CLAIM: "If I am elected President, I will end the special-interest monopoly in Washington, D.C." The facts: The person who is now leading Trump's campaign, Paul Manafort, is founder of the former lobbying/public affairs firm Davis Manafort. (Manafort also has deep ties to pro-Russian politicians in Ukraine.) What's more, Bloomberg News recently reported that Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner approached GOP megadonor Robert Mercer to establish an anti-Clinton Super PAC. Georgia congressman John Lewis deployed a strategy from his days as a civil rights activist and the viral nature of social media to stage a dramatic sit-in Wednesday on the House floor with his fellow Democrats to force a vote on gun control. "Sometimes you have to do something out of the ordinary, sometimes you have to make a way out of no way," said Lewis, one of the last living icons of civil disobedience during the civil rights movement. "There comes a time when you have to say something, when you have to make a little noise, when you have to move your feet. This is the time. Now is the time to get in the way. The time to act is now. We will be silent no more." Lewis and roughly 40 fellow House Democrats recited the Pledge of Allegiance as a couple dozen visitors in the gallery looked on and vowed "to occupy the floor of the House until there is action." Other Democrats began chanting: "I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired!" and "No bill, no break!" More from NBC News: Congressman loses bid to block Tubman from $20 bill Marco Rubio to seek re-election to Florida Senate seat Feds arrest 275 in nation's largest health care fraud bust "We will be sitting-in until the House is allowed an opportunity to vote," Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland said in a statement. "This is an issue that ought to transcend party it's about saving lives and keeping our communities safe." Rep. Keith Ellison posted on Facebook that he learned about the sit-in when a staffer handed him a note that read: "Your Mom called and wants you on the floor!" "Couldn't say no," the Minnesota Democrat wrote. "Don't worry, mom. I'm there." Soon they were joined by Democratic reinforcements from the Senate side, including Bob Menendez of New Jersey, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, and Patrick Leahy of Vermont Lewis later told NBC News that "sometimes you are moved by history." It is unusual for members to disrupt the functioning of the House to this degree. If members do not leave the floor and no compromise is reached, it is largely up to Speaker Paul Ryan to decide whether to use the authority of the House to seek to clear the floor and/or sanction members, or to keep the House in recess and wait out the issue. The protest is not being televised because the House has not formally gaveled into session. So Rep. Scott Peters, D-California, has been using the video streaming app, Periscope, to share footage of the sit-in. C-Span has been broadcasting Peters' video feed. The protest is not being televised because the House has not formally gaveled into session. House members took to social media to lodge their protests using the hashtags #NoBillNoBreak, #NOMORESILENCE and #goodtrouble. @repjohnlewis: We are one people, one family, one America. We must come together to fight the senseless plague of gun violence. @RepJohnLarson: They can turn off the cameras but they can't keep us quiet. #NoMoreSilence. We want a vote on gun reforms @RepJohnYarmuth: I'm on the House floor with @repjohnlewis & Dems staging a sit-in to demand action on commonsense gun legislation Outside, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi made sure the rest of the country knew about what was going on inside the chamber with a hastily-arranged press conference on the Capitol steps . "Once again we are fighting an uphill fight to bring legislation to the floor," Pelosi said. "We truly believe that if there was a vote, we would win the vote." The merging of old school protest movement tactics such as sit-ins and speeches and new school social media protests helped ensure that the House Democrats' revolution on gun policy reform was indeed televised. The move led by Lewis, who was jailed and repeatedly beaten back in the 1960s when he helped lead the battle for equal rights for African-Americans, took the Republican leadership by surprise. And it came after Lewis wrote House Speaker Paul Ryan a letter demanding that he keep the House in session instead of going into recess so there could more debate on gun control legislation in the wake of the Orlando massacre. "As the worst mass shooting in our nation's history has underscored, our country cannot afford to stand by while this Congress continues to be paralyzed by politics," Lewis wrote. The House sit-in came on the heels of a dramatic showdown over gun policy Monday in the Senate. Four gun policy measures failed to pass the 60-vote threshold to move forward in the Senate on Monday in a dramatic showdown over gun policy. The votes came in the wake of the deadly shooting spree in a gay nightclub in Orlando the nation's worst mass shooting in modern history and a subsequent 15-hour filibuster by Senate Democrats who demanded action on gun control. The four amendments two filed by Democratic Sens. Dianne Feinstein of California, and Chris Murphy of Connecticut, and two other, less restrictive measures filed by Sens. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and John Cornyn, R-Texas addressed background checks of prospective gun buyers and the sale of guns and explosives to people on terrorist watch lists. Murphy, who led last week's 15-hour filibuster by Senate Democrats who demanded action on gun control applauded the House's moves. @ChrisMurphyCT: Just watched House Republicans shut down House as @HouseDemocrats began to sit down on floor to say #NoBillNoBreak. Amazing. So did former President Bill Clinton and President Barack Obama who in a Tweet thanked Lewis for "leading on gun violence where we need it most." Vice President Joe Biden called Lewis " the keeper of the nation's conscience at times of challenge and controversy." @billclinton: This is leadership. As the day wore on, the gallery seats began to fill as curious onlookers watched the impassioned speeches. Care packages with snacks and letters from supporters began pouring in for the lawmakers. Democratic Senators such as Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, and Sen. Mark Warner, D-Virginia, joined their House colleagues as did former members of Congress. The lawmakers, some of them wiping away tears, shared stories of constituents killed as a result of gun violence. This is a developing story. Please check back for updates. California's stressed-out power grid was handed another blow this week, when the state's last operating electricity-generating nuclear power plant said it plans to go offline in less than a decade. PG&E , owner of the Diablo Canyon Power Plant and a major provider of power for northern California, said Tuesday that it plans to shut down the facility when its current operating license expires in 2025, to meet the state's renewable energy policy goals. Though the plant has been in operation since 1985, it has come under criticism in recent years due to seismic risk concerns. PG&E spokesman Blair Jones said there are earthquake faults nearby but indicated the plant is designed to withstand quakes likely for the area, and that Diablo Canyon wouldn't be in operation today if that weren't the case. The company's announcement comes at an already tumultuous time for California's energy grid, which is facing early summer stress and a risk of rotating power outages down south. Indeed, thousands of customers were without power Monday and into Tuesday, as temperatures topped 110 degrees in some areas. On Monday, the state's power grid operator declared a Flex Alert for Southern California, warning that "demand on the power grid can be strained, as air conditioner use increases." A Flex Alert asks residents to conserve energy. While that strain is expected to lessen when temperatures cool later this week, the region's wildfires are adding another complication. Flames from a fire in the Angeles National Forest on Tuesday tripped a series of high-voltage lines, forcing the state grid operator to re-route electricity to make up for the impacted lines. California's heavy reliance on natural gas for more than half of its electricity generation has created vulnerabilities for the state, especially during the summer months. In particular, problems at Aliso Canyon a key natural gas storage facility and site of the nation's worst gas leak have become a concern for Southern Californians. "The likelihood of a power outage during a heat wave this summer is heightened because of the gas leak that," the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power said last week. "Aliso Canyon is the only gas storage facility that can immediately respond to rapid changes in gas supply for 17 gas-fired generating plants, including four generating stations operated by LADWP in the Los Angeles basin." Ed Rendell, former Pennsylvania governor and Democratic National Committee chairman, threw a glass of ice-cold water on Donald Trump's attack on Hillary Clinton. Trump on Wednesday lashed out at the presumptive Democratic nominee, saying she was a "world class liar" and alleged that she used the State Department as her "own personal hedge fund." Rendell, a frequent Clinton surrogate, said voters are unlikely to be swayed. "[For Trump] to say Hillary Clinton's against the LGBT community, to say Hillary Clinton's against African-Americans, you might as well try to convince people that Hillary Clinton's a vampire. I mean, it's just not going to work," Rendell told CNBC's "Squawk Alley." And while Trump cited few sources in his attacks on Clinton, Rendell said the former secretary of state was taking a different approach. "Hillary Clinton has used, specifically, quotes from Donald Trump himself, and every quote is backed up with a citation. So these are Trump's words that she's using to categorize Trump himself," he said. In Trump's speech, he said he would lower taxes and "build the greatest infrastructure on planet Earth" among other things. Rendell said those promises might be hard to keep. "You don't lower taxes, and then get money to fund a massive infrastructure and redevelopment program. So of course Donald Trump hasn't told us how he would fund that all," he said. Bernie Sanders acknowledged Wednesday that he will likely not be the Democratic nominee for president, as aides privately conceded that his future in the race remains in flux. When asked in an interview with C-SPAN's Steve Scully if he would be speaking at the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia this July, Sanders paused before answering. "Well, you know it's hard to say, it doesn't appear that I'm gonna be the nominee, so I'm not gonna be determining the scope of the convention," admitted the Vermont senator, two weeks after former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was projected to be the Democratic Party's presumptive nominee. Read more from NBC News: 'Spirit of history': House Democrats hold sit-in on gun control Breyer, Roberts, Ginsburg are richest Supreme Court justices Celebrities pick sides over U.K.'s 'Brexit' referendum on EU It's the closest Sanders has come to conceding the prolonged Democratic primary race to his opponent. A question that continues to linger, however, is when and if the insurgent candidate will endorse Clinton in the weeks ahead of the convention. Aides tell NBC News that officials with both the Sanders and Clinton campaigns are in conversations about ways to incorporate some of Sanders' main issues -- like college affordability, expanding Medicare and minimum wage -- into the party platform. Also on the table is a possible endorsement of Clinton before the Democrats convene in Philadelphia, but the timeline for voicing such support remains open. "Where we are right now with Secretary Clinton, we're negotiating, and negotiation goes two ways," Sanders said on C-SPAN when asked if he would endorse his Democratic rival. Sanders said that while there was no agreement in the works to exchange a coveted speaking slot at the Democratic convention for a formal endorsement, he does expect to speak. Aides confirmed that both camps have discussed a speaking slot. Although the Democratic primary season wrapped up on June 14, Sanders still has the benefit of a Secret Service detail. The Sanders camp says that that protection could extend to the Democratic convention in July. (Ultimately, the decision rests with Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, but it could be hastened by Sander's determining an exit from the race or an endorsement of Clinton.) On Wednesday, Sanders did praise Clinton as well, contrasting her to presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump. The presidential hopeful emphasized that Clinton's "command of public policy" is in a "different world" from Trump's and argued that Sanders supporters would not flock to Trump. "I suspect he ain't gonna get too many of those," he said. In the wide ranging interview, Sanders also said if he were to return to his Senate job in the fall, he would seek the chairmanship of the Health, Education, Labor and Pension (HELP) committee, if the Democrats were to take back the Senate. At the end of the primary season, Senator Sanders had earned 1,880 delegates (super and pledged) to the Democratic National Convention, to former Secretary Clinton's 2,809, according to NBC News estimates. SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son's surprise plan to remain firmly at the helm of the internet and telecoms giant for possibly 10 more years was warmly received on Wednesday, with investors unfazed by the loss of his high-profile heir apparent. Son, 58, had planned to retire at 60 and last year named Nikesh Arora, a former Google executive as his successor. Arora announced late on Tuesday that he was resigning as president, just two years into his stint after Son made clear that he was unwilling to relinquish the reins in the near future. Arora had earned praise for bold investments and his efforts to improve SoftBank's balance sheet with large asset sales. But his bumper pay, over $200 million in compensation in the last two years, had rankled with some investors who contrasted it with the firm's overall weaker performance. Masayoshi Son, CEO of SoftBank. Adam Jeffery | CNBC The decision by Arora, who was in charge of the company's overseas investments, to move on, however, made it crucial that Son clarify the company's long-term plans, said analysts who also noted slow progress in turning around unit U.S. wireless carrier Sprint. Son has in the past outlined a "SoftBank 2.0 strategy" to further expand in new business areas ranging from robotics and artificial intelligence to the "internet of things." "With uncertainties now cast upon the investment business...and with the firm back to square one in identifying a successor, the biggest risk factor, we think Son needs to outline his medium- to long-term vision once again," said Mizuho Securities analyst Kei Takahashi. For the immediate future, investors seemed happy to see that Son would be sticking around, with shares in the company climbing to end up 2.6 percent on Wednesday. "The share rise today reflects investors' hopes that Mr Son will be in charge for much longer," said Shigeru Kanno, a pensioner and one of over 2,000 investors at a shareholder gathering where Son's decision was greeted with loud applause. Son told shareholders he had too much energy to go soon. "I just felt I wanted to continue on as CEO for longer," he said. Shares of Tesla Motors shed more than 10 percent Wednesday after the company proposed to buy out SolarCity for about $2.8 billion. Some Wall Street analysts saw the acquisition bid as a negative for Elon Musk's electric car company, including analysts at Oppenheimer and RBC Capital Markets. Oppenheimer downgraded Tesla shares to perform from outperform and removed its price target of $385. "While we remain bulls on the solar industry, we do not view this acquisition as the best and highest use of TSLA's capital and human resources given the potential return on capital possible in the electricity industry (typically ~8%-9%) versus the potential leverage of the TSLA auto platform which we believe could demonstrate [return of invested capital] of 15%-20%+," they said in a Tuesday note to clients. Meanwhile, RBC Capital Markets analyst Joseph Spak said in a note Tuesday that while Tesla sees a number of synergies from the transaction, it will not be well received by shareholders. "We suspect the market will be more skeptical of the strategic rational and the financial/cash flow strain this could add to the TSLA story. By owning the asset, we believe TSLA may be trying the investing partner approach they have taken with shareholders and asking them to stick with them for something they potentially didn't sign-up for," Spak said. Trump said that during Clinton's tenure as America's top diplomat, she "managed to almost single-handedly destabilize the entire Middle East." He cited the loss of a friendly government in Egypt and an aggressive military approach that he said handed Libya to ISIS. "She doesn't have the temperament, or as Bernie Sanders said very strongly, the judgment to be president," Trump said, using a word she hurled against him recently in raising questions about his emotional stability. The presumptive Republican nominee said Clinton ran the State Department like her "own personal hedge fund," and he criticized trade deals negotiated during her tenure. He also called on Sen. Bernie Sanders' voters to support him. Donald Trump lit into Hillary Clinton on Wednesday, calling her a "world class liar" and criticizing her time as secretary of state as the tycoon looked to reset his presidential campaign after several rocky weeks. He also criticized the gifts he said she accepted from foreign donors, and the email scandal that has haunted the Democrat's campaign. He said foreign actors "totally own her." In his nationally televised comments at the Trump SoHo hotel in New York, he focused on Clinton's foreign policy, as well as her trade and immigration policies, and offered an alternative if vague and rambling set of reforms. "We'll stand up to countries that cheat on trade," Trump said, adding that he'll lift restrictions on energy production and rules that send jobs abroad. He also lambasted Obamacare, vowing to repeal and replace it, calling it "a total disaster." He also said he would increase available technology for the military, rebuild inner cities and infrastructure, and create jobs. "Hillary's massive taxation, regulation, and open borders will destroy jobs," he said. "Our country is going to start working again." The remarks came as Trump seeks to pivot toward the general election and quiet a growing wave of criticism from Democrats and Republicans that he does not have the temperament or campaign to win the presidency. Trump's salvo came a day after Clinton tore into Trump's business record. "Every day we see how reckless and careless Trump is. He's proud of it," Clinton said in Columbus, Ohio. "He's written a lot of books about business. They all seem to end at Chapter 11." Trump's speech had originally been planned for last week, but he pushed it back after the mass shooting in an Orlando, Florida, nightclub. On Monday, he fired campaign manager Corey Lewandowski. Hours later, a top campaign aide resigned. On Tuesday, Trump made headlines for a dismal May fundraising report that revealed an extremely low war chest, especially compared with Clinton. Republicans have expressed optimism that Lewandowski's departure marked a turning point for Trump's campaign. The candidate has also begun to ramp up his fundraising for the general election, holding an event in New York City on Tuesday evening co-hosted by several high-profile financiers, including John Paulson. Near the beginning of Donald Trump's nationally televised anti-Hillary Clinton speech today was a short pitch to Bernie Sanders fans asking for their support. And Trump even made sure to quote some of Sanders' harsher slams against Mrs. Clinton later in the address. So that begs the obvious question: Can Trump actually win over Sanders' supporters? It seems like a long shot based on the facts. Trump may be a different kind of Republican, but it's hard to believe anyone from the ardently progressive/socialist Sanders camp would get behind Trump. And Sanders has even said many times that he will work as hard as possible to ensure that Trump is not elected. The real answer isn't that simple. For the Sanders supporters who really researched and liked his specific proposals, Trump has no chance to win them over. But for the significant number of people who were attracted to Sanders because of the legitimate changes he was calling for, it's a different story. That's because love him or hate him, Trump now stands alone as the "change candidate" in this election. And when the public wants change, the change candidate almost always gathers together a lot of people who otherwise wouldn't be voting together. Trump will grab some Bernie supporters if he maintains this image; it's just a question of how many and in which states. Bernie's voters in the primaries were demographically a lot like Trump's supporters in two key ways; they were white and not necessarily earning high incomes. In swing states like Ohio and Pennsylvania, they are winnable votes for Trump now. But to understand why that's true, you have to understand how strong the change movement is in America right now. Consider the fact that third party candidates like Gary Johnson and Jill Stein are collectively polling at or above 10 percent in most polls. That's extremely unusual and something we haven't seen the likes of since Ross Perot's first run for the presidency in 1992. Remember that Perot won 19 percent of the popular vote that year in the strongest sign of all that Americans wanted change that year. My fellow conservatives who still believe Perot's support "stole" the election from President George H.W. Bush don't get it. He didn't steal anything. What he did was prove that people wanted a new president, and had he not run, Bill Clinton would have won a bigger majority, not a smaller one. By comparison in 1996, when the voters weren't so hot for change, Perot only polled 7 percent of the popular vote. A key part of Trump's "change message" that resonates with some of Bernie's "change voters" is free trade. Sanders and Trump have sounded eerily the same about trade deals like NAFTA and the TPP for more than a year. Trade deals are usually not very exciting to talk about and carry none of the emotional cache you need to win voters. But Trump and Sanders have both successfully made these deals emotionally charged issues, conjuring up images of millions of unemployed Americans suffering at the hands of Wall Street-controlled Washington fat cats. There are plenty of facts to separate Sanders and Trump voters forever, but this emotionally-charged issue of trade unites them in a way more powerful than dry facts. Another emotionally charged issue that binds Trump and Sanders supporters is a visceral dislike for Hillary Clinton. Trump has been unloading on Clinton exclusively for weeks now, focusing mostly on the kind of financial chicanery and ethical questions Sanders raised throughout the primaries. This will resonate emotionally for at least some of the people who were very literally "feeling the Bern." And one more final factor to consider is that Trump has a very low bar to meet here. He doesn't need to win over most of the Sanders supporters, half of the Sanders voters, or really even 25 percent of them. 10 percent of the newly registered and mobilized Sanders army going over to Trump in even just two or three swing states could make a huge difference and Trump knows it. You know the old saying: Politics makes strange bedfellows. It's a popular saying because it's true so much of the time. And it may not seem stranger than a joining of Sanders and Trump voters, but it could happen again and tip this election to a place not many thought possible. Even the notoriously uncompromising German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schauble promised to change, saying in a statement: "We won't simply be able to go on as before." Take European Council President Donald Tusk urging U.K. voters: "Stay with us. We need you. Together we will cope with future challenges. Apart it will be more difficult." Is this the international diplomacy version of: "Think of the children"? Breaking up is hard to do and the European Union has been treating the U.K. like it's a spouse on the verge of leaving a long, discordant marriage. But why is the U.K. so important to the EU? With U.K. voters wavering over whether to stay or go and the latest opinion polls suggesting a close race to the finish, we look at what the country on Europe's Atlantic fringe has brought to the trading bloc. To begin with, it was the famous U.K. war leader Winston Churchill who was one of the first to call for a "United States of Europe", back in 1946. Today, the U.K. makes a substantial financial contribution to the trading bloc's budget: 11.342 billion euros in 2014 ($12.78 billion) set against total EU spending in the U.K. of 6.985 billion euros. Yet aside from the euros and cents, the U.K. also adds extra legitimacy to the European project, and has historically helped balance the region's two other biggest economic and political players, France and Germany. "Many of the EU's liberalizing achievements are due to the role the U.K. has played, with like-minded countries, for example in pushing for the single market program, the liberalization of goods and services markets, and enlargement to 28 countries," according to Simon Hix, professor of political science at the London School of Economics and Political Science. "If the U.K. withdraws, the liberal democratic project for Europe will become marginalized, as the EU will become dominated by the corporatist and bureaucratic instincts of some of the French and German elites and the politics of the growing populist right movements." Much has been said about how a U.K. exit from the EU could hurt the British economy. But the bigger point confronting investors may be what it does to the rest of the world. If there's one near-definite result that experts can safely predict around a Brexit, it's this: A U.K. vote to leave the EU would increase the amount of uncertainty in markets. Since no concrete precedent exists for a Brexit or anything like it, market-watchers are predicting a global flight to safer assets. And that, in turn, would likely include an investor pullback from the world's emerging economies. "We believe there is significant room for downside in the event of a leave vote," Yianos Kontopoulos, strategist at UBS, wrote to clients Wednesday. In terms of which emerging markets, economic research consultancy Capital Economics says the nations likely to be hardest hit are those with the highest current account deficit as a percentage of GDP. Names that fit the bill include Colombia, South Africa, Peru and Turkey, which run deficits in excess of 4 percent of GDP. "These are the economies that are most reliant on external financing and capital outside of their country for spending. Any acceleration in foreign outflows could really hurt these countries," Capital Economics said. Others that could take a hit include Mexico, Argentina and Brazil, all of which run a deficit of more than 2 percent of GDP. Simon Quijano-Evans, the head of emerging-market research at Commerzbank, agrees. Latin America "is next in line with regard to export exposure to the EU, while the whole of [emerging markets] and particularly the more open economies of Asia would be hit by secondary effects from any negative spillover a Brexit scenario would have on global growth," Quijano-Evans said. Created for T-Mobile For many entrepreneurs, identifying a need in the market is what fuels their business and its growth. In 2009, Donna Lomazini and Bryony Zasman were working in the promotional product distribution industry when they recognized that it was grappling with a fundamental problem: the issue was efficiency. "Manufacturers were shipping out thousands of catalogs every year to their distributors," says Zasman. The duo saw a better way. They created a cloud-based library that would allow their clients to store and send catalogs digitally. This was the genesis of their small business, ZOOMcatalog. We met Lomazini and Zasman at the Denver stop on the 2016 iCONIC tour. iCONIC is a joint creation of CNBC and Inc., and is sponsored by T-Mobile. The conference series draws together some of the most enterprising small businesses in the nation. Lomazini and Zasman, who attended iCONIC to learn more about how to drive their company forward, were selected as the winners of the T-Mobile Un-Leash Your Business Contest. The prize provides valuable assets for a small business it includes complimentary wireless and mobile services, as well as devices. Lomazini and Zasman have been experiencing both the thrills and challenges of sudden success. "We have to be all over the place, go to different trade shows all the time, and staying connected is really important," Zasman explained. "The T-Mobile package that we won is definitely going to help our company stay connected." To learn more about how ZOOMcatalog is using connectivity to grow, check out the video above. Click below for more entrepreneurial stories: Want to start a small business? Check out Denver Innovation that disrupts your business and moves it forward Six team-building tips that work for small businesses The power of an elevator pitch: distilling your value Austria concludes its Austria By Its Children series of silver 10 coins with a coin celebrating Upper Austria. The Proof example is presented in a red velvet case with a cardboard sleeve. Austria concludes its Austria By Its Children series of silver 10 coins with a coin celebrating Upper Austria. Austria concludes its Austria By Its Children series of silver 10 coins with a coin celebrating Upper Austria. The Special Uncirculated version comes in a colorful blister pack. Austrias final silver coin in the series honoring each of the nations nine provinces is now available. This Austria By Its Children series features designs that were created by 9- and 10-year-old schoolchildren of Austria. The final .925 fine silver 10 coin celebrates the province of Upper Austria. The obverse of the 10 coin was designed and engraved by Herbert Waehner. It depicts the UNESCO World Heritage site of the picturesque town of Hallstatt. An Evangelical church in the foreground is balanced by the Catholic church on the hill located in the upper right side. Connect with Coin World: Houses cling to the shoreline and are tightly packed together on narrow streets. In the foreground is a flat-bottom boat built in a traditional design and steered by the bootsman at the stern. The obverse of the coin also features the country of issue, REPUBLIK OSTERREICH (Republic of Austria), the year of issue 2016, the face value expressed as 10 EURO and the name of the town, HALLSTATT. The reverse of the coin was designed by Klara Baumgartner of Dachseberg school, and engraved by mint engraver Thomnas Pesendorfer. The reverse shows the church of Linz on Poestling hill and the coat of arms of the province of Upper Austria in the center capped by the crown of the former duke of Upper Austria. To the right of it are three participants of the annual Gloeckler parade wearing Gloeckler costumes, with elaborately decorated handmade hats. In the background on the right side is Traunstein mountain on the edge of the clear blue water lake known as Traunsee, located in the Salzkammergut. Inclusion of several participants in the Gloeckler parade in the reverse design recalls the annual tradition taking place on Jan. 5, also known as Epiphany. People dress in light- or white-colored costumes, wear belts with a loud bell attached and elaborate hats that are decorated with lit candles. The medieval belief was that this would chase away the evil spirits of the dark months, bringing salvation and blessings to the area. The Upper Austria silver coin is legal tender and is available in either Proof or Special Uncirculated versions, each weighing 17.3 grams and measuring 32 millimeters in diameter. The Proof coins maximum mintage is 30,000 pieces. Each is encapsulated in a presentation case with a numbered certificate of authenticity. The certificate includes all the technical details as well as background information about the series. The Special Uncirculated coin has a mintage limit of 40,000 pieces and is available in a blister pack with an Upper Austria design on the sleeve. Collectors in the United States and Canada may purchase the Upper Austria coin by visiting the Austrian Mint's website. In addition, two distributors offer the coins in North America: American Precious Metals Exchange, online; and Downies, at its website. The governor said he received almost 4,000 messages from residents opposed to Senate Bill 656, which will become the subject of the General Assembly's veto session in September. Nixon said he could not support eliminating protections such as background checks and training requirements for people who want to carry and conceal firearms. What you need to know ahead of mandatory CWD sampling in Missouri January 9, 2014 - Electrolux Plant Manager George Robbins (left) and President and CEO of Electrolux Major Appliances North America Jack Truong give Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam (third from left) a tour of the newly opened Electrolux plant. Local goverment representitives, Electrolux executives and the media were given a behind-the-scenes look at the city's newest manufacturing facility. (Jim Weber/The Commercial Appeal) SHARE By Ted Evanoff of The Commercial Appeal Corporate tax breaks have long been controversial in Memphis, where some taxpayers argue tax cuts have riddled the amount of money available to pay for city services. Now a new report shows the Memphis area isn't the state's tax cut queen. The Bluff City trails Nashville and Chattanooga by a wide margin in the total volume of tax cuts and grants. Companies in the Nashville area have received $887.1 million in state grants and local tax breaks since 2005, compared to $862.5 million in Chattanooga and in third place $318.8 million in the Memphis area. The report was posted online today by the Beacon Center of Tennessee, a libertarian think tank in Nashville, using data provided by the liberal-leaning Washington research organization Good Jobs First. The report is available online at http://endcorporatehandouts.com/ Scaling back public incentives is a two-year goal of Beacon Center, which intends to inform Tennessee taxpayers in hopes they will pressure legislators to do away with the corporate handouts, said Mark Cunningham, spokesman for the think tank. In the old days if you wanted to expand and it made good sense you expanded, Cunningham said. Now if you want to expand you put your hand out first and ask for cash and threaten to leave if they dont give you the cash. Were not blaming the CEOs. Were blaming the government for giving them the money. Cunningham contends tax breaks for companies such as Ikea, the European furniture retailer opening a store in Memphis, are detrimental to rival furniture stores unable to attract tax cuts. Taxpayers shoulder the burden although the companies most likely would have expanded even without tax breaks, he said. We give them this money and it goes directly to the CEO but they would have hired these people anyway, Cunningham said. In Memphis, leaders say tax breaks are needed to attract companies and create jobs in a region where there are still fewer jobs now than before the recession hit in 2008. In April, 591,400 residents reported they were employed in full- or part-time jobs, compared to almost 604,400 in 2007, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows. The city-county EDGE Board, the primary economic development agency, reports tax abatement has totaled $292.5 million on 47 projects since 2011 that resulted in 11,337 new and retained jobs and $827.7 million in new tax revenue. Cunningham concedes legislators could be reluctant to dial back tax breaks. Philosophically they may agree with us but its hard to stop what they are doing when they can say theyre bringing jobs to their district and theyre getting (campaign fundraising) donations from the companies in a lot of cases, Cunningham said. We want to focus on the state handouts and get people to understand what these are. Theyre hurting any small business or any competing business that doesnt get that money but is paying taxes. The report could also fuel debate among Memphis civic leaders who insist the state legislature and the governors have been stingy in Memphis compared to Nashville. That argument was heard last fall when local leaders urged Gov. Bill Haslam to commit state money to the expansion near Downtown of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, which has begun the first phases of what is expected to total $1.1 billion in new construction. Haslam this spring earmarked about $12 million for infrastructure work around St. Jude although local officials say they could use in excess of $70 million for what is regarded in Memphis as a major economic development project. Its not clear the data on the Beacon Center's web site is complete for each economic development project. For example, the 1,240-employee Electrolux appliance plant shows $135.1 million in public incentives on the Beacon Center site, while The Commercial Appeal separately studied government data in 2011 on the project. The newspaper concluded the incentives totaled $188.3 million, or about $152,000 per job, with most of the public money coming from the state. June 22, 2016 - Shandrian Guinn, a licensed advanced practice social worker, is the supervisor of the newly formed Parent Support Warm Line. (Brandon Dill/Special to The Commercial Appeal) SHARE By Kevin McKenzie of The Commercial Appeal The new, free telephone service offering parenting advice and resources to residents of Memphis and Shelby County isn't a traditional crisis hot line. It's called the Parent Support Warm Line, a service providing professional advice for parents, caregivers and others with difficult parenting situations and questions. Answered from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Friday, the telephone number is (844) 877-9276, or (844) UPP-WARM. The ACE Awareness Foundation in Memphis is providing the funds and Le Bonheur Children's Hospital the organization to help avoid "adverse childhood experiences" that research finds triggers life-long problems. "Research shows adverse childhood experiences (ACE) have a lasting negative impact for children that in many cases impact everything from health to professional earnings potential when they grow up," Ellen Rolfes, ACE Awareness Foundation regional director said in a statement. "Our goal is to transform our community by helping parents and caregivers limit or prevent a child's chronic exposure to trauma," Rolfes said. The warm line extends the reach of support services that parents can receive at two Universal Parenting Places that the ACE Awareness Foundation funds in Memphis with Baptist Memorial Hospital for Women and Knowledge Quest as partners. Those sites are at the hospital at 6225 Humphreys Boulevard and Knowledge Quest at 990 College Park Drive. The voice answering the Parent Support Warm Line will most often be that of Shandrian Guinn, warm line program supervisor and a licensed advanced practice social worker. Guinn has been with Le Bonheur for seven years and previously spent 23 years working in child welfare at levels of the state Department of Children's Services. "I believe there's data to show the most cost-effective way to address a lot of the concerns and illness that present with children and anyone, even adults, is prevention," Guinn said. "And so Le Bonheur is expanding their prevention work, in all directions to support healthy outcomes for families and children." Technology allows calls to be transferred to her mobile phone, home or elsewhere, and to two part-time licensed therapists or counselors to be hired. As a "warm line," it won't be available at all times like a crisis hotline. While non-urgent matters ranging from adolescent detachment to divorce and acting out will prompt calls, Guinn said she also expects more serious issues also will be common. "In Memphis and in Shelby County, families commonly face issues around violence between adults, concerns around substance abuse issues and emotional abuse," as well as emotional issues following sexual abuse, she said. "But I'd love to hear from parents who are just starting out, who just want to know about the latest science and information about child rearing," Guinn said. She said all calls are confidential, recorded for quality assurance purposes and that families will be asked for identifying information that will help pinpoint resources, including the Universal Parenting Places. Allegations suggesting child abuse or neglect by law must be referred to the Department of Children's Services and can also be reported to local law enforcement, she said. "While we do not stand as a crisis line, because if you need police intervention, that's crisis level, if something comes up, because of our experience we do know to funnel those calls to the most appropriate agency," Guinn said. Growth in calls to the Tennessee Breastfeeding Hotline operated by Le Bonheur with a grant from the state Health Department provides evidence that the Parent Support Warm Line will work, said Sandra Madubuonwu, maternal-child director for Le Bonheur. The ACE Center Task Force for Shelby County reported last year that 52 percent of adults in the county have experienced at least one adverse childhood experience. Those with four or more are at greater risk for negative social and health outcomes as adults. Shelby County also has worse childhood sexual abuse and violence between adults in the home than the state or nation. June 22, 2016 - Melanie Keller, chief executive of Meritan, a nonprofit agency that serves seniors and children, stands inside the future home of the organization at 345 Adams Ave. The $2.5 million project will relocate Meritan from its current East Memphis office into the 17,000-square-foot building near Downtown. (Mike Brown/The Commercial Appeal) By Thomas Bailey Jr. of The Commercial Appeal Meritan has purchased a long-vacant lab building in the Edge District and plans to spend up to $2.5 million renovating the structure for its new Memphis headquarters. The move bolsters the budding re-investment in the old industrial and automotive district sandwiched between Downtown's core and the Medical District. In addition to more primary reasons for the move, Meritan chief executive Melanie Keller said Tuesday, "We want to be part of the Downtown renaissance. We think we can make a difference on the landscape of Downtown.'' The nonprofit organization, which provides health and social services to seniors and children, plans to move by July 2017 to 345 Adams Ave., just east of Danny Thomas Boulevard and across Adams Avenue from the Memphis Fire Department Maintenance Shop. Vacant for more than six years, the 63-year-old building last housed Woodson-Tenent Laboratories. Memphis Bioworks sold the 17,000-square-foot building on nearly 1.5 acres to Meritan for $120,000. Meritan will move from its longtime Memphis headquarters at 4700 Poplar Ave., near White Station High School. About 50 people work in the office, but about 200 Meritan employees report to the Memphis region headquarters. Meritan provides home health care, employment services for seniors, care for those with intellectual disabilities, residential- and day-care services, and foster care. The impetus for the move was the coming expiration of a land lease Meritan holds at 4700 Poplar Ave., Keller said. The 4 stories of the existing headquarters were not ideal for Meritan's senior clients, and the East Memphis location was not as close to many of Meritan's partner organizations such as the Family Safety Center, Shelby County Crime Victims Center, Plough Foundation and Metropolitan Interfaith Association (MIFA), she said. The old lab building of tilt-up concrete walls is structurally sound, Keller said, but the interior will be demolished and transformed. While $2.5 million is budgeted for the renovation, she said the goal is to spend less. The architectural firm archimania is designing the renovation. "You can kind of feel that excitement, the renaissance goinig on down there,'' Keller said of Downtown and the Edge District. "I never worked in that neck of the woods. I'm really excited about that.'' Matt Weathersby and Luke Jensen of the commercial real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield/Commercial Advisors represented Meritan in finding the new space. "It's almost a blatant case of the obvious,'' Commercial Advisors chief executive Larry Jensen said of the budding redevelopment of the Edge District. "Because it's between two of the most vibrant areas with the Medical Center and Downtown.'' Just a few blocks away at 652 Jefferson Ave., the suburban-based network of veterinary clinics, The Pet Hospitals, is renovating a building for a veterinary clinic. The University of Tennessee Health Science Center has long-range plans to develop housing in the Edge District, and the commercial building at 400 Union is undergoing a multimillion renovation for recording music and other activities. "It looks like that blossom is on (the district) all of a sudden,'' Jensen said. The old lab building at 345 Adams Ave. is hardly impressive looking, with broken and boarded up windows. Meritan and Commercial Advisors investigated whether the old industrial-type building could be turned into nice office space. "We brought the architects in,'' Jensen said. "It's an interesting process,'' he said. "You are seeing something that was really nothing become something.'' June 22, 2016 Salandria Stevenson, with the Riverview-Kansas Community Development Corp., shoots video with other onlookers as an abandoned home at 1370 Mississippi Blvd. is demolished. The home is the first in Memphis removed through the Blight Elimination Program. Stevenson hopes to get resources to remove blighted properties in the Riverview-Kansas area. (Mike Brown/The Commercial Appeal) SHARE June 22, 2016; Don Berryhill uses a backhoe to knock down a blighted abandoned home on Mississippi Boulevard through the Blight Elimination Program. (Mike Brown/The Commercial Appeal) June 22, 2016; Signs warn people not to enter the abandoned home at 1370 Mississippi Blvd. The home was demolished through the Blight Elimination Program. (Mike Brown/The Commercial Appeal) By Linda A. Moore of The Commercial Appeal The late Victorian house with the wrap around porch at 1370 Mississippi Blvd. went up, county records show, in 1900. On Wednesday, it came down, the first house in the state demolished under the Tennessee Housing Development Agency's new Blight Elimination Program, which provides money to six counties for strategic blight eradication. The program targets individual problem houses in otherwise stable neighborhoods for demolition. "I call it addition by subtraction," said Ralph Perrey, THDA executive director. "You're taking out the one blighted, abandoned property that's dragging down everybody else's property values and is probably a magnet for trouble and troublemakers." This program is a departure for THDA, which focuses on affordable housing opportunities. "The city has been interested in getting our help in addressing blighted properties for some time," Perrey said. "We finally found a way to help fund that." The effort involved working with partners at the U.S. Department of Treasury, which allowed the state to re-purpose $6 million left over from the Keep My Tennessee Hope foreclosure program toward blight eradication. Most of the money is earmarked for Memphis, in part because the need is obvious, Perrey said. Also, he said, various partners, like nonprofit United Housing, the Shelby County trustee's office, the city of Memphis' Blight Authority, neighborhood groups and others have already started the work. The program was announced last August and United Housing, a nonprofit affordable housing agency, was the first to apply, spending $4,000 to tear down the house on Mississippi Boulevard. Total expenditures are capped at $25,000 per property. "New stuff with the government always takes a long time," said Tim Bolding, United Housing executive director "Is it everything we wanted? Probably not. Is it going to fit ever situation? No. It isn't the miracle pill, but it sure is something to work with. Quite frankly I'm glad to see it happening." So is Talbert Fleming, owner of nearby restaurant Jim & Samella's House. He's made videos of drugs being dropped off at the abandoned house and later retrieved by folks in cars with out-of-state license plates. "I think it's a good thing," Fleming said of the blight eradication effort. "It's good to see this because we've had to call the cops on many occasions." He watched from across the street while city, county, state and federal officials spoke before the excavator moved in to make short work of the structure. "This is more than just a demolition of property today, it's about stabilizing neighborhoods. It's about enhancing and hopefully improving property values. But also, it's about cleaning up the neighborhood and building neighborhood pride," said county Mayor Mark Luttrell. Once the lot is cleared, the plan is to make it a pretty community green space, Bolding said. United Housing will continue to look for other blighted properties in the area and eventually build new houses there, he said. "You've got to get the bad out and come back with something good," Bolding said. Democrat members of Congress, including, front row, from left, Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Conn., and Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., participate in sit-down protest seeking a a vote on gun control measures, Wednesday, June 22, 2016, on the floor of the House on Capitol Hill in Washington. (Rep. Chellie Pingree via AP) SHARE This photo provided by Rep. Chillie Pingree,D-Maine, shows Democrat members of Congress, including Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., center, and Rep. Elizabeth Esty, D-Conn. as they participate in sit-down protest seeking a a vote on gun control measures, Wednesday, June 22, 2016, on the floor of the House on Capitol Hill in Washington. (Rep. Chillie Pingree via AP) This photo provided by Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine shows Democrat members of Congress, including, front row, from left, Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., Rep. Joe Courtney, D-Conn., and Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., participate in sit-down protest seeking a a vote on gun control measures, Wednesday, June 22, 2016, on the floor of the House on Capitol Hill in Washington. (Rep. Chellie Pingree via AP) By Michael Collins of The Commercial Appeal WASHINGTON Furious that Republican leaders have refused to allow a vote on gun-control legislation, U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen and dozens of other Democrats staged a sit-in Wednesday on the House floor, bringing business to an abrupt halt. Led by U.S. Rep. John Lewis of Georgia, the Democrats took control of the chamber around 11:30 a.m., just as the morning's proceedings were getting under way. Chanting "no bill, no break," they sat down on the House floor as the GOP quickly gaveled the chamber into recess. Democrats demanded a vote on measures to prevent suspected terrorists from buying firearms and to expand background checks in the aftermath of the June 12 massacre at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Fla., that killed 49 people and wounded 53. It was the nation's worst mass shooting. "Moments of silence have grown old and seem hollow," said Cohen, a Memphis Democrat, referring to what's become Congress' typical response to mass shootings across the country. "The American people want a bill to prohibit gun sales to suspected terrorists to come to the floor and pass. If there is a reasonable threat to prohibit an individual from flying, they shouldn't be allowed to buy a weapon. In addition, gun show and internet loopholes need to be closed when purchasing guns." Democrats are pushing for a vote on gun-control legislation before the House adjourns later this week for the July 4 recess. Wednesday's protest began with a fiery speech from Lewis, who asked fellow Democrats to join him on the floor and then blasted GOP leaders for refusing to even allow debate on the gun-control measures. Lawmakers "have turned a deaf ear to the blood of the innocent and the concern of our nation," said Lewis, a hero of the civil-rights movement. "Where is our courage?" he asked. "Those who pursue common-sense improvement are beaten down. Reason is put aside ... What is the tipping point? Are we blind? Can we see? ... Give us a vote! We came here to do our job!" Lewis demanded a vote on the legislation "not next month, not next year but now." Following his speech, Lewis and some 40 Democrats sat down in front of the podium and pledged to remain there until House Speaker Paul Ryan agreed to a vote. As the day wore on, more than 80 Democrats joined the protest. Ryan spokeswoman AshLee Strong said, "The House cannot operate without members following the rules of the institution, so the House has recessed subject to the call of the chair." As for whether Ryan would allow a vote, Strong pointed to his remarks earlier Wednesday that the House would wait to see what the Senate does on the issue. Senators on Monday voted down four partisan gun measures and were working on a compromise Wednesday. Cohen called the sit-in "inspiring" and said it stirred up memories of similar protests during the civil-rights era. "It's absurd we don't pass some gun laws," particularly a measure that would bar terror suspects on the "no-fly" list from purchasing guns, he said. The proposals wouldn't restrict the Second Amendment, Cohen said, but are a legitimate attempt to keep guns out of the hands of terrorists. "We're not going to take away every gun, and we don't want to," Cohen said. "(But) somebody who can't fly on an airplane should not be able to buy a gun." Contributing: Donovan Slack and Deborah Barfield Berry, USA TODAY Trumpet player Wayne Jackson (left), died Tuesday at age 74. His longtime musical partner Andrew Love died in 2012. The pair, known as the Memphis Horns, performed at the "Soul Comes Home" concert at the Orpheum in 2003. (file photo) By Bob Mehr of The Commercial Appeal Trumpeter Wayne Jackson was part of the famed Memphis Horns, a member of the influential R&B group the Mar-Keys, and a key cog in the Stax Records machine throughout the 1960s. Jackson died Tuesday night from congestive heart failure at Methodist University Hospital. He was 74. His wife of 25 years, Amy Jackson, confirmed the news to The Commercial Appeal. Along with saxophonist Andrew Love, Jackson made his early reputation as part of the house unit at Stax. He and Love later struck out on their own, billing themselves as the Memphis Horns, working with local institutions like Hi Records and American Studios, and eventually becoming the most in-demand horn section in the world. The pair was essential in providing parts for hit records by Elvis Presley, Neil Diamond, James Taylor, and U2, among many others. The duo would be recognized with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in early 2012. Love died later that year at the age of 70. In a statement posted to Jackson's Facebook page, Amy Jackson said of her husband, "He was a beautiful soul who touched the world with his trumpet. As we mourn his passing, we also celebrate his incredible musical legacy, which he leaves us with. God gave him a gift, and he used it to the fullest He loved his family, his friends and his fans the world over." "For all the decades he played, he never lost the joy in the music," said Robert Gordon, author of the Stax Records history "Respect Yourself." "You could always hear his delight, and I think that's part of what made all those songs he played on into the hits they became." Born in Memphis in November 1941, Jackson's path to music started in the clubs of West Memphis, where he was raised, then at the University of Stax, as it were, where he became part of the foundation of the iconic soul label, and a member of the hit-making instrumental group the Mar-Keys. In 1965, Mar-Keys/Stax saxophonist Packy Axton left the label fold, forcing Jackson to find a new horn section partner. "We didn't have a tenor (sax) player, and they weren't just hanging around, you had to know where to go get one," recalled Jackson in a 2012 interview. "Somebody told me there was a real good young saxophone player at the Manhattan Club. I went out there and I saw Andrew; he knocked me out." The next day, the two men played together for the first time, cutting a Rufus Thomas record. "It was like magic," said Jackson. "It was fate." It did almost seemed destined that the two men would find each other. They were born just days apart; each had their first horns purchased for them by their mothers; and music was the clear path from the start. On the surface the two seemed a study in contrasts: Jackson, a short, white spitfire on trumpet; Andrew Love a lanky, laid-back African-American on sax. But the music they made together yielded a beautiful union. "His individual tone and mine blended in a certain way that was unique," said Jackson. "We realized it from the start." Jackson and Love soon became musical partners, friends, and eventually grew to be like brothers. "You got to remember too, that was way back yonder, so it wasn't the usual thing for a black guy and white guy to be hanging out, running together like that," said Jackson. "But we did. We were sorta welded at the hip. We loved each other, and loved the way we sounded." "There were ingredients at Stax that made it a magical place and those ingredients encompassed several individuals, black and white," said Stax songwriter and producer David Porter. "Color was never a part of any of the great things that were done at Stax. The universal love we had for each other was way beyond any superficial differences like that. And Wayne was a symbol of that. Not only was he a great player, he was a great person. He had so much love in him." Although Stax wanted Jackson and Love to stay exclusive to the label, in 1969 they incorporated as The Memphis Horns, and went freelance. For the next 30 years they would become the pre-eminent set of horns in popular music. They were among a group of players whose brass sounds would help define classic records including Elvis Presley's "Suspicious Minds," Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline," Al Green's "Let's Stay Together" and Dusty Springfield's "Son of a Preacher Man." In total they played on 80 gold and platinum albums and 52 No. 1 records during the course of their career. Later they hit the road, touring with Rod Stewart, Stephen Stills, the Doobie Brothers, Jimmy Buffett, Joe Cocker and Robert Cray, among others. As the '80s and '90s rolled on, they continued to color hits for the likes of Willie Nelson and Steve Winwood. Even after Jackson decided to relocate to Nashville in 1996, they remained in demand recording with Sting, Bonnie Raitt and Marc Knopfler helping bring the soul out of everyone with whom they worked. "That's what people were hiring us for," Jackson would say. "And they all got a little Memphis on them." Jackson and Love continued to play and perform together until 2004, when Love was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease and was forced to retire from music. In 2010, Jackson and his wife returned to Memphis. During the final decade of his life, Jackson was a regular presence at the Stax Museum, giving tours and working with the students of the Stax Music Academy and other school bands in the city. He also wrote a three-volume memoir of his life in music called "In My Wildest Dreams." Plans for memorial services are pending. SHARE By Max Boot The world is transfixed by Britain's referendum Thursday over whether to stay in the European Union. Some of the most interested and anxious spectators of the "Brexit" debate are in the Baltic republics, where I recently spent a week meeting with political and military leaders as part of a delegation from the Jamestown Foundation. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania know what can happen when Europe isn't united. Their freedom ended in 1940 when Soviet troops marched in, followed by Nazi troops the next year. Britain and France were too busy fighting for their own survival to offer assistance. The United States was still pursuing isolationism. Nor was the West able to do anything when, in 1944, the Red Army reoccupied the Baltics, imposing a brutal dictatorship that would last until 1991. The Balts are prosperous and free now, but for how long? With a total population of just 6.2 million and just 56,000 military troops, the Baltic states sit next door to Russia, with 142 million people and more than 3 million troops in its active duty and reserve forces. Already Russia's dictator, Vladimir Putin, has invaded Georgia and Ukraine. What is to stop him from marching into the Baltics? The immediate deterrent is provided by NATO: All of the Baltic states are NATO members, and other NATO members, including the United States, are pledged to come to their defense if they are attacked. But the Balts are also members of the European Union, and they are convinced that a strong and vibrant E.U. is also necessary to maintain their prosperity and security. The E.U. enforces economic sanctions on Russia and provides the financial support needed for its more vulnerable members in Eastern Europe to withstand Russia's economic pressure, such as threats to shut off the flow of natural gas. That is why the Balts are alarmed at the prospect of Brexit passing. Their message for Britons is: "Lead, not leave." The Balts admire the Brits and believe that with their shared devotion to free trade, British membership in the E.U. serves their interests, because it counterbalances the more statist and protectionist impulses of Germany and France. Britain is also in favor of a stronger anti-Russian stance than are Germany and France. If Britain left the E.U., the Balts fear that Scotland, which is more pro-E.U. than the rest of the United Kingdom, would leave Britain. Scotland just happens to be where Britain's nuclear deterrent is based aboard four Vanguard-class submarines. The naval base at Faslane could be relocated, but it would be costly to do so at a time when the British defense budget has already been cut to the bone. Odds are that a Britain outside the E.U. would be smaller and weaker than it is today. Moreover, if Britain does vote for Brexit, it will lead to a period of turmoil with Brits and other Europeans debating the nature of their future relationship. Britain and the E.U. will have to pass a trade treaty, and the terms are sure to be contentious. While the negotiations are going on, Europeans will be focused inward not at the external threat to the east. The Balts fear, finally, that a British exit could set off a chain reaction of other exits. There is great unhappiness with the E.U. in many member states, and Putin has been supporting anti-E.U. parties in Europe of both the far left and far right. Nigel Farage, leader of the UK Independence Party and a leading pro-Brexit voice, has harsh words for Brussels and nothing but kind words for Moscow. He has expressed admiration for Putin and been a regular guest on the Russia Today propaganda channel. France's far-right National Front, led by Marine Le Pen, has admitted receiving tens of millions of euros in "loans" from a Kremlin-linked bank. Russia is also supporting in various ways other extremist parties, including the far-right Jobbik in Hungary, the far-left Podemos in Spain, the far-left Syriza in Greece and the far-right Freedom Party in Austria, that are pro-Russia and anti-E.U. And Putin goes out of his way to praise Donald Trump, who has called NATO "obsolete" and vowed to improve relations with Russia. It's clear that the Russians are hoping to promote disunity in the West by breaking up the two alliances that oppose them NATO and the E.U. The Balts are concerned, and so should we be, that a British vote for Brexit would play into Putin's hands. The last thing the West needs is to see Europe divided, allowing Putin's Russia to use a divide-and-conquer strategy. British voters may not care what anyone else thinks, but there's a good reason their allies want them to stay in the E.U. Max Boot is a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. He wrote this for the Washington Post. Microsoft believes its refusal to turn over email held in Ireland to the U.S. government got a boost from an opinion of the Supreme Court on Monday, which upheld that U.S. laws cannot apply extraterritorially unless Congress has explicitly provided for it. In a decision Monday in a separate case on the extraterritorial application of a provision of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), the Supreme Court set out the ground rules for its analysis, pointing out that absent clearly expressed congressional intent to the contrary, federal laws will be construed to have only domestic application. The court was applying a canon of statutory construction known as the presumption against extraterritoriality. It stated that the the question is not whether we think Congress would have wanted a statute to apply to foreign conduct if it had thought of the situation before the court, but whether Congress has affirmatively and unmistakably instructed that the statute will do so." The statements by the Supreme Court, which were cited on Tuesday in a notice of supplemental authority in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit by Microsofts lawyer, E. Joshua Rosenkranz, appear to be in accordance with Microsofts own argument that nowhere did the U.S. Congress say that the Electronics Communications Privacy Act "should reach private emails stored on provider's computers in foreign countries." The proceedings in this high-profile lawsuit have been rather slow, although a decision by the court is eagerly awaited because of its far-reaching implications. Microsoft provided non-content information held on its U.S. servers in response to the search warrant, but tried to quash the warrant when it concluded that the account and the content of the mails were hosted in Dublin. The company favors instead an inter-governmental resolution to the U.S. demand for access to the emails, through the use of "mutual legal assistance treaties" that the U.S. has with other countries including Ireland. In an earlier decision, U.S. Magistrate Judge James C. Francis IV of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York had ruled that the warrant under the Stored Communications Act, a part of the ECPA, was "a hybrid: part search warrant and part subpoena." It is executed like a subpoena in that it is served on the Internet service provider, which is required to provide the information from its servers wherever located, but does not involve government officials entering the premises, Judge Francis ruled. The government has argued that the MLAT procedure through inter-government collaboration is time-consuming, even though Ireland has offered to consider a request for the data under the treaty. Microsoft wants that Congress should be asked for a decision on whether warrants under the ECPA can be executed abroad. The Supreme Court in its opinion on Monday also adopted a view that appears to tally with the stand taken by Microsoft and its backers on the international implications of a decision against the company. The court noted that there are several reasons for the presumption that a statute does not have an extraterritorial implication if it gives no clear indication of one, including that it serves to avoid the international discord that can result when U.S. law is applied to conduct in foreign countries. Although the risk of conflict between an American statute and a foreign law is not a prerequisite for applying the presumption against extraterritoriality, where such a risk is evident, the need to enforce the presumption is at its apex, the court observed elsewhere in its opinion. Tech companies are worried that if the appeals court decides against Microsoft, it would scare European cloud and other customers who would be wary of the long arm of U.S. law, particularly after revelations by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden about large-scale domestic and foreign surveillance by the U.S. The case before the Supreme Court arose from allegations that tobacco and food company RJR Nabisco and related entities participated in a global money-laundering scheme in association with various organized crime groups. The European Community and 26 of its member states first sued RJR in the Eastern District of New York in 2000, alleging that RJR had violated RICO. Nothing in the text of RICO establishes that Congress meant to allow a provision for private lawsuits to recover for injuries outside the U.S., the Supreme Court ruled. A private RICO plaintiff therefore must allege and prove a domestic injury to its business or property, it added. There are countless "as-a-Service" offerings on the market today, and typically they live in the cloud. Back in 2014, startup BlueData blazed a different trail by launching its EPIC Enterprise big-data-as-a-service offering on-premises instead. On Wednesday, BlueData announced that the software can now run on Amazon Web Services (AWS) and other public clouds, making it the first BDaaS platform to work both ways, the company says. "The future of Big Data analytics will be neither 100 percent on-premises nor 100 percent in the cloud," said Kumar Sreekanti, CEO of BlueData. "Were seeing more multicloud and hybrid deployments, with data both on-prem and in the cloud. BlueData provides the only solution that can meet the realities of these mixed environments in the enterprise. BlueData's EPIC (short for "Elastic Private Instant Clusters") platform taps embedded Docker container technology to let businesses spin up virtual Hadoop or Spark clusters within minutes on their existing infrastructure, the company says, giving data scientists on-demand access to the applications, data, and infrastructure. BlueData has offered a free community edition of BlueData EPIC running on AWS since last year, but until now the enterprise edition was available only for on-premises deployments. With the new flexibility to run in hybrid and multicloud environments, customers can eliminate data movement by keeping data on-premises while running compute in the cloud. At the same time, there's a "single pane of glass" for creating and managing big-data environments, BlueData says. The Docker images for Hadoop, Spark, and other big data applications will be the same regardless of the underlying infrastructure or cloud service. As of Wednesday there's limited availability on AWS, with general availability there - as well as on Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud Platform, and other public cloud services - due in the coming months. Pricing on the public cloud will include usage-based and annual subscription options. Also on Wednesday, BlueData introduced the summer release of its EPIC platform. With roots at VMware, BlueData last year forged a partnership with Intel and announced a fresh $20 million in funding. The BDaaS market is expected to be worth $7 billion by 2020, according to research firm MarketsandMarkets. Instead of worrying about AI bringing about Skynet and the end of humanity, Google wants to find ways to stop artificial intelligence from hacking its reward system. Thats just one of five practical research problems proposed by scientists at Google, OpenAI, Stanford and Berkeley in a paper called Concrete Problems in AI Safety (pdf). Others included safe exploration issues, or how to stop a curious cleaning robot from sticking a wet mop in an electrical socket, and avoiding negative side effects such as a robot breaking grannys vase when cleaning in a rush. The problems may seem a bit silly, when compared to an AI-induced doomsday, but Google researcher Chris Olah wrote, These are all forward thinking, long-term research questions minor issues today, but important to address for future systems. A particularly interesting portion of the paper was devoted to avoiding reward hacking, or how to stop AI from gaming its reward function. Imagine that an agent discovers a buffer overflow in its reward function: it may then use this to get extremely high reward in an unintended way. Examples included a cleaning robot clamping its eyes shut to avoid seeing messes that need cleaned or creating messes intentionally so it can earn more rewards. Thankfully there was no mention of robots killing off humans to stop messes to begin with and gaining additional reward for keeping a place spotless. There were numerous ways an AI agent could try to game the reward system. For example, modern reinforcement agents already do discover and exploit bugs in their environments, such as glitches that allow them to win video games. The researchers added: Once an agent begins hacking its reward function and finds an easy way to get high reward, it wont be inclined to stop, which could lead to additional challenges in agents that operate on a long timescale. While describing the pursuit of reward hacks that can lead to coherent but unanticipated behavior which has the potential for harmful impacts in real-world systems, the researchers gave six broad examples of how the problem could occur. They added, The proliferation of reward hacking instances across so many different domains suggests that reward hacking may be a deep and general problem, and one that we believe is likely to become more common as agents and environments increase in complexity. Today those problems can be corrected, but it might become more difficult as AI agents get more complicated reward functions and work for longer periods of time. The paper suggests that one solution to AI trying to hack its reward function might involve trip wires; if triggered, a human would be alerted and could stop the AI. Then again, the AI might see through the trip wire and intentionally avoid it while taking less obvious harmful actions. Big red button method Since AI agents are unlikely to behave optimally all the time, Google DeepMind and University of Oxford researchers previously proposed (pdf) a big red button method; if a human is supervising an AI agent and catches it continuing a harmful sequence of actions, then the human hits the whammy button to stop the harmful action. The AI might attempt to disable the red button so it is not interrupted and still receives its reward; the research paper looks at ways to stop AI from learning how to stop a human from interrupting its actions. Housecleaning robot is an OpenAI technical goal Earlier this week, the Elon Musk-backed OpenAI announced that building a reliable housecleaning robot is one of its technical goals. OpenAI doesnt intend to build actual cleaning robots, but to develop general learning algorithms that will help it build better agents that are more capable according to OpenAIs metric. Concrete Problems in AI Safety Besides avoiding negative side effects the broken vase scenario avoiding reward hacking, and ensuring safe exploration the curious cleaning bot sticking a wet mop into an electrical socket scenario, the researchers behind Concrete Problems in AI Safety believe other problems need to be addressed; those include scalable oversight and ensuring AI systems behave robustly in environments that are different from where they were trained. The researchers concluded: A Geneva Convention on cyberwar: That's how a panel of experts proposes to deal with the growing threat to critical infrastructure posed by the possibility of cyberattack. With control systems in dams, hospitals, power grids and industrial systems increasingly exposed online, it's possible that nation states could seek to damage or disable them electronically. But building electronic defenses to prevent such attacks is expensive -- and often ineffectual, given the myriad ways in which they can fail or be breached. That's why the Global Commission on Internet Governance recommends that in any future cyberwar, governments should pledge to restrict the list of legitimate targets for cyberattacks, to not target critical infrastructure predominantly used by civilians, and to not to use cyberweapons against core Internet infrastructure. While a gentleman's agreement might not seem like much protection, for a nation to break such a taboo would be to risk an all-out attack in retaliation, the commission suggested in "One Internet," a new report on the future of the Internet. An agreement won't eliminate all risks of cyberattack for civilian infrastructure, of course: Just as with the protection afforded hospitals and the like under the existing Geneva Conventions, there will always be those willing to ignore the rules. "For some sub-state terrorist groups and rogue states, making daily life difficult for their enemies is already their policy and they have less to lose as they already regard themselves as being in a state of conflict," the report said. "Sporadic attacks on vulnerable systems and markets are to be expected." The report is not just about cyberwar. Its whistle-stop tour of Internet ethics also takes in surveillance, privacy, anonymity, censorship and child protection, with additional chapters on reducing online crime and the threat that blockchain technologies pose to the established order. The Global Commission on Internet Governance is chaired by former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt and was set up by two think tanks: Chatham House in the U.K. and the Centre for International Governance Innovation in Canada. CIGI was founded by former BlackBerry co-CEO Jim Balsillie. Judy Terry is a marketing professional and a former local councillor in Suffolk. People in public life routinely suffer some form of abuse in todays high tech world. This applies to politicians, whether national or local, who put their heads above the parapet to do or say something even mildly contentious which they believe is in the best interests of their community, and attracts attention. Objective criticism has always been a factor in such peoples lives, but there is something insidious and threatening in the vitriol which is so ruthlessly, and often anonymously, deployed most frequently against women. Were told to ignore it and not to be a wuss. Having a bucket of stinking slurry thrown over your car, or someone stabbing your hand as you put a leaflet through the door is just part of everyday life. Dont worry, its a one-off. A district councillor told me how she was intimidated by an opposition councillor for years. Using his blog and twitter, as well as facebook, libellous literature and even badly chaired official meetings he tried to humiliate and defame her, despite her successful campaigning on behalf of local residents. She was told that he was jealous, and it was his idea of having a bit of fun. Only recently, a female Suffolk County Councillor decided to stand down, citing the difficult political environment. Its not easy finding people to stand for election to local authorities, which is why so many belong to more than one council! So, things have to change, or the pool of potential candidates will dry up completely. Regrettably, it has taken the tragic murder of a universally admired, young Labour MP who was, first and foremost, a wife and mother, and a charity worker, to focus attention on the implications arising from the hatred and ignorance which prompts intimidation, and the fortunately much rarer verbal and physical violence directed at politicians at all levels. Acres of newsprint will undoubtedly be devoted to analysing the reasons behind Jo Coxs murder, as the Police continue their investigations. And she will be remembered as a role model for all young people, proving that, however modest your background, a good education can revolutionise employment prospects and ambitions; her intelligence and hard work took her to Cambridge and a selfless career devoted to helping others. Friends and colleagues have emphasised her ability to work across political boundaries, without rancour, so one legacy from this tragedy is likely to be the revival of respect. Respect for each other, whatever the disagreements. The importance of moderate, rather than toxic, language, when passions are aroused as they inevitably are in the political arena. As has been said by many commentators, we are fortunate to live in a democracy, which gives anyone the right to make contentious comments, highlighting issues which may raise the temperature in debate, but there is no excuse for the targeted personal abuse, defaming the opposition, which so many members of the public find offensive and serves merely as a distraction from those issues. As Sir Nicholas Soames said on the Marr Programme, there has been a general coarsening of public discourse. When emotions run high, poor behaviour can ensue, directed at individuals, either fellow MPs, councillors or even members of the public, who disagree. This can, in turn, act as a stimulus for others to troll, stalk and otherwise abuse. Lively debate is valuable: it makes us think and even change our own views when we listen to a contrary argument. But those in public life whoever they are, and whatever they do should set an example and be more polite to each other. There should also be greater sympathy and understanding when councillors raise concerns about incidents which, in isolation, could be regarded as insignificant, but are a constant worry when protracted. It may simply be straightforward bullying from someone wanting to provoke a reaction from their victim, and ignoring the behaviour by deleting emails/texts unread can sometimes be the safest option because the abuser gets bored. However, this doesnt always work and can lead to an escalation which may be dangerous if not investigated and addressed. Enforcing standards of conduct to avoid anyone denigrating colleagues is another must. Clever people use humour to emphasise the quality of their argument, without making it personal. The rough and tumble of politics at all levels is what drives many people; they enjoy scoring points, and theres nothing wrong with that. Its the way you do it thats important. SHARE Omar Mateen By John Bacon, USA TODAY A friend of mass murderer Omar Mateen says he tipped the FBI about suspcicious behavior Mateen displayed two years before his brutal shooting spree in an Orlando nightclub. Mohammed Malik, in a commentary piece provided to Treasure Cost Newspapers and The Washington Post, wrote that he became concerned about Mateen in 2014 after a young man from their mosque killed himself and several Syrian troops in a suicide bombing. Malik said Mateen began listening to recordings of militant Islamic cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, whom suicide bomber Moner Mohammad Abu-Salha had called his inspiration in a video he left behind. Al-Awlaki, who was born in New Mexico, was accused by the U.S. of planning terrorist strikes before he was killed in a U.S. drone strike in Yemen in September 2011. "Omar told me he had been watching videos of Awlaki, too, which immediately raised red flags for me," Malik wrote. "He told me the videos were very powerful." Malik, 43, said he met Mateen at a Ramadan meal an iftar in 2006. Mateen was a quiet teen then, he said. They chatted infrequently over the next eight years, until the Syrian suicide bombing in the summer of 2014 rocked their Florida Muslim community. "Everyone in the area was shocked and upset," Malik wrote. "We hate violence and were horrified that one of our number could have killed so many." Malik discussed the case with several members of their mosque, and Mateen expressed his own interest in Al-Awlaki. Malik said the FBI was looking for information on people who might be self-radicalizing, so Malik volunteered what little he could provide. "We had all known Moner; he was jovial and easygoing, the opposite of Omar," Malik wrote. The FBI has said it received tips about Mateen in 2013 and again in 2014, but in both cases found no information sufficient to pursue an arrest. Malik said he loves the U.S. and is proud to be an American. But he is hurt and concerned by the suspicion surrounding Islam. "I am not the first American Muslim to report on someone; people who do that simply dont like to announce themselves in to the media," Malik wrote. "For my part, Im not looking for personal accolades. Im just tired of negative rhetoric and ignorant comments about my faith." SHARE By John Martin of the Courier and Press Evansville's two hospital CEOs say collaboration and transparency are key elements of a new communitywide approach to lingering problems such as infant mortality, substance abuse, obesity and cancer. Deaconess Health System and St. Mary's Health System on Wednesday presented the Community Health Needs Assessment 2016, a refreshed look at data in Vanderburgh and Warrick counties. The website, healthyswin.org, lists all information that was collected. Much of it is sobering. Southwestern Indiana's rate of infant mortality is highest in the state, a fact officials attributed to mothers smoking and not using prenatal health services. Tobacco use has dropped a bit, but the region is still too heavy 33.3 percent of adults in Vanderburgh and 29.4 percent in Warrick are considered obese. In that area, "we haven't made progress," said St. Mary's CEO Keith Jewell, who presented the report at Central Library along with Linda White of Deaconess. "In fact, we're heavier today than we were three years ago." Vanderburgh's death rate due to drug poisoning and its age-adjusted emergency room visit rate due to alcohol abuse soar above statewide averages. Warrick's age-adjusted death rates to breast and prostate cancer are slightly higher than statewide averages. One example of success cited in the Community Health Needs Assessment was increased accessibility of youth mental health first aid. Officials said that is a key piece of suicide prevention, although they emphasized suicide remains a concern. Deaconess Cross Pointe used grant funding to expand youth mental health first aid training. "The reason that's so important is there is a lot of evidence showing the sooner you can intervene with someone with a mental health concern, the better the outcome," said Janie Chappell, manager of community services at Deaconess Cross Pointe. "The median age of when someone develops a mental health concern is about 11 years. We have a lot of little kids who are struggling." However, many do not receive help they need that early in life. "The average amount of time it takes for someone to seek help if they a mental health concern is 10 years," Chappell said. " ... Most 21-year-olds aren't going to seek help on their own, and they've lost out on a lot of things they need to learn, such as coping skills and problem-solving skills." The Community Health Needs Assessment identified four priority areas behavioral health (including substance abuse, tobacco use and mental health) in both counties; exercise, weight and nutrition in both counties; child health in Vanderburgh; and cancer, specifically breast and prostate, in Warrick. Officials said the approach will include outreach to nonprofits and other individuals with interest in the four focus areas. The healthyswin.org website will a portal for how people and groups can become involved, while also viewing action plans and giving feedback. The website is to be updated with fresh community health statistics as they become available. "We don't want people to think, oh, here we go again," White said. "It's really a re-emphasis, and making sure we have the priorities right for the next three years. You don't have to be a nonprofit. We want people engaged who are passionate about these priorities. We will get community citizens involved who have very good ideas. It is a work in progress." Jewell said, "No individual or organization can improve the health status of the community. These are really huge issues. I think as we look back over the last three years, what we learned more than anything is that this community is willing to learn and collaborate on these issues. We're thankful for that energy and support. I think what we will do differently in the next three years is try to be more transparent about where the issues are and what we're doing about them." The website "will allow you to connect in any way you see fit," Jewell said. SHARE By Zach Osowski, zach.osowski@courierpress.com INDIANAPOLIS A group of experts from Indiana's judicial and legal system know they have their work cut out for them as they try to change the nature of the state's criminal justice system. On Tuesday, those experts from all over the state came to Indianapolis to see how their pilot counties are progressing with a new evidence-based approach to punishment and incarceration as well as mull what the state's goals should be moving forward. In 2015, Indiana was one of three states picked for a grant from the National Institute of Corrections to look at the Evidence-Based Decision Making approach to criminal justice. The approach is an attempt to shrink crime rates, reduce recidivism and promote a fair justice system. Indiana picked six pilot counties Bartholomew, Hamilton, Hendricks, Jefferson, Porter and Tipton to try the new system and identify changes that can be rolled out to the entire state. The state steering committee is chaired by Indiana Supreme Court Justice Steven David, who said the members were aware of the daunting nature of overhauling the state's criminal justice system, something he likened to making changes to an airplane while it was rolling down a runway. "You can't say, 'time out, no crimes committed for the next six months,'" David said. "But we have a lot of representation here from many different agencies that realize that (changing on the fly) is the only option." Judges, police, prosecutors, defense attorneys, lawmakers and mental health experts were all in attendance to discuss goals going forward. One of the possibilities raised by Sara Cozad, with the Indiana Division of Mental Health and Addiction, was making sure people who need treatment are going to health centers instead of prison. Cozad said she would like to see fewer people with a serious mental illness or a substance use disorder go to jail when treatment is a better option for them. She said arresting officers or defense attorneys can do a better job in Indiana of identifying who might be better served at rehab than jail, and she said once individuals with a mental illness do get proper treatment, they are less likely to get into trouble with the law again. The point of the evidence-based system, David said, is realizing one size doesn't fit all when it comes to criminal justice and lots of ideas on how to make that idea work in Indiana were tossed around. Citations for minor offenses instead of arrests, no bail for low-risk offenders and more pretrial diversion options were some of many things the group looked at on Tuesday. Ultimately, David said, this is going to be a very long process with some goals looking 15 years or more down the road as Indiana continues to change. But, he said the work done at the county level is already showing small changes are occurring. "There are already a number of initiatives under way," he said. "This is not 'stay tuned in 15 years.'" Elders paint grim picture of future Yalata Elders from South Australia are calling for resistance against two proposed nuclear waste dumps. In February last year, Labor Premier of South Australia Jay Weatherill launched a nuclear Royal Commission. Warnings at the Taranaki Blast Site, Maralinga. This month, Royal Commissioner Kevin Scarce recommended that SA import and store international high-level nuclear waste. This plan is in addition to the federal governments recently announced proposal to have a national nuclear dump in Adnymathanha Flinders Ranges country. From 1998-2004, the Kupa Piti Kungka Tjuta, senior Aboriginal women from Coober Pedy, led a successful national campaign against a dump to store national intermediate- and low-level waste in SA with eventual strong support from Premier, Mike Ranns SA Labor government. And Yalata Elders are hoping a new campaign can similarly change government plans. On May 14, 60 years after the first Maralinga bombs, the Maralinga Painting was launched at Yalata, at the Head of the Bight, 1,000 kilometre northwest of Adelaide. Yalata long-serving past chairperson Mima Smart, the lead artist for the community project, is incensed at this latest nuclear plan, particularly given the history of the Yalata/Maralinga people, who were moved from their country in 1952 to make way for the British nuclear tests. That Maralinga painting that I painted on the canvas was about the bomb. And the bomb means a lot of bad things, she said. The bomb brought death to our people on the land when they were still wandering in the desert; when they were still travelling from rockhole to rockhole. And all our families were told to go south. They came to Ooldea Tank when they settled and they seen that bomb. It was really sad whats happened to that land. Looking at the painting. It was a beautiful place with nice sceneries and animals around and birds and people around. And the people were gathering food on the ground. But after that bomb, people kept moving away and knew that place was destroyed by the bomb. But before that, they didnt understand the danger. But the white people knew. Why didnt they blast it in their own country? Why bring it to a beautiful country like Maralinga? The nuclear waste dump is not the best thing for us. The Minister is saying to bring the waste and dump it in South Australia. We dont want that waste dump either in Yalata, or around Maralinga, or Ooldea or Watson. Because the roads that are going across to Western Australia is the place we always be using for funerals, for visiting families and business. Please take it away and dump it in your country. The damage has already been done with us there are no old people in Yalata today. We teach all our children what the damage from the bombs is about. Immediate past chairperson of Maralinga Tjarutja, Keith Peters, called for support to fight the dump. We need everyone to respond to the government, to the royal commission, he said. The government needs to understand we need a good environment in our country. We are not going to have this disaster. We already fought for the (Maralinga) clean-up and the Maralinga Royal Commission. We need to stand up together, Anangu (Aboriginal people) and non-Anangu. If the government wants to put a nuclear dump in SA, all Australians, all South Australians should stand up and say no. Because its going to damage our country, our environment; its going to bring sickness to people. If we can say no, we can stand up together and we can win. After the Premiers announcement, environmental groups together with SA traditional owners launched the Alliance against the Dump. For more information go to www.nodumpalliance.org.au Koori Mail Defeat the Coalition CPA Statement on the Federal Election The Communist Party of Australia warns there are several urgent questions for the working class and other exploited people at the forthcoming federal elections. The Communists will be registered for the next elections but, unfortunately, on this occasion the choice for left and progressive voters is limited to political forces lacking in working class ideology. While the CPA recognises that parliaments have limited control of the political process due to the dominance of transnational corporations, differences on key policy issues make voting in this federal election a particularly important choice for left and progressive Australians. The main question before us is to defeat the Coalition government and conservative forces and to continue the process of breaking the two-party system. The main policy thrust of the Abbott/Turnbull government on key issues such as industrial relations, including the Australian Building and Construction Commission, the funding of public education, public health, environmental measures, etc is clearly dangerous enough for the CPA to recommend putting the Liberals and Nationals last. The Greens have proven to be better on these questions and those of health, education and industrial relations and deserve our support along with other progressive and left forces. Because of their position on questions like penalty rates and some other issues concerning industrial relations, the CPA recommends putting the ALP above the various right-wing candidates and the Coalition. Members and supporters should apply the same guidelines when voting in the Senate to secure the balance of power for the Australian Greens and other progressive candidates. In view of the new voting system in the Senate, members and supporters are urged not to preference the Coalition parties at all. The CPA recommends 1 to 6 above the line with the Greens in number 1 position followed by left and progressive parties and independents. Regardless of the outcome of the election, the CPA will continue to build working class power and left and progressive unity in action. We will continue to advocate the busting of the two-party system and to fight for our own policies on public health, public education, the environment, land rights, refugee rights, a foreign policy based on cooperation and peaceful relations, and an end to the US military alliance and involvement in imperialist wars. In sharp contrast to the current crop of pro-capitalist candidates, we will continue to campaign against the hugely wasteful military spending endorsed by the major parties. A 20 percent cut to military spending would restore neglected services and projects in public health care, public education, environmental protection, climate change, Indigenous services and other urgent needs. The CPA is convinced the main danger for the immediate future is the re-election of a Coalition government and the pursuit of fascist-like legislation directed against the trade unions. Workers relying on penalty rates face extreme challenges when penalty rates are removed. For these reasons we urge members and supporters to vote for left, progressive and Green candidates, put the ALP next ahead of the various reactionary parties and put the Liberals and Nationals last. In the Senate, do not preference the Coalition at all. Theory and Practice Socialism and human development today In his book The Origin of the Family, Private Property and the State Frederick Engels presents a brilliant summary of the development of human society up to the present time. He wrote: what had originally been a naturally grown democracy (in the gentile associations) was transformed into a hateful aristocracy. The gentile constitution had grown out of a society that knew no internal antagonisms, and was adapted only for such a society. It had no coercive power except public opinion. But now a society had come into being that by the force of its economic conditions of existence had to split up into freemen and slaves, into exploiting rich and exploited poor; a society that was not only incapable of reconciling these antagonisms, but had to drive them more and more to a head. Such a society could only exist either in a state of continuous, open struggle of these classes against one another or under the rule of a third power which, while ostensibly standing above the classes struggling with each other, suppressed their open conflict and permitted a class struggle at most in the economic field, in a so-called legal form. The gentile constitution had outlived its usefulness. It was burst asunder by the division of labour and by its result, the division of society into classes. Its place was taken by the state. Engels explained: [The state] is a product of society at a certain stage of development; it is the admission that this society had become entangled in an insoluble contradiction with itself, that it has split into irreconcilable antagonisms which it is powerless to dispel. But in order that these antagonisms, classes with conflicting economic interests, might not consume themselves and society in fruitless struggle, it becomes necessary to have a power seemingly standing above society that would alleviate the conflict, and keep it within the bounds of order This public power exists in every state; it consists not merely of armed men but also of material adjuncts, prisons and institutions of coercion of all kinds, of which gentile society knew nothing. In concluding his analysis of the history of the development of human societies Engels quotes American anthropologist Lewis Morgan who devoted his life to a study of American Indian society. Morgan wrote: The time which has passed away since civilisation began is but a fragment of the past duration of mans existence; and but a fragment of the ages yet to come. The dissolution of society bids fair to become the termination of a career of which property is the end and aim, because such a career contains the elements of self-destruction. Democracy in government, brotherhood in society, equality in rights and privileges, and universal education, foreshadow the next higher plane of society to which experience, intelligence and knowledge are steadily tending. It will be a revival, in a higher form, of the liberty, equality and fraternity of the ancient gentes. On the same theme Engels writes: The highest form of the state, the democratic republic, which under our modern conditions of society is more and more becoming an inevitable necessity, and is the form of state in which alone the last decisive struggle between proletariat and bourgeoisie can be fought out the democratic republic officially knows nothing any more of property distinctions. In describing the differences between gentile society and civilisation, Engels writes that: while among barbarians hardly any distinction could be made between rights and duties, civilisation makes the difference and antithesis between these two plain even to the dullest mind by assigning to one class pretty nearly all the rights, and to the other class pretty nearly all the duties. And, Naked greed has been the moving spirit of civilisation from its first day to the present time; wealth, wealth and wealth again; wealth, not of society, but of this shabby individual was its sole determining aim A study of this work by Engels, particularly the chapter entitled Barbarism and Civilisation, is essential reading for all communists. It is socialist society and socialist society alone, which inscribes the principles of democracy in government, brotherhood in society, equality in rights and privileges, and universal education on its banners. In innumerable references Marx and Engels and other communist writers have outlined the principles of the future socialist society. The proletariat seizes the public power and by virtue of this power transforms the social means of production, slipping from the hands of the bourgeoisie, into public property. By this act, the proletariat frees the means of production from the character of capital they have thus far borne, and gives their socialised character complete freedom to work itself out. Socialised production upon a predetermined plan becomes henceforth possible. Lenin emphasised the importance of philosophical materialism: Marxs philosophical materialism has alone shown the proletariat the way out of the spiritual slavery in which all oppressed classes have hitherto languished. And, Not a single victory of political freedom over the feudal class was won except against desperate resistance. Not a single capitalist country evolved on a more or less free and democratic basis except by a life and death struggle between the various classes of capitalist society. Engels speaking at the graveside of Karl Marx, who died in March 1883, said that: Marx discovered the law of evolution in human history the simple fact, hitherto concealed by an overgrowth of ideology, that mankind must first of all eat and drink, have shelter and clothing, before it can pursue politics, science, art, religion, etc His real mission in life was to contribute in one way or another to the overthrow of capitalist society and of the state institutions which it had brought into being, to contribute to the liberation of the present-day proletariat, which he was the first to make conscious of its own position and its needs [and] of the conditions under which it could win its emancipation. This rather long introduction is necessary to put into perspective the millennia-long and often painful struggles of humankind to win its liberation. Today this struggle is taking its next strides forward with the creation of socialist societies, where the working class and its allies are becoming the ruling class and where the capitalist system is being relegated and replaced by socialist economic, political and social institutions and structures. The writings of Marx, Engels and Lenin in particular, show that the historic changes taking place do not arise as a consequence of the ideas of these great scientists but are the inevitable result of the progression of human society. It is on the basis of their scientific discoveries that we assert the inevitability of the transition on a world scale of capitalist societies into socialist ones. It is not yet even 100 years since the first socialist societies came into existence a mere snap of the fingers in terms of the first historical formation and development of human societies. (This year [2007] marks only the 90th anniversary of the November 7th, 1917 Great October Socialist Revolution in Russia and the subsequent formation of the USSR the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics). But it is sufficient time to allow a first evaluation of the achievements of these societies and to ascertain whether humanity has generally taken the road that Marx, Engels and Lenin expected. The Russian revolution brought to power the working class of Russia in alliance with the peasantry. It proceeded to bring about the public ownership of the means of production and turned all land into collectively owned public property. On this basis it became possible to introduce economic planning and to rapidly improve the living standards of the people of both town and country. For the first time ever, poverty was being eliminated, education and health services became available to all, equal rights for women in society were implemented, national and ethnic antagonisms were in the process of being eliminated and a policy of international peace became the foremost principle in international relations. It fell to the Soviet Union to play the principle part in the destruction of Nazism in Germany, a historic achievement that will reverberate down through time for centuries to come. The victory over Nazism was an enormous blow against capitalism and imperialism and against all class societies. This victory led to the destruction of the colonial system and the subjugation of the less developed countries by the powerful imperialist industrial states. It also opened the way for the victory of the Chinese revolution which, in the modern era, is rapidly overtaking the developed capitalist countries in the field of production and demonstrating for all to see the advantages of the socialist form of society. The socialist form of society in Russia and China both demonstrated that socialist public ownership achieves a much more rapid rate of economic development than has been achieved by any of the capitalist states. Furthermore, their industrial development did not lead to the pauperisation of the working people but to a much greater proportion of the value of production going to lift the living standards of the people. These achievements were not free of difficulties and setbacks as have overtaken the USSR and the other socialist countries of Eastern Europe. In China, the period of the Cultural Revolution also seriously delayed the development of the socialist economy of the Peoples Republic of China for many years. The communist parties throughout the world are learning from the setbacks and errors of these first efforts to build socialist societies. There are many issues in this regard the overestimation of the rapidity of change and an underestimation of the resources and determination of the overthrown capitalist power, insufficient attention to the educational work necessary to root out the centuries of ideological indoctrination by all previous class societies, developing correct relationships between the party, the state, the working class and the people, how to develop new institutions and forms which draw all the working people into becoming the real masters of society while controlling bureaucratic forms of government as well as corruption, the long struggle to overcome national and ethnic differences which have been fanned by the previous class power, etc. Without slipping into nationalistic positions we must recognise that each country has its differences and historical experiences and will build the new socialist society taking into account these characteristics. This is what is meant when the Communist Party of China speaks about building socialism with Chinese characteristics. But, the same principles of historical materialism that allow one to conclude that the transition from capitalism to socialism is inevitable, so it is also inevitable that the construction of socialism will not be free of difficulties, errors and setbacks. Initially, the centre of the world-wide revolutionary movement resided in the USSR. It then shifted to Asia with the Chinese and Vietnamese revolutions and the struggles of the colonial countries for their national liberation. Today it is centred on the continent of Latin America with the victory of peoples governments in Venezuela, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Argentina, Uruguay and several other countries. In the transformation of the world situation, the remarkable role played by the leadership of socialist Cuba cannot be underestimated. It is reflected in the answers implemented by the Communist Party of Cuba to the many questions which arise in the construction of a socialist society. It is also reflected in the epic struggle waged by the Cuban people and government against the continual interference and threats by its near neighbour US imperialism. Conversely, the centre of counter-revolution, which formerly resided in the power of British, German and French imperialism in the 18th, 19th and in the first half of the 20th Century, has now passed to the United States as the most powerful economic, political and military power in the remaining capitalist world. The new governments of both Venezuela and Bolivia have proclaimed their objective to be the building of socialist societies although they are only at the very beginning of this process. However, already these countries are proceeding to turn the private ownership of enterprises into public ownership and to implement fundamental land reform programs. They are developing new institutions which express the democratic participation of the ordinary people as the owners of the economy and the political masters of society. The rich resources and other forms of wealth of these countries are being channelled to the working class, the peasantry and the indigenous peoples. Nothing (except a nuclear war or dramatic climate change) is now capable of stopping the forward march of human society towards a socialist outcome. This is more and more apparent as the deep crisis of capitalism and imperialism becomes the main characteristic of the capitalist and imperialist societies. This process of disintegration is also inevitable although it will occupy several centuries once again, only a small period in the total life of human society. The Communist Party of Australia has attempted to take the past experiences of socialist states and the finest objectives of humanity into account in formulating its Program, recognising that a socialist society in Australia will take into account the particular progressive characteristics of the Australian people and Australian society so far achieved. Our Program says that the idea that a society should be developed on the basis of everything for the good of the people and on a co-operative basis started to become a reality [in the 20th Century]. In the 20th Century a number of states showed that it was possible to build a new society in which the working class became the ruling class. The means of production were turned into public property and the exploitation of working people by capital was abolished and fundamental steps taken to end racial and sexual discrimination. Unemployment was reduced or eliminated, illiteracy was eradicated and free education made available to all. Extensive public health and social security services were created and national identity and culture promoted. Socialist states gained a foremost place in space technology and in other fields of science says the CPA Program. New concepts of democracy socialist participatory democracy were advanced. Priority was given to the right to work and leisure, the right to an education and health care, the right of women to economic and social equality. New forms of international economic relations based on mutual benefit and assistance, co-operation, specialisation and integration were established. The countries of the socialist world, through mutually beneficial trade arrangements, greatly assisted the economic development of many developing countries. The party Program says that for the first time in history, a number of states arose which adopted the struggle for peace as a responsibility of the state itself with their foreign policies being based on the concept of the peaceful co-existence of states having different social systems. The socialist states repeatedly advanced proposals to eliminate the danger of war, settle disputes without recourse to arms and to scrap all weapons of mass destruction as a step towards complete disarmament. These policies are motivated by the highest human aspirations that once existed, but only in primitive forms, before the advent of private property in slave ownership, land ownership and then in the form of the private ownership of the means of production, money supply, natural resources and so on. On this basis an exploiting class arose which accumulated vast wealth and power by exploiting the majority of the population. The American anthropologist Lewis Morgan, foresaw future developments when he wrote, more than 100 years ago, the lines already quoted: Democracy in government, brotherhood in society, equality in rights and privileges, and universal education, foreshadow the next higher plane of society to which experience, intelligence and knowledge are steadily tending. It will be a revival, in a higher form, of the liberty, equality and fraternity of the ancient gentes. This new period in human society will probably be called socialist civilisation. Humanity has already put its foot on the ladder to this higher order. * This article first appeared in the Australian Marxist Review in 2007. Union leaders outrage at Orlando massacre Union leaders expressed horror and outrage at a gunmans mass killing of 49 people, and wounding of 53 more, at an Orlando, Florida, club that catered to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. Several leaders again demanded increased gun control. The unionists, including Randi Weingarten, the openly gay president of the American Federation of Teachers, joined other leaders across the ideological spectrum in condemning the massacre and expressing sympathy for the victims and their families. The exception: Donald Trump, the presumed Republican presidential nominee, in a harsh speech, spewed hatred of Muslims, instead. Other statements included: Hatred and violence have no place in a civilised society, said Jerame Davis, executive director of Pride@Work, the AFL-CIO constituency group for gay-lesbian-bisexual-transgendered unionists. Our hearts break for the families of the Orlando massacre as we wait for more information about this horrific attack. Until then, we can only honour the victims and their families by working to make sure this never happens again. AFTs Weingarten added the carnage in Orlando again proves the need to curb the availability of such weapons of mass destruction. One of the large prior massacres occurred in an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut, she noted. I dont know where to begin, she said. Fifty dead, many more wounded, in the worst mass shooting in American history. I am sick and heartbroken. I pray for the recovery of those who are wounded, and my heart goes out to the dead and their families and loved ones. While we wait for the details, we must find the courage to extend compassion to one another, not expand hate. Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick and others are already trying to divide us by insinuating that the victims because they are part of the LGBTQ community deserved to die. Others have seized on the gunmans name to promote hate against Muslims. Patrick, like Trump, is a Republican. The victims are not to blame. Our Muslim neighbours are not to blame, Weingarten continued. If we want to assign blame, let us look to the culture of radicalisation and fear that creates hatred. Let us look to the outrageous laws that make it easier for gunmen to acquire assault rifles than it will be for members of the LGBTQ community to donate much-needed blood for the victims of this crime. The weapon used in Orlando is a kind of military-style assault rifle, a type of semi-automatic weapon that was also used by Adam Lanza when he murdered innocent children and educators at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. That style of weapon was also used in San Bernardino, California. In Aurora, Colorado. In Portland, Oregan. Let us find the political courage to pass common sense laws to make it harder to commit these crimes. And let us find the moral courage to use this tragedy to build bridges and open our hearts, not to build walls and further hatred. We express our deepest condolences for everyone affected by the deadly shooting, including the victims, their families, the police force and the medical professionals, said Steelworkers President Leo Gerard. In the labour movement, we live by the fundamental belief that an injury to one is an injury to all. This event was not just an attack on the LGBT community or on the attendees of the Pulse nightclub; it was an attack on all Americans who have the right to be free. As a union, we pledge to continue working to secure the right of everyone in this nation and in this world to live their lives free from violence and hatred, regardless of race, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, or religion. In the words of the Reverend Martin Luther King, Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. There is no room in our country for such hatred, yet such tragedies are occurring far too often, the Communications Workers said. However, its clear that LGBTQ people were targeted by the gunman. We call on this country to replace hate with love. Shamefully, some elements already are using this horrific tragedy to push their political agenda and are condemning President Obama for his call to our nation to respect all people and all faiths. We stand with the President who has called this massacre an act of terror, in this case directed at LGBTQ Americans, and join all Americans who are sickened by the continuing carnage and loss of innocent life in our nation. ...We join in the demand for changes that will restore responsible gun ownership to communities across the nation. This was an attack on all of us, said Hector Sanchez, Executive Director of the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement, the AFL-CIO constituency group for Latino workers. Many of the Orlando victims are Latinos, as the club was hosting a Latin American-themed night. Service Employees President Mary Kay Henry said her union also stands in solidarity with the lesbian-gay-bisexual-transgender community and that it will renew its efforts for stringent gun controls. We are reminded that the LGBTQ community has long been the target of hate and violence in their fight for freedom to love, said Henry, who is gay. In the past year alone, African Americans in a church, health care workers in a womens health clinic and our unions members attending a holiday party have lost their lives. We must all stand united against all forms of hatred and violence. Together, we demand our nation does everything to ensure that no more families have to feel this pain, sadness and loss ever again. Its long past time for our nation to do something about gun violence in our communities. We stand in solidarity with the LGBT people who were the direct targets of this terrorist attack, and the larger communities they represent, sadly, by this most recent act of terrorist violence, said Stuart Appelbaum, president of the Jewish Labour Committee. This was not just an attack on the LGBT communities of Orlando, but on freedom itself, on the basic principles of cultural openness, diversity and tolerance. Indeed, our way of life, added Appelbaum, who is also president of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union. Appelbaum, who is gay, said standing with the victims is not enough and must be followed by serious state and federal gun control laws despite the gun lobby and that homophobia, racism, anti-Semitism, and Islamophobia must be all be challenged wherever they rear their ugly heads, and we call on leaders in our communities and organisations to speak out clearly and consistently on this. Internationally, Islamist extremism, with religious and political components, provides inspiration to as well as support for terrorist acts such as that in Orlando. The full weight of the free world must be brought to bear to break its hold without, however, demonising Islam or legitimising Islamophobia. Radical Islamism is an extreme minority movement, Appelbaum pointed out. Peoples World Sussex News Story Saved You can find this story in My Bookmarks. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. I. Overview Tunisia faces a jihadist threat that arises as much from its own national territory as from neighbouring Libya. To confront it the authorities must urgently publish a counter-terrorism strategy that adopts a multidimensional approach, prioritising prevention and including a mechanism for wide consultation. This would enable a coordinated response and help build broader national consensus around it. The priority is to overcome the mostly institutional and bureaucratic obstacles that have delayed the launch of a strategy since a new constitution was adopted in January 2014. Publishing and implementing a strategy against jihadist violence, which could destabilise the country and encourage an authoritarian drift, will mean revitalising security governance. Failing to respond coherently would allow some of the most vulnerable segments of Tunisian society to continue to radicalise, a primary goal of jihadist groups. Jihadist violence in Tunisia has expanded and diversified since the 2010-2011 uprising against the regime of then President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali. While the government is determined to tackle this security challenge, it has yet to implement a multidimensional strategy that would enable it to address the root causes of violence thereby preventing it and appropriately increase the capacity of security forces to anticipate the threat, react quickly and coordinate and adapt their responses. Releasing a national strategy would clarify the requirements and priorities for a fight of this kind, and would enable a public debate, encouraging popular buy-in and thus pre-empting resistance to its application. It would also improve security collaboration between Tunisia and its regional and international partners, which are keen to see their financial and technical support integrated into a clear strategic vision. Political actors agree more or less on the strategic direction needed to tackle the problem, despite some divergence on the level of control over spaces of religious teaching and the balance between prevention and repression. The main problem is that the government has not yet published or implemented a responsive strategy one whose operational components can evolve to become more effective. The context is unfavourable: Tunisias security challenges are urgent and tend to provoke a repressive response; coordination between the heads of state and government is poor; numerous administrative obstacles remain between and within ministries; and the multiple ad-hoc counter-terrorism commissions often underperform and even fragment policymaking. Two strategic documents were prepared in 2014 and 2015, but never published. These should now serve as a base for the drafting and dissemination of a new text that should reflect a deep understanding of jihadist groups. Two elements will be essential for its success: better cooperation between public institutions and a mechanism for evaluating the strategys effectiveness with a view to making the necessary adjustments. The agency best placed to produce this type of document in coordination with the relevant ministries is the new National Counter-terrorism Commission, established on 22 March 2016, which brings together various parts of the government, including from the security sector. It could also put in place a mechanism for consultation across a broad spectrum of political and civil-society actors. As a first step, to give new impetus to the finalisation and dissemination of this strategy, the head of state and the head of government should agree on their respective roles in the security sector. Secondly, the head of government should strengthen its inter-agency coordination mechanisms, in particular the National Counter-terrorism Commission and the Security Management Follow-up Cell, and create the position of high commissioner for counter-terrorism, who should be given the status of minister without portfolio. His task would be to improve coordination between the two heads of the executive, the relevant ministries, other government agencies (both inside and outside the security sector) and the various ad hoc counter-terrorism commissions. The high commissioner should have the appropriate profile and status to be able to support the National Counter-terrorism Commission in the analytical aspects of its work, namely the completion of the strategy, and help revitalise security governance. To finalise a multidimensional strategy emphasising prevention and based on a solid understanding of jihadist groups, and to ensure its effective application: The National Counter-terrorism Commission should draw on the two previous strategic documents to complete a new text, ensuring the active participation of all ministries and government agencies. The commission should present a public version of this new text and put in place a participatory evaluation mechanism that would allow consultation with a broad range of political and civil-society groups representing Tunisias many political and regional sensibilities, specifically those of border regions most affected by violent groups. Their perspectives should be taken into consideration to enable the adaptation of the documents operational elements in response to an evolving threat. The head of State should take charge of publicising the strategys guiding principles and encourage a process of public consultation. To revitalise governance mechanisms and improve inter-agency coordination to enable the implementation of the strategy: The heads of State and government should define their respective roles in the security sector, without necessitating a change in the constitution. The head of government should strengthen its inter-agency coordination mechanisms, in particular the National Counter-terrorism Commission and the Security Management Follow-up Cell, in order to overcome the bureaucratic resistance and cronyism that are weakening the chain of command within each ministry, especially the interior ministry. The head of government should appoint a high commissioner for counter-terrorism, with the status of minister without portfolio, who is politically independent and has the relevant legal expertise and experience in security management. This person should be tasked with supporting the National Counter-terrorism Commission and improving coordination between the heads of state and government, as well as between different ministries, government agencies and ad hoc bureaucratic structures involved in counter-terrorism policy both inside and outside the security sector. II. A Constantly Evolving Jihadist Threat Since the departure of President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali on 14 January 2011, jihadist violence in Tunisia has taken different forms and, though of low intensity, has expanded steadily. During a first phase, in 2011 and 2012, the Salafi-jihadist movement tried to structure itself as a political force around the Ansar al-Sharia group, but soon turned to violence. Its proselytising in favour of violent acts against atheists and infidels proliferated on social networks and through preaching in prisons, high schools, universities, mosques, public spaces, sports clubs and elsewhere. It established vice squads in certain disadvantaged areas, and several suspected Ansar al-Sharia militants desecrated and burned various zawiyas religious shrines that belong to Sufi brotherhoods and serve as tombs or mausoleums for their walis, or saints. After the attack on the U.S. embassy in September 2012, organised in part by Ansar al-Sharia, the Troika began to take a more severe security approach to radical Islamism. As a Salafi-jihadist noted in 2013, the measures taken at that time restricted Ansar al-Sharias freedom of movement, which thwarted its social activities, designed to win the sympathies of the people and take root throughout the country. The discourse of Abou Iyad al-Tounisi, the groups leader, became more threatening toward the state, suggesting that Tunisia might become a land of jihad like Syria or Iraq. Jihadist violence intensified and diversified in 2013. According to a researcher, the Salafi-jihadist movement then entered a new phase, seeking to: Strike the state, its representatives and its interests, and exhaust security forces. Its strategy was to weaken institutions in order to better organise itself, while diverting the democratic process to show Tunisians that this non-Islamic state is tyrannical in essence and encourage them to join the movement. In February and June 2013, two leftist political figures were killed; the Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for both assassinations in December 2014. In May 2013, the Troika established stronger security measures, targeting in particular Ansar al-Sharia. The police and the National Guard uncovered several weapons stockpiles in different parts of the territory. Skirmishes between security forces and small jihadist brigades intensified in the countrys western border areas and have not stopped since. In August 2013, the interior ministry classified Ansar al-Sharia as a terrorist organisation, and within a year, the group appeared to have been eradicated. After parliamentary and presidential elections in late 2014, Tunisia became a privileged target of IS just as it was increasing its international terrorist operations. In March and June 2015, more than 60 foreign tourists were killed in the Bardo Museum in Tunis and at the Marhaba Hotel in Port el Kantaoui (an east coast touristic area) in attacks claimed by IS. In November 2015, a dozen members of the presidential guard died in a suicide attack also claimed by IS. More recently, in March 2016, a commando squad of 60 mostly Tunisian jihadists attempted to seize the city of Ben Guerdane, 30km from the Libyan border in the countrys south east, by storming the military barracks and the National Guard post. Although Tunisian armed forces successfully thwarted the operation and Ben Guerdane locals several of whom are known to have taken part in armed conflicts across the Middle East and North Africa did not join the insurrection, the threat remains prevalent at the national level. A large number of Tunisian citizens, between 3,000 and 6,000 depending on the source, have joined the ranks of IS in Iraq, Syria and Libya; nearly 600 are thought to have returned home. Given the weakness of the external intelligence services, the justice system cannot prove that they have blood on their hands, a former director general of National Security said. So they are merely put under house arrest and monitored closely by the police. Some of these returnees, still active in IS, could organise violent operations in Tunisia. This would complement ISs scattering strategy from its strongholds in neighbouring Libya, a French expert on jihadism argued. Another strike on Tunisia would be a way for IS in Libya to threaten Algeria on its eastern border while also boosting the groups propaganda, given the international media attention garnered by each new attack on Tunisian soil. Jihadist groups in the country can rely on significant networks (isolated jihadists, small groups either autonomous or linked to larger movements). Several sleeper cells, some of which are in contact with al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and IS, reportedly exist throughout the country in both urban and suburban areas. Moreover, nearly 150 armed jihadists from Oqba Ibn Nafaa, a group close to AQIM that has been significantly weakened by the army and the national guard, and from Jounoud al-Khilafa (close to IS) still operate in the mountainous and forested areas near the Algerian border. Jounoud al-Khilafa enjoys support among disadvantaged fringes of the population within a 100km radius in the direction of Sidi Bouzid (centre-west). Given the strengthening of their strategic capabilities in Libya, jihadist groups could in the future be a step ahead of security forces (the police, National Guard and army), who despite their success in Ben Guerdane are at risk of being overwhelmed. IS militants, among others, would then be in a position to carry out simultaneous attacks in several parts of the country. This would be a way for the group to show that it is capable of destabilising the state while pushing security forces to overreact, to highlight the frailty and fundamentally unfair nature of the godless state. In the wake of the three 2015 attacks, arbitrary arrests and police brutality and violence have already increased. The countrys main media outlets have also intensified their pro-security message, taking to task human rights advocates. The presidency has declared and repeatedly prolonged a state of emergency. To be effective, the states response cannot be limited to security measures; it should also take into account the strategy of jihadist groups, which have exploited citizens growing sense of injustice. As hatred for police spreads in some fringes of the population during periods of heightened security clampdowns that follow attacks, it is crucial not to give credence to jihadist propaganda in Tunisia, according to an expert on jihadism. III. Toward a Multidimensional Strategy Against Jihadist Violence A. The Case for a Dynamic, Multidimensional Strategy In order to cope with the evolving jihadist violence, which authorities should neither under- nor over-estimate, the state should implement a multidimensional strategy, whose operational aspects must be dynamic to allow for a coordinated response and avoid the pitfall of a security-only approach. A broad spectrum of ministries should help with its development youth, religious affairs, culture, education, justice, interior, defence, employment, etc. Around 20 per cent of the public budget is devoted to security in 2016, twice as much as in 2011, when Ben Ali fled the country. But thus far no strategy going beyond security in the narrowest sense (defence, interior, justice) and including mechanisms for fine tuning based on an evaluation of impact in the field, has been made public or implemented. As an international expert said, such a strategy would make it possible to address the terrorist phenomenon upstream (prevention) and downstream (repression) by optimising the countrys limited security resources (equipment, budgets) depending on the effectiveness of the mechanisms in place and the evolution of the threat. In other words, ministries that do not deal with security could jointly tackle the causes of jihadist violence, and the capacity of the security system to anticipate, coordinate, react and adapt would improve distinctly. Such a strategy would also encourage foreign partners to significantly increase the level and quality of their technical support in the framework of regional and international cooperation. Despite their commitment to the fight against jihadist violence, these partners have been reluctant to increase financial support to Tunisia in the absence of a clear vision of the states doctrine and strategic and political objectives in this realm. A large part of the aid cannot be delivered as long as the Tunisian administration has not carried out a concrete assessment of the needs at the national level through a detailed and budgeted strategy, a foreign aid worker said. B. Finalising and Publishing the Strategy Since 2014, two strategic documents have been prepared. The task now is to use them, in particular the sections describing the jihadist phenomenon and prevention measures to be implemented, as a foundation for drafting a new more inclusive and operational text, an advisor to the head of government said. A group in charge of monitoring and policy planning under the authority of former Prime Minister Mehdi Jomaa coordinated the drafting of the first document in 2014. The governments Crisis Cell, the Tunisian Institute for Strategic Studies (Institut tunisien des etudes strategiques, ITES), several national and international NGOs and the main concerned ministries were involved in the production of this several hundred-page text. It established five strategic principles in the fight against terrorism: balance between the implementation of effective security measures and consideration for human rights; sustained political consensus; preservation of the Tunisian societal model; strengthening of regional and international cooperation; and the need to adapt the security policy to the evolving jihadist threat while anticipating it. At the beginning of 2015, with Beji Caid Essebsi taking office as president and the formation of a new coalition government that brought together Nida Tounes and An-Nahda, development of a national security strategy began again from scratch. Six weeks after his swearing in, the new head of state convened the presidents National Security Council, which set up a National Commission Against Terrorism and Violent Extremism within the foreign affairs ministry. This ad hoc commission, which was composed of eighteen representatives from security bodies, ministerial departments (mainly the justice and interior ministries) and advisers to the president, drafted a new strategic document. Without contradicting the principles defined in the document developed under Jomaa, the new text proposes a set of measures against jihadist violence based on four pillars: prevention, protection, prosecution and response. Several experts and senior officials, including international specialists involved in the G7+3 dialogue, have said in its support that the document is less theoretical than the previous one and more oriented toward international collaboration the UN Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC) took an active role in its drafting. But this new document does not take into account the political nature and strategic dimension of jihadist violence; furthermore, unlike the text prepared under the Jomaa government, its development was not sufficiently inclusive given that certain ministries didnt want to collaborate, according to a Tunisian security expert. The text includes a certain number of mechanisms for public action to tackle recruitment networks, radicalisation and operationalisation. It argues in particular for improved regional and international intelligence coordination, heightened border controls, establishment of support mechanisms for victims of terrorism and compliance of Tunisian anti-terrorism legislation with international standards; the document also stresses that, for the fight against terrorism to be effective, it must respect human rights. At the time of writing, neither of these strategic documents had been made public or implemented. Authorities should draw on both documents to produce a new text that is as precise as the first one in its description of the jihadist phenomenon and as concrete and oriented toward international collaboration as the second. It should be drafted in a collaborative manner between the different ministries. To this end, use should be made of existing institutional mechanisms, including the National Counter-Terrorism Commission set up by the head of government on 22 March 2016 in accordance with the Counter-Terrorism Act of 7 August 2015. The commission reports to the head of government who, as the immediate supervisor of the various ministers, is better equipped than the head of state to ensure the cooperation of the administration. Composed of twenty representatives from most security and non-security ministries and directorates, it has extensive powers, including to conduct a national study to diagnose the terrorist phenomenon and to coordinate efforts and gather information, data and statistics on the fight against terrorism. Despite its name, the commission is focused more on improving inter-agency coordination and commissioning studies than on actively countering the jihadist threat, and it is theoretically in a position to ensure that all ministries take an active role in developing a text that is more complete than both existing documents. Such collaboration is essential; as an employee of a company specialised in strategic action said, you can have the best strategy in the world, but if it is not recognised and approved by all the administrations in charge of its implementation, it is difficult to apply. The same problem would arise if the countrys main political actors and NGOs rejected it. C. Involving Political Parties and Civil Society in Evaluating and Improving the Strategys Operational Elements The major political parties generally agree on the guiding principles of the fight against jihadist violence as outlined in the existing strategic documents, but differences remain on specific points. After publishing a strategic framework, it will be important to consult a wide spectrum of political players and NGOs and involve them in a participatory evaluation mechanism; this would allow for the adjustment of the strategys operational elements to make it more dynamic, and facilitate implementation of its major provisions. Broad public consensus exists with regard to the major areas of intervention in the fight against jihadist violence: integrated and community-led border management, economic development of border areas and poor regions, provision of leisure activities for youth, promotion of messages of peace and tolerance in spaces of religious education, improvement of prison conditions, strengthened coordination between security forces (police, army and National Guard) and development of cyber and human intelligence capacities. The main political parties recognise the need to respect human rights while combatting the jihadist threat, but in practice often neglect to report abuses. Some differences of opinion remain nonetheless. For supporters of zero tolerance, some of whom are nostalgic for the fallen regime, the country is at war and the emergency necessitates going beyond theoretical considerations and taking firm action. On the other hand, several experts and activists, notably those who took an active part in the drafting of the first strategic document under the Jomaa government, hold that preventive measures should be given priority over punitive ones. According to a former ITES researcher close to the Troika, it is necessary to avoid security-only responses and put in place fundamental reforms: Tunisias identity that is, a tolerant and moderate country with a democratic constitution is in itself a way to fight jihadism. Addressing this phenomenon cannot be limited to increasing the capacity of the security apparatus. A bad reaction from the security forces could fuel the sense of injustice. The strategy must include economic development of marginalised regions and increased participation in public affairs among youth. These differing views on the balance between prevention and repression are not necessarily linked to ideological stances, but Islamists and anti-Islamists disagree on the definition of religious extremism and on the intensity with which the state should combat it, especially when it comes to organisations, mosques, prayer rooms, Quranic schools and private nursery schools. These disagreements have grown in the wake of jihadist attacks, which have revived resentment between the two camps. The National Counter-Terrorism Commission should make public the first draft of the new document defining strategic lines. It should also provide an evaluation mechanism allowing for different types of actors to participate in public forums on the subject; involvement should extend well beyond those traditionally entitled to give their opinions on issues of jihadist violence, such as members of the security forces and high-ranking politicians. This approach would permit to take into account the views of grassroots activists (especially Islamists and leftists), members of associations active in a range of sectors (youth, culture, security, religion, human rights, etc), and representatives of regions, especially border governorates that have had to deal with armed groups. These consultations would enrich and adapt the operational elements of the strategy, making it more inclusive and dynamic, which would increase its probability of success. IV. Strengthening Inter-ministerial Coordination to Implement an Effective Strategy A. Clarifying the Roles of the Two Heads of the Executive in the Security Sector in a Consensual Way As a Nida Tounes deputy said, the problem is not the strategy but its effective implementation. Indeed, serious questions remain regarding the ability of different ministries to follow strategic directions with regard to security policy in a coordinated way. According to several security sector reform specialists, a central problem that needs to be addressed has to do with obstacles facing governance, notably within the security-related ministries of defence, interior and justice. It appears most clearly in the lack of coordination between agencies; for a number of activists across the political spectrum, this problem is of a constitutional nature, and amending the constitution would be necessary to overcome it. The Tunisian constitution, enacted on 27 January 2014 and heralded internationally as the most democratic and liberal in Arab world, stops short of ascribing clear responsibilities to the head of state and head of government with regard to national security, a term that is used but not defined anywhere in the text. Security is thus a shared area, constitutionally speaking, and has to be managed jointly by the two heads of the executive. The roles of the head of state and head of government can thus vary depending on the political context. With the change of government after the 2014 presidential and legislative elections, a kind of jurisdictional dispute between the presidency and the prime ministry emerged. This has stood in the way of the publication of a counter-terrorism strategy, a security expert said. Under the so-called technocratic Jomaa government (January 2014-February 2015) put in place after the political crisis of 2013, caused in part by accusations of laxity, or even complicity, against the An-Nahda-led coalition government with regard to the jihadist movement the division of labour on security issues between the heads of state and government was clearer. The main political forces agreed to marginalise then President Moncef Marzouki. Jomaas Crisis Cell edged out the presidents National Security Council, and the head of government enjoyed greater initiative in matters of security governance. At the end of 2014, the political configuration changed. Essebsi enjoyed solid legitimacy as the new president; he was the first head of state elected by direct universal suffrage in a democratic context and presided over the leading party in the Assembly of Peoples Representatives (APR). According to several deputies, from the get-go Essebsi used all the leeway offered by the constitution to presidentialise the regime. He proposed an independent head of government whom the APR quickly endorsed and whom he has tended to regard as a chief of staff, and reconvened the presidents National Security Council. But he has not been able to fulfil his ambitions with regard to inter-ministerial security coordination. The difficulties he has faced can be explained partly by the split that occurred within his party in January 2016; as a deputy recalled, the Nida Tounes split weakened the president, with the group losing its position to An-Nahda as the leading party in the APR. To get past this impasse, which also manifests itself beyond the security sector, a growing number of political analysts and leaders, especially those stemming from the parties that make up the coalition government, have proposed revising the constitution; advocates of such a reform have suggested creating either a purely presidential regime or, more rarely, a purely parliamentary one. The constitution outlines a hybrid regime and a system of proportional representation that prevents an outright political majority. This has led to a fragmentation of power centres that has weakened institutions. A kind of three-headed executive between the president, the head of government and the APR has impeded the adoption of major strategic directions and paralysed political will in the area of counter-terrorism, a former senior interior ministry official said. Those advocating for constitutional reform, and to some extent for the return of a strong man, have used blockages that impede governance, particularly in the security sector, as an argument. While many political analysts argue that amending the January 2014 constitution, which has been the symbol of a successful transition, is not on the agenda, it remains a possibility that could, according to a legal expert, open a Pandoras box. To be sure, from a strictly constitutional perspective, a parliamentary system with a head of government enjoying broad powers and an administratively and financially autonomous parliament could strengthen governance while maintaining sufficient democratic guarantees. But calls for order from several segments of the population that are nostalgic for the old regime and its strong presidency might move constitutional reform toward placing all control in the hands of a charismatic leader. Such a president would face difficulties in obtaining support from a civil society and public administration that have been divided since the 2010-2011 uprising, which would produce the opposite of the intended result. It would thus be preferable for the presidency and the prime ministry to work together in divvying up security roles and defining their respective prerogatives without modifying the constitution. For example, the presidency could play a key role in developing a strategic framework, as it did during the drafting of the 2015 document, as well as promoting that strategy nationwide and even help implement a participatory evaluation mechanism together with the National Counter-Terrorism Commission. B. Strengthening Inter-ministerial Coordination Administrative blockages both between and within ministries have become increasingly harmful to the countrys economy and security. Overcoming them will be essential in order to implement a strategy against jihadist violence that is capable of tackling root aspects of the phenomenon. Indeed, ministerial directives do not circulate easily between agencies and departments. Senior officials are sometimes reluctant to pass on instructions from a minister who might be ousted within a year. Some engage in obstructionism and passive resistance to protest against the legal proceedings launched against them in 2011 and 2012 regarding embezzlement under the previous regime. As Crisis Group observed in July 2015 with regard to the interior ministry, the administrative chain of command appears broken. A senior official explained that given the weakness of political parties, with the exception of An-Nahda, some ministers have become isolated: The administrative personnel is hostile to them, and they find themselves in the crossfire between interest groups linked with unions, businessmen and former ministers who have kept their followers. As a former director general of National Security said: You get the impression that no one is in the right place. Senior public officials who should be overseeing planning and coordination do not have the adequate stature. Given the contentious climate that prevails among the political class and public administration, ministers prefer to hire their supporters instead of competent officers. In this context, ensuring implementation of a multidimensional strategy against jihadist violence would mean significantly revitalising the head of governments mechanisms for inter-ministerial coordination, namely the National Counter-Terrorism Commission and the Security Management Follow-up Cell (which evolved from the Jomaa governments Crisis Cell). A close and active collaboration between these two bodies would short-circuit the administrative resistance and cronyism that have weakened the chain of command within each ministry, thus creating a dynamic similar to that inspired by Jomaas now-defunct Crisis Cell. The latter met roughly 100 times in one year. Despite its flaws and some hasty decisions, it managed to move forward on a number of sensitive issues, such as the Port of Rades. It also significantly improved security governance, particularly by encouraging better collaboration between different operational units fighting armed groups in the border regions. C. Appointing a High Commissioner for Counter-Terrorism The numerous ad hoc bureaucratic structures created to confront the terrorist threat in 2013-2014 have not allowed for better administrative and inter-agency coordination, which is essential if a strategy against jihadist violence is to materialise. On the contrary, a legal expert noted, the proliferation of all kinds of commissions that do not actually serve much purpose has disrupted the decision-making process. We are lost in this limbo. Appointing a high commissioner for counter-terrorism, with the status of minister without portfolio, would help to significantly improve administrative and inter-agency coordination and revitalise security governance more generally. Coordination between the many commissions is often insufficient, or even non-existent, and some of them resemble hollow shells. As a lawyer explained, creating a new commission to coordinate existing commissions would serve little purpose and would add to the prevailing administrative confusion; but a high commissioner for counter-terrorism who is politically independent, a legal expert, capable of following the twists and turns of the administration, and has experience in security governance would create a new dynamic. As minister without portfolio enjoying the firm support of the two heads of the executive, the commissioner could bring different agencies together. He would be better able than any collective structure to encourage close cooperation between security and non-security ministries, counter-terrorism agencies and ad hoc commissions. This high commissioner would also support the more analytical work of the president of the National Counter-Terrorism Commission, who is in charge of finalising an inter-ministerial strategy. In short, the commissioners task would be to strengthen collaboration between the offices of the president and the head of government and to improve coordination between the different ministries and administrative entities both strategically and in terms of operations. V. Conclusion With an inaugural call scheduled from Disney Cruise Line in 2017, the port of Charlottetown on Prince Edward Island is also looking at a potential build out of a second berth at its port facility. The engineering piece is happening now, it would be a win-win if we add another berth, said Corryn Clemence, business development manager for Charlottetown Harbour Authority/Port Charlottetown. The project would include major land reclamation and produce a mixed-use berth if plans proceed. In other news, the port finished its redevelopment project in 2015, adding 20 dedicated bus lanes for tour operators and cleaning up the port area in general. Inside the ports cruise facility are new desks for shore ex operators to sell dockside tours, said Morrissey. These are the same excursions from the same providers sold on the ships, as contracted to the cruise lines. The ports new look includes a pedestrian plaza, a giant maple leaf and various sculptures. Pullmantur Cruises and Wamos Air made history on Saturday when Wamos landed a Boeing 747 in Rostock, with more than 500 passengers and 19 crew onboard, according to a released statement. The passengers were transferred to the Monarch for a Northern European cruise, while the plane became the biggest to land at Rostock since U.S. President George W. Bush landed in Rostock on Air Force One in 2006. The arrival of the Boeing 747, piloted by Commander Alberto Blasco, was witnessed by the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Minister of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Christian Pegel, and the Mayor of Rostock Roland Methling. That night the Boeing 747 headed back to Madrid full of passengers freshly off a cruise with Pullmantur, which will do seven turnarounds in Rostock this year. Last month I examined how machine learning could be used to detect low and slow insider threats. In this, the final installment of my trilogy on real-world use cases from the recent Verizon Data Breach Digest, Ill discuss how remote access threats can be exposed with the machine learning techniques Ive covered in my two previous blogs. In this example, a manufacturing company experienced a breach of a shared engineering work station in its R&D department. A phishing email resulted in a Remote Access Trojan (RAT) backdoor being downloaded onto the system, which enabled the threat actors to escalate privileges and capture user credentials for everyone who had used the system. By the time the breach was discovered, a significant amount of information had been leaked out via FTP to a foreign IP address. Most companies understand that data breaches are inevitable. Its no surprise that spending on cyber security tools has expanded from traditional prevent and protect technologies to include post-breach detect and respond solutions in an attempt to control and manage unavoidable cyber-attacks. In addition, cyber-attacks are becoming more targeted, resulting in companies experiencing more damaging compromises that have a bigger impact on their business. [ MACHINE LEARNING SERIES: Part 1 and Part 2 ] The Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC) has been tracking security breaches since 2005, looking for patterns, new trends and information to educate businesses and consumers on the importance of protecting identities and personally identifiable information. From 2005 through April 2016, the ITRC recorded 6,079 breaches, covering 862,527,023 identity records. Thats a lot of compromised identities! Todays attacks compromise identity as a primary vector to pull sensitive information from an organization for financial gain or social notoriety. These attacks are sophisticated, better funded, more organized than ever before making it imperative for organizations to immediately analyze potential threats and risks related to anomalous and suspicious behavior. In addition to monitoring how identities are being both used and managed, other critical data sources within an organizations computing environment should be examined to provide more context beyond who and what. Some example data sources include network access, event and flow data, DLP data, sys logs, vulnerability scanning data, log files from IT applications, etc. In many cases, this data may already be consolidated into a log event management or SIEM solution. This vast array of data, when combined with information on how identities are being used by both humans and machines, creates a rich source of context that can be mined using threat analytics and anomaly detection. When we view identity as a threat plane, hundreds of attributes can be modeled in machine learning algorithms to predict and remediate security threats. Machine learning is a force multiplier. Rules-based detection alone is unable to keep pace with the increasingly complex demands of threat and breach detection. Primarily because rules are based on what (little) we know about the data, and generate excessive alerts. Since humans lack the ability to predict what future cyber-attacks will look like, we cant write rules for these scenarios. In contrast, machine learning and statistical analysis can find anomalies in data that humans would not otherwise recognize or detect. For example, they can leverage useful and predictive cues that are too noisy and highly dimensional for humans and traditional software to link together. Going back to our Verizon Data Breach Digest example, lets consider how machine learning could detect a RAT. First, lets clarify what were talking about. A Remote Access Trojan (RAT) is malicious malware software that runs in the background on a computer and gives unauthorized access to a hacker so they can steal information or install additional malicious software. Hackers dont even have to create their own RATs, these programs are available for download from dark areas of the web. Trojans have been around for two decades, yet the term RAT is relatively new. RATs usually start out as executable files that are downloaded from the Internet, which are often masked as another program or added to a seemingly harmless application. Once the RAT installs, it runs in system memory and adds itself to system startup directories and registry entries, so each time the computer is started, the RAT starts too. How can machine learning help here? RATs generate anomalous data conditions from several system resources. Machine learning algorithms would detect this activity as atypical, since they represent system services or resources that are not normally running. In this case, machine learning algorithms can perform anomaly detection for machine-, not user-, based access and activity. Machine learning models can even compare self versus self and self versus peer group access and activity for machines and users using historical baselines to determine anomalies with high accuracy. If its not a normal condition, its an anomaly, and machine learning will uncover it and catch the RAT by the tail! U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., has decried two potential mega-mergers involving Connecticut insurance companies as job killers and anti-consumer. However, he wouldnt offer an opinion on charges of conflict of interest made against the states insurance commissioner. On Wednesday afternoon, Blumenthal hosted a conference call criticizing the proposed acquisition of Bloomfield-based Cigna Health Insurance by Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, and of the Humana insurance company by Hartford-based Aetna. Earlier in the day, Blumenthal wrote a letter along with six other U.S. senators urging the U.S. Department of Justice to block the proposed mergers. We are deeply concerned by the detrimental impact that both of these mergers would have on premium prices, jobs and health care costs for consumers and businesses, the letter read. During the call, Blumenthal echoed those worries, saying reducing the number of major national health companies from five to three would be potentially disastrous. We need thriving, independent competitors in the insurance market, he said. Competition is vital. Neither merger is final, and the state insurance department is slated to have a public hearing on the Anthem-Cigna deal in the near future. Though Aetna, like Cigna, is based in Connecticut, the hearing on that merger wont take place here, because Humana doesnt participate in the states insurance market. The mergers have ignited a firestorm of controversy, including multiple calls for state Insurance Commissioner Katharine Wade to resign due to conflict of interest. The $54 billion Cigna deal is a particular concern, as Wade was previously a Cigna vice president and her husband is now an associate chief counsel for the company. Blumenthal was asked during the call if he was concerned Wades ties would corrupt the states approval process, but he declined to comment. The decision about the states review process should be left to state authorities, he said. Joining Blumenthal on the call were Matthew Katz, CEO, Connecticut State Medical Society and Tom Swan, Executive Director, Connecticut Citizens Action Group. Those two organizations, along with the Universal Health Care Foundation of Connecticut, have formed the Campaign for Consumer Choice, which has been a vocal advocate against the mergers. Katz said he and others in the state medical society share the concerns expressed through the senators letter, but he added that he was also concerned by the state review process, which he said lacks transparency and public involvement. The Universal Health Care Foundation of Connecticut also issued a statement echoing the support and concern voiced by other advocates. We applaud Connecticuts Senator Blumenthal and his colleagues for calling on the Department of Justice to turn down these two health insurance mega-mergers, Lynne Ide, the foundations director of program and policy, said in the statement. Evidence shows that such deals never benefit everyday people. Its about time that government regulators put the health and financial security of people first. BRIDGEPORT Four nursing homes around the state, including one in the city, have been fined in connection with residents who broke bones, required surgery or wandered away. On Aug. 24, Bridgeport Health Care Center was fined $640 in connection with a resident who left the facility Aug. 1 and was found at a store down the road. A video showed the resident climbed over a patio wall. The person made it seven-tenths of a mile before being returned safely to the home about an hour later, the citation said. The home failed to follow its policy of having a photo of every resident who needed one-on-one monitoring at the front desk, the citation said. The director of nursing told state inspectors that a licensed practical nurse should have asked one person to watch the resident, the home should have called a special code and the supervisors should have met to plan a search for the resident, the citation said. In response to the incident, a plan was put in place involving residents who were at risk for wandering, and all of the staff members were retrained, the citation said. In two separate citations on April 8, Cassena Care at Norwalk was fined a total of $5,370 for a case in which a now-former director of nursing blocked a resident from going to the hospital to maintain the resident count at the home, state records show. A day after the incident, on Oct. 10, the resident needed emergency cranial surgery and then was placed in hospice care, a citation from the state Department of Public Health said. DPH officials did not have information on whether the resident had died, department spokeswoman Maura Downes said. The home was fined $3,000 in one DPH citation that said the resident had a change in mental status, was lethargic and difficult to arouse, but an ambulance call was cancelled. A registered nurse said the former nursing director had ordered the staff to try to keep residents at the home to maintain the resident census, the citation said. A doctor had ordered the resident sent to the hospital and received a text that the director had refused to do so, the citation said. The doctor did not follow up, thinking the resident had been hospitalized, the citation said. The home was fined $2,370 in connection with the same residents care, a second citation said. A doctor said he should have been notified that the resident had not gone to the hospital as ordered on Oct. 9 and should have been told of the change in the residents mental status, the citation said. Officials from the home could not be reached for comment. On May 23, Meadowbrook of Granby was fined $1,815 in connection with a resident who rolled out of bed Jan. 23 and broke a hip. After the fall, the resident was hospitalized, but returned to the home with no documentation showing that the hips had been X-rayed, the citation said. Two days later, the person was in pain and was sent back to the hospital, where X-rays showed a broken hip, the citation said. The resident underwent surgery to repair the hip. The state found that a nurses aide had raised the bed to care for the resident, but went to a bathroom and should have lowered the bed before leaving the residents side, the citation said. The aide was retrained about the importance of lowering the bed, the citation said. Administrator Rachel DeMaida declined to comment. On April 20, Greenwich Woods Rehabilitation in Greenwich was fined $630 in connection with a resident who fell on March 6 and broke a thigh bone. The resident was found on the floor and initially did not appear to be injured. Two days later, a registered nurse changed the electronic medical record to say that on March 6, the resident was in pain and the injured leg appeared to have shortened by one inch, the DPH citation said. The nurse did not notify a doctor, did not obtain an order for an X-ray and changed the record at the direction of a director of nursing services who is no longer at the home, the citation said. After an advanced practice registered nurse ordered X-rays on March 7, the fracture was diagnosed and the resident was hospitalized, the citation said. Administrators at Bridgeport Health and Greenwich Woods could not be reached for comment. This story was reported under a partnership with the Connecticut Health I-Team (www.c-hit.org). This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate STAMFORD Organizers plan to take precautions as 400 children get ready to attend summer camp just a few blocks from the center of what police have described as a violent feud between residents that has spanned months and has left three people seriously injured by gunfire. If something were to happen the night before, we would be more inclined to keep the children inside the building the next day in case theres retaliation, said Michael Cotela, executive director of the Boys & Girls Club of Stamford. This summer marks the first camp season since the Boys & Girls Club took over operations at the financially troubled Yerwood Center last year. For decades, the Yerwood Center on Fairfield Avenue served the low-income community on the citys West Side, where 11 shootings have occurred since March 25. Police have traced the gunfire to rival groups from Spruce Street a block from Yerwood and Connecticut Avenue. I dont think its something that lives in the front of everybodys mind, but theres always a level of concern, Cotela said Tuesday. The Yerwood Center founded in 1943 by Dr. Joyce Yerwood, Fairfield Countys first black female physician closed in 2014 after it fell behind paying its bills. The Boys & Girls Club took it over before the center could declare bankruptcy. West Side residents met with community leaders, including Mayor David Martin, Tuesday night at Yerwood to discuss the violence that has rattled the neighborhood. I believe the children will be safe, Police Capt. Richard Conklin told The Advocate Tuesday afternoon. Most of our shootings have been taking place in the evening and early-morning hours. The latest shots were fired early Sunday morning in the area of Fairfield Avenue and Young Dixon Way just a few hours after police said a couple was ambushed after driving away from Sweet Water nightclub on Greenwich Avenue. The man was shot six times and his girlfriend was wounded twice during the shooting police believe occurred in the downtown area. Police do not know if this shooting is related to others on the West Side. Another man was seriously injured over Memorial Day weekend in a shooting at the La Quinta Inn and Suites on Harvard Avenue. Police said the man, one of two shot, was so intoxicated he did not realize he had been hit in the stomach and shoulder until the next day. Shots were fired closer to the Yerwood Center and the Boys & Girls Clubs headquarters on Stillwater Avenue earlier this year. In April, a man fired 12 times, sending bullets through a church window, near Spruce Street and Stillwater Avenue. A lot of (the children) dont know anything about whats going on, said Loni Joyner, who lives on the West Side and will be a camp counselor at the Yerwood Center beginning July 5. The club plans to keep children inside most of the day at Yerwood, where camp for kindergartners through third-graders is held. Fourth grade and up will attend camp down the street at Stillwater. I dont feel safe with them outside, even when theyre with us, said Joyner, who added she will not take children to the Jackie Robinson Park of Fame across the street. Wed like to be able to walk over there, Cotela said, but you never really know where things are going to happen. Cotela said children will be allowed in the Yerwood Center parking lot in the afternoon, following the mornings educational programs. Well limit the number of kids out there and make sure theyre well-supervised, he said. Children at Stillwater will still be able to use neighboring Lione Park, where a woman was killed last year in an early evening shooting that occurred during a social gathering. Its hard to keep kids indoors all day, Cotela said. eskalka@scni.com This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 3 1 of 3 Contributed photo / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 2 of 3 Contributed photo / Hearst Connecticut Media Show More Show Less 3 of 3 FAIRFIELD Police are asking for the publics help in finding a woman suspected of stealing a wallet and later using the credit cards in Bridgeport. The wallet was taken from an unlocked car parked on Pequot Avenue June 8 around noon. The credit cards that were in the wallet were used a short time later in a variety of businesses near Park Avenue and State Street in Bridgeport. Copa Airlines continues to expand in Cuba The first flight of Copa Airlines to the Cuban city of Holguin, about 774 kilometers east of Havana, took place from Panama City on Tuesday with some three and a half hours duration. The Embraer 190 aircraft arrived at the Frank Pais International airport of the eastern city at approximately 12:56 p.m., after its first flight to what is as of June 21 the third destination of the airline in Cuba, since Copa already officially flights to Havana and the central city of Santa Clara. As the company had announced earlier this year, the northeastern territory of the Caribbean archipelago opened its doors to the airline, with two weekly frequencies scheduled for Tuesdays and Saturdays. Pedro Heilbron, Executive President of Copa Airlines, recently announced that the company's commitment with this new route is to contribute to the increase of the profile of Cuba as a tourist and cultural epicenter in the region, reported the copaair.com Web site. After 20 years of service to Cuba, Copa Airlines has expanded to seven daily flights its operation to Havana and since 2014 it flies four times a week to Santa Clara. The airline, which is part of the global airline network Star Alliance, is considered to be one of the most punctual in the region, flies to 74 destinations in 31 countries of The Americas. Holguin province is considered the third most important tourist destination in Cuba for its important attractions, among which we find the resorts of Guardalavaca, Pesquero and Esmeralda, on the north coast of the territory. (acn) US Small Business Administration Chief concludes visit to Cuba US Small Business Administration (SBA) Chief Maria Contreras-Sweet concluded yesterday her working visit to Cuba. During her stay here, Contreras-Sweet met with Foreign Trade and Investment minister Rodrigo Malmierca, who briefed her on the update of the Cuban economic model, the National Economic Development Plan up to 2030 and the performance of different economic sectors on the island, as well as on the impact by the US embargo on Cuban economy and on the relations with the United States. The visitor also met with deputy ministers from the Domestic Trade and the Labor and Security ministries. She visited the Special Development Zone in western Mariel harbor, where she learned about opportunities for investment, and she was also briefed about development plans for the historic section of Havana. STORY LINK Pound Sterling US Dollar Exchange Rate GBP USD Fluctuates on Investor Fears Dovish Janet Yellen Speech Weighs on US Dollar Exchange Rates Yellen Optimistic about the Domestic Economy but Uncertain regarding the Global Economic Outlook Like this piece? Please share with your friends and colleagues: The Pound has made significant fluctuations in its exchange rate against the US Dollar today, owing to mixed levels of confidence being seen among GBP investors.The US Dollar has been an unstable option recently, and the looming EU Referendum vote promises to only amplify this unsettled nature.The Chair of the worlds premier central bank provided a broad-ranging testimony regarding the state of the world economy yesterday afternoon and global investors sat up and took note. Janet Yellen delivered a prepared statement to the US Senate Banking Committee during yesterdays North American equities session and she had some particularly significant comments to make regarding the possible fall-out from a decision in favour of Brexit from UK voters tomorrow.The Feds head honcho warned the assembled US lawmakers that, one development that could shift investor sentiment is the upcoming referendum in the United Kingdom. A U.K. vote to exit the European Union could have significant economic repercussions.Support for the Pound Sterling (currency : GBP) held up well during late trading yesterday, with the Pound US Dollar exchange rate jumping to its highest level since the first week of the year at 1.4767 GBP USD and leading betting exchange Betfair (PPB.L) now implies a 25% chance that Britain will vote to leave the EU.However, Yellens concerns regarding the future performance of the global economy were not limited to the possible effects of a Brexit. She went on to assert that,Of course, considerable uncertainty about the economic outlook remains. The latest readings on the labor market and the weak pace of investment illustrate one downside risk that domestic demand might falter. In addition, although I am optimistic about the longer-run prospects for the U.S. economy, we cannot rule out the possibility expressed by some prominent economists that the slow productivity growth seen in recent years will continue into the future.'She went on to observe that, 'vulnerabilities in the global economy also remain. Although concerns about slowing growth in China and falling commodity prices appear to have eased from earlier this year, China continues to face considerable challenges as it rebalances its economy toward domestic demand and consumption and away from export-led growth.Notwithstanding these downbeat comments, Yellen stated that she believes that Americas economy will avoid plunging into recession. The Buck is therefore forecast to trade on a neutral to positive footing in the near-term. International Money Transfer? Ask our resident FX expert a money transfer question or try John's new, free, no-obligation personal service! ,where he helps every step of the way, ensuring you get the best exchange rates on your currency requirements. TAGS: American Dollar Forecasts Pound Dollar Forecasts Pound Sterling Forecasts 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. Today, the country has the chance to return the Government of Britain back to the UK. More than that, we have the chance to end the corruption of our politics. This corruption of the democratic process is best exemplified by how our leaders have reacted to Turkey's wish to join the EU. Although he now claims there is no chance of Turkey joining (allowing its 77 million citizens free movement to the UK), why did the Prime Minister refuse on FOUR occasions to say he'd use the British veto to stop it happening? There are several other contradictions. On the buses: David Cameron laughs with Isabella Queen bags founder Isabelle Ugochukwu and Labours Harriet Harman yesterday If Turkey won't join 'until about the year 3000' (as the PM has said), why is there a special team at the British embassy in Ankara helping Turkey to join? And why are hundreds of millions of pounds of British taxpayers' money being spent to support the accession of Turkey (as well as Albania, Serbia, Macedonia and Montenegro) to the EU? Equally, why are Brussels officials busy negotiating key financial aspects of Turkey's accession before Christmas? All this confirms the fact that Turkey's accession to the European Union is both British and EU policy. Furthermore, the PM knows that the deal struck with the Ankara government earlier this year to stop migrants using Turkey as a jumping-off point to pour into Greece and thus enable them to travel to any other EU country was done in exchange for the Turkish government getting 4.6billion in aid (1billion from the UK), visa-free access for Turks to mainland Europe and accelerated entry to the EU. The truth is that Turkey has the European Union over a barrel and the British Government knows it, says Iain Duncan Smith, pictured The Prime Minister is also fully aware that if we try to pull out of the deal, Turkey would inevitably start to allow migrants travelling to EU countries from its shores again creating similar chaos to that which occurred last year. The truth is that Turkey has the European Union over a barrel and the British Government knows it. Most cynically, the Brussels Commission has been holding back announcements about Turkey until after the UK referendum on membership of the EU. But yesterday the fact was leaked that it will start negotiations on Turkey's entry into the EU a week today after the British people have voted. We're on the verge of an extraordinary event,' cried Boris Johnson, heaving his weary bones into the last day's campaigning. He was right. At a 6am campaign stop at Billingsgate Fish Market he was handed a freshly landed salmon. Normally Boris needs no encouragement to give a glistening beauty a kiss. Ladies, those chops have seen action over the years. But as fish merchant Greg Essex encouraged him to plant a smacker on the fish's head, Boris kept his puckering lips a tiny distance from their target. They quivered like a whippet's flank. 'Go ON, Boris!' scoffed Mr Essex. There was buccaneering Boris, audacious enough to want us to set our nation free from the Brussels crab-pot today, yet hesitating to kiss this gorgeous fish. Perhaps he feared that it might sell its story to the Sunday Mirror. Boris Johnson kicked off his frenetic last round of campaigning at London's famous Billingsgate Market this morning The de facto leader of the Leave campaign had not had much kip, having on Tuesday night taken part in the big TV debate at Wembley arena, concluding with his line about how today could become our 'Independence Day'. A long finale of campaigning had him out of bed early. Soon after Billingsgate he was on a small aircraft heading to Maldon, Essex, followed by further points north. Fish merchant Greg, we learnt, was the uncle of Joey Essex, a TV celebrity, m'lud (further details of his career elude me). 'SAVE BRITAIN'S FISH' read a pro-Leave banner behind Greg. Someone arrived with an enormous turbot, wide and flat as a Morris Minor's hubcap. Boris told the lads a story about fishing in ancient Rome. Cod Latin? 'It's time for a totally new relationship with our friends across the Channel,' he declared. 'This is a big moment for democracy.' If Remain wins, it could be a big day for unelected technocrats. The EU is so undemocratic, it's strange that it was never invaded by George W Bush. Boris Johnson gives a thumbs up as he leaves Selby, North Yorkshire, on a hectic day of campaigning Down in Bristol, David Cameron was visiting a skateboard factory. The Prime Minister later stood by his In battle bus alongside Harriet Harman. The two of them, lucky devils, soon had to listen to a long speech by Sir John Major. 'I represent the grey vote,' squawked Major. Oh yes. He claimed that if we vote for Brexit, we will have to apply for visas before going to France. As they say in Calais, quelles conneries. Miss Harman: 'We're Labour because we hate unemployment. The EU means jobs.' You wonder how that one would go down in Spain and Greece, where unemployment levels have zoomed off the graph thanks to the Euro disaster. Elevenses, and it was time to head to an evangelical church centre in Westminster, where Ukip leader Nigel Farage was about to make his last speech of the campaign. First we were treated to a doleful poem by his colleague Steven Woolfe. 'As the sun fell on Scapa Fell, I heard the news and final death knell, of England's broken heart,' intoned Mr Woolfe. A later verse chimed 'their grand lie' with 'why oh why'. Guardian scribes for some reason started sniggering, but Woolfe for Poet Laureate, says I. At least it rhymed. A video followed which showed Ian Botham, Churchill, Steven Gerrard, and snapshots of Mr Cameron schmoozing unelected Eurocrats. The basement room was less than glamorous and barely filled, only by a few elderly Kippers and international TV crews. Was there a pessimistic air to it all? At the end Mr Woolfe was so emotional, he almost started blubbing and I feared he might embrace Mr Farage. But Nigel himself was still rooting away, still punching the issues. A Norwegian (Norway is not in the EU) asked him a question. Mr Farage: 'You're richer than us, freer than us and you can catch your own fish. It doesn't look too bad to me.' YouTube star Chloe Morello and former NRL star Braith Anasta are fans As a beauty treatment, they are being used for hydration and cell renewal IV treatments on the rise as a hangover or jetlag cure, and for energy New 'Drip and Chill' lounge at Face Plus MediSpa has opened in Bondi Kim Kardashian is rumoured to have an IV treatment for glowing skin When Kim Kardashian stepped on to the red carpet at the Met Gala last month, it wasn't just her glittering Balmain dress that turned heads. The star's skin glowed under the flashbulbs, her flawless complexion laid bare by her slicked back hairstyle. At the time, rumours circulated that Kim's luminous appearance wasn't just down to excellent make up, but that the 35-year-old had some help of the intravenous variety, too. Beauty beyond skin deep: A visit from a New York IV treatment service is understood to be responsible for Kim Kardashian's glowing complexion at the Met Gala As Daily Mail reported last month, Kim, 35, is understood to have had a visit from New York service The I.V. Doc for a hydration treatment just hours ahead of the star-studded gala. Kim reportedly chose the USD $399 'Beautify' treatment, containing a mix of B vitamins, electrolytes, and anti-inflammatory medication to help with healthy skin and hair, 'leaving you looking beautiful and radiant.' 'She wanted to have a glow for the red carpet,' a source told Page Six at the time. They added: 'So she ordered a treatment with plenty of vitamins along with the fluids and electrolytes.' Drip and chill: A new 'Drip and Chill' Lounge at Face Plus MediSpa at Bondi Beach offers IV vitamin treatment Intravenous vitamin infusions to boost energy, immunity and for rehydration are nothing new, but they are gaining popularity as an alternative and souped-up jetlag and hangover cure, and now, as a speedy and effective beauty treatment, with Kardashian leading the way. Skin rejuvenation and cell renewal are some of the benefits promised by Face Plus MediSpa's new Bondi Beach branch, which features a 'Drip and Chill' Lounge. 'IV therapy delivers nutrients such as vitamins and antioxidants directly into your bloodstream,' Facial Cosmetic Surgeon & Founder of Face Plus Medispa, Dr William Mooney, told Daily Mail Australia. Roadtest: FEMAIL tried a cocktail of Hartman's solution and IV-B Dose, made up of vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5 and B6 Before and after: Delivered by a registered nurse or doctor, the treatment aims to provide a more radiant and healthy appearance. I experience more energy and my skin felt bright and 'glowy' afterwards (right) 'Bypassing the gut, the nutrients are not only detoxing but also have a positive influence on your skin.' Local fans of Drip and Chill lounge include YouTube star Chloe Morello and Braith Anasta, who called the treatment 'a life changer'. On a mission to replicate Kim's glow, I signed up for cocktail of Hartman's solution and IV-B Dose, made up of vitamins B1, B2,B3,B5 and B6. Inside the sleek monochrome Drip and Chill lounge at FacePlus Medispa, clients lounge in comfy recliners after a doctor or registered nurse inserts an IV drip. A snack of trail mix, sliced apple and grapes is provided, while iPads, headphones and magazines are on hand to keep you entertained. Fans: YouTube star and beauty blogger Chloe Morello is a fan of the IV treatment 'Life changer': Braith Anasta gushed that he'd 'finally found the perfect recovery for my body' Afterwards, I certainly felt more energised, and noticed a subtle boost in my complexion. 'Before and after' selfies don't reveal a significant transformation, so I asked a friend's opinion, who agreed I looked 'nice and glowy'. 'Studies have shown that after IV Nutrient therapy, patients skin appears to be less dry and more radiant,' Dr Mooney told me. 'Vitamin C has a key role in the production of collagen. When it is given intravenously, much higher blood levels are produced saturating our tissues. 'This creates a more radiant healthy appearance. IV C, together with other nutrients such as Vitamin Bs, Glutathione, Alpha Lipoic Acid helps the liver remove and eliminate harmful toxins. 'Glutathione, a powerful antioxidant, also reduces melanin production and assists with skin hydration.' Giving your baby a good night kiss or blowing on their hot food could be putting their oral health at risk. Dental Health Services Victoria are warning that parents could be passing on cavity-causing bacteria to their children. Dr Paula Bacchia, chief oral health adviser for the DHSV, said that parents with dental decay could be putting their little one at risk of developing cavities. Kisses: Parent's with poor oral health, particularly high levels of streptococcus mutans, could be putting their little one at risk when the kiss them or blow their hot food 'If the mother's got active dental decay in their mouth they're going to have higher levels of the bacteria streptococcus mutans, and they pass that along to the child,' Dr Bacchia said in a report by the Herald Sun. Streptococcus mutans is a bacteria that causes tooth decay, according to the journal of young investigators. Over 2014 and 2015 the DHSV reported 1,050 children were put under general anesthesia for tooth decay treatments, fillings and tooth extractions in Victoria, according to Bite Magazine. To combat the growing dental problem the DHSV have developed a strategy for the next five years aimed at improving oral health across the state. Under the program mid-wives and nurses will be trained to recognise the early signs of dental issues. Spreading germs: Dental Health Services of Victoria recorded 1,050 children were put under general anesthesia for tooth decay treatments The plan, which is currently under consultation, will also target expectant mothers and giving them support to improve their oral health education before giving birth. This comes as new DHSV statistics have revealed that two thirds of expectant mums in Victoria are presenting at public dental clinics with untreated tooth decay. As Claire and Benjamin Martin sat in a medical clinic waiting to terminate their first baby, they were gripped by a fear of the unknown. They knew there was no coming back. Then just weeks after being told that their unborn son had Down Syndrome and only days after coming to the decision to have an abortion, the couple had a last-minute change of heart. Last minute decision: Claire and Ben Martin made a last minute decision not to terminate their unborn son who had been diagnosed with Down Syndrome while sitting in a medical clinic waiting room 'Id made an appointment to have a termination and we were sitting there but then my husband dragged me outside,' Mrs Martin told Daily Mail Australia. 'He said, "What are we doing? Lets go home, we cant kill this baby". 'I was relieved, I needed someone to say they were on my side.' Now, eight weeks into their parenting journey with Xavier, they say they have absolutely no regrets. A few months earlier at what was an otherwise routine 15 week scan, the doctor delivered the news that their unborn baby had Down Syndrome. In between heavy sobs they discussed their options with doctors. That was the first time the possibility of a termination was raised to the Martin's. Beautiful: The couple chose to go through with the birth of Xavier despite admitting they initially feared the unknown No regrets: Mrs Martin said that as soon as she held her son for the first time she knew she'd made the right decision 'My doctor was wonderful. He was very factual, he left emotion out of it and said "Your baby does have Down Syndrome" and my husband and I were both crying,' Mrs Martin said. 'He said "Go home tonight and be with people who love you" and so we went home and just spent the night crying, I wont lie.' Every pregnancy has its ups and downs, but the Martin's experience was nothing short of a roller-coaster. After talking with doctors the couple spoke with family, friends and even strangers about what would be best for both them and their unborn baby. Eventually after weeks of discussion they reached a decision to terminate the pregnancy, which would be the couple's first together and Mrs Martin's fourth overall. The mum-to-be said being hugged and told that people were 'sorry' heavily influenced their decision. Adorable: 'I was relieved, I needed someone to say they were on my side,' Mrs Martin said of the decision to keep Xavier Heartbreak: Mrs Martin told how her and her husband cried when their doctor told them their son would have Down Syndrome 'I found that the people that gave me the most grief, although not intentionally, were some times those closest,' she said. 'I told all my family I was pregnant with a baby with Down Syndrome and they would say "I'm so sorry" and would cry and then hug me. 'I even had one person say to me, "If this was a dog what would you do?" 'But I think it was their lack of education about Down Syndrome and I understand that, because I probably would've done the same thing as well.' Adding to the ever changing dynamic of their pregnancy were further complications caused as a result of Xavier arriving prematurely. But Mrs Martin said that despite her pre-pregnancy concerns, the moment her son was born she instantly fell in love. 'They held him up and said "Hes beautiful" but then I had to wait for him to cry which probably took about 10 seconds - that was easily the longest 10 seconds of my life,' she said. 'I just remember feeling nothing but love. It was almost like everything that we'd been through over the past nine months didn't matter because we had a perfect little baby.' Loving: 'I just remember feeling nothing but love. It was almost like everything that we'd been through over the past nine months didn't matter because we had a perfect little baby,' Mrs Martin said Cute: Now eight weeks old there is no doubting the cuteness that has made little Xavier the apple of his mum's eye Gorgeous girl: Last week a Canadian mother told of her joy when a stranger called her daughter 'beautiful', a far cry from the normal reactions of passersby Just last week a mother in Canada told of her joy when a stranger sat down and told her how beautiful her 18-month-old daughter with Down Syndrome was. The mother shared the story about her daughter Sophia, saying it was an amazing change from the cringes and shocked looks her daughter often received. Mrs Martin said that while strangers regularly dote over Xavier and the couple's family had 'instantly fell in love with him', not all have been so accepting of the gorgeous youngster. 'Most people in the street have been great, but I have heard a few rude comments,' she said. Celebrate: Mr and Mrs Martin married last year and say their decision to keep the baby was definitely correct Big decision: The Martin's were first told that their unborn son had Down Syndrome 15 weeks into the pregnancy Relief: The couple admit that they regularly feel relief at their decision to walk away before the termination procedure 'There was a woman at a school dance who thought I couldnt hear her and turned to her friends and said "Thats the most hideous baby that I've ever seen". 'There's a lot of support for women and men who have children with Downs, but the only thing that worries me is the reactions of some people in public. 'But Xavier has me and other people who will protect him forever, so that's OK.' As the whirlwind begins to settle and having Xavier in their lives begins to become the norm, Mrs Martin said the couple regularly feel relieved. Life-changing: 'I'm going to love him no matter what - I'm completely over the moon to be his mum,' Mrs Martin said They know their decision to walk out of the waiting room at the last minute was the right one. 'I have no regrets at all. I have no idea what I was so scared of, but I was absolutely terrified and I did not know what to expect,' Mrs Martin said. 'I hate the word 'normal', but he's the same as any normal baby. Student first began experimenting with makeup last Halloween A self-taught makeup artist has showed off her incredible skills with her mesmerising - and terrifying - creations. Saida Mickeviciute, 19, who is originally from Lithuania but now lives in London, can transform herself into a whole host of eery characters inspired by director Tim Burton. The fashion and textiles student began posting snaps of her creations on Instagram last October and has already earned herself nearly 10,000 fans. Saida Mickeviciute, 19, has displayed her incredible skills with these mesmerising - and terrifying - creations The fashion and textiles student began posting snaps of her creations on Instagram last October In a particularly impressive creation, Saida makes it look like there's a frog hanging out of her mouth Other looks include a nutcracker, which sees her looking scarily doll-like Saida, who is inspired by horror films, began experimenting with makeup last Halloween and says each look takes up to two hours to complete. 'I watch a lot of YouTubers like drag queens and makeup artists and try out things on myself,' she said. 'Even my daily makeup is quite experimental, I like to see what works for me, how other people react to it.' 'I'm a huge horror fanatic and watch a lot of movies. That's why most of my looks are what people call "scary".' Saida, who is inspired by horror films, began experimenting with makeup last Halloween In a particularly clever optical illusion, Saida makes it appear that there is a gnome coming out of a large mouth Saida has also transformed herself into Coraline from the movie directed by Tim Burton Another creepy snap shows Saida as a character with her heart ripped out One of the gory looks creates the illusion that the skin on half of her face has been peeled back, while another features a creepy porcelain doll. In a particularly impressive creation, Saida makes it look like there's a frog hanging out of her mouth. She captioned the picture: 'A kiss isn't always the way to become a princess.' Explaining how she created the look, Saida said: 'I used some special wax to mold the leg and to paint it mainly used snazaroo paint.' Saida turns herself into circus jester in this fun look. She says each look takes up to two hours to complete This very-blue look shows Saida transformed into Sally from The Nightmare Before Christmas Jigsaw from the horror movie Saw is another character that she creates using cosmetics Saida says she gets inspiration from Youtubers and then tries things out on herself She says she has received a positive response, despite some people finding her looks creepy Other looks include a nutcracker, which sees Saida looking scarily doll-like, and a tribal-inspired face. In a particularly clever optical illusion, Saida makes it appear that there is a gnome coming out of a large mouth - while her eyes are painted on her forehead. Another snap shows a character with her heart ripped out, while one snap sees her transform herself into a creepy jester at the circus. Saida has also transformed herself into Coraline, Sally from The Nightmare Before Christmas and Jigsaw from the horror movie Saw. Other looks include the Snow Queen, a creepy doll with stitched up lips and a skull. Saida has already gained herself 10,000 followers on Instagram since starting to post her creations The student transforms herself into the Snow Queen in this striking look She says even her every-day makeup is fairly experimental - although not quite as dramatic as this look Celebrities, charities and the public have come together to grant the 10 wishes of a 10-year-old girl with cystic fibrosis who is awaiting a double lung transplant. Elle Grace Morris, from Nantwich in Cheshire, who was diagnosed with the life-limiting condition at just 15 months old, is on oxygen full time, has four daily nebuliser treatments, is on a nightly ventilator, and has two suspension medications as well as inhalers and almost countless tablets. In an attempt to boost her morale, her mother Becky asked Elle to come up with a list of 10 things she really wanted to do - and so far, the little girl has met Olly Murs, Rita Ora and Dynamo, been to Florida, completed a charity bike ride - and released a single. Brave Elle Grace Morris was diagnosed with the life-limiting condition cystic fibrosis at just 15 months Elles mum Becky, 29, explains how an idle conversation during one of their countless hours in hospital led to Elle creating a wish list (pictured) which would capture the nations hearts Becky revealed that last year saw Elle take a turn for the worse, after contracting various infections, doctors at Great Ormond Street (GOSH) found while Elles lung capacity had fallen to around 30 per cent, shed also picked up a bug called Micro bacterium abscesses. This meant that her chances of having a successful transplant, if a suitable match could be found, are just 50-50 - and her chances of surviving without one are almost nil. The mother said she was told that other relatively healthy patients who have contracted the same bug and gone rapidly downhill within a year - sparking Becky to ask Elle to create her wishlist. These included: Watching X Factor live as a VIP; meeting Rita Ora and Olly Murs; having a big sleepover with lots of friends; promoting organ donation; being a princess for a day; getting a dog; making a music video; going on holiday; doing a bike ride for cystic fibrosis; and having a party for her 10th birthday. She even has her own hashtag - #elleswishes. Elle met Dynamo in the Green Room at the Lorraine studio - he also promoted her wishlist campaign Elle got to meet Olly Murs and Rita Ora after going to watch X Factor live - pictured together in the celebrity dressing room On February 29, Elle released a charity single called Life Unlimited made using an instrumental backing with the sound of breaths from Elle along with 35 A-list celebrities from Jack Whitehall, to Pete Doherty, Sophie Ellis-Bextor and James Corden. The little girl has just two wishes left to complete - a sleepover and getting a dog - but Becky says she's now too sick. But despite their gruelling daily regime and devastating prognosis, Elle and her family has refused to give up hope, making the most of every day by creating amazing memories and also raising funds and awareness to save others lives. Here Elles mum Becky, 29, explains how an idle conversation during one of their countless hours in hospital led to Elle creating a wish list which would capture the nations hearts as well as support from swathes of celebrities including Olly Murs, Rita Ora and James Corden. 2015 was the worst year yet for Elle, she said. She was diagnosed with Micro bacterium abscesses and told her chances of surviving the double lung transplant that she needs are now just 50-50. The doctors said we should seriously consider not opting for transplant because of the severity and risks of the surgery. But we also knew Elles time was limited without that. We just couldnt give up. On the wishlist written by Elle, pictured, was going on holiday, getting a Cockapoo and going to watch X Factor On December 5, Elle cycled two miles with the Nantwich Cycle Group to raise money for the Trust, but it was so windy Elle really struggled and we needed a police escort to finish So last November at yet another hospital visit to Alder Hey, I sat by Elles bed and we got chatting about the trip to Florida wed had organised by the charity Starlight. To make that holiday extra special wed fibbed and told Elle we were going to Spain, and not wanting to ruin the surprise, I asked her what 10 wishes shed want for her 10th birthday in February. I just wanted her to choose anything after so much bad had happened, to focus on some dreams. So she picked up a piece of paper and a pencil and wrote a list. Amongst other perhaps predictable wishes for a 9-year-old girl going on holiday, getting a Cockapoo, going to watch X Factor as a VIP, and being a princess for a day - she added in promoting organ donation for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust as well as doing a bike ride for the charity. The fact that my poor little girl who was so terribly ill was thinking of others made me well up, and I had to pretend Id seen something so I could walk away from her bed and not let her see my tears. With the holiday already about to be ticked off, I contacted our local paper and asked if they could try to sort X Factor tickets - they liked Elle's story so ran a feature about her. So on our second day in Florida I got an email from Barry saying Elles story was on the front page and also a big spread inside the paper. Darren Teale from Junction Video Productions got in touch with a few contacts and arranged for Elle to shoot a music video of her favourite song. That happened on December 21 and 22, followed by a huge paint fight (pictured) with her school friends who featured in the video Crucially my email was at the bottom, so I got inundated with offers to help Elle including two amazing mums from Elles school Stapeley Broad Lane Primary - called Lucy and Helen who set up the Go Fund Me page as well the Elles Wishes Facebook page and Twitter. That was the start of an amazing new chapter in all our lives. That seven-day trip to Florida was magical Disney Land, Universal Studios and Seaworld, but the best part was a medieval night where Elle was picked out by the king after being thrown a rose and crowned the queen of the evening. Seeing her so happy for the first time in so many months made my heart melt. Little did I know how that would be the first of countless magical moments in the coming weeks and months. We got home to news that through the article we had managed to get tickets to see the X Factor live final one of the teachers at school had managed to use a contact to get them for us. Elle pictured with Lorraine Kelly after going on the Lorraine show ELLE'S 10 WISHES 1: Watch X Factor (VIP) 2: Meet Rita Ora and Olly Murs 3: Big Sleepover, lots of friends 4: Promote organ donation (Cystic Fibrosis Trust) 5: Be a princess for a day 6: Get a dog 7: Make a music video 8: Go on holiday 9: Do a bike ride for cystic fibrosis 10: Have a party for my 10th birthday Advertisement Through the Facebook page we then got a call out of the blue from Ollys Murs promoter saying we would get to meet Olly and possibly Rita Ora too. So many people were pulling strings in the background to help us. Of course I kept that a secret from Elle until the last minute, and the moment I walked her into Ollys back-stage dressing room to meet him was beyond special. Olly then said he had something to show Elle, and carrying her oxygen machine for her, took her to Ritas room. They had photos taken with Elle, did autographs for her and really made her feel special. On December 5, Elle cycled two miles with the Nantwich Cycle Group to raise money for the Trust, but it was so windy Elle really struggled and we needed a police escort to finish. But Elle never complained once, helped as always by her amazing little sister Cara who has been such a brilliant support for so many years. Then about a week later, Darren Teale from Junction Video Productions saw the Facebook page, got in touch with a few contacts and arranged for Elle to shoot a music video of her favourite song - Fight Song by Rachel Platten - at a studio in Stoke, ticking off the 7th wish. Elle with Rachel Platten after going to watch her sing on the Lorraine show Elles 10th birthday party was on January 31, two days after her actual birthday, at Peckforton Castle That happened on December 21 and 22, followed by a huge paint fight with her school friends who featured in the video. Then Helen Jones from Chilli PR emailed me in mid-January saying Elle could actually get to meet Rachel Platten in the flesh at a studio in London, as she was performing on the Lorraine show. So on January 21 we went and watched Rachel live, then met her in her dressing room. Rachel did an intro for the video and about a week later that video was put on YouTube and got more than 80,000 hits in just a few days They had a singalong and Elle sat on her knee, Rachel signed a CD and even wrote a note to Elles teacher at school excusing her from class, saying: 'She is busy singing with me. Oops! Sorry for any inconvenience. Love Rachel Platten and Elle.' We also met Dynamo who gave us tickets to his show, and also Lorraine came to have a chat and give Elle a hug. Rachel did an intro for the video and about a week later that video was put on YouTube and got more than 80,000 hits in just a few days. The manager of the local leisure centre, Dom Crisp, organised for us to do a bigger bike ride which we hoped could become an annual thing. That happened on January 23 when Dom got around 80 cyclists to tackle a 55-mile route. Elle managed the last five miles with a few helpful pushes, raising more than 1,500. Dom also organised for a local bakery to make biscuits for all the riders in the shape of stars with Elles logo on them, while another local shop donated a bike specially adapted to carry an oxygen tank for Elle to ride. Again, the good will of our local community was staggering. Later on around 50 friends and family joined the party, also in fancy dress, along with actors playing Cinderella, Prince Charming, Queen Elsa and Princess Anna from Frozen With a six-foot chocolate fountain and loads of fun and games, Becky said it was the most amazing day ticking off wishes five and 10 Elles 10th birthday party was on January 31, two days after her actual birthday, at Peckforton Castle. She was chauffeur-driven in a Bentley to the Grade 1-listed castle dressed as a princess, then driven around the grounds in a horse and carriage, cheered along the way by all the royal pageants and courtiers! CYSTIC FIBROSIS - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW Cystic fibrosis directly affects just over 10,000 people in the UK but the faulty gene is carried by more than two million people most have no idea. The average wait for adults on the lung transplant list is 412 days. One in three people with cystic fibrosis on the lung transplant list today will die before receiving a transplant. Just 58% of families consent to their loves ones organs being used even if theyre on the donor register. For more information about cystic fibrosis go to: cysticfibrosis.org.uk. Advertisement Later on around 50 friends and family joined the party, also in fancy dress, along with actors playing Cinderella, Prince Charming, Queen Elsa and Princess Anna from Frozen. With a six-foot chocolate fountain and loads of fun and games, it was the most amazing day ticking off wishes five and 10. With growing contacts at record labels and celebrities, on February 29 a charity single called Life Unlimited was released made using an instrumental backing with the sound of breaths from Elle along with 35 A-list celebrities from Jack Whitehall, to Pete Doherty, Sophie Ellis-Bextor and James Corden. Elle was too unwell to travel, so couldnt make it to a studio, so everyone sent in their breaths separately. Despite not meeting all those celebrity supporters, just knowing they wanted to give their time to this cause was amazing, that Elles predicament was creating something so positive. So now we have just two wishes to tick off the sleepover and the Cockapoo, both of which are seen as too much of a health risk right now with Elles immune system so low. Weve actually been offered over a dozen Cockapoo puppies by strangers, generosity which staggers me, and Elle went on a two night school trip at the end of April, but were constantly reminded how ill Elle is and how we shouldnt get carried away. Weve raised many thousands of pounds for the CF Trust, as well as covering costs for Elles experiences and banking funds to pay the expenses when a new pair of suitable lungs is found But its more just than the wish list now weve created a massive fund and awareness-raising campaign and community which is gaining momentum every day. Weve raised many thousands of pounds for the CF Trust, as well as covering costs for Elles experiences and banking funds to pay the expenses when a new pair of suitable lungs is found. And the generosity to keep Elles spirits up with more amazing experiences isnt stopping. We went to Harrods for the weekend recently where Elle was professionally made-up to look like a princess. She looked stunning, but we wanted to remind everyone the background to this, so spread all the medication she needs for one night on the hotel bed next to her, and you could hardly see the bed covers. We dont want anyone to think this is a series of frivolous freebies, its a serious campaign. Weve been to a total of five X Factor shows now, Elle has been asked to be the star judge at a local dog show in May, she was a mascot at Stoke City at the start of April, weve been to the new Jungle Book film premier in Leicester Square, weve been to see Dynamo live and also Little Mix as VIPs, we met the chef Simon Rimmer at his restaurant in Manchesterits endless and amazing. Becky and Elle went to Harrods for the weekend recently where Elle was professionally made-up to look like a princess But while my phones constantly ringing with offers of amazing trips and calls of support, theres actually only one call I want, and thats the one saying suitable lungs have been found to get my little girl better. So I have just two wishes. I want Elle to have a successful transplant, which has to happen in the next year. And I want more people to sign up to the organ donor register to save so many lives which are needlessly wasted. Feeling blase about cleavage? You're in luck! Thanks to the likes of A-list stars Ariel Winter, Kylie Jenner and Bella Thorne, all 18, the underboob is now a thing. But what exactly is the underboob? Instead of the bottom half of the breast being covered to lift the chest up and over a neckline, the top half of the chest is covered to expose the bottom portion. FEMAIL rounds up the Hollywood stars that have no problem showing off their assets - and selects a stylish collection of fashionable pieces that will allow you to copy their rather risque style. Time to celebrate: Ariel Winter showcased a considerable amount of underboob in a pale pink bodycon at her graduation party this past weekend Night on the town: Kylie flashed some serious underboob in a House of CB second skin jumpsuit First up is Modern Family star Ariel, who showcased a considerable amount of underboob in a pale pink bodycon at her graduation party this past weekend. Having undergone breast reduction surgery a year ago, the TV star is clearly feeling confident about her less ample bosom. When the girls have nowhere to go but south, a skin-tight dress like Ariel's is a good option, as the material will hold the chest in place. Beach babe: Barely there makeup and a cropped tee made for an effortlessly sexy look on Bella Thorne White hot: Supermodel Karlie Kloss took the trend to the red carpet in an off-the-shoulder sheath dress Seeing green: Nicki Minaj added interest to her monochromatic look by exposing some serious underboob Kylie Jenner flashed some serious underboob in a House of CB second skin jumpsuit on a night out in Los Angeles. While the youngest Jenner known for her often-striking sartorial choices sported the trend looking glam, actress Bella Thorne opted for a more laid-back approach. Barely-there make-up and a ripped tee made for an effortlessly sexy beach look on the Shake it Up star as she enjoyed a day at the beach back in March. While the sultry trend is gaining momentum now, it has been done before by a number of daring celebrities including Rihanna, Jennifer Lopez and supermodel Karlie Kloss (shown above). The 23 year old beauty proved back in 2013 that you can happily flash a hint of underboob while wearing couture too when she took the trend to the red carpet in a Cushnie Et Ochs off-the-shoulder white dress. And then there's British reality star-turned-model Ashley James, who opted for a two-tone sheath that allowed the blonde bombshell to show off her slender frame and ample assets. Peekaboob: A two-tone cutout sheath allowed blonde bombshell Ashley James to show off her slender supermodel frame and ample assets Too hot to handle: Model Lily Donaldson, 29, slipped her statuesque figure into a leg baring, underboob exposing Balmain number, while Abigail Breslin struck an ultra sexy pose in her peek-a-boo crimson dress Blonde bombshells: Actress Hilary Duff and Reality star Aubrey O'Day gave a little peek of their under cleavage in cutout dresses What's the trick to pulling off a monochromatic look? Add visual interest to break up the solid blocks of color. Nicki Minaj, 34, did this with some serious underboob. After walking the Balmain fall/winter 2016 runway, model Lily Donaldson, 29, slipped her statuesque figure into a leg baring, underboob exposing number from the French label. Proving Little Miss Sunshine is all grown up, former child star Abigail Breslin, 20, struck an ultra sexy pose sporting a crimson bodycon featuring in a peek-a-boo chest cutout. Both Younger actress Hilary Duff, 28, and Famously Single star Aubrey O'Day, 32, flashed just a hint of flesh in their cocktail attire. From not-so-scandalous garments to overtly sexual separates, this trend is a true attention-grabber. A new mother who was diagnosed with cancer just weeks after she gave birth to her daughter had seen three doctors who told the lump in her breast was 'hormonal'. Alex McKay, from the Sunshine Coast, now faces a 12-month stint of chemotherapy and radiotherapy to bring her aggressive breast cancer, known as invasive ductal carinoma, under control. The 28-year-old's tumour measures about four centimetres in diameter and doctors hope to shrink it in order to remove it. New mother Alex McKay (right with her husband, Rhys) who was diagnosed with cancer just weeks after she gave birth to her daughter had seen three doctors who told the lump in her breast was 'hormonal' Ms McKay first came across the lump months ago but her doctor initially told her it was hormonal, the Sunshine Coast Daily reported. She noticed it again as she was pumping breast milk when Indiana, who is now 11 weeks old, was born premature and had to be fed through a tube. The new mum sought another doctor's advice who told her it was a 'blocked duct'. But the lump remained weeks later and this was when Ms McKay went to a third doctor who ordered her to undergo an ultrasound. Ms McKay, from the Sunshine Coast, now faces a 12-month stint of chemotherapy and radiotherapy to bring her aggressive breast cancer, known as invasive ductal carinoma, under control. Pictured with her daughter The new mum has chopped off her locks before she loses them to chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment Radiologists did not think it was anything to worry about, saying it was most likely a benign tumour, but a biopsy revealed something else. Ms McKay got the bad news as she was enjoying time away on the Gold Coast. 'My doctor asked me if i was sitting down, she said "I am so sorry but it's breast cancer",' she said. Friend Terri Cheree started a gofundme campaign to help out Ms McKay's family and describes the young mum as 'gorgeous' and 'bubbly'. Ms Cheree said the 28-year-old's loving husband, Rhys, was 'doing his very best to make ends meet' but they needed extra help as the young mum can no longer go back to work. 'They were doing their best but now with the added cost of medical expenses on top of everything else... It's just too much,' Ms Cheree wrote. 'Alex's biggest heart break is not being able to provide the necessary development toys or clothing for Indiana. 'She is scared they will lose their family home that they worked so hard for.' Over the past few days, thousands of fathers have taken on the 'Cheerios Challenge'. Amused dads from all corners of the globe have been stacking Cheerios on their children's heads, before photographing their handywork and sharing it on social media. One father, from Melbourne, Victoria, has taken the challenge to the next level by stacking Cheerios on his five sleeping children. Scroll down for video Competitive: Over the past few days, thousands of fathers have taken on the 'Cheerios Challenge' Impressive: One father, from Melbourne, Victoria, has taken the challenge to the next level by stacking Cheerios on his five sleeping children, including triplets 'Cheerios Challenge part two,' the father said as he filmed himself creeping into their rooms and proudly showing off the stacks of cereal. 'Triplets, plus two.' The father first films his eldest daughter and son who both have Cheerios stacked on them in neat piles, before filming his three triplets who all have Cheerio towers on their heads. No idea: The father first films his eldest daughter and son who both have Cheerios stacked on them in neat piles, before filming his three triplets who all have Cheerio towers on their heads Amused: The so-called Cheerios Challenge began on social media after a picture was posted on the blog, Life of Dad Hilarious: Amused dads from all corners of the globe have been stacking Cheerios on their children's heads, before photographing their handywork and sharing it on social media All the children are fast asleep and have no idea just how much fun their father is having at their expense. The so-called Cheerios Challenge began on social media after a picture was posted on the blog, Life of Dad. Patrick Quinn, founder of Life of Dad, told BuzzFeed that he got the idea for the challenge from playing with his 3-week-old son, Maxton. Good effort: This skillful father was able to stack 20 Cheerios on this child's head during their slumber Getting creative: Some fathers managed to rest Cheerios on their children's nose and forehead as part of the challenge Solid effort: Fathers have been taking to Twitter and Instagram and posting under #CheerioChallenge 'I put one Cheerio on his nose, and then tried to see how many I could stack, and it kind of just went from there,' Quinn said. Fathers have been taking to Twitter and Instagram and posting under #CheerioChallenge. At her worst she asked them to help her pay for her wedding dress Carol was due to get married and asked her bridesmaids to contribute An anonymous woman has written about her bridezilla friend, 'Carol' Wedding planning can bring out the best and worst in people. From pre-wedding jitters to full-scale meltdowns, brides either reveal themselves as totally chilled or absolute 'Bridezillas'. Now one bride, known as 'Carol', has taken things to a whole new level. Between asking her bridesmaids to supply Excel spreadsheets with cake makers' details to making them 'contribute' to her over-budget $10,500 wedding dress, it's fair to say Carol is one of the worst brides ever. Smiling through the pain: This bridal group may look all smiles, but sometimes weddings bring out the worst in brides-to-be - one woman writes about her friend, Carol, becoming a monster as she planned her Big Day Carol was so bad that one of her best friends (who has chosen to remain anonymous) opted to write about her outrageous behaviour on the website Mamamia. I felt my blood start boiling. Was she serious?! 'At first, I thought Carol was just being a little overzealous when the group emails asking for input on everything from bridesmaid dress colours, hairstyles, make-up looks, bridal dresses, buttonholes for the groomsmen (something I had to Google) and table decorations came flooding through [sic], quickly taking up a large chunk of my day,' the anonymous writer posts. But then, she realised that this was how her friend, Carol, was going to act throughout her extensive wedding planning. The anonymous woman soon started receiving emails at work, in which Carol asked her friends to supply spreadsheets with cake maker details including contact details, price brackets, flavours and an idea of how 'prestigious' each cake would be. 'I had to read the email about three times to gauge what she was asking me,' the anonymous writer says. 'After the third disbelieving scan, I felt my blood start boiling. Was she serious?!'. Organisational nightmare: One of the outrageous things that Carol requested of her bridesmaids is that they send her Excel spreadsheets filled with their ideas for cake makers for the wedding, including price brackets, flavours and a mass of more information However, that wasn't even close to the worst of this Bridezilla's outrageous behaviour. When her friend didn't supply the spreadsheet until the weekend, the bride wrote back saying it would have been more helpful to have the document a day earlier. A couple of months later, the dutiful bridesmaid received the mother of all requests from Carol. Takes the biscuit: Her worst behaviour was asking her bridesmaids to contribute to her $10,500 'dream' wedding dress - this was over budget for her and so she wanted her friends to help out When the bride finally found the wedding dress she liked - a stunning satin Marchesa gown that retailed at a staggering $10,500 - her friends soon received another group email. She would really love it if we could 'pitch in' around $150 each towards her 'dream dress' - that it'd mean so very much to her This one was entitled 'Bridesmaid dress contribution.' which made her break out in a cold sweat. The long email outlined how the couple were now really over budget after the expensive outlay for the dress. 'It was "totally fine if you can't" but she would really love if we could "pitch in" around $150 each towards her "dream dress". That it'd mean so very much to her and would mean that as she walked down the aisle, she'd be wearing something we'd all had a part in.' As the writer bluntly posts, Carol was 'essentially asking her bridal party to chip in for her dress'. Aside from their own $550 bridesmaid outfit, the accommodation for the wedding, the hen's party, bridal shower AND three spa days planned, Carol's bridesmaids were also expected to chip in for Carol's dress. 'I nearly threw my phone across the room, such was the rage that consumed me,' the anonymous poster says. 'I'm starting to think I might have to bail on this wedding, and friendship.' Advertisement To Jessica Jackson there is nothing more beautiful or empowering than a woman giving birth. The Tasmanian photographer works to capture the incredible moment for new parents, her photos praised for giving a 'real' representation of childbirth. But Ms Jackson of Itty Bitty Photography was left devastated when a photo she took of a baby being born was deleted by Instagram for being in breach of the sites 'community standards'. Taken down: This photo taken by birthing photographer Jessica Jackson was deleted by Instagram for being in breach of the sites 'community standards' Taking precautions: The photo was taken four years ago by the Hobart photographer, and cropped and flipped before being shared online Incredible moment: The original image showed a woman on all fours giving birth Beautiful: The photo showed the little boy (pictured) with amniotic fluid dripping from his nose The banned black-and-white photo showed a: 'Squishy baby half born earth side, with amniotic fluid dripping from his nose'. The image was taken four years ago and originally showed a woman on all fours giving birth. Ms Jackson cropped and flipped the photo before she shared it online in the hopes that no one would find it offensive. But within eight hours the photo had been deleted off Instagram and Ms Jackson blocked from her account until she read and accepted Instagram's terms and conditions. Taken offline: The photo was deleted within eight hours, and Ms Jackson was blocked from her account until she read and accepted the terms and conditions of the site Heartwarming: A newborn suckles on their mothers finger as she holds them tenderly in her arms Taking a stance: Ms Jackson said in 2016, we should not be censoring photographs of childbirth 'I was furious, I was so angry and upset,' Ms Jackson said. 'How could someone be offended by this image? Why would someone report it? I could not believe that we are in 2016 and we are censoring a babys head.' Ms Jackson shared a video on Instagram to urge people to stop censoring childbirth before uploading the photo a second time. Again, within eight hours, it was deleted. Sharing her work: Ms Jackson said she did not believe the photo breached any of Instagram's community guidelines Speaking out: 'It fostered meaningful and genuine interactions, it was not spam, I followed the law, it was respectful and It did not contain violence,' she said of her photograph In their guidelines Instagram said they do not allow nudity on Instagram but: 'Photos of post-mastectomy scarring and women actively breastfeeding are allowed'. Ms Jackson said her photo was removed as it did not follow Instagram's 'community guidelines', but upon reading the guidelines herself believes the photo was not in breach. 'It contained no sexual intercourse, no genitals, no buttocks, no nipples,' she said. 'It fostered meaningful and genuine interactions, it was not spam, I followed the law, it was respectful and It did not contain violence.' Adorable: A newborn opens their eyes as they suckle on a finger, their hair standing up on their head Touching moment: A mother shares a special moment with her child as she labours in a pool before giving birth Keeping it real: 'I want people to be able to see, look at and admire real, wholesome images of birth,' she said Ms Jackson reported the problem to Instagram and shared the image a third time, where it has since stayed. 'Sharing birth imagery like this online is so important to me, as a young mother (16 years old when I fell pregnant) I was terrified of birth, I had no experience of birth other then scenes in big Hollywood films, and we all know how unrealistic that can often be,' she wrote. 'I want people to be able to see, look at and admire real, wholesome images of birth. 'Images that show them strength and power and that birth is normal and natural. Making a stance: Ms Jackson, who is a mother of three herself, said it was important to show the strength and power in childbirth 'Birth is beautiful': 'Birth can be calm, relaxing, pleasurable, beautiful, It can be whatever you want it to be, regardless of if you deliver vaginally or via c-section,' she said Standing strong: Ms Jackson said she would continue to go forward and share her photos of childbirth 'They show that birth can be calm, relaxing, pleasurable, beautiful, It can be whatever you want it to be, regardless of if you deliver vaginally or via c-section. Birth is beautiful. 'It doesn't have to be scary or painful. My aim is to use my images to educate the population that birth can be whatever you want it to be. 'Birth is a normal process, yet it is portrayed as an unnatural one, it has been portrayed in such a negative light for such a long time now; It is something that has always been private, rarely talked about. I want to put a stop to this.' Devon Berryann, a mother from Spring Mount, Pennsylvania, recently wrote a post about her six-year-old son that has since been shared close to 12,000 times. The proud mother also shared a snap of her little boy wearing a tutu on her Facebook post, where she urged the world to be more accepting of people and their personal choices. 'My six year old son likes to wear nail polish. He likes to wear girls' clothes and tutus. He tells me about the boys he likes at school. He says he will marry them and adopt babies,' Ms Berryman wrote. 'He likes to wear girls' clothes and tutus': Devon Berryann, a mother from Spring Mount, Pennsylvania, recently wrote a post about her six-year-old son that has since been shared close to 12,000 times 'Maybe he will outgrow it. Maybe not. I love and accept him for who he is. I always thought that doing that would protect him from the pain of hurtful words and bullies, and I didnt worry.' Ms Berryman said her son was being teased at school for wearing nail polish and when she found out, said it was the first time she had considered 'talking him into taking it off' and 'hiding that part of himself.' 'Because for the first time ever I was scared that he would be gunned down one night when he was out having a good time with his friends. In that moment I was so terrified that I wondered if it would be better to stop appeasing him,' she wrote. 'Then I remembered all the reasons I let him be who he wants. Because it makes him happy. Because nothing hurts more than seeing your child truly sad. 'Because pretending to be someone youre not to please other people only leads to self-loathing. To depression and to suicide.' Ms Berryman questioned why she had to fear for her son simply because of what he likes and who he cares about, asking: 'Aren't we past all this yet?' 'I want this world to change. To be better for him. To DESERVE him. Because he is a wonderful, amazing person. He wants to be president. He thinks he is a ninja,' Ms Berryman continued. 'I would love him no matter what': The post has earned Ms Berryman praise from close to 100 people - each of them thanking her for her words, and many backing her call for more compassion in the world 'He listens when you explain things and remembers it forever. He notices when youre sad and tries to cheer you up. He has a light about him that just cant be put out, no matter how hard some people have tried.' The passionate mother said she was aware that the world wasn't going to change 'with more fear' and said instead, the world 'needs more love and acceptance.' Ms Berryman concluded her post by saying she and her little boy went out and purchased more nail polish and on the day she wrote her post, they both wore tutus. 'So here he is world. See my boy for the amazing person he is. Show him love. Show him acceptance. Help us change the world into one that deserves him,' she wrote. In the meantime, many brides-to-be have requested to meet with Regina He also has one more daughter, who is showing interests in photography Ms Wyllie's father couldn't be more proud of his talented little girl She has just in April shot her own wedding shoot, at home in Scotland Nine-year-old Regina Wyllie, from Scotland, has always loved taking photos. When she was just three, she picked up her father, Kevin Wyllie's camera, and asked him how it worked. But rather than just being a curious child or a girl with an inability to leave anything alone, Ms Wyllie, from Ayrshire, Scotland, is in fact a professional wedding photographer. Snap happy: Regina Wyllie (left and bottom right) has always loved taking photos - and the nine-year-old from Scotland is now a professional photographer like her dad, Kevin Wylie (right) Great day: Little Regina Wyllie recently captured her first wedding, on April 15 (pictured) Going it alone: While doing so, nine-year-old Regina shot the bride (pictured), groom and all of the guests completely un-assisted - she set up all the shots and choreographed every professional photograph Clever girl: This was one photo that Regina conceived totally by herself Brilliant debut: Nine-year-old Regina first picked up a camera at age 3 - and this was one of her first 'Trash the Dress' shoots at age 7 'Regina became interested in photography at a very young age,' her father, and fellow professional photographer, Mr Kevin Wyllie, tells Daily Mail Australia. I just answer questions when she asks them, and when she wants to do some shooting she can 'She first started asking questions about how to use my cameras.' Mr Wyllie then started to nurture his daughter's interest in photography in the best way possible, by encouraging Regina while also letting the nine-year-old develop and mature in case her love of the camera was just a phase. 'Regina has never been on a regimented training plan,' Mr Wyllie tells Daily Mail Australia. He goes on to explain that he has never forced his daughter to take photos like her dad does for his job. 'I just answer questions when she asks them, and when she wants to do some shooting she can. 'Over the years she's tagged along to quite a lot of shoots, so her skills just grew through experience.' Simply stunning: Regina took this beautiful photograph, and Mr Wyllie is keen to nurture his daughter's talent without forcing her into becoming a photographer How it began: Mr Wyllie explains that Regina's start in photography came when she first asked her father how to use his professional cameras - little Regina grew up in a world of photo shoots and was very curious Photo shoot: Regina Wyllie was asked to shoot this comedian once for a local magazine - the resulting photo was a huge success These skills culminated on April 15 this year, when Regina shot over 400 photos at her first wedding. She is quite a quiet girl, but when she has that camera in her hand she is super-confident and had no problem dealing with people or setting up shots throughout the day As well as being completely unassisted behind the lens, she discussed ideas for the shoot with her father, before choreographing, setting up and shooting photos that she took herself on one couple's big day: 'She absolutely loved it,' Mr Wyllie says. 'She is quite a quiet girl, but when she has that camera in her hand she is super-confident, and had no problem dealing with people or setting up shots throughout the day. 'Regina's next wedding is on July 1 and several of my other brides have called to ask if she can come along as they love her work. 'I honestly don't have words to describe how proud I feel,' he concludes. Culmination of skills: Most recently, Regina shot her own wedding (above) - for this she took over 400 un-assisted photos and came up with her own photographic concepts Comes out of her shell: While her dad says that Regina is usually quite shy, he says that she is super-confident behind the camera and has no problem dictating what she wants from a photo Artfully done: She carefully manages to stage shots such as this one Regular clients: Little Regina (left) has already been booked for her next wedding on July 1 - with lots of Mr Wyllie's clients showing interest in the talented kid Good feeling: Mr Wyllie says he doesn't have the words to describe how proud he is of his daughter While, at present, Mr Wyllie says that neither he nor his daughter are certain where Regina's talent as a photographer will lead, Mr Wyllie says that: 'Regina has said she intends to definitely keep her photography going... 'In the past, she's said a few times that she just wants to keep it as a hobby, but over the past few days, upon seeing some of the response her work is getting and some of the nice messages she's received from people all over the world, she has said she might like doing this when she's older.' And it seems that photography is something that runs in the family. Mr Wyllie's other daughter, Alba, is six, and already has a passion for taking photos. 'All she wants to know now is "When can I shoot a wedding, Dad?",' Mr Wyllie laughs. And with one child who already has a career in the notoriously tricky industry before she's even hit double digits, you wouldn't put it past the Wyllie family. You can visit Kevin Wyllie's photography website here, and read his blog post on Regina Wyllie shooting her first wedding here. Choosing a school for your children can be hard. No matter if you, your partner or your older children have gone there before, or however many open days you've attended, how do you really know if it's the right place for your kid to spend seven (or even thirteen) years? Leading children's expert and former school counsellor Pauline Haycraft, from Sydney, has made the task a bit easier, telling Daily Mail Australia the things parents should look for to ensure that their child is getting the most out of their education. Schoolyard secrets: Education expert Pauline Haycraft has laid out the keys to make sure that your child is making the most of their time at school PREPARATION MAKES PERFECTION Outside of the family home, school is the first environment where your child will learn to deal with the real world. According to Mrs Haycraft, just throwing your child in the deep end and hoping they'll swim isn't the answer when it comes to education. She believes that preparation is crucial to children succeeding in the classroom, no matter if it's primary school or tertiary education. 'With better preparation there are fewer troubles at school,' Mrs Haycraft said. 'You have to prepare them for school, you can't just say "You're off to big school next week, isnt it exciting?", because its not, its terrifying and it's the same with High School.' Preparation: Mrs Haycraft said properly preparing your child for school can ensure they settle in to their routine quickly and can also stop the daily waterworks TEARS AREN'T ALWAYS BAD It's normal for your children to experience nerves early on and tears aren't an uncommon site either. But Mrs Haycraft said that waterworks don't necessarily mean your child doesn't like their school, however there are a number of hidden signs to look out for. 'At the beginning, tears are common among new school starters and also for younger children,' she said. 'It's important that parents are aware of changes in the behaviour of their children such as becoming withdrawn, cantankerous, rebellious, sick and refusing to go.' Lines open: Keeping communication between home and school constant ensures things don't get missed KEEP COMMUNICATION CONSTANT Unfortunately, kissing kids goodbye at the school gate means parents are unable to keep an eye on their child anymore. Ms Haycraft said it was important to keep communication channels between the school and home open to ensure that any issues can be addressed 'There has to be a dialogue between parents and school, if there's no dialogue parents have to be on the school to find out what's happening,' she said. 'They may have gotten in with a group of kids at the senior school who escape down the back and smoke or who climb out their bedroom window and go down the local park - it does happen, but parents have no idea it has happened a lot of the time.' Enable them to excel: While grades are important sacrificing their dreams to achieve high scores is not a good move Mrs Haycraft said DON'T SACRIFICE THEIR DREAMS FOR GRADES According to Mrs Haycraft, many high schools pigeon hole their bright students into doing certain classes. She said that just because students are getting good marks doesn't mean they want to be a doctor, lawyer or any certain profession. 'Parents have to assess if your child's school is sensible enough to give your kids the option of what they want to do in life?' Mrs Haycraft said. 'A lot of high schools say the bright kids will sort out into this, this and this, and they'll push them into advanced maths but they won't let them do classes like drama, or arts or the like. 'I know a girl who wanted to be a vet but had to do advanced math because thats how the timetable worked. Well excuse me, fix your timetabling.' Parenting tips: Mrs Haycraft (pictured) said that if things aren't going well and you are considering switching schools for your child, don't put the burden of making a decision on their shoulders PARENTS SHOULD BE PARENTS While parents are unable to watch over their kids 24/7, if they notice something is wrong, it's their reponsibility to act Mrs Haycraft said. She believes that if it is reaching the point where moving schools is becoming a possibility, then that's a call for the parents. 'To me the major issues are not ignoring it if there's a problem, you should pursue the school so there's dialogue and if you dont like those answers then theres other thoughts to be had,' Ms Haycraft said. 'But dont ask the child if they want to change schools, because if they are depressed or unsure about their environment the last thing they want is to have the burden of that thought too. 'As a parent you have to play the role of parent.' She made headline news after being sensationally stripped of her Miss GB title following her steamy Love Island antics - and now Zara Holland has hit back at the organisation. The 20-year-old, whose Miss Great Britain 2015/16 title has been revoked after she was seen having sex with fellow contestant Alex Bowen, 24, on the ITV2 show, describes the ordeal as 'horrific.' Speaking to The Sun, the model and boutique director from North Ferriby said: 'I havent committed a crime, so why should I have my title taken from me? Its horrific.' Dethroned Miss Great Britain, Zara Holland, questions why her title was revoked after she had sex on Love Island and describes the ordeal as 'horrific' Zara was originally paired with Scott Thomas and the pair enjoyed a steamy kiss. He then ditched her for Kady and she was unlucky in love on the show from then on - until Wednesday when shared a steamy romp in the bedroom with newcomer Alex. She was initially said to have 'disappointed' pageant bosses but the organisation confirmed that Zara would no longer represent them on Thursday. The official statement said: 'Following recent actions within ITV2 show Love Island it is with deep regret that we, the Miss Great Britain Organisation, have to announce that Zara Holland has formally been de-crowned as Miss Great Britain.' 'As an organisation we have not taken this decision lightly, we are close to all of our winners and wherever possibly stand by them during their rein. 'That said, we feel we have no choice but to make this decision under the circumstances. 'The feedback we have received from pageant insiders and members of the general public is such that we cannot promote Zara as a positive role model moving forward. 'We wholly understand that everyone makes mistakes, but Zara, as an ambassador for Miss Great Britain, simply did not uphold the responsibility expected of the title.' Retaliating to the news, Zara said: 'Ive done nothing wrong. All women have needs.' 'All the things Miss GB claims to stand for have been used against me. I sacrificed my work, my own personal savings, I worked my ass off,' added Zara, who says all everyone else does the same on a weekly basis. Speaking to The Sun , the model and boutique director from North Ferriby said: 'I haven't committed a crime, so why should I have my title taken from me? It's horrific' The 20-year-old saw her Miss Great Britain 2015/16 title revoked after she was seen having sex with fellow contestant Alex Bowen, 24, on the ITV2 show Love Island host Caroline Flack even leaped to the defense of dethroned Zara, after she was mocked for losing her Miss Great Britain title. Caroline, 36, questioned pageant organiser's old fashioned standards after they confirmed that she would no longer be promoted as a role model because she had sex on television. And while Caroline was in the Love Islander's corner, other famous viewers including Vicky Pattison and Sam Reece saw the funny side of Zara's misfortune. Caroline tweeted: 'Feel even more sorry for Zara now she's been de-crowned. She's a very sweet girl. What even is "Miss GB"? Are we living in the dark ages?'. And it seems that Caroline isn't the only one rooting for Zara after a petition calling for her crown to be reinstated has been launched and signed by 16,000 people. The campaign on website change.org, Give Zara Holland Her Miss GB Title Back, was started by Dell Bennett from Newcastle. Dell writes: 'I think it is a harsh punishment stripping her of her title for a silly little mistake and for only being human. 'I am aware that having a title like that comes with responsibilities and I for one think she has been absolutely amazing, she has shown she is a strong positive person, we have to remember she is still a young lady and what happened was only natural. I think she should be given a second chance as Miss Great Britain!' The petition needs 8,799 more votes to reach its 25,000 target when it will be put before the Miss Great Britain Organisation. A petition calling for her crown to be reinstated has been launched and signed by 16,000 people - it needs 8,799 more votes to reach its 25,000 target 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'. 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.' Then, Deone Robertson, 28, who was promoted to Miss Great Britain after Zara was dethroned 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.' Zara was crowned Miss Hull last year, and for proud mother Cheryl, 51, right, her daughter's victory was extra special - because she herself held the Miss Hull title in 1984, when she was just 19 Zara was crowned Miss Hull last year, and for proud mother Cheryl, her daughter's victory was extra special - because she herself held the Miss Hull title in 1984, when she was just 19. The blonde fledgling star then went on to win Miss Great Britain 2015/16, as well as the bikini round and the charity round, raising over 3,000 for Cancer Research in the process. The similarity between the pair in their pageant photos is striking. Cheryl, from Hull, East Yorks, said at the time: 'It was totally incredible when Zara won. I was seeing it from a different angle. 'When it is your child, you just want them to do well and I was really rooting for her to win. 'There were so many pretty girls that entered. When they announced Zara had won, I thought I was going to faint.' Since finding fame as a pageant queen, Zara's life has taken a much more star-studded turn. The model and boutique director from North Ferriby regularly attends celebrity events, has appeared on Hollyoaks and has become a social media star in the process The sultry star, who says her real 32DD breasts are her favourite body part, also has a penchant for raunchy selfies, which attract plenty of male admirers Zara, an aspiring actress who has appeared in Hollyoaks, Coronation Street and Emmerdale, was able to ask her mother for advice on the competition, after Cheryl was crowned Miss Viking Radio, the equivalent to what is now Miss Hull and District, when the competition first started. Immediately after her win, Zara found herself invited to the glitziest events and quickly became friends with A-listers, which she duly documents on her Instagram page. The fledgling star saw herself being invited onto ITV's Lorraine, David Gest's dinner galas and to glitzy showbiz events with Alesha Dixon and Michelle Keegan. Whilst she hasn't had much luck with the men on the show and admits she's been single for two years, Zara was in fact linked to The Apprentice star and Celebrity Big Brother winner, James Hill. The pair were often spotted getting close at parties and mingling in the same circles. The sultry star also has a penchant for raunchy selfies, which attract plenty of male admirers on her social media channels. Zara followed in her mother's high heeled footsteps - by clinching the same beauty pageant title as she did 30 years earlier. The pair credit their honed figures to lots of Pilates, walking and the odd glass of champagne Zara won Miss Great Britain 2015/16, as well as the bikini round and the charity round, raising over 3,000 for Cancer Research The similarity between the mother, pictured, and daughter in their winners' photos is striking A SPOKESPERSON FOR MISS GREAT BRITAIN'S COMMENT IN FULL 'We feel it important to explain that we have no problem at all with sex and our contestants/winners being sexually active and exploring their sexuality with another consensual adult; this has never, and will never be a problem, however we simply cannot condone a reigning title holder doing so on TV. 'To put it into context, for those outside of the pageant industry, if a school teacher took part in the show, that person would have a level of responsibility they would be expected to uphold because of their role, and are certain they would face similar consequences if they took part in similar actions on National television. For those saying going into Love Island, its inevitable that she would have sex, that is not true, it is not a prerequisite of the show that you have sex. We gave our permission for Zara to enter, as our current winner, under the stipulation that she did not have sex on TV. Zara fully agreed to this and knowingly went against our wishes. 'Those stating we are "slut" shaming: we have never, and would never ever use this word to describe Zara, it is a huge shame that people are attempting to put words into our mouth. Zara is a lovely girl, we understand that this is out of character for her and that she truly regrets her actions; however the decision simply comes down to the fact that she has broken the rules of the competition. 'Miss Great Britain works with charities, children and young, impressionable people; our title holder must be an ambassador and this public behaviour does not support the ethos of our brand. For people claiming : "You wouldnt do this if it was Mr Great Britain" and "No ones said anything about Alexs part in this", We most certainly would take the exact same course of action had our brand representative been male and this is why we have not mentioned Alex, as he is not an ambassador of our brand. The same goes for the other people within the villa (men and women), we wouldnt pass comment on their actions or decisions as they are not there as a representative of Miss Great Britain, in a "current" position. 'We did not take the decision to make this announcement whilst Zara was still in the show lightly, and agonised over it for almost 24 hours. We fully understand peoples feelings regarding this. But we had to act quickly with our statement as the press were already made aware of the decision and were going live. Of course, ideally we would have preferred to let Zara know face to face, but as we are allowed no contact with her whilst she is in the villa, this was taken out of our hands. 'Zara could potentially be in the show for another 3 or 4 weeks, we could not leave this amount of time before making an announcement. We wholeheartedly agree, that other than the incident that has forced our decision, Zara was, and is handling herself very well on the show and we still hold her in the highest regard as a friend, and are thrilled to see the support she is now receiving. 'We genuinely hope she goes on to win the show; she is a lovely girl with a great future ahead of her. Whilst we fully expect Zara to be upset when she learns of our decision, she also knows the pageant industry well and were confident she will completely understand why we have taken this course of action in time. Zara is not going to be erased from our history, she will always be one of our winners, but her reign has been cut short at this time and we will be standing by our decision.' Advertisement The stylish star enjoys mingling with A-listers such as Alesha Dixon, left, as well as soapstars like Georgie Porter, right, at glittering showbiz events Zara has been working the showbiz circuit in recent months. Left: with Apprentice star and Big Brother winner, James Hill, and right, at Michelle Keegan's Lipsy launch Advertisement The Queen was met by hundreds of well-wishers this afternoon as she arrived at Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool this afternoon, however, it seems that not everyone was pleased to see her. Three-year-old patient Lewis Connet was tasked with presenting Her Majesty with a bouquet of flowers as she arrived to officially open the hospital today. However, it appeared that the task proved a little overwhelming for Lewis, who burst into tears shortly after the monarch collected her colourful posy. Scroll down for video The Queen visited Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool this afternoon for its official opening, however it appears not everyone was pleased to see her as patient Lewis Connet (pictured with mother Donna) was left in tears after her arrival Lewis, who suffers from Apert Syndrome - a genetic disorder characterised by malformation of the skull - retreated to the comfort of his mother Donna's arms as the royal attempted to comfort the youngster with a smile, but to no avail. Joined by the Duke of Edinburgh, the royals officially opened the 237m hospital by unveiling a plaque. Hospital chairman David Henshaw greeted the Queen and Prince Philip on arrival in order to show them around the out-patients garden. Following their tour they will visit the oncology unit before meeting staff and patients in the Teenage Cancer Trust Common Room. Next stop is an inpatient ward where they will be introduced to staff and patients before greeting donors in the entrance atrium. The Queen, 90, arrived in Liverpool earlier today wearing a pretty pink coat and dress by Stuart Parvin and matching hat, which she first sported at Royal Ascot three years ago. It may appear that she's been taking thrift tips from her daughter-in-law the Duchess of Cambridge. Three-year-old Lewis Connet, who is a patient at the hospital, was tasked with presenting Her Majesty with a bouquet of flowers as she arrived at the hospital However, it appears that the task was a bit overwhelming much for little Lewis, who burst into tears shortly after the monarch collected her colourful posy After his upsetting encounter Lewis, who suffers from Apert Syndrome, retreated to the comfort of his mother Donna's arms, but the Queen did not seem offended The Queen took a tour of the inpatient ward where she greeted members of staff who seemed thrilled to greet her majesty Prince Philip was seen chatting to patients in ward 3C as he took a tour of the children's hospital with the queen this afternoon The Queen, 90, arrived in Liverpool wearing a pretty pink coat and dress by Stuart Parvin and matching hat, which she first sported at Royal Ascot in 2013 The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh (background) are greeted after alighting the Royal Train at Liverpool's Lime Street Station Her Majesty seemed to be in especially good spirits as she laughed while chatting to members of the public Eager royal fans gathered at Liverpool's Lime Street station to greet the VIP guests After lunch at the town hall, the Queen appeared on the balcony to greet well-wishers However, the monarch has long been known to recycle her outfits - often wearing ensembles multiple times over the course of a decade. Her Majesty arrived at Liverpool Lime Street station to begin a day of engagements, accompanied by her husband Prince Philip. Royal fans were lined up outside the station to greet the monarch, who was accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh. And while official celebrations of her milestone 90th birthday might be complete, good wishes continue to pour in. The royals were joined by the Mayor of Liverpool after enjoying a two-course lunch at the town hall Prince Philip gave a cheerful wave to the crowds after enjoying lunch at the town hall Crowds of well-wishers had gathered in the hope of catching a glimpse of the royal couple The Queen teamed her summery pink floral dress by Stuart Parvin with white gloves The Queen views the ExoMars Rover at Exhibition Centre Liverpool A group of children dressed in prince and princess outfits, complete with gold crowns, had made a poster stating: 'Happy birthday from Little Explorers'. First stop on the royals' itinerary was a visit to the International Festival for Business. The Queen toured exhibits at the event which runs for three weeks and brings together thousands of companies from around the world for networking and deal-making. The Queen greets crowds from the town hall balcony This afternoon the Queen will visit Alder Hey Children's Hospital where she will be introduced to staff and patients People peer out the windows of Town Hall, hoping to catch a glimpse of the royal guest Her Majesty looked delighted to be spending a day in the city, where a busy schedule of engagements is planned Afterwards, she formally opened the Pullman Liverpool hotel and Exhibition Centre Liverpool, where she viewed the ExoMars Rover. At lunch time, she and Prince Philip sat down to a meal with representatives from a variety of community and charitable organisations at the town hall. including the Merseyside Refugee Network and the Southern Neighbourhood Council. They enjoy a two-course lunch prepared by Darren Wynn, director of Carringtons Catering, adapted from the menu for Queen Victoria's visit in 1886. The Liverpool Echo reported that the royals dined on fillet of Mawdsley beef with peppercorn and cognac sauce, served with potato dauphinois and asparagus. Prince Philip, 95, joined his wife for a day of engagements which will see them have lunch with representatives of various organisations at the town hall and officially open the new 237m Alder Hey Childrens Hospital The monarch waved to well-wishers who had gathered at Lime Street station to greet the royal couple The Queen was presented by a bunch of purple flowers While official celebrations of her milestone 90th birthday might be complete, good wishes continue to pour in Snap! The Queen first wore the pink Stuart Parvin coat and dress to Royal Ascot in 2013 The Queen unveiled a plaque to officially open the Exhibition Centre Liverpool Dessert was apple and cinnamon tart with vanilla ice cream and creme anglais, followed by coffee and petit fours. Afterwards, the royal couple made an appearance on the balcony to greet well-wishers. She had taken off her coat to reveal the dress underneath with a summery pattern of pink, blue and orange flowers, but her hat remained firmly in place. However, the monarch did swap her brooch from the lapel of her coat on to the dress. Royal protocol often dictates that an encounter with a member of the monarchy will be quite a formal occasion. But the Duchess of Cornwall today proved she's a good sport by snapping a selfie with staff member Biffy Mackay, 27, at the Social Bite cafe in Edinburgh, which feeds, trains and employs members of the homeless community The Rose Street shop hosted Clooney, who praised its work, last November and staff are expected to welcome fellow actor and campaigner Leonardo DiCaprio later this year. Scroll down for video But the Duchess of Cornwall today proved she's a good sport by snapping a selfie with staff member Biffy Mackay, 27, at the Social Bite sandwich shop in Edinburgh The Duchess proved that she's a good sport by posing for a selfie Prince Charles looked in equally relaxed form as he enjoyed a cup of tea while visiting the 'From Harris to Paris' exhibition Biffy Mackay, who took the selfie used to be homeless and said Social Bite has given her 'something to look forward to every day'. Camilla, who is a patron of Emmaus UK, a charity which tackles homelessness, spent time hearing from Social Bite staff who have themselves experienced homelessness. Josh Littlejohn, co-founder of Social Bite, said: 'It was nice to have another high profile visitor to the shop, it was just a really good experience. 'The Royal Family's office approached us and asked if she could come and visit. The Duchess handed over a donation to Bonnie Burton The Duchess of Cornwall, known as the Duchess of Rothesay while in Scotland, speaks to Big Issue seller George Whyte (left) and volunteer Zakia Moulaoui (right) Camilla examines the produce at the cafe, which will welcome Leonardo Di Caprio later this year 'Maybe they saw it in the media when we had George Clooney here, I'm not quite sure how they heard about us. And we said of course come and see what we're doing.' The Duchess offered an impromptu invitation for staff to visit Dumfries House in Ayrshire, where Prince Charles is opening a youth employment hub. Sunny Murray, 36 who used to be homeless but now works with Social Bite, said: 'It was good. I never thought I'd meet a royal to be honest, but she was really nice. Prince Charles examining exhibits at the From Harris To Paris show, part of the Edinburgh International Fashion Festival Prince Charles is shown a vintage sewing machine by Martin Scott 'She was quite interested in what we used to do before Social Bite. I used to be homeless, and I used to use Social Bite and then fortunately enough I got a job with them. 'We asked her where she was before this and she said she was in Dumfries with Charles, and she's invited us to go down.' The Duchess purchased sandwiches and cakes and then forward paid meals for other homeless people and received a Social Bite loyalty card. Prince Charles meets Deborah Chapman who helps people with mental health through her puppet during a visit to the Princeis Trust Wolfson Centre Prince Charles makes pancakes as head chef Willie McCurragh His attempt at flipping went wrong when he dropped his pancake Bonnie Burton, the staff member who served her, said: 'She was really nice. A nice wee woman. Really polite and lovely. 'She got a loyalty card and she promised she's coming back.' The visit by the Duchess of Rothesay, as Camilla is known in Scotland, comes on the second day of a full week of engagements north of the border. Charles also opened The Prince's Trust's youth employment and enterprise hub in Glasgow, where he met Deborah Chapman who helps people with mental health through puppetry. Prince Charles toured the HMS Prince of Wales and spoke to the construction team and crew members The Prince chatted to (left to right) Des Clarke, Sanjiv Kholi and Carol Smile at the Prince's Trust Wolfson Centre Giving a speech at the Prince's Trust Wolfson centre He also tried his hand at making pancakes with head chef Willie McCurragh, but his attempt at flipping went awry when he dropped it on the floor. He will then be joined by his wife at Dumfries House near Cumnock in East Ayrshire, the 18th-century stately home whose future was secured following intervention by the Prince in 2007. The couple will attend a sewing bee challenge and open a new maze before watching pets go through their paces in the annual Dumfries House dog show. Tuesday saw Charles praise the skills of workers assembling a new aircraft carrier bearing his name at Rosyth dockyard on the Firth of Forth. He toured the HMS Prince of Wales and spoke to the construction team and crew members before watching crane operators lower the final 570-tonne section into place. The 280-metre carrier, the eighth ship to be named after the heir to the throne, is expected to start sea trials in 2019. Stephanie Seymour may not consider Kendall Jenner a supermodel, but Marc Jacobs certainly does. The 20-year-old has joined Cara Delevingne, her musician girlfriend St. Vincent, and Courtney Love as one of the many stars who posed for the designer's Fall 2016 campaign. And while Jacobs has a penchant for all of his models, he clearly holds Kendall who made her runway debut during his Fall 2014 show near and dear to his heart. When Jacobs took to Instagram on Wednesday to proudly share an image from Kendall's latest shoot, the 53-year-old took a moment to gush about her and her 'incredible' career, dubbing her a 'supermodel'. 'Supermodel': Kendall Jenner is one of the many stars featured in the Marc Jacobs Fall 2016 campaign. The designer praised the reality star for her impressive career when he shared the new ad on Instagram 'Womanchild': Jacobs recalled Cara Delevingne wearing an 'animal onesie' when he met her for the first time when he shared her latest ad for his eponymous label 'KENDALL, Supermodel,' he wrote. 'I will always remember the first time I met Kendall during castings for our Fall 2014 fashion show.' Jacobs went on to explain that he first met Kendall when British fashion editor Katie Grand invited her to come by his studio for an introduction before she was photographed for the model boards. 'At the time, I knew very little about Kendall' he admitted. 'As history now has it, her very first fashion show was for Marc Jacobs Fall 2014. Kendall has since been a part of every show along with being featured in our Spring 15 ad campaign (also shot by David Sims).' Jacobs continued: 'It goes without saying that Kendall has gone on to establish an incredible career for herself and every bit of it is a testament to her hard work, passion and desire.' In his touching post, he recalled that when he and his team were casting the Fall 2016 show, they had to make sure each girl was able to safely walk because of the 'enormous height' of the boots they had designed. 'Brains and Beauty': Jacobs said he met Marilyn Manson on Halloween in 1996, right after he released his album Antichrist Superstar 'R(evolution)': The 53-year-old designer called Courtney Love a 'Grunge Goddess' 'Kendall slid those boots on and walked around the studio as if she was in a pair of running shoes: statuesque, confident and just as enthusiastic and excited to be doing the show as if it was her first one,' he noted. 'For me, it is the ability of a model to effortlessly transform into a look and character that makes her so appealing and inspiring.' Jacobs ended his message by noting that the reality star is 'the sweet, kind and ultimate professional'. And the brunette beauty certainly has range. For her latest campaign, Kendall took on the role of a 'Goth Goddess', posing in a voluminous slate gray dress featuring long sleeves and a large bow around her neck for the edgy new ad. The gothic image sees the star pulling up her dress to show off her sky-high platform boots. Her eyes are heavily rimmed with liner, and her usually sleek locks are crimped and teased to epic proportions. Working together: Cara's musician girlfriend Annie Clark, who is known by her state name St. Vincent, is also featured in the star-studded campaign Full of praise: Jacobs gushed that he had fallen head over heels in love with Juno Temple (pictured) 'Femininity': Jacobs said he became 'enamored' with Kembra Pfahler after her band, The Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black released their album, The Anti Naturalist, in 1995 Kendall also took to Instagram on Wednesday to share the image, writing: 'Thank you for everything Marc and Katie!' Jacobs' remarks about her supermodel status come less than two weeks after Stephanie Seymour said Kendall and fellow star Gigi Hadid aren't supermodels like she was. The '90s supermodel went on to dub the girls 'b****s of the moment', leading Kendall to write a scathing response on her subscription-based app and website, insisting that Stephanie get out of her moment. Over the past week, Jacobs has been unveiling the stars of his new campaign, sharing kind words and admiration for each of those featured in the dramatic shoot. Big break: Kendall made her runway debut during the Marc Jacobs Fall 2014 show (left). The now-seasoned catwalker strut her stuff in giant platform boots during the designers Fall 2016 show in February (right) Support system: Jacobs (left) called Kendall (center) a 'supermodel' less than two weeks after Stephanie Seymour claimed she and fellow model Gigi Hadid (right) weren't supermodels like she was Style stars: Cara is pictured with St. Vincent in September during London Fashion Week When posting an image of Cara, Jacobs affectionately called her a 'womanchild' as he waxed poetic about her larger than life personality. 'Every once in a blue moon I am fortunate enough to meet a model with a personality so huge it almost overshadows even the strongest of looks the most dramatic fashion,' he wrote. Like with Kendall, Jacobs said he met Cara through Grand, calling her 'the girl in the animal onesie with boundless energy, great humor and in perpetual motion'. 'Watching Caras growth and evolution into a dynamic, outspoken, independent woman is a true joy, just as she is herself,' he added. 'Her generosity and care in wanting to get a job done right (even if it means missing a flight!) is a testament to her professionalism and true character.' Cara's girlfriend, Annie Clark, who is known by her state name St. Vincent, also stars in the campaign, and Jacobs noted that he was 'really taken' by the comment Annie had made in an interview with Rolling Stone. Model body: Kendall showed off her nipple ring during an outing in New York City's East Village on Tuesday Girls' day out: The model was joined by Gigi Hadid (center) and Hailey Baldwin (left) 'She described queerness as a transcendence of sexuality and as a banner for being other". It was thoughtful, relevant and poignant,' he explained. 'Theres a certain maturity thats inherent in Annie that transcends her age and while her music is a direct reflection of her intellectual curiosities and musical prowess, it was when I had the privilege of meeting Annie in person that I experienced her magnetism.' As for Courtney, Jacobs dubbed her a 'Grunge Goddess' and called her style the great inspiration behind is 'now infamous grunge collection show in 1992'. Marilyn Manson, Missy Elliott, Sissy Spacek, Kembra Pfahler, Julia Banas, Willy Morsch, and Kiki Willems are also featured in the campaign. In an Instagram post shared lats week, Jacobs noted that the individuals in the ads 'represent a collective embodiment of love, honesty, integrity, courage, strength, curiosity and inspiration'. It was a case of how many Spanish queens can you fit on one stage. Letizia joined her mother-in-law Sofia this afternoon as the Spanish royals helped celebrate the 30th anniversary of the FAD at the Real Casa de Correos in Madrid, Spain. The mother-of-two cut a stylish figure in a pale pink shirt dress that was fronted with sheer black stripes. Scroll down for video Stylish orator! Queen Letizia opted for a minimalist pale pink shirt dress with black stripes to address the audience at the Real Casa de Correos as part of the 30th anniversary celebrations of the Help for Drug Addiction Foundation (FAD) Two queens, one stage: Letizia stood shoulder to shoulder with Sofia, glamorous in a cream paisley skirt suit and gold heels, to help the FAD mark its milestone birthday Wearing her highlighted hair in loose ringlets, Letitia finished the look with nude heels, a smokey eye and deep pink lipstick. Not be outdone in the fashion stakes was former Queen Sofia, who opted for a cream paisley skirt suit with gold heels. In contrast to Letizia, who wore no jewellery except some oft-seen ornate cluster earrings, Sofia was dripping in gold. With rings on both hands, Sofia wore a matching three-chain necklace and bracelet. Letizia looked happy to be introducing her mother-in-law to the stage and the royals shared a tender embrace. They were honouring a milestone birthday for the Help for Drug Addiction Foundation (FAD), a charity which the Spanish Queen is president of. Letizia showed off her toned arms as stood on the stage before introducing former Queen Sofia Respect: The mother-of-two applauds as Sofia accepts a commemoration trophy marking the charity's foundation in 1986 While Letizia opted for a minimalist approach to jewellery, Sofia wore a three-chain necklace and bracelets on both of her wrists Affection: The family members smiled as they embraced at the event Sofia leans in to kiss her daughter-in-law, who has two children with King Felipe VI And there's even time for a chat; both Spanish royals looked delighted to be supporting a charity that is clearly close to their hearts Letizia appeared to make a passionate speech before introducing Sofia, the charity's original patron with a trophy which marked the charity's foundation in 1986. It's been a busy week for the Spanish royal; last Wednesday Letizia joined her husband King Felipe VI at the Royal Palace of El Pardo to meet with members of the Boards of Trustees of the Princess of Asturias Foundation - a non-profit private institution which aims to promote scientific, cultural and humanistic values core to the country. Queen Letizia looked high fashion in sexy leather trousers and a fuchsia blouse as she joined her husband in Madrid for a Princess of Asturias Foundation meeting The duo listened as a report on the work carried out throughout 2015 was recounted. According to the foundation's website, the most significant activities comprise the granting and presentation of the Princess of Asturias Awards and the arrangements for the cultural week surrounding the Awards Ceremony. Last year, these included 40 free events open to the general public, which were attended by around 11,000 people. The 43-year-old royal showcased her sartorial prowess for the occasion, donning sexy leather trousers and black stilettos The King and Queen were at the Royal Palace of El Pardo to meet with members of the Boards of Trustees of the Princess of Asturias Foundation and the duo listened as a report on the work carried out throughout 2015 was recounted A stylish Queen Letizia greets BBVA's president Francisco Gonzalez at the Princess of Asturias Foundation Annual meeting in Madrid, Spain A report was also given on the work of the Music Department, which organised 42 concerts by the Foundations three choirs, as well as a new edition of the International Music School Summer Courses. These were opened by Queen Letizia and attended by over 148 students from ten different countries. As always, Queen Letizia has been keeping busy with royal duties in recent weeks. Prior to that, the royal had paid an emotional tribute to the victims of the Orlando night club massacre during an official visit to Salamanca. The 43-year-old royal looked sombre during a ceremony to deliver the Spanish flag to the Regiment of Engineers. During her visit to the town in the north west of Spain Letizia took the opportunity to say a few words in support of the victims of the Orlando massacre that has shocked the world. The monarch made a speech where she condemned the deaths of 49 people at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando and said that such atrocities can only be combated by 'working together'. An activewear retailer, co-founded by Hollywood star Kate Hudson, has come under fire after several shoppers were signed up as fee-paying members without their knowledge. US exercise clothing business Fabletics, co-founded by the actress, has vowed to make membership fees clearer on its website in Australia after the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission were inundated with complaints. The watchdog raised concerns about inadequate disclosure of ongoing costs of its 'VIP' membership program after customers claimed they were unaware of the monthly subscription fees. Following their first purchase of discounted active wear clothing, customers were charged a monthly US $49.95 (AU $66.60) subscription for VIP membership - and found it difficult to cancel. Scroll down for video An activewear retailer, co-founded by Hollywood star Kate Hudson (pictured), has come under fire after several shoppers were signed up as fee-paying members without their knowledge 'The ACCC has seen a spike in complaints from unhappy consumers regarding the use of the relatively new "subscription trap" model by online retailers,' ACCC chairman Rod Sims said. 'This involves online retailers treating a consumer's decision to make a single purchase as consent to signing them to a paid, ongoing subscription service without adequately disclosing that the subscription service involves ongoing fees. 'We are putting online retailers on notice that they must clearly and prominently display any ongoing membership fees and we are warning consumers to look out for them when shopping online.' Online discount retailer ScootPrice, based in Singapore, was also forced to be clearer about its 'Premium' membership after several customers were signed up without being fully aware of the fees payable for this service. Australian Competition and Consumer Commission were inundated with complaints from Fabletics shoppers The US exercise clothing business Fabletics has vowed to make membership fees clearer on its website The watchdog raised concerns after customers claimed they were unaware of the monthly subscription fees The ACCC has warned shoppers not to fall into 'subscription traps' - which involves consumers making a purchase as consent to signing up to an ongoing subscription without their knowledge. Generally, this involves consumers being enticed into the membership option with a discounted price offer for an initial purchase of goods or services. The ACCC and consumer regulators around the world consider subscription traps to be an emerging issue. Complaints show that consumers making purchases online have been automatically signed up to membership programs believing they were free to join. She took a photo of the girl on her phone and when she showed it to her art teacher she suggested she use it as inspiration for a painting Cliffannie, who graduated from high school today, spotted the subject of the painting, a young girl, on a missionary trip to Uganda The teenager from Brooklyn, New York, was selected from over 1,000 submissions to be in an exhibition dedicated to the city's young people Cliffannie Forrester, 18, was overjoyed after her painting, Uganda, was selected to feature in an exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art An 18-year-old girl has achieved her 'life goal' before even graduating from high school after her painting went on display at one of the world's most prestigious art galleries. Cliffannie Forrester, from Brooklyn, New York, was selected from more than 1,000 submissions to have her Uganda painting displayed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art as part of an annual exhibition, P.S. Art 2016: Celebrating the Creative Spirit of New York City Kids. Such was her joy that she tweeted: 'Who just completed their life goal at age 18? Me. As of 6/14/16 my piece is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.' Euphoric: High school student Cliffanie Forrester, 18, pictured with her painting Uganda, was overjoyed after her work was selected to go on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York Dream: Cliffanie, from Brooklyn, New York, wrote on Twitter that it was her 'life goal' to have her work hung at the prestigious art gallery, pictured Creative: Cliffannie, pictured in front of her painting projected in Times Square, New York, wants to pursue a career as an artist Her tweet has been liked more than 87,000 times and Cliffanie has been inundated with messages of congratulations and praise. Cliffannie, who graduated from high school today, created the painting after a missionary trip to Uganda when she spotted a little girl who she said 'was just standing around, admiring everything'. She took a rushed photo of the girl on her phone which she showed to her art teacher Maria Jimenez when she got home to New York who suggested she use it as inspiration for a painting, she told Elle.com. Cliffannie said the subject of the painting made her feel 'like I was at ease, or at home' when she saw her. She said she likes to 'capture an emotion' through her art finds creating artwork an 'escape'. She added: 'Whenever I feel down, I try to draw, to ease my mind.' Cliffannie hopes to pursue a career as an artist when she has finished studying and plans to go to college to study a degree in fine art later this year. Busy: Cliffannie, pictured left and right, graduated from high school today Work in progress: Cliffannie said she 'struggled a lot' with the painting that took her one month to complete Ambition: Cliffannie, pictured in front of her painting at the Met, said now she wants to get a second work into the gallery While she may have already achieved her 'ultimate goal', she is not giving up now. 'People think I'm stopping here bc I achieved my ultimate goal... Lol, I'm getting another piece in the MET one day & nothing will stop me,' she wrote on Twitter. Cliffanie, who also saw her work projected in Times Square, said it is a 'big deal' to be in the same museum as greats such as Degas and Van Gough. Her painting is one of 89 works that were chosen to be featured in The Met exhibition dedicated to the city's students, which is in its ninth year. Sandra Jackson-Dumont, of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, praised Cliffanie's work. 'It's well painted, the composition is wonderful, the foreground, middle ground, background, all of those things associated with this object are exceptional,' she told ABC7. Cliffanie said she 'struggled a lot' with the painting, which took her a month to complete, She painted the background multiple times with different weathers and scenes. An estimated 80 per cent of the 700,000 women who fall pregnant in England and Wales each year - including the Duchess of Cambridge during both her pregnancies - get morning sickness, typically occurring in the first three months Women with morning sickness are to be routinely prescribed drugs by GPs rather than being dismissed and left to suffer in silence. Many women struggle through pregnancy with debilitating nausea and vomiting as treatments are not widely prescribed to ease the condition, with doctors often reluctant as they can cost the NHS up to 400 a month. But in major new guidelines announced today, GPs are to be urged to help women even with mild morning sickness that prevents them getting on with their daily routines. They have been drawn up following concerns by charities that hundreds of thousands of women are suffering and, at worst, every year hundreds abort their babies as their sickness is so severe. An estimated 80 per cent of the 700,000 women who fall pregnant in England and Wales each year get morning sickness, typically occurring in the first three months. Of these, about one in 50 (2 per cent) have a severe form, hyperemesis gravidarum (HG). This affected the Duchess of Cambridge during both her pregnancies and even saw her hospitalised while pregnant with Prince George in 2012. Todays guidelines by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) are the first of their kind to specifically address morning sickness and urge doctors to routinely prescribe pills. Experts say it is currently pot luck as to whether women are offered treatment and many are told to just not think about it by GPs and midwives. But even offering drugs to only those with the most severe symptoms for three months would cost the NHS tens of millions of pounds each year. Dr Manjeet Shehmar, a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at Birmingham Womens Hospital and lead author of the guidelines, said: Its pot luck as to the kind of care you receive. There is a lack of understanding and an element of dismissing the symptoms as just a bit of morning sickness. There are many women who suffer in silence. It is a significant number. These guidelines will make a huge difference to the way a lot of women are treated. The guidance tells doctors to prescribe anti-sickness pills including doxylamine which costs 400 a month. It also recommends eating raw ginger, or ginger biscuits a natural remedy which eases symptoms. Caitlin Dean, 33, who set up the charity Pregnancy Sickness Support after suffering from HG, said: These guidelines put to rest the notion you just need to not think about it or think positively. Increasingly, research shows that without effective treatment the condition can have life-long effects for mum and baby, which is why the early, effective treatment advocated in these guidelines is so vital. Professor Alan Cameron, vice-president of RCOG, said the condition affected many women at a crucial time in their lives. He added: This will ensure they receive the best possible care and support. Experts say it is currently pot luck as to whether women are offered treatment and many are told to just not think about it by GPs and midwives - The UK must do more to prevent deaths among pregnant women and new mothers, leading doctors have warned. The nation faces a challenge in reducing deaths from pre-existing conditions such as heart defects that are not directly related to pregnancy, RCOG experts said. Family doctors are seeing 150,000 more patients a day than seven years ago, a leading GP has warned. Surgeries are struggling to cope with the combined pressures of the increased demand blamed on an ageing population, migration and a recruitment crisis of family doctors. It has led to calls for patients being able to bypass GPs and cut out the 'middle man' to get help from physiotherapists and for mental health problems such as stress. Dr Chaand Nagpaul, chairman of the British Medical Association's (BMA) GP committee, said more must be done free up GP appointments for other patients. GPs are seeing an additional 150,000 patients a day than seven years ago, the chairman of the BMA's GP committee, Dr Chaand Nagpaul, says. However, the numbers of GPs are rising fast enough The London GP said some areas offer direct access to services but more must be done to roll out the service around the country. 'Patients have direct access to extended scope practitioners, so patients who have got back pain, musculoskeletal problems, will go to a physiotherapist directly,' he said. 'But it is staggering how many patients we see only to get the referral to the physio, that happens commonly. 'There are areas that have got direct access to minor mental health services so instead of a patient coming to the GP to say they have work-related stress or are going through a difficult time there is access directly.' It follows the BMAs call to increase the number of days people can self-certify sick leave from one week to two, without needing a doctor's note. They 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. Dr Nagpaul said most patients would prefer to self-refer as it would mean 'cutting out the middle man'. 'They don't have to wait two weeks to see their GP and then be referred,' he said. While the policy was outlined in NHS England's five-year plan for GPs, doctors believe more must be done to make the plans a reality. Patients should be able to refer themselves for physiotherapy which would cut out the 'middle'man' says Dr Nagpaul. This would free up appointments for others Dr Nagpaul said there are 150,000 more people walking through the doors of GP surgeries every day compared to seven years ago. But GP numbers have not risen in order to meet demand. 'There is a real need for the Government to acknowledge there is a mismatch between escalating demand and capacity so there needs to be an honest discussion how to ensure quality and safety within that system. 'As it is now it is not sustainable.' He said other solutions to the problem include patients seeing pharmacists for mild ailments. 'This is about empowering patients, why would anyone want to sit in a GP surgery for an hour when their care could be more effectively managed in a different way?' Previous work has concluded that around a quarter of GP appointments are potentially avoidable, he added. He also warned that GPs are struggling with a lot of administration work for hospitals. 'We are actually spending a significant amount of our time and appointments not seeing people who are ill but actually becoming administrators.' Professor Karen Middleton, chief executive of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, agreed the proposal would : Our modelling shows that providing this direct access in practices would free up GPs to spend an extra five minutes with their patients, as well as saving the average practice 1,000 a week. 'Musculoskeletal patients can account for up to 30 per cent of caseloads so it's no surprise that GPs are increasingly bringing in physios to work alongside them as a first point of contact. A father-of-two's life was turned upside down after he mysteriously lost the ability to walk over four months. Before his sudden loss of movement from the waist down, Rich Hibbert, a university administrator from Leeds, was extremely fit and active. The 38-year-old frequently enjoyed mountain biking in his spare time and spent weekends out and about with his family. But one morning two years ago he woke up with agonising pain in his stomach, having done some light exercises in his living room the day before. Four months later his condition had deteriorated so badly that he could not physically move. Despite being able to feel things, doctors are confused as to what sparked his paralysis, with no-one sure if he will ever be able to stand up again. Rich Hibbert, 38, woke one morning with pain in his stomach after exercising the day before - four months later he found himself unable to walk. Two years on, he is still in a wheelchair (pictured with son Luca) The father-of-two, with Isabelle, 10, (left) and Luca, two, said: 'I used to be very active, doing mountain biking and off-road biking through forests with friends' Mr Hibbert, father of Isabelle, 10 and Luca, two, said: 'It was frightening because we didn't know why it was happening, and it was so frustrating having my body not functioning the way it should. 'I used to be very active, doing mountain biking and off-road biking through forests with friends. 'About five years ago I even did a skydive, and I've done a lot of travelling. I never had any problems with mobility. Mr Hibbert's partner and full-time carer Kat Jordan, 32, told how they were doing exercises in the living room in March 2014 - including stretches and planks - because she wanted to get fit. The next day, Mr Hibbert phoned home from work to say he had really bad stomach pains down his right-hand side. Within hours, he returned home. She rushed him to the doctors, worried it might be his appendix. There, he was given antibiotics and advised to go straight to hospital if the pain worsened. She said: 'Over the next couple of days, Rich was in absolute agony, he was sweating and curling up.' Three days later, Mr Hibbert was taken to St James's University Hospital in Leeds. He underwent blood tests and was kept in overnight for an emergency laparoscopy - a surgical procedure to view the organs in the When medics could not spot anything wrong with his appendix or gall bladder, he was discharged. However his condition continued to deteriorate, forcing him to quit work with his weight having plummeted. Still, the couple had no answers as to what was happening to his body. Miss Jordan said: 'He looked so pale and was losing weight between April and August he lost five stone. 'Everything he ate would cause him agony, I thought he was dying. He was such a family man but couldn't do anything with his children. 'Despite being on morphine, he could feel the pain through it, it was a massive shock.' Mr Hibbert has now been diagnosed with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND), a term given to symptoms in the body which appear to be caused by problems in the nervous system, but are not caused by a physical neurological disease Mr Hibbert was a keen mountain biker before his sudden paralysis, but now his family have had to move to a specially adapted home as he is completely dependent on his wheelchair. Pictured before his paralysis with daughter Isabelle, 10 (left) and when he used to mountain bike (right) In the five months between April and August, he was in and out of St James's University Hospital with stomach pain. There, he had a string of tests including X-rays, CT and MRI scans. Yet Miss Jordan said the only abnormality they found was that his terminal ileum - the end of the small intestine which intersects with the large one - was inflamed. By August, his condition had become so bad he could only walk around the house with a stick. He lost his ability to walk shortly after. Suspecting it may be a neurological issue, medics referred him to the neurology department at the Leeds General Infirmary in February 2015. There he had a lumbar puncture and an electromyography (EMG), a technique for evaluating the electric activity produced by skeletal muscles. In June, he was diagnosed with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND), a term given to symptoms in the body which appear to be caused by problems in the nervous system, but are not caused by a physical neurological disease. Following four months of rehabilitation at Leeds General Infirmary, he was also told he had intervertebral disc disease, which was spotted from an MRI. Mr Hibbert's partner and full-time carer Kat Jordan, 32 rushed him to the doctors after he came home early from work complaining of stomach pains, worried it may be linked to his appendix Since returning home he has attempted to do physiotherapy independently despite suffering from regular tremors and twitches (pictured with daughter Isabelle) Since returning home, he has been trying to do physiotherapy independently despite suffering from regular tremors and twitches. But the family have had to move into a specially adapted home to allow for the wheelchair on which he is now dependent. He is on medication to help with the pain and is waiting to see a spinal specialist, but nobody knows what the future of his condition holds. Miss Jordan also said the move had strained their lives and was 'socially isolating', with Isabelle having lost friends due to moving schools. The family have set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for an electrical wheelchair costing 5000. Kelsea Little, spokesperson for GoFundMe.com commented: 'We really hope the community get behind Rich to help him raise the money for a suitable wheelchair. We wish the family all the best with their continued fundraising.' Scientists take samples from the man's mouth and blood test from woman test for women will identify father and sex of baby after just 2 months The DNA lab made famous by the Jeremy Kyle Show is becoming the first to offer a paternity blood test before the baby is born. For years AlphaBiolabs, based in Warrington, Cheshire, has been responsible for all the revealing DNA tests that nail cheating partners on the ITV1 daytime show. Now, a new test for women will identify the father and sex of the baby just two months after conception, it is claimed. Scientists will determine whether a woman's partner is the real father of her unborn baby by using swab samples taken from the man's mouth and a simple blood test from the woman. The new non-invasive prenatal DNA tests, offered by the group which does tests for the Jeremy Kyle show (pictured), will identify the father and sex of the baby just two months after conception. Anyone wanting to take a test could either have a technician go to their home to take the samples or they could visit a walk-in centre. The tests only work on would-be mothers who are at least eight weeks pregnant, as that is when the child's foetal DNA begins to be present in the mother's blood stream. The testing method is currently available in some US labs for up to $900 and it is not well regulated. But AlphaBiolabs, which processes Jeremy Kyle's test results for his contestants, is hoping to offer the procedure in just a few months. The prenatal test is currently priced at 1,170 but within months it is expected to be as cheap as 300 as they get their UK lab up and running with the new 'overnight service' processes. The largest independent DNA testing laboratory in Europe, it has walk-in centres across the country, including in London, Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool. The clinics provide next-day results and their findings which are accepted by the Ministry of Justice, family law courts, The Child Support Agency and of course the Jeremy Kyle show. While some women can have paternity tests in the UK before they give birth, it involves a needle being inserted into the womb and carries a two per cent risk of miscarriage. AlphaBiolabs hopes the new tests could help couples plan arrangements in advance, offer peace of mind and potentially, prevent a man from becoming too attached if the baby is not his. Similar tests that separate the foetal DNA from their mother's DNA can also be used to tests for genetic diseases such as Down's Syndrome. The test could also determine gender, it is claimed. However the scientists behind the tests admit the accuracy rate is only in the mid-nineties. Because of this, AlphaNiolabs recommends couples take a second test after birth. However, it does hope to develop a test with 100 per cent accuracy, which would mean it could one day be used by the Jeremy Kyle show. Today, managing director David Thomas said the new test will 'revolutionise the industry'. Now, a new paternity test for women who are just eight weeks pregnant is due to be offered in months for just a few hundred pounds Today, managing director David Thomas said : 'The new test will revolutionise the industry. Women unsure of the father can become very anxious during pregnancy and worry about the child bonding with the wrong dad' He claimed: 'This is state-of-the-art test we have been desperate for, but have had to wait for the science. 'A few labs in the US offer a similar service but unless you fly over there for the test, you are sending you sample abroad - which opens up all risks of contaminating it. 'Nearly all bar one of the US labs, the one we have worked with before, are not accredited and are simply not accurate enough. 'We have heard of people using these labs for prenatal paternity tests and making huge momentous life decisions - only to find the data was wrong.' He added: 'People are crying out for this test and finally we have the science and the equipment to offer it. He went on to say that women unsure of their baby's father can become very anxious during the pregnancy. 'They worry about the child bonding with the wrong parent. The test could help stop this happening before the child is born.' Mr Thomas admits its accuracy is not currently high enough for the Jeremy Kyle Show. 'We would hate to think about someone having the test and getting the wrong answer, without having a second test afterwards. 'We would want to make the test 100 per cent accurate and then maybe, one day, it could be used on the show.' Scientists will determine whether a woman's partner is the real father of her unborn baby by using swab samples taken from the man's mouth and a simple blood test from the woman. AlphaBiolabs hopes the new tests could help couples plan arrangements in advance, offer peace of mind and potentially, prevent a man from becoming too attached if the baby is not his In March, it was revealed AlphaBiolabs had seen profits surge after selling its regular 4.99 paternity home testing kits on the high street for the first time. They started selling the DIY kits through discount retail chain Home Bargains and have seen 'fantastic sales figures'. Three thousand tests were snapped up in 18 months, generating in excess of 500,000 extra profit for the firm, Each pack costs 4.99 and there is a further 99 charge to process the results of the test - done through a simple swab. The tests were previously only available to purchase online, but are now available at 290 Home Bargains stores around the country. 'The results we provide can be life-changing and we appreciate it can be a sensitive and worrying time,' Mr Thomas added of their speedy service. In April they celebrated winning a Queen's Award for Enterprise in Innovation for its quick and DNA walk-in testing centres across the UK. Speaking after receiving the Queen's award, Mr Thomas added: 'It was a great surprise. 'I think when you just put your head down and you're beavering away you don't expect to get external recognition. 'What makes us difference from other labs is that we put the customer first. 'When people order online they expect products the next day, people expect that next day service. Conventional wisdom dictates that it takes five to seven attempts to quit smoking. But, those estimates may be very low, experts have now warned. Based on data for more than 1,200 adult smokers in Canada, the real average number of quit attempts before succeeding may be closer to 30, a new research suggests. Lead author, Dr Michael Chaiton of the school of public health at the University of Toronto, said: 'For so long we've been talking about five to seven attempts to quit. 'For us (the numbers) were a lot higher.' A new study has revealed it takes the average smoker 30 attempts before they successfully quit their habit The lower estimate comes from a few past studies that were based on the lifetime recollections of people who successfully quit, but they didn't include attempts by people who had not yet succeeded, Dr Chaiton and colleagues note in the journal BMJ Open. For their study, the researchers analyzed data from 1,277 people in the Ontario Tobacco Survey who were followed for up to three years. When the study began in 2005, participants reported how many times they recalled ever making a serious attempt to quit smoking, and at each six-month follow-up they reported how many serious quit attempts they had made over the past six months. A quit attempt was deemed a success when a participant went at least one year without a cigarette. This doesn't mean you hit a magic number and then you can quit. There are many people who are able to and do quit on their first attempt or in the first few Dr Michael Chaiton of the University of Toronto The researchers used these responses and four different statistical models to estimate how many times the average smoker attempts to quit before succeeding. The most unbiased model suggested an average of 30 quit attempts per smoker. That's much higher than people tended to report in the previous studies when asked about all their quit attempts since starting smoking, the researchers write. 'People are very bad at remembering over their whole lifetimes,' Dr Chaiton said. 'The second problem is we were only asking people who have been successful at quitting.' The new study may be a better representation of what most smokers go through over time, but it does only describe their situation rather than predict what will happen to an individual smoker who tries to quit, he cautioned. 'This doesn't mean you hit a magic number and then you can quit,' Dr Chaiton said. 'There are many people who are able to and do quit on their first attempt or in the first few. 'There are people who are good at many things, some are good at quitting smoking,' he added. Quitting smoking is often a long-term process with many attempts, he said. A range of smoking cessation medications, policies like smoke-free spaces and plain-pack warnings can all help some smokers quit, experts said 'When we talk about trying to reduce the number of smokers, if we try and do that by focusing on one quit attempt at a time we're not going to be very successful,' Dr Chaiton said. A range of smoking cessation medications, policies like smoke-free spaces and plain-pack warnings can all help some smokers quit, he said. Dr John Hughes of the University of Vermont School of Medicine in Burlington, who did not take part in the study, said: 'The main impact of this article is that clinicians should reassure smokers that, just because they have failed 10 times, does not mean they will never quit. 'However, the problem with taking, say, 20 times to quit, is that this may take 10 years and it's not only important to quit but it's important to quit while you are younger. The NHS drive to diagnose dementia is pointless because little can be done to help patients and their families, GPs have warned. They say ministers and officials are obsessed with hitting targets on detection rates yet are failing to provide matching support and care for those affected. The Government has repeatedly pledged to make Britain a world leader in dementia diagnosis and care. In 2014, GPs were offered 55 bonuses under an NHS scheme for every new case picked up. But representatives of the British Medical Association warned family doctors were simply being told to to tick boxes without offering proper support for anxious patients and families. In 2014, GPs were offered 55 bonuses under an NHS scheme for every new case picked up (file image) They voted to support a controversial policy stating the Governments dementia drive is pointless and only serves to increase distress for patients and families. Campaigners described the move as a disappointing step backwards and stressed GPs should never be discouraged from detecting the devastating illness. An estimated 850,000 adults in Britain have dementia although only about half have received a formal diagnosis. Dr Richard Vautrey, deputy chair of the BMAs GPs committee, and a GP in Leeds said: I think the key concern that GPs have is that theres been a focus on counting numbers and hitting targets, rather than what we see is the real gap in service, which is providing services to patients. This is both in terms of diagnosis, investigation but then crucially support - not only for patients with dementia but also of their carers as well. GPs have been really frustrated that politicians appear to have been doing something, by getting GPs to tick boxes, and missing the real point which is what patients are wanting, which is fundamental support. The BMA stressed GPs should never be discouraged from diagnosing dementia but it made little sense to improve detection rates without offering accompanying help for patients. CALL FOR AUTOMATIC DONORS Organ donation after death should be automatic unless people have opted out, according to doctors leaders. After passing a key vote yesterday, the British Medical Association will now lobby the Government to enforce a system of presumed consent in England. This means patients would provisionally be on the donor register unless they have opted out online or through a helpline. If a patient died without having opted out, or opted in as under the existing law then family members would be consulted on their wishes. In December, Wales became the first UK country to adopt the policy and Scotland and Northern Ireland are expected to follow within the next two years. The outcome of the BMAs vote at its annual conference in Belfast will pile the pressure on ministers to change the law to ensure England is not left behind. Advertisement Yet Jeremy Hughes, Chief Executive at Alzheimers Society, said even approving the controversial motion was a disappointing step backwards. There is still a desperate lack of support for people with dementia and this will only serve to make it worse by masking the need. To deny someone a diagnosis on this basis also doesnt take away the fact they are experiencing debilitating symptoms just without a name for them. Dr Alex Freeman, a GP from Southampton and representative from the BMAs South Central branch said: Dementia is a terminal disease and people die of it. Families struggle, they care, they ask for help, theyre told you havent got a diagnosis so we cant do anything with you and in any case theres no money. Then theres a crisis and they end up in hospital Why do we put families through this and why do we think that early diagnosis and the promise of this in your future is a good thing? Dr Gary Wannan, chair of the BMAs community care committee, and a consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist in Kensington, Central London said: Theres no point in giving someone a label, but then not being able to provide support. But Professor Alistair Burns, NHS Englands National Clinical Director for Dementia, said: Awareness of dementia is at its highest and we believe that timely diagnosis of dementia allows people to access the emotional, practical and financial support that brings. She has a hugely successful plus-sized clothing empire and she champions curvy women - and defiant Gemma Collins reveals she's not bowing down to pressure to lose weight. The stunning blonde, 35, attended a panel discussion hosted by Katie Hopkins for MailOnline at Cannes Lions on Wednesday where she talked about being body confident. 'They all want to make you thinner when you go on reality television,' she said. Scroll down for video Sticking to her guns: Curvy Gemma Collins reveals she's not bowing down to pressure to lose weight - during a panel discussion with Katie Hopkins for MailOnline at Cannes Lions on Wednesday 'Everyone wants me to lose 10stone and get a gastric band but I never said I was a model. I'm just a real girl doing her thing and I'm proud that I am a natural girl.' Katie quizzed the former TOWIE star on that famous designer vagina that Gemma had on the show. She had the 2000 procedure last year but she said she didn't actually need to get it done. 'I'm just a real girl doing her thing and I'm proud that I am a natural girl': The 35-year-old businesswoman was part of a star-studded panel, and was fierce in the defence of body confidence Friends in high places: She caught up with fellow panellist and former CBB co-star Jonathan Cheban who was also at the event 'It didn't need cutting or trimming,' she told the wide-eyed panel. 'It's just one of those things you do for television. They did something with a UV light, that's all.' Gemma and Katie were joined by The Voice UK winner Kevin Simm, reality star Charlotte Crosby, internet sensation The Fat Jew, Kim Kardashian's best friend Jonathan Cheban and mixologist JJ Goodman. A confident bunch: The reality star and Jonathan were joined by model and Instagram star Joshua 'The Fat Jew' Ostrovsky (left) for a discussion on body confidence 'They all want to make you thinner when you go on reality television': In typically sassy fashion, Gemma was her usual bubbly self and spoke at length about the attitude towards weight she'd encountered in her career Sartorial sass: The ex-girlfriend of James Argent looked incredible in a Pucci-inspired silk dress which she teamed with a pair of vertiginous red strappy high heels The ex-girlfriend of James Argent looked incredible in a Pucci-inspired silk dress which she teamed with a pair of vertiginous red strappy high heels. Her hair was blow-dried to perfection and she sported the perfect matching manicure and pedicure in a nude shade. Keen to dissolve the notion that reality stars can be famous for doing nothing, Gemma said that is certainly NOT the case for her. Friends? Katie gave gemma a warm embrace as she arrived on the yacht before the Let's Get Real roundtable discussion Another familiar face: Charlotte Crosby was also part of the panel discussion, and looked to be in high spirits as the guests enjoyed all the yacht had to offer 'A reality show can give you a platform and it's down to you to make something out of it,' she said. 'I am up at 4am reading emails and I work with a team of 30 people. But it doesn't happen without me driving it. 'I was offered deals but I was determined to do it on my own. My fashion line has been going for four and a half years and it's still going but it is stressful. 'If I wasn't famous, I would be selling clothes on a market. I love it.' Let the party begin: Katie's guests appeared to be in high spirits (L-R) JJ Goodman, Charlotte, The Fat Jew, Gemma, Jonathan and Kevin Simm Hot topic: Katie chats to Gemma and Jonathan during the discusison Drawing a crowd: A host of industry executives and journalists attended the panel discussion on the MailOnline yacht Gwyneth Paltrow has explained how she achieved the impossible - keeping love in a relationship where there's no longer romance. The Oscar-winning actress spoke candidly about her close bond with ex-husband Chris Martin on Wednesday, as part of a Cannes Lions discussion with HardTalk's Stephen Sakur. 'My children know that we're in a loving family,' she said. 'And I adore their father even though we're not in a romantic relationship.' Scroll down for video Keeping the love alive: Gwyneth Paltrow discussed how she has built a 'loving' family with ex-husband Chris Martin on Wednesday, as she spoke to HardTalk's Stephen Sakur at Cannes Lions Actress Gwyneth discussed the personal sacrifices she'd made for the 'commitment' she's made to protecting their children, Apple, 12, and Moses, 10, during the divorce, which was filed in April 2015. She continued: 'I'm very proud of us for the way that - as anyone who has been divorced knows - we have had to put aside an awful lot to stay a family for the sake of the children. Sometimes it's quite tough on a personal level.' The couple famously announced their separation - or conscious uncoupling - in March 2014 after 10 years and she now admits that putting it on Gwyneth's website Goop was an act of damage control. 'I felt that it was a way of controlling scrutiny. It was such a difficult time in our lives and I think we thought that if we put it on our own platform, it was a way of controlling it.' The way they were: Gwyneth and Chris Martin announced their split in March 2014, after 10 years of marriage Breaking news: The Oscar-winnning screen star admitted that announcing the end of her marriage on her website Goop was an act of damage control Giddy: She was delighted to be chatting about her business Pretty in pink: Gwyneth packed out the Palais des Festivals with guests waiting to hear her talk We are family: Gwyneth and Chris communicate often as they share two children - Apple, 12, and Moses, 10 Giving brands life: The blonde has turned her attention from acting to online business, Goop New love: In August 2014, the star embarked on a romantic relationship with Glee co-creator Brad Falchuk Gwyneth explained that the memorable term, uncoupling, was a philosophy that she and Chris were following at the time, only they didn't anticipate the how much conversation it would spark. It's not the first time that Gwyneth has found herself at the centre of controversy of choices made on Goop. Gwyneth and Stephen discussed the time that the company advertised a $15k gold dildo, though the fun-loving actress dismissed the decision as all in the name of fun. 'We definitely have a little laugh. We look for products that have that sort of reaction.' Making her arrival: Gwyneth was wearing pink during the candid discussion but changed into a chic nautical outfit for her arrival in Cannes Edgy chat: During the discussion, Gwyneth spoke about the time her company advertised a $15k gold dildo Spud life: Clean-living Gwyneth admitted that 'French fries are [her] life' during the interview She went on to explain: 'The values of the brand are that we believe in family, good food, wellness and non toxic beauty. Yes, it might be slightly more expensive, but really it's about executing on the value of the brand. It's not some lofty lifestyle.' The businesswoman unleashed her fun side yet more onstage when she confirmed to Stephen that despite popular belief, she does enjoying kicking back with a burger sometimes. 'I've never had a bad experience with a french fry,' she said, adding: 'French fries are my life.' 'I don't eat that way people think I eat; just seaweed and a bit of air. I [kick back with a burger] all the time. I'm all about balance. i love food, I love to eat and I love to cook.' Also in Cannes: Chris as also been spotted on the French Riviera this week for the Cannes Lions festival Stop... selfie time! He was seen posing for a selfie with Ryan Seacrest at an iHeartmedia and Medialink dinner party, held at Cap d'Antibes' luxury Hotel du Cap-Eden-Rock on Tuesday Bare his soles: A barefooted Chris posed with (l-r) Tom Poleman, John Sykes, iHeartMedia Chairman and CEO Bob Pittman, Ryan Seacrest and a guest ahead of providing the night's entertainment with his band Coldplay He's got 264,000 followers on Instagram and is well-known for his erect ponytail. But internet sensation The Fat Jew says his father has no idea how on earth he can make a living out of social media. Talking to Katie Hopkins at a panel discussion for DailyMail.com at Cannes Lions on Wednesday, The Fat Jew, 34, said his father believes he must be doing something else with his time. Scroll down for video A little behind the times: The Fat Jew spoke to Katie Hopkins for DailyMail.com at Cannes Lions on Wednesday and revealed that his father can't work out how he makes money from social media 'My dad calls me an adult entertainer,' he told Katie. 'No one wants to see that.' he said playfully. 'My father thinks I have a dildo on my head with my hairstyle - he doesn't understand how this can be a thing.' Also on the panel was former Geordie Shore star Charlotte Crosby, The Voice UK winner Kevin Simm, Kim Kardashian's BFF Jonathan Cheban, former TOWIE star Gemma Collins and mixologist JJ Goodman. Plenty to talk about: Joining The Fat Jew on the panel was (L-R) JJ Goodman, Charlotte Crosby, Katie Hopkins, Gemma Collins, Jonathan Cheban and Kevin Simm Keeping everyone in check: The panel was chaired by the MailOnline's columnist Katie Despite the array of well-known faces on the panel, The Fat Jew, real name Josgh Ostrovsky, made sure he stood out from the rest. He wore a bright acid-dyed T-shirt which had Gucci emblazoned on the front. The funny man also wore some black and white shorts which had Kim Kardashian's crying face emblazoned on them throughout. 'Does Kim cry a lot?' Katie asked fellow panellist Jonathan Cheban. Refreshing: The Fat Jew was sipping his White Girl Rose through a straw as he joined Charlotte and Katie Nice shorts! The internet sensation showed off his fabulous shorts, decorated in photos of a crying Kim Kardashian 'No, not really,' he said. 'But she was crying that time because she lost an earring.' The Fat Jew handed out full bottles of his White Girl Rose to the panel, shunning glasses for simple straws. When asked why he came up with the idea, he said: 'Rose takes itself too seriously so I thought let's put a straw in it. 'It's so stupid when people talk about those leathery notes and oaky hints.' 'My father thinks I have a dildo on my head with my hairstyle': The Fat Jew admitted his parents were baffled by his fashion sense He's been in the business for fifty years, so knows a thing or two about the world of celebrity. And Iggy Pop has some firm opinions on today's era of celeb, telling the 2016 Cannes Lions festival on Wednesday that he's a big fan of the likes of Kim Kardashian and their power in media. The iconic musician, 69, also spoken candidly about his infamous hell-raising years, admitting it must have been a nightmare for his parents to watch him on his rollercoaster of a life. Scroll down for video Having his say: Iggy Pop has some firm opinions on today's era of celeb, telling the 2016 Cannes Lions festival on Wednesday that he's a big fan of the likes of Kim Kardashian and their power in media Iggy Pop - real name James Newell Osterberg, Jr. -was interviewed on stage by advertising agency Grey chairman Nils Leonard. Both went shirtless for some of the chat after a campaign was started to raise money for the charity Ehlers-Danlos Support UK if Leonard interviewed the star topless. While enjoying the Cannes sunshine shirtless, Iggy revealed his thoughts on the changing world of showbusiness, and when asked about the new crowd of celebrity and social media 'heroes', the star announced he is fan of Kim Kardashian. Stripping off: Iggy Pop was interviewed on stage the Cannes Lions advertising festival by advertising agency Grey chairman Nils Leonard. Both went shirtless after a campaign was started to raise money for charity 'She has been good for Armenia,' he said. 'The unintended side effect of Kim's career is that there are probably some people who think they have more possibilities of life.' 'Look, she has got a big old Armenian butt, little Armenian legs, she's Armenian, a nice looking Armenian beauty.I like beautiful things. There are so many different kinds of beautiful people, beautiful imagery, beautiful things to appreciate in the world,' he added. The musician reflected on his own shifting career, admitting he had one major regret about his early years in the spotlight with his bands, the Iguanas, which later became The Stooges - not spending enough time with his parents. He's a fan: Iggy revealed his thoughts on the changing world of showbusiness, using US reality star Kim Kardashian as an example of the new crowd of celebrity 'heroes' 'It must have been terribly hard being my parents for a long time ... I had wonderful parents too, who did everything they could for me. I think I wasn't as available to those two people I would have liked to have been later. I wasn't a truant but not as available and I think that's a shame,' Iggy said. 'I lived like a wild creature from the moment I was released from high school at 18 until I was 25, there was nothing I wouldnt do. Between 25 and 35 I realised youve got to pull back at some points.' 'Dont lose whats making you so nuts, but put it in the art, dont take it home. I would have relapses but by 35 I had become relatively sensible.' Role model: 'She has been good for our media,' he said of Kim. 'The unintended side effect of Kim's career is that there are probably some people who think they have more possibilities of life' Candid chat: The musician reflected on his own shifting career, admitting he had one major regret about his early years in the spotlight - not spending enough time with his parents Iggy went through serious substance abuse issues in his early years, and says he is now more content with his life and varied career than ever. 'A lot of things I can't do now I could do when I was 25, but I think because I was basically kind of a loony, what's happened with me is that the less I can do, the better off I am,' he explained. 'I can't do this and I can't do that but I can do a music show [Iggy presents a weekly show on BBC 6 Music] and I enjoy that and I can do an advert or a part in a film or a radio show and I really enjoy those things.' Time for a photo! Iggy happily posed for snaps at the end of the chat as the two stripped off for charity Loving life: Iggy went through serious substance abuse issues in his early years, and says he is now more content with his life and varied career than ever Asked about his biggest fears the star revealed he is terrified of having surgery, explaining he had laser eye surgery in Colombia before the procedure was legal in the US after his then-Colombian girlfriend told him he looked 'ugly' with glasses. He added he's done with cosmetic enhancements though. 'I would not let anybody get inside me with a knife. I don't feel like it. That's just a personal [thing], in which case I would have to buy a funeral yacht, sail off to Cannes.' 'Party myself to death rather than if I needed an operation,' he quipped. 'Those are the things I think about when things aren't going so well.' He had a wardrobe mishap when his luggage went missing on the journey to Cannes. But Jonathan Cheban was still looking impeccably stylish for Wednesday night's Dailymail.com's Seriously Popular yacht party at the 2016 Cannes Lions festival. Kim Kardashian's best pal arrived with his gorgeous girlfriend Anat Popovsky for a night of partying. Scroll down for video Stylish couple: Jonathan Cheban arrived with his gorgeous girlfriend Anat Popovsky for Wednesday night's Dailymail.com's Seriously Popular yacht party at the 2016 Cannes Lions festival Anat looked stunning in a statement dress, from fashion brand Projecteurs, made out of colorful ribbons of fabric. Jonathan's stylish girl added a pair of strappy black heels, and carried a chic pale pink bag for the glam event. Her dark locks were slicked back into a sleek ponytail while subtle makeup to highlight her pretty features finished off Anat's party look. Turning heads: Anat looked stunning in a statement dress made out of colorful ribbons of fabric Jonathan was looking equally stylish in an on-trend bomber jacket teamed with skinny black jeans. The Celebrity Big Brother revealed his horror earlier this week when he arrived in Cannes without his luggage. Arriving at the MailOnline's bash on Tuesday evening, he explained: 'I was planning to wear my new Yeezys that no-one else in the world has except me, but they are in the suitcase. Reunited: The Celebrity Big Brother star revealed his horror earlier this week when he arrived in Cannes without his luggage Making friends! Jonathan posed for snaps with US businesswoman Martha Stewart 'Thank God I have all of my jewellery and my bling. I always have these in my hand luggage, I'm not putting these in my suitcase.' Kanye's Yeezy trainers, a highly sought after collaboration with sportswear giant Adidas have been worn by a host of celebrities. Even his daughter North, three has her own pair of the branded shoes. It's been a busy week for Jonathan in Cannes, who earlier on Wednesday sat on a panel with his CBB housemate and close friend Gemma Collins, Katie Hopkins, Charlotte Crosby, The Voice UK winner Kevin Simm, internet sensation The Fat Jew, and mixologist JJ Goodman for a discussion on reality TV. Party people: Martha got a kiss from Jonathan as they arrived on board Rajiv Rai, a 24-year-old intern, injured his right leg - but doctors somehow operated on the left limb Numerous doctors and five paramedical staff at Fortis Hospital, Shalimar Bagh in North Delhi, have been sacked after the team wrongly operated on 24-year-old Ravi Rais left leg instead of his injured right one. The incident took place late on Tuesday, after which the family reported the matter to the police. The police registered an FIR against the doctors under IPC Sections 346, 338 and 34, which deal with wrongful confinement, causing grievous hurt, and endangering the lives or personal safety of others. The family has approached us and we are registering an FIR against the doctors, said Vijay Singh, DCP (North-West). The hospital immediately set up a committee to probe the blunder. The panel suggested that the operating team may have disregarded and sidestepped the due process. Following the incident, we immediately set up an expert committee to inquire into the matter. We take our obligation to our patients very seriously. As this is a zero-tolerance area for us, the services of erring doctors and operating room (OR) personnel (five) have been dispensed forthwith. Action against some others is also being contemplated, pending enquiry, the hospital said in its official statement on Wednesday. Rai, who is presently interning with an audit firm, Ernst & Young, fell down the stairs on Sunday evening at his residence in Ashok Vihar. The family immediately took him to hospital. After the bungled surgery, the 24-year-olds family has taken him to Max hospital in Shalimar Bagh. The patient was immediately taken in for treatment for his right leg affected by calcaneal fracture. Currently a 3D CT scan is being done to understand the extent of fracture and to decide on the course of action. The patient is currently in a stable condition, a statement by Max healthcare said. According to Rais family, the doctors told them that there was a fracture in the ankle of his right leg. They also said Ravi might need to undergo surgery wherein four pins were to be inserted in his ankle for support. The doctors got his X-ray and CT scan done before the surgery. After they explained us the process of surgery, we agreed for it. But when we came to know about their mistake, we were shocked. It is such a big chain and they claim to have best of the doctors. And this is what they do, said Rai's father, Ramkaran Rai. A 1,500km proposed highway along the China border in Arunachal Pradesh has hit a roadblock, with the Army raising fears that its proximity to China could make it a liability in case of a confrontation. The objection has irked the state government, and the matter could end up in a tussle between the home and defence ministries. Prime Minister Narendra Modis Act East Policy, pushing for development in the neglected Northeastern states, could be severely affected now the Army is opposing the mega road project, which costs between Rs 30,000 and Rs 40,000 crore and would connect Tawang with Vijoynagar, bordering Myanmar. The Indian Army is worried about the implications of development along the border with China While initial construction between Tawang and Dirang is done, the work ahead is yet to begin, sources said. Sources said local leaders from the state will be writing a protest letter to the prime minister. The matter has been brought to my knowledge and I will call a meeting of officials from home and defence ministry along with state officials to sort out the issues, said Kiren Rijiju, Minister of State for Home Affairs, who also represents Arunachal Pradesh. The Army is sticking to the old tactic of not developing border areas to ensure minimal damage and to cut off easy access for the enemy in case of an infiltration. However, this creates hurdles in the home ministrys plan to develop remote areas and resettle the local population. Sources said that since there is no infrastructure, locals have been pushed as far as 50 km from the border, posing a threat from Chinese forces who could claim it to be their territory in the event of a face-off. The road has also been planned considering the large-scale migration of people from border areas and the need to push them back by creating all basic amenities. They should be happy that the road is close to the border. It can be a boon for the troops for swift mobilisation, said an official. Pasang Dorjee, an MLA from Arunachal Pradesh, said the Army is creating hurdles for the road project that will affect development in the area. Instead of saying that the road should be closer to the border, like China did, the Army is saying it should not be along the border. While the lack of infrastructure and roads on the Indian side has been an old grievance for the locals, the situation across the border is completely different. Chinese forces have top-class roads till their border outposts. The villages and towns are well inhabited and have excellent infrastructure. If not match them, we need to at least achieve 10 per cent of what they have, said a government official. Earlier Beijing had also registered a protest against the road project as it could complicate the border dispute between India and China. In a far-reaching move aimed at bringing world-class education to India's students, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has decided to allow top Indian institutions to seek its approval for tie-ups with highly-rated varsities overseas. For students wishing to study abroad, this represents a lower-cost way to achieve that. As per the new guidelines - under the previous norms, only foreign institutes could seek permission for academic tie-ups - Indian universities with the highest grade of accreditation will now be able to start collaborative arrangements with quality foreign educational institutions (FEIs) in undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes. Minister of Human Resource Development Smriti Irani hopes the move will give Indian students more choices about their studies Such degrees will be awarded by the Indian educational institutions (IEIs) only, as joint degrees are not permitted. The name of the foreign varsity can be indicated on the degree. Minister of Human Resource Development Smriti Irani said the step has been taken to promote foreign collaborations with a view to increasing synergy between Indian and foreign academic institutions. She hopes it will offer students additional choices, and improve the curriculum. Membership of the NSG appears to have become the single most critical foreign policy priority for the Modi government The issue of Indias membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) has been the focus of significant public and media attention over the past few weeks. It appears to have emerged as the single most critical foreign policy priority for the Modi government. The government is according so much importance to the issue that Prime Minister Narendra Modi hurriedly decided to include visits to Switzerland and Mexico around his tour to the US - to obtain categorical support for Indias membership at the NSG plenary in Seoul on June 23- 24. It is a reflection on Modi that he was able to get unequivocal support from the two countries, although they had initially opposed Indias entry into NSG in 2008. Under normal circumstances the issue would not have assumed such importance. What appears to have brought it into the spotlight is the blatant opposition by China to Indias entry into the elite nuclear club. Over the past few weeks Beijing has issued several statements maintaining that no single country waiver should be granted to India. It stated that India, in any case, is not eligible to become a member of the NSG as it is not a member of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT), adherence to which is necessary for the entry. At other times Beijing stated that Pakistan too has similar credentials to join the NSG. China has said in no uncertain terms that Indias membership will 'jeopardise Chinas national interests and touch a raw nerve in Pakistan. None of Chinas contentions appears to hold much water. Yet, it will be useful to understand what the purpose and mandate of the NSG is. It is doubtless true that the NSG was established in the wake of Indias Pokharan tests in 1974. The intent and purpose of the NSG, however, are different from that of NPT. It is not an international treaty. It is a group of nuclear supplier countries that seeks to contribute to non-proliferation of nuclear weapons through implementation of two sets of Guidelines for nuclear exports and nuclear-related exports. After more than 25 years of its establishment, some suggested guidelines were evolved in 2001 at Aspen for admitting new members to the organisation. Among them, that membership of the NPT is only a guideline, a consideration - and not a mandatory requirement while deciding on a countrys application. India is keen to become a member of the NSG and other export control regimes as it seeks to significantly expand its nuclear power generation and also enter the export market in coming years. Although the 2008 waiver by the NSG does provide significant possibilities for India to engage in civilian nuclear trade with other countries (and indeed, India has entered into such agreements with several countries like Russia, France, UK, US, Kazakhstan, Australia and others), membership of the NSG would provide greater certainty and legal foundation to Indias nuclear regime. This would also provide greater confidence to countries who invest billions of dollars in setting up ambitious nuclear power projects in India. Indias track-record in observing the provisions of the NPT and NSG while not being a member of either body is impeccable. If the NSG was able to grant a waiver to India in 2008 on the basis of its past performance, it should have no objection to admitting it as a member this time. It is, however, obvious that decision on June 23-24 in Seoul will be taken by some countries on political considerations rather than on merit. Usually China has been seen to stay in the background and put up smaller countries in the forefront to articulate opposition to any issue that it does not concur with. This time, in addition to instigating smaller countries to raise objections, China has itself come out openly in opposition to Indias membership. Since all decisions at NSG are taken by consensus, any country - small or large - can stand in the way of consensus. India has, however, launched a blitzkrieg of hectic diplomatic activity to explain its position and overcome opposition of a few countries. It has also reached out to China to explain that its interest in NSG membership is not guided by any political or strategic considerations but only to facilitate expansion of its clean and green nuclear energy programme. India took the unusual step of dispatching its foreign secretary S Jaishankar to Beijing to hold discussions on this and other important issues. If the issue goes to the wire, PM Modi is expected to take up the issue with President Xi Jinping in Tashkent, where both leaders are likely to be present for the SCO Summit later this week. Most questions raised by China against Indias membership have little validity. For instance, membership of the NPT is not a condition for becoming a member of NSG. It is only a guiding principle to which consideration needs to be given. Further, Pakistans credentials for NSG membership are highly flawed and inadequate. Over the last eight years India has separated its reactors which are under IAEA safeguards from those which are not. Pakistan has not undertaken any such exercise. The decision at the NSG plenary session in Seoul will depend on Chinas stance. With Russian President Vladimir Putin assuring India that he will try to convince Beijing, India can still be reasonably hopeful. The forthcoming Uttarakhand elections have become an issue of party prestige for the BJP after its attempt to dislodge the Harish Rawat-led state government failed last time round. While party chief Amit Shah is set to address a rally in Hardwar on June 25, he will also attend the state units executive meeting on June 26. According to BJP leaders, the move is aimed at formally sounding the poll bugle in the state. BJP party chief Amit Shah is set to address a rally in Hardwar in an effort to ramp-up the pressure on the Congress government in Uttarakhand In yet another symbolic move, Shah will be visiting the Badrinath and Kedarnath shrines. Senior party leaders told Mail Today that Shah will lead a dogged and aggressive poll campaign after the partys strategy to dislodge the Harish Rawat-led Congress government backfired in May. According to BJP national secretary Shrikant Sharma, the party will be going to the polls to fight against the 'systemic corruption of the Congress in the state. Also, Sharma confirmed that the party chief would be fine-tuning the partys poll strategy during his meeting with the state executive. While it is not usual for the national president to attend state executive meets, Shahs attendance at meetings in UP and then Uttarakhand points to the significance the party has attached to these two neighbouring states. According to Sharma, the Rawat government in Uttarakhand has no right to be in power. The Congress government in the state is surviving on manufactured and artificial majority. Moreover, corruption in the state is at an all-time high. It is rather surprising that Rahul Gandhi who is so vocal against the BJP, is silent on the issue of corruption, all the more surprising when it involves his chief minister, in this case Harish Rawat, Shartma said. RJD chief Lalu Yadav has questioned the governments recent move on FDI RJD chief Lalu Yadav has questioned the governments recent move to open up foreign direct investment in many employment sectors. Lalu Yadav questioned whether the National Democratic Alliance had given up on using the manufacturing industry to create jobs. Lalu, a rustic politician from Bihar, took to social media platform Twitter to express his views on the economic policies of the centre - leaving many wondering why he did not think similarly when he headed the state as CM. JNU central library to be renamed The Jawaharlal Nehru University has approved the renaming of its central library to The BR Ambedkar Library, following demands from the RSS student wing the ABVP. In April the group had also demanded that a statue of the Dalit icon be installed. The library's committee approved the proposal placed before the Executive Council. Left-wing student groups had argued that its strange for the government to terrorise students who pursue Ambedkars politics, while its student wing is hell-bent on appropriating the Dalit icon. Maha government nod for Khadse plan It is good news for Jews in Maharashtra as the state government approved a proposal to grant minority status to the community. The move will benefit students from the community seeking to win scholarships from the state government. Thanks to sacked minister Eknath Khadse, It will also become easier for the Jews to register their marriages. Two-day session of Uttarakhand House Politics is set to hot-up in Uttarakhand, with the state Cabinet deciding to convene a special two-day session of the Assembly from July 4 to pass the controversial budget which was questioned by the Centre and became a key reason for imposition of Presidents rule in the hill state. The budget has become a flash-point between the Congress government and the BJP. FM to discuss Swachh strategy A communication strategy for the ambitious Swachh Bharat Mission will be deliberated on Wednesday when Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will chair meeting of a high-powered committee formed to oversee the programme. If the movie Khosla ka Ghosla scared you and the prospect of land sharks eyeing your plot or house gives you nightmares, fret not. The Narendra Modi government is now working on geo-tagging each property, to end ambiguity about who owns what. Every square inch of Indian earth will be digitally mapped using ISROs high-resolution satellite imagery, GPS and GIS technology. On a longitude-versus-latitude basis, your propertys exact location will be nailed. As opposed to the current system of 'presumed' land limits and titles, the government will geo-tag properties This is a part of the Union Ministry of Rural Developments (MoRD) National Land Records Modernisation (NLRM) programme. The new system will see land records digitised, and land accounts, along the lines of bank accounts, will be set up for the teeming millions in India. The accounts will be linked to Aadhar cards, and will mean property transactions can be carried out from Assam to Delhi using only digital signatures - safely recorded, and preserved for eternity. It is hoped that the new system will put an end to age-old malpractices, fraud and embezzlement in land transactions. In villages, the historically notorious roles of lekhpal and patwari would be diminished. In cities, bribes taken by revenue officers would be reduced. Minister for Rural Development, Chaudhary Birender Singh, told Mail Today: This is an old programme. Unfortunately, it gathered dust under previous regimes. Now, we are reviving it under mission mode as part of the PMs Digital India programme. Until 2014-15, this was a scheme funded partly by the states. However, from this financial year, the Centre has taken full responsibility for it. The minister has convened a national meeting of all revenue secretaries in Bangalore next month for this purpose. He further said that the National Land Records Modernisation (NLRM) programme is being implemented in Chandigarh on a priority basis. You would be surprised to know that every third property in Chandigarh is under dispute. In all, 80,000 plus properties in the city are disputed. We are hoping that by the end of financial year 2017, all land records in Chandigarh will be fully digitised, he said. This mammoth programme will also ease out problems for the government. Land acquisition work for many big infrastructure projects is stuck due to confusion over who owns land, and its limits. Running a coalition government consisting of political parties with different ideologies is no mean task. It becomes all the more difficult if the stakeholders put personal agenda ahead of their alliance interests. A number of multi-party governments have fallen by the wayside across the country in the past because of the vaulting ambitions of the coalition partners. Nitish and Lalu have avoided treading on each other's toes on contentious issues That is why few people in the Opposition expected Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to pass muster as the leader of the Grand Alliance government in Bihar. However, he has faced no major problem from his allies the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress since he took over the reins of the government for his third successive term about seven months ago. Nitish has had a long experience of running coalition governments. He headed the NDA government in Bihar for seven-and-a-half years before walking out of his alliance with the BJP. He was also part of the Union government headed by Atal Bihari Vajpayee. STILL, the naysayers predicted early doom for his government in his fresh term. With the emergence of the RJD as the biggest party in the alliance, they expected Nitish to kowtow to Lalu for the survival of his government. However, nothing of that sort has happened so far. Nitish and Lalu apparently know well that they need to run the coalition government with mutual trust. Any major dispute will be detrimental to the prospects of both leaders. Although it is still too early to say whether the two will continue to adhere to the basic tenets of the coalition dharma during the remaining tenure of their government, they have avoided treading on each others toes by amicably sorting out the contentious issues so far. From the selection of noncontroversial ministers to the candidates for the recent Rajya Sabha and the state Legislative Council elections, they have taken each other into confidence before reaching any major decision. Most significantly, they have resolved to not interfere if any leader of their respective party is caught on the wrong side of the law. The recent toppergate scam in the Bihar School Examination Board required both the leaders to act quickly when allegations of the involvement of the people supposedly close to the state government surfaced. The Janata Dal (United) suspended its former MLA Usha Sinha when she and husband Lalkeshwar Prasad Singh emerged as key accused in the case. The government also gave the police a free hand to arrest the absconding couple. Lalu, on his part, disowned Bachcha Rai, the alleged kingpin in the scam, after the Opposition traced his links with his party. The RJD president made it clear that nobody involved in the scam would be shielded from the law. In the past six months, many legislators have been involved in different criminal cases but none of them ever enjoyed any political patronage because of their allegiance to the ruling alliance. Over the years, Nitish has been known to have kept his party leaders at arms length once their names figured in criminal cases but this is certainly a new facet of Lalus personality. In the past, Lalu was often accused of turning a blind eye to the misdeeds of the people close to him. During the previous RJD regime, he refrained from taking any action against his brothers-in-law, Sadhu and Subhash Yadav, whenever they were accused of breaking the law. Lalu appears to have become wiser from his experience now. With his sons, Tejashwi and Tej Pratap, commencing their political innings with key ministerial berths, he has no reason to lock horns with Nitish for the sake of his wayward party leaders. As of now, Lalu and Nitish are working in tandem as allies and do not seem to be in a hurry to fritter away the mandate given to them by the people of Bihar. The doubting Thomases, therefore, will have to remain in the waiting mode. The writer is chief of bureau, Bihar Smriti Tweet costs Choudhary dear Many Congresswomen supported Choudhary Union human resource minister Smriti Irani may have ticked off Bihars education minister Ashok Choudhary for addressing her dear in his tweet recently, but he has found woman leaders of his party rallying behind him in the wake of the controversy. Many Congresswomen, holding huge placards referring to Choudhary as dear, came out on the streets to express solidarity with him. They insisted that Choudhary, who is also the president of the Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee, did not use any derogatory term for Irani. Choudhary was, of course, pleased with the support from the women Congress leaders in the state. He was, however, no longer dear to a section of leaders in his party. Veteran Congressman and former Governor of Kerala Nikhil Kumar raised a question over his continuation as the state Congress president even after getting a ministerial berth in the Nitish Kumar government. Many Congress leaders believe that Choudhary should have been relieved of his party post by now. Choudhary, however, remains nonchalant. He has advised his detractors to ask Rahul Gandhi who has retained him as the BPCC president. As a matter of fact, I am ready to quit both posts at the directive of Rahul Gandhi, he said. _____________________________________________________________________ Noted Madhubani painting artist Meenakshi Jha-Bannerjee and her husband Rony Bannerjee have taken upon themselves to carry forward the tradition of storytelling by setting up a Kahani Ghar (House of Stories) in Patna. More than 500 children, many of them from poor families, have already enrolled at the centre. They not only get familiar with the rich art, culture, history and heritage of the state and the country but are also taught different subjects such as mathematics through the art of story-telling. _______________________________________________________________________ Lifeline of Bihar may be cut soon The Mahatma Gandhi Setu on the river Ganga, which connects Patna with north Bihar, is in such a dilapidated condition that it can collapse anytime. The bridge, inaugurated by the then Prime minister Indira Gandhi in 1982, is considered to be the lifeline of Bihar. Mahatma Gandhi Setu bridge could collapse, construction experts have warned Every day, lakhs of commuters brave traffic snarls for hours on the bridge, which been undergoing repairs for nearly two decades. Crores of rupees have been spent but it remains in a rickety condition. The Centre and the State government have been locked in the blame game for long but nothing has helped matters. A recent inspection by experts, including those from Japan, has found its pillars in good condition and suggested fresh construction of the entire superstructure. But that will take a minimum of four years. The Bihar government has already started construction of another bridge on the Ganga, a few kilometres away from the Gandhi Setu, but that will also take at least four years to complete. A Congress legislator in Jammu and Kashmir has withdrawn his resolution seeking to provide "rest" to the goddess at the Mata Viashno Devi shrine during noon and night hours, after opposition from the state government. Congress Member of the Legislative Council and former Minister Jugal Kishore Sharma tabled a resolution in the Upper House on Monday, saying the government should urge the Shri Vaishno Devi Shrine Board to create a system so the goddess can rest for some time during the day. This House should resolve that the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, Katra shall adopt the system of providing rest to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji during noon and shayan in the night hours, to provide rest to the goddess in accordance with the Hindu Shastras, as is the practice in Bawe Wali Mata Temple, Regunath temple and other temples of the country such as Nauv Devi in Himachal, Triupathi Balaji, Shri Kerarnath temple etc, Sharma said. Jugal Kishore Sharma was concerned that the goddess should be able to rest at the Mata Viashno Devi shrine during noon and night hours, saying this was 'in accordance with the Hindu Shastras'. The legislator said the Board was not following Shastras. The MLC insisted that a House Committee should be constituted to change the prevailing protocol. We can constitute a House committee which can visit the temple and see how crowded the place is, he said. The Minister of State for Education, Culture and Tourism, Priya Sethi, said the resolution cannot be adopted by the House. She said it was beyond its scope. The ritual and tradition of Darshan of Shri Mata Viashno Devi shrine around the clock has been in practice since time immemorial, and there has been no instance and document available indicating providing rest to Mata during noon and Shayan in the night hours, Sethi said. The Minister read a detailed note from leading expert on Hinduism and vedic texts, Prof. Vishwa Murti Shastri, opposing the resolution. This is purely a matter of religion and faith, and as such would not be appropriate to debate or discuss in this legislature, Sethi said. While Prime Minister Narendra Modi led thousands of people in yoga asanas in Chandigarh on Tuesday, nearly 250 farmers marched in protest near the state Civil Secretariat - carrying pouches of blood. The protest, intended to make a point about farmers' struggles and the high rate of suicides, was led by Congress leader Inderjeet Singh Zira. Criticising the state and central governments for ignoring Punjab farmers, the protesters shouted Badal-Modi kissan virodhi (Both Badal and Modi are against farmers), and Kisan Mar Rahe Hai, Modiji Yoga Kar Rahe Hai (While the farmers are dying, PM is busy practising yoga) while trying to move towards the Capitol Complex. Carrying pouches of blood donated by farmers' families in Punjab, the protesters tried to highlight the issue of farmers who committed suicide in the state The demonstrators who gathered at the Punjab Congress Bhawan at Sector 15 had started their march at 6am, but were detained by police when they tried to enter the road leading to the International Yoga Day venue. Carrying pouches of blood donated by the farmers in Punjab, the protesters tried to highlight the issue of farmers who have committed suicide in large numbers. Modi practiced yoga while the protests took place The blood has been donated by farmers across Punjab, and also the families of those farmers who have committed suicide due to ruthless Central-State agrarian policies. PCC Chief Captain Amarinder Singh too donated his blood as a mark of solidarity, and his support to the farming community, Inderjeet Singh Zira said. While addressing the farmers, Zira said that the farmers have lost confidence in Modi and the Badal government as they failed to compensate the families who lost their loved ones. Around 8,000 farmers have committed suicide in recent times. Neither PM nor Badal government have shown any concern. "We the Kisan Khet Mazdoor Cell wanted to present a bowl containing blood donated by the family members of the poor farmers who have recently committed suicide. "We collected the blood of the farmers so that Modiji can quench his thirst, Zira said. In an open letter written to the Prime Minister, Inderjeet Singh Zira questioned why he (the PM) withdrew the facilities provided by Manmohan Singh, including a farm loan waiver in which only four per cent interest was contributed by the farmer, and the rest by the union government. You waived the loans raised by influential industrialists, why were the farmers ignored? "Adding insult to injury, the central government has also stopped the payment of Rs 2000 crore which it owed to Punjab farmers whose wheat was procured by it, Zira said. At a recent event in Delhi, Motorolas chairman and president Aymar de Lencquesaing took out the companys latest phone Moto Z and waved it in front of the gathered journalists. This is the future of smartphones, he said. The Moto Z seems like any other phone, although its svelte 5.2mm body does make for an impressive build. But the design of the Moto Z is not its ticket to fame. The big deal about it is its modular nature. Modular phones are different to smartphones in that components can be added to increase their functionality - components like a tiny projector that turns almost any surface in front of the phone into a big screen. Modular phones are different to smartphones in that components can be added to increase their functionality However hard we try, we cannot create a perfect phone, says Lencquesaing. "And yet, there is so much that needs to be done with the smartphone. This is only possible through the modular design. The possibilities with such design are endless." A look into the past This year we have seen two companies launching modular phones - LG and Motorola. The idea is simple, as well as old. A smartphone is limited by its size. It is a miniaturised computer, camera and speaker, packing in the same core functionality. But the small size means the functionality that a smartphone offers is also compromised. Making a phone modular solves many of these problems. Before its time: The Modu T came out in 2010 with modules that turned the phone into a music player or a fitness assistant A lot of companies and people had talked about creating modular phones, but the one that actually did it was Modu, an Israeli firm founded by Dov Moran in 2007. In 2010 it launched the Modu T, a phone that came with modules - one to turn it into a music player and another with added fitness-tracking functionality. Every day we go through several tasks. The idea is to make a phone (that) will allow users to add or remove features depending on what they are doing, Moran had said in 2010. The idea was great, but the execution wasn't. Modu failed quickly, and some of its patents and technology were bought by Google. In 2011 Google also acquired Motorola, which in 2012 joined hands with Phonebloks to create a truly modular phone where every core part, from the screen to the processor inside, would be replaceable and swappable. The endeavor was given the name of Project Ara. New launches This year there will be two modular phones released - however they are still somewhat limited. The first of these, the LG G5, was launched at the Mobile World Congress this year. It has a battery compartment that users can slide open to attach other modules. LG calls these components Friends. Currently, two Friends stand out. One is the Cam Plus, which adds manual controls and a better grip for the G5 camera. Motorolas chairman and president Aymar de Lencquesaing heralded the Moto Z as 'the future of smartphones' (file pic). The Friend is a module designed with help of B&O which turns the G5 into a high-res audio player. The Moto Z, meanwhile, features a more elegant modular design. It is a slim phone with 16 metal pins on its back cover. Through these metal pins a user can attach a module, which is similar to a protective case that almost everybody uses with a phone. The attaching of a module - Motorola calls it Mod - is seamless. Currently, three Mods - for speaker, battery and projector - are available. One more, possibly to add optical zoom to the camera, is coming soon. Future When Google sold Motorola to Lenovo in 2014, there was one part of the company it didn't give to the Chinese firm - the Project Ara division. Originally, the goal of Project Ara was to create a truly modular phone. But after playing with probably hundreds of prototypes, Google scaled back on its ambitions. Now the core components are fixed, but six slots in the phone will allow users to swap different modules in or out. If everything goes well, the developer edition of the Project Ara phone will ship later this year, with the consumer version coming next year. Over the years, the truly modular phone has almost turned into the Holy Grail. Conceptually, it is a solution to almost every weakness a smartphone has. At a time when smartphones are getting boring, it is also a way to make them sexy again. So far, modular phones have failed to sizzle. But the LG G5, Moto Z, and the upcoming Project Ara phone show that the blocks are finally falling into place - and the promise they hold is tantalising. Lenovos Vibe K5 is a solid offering for the price Lenovos Vibe K5 offers bang for the buck Vibe K5 is one of Lenovos most affordable phones on the market. It is also the younger, and less powerful, sibling of the popular Vibe K5 Plus. The Vibe K5 has a 5-inch screen with 720p resolution, Qualcomm Snapdragon 415, 2GB RAM and 16GB internal storage, which is very generous. The phone also has a 13-megapixel rear camera, 5- megapixel front camera, and features like support for Dolby Audio, which are more of checklists. All of this costs Rs 6,999, making the Vibe K5 a decent deal as an affordable smartphone. The OnePlus 3 is loaded with high-end hardware OnePlus back in form The OnePlus 3 is the return to form for this relatively new company based in Hong-Kong. But make no mistake - the OnePlus 3, just like the OnePlus 1, is a phone that can stand should-to-shoulder with the big boys like Samsung and Apple, and although it doesn't beat them, it more than matches them in most instances. Loaded with cutting-edge and high-end hardware, it has a slick design and clean software. Despite top features, including a gorgeous metal body, and the top hardware such as 6GB RAM, the phone is relatively easy on the pocket at Rs 27,999. The Desire BT is its 10th headphone from Intex Intex makes music cord-free Intex is known for its phones, or specifically its affordable phones. But quietly, it is also making headphones. The Desire BT is its 10th headphone, and as the name suggests this is wireless system that uses BlueTooth to connect to a music player. One key feature of the Desire BT is that the headset can be used to take and make calls when paired with a smartphone. It has a decent design, although the red-and-black colour scheme and a pit of shiny plastic may not appeal to those who like their headphones classy and understated. LeT militant Abu Ukasha was caught by police at a market in the frontier Kupwara district Jammu and Kashmir Police have arrested a Pakistani militant in unusual circumstances, while he was shopping at a market in the frontier Kupwara district of the Kashmir Valley. Lashkar-e-Taiba militant Hanzullah, alias Abu Ukasha, of Bahawalpur had gone out to buy merchandise for iftar, meant to break the days fast. Jammu and Kashmir Police said he had a grenade in his possession when he was arrested. He was buying merchandise when we arrested him. He had a hand-grenade with him but before he could use it, we caught hold of him, Superintendent Police (SP), Kupwara, Ejaz Bhat, told Mail Today. Another police official said that during the initial questioning the militant revealed that he was part of a five-member group that had infiltrated recently. Abu Ukasha is the third Pakistani militant to be arrested in Kashmir this year by security forces. Earlier this year, two Pakistani Jaish-e-Mohammad militants, including a Fidayeen trainer, were arrested from north Kashmirs Baramulla district. 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. Sources said various security and intelligence agencies were questioning the Pakistani militant. Glamorous, Guyanan-born investment manager Gina Miller (right) recently appeared in a referendum debate in Mayfair alongside Tory MP Mark Pritchard, politely arguing the benefits of remaining in the EU. A boorish audience member shouted: I dont see why anyone should listen to you. Perhaps you should stay in the kitchen. Witnesses report Miller maintained her composure and ignored the oafish heckler. A pity. The feisty mother-of-three, 55, is a tough cookie with a spectacularly acid tongue. Outgoing ITV chairman Archie Norman is to advise Homebase under its new Australian owner Wesfarmers. The former Asda chief and ex-Tory MP, who is 55, is a fan of novel management techniques. He encouraged Asda staff to wear thinking hats during brain-crunching sessions, demonstrating they were not to be disturbed while considering some new brainwave. Busy boy Archie may need to wear his biggest ten-gallon thinking hat to turn things around at the struggling DIY store. Credit Suisses snugly tailored boss Tidjane Thiam, currently facing revolt at the struggling bank, is advised to soften his brusque tone by its second-largest shareholder, US-based fund Harris Associates. Says Harris boss David Herro: If change is going to happen, it has to be done with good communication and empathy toward employees. Ivory Coast-born Tidjane, 55, recently came second in a poll of European bank bosses investors would most like replaced. He was pipped by HSBCs past-his-sell-by-date chief Stuart Gulliver. Garrulous Ryanair boss Michael OLeary visited CNBCs London studios yesterday to make a final plea for viewers to stay in the EU. He appeared on screen in a gaudy suit, one side showing the Union Jack, the other the European flag. Says a Ryanair spokesman: We got it made especially. Look out for it on eBay on Friday! Amusing exchange at yesterdays embattled car maker Volkswagens AGM in Hanover. Investor: Who is this Mr Jones Day you keep mentioning? Volkswagens moustachioed executive Francisco Javier Garcia Sanz: Jones Day is not a single person. It is a law firm. Model train maker Hornby plans to reduce the number of toys it sells by 40 per cent and its boss has promised fundamental change after revealing that annual losses ballooned in the past year. The troubled group - whose brands include Scalextric, Airfix and Corgi posted a pretax loss of 13.5million for the year ended March 31, up from a 0.2million loss in 2015, as revenue fell by 4 per cent to 55.8million after poor trading. Hornby has also suffered major disruption from new computer and stock management systems, while European trading has also been impacted by problems with suppliers in China. Model train maker Hornby plans to reduce the number of toys it sells by 40 per cent and its boss has promised fundamental change after revealing that annual losses ballooned in the past year To address its problems, Hornbys chief executive Steve Cooke today unveiled a wide-ranging turnaround plan following a strategic review which see the group reduce costs, renegotiate its loans, and raise 8million through a discounted share sale. He said: Last year was difficult and disappointing as we faced significant challenges during the continued turnaround and improvement of the business. Much of the change last year resulted in substantial unplanned disruption which had a significant adverse impact on trading performance. He added: The review has also identified areas that require fundamental change. The turnaround plan is intended to return the business to sustainable profitability and cash generation. Hornby shares were lower at lunchtime, down 0.25p or 0.8 per cent at 31.75p, but that was above the 27p placing price set for the new share issue. Hornbys share price having has plunged 65 per cent in the past twelve months after the group warned on profits three times last year. The company appointed Mr Cooke, previously its finance director, as its CEO in April, two months after its previous head Richard Ames left in the wake of the third profit warning. Downhill: Hornbys share price having has plunged 65 per cent in the past twelve months after the group warned on profits three times last year Mr Cooke said the groups new business plan will focus on its core hobby customers, reducing its product lines to 1,500, and quitting concession shops to focus on selling products via its online business. He added that the new plan would see the groups revenues fall by about a quarter. Hornby reported an underlying pretax loss of 5.7million for the full year, compared with a profit of 1.6million a year earlier. Total sales in the 10 weeks to June 12 were up 6 per cent, the group added. The Kent-based company, which was founded in 1901 by Frank Hornby, warned that if the equity cash raising fails, it would be unable to repay some 8million it owes in debts. City traders are braced for their most turbulent night since the financial crisis as Britain heads to the polls for the European Union referendum. Finance giants including Barclays and Royal Bank of Scotland are drafting in round-the-clock teams to buy and sell as the result of the vote becomes clear. It is rumoured hedge funds have commissioned secret exit polls to get a feel for the national mood, and central banks are preparing to pump billions into the economy to keep markets afloat if the system seizes up. All hands on deck: City traders are braced for their most turbulent night since the financial crisis as Britain heads to the polls for the European Union referendum Analysts have warned of wild swings in share prices and currencies depending on the result affecting the investments and pensions of millions of savers as well as the cost of holiday money. One top executive compared the atmosphere to New Years Eve 1999, as Britain fretted that a potential Millennium bug could bring technology to a standstill. BREXIT CURRENCY BOOM Foreign currency sales have surged ahead of todays vote as holidaymakers stock up to avoid being hit by swings in the pound. The Post Office, responsible for one in four foreign exchange transactions in the UK, said overall currency sales have risen 74 per cent since the weekend. Money transfer companies including Azimo and Transferwise have suspended some of their trading until tomorrow morning and high street lenders have put IT upgrades on hold to ensure any glitches dont spark a panic. Watchdogs have ordered the banks to fill up cash machines for the same reason. This is a bit like that. Everybodys worried about it and has really prepared for it, the banking source said. Were prepared, weve been prepared for a while. Our traders are going to be in throughout the night. There have been wild swings in the pound as the markets try to second-guess the result. Sterling plummeted early last week as a series of polls put the Leave camp ahead. The cost of insuring against swings in the pound hit levels not seen since 2008 and traders wiped 98billion off the blue-chip FTSE 100 index in four days. On Monday the currency recorded its biggest one-day jump in eight years as traders bet on a Remain vote and the Footsie saw its biggest gain in four months. This confusion is set to continue until the result is known meaning there are fortunes to be made or lost. While the stock market will close as usual at 4.30pm today protecting most institutional investors such as pension funds from overnight chaos trading in currency and complex products such as derivatives will not stop. Get the coffee on: Traders are now gearing up for their busiest night in years after polls close at 10pm Traders are now gearing up for their busiest night in years after polls close. Barclays, Lloyds Banking Group and US giants such as JP Morgan Chase and Citi are among those calling in senior staff. A number of banks are said to be booking hotel rooms and laying on food overnight for their teams. Some firms are even believed to be offering small bonuses to staff drafted in. And many are taking automatic trading systems offline in case they struggle to cope. Barclays is understood to be planning to fully staff its foreign exchange and commodities teams. NatWest owner RBS is also manning trading desks for 24 hours with teams in London, Singapore and Stamford in the US. Even Lloyds which is more focused on retail banking will have some employees in overnight to deal with clients. Grandees are planning to follow the results of the referendum live, with City of London Corporation chairman Mark Boleat saying it will have an all-night session. Meanwhile, hedge fund bosses are hoping to earn huge profits by correctly guessing the votes outcome. No official exit poll is expected tonight as the referendum is a one-off political event and voting behaviour is much harder to predict. Several hedge funds are rumoured to have commissioned private exit polls. They will keep this information secret and use it to bet on the price of sterling or pick up shares at rock-bottom prices. Speaking to Bloomberg, David Neuhauser of hedge fund Livermore Partners said: You want times when people are afraid to invest so you can put money to work. Investment bank UBS has warned clients to expect extreme swings and a surge in activity regardless of the result, meaning some electronic trades on its platform could fail. A Brexit vote on June 23 could see us embarking on a path to an enlightened era of prosperous global trade, freed from the shackles of unelected Brussels bureaucracy. Or if you listen to the Remain camp, it could be the end of Western civilisation, with the continent descending into war and pensioners going hungry. Whichever side of the European argument you fall, the only certainty seems to be that things would be pretty lively. So what would the first 100 days after a vote to leave look like? David Cameron would appear outside Downing Street in the early hours of June 24 to admit defeat June 24 A shattered David Cameron would appear outside 10 Downing Street to concede defeat. The Prime Minister will promise to implement the wishes of the British people, but his speech will be necessarily short on detail. Only semi-independent Greenland has quit the EU before, and that was 30 years ago when the island had a population of just 56,000. The PM could well hold off on a dramatic announcement about his own future in the immediate aftermath of a Brexit vote - although it is almost impossible that his premiership will be able to survive the defeat for long. He could fire the starting gun on a Tory leadership contest, which Brexit champion Boris Johnson would almost certainly win. The Treasury, Bank of England and European Central Bank would activate contingency plans to shore up the currency and inject liquidity to banks to ensure the system keeps working. June 28-29 EU leaders are due to gather for a summit in Brussels, at which there will be only one topic - the Brexit vote. They could even bring the meeting forward by a few days if their anxiety is great enough. Mr Cameron could formally notify them of our intention to leave, trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty - the legal process for quitting the 28 nation bloc. That starts the clock on a two-year period during which we negotiate a new set of arrangements in areas such as trade, justice and reciprocal visas. However, the PM may hold off as some Leave campaigners do not want to invoke Article 50 at all, believing it puts our negotiators at a disadvantage. Instead we could try to force the EU to strike a deal without imposing a time limit - but that may depend on whether other states are willing to play ball. David Cameron (left) will tell European Council President Donald Tusk (right) and EU leaders of Britain's desire to leave if he loses the vote on June 23 July 6 As the immediate shock of the Brexit vote eases, the government machine gears up to the task of negotiating a new deal with the EU and replacing other bilateral trade agreements. Despite volatility on the markets, the public will almost certainly be surprised to find that little changes in their everyday lives. Importantly, there is virtually no chance that George Osborne's threat of a post-Brexit 'punishment' Budget will happen. That is partly because victorious Conservative Eurosceptics will have demanded Mr Osborne is moved from No11, but also because the hit to the real economy will not have been as immediate as some made out. On July 6, Mr Cameron will be able to lead the government response to the publication of the long-awaited Iraq Inquiry report. Shortly afterwards he is due to attend a Nato summit. David Cameron would probably stay on in Number 10 until a swiftly-held Conservative leadership contest can be held - most likely to be won by leading Brexit campaigners like Boris Johnson (right) or Michael Gove (left) July 21 Parliament is due to rise for its summer break, but there will be little rest for ministers as they are consumed by the negotiations. The civil service has been quietly contingency planning for the possibility of our departure, with every department set to be affected by the seismic changes. But Mr Cameron, if he is still in place, will be largely peripheral to the process. Having been so closely associated with the Remain campaign, it is almost inconceivable that Mr Cameron would be regarded as a credible head negotiator. It is possible that another, Brexit-supporting minister such as Michael Gove could be appointed to oversee the work. Vote Leave said the government should invite figures from other parties, business, the law and civil society to join the negotiating team to 'get a good deal in the national interest'. By now the Tory leadership contest is likely to be in full swing. The party's rules mean MPs nominate two candidates, who are then put forward for an election by the wider membership. Boris Johnson would be in prime position to take over from Mr Cameron after a Brexit vote Mid-August If the Conservative leadership takes a similar length of time as in 2005, this is around when the successor to Mr Cameron could be announced. Given the need for someone to take charge of the talks, it is likely there would be a strong desire to move as fast as possible. Mr Johnson would be in a position to win a very strong mandate, as the politician who did the most to deliver the Brexit vote. September Parliament is due back, and while the early autumn sitting it usually viewed as a sop to those who complain MPs do not work hard enough, this year it could be extremely busy. Vote Leave has called for legislation in the current session of Parliament to 'end the European Court of Justice's control over national security and allow the government to deport criminals from the EU'. The Brexiteers have also pledged abolish the 5 per cent rate of VAT on household energy bills by amending the Value Added Tax Act 1994. Other parliamentary actions promised by the Leave campaign include ending the automatic right of all EU citizens to enter the UK, and - finally - repealing the European Communities Act 1972 (Repeal) Bill. That is the legislation that guarantees the supremacy of EU law to domestic rules. However, it is not clear how fast the Brexiteers will be able to cut the ties to Brussels. Around three quarters of MPs support EU membership, and some are already considering how that weight of numbers can be used to limit the impact of a Leave vote. There could be efforts to defy the public will altogether, or keep us in the single market rather than quitting the bloc altogether. Iain Duncan Smith has said that MPs who ignore the outcome of the referendum it would trigger a 'constitutional crisis' and potentially a snap general election. October 5 The political party conference season is always frantic, but this year it will have an even greater significance. The realignment of politics set in train by the referendum would have been huge for Britain and for Europe. Just after the first hundred days draws to a close, the new Tory Prime Minister could take to the stage in Birmingham to address activists. Mr Johnson - if he has emerged victorious - would be able to argue that the UK has made a start in its new life independent from Brussels. 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? 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. Advertisement Two British female volunteers nicknamed the 'Angels of Yulin' helped to save 1,000 dogs from certain slaughter at Chinas sickening Yulin Dog Meat Festival. In a daring rescue operation witnessed exclusively by the MailOnline, a team including Brits Jess Henderson and Helen Reed won a last-minute stay of execution for the dogs and whisked them away to the safety of animal shelters. In moving scenes, the animal lovers wept as they were allowed into the slaughter house where the dead and the dying lay inside rusty cages alongside terrified dogs many of them pets stolen off the streets. Their mission comes as meat traders at the controversial festival reveal their sickening techniques to butcher dogs from cage to dinner plate. Dogs have their throats slit, are cooked in vats of boiling water and their fur is blowtorched to make dog crackling seasoned with garlic, chilli and ginger. Scroll down for video Freed: Rescuers from a California-based animal charity have saved 1,000 dogs destined for the dinner plate at China's Yulin Dog Meat Festival Rescued: These dogs would have been killed and served as a delicacy but for the brave rescue helped by two British women nicknamed the 'Angels of Yulin' after they saved the dogs from four slaughterhouses at the festival Saviours: 'Angels of Yulin' Jess Henderson (left) and Helen Reed (right) said they saw pictures of dogs cramped in tiny metal cages and felt that they needed to go and save them Horror: The Brits have seen shocking pictures like this and immediately felt compelled to do what they could to save the animals. The charity they are with have struck deals with six slaughterhouses to close during the 10-day event Some 10,000 dogs and 4,000 cats are killed each year for the notorious event which began in 2010 and went ahead this year despite a petition to the Chinese government this year signed by millions of animal lovers worldwide. The California-based charity Animal Wellness and Hope Foundation rescued 1,000 dogs from four slaughterhouses, using four trucks to spirit them out of Yulin to safety. Some 280 dogs were rescued from one slaughterhouse alone to which MailOnline was given exclusive access. Some of those were saved after charity bosses paid slaughterhouse owners thousands of pounds to close for the duration of the 10-day festival and to set the dogs free in a deal struck only the day before event began on June 21. The foundation's leader Marc Ching told MailOnline last night the deal was one of six he had struck and said he hoped to transfer a total of 900 condemned dogs out of Yulin by Wednesday. Yesterday's remarkable rescue in the Gandi village district of Yulin involved a nerve-jangling six-hour operation to transfer volunteers and rescue trucks to the primitive slaughter house to secure the dogs' release. The team was shadowed every step of the way by undercover police officers who monitored their every move and tailed them on motorbikes and cars as they travelled from their hotel to the slaughter house. Heatbreak: Jess Henderson (pictured), 24, from Fife, said: 'My own pet dog died on Friday and I decided that was a message to me that I had to come to Yulin' Unbearable: Helen Reed, who works for the National Trust, told MailOnline the conditions were 'disgusting and horrendous'. 'The smell is unbearable,' she said. 'There is a dead dog, two dogs who are dying and dogs fighting. It is heartbreaking' Shock: Ms Reed's partner, IT worker Ben Mullins, 30, from Swindon, told MailOnline: 'I was speechless when I first saw the slaughterhouse. The way the dogs are treated is unbelievable' Butchered: Mr Mullins added it is not just the dogs being eaten, but how they are kept in tiny metal cages and killed beforehand. He described what happened to the dogs in their final days as 'torture' Disgusting: Inside the primitive slaughterhouse where, in searing 35 degrees Celsius temperatures, 280 dogs were crammed into large open air cages, among them diseased canines, as well as the bodies of dead and dying animals Earlier, some team members say police called on their hotel rooms for ID checks in the middle of the night while others had abuse spat at them by dog meat trade supporters who accuse foreigners of trying to rob them of their livelihoods. Appalling scenes greeted them inside the primitive slaughterhouse where, in searing 35 degrees Celsius temperatures, 280 dogs were crammed into large open air cages, among them diseased canines, as well as the bodies of dead and dying animals. The body of one small dead dog lay on a wooden trailer covered in a filthy blanket. Outside a large cage containing around 150 dogs was a freezer containing the skinned top half of a slaughtered dog. Many of the surviving dogs wore collars betraying the fact they were stolen pets, some snatched in faraway provinces and driven up to 600 miles crammed in tiny cages on board lorries to be sold for meat at the annual Yulin festival. As she helped comfort a desperately ill dog lying panting on the ground, 24-year-old Ms Henderson, from Fife, Scotland, who has taught English in Hong Kong and worked with an animal charity for the past eight months, said she heard about the rescue operation only last week. Death: Outside one large cage containing around 150 dogs was a freezer containing the skinned top half of a slaughtered dog. Many of the surviving dogs wore collars betraying the fact they were stolen pets Demand: The team paid thousands of pounds to strike deals with four slaughterhouses to close during the 10-day event and lorried the rescued dogs away from the Yulin markets where they are eaten as a delicacy Intimidation: But not everyone wants to stop the festival. Saving the dogs was a six hour operation, with volunteers being watched by undercover police officers - some even followed to their hotels, where their papers were inspected 'My own pet dog died on Friday and I decided that was a message to me that I had to come to Yulin,' she said, clutching a cloth bag with the word 'Vegan' on it but filled with bacon and pork sausages she collected at her hotel breakfast to feed to the famished animals. 'When I told my mum I was coming here, she just said 'Don't get arrested' I have come here to save as many dogs as we can and to stop the festival.' She said she was shocked at the number of dogs crammed together in the cages at the slaughterhouse. 'I went into the cage and some of the dogs ran up to me and let me stroke them,' she said. 'Most of them are stolen pet dogs.' Ms Reed, 33, who works for the National Trust, and her partner Ben Mullins, both from Swindon, paid 1,200 each to fly to Yulin to help with the rescue, arriving on Sunday on their ever first visit to China. 'I changed my mind 100 times before I decided 'Let's do this',' she said. 'We are not here to be heroes. We are here for the dogs.' Ms Reed described the conditions of the dogs in the slaughterhouse as 'disgusting and horrendous'. 'The smell is unbearable,' she said. 'There is a dead dog, two dogs who are dying and dogs fighting. It is heart-breaking. 'I hope these dogs we have saved can find a home. Every dog should have a home where they are treated properly.' FROM CAGE TO PLATE: HOW DOGS ARE BLOWTORCHED SO FESTIVAL-GOERS CAN ENJOY 'CRACKLING' Delicacy: Dog meat may not taste great, but people still flock to eat it. Here, it has been cooked with chilli, garlic and ginger From cage to dinner plate, butchers at Yulin Dog Meat Festival slit the animals' throats, blanch them in boiling water and blowtorch their fur to make 'dog crackling', MailOnline can reveal. Dogs are then diced into chunks and stir-fried with chilli, ginger and garlic and served as a delicacy. The full sickening detail of how household pets become ingredients for meals is laid bare by meat traders Customer Lu Guanghui, a 70-year-old retired farmer, said: 'It is not the most delicious meat. It is like beef but a little tougher and similar in texture to goat. It also has a rich flavour. However I do believe it is one of the healthiest meats. 'I have eaten it once every five days since I was a boy. My father, grandfather and great-grandfather ate it before me. It is a traditional Chinese food and we are proud of our tradition in Yulin.' Star dish: The dog's skin is blow-torched to become 'crackling', a prized part of the dish that sells for 35 RMB for a a 500g plate (3.60) Dog meat with crackling - or 'cuipi gourou' - is one of the most popular dishes at the festival. The crackling is the skin of the dog and is a prized part of the dish and sells for 35 RMB for a a 500g plate (3.60) suitable for two people. The crackling effect on dogs' skins is created in the slaughterhouses where, after having their throats slit and being put into vats of boiling water and de-hairing machines, the dogs' bodies are blow-torched. The blow-torching means the dog is half cooked before it reaches the market stalls where it is chopped up and sold to order by the kilogram, usually for 15 RMB per 500 grams. In restaurants, the dog meat is chopped into chunks and then stir-fried for three to four minutes with garlic, chilli peppers, fresh ginger and star anise. Stomach churning: Before they can be blow-torched, however, the dogs are put into vats of boiling water and de-hairing machines Lu Guanghui added: 'Dog meat makes you strong. It is particularly good for your back and your spine. It makes you stand up straight like a man. 'These so-called animal lovers who object to our traditional food have something wrong in their brains. They don't understand the countryside ways. 'In any case, when dogs get old they often go mad so it is better to kill them and eat them before they try to eat you.' Advertisement She said she had been shocked to see how many stalls in Yulin were serving dog meat on the morning of the festival not just in the city centre but out in the suburbs and surrounding villages. 'When you see the sheer scale of the festival, you think: 'Are we fighting a losing battle?' Mr Mullins, 30, an IT executive, said: 'I came along with Helen because I didn't want her to come out here on her own. 'What I've seen here is absolutely horrific. I was speechless when I first saw the slaughterhouse. The way the dogs are treated is unbelievable. 'I don't think the dog meat industry would be such a big issue if they were killing dogs in a humane way but they are tortured and beaten.' Another of the rescuers, Californian Deborah Hall, said: 'I am surprised to see how many little dogs and how many thoroughbreds such as Pomeranians are among the dogs here. 'They are obviously stolen pets. A lot of them are very sweet natured and have collars on. They were obviously someone's pets because they are so happy to be touched.' Reprieve: Rescue leader Marc Ching admitted he had paid the owners of the slaughterhouse in a last ditch attempt to save the animals. In total he hopes to save some 900 dogs from the slaughterhouses Campaign: 'The slaughter houses will stay closed for every day of the festival and the festival lasts 10 days. I will pay for their taking for every day they stay closed and my team will check that they remain closed' Hope: Mr Ching added: 'This is all about showing the world there is hope. If we show that, I believe the international community will step in and champion the cause so that next year the festival doesn't even exist' Team leader Mr Ching confirmed he had secured the dogs' release by paying the slaughterhouses to shut for the festival. 'I'm sad to say that but it's true,' he said, admitting it was not the ideal solution. 'The slaughter houses will stay closed for every day of the festival and the festival lasts 10 days. I will pay for their taking for every day they stay closed and my team will check that they remain closed. 'This makes a statement that for the first time in the history of this Chinese dog festival, there is a glimmer of hope that outside groups can come in and change history. 'This is all about showing the world there is hope. If we show that, I believe the international community will step in and champion the cause so that next year the festival doesn't even exist.' Mr Ching's volunteers were last night moving the dogs by truck with the help of another NGO. He said he hoped to move a total of 900 dogs from six slaughterhouses in the next 24 hours. Help: He believes the international community could step in and help if they see there is a way to stop the festival going ahead Popular: However, across Yulin, market stalls were piled high with roasted dog carcasses on Tuesday morning and diners queued up outside the city's most popular dog meat restaurants for the festival's busiest day. Pictured: An activist rescues a dog 'Even if this action just creates a shortage of dogs at some restaurants and makes the price of dog meat more expensive this year we will have achieved something,' Mr Ching said. Across Yulin, market stalls were piled high with roasted dog carcasses on Tuesday morning and diners queued up outside the city's most popular dog meat restaurants for the festival's opening and busiest day. 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. A Canadian couple who tried to cure their son's meningitis using homeopathic and herbal remedies said their 18-month-old died because of a faulty ambulance. David and Collet Stephan, of Alberta, lost their son Ezekiel to meningitis in 2012 and were found guilty of failing to provide the necessaries of life in April. The couple, who have three other sons aged eight, three and one, face up to five years in prison and will be sentenced later this week. They spoke to Del Bigtree, the producer of anti-vaccination documentary Vaxxed, in a video shared on Facebook Monday - and insisted they hadn't used maple syrup as medication and instead said their child became brain-dead because he was deprived of oxygen in the ambulance. However there was no finding that the ambulance was responsible in any way during the Stephans' conviction two months ago. Scroll down for video David and Collet Stephan, of Alberta, lost their son Ezekiel to meningitis in 2012 and were found guilty of failing to provide the necessaries of life in April. But they said in a video shared on Monday (pictured) that the 18-month-old actually died because of a faulty ambulance David Stephan said Ezekiel (pictured) became brain-dead after becoming deprived of oxygen in an ambulance that 'did not have the proper equipment' David Stephan, who said after he and his wife were found guilty that they were being punished for their parenting choices, told Bigtree in Monday's video that their case has become a parental rights issue. 'Ultimately it comes down to whether we have the right to vaccinate or not vaccinate without being held liable,' he said, 'or whether or not we have to rush our children to the doctor's every time they get just the sniffles in fear that something may randomly happen and then we're held liable.' He accused the media of misrepresenting him and his wife and their actions in the lead-up to Ezekiel's death. 'They've tried to distance us from the average person, to say he was too stiff to get in his car seat, that he had to be fed somehow through an eye-dropper, that he was being treated for meningitis with maple syrup - that's not the case at all,' Stephan said. Canadian authorities said during the couple's trial that they did not call for an ambulance until Ezekiel stopped breathing and that they had fed him supplements with an eye-dropper. But Stephan refuted these accusations in Monday's clip, adding: 'We were treating our child with different homeopathic remedies, different herbal remedies like tens of thousands of people do.' The Stephans, who run a nutritional supplements company, said at the time of their trial that they thought their son had croup. The Stephans (pictured with Ezekiel, left, as a baby) face up to five years in prison and will be sentenced this week. They have three other sons who are eight, three and one years old Ezekiel (pictured) died in 2012 and his father said Monday he was deprived of oxygen for eight minutes. Stephan denied using maple syrup as medication and said he and his wife used homeopathic remedies 'like tens of thousands of people do' He insisted he and his wife had done 'nothing out of the ordinary' and that Ezekiel hadn't been severely ill until 'everything just came to a crash'. Ezekiel 'ended up in an ambulance that didn't have the right equipment and subsequently ended up brain-dead,' Stephan told Bigtree. 'Unfortunately the ambulance that ended up taking our sons off our hands did not have the proper equipment. He went for over eight minutes without any oxygen whatsoever.' A rep for Alberta Health Services contacted by the DailyMail.com declined to comment and said it would be up to the court. Paramedic Kenneth Cherniawsky, who treated Ezekiel and testified during the Stephans' trial, said in March that the ambulance did not contain the proper bag valve mask and endotracheal tube for a child of Ezekiel's size. These two pieces of equipment are meant to provide patients with oxygen. But Cherniawsky said air was moving into Ezekiel's body, causing his chest to rise and fall,Global News reported at the time. He told the court that he had done everything he could to help the little boy. Stephan wrote on Facebook after he and his wife were found guilty in April: 'The flood gates have now been opened and if we do not fall in line with parenting as seen fit by the government, we all stand in risk of criminal prosecution. 'Remember what the crown prosecutors' closing remarks were to combat the fact that the ill-equipped ambulance resulted in Ezekiel's brain death.' Prosecutor Lisa Weich called the case 'incredibly sad' at the time, CBC reported, adding: 'They definitely, definitely loved their son, but as stated in our closing argument and even in our opening arguments, unfortunately, sometimes love just isn't enough. 'Parents still have to follow the standard of care that is set by the criminal law.' When Bigtree asked the Stephans what they would tell their three other children if they have to go to prison, Ezekiel's father said: 'It's a hard thing to communicate to a three-year-old and a one-year-old, why Mommy and Daddy won't be around anymore. 'Our eight-year-old is already somewhat understanding of the issue and he's already taking it quite badly.' The documentary Vaxxed, produced by Bigtree, claims that the Centers For Disease Control And Prevention (CDC) ignored data linking the MMR vaccine to autism, and claims to unveil a cover-up. Robert De Niro pulled the documentary from the Tribeca Film Festival in March, saying at the time: 'My intent in screening this film was to provide an opportunity for conversation around an issue that is deeply personal to me and my family. 'However, we have concerns with certain things in this film that we feel prevent us from presenting it in the Festival program. We have decided to remove it from our schedule.' Had flowers tattooed over them and says they now feel 'like breasts again' The 46-year-old from Queensland struggled to get used to new implants She had a double mastectomy and breast reconstruction in 2013 A breast cancer survivor was heartlessly abused by social media trolls who said she had 'ruined her nipples' after she tattooed her implants with flowers. Karen Deegan was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009 and underwent a mastectomy four years later. The 46-year-old from Caloundra, Queensland, had to have two breast reconstructions but was never able to get used to her new breasts. Unable to have her nipples reconstructed due to possible complications, Mrs Deegan chose to have her 'mounds' tattooed with intricate black flowers. She shared the results on social media, winning the admiration of thousands of followers. Breast cancer survivor Karen Deegan had black flowers tattooed across her implants after struggling to get used to her reconstructed cleavage but was abused on social media who trolls asking where her nipples were Mrs Deegan (seen above with her husband Albert) had to undergo two breast reconstructions in 2013 after her double mastectomy Some however slammed the look, telling her she had 'ruined the natural beauty of the nipple.' Another said coldly: 'Ladies, never tattoo your t***. Just don't.' while another commentator told her she the tattoos would look 'nasty' in old age. Undeterred by their abuse, Mrs Deegan responded to thank tattoo artist Whitney Develle for the flowers. 'Whitney has definitely changed how I feel. My apologies to the uneducated people if the pictures offend you, these weren't my breasts, they were removed and reconstructed and although reconstructed breast look normal in clothing they certainly don't underneath. 'Some women go on to have nipple reconstruction, after been through all the surgeries and just couldn't do anymore and my surgeon agreed that it wasn't a good idea to do them, so I choose to do art on them as they weren't breasts to me anymore. 'Well that was until Whitney created this amazing work of art on them. I can now look at them as boobs. Mrs Deegan's tattoos were shared on social media by thousands of well-wishers despite trolls' comments about her nipples The Queensland mother visited Garage Ink in Brisbane (above) where artist Whitney Develle gave her her tattos for free Mrs Deegan said the tattoos 'changed her life' and that she now felt as though she had breasts again 'They may not have the feeling of boobs but I can look at them with the biggest smile on my face.' She visited the artist at her Brisbane studio, Garage Ink, earlier this month for the first of their appointments. Speaking of her decision later, she told The Sunshine Coast she never thought she would feel the same way about her breasts after undergoing the reconstruction. ''I thought I would never be the same, they never looked like breasts to me. 'My fake boobs felt nothing like boobs. They were two mounds. With tattoos, oh my God, they look like breasts again.' Ms Develle, whose other work includes covering up self-harm scars for free, credited the woman for her bravery, describing her as someone she 'barely had words' for. A photograph showing an enormous crocodile caught in a popular fishing spot has been terrifying viewers from Australia to the UK and Africa. The photo was posted on Facebook with warnings that people should avoid waters where the monster reptile was caught - but few clues to the actual location. A woman in the UK posted the photo, which left thousands of people desperately trying to work out where the massive creature has come from. In the photo three men can be seen standing on each other's shoulders to show just how big the crocodile is as it hangs from a tree. Scroll down for video Three men stand on each other's shoulders to show the length of the monster crocodile hanging from a tree 'Now when they say don't fish waste (sic) deep please LISTEN people this is a proper FLAT DOG,' Lynsey Clayton Saudan, who uploaded the photo, commented on her Facebook page. The image has now been shared more than 12,000 with many croc crusaders believing that the photograph could have been taken in the Northern Territory or Far North Queensland. However, the original post gives away a few clues that the animal's origin may well be much further away. Ms Saunders is described as a 'fulltime mum' on her Facebook profile who is originally from Bulawayo in Zimbabwe, but now lives in Southampton in the UK. Lynsey Clayton Saudan from the UK, but who is originally from Bulawayo in Zimbabwe, posted the picture on her Facebook page The term 'flat dog' that she uses to describe the crocodile in the post is also Zimbabwean slang for crocodile. This was proof enough for some people that the animal was caught in Africa and that the picture was taken there. But until Ms Clayton Saudan actually clarifies the location, arguments about where it was found will rage on. A rare Chinese vase used for decades as a door stop could make 1 million at auction. The blue and white vase was discovered as a hallway decoration in a Birmingham home after auctioneers were invited there to value its contents. Now it is expected to attract worldwide attention when it goes under the hammer at Hansons Auctioneers in Etwall, Derbyshire, on July 1. A Chinese vase which was used as a door stop could make 1million at auction (Charles Hanson star of BBC1's Bargain Hunt pictured) Commenting on the find, Charles Hanson, manager of the auction house and a star of BBC1 Bargain Hunt, said: The vase was uncovered in a West Midland home and had previously been used for many years as a door stop. The current vendor inherited the item from his Great Aunt Flo in 1978. She was an antiques dealer in her native Cornwall, but despite that, appears to have had no idea as to its true value. She used it as a doorstop until it was passed down to her great nephew. He kept it on display as a talking point in his hallway, but after years of passing it each time he entered or left his house he decided to have it valued because he always had an inkling it could be worth something. Adrian Rathbone, Hansons associate director, has set a guide price of between 300,000 and 500,000, but the firm believes the sale price could more than double that if wealthy Chinese collectors end up in a bidding war. Mr Rathbone said: On examining it, I was quite surprised at how big it was at 66cm (26in) high. Painted in blue I was particularly mesmerised by the character mark on the base of the vase. Adrian Rathbone, Hansons associate director, has set a guide price of between 300,000 and 500,000 for the vase Mr Hanson added: Its a quite spell-bounding vase, made in China during the reign of Emperor Qianlong in the 18th Century, the vase was just possibly manufactured by the Imperial kilns for the Emperors Summer Palace. Of hexagonal outline, it is brilliantly painted in tones of cobalt blue. With boughs of pomegranate and peach alternating with flowering branches, it is a work of art, painted with the Qianlong mark to the base. With important Chinese porcelain once removed from China during the 19th century and being bought back by Chinese billionaires today, pedigree and provenance is so important in a market today where later copies can easily deceive the more cautious collector. The provenance of this vase is good. Our client inherited the vase from a great aunt who had acquired it during her life in Cornwall in the 1920s. Mr Hanson went on: The vase will find its price level and whatever it makes, as an auctioneer it is the theatre and drama I thrive on. Our country is awash with fascinating treasures languishing in homes and sometimes such remarkable finds can be life-changing for a client. I have always dreamed of bringing my gavel down on a 1 million lot, and this could perhaps be the one! He said the vendor wishes to remain anonymous. The manner of vases decoration was inspired by artists working on porcelain in the Yongzheng period (1723-1735). The design became one of the most favoured designs for all the noble Palaces in the period by his son Emperor Qianlong. A similar vase can be found in the Nanjing Museum in China, and important other museum and private collections. The Remain campaign has tried to scare us to death about the terrible damage which will be done to the British economy if we leave the European Union. What no one has explained, however, is that the majority of our partners in Europe 19 out of the 28 nations are members of the eurozone which is delivering an economic catastrophe of historic proportions. Instead, the Remain camp has resorted to talking down the performance of Britains economy post-Brexit, without any reference to the parlous state of the eurozone. The more negative the language Project Fear has used, the more it damages and confuses businesses and consumers, and the more it therefore becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy. In warning citizens of the dangers of a Leave vote, the Prime Minister David Cameron and Chancellor George Osborne have resorted to the most negative forecasts in living memory about the prospects for Britain. Unemployment: Spain (pictured, file image) is now showing signs of recovery, yet youth unemployment there remains staggeringly high at 46 per cent Cameron has claimed that Brexit would put a bomb under the UK economy, and Osborne says that leaving Europe would crash the economy. Yet perhaps they should look closer at the economic bloc they are trying to shackle us to. In a harsh new report on the eurozone, the International Monetary Fund says that growing political divisions and Euroscepticism have weakened prospects for collective action, leaving the euro area increasingly vulnerable to a number of risks. In other words, the home-grown problems of Continental Europe are so serious that the eurozone could be in danger of collapse, irrespective of what happens in this weeks referendum. Unemployment across the region stands at an alarming 10 per cent, more than twice that in Britain. Financial and industrial output in many EU countries has been stagnating or falling for several years. That in turn makes those countries increasingly poor markets for Britains exporters. Budget deficits and debt are also piling up in the eurozone, rendering several countries close to bankruptcy. Most dangerous of all, the banking system has been holed below the waterline with an enormous pile of bad debts which are far in excess of the rescue funds set up by Brussels to combat the problem. The truth for Britain is that being part of this deeply flawed market can only harm and worsen our prosperity. FAILED BANKS RUIN RECOVERY Eight years have passed since the worst global financial crisis for a century, and many banks across Europe are so damaged that they are still unable to lend. The International Monetary Fund says that bad loans by the banks those which are unlikely ever to be paid back stand at an astonishing 900 billion (700 billion). The biggest calamity is in Italy, which accounts for the largest amount of rotten lending, with 200 billion (155 billion) of loans made to companies that are broke. The worlds oldest commercial bank, Monte dei Paschi di Siena, has been rescued by the authorities at least twice, and is drowning in a sea of festering loans. Near-bankrupt Greek banks are also weighed down with bad loans, and are being kept afloat with cash supplied by the European Central Bank in Frankfurt. Even Germany is not immune: the countrys biggest lender, Deutsche Bank, lost 6.7 billion (5.2 billion) last year. Banks are, of course, the life support system for national economies, providing the loans and the credit needed by business and consumers to support growth. Thats why small businesses in particular have been strangled by the inability of the European banks to serve their needs, which in turn is crushing enterprise, investment and growth. Belatedly, the European Central Bank has sought to re-float the banking system by pumping 40 billion (31 billion ) of free money into the system each month, in the hope of reviving lending. Yet the massive quantitative easing programme is struggling to make any difference at all. Now, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned that left unaddressed, the mounting problems of eurozone banks could lead to systemic risk a posh phrase for Europe-wide collapse. Stagnation: Much of Europe has barely grown in economic terms since the crisis in the single currency erupted in Greece (pictured, May last year) in 2009 SLUMP SPARKS DEPRESSION Much of Europe has barely grown in economic terms since the crisis in the single currency erupted in Greece in 2009. The collapse in output has been especially catastrophic for the people of Greece, who have seen a staggering 27 per cent loss of national wealth despite a series of bail-outs by the IMF, European Central Bank and Brussels. It is by no means alone. Since the launch of the euro in 1999, the Italian economy, the fourth largest in the EU (including the UK) has stagnated and barely grown all. The total increase in output in that time has been just three per cent. To place this in context, Britains economy has expanded by 35 per cent over the same period. In France, no significant growth has been seen since 2011. In each of the past five years, output has been negligible at below one per cent, a figure too low to support any new jobs.Enterprise has been crushed by the unreformed labour markets which have sparked a series of damaging recent strikes. And President Hollandes high taxation has driven tens of thousands of French citizens overseas. As for Germany, in the immediate aftermath of the financial crisis it prospered while its euro area neighbours suffered. But the meltdown in the eurozone had a huge long-term impact on German production, because it has not been able to export so many of its costly cars to southern Europe where no one could afford to buy them. LOST JOBS AND VIOLENT UNREST The cruellest legacy of the eurozone has been the large-scale unemployment across the 19 member countries (with just a few exceptions). At 10.2 per cent, the average jobless rate across the region is twice that of Britain and the United States. The average disguises huge inequalities across the region, of course. At the bottom of the pile is Greece, where more than a quarter of the workforce is on the dole placing enormous strains on the benefits system. Even worse, the youth jobless rate stands at 50 per cent, condemning generations of young people to lives of misery. Spain is now showing signs of recovery, yet youth unemployment there remains staggeringly high at 46 per cent. Italy also is badly hurt by a youth unemployment rate of 36.9 per cent, with few prospects of jobs as the economy slumps amid enormous poverty in the poorer southern region, and in Sardinia, one of the most socially deprived areas of the country. France, meanwhile, is struggling to reform its labour laws to make them more flexible, causing angry industrial disputes which have caused nationwide transport chaos. The overall jobless rate remains twice that of the UK. The only big exception in the eurozone is Germany, where an ageing population means there is nearly full employment. Conversely, the shortage of labour in Germany explains the open-door policy Chancellor Angela Merkel extended to migrants from the Middle East and beyond. Fury: Citizens across Europe protest about being left impoverished. Pictured are demonstrators in Portugal where austerity has followed bailouts DEFICITS AND DEBTS PILE UP Huge, unmanageable budget deficits mean that many of the 19 eurozone countries are in breach of the conditions of EU membership, which restrict government borrowing to 3 per cent of national output. And the downward economic spiral is desperately hard to escape. Low growth means smaller tax revenues and ever-increasing welfare budgets. In contrast to the UK, which is working to balance its budget by 2019-2020, many European governments have no prospect of doing so, thus making their public finances increasingly precarious. IMF figures show that Belgium, home of the EUs Brussels headquarters, has debts alone which represent 106.8 per cent of the countrys output. In socialist-run France, the debt at 98.2 per cent is almost equal to total wealth, in Spain its at 127.9 per cent, in Italy at a whopping 133 per cent, and in Greece at a mammoth 178.4 per cent. The attempts to pay off these massive debts are an ongoing crisis gnawing away at Europes future. RISE OF THE FAR RIGHT European data shows that only Britain and Ireland have been expanding their trade with non-EU markets in recent years. Some 44.6 per cent of UK exports still go to the EU, but that is a big drop from 54.8 per cent in 1999. In fact, UK trade with the rest of the world expanded consistently between 1999 and 2014. In contrast, instead of looking outwards to the new digitally connected world, Europes trade is increasingly inwardly focused. Data from the EUs statistics service, Eurostat, shows that more than 62 per cent of the goods exported by EU member states have been to other states within the European bloc. Nationalist: Austerity measures have led to a rise in popularity for the far right, particularly in places like Greece, where the Golden Dawn have seen a surge in membership Germanys success in selling to its 27 European partners is the source of enormous, destabilising imbalances as it accumulates wealth at the expense of the other countries. But instead of using its vast reserves to assist development and investment among its partners, it has been unforgiving of poor nations in the eurozone, not least in its refusal to allow ailing Greece more time to repay its huge national debts. Even the IMF now says that if membership of the euro area is to become more attractive, greater help must be given to countries with high debt. Germanys harsh management of the purse strings has been instrumental in the economic dislocation which has fuelled ugly Right-wing movements such as Front National in France, Golden Dawn in Greece, the Freedom Party in Austria and the virulently racist Jobbik party in Hungary. In short, the EU and the eurozone is a club where nothing works and where debts are piled so high that there is virtually no room for any fiscal manoeuvre. Germany is so powerful that no other country can stand up to its control of the levers of power, both in Brussels and through the European Central Bank in Frankfurt, where it is the dominant force. Britains exporters voted with their feet and embraced the rest of the world long before this referendum came into view. But then they have little choice. Adil Khan, 51, (inset) and Qari Abdul Rauf, 52, (top) had been told they are to be deported from the UK for the public good after being part of a gang convicted in 2012 of a catalogue of serious sex offences against young girls. Judges Charlotte Welsh and Judge Siew Ling Yoke, a diversity and community relations judge, released their 31-page legal ruling today stating that Khan had shown a 'breathtaking lack of remorse' and in his and Rauf's case there was a 'very strong public interest in their removal.' A decade after they were jailed and following a legal battle involving multiple legal challenges and appeals up to the Court of Appeal, both have been told their challenge against deportation on human rights grounds has failed. In June, their appeal against deportation was heard before an Immigration Tribunal. Khan got a girl, 13, pregnant but denied he was the father, then met another girl, 15, and trafficked her to others - using violence when she complained. He was sentenced to eight years in 2012 and released on licence four years later. Rauf, a father-of-five, trafficked a 15-year-old girl for sex, driving her to secluded areas to have sex with her in his taxi and ferry her to a flat in Rochdale where he and others had sex with her. He was jailed for six years and released in November 2014 after serving two years and six months of his sentence. The Rochdale grooming gang's abuse was dramatised in a BBC programme called Three Girls (bottom). Killer: Ben Butler brutally murdered his five-year-old daughter Ellie. His partner, Jennie Gray, took his side Nothing epitomised Jennie Gray's obsessive devotion to Ben Butler more than the scene which unfolded at the Old Bailey after he left the witness box. For five days, Butler had portrayed himself as a loving father. Ellie's death was a tragic accident, he had claimed; his daughter had fallen over and hit her head. 'I'm having an unfair trial,' he declared. When, finally, he returned to the dock, Gray congratulated him on his 'performance', slapping the palms of his hands. A 'mini high-five,' one shocked courtroom observer called it. Earlier, Gray blew kisses to him. Since Butler was remanded in custody in 2014, she had visited him no less than 190 times. But for her unwavering support, Ellie might still be alive today. Gray, 36, ignored the bruises which routinely appeared on Ellie's face, along with the grip marks on her throat and the broken shoulder she suffered just weeks before her death. Butler had been jailed once before for assaulting Ellie. The conviction was overturned but Gray knew of his violence. Still she stood by him. Her warped loyalty to brutish Butler not only cost her Ellie but her relationship with her own parents. 'I don't call her my daughter any more and I never want to see her again,' said her father Neal Gray this week. Ellie's adored granddad had looked after her with his late wife Linda ('Nana') after the youngster was removed from her parents when Butler was jailed the first time in 2009. Tragically, Mrs Gray died of cancer on the day the murder trial opened in April. 'Lin was trying to hang on to see justice done for Ellie but she didn't manage it,' Mr Gray said poignantly. 'I'm working with my two other children, who were also devoted to Ellie, to expose what went on and get answers nobody has so far been prepared to give us about why Ellie had to die. 'I want to make sure this never happens to another child.' The question that haunts them most is why their own daughter stood by Butler. Not once, though, did Jennie Gray question her boyfriend's credentials as a father, a man who referred to his children as 'c****.' Gray won a scholarship to the Brit School, securing bit parts in EastEnders and The Bill, before becoming a graphic artist. Meanwhile Butler, a removals man, was the product of a broken home and a mother who drank. He was also a vicious recidivist. The two were not living together when Ellie was born in December 2006 To start with, Butler played the doting dad. He wanted his daughter's name to begin with 'E' because he supported Everton. He bought her books, DVDs, and a teddy. 'I still remember her sucking on my little finger,' he told the Old Bailey Text messages revealed the 'torrent of verbal abuse' which Butler regularly unleashed on his subservient partner, often in relation to their daughter (with whom she is pictured above) She had even experienced what Butler was capable of herself. A string of internet searches on her laptop revealed how she'd researched 'treatment for broken noses' and 'broken ankle' and 'stabbed leg during pregnancy'. The sympathy we naturally feel for women subjected to domestic violence does not cannot be extended to Gray. Her commitment to Butler, at the expense of six-year-old Ellie and her sibling, was laid bare in a message found on her phone to him: 'I really do want you more than anything I ever wanted, even more than my children.' Her misguided loyalty culminated in the grotesque charade of the 999 call she made on the day of Ellie's death in 2013. 'It's my daughter,' pleaded a hysterical Gray to the ambulance operator. 'My daughter's not breathing properly, she's collapsed, she's not moving she's not breathing, she's not breathing.' Gray began pumping her chest. '14, 15, 16, 17...' she can be heard frantically counting in the background. It was all an act to conceal the fact Ellie had died at least two hours earlier when Gray was at work and Butler was home at their flat in Sutton, South London, with the children. Shamefully, Ellie's sibling, now in foster care, was left to discover Ellie's lifeless body on the floor of her bedroom. The jury was not told this. When the story began to unravel, Gray attempted to justify the wicked deception. She claimed that if the police had known Butler was the only adult present when Ellie died they would have framed him out of revenge because his 2007 conviction for assaulting Ellie had been quashed. But Butler, 36, had turned on Ellie for no other reason than he resented his domestic responsibilities. Gray's relationship with Butler is at the heart of this horror story, which began a decade ago. Gray was out celebrating her brother's 31st birthday when he fell off off his stool. Butler came to the rescue, returning him to his seat. 'Ben asked me if I was okay and it went from there,' Gray said in evidence. Within two months she was pregnant. Gray's desperation to please Butler is summed up in a letter discovered inside the flat. 'Dear Jesus,' she begs, 'please, don't let Ben leave me, but make him learn to like me' Gray came from a high-achieving family. Her brother was an accounts manager for an oil firm, her sister worked at the Natural History Museum. Gray herself won a scholarship to the Brit School, securing bit parts in EastEnders and The Bill, before becoming a graphic artist. Meanwhile Butler, a removals man, was the product of a broken home and a mother who drank. He was also a vicious recidivist. The two were not living together when Ellie was born in December 2006. To start with, Butler played the doting dad. He wanted his daughter's name to begin with 'E' because he supported Everton. He bought her books, DVDs, and a teddy. 'I still remember her sucking on my little finger,' he told the Old Bailey. But Ellie was just six weeks old when she suffered burns to her forehead and fingers. He said she had been sitting too near a radiator at his flat. A week later, Ellie was back in casualty. This time he said he had found her 'all floppy' and 'sheet-white' in her car seat. Doctors suspected Ellie was a victim of 'shaken baby syndrome.' Butler was arrested and jailed for 18 months in 2009. He served a little over six months before being released on bail pending a decision by the Court of Appeal to overturn the verdict. Medical evidence had implied that Ellie's injuries could have resulted from a traumatic birth. But is there anyone, apart from Jennie Gray who doubts the jury at his original trial got it wrong? Someone who knew Gray back then described her as 'insecure and fragile'. Women involved with men like Butler usually are. But few would have sacrificed their own children. Ellie had been put in the care of her maternal grandparents when Butler was sent down. Fearing her second child would be removed too, Gray tried to hide her pregnancy by reverting to her surname from a brief previous marriage and moving to the south coast. Social services found out after the youngster was born. Gray was arrested after six police cars tailed her on the M25 and the child was placed with foster parents. It was not the first time Gray had been deceitful. She had falsely claimed thousands of pounds in incapacity, housing and council tax benefits, despite earning nearly 30,000 a year. In 2012, magistrates ordered Gray to carry out 200 hours' community service. To start with, Butler played the doting dad. He wanted his daughter's name to begin with 'E' because he supported Everton. He bought her books, DVDs, and a teddy. 'I still remember her sucking on my little finger,' he told the Old Bailey Ellie was just six weeks old when she suffered burns to her forehead and fingers. A week later, Ellie was back in casualty. This time he said he had found her 'all floppy' and 'sheet-white' in her car seat. Doctors suspected Ellie was a victim of 'shaken baby syndrome.' Butler was arrested and jailed for 18 months in 2009 Later that year, both Ellie and her sibling were returned to her and the recently-freed Butler, after a High Court hearing. This was against the advice of social services and the wishes of Gray's own parents. 'You will have blood on your hands,' her father Neal, a former postman, told the judge during a dramatic courtroom confrontation. They spent 80,000 in life savings on fighting to keep Ellie, but the money ran out. Consequently they were not represented. Butler won custody. At their flat in Sutton, where Butler and Gray were now living, bedrooms had been prepared for Ellie and her sibling. But the atmosphere was toxic. The couple could be heard rowing constantly; some suspected they were taking cocaine; in her diary, Gray describes being 'off our faces'. The reality of life for their children was revealed at a family court hearing after Ellie's death. Butler's feelings towards his children, little short of hatred, were confirmed in text messages to Gray. 'I want you to be a lot tougher [with Ellie],' he said in one. 'She's being an absolute c***. She sat there sulking the whole ******* time.' Ellie's doting grandparents knew the very second they saw police and forensics officers outside the couple's flat that their granddaughter was in trouble A policeman stands guard outside the Croydon property after Ellie's body was found on her bedroom floor In another, referring to her sibling, he said: 'That kid getting worse Jen. Don't listen. Has bit of attitude. P***** me off.' Did her perceived bad behaviour have consequences? It seems so. Ellie was caught on camera in three seemingly accidentally recorded clips in the months before her death. Two show her with a black eye and what appears to be bruising on her forehead. In another video, she can be seen wearing pink pyjamas with a heavy bandage wrapped around her leg. Butler can be heard shouting foul-mouthed abuse down the phone. Ellie does not react as he erupts: 'Don't ask me to do something which you ain't ****ing done. 'Then sort it out. Now **** off.' He would also send menacing texts to Gray. 'Whore'. 'Ugly bitch,' he called her. Gray's response was to have Botox. Butler was also unhappy with the way little Ellie looked. He once took her to the GP to ask for her ears to be pinned back because he thought them too big. Gray's desperation to please Butler is summed up in a letter discovered inside the flat. 'Dear Jesus,' she begs, 'please, don't let Ben leave me, but make him learn to like me.' Nothing epitomised Jennie Gray's obsessive devotion to Ben Butler more than the scene which unfolded at the Old Bailey after he left the witness box. When, finally, he returned to the dock, Gray congratulated him on his 'performance', slapping the palms of his hands. A 'mini high-five,' one shocked courtroom observer called it 'His bark is worse than his bite,' Gray told the court. She claimed she was being 'melodramatic' for giving the impression, in diary entries and texts, that Butler had terrorised her. He was an 'amazing father,' she insisted. Ellie's grandparents saw her for the last time at McDonald's in Sutton on October 27, 2013. 'I could tell from the expression in her eyes and her actions what a terrible state Ellie was in,' said Mr Gray. 'Her eyes were sunken, she'd lost weight and looked gaunt, haggard and frightened.' There were also bruises on her face. When they said goodbye, Ellie told her Nana and Grandad how much she missed them. The following day she was dead. 'Straight away when Lin saw police officers [at their front door] she said: 'Is it Ellie?'. We were just frozen with shock,' said Mr Gray. 'Now she is dead that bereavement continues every single day. 'She was our shining light. The devastation is complete and utter.' Mr Gray will also have to live with the knowledge of what his own daughter did to protect Butler. Detectives say that Ellie had died two hours before the emergency phone call was made, when Butler was alone with Ellie and her sibling. The couple used the time to cover up this incriminating fact. Butler even took the dog for a walk and commented on the weather to a neighbour. Clothes were put in the wash and Gray's torn-up diary (in one she said Butler had her 'kicked her in the 'boobs' and genitals) was found in the bins outside. One of the paramedics who stretchered Ellie out of the flat also remembers something else Ben Butler did that afternoon. 'I smelt a strong smell of aftershave on the father which I had not noticed in the corridor when I was standing next to him,' he said. 'If that were me, that would be the last thing I would be thinking about, to spray myself before I left the house.' This is the so-called 'father' that deluded Jennie Gray defended to the very end. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has revealed he has been to a strip club, likes to drink Chivas Regal and once called in sick because of a hangover. In a segment on KIIS FM's Kyle and Jackie O Show on Wednesday morning Mr Shorten took part in a game of 'Never Have I Ever'. He was required to answer personal questions such as whether he had ever been to a strip club, or had sex against a washing machine. Scroll down for video Bill Shorten has admitted to visiting a strip club 'once or twice... back in the day' in a radio interview He was playing a game of 'Never Have I Ever' while on air with Kyle and Jackie O on Wednesday morning Mr Shorten admitted to the radio duo he had been to a strip club ' once or twice, way back in the day,' adding: 'I left once I realised what it was'. The Opposition Leader was later asked whether he had ever calling in sick due to hangover. 'Back in the day', Mr Shorten admitted. Another question he was asked was whether he had ever had sex against a washing machine, which he denied. When questioned on whether he had ever said the wrong thing during sex, the Labor leader responded saying 'I'm not even going there.' The Opposition Leader was later asked whether he had ever calling in sick due to hangover Another question he was asked was whether he had ever had sex against a washing machine, to which he said he had not 'Some things are just beyond what you choose to answer', Mr Shorten added. He also revealed that he likes to drink Chivas Regal, but has an unopened bottle at home after the store he bought it from left the security cover on it. 'I went to First Choice some months ago... and I paid for it. But the tag is still on it and it's impossible to get off so I've got this completely useless bottle of Chivas Regal which I will return at some point.' Lady Green, 66, is the registered owner of Arcadia The wife of Sir Philip Green has been told to reveal details of the web of firms she is involved in following the collapse of BHS. Politicians probing the stores demise have written to Lady Tina Green about companies registered in her name overseas. They have asked her to explain the trail of money that passes between them and why they are based in tax havens. A list of shareholders and details of her husbands role have also been requested. The probe follows Sir Philips testy appearance before a committee of MPs last week. At the hearing, the tycoon who sold BHS for 1 last year denied knowledge of the accounts of a string of firms linked to the chain, claiming it was his wife who ran them. Lady Green, 66, is the registered owner of Arcadia the retail giant which runs a number of High Street stores such as Topshop and Burton, and once owned BHS. She lives in the tax haven of Monaco, allowing the couple to legally avoid an estimated 130million tax bill on money extracted from BHS alone. Sir Philips appearance came after BHS went into administration in April. Its pension scheme, which has the pensions of 22,000 employees, has a 571million black hole. Iain Wright MP, chairman of the business, innovation and skills committee, said: These complicated arrangements make it very difficult to trace where funds have gone. We are keen to follow the money and look forward to Lady Green in her capacity as owner and ultimate beneficiary of these companies writing to us to explain some of these arrangements and to set out what income her businesses have received from BHS. Frank Field MP and Mr Wright, joint chairmen of the committee investigating the collapse of BHS, wrote to Lady Green yesterday demanding more information about her business dealings. A reply has been requested by Tuesday. Sir Philip stunned MPs last week when he insisted that he was unable to produce off-shore company accounts, which are held in Lady Greens name. The 64-year-old said he never looked at the accounts of the family empire, adding: I have never made or moved a penny from any bank account of our company and I wouldnt even know where to call to get it out. Lady Green (pictured with husband Sir Philip) is the registered owner of Arcadia, which runs Topshop and Burton Menswear. She lives in the tax haven of Monaco Sir Philip Green was quizzed for six hours in the Commons over his role in the demise of BHS and he looks set to be hauled back in for a second session Mr Wright said it was extraordinary Sir Philip did not have access to his wifes overseas accounts. For now the MPs have resisted calling Lady Green to appear in front of them but it is not clear how long this will remain the case. Much depends on the quality of the evidence she supplies in writing. A spokesman for Arcadia said: This letter is headed BHS inquiry what relevance do any of these questions have to BHS? Lady Green will respond through her lawyers in due course. Lady Green was born in England, but has set up home on a super yacht off the coast of Monte Carlo. It is estimated that, since 2000, Sir Philip paid her 400million in BHS dividends. Her husband is understood to have recently taken delivery of a new private jet costing around 46million. 1. A QUESTION OF SOVEREIGNTY Leaving the EU would offer a chance to put the UK in charge of our own destiny and laws again and restore our status as a sovereign nation. According to the Commons Library, up to 60 per cent of regulations originate from the EU and the 28-member Commission in Brussels none of whom were elected. Britains Commissioner, Lord (Jonathan) Hill, is a former lobbyist and Tory researcher who has never stood for elected office in his life. Nor had his predecessor, Cathy Ashton, a Labour appointee and Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament official. 2. STRIKING GLOBAL TRADE DEALS Wed be free to negotiate our own trade deals especially with the worlds emerging new economies. Since we import 89 billion of goods more annually from other EU countries than we sell to them, the EU stands to lose more than Britain if it seeks to impose tariffs post-Brexit. We are a crucial export market for Germany, the EUs most powerful country, which would be the post-Brexit deal-maker. Since we import 89 billion of goods more annually from other EU countries than we sell to them, the EU stands to lose more than Britain if it seeks to impose tariffs post-Brexit. Pictured: Tilbury Docks, London 3. JOB MARKET THAT WOULD STILL EXIST There are an estimated 3.3 million British jobs linked to our membership of the EU. By the same measure, there are more than five million jobs on the Continent that are linked to trade with Britain. This includes one million jobs in Germany, 494,000 in France, 309,000 in Italy and 421,000 in Spain. 4. THE BILLIONS WE GIFT TO BRUSSELS We pay far more into the EU budget than we get back making a net contribution of around 8.5 billion last year (23 million a day), which is more than we spend on the police service or border controls. The NHS costs 8.5 billion a month and the Health Service would get an extra 5 billion a year as a result of Brexit. Also, almost 1 billion of British cash goes to the EU for international aid. 5. HOW TO CONTROL OUR BORDERS Currently theres no upper limit on migration and no proper control of our borders. More than three million EU migrants live in the UK double the number in 2004 when the EU expanded to include Eastern European countries, who have sent more than a million people here (despite the last Labour Government saying it would be only 13,000 a year.) Net migration from EU countries to the UK, according to official figures, is 184,000 a year enough to fill a city the size of Oxford. David Cameron has never hit his target to reduce net migration to the tens of thousands and most agree he never will if we remain inside the EU. Using a new points-system, every applicant to live here would be treated on their merit rather than on their nationality 6. WHAT KIND OF MIGRATION SYSTEM? Under EU law, we must let in any EU citizen regardless of their qualifications. The result? Businesses cant get work permits for highly skilled or educated people from the Commonwealth, U.S., Australia and elsewhere outside the EU. Using a new points-system, every applicant to live here would be treated on their merit rather than on their nationality. Equally, wed be able to accept more genuine refugees. 7. MEDDLING BY FOREIGN JUDGES Parliament is powerless, under EU treaties, to defend itself against the rulings of the European Court of Justice which has interfered in everything from the price of beer to the right to deport terror suspects. The UK has lost three-quarters of the cases its challenged since 1973. This makes a mockery of the idea that the UKs Supreme Court is supreme. 8. FOREIGN RAPISTS AND KILLERS Thanks to Brussels diktats, some of the EUs most evil killers, rapists and drug-dealers have been allowed to remain here because their right to free movement has been put ahead of keeping the British public safe. A report by the Labour-led Commons Home Affairs Committee said the number of foreign criminals who had not been deported could fill a small town. British jails hold almost 10,000 foreign prisoners including 1,000 Poles. A report by the Labour-led Commons Home Affairs Committee said the number of foreign criminals not been deported could fill a small town. British jails hold almost 10,000 foreign prisoners - including 1,000 Poles 9. KEEPING OUT UNDESIRABLES UK law stops anyone from outside the EU entering Britain if their presence is deemed not conducive to the public good, but Brussels says EU citizens can only be turned away if there is a serious, credible and present threat. Thus the list of criminals able to come here include a Latvian who murdered his wife before moving to the UK, where he killed a 14-year-old girl. Over the past decade, UK officials have only been able to turn away 11,000 EU nationals. 10. PROTECTING US FROM TERRORISM The EUs Frontex border security agency has warned that jihadists are exploiting the Unions open borders and the migrant crisis to sneak into the continent and plot atrocities. Two of the attackers responsible for last years outrages in Paris used exactly this approach. The British head of Europol also said that as many as 5,000 Islamic State-trained jihadists are moving freely in Europe. And Sir Richard Dearlove, ex-head of MI6, said we could be safer outside of the EU as it would be easier to deport fanatics. Leaving the EU would still allow us to work with U.S. intelligence agencies as the so-called gold standard Five Eyes intelligence-sharing partnership consists of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the U.S. and the UK. Sir Richard Dearlove (pictured in 2011), ex-head of MI6, said we could be safer outside of the EU as it would be easier to deport fanatics 11. WILL TURKEY BE ALLOWED TO JOIN? David Cameron has repeatedly refused to drop his governments support for Turkey which has 77 million citizens joining the EU. Yet hes said that at the current rate it wont join until the year 3000 despite the European Commission announcing last week that Turkeys membership application was being accelerated. Before the referendum campaign, the PM said his wish was to pave the road from Ankara [Turkeys capital] to Brussels. Turkish citizens are already being given visa-free access to mainland Europe after a deal that saw the Turks getting 4.6 billion in aid. Campaign group Migration Watch has warned an extra 100,000 Turks would flock to Britain every year if the predominantly Muslim country joined the EU. Campaign group Migration Watch has warned an extra 100,000 Turks would flock to Britain every year if the predominantly Muslim country joined the EU 12. THE CORRUPTION OF EU OFFICIALDOM Last year for the 21st year running! the EU Court of Auditors admitted that Brussels expenditure was compromised by irregularities, with a persistently high level of payment errors, which means too much money is still not spent in accordance with the EUs financial rules. 13. AND THE ROTTEN EUROPEAN ECONOMY By the end of last year, the UK economy was 6.8 per cent larger than it was at the start of 2008, whereas the EU economy was only 1.9 per cent bigger (Frances grew by 2.9 per cent and Italys is 8.8 per cent smaller than in 2008)). Also, unemployment in the UK is five per cent less than half the 10.2 per cent jobless rate in the eurozone. (In Greece, it is 24 per cent with youth unemployment at a desperate 51 per cent and 20 per cent in Spain). Unemployment in the UK is five per cent less than half the 10.2 per cent jobless rate in the eurozone. In Greece, it is 24 per cent with youth unemployment at a desperate 51 per cent (file picture) 14. BUSINESS TIED UP IN RED TAPE Treasury research has shown that the EUs single market rules could impose costs of seven per cent of GDP on the UK economy. At 125 billion a year, thats the equivalent of 4,639 per household. Only 6 per cent of British companies export to the EU but all must comply with EU single market legislation. Small businesses the lifeblood of our economy suffer most, whereas big firms can lobby Brussels. 15. PROTECTING PUBLIC SERVICES Freedom of movement rules mean we have no idea many foreigners settle here which means its impossible to plan the necessary health, education, transport and housing requirements for them. This has led to intense pressures for anyone trying to get a school place for their child or a GP appointment. Rents are rising and first-time buyers struggle to get on the housing ladder as prices soar and supply diminishes. With five more nations Turkey, Serbia, Montenegro, Albania and Macedonia hoping to join the EU, this will only get worse. Patients lined up at 6.30am outside The Sunbury Health Centre, Surrey, for a same-day GP appointment. The picture paints a bleak picture of the oversubscribed health service put under strain by freedom of movement 16. CONTROLLING ASYLUM SEEKERS According to its own statistics, 1.3 million people claimed asylum in the EU last year. Some 363,000 came from Syria. Applicants who get EU citizenship are free to move to the UK. 17. THE FARMING BUDGET SCANDAL Despite contributing 12.5 per cent of the overall EU budget, the UK sees just 7 per cent of the Common Agricultural Policy budget spent here. By contrast, France gets 16.4 per cent, Spain 11.6 per cent, Germany 11.3 per cent, Italy 10.1 per cent and Poland 8.8 per cent. The EUs farm subsidy system meant that prior to 2003, the so-called Single Farm Payment was linked to how much farmers produced leading to massive over-production and waste. Now, farmers dont have to produce a set amount they are paid automatically for keeping land in agricultural condition. As a result, its been reported wealthy landowners absurdly get Brussels payments for having pony paddocks. Despite contributing 12.5 per cent of the overall EU budget, the UK sees just 7 per cent of the Common Agricultural Policy budget spent here. Pictured: A farm on the South Downs, East Sussex 18. THE BARMIEST GREEN LAWS Following the EUs ban on incandescent light-bulbs, many people suffered epilepsy from the flickering, supposedly eco-friendly fluorescent bulbs. Equally controversially, vacuum cleaners sold in the EU have been limited to an output of 1,600 watts. This directive is expected to be extended to kettles, toasters, hair-dryers and other domestic appliances. 19. THE TRUTH ABOUT VAT RATES Under EU rules, once a product is liable for VAT, any EU member government is not allowed to abolish that tax without Brussels approval. Thus, the lowest VAT Westminster can impose is 5 per cent which imposes hardship on some British families with VAT charged at 5 per cent on energy bills. (Our Government even had to seek permission to scrap the levy charged on tampons.) Brussels pockets around 0.3 per cent of VAT paid. 20. LOSING CONTROL OF OUR SEAS EU membership has devastated our fishing industry halving the number of fisherman to fewer than 12,000 since 1975. Under international law, each nation enjoys an Exclusive Economic Zone extending 200 miles from its coast. However, the Common Fisheries Policy pools the zones of member states into a single zone. The first 12 miles is restricted to a nations own fishermen, but the area from 12 miles to 200 miles is open to the fleets of any EU member state. Spanish vessels last year got a quota of 15,546 tonnes of hake for a large area of the Atlantic off Scotland while UK vessels were allowed just 7,131 tonnes. Leaving the EU would allow us to fish our own waters and breathe new life into harbour towns. Michael Gove has made a grovelling apology after comparing pro-EU experts to Nazi propagandists. The Justice Secretary admitted he had been 'clumsy and inappropriate' to make the comments as he dismissed dire forecasts for the consequences of Brexit. The climbdown came after David Cameron branded the remarks a 'massive mistake' and suggested that Mr Gove had 'lost it'. Recalling the Nazis' treatment of Jewish scientist Einstein during the 1930s, Mr Gove had told LBC: 'I think the key thing here is to interrogate the assumptions that are made and to ask if these arguments are good. Michael Gove (pictured) compared economic experts warning about the fall-out of Brexit to the Nazis who orchestrated a smear campaign against Albert Einstein in the 1930s 'We have to be careful about historical comparisons, but Albert Einstein during the 1930s was denounced by the German authorities for being wrong and his theories were denounced, and one of the reasons of course he was denounced was because he was Jewish. 'They got 100 German scientists in the pay of the government to say that he was wrong and Einstein said: 'Look, if I was wrong, one would have been enough.''' Mr Gove added: 'The truth is that if you look at the quality of the analysis, if you look at the facts on the ground, you can come to an appropriate conclusion. 'And the appropriate conclusion, I think, all of us can come to is that with growth rates so low in Europe, with so many unemployed and with the nature of the single currency so damaging, freeing ourselves from that project can only strengthen our economy.' He made his comments after being challenged over why he is not heeding the advice of many economists who have warned that Brexit could have dire consequences and tip the economy into recession. The International Monetary Fund, ten Nobel-prize winning economists and the Bank of England have all warned that leaving the EU could damage the economy. And in a letter in The Times today, the bosses of 1,285 firms that employ 1.75million people write: 'Britain leaving the EU would mean uncertainty for our firms, less trade with Europe and fewer jobs. In a statement today Mr Gove said: 'Yesterday I was asked a question by Iain Dale about the predictions of doom for the economy. 'I answered as I often do with a historical analogy. It was clumsy and inappropriate. 'Obviously I did not mean to imply anything about the motives of those who have spoken out in favour of staying in the EU. 'Throughout the campaign Ive avoided making personal attacks, I'm sorry for speaking so clumsily, and apologise for giving offence. 'I think Britain will be more prosperous if we end our connection to the euro project and I should have answered this question directly.' In a dramatic escalation of Tory infighting earlier, Mr Cameron told Sky News: 'To hear the Leave campaign today sort of comparing independent experts and economists to Nazi sympathisers - I think they have rather lost it. 'These people are independent - economists who have won Nobel prizes, business leaders responsible for creating thousands of jobs, institutions that were set up after the war to try to provide independent advice. It is right to listen.' In a joint statement, three respected economic think-tanks have said 'almost all those who have looked seriously' at the consequences of Brexit agreed it would be highly likely to harm the living standards of UK households. BOND BACKS REMAIN: DANIEL CRAIG JOINS BECKS AND POSH IN URGING VOTERS TO REJECT BREXIT James Bond star Daniel Craig (pictured left) revealed his support for Britain staying in the EU after posing in a T-shirt with the slogan: 'No man is an island. No country by itself. Vote Remain on 23rd June'. It came hours after David and Victoria Beckham (pictured right) declared their support for Britain staying in the EU James Bond star Daniel Craig is the latest celebrity to declare his support for Britain staying in the EU. He was pictured last night wearing a white T-shirt with the slogan: 'No man is an island. No country by itself. Vote Remain on 23rd June.' The picture of the retiring James Bond in the pro-EU T-shirt was first published by Turner Prize-winning artist Wolfgang Tillmans, who told his Instagram followers that Craig had sent him the picture. Minutes after the picture appeared online David Cameron tweeted it along with the words: 'It's great to see Daniel Craig is planning to Vote Remain on Thursday.' It delivers another boost to the Remain campaign after the endorsements of David and Victoria Beckham urged voters to support staying in the EU 'for our children'. The England footballing hero and his fashion designer wife said Britain should be facing the challenges of the world together with its allies. He was joined by his former England colleague Rio Ferdinand, who compared EU membership to playing the success they achieved at Manchester United. Advertisement The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) and Centre for Economic Performance (CEP) said: 'In our lifetimes we have never seen such a degree of unanimity among economists on a major policy issue.' Mr Gove, who co-chairs the Vote Leave campaign, said experts cannot always be trusted and pointed to the German scientists used to denounce Einstein to back up his point. He also hinted that he will quit government if voters do not back Brexit in the EU referendum this week, saying he would 'reflect' on the result before deciding his future. His comments came as the bosses of more than half of Britain's biggest businesses urged voters to avoid causing economic chaos by voting to stay in the EU in tomorrow's historic referendum. In the largest business endorsement of the bitter campaign so far, 1,285 bosses representing 51 of the FTSE 100 firms that a vote to leave the EU would cost jobs, trigger uncertainty and less trade for Britain. 'Britain remaining in the EU would mean the opposite more certainty, more trade and more jobs,' they wrote. 'EU membership is good for business and good for British jobs. That's why, on June 23rd, we back Britain remaining in the EU.' They claim small businesses and their staff are 'particularly vulnerable' from a Brexit vote. Yesterday Mr Gove again attacked David Cameron over his failure to curb immigration. The Justice Secretary, a close friend of the Prime Minister, argued that cutting ties with Brussels was the only way of regaining control over our borders. 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's latest comments 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 last night. 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. 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' 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. Taking to the stage in London tonight, 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 Germany's entire car manufacturing output - 820,000 vehicles a year,' he said. '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'. Former fiancee Brett Rossi has sued Sheen claiming they had sex five times before he told her he was HIV-positive Sheen said he didn't say he was HIV-positive because everyone he had told had turned away from him But the actor, 50, said he had used protection every time and insisted he hadn't infected anyone California law prohibits people with a communicable disease from willfully exposing themselves to someone else Charlie Sheen said on the Today show there were 'two examples' during which he did not disclose his HIV status to his partners Authorities are considering launching a criminal investigation against Charlie Sheen after the actor said on television he hadn't disclosed his HIV status to two of his past sexual partners. The actor, 50, said on the Today show Tuesday there were 'two examples' during which he didn't tell his partner he was HIV-positive - but insisted he had used protection each time. Yet, his admission left the DA 'chomping at the bit' to go after Sheen, a law enforcement source told Radar Online. California law prevents people with a communicable disease from willfully exposing themselves to someone else. Charlie Sheen said on the Today show Tuesday (pictured) that there were 'two examples' during which he didn't disclose his HIV status. A source told Radar Online authorities could launch a criminal investigation But Sheen, who said in November 2015 he found out he was HIV-positive four years prior, said on Tuesday he had never put any of his former partners at risk. Matt Lauer asked Sheen whether he had disclosed his HIV status to all of his previous partners or whether he had not informed them, but had used protection. 'There was two examples, but protection was always in place,' Sheen replied. He said he had chosen not to say he was HIV-positive on these occasions 'for the right reasons'. 'Everyone that I had told up to that moment had shaken me down,' he told Lauer. Sheen's ex-fiancee Brett Rossi (pictured with him in June 2014) filed a lawsuit against him last year, saying they had had sex five times before she found out he was HIV-positive But Radar Online reported on Tuesday that a 'top law enforcement source' had told the website that the DA was looking to launch a criminal investigation following Sheen's admission. 'The DA's office wants to go after him, but no one has come forward yet,' the source told Radar Online. The DailyMail.com has reached out to Sheen's rep for comment. Sheen's ex-fiancee, Brett Rossi, filed a lawsuit last year saying they had had sex five times before she found out he was HIV-positive. Another of Sheen's exes, Bree Olson, said last year he had never disclosed his status to her. But Sheen told Lauer Tuesday the accusations against him were 'baseless'. He couldn't comment on specific proceedings and didn't mention Rossi but assured the host he would prevail. Sheen, who said on Tuesday the levels of virus in his blood are currently undetectable, told Matt Lauer revealing he was HIV-positive seven months ago was like 'being released from prison'. 'We unearthed the stepping stones to a Rubicon of change,' the actor added. He also lashed out Tuesday at the Mexico-based doctor who gave him an alternative treatment after Sheen stopped taking his medication. 'That man is a criminal, he's a charlatan,' Sheen said. The actor, who resumed is HIV treatment afterwards, is now taking part in an FDA trial during which he receives one shot per week instead of taking pills every day. He told Lauer on Tuesday that he did have a few regrets about his past - but was eager to move on. '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,' Sheen said. British schools face an influx of 261,000 children from the EU if Remain wins, Brexit campaigners claimed last night. Vote Leave warned the figure could swell to 571,000 by 2030 if all five states up for EU membership Albania, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey join in the near future. Priti Patel, a Tory cabinet minister, said the extra demand would put pressure on already 'overstretched' schools. British schools face an influx of 261,000 children from the EU if Remain wins, Brexit campaigners claimed last night. Vote Leave warned the figure could swell to 571,000 by 2030 if all five states up for EU membership Albania, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey join in the near future As the referendum campaign headed into its final day: A senior EU politician warned Europe had lost control of its borders; Migrants at Calais tried to storm their way into Britain; David Cameron complained the debate had 'become very narrowly focused' on immigration; Theresa May made a last-ditch legal bid to deport an Italian killer allowed to stay in Britain by 'dangerous' EU rules; The number of EU migrants applying for UK citizenship rocketed by 30 per cent; It emerged more than 100,000 students a year from outside Europe are failing to go home after finishing their courses; Germany's finance minister said he sympathised with British voters fed up with the EU's 'self-regarding' leaders. Vote Leave said the increase in school-age European nationals was likely to add between 1billion and 1.9billion to the cost of the UK's annual education budget by 2030. The campaign calculates that between 2000 and 2014, some 152,000 school-age migrants came to the UK from other EU countries. HILTON STICKS TO HIS GUNS IN TARGETS ROW David Camerons former adviser refused to back down last night as the PM refuted claims he was warned four years ago it was impossible to keep his net migration promises while Britain remained in the EU. The PM insisted his former closest adviser Steve Hilton was simply not right and that immigration had been falling in 2012 when the adviser said reducing its level from hundreds of thousands every year to tens of thousands would never be hit. But Mr Hilton who made his claims in yesterdays Mail stuck to his guns. He said he had been in No 10 when officials delivered projections that showed there was no way we could meet the target within the EU. Justice Secretary Michael Gove backed Mr Hilton last night. He said: Making promises and then saddling yourself with a political union that means you cannot deliver those promises doesnt contribute to an atmosphere of trust in politics. Advertisement In 2014 alone, the figure stood at 25,000. This is a seven-fold increase on the 3,000 children who came in 2004 the year Poland and seven other Eastern European countries joined the EU. A continued annual influx of this size would require the equivalent of about 27 new average-sized secondary schools or 100 primary schools. The number of school-age children with one or more parent from a non-UK European nation has more than doubled from 309,000 in 2007 to 699,000, said Vote Leave. Based on its own estimates of future immigration if the UK remains in the EU, the campaign group calculated that at least a further 261,000 could join the school system over the coming 15 years or as many as 571,000 if the union expands. Miss Patel said: 'The EU is undemocratic and interferes too much in our daily lives. 'We have seen that with the scale of migration, and the impact this has had on local communities and key public services such as the NHS, housing and schools. 'With more countries waiting to join the EU, including Albania, Serbia, and Turkey and with British taxpayers paying almost 2billion to help them join this problem can only get worse.' The warning on Europe's borders came from Sebastian Kurz, Austria's foreign minister. Priti Patel (pictured), a Tory cabinet minister, said the extra demand would put pressure on already 'overstretched' schools 'The fact is that we have lost control,' said Mr Kurz. 'At the moment it is not us as the EU that is deciding who comes into Europe, it is the people smugglers.' Mr Kurz, who is a conservative, said the only way to tackle the crisis was to stop accepting illegal arrivals. They should instead be taken away to camps in Africa or elsewhere. MIGRANTS IN RUSH FOR UK PASSPORTS The number of EU citizens granted UK passports has surged by 29 per cent in a year in the run-up to the referendum. In 2015, some 12,970 EU nationals had citizenship applications rubber-stamped by the Home Office, up from 10,071 in 2014. It was also a rise from 7,406 in 2011, or 75 per cent. EU citizens have full rights to live and work here, but experts said there was anecdotal evidence that concerns about Brexit had fuelled a spike in citizenship applications. An academic said EU migrants who lived in the UK and had married British citizens would want their status nailed down. Advertisement In a bid to regain the initiative on migration, Mr Cameron last night claimed that if Britain votes Remain he would push for more reform of freedom of movement rules. 'Reform doesn't end on June 23, the voice of reform will be strengthened, because we will have had a referendum,' he said. However, George Osborne has already ruled out any significant changes such as imposing a brake on the numbers coming in. In a series of interviews, the PM accused Leave campaigners of stoking division and intolerance. He said all sides of the Out campaign had 'become very narrowly focused' on the issue of immigration and warned that the decision could have consequences. 'I've always believed that we have to be able to discuss and to debate immigration,' he said. 'But I've always believed that this is an issue that needs careful handling. 'We are talking to a country that has a lot of people who have fled persecution and contribute a massive amount to our country. It does need great care.' Describing the UK as 'arguably the most successful, multi-ethnic, multi-faith, opportunity democracy anywhere on earth', Mr Cameron told the Guardian a Remain vote would send 'a very clear message that we've rejected this idea that Britain is narrow and insular and inward-looking'. 100,000 STUDENTS A YEAR OVERSTAY More than 100,000 students a year from outside Europe are failing to go home after finishing their courses, a report reveals. Between 2010 and 2013 the influx of non-EU students averaged 156,000 a year, the report published by think-tank MigrationWatch, based on Office for National Statistics figures, showed. But between 2012 and 2015, when they would have been expected to graduate, an average of 46,000 a year left an annual difference of 110,000. Some will take legitimate jobs, be given permission to settle here with a partner or pursue further studies. But tens of thousands exploit a lax visa system to stay unlawfully. Advertisement Wolfgang Schauble, the powerful German finance minister, said he sympathised with British voters who want to leave the European Union and its 'self- regarding' leadership that has gone 'too far' and lost touch with voters across the continent. He said: 'Perhaps we didn't understand quite correctly, and it's led to an excessive level of self-regard in the institutions and apparatuses in Brussels and Luxembourg. 'Perhaps we went too far and to some extent lost contact with our citizens.' THE ITALIAN KILLER WE CAN'T DEPORT Ministers yesterday made a last-ditch bid to deport an Italian killer allowed to stay in Britain by dangerous EU rules. The 58-year-old, who was granted anonymity by the courts, killed his flatmate and was sentenced to eight years for manslaughter at the Old Bailey in 2002. After his release, the Home Office tried to deport him, but he appealed, sparking a decade-long legal farce. Tory justice minister and prominent Leave campaigner Dominic Raab slammed EU diktats on removing foreign offenders as dangerous and undemocratic. The Supreme Court yesterday heard submissions from lawyers for Home Secretary Theresa May. A ruling is expected later this year. Advertisement A Muslim man who reported Omar Mateen to the FBI before his attack on an Orlando nightclub has hit out at Donald Trump for saying the Islamic community is 'hiding something'. The presumptive Republican nominee lashed out at all Muslims in the wake of the worst mass shooting in US history. He said in a recent speech: 'They know whats going on. They know that [Omar Mateen] was bad... 'But you know what? They didnt turn them in. And you know what? We had death and destruction.' Hitting back, Mateen's friend Mohammed Malik says he did report the 29-year-old gunman to counter-terrorism officials in the summer of 2014 - but detectives decided he was not a threat. In a lengthy op-ed for the Washington Post, Malik describes his experience with the FBI, and slams Trump for portraying all Muslims as shady terrorist sympathizers. Scroll down for video Hitting back: Mohammed Malik (left) has slammed Donald Trump (right) for claiming all Muslims are hiding something about terrorism. Malik says he did report Omar Mateen in 2014 but the FBI closed the file Malik said Mateen never showed any signs of extremism or homophobia. However, when news emerged that a man from their mosque, Moner Mohammad Abu-Salha, had killed himself in a suicide bomb attack in Syria, Mateen began making suspicious comments. Malik, who acted as a mentor at their mosque, first called the FBI after news of the suicide bomb to tell them more about Abu-Salha. 'I read that [officials] 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,' he explains in his article. 'It wasnt much we hadnt been close but Im an American Muslim, and I wanted to do my part. I didnt want another act like that to happen. I didnt want more innocent people to die.' He added: '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.' However, after that conversation, Malik spoke with members of the congregation including Mateen - who admitted to watching the same hate preacher that Abu-Salha was inspired by, Anwar al-Awlaki. When Malik asked Mateen what he thought of the cleric, Mateen allegedly said, 'they are powerful'. Alarmed, Malik got back in touch with the FBI. 'After speaking with Omar, I contacted the FBI again to let them know that Omar had been watching Awlakis tapes. 'He hadnt committed any acts of violence and wasnt planning any, as far as I knew. And I thought he probably wouldnt, because he didnt fit the profile: He already had a second wife and a son. Omar Mateen never showed signs of extremism - but when he did in 2014, Malik says he reported him Tragic: Mateen, 29, killed 49 people inside Orlando's Pulse nightclub (pictured) on June 12 '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.' Agents investigated Mateen, who had already been the subject of a counter-terrorism investigation. They concluded there was no reason to be concerned. Less than two years later, Mateen killed 49 people in Orlando's Pulse nightclub. Malik said he didn't have much contact with Mateen over the next 18 months, except seeing him at a dinner party in January this year. '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.' Protesters stood outside Trump Tower on Tuesday blasting him for 'spreading hate' a day after Malik's op-ed He added: '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 hed taken with his father to Orlando the previous weekend. Hed been impressed by the local mosque.' Slamming Donald Trump, Malik said: 'I am not the first American Muslim to report on someone; people who do that simply dont like to announce themselves in to the media. 'For my part, Im not looking for personal accolades. Im just tired of negative rhetoric and ignorant comments about my faith. It would have been a 'less risky' way to end the Lindt Cafe siege by shooting Man Haron Monis than it was to storm the building in an emergency, an inquest has heard. The tactical commander in charge during the siege, who can't be named, told the inquest a 'deliberate action' would have given police the opportunity to choose when to enter the building. The commander said the emergency action plan which was triggered at 2.13am after the death of Lindt Cafe manager Tori Johnson should have been the 'last resort'. Scroll down for video A police tactical commander has said it would have been 'less risky' to initiate direct action in the Sydney siege (stock picture of police at the Lindt Cafe in Sydney) 'In any action that we take there is an element of risk. However, a deliberate action would be a preferred option and potentially I might judge that when I weigh up my risk as being less risky,' the tactical commander said. The tactical commander was being questioned by counsel assisting the coroner, Jeremy Gormly, when he said choosing the time of entry wasn't the only benefit to making a deliberate action. It also opened up 'a number of other methodology factors' the police could use. Gormly continued to press the tactical commander for clarity. 'If the EA is the last resort, a DA certainly is not, correct?' he asked. The tactical commander, who is an Australian special forces soldier, agreed. The tactical commander told the inquest he regarded Monis as a terrorist, The Australian reported. When Monis threatened his hostages and shot at them when they tried to escape the tactical commander did not take action because no one was hurt. Police stormed the building at 2.13am. Man Horan Monis was killed, Katrina Dawson died in the cross fire and other hostages were injured (stock image) The emergency action was initiated by the commander when cafe manager Tori Johnson was killed (stock image) He also said there was a risk Monis was shooting at the hostages as an attempt to bring police into the building so he could detonate his bomb. The tactical commander said if they had stormed the building after the hostages had escaped the gunmen would be in a 'heightened state of alert'. He said he would have triggered emergency action if he knew Monis had forced Johnson to his knees soon after the other hostages escaped. When the tactical team stormed the cafe Monis was killed. Katrina Dawson was killed in the cross-fire. Other hostages were injured. The commander decided not to make the call to initiate the emergency response earlier even though Monish had shot at hostages because 'no one was injured' The tactical commander said he would have initiated the emergency action sooner if her knew Johnson had been ordered on his knees The inquest into the December 2014 siege previously heard details of a discussion between NSW Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione and Assistant Commissioner Mark Jenkins. The conclusion to the conversation was that a deliberate or forced action by police to force an end to the siege would be the last resort. The phone call occurred at 10.57pm when Mr Jenkins was the most senior commander in charge of the operation. The inquest continues. A Liberal election candidate has said anyone who uses the term Invasion Day to refer to Australia Day should be 'high-fived in the face with a chair'. Ben Willis, the candidate for Victorian electorate of Gellibrand, posted the comment on Facebook on January 22, days before the national holiday. The Liberal candidate for the safe Labor seat apologised on Tuesday night after the ABC revealed the post, but the Opposition is still demanding Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull act to have him disendorsed. Scroll down for video Liberal candidate Ben Willis (pictured), running in safe Labor electorate Gellibrand in Victoria, has apologised after he said people who refer to Australia Day as Invasion Day should be 'high-fived in the face with a chair' 'If you describe Australia Day as 'invasion day' you need a high five. In the face. With a chair,' Mr Willis wrote on January 22 'If you describe Australia Day as 'invasion day' you need a high five. In the face. With a chair,' Mr Willis wrote. He appears to have deleted both his private and public Facebook pages following the uproar. Ben Willis apologised on Tuesday night after the Facebook post was revealed Mr Willis 'unreservedly' apologised for the comment in a statement provided to Daily Mail Australia through the Victorian Liberal branch. 'I unreservedly apologise for this comment. 'As I also commented on Facebook that same day: "Australia Day is also a celebration of the nations Indigenous heritage and how the first peoples of Australia are now considered equal under the law, which is exactly how it should be. "'I am incredibly proud to call myself Australian, and I am proud of both our Aboriginal heritage and also our British heritage".' On Twitter on Tuesday night, Mr Willis said he was sorry because he has 'offended many'. 'This bloke casually just suggests that he wants to hit someone in the face with a chair because they use a word he doesn't like,' Labor campaign spokeswoman Penny Wong told ABC. On Twitter on Tuesday night, Mr Willis said he was sorry because he has 'offended many' Mr Willis shared posts he made in January which he said were positive comments about Indigenous Australia In a statement provided to Daily Mail Australia, Ms Wong said the prime minister must dis-endorse Mr Willis. 'Malcolm Turnbull must disassociate himself from the comments of his candidate a member of his team who thinks it's ok to talk about assaulting people with a chair,' Ms Wong said. 'A strong leader would dis-endorse this candidate. A responsible leader would condemn his comments. I suspect Malcolm Turnbull will do neither. 'This Liberal candidate seeks to be a member a Parliament a leader in the Australian community. 'Well, I think it can be fairly described as that and I've got no doubt obviously our first Aboriginal Australians describe it as an invasion,' the Prime Minister told reporters in Perth last week 'The casual violence suggested by his comments is shocking and unacceptable,' Ms Wong told Daily Mail Australia. Finance Minister and spokesperson for the Coalition campaign, Mathias Cormann, told reporters it was time to move on. Last week, Mr Turnbull himself said Australia had been invaded by the British in 1788. 'Well, I think it can be fairly described as that and I've got no doubt obviously our first Aboriginal Australians describe it as an invasion,' the Prime Minister told reporters in Perth. Middle-aged women are being hired for paid, short-term posts because they are seen as more focused and better workers. A major communications firm is taking on eight staff in their 30s, 40s and 50s who want to re-enter the workforce after taking time out to have children. PR company Wunderlich Kaplan Communications, which is based in New York, is fed up with younger employees using time in the office trawling the internet or working on other projects. Middle-aged women are being hired for paid, short-term posts because they are seen as more focused and better workers (file picture) It feels that older women have more experience, more skill and are better at picking things up than the younger generation. Dara Kaplan, who founded the firm, said she had been inspired by The Intern, which is a Robert De Niro film about a 70-year-old widower who takes an internship at an online fashion company. The 31-year added: She said: There is so much knowledge that this segment of women hold. People are forgetting that just because you do not tweet does not mean you dont know whats up. Eight women will work the paid posts for six weeks at Wunderlich Kaplan in the programme dubbed The Enternship. They will learn about creating a PR campaign, using social media, writing press releases and skills normally associated with young people, like video blogging. The women come from a variety of backgrounds; some are mothers who had a family whilst others left their previous jobs and took a career break. Dara Kaplan, who founded the firm, said she had been inspired by The Intern, which is a Robert De Niro film about a 70-year-old widower who takes an internship at an online fashion company Company co-founder Gwen Wunderlich said: Millennials tend to be less focused; theyll have a blog on the side, and they want to be a photographer, and they have all these things they want but dont necessarily want to put in the legwork to get that. Ive been an entrepreneur since I was hustling Jolly Ranchers on the side at my elementary school, so I get it. I dont expect this to be their only thing, but theres all this focus on millennials and, often, millennials dont even want office jobs. Miss Kaplan added: I love millennials. The sense of creativity, adventure and entrepreneurship is unbelievable. Twenty years ago a TV satire, The Day Today, imagined Question Time coming live from Wembley. Last night it actually happened a political discussion in front of 6,000 screaming fans. Reithian values on acid! They booed, cheered and did overhead clapping, though they didnt quite sing rude songs about the referees parentage. Instead, David Dimblebys voice echoed round the Wembley arena, pleasingly episcopal. We even had a panel of pundits. Happily there were no slow-motion action replays. The Leave team fielded Boris Johnson, Labour MP Gisela Stuart and Tory minister Andrea Leadsom. Remain had Scottish Tory Ruth Davidson, London mayor Sadiq Khan and the TUCs Frances OGrady, making her 1st XI debut. An interesting little dribbler down the Left Wing, Ms OGrady. She was nervous at first but was soon getting stuck in about workers rights and got the terraces to boo Wetherspoons pubs. Quite right, too. Shocking house rose. The BBC filmed an episode of Question Time called The Great Debate at Wembley, which aired last night Twenty years ago a TV satire, The Day Today, imagined Question Time coming live from Wembley Within the first two minutes Gisela Stuart (I am a mother and a grandmother) said take control four times. Good darts, lass. Over to Mr Khan. As a lawyer, he began. An unusual phrase to win votes. But the new London mayor is a feral little nipper and came up with the most vicious slurs of the first hour when he accused the Leave camp of running Project Hate on immigration. The crowd oohed and booed. Boris applied his half-moon spectacles, consulted some notes and announced that the same Khan had recently said it was important for immigration to be debated. Sadiq needed the wet sponge after that. One of the pundits started talking angrily about xenophobia which was eagerly picked up on by panel-moderator Mishal Hussein. We could really have done without that panel. The new London mayor came up with the most vicious slurs of the first hour when he accused the Leave camp of running Project Hate on immigration Back on the pitch, Mr Khan four times started calling his opponents liars!. That also drew heckles and earned the audience a yellow card from Dimbleby. Mentions of David Camerons name brought groans from both sides of the audience, which was divided roughly into 3,000 Remain supporters and 3,000 Leavers. The crowd also showed active dislike for Remains Project Fear, and became restive when the Leavers over-used the take back control slogan. The issues discussed were the economy, immigration and foreign policy. Each was preceded by a little BBC lecture, like one of those 1960s Shell educational films about mosquitoes. Miss Davidson bounced up and down on her toes and said we should vote Remain for big trade deals. Mrs Leadsom: The 28 member states of the EU cant even organise a takeaway curry. Laughter. We started getting a bit shrieky at times Miss Davidson having a personal go at her party colleague Boris, whom she is said to loathe. These three! she called her opponents at one point. Boris fired back with the observation that at present, under EU rules, we cant even export haggis to America. Hoots! The issues discussed were the economy, immigration and foreign policy. Each was preceded by a little BBC lecture For Remain, Ms OGrady exceeded expectations, but did the highly rated Miss Davidson slightly underperform? She twice invoked the name of President Obama, who has supported Remain. Maybe that sort of thing works in Edinburgh but at Wembley last night it earned raspberries. Leave turned in more of a team effort, Boris repeatedly conferring with his two colleagues and letting his memsahibs take several of the answers. Mrs Leadsom had a good night. Being too busy watching the action, I did not have time to look at the Beebs simultaneous fact-checker so can not tell you if it exploded when Mr Khan claimed that the Eurozone economy was growing faster than ours. Porkier than scratchings was that. More than 11,500 weapons were handed in to police following a three-week campaign to get airguns off the streets. Thousands of rifles and pistols along with crossbows and other unique weapons are among the haul, which has filled an entire police storage unit. During the three week amnesty by Police Scotland officers were handed 11,569 weapons, with a further 1,300 surrendered after the official closing of the amnesty on June 12. From July 1 owners of air weapons can start applying for a licence, with the new law coming into force on 31 December. More than 11,500 weapons were handed in to police following a three-week campaign to get airguns off the streets. Thousands of rifles and pistols along with crossbows and other unique weapons are among the haul, which has filled an entire police storage unit This will make it a criminal offence to have an air weapon without a licence or a permit. Anyone found guilty of the new offence could be fined or face up to two years in prison. The Scottish Government had pledged to introduce the scheme following the death of Glasgow toddler Andrew Morton, who was killed by an airgun in 2005. Mark Bonini was sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of murdering the two-year-old, who died after being struck in the head by an air gun pellet. So far the force and the Scottish Government have hailed the scheme a success, with thousands of potentially deadly weapons now off the streets. The weapons have been handed in to officers at 72 police stations across Scotland. The mountain of an array of weapons are now being held at the force headquarters in Dalmarnock, Glasgow. Yesterday Chief Constable Phil Gormley revealed the true extent of the haul, when he was photographed surrounded by 9000 of the weapons which have been handed in alongside colleague Sergeant Alex Ulivi. After being tagged and catalogued the weapons will be destroyed. He also warned those wishing to surrender their weapons to do so during the day and make sure they were hidden from the view of other members of the public. Chief Constable Phil Gormley said: This is a fantastic response. Every weapon handed in had the potential to cause serious harm within our communities if misused, and to have more than 11,000 fewer weapons in existence has made Scotland a safer place. Toddler Andrew Morton (left) died after being shot in the head with an airgun pellet near his home in the Easterhouse area of Glasgow in 2005. Mark Bonini was sentenced to life in prison. Since Andrews death his parents Sharon McMillan and Andy Morton have been campaigning for a ban on air weapons I am pleased to say our officers are still able to accept unwanted air weapons, and would ask those responsible members of the public who no longer wish to keep a weapon, or to apply for a licence to do so, preferably in daylight hours, covered and in a way which does not alarm other people. All of these guns, and an assortment of other harmful weapons including crossbows, shotguns, rifles and several pistols dating back to World War 2, will now be taken away and destroyed to ensure they are off our streets forever. Toddler Andrew Morton died after being shot in the head with an airgun pellet near his home in the Easterhouse area of Glasgow in 2005. The youngster was being carried by his older brother Brian at the time, who said he heard a pop before seeing blood coming from Andrews head. Mark Bonini was sentenced to life in prison. Since Andrews death his parents Sharon McMillan and Andy Morton have been campaigning for a ban on air weapons. More rural areas such as Aberdeenshire and and the Highlands handed over the most with 1,562 and 1,287 arriving from each area respectively. Some 1,020 handed over in Glasgow and a further 616 were surrendered in Edinburgh. It has been estimated there could be up to 500,000 airguns in Scotland, with the weapons used in 182 crimes in 2013/14 - about half of all firearms offences. One of Britains best-known companies last night warned staff its future could be placed under threat if we remain in the EU. In a highly unusual move, Tate & Lyle Sugars wrote to its 800 UK staff warning that EU restrictions and tariffs had added 30 million to its raw material costs last year. This turned what should have been a good profit, that we would all share, into a 19 million loss, the firm said. Gerald Mason (right, with Zac Goldsmith, centre, on a visit) told staff that EU tariffs on a single boatload of cane sugar could top 2.5 million. In a highly unusual move, sugar giant Tate & Lyle (pictured, north London) wrote to its 800 UK staff warning that EU restrictions and tariffs had added 30 million to its raw material costs last year. The companys senior vice-president Gerald Mason told staff that EU tariffs on a single boatload of cane sugar could top 2.5 million. He said the situation was made worse by the fact that Brussels officials then send that money to subsidise our beet sugar-producing competitors in Europe. In a further damaging blow to David Cameron, Britains leading entrepreneur Sir James Dyson last night stepped up his call for Britain to leave the EU, warning that remaining in the Brussels club would be an act of national self-harm. Sir James said the Prime Ministers claim that Britain could go on to reform the EU was pure fantasy. And he warned that the EUs free movement rules had created an immigration system that made no economic or moral sense. He went on: There is a perception that having a seat at the EU table means Britain has influence. As David Cameron discovered in his recent attempt at renegotiation, we dont. There are 27 other countries at the same table with their own conflicting interests. Its ungovernable and undemocratic. To think we can reform Brussels is arrogant and delusional - it is pure fantasy. The entrepreneur added: I can confirm that we have no influence whatsoever in the shaping of Europes protectionist laws and regulations. Believe me, weve tried. Consider immigration, which the United Kingdom should benefit from greatly. We need immigration, but we also need to be able to control it. In a further damaging blow to David Cameron, Britains leading entrepreneur Sir James Dyson last night stepped up his call for Britain to leave the EU It makes no economic or moral sense to ignore the world beyond Europe. Yet, we are forced to accept people from Europe without limit, while turning away economically vital engineers and scientists from the rest of the world. This is the last opportunity to regain control of our futures. If we vote Remain, make no mistake, we lose control. This would be an act of national self-harm. The interventions threatened to overshadow a fresh effort by Downing Street to claim that business opinion is overwhelmingly in favour of staying in the EU. Hundreds of businesses are expected to sign a No 10-inspired letter today warning that Brexit would lead to uncertainty and put jobs at risk. But Boris Johnson yesterday accused the PM of using Government contracts and the promise of honours to persuade business leaders to back his campaign to keep Britain in the EU. Mr Johnson said Eurosceptic business leaders were being leaned on to keep their views quiet, while waverers were being tempted with the offer of rewards. Speaking to LBC Radio, Mr Johnson said: I cant tell you the pressure that Project Fear and Remain put on senior business people not to articulate their views. Everyone has an interest in keeping friendly with government. Asked about the kind of pressure Downing Street was exerting, Mr Johnson replied: I do not wish in anyway to be disparaging or critical of my friends in Government. But it is well-known that there is an operation in Downing Street and you will get a call from certain gentlemen, whose names you can discover. And they will say, look, you know, we want to continue to have contracts with you. Its very important that we want to continue friendly relationships, there is an honours system as you know, all this kind of thing. And thats how it is. There is a bit of leaning on. Earlier this month, Mr Cameron was accused of borderline corruption after using the Queens birthday honours to shower gongs on business leaders and luvvies who backed his campaign to keep Britain in the EU. At least 20 prominent Remain supporters were rewarded with honours, including five company chiefs whose firms signed a previous pro-Brussels letter to the Times, six who signed a similar letter from entrepreneurs to the Financial Times and four members of the creative industries who signed a No 10-inspired open letter backing the case for staying in the EU. Recipients included Innocent drinks founder Richard Reed, who is deputy chairman of the official In campaign, Britain Stronger in Europe. Mr Reed, who describes the EU as fantastic, was rewarded with a CBE. Downing Street denied handing out honours in return for support in the bitter referendum battle, saying a small number of Brexit supporters had also been honoured. But No 10 does not deny orchestrating a series of letters designed to give the impression that business opinion is overwhelmingly in favour of remaining in the EU. Tate and Lyle Sugars backed the Vote Leave campaign led by Boris Johnson, pictured, because of the impact of EU rules adding to the cost of the business Downing Street aides have spent the last week twisting the arms of senior business figures to sign another open letter backing Britains EU membership. An activist at the official Britain Stronger in Europe campaign has circulated business leaders with an email asking them to sign the letter which claims that leaving the EU would mean uncertainty for our firms, less trade with Europe and fewer jobs. She identifies herself as a special adviser to the Prime Minister (who is) now working for the campaign. Mr Cameron has also been piling pressure on wavering Tory MPs to speak out against Brexit. In a series of one-to-one meetings, he has stressed the risk that Brexit could gridlock the Government for years. One MP reported that the Prime Ministers final plea had been: You dont really want three years of Euro-w**k, do you? Three more Conservative MPs fell in behind the PM yesterday - Jackie Doyle-Price (Thurrock), Caroline Nokes (Romsey and Southampton North) and David Tredinnick (Bosworth). But Bristol North West MP Charlotte Leslie said she had decided to back Brexit. Nick Herbert, chairman of Conservatives In, said a clear majority of Tory MPs now back Remain, with 185 saying they want to stay in, compared with 143 backing Brexit. Meanwhile, Michael Gove has compared economic experts warning about Brexit to Nazis who rubbished Albert Einsteins scientific findings during the 1930s. Mr Gove has faced criticism for saying voters have had enough of listening to economic experts issuing doom-laden warnings about Brexit. Asked about the comments last night, he told LBC: I think the key thing here is to interrogate the assumptions that are made and to ask if these arguments are good. We have to be careful about historical comparisons, but Albert Einstein during the 1930s was denounced by the German authorities for being wrong and his theories were denounced and one of the reasons of course he was denounced was because he was Jewish. A man is fighting for his life after he contracted flesh-eating bacteria from a trip to the beach, forcing doctors to amputate his right leg, family members said. Doctors told Brian Parrott's family members the bacteria likely entered through a scratch on his foot during a day trip to a beach in Galveston, Texas, on June 12. Parrott's mother Donna Dailey described the sudden infection, saying: '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.' Scroll down for video Brian Parrott (pictured) is fighting for his life after he contracted flesh-eating bacteria from a trip to the beach, forcing doctors to amputate his right leg, family members said He began vomiting the next day, and photographs show his foot covered in large sores (pictured) before he was rushed to a hospital in Houston where he underwent an emergency amputation Parrott took his son and grandchildren on a day trip to the beach, where they spent at least two hours in the water, KHOU reported. He began vomiting the next day, and photographs show his foot covered in large sores. The 50-year-old was rushed to the Lyndon B Johnson Hospital in Houston, where his right leg was amputated from the knee down in an emergency surgery. Parrott is still fighting for his life in the intensive care unit, and a GoFundMe page listed an update on Monday, saying doctors were monitoring whether he required additional amputations. Parrott is diabetic, and the metabolic disease can lead to both dry, cracked skin, as well as a higher susceptibility to bacterial infections. Parrott's mom said she was anxiously awaiting news whether her son would live before questioning why there were no warning signs posted around the beach. She said: 'We want to get the word out, and that's the main thing. There's nothing more that we can do for my son but maybe we can save somebody else.' WHAT ARE VIBRIO BACTERIA? Vibrio bacteria are present in coastal waters and infect more people between the warmer months of May and October. Most people become infected by eating raw or undercooked shellfish. The bacteria can also enter the body through open wounds exposed to brackish or salt water. People with weakened immune systems are particularly susceptible. Vibrio bacteria can cause diarrhea, abdominal cramping, nausea, vomiting, fever and chills. Vibrio causes about 80,000 illnesses and 100 deaths throughout the country each year. Source: CDC Advertisement According to family members, doctors said they believe he contracted the flesh-eating bacteria, or vibrio, although health officials have not confirmed that is the cause. There are about a dozen species of vibrio known to affect humans, and they live in brackish or salt water, according to the CDC. Most infections occur during the warmer months, and can make their way inside people's bodies through raw or undercooked seafood or exposed wounds. Two people in Galveston have been infected with the flesh-eating bacteria so far this year, KHOU reported. In 2015, there were a total of eight cases reported by the city's health department. Vibrio causes about 80,000 illnesses and 100 deaths throughout the country each year. Hospitals in England raked in more than 344million from parking fees in the last three years, a new report reveals today. NHS Foundation Trusts in England collected an average of 949,000 a year from parking operations. Trusts also issued 275,000 fines to patients and visitors worth 2.8million since 2013, according to new Freedom of Information research by leading motoring magazine Auto Express. This amounts to an average 8,200 a year income from penalty charges. Some of the most profitable hospital parking operations earned over 10m in the last three years from parking charges. The charges meted out to hospital patients and visitors were enough to make you sick and amounted to a tax on the ill, said critics. Derby Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (one of its car parks pictured) topped the list as the highest parking earner A quarter of hospitals diverting the money received into car park maintenance rather than patient care, said the report. The results emerge from answers to Freedom of Information requests received from 124 of the 160 NHS Trusts contacted across England. Derby Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust topped the list as the highest parking earner, collecting 10.8m since 2013. A spokesman for the trust told the magazine that the majority of the money collected from parking charges is spent on car park maintenance, but added: Any revenue remaining is reinvested into caring for our patients. Derby was followed by Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust at 10.33m, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust at just under 9.86m, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust at just under 9.4million, and Central Manchester NHS Foundation Trust at 8.9million. The most expensive standing charges for parking up to two hours were 3.50 levied by the Royal Surrey County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and The Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospital. The University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust charged 3.40 for up to 2 hours, Ashford and St Peters Hospitals 3.20 and North Bristol NHS Trust 3 for the same two hour period. One in seven (14%) of hospitals do not offer any parking exemptions for Blue Badge holders or long term or terminally ill patients, said the report. The highest level of fines were levied by University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust at more than 555,252 followed by the Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (245,422), London North West Healthcare NHS Trust (149,903), Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (146,940) and East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust (126,7570). Auto Express said: Our Freedom of Information request revealed that the majority of the car parks are owned and run by the NHS Trusts with the money raised diverted back to the hospitals. However, some are contracted out to parking operators like Indigo UK Services, APCOA Parking UK Ltd and CP Plus with a set management fee paid by the NHS Trust. Some operators also keep 100 per cent of the money raised from fines in hospital car parks. Derby Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (one of its car parks pictured) was followed by Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust at 10.33m, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust at just under 9.86m The Auto Express report noted: Hospitals differ vastly in the amount they charge for parking. Some set 3.50 as the standard tariff; others offer parking for as little as 60p while 14 per cent of trusts dont offer any concessions to Blue Badge holders or long-term and terminally ill patients. The Department of Health told the magazine that more than half of NHS hospitals offer free parking. But the Auto Express report said its own research found that free parking is only available for up to 30 minutes at most of these hospitals. And only four trusts in England dont levy a charge for parking. Katherine Murphy, chief executive of the Patients Association said: This is a tax on the ill. Going to hospital can be stressful and patients do not need further stress by having to worry about the cost of parking or about any fines they may incur. She also called on England to follow the lead of Scotland and Wales to scrap hospital parking charges. In Scotland parking has been free for patients, visitors and staff in all but three hospital car parks since 2009, while Wales has also opted not to charge for car park use. But moves to scrap hospital parking fees in England have previously been blocked by Parliament. Last year the British Parking Association (BPA) worked with the NHS to update its parking guidelines. Police are investigating allegations a security worker assaulted an animal rights protester at Belle Vue Greyhound Stadium. Footage captured outside the Gorton racecourse near Manchester appears to show a man taking a swipe at one demonstrator and then barging past another. Greater Manchester Police said they are looking into reports of an assault after an incident on Saturday, June 18. An animal activist (left) has claimed he was assaulted by a security guard at a greyhound racecourse (right) The activist, Michael James, walked away from the scene while demanding his right to protest The protest group say they had been at the ground for around 90 minutes and were about to leave when a security guard came over. Michael James, 35, was filming the worker when he says the man took a swing at him. He said: 'We had been at the racecourse for around an hour and a half and have been going there most Saturdays. We are a peaceful protest group who hand out leaflets to people explaining what happens to greyhounds. But the clearly frustrated security guard lashed out and pushed Mr James into the road Mr James covered his head in protection as the security guard lashed out 'Not all greyhounds make the cut to race and are killed. It's a really cruel and unnecessary industry and this is a last ditch attempt to make people aware of what they are supporting. 'So this particular Saturday the security officer came over and started ripping down our banners. I then tried to help him take them down to make sure they weren't damaged. 'He became aggressive and then walked towards me forcing me into the road. He then took a swing for my face. Luckily I was able to dodge it otherwise it would have knocked me out. I feared for my life at this point. The security guard then tore down their poster, while Mr James reminded him that he had filmed the incident 'He then went on to barge into a female in our group and knock her to the ground. 'It's totally unacceptable. What we are doing is not illegal and if he had asked us we would have moved away anyway. But he took it too far.' He said many of the group feared going back to the site. Michael, from Warrington, added: 'I will be going back. He had tried to intimidate us but that won't work for me.' He reported the incident to the police and showed them the footage. A Greater Manchester Police spokesman said: 'We have received a report of assault and investigations are ongoing. No arrests have been made at this stage.' A senior adviser to Turkeys president last night said David Cameron was his countrys chief supporter in its bid to join the European Union. In hugely embarrassing comments for the Prime Minister, Islamic hardliner Recep Erdogans top aide said he was shocked to hear Mr Cameron say he did not expect Turkey to join the EU for many years. Ilnur Chevik told BBC2s Newsnight: We are really flabbergasted! We thought Mr Cameron was our chief supporter for our quest in European Union membership. We felt that when we needed him, he was going to be there. A senior adviser to Turkeys president last night said David Cameron was his countrys chief supporter in its bid to join the European Union Turks felt that the British were the driving force behind our EU membership and that they were supporting us right to the hilt. But the way Mr Cameron put it he didnt believe anything, apparently, in our full membership. He was only deceiving us and he was just buying time. Mr Cameron has spent the referendum campaign playing down the prospect of Turkeys 77 million citizens getting free movement to the UK by joining up. In the first televised referendum debate, on Sky TV, he claimed that Turkey would not become a member of the EU until about the year 3000. During a later debate, on Question Time, he said: I cant find a single expert anywhere in the country or in Europe who thinks that Turkeys going to join the EU in the next three decades. Asked if he would veto Turkeys entry, Mr Cameron replied: Its not going to come up. Earlier this week, it emerged the British embassy in Ankara had a dedicated team working towards securing Turkeys EU membership. In Turkey two years ago, Mr Cameron said: In terms of Turkish membership of the EU, I very much support that. Thats a long-standing position of British foreign policy which I support. And in a speech at the Turkish parliament in Ankara in July 2010, Mr Cameron said: Im here to make the case for Turkeys membership of the EU. And to fight for it. Islamic hardliner Recep Erdogan's aide Ilnur Chevik told BBC2s Newsnight: We are really flabbergasted! We thought Mr Cameron was our chief supporter' In last nights referendum debate, Labour MP Gisela Stuart said: I would quite like the real David Cameron to step forward and tell us what the real policy on Turkey is. On the one hand he tells us [they will join] in the year 3000, or is it now 30 years, and on the other hand we are spending 1.9 billion of your money to accelerate accession of Turkey. Which David Cameron are we to believe? It came as Mr Cameron was accused of panicking after delivering an unexpected address outside No 10, urging older voters to put those who are yet to be born first. Leave campaigners said he breached the spirit of campaign rules that state he should not take advantage of Government buildings. They said if Mr Cameron wanted to argue the case for Britain staying inside the EU, he should have appeared in last nights Wembley debate, which he refused to attend. Star Trek actor Anton Yelchin reportedly died of his injuries less than a minute after he was pinned between his SUV and a security fence. The 27-year-old was found pinned against the gate of his home in Studio City, California, by his Jeep Grand Cherokee at around 1am on Sunday. The Jeep crushed his lungs and investigators believe he died within 60 seconds of the impact, sources told TMZ. Yelchin's death was ruled an accident by the Los Angeles medical examiner after an autopsy was performed on Sunday. Scroll down for video Star Trek actor Anton Yelchin (pictured) reportedly died of his injuries less than a minute after he was pinned between his SUV and a security fence Coroner's spokesman Ed Winter said the autopsy determined Yelchin died of blunt force asphyxia. But toxicology results will take months to analyse, Winter added. However, the actor had no history of drugs. No alcohol or prescriptions were found in the vehicle, according to TMZ. Police are investigating Yelchin's death after his 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee rolled down his driveway in Studio City, California, early on Sunday and pinned him against a brick mailbox pillar and a fence. Officer Jane Kim said the investigation will look into whether the actor's vehicle was in gear or in park at the time of the accident. It later emerged that Yelchin's SUV was being recalled because the gear shifters have confused drivers, causing the vehicles to roll away unexpectedly. The damaged gate at Anton Yelchin's home in Los Angeles, California, is seen after the accident Tributes were left at Yelchin's home in California after the 27-year-old actor's death on Sunday Most 2015 Grand Cherokees were part of a global recall of 1.1million vehicles announced by manufacturer Fiat Chrysler in April. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration urged the recall amid complains that drivers had difficulty telling if they had put the automatic transmissions in park. If they weren't in park and a driver left the vehicle, it could roll away. In a statement on Monday, Fiat Chrysler said it is also investigating and added that it is premature to speculate on the cause of the crash. 'Fiat Chrysler Automobiles US extends its deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Mr. Yelchin,' the Detroit-based corporation said, according to TheWrap. Most 2015 Grand Cherokees (above, file photo) were part of a global recall of 1.1million vehicles announced by manufacturer Fiat Chrysler in April 'The company will be conducting a thorough investigation of this tragic incident. It is premature to speculate on its cause at this time.' The actor had been in the midst of a growing career and was best known for playing Pavel Chekov in the rebooted Star Trek films. He started his acting career with parts in indie films and television shows such as Judging Amy and The Practice before getting his big break in 2006 crime thriller Alpha Dog. Yelchin will co-star in Paramount's 'Star Trek Beyond,' which is scheduled to have its world premiere in San Diego at Comic-Con on July 20, before it hits theaters on July 22. Premiering on Netflix in December is 'Trollhunters,' a family friendly animated series from Guillermo del Toro. Yelchin voices the show's main character, Jim, who discovers warring trolls living beneath his hometown. A window cleaner accused of sexually molesting a seven-year-old girl as he worked at her familys house after she returned from church has pleaded not guilty. Gregory John Vagg, 58, is on trial on two charges involving digital penetration of the girl in 2010 at her Hunters Hill home in Sydneys north shore. The girl and her mother had returned home after church where the workman had already begun cleaning the front outside windows on the day in question, prosecutor Gina ORourke SC told NSW District Court on Tuesday. Gregory John Vagg (pictured), 58, is on trial on two charges involving digital penetration of the girl in 2010 at her Hunters Hill home in Sydneys north shore 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. He put his hand in my pants and touched my wee, the girl said, according to Sydney Morning Herald. Vagg, 58, has pleaded not guilty in the NSW District Court (stock image) to two charges involving digital penetration of a seven-year-old girl 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. 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'. She would now be aged about 13. 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.' The trial is continuing. Police have launched an extensive search for the offender An 11-year-old girl was indecently assaulted by a man who broke into her bedroom while she was home alone. The man entered the Lake Tabourie house on the NSW South Coast and assaulted the girl between 8.45pm and 10pm on Tuesday, police said. The offender fled when the girl's mother drove into the driveway as she returned home. He remained on the run on Wednesday. Police have established a crime scene at a house after a man broke into a home and assaulted an 11-year-old girl A spokesperson for NSW police confirmed the man has not been found despite an extensive search of the area. The spokesperson said the mother was at a neighbour's place a short distance from the house when the man entered the property. A crime scene was established at the property and forensic officers also attended. Police are speaking with neighbours and searching for CCTV footage from the area. Detectives from the State Crime Commands Child Abuse Squad, with assistance from local police, are investigating the incident The man is described as being of a large build, and at the time of the incident, he was wearing a long dark-coloured coat. A man who had all four limbs amputated after contracting a bacterial infection has released incredible footage of himself playing blues on the guitar. Ripu Bhatia, 22, from Auckland in New Zealand, was rushed to emergency in June 2015 and placed into an induced coma for weeks after doctors diagnosed his condition as meningococcal septicaemia. When he awoke, he weighed just 30 kilograms and was missing his arms, legs and nose, Stuff.co.nz reported. Scroll down for video Ripu Bhatia (pictured), who had all four limbs amputated after contracting a bacterial infection has released incredible footage of himself playing blues on the guitar Mr Bhatia (pictured before contracting the disease) was rushed to emergency in 2015 and placed into an induced coma for weeks after doctors diagnosed his condition as meningococcal septicaemia Before the quad-amputation, Mr Bhatia was passionate about playing the guitar and has shared footage of himself continuing to play his favourite songs with a brand new technique. The 22-year-old props himself up on his thighs and strums the strings using plastic prosthetics strapped around his arms. 'My arms and legs are gone, my face distorted beyond repair. I guess in times like these you have to focus on what you can do rather than what you can't,' he said. 'I can still play guitar like a riot'. Before the amputation, Mr Bhatia's arms turned black and he was unable to move his legs, describing them as like 'shards of iron'. Mr Bhatia props himself up on his thighs and strums the strings using plastic bands strapped around his arm But after they were removed he felt even worse, becoming a recluse and staring at old photographs of his face. Mr Bhatia would also avoid mirrors and refused to accept he had become disabled. An image of a prominent Australian photographer holding a gun has been used to illustrate 'back yard shooting ranges in crowded residential neighbourhoods' on an American late-night talk show. A photo of Daniel Boud, chief photographer for Time Out Sydney, appeared on the show, seemingly photoshopped into an image of three children playing in a back yard, while he points a gun at them and grins evilly at the camera. But the original image, he is actually standing in a gun range during a holiday in 2008. Scroll down for video A photoshopped image of Sydney photographer Daniel Boud as used on American talk show 'Full Frontal with Samantha Bee' The original image of Mr Boud, which was taken in 2008 while on holiday in the U.S. and added to the Getty Images photo collection The show's host, Samantha Bee, was nearing the end of a seven-minute long tirade about the poor state of gun control in the U.S. When the image of Mr Boud appeared on the screen, Ms Bee said stopping people in Florida having 'back yard shooting ranges' was 'apparently something you have to tell Floridians not to do'. At the start of the item on 'Full Frontal with Samantha Bee', which gives a satirical view on current affairs, she explained she intended to make jokes about the issue to highlight the absurdity of the situation. During the video, the host slammed the responses to mass shootings in the U.S., and used Australian gun control following the Port Arthur massacre in 1996 as an example of how effective regulation was. Samantha Bee was addressing gun control in the U.S. following the Orlando nightclub shooting when she used the image of Mr Boud to highlight a point she was making Since then Prime Minister John Howard brought in the tough gun restrictions after the massacre, there have been no mass shootings in Australia. Mr Boud told News.com.au he was embarrassed. 'Its from a photo my wife took on a holiday in 2008, I shared it on Flickr and was invited by Getty to add it to their stock collection. So I knew there was potential for it to published but could never have imagined it would end up photoshopped into a story on a US talk show. 'I sympathise with the sentiment Samantha Bee expresses in the piece Im pro gun control, so I can handle being the visual butt of a joke in this case.' Daily Mail Australia has contacted Mr Boud for comment. He died on June 12, leaving behind fiancee and their two-year-old son Funeral on Tuesday drew police chief, mayor, and hundreds others who remembered him as a kind and humorous man Ekpayna was first Pearland police officer killed in nearly 40 years principal at an elementary school, faces a felony charge of intoxication manslaughter A funeral was held for a 30-year-old police officer who was killed in the line of duty, with his co-workers and fiancee gathering on Tuesday to commemorate the father-of-one. Endy Ekpayna, who served on the Pearland Police Department in Texas, was killed when a driver, now charged with felony intoxication manslaughter, struck his patrol car on June 12. Hundreds of friends and family gathered at Grace Community Church, exchanging anecdotes of Ekpayna that painted him as a kind, humorous, and beloved man. Scroll down for video A funeral was held for police officer Endy Ekpayna, who was killed in the line of duty, on Tuesday. Pictured, his fiancee Lucy Lugo clutching their two-year-old son Julian Ekpayna in front of his casket Endy Ekpayna (left) , who served on the Pearland Police Department in Texas, was killed when a driver, now charged with felony intoxication manslaughter, struck his patrol car on June 12 Ekpayna's aunt also remembered her nephew as a man who lifted the spirits of those around him. She said: 'You could not have a sad moment while Endy was around' (pictured, his toddler son) Ekpayna, who died just two days before his 31st birthday, was the first Pearland officer killed in the line of duty in nearly 40 years. Both the Pearland police chief and the mayor were in attendance, among hundreds of others. 'You hear a lot of people talk about Endy's infectious smile, but one of the things that I'll always remember is that he was the most respectable man I will ever come across,' said Ekpayna's supervisor, Sergeant Adam Carroll. Carroll said the police force was mourning the loss, but chose to share a laugh by telling a humorous anecdote. When the officers were on duty after a light rain brought on minor flooding, Carroll said Ekpayna turned up in the 'biggest, ugliest pair of rubber knee high water boots' to the amusement of his coworkers. Ekpayna's aunt also remembered her nephew as a man who lifted the spirits of those around him. She said: 'You could not have a sad moment while Endy was around.' Ekpayna, who died just two days before his 31st birthday, was the first Pearland officer killed in the line of duty in nearly 40 years Both the Pearland police chief and the mayor were in attendance, among hundreds of others. Pictured left, fellow police officers hugging after the funeral, and right, a folded flag presented to his family members Family members said Ekpayna, who had served on the police force for a year, was excited about fulfilling his dreams of becoming an officer. His fiancee chose to speak from her heart instead of reciting a prepared speech. She said: 'This is something you simply cannot prepare for. Amber Willemsen (pictured) has been charged with intoxication manslaughter 'The day he was pinned was the day we closed on our home.' Moving images from the ceremony show his fiancee hugging his two-year-old son in front of Ekpayna's casket, draped with an American flag. Amber Willemsen, 38, a former assistant principal at an elementary school in League City, Texas, was allegedly intoxicated when she slammed into Ekpayna's patrol car. The rookie officer was responding to a non-emergency call, and had to be extricated after the crash left his vehicle mangled. Ekpayna was airlifted to Memorial Hermann-The Texas Medical Center, where he later died. Court records cited by ABC reveal she was on bond for the possession of methamphetamine. Williamsen was also previously arrested for driving while intoxicated. Reichberg and another businessman spent more than $100,000 bribing NYPD officers in exchange for favors, US Attorney Preet Bharara said The jet cost $59,000 and Candi slept in Grant's room, the document states Grant and others 'took advantage of her services', according to indictment The prostitute was hired to spend the trip with Deputy Inspector James Grant, a detective friend and two businessmen in 2013, authorities said A high-end prostitute received $10,000 to accompany a high-ranking NYPD officer and one of his detective friends on a trip to Las Vegas, federal authorities said. The woman, who was named Candi according to DNA Info, was hired to accompany Deputy Inspector James Grant, his friend, two businessmen and two other people during a Super Bowl weekend getaway in 2013, the indictment states. One of the businessmen, according to the document, was Jeremy Reichberg, of Brooklyn, who now faces corruption charges along with Grant and NYPD Deputy Chief Michael Harrington. Reichberg and another businessman spent more than $100,000 bribing NYPD officers in exchange for favors, US Attorney Preet Bharara said Monday. Scroll down for video A high-end prostitute flew with NYPD Deputy Inspector James Grant (pictured Monday leaving Manhattan federal court in New York) to Las Vegas for a Super Bowl weekend getaway, authorities said NYPD Deputy Chief Michael Harrington (pictured leaving Manhattan federal court in New York on Monday) and Grant have been charged with accepting thousands of dollars worth of bribes Candi, a high-end prostitute, took off in the private jet with Grant, Reichberg and businessman Jona Rechnitz, who has pleaded guilty in the case and is now cooperating with authorities in the investigation, from Teterboro Airport in New Jersey, DNA Info reported. The group left on February 2, 2014 to and returned on February 4 on the private jet, which cost $57,000 according to the indictment. Candi told investigators that Grant and others had 'taken advantage of her services during the trip' and slept in Grant's room, the document states. Reichberg had offered to take Grant to Las Vegas for a Super Bowl weekend a month prior, authorities said. Authorities arrested Grant, 43, Harrington, 50 and Reichberg, 42, on Monday. All three now face one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, which carries a maximum term of 20 years in prison. Brooklyn businessman Jeremy Reichberg (pictured leaving Manhattan federal court in New York Monday) and another businessman spent more than $100,000 in gifts for Grant and Harrington, the indictment states Grant (pictured leaving court on Monday) accepted a two-night stay at a hotel in Rome worth more than $1,000, contracting work in his home worth about $12,000 and jewelry, the court papers state Meanwhile authorities said Harrington (pictured on Monday) accepted tens of thousands of dollars worth of private security work, hotel rooms in Chicago worth more than $6,000, and dinners worth thousands of dollars Reichberg and Rechnitz 'engineered a scheme to provide lavish benefits to high-ranking members of the NYPD' between 2012 and 2015, the US Attorneys Office said. Other gifts included a two-night stay at a hotel in Rome for Grant worth more than $1,000, contracting work in his home worth about $12,000 and jewelry, the court papers state. Meanwhile authorities said Harrington accepted tens of thousands of dollars worth of private security work for a company he helped manage unofficially, hotel rooms in Chicago for him and his family worth more than $6,000, and dinners worth thousands of dollars. In exchange, the indictment says, Grant and Harrington arranged police escorts for the two businessmen, diverted police resources to investigate their private matters and helped them get VIP access to parades and other events in New York City. Grant helped the two men avoid tickets after being pulled over by officers by giving them cards, authorities said. He also helped Reichberg to obtain a gun license from the NYPD and tried to do the same for Rechnitz, the US Attorney's Office said. NYPD Sergeant David Villanueva was also arrested on Monday and charged with receiving cash bribes to expedite and approve gun licenses. Authorities also unveiled the guilty plea of officer Richard Ochetal, who has pleaded guilty to accepting bribes in exchange for the approval of gun license applications and is now cooperating with investigation. Both Reichberg and Rechnitz have contributed heavily to Mayor de Blasio's campaign. The mayor hasn't been implicated in any wrongdoing. A man has pleaded guilty to the shooting murder of a teenager after a fight in a Sydney pub where they had watched a State of Origin game. Matthew James Perry, 23, entered his plea in the NSW Supreme Court on Wednesday just before his trial was due to start - on the same day another State of Origin match will be played. He had been accused of gunning down 18-year-old Jed Coates in a street near his home at Colyton in western Sydney late on June 18, 2014. Matthew James Perry, 23, has pleaded guilty to gunning down 18-year-old Jed Coates (pictured) in a western Sydney street after a fight in a pub where they had been watching State of Origin in 2014 Perry had been accused of gunning down 18-year-old Jed Coates in a street near his home at Colyton in western Sydney late on June 18, 2014 The pair had earlier been thrown out of the Colyton Hotel for fighting while watching the State of Origin. Mr Coates suffered a single gunshot wound to his neck. He was treated at the scene by paramedics before being taken to hospital where he died soon after. Court documents had earlier revealed that Perry took a taxi home and Mr Coates was waiting for him in his street armed with a shovel after they were thrown out of the pub. Jed Coates' distraught mother Julie Lowe declined to comment as she left the NSW Supreme Court on Wednesday on the first day of Matthew Perry's trial Jed Coates suffered a single gunshot wound to his neck when he was shot on June 18, 2014. He was treated at the scene by paramedics before being taken to hospital where he died soon after Mr Coates yelled 'shoot me, shoot me' before Perry shot him with a rifle. according to court documents. Perry was convicted by acting Justice Jane Mathews on Wednesday after he entered his guilty plea. The case has been adjourned to Friday for preliminary evidence on sentencing. Mr Coates' distraught mother Julie Lowe and other family members declined to comment as they left the court complex. The mother of a young boy with Down syndrome who was told he could no longer go to school with his twin brother has won a battle to keep them together. Ruth Christodoulou this week launched an online campaign after claiming her son Nixon, five, was being 'pressured' to leave Queensland's Peak Crossing State School because of his disability. The mother met with the Department of Education on Tuesday and was told the regional school will apply for funding to keep Nixon with his brother Bentley, reports 7 News. Scroll down for video Ruth Christodoulou has confirmed her son Nixon (left) will be allowed to stay at school with his twin brother Bentley (right) 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 Shown celebrating with her two sons, Ms Christodoulou confirmed the school has agreed to meet Nixon's needs. 'Fantastic news, we had meetings and Nixon's supports will be met.' She explained the significance of keeping together for the brothers, who share an incredibly close bond. 'They have always done everything together. They share a bond that is unquestionable.' The Department of Education and Training had said in a statement that there were instances when 'special schools best meet the needs of students with intellectual disability.' Nixon Christodoulou, five, started kindergarten at Peak Crossing State School in Ipswich, Queensland, last month with his twin brother Bentley. Nixon's twin brother Buckley (left), who was not born with Down syndrome, was told he was allowed to remain at the school Ms Christodoulou 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. '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.' 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. While she believes in special schools for certain children, she does not think it would be best for Nixon. Ruth (pictured with Nixon) said the little boy made friends and already had his motor skills and speech improve in classes A spokesperson from The Department of Education and Training had earlier 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. Daily Mail Australia have contacted Peak Crossing State School for comment. The mother met with the Department of Education on Tuesday and was told the regional school will apply for funding to keep Nixon with his brother Bentley A 23-year-old woman is being held and facing charges, after she allegedly stole a SUV that had two children in the backseat in California this week. The children's father entered a Valero gas station store on Monday morning in National City, with his children outside in his Nissan Rogue with the engine still running, KGTV reported. Scroll down for video The children's father entered a Valero gas station store on Monday morning in National City, with his children outside in his Nissan Rogue with the engine still running The woman, named locally as Alexis Mattier, approached the vehicle as the father was in the store The woman, named locally as Alexis Mattier, approached the vehicle as the father was in the store, according to the TV station. The children's father was leaving the store when he ran after the fleeing SUV - and headed back inside seeking assistance. 911 was called, and police soon pulled the SUV over, with the children unharmed. Store supervisor Claudia Vargas told KGTV: 'He was in shock, like crying and yelling, "Call 911! My kids are... this lady ran away with my kids in the car."' She said: 'So scary, it was creepy.' The children's father was leaving the store when he ran after the fleeing SUV - and headed into the store again seeking assistance 911 was called, and police soon pulled the SUV over, with the children UNHARMED Lt. Alex Hernandez with the National City Police Department told NBC San Diego: 'We're talking about leaving a car running unlocked. 'It poses a lot of dangers - I mean, this is a great example of it. 'Take time. Show up five minutes earlier, take your kids out with you.' Mattier is being held in the Las Colinas Detention Facility, online jail records show. Miguel said Mateen was attracted to Latinos but felt rejected by them Miguel said Mateen recently discovered a Puerto Rican gay man he'd had a threesome with was HIV-positive, told Miguel he would 'make them pay' But he 'refused to take any selfies', told him 'his wife knew he was gay' A man claiming to be the Orlando shooter's lover says Omar Mateen was livid after discovering he'd had sex with an HIV-positive man. The Hispanic gay man, identified only as Miguel, told Univision he met Omar Mateen on Grindr before they became 'friends with benefits', meeting up 20 times at a hotel in Orlando, Florida. Miguel described Mateen as a confused gay man and a heavy drinker who was attracted to - but felt rejected by - Latinos. He believes Mateen's massacre on Pulse nightclub's Latin Night was an attempt at 'revenge' after discovering that one of the two Puerto Rican gay men he'd had a threesome with was HIV-positive. Speaking in fluent Spanish and broken English, Miguel said that despite tests coming up negative, Mateen feared not enough time had passed for an accurate result, and he wanted to 'make them pay'. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO 'Tryst': The Hispanic gay man, identified only as Miguel, told Univision he met Omar Mateen on Grindr before they became 'friends with benefits', meeting up 20 times at a hotel. His identity has been disguised with a mask 'The thing that makes me want to tell the truth is that he didnt do it for terrorism,' Miguel told Univision's Maria Elena Salinas. 'In my opinion he did it for revenge.' Before the massacre, Miguel insists, Mateen seemed 'adorable' and 'sweet', adding that they often had oral sex and that Mateen 'loved to be cuddled... he loved to be embraced'. Their first date, he said, was at a bar in Orlando called Parliament. 'It was like any other date,' he recounts. Every other meeting was at the city's Ambassador hotel, where they met 15 to 20 times between October and December 2015. Univision said a representative for the hotel confirmed that Omar Mateen was a familiar face, and that he stayed at the hotel at least 63 times last year. The FBI has obtained CCTV footage from the hotel, Univision reports. Miguel said Mateen lashed out when he once tried to take selfies in bed, forcing him to put his phone down. The 29-year-old eventually revealed to him that he was married with one child, he says. After an argument, he says, Mateen apologized to him - then told him his wife knew about his gay trysts. Miguel claims Omar Mateen fostered a deep hatred for his own sexuality and for Puerto Rican gay men Pulse is where Mateen could inflict the most damage against the people he felt rejected by, Miguel said The 29-year-old eventually revealed to Miguel that he was married with one child, he says. After an argument, he says, Mateen apologized to him - then told him his wife (pictured) knew about his gay trysts Asked if Mateen's father knew he was gay, Miguel said he couldn't be sure but he thought so. During their casual relationship, Miguel says, Mateen spoke about Islam, describing it as 'a beautiful religion in which everyone is welcome - gays, trans, bisexuals, heteros, everyone.' But it became clear that Mateen fostered a deep hatred for his own sexuality and for Puerto Rican gay men. 'He hated Puerto Rican gays for all the bad stuff they did,' Miguel said. 'Pulse is where he felt used, rejected,' he added. 'He was always there and he was there because he liked Latinos and he was attracted to dark skin. But sadly, from what he told me, he felt used. 'He felt anger, a lot of anger towards Puerto Ricans.' Miguel said he has reported his entire story to the FBI, and is currently being interrogated by federal officers. Univision disguised the man's identity with a prosthetic mask and altered the tone of his voice. 'First date': This bar, which now has an Orlando solidarity sign outside, is where Miguel says he met Mateen At a time when the Northern Territory is trying to attract backpackers to the region a remote pub and caravan park there is refusing to employ any at all. The Bark Hut Inn, which is 90 minutes southeast of Darwin, is no longer hiring backpackers to work at the venue preferring instead to use the Australian labour force at its disposal, reports the ABC. Derrin Broad took over the ownership of the establishment a few months ago and introduced the new directive. The Bark Hut Inn, which is 90 minutes southeast of Darwin, no longer hires backpackers to work He has since hired all his staff from South Australia, but they weren't complete strangers. Mr Broad asked a dozen of his friends and family from Edithburgh, a small town on South Australia's Yorke Peninsula, to join him and help him run his business at the remote location. They are full-time, permanent staff not backpackers who come and go through the area. Mr Broad wanted to establish some familiarity among his customers, and he could only do that by employing permanent staff. The bar's owner has since hired all his staff from South Australia instead of backpackers The remote Northern Territory pub Bark Hut Inn is located deep in the Top End 'We don't want to have the backpackers,' he said. 'These guys [staff] will be here for a while and you feel good when you walk into somewhere and they know you and you immediately want to stay.' The roadhouse services tourists travelling to Kakadu National Park, and until now has regularly employed backpackers that have been passing through the isolated area. The landmark roadhouse services tourists travelling to Kakadu National Park Mr Broad's decision however flies in the face of promotional campaigns aimed at attracting backpackers to the Top End. One was to attract adventurous backpackers holidaying in Bali to 'Add-on Darwin' in a $370,000 campaign. It was funded earlier this year through the Tourism NT international marketing budget, reports NT News. Chief Minister of the Northern Territory Adam Giles had said the aim was to attract more visitors to the Top End. Advertisement A family home has been declared unliveable after vandals poured paint, bleach and cat poo through the house, slashed family photos, electrocuted the pet fish and rubbed eggs into bare mattresses. Parents-of-two Chad and Danielle had been away for the weekend with their two daughters, aged 14 and six, when they returned to the Palmwoods home had been turned upside down. The word 'Americ**t' had been carved into a dresser, with the parents suspecting the vandalism was an escalation of bullying their girl has suffered at a Sunshine Coast school, Chad told Daily Mail Australia. Parents-of-two Danielle and Chad had been away for the weekend with their two daughters, aged 14 and six, when they returned to the Palmwoods home to find it completely destroyed Their expensive mattresses had to be thrown out after raw eggs were crushed into them. Sofas were thrown out after they were slashed with knives (pictured) A photograph of Chad's grandparents including of his grandmother the family took care of who has recently passed away was slashed with a knife (pictured) Their X-Box and WII were thrown into the fish tank (pictured), killing the pets by electrocution Graffiti also referenced the Orlando Pulse shooting. The two daughters and mother are US citizens and moved to Australia about four-and-a-half years-ago. 'The bullying has just gotten bad, and wow, I'm kind of speechless. I'm running out of words,' Chad said. He said the bullying she's suffered has escalated since then, with the parents claiming to have repeatedly gone back and forth between the school, police and the bus company. Queensland Police confirmed to Daily Mail Australia they are speaking with two juveniles over the allegations. Graffiti in a room also said 'sl**' and 'w****', Chad said. 'Americ***t' was written in one of the bedroom's wall in the Friday night vandalism The word 'Americ**t' (pictured) had been carved into a dresser, with the parents suspecting the vandalism was an escalation of bullying their girl has suffered at a Sunshine Coast school Graffiti in one of the bedrooms also said 'sl**' and 'w****' (pictured), Chad said Pictured: damage caused to the Sunshine Coast home, where paint and bleach was poured Shower and sink taps were taken off and paint was smeared on the bathroom walls The taps were taken off the bathroom sink and paint was splattered over the walls Pictured: paint poured over a bathroom floor at Danielle and Chad's rental home where they lived with their two daughters The vandalism was at the 'higher level' of property damage, a QLD Police spokesman told Daily Mail Australia 'Maliciously tipping a used cat box throughout my daughter's bed [as well as using] eggs and milk,' Chad told Daily Mail Australia. The vandals had tipped their pet cat's used kitty litter, leaving faeces throughout. 'They meticulously went through every item of clothing in the house and tipped paint and bleach through it.' The father said there were 'bags and bags and bags' of clothes being thrown into a skip bin, while their expensive mattresses had to be thrown out after raw eggs were crushed into them. Sofas were thrown out after they were slashed with knives. The house has been declared unliveable because of paint and bleach fumes poured throughout the home in vandalism on Friday night When the family returned from a weekend away, they found their Palmwoods home completely destroyed The father estimated tens-of-thousands of dollars worth of damage was done. They do not have contents insurance Their X-Box and WII were thrown into the fish tank, killing the pets by electrocution. Shower and basin taps were also taken off, with paint and bleach fumes making the home unliveable. Paint also damaged their televisions. A photograph of Chad's grandparents including of his grandmother the family took care of who has recently passed away was slashed with a knife in the vandalism. The family have lost everything, and did not have contents insurance leaving them out of pocket in the tens of thousands. The family-of-four won't return to the rental property, and and their eldest daughter will be placed in a new high school. 'And our eldest certainly doesn't want to come back here. She's very, very angry and very upset - as we all are. 'They meticulously went through every item of clothing in the house and tipped paint and bleach through it,' Chad said The family-of-four said they won't return to the rental property, and will also put their daughter in a new high school The father said there were 'bags and bags and bags' of clothes being thrown into a skip bin out the front of the home Thankfully, their landlord has been generous with the family, while other locals and businesses have offered a hand, the father said Thankfully, their landlord has been generous with the family, while other locals and businesses have offered a hand, the father said, with one offering free storage while the family finds a new home. Queensland Police confirmed the incident and said they are speaking with two juveniles. However, no arrests have been made and a motive has not been determined. The vandalism was at the 'higher level' of property damage, a QLD Police spokesman told Daily Mail Australia. 'There was all sorts of damage caused to the house and graffiti throughout the home,' the spokesman said. Paint also damaged their televisions. Fumes from paint and bleach has made the home unliveable The parents suspect the vandalism was the result of escalated bullying their daughter has suffered at a Sunshine Coast school Queensland Police confirmed the incident and said they are speaking with two juveniles. However, no arrests have been made and a motive has not been determined (pictured: Chad and Danielle in the vandalised home) The Queensland Education Department confirmed the school had been 'working closely and extensively with the Watt family over a number of months to resolve their concerns'. 'Bullying is not tolerated in Queensland state schools,' the statement provided to Daily Mail Australia said. 'Every student has the right to learn in a positive, safe and caring environment where they can reach their full potential.' Anyone with information which could assist police in their investigation are urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Children struggling with bullying should call Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800. The father said the vandals 'maliciously' tipped the family cat's used kitty litter throughout one of the bedrooms The family cat's poo was littered throughout one of the bedrooms The graffiti referenced the Orlando Pulse massacre. The mother and two daughters are US citizens who moved to Australia about four-and-a-half years-ago The word 'd***' was also repeatedly written throughout one of the bedrooms Other graffiti included the words: 'Co** lovers go home.' The word is a racist slur against Indigenous Australians. Chad had no idea why the words were written on their walls The vandalism was at the 'higher level' of property damage, a QLD Police spokesman told Daily Mail Australia The family were forced to throw out sofas and expensive mattresses after vandals poured bleach and paint on them The mattresses and couches were also slashed in the vandalism - along with family photos The family had been away for the weekend when they returned home to find their property had been vandalised The vandalism was at the 'higher level' of property damage, a QLD Police spokesman told Daily Mail Austral 'There was all sorts of damage caused to the house and graffiti throughout the home,' a QLD police spokesperson said Paint and bleach was poured throughout the family home in the vandalism on Friday night Police confirmed they have made no arrests and are yet to determine a motive for the vandalism Chad said none of their clothes were spared when the vandals poured bleach and paint over them 'The bullying has just gotten bad, and wow, I'm kind of speechless. I'm running out of words,' Chad said 'Our eldest certainly doesn't want to come back here. She's very, very angry and very upset - as we all are,' the father said Advertisement A newlywed couple certainly had a wedding day to remember after a rattlesnake bit the groom while they were taking photos by a picturesque reservoir. Laura Loretz, 33, and Johnny Benson, of Fort Collins, Colorado, got married at St. Joseph's Catholic Church on Monday afternoon. Then, along with their bridal party, they headed to the Horsetooth Reservoir to take some pictures before making their way to their reception. While the bridal party went to the reception venue, Johnny, 44, stayed behind to get the perfect shot at sunset with his new wife. As their wedding photographer took pictures of the couple walking hand in hand along a trail, Johnny was bitten on his ankle - but after a quick stop at the hospital, they made it to their wedding reception to dance the night away with their guests. Once bitten, twice shy! A newlywed couple certainly had a day to remember after a rattlesnake bit the groom while they took photos For better or worse: Laura Loretz and Johnny Benson got married on Monday before heading to Horsetooth Reservoir to take pictures 'All of a sudden it was like someone kicked me in the shin,' he told the Denver Post. 'Then I looked over and saw the snake sitting there, and it was rattling.' A Larimer County park ranger soon came to their aid and the groom was taken to Poudre Valley Hospital to be treated for the bite. Fortunately, it was a 'dry bite' meaning no venom was injected so after a tetanus shot, the couple made it to their evening reception. Laura described the incident as 'pretty epic'. 'It was scary for a minute,' she told the Post. 'Once we got to the emergency room, it was super, super fast.' The experience was thrilling for their wedding photographer Maddie Mae, who continued clicking away after the bite and while they waited for help to arrive. She said she can't believe a church wedding in her hometown became 'her craziest wedding story to date'. 'As an adventure wedding photographer, I often wade in chest-high water, hike into jungles in Costa Rica, or go on 10-mile hikes with couples on their wedding day,' she said. 'I never would have guessed that my only indoor church wedding this year, in my home town, would actually become the biggest adventure, and my craziest wedding story to date.' His lucky day! Fortunately, the snake bite was not venomous so Laura and Johnny were able to make it to their wedding reception together Memorable: The couple, who were engaged in March last year, had stayed behind after the wedding party left to take couple shots Help is on the way! A park ranger soon came to their aid and the groom was taken to Poudre Valley Hospital to be treated for the bite One for the books: 'It was scary for a minute,' Laura said of their dramatic day. 'Once we got to the emergency room, it was super fast' Mae said they had been just 50 feet from the parking lot by the reservoir when the rattlesnake bit Johnny on the ankle, so they tried to flag down a park ranger who was driving by. 'All three of us started waving furiously at him. He rolls down the window and we yelled, "He just got bit by a rattlesnake." The ranger, obviously not hearing what we said, yelled back, "congratulations",' Mae said. Eventually, the ranger got the message and helped the groom lay down and keep his leg elevated as they waited for paramedics to arrive. 'Not knowing if the rattler had injected venom, the initial prognosis was pretty dire,' she added. At best, Johnny would need to be in hospital for several hours for the bite to be assessed or, at worst, if he needed anti-venom treatment, he was facing a hospital stay of several days. 'Shortly after we got there, it was determined that no venom had been injected and Johnny still had no swelling or no symptoms. The people at in the ER at Poudre Valley Hospital then became the heroes as they made it the world's shortest ER visit in history,' she said. The newlyweds were back in their photographer's car and driving to their reception in less than 20 minutes, where they were greeted by 184 cheering guests. 'I've never seen such a emotional grand entrance as all 184 guests cheered when Johnny and Laura walked in, and showered them in a sea of passionate hugs,' Mae added. 'I admire Laura and Johnny so much for staying calm, and holding each other's hand through the first great test of their brand new marriage. The whole reception was filled with laughs, smiles, and jokes about it being a typical 'Johnny Benson' wedding experience. 'The whole situation was so surreal, and I couldn't really help in any way except continue to do my job and capture the story of their wedding day.' Dramatic: A park ranger helped the groom lay down and keep his leg elevated as the couple waited for paramedics to arrive Where are the bride and groom? Guests at the wedding had 'freaked out' when the couple didn't arrive at their reception, a friend said Almost there: Adventure wedding photographer Maddie Mae couldn't believe her only church wedding of the year became a 'crazy story' Meanwhile, guests at the wedding had 'freaked out' when the couple didn't arrive at their reception, Johnny's friend Nowell Vincent told The Coloradoan. Vincent says the groom is known for 'notorious' moments but it appears in this case, his friends may have been the ones who tempted fate. While taking pictures at the reservoir, they had joked about rattlesnakes shortly before the groom was bit. Meanwhile, the Odell Brewing Company, where Johnny works as a brewer, congratulated the couple and promised to work on a new drink called the 'Snake Bite Benson.' 'If rain on your wedding day is good luck, a snake bite guarantees true love forever,' the company said on Facebook. 'We're glad the groom could still dance the night away. Our 'Snake Bite Benson' recipe is already in the works.' Johnny and Laura, a teacher, met in 2008 but only went on their first date after four years of friendship. They got engaged in March last year while visiting Sayulita, Mexico. 'A search at customs revealed an engagement ring box in Johnny's suitcase,' the couple wrote on their wedding website. 'For 24 hours, we awkwardly avoided talking about what had happened at customs until he finally asked of course the answer was yes!' Good luck charm! 'If rain on your wedding day is good luck, a snake bite guarantees true love forever,' Johnny's employer said No harm done: After the quickest hospital visit , the newlyweds were back in their photographer's car and driving to their reception A former senior officer at HMAS Leeuwin claims he had no knowledge of alleged abuse between recruits, but said he would have considered the act of rubbing boot polish on each other's genitals as 'a rite of initiation'. Geoffrey Curran spoke at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse in Sydney on Wednesday and described the horrific evidence given by five former naval base recruits as 'gut wrenching'. However, the ex-divisional officer told the commission the demeaning language used by the recruits to describe each other in the 1960s and '70s was just 'boys being boys'. Former senior officer at HMAS Leeuwin Geoffrey Curran (pictured) told the Royal Commission the demeaning language used by the recruits to describe each other in the 1960s and 70s was just 'boys being boys' and alleged sex abuse was a 'rite of initiation' The commission heard the new intakes were called 'new grubs' and the most senior were dubbed 'top s***s'. Mr Curran, who was in charge of the welfare of the recruits at the time, said he received no complaints of abuse while at HMAS Leeuwin, The Sydney Morning Herald reported. 'There would have been talk of some incidents but I was never directly involved in any complaint or investigation,' he said. The former senior officer said the Australian culture 40 years ago was much different than today and recruits did not dob on each other to their supervisors. Justice Peter McClellan then asked Mr Curran if it was part of Australian culture to keep quiet when another recruit 'attacked your anus with an implement'. He asked Mr Curran if that behaviour was down to 'boys being boys'. The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse started its examination into the ADF's handling of abuse allegations across the navy, army and airforce in Sydney on Tuesday Geoffrey Curran spoke at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse in Sydney on Wednesday 'I was forced to suck another recruit's penis or lick a junior recruit's anus. This was often after another recruit who had been buggered by an older recruit and ejaculated into,' a man told the hearing on Tuesday On Tuesday, survivors of the alleged abuse told the commission there was a 'culture of abuse' and secrecy in defence force facilities across the country. They said teenage recruits subjected vile sexual, emotional and physical abuse at the hands of senior officers, according to The Sydney Morning Herald. The commission heard 15-year-old cadet Eleanore Tibble was driven to commit suicide after the ADF threatened her with a dishonourable discharge because she had a sexual relationship with a 30-year-old instructor. Her mother Susan Campbell was among the 111 people who contacted the commission about the ADF as they failed to tell her daughter the 'fraternisation' charges were being dropped. A former Navy cadet who served at the Leeuwin base, in Perth's south, in 1967 told the commission he was 'repeatedly' dragged to an oval, raped and forced to perform oral sex on his fellow recruits. The commission heard that 15-year-old Eleanore Tibble was driven to commit suicide after the ADF threatened her with a dishonourable discharge because she had a sexual relationship with a 30-year-old instructor Her mother Susan Campbell was among the 110 people who contacted the commission about the ADF 'I was forced to suck another recruit's penis or lick a junior recruit's anus. This was often after another recruit who had been buggered by an older recruit and ejaculated into,' the man who was given the pseudonym CJA told the hearing. ABOUT HMAS LEEUWIN The navy training base in Fremantle operated from 1960 to 1984 More than 13,000 boys between 15 and 16 were trained there A 1971 inquiry found bullying and physical abuse were not systemic It found the officers who ran HMAS Leeuwin were upstanding men But, the 2014 Defence Abuse Response Taskforce Inquiry received 2400 abuse complaints, most being from the navy on a per capita basis 27 per cent of DART complainants were children at time of abuse It found alcohol and drugs a factor in abuse, and ADF's institutional culture did not support reporting abuse Advertisement 'Other times I was forced to have anal intercourse with junior recruits or I was raped by another junior recruit who was directed to so by the older recruits or base staff,' he added. CJA also told the commission he was afraid to complain after witnessing a chef ejaculate into an officer's food before it was presented to him. Graeme Frazer, who survived horrendous abuse when he was 16 the same naval training base said it took 36 years before the Navy and the Department of Defence acknowledged the systemic abuse. Mr Frazer said the abuse, which included being knocked unconscious while being forced to run a gauntlet, caused him lifelong physical and psychological damage. He said he was also subjected to a painful initiation ritual known as 'nuggeting' which involves being held down while his genitals were smeared with boot polish and scrubbed with a hard bristled brush. Mr Frazer said he twice reported the abuse to a senior officer at Leeuwin but was told it was a 'rite of passage in the real Navy'. The hearing is continuing. The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse started its examination into the ADF's handling of abuse allegations across the navy, army and airforce in Sydney on Tuesday Federal Labor frontbenchers rubbed shoulders with an anti-gay sheikh at a pre-Ramadan function - just weeks before the Prime Minister controversially hosted the cleric at a feast. Malcolm Turnbull last week condemned Sheikh Shady Alsuleiman while he dined at the first ever Kirribilli House Iftar (breaking of the fast) dinner. It came after a 2013 video emerged which showed the Sheikh condemning homosexuality for 'spreading diseases' and claiming Allah 'sends' diseases like HIV and AIDS to sinful people. Just weeks before the PM's dinner, former ministers Tony Burke and Jason Clare smiled for a picture with Alsuleiman at a small event held at the Mufti's office. Smile: Labor frontbenchers Tony Burke (first from left) and Jason Clare (second from right) smile for a photo with the Dr Ibrahim Abu Mohammed, Sheikh Shady Alsuleiman (right). Also pictured: Labor MLC Sophia Cotsis Mr Burke and Mr Clare were attending a pre-Ramadan function with senior members of the Islamic community Malcolm Turnbull condemned the views of an anti-gay preacher Sheik Shady Alsuleiman (pictured) An attendee, former Canterbury Council deputy mayor Karl Saleh, said of the Sheikh: 'He's a friend with all politicians'. Held in the last fortnight of May, the event was described as a 'parliamentary delegation' by a community Facebook page and a 'pre-Ramadan breakfast' by attendee Bilal El-Hayak. WHAT SHEIKH SHADY ALSULEIMAN SAID IN APRIL 2013 VIDEO 'If people commit the fahisha, the evil deed, the evil action in the open and people do it in the public, the prophet said... Allah will send on them diseases... Allah will send on them diseases the have never experienced before. 'If they commit zina (unlawful sexual conduct) and they... do zina in the open Allah will send on them diseases they have never experienced before. 'What's the most common disease these days? HIV, AIDS, that's so common, and there's no cure to it. 'And when did it exist? Just decades ago. And more diseases are coming. Most of the diseases these days if you speak to a doctor... the most terrifying diseases come from what? From sexual activities... Also homosexuality that's spreading all these diseases. 'Let's not deny the fact, don't call it the name of freedom. Don't talk about the freedom of action... these are evil actions that bring upon evil outcomes to our society. 'The prophet Allah, 14 centuries ago, he made it clear and he spoke about whenever [unlawful sexual relations] is spread in a society diseases will be set upon them.' Advertisement Mr El-Hayak posted online: 'Had a great time at the pre Ramadan breakfast this morning organized by the Grand Mufti Dr Ibrahim Abu Mohamed and Sheikh Shady Alsuleiman'. Mr Burke, the manager of Opposition business, and Mr Clare, the party's communications spokesman, were joined by Labor officials and community representatives. Asked whether Mr Burke and Mr Clare were aware of the Sheikh's views at the time, a Labor campaign spokesman told Daily Mail Australia: 'No'. The spokesman declined to comment further, as did Beth Rich, a representative for the Grand Mufti. After Mr Turnbull criticised the Sheikh's views as 'wrong' and 'unacceptable' last Friday, Labor leader Bill Shorten told reporters: 'I have no plans to meet the particular sheikh youre referring to. 'And if I do so in the future, being aware of his views now, I will tell him that his views are out of line with mainstream Australian thinking full stop'. Following Mr Turnbull's dinner, Sheikh Alsuleiman issued a statement saying there is no place for discrimination. 'I unequivocally reject the claim that I called for the stoning or any form of punishment of adulterers and/or homosexuals. 'As an Australian and a Muslim I unreservedly condemn the vilification and oppression of any group of people based on race, religion, gender, sexuality, or any other criteria for that matter. 'Islam's position on the matter is clear like many other religions however Islam espouses there is no compulsion in religion and diversity is the norm. 'As Australians we have and will always show mutual respect for one another. During the dinner at Kirribilli House, Mr Turnbull shared a laugh with The Project host Waleed Aly and his wife, the writer and academic Susan Carland It was the first ever Iftar - or 'breaking of the fast' dinner - to be hosted by an Australian prime minister 'There is absolutely no place for homophobia or any sort of hatred or discrimination towards a person who identifies at LGBTI. 'I believe all Australians, Muslim and non-Muslim, have and will continue to campaign against any form of hatred or discrimination in our society'. The Sheikh has since shared a 'good video' on his Facebook page which explained: 'Sheikh Shady stated that in Islam homosexuality is a sin and he said that in a video that was uploaded a few years ago. 'Now let's be clear about something. Homosexuality is indeed prohibited in Islam. Homosexuality is impermissible in Islam as a fact'. 'So Sheikh Shady didn't decide this himself, nor did he make it up, he's just explaining what Islam teaches about homosexuality'. Event attendee Mr Saleh said the Sheikh was a 'man of peace and harmony - a moderate person'. However, the event was overshadowed when controversy erupted over Sheikh Alsuleiman's past comments A wealthy New York landlord accused of running a $45million fraud scheme that involved driving residents out of their rent-stabilized apartments is close to reaching a plea agreement, his attorney said. Steven Croman, 49, appeared at the Manhattan Supreme Court on Tuesday with his lawyer Ben Brafman, who said he hoped to 'resolve this matter by the next court appearance.' Both Croman and his employee Barry Swartz, 53, with whom he filed false paperwork to land millions in loans, face numerous counts of grand larceny, scheme to defraud, among other charges. Scroll down for video Steven Croman, 49, appeared at the Manhattan Supreme Court on Tuesday (pictured) with his lawyer Ben Brafman, who said he was close to reaching a plea agreement in the $45million fraud scheme case A grand jury found Croman and his employee Swartz, had filed false paperwork inflating their rent income between 2012 to 2014 to land $45 million in fraudulent loans. Pictured, Steven Croman and his wife Harriet Croman (center, with mortgage broker Barry Swartz, left on May 9) was also slapped with a civil lawsuit accusing him of paying a police officer-turned-PI to intimidate tenants to leave their rent-controlled apartments The 49-year-old, dubbed the Bernie Madoff of landlords, bought 140 buildings in Manhattann and converted them into expensive market-rate properties after allegedly driving out tenants in rent-controlled apartments The attorney said: 'We are working diligently to try and resolve this matter on a global basis and hope to be able to do so by the next court appearance,' the New York Post reported. A grand jury found Croman and his employee Swartz, had inflated their rent income between 2012 to 2014 to land $45 million in fraudulent loans. Croman was also slapped with a civil lawsuit, accused of paying a police officer-turned-PI Anthony Falconite to intimidate tenants into leaving their rent-controlled apartments. The 49-year-old, dubbed the Bernie Madoff of landlords, bought 140 buildings in Manhattan's gentrifying areas in recent years. He then converted the rent-stabilized apartments into expensive properties after driving working-class and low-income families out of their longtime homes, according to the office of State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. Under New York City law, a landlord can only raise the rent on a rent-controlled apartment if the tenants willfully leave and the property requires substantial renovations. Residents in the once-gritty, now-gentrified Lower East Side and uptown's Spanish Harlem have been pressured to move out of their homes for small cash pay-offs, authorities claim. In May, his success streak came to a halt as he was arrested at dawn then sat handcuffed in court It was also revealed that while allegedly running the fraud scheme, Croman held massive parties in the Hamptons attracting celebrities including Scott Disick, the ex-partner of Kourtney Kardashian. According to Page Six, Croman and his wife Harriet turned their rental property in Bridgehampton into Studio 54 in 2013. The disco band Chic performed at the party, which included fake lines of cocaine and pills for guests. The year after, they recreated Hugh Hefner's Playboy mansion, and created a grotto swimming pool. The couple also own their own $5.5million house in upmarket Sagaponack and are said to be carrying out a raft of renovations, including a basement and rooftop swimming pool. The charges: The attorney general displayed the charges against Croman as a warning in May 'Paid a cop': Croman (left) was also slapped with a civil lawsuit, accused of paying a police officer-turned-PI Anthony Falconite (right) to intimidate tenants into leaving their rent-controlled apartments Croman was released from police custody in May after posting $500,000 cash bail. Swartz, who is charged with 15 felonies, posted $250,000 bail. Attorney General Eric Schneiderman previously slammed Croman as 'unscrupulous' during a May court appearance. 'My message to unscrupulous landlords is simple: if you put your own profits over your tenants legal protections, we will investigate you and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law,' Schneiderman said in a statement. 'My office will not tolerate anyone who attempts to line their own pockets by gaming the system. 'No one is above the law no matter how rich or powerful.' Croman and Swartz have both pleaded not guilty. Residents in the once-gritty, now-gentrified Lower East Side have been pressured to move out of their homes for small cash pay-offs, authorities claim. Pictured: 134 Orchard Street, one of Croman's properties In March, Croman's son Jake (pictured) made headline news for verbally abusing an Uber driver and calling him a 'minimum wage f*****' There is even a website and a support group for the thousands of affected tenants, with a complete list of all Croman's properties. In March, Croman's son made headline news for abusing an Uber driver. Jake Croman, a member of the Tau Kappa Epsilon chapter at the University of Michigan, verbally abused an Uber driver. These are the three politicians to make Hillary Clinton's shortlist for a running mate, reports claim. Julian Castro of Texas, the current Housing and Urban Development Secretary, is a rising star in the Democrat Party - and could provide a crucial boost in the bid to win Latino voters. Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren is a favorite of progressives, and a thorn in Donald Trump's side, regularly engaging in Twitter spats with the GOP candidate. The third potential VP is Virginia Senator Tim Kaine, Democrats told the Associated Press. Kaine is a well-liked lawmaker from an important general election battleground state. Though some other names have been bandied around, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, Clinton's toughest primary rival, is not on the shortlist, according to one Democrat. The final three are now being lined up for interviews to be vetted by Clinton's team, sources say. Bright spark: Julian Castro (pictured), 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 put him in his cabinet Female liberal: Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren (pictured) is a favorite of progressives, and a thorn in Donald Trump's side, regularly engaging in Twitter spats with the presumptive Republican candidate To reach this batch, 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, who 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. A safe bet? Tim Kaine (pictured), a former Virginia governor who previously headed the Democratic National Committee, is well-liked within the party, is more moderate than Warren and could appeal to swing voters Warren, Kaine and Castro represent the two schools of thinking about the running mate pick that has 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 has been vague in describing her thinking about picking a running mate. Malcolm Turnbull has come under fire from conservative Senator Cory Bernardi after the Prime Minister answered a question about 'homophobia' in the Government. During an appearance on ABC's Q&A on Monday, Mr Turnbull was asked whether comments made by Bernardi and fellow Coalition member George Christensen about bestiality and the Safe Schools program were 'any more abhorrent' than homophobic remarks made by Islamic preacher sheik Shady Alsuleiman. 'The key to our success is mutual respect. That is the foundation of our success as the great, diverse, multicultural nation that we are the most successful multicultural nation in the world,' Mr Turnbull said. Malcolm Turnbull has come under fire from conservative Senator Cory Bernardi (pictured) after the Prime Minister answered a question about 'homophobia' in the Government He went on to add he has had 'firm discussions' with some of his Coalition colleagues. Mr Bernardi denied being homophobic in his weekly newsletter, while adding he believes it is 'foolish' to think allowing marriage equality would not lead to further changes to the marriage act. 'An audience member sought to challenge the 'homophobia' within the Coalition, once again without providing any evidence, instead choosing to deliberately misrepresent my previous statements that redefining marriage to include same-sex couples will only lead to further calls for other changes down the track,' the Senator wrote. 'It's the lived experience overseas and we'd be foolish to think it wouldn't happen here too. Mr Bernardi (pictured) denied being homophobic in his weekly newsletter, while adding he believes it is 'foolish' to think allowing marriage equality would not lead to further changes to the marriage act During an appearance on ABC's Q&A, Mr Turnbull (pictured) was asked if comments made by Mr Bernardi about bestiality were 'any more abhorrent' than homophobic remarks made by sheik Shady Alsuleiman 'By saying he'd had "firm discussions" with "a number of colleagues", Turnbull gave implicit support to the claim that myself and other Coalition MPs are "homophobic" and implied that he'd had a conversation with me about "homophobia". 'For the record I have never had such a conversation with any of my colleagues because they know that any such claims cannot be backed with facts.' Mr Bernardi's comments come after Treasurer Scott Morrison said people with strong religious views who oppose same-sex marriage face hatred and bigotry just like gay and lesbian Australians. 'By saying he'd had 'firm discussions' with 'a number of colleagues', Turnbull gave implicit support to the claim that myself and other Coalition MPs are "homophobic',' Mr Bernardi wrote During his Q&A appearance, Mr Turnbull (pictured) said: 'The key to our success is mutual respect. That is the foundation of our success as the great, diverse, multicultural nation that we are' Mr Morrison was responding to a speech by Labor Senator Penny Wong, who said straight politicians don't understand the level of abuse same-sex people endure. Senator Wong, who is in a same-sex relationship and has a young family, declared she was not immune from the abuse thrown her way but was resilient enough to withstand it. But many were not, and a national plebiscite on same-sex marriage could cause significant harm. 'I oppose a plebiscite because I don't want my relationship, my family to be the subject of inquiry, of censure, of condemnation, by others,' she said in a speech at the Australian National University overnight. South Australia senator Cory Bernardi (pictured) speaking at the National Press Club in Canberra, Thursday, July 17, 2014 Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull wears virtual reality goggles during a tour of the innovation hub The SPACE on June 22, 2016 in Darwin 'I don't want other relationships and other families, to be targeted either.' Mr Morrison said he respected Senator Wong's concerns. But he pointed out that people with strong religious views who oppose same-sex marriage were also targets of dreadful hate speech and bigotry. Dame Mary Hogg refuses to say sorry, simply saying: 'It's not personal' Less than a year after Ellie was sent back to him, she had been murdered Family judge said he was 'exonerated', making him difficult to monitor But, after conviction overturned, she was sent back to live with him again The family court judge who was told she'd 'have blood on her hands' when she returned Ellie Butler to her murderous father has failed to apologise, simply saying: 'It's not personal'. Dame Mary Hogg dismissed evidence of domestic abuse, glossed over convictions for violence and ignored social services' pleas to allow Ben Butler and Jennie Gray to regain custody of their little girl. Ellie had been taken away from her parents when Butler was found guilty of violently shaking her when she was just seven weeks old. But, after Butler's conviction was quashed, the judge 'exonerated' him and allowed Ellie to be returned to his care. Even as she sanctioned the order, Ellie's maternal grandfather Neal, who had been looking after her, warned the judge would have 'blood on her hands' - a chilling prediction which came true just 11 months later. Little Ellie Butler (left) was sent back to live with her parents by family judge Mrs Justice Hogg (right) less than a year before he killed her. The former judge has refused to apologise, saying: 'It's not personal' Yesterday a serious case review published in the hours after Butler's conviction found the judge's decision hindered authorities from intervening and potentially saving Ellie's life. But asked whether she felt responsible for the little girl's death, Dame Mary - herself a mother - refused to say sorry. She merely replied: 'It's not personal.' The 68-year-old then drove away without giving any more comment, according to the Daily Mirror. Yesterday, Butler was jailed for a minimum of 23 years after murdering Ellie in a fit of rage at their home in Sutton, south London. His partner and Ellie's mother, Jennie Gray, was jailed for 42 months after admitting helping to cover up the killing and being found guilty of child cruelty. After the verdicts, Mrs Justice Hogg came in for strong criticism, with some questioning how Butler - who spent three-and-a-half months in jail after the conviction - had effectively been given a carte blanche to beat and abuse his little girl. In an extraordinary judgement in 2012, family judge Mrs Justice Hogg had accepted the couple's version of events and went even further than appeal judges by declaring Butler 'exonerated'. 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. 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. Dame Mary Hogg, near her home in central London today. She was criticised in a serious case review 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 following the eight-week trial. 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 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'. 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 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.' 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. Police forensics officers at the scene of Ellie's death. The court has heard it was a 'toxic' environment 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). 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 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. 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. Ellie was returned to Butler and Gray on the judge's orders but was found dead less than a year later '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'. Driver of the speedboat, a 19-year-old Maltese man, is being questioned Police on the island confirmed that he died before reaching hospital He was pulled from the water by coastguards and given first aid Allan Stanley, 76, was struck as he swam across beautiful bay in Malta A grandfather was killed when he was hit by a speedboat while swimming on holiday in Malta. Super-fit Allan Stanley, 76, suffered horrific injuries from the boat's propeller during his daily long-distance swim. He was pulled from the water by coastguards and given first aid by paramedics. Allan Stanley (left, with his wife Diane) died after being struck by a speedboat during his daily swim in Malta Stanley suffered horrific injuries when the speedboat's propellers caught him as he swum across the bay at Hondoq ir-Rummien (pictured) But police on the Mediterranean island confirmed that Allan died before reaching hospital. The driver of the speedboat, a 19-year-old Maltese man, is being questioned about the accident. Retired businessman Allan spent up to four months a year on the island of Gozo, North of Malta. He would swim up to two miles a day across the bay at Hondoq ir-Rummien, known for its crystal clear waters. Allan was on holiday with his wife Diane who was said to be 'devastated' by the tragedy. His son Russell, 43, said: 'My step sister phoned me to say he had been hit by a boat and they had tried to repair him in the ambulance. Allan Stanley, 76, suffered horrific injuries from the boat's propeller during his daily long-distance swim. Police on the Mediterranean island confirmed that Allan died before reaching hospital 'My two step-sisters have flown out to be with their mum. 'My dad and step-mum spend three or four months a year in Malta, they have a long-term rental place. 'Dad was a hard worker but had reached the age where he deserved a bit of time abroad. 'He loved it there, he always looked forward to going. Advertisement Celebrities including Lily Allen, Gillian Anderson and Bill Nighy paid tribute to murdered mother-of-two Jo Cox on what would have been the MP's 42nd birthday. The trio took to the stage as thousands gathered at a memorial event in Trafalgar Square, London, less than a week after the politician was killed. Singer Allen performed her cover version of Keane hit Somewhere Only We Know, which was Mrs Cox and her family's favourite song to sing as they left their holiday cottage, while Anderson and Nighy both both gave readings. Pakistani Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai, who survived an assassination attempt by Taliban extremists for advocating education for girls, made made a passionate speech and told the crowd: 'I'm here today as a living proof that they can't win with bullets.' Celebrities including Lily Allen (left), Gillian Anderson, Bill Nighy and Sir Bob Geldof (right) paid tributes to murdered MP Jo Cox on what would have been the mother-of-two's 42nd birthday. Actors Gillian Anderson and Bill Nighy on stage during the memorial event for murdered Labour MP Jo Cox at Trafalger Square today A member of the crowd attending a commemorative event to celebrate the life of murdered Labour MP Jo Cox dabs her eye as she listens to speeches Hundreds of people hold pictures of Jo Cox, who was killed last Thursday while attending a surgery in her constituency area U2 also sent in a specially recorded version of their song Ordinary Love from Los Angeles, which was preceded by a moving message from lead singer Bono - a strident Oxfam campaigner with whom Mrs Cox had worked. Sir Bob Geldof was also in attendance, joining the crowd by wearing a white rose in memory of the former Batley and Spen parliamentary representative. Labour politician Yvette Cooper and London Mayor Sadiq Khan also watched on. The memorial gathering in London was one of many events taking place across the world in tribute to Mrs Cox, with services held in Beirut, Brussels, Melbourne, Nairobi, New York, and Washington DC. There was also a tribute event in Mrs Cox hometown of Batley, attended by the MP's parents and sister. The events in Trafalgar Square were preceded by a floating commemoration on the river Thames, which started from the houseboat community where Mrs Cox and her family lived. Mr Cox and the children were followed down the River Thames by the Yorkshire Rose - a boat filled with flowers in memory of the late Labour MP. Hosted by Mrs Cox's friend Mariella Frostrup, the event began with leaders of various faiths laying 42 white roses down to mark what would have been her birthday. The band that played at the couple's wedding, Diddley Dee, and a group of the MP's friends formed an honour guard dressed in suffragette-style sashes. Meanwhile a fund created in Cox's memory by her friends and family has raised more than 1.3million for charities close to her heart, following more than 37,500 individual donations. With distinct sadness in her eyes, singer Lily Allen performed her cover version of Keane hit Somewhere Only We Know during the gathering The song was a favourite of Mrs Cox that she used to sing with her beloved family each time they would leave their holiday cottage The backdrop to the central London stage was a photograph of the murdered MP taken by her husband outside their houseboat on the River Thames Organisers said today's events paid tribute to Mrs Cox's 'love, energy, passion, flair, Yorkshire heritage and belief in the humanity of every person in every place'. A similar tribute is expected to be held at Glastonbury's Park Stage over the weekend, while a charity album of music recorded by bands including Coldplay and Muse at the festival will be released in Mrs Cox's honour. A minute of silence was observed at 4.25pm in London and around the world. In addition Google has posted a link on its homepage which takes users to the GoFundMe page set up in memory of the MP. Hundreds of people gathered outside the town hall in Batley to remember their late MP, who was killed four miles away in the village of Birstall. Acting pair Gillian Anderson and Bill Nighy looked sombre as they gave readings in tribute to the much-loved mother-of-two Bob Geldof also attended the event in central London this afternoon held in memory of the MP who was shot and stabbed last week Human rights campaigner Malala Yousafzai delivers a speech on stage during a memorial event for murdered MP Jo Cox at Trafalger Square Dutch Princess Mabel (second from left) stands next to Pakistani Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai (middle) on a stage during the commemorative event Labour MP Yvette Cooper was one politician who attended Wednesday afternoon's event. Also there was newly elected London Mayor Sadiq Khan After observing the minute's silence, the MP's younger sister, Kim Leadbeater, took to the stage to pay tribute to her 'caring, compassionate and inspirational' sister. Ms Leadbeater said: 'On behalf of all Jo's family, thank you from the bottom of our hearts to each and every person who has sent their love and sympathy to us in the last few days. 'We have been truly overwhelmed by the outpouring of kindness and support and it has provided great comfort and strength in order for us to keep going.' She told the crowds: 'From Batley to Burma and from the Spen Valley to Syria, Jo's life was centred around helping people and standing up for the causes she felt passionate about - and there were many.' She said: 'I don't have any answers as to why such a horrendous and tragic event has occurred in our lives. But I do know that Jo would not have wanted any of us to allow it to make her life anything other than the force for good it always was. Revellers at Glastonbury music festival in Somerset fell silent for a minute as a mark of respect to the Labour MP who died last week Festival-goers at Glastonbury fell silent out of respect for the murdered MP Jo Cox, on what would have been her 42nd birthday 'My sister would want her murder to mobilise people to get on with things, to try to make a positive difference in whatever way we can, to come together and unite against hate and division and fight instead for inclusion, love and unity.' On Tuesday, Mr Cox and his children watched from the public gallery as MPs paid tribute to their colleague in an emotional session in the Commons. And on Monday Mrs Cox's parents joined hundreds of politicians as they paid their respects at a moving service of remembrance. Emotional MPs from all parties lowered their heads and wiped tears from their eyes as they celebrated Mrs Cox's life with readings, songs and prayers at St Margaret's Church, in Westminster. After the service Mrs Cox's parents Jean and Gordon Leadbeater embraced as they were shown flowers and messages that have been left in memory of their daughter in Parliament Square. Close friend and Labour MP Rachel Reeves was unable to finish her speech as she broke down in tears. Her voice broke and she collapsed into her seat as she said: 'Batley and Spen will go on to elect a new MP but no one can replace a mother.' Pausing occasionally when his voice broke, Mr Cox told the crowd: 'Thank you for coming together today to honour the memory of Jo not just here in London but around the world. Thanks for the love that You have poured on our family since our world collapsed on Thursday' Brendan Cox travels to central London by boat with their children Lejla, 3, and Cuillin, 5, to attend a special service in Trafalgar Square Jo Cox's sister Kim and parents Jean and Gordon Leadbeater sat side by side as they attended a memorial for the MP in Batley Kim Leadbeater told a memorial in Batley that her sister Jo Cox helped people 'from Batley to Burma and from the Spen Valley to Syria' Advertisement These shocking pictures show the incredible mountain of rubbish left behind by travellers on a housing site on the edge of east London. Tons of stinking trash - including toilets, baths and mattresses - have been dumped over a huge area of land at Orchard Village in Rainham, Essex. And the bill to clear up the gigantic waste tip is expected to run into tens of thousands of pounds. Scroll down for video Piles of stinking rubbish - including toilets, baths and mattresses - were strewn across land at a housing estate in Rainham, Essex Sofas, chairs, tables and baskets are just some of the household items that can be spotted among this large-scale dumping ground The band of gipsies to blame for the horrific eyesore have now been booted off the scheme after having lived there for a month. Outraged neighbour Dean Willoughby took pictures and a video to expose the massive sprawling mess just yards from his bungalow home. He acted after a High Court eviction order was issued on Friday. The culprits and their caravans left the enterprise, managed by housing association Circle Housing, in the middle of the night. Mr Willoughby's wife, Tania, said the last stragglers drove off at 1.45am yesterday morning. 'It's such a state down here, it's absolutely disgusting,' she said. 'The piles of rubbish continued to grow after they first moved in. We are living next to a rubbish tip - and the smell is beyond belief. 'They should have been moved off there much faster. When it gets hot it really smells like a dump. Eyesore: This horrific scene came together after a band of travellers set up camp on the edge of the Essex estate for just one month Although the shocking mountain of rubbish involved items such as sofas, every day litter - including cans and bottles - are also present 'There is everything you could find in a house there, mattresses, toilets, baths, shed panels, bags of dirt - things that you would clear from a house.' She added: 'The rubbish backs on to Newtons Primary School so the poor kids there have to put up with it as well.' Karen Ayling, head of housing for Circle Housing, said the cost of clearance will be 'substantial'. 'The travellers vacated the land at Orchard Village last night and our team started work immediately to secure the site and make it safe,' she said. 'We have already begun repairing the gates and are putting in place 24-hour security to ensure the site remains secure. The dumping ground lies just yards away from people's homes, with one resident describing the stretch of land as 'absolutely disgusting' Nearby resident Dean Willoughby took pictures and a video to expose the massive sprawling mess just yards from his bungalow home Circle Housing, who are currently regenerating Orchard Village, said the cost of clearing up the mountain of trash will be 'substantial' 'We will shortly begin the clean-up operation which is expected to take some time due to the volume of rubbish left behind. 'Although we do not know the exact cost of clearance yet, it is expected to be substantial. 'We will continue to keep our residents updated on the situation.' Builder Willmott Dixon is now building the third and final section of the Orchard Village regeneration project after completing the first two phases. A police officer who was one of the first to arrive at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando has claimed he was made to wait while Omar Mateen wandered around the club gunning people down. The FBI said this week that police first responders 'engaged the shooter' inside the club at 2.08am but Officer Brandon Cornwell said he had been told to wait for a SWAT team to arrive. It is known that Mateen, who was heavily armed with an AR-15 assault rifle and a handgun and was feared to be carrying explosives, had an exchange of fire with a security guard when he first arrived at the LGBT club, which was holding its regular Latino night. Scroll down for video Attorney General Loretta Lynch (right) visited Orlando yesterday and praised the actions of first responders at the Pulse nightclub massacre Five or six Orlando cops arrived on the scene within minutes, broke through a large glass window and entered the club as Mateen hunted down victims inside. Officer Cornwell, 25, told the Washington Post he was one of those police first responders and has given an account of the terrifying moments as they waited for orders outside the darkened club. 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.' ORLANDO SHOOTINGS TIMELINE 2:02am - Sunday, June 12 - Suspect Omar Mateen tries to enter Pulse nightclub armed with assault rifle and and handgun and is spotted by a security guard. The two exchange fire outside the club - but Mateen manages to enter the nightclub, holding 320 people, while still firing. First 911 call received by Orlando Police Department. 2:04am - First police officers, including Brandon Cornwell, arrive at the scene. 2:08am - FBI says officers entered the club and 'engaged' the shooter. 2:09am - Pulse nightclub posts a message to their Facebook desperately telling those inside 'Everyone get out of pulse and keep running'. 2:35am - Mateen calls 911 and pledges allegiance to ISIS and Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. 4:21am - Police rip out an air conditioning unit, creating a hole through which some people escape. 4:29am - Rescued victims tell police the shooter said he was going to put four vests with bombs on hostages within 15 minutes. 5.02am - Three hours after the first shooting began, a SWAT team use armored vehicle and explosives to breach the bathroom wall. SWAT officers manage to free 30 hostages who dashed to safety. 5:15am - The shooter is shot at and is confirmed as being 'down'. 8:00am - Officials with the FBI deem the incident to be 'domestic terrorism'. 9:40am - The shooter was officially identified as 29-year-old Omar Mateen of Port St. Lucie. 10:20am - At a press conference Mayor Buddy Dyer makes the announcement that 49 people have died and 53 injured in what is now the worst mass shooting in the history of the United States. 11.54am - US Senator Bill Nelson and California congressman Adam Schiff claimed Mateen had pledged his allegiance to ISIS Advertisement The officer said: 'We were trying to locate exactly where the shooter was - we kept hearing people scream and shots fired.' Cornwell said they eventually entered and went to the bathroom area, where Mateen had taken hostages and appeared to be preparing for a final stand. 'He was actively shooting. 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,' he said. Children write messages for the victims of the Pulse Nightclub shooting at a makeshift memorial at the scene. The memorial is decorated with a Puerto Rican flag as many of the victims were originally from Puerto Rico But Cornwell said they were told by their commanders not to enter the bathroom until the SWAT team arrived. He said they waited '15 or 20 minutes' or possibly more until the SWAT team arrived, he said. Cornwell said: 'We just basically stayed there, waited for movement, and we just held our position until SWAT got there. Investigators from the office of the medical examiner at the site of the shooting. The holes were made by the SWAT team as they broke in from outside and rescued people from the bathroom area '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.' Cornwell said he never fired a shot or saw Mateen, who was eventually killed by the SWAT team after he walked out into the parking lot through the hole in the wall created by a BearCat armored vehicle. His account is the first from a police officer who was inside the club but he said he could not go into too much detail because of the ongoing investigation. FBI agents and police are pictured outside the club in the aftermath of the shooting. The FBI has said the shooter was 'engaged' at 2.08am but it is not known if that means officers shot at him Some clubbers were rescued shortly after the attack began, and others at 4.21 am but most were not freed until 5am. It is not clear how many people were killed by Mateen while police officers were at the scene. Mateen swore allegiance to ISIS before killing 49 people at Pulse and claimed to be a Muslim but he is thought to have been acting out of homophobia, and possibly out of a deep sense of self-loathing because he himself was gay. Loretta Lynch was joined by the Mayor of Orlando, Buddy Dyer, as she visited wreaths commemorating each of the 49 victims of the shooting The Attorney General Loretta Lynch visited Orlando yesterday and said they had not yet found the 'magic bullet' to stop people being brainwashed by jihadist propaganda. But she said of Mateen: '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. 'It's entirely possible that he had a singular motive. It's entirely possible that he had a dual motive.' Little Ellie Butler told her grandparents she wanted to stay with them for 'millions and millions and millions of years' before she was handed back to her murderous father. Butler, 36, is now starting a life sentence for murdering Ellie at their family home in Sutton, south London, just 11 months after she was eventually returned to their care. He was also sentenced to five years to run concurrently for breaking Ellie's shoulder and failing to get her medical attention weeks before her death. Ellie's maternal grandfather Neal Gray said she was 'petrified' of being returned to Butler and her mother Jennie Gray and said he 'fought tooth and nail' to keep her in their care. Murderous Ben Butler sent tragic Ellie's maternal grandparents Neal (pictured left and right on ITV) and Linda a hate-filled warning letter, telling them: 'You f*** with me you f****** c***' Mr Gray, who tried with his wife to adopt Ellie, is now demanding that a public inquiry into how and why Ellie was returned to the 'toxic' family home, where she was killed 11 months later As they were embroiled in the bitter custody battle over the little girl, 'pure evil' Butler sent a poisonous letter to Ellie's grandparents warning them: 'You f*** with me you f****** c***'. At the time, Mr and Mrs Gray - whose daughter Jennie is behind bars for helping cover up the murder - had care of Ellie and were determined to stop her being returned to Butler. According to the Guardian, the letter also said: 'I will get you and find you and find out where you and your family all live.' The note, written in June 2008, was just the tip of the iceberg in what emerged as Butler's aggressive, abusive and ultimately murderous character - a trait which Mr Gray detected almost immediately. Mr and Mrs Gray - who died of cancer on the first day of Butler and Gray's trial - had a huge mistrust of Butler early on in his relationship with their daughter. In February 2007, when Ellie was just seven weeks old, she was rushed to hospital with brain injuries, indicating she might have been shaken. Five months later, an interim order was made for Ellie to stay with her grandparents - an order which enraged Butler and led to him sending the vile letter. The following year, Butler was convicted of causing the injuries. But the real battle began in October 2009, when Butler was released from prison on bail and launched an appeal against his conviction. The following year, he successfully had the conviction quashed. Butler and Gray then launched a public fight to have Ellie returned to their care. Mr and Mrs Gray - who died of cancer on the first day of Butler and Gray's trial - had a huge mistrust of Butler early on in his relationship with their daughter. He is pictured with Ellie Ellie had barely known her parents, having been taken away from her when she was still a newborn. Her parents also seemed ambivalent at getting their daughter back. In a two-and-a-half year period when Ellie was living with her grandparents, Mr Gray said Butler visited Ellie just twice - while her mother only visited four times. So Mr and Mrs Gray, determined to keep the little girl, used their 70,000 life savings trying to do so. They even put in an application to adopt the little girl - a move that was blocked by a social worker, despite the backing of Sutton Council children's services. The violent father penned the threatening letter to Neal and Linda Gray as they were embroiled in a bitter custody battle over the little girl (pictured) But their money ran out and they were left unrepresented when, in November 2012 - more than five years after Ellie was first put into their care - was given back to Butler and Gray. He said today: 'We tried to fight it tooth and nail but every time we protested, we were told we were trouble makers, or elderly, or not worthy of looking after children. We found it very devastating. 'It was the best years of our lives, looking after her and we thought, as special guardians, we would have her until she was 18. We treated her like our own daughter.' The next 11 months were heartbreaking for Mr and Mrs Gray, as their watched their bright, bubbly granddaughter shrink into a scared and vulnerable little girl. On several occasions when they saw Ellie, she was in facepaint - a method Mr Gray believes was used to cover up the bruising and scratches around her eyes and cheeks. The most haunting occasion is when Mr Gray saw Ellie the day before she died, when he and his wife were given half-an-hour in McDonald's to see their granddaughter. He told Radio 4's Today programme: 'She wasn't the Ellie we knew. She had bruises on her forehead, on her face, and scratches. Her she had odd shoes, odd socks and her hair was all bedraggled. Her clothes looked as though she'd been dragged backwards through a hedgerow. Asked if Ellie resisted returning with her parents at the end of the meeting, Mr Gray said: 'No. But you could see her eyes were sunk in and there was sadness in her eyes. 'Every time we spoke to her, her mother was looking at her in a firm look and she was obviously scared.' Mr Gray also said he had disowned his daughter over what she did to Ellie. Appearing on This Morning, he referred to Gray as 'Butler's partner'. He said: 'She's not my daughter anymore because how can you accept any offspring as your own after they have committed such a terrible crime? 'I hate her. I hate her for everything she done. She has destroyed many lives. My wife died on the first day the court case started. I think if all the stress hadn't been brought on then my wife would still be here.' Mr Gray is now demanding that a public inquiry into how and why Ellie was returned to the 'toxic' family home, where she was killed 11 months later. Butler and Gray then launched a public fight to have Ellie returned to their care. Mr and Mrs Gray were determined to keep the little girl (pictured) and used their 70,000 life savings trying to do so As Mrs Justice Hogg sanctioned the family reunion at the High Court, Mr Gray warned that she would have 'blood on her arms' - a prophetic accusation which he asked to be noted in the court records. He added: 'I told them: 'I hope you all have a conscience, because one day you may have blood on your hands.' 'Now I want everybody to answer, because everyone failed Ellie completely and utterly.' He called for the family court and social services to be 'brought into the 21st century' and 'work together'. Yesterday, as Butler and Gray were jailed, Mr Gray had described their utter devastation at Ellie's death, saying: 'She was our shining light.' In a heartbreaking 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. Mr Gray is now demanding that a public inquiry into how and why Ellie was returned to the 'toxic' family home, where she was killed 11 months later. His daughter Jennie Gray (left) and Butler (right) are pictured above The couple did not directly refer to 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. Dalya Saeed is accused of attacking her ex-husband with a carving knife and cutting open his stomach A mother tried to disembowel her ex-husband with a carving knife before hitting him over the head with a pepper grinder, a court has heard. Dalya Saeed has gone on trial for the alleged attack on Bilal Mir in which she is said to have cut open his stomach and pulled on his intestines. She denies attempted murder, claiming she was defending herself after her ex-husband raped and attacked her. He insists they had consensual sex before she stabbed him. Birmingham Crown Court heard Mr Mir, 34, came to Britain on a student visa and he and Saeed met working at a restaurant in the West Midlands. The couple had a daughter but split up in 2013 and he then remarried, causing Saeed to fear he would take their daughter to Pakistan. The court heard that the estranged couple met up in October last year after Saeed, 31, asked Mr Mir to come to her house in Moseley, Birmingham to talk about their daughter. Taxi driver Mr Mir said they had consensual sex after he arrived before talking about their daughter. He told the jury: 'She started to kiss my lips, my neck and my chest and then all of a sudden, within a blink of an eye, she stabbed me twice in the belly. 'I do not know whether the knife was under the bed or in her robe. I said to her, "What have you done?" She then stood up and stabbed me again. 'I grabbed the knife from her. When I grabbed the knife my intestines were out. She was trying to hold on to my intestines and pull them. 'She pulled part of them off. I threw the knife behind a sofa and held the rest of them in my belly.' Mr Mir said he then tried to get out of the flat but claimed Saeed pushed the door closed and then started to hit him on the head with a pepper grinder. He said he eventually managed to get out and shouted for help, but the attack allegedly continued until he managed to get into the entrance of another property. Saeed is said to have asked Bilal Mir to come to her home before they had sex and she attacked him Paul Western, prosecuting, said Mr Mir was later treated for a number of injuries. Those he suffered to his abdomen were described as 'life threatening'. Mr Western added: 'The violence used by Dalya Saeed was without justification. 'The clearest evidence of the defendant's intention to kill Bilal Mir is that she ripped or possibly cut part of his intestines from his body, having cut open his abdomen. That alone could have killed him. A high school cheerleader sobbed as she was charged in connection with the 'brutal' and 'heinous' murder of a homeless man. Hailey Suder, 18, has pleaded not guilty to two felony counts of being an accessory after the fact in the murder of George Lowery, 50, who died in April after being attacked in Santee, near San Diego, California. Suder's boyfriend Austin Mostrong, 20, and his brother Preston, 19, have been accused of killing Mr Lowery in revenge after he tried to protect another homeless man after they fired a paintball gun at him. Charged: Cheerleader Ashley Suder (left) breaks down in tears as she is charged with covering for her boyfriend who is charged with torturing and murdering a homeless man in California Hailey Suder, pictured, was a cheerleader at Santana High School but did not graduate with the rest of her class after being arrested Mr Lowery's wife Penny said: 'They were shooting him with a paintball gun. My husband took the paintball gun from him.' She said of the attack on her husband: 'I have no idea why they did it, I just know that it was cruel and he shouldn't have gone that way because he was such a nice person, you know. He would have done anything for anybody.' San Diego TV channels showed footage of Suder weeping as she was charged and ordered held on $100,000 bail. She faces three years and eight months behind bars if convicted. The Mostrong brothers, who have been held on $3million bail, could be sent to prison for life if they are convicted. San Diego County sheriffs officials said Mr Lowery was kicked and punched in the head and was left for dead on April 24 near the makeshift camp where he lived with his wife, Penny. He died in hospital a few days later. Suder's boyfriend Austin Mostrong (left), 20, and his brother Preston (right), 19, have been accused of killing Mr Lowery George Lowery, pictured with his daughter Katey Torres, suffered fatal injuries in April a week after defending another homeless man who had been attacked with a paintball gun Hailey Suder's Facebook photographs show a beautiful, youthful and happy teenager, very different from the distraught girl charged in connection with a murder Asked why he was killed, San Diego County Sheriff's Lieutenant Kenneth Nelson told the San Diego Union-Tribune: 'I can't think of another reason other than viciousness. Why else make a special trip down to the riverbed?' This was a brutal, heinous, just cold-hearted case... As the evidence comes out, I'd say the murder charges and the torture charges are very much warranted George Lowery's daughter, Katey Torres George Lowery's daughter, Katey Torres Sheriff's officials have not disclosed what role Suder is said to have played in the murder but she was allegedly at the scene when he was killed. The teenager was a senior at Santana High School but did not graduate with her class this month. It is thought her family later posted bail. Mr Lowery's daughter Katey Torres posted a message on Facebook yesterday: 'Hailey Suder was bailed out of Los Colinas Women's Jail last night. I think she's in hiding.' She added: 'Cherish your moments with your family you never know what tomorrow brings.' When the brothers were charged last month Deputy District Attorney George Modlin said: 'This was a brutal, heinous, just cold-hearted case. Hailey Suder (pictured) was charged and held on $100,000 bail. She is since believed to have posted bail 'As the evidence comes out, I'd say the murder charges and the torture charges are very much warranted in this case.' Mr Lowery lived with his wife in a camp for homeless people along the San Diego River. Ms Torres told NBC: 'All three of them were present. Hailey was there the whole entire time.' Advertisement As a pride of lions prepared to tuck into the spoils of a successful wildebeest hunt for breakfast, one plucky hyena had other ideas. The hungry hyena was photographed biting a lioness's tail as she tried to defend her kill at Naboisho Conservancy in Kenya's Masai Mara game reserve. The lioness appeared to roar out in pain as the hyena's sharp teeth sank into her behind. The wildebeest's huge carcass was quickly surrounded by a whole cast of hungry animals who all wanted their share of meat - and were prepared to take on a eight-strong pride of lions to get it. A brave bite: A plucky hyena was photographed sinking its teeth into a lioness's behind as it tried to meddle in on her breakfast. Paws off my food: The lioness was part of an eight-strong pride that had killed the large wildebeest and were forced to share their food. Hyenas, jackals and even some seemingly vengeful wildebeest all encroached on the scene. The fascinating photographs, which were taken just after sunrise, show the normal hierarchy of the animal kingdom called into question. Eyewitness Alun James described the scene as a 'high stakes game of poker' in which 'the lions blinked first'. 'The two young adolescent males [were] unable to support the mature lionesses in a hand of buffalo bluff,' he said. 'The cats were driven off and the hyenas advanced like Russian 'Ultras': ripping into the carcass with uncontrolled glee,' Mr James recalled. Outnumbered: The lioness suffered painful wounds as the hyenas tackled her out of the way so they could get to her food. Tagging along: Eyewitness Alun James said the scene at Naboisho Conservancy in Kenya's Masai Mara game reserve was like a 'high stakes game of poker' in which 'the lions blinked first'. 'However the lions did not flee far, confused whether to remain or exit, but their stomachs and pride said remain. The hyenas were cunning in retreat, isolating individual lions to turn the tables. 'Ever the opportunists, a dozen or so jackals arrived to join the drama. Lions return again; buffaloes charge; hyenas skirmish; lions attack; jackals nip in - the battle ebbed and flowed with no animal in possession for more than a matter of minutes,' he added. The eldest female lioness with a fresh wound on her thigh did not give up a spare rib for anyone but she was not allowed to eat in peace, as buffalo bulls surrounded and watched her devour her kill. After an hour the older pride male arrived and scared off the rest of the animals so the lions could enjoy their food. 'The fighting lost its conviction. The buffalos shuffled away with the odd baleful glance over the shoulder; the hyenas and jackals dispersed to the edge of the battle zone. And the lions finally had their meal, albeit not as full a breakfast as had earlier been promised,' Mr James said. Feeding frenzy: Despite the pride's hard work, they were forced to share their kill with a greedy gang of hyenas and jackals. 'My turn': The lioness refused to give up and fought off the smaller animals for a bite. 'The battle ebbed and flowed with no animal in possession for more than a matter of minutes,' said Mr James. Opportunists: Sensing an opening, a dozen or so jackals arrived to join the drama and tucked in alongside the hyenas. A Rhode Island yacht club near Taylor Swift's $17m beachfront mansion has upheld its decision to ban women from joining. Single women are banned from joining the Westerly Yacht Club after the male membership failed to reach the required two-thirds majority to change the rule. Following a vote, 207 men voted to change the rule with 171 voting against in a secret ballot. Westerly Yacht Club on Rhode Island has failed to lift its ban on allowing women full membership Members voted to allow women pay the $600 membership fee but did not reach a two-thirds majority Women such as Danielle Hetu can become associate members as long as their husband is a full member Women can only join the club as associate members and are not allowed to vote. Gay men can join the club, but if they are married, their husbands cannot get associate membership as this is only open to women. Single women or lesbians cannot join the club as they are not married to a man. Several women connected to the club said it was ridiculous, in a year when Hillary Clinton is making a historic run for president, that they can't join. Swift hasn't asked, but if she wanted to would not be allowed, even though her beach house is in the same ZIP code. Danielle Hetu, who is an associate member, said: 'How do I explain this to my daughters? That you can be the president, but you can't be a member of the Westerly Yacht Club?' The club is a short distance away from Taylor Swift's $17 million Rhode Island mansion Single women and lesbians are not entitled to join the club as associate members due to its rules Julie Cardinal, pictured, whose grandfather died on a boat inside the club and whose father was the club's commodore and got married at the club, lost her associate membership after she divorced her husband Hetu and her husband, who sits on the club's board, are among those who have been working for years to change the policy. Previous votes to admit women have won a majority but failed to win a two-thirds majority, as required by the club's bylaws, members said. One member who voted against the change said he believes many of the wives agree with him. 'They're all happy with what they got. They don't have to pay dues,' Bob Dionne said. Annual dues are around $600. Jane Barstow, an associate member and retired professor of English and women's studies, thinks the policy remains in part because of the 'old guard' at the club that is resistant to change. She theorizes that there may be something of a backlash against Clinton's historic run for president, and says there may be other reasons as well. 'I heard somebody say that some women had told their husbands to vote against it because they were afraid of their husbands interacting with single women,' she said. 'That's very sad.' Others have theorized members do not want competition for their businesses from professional women who could join the club for the networking opportunities. Many people in the community were shocked to learn of the policy. Hetu and her husband have been working to try and update the rules to allow women full membership Linda Lee stopped by last year to inquire about joining. Lee owns a financial advising firm in nearby Mystic, Connecticut, and thought it would be a nice place to socialize, have lunch with clients and network. She and her husband live nearby and own a 50-foot boat, which is in her name. But when she asked at the bar about membership, Lee could not believe what she heard. 'Well, you can't join. You have to be a man. Your husband can join,' Lee said she was told. 'I just said, `Forget it.' And I walked out. These days, we are so past that.' Julie Cardinal has the club in her blood. Her maternal grandfather died on his boat there. Her father was the club's commodore, and she got married at the club. Her husband became a member. But when they divorced, she lost her status as associate member. Now, when she wants to go there, she needs her father or mother to sign her in. No one has yet challenged the policy in court. The club's commodore, Scott Howard, pushed to admit women, but said he also believes the policy is legal because it is a private club. Several associate members and members said they think it violates the law. They think antidiscrimination laws apply because the club has over 600 members, holds a liquor license and rents out facilities to the general public. Lynette Labinger, one of Rhode Island's leading civil rights lawyers, said the policy is problematic. Rhode Island prohibits discrimination based on gender. While a small group for men such as a reading group might be OK, it's less likely to be allowed when a club has many members and charges fees. The Westerly Sun editorialized that the policy gave the town a black eye and suggested that if people withheld dues and stopped going to the bar, the club might change. Cardinal said letting women join would not change much; it would just give women more of a voice. Comes amid security increases for MPs after the brutal murder of Jo Cox Ms Cooper reposted the threat, adding that it is 'time to stop the hatred' A Labour MP said she alerted police after receiving a tweeted death threat against her children and grandchildren. Former Cabinet minister Yvette Cooper received the sinister message yesterday from an account that accused her of sending pro-EU 'propaganda' by email, adding: 'Please stop or I will kill your kids and grandkids'. Reposting the threatening message to her followers, Ms Cooper said: 'Got this today for speaking out for Remain ... This has to stop'. This comes just six days after the fatal shooting of Labour MP Jo Cox. Labour MP Yvette Cooper (left) was pictured walking out of St Peters church in Birstall last week to pay tribute to murdered MP Jo Cox, who also received threatening messages before her death The threatening message was sent to Ms Cooper over Twitter and told her to stop sending pro-EU 'propaganda' Ms Cooper said she reported the user to the police and Twitter and urged people to 'stop the hatred' Labour MP Yvette Cooper said she called the police after receiving a sinister message on Twitter yesterday It is understood the account was removed after the MP for Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford reported the tweet. She told her followers that police and Twitter are 'on the case', before adding: 'But this is for all of us. Time to stop the hatred.' Security for MPs is being reviewed after West Yorkshire MP Jo Cox (pictured) was shot and stabbed to death last week The incident comes amid an increase in security for MPs following the death of Ms Cooper's Labour colleague and fellow West Yorkshire MP Jo Cox. The MP died after being shot and stabbed as she arrived for a surgery in her constituency of Birstall, near Leeds, on Thursday last week. The killing of mother-of-two Mrs Cox outside a public library has prompted an outpouring of public grief. MPs have praised Mrs Cox's passionate commitment to causes such as the plight of Syrian refugees and her ability to work with colleagues on all sides of the House. West Yorkshire Police temporary chief constable Dee Collins confirmed the Labour MP had been sent threatening messages in the months leading up to her death, prompting an investigation by detectives. A number of politicians have since expressed concerns over safety - and police say the security of MPs is now under review, despite being beefed up earlier this year after fears were raised about a lack of protection from people with 'knives and guns'. Thomas Mair, 52, has been remanded in custody after being charged with her murder. Germany will have to dramatically increase its defence spending from current levels to deal with external threats, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Wednesday. Hinting at plans for a European Army, Merkel said the European Union was not currently in a position to defend itself and it could not just rely on its transatlantic partnership with the United States. Speaking at an economics conference in Berlin, she argued: Sure enough this means that a country like Germany, which today spends around 1.2 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) on defence, and the United States, which spends 3.4 percent of GDP for defence will have to converge. German Chancellor Angela Merkel delivers her speech at an event of her Christian Democratic Union, CDU, Economy Council in Berlin on Tuesday It will not go well in the long run that we say that we hope and wait that others bear the defence services for us, she added. Her speech at the Business Forum of the CDU in Berlin comes after German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen last month announced the country's first army expansion since the Cold War. In 2015, Miss von der Leyen spoke of Germanys desire to create a European Army. The European Army is our long-term goal she said but first we have to strengthen the European Defence Union. The United States also wants us Europeans as a powerful force within NATO. To achieve this, some nations with concrete military cooperation must come to the fore - and the Germans and the Dutch are doing this, she said. Merkel said the European Union was not currently in a position to defend itself and needs to stop relying on the US German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen last month announced the country's first army expansion since the Cold War EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker also said in 2015 that a European Army is needed to deter Russia and defend the continent. With its own army, Europe could react more credibly to the threat to peace in a member state or in a neighboring state, he said, adding that a common European army would convey a clear message to Russia that we are serious about defending our European values. In a TV appearance on Sunday, Prime Minister David Cameron denied that Britain would join Merkels proposed European Army if it remained in the EU. 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, he told the BBC. Court: Abdul Rahman Haroun has admitted obstructing an engine or carriage A Sudanese asylum seeker was today sentenced to nine months in prison after he was caught walking through the Channel Tunnel to get to Britain - but was allowed to walk free from court. Abdul Rahman Haroun was arrested after he walked from Calais to Folkestone, Kent in August last year. The incident came during a time of mounting chaos at the French port, as thousands of would-be migrants camped out hoping to make it to the UK in order to claim asylum or seek work. Haroun's offence of 'obstructing an engine or carriage' on a railway line is punishable by up to two years in prison under a Victorian-era law. He was today given a nine-month sentence, but will not have to serve any time in jail because of the months he previously spent in detention before being granted asylum. The 40-year-old was given permission to stay in Britain last December after telling immigration officials that his life would be in danger if he stayed in Sudan. The Crown Prosecution Service spent several months deciding whether or not to charge him over the way he entered the UK. Eventually prosecutors decided to draw on the obscure Malicious Damage Act 1861, most of which has now been repealed, in order to press charges. Haroun was set to face a trial at Canterbury Crown Court, but during today's hearing he changed his plea to guilty at the last minute. He told immigration officers that travelling to Britain was the 'only solution' because of the dangers he faced in his own country, which has been riven with war for more than a decade. But earlier this year, Haroun suggested that he 'would not have come' to the UK if he had known he would face arrest as a result of his dangerous journey. Eurotunnel bosses and Conservative MPs welcomed the decision to prosecute the migrant, arguing that it was the only way to deter others from risking their lives on the railway lines. Haroun took around ten hours to walk the 31-mile length of the tunnel under the English Channel, which carries Eurostar and Le Shuttle passenger trains as well as freight traffic. The incident prompted severe delays on the line as French police searched the tunnel after seeing the asylum seeker enter it on CCTV. Guilty: Abdul Rahman Haroun walked through the Channel Tunnel from Calais in order to reach Britain Prosecutor Philip Bennetts QC told the court: 'He was asked how he had got into the tunnel and he said "I came from France, always trying to get here."' He said he jumped over the perimeter fence by himself before 'walking sometimes on the right and sometimes on the left' inside the tunnel, Mr Bennetts added. Up until then, his journey had involved travelling for a month to Egypt, then Libya before crossing the sea to Italy, a previous hearing was told. He then made his way to France and Calais. In an interview with the Home Office, Haroun described how he had been persecuted by the Janjaweed militia, forcing him to flee his home in 2004. He ended up in a camp at the Kari-Yari dam on the Sudan-Chad border where he was said to have spent many years living in difficult circumstances, the previous hearing was told. After reaching France, Haroun spent up to seven days in Calais before walking through the tunnel. Speaking through an interpreter, he told police following his arrest: 'I came here for protection and to be safe. Even if I die - that was the only solution.' Asked how he knew the way to Britain, he said: 'All my family, all my people knew all along that the trains take you to the UK.' Mr Bennetts said Haroun pleaded not guilty to the obstruction charge at Medway magistrates' court on August 6 last year, before the decision to grant him asylum led prosecutors to consider withdrawing the charge. The security breach by Haroun had caused 'significant disruption' and a 'significant economic consequence' and led to delays of up to four hours for cross-Channel travellers, the court heard. Richard Thomas, defending, said: 'He is a man who had no formal education. He speaks in a localised dialect and understanding the complexities has caused significant difficulties.' Sentencing, Judge Adele Williams said today: 'Those who try to enter the UK illegally using unlawful methods commit a serious offence. 'The reason why the courts of the United Kingdom takes such a serious view of this criminality, is that those who enter in this way, normally, so so clandestinely, seeking to evade the authorities who can therefore, have no check upon who is entering. 'In the world in which we live of international crime and terrorism that is a very serious matter. 'You not only put your own life in danger but in my judgement, you put the lives and safety of others in danger. It caused enormous inconvenience to a large number of people. It causes significant economic loss. 'In these circumstances I am going to pass a sentence of imprisonment which is the equivalent of the amount of time which you have already spent in custody. 'Anyone else who might be tempted to commit this offence in the future can only expect any immediate sentence of imprisonment.' French and British authorities have spent millions of pounds trying to bolster security at Calais after the port became a magnet for migrants from the Middle East and Africa. These are the shocking images of a British holidaymaker covered in hundreds of bites after she was ravaged by bedbugs while on a family holiday of a lifetime. UK tour operator Red Sea Holiday has agreed to an 11,000 compensation payout to British family Rachel Cookson and her fiance Rae Claydon after their trip was ruined. The couple, Miss Cookson's daughter, Bethany, five, and Mr Claydon's mum, Sheila Claydon, 77, all suffered severe bites from bed bugs and gastric flu after holidaying at the five-star Sunwing Waterworld Makadi Hotel in Egypt in December 2014. After their first night at the five star hotel Rachel Cookson woke up with insect bites all over her legs. A local doctor visited her room the next day and prescribed pain killers to help relieve pain and inflammation Rachel Cookson and her fiance Rae Claydon pictured on a recent trip to Italy. The couple were awarded an an 11,000 compensation payout from UK tour operator Red Sea Holiday 'It was the holiday from hell,' Miss Cookson said. 'I didn't have a holiday. I was in the hotel room the whole time, apart from the last day. 'Being really sick and losing weight isn't what you expect while you are supposed to be relaxing.' Miss Cookson, of Ingatestone, Essex, told how they paid 2,016 to visit Makadi Bay in Egypt to celebrate her and Mr Claydon's second anniversary. From the moment the family arrived, the family said the holiday wasn't what they were hoping for. Miss Cookson, 41, told how she barely left the bathroom during the Red Sea Holidays package holiday and says she was covered in hundreds of bed bug bites, which have since left scars. The accountant added: 'We wanted a nice break in the sun with our family after working so hard all year and had been looking forward to it for months. 'It was meant to be a celebration of the two years Rae and I have been together, but we were left feeling let down and very disappointed.' After their first night at the hotel Miss Cookson woke up with insect bites. On holiday: Rachel Cookson and her fiance Rae Claydon (pictured right), Miss Cookson's daughter, Bethany, five, and Mr Claydon's mum, Sheila Claydon, 77, (left) all suffered severe bites from bed bugs after holidaying at the five-star Sunwing Waterworld Makadi Hotel in Egypt in December 2014. A local doctor visited her room and prescribed pain killers, a cortisone injection to help relieve pain and inflammation and antihistamines. 'Me and Rae wanted to go away to celebrate with my little girl and Rae's mum,' she said. 'Before flying we were all so excited to get away, enjoy one week of rest. Because Rae is self-employed, managing properties, it's hard to have a proper break, so this was our chance. Rachel Cookson, pictured with her daughter Bethany, has described her Egyptian holiday as a 'nightmare' 'On the first morning we thought my bites were from mosquitoes. But I'd been bitten by them before and I didn't end up having 50 bites on my leg like I did this time.' Mr Claydon, 51, a dad-of-four, complained to hotel staff about the room and they were moved elsewhere in the hotel. But by the next morning the whole family began to suffer with diarrhoea, stomach cramps and sickness. They said they were so ill they were unable to eat or drink anything for 24 hours, with Miss Cookson's appetite only returning after three days. She lost more than half a stone and continued to suffer symptoms such as stomach cramps and nausea after returning to the UK. The family said a number of rooms they were offered were dirty and crockery and cutlery used in the restaurant was sometimes unclean. They also say that old food was added to freshly cooked meals and some appeared to have been reheated and served on more than one occasion. Tour operator Red Sea Holidays promotes the hotel online, saying it has a 'state of the art water park' 'generously sized and beautifully finished' bedrooms with a 'big choice of restaurant options'. 'I couldn't eat or drink for three days,' Miss Cookson said. 'I felt absolutely rotten. I was so gutted. This was the holiday I'd been waiting for for a year and I couldn't even spend it with my daughter, my fiancee or his mum. 'I couldn't be out in the sunshine, I couldn't swim or enjoy any of the facilities. 'My little girl was so excited to go on the aqua park. That's why we went to that hotel, so she would enjoy herself too.' Mr Claydon, a company director, said: 'We had been looking forward to this well-deserved break for over a year and it very quickly turned into a nightmare. Stuck indoors: The view from the hotel were the couple stayed. Miss Cookson said she barely left the bathroom of the hotel because she was covered with hundreds of bed bug bites and suffered from stomach cramps and nausea 'It was an awful holiday and the effects of the illness left us completely shell shocked. I'm relieved we now have a fair settlement and just hope that no one else suffers from a similar situation in future.' The family have reached an out-of-court settlement with Red Sea Holidays, without an admission of liability. A spokesman for the company declined to comment. Jennifer Downing, a specialist travel illness lawyer at law firm Irwin Mitchell who represented the family, said: 'Rae and Rachel waited a year for this holiday, which was supposed to be spent relaxing with their family, but they were left suffering with gastric illness symptoms as well as a significant number of bites. This is the moment an orphaned baby orangutan squeals in pain after being found with a bullet lodged in his shoulder. The tiny 18-month-old ape, named Didik, was left severely traumatised and injured after witnessing the death of his mother in Borneo, Malaysia. Video shows the animal squealing as volunteers from the charity International Animal Rescue gently wash him and wrap him in a towel. Heartbreaking: This orphaned baby orangutan was found with a bullet lodged in his shoulder after watching his mother die The tiny 18-month-old ape, named Didik, was left severely traumatised and injured after witnessing the death of his mother in Borneo, Malaysia Didik was handed over to a shopkeeper named Cuan who cared for him and fed him milk formula for three days while he searched for someone who could better care for him. He said: 'A man gave the orangutan to me and then left in a hurry without explanation.' Didik is now recovering in the IAR's orangutan rescue centre where he is receiving treatment for a severe fungal skin condition and an eye infection and recovering from the trauma he has witnessed. Dr Karmele Llano Sanchez, veterinarian and programme director of IAR Indonesia, said: 'For an animal like an orangutan, witnessing the death of its mother is a profoundly shocking experience. Didik is now recovering in the IAR's orangutan rescue centre where he is receiving treatment for a severe fungal skin condition and an eye infection and recovering from the trauma he has witnessed Experts say it will take the orangutan 'a long time for him to recover from the terrible trauma' of losing its mother Didik was handed over to a shopkeeper named Cuan who cared for him and fed him milk formula for three days while he searched for someone who could better care for him 'That is undoubtedly why Didik looks so sad and depressed. 'It will take a long time for him to recover from the terrible trauma he has been through and start to take an interest in his surroundings.' IAR's Chief Executive Alan Knight said that while his mother can not be given back to him, the charity will do everything to release him back to the wild. He said: 'It is heartbreaking to see a young animal with such a look of sadness and pain in his eyes. IAR's Chief Executive Alan Knight said that while his mother can not be given back to him, the charity will do everything to release him back to the wild The young animal will spend years at the centre with more than 100 other orangutans that are being prepared for release back into the wild one day 'Didik has already suffered terrible trauma in his short life. 'Now it is up to our team of vets and carers to help him recover, both mentally and physically. 'He will spend years at our centre with more than 100 other orangutans that are being prepared for release back into the wild one day. 'We can't give Didik back his mother but we will do all we can to give him back his freedom.' As Britain stands on the brink of a historic decision on whether to leave the EU, there is one country that already knows what life is like outside the European 'club' - Norway. And the Scandinavian nation of just over five million people is overwhelmingly in favour of independence - saying it can cope with its soaring migration and run its own industries without EU meddling. In an exclusive interview with MailOnline, the Norwegian government's spokesman on migration, Ingjerd Schou, said: 'We would need a political earthquake of some kind in order to become members of the union. The reason why we are so sceptical is... the migration crisis.' A poll last week found that 70 per cent of Norwegians are against joining the EU - and a straw poll on the streets of Oslo suggested they empathise with Britons considering a vote to leave. Staying Out: The worlds fourth richest country has never been a part of the EU and a recent poll showed a massive 70 per cent of Norwegians dont want to change the status quo A poll last week found that 70 per cent of Norwegians are against joining the EU - and a straw poll on the streets of Oslo suggested they empathise with Britons considering a vote to leave Even though the country is not a part of the European Union they have still signed the Schengen-treaty of free movement between the European countries, meaning migrants arrived from Denmark and Sweden last year Many Norwegians, such as Trine Oistad, above, are relieved they are not part of the EU because of the migration crisis. She said: 'It feels safe to be out of the union at the moment' The worlds fourth richest country has never been a part of the EU and nearly everybody MailOnline spoke to - from immigrants to politicians - agreed that avoiding the EU's never ending bureaucracy is worth the price they pay. They hand over 400million a year for access to the single market yet do not have a vote on legislation that affects the country every day. In return, Norway gets to control its fishing and oil industries without the same EU meddling that others are subject to. Those who come to Norway need to work. They will also be handed temporary asylum and our objective is that they will travel back to their separate countries when the situation is safer. It has seen soaring migration - it is a member of the European 'open borders' agreement - but says its independence is helping it to cope. MP Schou said they are looking at cutting the ability of European migrants to claim child benefit in Norway then sending it back to their country of origin. She said: 'Those who come to Norway need to work. They will also be handed temporary asylum and our objective is that they will travel back to their separate countries when the situation is safer. We are only helping those who needs protection, the other ones are sent back.' The nation has also imposed laws that make it easier for the police to deport criminals, radical Muslims and people who have come to Norway just to live off the generous welfare system. Over 8,000 immigrants were deported back to the countries that they came from in 2014, the latest available statistics. Oslo resident Henrik Schultz told MailOnline: 'Why should we then be a part of something that clearly is not working?, he told MailOnline. 'I think Britain ought to leave and do like we have done. Perhaps that will transform EU to something better when they realise that countries can leave the union.' In the Oslo district of Gronland, just 100 meters from the towns central station, the streets are crowded with immigrants from Pakistan and Eritrea The district was originally built for families who worked at the towns port, but over the last 30 years Grnland has developed into a multicultural neighbourhood The massive influx of migrants last autumn was only halted when their neighbouring countries Sweden and Denmark - both EU members - tightened their border controls Norway has 848,207 immigrants living in the country at the moment according to statistics from the government published at the beginning of 2016 17 per cent of the population Gronland [an area of Oslo] is more Muslim than my home country, said 40-year-old Hussein, above, who sought asylum in Norway from his native Eritrea four years ago Finn Dyrkorn, left, said: 'We can control our own laws and make decisions of our own despite what they say in Brussels' while Henrik Schultz, right, said: 'Why should we then be a part of something that clearly is not working?' Hassan, who moved to Norway from Eritrea three years ago, said: 'Most immigrants in Norway are opposed the EU. Since many are unemployed, they say that they do not want others to come here and take jobs' WORLD'S FOURTH RICHEST COUNTRY THANKS TO OIL Norway is the world's fourth richest country according to Global Finance Magazine, and has never been a part of the EU. The country held two EU referendums, in 1972 and in 1994, and has since flourished financially due to oil and gas revenues from platforms in the Northern Sea. Although the unemployment rate has risen due to low oil prices over the last few years, only 4% of the population does not have a job. Norway's national bank and therefore the countries assets has a net worth of 700 billion, which equals 140 000 per citizen. The Government is only allowed to spend four percent of funds per year, with the rest saved for a future when the oilfields have dried up. It has the most generous welfare system in Scandinavia, and recipients can get 1500 a month just from living on welfare, they can also add child benefits and free health care. Norway's Labour and Social Affairs minister Robert Eriksson has claimed that 125,400 of the countries 5 million citizens are using this system for their own benefit and adds that 37 percent of them are immigrants. Even though the country is not a part of the European Union it signed the Schengen-treaty of free movement between the European countries. This led to a chaotic situation last autumn when immigrants passed through Sweden or went by boat from Denmark to Norway, leading to a 200 per cent increase in the number of immigrants on the previous year. The country has also signed the EEA-treaty with the EU, making it possible for Norway to operate on the European free market. Advertisement Helga Pedersen, immigration spokesman for the opposition Arbeiderpartiet (social democrats), told MailOnline: 'We have a firm immigration policy in Norway. 'We take care of those who need help and has a right to seek asylum and send those who have no right to stay here home. 'We have control over our immigration here in Norway and that is probably because we are not members of the EU.' The country has 848,207 immigrants living in the country at the moment according to statistics from the government published at the beginning of 2016 17 per cent of the population. Most of those who move to Norway are Swedes and people from other parts of the EU. but there is a large proportion - 380,000 - from the Middle East and Africa. The increase in migration seems to have have helped solidify support for staying out of the EU - even among the most recent arrivals. The ruling neo-liberal/conservative party Hoyre, led by prime minister Erna Solberg nicknamed 'Iron' because of her tough immigration policies, is trying to cut immigration numbers In the Oslo district of Gronland, just 100 meters from the towns central station, the streets are crowded with immigrants from Pakistan and Eritrea. Gronland is more Muslim than my home country, said 40-year-old Hussein, who sought asylum in Norway from his native Eritrea four years ago. He told MailOnline: I had never seen a burka before I came here. And I had never before seen angry looks if I ate or drank a cup of coffee during Ramadan. Hussein added: 'Norway is taking in a bit too many immigrants at the moment. If you look around here in Gronland, the area is overcrowded and there are hardly no Norwegians to be seen.' Over 30,000 immigrants arrived in Norway in the last few months of 2015, compared to 10,000 in total in 2014. Trine Oiestad, 36, said: - 'We are doing the right thing to stay out of the EU considering all the troubles they are having at the moment, especially with the migration crisis. It feels safe to be out of the union at the moment.' Hassan Tall, 39, who moved to Norway from Eritrea three years ago, said: 'Most immigrants in Norway are opposed the EU. Since many are unemployed, they say that they do not want others to come here and take jobs that they could have gotten. They are also afraid that the benefits from the government will be lowered if we enter the EU. 'Both Norwegians and immigrants hate the EU. The situation in Europe is critical, to enter the EU would be like going from the frying pan to the fire in a second. With all the chaos regarding immigrants and the terror, why be a part of that?' Since the influx of migrants last autumn, Norway has also imposed tougher laws on immigration, making it easier for the police to deport criminals, radical Muslims and people who have come to Norway just to live off the generous welfare system Norway's Labour and Social Affairs minister Robert Eriksson has claimed that 125,400 of the countrys five million citizens abuse the generous welfare system MP Schou said: 'We are a part of the Schengen-agreement. But we have our own immigration-policy on the side and have been imposing a much more comprehensive asylum-policy this year.' Ms Pedersen, immigration spokesperson for the opposition party Arbeiderpartiet (The social democrats), said that being independent of the EU means people cannot blame Brussels for fears over migration. She told MailOnline: The biggest change in Norway over the past 20 years is that we have become a multicultural society. Over 8000 immigrants were deported back to the countries that they came from in 2014, the latest available statistics Record numbers of migrants have arrived in Norway during the past two years causing some areas to become 'ghettoized'. Gronland in the country's capital Oslo has become a conservative Muslim area Helga Pedersen, immigration spokesperson for the opposition party Arbeiderpartiet (The social democrats), said that being independent of the EU means people cannot blame Brussels for fears over migration Norway is part of the EU single market so it has to abide by EU laws, but has no say in how they're made 'The biggest difference between us and countries within the EU is that Norwegian politicians have to be responsible for their own decisions. We can not blame anything on Brussels since we are independent. 'Most of the work force that has come to Norway are Swedes. But we have had a very large amount of people from Poland, Bulgaria, Romania and the Baltic countries who have come here to work, which has been a great challenge for Norway,' she said. 'The numbers have spiked over the last years with between 60,000 and 100,000 coming every year. The unemployment rate is increasing at the moment and we have a lot of unemployed eastern Europeans living here now.' Workers from across Europe are free to enter Norway - because the price for access to the single market was signing the Schengen agreement that means open borders across the continent. It has also seen a huge migrant influx from countries outside the EU in the last two years. Norway pays Brussels an annual fee of 400 million a year to be a part of the European market but does not have a voice in Europe because it is not a member Most of the people who move to Norway are Swedes and people from other parts of the EU (359,508 from the EU). But there are however a big population from the Middle East (265,721) and Africa (114,304) As Norway has no representation in Brussels, the country is forced to act as a lobby group to get their points across during key votes - and is a fan of the UK's pro-business and anti-regulation stance But - despite the ruling party wanting Norway to join the EU - the wider public are convinced that independence allows them greater control. 50-year-old Finn Dyrkorn said: 'The difference for us Norwegians is that we have kept a bit of independence. We can control our own laws and make decisions of our own despite what they say in Brussels.' Mazyar Keshvari, from the right-wing Fremskrittspartiet, which is in a ruling coalition with Hoyre, said: 'We have an article that makes it possible for us to not adopt certain EU legislation that member countries have to adopt. This article is rarely used.' Prime Minister Erna Solberg, who wants Norway to join the EU despite the public wanting to stay out - has said the UK should remain as it would struggle with not having a say on EU laws in Brussels. 'That type of connection is going to be difficult for Britain, because then Brussels will decide without the Brits being able to participate in the decision-making,' Solberg said in an interview with Politico. As Norway has no representation in Brussels, the country must act as a lobby group to get their points across during key votes - yet it pays an annual fee of 400 million a year to be a part of the European market. 'As a Norwegian I am very concerned if the UK leaves the union,' said Ms Pedersen. Pope Francis invited a dozen refugees to join him on the steps of St. Peter's Basilica for his general audience to press his demand for Europe to welcome more migrants. A dozen men ascended the steps with Francis on Wednesday and sat in front of him on the ground as he delivered his weekly catechism lesson. They carried banners of the charity that is caring for them and Vatican flags. In his remarks, Francis said the refugees had suffered in their home countries. Scroll down for video Pope Francis addresses the crowd surrounded by a group of refugees attending his weekly general audience at St Peter's square on June 22 The Pope said: 'Please they are our brothers. A Christian excludes no one. I ask all of you: Let everyone come' A dozen men ascended the steps with Francis on Wednesday and sat in front of him on the ground as he delivered his weekly catechism lesson He said: 'Please they are our brothers. A Christian excludes no one. I ask all of you: Let everyone come.' Francis brought a dozen Syrian refugees home with him when he visited Greece in April. Recently, the Vatican brought a second group to Rome. On Tuesday, meanwhile, Pope Francis amplified 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.' The refugees carried banners of the charity that is caring for them and Vatican flags Pope Francis waves as he arrives in St Peter's Square, flanked by the refugees 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.' Pope Francis greets the crowd as he arrives for his weekly general audience A 15-year-old Alabama girl had to be rescued by the local fire department after getting stuck inside the head of a giant Barney costume. Darby Risner of Trussville, which is about 15 miles north east of Birmingham, decided to play a trick on her friend by dressing up as the giant purple dinosaur. However, here attempted jape failed when she tried to remove the costume which became stuck. Darby Risner, pictured, got stuck inside a giant Barney head when she tried to prank her friends in Alabama The 15-year-old needed the help of three firemen to remove the head inside Trusville Fire Department After the application of Vaseline and some muscle power, the fire fighters were able to free Darby, pictured The 15-year-old told Al.com: 'The head was closing in on me. It was like a stuck-in-a-small-place-and-can't-get-out-panicking.' Her mother Audrey Shannon said her daughter had spotted the head after church and planned to trick her friends. She said: 'Darby thought, "I'm going to scare them when they come downstairs." '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.' Before seeking help, the group attempted to use Vaseline to lubricate the giant purple head in an effort to pull it off. Her brother Logan filmed attempts to remove the head. In one effort, friends grasp the head firmly while they attempted to ease it off by pulling on Darby's legs. Eventually the Trussville Fire Department were able to free the teenager. Lieutenant Vince Bruno said his men thought the incident was quite funny. He told NBC: 'She's so little that when they lifted the head, it lifted her off the ground so they had to hold down her feet. 'And with the Vaseline on her arms, they said it was like trying to wrestle a greased pig.' Darby added: '"The worst moment was when I had to throw up. All my friends were like, "No! No! No!" It would have had to sit in there with me, so I fought it back. 'Then they pulled really hard and it popped off. It was a big relief.' A nurse who was jailed for life in Germany for killing two patients with overdoses of heart medication may have killed at least 27 at two hospitals. The 39-year-old man, who can be identified only as Niels H, was convicted in February for murder and attempted murder in the northern city of Oldenburg. A judge ordered the bodies of 99 patients in nearby Delmenhorst to be exhumed and the city's police chief, Johann Kuehme, said today toxicology tests showed the residue of a heart drug, which none of them required, in 27 of the 99. 'The horror doesn't end. The investigations cannot be closed,' said Mr Kuehme. Niels H covered his face when he appeared in court in Oldenburg in 2014. But he admitted in court to killing 30 patients with heart medication Niels H's trial heard he wanted to win approval from colleagues by resuscitating patients so he gave them overdoses of a drug that shut down their cardiovascular systems. He admitted during the trial he had triggered cardiac arrests in 90 patients, 30 of whom died. He told the court he enjoyed the feeling of saving someone's life. Mr Kuehme said the investigators were also examining an unusually high number of patient deaths that occurred at a second hospital, in Oldenburg, where the nurse worked prior to Delmenhorst. Under German law Niels H's full identity cannot be revealed unless he waives his right to privacy. He is shown here covering his face with a file during a court appearance Prosecutor Daniela Schiereck-Bohlmann said: 'We cannot say how many of the patients in Oldenburg were victims.' The police and prosecutors said there was a 'strong suspicion' Niels H had killed at least six patients at the Oldenburg hospital by injecting heart medication or toxic doses of potassium. Several hundred additional files of deceased patients are being examined and the investigation is expected to run into next year. Several managers at both hospitals are also being questioned to determine if they are criminally culpable for failing to notice the high number of deaths during Niels H's shifts. She's known to answer all your questions, wakes you up every morning and is possibly the only person you'd trust to read your text messages and emails. And now you can finally meet her - Karen Jacobsen, who voices Siri, traded in her iPhone for the microphone as she sang the Australian national anthem at the State of Origin II. The Queensland-born entertainer, who is the Australian voice of Apple's beloved personal assistant, kicked up a storm as she took the stage in front of 50,000 spectators on Wednesday night. Scroll down for video Karen Jacobsen sang the Australian national anthem at the State of Origin match on Wednesday night But despite being inside millions of smartphones around the world, Ms Jacobsen said she was more thrilled to perform at one of Australia's biggest tournaments of the year. 'I'm absolutely over the moon (to perform),' she told The Courier Mail. 'It's great coming back to my home state and to perform at such an iconic game. It was definitely something on the life list. And there's nothing like being under a Queensland sky.' And since there's a face to the vocals, Ms Jacobsen, who lives in New York, also provides audio directions in more than 100 million GPS units worldwide. 'They say I am the only woman men would take directions from and I wear that title proudly,' she told Nine News ahead of the match. Ms Jacobsen also provides audio directions in more than 100 million GPS units worldwide Advertisement These incredible pictures reveal the underwater grave of Lord Kitchener who died alongside 736 other men when their warship was hit by a mine 100 years ago this month. Kitchener was the Secretary of State for War and a Field Marshal when he died in 1916 and has been remembered ever since as the face in the iconic 'Your country needs you' posters of the time. He died while on a diplomatic mission to Russia when HMS Hampshire was hit by a German mine off Orkney and sank in 15 minutes. The official war grave is generally off-limits to researchers, but a diving team were recently given special permission to visit the wreck The specialist divers have now catalogued the ruins of the ship by capturing 500 hours of footage and a complete 3D scan The official war grave is generally off-limits to researchers, but a diving team were recently given special permission to visit and photograph the wreck. MoD chiefs granted the licence to the team - led by Scotsman Rod Macdonald - to record the historic wreck before it is lost to the rough Scottish seas for good. The specialist divers have now catalogued the ruins of the ship by capturing 500 hours of footage and a complete 3D scan, as well as a stunning set of photos. Their work has recorded the 473ft armoured cruiser in incredible detail - from the propeller, to the portholes and even some of the smaller weapons on board. The team were also able to establish that the ship sank in an unusual way. Because of its length, and the fact it sank in just 230ft of water, the ship's bow hit the seabed while its stern remained above the waves. The boat sank in just 15 minutes - and when crews tried to lower lifeboats they were dashed against the side of the ship by high waves. Only 12 members of crew survived the wreck, Kitchener and his whole staff were lost in the tragedy. The research crew spent more than 200 hours on the wreck, which is located in an area exposed to strong tidal currents and storms. Lord Kitchener (left) died alongside 736 other men when HMS Hampshire was hit by a mine 100 years ago this month. Kitchener has been remembered ever since as the face in the iconic 'Your country needs you' posters of the time (right) The photographs captured the 473ft armoured cruiser in incredible detail - from the propeller, to the portholes and even some of the smaller weapons on board Mr Macdonald said: 'The point of this is it's the hundredth anniversary of the sinking of the Hampshire and she's decaying quickly.' He added: 'The story of HMS Hampshire is of historical importance and her loss forms an important element of the WWI naval story. 'In recognition of this, the prestigious Explorers Club awarded the expedition Explorers Club flag number 192. 'All major explorations since the early 1900s have carried with them an Explorers Club flag, including expeditions to the poles, Everest and the Moon. 'Number 192 was carried on 22 expeditions to Polar Regions, the Himalayas and has crossed the Atlantic twice by hot air balloon.' The wreck of the Hampshire was placed under official government protection in 2002 - but prior to that was dived only sporadically in the 90s. It is now a 'controlled site' under the Protection of Military Remains Act and can only be visited by those with express permission in the form of a licence. Lord Kitchener's death occurred less than a month before the Battle of the Somme and came as a huge blow to the British public. His death, and the fact his body was never recovered, has sparked a number of far-fetched rumours. The research crew spent more than 200 hours on the wreck, which is located in an area exposed to strong tidal currents and storms THE DEATH OF LORD KITCHENER AND THE MYSTERY (AND FAR-FETCHED CONSPIRACY THEORIES) THAT SURROUND IT Lord Kitchener died in 1916 when HMS Hampshire (pictured) was hit by a mine, but his body was never recovered At the outbreak of the Great War Lord Kitchener was appointed the Secretary of State for War. While on a diplomatic mission to Russia, in June 1916, the 66-year-old Kitchener died after the ship he was travelling on sunk. HMS Hampshire's route took Kitchener through Scapa Flow where the British had just fought in the only major naval battle in the Great War - the Battle of Jutland. While the battle kept the German navy at bay, it was a costly fight with 14 ships lost and over 6,000 men dead. During the Hampshire's journey, tempestuous weather forced its escorts to turn back. This move left the ship exposed and on June 5 there was a massive explosion. The ship sank in just 15 minutes, with only 12 survivors. His death, and the fact his body was never recovered, sparked numerous far-fetched rumours. Such tales include: he was assassinated by a German spy, he was the victim of a nefarious plot by Winston Churchill and that Kitchener survived the sea disaster and travelled to Russia to become communist leader Joseph Stalin. Advertisement One such tale was that of Fritz Joubert Duquesne - a Boer War soldier who claimed that he killed Kitchener while spying for the Germans. Duquesne said he boarded the ship by posing as a Russian Duke and then signalled to a German U-Boat to attack, before he escaped the Hampshire on a lifeboat. Lord Alfred Douglas, an English poet and former lover of Oscar Wilde, claimed that Winston Churchill had been part of a plan to assassinate Kitchener and say that Britain's bloody victory at Jutland was in fact a defeat. Lord Douglas said the future's Prime Minister's plan was concocted so that when news of Jutland broke British stocks would collapse - allowing his business associates to buy up shares at a profit. Churchill strongly denied the claims and sued Douglas for libel, resulting in him serving six months in prison. Others rumours included Lord Kitchener surviving the explosion and making it to Russia where he would become Joseph Stalin, the leader of the Soviet Union from the 1920s to his death on 1953. Another conspiracy theory is that the military leader was a member of the Freemasons and that the secret organisation helped him start a new life. The rumours were recently rubbished by Professor Fraught, who told The Mirror: 'The Battle of Jutland had just ended so he was sailing into a high risk area. 'One in particular, U-boat 75, set up a field of 20 or so mines and it seems the Hampshire tripped the field. It was a complete naval disaster but a conspiracy theory seems unlikely.' Police swooped on a picturesque Cotswold village after residents complained that a charity rubber duck race had breached an ancient by-law. Officers descended on Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire, 'like something out of Hot Fuzz' to break up the community event. The event, which involved about 100 rubbers ducks, was to raise money for Blood Bikes, a charity which run a free 24/7 blood and medical equipment delivery service. Police swooped on a picturesque Cotswold village after residents complained about a charity rubber duck race (file picture) But officers were called to the village just minutes after the race began and ordered organisers to stop the event. According to an ancient by-law, the River Windrush - where the race takes place - and the village green cannot be used on Sundays for fundraising purposes. The only group allowed to hold an event on a Sunday is a brass band. Stunned onlookers said the dramatic scenes looked 'like something out of the film Hot Fuzz.' Sales manager Jonathan Dixon, 45, from Cheltenham, took his two young sons to watch the duck race. He said: 'It was bonkers. Everyone was having a great time and the kids were chasing after the ducks as they went down the river. 'Suddenly a police car came along and two officers went over and talked to some chaps who were running the event. 'The event was abandoned after the first few races. Apparently the races broke some old bylaw and the villagers got upset and someone called the police. 'I have to say it soured the whole day. Talk about using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. The officers looked pretty embarrassed about it and I can understand why. 'It was like something out of the film Hot Fuzz. Surely the cops have got better things to do than stop a rubber duck race in the Costwolds.' But business owners in the village stood by their decision to call police. Carol Teece, 61, the former chamber of commerce who runs Duttons gift shop in the High Street, said: 'The bylaws are in place for a reason and must be respected. Officers descended on Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire (pictured), 'like something out of Hot Fuzz' to break up the community event According to an ancient by-law, the River Windrush (pictured) - where the race takes place - and the village green cannot be used on Sundays for fundraising purposes 'The parish council is responsible for the upkeep of the river and the village green. This means every time a child pulls out the stones from the river or a someone leaves rubbish on the green the parish council pick up the bill. 'This group who wanted to hold the duck race had not asked for permission before they just turned up. The bikes were left all over the green and several revved their engines which was extremely upsetting.' Another resident, who did not want to be named: 'Sunday was Father's Day and there were lots of families enjoying an afternoon in the village. 'Their peace was completely shattered by dozens of bikers in heavy leathers invading the village and chucking a load of rubber ducks in the river. 'It is frankly unfair to expect the villagers to put up with such nonsense from these undesirables who ruin the peace and quiet and then accuse us of being kill-joys.' Yesterday the village's Chamber of Commerce defended reporting the group to the police. A spokesman said: 'It is against village bylaws to park any vehicle on the green however a number of motorcycles were parked on the grass. 'The village green and river bed are under the jurisdiction of the Parish Council and are maintained with the financial support of the business community. The only group allowed to hold an event on a Sunday is a brass band. Residents defended their decision to call officers over the event 'Use of the green and river for the weekend's event was not applied for. 'Even when applied for, local organisations are not able to use the village green for fundraising events on a Sunday. 'Lots of charities and organisations use the village green and river for events and are welcome to do so when adhering to the guidelines and obtaining the relevant permissions.' Despite officers being called and asking organisers to stop running a series of races, 518 was raised for the charity. The charity duck race has taken place twice before but on previous occasions were held on Saturdays or on Bank Holidays which have more flexible rules for fundraising. A spokesman for Midland Freewheelers Blood Bikes said: 'We rely on donations. 'The duck race is an annual event and a lot of money is always raised for us, for which we are very grateful. 'We understand the event did go ahead on Sunday but there were also issues raised by some about the rules on running such events. I haven't heard if they will be able to put on the event next year or not.' Gloucestershire Constabulary confirmed they were called to the village. A spokesman said: 'At about 2.45pm on Sunday 19 June, 2016, police responded to a complaint that a number of motorbikes were parked on the village green, contravening a local bylaw protecting the site. 'An officer asked the riders to move their bikes, which they kindly did. Advertisement It is often said that punk was less a musical genre than a state of mind, and these stunning photographs help portray those who defined it. A new book by Peter Gravelle, who was known to be close to Sex Pistols bassist Sid Vicious, lovingly records the era of punk 40 years on. The Sex Pistols are seen as the band who brought the genre to the worlds attention after playing their first gig in London in 1975. They became known for their outrageous antics, but Vicious was found dead aged 21 after taking a heroin overdose in New York in 1979. The Death of Photography traces 40 years of Mr Gravelles career and presents his photos of the world of punk alongside many portraits. Some images feature the Sex Pistols at gigs and interviews, while another shows their famous record deal outside Buckingham Palace. Knocking back the vodka: Sid Vicious, the bass guitarist of influential punk rock band the Sex Pistols, is photographed by Peter Gravelle Short life: Sex Pistols bass player Vicious was found dead in his bed aged 21 after taking a heroin overdose in New York in February 1979 Punk legends: Vicious (left) plays with Johnny Rotten (right) in the Sex Pistols. The band performed their first gig in 1975 in London Putting pen to paper: Members of the Sex Pistols famously signed a record deal outside Buckingham Palace in London in March 1977 Press conference: The Sex Pistols were known for their bad language as well as hits such as Anarchy In The UK and God Save The Queen The Damned: A punk group formed of lead vocalist Dave Vanian, guitarist Brian James, bassist Captain Sensible and drummer Rat Scabies Debut: A photo forming part of a set for the band's album Damned Damned Damned. They played their first gig with the Sex Pistols in 1976 Identity: Punk was an underground scene until the mid-1970s, when the Ramones and the Sex Pistols helped bring it into the public sphere Punk style: The original punks were seen by many people as pioneers who broke down conventional musical and social barriers Progressive: The punk influence from the 1970s has been passed on to more modern rock bands such as Green Day and Blink 182 Styles: Punk was seen as an agressive form of rock music and became something of a political ideology as it spread across the world Short life: Vicious (left) was the prime suspect in the murder of his American girlfriend Nancy Spungen but died while on bail Photographer: Peter Gravelle's (left) book The Death of Photography (right) was published by Carpet Bombing Culture on May 16 A family has vanished after a father was last heard 'attempting to survive' with his three children off the coast of Florida. Ace Kimberly, 45, from Sarasota and his teenagers Roger Kimberly, 13, Donny Kimberly, 15, and Rebecca Kimberly, 17, were last seen on Sunday as the left for Fort Myers. The U.S. Coast Guard started first-light searches for the 29-foot vessel which disappeared near Englewood on the Gulf of Mexico and found a debris field on Wednesday afternoon. They discovered a tarp, six life jackets, water jugs, a pair of shoes and a propane tank among the debris spotted by a search aircraft. A short time later, they found six empty kayaks in the search area that are believed to belong to the family. The missing: (From left to right) Donny Kimberly, 13, Roger Kimberly, 15, their father Ace Kimberly and sister Rebecca Kimberly Donald (left) and brother Roger were believed to be living with their father, who had been staying on the boat for around a year The four members of the family (circled) who are missing in the Gulf of Mexico pose alongside some of their other relatives U.S. Coast Guard Capt., Gregory Case said search teams found a debris field shortly after the rescue operation got underway The family have been living on the boat for around a year. It has also been revealed that boaters were warned about high winds at the time they went missing. The family left Sarasota at 7am on Sunday and entered into rough seas. The father called his brother at 3pm and said 'the sailboat was in 6-foot seas and he was attempting to survive with his children offshore of Englewood,' according to the Coast Guard. In a report by the New-Press, Coastguard Officer Ashley J. Johnson said they had launched a HC-130 Hercules airplane from Clearwater, and several vessels from Stations Cortez and Fort Myers Beach. A video of the aircraft taking off at first light on Wednesday was posted on social media. The Maritime Emergency Response Team has also been sent out to search for the missing family. Anyone with information can contact the Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg on 727-824-7506 The father and his two sons (13,15), and daughter (17), were last seen near Englewood on Sunday The family of four set sail on a 29ft vessel at 7am on Sunday from Sarasota (pictured) bound for Fort Myers The sprawling desert mansion belonging to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has been found abandoned amid claims he is still alive and on the run. A picture of the compound in Manbij, Syria, was posted online by Iraqi rebel fighter Serdar Mahmud who said it featured a swimming pool and even a zoo with camels and horses. It shows how walls have been built around the estate while the pool has been drained and animals can be seen roaming around in the background. The sprawling desert mansion belonging to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has been found abandoned amid claims he is still alive and on the run There are claims that al-Baghdadi is in the ISIS stronghold Mosul in Iraq - despite earlier reports that the ISIS mastermind may have been killed Mahmud pictured himself on the roof of the mansion along with the caption: 'note the camels and a few horse Al Baghdadi had a zoo.' He goes on to claim al-Baghdadi is in the Iraqi city of Mosul, despite earlier reports that the ISIS mastermind may have been killed. Mahmud appears to be loyal to the People's Protection Unit, a Kurdish group created to battle ISIS in northern Syria and Iraq. He regularly posts pictures from the battlefront, including weapons seized from the extremist group and tunnels its thugs use to hide and escape from advancing YPG units and airstrikes. Baghdadi's mansion was seized by YPG fighters ever since he fled after being wounded during an airstrike on Raqqa in Syria. Last week, reports emerged that the 44-year-old may have been killed in the US attack. But there have previously been reports that al-Baghdadi, who proclaimed himself caliph of all Muslims two years ago, has been killed or wounded, which turned out to be untrue. Mahmud has previously posted pictures of secret tunnels (pictured) ISIS fighters use to evade capture and airstrikes In a recent post, Mahmud claimed that YPG Special Forces (pictured) killed 40 fighters in the Manbij The Abna24 website said al-Baghdadi had been killed last Sunday morning by an air strike in Syria. However, there has been no confirmation of his death by the US or any other coalition powers, who have been targeting the terror group in Syria and Iraq. A Pentagon spokesman told MailOnline they were not aware of any 'high value targets' having been killed. Baghdadi was born as Ibrahim Awwad Ibrahim al-Badri, in 1971 in Samarra, Iraq, to a lower-middle class Sunni family. His tribe claimed to be descended from the Prophet Muhammad. As a youth Baghdadi was a meticulous observer of religious law and could recite the Koran from cover to cover. He then rose from obscurity to lead the world's most infamous and feared terror group, reviving the organisation's fortunes as it launched its sickening offensive across Syria and Iraq. But he still continues to shun the spotlight for an aura of mystery that adds to his appeal and his lack of public appearances means he still has a unprecedented $10million bounty on his head. Mahmud (left), who appears to be loyal to the People's Protection Unit rebel group, also posts pictures of the weapons the group is said to have seized from ISIS (pictured) The situation is in direct contrast to the likes of Osama bin Laden, who regularly appeared in videos sprouting hate messages and was internationally known long before 9/11. Baghdadi's only appearance came during a slick propaganda video last summer, when he led a sermon in a mosque in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul. The video - which showed a man with a black and grey beard wearing a black robe and matching turban - came after the group captured Iraq's second largest city, a terrifying moment which highlighted how quickly the terror group was gaining territory. An Iraqi intelligence report indicates that Baghdadi - who it says has a PhD in Islamic studies and was a professor at Tikrit University - also married a second woman, with whom he had another son. Baghdadi apparently joined the insurgency that erupted after the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq, at one point spending time in a U.S military prison in the country's south. But he did not swear allegiance to the leader of the al-Qaeda network, Zawahiri, who had urged ISIS to focus on Iraq and leave Syria to al-Nusra. But there have previously been reports that al-Baghdadi, who proclaimed himself caliph of all Muslims two years ago, has been killed or wounded, which turned out to be untrue Baghdadi and his fighters openly defied the al-Qaeda chief, leading some commentators to believe he now holds higher prestige among many Islamist militants. As well as the uncertainty surrounding his true identity, his whereabouts are also unclear. Although there were reports he was in Raqqa in Syria, - the ISIS stronghold - those reports are unconfirmed. In the past year, Baghdadi has been reported wounded multiple times. Last year there were two reports that Baghdadi had been wounded in air strikes, but they turned out to be inaccurate. Two teenagers have been warned for playing 'Russian roulette' with their lives and told 'you could be killed' when they climbed on to train tracks to pose for selfies. The girls, thought to be aged around 15, clambered on to the busy line in South Wales and struck several different poses while they took snaps with their phones. The busy commuter line provides a service between Barry and Cardiff with several trains running between the sites every hour. The British Transport Police is investigating how the girls gained access to the tracks and are urging parents to discourage such behaviour from youngsters during the upcoming summer holidays One train driver blasted their actions as 'utter stupidity' and warned parents to make sure they kept their children off the tracks. Freight train driver Nick Rush, 55, said: 'The emotional impact on the driver has lasting repercussions, it could be that he or she may never drive a train again. 'Then there's the family to consider, how would the death affect them how would any parent deal with that? 'This is a serious matter and with the schools closing for the summer soon instances of trespass by teenagers will substantially increase, as well as fatalities.' One woman living near the tracks described the girls as 'utterly pathetic'. She said: 'Have they nothing better to do than play Russian roulette with their lives?' Richard Molyneux, 48, added: 'They wouldn't do it on the M4. Why do people think it is 'cool' to use railway lines for photo shoots? 'Hopefully somebody will know these girls and point out the error of their ways before it's too late.' British Transport Police (BTP) is investigating how the pair gained access to the line in Dinas Powys. A spokesman for BTP said: 'We are aware of a photograph which shows two teenage girls on the tracks between Eastbrook and Dinas Powys. Two teenage girls climbed on to a busy commuter track in Glamorgan, South Wales and struck several different poses whilst they took snaps with their phones 'I would like to remind people that the railway is a dangerous environment. 'Trains travel at extremely high speeds and are actually much quieter than people expect. 'All it takes is one accidental slip and the consequences could be catastrophic. 'People may think they know the lines well and know the passenger timetables, but they don't know the freight timetables, with services running 24 hours a day. 'With the school summer holidays almost upon us, I would urge all parents and responsible adults to emphasise these dangers and ensure youngsters do not participate in such behaviour and keep away from the railway lines. 'Our main concern is keeping people safe. More than 400 animals were removed from a squalid Long Island home less than a year after a 4-foot alligator was removed from the property, according to authorities. The Nassau Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals says the rescue dubbed 'Operation Noah's Ark' lasted eight hours. It says the Bellmore home had a free-roaming skunk and turtles in slimy water in addition to bird cages filled with feces. Scroll down for video More than 400 animals were removed from a squalid Long Island home less than a year after a 4-foot alligator was removed from the property, according to authorities The Nassau Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals says the rescue dubbed 'Operation Noah's Ark' lasted eight hours It says the Bellmore home had a free-roaming skunk and turtles in slimy water in addition to bird cages filled with feces Neighbor Dawn Kephart told CBS New York: 'It sounded like living next to the Amazon jungle. It just blows my mind to see what animals are coming out.' More than 250 birds and more than 150 turtles were seized Tuesday along with four reptiles and a dozen mammals, including rabbits, chinchillas, sugar gliders and prairie dogs. Authorities say homeowner Gary Gruber has been cited for having endangered turtles. Defense attorney Nathan DeCorpo says people bring his client animals for rehabilitation, but that Gruber's own health has deteriorated. More than 250 birds and more than 150 turtles were seized Tuesday along with four reptiles and a dozen mammals, including rabbits, chinchillas, sugar gliders and prairie dogs Authorities say homeowner Gary Gruber has been cited for having endangered turtles A man is seen carrying several birds in this grab taken from video Nassau SPCA's Gary Rogers told CBS New York: 'Besides living in filth, besides living in dirty water, there is a lack of wholesome, fresh sanitary, healthy air. 'The odor was horrible, they were living in conditions that were totally unwarranted.' He told the TV station: 'Every animal that was taken out of here today is going out of state, going to places that deal with animals that were put in these kinds of environments.' Neighbor Jackie Cornman told WABC: 'It's horrible for the animals. 'The animals couldn't have fared well, and you saw, the animals that are coming out, there's nine birds in a cage, that's cruelty and those animals are beautiful.' Nassau SPCA's Gary Rogers told CBS New York: 'Besides living in filth, besides living in dirty water, there is a lack of wholesome, fresh sanitary, healthy air' He told the TV station: 'Every animal that was taken out of here today is going out of state, going to places that deal with animals that were put in these kinds of environments' Lucy Turnbull has received an apology from her own husband's party after they misused her name to promote a $3,000-a-head Liberal fundraiser. Ms Turnbull arrived at the exclusive woman's lunch in Sydney on Wednesday, but was surprised to learn that she had been advertised as co-host of the event alongside Senator Michaelia Cash. 'Is that how I've been billed?' she asked Fairfax reporter Heath Aston outside the venue. 'I wasn't aware of that.' Lucy Turnbull has received an apology from the Liberal party after they misused her name to promote a fundraiser Ms Turnbull was billed as the co-host of the $3,000-a-head lunch, but she believed she was invited as the 'spouse of Malcolm Turnbull' 'Is that how I'm being billed? I wasn't aware of that': Ms Turnbull had no idea her name was being used The Liberal Party later apologised and said the use of her name and title as chief commissioner of Mike Baird's Greater Sydney Commission for the exclusive fundraiser was a 'mistake.' A statement from a party spokesman said that the money raised at the lunch had been donated to charity, The Sydney Morning Herald reported. 'Lucy Turnbull AO had been invited to attend Party functions in her role as the spouse of the Prime Minister. 'Without Mrs Turnbull's knowledge, the invitations made reference to one of her public roles. 'The Liberal Party has apologised to Mrs Turnbull for this mistake. 'Because of this mistake, the proceeds from the functions will be paid today to the St Vincent de Paul Society CEO Sleepout in support of women's refuges.' The fundraiser at Doltone House, a waterfront venue in Darling Point, was described as a discussion on 'women's workforce participation and advancing gender equality.' The high-profile guest list included Diane Smith-Gander, who is the chair of billion-dollar company Broadspectrum and was labelled Australia's sixth most powerful businesswoman last year. The high-profile guest list included Diane Smith-Gander - Australia's sixth most powerful woman The polls in the EU referendum open in a matter of hours after months of passionate - and sometimes aggressive - campaigning. So as the electorate prepares to vote on the future of Britain's role in or out of Europe, MailOnline took to the streets to find out how much people really know about the European Union. Could they tell the difference between EU fact or fiction? MailOnline went out with a clutch of EU flags and asked people to identify which nation was the biggest contributor to the EU budget. Ian, 52, from Solihull (left) had no idea who paid the most into the EU's coffers - picking out the Greek flag at random when asked. Joan, 77, (right) wasn't able to pick out the biggest contributor to the EU budget Which country is the biggest contributor to the EU budget? One person was able to correctly identify Germany How many presidents in the EU? Zoe, from Canvey Island in Essex, thought there were no presidents in the EU - in fact there are five How much child benefit is sent to other EU countries? Oyami, 42, was completely stumped when asked and guessed 5 per cent. The actual figure is 0.3 per cent of the 7.55 million families receiving child benefit How many citizens migrated to the UK last year? Londoner Kevin, 43, got close to the net figure of 184,000 by guessing 180,000 people Thumbs up: Harvey Hughes-Sharps, of Guilden Sutton, Cheshire, has asked his family and friends to donate to a hospice which treated his late mother A kind-hearted boy aged just seven has written a heartbreaking letter to his family and friends asking for donations to a hospice which treated his mother as she died instead of birthday gifts. Harvey Hughes-Sharps, of Guilden Sutton, Cheshire, was four when his mother Rachel Hughes died after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer, which spread to her lungs and brain. She left him a box of notes and memories to help him remember her after her death aged 42 in December 2013, and Harvey has now come up with his own way of handling his grief. Instead of birthday presents, the schoolboy asked friends and family to donate to the Hospice of the Good Shepherd in Chester, so the centre can continue caring for other people. His father Jonathan Sharps, 48, who owns a woodwork business, said: I am very proud of Harvey. He came up with the idea of sacrificing his own birthday presents this year. We have helped him develop the idea, but its been his special project and we are just supporting him. He really wants to help the hospice, as they have a new extension being built at the moment. Rachel spent about a month in the hospice before she died in December 2013, aged 42. She was a very tough lady. She would confront the doctors about what she needed. Parent: Harvey (right) was four when his mother Rachel Hughes (left) died after being diagnosed with cancer Fundraising: Harvey (left, with his father Jonathan Sharps) had a Star Wars-themed birthday party on Sunday Fun for the kids: Following the Star Wars party (above), Harvey has now raised nearly 1,200 for the hospice Heartbreaking letter: Harvey has written to his family and friends asking for donations to the Chester hospice Kind words: Harvey said in the letter that he wants 'to help other people that are going through the same thing' Harvey would visit Rachel there after school. She was waited on hand and foot and this has really helped Harvey with his grieving process. Mr Sharps added that Harvey is becoming more used to the situation now, and that they had a private ceremony at home for his mother before scattering some of her ashes on a beach in Wales. He continued: She was a lovely, kind, generous person. She was a social worker looking after old people and was so caring. Its wonderful to see Harvey giving something back to the hospice. The team there are amazing. I cant describe how invaluable they are. Nobody wants to die in their own home when you have a child living there, so it was really important to us for Rachel to be somewhere so caring. Great work: Harvey (right, sitting with his stepmother Katherine Robinson) receives an award from former Great Britain Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies for his fundraising efforts New family: His stepmother Miss Robinson (centre) moved in with Harvey (right) and Mr Sharps (left) last year Late mother: Mrs Hughes (left, with Harvey and Mr Sharps) spent about a month in the hospice before she died Taking his steps: The family scattered some of the ashes of Mrs Hughes (left, with Harvey) on a Welsh beach Harvey had a Star Wars-themed birthday party on Sunday and so far he has raised nearly 1,200 for the hospice. His stepmother, dance teacher Katherine Robinson, 36, moved in with Harvey and Mr Sharps last year. HIS LETTER TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY My name is Harvey Hughes-Sharps and I will soon be seven years old. This year for my birthday party I have asked to have a Star Wars charity party, raising money for the Hospice of the Good Shepherd. Just after I was born, my mummy got poorly and found out that she had cancer. Two years ago my mummy died, but the hospice helped her, my Daddy and me by looking after us when we felt scared. Now I want to help other people that are going through the same thing. At my birthday party I will ask my friends and family for donations instead of bringing me a present. I hope to raise lots of money but I also want my friends to have lots of fun. Would you be able to sponsor me or donate a prize for my raffle? My birthday is in June so I have got lots to do before then. Thank you very much for reading my letter. I hope that you will write back to me. Love from Harvey Age 6 3/4 Advertisement She says the memory box, and all of Harveys letters from his mum, help her to feel like she knows Rachel personally, despite never having met her. Ms Robinson said: Harvey is very unaware of how inspiring he is. He is a very humble and shy boy. People think he must be a big character to do what hes doing, but he isnt. He is very thoughtful and kind. Harvey still had a few little gifts and surprises even though he wanted to make the gesture of giving up his presents this year. In terms of moving in with them, Harvey has made it extremely easy for me, as he is so easy to love. He has obviously had to work out how he feels about me coming into his house after losing his mum. We got on straightaway and Ive always loved kids. We have had lots of opportunities to bond. I didnt move in until Harvey was comfortable. He is constantly growing, so his grief does need to be revisited. We have to keep checking in on that. Rachel is still very much part of the family and I feel like I have got to know part of Rachel through Jonathan and Harvey. I have a sense of that motherly role and I can continue what Rachel would have wanted for Harvey. A hospice spokesman said: We are delighted and extremely proud of Harvey. He has selflessly helped to raise money for the hospices From Silver to Gold appeal, which will double the size of the existing hospital and help more people like Harvey, his mum Rachel and dad. Judge says family was 'rife with criminality' and 'united by greed' Gang blew the proceeds on expensive goods and holidays to Dubai A family of fraudsters who tricked pensioners out of 1.3million which they spent on expensive cars and watches were today jailed for over twenty years. The 'ferociously greedy' Mohammed family cold-called victims posing as fraud advisers from Visa or high-street banks and saying they had been targeted in a scam. Led by Atif Mohammed, 25, the family then invited their victim to hang up and redial their own bank's fraud team themselves to gain their trust. But they stayed on the line, intercepted the return call and either put on a fake voice or handed the phone to another family member to pose as a legitimate bank official. Atif Mohammed (left) and his cousin Asif Ali (right) ran a phone scam which stole the savings of pensioners Shabeer (left) and Shakeel Ahmed (right) were also took part in the con, which saw people phoned up and told they had been targeted by fraudsters and encouraged to pay money into a bank account Call centre worker Zoe Latif (left) gave the gang victim's details. Atif's mother Shameem Ali Mohammed (right) had stolen property At least 42 elderly and vulnerable people from across the UK were encouraged to transfer their savings - up to 129,000 in one case - into another bank account. The fraudsters then spent the money 'like water' - on luxury cars including a yellow Lamborghini Gallardo, a white Land Rover, a Ferrari and a Mercedes, Bristol Crown Court heard. It also funded designer bags, gold, expensive watches, gambling ventures and trips abroad, including repeat visits to Dubai where they bought a house. The Mohammeds, originally from Pakistan, called thousands of people using dozens of phones over 13 months as part of the 'vishing' - voice phishing - scam between December 2013 and January 2015. Most of the victims will never get their money back because banks view such incidents - where people willingly transfer money - as their own fault. Seven members of the family, from Glasgow, were jailed for between two and six years each this week. Sentencing them, Judge Barry Cotter QC said: 'Those who fell for it tended to be the more unworldly and naive. 'Whilst they were not specifically targeted as vulnerable, it is obvious that it was people who did not have a suspicion that many people would have who were victims.' The gang made thousands out of the scam and 100,000 in cash was found when they were arrested The group frittered the money away on expensive goods including these watches (above and below) The judge added that the family was 'rife with criminality' and 'united by ferocious greed'. 'The way in which the money was spent will make it even harder for victims to swallow. You frittered money away,' he said. 'It was a high life lived on the hard-earned money of others, the sweat and toil of other people, by you, the most dishonest of people.' The con artists were eventually caught in November 2014. Police raided their six-bed mansion, finding 41 mobile phones, 57 sim cards and dozens of phone numbers scrawled on a wall. In Shameem's bedroom they found 100,000 in cash, hidden under the bed and in a false partition in her wardrobe, along with DKNY handbags and receipts for gold. One victim, Marian Hodges, of Salisbury, Wiltshire, said she was 'shattered' after being scammed out of 84,000 in life savings on April Fool's Day 2014. Another victim, an 87-year-old man, whose wife is dying of cancer, said: 'I felt such a fool to be duped in this way.' The gang spent the money they made 'like water', buying, among other cars, a Lamborghini like that pictured They also bought a number of luxury cars, including a Mercedes AMG like that pictured in this file photo Another of the expensive vehicles purchased by the gang was a white Land Rover, like that pictured Ringleader Atif Mohammed, 25, was jailed for six years for his pivotal role in the plot, which is thought to have raked in far more than the proven 1.3million. His cousin, father-of-two Asif Ali, 33, who has 24 previous convictions and was also involved in a separate mortgage fraud, was jailed for five years and ten months. Their cousins, brothers Shabeer Ahmed, 25 and Shakeel Ahmed, 21, were jailed for five years and two months and three and a half years respectively. The four relatives had previously admitted conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation. Atif's brother, Saif Mohammed, 21, admitted money laundering and was jailed for one year. Call centre worker 26-year-old Zoe Latif, who handed over the victims' details, was handed a nine month sentence, suspended for two years, after admitting encouraging or assisting indictable offences. Another navy cadet said he was raped and forced to perform sex acts Allegations of abuse in the Australian Defence Force are being examined The abuse drove him to try and commit suicide with 72 Valium pills He said he was sexually abused by an officer and fellow apprentice Ken McIlwain said he was raped repeatedly while training with the Navy A former Navy apprentice has opened up about the months of sexual abuse he endured at the hands of two men, leaving the hosts of The Project stunned and horrified. Ken McIlwain told the panel on Wednesday night about the years he spent training with the Navy as a teenager in the early 1970s, during which he would often iron the uniforms of senior apprentices. One day after he brought a cleaned uniform to the room of a senior, Mr McIlwain said instead of handing him money, the senior threw him onto the bed and had oral sex with him. That was the beginning of a cycle of of sexual abuse by two men the senior and an officer, he said. Scroll down for video Former Navy apprentice, Ken McIlwain (pictured), opened up on Wednesday about the months of sexual abuse he endured 40 years ago at the hands of two men - a fellow Navy apprentice and an officer Mr McIlwain shared his powerful story with the hosts of The Project, leaving them stunned and horrified. A visibly upset Carrie Bickmore (pictured) said it is 'incredibly unfair' The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse began its examination into the ADF's handling of abuse allegations on Tuesday. It heard 15-year-old cadet Eleanore Tibble (pictured) was driven to commit suicide after having a relationship with a 30-year-old instructor 'This went on for a fair while. After a couple of months I went to a medical officer and told him that I had problems with my bottom and pains in my stomach and he just said it was anxiety from my father, who was a bit of a drunken abuser,' Mr McIlwain said. The second and third time he returned to the medical officer, Mr McIlwain said he told them he was being raped by the two men but that they just gave him bottles of Valium. Mr McIlwain said he reached his breaking point one night while taking a shower after being raped. 'I was just so embarrassed and ashamed and at that time I decided I'm not going to get away from this so I went and got a can of Pepsi and I had three bottles of Valium left I remember counting them there was 72 I took the whole lot to commit suicide because I was happy to go, there was no way I could get out of it,' he said. After years of silence, Mr McIlwain (pictured) is now calling for a change within the Australian Defence Force and for other victims to share their story During the decades that followed, Mr McIlwain said he remained silent but tried to deal with the 'triggers.' He said that at the grocery store he would buy the brand of soap he used to clean himself after each rape in bulk, in case he ran out. Mr McIlwain is now calling for a change within the Australian Defence Force and for other victims to share their story. A visibly stunned Carrie Bickmore agreed with Mr McIlwain, urging for the truth about the ADF to be released. 'He is right, the truth needs to be spoken. For people like Ken. Hearing him say he just has to manage the triggers. He shouldn't have to manage any,' she said. 'It is so incredibly unfair he spent 40 years of his life dealing with something he had no control over.' Mr McIlwain's powerful story comes as the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse started its examination into the Australian Defence Force's handling of abuse allegations across the navy, army and airforce in Sydney on Tuesday. Survivors told the commission there was a 'culture of abuse' and secrecy in defence force facilities across the country, with its teenage recruits subjected vile sexual, emotional and physical abuse at the hands of senior officers, the Sydney Morning Herald reported. Ms Tibble's mother Susan Campbell was among 111 people who contacted the commission about the ADF The commission heard 15-year-old cadet Eleanore Tibble was driven to commit suicide after the ADF threatened her with a dishonourable discharge because she had a sexual relationship with a 30-year-old instructor. Her mother Susan Campbell was among the 111 people who contacted the commission about the ADF as they failed to tell her daughter the 'fraternisation' charges were being dropped. A former Navy cadet who served at the Leeuwin base, in Perth's south, in 1967 told the commission he was 'repeatedly' dragged to an oval, raped and forced to perform oral sex on his fellow recruits. 'I was forced to suck another recruit's penis or lick a junior recruit's anus. This was often after another recruit who had been buggered by an older recruit and ejaculated into,' the man who was given the pseudonym CJA told the hearing. 'Other times I was forced to have anal intercourse with junior recruits or I was raped by another junior recruit who was directed to so by the older recruits or base staff,' he added. He said senior officers told him to 'suck it up' as they had done and that the continued abuse would 'make a man out of him', the Sydney Morning Herald reported. A former Navy cadet who served at the Leeuwin base, in Perth's south, in 1967 told the commission (pictured) he was 'repeatedly' dragged to an oval, raped and forced to perform oral sex on his fellow recruits Graeme Frazer, who survived horrendous abuse when he was 16 the same naval training base said it took 36 years before the Navy and the Department of Defence acknowledged the systemic abuse (stock image) CJA also told the commission he was afraid to complain after witnessing a chef ejaculate into an officer's food before it was presented to him. Graeme Frazer, who survived horrendous abuse when he was 16 the same naval training base said it took 36 years before the Navy and the Department of Defence acknowledged the systemic abuse. Mr Frazer said the abuse, which included being knocked unconscious while being forced to run a gauntlet, caused him lifelong physical and psychological damage. He said he was also subjected to a painful initiation ritual known as 'nuggeting' which involves being held down while his genitals were smeared with boot polish and scrubbed with a hard bristled brush. Mr Frazer said he twice reported the abuse to a senior officer at Leeuwin but was told it was a 'rite of passage in the real Navy'. 'I was forced to suck another recruit's penis or lick a junior recruit's anus. This was often after another recruit who had been buggered by an older recruit and ejaculated into,' a man told the hearing Mr Frazer said he twice reported the abuse to a senior officer at Leeuwin but was told it was a 'rite of passage in the real Navy' He felt he was picked on because he was short and colour blind, which meant he had difficulty with the flag exercises. When he finished his training at Leeuwin, he served 12 years at HMAS Albatross in Nowra and achieved the highest non-commissioned rank of leading seaman before he left. WHY IS THE COMMISSION LOOKING INTO THE ADF? 111 people who experienced physical, mental and sexual abuse within the ADF have contacted the commission 50 were about child abuse at HMAS Leeuwin in Perth or the army apprentice school at Balcombe in Victoria 26 were about child sex abuse of ADF cadets More than 30 people have complained about child sexual abuse within other ADF establishments including at HMAS Cerberus, the ADF Academy, Puckapunyal Army Base, Kapooka Army Base and RAAF Base Wagga Wagga Advertisement Mr Frazer told the commission he went on to study at the University of Sydney and worked as a social worker but began to have health problems including crippling anxiety. He went to a rehabilitation centre and revealed the abuse for the first time. He was advised to approach the Department of Veteran's Affairs and make a claim under the Military Compensation and Rehabilitation Service (MCRS) through the DVA for injuries, anxiety and depression. The MCRS twice rejected his claim, saying there was nothing on his personnel file from Leeuwin. He appealed to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal which in 2004 overturned the MCRS finding and found said there was a culture of 'bullying, harassment, intimidation, bastardisation, victimisation and violence at Leeuwin'. The MCRS continued to challenge the compensation amount, Mr Frazer said. He said institutions like the DVA appeared to understand the type of abuse he received was wrong 'but their processes make it very hard for survivors to claim compensation because of the level of proof they require'. He told the commission there were some people in Defence 'who still think it is OK to break people down by whatever means necessary' and he hoped that would change in the future He also said there were some people in Defence 'who still think it is OK to break people down by whatever means necessary' and he hoped that would change in the future. It was not until 2013 when he went to the Defence Abuse Response Taskforce, set up after an investigation into Leeuwin, that the abuse was finally acknowledged. Prior to that there had never been an acknowledgement 'never mind an apology', he said. He is one of 14 survivor witnesses giving evidence at the commission. A task force was set up in 2012 to look at 2,400 historical complaints of abuse in the ADF. Court ordered 'out of control' Rottweiler-German shepherd be put down He was left with two inch-long scars but avoided any lasting damage Delivery driver Daniel Dythe, 40, from from Chelmsford, Essex, was delivering a Christmas parcel when the Rottweiler-German shepherd cross named Chief bit his penis - twice A father-of-nine has described the moment a dangerous dog sank its teeth into his penis as he attempted to deliver some parcels. Delivery driver Daniel Dythe, 40, from from Chelmsford, Essex, was delivering a Christmas parcel when the Rottweiler-German shepherd cross named Chief bit down on his genitals - twice. The delivery driver desperately tried to move away but the dog growled and sunk its teeth in for a second time, tightening its grip. Mr Dythe has now been left with two inch long scars on his penis but was pleased when doctors confirmed he has no lasting functional damage. He said: 'I haven't had any long term damage but I've lost a bit of my dignity and whenever I look down to have a wee I now see my scarred penis. 'There was no growling, no warning, nothing. I looked down and and the dog was hanging off the end of my penis. 'It was only on there for about 20 seconds but it felt like an eternity. I thought my penis was going to be in bits.' Mr Dythe needed four days off work following the attack on December 18 and had to take a week-long course of antibiotics to prevent infection. He said the dog only let go when its owner, Alexandra Metcalfe, 57, came outside and started screaming. 'I've delivered there before and know that they had dogs there but didn't think anything of it,' said Mr Dythe. 'I knocked on the door and a boy answered. I was getting him to sign for the parcel and the next thing I know I just felt this excruciating pain. 'Eventually the woman came out and started screaming and the dog got off me. Magistrates have now ordered 'out of control' Rottweiler-German shepherd (similar to this one) be put down 'I got in my van and took a picture of it and sent it to my wife before I rushed off to hospital.' Mr Dythe went to Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford, Essex, where nurses cleaned him up and discharged him four hours later. Metcalfe, a nurse, pleaded guilty to owning a dog dangerously out of control at Chelmsford Magistrates Court on June 15. Defending herself, she said: 'He did run out, he did grind on the man. We saw no evidence of injury but he says he was, so if he was then so be it. 'Chief went back into the utility room with his tail between his legs. I apologised to him, I offered him medical attention.' Mr Dythe hopes his experience will warn other pet owners to keep their dogs under control. Mr Dythe has been left with two inch long scars on his penis but was pleased when doctors confirmed he has no lasting functional damage He added: 'If it had been a child in my place it wouldn't have stood a chance. I don't blame the animals, I blame the owners because they are the ones in charge. 'If it was up to me they'd have the destruction orders, not the dogs. I've got nothing against dogs. I grew up with Alsatians as a kid and I've got a French bulldog puppy called Marley now.' He said: 'Every time I knock on a door now I'm worried that something's going to happen. 'People need to be responsible dog owners to stop things like this happening again.' The court heard how Chief had previously attacked two other people and Chair of the bench, David Murtagh, ordered the 'out of control' dog be put down. He said: 'This is the third report of Chief attacking someone. You have dogs which you freely admitted in court out loud run free, knowing that they're dangerous. 'A medium level of harm was caused to a very sensitive part of the person's body. 'It is an out of control dog. We are going to impose a destruction order.' An elderly woman who was trapped in her flat for nearly a week survived by drinking defrosted water dripping from her fridge. The unnamed 79-year-old woman, who lives alone in a flat in Holloway, north London, fell in her kitchen and was unable to get up or call for help. Trapped for six days, she tried and failed to raise the alarm. She huddled against her oven for warmth and managed to open the fridge door and melt water from the freezer box to stay hydrated. An elderly woman who was trapped in her flat for nearly a week survived by drinking defrosted water dripping from her fridge (stock image) Eventually a neighbour heard banging and called police, who forced their way into the flat and found her on the floor. Police said the woman had 'slipped through the net', was not on the radar of social services and did not have a GP. She also has no family and was struggling to afford her bills. Islington police officer Jo Morris said they had never seen anyone in such a sad state. 'She was struggling for money and had very little in her flat,' she told the Islington Tribune. 'She only had one change of clothes, little bedding and no home comforts. 'The ambulance crew and officers were upset by the way she was living we had never seen anyone in such a sad state. She was worried about bills she couldn't afford.' PC Morris was so moved by the woman's plight that she sent out an email to Islington officers to raise funds to help her out. Officers and other residents then donated bedding, cushions, blankets, bed clothes, slippers, food and cleaning items. The unnamed 79-year-old woman, who lives alone in a flat in Holloway (pictured, general view), north London, fell in her kitchen and was unable to get up or call for help They also managed to buy her a new TV to replace a hired once she had been paying for since 1994. 'She now gets visits from carers multiple times a day and is a lot happier. It was a good result in the end,' she added. Islington Council health and wellbeing chief Councillor Janet Burgess said: 'We are providing care and support for this resident, and are very grateful to everyone who has helped her. 'We are always sorry to hear about these sorts of situations, and work hard to try and stop this happening. The Devil Firefish, a tropical creature with poisonous barbs and a painful sting that can kill human is spreading in the Mediterranean, a conservation group has warned. Experts say the fish has been seen in waters around Turkey and Cyprus in the eastern Mediterranean. The highly invasive, predatory fish, also known as a common lionfish, is a native of the South Pacific and Indian Ocean. The Devil Firefish, a tropical creature with poisonous barbs and a painful sting that can kill human is spreading in the Mediterranean, a conservation group has warned Maria del Mar Otero of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (UICN) said the sighting was a 'cause for concern'. Stings from its barbs are rarely fatal to humans, but can cause extreme pain, vomiting and respiratory paralysis. Environmentalists fear that the fish's arrival in the eastern Mediterranean could decimate stocks of other fish, with knock-on effects on the rest of the marine environment. 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'. Despite their conspicuous colours and slow movements, even sharks won't go near lionfish, giving them free rein to feed and wipe out other species that normally keep algae in check. This can attract the arrival of new invasive species because of the weakening of the local fauna and flora, said Jimenez. Researchers have spotted the fish in waters around Turkey and Cyprus (file picture) in the eastern Mediterranean, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (UICN) said The voracious fish caused environmental havoc after it was introduced to the Caribbean. Lionfish were first recorded in Cuba in 2007, and within two years, they were common in waters around the island, said Delmis Cabrera, a marine biologist at the National Aquarium in Havana. The Association of Caribbean States organised a summit to discuss ways of combatting the fish's spread. Cuba, Colombia and the Bahamas have encouraged their populations to start eating the fish to keep down numbers. Cuba now holds an annual fishing tournament for the species. Restaurants have begun serving its white, juicy flesh, long enjoyed as a delicacy in Japan. The first sightings of the fish in Mediterranean waters were off Israel in 1991. More recently, they have been seen in Lebanese and Tunisian waters, according to the UICN. The fish may have been introduced by aquarium enthusiasts who let them loose, or via the Suez Canal from the Red Sea, where there is a flourishing population. I feel a bit sick right now. It's the same feeling you get sitting in the waiting room to find out your test results for brain cancer. It's either going to be the biggest relief of your life. Or the sort of news where the room drains to grey, where everything you were certain about five minutes before just might turn out not to be true. Having posted my ballot last week, I've arrived way too early in the waiting room for the results of the Referendum on Friday. Too nervous to stay at home any longer. Too anxious to sit and wait. So I'm pacing around asking people which way they think it will go. And it's excruciating. We're expected to listen to Bob Geldof, flicking Vs at our fishing fleet from Newlyn in their support for the Leave campaign Those who don't want to be wrong say 'REMAIN' so they can pretend they called it right. It's the choice of the risk averse, the innate satisfaction with status quo. Only the brave say 'LEAVE'. And I could kiss every one of them for keeping my hopes alive. I've heard a rumour Leave is winning the postal vote and I am choosing to believe it. But I can't help but fear the very government I helped elect has frightened its own people into making the wrong decision, capitalised on our human flaws to show why power in the hands of emotional people is a dangerous thing. Since the death of Jo Cox, MPs are acting crazy. Possessed by some neurological disorder, like mad cows staggering about in Parliament Square. Liberals who have spent the best part of a decade bemoaning the stock market crash are quoting bankers to make their case, wheeling out George Soros, a man made rich by betting against Britain. Since the death of Jo Cox, MPs are acting crazy. Possessed by some neurological disorder, like mad cows staggering about in Parliament Square Beckham says he wants to Remain. If you asked him IN or OUT you'd blow his tiny mind. Until Posh put him straight he probably thought a certain Californian burger chain beloved by celebs was launching in Britain. And we're expected to listen to Bob Geldof, flicking Vs at our fishing fleet from Newlyn in their support for the Leave campaign. The British fishing fleet has been decimated by the EU. Jo Cox's husband sailed with Geldof and his wealthy friends, mocking our lads. As predicted, the Remain camp have milked her death like a thistle, pricks forcing their eyes to water. A grief-fest in a recalled parliament, her husband able to see a Ukip poster through his tears, and care enough to criticise. The court case is planned for the day of the Referendum, and is being treated as 'terror-related'. It's the very same people in the Remain Camp who have led the charge of silencing the people of Britain over the decades, dictating what we are and are not allowed to think. What we can and cannot say. What is debate or what is hate. Policing thought. In the years since WW2, these British elites have undermined our own culture and confidence - a process accelerating in the race for metropolitan multiculturalism. Allowing Muslim cultures to take advantage of this tolerance, colonising our country all the while with their intolerant religion. And whilst we may be struggling for facts and truth, we can look around at blatant realities hidden from view. Eight miles from Jo Cox's constituency 25 men have been sentenced for child prostitution. She saved Syrian children but eight miles away a gang of Muslim men were abusing our own. This only made the regional pages of the BBC news. People in the Remain Camp have led the charge of silencing the people of Britain over the decades, dictating what we are and are not allowed to think. What we can and cannot say. What is debate or what is hate In Calais, Brits were pelted with rocks in their cars, migrants jumping in front of ferries as the day of reckoning looms. A desperate bid for our shores. The BBC pushed this news back too. Yesterday the Supreme Court heard an appeal by Theresa May to deport an Italian man guilty of murder, who we can't send home. Because Europe said he had every right to citizenship here in the UK under Freedom of Movement laws. Can we not see the utter madness of this? Our own laws, meaningless. Our elected politicians, impotent. Criminals, laughing in our faces. David Beckham says he wants to Remain. If you asked him IN or OUT you'd blow his tiny mind Now the country which used to run half the world and helped shape the language and customs of a lot more of it is told to feel nothing but bad about itself and that isn't capable of governing itself or surviving without the support of a bunch of sclerotic, broke-backed, broadly socialist and in many cases deeply corrupt European partners dominated by the only decently-run country, the Germans. And even that country's leaders have blatantly concealed truths from its own people about the behaviour of migrants they encouraged to come. This is a debate where you have to decide which truths you find more compelling. There is no clear line between fact and fiction. But there is the truth of our everyday. If you do decide to vote remain be very clear. You have no right to complain you can't get a doctor's appointment or a place in primary school. In four years' time, all primary schools will be full. You have no right to a view on the dearth of housing or the strain on the NHS. Because you sided with the people who said unchecked immigration is a positive thing for Britain. If you are voting remain you have no right to respond to terror with sympathy; your hashtags, your sad faces and your vigils in a public square. The only thing I want to hear from you is 'I was wrong'. Because you voted with the idiots who said we are safer IN. And if you are voting remain because you are worried about short term pain. Think about the cancer you diagnosed for this country. We take the short-term pain of chemo for the long-term hope of a better life, a life worth living. You needed to be brave enough to make that call. Ask any survivor - was it worth it? And you'll find this to be a fact in which you can place your faith. But Britain still has hope. We can vote to save the patient. We can get to the polling booths and vote leave. Many of us have waited a lifetime to have our say. Our grandfathers fought with Enfields and bayonets. The mark of respect for their legacy, we now fight for their memory by putting a cross in the box marked leave. We're not racist, we're not Little Englanders. We're Great Britons and we want Great Britain back. A Glastonbury fan has died after suffering serious burns in a horror fire believed to have broken out following an accident involving a petrol can. The victim, aged in his 20s, was airlifted to hospital with life-threatening injuries yesterday evening but was later pronounced dead. Mystery surrounds exactly what happened but police said they were not treating the man's death as suspicious. He was not thought to be working on the Worthy Farm site in Pilton, Somerset. Accident: A Glastonbury fan has died after suffering serious burns in a horror fire believed to have broken out following an accident involving a petrol can. An air ambulance landed at Worthy Farm to take him to hospital It has been claimed that rescuers attempting to reach him were hampered by the muddy ground and vehicles blocking roads. The victim is believed to have been set alight in a petrol can accident, according to The Sun. A spokesman for Avon and Somerset police 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 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.' This morning Glastonbury organisers urged people planning to arrive by car or campervan to stay away until queues at the site were cleared after heavy rain sparked traffic chaos. Sian Stevens, 28 and her son Noel Barker, two, arrive at Glastonbury (left) along with Charlotte Banks (right) Tailbacks: People were forced to get out of their vehicles after traffic was brought to a standstill on the A303 One festival-goer said their four-hour journey had taken almost a day to complete, while others were pictured standing in the road after becoming stranded in a traffic jam for up to 10 hours overnight. Social media users claimed some had even abandoned their vehicles to walk to the site. More than 180,000 festival goers are expected to pour in over the rest of the week to see hundreds of acts including headliners Muse, Adele and Coldplay on the famous Pyramid Stage. But many looking to get a head-start endured a nightmare few hours as they became stranded in their vehicles - prompting a warning from organisers. Doctors believe it may be linked to a mini stroke or minor brain damage There's been than 100 cases in past century of foreign accent syndrome But after support from her family she decided to go public about condition Alamia kept quiet for months after surgery - scared people might judge her Mom-of-three was diagnosed with the very rare foreign accent syndrome Lisa Alamia, of Texas, woke up with a British accent after her jaw surgery Listening to Lisa Alamia speak, you would be forgiven for thinking she had grown up in the UK. But while the mom-of-three may sound like Mary Poppins, she's a born and raised Texan - with an extremely rare neurological disorder which makes her speak with a British accent. 'People who don't know me, they're like, "Hey, where are you from?'' Alamia told KHOU 11. 'I'm from Rosenberg. They're like, 'Where is that?' I'm like, 'Right here in Rosenberg.' 'Oh, you're from here? How do you talk like that?' So that's where the whole story comes up.' Scroll down for video Lisa Alamia, of Texas, woke up with a British accent after her jaw surgery due to a rare disorder It all began around six months ago when Alamia went in for jaw surgery to address her under-bite. When she woke up from the anesthesia, her Texan drawl had been replaced by a British accent. 'I thought she was joking with me,' said Kayla Alamia, Lisa Alamia's oldest daughter. 'But then she showed me that the doctor diagnosed her with foreign accent syndrome. Then I was like, 'Oh, Lord.'' Alamia was put through a battery of tests by doctors to check if she really had developed the syndrome, one of which forced her to repeat tongue twisters countless times. But neurologist, Dr. Toby Yalto, at Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital is still unable to say why she now speaks with a British accent. Alamia kept silent for months after her surgery, scared people would judge her or even think she was making it all up. Neurologist, Dr. Toby Yalto, (pictured with Alamia) at is unable to say why she now speaks with a British accent Alamia was put through a battery of tests by doctors at Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital (pictured) to check if she really had developed the syndrome, one of which forced her to repeat tongue twisters countless times 'I didn't know the reaction I was going to get from people,' she said. 'So I didn't know if they're going to judge me. Are they going to think I'm lying or even understand how I'm speaking?' Thanks to the support of family and friends, Alamia said she is learning to live with her new voice although she occasionally still struggles to make herself understood by everyone around her. 'They're like now there's no way you sound 'hood at all,' her children told her. 'Even if you tried, you wouldn't be able to sound that way. 'My daughter laughs at the way I say 'tamales.' I used to be able to say it like a real Hispanic girl. Now, I cannot.' Cases of foreign accent syndrome are very rare, with less than 100 people worldwide diagnosed in the past century. Cases are very sporadic, there is no centre for the study of the syndrome and as a result sufferers are often sent to many different doctors before being diagnosed, she said. As well as speaking in a seemingly foreign accent, sufferers also forget words or struggle to speak with correct grammar, she added. Alamia kept silent for months after her surgery, scared people would judge her or even think she was making it all up. But thanks to the support of family and friends, Alamia said she is learning to live with her new voice Alamia says her daughter Kylie (pictured left, with her mom and brother) still laughs at the way she pronounces certain words The syndrome usually results from a stroke, but can also develop from head trauma, migraines or developmental problems. Last year, an Atlanta, Georgia woman was diagnosed with foreign accent syndrome when she lost her American accent and began speaking with an array of twangs ranging from a Scottish to Eastern European. FOREIGN ACCENT SYNDROME Foreign Accent Syndrome is speech disorder that causes a sudden change to speech so that a native speaker is perceived to speak with a 'foreign' accent. Foreign Accent Syndrome is most often caused by damage to the brain caused by a stroke or traumatic brain injury. Other causes have also been reported including multiple sclerosis and conversion disorder. In some cases no clear cause has been identified. Speech may be altered in terms of timing, intonation, and tongue placement, so that is perceived as sounding foreign. Listeners can usually still understand the sufferer's speech; it does not necessarily sound disordered. Foreign Accent Syndrome has been documented in cases around the world, including accent changes from Japanese to Korean, British English to French, American-English to British English, and Spanish to Hungarian. There have only ever been 150 confirmed cases of Foreign Accent Syndrome in the world so far. Advertisement Linda Pereira, a mother-of-three, noticed the change following an 'eruption' in her brain while messaging a friend on Facebook in October last year. Now, her voice interchanges between the Scandinavian sounds, German and sometimes switches to a Scottish or South African-twang. Pereira says she even gets better service in restaurants and shops because staff think she is a tourist but was sad to lose her own accent. 'At first we all thought it was funny,' she said. 'We had a good time with it but I was always thinking it was temporary and going to go away. 'Now, this is how I know myself and I know it doesn't sound like me.' In 2015 a 94-year-old Chinese woman woke up from a two-week coma speaking perfect English - but not a word of her native language. A few years before, a British woman woke up speaking in a Chinese accent. Sarah Colwill has been told that the ultra-rare condition is permanent and cannot be cured. The first recorded case of foreign accent syndrome was in 1941, when a Norwegian woman suffered a shrapnel injury to the head during an air raid. After overcoming language problems she was left with a strong German accent. In 1999 a woman from Sevenoaks, Kent, developed a French accent after a minor stroke even though she did not speak French and had only visited the country once for a weekend in Paris. Zoe Woolmer, 23, was killed when she plunged 30 metres at Kings Canyon, 450km west of Alice Springs, on June 15, 2014 A tour company has admitted to health and safety failures that resulted in the death of a British backpacker who fell from the ledge of a canyon in the Australian outback while posing for a photograph. Zoe Woolmer, 23, was killed when she plunged 30 metres at Kings Canyon, 450km west of Alice Springs, on June 15, 2014, while with a tour group. In the Alice Springs Local Court on Monday, directors of 'The Rock Tour' pleaded guilty to failing to comply with their health and safety duty to the tourist, the ABC reported. The backpackers family, from Hertfordshire in England's south, revealed how the death of Zoe had devastated their lives in moving Victim Impact Statements. 'We've been totally robbed of an ordinary and normal life, the company should have kept Zoe safe,' one of the statements read. 'My belief is that this awful tragedy could have easily happened to others on the tour,' wrote Zoe's mother Dawn. In the Alice Springs Local Court on Monday, directors of 'The Rock Tour' pleaded guilty to failing to comply with their health and safety duty to the tourist (image showing tourists at Kings Canyon posing off edge) While police did not reveal the cause of the traveller's death, she was reportedly dangling over the edge of the cliff when she fell during the afternoon tour walk. Ms Woolmer was able to talk to paramedics after the fall, but she later died at the scene. The backpacker, from Hertfordshire, had been travelling around Australia for 12 months after studying Human Resources at the University of Portsmouth. After Ms Woolmer's death, photos emerged of tour guides from The Rock Tour skylarking at the edges of Kings Canyon - posing close to the edge and standing on small ledges above 50 metre drops. Adam Cooper, who was a tour guide with the company but left before Ms Woolmer's death, told Daily Mail Australia at the time that walkers regularly posed on a thin ledge just a metre wide in the area of the walk where it is believed she died. 'There's actually a bit up near the waterfall where... guides encourage people to take a photo off the ledge, it's so dangerous, if you fell that'd be falling 50 metres,' he said. 'We've been totally robbed of an ordinary and normal life, the company should have kept Zoe safe' - Family members revealed their devastation in an Alice Springs court on Monday A number of photos of guides and walkers posing on the ledge were posted to the company's Facebook page, but were removed following Ms Woolmer's death A number of photos of guides and walkers posing on the ledge were posted to the company's Facebook page, but were removed following Ms Woolmer's death. Managing director of The Rock Tour, Rob Cowan said at the time that photographs were uploaded to the company's Facebook page by employees and the page is regularly monitored by company management. 'Whenever management sees a photograph depicting inappropriate behaviour they remove the picture and talk to the guide in question', he said. 'We have a three-strikes-you're-out policy,' he said and commented that two of the tour guides depicted in the photographs obtained by Daily Mail Australia had been fired or encouraged to leave. Police took statements from the 16 people on the tour with Ms Woolmer as they investigated her death. Chimpanzees share 96 per cent of our DNA, making them our closest living relatives. So it's only natural that the animal might hold the secret to a good night's sleep. Primatologist Koichiro Zamma, a research fellow with Kyoto Universitys Graduate School of Asian and African Area Studies, has developed a humankind evolution bed based on the type of tree top contraptions chimpanzees retreat to at night. The oval shape design is 5ft long, 4ft wide, 17 inches in height and made from MDF wood. It features a central net made from flexible paper thread that allows the bed to gently rock in all directions like a cradle. The mattress also features a unique quality (aside from being oval-shaped) in that it is designed to be thicker at the sides, in order to create a nestling depression in the centre. Primatologist Koichiro Zamma has developed a humankind evolution bed (pictured) that sways when you sleep Zamma created the prototype - and noted the need for a sinking in the centre of the bed - after climbing into a chimps nest in Tanzanias Mahale mountain range while on a research trip in 1999. He noted how the animal folds tree branches high in the trees, giving them a safe place to sleep away from predators but also creating a gentle sway to put them to sleep. Chimpanzee beds are designed to envelop the body, which is why they are so comfortable, Zamma told The Guardian. Theyre also built high up in the trees, so they rock with the movement of the branches. You could say they are the prototype of a babys cradle. Chimpanzees sleep high up in trees away from predators in nests made from durable branches The animal folds tree branches high in the trees in nests that are designed to envelop the body Chimps' nests in the trees create a gentle sway to put them to sleep like a baby cradle Kyoto University President Juichi Yamagiwa tried out the chimpanzee bed and explained that ape-men are also thought to have once slept in tree-top beds. The human body may retain memories from that time, he told Asahi.com. The bed has been developed with Shinichi Ishikawa, an environment designer, and Iwata Co., a Kyoto-based bedding manufacturer. Zamma hopes they will eventually be able to sell the product to anyone looking for a good night's sleep. Just like humans, chimpanzees like to get eight to nine hours sleep a night in their nests. A study published in 2014 and lead by David Samson, an anthropologist at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, found that chimpanzees carefully select the type of wood they build their beds from. Out of 1,844 chimpanzee nests studied in the Toro-Semliki Wildlife Reserve in western Uganda, 73.6 per cent were made from a strong tree called Ugandan ironwood. The tree species is rare, making up just 9.6 per cent of trees in the region. But the chimps were picky. "Despite the fact it's relatively rare, they're saying seven out of ten times, 'I want to sleep in this species,'" Samson said, National Geographic reported. Advertisement A Vietnam war helicopter pilot who braved enemy machine gun fire to rescue 40 stranded soldiers from a hot landing zone will receive the Congressional Medal of Honor from President Barack Obama after a change in the law. Army Major Charles Kettles made several trips in his Bell UH-1 to rescue trapped and injured soldiers near the district of Duc Pho in May 1967. According to his citation, Kettles flew his chopper into the hot landing zone without additional aerial support to rescue the soldiers over the course of several trips. Army Major Charles Kettles, pictured, flew three missions to a hot landing zone on May 15, 1967 near Duc Pho in Vietnam Major Kettles, pictured, left, shortly after returning from one of the rescue missions beside one of the badly damaged Hueys, left On the day of the battle, Kettles' own Huey, pictured, was undergoing maintenance, but that did not stop him from going on the mission The White House said Kettles helped save the lives of 40 soldiers. Kettles, who is from Ypsilanti, Michigan, retired from the Army in 1978 as a lieutenant colonel and was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross shortly after his rescue. However, for the past four years, there has been a major campaign to have the award upgraded to the Medal of Honor - the highest award for bravery available to the US military. 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 Representative. 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, Representative Debbie Dingell and Senators 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. Major Kettles was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross by Lieutenant General LJ Lincoln in Fort Sam Houston, Texas in May 1968 During his third mission, Kettles returned to the landing zone for a fourth time, this time alone, to pick up eight stragglers Retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Charles Kettles, right, stands with Congresswoman Debbie Dingell, left, who campaigned for the Medal of Honor 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. According to Army records, on May 15, 1967, members of the 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne division were ambushed by a battalion-sized force of North Vietnamese army. The enemy troops were equipped with automatic weapons, machine guns and recoilless rifles. The US forces were pinned down as the Vietnamese were able to move around the battle field using underground tunnels. Major Kettles volunteered to lead a flight of six UH-1D Hueys to carry in reinforcements and evacuate the wounded. As the helicopters approached the landing zone, the Vietnamese forces concentrated their fire on the aircraft killing several soldiers before they touched the ground. Lt Col. Kettles (Ret), will receive the Medal of Honor at the White House and will be inducted into the Pentagon's Hall of Heroes Fast jets were called in to drop napalm and bomb the Vietnamese who quickly disappeared into their fortified underground bunkers. Kettles remained on the ground until all the reinforcements and supplies had been unloaded and were replaced by wounded soldiers, despite the deadly incoming fire. Once fully loaded, Kettles led his helicopters back to base. He then returned to the battlefield with more reinforcement, where he was again targeted and strafed by machine gun fire. A fellow helicopter crew warned him he had fuel streaming from his aircraft, but Kettles decided to continue and bring the wounded men to safety. As the battle continued, Kettles was told the infantry battalion commander needed an immediate extraction from the area. There were still 40 troops on the ground and four members of Kettles' unit who had been forced to abandon their helicopter. Of the six aircraft which started the day, only one was still in an airworthy condition. Major Kettles, pictured in 1969, left, and this month, right, did not consider his own safety to help rescue the stranded soldiers Charles Kettles was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel during his second tour of duty in Vietnam in 1970, pictured Major Kettles, left, was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross with his family (in the second row) in Fort Sam Houston in Texas Kettles jumped in behind the controls of the aircraft and volunteered to fly into the deadly landing zone for a third time. He was supported this time by five aircraft from the 161st Aviation Company. Again he landed his aircraft under intense fire and remained on the ground until he was told all the troops were on board. Shortly after taking off, he was told eight men had been unable to reach the landing zone. So, Kettles decided to hand over leadership of the flight to another helicopter and returned to the landing zone alone, without any gunships or tactical air support. As he approached the landing strip, he was the only target in the sky and the Vietnam forces pounded him with mortars, machine gun and small arms fire. Despite the extreme danger, Lt. Col Kettles returned safely from Vietnam and remained in the Army until he retired in 1978 Kettles, pictured center, look command of the 121st Assault Helicopter Company during his second tour of Vietnam One mortar struck the tail boom of the chopper and exploded, throwing shrapnel into the main rotor blade, shattering both windscreens and the chin bubble. Ground troops also raked with with machine gun and small arms fire. Despite being badly damaged and overloaded, Kettles coaxed the aircraft, with the remaining eight soldiers into the air and back to Duc Pho. According to the Army: 'Despite the intense enemy fire, Kettles maintained control of the aircraft and situation, allowing time for the remaining eight Soldiers to board the aircraft. In spite of the severe damage to his helicopter, Kettles once more skillfully guided his heavily damaged aircraft to safety. Without his courageous actions and superior flying skills, the last group of Soldiers and his crew would never have made it off the battlefield.' Just 24-hours earlier, Kettles had been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for a rescue mission to airlift a six-man long-range recon team from behind enemy lines, in an area 'heavily invested' by Viet Cong - minutes before a flight of B-52s were due to carpet bomb the area. Kettles remained in the area despite the imminent threat even though he could not talk to the approaching aircraft. Major Charles Kettles is having his Distinguished Service Cross upgraded to the Congressional Medal of Honor by President Obama Legislators from Michigan petitioned for a change in the law to allow for the upgrade of Major Kettles' award to the highest possible Only 24 hours before his rescue mission, Kettles was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for another brave action A leading German business figure has warned against imposing trade tariffs on Britain if we leave the EU. Markus Kerber,the head of the BDI - the federation of German industries - said it would be 'very very foolish' to put up such barriers. The remarks have been seized on by the Leave campaign as proof that the UK would get a good deal if we do vote to cut ties tomorrow. Boris Johnson insisted during BBC debate at Wembley Arena last night that EU countries would be 'insane' to impose tariffs, pointing out that a fifth of Germany's car output went to Britain. Boris Johnson, seen on the campaign trail in Ashby de la Zouch today, has seized on the remarks by BDI chief Markus Kerber The bitter referendum battle is entering its final stages, with David Cameron and Boris Johnson crossing the country in a bid to drum up votes. Mr Kerber urged Germany and the EU to draw up a free-trade regime that could operate after Brexit. He told World Business Report on the BBC's World Service: 'Imposing trade barriers, imposing protectionist measures between our two countries - or between the two political centres, the European Union on the one hand and the UK on the other - would be a very, very foolish thing in the 21st century. 'The BDI would urge politicians on both sides to come up with a trade regime that enables us to uphold and maintain the levels of trade we have, although it will become more difficult.' Brexit would be like a relative leaving the family and lead to 'serious disruption' in the German-UK economic relationship, he added. Mr Johnson said today that Germany would be 'desperate' for free trade with Britain if it left the EU. 'After the incessant doom-mongering of the In campaign, we now hear the truth from the "voice of German industry" - that they would be desperate for free trade after we Vote Leave,' he said. 'Of course EU countries will continue trading with us on a tariff-free basis - they would be damaging their own commercial interests if they didn't. That's why EU politicians would be banging down the door for a trade deal on Friday. 'As Sir James Dyson said today, this is the last opportunity to regain control of our futures. 'If we want to take back control and a more secure and more prosperous future, we have to Vote Leave on June 23.' But the Stronger In campaign stressed that the BDI had previously warned that trade barriers would be imposed after Brexit. Labour MP Chris Leslie, said: "The reality is the Leave campaign want to quit the single market and that would mean making almost half of Britain's trade harder and more expensive. 'And last night they admitted that doing a deal with the EU could take 'ten years'. 'That will damage our economy, cost jobs and put up prices in the shops - hurting working people. 'There is no going back from a vote to leave. If you're not 100% sure, don't risk your family's future. Vote to remain on Thursday.' This enormous brown bear gets a big slap on the face from a wet fish as he tries to catch jumping salmon. Red salmon are attempting to leap two metres into the air to clear a waterfall on their journey upriver to a lake in Alaska where they will breed. But they are tired and waiting for them at the top of a waterfall is a hungry bear - which eats up to 40 fish a day. Oops! This brown bear gets a slap in the face from a wet fish as he tries to catch salmon in Alaska The powerful creature stands in the water and tries to catch salmon in his mouth as they leap upstream. On a few occasions he fails with the fish instead landing on his nose, giving him a big slap in the face. French photographer Loic Poidevin captured these breathtaking images at Brooks Falls in the Katmai National Park. The juggling bear: This red salmon lands on the bear's nose as it tries to avoid his gaping mouth Mr Poidevin said: 'At this time of the year salmon leave the Pacific going up rivers and streams to breed on their place of birth. 'This long, gruelling journey, sometimes over a thousand kilometres, will be their last journey. Many die of exhaustion, others will be eaten by bears, others breed - but then they will die, but the species will be saves. 'These salmon are travelling up the Brooks river to a lake - but they are barred by a waterfall on the river called Brooks Falls. Hiding in plain sight: The bear tries to work out how to get the fish from its nose into its mouth 'Salmon are therefore forced to jump this obstacle by nearly two metres - this is a delicate operation that requires numerous attempts, especially for fish that are already tired.' Mr Poidevin added: 'The bears in the region know this magical place where they will be able to feed abundantly during the salmon run. 'This abundance of food will allow the bears to make fat reserves to meet their hibernation needs. 'This miraculous style of fishing has its own rules - only large male leader bears have the right to be at the top of the waterfall, everyone has their set fishing station with young males or females remaining at the bottom of the waterfall where it is harder to get the salmon.' So close! Another salmon gets away from the intrepid, hairy fisherman at Brooks Falls Gotcha! The bear is about to wrap its powerful jaw around this unfortunate salmon There's no getting away now: The bear clamps down on its lunch Flying fish: The bear catches another salmon mid-air as it tries to leap upstream Fish supper: The bear almost seems to be holding the salmon in its claw as it takes a bite Lynette Daley, 33, (pictured) died from horrific genital trauma when she was on a camping trip Two men have been charged over the brutal death of a woman who died from horrific genital trauma on a beach when she was on a camping trip five years ago. Lynette Daley, 33, was found naked, bloodied and bruised on Ten Mile Beach on the NSW north coast in January 2011 with a blood alcohol level seven times the legal limit. The mother-of-seven was allegedly on a camping and fishing trip with two men when she suffered serious injuries from violent sex. On Wednesday, police confirmed a 42-year-old man was charged with manslaughter and aggravated sexual assault. A 46-year-old man was charged with accessory after the fact of manslaughter and aggravated sexual assault. Both men are due to appear in Grafton Local Court on August 2. An autopsy found Ms Daley's had died from blunt force genital tract trauma after allegedly being subject to a violent sex act while she was heavily drunk. Paramedic Adam Jarrett was one of the first emergency responders on the scene and said Ms Daley was dead before they arrived. Director of Public Prosecutions Lloyd Babb SC confirmed on Wednesday evening that after seeking independent advice, he would be proceeding with the prosecution of the two men charged in relation to Ms Daley's death. The interior of a four-wheel-drive police examined on the scene where Lynette Daley died in 2011 The body of an 18-year-old boy with Asperger's syndrome was found buried in a shallow grave under a 'newly laid concrete pad' in the backyard of a house. Aaron Pajich was last seen on June 13 and police discovered his body buried in the rear of a house in Orelia, south of Perth, on Tuesday. Police charged the two women, aged 42 and 25, who lived at the property with Mr Pajich's murder on Wednesday. Scroll down for video The body of 18-year-old Aaron Pajich was found buried in the backyard of a home in Orelia, south of Perth, on Tuesday after he went missing on June 13 Detective Senior Sergeant Dave Gorton, of Major Crime, said the teenagers body was found buried in a 'shallow grave' after investigators recognised and removed a 'newly laid concrete pad,' reported Perth Now. He also said one of the women arrested studied at same education facility as the 18-year-old in Kwinana, south of Perth CBD. Mr Pajich was last spotted nine days ago on CCTV cameras at the Rockingham Shopping Centre taxi rank where he was due to meet a woman and a man only known as Daniel. He had told a roommate he was going to Kmart to meet the man and woman he met on an online gaming website. The teenager's mother, Sharon Pajich, told Perth Now her son could never hurt another person. 'He was a very good boy and he would never have hurt anyone,' she said. 'He respected life and everything else . . . he enjoyed school.' Mr Pajich's father, Keith Sweetman, said he is shattered over losing his son who was 'very trusting'. 'Because he loved people, his heart was not bad, he didnt smoke, he didnt drink, he went to church. He gave himself to the Lord and then someone goes and takes him.' Police discovered the 18-year-old's body buried in the rear of a house in Orelia, south of Perth, on Tuesday Aaron was last spotted on June 13 on CCTV cameras at the Rockingham Shopping Centre taxi rank where he was due to meet a woman and a man only known as Daniel Two women aged 42 and 25 were charged over Aaron Pajich's murder on Wednesday after his body was found Before the discovery of his body, Mr Pajich's stepmother Veronica Desmond told Channel 10 that he was easily led and that she was worried he had 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,' she said. Ms Desmond said he would normally call his father everyday but his phone had been turned off and his bank account and public transport card were not used in the days after he went missing. Mr Pajich was last seen wearing dark grey cargo pants, a light blue t-shirt with long sleeves and a beige/grey jacket. Both women charged over his murder are due to appear in the Perth Magistrates Court on Thursday. Before the discovery of his body, Aaron's stepmother Veronica Desmond said the teenager was easily led and she was worried he had been harmed The brother of former Canterbury Bulldogs star Willie Talau accused of allegedly punching a 16-year-old rugby league referee will apply for his case to be dealt with under the Mental Health Act. Jucy Talau, 34, appeared in Sutherland Local Court in Sydney on Wednesday charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm. The alleged incident occurred after the referee ruled that Talau's son be replaced during the match at Engadine last Saturday. Willie Talau's brother Jucy, 34, (pictured) is accused of assaulting a 16-year-old who had been refereeing an under-12s rugby match in Sydney's south The ref suffered bruising and was taken to hospital. The lawyer for Talau, who is reportedly the brother of former Canterbury Bulldogs player Willie Talau, flagged making an application for the case to be dealt with under the Mental Health Act. Magistrate Julie Huber adjourned the matter to August 23 and excused Talau, who did not enter a plea, from attending if he is legally represented. It comes after it the boy's father told the Daily Telegraph that he 'never seen anything' like the incident. The alleged assault occurred after the young referee ruled that Jucy Talau's son had to be subbed out of the match - the junior rugby league equivalent of being sent off. Above, his brother, former NRL star Willie Talau Willie Talau's brother was granted conditional bail to appear before Sutherland Local Court on Wednesday June 22 'The crowd just groaned and I ran out on to the field to be with my son,' he said. The 16-year-old had been refereeing the junior match between the Engadine Dragons and Gymea Gorillas at Anzac Oval when he was allegedly attacked. He was was taken to the Childrens Hospital in Randwick in a stable condition. Sutherland Shires Facebook page said the student from De La Salle College, was given a standing ovation when he was stretchered off the field and into a waiting ambulance. Police were called to the field (pictured) at about 1pm on Saturday following reports of the alleged assault on the referee The teen was given a standing ovation when stretchered off the field and into a waiting ambulance Talau, who is a trainer for the Gymea Gorillas, was arrested and charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm. Gymea Gorillas JRLFC said that they understood people were aware of the incident and have asked people to 'refrain from comment' as they work through it. 'The club is in constant contact with our governing body and Referee's Association,' the club said in a statement. A series of health and safety failings led to the death of a factory worker who was crushed by a one-ton 'wall' of frozen fish pallets, a court heard. Tomas Suchy, 22, was helping colleagues stack boxes in a -25C store room at an Interfish factory in Plymouth, Devon, when the pile gave way and he was killed. The company had previously admitted failing to ensure the health, safety and welfare of its employees in a prosecution brought by the Health and Safety Executive. Tomas Suchy, 22 (pictured), was helping colleagues re-stack a pile of pallets in a store room of Interfish when they toppled over and crushed him And during the first day of a sentencing hearing Plymouth Crown Court heard that the pallets were stacked 'inadequately' and that the company should have offered employees hard hats. The court were shown photographs of the pallets. Prosecutor Sean Brunton said: 'Stacks appear to be resting against each other. If you look at the stacks that are still standing, you can see they are inadequately stacked.' Mr Brunton also told the court that the company had previously breached health and safety regulations and 'risks had been identified'. 'There is a large element of aspiration in the defence basis of plea in terms of what is being done now, as opposed to what was being done at the time,' he said. 'They use nice words but they don't mean anything. And although they may have in place safe systems of work in many areas, they didn't have in place a safe system of work as far as this is concerned.' The court also heard the company did not provide hard hats to staff. Mr Brunton said: 'They are not provided with any equipment apart from steel cap boots.' Judge Ian Lawrie QC said: 'So their toes are protected. Hard hats should be given out at the very least. Because it's head injuries which killed him.' Judge Lawrie also said there appeared to be an 'inconsistency in the wrapping that keeps the boxes in the pallets' - adding it was a 'bit of a mess'. Slovakian-born Mr Suchy had been asked to help stack boxes of fish, which had fallen over earlier in the day at the factory, along with three other co-workers. The Slovakian-born worker was crushed by pallets, which fell on top of him while he was trying to stack them at food-processing firm Interfish (pictured) in Plymouth, Devon When their job was nearly complete a stack of pallets used for storing the fish toppled over and landed on Mr Suchy. The boxes weighed 25 kilos and there were 52 on each pallet. Mr Suchy died 'instantaneously' from catastrophic head injuries and another labourer was also hurt by the falling pallets. After Mr Suchy's death the food processing company was handed four prohibition notices and one improvement notice by the HSE. The firm complied and introduced a range of measures to ensure a similar incident does not occur. An inquest held last year found Mr Suchy died as the result of an accident. Speaking at the inquest, Emma O'Hara, a health and safety executive, said there was 'no robust monitoring' at the food processing firm. At the time, she said: 'The boxes were stacked excessively high. Some of the stacks looked unstable and were leaning into one another. 'Some had not been placed directly on the one below and one stack was balanced on only two boxes of fish that weren't palletised. The inquest also heard that Interfish made a number of changes to its health and safety policy after the incident on October 18, 2013. During the sentencing Judge Lawrie said: 'I'm not expecting perfection, what I'm looking for is efforts by the company to ensure that risk is reasonably reduced. 'This is a reputable company. What is clear is failings.' Emily Lyon (pictured) was rushed to hospital after she fell ill at the Red Bull Culture Clash event A death of a teenage girl who collapsed during a dance party at the O2 Arena in London is being treated as 'unexplained' by police. Partygoer Emily Lyon, 17, was rushed to hospital after she fell ill at the Red Bull Culture Clash DJ party on Friday night. Paramedics sped to the scene after concerned friends raised the alarm and took her to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Woolwich. However the teenager was pronounced dead at 12.50am the next morning. Police are currently treating her death as unexplained but a 17-year-old has been arrested on suspicion of possession of MDMA with intent to supply. Emily's have remembered the 'vibrant' and 'wonderful' young girl in a heartbreaking tribute. Father Steve Lyon said: 'We are absolutely devastated at what has happened and we're struggling to come to terms with it. 'Emily was a wonderful, vibrant young lady. She was a loving daughter and a caring sister, who was much adored by her vast circle of friends.' He added: 'It can be seen how these so called "recreational substances" can result in such tragic consequences for so many people. 'Those who take them can pay the ultimate price.' Paramedics said five people were taken to hospital from the O2 between 8am and midnight during the event. Friends paid tribute to the A-Level student from Teddington, Middlesex, describing her as a 'lovely, happy' girl. A JustGiving page set up by Emily's friend Charlie Turner that has so far raised more than 2,000 reads: 'I, along with so many others, share many amazing memories with Emily. 'Words are simply not enough to describe the pleasure and happiness she brought to those around her. 'Please, if you are able to, make a contribution by donating in memory of Emily. The teenager was partying at London's O2 Arena (pictured) when she collapsed and was rushed to hospital 'All donations received will be passed straight to Emily's family.' Friday night's event at the 20,000-capacity arena has been described as the world's biggest music battle. The 16s and over event saw four teams of DJs and MCs competing to be crowned champions by the crowd. Emily's father, Steve, described her as a 'wonderful, vibrant young lady' Lily Allen and Mobo award-winning grime artists Wiley and Stormzy were among guests. A friend of Emily said: 'There was rarely a time when she didn't have a smile on her face, or a time where she couldn't bring joy to others.' Others have taken to social media to pay tribute. Ewa Toulizak, who worked with Emily at Johnson's Shoes, added: 'She was a great friend from work. Will miss your beautiful smile girl.' A Scotland Yard spokesman said: 'A 16-year old boy who was also at the music event at the O2 was taken to hospital suffering from what was believed to be the effects of taking illegal drugs. He has since been discharged. 'Four others were taken to hospital as a precaution and later released. 'A 17-year-old boy was arrested on Saturday in Kingston on suspicion of possession of MDMA with intent to supply. He has been bailed to return to a south London police station on a date in late August. 'Police inquiries continue.' And a spokeswoman for the Greenwich venue said: 'A 17-year-old female was treated onsite at the O2 on Friday evening and was taken by paramedics to Queen Elizabeth Hospital where she sadly died. 'Our thoughts are with her family and friends at this difficult time. Florida senator Marco Rubio has decided to run to keep the Senate seat he won six years ago, providing some relief to Republican leaders anxious to preserve control of the Senate. Rubio had said he would quit the chamber after announcing he would run for president. But after Rubio dropped out of the race, he faced increasing pressure from party leaders to reverse his decision, as the party contemplated how to survive a stiff challenge from Democrats. In a statement announcing his decision, Rubio said he was running in part to keep the Senate as a 'check and balance' on the 'excesses' of a president. He said Hillary Clinton would lead to 'failed economic policies,' but then went after Donald Trump. 'The prospect of a Trump presidency is also worrisome to me,' Rubio said. 'His positions on many key issues are still unknown. And some of his statements, especially about women and minorities, I find not just offensive but unacceptable. If he is elected, we will need Senators willing to encourage him in the right direction, and if necessary, stand up to him. Ive proven a willingness to do both.' Scroll down for video Florida Senator Marco Rubio has decided to seek reelection, it was reported Wednesday, reversing his decision to retire after failing to capture the GOP presidential nomination Rubio hinted at a lucrative private sector opportunity, telling, C-Span 'another choice' that 'form my family would have been more comfortable perhaps more politically intelligent.' "We spent about 10 days going over it and thinking about it,' Rubio said of he and his family. "We were fully aware of the opportunities that we were walking away from.' Rubio didn't directly respond to a question about whether he would campaign with Donald Trump. 'At this point my intention is to campaign on me,' he said. Rubio got a good reason to change his mind with the release of a new poll Wednesday showing he would hold the seat, while other Republicans would lose it. Just a day earlier, Rubio told reporters in the Senate he was still mulling his decision. He had just two days to make up his mind to meet the Florida filing deadline. There were increasing indications of which way Rubio was headed. Rep. David Jolly, another Republican who had been seeking to replace Rubio, announced last week he was dropping out. He told CNN at the time that Rubio was 'saying he's getting in,' although staff later said he had no personal knowledge of Rubio's decision. Two Democrats are battling for the right to compete for the failed presidential candidate's seat. Both of them, representatives Patrick Murphy and and Alan Grayson, would beat four lesser-known Republicans in the race. But Rubio would beat Murphy by 7 percentage points, 47 per cent to 40 per cent, and would beat Grayson by 8 points, 48 per cent to 40 per cent, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll. Rubio flew with President Obama aboard Air Force One when Obama flew to Orlando to pay tribute to the shooting victims of the Pulse nightclub massacre 'With Republican national leaders worried about keeping control of the U.S. Senate, Sen. Marco Rubio might ride to their rescue if he decides to reverse field and seek re-election,' said Peter Brown, who conducted the poll before Rubio made up his mind. The poll finds Rubio 'in good shape when matched against his two potential Democratic opponents,' Brown added. 'None of the other Republican candidates for Sen. Rubio's seat has a lead over either of the two Democrats, Congressmen Patrick Murphy and Alan Grayson. But if Rubio's last-minute decision is to seek re-election, he could be in the driver's seat.' Rubio announced that he would quit Congress when he launched his presidential campaign. But after he pulled out of the race, Republican leaders started making public signals that he should reconsider. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky is among those urging Rubio to change his mind. Complicating Rubio's decision were its implications for other Florida pols. Among those affected are Rubio pal Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera, who reportedly told Rubio he should reconsider his decision. The other Republicans running are Rep. Ron DeSantis and businessmen Todd Wilcox and Carlos Beruff. Job security: Rubio spoke at a rally in Miami before the Florida primary. He didn't win the Republican nomination, but his current job has plenty of perks Rubio had been a favorite of establishment Republicans who wanted a fresh face to take on Hillary Clinton. But he was unable to turn back Donald Trump, who ridiculed him during the campaign as 'little Marco' After Rubio dropped out of the presidential fight, Trump encouraged him to run again, writing: 'Run Marco!' Wilcox and Beruff are expected to stay in the race, although Rubio would have a clear advantage in the August primary. He could still take heat for having missed multiple Senate votes during his presidential run. He also took hits from Trump and others during the campaign for expenses he put on a state party credit card. Rubio last week confirmed to Capitol reporters a report in Politico that his friend and Senate candidate Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera had told Rubio he should reconsider his own decision not to run. He said the Orlando nightclub killings gave him new perspective. 'The report earlier is accurate,' Rubio said. 'Carlos and I had a conversation on Sunday in Orlando before I left. Obviously, I take very seriously everything that's going on, not just in Orlando but in our country. I've enjoyed my service here a lot.' 'So I'll go home later this week and I'll have some time with my family,' Rubio said. 'If there's a change in our status, I'll be sure to let everyone know.' Politico reported that Lopez-Cantera spoke to Rubio inside Rubio's pickup truck after appearing Sunday at the site of the Pulse nightclub killings in Orlando. Florida is just one of the key races that will determine whether Democrats can regain control of the chamber. Ohio Senator Rob Portman is in a touch race with former Ohio governor Ted Strickland. The two well-known state politicians are tied at 42 per cent. Portman has a positive 44 to 32 percent job approval rating and a 39 to 25 per cent favorability rating. He leads Strickland among men but loses among women. 'The Ohio Senate race is unusual because it is the rare situation in which the challenger, former Gov. Ted Strickland, is better known than the incumbent being challenged. Only 19 percent say they don't know enough about Strickland to form an opinion of him, while 34 percent, one in three voters, say they don't know enough about Sen. Rob Portman,' Brown said. Another Senate Republican, Pat Toomey, appears to be in stronger shape. He leads challenger Katie McGinty by 49 to 40 per cent. A man facing allegations of sexually assaulting two of his young nieces more than 30 years ago blamed a family conspiracy for the allegations levelled against him. The 68-year-old man appeared in the ACT Magistrates Court and pleaded not guilty to two counts indecent assault, committing an act of indecency on a girl younger than 10 and carnally knowing a girl under the age of 10, the Canberra Times reports. The court was told the alleged abuse started in 1980, when the man would inappropriately touch his nieces when he went into their bedroom to say goodnight. A man facing allegations of sexually assaulting two of his young nieces more than 30 years ago blamed a family conspiracy for the allegations levelled against him (stock image) He reportedly told the sisters the incidents were their 'little secrets', and would frequently buy them lollies and other items from local shops. One of the women claims her uncle raped and indecently assaulted her at a later date. However, the man denied the allegations during a police interview in 2013, telling police his niece who reported the acts had a 'terribly distorted' memory. According to the newspaper, he also told police the claims were being made against him as a result of a family incident. It took the sisters more than 10 years to tell anyone about the alleged abuse, when they reported it to their mother in the early 1990s. The case is due to continue in the ACT Supreme Court next month. The court was told the alleged abuse started in 1980, when the man would inappropriately touch his nieces when he went into their bedroom to say goodnight (stock image) The man denied the allegations during a police interview in 2013, telling police his niece who reported the acts had a 'terribly distorted' memory (stock image) Little Musa Bham was last seen leaving his home with Abdullah Bham, 52, on Sunday, June 5 Police have launched a desperate search for a two-year-old boy who has gone missing with his father. Little Musa Bham was last seen leaving his home with Abdullah Bham, 52, on Sunday, June 5. The pair, from Daubhill, Bolton, were officially reported missing on Friday but police have so far been unable to find them. Although he is not thought to be in any danger, Musa's family say they are 'extremely worried' about the little boy. Musa's mother initially tried to find the pair on her own but asked the police to investigate when her searches were futile. Mr Bham has not committed an offence by fleeing with his son within British borders which means the investigation is a missing person inquiry. Detective Inspector Danny Brophy, from Greater Manchester Police, said: 'We have followed a number of lines of inquiry in our efforts to find Musa and Abdullah Bham but have so far been unable to trace them. 'Although I would like to stress that we do not believe Musa to be in any danger, his family is growing extremely worried about him and are desperate for his return. 'I am urging anybody who may have information about the pair's whereabouts to please contact police immediately.' Airports and ports have been put on alert for the missing pair, but there is no suggestion the father has fled abroad with the toddler. Both Musa and father Abdullah are originally from Batley, West Yorkshire, and police believe they could have returned to the area. Detective Inspector Charlotte Cadden, said: 'Initially the mother was trying to make her own enquiries and act through the court system but that didn't work so they came to the police and we have taken an investigation on. She had moved to Bolton recently from Batley with Musa.' British voters were today warned there is no chance of a second renegotiation with the EU if they back Brexit tomorrow. Jean-Claude Juncker, the EU Commission President, said 'out is out' and ruled out re-opening talks in a bid to reverse a vote to quit the EU. In remarks sure to be seized upon by the Vote Leave campaign, Mr Juncker said David Cameron got the 'maximum' reform possible in his renegotiation that was concluded in February. The deal has been derided as empty and useless by Brexit campaigners and the Prime Minister has been forced to admit more reform is still needed. EU Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker today claimed David Cameron had already extracted the 'maximum' from the EU Britain would not get any other reforms by voting for Brexit Mr Juncker said today: 'The British policy makers and British voters have to know that there will not be any kind of renegotiation. 'Out is out.' He added: 'We have concluded a deal with the prime minister. He got the maximum he could receive and we gave the maximum we could give. 'So there will be no renegotiation, not on the agreement we found in February, nor as far as any kind of treaty negotiations are concerned.' Vote Leave champion Michael Gove said: 'The Remain Campaign has been claiming in recent days that if you vote to stay in the EU then there could be further reform. The President of the EU, Jean-Claude Juncker, has made very clear today that will not happen. 'If you vote to stay there is no prospect of getting any reform from the EU ever again. We will never get back control of the 350 million we give to the EU every week. The Prime Minister tried to get reforms earlier this year but the EU did not listen. The EU cannot and will not give the British people the change that they want. 'There is a very clear choice in this referendum. Either you vote to keep on giving the EU more power and more of our money every year or join me in voting leave to take back control.' Elsewhere today, French President Francois Hollande said a vote to leave would carry a 'very serious' risk of ending British access to the EU's prized single market. He said: 'There's a very serious risk for the United Kingdom not to be able to access the common market and ... the European economic area anymore.' France would 'draw all the conclusions' of such a vote, he warned. 'This would be irreversible.' Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg fears a British vote to leave the EU would make Europe 'weaker, more fragmented and nationalistic.' In comments to Norwegian broadcaster NRK, the leader of the oil-rich Scandinavian country that has twice voted in referendums to stay out of the EU said a weaker Europe would mean the economic situation will be more difficult when reforms and competitiveness are needed. She said: 'But it will also mean a more political and fragmented Europe, a weaker Europe and a weaker world.' Ms Solberg said that in a world where 'we are increasingly dependent on each other and solve issues together, it's dangerous to demolish joint institutions,' adding that she is 'deeply worried' should Britain opt out of the EU. French president Francois Hollande said a Brexit vote would risk Britain getting locked out of the single market which offers tariff free trading across the EU On Monday, Donald Tusk issued a direct appeal to Britain not to vote for Brexit, urging voters to 'stay with us'. The European Council president made the last ditch plea with just three days until the United Kingdom votes on whether to Leave or Remain a member of the European Union. Brussels had largely stayed out of the referendum battle until polls suggested Britain could vote for Brexit on Thursday - prompting Mr Tusk to issue a dire warning about the collapse of 'western political civilisation'. Mr Tusk, who is responsible for running the council meetings attended by heads of state and government, today struck a more conciliatory tone. He said: 'I would like to appeal to the British citizens, on behalf, I know that for a fact, of almost all Europeans and European leaders: Stay with us. 'Without you, not only Europe, but the whole Western community will become weaker. Together, we will be able to cope with increasingly difficult challenges of the future.' David Cameron was back on the stump for the final day of campaigning today as he scrambled to convince voters not to back a Brexit tomorrow He added: 'In no way are we downplaying the economic costs that would accompany Brexit ... I have no doubt, however, that we are already prepared for the day after the referendum.' Mr Tusk acknowledged the EU would need to be reformed regardless of the result on Thursday because of growing Euroscepticism across the continent. He said: 'We would be foolish if we ignored such a warning signal as the UK referendum. A 'Good Samaritan' appears to have been shot at by a driver with 'mental health issues' during his violent road-rage rampage captured on camera. The southbound side of the Lodge freeway in Detroit closed for hours on Tuesday after the motorist was involved in a car crash and seemed to target a person who stopped to help. Shocking cell phone footage shows the man firing at a car during a series of events that Michigan State Police Lt. Mike Shaw says they are still struggling to make sense of, reports CBS Detroit. Cell phone footage: The moment a gunman appears to fire at a Good Samaritan who had pulled over to help Shocking: The shooter had just been in a car crash involving his white Chrysler and may have hurt a woman A 66-year-old woman was hurt after the crash involving the man before the video was taken, and she suffered injuries possibly due to the actions of the assailant. Footage after the crash, filmed by Deandre Evans from the sidewalk, then appears to show that the man shot a single bullet at a male driver wearing a red jacket who stopped to investigate. The culprit was then arrested at gunpoint in his white Chrysler 300, and a large haul of multiple firearms were found in the trunk including handguns and rifles. Local4News reporter Jermont Terry tweeted a picture of at least eight recovered weapons including shotguns, the firearm the man appeared to have used to fire at the Good Samaritan. Police say they are have a difficult time communicating with the suspect because he may well have 'mental health issues'. His alleged female victim was taken to hospital for treatment where her condition is unknown, reports The Detroit Free Press. Michigan police swarmed in on the man and arrested him at gunpoint shortly after the video cuts out Weapons haul: At least eight firearms were found by police in the trunk of the suspect's car on Tuesday Lt. Shaw told reporters she may have either been struck with the suspect's fist, or with the butt of a handgun. And although the Good Samaritan has not come forward, Lt. Shaw said: 'The suspect fired one round at this individual. The individual ran and we're hoping that he's going to contact us. 'We're concerned first of all we want to make sure he wasn't hit, and second of all we just want to get his side of the story, because it appears that he did make contact with our suspect.' The officer confirmed that a number of weapons were recovered from the Chrysler's trunk, and that a K-9 team were looking for additional bullet casings. A woman has been arrested for allegedly brutally bashing an 87-year-old woman and almost running her over during a carjacking. Tammy Phillips, 33, was charged on Wednesday morning after Mavis Dillon was attacked while putting her walking frame in the boot of her car in St Albans in Melbourne's west on Saturday. The Victorian woman is accused of knocking the pensioner to the ground and speeding off in the hatchback, almost running the elderly car owner over in the process. Scroll down for video Tammy Phillips, 33, has been accused of brutally bashing an elderly woman and stealing her car Mavis Dillon was putting her walking frame in the boot of her car in St Albans in Melbourne's west on Saturday when she was bashed The 33-year-old is also facing charges for three armed robberies she allegedly committed across Victoria. Phillips was arrested in Kerang, a rural town in northern Victoria at 6.30pm on Tuesday night. She did not apply for bail and has been transferred to Melbourne where she remains in custody. The 87-year-old woman was reportedly almost run over during the coward carjacking Mavis Dillon is recovering from injuries in the Sunshine Hospital after she was reportedly bashed The thief allegedly demanded the pensioners car keys before punching her in the face, leaving her with severe bruising and a broken cheek bone. She also has a suspected broken arm. After Ms Dillon handed her the keys the thief allegedly nearly ran over the 87-year-old, and she had to roll out of the way to avoid being hit, police said. The thief allegedly demanded the pensioner's car keys before punching her in the face, leaving her with severe bruising and a broken her cheek bone Ms Dillon remains in Sunshine Hospital where she is being treated for her injuries Ms Dillon, who is a great-grandmother, remains in Sunshine Hospital where she is being treated for her injuries. The Shepparton woman will face the Swan Hill Magistrates Court on Wednesday. Mavis Dillon, 87, is recovering from injuries with friend Marjory Cassar (L) and granddaughter Karen Dearden (R) Turn out crucial for both sides but Leave voters seen as more motivated Many voters across Britain woke to heavy rain and flash flooding after a night of thunderstorms as they headed to the polls for today's historic EU referendum vote. The weather is of particular importance with turn out crucial to both sides of the referendum debate, as anything that puts off wavering voters from turning out would be a blow. Polling data has made clear Leave voters tend to be more determined than Remain voters. Today's weather: Rain had been forecast in the South East in the morning (left) and afternoon (right). The worst of the weather has been over London - which is expected to be strongly voting to stay inside the EU Washout: Voters were greeted by a flooded car park at a polling station in Chessington, south London, after heavy overnight rain Forecasts yesterday put the worst of the weather over London - expected to be strongly voting to stay inside the EU - and that materialised this morning with torrential downpours across the capital. Wet weather has also been forecast over Scotland and Northern Ireland - both areas expected to endorse continued EU membership. Red 'immediate action' flood warnings were issued for parts of south-east London and Essex as parts of London were expected to see a month's rain fall in a matter of hours. A chief forecaster at the Met Office said yesterday: 'Increasingly warm and humid air arriving from France later on Wednesday brings with it a risk of thunderstorms. June has already been soaking wet and forecasters suggest more rain will come tomorrow - including over London, a Remain heartland 'These thunderstorms are likely to occur in a couple of main waves, from Wednesday late afternoon or early evening into early Thursday and a second wave breaking out later on Thursday. 'Where thunderstorms occur torrential rain and frequent lightning are expected, as well as a chance of some hail. 30 mm or more of rain could fall in an hour and locally in excess of 50 mm is possible in two or three hours.' Sources at the Remain campaign told MailOnline: 'There are dark clouds on the horizon if Britain votes to Leave the EU but the great British weather is unlikely to have much of an effect on turn out. 'Brits dont quit and a bit of rain wont stop people getting to the polling stations to have their say in this once-in-a-generation decision' Polling experts yesterday played down the potential impact of poor weather on the result despite turn out being seen as crucial to the final tallies Leave insisted to the Telegraph: 'If we vote to leave on Thursday you can be sure the sun will be shining the following day.' Joe Twyman, head of political and social research at YouGov, said in a recent analysis: 'When it comes to the question of European Union membership, those who wish to leave the EU are more likely to say they will vote than those who wish to stay. 'This means we can conclude, generally speaking at least, that a lower turnout come polling day should favour the Leave campaign.' An alligator that attacked a 58-year-old man on his property in central Florida has been euthanized, officials say. The attack happened around 6.30pm on Tuesday in Bushnell, about a one-hour drive from where a boy was killed by a gator outside a Disney resort last week. WESH reports that when the man found the animal near a pond on his property and shot it. However, as he moved closer to see if it were dead, the gator lunged at him, biting him on the leg. Euthanized: Officials in Sumter County say the 8.5-foot gator (pictured) was put down following the attack on Tuesday in Bushnell, Florida Scene: The man found the gator on his property and shot it, but the animal came at him and attacked The man was taken to a hospital in Ocala for treatment. A trapper from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission then euthanized the alligator. It weighed approximate 300 pounds, The attack comes a week after an alligator killed a two-year-old Nebraska boy who was vacationing with his family at Disney World outside Orlando. 'We don't want these things to happen to. Alligator bites are a very rare occurrence, and we want to know what happened. How did this take place?' Chad Weber with the FWC told Fox 13 News. Under investigation: Officer Chad Weber said it was strange the alligator attacked and they are looking into what happened The sheriff's office said the alligator was between 8.5 and 9 feet long and weighed about 300 pounds Bushnell is about 60 miles away from Disney World in Orlando. Each year, there have several gator attacks in Florida, according to statistics from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission obtained by ABC News. In 2015, there were 9 major attacks, including one that was fatal, according to the statistics. As of April 2016, there was 1 major attack in Florida and no minor attacks. Two-year-old Nebraska boy Lane Graves who was killed by an alligator at Disney World in Lake Buena Vista Autopsy showed Graves died from drowning and traumatic injuries in the lake (pictured) near Magic Kingdom 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. 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. None of the union reps said they would report the abuse or advised the teacher to tell the authorities Eliu Lara, of UFT, Bronx, also urged the teacher to 'keep it a secret... and pray that (the child does) not coming forward' Robert Levine, of UFT, Brooklyn, said his job was 'to protect teachers' not report incidents of assault on students to their schools Said the abuse was a 'non-issue' because the child hadn't come forward Union reps caught telling an undercover reporter, posing as the friend of a teacher who assaulted a child, to keep the incident quiet Three unions reps in New York state have been caught on hidden camera apparently advising how to cover up an incident of abuse. An undercover reporter from Project Veritas posed as the friend of a teacher who had hit one of their students, during a meeting with teachers union representatives. But the reps seem more concerned with saving the jobs of the union member than protecting the child from abuse, telling the journalist to keep quiet and hope the allegations never surfaced. 'I strongly suggest she keep her mouth shut, learn her lesson and never do anything like that again,' White Plains Teacher Association President, Kerry Broderick, warned in the ten minute video. Scroll down for video Three unions reps in New York state have been caught on hidden camera advising how to cover up an incident of abuse (pictured is Robert Levine, of the UFT, Brooklyn) Broderick, from West Chester, New York state, told the female reporter that the incident of abuse was a 'non-issue' because the child had never reported it. 'Hopefully she's learned her lesson about whatever triggered her to lose her patience like that and she's never going to do whatever she did again.' 'Because when she does it again, if she does it to the wrong person, she could lose her job,' she said, before telling the teacher to 'let it go.' She also warned against informing the school principal that the teacher had hit a student, adding that: 'If she wants to confess then she might as well write her letter of resignation.' Both the undercover reporter's teacher friend, and the incident of them hitting a child, were fabricated for the purpose of the investigation. But as far as the reps were concerned, it was a legitimate incident of abuse. White Plains Teacher Association President, Kerry Broderick, warned the teacher to 'keep her mouth shut' on the ten minute video Broderick, from West Chester, New York state, told the undercover reporter that the incident of abuse was a 'non-issue' because the child had never reported it Robert Levine, of the United Federation of Teachers, UFT, Brooklyn, admitted that a teacher hitting a child was 'very very serious' but said that 'it's not my job to report anything like that.' The rep said that his job, first and foremost, was to protect teachers. 'I will not report that to anybody else, he said. 'I do just the opposite. I'm here to protect teachers. 'Everything that do here is protected. Everything we do here is confidential. No matter what is is. The only time we would every go back to his school and talk to anybody is only if he wanted us to.' Levine said that as long as the child did not come forward, the teacher had 'nothing to worry about.' He even suggested that the teacher should not consider quitting after hitting the child, saying it was 'definitely the wrong thing to do.' 'It's an inappropriate thing to do especially for people that show remorse.' Eliu Lara, of the United Federation of Teachers, in the Bronx, New York, also warned them to keep quiet adding that they were 'lucky' no-one had come forward. 'First of all he don't talk to nobody,' warned Lara. 'Don't be talking about. Because if you keep chit chit chatting you're going to have a problem. 'If the kid say something , whatever. Just keep it a secret,' he added. 'Leave it like that and pray that maybe he not coming forward.' Robert Levine, of the UFT, Brooklyn, admitted that a teacher hitting a child was 'very very serious' but said that 'it's not my job to report anything like that' Eliu Lara, of the United Federation of Teachers, in the Bronx, New York, also warned them to keep quiet adding that they were 'lucky' no-one had come forward He advised the uncover journalist to tell their teacher friend to keep the abuse 'a secret' He also had some words of advice for the teacher, telling them to: 'Treat the kids as more decent as possible. Never touch kids, never touch kids, never be with kids by yourself and he'll be OK. Things happen.' None of the three reps appeared concerned about the welfare of the students of the teacher who had already proven himself to have a tendency towards violence in the hypothetical. 'We understand that it is the job of union officials to protect their members. But, we have to ask, why are we more concerned about the well-being of teachers over the well-being of our children?' asked Project Veritas President James O'Keefe. 'This series will continue to expose more corruption and abuse within teachers unions across the country, and you will continue to hear stories that will make the hair on the back of your neck stand up.' DailyMail.com approached the United Federation of Teachers which declined to comment directly on the statements made by their reps. But spokeswoman Alison Gendar told us that they were planning to review the full footage and 'take appropriate action.' 'Given this individual's history of leaving the truth on the cutting room floor, we are calling on him to supply us with the full, unedited versions of the New York City video in the next week,' she said. 'We will review the unedited video and, if warranted, take appropriate action.' the United Federation of Teachers. Lara and Levine has not responded to the DailyMail.com's request for comment. Broderick has also failed to respond to our request for comment. DailyMail.com has reached out to New York City Department of Education and the New York State Parents and Teachers Association for their statement. Robert Klein, a physical education and health teacher, was filmed asking the journalists whether they wanted cocaine after he invited them to party in his hotel room during an education conference (pictured) A similar investigation by Project Veritas into the Yonkers teacher's union led to Brendan McGrath, the Yonkers inspector general, launching a full investigation into the Yonkers Federation of Teachers. A journalist with Project Veritas had posed as a volunteer at an unnamed school in Yonkers during a meeting with Paul Diamond, a senior official with the UFT, where she claimed she'd seen another teacher physically hurt a student. Diamond told them not to report the incident if the child did not come forward, but joked that the student's mother would be missing out on a 'financial boon' if she didn't take the school to court over the abuse. The union official also suggested a series of excuses for the teacher who admitted he'd gone on vacation to Mexico for two weeks without permission. 'We're looking at this as a pattern of practice by the union, and whether or not this is something that they do as a matter of course. If there are people out there, teachers part of the 1,800 member union out there that have had an experience like this and have a conscience, they may want to come forward,' said McGrath. The Project Veritas journalists reported their concerns to a union representative, posing as a friend of a teacher with a cocaine habit, who advised them to keep quiet Renowned journalist James O'Keefe explained previously that union officials would go to 'extraordinary lengths' to protect their members. Last week, DailyMail.com reported on a New Jersey middle school teacher who was caught on hidden camera offering drugs to Project Veritas undercover reporters. Robert Klein, a physical education and health teacher at Howell Middle School, was filmed asking the journalists whether they wanted cocaine after he invited them to party in his hotel room during an education conference. Klein, who was also captured telling his students at school to try exercise to 'give yourself a natural high, instead of doing drugs', said he had cocaine at his house before offering the reporters a 'bump' of 'blow'. But yet again, when the undercover journalists took their concerns to a teachers union representative, they were told to keep it quiet. New Jersey Education Association UniServ field rep, Ron Villano, urged the 'teacher friend' of the journalists to get help and go to rehab but he said the union would not inform the school - even if the teacher refused help and carried on using while teaching kids. 'I'm never going to tell (the school),' he said. 'I'm not going to tell anyone whether he goes or not. He also warned the teacher not to talk to anyone else about his drug habit as he was 'jeopardizing his job.' The European Union has reached agreement to set up a new border and coastguard force that could intervene in front-line countries like Greece and Italy to curb the flow of migrants. Negotiators for the 28 EU member states and the European Parliament said today they had endorsed a proposal from the European Commission, the bloc's executive, to set up the force over the summer. The parliament is expected to vote on the issue in a key committee next week and, if it clears that hurdle, it could be endorsed at a full session in Strasbourg next month. Brussels aims to have the force start operations in September and be fully operational by November. The new EU border force would focus much of its energy on the Mediterranean where images like this of overcrowded migrant boats capsizing have become all too common News of the agreement comes on the eve of Britain's referendum on the EU, where the migrant crisis has been a key and controversial issue. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, the force's main sponsor, said: 'The agreement on the creation of a European Border and Coast Guard shows that Europe is able to act swiftly and resolutely to deal with common challenges.' In December EU leaders set a June 30 deadline for agreement on the new force, a key part of the bloc's strategy for tackling the flow of the migrants along with a deal with Turkey which was agreed in March. Comparison: Italy has 600 boats to patrol the countrys 4,700 miles of coast, Greece has 240 vessels monitoring 8,500 miles and Spain has 147 looking after 3,085 miles Migrants climb into the back of a lorry near Calais in northern France. Many of the migrants arrive first in Greece or Italy but gradually make their way to more affluent areas of northern Europe Several countries have reintroduced border controls that were eliminated years ago as part of Schengen as the EU deals with a record flow of more than a million migrants and refugees from Africa and the Middle East since the start of 2015. This is not a silver bullet that can solve the migration crisis that the EU is facing today...but it is a very much needed first step Artis Pabriks Under the deal, member states would still manage their borders on a daily basis but could call on emergency support from a pool of at least 1,500 border guards. The new force represents an expansion of the size and tasks of the existing Frontex border agency, based in Warsaw. For example, it will have a 'greater role' in returning people deemed economic migrants to their countries of origin, the parliament said. Artis Pabriks, parliament's lead negotiator on the issue, said the force would 'ensure that the EU external borders are safer and better managed'. It's a long wait after all to get on the latest attraction at Walt Disney World World. Frozen Ever After opened at Epcot Center in the Norway pavilion on Tuesday and guests were willing to stand in line for hours in order to get a chance to see Elsa and Olaf while travelling on a boat through the fictitious town of Arrendelle. Five hours to be exact, which guests were informed of by park employees who stood at the back of the line with a sign declaring how many minutes they would be standing in the sweltering Orlando heat. And then the ride broke. Scroll down for videos The snow glows white: Frozen Ever After (above) opened in the Norway pavilion at Epcot Center on Tuesday A kingdom of isolation: Guests had to wait in line for over five hours at times to get on the ride Conceal, don't feel: The ride then began to experience problems and broke, which required it to be shut down throughout the morning Not a footprint to be seen: Lines stretch out from Norway into other countries in Epcot (above) One guest, who was at the park with her four-year-old daughter, told DailyMail.com that they were waiting in the line when the ride broke around noon, and had to be shut down for a repair. This had been a problem throughout the morning according to the guest. Disney employees offered them the option of staying in line or taking a Fast Pass - the park vouchers that allow guests to get in expedited lines - and coming back later. Guests on social media also posted photos as they were given caramel popcorn, Twix bars and other treats while waiting for the ride to reset. Excited park guests posted photos as they waited in line outside the attraction and then later when they were on the five-minute ride throughout the day. Let it go: Guests continued to wait despite the length wait for the attraction Let the storm rage on: The attraction is a five-minute boat tour of the fictional town of Arrendelle from the animated film Frozen I'll rise like the break of dawn: Characters from the film Frozen including Anna and Sven (above) are seen by the guests along the way The cold never bothered me anyway: Elsa and Olaf (above) are also a big part of the attraction I am one with the wind and sky: The ride was formally the attraction Maelstrom, which also was a boat ride Disney has a detailed description of Frozen Ever After on their website, describing the ride by saying: 'The adventure begins on the docks of Arendelle, as seen in the classic animated film. After finding a seat aboard your boat, feel an Olaf-inspired smile frost across your face when the lapping waters take you right into the frozen willow forest. 'Soon, youll be rubbing shoulders with some boulders - a.k.a. Kristoffs family from Troll Valley - before bracing for the cold. High up in the icy blue world of the North Mountain, Queen Elsas enchanting ice palace awaits! Behold the wonder and keep an eye out for a few more Frozen friends too. 'Finally, hang on tight as you glide back down into the Bay of Arendelle and conclude this Summer Snow Day celebration in stylecomplete with many of your favorite Frozen tunes!' And, of course, along the way guests are also treated to the Oscar-winning animated film's unforgettable theme song, Let It Go. Norway also allows guests to pay a visit to Royal Sommerhus, where they can meet Elsa and her sister Anna. The area was previously the site of Maelstrom, an attraction that also took guests on a boat where they experience trolls, waterfalls and characters from Norse mythology. Donald Trump delivered an all-out attack speech on Hillary Clinton, tearing into his Democratic rival as a 'world class liar' for 'taking money' from special interests 'Hillary Clinton who, as most people know, is a world class liar,' Trump said, in just one of the insults he threw at Clinton, who he portrayed as an on-the-take politician. 'She gets rich, making you poor,' Trump said in his 40-minute attack speech. Reading a prepared speech from a teleprompter, Trump ran through the gamut of Clinton scandals and foibles, from her and her husband's paid speeches, the email scandal, the Benghazi attack, even Clinton's past statements about a visit to Bosnia when she was first lady. 'She ran the State Department like her own personal hedge fund doing favors for oppressive regimes, and many others, in exchange for cash,' Trump charged. Trump cited the book 'Clinton Cash,' by Peter Schweizer, which brought up paid speeches Bill Clinton gave that were 'underwritten by China or its supporters. 'She sold out our workers, and our country, for Beijing,' Trump said. Republican presidential candidate tore into Hillary Clinton as a 'world class liar' in a sustained attack speech Eric and Ivanka Trump, who both continue to have a prominent role in their dad's campaign before and after the firing of campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, were on hand for the event Listening: Ivanka Trump was in the audience at the Trump Soho as her father took aim at Hillary Clinton 'Just look at her pathetic email and server statements, or her phony landing in Bosnia where she said she was under attack but the attack turned out to be young girls handing her flowers, a total self-serving lie,' Trump said. The comment was a reminder of a flap from Clinton's 2008 campaign, where she boasted about landing in Bosnia under sniper fire, when contemporaneous video showed a friendly landing. After the claims became an issue in her campaign against Barack Obama, Clinton said she 'misspoke.' 'Brian Williams career was destroyed for saying far less,' Trump said,delivering another blow comparing him to the former NBC anchor who had to give up his perch after he was found making a series of exaggerations. Clinton's campaign slogan is 'I'm with her.' That's another example of her selfishness, Trump said. 'She believes she is entitled to the office....She thinks its all about her.' 'Im with you: the American people.' Trump today laid the Benghazi attack squarely in Clinton's lap. Trump said, 'Her decisions spread death, destruction and terrorism everywhere she touched.' He blamed Clinton for the death of the late U.S. ambassador to Libya, who Clinton considered a friend. He died after terrorists stormed a U.S. embassy compound and CIA annex. 'Among the victims is our late Ambassador, Chris Stevens. He was left helpless to die as Hillary Clinton soundly slept in her bed -- that's right, when the phone rang at 3:00 in the morning, she was sleeping.' Trump brought up newer controversies like Clinton's email scandal, and even dredged up her own claims about a dangerous landing in Bosnia that turned out to be more welcoming than she initially described it There wasn't much sign of sniper fire as Clinton and her daughter, Chelsea, met a crowd while visiting a U.S. base in Bosnia CLINTON'S FIGHTBACK AGAINST SAVAGING Hillary Clinton's travelling press secretary said Wednesday afternoon the campaign was 'not surprised or unhappy' with Trump's speech. 'He makes stuff up and yells about it,' spokesman Nick Merrill said. Briefly, at a stop in Raleigh on Wednesday afternoon, the candidate touched on the topic, telling rally-goers, Donald Trump offers no real solutions for the economic problems we face. He just continues to spout reckless ideas,' she said. He'll run up our debt and cause another economic crash. Marcy Stech of the group Emily's List, which backs Clinton, released a statement in reaction to 'Trump's shameful, dishonest speech about Hillary Clinton.' 'Believe me, Donald Trump is a world-class fraud and his lies are a disservice to the nation,' Stech said. Advertisement 'The Hillary Clinton foreign policy has cost America thousands of lives and trillions of dollars and unleashed ISIS across the world,' Trump said. 'No Secretary of State has been more wrong, more often, and in more places than Hillary Clinton.' 'Hillary Clinton may be the most corrupt person ever to seek the presidency of the United States,' Trump said to applause at a Trump property in New York. Trump delivered the long attack on his rival after having to postpone an event originally planned for the day after the killings in Orlando. The candidate has been under pressure from donors and leading Republicans to keep the heat on Clinton rather than other cul-de-sacs, like his attacks on judge Gonzalo Curiel, who is presiding over Trump University lawsuits. He issued the long denunciation at a time when his own campaign is under pressure for stumbles and for failing to keep up with Clinton's fundraising, just days after firing campaign manager Corey Lewandowski. Even as he went hard after Clinton, Trump didn't mention his proposed Muslim ban when he brought up ISIS, and instead referred to 'peaceful' activities of most Muslims. 'ISIS also threatens peaceful Muslims across the Middle East, and peaceful Muslims across the world, who have been terribly victimized by horrible brutality and who only want to raise their kids in peace and safety,' Trump said. Amid a campaign where Clinton holds a big lead among women voters, Trump brought up her connections to oppressive regimes. He tried to hold her accountable for big contributions governments made to the Clinton Foundation started by her husband but which she has helped urn at various times. 'Hillary Clinton took up to $25 million from Saudi Arabia, where being gay is also punishable by death,' Trump said. 'Hillary took millions from Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and many other countries that horribly abuse women and LGBT citizens. Trump delivered his attack at Trump Soho Hotel in Manhattan Trump drew heavily on reporting by author Peter Schweizer, although Schweizer hasn't gone as far as to say Clinton did official actions at the State Department in exchange for money 'To cover-up her corrupt dealings, Hillary Clinton illegally stashed her State Department emails on a private server,' Trump said, bringing up a scandal that has dogged Clinton throughout the campaign. 'Her server was easily hacked by foreign governments perhaps even by her financial backers in Communist China putting all of America in danger.' 'Then there are the 33,000 emails she deleted,' Trump continued. He said Clinton 'accepted $58,000 in jewelry from the government of Brunei' a reference to gifts disclosed by the State Department when she ran the agency from 2009 to 2013. Under federal ethics rules, such items must be turned over to the federal government for official use unless a government official decides to pay for them out of personal funds. The State Department disclosed in 2013 that Clinton was formally given gold, sapphire and diamond jewelry worth $58,000 from Brunei's queen, but it wasn't immediately clear whether she decided to keep it and pay for it or whether it remains in the government's possession. As the Clinton camp tries to drive up Trump's unfavorable rating with blistering TV attack ads the campaign has begun airing, Trump hit again and again on Clinton's character, charging her with greed. 'The other candidate in this race has spent her entire life making money for special interests and taking money from special interests,' Trump said. Trump said Clinton accepted $58,000 in jewelry from the government of Brunei, but it isn't know whether Clinton kept the official gift 'Hillary Clinton has perfected the politics of personal profit and theft.' He faulted her for backing NAFTA and letting China steal intellectual property, but didn't exactly connect the dots for how she profited. 'Hillary Clinton gave China millions of our best jobs, and effectively let China completely rebuild itself,' Trump said. 'In return, Hillary Clinton got rich! He said Clinton's message is 'old and tired.' Referencing speech transcripts that Clinton has refused to put out despite calls from Sanders, Trump said,' 'When she left [the State Department], she made $21.6 million giving speeches to Wall Street banks and other special interests in less than 2 years secret speeches that she does not want to reveal to the public.' 'Together, she and Bill made $153 million giving speeches to lobbyists, CEOs, and foreign governments in the years since 2001,' Trump said. Earlier Wednesday, Trump saidHillary Clinton is taking 'blood money' from big donors to her presidential campaign Trump laced the speech with some Reagan-style uplift. 'I love what I do, and I am grateful beyond words to the nation that has allowed me to do it,' said the mogul. 'So when people ask me why I am running, I quickly answer: I am running to give back to this country which has been so good to me,' he said. And though many of the new attack lines had the ring of professionally-crafted speechwriting, the speech was laced with some lines from Trump's stump speeches, including a call to fix the nation's 'crumbling' infrastructure. I know these problems can all be fixed, but not by Hillary Clinton. Only by me. Earlier, Trump said Clinton is taking 'blood money' from big donors to finance her presidential bid. Trup said Clinton will be 'owned by Wall Street' if she wins the White House 'She's making deals. They say, "Could I be the ambassador to this? Could I do that? Could I get my businesses taken care of?" ' Trump told CBS. 'I mean, gimme a break. All of the money she is raising, that's blood money.' The 38-year old was refused bail and will face court on Thursday A male doctor has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a 23-year-old female patient. The 38-year-old doctor who is also an osteopath was arrested at a Bondi Junction clinic in Sydney, on Wednesday at around 12.25pm. The doctor reportedly sexually assaulted his victim during two of her massage appointments in February and March this year. Scroll down for video A 38-year-old doctor has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulted a female patient The man was arrested on Wednesday afternoon at a clinic in Bondi Junction, Sydney The man was taken to Waverley Police station where he was charged with one count of sexual assault and two counts of indecent assault. He was refused bail and will appear at Waverley Local Court on Thursday. Any victims of sexual assault are encouraged to come forward. The doctor allegedly sexually assaulted a 23-year-old patient during two massage appointments in February and March Advertisement Horrific images show thousands of dead sharks piled up on a market floor in Indonesia as workers hack off their fins. Sharks of all sizes were photographed at the Karngsong fish auction on June 21, in Indramayu, in Indonesia's West Java Province. The country is one of the world's largest shark catchers due to a demand for shark fins in Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and mainland China. In China shark fins are regarded as a delicacy and the fins are one of the worlds most valuable fish products. They are the main ingredient in shark fin soup, which is priced as high as 68 per bowl. The soup is a symbol of wealth, hospitality and status in China and is often consumed at special occasions such as weddings and banquets. Huge piles of dead sharks are seen at Karngsong fish auction on June 21, 2016 in Indramayu, West Java Province, Indonesia A man is pictured slicing off the fin of one dead shark on the floor at the Indonesian market Sharks of all shapes and sizes were photographed at the market and many were covered in blood The fish are caught and killed to supply the huge demand for shark fin and meat coming from countries such as China The fin cartilage is used to provide texture and to thicken the traditional broth, with recipes for the soup dating back as far as the Song Dynasty (960-1279). The fins are often laid out to dry before being transported across Asia and Green Peace Indonesia data shows the country produces at least 486 tons of dried shark fins a year, the Jakarta Post reports. Despite objections from the Indonesia Government, shark catching is still rife and hard to control. The products are exported in the form of fins, liver oil, skin, and even meat There are concerns about shark over exploitation among Indonesia's conservation activists A worker sits on the floor as he cuts off the shark fins and leaves them on the floor around him There are concerns about shark over exploitation among Indonesia's conservation activists. 'Currently, Indonesia is at the top of the 20 largest shark fishing countries in the world,' Save Sharks Indonesia campaign director Riyanni Djangkaru said in a speech last year. A study by conservation group WildAid found that of the fourteen shark species most prevalent in the shark fin trade, all have experienced regional population declines ranging from 40-99 per cent. Over 71 per cent are classified as vulnerable or endangered by the Conservation of Nature, meaning they are considered to be at high or very high risk of extinction in the wild. The shark fins are laid out to dry in the open on trays, lines and mats on the floor Parts of the shark are laid out to dry and arranged in size order The fins are one of the worlds most valuable fish products and in China shark fins are regarded as a delicacy A workers poses with a large catch brought in on a fishing boat in West Java A rope and a wooden bridge are needed to transport the shark from the boat to land It was a sensational story that has consumed a small Idaho town. A mentally disabled five-year-old girl, gang raped at knife point by three boys, all Syrian refugees, as their fathers high-fived. The problem is, almost none of it is true. Authorities are now trying to extinguish the flames of a story they said has been ignited by residents who want to incite anti-refugee sentiments and keep Syrians from resettling in Twin Falls. 'There were no Syrians involved, there was no knife involved, there was no gang rape,' Twin Falls County Prosecutor Grant Loebs revealed on Monday. Loebs told DailyMail.com there was an alleged sexual assault on the day of June 2 at the Fawnbrook Apartments, a low-income housing complex in the town. The small town of Twin Falls, Idaho has been consumed by sensation claims that a five-year-old mentally disabled girls was gang raped at knife point by three young Syrian refugeees at this apartment complex Two juveniles, aged 10 and 14, have been charged and are being held at a juvenile detention facility. They were arrested after authorities obtained video footage from a cell phone. They are not Syrian refugees, and moved to the US fewer than two years ago from Sudan and Iraq. Their refugee status was not immediately known, according to the Idaho Statesman. Loebs said the boys were not resettled by the College of Southern Idaho Refugee Center, which oversees resettlement in the area. Another seven-year-old boy was present but not charged. No adults were at the scene and there is no evidence they celebrated after the alleged attack. Loeb told DailyMail.com only the youngest of the boys has been accused of physically touching the girl. Police are still investigating and deciding whether charges will be pressed against the seven-year-old because of his age. Both Loebs and Twin Falls Police Chief Craig Kingsbury also shot down claims that the city was orchestrating a massive cover-up to keep an assault under wraps. 'It's all absurd,' Loebs told KMVT. 'There's no cover-up at all, there's no motive to cover-up. If they were Syrians, I would tell you they're Syrians and that we're prosecuting three Syrian refugees.' 'It would't bother me a bit to say that. But it bothers me if it's not true.' Fawnbrook Apartment told DailyMail.com that notices were left on residents' doors stating the families of the boys were being evicted. The criminal charges against the two boys have been sealed, which is standard when only juveniles are involved. Kingsbury said claims that it took the police department more than two hours to respond to the alleged attack were false and hit out at critics who claimed police had bungled the investigation. 'That just is not true,' he said during a City Council meeting on Monday. 'The Twins Falls Police Department, the Magic Valley Paramedics, even the Twin Falls County Sheriff's Office, responded in due time.' Twin Falls County Prosecutor Grant Loebs revealed on Monday that most of the claims were false. 'There were no Syrians involved, there was no knife involved, there was no gang rape,' he said Loebs, who received a police report on Thursday, said authorities followed proper protocols and thoroughly investigated the incident. 'The cover-up story is just bizzare and obviously untrue,' he told DailyMail.com. 'There isn't anything more that police can do but investigate the case and file the paperwork with my office, and there isn't anything more that my office can do then file charges, and there isn't anything more law enforcement can do but file charges.' 'Every official person that I'm aware of involved in this case has handled it professionally and appropriately.' The prosecutor said he believes rumors are being spread by a local group who has been fighting to stop refugees from resettling in the city. 'There is a small group of people in Twin Falls County whose life goal is to eliminate refugees, and thus far they have not been constrained by the truth,' he told the Statesman. 'They have not been constrained by the truth in the past, and I don't expect them to be constrained by the truth in the future.' a small group of anti-refugee proponents were out in full force during Monday's City Council meeting (PICTURED), calling for racial profiling as they demanded more information about the alleged assault. The anti-refugee movement in the town kicked off last spring, when there were reports that Syrians may be resettled in the town in 2016. A ballot proposal was launched to close the College of Southern Idaho Refugee Center, but it failed to garner even a quarter of required signatures. Still a small group of anti-refugee proponents were out in full force during Monday's City Council meeting, calling for racial profiling as they demanded more information about the alleged assault. Resident Terrence Edwards declared that ISIS was present in the town. 'The Muslim Brotherhood is here,' he continued, according to Twin Falls Times-News. 'There's been violations already occurred by Muslims here.' 'The nation of Islam has declared global jihad on us,' said resident Vicky Davis. 'And Obama, this administration, is bringing them in as fast as he possibly can.' No Syrians have been resettled in Twin Falls through Idaho refugee problems, according to Idaho Office for Refugees director Jan Reeves. 'There have been periodic website postings about hundreds of Syrians coming to Idaho that have all been proven to be false in the past,' he told the Statesman. 'This is probably just one of those attempts to try and stir up hatred and bigotry.' When most people imagine a burglar, they probably picture a man wearing dark clothing and gloves with a balaclava pulled down over his head. Chances are you wouldn't imagine a woman wearing nothing other than a bikini sneaking into homes before making off with some loot. But that is exactly the suspect that officers in southern California are hunting for after two home invasions near Los Angeles earlier this month. A bikini-clad burglar is being hunted by California police after officer say she broke into two homes earlier this month before taking valuables from inside and driving off in a tan colored sedan Police say the woman, described as being in her late 30s and around 5ft 5ins tall, took unspecified items from a locked house in Lancaster, north of LA, on June 4. Later that day, the same woman was caught on CCTV entering another home around six miles away in Lake Hughes, before stealing valuables from inside. Witnesses say the woman was seen leaving the scene in a tan colored sedan. If you recognize the woman, please contact Detective Wheatcroft at the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station at (661)255-1121 Ext. 5156. Refer file number 916-07394-0683-074 David Cameron has 'colluded' with the EU and is 'lying' to British voters over the EU, Iain Duncan Smith blasted today. The former work and pensions secretary reacted with fury to the confirmation from the Turkish government it saw Mr Cameron as the 'chief supporter' of its EU bid. Vote Leave also claimed ex-PM Sir John Major had admitted today Turkish membership was possible within the lifetime of children at school today despite Mr Cameron's claims it will not happen before the year 3000. Turkey's possible membership of the EU has dominated much of the referendum campaign as Vote Leave warned the country's accession would mean even higher levels of net migration. Iain Duncan Smith today accused David Cameron of 'colluding' with the EU over Turkey and claimed he was 'lying' to the British people Mr Duncan Smith said: 'David Cameron has repeatedly claimed that Turkey is not going to join the EU despite it being Government policy. Now the Turkish government has confirmed that he is the 'chief supporter' of their bid to join the EU. 'Cameron also said that Turkey will not join until the year 3000 but Sir John Major has let the cat out of the bag - Turkey could be in the EU in ten years' time. 'I'm afraid there is no conclusion you can draw from this, except that David Cameron is colluding with the EU and lying to the British people. 'Families are suffering the consequences of uncontrolled migration - a direct result of the EU's obsession with freedom of movement. 'They are suffering from downward pressure on their wages, and facing increased competition for housing, school places, and GP appointments to name but a few. 'With five more countries lining up to join the EU - Albania, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, and Turkey - this problem can only get worse. 'That's why it is safer to Vote Leave.' Sir John Major, pictured today at an eve-of-poll rally, said Turkey would not join within decades but Vote Leave said this implied a much sooner timetable than admitted to by David Cameron At a Britain Stronger in Europe rally in Bristol today, Sir John said: 'I find it extraordinary that people should point to Turkey, and suggest that 77 million Turks are suddenly going to descend and take all of our hospital places and all our school places and all our local authority dwellings. THE TURKISH ACCESSION AT THE HEART OF THE REFERENDUM The issue of Turkish accession to the EU has become caught up in the campaign for Thursday's bitterly-fought Brexit referendum. Amid charges by the 'Leave' camp that accession will allow millions of Turks into the country, the issue has exploded the debate over immigration. David Cameron insists Turkey will not join the 28-nation bloc for years, even though the government's official position is to support Ankara's membership. Since Muslim-majority Turkey formally launched its membership bid in 2005, the EU has opened 15 chapters out of the 35 required to join the bloc. So far only one chapter has been completed, with disagreements over Turkey's human rights record an obstacle for many EU states. Under the March accord, the EU also agreed to boost aid to Turkey to cope with millions of refugees, mostly Syrians, on its territory and to speed up visa liberalisation. Advertisement 'They have been negotiating for 30 years without getting in. They are not going to get in in my judgment for one, two decades - perhaps not ever. 'Even if they do get in, we're not in the Schengen zone. Even if it happened in some far distant future, what obscenity it is to suggest all 77 million Turks are suddenly going to say, let's go to the United Kingdom. 'The national minimum wage has risen by 50p, let's get there as fast as we can! If they do happen to say that, let me just mention to them in advance that they would actually earn more in France or in Germany than they actually would here.' Vote Leave said this meant Sir John was accepting the possibility by talking about the possibility of Turkey joining in 'one, two decades'. The EU will in open new membership talks with Turkey as planned in a few days, EU diplomatic sources said Wednesday, just as Ankara's accession becomes a hot-button issue in Britain's vote on its future in the bloc. One source, who asked not to be named, told AFP that EU member states will meet June 30 to agree to open a new negotiating chapter with Turkey on finance and budget affairs. European Union leaders pledged in March to speed up Turkey's long-stalled membership talks as part of an accord on tackling the migration crisis, promising to open at least one new chapter by the end of June. You're not getting anything else! Cameron got the 'maximum' from his renegotiation and the EU has no more to offer after Brexit vote, Commission boss warns British voters were today warned there is no chance of a second renegotiation with the EU if they back Brexit tomorrow. Jean-Claude Juncker, the EU Commission President, said 'out is out' and ruled out re-opening talks in a bid to reverse a vote to quit the EU. In remarks sure to be seized upon by the Vote Leave campaign, Mr Juncker said David Cameron got the 'maximum' reform possible in his renegotiation that was concluded in February. The deal has been derided as empty and useless by Brexit campaigners and the Prime Minister has been forced to admit more reform is still needed. EU Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker today claimed David Cameron had already extracted the 'maximum' from the EU Britain would not get any other reforms by voting for Brexit Mr Juncker said today: 'The British policy makers and British voters have to know that there will not be any kind of renegotiation. 'Out is out.' He added: 'We have concluded a deal with the prime minister. He got the maximum he could receive and we gave the maximum we could give. 'So there will be no renegotiation, not on the agreement we found in February, nor as far as any kind of treaty negotiations are concerned.' Vote Leave champion Michael Gove said: 'The Remain Campaign has been claiming in recent days that if you vote to stay in the EU then there could be further reform. The President of the EU, Jean-Claude Juncker, has made very clear today that will not happen. 'If you vote to stay there is no prospect of getting any reform from the EU ever again. We will never get back control of the 350 million we give to the EU every week. The Prime Minister tried to get reforms earlier this year but the EU did not listen. The EU cannot and will not give the British people the change that they want. 'There is a very clear choice in this referendum. Either you vote to keep on giving the EU more power and more of our money every year or join me in voting leave to take back control.' Michael Gove makes grovelling apology for comparing pro-EU experts to Nazi propagandists after Cameron accuses him of having 'lost it' during referendum battle Michael Gove has made a grovelling apology after comparing pro-EU experts to Nazi propagandists. The Justice Secretary admitted he had been 'clumsy and inappropriate' to make the comments as he dismissed dire forecasts for the consequences of Brexit. The climbdown came after David Cameron branded the remarks a 'massive mistake' and suggested that Mr Gove had 'lost it'. Michael Gove (pictured) compared economic experts warning about the fall-out of Brexit to the Nazis who orchestrated a smear campaign against Albert Einstein in the 1930s Recalling the Nazis' treatment of Jewish scientist Einstein during the 1930s, Mr Gove had told LBC: 'I think the key thing here is to interrogate the assumptions that are made and to ask if these arguments are good. 'We have to be careful about historical comparisons, but Albert Einstein during the 1930s was denounced by the German authorities for being wrong and his theories were denounced, and one of the reasons of course he was denounced was because he was Jewish. 'They got 100 German scientists in the pay of the government to say that he was wrong and Einstein said: 'Look, if I was wrong, one would have been enough.''' Mr Gove added: 'The truth is that if you look at the quality of the analysis, if you look at the facts on the ground, you can come to an appropriate conclusion. 'And the appropriate conclusion, I think, all of us can come to is that with growth rates so low in Europe, with so many unemployed and with the nature of the single currency so damaging, freeing ourselves from that project can only strengthen our economy.' He made his comments after being challenged over why he is not heeding the advice of many economists who have warned that Brexit could have dire consequences and tip the economy into recession. Cameron insists immigration CAN be curbed within the EU despite near-record figures in bad-tempered interview as referendum campaign enters final stages David Cameron has blamed mass immigration on our 'unnatural' economy as he insisted numbers will be curbed if we stay in the EU. As the referendum campaign enters its final frantic hours, the Prime Minister said freedom of movement rules will be re-examined if we stay in the bloc. He defended his target of bringing net migration down from around 330,000 a year to below 100,000 as 'realistic', and also denied that being in the Brussels club was like being 'shackled to a corpse'. The claims came as both sides in the bitter campaign stepped up their efforts on the eve of the crucial ballot. Mr Cameron, former PM Sir John Major and Labour's Harriet Harman staged a rally in Bristol this morning. David Cameron, former PM Sir John Major and Labour's Harriet Harman appeared together in Bristol to urge a Remain vote in the referendum tomorrow Meanwhile, Boris Johnson is crossing the country in a helicopter appealing for people to vote for Brexit. In a bad-tempered interview in BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Cameron said immigration had been stubbornly running at around three times his target over recent years because it was 'not a normal period'. Killed: Yiannoulla Yianni, 17, was found dead by her parents at their North London home in 1982 A man who claimed to look like John Travolta is accused of raping and murdering a teenage girl nearly 34 years ago, a court heard today. James Warnock, 56, allegedly attacked 17-year-old Yiannoulla Yianni in her own home, strangling her and leaving her dead body on her parents' bed. When her mother and father returned to their home in Hampstead, North London they found her lying partially naked in their bedroom. The crime has been unsolved for more than three decades, but police arrested Warnock after apparently making a breakthrough DNA discovery. Opening his trial at the Old Bailey, prosecutor Crispin Aylett QC told jurors that Yiannoulla was brought up in a 'traditional Greek' family and had never even had a boyfriend before she was sexually assaulted and killed. On the day of the attack in August 1982, she had been with her parents Elli and George Yianni at their shoe repair shop minutes away from their home. Yiannoulla's mother had sent her ahead to start preparing a leg of lamb for supper, saying she would join her soon. At around 2pm, a man in his early 20s was spotted chatting with Yiannoulla on her doorstep and twenty minutes later, a neighbour heard a scream, jurors were told. When the parents arrived home half an hour later, they found their daughter's jewellery scattered on the stairs and called out to her. They got no response so went to find her, Mr Aylett said: 'In their search for Yiannoulla, they went into their own bedroom. There they met with a sight beyond their worst imagining. 'Their beloved daughter was lying on their bed. She was obviously dead. Yiannoulla's breasts were exposed and she was naked from the waist down.' Victim: Yiannoulla's killing went unsolved for more than three decades, the Old Bailey heard today Family: The victim's brother Peter, left, and sister Maria, right, during an appeal for information held in 2000 Hundreds of people came forward with information about the killing, but the culprit was never found and Mr Yianni died six years later without seeing justice for his daughter. In 1999, a scientist managed to extract DNA from bodily fluids left on the bedspread, and last year police were able to match it to Warnock's profile, the court heard. Witnesses had described the man on Yiannoulla's doorstep as being in his early 20s and possibly 'Mediterranean looking'. At the time, he was interviewed by police who asked him to describe his looks, and he replied: 'How can I put it? Er... John Travolta?' During today's proceedings, jurors were shown a still image of Travolta in his hit film Saturday Night Fever. Mr Aylett said: 'For those perhaps less familiar with the younger John Travolta, so you have got some idea what John Travolta looked like in those days, there is a still photograph of John Travolta from Saturday Night Fever, a few years before, and a film called Blowout, just a year before.' Lookalike: Jurors today saw a picture of John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever; defendant James Warnock claimed he looked like the actor The court heard Yiannoulla had been seen laughing with the man on her doorstep, which had led police to believe that either she knew him or her attacker had a 'good chat-up line'. Quizzed about whether he had been 'successful with the ladies' back then, Warnock replied: 'Well I wouldn't say successful - I did like to chat and have a laugh and a joke.' In a police interview, Warnock admitted he knew Yiannoulla, having first noticed her when he took a pair of boots to be repaired at her father's shop. He claimed they had a long-running relationship, repeatedly having sex, but said they had kept their affair secret from her conservative parents. However, Mr Aylett rejected his explanation, saying he had come up with the story when 'faced with overwhelming evidence that he was the murderer of Yiannoulla Yianni'. The medical evidence revealed the victim had been a virgin when she was raped and neither her sister or friends thought Yianoulla had been seeing anyone, jurors were told. The court heard her older sister had said they would 'never in a million years' have brought a boyfriend to the family home. She also took photos of faeces flowing through food She claims she was stood down for her report on the unsanitary conditions A veterinarian is claiming that she stood down from her government job after she reported that cattle on export ships were living in 'appalling conditions' and eating food from troughs contaminated with faeces. Dr Lynn Simpson was working as an adviser to the Australia's Department of Agriculture's animal welfare unit when she became concerned about the living conditions for the health of the cattle, she told ABC's 7.30 program on Wednesday. Dr Simpson said she saw animals dead on the ground or injured and bleeding. Scroll down for video Veterinarian Dr Lynn Simpson (pictured) claims she was stood down from her government job after she reported that cattle on an export ships were living in 'appalling conditions' and eating from troughs covered in faeces Dr Simpson was working as an adviser to the Australia's Department of Agriculture's animal welfare unit when she became concerned about the living conditions for the health of the cattle (pictured) She said she saw animals dead on the ground or injured and bleeding and that faeces freely flowed throughout the ship, covering the animals (pictured) Not only were the floors and troughs covered in faeces, but it flowed throughout the ship freely, she said. 'It's just business as usual on these ships. I expect to see leg injuries, I expect to see pneumonia, I expect to see animals drenched in faecal matter,' Dr Simpson told ABC. 'They're not sanitised, [the images] show animals in appalling conditions, there's pain, there's suffering, it's inexcusable and it's confronting.' She submitted images and video she had taken of the ships' conditions but was then promptly removed from her advisor role, Dr Simpson claimed. She submitted images (pictured) and video she had taken of the ships' conditions in a report After her report was accidentally released to the public, Ms Simpson said she was relieved from her role Documents showed that a staff member at the Department of Agriculture accidentally placed Dr Simpson's report on their website, despite the fact that her findings were not supposed to be made public, according to ABC. Department officials wrote to Dr Simpson and explained that she would no longer fulfil her position because 'the industry with which we engage has expressed the view that they cannot work with you.' 'She basically said in the letter that 'you've done nothing wrong but the industry essentially doesn't like you so you can't be here anymore. End of story',' Dr Simpson said. She has since filed a lawsuit against the Commonwealth claiming a breach of contract. The head of a Russian children's holiday camp has appeared in court after 13 of them drowned in a freezing lake at her resort. Rescuers are continuing the search to discover the fate of the missing 14th teenager after the young children, as well as an adult instructor, died in the summer camp boat disaster in the Karelia region. Yelena Reshetova, the director of the Park Hotel in Syamozero, will remain in custody so she does not tamper with evidence or influence witness statements, ruled the judge at the Petrozavodsk City Court. In custody: Yelena Reshetova, the head of a children's holiday camp where at least 13 children drowned Rescuers are continuing the search to discover the fate of the missing 14th child, after boats overturned in a freezing lake at Ms Reshetova's resort Three boats carrying 47 children overturned in a storm on June 18, and some of the teenagers were unable to swim to shore due to the high waves. Many then perished from hypothermia after the decision was made by unqualified staff to ignore the weather warnings. In a hearing closed to the public Ms Reshetova was resolved to remain behind bars until August 19, despite having three dependent children including one with a disability. It was suggested the director could influence witness statements from the resort's employees, instructors and tutors, and suggested she could conceal evidence in the case, reports en.news. Investigators are still looking into the circumstances surrounding the deaths, including whether the safety requirements were met and whether staff were negligent. A government spokesman told how the children were being taught by unqualified teenagers in the popular tourist spot. The director of the Park Hotel in Syamozero will remain in custody until August even though she has three dependent children, one disabled, so she does not conceal evidence or influence witnesseses The Park-Hotel Syamozero camp has now been shut down. During the catastrophe a 12 year old orphan survived the mass drowning by clinging to her twin brother for four hours in freezing water before being knocked unconscious and swept to shore where she raised the alarm. Yulia Korol was on board one of the boats that capsized on Lake Syamozero, in northern Russia's Karelia region, and escaped while 14 others died. Most of the youngsters perished from hypothermia as the decision to ignore storm warnings was blasted by a local tourist boss as 'suicidal'. Scroll down for video Yulia prayed as she thrashed around in the water before blacking out and being thrown towards the shore Rescuers had to deal with rough waves and bad weather as the decision to take the children out on the lake was described as 'suicidal' Yulia and her twin brother Dmitry were thrown into the water when the stormy weather overturned their sailing boat Children are rescued after a group of 47 youngsters were left fighting for their lives in freezing cold water when their sailing boats capsized in rough weather There were only four instructors looking after the 47 children sent out to sail - some were believed to be without lifejackets. When the storm hit, Yulia's boat flipped over and she found herself in the water, clinging on to her brother Dmitry. For four hours they held onto each other until they were torn apart by a large wave. Yulia blacked out and the next thing she knew was that she had been washed up on land. Not knowing if her brother was dead or alive, she discovered the body of another teenager lying on the shore and tried - but failed - to save him. Yulia staggered along the edge of the lake and discovered yet another injured boy, covered in blood and unable to walk. It was then she decided to go and seek help and walked for four hours with only socks on her feet before reaching the village of Kudama. Emergency officers rescued surviving children in a boat on Lake Syamozero in Russia's autonomic republic of Korelia. There were only four instructors looking after the 47 children sent out to sail - some were believed to be without lifejackets The accident happened overnight on Lake Syamozero, close to the border with Finland. Vladimir Putin's ombudsman for children Pavel Astakhov revealed that the children had been left in the charge of teenage 'instructors' Most of the youngsters perished from hypothermia as the decision to ignore storm warnings was blasted by a local tourist boss as 'suicidal' At least 13 children and their adult instructor have drowned after a storm struck while the group were boating on a Russian lake. The boats are said to have overturned Saturday when bad weather hit Syamozero (pictured) As she walked Yulia, from Moscow, had to cross a fast flowing river, where she fell in and again had to swim to safety. Local resident Alexander Zyamov found the wet and cold girl shivering on his doorstep on Sunday morning. 'Obviously, she was in a state of shock, she was trembling,' he said. She told him: 'I am Yulia. Lots of children are dead, we were in boats. One dead boy is at the bank. 'I tried to resuscitate him but he was dead. A second one is alive but he can't walk and is covered in blood.' Mr Zyamov called the rescue service: 'She told me and my wife that she was holding hands with her brother until the last moment when waves separated them. 'Policemen took Yulia away to the local tourist base.' There she was reunited with Dmitry who had made it safely to shore. 'Thank God both of them managed to survive,' he said. Young survivors from the Russian boat drowning where 13 children died comfort each other as they return to their hotel in Karelia Safe: Schoolchildren return to their hotel in Karelia after sailing trip goes tragically wrong and 13 drown in stormy weather Dmitry managed to get to shore safely after being separated from his twin sister Yulia was in the second boat which capsized as the stormy weather overturned both vessels but managed to swim ashore. The group was being instructed by teenagers as young as 17 Galina Goncharova, Yulia's grandmother and guardian, said two of the sailing boats were linked and one dragged the other down when it overturned. 'They were sent to sail when it was already stormy,' she said. 'At first one boat turned upside down, and as it was linked to the second boat, this also capsized. 'Yulia was in that second boat and it was a miracle that she escaped. 'She reached the village, and then called me in her shaky voice. 'In the village she was dressed and fed and they tried to call the camp where the kids were staying but nobody replied. 'The camp was not in touch with those boats. If not for Yulia, nobody would know about the tragedy. 'All the kids would have been lost there.' A woman called Galina, one of the first to see the brave girl after her four hour trek, said: 'We are calling Yulia a heroine. 'She was walking for 4 hours in her socks only before she got help. 'In the water she was holding the hands of her twin brother but lost him. 'She did not have a life jacket. She said there was a moment when all her strength left her and she sank to the bottom; then she remembered to pray. 'She said she felt as if some unknown forces pulled her up and then to the shore. 'Of course, it sounds like a fairytale but the girl was telling it so sincerely. She said her granny taught her to pray and took her to church.' Gallina said Yulia had been very calm and composed when she finally found help. 'She did not cry when she reached the home of our friends. On her way to safety she had to cross a small river, she stepped on a narrow log and fell into the water again, so once again she had to swim to safety.' Galina described how she and her friends from the village ran to the shore when they found a group of children, still linked together. In the water the youngsters had held hands and were thrown towards the shore at the same time. Some of the children in the group were already dead. Child survivors recover at their hotel after their terrifying ordeal in which their boats capsized in stormy weather Going home: The survivors rescued when their boats capsized on Lake Syamozero are flown back to Moscow Children rescued after their boats capsized in stormy weather on Lake Syamozero are flown home to their families in Moscow As the bodies of the victims were flown back to Moscow, Vladimir Putin's ombudsman for children Pavel Astakhov revealed that the children had been left in the charge of teenage 'instructors'. They were students from Petrozavodsk Pedagogical College and were on teaching practice at the camp, he said. 'They used teenagers instead of hiring properly qualified adult trainers in such numbers that they were at least able to rescue the children,' he said. There were only four instructors for 47 children, he claimed. 'They are 17 to 19 years old themselves. What sort of instructors are they? How can they save others?' He also claimed that the camp in the popular Karelia tourist area was overcrowded. Yet 'none of the managers were in the camp' at the time the tragedy was unfolding. Putin has instructed the Investigative Committee to find out what happened in Karelia, who was responsible and help the victims and their relatives. 'The president gave relevant instructions Investigative Committee to identify the causes of the tragedy and to identify those guilty of it,' Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. Putin expressed deep condolences over the tragedy, he said. The schoolchildren are comforted as they are flown home to Moscow to be reunited with their families after a sailing adventure went tragically wrong Several boats are said to have overturned when bad weather hit Syamozero (pictured) in the country's northwestern region of Karelia, 75 miles east of the Finnish border Vladimir Kucherenko, the director of a local tourist company, said most of the children had died from hypothermia as the water temperature was between 8C and 10C. He said strong winds might have driven boats across the lake, making it hard for the children to get to the shore. 'I would like to look the person who allowed them to go boating in the eye,' Mr Kucherenko said. 'It was suicidal.' Local politician Alexei Gavrilov said people had been warned off the lake due to storm warnings adding: 'They didn't have the right to go out boating.'Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin said: 'A great tragedy has occurred in Karelia. My condolences to their families and friends.' Vladimir Markin, spokesman for Russia's Investigative Committee, equivalent of the FBI, said four people had been detained over the accident, including park director Yelena Reshetova, her deputy and two instructors. Two psychologists who helped develop the CIA's 'enhanced interrogation' program were forced to admit for the first time that they advised interrogators to subject suspects to what is widely held to have been torture. James Mitchell and Bruce Jessen were hired as contractors by the Central Intelligence Agency in 2002 to develop 'enhanced' techniques for extracting information from suspects. They responded to allegations made by the American Civil Liberties Union in acomplaint filed last year that they 'designed, implemented, and personally administered an experimental torture program.' In a 30-page document filed Tuesday, the two psychologists denied that they committed 'torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment, non-consensual human experimentation and/or war crimes.' They admitted, however, to pushing for the use of waterboarding, sleep deprivation, cramped confinement, and other harsh forms of treatment generally acknowledged to constitute torture. Scroll down for video James Mitchell, left, and Bruce Jessen, right, responded to allegations made by the American Civil Liberties Union that they 'designed, implemented, and personally administered an experimental torture program' Anti-war activists demonstrate waterboarding during a demo on October 5, 2009 in front of the White House. On Tuesday, two psychologists hired by the CIA admitted for the first time their role in 'enhanced interrogation' In the course of interrogating Abu Zubayda, who was nabbed in 2002 for suspected involvement in the 9/11 terror plot , the psychologists admitted that the suspect was locked in a cell 'lit by halogen lamps 24 hours/day' They further admitted that Zubayda was subjected to 'walling, facial and abdominal slaps, facial holds, sleep deprivation, and waterboarding, and placed... in cramped confinement' In one disturbing response, they admitted that Zubayda at one point became so compliant that it only took a raised eyebrow from an interrogator to make the suspect walk over to the waterboarding table Although the American Psychological Association apologized last year for the roles of some of its members in collaborating with the CIA in the torture program, no psychologists have been made to testify in court until now, the Huffington Post reported. Abu Zubayda was nabbed in 2002 for suspected involvement in the 9/11 terror plot and is currently held at Guantanamo Bay Mitchell's and Jessen's admissions in Tuesday's court filing added to what was already revealed in an executive summary of a still-classified Senate Intelligence Committee report on the program, released in 2014. In a statement, ACLU attorney Dror Ladin called the psychologists' response 'historic.' 'Until now, no one responsible for the CIA torture program has ever been forced to admit their actions in court,' Ladin said. 'The psychologists' admissions include key details, and their denials are hard to square with the public record.' The admissions include that Mitchell and Jessen submitted a list to the CIA with suggestions that interrogators subject suspects to 'the attention grasp,' 'walling,' 'facial hold,' 'facial slap,' cramped confinement, 'wall standing,' stress positions, sleep deprivation, and waterboarding. They denied having suggested 'use of diapers,' 'use of (non-stinging) insects,' and mock burial. In response to an ACLU allegation that Mitchell and Jessen subjected terror suspect Abu Zubayda to 'repeated wall slamming,' the psychologists admitted to doing so, but pointed out that the proper term for the technique is 'walling.' In the course of interrogating Zubayda, who was nabbed in 2002 for suspected involvement in the 9/11 terror plot and is currently held at Guantanamo Bay, the psychologists admitted that the suspect was locked in a cell 'lit by halogen lamps 24 hours/day' and 'subjected to rock music or other noise that was also present outside his cell.' They further admitted that Zubayda was subjected to 'walling, facial and abdominal slaps, facial holds, sleep deprivation, and waterboarding, and placed... in cramped confinement.' In one disturbing response, they admitted that Zubayda at one point became so compliant that it only took a raised eyebrow from an interrogator to make the suspect walk over to the waterboarding table. The response from the psychologists came as part of an ongoing lawsuit brought by the ACLU on behalf of Mohamed Ben Soud, left, Gul Rahman, center, and Suleiman Abdullah Salim, right Mitchell has previously admitted he personally waterboarded suspected 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed. In a 2014 interview with the Guardian, he defended the actions of his colleagues in the intelligence community. 'The people on the ground did the best they could with the way they understood the law at the time,' Mitchell told the Guardian. 'You can't ask someone to put their life on the line and think and make a decision without the benefit of hindsight and then eviscerate them in the press 10 years later.' Jessen has never previously commented on the actions he took while working for the CIA. Cops in Florida have uncovered a man's bizarre plot to impersonate a K9 handler after he was caught trying to gain access to a real police officer's home. Officials say Anthony Ottaviano, 36, was not only dressed in a fake shirt that said 'K9 Handler', but that he dressed up his dog and his car in fake tactical gear in order to disguise himself as a law enforcement officer However he was then caught attempting to burglarize the home of two off-duty Palm Bay police officers on Sunday night in his elaborate outfit, Fox 35 reported. Fake cop: Florida police say Anthony Ottaviano, 36, was dressed in a fake 'K9 Handler' shirt and dressed up both his dog and car in fake tactical gear in order to disguise himself as a law enforcement officer Police say Ottaviano placed his dog (pictured) in some sort of tactical vest and leash Ottaviano arrived at the house in a White Chevrolet Impala that had strobe lights built in to the dashboard and roof, as well as specialty decals indicating it was a K9 unit vehicle Inside the car, police found a cache of fake equipment all branded as 'K9', including shirts, a sweater, vests and even paper folders and boxes The car also had a K9 cage built into it, in order to properly store the dog. Local reports say Ottaviano is a paramedic and not a cop Outside the car were stickers warning people to stay away from the vehicle because it was a K9 unit Ottaviano arrived at the house in a White Chevrolet Impala that had strobe lights built in to the dashboard and roof, as well as specialty decals indicating it was a K-9 unit vehicle. He drove into the driveway of the home with the lights flashing, and got out of his vehicle with his dog, which was wearing a tactical style vest and leash. It is unclear whether he knew it was the home of two police officers he was trying to get into, however police at the scene said he walked past two marked Palm Bay police cars to get to the front door. The officers inside did not open the door after Ottaviano refused to formally identify himself, and they called 911. 'They immediately identified themselves as Palm Bay police officers, what's your intent? They looked outside and the guy was dressed in police tactical gear, he had a canine with him,' Lt. Mike Bandish with the Palm Bay police department told WFTV 9. 'They were a little bit concerned.' Charged: Anthony Ottaviano, 36, who was found to have a K9 badge as well, was charged with attempted burglary and impersonating an officer during the commission of a felony Lt. Mike Bandish with the Palm Bay police department said it remains unclear why Ottaviano was trying to access the home of two officers The officers inside were torn as to whether they were ignoring a real officer or staving off a phony. When the officer inside the home further questioned Ottaviano, he said he worked for Homeland Security. Police soon arrived at the house and detained Ottaviano, soon determining he was not a cop. Ottaviano did not have any weapons on him, but he was arrested for attempted burglary and impersonating an officer during the commission of a felony. However the incident has puzzled police, who do not know why he was trying to enter the house. The fitted-out car is seen here with the fake lights flashing at the scene of the incident on Sunday There was plenty of specialty decals on the car that attempted to show it was a K9 unit When questioned by investigators, Ottaviano did not give a reason for going to the officers home, police said. According to WFTV, Ottaviano is a licensed paramedic with Sunstar Paramedics in Pinellas. He has been suspended from work, pending an investigation. Ottaviano was given a $20,000 bond by the judge. He remains in the Brevard County jail. The dog was place in the care of Ottaviano's roommate. Police say that two marked Palm Bay Police Department parked outside the house during the incident Anyone with information about this or similar crimes involving this suspect is asked to contact the Palm Bay Police Department at 321-952-3456 option 1, or the Central Florida CRIMELINE at 1-800-423-TIPS. was sentenced to a minimum of 14 years in prison Nicolle Earley, who has claimed she is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of killing a 63-year-old grandmother in a row over 5 and cigarettes eight years ago A murderer has claimed she is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of killing a 63-year-old grandmother in a row over 5 and cigarettes eight years ago. Nicolle Early - one of Scotland's youngest female killers - was 16 when she murdered Ann Gray in her home in Crosshill, Fife in November 2008. Mrs Gray died as a result of a head injury after she was knocked to the ground and repeatedly stamped on. The grandmother also suffered a fractured jaw and broken cheekbone along with a fractured bone in her upper neck. Earley, of Methil, Fife, was jailed for life in 2010 and was ordered to serve a minimum of 14 years in prison. However, today, her solicitor told Stirling Sheriff Court that memories of what she called 'this incident' were harming Earley's mental health. The convicted killer, aged 24, was before the court for sentence after pleading guilty to hurling a dinner plate at a fellow inmate at women's jail Cornton Vale, near Stirling, and raining her with punches. Sheriff William Wood sentenced her to another six months in prison, and though he ordered it to be served concurrently with her present sentence, he warned her that it could delay her eventual freedom. He said: 'No doubt it will have an effect on the Parole Board - when they say you'll be released.' But Earley's solicitor Danielle Varela said her release date was presently set at 2025, but before she assaulted fellow prisoner Pauline Sleeman, she was being 'moved forward' for a parole hearing in 2021. Miss Varela explained: 'She has been told recently, however, that's on hold while her mental health issues are dealt with. 'There has been a deterioration since she has been in custody. She has been having flashbacks in relation to this 2008 incident. 'There has been discussion of PSTD (post traumatic stress disorder) but I'm told there's no diagnosis made at this stage.' She added that her client had thrown the 'regular-sized circular plastic plate' and followed it up with punches because her fellow inmate had been calling her names. Meanwhile, Adrian Fraser, prosecuting, said Earley was found punching the inmate on the floor in the dining hall by a pantry officer who hear a commotion. He pulled her off, and the fellow prisoner suffered a 'red ear, due to punches.' Earley pleaded guilty to assault. Sheriff Wood told her she had an 'unenviable record' for crimes of violence, including another sentence from March, when she was ordered to serve a further six months behind bars for assaulting a different inmate. Sheriff William Wood at Stirling Sheriff Court, pictured, sentenced Earley to another six months in prison, and though he ordered it to be served concurrently with her present sentence said it could affect her early release She appeared before Sheriff Wood after the resident Sheriff in Stirling, Wyllie Robertson, declined to deal with her, after she once threatened him. Earley was given an additional 18 month sentence three years ago after she sent letters from her cell in Cornton Vale covered in blood and scrawled with swastikas, threatening to kill and cannibalise a local solicitor and send his face to a mask factory, adding that Sheriff Robertson 'could join him.' Parts of the letters read: 'Do you have fears of getting tortured or having your family members taken away? Thats what will happen. 'Are you a fan of Hannibal? I will rip you apart and eat you. 'If I wasnt locked up I would have taken you away in the back of a van and just watched the guys go at you and hear you scream. 'I will have your ear cut off and your tongue ripped out. You will be taken home in the night and left at your front door.' A British bar worker died in Ibiza after taking a lethal cocktail of alcohol and drugs a coroner ruled today. Alexander Moynes, known to friends in both Ibiza and Britain as Zander, was found unconscious last year on Friday, June 12. The 20-year-old had spent the night partying and visiting friends before returning to his hotel apartment home at around 7am. Alexander Moynes (pictured), from Wraysbury near Windsor was found facing down on his hotel bed unconscious by his friends in June last year His body was discovered some eight hours later after concerned friends went in to check on the club and bar worker who had spent a previous summer working on the sunny tropical island. Mr Moynes, from Wraysbury, just outside of Windsor, had been living in the notorious club resort of San Antonia for just three weeks before being found face down on his hotel bed, following a drink and drug fuelled night out, where it was thought he had visited a friend's apartment and consumed beta blockers. The inquest revealed that cocaine, ketamine, MDMA, codeine and alcohol were all found in the young man's system. The court also heard that My Moynes had been prescribed sleeping tablets in the past and had struggled with sleeping as a child. It was thought that in the night before he died Mr Moynes had consumed beta blockers or sleeping tablets but the coroner confirmed that it was the combination of drugs and alcohol in his system that led to his untimely death. Clumsy police in Ibiza, confusion over translated accounts from witness and delayed toxicology reports were referred to during the inquest in Reading. The court heard how the former Windsor Boys School pupil, who was a talented bagpipes player and rugby player at school, had called his mother the night before he died telling her he was ready to come home. Family of Mr Moynes (pictured as a young boy with his sister, Michaela) previously told Mail Online that it feels like the sunshine has gone and life will never be the same again Shane Holden, who had been with Mr Moynes only hours before described how his friend had 'seemed fine' before he went to bed that night. Mr Holden, who had been staying with My Moynes and their friends Jasper Burgess and Craig Piednoir apartment in the Hotel Sun Down on San Antonio strip, was the one who found his friend's body. He said: 'My recollection from that night was pretty good I wasn't under the influence. 'Although Jasper and Zander went out together, they didn't return together. When Zander came back he seemed okay. He was quite cheerful and not upset. 'There was nothing out of the ordinary.' My Moynes had phoned his mum the day before he died telling her he was ready to come back home My Moynes was found by his friend Shane Holden who said they didn't attempt CPR because the state he was in suggested he had already passed away My Holden added: 'There had been a falling out so Craig had moved out temporarily. That meant Zander had his own room, Jasper had his room and I had the sofa. 'It was myself who found him. I went into Zander's room because his phone kept ringing so I went to see who it was and get it to stop so he could sleep. I knew sometimes he would go days and days without sleeping so I knew how much it meant to him. I was trying to make everything quiet. 'When I went in he was lying face down. His arms were spread but it was not immediately obvious he had died. When I realised I shouted for Jasper to come in and we went down and alerted the hotel staff. They called the emergency services. 'We didn't attempt CPR because the state he was in suggested he had been passed away for a few hours. 'I knew he had taken valium in the past but never beta blockers.' At the time his sister, Jade Balfour and his father, Joe Moynes, had flown over to the party island in a desperate attempt to find out the truth about how the youngster had died. Early rumours about an incident involving the stabbing of Mr Moynes friend, Alex Priestly, less than 24 hours before had sparked his drink and drugs binge. However, this was not mentioned at the inquest. The coroner concluded that Zander Moynes' death was drug related Conflicting accounts given about how Zander was found was noted by the coroner Peter Bedford. He said: 'If I had a complete set of statements saying the same thing I would be suspicious. Did they push this into the realm of anything sinister having happened? I think unlikely and the Ibizan authorities certainly did not. 'Alexander Moynes died on June 12, 2015, at the Hotel Sun Down in Ibiza. The cause of death was drug toxicity and the conclusion I will make is one of a drug-related death.' Childhood friend and contestant on BBC1's The Apprentice 2015 Elle Stephenson sat in silence throughout the inquest, as the coroner read out the details of her friend's death. At the time of his death Ms Stephenson posted a series of tributes on social media. Alongside a picture of Mr Moyness at a lake near their home, she said: 'I will forever think of Zander like this, at our favourite spot by the lake with our dogs.' On Twitter she wrote: 'I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you.' And on Facebook she added: 'What I would give now to be hiding behind my bathroom door trying to hold my breath as you crept past with your water pistol trying to find me. 'I miss our play fights that never seemed to end in anything but broken china and limbs. 'I miss you trying and failing to teach me how to ride your BMX off your ramp and twist it round in mid-air.' A spokesman for the family previously told Mail Online: 'Our hearts are broken. It feels as though sunshine has gone and although life will never be the same for us, we hope that by sharing Zander's story just one young life might be saved. 'He was a beautiful, vibrant, clever young man. He was loved dearly by all of his family and friends, of which there are too many to count. Police are desperately searching for two men with shot three people including a child at an apartment complex just outside Orlando, Florida on Tuesday night. The victims of the shooting, who have not been identified, were visiting friends in Altamonte Springs when the incident occurred, and the two men drove off seen after opening fire in what police say was not a random attack. The two adults and four-year-old girl are recovering in the hospital. The youngest victim was grazed by a bullet in the back of the head. Scene: Two gunmen shot three people including a four-year-old girl at an apartment complex (above) in Altamonte Springs, Florida on Tuesday, which is just outside Orlando On nthe run: The men then took off is a car that crashed (above) a mile away before fleeing on foot NBC 2 reports that the gunmen only got a mile away from the scene before crashing into a parked car and fleeing on foot. Police believe that at least one of the victims was specifically targeted but are still uncertain as to their motive. The owner of the complex, Roosevelt Sealey, voiced his displeasure with the incident. 'I don't want no violence. I get rid of them if they cause problem,' said Sealey. He then added of the shooting: 'That will happen at every complex. Nothing you can do about that.' In a slew of other polls, Leave either led or the contest was neck and neck The Leave campaign's key message that now is the time for Britain to 'take control' of its own destiny has had the biggest cut-through with voters But 11 per cent of electors said they were still undecided about the vote The battle for Britain's future was on a knife edge last night with the final EU referendum polls making the contest too close to call. An exclusive survey for the Daily Mail and ITV News, gave the Remain camp a lead of six points, by 48 per cent to 42 per cent but 11 per cent of electors said they were still undecided. Crucially, the Leave campaign's key message that now is the time for Britain to 'take control' of its own destiny has had the biggest cut-through with voters. Scroll down for videos Showdown: David Cameron and Boris Johnson criss-crossed the country as they campaigned yesterday Some 44 per cent said it made them more likely to vote to quit the Brussels club outstripping the claim by Project Fear that leaving is a leap in the dark. In a slew of other polls, Leave either led or the contest was neck and neck. The ComRes poll for the Mail reveals Britain is a divided country with over 45s and those in the North breaking heavily for Leave. All age groups below 45 appear in favour of staying with 64 per cent of those aged 25 to 34 wanting to stay and 27 per cent opting to go. Among the 55 to 65 age group, however, just 31 per cent want to Remain and 55 per cent want to Leave. In the South 38 per cent want to Leave while 51 per cent want to stay. But in the North, it is 41 per cent Remain and 50 per cent Leave. The Midlands is almost exactly balanced with 45 per cent support for Remain and 44 per cent for Leave. Overall, after 'don't knows' are counted, Remain would lead 54 per cent to 46 per cent. The poll of 1,032 adults was conducted over the weekend, during part of which the campaign was halted after the murder of the Labour MP Jo Cox. Some 17 per cent say that they may still change their mind. In its final survey, Opinium said after talking to 3,000 people the referendum was a 'statistical dead heat' with Leave on 45 per cent and Remain on 44 per cent - meaning after taking margin of error into account it was impossible to pick a winner Opinium's surveys during June have showed a small overall drift toward Leave as undecided voters made up their minds but the pollster said the race was still too close to call The reputation of key politicians has been hit. The number of voters citing David Cameron as important in their decision has fallen from 34 per cent in May to 26 per cent now. Only a third of Britons say Mr Cameron would be the best person to negotiate Britain's withdrawal from the EU as Prime Minister in the event of Brexit, though this is higher than anyone else. In a blow for Chancellor George Osborne, his warning that house prices will be lower in the event of Brexit made people more likely to vote Leave than Remain by 17 per cent to 20 per cent. Last night a flurry of eve-of-referendum polls suggested the result is still too close to call, with TNS giving the Brexit camp a 43 per cent to 41 per cent advantage. A YouGov poll for The Times gave Remain a lead of 51 to 49. FTI Consulting gave Remain the edge by 51.4 per cent to 48.6 per cent once 'don't knows' are taken out. Boris Johnson gives a thumbs up as he leaves Selby, North Yorkshire, on a hectic day of campaigning David Cameron spoke alongside Lib Dem leader Tim Farron at a Remain rally in Birmingham this evening Opinium Research recorded a tiny lead for Brexit in its final survey of 3,000 voters this week as it found 45 per cent backed Leave and 44 per cent backed Remain. But after taking into account the margin of error in the study, the firm declared it impossible to predict a winner. A week ago, Opinium had the referendum tied at 44 per cent each while at the start of June the pollster had Remain ahead 43-41. The poll fits with the mixed found by all of the polling firms in the last week of the race, with some results showing small leads for either side while other showed a tie. By contrast, betting markets have continued to show Remain as the strong favourite as the race enters its final hours. Adam Drummond, of Opinium Research said: 'This really is ''too close to call'' territory with undecided voters holding the balance of the vote in their hands. 'Although referendum campaigns normally see a move back to the status quo as we get closer to polling day, this hasn't yet shown up in our polls and the Remain camp will have to hope that it happens in the polling booth itself if Britain is to stay in the European Union.' In its latest poll, Opinium interviewed 3,011 voters between Monday and Wednesday. David Cameron was greeted by school children as his whistlestop tour took him to Bloxham near Banbury yesterday in his final push for votes before the referendum Boris Johnson was mobbed as he took the Vote Leave campaign's final push to Selby in North Yorkshire The final day of the referendum campaign has seen the main contenders criss-crossing the country to appear at a string of eve-of-poll rallies. David Cameron joined forces with former PM Sir John Major and Labour's Harriet Harman for a rally in Bristol this morning. Meanwhile, Boris Johnson has visited the famous Billingsgate Fish market as he traversed the country in a Vote Leave helicopter. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn addressed activists in central London, while planes trailing Remain banners staged a flypast at the Houses of Parliament. During the rally in Bristol, Mr Cameron urged voters to stick with Brussels to ensure a 'bigger better Britain'. He rejected Leave claims that Britain would be 'shackled to a corpse' if it chose to stick in the EU, telling supporters in Bristol the Remain case could be summed up in the single word: 'Together'. The final push: Cameron, Johnson and Corbyn criss-cross the country in last frantic round of referendum campaigning The big beasts of the EU referendum battle were yesterday engaged in a final frantic round of campaigning on the eve of the crucial poll. David Cameron joined forces with former PM Sir John Major and Labour's Harriet Harman for a rally in Bristol before travelling to Oxfordshire, Banbury and on to Birmingham. Meanwhile, Boris Johnson kicked off his day with a visit to the famous Billingsgate Fish market as he traversed the country in a Vote Leave helicopter. 6.15pm: David Cameron made his final pitch to voters in Birmingham, appearing with Gordon Brown and leading politicians from across the political spectrum at an end of campaign rally 6pm: Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron urged voters to vote Remain at a speech in Birmingham this evening 5.30pm: Boris Johnson stopped off at the George Pub in Darlington to pour a pint and press the case for Vote Leave as he scrambled around the country making his final pitch 5.30pm: David Cameron gives a thumbs up as he visits the Jaguar Land Rover factory in Solihull 4.30pm: David Cameron received a noisy welcome from school children as he arrived at the Warriner School in Bloxham, near Banbury The ex-mayor of London then headed north, visiting Selby and Darlington before signing off his campaign. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn addressed activists in central London, while planes trailing Remain banners staged a flypast at the Houses of Parliament. During the rally in Bristol, Mr Cameron urged voters to stick with Brussels to ensure a 'bigger better Britain'. He rejected Leave claims that Britain would be 'shackled to a corpse' if it chose to stick in the EU, telling supporters in Bristol the Remain case could be summed up in the single word: 'Together'. 2.30pm: The Vote Leave campaign arrived in Selby, North Yorkshire as Boris Johnson pressed the case for Brexit with just a few hours until the polls opened 2.19pm: Planes carrying pro-Remain banners staged a fly-past at the Houses of Parliament this afternoon 2pm: David Cameron and Harriet Harman met farmer David Christensen on Kington Hill Farm in Abingdon, Oxfordshire as he continued his campaign this afternoon CAMERON INSISTS IMMIGRATION CAN BE CURBED WITHIN THE EU DESPITE NEAR-RECORD FIGURES IN BAD-TEMPERED INTERVIEW David Cameron has blamed mass immigration on our 'unnatural' economy as he insisted numbers will be curbed if we stay in the EU. As the referendum campaign entered its final frantic hours, the Prime Minister said freedom of movement rules will be re-examined if we stay in the bloc. He defended his target of bringing net migration down from around 330,000 a year to below 100,000 as 'realistic', and also denied that being in the Brussels club was like being 'shackled to a corpse'. The claims came as both sides in the bitter campaign stepped up their efforts on the eve of the crucial ballot. In a bad-tempered interview in BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Cameron said immigration had been stubbornly running at around three times his target over recent years because it was 'not a normal period'. 'As recently as 2008, if you look at the situation of British people and European nationals leaving Britain to go to Europe and European nationals coming to Britain, there was actually net negative migration in terms of Europe,' he said. Advertisement 'If we want a bigger economy and more jobs, we are better if we do it together,' the PM said. 'If we want to fight climate change, we are better if we do it together. If we want to win against the terrorists and keep our country safe, we are better if we do it together.' Sir John took a swipe at Mr Johnson and Justice Secretary Michael Gove as 'gravediggers of our prosperity', suggesting he had 'expected better' from them. Quitting the EU would not stem immigration and risked creating a broken Britain, he insisted. Leaving would be a 'disproportionate' response to migration concerns and the country would live to regret it for a 'long time to come'. 1pm: Jeremy Corbyn addressed activists in central London after speaking at the Unison conference in Brighton this morning The former London Mayor took to the skies in a helicopter to continue the push for Brexit Mr Johnson has appealed for voters to make the EU referendum Britain's 'Independence Day' He said: 'If our nation does vote to leave, we must respect their decision, but if they vote to leave on the basis of half-truths and untruths and misunderstandings, then pretty soon the grave-diggers of our prosperity will have some very serious questions to answer.' 'They will have to account for what they have said and done but that will be of little consolation for we will be out, out for good, diminished as an influence on the world. 'A truly Great Britain shrunk down to a little England perhaps without Scotland, perhaps with a grumpy Wales, and certainly with a Northern Ireland divided from the south by the border the controls that would then be the edge of the European Union.' Dismissing accusations that the Remain campaign had been 'project fear', he insisted that Mr Cameron had a 'duty' to to warn the nation of the dangers of quitting. 11.30am: Nigel Farage brandished his passport with EU markings during an appearance in London 10.30am: David Cameron was in Bristol at a rally with former Prime Minister Sir John Major and Labour's Harriet Harman Sir John took a swipe at Mr Johnson and Michael Gove, branding them the 'gravediggers of our prosperity' 10am: Mr Cameron and Mrs Harman went to the offices of sports distribution firm Shiner in Bristol YOU'RE NOT GETTING ANYTHING ELSE! CAMERON GOT THE 'MAXIMUM' FROM HIS RENEGOTIATION AND THE EU HAS NO MORE TO OFFER AFTER BREXIT VOTE, COMMISSION BOSS WARNS British voters were warned there is no chance of a second renegotiation with the EU if they back Brexit yesterday. Jean-Claude Juncker, the EU Commission President, said 'out is out' and ruled out re-opening talks in a bid to reverse a vote to quit the EU. In remarks sure to be seized upon by the Vote Leave campaign, Mr Juncker said David Cameron got the 'maximum' reform possible in his renegotiation that was concluded in February. EU Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker today claimed David Cameron had already extracted the 'maximum' from the EU Britain would not get any other reforms by voting for Brexit The deal has been derided as empty and useless by Brexit campaigners and the Prime Minister has been forced to admit more reform is still needed. Mr Juncker said yesterday: 'The British policy makers and British voters have to know that there will not be any kind of renegotiation. Out is out.' He added: 'We have concluded a deal with the prime minister. He got the maximum he could receive and we gave the maximum we could give. 'So there will be no renegotiation, not on the agreement we found in February, nor as far as any kind of treaty negotiations are concerned.' Vote Leave champion Michael Gove said: 'The Remain Campaign has been claiming in recent days that if you vote to stay in the EU then there could be further reform. The President of the EU, Jean-Claude Juncker, has made very clear today that will not happen. 'If you vote to stay there is no prospect of getting any reform from the EU ever again. We will never get back control of the 350 million we give to the EU every week. The Prime Minister tried to get reforms earlier this year but the EU did not listen. The EU cannot and will not give the British people the change that they want. 'There is a very clear choice in this referendum. Either you vote to keep on giving the EU more power and more of our money every year or join me in voting leave to take back control.' Advertisement He said: 'In return for doing that he has faced a great deal of opposition and sometimes abuse from people who, frankly, we might have expected better from. 'I think the way in which he has conducted himself in putting the country before self and the country before party is quite remarkable.' Mr Johnson, however, said it was 'time to break away from the failing and dysfunctional EU system', telling activists in Maldon, Essex: 'I do think that we are on the verge, possibly, of an extraordinary event in the history of our country and indeed in the whole of Europe. 'It's all going to be about getting our supporters out to vote and if we do it I really think tomorrow can be independence day.' Criss-crossing the country by plane, Mr Johnson signed autographs and posed for selfies in Ashby-de-la-Zouch. Mr Cameron, seen inspecting a skateboard with Shiner chief executive Charlie Allen, said Britain would be 'bigger and better' if it stayed in the EU 11am: Mr Johnson went on a walkabout in Ashby de la Zouch as part of his final push for Brexit yesterday The former London mayor posed for selfies and chatted to members of the public during his visit But he was heckled by 17-year-old Will Taylor who said: 'I'm annoyed that I can't vote and as a young person it's my future.' In a speech to Unison's annual conference in Brighton this morning, Mr Corbyn said Labour supported EU membership but wanted reform. Thursday's vote will be one of the most 'significant ' decisions ever taken in this country, he said. Mr Corbyn added: 'Labour formed the NHS, creating healthcare as a human right. That does not apply to most countries in the world. We have to defend that principle to our dying day.' He also attacked comments by supporters of Brexit against a health service free on demand. 'A vote to leave will put the NHS in jeopardy,' he told the Brighton conference.' The veteran left-winger later addressed a rally in central London. 7am: Boris Johnson kicked off his frenetic last round of campaigning at London's famous Billingsgate Market this morning A distraught father has revealed he learned of his son's brutal murder from Facebook after an image of his arm hanging out the trunk of a car went viral. Jeff Davis, from Detroit, Michigan, said he 'couldn't believe' that son Jeffery Hagler, 39, was dead after discovering the image online just hours after the pair spoke on Father's Day. But police later confirmed Hagler's death, saying he had been beaten, shot three times, and then left for dead inside the car, parked down an alley on Detroit's east side. Jeffery Hagler, 39, was found dead on Monday after his arm was spotted hanging from the trunk of a white Buick parked down an alley on Detroit's east side Jeff Davis (pictured), Hagler's father, said he found out about the discovery after images of his son's arm hanging from the trunk went viral on Facebook Davis told Fox 2 Detroit: 'I couldn't believe it was him, I couldn't believe it. That's how I found out, through Facebook. With the arm hanging out of the trunk. 'It's sad to find out that your son you've just seen... and the next thing you know he is in the back of a car.' Hagler, himself a father-of-three with a son who is just months old, spent Father's Day with Davis, leaving his house at around 1.30am. Less than 12 hours later a passerby noticed the car down the alleyway with Hagler's arm hanging out of the trunk and called police. Meanwhile two images of the arm were being shared thousands of times on Facebook, only to be discovered by Davis. He recognized the licence plate on the back of the car, which is how he realized his son was inside. Hagler had spent Sunday with Davis for Father's Day before leaving at 1.30am, and his beaten and shot body was discovered in the trunk several hours later Police have not yet discussed a motive for the killing, or named a suspect. Hagler is believed to have been arrested for drug offenses in his 20s, but his family say he has since lived a clean life Many social media users shot down the images as fake, but when video later emerged showing police towing the vehicle away they realized it was genuine. Davis said his son didn't usually visit the part of town his body was found in, adding that he got a call from a girl shortly after leaving his house. Other family members say they believe the killing was part of a random robbery. Police have not yet discussed a motive for the murder or named a suspect. Hagler is believed to have served time in jail in his 20s for drugs offences, but his family say he has lived a clean life since. Using that judgement, Mr Daley is now suing Mr Bakiyez for compensation in absentia of ordering the murder of the British businessman Mr Bakiyez fled the country when his father was ousted and in 2014 he was found guilty Mr Daley claims Maksim Bakiyev, son of the then president Kurmanbek Bakiyev, arranged for him to be shot in 2006 and is now suing for compensation A British businessman is suing the son of the former Kyrgyzstan president claiming he ordered him to be shot in a battle over a 300million gold mine. Sean Daley, 56, was living in Kyrgyzstan and representing a gold mining company there when he was hit by a hail of bullets in front of his two-year-old son as he left a restaurant one night. He survived the attempted hit in 2006 and was airlifted out of the country in Central Asia to the UK for emergency treatment. However he has been left with a bullet permanently lodged in his liver. Mr Daley claims Maksim Bakiyev, son of the then president Kurmanbek Bakiyev, arranged the shooting, and is now suing him for compensation. Mr Daley, who lives in Bicester in Oxfordshire, had been promoting a proposal by his company - Oxus Gold PLC - to win a licence to mind for gold and the rival bid was partly backed by Mr Bakiyez. The Jerooy Gold Mine, in the north-west of the country, was the 'second largest confirmed gold deposit in the country', the High Court was told. The day before the assassination attempt, Mr Daley had won a court case blocking the rival bid from taking possession of the mine, said to be worth about 300million. Less than two weeks after Mr Daley was shot four times in the back, that company was granted the mining licence. Mr Bakiyev's father Kurmanbek Bakiyev was ousted in a popular uprising in spring 2010. Some family members fled to Belarus, but Maksim flew to the UK in his private jet and was granted asylum. He now lives in a 3.5million house in Kingston-upon-Thames and vehemently denies any involvement in the shooting. In 2014, Kyrgyz courts found him and other members of his family guilty in absentia of ordering Mr Daley's murder to facilitate the corrupt awarding of the licence. Using that judgement, Mr Daley is now suing Mr Bakiyez for compensation. He also claims there had been an 'an admission of involvement in the shooting' made by Mr Bakiyez to an Israeli businessman Bertii Sinbeti. Mr Sinbeti was due to the key witness for Mr Daley but failed to turn up to give evidence today. Mr Bakiyev (pictured) now lives in a 3.5million house in Kingston-upon-Thames and vehemently denies any involvement in the shooting Joel Donovan QC, for Mr Daley, told the High Court: 'This is an unusual personal injury claim arising from Mr Daley's shooting by person's unknown outside his residence in Bishkek in the Kyrgyz Republic in July 2006. 'Maksim Bakiyev is the son of the then president of the Kyrgyz Republic, Kurmanbek Bakiyev. Mr Daley alleges that his shooting was an attempted murder arranged by Maksim Bakiyev, in order to prevent him from jeopardising a fraudulent scheme to obtain the Jerooy mining licence. 'As the president's son, Maksim Bakiyev had the means to arrange the shooting; wealth, unparalleled influence, and the use of state security apparatus'. Mr Bakiyez's defence have described Mr Daley's alleged lack of evidence in the High Court as 'embarrassing' Mr Bakiyev's defence documents to the court dismiss the claim and say any conviction in Kyrgyzstan would have been 'wrongfully secured', 'politically motivated', 'baseless' and 'without due process of law.' They also describe Mr Daley's alleged lack of evidence as 'embarrassing.' Angus McCullough QC, for Mr Bakiyev, said he had 'no knowledge of the shooting beyond what he read in the press at the time...[and] had no dealings, business or otherwise, in relation to Jerooy or any other goldmine.' He called for the judge to strike out Mr Daley's claim entirely following Mr Sinbeti's absence from court. The wife of The Clash guitarist Mick Jones walked free from court today after being cleared of slapping a French jewellery designer in the face and smashing two necklaces worth almost 5,000. Miranda Davis, 53, was said to have assaulted Jan Cremer in December following her allegedly sweeping the two necklaces to the floor at the 5million home she shares with the Clash guitarist in Notting Hill. When Ms Cremer told the film producer she owed her money, Ms Davis slapped her across the face, it was said. Cleared: Miranda Davis, pictured left outside court in February and right with her husband Mick Jones, has walked free after the Crown failed to provide any evidence But today after Ms Cremer and fine artist Michele Jarry Des Loges, whose jewellery was being displayed on a table, failed to turn up from France Ms Davis was told the Crown could offer no evidence. She walked free and was awarded 2,800 in costs Ms Cremer had been renting a flat at the exclusive house with fine artist Ms Jarry Des Loges, but they have since returned to live in France. Prosecutor Jo Arnold explained the witnesses are designers and business partners, with Ms Des Loges runs art gallery Jarry Des Loges in Rue Foussal, Beaumont-du-Perigord, southwest France. They had agreed to stay at Ms Davis' home for about a fortnight to help them, make some contacts in the UK and expand their business'. But on December 9 last year they discovered one of their display tables had all the jewellery swept from it onto the floor, it was said. Davis, who co-produced Stephen Frys directorial and screenwriting debut Bright Young Things, was also charged with common assault two days later over claims she slapped Ms Cremer - a charge Ms Davis denied. 'They did not expect their business items to be damaged,' added Ms Arnold. 'Then to be assaulted as well whilst they are here is not something they should expect to happen to them while they come to conduct business in this country.' Star: Mr Jones, right with bandmates Topper Headon, Joe Strummer and Paul Simonon, with the guitarist in The Clash, and Ms Davis share a home in Notting Hill, where the alleged assault was said to have taken place Bruce Clark, for Davis, demanded that the case go ahead in their absence rather than putting the matter back. 'The reality is that Ms Davis is paying privately for her defence, she is not legally aided, and without saying anything about what costs there may be - it is not cheap to come privately paid,' he said. Magistrate Joanne Varley said: 'I am sure you are aware from the length of time we were away, we actually found this one of the most difficult decisions because it is very, very evenly weighed. 'We believe that the witnesses, through no fault of their own, are blameless and were always willing to come to court today.' She added: 'However, we have to balance that with the fact that the defendant is of previous good character. 'She is sitting here ready to go trial-wise. We have decided to proceed with the trial today.' Ms Arnold immediately informed the court that she was in no position to proceed without witnesses and offered no evidence, to which Magistrate Varley told Davis: 'So that is it - it is over. Other names floated: Senators Tim Kaine, Cory Booker, and Sherrod Brown; Clinton campaign has not formally suggested anyone Wall Street big wigs don't want Warren would bring her anti-corporate crusading into he White House if she were vice president Hillary Clinton is under pressure to name Warren as her running mate to placate lefty Bernie Sanders backers Hillary Clinton is taking Elizabeth Warren for a test drive on the campaign trail on Monday. Warren will appear at a rally with Clinton in Cincinnati, Ohio, the presidential candidate's campaign said today. A progressive more palatable to the campaign than Clinton's primary rival Bernie Sanders, the Massachusetts senator is reportedly on Clinton's VP short list. A spokesman for the Clinton campaign declined to comment on the rumors Wednesday afternoon. Hillary Clinton is taking Elizabeth Warren for a test drive on the campaign trail on Monday. Warren will appear at a rally with Clinton in Cincinnati, Ohio, the presidential candidate's campaign said today. They're seen here talking during a Senate hearing in 2013 Warren and Clinton have not always seen eye-to-eye when it comes to Wall Street regulations and the banking industry's donations to Clinton's campaigns. But two weeks ago, when Clinton became the apparent winner of the Democratic nomination, Warren offered her endorsement. The next day the two women met for an hour at Clinton's Washington, D.C. home. Yesterday, the Associated Press said Clinton was seriously considering bringing Warren onto her campaign as running mate. Wall Street big wigs who support the Democratic Party are in a tizzy. The donors are threatening to cut off financial support for Clinton if she names Warren to the powerful post. 'If Clinton picked Warren, her whole base on Wall Street would leave her,' a top donor who has raised millions for Clinton told Politico. 'They would literally just say, 'We have no qualms with you moving left, we understand all the things you've had to do because of Bernie Sanders, but if you are going there with Warren, we just can't trust you, you've killed it,' the donor added, without using their name. A D.C. Democrat with banking industry ties pitched instead someone with dealmaker credentials in the mold of vice president Joe Biden. 'Clinton is going to face a divided government unless there is a total tsunami,' the Democrat said. 'What you want in a vice president is someone who can negotiate for you on the Hill, someone like Joe Biden. And that is not a Warren strength.' Warren got her start as designer and first head of a consumer protection board created by the Dodd-Frank banking legislation. She became a hero on the left, and her decision not to seek the presidency helped pave the way for Sanders' rise. She continued to pound Wall Street for contributing to the financial collapse when she was elected in 2012 to the U.S. Senate. Virginia Senator Tim Kaine has been mentioned as being on Hillary Clinton's short list Sanders has continued his quest to negotiate with Clinton for concessions in the party platform, even as he refuses to suspend his presidential campaign. Clinton's Wall Street ties served as the basis for his candidacy and he often brought up paid speeches she made to Goldman Sachs and other industry giants when he was on the stump. 'When you get paid $225,000, that means that that speech must have been an extraordinarily wonderful speech,' Sanders joked during a debate in March. 'I would think that [with] a speech so great... you would like to share it with the American people. So I think she should release the transcript,' he said. One of Clinton's primary challenges now that she has secured enough delegates to win the nomination is finding a way to maintain the enthusiasm that Sanders generated and get his supporters to vote for her in substantial numbers. Warren could do that for her ticket. She has also established herself as someone willing to take on Donald Trump - who has nicknamed her 'Pocahontas' over a claim earlier in her career that she's 1/32 Cherokee. Thursday night in Washington, Warren delivered a speech to a constitutional lawyers' group in which she slammed Trump for his comments about a Mexican-American federal judge overseeing fraud cases against one of his businesses. 'Donald Trump is a loud, nasty, thin-skinned fraud who has never risked anything for anyone and who serves no one but himself,' she said. 'Trump is picking on someone who is ethically bound not to defend himself exactly what you'd expect from a thin-skinned, racist bully.' The first term senator does not, however, have any foreign policy experience, and she doesn't represent a swing state - two criteria that are weighted heavily by campaign hands when picking a running mate. New Jersey Senator Cory Booker is also on the list Housing secretary Julian Castro says he hasn't been vetted by the Clinton camp Another problem for Democrats if Warren is the pick: under Massachusetts law, the Republican governor would get to appoint a temporary replacement. That scenario brings back Democratic nightmares of when the party lost effective control of the Senate at the start of the Obama administration after the death of Sen. Ted Kennedy. Outgoing Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid has commissioned research on the subject that reveals the damage can be mitigated if Warren were to immediately issue a letter of resignation in November after the election. The Republican National Committee hit Warren today as a phony for even considering the job, given her differences for Clinton. 'This event will complete one of the biggest sellouts in political history given that Hillary Clinton is everything Elizabeth Warren supposedly stands against,' said RNC spokesman Michael Short. But Warren got $633,000 from the Securities Industry despite her frequent attacks on big banks and the benefits enjoyed by the 'one percent,' according to the Center for Responsive Politics. By contrast, New Jersey senator Cory Booker, another possible No. 2 for Clinton, took in $2.1 million from the industry, while Ohio senator Sherrod Brown took in $369,000. Warren this month finally endorsed Clinton, saying on MSNBC, 'I am ready to get in this fight and work my heart out for Hillary Clinton to become the next president of the United States and to make sure that Donald Trump never gets anyplace close to the White House.' Asked if she was qualified to be vice president, Warren said she was. Clinton said of Warren in an interview with Politico, 'I think she is an incredible public servant, eminently qualified for any role.' Warren has been included on all the Clinton short lists for vice presidential picks in recent weeks, in part because of the national network of support she commands. Also thought to be under consideration besides Booker and Brown are Housing secretary Julian Castro, labor secretary Tom Perez, Democratic Rep. Xavier Becerra, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, and House representative Tim Ryan of Ohio. Castro said last week that he isn't being vetted for the job. 'I'm not going to get into that. Number one, I've said for a long time, I don't believe that's going to happen,' Castro said. 'This is a decision that she's going to make and I'm going to be happy to support whatever the ticket is.' Hundreds of illegal immigrants using fake identities are free to plunder millions in benefits after the Home Office halted a major fraud investigation, it was claimed yesterday. The claim came after the two final members of an African gang who pocketed more than 8million in criminal benefits were jailed. Antoinette and Louise Kaidi lived in Britain under false names for 13 years and illegally made 560,000 between them in a very sophisticated scam. It included fraudulent claims for housing benefit, income support, jobseekers allowance and student bursaries. Two women who posed as sisters after buying false identities to then claim hundreds of thousands of pounds each in benefits have been jailed. Known by the assumed names of Antoinette (left) and Louise Kaidi (right), the duo pleaded guilty six days into their trial after the jury were 'laughing' at their defence They were tried under their ghost identities as their real names remain a mystery. They pleaded guilty mid-way through their trial because their defence was so risible the jury was laughing at them, Croydon Crown Court heard. It ended a complex six-year investigation involving multiple government departments, councils and employers that led to 21 people being convicted, including the gangs masterminds. But a source involved in the probe said there were many more suspected fraudsters connected to the scam who had been allowed to get away with it. Jordan Sebutemba was given a suspended sentence in April We know of many hundreds of others linked to this group but the investigation has been stopped because the Home Office says there is no more cash left to pursue them, the source said. We understand the problems it faces but its extremely frustrating. The lack of resources means we have got hundreds out there who have no right to be here who will be claiming benefits until they die. An unknown Home Office mole, suspected of helping the gang claim false identities from the inside, also remains at large, it was claimed. The source blamed the original problem on the Home Offices Fairer, Faster And Firmer white paper introduced by the Blair government in 1998 which aimed to accelerate immigration and asylum applications. It led to many applications simply not being checked properly and opened the possibility for fraudulent applications and subsequently fraudulent benefits claims, the source said. The Kaidis spent 13 years using the identities of sisters from Togo in West Africa who applied for asylum in the early 1990s but never pursued their claim. Louise is believed to be from Uganda and Antoinette is of mixed Nigerian-Ghanaian heritage but prosecutor Caoimhe Daly told the court: We have no idea who they are. As well as pocketing huge sums in benefits, the pair trained as nurses in their fake names, claiming generous state-funded NHS student bursaries. Even Antoinettes husband, with whom she has two children, was unaware she had a fake name until her arrest, the court heard. At trial the pair kept claiming to be from French-speaking Togo. Antoinette said she was brought to Britain aged nine by her mother who forced her to work as a slave in homes around London. But she could not recall a single address where she was enslaved. She claimed her mother paid for a private tutor to teach her English, explaining why she cannot speak a word of French. Both Antoinette, a mother-of-two, and Louise, a single mother-of-three, cried as they sat in the dock at Croydon Crown Court. Sentencing them each to 33 months in prison, His Honour Judge John Tanzer told them their crimes were of a serious nature After belatedly pleading guilty, the Kaidis admitted to 23 counts, from 2003 to 2015, including fraud, conspiracy to assist in unlawful immigration and falsely obtaining benefits. Jailing them for 33 months each, Judge John Tanzer said: The jury were basically laughing at the defence given because it was so risible. An Indiana teenager has been arrested on charges of supporting ISIS. Akram I. Musleh, 18, of Brownsburg, was arrested by FBI agents who claim he was about to board a bus to New York to take a plane to Morocco and from there enter ISIS-controlled territory in the Middle East. The FBI had been tracking the teen since 2013, when the agency says he began posting messages sympathetic to ISIS, such as videos of Anwar al-Awlaki, the U.S.-born leader of al-Qaeda, who was killed in a drone strike attack in 2011, to YouTube. Akram I. Musleh, 18, of Brownsburg, 30 minutes from Indianapolis, is accused of sympathizing with and trying to join terrorist group ISIS FBI agents say that Musleh took a picture of himself with the official flag of ISIS (above) and posted it online When agents interviewed Musleh at Brownsburg High School in 2013, he said he was just trying to learn about Islam, according to USA Today. However, nine months later, the government said that he purchased an ISIS flag and in June 2015, he posted a picture of himself standing in front of it on an unidentified social media platform. He also began communicating with others online, asking how he could join the terrorist group, and discussed trying to pull off terrorist attacks in the U.S., perhaps in Florida. According to government records, he had an online conversation with an unidentified person in which he talks about terrorist attacks: Musleh attended Brownsburg High School outside of Indianapolis; FBI agents interviewed him there last year Akram Musleh allegedly uploaded this piece of ISIS propaganda to an unnamed social media site User #1: How about operations there [?] Musleh: What kind [?] As many people [k]ept on telling me that [.] User #1: Kill a few kufr [non-Muslims or non-believers] or go to a drone place and blow the boots [u]p[.] Musleh: Where is a drone place[?] Do you know where? User #1: Find out yourself[.] Florida maybe[.] According to court documents, he also viewed a news article about the Indiana Department of Homeland Security list of some 8,500 potential terror targets in Indiana. Throughout 2015, claims the government, Musleh tried to make reservations five times to travel to Turkey or Iraq, but each time, the plans fell through. In late June 2015, he attempted to board a flight in Chicago, but that was scuttled when he was stopped and questioned by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Also in 2015, he was one of a few people who were allegedly stopping teens in a local park and asking them if they were interested in joining Daesh, another term for ISIS. First he reportedly told inspectors he would be visiting family, but they discovered he has no family in the area. Then he said he was getting married, but investigators found he already had a fiancee - in Sweden. She also allegedly is an ISIS sympathizer. Police and FBI agents raided an apartment for four hours on Tuesday as part of the case against Akram Musleh In April he reportedly purchased a ticket to Morocco, and was also seen shopping for a pressure cooker in WalMart. The government says he also researched explosive materials on the Internet. In May 2016, he was approached online by an undercover FBI agent, who engaged him in conversation in which he allegedly admitted wanting to join ISIS and how much money members were paid. On Tuesday, Musleh was arrested at the Indianapolis bus station as he was about to board a Greyhound for New York. His flight to Casablanca, Morrocco was set for July 21. The police and FBI also raided an apartment at the Brownsburg Pointe Apartments for four hours, according to Fox 59. Indiana governor Mike Pence issues a statement saying: 'We commend the FBI and law enforcement officers at every level in this state for the efforts that led to the apprehension of a radicalized Brownsburg teenager who was attempting to join terrorist forces in the Middle East.' 'In these challenging times, it is essential that all Hoosiers exercise vigilance and report any suspicious activities to the appropriate law enforcement authorities.' Thousands of British holidaymakers are bracing for a day of travel chaos tomorrow as airlines cancelled hundreds of flights due to strikes in France. British Airways, easyJet, and Ryanair are among the major airlines that have been forced to cancel routes across Europe as French air traffic controllers take part in another day of industrial action. Passengers affected were notified on Wednesday afternoon, although some claimed they were not given a reason for the disruption. British Airways, easyJet, Monarch and Ryanair are among the carriers cancelling dozens of routes. File image The strike is the 10th day of industrial action planned by the French air traffic control trade unions over the last three months. It affects flights to and from French airports, as well as routes to other European destinations. Scores of disgruntled passengers took to Twitter to share their frustrations on Wednesday evening. One user wrote: 'Marseille-Gatwick flight cancelled tomorrow. Can you offer some alternatives? No easyjet flights until Saturday! Kind of urgent...' Another posted: '"Europe's favourite airline" cancelled my flights 2day. Less than 24hrs notice. No bday celebrations in BNC'. While one passenger due to fly back to the UK from France on easyJet wrote: 'Stuck in France! Flight home got cancelled!' British Airways said it was offering all passengers travelling on Thursday the opportunity to re-book their flight. easyJet is among the major carriers that alerted passengers to potential travel disruption on Wednesday The airline will also use larger aircraft on routes that are operating in a bid to accommodate as many customers as possible. easyJet has cancelled 60 flights tomorrow, including 40 which pass through the UK. The airline is also allowing customers to rearrange their travel plans. Meanwhile Ryanair has cancelled 56 flights to/from France. Ten services to Luton, London Stansted, Manchester and Newcastle are among those affected. The strikes come after the French government tabled a bill that makes it easier to lay off employees, extends the working week and weakens union powers. The bill has prompted months of protests that often degenerate into violence by small groups of extremist demonstrators clashing with tear gas-spraying riot police. The last big Paris protest, which passed through the Montparnasse and Invalides neighborhoods on June 14, was particularly violent, with at least 39 people injured and damage to dozens of shops, banks, bus stops, a nursery school and a government ministry - and the Necker Hospital for Sick Children, where windows of operating rooms were smashed. Omar Mateen, the suspect in the brutal killings at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, was an expert marksman who aced his written exams while piling up successful shots on the target range, Florida documents reveal. The records were maintained because of Mateen's time as a court security guard, before he went on to carry out his attack that resulted in the death of 49 patrons and became the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history this month. His employer was G4S Security Solutions. Mateen underwent 28 hours of shooting instruction in 2007 to obtain his 'Class G' gun license using a Smith & Wesson revolver, Judicial Watch announced after obtaining the documents. Out of a possible score of 240, Mateen achieved scores of 231 and 235. Orlando killings suspect Omar Mateen was an 'expert' marksman, according to state documents obtained by Judicial Watch Mateen scored a 225 out of 240 in 2011 using a 9mm weapon Mateen's certificate of firearms proficiency from 2008 He scored 237 out of 240 at the range in 2010 and got a 100 on his written exam He achieved high scores with several different weapons. The next year, according to the documents, Mateen scored a 238. He achieved the same score in 2009 using a Smith and Wesson revolver, with a written exam score of 100. He also aced his written exams in 2010, 2011, and 2013. In 2011, he scored a 216 and a 234. Using a 9mm semi-automatic pistol, he scored a 225. In 2014, he scored a 223 on the firing range using a 38 caliber revolver. Mateen was certified 'mentally and emotionally stable' Mateen killed 49 people at Pulse nightclub in Orlando A card outside Pulse nightclub honors victims of the shooting massacre Other documents completed by state officials state that the security firm certified him as being 'mentally and emotionally stable.' The assertion was based on a psychological test included as part of a document called an 'agency character certification.' The 2007 document lists Dr. Carol Nudelman as the pscyhologist certifyingthat the employee is 'mentally and emotionally stable' and therefore able to get the certification to be a security guard by the Wackenut Corporation, which was later purchased by G4S Security Solutions. However, Nudelman told NBC News she never administered the test and wasn't practicing in Florida at the time of the test. 'I was not living or working in Florida [at the time]' she said. 'I was not performing any work for Wackenhut, and I did not administer any type of examination to Omar Mateen. Any statement to the contrary is absolutely false,' she added. Mateen's skill with a weapon is just one contributing factor to the tragedy, where easy access to weapons and radicalization on the Internet have brought calls for policy changes. A police officer who was one of the first to arrive at the club claims he had to wait while Mateen was free to wander around the club gunning people down. The FBI said this week that police first responders 'engaged the shooter' inside the club at 2.08am but Officer Brandon Cornwell said he had been told to wait for a SWAT team to arrive. Mateen's employer says the psychologist whose name on this form certifying Mateen to be emotionally stable wasn't the actual certifying physician, and the the name was included due to a 'clerical error.' Dr. Nudelman said she never evaluated Mateen Sports stars including Shaquille O'Neal and Johnny Damon visited survivors at Orlando Regional Medical Center The global security firm has come under criticism for its screening procedures in the wake of the mass shooting. The company attributed the problem to a 'clerical error.' 'Dr. Nudelman did not score Mateen's evaluation. She sold her practice in 2007. Mateen's MMPI was scored by HQPE (Headquarters for Psychological Evaluation). A clerical error failed to note the change in vendors scoring the exam,' G4S said in a statement. The company has said a psychological test was administered. 'These new records reveal that Omar Mateen was an expert marksman and had a spotty employment record,' said Judicial Watch president Tom Fitton. 'This information raises new questions about how and why the Obama administration failed to stop Mateen before he committed his heinous act of terrorism,' he said. Nigel Farage pulled out of last night's final, crucial television debate on today's EU referendum so he could 'have dinner with his son', it has been revealed. Farage, who has campaigned for the UK to leave the European Union his whole political life, told Channel 4 he would not be attending the evening's debate due to 'family reasons'. The announcement was met with surprise, with many expressing concern for Farage and his family as many believed only something truly terrible would make the politician pull out of the key debate. However, it has now emerged that Mr Farage had simply decided to go to dinner with his eldest son, Sam. Speaking outside his home this morning, he refused to elaborate on his decision not to attend, repeating only that it was 'for family reasons'. Scroll down for videos Nigel Farage outside his home as he heads off to vote this morning. But he ducked out of a TV debate on the eve of the referendum he has been demanding for years The UKIP leader had a meal with his son Sam yesterday evening, rather than join a discussion on Channel 4 A source said: 'He hadn't seen him for nine months so it was between that or being on against the founder of Ukip who calls him racist. It was a no brainer.' Ukip founder Alan Sked, who took part in last night's debate, has criticised the way Farage has run the party, calling it a 'Frankenstein's monster'. It is understood Farage hadn't seen his son for so long because Sam, who works as a manager for accounting firm KPMG, has been away in South Africa. Farage declined to comment on the no-show this morning but tweeted message to his followers, calling on them to 'take back control of our country'. Both Farage's sons from his marriage to his first wife, Grainne, work in the City. He also has two young daughters from his current marriage to wife, Kirsten. Sam, 27, went to Dulwich College in south London, as his father did, before getting a degree and masters at Exeter University. He and his father have previously been pictured together at events. Farage recently told ITV: 'I've got a son who works for one of the corporates and he's been told: "You must vote to remain part of this otherwise terrible things will happen".' Farage was scheduled to appear alongside a number of high profile guests from both sides of the campaign, including former Labour spin doctor Alastair Campbell, Tory peer Michael Heseltine, former Tory MP Louise Mensch - and Delia Smith, who slammed Ukip's most recent Brexit poster as 'anti-human'. The popular television cook called the unveiling of the poster - which which depicts a snaking line of hundreds of immigrants arriving in Europe - as the 'darkest moment' of the EU campaign. Ms Smith, speaking during the first segment of the programme which largely focused on how each side had run their campaigns, said: 'It's got darker and darker. 'I really think its darkest moment was when we saw the poster. I do not think it was just offensive. It was anti-human.' It has since emerged that the 'family reason' was a dinner with his oldest son, Sam (pictured right) Television cook Delia Smith was at the debate, sitting with 'Remain' supporters Sheila Hancock, pictured with Simon Schama, Steve Hilton and Selina Scott, won praise from fellow Remain campaigners for her impassioned defence of the European Union during the debate Despite the criticism of his campaign, Farage was upbeat about the chances of a leave vote this morning. Speaking outside his home in Kent after collecting his newspapers, he said: 'I do think we are in with a very strong chance, I do genuinely. But it's all about turnout and those soft remainers staying at home.' I'VE WAITED MY ADULT LIFE FOR THIS MOMENT, SAYS UKIP LEADER As he headed to the polling station this morning, Farage joked that he would have 'crawled uphill over broken glass to cast a vote'. He said he'd 'waited all my adult life' for the EU referendum and quipped that he'd 'finally made my mind up' to vote leave. He said: 'I first got involved in this in Eurosceptic politics in 1991 so I've stood in more elections than I care to remember - all trying to argue that there is something wrong with our relationship with the EU. 'The first big victory was not going in the Euro, and I hope this will be the ultimate one.' Advertisement Farage had refused to apologise for his controversial 'breaking point' immigration poster earlier yesterday, despite suggestions by his party that he had. Speaking in central London, Mr Farage said: 'I apologise for the timing and I apologise for the fact that it was able to be used by those who wish us harm. 'But I can't apologise for the truth. And after all, this was a photograph your newspaper carried, this was a photograph that all newspapers carried, it is an example of what is wrong inside the European Union.' Ukip had offered their MEP Steven Woolfe to take the place of Mr Farage the broadcaster declined, the party said. Ahead of the event, Alastair Campbell tweeted that Farage had 'bottled it'. The debate was one of the last opportunities for the Remain and Leave camps to put forward their arguments before polls open at 7am today. The 90-minute discussion, hosted by Jeremy Paxman, addressed the key issues of the referendum, including the economy, immigration, sovereignty and security. Delia Smith said the unveiling of this poster was the 'darkest moment' of the EU campaign Selina Scott, right, said she would never bother voting again if 'Leave' were not successful on Thursday However, tensions between the two sides often boiled over, and at times it seemed Paxman was struggling keep his rolling stage of panelists on topic. At one point, a visibly annoyed Paxman told Eurovision winner Sandie Shaw: 'We are trying to discuss something else, and you are going on about music.' The panelists were equally tetchy as they continually spoke over each other. When Simon Schama tried to interrupt Steve Hilton, the former Tory adviser snapped: 'That's a little bit rude to interrupt someone when they've just started.' Mr Hilton - who used to work as David Cameron's director of strategy - was later called out as a hypocrite for having a go at 'un-elected bureaucrats'. He was not the only one, former chancellor and Leave campaigners Nigel Lawson's fears over Britain becoming a 'colony' of a United States of Europe were met with the point he lives in France. At one point, Selina Scott - a Leave supporter - suggested that if the referendum did not end with the UK leaving the EU, she would never vote again. 'Why should I bother?' she asked. Meanwhile, Sheila Hancock put forward an impassioned defence of the EU, what it had done for peace, and said people of her age should vote with their children and grandchildren in mind. 'We will always be British,' she added - leading Alex Salmond to note later: 'Sheila Hancock should have been in charge of the campaign.' Alex Salmond (left) and Alastair Campbell during the Channel 4 EU referendum debate. Salmond clashed with writer Toby Young, who suggested Scotland would end up in a worse position than Greece should it chose to split from England following today's referendum Nigel Lawson said he feared Britain could be turned into a 'colony' of the 'United States of Europe' He was scheduled to appear alongside a number of high profile guests from both sides of the campaign, including former Labour spin doctor Alastair Campbell, Tory peer Michael Heseltine and former Tory MP Louise Mensch Fellow Remain supporter Tory Michael Heseltine was also full of praise for Ms Hancock. 'I happen to share with her the age of 83,' he said. 'And what we know is what it was like to be alone in 1940.' Toby Young and Salmond also clashed on the evening, with the writer telling the SNP politician that a second referendum on Scottish independence would see them 'become the next Greece'. The idea of a second referendum has been discussed, should Scotland vote overwhelmingly to remain, and the rest of the UK to leave. In the end, 52 per cent the audience, which was split into 50 Remain, 50 Leave and 50 undecideds, voted to back staying in Europe. Footage has emerged showing a group of NYPD officers standing by as a man who suffered cardiac arrest and died during an arrest is left unattended for 10 minutes straight after he was handcuffed. Barrington Williams, 25, was arrested at the subway station at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx for illegally selling MetroCard swipes, but was pronounced dead in hospital after being taken into custody. Video of the arrest was released this week as part of a lawsuit contending that police were 'indifferent and apathetic to Barrington's life' and ignored signs that the asthma sufferer was not breathing while his hands and legs were bound. New footage: Cops attempted to arrest Barrington Williams, 25, on September 17, 2013, after they allegedly caught him selling illegal MetroCard swipes at the Yankee Stadium subway station The video shows the moment cops tackled Williams to the ground (left) and handcuffed him (right). However the young man lost consciousness and was later pronounced dead in hospital from an asthma attack The video shows that between 1.57 p.m. and 2.08 p.m., Williams was left unattended with his hands and feet bound. A medic then arrived at the scene and tried to give Williams CPR The subway station CCTV video, first obtained by The New York Daily News, shows Williams being tackled at the top of some platform stairs. He is then put in handcuffs at 1:57 p.m. As seen in the video, Williams is left unattended until 2.08 p.m. when a Fire Department medic arrives at the scene and starts administering basic life support. It isn't until 2.14 p.m. that the handcuffs are removed and chest compressions are administered. Williams family say that he never regained consciousness from that point and was pronounced dead at Lincoln Medical Center. 'For 10 minutes the officers were indifferent and apathetic to Barrington's life, and those 10 minutes can be the difference between life and death,' lawyer Jason Leventhal told The Daily News. Leventhal has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city on behalf of Williams' family. The lawsuit states that Williams was the victim of excessive police force and was denied medical care. It says that Williams told police he suffered from asthma as he was arrested. The security video shows officers propping Williams up at one point and appearing to try and give him his inhaler. However Williams appears unconscious. Barrington Williams, 25, was arrested at the subway station at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx for illegally selling MetroCard swipes, but was pronounced dead in hospital after the arrest Also during the arrest, Williams urinated on himself, began foaming from the mouth and passed out. 'I think the officers realized very quickly that they were dealing with a man who was in severe respiratory distress,' Leventhal said. 'The video doesn't show any sense of urgency.' The city's medical examiner ruled that Williams died of a severe asthma attack and recorded the cause of death as natural in 2013. An Internal Affairs Bureau later cleared the officers of any wrongdoing in the arrest. The NYPD said Williams was suspected of selling MetroCard swipes at the East 161st Street B/D train subway station in the Bronx. When approached, he ran, police said. Williams' mother, Karen Brown, told The Daily News: 'I dont believe he should have died for a MetroCard swipe.' Officers Joel Guach, Agenol Ramos and Robert OBrien were named in the suit. The rapper who allegedly opened fire during a shooting at a T.I. concert in New York that left one dead and three wounded will not be charged with murder, it has been revealed. Troy Ave, whose real name is Roland Collins, appeared in court on Wednesday in a wheelchair as he was indicted on one count of attempted second degree murder and four counts of criminal possession of a weapon. He was not charged for the death of his close friend and bodyguard Ronald 'Banga' McPhatter, who died after being shot in the stomach at Irving Plaza concert hall on May 25. Scroll down for video Troy Ave, whose real name is Roland Collins, appeared in court on Wednesday in a wheelchair as he was indicted for a deadly shooting that took place during a T.I. concert in New York last month Collins was indicted on one count of attempted second degree murder and four counts of criminal possession of a weapon and is currently being held without bail at Rikers Island Collins was arrested after surveillance footage appeared to show him bursting into the venue's VIP room with two other men before firing a handgun. But Collins' attorney, Scott Leemon, said there's more to the story. 'The video does not show everything nor explain what happened in the VIP room before Troy came running out, as a victim, after he was shot,' Leemon told TMZ. It was initially reported that Collins shot himself in the leg during the shooting but now investigators believe a second person may be responsible, according to PIX 11. Sources said the second person had an ongoing dispute with the rapper and approached Collins before a fight ensued and they shot him and McPhatter. Collins, who is being held without bail at Rikers Island, released a mixtape in prison proclaiming his innocence. Collins was shot in the leg during the shooting. Initial reports claim he shot himself but now investigators believe a second person may be responsible Collins was not charged for the death of his close friend and bodyguard Ronald 'Banga' McPhatter McPhatter, 33, (left and right) was fatally shot in the stomach during the shooting. Sources say McPhatter was killed by the same person who shot Collins in the leg 'P***y n***a tried to assassinate me / I took the gun from him and turned the tables 'round like a G', he raps in one line. 'I'm innocent, unless you'r charging me with being real from the very beginning,' he says in another. 'I'm innocent. That's a fact though.' A second arrest has not been made and Collins is currently the only person charged in the shooting. Christopher Vinson, 34, and model Maggie Heckstall, 26, were also injured in the shooting. Heckstall's boyfriend, rapper Maino, was the opening act for the concert. Sources earlier claimed that Collins and Maino had an 'ongoing rap rivalry', a rumor Heckstall's boyfriend immediately shot down, posting a picture of himself and Collins on Instagram. Collins was arrested after surveillance footage appeared to show him bursting into the venue's VIP room with two other men before firing a handgun The video captured footage of the gunman firing one shot from a handgun before running off Collins' attorney, Scott Leemon, said there's more to the story and that the video 'does not show everything nor explain what happened in the VIP room before Troy came running out, as a victim, after he was shot' Maino said the shooting was 'absolutely not' due to him or anyone in his entourage. 'For the last 5 years Troy Ave, his team and I have had a great working relationship,' Maino wrote on the picture's caption. 'Not only have we performed and done several songs together but we've had many personal conversations about life our goals and efforts as musicians.' 'Despite media reports to the contrary, there are no "ongoing beefs" or "entourage issues"'. Investigators ruled that T.I. was not involved in the dispute. The rapper released a statement a day after the shooting, writing that his heart was 'heavy'. 'Our music is intended to save lives, like it has mine and many others,' he wrote in the statement posted on his Instagram. 'My heartfelt condolences to the family that suffered the loss & my prayers are with all those injured. Respectfully, Tip.' Maggie Carrie Heckstall, a 26-year-old model, was shot in the leg during the shooting Christopher Vinson, 34, was shot in the chest. Police said he was in a stable condition the day after he was hit A 19-year-old walking down a busy commercial strip of a New Orleans suburb Wednesday in the middle of the afternoon shot and killed a deputy after the officer tried to search him, the sheriff said Wednesday, labelling the shooting 'a cold-blooded murder'. Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Normand described the deadly shooting that swiftly unfolded after Detective David F. Michel Jr., 50, tried to search Jerman Neveaux. The sheriff said the officer had noticed Neveaux walking behind another person who appeared to be nervous, so he pulled over. Michel approached Neveaux and placed him up against the police vehicle so he could search him, Normand said. But Neveaux flipped around, 'went chest to chest' with the officer, pulled out a gun and reaching over Michel's shoulder shot him in the back. 'As Detective Michel fell to the ground, he fired two more shots at point-blank range into the back of Detective Michel,' Normand said. Scroll down for video Deputy Assistant David Michel Jr. (left) of the Jefferson Parish sheriff's office was shot dead Wednesday. Jerman Neveaux (right) has been arrested on charges of first degree murder and assault, the sheriff's office says Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Normand described the deadly shooting 'a cold-blooded murder' The officer was able to get on the radio and say he'd been shot, Normand said. As Michel was brought to a hospital in New Orleans where he later died, officers flooded the area, using dogs and helicopters to search for the suspect. Normand said police were able to find the suspect, who was going through the backyards of houses in the nearby area. Geralisha Henderson lived in one of those houses. She said she went to her back door Wednesday to make sure it was locked after police combing her street said they were searching for a suspect. When she went to the back door, she saw what appeared to be a young man dressed in jeans and T-shirt hiding in the back of the yard. Frightened, she went to the street and waved for a police officer to come. A sheriff's deputy was fatally shot Wednesday afternoon in the New Orleans suburb of Harvey after stopping a pedestrian on a busy street in the middle of the day Jefferson Parish, Louisiana State Police and other law enforcement personnel work the scene of the shooting When she went to the back door to peek outside again, she said the suspect was much closer to the house. The suspect saw her and asked to be let in, she said. 'He was telling me "Open the door, let me in,"' she said. 'He looked scared.' She said she did not see a gun. At that the point, several officers rushed in and detained him in the backyard. Henderson's mother, Alicia, said an officer later came back to the house and told her the man was the suspect they were looking for. Normand said five witnesses identified Neveaux as the shooter, and authorities found the gun on him and have been able to match it forensically to the shooting. A spokesman for the sheriff's office, John Fortunato, said he has been arrested on charges of first degree murder and assault. The suspect admitted shooting the officer and said he was on probation for another offense and didn't want the officer to find the gun and arrest him, Normand said. A holstered police gun lies in the street on Ascot Road at the scene of the shooting on Wednesday The sheriff also said his office is investigating a video that was brought to their attention by a local media outlet that shows Neveaux's arrest. Normand, who said he saw the video minutes before the news conference, said it shows Neveaux '...being struck by our officers while attempting to gain control of Neveaux.' He said Neveaux was still armed at that time. Neveaux, who was taken to the hospital for treatment after his arrest, had an orbital fracture and scrapes and cuts, Normand said. A coroner's 'first glance' indicated Michel was struck three times in the back, a WWLTV reporter tweeted. The shooting happened outside a Dunkin' Donuts on Manhattan Boulevard near Ascot Road. Manhattan Boulevard is a heavy thoroughfare in the area known as the West Bank, across the Mississippi River from New Orleans. An employee of a nearby bakery, Creative Cakes, said the block of Manhattan Boulevard near Ascot Road was briefly put on lock down as police responded to the shooting around noon. 'We had our door locked for a while,' the employee told Daily Mail Online. 'It's the first thing like this that I've witnessed since I've been here.' The shooting happened on Manhattan Boulevard near its intersection with Lapalco Boulevard, both heavily traveled thoroughfares in the area known as the West Bank, across the Mississippi River from New Orleans As news got out about Michel's death, people began to lay flowers at a makeshift memorial where the shooting happened. One of them was MonaLisa Urbina, 47, who brought flowers and a stuffed animal. She said she knew Michel, who lived with his family in the same neighborhood as her. She said she first got to know him when he found her two boys riding their bikes instead of being in school. 'He scolded them. He told them not to do it again. And he put fear in them. They never did it again,' she said. 'He treated them like family. I tell you, everybody's lost an angel.' Deputy Chief Craig Taffaro, who commands the parish's operations division, said Michel was a cheerful man who loved his job. Flowers and other items are laid at a memorial where Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Deputy David F. Michel Jr. was shot and killed in Harvey, Louisiana, on Wednesday MonaLisa Urbina, rear, and two friends, Thuy Nguyen, front left, and Kim Pham, lay flowers at the memorial 'Obviously, today is the most difficult time,' Taffaro said. The deputy chief said he knew Michel personally. 'He was a great guy. He was well-liked. It was quite obvious at the hospital how many friends he had.' He said Michel's father was en route to New Orleans. 'I spoke with his dad," Taffaro said, "And he said, 'As difficult as this is, he's doing what he loved to doI guess that sums it up.' Michel was assigned to the street crimes unit, which targets drug sales and criminal activity in 17 high-crime areas around the parish, Taffaro said. Michel was in a black unmarked car and dressed in plain clothes with sheriff markings. Michel joined the sheriff's office in 2007 and was transferred to the street crimes unit in 2015, Fortunato said. It was the year's second shooting of a Jefferson officer. Advertisement An iconic series of images that memorialises the celebrity culture of the Swinging Sixties is set to go under the hammer. Photographer David Bailey's 'Box of Pin Ups' was created in 1965 to celebrate the growing culture of fashionistas, pop stars and influential people of the time that had been snapped by Bailey. As well as shots of The Beatles and musician Mick Jagger, the set features a controversial print of the notorious East End gangsters the Kray twins. 'They were alright, just East End blokes really,' Bailey later said of the duo, remembered for their aggression and brutality when crossed. 'I knew them really well. People ask "How could you like Reg?" but I did like him. 'He didn't do anything to me. Didn't like Ron so much - I avoided him... I saw him beat a bloke almost to death for not offering round the corned beef sandwiches.' But Bailey didn't only photograph the rich and famous of the decade, he also socialised with them and came to achieve cult status in his own right. The set of 36 prints will be on sale at Special Auction Services in Newbury on June 23. The prints will be sold with the original card box and are expected to fetch between 2,500 and 3,000. Iconic: This image of John Lennon and Paul McCartney, from pop group The Beatles, features in David Bailey's iconic 'Box of Pin Ups' Dangerous: As well as images of pop stars and fashionistas from the Swinging Sixties, the collection also features this photograph of notorious East End gangsters the Kray Twins Celebrity: This image shows musician Mick Jagger with Max Maxwell, photographer and art director for Queen magazine during the 1960s Elite: David Bailey became a cultural icon in himself as well as rubbing shoulders with the greats. Pictured, the Rolling Stones Fashionistas: Only four women were considered successful enough to be included in the collection, including model and actress Chrissie Shrimpton (pictured) the younger sister of model Jean Shrimpton Success: David Bailey has previously said that the 60s was a wonderful time and everyone they knew became famous. Pictured, actor Michael Caine Outset: Pictured is a print of David Hockney, a painter, draughtsman, printmaker, stage designer and photographer who is considered to be one of the most influential British artists of the 20th century Young: Pictured is Tony Armstrong Jones, an English photographer and filmmaker who became Lord Snowdon when he married Princess Margaret, younger daughter of King George VI and younger sister of Queen Elizabeth II Auction: The set of 36 prints will be on sale at Special Auction Services in Newbury on June 23. The prints will be sold with the original card box and are expected to fetch between 2,500 and 3,000 Culture: Photographer David Bailey's 'Box of Pin Ups' was created in 1965 to celebrate the growing culture of fashionistas, pop stars and influential people of the time Memory: Pictured is David Bailey's portrait of Vidal Sassoon, a hairstylist, businessman, and philanthropist. He was noted for creating the close-cut geometric hair style called 'the Bob' and made famous by the fashionable elite of the 60s Police say Quincy Green, 34, managed to murder 44-year-old Dana Hamilton despite wearing a GPS tracker that prevented him from leaving his house When Dana Hamilton was shot to death in Washington DC last month, it didn't take long for a witness to point the finger at career criminal Quincy Green. The only problem was that a GPS tracker fitted to Green back in April after a gun arrest showed he was at home, a mile away from where the murder took place. But that seemingly airtight alibi quickly unraveled after officers discovered bungling officials had the fitted the tag to Green's prosthetic leg - meaning he was able to remove it by taking the limb off. An investigation has now been launched into the company which fits the trackers, Sentinel Services of California, after a spokesman admitted that protocol was 'absolutely not' followed. Chris McDowell, communications director for the firm, told the Washington Post that an employee fitted the device over Green's sock without realizing the limb underneath was fake. Typically GPS tags are designed to inform authorities if a criminal enters a certain area they have been prohibited from, or if the bracelet itself is tampered with. But in Green's case he was able to remove the limb with the tracker intact, leaving it inside a box in his apartment while he wandered freely along Washington's streets, cops say. Green, who has a lengthy criminal history, had been confined to his home awaiting trial after being arrested in April accused of possessing a handgun without a licence. Both cops and members of the public told authorities Green was violating the terms of his release, but their concerns were brushed away because the tracker said he was at home, it is reported. Hamilton was shot dead on May 19, and on May 25 a witness came forward with Green's name. Officers requested data from the tracker for May 19, 20 and 25 from Sentinel and after discovering that the device had 'barely moved', they concluded that Green had somehow removed it. But cops say Green was able to commit the killing after bungling officials fitted the device to his prosthetic leg - meaning he was able to take it off without damaging the tracker (file image) When they raided Green's home, they found the limb hidden away inside a box along with the GPS tag and two chargers. Green was arrested, and on Friday was charged with second-degree murder. Russell Mullins, Jr., Executive Steward, DC Police Union, told Fox 4: 'From what I understand the device has to be put skin to device and they sent somebody out to put this device on and its not touching its skin. 'I guess our biggest concern is we are out there every day putting our life on the line for citizens and making sure they are safe and then someone turns around and does something like this that lets them back out.' Lillie Hamilton, Dana's mother, told WUSA 9: 'Im just so hurt and I just hope I can deal with it. Its just really getting to me. 'Why would they put it on a prosthetic leg? When it was supposed to go on the persons real leg?' The District of Columbia largely did away with bonds years ago and most suspects are released under their own recognizance or wearing one of Sentinel's trackers. But the prankster had actually just posted a joke stock image of a 'thief' He also appealed to fans to identify and catch ski mask-wearing 'burglar' They stole $500,000 worth of possessions while family were out of town Burglars had broken into Kevin Hart's family home in LA on June 10 Kevin Hart may have had more than $500,000 of his possessions stolen during a recent burglary at his LA home, but one thing he hasn't lost his sense of humor. The comedian laughed off his half a million dollar loss today by sharing a stock photo of a ski mask-wearing 'burglar' on Instagram along with a joke appeal from fans to identify the man. 'Here is a picture from the security cameras of the jackass that's been robbing houses,' the 36-year-old prankster wrote. Scroll down for video Kevin Hart has shared a stock picture of a ski mask-wearing burglar who he jokes had broken into his home and stolen from him The comedian (pictured recently on Jimmy Kimmel Live) posted a photograph of the man on his Instagram account with an appeal to fans to help him identify and catch the thief 'Real smart move wearing the cool ski mask that shows ur eyebrows & the bags under ur eyes. 'We are on yo ass man....I'm about to show u the power of social media....One of my followers might recognize u and might not like you which would mean that they could careless about giving u up....Lets play a game of tell on the robber real quick...who knows I might get lucky!!!!!' The funny post has already gained more than 91,000 likes and thousands of comments suggesting a whole array of potential 'suspects' including Miley Cyrus, Channing Tatum and Donald Trump. The 36-year-old comedian told police that $500,000 of his possessions were taken when thieves forced their way in through a back door of his Tarzana property on the evening of Friday, June 10. TMZ reports that jewelry, watches and clothes were taken but luckily the star and his family were out of town at the time of the break-in. Hart reported the theft when he returned to Los Angeles on Monday. The home is protected with security gates and armed with surveillance cameras as Hart lives on a super exclusive gated community, so the burglars most likely broke in through the backdoor, according to the police. Thieves reportedly broke in through a back door and took items including jewelry, watches and clothes while Hart was away in Miami training (pictured) 'Got a great workout in this morning with my man': The 36-year-old comedian shared photos from a grueling training session with Miami Dolphins star Ndamukong Suh Wedding plans: Kevin shares his home in Tarzana with fiancee Eniko Parrish, 31. Thankfully no-one was in at the time of the burglary Officers also say the home has surveillance cameras inside and out although a spokesman for the LAPD told DailyMail.com that investigators had not yet reviewed any surveillance footage. Police say the investigation is continuing but so far, no arrests have been made. Hart was in Miami over the weekend and shared pictures from a grueling training session with Dolphins star Ndamukong Suh. The actor is also busy promoting his new movie Central Intelligence which he stars in alongside Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson. Hart plays mild-mannered accountant Calvin Joyner who is reunited with his former high school friend (Johnson) and lured into a world of international espionage. The movie is released June 17. Hart lives in Tarzana with his fiancee Eniko Parrish, 31 who he plans to marry in August. A man who is running for Congress said he was inspired by Donald Trump when he put up a billboard on a Tennessee highway that said 'Make America White Again.' The sign, which was located off Highway 411 near Benton, was erected by Rick Tyler, a third party candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives, representing the third congressional district. The seat is currently held by Republican Chuck Fleischmann. But the day after the sign went up, there was such a backlash and outrage in the community, that it came right back down. Rick Tyler, who is running as a third party candidate for Congress, put this sign up in Benton, Tennessee - the sign was only there for a day before disgust and outrage from the community made him take it back down The sign depicts his Utopian version of America: White people, the founding fathers, and a place where even the horses are white. Tyler says he wants to bring back a time of Ozzie and Harriet and Leave It to Beaver However, Tyler says he holds no ill will for 'people of color.' He told WSMV Channel 3 that he only meant he wants to return to a time of the 'Leave it to Beaver, Ozzie and Harriet, Mayberry America. Some might call it the Norman Rockwell America.' 'I and millions of others believe that that was a better America. We believe it was an America where you didn't have to lock your doors, you didn't have to worry about car jackings and home invasions, you didn't have to worry about Muslim sleeper cells, you didn't have to worry about Islamic mosques radicalizing people. It was far superior to the America we live in today. America's strength was having a white super majority,' he said. Rick Tyler, who owns the Whitewater Grill in Ocoee probably does not have 'white' in his restaurant's name by accident - he put up a 'Make America White Again' sign to promote his racist views and his candidacy for Congress On Highway 64, Rick Tyler put up a sign quoting Martin Luther King, Jr, but twisting his message and adding confederate flags to the White House lawn, it's unclear if the sign is still there Channel 3 said it received several irate phone calls about the sign, wanting it to be removed. And Facebook was livid with posts condemning the racist sign. The two websites advertised on the billboard appear to be down. 'Hard to believe such ignorant, hateful, knuckle dragging dirtnecks are breathing the same air the rest of us do,' said Jim Moore on Facebook. 'A clown running for congress in Tennessee,' wrote Edward Sebesta. Another sign, this time on Highway 64, financed by Tyler used words from Dr. Martin Luther Kings 'I Have a Dream' speech along with an illustration of Confederate flags surrounding the White House. It's unclear if that sign is still standing. Rick Tyler, a white supremacist, is running as a third party candidate for the District 3 Congressional seat in Tennessee Tyler also owns Whitewater Grill in Ocoee. Its Facebook page has been filling up with outrage since the billboard hit the news. 'If you are a true American/Patriot I urge not to eat here! He is anti-American. He disrespected my entire family who are Mexican/African American veterans and Marines! Who have fought for this country to make America Great!' wrote Jesus Herrera. 'Such an amazing place, and so much to do in the area! Right down the road, just a mile or so, is the A. Hitler Winery, and right across the street is the Joey Goebbels Brewhouse,' snarked Rob Butler. 'Strange ... Much of the food you serve originated with those brown, yellow and black people you want to get rid of. Better start serving white bread only,' commented Paula Mays Gapp under a picture the restaurant posted of a taco. Other candidates in the District 3 race include incumbent Chuck Fleischmann, who's facing Allan Levene and Geoffery Suhmer Smith for the GOP nomination. Michael Friedman, George Ryan Love and Melody Shekari are vying for the Democratic nomination. Bernie Sanders is still in the presidential race, but acknowledged to C-SPAN's Steve Scully that he's not going to be front and center at the Democratic National Convention. 'It doesn't appear I'm going to be the nominee,' Sanders said in a sit-down with the cable channel, in an interview that was released online today. The Sanders campaign also announced a Thursday night rally, calling it the 'where we go from here' speech, where the Vermont senator will come face-to-face with supporters in New York City. All these signs point to Sanders finally shutting the door on his presidential ambitions, as it's been two weeks and two days since his rival Hillary Clinton had enough delegates to clinch the nomination, according to the Associated Press's math. Scroll down for video Sen. Bernie Sanders acknowledged in an interview with C-SPAN that 'it doesn't appear I'm going to be the nominee' Journalist Steve Scully (left) sat down with Bernie Sanders (right) who announced today that he would be speaking about 'where to go from here' tomorrow before supporters in New York City Sanders pressed on through election day in California and then in Washington, D.C. Last week he gave a web address to supporters from his hometown of Burlington, Vermont, but he has yet to concede. Scully got Sanders to admit he wouldn't be the Democratic nominee by asking him his plans for the Democratic National Convention and whether he planned to speak. 'Well, it's hard to say, that is,' Sanders began, before making the admission. 'So I'm not going to be determining the scope of the convention.' He then mentioned his meeting with Clinton that was held in D.C. last week, where the two long-standing rivals met at the Capital Hilton downtown. 'It was very good,' Sanders said, of the two hour long meet-and-greet. 'I have known Secretary Clinton for 25 years, we served in the Senate together,' Sanders added. Sanders explained that 'where we are right now, what we are trying to do, which is no secret to anybody' is create the most progressive platform possible at the Democratic National Convention. 'And, secondly, we're trying to do nothing less than transform the Democratic Party,' Sanders said. Sanders explained that that meant opening up the primaries, reminding the C-SPAN journalist that he had been badly beaten in his home state of New York, where Clinton served as a senator, because independents couldn't cast votes. C-SPAN's Steve Scully asked Bernie Sanders about his role at the Democratic National Convention, which forced the admission that the Vermont senator knew he wouldn't be the nominee The Democratic hopeful also said he wanted to rid the Democrats' process of superdelegates, party faithful who also get to cast a vote for a candidate at the convention. Sanders often talked about how the superdelegates were in the tank for Clinton, with around 400 pledging their support for the former secretary of state before the Vermont senator even announced. Scully wanted to know why Sanders thought his campaign resonated so much. His success, Sanders thought, showed 'how far removed the reality much of the media really is.' The candidate pointed to early news reports on his campaign that suggested there wouldn't be a thirst for his progressive politics, nor would he be able to raise money. Sanders outraised Clinton on several occasions and thousands upon thousands appeared at his rally. When Scully showed Sanders some pictures of his crowds, Sanders practically gasped. 'Woah. That is a lot of people,' Sanders said. 'Oh yes, God yes,,' Sanders added, when asked if he got energy from such big crowds. 'It is not just the number, it is looking into the eyes of people who really do want this country to do much, much better,' he said. Scully also played back to Sanders one of the Vermont senator's most memorable ads, which used the song 'America' by Simon and Garfunkel, along with footage of screaming crowds. C-SPAN's Steve Scully asked the Vermont senator to explain why his campaign resonated with so many Americans. Sanders replied that it showed that the media is out of touch 'I'm smiling,' he said. 'Because every time I see that ad it gives me tingles and sometimes almost bring tears to my eyes. It's a beautiful ad.' The senator seemed to sense that his campaign was winding down and could possibly be in its final hours. Then again Sanders seemed close to a concession speech before and there's no guarantee that's what he plans to deliver tomorrow in New York. He was confident about one thing he wouldn't deliver his voters to presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump, who made an overture to them earlier today. When Scully asked Sanders about it, the senator laughed at the idea. 'Well, I suspect he ain't going to get too many of those people,' Sanders said of Trump. Schaquana Spears, who was jailed for beating her young sons, after they robbed a house has been bailed out by a stranger who sympathized with her A mother-of-six who was jailed for beating her young sons with a belt after they robbed a house has been bailed out by a stranger who sympathized with her. Schaquana Spears, 30, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was booked into prison on felony cruelty charges on Tuesday. Detectives at the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriffs Office spoke with Spears children after they were contacted by the Department of Children and Family Services on June 17, WAFB reports. Her 13-year-old said his mother hit him with an RCA cord multiple times and he was left with marks on his leg, shoulder, back and stomach. After they spoke to Spears, they learned that she had punished her children after finding out they had broken into a house on their street. [She] admitted hitting the child and her two other sons multiple times as they were moving and running away, a deputy noted in the probable cause report. [She] did this because the victims burglarized a residence down the street. The police report adds the youngest child, who is 10, had a small scratch on his hand. The other boy, aged 12, had a cut on his left arm. Spears was arrested and booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison, where her bond was set at $2,500. However, her arrest sparked controversy with some defending Spears, saying should not have been taken into police custody for disciplining her children. She shouldnt be arrested. She should be given a medal, wrote Patricia Williams on Facebook. I bet these boys think twice before burglarizing another house. Kimberly Cox added: I applaud this mother. She was doing what a parent does, disciplining her children. They didnt skip school or tell a lie they broke into someones home and stole. Spears broke down as she said she cant understand how she could be arrested and jailed for what she did But it wasnt long before Spears was released from jail. Her bond was posted by a private citizen not connected to her, but who empathized with her situation, Fox12 reports. Since her release, Spears has spoken out to say that she cant understand how she could be arrested and jailed for what she did. Everything I do is for my kids, she told WBRZ. I didnt want them to commit another crime. Breaking down, she added: Its been hell. I never could imagine that trying to be a good mother would end me up in jail with a criminal record like Im a predator out to hurt my kids. I dont think it is right at all. I really love my children. Spears said she was at work on Friday when she received a call from a neighbour who said that three of her sons and their friends had been seen coming home with what looked like stolen property. She said that her childrens father is incarcerated at the moment and she wanted to do everything to ensure her children did not end up in the same situation. Meanwhile, District Attorney Hillar Moore said his office will review the degree of physical discipline used in the case. In a statement, he said: The law does not allow excessive pain or cruelty but does allow physical parental discipline. He added: Parents have a right and obligation to discipline and teach their children. We often time see children who have no parental authority or discipline which eventually results in delinquency and criminal acts. We need more parents who discipline their children. Surely you would expect a parent to discipline a child who is burglarizing other peoples homes as this could be a deadly encounter for the child. Parking a tank on the back of a flatbed lorry is never going to be an easy task but these Ukrainian soldiers couldn't have got it more wrong. Smartphone footage caught the moment the driver managed to flip the tank onto its roof as a soldier stood on the lorry, gesturing for him to drive forward. As the tank drove up the ramp, its gun pointing in the air, the front suddenly fell down and the barrel missed the soldier's head by just a few inches. Smartphone footage caught the moment the driver managed to flip the tank onto its roof as a soldier stood on the lorry, gesturing for him to drive forward As the tank drove up the ramp, its gun pointing in the air, the front suddenly fell down and the barrel missed the soldier's head by just a few inches The soldier - reportedly from the Dnipro Battalion - ducks for cover as the T-64 Soviet battle tank then flips over and lands on its roof beside the truck The hatch appears to be open as the tank flips but it is not known if the driver was hurt in the incident The tank finally comes to rest completely overturned in the ditch by the side of the road The soldier - reportedly from the Dnipro Battalion - ducks for cover as the T-64 Soviet battle tank then flips over and lands on its roof beside the truck. It finally comes to rest completely overturned in the ditch by the side of the road. The officer who was guiding the tank managed to jump off the platform at the last second and appears to have escaped unhurt. It was not revealed whether the driver was injured in the incident which is believed to have taken place somewhere near the front line in eastern Ukraine. The Ukrainian Ministry of Defence have not commented on the matter. The video was posted on video-sharing websites but one person came to the soldiers defence. Drugs mule Melissa Reid is back on British soil and has been reunited with her parents after spending nearly three years in jail in Peru. The 22-year-old Scot arrived at Glasgow Airport last night with her father after completing the last leg of her journey to the UK from Lima. She was taken out of the airport via a back door after accepting the offer of an airside transfer upon her arrival in baggage claim, which meant she did not appear before the waiting media. Reid was then spotted sprinting into the detached home owned by her parents to reunite with her mother. 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 Reid was then spotted sprinting into the detached home (pictured) owned by her parents to reunite with her mother Billy Reid and Debbie Reid at their home after hearing their daughter Melissa is to be released from prison Reid, from Lenzie, East Dunbartonshire, was caught in August 2013 with 23-year-old Michaella McCollum, from Dungannon, Co Tyrone, trying to smuggle cocaine worth 1.5 million in food bags from Peru to Spain. The pair - nicknamed the 'Peru Two' - were jailed for six years and eight months after admitting the offence. But a judge last month ordered Reid to be expelled from the South American country under an early release scheme for deporting first-time drug offenders. Last night, she was escorted by police through Lima international, 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. 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 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. 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 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. 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 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 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. 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 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 Reid's 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. 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 there was speculation over whether Reid would be required to serve the remainder of her prison sentence in a Scottish prison, she landed in Britain as a free woman. 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 it was not involved in her case. It is understood Reid, who has served about a third of her sentence, will not have a criminal record in the UK as a result of her conviction in Peru. While Reid is now back in the UK, 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. Final months: Reid, 22, was last pictured in April, above, when a Peruvian official announced that her release was in the final stages Four Australians have been kidnapped by gunmen in southern Nigeria who killed their local driver in an early morning attack. The workers, two of whom police said later escaped, were contractors for cement company Lafarge Africa. Initial reports suggested two of the kidnapped were Australians - but Foreign Minister Julie Bishop's office said authorities were working to confirm claims that four of those abducted were Australians. Scroll down for video Two Australians and a New Zealander are among a group that were kidnapped at gunpoint in Nigeria 'The Australian Government is working to confirm details of the reported kidnapping in Nigeria of four Australians, who have been working for an Australian mining company,' Ms Bishop said. 'The Australian Government is in close contact with the Nigerian Government, which is taking the matter extremely seriously.' According to local media a group of militants ambushed the contractors before opening fire and killing the driver on the spot. A witness told Vanguard: 'One of the expatriates hid under the vehicle and they didn't see him because it was still a bit dark,' the unnamed witness said. 'They also took one of the drivers ... then one supervisor and three white guys and it was like they had a boat by the beach already waiting for them.' They were attacked on the outskirts of the city of Calabar at around 5.30am local time on Wednesday, police said. They were attacked on the outskirts of the city of Calabar at around 5.30am local time on Wednesday There was earlier confusion over the nationalities of those involved. But Irene Ugbo, a spokeswoman for Cross River state police, said two were Australians and one was a New Zealander. A second police spokesman later said another foreigner abducted was from South Africa. Two expatriates managed to flee, said Ugbo, adding that she did not know the nationality of any of the workers feared still held. The kidnappers had not contacted police, she said. Lafarge Africa said it had been informed of the incident by Australian contractor Macmahon. The workers, two of whom police said later escaped, were contractors for cement company Lafarge Africa 'Macmahon is working with the security agencies to resolve this situation,' said Viola Graham-Douglas, a spokeswoman for Lafarge Africa. Macmahon could not immediately be reached for comment. Nigerian publication Today said a New Zealander was among those kidnapped, along with three Australians, a South African and a Nigerian. According to the report, police were working to ensure the victims are released unharmed. Police are searching for a man accused of waiting inside public toilets before exposing himself. The man, believed to be in his 30s, was standing inside a toilet cubicle at Prahan Markets in Melbourne on April 14 when he flashed two men who entered the restrooms. Moorabbin Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigation Team detectives have released images of a man they want to speak with in relation to the incident. Police have released this image of a man they want to speak to in regards to a flashing at Prahan Markets in Melbourne The man is described as being aged in his 30s, about 173cm tall with long, dark, wavy hair that was tied in a ponytail. At the time of the incident he was wearing a dark coloured jacket, khaki pants and black runners. He was also carrying two large black bags and a bright orange satchel. Police have released CCTV images of a man seen in the area at the time who they believe can assist with their enquiries. Four key claims made by the Remain camp were demolished last night in the final hours of the referendum battle. As voters prepared to go to the polls in a knife-edge contest, Leave supporters said David Cameron's arguments on Turkey, trade, migration and welfare had fallen apart. And in a final impassioned plea, Michael Gove declared today was 'D-Day' for current generations of Britons. He urged wavering voters not to flinch from regaining sovereignty from a Brussels machine that would leave their country poorer and less secure. As voters prepared to go to the polls in a knife-edge contest, Leave supporters said David Cameron's arguments on Turkey, trade, migration and welfare had fallen apart. Pictured, the Prime Minister yesterday Polls make the contest neck and neck. 'It's 50:50,' said Professor John Curtice the only analyst to have predicted last year's election result. Making his final arguments for Britain to remain in the EU, the Prime Minister suffered a series of body blows from events and interventions beyond his control: On Turkey, EU diplomats said talks on the country's membership will reopen next week; On trade, Germany's top industrialist dismissed claims Brexit would spark a tariff war; On migration, EU chief Jean-Claude Juncker ruled out more changes to free movement rules; On welfare, Mr Cameron was accused of falsely claiming jobless migrants can be kicked out. Turkey's bid to join the EU has been a central issue in the campaign, amid concerns of an influx from a country with rock bottom wages. Mr Cameron has backtracked on his pledge to be the 'strongest possible advocate' for Turkish membership of the EU, and insisted it will not happen 'until the year 3000'. But he has repeatedly refused to say he would veto Turkish accession. And yesterday it emerged the EU will resume talks on Turkish membership next week, just days after the referendum. Michael Gove declared today was 'D-Day' for current generations of Britons John Major, who was campaigning alongside Mr Cameron yesterday, also appeared to suggest Turkey could join the EU far more quickly, saying: 'They are not going to get in in my judgment for one, two decades perhaps not ever.' Iain Duncan Smith, a Leave campaigner and another former Tory leader, said Sir John had let the cat out of the bag. And he accused Mr Cameron of deliberate deception, saying: 'I'm afraid there is no conclusion you can draw from this, except that David Cameron is colluding with the EU and lying to the British people.' Writing in the Daily Mail today, he adds: 'As much as the PM suggests otherwise, the issue of Turkey and the future of its 77million population ought to be in voters' minds today as they enter the polling booth.' The Prime Minister used a final round of media interviews yesterday to claim reform to the EU's free movement rules would continue 'on Friday' if Britain votes Remain today. But within hours he had been undermined by Mr Juncker. The president of the European Commission said Britain had already received 'the maximum' on offer. Mr Cameron's claim that Brexit would spark a trade war that would wreck the economy was also undermined when the head of Germany's leading business organisation, the BDI, vowed to fight any attempt to impose tariffs. Markus Kerber said it would be 'very, very foolish' for EU countries to try to use trade barriers to punish Britain for leaving not least because Europe sells more to us than we do to them. The Prime Minister also repeated his discredited claim that his reforms meant that the UK was now able to deport EU jobseekers if they failed to find work within six months. Mr Cameron made the claim twice yesterday. Jonathan Portes, an economist, accused the PM of 'repeating a known falsehood' and said no one had been kicked out of Britain as a result of reforms. In his final pitch to voters at a rally in Birmingham, the Prime Minister said: 'What this vote is all about, it's about our economy, it's about jobs, it's about livelihoods and futures, but it's also about the sort of country we want to be. Boris Johnson gives a thumbs up as he leaves Selby, North Yorkshire, on the final day of campaigning 'I am passionate about this country, I am wildly patriotic about what we've done in the past and what we can do in the future. The sort of Great Britain I want, an even greater country doesn't walk away, it doesn't quit, it stays and it fights.' Speculation was already swirling at Westminster about how MPs will react when the polls finally close at 10pm tonight. A letter signed by Mr Gove and Boris Johnson, along with scores of other Tory MPs is expected to be released at 10pm calling for Mr Cameron to remain in office regardless of the result. An exclusive survey for the Daily Mail and ITV News, gave the Remain camp a lead of six points, by 48 per cent to 42 per cent 11 per cent of voters are still undecided. Crucially, the Leave campaign's key message that now is the time for Britain to take control of its own destiny has had the biggest impact on the country's voters. Some 44 per cent said it made them more likely to vote to quit the Brussels club outstripping the claim by the Remain camp that leaving is a leap in the dark. Downing Street stood by its claim that Turkey was not on course to join the EU. It said yesterday's announcement related to the opening of only one of more than 30 areas of negotiation that Turkey must conclude. No 10 sources also argued Mr Juncker's comments were being misrepresented. They said he had been ruling out further negotiations in the event of Brexit not if the UK votes to Remain. LIE ONE: Giving jobless migrants the boot 'is a myth' Former Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith, pictured, said Mr Cameron knew his claim about kicking out jobless migrants was 'not true' By Jack Doyle, Political Correspondent for the Daily Mail David Cameron was last night accused of treating voters with contempt after he repeated false claims about kicking out jobless migrants. Twice yesterday the Prime Minister said EU migrants have to leave the country if they dont have a job after six months. Mr Cameron has used the claim repeatedly during the referendum campaign despite it being rubbished both by the Leave camp and independent economists. Last night, Jonathan Portes, an economist and former civil servant, said the PM was guilty of repeating a known falsehood. He wrote on Twitter: What can you say? Deliberately repeating a known falsehood. Treating voters with contempt. Lets be clear. Vote to Remain is vote for free movement. Principle is not up for discussion. Mr Portes has said the number of people kicked out under the six-month rule has been zero. And former Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith told the Mail: The claim is not true, and he knows it. The truth is there is no mechanism, and no legal right to send people home if they do not have a job. The European Unions core principle of freedom of movement dictates that people are free not only to travel here, but to remain. And for as long as we remain in the EU we are powerless to do anything about it. The only way to take back control of our borders, and introduce a fair immigration system, is to vote leave today. When he was in office, civil servants told Mr Duncan Smith the chances of removing an EU citizen from Britain if they do not get a job after six months was close to zero. He said Whitehall officials told him migrants can easily get around the regulations, and that the Home Office admitted it did not have the staff or the capacity to enforce it. Mr Cameron used the claim yesterday on Radio 4. Today presenter John Humphrys put to him that on benefits, his EU renegotiation doesnt add up to a row of beans. The PM replied: Well it does. What it means is that if people come here they cant claim unemployment benefit, if they dont have a job after six months they have to leave and if they do work they have to work for four years before they get full access to our welfare system. Again, later in the day, Mr Cameron told LBC radio: If you vote Remain then we get the changes that I have negotiated and that means that if somebody comes to Britain from the European Union, they cant claim unemployment benefit. If they havent got a job after six months they have to leave. Mr Cameron claimed credit for the rule change, saying it was secured as part of his renegotiation deal. But last night the Home Office said the six-months rule was introduced on January 1, 2014. Mr Duncan Smith was in charge of implementing the rule change as Work and Pensions Secretary. But he said the Home Office told him they were unable to force anyone to leave as a result of not having secured a job. Vote Leave argue that as well as there being no mechanism for monitoring whether or not jobseekers remain in the UK after this period has elapsed, EU law forbids systematic checks on whether EU citizens are lawfully residing in the UK. The European Court of Justice has ruled jobseekers cannot be removed irrespective of how long they have been here if they can show they are continuing to seek employment and that has genuine chances of being engaged. The Home Office was unable to provide a figure for the number of EU migrants removed under the rule. LIE TWO: Turkey - now an ex-Premier lets the cat out of the bag By Daniel Martin, Chief Political Correspondent for the Daily Mail The Prime Minister is lying to the British people, it was said last night, after Sir John Major suggested Turkey could join the EU in as little as a decade. Iain Duncan Smith, the Leave campaigner who resigned as Work and Pensions Secretary earlier this year, said former PM Sir John, a staunch Remain backer, had let the cat out of the bag. It also emerged yesterday that membership talks between the EU and Turkey are due to be reopened next Thursday a week after the referendum. The pro-Brexit camp has highlighted the possibility of Turkish entry to the EU, saying it could open the doors to hundreds of thousands of workers coming to Britain under free movement rules if we vote to Remain. The Prime Minister is lying to the British people, it was said last night, after Sir John Major suggested Turkey could join the EU in as little as a decade. Pictured, Mr Cameron with Sir John and Harriet Harman David Cameron claimed earlier this week that membership was not on the cards in the next few decades and that, at current rates, it would not take place until the year 3000. But yesterday, standing alongside Mr Cameron at a Remain campaign event, Sir John said he did not believe that Turkey would join the EU as early as 2026 but indicated it was a possibility. I find it extraordinary that people should point to Turkey, and suggest that 77million Turks are suddenly going to descend and take all of our hospital places and all our school places and all our local authority dwellings, he said. They have been negotiating for 30 years without getting in. They are not going to get in, in my judgment, for one, two decades perhaps not ever. Even if it happened in some far distant future, what obscenity it is to suggest all 77million Turks are suddenly going to say, Lets go to the United Kingdom, the national minimum wage has risen by 50p, lets get there as fast as we can. If they do happen to say that, let me just mention to them in advance that they would actually earn more in France or in Germany than they would here. Yesterday the Prime Minister repeated his prediction that Turkey may not be able to join the EU until the year 3000. Asked about Leave warnings of a potential early accession for Turkey, the PM told LBC radio: The issue simply isnt going to arise. This is the reddest of red herrings. At the current rate of progress, Turkey could qualify to join in about the year 3000. EU leaders pledged in March to speed up Turkeys long-stalled membership talks as part of an accord on tackling migration. Mr Duncan Smith said: David Cameron has repeatedly claimed that Turkey is not going to join the EU, despite it being Government policy. Now the Turkish government has confirmed that he is the chief supporter of their bid to join the EU. Cameron also said that Turkey will not join until the year 3000, but Sir John Major has let the cat out of the bag Turkey could be in the EU in ten years time. Im afraid there is no conclusion you can draw from this except that David Cameron is colluding with the EU and lying to the British people. Families are suffering the consequences of uncontrolled migration. With five countries lining up to join the EU Albania, Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia and Turkey this problem can only get worse. Last night, the Turkish presidents chief adviser, Ilnur Cevik, told BBC2s Newsnight that Mr Cameron had changed his mind to Turkeys membership of the EU for political purposes. We thought that Mr Cameron was our chief supporter in our quest for EU membership, he said. We are really, really flabbergasted. LIE THREE: We must not block EU trade, says top German boss German industrialist Markus Kerber, pictured, dismissed warnings of a post-Brexit trade war By Jason Groves, Deputy Political Editor for the Daily Mail Germany's leading industrialist yesterday dismissed warnings of a post-Brexit trade war, saying the EU would be very, very foolish to impose tariffs on the UK. David Cameron and George Osborne have repeatedly issued doom-laden warnings that British exporters will face a wall of tariffs if Britain leaves the EU, potentially costing jobs. But Markus Kerber, head of the influential BDI which represents German industry, said that made no sense. Mr Kerber told the BBCs World Service: Imposing trade barriers, imposing protectionist measures between our two countries or between the two political centres, the EU on the one hand and the UK on the other would be a very, very foolish thing in the 21st Century. The BDI would urge politicians on both sides to come up with a trade regime that enables us to uphold and maintain the levels of trade we have. Boris Johnson welcomed the intervention, saying it was clear that EU trade partners would be desperate for a deal with Britain. The former London Mayor told a BBC debate on Tuesday night that EU countries would be insane to erect trade barriers against the UK if it pulled out of the EU, as they sell far more to us than we do to them. Responding to Mr Kerbers comments yesterday, Mr Johnson said: After the incessant doom-mongering of the In campaign, we now hear the truth from the voice of German industry they would be desperate for free trade after we vote Leave. They would be damaging their own commercial interests if they didnt. Thats why EU politicians would be banging down the door for a trade deal on Friday. The assumption that British firms would face tariff barriers has been central to a series of lurid warnings from the Treasury and other bodies that leaving the EU would damage the economy. But Britains trade deficit with the EU the difference between goods imported and exported hit a record 23.9billion in the first three months of this year, suggesting EU firms would suffer massively in any trade war. Former Tory Cabinet minister John Redwood said: They know they sell twice as many goods to us as we do to them. Who is going to want to wreck that? One of Britains leading entrepreneurs, Sir James Dyson, warned that remaining in the EU would be an act of national self-harm. LIE FOUR: You won't get more borders reform - EU chief says PM got 'maximum deal' By John Stevens for the Daily Mail Britain will not gain any more reform of immigration rules whether Remain or Leave wins, the EUs top bureaucrat warned last night. Jean-Claude Juncker flatly rejected making further changes to freedom of movement rules that enable the EUs 500million citizens to come to the UK. The European Commission president said David Cameron had been given the maximum reform he could get in his widely-derided deal with Brussels. Jean-Claude Juncker flatly rejected making further changes to freedom of movement rules that enable the EUs 500million citizens to come to the UK. Pictured, Mr Juncker with Mr Cameron The Prime Minister has been telling voters he will be able to reform EU migration rules if they choose to vote Remain. The agreement by EU leaders made some changes to benefit entitlements for migrants but did not touch freedom of movement rules. Mr Juncker, a former prime minister of Luxembourg, said yesterday: There will be no kind of any negotiation, adding: [Mr Cameron] got the maximum he could receive, and we gave the maximum we could give, so there will be no kind of renegotiation on the agreement we found in February or as far as any kind of treaty negotiation is concerned. Out is out. Earlier in the day, Mr Cameron had said: in an interview: Reform doesnt end on Friday. The only way it ends is if we leave. Asked whether he could guarantee he would push for tougher migration controls, he said: Yes of course. This is an ongoing process. Justice Secretary Michael Gove told voters last night said: If you vote to stay there is no prospect of getting any reform from the EU ever again. The Prime Minister tried to get reforms earlier this year but the EU did not listen. The EU cannot and will not give the British people the change that they want. Boris Johnson, the former London mayor, said: I was very struck to see what President Juncker said that if Britain thought it was going to get any more change from the EU we had another think coming. Mr Johnson added: The idea that we can do better by staying in the EU and fighting for change is, Im afraid, a sham, a snare and a delusion. LIZ HURLEY BARES ALL TO BACK BREXIT Actress Liz Hurley was leaving little to the imagination yesterday... as she encouraged Britain to vote Leave. She urged her social media followers to go for Brexit by releasing a saucy picture of her smiling with just a Union Jack cushion to cover her modesty. The star wrote alongside the image: Vote tomorrow whatever your persuasion. Im for #Brexit & promise to neither gloat nor whinge. But VOTE! Liz Hurley urged her social media followers to go for Brexit by releasing a saucy picture of her smiling with just a Union Jack cushion to cover her modesty Miss Hurley, 51, uploaded the image, taken as a cover shot for the Mail on Sundays You Magazine in 2011, to her Twitter and Instagram accounts where it was quickly liked and retweeted thousands of times. Some jokingly commented that the cheeky photo of the former model alone was enough to make them vote Leave. On Twitter, one user said: I would say this is the ultimate campaign poster. Another posted: Thanks Liz, I was going to vote remain, but seeing you with that cushion, I am for Brexit. I am born anew in your wisdom. Advertisement IAIN DUNCAN SMITH: What a cynical exercise in hiding the truth Today, the country has the chance to return the Government of Britain back to the UK. More than that, we have the chance to end the corruption of our politics. This corruption of the democratic process is best exemplified by how our leaders have reacted to Turkeys wish to join the EU. Although he now claims there is no chance of Turkey joining (allowing its 77 million citizens free movement to the UK), why did the Prime Minister refuse on FOUR occasions to say hed use the British veto to stop it happening? There are several other contradictions. Iain Duncan Smith: 'The country has the chance to return the Government of Britain back to the UK' If Turkey wont join until about the year 3000 (as the PM has said), why is there a special team at the British embassy in Ankara helping Turkey to join? And why are hundreds of millions of pounds of British taxpayers money being spent to support the accession of Turkey (as well as Albania, Serbia, Macedonia and Montenegro) to the EU? Equally, why are Brussels officials busy negotiating key financial aspects of Turkeys accession before Christmas? All this confirms the fact that Turkeys accession to the European Union is both British and EU policy. Furthermore, the PM knows that the deal struck with the Ankara government earlier this year to stop migrants using Turkey as a jumping-off point to pour into Greece and thus enable them to travel to any other EU country was done in exchange for the Turkish government getting 4.6billion in aid (1billion from the UK), visa-free access for Turks to mainland Europe and accelerated entry to the EU. The Prime Minister is also fully aware that if we try to pull out of the deal, Turkey would inevitably start to allow migrants travelling to EU countries from its shores again creating similar chaos to that which occurred last year. The truth is that Turkey has the European Union over a barrel and the British Government knows it. Most cynically, the Brussels Commission has been holding back announcements about Turkey until after the UK referendum on membership of the EU. But yesterday the fact was leaked that it will start negotiations on Turkeys entry into the EU a week today after the British people have voted. Hillary Clinton defended her family foundation this afternoon as a charitable organization that provides poor people with life-saving AIDS medication in response to a new set of attacks from Donald Trump. Trump accused Clinton on Wednesday of using her position at the State Department for 'personal profit and theft.' He said she routinely did favors for foreign governments who donated to the Clinton Foundation and 'may be the most corrupt person ever to seek the presidency.' In Raleigh, at a campaign stop this afternoon, she fired back - 'Donald Trump uses poor people around the world to produce his line of suits and ties,' she said. Hillary Clinton defended her family foundation this afternoon as a charitable organization that provides poor people with life-saving AIDS medication in response to a new set of attacks from Donald Trump Trump's ties are made in China and his suits are produced in Mexico. Clinton spent most of her speech Wednesday outlining her economic plan, having spent the bulk of her time skewering Trump the day before. At the tail end of her Raleigh event she invoked her White House rival and hit some of the same notes she did Tuesday as she attempted to deflate Trump's business record. The self-proclaimed 'king of debt' has 'no real ideas' she said for making college affordable and 'no credible plan' for rebuilding America's infrastructure. 'He has no real strategy for creating jobs, just a string of empty promises,' she proclaimed. Clinton said, 'Maybe we shouldn't expect better from someone who's most famous words are, "You're fired." I want you to know, 'I do have a jobs program, and as president I'm gonna make sure that you hear, "You're hired," ' she told a roaring audience. The Democratic presidential candidate credited herself with getting under Trump's skin yesterday, saying, 'I know that Donald hates it when anyone points out how hollow his sales pitch really is.' As a result, 'he lashed out on Twitter with outlandish lies and conspiracy theories, and he did the same in his speech today,' she stated. 'He's going after me personally because he has no answers on the substance.' Referencing one of the tweets he sent Wednesday while she was speaking, Clinton noted that he 'doubled down' on being the king of debt. It's a hat Trump said today in an interview that he proudly wears - as a businessman - and refused to apologize. Clinton spent most of her speech Wednesday outlining her economic plan, having spent the bulk of her time skewering Trump the day before. She spent a few minutes on his business record, though, in response to his address hitting her earlier that day Even as Clinton took aim at Trump she encouraged her supporter to ignore his slams on her. He wants to 'try to distract us,' she told them. 'That's even why he's attacking my faith,' she said. 'Sigh.' She brought up her philanthropy and said, of Trump, 'Its no surprise he doesn't understand these things' because he uses and abuses poor people to make his company's products. At another point, she said, Donald Trump offers no real solutions for the economic problems we face. He just continues to spout reckless ideas. He'll run up our debt and cause another economic crash. Her campaign did not issue an official response to Trump's speech, but Brian Fallon, Clinton's national press secretary, said on Twitter afterward that he was 'tallying the number of lies about Hillary Clinton in the transcript of Trump's speech. I am at 15 so far.' Bentley has continued to deny that anything physical happened between him and the married mother-of-three Two years later Bentley's former friend revealed to the press of the recording's existence and said the two were having an affair She caught him telling his senior policy adviser Rebekah Mason, 44, how much he loved her and wanting to put his hands on her breasts They led her to secretly recording him one day at their beach house while she went on a walk Dianne Bentley found the texts to be unusual and out of character for her 74-year-old husband Robert It was a single red rose emoji that first made Dianne Bentley suspicious that her husband Robert, the Governor of Alabama, was having an affair. Two years later and Bentley, 74, is now facing threats of impeachment after a voice recording seemed to implicate he was romantically involved with his 44-year-old senior policy adviser Rebekah Mason. But in 2014 Dianne, who had been married to the Republican governor for almost half a century, only had suspicions. There were less kisses than usual, a refusal to hold her hand at church, which Mason also attended, a meticulously detailed schedule suddenly filled with mysterious blocks merely labeled 'Hold'. Scroll down for video Dianne Bentley first became suspicious that her husband Robert, the Governor of Alabama, was having an affair when he began texting her single red rose emojis - which she found out of character Bentley's alleged affair with his political adviser Rebekah Mason, 44, (pictured together) became national news after an iPhone recording, made by Dianne, caught him speaking to Mason about their sexual trysts Suddenly Bentley began putting more thought into his dress, adding bright orange socks and snazzy ties', according to a feature in GQ. But it was the roses that confused her the most. They would come in random texts from Bentley and were 'so unexpected and out of character for the governor she wondered if they were intended for someone else'. Dianne began keeping a list of the unusual signs in a notebook, finally confiding in one of the young woman who worked in her First Lady office. The affair came to light after Spencer Collier, the former head of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, claimed Bentley confessed to him The woman revealed that she had noticed Bentley was acting weird as well, specifically with Mason, who he first hired to be his communications director. It was this young woman who would teach Dianne to use the voice recorder on her iPhone. She slipped it on and hid her phone into her purse, telling her husband she was going for a walk one day as they stayed at the family's beach house along Alabama's Gulf Coast. Within minutes Bentley was talking to someone on the phone. 'I love you,' he told them. 'When I stand behind you and I put my arms around you, and I put my hands on your breasts and I put my hands on you and pull you in real close, hey, I love that too.' 'I love you. I love to talk to you. I do...but baby, let me tell you what we're gonna have to go tonight: Start locking the door.' 'If we're gonna do what we did the other day, we're gonna have to start locking the door.' 'Rebekah, I just, I miss you,' he can then be heard saying. 'I worry about loving you so much.' Dianne confronted Bentley after she listened to the recording and he denied having any kind of romantic relationship with his adviser. She didn't mention it for weeks and it seemed Dianne actually believed her husband. That was until the red rose popped up again, just weeks later. This time there was a name attached to it: Rebekah. It would be more than a year before Dianne filed for divorce, but in the meantime Bentley's four sons and closest friends were begging him to end things with Mason. One of those friends was Spencer Collier, the head of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Collier told GQ that he and Ray Lewis, the head of Bentley's protective detail, confronted him one night in August 2014 on the request of the governor's family. 'It has to stop,' Collier said he told Bentley about the affair. 'You just need to make a clean break.' Bentley has refused to step down from his position following the scandal and has claimed he only said 'some inappropriate things' to Mason, refusing to admit they had a physical affair Bentley told Collier he would end the relationship, but it was short-lived. He called his friend a day later and revealed he was 'madly in love with her'. Two years later it would be Collier who would reveal the affair to the press, just days after Bentley fired him for allegedly misusing public funds. Collier held a news conference in which he revealed the existence of the iPhone recording, which he said contained a phone conversation in which Bentley made romantic and sexually-charged comments to a woman he believed to be Mason. 'Gov. Robert Bentley simply hung his head and asked for advice on how to get out of it,' Collier said of the moment he confronted his friend about the affair. 'Rebekah Mason has wielded a level of influence over both the governor and state government that I have never seen in all my years of public service,' he added. The recording leaked just days later, when conservative blogger Cliff Sims grabbed hold of a thumb drive with the phone conversation from a source and posted it on his website. Bentley refused to admit to a physical affair, saying he had merely said 'some inappropriate things' to Mason. 'I made a mistake. Two years ago I made a mistake,' Bentley said during the news conference, adding that he had previously apologized to his family and to Mason and her family. 'Today I want to apologize to the people of the state of Alabama and once again, I want to apologize to my family. I am truly sorry and I accept full responsibility.' Mason resigned from her adviser position and condemned Collier's comments about her influence in the governor's office. 'There is no way that man would have said what he did...about another man,' her statement read. Jon Mason, 44 (right), has continued to defend his wife, who he has three children with In his post Mr Mason praises his 'wife of nearly 20 years', calling her 'amazing' and 'a loving and dedicated mom' while asking for 'unconditional love' amidst the affair scandal 'He only said what he said about my professional abilities because I am a woman. His comments were clear, demonstrated gender bias.' Mason did not address Bentley's behavior. Her husband Jon, who Mason has three children with, has continued to stand by his wife's side amid the scandal. 'I wanted to share that I long ago resolved the personal issue playing out now for everyone this week,' he wrote in a Facebook status posted two days after the recording was released. 'Please continue to support families, the governor, and our state with prayers as we all move forward.' As for Bentley, he has vowed to stay in office and remains estranged from Dianne and their four sons. Katie Price has admitted she has never voted before - despite having stood for parliament. The mother-of-five made the admission as she revealed she was still 'confused' over which way to vote in tomorrow's referendum during a debate on Channel 4. However, this is far from the former model's first foray into the political arena, having stood as an independent promising free holidays on the NHS back in 2001. Katie Price told audience members at the Channel 4 debate on the EU referendum that she was still confused about which way to vote on Thursday, and that it would be the first time she voted However, this is not her first foray into politics. In 2001 - then aged just 23 - she launched a bid to become an MP in the Stretford and Urmston constituency of Greater Manchester Ms Price - who was then known as Jordan - stood in the Stretford and Urmston constituency of Greater Manchester, telling voters: 'I know it will take a big swing to win the seat but there's no bigger swinger than me.' Backed by the Daily Star, she ran under the slogan 'Vote Jordan for a bigger and betta future'. It wasn't a success: she polled just over 700 votes in the end - and it appears she didn't even cast a ballot for herself. Speaking during the EU debate this evening, Ms Price revealed she would vote for the first time tomorrow, but still couldn't decide whether to back the Leave or Remain campaigns. 'Well believe it or not, I came here confused, and I am more confused,' she said. 'I've never voted before, I feel I am pressured I have to vote this time, 'Lot's of my friends are in, some are out, I'm asking them lots of questions. Backed by the Daily Star, she ran under the slogan 'Vote Jordan for a bigger and betta future' It wasn't a success: she polled just over 700 votes in the end - and after tonight's revelation, it appears she didn't even cast a ballot for herself. Pictured: Ms Price makes her speech after the result in June 2001 'My son's got disabilities, so in my case, I'm thinking, what would be the best for his future, for the NHS, if he goes on holiday. 'Do I think of myself as a family, or the country? I am just confused. This has made it confusing.' Advertisement They should have been celebrating their mother Jo Coxs 42nd birthday. Instead, Lejla, three, and her brother Cuillin, five, were yesterday on a barge towing a floating floral memorial to the murdered MP. They sat with their father Brendan, 37, on the vessels stern as it set off from near Tower Bridge, where the family have a houseboat. Scroll down for video Brendan Cox travels to central London by boat with their children Lejla, 3, and Cuillin, 5, to attend a special service in Trafalgar Square The Yorkshire Rose, a boat filled with flowers in memory of murdered Labour MP Mrs Cox is towed down the River Thames in London A fund created in Cox's memory by her friends and family has raised more than 1.25million for charities close to her heart The widower and children of the late MP Jo Cox (pictured left and right with husband Brendan) joined her friends, colleagues and high-profile campaigners today as countries around the world gather to celebrate what would have been her 42nd birthday It was the first time since Mrs Cox was shot and stabbed a week ago that her grieving family had allowed photographs of the children, who wore yellow lifejackets and waved to wellwishers during the journey along the Thames. The barge towed a dinghy carrying hundreds of red and white roses in tribute to the late Labour member for Batley and Spen in West Yorkshire. The 45-minute journey from Hermitage Wharf ended in Westminster, where the dinghy was moored opposite the Houses of Parliament. It will remain there for a week, bearing the words Yorkshire Rose. Mr Cox and the children, accompanied by friends and supporters, disembarked from the barge at Westminster Pier, where a banner was unfurled saying That which unites us not which divides us. It was carried in front of the group as they made the short walk to Trafalgar Square where thousands had gathered for an hour-long rally in tribute to Mrs Coxs life. She died after being attacked at her constituency surgery in Birstall, near Leeds, last Thursday. Her husbands voice broke with emotion as he thanked Jos amazing friends, and friends of friends, and even complete strangers who had helped to organise the event. He added: As amazing and deeply touching as all of this is, I wish I wasnt here today. Pausing occasionally when his voice broke, Mr Cox told the crowd: 'Thank you for coming together today to honour the memory of Jo not just here in London but around the world. Thanks for the love that You have poured on our family since our world collapsed on Thursday' Brendan Cox gave a moving speech dedicated to his late wife, and thanked the public for the love and support they have shown his family Not because Im ungrateful to the organisers and you all for coming, but because of course Id rather be with Jo. But I wanted to come and show my gratitude and that of all of our family. Your support and love has helped us all and I wanted our children to see what their mum meant to all of you. I know that they will remember today. 'Today would have been her birthday and she would have spent it dashing around the streets of her home town convincing people to stay in Europe.' In a moving insight he described his late wife variously as a mountain climber, an awful cook, a middle lane driver, a ball of energy and determination but above all else she was a mum. She was the best mum that any child could wish for. And wish we do, to have her back in our lives, he said, adding that he had spoken with his children every day since her death about the things they will miss and memories they will cherish for ever. The events in Trafalgar Square have been preceded by a floating commemoration on the River Thames, which started from the houseboat community where Mrs Cox and her family lived (Pictured: The flower-filled boat is towed through central London this afternoon) The boat filled with flowers and emblazoned with the words 'Yorkshire Rose' floated down the Thames today in memory of Mrs Cox Brendan Cox, the widower of MP Jo Cox, and their two children prepare to join a floating commemoration on the River Thames 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' Labour politician Jo Cox's husband Brendan and their children travel down the River Thames, in London, this afternoon, before the event A boat called the Yorkshire Rose, which was filled with roses was moored next to the houseboat of the late Jo Cox on the River Thames He continued: 'She lived her life to the full with a pedal to the floor and missing brake pads 'Since Thursday my children and I have spoken every day about the things we will miss. We try not to remember how cruelly she was taken from us but about how lucky we were to have her in our lives.' 'Jo's killing was political. It was an act of terror designed to generate hatred. 'How ironic that an act designed to generate hatred has instead prompted an outpouring of love. 'Jo lived for her beliefs and on Thursday she died for them. For the rest of our lives we will fight for them in her name.' Lily Allen, sporting a purple hairdo, sang Somewhere Only We Know, a song by the band Keane which Mrs Cox used to sing with her husband and children every time they left their holiday cottage near the River Wye. Organisers said the events, which are being held in a variety of locations, will be a tribute to Ms Cox's 'love, energy, passion, flair, Yorkshire heritage and belief in the humanity of every person in every place' Members of the public hold signs saying '#LoveLikeJo' as they attend a memorial event for murdered Labour MP Jo Cox at Trafalgar Square Hundreds of people hold pictures of Jo Cox, who was killed last Thursday while attending a surgery in her constituency area Jo Cox's widower today thanked the public for the outpouring of love and support following the death of his beloved wife last week U2 sent in a specially recorded version of their song Ordinary Love from Los Angeles. There were jigs and reels from Diddley Dee, a band that played at the pairs wedding. Earlier in the proceedings, a plane carrying a banner urging people to leave the EU flew noisily over Trafalgar Square. Labour MP Stella Creasy posted on Twitter that the Vote Leave campaign should show some self respect and disappear. A spokesman for the official campaign group denied it was its plane. Hundreds of people gathered outside the town hall in Batley to remember their late MP, who was killed four miles away in the village of Birstall. Jo Cox's sister Kim and parents Jean and Gordon Leadbeater sat side by side as they attended a memorial for the MP in Batley Kim Leadbeater told a memorial in Batley that her sister Jo Cox helped people 'from Batley to Burma and from the Spen Valley to Syria' Jo Cox's parents Jean and Gordon Leadbeater embrace their daughter Kim at a memorial held in Jo's honour in Batley, West Yorkshire Jo Cox's mother Jean, father Gordon and sister Kim arrived at the memorial in Batley, West Yorksire, with white roses pinned to their tops After observing the minute's silence, the MP's younger sister, Kim Leadbeater, took to the stage to pay tribute to her 'caring, compassionate and inspirational' sister. Ms Leadbeater said: 'On behalf of all Jo's family, thank you from the bottom of our hearts to each and every person who has sent their love and sympathy to us in the last few days. 'We have been truly overwhelmed by the outpouring of kindness and support and it has provided great comfort and strength in order for us to keep going.' She told the crowds: 'From Batley to Burma and from the Spen Valley to Syria, Jo's life was centred around helping people and standing up for the causes she felt passionate about - and there were many.' Today members of the public have placed hundreds of bouquets and tributes dedicated to Mrs Cox at a memorial statue in Birtstall Floral tributes for MP Jo Cox continue to flood in today in Birstall, on what should have been the mother-of-two's 42nd birthday Flowers and cards have been left in the centre of Birstall paying tribute to the MP, who died last Thursday after she was stabbed and shot Floral tributes and messages have been left outside Batley Town Hall ahead of a public event to celebrate Mrs Cox's life and 42nd birthday She said: 'I don't have any answers as to why such a horrendous and tragic event has occurred in our lives. But I do know that Jo would not have wanted any of us to allow it to make her life anything other than the force for good it always was. 'My sister would want her murder to mobilise people to get on with things, to try to make a positive difference in whatever way we can, to come together and unite against hate and division and fight instead for inclusion, love and unity.' Meanwhile a fund created in Cox's memory by her friends and family has raised more than 1.3million for charities close to her heart, following more than 37,500 individual donations. The MP died after being shot and stabbed in an attack in Birstall near Leeds on Thursday last week. Tommy Mair, 52, has been remanded in custody after being charged with her murder. People lay white roses under a portrait to pay tribute to late Labour MP Jo Cox at the 'Ancienne Belgique' at the Bourse in Brussels People line up to lay white roses and light candles in front of a portrait of Jo Cox, at a memorial event held at the Bourse in Brussels Friends and supporters of Jo Cox commit to #lovelikejo at the Jo Cox memorial on June 22, 2016 in Washington, DC Guests attend a memorial service for Jo Cox, a British Member of Parliament and former Oxfam policy chief who was killed last week, as part of the #moreincommon campaign, at the Whittemore House in Washington, DC Crowds gather by Ha'penny Bridge in Dublin to remember murdered MP Jo Cox, including her friend Jamie Drummond who co-founded poverty foundation One (centre back) A Cambridge University academic was kicked out of France yesterday after being accused of throwing missiles and breaking the window of a police van during the Calais riots. Steven Martin, 31, was also accused of orchestrating the violence that shut down the French port on Monday, but was not subsequently charged. Martin appeared in court alongside fellow Briton Richard Jones, 19, after police claimed they were members of the Left-wing No Borders movement that calls for the abolition of borders across Europe. Britons Steven Martin (right), 31, and Richard Jones, 19, were accused by police of belonging to the Left-wing No Borders movement, which aimed to help migrants reach Britain from the French port of Calais They also accused Martin of using his scientific background to try to synthesise tear gas in a makeshift laboratory in the Jungle refugee camp, although no charges were laid. The No Borders group is accused of fomenting scenes of utter chaos to allow migrants to sneak on to lorries bound for Britain. The British pair were arrested after mobs of migrants threw tree trunks, rocks and even mattresses on to a busy arterial road into Calais on Monday before having running battles with police. Martin and Jones, from Denbigh in North Wales, appeared in court in the city of Boulogne-sur-Mer yesterday. Both strongly deny they are part of No Borders or that they advocate violence. Martin had been accused by police of directing the riot, and co-ordinating squads of migrants towards areas where the police presence was stretched. But the academic formally accused only of throwing missiles and breaking the van window was cleared on both counts by magistrates, despite the testimony of five officers. Jones was also accused of playing an instrumental role in the rampage, but said he was merely trying to defuse the situation. He admitted swearing at a police officer and calling him a Nazi and was handed a two-month suspended sentence. A lawyer representing the police had told the court: These activists created tension so that migrants would act violently towards police, who had come to talk to them peacefully. The No Borders group is accused of fomenting scenes of utter chaos to allow migrants to sneak on to lorries bound for Britain This is a provocation from activists who used the word Nazi, which is extremely offensive. After the hearing, both men were served with notices demanding that they leave the country immediately due to their behaviour and attitude towards the police and the threat to public order. Martin denied being a member of No Borders, but acknowledged the groups existence, saying: They see rock-throwing as a legitimate form of defence. Martin was a research associate at the Cambridge Institute of Public Health who left to volunteer in Calais in December. He specialised in treatment for patients in early dementia. He said yesterday: They accused me of throwing rocks but I have broken my arm and cant even pick up a rock. Jones has been volunteering in the Ashram Kitchen, which serves breakfast and lunch to inhabitants of the Jungle, for two months. Both men say they plan to return to the UK before moving to Greece to help there. French authorities say No Borders supporters mingle with aid workers in the Jungle, and that the group is made up of 50 hardcore activists, mainly Britons from privileged backgrounds. Martin and Jones, from Denbigh in North Wales, appeared in court in the city of Boulogne-sur-Mer yesterday. Both strongly deny they are part of No Borders or that they advocate violence A Calais police source said: The No Borders activists spend their time accusing officers of violence, while acting like thugs themselves. Those who suffer most from this are the refugees they are pretending to help. French politician Xavier Bertrand said No Borders was a scandalous group and should be punished, while Calais deputy mayor Philippe Mignonet has called on British police to help the French authorities identify any troublemakers. Its frustrating having the anarchists and activists from England here to stir up trouble, he said. I think the English police forces know who they are and should come here. It is too easy for these people to leave their country. Gilles Debove, of the Calais police union, said: I cannot understand why British citizens come to Calais to incite migrants to break the law and defy the French authorities. In January, British anarchists were among some 35 people arrested in Calais after leading an invasion of the ferry port by 500 migrants. The thugs tore down security fences and threatened violence, and also defaced a statue of Frances wartime leader and former president Charles de Gaulle. The countrys population has passed the 65million mark, new official figures are likely to show today. The population estimates due to be released by the Office for National Statistics are expected to show the number of people living in the UK went up by more than half a million in a single year. If so, then the UK population will have gone up by nearly five million around eight per cent in just 10 years. The numbers could provide a last-minute boost for the Brexit camp, which has campaigned heavily on immigration and the impact EU freedom of movement has on numbers of people arriving in the UK. Crowded: Population estimates due to be released by the Office for National Statistics are expected to show the number of people living in the UK went up by more than half a million in a single year (file image) Support for Vote Leave is widely thought to have gathered pace after official figures in late May put net migration at 333,000, and showed that 77,000 EU citizens came to Britain in a year. Estimates of the level of the UK population at the middle of last year have been scheduled for release today since last year. That means they are not covered by purdah rules that say Whitehall should not release sensitive information during an election or referendum campaign. ONS calculations of the population released in June last year put numbers in the middle of 2014 at 64,596,800, and the increase over 12 months at 491,100. However, the estimates due to be released today may show faster growth because last year net migration the number of people added to the population after both immigration and emigration have been taken into account - was running at 259,700. In the 12 months to the end of June last year period covered in todays figures, net migration hit a record 336,000. Since immigration pushes up birthrates because immigrant women are usually of childbearing age and are likely to have more children than women born in Britain immigration is currently thought to be responsible for around two thirds of population increase. The ONS has said that the population may reach almost 80 million by 2039 if migration and birthrates continue at high levels. The projection of over 79 million is nearly 10 million higher than the level which Labour ministers who presided over the 2000s boom in Eastern European immigration said would never be reached. If the statistics show the predicted increase, then the UK population will have gone up by nearly five million around eight per cent in just 10 years (file image) The ONS figures were due to be released at 9.30am this morning, just two-and-a-half hours after polling stations open, at a time when there will be more than 12 hours of voting left. They may have a major impact through reporting by broadcasters and websites during the day. Polling days usually have no significant campaign news and broadcasters have little to report until counting begins late in the evening. A spokesman for the BBC declined yesterday to say whether the Corporations new outlets would report the figures. The equivalent report last June attracted heavy attention from BBC reporters, who have been paying greater attention to immigration over the past few years as the anxiety of voters has become plain. Vote Leave campaigners have played on concerns over rapid population increase and its effect on schools, hospitals, transport, utilities and the availability of housing. Lord Green of the Migration Watch think tank said yesterday: It is a sign of the times that our population increase is now around half a million every year. If immigration continues at current levels we can expect the population to increase by 10million over the next 20 years and then continue to go up. Two school boys have had a lucky escape after they put a can of soft drink inside a wood stove, causing it to explode. The family were sitting in their lounge room in Coolaroo, Melbourne's north, on Wednesday night when glass and embers began shooting out of the Coonara fireplace. The two young boys, aged four and eight, suffered minor cuts to their hands and were treated by paramedics who rushed to the home. Scroll down for video Two school boys have had a lucky escape after they placed a can of soft drink inside their wood fire heater, causing it to explode (pictured) 'The rupturing of the can caused a large amount of glass to explode out of the glass part of the Coonara and this has shattered into the lounge room,' Steve Dorman from the Melbourne Fire Brigade told 7News. 'The children were very lucky the glass only penetrated their hands and their arms'. The Melbourne fire department extinguished the stray embers that exploded out of the heater and there was little damage to the home Neither of the young boys were taken to hospital as their injuries were minor. Firefighters have issued a warning to parents in the winter months to keep a close eye on their children around heaters. The family were sitting in their lounge room in Coolaroo, Melbourne's north, on Wednesday night when glass and embers began shooting out of the fireplace Michael Gove today declares that Britain is facing this generation's 'D-Day' with a choice between becoming a prosperous, sovereign nation once again, or a poorer, less secure one inside the EU. In the most passionate plea of the campaign, the Justice Secretary urges the public not to 'flinch' or let down future generations whose lives would be diminished by Brussels. Rejecting the pessimism of the Remain camp, led by David Cameron, he told the Mail: This is D-Day. It's democracy day. It is an opportunity for us to demonstrate a vote of confidence in our country and its ingenuity, its generosity, its tolerance and its potential. Michael Gove (pictured) has urged the public not to 'flinch' or let down future generations whose lives would be diminished by Brussels 'We have got to have confidence in our institutions. Britain gave the world parliamentary democracy. It gave the world common law traditions, trial by jury and the principle of innocent until proven guilty. 'We gave the world moral leadership in the fight against slavery and the fight against fascism. 'We gave the world the NHS and public service broadcasting and we did all these things as a self-governing democracy. 'So the idea that Britain is a rain soaked little island where we eat too much cake that is just not right. Voting to leave is a rejection of pessimism and an embrace of optimism.' Speaking on a final campaign visit to Dorset, Mr Gove said this was Britain's opportunity to 'break free'. He continued: 'If we do not vote to leave tomorrow, then we won't get the chance to escape the EU for another generation and possibly in our lifetime. 'And if we vote to stay, the European elites will take that as a vote of confidence in their leadership and a vote for more Europe. 'More of the same surrender of powers, more of the same lack of control over our money, more of the same lack of democracy. 'I just think it would be difficult to explain to our children and grandchildren that when we had the opportunity to show confidence in our democracy, that we decided to flinch at the last moment.' Boris Johnson gives a thumbs up as he leaves Selby, North Yorkshire, on a hectic day of campaigning Mr Johnson has appealed for voters to make the EU referendum Britain's 'Independence Day' Mr Gove, who confirmed he would be happy to serve in Mr Cameron's Cabinet once the rancorous referendum contest is over, compared the moment Britain stands at in history with the American Revolution. He said: 'The decision the American Revolutionaries had to make in the 1770s about whether or not to continue to be ruled by someone who was distant and unaccountable, who imposed taxes without listening to their voices or whether to break free. 'They decided to break free then and America has never looked back and the world had cause to be grateful. There will have been all sorts of people then I imagine saying it is a risk, don't go against the Establishment, can you really survive? 'In five years' time, if we stay in the EU, we will be paying more money to bail out a single currency which is failing. We face the prospect of more EU control over our security, our intelligence services having their hands tied. 'We face the prospect of a rogue European Court making it more difficult for us to deal with terrorism. We also face the prospect of our competitiveness diminishing. My fear is that if we vote to stay in, Britain will be poorer, less safe. I also worry that it will feel and be less fair because the elites and the establishment will have felt they had a great escape. 'They will feel that the moment they could have been held to account and we could have taken control has passed.' David Cameron made his final pitch to voters in Birmingham, appearing with Gordon Brown and leading politicians from across the political spectrum at an end of campaign rally On an extraordinary final day. Boris Johnson criss-crossed the country by helicopter. He said: 'It's time to speak up for democracy, and hundreds of millions of people around Europe agree with us. It's time to break away from the failing and dysfunctional EU system.' Last night, the Remain camp released statements from Mr Cameron and Britain's three surviving former prime ministers urging the country to vote In. Mr Cameron said: 'Today we have assembled the biggest coalition of support in history from businesses, to trade unions to expert economists and across political parties for a vote to remain. Quitting Europe is a risk to your family's future because a vote to leave on Thursday means there is no going back on Friday.' In what was described as an 'unprecedented alliance', the Prime Minister was backed by Tony Blair and Gordon Brown from the Labour side. Mr Blair said: 'Britain faces a historic choice between prosperity, influence and security as part of Europe, or a reckless leap in the dark and years of damaging uncertainty. If we vote to leave, there is no going back. Voting Remain will secure Britain's place as a proud, influential country with a strong economy and a bright future. Appearing alongside Mr Cameron in Bristol, Sir John Major said the Brexit camp were 'the gravediggers of our prosperity'. But Defence Minister Penny Mordaunt hit out at the Remain camp for suggesting those voting for Brexit were 'little islanders'. She said: 'It is unfair to tar the millions of people who want to take back control of their laws, their borders and their money with a brush of calling them narrow minded or little islanders or all the other insults thrown at them. 'That is quite wrong. This is an attempt to make people feel guilty about what they know in their hearts and their heads is the right thing for them and their families and it is a sign that they have lost the arguments.' Gove 'lost it' with Nazi jibe, says Cameron David Cameron accused Michael Gove of having 'lost it' yesterday after the Justice Secretary compared economists warning against Brexit to Nazi-paid scientists who smeared Albert Einstein. Mr Gove said: 'We have to be careful about historical comparisons, but Albert Einstein during the 1930s was denounced by the German authorities for being wrong and his theories were denounced and one of the reasons, of course, he was denounced was because he was Jewish.' He told LBC radio: 'They got 100 German scientists in the pay of the government to say that he was wrong and Einstein said, 'Look, if I was wrong, one would have been enough'.' Mr Gove had been trying to highlight the public's dissatisfaction with propaganda unleashed on voters by 'experts' before today's referendum. He later apologised. David Cameron accused Michael Gove of having 'lost it' yesterday after the Justice Secretary compared economists warning against Brexit to Nazi-paid scientists who smeared Albert Einstein But the Prime Minister attacked Mr Gove's remarks, telling Sky News: 'To hear the Leave campaign today sort of comparing independent experts and economists to Nazi sympathisers I think they have rather lost it. 'These people are independent economists who have won Nobel prizes, business leaders responsible for creating thousands of jobs, institutions that were set up after the war to try to provide independent advice. It is right to listen.' Mr Gove pointed out that he had refrained from personal attacks, and said: 'I was asked a question by Iain Dale [LBC presenter] about the predictions of doom for the economy. I answered, as I often do, with a historical analogy. It was clumsy and inappropriate. 'Obviously I did not mean to imply anything about the motives of those who have spoken out in favour of staying in the EU.' He added: 'I'm sorry for speaking so clumsily and apologise for giving offence I think Britain will be more prosperous if we end our connection to the euro project and I should have answered this question directly.' Nearly half PM's business advisers refuse to back the EU Almost half of David Cameron's inner-circle of business advisers and half of Britain's FTSE 100 bosses refused to sign a letter backing Brussels, it emerged yesterday. In a letter to The Times, orchestrated by Downing Street, some 1,285 business leaders including 900 small and medium-sized companies and 50 of the FTSE 100 warned that leaving the EU would 'mean uncertainty for our firms, less trade with Europe and fewer jobs'. Signatories included Sir Richard Branson, of Virgin, Michael Bloomberg, the American media mogul and former New York mayor, and bosses from Barclays, mining giant Anglo American and housebuilders Barratt Developments and the Berkeley Group. But bosses of half the FTSE 100 companies including the supermarket giant Tesco and Britain's biggest bank Lloyds refused requests from the Remain campaign to put their name to the letter. And in a bruising setback for Mr Cameron, nine of the 20 members of his Business Advisory Group also declined to put pen to paper. They include Nigel Wilson, the boss of Britain's biggest pensions and investment firm Legal and General. An outspoken Eurosceptic, he has previously said Britain would be better off leaving the single market if it fails to negotiate meaningful reform. But he has also stressed the case for Brexit is 'unproven' and that it is up to the public not company bosses to decide Britain's future. Other business advisers to Mr Cameron who did not sign the letter included Robert Noel, the boss of Land Securities, Jeff Fairburn, of housebuilder Persimmon, Liv Garfield, of Severn Trent, and Ana Botin, the chairwoman of Santander. Phil Shiner, who made his name suing the UK Government at taxpayers expense, is fighting a battle to keep allegations he made baseless claims against troops secret A lawyer who has spent more than a decade hounding British soldiers has been charged by his professional body over his firms role in making baseless claims against troops. Phil Shiner, who made his name suing the UK Government at taxpayers expense, is fighting a battle to keep the allegations secret. He wants a forthcoming hearing to be held behind closed doors and details of the case against him kept secret on the grounds of ill health. The Daily Mail which has campaigned for an end to the witch-hunt against British troops is prepared to fight any legal bid for secrecy. Details of the charges brought against Mr Shiner by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) are unknown, although they are understood to centre on his role in a 31 million war crimes inquiry. A case management hearing in London yesterday was held in secret. Mr Shiners firm, Public Interest Lawyers (PIL), was investigated by the SRA the solicitors watchdog following a complaint by the Ministry of Defence. After an 18-month probe, the watchdog decided to refer the case on to its disciplinary tribunal over serious allegations of professional misconduct. It can now be revealed that the SRA decided to charge Mr Shiner and a lawyer called John Dickinson, who represented Iraqi claimants for the firm. A tribunal will now hear the case against the pair and decide whether they should be struck off. If Mr Shiner loses his right to practice, it could cause the downfall of his firm. Mr Shiner is the sole shareholder of PIL, which has received millions of pounds in legal aid. PIL has lodged at least 188 compensation claims for Iraqi claimants and as many as 1,150 claims of alleged wrongdoing and murder by British troops using the Human Rights Act. The Mail has previously revealed how soldiers many suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder have faced as many as five probes each in relation to a single incident as a result of soaring claims. If Mr Shiner wins his secrecy battle, soldiers who have suffered as a result will not be able to hear what he is alleged to have done wrong. The SRA decided to refer the case to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal (SDT) in April after the year-and-a-half inquiry. JUDGE: PRESS FREEDOM IS ESSENTIAL TO DEMOCRACY A senior judge has declared press freedom as the most fundamental right in a democracy. Mr Justice Holman told a High Court hearing that press freedom was crucial and people do not understand the gravity of court orders which censor names and information discussed in legal cases. His defence of free speech follows the recent decision of Supreme Court justices to support a ban on the public naming of a married celebrity who took part in a threesome. Mr Justice Holman, who sits in the High Court Family Division, said: The most fundamental right in a democratic society is the freedom of the press. Where would we be without a reporter and the whole freedom of the press behind him? Advertisement The SDT has been unable to release any details about the case after Mr Shiner launched a bid to keep his name anonymous. The allegations against Mr Shiner are believed to centre on his firms role in the Al-Sweady inquiry. The five-year probe published its findings in December 2014 when it exonerated British soldiers of allegations concerning murder and torture in Iraq. The claims came after the Battle of Danny Boy on May 14, 2004, a fierce firefight which erupted when insurgents from the Mahdi Army ambushed a patrol of Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. Their reinforcements, the 1st Battalion of the Princess of Waless Royal Regiment, were also ambushed and after three hours of fighting 28 Iraqi fighters had been killed. But the Al-Sweady inquiry named after an alleged teenage victim found Iraqi witnesses represented by PIL and another firm, Leigh Day, had lied systematically. PIL was handed 3 million by the MoD to pursue the case. Sir Thayne Forbes, a retired judge, dismissed the allegations as wholly without foundation and entirely the product of deliberate lies, reckless speculation and ingrained hostility. Following its publication, the Prime Minister ordered the MoD to put together a report listing alleged wrongdoing by PIL. The documents suggested the firm had doubts about the credibility of its clients evidence as early as March 2013 but did not withdraw the untrue allegations until March 2014. Mr Shiners firm, Public Interest Lawyers (PIL) was investigated by the SRA the solicitors watchdog following a complaint by the Ministry of Defence This forced the Al-Sweady inquiry to take evidence from around 100 additional witnesses, adding at least 780,000 to its total cost. The MoD dossier also stated that PIL continued to represent one claimant in a separate judicial review after he admitted he had lied about his sister dying on the battlefield. In further damaging allegations, the MoD claimed PIL used a fixer to trawl for new cases of abuse by making unsolicited approaches to potential victims inside Iraq. Prisoners want bigger windows in their cells after complaining they are too dark and dreary. Inmates are also calling for more powerful bulbs because cells are so dimly-lit it is difficult to read. Sex offenders, violent thugs and burglars held at HMP Exeter moaned about the poor quality of lighting in the Victorian-era prison to watchdogs. In one instance, it took six months to change a lightbulb in the library, inspectors found. But critics will say the people who really suffered were the victims of the criminals locked up in the Category B jail. Inmates are also calling for more powerful bulbs because cells are so dimly-lit it is difficult to read (file image) Plans are in progress to install new doors with bigger observation panels, letting more light in, but inmates also want better spotlights put in their cells. A review by the Independent Monitoring Board (IMB) found HMP Exeter, which houses more than 500 convicts, found the cells were too dark. It stated: There are obvious problems inherent in the cramped inner city site and Victorian buildings which are difficult to repair and maintain. Cells are dark, especially in SCU (Special Care Unit also called the Segregation Unit). Its bottom floor location means it is always dark. It added: There have been numerous instances throughout the year of essential maintenance work not done in a timely fashion, including six months to change a light bulb in the library. But one prison worker, who has been employed in the Prison Service for more than 15 years, said there would be little sympathy for inmates in the jail, built in 1850. He said: Lighting in cells can be a problem if there is limited natural daylight. Im not sure there will be much sympathy for prisoners though they are usually watching the telly rather than reading books, so lighting is probably not their greatest worry. Plans are in progress to install doors with bigger panels, letting more light in, but inmates also want better spotlights put in their cells (file image) The revelations will raise eyebrows at a time when there are concerns that prisons in England and Wales are becoming too cushy. In January, it was revealed that prisoners are set to be handed free electric kettles after jail inspectors said they shouldnt have to pay for their own to brew a cup of tea in their cells. The 620 prisoners at HMP Rye Hill in Warwickshire, which was converted into a sex offender-only jail last year, currently have to buy their own kettle from the prison catalogue. But after a report into the G4S-run jail by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, jail chiefs were told that lags should not be charged for kettles. Meanwhile, at Britains newest prison, the 212million showpiece HMP Berwyn on the outskirts of Wrexham, inmates will be held in rooms, not cells, they will be given telephones so they can say goodnight to their children and warders will have to knock before entering. Berwyn will be based on the so-called Mandela Rules a United Nations standard aimed at making custody as near as possible to time in the community because it is more civilised. The measures are crucial to the vision of Justice Secretary Michael Gove, who has called for a prisons revolution, bolstering rehabilitation and educating inmates, to end the lock em up or let em out debate. The victim, who survived, has been identified by family members as RoyLynn Rides Horse (pictured) Two people were charged in federal court Wednesday in the vicious assault of a woman who was beaten, strangled and set on fire on Montana's Crow Indian Reservation. Dimarzio Sanchez and Angelica Jo Whiteman appeared separately in US District Court in Billings before Magistrate Judge Carolyn Ostby on charges of assault with intent to commit murder and aiding and abetting. They did not enter pleas and were ordered back into custody pending further proceedings. Whiteman's defense attorney, Clifford Vernon, said following Wednesday's court appearance that it was too early in the process for him to make a statement about the case. Sanchez's attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The victim, who survived, has been identified by family members as RoyLynn Rides Horse. The assault attracted widespread attention from tribal leaders and state lawmakers, who expressed frustration at the sparse details by investigators prior to Wednesday's hearing. FBI Special Agent Aaron Christensen said in a court affidavit that the victim was at the Kirby Saloon in Kirby late on April 17 and got a ride home with the defendants. Following an argument, Christensen says the two defendants beat and attempted to strangle Rides Horse, then doused her with gasoline and set her on fire in a field east of Crow Agency. Rides Horse remained in the field for 14 hours before she was discovered. She suffered burns over 45 percent of her body and frostbite on her legs, according to court documents. She's being treated at a burn center in Utah. Scroll down for video The assault attracted widespread attention from tribal leaders and state lawmakers, who expressed frustration at the sparse details by investigators prior to Wednesday's hearing Four other people who were not named in the affidavit were in the vehicle Rides Horse and the suspects when the attack happened, according to Christensen. Three of those people provided law enforcement with information about what happened, the FBI agent stated. Sanchez is a member of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe, according to the affidavit. Whiteman is a member of the Crow Tribe. Suliman Gani, who launched legal proceedings against the defence secretary Michael Fallon for making claims he supported ISIS in a radio interview during the London mayoral contest Michael Fallon has paid thousands of pounds in compensation to a Muslim cleric he accused of supporting Islamic State, it emerged last night. Suliman Gani launched legal proceedings against the defence secretary for making the claims in a radio interview during the London mayoral contest. In a letter published yesterday, the Tory Cabinet minister admitted the comments were entirely untrue and apologised for the error and causing distress to Mr Gani and his family. Mr Gani, a former imam at the Tooting Islamic Centre in South London, was named in an attack on Labours Sadiq Khan during his campaign to become the capitals mayor. During a bitter battle for the post, the Tory candidate, Zac Goldsmith, and David Cameron said Mr Khan had shown poor judgment by sharing a platform with Mr Gani nine times. The Prime Minister, speaking in the House of Commons under parliamentary privilege which meant he could not be sued for defamation said Mr Gani supported the terror group and had questionable views about women and gay people. A spokesman for Mr Cameron conceded afterwards that Mr Gani had supported the creation of an Islamic state rather than backing the extremist organisation. But Mr Fallon repeated the original remarks outside the Commons which were not protected by parliamentary privilege and specifically referred to Daesh, another name for IS. Speaking on BBC Radio 4s Today programme in May, Mr Fallon described Mr Gani as a supporter of the terror group. In response, Mr Ganis lawyers sent a defamation claim to Mr Fallon. In a letter published on his website last night, Mr Fallon said he admitted the comments were entirely untrue. He said he made them after hearing them on a BBC TV programme some weeks earlier and was unaware that the BBC had later corrected that statement and apologised to Mr Gani. He said: Had I known of that correction and apology I would not have repeated the statement. I was made aware of the BBCs correction and apology a few hours after the broadcast and immediately issued a statement in an effort to put the record straight. Mr Fallon has paid thousands of pounds in compensation to Mr Gani after he made the comments He said he issued a further statement on May 11, which included an apology for repeating the statement. He added: I accept that you [Mr Gani] are entirely opposed to Daesh/Islamic State, that you regard it as incompatible with your religious and moral beliefs, and you have spoken out publicly against it. I repeat my apology for the error I made and for the distress that it caused to you and your family. In recognition of that distress I have agreed to make a payment of compensation and to meet your reasonable legal costs. Horrifying footage has emerged of drug dealers using hostages as human shields during a standoff in Deyang, China. The incident took place on June 20 after the suspects took the neighbours next door hostage, reports the People's Daily Online. After a standoff with police the hostages were freed and the suspects were detained. Shocking case: The suspects decided to use the hostages as protection from the SWAT team Horrifying: Three of the hostages were children while the other two were women over 50 years old Traumatising: The suspects broke into the victims apartment and took them hostage on June 20 The incident occurred when two suspected drug manufacturers and women traffickers were resisting arrest at around 5pm on June 20. Two suspects took control of an apartment in a high rise building that was being occupied by two women and three children. The women and children were taken hostage. The two women were over 50 years old. At around 6.50pm, Chengdu police decided to take action and attempt to rescue the hostages. Paying attention to safety, they decided to use dialogue to solve the issue while waiting for reinforcements. When the reinforcements arrived, police arranged surveillance of the perimeter and carried out surveillance of the area. Their main aim at that point was to get the suspects out of the house. Police were in deadlock with the suspects for more than an hour when the door of the apartment suddenly opened. They saw the suspects and the hostages huddled together with sheets over them, making it difficult to distinguish the suspects from the hostages. The police decided not to act due to the safety of the victims. The suspects took the elevator with the hostages circled around them. According to one witness: 'They were on the ground for a moment and the The suspects told the hostages to come to the apartment's main door to find that it had been heavily cordoned off and was surrounded by heavily armed police. Terrifying: Police, aware of the hostage situation tried to use dialogue to end the hostage situation The hostages in particular the children have been given counselling to help them get over the ordeal According to onlookers there was a sense of nervousness in the air. Suddenly two shots were fired and the group covered in sheets began to move. Mr Lee who was standing close by at the time said : 'Criminals and hostages covered themselves with blankets and were wrapped together as well as having a red carpet on their head. You couldn't tell who were hostages and who were criminals.' He recalls hearing the faint cry of a child. Suddenly police wearing shields quickly approached the group rushing them from the side and subdued the suspects. At this point the hostages were rescued and the crowd broke into applause. Zhang Jiankun, director of Community Committees in Deyang said she was informed of the situation by police. She says: 'I received a phone call and was shocked. I immediately notified all community workers who rushed to the scene.' According to Zhang, the hostages were given counselling. She said: 'Three of the hostages were children and were certainly under great shock and need psychological counselling.' Zhang said that the next community committees will aim to further strengthen the management of the area and keep an eye on the movement of persons. Police detained the suspects, one 34-year-old and another 25-year-old. They had a homemade pistol with bullets. According to onlookers, it was impossible to tell who were the suspects and who were the hostages The two were reunited thanks to a message Li's son posted on a website The younger sibling was later sold onto a family far away from her home separated in 1943 when Li was given away aged six The long-lost sisters from China broke down in tears as they met yesterday No matter how far apart you are, a sister will always be there for you. This can't be more true for a pair of siblings from China who were finally reunited yesterday after being separated for as long as 73 years. The long-lost siblings, 81-year-old Ai Shuzhang and 79-year-old Li Shurong, broke down in tears as they met for the first time since 1943 when Li was given away by their impoverished parents to a neighbour at the age of six, reported thePeople's Daily Online. Overcome with emotion: Li Shurong (right) meets her sister Ai Shuzhang (left) after more than seven decades 'I've finally found you': The two sisters were separated in 1943 when Li (right) was given to another family The siblings were seen embracing each other and weeping uncontrollably at the arrival hall of the Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in south China surrounded by families and media. Li, the younger sister, had travelled more than 1,860 miles from Changchun, a city in north-east China, to meet her sister Ai in Guangzhou, whom she had missed every day for more than seven decades. Upon meeting each other, Ai held her sibling and cried emotionally: 'After so many year, I've finally found you.' She then added: 'I'm sorry sister, I didn't protect you well.' According to their accounts, the two sisters were born in Funing County, central China's Hebei Province, to a war-stricken China. When Li was born in 1937, the country was wrecked by the Second Sino-Japanese War, a part of the Pacific Theater of World War II. Li and Ai are two out of three female siblings. The two have a youngest sister. Li recalled that their father had been forced to fight on the battle field and their mother had been abducted to work as a nanny for a rich family. Their father returned home from the war after a few years, but his health had been destroyed, the report said. He could no longer provide for the family. That's when the man decided to give away all of his three daughters. Blood is thicker than water: Li (right) was only six when her poverty-stricken father gave her to a neighbour, but the sisters bonded immediately after the runion Life long wishes: Both women had tried to find each other throughout the years, but only managed to get in touch in June this year Li (in black) travelled more than 1,860 miles from north-east China to meet her sister in south China yesterday Ai, who was the eldest of the trio, said: 'My younger sister, who was six, was given to a neighbour surnamed Xie. 'My youngest sister, who was just two, was given to another family living outside of our county.' Ai said his father finally decided to keep her because she told him at the time: 'I'm nine years old, I will support you even if I have to beg.' Younger sister Li, who was given to Xie by her father, said the neighbour later sold her onto a family named Li, who lived in north-east China. She remembered taking a train for days with Xie and arrived at the far-flung Nong'an County in Jilin Province. Li said he had tried to find her family members in 1960s after her late grandparents gave her Xie's address before passing away. She tracked down Xie's relative, but was told that all her family had passed away. Since then, Li has lived in Changchun, Jilin, and is now a great-grandmother. On the other hand, her sister Ai moved to Guangzhou with her husband in 1950s and has settled there since. Zhou Changshun, who is the youngest son of Li, said: 'During every festival when my mother saw other people visiting their own families, she also felt envious.' Memorable experience: Ai (pictured) moved to Guangzhou with her husband in 1950s and has since lived there A hug after 73 years: The two siblings were surrounded by families and media when they were reunited Media darlings: Their story has moved many reporters who travelled to the airport to interview the pair In April, Li's son Zhou decided to resort to the internet in helping her mother find her long-lost sister. Zhou posted a message on Baobeihuijia, a Chinese website for people to find their missing family members. The website's volunteers visited the sisters' hometown in Funing and managed to find one of their cousins, who said Li's sister Ai now lives in Guangzhou. The volunteers tracked down Ai in Guangzhou in May and told the pensioner that her sister had been looking for her. Upon hearing the news, Ai burned incense sticks in front of her late parents' pictures and prayed: 'Mother, it has been your life-long wish to see us sisters reunited. 'You waited until 96 years old and couldn't see it happening. Now we are finally going to meet.' In June, a DNA test arranged by Baobeihuijia confirmed that the two elderly women are indeed sisters. They had a video call shortly and met in person yesterday after Li took a three-hour flight from Changchun. Li said: 'As soon as I saw her, I knew this was my sister. We look too alike.' A woman in Ankang, China, has divorced her paralysed husband and remarried his best friend so that they can take care of her ex-husband together. Xie Xiping has been caring for her husband Xu Xihan since he was paralysed in a mining accident in 2002, reports the People's Daily Online. She later remarried Liu Zongkui and the three live under the same roof with their children. Touching: Xie Xiping and Liu Zhongkui have been caring for her ex husband who is paralysed Heartbreaking: The ex-husband Xu Xihan worked as a miner in Henan and was involved in an accident in 2002 A modern family: The three now live under the same roof and have a happy life with their children Xu Xihan and Xie Xiping married in 1996 and had a daughter the following year. After a few years, Xie Xiping gave birth to a boy. Xu Xihan was working in a mine in Henan province in 2002 when a boulder hit him and became paralysed from the waist down. He was paid 40,000 yuan (4,137) in compensation. The man's wife spent her time taking care of him however he was concerned when neighbours told him that they thought his wife would leave him within months. However Xie Xiping and their children did not leave, choosing to care for him. Xi Han Tu started telling his wife that she should divorce him and be happy with someone else. After time passed, Xie Xiping decided to divorce her husband and marry his colleague Liu Zongkui. In 2012 she gave birth to a son. All of the family live together under one roof. Tragic: The man said his friends told him that his wife would leave him because of his condition Devoted husband: He told his wife that she should go off and meet someone else and be happy Russia's plan to build a colony on the moon has begun taking shape. Roscosmos, the country's space agency, today announced plans to permanently station 12 cosmonauts on the lunar surface. The moon base will be used for research and mining of precious minerals - but some suggest it may also have a military purpose. Scroll down for video While the US has its sights largely set on Mars, Russia says it plans to conquer the moon. The nation is hoping to launch a lunar probe in 2024 to scout out colony locations, before landing humans on the moon in 2030 COULD TIM PEAKE BE THE NEXT MAN ON THE MOON? 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'. Advertisement '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 from the Central Research Institute of Machine Building told Izvestia. The base will be powered by a sub-surface energy station, near one of the moon's poles. A fallout shelter will also be installed underground, helping to shield the crew from both radiation and any nuclear attacks. Roscosmos has previously said it is hoping to launch a lunar probe in 2024 to scout out colony locations, before landing humans on the moon in 2030. According to Russian news agency TASS, work has already begun on building the Luna 25 lander that will pave the way for human exploration. Roscosmos is also developing the Angara-A5V heavy-lift carrier rocket to sent parts for a human base to the moon. Overall, Russia will complete the moon mission using six separate launches of the upcoming Angara rocket. The launch of Angara-A5 heavy booster at Plesetsk Cosmodrome on December 23, 2014 in Arkhangelsk Region, Russia. Several launches of this rocket will help Russia build a manned base on the moon Each launch will send a new module to the moon, creating the base piece by piece, in a similar way to how the ISS was put together. Assembly of the moon base is expected to take more than ten years. Russia's first manned flight to the moon could possibly be a year earlier, in 2029, according to the head of Russia's state-controlled Rocket and Space Corporation Energia. Vladimir Solntsev, president of RSC Energia, which is 38 per cent owned by the Russian state, made the predictions at a space technology conference in Moscow in October. Separately, Russian company Energia last month revealed draft plans for an 11.4 tonne reusable spacecraft that will take cargo and cosmonauts onto the lunar surface within five days. The 'Ryvok' project was announced in May at the Human Space Exploration international conference in Korolev, near Moscow. The shuttle will be sent on the ISS by Soyuz ships and Angara rockets. Prior to the lunar mission, another launch to the space station would send an 'accelerator block' to act as fuel for Ryvok. This makes the flight dramatically cheaper as instead of a needing a rocket, all that could be needed is a spacecraft and fuel to lift passengers to low-Earth orbit. When returning from the near-moon orbit, Ryvok would open an 'umbrella' of 55 square meters for braking in the Earth atmosphere. In the 1960s the Soviets began developing their own designs for a manned mission to land on the moon with its N1-L3 Lunar Lander (left). However, the project never flew and was eventually cancelled. Earlier this year the European Space Agency said it planned to work with Russia on its mission to land on the moon (right) Currently Russia's Soyuz spacecraft, which are built by RSC Energia, are the only vehicles capable of sending humans into space. Nasa has been relying upon the system to send its astronauts to the International Space Station along with regular supplies of cargo. In a statement posted on the RSC Energia website, Mr Solntsev said: 'The high-priority line of activities for Russian manned programs in the next 10 to 20 years is lunar exploration. 'Russia develops a new-generation advanced transportation spacecraft, in the nearest future development of other elements of the lunar program will also begin.' The new spacecraft, dubbed the Angara-A5V heavy-lift carrier rocket, is expected to be built using composites specifically designed for lunar missions. Russia has never landed a human on the moon and plans to do so drawn up in the 1960s were never completed after Nasa's Apollo moon landings. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin (right) speaks about plans for the new rocket. The new spacecraft, dubbed the Angara-A5V heavy-lift carrier rocket, is expected to be built using composites specifically designed for lunar missions Through the 1960s and 1970s there were 12 Nasa astronauts who landed and walked on the surface of the moon. Since Apollo 17 in 1972, however, there have been no humans to set foot on the lunar surface. A picture showing astronaut James Irwin, from Apollo 15, is shown above Instead, the country has concentrated on sending a series of unmanned probes to the lunar surface. However, it has not sent a spacecraft to the moon since the sample return mission Luna 24 in 1976. However, the country's new effort to send cosmonauts to the moon could see it beating US in its attempts to return to the lunar surface. Nasa had been planning to return humans to the lunar surface as part of its long-term plans to send astronauts to Mars. However, the plans were scrapped in 2010 favour of landing on an asteroid in an announcement by US President Barack Obama. Hit by major funding issues, a mission to the moon was seen as being a low priority although some officials have indicated Nasa may send future missions to orbit the dusty satellite. A recent study funded by Nasa has, however, also suggested Nasa is still hopeful about establishing a human presence on the surface of the moon. The Evolvable Lunar Architecture Plan outlined a cut price way of building a base on the moon for around $10 billion using private rockets and mining water ice from the poles. The study, conducted by NexGen Space LLC, said it would be possible to land humans on the moon within the next five to seven years and establish a base within 19 years. Russia's Soyuz spacecraft and rocket system is currently the only method used to send humans into space. RSC Energia, which builds Soyuz, says it is working on a new spacecraft specifically for mission to the moon A number of former Nasa staff have also suggested that the space agency is quietly planning a mission to the moon as part of its build up to Mars. However, Russia's ambitious plans to return to the moon could now trigger a new race to exploit the minerals and other resources on the lunar surface. Earlier this year, the European Space Agency said it was interested in joining Russia's attempts to colonise the moon. Esa and Roscosmos said they were working together to send a lander to the moon's south pole to look for water. The Lunar 27 mission will launch in 2020 and its primary mission will be to look for deposits of water ice in craters on the surface, which could be used by future manned colonies on the moon. Professor Igor Mitrofanov, one of the lead scientists on the project at the Space Research Institute in Moscow, told the BBC: 'We have to go to the Moon. 'The 21st Century will be the century when it will be the permanent outpost of human civilisation, and our country has to participate in this process.' According to a series of studies over the last few years, global sperm count is falling, and fertility problems affect one in eight couples. But instead of having to visit the doctor to check for fertility issues, men might soon be able to do this from the comfort of their own homes. A portable fertility test enabling men to test the quality of their sperm will soon be on sale in the US, after recently receiving FDA approval. Scroll down for video According to a series of studies over the last few years, global sperm count is falling, and fertility problems affect one in eight couples. But instead of having to visit the doctors to keep a check on their sperm count, men might soon be able to do this from the comfort and privacy of their own homes HOW IT WORKS Men place a small sample of their semen into a disposable cartridge and attach the cartridge to the base. It uses a centrifuge, a piece of equipment that puts an object in rotation around a fixed axis The base spins the cartridge, and the semen separates out into its component parts. The isolated sperm fills a visible chamber, like mercury in a thermometer. It marks on the cartridge to reveal whether the user has an optimal, moderate, or low sperm count. The results are based on World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines & clinical studies comparing couples' time to pregnancy with sperm counts. The device also pairs with a smartphone app, allowing users to track your sperm levels over time and compare results with the rest of the population. Advertisement The Trak, a desktop gadget that measures a man's sperm count, was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in April. The device, developed by Bay Area startup Sandstone Diagnostics, is powered by AA batteries and will cost $159.99 (109) when it goes on sale. It is expected to ship directly to consumers this Autumn, according to Stat News. The product will be available in the US only at first, because they have FDA approval. Greg Sommer and Ulrich Schaff, who founded a startup company, say the tests can give a result within minutes. 'We anticipate readiness for international sales within 1-2 years pending regulatory approvals,' Mr Sommer told MailOnline. The scientists came up with their idea while working at Sandia National Laboratories in California, where they created a device that quickly detects toxins or other biological threats. The pair then licensed the technology from Sandia, which formed the basis for their device, and in 2012, they founded Sandstone Diagnostics, to develop the fertility-test kit, which they called TrakFertility. Mr Sommer, who with his partner is now looking to market the device to consumers through a partnership with an established medical compan y, said that fertility solutions have traditionally been more focused on women. 'We want to help people conceive in a way never done before,' he said. 'The market today is completely focused on females to monitor hormones, temperatures and so forth for peak fertility windows each month. But one of every five men has low-sperm counts that can impair conception.' The device also pairs with a smartphone app, allowing users to track your sperm levels over time and compare results with the rest of the population. The device, developed by Bay Area startup Sandstone Diagnostics, is powered by AA batteries and will cost $159.99 (109) when it goes on sale Men place a small sample of their semen into a disposable cartridge and attach the cartridge to the base. It uses a centrifuge, a piece of equipment that puts an object in rotation around a fixed axis. The isolated sperm fills a visible chamber, like mercury in a thermometer WHAT MAKES TRAK DIFFERENT? Trak is the first test to use a centrifuge to detect sperm counts. This allows it to specify a range of sperm counts rather than just indicating whether it falls below or above a threshold, like a few other tests available. It is also the first to be paired with a phone app so users can track their sperm levels over time. The test also involves no lab techniques at home, making it simpler to use than others. 'We've tried to take out as many steps that could lead to user error as possible,' Mr Sommer told Diagnostic World News. 'You don't want to rely on people having to do precise pipetting or any kind of home chemistry. It has to be true sample-to-answer.' Advertisement Though it is not yet for sale, Sandstone Diagnostics, the company behind Trak is allowing people to reserve the device through its website. The site also encourages users to 'Improve your health, habits, and sperm to reach your goals.' The device works using a centrifuge, a piece of equipment that puts an object in rotation around a fixed axis. Men place a small sample of their semen into a disposable cartridge and attach the cartridge to the base. The isolated sperm fills a visible chamber, like mercury in a thermometer. It marks on the cartridge to reveal whether the user has an optimal, moderate, or low sperm count. The results are based on World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines & clinical studies comparing couples' time to pregnancy with sperm counts. The device also pairs with a smartphone app, allowing users to track your sperm levels over time and compare results with the rest of the population. Millions of British voters will tomorrow go to the polls to decide the future of their country in Europe. But in the build up to the EU referendum they are being besieged with spam generated by bots on social media as campaigners make a last ditch attempt to win their vote. Scientists looking at the use of the internet during the referendum campaign claim there has been an upsurge in automatic Twitter accounts generating political statements ahead of the poll. Researchers say there has been a surge in the activity of Twitter bots ahead of Britain's EU referendum on Thursday. They found just one per cent of 300,000 Twitter accounts posting about the referendum were responsible for a third of the activity, indicating they are automated accounts (such as @IVoteLeave pictured) They say that the majority of these seem to be for leaving the European Union with less than one per cent of social media accounts generating a third of all messages about the referendum. BREXIT VOTE SEARCH TRENDS Google has released data showing the terms Brits have been searching for in the run up to the 'Brexit' vote on 23rd June, with 'immigration' and 'NHS' top of the list. With so many conflicting points on such a complex issue, the data show many Brits are simply seeking a straight answer, searching for 'Why should we leave/stay in the EU?', followed closely by 'What will happen if?'. But the top question across the UK concerning the EU referendum is 'What is 'Brexit'?' referring to the term coined for Britain's exit from the EU. The data, which cover searches over a seven day period from 31st May to 7th June, provide a tantalising insight into what is most concerning people across the UK in the run up to the big vote. While opponents of the 'Remain' camp claim staying in the European Union will mean more bureaucracy and handing over the country's decision-making to Brussels, opponents of 'Leave' warn that going it alone could have a huge impact on the economy, workforce and future of the country. Google's data reveal that for British voters, immigration is the burning issue, barely shifting from the top spot since February. Other top search terms show voters are concerned about the impact of leaving the EU on the UK's the economy - which jostled with immigration for the top spot - as well as the health service, British sovereignty and national security. Advertisement Professor Philip Howard, who studies the use of digital media in politics at the Oxford Internet Institute at Oxford University and who spotted the trend, warned it could have a harmful effect. He told New Scientist: 'They can spread massive amounts of misinformation.' Professor Howard and his colleague Bence Kollanyi, a PhD student in sociology at Corvinus Univesrity in Budapest, examined more than 1.8 million tweets posted between 5 June and 12 June. They found 54 per cent of the tweets backed the pro-leave camp while 20 per cent were in favour of remaining in the European Union. But around half a million of the tweets were produced by just one percent of the 300,000 accounts they looked at. They found accounts like @ivoteLeave and @ivotestay were the two single most active accounts for each side of the debate and were bots. They both follow a similar algorithm where they mechanically retween messages from either side of the debate. Bizarrely, the researchers also found a pro-Palestine bot - @Col_Connaughton - also seems to have been repurposed to support the Brexit side of the campaign for a period. When MailOnline checked the account, however, it seems to have returned to Tweeting about Palestine again. Some of the accounts that the researchers identified as bots have since been suspsended by Twitter. Writing in a paper posted on the open source research website arXiv, the pair said: 'Bots have been used by political actors around the world to attack opponents, choke off hashtags, and promote political platforms. 'During this sample period, however, we found that social media bots were used mostly for amplifying messages rather than argumentative engagement or even impression management. 'In this analysis, we find that bots generate a noticeable portion of all the traffic about the UK referendum, very little of it original. 'Bots are mostly used to retweet content about StrongerInBrexit issues. 'It is difficult to say how much public opinion is shaped by political discourse on this topic over social media or what the influence of bots is on public sentiment.' The researchers found that leave campaigners appear to be making greater use of Twitter bots than the stay campaign, but both sides had attempted to use these automated accounts (Pro-EU bot @IVoteStay pictured) Researchers fear that increased social media activity for one side of the campaign could give a misleading impression that the groundswell of public opinion was tipping in one direction (tweet by pro-leave bot pictured) New Scientist also reports that another group of researchers at Sadbottrue.com has identified a number of Twitter bots posting about the EU referendum. They said 90 per cent of the 200 most frequent retweeters of pro-leave or pro-remain content appeared to be automated. Susan Banducci, a social scientist at the University of Exeter, warned that social media bots could give the unfair impression of a groundswell of support for either side of the campaign. Currently polls show that the vote is likely to be extremely close with just a per cent or two between each side of the campaign. She told New Scientist that it : 'If people sense that the leave campaign, for example, is way ahead and the sentiment is moving in that direction, they might be discouraged from voting.' Bizarrely some Twitter bots that post on other issues such as Palestine (pictured) have been found to be posting tweets in favour of leaving the European Union The hopes of Mars mission hopefuls may have been dealt a blow today. The head the European Space Agency (Esa) said they may be waiting at least 15 years for the necessary technology to be developed. Director-General of Esa, Jan Woerner, poured doubt on chances of an earlier window for the epic journey, citing financial restraints. Those with aspirations of heading to Mars (pictured) may have to wait a little longer. The head the European Space Agency said it may take at least 15 years for the necessary technology to be developed MARS MISSIONS FACE DELAY Director-General of the European Space Agency, Jan Woerner, claims the technology needed for manned missions to Mars is at least 15 years away. Space agencies would need rockets which could land on the red planet and take off again. The agency chief said a permanent human settlement on the moon, where 3D printers could be used to turn moon rock into essential items needed for the round trip to Mars, would be a major step toward the red planet. Advertisement 'If there was enough money then we could possibly do it earlier but there is not as much now as the Apollo programme had,' said Woerner, referring to the US project which landed the first people on the moon in the 1960s. The agency chief said a permanent human settlement on the moon, where 3D printers could be used to turn moon rock into essential items needed for the round trip to Mars, would be a major step toward the red planet. US space agency Nasa hopes to send astronauts to Mars in the mid-2030s and entrepreneur Elon Musk, who heads SpaceX, says he plans to send unmanned spacecraft to the red planet as early as 2018, with manned missions by 2030. However, Woerner claims it will take longer. A spacecraft sent to Mars would need rockets and fuel powerful enough to lift back off for the return trip and the humans would need protection from unprecedented physical and mental challenges as well as deep-space radiation. Director-General of Esa, Jan Woerner (pictured), poured doubt on chances of an earlier window for the epic journey, citing financial restraints Woerner would like to see a cluster of research laboratories on the moon, at what he calls a 'moon village', to replace the International Space Station when its lifetime ends and to test technologies needed to make the trip to Mars. That could be funded and operated by a collection of private and public bodies from around the world, he said in an interview at the ESA's Operations Centre. 'There are various companies and public agencies asking to join the club now, so they want to do different things, resource mining, in situ research, tourism and that kind of stuff. There is a big community interested,' he told Reuters. Working with Russian space agency Roscosmos, Esa launched an orbiter in March which is destined for Mars 'The moon village is a pit stop on the way to Mars,' said Woerner, adding that new 3D printing technology could be used to build material and structures out of rocks and dust, doing away with the cost of transporting everything needed for a mission. 'To test how to use lunar material to build some structures, not only houses, but also for a telescope or whatever, will teach us also how to do it on Mars,' he said. Working with Russian space agency Roscosmos, Esa launched an orbiter in March which is destined for Mars. The craft is deep into its seven-month journey as part of the agency's ExoMars mission, which will use an atmospheric probe to sniff out signs of life on Mars and deploy a lander to test technologies needed for a rover scheduled to follow in 2020. Woerner said Europe was looking at ways to lower the cost of launches but did not plan to copy Elon Musk's SpaceX, which is trying to develop relatively cheap, reusable launch vehicles. 'We should not copy. To follow and copy does not bring you into the lead. We are looking for totally different approaches,' Woerner said, adding Esa was examining all manner of new technologies, including air-breathing engines that do not need to tap into oxygen from a spacecraft's tank. Advertisement On the longest day of the year - the summer solstice - astronomers around the world were treated to a 'strawberry moon' in the night's sky. But one stargazer managed to get a view of the full moon from a very unique angle - photographing it from space. The name of the full moon in June is thought to originate with Native American tribes, because they believed it signalled the beginning of the strawberry picking season. This year the longest day of the year, known as the summer solstice, coincided with a 'strawberry moon.' Many people took pictures of the moon from viewpoints on Earth, but one lucky astronaut also managed to photograph the phenomenon from space, pictured FULL MOON ON A SOLSTICE The start of summer brings the longest day of the year, or the summer solstice. This occurs when the tilt of Earth's semi-axis, in either northern or southern hemispheres, is most inclined toward the sun. A full moon occurs when the moon is in opposition to the sun - which means the Earth and the sun are on opposite sides of the Earth. A full moon in June is called the 'strawberry moon', because it used to be an indicator of the best time to pick the fruit. This month's 'strawberry moon' - another name for a full moon in June - will have an added bonus, it will fall on the same day as the 2016 summer solstice. Advertisement This year, on 20 June, it coincided with the longest day of the year, meaning for many there were fewer hours of darkness in which to enjoy the spectacle. But for Expedition 48 Commander Jeff Williams, a Nasa astronaut on board the International Space Station, it was an opportunity to capture a unique photograph, which he took on 21 June. Mr Williams wrote on Twitter: 'A spectacular rise of the full moon just before sunset while flying over western China.' A full moon occurs when the moon is in opposition to the sun - which means the Earth and the sun are on opposite sides of the Earth. The space station orbits the Earth at an altitude of roughly 255 miles (410km), travelling at 17,100 miles (27,600km) per hour. 'Although crew members on the International Space Station view literally hundreds of scenes of the moon rising and setting over Earth on each several- month increment, the home planet's natural satellite never ceases to escape the crew's attention and impulse to grab a camera from time to time,' a post on the Nasa website says. A full moon in June is called the 'strawberry moon', because it used to be an indicator of the best time to pick the fruit. This month's 'strawberry moon' - another name for a full moon in June - had an added bonus, it fell on the same day as the 2016 summer solstice. The term 'solstice' derives from the Latin word 'solstitium', meaning 'sun standing still'. This occurs when the tilt of Earth's semi-axis, in either northern or southern hemispheres, is most inclined toward the sun. The June 2016 full moon hit its peak fullness at 6:02 a.m. CDT Monday 20 June, while the moment of the solstice wwas later in the day at 5:34 p.m. Since the solstice, the days have started to shorten in the northern hemisphere. The way that the stones are positioned at Stonehenge is said to be aligned with sunrises on the two annual solstices - summer and winter. Use the module below or visit the website to see when the ISS will be visible from your city The Supermoon of 2013 at 5 AM June 24 2013 Lititz, Pennsylvania, was also a strawberry moon. Despite the name, the moon will not appear pink or red. It is the name given by Native American tribes to the June full moon which they believed signalled the beginning of the strawberry picking season Some 12,000 gathered at Stonehenge, many adopting the hippy-like fashion of stringing garlands of flowers in their hair although many appeared more interested in taking selfies of the sun rising the next morning. SOLSTICES AND EQUINOXES 2016 Vernal Equinox: 20 March 04:30 GMT Summer Solstice: 20 June 22:34 GMT Autumnal Equinox: 22 September 14:21 GMT Winter Solstice: 21 December 10:44 GMT Advertisement It was the first time that those attending the special occasion were not permitted to toast the day with a celebratory drink after English Heritage banned alcohol. The charity, which manages Stonehenge, justified the decision because it had seen growing levels of 'drunken and disrespectful behaviour'. The new policy was met with protests, and around 12,000 druids boycotted the religious site after the introduction of a 15 parking charge. The summer solstice is a highly significant pagan tradition for many. It occurs when the tilt of the Earth's axis is most inclined towards the sun, creating the longest period of daylight in the year. The way the stones are positioned at Stonehenge is said to be aligned with sunrises on the two annual solstices. The start of summer brings the longest day of the year, or the summer solstice. This occurs when the tilt of Earth's semi-axis, in either northern or southern hemispheres, is most inclined toward the sun Those gathered at Stonehenge took selfies and photos of the spectacular moon and sun rise. However they were unable to have a celebratory drink due to a ban by English Heritage The sun was exceptionally high while the moon remained unusually low, which gave it an amber hue. Pictured, the strawberry moon lights up the sky above the River Thames in London, United Kingdom Wiltshire Police said the celebrations at Stonehenge and at the nearby Avebury stone circle were 'positive and peaceful'. There was a no-fly zone over the monument for drones and unmanned aerial vehicles during the solstice. Kate Davies, English Heritage's general manager of Stonehenge, said: 'The summer solstice at Stonehenge is one of the most special times in the year for the monument. 'This year, we had a spectacular strawberry moon and a glorious sunrise. We were delighted to see how many families came to the solstice this year. 'We are pleased with how the celebrations have gone. This year we introduced some changes and people embraced them, both respecting and understanding the reason for these changes.' The strawberry moon rises above Glastonbury Tor in Somerset. The phenomenon occurs when a full moon and the summer solstice occur on the same day and is named because American tribes believed this was when the fruit could start being picked Andrew Sharpe took this photo of the straberry moon above Ely cathedral, which is known as the Ship of the Fens The Sun rising over Stonehenge on the morning of the Summer Solstice (21st June 2005). The way that the stones are positioned at Stonehenge is said to be aligned with sunrises on the two annual solstices - summer and winter They are some of the heaviest objects in the universe providing the gravitational glue that holds entire galaxies together, but the majority of supermassive black holes are dormant. But astronomers have discovered one of these sleeping giants flickering back to life in a feeding frenzy as it tears apart a star that has strayed too close. The resulting X-ray fireworks have allowed the researchers to make the first detailed observations of a dormant supermassive black hole. Astronomers have been given a rare glimpse of dormant supermassive black hole after spotting the x-ray fireworks bouncing around inside the disk of debris left after a star strayed too close and was torn apart. They found the x-rays originated from deep inside the debris disk, known as an accretion disk (artist's impression) WAKING A DORMANT BLACK HOLE Supermassive black holes are hundreds of thousands to billions of times more massive than our sun and are found at the centre of every known galaxy. Around 90 per cent of these are dormant black holes, so are not actively devouring matter, meaning there is no light or radiation being given off from the material around them. However, they can become active again if a star strays to close and is torn apart by the intense gravity fields surrounding them. In the case of Swift J1644+57, it consumed the material from the shredded star so quickly, the event briefly exceeded the Eddington Limit -the theoretical maximum 'speed limit' that defines how fast a black hole can consume matter. This finding can help astronomers to understand how supermassive black holes grow to their enormous masses - up to several million times the mass of the sun. 'The meaning of this extends far beyond the studies of tidal disruption events,' said Dr Lixin Dai, a physicist at the University of Maryland who was a co-author on the latest study. 'It can help us understand how the biggest black holes in the universe formed and co-evolved with their host galaxies.' Advertisement Normally dormant supermassive black holes do not give off any light or radiation as they are not actively devouring matter. They can only be indirectly observed by the pattern of stars around them. But astronomers at the University of Maryland and the University of Michigan were able to observe x-rays bouncing around a disk of debris around a supermassive black hole called Swift J1644+57. Sitting in the centre of a small galaxy in the Draco constellation about 3.8 billion light years away, the giant black hole appears to have woken from its slumber to destroy the star. What remains of stars devoured by the black hole sit around it in a puffy cloud known as an accretion disk. The X-rays given off by the star as it was torn apart have helped to illuminate this disk. Dr Erin Kara, an astronomer at the University of Maryland who was the lead author of the study, said: 'Before this result, there was no clear evidence that we were seeing into the innermost regions of the accretion disk. 'We thought the emission was from the jet pointed at us, or further away and not close to central black hole. 'This new study shows us that, actually, we can see this reverberation at work very close to the central black hole.' The feeding frenzy that occurs when a star strays too close to a dormant star is known as a tidal disruption event. Occassionally these light up with x-rays. The disk of debris acts like a reflective shield behind a flashlight bulb, reflecting and focusing the radiation given off. Dr Kara said: 'Most tidal disruption events don't emit much in the high-energy X-ray band. 'But there have been at least three known events that have, and this is the first and only such event that has been caught at its peak. The supermassive black hole Swift J1644+57 sits in a small galaxy about 3.8 billion light years from Earth. It was first spotted in 2011 as bright flares were given off by the accretion disk around it Conventional wisdom among astronomers has long held that, during a tidal disruption event, high-energy X-rays are created further from the black hole in the relativistic jets - huge beams of particles ejected by the black hole and accelerated to nearly the speed of light. But seeing X-ray emissions bouncing off the walls of the inner accretion disk has cast a new light on this assumption. The team used X-ray reverberation mapping to chart out the inside of the accretion disk, much in the same way that sound waves can be used to map the seafloor or canyons by measuring the time delays of echoes. The researchers, whose work is published in the journal Nature, computed small delays in the arrival time of X-ray signals reflected from iron atoms in the accretion disk. Dr Kara said: 'We know how sound echoes in a large auditorium, for example. Because we know the speed of sound, we can use the time delay information to calculate the shape of the auditorium. 'We are doing the same with X-ray radiation to map out the inner accretion disk. It's a cool, novel technique that has only been developed within the last six years.' An accretion disk forms around a supermassive black hole when a star strays too close and is torn apart (illustrated) To date, most of what astronomers know about supermassive black holes comes from a handful of black holes that are actively gathering and consuming matter. It is thought, however, that these account for just 10 per cent of the supermassive black holes in the universe. Professor Chris Reynolds, co-author of the study and an astronomer at the University of Maryland, said: 'Understanding the black hole population in general is important. 'Black holes have played an important role in how galaxies evolved. So even if they're dormant now, they weren't before. 'If we only look at active black holes, we might be getting a strongly biased sample. It could be that these black holes all fit within some narrow range of spins and masses. 'So it's important to study the entire population to make sure we're not biased. 'Looking at tidal disruption events with reverberation mapping might help us probe the spin of black holes in the future. 'But just as importantly, we can follow along after an event and watch how the accretion disk spins down and energy dissipates as the black hole returns to a quiescent state. 'We might finally be able to observe all of these various states that, so far, we only know from theory textbooks.' The West Coast may soon become a massive racetrack for flying cars. Just days after the US federal government took a major step toward legalizing the versatile craft, inventor Dezso Molnar has announced the start of a revolutionary racing series. The inaugural flying car race is set to take place next year, and so far, 22 teams have been invited. The proposed races are an attempt to boost the development of this technology, using competition to bring innovators together. Pictured above is the Maverick, one of the craft invited to participate in Flying Car Racing FLYING CARS INCH CLOSER TO LEGALITY The Transition was recently granted an exemption by the FAA. This has folding wings so it can drive on the ground like a car, or take to the sky. The exemption allows it to be classified as a 'light-sport' craft. These aircraft weigh roughly 1,300 pounds and have fixed landing gear. They seat a maximum of two people, including the pilot. And to operate them, one must have a sport pilot certificate, which requires just 20 hours of training. Advertisement Revealed in a series of interviews with Gizmag, the proposed races are an attempt to boost the development of this technology, using competition to bring innovators together. The Flying Car Racing series will be divided among three categories of vehicles: radio controlled, electric, and unlimited flying cars. Radio controlled vehicles are unmanned and guided by a human operator, while the others are both manned. In the course, the vehicles must fly and drive 219 miles from California's El Mirage Lake, a dry lakebed, to the planned El Dorado Droneport in Nevada, near Boulder City. The lakebed aims to provide a safe environment for high speed ground testing, as well as take-off and landing. Here, pilots can drive their vehicles as fast as they want to, but must abide by the speed limit on the streets. In the course, the vehicles must fly and drive 219 miles from California's El Mirage Lake, a dry lakebed, to the planned El Dorado Droneport in Nevada, near Boulder City 'It's a 200-mile (322-km) course through the desert, the classic Route 66 on the ground, and there's Class G airspace and about 15 airports in between,' Molnar told Gizmag. 'So if somebody has an ultralight aircraft, and it's a flying car, they will be able to fly their aircraft over completely unpopulated areas and compete between those two spots.' The competition so far has just three requirements. Inventor Dezso Molnar has announced the start of a revolutionary racing series for flying cars. Pictured above is the Terrafugia, one of the craft invited to participate in the races. This vehicle has folding wings so it can drive like a car, or take to the skies All participants must be able to legally operate their flying cars both on the ground and in the air along the designated route. The Transition is pictured above All participants must be able to legally operate their flying cars both on the ground and in the air along the designated route. If they're not street legal, they may only take place in 'restricted trials' and above the El Mirage. And, radio-controlled vehicles will be required to be raced within the visual range of the operator both on land and in the air. The many flying cars vary in design, from gyrocopters to lightweight planes with folding wings. The Aeromobil is pictured above There are multiple airports along the route, and Molnar explains that they will split up the trips, alternating between driving and flying. Among the craft invited to race are the Maverick, Caravella Aerospace's Caravellair, the Aeromobil, and Terrafugia's Transition. The many flying cars vary in design, from gyrocopters to lightweight planes with folding wings. If they're not street legal, they may only take place in 'restricted trials' and above the El Mirage. The Switchblade flying trike is pictured above, in flight mode, with the Pal-V is pictured left, in gyroplane mode The flying car races were announced just days after the US federal government took a major step toward legalizing the versatile craft. A craft from Caravella Aerospace is pictured above It's been a big week for flying cars, and for Terrafugia in particular. The Transition was recently granted an exemption by the FAA, allowing it to be classified as a 'light-sport' craft, according to the Washington Post. These aircraft weigh roughly 1,300 pounds and have fixed landing gear. They seat a maximum of two people, including the pilot. A professional adventurer is on a life's mission to inspire children and kick-start the travelling bug early. Huw James, who is also a space scientist and trained mountain leader, is extolling the positive effects of seeing the world as a young person and how it can help people become more well-rounded adults. With access to cheap airfares and discount travel websites, it is more affordable than ever to visit foreign countries but many families still choose to vacation near home. Huw James is a Welsh adventurer, space scientist and mountain leader But James, who also runs a business called Anturus that provides resources to get children and adults interested in science through expeditions, told MailOnline Travel that children who experience difference cultures can grow up more open-minded and confident. He said: 'At home, we have ways of looking at the world through a window. 'But by travelling abroad, you come in contact with other races which is good - people who dont leave their town only see people from their own backgrounds. 'If you see you see other cultures doing the same thing that you do in your town, it helps you to become more open-minded as an adult.' James, pictured in the Alps, says travelling at a young age helps a child become well-rounded James wasn't well-travelled as a boy - like many children of the 1980s he spent holidays on camping trips in his homeland, Wales. Then around the age of nine, the trips began to go further afield to places like Spain and France, but the seminal moment came between the ages of 10 and 15 when James went to visit family in Nebraska. His trips were experienced in stark contrast to other children from the Welsh Valleys where he grew up, who never travelled. But James believes that humans are supposed to travel - he thinks it's in our genes. He said: 'Its nature versus nurture - we were born to be travellers. 'We populated the whole globe by being curious, so its not that we forgot to travel, it's that we are encouraged not to by staying in one place.' James believes that travelling to destinations like Alaska, pictured, can help to allow a child's confidence grow James acknowledges that it isn't easy for everyone to travel, with things like family responsibilities, jobs and mortgages all playing their part in restricting travel ambitions. But equally, he says, Brits have it much easier than most. He said: 'For such a small island that is in such a big community like the EU, were not limited by where we go to and a British passport gets you into a lot of places. 'We have a responsibility to show other children that there are other cultures out there - it's very beneficial for society, especially one like the UK's that has so many cultures, to do this. 'Everyone has excuses not to go travelling - not everyone can quit their jobs and travel the world, which makes it even more important to do that in your formative years.' Travelling and paying attention to the world can enable a child's confidence to grow, he suggests. James in the Alps with a friend on a climbing expedition in his role as a mountain leader James believes that a healthy curiosity about the world teaching a child to think for themselves. He said: 'I try and broaden minds by encouraging people to be curious and in the study of the natural world of science, the world of travel is very much a part of that. 'Its important to ask questions like, 'What is it like to stand on a volcano?' and to be able to answer it for yourself. 'When you grow up in the natural world, which travellers are part of, it gives you skills that can help you in life. 'And when it is so easy and cheap for us to travel, its strange that we choose not to do it.' A British pensioner who claims he contracted Legionnaires' disease on holiday in Greece is taking legal action against tour operator Thomas Cook. David Townend, 69, believes a dirty showerhead at his hotel in Troulos, on the island of Skiathos, is to blame after he suffered the rare and potentially life-threatening lung infection. Townend, from Chorley, Lancashire, said he came down with a fever and chills during his 900, two-week break with his wife, Diana, 63, in May. David Townend fell ill while he and his wife, Diana, were on a two-week holiday on the Greek island of Skiathos The couple, from Chorley, Lancashire, had enjoyed two problem-free holidays with Thomas Cook in the past. The retired sign writer and grandfather-of-ten initially thought he had spent too much time in the sun, but was diagnosed with Legionnaires' disease after he returned home, visited his GP and was admitted to hospital. The father-of-nine said the symptoms surfaced 10 days into the holiday, and he was so ill he doesn't remember the flight back to Manchester Airport and had to be helped off the plane. He said he visited his GP that day and spent five days in hospital, where he was given antibiotics and an IV drip because he was severely dehydrated. Townend, who booked the holiday through Thomas Cook, said: 'At first I thought I'd just spent too much time in the sun but I gradually got worse all holiday and soon became really worried. 'The illness made everything such hard work and I quickly became very tired and started to suffer from headaches. I was in a hot country but I kept on shivering. I just did not know what was happening.' Townend said he was only able to eat small amounts of food, felt tired constantly and did not want to leave his hotel room. Townend, a retired sign worker, said he is still feeling the effects of Legionnaires' disease, including tiredness This was the fifth time the couple had visited Skiathos, and they booked this trip through Thomas Cook He added: 'I obviously didn't go on holiday expecting to come back feeling terrible and needing hospital treatment. You never expect something like that to happen. 'I only realised how serious it was when Environmental Health officers came to see me in hospital. I was absolutely shocked when I found out I nearly died.' It's been five weeks since the couple returned home, and Townend claims he is still feeling the effects of the disease, including tiredness. While he could seek compensation from Thomas Cook, Townend claims he just wants to know what caused the illness to prevent it from happening to others. This was the fifth visit to Skiathos for Townend and his wife, a retired bank worker. The Townends, who have been married six years, had enjoyed two problem-free holidays with Thomas Cook in the past. WHAT IS LEGIONNAIRES' DISEASE? Legionnaires' disease is a serious lung infection caused by Legionella bacteria. The NHS said it is usually caught by breathing in small droplets of contaminated water, and it cannot be spread directly from person to person. Legionalla bacteria is usually found in sources of water such as ponds, rivers and lakes, but the bacteria can rapidly multiply if they enter artificial water supply systems such as air conditioning systems, the NHS said. Large buildings such as hotels or hospitals are more vulnerable to Legionalla contamination. Initial symptoms usually include flu-like symptoms such as mild headaches, muscle pain, fever, chills, tiredness or confusion, the NHS said. People may experience pneumonia symptoms such as a persistent cough, shortness of breath or chest pains once the bacteria infects the lungs. It usually takes six to seven days for symptoms to surface, although it could range from two to 19 days, the NHS said. The presence of bacteria can be confirmed through a urine test. Advertisement Diana Townend said: 'You never expect to go on holiday and develop a serious disease. Everyone we have told has been really shocked. 'At first, David just felt very hot and we thought it was because he had been on the beach too long. But he got more and more ill and became more and more confused as his condition worsened daily. 'Eventually, he became very confused and disorientated and didn't know where he was. I was really frightened and worried about David - it's an extremely serious disease.' The Townends said they complained to Thomas Cook and received an acknowledgement of their complaint, but have not heard back from the tour operator. They have instructed a law firm, Irwin Mitchell, to investigate. The Townends claim the showerhead in their hotel room was dirty, did not work properly and did not provide hot water in the morning. A spokesman for Thomas Cook said: 'We are very sorry to hear that Mr Townend fell ill on holiday. 'We know how important holidays are to our customers and how upsetting it can be to fall unwell while overseas. 'We will liaise with the Townend's appointed solicitor on the matter.' Amandeep Samra, representing the couple, said: 'Legionnaires' disease is very serious and can be fatal if contracted by vulnerable people. 'Although at present the root cause in this case is not yet known, the risks of Legionnaires' disease have been known for many years and there are very strict guidelines in place for hotels to prevent the spread of the disease. 'They include maintaining hot and cold water within the correct temperature range and strict maintenance of any storage tanks containing water to prevent the transmission of the bacteria. 'If these guidelines are not followed, the effects of an outbreak can be devastating.' Meanwhile, Dr John Astbury, from Public Health England North West, said: 'Public Health England North West's Cumbria and Lancashire Health Protection team and Chorley Council are aware of a confirmed cases of legionnaire's disease in a traveller that has recently returned from Greece. It has since been removed from the site because of quality standards The station in Salinas, California, was The smell of petrol regularly features in polls of people's favourite scents but does anyone love it enough to actually stay in a gas station over night? One Californian man certainly thought so, as he put his pump station business up for rent on AirbnB. Owner Pete Shen put the Sanborn and Market Gas in Salinas on the home-sharing website with a view to renting it out for $50 (37) a night. Pete Shen listed his petrol station on the home-sharing website Airbnb Guests were allowed free reign of the convenience shop onsite from the hours of 10pm to 5am, with the owner touting its 'easy freeway access' and good location near the centre of Salinas. The listing doesn't come with a bed, so customers are advised to bring an air mattress, but they do get free ice cream and 'all you can drink'. Shen told local television station KSBW: 'It's just a toilet, basic needs, some running water, hot water, some drinks, coffee, some ice cream. 'I'm the guinea pig in the commercial business so far for Airbnb.' Because of the lack of creature comforts, Shen hoped people would instead want to stay overnight for the 'experience'. According to the listing, the petrol station is in a good location near the centre of Salinas with 'easy freeway access' He said: 'Rather than stay at a real nice comfy luxury place, this has a real nice experience.' He wasn't wrong either - after putting the listing up he had several customers get in touch. He said: 'I've leased it for about two weeks now and we've had over 200 views on our listing.' However, the listing has since been removed from the rental site because of quality standards. He is best known to fans as Luke Skywalker in the iconic Star Wars films. But Mark Hamill is set to turn his hand to comedy as he prepares to join the cast of the hit British sitcom Man Down for its third series. The 54-year-old actor will feature alongside the star of the show comedian Greg Davies, who shot to fame as the contemptuous head of sixth form, Mr Gilbert, in The Inbetweeners. Scroll down for video New challenge: Mark Hamill is set to turn his hand to comedy as he prepares to join the cast of the hit British sitcom Man Down for its third series Mark's new role has not yet be revealed, but it is not thought he will step in for Greg's on-screen father, who was played by Rik Mayall until his death in 2014. Shortly after the actor's death, Greg confirmed he had no intention of recasting the part and said he preferred to introduce a completely new character instead. 'The adoration poured out for him. So never for a second did I think, "That's OK, we'll just get another dad in",' Greg explained. Mark joined the Man Down cast shortly after he reprised his best known role for the latest instalment of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Offbeat show: Mark's new role in the show has not yet be revealed, but it is not thought he will step in for Greg's on-screen father, who was played by Rik Mayall until his death in 2014 Prior to his appearance, Mark was consistently coy about whether he would star in the movie. But, along with other members of the original cast, including Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher, he made his long-awaited returns to the franchise last year. Starring alongside Greg and Mark in the British series will be Beverly Hills Cop star Steven Berkoff and Blackadder actor Sir Tony Robinson - known as the hapless Baldrick. Man Down, which hit screens in 2013, focuses on the plight of Greg's on-screen character, who faces a life-defining choice of continuing with the teaching job he has always hated or ditching it to find something more enjoyable. Kirstie Alley couldn't contain her excitement as she announced the birth of her grandchild on Twitter on Tuesday. The 65-year-old actress shared a photo of her son William True Parker, 23, cuddling his newborn baby. She captioned the photo: 'When your son has a son...bliss...yes this is my secret happy news as promised ...Welcome Waylon Tripp Parker.' New beginnings! Kirstie Alley couldn't contain her excitement as she announced the birth of her grandchild on Twitter on Tuesday; seen is her son William True Parker and his son Waylon Kirstie and ex-husband Parker Stevenson were married for fourteen years but divorced in 1997. During their marriage they adopted William and his sister Lillie Price as babies, and co-parented their children even after their split. The former couple made William a part of their family in 1992 and adopted daughter Lillie, 22, in 1994. All in the family: Nick Trela (left) was engaged to Kirstie Alley's daughter Lillie (to his right). They are here with mom Kirstie Alley, close friend Kelly Preston, John Travolta's wife, and True Parker, Kirstie's son Kirstie's daughter Lillie, 21, lost her fiance Nick Trela in November 2014 as he was killed in a motorcycle accident in Los Angeles. He died instantly after being sideswiped by a car. He and Lillie, who he dated for four years, had been planning their wedding together. Family time! Kirstie pictured here with her children, 12-year-old son True and 10-year-old daughter Lillie, in 2005 John Travolta and wife Kelly Preston were at Kirstie's side in the wake of the horrific family tragedy that claimed the life of Nick. John and Kelly offered their support to Kirstie and her ex-husband Parker Stevenson at a memorial service for Nick. Parker was allowed to attend the ceremony at the Hollywood Scientology Center despite having left the church when he and Kirstie divorced in 1997. Former MasterChef New Zealand chef Nadia Lim has told how she made a dash to hospital to have the tip of her index finger sewn back on. The 30-year-old self-proclaimed nude cook revealed she was preparing lunch when she accidentally chopped off the top of her finger and was forced to go to A and E to get it stitched back on. Nadia, who is of Chinese-Malaysian heritage, took to Facebook on Tuesday to post a bandaged snap of the bloody appendage writing: 'Lucky I saved my piece of finger (in a little plastic bag, in a chiller bag).' Scroll down for video MasterChef New Zealand chef Nadia Lim reveals she made a dash to hospital to have the tip of her index finger sewn back on after chopping it off while preparing lunch She added: 'This afternoon I ended up slicing the top of my finger off and had to go to A and E to get the chopped off piece put back on! 'Must have been over excited about launching today when I was making lunch,' she wrote. The pretty TV personality put the severed part into a plastic bag in the freezer to save the tissue from further damage. Successful: Nadia, a former MasterChef New Zealand winner, is currently turned her passion into a profitable business as one of the founders of My Food Bag Experts advise it is better to keep the amputated finger wrapped in clingfilm, on ice, preferably in a jar or cup with a lid - not in in water as this will cause it to shrivel up and become unusable for surgeons to reattach. Nadia, a former MasterChef New Zealand winner, is currently turned her passion into a profitable business as one of the founders of My Food Bag. The business, which operates in New Zealand and Australia, turns over $60 million annually but Mrs Lim told Daily Mail Australia while it has changed her life, it has had a greater impact on the lives of home cooks. Passionate: The cook is driven by healthy eating and says her food bags are encouraging children to cook 'Its changing the way people eat, said Mrs Lim, who splits her time between New Zealand and Australia. The feedback we get is astounding, people say it has improved or even fixed their marriage. Partners who never used to cook are now cooking, kids are now cooking a few nights a week and that has a huge impact on their future. 'Its changing the way people eat, said Mrs Lim, who splits her time between New Zealand and Australia The idea behind My Food Bag, and My Own Food Bag for single people, is simple. Customers choose from a selection of potential ingredients and meals that are then delivered to their door along with a list of easy-to-follow recipes. But while the recipes take half-an-hour to prepare at home, Mrs Lim said a lot of work went into developing each dish. In the very beginning there was just five of us, it was very hands-on, Mrs Lim said. Now we have about 70 staff that are doing the same job we used to do between us. We have a database of around 3,500 recipes. 'It has improved or even fixed their marriage': The 30-year-old says her bid to encourage people to cook is saving relationships The business was a risk for Mrs Lim and her husband Carlos Bagrie, the companys creative director. Both quit their day jobs and a comfortable salary to focus on the business. The partnered with co-founder Theresa Catting, who has appeared in Forbes' list of the world's 50 most powerful women, and business powerhouses Cecilia Robinson, CEO and co-founder. I think we all knew it would do well, we knew this was a real problem point for so many people, Mrs Lim said. She turned her back on the modelling world in the hopes to be taken seriously as an actress. But Australian beauty Abbey Lee clearly still has the wow factor, posing topless in an edgy photo-shoot for V Magazine's V102 issue out next month. In a feature titled Killing It, the 29-year-old stands strong, glaring over her shoulder and holding a kitchen knife behind her back, while starring on the cover with Bella Heathcote and Elle Fanning. Scroll down for video Blade of glory! Abbey Lee poses TOPLESS with a kitchen knife within the pages of V Magazine out next month In the same photo, fellow Australian Bella, also 29, stands with her back to the camera while holding the knife with both hands, showing off her slender frame in a sheer Preen dress. The photo-shoot, an homage to the trio's latest film about ruthless models, is a combination of sexy, femininity in lingerie which is off-set by Gothic glamour. Abbey's modelling past comes through powerfully in the snaps, with strong blush on her upper-cheek bones, bold eye makeup and a plum lip. Cover stars: On the cover, Abbey holds her right around Elle's neck, while the doe-eyed beauty Bella stands in the background Who's that girl? Bella is a doe-eyed beauty who found fame on the Australian soap opera Neighbours Her long blonde tresses, as well as Elle's and Bella's, are styled in a bouffant quiff. On the cover, Abbey holds her right hand around Elle's neck, while the doe-eyed beauty Bella looks almost unrecognisable with electric blue eye shadow. The three actresses star in Nicolas Winding Refn's Neon Demon, which sparked a lot of interest when it played at the Cannes Film Festival in France in May. Turning her back on modelling: Abbey ditched her last name Kershaw in 2014, cutting back on modelling to focus on acting 'She had to teach me how to do the walk': Elle, younger sister of Dakota Fanning, said Abbey had to show her the ropes when it came to doing her model walk for the film Elle said Abbey, a model who has a growing movie career after appearing in 2015's Mad Max: Fury Road, gave her tips on how to strut the catwalk. 'In a weird way I kind of idolised her when I was young because I loved fashion. She had to teach me how to do the walk for the casting scene,' she said in the accompanying interview. V Magazine is available to pre-order now, hitting stands on July 14. Doug Stanhope has accused Amber Heard of trying to silence him with a 'spiteful' defamation lawsuit. The actress is suing the comedian after he wrote an article claiming Heard had threatened to blackmail Johnny Depp before publicly accusing him of abuse. Heard filed for divorce from Depp on May 23 alleging she 'lived in fear' of her husband of 15 months and that he had been abusive throughout their marriage. Firing back: Johnny Depp's friend Doug Stanhope told Howard Stern on Monday Amber Heard's defamation lawsuit against him was 'bullsh*t' and 'spiteful' (pictured with girlfriend Amy Bingo' Bingaman A week later Stanhope, a longtime friend of the actor, wrote an article for The Wrap claiming he and all Depp's friends knew Heard was a 'manipulative a**hole' for years, and that Depp himself was aware she was about to 'lie about him publicly in any and every possible duplicitous way if he didnt agree to her terms'. 'It's such a bulls*** suit,' Stanhope told Howard Stern on his Sirius XM radio show on Monday. 'I think what she's trying to do is make me shut the f*** up.' He claimed she was suing him out of spite, particularly because of the 'inflammatory' headline, which he denied writing. On the attack: The actress (pictured Thursday) is suing the comedian after he wrote an article claiming Heard had threatened to blackmail Johnny Depp before publicly accusing him of abuse 'I put it on my website. The title was "At a Loss for Words..." whatever it was. TheWrap got it as an exclusive - however that worked - and said, Amber Heard Is Blackmailing Johnny Depp This Is How I Know. 'I didnt write that f***ing title. I didnt put that stupid tabloid title in there,' he claimed. 'Im a better writer than that, so I dont know if its hinged on that, I dont know how much of it is spite.' Although he stops short of using the word blackmail himself in his Wrap piece - his exact words were 'Blackmail is what I would imagine other people might put it' - he did say Heard's story was 'bulls***,' insisting Depp 'got used, manipulated, set up and made to look like an a**hole'. During his interview with Stern, he also denied Depp had asked him to write the piece defending him. Line of fire: Heard filed for divorce from Depp on May 23 (pictured that day) alleging she 'lived in fear' of her husband of 15 months and that he had been abusive throughout their marriage 'Johnny, I had no contact with him until he texted me after that went out and said, "Hey, thanks for being honest". 'He didnt know that was going out,' he said. 'I was a little petrified because it kind of made him look like a bitch. Cause he was kind of a bitch.' Throughout the interview, Stanhope was audibly careful about what he said, knowing the lawsuit was looming. 'You know anything I say they can twist my words,' he claimed. Silenced: Stanhope told Howard on his Sirius XM radio show: 'I think what she's trying to do is make me shut the f*ck up.' Back-up: Stanhope denied Depp (pictured with Heard in November) asked him to write the piece defending him, but added he did contact him afterwards thanking him for his 'honesty' 'She filed for divorce two days after the mother died, and all of a sudden she's getting trashed on Twitter. Everyone's "How dare she do this? His mother just died!" And then all of a sudden.....' but he stopped himself before he finished the line of thought. 'It has nothing to do with me,' he continued. 'It's spite.' Heard's attorney previously said she will donate all the proceeds from the suit to a domestic violence shelter in Arizona. But on Monday Stanhope and Stern both joked that she wouldn't get much out of him even if the lawsuit was successful, seeing as how he lived in a dirty pothole ridden neighbourhood on the Mexican border. It's been a busy few days for Angelina Jolie. But the mother-of-six took it all in her stride as she jetted back into Los Angeles from New York with her youngest son, Knox, her oldest boy, Maddox, and her brother, James Haven, on Tuesday. The 41-year-old actress and activist was wearing the same chic black ensemble she was seen in when she turned up at JFK with her boys for the five-hour flight home. So elegant: Angelina Jolie seemed to be holding up well after he busy few days in New York as she jetted back into Los Angeles with her youngest son, Knox, and her oldest boy, Maddox The only addition to her elegant black midi dress and black high heels was a black shawl that she draped around her shoulders even though the temperature at the airport was just under 80F. Angelina held her seven-year-old's hand as they left the concourse and emerged into the sunshine, with the 14-year-old following on behind. Knox held on to a large plush grey shark as he walked next to his mother. The tyke 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. Smile and wave: The 41-year-old actress and activist appeared to be in good spirits after the five-hour flight So chic: Angelina was wearing the same outfit she had on when she boarded the flight from JFK but she added a black wrap that she draped around her shoulders despite the near 80F heat Kodak moment: The actress smiled as she and her boys walked smartly past fans taking snaps Better late than never: Brad Pitt flew back to Los Angeles later in the evening on Tuesday Maddox showed his teen creds in a grey snapback cap along with a dark grey jacket, black graphic-print T-shirt, patterned sweat pants and Nike Stefan Janoski skateboard shoes. The family are back in Los Angeles a day after Angelina shared the podium with Secretary of State John Kerry to urge finding a solution to the refugee crisis. The star, 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. The Force is strong with this one: Knox was sporting a Stormtrooper jacket and carried a cuddly shark toy Bringing up the rear: Angelina's brother, James Haven, followed his family out of the airport Aww: The mother-of-six shared a tender moment with Knox while waiting in a queue at JFK Airport in New York earlier on Tuesday Iftar is the meal when Muslims end their daily Ramadan fast at sunset for the evening call to prayer. With the number of refugees at an all time high of 65 million people, the actress said it represented 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. Proud mother: She and her eldest son Maddox, 14, smiled as they shared a moment All together now: The Tomb Raider actress looked fantastic in a black midi dress with a sheer detailing around the shoulders as she arrived at JFK with her two boys and her brother 'To do that would be naive, irresponsible, and dangerous,' she said in her speech. '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.' No doubt husband Brad Pitt and their other four children, Pax, 12, Zahara, 11, Shiloh, 10, and Knox's twin sister Vivienne, will be please to have the whole family togther again. He's found fame on a variety of some of Australia's favourite dramas, including Packed To The Rafters and Love Child. And Ryan Corr, 27, has now been immortalised in an evocative portrait that is set to face critics as an entry for the 2016 Archibald Prize. The artwork is by Bellevue Hill-based artist Agnes Bruck, who is the wife of Chris Murphy, the lawyer who represented Corr in 2014 when the actor pleaded guilty to drug possession. Scroll down for video A work of art! Ryan Corr becomes immortalised as Archibald Prize portrait by the wife of the lawyer who represented the Love Child star when he pleaded guilty to drug possession Corr was placed on a 12-month good behaviour bond and no conviction was recorded. 'I didnt think Ryan would necessarily want to be painted, and he was so gracious about it,' Bruck told The Daily Telegraph on Tuesday. 'He said, "Every single time I (go on stage) I give a piece of myself that doesnt come back", and I feel like that with my painting.' 'I didnt think Ryan would necessarily want to be painted': The Bellevue Hill-based artist Agnes Bruck said she wasn't sure he'd agree Big prize! The coveted arts prize will be awarded to the best 'preferentially of some man or woman distinguished in art, letters, science or politics' She went on to praise the star for his 'intelligent' way of thinking, and said that they had met via mutual friends, well before his legal woes. Bruck told Daily Mail Australia she 'used Dulux house paint and dribbled it onto timber panel using chopsticks and paintbrushes,' with earthy tones capturing the actor's raw good looks. The coveted arts prize will be awarded to the best 'preferentially of some man or woman distinguished in art, letters, science or politics', to the tune of $100,000. A teaser: The portrait is a flurry of drips and dribbles onto a wooden board 'I give a piece of myself that doesnt come back': The artist said how Corr feels when he steps out on stage is similar to when she's painting Nigel Milsom's dramatic, monochrome portrait of barrister Charles Waterstreet took out the title as the winner in 2015. Ryan's latest project as Lt. Manville in the American-Australian war drama Hacksaw Ridge, directed by Mel Gibson, is in production now with release date set for November 4. The Archibald Prize winner is announced on July 15, with the exhibition to commence from June 16 to October 9. She headed overseas to Bali for some rest and relaxation after quietly calling it quits with her reality television 'husband' Mark Hughes last month. And on Tuesday, Christie Jordee appeared to be doing just that as she spent time with a handsome pal and some female friends on Saigon Street and at Finn's Beach Club. The 39-year-old's fun display comes just one week after publicly announcing her split from Married At First Sight's Mark, who was allegedly sending flirty text messages to a woman fifteen years his junior after breaking up with Christie. Scroll down for video 'Bali posse on point!' Christie Jordee got close to a VERY handsome hunk in Bali this week In the images of her Bali vacation, which we shared to Instagram, Christie can be seen sharing a cocktail with the good-looking mystery man in a restaurant on Saigon Street. 'When in Saigon... you must have a coconut crush,' the brunette wrote. She then shared another photo of herself posing with the chiseled hunk, who was shirtless, and two female friends at Finn's Beach Club. 'Bali posse on point,' she wrote in the photo. Bottoms up! The Married At First Sight starlet enjoyed a coconut cocktail with the mystery man Busty babe: The 39-year-old has been enjoying the sun and showcasing her enviable bikini body It's unknown if the genetically-blessed fella is a platonic friend, new lover, or a relative. Christie broke the news of her and Mark's shock split in a social media post, explaining their situation in the caption of an image of them together during happier times. She wrote that she was sad to announce they had parted ways and added: 'Please remember no one wanted this to work more than both of us'. 'Please remember no one wanted this to work more than both of us:' Christie and Mark Hughes announced their split over a week ago The brunette businesswoman finished the post writing: 'It was mutual and we are still great friends, but still hard'. Christie exchanged vows with Mark while filming the popular Channel Nine reality show late last year. Little more than two months after viewers watched the couple marry in front of Sydney Opera House, the pair called time on their short lived marriage. He's known for having a keen eye for the ladies. And Wasps rugby ace Danny Cipriani, 28, appeared to set his sights on Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner, 20, during a night out in London, according to a report in The Sun. They enjoyed each other's company at Brixton Jamm on the same day Danny appeared in Westminster Magistrates' Court to plead not guilty to a drink-driving charge. Scroll down for video Caught his eye: Wasps rugby ace Danny Cipriani, 28, appeared to set his sights on Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner, 20, during a night out in London An onlooker told the publication: 'Danny and Sophie were in the bar for about an hour and a half. He was hitting on her very hard, chatting her up relentlessly. And she seemed very flattered. 'They were holding hands and stayed by each others sides throughout. It was very cosy, intimate. They were only interested in each other. They seemed happy together and to be having a good time.' A spokesperson for Sophie said: 'We can confirm that there is no romantic link between Sophie Turner and Danny Cipriani, Sophie was out with a large group of friends and Danny was merely being a gentleman and leading her through a very crowded bar. Danny's representatives added: 'Danny and Sophie are friends they were out in a group to watch the England football match.' Danny most recently dated Sky Sports' Kirsty Gallacher, but their relationship came to an end earlier this year after he allegedly sent lewd messages to Life on Marbs star Danni Levy. Mutual attraction: An onlooker said Danny was 'hitting on her very hard' and that Sophie 'seemed flattered' Prior to Kirsty, Danny has been linked to a host of famous women, including Kelly Brook, Katie Price, Cheeky Girl Monica Irimia and Australian models Lara Bingle and Jesinta Campbell. The rugby star has described Kelly as his only serious girlfriend, having originally dated from 2008-2010 and again for eight months in 2013 before splitting amidst claims he had cheated on her. Meanwhile, Sophie recently admitted that finding fame on a television phenomenon as big as Game of Thrones hasn't always been plain-sailing, admitting that it wasn't easy to grow up in the limelight. The actress told the July issue of British InStyle that she went through 'hard years' between the ages of 16 and 19 as she struggled with her body transforming in the full glare of the public eye. Former flame: The rugby star has previously described Kelly Brook as his only serious girlfriend 'At first,' she said. 'It was the character; people hating on her because she was a 13-year-old girl, and she should have a smart head on her shoulders and make good decisions. 'When people started to know my name, as well as the character's name, that was kind of difficult. From 16 to when I turned 19, they were quite hard years.' Sophie continued: 'You're in the prime of puberty; your body is changing, your face is changing, and people still saw me as that 13-year-old girl, with no body, and thought that's how I should look forever. Sophie - who was raised in the English town of Northampton - has also hit the big screen, taking on the role of Jean Grey/Phoenix in the recently released X-Men: Apocalypse. She is no stranger to stealing the limelight whenever she hits the red carpet. And My Kitchen Rules star Zana Pali once again dazzled fans as she posed for a smouldering Instagram shot, in which she discussed the importance for women to embrace their body type. Preened to perfection, the 25-year-old lawyer happily flaunted her sexy hourglass curves and slender limbs in a striking black halterneck ensemble. Scroll down for video 'It's important to embrace yourself': MKR's Zana Pali posed for a smouldering Instagram shot, in which she discussed the importance for women to embrace their body type The sizzling Ivory and Chain dress, which featured capped sleeves, a heart-shaped bodice and a front centre slit, worked wonders for her petite frame. She elongated her lean pins with a pair of nude Louboutin heels, while her long brunette tresses were swept to one side in loose luscious waves. Alongside the image, posted on Tuesday, the TV star told her followers to embrace their body type and stop judging each other. Spreading a message: Alongside the image, posted on Tuesday, the TV star told her followers to embrace their body type and stop judging each other I think that whatever size or shape body you have, its important to embrace it, she explained. Start by loving yourself and then allow yourself to see the entire world with love rather than judgement. Meanwhile, Zana and her husband Gianni, the high flying lawyers from Brisbane, competed on the latest series of MKR where they made it to the semi-finals round. Despite failing to take top spot in the cooking competition, Zana thanked the judges and fellow competitors for their time on the show. 'We've loved working hard and we've learnt so much. MKR has all been about our family, our true traditional recipes,' she said. 'You cannot put money on what we have learnt and how we've improved. It's priceless. It's the best experience of our lives.' TV stars: Zana and her husband Gianni, the high flying lawyers from Brisbane, competed on the latest series of MKR where they made it to the semi-finals round. But looking forward to a career in TV, Zana recently said she has dreams of appearing on Dancing With The Stars - although she turned down an offer to appear on Seven's new series Cannonball. 'I don't think it is the right fit for me,' she told Courier Mail, referring to the water-based competition series that sees couples plummeting down gigantic water slides and flying through the air. The outspoken brunette added: 'I think Dancing With The Stars would be good.' If Zana does make her way into the dancing series, she will follow in the footsteps of fellow MKR villain Ash Pollard, whose career sky rocketed after she made it to the finals of the show last year. She knows how to work the catwalk and that goes for public runways too. Australian model Jessica Hart attended the glittering amfAR GenerationCURE Solstice event on Tuesday when she donned a classic black dress with a sheer skirt that showed off her legs. Wearing her tousled tresses loosely over her shoulders, the 30-year-old sister of fellow model Ashley flashed her trademark gap-toothed smile as flashbulbs popped at the event in New York. Scroll down for video Working it: Jessica Hart attended the glittering amfAR Generation Cure Solstice event in New York on Tuesday in a classic black dress with a sheer skirt that showed off her legs Lovely in lace: The 30-year-old sister of fellow model Ashley flashed her trademark gap-toothed smile as flashbulbs popped The Sydney-born beauty was radiant despite wearing just a flick of mascara and gloss on her lips. A coat of shimmering pale eyeshadow added a glow of colour to her cosmetics, while a few bracelets upped the glam. Jessica, who dates Greek shipping heir Stavros Niarchos III, was just one of numerous stars to make their way to the 2016 amfAR event, which benefits its AIDS research programmes. Bronzed: She showed off her deep tan as flashbulbs popped GenerationCURE is a group of young amfAR supporters committed to ending the AIDS pandemic in their lifetime by helping the Foundation raise funds to research cures. Since its inception in 2011, generationCURE has raised more than $300,000 for amfAR through events in New York City, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C. Also in attendance on Tuesday were TV personality Kelly Osbourne and designer Kenneth Cole. Also in black: Kelly Osbourne attends the amfAR generationCURE Solstice in a shoulderless dress Jessica, a former Victoria's Secret model, lives with her beau in New York's trendy East Village. They are often seeing enjoying romantic getaways around the Mediterranean. The couple met in 2010 and since then their romance has gone from strength-to-strength. In 2014 she first sparked engagement rumours when she stepped out with some very serious-looking bling on her ring finger. She has been busy shooting for fashion retailer Portmans' latest collection. And Jessica Hart took a well-deserved break from the camera lens to soak up New York Citys summer sunshine with her tiny pooch, Floyd, on Tuesday. Juggling a beverage and a plate of food in both hands, the 30-year-old model looked relaxed in a black jumpsuit cuffed at the ankles. Scroll down for video Casual but chic: Jessica Hart takes her tiny pooch, Floyd, for a walk while juggling a plate of food and beverage Jessica teamed the casual but chic ensemble with a pair of crisp white Converse trainers and pulled back her luscious blonde tresses into a neat bun with a centre parting. Her make-up was kept to a minimum, with just a hint of blush, a subtle nude lip and lashings of mascara. The Australian native looked to be in good spirits as she pounded the pavement with her pet dog following behind her. After their walk, the former Victorias Secret lifted Floyd up into her trailer ahead of shooting more fashionable looks. Animal lover: The former Victorias Secret model had to stop and lift Floyd into her trailer ahead of shooting more fashionable looks On Wednesday, the catwalk stunner took to Instagram to announce she would be fronting Portmans latest fashion collection. Oh heyyy there! Excited to see my Portmans team this morning, she wrote alongside a picture of herself modelling a striped shirt teamed with a figure-hugging long sleeve shirt from the retailer. Jessica has been the face of the brand for several years, fronting their summer and winter campaigns. Natural poser: The 30-year-old model uploaded a snap of herself in Cannes sporting a gold gown Meanwhile, the girlfriend of Greek shipping heir Stavros Niarchos III recently underwent eye surgery to improve her sight. Taking to the social media site in the hours following the procedure, the model was pictured sitting up in bed while wearing medical strips over her eyes and protective sunglasses. I did it! Bring on 20/20,' she wrote alongside the photograph. Hours later, she shared a photo that was taken of her heading into the Diane Von Furstenberg show at New York Fashion Week. Medical procedure: The girlfriend of Greek shipping heir Stavros Niarchos III recently underwent eye surgery to improve her sight 'The last time I wore glasses,' she wrote alongside the snap in which she was seen wearing rounded tortoiseshell specs, a faux fur coat and white embroidered flares. The former Victoria's Secret model lives with her beau in New York's trendy East Village. They are often seen enjoying romantic getaways around the Mediterranean. The couple met in 2010 and since then their romance has gone from strength-to-strength. Earlier this year she sparked engagement rumours when she stepped out with some very serious-looking bling on her ring finger. Loved-up: Jessica has been dating Greek shipping heir Stavros Niarchos III since 2010 Mr v Mrs: Call the Mediator Rating: Marriage break-ups can be messy and complicated, but Sue and Peter, one of the divorcing couples featured in Mr v Mrs: Call The Mediator (BBC2), took things to a whole new level. After 28 years of marriage, and three children, Sue and Peter were going their separate ways. Sue left her husband for another man Peters boss, Bernard. To make matters more complicated Sue was dating Bernard 35 years ago when she first met Peter and dumped Bernard for him. Marriage break-ups can be messy and complicated, but Sue and Peter, one of the divorcing couples featured in Mr v Mrs: Call The Mediator (BBC2), took things to a whole new level Kay, the firm but friendly mediator, was trying to help them reach an agreement about how to split their 1million assets. Peter was adamant that the value of the house must be taken from the date Sue walked out 11 months ago and not the current value. Egged on by Bernard, Peters love rival, Sue was pushing for more. Such centres are run by National Family Mediation and are a last- ditch place for warring couples to try to sort out their differences in order to avoid costly legal proceedings. For one year they allowed the BBC access to their mediators and clients in order to make this three-part series. In the end, after three months of wrangling, Sue and Peter reached an agreement. Judith, the mediator acting for Nicky and Martin, had a much tougher job. Separated after 17 years, Martin felt that Nicky was withholding contact with their two sons as punishment for his infidelity. The pair were barely able to look at one another Dont you point your finger at me, Nicky barked at her ex, who accused her of being bitter and vengeful. At one point a clearly exasperated Nicky looked broken as she spoke to the camera: I always thought that if we ever split up we would be the best of friends. Now I dont want him in my life at all. UNAPPRECIATIVE AUDIENCE OF THE NIGHT Playing for peanuts in pubs is a rite of passage for many musicians even geniuses. In Mozarts London Odyssey (BBC4), Lucy Worsley told how the eight-year-old prodigy was reduced to doing keyboard tricks in alehouses in 1764 when tickets for his concerts failed to sell. Advertisement Relations between Nicky and Martin may have been frosty, but at least they were able to be in the same room as one another . . . just. For Vicky and Jason, resentments ran so high they had to sit in separate rooms while their mediator Irene shuttled between them. They were trying to agree on a way to co-parent daughter Rosie, six, but matters werent helped by Jasons constant nit-picking and fondness for sending Vicky email links on how to be a better mother. Sadly, mediation was futile and they decided to go to court. At times the raw emotion, as couples lay bare their feelings about the person they once loved more than anything, was hard to watch. Its a testament to the mediators that they were able to keep their calm when they must have just wanted to bang their clients heads together. Although it felt uncomfortably voyeuristic at times, Mr v Mrs was also utterly compelling not least because all of us know someone who has been through a bitter marriage break-up. The Border is a Polish drama about a group of guards patrolling the Bieszczady border region with Ukraine The Border Rating: Just as topical is The Border (Ch4), a Polish drama about a group of guards patrolling the Bieszczady border region with Ukraine. It is an area where drugs, weapons and people are smuggled in, while the chain-smoking, hard-drinking guards do their best to stop them. There is nothing PC about these super-macho heavies who strut around in white vests with their tracker dog named Osama and beat up any unfortunate refugees they encounter. In last nights opening episode, a group of the guards are having a party at their cabin station in the woods to mark the retirement of one of their men. Captain Wiktor Rebrow (Leszek Lichota) steps outside for a cigarette when he receives an anonymous text message that just reads Boom seconds before the cabin is blown to smithereens. As the only survivor, Rebrow becomes the chief suspect. Its surely no coincidence that Channel Four chose this week to start broadcasting this drama, which was made over two years ago. In fact, it is screening only one episode before uploading the rest to its catch-up service. Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux will celebrate their first wedding anniversary in August. But the pair looked like they were just back from their honeymoon on Tuesday as they stepped out in New York City following a romantic holiday in The Bahamas. The couple looked in sync with their similar outfits and were both showing off golden tans while putting on an affectionate display. Scroll down for video Sunkissed! Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux showed off their golden tan as they stepped out for a date night in New York on Tuesday Aniston was sporting a pair of classic blue jeans and a grey tank top as she followed closely behind Justin. Meanwhile the Leftovers actor wore a pair of summery white jeans, a T-shirt and a pair of beige loafers as he led his wife into the restaurant. The couple, who married on August 5, 2015, couldn't keep their hands off each other for their evening out. Aniston stunned as usual as she wore her light blonde locks in a natural style and went for a little slick of make-up. Simply beautiful: Aniston stunned as usual as she wore her light blonde locks in a natural style and went for a little slick of make-up Looking good: The couple, who just recently holidayed in The Bahamas, looked in sync with their similar outfits She wore some dark eye liner, a little mascara and a bit of lip gloss to complete her casual but chic look. The couple have been spending time in New York City after returning from a romantic vacation in The Bahamas, and they recently denied claims that Aniston is expecting their first child. They were married last summer in Los Angeles after a nearly three-year engagement. Both Aniston and Justin have a busy year ahead of them. Hold me! The couple, who married August 5th 2015, couldn't keep their hands off each other for their evening out Not true: The couple have been spending time in New York City after returning from a romantic vacation in The Bahamas, and they recently denied claims that Aniston is expecting their first child Justin is set to star in the highly anticipated The Girl On The Train as he takes on the role of Tom Watson in the drama, thriller. Emily Blunt is the leading lady as she take on the role of alcoholic Rachel Watson. Laura Prepon, Luke Evans, Allison Janney and Lisa Kudrow are some of the other famous faces to star in this Tate Taylor directed movie. Justin stars in HBO's The Leftovers that was renewed in December for a third and final season. Big role! Justin is set to star in the highly anticipated The Girl On The Train as he takes on the role of Tom Watson in the drama, thriller Aniston has loaned her voice to the upcoming computer-animated comedy Storks due out on September 23. Lonely Island's Andy Samberg and Modern Family's Ty Burrell will also voice characters for the animation. She also can be seen in the Christmas comedy Office Christmas Party scheduled for release on December 9 alongside Olivia Munn, Jason Bateman, T.J. Miller, Kate McKinnon and Jamie Chung. Busy year: Aniston has loaned her voice to the upcoming computer-animated comedy Storks due out on September 23 It is the show where the Lannisters always pay their debts. And it seems the same goes for HBO after it emerged the stars of hit show Game Of Thrones are getting whopping six figure pay hikes as the show canters towards its heady conclusion. Show leads Peter Dinklage, Kit Harington, Lena Headey, Emilia Clarke and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau are all seeing their pay packets smash the $500,000 per show barrier as the series enters its final two seasons. Windfall is coming: Kit Harington, who plays Jon Snow, is among the leads getting a hefty pay rise to appear on the last two series of Game Of Thrones Show insiders told the Hollywood Reporter the main stars Peter Dinklage, who plays Tyrion Lannister, and Kit Harington who plays Jon Snow, will be getting hefty rises. The show's other leads Lena Headey, who appears as Cersei Lannister, Emilia Clarke who shot to fame playing Daenerys Targaryen, and Danish hunk Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, who appears as Jaime Lannister, will also get the sizable fee hikes. The five A tier stars are said to negotiate as a group to ensure fairness in remuneration. Other favourites from the show such as Maisie Williams, who appears as Arya Stark, and Sophie Turner, who plays her sibling Sansa, will also surely get increases, though their contracts are yet to be finalised. While they are getting more per episode, it is unclear whether they will actually make any more cash in total from the smash hit, which is the world's most popular programme. Sitting pretty: Emilia Clarke is also getting paid a fortune to continue player Daenerys Targaryen Keeping it in the family: On-screen siblings Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Peter Dinklage and Lena Headey are also getting larger fees When the main stars negotiated a huge raise in 2014, which increased the number of seasons they were tied to from six to seven, they were only getting paid a reported $160,000 an episode. The show's creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss previously revealed there will be just 13 more episodes left once this sixth season is over. There will be seven episodes in season seven and six for the eighth, which is expected to be the last. David said: 'I think were down to our final 13 episodes after this season. Were heading into the final lap. 'Thats the guess, though nothing is yet set in stone, but thats what were looking at.' While season seven has been since been officially announced as being seven episodes long, the eight has yet to be formally commissioned. Best of British: English stars Kit and Emilia have become worldwide showbiz names thanks to the show It is the battle that pins Queensland and New South Wales against each other. Now in an unusual tactic, Hollywood heavyweights Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart have weighed in on the match, ahead of round two on Wednesday night at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. The two actors used the annual NRL [National Rugby League] match to promote their new movie, Central Intelligence, across social media. Weighing in: Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart have weighed in on the State Of Origin ahead of round two on Wednesday night at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane In a 30-second promotional clip, posted to Universal Pictures Twitter page, Dwayne says in the clip: 'It's state of origin time. 'Okay boys, you've got to pick it up and if there is one thing I learnt from Central Intelligence and playing a CIA agent is that you need strategy, speed and strength.' Kevin is quick to jump in, cheekily adding, 'yeah, basically everything I've got'. Unusual tactic The two Hollywood actors used the annual NRL [National Rugby League] match to promote their new movie Central Intelligence across social media Dwayne laughs off the comment, with 'yeah, kinder,' to which the comedian replies, 'come-on man, suit me up and I can show you'. Alongside the video Universal Pictures wrote: 'Its State Of Origin time. @TheRock and @KevinHart4real know what it takes to win.' The post also included the trending hashtag for Origin. In Central Intelligence Dwayne plays Bob Stone, a CIA spy who was bullied in high school for his weight. Appealing to Aussie audiences: The upcoming Hollywood flick will land in cinemas across Australia from June 30 He enlists the help of his former high school classmate Calvin Joyner, played by Kevin, on an adventure to save the world. The upcoming Hollywood flick will land in cinemas across Australia from June 30. New South Wales will take on Queensland in the second round of State Of Origin on Wednesday evening. Kick off will be at 8pm. His glamorous wife had pranced through exactly the same arrival lounge just hours before. So no wonder Brad Pitt looked in a hurry as he raced through the airport after jetting into Los Angeles on Tuesday. The Fight Club favourite looked all business as he minced his way through the bustling transport hub with his leather carry on case in hand. No Pitt stop: Brad was all business as he rushed through the airport in Los Angeles on Tuesday Brad, 52, was looking focussed as he padded past excited pedestrians in his casual shirt, blue jeans, suede boots and fetching fedora hat. The butch actor was also wearing scruffy stubble and a pair of tan-coloured sunglasses, even though it was dark. No doubt the family man, who did not seem in the mood to stop and sign autographs, could hardly wait to be reunited with his bumper brood, and his Tomb Raider star wife Angelina. Shady behaviour: Brad was wearing his tinted sunglasses despite walking in the dark In a Jolie good mood: Brad was no doubt excited to be getting home to wife Angelina and their children The curious case of Benjamin's buttons: Brad opted not to button up at the collar Earlier in the day the mother-of-six seemed excited to be home after jetting back into Los Angeles from New York with her youngest son, Knox, her oldest boy, Maddox, and her brother, James Haven, on Tuesday. The 41-year-old actress and activist was wearing the same chic black ensemble she was seen in when she turned up at JFK with her boys for the five-hour flight home. They were back in Los Angeles a day after Angelina shared the podium with Secretary of State John Kerry to urge finding a solution to the refugee crisis. The star, 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. Late flight club: Brad arrived in the city hours after his wife had sauntered through the arrival lounge Her striking looks have made her a catwalk sensation around the world. But Lara Stone proved that she looked glamorous even in the most casual of outfits, as she enjoyed a low-key outing to the Chiltern Firehouse on Tuesday. The 32-year-old rocked off-duty chic for the evening as she poured her famous curves into some form fitting black jeans and a simple grey T-shirt. Scroll down for video Relaxed: Lara Stone sported a casual outfit as she enjoyed a low-key outing to the Chiltern Firehouse on Tuesday Keeping cosy in the fresh summer air, Lara added some extra edge to her outfit with a wet look leather jacket. The Dutch model maintained her simple style right down to her accessories, as she shunned all jewels and only toted a plain black shoulder bag. But she couldn't resist adding a touch of glamour to her look with some towering Laboutin heels that drew attention to her never-ending legs with pretty point detailing. Pure and cimple: The 32-year-old rocked off-duty chic for the evening as she poured her infamous curves into some form fitting black jeans and a grey T-shirt The mother-of-one scraped back her trademark golden locks into a messy chignon, from which a few strands fell away to frame her face. And the model appeared to go almost make-up free for the outing as she showed off her natural beauty with an effortlessly dewy glow. After leaving the restaurant, the model was seen getting into a taxi alone, where she casually crossed her legs and folded her arms. The blonde beauty was previously married to comedian David Walliams, 44, father of her three-year-old son Alfred. Lara and Little Britain comic David tied the knot at Claridge's hotel in 2010 and had three-year-old son Alfred together, before separating in March 2015. The split was finalised six months later in just 60 seconds, with David citing Lara's 'unreasonable behaviour' for the 'quickie divorce'. Lara is rumoured to have found herself a younger flame in recent weeks however, having been pictured cosying up to Australian model Jordan Barrett, 19, multiple times. The hunky Australian, who has been linked previously to Paris Hilton, was first seen planting a kiss on her cheek at the Cannes amfAR fashion auction in late May. She's been vocal about sexism in the acting world. But Marta Dusseldorp, 43, revealed to Daily Mail Australia that while she has faced certain hurdles in her career, ageism is not one of them. The Janet King star weighed in on recent comments made by veteran Australian actress, Jacki Weaver, 69, who claims that Hollywood has embraced her age. Scroll down for video Positive experience: Marta Dusseldorp, 43, said recently that her age has never been a problem in Hollywood and that the industry has welcomed her with open arms 'I was in LA in February and I felt completely nurtured, appreciated, they were really excited to have me there,' she said at the Sydney Film Festival Closing Night Gala on Sunday. '... I kept saying 'I'm over 40' and they were like ''yeah, we know and look at all the work you've done. 'So they are appreciative of that experience comes with age ... or age with experience. There's certainly the great actresses of our time that have led that way... the Meryl Streeps, who, nothing keeps her down. Cate [Blanchett] similarly. 'It doesn't matter how old you are any more, its the feeling I get...maybe I'm naive. 'They're certainly writing roles for us and it means that people want to see that,' the star admitted, following a recent trip to discuss opportunities Stateside. Age is just a number: The Australian actress said 'I felt completely nurtured, appreciated, they were really excited to have me there' The actress was coy however when asked if she would be making the move to Los Angeles in the coming months off the back of the positive trip. The blonde beauty told Daily Mail Australia she is set to film the next season of Janet King in November, before hopefully, Season Five of the Foxtel drama A Place To Call Home 'and then we'll see'. Dusseldorp echoed the sentiments of two-time Academy Award-nominated actress Jacki, who said recently that '60 is the new 40.' 'There are lots of great roles for women my age,' Jacki told The Daily Telegraph. She added: 'I have never come across any of that.' Same views: Two-time Academy Award-nominated actress Jacki Weaver said recently; 'There are lots of great roles for women my age' While Jacki said that she has never encountered sexism or ageism, Marta, who has dabbled in film and theatre, previously admitted that she has struggled in the past as a woman. The married mother of two revealed that she was once forced to quit her job acting in a play after giving birth. 'Unfortunately one of the directors didn't approve of me breastfeeding, so I had to withdraw from the show,' she told The Grace Tales last year. Telling it like it is: Last year, Academy award-winner Helen Mirren, 70, slammed Hollywood as 'ridiculous' for ageist casting Marta and Jacki's experiences in Hollywood differ greatly to several prominent stars, who have called for industry reform. Last year, Academy award-winner Helen Mirren, 70, slammed Hollywood as 'ridiculous' for ageist casting, according to The Wrap. Actresses Anne Hathaway and Maggie Gyllenhaal have also been vocal about the growing issue in the past. She's now a businesswoman after recently opening her own organic kid-friendly restaurant, complete with on-site au pairs. But Jessica Biel was taking some time away from her new venture on Monday, meeting up with pals for sushi at Toluca Lake, Los Angeles. A vision in white, the mother-of-one wore a pair of cropped white wide-legged trousers, hemmed with lace. Scroll down for videos Pearly white: Jessica Biel was taking some time away from her new venture on Monday, meeting up with pals for sushi at Toluca Lake, California A matching white top with lace detail across the high neckline was tucked into her waistband, and she completed the outfit with a pair of nude Christian Louboutin heels. A vintage appliqued shoulder bag and oversized sunglasses finished off her summer look. With a light woolen jacket thrown over her arm, the star of The Illusionist made sure she had a cover up for later should the sun disappear. Jessica wore long brunette hair loose, displaying its natural shine against the bright white of her outfit. The tactile Total Recall actress gave a hug to her friend before leaving them and getting in her car. Cropped to perfection: A matching white top with lace detail across the high neckline was tucked into her waistband, and she completed the outfit with a pair of nude Christian Louboutin heels Always prepared: With a light woolen jacket thrown over her arm, the Illusionist star made sure she had a cover up for later should the sun disappear It's been a busy year for the actress and businesswoman who opened her own restaurant, Au Fudge, along with stylist Estee Stanley and children's author Kimberly Muller, in March. She has also had her hands full looking after 13-month-old son Silas Randall who she shares with her husband Justin Timberlake. The couple, who wed in Italy four years ago, are fiercely protective of their son, and have posted very few public pictures of the tot over the last year. But Jessica did admit in a recent interview with Today that the youngster takes after his father. Proud father: He is a ham, just like his dad serious ham,' she told the morning show at a Baby2Baby Mother's Day event in Los Angeles last week, adding: 'He thinks everything is funny' 'He is a ham, just like his dad serious ham,' she told the morning show at a Baby2Baby Mother's Day event in Los Angeles last week, adding: 'He thinks everything is funny. He goofs on me all the time.' She continued, 'He thinks sneezing is really funny. Hes in that moment where he thinks bodily functions are really funny.' A love for music is another similarity Silas shares with his famous father with the proud mom noting, 'He likes Erykah Badu, and he likes Stevie Wonder. He likes a groove.' Justin has just finished creating the musical score for Jessica's forthcoming film, The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea. Her Ibiza getaway has been the source of several of her sizzling bikini snaps. And Ashley James decided to treat her fans to another sultry offering as she slipped into a skimpy pink two-piece on Wednesday. Flaunting her impeccably toned physique, the 29-year-old model joked that she was struggling to find the time to show off all the swimwear she'd stocked up on for her trip, as she came to terms with the fact she'd be heading back to Britain tomorrow. Scroll down for video Perky in pink: Her Ibiza getaway has been the source of several of her sizzling bikini snaps. And Ashley James decided to treat her fans to another sultry offering with a skimpy pink two-piece on Wednesday 'Thunder thighs and sunny skies': The reality star - who recently told of her battle with body dysmorphia - then posted another snap in her hot pink bikini as she reclined on the edge of the pool 'Post lunch outfit change cause I own too many bikinis and I'm going home tomorrow @lipsylondon #ibiza.' she wrote on Instagram. The reality star - who recently told of her battle with body dysmorphia - then posted another snap in her hot pink bikini as she reclined on the edge of the pool, joking that she had 'thunder thigh'. Alongside the snap, she wrote: 'Thunder thighs and sunny skies #Ibiza #bodyconfidence.' In another shot, the former Made In Chelsea star opted for a blue bikini that barely contained her ample assets as she commented on the lovely shrubbery outside her hotel. And breaking with tradition, the starlet also posted a snap of herself decidedly more covered up, but still flaunted her tanned and toned pins as she reclined on the beach. Clad in a khaki kaftan, Ashley dazzled in the snap, but admitted she had altered the image slightly to 'keep it pretty'. Addressing her 69,000 followers she wrote: 'Bought this kaftan off one of the guys on the beach, gotta support the hustlers. I cropped my toes out to keep it pretty.' Blue-tiful: She's beensharing a series of sizzling bikini snaps in Ibiza. And Ashley James showed off yet more of her phenomenal physique when she slipped into a skimpy blue two-piece on Wednesday Leggy lady! In another shot, the former Made In Chelsea star kept covered up, but still flaunted her tanned and toned pins as she reclined on the beach, joking that she'd cropped out her toes Tucking in: Ashley enjoyed a healthy sushi lunch and glass of bubbly as she revealed she was 'making the most' of her final day before planning to head to Glastonbury festival site - which is currently flooded 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. 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 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 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.' 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 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. He has recently bagged one of showbiz's hottest stars. Yet Tom Hiddleston proved he was not always such a babe-magnet, since snaring Taylor Swift, as new images have surfaced of the handsome Brit in his youth - looking totally different. The 35-year-old Thor star appeared to have opted for a then-stylish perm in his younger days as he beamed for the camera in a questionable ensemble. Scroll down for video Not your usual: Tom Hiddleston proved he was not always such a babe-magnet, since snaring Taylor Swift, as new images have surfaced of the handsome Brit in his youth - looking totally different Tom, who is best known for his role as Loki in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, soared to fame as a dashing Brit in Hollywood with his well-spoken accent and classic good looks. Yet images from his time at the prestigious Eton College show the handsome star looking almost unrecognisable with a mop of curly hair and an earnest expression. One snap shows the Westminster-born thespian beaming at the camera as he sported a T-shirt worn beneath an ill-fitting suit jacket. In another image, Tom stood with his hands shoved in his pockets while she rocked a baggy white T-shirt layered be a green short-sleeved shirt - again flashing a mop of curls. Who's that guy? The 35-year-old Thor star appeared to have opted for a then-stylish perm in his younger days as he beamed for the camera in a questionable ensemble 'Total geek!': A former cast mate explained to Daily Mirror that Tom was formerly a 'total geek' before undergoing his 'incredible transformation' His school picture saw his hair slightly more tamed while he flashed a cheeky grin at the camera just above the words which revealed he was his house captain. A former cast mate explained to Daily Mirror that Tom was formerly a 'total geek' before undergoing his 'incredible transformation'. He said: 'Tom has had an incredible transformation. At school he was a total geek, he didnt have any girlfriends and was quite awkward. School boy: Yet images from his time at the prestigious Eton College show the handsome star looking almost unrecognisable with a mop of curly hair and an earnest expression Hunky: Tom has achieved heartthrob status since his recent turn in The Night Manager - worlds away from his gawky youthful look 'He wasnt a cool kid. He was very into his studies and worked really hard. He was a class boff. The most rebellious he got was when he tried to grow his hair long and teachers pulled him up on it. 'He had a slightly odd fashion sense as well, he wore purple trousers, and his favourite T-shirt outside of school uniform was a tie dye T-shirt which changed colour when you breathed on it. He wasnt very cool. Meanwhile, Tom previously defended his time at the school, insisting it is not just "full of braying toffs". New love: He has recently bagged one of showbiz's hottest stars, in the form of songstress Taylor Swift Hunky! He previously said: 'People think its just full of braying toffs, who are arrogant and chauvinistic, senseless and ambitious, who are destined to run the country and steal all our money He previously said: 'People think its just full of braying toffs, who are arrogant and chauvinistic, senseless and ambitious, who are destined to run the country and steal all our money. 'It isnt true. There are a few people like that but thats one or two in a school of 1,200. Its actually one of the most broadminded places Ive ever been. It wasn't quite Hollywood glamour as the MasterChef Australia stars suffered a MAJOR crisis during a high-stakes Gourmet Cinema challenge on Wednesday. The contestants were split into two teams and required to cook for over a hundred guests attending an outdoor screening of the series' highlights at Melbourne's Caulfield Racecourse. The Blue Team narrowly avoided disaster due to a beef shortage but were able to recover - but the Red Team were sent into Thursday's elimination after failing to prepare enough desserts. Scroll down for video Numbers game: MasterChef Australia team leaders Matt Sinclair (left) and Brett Carter (right) both suffered kitchen miscalculations on Wednesday's Gourmet Cinema challenge - but it ultimately proved a disaster for the Red Team after they forgot to prepare 15 desserts in the final course and were sent through to eliminations As crowds gathered to watch a best-of compilation of MasterChef's eight series, the competition was fierce in the final task before tomorrow's Top 10 decider. But in a shock twist, series favourite Matt Sinclair and his Red Team failed to impress the judging panel after they forgot to prepare 15 desserts in the final course. They were ultimately chosen by the judges for this week's feared elimination challenge - while Brett Carter's Blue Team passed through to the next round. However, it was not smooth sailing for the Blues either as they were forced to cook up 10 plates' worth of beef at the last minute upon realising they hadn't prepared enough. Kitchen Crisis: The Red Team were sent into Thursday's elimination after failing to prepare enough desserts Soon after the Red Team celebrated end of service following a stressful two hours in the kitchen, they were plunged into crisis after discovering they were over a dozen plates short. The five contestants then had to quickly rush out 15 more desserts - a delicate dish of matcha parfait and lemon curd covered in chocolate. Matt said: 'I'm absolutely stoked with everything that we've achieved today, but I just hope that the finish on these parfaits doesn't bring all that unstuck.' Not enough: Soon after the Red Team celebrated end of service, they were plunged into crisis after finding out they were over a dozen desserts short Sloppy finish: The contestants then had to quickly rush out 15 more desserts - a delicate dish of matcha parfait and lemon curd covered in chocolate - but the results were not up to scratch However, the presentation for the last-minute dishes was less than perfect - and it didn't take long for judges Matt Preston, Gary Mehigan and George Calombaris to notice. Despite enjoying their sample dishes, they realised that the extra desserts being served lacked the finesse of the first batch. 'Ours were all intact and lots of chocolate, but do you see those, Matt?' said Gary. 'They're just going out now and there's hardly any chocolate on those at all.' Challenge: The contestants were split into two teams and required to cook for over a hundred guests attending an outdoor screening of the series' highlights at Melbourne's Caulfield Racecourse Oh, dear! The judges - including Gary Mehigan (left) - were impressed overall but were unable to overlook the poor quality last-minute desserts Ultimately, the mistake proved a catastrophe for the Reds - as Matt praised their overall efforts but noted that their parfait's 'finishing was clumsy'. Matt, 27, from Queensland, appeared to take responsibility for his group's loss, saying in an on-camera segment: 'You take it personally.' He added: 'I'm still extremely proud of the way that we carried ourselves today and I'm not looking forward to having to battle it out against these guys in the elimination tomorrow.' Failed at the last hurdle: Despite enjoying the Red Team's sample dishes, judges (left to right) Gary Mehigan, George Calombaris, and Matt Preston thought the last 15 desserts lacked the finesse of the first batch The Red Team members - including Matt, Trent Harvey, Elise Franciskovic, Karmen Lu and Mimi Baines - will battle it out in Thursday's elimination cook-off. One contestant will be eliminated, which leaves the final 10 battling it out for the title of MasterChef Australia's champion. MasterChef Australia continues tomorrow night at 7.30pm on Network Ten As a gym lover, she is undoubtedly proud of her body. So Ashleigh Defty was once again out to flaunt the results of her hard work as she posted yet another sizzling selfie from her sun-soaked getaway to Cyprus on Wednesday. The 21-year-old Ex On The Beach star snapped the shot to help show off her ample cleavage and incredibly taut stomach. Scroll down for video Sizzling: Ashleigh Defty was once again out to flaunt the results of her hard work as she posted yet another sizzling selfie from her sun-soaked getaway to Cyprus on Wednesday Ashleigh has been keeping her 242,000 Instagram followers up to speed with her sun-drenched getaway - piling on sexy selfies throughout the whole trip. Her slinky bikini added a touch of glitz to her poolside look as the simple triangle cups boasted a white frame with a champagne hued layer of sequins all over. The simple bottoms matched in style while sporting a perilously low hipline which flashed her taut stomach to full effect - also exhibiting her dazzling diamond belly bar. Ashleigh, who previously dated Geordie Shore's Scotty T, shared yet another sizzlingy selfie just a day before where she wore just a tiny pair of red bikini bottoms. Bikini beauty: Ashleigh recently shared a stunning throwback snap - proving her penchant for a bikini Twit twoo! Ashleigh was back in swimwear on Monday as she posted another sizzling topless selfie Ashleigh entered the Ex On The Beach house as Scotty T's ex-girlfriend before she became romantically involved with James Moore - who is now back with his former love Olivia Walsh. The Newcastle-born beauty took to Instagram yet again on Monday to share the cheeky post in which she arched her back to make the most of her perky derriere. With her bare back on show, she flaunted her deep tan, which she achieved after only two days abroad - while warning fans the colour would intensify. She added the caption: '#TAG only day 2... gunna change race LOOOOOL #TannedLife (sic)'. Never looked better: While Ashleigh was brushing off her Monday blues in Cyprus, it was only a fortnight before when she enjoyed a jaunt to Ibiza herself, where she hung out with fellow EOTB star Rogan O'Connor (right) Racy: Just one night before her sunbathing session, Ashleigh was headed out for her first night of holiday and opted for a wildly sexy look for her night on the town Days before Ashleigh was headed out for her first night of holiday and opted for a wildly sexy look for her night on the town. Sporting an off-the-shoulder black mini dress, the Geordie beauty twisted into an elegant pose which made the most of her ample bust and tiny waist. She paired the look with teetering black heels with a studded detail, seemingly inspired by Valentino, while adding in an Yves Saint Laurent handbag. Saucy: Most recently she replicated her topless sunbed picture although this time in a bed while sporting lacy knickers - no doubt setting pulses racing among her followers Girls on tour! Ashleigh and her pal smouldered in sexy ensembles - both opting for white shorts With her lightly highlighted tresses forming in a bouncy blow-dry around her perfectly made-up face Ashleigh was truly ready for a glamorous night on the town. While the stunning starlet was enjoying a girls' trip, in Ibiza former EOTB co-star and beau James was enjoying a frolic with his rekindled flame Olivia. Ex On The Beach season four caused an extremely intricate love situation, with Olivia enjoying a night of passion with Ashleigh's ex Scotty T. After James entered the villa, he and Ashleigh immediately hit it off leading to a complicated scenario, yet their romance ended due to James' repeated inability to perform sexually. Holiday vibes: Despite soaking up the sun, Ashleigh used a wide brimmed sun hat to protect her skin Lost love: While the stunning starlet was enjoying a girls' trip, in Ibiza former EOTB co-star and beau James was enjoying a frolic with his rekindled flame Olivia While Ashleigh was brushing off her Monday blues in Cyprus, it was only a fortnight before when she enjoyed a jaunt to Ibiza herself, where she hung out with fellow EOTB star Rogan O'Connor. And when the stunning star is not sunning herself on the far-reaching shores of various exotic locations, she still manages to keep her social media profiles sexy. Most recently she replicated her topless sunbed picture although this time in a bed while sporting lacy knickers - no doubt setting pulses racing among her followers. They've just returned from a relaxing sun-soaked family break in Ibiza. But it seems Billie Faiers is already missing the sunshine, as she posted a longing throwback video of herself and her sister Sam - showing the sisters on the beach in their bikinis. Clearly not ready to return to the monotony of day-to-day life in the UK, the 26-year-old TOWIE star posted a flesh-flashing video of herself and her sibling, 25, posing up a storm in Ibiza. Scroll down for video 'Wish we were here': it seems Billie Faiers is already missing the sunshine, as she posted a longing throwback video of herself and her sister Sam - showing the sisters on the beach in their bikinis The two Essex girls - who shot to fame on the ITV reality show - kept their followers on social media up to date with all their antics on the sunny island, posting a steady stream of pics and videos of their adventures. And obviously not impresses with the changeable weather in the UK, Billie pined for the hot weather by posting the sizzling swimsuit video. Stood on one of the Balearic island's many beaches, the sisters can be seen in matching pink and white bikinis as they pout and blow kisses for the camera. Pining for the sun? Clearly not ready to return to the monotony of day-to-day life in the UK, the 26-year-old TOWIE star posted a flesh-flashing video of herself and her sibling, 25, posing up a storm in Ibiza Showing off their ample assets in their plunging bikini tops, Billie and Sam were the picture of body confidence as they showed off their fantastic figures in the teeny, tiny swim wear. Billie (in pink) and Sam (white) showcased their incredible bikini bodies, with Sam in particular looking the picture of confidence as she flaunted her post-baby body. And it seems that Billie had the beach on her mind, as she captioned the clip: 'Wishing we were still here sister... Bikinis @bahimibeachwear.' Posing up a storm: Stood on one of the Balearic island's many beaches, the sisters can be seen in matching pink and white bikinis as they pout and blow kisses for the camera Sunny snap: the sisters have been keen to document their family fun time on social media as well, with a deluge of sunny snaps showing the duo with their children flooding onto their timelines. Sister act: The duo also made sure their extensive selection of flesh-flashing swimwear featured in the holiday snaps uploaded to social media Joining the girls on their idyllic getaway to the island was their mum Suzanne Wells, Billie's daughter Nelly, one, and Sam's five-month-old son, Paul. And the sisters have been keen to document their family fun time on social media as well, with a deluge of sunny snaps showing the duo with their children flooding onto their timelines. However it wasn't a complete family holiday as Sam and Billie jetted away solo, leaving their other halves, Paul Knightley and Greg Shepherd respectively, at home although they ensured they returned for Father's Day on Sunday. MasterChef Australia judge George Calombaris was widely mocked on Twitter after his bizarre 'attempt' at eating finger food on Wednesday night. The 37-year-old was trying to demonstrate to contestant Matt Sinclair that his team's beef dish would be difficult to eat while reclining at an outdoor cinema. However, many social media users found George's dramatic efforts unintentionally hilarious, and one fan even compared him to a 'drunk teenager' eating take-away. 'Like a drunk teenager': MasterChef Australia judge George Calombaris (left) was widely mocked on Twitter after his bizarre 'attempt' at eating finger food on Wednesday's episode Tensions were running high as the remaining 11 contestants were split into two teams and asked to cook for over a hundred people at Melbourne's Caulfield Racecourse. The guests were attending an outdoor screening so they would be eating sat on deck chairs and bean bags, which required a bite-sized menu. But when it came to sampling the Red Team's beef tataki with soy caramel, George went to strange lengths to prove his point that the dish needed to be smaller. Proving his point? The 37-year-old was trying to demonstrate to contestant Matt Sinclair (right) that his team's beef dish would be difficult to eat while reclining at an outdoor cinema 'No one eats like that George': When it came to sampling the Red Team's beef tataki with soy caramel, George went to strange lengths to prove his point that the dish needed to be smaller 'Ridiculous and so dramatic': George leaned his head back and took a bite, before letting the strip off beef flop out of his mouth as he pretended to struggle He leaned his head back and took a bite, before letting the strip off beef flop out of his mouth as he pretended to struggle. 'Hang on, hang on. I'm reclining back,' he began before shuffling into a hunched position. 'We told you, you've gotta be able to eat this in a beanbag. 'You're about giving the customer service and an experience. How are they gonna get a big wad of meat like that into their gob?' He concluded: 'They're not seals. Think how it's supposed to be eaten.' 'Poor hand-mouth coordination': George was widely mocked on social media for his deliberately sloppy eating 'George really is making deliberately hard work of eating that beef': Twitter fans were quick to point out that George's performance was rather exaggerated After his bizarre 'lesson', several fans tweeted that George was 'making deliberately hard work' of the dish. Twitter user @girlwhowrites, said: 'Love how George changes how he is eating the beef to make it look difficult,' adding the hash tag, 'Gremlin'. 'George's demonstration of eating in a reclined position was ridiculous and so dramatic,' wrote @bowie_in_space. Is he serious? One Twitter fan wrote, 'George's demonstration of eating in a reclined position was ridiculous and so dramatic' 'No one eats like that George': Twitter user @tracey_yip suggested, 'Just move the plate closer to your mouth' And @tracey_yip remarked: 'No one eats like that George. Just move the plate closer to your mouth'. Meanwhile, several fans made jokes about his sloppy etiquette, with @caitiejayne commenting: 'George eating the beef like a drunk teenager eating fries in Kings Cross.' 'Should George be in charge of a fork with such poor hand-mouth coordination?' asked @bebutch. Social media fan @step_pepper wrote: 'And with that, George accidentally ostracises the seal community within the #MasterChefAU fandom'. They celebrated their three year wedding anniversary earlier this month. And Jennifer Hawkins proved she and Jake Wall are happier than ever by sharing a romantic Instagram photo on Wednesday. In the snap, the 32-year-old Myer ambassador is shown kissing her husband in a grotto while on holiday in Italy. 'Love doing life with this guy' Jennifer Hawkins (left) kisses her husband of three years Jake Wall (right) on holiday in Italy in a romantic photo she shared to Instagram on Wednesday Jennifer - who returns as host of Australia's Next Top Model later this year - can be seen flaunting her curves in a yellow bikini. She cuddles up for a kiss with construction professional Jake as they share a very intimate moment in a small boat. The genetically-blessed pair look completely in love as he clasps his hand protectively around her waist. Making a return: The Myer ambassador, 32, is set to appear in the tenth series of Australia's Next Top Model Jennifer captioned the image: 'Literally one of my favourite moments! Love doing life with this guy'. The leggy model is set to appear in the tenth series of Australia's Next Top Model alongside fellow judges Alex Perry and Megan Gale. In the past, there has been rumours of a rivalry between Jennifer and Megan - who are both ambassadors for rival department stores, Myer and David Jones. Giving her verdict: Jennifer Hawkins has been the host of Top Model since 2013. Pictured alongside 2015 judging line-up Didier Cohen (left) and Cheyenne Tozzi (second from right) and Alex Perry (right) Rivals? In the past, there has been rumours of a feud between Jennifer and new Top Model judge Megan Gale (pictured) - who are both ambassadors for rival department stores, Myer and David Jones Megan will replace former judge Charlotte Dawson, who died by suicide in February 2014. The new season will also welcome the arrival of guest mentors Gemma Ward, the Stenmark twins, Elle Macpherson and Cheyenne Tozzi. Meanwhile, Jennifer and Jake married in a Bali ceremony in June 2013 after dating for eight years. They just celebrated their eighth wedding anniversary last month. But clearly Jessica Alba and her husband Cash Warren are still in the honeymoon phase as they enjoyed a romantic dinner date at E. Baldi Italian restaurant in Beverly Hills. The 35-year-old actress and her handsome hubby couldn't keep their hands off each other as they shared a warm embrace on Tuesday night. Scroll down for video Crazy in love! Jessica Alba, 35, and her husband Cash Warren, 37, couldn't keep their hands off each other as they enjoyed a romantic dinner date in Beverly Hills on Tuesday night The Sin City star looked stunning as always in a crisp white button-down shirt with black trousers. She carried an oversized black leather handbag while wrapping her arms around Warren's neck. Her silky balayage tresses were swept back into a low chic bun allowing her exquisite facial features to take center stage. That's amore! The handsome duo dined at E. Baldi Italian restaurant as they waited by valet for their car after dinner Honeymooners! The couple - who celebrated their eighth wedding anniversary last month - was beaming as they exchanged loving glances at one another The Golden Globe nominee went with minimal makeup allowing her natural beauty to shine through. Cash, 37, opted for a black and white plaid dress shirt with light wash denim jeans. The Hollywood power couple met while filming Fantastic Four in 2004 and announced their engagement in December 2007. Proud parents! Jessica and Cash share two beautiful daughters, eight-year-old Honor and Haven, aged four (pictured December 2015) They quietly married in May 2008 at the Beverly Hills courthouse with no guests in attendance and gave birth to their first daughter, Honor, the following month. Jessica and Cash are the proud parents of two daughters, eight-year-old Honor and Haven, aged four. Alba looked relaxed as she took a break from running her billion dollar business The Honest Company which recently launched a new line of hair care products. Australian actor and theatre buff Adam Garcia has been charming audiences in his leading role in the musical Singin' In The Rain. But the 43-year-old has been for forced to leave the musical for up to six weeks because he tore a calf muscle while performing last Sunday. The Coyote Ugly and Bootmen star took to Twitter on Thursday to share his disappointment, writing in part of his post, 'I'm gutted.' Scroll down for video Break a leg! Australian actor and theatre buff Adam Garcia has been for forced to leave the musical Singin' In The Rain for up to six weeks because he tore a calf muscle while performing last Sunday 'It's true I'm injured & am out of the show for the rest of the Melbourne season. I'm gutted but I'll be back soon x,' Adam wrote, having re-tweeted a Theatre People article that spoke of his departure. The West End production is about to finish its Melbourne run at Her Majesty's Theatre and is set to head to Sydney on July 7. The former Dancing With The Stars judge will miss opening the show in Sydney as well as the remaining dates in Melbourne, with the injury potentially putting him out of action for six weeks. In the show, the father of one plays leading man Don Lockwood and he is to be replaced by actor Grant Almirall, who has been performing as Don Lockwood in Singin' in the Rain over the past 18 months on its international tour to South Africa, New Zealand and Hong Kong. In role: He will miss opening the show in Sydney on July 7 as well as the remaining dates in Melbourne with the injury potentially putting him out of action for six weeks He will take over the role in Australia. Emerging star Rob Mallett, will also perform the lead role in some performances. The production picked up three Helpmann Award nominations this week including Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical for Jack Chambers and Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical for Erika Heynatz and Best Choreography in a Musical. Good gig: In the show, the father-of-one plays leading man Don Lockwood The musical, which uses 12,000 litres of recycled water and hits audience members sitting in the 'splash zone', is due to hit Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth after its stint in Sydney. In recent weeks, Adam has been juggling the musical with fatherhood, having welcomed his first child, daughter Arya in August last year. He shares the tiny tot with wife Nathalia. Adam- who hails from Sydney's Wahroonga - has previously told of some complications during Arya's birth, with her heart stopping at one point. Family man: In recent weeks, Adam has been juggling the musical with fatherhood, having welcomed his first child, daughter Arya in August last year 'There were genuine moments of dread,' he told New Idea magazine. 'The nurses and midwives didn't want to betray how serious it was but Arya's heart rate was falling away, then it was gone.' The Coyote Ugly star added that as midwives were preparing his wife for an emergency c-section, Arya's head began to crown, until she was born naturally moments after. Adam and Nathalia married in London in March last year. Days after touching down in London with her husband, Michael Douglas, and their two children, Dylan and Carys, in tow, Catherine Zeta-Jones is now soaking up the glamour of the French Riviera. The 46-year-old Welsh beauty was spotted enjoying a shopping excursion in the glitzy seaside town of Saint-Tropez on Wednesday - and she stepped out for the spree in typical impeccable style. Welsh-born Catherine exuded Riviera glamour as she sauntered down the street in an all-white, full-length lace dress, which boasted elaborate layered beading. Scroll down for video French Riviera glamour: Catherine Zeta-Jones was spotted shopping in Saint Tropez on Wendesday The Chicago star topped off the chic outfit with a black wide-brimmed hat, from which fell her lustrous chestnut brown locks. Adding extra height to her frame with black-and-white wedge heels, the actress shielded her eyes from the glaring sunshine with a pair of stylish brown tinted sunglasses. Keeping her accessories to a minimum, Catherine carried a cream quilted Chanel handbag, while her choice of glittering hoop earrings added an extra touch of pizzazz. The star appeared to be in good spirits as she perused the glitzy destination's upscale boutiques, and even stopped to smile and greet onlookers as she made her way into a store. (P)lace to be: The star wowed as she stepped out in a white full-length lace dress, boasting elaborate beading Extra touch: Actress Catherine topped off her ensemble with a wide-brimmed black hat and tinted sunglasses She later made her way down to the Club 55, where she met up with her 71-year-old husband, who looked casual in a blue T-shirt and cap with white shorts and flip-flops. Joined by a group of pals, the couple - who have been married for 16 years - took a boat out to a luxury yacht. Brunette beauty Catherine, who is based in New York and once resided on the island of Bermuda, was seen touching down at London with her family last week. They do like to be beside the seaside: She was later seen with her husband Michael Douglas at the Club 55 It's good to talk: The couple enjoyed a long chat as they stood over the tantalising turquoise waters Casually cool: Veteran actor Michael looked casual in a blue T-shirt and matching cap with white shorts Deep in conversation: Catherine and Michael looked close as they chatted on the walkway Chilled: Michael looked truly in the holiday spirit as he strolled along the decked walkway in his flip flops Carefree: Michael looked calm and collected as her strolled under the clear blue sky Content: The A-lister looked to have a subtle smile on his lips as he gazed downwards Departure: The star soon got ready to board a boat as he prepared to be whisked off to a waiting yacht Every little step I take...: The couple carefully made their way down the steps and into the small vessel Roots: Michael sported a Bermuda sailing T-shirt. His late mother Diana Dill hailed from the stunning island Clean bill of health: In recent years, the Hollywood actor has successfully battled tongue cancer It's a family affair: Last week, Catherine was seen jetting over to London with her husband and two children And she was sure to live up to her glamorous image for her return to the UK, wearing an cream sunhat and matching coat, teamed with billowing black trousers and stylish shades. During a recent web chat, Catherine revealed that she found her constant flying was wreaking havoc on her beauty regime, but explained she had found a solution. She said: Im finding, just from travelling from New York and being in heated hotel rooms, my skin feels like a Walkers crisp at the moment, but Ive been using some argan oil just to saturate my skin at night, so it has some nourishment as I sleep, to start the day a little bit more hydrated. I think happiness is the best tonic for keeping us youthful. Being happy with who you are inside radiates on the outside,' she added. Doting parents: Screen stars Catherine and Michael share two children - Dylan, 15, and Carys, 13 Ready to roll: Once on board their small boat, the famous couple waited to be whisked away Glamorous life: Michael and Catherine live with their children in New York and once called Bermuda home Hair we go: Catherine's lustrous chestnut brown locks cascaded down her back as she soaked up the sun Playing in the shade: The lovebirds shielded their eyes from the glaring sunshine with stylish sunglasses Problem: Catherine recently admitted that her frequent travels left her skin feeling like 'a Walkers crisp' Solution: She went on to reveal that she uses argan oil to saturate her skin at night and combat the issue Home sweet home: The couple soon made their way to a luxury super yacht bearing the Bermuda flag Travelling in style: The four-storey yacht looked majestic as it sailed through the calm water Beach buddies: The couple stopped off on the beach and felt the sand between their toes Power couple: Michael may have been dressed down but Catherine was a glamorous vision in her flowing white dress Hats off: Catherine removed her hat and allowed sleek brunette tresses to soak up the sun's rays Style queen: The Welsh beauty was well covered from the sun but didn't appear flustered as she flashed a smile Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie seem to have been rather content with each other since meeting on the set of their 2005 action film Mr And Mrs Smith. But the couple, who wed in 2014 and parent six children together, seem to have hit a snag this year, according to a Wednesday report from UsWeekly. It has been claimed the A-list actor, 52, is not happy that his 41-year-old wife wants to sell their sprawling Chateau Miraval property in France to help further her political career in London. Arguing? Brad Pitt is not happy Angelina Jolie wants to sell their Chateau Miraval property in France, according to a Wednesday report from UsWeekly; here he is seen on Tuesday at LAX while she was spotted the day before in LA She has a new interest: 'Angelina is ramping up her efforts in the political world,' a source told the publication 'Angelina is ramping up her efforts in the political world,' a source told the publication. The Oscar winner has been working with Arminka Helic, the British House Of Lords member. 'They share a similar vision.' said a source. Jolie and Helic have partnered up for a nonprofit based in the UK. And the Maleficent beauty has also been teaching at Helic's alma mater the London School Of Economics. The digs: It looks as if Angelina wants to enter the House Of Lords, because the source said she wants to unload their Miraval home. Only tax-paying British residents are allowed into the House It looks as if Angelina wants to enter the House Of Lords, because the source said she is interested in unloading the Miraval estate she owns with Pitt. Only tax-paying British residents are allowed into the House. As of this summer, the stars are living in England where Brad is shooting the sequel to World War Z. He has just finished working on War Machine and Allied. Turns out Brad does not want to let go of the French estate, which he has tirelessly renovated and which produces their brand of pink wine. New pals: The Oscar winner has been working with Arminka Helic, the British House Of Lords member. 'They share a similar vision.' said a source; here Jolie is sitting next to Helic at the House Of Lords in 2015 'She wants to sell Chateau Miraval and Brad refuses,' said the source. Pitt owns a home in the Los Feliz area of Los Angeles but it is not known if that is in her name as well and will have to go too. And though Jolie is slated for a Maleficent sequel which Disney confirmed this spring, a source added 'she has turned her back on Hollywood.' Jolie has indeed been very involved with politics these days. On June 20 the By The Sea director addressed a crowd at the State Department in Washington DC on World Refugee Day. Pitt seems to be allowing some fun in his life, however, as he was seen at the 84th 24 hours Le Mans race in France on June 18. Australian bikini blogger Natasha Oakley is typically the one who shows off her enviable figure in swimsuits. But on Wednesday, her equally photogenic model boyfriend Gilles Souteyrand was the one stripping off for a social media snap, showing off his bulging arm muscles as he poured his girl a glass of red wine on their romantic holiday in Italy. The London-based personal trainer went shirtless in the snap as they soaked up the views of Capri from a balcony, with Gillies captioning the shot: 'She likes Merlots.' Scroll down for video 'She likes Merlots': Natasha Oakley's boyfriend Gilles Souteyrand showed off his bulging arm muscles as he poured his girl a glass of red wine on a romantic holiday in Italy in a picture posted to Instagram on Wednesday In the image, Gilles wears a pair of grey track pants and shows off a golden tan. Natasha appears to have been the one to take the snap shot, with a glass of wine in front of her. But not one to shy away from social media, Natasha shared more envy-inducing snaps of their vacation, sharing shots of herself walking around Capri in a white plunging crochet dress. If you've got it: But not one to shy away from social media, Natasha shared more envy-inducing snaps of their vacation, sharing shots of herself walking around Capri in a white plunging crochet dress Picture perfect: In another shot, she poses for a selfie on a hotel balcony and appears to be wearing very little make-up The never-ending getaway! Natasha dressed in a plunging lace dress on Tuesday as she settled in to her next holiday destination of Capri in Italy Showing off sun-kissed skin, she wore her blonde locks out and over her shoulders in loose curls. In another shot, she poses for a selfie on a hotel balcony and appears to be wearing very little make-up. She captioned part of the image: 'Love a room with a view.' Earlier in the day, Natasha shared another image of herself arriving at the holiday destination. This time she was wearing a white loose-fitting dress with rolled up short-sleeves. Again she showed off her cleavage in the plunging neckline garment, while revealing her long toned legs through the front high-split. White hot: Earlier in the day, the 25-year-old slipped her toned frame into a loose-fitting dress that featured rolled short-sleeves, a low-cut front and thigh high split as she arrived into Capri Romantic holiday: The Bikini A Day blogger is currently spending some quality time with boyfriend Gilles along the Amalfi Coast What a view! And earlier in the week,the blogger posed in a tiny blue bikini, sharing the sexy snap with her 1.8million followers on Instagram Beauty in blue: She also flaunted her ample assets and tiny waist in a blue bikini and wrap skirt Earlier in the week, the blogger posed in a tiny blue bikini, sharing the sexy snap with her 1.8million followers on Instagram. The Bikini A Day blogger is currently spending some quality time with boyfriend Gilles along the Amalfi Coast. She has so far enjoyed a three-week jaunt across several cities including Rome, Venice and Tuscany and Florence. Natasha and Gilles celebrated their one year anniversary last month, after going public with their relationship back in November. She's currently in Paris for the launch of Givenchy's new fragrance Live Irresistible. And Amanda Seyfried proved she's the perfect brand ambassador as she posed and pouted on the city's Pont du Carrousel on Wednesday afternoon. The actress, 30, took pretty in pink to a whole new level by wearing an oversized button-up shirt over a thigh-skimming lace negligee, no doubt pleasing boyfriend Thomas Sadoski as they walked to and from set holding hands. Pretty in pink: Amanda Seyfried and boyfriend Thomas Sadoski enjoyed an intimate moment as they walked hand-in-hand through a Givenchy photo shoot on the Pont du Carrousel in Paris, France, on Wednesday Staying true to the colour scheme, the Mamma Mia! star wore a pink corsage on her left lapel, continuing the floral theme that was present in previous Live Irresistible advertisements. Going for a pure and simple look, Amanda played a subtle make-up game, wearing the lightest dusting of pink blush and just a touch of pink lippie. As she perched on the stone railing of the iconic bridge, the blonde beauty swept her hair back and to the sides, ensuring that the photographer could focus on her stunning face and complexion. As versatile in photo shoots as she is on the big screen, Amanda channelled sensuality, joy and raw sex appeal. Modelling from head to toe, she at times laid on her stomach and her side, elongating her slim pins to make the most of her 5ft 3in frame. It's a match! The actress, 30, took pretty in pink to a whole new level by wearing an oversized button-up shirt over a thigh-skimming lace negligee on the shoot Pure and simple: Amanda played a subtle make-up game, wearing the lightest dusting of pink blush and just a touch of pink lippie Pink to make the boys wink! Staying true to the colour scheme, the Mamma Mia! actress wore a pink corsage on her left lapel as she posed up a storm on the elegant shoot Mix it up: Amanda placed her smooth knees on the rough concrete as she slid into position Don't fall! At times laid on her side, elongating her slim pins to make the most of her 5ft 3in frame Giving face: As versatile in photo shoots as she is on the big screen, Amanda channeled sensuality, joy and raw sex appeal Camera-ready and keen to please her client, she maintained a smile throughout the day and knew exactly where to place her hand when the wind blew and threatened her modesty. She and her beau Thomas enjoyed several intimate moments. During breaks the pair, who were revealed to be dating in March, could be seen chatting privately, sharing laughs and holding hands. Amanda was in China earlier this week for Cle de Peau Beaute, a make-up brand from The Shisheido Group. The Twenties-style bash was in celebration of the brand's latest collection, inspired by artist Tamara de Lempicka of the Art Deco period. Adjustments: Amanda stayed calm as wardrobe assistants corrected problems with her outfit Perfection: No stranger to the elements, Amanda relaxed as a hair stylist tidied her look Cover up: Camera-ready and keen to please her client, she maintained a smile throughout the day and knew exactly where to place her hand when the wind blew and threatened her modesty 'I feel great affinity with women who live strong, bold lives, like Tamara de Lempicka,' Amanda said, as reported by KCTV News5. Her pick from the collection, for a feeling of 'fearless beauty,' was the New Liquid Rouge #18 (Lempicka Red). Amanda and Tom started dating while shooting their upcoming film The Last Word and reportedly became friends while appearing together as a couple who have a one-night stand in the off-Broadway production of The Way We Get By in 2015. Former Newsroom actor Thomas is in the middle of a divorce from his ex-wife of eight years, casting director Kimberly Hope. Amanda split from her ex-boyfriend, actor Justin Long, in September after they began dating in 2013. Hand-in-hand: Amanda and her beau Thomas enjoyed several intimate moments during the day Break time: When she stepped away from the set, Amanda wore her hair in a simple up-do Versatile: At times Amanda pushed her legs up into the air, giving her the appearance of a glamorous beached mermaid She is more used to the glamorous spas and shops of Cheshire. But Real Housewives star Tanya Bardsley got a taste of real royalty on Wednesday when she proudly attended her father's investiture at Buckingham Palace. The 34-year-old former glamour model couldn't contain her excitement as her dad picked up an MBE award for his services to injured soldiers. Scroll down for video Lady in red! On Wednesday Tanya Bardsley beamed with pride, as her dad was awarded an MBE at Buckingham Palace in London Donning an orange off-the-shoulder knee length dress, pregnant Tanya showed off her blooming bump in the intricate number. The mother-of-three matched her nude hat and lace fascinator with matching Louboutin killer heels. Keeping her jewellery simple with diamond earrings and her large engagement ring, the reality star showed off her stylish French manicure. And the Manchester-born model, who is married to Stoke City player Phil Bardsley, looked every inch the tanned housewife, completing her look with a touch of bronzer and lipgloss. Paying attention to every detail, the former FHM stunner matched a stylish nude clutch to coordinate with her killer heels. Tanya looked proud as punch as she posed alongside her father, sister and mother for pictures. Proud daughter: The 34-year-old Real Housewives of Cheshire star couldn't contain her excitement as her dad picked up the award for his services to injured soldiers Family affair: She looked proud as punch as she posed with her father, sister and mother for pictures Family affair: Sharing a family snap, she wrote: 'So proud of my dad I could burst... we are going to Buckingham palace for my dad to receive a MBE for looking after injured soldiers' Taking to Instagram she posted a snap of the beaming family, writing: 'So proud of my dad I could burst... we are going to Buckingham palace for my dad to receive a MBE for looking after injured soldiers .. #my hero #mydaddy #myinspiration #myeverything.' On Sunday Tanya posted a snap of partner Phil, her daughter and the couple's two sons, writing: 'Happy Father's Day to the best daddy in the world @phil_bardsley2 and my daddy... we love you so so much.' While her daughter as inherited her mum's good looks, her two gorgeous sons posed in adorable matching polka dot shirts. Last week the family enjoyed a sunny family holiday in Portugal. Taking to Instagram Tanya shared a sweet snap of her son kissing her growing bump, writing: 'This is happiness. Yes, I'm big and have stretch marks on my thighs and I don't care.' Tanya is mum to Gabriella, 13, Rocco, six, and Renz, two, and announced the news of her latest pregnancy during series three of the ITVBe reality show. She has been a regular on the Glastonbury festival scene for years. And Millie Mackintosh was clearly excited for the music event as she shared a flawless make-up free selfie of her beauty preparations on Wednesday. The former Made In Chelsea star, 26, stuck out her tongue in the au natural shot, which she captioned: 'Pre-glasto beauty prep underway @drfrancesprennajones @julesvonhep @revivme.' Scroll down for video 'Beauty prep underway!' Millie Mackintosh, 26, shared a glowing make-up free selfie on Wednesday ahead of attending Glastonbury Festival The fashion designer looked glowing in the close-up selfie which she shared with her 1.2million Instagram followers. Her normally sleek caramel-hued tresses were worn in a tousled style and swept to the side. Millie, who is currently seeing her former Made In Chelsea co-star Hugo Taylor, also gave an insight into her festival packing preparations. Donning a bohemian-inspired patterned kimono, she flashed a peace sign as she showed off her neatly packed suitcase. She captioned it: 'Nearly finished packing.. So excited for Glastonbury! @americaneagleuk #aeostyle #sponsored' 'So excited for Glastonbury!' The former Made In Chelsea star, 26, flashed a peace sign as she showed off her neatly packed suitcase Going incognito: The brunette beauty rocked a skintight black dress as she ran errands in London on Wednesday Undercover lady: She threw a khaki jacket with a drawstring waist over the top and opted for some Valentino 'Rockstud' sandals for a tough edge In between preparations, the brunette beauty was spotted rocking an understated outfit as she ran errands in London. She flaunted her enviably slim physique in a figure-hugging strapless black dress that remained demure thanks to its midi length. She threw a khaki jacket with a drawstring waist over the top and opted for some Valentino 'Rockstud' sandals for a tough edge. Keeping accessories to a minimum, the former reality star rocked a black wide-brimmed trilby and some round-eye shades. Millie saw her two and a half year marriage to rapper Professor Green, 32, dissolved in just 30 seconds at the end of May. Killer accessories: The former reality star rocked a black wide-brimmed trilby and some round-eye shades Ready for her close-up: Millie shared another selfie on Wednesday that flaunted her glowing complexion They were granted a decree nisi at Central London Family Court with Millie citing 'unreasonable behaviour' as the reason for their split. The divorce comes just three months after the couple announced they were separating after living separate lives. In a statement at the time, they said: 'It is a mutual decision, we still care deeply about each other and would like it to be known that it is on amicable terms and we wish each other well.' They decided to part shortly after returning from a make-or-break holiday in Florence, Italy, which was well documented on their respective Instagram pages. The EX factor: Millie saw her two and a half year marriage to rapper Professor Green, 32, (both pictured at London events on Tuesday night) dissolved in just 30 seconds at the end of May Stephen said they had gone on the break after only spending one day in each other's company all year. He said: 'It was the first time I had seen her properly in 30 days. We had seen each other like ships in the night, but we werent getting any quality time together. It is good sometimes to have space, but it is also difficult when you miss someone for that long. 'It used to happen when I was touring. You would have a day off and try and have the best day of your life. But then youd just start arguing. That is a relationship.' Millie and Stephen started dating in November 2011 after the rapper saw her on the cover of men's magazine FHM. The rapper contacted Millie through her agent and they had their first date at the Groucho Club in Soho. Stepping out in style: The fashionista looked incredible in a plunging black lace top and cigarette pants as she attended pal Rosie Fortescue's jewellery launch at Fortnum & Mason on Bethenny Frankel was bleeding during a recent episode of The Real Housewives Of New York City. And on Wednesday the 45-year-old reality star revealed during a sit down with Good Morning America what the cause of the bleeding was: 'It was gigantic fibroids,' said the Skinnygirl founder. In May she had to have surgery. The ex of Jason Hoppy added that she thinks fibroids are what caused her miscarriage in 2012. She already has a daughter, Bryn, aged six, with Hoppy. Traumatic: Bethenny Frankel was bleeding during a recent episode of The Real Housewives Of New York City. And on Wednesday the 45-year-old reality star revealed during a sit down with Good Morning America what the cause of the bleeding was Her big reveal: : 'It was gigantic fibroids,' said the Skinnygirl founder of her medical condition Candid: The ex of Jason Hoppy added that she thinks fibroids are what caused her miscarriage in 2012. She already has a daughter, Bryn, aged six, with Hoppy 'I've been told that the fibroids probably caused my miscarriage a couple of years ago,' she said. During last week's episode Frankel admitted she had bled 'all over the car and everything in my house. 'I suffer from a lot of female problems. Cysts and I had endometriosis,' Bethenny told GMA co-anchor Lara Spencer. Upfront: 'I suffer from a lot of female problems. Cysts and I had endometriosis,' Bethenny told GMA co-anchor Lara Spencer 'I feel better, I'm happy': Bethenny said she has a positive outlook and appeared in good spirits Bethenny stated: 'The bleeding was so excessive and I was so weak. 'I felt like I looked so haggard and had such black circles under my eyes that I had to take care of it and it was confusing,' she added. The mother-of-one underwent a myomectomy on May 20 which included a six-week recovery. She recalled the unnerving times, 'I was in the hospital for three days and it's kind of brutal, I didn't realize it.' Before the show: The Bravo star looked confident as she walked into the studio Svelte: The Real Housewives Of New York star showcased her phenomenal figure in a form-fitting royal blue cocktail dress But when asked about how she's currently feeling, Bethenny said she has a positive outlook and appeared in good spirits. 'I feel better, I'm happy and I'm glad it's over.' Though the beauty was addressing a difficult topic on the morning show, she looked chic in a simple blue dress. The business mogul showcased her svelte figure in a form-fitting royal blue cocktail dress. Her knee-length frock included an asymmetrical neckline and cinched around her waist with a thin copper belt. Brilliant in blue! The reality star's frock included an asymmetrical neckline and cinched around her waist with a thin copper belt She paired the bold-coloured number with nude strappy stilettos while waving to fans as she made her way inside the morning talk show studios. The cocktail creator styled her shoulder-length honey locks in loose tendrils for a soft look and swept her bangs to one side. Her makeup was kept to a minimum but she opted for a touch of black eyeliner and a bit of glossy lip for some extra shine. Bethenny also penned an open letter called 'Getting Real About My Health' on Facebook. Final touches: She paired the bold-coloured number with nude strappy stilettos Frankel had an IUD inserted for several years once she separated from her husband of three years, Jason Hoppy, to avoid pregnancy. 'During the past year, increasing dramatically in the past few months, I started to experience bleeding,' she explained as problems began to arise with the device. 'My doctor and I decided to remove my IUD to start eliminating causes,' Bethenny continued. She wrote: 'When I started bleeding an immense amount for days to follow, I assumed this was an after effect of the removal.' 'To say that there was a lot of blood would be a massive understatement.' 'I'm glad it's over': The mother-of-one underwent a myomectomy on May 20 which included a six-week recovery but appeared in good spirits 'I ruined my rug, my linens, bled all over my car and through dozens of pads and tampons,' she confessed. 'Not to be too graphic, but to hopefully help someone, it was literally clumps of blood.' While Bethenny was filming with cast member Dorinda Medley, she was 'rushed out of a scene' and headed straight to her OB/GYN office. 'The fibroids from a few years back had grown rapidly, doubled the size of my uterus and I lost almost ten percent of my blood. I was a mess.' After she decided to undergo the myomectomy she was terrified after speaking with doctors. Health scare: Frankel discussed her 'women's health issue' last week on the hit reality show and admitted she had bled 'all over the car and everything in my house' 'When I heard "make sure you have a living will" I panicked.' 'I was horrified while filming and hated seeming weak and like a complainer but now I'm happy I went through it with the audience and some of my cast mates because it possibly will raise awareness.' 'A special shout out goes to Dorinda and Carole who came to the MD with me and Ramona who reached out to me every day for over six weeks asking the same question "how's the bleeding? 'They were so sweet and supportive,' Frankel said of her fellow cast members. Bethenny married pharmaceutical sales executive Jason Hoppy in 2010 and gave birth to a daughter, Bryn , aged six. She separated from Hoppy in December 2012 and filed for divorce in January 2013. She revealed she was pregnant with a cute Instagram post earlier this month. And Kaya Scodelario, 24, stepped out for the first time since making the announcement, joining husband Benjamin Walker, 34, at the Valentino Menswear Spring/Summer 2017 collection in Paris, on Wednesday. The actress looked stunning in a decorative floral minidress, with its semi sheer decolletage adorned with birds. Scroll down for video Congratulations! Pregnant Kaya Scodelario, 24, stepped out for the first time since announcing she was expecting, on Wednesday, joining husband Benjamin Walker, 34, at the Valentino Menswear collection in Paris The former Skins actress rested a hand carefully on her burgeoning bump while placing her other around her husband as they posed for photographs. Kaya emanated a healthy glow as she produced a pretty smile while cosying up to her man. Her brunette tresses fell in loose waves over her shoulders, while she wore a slick of pink lipstick and decorated her piercing blue peepers with smoky eyeshadow. Ben cut a dapper figure in a plaid monochrome suit which certainly caught the eye. Mum-to-be: Kaya proudly showed off her bump as she caressed it with her hands Madly in love: The inseparable couple barely left each other's side while out at the fashion show The look of love: The actress looked stunning in a decorative floral minidress, with its semi sheer decolletage adorned with birds Only eyes for you: The couple couldn't take their eyes off each other Stylish: Ben cut a dapper figure in a plaid monochrome suit which certainly caught the eye Sweet: Kaya placed an affectionate peck on Ben's cheek as the American looked on The actor finished his ensemble with a white shirt and a plain black tie to ensure he was coordinated. He placed a loving arm around his wife and held her close to him as he smiled for the shot. Kaya placed an affectionate peck on his cheek, and once they'd found their seats, she rested her hands on her man's thigh. Happy couple: Once they'd found their seats, she rested her hands on her man's thigh Glowing: Kaya emanated a healthy glow as she produced a pretty smile The look of love: The pair gazed adoringly into each other's eyes once outside All smiles: They couldn't hide their delight at being together as they stood on the steps Proud dad: Ben placed his hand on Kaya's bump and appeared to burst with pride Immaculate: Ben finished his quirky look with some heavy-duty burgundy footwear Time to go: The couple held hands as they left the venue after the exclusive show Leading the way: The towering actor led Kaya by the hand as they left Putting a smile on her face: Ben certainly appeared to make Kaya happy Pretty as a picture: Kaya showed off her slender limbs while standing on the stone steps The star made her pregnancy announcement by sharing a picture of the pair walking along the beach with their pet dog, as they clutched her growing tummy. With a love heart drawn in the sand, the married couple made their revelation in the caption of the Instagram post. She captioned the picture with the words: 'I love you @findthewalker I love our little family,' alongside some baby emojis. 'I love our little family': Former Skins actress Kaya announced she is pregnant with her first child with husband Ben, with this cute Instagram post The couple married in a 2015 winter wedding after he popped the question within six months of dating. Kaya announced in low-key fashion in January 2016 that she was now a married woman when she shared an image of bride and a groom wedding cake toppers. 'Happy New Year everyone,' she captioned the Instagram snap. 'Here's to 2016 being filled with love, laughter and cake for everyone!' Her man: Kaya made it official with a winter wedding over the holidays, according to People, and has been sharing images from her action-packed and romantic honeymoon with enthusiasm ever since The blushing bride: Ben popped the question after six months of dating in December 2014 Kaya made it official over the holidays, according to People, and has been sharing images from her action-packed and romantic honeymoon with enthusiasm ever since. Among the snaps was a photo of herself and Ben at a foam party, where she cuddled up to her new husband in the bubbles and clutched two glasses. 'This is how we honeymoon...', the image was captioned. The pair originally met in April 2014 when they were cast in The Moon And The Sun, but within two months had become an item. The actress, who appears opposite Johnny Depp in the forthcoming Pirates Of The Caribbean film, has proved her devotion to Ben by getting his name tattooed on her engagement finger. Kaya originally found fame as Tony Stonem's younger rebellious younger sister Effy in E4's British teen series Skins. Glitzy: The pair originally met in April 2014 when they were cast in The Moon And The Sun, but within two months had become an item - pictured at the Met Gala in New York on May 2 She went on to find fame in Hollywood, being cast The Maze Runner and The Scorch Trials on the big screen. Prior to dating Ben, Kaya was in a long-term romance with Shameless actor Eliott Tittensor, before splitting in late 2013. Meanwhile, Ben's two year marriage to Mamie Gummer - daughter of Meryl Streep - ended in early 2013. They went public with their romance in March and have attended a series of high-profile events together in recent weeks. And Jenson Button and new girlfriend Brittny Ward looked quite the model couple as they attended the opening of Michael Kors' new Regent Street flagship store in London on Wednesday night. Arriving in style in an orange McLaren vehicle, the Formula One ace, 36, looked proud as punch to have the model, 25, on his arm as they posed up a storm inside the bash. Scroll down for video Cute couple: Jenson Button and new girlfriend Brittny Ward proved themselves to be quite the model couple as they attended the opening of Michael Kors' new Regent Street flagship store in London on Wednesday night Life in the fast lane: The Formula One ace, 36, looked proud as punch to have the model, 25, on his arm as they posed up a storm inside the bash with F1 team principle Ron Dennis and his girlfriend Carol Weatherall The duo looked stylish as they posed for pictures alongside F1 team principle Ron Dennis and his girlfriend Carol Weatherall. Playboy model Brittny looked elegant in a strapless black cocktail dress and black strappy killer heels, which helped to accentuate her incredible figure. The brunette beauty accessorised with a small patent clutch bag, and looked every inch the California girl with her flowing tresses. Showing off her natural beauty Brittny went for minimum make-up, bold brows and nude lips as she mingled with the likes of Hollywood heavyweights Gwyneth Paltrow, Jessica Chastain and Solange Knowles at the star-studded event. Model behaviour: Playboy model Brittny looked elegant in a strapless black cocktail dress and black strappy killer heels, which helped to accentuate her incredible figure Flashy: The 36-year-old Formula One driver arrived in style at the opening of Michael Kors' new Regent Street flagship store in an orange Mclaren Looking sharp! Jenson looked smart in a navy blue suit cut to perfection, and a crisp white shirt Jenson looked smart in a navy blue suit cut to perfection, and a crisp white shirt. Later, the couple put on a show of affection as they posed arm-in-arm before attending a private dinner held by Michael Kors at The River Cafe in Hammersmith. The 2009 Formula One World Champion caused quite a stir as he pulled up to the store opening in a bright orange Mclaren, boasting serious perks of the job. Spanish Formula One racing driver Fernando Alonso pulled up to the bash in a matching white Mclaren, causing a further stir on the busy road. Dinner date: The brunette beauty accessorised with a small patent clutch bag, and looked every inch the California girl with her flowing tresses as the couple cosied up over dinner Poser: The 2009 Formula One World Champion caused quite a stir as he pulled up to the store opening in a bright orange Mclaren, boasting serious perks of the job The duo later debuted their racing suits with designer Michael Kors, showing off the style collaboration. Model Brittny has hit fame for her relationship with Formula 1 racing car driver Jenson, who split from his wife Jessica Michibata in December 2015. The couple made their red carpet debut at the beginning of the month, when they put in a joint appearance at the Hope & Homes End The Silence fundraiser at Abbey Road Studios in London. She also accompanied him to Monaco this year for the Monaco Grand Prix, just one year after his ex-wife Jessica was on the sidelines supporting him. Double act! Spanish Formula One racing driver Fernando Alonso pulled up to the bash in a matching white Mclaren, causing a further stir on the busy road Kors for Mclaren: The racing duo later debuted their racing suits with designer Michael Kors, showing off the style collaboration Jenson and Jessica, who tied the knot in a lavish Hawaiian ceremony at the end of 2014, remained on good terms despite calling time on their relationship. A spokesperson for the former F1 World Champion told MailOnline in December: '(They) have decided to go their separate ways and it is very amicable. There is no one else involved.' The driver and the 31-year-old fashion model first met in 2008 in a hotel bar in Tokyo and began dating eight months later. Their relationship experienced ups and downs and they split for a short time in 2011 before the McLaren star proposed on Valentine's Day 2014, with a ring worth 250,000. She appears to have given a new lease of life since meeting her fiance Egor Tarabasov. And Lindsay Lohan, 29, looked radiant as she attended Caudwell Children's Butterfly Ball at the Grosvenoer House Hotel, London, on Wednesday, in a glamorous plunging pale pink gown. The American actress showcased her cleavage in the glitzy frock, with its jewel-encrusted bodice shimmering under the lights as she posed on the red carpet. Scroll down for video Glitzy: Lindsay Lohan, 29, looked radiant as she attended Caudwell Children's Butterfly Ball in London, on Wednesday, in a glamorous plunging pale pink gown The redhead finished her look with a pair of sparkly silver peep toe heels which revealed vibrant red pedicure. The Freaky Friday star's luscious locks cascaded down her front from a middle parting, and she kept up the glam with a slick of bright pink lipstick, lashings of mascara and smoky eyeshadow. She was joined on the purple carpet by Egor, 22, who cut a dapper figure in a traditional black three-piece suit. Loved-up: Lindsay was joined on the purple carpet by Egor, 22, who cut a dapper figure in a traditional black three-piece suit Taking the plunge: The American actress showcased her cleavage in the glitzy frock, with its jewel-encrusted bodice shimmering under the lights as she posed on the red carpet He wore his dark locks in a tousled style and sported finely groomed facial hair for the prestigious occasion. The loved-up couple placed their arms around each other, and Lindsay struck a number of smiley poses. Organised by Phones4u tycoon John Caudwell, the event, which raises money for disabled children, will include performances from All Saints and Burt Bacharach. Style queen: Sarah-Jane Crawford looked super-stylish in an off the shoulder black and white pencil dress which she wore with black heels and a clutch Vibrant: The Inbetweeners' Emily Atack brought a touch of colour to the proceedings in a vivid orange dress, which she confidently modelled on the runway Bold in brights: The actress kept her accessories muted, opting for metallic heels and a box clutch Quirky: Tallia Storm rocked textured black minidress with a billowing sheer overlay Going incognito: Professor Green looked suave in a pair of mirrored aviators at the event Playing it cool: The rapper cut a cool figure in a black jacket and trouser combo Body confident: Natalie Anderson put on a very busty display in a plunging metallic gown Natural beauty: Rachel Stevens looked flawless as she made her arrival in a bold dress Scarlet siren: The 37-year-old singer stunned in the red gown which highlighted her tiny waist thanks to a wide gold belt Stealing the limelight: Rachel wore her ombre-hued hair in loose waves that delicately framed her face Glamour girls: Hofit Golan ripped up the fashion rule book and showed off plenty of leg and cleavage, while Lizzie Cundy showed off her form in a striking red number Other guests on the night included Professor Green, Natalie Anderson, Tallia Storm, Gabrielle, Emily Atack, Sarah-Jane Crawford and Jean- Bernard Frenandez-Versini to name but a few. Pro Green cut a cool figure in a black jacket and trouser combo which he combined with a buttoned down white shirt and a pair of black shades. While Sarah-Jane Crawford looked super-stylish in an off the shoulder black and white pencil dress which she wore with black heels and a clutch. The Inbetweeners' Emily Atack brought a touch of colour to the proceedings in a vivid orange dress, which she confidently modelled on the runway. Natalie Anderson put on a very busty display in a plunging metallic gown. The beauty went braless in the eyecatching frock which also had a plunging back. Belle of the ball: Danielle Armstrong pulled out all the stops in her grey ball gown with a glitzy chest piece Strike a pose: The TOWIE star's gown featured sheer panels that subtly flaunted her tanned skin Double trouble: Danielle was joined by her The Only Way Is Essex co-star Bobby Palmer Dapper: Simon Webbe looked chic in a metallic paisley print jacket while actor Lucien Laviscount, 24, opted for a velvet navy number Man of the hour: Organised by Phones4u tycoon John Caudwell (centre), the event, which raises money for disabled children, will include performances from All Saints and Burt Bacharach Feeling blue: Pips Taylor vivid blue dress with a ruche finish no doubt got plenty of attention, while Olivia Inge sported a pair of eye-catching yellow heels which couldn't be missed Ready to perform: Gabrielle rocked her trademark fringe and a smart all-black ensemble Suited and booted: Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini and Darren Kennedy bother looked sharp Kyle Richards was clearly feeling nostalgic on Monday when she rummaged through the family photos and pulled out a real good one of her and her two older siblings. The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star posted a heartwarming photo that showed her decked out in a red vest and plaid skirt that echoed the more grown up outfits worn by Kim Richards and Kathy Hilton. 'Found this pic of my sisters & me yesterday. Our Mom loved dressing us alike,' the 47-year-old reality star and dress shop owner captioned the snapshot. Scroll down for video 'Our mom loved dressing us alike': Kyle Richards, 47, shared an Instagram throwback on Monday with sisters Kim Richards and Kathy Hilton The three sisters all coordinated their ensembles in shades of bright orange, chocolate brown and white. Kyle donned an adorable pleated checkered skirt with a buttoned-up vest and white turtleneck shirt. Her hair fell in curly tendrils and she wore little white boots as she flashed a huge grin for the camera. Gorgeous girls! Kathy (center) is the half-sister to Kim and Kyle (pictured in March 2006) Memorable moment: Kyle and her mom Kathleen Richards at the wedding of Kim and husband Monty Brinson in August 1985 in Beverly Hills Kim wore a simple one-piece frock which included a high white neckline and matching cuffs. The Return from Witch Mountain child star wore her blonde locks in braided pigtails finished with black ribbons. Big sister Kathy perched herself between her younger sisters and wore low side pigtails. Her mini dress included a white hemline following around the neck and down the center. Kim and Kathy matched their looks in black leather knee-high boots. Perhaps it's no coincidence that Kyle went on to open her own women's apparel clothing store, Kyle By Alene Too in Beverly Hills. Kyle and Kim Richards, 51, are half-sisters with Kathy Hilton, 57, and all share the same mother - Kathleen Mary. Sorrow: The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star lost her mom in 2002 to breast cancer and often discusses the tragedy on the hit Bravo reality show (pictured on May 23) Hilton - who is the mother to socialites Paris and Nicky Hilton - was the daughter from Kathleen's first marriage to Laurence Avanzino, whereas Kyle and Kim were born as a result of her second marriage to Ken Richards. Their mother passed in 2002 from breast cancer, a tragedy that Kyle often discusses on the hit Bravo reality show. Kyle and her real estate agent husband, Mauricio Umansky, are parents to three daughters together: 19-year-old Alexia, 16-year-old Sophia and seven-year-old Portia. She also has a 28-year-old daughter. Farrah, from her first marriage to Guraish Aldjufrie, who she was married to from 1988 to 1990. She welcomed her baby daughter Gigi four months ago, but her arrival has been bitter sweet. Offspring star Kat Stewart has told how the birth of her daughter Gigi has come months after she lost her mother Kitty to cancer, and focusing on her new arrival has helped soften the blow. The 43-year-old - who plays vivacious Billie Proudman in the comedy drama - told WHO magazine: 'It seems quite apt she's come along when she has... She's a positive spin [on what's happened.' Scroll down for video Mother at work: Kat Stewart was recently pictured on set of the new series of Offspring with her four-month-old daughter Gigi Kat, who has returned to work after relishing spending time at home with her new baby, also told the magazine that her husband David Whiteley lost his mother Shirley to the disease several months before her own mother passed away. Baby Gigi, then, has been a welcomed joy for the couple who are also parents to Archie, four. Kat had kept her pregnancy completely under wraps but surprised fans when she announced in April that her daughter had been born on March 16. Surprise news: Kat had kept her pregnancy completely under wraps but shocked fans when she announced in April Gigi had been born on March 16 Speaking to the Daily Telegraph at the time, she insisted she hadn't tried to keep her pregnancy secret but had merely been laying low whilst dealing with family issues. 'It wasnt a conscious thing. I havent been hiding her. Ive just been pottering around at home,' she said of the new baby. The actress known for her role in Underbelly revealed her firstborn Archie has been embracing his role as an older brother. 'Archie takes his role as big brother really seriously. Hes in charge of calming Gigi down with lullabies,' she said. Working mothers: The 43-year-old plays vivacious Billie Proudman in the Channel Ten comedy drama opposite Asher Keddie and both have been bringing their babies to the film set in Melbourne Last year Kat, who has been taking Gigi to the film set of Offspring as she films the show, admitted holding off motherhood for fear of slipping back in her career. Speaking to Show and Tell, she said: 'I had this paranoia that if I had a baby which is probably why we put it off for so long that Id never work again.' She returned to work just five weeks after giving birth to Archie in 2012 and also kept her first pregnancy close to her chest for months. 'I didn't really tell anyone until I was about five months. I only told people when I had to which is weird but I was just a bit kind of nervous about it and protective of it and I wanted it to be our experience for as long as possible.' UN presses South Sudan leaders to hold camp attackers responsible The United Nations urged South Sudan's government Tuesday to hold accountable the perpetrators of February's violent attacks on a camp sheltering nearly 50,000 displaced civilians in the northeastern oil hub Malakal. A May inquiry found that assailants, some wearing South Sudan army (SPLA) uniforms, entered the camp on February 17 and 18 through a breached fence and proceed to shoot, loot property and set tents ablaze. The attackers "used sophisticated weaponry, including tracer bullets and grenades, during the attacks" that left at least 30 people dead and 123 injured, according to the report. A UN peacekeeper from Rwanda walks through the remnants of a looted and burnt clinic in the UN Protection of Civilians site in Malakal, on February 26, 2016 Albert Gonzalez Farran (AFP/File) Evidence gathered from witnesses, including UN personnel, made clear that the attackers "systematically" razed large sections of the camp inhabited by the Nuer and Shilluk communities, leaving those that housed Dinka and Dafuri groups intact, it said. The investigation also found that Eastern Nile state's governor helped the Dinka population flee to Malakal town in pickup trucks. Based on the results of the probe, UN chief Ban Ki-moon urged the young nation to "hold accountable the individuals identified as responsible for the violence and attacks," including political and military leaders in South Sudan's Eastern Nile state. - 'Difficult to exonerate' - As the attacks raged, the Dinka and Darfuri populations -- 4,000 people in total -- left the camp, and most now live in Malakal proper. "It is difficult to exonerate the local SPLA commanders and government-allied militia from involvement in the incident" as the SPLA is the only armed force present in Malakal, said the UN report. The UN additionally recommended in its findings that the president and vice president of South Sudan -- leaders who control most of the country's armed forces and allied militias -- make televised statements "condemning any form of attack by any actors against civilians anywhere," especially in UN-protected areas. The UN emphasized the need to create at least a short-term plan to maintain the Malakal camp until security and political stability in the region improves, "as the potential for resumed clashes and fighting between the belligerents remains very high in the area." The United Nations Mission in the Republic of South Sudan (UNMISS) is up for renewal before August, and the report urged supplying the mission with additional resources to "improve its capacity to protect civilians." In a letter accompanying the report, Ban said that he had shared the inquiry findings with South Sudan's president Salva Kiir. The UN also launched in March an internal inquiry into how the UN peacekeepers stationed at the camp reacted toward civilians they were supposed to protect. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the internal report is not yet complete, but preliminary conclusions indicate "there was confusion with respect to command and control" and "a lack of coordination among the various civilian and uniformed peacekeepers" during the crisis. "There were unrealistic expectations as to the level of protection that UNMISS could feasibly provide" to the tens of thousands of residents in the camp during the crisis, added Dujarric. The Security Council is slated to discuss the two reports Wednesday. Doctors Without Borders (known by its French acronym MSF) said the UN mission "failed in its duty to safeguard the people at the site and could have averted many fatalities." In its statement, MSF added that peacekeepers failed to take necessary precautions to prevent weapons from flowing into the camp prior to the attack, and "were extremely slow to repel the assault" after outsiders stormed in. Tens of thousands of people displaced by civil war live in UN camps in South Sudan, the world's youngest country. UN blasts N. Korea missile tests as 'unacceptable violations' 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. North Korea parades its Musudan-class missiles during a military parade in Pyongyang Ed Jones (AFP/File) 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. 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. North Korean missiles Adrian Leung, Saeki (AFP) A PAC-3 surface-to-air missile launcher system is seen deployed at the defence ministry grounds in Tokyo on June 21, 2016, following signs of a possible ballistic missile launch from North Korea Japan landslides, floods death toll rises to six The death toll from landslides and floods in an earthquake-battered region of southern Japan has risen to six, an official said Wednesday, with all missing now accounted for. A man in his 80s and a 53-year-old woman were confirmed dead after being found Tuesday by rescuers where landslides hit in the southern prefecture of Kumamoto. "We found the last person who had been missing yesterday... the woman was confirmed dead," Kumamoto official Motoko Takata told AFP, adding that thousands of people were still unable to return home. A Kumamoto police photo shows officers and firefighters during rescue operations following a landslide in the southern Japanese city Jiji Press (Kumamoto Prefectural Police Department/AFP) More than 6,000 residents in the area evacuated their homes, including those who had fled to safety after two earthquakes in April. The 6.2-magnitude and 7.0-magnitude tremors were followed by more than 1,700 aftershocks, which broke up the ground in many areas, officials said, leaving them vulnerable to the heavy seasonal rains that hit Japan at this time of year. The tremors left 49 dead and caused widespread damage. Local residents reported swollen rivers flooding streets and houses with knee-high water, while others said they heard roaring noises in areas hit by night-time landslides. More rain was expected in coming days, the weather agency said. On Wednesday, the Japan Meteorological Agency maintained warnings of heavy rain-induced landslides, thunderstorms and floods on the southern Kyushu island which includes Kumamoto. European stocks up, US down as markets await Brexit vote European stocks rose Wednesday and the pound clawed higher on the eve of Britain's Brexit referendum as polls pointed to a razor-close outcome. London's FTSE 100 index forged ahead, closing up 0.6 percent, as the clock ticked down to the start of balloting to decide Britain's future in the European Union, with fears that an exit vote will wreak havoc in markets. Bourses in Paris and Frankfurt also gained, but US stocks finished lower, tilting into the red at midday as two polls put the "Leave" side marginally ahead. Britain will vote in a referendum on June 23, 2016 to decide whether it will stay in the European Union Philippe Huguen (AFP/File) "Most economists on both sides of the pond insist that a 'Leave' vote from the EU would disrupt business as usual in Great Britain, the EU, here at home and elsewhere in the world," Mark Vickery, of Zacks Investment Research, said in a note to clients. "A vote to remain is seen as a near-term positive for markets here and abroad." Most polls earlier this week showed gains for the "Remain" camp that some experts attributed to a reaction after the violent assassination of pro-EU lawmaker Jo Cox. But two polls Wednesday showed the "Leave" side with the slimmest of leads. Yet bookmakers were giving a more decisive edge to the "Remain" camp. "The market is clearly positioned for the 'Remain' side to win and that's going to be the conventional wisdom unless we have a huge surprise tomorrow," said Boris Schlossberg of BK Asset Management. Rebecca O'Keeffe, head of investment at online broker Interactive Investor, questioned whether investors may be proving too confident. "With less than 24 hours before voting starts, markets are now pricing in virtually no risk of an exit vote," she said. That "begs the question as to whether the euphoria is being overdone and how much upside still exists for investors -- or whether this is irrational exuberance and investors are ignoring the risks?" - Key figures around 2100 GMT - New York - DOW: DOWN 0.3 percent at 17,780.83 (close) New York - S&P 500: DOWN 0.2 percent at 2,085.45 (close) New York - Nasdaq: DOWN 0.2 percent at 4,833.32 (close) London - FTSE 100: UP 0.6 percent at 6,261.19 points (close) Frankfurt - DAX 30: UP 0.6 percent at 10,071.06 points (close) Paris - CAC 40: UP 0.3 percent at 4,380.03 points (close) EURO STOXX 50: UP 0.4 percent at 2,978.31 points (close) Tokyo - Nikkei 225: DOWN 0.6 percent at 16,065.72 (close) Shanghai - Composite: UP 0.9 percent at 2,905.55 (close) Hong Kong - Hang Seng: UP 0.6 percent at 20,795.12 (close) Euro/dollar: UP at $1.1313 from $1.1259 late Tuesday Pound/dollar: UP at $1.4737 from $1.4628 Dollar/yen: DOWN at 104.51 yen from 104.80 yen Apple free to take bite out of India after rule change The gleaming glass atriums and blue-clad "geniuses" of an Apple store could soon be arriving in India, after the government cleared the way for it to open in the rapidly growing smartphone market. Before now, the Silicon Valley giant has been just a bit-player in the country of 1.2 billion, selling through local shops with none of its own. It applied to open stores in January, but was reportedly rebuffed because of a diktat that states foreign retailers must source 30 percent of their products locally. For Apple, which saw iPhone sales dip for the first time ever in the second quarter due to slowing demand in China and the United States, India is a tantalising prospect Gabrielle Lurie (AFP/File) But on Monday New Delhi relaxed the rules, just weeks after Apple chief Tim Cook toured India on a breathless charm offensive where he was pictured using Prime Minister Narendra Modi's gold iPhone to launch the premier's own app. Companies making state-of-the-art technology -- understood to include Apple -- now have up to eight years to meet the sourcing requirements under a waiver, part of a push by India's pro-business government to attract foreign investment and create jobs. For Apple, which saw iPhone sales dip for the first time ever in the second quarter due to slowing demand in China and the United States, India is a tantalising prospect. While analysts say it currently accounts for only around one percent of global iPhone sales, its giant population and low number of smartphone owners relative to its size mean it is a huge potential market. "Apple has not really seen India as an important enough market in the past, but somewhere, the penny has dropped," Devangshu Dutta, chief executive of retail consultancy Third Eyesight, told AFP. Apple's vast, hands-on stores are designed to become destinations in their own right, analysts say, luring potential customers with the promise they can play without buying. "The store is not just a place to do business -- it acts as a live billboard for the brand," Dutta said. - 'Cost-conscious market' - Browsing mobile accessories in FutureWorld, a technology retailer in New Delhi's Connaught Place, Aryamaan Chauhan said he would "definitely" visit an Apple store if one opened in the city. The 19-year-old IT student owns an Android smartphone, bought for about 20,000 rupees ($295), but is considering switching loyalties. "Money is what's stopping me. My budget is low, I can't afford it," Chauhan said. "Now, I think most Indian people prefer Android but they are shifting. After graduation I will buy an iPhone." With a basic iPhone starting at almost $600 -- more than in many countries, thanks to India's high taxes -- they are wildly unaffordable for most in a nation where average incomes are less than $1,600 a year. Handsets costing under $100 dominate the market, many of them made by Chinese manufacturers such as Xiaomi or Huawei. "It won't become mass-market, (Apple) will always be a niche player. This is a very cost-conscious market," Vishal Tripathi, research director at Gartner, a technology research firm, told AFP. "But there is a growing number of consumers who like Apple." By pricing itself exclusively at the luxury end, Apple has distinguished its brand from arch-rival Samsung which has both low-cost and high-end phones. "Indian consumers are always under the notion that more expensive means better and consider carrying an iPhone as more of a status symbol than anything," said Bhasker Canagaradjou, the head of Ipsos Business Consulting in India. "The brand enjoys a very strong aspiration value, especially among the young population." - 'Make in India' - For now, Apple has given no indication when or if it plans to open its own stores. But if it does, it will eventually have to meet strict sourcing rules as the government exhorts companies to manufacture in India. The company will require factories that can produce its exacting, cutting-edge products -- something India largely lacks. "To create a local supply chain, it takes time. They will be able to operate stores and benefit from stores in the meantime," said Dutta. Foxconn, the major Taiwanese Apple supplier which also assembles products for Sony and Dell, is spending billions of dollars setting up factories in India. The iPhone is not yet on the production line, but Canagaradjou says he believes Apple could start manufacturing in India "in the next one or two years". However, while its stores may arrive in India soon, analysts don't expect to see legions of Apple superfans camping out to buy new releases as they do in other countries any time soon. "If someone is expecting a replication of how it is in other markets, people queueing up outside the stores from 3:00 am, I don't think that's going to happen," said Tripathi of Gartner. "In India, people prefer to sleep until late." Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks with Apple CEO Tim Cook during a meeting in New Delhi on May 21, 2016 Visitors to the new Apple development office line up in Hyderabad on May 19, 2016 Noah Seelam (AFP/File) Filipino fishermen pin hopes on China tribunal Jonathan Almandrez was chased away from the rich fishing grounds of a South China Sea lagoon by a Chinese patrol -- something he hopes will stop happening if the Philippines wins an international legal case against Beijing. The incident at Scarborough Shoal, a necklace of reefs and rocks that Filipino fishermen say hosts some of the world's most abundant marine life, is part of a long-running territorial row that sits at the heart of a UN backed tribunal expected to rule in the coming weeks. "I was angry at their gall to shoo us away when we were clearly inside Philippine territory," said the 30-year-old, who used a pseudonym as he did not want to be identified for fear of potential Chinese repercussions. Philippine workers load supplies and ice onto a fishing vessel anchored off the town of Infanta in Pangasinan province, as they prepare for a fishing expedition to Scarborough Shoal Ted Aljibe (AFP) Almandrez -- who provided mobile phone footage of the encounter to AFP -- said for two hours on June 7, Chinese coast guard patrol boats circled a wooden outrigger carrying 10 Filipino fishermen. The patrol boats got within about two metres (six feet) of the vessel, which had been fishing the reefs just outside the shoal before daylight betrayed them to the Chinese. "Transfer to another area! No fishing inside," the Chinese patrol personnel shouted in English, according to Almandrez. "You go (back) to China because this is the property of the Philippines," Almandrez recalled shouting back. The Filipino crew eventually left when a much larger Chinese vessel began to approach and they feared it would fire water cannon. Video footage shows two patrol boats flying Chinese flags and with the English words "CHINA COAST GUARD" on the side. - China takes control - Local fishermen say the shoal, 230 kilometres (140 miles) off the main Philippine island of Luzon, has been their hunting ground for generations. It is 650 kilometres from Hainan island, the nearest major Chinese landmass, but falls within the ill-defined "nine-dash line" that marks the extent of Beijing's claim to control of nearly all of the South China Sea. The reefs and shallow waters mean one fisherman can easily spear 200 kilogrammes (440 pounds) of fish in just over an hour, according to Almandrez and others from Infanta, one of the main Scarborough Shoal fishing towns on Luzon. It also provides vital shelter for stranded fishermen during storms. China took effective control of the shoal in 2012, following a brief encounter with the Philippine Navy's flagship and Filipino coast guards. Since then, non-Chinese fishing boats approaching the lagoon mouth have routinely been given an ear-splitting horn blast from a ship stationed inside, and those who refuse to leave run the risk of being hosed down or even rammed, according to Filipino fishermen. "The water spray was so strong it destroyed one of our styrofoams," Felix Lavezores, 36, told AFP at Infanta, recalling an early May water-cannon attack at the lagoon mouth that split an ice box used to store their catch. An expedition to the shoal costs around 90,000 pesos (nearly $2,000) per boat, including fuel, supplies and crew salaries -- money the boat's owners cannot make back if they are forced to hightail it home with an empty hold. The Chinese at times also cut anchor cables, putting Filipino boats at risk of running aground, according to some of the Filipino fishermen at Infanta and Masinloc, another fishing town. - 'Intrinsic territory' - China claims it has sovereign rights to nearly all of the South China Sea, even waters approaching the coasts of its Asian neighbours. When asked about incidents at the shoal, foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying repeated China's long-standing position. "We have said that Scarborough Shoal is China's intrinsic territory. The Chinese coast guard vessels' law enforcement activities in China's sovereign territorial waters are legitimate and beyond reproach," Hua told reporters in Beijing on Tuesday. The competing territorial claims have for decades made the South China Sea a potential source of regional conflict, and tensions have risen sharply in recent years as China has sought to expand its presence in the disputed areas. Aside from taking control of Scarborough Shoal, it has undertaken unprecedented land-reclamation works in the Spratly Islands, one of the sea's main archipelagoes that are also claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Taiwan. Critics of China fear the artificial islands could be put to military use, and to establish effective sea and air control over some of the world's most important shipping routes and waters that are believed to sit atop significant oil and gas deposits. The Philippines, the most vocal critic, has responded by lodging a case with the Permanent Court of Arbitration, a UN-backed tribunal at The Hague, asking it to rule that China's claims to most of the sea violate international law. Although China is a signatory to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, it has vowed to ignore the ruling and accused the Philippines of stirring tensions with its legal challenge. The Philippines hopes a favourable verdict will, at minimum, help build global diplomatic pressure on China. But regardless of the outcome, China looks unlikely to let Philippine fishermen return to Scarborough Shoal. Disputed claims in the South China Sea Adrian LEUNG, Gal ROMA (AFP) Philippine fishermen say Scarborough Shoal, 230 kilometres off the main Philippine island of Luzon, has been their hunting ground for generations Ted Aljibe (AFP) Exotic pet trade sends Florida bird rescues soaring In this small animal hospital perched on Miami's sun-splashed harbor, some of the most exotic creatures fly in and out of Carla Zepeda's life. From peacocks to pelicans, opossums to owls, Zepeda is part of a six-member staff that cares for both the furry and the feathered at the Pelican Harbor Seabird Station, one of south Florida's oldest wildlife rescue centers. Though it began in 1980 as a place for injured wild pelicans, pet birds are increasingly common, like one of the newest arrivals, a fluffy green quaker parakeet. A rescued baby opossum is fed by a clinic worker at the Pelican Harbor Seabird Station in Miami, Florida Rhona Wise (AFP/File) The bird landed on a man's shoulder, appearing malnourished and with bruises around its beak, so it was brought to the Pelican Harbor Seabird Station for care. "Here in Miami we deal a lot with the exotic pet trade," says rescue and release coordinator Zepeda, 22. "A lot of escaped pets or released pets." "We now have a very high population of quaker parakeets, which weren't here before and are doing great in the wild." Also known as monk parrots or quaker parrots, quaker parakeets (Myiopsitta monachus) are native to South America, but have established their own wild colonies here, forming loudly chattering flocks that fly over Miami and its mango tree-lined suburbs. "Now the problem with that is they are not native species and they are taking up nesting space from blue jays, red-bellied woodpeckers and even eastern screech owls," says Zepeda. "Released pets or escaped pets make a big impact on the environment." Zepeda says the center will try to find a new caretaker for the recent arrival, whose friendly nature could pose a danger to its survival in the wild. - Record caseload - With more than one thousand patients already this year, the center is barreling toward another record, according to executive director Christopher Boykin. "The number grows every year. We treated 1,968 in 2014 and 2,010 in 2015," he said. "We anticipate another record breaking year." More local residents are becoming aware of the rescue facility, which helps drive the numbers, he said. A total of 146 different species came into the center last year. Increasing conflicts with humans also bring in many patients, including peacocks that were hit by cars and had to be euthanized due to the severity of their injuries. For Zepeda, the most surprising arrival was a prairie dog, a rodent native to the grasslands of the midwest. "Apparently they are part of the pet trade," says Zepeda, who has seen three prairie dogs in the past three years. The locals need care, too. The clinic is currently housing a handful of tiny baby opossums that need feeding every few hours. They lost their mother somehow, and now cling to a stuffed animal opossum while Zepeda plucks them off, one by one, to feed them formula via a small tube. - Injured ambassadors - Pelicans were once the sole reason for the center's existence, but now they make up only five to 20 percent of its patients, depending on the year, says Boykin. However, they still represent the center's greatest success. After arriving entangled in fishing lines or with hook injuries, three out of four are released back to the wild after treatment, he says. On a sunny day in May, Zepeda releases a young pelican that arrived two months earlier with line wrapped around his beak and two hooks embedded in its neck and wing. The bird flies a short distance, then plunks down in the gentle waves, preferring to bob back to its life in the wild. Some pelicans never leave the center, if wing injuries prevent them from flying, or if they are partially blinded and could not hunt on their own. These and other resident birds, like eastern screech owls, sometimes accompany staff to schools and public events to educate the public about how to deal with wildlife. Zepeda says one old myth has proven particularly tough to dispel -- that a mother bird will not care for her baby bird after a human has touched it. "That is completely false," she says. "They have a really poor sense of smell." If people find a baby bird that seems healthy, they should just put it back in the nest, she says. Zepeda, who often takes home baby rescue animals and wakes in the middle of the night to feed them, has permanently adopted four creatures that were left at the center -- two cockatiels, a white-bellied caique and a Siberian husky. She says she once thought she might go into zoo medicine, but that was before she tried wildlife rehabilitation. "I ended up loving it too much and now I cannot leave." Clinic worker Carla Zepeda plays with one of the permanently injured pelicans in a rehabilitation pen at the Pelican Harbor Seabird Station in Miami, Florida Rhona Wise (AFP/File) Air raids over Syria kill 25 civilians in IS stronghold Warplanes have bombed the Islamic State group's de facto Syrian capital Raqa, killing at least 25 civilians, after the jihadists drove pro-government forces out of their bastion northern province. Twin offensives aimed at severing the jihadists' supply line from the Turkish border to Raqa city appear to have largely stalled as IS mounts a fierce defence using suicide bombers. Six children were among the 25 civilians killed in bombing raids on Raqa city late Tuesday, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. File picture shows a member of the Syrian government forces walking past a banner bearing Islamic State (IS) group slogans in Palmyra Maher al Mounes (AFP/File) "Dozens more were wounded, some of them critically," said the British-based monitoring group, which was not immediately able to determine who had carried out the raids. The Syrian government, its longtime ally Russia and a US-led coalition have all carried out air strikes against IS in Raqa. The Observatory said there were fresh air strikes -- apparently by the coalition -- on the city on Wednesday, one of which hit the town hall. Raqa is Being Slaughtered Silently (RBSS) -- an anti-IS activist group which gathers news on atrocities in the city -- posted photos of what it said were the aftermath of Tuesday's strikes. They show a concrete balcony hanging off the damaged facade of a residential building as a large fire engulfs a white minivan. The group has accused IS of preventing civilians from leaving the city in order to use them as human shields. RBSS activist Abu Mohammad told AFP that the wounded were struggling to get proper medical treatment as IS has recruited most doctors in the city to treat its own fighters. - 'Disastrous' retreat - Raqa city was seized by IS in early 2014 and regime forces were expelled from the entire province that year. Backed by Russian air power, government troops re-entered the province this month as part of an offensive to retake the town of Tabqa, a key stop on IS's supply route from Turkey to Raqa city. But after advancing to within seven kilometres (four miles) of Tabqa airbase, they were driven back an estimated 20 kilometres late Monday. More than 40 troops and militia were killed in a jihadist counterattack. Al-Masdar, a news website close to Syria's regime, said on Wednesday the lightning IS offensive had led to a "disastrous turn of events" and "a disorganised retreat that left behind weapons and several soldiers." Syria analyst Fabrice Balanche said the pullback could be attributed to a lack of "elite forces" engaged in the battle. "At the first suicide attacks, they retreated," the Washington-based expert told AFP. "The Syrian forces were spread too thin to be defendable." Further west in the adjacent province of Aleppo, another assault aimed at blocking IS supplies has stalled. The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces encircled the jihadist-held town of Manbij on June 10 but have since faced a barrage of IS suicide attacks, including three on Tuesday, the Observatory said. - 'Civilians are starving' - Syria's conflict began in 2011 as protests demanding political reform and the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad. But a brutal regime crackdown and the rise of jihadist groups have transformed it into a multi-front civil war that has killed more than 280,000 people. Peace efforts have failed to put an end to the violence, and a truce brokered by the US and Russia has all but collapsed. UN mediator Staffan de Mistura said Tuesday he hoped peace talks could resume in July, but warned they could not proceed "while hostilities are escalating and civilians are starving." Negotiations could restart if the truce is reinforced, humanitarian aid is increased, and a "common understanding of a political transition" is reached, he told the General Assembly via video link. "Then we can have, hopefully in July, inter-Syrian talks that are not about principles but about concrete steps to a political transition," he said. The main Syrian opposition body -- the High Negotiations Committee -- has called for a transitional government body without Assad. But Syria's regime says Assad is a "red line" and it would only be willing to broaden the government structure to accommodate some opposition figures. A map of Syria showing Raqa A grab from an AFPTV video on September 16, 2014 shows rubble in Raqa after a Syrian warplane was reportedly shot down by IS jihadists Corruption, politics, murder: anatomy of a Kenyan killing On a wet Thursday night in early May, a well-known businessman and government critic was found dead in his armoured blue Mercedes by a busy road on the outskirts of Nairobi, five bullet holes in his chest, neck and arm. Kenya's long history of state violence meant the murder of Jacob Juma, who was in his mid-forties, was quickly viewed as a political assassination. His death dominated the country's newspapers as amateur sleuths picked holes in the police narrative of a business deal gone wrong, and opposition politicians cried foul. Kenya's long history of state violence meant the murder of Jacob Juma, who was found dead in his Mercedes with five bullet holes in his body, was quickly viewed as a political assassination It was a tricky case, the country's senior detective Muhoro Ndegwa told journalists, with no witnesses and no weapon. He promised his team would do their best, but in the six weeks since his death no arrests have been made. The arc of Juma's life was unusual at first, and then unique: Kenya's pervasive tribal patronage helped a poor but smart rural kid make the political connections necessary to get rich on ill-gotten government contracts. But after he was cut out of a potentially lucrative mining deal he became a relentless anti-corruption activist and government critic leading many to see politics behind his death. Juma was "a scoundrel that bitterness turned into an asset for those fighting corruption," says John Githongo, a renowned anti-corruption campaigner. "He became a fount of confidential treasury documents, information, history and gossip," he says. Elections trigger spikes in corruption and the country is already getting set for next year's vote: there are regular, sometimes deadly, street protests against an election commission the opposition says is biased; MPs on both sides have been investigated for hate speech and inciting violence; and graft is accelerating as politicians seek to fund either their campaigns or their retirements. Juma's murder is being seen as the curtain raiser to a potentially violent election season. Diplomats are already muttering about "a repeat of 2007" when more than 1,100 people died in election-related tribal violence. - Rags to riches, ally to enemy - Juma won a place at a Nairobi polytechnic in 1989 and quickly impressed businessman and politician Cyrus Jirongo, who hails from the same part of the country and became his patron. "You could tell this was somebody who was going to get somewhere," recalls Jirongo. "He was very poorly dressed but he had a lot of confidence. That confidence alone would make you think that, surely, he was worth your money." Jirongo housed Juma with his nieces and nephews, paid Juma's college fees and introduced him to the twinned worlds of politics and business. Juma made friends with allies and relatives of then-president Daniel Arap Moi (on whose 1992 election campaign Jirongo worked) and founded his business empire on those first government contracts, re-surfacing rural dirt roads. He grew into his wealth, adopting the flashy style of the newly rich with designer suits, smart cars, gaudy property and sparkly watches. Jirongo approved: "Above all, he wanted the world to know he had succeeded, he'd beaten the poverty he'd come from." During this time Juma got to know William Ruto, a fellow hustler but one with big political ambitions. Accusations that he orchestrated violence in the wake of the 2007 election, and subsequent crimes against humanity charges at the International Criminal Court, did not derail Ruto's career and in 2013 he became deputy president. Juma wasn't a supporter but, friends say, believed his relationship might help him secure control of the Mrima Hill niobium and rare earth mine in Kwale on Kenya's coast. Instead his licence was cancelled. "He refused to cut government figures in on the deal," says one close friend. "That mining deal was the turning point." Juma was left bitter, angry and dangerous. "After that he dedicated himself to doing nothing else but exposing the regime," says the friend. - 'This was a hit squad' - Juma played a central role in revealing at least two major corruption scandals, including one in which the government has been unable to explain how it spent $2.75 billion (2.6 billion euros) raised through a 2014 Eurobond issue. He took his combative persona to Twitter - once using the social media site to accuse Ruto of ordering his death - and feeling corruption had done him out of his biggest-ever business deal, it was corruption he focused on. Githongo and others regard the current government as perhaps the most corrupt in Kenya's history. Foreign businessmen routinely complain that a 30 percent skimming off the top of contracts has become standard. One foreign executive described the increasing corruption and extortion ahead of next year's election as a "smash and grab" while a prominent Kenyan businessman described it as "a shakedown". "It is very difficult to do business with the Kenya government if you are not willing to pay right from the top to the bottom," says Jirongo. Allies of Juma have openly accused the state of his murder. "The inspector-general (of police) knows who killed Jacob Juma. This was a hit squad and it is known," opposition leader Raila Odinga said at a memorial service in Nairobi. Ruto denies involvement and has threatened legal action against those who repeat allegations that he was behind the killing. For Juma's wealthy and influential friends in Kenya's business community, aggrieved at the levels of corruption and eager for an end to a government they feel has betrayed them, his death is a message. "It's a warning to all of us: You stay in the corner we give you or we will deal with you, ruthlessly." The death of well-known businessman and government critic Jacob Juma dominated Kenya's newspapers as amateur sleuths picked holes in the police narrative Philippines v China: facts about a much-watched legal battle A UN-backed tribunal is expected to soon deliver a verdict on a Philippine challenge to China's claims to most of the South China Sea. Spanning three years, two hearings, and nearly 4,000 pages of evidence, the arbitration case at The Hague is complex. In essence, China claims most of the sea, even waters approaching neighbouring countries, based on a vaguely defined "nine-dash" Chinese map dating back to the 1940s. The Philippines disputes this. A Philippine fishing vessel anchored in the South China Sea off the town of Infanta in Pangasinan province Ted Aljibe (AFP) Here are the key facts on the case: - What is the tribunal and what are its powers? The tribunal was set up by the Permanent Court of Arbitration, an intergovernmental organisation established in 1899. The PCA has 116 member states, including the Philippines and China. It is allowed to arbitrate on certain matters of international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The five-member tribunal hearing this case is composed of top maritime affairs experts, with the Philippines appointing one member. China waived its right to choose one arbitrator. The tribunal has the power to set the rules of procedure and make a decision that cannot be appealed. However the tribunal and the PCA have no means to enforce the verdict, with compliance left to parties. - What are Manila's key points? The Philippines has presented five main claims before the tribunal: 1. China is not entitled to exercise what it calls "historic rights" over waters beyond limits defined in UNCLOS, a treaty to which both the Philippines and China are parties. 2. China's "nine-dash line" has no basis under international law. 3. The various maritime features relied upon by China to assert its claims in the South China Sea are not in fact islands and, as such, are not legally capable of generating such entitlements. China's recent massive artificial island-building does not change the situation. 4. China violated UNCLOS by preventing the Philippines from exercising its fishing and exploration rights. 5. China has irreversibly damaged the environment by destroying coral reefs, using harmful fishing practises, and catching endangered species in the South China Sea. - Why did Manila take the action? The Philippines said, after 17 years of negotiations with China, it had exhausted all political and diplomatic avenues to settle the dispute. The Philippines calls international law "the great equaliser" allowing small countries to challenge more powerful states. A nation of about 100 million, the Philippines has one of Asia's weakest militaries, and its economic and diplomatic clout pales in comparison with China's. - What is China's position and how will it react? China denies the tribunal has jurisdiction on the issue and insists that it will not abide by the decision. The countrys first move to an unfavourable ruling will be to reject it. But no one is sure what China will do after that. Its response could range from provocative to diplomatic. On the aggressive end of the spectrum, Beijing may take it as an opportunity to increase its construction activities and further assert its claims by declaring an Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) in the sea, essentially demanding that aircraft transiting it announce themselves to Chinese authorities and follow their instructions. When it proclaimed one in 2013 that covered islands in the East China Sea disputed with Japan, the move prompted international fury, and Washington made a point of sending warplanes through it without complying with Beijings rules. A more diplomatic option would be to try and mount opposition to the ruling in the UN by challenging the tribunal's legitimacy. Beijing claims that more than 60 countries back its position on settling disputes in the South China Sea through direct negotiations, and it could seek to call a vote on the issue in the general assembly. But only a handful of countries have explicitly confirmed they support Chinas stance. - If the tribunal can't enforce its ruling and China has vowed to ignore it, what's at stake? The Philippines hopes a favourable ruling will help to build international pressure on China to make concessions and reverse or stall its expansionist efforts in the sea. For instance, the United States has already said it will call on China to respect the ruling. The Philippines also hopes a favourable ruling will give it much-needed leverage in any negotiations with China. Hong Kong activists demand independence via 'return to British rule' A group of Hong Kong activists is demanding a return to British rule as a stepping stone towards independence, as fears grow that Beijing is tightening its grip on the southern Chinese city. Pro-independence advocates have launched The Alliance to Resume British Sovereignty over Hong Kong and Independence party, the second political group in recent months to advocate a breakaway from China. "Independence is the ultimate goal, to return to British rule is just a transitional phase," Billy Chiu, the Alliance's leader told AFP Wednesday. Demonstrators display colonial flags during a march for democracy in Hong Kong in 2015 Philippe Lopez (AFP/File) The activists said they believed it would be easier to gain independence from Britain than China. "An independent nation is Hong Kong's only way out," Chiu said, adding that the new party, which consists of around 30 members, will be formally announced on Sunday. Chiu in 2013 broke into a People's Liberation Army facility in central Hong Kong holding up a colonial flag and asking the PLA to "get out" of the city. Hong Kong was handed back to Beijing in 1997, with the Sino-British Joint Declaration preserving its liberties for 50 years. But there are growing fears its freedoms and semi-autonomous status are under threat as Beijing increases its influence across a range of areas, from politics to the media. Another group, the Hong Kong National Party, was launched in March, saying it was tapping in to the city's increasing desire to break away from the mainland. Although not all activists are campaigning for self-rule, some see it as the only solution and have said they are not afraid to use violence to achieve their goal. The negative sentiment has been exacerbated by incidents such as the recent disappearance of five Hong Kong booksellers, employed by a firm that published gossipy books about leading Chinese politicians. One of the men, Lam Wing-kee, re-emerged in the city last week and told how he was 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. The city's growing pro-independence stance has drawn ire from Beijing and authorities in Hong Kong, who have warned that campaigning for a breakaway will damage the city's future prosperity and could result in unspecified "action according to the law". South China Sea: Facts about Asia's maritime flashpoint Competing claims to the South China Sea have for decades been a source of tension in the region. The Philippines filed a case before an international arbitration tribunal at The Hague to challenge China's claims to most of the waters, with a decision expected in the coming weeks. Below are key facts on the sea and the territorial disputes: Disputed claims in the South China Sea Adrian LEUNG, Gal ROMA (AFP) - Geography - The South China Sea covers more than 3 million square kilometres (1.16 million square miles), ringed by southern China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Borneo island, and mainland Southeast Asia. Most of its hundreds of small islands, islets and rocks were originally uninhabited. The Paracel and Spratly chains contain the biggest islands. Scarborough Shoal is a small outcrop in the east. - Significance - The sea is the main maritime link between the Pacific and Indian oceans, giving it enormous trade and military value. Its shipping lanes connect East Asia with Europe and the Middle East. Over $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes through the sea annually. Major unexploited oil and gas deposits are believed to lie under the seabed. The sea is home to some of the world's biggest coral reefs and, with marine life being depleted close to coasts, it is important as a source of fish to feed growing populations. - Claimants - China and Taiwan both claim nearly all of the sea, while Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei each have overlapping claims to parts of it. Beijing's argument is based largely on Chinese maps dating back to the 1940s with a "nine-dashed line" that approaches the coasts of other countries. - Name - Beijing and most other countries know it as the South China Sea. Hanoi calls it the East Sea and Manila officially refers to it as the West Philippine Sea. - Occupation - China has held all of the Paracel islands since a conflict with South Vietnam in 1974. It has controlled Scarborough Shoal, a rich fishing ground 230 kilometres (140 miles) off the Philippine island of Luzon, since 2012 and occupies at least seven of the Spratly islands. Vietnam is believed to occupy or control 21 of the Spratlys and the rest are divided between Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Taiwan. - Conflicts - There have been two armed conflicts between China and Vietnam in the sea. In 1974, a clash erupted between the South Vietnamese navy and Chinese forces that left about 50 Vietnamese troops dead. The other major conflict occurred when Vietnam and China fought a naval battle on Johnson Reef in the Spratlys in 1988 that killed about 70 Vietnamese military personnel. Chinese naval vessels have fired at other times on Vietnamese fishing boats in the area. - Chinese expansion - China has in recent years sought to dramatically expand its presence in the sea, raising tensions with its neighbours and beyond. In 2012, China gave new powers to Sansha, a city on Hainan island, to administer Chinese rule over its South China Sea domain. Since then, it has conducted massive dredging and artificial island-building activities in the Spratlys, dwarfing the scale of reclamation work of other claimants. The Pentagon said China added 3,200 acres (1,295 hectares) of land to the seven features it occupies. Beijing installed structures on these new islands, including radar systems and runways long enough for huge commercial or military planes. Chinese coast guard vessels have become an ever-growing presence in the key parts of the sea, being used to guard Scarborough Shoal and perform other security duties. The Philippines protested in 2014 after Chinese coast guard vessels prevented the rotation and resupply of Philippine soldiers stationed at Second Thomas Shoal. - Failed diplomacy - The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations and China adopted a non-binding "declaration of conduct" in 2002 to discourage hostile acts. All sides agreed not to use threats or force to assert claims. But China has since refused to turn it into a legally binding "code of conduct". The dispute has caused deep divisions within ASEAN, which normally seeks to operate on a basis of consensus among its members. The Philippines has in particular pushed for a tough ASEAN stance against China. But Chinese allies Laos and Cambodia have been widely seen as blockers of such moves. - Legal challenges - The Philippines filed its case at the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in 2013, becoming the first and only country to legally challenge China's claims. But Vietnamese and Indonesian officials have said they are considering legal action. While not a party to the case, Vietnam also submitted a statement to the PCA's tribunal in 2014 affirming the court's jurisdiction and rejecting China's nine-dashed line. China denies the tribunal has jurisdiction on the issue and insists that it will not abide by its decision. China using fishing fleets to expand maritime claims: US official China is using its fishing fleets with armed escorts to bolster maritime claims in disputed territory, a senior US State Department official warned Wednesday, calling China's behaviour "disturbing". The comments came after Indonesian warships fired warning shots and detained a Chinese-flagged fishing boat and seven crew near the Natuna Islands in the South China Sea last week, in actions slammed by Beijing. "I think it's a disturbing trend to see Chinese fishing vessels accompanied by coast guard vessels, used in a way that appears to be an attempt to exert a claim that may not be legitimate," said the US official via conference call to journalists in Southeast Asia. Indonesian War Ship KRI Imam Bonjol-363 arrests a Chinese fishing boat in Natuna water on June 21, 2016 "I do think that it does point to an expanding presence of Chinese -- sort of military and paramilitary forces -- and used in a way that is provocative and potentially destabilising," the US official, who asked not to be named, added. Unlike several other countries in the region, Indonesia has no overlapping claims with China to islets or reefs in the sea, but Beijing's claim to fishing rights near the Natunas appears to overlap with Jakarta's exclusive economic zone. Last week's incident was only the latest in a series of skirmishes between the two countries since Jakarta launched a crackdown on illegal fishing in 2014. In March Chinese coastguards rammed a Chinese boat detained near the Natunas and helped it escape as the Indonesians towed the vessel to shore. And last month, the Indonesian navy opened fire on a Chinese trawler near the islands and seized the vessel. Following last week's confrontation, the commander of the Indonesian navy's western fleet said the fishing vessel incursions were "structured", indicating Beijing had "given its blessing". "China protested because it thinks this area is theirs," commander Achmad Taufiqoerrochman told reporters. "Actually the (fish) stealing is just a ruse to stake its claim," he said. China has undertaken land-reclamation works in the Spratly Islands, one of the South China Sea's main archipelagoes which are also claimed by the Philippines, Brunei, Vietnam, Malaysia and Taiwan. The US State Department official said Washington hoped a pending ruling by a United Nations-backed tribunal on South China Sea maritime entitlements will push rival claimants into talks. The case was lodged by the Philippines against China in 2013 to challenge Beijing's "nine-dash line" map through which it claims to control nearly all of the strategic and reputedly resources-rich waters. "It is in China's interest not to take any action that would be provocative and directly in contradiction to the ruling," the US official said. Indonesian War Ship KRI Imam Bonjol-363 approaches a Chinese fishing boat in Natuna water Hong Kong's Cathay Pacific bans shark fin Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific said Wednesday it will ban carrying shark fin on all its flights, a victory for conservationists concerned for endangered species of the predator. The southern Chinese city is one of the world's biggest markets for shark fin, which is viewed by many Asians as a delicacy, often served as a soup at expensive Chinese banquets. Animal rights campaigners have been pushing Cathay for a carriage ban on shark fin for years. Other airlines including Thai Airways and Philippine Airlines banned the item in recent years. Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific is banning the carriage of shark fin on all its flights Laurent Fievet (AFP/File) "On the issue of shark's fin, with immediate effect we are happy to agree to ban the carriage," Cathay Pacific said in a statement Wednesday. The airline confirmed to AFP that the ban extended to both cargo and passenger flights. In its statement, Cathay said it has not approved "any shipments" for shark fin for the past year, adding that it had rejected 15 shipment requests for shark-related products. Marine conservationists praised Cathay on its decision, with one saying that it would make the city "proud". "It's high time that Cathay took the stand. It would make Hong Kong people proud," Hong Kong-based Aquameridien conservation foundation executive director Sharon Kwok told AFP. "More Hong Kong businesses need to follow the lead," said Kwok, who has been pushing for the ban for years. Hong Kong's government in 2013 said it would stop serving shark fin at official functions as "a good example", following years of lobbying by conservation groups. Environmental group WWF said 457 tonnes of shark products were imported into Hong Kong by air in 2015, a 31 percent drop from 2014. Mobile money to power Africa financial growth: study Mobile phones and rising connectivity in Africa will give rise to a new market in mobile financial services, creating explosive opportunities for business on the continent, research has found. The Boston Consulting Group (BCG) estimated that in three years, 250 million Africans without access to traditional banking services "will have mobile phones and a monthly income of at least $500". That could translate to projected revenues of $1.5 billion (1.3 billion euros) from mobile financial services, the group said in a report released Tuesday. A man in Abidjan looks at Panafrican bank Ecobank's website on his mobile phone Sia Kambou (AFP) That's key for a continent where the banking system is as yet hugely underdeveloped, but where strides have already been made in mobile banking. In Kenya, for example, the mobile money system has nearly 18 million users thanks to the M-Pesa service run by British telecom giant Vodafone's subsidiary Safaricom. In Ethiopia, Africa's second most populous country and one of its fastest growing economies, mobile phones are now being used to push an electronic payment service by phone called M-Birr. This is all good news for Africa, where a mere 25 percent of Africans have a regular bank account because "financial service providers haven't made the continent a priority," the group's report said. The "high cost to serve and low margins of traditional bank accounts in Africa" are the main reasons for the oversight. However, sub-Saharan Africa leads the world in mobile money accounts, according to the World Bank. "While just 2 percent of adults worldwide have a mobile money account, 12 percent in Sub-Saharan Africa have one," the Bank said in a separate study based on 2015 data. That number is projected to grow now that more than 50 percent of Africans over the age of 15 own a mobile phone and since mobiles are a low-cost way to reach a huge market. "For most of these consumers," said the BCG report, "mobile banking will be their first experience with financial services." Most Africans currently use mobile phones to transfer money but also to prepay utilities and purchase small items, as well as make debit-card transactions, BCG said. - 'African middle class' - The survey of 11 countries in sub-Saharan Africa found that four in 10 Africans access the Internet using a smart phone, while three-quarters use a computer to get on the web. Since 2013, the number of Africans with access to the internet has grown by 8 percent. In Ivory Coast, access to the Internet has gone from 200,000 in 2008 to 8 million in 2016 thanks to 3G. This connectivity, coupled with rising consumer classes and Africans' increasingly optimistic outlook, will translate to over 1.1 billion consumers by 2020, the group said -- "more than the populations of Europe and North America combined". "The concept of a middle class is taken from the Western society model and has led to confusions when we talk of Africa," said Lisa Ivers, director of the BCG bureau in Casablanca. "The African socioeconomic reality is vastly different across African countries and from more established markets," she said. "But that absolutely doesn't lessen our confidence over the potential of the African domestic consumption." The group projected that by 2020, Africa will be home to twice as many affluent consumers as the UK -- and they "are very optimistic and eager to spend". Of the more than 11,000 people surveyed between February and March 2015, 88 percent said they were optimistic about the future. In Egypt, Kenya, and Nigeria, more than 90 percent said they were optimistic. According to the survey, 85 percent also agreed with the statement "It seems like every year there are more things I want to buy". Domestic companies have started to tap into this by merging consumer demand and web access. Jumia, Africa's version of Amazon.com, sells a wide range of products and offers a mobile purchasing app. The e-tailer, started in 2012 by the Africa Internet Group in Nigeria, is among the top fice online-shopping websites in five African countries: Ivory Coast, Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, and Nigeria. BCG defined a consumer as between 18 and 75 with at least $50 to $7,000 in regular monthly earnings. Four in ten people in sub-Sharan Africa access the internet via mobile phone Sia Kambou (AFP) Mobile phones on sale in Lagos, Nigeria Pius Utomi Ekpei (AFP) Iraq's Fallujah nearly cleared but aid effort flounders Iraqi forces hunted jihadist fighters in their last Fallujah redoubts Wednesday as tens of thousands of displaced civilians massed in overcrowded camps around the city. A month exactly after the offensive against the Islamic State group's bastion was launched, progress on the military front exceeded expectations but so did the scope of the ensuing humanitarian crisis. "The northern and central parts of Fallujah have almost been cleared of Daesh," Lieutenant General Abdulwahab al-Saadi told AFP, using an Arabic acronym for IS. A displaced Iraqi boy from the Fallujah area plays in a puddle of water at a camp near Amiriyiah al-Fallujah on June 22, 2016 Moadh al-Dulaimi (AFP) "There are few IS fighters left, only in the Al-Muallemin and Jolan neighbourhoods in the north of the city," said Saadi, the overall commander of the Fallujah offensive. "The militants in Jolan are offering some resistance but we're pushing back and we've killed a number of them," he said. Operations against IS in northern Fallujah were being conducted by the elite counter-terrorism service and forces from the federal and provincial police. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi launched the offensive against the jihadist stronghold, 50 kilometres (30 miles) west of Baghdad, a month ago. After an initial phase of staging operations to encircle Fallujah, elite federal forces stormed the city centre and were able to gain the upper hand relatively quickly. Abadi declared victory on June 17, saying only small pockets of IS fighters remained after Iraqi forces raised the national flag over the main government compound in the city centre. Saadi and other Iraqi commanders have said government forces controlled at least three-quarters of the city. Christopher Garver, the spokesman of the US-led coalition assisting Iraqi forces, said Tuesday that by the US military's definition, only a third of the city had been cleared. US forces battling one of IS's previous incarnations in 2004 suffered some of their worst losses since the Vietnam War in Fallujah, despite huge numerical and technological superiority. Iraqi forces who have been reconquering swathes of territory lost to IS two years ago had been expected to face their toughest battle yet and IS fighters to defend their emblematic bastion to the death. - More aid agencies needed - Tens of thousands of starving civilians, who had been living virtually besieged under IS rule in and around Fallujah, fled their homes and filled hastily expanded displacement camps. The influx of families however caught the aid community flat-footed and relief organisations admitted the response was inadequate. "We have to admit that the humanitarian community has also failed the Iraqi people," said Nasr Muflahi, Iraq head of the Norwegian Refugee Council. "There are serious funding shortfalls, but there is no justification why there aren't more aid agencies helping the people of Fallujah," he said. As already existing camps filled way beyond capacity, other camps were being set up but the newly displaced families arriving there often found nothing to sleep on or under, nothing to eat or drink. At a camp in Khaldiyeh, on the shores of Lake Habbaniyah west of Fallujah, Intikha Mohammed and her three children had to share a two mattresses with 10 other people. "We have nothing here, just the clothes we are wearing. My four-month-old son is sick, I don't have enough milk for him and there's no milk powder at the camp," she said. Her tiny boy Ziad, lay all swaddled up on a piece of tarpaulin, sleeping with a baby bottle dangling from his lips as gusts of burning wind filled the tent with orange dust. More than 80,000 people have been displaced since the start of the Fallujah offensive, bringing to more than 3.3 million the number of Iraqis forced from their homes by conflict since the start of 2014. Nearly half of them are from the vast province of Anbar, which lies in the heart of the rapidly unravelling "caliphate" the Islamic State group proclaimed over large parts of Iraq and Syria two years ago. Abadi has said the next target for his forces was Mosul, IS's defacto capital in Iraq and the country's second city. Counter-terrorism service troops working their way north along the Tigris have gained ground recently, setting their sights on the town of Qayyarah, which is to become a major launchpad for the liberation of Mosul. "Our troops yesterday were able to break the first line of defence IS had set up," a top CTS commander, Abdelghani al-Assadi, told AFP from the scene. "IS had hoped to hold on to this area but they were denied," he said, adding that his forces would next attack the town of Shergat. Iraqi government forces on patrol southwest of Fallujah on June 21, 2016 Moadh al-Dulaimi (AFP) Iraqi government forces clash with Islamic State (IS) fighters in Fallujah on June 18, 2016 as they hunt down holdout jihadists after retaking most of the city Displaced Iraqis from the Fallujah area wait to fill jerrycans with water at a camp near Amiriyiah al-Fallujah on June 22, 2016 Moadh al-Duliami (AFP) Hong Kong activist Wong denied chance to stand for election Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong was on Wednesday denied the chance to stand for election after a court threw out his bid to lower the candidate age limit from 21, as fears mount over China's influence on the city. The 19-year-old, who became the face of Hong Kong's "Umbrella Movement" for his role in the 2014 pro-democracy protests which brought parts of the city to a standstill, had expressed interest in running for office amid concerns Beijing is tightening its grip. Residents of the semi-autonomous city can vote from the age of 18, but can only stand for election from 21 -- something that Wong has said is unconstitutional. Joshua Wong became the face of Hong Kong's "Umbrella Movement" for his role in the city's 2014 pro-democracy protests Anthony Wallace (AFP/File) A Hong Kong court Wednesday said the issue should be dealt with by lawmakers. "What should be the proper choice of the minimum age of candidature is obviously a matter of political judgment for the legislature, but not one for the court to make in the name of remedial interpretation," Judge Thomas Au said in his judgement. He added that Wong's "grounds of challenge are not reasonably arguable with a realistic prospect of success". Hong Kong was returned to China by Britain in 1997 and is ruled under a "one country, two systems" deal which allows it much greater liberties than seen on the mainland. But tensions remain high amid fears Beijing's influence is increasing and freedoms are being eroded. Wong is due to hear a verdict next month over his part in a protest that triggered the mass rallies at the end of 2014, which called for fully free leadership elections and saw nearly 1,000 people arrested. He was acquitted earlier this month in another protest-related case. Despite the rallies, authorities in Beijing and Hong Kong have refused to budge on political reform, and Wong has since said activists must turn to longer-term strategies to bring about political change. Some hardliners however are advocating a breakaway from China, with two political parties launched in recent months calling for independence. Wong told reporters outside the court Wednesday that he "respects" the court decision. Nigerians look east to China for business, opportunity Emmanuel Iyayi's love of China, its culture and language began early when he watched kung fu films as a child in his native Nigeria. Now 26, that enthusiasm has paid off. "I am a translator, an interpreter for Nigerian and Chinese businessmen and I also compere at Chinese events," Iyayi, who also goes by the Chinese name Kong Yi, told AFP. "All these generate good money for me. I am happy with the pay I get and this has transformed my life tremendously." Chinese language teachers talk to a Nigerian student at the Confucius Institute at the University of Lagos Pius Utomi Ekpei (AFP) Iyayi isn't alone in being able to reap the benefits of knowing a language that few of his compatriots speak, given Nigeria's historic preference for learning European tongues such as French. Grace Moses teaches and translates Mandarin when she is not studying in her final year at the Confucius Institute at the University of Lagos (Unilag). "I get a lot of job opportunities from Nigerians who have businesses with Chinese people," said the 25-year-old, likening herself to a go-between for local and Chinese businesses. Iyayi and Moses could soon have competition, however, as a new scheme gets under way in Lagos state to teach Mandarin in primary and secondary schools. The move comes at a time of increased investment by Chinese firms in Nigeria, which is in desperate need of overseas cash because of the fall in global oil revenues on which its economy depends. - Closer ties - On a sunny afternoon at Unilag, Moses -- or Li Minghao as she is also known in class -- sits with a dozen other Nigerian students, most of them women. Mandarin teacher Fu Yongsheng uses audio-visual aids to teach pronunciation, words and phrases at the institute, set up seven years ago in partnership with the Beijing Institute of Technology. Fu and seven others also teach Mandarin to some 1,700 primary and secondary students across Nigeria's commercial capital. Yongjin Wang, the director of the institute, said more teachers were needed and is convinced learning Mandarin "can help to enhance relations and communications between both countries". Segun Awonusi, Yongjin's Nigerian co-director and a linguistics professor at Unilag, said learning Mandarin makes sense because of the Asian giant's economic and political clout. There are more Mandarin speakers than any other language in the world, making knowledge of the language essential for greater economic and diplomatic cooperation in the future, he added. "Nigeria has also also opened a wide market for the Chinese," added Awonusi. "There are efforts to build a generation of Nigerians who can teach Chinese," he said. Some three dozen Nigerians are currently studying for language and culture degrees at Chinese universities while a second Confucius Institute has been opened in southeast Nigeria. Lagos has five pilot project schools where Mandarin is taught. "Learning of Chinese language... aims to enhance political and economic ties between Nigeria and those countries," according to the Lagos state ministry of education. - Two-way street - Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari visited China recently and came away with a $6 billion pledge to fund much-needed infrastructure projects across the country. Abuja is looking to deepen economic and political relations with Beijing, building on the $1.79 billion China invested in Nigeria last year. Trade volume has grown from less than $2 billion at the turn of the century to about $15 billion in 2015, according to government figures. There are currently more than 200 Chinese companies working in engineering, food, agriculture, railway and road sectors, according to China's consul-general, Liu Kan. China is also present in Nigeria's key oil and gas and power sectors, aviation, merchandising, information technology manufacturing, healthcare, textile and transport. The China Railway Corporation and China Civil Construction Corporation are handling multi-million-dollar railway and road construction in Lagos, Abuja and other cities. Buhari, however, complained about a large trade imbalance between the two countries in China's favour by some 80 percent to 20 percent. "You must not see Nigeria as a consumer market alone but as an investment destination where goods can be manufactured and consumed locally," he said. - Image problem - Despite its sizeable investment, China has nonetheless room to improve its image in Nigeria, where the country is often associated with the dumping of inferior and even counterfeit products. Nigeria's health authorities have previously said some 70 percent of drugs in Nigeria were fake or adulterated and pointed accusing fingers at imports from China and India. Customs officials have also repeatedly raided and shut illegal textile importers in Kano and Lagos' China Town, a sprawling shopping complex, over the alleged failure to pay relevant duties. Initiatives such as the Confucius Institute, which is similar to the British Council, Alliance Francaise and Goethe Institute, can help dispel myths and misunderstandings. "After these sanctions, we have held several meetings with Chinese importers and we have intensified our intelligence and monitoring," Customs spokesman Wale Adeniyi told AFP. "Certainly the importation of substandard goods from China has reduced drastically." A Chinese language teacher speaks with students at the Confucius Institute Pius Utomi Ekpei (AFP) Yongjin Wang, director of the Confucius Institute, speaks about the growing interest in Chinese language Pius Utomi Ekpei (AFP) Fu Yongsheng looks at a paper by a Nigerian student at the Confucius Institute Pius Utomi Ekpei (AFP) In Cairo, heat and long days test Ramadan faithful Pushing his cart through the teeming Egyptian capital, 71-year-old Cairo street sweeper Abdallah Mohamed says nothing can stop him from fasting during Ramadan. Not the stifling heat pushing temperatures above 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit). Not even the long days of this year's Muslim fasting month, which is coinciding with the summer solstice. "He who is used to fasting will fast even in the middle of a fire," Mohamed says as the sun beats down. "But he who is not used to fasting will not fast no matter where he is." Egyptian cook Fathy grills chicken outside a restaurant in Cairo on June 21, 2016 Khaled Desouki (AFP) More than a billion people around the world are marking Ramadan this month, when Muslim faithful abstain from eating and drinking from dawn to dusk. Determined by the lunar hijri calendar, which has 11 days fewer than the solar Gregorian calendar, Ramadan shifts back every year. The last time the holy month began in early June was in 1983. Mohamed wakes and eats around 3:00 am, before his daily two-hour commute from the southern town of Dahshur to Cairo, where he earns 25 Egyptian pounds ($2.80) a day cleaning the streets. He works until around 2:00 pm, then heads home and sleeps for a few hours before breaking his fast once the sun sets. - 16-hour fast - Sixteen hours after he last ate or drank, Mohamed takes a sip of hot soup, then some food, tea and finally water. "Many people are not able to fast. They did not get used to these things, to getting hungry," he says. Across the street from where Mohamed is working, 37-year-old cook Fathy stands before a long grill with flaming charcoal, smoke billowing in his face as he turns cooking chickens. During the days of Ramadan, Fathy packs his barbecued meat, rice, vegetables and salads to go, even for those who are not observing the fast. "A customer tells me he will eat here? No," Fathy says. "Everyone here is fasting. The young kids are fasting." Fathy's staff arrive at 8:30 am to begin preparing the food. They start grilling the meat around noon, around seven hours before the traditional evening meal to break the Ramadan fast, known as iftar. When sundown comes, they must first tend to customers before taking their own meals. "The most important thing is that there are tables here and people are breaking their fast," Fathy says. Ramadan is a busy time for restaurant workers like Fathy, but for others the fasting month is quiet. "During the daytime, workers reach their limit, unable to move after one or two hours of work," says 58-year-old Reda Mohammadeen, a manager at an auto repair shop. "That is the maximum effort that they can muster." - 'Can't change obligations' - But Mohammadeen says he doesn't mind as customers "themselves do not go out in Ramadan especially during the daytime... things are very quiet." Pharmacist Mohamed Ibrahim says he has been busy this year however, with the long fasting days leading more people to seek medical assistance. Many come to his shop in Cairo's Sayeda Zeinab district with low blood pressure, headaches and dizziness. "Everyday I inject painkillers that do not break the fast to struggling customers of all ages," Ibrahim says. Egyptians are not alone, with Muslims across the northern hemisphere having to cope with this year's long Ramadan hours. In Saudi Arabia, Islam's spiritual home, Saad al-Rayes says the long days and searing temperatures are proving difficult. "The heat is definitely intense this year, on top of the length of the fasting period which is over 16 hours," the 45-year-old Riyadh resident says as he heads to the mosque. But Rayes says he hasn't altered his Ramadan routine. "We have to deal with this weather and we can't change our daily obligations." Nasr Abu Zaid, 25, worries about those having to toil outdoors, even though Saudi authorities have banned work in the sun between 10:00 am and 3:00 pm. "Ramadan this year came at the height of summer and that makes it hard for many people. The most affected are those who work outside and in the construction industry; it's important to be kind to them." Food is prepared in Cairo on June 21, 2016 Khales Desouki (AFP) Traditional dawn awakeners known as 'Mesaharati' wake up Muslims before sunrise for the 'Suhur' meal before the day's fast Mohamed el-Shahed (AFP) Turkey says normalisation deal depends on Israel Turkey said Wednesday that reaching a deal to normalise relations with Israel downgraded after a 2010 Israeli raid on a Gaza-bound Turkish vessel depended on steps taken by the Jewish state. Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said Turkey had made its demands crystal clear ahead of upcoming talks -- while insisting that Ankara's relationship with Palestinian militant group Hamas, which rules Gaza, was not a condition in the talks. Two of Turkey's key conditions for normalisation -- an apology for the deadly 2010 raid and compensation -- were largely met, leaving its third demand, that Israel lift its blockade on the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, as the main obstacle. Ten Turkish activists were killed when Israeli commandos raided the Mavi Marmara ship which was part of the Free Gaza flotilla in May 2010 "Whether a deal can be reached at the first upcoming meeting depends on the steps to be taken by Israel," Cavusoglu told a news conference in Ankara. "Our conditions are not very complicated, they are plain conditions," Cavusoglu said. "They need to be fulfilled the same as our apology demand." He did not give the date of the meeting although press reports have said it would take place on Sunday and be followed by an announcement on the normalisation of ties. Relations between once close allies Turkey and Israel hit an all-time low 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 the Hamas-run Gaza Strip. 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. All 10 were Turkish nationals. - 'No Hamas condition' - The Hurriyet newspaper reported on Tuesday that the announcement for a deal would be made after talks between top Turkish foreign ministry official Feridun Sinirlioglu and Israel's pointman on Turkish relations, Joseph Ciechanover. It did not say where the talks would be held. Israeli daily Yedioth Aharonot reported on Wednesday that the next round of talks would be held in Turkey and an announcement made there. Previous reports have said that for any normalisation, Israel also wants Turkey to prevent senior Hamas operative Salah Aruri from entering its territory and acting from there. Ankara has never confirmed his presence in Turkey. A report in the Turkish daily newspaper Karar Wednesday suggested that all Hamas operatives previously based in Turkey had left the country for Qatar several months ago at the request of Turkish authorities. Turkey is a key backer of Hamas, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan holding regular meetings with the Doha-based Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal. Cavusoglu on Wednesday said Turkey's contacts with Hamas were "not clandestine" and that they would continue for the sake of intra-Palestinian unity and Middle East peace. But he ruled out any condition about Hamas for a deal with Israel. "There is no such a condition like Hamas for normalisation of our bilateral relations with Israel and there cannot be." 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 neighbours after serious ruptures not just with Israel but also with Egypt and Russia. Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan (left) holds regular meetings with Hamas supremo Khaled Meshaal and Ankara insists it will not its relationship with the Palestinian militant group in order to resume diplomatic ties with Israel Yasin Bulbul (Turkish Prime Minister Office/AFP/File) Energy investors merge to create pan-Africa power group Two major investors in African power projects announced Wednesday a joint venture that they said would help boost electricity output across the continent. Harith General Partners and the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) said the tie-up would allow improved financing and development of both renewable and non-renewable energy projects. More than 620 million people in Africa live without electricity, the companies said. Two investors announce a venture they hope will boost electricity output across Africa Pascal Pavani (AFP) The president and chief executive of the Lagos-based AFC, Andrew Alli, said the partnership would make "an invaluable contribution to improving generation capacity" throughout Africa. The AFC has interests in Cenpower, which owns the Kpone Independent Power Plant in Tema, near Accra, which is due to come on stream in 2017 and provide some 10 percent of Ghana's energy capacity. It also has a stake in Cabeolica, a wind farm in Cape Verde, off the West African coast, which provides 20 percent of the country's needs. Harith, through the Pan African Infrastructure Development Fund it manages, has invested in the Azura Edo power plant in southern Nigeria, and Kenay's Lake Turkana wind power and Rabai thermal projects. The Johannesburg-based financiers have also helped to finance the coal-fired Kelvin Power Station in South Africa. All the projects combined provide energy to more than 30 million people in at least 10 countries, with a gross operational and under-construction capacity of 1,575 megawatts, the companies said. Harith's chief executive, Tshepo Mahloele, said the merger will "create an African power entity that will have substantial capital, sector-specific experience, a critical mass of existing assets and a pipeline of credible power projects". Yemen rebels demand consensus president in any peace deal Yemen's Iran-backed rebels said on Wednesday that they would not sign any peace deal without prior agreement on a consensus president to lead the transition. The demand from the Huthi rebels, who control swathes of the country, including the capital Sanaa, comes a day after the UN envoy said he had proposed a roadmap for peace following two months of negotiations in Kuwait. The Saudi-backed government of President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi insists that he is the legitimate president who should lead any transition. A building in Sanaa after it was damaged by air strikes Mohammed Huwais (AFP) But the rebels said consensus must be reached between the warring parties on all issues to do with transition. "Foremost among these is the presidency which is at the centre of the negotiations and on which all the other issues, like the formation of a national unity government and a supreme military and security committee, depend," a rebel statement said. The peace roadmap announced by UN envoy Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed calls for the implementation of security arrangements set out in an April 2015 Security Council resolution and the formation of a government of national unity. Security arrangements under Resolution 2216 require the rebels and their allies to withdraw from areas they have occupied since 2014, including Sanaa, and hand over heavy weapons. "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 the unity government would be formed, Ould Cheikh Ahmed told the Security Council on Tuesday. 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 Hadi. As the peace talks have dragged on in Kuwait, there has been renewed fighting on the ground despite a UN-brokered ceasefire that took effect on April 11. On Tuesday, the rebels advanced towards Yemen's biggest airbase -- Al-Anad -- in heavy fighting that left 18 rebels and six loyalists dead. The UN envoy expressed "strong indignation" at the rebel advance in a statement early on Wednesday, saying it was a "grave development that could threaten the talks." More than 6,400 have been killed in Yemen, since a Saudi-led coalition intervened in support of Hadi's government in March last year. Another 2.8 million people have been displaced and more than 80 percent of the population are in urgent need of humanitarian aid, according to UN figures. Japan, Russia talks on elusive WWII peace treaty Japan and Russia on Wednesday held talks aimed at resolving a territorial dispute dating back to World War II, which has prevented the neighbours from signing a peace treaty formally ending wartime hostilities. The two countries have diplomatic relations but ties have been strained by a dispute over four islands, known in Japan as the Northern Territories and in Russia as part of the Kuril Islands. Chikahito Harada, Japan's special envoy for Japan-Russia relations, and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov met in Tokyo for the one-day meeting. Japanese and Russian diplomats hold talks in Tokyo on June 22, 2016, aimed at resolving a longstanding territorial dispute "We're going to tackle this issue in a new way to break the deadlock that has lasted until now," Harada said, according to Jiji Press news agency. He did not elaborate. The former Soviet Union declared war on Japan in the closing days of the conflict in 1945, attacking Tokyo's puppet state of Manchukuo in northeastern China and seizing Japanese islands north of Hokkaido. Hundreds of thousands of Japanese soldiers were taken prisoner and moved to Siberia where they were forced to labour for about a decade before those who survived were allowed to return home. Wednesday's talks marked the first negotiation between Japan and Russia since Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and President Vladimir Putin met in Sochi in May to discuss the dispute. Abe, during the meeting -- a rare visit to Russia by a Group of Seven leader -- agreed with Putin to push the negotiations forward by employing "a new approach without being bothered by the old previous thinking". However, the Kremlin dismissed hopes of any major breakthrough, instead playing up Abe's visit to Putin's holiday residence in the Black Sea resort of Sochi as a symbol of warming ties, as the West attempted to isolate the Russian leader. Putin is expected to visit Japan later this year. Over the years leaders from both countries have met several times to discuss the dispute but a resolution has proved elusive. Japanese troops not shooting blanks anymore Japan's Self-Defense Forces aren't shooting blanks anymore. At least they weren't last month when troops mistook live ammunition for fake rounds at a training exercise. No one was seriously injured despite almost 80 rounds of sharp-tipped ammunition being fired off in the hair-raising bullet blunder, the Asahi newspaper reported. Japan's armed forces act only in self-defence under a pacifist constitution imposed by the United States after World War II Frederic J. Brown (AFP/File) Blanks are identifiable by having a more curved tip than live rounds, but the unit in question reportedly only fires guns about twice a year. The "blanks" were discovered to be live rounds after a piece of an assault rifle was torn off, slightly injuring two soldiers, the paper said, citing the results of a defense department investigation released this week. A computer error was reportedly to blame for the incident in May at a training ground in Japan's northernmost island Hokkaido. Syria's Assad names new prime minister Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Wednesday named electricity minister Imad Khamis as the new prime minister of the war-ravaged country. Assad tasked Khamis with forming a new government, the official news agency SANA reported. He is to submit his proposal for new ministerial appointments in the coming days. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has refused to relinquish power and has describing the civil war as a "fight against terrorism" Joseph Eid (AFP/File) The 54-year-old engineer replaces Wael al-Halqi who had held the post since August 2012. The changes come two months after Assad's Baath party and its allies won a majority of seats in parliamentary elections dismissed internationally as a sham. Khamis had served as Syria's minister of electricity since 2011 and is an electrical engineer by trade. Since March 2012, he has been sanctioned by the European Union, which accuses him of sharing "responsibility for the regime's violent repression against the civilian population." Syria's conflict began in 2011 with widespread protests demanding reform but has since escalated into a bloody civil war that has left 280,000 people dead. 'Devastated' Nepalis receive bodies of Kabul victims Dozens of people, many in tears, thronged Kathmandu's airport on Wednesday to receive the bodies of 12 Nepali guards killed in a suicide bomb attack in Kabul this week. The victims were among 14 security guards who were killed Monday in a Taliban suicide blast targeting their bus as they headed to work at the Canadian embassy in Kabul. Afghan authorities had earlier said that all 14 were Nepali nationals, before Kathmandu clarified that 12 of the victims belonged to Nepal. Nepalese Prime Minister KP Oli Sharama in Kathmandu on June 22, 2016 pays his respects to the 12 Nepalese victims of a suicide bomb attack in Afghanistan on June 20 Prakash Mathema (AFP) Relatives and friends broke down in tears as they approached the pink-and-white coffins, tagged with the names of the dead. "Our family is devastated," said Sarajan Adhikari, whose brother-in-law Madhusudhan Koirala was killed in the attack. The 45-year-old's death was the latest tragedy to hit the family. The guard lost two children in last year's massive earthquake that killed nearly 9,000 people in the Himalayan nation. "(My sister) had told him not to go (back) the last time he came home. It was only the compulsion to earn that made him return," Adhikari told AFP. Nepal's Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli offered a floral tribute to the victims as he attempted to console distraught family members, many of whom had camped out for hours at the airport. "The whole country is mourning the death of innocent Nepalis killed in this cowardly attack," Oli told reporters after placing marigold garlands on each coffin. The aircraft, chartered by the Nepal government, also brought back 24 other Nepalis who worked as guards for Sabre International, the same company that employed the victims. "It could have been me," said former Nepal army soldier Shyam Bahadur Tamang, 47, who began working in Afghanistan in 2014. "There is no security for us... there are many other Nepalis who are eager to quit and return home," Tamang told AFP. Authorities said around 3,300 Nepalis were currently working in Afghanistan as security guards but accurate figures for the total number employed across the world are hard to come by. Impoverished Nepal has long served as a supplier of security forces to the world. A number of them are former soldiers with the Gurkha brigades of the Indian and British armies while others are retired Nepal army or police personnel. Four Nepali guards were killed in a 2011 attack on a UN compound in the northern Afghan city of Mazar-i-Sharif in 2011. Soldiers in Kathmandu carry the bodies of the 12 Nepalese victims of a suicide bomb attack in Afghanistan Prakash Mathema (AFP) Egypt govt appeals court block on Saudi island deal Egypt's government said Wednesday it had lodged an appeal against a court decision to block the controversial handover of two uninhabited Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia. The deal over the islands of Tiran and Sanafir prompted some of the largest public protests in two years when it was signed in April. The country's State Council ruled on Tuesday that the islands, strategically situated at the mouth of the Gulf of Aqaba, must remain under Egyptian sovereignty. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi (left) sparked protests when he handed over two islands to Riyadh after trade talks with Saudi King Salman in April 2016 "The government will present all the documents it has to demonstrate the integrity and strength of the case it presented to the Supreme Administrative Court which has the right to rule on the case," the prime minister's office said in a statement Wednesday. "It will also present a dossier containing documents and maps that will assist in resolving the case." The government argues that the islands -- which can be used to control access to the Israeli port of Eilat -- have always been Saudi territory but were leased to Cairo in 1950 following a request by Riyadh. It says the deal to transfer them was based on a decree by since-ousted president Hosni Mubarak. Cairo says Mubarak had even informed the United Nations about the matter in 1990. The deal, signed during a visit to Cairo by Saudi Arabia's King Salman in April, prompted an outcry from many Egyptians, and sparked protests against President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Sisi, whose government depends heavily on Saudi largesse, faced criticism on social media for "selling" the islands in return for multi-billion-dollar investment deals with Riyadh. More than 100 people were jailed for up to five years for taking part in demonstrations against the deal that police quickly dispersed, but they were later freed on appeal. Indian art dealer arrested for suspected temple theft Indian police have arrested an octogenarian art dealer for possessing hundreds of artefacts thought to have been stolen from Hindu temples, as they probe possible links to international smuggling rackets, officers said Wednesday. G Deenadhayalan, 85, was formally arrested on Tuesday after police carried out multiple raids on his properties in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, leading to the recovery of the cache of idols. Police have called in experts to determine the age of the 275-odd metal and stone statues of Hindu gods, which some specialists say could be hundreds of years old. Indian police recoverd antique idols and artefacts from an art dealer's home in Chennnai, on June 22, 2016 Arun Sankar (AFP) "Deenadhayalan is booked for conspiring to smuggle idols and idol theft," Pon Manickavel, inspector general of a Tamil Nadu police unit that tracks down stolen idols, told AFP. Deenadhayalan was remanded in custody after appearing in court on Tuesday on initial charges of conspiracy and theft, as well as a charge of smuggling under the Antiquity and Art Treasures Act. The arrest comes after the United States returned more than 200 statues and other artefacts earlier this month to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that were taken from Indian temples. Deenadhayalan's arrest prompted the Tamil Nadu government to order an inventory of idols thought housed in the hundreds of temples and shrines located throughout the state. Smugglers and looters have long been suspected of targeting the temples, many of which are located in remote areas and have been abandoned. Police said they uncovered the suspected racket suspected to have been led by Deenadhayalan after they arrested a gang of thieves carrying stolen idols last month. Police this month conducted lengthy raids on Deenadhayalan's house, warehouse and office where he has run his art business for some three decades. "We have seized substantial evidence to confirm that he had sold several antiques and artefacts to many traders and individuals in Europe, UK and the US," another senior officer involved in the investigation, Prateep V Philip, said. The arrest comes five years after international art dealer Subhash Kapoor was arrested and extradited to India on charges of running a multi-million dollar international smuggling racket. Police are probing whether Deenadhayalan has any links with Kapoor, who used to own a gallery in Manhattan but is now in jail in the southern Indian city of Chennai awaiting trial. Kapoor denies wrongdoing. Two killed in S.Africa pre-election violence: police Two people have been killed and more than 40 arrested in pre-election violence in townships around South Africa's capital Pretoria, police said Wednesday. Police spokeswoman Noxolo Kweza said two people were killed on Tuesday night after shops were looted in Mamelodi township in the wake of internal ANC protests linked to upcoming municipal elections. Factional violence broke out late Monday over the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party's choice of a mayoral candidate in Pretoria for the hotly-contested vote on August 3. A charred bus in Mamelodi on June 22 after three days of riots Mujahid Safodien (AFP) "We have arrested more than 40 people since yesterday and this morning for different crimes related to the protests," Kweza told AFP adding that peace had been restored by Wednesday morning. No details were released on how the two victims died. Police said those arrested had been charged with violence, theft and possession of stolen property. At least 20 buses were torched in Mamelodi on Monday during protests sparked by the ANC's choice of Thoko Didiza as mayoral candidate. Didiza, a former minister under the late president Nelson Mandela, was nominated by the ANC amid deep local divisions over the proposed candidates for Tshwane mayor, the municipality that includes Pretoria. 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. Senior ANC figures condemned the violence, with party secretary general Gwede Mantashe blaming the destruction of property on "thuggery". Several deaths attributed to tension between rival factions within the ANC have been reported around the country in the run-up to the August elections. The party, which led the struggle against apartheid and has ruled since 1994, could be dealt an electoral blow due to record unemployment and the dire conditions in which many black people still live. "While the ANC is still popular in rural communities... the party has lost significant support in the largest cities," Robert Besseling, of risk advisers EXX Africa, said in an email. "Socio-economic grievances will intensify ongoing political unrest." Indian cabinet approves mobile radiowaves auction The government of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday approved a mega auction of mobile phone radiowaves, hoping to scoop about $85 billion from the sale of licenses in the world's second-largest market. The new mobile radiowave spectrums on auction are seen as crucial for companies competing in the lucrative but cut-throat Indian market of a billion mobile subscribers. "This may be the largest ever auction in the history of the country," said Finance Minister Arun Jaitley at a press conference. India's cabinet has approved an auction of mobile phone radiowaves, hoping to scoop $85bn Loic Venance (AFP/File) More than 2,300 mhz of spectrum would be available for auction across seven bandwidths and based on their reserve price, the government is looking to mop up $85 billion against the $17.6 billion received last year. But a decision on spectrum usage charges, which has divided stakeholders, was deferred with the matter being referred to the telecom watchdog. Telecom bodies have expressed concerns over a possible move to collect licence fee and spectrum usage charges on revenues earned from trading airwaves, saying it would amount to double taxation. The battle for spectrum among India's top eight mobile phone carriers, including market leaders Vodafone, Bharti Airtel and Idea, has been fierce with each vying to roll out high-speed broadband services. The auction will hand the right-wing government much-needed revenue as it attempts to reform the economy. India is the world's second-largest mobile phone market by users after China. The government also said Wednesday it had put in place a special financial package for the textile and apparel sector, a move aimed at helping to reboot an economy beset by legal barriers and regulatory excesses. The government hopes the step will lead to a cumulative increase of $30 billion in exports and an investment of $11 billion over the next three years, the government said in a statement. On Monday, the government announced sweeping reforms to expand foreign investment across nine sectors, including defence and civil aviation, to accelerate job creation and manufacturing. Modi stormed to power in 2014, promising an overhaul of the faltering economy. Growth is now chugging along at 7.9 percent, the fastest of any major economy. France reduces C. Africa force to 350 soldiers France has reduced its force in the Central African Republic to 350 soldiers, effectively bringing an end to its military operations there, the army's chief of staff said Wednesday. "The Sangaris will henceforth act as a tactical reserve team of 350 soldiers to the benefit of the 12,500 Blue Helmets," the chief of staff wrote on Twitter. France deployed an intervention force, dubbed "Operation Sangaris", to the Central African Republic in December 2013 after the outbreak of inter-communal violence between Muslim and Christian militias that has killed thousands. A convoy of French troops arrives in Bangui on February 27, 2014 to reinforce operation Sangaris Sia Kambou (AFP) The mission, which involved nearly 2,500 French troops at its peak, is due to end entirely in December. The CAR is struggling to overcome the legacy of the country's worst ever sectarian bloodletting that has driven half a million people from their homes. In a bid suppress the violence, the UN sent a peacekeeping force known as MINUSCA to the country, made up of 12,600 foreign police and soldiers, as well as more than 500 foreign civilian staff. The UN mission took over from an African Union force in September 2014 as the country was still reeling from the worst of the violence. Last week, MINUSCA sent troops to the northwest where at least 10 people died in the worst clashes since presidential and parliamentary elections were held in February and March. The polls were viewed as a key step toward reconciliation following the sectarian strife. Following the elections, French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said that Operation Sangaris would be wound down by the end of the year. Le Drian said France's military contingent still in the country would work under UN and EU mandates to train CAR's army. The former French colony is one of the world's poorest countries and was plunged into chaos by the ouster in March 2013 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 violence that displaced almost one tenth of the country's population of 4.8 million. The image of French troops has been tainted by allegations of sexual abuse of children and physical abuse of locals in Central Africa. UN peacekeepers are also facing allegations of sexual abuse. Toddlers left in car die in Israeli desert Two toddlers died on Wednesday after being forgotten in a car by their father in the scorching heat of Israel's Negev desert, medics said. The siblings, who were aged about three and 18 months, were found in the vehicle at Al-Kasom, where they had apparently been trapped for a number of hours. They were taken to a nearby home but were without vital signs, said an official from the Magen David Adom emergency medical service. Israel's Negev desert Menahem Kahana (AFP/File) "We tried to give them medical care, but were forced to pronounce their deaths at the scene," medic Raed Abugag said in a statement. According to Israeli media, the father was a teacher who had parked his car outside the school in which he taught. Israel has been hit by a heat wave in the past few days, with temperatures in the southern desert area exceeding 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit). Last month, a father from the southern coastal city of Ashdod forgot a child in his car, and the infant died after a number of hours. Trump, trailing Clinton in cash, aims to boost fundraising Billionaire Donald Trump attended a New York reception early Wednesday aimed at raising funds for his presidential campaign, as he seeks to narrow the massive financial advantage enjoyed by rival Hillary Clinton. The presumptive Republican nominee, whose recent paltry campaign finance figures sounded an alarm about Trump's preparedness for a gruelling general election battle, held a closed-door $25,000-per-plate breakfast at Italian restaurant Le Cipriani for major donors, according to The Wall Street Journal. A maximum of $2,700 per donor is allowed to go to the Trump campaign, with the rest going to the Republican Party. Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has repeatedly knocked political rivals for being beholden to mega-donors Kena Betancur (AFP) On Tuesday, Trump pledged to "personally" match supporters' donations dollar for dollar for the next 48 hours, up to $2 million total. The fundraising push follows Trump's and Clinton's latest filings to the Federal Election Commission (FEC), which showed the former secretary of state's campaign had $40 million more in cash on hand than Trump's. "I have a lot more than $40 million if I want to use my own money," Trump told Fox News on Wednesday. "I think our next numbers are going to be quite good. But, more importantly, I don't to want raise billions of dollars." Trump has repeatedly knocked political rivals for being beholden to mega-donors. "So, I can do it for much, much less and, I think, win," he added. His style of campaign financing has been unconventional. He has so far lent his campaign $45.7 million. He is entitled to raise money from supporters to have those funds reimbursed, but he told MSNBC in May that he had "absolutely no intention of paying myself back." A substantial amount of Trump's campaign expenses -- about 20 percent in the month of May -- is being shifted back to his own businesses, the New York Times reported, citing campaign finance filings and the paper's review of the 1,699-page Trump campaign declaration to the FEC. For example, the campaign paid $423,000 for the use of Trump's Mar-a-Lago Club in Florida, where he has held several press conferences. 4 Palestinians sentenced to life for murdering Israelis: army Four Palestinians were on Wednesday handed life sentences for the killing of an Israeli couple as drove in the West Bank with their children last year, the army said. "The military court in Samaria handed two life sentences and another 30 years to each of the four members of the Hamas cell that carried out the attack in which Eitam and Naama Henkin were murdered in front of their children," a statement read. The Palestinian assailants were named as Yahya Haj Hamed, Amjad Aliwi, Samir Kusa and Kerem Razek. An Israeli woman mourns next to the graves of Eitam and Naama Henkin in Jerusalem's cemetery on October 2, 2015 Gil Cohen Magen (AFP/File) The October 1 attack on the settler couple marked the beginning of a wave of Palestinian attacks. The violence has since 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. According to the army statement, the assailants had planned on apprehending the Henkin couple, but when their attempts to do so failed, they shot them from close range in front of their four children. Three of the four Palestinians sentenced were also involved in two previous shooting attacks on Israelis which lightly wounded one, the army said. Another three Palestinians involved in the Henkin attack were still facing sentencing. Days after the October attack, which shocked Israeli society, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a package of new measures against Palestinian assailants. They included swifter demolitions of their homes, which Netanyahu said was "one of the most efficient tools" in discouraging Palestinian attacks. The homes of the four Palestinians sentenced on Wednesday had been demolished in November. Last month, Israeli forces demolished the Nablus home of Zeid Amr, accused of staking out the site of the attack before other members of the Hamas cell shot the Henkins. Gunmen kill 4 in attack on Darfur camp for displaced: UN Gunmen shot dead four people at a camp for displaced people in Sudan's war-torn Darfur, the United Nations peacekeeping mission said on Wednesday. The attack on Monday evening came as the UN Security Council prepared to decide on extending the mandate of a peacekeeping mission in Darfur, where tens of thousands have been killed in a 13-year conflict. On Monday, gunmen "burned and looted" a camp for displaced people in Thur in the state of Central Darfur, said the African Union-United Nations force, UNAMID. Sudanese children walk past a UN-African Union Mission in Darfur vehicle on April 12, 2016 Ashraf Shazly (AFP/File) "The incident has reportedly resulted in four people being killed and seven others injured," it said. A tribal leader from the camp, Sheikh Abdalraz Youssef, said the dead included a child. "Militiamen attacked the camp and started shooting on the residents," Youssef told AFP by telephone. Darfur has been gripped by conflict since 2003, when ethnic minority rebels rose up against the Arab-dominated regime of President Omar al-Bashir, accusing it of discrimination. Bashir launched a brutal counterinsurgency and at least 300,000 people have been killed, the United Nations says. Another 2.5 million have fled their homes. Bashir is wanted by the International Criminal Court on war crimes charges related to Darfur, which he denies. Khartoum insists the conflict has ended, although violence occurs regularly. In May, Arab tribesmen shot dead eight ethnic minority villagers as they prayed in a mosque in West Darfur. In April, as many as 20 people were killed in clashes between two rival Arab tribes in East Darfur sparked by livestock thefts. The Security Council is expected to meet before the end of June to decide whether to extend UNAMID's mandate by another year to June 30, 2017. Khartoum wants a complete exit of UNAMID from Darfur, but a special UN report has recommended keeping the force in place. The report cites the "limited progress" made to reach a viable solution to end the conflict in Darfur. Rubio says will run for re-election to US Senate Republican Senator Marco Rubio of Florida announced Wednesday he will run for re-election, a 180-degree reversal from his pledge to either win the US presidency this year or return to private life. The move would make the high-profile Rubio the immediate frontrunner in the race, and provides a boost to Republican Party efforts to block Democrats from snatching the seat in a key battleground state. "Control of the Senate may very well come down to the race in Florida," he said in a lengthy statement explaining his decision. A run for re-election would make Republican Senator Marco Rubio, pictured on March 5, 2016, the immediate frontrunner in the Florida race, providing a boost to Republican efforts to block Democrats from snatching a seat in the key battleground state Brendan Smialowski (AFP/File) Rubio noted that Supreme Court nominations, the future of the "disastrous" Iran nuclear deal, and economic and foreign policies could be determined by the outcome of the Florida race. "The stakes for our nation could not be higher," he added. Rubio, 45, said he was eager to "act as a check and balance on the excesses of a president," adding he would eagerly fulfill that congressional role regardless of whether fellow Republican Donald Trump or Democrat Hillary Clinton is elected in November. Rubio has significant policy differences with Trump and he said the prospect of a Trump presidency remained "worrisome." "If he is elected, we will need Senators willing to encourage him in the right direction, and if necessary, stand up to him. I've proven a willingness to do both," Rubio said. He immediately earned an endorsement from Ted Cruz, another US senator born to Cuban immigrants and who ran unsuccessfully for the presidency this year. New law: Kuwaitis who insult emir can't run for office Kuwait's parliament on Wednesday voted to bar people convicted of religious insults or undermining the oil-rich Gulf state's ruler from contesting general elections. The amendment to the electoral law would prevent dozens of opposition figures, including jailed former MP Mussallam al-Barrak, from standing in next year's election. The amendment was supported by 40 deputies, including all cabinet ministers present, and opposed by just three. Kuwaiti MPs take part in a parliament session on June 8, 2016 at the national assembly in Kuwait City Yasser al-Zayyat (AFP/File) It will pass into law once the cabinet endorses the change and publishes it in the official gazette. The amendment states that "people convicted in a final court ruling of insulting God, the prophets and the emir are barred from elections." In the past few years, courts handed down various jail terms against opposition activists for insulting the emir, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah, or undermining his authority. Barrak, secretary general of the nationalist Popular Action Movement, is serving his second year in jail after he was convicted of insulting the emir in a speech at a public rally in 2012. The amendment also comes after several figures and groups, including the Muslim Brotherhood-linked Islamic Constitutional Movement, the largest opposition group, decided to end their four-year election boycott. A broad alliance of Islamist, nationalist and liberal opposition groups boycotted two general polls in 2012 and 2013 in protest at a change in electoral law. The opposition alliance said at the time that the change, brought unilaterally by authorities but later endorsed by Kuwait's top court, would allow the government to control parliament. The opposition held massive street protests in 2011 and 2012 demanding democratic reforms and an elected government. E.Guinea president names son vice-president Equatorial Guinea's veteran ruler, Teodoro Obiang Nguema, on Wednesday named his son Teodorin Nguema Obiang vice president of the tiny oil-rich nation, in charge of defence and security. Obiang, who seized power in a military coup in 1979 and was re-elected again in April with 93.7 percent of the vote, promoted the 47-year-old second vice-president by a presidential decree read on state television. Obiang senior is currently Africa's longest-serving leader. Teodorin Nguema Obiang , pictured on January 24, 2012, is named vice president of Equatorial Guinea Abdekhak Senna (AFP/File) Israel plans law against using Facebook for 'terror' Israel's justice and internal security ministers on Wednesday announced plans to propose legislation banning the use of Facebook to advance "terror" and outlawing incitement from the Internet. Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked and Internal Security Minister Gilad Erdan said in a joint statement they had met earlier in the day with senior Facebook executives who were informed of their intention. Shaked and Erdan said the legislation would aim to make it illegal to publish "offensive content" such as "encouraging terror attacks, shaming, insulting public officials and slandering". Israel's Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked, pictured on May 17, 2015, met with senior Facebook executives about a planned law to ban the use of the social network for the advancing of "terror" Gali Tibbon (Pool/AFP/File) Internet giants such as Facebook and Google could be held accountable, they said. In their meeting with the executives, they sought the removal of inciting content within 24 hours, as Facebook does in the European Union, said the statement. This would be backed by a law that blocks concent inciting "terror" and ensures its "complete removal, similar to laws in Australia and France". Israel maintains that online content has played a significant role in fuelling a wave of Palestinian attacks that broke out in October 2015. 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. US to host Iraq donors amid Fallujah crisis The United States and key allies will host a donors conference next month to raise funds for Iraqi civilians driven from their homes by fighting. The announcement came Wednesday even as Iraqi forces battled Islamic State fighters to secure control of Fallujah and thousands fled the city. The US State Department, which had already pledged $20 million in extra funding for the UNHCR this week, said the conference will be held in Washington on July 20. Displaced Iraqis who fled the government's operation against the Islamic State group in the city of Fallujah carry basic food items on June 20, 2016 in a camp in Khaldiyeh Haidar Mohammed Ali (AFP/File) Canada, Germany and Japan will co-host the meeting, it said, and the funds raised will support the United Nations efforts to house, freed and treat the displaced. "Due to the conflict and upheaval since January 2014, more than 3.4 million people are now displaced throughout Iraq and more than half are children," the State Department said. "Across the country, over 10 million people are in urgent need of lifesaving humanitarian assistance." According to the US statement, the UN humanitarian response plan will cost $861 million and is only one third funded. "Over the coming months, humanitarian costs could climb to over $2 billion as potentially a million people are displaced from Mosul as military operations liberate Iraq's second largest city," it added. Iraqi officials said Wednesday that they have cleared IS jihadist fighters from the northern and central areas of Fallujah, but that holdouts remain. Sick workers evacuated in daring South Pole rescue Two sick workers were evacuated from a remote US research station near the South Pole on Wednesday in a risky rescue mission carried out in the dead of Antarctica's winter, a US official said. A Twin Otter turboprop plane flew in dark and cold conditions to pick up the workers from the Amundsen-Scott station, about 250 meters from the geographic South Pole, a spokesman for the US National Science Foundation (NSF), Peter West told AFP. The plane's crew and a medical team had made the 10-hour journey to the South Pole in the middle of Antarctica's 24-hour winter on Tuesday night to reach the unidentified patients, who could not be treated on site. A National Science Foundation photo shows a Twin Otter aircraft on a medical evacuation flight taxiing on the skiway at Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station on June 22, 2016 Robert Schwarz (National Science Foundation/AFP) The NSF -- the US research agency that operates the Amundsen-Scott Station -- organized the rescue mission last week given the condition of the first patient, which was not disclosed for privacy reasons. "It was really an emergency," West said. It later became apparent that the second worker also needed to be evacuated. The sick workers -- employees of the US company Lockheed Martin who worked on base logistics -- were then taken to the Rothera base, a British research station some 2,200 kilometers (about 1,365 miles) away, the spokesman said. The pair, who were not identified, were then to be transferred to a hospital in South America, West said, without giving further details. The Amundsen-Scott base was home to 48 people -- 39 men and nine women -- who work on-site throughout the austral winter, which spans February through October. - Rare rescue mission - Near the world's southernmost point, workers spend this period withstanding nearly complete darkness and dramatically low temperatures -- on Tuesday, the thermometer dropped to -60 degrees Celsius (-76 degrees Fahrenheit). It was only the third time that an emergency rescue operation has been launched in the middle of winter. In 2001, the only doctor at the Amundsen-Scott station was suffering from a life-threatening pancreatic condition and required urgent evacuation. A second medical evacuation was carried out that year. In 1999, the US station's doctor Jerri Nielsen, who was self-treating her own breast cancer, required medical evacuation but weather conditions were more favorable, as the mission took place in the spring. The Twin Otter plane, operated by the Canadian company Kenn Borek Air, is specially designed to operate in extremely cold temperatures. Research projects at the Amundsen-Scott station include monitoring long-term levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. The station also operates two telescopes that observe "cosmic microwave background" radiation -- the faint light signature left by the Big Bang -- to study the origins of the universe, dark energy and dark matter. UN criticizes repression in Bahrain, urges dialogue A UN special adviser sharply criticized Bahrain's government Wednesday for repressing opponents and revoking the citizenship of the Gulf state's top Shiite religious leader. Adama Dieng, the special adviser for the prevention of genocide, warned that the country and the region were facing "a critical moment." "It is now even more crucial for the authorities and for all relevant parties to recommit to an inclusive national dialogue in the interest of all people of Bahrain," he said in a statement. Bahraini demonstrators attend a protest against the revocation of the citizenship of top Bahraini Shiite cleric Sheikh Isa Qassim, on June 20, 2016 near Qassim's house in the village of Diraz, west of Manama Mohammed al-Shaikh (AFP/File) Thousands of people protested in the sheikh's hometown of Diraz, west of Manama, after the decision on Monday to strip Sheik Issa Qassem of his nationality. Dieng said the action could raise tensions further in the kingdom. "I call on the government to ensure that the right to freedom of peaceful assembly is fully respected and that any response to the protests is in accordance with Bahrain's obligations under international human rights law," he said. "I also call on the protestors to exercise their rights peacefully and to avoid any act of violence," he said. Dieng said the nationalities of up to 250 people have been revoked for alleged disloyalty to the kingdom. He noted a series of other "worrying developments," including the re-arrest of Nabil Rajab, the founder of the Bahrain Human Rights Centre, travel bans on human rights activists, the dissolution of Bahrain's main opposition group, an increase in the sentence of a jailed opposition leader, and the interrogation last week of five Shia clerics. "Repression will not eliminate people's grievances; it will only increase them," he said. Obama pays tribute to slain British MP Jo Cox US President Barack Obama on Wednesday offered a heartfelt tribute to murdered British MP Jo Cox, hailing the "remarkable life" of a woman who volunteered on his campaign in 2008. "Jo knew that our politics, at its best, still works -- that, if we recognize our humanity in each other, we can advance the social justice, human dignity and peace that we seek in the world," Obama said in a tribute published on Facebook. While Obama never met Cox, who would have been 42 on Wednesday, he explained that she had come to America to volunteer on his first White House campaign. Samantha Power (R), US Ambassador to the United Nations, and others observe a moment of silence at an event celebrating MP Jo Cox on June 22, 2016 near the United Nations in New York Don Emmert (AFP) "She gave her time and passion to a country that was not her own because she believed in an idea that transcends borders and cultures -- the power of people to bring about change, from the grassroots up," he said. Obama's comments came on the eve of Britain's vote on whether to stay in the European Union. The murder of Cox, who was campaigning for Britain to remain in the bloc and was a major advocate for refugee rights, shook the referendum campaign and sent shock waves around the world. "Today, we stand united -- British, Americans and people around the world -- to affirm that the hate and violence that took her from us are ultimately no match for the love and compassion that she spread in her life," Obama said. Israel PM to meet Kerry in Rome on Palestinians Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet US Secretary of State John Kerry on Sunday in Rome to discuss stalled peace efforts with the Palestinians, US and Israeli officials said. An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Netanyahu and Kerry would tackle "issues relating to security and peace." US State Department spokesman John Kirby said several issues would be on the agenda, but observers have noted that the meeting comes ahead of a report by the Quartet on the peace process. US Secretary of State John Kerry (L) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin, pictured on January 21, 2016, will meet in Rome to discuss stalled peace efforts Jacquelyn Martin (Pool/AFP/File) This diplomatic contact group -- the United Nations, the European Union, the United States and Russia -- is expected to be critical of Israeli policies in the occupied West Bank. "There are plenty of issues coming up that merit Israel and the United States' discussion," Kirby said, citing regional counter-terrorism efforts and the crisis in Syria. "The Quartet is preparing a report on the situation of the ground. It will include recommendations that will help inform international discussions on the best way to advance a two-state solution." Kirby said the report would "largely" reflect the Quartet's previous statement in September last year. This, among other concerns, cited Israel's "ongoing settlement activity and the high rate of demolition of Palestinian structures" as "dangerously imperiling the viability" of a two-state -- one Israeli and one Palestinian -- solution. Netanyahu recently spoke over the phone with EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini. And on Tuesday he called Russian President Vladimir Putin and discussed "key aspects of the Palestinian-Israeli peace process," according to a Russian statement. The Israeli premier will also meet UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in Jerusalem on Monday. The UN chief will be in Israel and the Palestinian territories as part of a Middle East tour. On Monday, EU foreign ministers backed a French initiative to organise an international conference on the Middle East, aimed at restarting Israeli-Palestinian peace talks deadlocked since 2014. The European Union has been pressing hard to get the peace process back on track based on a two-state solution. Netanyahu is opposed to the French initiative and has described it as an "international diktat" that should not come in the place of direct talks with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas. The Palestinians support the international community's involvement, saying that years of talks with Israel have not yielded their desired results. Lawsuit in Flint water crisis targets French, US companies Officials in Michigan filed a lawsuit on Wednesday accusing a French company and a Texas firm of negligence and fraud for their roles in the lead water contamination crisis in the city of Flint. Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette said water engineering firms Veolia, based in Paris, and Lockwood, Andrews & Newman (LAN) of Texas ignored warning signs that dangerous levels of lead had seeped into the city's water, after government officials switched the supply source two years ago. The attorney general alleged that Veolia produced a report and a presentation in 2015 which incorrectly stated that Flint's drinking water was safe. Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette alleged that French company Veolia produced a report which incorrectly stated that Flint's drinking water was safe Kenzo Tribouillard (AFP/File) He also said LAN was supposed to help with the transition to the new water source and did not address the issue of corrosion in aging lead pipes. "Veolia and LAN were hired to do a job and failed miserably. Their fraudulent and dangerous recommendations made a bad situation worse," Schuette said in a statement. Both companies denied the accusations. "These allegations are entirely false and baseless, something that Veolia will have no trouble in proving since the city of Flint never tasked it with carrying out lead or copper tests," the company said. It added that an official state task force report did not hold Veolia responsible. LAN said the suit was "without merit" and that the attorney general "blatantly mischaracterizes the role of LAN's service to Flint." In 2014, government officials switched Flint's water source from the Detroit River to the Flint River as part of cost-cutting measures ordered by Governor Rick Snyder. Experts believe that was the reason large amounts of poisonous lead leached from the city's pipes into the drinking water that reached residents' homes. "Veolia and LAN either knew or should have known that high chloride levels in Flint River water would cause corrosion in lead pipes unless treated," the attorney general's office said. More than 8,000 children are believed to have consumed lead-contaminated water. Officials are asking for hundreds of millions of dollars in damages and said there could be additional claims in the future. "Today's civil lawsuit is the first step in seeking damages caused by these companies that can help with Flint's recovery and aid the residents of Flint who are still waiting for help," Noah Hall, Special Assistant Attorney General on the Flint investigation, said. So far in the attorney general's six-month investigation of the Flint water crisis, three government employees have faced criminal charges. One took a plea agreement to cooperate in the investigation. The damage to the city's water pipes may be long-lasting, if not permanent. Residents must use filters to make their water drinkable. UN chief meets Saudi prince over Yemen row UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday hosted Saudi Arabia's deputy crown prince Mohammed bin Salman for talks that touched on the row between the world body and Riyadh over the deaths of hundreds of children in Yemen. The meeting at UN headquarters in New York was low-key, and neither Ban nor the Saudi prince spoke to reporters. Mohammed bin Salman is the Saudi king's son and the country's defense minister. He also has become the driving force behind economic reform and a more activist Saudi foreign policy. Saudi Defense Minister and Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman answers questions during a press conference in Riyadh, on April 25, 2016 Fayez Nureldine (AFP/File) A UN statement said the two men had discussed "putting into place concrete measures that could improve the situation on the ground" in Yemen, notably with respect to protecting children and civilians affected by the conflict. Tensions flared recently when the UN briefly blacklisted the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, after an expert report found it responsible for 60 percent of the 785 children killed in the country last year. The blacklisting infuriated Saudis, and the UN removed the coalition from the list pending a fact review. Ban went on to publicly accuse Riyadh -- a major UN donor -- and its allies of financial blackmail, saying they threatened to cut off funds to certain UN agencies, including a Palestinian aid program. Saudi Arabia has rejected both those charges and the report's findings. Ban is to formally present the report on children and armed conflict to the UN Security Council in August. During Wednesday's meeting with the Saudi prince, he "expressed the hope that... he could point to progress on the protection of children and civilians in Yemen" by that time, the UN statement said. Ban "remains open to receiving any new elements from Saudi Arabia and hoped that discussions would take place soon," the statement from Ban's office said. The Riyadh-led military intervention is supporting the Yemeni government in its fight against Iran-allied Huthi Shiite rebels, primarily through air strikes that began in March 2015. The Saudi government has requested that the UN send a team of experts to the coalition headquarters in Riyadh to jointly review the report and for the UN to provide details on its sources and methods. The world body has not yet responded. On Wednesday, Ban "thanked Saudi Arabia for supporting the political work of his special envoy, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, and stressed the urgency of ending the conflict," his office said. Ban and Mohammed bin Salman also discussed the situation in Syria, Libya, Lebanon and the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, the UN said. Myanmar's Suu Kyi visits troubled diaspora in Thailand Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi arrived Thursday in Thailand where she is expected to be garlanded by her adoring compatriots, hundreds of thousands of whom have sought work and sanctuary from war across the border. It is Suu Kyi's highest profile overseas visit since her pro-democracy party took power in April, ending nearly half a century of military domination. Her government has seeded hopes for a new era of prosperity that could eventually convince the army of low-paid Myanmar labourers in Thailand to return home. Myanmar Foreign Minister and State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi (2nd L) is welcomed upon her arrival at Suvarnabhumi airport in Bangkok Narong Sangnak (POOL/AFP) The two Southeast Asian neighbours have travelled in starkly different directions in recent years. While Myanmar's junta has rolled back its chokehold on politics, last year allowing the freest elections in decades, Thailand remains in the grip of a military that seized power in 2014. As Myanmar's democracy champion, Suu Kyi will receive a rock star welcome during a visit to a fishing village in Samut Sakhon later Thursday. Hundreds of migrant workers -- most wearing Suu Kyi T-shirts -- gathered at a market in the port town just outside Bangkok, awaiting the arrival of their heroine on Thursday afternoon. The visit "fills me with hope," Myanmar migrant Thon Barami, 50, told AFP at the scruffy port which is the seat of Thailand's huge seafood industry and home to more than 100,000 low-paid Myanmar labourers. "We have problems here in Thailand. She might help us with labour rights... people all around the world will listen to her," she added. The fishing sector has been battered by revelations of the use of slave labour and the widespread exploitation of workers. The scandals have prompted threats of sanctions by the European Union -- a key market for the multi-billion-dollar Thai seafood industry. - Low pay, lower status - Seeking to escape poverty at home, some one million registered Myanmar migrant workers form the backbone of Thailand's manual workforce. Tens of thousands of others work illegally, with some estimates putting the total number of Myanmar nationals in Thailand at three million. Rights groups say migrants -- legal and otherwise -- are vulnerable to unscrupulous officials, trafficking gangs and employment agencies who charge huge sums to get them poorly paid work. Their low status also sees them treated with scorn and mistrust by many Thais. "They all want to go home, but they are just waiting for the economic situation (in Myanmar) to improve significantly," explained Andy Hall, a migrant rights activist with an office in the port town. The nemesis of Myanmar's generals throughout a quarter-century of struggle for democracy, the Nobel laureate will meet with the leader of the Thai junta in Bangkok on Friday. But her schedule does not include a single press conference as Suu Kyi continues to fiercely control her government's messaging. The 71-year-old is officially Myanmar's foreign minister and state counsellor, but also the de facto leader of her country despite a military-era constitution that bars her from the presidency. It is unclear if she will make a scheduled trip to a refugee camp in Ratchaburi province on Saturday. It is one of nearly a dozen camps in Thailand holding more than 100,000 refugees who have fled conflict in Myanmar. Many are ethnic Karen displaced by war with Myanmar's army. The violence abated following a 2012 ceasefire, but conflict with other ethnic rebel groups continues. Thailand, which does not accept refugees, wants to repatriate camp residents -- some of whom have been born on Thai soil but are barred from citizenship. Suu Kyi is also not scheduled to visit any of the Thai centres holding hundreds of Rohingya boat migrants, a Muslim group who have fled poverty and persecution in western Myanmar. Campaigners say her failure to throw her moral weight behind the stateless minority is a boon to Myanmar's Buddhist hardliners who loathe the Rohingya and say they are illegal immigrants. Hundreds of Myanmar migrant workers, most wearing Suu Kyi T-shirts, gathered at a fishing village in Samut Sakhon outside Bangkok to await the arrival of democracy champion, Aung San Suu Kyi Christophe Archambault (AFP) Moviegoers leave a cinema decorated with posters showing Myanmar democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi at a public film screening during a six-day human rights international film festival in Yangon Romeo Gacad (AFP/File) Kim Jong-Un has warned his rockets can hit 'American b******s' in the Pacific after overseeing North Korea's latest missile tests. After a string of failures in recent months, North Korea tested two Musudan missiles with a range of up to 2,500 miles on Wednesday, one of which flew 250 miles into the East Sea/Sea of Japan. Kim, who personally monitored the launch, applauded a 'great event' before insisting: 'We have the sure capability to attack in an overall and practical way the Americans in the Pacific operation theatre.' Kim Jong-Un (centre) has warned his rockets can hit 'American b******s' in the Pacific after overseeing North Korea's latest missile tests After a string of failures in recent months, North Korea tested two Musudan missiles with a range of up to 2,500 miles on Wednesday, one of which flew 250 miles into the East Sea/Sea of Japan A Korean-language version of the same report had Kim referring to 'the American b******s.' The test triggered emergency UN Security Council talks on curbing Pyongyang's nuclear programme. North Korea's KCNA news agency reported that the launch significantly bolstered the North's pre-emptive nuclear attack capability. The Musudan has a theoretical range of anywhere between 1,550 to 2,500 miles, with the upper estimate covering US military bases as far away as Guam. KCNA said the missile had been fired at a high angle to simulate its full range, and had reached a maximum height of more than 1,400 kilometres. The test 'marked an important occasion in further strengthening the nuclear attack capacity of our state,' Kim said. The launch was condemned by the international community and the UN Security Council met for closed-door consultations on how best to respond. Launch: North Korean newspapers on June 23 display stories and images about the Musudan missile tests North Korean leader Kim Jong Un trumpeted the success of a powerful new midrange ballistic missile test that state media says propelled one of the weapons more than 870 miles Existing United Nations measures prohibit North Korea from using ballistic missile technology France's deputy UN ambassador Alexis Lamek, whose country holds the council presidency, told reporters after the meeting that Council members had been united in 'deep concern and opposition' to the test which was a clear violation of UN resolutions. Existing UN measures prohibit North Korea from using ballistic missile technology. The United States, NATO, Japan and South Korea also denounced the test, with US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter urging the expansion of missile defence systems in the region. 'We need to stay ahead of the threat,' Carter said. Seoul and Washington are currently in talks about deploying the advanced US THAAD missile system in South Korea -- a move vehemently opposed by China. Experts and government officials said the Musudan launch marked another worrying step forward for a weapons programme that ultimately aspires to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of delivering a nuclear strike on the US mainland. The Musudan has a theoretical range of anywhere between 1,550 to 2,500 miles, with the upper estimate covering US military bases as far away as Guam 'We can't deny that (North Korea's) technological development is making progress, and the situation is alarming,' Japanese government spokesman Koichi Hagiuda told reporters. The North has publicly displayed an ICBM, called the KN-08, which uses the same engine technology as the Musudan but has never been test-fired. Jeffrey Lewis, director of the East Asia Nonproliferation Program at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in California, said the international community had to find a way to get Pyongyang to accept a missile test moratorium. 'If we do nothing, this ends in a successful flight test of the Musudan-based KN-08,' Lewis said. The front and inside pages of Thursday's edition of North Korea's ruling party newspaper, Rodong Sinmun, were plastered with pictures of a clearly elated Kim Jong-Un watching the test and celebrating with military scientists. Japan has started to examine the suspected nose cone of a North Korean rocket that washed up on a Japanese beach The red, white and blue item, believed to be half of the nose cone designed to protect the rocket's payload, was found on a beach in western Japan last Thursday There were also multiple photos of the missile blasting off from a mobile launcher near the eastern port of Wonsan. The international outcry suggests North Korea could face renewed sanctions, either on a unilateral level or from the United Nations. 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. Any further measures would require the support of veto-wielding permanent council member China, traditionally the North's closest ally. Responding to Wednesday's launch, China's foreign ministry had cautioned against 'any action that may escalate tension' and called for a resumed dialogue on Pyongyang's nuclear drive. Meanwhile, Japan has started to examine the suspected nose cone of a North Korean rocket that washed up on a Japanese beach. The red, white and blue item, believed to be half of the nose cone designed to protect the rocket's payload, was found on a beach in western Japan last Thursday and is suspected to come from a long-range, three-stage rocket fired by North Korea on February 7 that flew over Japan's southwest Okinawa island chain. South Korean authorities recovered the other half. 'We will analyse the materials and the level of technology used,' a Japanese Ministry of Defence official said after the part was delivered by truck to the ministry. The pockmarked 75 kg (165 lb) part, almost two metres wide and over a metre wide, lay on a blanket and blue tarpaulin in a forecourt at the ministry. El Salvador says police lent gangs ammo, uniforms, vehicles SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) Federal prosecutors in El Salvador have issued arrest warrants for several local police officers who allegedly lent gang members uniforms, vehicles and ammunition to commit extortion. The police in the town of Zacatecoluca allegedly worked for members of the Barrio 18 gang, and some officers had ties to the gang itself. Chief prosecutor Douglas Melendez said Tuesday that 12 officers had been arrested and eight others are being sought. The gang members extorted money from vendors at local markets. The town is home to a prison where many gang members are held. Imprisoned gang members allegedly gave orders to run the extortion racket. European countries attempt to seek justice for Syria victims UNITED NATIONS (AP) Several countries, including Sweden, Germany, France and Finland, are investigating or prosecuting alleged perpetrators of grave crimes in Syria in the first attempts to seek justice for victims of the conflict which is now in its sixth year. The efforts under way in Europe follow a double-veto by Russia and China of a U.N. Security Council resolution backed by more than 60 countries in May 2014 that would have referred the Syrian conflict to the International Criminal Court. At a U.N. panel discussion Tuesday entitled "First Cracks in the Syrian Impunity Wall," supporters and several opponents of the legal actions in Europe sparred over the search for justice in Syria. Liechtenstein's U.N. Ambassador Christian Wenaweser, one of the moderators, said the European efforts should be expanded and accountability must be part of Syrian peace talks and a solution to the war. "But in addition, much more effort will be needed to address the unspeakable crimes and atrocities that have been and continue to be committed in Syria," Wenaweser said. Qatar's U.N. Ambassador Alya Al-Thani, the other moderator, said prosecutions in Europe will not only prevent total impunity but "are also providing some measure of justice for victims who have nowhere else to turn." "Qatar is keen to be part of this mechanism," she said. "The constitution of Qatar allows prosecution for terrorist crimes, regardless of where they were committed and the nationality of the victim and the accused." Fadel Abdul Ghani, chairman of the Syrian Network for Human Rights, said his organization has collected thousands of files on alleged crimes and has five cases ready to be submitted to tribunals. Abdul Ghani said 90 percent of the alleged crimes were committed by the Syrian regime. Iranian diplomat Mohammad Hassani, whose country is a close ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad, disputed the 90 percent figure, accused Abdul Ghani of "baseless lies ... and fabrications," and strongly criticized his "one-sided approach." "In our view the fight in Syria is the fight against terrorists," he said, and accountability should also take into account countries supporting, funding and arming "these terrorist groups in Syria." Russian diplomat Sergey Leonidchenko, whose country is also a close Syrian ally, said the Security Council's referral of the uprising that ousted Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi to the ICC in 2011 produced only a quick case against Gadhafi and nothing else for five years so Russia's veto of an ICC referral of Syria "was quite understandable in this situation." Among the countries seeking justice for Syrians, Sweden's U.N. Ambassador Olof Skoog pointed to a law that entered into force July 1, 2014, allowing Swedish courts to exercise universal jurisdiction for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity and "there is no statute of limitation for these crimes." While investigations have been very difficult, he said, there have been convictions in two cases, both with video evidence. In one, a member of the Free Syrian Army was convicted of aggravated assault and war crimes for beating and tying up a prisoner from the same rebel group, and in the other two men who executed two people were tried and convicted of terrorism, he said. France's deputy U.N. Ambassador Alexis Lamek said that "in France more than 350 court proceedings in relation with Syria have been opened in the anti-terrorist courts since 2014." Haiti lawmakers continue to avoid vote on interim president PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) Haiti's divided lawmakers are continuing to avoid a parliamentary vote on whether to extend an interim president's mandate or pave the way for another provisional leader. A National Assembly session was scheduled for Tuesday. But senators and deputies have again ignored demands by their leaders to convene and clear up Haiti's latest leadership muddle. An opposition coalition argues that interim President Jocelerme Privert is unlawfully holding onto power. But Privert and his backers insist he will stay in office until Parliament finally makes a decision on potentially extending his expired mandate. Supporters of presidential candidate Maryse Narcisse clash with national police officers close to the entrance of the parliament building during a demonstration in support of interim President Jocelerme Privert, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. The demonstrators march to demand the extension of the expired mandate of the interim president Jocelerme Privert. ( AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery) In February, a majority of lawmakers elected Privert to be a short-term caretaker leader amid suspended elections and an institutional vacuum in the presidency. The international community has urged Haiti's Parliament to fulfill their responsibilities and resolve the impasse. Supporters of presidential candidate Maryse Narcisse clash with national police officers, close to the entrance of the parliament building during a demonstration in support of interim President Jocelerme Privert, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. The demonstrators are demanding the extension of the expired mandate of the interim president Jocelerme Privert. ( AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery) Supporters of presidential candidate Maryse Narcisse hold up human skulls and bones along with a booklet with the photo of former president Jean Bertrand Aristide during a voodoo ceremony before the start of a demonstration in support of interim President Jocelerme Privert, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. The demonstrators are demanding the extension of the expired mandate of the interim president Jocelerme Privert. ( AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery) Supporters of presidential candidate Maryse Narcisse clash with national police officers close to the entrance of the parliament building during a demonstration in support of interim President Jocelerme Privert, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. The demonstrators are demanding the extension of the expired mandate of the interim president Jocelerme Privert. ( AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery) Supporters of presidential candidate Maryse Narcisse chant slogan against legislators en route to the parliament building during a demonstration in support of interim President Jocelerme Privert, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. The demonstrators are demanding the extension of the expired mandate of the interim president Privert. ( AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery) Supporters of presidential candidate Maryse Narcisse clash with national police officers near the entrance of the parliament building during a demonstration in support of interim President Jocelerme Privert, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. The demonstrators are demanding the extension of the expired mandate of the interim president Privert. ( AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery) Supporters of presidential candidate Maryse Narcisse chant slogans against legislators in front of a police barricade near the entrance to the parliament building during a demonstration in support of interim President Jocelerme Privert, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. The demonstrators are demanding the extension of the expired mandate of the interim president Privert. ( AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery) Supporters of presidential candidate Maryse Narcisse perform a voodoo ceremony before the start of a demonstration in support of interim President Jocelerme Privert, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Tuesday, June 21, 2016. The demonstrators are demanding the extension of the expired mandate of the interim president Privert. ( AP Photo/Dieu Nalio Chery) 10 Things to Know for Wednesday - 22 June 2016 Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about Wednesday: 1. BILLIONAIRE DONALD TRUMP'S PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN APPEARS TO BE FLAT BROKE Fundraising reports also show he's used about $6 million in campaign money to pay his own companies, relatives. 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) 2. WHO JOINED CAMERON IN URGING BRITONS TO VOTE TO STAY IN THE EUROPEAN UNION Pop icons David and Victoria Beckham used social media to voice their support for remaining in the bloc. 3. CLINTON WARNS THAT TRUMP'S 'RECKLESS' APPROACH WOULD PLUNGE ECONOMY INTO RECESSION The presumptive Democratic nominee sought to define Trump as little more than a con man, whose ignorance and ego would tank the global economy. 4. NORTH KOREA FIRES 2 SUSPECTED MUSUDAN MIDRANGE MISSILES BUT AT LEAST ONE FAILS The show of persistence worries Washington and its allies, Tokyo and Seoul, because the missile's potential range could target much of Asia and the Pacific, including U.S. military bases there. 5. FULLER PICTURE EMERGES OF MAN ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY TRYING TO ATTACK TRUMP The British man was unemployed and had been treated in the past for obsessive compulsive disorder and anorexia, authorities and others say. 6. SOME RUSSIANS TRACK AND FIELD ATHLETES COULD COMPETE UNDER THEIR OWN FLAG IOC President Thomas Bach said if any Russians are deemed eligible by the IAAF, they would compete under the Russian flag. 7. RESCUE PLANE LANDS AT SOUTH POLE TO EVACUATE A SICK WORKER The plane's crew will wait for at least 10 hours before refueling and returning to Rothera if weather conditions are favorable. 8. WHAT JURORS IN THE LED ZEPPELIN COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT TRIAL GOT TO HEAR Original recordings of Led Zeppelin working through the song that became the epic "Stairway to Heaven" were played. 9. WHERE LAWMAKERS PASSED A NOVEL REQUIREMENT FOR FREE TAMPONS New York City legislators approved a measure to require free tampons and sanitary pads in public schools, homeless shelters and jail. 10. SURGING WILDFIRES FORCE HUNDREDS OF NEW EVACUATIONS ACROSS WEST Firefighters worked to beat back a pair of huge adjacent blazes looming over suburban Los Angeles. 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) Sheriff: Man killed, deputy hurt in North Carolina shooting LAWNDALE, N.C. (AP) Authorities in North Carolina say a man has been shot to death in a confrontation with a sheriff's deputy. Cleveland County Sheriff Alan Norman told The Shelby Star (http://bit.ly/28MkIPy) that Deputy Scott Trammel was responding to a call at a home Tuesday afternoon when he was assaulted by a man there. He says Trammel fatally shot the man during the altercation. The sheriff says Trammel was treated for head and arm wounds and released from the hospital. Peru's Kuczynski jokes about ending US ties if Trump wins LIMA, Peru (AP) Peru's President-elect Pedro Pablo Kuczynski has joked that his country will sever ties with the United States if Donald Trump wins the presidency. Asked by a local reporter what would happen if the Republican won November's U.S. election, he said amid laughs that "we are going to grab a saw and cut." "He wants to put up a wall between the United States and Latin America, and make the Mexicans pay for it. Isn't that too much?" he said in reference to Trump's proposal for a wall along the U.S.-Mexican border. New for-profit medical schools springing up across US BOISE, Idaho (AP) For-profit medical schools are starting to pop up around the country, promising to create new family doctors for underserved rural regions. Rural states like Idaho need more general practitioners, with the baby boom generation aging and expanded insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act making health care more accessible. But critics of the new schools question whether companies can properly train the nation's next crop of doctors. "On face value, it looks like a pretty good deal" because for-profit schools promise to bring benefits without relying on taxpayer dollars, said Dr. Ted Epperly, who runs a family practice residency program in Boise, where a new for-profit school plans to start accepting students in 2018. "But it's a little bit like Wal-Mart moving into a small community with mom-and-pop shops it damages the existing workforce producers." In this June 20, 2016 photo, Dr. Robert Hasty, the dean of the for-profit Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine, talks with Idaho State University Meridian Health Science Center employees Chris Wilson, center, and Nancy Carpenter in Meridian, Idaho. ICOM and ISU have reached an agreement that will allow the for-profit school's students to use the public university's facilities when ICOM opens in 2018. (AP Photo/Rebecca Boone) Proponents contend challenges the new schools face are surmountable, and any stigma about for-profit medical training is born of fear, not fact. Dr. Robert Hasty, dean of the newly created Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine, notes for-profit hospitals also were once stigmatized but now make up about a quarter of all U.S. hospitals. "We have such a need for doctors, and if we have to make this investment, it's worthwhile," Hasty said. Thirty-one new medical schools opened in the country between 2002 and 2014, according to an article in the New England Journal of Medicine. Most were nonprofit or public. For decades, for-profit medical schools were relegated to foreign shores, with U.S.-based companies like DeVry launching medical schools in the Caribbean. But that changed in 2007 when Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine opened in Parker, Colorado. Several for-profit medical schools have opened in the years since, including California Northstate University School of Medicine and the Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine in New Mexico. Rocky Vista recently announced plans to expand into Utah. Justin Rose was part of the first group of students to graduate from Rocky Vista in Colorado. Though the Idaho native applied to several schools in the West, he wasn't accepted to any state-run programs. "The for-profit part never played a part in it," Rose said of his decision to attend Rocky Vista. "The biggest concern was I'm going to a new med school that had no background affiliation or anything." In retrospect, he said, it was the best choice because the school was under pressure to prove its first crop of graduates would succeed. "It made them especially motivated," he said. After completing an emergency medicine residency and an ultrasound fellowship at the University of Kentucky, Rose is preparing to begin his career as a doctor in Boise. He said the job will allow him to continue chipping away at his $350,000 in student loan debt. That's nearly double the average debt carried by medical school graduates, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. And because Rose attended a for-profit program, he's not eligible for many federal loan-forgiveness programs. Even with the high debt load, the for-profit med school was worth it, Rose said. Opening state programs is costly, and for-profit schools are a good answer for America's rural health care shortage, Rose said. His one concern is that the number of schools will grow faster than the number of residency programs. Like their public and nonprofit counterparts, for-profit med schools face pressure to ensure their graduates get the valuable residency positions. At least 98 percent of grads from an osteopathic school must be placed in a residency or equivalent program or the school risks losing accreditation, Hasty said. Medical schools must make their residency placement numbers available to the public. That accountability and the fact that would-be doctors must pass medical board exams and meet state requirements before they can start practicing should help hopeful medical school students make good choices about where to attend, said Claudia Goldin, a Harvard economics professor who has studied for-profit education models. "If they're not providing the requisite training and hands-on work, then it's going to be public information that these students didn't pass those exams," Goldin said. "It's sort of a good thing to have some external review." The differences between for- and nonprofit schools aren't always apparent, Goldin said. Salaries for staff at nonprofits and public schools often are higher than for-profits, for instance. And regulators have stepped in to stop some nonprofit schools from taking steps deemed undesirable, such as when Yale was told to stop plans for an online physician's assistant school. "I've always tried to think about for-profits without the jaundiced view of them that we all now seem to have," she said. "I always try to enter this with the notion that there are good training programs all over the place, and the nonprofits have some pretty lousy places." The for-profit schools are not without risk. Dade Medical College in Florida abruptly closed last year amid major financial troubles, its 2,000 health care students arriving on campus to find doors locked. The school received more than $100 million in taxpayer-funded Pell grants and student loans since it opened in 1999, according to the Miami Herald. Investors are looking for a return on their investment, said Hasty, dean of the new Idaho school. But the ultimate goal is to create safe, competent physicians. He sees Idaho, Montana and other rural states in the region as the epicenter of a nationwide family physician shortage. "It's not a donation I mean, I'd love for them to donate lots of money for our scholarships," Hasty said. "This is really part of a social mission." US, North Korean diplomats attend meetings in Beijing BEIJING (AP) Diplomats from the U.S. and North Korea are attending a six-nation security forum in Beijing on Wednesday, in a rare opportunity for contact between them after the North fired two suspected powerful new ballistic missiles. Despite their attendance at the event, the U.S. State Department has said there were no plans for direct talks between the U.S. special representative for North Korea policy Sung Kim, and the deputy director general of the North Korean Foreign Ministry's Department of U.S. Affairs, Choe Son Hui. The conference is described as a multilateral forum involving high-level policymakers, defense ministry officials, military officers, and researchers from China, Japan, North and South Korea, Russia, and the United States. Choe Son Hui, third from left, deputy director general of the Department of US Affairs of North Korea Foreign Ministry, prepares to sit as Sung Kim, special representative for North Korean Policy of the U.S. Department of State, left, arrives to attend the 26th Northeast Asia Cooperation Dialogue in Beijing, China, Wednesday, June 22, 2016. Participants from China, U.S., North Korea, South Korea, Japan and Russia are expected to discuss the development and peace of Northeast Asia. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) The nations taking part had participated in years of negotiations on North Korean nuclear disarmament that stalled in 2008. There are few prospects of a resumption of the talks amid the Kim Jong Un government's attempts to assert itself as a nuclear weapons state and heightened tensions following a North Korean nuclear test and rocket launch that drew stiff sanctions. The U.S. and its partners want Pyongyang to recommit to denuclearization before restarting the discussions. The closed-door Beijing conference was organized by the Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation at the University of California, San Diego. The institute calls the dialogue a "regular channel of informal communication among the six governments." Officials participate in the meetings in their private capacity, not as official government representatives. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said that a suspected first Musudan launch from the east coast city of Wonsan failed early Wednesday morning. While it didn't elaborate, Japan's Defense Ministry said the missile fragmented and pieces fell into waters off the Korean Peninsula's east coast. A second missile flew only about 400 kilometers (250 miles), well short of its potential 3,500-kilometer (2,180-mile) range. The launches were North Korea's fifth and sixth such attempts since April. Su Ge, President of China Institute of International Studies, right chats with Choe Son Hui, deputy director general of the Department of US Affairs of North Korea Foreign Ministry as they arrive to attend the 26th Northeast Asia Cooperation Dialogue held in Beijing, China, Wednesday, June 22, 2016. Participants from China, U.S., North Korea, South Korea, Japan and Russia are expected to discuss the development and peace of Northeast Asia. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) Choe Son Hui, deputy director general of the Department of U.S. Affairs of North Korean Foreign Ministry, walks ahead of Wu Dawei, Chinese special representative for Korean Peninsula Affairs, and other delegates to attend the 26th Northeast Asia Cooperation Dialogue in Beijing Wednesday, June 22, 2016. Participants from China, U.S., North Korea, South Korea, Japan and Russia are expected to discuss the development and peace of Northeast Asia. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) Sung Kim, special representative for North Korea policy of the U.S. Department of State, second from right, and Kim Gunn, director general for North Korean Nuclear Affairs of the South Korean Foreign Ministry, attend the 26th Northeast Asia Cooperation Dialogue in Beijing Wednesday, June 22, 2016. Participants from China, U.S., North Korea, South Korea, Japan and Russia are expected to discuss the development and peace of Northeast Asia. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) Choe Son Hui, third from left, deputy director general of the Department of U.S. Affairs of North Korean Foreign Ministry, arrives near Susan Shrik, director emeritus of Institute on Global Conflict and Cooperation, second from left, and Wu Dawei, Chinese special representative for Korean Peninsula Affairs, left, to attend the 26th Northeast Asia Cooperation Dialogue in Beijing Wednesday, June 22, 2016. Participants from China, U.S., North Korea, South Korea, Japan and Russia are expected to discuss the development and peace of Northeast Asia. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) Tribes hail shield's halted sale; collectors ask what's next PUEBLO OF ACOMA, N.M. (AP) The laws of a rural New Mexico Native American tribe require that the ceremonial shield stay within the boundaries of its reservation, which covers miles of mountains and rolling desert. And for generations, the sacred object did just that, remaining safely in a home atop a mesa. So when a photo of the colorful shield recently emerged on a Paris auction house's website, Acoma Pueblo leaders moved to halt its sale. A legal challenge in the French courts ensued, followed by an emotional public appeal from the pueblo's governor and an affidavit alleging the shield disappeared after a break-in. Top U.S. officials also called for French authorities to intervene. In this June 8, 2016, photo, Gov. Kurt Riley, of Acoma Pueblo, discusses his tribe's move to repatriate a ceremonial shield from Paris, France during an interview in Acoma Pueblo, New Mexico. Amid protest from the Pueblo, the shield was pulled from the auction block in a rare, last-minute move that has been hailed by tribes and questioned by some collectors. (AP Photo/Mary Hudetz) What came next was a rare announcement last month by Paris' EVE auction house that the item was being withdrawn from bidding on the day it was to be sold, with the only explanation that it was being held pending further examination. "I do know the French government looked closely at the issue and did the right thing in pulling the shield from the auction," said Larry Roberts, who oversees the U.S. Interior Department's Bureau of Indian Affairs and joined in pushing for the sale to be blocked. "I think France is to be congratulated for that." But as tribes and their advocates hail the shield's suspended auction and await a final ruling on whether it will be returned to Acoma Pueblo, some collectors fear the move along with pending investigations on both sides of the Atlantic will send a chill through the tribal artifacts market. In New Mexico, federal authorities, including the FBI, say they are looking into how the shield came on the market. However, a U.S. attorney spokeswoman has declined to comment further, citing the ongoing investigation. Meanwhile, French authorities have asked Acoma Pueblo to produce more documents, including another affidavit, for their review, said Kurt Riley, the pueblo's governor. "When these items do go, we don't really know when, where, how it all occurred, and all of the sudden they're popping up overseas," Riley said. "We're in the dark as well. But we do know it never should have left the bounds of the reservation, and so once it's gone, we know it's a violation of our traditional law." Whether that violation of traditional law also means the person who bought and sent the shield to France broke U.S. law, too, is at the center of much of the debate now surrounding the shield. Without answers, the Native American artifacts market could seem like a "dicier and dicier" place to do business, said Robert Gallegos, a former president of the Antique Tribal Art Dealers Association. French dealers at EVE, Drouot and other Paris auction houses for years have stood their ground against similar high-profile protests, refusing to halt sales and saying that doing so could have broad repercussions for the art market in general. They have maintained all the objects including war shirts and mask-like pieces the Hopi say are the physical embodiment of their ancestors were acquired and sold legally under French and U.S. laws. But that's something many of the tribes dispute. EVE made the same assertion about the Acoma Pueblo piece in the lead-up to its May 30 auction. Since the auction, it has not responded to emailed requests for comment from The Associated Press. In the United States, a law passed by Congress in 1990 in response to years of looting and aggressive archaeological expeditions on tribal lands carries criminal penalties for trafficking human remains, burial objects or items of exceptional cultural or historical importance for a tribe. But interpretations of the law vary. Gallegos and others in his trade believe the statute doesn't apply to items taken into a private collection before 1990, which might have been what happened with the shield. Acoma Pueblo's attorneys, meanwhile, say the law does apply to such items and note others have been prosecuted for it. The pueblo's investigation determined the shield was stolen from the mesa in the 1970s, with the granddaughter of the man tasked with caring for it testifying it was swiped from her family's home. The shield came into his care after her great-grandfather passed it onto him, she said. According to the pueblo, the shield is an irreplaceable ceremonial object that belongs to the entire pueblo and holds a place in the cycle of its ceremonies. Stitched together with leather straps, the circular shield features what a historic preservation officer for the tribe describes as the face of a Kachina, or ancestral spirit. For Riley, Acoma Pueblo's governor, seeing the shield listed for auction stirred fears that more ceremonial items than previously thought have slipped away to other countries like France, where U.S. laws protecting them typically hold no weight. "What other sacred items have left that we don't even know about?" he said. "Where have they gone, and how are we ever going to get them back?" No women need apply: Yacht club's men-only policy rankles WESTERLY, R.I. (AP) Taylor Swift has a home in this seaside community. But even one of the world's most famous women wouldn't be able to join the Westerly Yacht Club, which bestows full membership only on men. A vote to change the policy at the nearly century-old club in the Ocean State, where the love of sailing runs deep, failed to reach a two-thirds majority last week. In a secret ballot, 207 men voted for the change and 171 men voted to keep it the way it is. Wives can become associate members, and while they can run committees and organize parties at the club, they can't vote. Single women and married lesbians are not admitted, even as associates, because they are not married to a man. Gay men may join, but their husbands may not become associates, a status reserved for wives. In this Monday, June 20, 2016 photo, Danielle Hetu poses after speaking about the Westerly Yacht Club's membership policy as the yacht club is seen in background, right in Westerly, R.I. Wives can join as associate, non-voting members, but unmarried women can't. A vote to change the nearly century-old policy failed last week, with 171 men voting to uphold it. Women, and many men, are not happy. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) Women, and many men, are not happy. Several women connected to the club said it was ridiculous, in a year when Hillary Clinton is making a historic run for president, that they can't join. Swift hasn't asked, but if she wanted to would not be allowed, even though her beach house is in the same ZIP code. "How do I explain this to my daughters? That you can be the president, but you can't be a member of the Westerly Yacht Club?" said associate member Danielle Hetu. Hetu and her husband, who sits on the club's board, are among those who have been working for years to change the policy. Previous votes to admit women have won a majority but failed to win a two-thirds majority, as required by the club's bylaws, members said. One member who voted against the change said he believes many of the wives agree with him. "They're all happy with what they got. They don't have to pay dues," Bob Dionne said. Annual dues are around $600, although others point out wives could continue to be non-voting, non-dues-paying associate members if they chose. Jane Barstow, an associate member and retired professor of English and women's studies, thinks the policy remains in part because of the "old guard" at the club that is resistant to change. She theorizes that there may be something of a backlash against Clinton's historic run for president, and says there may be other reasons as well. "I heard somebody say that some women had told their husbands to vote against it because they were afraid of their husbands interacting with single women," she said. "That's very sad." Others have theorized members do not want competition for their businesses from professional women who could join the club for the networking opportunities. Many people in the community were shocked to learn of the policy. Linda Lee stopped by last year to inquire about joining. Lee owns a financial advising firm in nearby Mystic, Connecticut, and thought it would be a nice place to socialize, have lunch with clients and network. She and her husband live nearby and own a 50-foot boat, which is in her name. But when she asked at the bar about membership, Lee could not believe what she heard. "Well, you can't join. You have to be a man. Your husband can join," Lee said she was told. "I just said, 'Forget it.' And I walked out. These days, we are so past that." Julie Cardinal has the club in her blood. Her maternal grandfather died on his boat there. Her father was the club's commodore, and she got married at the club. Her husband became a member. But when they divorced, she lost her status as associate member. Now, when she wants to go there, she needs her father or mother to sign her in. No one has yet challenged the policy in court. The club's commodore, Scott Howard, pushed to admit women, but said he also believes the policy is legal because it is a private club. Several associate members and members said they think it violates the law. They think antidiscrimination laws apply because the club has over 600 members, holds a liquor license and rents out facilities to the general public. Lynette Labinger, one of Rhode Island's leading civil rights lawyers, said the policy is problematic. Rhode Island prohibits discrimination based on gender. While a small group for men such as a reading group might be OK, it's less likely to be allowed when a club has many members and charges fees. The Westerly Sun editorialized that the policy gave the town a black eye and suggested that if people withheld dues and stopped going to the bar, the club might change. Cardinal said letting women join would not change much; it would just give women more of a voice. "I still love it and enjoy it," Cardinal said. "I just don't think it's correct." ___ Reach Michelle R. Smith on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MRSmithAP In this Monday, June 20, 2016 photo, a granite sign outside the Westerly Yacht Club is seen in Westerly, R.I. Wives can join the club as associate, non-voting members, but unmarried women can't. A vote to change the nearly century-old policy failed last week, with 171 men voting to uphold it. Women, and many men, are not happy. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) In this Monday, June 20, 2016 photo, small boats are stored at the Westerly Yacht Club in Westerly, R.I. Wives can join the club as associate, non-voting members, but unmarried women can't. A vote to change the nearly century-old policy failed last week, with 171 men voting to uphold it. Women, and many men, are not happy. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) In this Monday, June 20, 2016 photo, boats are docked at the Westerly Yacht Club in Westerly, R.I. Wives can join the club as associate, non-voting members, but unmarried women can't. A vote to change the nearly century-old policy failed last week, with 171 men voting to uphold it. Women, and many men, are not happy. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) In this Monday, June 20, 2016 photo, Julie Cardinal poses after speaking about the Westerly Yacht Club's membership policy on Monday, June 20, 2016, as the yacht club is seen in the background in Westerly, R.I. Wives can join as associate, non-voting members, but unmarried women can't. A vote to change the nearly century-old policy failed last week, with 171 men voting to uphold it. Women, and many men, are not happy. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) In this Monday, June 20, 2016 photo, Julie Cardinal speaks about the Westerly Yacht Club's membership policy on Monday, June 20, 2016, as the yacht club is seen in the background in Westerly, R.I. Wives can join as associate, non-voting members, but unmarried women can't. A vote to change the nearly century-old policy failed last week, with 171 men voting to uphold it. Women, and many men, are not happy. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) Hastert, ex-Speaker branded 'molester,' to enter prison CHICAGO (AP) The hours are counting down to the deadline when Dennis Hastert must report to prison to serve a 15-month sentence. A federal judge in Chicago ordered the former U.S. House speaker to report to a Rochester, Minnesota, prison by no later than Wednesday at 2 p.m. Judge Thomas Durkin sentenced the 74-year-old Republican in April for breaking banking law in seeking to pay $3.5 million in hush money. FILE - In this April 27, 2016, file photo, former House Speaker Dennis Hastert departs the federal courthouse in Chicago. Hastert's attorney says that he will report to a federal prison in southeastern Minnesota this week to begin serving a 15-month sentence in his hush-money case. Washington, D.C.,-based attorney Thomas Green confirmed Monday, June 20, 2016, in an email that the Illinois Republican will report to the Rochester Federal Medical Center. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast, File) Durkin branded Hastert a "serial child molester" for sexually abusing at least four boys at an Illinois high school decades ago. Hastert's designated prison, the Rochester Federal Medical Center, specializes in health care. Hastert's diabetic and suffered a stroke last year. When he arrives, he'll be subject to a full-body strip search. He'll be identified by his inmate number 47991-424. FILE - In this April 27, 2016, file photo, former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert departs the federal courthouse in Chicago. Hastert's attorney says that he will report to a federal prison in southeastern Minnesota this week to begin serving a 15-month sentence in his hush-money case. Washington, D.C.,-based attorney Thomas Green confirmed Monday, June 20, 2016, in an email that the Illinois Republican will report to the Rochester Federal Medical Center. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast, File) This September 2005 photo shows the Federal Medical Center in Rochester, Minn., where former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert is due to report Wednesday, June 22, 2016, to begin his 15-month sentence in a hush-money case. (Jodi O'Shaughnessy Olson/The Post-Bulletin via AP) This September 2005 photo shows the Federal Medical Center in Rochester, Minn., where former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert is due to report Wednesday, June 22, 2016, to begin his 15-month sentence in a hush-money case. (Jodi O'Shaughnessy Olson/The Post-Bulletin via AP) With scorching temperatures in Arizona, one man thought he should put the weather to good use when it comes to preparing his food. So on one hot summer day, he decided to fry up some steaks on a pan sitting out on the street and bake cookies on the dashboard inside of his bright orange Lamborghini. While it is not clear how hot it was on this exact day, in the video you can hear the sizzling of the steaks as he places them onto the pan and the cookies appear to be baking in the hot sun. The Arizonan was perhaps able to attempt his cooking activities with the help of the scorching heat as a result of a mega-heatwave sweeping across parts of the Southwest. Courtesy WhenInYourState, visit them on Facebook With scorching temperatures in Arizona, one man thought he should put the weather to good use, utilizing the heat to fry up some steaks and bake cookies in his bright orange Lamborghini Three steaks are pictured cooking on a baking tray on the street. The Arizonan was perhaps able to attempt his cooking activities in the hot sun as a result of a mega-heatwave sweeping across the Southwest The heatwave ushered in the first day of summer in the broiling Southwest, where extreme temperatures were blamed for at least six deaths over the weekend. Towns along the Arizona-California border were getting the brunt of the extreme temperatures on Monday. In Palm Springs, the thermometer hit 121 degrees in the early afternoon on Monday. The temperature in Phoenix broke a record and hit 116 degrees. Meanwhile on Wednesday in eastern Arizona, firefighters expected to keep a wildfire spanning some 67 square miles from moving any closer to a rural town. In video filmed in Arizona, the man is seen cooking raw steaks on a baking pan sitting on the street On the dashboard inside his bright orange Lambo, he baked a tray of chocolate chip cookies The cookies appeared to be cooking in the scorching heat amid a mega-heatwave sweeping across the Southwest The flames threatening the community of Cedar Creek made no significant movement in the last 24 hours thanks to sparse vegetation. More than 15,000 people in nearby mountain communities have been told to prepare to evacuate. Cooler, more humid weather gave at least some temporary help on Wednesday to crews battling dangerous wildfires in Southern California, while other blazes across the West were on the move. Improved weather in the aftermath of a severe heat wave allowed firefighters to make progress against two fires in the steep San Gabriel Mountains 20 miles northeast of Los Angeles. Some evacuations below in the foothill city of Duarte were lifted, but the calm was not expected to last. 'We will have stronger winds, so it could push the fire,' incident commander Mike Wakoski said. A sign indicates temperatures reached 120 degrees on Monday in Phoenix. The heatwave ushered in the first day of summer in the broiling Southwest, where extreme temperatures were blamed for at least six deaths over the weekend Towns along the Arizona-California border were getting the brunt of the extreme temperatures earlier this week. On Wednesday, temperatures in Phoenix reached 113F and 101F in Albuquerque Signs warning of extreme heat are placed on a trailhead on Wednesday at Piestewa Peak in Phoenix He expected gusts of up to 25 mph in the afternoon and evening, posing additional problems for hundreds of firefighters attacking the flames. A fleet of helicopters and air tankers and other resources are helping fight the fires totaling about seven-and-a-half square miles. 'They're starting to make good progress, but there's a lot of line to put in, and it's in a real inaccessible area,' Wakoski said. 'It's very hard for the firefighters to engage the fire safely, but they are out there doing so.' No homes have been lost, though flames have come close at times. More than 850 homes were ordered evacuated earlier this week, and 534 were cleared for residents' return on Wednesday. Near the Mexican border, two residences and 11 outbuildings burned in a wildfire about 40 miles southeast of San Diego. A thousand structures were threatened by the blaze, which grew to just over 10 square miles and was only partially contained. Falling temperatures, rising humidity and cloud cover has helped, said Capt. Kendal Bortisser of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. A layer of haze shrouds downtown Los Angeles early Wednesday morning. For days, wildfires have raged amid spiking heat across Southern California and much of the West, driving hundreds from their homes A Los Angeles County firefighting helicopter makes a water drop on a hill near a wildfire in Duarte, California on Tuesday Surging wildfires on Tuesday forced new evacuations of hundreds of homes across the West, while firefighters worked to beat back a pair of huge adjacent blazes looming over suburban Los Angeles But firefighters still must deal with rough terrain and vegetation that has not burned in decades, he said. Weather also helped on the rugged coast west of Santa Barbara. Fog moved into the area scorched by a blaze that began more than a week ago, and most mandatory evacuations were called off. With the more than 12-square-mile fire almost fully surrounded, firefighters shifted focus to battling hot spots within containment lines. Resources were moving from that blaze to those in Los Angeles and San Diego counties. Elsewhere in the West, a forest fire near the Colorado-Wyoming line exploded in size and forced campers to evacuate. A shift in the wind turned a blaze burning slowly in a heavily wooded area with no permanent residents into a fast-moving threat, growing from one square mile to about five. Trees killed by a beetle infestation were fueling the flames 140 miles north of Denver and two miles from Wyoming. On Tuesday, crews continued to fight the Saddle Fire near Pine Valley, Utah (pictured above) A firefighters douses the grass with water along a hillside on a wildfire in Azusa, California on Monday No more than 100 campers and people staying in cabins fled, Routt National Forest spokesman Aaron Voos said. More firefighters were expected, but getting more help was difficult because of the other Western blazes. 'Resources are kind of hard to come by right now,' Voos said. In southwest Utah, officials evacuated about 100 people as a wildfire moved down a rocky slope toward the mountain town of Pine Valley. The blaze was about a square mile but moving dangerously close to homes in difficult terrain, so more evacuations could come, officials said. In central New Mexico, more evacuees were expected to return home as firefighters inch closer to snuffing out a massive wildfire that ignited last week. Australia says 28 asylum seeker boats have been turned back CAMBERRA, Australia (AP) Australia's ruling party said Wednesday that it had turned back 28 boats to prevent asylum seekers reaching Australia during its three years in power and warned that such vigilance would not continue if the country's opposition wins next month's national election. The conservative coalition government has warned that the boats would start coming from Indonesian ports in greater numbers if the center-left Labor Party wins the July 2 elections. The latest boat carrying 21 Vietnamese was intercepted this month, Border Protection Minister Peter Dutton said. They were returned to Vietnam after their refugee claims were assessed and rejected at sea, he said. He declined to give details. The government rarely gives details of its military-run operations against asylum-seeker boats at sea. Indonesia objects to boats carrying foreigners being towed by Australian warships back to Indonesian shores. How to deal with asylum seekers is a major political issue in Australia, and Dutton said if opposition leader Bill Shorten were to win the election, his plan to give 30,000 asylum seekers already in Australia permanent refugee visas would only attract more boats. The government has given them three-year temporary protection visas and threatens to send them back to their homelands when those visas expire. Dutton said changing that would give people smugglers hope that Australia was softening it policies designed to deter asylum seekers from the Middle East, Africa and Asia from attempting to reach Australia by boat. "That sends a green light. It is basically Bill Shorten waiving a white flag to the people smugglers," Dutton told reporters. Shorten has denied that dumping the temporary refugee visas would encourage more boats, and said the conservatives were irresponsible to suggest there would be more people smuggling if he won. Shorten said a Labor government would maintain the same tough policies that have prevented any asylum seekers from reaching Australia by boat for two years in it was in power. Putin heads to China to cement ties, but obstacles remain MOSCOW (AP) With President Vladimir Putin heading to China this weekend, officials in both countries extoll a blossoming "strategic partnership" between the two former communist rivals. But despite Moscow's push to strengthen ties with Beijing amid a bitter strain in relations with the West, Russia-China trade has shrunk sharply and a slew of ambitious projects have remained largely on paper. Observers attribute the slow progress to Beijing's hard-nosed bargaining position and the Kremlin's deep-seated suspicions about the growing power of its mighty partner. A shared desire to counter perceived U.S. global domination and strong personal ties between Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, who are to meet Saturday in Beijing, appear to be the main driving forces behind Russia-China cooperation. FILE - In this Friday, May 8, 2015 file photo Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, shakes hands with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping during their meeting in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia. With President Vladimir Putin heading to China this weekend, officials in both countries extoll a blossoming strategic partnership between the two former Communist rivals. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, pool, File) The renewed push to bolster relations with China came after the United States and the European Union imposed an array of crippling sanctions on Russia over its annexation of the Crimean Peninsula in March 2014, cutting its access to world financial markets and blocking the transfer of modern technologies. Moscow was also purged from the Group of Eight leading industrialized nations. In a bid to show the West that the ties with China could offer a viable alternative, Putin visited Beijing in May 2014, presiding over the signing of numerous deals, including a mammoth 30-year natural gas contract worth $400 billion. A later deal saw a branch of Chinese state-owned energy company CNPC buying a stake in a project to build a giant liquefied natural gas plant on the Yamal Peninsula in the Arctic. Last December, Chinese company Sinopec bought a stake in the Russia's Sibur energy company. China also promised to offer multibillion dollar loans to help build a high-speed rail link between Moscow and the Volga River city of Kazan. Other ambitious deals have been expected, but most of them have floundered amid Russia's economic uncertainty. A key factor behind Russia-China trade dropping from nearly $100 billion a year in 2014 to just over $60 billion last year has been the sharp devaluation of the Russian currency under the double impact of low global oil prices and Western sanctions. With energy resources accounting for two-thirds of Russian exports to China, trade volumes have shrunk as oil prices fell. The devaluation of the ruble has spooked Chinese investors, and low energy prices made some prospective energy projects unfeasible. Plans to tap new oil and gas fields in Siberia and build more China-bound pipelines, which require massive investment, have stalled. Chinese companies and banks also have been cautious about developing their business in Russia, fearing that it could adversely affect their operations elsewhere due to the spiraling Russia-West tensions and Western sanctions. Plans for Chinese companies to invest in the giant Vankor oil and gas fields in eastern Siberia have bogged down over pricing disputes, Russia's hopes of using China as an alternative to European financial markets have failed and a prospective transport corridor between China and the European Union has remained mired in uncertainty. Beijing's ambitious Silk Road Economic Belt project, intended to encourage infrastructure development in formerly Soviet Central Asia which Russia sees as its home turf, has caused unease in Moscow. China has promised to coordinate the project with the Russia-dominated Eurasian Economic Union, but clearly has put an emphasis on bilateral deals with Kazakhstan and other members of the bloc. "Moscow can't preserve its economic domination in Central Asia," Alexander Gabuyev of the Carnegie Moscow Center wrote in a commentary. At a recent Russia-China forum in Moscow, officials hailed an "unprecedented" closeness, but businessmen and experts pointed at numerous problems. Russian tycoon Viktor Vekselberg deplored what he described as a "catastrophically low" level of Russia-China cooperation in the high-tech sector, saying that Chinese companies have shown little interest in investing in Russian industries. While ambitious hopes for closer economic cooperation haven't materialized, Russia and China have bolstered their military ties, which have included joint war games and contacts on missile defense. Russian weapons exports to China, which peaked in the 1990s and fell dramatically in the following decade, have received a new boost recently. "We have common interests, especially now, when the United States has put pressure on both Russia and China," said Li Fenglin, a former Chinese ambassador to Moscow who heads a government-sponsored think tank. He urged Moscow to cooperate more closely with Beijing, noting that some in Russia still fear China and seek to counterbalance its influence. Some Russian military and political insiders view China's growing power with unease, fearing that the giant eastern neighbor could one day try to dictate its terms. The prospect of potential Chinese expansion long has worried residents of Russia's sparsely populated far eastern regions, where many growled about the Kremlin's decision to surrender significant slices of land along the 4,200-kilometer (2,600-mile) border to China in a 2005 demarcation deal. Reflecting such fears, Russia's state television recently aired a program hosted by famous film director Nikita Mikhalkov that included a video describing a hypothetical Chinese invasion. The video ended with China quickly overrunning all of Russia's Far East and Siberia and drawing a new border along the Urals, the mountain range that traditionally serves as the boundary between Europe and Asia. Many in Russia also have been appalled by Chinese farmers leasing Russia's agricultural lands, seeing them as both a vanguard of potential expansion and an environmental scourge because of aggressive use of toxic fertilizers. "Chinese farmers have poisoned our land," ultranationalist leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky ranted during recent debates in parliament. "Nothing grows after them!" FILE - In this Friday, May 8, 2015 file photo Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, welcomes his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping during their meeting in the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia. With President Vladimir Putin heading to China this weekend, officials in both countries extoll a blossoming strategic partnership between the two former Communist rivals. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, Pool, File) Pro-EU or no EU? Diverse London contains extremes of opinion LONDON (AP) When Britain decides on Thursday whether to leave the European Union, London's voice may prove decisive. But for which side? Britain's capital, home to almost 9 million people, encompasses some of the most pro-EU places in the country and the least. In the cosmopolitan City financial district, where almost half a million people from around the globe work in Europe's biggest financial center, pro-EU sentiment predominates. But just a few miles away the borough of Havering, stronghold of working-class East Enders, topped a national survey of the most anti-EU places in Britain. Fishmonger Dave Crosbie speaks to the Associated Press at the market in Havering's Romford street market in London, Wednesday, June 1, 2016. When Britain decides on Thursday June 23, 2016, whether to leave the European Union, London's voice may prove decisive. But for which side? Britain's capital, home to almost 9 million people, encompasses the most pro-EU place of the country, and the least. In the cosmopolitan City financial district, where almost half a million people from around the globe work in Europe's biggest financial center, pro-EU sentiment predominates. But just a few miles away, the borough of Havering, stronghold of working-class East Enders, topped a national survey of the most anti-EU places in Britain. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein) The two districts represent the opposing views at the heart of Britain's EU debate. One sees the bloc's free flow of people and money as a benefit. The other sees it as a threat. Fishmonger David Crosbie, working on a drizzly morning in Havering's outdoor Romford Market, is an emphatic "leave" supporter. For Crosbie, the decision has a lot to do with borders, on land and sea. He says he is tired of European fishermen trawling waters around Britain under the EU's Common Fisheries Policy. "French, Portuguese, Swedish, Dutch whatever. They can all come. They go right up on the beach," he said. "Plus there's no immigration control. Anybody can come over here, skilled or unskilled." Immigration has become the most emotive issue of the campaign leading up to Thursday's referendum, stirring fears of instability among voters and drawing allegations of xenophobia from "remain" supporters. The EU is built on the principle that citizens can live and work in any of the 28 member states. Since the bloc expanded to include former communist countries in eastern Europe more than a decade ago, hundreds of thousands of people have moved west to Britain and other wealthier EU nations. The perception that EU migrants come to take jobs and, somewhat paradoxically, to live on welfare benefits is driving "leave" sentiment in Havering and other Euroskeptic areas. But 15 miles (24 kilometers) to the southwest in the historic heart of financial London, policy chief Mark Boleat argues that thousands of jobs, and London's standing as a financial center, depend on the EU. "The European Union has been good for the country generally, very good for financial services," said Boleat, who heads the policy committee at the City of London Corporation, which runs the financial quarter. "Many jobs depend on it, and we think that leaving the European Union will be taking a significant risk." That view is backed by the Economist Intelligence Unit, which said last week that leaving the EU would endanger London's status as a global financial hub, "almost certainly depriving U.K.-based financial firms of their passport to conduct business anywhere in the EU." Boleat said that in the City, "we accept we're part of a global community and we benefit from it. But that view is not shared everywhere." Built on the ruins of Roman and medieval London, the City radiates solidity and wealth, with its glass office blocks and imposing brick and stone buildings, including the huge, 18th-century Bank of England. Havering a chunk of suburban Essex county absorbed into Greater London in 1965 is a workaday place of 20th-century houses and strips of shops on busy roads. Many residents are Cockneys who moved out of London's East End in search of more space and quiet, or their children. It's not the poorest part of London but it is one of the least ethnically diverse 83 percent of people identify themselves as "white British," compared to 45 percent in London as a whole. Almost 90 percent of Havering residents were born in Britain, compared to 63 percent for all of London. Like other local authorities, Havering Council has had its central government funding slashed under austerity programs aimed at reducing the national deficit. Services such as meals-on-wheels, child care and garbage collection have suffered cuts. Meanwhile, rising property prices and rents mean that many struggle to find good housing, and subsidized public housing is in short supply. "We've been told there is austerity, we must cut back," said Lawrence Webb, a Havering councilor for the anti-EU U.K. Independence Party. "The two budgets that haven't been cut are our membership fee of the EU and foreign aid. Our view is that money should be spent here. So stop giving Brussels a single penny until we sort our own economy out." "Remain" campaigners say government austerity is rooted in the 2008 financial crisis and in British politicians' choices, not the EU. And the origins of London's housing crisis stretch back decades, to 1980s reforms that gave public-housing tenants the right to buy their properties. Many council-owned houses and apartments passed into private hands, and few have been built to replace them. Nonetheless, migrants and the EU often take the blame in Havering, where many people say they don't see the benefits of immigration. "They say (immigrants) contribute toward the economy," said Jackie Duvall, a market researcher. "I don't doubt that, but at the end of the day, where is the money going? Where are all the extra taxes going? Is it going to hospitals? No. Education, the prison service? It's going nowhere. So it's a con trick." That view is less common in central London and not just in the financial district. In multiethnic inner-city areas such as Camden and Islington, it's rare to spot a "leave" sign. Amy Wilson, a 27-year-old technology consultant in the City who is "strongly 'remain,'" said "leave" supporters, who tend to be older, are motivated by an unrealistic sense of nostalgia. "I think the younger generations know that things can't go back the way they were," she said. "Because we live in a very interconnected world now, and we can't live in silos." ___ Follow Jill Lawless on Twitter at http://Twitter.com/JillLawless A Vote Leave sign is fixed on a market stall at Havering's Romford street market in London, Wednesday, June 1, 2016. When Britain decides on Thursday June 23, 20916, whether to leave the European Union, London's voice may prove decisive. But for which side? Britain's capital, home to almost 9 million people, encompasses the most pro-EU place of the country, and the least. In the cosmopolitan City financial district, where almost half a million people from around the globe work in Europe's biggest financial center, pro-EU sentiment predominates. But just a few miles away, the borough of Havering, stronghold of working-class East Enders, topped a national survey of the most anti-EU places in Britain.(AP Photo/Frank Augstein) Fishmonger Dave Crosbie, right, and his wife Kim speak to the Associated Press at the market in Haverig's Romford street market in London, Wednesday, June 1, 2016. When Britain decides on Thursday June 23, 20916, whether to leave the European Union, London's voice may prove decisive. But for which side? Britain's capital, home to almost 9 million people, encompasses the most pro-EU place of the country, and the least. In the cosmopolitan City financial district, where almost half a million people from around the globe work in Europe's biggest financial center, pro-EU sentiment predominates. But just a few miles away, the borough of Havering, stronghold of working-class East Enders, topped a national survey of the most anti-EU places in Britain. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein) Officials say debris found on Australian island not MH370 CANBERRA, Australia (AP) Debris found on an Australian island earlier this month is not from missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, investigators said Wednesday. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau was notified on June 9 that the debris had been found on Kangaroo Island off the southern Australian coast. The bureau, which is running the search in the southern Indian Ocean on Malaysia's behalf, said it had recovered the part but Boeing, the maker of the missing plane, advised that it was "not consistent with the manufacturing specifications of a Boeing commercial aircraft." The bureau did not say what the debris was likely from. Flight 370 vanished with 239 people aboard on March 8, 2014, after flying off course during a flight from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to Beijing. Authorities say the plane likely crashed in the Indian Ocean, but officials have had no luck finding the main underwater wreckage despite an extensive search of a vast area of the ocean off Australia's west coast. Crews are expected to complete their sweep of the 120,000 square kilometer (46,000 square mile) area by August, and there are no plans to extend the hunt beyond that. Several pieces of the plane have washed up over the past year on coastlines around the Indian Ocean, which is consistent with drifting models based on Flight 370 having crashed in the Indian Ocean. More debris was found earlier this month washed ashore in Madagascar by a man who previously found a part of Flight 370, but the pieces have yet to be examined by investigators. Blaine Gibson, an American adventurer who has been hunting for Flight 370 over the past year, said Wednesday that a Malaysian government investigator has twice canceled plans to go to Madagascar to collect the five pieces of potential aircraft debris. The debris and potential personal effects of passengers found on the same beach are being held by Madagascar authorities. Malaysian authorities, who are leading the investigation into the plane's disappearance, have procedures in place to examine any suspected debris, though Australia will help analyze Gibson's discovery if asked, the bureau said. Turkey says it won't send aircraft to battle Cyprus fire NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) Turkey's foreign minister said Wednesday his country won't dispatch aircraft to help battle one of Cyprus' worst forest fires despite making the offer to assist its tiny neighbor. Mevlut Cavusoglu accused Cyprus of playing politics on a humanitarian issue after Cyprus insisted that any Turkish aircraft had to fall under Cypriot operational control. Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades had accepted Turkey's offer if help on Tuesday but said the aircraft must be directed and coordinated by Cypriot government authorities alongside some 20 other aircraft from a number of assisting countries including Israel, Italy, France, Greece and Britain. 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 Tuesday, June 21, 2016. The fire has claimed the lives of two fire fighters. More planes from Italy and France are expected later Tuesday to join 16 other aircraft from Greece, Israel, Cyprus and British forces stationed on two military bases on the east Mediterranean island in battling the fire. (AP Photo/Philippos Christou ) Cyprus, an island nation of just over a million people, was cleaved into an internationally recognized Greek Cypriot south and a breakaway Turkish Cypriot north in 1974. Only Turkey recognizes the north's independence. "They are trying to get Turkish planes and the helicopter to land on the Greek side," Cavusoglu said. "This is not something we can accept. Politics should not be done on such a matter." Meanwhile, Cyprus' Justice Minister Ionas Nicolaou said earlier Wednesday that crews are beating back the huge fire that has scorched more than 15 square miles (39 square kilometers) of 150-year-old pine forest and claimed the lives of two firefighters. Nicolaou said firefighting aircraft have managed to contain serious flare-ups. Although the fire had moved in the direction of a pair of villages some 40 kilometers (25 miles) southwest of the capital, Nicosia, Nicolaou said there had been no evacuations ordered so far. Cypriot government spokesman Nicos Christodoulides said the two firefighters who lost their lives in the line of duty have been declared heroes and that state funerals will be held for both while flags will fly at half-staff for three days. The firefighters' families will each receive 167,000 euros ($188,000) in compensation. The firefighters' wives and each of their children will receive an additional 95,000 euros. The children will also receive university scholarships and one child from each family will be entitled to a government job. ___ Ayse Wieting in Ankara, Turkey contributed to this report. A helicopter drops water 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 Tuesday, June 21, 2016. The fire has claimed the lives of two fire fighters. More planes from Italy and France are expected later Tuesday to join 16 other aircraft from Greece, Israel, Cyprus and British forces stationed on two military bases on the east Mediterranean island in battling the fire. (AP Photo/Philippos Christou ) Lebanese army slowly crushing extremists near Syria border ARSAL, Lebanon (AP) In a remote corner of Lebanon near the border with Syria, Lebanese troops have been quietly making steady progress, fighting against Islamic extremists holed up in the rugged mountains. It is a fight less visible than the U.S.-led war against the Islamic State group in Syria, Iraq and Libya. But hardly a day passes without army artillery stationed on the edge of this restive eastern Lebanese town pounding nearby militant positions. Aided directly by the United States and Britain and indirectly by the Syrian army and its Lebanese militant Hezbollah allies working on the other side of the border the under-equipped Lebanese military has registered steady successes against the militants. In this Sunday June 19, 2016 photo, a Lebanese army soldier stand guards at one of the frontline hills where they are fighting militants, at the edge of the town of Arsal, on the Syrian border, in northeast Lebanon. The Lebanese army is fighting a war against the Islamic State and al-Qaida and has clawed significant territory back from the extremists. The fighting and shelling near the eastern border town of Arsal occur almost daily. Some 5,000 Lebanese soldiers are fighting against a dwindling number of militants. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla) In recent months, Lebanese armed forces have clawed back significant territory once held by IS and al-Qaida's branch in Syria, known as the Nusra Front, and have killed and detained hundreds of extremists, forcing many others to flee. According to the army, the militants still hold about 50 square kilometers (19 square miles) of land in the border area, compared with 20 times this size in the months after Syria's conflict began. On a tour of the area with the army this week, an Associated Press team saw army positions set up every few hundred meters (yards). Tanks and armored personnel carriers with heavy machine guns could be seen pointing toward the extremists' positions. Most of the activity is around the border town of Arsal, which the militants briefly took over in August 2014. After five days of deadly fighting, the military pushed them out to the town's outskirts and into the surrounding mountains and has been battling them ever since. Nearly 5,000 troops are now deployed in and around Arsal. They keep a close eye on any suspicious activity by the extremists who avoid movement during the day. Giant observation towers as well as many fortifications have been erected. U.S.-provided drones feed information to the army command near Beirut. Dozens of Lebanese troops have been killed or wounded over the months of fighting. During the AP tour, a first lieutenant peered through binoculars toward areas controlled by the Islamic State group on the edge of Arsal when he spotted a vehicle moving several miles way. "It's the tanker truck," the officer told some of the troops in the front-line position, referring to an identified vehicle owned by a Lebanese man who has a permit to cross into IS-controlled areas, where he owns plots of lands. "Had it been a truck with a machine gun on top of it we would have dealt with it immediately," said another officer, pointing to two 130 mm guns that are always ready to fire. The Lebanese military, generally seen as a unifying force in a country divided along political and sectarian lines, has received support and military assistance from the West. Eager to support the army as opposed to the better equipped Iranian-backed Hezbollah, the U.S. and Britain have supplied the military with helicopters, anti-tank missiles, artillery and radars, as well as training. The American Embassy says the U.S. has provided Lebanon over $1.4 billion in security assistance since 2005. "The American assistance has been the most serious and most effective," said Hisham Jaber, a retired army general who heads the Middle East Center for Studies and Political Research in Beirut. The stepped-up assistance came after Saudi Arabia announced in February it was halting deals worth $4 billion aimed at equipping and supporting the Lebanese military, in retaliation for the tiny country's siding with Iran amid the Sunni kingdom's spat with the Shiite powerhouse. Syrian forces and Hezbollah fighters have also helped the fight by clearing the militants from areas in Syria across the border from Arsal, hurting supplies for those in Lebanon. Arsal is home to tens of thousands of Syrian refugees and in the early days of the Syrian conflict, which began in March 2011, became a major crossing point for arms smuggling to help Syrian rebels fighting to topple Syrian President Bashar Assad. On Aug. 2, 2014, some 2,000 members of IS and the Nusra Front overran Lebanese army positions as well as Arsal and captured two dozen policemen and army soldiers and took them to the fields outside the town. Four of the captured troops were killed. "This (attack) was a turning point and the Lebanese army command decided to put limits on those criminal terrorists and to repel them and prevent any effect they might have on mainland Lebanon," said Brig. Gen. Mohammed al-Hassan, commander of the 8th Infantry Brigade that is deployed in the Arsal area. Since then, the military has slowly recovered all strategic hills overlooking Arsal, surrounding it from all sides and separating the town from the outskirts held by IS and Nusra Front. Al-Hassan said that just before the 2014 attack on Arsal, IS and the Nusra Front had some 7,000 fighters, whereas today there are about 900 IS gunmen and some 400 for the Nusra Front. "We have killed about 500, captured 700 and the rest fled," al-Hassan said. In this Sunday June 19, 2016 photo, a Lebanese army first lieutenant looks through binoculars toward areas controlled by the Islamic State group at the edge of the town of Arsal, on the Syrian border, in northeast Lebanon. The Lebanese army is fighting a war against the Islamic State and al-Qaida and has clawed significant territory back from the extremists. The fighting and shelling near the eastern border town of Arsal occur almost daily. Some 5,000 Lebanese soldiers are fighting against a dwindling number of militants. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla) In this Sunday June 19, 2016 photo, Lebanese army soldiers work on a 130mm howitzer cannon, pointed to areas controlled by the Islamic State group at the edge of the town of Arsal, on the Syrian border, in northeast Lebanon. The Lebanese army is fighting a war against the Islamic State and al-Qaida and has clawed significant territory back from the extremists. The fighting and shelling near the eastern border town of Arsal occur almost daily. Some 5,000 Lebanese soldiers are fighting against a dwindling number of militants. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla) In this Sunday June 19, 2016 photo, a Lebanese army soldier looks looks through binoculars toward areas controlled by the Islamic State group at the edge of the town of Arsal, on the Syrian border, in northeast Lebanon. The Lebanese army is fighting a war against the Islamic State and al-Qaida and has clawed significant territory back from the extremists. The fighting and shelling near the eastern border town of Arsal occur almost daily. Some 5,000 Lebanese soldiers are fighting against a dwindling number of militants. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla) In this Sunday June 19, 2016 photo, A Lebanese army soldiers sits on a tank at one of the frontline hills overlooking areas controlled by the Islamic State group at the edge of the town of Arsal, on the Syrian border, in northeast Lebanon. The Lebanese army is fighting a war against the Islamic State and al-Qaida and has clawed significant territory back from the extremists. The fighting and shelling near the eastern border town of Arsal occur almost daily. Some 5,000 Lebanese soldiers are fighting against a dwindling number of militants. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla) In this Sunday June 19, 2016 photo, a Lebanese army soldier takes his position overlooking an area controlled by the Islamic State group at the edge of the town of Arsal, on the Syrian border, in northeast Lebanon. The Lebanese army is fighting a war against the Islamic State and al-Qaida and has clawed significant territory back from the extremists. The fighting and shelling near the eastern border town of Arsal occur almost daily. Some 5,000 Lebanese soldiers are fighting against a dwindling number of militants. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla) British politicians make final appeals in EU vote campaign LONDON (AP) With Britain's membership in the European Union on the line, campaigners from the prime minister on down blanketed the country Wednesday trying to convert the undecided on the final day before the crucial vote. Outlining his vision of a future with Britain retaining its position in the 28-nation bloc, Prime Minister David Cameron bristled at the notion that the country would be headed in the wrong direction if the "remain" side prevailed in Thursday's vote. "We are not shackled to a corpse," Cameron told the BBC. "You can see the European economy's recovery. It's the largest single market in the world." British MP Boris Johnson, left, kisses a wild salmon standing next to with porter Greg Essex at Billingsgate Fish Market in London, Wednesday June 22, 2016 on the final day of campaigning before Thursday's EU Referendum. (Stefan Rousseau/PA via AP) UNITED KINGDOM OUT Pushing for a British exit, or Brexit, the most notable figure on the "leave" side, former London Mayor Boris Johnson, mugged for the cameras at the Billingsgate Fish Market in East London and pretended to kiss a fish a not-so-subtle reminder that this is an island nation that takes great pride in its independence and self-assurance. "It's time to break away from the failing and dysfunctional EU system," Johnson said. "It's time to have a totally new relationship with our friends and partners across the Channel." Wednesday's feverish campaigning took place even as mourners gathered in London and other world capitals to honor the memory of Jo Cox, the youthful pro-EU Labour Party lawmaker who was stabbed and shot to death last week in her Yorkshire constituency. Speaking to a crowd of 9,000 in Trafalgar Square on what would have been Cox's 42nd birthday, her husband, Brendan, said that Cox "feared the consequences of Europe dividing again" and urged people to follow her example. The motive for the killing is unclear but the rare slaying of a politician cast a shadow over a divisive campaign that has been unusually heated, even by the lively standards of British politics. Nigel Farage, the outspoken leader of the U.K. Independence Party, resisted fresh calls to apologize for a controversial poster showing hundreds of non-white migrants making their way across Europe alongside the words, "BREAKING POINT." The poster, labeled racist by opponents, was unveiled hours before Cox was killed. "I apologize for the timing and I apologize for the fact that it was able to be used by those who wish us harm," Farage said. "But I can't apologize for the truth." "This was a photograph that all newspapers carried. It is an example of what is wrong inside the European Union," he said. High profile political, military and business figures also weighed in on the debate as the final hours of campaigning ebbed away. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told The Associated Press in Brussels that a British exit from the EU could weaken the trans-Atlantic alliance. "We are faced with so much uncertainty, so much unpredictability, with terrorist threats, with a more assertive Russia in the east," Stoltenberg said. "I believe that a more fragmented Europe will be something which will only add to the uncertainty which surrounds us." European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker flatly rejected suggestions that Britain might be able to negotiate better terms with the EU if it votes to leave. "Out is out," he said. The reach of the EU into every aspect of life has made the issues at stake far more complex than in a general election. And while the vote is final unlike in an election where the results can be reversed in the next term it is not legally binding and Parliament would have to vote to repeal the law that brought Britain into the EU in the first place. A vote to leave would invoke Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union, which allows a member state to withdraw. That has never been done before and would trigger a period of uncertainty during years of negotiations on the relationship between the EU and the U.K. Much of the debate has hinged on the economy. From the international banks in the skyscrapers of Canary Wharf to the home of Britain's financial industry in the City of London, business has awaited Thursday's vote with trepidation. Many fear a vote to leave would undermine London's position as one of the world's pre-eminent financial centers and damage an industry that underpins the British economy. Leaders of about half of Britain's largest companies made a last-ditch appeal to their employees to vote to remain in the EU. In a letter to the Times on the eve of Thursday's vote, some 1,285 business leaders including representatives of half of the FTSE 100 businesses argued that a vote to leave would hurt the British economy. Similar letters have been released in the course of the acrimonious campaign. But Wednesday's letter was clearly meant to make the 1.75 million people employed by the signatories think twice about their vote. "Britain leaving the EU would mean uncertainty for our firms, less trade with Europe and fewer jobs," the letter said. "Britain remaining in the EU would mean the opposite: more certainty, more trade and more jobs. EU membership is good for business and good for British jobs. That's why, on June 23, we back Britain remaining in the EU." Among the companies represented were Barclays, Standard Life and Anglo-American. Stock markets and the pound continued to rise, indicating that investors think the "remain" side will win. Markets are likely to be jittery, though, as the vote is expected to be tight and a decision to leave would create huge uncertainty. U.S. Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen warned Tuesday that the upcoming vote "could have significant economic repercussions." The betting markets stood solidly by the "remain" side, however. The Betfair exchange said "remain" is now at 76 percent probability. In a statement, it said some 80 percent of the 1 million pounds placed during and after a BBC debate on the issue Tuesday were for "remain." ____ Associated Press writers Raphael Satter and Frank Jordans in London and John-Thor Dahlburg in Brussels contributed to this report. Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron meets supporters on a walkabout after he addressed a Vote Remain rally in Bristol, England Wednesday June 22, 2016. On Thursday Britain goes to the polls in a referendum on whether to remain or leave the EU . (Geoff Caddick/PA via AP) UNITED KINGDOM OUT The leader of Britain's opposition Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn, left, applauds London mayor Sadiq Khan as he makes an address during a European Referendum "Remain" rally in London, Wednesday, June 22, 2016. Britain votes whether to stay in the European Union in a referendum on Thursday. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) Brendan Cox, widower of murdered British MP Jo Cox, makes a speech during a gathering to celebrate her life, in Trafalgar Square, London, Wednesday, June 22, 2016. 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." (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) A pro-EU banner being towed behind a plane, passes the clock commonly known as Big Ben in Elizabeth Tower in the Houses of Parliament in London, Wednesday June 22, 2016 on the final day of the EU referendum campaign before Britain goes to the polls to vote on continuing its membership of the EU. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) British MP Boris Johnson, left, holds a wild salmon standing next to with porter Greg Essex at Billingsgate Fish Market in London, Wednesday June 22, 2016 on the final day of campaigning before Thursday's EU Referendum. (Stefan Rousseau/PA via AP) UNITED KINGDOM OUT Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron, foreground, addresses Vote Remain supporters with former Prime Minister John Major, right, during a rally in Bristol, England Wednesday June 22, 2016. On Thursday Britain goes to the polls in a referendum on whether to remain or leave the EU . (Geoff Caddick/PA via AP) UNITED KINGDOM OUT A European, right, and Union flags are displayed outside Europe House, the European Parliament's British offices, in London, Wednesday, June 22, 2016. Britain votes whether to stay in the European Union in a referendum on Thursday. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) Germany warns of new risks to Europe; urges dialogue BERLIN (AP) Seventy-five years after the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union, which led to the deaths of tens of millions, Germany's foreign minister warned Wednesday that "Europe is at risk of splitting along new divides," while Russia's president drew parallels to the lead-up to the attack and today, saying the West still seeks to isolate his country. In an op-ed printed in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus, Frank-Walter Steinmeier cautioned "peace in Europe cannot be taken for granted, not even today." Referring to Russia's annexation of Crimea, Steinmeier said "unilateral shifting of borders in breach of international law and the failure to respect the territorial integrity of neighboring countries ... take us back to the times from which we believed we had escaped, times that nobody can wish for." Surrounded by morning fog spectators watch the mock battles between Soviet and Nazi forces during a ceremony to mark the Day of Remembrance and Sorrow, on the 75th anniversary of Germany's attack on the Soviet Union in World War II in the Brest Fortress memorial, 360 kilometers (225 miles) southwest of Minsk, Belarus, early Wednesday, June 22, 2016. The garrison of the 19-century fortress was encircled hours after the Nazis invaded the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941, but the Brest fortress' Soviet defenders held out for 28 days. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits) Steinmeier urged all sides to return to dialogue, saying "the leaders of today have the duty to draw the right lessons from our common past." In Moscow, Russian President Vladimir Putin placed a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier by the Kremlin wall and suggested in remarks to the Duma that the Western Allies had paved the way for the invasion by not working more closely with the Soviets. "Leaders of some Western countries preferred a policy of containment toward the Soviet Union and tried to put it into international isolation," he said. Putin drew parallels to today, saying that Russia has "repeatedly expressed its willingness to talk" about joint responses to international terrorism. "But just like before the start of the WWII we don't see a positive response," Putin said. "Quite on the contrary, NATO is ratcheting up its aggressive rhetoric." Though the Soviet Union and Hitler's Germany had signed a non-aggression pact in 1939, which led to the division of Poland between the two nations, the Nazis broke that with the June 22, 1941, invasion. Steinmeier went out of his way to emphasize Germany's responsibility, calling the invasion part of Adolf Hitler's "crazy and megalomaniacal" attempt "to subjugate and exterminate the people of the Soviet Union." "In all the current debates on Europe's peaceful order, we must never forget that the aggression, the war of destruction, the ideology of Slavic subhumans, descended upon the peoples of the Soviet Union from Europe, from the West, from Hitler's Germany," Steinmeier said. ____ Nataliya Vasilyeva in Moscow contributed to this story. Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, takes part in a wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of Unknown Soldier in Moscow, Russia, on Wednesday, June 22, 2016, marking the 75th anniversary of the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, pool) Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, takes part in a wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow, Russia, on Wednesday, June 22, 2016, marking the 75th anniversary of the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, Pool) People walk past WW II tanks early morning, at the time the Nazi Germany attacked the Soviet Union 75 years ago at Dvortsovaya (Palace) Square in St.Petersburg, Russia, Wednesday, June 22, 2016, with Zimny (Winter) palace in the background. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky) People examine WW II tank KV-1 early morning, at the time the Nazi Germany attacked the Soviet Union 75 years ago at Dvortsovaya (Palace) Square in St.Petersburg, Russia, Wednesday, June 22, 2016. (AP Photo/Dmitri Lovetsky) Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, takes part in a wreath laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow, Russia, on Wednesday, June 22, 2016, marking the 75th anniversary of the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union. (AP Photo/Alexander Zemlianichenko, Pool) Lightning kills 74 people, mostly farmworkers, in India PATNA, India (AP) Lightning has killed 74 people, mostly farm laborers working in fields, across eastern and northern India over the past 24 hours, officials said Wednesday. A majority of the deaths occurred in the eastern state of Bihar, where 57 people died after being struck by lightning, a state official said. At least 24 others were injured when thunderstorms and monsoon rains lashed 14 districts of the state. Ten people were killed by lightning in neighboring Jharkhand state, six in northern Uttar Pradesh state, and another in Maharashtra, police said. An Indian boy who was injured Tuesday after being struck by lightning receives treatment at the district hospital in Ballia, Uttar Pradesh state, India, Wednesday, June 22, 2016. Lightning has killed dozens of people, mostly farm laborers working in fields, across eastern and northern India over the past 24 hours, officials said Wednesday.(Press Trust of India via AP) INDIA OUT, MANDATORY CREDIT, NO ARCHIVE Bihar disaster management official Vyasji said scores of cattle also perished in the state after being struck by lightning. The dead included at least eight shepherds watching their sheep, said Vyasji, who uses only one name. He told reporters that he expected the death toll to go up as reports come in from remote districts of the state. Lightning strikes are common during India's monsoon season, which runs from June to September. However, the recent toll is unusually high. Turkey probes 300 for social media activity ISTANBUL (AP) Turkish police are investigating 300 people for alleged terrorist propaganda and defamation of the country's president on social media, news reports said Wednesday. The investigation comes after a six-month probe by the cybercrimes bureau of the southern town of Isparta, the private Dogan news agency and pro-government media reported. The suspects in Turkey and abroad were determined to have shared propaganda for the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party, PKK, and the U.S.-based Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen, as well as denigrating the Turkish flag and insulting President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. An earlier, similar investigation by the same bureau resulted in 14 arrests. Ankara is regularly criticized by press freedom advocates for cracking down on social media activity. Earlier, the Turkish military said fighter jets had struck Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq and in southeast Turkey on Tuesday. Diners at Michelin-starred Japan eatery get food poisoning TOKYO (AP) A Michelin-starred restaurant in Japan closed temporarily after 14 people got food-poisoning on a fancy Japanese-style meal there, and an investigation into the cause is continuing. The Kanagawa prefectural government said six men and eight women complained of diarrhea and stomach pains after eating at Kita Kamakura Saryo Gentoan on June 11. Their menu offerings included squid, jelly with sea urchin, pumpkin cooked with fish, eel and sweets, according to the prefecture. A picturesque restaurant among the trees of Kamakura, a coastal town south of Tokyo, it is known for serving meals in quiet Japanese-style rooms. It serves kaiseki, or small, multiple-course dishes, and has one star in the latest Michelin guide. The restaurant closed on its own June 14. The prefecture's closure order was lifted Wednesday, although the cause of the food poisoning remains under investigation, prefecture official Takeshi Ishihara said. No one answered the phone at the restaurant Wednesday, and it wasn't clear when it would reopen. ___ Follow Yuri Kageyama on Twitter at https://twitter.com/yurikageyama Pope invites refugees to join him on stage for audience VATICAN CITY (AP) Pope Francis has invited a dozen refugees to join him on the steps of St. Peter's Basilica for his general audience to press his demand for Europe to welcome more migrants. A dozen men ascended the steps with Francis on Wednesday and sat in front of him on the ground as he delivered his weekly catechism lesson. They carried banners of the charity that is caring for them and Vatican flags. In his remarks, Francis said the refugees had suffered in their home countries. Pope Francis invites a group of refugees to join him on the steps of St. Peters Basilica during his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Wednesday, June 22, 2016. A dozen men ascended the steps with Francis and sat in front of him on the ground as he delivered his weekly catechism lesson. (AP Photo/Fabio Frustaci) He said: "Please they are our brothers. A Christian excludes no one. I ask all of you: Let everyone come." Germany to expand Med mission to fight arms smuggling BERLIN (AP) Chancellor Angela Merkel's Cabinet has approved a plan to widen the German military's mission in the Mediterranean to include searching for weapons bring smuggled to fighters for the Islamic State group and other extremist organizations in North Africa. The plan agreed on Wednesday still needs Parliamentary approval but is not expected to meet resistance. German ships have already been part of the European Union's so-called Operation Sophia in the Mediterranean since June 2015. To date, however, their mandate has been to rescue migrants and also stop human smuggling. 10 Things to Know for Today - 22 June 2016 Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today: 1. HOW TRUMP IS AIMING TO PORTRAY CLINTON The likely Republican presidential nominee will lambaste his Democratic rival as a failed secretary of state who is out of step with Americans on trade and immigration. A Vote Leave sign is fixed on a market stall at Havering's Romford street market in London, Wednesday, June 1, 2016. When Britain decides on Thursday June 23, 20916, whether to leave the European Union, London's voice may prove decisive. But for which side? Britain's capital, home to almost 9 million people, encompasses the most pro-EU place of the country, and the least. In the cosmopolitan City financial district, where almost half a million people from around the globe work in Europe's biggest financial center, pro-EU sentiment predominates. But just a few miles away, the borough of Havering, stronghold of working-class East Enders, topped a national survey of the most anti-EU places in Britain.(AP Photo/Frank Augstein) 2. LONDON IS MOST PRO-EU PLACE IN BRITAIN AND LEAST The divide between the cosmopolitan business districts of the City and Canary Wharf and working-class Havering reveal the uncertainties and complexities of the upcoming vote. 3. PYONGYANG MAKING MISSILE PROGRESS North Korea takes a significant step in the development of a powerful ballistic missile intended to reach U.S. bases in the Pacific, launching one of the weapons about 620 miles high after five failed attempts in recent months. 4. IN LEBANON, THE OTHER WAR Lebanese troops have been making steady progress in fighting against Islamic extremists holed up in the mountains along the Syria border. 5. DARING RESCUE UNDERWAY IN SOUTH POLE After flying through dangerous dark and cold, a rescue plane lands at the polar outpost to evacuate a sick worker from a remote U.S. science station. 6. FOR-PROFIT MED SCHOOLS POPPING UP AROUND US The schools promise to create new family doctors for underserved rural regions, but critics question whether companies keeping an eye on profits can properly train the next crop of physicians. 7. HOUSE REPUBLICANS OFFERING PROPOSALS FOR HEALTH CARE CHANGES GOP initiatives to repeal and replace "Obamacare" are being unveiled amid the tumult of the presidential campaign. 8. AMERICANS STILL WANT TO OWN HOMES But student debt, rising rents and the leftover wreckage from the nearly decade-old housing bust are restraining people's ability to buy, a study finds. 9. WHO IS IN RUNNING FOR TOP DOG The pumi, a high-energy Hungarian herding canine, is the latest new breed headed to the Westminster Kennel Club and many other U.S. dog shows. 10. TOP GOLFER PULLS OUT OF RIO GAMES Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy says concerns about the Zika virus make competing in the Brazil Olympics not worth the risk. North Koreans are dwarfed against giant portraits of the late North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il as they walk past an apartment building on Wednesday, June 22, 2016, in Wonsan, North Korea. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E) North Korea trumpets successful midrange missile launch SEOUL, South Korea (AP) North Korean leader Kim Jong Un trumpeted the success of a powerful new midrange ballistic missile test that state media said Thursday propelled one of the weapons more than 1,400 kilometers (870 miles) high, saying it would allow strikes on U.S. forces throughout the region. That ability would back up years of threats and boasts from North Korea and has long been a worry for the United States and its allies, Tokyo and Seoul. It explains in part North Korea's tenacious testing of the Musudan missile, which was only a success after five failures in about two months. The missile's potential 3,500-kilometer (2,180-mile) range puts much of Asia and the Pacific within reach. After observing the launch, Kim said it gives his country the "sure capability to attack in an overall and practical way the Americans in the Pacific operation theatre," according to the official Korean Central News Agency. 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) Other governments said North Korea fired two Musduan missiles on Wednesday, after suffering four previous launch failures since April. The first launch ended in failure. But Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani said the second launch demonstrated a "certain level of capability," and could lead to a further strengthening of North Korea's ballistic missile capabilities that can cover Japanese territory. Each new test apparently linked to a command from Kim likely provides valuable insights to North Korea'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 the suspected first Musudan launch Wednesday from the east coast city of Wonsan failed. 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 South's military said the North fired another suspected Musudan, which flew about 400 kilometers (245 miles). The KCNA report said the missile flew to the maximum height of 1,413. 6 kilometers (878.3 miles) before landing 400 kilometers away in waters the North had targeted. "We have to see it as a success," Lee Choon Geun, an analyst at South Korea's state-funded Science and Technology Policy Institute, said of the second launch. "No other (previous) missiles fired by North Korea have ever flown that high." The U.S. Strategic Command in Hawaii said Wednesday its systems detected and tracked two suspected North Korean Musudan missiles that fell into the Sea of Japan. In April, North Korea attempted unsuccessfully to launch three suspected Musudan missiles, but all exploded midair or crashed, according to South Korean defense officials. Earlier this month, North Korea had another suspected Musudan failure, they 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. Musudan is named by outsiders after a village near its test site. The KCNA report called it a Hwasong-10. The launches appear to stem from Kim'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. In the KCNA report, Kim said North Korea must bolster its pre-emptive nuclear attack capability to cope with U.S. threats and continue the development of strategic weapons systems. "We're very pleased because we now can confidently cope with whatever nuclear war the U.S. launches" on the North, North Korean diplomat Choe Son Hui told reporters in Beijing on Thursday, after attending a security forum. 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. "The impact of these provocations will be to only strengthen the resolve of the international community that has such serious concerns with North Korea's behavior," said White House spokesman Josh Earnest. "The United States will do what we have done in the past, which is work with the international community, particularly our allies in South Korea and Japan." South Korea's Defense Minister Han Min Koo on Thursday called the launches a "grave threat" and warned that North Korea will face tougher sanctions. In Tokyo, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was also critical, saying, "We find it utterly unforgivable." Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said that Beijing didn't consider the missile launches to be an act of defiance against China, North Korea's long-time ally with whom its relations have cooled substantially in recent years. "To say such an act taken by North Korea shows disapproval against China is reading too much into it," Hua said at a press briefing. 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 those 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, Lolita C. Baldor and Kathleen Hennessey in Washington, D.C. , Yuri Kageyama and Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo and Christopher Bodeen in Beijing contributed to this report. 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) A woman walks by a public TV screen showing the North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un 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 on top left, "North Korea's missile launches failed again." (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) Maldives leader appoints new VP after ex-deputy is jailed COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) The Maldives' president appointed a new vice president on Wednesday, weeks after his former deputy was convicted of attempting to assassinate him. President Yameen Abdul Gayoom appointed Abdulla Jihad as vice president. Jihad, who was previously finance minister, is the third vice president to be appointed by Gayoom since he was elected in October 2013. Jihad's predecessor, Ahmed Adeeb, was sacked eight months ago after being accused of trying to assassinate Gayoom by exploding a bomb in his speedboat. Gayoom escaped the blast unhurt but his wife, an aide and a bodyguard were injured. Adeeb was sentenced to 25 years in prison earlier this month on two counts of terrorism, including the assassination attempt. Gayoom's running mate in 2013, Mohamed Jameel, was also sacked and now lives in exile. Widely known for its luxurious tourist resorts, Maldives became a multiparty democracy in 2008 after years of autocratic rule. Human rights groups have accused Gayoom of harassing and jailing political opponents. Those imprisoned since last year include former President Mohamed Nasheed, former Defense Minister Mohamed Nazim and opposition party leader Sheik Imran Abdulla. Poland to exhume victims of 2010 presidential plane crash WARSAW, Poland (AP) The remains of Polish President Lech Kaczynski, his wife and other victims of a 2010 plane crash will be exhumed to help investigators determine the cause of the crash that killed 96 people, a spokesman for top prosecutors said Wednesday. Prosecutor Maciej Kujawski told The Associated Press that investigators are in talks with Polish and foreign experts who they want to carry out the exhumations at an unspecified time. Temperatures in Poland allow for exhumations to take place from mid-October until mid-April. Kujawski said the autopsy documents that Poland received from Russia, where the crash occurred, are incomplete and in some cases erroneous and don't help explain the reason for the crash, which is under a renewed investigation in Poland. Doubts raised by the documents have led to nine exhumations in previous years. In six cases the bodies were found to have been mixed up. The bodies arrived from Russia in sealed coffins and no examinations took place in Poland. FILE - In this Sunday, April 18, 2010 file photo, a Polish guard of honor escorts the coffins of late Polish President Lech Kaczynski and his wife Maria Kaczynska during a funeral procession walk through 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/Bela Szandelszky, file) Kaczynski's plane crashed April 10, 2010, 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. A new investigation was launched this year by the government of the Law and Justice party that is led by Kaczynski's twin brother, Jaroslaw Kaczynski. Some Law and Justice members claim the crash was an assassination and was caused by explosives placed onboard the plane, by forces in Poland and in Russia. The investigators also take this hypothesis into account. Russia has not returned crucial evidence the flight recorders and the wreckage saying it still needs them for its own criminal investigation into the crash. The exhumation decision was taken Tuesday during a meeting with the families of some of the victims, including Jaroslaw Kaczynski. On Tuesday, a Warsaw court convicted a former deputy head of government security of neglecting the security of the president's flight and handed him an 18-month suspended prison term. Libya clashes, blast at a depot kill more than 60 CAIRO (AP) Fierce clashes in Libya between pro-government militiamen and Islamic State militants in the city of Sirte and an explosion at a depot near the capital, Tripoli, left more than 60 dead in just one day, a spokesman and a Libyan state news agency reported Wednesday. In Sirte, the last bastion of the Islamic State group in the North African country, Tuesday's clashes killed 36 militiamen aligned with the newly-UN brokered government. The militias, mainly from the western town of Misrata, have been leading an offensive since early May to take full control over Sirte. At first, the militiamen rapidly advanced into the city but the push got bogged down in recent days amid a series of suicide bombings by IS. Along with the 36 militiamen killed, mostly in direct gun battles with IS militants, Misrata hospital spokesman Abdel-Aziz Essa also said that about 140 were wounded in Tuesday's battles. IS fighters reportedly have hunkered down at the militant group's headquarters in Sirte, the sprawling Ouagadougou convention center that was built by late dictator Moammar Gadhafi. Sirte was also Gadhafi's birthplace and the city he fled to during the 2011 civil war, when Libyan rebels backed by NATO bombings forced him out of the capital, Tripoli. Meanwhile, the state LANA news agency said an explosion at a depot on Tuesday in the town of Garabuli, near Tripoli, followed clashes with militias and killed 29 civilians. According to a statement on the Facebook page of the Qarabouli municipal council, the clashes took place between militiamen in charge of the town security and armed local protesters. When the protesters stormed the militia's barracks, the depot exploded, the statement said. It said that the depot housed firecrackers, not ammunition. Photographs posted on the page showed charred bodies covered in plastic sheets. The U.N. envoy to Libya, Martin Kobler, said on his Twitter account he was "shocked and saddened by reported violence and lives lost in Garabuli tonight." The high death toll illustrates the violence that has roiled Libya since Gadhafi's ouster and death in the 2011 uprising against his rule that turned into a civil war. Over the past years, rival militias and governments have torn the country apart while IS-linked militants gained strength, setting up a base in Sirte, along Libya's central Mediterranean coast. As Libya slid into chaos, hundreds of thousands of mostly African migrants flooded the country's coastline, attempting to cross to Europe. Meanwhile, on a third front, inside the war-raged eastern city of Benghazi, army forces and local fighters have been battling Islamic extremists the past two years. The army is under the command of controversial commander Khalifa Hifter, who answers to the internationally-recognized parliament seated in eastern Libya. Foreign military advisers have been working with different factions in Libya. On Tuesday, the Marine Corps general Lt. Gen. Thomas D. Waldhauser who is nominated to lead U.S. forces in Africa said the United States has a small number of troops on the ground in Libya but that no more are needed "at the moment." Waldhauser testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee, saying the Americans are in advisory roles in Libya while acknowledging that he isn't aware of an "overall grand strategy" for Libya. The U.S. previously has conducted airstrikes in Libya, targeting Islamic State fighters and IS leaders. For its part, the European Union on Monday boosted the role of its naval operation in the Mediterranean to counter the increasing numbers of desperate migrants trying to reach Europe. EU foreign ministers agreed at talks in Luxembourg to extend their operation in Libya by another year and tasked it with building up Libya's coast guard and navy. The operation will also help to police a U.N. arms embargo off the Libya coast. Denmark finds man guilty of traveling to Syria to join IS COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) A Danish court on Wednesday convicted a 24-year-old pizzeria owner of joining Islamic State militants in Syria, dismissing his claims that he had gone there to work as a cook. The Copenhagen suburban Glostrup City Court found Hamza Cakan, who has dual Danish and Turkish citizenships, guilty of enrolling in the radical Islamist group, the first such ruling in the Scandinavian country. Cakan, who ran a pizzeria in Copenhagen, has acknowledged traveling twice to Syria in 2013 but said he didn't go there to fight. However, he admitted to filling in a form saying he had joined IS to become a fighter. He was arrested last year after attempting to head for Syria again. Cakan, formerly known as Enes Ciftci, appeared in the IS registry as "Abu Aya Dinimarki." The document was used in the court case against him. He told the jury of three judges and five jurors that a photo he had posted on social media of him posing with an AK-47 was to "show off" and had been taken in Syria, according to court documents. Cambodia to expel Taiwanese scam suspects to China PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) Cambodia plans to send 21 Taiwanese arrested for suspected fraud to China instead of the self-ruled island this Friday, a Cambodian official said. Rights activists and Taiwan say the plan reflects the great influence Beijing exercises over Cambodia through aid and investment. Gen. Ouk Haiseila, chief of the Interior Ministry's Immigration Investigation Bureau, said Wednesday the Taiwanese citizens, along with 14 Chinese also arrested this month, will be sent to China because Cambodia regards Taiwan as part of China. Those arrested allegedly defrauded victims in China using phone calls made over the internet, making them harder to trace. Haiseila said the arrests, made in raids in Phnom Penh on June 16 and 18, were made after tip-offs from Chinese authorities. He said that since November some 213 Chinese and Taiwanese have been arrested and deported for similar offenses. China claims jurisdiction in such cases because it says the victims are residents of mainland China. They have said Taiwan doesn't punish such crimes harshly enough, encouraging others to try their luck at such scams that can potentially lead to massive payouts. Kenya and Malaysia have also deported Taiwanese internet scam suspects to China despite protests by Taiwanese officials. Taiwanese officials have viewed Beijing's demands for the fraud suspects as a sign that China is interfering with Taiwanese affairs and exerting its legal authority over the island's citizens abroad. The Taipei Times cited the island's foreign ministry as saying that Beijing pressured Phnom Penh into sending the suspects to China. The ministry was quoted as saying that Taiwanese officials based in Vietnam who had traveled to Cambodia were prevented from visiting the suspects. China is a key ally and economic partner of impoverished Cambodia. China's influence in Cambodia is considerable despite Beijing's strong backing of the former Khmer Rouge government that caused the deaths of some 1.7 million people in the late 1970s. It has provided millions of dollars in aid to Cambodia over the past decade, agreed to write off debts and granted it tariff-free status for hundreds of items. "China's idea of rule of law is getting what it wants when it wants, even if that means running roughshod over human rights and in the case of Cambodia, it's found a willing partner which is all too happy to deport people on Beijing's word without any concern for due process rights," said Phil Robertson, deputy director of Human Rights Watch's Asia division. He cited Cambodia's expulsion to China of ethnic Uighur asylum seekers, and Phnom Penh's alignment with China in the dispute over its territorial claims in the South China Sea as other examples of doing Beijing's bidding. Bodies of 12 Nepalese guards killed in Kabul returned home KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) The bodies of 12 Nepalese security guards killed by a Taliban suicide bomber in Afghanistan's capital earlier this week were returned home to Nepal on Wednesday. Grieving relatives and top government officials including Nepal's prime minister received the bodies Wednesday at Kathmandu's airport. Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli assured the relatives that the government would help them. The Nepal Airlines chartered plane also flew back 24 other Nepalese security guards who worked with the ones killed. They quit their jobs and decided to return home, saying they feared more attacks. "We are not safe there anymore and there are more threats against us now. We have no security and can carry weapons only when inside the Canadian embassy during duty hours," said Ishing Tamang, who had been working in Afghanistan since 2011 and now vows never to return. Fourteen people were killed in the attack, including 12 Nepalese citizens. The remaining two are believed to be Indians. Apparent N. Korea missile success followed flurry of flops SEOUL, South Korea (AP) North Korea endured international humiliation with five failed launches in about two months before it finally pulled off what appears to be a successful test of a powerful new midrange missile. Scientists managed to satisfy a direct order from an impatient strongman looking for a credible military backup to his repeated threats to strike his enemies in all corners of Asia. The latest development came Wednesday, with back-to-back launches of what Seoul, Tokyo and Washington believe are Musudan missiles, the second of which appeared to succeed. The North's remarkable commitment to quickly launching the missiles, despite the failures, flies in the face of past practices, when scientists usually took their time after a bad launch to figure out what went wrong and make adjustments. North Koreans are dwarfed against giant portraits of the late North Korean leaders Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il as they walk past an apartment building on Wednesday, June 22, 2016, in Wonsan, North Korea. (AP Photo/Wong Maye-E) But leader Kim Jong Un may have turned up the pressure on his scientists and military with his very public order in March to push ahead with more nuclear and missile tests. Such a burden from a boss who has shown a willingness to use violence against his underlings ordering even his own uncle's execution may toss normal scientific patience out the window. The North's official Korean Central News Agency on Thursday quoted Kim as saying the launch now gives his country the "sure capability to attack in an overall and practical way the Americans in the Pacific operation theatre." Kim leads a small, impoverished, authoritarian country that sees itself beset with much larger enemies intent on its destruction. To protect his third-generation family dynasty, he may calculate that he needs to make North Korea appear too dangerous for Washington to try to topple him. He may have been willing to weather outside mockery for progress on a missile whose development marks a big step toward North Korea's goal of a comprehensive nuclear and missile program that can deliver atomic bombs and missile strikes to U.S. targets around the world, including, eventually, the U.S. mainland. Five of the North's six suspected Musudan launches failed, many exploding in midair or crashing. The sixth on Wednesday flew about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) high and a distance of about 400 kilometers (245 miles), South Korean and Japanese officials said. That indicated a success for some observers. The North's repeated tests of the Musudan worry Washington because the missile's potential 3,500-kilometer (2,180-mile) range puts a lot of Asia and the Pacific, including U.S. military bases, within reach. Some analysts have been thrown by the speed with which North Korea moved on the suspected Musudan tests. The first launch came on April 15, and was linked by outsiders both to Kim's March order and to the birthday anniversary that day of North Korea founder Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Un's grandfather. Less than two weeks later, North Korea conducted two more launches. The next came June 1, and then came Wednesday's double firing. "Repeating a failed test again and again with no more than a month for analysis and troubleshooting will almost guarantee repeated failure," according to aerospace engineer John Schilling, writing earlier this month, after the fourth test. North Korea is extremely sensitive to outside criticism. Pyongyang, for instance, said Monday it won't negotiate to release arrested American citizens if a former U.S. detainee, Kenneth Bae, doesn't stop using what it called slanderous language about the North. But even more important for the leadership is the support of the elite in Pyongyang, the North's capital. North Korea said nothing in any of its state-run media about the five failed launches, meaning most people in insular North Korea probably knew nothing about them. For Kim Jong Un, a final, apparently successful launch of a missile that could be a real threat to his enemies may ease the pain of all the previous failures, especially since most of his people were unaware of them. ___ Foster Klug, AP's bureau chief in Seoul, has covered North and South Korea for more than a decade. Follow him on twitter at www.twitter.com/apklug 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) A woman walks by a public TV screen showing the North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un 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 on top left, "North Korea's missile launches failed again." (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man) A small plane left the South Pole on Wednesday with two sick workers in a daring rescue mission from a remote U.S. science outpost, federal officials said. In an international effort, a Canadian-owned Twin Otter turboprop plane started the 1,500-mile flight to Rothera, a British station on the Antarctic peninsula. It's a nine to 10-hour flight, which the crew made from Rothera on Tuesday to get to the South Pole. Once the sick patients and the crew a pilot, co-pilot, flight engineer and medical worker rest, they will then fly off Antarctica for medical attention that could not be provided on the remote, frozen continent. Help has arrived: A plane left the South Pole Wednesday on a daring rescue mission to save the life of a worker at one of the most inhospitable places on the planet A small, Canadian owned and operated Twin Otter plane had landed Tuesday at the Amundsen-Scott Station after a nine-hour, 1,500-mile flight from the outer edge of Antarctica to the bottom of the world The Twin Otter plane made a journey of thousands of miles through 24-hour winter darkness and in temperatures of -76F to reach the base. It is now is now en route to a British facility 1,500 miles away West said two workers - support crew employed by logistics contractor Lockheed Martin - had to be evacuated. The agency won't identify the sick workers or their conditions, citing medical privacy. Normally planes don't use the polar outpost from February to October because of the dangers of flying in the pitch dark and cold. Wednesday it was minus 75 degrees at the South Pole (minus 60 Celsius), according to the station's webcam and weather gauges. 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. 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. A Twin Otter flies out of the South Pole on a medical flight. A daring South Pole medical rescue is underway. An airplane left a British base in Antarctica for the 1,500-mile trip to evacuate a sick person from the U.S. station Backup plan: Rothera, the British Antarctic Survey station is seen from the air Athena Dinar, spokeswoman for the British Antarctic Survey, said one of two twin otter planes began the trip Tuesday 'The air and Antarctica are unforgiving environments and punishes any slackness very hard,' said Tim Stockings, operations director at the British Antarctic Survey in London. '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 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 U.S. for consults, West said. There are 48 people 39 men and nine women at the station. There have been three emergency evacuations from the Amundsen-Scott station since 1999. 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. Ex-American Airlines supervisor on 9/11 guilty in sex case PITTSBURGH (AP) A former American Airlines operations manager who learned of the first Sept. 11, 2001, hijacking before the jet struck the World Trade Center has pleaded guilty to a federal interstate child-sex charge in Pittsburgh. Ray Howland, 55, of Arlington, Texas, entered the plea before Senior U.S. District Judge Gustave Diamond on Wednesday. Diamond scheduled sentencing for Oct. 19. Howland was arrested near Pittsburgh International Airport last June by an undercover state attorney general's agent who posed online as a woman with a 10-year-old daughter. Howland used an iPad and cellphone to send explicit messages after posting an ad online that he was "looking for a family or a couple of girls" for sex while in town on business, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Lieber Smolar told the judge. The plea deal includes an agreed-upon 10-year prison sentence. That's the mandatory minimum sentence for the charge of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity, which carries up to life in prison. Diamond must still approve the deal at sentencing. "A lot of times in these cases you see double that amount," defense attorney Frank Walker II said of the 10-year sentence. "It's hard to say someone can be satisfied, but they will be accepting of a 10-year sentence. When they're facing 19, 20 years, it seems like a reasonable resolution." Walker said Howland has undergone counseling and is "looking forward to paying his debt to society and putting this behind him." Howland's wife and children were in the courtroom but didn't comment. Howland didn't speak beyond answering the judge's questions about whether he understood his rights and what he was doing. Howland received some of the first panicked calls from employees at Boston's Logan Airport in reporting the hijacking of American Airlines Flight 11 on Sept. 11, 2001. The plane was the first of two that crashed into New York's World Trade Center towers. Howland was a supervisor at American's system operations control center. Transcripts show he told other American employees not to disclose the hijacking minutes before the Boeing 767 hit the World Trade Center. "We don't want this getting out," Howland said, according to the transcripts. "We're aware of the situation. We're dealing with it right now. So let us deal with it." American Airlines, based in Fort Worth, Texas, has said Howland is no longer an employee. Smolar told the judge that Howland had been making monthly business trips to Pittsburgh facilitating American's merger with US Airways when he was arrested. Howland had been free but was handcuffed and led away by deputy U.S. marshals after pleading guilty. The Latest: EU approves new border and coast guard VIENNA (AP) The Latest on the flow of migrants into Europe (all times local): 1:55 p.m. The European Union has agreed on a new border and coast guard to better manage migrant arrivals after more than a million people came to the EU in search of jobs or sanctuary last year. Dutch Migration Minister Klaas Dijkhoff said Wednesday that with the move "we have more control over migration streams and we enlarge the safety of our citizens." The Netherlands currently holds the EU's rotating presidency and chaperoned the border guard plan through. The border and coast guard will be built up from the EU's border management agency Frontex. The EU hopes it will strengthen external borders, which have proved particularly porous around Italy and Greece, and ensure that Europe's passport-free travel area functions correctly. ___ 11 a.m. Austrian police are noting an increased number of human smuggling attempts in sealed trucks, with two cases involving a total of 10 people this week alone. Police say they found five Iraqis including two infants near the border to Slovenia on Tuesday in a Turkish truck after the driver alerted them to noises from the vehicle. Four Pakistanis and an Afghan citizen were discovered in a Bosnian truck in the same region the day before, again after the driver heard noises. US commander says Russia could take Baltics swiftly BERLIN (AP) The commanding general of U.S. Army forces in Europe says as things stand, Russia's military could overrun the continent's northeastern Baltic states before the NATO alliance could respond. In comments to Germany's Die Zeit newspaper during military exercises in Poland emphasizing mobility, Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges was quoted Wednesday saying that Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania could be rapidly overrun. "Russia could capture the Baltic states quicker than we could get there to defend them," he was quoted as saying in comments translated into German. Russia has criticized the ongoing exercise in Poland, saying that the presence of the alliance's troops close to its borders is a threat to its security. AP EXPLAINS: Why, how is UK voting to stay in or leave EU? LONDON (AP) The United Kingdom will vote Thursday on whether to remain in the European Union. As months of fierce campaigning wind down and Britons hold their breath for what has been described as a "once-in-a-lifetime" decision, AP explains the purpose and mechanics of the vote. WHY WAS THE VOTE CALLED? British Prime Minister David Cameron courted conservative and anti-EU voters during the last election by promising to hold a referendum on the U.K.'s membership in the 28-nation bloc by the end of 2017. Those campaigning to leave say the EU has evolved into an undemocratic and oppressive entity far removed from its original purpose as a trading bloc that Britain originally joined in 1973. They claim that only a British exit or Brexit can restore sovereignty and effectively limit immigration. Those campaigning to remain argue that the EU ensures peace and prosperity for more than 500 million people from Portugal to Finland and the benefits far outweigh the costs. A sign points towards a referendum polling station in London, Wednesday, June 22, 2016. Britain votes whether to stay in the European Union in a referendum on Thursday. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) ___ WHO CAN VOTE? British and Irish citizens 18 and over who reside in the United Kingdom, as well as U.K. residents of Commonwealth countries who have the right to live in the country, can vote in the referendum. U.K. nationals who live outside the country but were registered to vote in parliamentary elections in the past 15 years, and Irish citizens overseas who were born or registered to vote in Northern Ireland in the same period, can also vote. In addition, some citizens of Gibraltar a British enclave on the south coast of Spain and members of the House of Lords, who cannot normally vote in general elections, have been given permission to participate in the referendum. The Electoral Commission says a record number of 46,499,537 voters were registered for the referendum by Tuesday. ___ WHAT'S ON THE BALLOT PAPER? Voters are asked to answer one question: "Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union or leave the European Union?" The options are: "Remain a member of the European Union" and "Leave the European Union." ___ WHAT HAPPENS ON THE DAY OF THE REFERENDUM? Polling stations open at 7 a.m. (0600 GMT, 2 a.m. EDT) and close at 10 p.m. (2100 GMT, 5 p.m. EDT). Many votes will have been cast in advance by postal ballot. Election officials in 382 areas will begin counting the votes immediately after polls close. ___ IS THERE CAMPAIGNING ON VOTING DAY? The law doesn't prohibit campaigning on voting day, but by convention political parties refrain from doing so. Publishing exit polls prior to the end of voting at 10 p.m. (2100 GMT, 5 p.m. EDT) is, however, a criminal offense. ___ WHEN AND HOW WILL THE RESULT BE ANNOUNCED? Regional counting offices will send their results to Manchester, where the chair of the U.K. Electoral Commission is expected to announce the official outcome at about 7 a.m. (0600 GMT, 2 a.m. EDT) Friday. However, the result may well be known as early as 4 a.m. (0300 GMT, 11 p.m. EDT Thursday) as media tally the local results. ___ WOULD THERE BE A RECOUNT IF THE VOTE IS CLOSE? The rules don't allow for a national recount, but courts can order recounts at the local level. The overall outcome can be challenged by judicial review filed within six weeks. ___ IS THE REFERENDUM BINDING? Man charged in hot-van death of 6-month-old daughter MELISSA, Texas (AP) A Dallas area man whose 6-month-old daughter died after she was left in a hot minivan parked outside the family home has been charged with manslaughter. Michael Thedford is free on $20,000 bond. Booking records list no attorney for the 33-year-old Melissa man. According to an arrest affidavit obtained by KDFW-TV (http://bit.ly/28NJVGk ) of Dallas-Fort Worth, Thedford said he dropped two other children off at day care about 9 a.m. Tuesday and had returned home to sleep. Only when he woke up three hours later did he find his youngest child stiff and "hot as a brick" in the minivan. He placed the child in the refrigerator with the door open before calling 911. This photo provided by the Collin County Sheriff's Department shows Michael Thedford, The North Texas man has been charged with manslaughter in the death of his 6-month-old daughter who was found unconscious in the heat of the car interior outside the family home. Thedford was booked into the Collin County Jail after the incident Tuesday, June 21, 2016. (Collin County Sheriff's Department via AP) The National Weather Service says temperatures were in the low 90s but felt like the upper 90s. ___ Bollywood's Salman Khan causes uproar with rape remark NEW DELHI (AP) Bollywood superstar Salman Khan has caused a public uproar by telling reporters that shooting his upcoming movie was so grueling that he felt like a raped woman. The actor's analogy struck a painful chord in India, where sexual violence against women is rampant but was largely unmentioned until just a few years ago. While the topic is still taboo in some places, a protest movement has erupted in cities with demand for better safety for women and harsher punishment for rapists. The National Commission for Women this week demanded Khan apologize for using a rape analogy while speaking with reporters last weekend about his role as a professional wrestler in the new film "Sultan." FILE- In this June 18, 2015 file photo, Bollywood actor Salman Khan smiles during the trailer launch of his upcoming movie "Bajrangi Bhaijaan" in Mumbai, India. Khan has caused a public uproar by telling reporters that shooting his new film "Sultan" was so grueling that he felt like a raped woman.(AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade, File) If he did not speak up, he would be hauled before the state-appointed commission to explain, it said. "It's not only a wrong statement, it's very irresponsible and callous for a man whose fame and wealth are based on the adoration of his female fans," said Commission chief Lalita Kumaramangalam. But by Wednesday, Khan had still said nothing about the remarks. The public fury and social media backlash has been so great that Khan's own father, Salim, apologized on his son's behalf and pleaded with the public to forgive him. "To err is human to forgive divine," Salim Khan said Tuesday on Twitter. In another message, he said: "Nevertheless I apologize on behalf of his family his fans & his friends. Forgiveness is to pardon the unpardonable or it is no virtue at all." The problem of sexual violence long went unrecognized in India, until the gang rape and mutilation of a young woman on a moving bus in December 2012 shamed the country and triggered a period of soul searching. Public protests in New Delhi and other cities prompted the Indian government in 2013 to strengthen laws for punishing those convicted of sexual crimes, as well as for prosecuting authorities who fail to investigate complaints. But strong social stigmas still prevent many victims from coming forward, and many women's rights activists say more awareness and education of the issue are needed. Khan's remark was considered particularly damaging given his immense popularity as a leading romance and action star in the Bollywood film industry. ___ Follow Nirmala George at twitter.com/NirmalaGeorge1 Moldova asks Russia to stop recruiting its citizens to Army CHISINAU, Moldova (AP) Moldova's foreign ministry has called on Russia to stop recruiting Moldovan citizens to the Russian Army. In a letter sent to the Russian embassy in Chisinau Wednesday, the ministry accused Russia of recruiting soldiers in Ternovca, a village located in the pro-Russian breakaway region of Trans-Dniester, which borders Ukraine. It said the alleged recruitments violate bilateral agreements. The letter did not say when the alleged recruitments took place or how many people had been recruited. The Russian embassy did not immediately respond. The ministry also called on Russia to withdraw some 1,000 Russian troops stationed in Trans-Dniester. It said Trans-Dniester, which broke away from Moldova in 1990 fearing Moldova intended to reunite with Romania, should have an international civil peacekeeping operation. Deputy marshal seeks change of venue in fatal shooting MARKSVILLE, La. (AP) One of two deputy city marshals charged in the fatal shooting of a boy who was strapped into the front seat of his father's car in Louisiana is asking a judge to move his trial to another location. The Advocate reports (http://bit.ly/28LWm7m) attorneys for Derrick Stafford, 33, say publicity surrounding the November shooting of 6-year-old Jeremy Mardis and the wounding of his father, Chris Few, has prejudiced potential jurors for the trial in Marksville. Attorneys Jonathan Goins and Chris LaCour wrote in the motion that other factors that could bias a jury include "government officials (who) made invidious and inflammatory statements" against Stafford after the shooting. Stafford and Norris Greenhouse Jr., 24, earlier pleaded not guilty to charges including second-degree murder. State Police said the two opened fire on Few's car after a pursuit that a third deputy and a Marksville police sergeant also joined. A police report says video from the sergeant's body camera shows Few's empty hands were raised and visible inside the vehicle when gunfire erupted. Few was hit twice but survived. Jeremy, who sat in the front passenger seat, was shot five times and died at the scene. Stafford's family has claimed that he and Greenhouse feared for their lives and shot at Few in self-defense. Stafford's trial is scheduled to begin Sept. 26, and Greenhouse's on Nov. 28, though it's possible the trials will be delayed. Both men remain free on $1 million bail. A hearing on the change of venue request and other motions is set for June 29. Greenhouse's lawyer, George Higgins of Alexandria, said he would not seek to move the trial out of Avoyelles Parish. Higgins said he's tried several jury trials in the parish. "I've always thought they had jurors who were fair minded," Higgins said. "That is where the allegations took place. That's where it should be tried." ___ German TV program pulled, Turkey trip rejected amid tensions BERLIN (AP) A Turkish television station has pulled a German broadcaster's program, citing complaints over the German Parliament's vote to label the killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks a century ago genocide, the ZDF broadcaster said Wednesday. Separately, the German Defense Ministry said a delegation including a deputy defense minister had been refused permission to visit German troops at a base in Turkey though no official explanation was given for the decision. ZDF said that Turkey's Kanal D informed it that the broadcasts of the children's news program had to be ended because of "numerous viewer complaints" about the June 2 vote by the German Parliament a vote that infuriated the Turkish government. Historians estimate that up to 1.5 million Armenians were killed by Ottoman Turks around the time of World War I, an event viewed by many scholars as the first genocide of the 20th century. Turkey disputes the description. It says the toll has been inflated and considers those killed victims of a civil war. ZDF's German-language "logo!" program has been broadcast via the pan-European network of Kanal D, part of Turkey's Dogan media company, for nearly a decade. ZDF aimed to reach the children of families of Turkish origin in Germany, many of whom watch primarily Turkish channels. The German broadcaster said it regrets Kanal D's decision. Defense Ministry spokesman Jens Flosdorff said authorities in Ankara had refused a routine trip by a German deputy defense minister and a handful of German lawmakers who had wanted to visit the troops on the Incirlik air base in July. Germany has Tornado reconnaissance aircraft stationed at Incirlik flying missions in support of efforts against the Islamic State group. The Latest: Most fire evacuations lifted near Santa Barbara LOS ANGELES (AP) The Latest on wildfires burning in the West (all times local): 7:15 a.m. Moisture has moved in along much of the Southern California coast, and most mandatory evacuation areas near a wildfire in Santa Barbara County have been lifted. A firefighting helicopter makes a water drop on a hill near a wildfire in Duarte, Calif., Tuesday, June 21, 2016. Surging wildfires on Tuesday forced new evacuations of hundreds of homes across the West, while firefighters worked to beat back a pair of huge adjacent blazes looming over suburban Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu) Fog arrived overnight on the rugged coast west of Santa Barbara, where a fire of more than 12 square miles is nearly entirely contained Wednesday morning. As planned, mandatory evacuation orders for many areas were reduced to warnings at 5 a.m., allowing residents to return. All orders are expected to be lifted by the weekend. Firefighting resources are being redirected to two fires in the San Gabriel Mountains northeast of Los Angeles and to a blaze east of San Diego near the Mexico border. A Los Angeles County firefighting helicopter makes a water drop on a hill near a wildfire in Duarte, Calif. Tuesday, June 21, 2016. Firefighters worked to make gains against Southern California wildfires as an intense heat wave eased slightly Tuesday, but officials warned nearby communities to stay alert and obey any evacuation orders. (AP Photo/Nick Ut) A firefighting helicopter prepares to make a water drop on a wildfire in Duarte, Calif., Tuesday, June 21, 2016. Firefighters worked to make gains against Southern California wildfires as an intense heat wave eased slightly Tuesday, but officials warned nearby communities to stay alert and obey any evacuation orders. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu) Dubai auction of Islamic treasures raises $11M for refugees DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) An auction to raise money for books for refugee children has raised more than $11 million in Dubai, including the sale of a more than 100-year-old covering from the cube-shaped Kaaba that Muslims pray toward in Mecca. The piece, woven with gold and silver, sold Tuesday evening for $572,000 and came from the private collection of Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. An early 19th Century Indian-Mogul manuscript of the Quran and a 17th Century handwritten copy each sold for $68,000. Five unique Dubai car plate numbers sold for a total of $7 million. In this Tuesday, June 21, 2016 photo, an Emirati man talks on his mobile phone next to the "R Dubai 10" license plate in its glass case, which was one of many items displayed in the Emirates Auction to be sold for AED 9.7 million ($ 2.65 million) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. An auction to raise money for books for refugee children has raised more than $11 million in Dubai, including the sale of a more than 100-year-old covering from the cube-shaped Kaaba that Muslims pray toward in Mecca. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili) The Reading Nation Ramadan campaign, organized by Dubai as a charity initiative during the Muslim holy month, aims to donate 7.3 million books and establish 2,000 school libraries in Arab countries and refugee camps. In this Tuesday, June 21, 2016 photo, Emirati men chat in front of a poster ahead of the Emirates Auction for supporting the Reading Nation Campaign, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. An auction to raise money for books for refugee children has raised more than $11 million in Dubai, including the sale of a more than 100-year-old covering from the cube-shaped Kaaba that Muslims pray toward in Mecca. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili) In this Tuesday, June 21, 2016 photo, an Emirati woman takes a photo of an item displayed during the Emirates Auction in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. An auction to raise money for books for refugee children has raised more than $11 million in Dubai, including the sale of a more than 100-year-old covering from the cube-shaped Kaaba that Muslims pray toward in Mecca. (AP Photo/Kamran Jebreili) Colombia, FARC rebels announce deal on bilateral cease-fire HAVANA (AP) Colombia's government and leftist rebels announced Wednesday that they have reached a deal on a cease-fire that would be the last major step toward ending Latin America's oldest guerrilla war. President Juan Manuel Santos will travel to Cuba Thursday to unveil details of the agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon announced he also would be present to witness the signing of the accord. Colombia's conflict has killed more than 220,000 people and displaced millions. But a 15-year, U.S.-backed military offensive thinned the rebels' ranks and forced its aging leaders to the negotiating table in 2012. FILE - In this Jan. 3, 2016 file photo, Orlando, a rebel fighter for the 36th Front of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC, hangs a banner featuring the late rebel leader Alfonso Cano with a message that reads in Spanish: "Our dream is peace with social justice," in their hidden camp in Antioquia state, in the northwest Andes of Colombia. The Colombian government and leftists FARC rebels said Wednesday, June 22, 2016, that they have reached a deal on a bilateral cease-fire that would be the last major step toward ending one of the worlds longest wars. Santos will travel to Cuba Thursday for the announcement with the FARC, according to an official close to the talks. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd, File) Momentum had been building toward a breakthrough after Santos said this week that he hoped to end a half-century of bloodshed by July 20, marking Colombia's declaration of independence from Spain. But Wednesday's agreement went further than expected, removing all doubt that a final deal is around the corner. In addition to announcing a framework for the cease-fire, both sides said they agreed on how the FARC's estimated 7,000 fighters will demobilize and hand over their weapons, as well as the security guarantees that will be provided to leftist activists after the conflict ends. Negotiators in January tasked the U.N. with monitoring adherence to an eventual cease-fire and resolving disputes emerging from the demobilization. "Tomorrow will be a great day," Santos blasted out on Twitter. "We're working for a Colombia in peace, a dream that's beginning to become reality." The presidents of Cuba, Venezuela and Chile the three nations sponsoring the now almost four-year-old peace talks in Havana were also expected to attend Thursday's ceremony, and the Obama administration was sending its special envoy to the talks, former diplomat Bernard Aronson. With the latest advances, only few minor pending items remain, the biggest being how the final deal will be ratified and given legal force so that it won't unravel should a more conservative government succeed Santos, who leaves office in 2018. The two sides must also settle on a mechanism for selecting judges who will preside over special peace tribunals evaluating the war crimes of guerrillas as well as the military. The peace talks have been bumpy and extended much longer than Santos or anyone else anticipated. But if a final deal is reached, it would end Latin America's last major insurgency, one accused of being a major supplier of cocaine to the U.S. Still, the much-smaller and more recalcitrant National Liberation Army has a toehold in some areas and could fill the void left by the FARC. The ELN agreed to a peace process with the government earlier this year but those talks have yet to start because of Santos' insistence the group renounce kidnapping. Santos has vowed to put the FARC deal to a referendum vote so Colombians can express their opinion. Opinion polls show the FARC are widely despised among Colombians and frustration with the rebels has grown as the talks have dragged on, making the task of reconciliation much harder. Reflecting some of that pessimism, midday news broadcasts across Colombia led off not with the progress being made in Havana but another battle of sorts: Wednesday's night semi-final match in the Copa America soccer tournament between Colombia and Chile. ___ Goodman reported from Bogota, Colombia. FILE - In this Sept. 23, 2015 file photo, Cuba's President Raul Castro, center, stands with Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos, left, and Commander the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia or FARC, Timoleon Jimenez , in Havana, Cuba. The Colombian government and leftists FARC rebels said Wednesday, June 22, 2016, that they have reached a deal on a bilateral cease-fire that would be the last major step toward ending one of the worlds longest wars. Santos will travel to Cuba Thursday for the announcement with the FARC, according to an official close to the talks. (AP Photo/Desmond Boylan, File) Finnish Cabinet reshuffled after party changes HELSINKI (AP) Finnish Interior Minister Petteri Orpo has been appointed finance minister to replace outgoing Alexander Stubb, who was ousted as chairman of the conservative National Coalition Party earlier this month in a party congress vote. Stubb, a former prime minister and European Parliament member, failed to turn around the waning popularity of his party and lost to Orpo in a 441-361 vote. Orpo automatically inherited Stubb's ministerial post the most senior position held by the conservatives in the country's three-party ruling coalition. In other appointments Wednesday, Deputy Parliament Speaker Paula Risikko took over as interior minister, while another conservative lawmaker, Kai Mykkanen, was given the foreign trade portfolio. The changes took effect immediately. Finland's new Finance Minister Petteri Orpo, left, new Interior Minister Paula Risikko, 2nd left, Minister for Education Sanni Grahn-Laasonen and new Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Kai Mykkanen, right, attend a press conference in Helsinki, Finland on Wednesday June 22, 2016. (Heikki Saukkomaa/ Lehtikuva via AP) FINLAND OUT Gaza slum growth illustrates economic plight, bleak future EL-ZOHOR, Gaza Strip (AP) The expansion of Gaza's el-Zohor slum, where barefoot children play in the rusty skeletons of discarded vehicles surrounded by mountains of garbage, is a sign of the times in Gaza, where poverty is growing and there is little hope for the future. While Gaza has always been poor, conditions for the 1.8 million people who live in the crowded seaside territory have worsened since the Islamic militant group Hamas seized power in 2007. Soon after, Egypt and Israel, citing security concerns, imposed a blockade on the territory in a move that had a devastating impact on the local economy. Deepening the despair, Hamas and Israel have fought three wars since the takeover. Some areas are still in ruins from the 2014 war and thousands of people are still displaced. The U.N warned last year that Gaza could become "uninhabitable" by 2020 if current trends continue. In this Monday, June 20, 2016 photo, Palestinian children prepare food for a horse as they sit on a cart next to their house in El-Zohor slum on the outskirts of Khan Younis refugee camp, southern Gaza Strip. The expansion of the el-Zohor slum, where barefoot children play in the rusty skeletons of discarded vehicles surrounded by mountains of garbage, is a sign of the times in Gaza, where poverty is growing and there is little hope for the future. While Gaza has always been poor, conditions for the 1.8 million people who live in the crowded seaside territory worsened since the Islamic militant group Hamas seized power in 2007. (AP Photo/ Khalil Hamra) But even by Gaza standards, conditions are deplorable in the el-Zohor, or "Flowers," neighborhood near the city of Khan Younis in the southern part of the territory. While Gaza's poor generally have access to basic amenities, health care and municipal services in the neighborhood are among the worst in the territory. The shacks, adjacent to a landfill, have no electricity or running water. Piles of garbage encroach on the makeshift homes, covering rooftops with trash while the acrid smell of burning waste wafts over the squalor. The searing heat and long summer days have compounded the difficulty of fasting during the monthlong Ramadan holiday. The neighborhood didn't even exist eight years ago. Today, about 50 families live there. Locals say Hamas is intentionally making conditions worse in the neighborhood to try and force people off of public property. They say if Hamas finds electric wires connected to nearby utility poles it cuts the lines. Resident Mahrous Zourob, a 33-year-old father of five, said Hamas imposes "impossible conditions" on the slum dwellers. Each family has a story that reflects Gaza's economic plight. Most say they lost their income when breadwinners could no longer enter Israel to work after Hamas took power. Zourob, who worked in as a laborer in construction, farming and Gaza's smuggling tunnels on the Egyptian border before they were largely destroyed, said he used to live in a rental home but had to move out three years ago because of a lack of work. Israel, the U.S., and others consider Hamas a terror organization for its suicide bombings, shootings and other attacks that have targeted civilians over the years. Israel says the blockade is essential to its security. Critics say the blockade, which has restricted the movement of people and goods in and out of the territory, amounts to collective punishment. According to the U.N., more than 800,000 people in Gaza receive food aid and nearly 50 percent of the population is unemployed. Aid worker Eyad Al-Shami said he was "shocked from the situation of the families" in el-Zohor when he brought them meals donated by Saudi Arabia to break the Ramadan fast this week. Asmahan Farwana said she sends some of her eight children to beg in the markets to buy food. Her husband had a workplace injury and can no longer work. "Today, we found a meal, thank God," she said after gathering her children around for a donated meal of chicken and rice. In this Monday, June 20, 2016 photo, piles of garbage surround el-Zohor slum, on the outskirts of Khan Younis refugee camp, southern Gaza Strip. The expansion of the slum, where barefoot children play in the rusty skeletons of discarded vehicles surrounded by mountains of garbage, is a sign of the times in Gaza, where poverty is growing and there is little hope for the future. While Gaza has always been poor, conditions for the 1.8 million people who live in the crowded seaside territory worsened since the Islamic militant group Hamas seized power in 2007. (AP Photo/ Khalil Hamra) In this Monday, June 20, 2016 photo, Palestinian boys play with water toys in el-Zohor slum on the outskirts of Khan Younis refugee camp, southern Gaza Strip. The expansion of the el-Zohor slum, where barefoot children play in the rusty skeletons of discarded vehicles surrounded by mountains of garbage, is a sign of the times in Gaza, where poverty is growing and there is little hope for the future. While Gaza has always been poor, conditions for the 1.8 million people who live in the crowded seaside territory worsened since the Islamic militant group Hamas seized power in 2007. (AP Photo/ Khalil Hamra) In this Monday, June 20, 2016 photo, a Palestinian girl plays in a barrel as her mother bakes bread for a Ramadan dinner at their house in el-Zohor slum, on the outskirts of Khan Younis refugee camp, southern Gaza Strip. The expansion of the el-Zohor slum, where barefoot children play in the rusty skeletons of discarded vehicles surrounded by mountains of garbage, is a sign of the times in Gaza, where poverty is growing and there is little hope for the future. While Gaza has always been poor, conditions for the 1.8 million people who live in the crowded seaside territory worsened since the Islamic militant group Hamas seized power in 2007. (AP Photo/ Khalil Hamra) In this Monday, June 20, 2016 photo, a Palestinian family breaks their Ramadan fast in their house, in el-Zohor slum on the outskirts of Khan Younis refugee camp, southern Gaza Strip. The expansion of the el-Zohor slum, where barefoot children play in the rusty skeletons of discarded vehicles surrounded by mountains of garbage, is a sign of the times in Gaza, where poverty is growing and there is little hope for the future. While Gaza has always been poor, conditions for the 1.8 million people who live in the crowded seaside territory worsened since the Islamic militant group Hamas seized power in 2007. (AP Photo/ Khalil Hamra) In this Monday, June 20, 2016 photo, Palestinian kids sit in front of their home in el-Zohor slum, on the outskirts of Khan Younis refugee camp, southern Gaza Strip. The expansion of the slum, where barefoot children play in the rusty skeletons of discarded vehicles surrounded by mountains of garbage, is a sign of the times in Gaza, where poverty is growing and there is little hope for the future. While Gaza has always been poor, conditions for the 1.8 million people who live in the crowded seaside territory worsened since the Islamic militant group Hamas seized power in 2007. (AP Photo/ Khalil Hamra) In this Monday, June 20, 2016 photo, a Palestinian family breaks their Ramadan fast in their house in el-Zohor slum, on the outskirts of Khan Younis refugee camp, southern Gaza Strip. The expansion of the el-Zohor slum, where barefoot children play in the rusty skeletons of discarded vehicles surrounded by mountains of garbage, is a sign of the times in Gaza, where poverty is growing and there is little hope for the future. While Gaza has always been poor, conditions for the 1.8 million people who live in the crowded seaside territory worsened since the Islamic militant group Hamas seized power in 2007. (AP Photo/ Khalil Hamra) In this Monday, June 20, 2016 photo, Palestinians distribute meals to families during Ramadan, in el-Zohor slum, on the outskirts of Khan Younis refugee camp, southern Gaza Strip. The expansion of the el-Zohor slum, where barefoot children play in the rusty skeletons of discarded vehicles surrounded by mountains of garbage, is a sign of the times in Gaza, where poverty is growing and there is little hope for the future. While Gaza has always been poor, conditions for the 1.8 million people who live in the crowded seaside territory worsened since the Islamic militant group Hamas seized power in 2007. (AP Photo/ Khalil Hamra) In this Monday, June 20, 2016 photo, a Palestinian woman makes a fire to prepare a Ramadan dinner, inside her house in el-Zohor slum, on the outskirts of Khan Younis refugee camp, southern Gaza Strip. The expansion of the el-Zohor slum, where barefoot children play in the rusty skeletons of discarded vehicles surrounded by mountains of garbage, is a sign of the times in Gaza, where poverty is growing and there is little hope for the future. While Gaza has always been poor, conditions for the 1.8 million people who live in the crowded seaside territory worsened since the Islamic militant group Hamas seized power in 2007. (AP Photo/ Khalil Hamra) In this Monday, June 20, 2016 photo, Palestinian children climb on a portable tank used to distribute water in el-Zohor slum, on the outskirts of Khan Younis refugee camp, southern Gaza Strip. The expansion of the el-Zohor slum, where barefoot children play in the rusty skeletons of discarded vehicles surrounded by mountains of garbage, is a sign of the times in Gaza, where poverty is growing and there is little hope for the future. While Gaza has always been poor, conditions for the 1.8 million people who live in the crowded seaside territory worsened since the Islamic militant group Hamas seized power in 2007. (AP Photo/ Khalil Hamra) In this Monday, June 20, 2016 photo, Palestinian children play among discarded vehicles in el-Zohor slum, on the outskirts of Khan Younis refugee camp, southern Gaza Strip. The expansion of the el-Zohor slum, where barefoot children play in the rusty skeletons of discarded vehicles surrounded by mountains of garbage, is a sign of the times in Gaza, where poverty is growing and there is little hope for the future. While Gaza has always been poor, conditions for the 1.8 million people who live in the crowded seaside territory worsened since the Islamic militant group Hamas seized power in 2007. (AP Photo/ Khalil Hamra) In this Monday, June 20, 2016 photo, Palestinian children play next to their house in el-Zohor slum, on the outskirts of Khan Younis refugee camp, southern Gaza Strip. The expansion of the el-Zohor slum, where barefoot children play in the rusty skeletons of discarded vehicles surrounded by mountains of garbage, is a sign of the times in Gaza, where poverty is growing and there is little hope for the future. While Gaza has always been poor, conditions for the 1.8 million people who live in the crowded seaside territory worsened since the Islamic militant group Hamas seized power in 2007. (AP Photo/ Khalil Hamra) In this Monday, June 20, 2016 photo, Palestinians watch a horse roll in sand in el-Zohor slum, on the outskirts of Khan Younis refugee camp, southern Gaza Strip. The expansion of the el-Zohor slum, where barefoot children play in the rusty skeletons of discarded vehicles surrounded by mountains of garbage, is a sign of the times in Gaza, where poverty is growing and there is little hope for the future. While Gaza has always been poor, conditions for the 1.8 million people who live in the crowded seaside territory worsened since the Islamic militant group Hamas seized power in 2007. (AP Photo/ Khalil Hamra) 2 killed, more than 50 arrested in South Africa riots JOHANNESBURG (AP) Rioters looted shops on the outskirts of South Africa's capital on Wednesday, and authorities reported two deaths and more than 50 arrests since violence erupted in the Pretoria area two days ago. Looters targeted shops in the Mabopane and Ga-Rankuwa neighborhoods belonging to immigrants, echoing similar attacks last year against foreigners, including Pakistanis and Somalis, who run businesses in poor urban areas of the country. Police fired rubber bullets to disperse crowds in Mabopane, where people ran out of one store with stolen groceries and other goods, according to South African media reports. A man carrying a child walks past a burnt bus on a road in Atteridgeville, Pretoria, South Africa, Wednesday, June 22, 2016. Some residents in several poor areas of South Africa's capital, Pretoria, blocked roads, looted shops and burned vehicles Tuesday in riots attributed to discontent over the selection of the ruling party's mayoral candidate. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Two people were fatally shot in the Mamelodi district, the South African police force said on Twitter. Police arrested 54 people on charges of public violence, theft and possession of stolen property, the government said in a statement. It said stability was returning to some areas, while violence persisted in other districts. "The attacks and looting of shops show that some of the protest actions are motivated by pure criminality," the government said. The violence started Monday after the selection of the ruling party's mayoral candidate for Pretoria ahead of local elections on Aug. 3. Some residents said they were not adequately consulted about the selection. The rioting has raised concerns about security ahead of municipal elections nationwide on Aug. 3. ___ Follow Christopher Torchia on Twitter at www.twitter.com/torchiachris A woman a walks across a street littered with boulder and debris, after riots, in Atteridgeville, Pretoria, South Africa, Wednesday, June 22, 2016. Some residents in several poor areas of South Africa's capital, Pretoria, blocked roads, looted shops and burned vehicles Tuesday in riots attributed to discontent over the selection of the ruling party's mayoral candidate. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) A mini bus drives pass a burnt out bus, after riots, in Atteridgeville, Pretoria, South Africa, Wednesday, June 22, 2016. Some residents in several poor areas of South Africa's capital, Pretoria, blocked roads, looted shops and burned vehicles Tuesday in riots attributed to discontent over the selection of the ruling party's mayoral candidate. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Tajik man arrested in Germany, accused of joining IS BERLIN (AP) German prosecutors say they have arrested a 30-year-old Tajik man who is suspected of joining the Islamic State group in Syria. Prosecutors said in a statement Wednesday that Mukhamadsaid S., whose full name wasn't given in line with German privacy rules, was arrested in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia. He was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of membership in a foreign terrorist organization. He is accused of traveling from Tajikistan to Syria in April 2015, where prosecutors said he joined IS. In addition to fighting, he is also alleged to have appeared in videos urging his countrymen to join him. Prosecutors say he left Syria no later than the beginning of September, 2015, and then ended up in Germany. Former Cowboys player Randle faces new charge WICHITA, Kan. (AP) Former Dallas Cowboys running back Joseph Randle has been charged with threatening a deputy while jailed on other charges in Kansas. The Wichita Eagle (http://bit.ly/28TprNI ) reports that Randle is charged in Sedgwick County with one count of criminal threat. He said he plans to hire a lawyer to represent him during a first appearance Tuesday via a video link from the jail. Sheriff's spokesman Lt. Lin Dehning said in an email that Randle is accused of threatening a deputy who was "enforcing the rules" last month at the jail. No other details were immediately provided. Randle has had a string of run-ins with the law. He's also been charged in Kansas with a casino disturbance and with backing his car into three people. The Cowboys released Randle last year. ___ The Latest: Arizona wildfire still threatens communities LOS ANGELES (AP) The Latest on wildfires burning in the West (all times local): 5:40 p.m. Firefighters are working to secure the eastern flank of a wildfire that still threatens some communities in eastern Arizona. A firefighting helicopter makes a water drop on a hill near a wildfire in Duarte, Calif., Tuesday, June 21, 2016. Surging wildfires on Tuesday forced new evacuations of hundreds of homes across the West, while firefighters worked to beat back a pair of huge adjacent blazes looming over suburban Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu) Officials said Wednesday the fire that began in June 15 has burned almost 67 square miles and remains 22 percent contained. The blaze is about 2 miles north of Cedar Creek where 300 people live. More than 15,000 people in Pinetop-Lakeside and Show Low, along with others in the surrounding communities, remain under pre-evacuation notice. Fire officials say the containment line is along the northern cap of the blaze and crews are trying to stop any expansion from reaching outside the burn scar of a wildfire in the area last year. They say crews now will be focused on expanding fire lines and conducting burnout operations, which is increasing some smoke in the air above the communities. --- 5:05 p.m. Utah Gov. Gary Herbert says it's "completely unacceptable" that a drone flying near a southern Utah wildfire hampered firefighting efforts. Herbert visited the site of the blaze Wednesday after the fire forced evacuations of at least 185 homes in the town of Pine Valley, about 35 miles north of the city of St. George. On the governor's official Twitter account Wednesday, Herbert said evacuations "likely could have been avoided if drones hadn't interrupted air attack on the fire." The small, unmanned aircraft have been spotted three times in the last four days and have forced authorities to ground firefighting aircraft. The U.S. Forest Service said Wednesday that the blaze has torched more than a square mile and additional evacuations could come. Officials say firefighting aircraft are particularly important for this wildfire burning in steep, rugged terrain. --- 3:10 p.m. An eastern Colorado sheriff photographed a dramatic scene of a small grassfire engulfing an abandoned rail road trestle. The Kiowa County Sheriff's office said Sheriff Casey Sheridan, who also is a volunteer firefighter, took the picture of the trestle glowing red with flames Wednesday morning near Haswell, Colorado. No one was injured in the blaze, which was quickly contained. --- 1:45 p.m. Two residences and 11 outbuildings have burned in a wildfire 40 miles southeast of San Diego near the Mexican border. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection also says 1,000 structures are threatened Wednesday. The fire has burned more than 10 square miles and is being fought by 1,600 firefighters and nearly two dozen helicopters and air tankers. ___ 1 p.m. Authorities say a shift in the wind turned a wildfire burning slowly in a heavily wooded area on the Colorado-Wyoming border into a fast-moving threat. Routt National Forest spokesman Aaron Voos says the blaze grew to about 5 square miles from about 1 square mile Tuesday. Thunderstorms expected this weekend could make the fire worse because they often bring gusty winds and only a smattering of flame-stifling rain. Voos says the number of firefighters is expected to grow from 120 to about 200 on Wednesday. But he says getting more help is difficult because of other fires across the West. Trees killed by a beetle infestation were helping fuel the blaze 140 miles north of Denver and 2 miles from Wyoming. Campers and those staying in cabins were told to evacuate. Voos says no more than 100 people fled the area, which isn't heavily populated. ___ 9:40 a.m. Firefighters say they expect to keep a wildfire from moving any closer to a rural eastern Arizona town. Officials said Wednesday that the edge of the blaze threatening the community of Cedar Creek made no significant movement in the last 24 hours thanks to sparse vegetation. The fire has burned some 67 square miles and is about 2 miles north of Cedar Creek. It's partially contained. Crews are focusing on expanding fire lines and conducting burnout operations. Residents have been told to prepare to evacuate from Show Low, Pinetop-Lakeside and the immediate surrounding areas. Gov. Doug Ducey declared a state of emergency Tuesday to free up state dollars to battle the fire. It began June 15 and its cause remains under investigation. ___ 9:20 a.m. Calm conditions and moist air are helping firefighters make progress against two fires in the San Gabriel Mountains northeast of Los Angeles, but a change is coming. Incident commander Mike Wakoski says stronger winds are coming Wednesday afternoon and evening, and they could push the flames. Hundreds of homes are evacuated in foothill cities below the fire, and officials say the threat remains. High heat that blanketed Southern California at the start of the week has retreated eastward, allowing moist ocean air to push well into the Los Angeles basin during the morning. ___ 9 a.m. Firefighters are bringing in more help after a forest fire near the Colorado-Wyoming line exploded in size and forced campers to evacuate. Fire spokesman Chris Barth said the blaze grew to about 5 square miles overnight from about 1 square mile Tuesday. He says additional personnel are expected to arrive Wednesday to battle the fire that's 140 miles north of Denver and 2 miles from Wyoming. The blaze was reported late Sunday in a heavily forested area that includes the Routt National Forest and has no permanent residents. Trees killed by a beetle infestation were helping fuel the fire, whose cause is under investigation. Campers and those staying in cabins were told to evacuate Tuesday evening because of heavy smoke, high winds and spreading fire. It wasn't clear how many people fled. ___ 8:35 a.m. Weather is helping crews battling two wildfires outside Los Angeles and another near the U.S.-Mexico border. Angeles National Forest spokesman Nathan Judy says winds are calm Wednesday morning in the San Gabriel Mountains northeast of Los Angeles, where plumes of smoke are rising from a pair of blazes. Together, the fires have burned more than 7 square miles and are mostly uncontained. Hundreds of homes remain evacuated in foothill communities. Another wildfire about 40 miles east of San Diego has grown to just over 10 square miles and is partially contained. Hundreds of homes have been evacuated. Capt. Kendal Bortisser of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection says temperatures have dropped, humidity has risen and cloud cover is helping. But he says firefighters still must deal with rough terrain and vegetation that hasn't burned in decades. ___ 8 a.m. More evacuees are expected to return home as firefighters inch closer to snuffing out a massive wildfire in central New Mexico. Authorities said Wednesday that the blaze in the mountains south of Albuquerque is more than halfway contained. It has destroyed at least two dozen homes and burned nearly 28 square miles. Fire officials say crews constructed more fire lines along two sides of the blaze. Helicopters also have dropped more than 2,100 gallons of water close to where there are structures. The human-caused fire ignited June 14, racing across miles of tinder-dry forest. Several villages that line the eastern side of the Manzano Mountains had to be evacuated. The blaze also led Gov. Susana Martinez to declare a state of emergency. ___ 7:15 a.m. Moisture has moved in along much of the Southern California coast, and most mandatory evacuation areas near a wildfire in Santa Barbara County have been lifted. Fog arrived overnight on the rugged coast west of Santa Barbara, where a fire of more than 12 square miles is nearly entirely contained Wednesday morning. As planned, mandatory evacuation orders for many areas were reduced to warnings at 5 a.m., allowing residents to return. All orders are expected to be lifted by the weekend. Firefighting resources are being redirected to two fires in the San Gabriel Mountains northeast of Los Angeles and to a blaze east of San Diego near the Mexico border. A layer of haze shrouds downtown Los Angeles early Wednesday morning on June 22, 2016. For days, wildfires have raged amid spiking heat across Southern California and much of the West, driving hundreds of people from their homes. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel) A Los Angeles County firefighting helicopter makes a water drop on a hill near a wildfire in Duarte, Calif. Tuesday, June 21, 2016. Firefighters worked to make gains against Southern California wildfires as an intense heat wave eased slightly Tuesday, but officials warned nearby communities to stay alert and obey any evacuation orders. (AP Photo/Nick Ut) Spielberg praises the late Anton Yelchin as 'so good' NEW YORK (AP) Steven Spielberg has praised the late actor Anton Yelchin, whom he cast as a boy in the 2002 miniseries "Taken." In an interview, Spielberg said he was impressed by Yelchin from dailies of his performance in a 2000 episode of the medical drama "ER." "And he kept impressing people because he was so good," said Spielberg. "He kept getting these great parts." 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 director said he was a fan of Yelchin's 2006 drama, "Alpha Dog," and of his performance in J.J. Abrams' "Star Trek." Nearly 1 in 3 on Medicare got commonly abused opioids CHICAGO (AP) Nearly 12 million Medicare beneficiaries received at least one prescription for an opioid painkiller last year at a cost of $4.1 billion, according to a federal report that shows how common the addictive drugs are in many older Americans' medicine cabinets. With an overdose epidemic worsening, nearly one-third of Medicare beneficiaries received at least one prescription for commonly abused opioids such as OxyContin and fentanyl in 2015. Those who did received an average of five such prescriptions or refills, according to the report from the Office of Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. "We are concerned about the high spending and the number of people receiving opioids," said Miriam Anderson, who led the study, which was released Wednesday. "This raises concerns about abuse. This is a serious problem facing our country." FILE - This Feb. 19, 2013, file photo, shows OxyContin pills arranged for a photo at a pharmacy in Montpelier, Vt. With an overdose epidemic worsening, nearly one-third of Medicare beneficiaries received at least one prescription for commonly abused opioids such as OxyContin and fentanyl in 2015. (AP Photo/Toby Talbot, File) Among all ages, there were nearly 19,000 fatal overdoses on prescription opioids in 2014, which was the most on record and the last year for which that data set was available. The magnitude of opioid use among seniors is "astounding," said Frederic Blow, who directs addiction research at the University of Michigan's medical school and was not involved in the study. "It's not just a young person's problem," Blow said. Overdose risk for older Americans is heightened by medication interactions and alcohol. Addiction is also a risk and doctors should help patients consider alternatives for chronic pain, such as meditation, yoga, walking and weight loss, which allow patients to minimize opioid use. The leading opioids taken by Medicare patients were OxyContin, Percocet, Vicodin, fentanyl or their generic equivalents, Anderson said. "In fact, there were about 40 million prescriptions for these drugs last year," she said. "That's enough to give one to every Medicare beneficiary in the country." In February testimony on opioid use among seniors to Congress, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Deputy Administrator Sean Cavanaugh said the agency "is aware of potential fraud at the prescriber and pharmacy levels through 'pill mill' schemes." Medicare is reviewing the report closely, spokesman Aaron Albright said. The agency has had a monitoring system since 2013 that provides quarterly reports to Part D plan sponsors on high-risk beneficiaries who may be overusing commonly abused drugs. The system flagged 15,651 beneficiaries last year as potential problem drug users. In 2017, the federal government will bar payment for prescriptions written by doctors who are not enrolled in Medicare. "Medicare Part D spending on opioids, in general, is decreasing as a percent of total Part D spending, from 3.2 percent in 2014 to 3.0 percent in 2015," Albright said. The agency "takes seriously our responsibility to ensure that beneficiaries have access to the drugs they need with appropriate safeguards to prevent abuse." ___ Decision on reviled sea birds has foes feeling helpless FOUR BROTHERS ISLANDS, N.Y. (AP) Biologists worry a decision by a federal judge to block programs that control double-crested cormorants in 24 states could set back their efforts on the birds, blamed for despoiling islands in Lake Champlain where they nest. In other areas of the country, cormorants sea birds with long necks and hooked bills are blamed for eating thousands of sport fish favored by anglers and preying on fish in farms. Vermont officials, who this time of year are usually overseeing control programs that include oiling eggs to prevent them from hatching, and shooting the birds or scaring them away, worry that even one year without the control program could see the number of cormorants on the lake increase by 21 percent. In this June 16, 2016 photo, immature double-crested cormorants sit atop trees on island "B" of the Four Brothers Islands on the New York side in Lake Champlain. Biologists have been working to reduce the populations of the birds in the nesting grounds on the islands in the lake. But a federal judge's decision suspended efforts to control the bird on Lake Champlain and in 24 eastern states. (AP Photo/Wilson Ring) "It will not take very long for that number to double without some active management," said Mark Scott, wildlife director for the Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife, which manages about 20 islands and some sections of shoreline that have been known to host cormorants. The March decision by a judge in Washington determined that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service didn't do its homework before issuing a pair of orders that let people kill thousands of cormorants each year to preserve vegetation in some areas and protect sport fish in 24 states and farmed fish in 13 of those states. U.S. Fish and Wildlife spokeswoman Laury Parramore said the agency is studying its next step. Cormorants, which winter in the South and spend summers on the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain, have nested on Champlain for at least a century. They were brought to near-extinction by the pesticide DDT, and no one is sure why the numbers have increased dramatically over the last quarter-century. Dave Capan, a retired University of Vermont biologist who is managing a cormorant program on the Four Brothers Islands, estimates there are about 1,600 breeding pairs of cormorants on the lake, down from a peak of about 4,000 about 15 years ago. The islands lie in the middle of the narrow, 120-mile long lake, are owned by the Nature Conservancy and are off limits to the public. "They nest in very large numbers, and they kill trees on islands in the lake," Capan said. "There are at least five or six islands in this lake that have lost most of their trees and vegetation." Capan disagrees with Scott's assertion that the birds would increase by 21 percent in one year without control. He said he feels that as long as the control programs resume by next spring, there shouldn't be any long-term setback to the control efforts. Mike Freeze, the president of the National Aquaculture Association, who runs a fish farm in Keo, Arkansas, said cormorants eat more of the farm's fish than any other birds. In the winter, he has two or three employees who work full-time protecting the company's 1,000 acres of ponds from birds, especially cormorants. Cormorants aren't a problem in Arkansas in June, but Freeze and others in the industry are watching the legal case. "We've got to have some kind of relief by October," Freeze said. "That's when these hordes descend on us," Freeze said. Cormorants have a long history of being hated by humans, said Ken Stromberg, a retired U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologist from Denmark, Wisconsin, who was among those who filed the lawsuit against the service that led to the March decision blocking the control programs. "A cormorant is a scapegoat for everything that consumers are unhappy about," said Stromberg, who isn't opposed to cormorant control programs but feels the Fish and Wildlife Service must do the required studies before issuing orders. Matt Trombley, a Vermont-based fishing charter captain who fishes on lakes Champlain and Ontario, said he's no biologist but is worried about the end, for now, of the cormorant control program. "If we don't keep up each year, they are going to overpopulate," he said. "Then it's a huge step to try to get them back under control again." ___ This story has been updated to delete an incorrect reference to the 24 states being east of the Mississippi River. In this June 16, 2016 photo, double-crested cormorants sit atop trees that the birds have killed on island "D" of the Four Brothers Islands on the New York side IN Lake Champlain. Biologists have been working to reduce the populations of the birds in the nesting grounds on the islands in the lake. But a federal judge's decision suspended efforts to control the bird on Lake Champlain and in 24 eastern states. (AP Photo/Wilson Ring) In this June 16, 2016 photo, a biologist uses a mirror to count the number of eggs in a double-crested cormorant nest on island "B" of the Four Brothers Islands on the New York side in Lake Champlain. Biologists have been working to reduce the populations of the birds in the nesting grounds on the islands in the lake. But a federal judge's decision suspended efforts to control the bird on Lake Champlain and in 24 eastern states. (AP Photo/Wilson Ring) In this June 16, 2016 photo, Connor Cincotta, of the New York Department of Environmental Conservation, checks a nest of double-crested cormorants on island "B" of the Four Brothers Islands on the New York side IN Lake Champlain. Biologists have been working to reduce the populations of the birds in the nesting grounds on the islands in the lake. But a federal judge's decision suspended efforts to control the bird on Lake Champlain and in 24 eastern states. (AP Photo/Wilson Ring) In this June 16, 2016 photo, a just-hatched, double-crested cormorant lies in a nest beside eggs on island "B" of the Four Brothers Islands on the New York side in Lake Champlain. Biologists have been working to reduce the populations of the birds in the nesting grounds on the islands in the lake. But a federal judge's decision suspended efforts to control the bird on Lake Champlain and in 24 eastern states. (AP Photo/Wilson Ring) Woman indicted in death of daughter beaten by 8-year-old boy BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) An Alabama woman whose daughter was beaten to death while police said she and a friend were at a club has been indicted for reckless manslaughter. Court documents made public Tuesday say a Jefferson County grand jury has indicted 27-year-old Katerra Lewis in the death of 1-year-old Kelci Lewis. Birmingham police have said Lewis and a friend left several young children home alone when they went out in October. Police have said an 8-year-old boy who was babysitting beat Kelci when she started crying. A judge in January dismissed a reckless manslaughter charge against Lewis, saying probable cause didn't exist to support the charge but told prosecutors they could present the case to a grand jury. Woman indicted in beating death of 1-year old daughter BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) A grand jury has indicted an Alabama woman whose daughter was beaten to death while police said she and a friend were out at a club. Katerra Lewis, 27, of Birmingham is accused of reckless manslaughter in the death of her 1-year-old daughter Kelci Lewis. Birmingham police have said Lewis and a friend left several young children home alone when they went out in October. An 8-year-old boy who was babysitting beat Kelci when she started crying and put the girl back in her crib, Birmingham police Lt. Sean Edwards has said. No one reported that the girl was unresponsive until later that morning. The girl suffered severe head trauma and internal injuries. The boy was taken into custody on a murder warrant and was placed in the care of the Department of Human Resources, police have said. Jefferson County District Judge Shelly Watkins dismissed a reckless manslaughter charge against Lewis in January, saying probable cause didn't exist to support the charge. However, the judge told prosecutors they could still present the case to a grand jury. After the charge was dismissed, Lewis' attorney Emory Anthony said his client wasn't involved in Kelci's death and that it doesn't make legal sense to prosecute his client when the boy accused in the assault has already been taken into custody. A phone call to Anthony wasn't immediately returned Wednesday morning. The Jefferson County grand jury's indictment, dated May 27, accuses Lewis of recklessly leaving her daughter in the care of another child she knew to be dangerous, or under conditions where the girl wouldn't be protected from abuse. Grieving father's anti-drug mission halted by weapons arrest JERSEY CITY, N.J. (AP) Anguished over his daughter's overdose death, John Cramsey became a crusader against the heroin crisis in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley, starting a group for concerned parents and recovering addicts and going on self-described missions to save young people from the scourge of addiction. "I have yet to grieve like I should as a normal person. ... Right now I'm on a mission, I can't stop," Cramsey said at an Allentown drug awareness gathering in March . "I'm the inoculation to this disease. I'm going to make a damn difference. Enough is enough." Cramsey posted on Facebook early Tuesday that he was heading to New York to "rescue" a 16-year-old girl whose friend had just overdosed. As his neon-painted pickup truck emblazoned with logos from the gun range he operates prepared to enter the Holland Tunnel in Jersey City, a police officer noticed a crack on the windshield and stopped it, according to a criminal complaint. Kimberly Arendt, left, John Cramsey, center, and Dean Smith, are seen on a monitor during their video arraignment at Hudson County Courthouse, Wednesday, June 22, 2016, in Jersey City, N.J. The three were arrested Tuesday on weapons charges when they were stopped before crossing the Holland Tunnel from New Jersey to New York while driving with a cache of weapons . (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) Police say the truck was carrying a cache of weapons including a semi-automatic military-style rifle, a shotgun and five handguns, along with other tactical gear. It was unclear what, if anything, the weapons had to do with their plans. Cramsey and the two other Pennsylvania residents in the truck Dean Smith, 53, of Whitehall, and Kimberly Arendt, 29, of Lehighton pleaded not guilty Wednesday to weapons charges. They also pleaded not guilty to drug charges for a small amount of marijuana and drug paraphernalia police say they found in the pickup. Attorneys for the three said the search was illegal and they will seek to have the evidence suppressed. A Hudson County judge declined their defense lawyers' requests to give them the option of paying 10 percent of their $75,000 cash bail. "The police officers said they stopped them because they saw a crack in the windshield, but clearly that's not what happened," James Lisa, Cramsey's attorney, said after Wednesday's arraignment. "They saw all the decals and the painting basically espousing their Second Amendment rights and that's why they stopped them." Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Tom Zuppa took issue with the defense lawyers' characterization of the case as "just another gun possession case" being blown out of proportion due to media attention. "This conduct had the potential to bring danger to the destination of these defendants," he said. New Jersey has tougher gun regulations than Pennsylvania and requires guns to be unloaded and inaccessible while driving. Michael McKenna, who is friends with both men, said that Smith owns an advertising and graphic design agency that has done work for Cramsey's gun range. He said Smith "was along for the ride as a photojournalist to document the event and that's it." He said apparently they had done a photo shoot with the weapons the previous night and hadn't unloaded the truck. The arrest has friends and fellow members of Cramsey's "Enough is Enough" anti-drug group in the Allentown area reeling. Lyn Baker, who started the group with Cramsey, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that it has helped dozens of drug addicts. Baker says she works behind the scenes to set up treatment options, while Cramsey has gone into homes and hotels to help pull people out. Cramsey has posted on Facebook about his work helping young addicts, including pictures of himself wearing bulletproof vests and with guns. Baker said Cramsey "likes to talk a big game because the adrenaline is always rushing after we bring someone back." She said she thought Cramsey had been growing depressed and withdrawn in the months since the death of his daughter, a 20-year-old model found dead along with her boyfriend in February. "Particularly when it comes to rescuing females, to him it's like rescuing his daughter," Baker said. "He's just adamant that I have to make every attempt to get this person help." Said McKenna: "He is on a mission right now and his mission is to help people addicted to heroin." Baker said Arendt, the girl's former counselor, received a call from the girl seeking help on Monday. Cramsey wrote on Smith's Facebook page early Tuesday that he was driving to New York to "do an extraction" of a 16-year-old girl after her friend died of an overdose at the hotel they were staying at. The New York Police Department declined to comment, but two New York law enforcement officials told The Associated Press that the NYPD had located the teenager and that she wasn't in any danger at the time. The officials also confirmed that there was a nonsuspicious overdose death in the city that matched the claim on Facebook. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to publicly discuss the case. Cyndi Angeles, the mother of the girl named by Cramsey, told the Morning Call newspaper in Allentown that her daughter doesn't do heroin. ___ Rubinkam reported from Zionsville, Pennsylvania. Associated Press writers Tom Hays in New York and Josh Cornfield in Trenton, New Jersey, contributed to this story. ___ This story has been corrected to show the vehicle was a pickup truck, not a van. A vehicle belonging to a group of people arrested on weapon charges sits in the Port Authority Police Department impound lot a day after the group was stopped prior to entering the Holland Tunnel, Wednesday, June 22, 2016, in Jersey City, N.J. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) A vehicle belonging to a group of people arrested on weapon charges sits in the Port Authority Police Department impound lot a day after the group was stopped prior to entering the Holland Tunnel, Wednesday, June 22, 2016, in Jersey City, N.J. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) This June 2016 photo provided by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey shows John Cramsey, who was arrested Tuesday, June 21 along with others after they were stopped while trying to drive through the Holland Tunnel heavily armed with a cache of weapons, the agency said. (Port Authority of New York and New Jersey via AP) This June 2016 photo by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey shows Dean Smith, who was arrested Tuesday, June 21, along with others after they were stopped while trying to drive through the Holland Tunnel heavily armed with a cache of weapons, the agency said. (Port Authority of New York and New Jersey via AP) This June 2016 photo provided by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey shows Kimberly Arendt who was arrested Tuesday, June 21 along with others after they were stopped while trying to drive through the Holland Tunnel heavily armed with a cache of weapons, the agency said. (Port Authority of New York and New Jersey via AP) Vehicles approach the Holland Tunnel, Wednesday, June 22, 2016, in Jersey City, N.J. A day earlier, a group of people were arrested on weapon charges when they were stopped prior to entering the tunnel. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) Kimberly Arendt, left, John Cramsey, center, and Dean Smith, are seen on a monitor during their video arraignment at Hudson County Courthouse, Wednesday, June 22, 2016, in Jersey City, N.J. The three were arrested Tuesday on weapons charges when they were stopped before crossing the Holland Tunnel from New Jersey to New York while driving with a cache of weapons . (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) Kimberly Arendt, left, John Cramsey, center, and Dean Smith, are seen on a monitor during their video arraignment at Hudson County Courthouse, Wednesday, June 22, 2016, in Jersey City, N.J. The three were arrested Tuesday on weapons charges when they were stopped before crossing the Holland Tunnel from New Jersey to New York while driving with a cache of weapons . (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) US calls for swift UN condemnation of North Korea launches UNITED NATIONS (AP) The U.N. Security Council held an emergency meeting late Wednesday on North Korea's launch of two ballistic missiles and U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power called for "urgent and united condemnation." France's deputy U.N. ambassador Alexis Lamek, whose country holds the council presidency, told reporters after the meeting that the council intends to react quickly and express opposition to the launches which violate Security Council resolutions banning ballistic missile tests. He said all 15 council members also stressed "the crucial importance" of working for implementation of the latest sanctions on North Korea and their commitment "to a peaceful, diplomatic and political solution to this situation." Lamek said members should have the text of a press statement "very soon" and it could be adopted in "a matter of days." The United States and Japan, after consulting South Korea, requested a closed-door briefing from the U.N. Secretariat on the North's reported firing of the two midrange missiles. One flew about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) high after five failed attempts in recent months, a significant step in the development of a powerful ballistic missile that could reach U.S. bases in the Pacific. Power told reporters as she headed into the council meeting that North Korea's repeated defiance of international law "underscores how important it is for us to come together to ensure consequences for this inherently destabilizing behavior, and this inherent and consistent and repeated threat to international peace and security." The Security Council, which has imposed five rounds of sanctions on the North, strongly condemned three previous launches on June 1, calling them "a grave violation" of a ban on all ballistic missile activity that contributed to the country's nuclear weapons program. The latest sanctions imposed by the council on March 2 were the toughest on North Korea in two decades, reflecting growing anger at what Pyongyang claims was its first hydrogen bomb test on Jan. 6 and a rocket launch in defiance of a ban on all nuclear-related activity. The sanctions include mandatory inspections of cargo leaving and entering North Korea by land, sea or air; a ban on all sales or transfers of small arms and light weapons to Pyongyang; and expulsion of diplomats from the North who engage in "illicit activities." Power stressed that as North Korea continues testing missiles that could deliver nuclear weapons, "they make progress and they learn things." Therefore, she said, "it is extremely important that we come together and we address any hidden gaps there may be in the enforcement" of the latest sanctions resolution. Power also stressed that united condemnation from the U.N.'s most powerful body is a first step. "We're again looking to ensure accountability looking to identify again individuals, entities who may be responsible for this repeated series of tests that pose such a threat to international peace and security," she said. A spokesman for Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called the launch "a brazen and irresponsible act," and "a deliberate and very grave violation of its international obligations." EU, Turkey to hold membership talks on June 30 BRUSSELS (AP) Officials from the European Union and Turkey will meet on June 30 to officially open a new area of Ankara's negotiations to join the EU. EU diplomats confirmed on Thursday that lower-level officials would meet to open a series of talks on "financial and budgetary provisions" that Turkey must meet to become a member. Countries hoping to join the EU must complete negotiations in 35 policy areas, or chapters. Turkey's accession talks started in 2005. The EU promised Turkey faster membership talks as an incentive to stop migrants reaching Europe and to take back thousands more. Man dies after deputy shoots him during Alabama car chase BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) A man has died after being shot by a sheriff's deputy during a car chase with officers in the Birmingham area, authorities said. Isaiah Core III, 21, of Trussville died Wednesday, Shelby County sheriff's officials said in a statement. The deputy opened fire on Core, who was the driver of a stolen vehicle, early Wednesday at the end of the chase, when he left Interstate 20. The two occupants of the vehicle were ordered to get out, but the driver began backing up instead, officials said. "There was a deliberate movement of the suspect's vehicle backwards in an attempt to injure officers, and a Shelby County deputy fired at the vehicle, striking the driver," sheriff's officials said. The deputy initially observed the vehicle while he was patrolling an apartment complex in the area along U.S. Highway 280 where numerous break-ins and burglaries have been reported recently, officials said. Authorities didn't release any information on the officer. They said the officer who shot the driver is on administrative leave, which is standard procedure in such cases. The car had been stolen from nearby Jefferson County, and its tags had been switched, sheriff's officials said. A stolen weapon was found inside the vehicle, they said. Norway's Parliament approves sending troops to Syria HELSINKI (AP) Norwegian lawmakers have given consent to sending troops to join coalition forces in Syria in the international struggle against Islamic State militants. According to the approved government plans, a contingent of some 60 Norwegian soldiers will provide training, advice and operational support for Syrian groups fighting the radical Islamists in the country. Earlier plans only included helping such Syrian forces outside Syrian territory. After the approval Wednesday, Defense Minister Ine Eriksen Soreide told Norwegian news agency NTB that as progress against IS militants had been better than expected it was "more important that coalition forces must also be able to train, advise and provide operational support to local groups on Syrian territory." 3 inmates escape from county jail in Mississippi MENDENHALL, Miss. (AP) A search is underway in Mississippi for three inmates who escaped from a county jail southeast of Jackson. Simpson County Sheriff Don O'Cain says it appears the men broke through a skyline and made their way to the roof late Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning. O'Cain identified the inmates as 33-year-old Johnny Taylor, 26-year-old Sean Bratcher and 26-year-old Russell Williams. He says two of the three, Williams and Taylor, have escaped once before. O'Cain says the men were serving time on theft and drug charges. NATO-Russia Council may not meet before alliance summit BRUSSELS (AP) NATO's chief said Wednesday the alliance may not get its wish of meeting with Russian government representatives before NATO's July 8-9 summit in Warsaw. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told The Associated Press that the alliance wants the meeting "to prevent misunderstandings, miscalculations and try to reduce tensions" with Moscow. In April, NATO foreign ministers agreed to seek a pre-summit convening of the NATO-Russia Council, where the Kremlin is represented by an ambassador and other officials. But Stoltenberg said, "I am not certain whether that is possible ... but hopefully we will be able to have it shortly after the summit." He declined to explain why the meeting may happen later than NATO had hoped. "We are now in dialogue with Russia on the agenda, on the modalities," Stoltenberg said. In an email, officials at the Russian Mission to NATO on Wednesday confirmed that "working contacts are taking place between the mission and NATO on the modalities of the NRC meeting, including on the date," but said they could not comment further. The NATO-Russia Council, created in 2002 when relations between the former Cold War foes were much more cordial, met for the first time in nearly two years in April. That session failed to bridge differences between Russia and the U.S.-led alliance that have led to a sharp downturn in relations since Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. In April, NATO's foreign ministers agreed to pursue a "dual track approach" toward Moscow: to keep reinforcing alliance defenses against what they view as a mounting Russian military threat, but also maintain channels of communication open with the Kremlin. The Latest: 2 companies sued over Flint water deny blame FLINT, Michigan (AP) The Latest on a civil lawsuit filed by the state of Michigan against two companies in the Flint water crisis (all times local): ___ 12:25 p.m. Two engineering companies sued by the Michigan attorney general in the Flint water crisis say they're deeply disappointed and will vigorously defend themselves. Veolia North America says it was hired nearly a year after Flint began using the Flint River as a water source. The company says its job was to deal with discoloration, taste and issues unrelated to lead. Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam known as LAN says Attorney General Bill Schuette has "blatantly mischaracterized" LAN's role in Flint. It says it had nothing to do with operating the water plant or failing to add corrosion control to the water. The lack of corrosion control caused lead to leach from old pipes and fixtures, poisoning the water system. Flint stopped using the Flint River last fall after 18 months. ___ 10:30 a.m. Michigan's attorney general is suing two companies, blaming them for Flint's lead-tainted water crisis. Attorney General Bill Schuette says he filed the lawsuit Wednesday in Genesee County Circuit Court against Veolia North America and Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam. The suit says the companies were hired by the state and city, and that their actions and omissions caused the crisis to "occur, continue and worsen." Two months ago, the state filed criminal charges against two state environmental regulators and a city of Flint water employee. Advertisement A small plane with two sick US workers arrived safely in Chile late Wednesday after leaving Antarctica in a daring rescue mission from a remote South Pole research station, officials said. After making a stop for a few hours at a British station on the edge of Antarctica, the two workers were flown to the southernmost Chilean city of Punta Arenas, the National Science Foundation said in a statement published on its Facebook page. In a hectic two days of flying, the rescue team flew 3,000 miles roundtrip from the British station Rothera to pick up the workers at the US Amundsen-Scott station at the South Pole. They arrived back at Rothera on Wednesday afternoon, said Peter West, spokesman for the foundation, which runs the US station. Then the two workers boarded a second Canadian-owned Twin Otter plane that took off for Punta Arenas. A worker from the US South Pole Amundsen-Scott station arrives at a clinic in Punta Arenas, Chile, on Wednesday A small plane with two sick US workers arrived safely in Chile after leaving Antarctica in a daring rescue mission from the remote South Pole research station, officials said A picks up a sick worker at the US South Pole science station in this image 'From Punta Arenas, the two patients aboard will be transported to a medical facility that can provide a level of care that is not available at Amundsen-Scott,' the National Science Foundation said, adding that it's not disclosing the location of that facility. The National Science Foundation has not identified the sick workers or their conditions, citing medical privacy. They both work for contractor Lockheed Martin. At Rothera, the temperature was a balmy 27.5 degrees Fahrenheit Wednesday afternoon. That's toasty compared to the Amundsen-Scott research station at the South Pole where it was minus 75 Fahrenheit in the morning. Before they left, there were 48 people 39 men and nine women at the station for the winter. Normally planes don't go to the polar outpost from February to October because of the dangers of flying in the pitch-dark and cold. 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. One of the two Canadian-owned Twin Otter turboprop planes used to help rescue the workers is seen here A Twin Otter aircraft on a medical evacuation flight taxis on the skyway at NSF's Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station Steve Barnet, who works with a University of Wisconsin astronomy team at the polar station but is in the US 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 Fahrenheit, 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. The station has a doctor, a physician's assistant and is connected to doctors in the US for consults, West said. But sometimes workers need medical care that can't be provided at the South Pole. 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. 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 research stations in Antarctica. Two planes from a Canadian company were used in the daring rescue of two sick workers The US Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station is seen in this file photograph Thousands worldwide commemorate killed British lawmaker LONDON (AP) Thousands of people gathered in London and cities around the world Wednesday to commemorate British lawmaker Jo Cox, whose killing last week shocked the country amid a fiercely contested campaign over the future of Britain's place in Europe. Artists, friends and family members took to the stage in Trafalgar Square, a mile from Parliament, to praise a woman they described as a passionate campaigner for the rights of refugees and women. Among those paying tribute were Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai, the actors Gillian Anderson and Bill Nighy, singer Lily Allen and Cox's husband and sister. "She just wanted people to be happy and the world to be a better place," Brendan Cox told a crowd of about 9,000. Brendan Cox, widower of murdered British MP Jo Cox, makes a speech during a gathering to celebrate her life, in Trafalgar Square, London, Wednesday, June 22, 2016. 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." (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) His voice faltering at times, Brendan Cox said his wife had died because of her beliefs that included compassion for those fleeing the war in Syria, but that those beliefs would live on. "Jo's killing was political," he said. "It was an act of terror designed to advance an agenda of hatred toward others. What a beautiful irony it is that an act designed to advance hatred has instead generated such an outpouring of love." Cox was shot and stabbed to death in her Yorkshire constituency last Thursday by a man who later gave his name in court as "death to traitors, freedom for Britain." Cox's killing shocked Britain and triggered a three-day pause in campaigning for a referendum Thursday on the country's EU membership. Her husband said the Labour Party lawmaker would have been campaigning for Britain to remain a member of the 28-nation bloc had she not been killed. "She feared the consequences of Europe dividing again," he said. In a stark reminder of the political backdrop, a small plane flew by the square three times during the event trailing a banner bearing the words "Take Control, Vote Leave." It was unclear whether the plane intentionally buzzed the memorial and whether it was linked to the official "leave" campaign. The event was broadcast live by video to several cities around the world, including Sydney, Paris and New York, where about 100 people gathered near the United Nations headquarters. The gatherings Wednesday marked what would have been Cox's 42nd birthday and 42 white Yorkshire roses were laid in Trafalgar Square. Some in the crowd held up placards with the phrase "#LoveLikeJo" and many wept during a minute's silence and as videos were shown on a large screen from Cox's life. Yousafzai, who referred to Cox as her "sister," said the response to the lawmaker's death mirrored the sympathy she received after being shot while campaigning for girls' right to education in Pakistan. "Once again the extremists have failed," she said. Many of those attending the memorial said they had never met Cox but felt moved to come and express solidarity with her family. "This was a terrible thing to happen to any human being," said Hindi el-Fadel from Richmond, near London. "She just represented humanity, dignity." El-Fadel said Cox's killing showed how polarized political debate in Britain had become lately. "It's just really for me a reflection of the state of people's minds." ____ Follow Frank Jordans on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/wirereporter People hug in the crowds during a gathering to celebrate the life of murdered British MP Jo Cox, in Trafalgar Square, London, Wednesday, June 22, 2016. 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." (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) Someone waves an EU flag during a gathering to celebrate the life of murdered British MP Jo Cox, in Trafalgar Square, London, Wednesday, June 22, 2016. 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." (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) Princess Mabel of Oranje of The Netherlands, second left, stands on stage during a gathering to celebrate the life of murdered British MP Jo Cox, in Trafalgar Square, London, Wednesday, June 22, 2016. 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." (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) Malala Yousafzai delivers a speech during a gathering to celebrate the life of murdered British MP Jo Cox, in Trafalgar Square, London, Wednesday, June 22, 2016. 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." (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) Actors Gillian Anderson and Bill Nighy deliver speeches during a gathering to celebrate the life of murdered British MP Jo Cox, in Trafalgar Square, London, Wednesday, June 22, 2016. 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." (AP Photo/Alastair Grant) Slain British Parliament member memorialized in NYC NEW YORK (AP) Diplomats, United Nation leaders and dozens of others gathered in New York to honor slain British Parliament member Jo Cox, joining thousands of others around the world Wednesday in memorial services for her. About 100 people gathered outside the UNICEF building near the United Nations, as memorial services also took place in London, Brussels, Nairobi, Kenya, and other cities. Cox's husband and sister joined the New York service via a live video feed on what would have been her 42nd birthday. "Jo knew that our politics, at its best, still works," President Barack Obama said in a statement read by U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power. "That if we recognize our humanity in each other, we can advance the social justice, human dignity and peace that we seek in the world." Mourners listen during a memorial for slain British Parliament Member Jo Cox, Wednesday June 22, 2016, in New York. A crowd of around 100 gathered near the U.N. on Wednesday, which would have been the politician's 42nd birthday. Simultaneously, thousands gathered in London and cities all over the world, including Nairobi and Brussels, to pay tribute. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews) Other dignitaries included U.N. Deputy Secretary-General Jan Elisasson, United Kingdom Ambassador Matthew Rycroft, and former British Parliament member Stephen O'Brien, now U.N. undersecretary general of humanitarian affairs. Cox was shot and stabbed June 16 outside a public library where she had planned to hold a constituency meeting near Leeds in northern England. She was a member of the British Labour Party and a staunch supporter of Syrian refugees. Her death delayed the vote on whether Britain would remain in the European Union, which she strongly favored. Purna Sen, the director of policy at U.N. Women, ran for office in Parliament last year as did Cox. Sen said the global reaction to Cox's death reflected the international reach of her work. "The values we worked for feel very much under attack," Sen said. New York University professor Lorelei Ormrod said she attended the memorial because even though she didn't know Cox, she felt deeply touched by her work. "She spoke up for the marginalized and the vulnerable," said Ormrod. "That's what we really need in the world. Especially at this time of divisiveness." United States U.N. Ambassador Samantha Power delivers a statement from President Obama during a memorial for slain British Parliament Member Jo Cox, Wednesday June 22, 2016, in New York. A crowd of around 100 gathered near the U.N. on Wednesday, which would have been the politician's 42nd birthday. Simultaneously, thousands gathered in London and cities all over the world, including Nairobi and Brussels, to pay tribute. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews) Muna Abbas, 24, second from left, who grew up with slain British Parliament Member Jo Cox and worked with her in British parliament, cries after speaking at a memorial for Cox, Wednesday June 22, 2016, in New York. A crowd of around 100 gathered near the U.N. on Wednesday, which would have been the politician's 42nd birthday. Simultaneously, thousands gathered in London and cities all over the world, including Nairobi and Brussels, to pay tribute. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews) Muna Abbas, 24, who grew up with slain British Parliament member Jo Cox and worked with her in British parliament, speaks during a memorial for Cox, Wednesday June 22, 2016, in New York. A crowd of around 100 gathered near the United Nations on Wednesday, which would have been the politician's 42nd birthday. Simultaneously, thousands gathered in London and cities all over the world, including Nairobi and Brussels, to pay tribute. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews) Lorelei Ormrad, a NYU professor, holds back tears during a memorial for slain British Parliament member Jo Cox, Wednesday June 22, 2016, in New York. A crowd of around 100 gathered near the U.N. on Wednesday, which would have been the politician's 42nd birthday. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews) UNESCO leader condemns killing of Texas freelance journalist DALLAS (AP) The head of a United Nations agency on Wednesday condemned the death of a freelance journalist in Texas whose body was found with a gunshot wound in the back yard of a home. UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova said from Paris that authorities must determine the motive for the killing of Spanish-language journalist Jacinto Torres Hernandez, 57. He was a longtime reporter and photographer for La Estrella who used the byline Jay Torres. La Estrella is a weekly publication of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram serving readers in the Dallas-Fort Worth region. "I call on the authorities to investigate this killing and its motives so that those responsible for it be brought to trial," Bokova said in a statement. This photo taken Aug. 1, 2015, shows freelance journalist Jacinto "Jay" Torres Hernandez. The head of a United Nations agency on Wednesday, June 22, 2016, condemned the death of a Hernandez, whose body was found with a gunshot wound in the back yard of a home in Dallas, Texas. UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova said from Paris that authorities must determine the motive for the killing of Spanish-language journalist Hernandez, 57. He was a longtime reporter and photographer for La Estrella who used the byline Jay Torres. La Estrella is a weekly publication of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram serving readers in the Dallas-Fort Worth region.(Juan Ramos/Star-Telegram via AP) Police have not determined whether his freelance work may have contributed to his death. He operated a real estate business that involved renovating homes and his body was found June 13 at a home in the Dallas suburb of Garland that he either had purchased or was considering buying. Investigators said he had been dead for "multiple days" and that robbery does not appear to be a motive because nothing was taken from him. Family members said at a news conference last week that Torres had worked on stories such as human trafficking that could place him in danger. "More recently his work was more intense, riskier," his daughter, Aline Torres, said during a news conference last week covered by the newspaper Al Dia. "He was lifting up stones that perhaps people did not want to have lifted." Son Gibran Torres said his father was at the Garland residence as part of his other work flipping homes. "He did not mention to me that he was the target of any threats," Torres said. However, he said his father had been investigating human trafficking and human exploitation for the newspaper. As for his real estate business, Torres said his father had occasionally dealt with angry tenants. One person who was buying or renting a house from his father was arrested in a massive roundup of cocaine trafficking suspects, Torres said. As part of the investigation, detectives have confiscated reporter notebooks from Torres' car and family members have provided the names of his tenants. "There's so many different angles," Garland police Lt. Pedro Barineau said. "He was a journalist as well as real estate (agent) so they have to look at both aspects of his life, and they're looking at all of the different types of things that could lead them to somebody else." Juan Antonio Ramos, executive editor of La Estrella, told the Star-Telegram that Torres will be remembered for his "devotion and passion for journalism." "He was a person who always focused on covering the Hispanic community in a full, objective and professional manner," he said. Ramos did not return calls from The Associated Press for comment. Although the motive in Torres' killing must still be determined, the Committee to Protect Journalists says since 1992 at least seven journalists have been killed in the U.S. because of their work. ___ Francis lauds Benedict's prayerful life in book forward VATICAN CITY (AP) Pope Francis is paying homage to his predecessor in the forward of a new book, saying Pope Benedict XVI's decision to retire to a life of prayer is a lesson to all priests that their main job is to pray for others. The book, "Teach and Learn the Love of God," is the first of a collection of texts by the German theologian. It will be presented to Benedict at a Vatican ceremony Tuesday marking the 65th anniversary of his priestly ordination. The event will mark another rare occasion in which the reigning and retired popes will be together. Pope Francis caresses a child at the end of his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Wednesday, June 22, 2016. (AP Photo/Fabio Frustaci) Responding to Trump, Clinton says he has 'no answers' RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) Hillary Clinton pushed back against Donald Trump's questions about her religion and her competence Wednesday, casting him as a candidate with not much else to say about how he'd lead the nation. Over two consecutive days, Trump has sought to focus his struggling campaign on Clinton, as Republican leaders have demanded. On Tuesday, in a video clip of his remarks, Trump appeared to suggest the public doesn't know "anything about Hillary in terms of religion." Clinton, who has spoken and written about her faith, on Wednesday retorted with a quote from John Wesley, the founder of Methodism. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton gestures as she speaks during a rally in Raleigh, N.C., Wednesday, June 22, 2016. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton) "As we Methodists like to say: do all the good you can for all the people you can in all the ways you can." Clinton also went after Trump for remarks in which he accused her of being "a world class liar" who personally profited from her tenure at the State Department. "She gets rich making you poor," Trump said hours earlier during an address in New York. "Think about it. He's going after me personally because he has no answers on the substance," Clinton told supporters at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds in Raleigh. "So all he can try to do is try to distract us. That's why he's attacking my faith. Sigh." Both presumptive presidential nominees are attempting to unite their fractured parties ahead of the nominating conventions. As Trump works to right his campaign from weeks of turmoil and poor fund-raising, Clinton was addressing her own challenge: drawing the supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders. She's vanquished him in the critical hunt for enough delegates to clinch the Democratic presidential nomination, but Sanders has not endorsed Clinton. On Wednesday, he allowed that it's apparent he will not be the party's nominee. On Capitol Hill, Democrats nudged Sanders to go further. "I know he knows what's at stake," said House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi of California. "Two words: Donald Trump." Added Rep. James Clyburn of South Carolina, "I would love to see Mr. Sanders endorse. Go all in." Clinton, assured of her party's presidential nomination, paired her response to Trump with a populist pitch aimed at white, working class voters who backed Sanders and are now being courted by Trump. The nation, she said, needs an economy that, "works for everyone not just for the rich or the well-connected." She also castigated Trump's "reckless ideas that will run up our debt and cause another economic crash. I'm here today to offer an alternative." Noting his famous catch-phrase from NBC's "The Apprentice" "You're fired!" Clinton said if elected president, "I'm going to make sure you hear, 'You're hired!" The former secretary of state said she would push an array of economic policies aimed at creating better-paying jobs building roads and bridges, offering debt-free college to students and helping those with massive college debt. She also vowed to pressure companies to share their profits with workers and curb the influence of Wall Street. Earlier, Clinton received a rousing reception from House Democrats in her first stop on Capitol Hill since clinching the Democratic nomination. Greeted by chants of "Hillary, Hillary," Clinton promised to use her massive campaign infrastructure to help Democrats win congressional races as part of what she called a "50 state strategy." "She said: 'I know the difference between having the House and not having the House, and I want the House," recalled Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Wash. Clinton's and Sanders' campaigns are discussing ways of addressing key economic issues in the Democratic platform which will be approved at the Philadelphia convention, including trade, providing free college tuition and cutting student debt and expanding Medicare and Social Security. Democrats said there was little discussion of Sanders or Trump in the meeting, which was more like a pep rally for Clinton's campaign. At one point, the members ribbed Rep. Xavier Becerra who's been mentioned as a possible running mate when he poured Clinton a glass of water. Becerra later said that he is not currently being vetted as a potential running mate. Other potential contenders include Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who will campaign with Clinton on Monday in Cincinnati, Ohio, Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro. ___ Lerer reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Erica Werner, Alan Fram and Richard Lardner contributed to this report. ___ On Twitter, follow Lisa Lerer at http://twitter.com/llerer and Ken Thomas at http://twitter.com/KThomasDC Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton gestures as she speaks during a rally in Raleigh, N.C., Wednesday, June 22, 2016. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton) Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton walks with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of Calif. as they arrive for a meeting with the House Democratic Caucus, Wednesday, June 22, 2016, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton greets supporters as she takes the stage during a rally in Raleigh, N.C., Wednesday, June 22, 2016. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton) Doping inspectors denied entrance to presidential palace ROME (AP) Italy's Quirinal presidential palace is apparently off limits to anti-doping inspectors. Olympic race walking medalist Elisa Rigaudo was attending a send-off for Italian athletes with president Sergio Mattarella on Wednesday when she said German officials showed up for a surprise drug control. Without the necessary accreditation for the ceremony, the inspectors were denied entrance by palace security. However, they tested Rigaudo afterward at the Italian Olympic Committee headquarters. Rigaudo tweeted that she explained to the inspectors what the Quirinal palace is, adding "It's like if they rang (German Chancellor Angela) Merkel's doorbell." The 36-year-old Rigaudo took bronze in the 20-kilometer event at the 2008 Beijing Games. What about Bernie? Still running and keeping security detail WASHINGTON (AP) What about Bernie? Sanders was mathematically eliminated from the Democratic presidential race earlier this month, but the Vermont senator isn't ready to bow out and that means highly trained Secret Service agents shadow his every move at a cost to taxpayers of tens of thousands of dollars a day. Sanders, who touts his frugality and espouses cost-saving national policies, has laid off much of his staff and is no longer holding campaign events or rallies. Yet every day a detail of Secret Service agents protects a man who won't be president. As many as 50 agents are involved in protecting each candidate on a daily basis. FILE - In this Feb. 7, 2016 file photo, Secret Service stand guard as Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., speaks during a campaign stop in Portsmouth, N.H. Being mathematically eliminated from the race to win the Democratic presidential nomination hasnt stopped Sanders from continuing his White House bid or be protected by a group of highly trained, costly Secret Service agents. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File) The Secret Service won't say what the agency is spending to protect Sanders. But former Secret Service Director Mark Sullivan testified in April 2008 that the agency was spending about $37,000 to $38,000 a day to protect presidential candidates, including then-Sen. Barack Obama. Sullivan told a budget panel at the time that the agency expected that cost to be about $44,000 a day as the campaign "tempo" picked up. Though a specific cost is hard to pin down, it's fair to say that Sanders' protective detail costs U.S. taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars a day. Since 1968, major presidential candidates have been afforded a protective detail starting about 120 days before the election. But candidates can and have asked for protection well in advance of the nominating conventions. Sanders' request for protection was approved by Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson earlier this year and suit-clad agents started surrounding him in February. At the time, he met the requirements for a protective detail in advance of his party's convention in part because he was a candidate in a major party who had "some degree of prominence as shown by opinion polls" and was campaigning for primaries in at least 10 states. But primary season is over and Sanders doesn't have enough delegates to overtake Hillary Clinton for the nomination, something he acknowledges. In a taped interview for C-Span Sanders said Wednesday "it doesn't appear that I'm going to be the nominee." He has stopped short of saying he will formally leave the race. So when will the Secret Service stand down? That's unclear. Sanders can call for the security force to leave his side any time he wants or formally drop out of the race. But short of that or a directive from Johnson, the armed security detail likely will surround him until Clinton is formally nominated, said Secret Service spokeswoman Catherine Milhoan. Sanders' Senate colleagues said it was up to him to decide when and how to get out of the race. "You know, that's his decision," said Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn. Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass., said said there was no need for Sanders to drop out of the race now. "I think that Bernie still has an opportunity to play an extremely constructive role at the (Democratic) convention to ensure that Donald Trump never becomes president," Markey said. "I think it's still within the realm of possibilities that that's exactly how it's all going to play out." ___ Associated Press writer Matthew Daly contributed to this report. ___ Follow Alicia A. Caldwell on Twitter at www.twitter.com/acaldwellap Syrian refugees say water scarce after Jordan seals border AMMAN, Jordan (AP) Syrian refugees stranded along the Jordanian border said Wednesday that clean water is getting scarce in their desert tent camp after the area was sealed by Jordan in response to a deadly cross-border attack. Cellphone footage taken in the Ruqban camp showed refugees chanting, "We want water." Three Ruqban residents said by phone that people have begun drinking polluted water. Some 64,000 Syrians live in two encampments along the border, awaiting admission to Jordan. Many have been in the camps for months and depend on daily deliveries of food and water by international aid agencies based in Jordan. Jordan declared the area a "closed military zone" after a car bomb attack launched from the Ruqban area killed six Jordanian troops and wounded 14 at dawn Tuesday. There has been no claim of responsibility, but Jordan says it has evidence that militants, including Islamic State fighters, are present in the camps. King Abdullah II warned after the attack that Jordan will "respond with an iron fist" to anyone harming its borders or security. Jordan-based international aid officials confirmed Wednesday that the border area was sealed and that they couldn't send aid there. However, they gave conflicting accounts of whether any water had been delivered to the camps since the attack. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief reporters. Jordanian government spokesman Mohammed Momani could not be reached for comment. The U.N. refugee agency said it is working with other aid groups and Jordanian authorities to get water delivered. Agency spokesman Andreas Needham in Geneva said such deliveries are a priority, but would not elaborate. The London-based rights group Amnesty International said that a total border closure and denial of humanitarian aid "would inevitably lead to extreme hardship among those unable to find refuge and put their lives at risk." The group said Jordan has a right to protect civilians from armed attacks, but that its security measures "must not violate its international legal obligations to provide protection and assistance to refugees who are desperately fleeing the very same type of violence." Ahmad al-Masalmeh, a Syrian opposition activist based in the southern border province of Deraa, said that innocent people have started "paying the price of the explosion." Conditions have long been precarious at the camp but residents say the scarcity of basic goods is becoming more acute. "Things are getting worse, not better," said a mother of three who fled the IS-controlled city of Raqqa and has been in the camp two months. "We lack water, bread. We need everything." Most of the water that reaches the camp comes from Jordan, bread is expensive and vegetables unaffordable, she said. Some Syrians are turning a profit by selling rain water carried in petrol containers. "On top of being dirty, it tastes like petrol," said the woman's husband. The situation is so dire, they said, that some families have decided to return to Raqqa, which many fled due to the airstrikes carried out by the U.S-led coalition and fears of an offensive approaching the city. The refugee couple requested anonymity to keep the option of return open. "Water is the most important thing," said the husband. "Food is secondary, we can't live without water." ___ Colombia's half-century conflict at a glance BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) A look at Colombia's half-century guerrilla conflict: HOW IT STARTED The 1948 assassination of populist firebrand Jorge Eliecer Gaitan led to a political bloodletting known as "La Violencia," or "The Violence." Tens of thousands died, and peasant groups joined with communists to arm themselves. A 1964 military attack on their main encampment led to the creation of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC. FILE - In this Jan. 4, 2016, file photo, Juliana, 20, left, and Mariana, 24, rebel soldiers for the 36th Front of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, listen to a commander speak on the peace negotiations between the rebels and the Colombian government, in a hidden camp in Antioquia state, in the northwest Andes of Colombia. Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said Tuesday, June 21, that his government may reach an agreement on a bilateral ceasefire with leftist rebels as early as this week. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd,File) REBEL AIMS Though nominally Marxist at its founding, the FARC's ideology has never been well defined. It has sought to make the conservative oligarchy share power and prioritized land reform in a country where more than 5 million people have been forcibly displaced, mostly by far-right militias in the service of ranchers, businessmen and drug traffickers. The FARC lost popularity as it turned to kidnapping, extortion and taxes on cocaine production and illegal gold mining to fund its insurgency. US INVOLVEMENT In 2000, the United States began sending billions of dollars for counter-narcotics and -insurgency efforts under Plan Colombia, which helped security forces weaken the FARC and kill several top commanders. The State Department classifies the group as a terrorist organization and its leaders face U.S. indictments for what the George W. Bush administration called the world's largest drug-trafficking organization. THE HUMAN TOLL More than 220,000 lives have been lost, most of them civilians. In the past two decades, many of the killings were inflicted by the militias, which made peace with the government in 2003. The FARC abducted ranchers, politicians and soldiers who were often held for years in jungle prison camps. Its captives included former presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt and three U.S. military contractors, all of whom were rescued in 2008. PEACE EFFORTS Mid-1980s peace talks collapsed after death squads killed at least 3,000 allies of the FARC's political wing. Another effort fell apart in 2002 after the rebels hijacked an airliner to kidnap a senator. The current talks have been going on since 2012 in Havana. AGREEMENTS SO FAR On Wednesday, negotiators announced an agreement on a bilateral cease-fire and a blueprint for how an estimated 7,000 FARC fighters will demobilize and lay down their weapons. Accords have also been reached on land reform, combatting drug trafficking, the guerrillas' political participation and punishing war crimes on both sides. WHAT REMAINS The Latest: Sick US workers reach Chile in Antarctica rescue SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) The Latest on the rescue of two ailing workers from the U.S. research station at the South Pole (all times EDT): 10:20 p.m. EDT A small plane with two sick U.S. workers has arrived safely in Chile after leaving Antarctica in a rescue mission from a remote South Pole research station, according to a statement from the National Science Foundation. In this 2003 photo, provided by the National Science Foundation, a Twin Otter flies out of the South Pole on a previous medical flight. 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. (Jason Medley, National Science Foundation via AP) The workers arrived late Wednesday in the southern Chilean city of Punta Arenas. They made a stop earlier at a British station on the edge of Antarctica. The statement said that from Punta Arenas, the two patients will be transported to a medical facility for treatment. The rescue team flew 3,000 miles roundtrip from the British station Rothera to pick up the workers at the U.S. Amundsen-Scott station at the South Pole. The National Science Foundation said they arrived back at Rothera Wednesday afternoon. They then boarded a second Canadian-owned Twin Otter plane for Punta Arenas. The NSF, which runs the station, has not identified the sick workers or their conditions, citing medical privacy. 4:30 p.m. EDT A small plane carrying two sick passengers is headed from Antarctica to Chile, the latest leg in a daring rescue mission from a remote U.S. research station at the South Pole. After making a stop for a few hours at a British station on the edge of Antarctica, the two ailing U.S. workers left for Chile on another plane. A spokeswoman for the British station said the two are expected to arrive in Chile for medical treatment Wednesday evening. The rescue team left the U.S. Amundsen-Scott station at the South Pole on Wednesday morning for the 1,500-mile trip to the British post Rothera. Cold and dark usually prevent planes from flying to the polar outpost from February to October. ___ 1:45 p.m. Federal officials say a small plane with two sick workers has arrived at a British station in Antarctica, the first leg in a daring rescue mission from a remote U.S. station at the South Pole. National Science Foundation spokesman Peter West confirmed that the Twin Otter turboprop landed Wednesday afternoon at the British station, after a 1,500-mile flight from the South Pole. The next step is for the two patients to be flown off the continent, probably to South America, for further medical care. That could happen later Wednesday or Thursday, depending on weather conditions and the workers' health. West would not reveal the patients' names or conditions. Cold and dark usually prevent planes from flying to the polar outpost from February to October. ___ 1:45 p.m. Federal officials say a small plane with two sick workers has arrived at a British station in Antarctica, the first leg in a daring rescue mission from a remote U.S. station at the South Pole. National Science Foundation spokesman Peter West confirmed that the Twin Otter turboprop landed Wednesday afternoon at the British station, after a 1,500-mile flight from the South Pole. The next step is for the two patients to be flown off the continent, probably to South America, for further medical care. That could happen later Wednesday or Thursday, depending on weather conditions and the workers' health. West would not reveal the patients' names or conditions. Cold and dark usually prevent planes from flying to the polar outpost from February to October. ___ 7:55 a.m. Federal officials say a small plane has left the South Pole with a sick worker in a daring rescue mission from the remote U.S. science outpost. National Science Foundation spokesman Peter West said Wednesday that the Canadian Twin Otter turboprop plane started the 1,500-mile flight to Rothera, a British station on the Antarctic peninsula. From there, the patient will be flown off Antarctica for medical attention that could not be provided on the remote continent. West said at least one worker had to be evacuated, but it could be two. Normally planes don't use the polar outpost from February to October because of the dangers of flying in the pitch dark and cold. Wednesday it was minus 75 degrees at the South Pole (minus 60 Celsius). In this photo provided by the National Science Foundation, a small plane picks up a sick worker at the U.S. South Pole science station. Once the sick patient and the crew rest, they will then fly off Antarctica for medical attention that could not be provided on the remote continent. (Robert Schwarz/NSF via AP) Uber, Lyft battle governments over driver fingerprint checks DETROIT (AP) Hailing a ride with a smartphone app in many U.S. cities is coming down to a fight over fingerprints. Following incidents where Uber drivers were found to have criminal records, a number of state and local officials have proposed fingerprint background checks for ride-hailing drivers often with the support of local taxi companies. Uber and its chief rival, Lyft, have fought those checks, contending their own method of vetting drivers is just as safe. Their political muscle showed in the past week. The Chicago City Council could vote Wednesday on ride-hailing regulations that exclude fingerprint checks after an alderman removed the fingerprint requirement when Uber and Lyft threatened to leave the city. Rhode Island on Saturday passed regulations without fingerprint checks, which also are under consideration in Atlanta and the states of New Jersey, California and Massachusetts. FILE - In this Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2016, file photo, a driver displaying Lyft and Uber stickers on his front windshield drops off a customer in downtown Los Angeles. Hailing a ride with a smartphone app in many U.S. cities could come down to a fight over fingerprints. Following incidents where Uber drivers were found to have criminal records, a growing number of state and local governments want ride-hailing drivers to undergo fingerprint background checks. Uber and its chief rival, Lyft, have fought those checks, contending their own method of vetting drivers is just as safe. (AP Photo/Richard Vogel, File) Uber and Lyft have recently made good on threats to vacate cities that impose fingerprint checks, such as Austin, Texas, leaving drivers without jobs and riders without an alternative to taxis. Agreeing to fingerprint checks, as Uber did in Houston, slows the pace of hiring and increases pickup times. If passengers have to wait too long, the companies say, they give up on ride-hailing. Uber and Lyft hire private background companies that run a driver's name, license and Social Security number through local court records, national criminal databases and a federal sex offender registry. Searches can take as little as 24 hours. Lyft rechecks drivers each year, but Uber does not. Fingerprint checks, which are run through the FBI's national database, can take a few days longer. But experts say fingerprinting catches people who lie about their names. "The accuracy of a fingerprint check is eons beyond what you could do in a name check," says Jay Wachtel, a criminal justice lecturer at California State University Fullerton and retired U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agent. In a lawsuit against Uber, prosecutors in Los Angeles and San Francisco found 25 drivers who passed Uber's checks despite having criminal histories, including a driver convicted of felony sexual exploitation of a minor. Uber paid $25 million to settle the case in April. Lyft paid a smaller amount, and both agreed to stop implying that their background checks were safer. Both companies have enlisted high-powered supporters to fight fingerprinting. Earlier this month, former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, whose law firm advises Uber, sent letters to New Jersey and Chicago lawmakers saying fingerprints are unfair and potentially discriminatory. Uber, after just six years, completes 150 million rides per month in nearly 450 cities worldwide. Lyft, which started four years ago, does 11 million rides per month in more than 200 U.S. cities. The companies need thousands of drivers to make the model work. Chicago passenger Giovanni Thurman, 33, says he feels safe using Lyft and Uber because apps give you the driver's picture, name and other information. Thurman runs a consulting business and works with a nonprofit that helps ex-convicts, including some who have gotten back on their feet by driving for the companies. "Those drug dealers that I knew, they drive Uber because it's an option to not go back (to dealing)," he says. "If you impose all of those background checks ... then now you've cut off another way." San Francisco-based Uber and Lyft pulled out of Austin last month after voters decided against overturning a city ordinance that requires fingerprinting. The companies say around 10,000 full- and part-time drivers lost work, and tens of thousands of riders were stranded. But Austin City Councilwoman Ann Kitchen says smaller ride-hailing companies which agreed to fingerprints have helped make up the difference, along with roughly 900 registered taxis. Kitchen, a fingerprint backer, can't figure out why Uber and Lyft spent $9.1 million to fight fingerprints. "I suspect that it's much more than Austin," she says. "It's a national issue." Sam Abuelsamid, transportation analyst with Navigant Research, thinks Uber and Lyft will eventually agree to fingerprint drivers if they get something in return, like a promise that drivers will remain independent contractors and not employees. Such a promise could insulate the companies from liability. Uber and Lyft blame taxi companies for the fingerprint push. Cab drivers in most major cities are fingerprinted and even drug-tested. The ride-hailing companies say their drivers almost all part-time are squeezed for time and cash and don't want additional hurdles. In Houston, ride-hailing drivers who pass a background check from Uber can drive for 30 days until doing a city-required fingerprint check, a physical and a drug test. Dorothy Chou, Uber's head of public policy for safety, says more than 19,000 drivers in Houston passed its screening but failed to do fingerprint checks and other steps because they're so cumbersome. She says the company has seen no difference in the rate of complaints about Houston drivers with a company background check and those that were fingerprinted. "Why would we say yes to a process that doesn't improve safety?" she asked. Torren Smith, 30, needed just over a month to get his license to drive for Uber in Houston. The fingerprint check took fewer than five days, Smith says. But it was difficult for him, as full-time truck driver, to get to a drug-testing clinic, fingerprint office and car inspection site. The whole process cost him around $150. But Houston insists that fingerprint checks are needed. In a March report, city officials said such checks found a driver who passed Uber's background check despite having 24 aliases, 10 Social Security numbers and an arrest warrant. It also found drivers charged with murder and drunken driving. Stephen Saltzburg, a George Washington University law professor, cautions that neither check is foolproof. Private background checks have improved but FBI records may lack data on whether a person was convicted of a crime. Saltzburg says ideally, the companies would do both. "The driver is in a pretty good position to engage in criminal acts," Saltzburg says. "The car is moving, the doors lock." ____ Trump details goals for first 100 days in White House NEW YORK (AP) Donald Trump delivered a scathing speech aimed at undercutting Democratic rival Hillary Clinton on Wednesday, but the presumptive GOP nominee also took some time to sketch out some of his top priorities if he's elected to the White House. "There is one common theme in all of these reforms: It's going to be America first," Trump said of his priorities. A quick look at what Trump said he hopes to accomplish in the first 100 days of his administration, with some details on the challenges he'll face to do so: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks in New York, Wednesday, June 22, 2016. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) __ Trump says he would "appoint judges who will uphold the Constitution of the United States." He claims a President Hillary Clinton would, in contrast, appoint "radical judges" intent on weakening the Second Amendment. Federal judges have lifetime appointments to the bench, which means Trump can only fill vacancies as they arise. Even then, his picks must be confirmed by the Senate. Trump says he would change the nation's immigration rules "to give unemployed Americans an opportunity to fill good really good paying jobs." His plans on how he would accomplish this are vague, and existing law requires employers in many cases to prove they can't find an American worker to do a particular job before an immigrant can receive a visa. Trump says he will "stand up to countries that cheat on trade, of which there are many" and will "cancel rules and regulations that send jobs overseas and everywhere else but our country." Critics have warned that approach would spark trade wars and increase the cost of consumer goods. Trump argues that a proliferation of new jobs would make up for any price increases. Trump says he'll lift restrictions on energy production, increasing domestic production to lower the country's dependence on foreign fuel. To do so, Trump would have to improve on the country's current record-setting level of production, which many in the GOP say could be accomplished by opening up more public lands to drilling and mining. Trump says he'll repeal and replaced president Obama's Affordable Care Act, which he pans as a "total disaster." Trump has said his alternative will be cheaper and offer better care, but has yet to lay out a specific plan, saying at one point it will be "something terrific." Trump says he'll "pass massive tax reform" aimed at creating millions of new jobs and lowering taxes "for everyone." Trump unveiled a plan during the primary that many experts said would balloon the federal deficit, although he's said since that he's open to revisions. Any tax reform plan would also require legislation in Congress; Trump can't pass it on his own. Trump also took a dig at Clinton, the former secretary of state, vowing to "impose tough new ethics rules to restore dignity to the office of the secretary of state." That assignment would likely fall to Trump's choice to serve as the nation's top diplomat, a pick that will also be subject to the "advice and consent" of the Senate. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at the Trump Soho Hotel in New York, Wednesday, June 22, 2016. Trump's address at his hotel in New York's SoHo neighborhood marks his official opening salvo against Hillary Clinton, the prospective Democratic presidential nominee, in the general election. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at the Trump Soho Hotel in New York, Wednesday, June 22, 2016. Trump's address at his hotel in New York's SoHo neighborhood marks his official opening salvo against Hillary Clinton, the prospective Democratic presidential nominee, in the general election. (AP Photo/Richard Drew) North Carolina deputy kills man after being hit by chair SHELBY, N.C. (AP) A North Carolina sheriff's office says a deputy shot and killed a man after the man attacked him with a metal chair. The Cleveland County Sheriff's Office said Deputy Scott Trammel went to a home Tuesday to assist emergency personnel after a 911 call indicated a man was threatening to harm himself and was telling people goodbye. According to the sheriff's office, Trammel was approaching Pedro Cruz-Amado as he sat on the front porch of the home when Cruz-Amado charged the deputy and hit him with a metal chair. As Trammel retreated, Cruz-Amado hit the deputy in the head with the chair. Trammel then shot and killed him. Allegiant flight reports tire blow-out, returns to Las Vegas LAS VEGAS (AP) An airport official says an Allegiant Air flight to Indianapolis returned to Las Vegas with 213 passengers and crew aboard after the pilot reported a tire blow-out during takeoff. McCarran International Airport spokeswoman Christine Crews said Allegiant Flight 500 landed a little before 11 a.m. Wednesday. No fire or injuries were reported. Crews says the runway was closed while workers cleaned up rubber debris shed during the landing. She says the aircraft, a Boeing 757, was able to taxi to a gate under its own power. Airline spokeswoman Jessica Wheeler says plans are being made to replace the aircraft to fly passengers to Indianapolis. Ex-officer arrested after police K-9 dies in patrol car CANTON, Ga. (AP) Authorities say a former school police officer in north Georgia has been arrested in connection with the death of a police K-9 who was left in a patrol car for hours. Cherokee County Chief Marshal Ron Hunton told local news media on Wednesday that former Lt. Daniel Peabody is charged with felony animal cruelty and making false statements. Hunton says the Belgian Malinois named Inka died June 10 after being left inside the car by Peabody for nearly three hours. Hunton says the 50-year-old Peabody forgot the dog was in the car. A necropsy says the dog died from heatstroke. Temperatures had reached into the 90s that day. Islamic State militants push back in Syria, Iraq and Libya BEIRUT (AP) Even as internationally backed forces chip away at Islamic State-held territory in Syria, Iraq and Libya, the militants have demonstrated a stubborn resilience this week in the face of recent losses. The IS forces dealt an embarrassing setback to the Syrian army near the militants' self-styled capital of Raqqa with a swift counteroffensive that rolled back incremental gains by troops loyal to President Bashar Assad. Pockets of extremist fighters north and west of Fallujah continued to hold off elite Iraqi special forces Wednesday, preventing them from making significant advances one month after the government launched its campaign to retake the city west of Baghdad. FILE - In this Saturday, June 18, 2016 file photo, Syrian President Bashar Assad shakes hands with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu in Damascus, Syria. The Syrian government has suffered serious setbacks in its campaign to retake the Islamic State's de facto capital of Raqqa, even with Russia's support. (Vadim Savitsky/ Russian Defense Ministry Press Service pool photo via AP, File) And in the battle for the Libyan city of Sirte, pro-government forces besieging the IS stronghold were stunned by renewed clashes there, with 36 people killed, a hospital spokesman said. Just two weeks ago, the Islamic State had suffered setbacks in all three countries in the region where the Sunni militant group captured large tracts of territory in Iraq and Syria two years ago. Seesaw battles raged in Syria's Raqqa province, with IS fighters retaking areas from government forces Tuesday. Two days earlier, the Syrian troops briefly seized an IS-held oilfield in Thawra and threatened to retake the Tabqa air base, which would have opened a direct line for troops to the city of Raqqa. The government began its highly publicized campaign to retake Raqqa on June 2. On Sunday, the troops advanced to within 6 miles (10 kilometers) of the Tabqa base, which is about 28 miles (45 kilometers) from Raqqa and holds strategic and symbolic value for the government. It was the last position held by government forces in Raqqa province before the militants overran it in August 2014, killing scores of detained Syrian soldiers in a massacre documented on IS video. The commander of an elite, pro-government militia known as the Desert Hawks explained the government's rapid withdrawal from large parts of Raqqa province. "It is vital to understand that (IS) adopted new tactics to fight the Desert Hawks in this area," said retired Gen. Mohamad Jaber. Writing on his Facebook page Tuesday, he said the militants were sending explosives-packed vehicles at the pro-government line, and he predicted the battle for Tabqa would be "harsh and mighty." Activists gave conflicting casualty counts for civilians killed in airstrikes on the city of Raqqa, with death tolls ranging from 18 to 32. Differing casualty figures are common in reporting from Syria's civil war, now in its sixth year. The activists said the Syrian air force, backed by warplanes from its ally, Russia, had pummeled the Islamic State extremists after government losses earlier this week. The U.S.-led coalition also has been bombing Raqqa. Col. Christopher Garver, the Baghdad-based spokesman for the coalition, told The Associated Press that four airstrikes were carried out Tuesday near Raqqa. They targeted an IS tactical unit, a finance center, a headquarters and an oil facility, Garver said. He had no reports on casualties. The activist group known as Raqqa Is Being Slaughtered Silently said at least one of the airstrikes targeted a neighborhood popular among "foreign fighters" militants who have traveled to Syria to fight with the IS group. In northern Syria, U.S.-backed Syrian Kurdish forces encircled IS militants in the town of Manbij, a vital position that connects the Turkish border to Raqqa. As the Iraqi military offensive to retake Fallujah entered its second month Wednesday, clashes continued to try to dislodge IS militants from besieged neighborhoods. Iraqi special forces pushed into the center of the city last week and retook a government compound and the central hospital. Officials said they are still working to secure the territory. At the central hospital, Corp. Ahmad Ahmad warned that only parts of the first floor were fully cleared of homemade bombs because teams specializing in defusing the explosives are in short supply and have been mostly deployed to help troops on the front lines. Ahmad said his forces had not preformed house-to-house searches in surrounding buildings, including the Khalifa Mosque along Fallujah's main highway. "Right now, we are focusing on clearing the roads," he said, adding that the painstaking process of searching buildings would require more troops and risk greater casualties. 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." Clashes have persisted, however, with militants holed up in dense residential neighborhoods along the city's northern edge. On Tuesday, the U.S.-led coalition said only a third of Fallujah has been "cleared," and other parts remain contested. Iraqi commanders say 80 percent of the city is under their control. Fallujah is one of the last IS stronghold in Iraq. At the height of its power, the group held nearly a third of the country, but a string of territorial losses has left only pockets of territory in Iraq's north and west under IS control. The second- largest city of Mosul is the group's last remaining urban holdout. In Libya's coastal city of Sirte, fierce fighting with IS militants killed 36 militiamen aligned with the U.N.-brokered government. The militias, mainly from the western town of Misrata, have been battling since May to try to take full control of Sirte, the last bastion of the Islamic State group in the North African country. After a rapid advance into the city, the militias were slowed by a series of IS suicide bombings. Along with the 36 militiamen killed, mostly in direct gun battles, about 140 were wounded, said Misrata hospital spokesman Abdel-Aziz Essa. IS fighters reportedly have hunkered down at their headquarters in the sprawling Ouagadougou convention center built by the late dictator Moammar Gadhafi. Sirte was Gadhafi's birthplace and the place where he fled during the 2011 civil war, when Libyan rebels backed by NATO warplanes forced him out of the capital of Tripoli. ___ George reported from Fallujah, Iraq. Associated Press writers Maggie Michael in Cairo and Sinan Salaheddin in Baghdad contributed reporting. FILE - In this Saturday, June 18, 2016 file photo, Russian fighter jets and bombers are parked at Hemeimeem air base in Syria. The Syrian government has suffered serious setbacks in its campaign to retake the Islamic State's de facto capital of Raqqa, even with Russia's support. (Vadim Savitsky/Russian Defense Ministry Press Service pool photo via AP, File) hacked but have never explained what security procedures were in place Clinton campaign deny her server was ever State Department staffers wrestled for weeks in December 2010 over a serious technical problem with then-Secretary Hillary Clinton's home email server, causing them to temporarily disable security features that left the server more vulnerable to hackers, according to emails released Wednesday. Just weeks later, according to previously disclosed emails, hackers attacked the server, forcing Clinton's staff to shut it down. The next day, one of Clinton's closest aides, Huma Abedin, wrote to other high ranking staff: 'Don't email hrc [Clinton] anything sensitive. I can explain more in person.' The emails were released under court order Wednesday to the conservative legal advocacy group Judicial Watch, which has sued the State Department over access to public records related to the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee's service as the nation's top diplomat between 2009 and 2013. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO Believe me: Clinton's campaign says that there is no evidence she was hacked - but today's disclosures make clear that Huma Abedin, her right-hand woman feared that the secret server was vulnerable Laughing it off: The emails, reviewed by The Associated Press, show that State Department technical staff disabled software intended to block phishing emails that could deliver dangerous viruses. They were trying urgently to resolve an apparent conflict between the server's built-in email delivery features with a version of 'ScanMail for Exchange' security software from Trend Micro Inc. that had been installed on her server. Clinton has not previously described any security protections on her server. 'This should trump all other activities,' a senior technical official, Ken LaVolpe, told IT employees in a Dec. 17, 2010, email. Another senior State Department official, Thomas W. Lawrence, wrote days later in an email that Abedin personally was asking for an update about the server repairs. Abedin and Clinton, who both used the private server, had complained that emails each sent to State Department employees were not being reliably received. After technical staffers turned off some security features, Lawrence cautioned in an email, 'We view this as a Band-Aid and fear it's not 100 percent fully effective.' Clinton has repeatedly denied there is any evidence her private email server ever was breached. Her campaign did not immediately provide comment Wednesday. On Jan. 9, 2011, a State Department IT staffer was forced to shut down Clinton's server because he believed 'someone was trying to hack us.' Later that day, he wrote, 'We were attacked again so I shut (the server) down for a few min.' It was one of several occasions when email access to Clinton's BlackBerry smartphone was disrupted because her private server was down, according to the documents. Watch out: Huma Abedin, seen leaving a Clinton cmapaign fundraiser in New York this week, sent the bombshell warning to unnamed State Department officials telling them not to send sensitive emails to the Secretary of State The Associated Press reported last year that in the early morning hours of August 3, 2011, Clinton received infected emails, disguised as speeding tickets from New York. The emails instructed recipients to print the attached tickets. Opening an attachment would have allowed hackers to take over control of a victim's computer. In a blistering audit released last month, the State Department's inspector general concluded that Clinton and her team ignored clear internal guidance that her email setup broke federal standards and could leave sensitive material vulnerable to hackers. Her aides twice brushed aside concerns, in one case telling technical staff 'the matter was not to be discussed further,' the report said. The State Department has released more than 52,000 pages of Clinton's work-related emails, including some that have since been classified. Clinton has withheld thousands of additional emails, saying they were personal. The emails released Wednesday were not made available until after the inspector general's office published its report, and Judicial Watch asked a federal judge to force the State Department to turn them over. The case is one of about three dozen lawsuits over access to records related to Clinton's time as secretary, including one filed by the AP. As part of its ongoing suit, lawyers from Judicial Watch on Wednesday questioned Bryan Pagliano, a former IT staffer for Clinton who helped set up the server, under oath. According to the group, Pagliano repeatedly responded to questions by invoking his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination, as he did last year before a congressional committee. On the attack: Donald Trump mocked Clinton on Wednesday for deleting emails and her record on truthfulness The FBI is also investigating whether Clinton's use of the private email server imperiled government secrets. It has recently interviewed Clinton's top aides, including former chief of staff Cheryl Mills and deputy chief of staff Abedin. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said in a speech Wednesday that Clinton's email server 'was easily hacked by foreign governments.' Trump cited no new evidence that hackers had successfully breached Clinton's server, but he said unspecified enemies of the United States were in possession of all her emails. 'So they probably now have a blackmail file over someone who wants to be President of the United States. This fact alone disqualifies her from the presidency,' Trump said. How the UK could remain in the EU even if it votes to leave LONDON (AP) If Britain votes to leave the EU on Thursday, it'll be final. Irreversible. Irrevocable. No appeals. No second chances. "Out is out," European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker told reporters Wednesday. "You can't jump out of the airplane and then clamber back into the cockpit," is how British Prime Minister David Cameron put it in a radio interview a few hours earlier. Flags fly outside Europe House, the European Parliament's British offices, in central London, with European flag, right, and Britain's Union flag, Tuesday June 21, 2016. A national referendum on Thursday June 23, will dictate if Britain will leave the European Union, or remain part of the EU bloc. (Lauren Hurley / PA via AP) UNITED KINGDOM OUT - NO SALES - NO ARCHIVES But what if a vote to leave weren't really that final or dramatic? Some experts are wondering whether Britain can ever really free itself from the European Union even if voters strongly endorse hitting the eject button. Others say it's not out of the question that Brits could find themselves going back to the ballot box in a few years' time if buyer's remorse sets in. "The EU is a bit like the Hotel California in the Eagles song," said Tim Oliver, a fellow at the London School of Economics' IDEAS foreign policy think tank. "You can check out anytime but you never really leave." Much of the uncertainty stems from the ambiguity about what a British exit, or Brexit, really means. Abandoning Europe could mean anything from a sweeping withdrawal from EU institutions to more limited opt-outs which could leave major pillars of European integration, such as free movement of labor, untouched. "'Leave' could mean a million different things," Oliver said, giving Britain's political establishment considerable scope to loiter in Europe's lobby as euroskeptics argue over where the exits are. Experts say there might be even more room for maneuver in the months and years following an "out" vote. In theory, a two-year countdown goes into effect after a European country formally notifies its partners of its intention to quit the union, but complex international negotiations routinely run on for years and the parties involved could let the deadline lapse as talks drag on, perhaps even past Britain's 2020 parliamentary elections. What if voters' minds change between now and then? And even if the negotiations over Britain's departure were concluded on time, what would happen if the U.K. were presented with unfavorable terms? One expert said he could envisage a last-chance referendum asking Brits whether they still wanted to leave the EU under those conditions. "It is at least legally possible and it might create the political space for a government to back out of an exit," said Gavin Barrett, an expert on European constitutional law at University College Dublin. "I think a case could be made for a second referendum asking, 'Do you really want this?'" The let's-vote-on-this-one-more-time maneuver has helped bail out the European project before, albeit under different circumstances. After Irish voters rejected EU reforms in 2008, politicians in Dublin won modest concessions from their European counterparts and ran the vote again the following year, this time with a positive outcome. Similar EU referendum do-overs turned an Irish "No" into a "Yes" in 2002 and helped secured a Danish "Ja" in 1993. But the path to a second referendum in Britain is far narrower, in part because unlike in Ireland the political establishment is split over Europe. If leading euroskeptic Boris Johnson takes the reins of the ruling Conservative Party following a vote to leave the EU, the prospect of a final vote will fade further still. Alan Renwick, the deputy director of the Constitution Unit at University College London, said a do-over would only be plausible "if a party wins the 2020 election on a platform of having a second referendum and trying to go back in." That seems unlikely given the current political alignment, but he said nothing is completely out of the question when it comes to a potential Brexit. "You have so many possible long shot scenarios," he said. "If you add up the probabilities of all of them, you end up with a significant chance of something surprising happening, whatever that might be." Louisiana sheriff calls deputy's death 'cold-blooded murder' HARVEY, La. (AP) A 19-year-old walking down a busy commercial strip of a New Orleans suburb Wednesday in the middle of the afternoon shot and killed a deputy after the officer tried to search him, the sheriff said Wednesday, labelling the shooting "a cold-blooded murder." In a late night news conference, Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Normand described the deadly shooting that swiftly unfolded after Detective David F. Michel Jr., 50, tried to search Jerman Neveaux. The sheriff said the officer had noticed Neveaux walking behind another person who appeared to be nervous, so he pulled over. Michel approached Neveaux and placed him up against the police vehicle so he could search him, Normand said. But Neveaux flipped around, "went chest to chest" with the officer, pulled out a gun and reaching over Michel's shoulder shot him in the back. MonaLisa Urbina, rear, and two friends, Thuy Nguyen, front left, and Kim Pham, lay flowers at a memorial for Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Deputy David F. Michel Jr. in Harvey, La., Wednesday, June 22, 2016. A pedestrian walking down a busy commercial strip of the New Orleans suburb in the middle of the afternoon shot the sheriff's deputy multiple times, killing him, after being stopped by the officer Wednesday, an official said. (AP Photo/Cain Burdeau) "As Detective Michel fell to the ground, he fired two more shots at point-blank range into the back of Detective Michel," Normand said. The officer was able to get on the radio and say he'd been shot, Normand said. As Michel was brought to a hospital in New Orleans where he later died, officers flooded the area, using dogs and helicopters to search for the suspect. Normand said police were able to find the suspect, who was going through the backyards of houses in the nearby area. Geralisha Henderson lived in one of those houses. She said she went to her back door Wednesday to make sure it was locked after police combing her street said they were searching for a suspect. When she went to the back door, she saw what appeared to be a young man dressed in jeans and T-shirt hiding in the back of the yard. Frightened, she went to the street and waved for a police officer to come. When she went to the back door to peek outside again, she said the suspect was much closer to the house. The suspect saw her and asked to be let in, she said. "He was telling me 'Open the door, let me in,'" she said. "He looked scared." She said she did not see a gun. At that the point, several officers rushed in and detained him in the backyard. Henderson's mother, Alicia, said an officer later came back to the house and told her the man was the suspect they were looking for. Normand said five witnesses identified Neveaux as the shooter, and authorities found the gun on him and have been able to match it forensically to the shooting. A spokesman for the sheriff's office, John Fortunato, said he has been arrested on charges of first degree murder and assault. The suspect admitted shooting the officer and said he was on probation for another offense and didn't want the officer to find the gun and arrest him, Normand said. The sheriff also said his office is investigating a video that was brought to their attention by a local media outlet that shows Neveaux's arrest. Normand, who said he saw the video minutes before the news conference, said it shows Neveaux "...being struck by our officers while attempting to gain control of Neveaux." He said Neveaux was still armed at that time. Neveaux, who was taken to the hospital for treatment after his arrest, had an orbital fracture and scrapes and cuts, Normand said. As news got out about Michel's death, people began to lay flowers at a makeshift memorial where the shooting happened. One of them was MonaLisa Urbina, 47, who brought flowers and a stuffed animal. She said she knew Michel, who lived with his family in the same neighborhood as her. She said she first got to know him when he found her two boys riding their bikes instead of being in school. "He scolded them. He told them not to do it again. And he put fear in them. They never did it again," she said. "He treated them like family. I tell you, everybody's lost an angel." Deputy Chief Craig Taffaro, who commands the parish's operations division, said Michel was a cheerful man who loved his job. "Obviously, today is the most difficult time," Taffaro said. The deputy chief said he knew Michel personally. "He was a great guy. He was well-liked. It was quite obvious at the hospital how many friends he had." He said Michel's father was en route to New Orleans. "I spoke with his dad," Taffaro said, "And he said, 'As difficult as this is, he's doing what he loved to do.' I guess that sums it up." Michel was assigned to the street crimes unit, which targets drug sales and criminal activity in 17 high-crime areas around the parish, Taffaro said. Michel was in a black unmarked car and dressed in plain clothes with sheriff markings. Michel joined the sheriff's office in 2007 and was transferred to the street crimes unit in 2015, Fortunato said. It was the year's second shooting of a Jefferson officer. Another member of the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office, Stephen Arnold, was shot and wounded in January during a drug raid on a house in the Lower 9th Ward section of New Orleans. ___ Associated Press reporters Kevin McGill and Chevel Johnson in New Orleans contributed to this story. ___ This story has been corrected to show that Michel's age is 50. Flowers and other items are laid at a memorial where Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Deputy David F. Michel Jr. was shot and killed in Harvey, La., Wednesday, June 22, 2016. A pedestrian walking down a busy commercial strip of the New Orleans suburb in the middle of the afternoon shot the sheriff's deputy multiple times, killing him, after being stopped by the officer Wednesday, an official said. (AP Photo/Cain Burdeau) A holstered police gun lies in the street on Ascot Road at the scene of the shooting. Jefferson Parish, Louisiana State Police and other law enforcement personnel work the scene of a fatal shooting that took the life of Jefferson Parish sheriff deputy David F. Michel Jr. Wednesday June 22, 2016, in New Orleans. A pedestrian walking down a busy commercial strip of a New Orleans suburb in the middle of the afternoon shot the sheriffs deputy multiple times, killing him, after being stopped by the officer Wednesday, an official said. (G. Andrew Boyd/NOLA.com The Times-Picayune via AP) Jefferson Parish Sheriff Officers respond to the shooting death of a deputy who initiated a pedestrian stop in front of a Dunkin' Donuts Wednesday, June 22, 2016, in Harvey, La. The pedestrian fired on the deputy and fled the scene and is still at large. (Matthew Hinton/The New Orleans Advocate via AP) Jefferson Parish Sheriff Officers respond to the shooting death of a deputy who initiated a pedestrian stop in front of a Dunkin' Donuts Wednesday, June 22, 2016, in Harvey, La. The pedestrian fired on the deputy and fled the scene and is still at large. (Matthew Hinton/The New Orleans Advocate via AP) The Latest: Sheriff: Suspect fired at deputy from back HARVEY, La. (AP) The Latest on the shooting death of a Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, sheriff's deputy (all times local): 10:30 p.m. The sheriff of a deputy who was shot and killed says the suspect flipped around as the officer was trying to search him, went chest to chest with the officer, pulled out a gun and reached over the deputy's shoulder to shoot him in the back. Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Normand said during a news conference Wednesday that the suspect fired two more shots into the deputy's back at point-blank range as he fell to the ground. Normand identified the suspect as 19-year-old Jerman Neveaux. A spokesman, John Fortunato, said Neveaux has been arrested on charges of first-degree murder and assault. Normand said the suspect admitted shooting the officer and said he was on probation for another offense and didn't want the officer to find the gun and arrest him. ___ 10 p.m. Authorities have identified the suspect in the fatal shooting of a Louisiana sheriff's deputy as 19-year-old Jerman Neveaux. Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Normand says ballistics positively linked a gun in Neveaux's possession to the Wednesday death of Deputy David Michel. Michel was shot three times in the back after stopping a pedestrian along a busy street in the suburb of Harvey about 12:20 p.m. ___ 9:15 p.m. A neighbor of a Louisiana sheriff's deputy who was shot and killed says he always checked on his neighbors and had a smile on his face. Lisa Jackson, a 49-year-old cook in New Orleans, said Wednesday that Deputy David Michel was a "neighborhood guy." Authorities say Michel was shot and killed in the nearby town of Harvey. A suspect has been detained. Michel's home was quiet Wednesday and no one answered the door. A blue ribbon was tied to the mail box. Jackson said she didn't know him well, but knew he liked to take his boat out and go fishing. She had also tied a blue ribbon to her porch as a token of remembrance. ___ 7:15 p.m. A woman in a New Orleans suburb where a sheriff's deputy was shot and killed says the suspect was hiding in her backyard when police rushed in and detained him. Geralisha Henderson said she went to her back door Wednesday to make sure it was locked after police combing her street said they were searching for a suspect. She said she saw what appeared to be a young man hiding in the yard. Frightened, she went to the street and waved for an officer. When she went back into the house the man was closer and asking to be let in. Then officers rushed in and detained him in the backyard. Officials say 50-year-old Deputy David Michel was shot and killed after stopping a pedestrian along a busy street. ___ 4:30 p.m. A local coroner says a sheriff's deputy killed in suburban New Orleans was shot three times in the back. Authorities said 50-year-old David Michel (mih-SHELL') Jr. of the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office died Wednesday afternoon. A sheriff's spokesman says Michel was shot after stopping a pedestrian along a busy street in the suburb of Harvey about 12:20 p.m. Dr. Gerry Cvitanovich (sih-TAN'-ah-vich) said Michel was shot "straight in the back." Details on the caliber of the weapon used were not released.___ 3:20 p.m. The sheriff's deputy shot to death on a busy suburban New Orleans street has been identified as 50-year-old David F. Michel (mih-SHELL') Jr. Jefferson Parish Sheriff's spokesman Col. John Fortunato said a suspect in the Wednesday afternoon shooting is in custody. Fortunato says the suspect is at University Medical Center in New Orleans, being treated for minor injuries. Fortunato says the suspect is believed to have been hurt in a struggle with Michel prior to the shooting. Michel died at that same hospital. Fortunato said the shooting happened in the suburban area of Harvey after Michel stopped the suspect, who was walking along busy Manhattan Boulevard around 12:20 p.m. Fortunato says witnesses told investigators the suspect pulled a gun from his waistband during a struggle with Michel. Michel was shot several times. ___ 1:30 p.m. Authorities in Louisiana say a deputy has been shot and killed after stopping a pedestrian on the street in a New Orleans suburb. Col. John Fortunato, a spokesman for the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office, said at a televised news conference that the deputy died Wednesday afternoon after he was shot in the city of Harvey. He had been taken to a hospital in New Orleans. The identity of the deputy has not been released. A search was underway for a suspect. ___ Swiss arrest suspected extremist upon return from Turkey GENEVA (AP) The Swiss federal prosecutor's office says authorities have detained a Swiss national in Zurich upon his return from Turkey on suspicion of links to jihadi groups in Syria and Iraq. Spokesman Andre Marty said the man, identified only as a 21-year-old from the French-speaking part of Switzerland, was detained at the Zurich airport on June 8 and has been placed in pre-trial detention. Estimates: 61,000 acres of opium grown in Mexico MEXICO CITY (AP) Mexico and the United Nations announced on Wednesday the results of a new study that estimates opium poppies were planted on about 61,000 acres (24,800 hectares) in Mexico between 2014 and 2015. The study is the first of its kind in Mexico, so authorities can't compare the results with past years to determine whether opium growing has expanded. The head of the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime in Mexico, Antonio Mazzitelli, said a second part of the study will try to estimate what the crop yield is in Mexico. FILE - In this March 4, 2010 file photo, a soldier stands on a poppy field, during eradication supervised by the Mexican Army on the outskirts of Morelia, Mexico. Mexico and the United Nations have carried out a new study that estimates opium poppy was planted in about 61,000 acres (24,800 hectares) in 2015. The study is the first of its kind in Mexico, so authorities cant compare the results with past years to determine whether opium growing has expanded. (AP Photo/Carlos Jasso, File) Mazzitelli said production is concentrated in nine states along Mexico's Pacific coast, including Guerrero, Sinaloa and Nayarit. The Mexican government said it had destroyed about the same acreage of poppy plantations in the same period, but it was unclear if that corresponded to the area mentioned in the study. U.S. authorities estimate that about half of the heroin seized there came from Mexico. Most of the rest of U.S. heroin comes from South America. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has said poppy cultivation in Mexico is on the rise, with 17,000 hectares in 2014 and an estimated potential production of 42 metric tons of heroin. The governor of Guerrero state, one of the country's biggest opium producing areas, proposed earlier this year allowing farmers to produce opium poppies for legal, medicinal use. Michigan sues companies that 'botched,' worsened Flint water FLINT, Michigan (AP) Michigan's attorney general filed a civil lawsuit Wednesday against two water engineering companies, saying their negligence caused and exacerbated Flint's lead-tainted water crisis and demanding what could total hundreds of millions of dollars in damages. Veolia and Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, also known as LAN, were sued in Genesee County Circuit Court. The firms already are facing suits from Flint residents over the disaster, in which improperly treated water from the Flint River scraped toxic lead from pipes into tap water. Houston-based LAN whose Flint office in 2013 and 2014 helped the city of nearly 100,000 switch to the Flint River as its primary water supply after decades of buying treated water from Detroit was accused of professional negligence and public nuisance. Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette announces a civil suit against Veolia, engineering services corporation, for negligence in the Flint water crisis at a press conference at University of Michigan-Flint in Flint, Mich. on Wednesday, June 22, 2016. Schuette filed a civil lawsuit Wednesday against two water engineering companies, saying their negligence caused and exacerbated Flint's lead-tainted water crisis and demanding what could total hundreds of millions of dollars in damages. Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton and Deputy Chief Investigator Ellis Stafford stand behind the podium during (Daniel Mears/The Detroit News via AP) Veolia, a French multinational corporation with U.S. offices, faces the same allegations along with a fraud count. Veolia was hired in 2015 after Flint began encountering numerous water problems but, according to the suit, it and LAN didn't detect the lack of a corrosion control chemical and instead recommended the addition of a chloride that made the problem worse. "In Flint, Veolia and LAN were hired to do a job and failed miserably," Attorney General Bill Schuette said at a news conference in Flint. "They basically botched it, didn't stop the water in Flint from being poisoned. They made it worse." In a statement, Veolia North America said it "will vigorously defend itself against these unwarranted allegations of wrongdoing." It noted that a task force appointed by Gov. Rick Snyder largely blamed the state for the emergency and did not even mention the company or assign it any blame. "The Attorney General has not talked to Veolia about its involvement in Flint, interviewed the company's technical experts or asked any questions about our one-time, one-month contract with Flint," Veolia said in a statement. "Veolia's engagement with the city was wholly unrelated to the current lead issues." LAN spokesman Tim Coffey said Schuette "blatantly mischaracterized" the company's role. The decision to not add corrosion controls was made by the city and state regulators, not LAN, according to the company, which said it had regularly pushed for corrosion control. Snyder has apologized for regulatory failures while the poverty-stricken city was under state financial management and began drawing its drinking water from the local river in a cost-cutting move. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality told the city that it was not required to add an anti-corrosion chemical until after a year of testing. Lead from old pipes leached into homes and businesses, leading to a public health emergency. There also were earlier E. coli detections; resident complaints about color, odor and taste; and high levels of a disinfectant byproduct. A General Motors plant had stopped using the water just six months after the 2014 switch because it was rusting engine parts, and experts suspect a deadly Legionnaires' disease outbreak was tied to the water. Flint returned to the Detroit water system in October. Criminal charges have already been filed against two state environmental officials, while Flint's utilities administrator pledged cooperation in exchange for reduced charges. Once Snyder signs budget legislation, Michigan will have allocated at least $240 million to resolve the water crisis in Flint. Noah Hall, a special assistant attorney general on Schuette's investigatory team, said the investigators "can't get the lead out of kids' blood." But they can hold accountable those responsible and collect money so "the people of Michigan and the state of Michigan can provide the kind of services needed to help this community recover from the devastating impacts of lead poisoning," he said. Legal damages could be used in part to replace thousands of lead service lines and pipes, according to the suit. Schuette on Wednesday again promised additional criminal charges, saying some will be filed "soon." Special Counsel Todd Flood acknowledged difficulty obtaining documents and other information from agencies, including the governor's office, but he pledged to go to court to get them if needed. Snyder spokeswoman Anna Heaton said lawyers in the attorney general's office have produced hundreds of thousands of documents from the governor's office and state departments for Flood, and "we will continue cooperating fully with all investigations, as we have from the beginning." ___ Online: State of Michigan vs. Veolia and LAN: http://bit.ly/28QQpaS ___ Eggert reported from Lansing. Associated Press writer Ed White in Detroit contributed to this report. Deputy Chief Investigator Ellis Stafford, left,Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette, second left, Special Counsel Todd Flood, second right, and Chief Investigator Andy Arena, right, stand behind the podium as Special Assistant Attorney General Noah Hill addresses the media during the announcement of a civil suit against against two water engineering companies, saying their negligence caused and exacerbated Flint's lead-tainted water crisis and demanding what could total hundreds of millions of dollars in damages, at a press conference at University of Michigan Flint in Flint, Mich. on Wednesday, June 22, 2016. (Daniel Mears/The Detroit News via AP) Deputy Chief Investigator Ellis Stafford, left, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette, center, and Special Assistant Attorney General Noah Hall enter a press conference Wednesday, June 22, 2016 in Flint, Mich, where Schuette announced civil suits against two water engineering companies, saying their negligence caused and exacerbated Flint's lead-tainted water crisis and demanding what could total hundreds of millions of dollars in damages. (The Detroit News/ Daniel Mears) Assistant Attorney General Noah Hal, left, listens as Attorney General Bill Schuette and his team announce that the attorney general filed a civil lawsuit Wednesday, June 22, 2016, against two water engineering companies, saying their negligence caused and exacerbated Flint's lead-tainted water crisis and demanding what could total hundreds of millions of dollars in damages. (Jake May/The Flint Journal-MLive.com via AP) Special Prosecutor Todd Flood speaks about his investigators not receiving all of the requested documents as Attorney General Bill Schuette and his team announce that the attorney general filed a civil lawsuit Wednesday, June 22, 2016, against two water engineering companies, saying their negligence caused and exacerbated Flint's lead-tainted water crisis and demanding what could total hundreds of millions of dollars in damages. (Jake May/The Flint Journal-MLive.com via AP) Officials: Deputy fatally shoots man armed with large knives WELLINGTON, Fla. (AP) Authorities say a man holding two large knives was fatally shot after he charged two South Florida deputies. Local news outlets report the shooting occurred Wednesday morning. The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office reports that the man's wife and 15-year-old daughter had been staying at a safe house after a sexual assault investigation. Escorted by two deputies, the wife had returned to the home to pick up some belongings. Deputies say the man appeared in a hallway holding the knives. The deputies repeatedly ordered the man to drop the knives, but he refused. One deputy tried unsuccessfully to subdue the man with a stun gun. The other deputy then shot the man twice. The man was taken to a hospital, where he died. Judge orders man to trial in 2014 slaying of female jogger MUSKEGON, Mich. (AP) A 46-year-old western Michigan man under investigation in the 2013 disappearance of a gas station clerk will stand trial in the slaying of a female jogger. WZZM-TV reports that a judge on Wednesday ordered Jeffrey Willis to Muskegon County Circuit Court on murder and gun charges in the 2014 shooting death of 36-year-old Rebekah Bletsch in Dalton Township. Willis of Muskegon Township also was charged in April with kidnapping a 16-year-old girl. The girl told investigators that she jumped out of Willis' minivan to escape. Jeffrey Willis, on murder and gun sharges in the 2014 shooting death of jogger Rebekah Bletsch, sits in a Muskegon County courtroom as the preliminary examination of Willis was held in Muskegon, Mich., Wednesday, June 22, 2016. (Erin Lefevre/Muskegon Chronicle via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT Ballistics matched a handgun seized from the vehicle with slugs found in Bletsch's body and shell casings. Authorities also have said Willis is a person of interest in the 2013 disappearance of then-25-year-old Jessica Heeringa from a Norton Shores gas station. ___ Editorial Roundup: Excerpts from recent editorials Excerpts from recent editorials in the United States and abroad: ____ June 23 The Khaleej Times on space revolution in India: India is witnessing a space revolution of sorts with satellites being launched every other month. On Wednesday, it placed 20 satellites in their designated orbits, including one for Google. This is a new record for the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) that's seen a revival of fortunes since its successful Mars Oribiter Mission two years ago, the most affordable in the world, even cheaper than some Hollywood blockbusters. The red planet has been a good omen for larger pursuits, while opening new frontiers to the country's eager space explorers. Scientists in the country are now taking space exploration to a commercial orbit, and are making money in the process. Small satellite launches for other countries and organizations are becoming fiscally viable and the revenue generated is being used to fund more ambitious programmes of Isro, the country's premier space agency. Sustainablity is the key to this largely indigenous programme that has come a long way from modest beginnings in the seventies. Only Nasa, with 29 satellites, and the Russian Space Agency, with 33, have done better than the Isro during a single launch effort. This event has put the country in a different league in space. It can now call itself a space powerhouse, a superpower, thanks to a spirit of enquiry. Spatial technology can be used here on earth to alleviate poverty, and make lives comfortable for the masses. Application of tech from space will give a boost to research and development. It will generate jobs, and make science more meaningful and real for millions. Space cooperation can also be explored with India's neighbours for common development goals. Large parts of South Asia face poverty and economic distress, and the benefits of India's space achievements should be shared to promote best agricultural practices, predict the weather and prevent disasters. It will help in ecological management and promote sustainable development in a region facing multiple crises. India's giant leap into space is expected to usher in a social and economic revolution in South Asia. Online: http://www.khaleejtimes.com ____ June 22 The Los Angeles Times on decision of whether the United Kingdom will remain in the European Union: On Thursday, voters in the United Kingdom will decide whether to remain in the European Union. That the electorate is apparently so closely split between the options of "Leave" and "Remain" is ominous. At issue in this dramatic struggle over Britain's identity, culture and independence is nothing less than the future of the 65-year move toward a closer, more integrated Europe. On the merits, the Remain option supported by Prime Minister David Cameron should win overwhelmingly. Britain benefits enormously from its participation in the 28-member economic and political union, and the consequences of withdrawal could be catastrophic for the British economy particularly for London's role as an international financial center. A recent study by the International Monetary Fund warned that the UK's withdrawal from the EU could shrink the British economy by 5% by the year 2019. Nor would withdrawal affect only affluent Britons, as some Leave proponents have suggested. Researchers at the London School of Economics estimated that middle-class families in the UK would face the loss of at least 4% of their income if the UK left the EU and had to trade under the rules of the World Trade Organization. Brexit also would complicate the UK's economic relationship with the United States. U.S. companies would think twice about investing in the UK if it no longer enjoyed the trading advantages of being part of the EU. On a visit to the UK earlier this year, President Obama warned that if Britain were to leave the union, it would find itself at the "back of the queue" in trade negotiations with the United States. Brexit would also make it harder for millions of Britons to travel freely and work on the Continent. Although supporters of withdrawal complain about an influx of workers from other European countries, the traffic is not only in one direction. Finally, Brexit would increase political tensions within the UK. It was only two years ago that nearly 45% of voters in Scotland expressed a preference for seceding from the UK. Political leaders in Scotland, where support for the EU is strong, have warned that a withdrawal of the UK from the EU might increase the pressure for another independence referendum. In Northern Ireland, Brexit could undermine the Protestant-Catholic peace process by depriving Catholics in the North of a political connection they now enjoy with their co-religionists in the Irish Republic, an EU member that is not part of the UK. Cameron also has warned that a victory for the Leave campaign would lead to the return of border controls between Northern Ireland and the Republic. Given these negative consequences, why is there so much support for Brexit? Some of the opposition is rooted in an island nation's suspicion of the Continent that has been part of British political life for centuries and which helps to explain why, even as as a member of the EU, the UK has maintained its own currency rather than adopt the euro. A variation of that concern is the (highly exaggerated) fear that "Eurocrats" in Brussels, in their zeal to form an ever-closer union, are usurping decisions that properly belong to the British Parliament. That attitude is especially prevalent in Cameron's Conservative Party, and some members of the prime minister's government have broken openly with him to support Brexit. Perhaps the most politically potent argument for Brexit is that the policy of free movement within the EU has allowed migrants from the Continent to take jobs away from British workers. It's true that the UK is a magnet for workers from the continent, especially Eastern Europe. But studies suggest that those workers who of course are also consumers of goods and services produced in the UK haven't dramatically affected the job prospects or wages of British workers. Finally, the debate over Brexit has been distorted by the same fears of international terrorism (mixed with Islamophobia) that have resonated in other places in Europe and in the U.S. presidential campaign. Brexit supporters have warned that Turkey, a predominantly Muslim county, could be admitted to the EU in the near future a claim Cameron has ridiculed. Britain has a veto power over the admission of new members (though Cameron hasn't promised to exercise it to keep Turkey out), but the more important reality is that Turkey is far from meeting all of the requirements for admission. Supporters of Brexit have argued that, once Britain withdrew from the EU, it could find other ways to establish favorable trade relations with the rest of Europe. They suggest, for example, that the UK could follow the example of Norway, a non-EU member that participates in what is called the European Economic Area. But a condition of membership in that arrangement is the same commitment to freedom of movement that supporters of Brexit object to as part of membership in the EU. Cameron has rightly called Brexit a "leap in the dark," and other opponents have noted that it threatens to destabilize the entire EU, giving other countries reason to reconsider their own membership in the institution. On Thursday, voters in the UK should refuse to take the plunge. Online: http://www.latimes.com ____ June 20 The Miami-Herald on U.S. relations with Venezuela: The U.S. government is taking a tougher stance on Venezuela's socialist government, but also offering to help rescue the country from its current economic crisis. Quite the juggling act. Last week, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry announced high-level talks will take place to ease tensions with Venezuela's socialist government. This came just hours after he also backed calls for a referendum that could force President Nicolas Maduro from office. This president has dodged and bullied his way out of holding any vote on his future, so the United States must be prepared to play hardball. "The United States joins the Secretary General of the OAS, Luis Almagro, and others in the international community calling on the government of Venezuela to release political prisoners and respect freedom of expression and assembly," Mr. Kerry said. Mr. Maduro, a tone-deaf and incompetent leader who has brought his country to the brink of chaos, last month declared a state of emergency granting himself pretty much full authority. Coupled with the colossal military exercises designed to intimidate the Venezuelan people, and it's clear the president is out of ideas. The latest round of talks would start immediately in Caracas. Last year, when relations between the two ideological foes were at their worst, dialogue attempts stalled. The talks would also be aimed at fostering communication between Venezuela's government and the opposition to carry out a "timely recall referendum that is part of the constitutional process," Mr. Kerry added. The regional body will debate the issue in Washington on June 23 and decide whether to apply the charter, introducing a gradual process that could lead to diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis in Venezuela and, ultimately, to its suspension from the OAS. Therefore, it is more than appropriate that Washington press to seek a remedy to the crises in Venezuela. The humanitarian crisis has put the country on the brink of a popular revolt. Within a two-week period, three people died during riots as people clamor for food, medicine and other necessities. These stunning shortages plague a once-rich oil-producing country that enjoyed high oil prices during the years of the Hugo Chavez administration. Venezuelan Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez responded to Mr. Kerry's concerns and demands by saying that the internal affairs of Venezuela are the business of Venezuelans. Not a very encouraging start, or one that's very realistic. If Venezuela's condition deteriorates into chaos, the consequences will breach its borders. The international community, in this case the OAS, should take steps to contain it. Mr. Almagro's proposal and Mr. Kerry's announcement are the logical responses to a political, economic and social crisis that Mr. Maduro's government has been unable and unwilling to resolve. In took Mr. Chavez 17 years to dismantle the productive apparatus that was once Venezuela. And Mr. Maduro seems hellbent on finishing the job. The era of astronomical oil profits is over, and now Venezuelans are paying for the lack of foresight of an administration that continues to make crude attempts to survive. Mr. Kerry did well to demand becoming part of the solution, and Washington must continue to insist that Venezuelans be able to express themselves and define their future in a recall referendum. Online: http://www.miamiherald.com ____ June 22 The Boston Globe on how the House is handling gun control: A CLUMSY ACT of censorship by House Republicans Wednesday says more about the party's timidity than it could possibly have intended. The Republican leadership abruptly shut down the video feed from the House floor to prevent CSPAN viewers from seeing a protest by House Democrats, who were pressing for action on gun control. The same House has endured debates on war, impeachment, taxes, and any number of other contentious issues all with the cameras rolling. A call to action on guns, though, was apparently too much for the tender feelings of Speaker Paul Ryan, whose office shut down CSPAN's access. It was a telling move. Censorship is not something that politicians who are confident of the righteousness of their beliefs bother with. If anticontrol lawmakers genuinely believe their abject fealty to the gun lobby is in the public interest, they should have no problem with debating gun-control proponents in front of the cameras. Likewise, if the Democrats who support gun control were really so misguided, the Republicans would presumably want the American people to see them Wednesday as they argued for a bad cause. Rather, turning off the camera is a desperation move for those who know they have no excuse and need to hide from the public. Pulling the plug on coverage of the gun protest was uncomfortably similar to the actions of a much earlier Congress, which forbade members from even discussing the issue of slavery out of deference to the powerful cotton lobby. In those days, Massachusetts representative and former president John Quincy Adams led the fight against the so-called gag rule, which led to calls for his ouster from the House. He was admonished for breaking the rules of the House just as a spokeswoman for Ryan justified the shut-off on Wednesday by saying, "the House cannot operate without members following the rules of the institution." Proslavery interests in those days were afraid of even allowing discussion on the House floor, and the supine agreement of politicians of the day has gone down in history as evidence of that lobby's power. The gun lobby is not as vicious, but the damage it enables in contemporary America certainly ranks it among today's gravest problems, and it seems to have a similar stranglehold on lawmakers and a similar ability to command unprecedented crackdowns on the airing of dissenting views in Congress. History proved why 19th-century proslavery politicians had good reason to fear what would happen if they didn't go to such extraordinary lengths to prevent debate. Mr. Speaker, what are you afraid of? Online: https://www.bostonglobe.com/ ____ June 22 The St. Louis Post-Dispatch on toxic stress: Children don't choose to have asthma or depression, to be obese, hyperactive or abused. But they frequently develop these health problems, and many others, when they are raised in environments with chronic levels of stress. Doctors in training in St. Louis are learning about the toxic effects of stress on children, and the grim health statistics for adults who experienced traumatic childhood events. This is part of a worthy effort by medical schools across the county to increase young doctors' awareness of the effects of toxic stress among patients raised in poverty. Professionals in the medical, public health and mental health fields are beginning to study the effects of living in environments where danger and insecurity are the norm, with an eye toward prevention and better treatment plans. They are finding that people from these traumatic backgrounds often have shortened life expectancy and develop health issues that can be costly and difficult to treat. The social costs of caring for children damaged by poverty and the conditions that exist in low-income environments are high. Young people who are raised in environments where crime and death are common, but nourishing food is not, have bodies and minds shaped by stress. The Post-Dispatch's Nancy Cambria has reported extensively on the topic, and on scientific findings about the effects of stress. New research shows biochemical factors from a stressed mother can be passed on during pregnancy, altering a developing child's chromosomes and hurting brain development. As they mature, these children are likely to develop social problems, have diminished brain volume and are at high risk for a range of adult diseases. It is critical that medical students recognize this. Exposing students to toxic environments helps make them more compassionate doctors, and encourages them to think differently about patient care. It aids them in understanding that children coming out of these situations are victims and likely to have special needs. Students at St. Louis University medical school recently had their first grand rounds presentation at Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital, where they witnessed the results of chronic levels of household stress on children. Dr. William Keenan, a neonatologist at SLU, told Cambria the visit "was the most important grand rounds we've had this year, probably this decade." Washington University medical students participate in a program that sends them to low-income neighborhoods and medical clinics where they get close to children affected by poverty, neighborhood violence, food shortage, debt, housing insecurity and domestic conflict. Toxic stress is a serious public health problem that is becoming recognized as a crisis. It cannot be ignored. Millions of children, many of them growing up in poverty, are adversely affected by levels of stress the adults in their lives can't protect them from, and sometimes even cause. Good medical care is the best first line of defense. Online: http://www.stltoday.com/ ____ June 21 The Richmond Times-Dispatch on Sen. Elizabeth Warren: On Tuesday, National Public Radio's "Morning Edition" reported that the short list for Hillary Clinton's running mate includes Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Virginia's very own Tim Kaine. Warren would appease the Bernie Sanders base. Her presence on the ticket would give Democrats their most liberal national slate, especially on economics, since William Jennings Bryan ran for the presidency. Kaine would appeal to moderate independents and to Republicans dismayed by Donald Trump's preposterous candidacy. Warren comes from a safe state for Democrats, Kaine from a battleground, although Clinton rates as a prohibitive favorite over Trump in the Old Dominion. If Warren joins the ticket and becomes vice president, she will owe Mitch McConnell and other GOP partisans a round of thanks. Here's why. Congress created the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in the aftermath of the Great Recession. President Obama considered naming Warren the agency's first head but backed off when Republican opposition, led by McConnell, threatened to reject her. He nominated someone else instead. The incident turned Warren into an ideological heroine. She subsequently ran for the Senate and defeated Scott Brown, whose victory in the special election to replace the late Edward Kennedy had given him 15 minutes of conservative fame. Analysts considered Warren a plausible presidential contender in 2016; she will remain a contender in elections to follow. If she had advanced to the regulatory bureau she would have labored in relative obscurity. She would not be looking at the vice presidency, or after that the Oval Office itself. Partisanship has consequences. What hath McConnell wrought? Ellen Soeteber, former editor of the Post-Dispatch, dies ST. LOUIS (AP) Veteran journalist Ellen Soeteber, the former editor of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, has died after a brief illness. She was 66. Soeteber, who also spent two decades at the Chicago Tribune and was managing editor of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, was hospitalized two weeks ago near her home in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, for an infection that proved to be untreatable, her husband and novelist Richard Martins told the Post-Dispatch. She died Tuesday. The Kassly Mortuary in Fairview Heights, Illinois, confirmed her death. Funeral arrangements are pending. Ellen Soeteber, editor of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, is seen in a Jan. 22, 2002 photo. Soeteber, a veteran journalist who was editor of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch in the early 2000s, died Tuesday, June 21, 2016, after a brief illness, according to The Kassly Mortuary in Fairview Heights, Illinois. She was 66. (Jerry Naunheim Jr./St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP) EDWARDSVILLE INTELLIGENCER OUT; THE ALTON TELEGRAPH OUT; MANDATORY CREDIT . PHOTO BY JERRY NAUNHEIM JR. Soeteber grew up in East St. Louis, Illinois, and was a 1972 graduate of Northwestern University. After a brief time at Chicago Today, a now defunct afternoon newspaper, she spent 20 years at the Chicago Tribune, including a stint as associate managing editor. She became managing editor of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel in 1994, and oversaw coverage of the 2000 presidential election that hinged on the outcome in Florida. Soeteber took over as the sixth editor of the Post-Dispatch in January 2001. She was the first female editor of the newspaper founded by Joseph Pulitzer in 1878. "The Post-Dispatch is not only the newspaper I grew up with, it's also the newspaper that inspired me to become a journalist," Soeteber said at the time. Adam Goodman, deputy managing editor at the Post-Dispatch, worked with Soeteber. He said her "leadership, knowledge and intensity" demanded respect. "She could be old-school tough, but unselfishly tutored many of us how to be smarter journalists and how to better cover and care about our community," Goodman said in a statement. Soeteber resigned in November 2005, citing financial considerations and other factors. Her resignation came days after the newspaper announced that 130 employees, including 40 people in the newsroom, had accepted early retirement offers from Lee Enterprises Inc., which purchased Pulitzer Inc. for $1.46 billion five months earlier. The Post-Dispatch was Pulitzer Inc.'s flagship newspaper. Soeteber returned to live in Fort Lauderdale. She was active in journalism fellowship programs at the University of Missouri and the University of Michigan up to the time of her death. 3 dead, 1 hurt in shooting in Washington state; meth found LACEY, Wash. (AP) Three people are dead and another is recovering from a gunshot wound following a shooting in Washington state, authorities said Wednesday. Thurston County Chief Deputy Dave Pearsall said that investigators found half a pound of methamphetamine, heroin, thousands of dollars in cash and about half a dozen firearms in a travel trailer where two men and a woman were found dead. Investigators don't believe that any of the weapons found were involved in Wednesday's shooting, Pearsall said. This photo shows a trailer where multiple people were found dead following a shooting Wednesday, June 22, 2016, in Lacey, Wash. Police have not yet determined a suspect or motive in the shooting. (AP Photo/Rachel La Corte) "We've developed information that these folks inside this trailer, two of them lived there, and it was a place that drugs were being dealt out of," he said. He said that they're not yet calling it a drug-related crime, but noted "this is a known area for some narcotics being sold." He said that a 911 call was received at 5:17 a.m. Wednesday from a 30-year-old man from Olympia who said that he had been shot, his friends were dead and that he didn't know where he was. Dispatch was able to use the caller's cellphone to find his general location on a property on the east side of Lacey, just north of the state capital of Olympia. "We found him collapsed on the driveway," Pearsall said. Pearsall said that the man had a gunshot wound to the chest and was transported to the hospital, where he was in stable condition after undergoing surgery. The three people found dead in the trailer were a 31-year-old woman, a 28-year-old Olympia man and a 36-year-old Elma man, and they all appeared to have died from gunshot wounds, Pearsall said. Their names have not yet been released. Pearsall said that there was no sign of a struggle in the trailer, and that the two men were both shot in the head and the woman was shot in the back. Investigators have talked with the man who survived the shooting, but Pearsall said he's still not coherent following surgery. He hasn't been ruled out as a suspect at this time, but is not currently a suspect, Pearsall said. "The suspect is still at large, we don't know who the suspect is at this time," he said, noting that the person "could be armed with the weapon that was used to kill these people." Investigators at the scene were observed going in and out of the trailer and walking around the property. Authorities are working on search warrants to follow up on leads as they work to establish a suspect, Pearsall said. "We're doing everything we can to follow up on some leads," he said. Investigators work outside of a travel trailer where multiple bodies were found Wednesday, June 22, 2016, in Lacey, Wash. Police have not yet determined a suspect or motive in the shooting. (AP Photo/Rachel La Corte) Officials with the Thurston County Sheriff's Office walk in a neighborhood where a shooting left multiple people dead Wednesday, June 22, 2016, in Lacey, Wash. Police have not yet determined a suspect or motive. (AP Photo/Rachel La Corte) Thurston County sheriffs detectives investigate an early morning shooting Wednesday, June 22, 2016, near Lacey, Wash., that left three people dead and one injured, according to Thurston County authorities. A man called 911 about 5:15 a.m. and told dispatchers his friends were dead and he didnt know where he was, Thurston County Chief Deputy Dave Pearsall told KIRO-TV. (Tony Overman/The Olympian via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT Thurston County sheriffs detectives investigate an early morning shooting Wednesday, June 22, 2016, near Lacey, Wash., that left three people dead and one injured, according to Thurston County authorities. A man called 911 about 5:15 a.m. and told dispatchers his friends were dead and he didnt know where he was, Thurston County Chief Deputy Dave Pearsall told KIRO-TV. (Tony Overman/The Olympian via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT Thurston County sheriffs detectives investigate an early morning shooting Wednesday, June 22, 2016, near Lacey, Wash., that left three people dead and one injured, according to Thurston County authorities. A man called 911 about 5:15 a.m. and told dispatchers his friends were dead and he didnt know where he was, Thurston County Chief Deputy Dave Pearsall told KIRO-TV. (Tony Overman/The Olympian via AP) MANDATORY CREDIT Pot-shop killing in Colorado raises security fears DENVER (AP) Cameras are everywhere in a pot shop, from the parking lot to the front door to the warehouses where the plant is packaged. But the elaborate security requirements in states that allow medical or recreational pot stores have one thing in common: They were written to keep weed off the black market, not to protect the people handling the drug. A fatal attack on a security guard at a suburban Denver dispensary last week has the industry wondering whether state security requirements are enough. Some industry analysts have compared a marijuana shop to a jewelry store full of untraceable diamonds, often uninsured and protected by people making not much more than minimum wage. Taxi cab drive Juan Molina pays his respects Monday, June 20, 2016, at a make-shift memorial for shooting victim Travis Mason at the Green Heart marijuana dispensary in Aurora, Colorado. Mason, a 24-year-old father of three and Marine Corps veteran was killed while when two armed men walked into the dispensary where he was providing security and shot him multiple times in an attempted robbery. The killing last weekend of Mason has the industry on edge and reviewing whether surveillance cameras and armed security is enough. (Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post via AP) It's a recipe for danger. Former Marine Travis Mason, 24, was shot and killed last weekend in Aurora at the Green Heart dispensary he was hired to guard. Police haven't made any arrests in the killing, which they say was perpetrated by two armed men. The slaying was the first known on-the-job death at a licensed marijuana business in Colorado. It highlighted how little is known about how safe pot shops are. It's unclear whether dispensaries or pot-growing operations are more likely to be robbed than any other place of business. Crime records aren't compiled by type of business, and the marijuana industry is hesitant to publicize crimes. No state with legal weed businesses keeps a count of how often they or their employees are robbed. "You're just as likely to get an armed robbery at a bank or a convenience store or anywhere else where there is cash," said Michael Jerome, spokesman for Blue Line Protection Group, a security firm that serves marijuana businesses in several states, including Colorado. "But in this industry, there is a natural tendency to resist uniformed security that looks like a police officer. And when they're robbed, they keep quiet about it to avoid becoming targets." The security requirements in states with regulated pot shops look fairly similar. Businesses have to film entries and exits, with cameras good enough to identify people. "They're really just to watch plants and keep people from selling to 12-year-olds. They don't provide real security," Noah Stakes, CEO of CannaGuard, a Portland, Oregon, company that has installed security systems in more than 250 marijuana businesses in several states. Colorado's Department of Public Safety tried earlier this year to count crimes at marijuana businesses. They found it impossible. But they did note that in the Denver, which has tried to count crimes related to marijuana businesses, found no uptick in robberies near pot shops. "There has been concern that ... robbery would be prevalent, but this has not proven to be the case" in Denver, authors noted. Still, the Aurora shooting has people who work with cannabis anxious. The industry has difficulty accessing banking services, forcing many businesses to require cash payments. "We've been saying for a long time that if we don't fix the banking issue, somebody's going to get killed. Unfortunately that appears to have happened," said Taylor West, deputy director of the National Cannabis Industry Association. A bill pending in the U.S. Senate aims to help alleviate marijuana-industry concerns about ongoing problems finding banking services. The bill, which awaits action in the House, bars the use of federal money to penalize a financial institution doing business with a marijuana business that complies with state laws. Back in Aurora, marijuana workers are sometimes anxious about going to work. "People were a little on edge," said Colin Patrick, general manager at Euflora Recreational Meds in Aurora, which put up $3,000 to match federal and city rewards for information on the Green Heart killers. For now, employee safety is largely left up to individual shop owners, not the state. "They're a lot more worried about the product than us, that's for sure," Patrick said of the marijuana regulators. ___ Puerto Ricans accused of killing beauty queen get new trial SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) A judge on Wednesday ordered a new trial for three men who challenged their murder conviction under a new law that allows convicted criminals to request DNA analyses on certain types of evidence. The three men have served 20 years in prison after being convicted in 1995 of killing a local beauty queen. The men, Jose Caro, Nelson Ruiz and Nelson Ortiz, have repeatedly denied involvement and alleged that they were set up. Attorneys with Puerto Rico's Interamerican University Innocence Project in January challenged the men's conviction under the new law. They said DNA evidence was not properly analyzed and noted that a witness who placed the men at the scene has since retracted his testimony, saying he lied. The judge set bail for Caro at $7,000 and for Ruiz and Ortiz at $5,000 each. The ruling is the first of its kind in response to a law Gov. Alejandro Garcia Padilla signed in December. The law states that requests can apply only to new evidence, to state evidence that was never analyzed or to evidence that was analyzed but whose results were questioned. Drug smuggler Melissa Reid arrives back in UK Drug mule Melissa Reid has arrived back on home soil after spending nearly three years in jail in Peru. The 22-year-old Scot arrived at Glasgow Airport at 21:44 on Wednesday after completing the last leg of her journey to the UK from Lima. Reid, from Lenzie, East Dunbartonshire, was caught in August 2013 with 23-year-old Michaella McCollum, from Dungannon, Co Tyrone, trying to smuggle cocaine worth 1.5 million in food bags from Peru to Spain. Melissa Reid at Lima Airport with her father Billy before boarding a flight back to the UK (AP) The pair - nicknamed the "Peru Two" - were jailed for six years and eight months after admitting the offence. But a judge last month ordered Reid to be expelled from the South American country under an early release scheme for deporting first-time drug offenders. Reid, who is understood to have travelled to Scotland on a flight from Amsterdam, was accompanied by her father Billy. She did not appear before waiting media at the international arrivals area. It is understood she accepted an airside transfer. Around 24 hours earlier, Reid smiled as she arrived at Lima Airport on Tuesday evening with her father and British Embassy staff, before being whisked through security by Peruvian officials overseeing her deportation. Janeth Sanchez, a spokeswoman for Peru's prison service, said that the Scot had "served her time in prison according to the law and can now go to her country, free, to the streets". A Scottish Prison Service spokeswoman said it is not involved with Reid's case. McCollum was freed in March under new legislation but was required to remain on parole in Peru for an undisclosed period of time. The two women had initially claimed they were forced into carrying the drugs - around 24lb (11kg) of cocaine - but then pleaded guilty to the charges. McCollum and Reid faced the prospect of a maximum 15-year prison term but struck a behind-closed-doors plea bargain to secure the shorter sentence. Around nine in 10 of the 1,809 foreigners in Peru's prisons are either sentenced or awaiting trials for drug trafficking. Reid's father has previously said the impact of his daughter's crime on his family had been ''horrendous'', and spoke 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." Prisoner charged with murdering fellow inmate at high-security jail A serving prisoner is due in court charged with the murder of a fellow inmate at a high-security prison. Victor Castigador, 61, was charged by West Mercia Police with causing the death of a 59-year-old man at Long Lartin Prison in Worcestershire. The victim, named by the Prison Service as Sidonio Teixeira, was pronounced dead at around 9am on Monday. The incident happened at Long Lartin prison In 2007, Teixeira pleaded guilty to the murder of his three-year-old daughter and the attempted murder of his nine-year-old son. He was serving a sentence of life imprisonment with a minimum term of 23 years for murder. Castigador has been remanded in custody ahead of his appearance at Worcester Magistrates' Court. The Filipino was s entenced in February 1990 for dousing two guards at a Soho amusement arcade with petrol and burning them to death because of a grudge. The judge at his trial recommended a minimum of 25 years but he was given a whole life tariff by the Home Secretary. A Prison Service spokesman said: " In addition to the police investigation, there will be an investigation by the independent Prisons and Probation Ombudsman. It would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage." The death at the Category A unit came little more than a year after another prisoner was killed there. Murderer John York, 25, from Northamptonshire, was killed at the prison in May 2015. York had been jailed for life with a minimum of 18 years in March 2013 after being found guilty of beating 60-year-old Glenn Clary to death in August 2012. Father's warning after teen's 'drugs death' The father of a teenager who collapsed at a music event at the O2 and later died has warned that those who take drugs "can pay the ultimate price". "Wonderful, vibrant" Emily Lyon, 17, was among six youngsters who went to the Red Bull Culture Clash on June 17 and were taken to hospital after apparently taking illegal drugs. Today her father Steve Lyon, from Teddington, south-west London, said: "We are absolutely devastated at what has happened and we're struggling to come to terms with it. Emily Lyon died after apparently taking illegal drugs "Emily was a wonderful, vibrant young lady. She was a loving daughter and a caring sister, who was much adored by her vast circle of friends. "It can be seen how these so called 'recreational substances' can result in such tragic consequences for so many people. Those who take them can pay the ultimate price." A 16-year-old boy who was also at the event was taken to hospital having apparently taken drugs, and four others were taken to hospital as a precaution but then discharged. Emily's death is currently being treated by police as unexplained. A post mortem examination proved inconclusive and officers are awaiting the results of toxicology tests. Farage pulls out of live TV debate for 'family reasons' Nigel Farage has pulled out of Channel 4's live EU referendum debate. A spokesman for the Ukip leader said he would not be taking part because of "family reasons". The leading Leave campaigner was due to take part in the TV debate on the eve of the referendum along with dozens of other campaigners from each side. Nigel Farage was due to take part in a TV debate A spokesman for the broadcaster said Mr Farage pulled out around 2pm and the line up has since been reshuffled. Ukip had offered their MEP Steven Woolfe to take the place of Mr Farage but the offer was declined, the party said. The debate, hosted by Jeremy Paxman, will feature Labour's pro-EU campaign leader Alan Johnson and former First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond for the Remain camp and businessman Theo Paphitis and Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg MP for Leave. Earlier on Wednesday Nigel Farage refused to apologise for his controversial "breaking point" immigration poster, despite suggestions by his party that he had. The Ukip leader was quizzed over the poster, which depicts a snaking line of hundreds of immigrants arriving in Europe, after Ukip politician Diane Jones suggested he regretted it. Speaking in central London, Mr Farage said: "I apologise for the timing and I apologise for the fact that it was able to be used by those who wish us harm. "But I can't apologise for the truth. And after all, this was a photograph your newspaper carried, this was a photograph that all newspapers carried, it is an example of what is wrong inside the European Union." He said the decision by German Chancellor Angela Merkel to welcome so many migrants into Europe has "created divisions between countries". He made his comments following his final speech on the campaign trail urging people to vote Leave in Thursday's referendum. Speaking to press from all over the world and Vote Leave supporters in Westminster, Mr Farage said: "Let's stop pretending what this European project is - they have an anthem, they are building an army, they have already got their own police force, and of course they have got a flag. Last-16 opponents Wales hold no fear for Michael O'Neill's Northern Ireland Northern Ireland are confident they can defeat fellow home nation Wales in Paris to advance to the Euro 2016 quarter-finals, according to boss Michael O'Neill. Robbie Brady's 85th-minute goal for the Republic of Ireland ensures Norn Iron will face a battle of Britain against the Welsh at the Parc des Princes, rather than a last-16 tie with hosts France in Lyon, a fixture now on the Republic's own schedule. Brady's winner also sends Northern Ireland into the half of the draw that does not feature world champions Germany, reigning European champions Spain, Italy, France or England. Wales hold no fear for Michael O'Neill at Euro 2016 O'Neill's team met Wales as recently as March, though they recorded a 1-1 draw against a team missing Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey, and the prospect of a reunion on a Saturday night in the French capital is mouthwatering. "It is going to be a fantastic game," O'Neill said. "We will be heading back to the Parc des Princes which, as we know from Tuesday night, is a brilliant stadium. We will benefit from the familiarity of having been there already, of having done the journey and of having played on the pitch. "The results put is in what is arguably the more favourable side of the draw, so we are pleased about that. "We are in no doubt that it is going to be a tough game against Wales but we will go into the match believing that we can win and that we can progress." Speaking on Wednesday afternoon before knowing whether he would be preparing his team for the Welsh or the French, O'Neill noted that a return journey to Paris, where they were beaten by Germany on Tuesday, would give them shorter preparation time. "Wales have done exceptionally well," he said. "Having won the group, they will be in a good place confidence-wise. Gareth Bale's had a very good tournament. It will be a very difficult game. Powers must push for political solution in Syria - UN GENEVA, June 21 (Reuters) - 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 hold 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 airstrikes, 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. 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 refinancing or even renegotiating maturing credit to farmers before offering them new working capital and investment loans. Banco Pine SA, ABN Amro Group NV, Credit Agricole SA and others have followed suit. 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) More Argentine companies eye initial public offerings 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. 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. Rival Libyan forces clash in strategic eastern town By Ayman al-Warfalli BENGHAZI, Libya, June 21 (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 kilometres 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. Brazil speaker refuses to quit, denies corruption charges By Maria Carolina Marcello BRASILIA, June 21 (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. North Korea missile reaches new heights, "intensifying" threat to Japan By Ju-min Park and Tim Kelly SEOUL/TOKYO, June 22 (Reuters) - North Korea launched what appeared to be an intermediate-range missile on Wednesday to a high altitude in the direction of Japan before it plunged into the sea, military officials said, a technological advance for the isolated state after several test failures. The launch came about two hours after a similar test failed, South Korea's military said, and covered 400 km (250 miles), more than halfway towards the southwest coast of Japan's main island of Honshu. The launches and earlier nuclear tests show continued defiance of international warnings and a series of U.N. Security Council resolutions and sanctions, which North Korea rejects as an infringement of its sovereignty. Japanese Defence Minister Gen Nakatani said the second missile reached an altitude of 1,000 km (620 miles), indicating North Korea had made progress. "We don't know whether it counts as a success, but North Korea has shown some capability with IRBMs (intermediate range ballistic missiles)," he told reporters in Tokyo. "The threat to Japan is intensifying." Reclusive North Korea and the rich, democratic South are technically still at war because their 1950-53 conflict ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty. The North regularly threatens to destroy the Japan, South Korea and the South's main ally, the United States. South Korean President Park Geun-hye denounced the test. "The North Korean regime must realise that complete isolation and self-destruction await at the end of reckless provocation," she said. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg also decried North Korea's "provocative actions". "I strongly condemn the launch by North Korea of two ballistic missiles," Stoltenberg said in a statement. "These repeated provocative actions ... undermine international security and dialogue," he said, calling for North Korea to "fully comply with its obligations under international law, not to threaten with or conduct any launches using ballistic missile technology and to refrain from any further provocative actions". The first missile was launched from the east coast city of Wonsan, a South Korean official said, the same area where previous tests of intermediate-range missiles were conducted, possibly using mobile launchers. FIFTH STRAIGHT FAILURE South Korea's Yonhap news agency, quoting a government official, said the first missile disintegrated mid-air after a flight of about 150 km (95 miles). Wednesday's first launch was the fifth straight unsuccessful attempt in the past two months to launch a missile that is designed to fly more than 3,000 km (1,800 miles) and could theoretically reach any part of Japan and the U.S. territory of Guam. Jeffrey Lewis, of the California-based Middlebury Institute of International Studies, said missiles were usually fired at a certain angle to maximise range, so the high altitude of the second launch may have been chosen to avoid Japanese airspace. "That suggests the missile worked perfectly," Lewis said. "Had it been fired at its normal angle, it would have flown to its full range." Lewis said failures were a normal part of testing and that North Korea would fix problems with the Musudan intermediate-range missile sooner or later. "If North Korea continues testing, eventually its missileers will use the same technology in a missile that can threaten the United States," Lewis told Reuters. Nakatani said North Korea's repeated missile launches were a "serious provocation" and could not be tolerated. Japan indicated after the first launch that it would protest strongly because it violated U.N. resolutions, even though the launches posed no immediate threat to Japanese security. In Seoul, South Korea's presidential office said a national security meeting was convened to discuss the latest missile launches. LONGER-RANGE ROCKETS The U.S. military detected the two missiles, most likely Musudan, from North Korea, the U.S. military's Pacific Command said. A Pentagon spokesman said both missiles fell into the Sea of Japan. 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 April. While North Korea has developed potential longer-range rockets, such as its 30-metre (98 ft) Unha-3, a home-grown three-stage rocket based on 1950s Soviet Scud missile technology, it needs to be fuelled from a fixed launch pad making it easy to detect and impractical as a weapon. A smaller, powerful intermediate missile that is easier to deploy on a mobile launcher poses a harder threat to counter. The U.N. Security Council, backed by the North's main diplomatic ally, China, imposed tough new sanctions in March after North Korea conducted its fourth nuclear test in January and launched a long-range rocket that put an object into space orbit. "At present, the situation on the peninsula remains very complex and severe. We think that the relevant party should avoid doing anything to further worsen tensions," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told reporters at a regular press briefing on Wednesday. North Korea has conducted a series of tests since then that it claimed showed progress in nuclear weapons and long-range ballistic missile capabilities, including new rocket engines and simulated atmospheric re-entry. Japan gov't says to protest North Korea missile launch - Kyodo TOKYO, June 22 (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 Defence 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 analyse information. North Korea's second missile flies 400 km - S.Korean military SEOUL, June 22 (Reuters) - A second missile launched by North Korea on Wednesday flew about 400 km (250 miles), South Korea's military said on Wednesday, but it was yet to determine whether the launch was a success or failure. The South Korean Joint Chiefs of Staff said South Korea and the United States were analysing the launch closely. GRAINS-Corn ticks up from 1-mth low, wheat firms after 2-day decline SINGAPORE, June 22 (Reuters) - Chicago corn edged higher on Wednesday after hitting a near one-month low earlier in the session, facing headwinds from improving prospects for the U.S. crop. Wheat gained ground after dropping for the last two days on pressure from the ongoing harvest of the U.S. winter crop, while soybeans inched up amid support from strong demand for U.S. products. FUNDAMENTALS * The most active-corn corn contract dropped to its lowest since May 24 before recovering. * Corn's 5.9-percent drop on Tuesday was its biggest since July 2013. After the close, the CME Group, parent of the Chicago Board of Trade, said it would change the daily trading limit in corn to 40 cents a bushel for Wednesday's session, expanding from the normal limit of 25 cents. * Commodity funds had built up a massive net long position in CBOT corn in recent weeks on strong demand tied to tightening South American supplies and uncertainty about the U.S. growing season. * But the U.S. Department of Agriculture's weekly crop progress report late on Monday rated 75 percent of the U.S. corn acreage in good to excellent condition, unchanged from the previous week, despite a hot spell in the Midwest. Analysts surveyed by Reuters had expected a decline in crop ratings. * Forecasters called for much-needed rains this week, easing worries about dryness. The USDA's report showed topsoil moisture declining in big corn states, including Iowa, Illinois and Missouri. * Soybean futures rose as fresh export sales of U.S. soybeans and soyoil lent underlying support. The USDA said private exporters sold 132,000 tonnes of U.S. soybeans to China for 2016/17 delivery. * Gains in the wheat market have been capped by seasonal pressure from the U.S. winter wheat harvest, which was 25 percent complete by Sunday, the USDA said. MARKET NEWS * Asian stocks were steady on Wednesday as nervous investors counted down to Britain's make-or-break EU referendum, while Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen's cautious tone on future rate hikes added to a subdued mood in markets. DATA AHEAD (GMT) 1300 U.S. Monthly home price index Apr 1400 Euro zone Consumer confidence Jun 1400 U.S. Existing home sales May Grains prices at 0124 GMT Contract Last Change Pct chg Two-day chg MA 30 RSI CBOT wheat 461.50 3.00 +0.65% -2.43% 479.74 33 CBOT corn 396.75 0.50 +0.13% -5.82% 410.46 31 CBOT soy 1113.25 2.50 +0.23% -1.72% 1102.23 45 CBOT rice 11.08 $0.05 +0.41% -1.95% $11.46 37 WTI crude 50.05 $0.20 +0.40% +1.38% $48.63 60 Currencies Euro/dlr $1.124 $0.000 +0.03% -0.59% USD/AUD 0.7460 0.002 +0.21% +0.04% Most active contracts Wheat, corn and soy US cents/bushel. Rice: USD per hundredweight RSI 14, exponential (Reporting by Naveen Thukral; Editing by Joseph Radford) Taiwan stocks fall after 3 days of gains; caution ahead of UK referendum TAIPEI, June 22 (Reuters) - Taiwan stocks fell on Wednesday on profit-taking after three sessions of gains and caution ahead of Britain's EU referendum later this week. The main TAIEX index was down 0.3 percent at 8,661.93 as of 0207 GMT, after closing 0.7 percent higher in the previous session. The electronics subindex fell 0.2 percent, while the financials subindex dropped 0.6 percent. Among actively traded big-caps, Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd, the world's largest electronics manufacturer, rose 0.1 percent, while contract chipmaker TSMC was down 0.9 percent. Hon Hai, which goes by the trade name of Foxconn, is holding its annual general meeting on Wednesday, an event where founder Terry Gou directly speaks to retail investors and answers their questions. Gou said at the start of the meeting that world events would not seriously impact the firm's operations. Japan says Nth Korean missile shows threat intensifying TOKYO, June 22 (Reuters) - One of the missiles launched by North Korea on Wednesday reached an altitude of over 1,000 kms (621 miles) showing the Pyongyang regime has made progress developing intermediate range ballistic missiles (IRBM), Japan's Minister of Defence said. "We don't know whether it counts as a success, but North Korea has shown some capability with IRBMs," Gen Nakatani told reporters in Tokyo. "The threat to Japan is intensifying." Gains against Islamic State not yet enough, could backfire: U.S. officials By John Walcott WASHINGTON, June 22 (Reuters) - President Barack Obama and some administration officials have hailed recent military gains against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, but other U.S. officials and outside experts warn that the U.S.-backed air and ground campaign is far from eradicating the radical Islamic group, and could even backfire. While Islamic State's defeats in Iraq and Syria have erased its image of invincibility, they threaten to give it greater legitimacy in the eyes of disaffected Sunni Muslims because Shi'ite and Kurdish fighters are a major part of the campaign, some U.S. intelligence officials argue. A second danger, some U.S. officials said, is that as the group loses ground in the Iraqi city of Falluja and elsewhere, it will turn increasingly to less conventional military tactics and to directing and inspiring more attacks against "soft" targets in Europe, the United States and elsewhere. One U.S. intelligence official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, warned that in response to losing Falluja and other cities the group likely would turn more to guerrilla tactics to disrupt efforts to restore government services. "We can expect ISIL to harass local forces that are holding cities it previously controlled, thereby drawing out battles into protracted campaigns," he said. The territory held by ISIL has enabled it to build up revenues through oil and taxes, provided it a base to launch attacks on Baghdad, and acted as a recruiting tool for foreign fighters drawn to the self-proclaimed Islamic caliphate. President Barack Obama said on June 14 -- two days after a gunman pledging allegiance to Islamic State killed 49 people in Orlando -- that the militant group was losing "the money that is its lifeblood" as it continues to lose territory. Brett McGurk, the presidential envoy for the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL, told a White House briefing on June 10 that the group has lost half the territory it had seized in Iraq, about 20 percent of its self-proclaimed caliphate in Syria, and at least 30 percent of its oil production, which accounts for half its revenue. But Islamic State fighters in Iraq are already showing signs of adapting a guerrilla war-style strategy, Seth Jones, an analyst with the RAND Corp, told Reuters. "It looks like the areas that the Islamic State has lost, they are generally abandoning, and that would mean preparing to fight another day," he said. Despite the progress against ISIL on the battlefield and in the financial realm, CIA Director John Brennan told the Senate Intelligence Committee last week: "Our efforts have not reduced the group's terrorism capability and global reach." "The resources needed for terrorism are very modest, and the group would have to suffer even heavier losses of territory, manpower, and money for its terrorist capacity to decline significantly," he said. ENCOURAGING LONE WOLVES Hassan Hassan, a terrorism expert at the Royal Institute of International Affairs in London, told the U.S. Senate Homeland Security committee on Tuesday that the Orlando attack showed the group's territorial losses hadn't diminished its broader appeal. "The Islamic State's international appeal has become untethered from its military performance on the ground," he said. Sunnis in Iraq no longer view the ISIL radicals as liberators, and the Shi'ite role in the fighting is less important than it was a year ago, officials in Baghdad told Reuters. As a result, they said, the Iraqi army has gained Sunni acceptance and is seen less as a Shi'ite-led sectarian force than it was under former Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. But the risk that offensives against ISIL involving Shi'ite forces could foment sectarian tensions and help the group have been underscored by allegations that 49 Sunni men were executed after surrendering to a Shi'ite militia supporting the army offensive to retake Falluja. Such reports "feed into ISIL's narrative," the U.S. intelligence official said. Former U.S. ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker, who visited the country in March, wrote last week in the Cipher Brief, an online intelligence publication, that extremist Shi'ite militias are on the scene in Falluja. Iranian Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani has underscored Iran's role in the conflict by appearing publicly on the battlefield. As ISIL has faced military setbacks, the flow of foreign fighters travelling to Iraq and Syria has dropped significantly, according to the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL. European counter terrorism officials said some 300-400 already have returned to Britain, raising concerns about what they called an increasing convergence of IS ideology and mentally unstable individuals. So called "lone wolf" attackers like the Orlando shooter are Islamic State's way of "overwhelming their enemies with threats that have to be run to ground," Bruce Hoffman, a terrorism expert at Georgetown University in Washington, told Reuters. "That is the true intention beyond the lone wolf attacks -- to distract and overwhelm the attention of law enforcement and intelligence." Eliminating the threat ISIL poses will require coupling the military gains in Iraq and Syria with political and economic reforms, say U.S. officials and outside experts. Turkish jets strike PKK targets in northern Iraq, southeast Turkey DIYARBAKIR, Turkey, June 22 (Reuters) - Turkish warplanes struck Kurdish militant targets in northern Iraq and southeastern Turkey overnight on Wednesday, security sources said. The strikes destroyed targets belonging to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), including shelters and weapon stores, they said. The PKK leadership is based mainly in northern Iraq. Baghdad and Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish Regional Government frequently object to such air incursions. The jets hit sites near the Turkish towns of Lice and Semdinli, the sources said. Bangladesh river eats up land and homes, trapping poor villagers By Rafiqul Islam KURIGRAM, Bangladesh, June 22 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - P iyara Begum once had a happy life in Garuhara village by the Brahmaputra River in northern Bangladesh, but worsening erosion of the river banks has displaced her family seven times. Now Piyara, 30, has taken shelter in Panchgachi village, 8 kilometres away in the same sub-district of Kurigram Sadar. "I am always concerned about where Piyara and her three children are living, and how she manages her family expenses, as she has lost everything due to erosion," said her uncle, Abdul Majid, who still lives in Garuhara village. The loss of Piyara's home is taking a toll on her mental and physical health, he added. Riverbank erosion is a common problem along the mighty Brahmaputra during the monsoon, but scientists say climate change is making the phenomenon worse by contributing to higher levels of flooding and siltation. According to villagers in Garuhara, about 200 families have been displaced by erosion there in the last two years. Majid fears that if the trend continues, the whole of the village will go underwater, rendering about 1,000 families homeless. But some of those who want to escape that prospect cannot - because they are unable to turn their assets into the cash they need to pay for their move. Abdul Malek, 45, a farmer in Garuhara, had 0.4 acres of agricultural land on the bank of the Brahmaputra, but the river washed away half his plot during the monsoon last year. "My family had no problem in the past as we cultivated crops on the land to meet our food demand. But now we are facing trouble," he said. Malek and his family are planning to migrate to another part of the country after selling their homestead, but they cannot find a buyer because the property is at high risk of erosion. Other families in Garuhara village who also want to sell up and leave are trapped there for the same reason. EROSION RATES RISING The Brahmaputra is a transboundary river, originating in southwestern Tibet, flowing through the Himalayas, India's Assam State and Bangladesh, and out into the Bay of Bengal. Climate change has contributed to rapid siltation of the river in recent years, which is intensifying bank erosion during the monsoon, Bangladesh Water Resources Minister Anisul Islam Mahmud told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. A 2014 study from the International Union for Conservation of Nature showed that the flow of the Brahmaputra is influenced strongly by the melting of snow and ice upstream, mainly in the eastern Himalaya mountains. This century, as temperatures rise, the river is likely to see an overall increase in flows throughout the year, driven by more rainfall, higher snow melt rates and expanded run-off areas, the study said. Every year, the river carries silt from the Himalayas and deposits it downstream in Bangladesh, creating myriad islands known as chars. When floods occur upstream on the Brahmaputra, amid more intense bursts of heavy rainfall linked to climate change, the silted-up river has less capacity to carry the huge volume of water, accelerating bank erosion. Maminul Haque Sarker of the Center for Environmental and Geographic Information Services (CEGIS), a Dhaka-based think tank, said the erosion rate has increased at some points of the river in Kurigram, Gaibandha, Jamalpur and Sirajganj districts. A 2015 CEGIS study put the annual rate of erosion along the Brahmaputra at around 2,000 hectares (4,942 acres) in recent years. Bangladesh's major rivers combined consume several thousand hectares of floodplain annually, destroying homes and infrastructure and leaving people landless and homeless. 'SILENT CANCER' A 2013 study by the Refugee and Migratory Movements Research Unit at the University of Dhaka and the UK-based Sussex Centre for Migration Research estimated that riverbank erosion displaces 50,000 to 200,000 people in Bangladesh every year. Those displaced by erosion become isolated from their families and wider social networks, and most have no scope to return to their roots. Majid from Garuhara village said many of his neighbours and relatives have already left for other parts of the country and do not see each other even once a year. Minister Mahmud said riverbank erosion works like a silent cancer and can be more devastating than storms or floods because it takes everything people own, including their land. "People have the chance to return to a normal life if they are hit by a cyclone or flood," he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation. "If people once become displaced due to bank erosion, it is quite impossible to return to normal life." CEGIS deputy executive director Fida A Khan said people often have family cemeteries or other religious monuments on the riverbanks that are claimed by erosion. Those structures may not be worth much economically, but have high social value, he added. Jahera Begum, 45, another victim of riverbank erosion, had a homestead in Balchipara village in Kurigram Sadar sub-district, but the river washed away all the village land during last year's monsoon, uprooting about 100 families. "My husband has already gone to Feni district seeking work. I am temporarily taking shelter in my relatives' house at Garuhara," said Jahera, who is planning to head to Feni or even Dhaka soon. Italian bailout fund Atlante prepares Popolare Vicenza sale - sources By Pamela Barbaglia LONDON, June 21 (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. 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 toward 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 . 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. Malaysian financier Jho Low owned firm linked to 1MDB scandal-source By Bill Tarrant and Rozanna Latiff SINGAPORE/KUALA LUMPUR, June 22 (Reuters) - For the past year, the Malaysian government has said a company called Good Star Ltd, which received $1.03 billion from the scandal-hit 1MDB investment fund, was owned by the fund's joint venture partner, PetroSaudi International Ltd. Now an official with knowledge of a regulatory investigation has confirmed what Malaysia's central bank has recently asserted: Malaysian financier Low Taek Jho was the sole owner of Good Star during its five years as a company. "What I can say for sure is that Jho Low is the exclusive beneficial owner of Good Star," the official said. According to a registration document seen by Reuters, Good Star was incorporated in the Seychelles on May 18, 2009, four months before the initial payment to PetroSaudi. It was dissolved five years later on May 2, 2014. Low, who is most often referred to as Jho Low, was the owner of Good Star throughout those five years, the official said. Both Low, and the government have denied he had anything to do with 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB), a fund Prime Minister Najib Razak founded in September 2009 to invest in strategic property and energy projects. Malaysian companies and banks linked to 1MDB are at the centre of corruption and money laundering probes that have led investigators to look at transactions and financial relationships across the globe - from Malaysia to Singapore and the Seychelles, from Abu Dhabi to offshore companies in the Caribbean, and from the United States to Switzerland. Investigations are being conducted by authorities in the United States, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Singapore, and the United Arab Emirates. ENERGY INVESTMENT? Unravelling the status of Good Star's ownership is important, investigators say, because it will help determine whether 1MDB's funds were misappropriated or used for legitimate investments, as the government maintains. If Low is the sole owner of Good Star, it could indicate that 1MDB funds were not directed to an energy project investment with PetroSaudi but for another purpose, investigators say. The 34-year-old Low has not been charged with any offence in the investigations into 1MDB. He did not reply to requests for comment that were directed to his private equity and advisory firm in Hong Kong, Jynwel Capital, and his whereabouts could not be determined. Najib, who was the chairman of 1MDB's advisory board until recently, has denied any wrongdoing. The Prime Minister's office did not respond to requests for comment about Good Star for this article. 1MDB and the Malaysian finance ministry, which is the sole shareholder of the fund, declined to comment. PetroSaudi was founded in 2005 by Saudi businessman Tarek Essam Ahmad Obaid, a graduate of Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, the company's website says. PetroSaudi and Obaid did not respond directly when asked if the firm owned Good Star. The London-based law firm of Carter-Ruck, speaking on behalf of PetroSaudi, said in an emailed statement: "Our clients categorically deny any wrongdoing in relation to the Joint Venture with 1MDB, and they have made clear that all funds invested by 1MDB in the Joint Venture were returned, with profits." CENTRAL BANK LETTER Good Star's ownership continues to be a matter of debate in Malaysia. The head of Malaysia's parliamentary inquiry into 1MDB last month denied Low was the owner of Good Star. He did so in explaining why he rejected a letter from Malaysia's central bank saying that Low, indeed, was the owner. The parliamentary inquiry chief, Hasan Arifin, from Najib's ruling United Malays National Organisation, said he did not include the confidential letter in his final report on 1MDB because the Bank's source of information was "intelligence grade", which "may be prejudiced against various parties". Arifin declined to comment to Reuters. The central bank did not respond to requests for comment. The former chief executive of 1MDB, Shahrol Halmi, told the inquiry that Good Star was a subsidiary of PetroSaudi, according to the report. 1MDB made two payments to Good Star, in 2009 and 2011, totalling $1.03 billion. What happened to the money after that could not be determined because the inquiry panel was not given information on 1MDB's foreign banking transactions, according to Tony Pua, an opposition member of the parliamentary inquiry. The Wall Street Journal on July 3 of last year reported that global investigators believed that $700 million in cash moved through banks and companies linked to 1MDB before eventually going into Najib's personal bank accounts. None of the investigations across the world into 1MDB have shown any connection between any alleged misappropriation of money linked to 1MDB and the prime minister. Malaysia's Attorney-General Mohamed Apandi Ali cleared Najib in January of any corruption or criminal offences. He said that $681 million, deposited into Najib's personal account in March 2013 before a Malaysian general election, was a gift from a member of Saudi Arabia's royal family and most of it was returned. Indonesia says has no overlapping South China Sea claims with China JAKARTA, June 22 (Reuters) - Indonesia's foreign minister on Wednesday rejected China's stance that the two Asian nations have overlapping claims in the South China Sea, where there has been a run of skirmishes between Indonesian navy ships and Chinese vessels. China's foreign ministry on Monday said the two nations do not have any territorial disputes but there were some overlapping claims on "maritime rights and interests". "Our position is clear that claims can only be made on the basis of international law. For Indonesia, we don't have overlapping claims in any form in Indonesian waters with China," Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi told reporters when asked for reaction to China's statement. Indonesia is not part of a broader regional dispute over China's reclamation activities in the South China Sea and Beijing's claims on swathes of key waterways. But Jakarta has objected to China's inclusion of waters around the Indonesian-ruled Natuna Islands within a "nine-dash line" Beijing marks on maps to show its claim on the body of water. China's Foreign Ministry said over the weekend that an Indonesian naval vessel fired on a Chinese fishing boat near the chain of islands on Friday, injuring one person. Indonesia's navy responded that it had fired warning shots at several boats with Chinese flags it accused of fishing illegally but there were no injuries. It was the third reported confrontation near the Natuna Islands this year and comes amid rising regional tensions over China's assertiveness in the South China Sea. Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla told Reuters on Monday the Southeast Asian nation would be more assertive in protecting its exclusive right to the waters around the Natuna Islands. Despite this more assertive stance, Retno said relations between the two countries remained good. "This is a matter of law enforcement, not politics," she said. Brexit might push Finland into recession -finance ministry official HELSINKI, June 22 (Reuters) - Britain's possible exit from the European Union might push Finland into recession next year, a finance ministry official said on Wednesday. "It is possible. But we could fall into that territory also without Brexit. The growth is not that strong, other external shocks could have that impact, too," Mika Kuismanen, the head of the ministry's forecasting unit, told a news conference. PRESS DIGEST - RUSSIA - JUNE 22 MOSCOW, June 22 (Reuters) - The following are some stories in Russia's newspapers on Wednesday. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy. VEDOMOSTI www.vedomosti.ru - Russian state-controlled telecoms operator Rostelecom will need to spend more than one billion roubles ($15.7 million) on importing new equipment to meet the demands of a new anti-terror bill if is passed by lawmakers, the daily says. - Iran has approved imports of frozen beef from Russia, according to Russia's veterinary service. - An agribusiness linked to the family of Russian Agriculture Minister Alexander Tkachev has completed the modernisation of its dairy plant in Krasnodar region, raising its capacity to 500 tonnes a day. The company has spent more than one billion roubles on the project, the daily writes. - Some of the new proposed "surrealistic" amendments to Russia's anti-terror legislation look much tougher than Soviet-era laws, the daily says. KOMMERSANT www.kommersant.ru - The government plans to allocate at least 10 billion roubles ($157.06 million) in the next two years to fund its "National Technology Initiative" project, a programme to promote development of promising new markets on the basis of high-tech solutions that will determine development of the global and Russian economy in the next 15-20 years. - The Prosecutor General's office has finalised its investigation against five suspects behind an incident in Moscow's Vnukovo Airport in 2014, in which the boss of oil major Total, Christophe de Margerie, died after his private jet hit a snow plough on take off. ROSSIISKAYA GAZETA www.rg.ru - Russian parliamentarians passed on Tuesday a statement suggesting that the disqualification of Russian track and field athletes, who are not on "the doping list", will undermine the Olympic movement. - The State Duma lower house of parliament passed on Tuesday a new bill restricting the activity of debt collectors, the daily says, adding that the document bans the use of thretas or force against debtors. - Almost 4.4 million of official gun owners in Russia possess about 7 million units of firearms. More that 2 million weapons are used illegally, according to experts. NEZAVISIMAYA GAZETA www.ng.ru 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. Turkish jets strike PKK targets in northern Iraq, southeast Turkey By Seyhmus Cakan DIYARBAKIR, Turkey, June 22 (Reuters) - Turkish warplanes struck Kurdish militant targets in northern Iraq and southeastern Turkey overnight on Wednesday, and authorities imposed new curfews in rural areas as the army and police continue to battle insurgents, security sources said. The fighting came a day after Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said operations in the mainly Kurdish southeast had ended, apparently referring to the months-long clashes in some urban centres, and added the government would focus on reconstruction. The air strikes in Kurdish-run northern Iraq destroyed targets belonging to the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), including shelters and weapon stores. The PKK leadership is mainly based in northern Iraq. Baghdad and Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdish Regional Government frequently object to such air incursions. The jets also hit sites near the Turkish towns of Lice, northeast of the regional capital of Diyarbakir, and Semdinli, further east near the Iraqi border, sources said. Some 25 villages near Lice were put under a round-the-clock curfew on Tuesday after authorities determined PKK militants were sheltering and keeping weapons there, the Diyarbakir governor's office said. The new curfews show a shift to rural areas away from cities, where much of the fighting since a ceasefire collapsed last July has taken place. "The operations in the eastern and southeastern regions are finished," Yildirim told members of the ruling AK Party on Tuesday, apparently referring to fighting in cities like Diyarbakir, Cizre and Nusaybin that has killed thousands of militants and hundreds of soldiers and civilians since July 2015. Swathes of these towns have been destroyed. The three-decade conflict with the PKK reignited last year after a two-year ceasefire collapsed, and fighting has been at its most intense since the peak of the insurgency in the 1990s. Italy's resurgent 5-star movement pushes for referendum on euro ROME, June 22 (Reuters) - Italy's anti-establishment 5-Star movement, buoyed by its big gains in local elections, used its resurgent strength to press demands for a national a referendum on whether to keep the euro. "We want a consultative referendum on the euro. The euro as it is today does not work. We either have alternative currencies or a 'Euro 2'," Luigi Di Maio, a vice president of the lower house of parliament, said during a talk show on Tuesday night. While any such referendums on the EU or the euro would be merely test public opinion because Italian law does not allow referendums to change international treaties, a victory would send a clear signal to the government. The 5-Star movement, which is carefully watching the result of Thursday's referendum in Britain on whether to leave the EU, has called for two different currencies in Europe, one for the rich northern countries another for southern countries. The group pressed its case after winning 19 of the 20 mayoral elections where it had reached the run-off stage last Sunday, including the capital Rome the northern industrial capital of Turin. The results dealt a significant blow to Prime Minister Matteo Renzi's Democratic Party (PD) and were hailed by supporters of 5-Star as a possible springboard to national government. The movement's leader, comedian Beppe Grillo, has also called for a referendum on whether Italy should stay in the European Union. "We entered the European Parliament to change many treaties," Di Maio said. "We are now waiting for the results of the Brexit referendum. The mere fact that a country like Great Britain is holding a referendum on whether to leave the EU signals the failure of the European Union," he said. Japan, Russia share concerns over North Korea missile launch TOKYO, June 22 (Reuters) - Japan's ambassador in charge of Russo-Japanese relations said on Wednesday he had shared concerns over North Korea's latest missile launch with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Morgulov. "We exchanged views on North Korea's ballistic missile launch and shared our concerns," Chikahito Harada told reporters. "We've agreed to cooperate closely at such occasions as U.N. Security Council meetings." Swiss authorities detain suspected Islamist leader - TV ZURICH, June 22 (Reuters) - Swiss authorities have taken a suspected Islamist leader into custody, broadcaster SRF reported on Wednesday, calling it the first arrest of a senior figure from a Salafist ring based in the northern city of Winterthur. The man, a Muslim convert identified only by the letter S, is being held in investigative custody while authorities check his suspected role in radicalising and recruiting young people to fight with Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, the report said. Federal prosecutors would not confirm the report. In a statement, they said that SRF had not respected a request to delay its report by a few weeks to avoid jeopardising "an open criminal investigation surrounding jihadist-motivated terrorism". After deadly jihadist attacks in France and Belgium, Swiss authorities are monitoring the social media activity of about 400 possible jihadists who might pose a security threat, the NDB federal intelligence service said last month. Neutral Switzerland is not a primary target for Islamist attacks because it is not part of the military campaign against groups such as Islamic State, but the security threat level has been elevated nonetheless, the NDB's annual report said. Authorities have been closely tracking suspected jihadists who return to Switzerland from countries, Syria in particular, where they are believed to get training in carrying out attacks. Swiss authorities believe more than 70 people have travelled to the Middle East to become jihadist fighters since 2001. A Swiss court in April sentenced three Iraqis for terrorism offences, a verdict that the senior prosecutor said should send a message to jihadists not to see the country as an easy target. The three main defendants, who had denied wrongdoing, were arrested in early 2014 on suspicion of planning terrorist attacks and helping Islamic State militants enter the country. Putin says Russia must strengthen as "aggressive" NATO approaches MOSCOW, June 22 (Reuters) - Russia must boost its combat readiness at a time when NATO is expanding and moving its infrastructure towards Russia's borders, President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday. "NATO is strengthening its aggressive rhetoric and its aggressive actions near our borders," Putin said in a speech in the lower house of parliament. Afghanistan risks "new spiral in violence", UN official says KABUL, June 22 (Reuters) - Afghanistan faces the risk of a new spiral in violence following a series of attacks on civilians in the last few months but on the battlefield, security forces have been holding their ground, the top U.N. official in the country said. The assessment by Nicholas Haysom, the U.N. Secretary General's Special Representative for Afghanistan, painted a mixed picture of the security situation some 18 months after international forces ended their main combat operations. While the bomb attacks that killed at least 22 people in Kabul and the northern province of Badakhshan on Monday underlined how dangerous Afghanistan remains, fears that the Taliban would overwhelm security forces have not been realised. However Haysom said he was deeply concerned about violence against civilians, with attacks continuing during Ramadan, Islam's holy month. As well as suicide attacks on targets ranging from government officials and members of the judicial system to foreign security contractors, at least 200 people have been abducted on highways since the end of May. "There is a risk, in my view, that the conflict may enter a new phase, which could see retaliatory acts of vengeance and an escalating spiral of violence," said Haysom, who is stepping down from his post after four years in Afghanistan. He also pointed to progress in several areas, including public finances, as well as the launch of potentially vital strategic infrastructure projects and said political stability was vital for the progress to continue. The Taliban, whose former leader, Mullah Akhtar Mansour, was killed in a U.S. drone strike last month, control more territory than at any time since they were ousted in 2001, including large areas of the strategic southern province of Helmand. But they have not so far been able to take control of a province or major provincial centre and Afghan security forces, which faced severe pressure and heavy casualties last year, appear to have strengthened their performance. Haysom, who warned in March that the very survival of President Ashraf Ghani's government in 2016 would be an achievement, said the battlefield was "in a state of flux, with gains and reversals but neither side effecting clear dominance". Security forces faced major challenges including leadership, morale and recruitment. South African capital tense after overnight riots in ruling party dispute By Dinky Mkhize PRETORIA, June 22 (Reuters) - South Africa's capital was tense on Wednesday after residents torched buses and looted shops overnight, police said, in clashes sparked by the ruling party's choice of a mayoral candidate for local polls. Africa's most industrialised country will hold local government elections on Aug. 3, in what looks likely to become a referendum on President Jacob Zuma's leadership amid mounting concern over weak economic growth. Violence flared on Monday night as impoverished residents of Pretoria's townships set light to vehicles after the African National Congress' (ANC) national leadership named a candidate for mayor in the Tshwane municipality where the capital city is located who had not been not nominated by its regional branches. Police said there was an uneasy calm in the capital on Wednesday. With some roads impassable because of debris and burned-out vehicles from the violence, normal commercial life was disrupted. A Tshwane Metro police spokesman, Console Tleane, said vehicles were set alight and a newly-built school was vandalised by gangs of rioters. Last night's violence erupted at around 6pm until 3am this morning, he said. "Whereas there is calm in some hot spots, the navigation of the streets is difficult because of the rubble and the debris," he told eNCA television, adding that there were still sporadic clashes and running battles with police in some areas. The dispute was triggered 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 and touching off the riots. The party plans to hold a meeting on Wednesday over the violence but has declined to withdraw Didiza as its candidate. Analysts said South African financial markets have so far ignored the violence, with all eyes on the British referendum European Union membership, while others forecast even more unrest in the commercial hub of Gauteng. Zuma survived impeachment in April after facing censure when the Constitutional Court ruled that he breached the constitution by ignoring an order by the anti-graft watchdog to repay some of the $16 million in state funds spent renovating his home. Pope to visit Armenia after irking Turkey with "genocide" label By Philip Pullella VATICAN CITY, June 22 (Reuters) - Pope Francis visits Armenia this weekend and will try to avoid reigniting a diplomatic dispute with Turkey after his branding of the 1915 mass killings of Armenians as a genocide infuriated Ankara last year. During the three-day trip starting on Friday, he will pray at Tzitzernakaberd, known in Armenia as the "Genocide Memorial and Museum" but which the official Vatican programme for the trip calls "a memorial of the massacres". He will have to tread delicately there and in half a dozen other addresses to political and religious leaders. Last year Francis described the killing of up to 1.5 million Armenians in World War One as "the first genocide of the 20th century", days before commemorations to mark the centenary of the massacres in April. Muslim Turkey promptly recalled its envoy to the Vatican, Mehmet Pacaci, and he stayed away for 10 months, an eternity in diplomatic terms. Turkey accepts that many Christian Armenians living in the Ottoman Empire were killed in clashes with Ottoman forces during World War One, but it disputes the figures and denies that the killings were systematically orchestrated and constitute a genocide. It also says many Muslim Turks perished at that time. In the run-up to Francis's trip, the Vatican has been at pains to avoid the G-word. "THE GREAT EVIL" "Why is there an obsession to use the word 'genocide' and ask about it in all the questions?" Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi testily responded to journalists at a briefing on the trip this week. "We know what happened. None of us is denying that there were horrible massacres. We recognise this. We are going to the memorial precisely to remember this but we don't want this to become a trap of political and ideological discussions," Lombardi said. Many Western historians use the word genocide to describe the events of a century ago and about a dozen EU countries have infuriated Turkey by passing resolutions officially recognising the Armenian massacre as a genocide. Lombardi said he preferred to use the Armenian phrase "Medz Yeghern," which roughly translates as "the great evil" or "the great calamity". This is the formula some world leaders, including U.S. President Barack Obama, have used. Lombardi rejected a reporter's suggestion that since the pope had used the word genocide last year the Vatican had chosen a policy of "reductionism" to placate Turkey. As if to fire a warning shot across the Vatican's bow, Turkey's embassy to the Holy See last week held a commemoration of the "martyrdom" of Taha Carim, a Turkish ambassador to the Vatican killed in Rome in 1977 by Armenian gunmen. Armenia was the first nation to adopt Christianity as a state religion, in 301, 12 years before the Roman Empire granted Christians religious freedom. The Armenian Apostolic Church, whose leader is known as the "Catholicos", split from Rome over a theological dispute in the fifth century and is part of the Oriental Orthodox Churches. It is seen as the custodian of Armenian national identity. Only about 280,000 of Armenia's population of around 3 million people are Roman Catholic. Before returning to Rome on Sunday, Francis is due to visit the Khor Virap monastery in the foothills of Mt. Ararat, near the border with Turkey, and release doves along with Catholicos Karekin II as a symbol of their hopes for peace and reconciliation in the region. Putin says Russia must strengthen as "aggressive" NATO approaches MOSCOW, June 22 (Reuters) - Russia must boost its combat readiness in response to NATO's "aggressive actions" near Russia's borders, President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday. Addressing parliament on the 75th anniversary of Nazi Germany's attack on the Soviet Union, Putin berated the West for being unwilling to build "a modern, non-bloc collective security system" with Russia. "Russia is open to discuss this crucial issue and has more than once shown its readiness for dialogue," he said. "But, just as it happened on the eve of World War Two, we do not see a positive reaction in response." "On the contrary, NATO is strengthening its aggressive rhetoric and its aggressive actions near our borders. In these conditions, we are duty-bound to pay special attention to solving the task of strengthening the combat readiness of our country." The U.S.-led military alliance is increasing its defences in Poland and the three Baltic nations of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, as part of a wider deterrent that it hopes will discourage Russia from any repetition of its annexation of Ukraine's Crimea in 2014. Russia sees NATO's deterrence plans as hostile. Drawing historic parallels with the 1930s, Putin said humanity now faced a danger of failing to withstand the fast-spreading threat of terrorism, just as it once failed to unite against the rising power of Nazi Germany. "The world community did not show enough vigilance, will and consolidation to prevent that war and save millions of lives," Putin said. Africa-focused funds fuse $3.3 billion electric power assets LAGOS, June 22 (Reuters) - Two Africa-focused funds have created a new energy joint venture capable of generating 1,575 megawatts (MW) of electricity in at least 10 countries by merging assets totalling $3.3 billion. Chronic power shortages are one of the biggest obstacles to growth in countries across Africa, with a dearth of electricity or regular blackouts strangling industries and the continent is turning to outside investors and renewables to boost output. The deal to develop and finance projects, announced on Wednesday, brings together Lagos-based Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) and Harith General Partners, which has offices in South Africa and Ivory Coast. Harith's interests include Azura Edo independent power plant (IPP), a gas turbine power station in Nigeria, and Kelvin Power Station in South Africa. AFC's include the Kpone IPP under construction in Ghana, and Cabeolica wind farm in Cape Verde. "The joint venture's near-term portfolio supplies reliable energy to over 30 million people in at least 10 African countries and has a combined gross operational and under-construction capacity of 1,575 MW," they said in a statement. A report published last month by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) said an estimated 643 million people are living without electricity in Africa, with 80 percent based in rural areas. Established in 2007, the AFC provides public and private money for major infrastructure projects around Africa and has a balance sheet of $3.2 billion. German 30-yr Bund yield lowest on record in auction - debt agency BERLIN/LONDON, June 22 (Reuters) - Germany's Federal Finance Agency said on Wednesday that the average yield fetched at a top-up auction of a 30-year Bund was the lowest on record for that debt instrument during an auction, a spokesman for the Finance Agency said. The bid to cover ratio of the auction was 2.0 and the average yield was fixed at 0.65 pct which was the lowest recorded during an auction for that type of paper, spokesman Joerg Mueller said. A backdrop of unprecedented monetary stimulus from the European Central Bank and mounting political risks in Europe has boosted demand for German bonds - seen as one of the safest assets in the world. "There are short-term circumstances helping demand for German bonds at the moment ... there is demand for safety ahead of the Brexit vote," ING strategist Martin van Vliet said. Slovenia needs reforms to address ageing population -govt institute By Marja Novak LJUBLJANA, June 22 (Reuters) - Slovenia needs to urgently design a set of reforms to address the fact that its population is ageing faster than in most other European Union states, the government's macroeconomic institute said on Wednesday. Since the country of 2 million gained independence from the former Yugoslavia in 1991 the percentage of the population of over 65 years of age has risen to 18 percent from about 11 percent and will double in the next three decades, the institute said. "All European countries are facing the problem of ageing but we (Slovenia) are in a small group of countries which have not yet passed decrees that would deal with the ageing," Bostjan Vasle, head of the institute, told an economic conference. "Further fiscal consolidation is necessary and should be based on decrees that will get rid of structural imbalances," Vasle said. He also urged the government to improve management of state firms and speed up privatisation, pointing out that state firms are less effective than private ones. Over the past decades Slovenia has been reluctant to sell its major banks and companies so the government still controls about 50 percent of the economy. "There is a need for a combination of various decrees that would widely address the problem of ageing, problems of productivity and competitiveness," Vasle said. In 2013 the government had to pour more than 3 billion euros ($3.4 bln) into propping up the country's mostly state-owned banks, to avoid having to seek an international bailout. Slovenia also introduced its latest pension reform in 2013. That will gradually raise the retirement age to 65 by the end of 2019 from 59 at present, but the International Monetary Fund said in March that a new pension reform is needed to raise the retirement age to 67. The government has said it would prepare a new pension reform in the coming years. Slovenia, which forecasts 1.7 percent economic growth this year, spends about 4 percent of its GDP on covering the deficit of its national pension system. That weighs heavily as it tries to reduce the hole in its public finances. Assad tells electricity minister to form new Syria government BEIRUT, June 22 (Reuters) - President Bashar al-Assad instructed Electricity Minister Emad Khamis on Wednesday to form a new government in Syria, a country fragmented by warring factions and economically ruined by five years of conflict. A decree published by state news agency SANA gave no reason for replacing Wael al-Halaki, who served as prime minister for nearly four years and survived an assassination attempt when a car bomb struck his convoy in Damascus in 2013. Halaki was himself appointed to replace a prime minister who defected and later led an opposition team at peace talks in Geneva, which broke down in April as pro-government forces pressed an offensive against rebel-held areas of Aleppo city. The Damascus-based government controls most of the war-torn country's major population centres in the west, with the exceptions of Idlib, which is held by insurgents, and the rebel-held neighbourhoods of Aleppo, once Syria's biggest city. Kurdish forces control vast areas along the Turkish border, and Islamic State holds Raqqa and Deir al-Zor provinces in the east. International efforts to bring peace to the country focus on forming a transitional governing body which can include members of the current administration and the opposition. Assad and his ally Russia have suggested incorporating parts of the opposition into the government as a step towards a political settlement to the war which has killed more than 250,000 people and driven 11 million from their homes. Washington and Syrian rebels, who insist that any peace deal must involve Assad's departure, have dismissed the idea. An engineer by training, 54-year-old Khamis has been electricity minister since 2011, SANA said. Before that he was general manager of the state's electricity distribution body. He has been a member of Assad's Baath political party since 1977. Syria's conflict, which began as a peaceful uprising against Assad, is now in its sixth year. Assad formed a new government more than a year into the war in 2012, but the prime minister he appointed then, Riad Hijab, fled Syria soon afterwards to join the opposition. The conflict has also cost the country more than $200 billion in economic losses and physical damage to infrastructure, driving Syria's GDP down to less than half its 2011 level. Greece needs stronger ownership of reforms - ESM's Regling By Renee Maltezou and Lefteris Papadimas ATHENS, June 22 (Reuters) - Greece should implement the reforms called for by its bailout programme not because it's required to, but because it recognises that they will help it emerge from the crisis, the head of the euro zone's bailout fund said on Wednesday. Such recognition would help it implement the reforms successfully, which in turn would help it regain market access and qualify for further debt relief, Klaus Regling, managing director of the European Stability Mechanism, said in a speech at an Economist conference in Athens. "Let me repeat that what is needed in Greece is a strong, a stronger ownership of the adjustment programme," Regling said, noting that it was not possible to foresee now how the economy would fare in 10 or 20 years. "A successful implementation of this programme is the only way for Greece to regain market access and for any debt relief measures to have a real effect," he said. Regling also defended the euro zone's step-by-step approach on debt relief for the crisis-hit country. That approach gave Athens the right incentives to comply with the terms of its ESM bailout, he said, and allowed the euro zone to gauge how much relief was really needed over the years. He hailed Greece's privatisation drive but added that "much work remains to be done in the next two years". A second review, which includes labour reforms and creating a more investor-friendly environment, needs to be wrapped up swiftly, he said. The first review dragged on for six months before it was concluded last week. That allowed the ESM to give 7.5 billion euros ($8.47 billion) of bailout aid on Tuesday. Another 2.8 billion will be available when Greece reaches further milestones, Regling said. Athens needs the funds to pay European Central Bank bonds and International Monetary Fund loans in June and July to and pay down growing state arrears. "It is good to be reminded that such talks should not take too long," Regling said. The first review was delayed mainly by a rift between the European Union and the IMF over Greece's fiscal progress. Athens has agreed to achieve a primary budget surplus of 3.5 percent of GDP by 2018 and maintain it for the medium run. The IMF argued the target was not realistic. During the conference on Wednesday, Deputy Finance Minister George Chouliarakis said Greece would honour its bailout commitments but the target beyond 2018, when Greece's adjustment programme ends, should be lowered to 1.5 to 2 percent of GDP. "A commitment is a commitment ... and we have to honour this commitment if we want to restore and enhance credibility," he said. "But we need to reconsider the level of primary surplus targets beyond the lifetime of the programme, after 2018." The IMF mission chief for Greece, Delia Velculescu, said such targets were still "ambitious" and added that Greece needs "very deep" debt relief, which should be delivered by 2018. Her EU counterpart, Declan Costello, said implementation has been the Achilles heel of Greece's previous bailout programmes. "(There was) a huge reform effort back in 2010 and then it stopped. A huge reform effort back in 2012-13 and then the foot was taken off the accelerator," he said. Saudi heritage revival too late to save many cultural treasures By Angus McDowall ASIR, Saudi Arabia, June 22 (Reuters) - If Rijal Almaa, a stone village tucked into a fold of Saudi Arabia's southern mountains, showcases the polished end-point of new efforts in the kingdom to preserve cultural heritage, the hamlet of Watan Emsoudah represents the difficulties faced. Its low-covered alleyways lie thick with the debris of decades of abandonment, some stone house roofs have caved in and thistles grow high between the hamlet's walls, but near the entrance three men are working to save a house. Saudi Arabia has allocated nearly $1 billion to preserve its heritage in a new reform plan, but after decades of neglect, and in some cases deliberate destruction, saving its cultural treasures will prove complex and expensive. While that money was allocated in a National Transformation Programme unveiled this month, no details were given as to how it would be spent and the only tourism projects listed in the plan were for a few large sites. "For maybe 40 years we stopped using these old houses and every five years you need to rehabilitate them," said Abdulaziz al-Ghanem representative of Asir's architectural heritage centre at the government's General Commission for Tourism and Antiquities. "I hope we get more money. We need it." Watan Emsoudah is one of around 4,000 old villages in Asir Province in the kingdom's southwest and the project to restore it to save architectural tradition and boost tourism is one of eight in the region by a local investor. Rehabilitating the village, swaddled by terraced fields in a shallow bowl on a mountain plateau, will cost around 6 million riyals ($1.6 million), says Ibrahim al-Almiy, a former history teacher and the local investor behind these projects. That high cost - for one tiny village in a country where most old dwellings were deserted for modern concrete houses after last century's oil boom - shows how little of its heritage Saudi Arabia may be able to protect even with new investment. Although the capital Riyadh is a low-rise sprawl of highways and modern, concrete shopping malls, the towns of the Red Sea coast and the southern highlands still contain some fine buildings in their historic old quarters. Some good mud buildings survive in the central regions of the country, including the ruling al-Saud family's restored historical capital of Diriyah just outside Riyadh, but as these areas originally were mostly populated by tent-dwelling nomads, the architectural legacy was scarce. INVESTING IN HERITAGE In its efforts to end reliance on oil for economic wealth, Riyadh wants to invest in tourism, aiming to increase spending by Saudis at home instead of on holidays abroad, and by pilgrims to Mecca at other attractions around the country. There is also an ideological agenda to such efforts: restoring cultural sites occupied a prominent place in Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's Vision 2030 reform plan as a means of boosting national pride. Encouraging visits to local places of beauty or interest is a key goal and Saudi Arabia has some world-class sites, some in remote areas, that are all but unknown outside the kingdom. The spectacular rock-hewn Nabatean tombs of Madain Saleh, the ornate facades of Jeddah's coral-built old town and the ancient rock art hidden among the boulders of the northern deserts constitute an inheritance unique to the kingdom. But previous efforts to protect cultural heritage were directed only at a few landmark sites while rapid development fuelled by oil wealth and a lack of interest in preserving traditional architecture has allowed others to crumble. Ironically, given the focus on religious tourism, recent destruction has mostly been in Mecca. Its old houses, including some dating to the time of the Prophet Mohammed, have been razed for development projects to increase pilgrimage. That approach was partly a result of the austere local Sunni Muslim tradition, which regards the veneration of objects, including buildings associated with Islam's earliest days, as tantamount to idolatory. The focus on national and even pre-Islamic heritage today shows one way in which religious strictures are loosening. "RAIN COMES AND HOUSES FALL" The road from Watan Emsoudah to Rijal Almaa descends Mount Souda in hairpin bends as the juniper scrub of the cool upper slopes gives way to the humid heat of the Red Sea coastal plain. The example of Rijal Almaa, where investment of 4 million riyals over the past three years has created from the village an attraction that is now prominently featured in Asir province's tourist literature, shows how restoration projects can succeed. While its spectacular setting in a mountain valley and the towering size of its stone houses, decorated with chequerboard patterns in quartz, gives it advantages some other old villages lack, Almiy believes this model could be emulated. He envisages a trail of restored villages through Asir's mountains, each reflecting a different element of the region's unusual architectural heritage and adding to the flow of local tourists drawn by the region's clement summer weather. But money is a big problem. Almiy, who lived in an old house in Rijal Almaa until the age of 16, is an independent investor and his projects were carried out in partnership with government agencies, which provided some money and official blessing. Still, the government has so far invested so little in local heritage that it does not even have a register of traditional architecture in Asir or neighbouring provinces where most towns and villages have crumbling old houses. Even in central Abha, the capital of Asir, local custom is celebrated in traditional motifs added to concrete buildings while actual mud houses in the unique highland style, with slate courses providing a serrated effect, fall to ruin. "In five or 10 years this will all collapse. The rain comes and the houses fall. There has to be investment. The state needs to invest," said Almiy, standing in Abha's al-Basta district where a cluster of old houses is gradually disintegrating. THE EMPTY QUARTER It is a pattern repeated across the country: In Najran, a fertile valley running between steep dry hills into the Empty Quarter desert, clusters of adobe tower houses with distinctive horizontal ribs nestle among the fields. Some are clearly looked after by their owners, but most are slowly eroding, their lack of care causing such structural damage that wide cracks are opening down their flanks or that the towers are starting to list dangerously to the side. The spending envisaged on tourism and heritage in the new reform plans, however, seems likely to focus mostly on big projects. Widescale investment is planned near Madain Saleh and on some Red Sea islands rich in marine wildlife. However, Saudi heritage was given a boost in 2014 when the United Nations cultural body UNESCO listed old Jeddah as a world heritage site. It presents some of the same preservation challenges as the villages of Asir, where like in Jeddah, most old houses are privately owned and some are in grave disrepair. "When I was young we didn't know the importance of these buildings. In those days we cheered when they knocked them down for a new road. But now we have managed to safeguard the architecture," said Sami Nawar, mayor of Jeddah's old city. The humid climate rots the houses' wood and erodes walls, demanding constant repair, and the magnificent buildings of the seventh-century old town are inhabited by poor foreign labourers instead of the merchant elite for whom they were built. The UNESCO listing has helped to ensure a brighter future for old Jeddah's 600 historical houses, built of coral and with delicate wooden screens ornamenting their imposing facades. It galvanised state investment and a restoration plan. China's one-time "democracy" village protests for fourth straight day By James Pomfret WUKAN, China, June 22 (Reuters) - The Chinese fishing village of Wukan staged a fourth straight day of protests on Wednesday against what residents say was the unlawful arrest of the village chief, a rare show of grassroots defiance against authorities in Communist China. Wukan, in the southern province of Guangdong, made international headlines in 2011 as a symbol of grassroots democracy after an uprising against corrupt local authorities and illegal land grabs that resulted in rare concessions being granted by provincial Communist Party leaders. Under a blazing sun, the village of 15,000 once again united to march for the release of Lin Zuluan, the popular and democratically elected village chief who was arrested in a surprise midnight raid over the weekend. Lin was shown on state television on Tuesday confessing to accepting bribes, but many villagers profess his innocence, saying he'd been forced into making a confession. Sources close to the Lin family said his grandson was detained by police soon after Lin's arrest and interrogated for 12 hours. The grandson was released soon after Lin's confession went public, they said. Despite repeated warnings by authorities to the villagers not to stir up trouble, more than a thousand again marched in a loud procession, waving red China flags and chanting for justice. "The villagers of Wukan don't believe Lin Zuluan took bribes," read a hand-written white banner held up by a group of several children at the vanguard of the procession. They also held up banners making a broader appeal to national leaders in Beijing to "save Wukan". "We want the central government to come and investigate," said Wei Yonghan, an elderly villager joining the march. "We won't give up. We'll keep marching every day till they listen to us." 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. Over the past few days, however, authorities seem to have tightened their grip. Some reporters were warned by authorities in nearby Shanwei of "inciting, planning and directing the protests," according to reports carried in Chinese state media. Foreign media outlets including Reuters were urged to leave the village immediately. A villager who was taken into detention by police and interrogated said authorities were aggressively going after potential ringleaders of the protests to quash any escalation of unrest. "They questioned me for hours and wanted to know everything, who was organising things," the villager, who declined to be identified, said. "They told me to open my Wechat (messaging app) ... and spent hours looking through my messages." While there didn't appear to be a mass deployment of riot police for the protests on Wednesday, at least three drones could be seen hovering in the sky tracking the demonstration. Villagers also occasionally chased off individuals in the crowds they believed to be plain-clothes officers. France warns a Brexit would be irreversible, single market access at stake PARIS, June 22 (Reuters) - French President Francois Hollande warned on Wednesday that if Britons voted to leave the European Union it would be an irreversible decision that could jeopardize Britain's access to the bloc's single market. "If the choice is to leave the EU ... that would be irreversible," Hollande said. "There would be a very serious risk for Britain to lose its access to the single market and everything that goes with the European economic area. Everyone needs to be well aware of this," he said. Nigerian local leader: militants might allow government time to meet demands ONITSHA, Nigeria, June 22 (Reuters) - A Nigerian local leader said on Thursday that militant group the Niger Delta Avengers might agree to a ceasefire to allow the government time to meet their demands. The Avengers denied a Reuters report on Wednesday citing two oil ministry officials saying that the government had agreed a truce with the militants. Two shot dead in South African capital as looters ransack shops By Dinky Mkhize PRETORIA, June 22 (Reuters) - South African police said on Wednesday that two suspected looters had been shot dead in the capital in violence triggered by the ruling party's choice of a mayoral candidate for local polls. Police said they also arrested 40 rioters who had been attacking foreigners' shops as public anger mounted over economic hardship in the build-up to Aug. 3 elections likely to become a referendum on President Jacob Zuma's leadership. Residents of Pretoria's townships began setting cars and buses alight on Monday night after the ruling African National Congress (ANC) named a candidate in the Tshwane municipality where the capital city is located, overruling the choice of regional branches. Burned-out cars still blocked roads on Wednesday. The two killed were shot on Tuesday night, said Colonel Noxolo Kweza, police spokeswoman for Gauteng Province. She did not say who had shot them. "Two of the suspects were shot and killed following looting at Mamelodi," police said in a statement, adding that those arrested would face charges of violence and theft. "Incidents of protests and looting continued in other areas while situation is tense in others." Violence continued in parts of the capital on Wednesday. "Some of the areas are tense but quiet for now, while in other areas there is still some unrest, there are reports of protests and incidents of looting," Kweza said. "We will have strong police presence tonight, as we have had during the other nights." Protesters continued to clash with police and "a disproportionate part of the looting was taking place at shops owned by foreign nationals," Tshwane Metro police spokesman Console Tleane told eNCA television. Foreigners, many of them from other African countries, suffered a wave of attacks in April last year, by crowds blaming them for taking jobs and business. ANC "LOSING TOUCH" The mayoral dispute flared on Sunday when an ANC member was shot dead 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 and refusing to back down as the violence mounted. The ANC said it picked the candidate as a compromise between two rival factions in Tshwane. But critics say the decision by the party, which has been in power since the end of white-minority rule in 1994, showed that it is losing its touch in areas - including Pretoria - where it was once unassailable. A meeting by the party due to be held on Wednesday to discuss the crisis was postponed, an ANC regional official Lesego Makhubela told EWN online news service. Analysts warned of more unrest in Gauteng province, which includes Pretoria and Johannesburg. "Intra-ANC, election-related, factional violence is being ignored by markets trading on external factors, but is worrying," London-based Nomura emerging markets analyst Peter Attard Montalto said in a note. Zuma survived impeachment in April after the Constitutional Court ruled he had breached the constitution by ignoring an order from the anti-graft watchdog to repay some of the $16 million in state funds spent renovating his home. Egyptian court acquits 22 over Red Sea islands protest CAIRO, June 22 (Reuters) - A Cairo court acquitted on Wednesday 22 people on trial for protesting against a government decision to transfer two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia, a judicial source and a defence lawyer said. The ruling comes a day after Egypt's administrative court annulled the maritime agreement, announced in April, that would have seen Egypt lose control of Tiran and Sanafir. The accord had caused uproar and rare protests in Egypt, where many have long considered the islands Egyptian. More than 200 people were arrested in connection with protests over the islands in April. Since then, more than 150 have been handed jail sentences or fines, according to judicial sources. Wednesday's verdict will bring to at least 107 the number of people acquitted. The 22 who were acquitted on Wednesday had been sent to trial on charges of violating a protest law by demonstrating without a permit and blocking traffic. "Maybe yesterday's annulment encouraged the judge's decision to acquit the defendants," said Khaled Ali, a lawyer who was representing some of the accused. The public prosecution can appeal the verdict, he said. The prosecution did not issue any formal statement. Saudi and Egyptian officials say the islands at the centre of the controversy belong to the kingdom and were only under Egyptian control because Riyadh had asked Cairo in 1950 to protect them. A court ruled on Tuesday, however, that Egyptian sovereignty over the islands held and could not be given up. Kremlin says regional neighbours to discuss Afghanistan at summit MOSCOW, June 22 (Reuters) - The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) will discuss a "very tense situation" in next-door Afghanistan when the regional body led by China and Russia holds its summit in Uzbekistan this week, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said on Wednesday. An estimated 60,000 armed rebels are now fighting in Afghanistan, including 10,000 under the flag of Islamic State, Ushakov told journalists. The security and cooperation body, which also includes post-Soviet Central Asian nations of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, is expected to accept Iran as its seventh fully fledged member, Ushakov said. "Our position is crystal-clear: Iran sent its membership bid as early as April 2008 and now that sanctions imposed on Iran have been lifted, Russia believes there is no reason to refrain from accepting this country to the organisation," he said. Gazprom prepares cold reception for U.S. super-cooled gas By Oleg Vukmanovic , Nina Chestney and Dmitry Zhdannikov MILAN/LONDON, June 22 (Reuters) - Liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the United States is set to do battle in Europe but Russia's Gazprom is setting the stage, preparing a cold reception for the super-cooled gas set to cross the Atlantic. A weakened rouble has lowered Gazprom's production costs by a fifth while its profits on dollar-denominated gas sales to Europe last year doubled in rouble terms. Gazprom has managed to increase sales despite a push by the European Union to curb Russian energy imports, using discounts, renegotiation of unpopular oil-linked contracts and gas sales via auctions. Spurring Gazprom's charm offensive is a looming showdown as a wave of U.S. gas is set to reach Europe's shores beginning next year. U.S. exporters led by Cheniere Energy are expected to have 83 billion cubic metres (bcm) of gas ready for sale by 2019. That's about 20 percent of Europe's current annual gas needs. That threatens to exacerbate already significant global gas oversupply, with new producers squaring up against established players for market share and driving prices lower. "We are at the start of a new chapter in European gas markets," Fatih Birol, executive director at the International Energy Agency said recently, as U.S. and other supplies fight to gain access. But Gazprom, for now, appears confident it can see off the challenge and even raise its European market share, which stood at 31 percent in 2015, helped by declining output in Europe, primarily in the Netherlands and Britain. As U.S. producers crank up exports, more than a dozen LNG cargoes have been exported, yet so far just one has reached Europe as other markets offer better returns. "Longer term, Asia will remain more attractive for U.S. gas. No U.S. businessman in the right state of mind - being already heavily indebted and having put all his assets as collateral with banks - will deliver gas to Europe at a loss," Gazprom's Deputy Chief Executive Alexander Medvedev told Reuters last week. LESSON LEARNED? However, Gazprom has been wrong before. A few years ago it was similarly sceptical about the threat posed by the rise of U.S. shale gas and oil. Chief Executive Alexei Miller at the time said unconventional gas was expensive to produce and would not be a game changer in the global energy market. That was a serious miscalculation and proved costly as Gazprom was forced to shelve development of one of the world's largest gas fields, Shtokman, as shale rapidly wiped out U.S. needs for gas imports. Russian President Vladimir Putin subsequently urged Gazprom to rethink its long-term export policy to take advantage of rising demand in Asian markets. But as the company's pivot to Asia drags, Gazprom has looked to bolster demand in Europe through discounting and renegotiating its 25-year, oil-linked supply deals. After years of tough negotiations, it has reached deals with long-term buyers including France's Engie and Germany's Uniper, a unit of E.ON. Cheaper oil prices have helped lower Russian gas prices, and that has spurred demand, with Gazprom deliveries to Europe and Turkey up 20 percent in the first quarter. "Russian gas is low cost and will remain below U.S. gas prices," said Claudio Descalzi, chief executive of Italy's Eni , the biggest buyer of Russian gas in Europe. And Gazprom seems willing to fight for greater share of the EU market given dwindling sales in former Soviet states and still distant prospects of piping gas to China, according to Poland's Centre for Eastern Studies. PRICE FOCUS European gas hub prices stand at around 35 pence/therm currently. A fall to 21 pence would hurt Gazprom's margins but more critically would make it unprofitable for U.S. supplies to cross the Atlantic. As much as half the production capacity of U.S. LNG players could be shut-in during the summer and at other times if Gazprom simply keeps flowing gas to Europe at current rates, said analyst Stephen O'Rourke at consultancy Wood Mackenzie. Gazprom has 100 bcm per year of spare production capacity at its disposal, or roughly a quarter of Europe's annual needs, according to the Oxford Institute of Energy Studies. And like Saudi Arabia has done in oil, Gazprom has shown it can use its market dominance to squeeze its competitors. After Lithuania opened its Independence LNG import terminal at the end of 2014, for example, Gazprom cut prices to Lithuania and has held an auction for the Baltic states in a bid to boost consumption. Estonia also took more gas from Russia earlier this year, taking advantage of Gazprom prices that were down by some 45 percent, data from grid operator Elering showed. "We have such low production costs that we will always be able to cut the selling price by a dollar or two when it comes to fighting off a rival," said a senior source at Gazprom. Gazprom may win the war but it cannot win every battle. Ukrainian state energy firm Naftogaz recently said it would likely ignore a Russian offer of gas supplies for next winter citing prices it said were higher than those offered from Europe. However, an all-out offensive to grab continental market share by lowering prices would have a cost for Gazprom too. It would not only squeeze Gazprom's own profits but also risk drawing strong political reaction from the European Commission and EU states. Russia plays down threat to ban Belarus dairy imports MOSCOW/MINSK, June 22 (Reuters) - Russia played down on Wednesday its threat to ban dairy supplies from Belarus, its largest supplier. The threat came during a dispute over the price for Russian gas sold to Belarus. Russia has in the past used trade restrictions issued by its food safety watchdog when relations with other countries have worsened. Russian state food safety watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor said on Wednesday it had told its Belarussian counterpart to take emergency measures to address poor quality supplies of dry dairy products. The watchdog said it would have to impose restrictions on all or some dairy supplies from Belarus if problems were not resolved. However, Russian Agriculture Minister Alexander Tkachev later said Russia had no plans to ban imports of all dairy products from Belarus. "I think Rosselkhoznadzor over-reacted," Tkachev told reporters. "There is no such issue. We pointed out problems to certain producers, not about all volumes of milk." A Rosselkhoznadzor representative, contacted by Reuters, denied any political overtones behind the threats to Belarus. Belarusian Agriculture Minister Leonid Zayats told reporters in Minsk he saw no quality problems. "This issue is made up. We will deal with these so-called accusations," Zayats said. Falluja gains boost Iraqi PM ahead of Mosul, but for how long? By Stephen Kalin and Ahmed Rasheed FALLUJA, Iraq, June 22 (Reuters) - The rapid entry of Iraqi forces into central Falluja last week surprised many who expected a drawn-out battle with Islamic State for the bastion of Iraq's Sunni insurgency, where some of the toughest fighting of the U.S. occupation took place. The campaign has offered Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi respite from a political crisis that paralysed government and turned violent when demonstrators breeched Baghdad's heavily-fortified Green Zone. Yet questions remain about whether Abadi - who declared victory on Friday even though Islamic State militants are still fighting in Falluja - can convert those military gains into political success, and what kind of model Falluja offers for the next major military campaign, against Islamic State-held Mosul. Abadi and his commanders, who have pledged to retake the northern Iraqi city later this year, "needed a fast victory because they are very aware of setting precedents," said Renad Mansour, an Iraq scholar at the Carnegie Middle East Center. But "Falluja was a distraction. The protests in Baghdad will come back. People will say, 'OK we got Falluja, what's happening politically? What are the changes?'" Iraq's government has been gridlocked for months after rivals blocked Abadi's plans for a cabinet reshuffle he said was aimed at fighting rampant corruption in a country nearly bankrupted by low global oil prices. Thousands of demonstrators, mostly loyal to Shi'ite Muslim cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, took to the streets earlier this year to pressure Abadi to replace party-affiliated ministers with independent technocrats, which the political elite has resisted. The prime minister's decision to attack Falluja last month, against the apparent wishes of U.S. allies, allowed him to rally the Shi'ite political class who were pressing him to retake the city, seen as a launchpad for recent bombings in nearby Baghdad. Falluja has been seen as a stronghold of Sunni Muslim insurgents for more than a decade and U.S. forces that toppled Saddam Hussein, a Sunni, suffered heavy losses there in two battles in 2004. Iraqi forces have so far incurred a fraction of those casualties. "The $6 million question is: do (the militants) head for Mosul, do they stay in Falluja, do they do asymmetric attacks elsewhere?" said an official from one of the countries in the U.S.-led coalition backing Iraqi forces. More than 85,000 people have fled Falluja, according to the United Nations, which estimated the population before the operation began at around 90,000, already just a third of its size before Islamic State seized control in early 2014. A lawmaker close to Abadi said the offensive had helped him overcome a perception of weakness among powerful rivals and ordinary Iraqis. But another lawmaker and a Western diplomat said that while Falluja advances are bound to give the prime minister a "feel-good factor" in the short term, there is no indication they will help advance his political agenda. "When parliament resumes he'll probably point to Falluja," the diplomat said, but the demands of lawmakers and the street are "not going to go away because Falluja's been liberated." LESSONS FOR MOSUL The Falluja operation has, at least, provided a possible model for the offensive in Mosul, Islamic State's de facto capital in Iraq, which is still being planned, according to Iraqi and Western officials. The assault was spearheaded by Iraq's elite counter-terrorism service, which has learned to fight the jihadists' mix of guerrilla and conventional tactics, with army and police units also taking key positions. Around 85 coalition air strikes supported the advances. Iranian-backed Shi'ite militias, which stirred fears of sectarian violence by insisting on entering the mostly Sunni city, were confined largely to the outskirts, but they still stirred controversy. Days after Abadi announced the assault, Iranian media published pictures of what they said was a visit by Iranian General Qassem Soleimani to Shi'ite militias fighting alongside the army. Soleimani also appeared during last year's battle for Tikrit where Shi'ite militias were accused of rights abuses. An Iranian news outlet said he moved in recent days to Syria, where Iranian-backed militias are supporting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad against Sunni rebels. Even playing a peripheral role in Falluja the militias faced allegations from the local provincial governor, which they denied, that they executed 49 Sunni men and detained more than 600 others. "You've got to give Abadi credit for keeping the militias out of Falluja," the Western diplomat said, adding that the government had quickly put an end to the alleged abuses. Authorities have made arrests in relation to the claims, but the United Nations reported on Wednesday further allegations of serious rights violations by armed groups fighting alongside the military in Falluja. "Abadi has minimal leverage over these Iranian-backed militias, so if anyone is actually held accountable, it would indicate Abadi's rising political weight," former U.S. diplomat Robert Ford said in a recent article. But residents of Mosul who spoke to Reuters by phone and internet said they feared similar abuse if Shi'ite militias were allowed to participate in the offensive on their city. "We saw what happened in (Falluja) and it confirms our decision to refuse the Hashid Shaabi," Nineveh provincial councilman Abdul Rahman al-Jubouri told Reuters in Erbil, referring to the coalition of mostly Shi'ite militias allied to the government. France warns Brexit would be irreversible, single market access at stake By Elizabeth Pineau PARIS, June 22 (Reuters) - French President Francois Hollande warned on Wednesday that if Britons voted to leave the European Union it would be an irreversible decision that could seriously jeopardize Britain's prized access to the bloc's single market. Amid a flurry of contacts between EU capitals to prepare for the consequences of Thursday's referendum, Hollande said he would visit Berlin next week to prepare joint initiatives to relaunch Europe, whatever the outcome of the British vote. "If the choice is to leave the EU ... that would be irreversible," Hollande said. "No is no, there is no middle ground and we'll have to draw all the consequences." The economic consequences of the vote are key to the outcome of the referendum, with access to the bloc's single market for trade in goods and services a major issue. Hollande, in his starkest warning to date on the consequences of Brexit, said: "There would be a very serious risk of Britain losing its access to the single market and everything that goes with the European economic area. Everyone needs to be well aware of this." 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 parts of the single market. European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker added his own warning, saying there would be no re-negotiation of a package of measures that EU governments agreed with London in February aimed at keeping Britain in the 28-nation bloc. Hollande's call to relaunch Europe, Brexit or no, was echoed by both Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, who met the French leader in Paris on Wednesday, and by Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo during a visit to Berlin. "We hope very much that the British want to remain in the EU. But irrespective of the result, our position is clear: the European Union should develop further," Szydlo told a joint news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin. Hollande, who also met Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven on Wednesday and spoke by phone with European Council President Donald Tusk and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, said there would probably be more summits of EU leaders than the one already scheduled for June 28.. "We'll have to take initiatives to bring hope back for European people. Today, doubts are creeping in everywhere, populism, nationalism are taking over," French Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault told parliament. Far-right party leader Marine Le Pen, who according to opinion polls could top the first round of the 2017 French presidential election but then lose the run-off, has been pressing for France to hold its own referendum on EU membership. "France has a thousand more reasons to leave the EU than Britain," she told TF1 television late on Monday, referring to French membership of the euro currency and Schengen border-free area. "I want a referendum in France. All EU countries should have a referendum." Niger Delta Avengers may agree ceasefire says community leader By Anamesere Igboeroteonwu and Tife Owolabi ONITSHA, Nigeria, June 22 (Reuters) - A Nigerian militant group known as the Niger Delta Avengers which has been attacking oil facilities might agree to a ceasefire on Thursday to allow the government time to meet its demands, a community leader involved in peace efforts said. Two oil ministry officials have said that the government had agreed a truce with the militants, although the group has denied that. The 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 Nigeria's national income and most of that oil comes from the southern swampland. "The Avengers might be giving the federal government some time to do something about the demands," said Godspower Gbenekema, who said he met oil minister Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu last week to find ways to end attacks on oil facilities. OPEC member Nigeria was Africa's top oil producer until the spate of attacks pushed it behind Angola. Production has fallen from 2.2 million barrels at the start of the year to around 1.6 million barrels, helping push up global oil prices. Kachikwu travelled to the Delta last week to meet community leaders who oil sources say pass on messages to the militants who have not engaged in direct talks. "Nobody represented the Avengers in that meeting," Gbenekema said. "We used that opportunity to relay to the minister the problems of the Niger Delta such as lack of development and neglect." "The issue of truce or not depends on the seriousness of the federal government to address the issues at stake," he said, citing poverty and jobs as examples. No follow-up up meeting had been agreed, he added. Among the factors standing in the way of a ceasefire is that militants are divided into small groups and leaders have little sway over unemployed youths willing to work for anyone who pays them. The Ijaw People's Development Initiative (IPDI), a group which represents the region's largest ethnic group, said the government will fail to end attacks through talks because it was not interested in "genuine negotiation". The government "is not interested in addressing core demands of Niger Delta but rather looking for shortcuts to induce militants to abandon the core issues that brought frequent bombing of oil facilities", said IPDI president Austin Ozobo. Earlier this month, the government said it would scale down its military campaign in the Delta as part of an attempt to pursue talks with militants, who previously laid down arms in 2009 in exchange for cash benefits under a government amnesty. Egypt's local wheat purchases thrown into question amid fraud allegations By Eric Knecht and Maha El Dahan CAIRO/ABU DHABI, June 22 (Reuters) - Egypt has launched a government-led recount of its wheat silos after an unusually high procurement figure spurred widespread fraud allegations from top industry officials, traders and parliamentarians. Egypt said last week that in the latest procurement season it bought nearly 5 million tonnes of local wheat from its farmers, the second highest figure on record and well above the 3-3.5 million tonnes per year farmers had delivered in the past decade. Wheat millers and traders told Reuters the high figure was a result of private suppliers misreporting their stocks to collect government payments for highly subsidised local wheat not actually in their silos. Those millers and traders said they drew that conclusion based on their close knowledge of the grain business in Egypt and monitoring of wheat cultivation and procurement figures over the years. Reuters could not independently verify their claim. If the numbers were misrepresented, the world's top importer of the grain may have to spend more on foreign wheat purchases to meet local demand, even as it faces a dollar shortage that has sapped its ability to import, industry sources say. A series of new regulations - from banning wheat transport across governorates to requiring land documentation by farmers selling their crops - was supposed to prevent cheap foreign wheat from being mixed into subsidised local supplies. The agriculture minister has said wheat mixing cost the country more than 1 billion Egyptian pounds ($112.6 million) last year. But two private-sector millers and four traders told Reuters the new measures had all but failed to stem the losses. Local suppliers, they said, have circumvented the tighter rules by simply misreporting the quantities in their storage sites. Reuters could not confirm this. Wheat silos in four areas outside Cairo have already been found short in the range of tens of thousands of tonnes of wheat over the past week, according to state news reports. The millers and traders told Reuters that these silos are an early indication that more than 1 million tonnes of the reported local procurement may not exist. Some in the industry put the figure even higher. "I don't think they (the government) collected more than 2.5 million (tonnes). The rest is just on paper," said Amr Elheeny, a board member of Egypt's Chamber of Grain Industries, which advises the supplies ministry on policy. SWEEPING RECOUNT To secure food for tens of millions of its poorest and encourage cultivation of a crop it considers strategic, Egypt spends billions of pounds each year on a wheat and bread subsidy programme, part of which entails paying farmers a higher set price for their crop. This high price has for years encouraged local traders - who act as middlemen, buying wheat from scores of small-landholding farmers before selling it on to the government - to mix cheaper imported wheat into the subsidised local supplies. Last year the mixing reached a head when Egypt said it had procured a record 5.3 million tonnes from its farmers, up to 2 million of which was believed to be foreign, bought on the cheap following a collapse in global wheat prices. The supplies ministry has repeatedly denied such smuggling occurred although the agriculture minister acknowledged it publicly. Almost immediately after this year's procurement figure was announced last week, scepticism began to mount. A lawyer representing a group of businessmen in the grains industry, who say market manipulation cuts into their profits, filed a formal legal complaint, seen by Reuters, to the country's general prosecutor. It asks for an independent committee to inspect storage areas to avoid the possibility of squandering public funds intended to subsidise farmers. Egypt contracts with private-sector suppliers to store and deliver wheat to government mills as the government lacks adequate capacity to stockpile the grain. "There is manipulation in the quantity of local wheat being stored in most private-sector shounas (open-air storage sites), which are falsely recording the amounts of local wheat they have received (from farmers) several times over," the complaint filed by the lawyer, Mohamed Heikal, stated. Supply Minister Khaled Hanafi rejected the allegation that numbers were inflated. "This is a claim based on pure imagination, what is the evidence that he has to back this up?" Hanafi told Reuters in response to the legal filing. Norway could send troops into Syria OSLO, June 22 (Reuters) - Norway might send troops into Syria, including special forces, the government said on Wednesday, after parliament authorised it to do so. Oslo plans to send some 60 troops to Jordan this summer to train and support Syrian fighters battling Islamic State (IS). It said in May it would consult with parliament if there was a change in circumstances that meant the Norwegian troops could be needed inside Syria itself. On Wednesday parliament gave the go-ahead. "Local forces (opposed to IS) are making more progress than we could have expected. It is therefore more on the agenda that coalition forces should be able to train, advise and give operational support on Syrian territory in their battle against IS," defence minister Ine Eriksen Soereide said in a statement. Tesla's planned SolarCity buy puzzles everybody but Musk By Supantha Mukherjee and Narottam Medhora June 22 (Reuters) - To Elon Musk, Tesla Motors Inc's planned buyout of SolarCity Corp was a "no-brainer". Investors and analysts clearly had a bit more trouble figuring out the rationale, with the electric car maker's shares dropping as much as 10 percent in early trading on Wednesday. More than $3 billion was wiped off Tesla's value as the stock staged its biggest percentage drop in nearly two years. Musk, Tesla's founder and CEO, was undaunted, saying on an investor call on Wednesday that the electric car maker had the potential to become a trillion-dollar company. The serial entrepreneur, who owns 19 percent of Tesla and 22 percent of SolarCity, said when deal was announced on Tuesday that it would open up opportunities for Tesla to sell customers an electric car, a home battery and a solar system all at once. "I have zero doubt about the deal, should have done it sooner," he said on Wednesday's call. Analysts do have doubts, though. "While no doubt the Tesla bulls will hail the combination as visionary, we believe the assumption of another $2.6 billion of debt to fold in a solar company with limited synergies and uncertain growth/cash prospects only reinforces our negative view of Tesla," Barclays analyst Brian Johnson said in a note. RBC Capital Markets analyst Joseph Spak was also skeptical. "While we don't doubt that some customers who are interested in electric vehicles and storage products are also interested in going solar, we don't necessarily buy that there is a meaningful cross-sell opportunity - especially currently," he said. The all-stock deal, worth up to $2.8 billion, also could be a source of distraction for Tesla as it ramps up production, analysts said. Tesla, which revealed ambitious production plans in May for its upcoming Model 3 sedan, had already been setting off alarm bells among investors for its cash burn. The car maker, which had long-term debt and capital leases of $2.5 billion as of March 31, sold $1.7 billion of shares in May to fund production. SolarCity, led by Musk's first cousin Lyndon Rive, has struggled with rising costs and intensifying competition and has never made an annual profit since its IPO in 2012. Musk said he expected SolarCity to become cash-flow positive in the next three to six months. The company, whose shares were up 9.2 percent in early, has about $6.24 billion in liabilities, including debt. SolarCity is expected to burn roughly $400 million in cash from operations next year and report an adjusted loss of nearly $1 billion, based on consensus estimates, Pacific Crest analysts said in a research note. With both companies burning through cash, the combined entity is likely to magnify the losses and cash-burn that both are seeing individually, Barclays analysts said. Tesla, established in 2003, has never made a profit, although Musk has said the company is likely to start making money this year. Michigan attorney general sues France's Veolia in Flint water crisis By Ben Klayman DETROIT, June 22 (Reuters) - The Michigan attorney general on Wednesday sued French water company Veolia and a Texas firm for "botching" their roles in the city of Flint's drinking water crisis that exposed residents to dangerously high lead levels. Attorney General Bill Schuette said at a news conference in Flint that the civil lawsuit was filed in Genesee County Circuit Court against Veolia Environnement SA and Houston-based engineering services firm Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam (LAN). The lawsuit charged Veolia with professional negligence and fraud that caused Flint's the lead poisoning to continue and worsen, and LAN with professional negligence. Schuette said the state is seeking damages from the companies that could total hundreds of millions of dollars. His office said additional claims against the firms or others may be filed in the future. "Many things went tragically wrong in Flint, and both criminal conduct and civil conduct caused harm to the families of Flint and to the taxpayers of Michigan," Schuette said. "In Flint, Veolia and LAN were hired to do a job and failed miserably, basically botched it. They didn't stop the water in Flint from being poisoned. They made it worse." Veolia was hired in February 2015 by the city to address drinking water quality and produced at least one report and one public presentation stating the city's water was safe to drink, according to the lawsuit. The company knew its representations were false, the lawsuit stated. Paris-based Veolia said Schuette's office did not contact the company about its work and that its contract was unrelated to the current lead problem. It said it will defend itself against "these unwarranted allegations of wrongdoing." Veolia shares dipped 0.2 percent. In 2013, LAN worked with Flint to prepare the city's water plant to treat new sources of drinking water, including the Flint River, according to the lawsuit. LAN did not issue corrosion control measures in April 2014 and in August 2015 produced a report saying the water met federal safety requirements, failing to recognize the lead problem, according to the lawsuit. In a statement, LAN said it "was not hired to operate the water plant and had no responsibility for water quality." It will "vigorously defend itself against these unfounded claims," it said. Flint, with a population of about 100,000, was under control of a state-appointed emergency manager in 2014 when it switched its water source from Detroit's municipal system to the Flint River to save money. The city switched back in October. The river water was more corrosive than the Detroit system's and caused more lead to leach from its aging pipes. Lead can be toxic, and children are especially vulnerable. The crisis has prompted lawsuits by parents who say their children have shown dangerously high levels of lead in their blood. Last month, a Flint utilities administrator agreed to cooperate in investigations as part of a deal with prosecutors. Two state employees have been charged by Schuette's office, and he reaffirmed Wednesday that other employees would be charged as the investigation continues. Todd Flood, who is leading the state probe, said on Wednesday he has not received all documents that have been requested, including those from Governor Rick Snyder's office. Some people have criticized the governor and called on him to resign for the state's poor handling of the crisis. Malaysia rescues 29 trafficked Filipino women from bars By Beh Lih Yi JAKARTA, June 22 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Malaysian authorities have rescued 29 Filipino women who had been trafficked into the country to work, and arrested their agents, Filipino officials said on Wednesday, in the country's latest move to tackle the crime. Malaysia has an estimated 2 million illegal migrant labourers, some of whom work in conditions of forced labour in sectors ranging from electronics to palm oil to domestic service, according to the U.S. State Department. The Philippine embassy in Kuala Lumpur said it had contacted Malaysian police after it received tip-offs about some trafficked Filipino women, prompting a rescue operation. Malaysian police raided two bars in the coastal town of Bintulu in the eastern state of Sarawak on June 9 where they found the women, according to an embassy statement. It said traffickers brought the women to Sarawak as tourists and promised them jobs by converting their tourist visas into employment visas in exchange for money. "Under Malaysian immigration law, social visit passes (tourist visas) cannot be converted to work visas," the embassy said, urging Filipinos to be vigilant. The 29 women will be transferred to a women's shelter while an investigation is underway. Three individuals who allegedly acted as agents for the women, were arrested during the raid, the embassy statement said. It was not clear whether the trio have been charged in any court. The embassy could not be reached for immediate comment. The embassy urged Filipinos not to deal with unlicensed individuals or placement agencies as they could end up being victims of trafficking. Last month, 15 officials were fired after Malaysia discovered an immigration racket involving the sabotage of its security system at the country's main airport, heightening fears about human trafficking. Malaysia last year was upgraded by the U.S. State Department in its annual Trafficking in Persons Report to the Tier 2 Watch List from Tier 3, the lowest ranking for countries with the worst trafficking records. New Homebase owner reprieves UK stores set for closure By James Davey LONDON, June 22 (Reuters) - The new Australian owner of British home improvement retailer Homebase has reversed the previous management's programme of store closures, potentially saving as many as 700 jobs, its boss said on Wednesday. Bunnings, part of Australia's biggest retail group Wesfarmers Ltd, completed its 340 million pounds ($500 million) purchase of the 265-store Homebase chain from Home Retail in February. The firm then worked urgently to halt an existing store closure plan, Bunnings Chief Executive John Gillam told Reuters in a telephone interview. "There was almost a couple of dozen stores that were on the treadmill heading for closure, with some very advanced," he said. "We haven't been able to stop five but we have pulled back seven and we're working hard to pull back another 11." Gillam said that in total about 700 jobs could now be saved. "It's a line in the sand for the Homebase team to understand that we're here to build a business," he said, signalling confidence in the 38 billion pound UK home improvement market. Homebase competes with Kingfisher's B&Q stores and Travis Perkins' Wickes brand. Speaking from Sydney, where parent Wesfarmers earlier held its annual Strategy Day for investors, Gillam said he hoped to open the first UK Bunnings Warehouse test store in October. A further dozen pilots will follow as part of a plan to convert the entire Homebase estate to the Bunnings name and format in three years, with an investment of 500 million pounds. Bunnings has already changed Homebase's pricing strategy from one based on premium prices followed by discounts to a broader low pricing model, and ditched soft furnishings and indoor furniture lines. Indoor concessions, such as Argos and Habitat, installed by Home Retail, have also been removed. A three-man advisory board, including British retail veteran Archie Norman, a former chairman of supermarket Asda, is assisting Gillam. "We're repositioning Homebase, it needs to perform better," said Gillam, who has led Bunnings for 12 years. In the 2015-16 year, under Home Retail's ownership, Homebase made a profit of 23.5 million pounds on sales of 1.43 billion pounds. Its operating profit margin was just 1.6 percent. "The operating margins in more recent times of Homebase have been poor as measured against peer businesses in the UK, both in the sector and across retailing more broadly, and peer businesses globally," said Gillam. "I think it's a wonderful opportunity." Mexico's Pemex on alert for any new road blockades at top refinery MEXICO CITY, June 22 (Reuters) - Rowdy teacher protests in southern Mexico have caused delays and bottlenecks in transporting fuel from the country's top refinery in Salina Cruz, and state oil giant Pemex is on alert for new roadblocks, a company official said on Wednesday. Blockades on Tuesday caused long lines of tanker trucks unable to transport fuels for hours. Late last week, Pemex warned that road blockades by protesters could cause the facility's storage tanks to reach their limits and potentially force the company to shut the refinery, Pemex's biggest with a capacity to process 330,000 barrels of crude per day. "There's a problem with our storage capacity," the Pemex official said, asking not to be named because of company policy. He said the transport of waste and refined products had only been temporarily affected so far. A key highway used by the refinery to transport nearly all of the gasoline and diesel it produces has been specifically targeted in the past week by one of the most combative factions of Mexico's CNTE teachers union, a tactic often used to apply pressure and exact concessions from the government. "This is a serious problem," the Pemex official said. On Tuesday morning, members of CNTE's Section 22 in Oaxaca, fierce opponents of a 3-year-old government education reform, successfully cut off access to a highway known as the Carretera Transistmica, forcing dozens of tanker trucks to idle for hours. A stretch of the smaller, coastal highway 200 also was blocked, although both blockades were later dismantled. North Korea's missile launches 'brazen, irresponsible act' -U.N. chief By Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS, June 22 (Reuters) - United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon described North Korea's latest ballistic missile launches as a "brazen and irresponsible act" ahead of a U.N. Security Council meeting on the issue on Wednesday. North Korea, or the DPRK, launched what appeared to be an intermediate-range missile on Wednesday to a high altitude in the direction of Japan before it plunged into the sea about two hours after a similar test failed. "The continued pursuit by the DPRK of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles will only undermine its security and fail to improve the lives of its citizens," Ban's spokesman, Farhan Haq, said. Haq added that the launch, "in defiance of the unanimous will of the international community, is a brazen and irresponsible act," Haq added. French U.N. Ambassador Francois Delattre, president of the 15-member council for June, said the missile launches were an "unacceptable violation" of a U.N. ban. A council meeting later on Wednesday was requested by the United States and Japan. "We want a quick and firm reaction of the Security Council on this," said Delattre. "We hope that ... we'll have a press statement on this." The tests were the latest in a string of demonstrations of military might that began in January with North Korea's fourth nuclear test and included the launch of a long-range rocket in February. North Korea has been under U.N. sanctions since 2006. In March, the Security Council imposed harsh new sanctions on the country. Indonesian president to assert sovereignty in islands visit By Kanupriya Kapoor and Agustinus Beo Da Costa JAKARTA, June 22 (Reuters) - The Indonesian president will travel to the Natuna Islands for the first time on Thursday to assert Indonesia's sovereignty, a senior official said, after China said earlier this week it had an "overlapping claim" over nearby waters. Beijing said on Monday that waters near the Natuna Islands were subject to overlapping claims on "maritime rights and interests" between China and Indonesia. Indonesia's foreign minister on Wednesday rejected China's stance, saying the waters were in Indonesian territory. "Our position is clear that claims can only be made on the basis of international law. For Indonesia, we don't have overlapping claims in any form in Indonesian waters with China," Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi told reporters. The chief security minister, foreign minister, and the heads of the individual military branches will accompany the president on his trip to Natuna, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Agung told reporters. Asked the reason for the trip, he told reporters, "Natuna is the territory of Indonesia, that is final. As head of the government and the state, the president wants to ensure that Natuna is part of Indonesia's sovereignty." The remote island chain has a small civilian population. Jakarta objects to Beijing's inclusion of waters around the islands within China's "nine-dash line", a demarcation line used by Beijing to show its claim to the South China Sea. Despite the objection, Indonesia is not part of a broader regional dispute over China's reclamation activities in the South China Sea and Beijing's claims on swathes of key waterways. China's Foreign Ministry said over the weekend that an Indonesian naval vessel fired on a Chinese fishing boat near the chain of islands on Friday, wounding one person. Indonesia's navy responded that it had fired warning shots at several boats with Chinese flags it accused of fishing illegally but that nobody had been wounded. It was the third reported confrontation near the Natuna Islands this year and comes amid rising regional tensions over China's assertiveness in the South China Sea. Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla told Reuters on Monday the Southeast Asian nation would be more assertive in protecting its exclusive right to the waters around the Natuna Islands. Despite this more assertive stance, Retno said relations between the two countries remained good. RBS receives bids for Greek shipping business - sources LONDON, June 22 (Reuters) - The Royal Bank of Scotland has received bids for its Greek shipping finance business which is worth about $3 billion as it looks to scale down on non-core activities, banking and financial sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. Credit Suisse and China Merchants were among the suitors bidding, the sources said. RBS and Credit Suisse declined to comment, while China Merchants did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. The British bank, which was bailed out during the financial crisis, had previously been a top lender to the global shipping industry and its Greek office played a pivotal role. The business also includes a banking licence as well as some 40 staff, the sources said. "RBS has held preliminary discussions with a number of interested parties," one source said. In July 2015, Reuters reported RBS was winding down its Greek operation and putting its shipping loans portfolio up for sale. Qatar fund Mayhoola buys French fashion brand Balmain PARIS, June 22 (Reuters) - Qatari private investment company Mayhoola investment fund, owner of the Valentino brand, confirmed that it is set to acquire French luxury fashion label Balmain, the company said in a statement on Wednesday. Mayhoola gave no financial details, but sources told Reuters on Tuesday Mayhoola would pay more than 460 million euros ($522 million). The deal 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. Auctioneer gets year in U.S. prison for ivory, rhino horn smuggling By Brendan Pierson NEW YORK, June 22 (Reuters) - An executive with a Beverly Hills gallery and auction house was sentenced on Wednesday to one year and one day in prison after admitting that he conspired to smuggle at least $1 million in animal products that included rhino horn and elephant ivory. Joseph Chait, 38, a senior auction administrator for his family's business, I.M. Chait Gallery/Auctioneers, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Paul Oetken in Manhattan after pleading guilty in March to conspiring to smuggle wildlife products. His attorney, Judith Germano, had asked the judge for a sentence of community service. She said that Chait risked being cut off from his family, which raised him in the Church of Scientology, by cooperating with prosecutors. "My actions were wrong and I regret them every single day," Chait said before being sentenced. He also said that in a "weird way," he was grateful for the criminal case because it "has allowed me to break the chains of my upbringing." Prosecutors said that Chait falsified customs forms by stating ivory and rhino horn were made of bone, wood or plastic. After a rhino carving sold at auction for $230,000, Chait made false documents putting the value at $108.75, and saying the object was made of plastic, prosecutors said. He and others also sold ivory carvings to a Chinese dealer and provided them to that dealer's courier, even after learning the buyer had been arrested in China for smuggling ivory purchased from Chait's auction house, prosecutors said. The case comes as conservationists and law enforcement officials in the United States and globally have been trying to crack down on the illegal trade in products from the two threatened species. U.S. authorities say rhino horn-made libation cups and ornamental carvings made from elephant ivory are particularly in demand in Asia, namely China and Hong Kong. That is resulting in a thriving black market. Most species of rhinoceros are extinct or on the brink of extinction as a result, and elephants are under threat in many countries. The case is not the first to involve the I.M. Chait auction house. Actor Nicholas Cage in December agreed to turn over a rare stolen dinosaur skull he bought from I.M. Chait after U.S. authorities filed a civil forfeiture complaint seeking to take possession of the item so it could be repatriated to Mongolia. Killing of British lawmaker was "an act of terror", says husband By William James LONDON, June 22 (Reuters) - The widower of murdered British lawmaker Jo Cox said her killing was an act of terror as he paid tribute to his late wife on Wednesday alongside hundreds of mourners at an emotional memorial in London's Trafalgar Square. Cox died after she was shot and stabbed in the street in her constituency in northern England last week - an attack that shocked the country and prompted an outpouring of sympathy around the globe for the lifelong humanitarian campaigner. "Jo's killing was political. It was an act of terror designed to advance an agenda of hatred towards others," Brendan Cox said in a tearful speech to a large crowd packed into the London landmark. "What a beautiful irony it is that an act designed to advance hatred has instead generated such an outpouring of love." The vigil marking what would have been her 42nd birthday, and also attended by Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai, fell silent at 1518 GMT in a mark of respect also observed at other events across the country and around the world including in Beirut, Brussels, Melbourne, Nairobi, Geneva, New York and Washington. Cox's death has abruptly changed the tone of the final days of caustic campaign around a referendum on Britain's European Union membership, which takes place on Thursday, prompting a groundswell of support for a more positive campaign. "She feared the consequences of Europe dividing again, hated the idea of building walls, and worried about the dynamics that that could unleash," Brendan Cox said. The memorial included an offering of flowers by religious leaders of different faiths, music from the band that played at her wedding, and video tributes by rock star Bono and Cox's sister in the lawmaker's constituency. White roses, the flower of Cox's home region, Yorkshire, floated in the square's halted fountains. Cox's husband and their young son and daughter, whose London home was a houseboat, earlier waved to clapping crowds as they arrived by boat after mooring a dinghy filled with flowers in the River Thames outside the Houses of Parliament. Tributes from friends, family and former colleagues painted a picture of a hard-working, loving mother who had dedicated her life to women's issues, the plight of refugees fleeing war in Syria and most recently to those she represented in parliament. Before her election to parliament in May 2015, Cox had spent almost a decade working for aid agency Oxfam. A fund set up in her memory has so far raised 1.3 million pounds ($1.91 million). In Geneva, friends remembered her at a sunny lakeside vigil outside the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue where U.N. human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad al Hussein was among those paying tribute. "Jo was very much a member of this community ... the very things that she shood for, she campaigned for, she poured her heart and soul into, was the very agenda that we all signed up for," Zeid told Reuters. RBS receives bids for Greek shipping business - sources By Jonathan Saul, Sophie Sassard and Andrew MacAskill LONDON, June 22 (Reuters) - The Royal Bank of Scotland has received bids for its Greek ship finance business, banking and financial sources familiar with the matter said, following a leap in bad shipping debts at the lender over the past few months. They told Reuters that the operation was worth about $3 billion although sources in the shipping business said that problems with lending to the industry, much of which is in a deep downturn, would affect the value of what could be recouped via a sale. Credit Suisse and China Merchants were among the suitors bidding, the sources said. RBS and Credit Suisse declined to comment, while China Merchants did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. The British bank, which was rescued with a 46 billion-pound government bailout during the financial crisis, had previously been a top lender to the global shipping industry and its Greek office played a pivotal role. The business also includes a banking licence as well as about 40 staff, the sources said. "RBS has held preliminary discussions with a number of interested parties," one source said. "The big difference here is they are not selling a portfolio of loans but a business, with staff in it able to do the debt collection stuff." RBS, which is 73-percent state-owned, is in the midst of a restructuring aimed at returning the bank to profit after eight straight years of losses. In July 2015, Reuters reported it was winding down its Greek operation and putting its shipping loans portfolio up for sale. 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. One shipping industry source said part of the RBS portfolio included non-performing loans due to the worsening conditions in some sectors. "RBS has tried to put this sale together for some time. In the past two quarters, conditions in shipping have got worse and that has had some effect on the portfolio," the source said. "That will mean that there will have to be some price-adjustment for whatever is on offer." Other sources said the loans could carry a 30 percent discount in order to attract interest, adding that some buyers may be interested only in parts of the business. "It depends on the level of interest and also how quick a sale they want," a ship finance source said. The bank's total shipping exposure reached 7.1 billion pounds ($10.4 billion) in the first quarter of this year, down from 7.5 billion pounds at the end of last year. Non-performing loans to the industry - those on which repayments are significantly in arrears - increased to 827 million pounds in the first quarter of this year from 434 million at the end of 2015, RBS said in its quarterly results. Reuters reported earlier this week that the European Central Bank has launched a review of banks' lending to the shipping sector. This has raised concerns among lenders that they may be required to set aside more capital and make higher loss provisions against loans to the industry. CHINESE INTEREST China Merchants, one of the country's biggest conglomerates, has been looking for cheap shipping and commodities-related assets in Europe, hoping to take advantage of the market downturn. In March sources told Reuters that China Merchants had made an informal bid to buy London's Baltic Exchange, which has been at the heart of global shipping for centuries. Greece agreed in April to sell a 67 percent stake in Piraeus port to Chinese shipping giant COSCO for 368.5 million euros ($416 million). "For a Chinese bank, buying RBS's Greek business is an inroad into Europe. For others like Credit Suisse, RBS will have to offer something more as Credit Suisse is already a big player now in Greece," another ship finance source said. Turkey blocking German official's visit to Incirlik base - Germany BERLIN, June 22 (Reuters) - Turkey is blocking the plans of a senior German defence official to visit Incirlik air base in July, a spokesman for the German defence ministry said on Wednesday, in a sign of increasingly tense relations between the two NATO allies. Germany has about 250 soldiers stationed at the base in southern Turkey, along with six Tornado reconnaissance jets and a refueling plane, all of which are participating in a U.S.-led air campaign against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria. "Turkish officials do not currently approve of the travel plans," a ministry spokesman said, confirming a report published by the website of the German magazine Spiegel. Ralf Brauksiepe, a deputy to German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen, had planned to visit the Incirlik military air base along with some German lawmakers next month, the spokesman said, adding that Berlin still hoped the trip could go ahead. Turkish officials were not immediately available for comment. Just last week, a German defence ministry spokesman had said the two countries were finalising an agreement on construction of new housing and aircraft facilities for German forces at the Incirlik air base, holding the deal up as evidence of the continued strength of German-Turkish military relations. Ties between Germany and Turkey have been strained over a number of issues, including a resolution adopted by the German parliament that declares the 1915 massacres of Armenians by Ottoman Turkish forces a genocide. Ankara strongly denies that the killings a century ago amount to a genocide. German Chancellor Angela Merkel is keen to stress common interests with Turkey as she presses to complete an EU-Turkey deal that would stem the flow of migrants to Europe in return for cash, visa-free travel rights for Turkish citizens and accelerated talks on Ankara's EU membership. But she faces pressure at home to take a tougher stance against Turkey over its treatment of human rights activists and recent statements by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan suggesting that German lawmakers of Turkish origin had "tainted blood". Roche CEO 'sleeps better' as risk to drugmaker's growth recedes By John Miller and Ben Hirschler LONDON, June 22 (Reuters) - Roche is increasingly confident it will continue to lift sales and profit even as cut-rate copies of the Swiss drugmaker's older cancer medicines start to grab business next year, its chief executive said on Wednesday. Big wins for three new drugs in recent months have helped to offset what Roche's Severin Schwan acknowledges as a serious threat from so-called biosimilars. "In terms of growth, I am now at the point where I sleep much better," Schwan told Reuters on a visit to London. In February the company won U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) breakthrough status for new multiple sclerosis drug Ocrevus. That was followed in May by U.S. approval of immuno-oncology drug Tecentriq for bladder cancer, with an expected sign-off for lung cancer waiting in the wings. Then came a surprise early announcement that Roche's blood cancer drug Gazyva worked better than an older drug. Together, these developments have boosted Schwan's optimism that Roche can more than replace income lost as rivals such as Novartis and Mylan begin selling biosimilar copies of older Roche drugs in the second half of 2017. REDUCED RISK "I would have been much more cautious 12 or 18 months ago, but the situation has been substantially de-risked since then," Schwan said. Roche has said that sales will increase by a low to mid-single-digit percentage this year, with profit outpacing revenue growth, but it has not given any longer-term forecasts. Prospects could be enhanced further by positive outcomes in trials testing other potential blockbuster drugs, including ACE910, for haemophilia, and lampalizumab, for sight loss. Roche is also awaiting results of the Aphinity trial that pairs Perjeta with Herceptin in breast cancer patients and could triple the commercial opportunity for Perjeta. "People are very optimistic about it -- actually, so are we," Schwan said. Roche's three established cancer blockbusters Rituxan, Herceptin and Avastin, which account for annual sales of nearly 20 billion Swiss francs ($21 billion), all face biosimilar competition by the end of the decade. All are antibody drugs that have proved to be huge commercial hits, which is why companies such as Novartis and Mylan are seeking to copy them. The first biosimilar antibody to come to market -- a copy of arthritis drug Remicade that is now on sale in Europe -- has gained market share faster than expected, knocking sales of the original product from Merck by more than 40 percent in two years. DISCOUNT CONCERNS Discounting could cut even deeper, however. Novartis CEO Joe Jimenez has forecast price cuts as high as 75 percent on copied products. Despite such projections, Schwan still thinks discounts are likely to be between 30 percent and 60 percent. "It has not changed our view," he said of the Remicade experience. On the acquisitions front, Roche will continue to make smaller deals to add early-stage drugs to its portfolio, Schwan said, but his view that the biotech market remains overpriced means that larger transactions are unlikely. "It is still overvalued," he said, adding that recent corrections have not brought valuations back to fundamental levels. Other companies may need to go on a buying spree to fill depleted pipelines, but Schwan rates the chances of Roche doing a big deal as "very low". Uncertainty over biosimilars has cast a cloud over 48-year-old Schwan's eight years at the helm, but he intends to stick around for a while yet if the board plays along. His time at the top is lengthy by the standards of the Swiss group's peers but hardly an anomaly at Roche, which has had only seven chief executives in 120 years. "It's not up to me to decide how long I can do this job, but the one thing you see at Roche is very long tenures at the top," he said. ($1 = 0.9580 Swiss francs) Merkel says NATO must be strengthened BERLIN, June 22 (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday underscored her government's commitment to strengthening NATO's eastern flank, days after her foreign minister warned against "sabre-rattling" that could escalate tensions with Russia. Merkel said Germany would continue to do engage in regular dialogue with Russia but also saw "new threats" close to Europe, and was determined to both increase its own military spending and strengthen the NATO alliance. "The (German coalition) government as a whole has agreed to the NATO decision that over the longer term we should dedicate 2 percent of gross domestic product to defence spending," she told a news conference after a meeting with Polish officials. "I think that will be supported by everyone in the government ... That is the position of the government." Merkel's comment came three days after Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier sparked a firestorm with remarks that cautioned against antagonising Russia. "What we shouldn't do now is to inflame the situation by loud sabre-rattling and shrill war cries," he told Bild newspaper. "Whoever believes that symbolic tank parades on the alliance's eastern border will bring more security is mistaken," Steinmeier said. "We are well-advised not to create pretexts to renew an old confrontation." A spokesman for Steinmeier on Tuesday denied the remarks were linked directly to NATO exercises and plans to increase NATO troop levels in eastern Europe. Steinmeier's remarks revealed growing divisions between his left-leaning Social Democrats and Merkel's conservative Christian Democrats in Germany's coalition government. Germany is set for a federal election next year. Steinmeier spoke in a parliamentary debate on Wednesday to mark the anniversary of Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union. "When the security situation changes - and it has - then we have to adapt our military capabilities. But we cannot at the same time fall prey to the illusion that military strength alone leads to security," he said. Steinmeier has called for a gradual easing of European sanctions against Russia as it makes progress in implementing the Minsk peace deal for eastern Ukraine, in contrast with Merkel's insistence that sanctions can only be lifted once the deal is fully implemented. During Wednesday's debate, Steinmeier criticised Russia's annexation of the Crimea region of Ukraine, but said Germany could also never forget its own invasion of the Soviet Union 75 years ago. U.S. envoy talks with Venezuela's president Maduro amid crisis By Andrew Cawthorne and Girish Gupta CARACAS, June 22 (Reuters) - Veteran U.S. diplomat Tom Shannon met with Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro on Wednesday to re-start talks between the ideologically-opposed governments amid a punishing economic crisis in the South American OPEC nation. Shannon, who led a similar rapprochement last year that stalled over the jailing of protest leader Leopoldo Lopez, also met with opposition figures on his visit to Caracas. During 17 years of socialist rule under Maduro and his predecessor Hugo Chavez, Venezuela has replaced Cuba as Washington's principle irritant in the Americas. The United States is backing an opposition push to hold a referendum this year that could see Maduro ousted. However, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Venezuelan Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez agreed last week to re-start talks. Shannon and Maduro, 53, met after lunch in the Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas, but there was no immediate word on the content of their talks. On Tuesday, Shannon met with opposition leaders including Henrique Capriles, the two-time presidential candidate who lost to both Chavez and Maduro and is now spearheading the push for a referendum. Maduro may be hoping the meeting eases international pressure on him, analysts and diplomats said, while Washington likely calculates a rapprochement undermines Venezuela's constant blame on "imperialist" foes for the nation's problems. "Kerry indicated last week that the U.S. wants to see a recall referendum this year, and bilateral talks will help to offset what would otherwise be fodder for Maduro to declare that the U.S. is trying to overthrow his regime," the Eurasia consultancy group said. "PHOTO OPS" Shannon, a former U.S. ambassador to Brazil and current Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs who speaks Spanish and Portuguese, was likely to press for the release of jailed opponents including Lopez. The Venezuelan politician was sentenced to nearly 14 years for instigating 2014 anti-Maduro protests that led to violence killing 43 people across both sides. Rights groups say the trial was a farce. After meeting Shannon on Tuesday, Capriles said Maduro was seeking to use dialogue to buy himself time due to his inability to solve Venezuela's worsening economic crisis. "Someone who has not eaten for five days cannot wait for dialogue," he said, referring to widespread food shortages around the nation of 30 million people. "We're not here for photo ops. Venezuela doesn't have time for that." Since Chavez took 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. In Turkey's tussle with the EU, Erdogan thinks he holds the cards By Nick Tattersall and Paul Taylor ISTANBUL/BRUSSELS, June 22 (Reuters) - Britain's Brexit campaign and the rise of Europe's populist right have further dented Turkish hopes of ever joining the EU, leaving President Tayyip Erdogan largely indifferent to its criticism and weakening an anchor of Turkish reform. While neither side has any interest in ending Turkey's decade-long accession process, their relations are increasingly transactional, driven by mutual need in areas such as migration, trade and security, rather than by convergence towards European Union norms on democracy and basic rights. Warnings from populist leaders around Europe of creeping Islamisation and from campaigners for a British exit from the EU of dire consequences if Turkey, a Muslim nation of 78 million, ever joins, have led Turkish leaders to complain increasingly openly about what they see as European Islamophobia. "Europe, you don't want us because the majority of our population are Muslim ... We knew it but we tried to show our sincerity," Erdogan said at a graduation ceremony in Istanbul on Wednesday, the eve of Britain's "Brexit" vote, quipping that Turkey too could hold such a referendum. "We will go and ask the public whether we should continue negotiations with the EU," he said. Turkey has so far lived up to its side of a landmark deal with Brussels to stop illegal migration to Europe via its shores, in return for financial aid, the promise of visa-free travel to much of the bloc and accelerated talks on membership. But it has alarmed EU leaders by pressing ahead with a crackdown on Erdogan's opponents, including moves to prosecute pro-Kurdish opposition politicians on terrorism charges, the detention of journalists and academics, and changes in the judiciary seen by critics as a purge of dissident judges. "The EU-Turkey deal (on migration) is holding and there's no reason to fear it won't hold, despite the public bluster," a senior EU source told Reuters, pointing out that the numbers of illegal migrants crossing from Turkey had dropped sharply. "But there are grounds to be quite worried about Turkey's overall direction of travel," the source said, pointing to the plans to remove hundreds of judges and to the recent lifting of immunity for members of parliament, a step towards the prosecution of opposition deputies. Turkey has so far refused to back down on a key sticking point in the bid to secure visa-free travel to Europe's 26-nation Schengen area, namely EU demands that it change sweeping anti-terrorism laws used against intellectuals, Kurdish sympathisers and Erdogan's critics. That risks further antagonizing a sceptical European Parliament, the EU's most vocal institution on human rights and freedom, which has to approve visa liberalisation. Turkey says the anti-terror laws are crucial when an insurgency by militants in its largely Kurdish southeast is at its most violent since the 1990s, and when it faces a growing threat from Islamic State fighters from neighbouring Syria. "A change of attitude is out of the question," Yasin Aktay, deputy chairman of the ruling AK Party, told Reuters. But officials on both sides are hoping for a compromise. Some EU leaders, notably Donald Tusk, the former Polish premier who chairs EU summits and was involved in negotiating the migrant deal with Erdogan, argue that Turkey should not get all the credit for the decline in migrant arrivals. Tightening borders and sealing off Greece from the rest of Europe had delivered a drop before the deal with Ankara was signed, an EU official said, suggesting Turkey was not in as strong a negotiating position as it might think. "We feel that we have the leverage. We are not solely in the hands of Turkey," the official said. Brussels aides also note that Ankara's ties with Russia, the United States, Syria, Iran and Israel are all strained, hence it needs better relations with the EU. DOMESTIC PRIORITIES European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said last month Erdogan should "think twice" before refusing to change the anti-terrorism laws and warned he would "have to explain to the Turkish people why he is responsible for them not getting the right to travel freely in Europe". The combative Turkish leader, well used to demonising the EU to his loyal supporters, is seeking popular backing to change the constitution and boost his powers. He is counting on the support of nationalists more interested in seeing him take a hard line on Kurdish militants than kowtow to Brussels. "Fundamentally, Erdogan may have calculated that as much as visa freedom would be a positive development, it is not enough of a benefit for him to be seen to be soft on terror," said Sinan Ulgen, chairman of Istanbul-based think tank EDAM. Such political calculation will increasingly lie at the heart of Turkey's dealings with the EU, Ulgen said, predicting Ankara would cooperate with Brussels only in areas where it saw a clear strategic interest. "For all practical purposes the accession dynamic is dead ... In a way it has become inconsequential as far as Erdogan is concerned," said Ulgen, a visiting scholar at Carnegie Europe and a former diplomat in Turkey's EU delegation. "It will be a piecemeal effort to concoct areas of common interest and build structures of cooperation as the need arises ... That has been the case for refugees, that will be the case for economic integration, possibly for cooperation on counter-terrorism, and areas like that." Turkey will take a modest step forward in the accession process on June 30 when it opens a new chapter of negotiations with the EU on budget policy. EU officials say the European Commission will adopt a draft negotiating mandate in October or November to widen a 20-year customs union with Ankara, a bigger potential prize which they believe reformist parts of the government are determined to secure and which they hope will give Brussels extra leverage. Deputy Prime Minister Mehmet Simsek, seen as one of few reformers in a new government dominated by allies of Erdogan, told Reuters last week that such a deal to extend the union to cover services, agriculture and public procurement could make Turkey the bloc's third largest trade partner. But he said Turkey's influence in the Middle East, its role as an energy hub and its importance as an intelligence partner meant relations with Europe were not a one-way street. "Europe needs Turkey if it wants to have a stronger say in international affairs in this geography, if it wants energy supply security, if it wants even overall security," he said. Nigerian gunmen kidnap expatriate cement workers in southern city CALABAR, Nigeria, June 22 (Reuters) - Gunmen in southern Nigeria kidnapped three expatriate cement industry workers and killed their local driver in an early morning attack, police said on Wednesday. The workers, two of whom later escaped, were contractors for cement company Lafarge Africa. Two were Australians and one a New Zealander. They were attacked on the outskirts of the city of Calabar at around 05:30 a.m. (0430 GMT), police said. Two of the trio managed to flee, Irene Ugbo, a spokeswoman for Cross River state police, adding she did not know the nationality of the workers still being held. The kidnappers had yet to contact police, she said. Lafarge Africa said it had been informed of the incident by Australian contractor Macmahon. U.S. hopes for 'group of friends' to help Venezuela By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON, June 22 (Reuters) - Washington has high hopes for an Organization of American States meeting on Venezuela on Thursday, which could lead to the formation of an alliance of interested nations to help resolve its crisis, a top State Department official said. "Tomorrow's meeting is in our view a very important meeting," Annie Pforzheimer, acting deputy assistant secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs, testified at a House of Representatives subcommittee hearing on Wednesday. "We could see the formation of something like a 'group of friends' from the OAS member states who would... try to work with the parties in Venezuela and urge them to pursue sustainable solutions there," she said. Once one of Latin America's most prosperous nations, OPEC nation Venezuela is grappling with a harsh economic slowdown. Long lines for food and medicines have led to protests and calls for a recall referendum to remove President Nicolas Maduro. Pforzheimer said that Luis Almagro, the OAS secretary-general, had written up a detailed examination of the situation in Venezuela and that the United States expected him to speak to member states about it. Secretary of State John Kerry launched high-level talks to ease tensions with Venezuela's socialist government earlier this month. On Wednesday, U.S. diplomat Tom Shannon met with Maduro in Caracas to restart the talks. Kerry said when he announced the talks that Washington did not support a push by Almagro to suspend Venezuela from the OAS for alleged violations of the regional group's charter. The former Uruguayan foreign minister appears isolated in that respect, with even right-wing governments opposed to Maduro balking at throwing him out. During the hearing, House members expressed deep concern about the Venezuelan situation, including worries about a potential migration crisis in nearby countries and human rights violations. After the hearing, U.S. Representative Jeff Duncan, the subcommittee's chairman, said that he would support the United States sending food and medicine to assist Venezuela, if Venezuela accepted them. "We should send some humanitarian relief, food, medicine, technical expertise, whatever is necessary to get their electrical grid up and running, but the Maduro government's got to be open to that," he told reporters. However, Duncan said he was not aware that any such assistance effort was under way. Some members of Congress have called for more sanctions on Venezuela to push it to release political prisoners and allow more freedom of assembly and expression. Anti-money laundering body seen keeping Iran on blacklist -officials By Louis Charbonneau, Jonathan Saul and Parisa Hafezi UNITED NATIONS/LONDON/ANKARA, June 22 (Reuters) - An international group that monitors money laundering worldwide is expected to decide this week to keep Iran on its blacklist of high-risk countries despite aggressive lobbying by Tehran to come off the list to help it access the global financial system, Western officials said. The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), established in 1989 to combat money laundering and the financing of terrorism and weapons of mass destruction, compiles the list, which it regularly updates. Its 37 member states are meeting in South Korea. "No changes to Iran's status on the blacklist are imminent, though I think perhaps we can expect some words of encouragement and recognition of Iran's attempts to make progress," said one Western official familiar with FATF discussions, who asked not to be named. Two other Western officials concurred this week with the opinion that Iran would not be taken off the blacklist at this time. Tehran has complained that it is not getting economic benefits it was promised during last year's negotiations on a nuclear deal with six major powers. As a result of that agreement, many international sanctions against Iran were lifted. The United States, however, still has sanctions in place that prohibit trade with Iran in dollars and Iranian access to New York's financial system. Financial Action Task Force spokeswoman Alexandra Wijmenga-Daniel responded to a request for comment by saying the group would publish an update on high-risk and non-cooperative jurisdictions after the session later this week. Getting off the FATF blacklist, which also lists North Korea, would remove a major hurdle Iran faces in dealing with outside banks and other financial institutions. Iranian and Western officials have said that is why Tehran has been pushing hard to come off the list or at least to have the current FATF warning about it softened. Paris-based FATF said earlier this year that it remained "particularly and exceptionally concerned" about what it called Iran's "failure to address the risk of terrorist financing and the serious threat this poses to the integrity of the international financial system." The burden of proof is on Iran to show that these concerns are unfounded. Iran has said such criticism is unfair and contributes to the reluctance of major Western banks and financial institutions to do business with it, despite encouragement from U.S. President Barack Obama's administration. Many large banks are disinclined to deal with Iran for fear of violating remaining U.S. sanctions. Since January, Iran has secured banking links only with smaller financial institutions. A spokeswoman for the European Union's foreign policy section declined to comment until the FATF meeting had ended. The United States also declined to comment, though a U.S. Treasury Department official said, "We are confident that the FATF will treat Iran fairly." One Iranian official said there had been multiple meetings between senior Iranian and European officials in recent months "to help Iran get off the blacklist." He said the head of Iran's central bank had discussed the FATF issue with U.S. officials during a recent visit to the United States. "We are very optimistic," he said. Adding to the unwillingness of international businesses to work with Iran is apprehension over the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' (IRGC) hold on the economy. The IRGC was the driving force behind Iran's nuclear program, its money laundering activities and its foreign military activities, and remains subject to extensive international sanctions. Another Iranian official said the IRGC had hoped to use its front companies and banks to cash in after sanctions were lifted but was disappointed that foreign investors had shunned them. Businesses are also wary about wading into Iranian waters until after the U.S. presidential election in November. "If (Donald) Trump becomes the next president, then he says he'll tear up the Iran deal," a European official said. "Hesitancy on the part of business is understandable." European banking sources told Reuters that regardless of Iran's status on the FATF blacklist, they are not ready to do business with Iran because of the high risks. The United States has sought to assure international companies that doing legitimate business with Tehran is acceptable. Last month U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry told a meeting of bank executives in London that European banks should not fear punishment from the United States for resuming legitimate trade with Iran. S&P says Brexit would prompt swift downgrade of Britain -Bild FRANKFURT, June 23 (Reuters) - A downgrade of Britain's AAA credit rating by Standard and Poor's (S&P) could come quickly after a vote in favour of leaving the European Union, S&P chief sovereign ratings officer Moritz Kraemer told German daily Bild. "If Great Britain decides for a Brexit in the EU referendum on Thursday, then the AAA credit rating would come due and would be downgraded within a short period of time," Bild quoted Kraemer as saying in a summary of an article to be published on Thursday. Kraemer repeated that the political situation in Britain would become less predictable and rational, partly because there was no real post-Brexit plan, Bild reported. My Sunday afternoon was spent watching a Bollywood film titled Talvar, which literally translates to Sword. The film was far different from a traditional story with no song and dance and was stirring the very sensitive issue of the Indian society. In Pakistan, honour killings get the cover of religion. It was based on the true story of the Aarushi-Hemraj double murder, which took place in 2008 in Noida, India. The case caught media attention because a 14-year-old girl was found dead in her bedroom, her throat slit, and the main suspect was a 45-year-old family servant. But when his body was found on the apartment rooftop the next morning, her parents were accused of the two murders, and later convicted by the lower court. Currently, they are serving a prison sentence while their appeal is pending before a higher court in India. The movie showed the incompetence of the state police as well as the justice system of India, like neighbouring Pakistan. Aarushi's parents are convicted for honour killing on the basis of a weak investigative procedure, according to the film. According to the police, the couple found their daughter in a "compromising position with the servant and killed them both in a fit of rage. After the film ended, I invested a few hours reading different honour killing cases in India. Another case was the Manoj-Babli honour killing of 2007. Manoj and Babli, who were from the same clan in Haryana, eloped and ran away. The Khap - a caste-based kangaroo court in villages - that runs parallel to the judiciary in a democracy like India, ordered to kill both Manoj and Babli. The reason of the verdict was that they both belonged to same clan and marrying within the clan is considered incestuous in that village or may be in many villages in India. After a few days, Manoj and Babli were killed by the brides family. This case too gained media's attention. The judge convicted the Khap and the brides family. Indian media and legal experts hailed the court's decision as it was first time ever in the history of India that the grooms mother had filed a case against honour killing and the culprits convicted. The significance of the case was that a woman had stood up to such inhumane practices, which are mostly carried out against women in the society. Across the border in Pakistan, two recent cases have sparked condemnation throughout the country. In one case, a pregnant woman and her husband were abducted and shot dead by a womans family, who were not happy with their daughters marriage. The bodies were found in a water canal and the murder took place at a village in Punjab province. According to the police, this is a case of honour killing. Just a week before this incident, 16-year-old girl, Zeenat Bibi, was burnt to death by her mother and family because she married a man from a different ethnic background. Zeenats mother accepted the crime; according to her, Zeenat had brought shame to their family, and therefore she deserved it. These are few examples of honour killings that happening in India and Pakistan regularly. The research shows that the practice is happening around the Middle East and Africa as well. The Aarushi case shows that it is convenient for the justice system to close a case by declaring it an honour killing despite with weak evidence. Evidently, such killings have nothing to do with religion - they have a cultural motive. In 2004, female parliamentarian Kashmala Tariq raised arguments in favour of a couple who eloped: "How can they (families of bride or groom) stop a couple marrying of their own free will when Islam permits them?" A male member, Sardar Salim Jan Mazari, hailing from rural Sindh, replied: "We should respect cultural traditions of our society before making any laws to check such killings in the country". In Pakistan, honour killings get the cover of religion because under the so-called Islamic legislation enacted by the 1980s military ruler Zia ul-Haq, the upheld murderers could seek pardon from the victim's family under the Islamic principles of compromise. This law since then has remained unchanged and led to a surge in honour killings in Pakistan. Legal experts say that such laws, especially against women, have been grossly misused. But unfortunately, the strict laws and the justice system of western societies couldnt stop the disease of honour killing in Europe, USA or Canada. In United States, FBIs Uniform Crime Reporting Statistics shows an estimated 27 victims of honour crime every year. Those crimes include domestic violence, forced marriage, female genital mutilation and honour killings. Estimates suggest 91 percent girls have been killed because they were labelled as too westernised by their family members. The more cases I researched, the more disturbing it got. Although most victims were women, there were few males as well. According to Ayaan Hirsi Ali Foundations executive director, Stephanie Baric, the males are assumed to be homosexual or pressured to commit suicide if they dont agree to arranged marriages. Choosing a life partner of one's liking should be and is allowed in all civilised cultures and all religions around the world. But regrettably, in FBIs report, the cases of honour killings were interpreted as a manifestation of radical Islam, which is untrue. The woman has always been the easiest tool of violence around the world, be it domestic in the West or honour killing in the East or rape cases of battlefields. The only thing which can combat the issue is if women from all walks of life come forward to speak up against the crime and clearly in support of the suppressed women, whether politicians, journalists, social activists, lawyers, mothers or doctors. The issue of India's membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) has been the focus of significant public and media attention over the past few weeks. It appears to have emerged as the single-most critical foreign policy priority for the Modi government. The government is according so much importance to the issue that Prime Minister Narendra Modi hurriedly decided to include visits to Switzerland and Mexico during his tour to the US - to obtain categorical support for India's membership at the NSG plenary in Seoul on June 23-24. It is a reflection on Modi that he was able to get unequivocal support from the two countries, although they had initially opposed India's entry into NSG in 2008. Opposition Under normal circumstances, the issue would not have assumed such importance. What appears to have brought it in the spotlight is the blatant opposition by China to India's entry into the elite nuclear club. Over the past few weeks Beijing has issued several statements maintaining that no single country waiver should be granted to India. It stated that India, in any case, is not eligible to become a member of NSG as it is not a member of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT), adherence to which is necessary for the entry. At other times Beijing stated that Pakistan too has similar credentials to join the NSG. China has said in no uncertain terms that India's membership will "jeopardise" China's national interests and touch a "raw nerve" in Pakistan. None of China's contentions appears to hold much water. Yet, it will be useful to understand what the purpose and mandate of NSG is. It is doubtless true that NSG was established in the wake of India's Pokhran tests in 1974. The intent and purpose of NSG, however, are different from that of NPT. NSG is not an international treaty. It is a group of "nuclear supplier countries that seeks to contribute to non-proliferation of nuclear weapons through implementation of two sets of guidelines for nuclear exports and nuclear-related exports". After more than 25 years of its establishment, some suggested guidelines were evolved in 2001 at Aspen for admitting new members to the organisation. Amongst them, membership of NPT is only a guideline, a consideration, and not a mandatory requirement while deciding on a country's application. China has itself come out openly in opposition to India's membership. India is keen to become a member of NSG and other export control regimes as it seeks to significantly expand its nuclear power generation and also enter the export market in coming years. Although the 2008 waiver by NSG does provide significant possibilities to India to engage in civilian nuclear trade with other countries (and indeed, India has entered into such agreements with several countries like Russia, France, UK, US, Kazakhstan, Australia and others), membership of NSG will provide greater certainty and legal foundation to India's nuclear regime. This would also provide greater confidence to countries who invest billions of dollars for setting up ambitious nuclear power projects in India. Performance India's track record in observing the provisions of NPT and NSG while not being a member of either body is impeccable. If NSG was able to grant waiver to India in 2008 on the basis of its past performance, it should have no objection to admitting it as a member this time. It is, however, obvious that decision on June 23-24 in Seoul will be taken by some countries on political considerations rather than on merit. Usually China has been seen to stay in the background and put up smaller countries in the forefront to articulate opposition to any issue that it does not concur with. This time, in addition to instigating smaller countries to raise objections, China has itself come out openly in opposition to India's membership. Since all decisions at NSG are taken by consensus, any country - small or big - can stand in the way of consensus. Diplomacy India has, however, launched a blitzkrieg of hectic diplomatic activity to explain its position and overcome opposition of a few countries. It has also reached out to China to explain that its interest in NSG membership is not guided by any political or strategic considerations but only to facilitate expansion of its clean and green nuclear energy programme. India took the unusual step of dispatching its foreign secretary S Jaishankar to Beijing to hold discussions on this and other important issues. If the issue goes to the wire, PM Modi is expected to take up the issue with President Xi Jinping in Tashkent where both leaders are likely to be present for the SCO Summit later this week. Most questions raised by China against India's membership have little validity. For instance, membership of NPT is not a condition for becoming a member of NSG. It is only a guiding principle to which consideration needs to be given. Pakistan's credentials for NSG membership are highly flawed and inadequate. Over the last eight years India has separated its reactors which are under IAEA safeguards and those which are not. Pakistan has not undertaken any such exercise. Decision at the NSG plenary session in Seoul will depend on China's stance. With Russian President Vladimir Putin assuring India that he would try to convince China, India can be reasonably hopeful. Supervisors and economic development experts say it is important to have proper zoning in place for an economic development prospect, and say the land in question near the Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport has multiple advantages. The land is across the road from the airport, adjacent to Interstate 81 and just a couple of miles from Blue Ridge Community College where workforce training is available. The area also has the necessary water and sewer. Under the proposed changes, 494 acres of the land would be rezoned from general agricultural to industrial. That change is the key one. Another 20 acres of neighboring property would change from general agriculture to airport business. The latter change would be for increased services or development related to the airport. Both parcels of land are currently owned by Blue Mountain Investments. Robin Sullenberger is former CEO of the Shenandoah Valley Partnership and a current Virginia Community College System board member. He said the 494-acre site in question has long been on the economic development radar in Virginia. Sullenberger said the proper zoning for the land would present "a huge benefit to Augusta County's ability to recruit." Sullenberger said major industrial projects that were once considered "are few and far between in today's world." A decade ago, Weyers Cave was a potential industrial megasite target for a Toyota plant. But Augusta County Economic Development Director Amanda Glover said development of the 494-acre site would be more compatible for the area and could be accommodated. The greater likelihood is that the land being rezoned would present opportunities for different-sized companies, Sullenberger said. But without the proper zoning, he said the area could be eliminated as an industry location before serious consideration. Middle River District Supervisor Gerald Garber, who represents Weyers Cave, said there is no current prospect for the land. Garber envisions an industry locating on the land similar to the county's Shamrock Farms in Mill Place Commerce Park in Verona. "Like a Shamrock, it would have a lot of equipment and high paying jobs,'' Garber said. The milk processing operation of Shamrock Farms has invested more than $50 million and created about 60 jobs, according to Glover. She said the company also purchases milk locally. Because of Shamrock's technology, it has not created a large industrial footprint on the area with increased truck traffic, Glover said. Glover said the land set for rezoning has been part of the county's comprehensive plan for industrial development since 1987. She said the property is "uniquely positioned for clean, high tech industry that would provide our community with high-paying jobs and investment.'' Larry Wills, who was Garber's predecessor on the board of supervisors, said he had alerted community members to the potential zoning change before leaving office last year. He said the property could absorb multiple small industries and still have enough land to buffer the neighboring small farms. Sullenberger said there are no guarantees about potential economic investment, but said "the risk factors are significantly diminished'' if the property is marketable and profitable. You may contact Bob Stuart at (540) 932-3562 or bstuart@newsvirginian.com. WASHINGTON--Months before the 1940 Republican convention nominated Wendell Willkie, Alice Roosevelt Longworth, Theodore Roosevelts waspish daughter, said that Willkies support sprang from the grass roots of a thousand country clubs. There actually was a Republican establishment in 1940, when GOP elites created a nominee ex nihilo. According to Charles Peters book Five Days in Philadelphia, three months before the convention, Willkie registered zero percent in polls measuring public sentiment about potential Republican nominees. This was not surprising: He was a businessman president of Commonwealth & Southern Corp., the nations largest electric utility holding company who had given substantial support to Franklin Roosevelt in 1932. Willkie had never sought public office and had not registered as a Republican until late 1939 or early 1940. And he was not an isolationist regarding European events. Eighty percent of Americans were more or less isolationist, as were the three strongest Republican candidates Ohio Sen. Robert Taft, Michigan Sen. Arthur Vandenberg and New York prosecutor Thomas Dewey, just 38 but favored by 60 percent in early 1940 polls. Herbert Hoover hoped a deadlocked convention would turn to him. The Republicans Eastern establishment, however, was interventionist to the extent of favoring aid to Britain. The adjective Eastern was superfluous: Two-thirds of Americans lived east of the Mississippi (Californias population was under 7 million) and the South was solidly Democratic. The Republican establishment had power and the will to exercise it. As the convention drew near, Willkie Clubs suddenly sprouted like dandelions, but not spontaneously. Their growth was fertilized by Oren Root, a lawyer with the Manhattan law firm of Davis, Polk, Wardwell, Gardner & Reed, whose clients included the J.P. Morgan banking empire. Root began seeking support for Willkie with a mailing to Princetons class of 1924 and Yales class of 1925. Another close Willkie adviser was Thomas Lamont, chairman of the board of J.P. Morgan & Co. Roots uncle Elihu had been a U.S. senator and Theodore Roosevelts secretary of war. By opposing his friend TRs bid to defeat President William Howard Taft for the 1912 Republican nomination, Elihu Root helped to rescue the country from having both parties devoted to progressivism. One of the few politicians among Willkies early backers was Sam Pryor, Republican national committeeman, whom the candidate met at the Greenwich Country Club, naturally. Willkies top adviser was Russell Davenport, managing editor of Henry Luces Fortune magazine, which together with Time and Life made Luce, an ardent interventionist, a mass media power unlike anyone before or since. The April issue of Fortune was almost entirely devoted to praise of Willkie. Look magazine, second only to Life in importance, chimed in, as did Readers Digest, which had the nations largest magazine circulation. On April 9, Dewey won a second of the few primaries and Hitler invaded Norway and Denmark, with Belgium, Holland and France soon to follow. Willkie said he would vote for FDR over a Republican opposed to aiding Britain and France. Willkie, the barefoot boy from Wall Street, cultivated an Indiana aura, but had become a Manhattan fixture, and by 1937 his criticism of the New Deal had Fortune applauding his presidential stature, and the letters column of the New York Herald Tribune, the Republican establishments house organ, concurred. In May, The Atlantic Monthly carried a Willkie essay, in June it was the Saturday Evening Posts turn. In July, Time featured a celebratory cover story on him. Madison Avenue titans of advertising Bruce Barton of BBDO and John Young of Young and Rubicam joined the effort. Root would have a meeting for Willkie, under the clock at the Biltmore, followed by another at the University Club or Century Club. Between May 8 and June 21, Willkies support rose from 3 percent to 29 percent. Willkie also was lucky: In May, the Taft man in charge of tickets had a stroke and was replaced by a Willkie man who would pack the gallery with raucous Willkie supporters, including a Yale law student named Gerald Ford. The Herald Tribune endorsed Willkie in its first front-page editorial and tens of thousands of pro-Willkie telegrams inundated delegates in one day. Delegates heard from their hometown bankers, who had heard pro-Willkie instructions from New York bankers. He won on the sixth ballot. Willkies nomination neutralized much Republican opposition to FDRs war preparations and was crucial to the narrow congressional approval of conscription. Willkie lost the election, but the coming war would be won. Time was, party establishments had their uses. George Wills email address is georgewill@washpost.com. LONDON - England - The EEF's and TUC's claims about the European Union are completely ridiculous and misguided. The TUC and the EEF have both been consistently wrong about the EU most notably in their support for joining the euro. In hindsight it would have been an utter disaster for the UK economy if wed followed their advice. The EEF supported joining the single currency, claiming the UK was playing Russian roulette with manufacturing jobs by staying out. The TUC supported the single currency, claiming it would be a grave error to stay out in the cold. Seven in ten economists took the same view and said we should scrap the pound. If we had followed their advice fifteen years ago, our economy would be in a disastrous condition. The real risk to the economy comes from staying tied to the failing Eurozone and having to pay its bills. If we Vote Leave, we can create 300,000 new jobs by taking back control over trade policy. The EEF supported joining the Exchange Rate Mechanism and then the single currency, claiming the UK could become a Third World economy if it did not join. The EEF said in 2000 of the Governments decision not to scrap the pound immediately that: The longer it goes on, the Government will just be playing Russian roulette with manufacturing jobs. The Engineering Employers Federation is backing the CBIs call for the government to make a stronger case for the euro. The government isnt leading the debate, said Martin Temple, EEF director-general. The Engineering Employers Federation, which represents some of Britains biggest businesses, is urging the Chancellor to set a date for entry to the single European currency. While welcoming last Mondays Commons statement committing the Government to the principle of signing up for the euro in the next Parliament, EEF director -general Graham Mackenzie said no sensible company would devote significant resources to prepare for Emu without a more precise timetable. Mackenzie, who represents companies including GKN and Vickers, said: We would urge the Chancellor to work with business in order to draw up a realistic convergence programme, based on a provisional date for entry. A campaign to stop manufacturing industry entering the twilight zone of a Third World economy was launched today. The Engineering Employers Federation published an 18-point manifesto proposals included Ensuring full UK involvement in European economic and monetary union including a single currency EEF deputy director-general Peter Ball said engineering was the engine of the nations economic growth, but he complained that UK manufacturing was too small. We have to change this, but time is not on our side. We have no wish to enter the twilight zone of a Third World economy. The TUC supported the single currency, claiming it would be a grave error to stay out in the cold. Gordon Brown, the shadow chancellor, came under pressure from the Trades Union Congress to adopt a more positive approach to the single currency. The Trades Union Congress yesterday plunged headlong into the controversy over the Governments position on the European single currency, with John Monks, the general secretary, warning it would be a grave error if the Chancellor ruled out joining before the next general election. John Monks, the General Secretary of the TUC, said: Staying out in the cold for the time being will look less and less attractive as we see the effects of the UK being excluded from the European Central Bank and the euro group of finance ministers. Seven in ten economists took the same view and said we should scrap the pound. A poll of members of the Royal Economic Society in 1999 found that 65% of economists backed scrapping the pound. If we had followed their advice fifteen years ago, our economy would be in a disastrous condition. Youth unemployment in Greece is 50.4%. Youth unemployment in Spain is 44.8%. The real risk to the economy comes from staying tied to the failing Eurozone and having to pay its bills. In its Article IV statement on the Eurozone published last week, the IMF stated that: The medium term outlook is still weak Productivity remains below pre-crisis levels and faces greater pressures from adverse demographics high unemployment and debt burdens are likely to persist, leaving the euro area vulnerable to the risk of stagnation. The Governor of the Bank of England has also stated we do think that there are risks of remaining in the European Union, and that these manifested themselves in particular, in relation to the development of the euro area. The former Governor of the Bank of England, Lord King of Lothbury, recently warned that the Eurozone might explode. If we Vote Leave, we can create 300,000 new jobs by taking back control over trade policy. The EUs failure to conclude just five trade agreements with the United States, Japan, ASEAN, India and Mercosur has, according to the European Commissions own figures, cost the UK 284,341 jobs. The aggregate GDP of all the countries with which the EU had a trade agreement in force in January 2014 was $7.7 trillion. By contrast, the aggregate GDP of all countries with which Chile had trade agreements was $58.3 trillion. The figure for South Korea was $40.8 trillion and that for Switzerland was $39.8 trillion. The EU has failed to negotiate a free trade agreement with China. By contrast, both Iceland (which has a population of less than half a million) and Switzerland have negotiated free trade agreements with China. Australia has done so as well. The time between New Zealand beginning negotiations for a free trade agreement with China and the agreements entry into force was just four years. BERLIN - Germany - The Chief Executive and Director General of the BDI, Markus Kerber, has called for continued free trade if the UK leaves the EU. New research shows that 5.5 million jobs in the EU depend on trade with the UK while the Chief Executive and Director General of the German CBI has said it would be very, very foolish to impose trade barriers and called for continued free trade between the UK and the EU if we Vote Leave. Responding to Markus Kerbers comments that fatally undermine the IN campaigns claims of future trade barriers, Boris Johnson MP said: After the incessant doom mongering of the IN campaign, we now hear the truth from the Voice of German Industry that they would be desperate for free trade after we Vote Leave. Of course EU countries will continue trading with us on a tariff free basis they would be damaging their own commercial interests if they didnt. Thats why EU politicians would be banging down the door for a trade deal on Friday. As Sir James Dyson said today, this is the last opportunity to regain control of our futures. If we want to take back control and a more secure and more prosperous future, we have to Vote Leave on 23 June. The Chief Executive and Director General of the BDI, Markus Kerber, has called for continued free trade if the UK leaves the EU. The BDI is the German equivalent of the CBI. New research from the House of Commons Library shows 5.5 million jobs in the EU depend on trade with the UK. It is in other EU countries interests to strike a free trade agreement with the UK. Leading pro-EU campaigners have conceded the UK will easily strike a free trade deal with the EU. The Chief Executive and Director General of the BDI, Markus Kerber, has called for continued free trade if the UK leaves the EU. Markus Kerber, the Chief Executive and Director General of the BDI, which represents German industry, has said his organisation would make the case for continued free trade in the event the UK votes to leave the European Union tomorrow. Mr Kerber said Imposing trade barriers, imposing protectionist measures between our two countries or between the two political centres, the European Union on the one hand and the UK on the other would be a very, very foolish thing in the 21st century. The BDI would urge politicians on both sides to come up with a trade regime that enables us to uphold and maintain the levels of trade we have. The BDI is the German equivalent of the CBI. The BDI describes itself as the Voice of German Industry. Markus Kerber is the Chief Executive and Director General of the BDI. George Osborne made a speech to its conference last November, which he described as an impressive gathering of German industry and ingenuity. New research shows 5.5 million jobs in the EU depend on trade with the UK. New research from the House of Commons Library has revealed a rough estimate of over 5.5 million EU jobs dependent on exports to the UK. Its in the EUs interests to strike a free trade deal with the UK. They need a deal more than we do. The research concludes: Compared to the figures for 2011, the number of EU jobs associated with exports to the UK has increased from 5.0 million to 5.5 million. This is because EU exports to the UK have increased by 10% in cash terms over this period. By contrast, the number of UK jobs associated with exports to the EU has fallen as UK exports to the EU have fallen by 5% in cash terms between 2011 and 2014. It is in other EU countries interests to strike a free trade agreement with the UK. The EU sells the UK far more than the UK sells the EU. In 2015, the UK bought 67.8 billion more in goods and services than the UK sold to the EU. In 2014, 20 EU member states sold the UK more than the UK bought from them. The UK is the EUs largest single export market for goods, larger even than the United States, with whom the EU is presently trying to negotiate a free trade agreement. Leading pro-EU campaigners have conceded the UK will easily strike a free trade deal with the EU. The Prime Minister, David Cameron, has admitted: If we were outside the EU altogether, wed still be trading with all these European countries, of course we would Of course the trading would go on Theres a lot of scaremongering on all sides of this debate. Of course the trading would go on. The Foreign Secretary, Philip Hammond, has admitted that a free trade agreement in goods would be relatively simple to negotiate. The UKs former Ambassador to the EU and leading supporter of the IN campaign, Lord Kerr of Kinlochard, has admitted: there is no doubt that the UK could secure a free trade agreement with the EU. That is not an issue . Even the pro-EU CBI has said: the UK is highly likely to secure a Free Trade Agreement with the EU, and such an agreement would be likely to be negotiated at an extremely high level of ambition relative to other FTAs [free trade agreements]. The pro-EU Centre for European Reform has accepted that, given the importance of the UK market to the eurozone, the UK would probably have little difficulty in negotiating an FTA. LONDON - England - Priti Patel MP comments on the scale of mass unfettered uncontrollable EU migration is having a devastating effect on our public services. This week the IN campaign admitted that there can be no upper limit to migration if we stay in the EU. New research released shows the devastating impact of uncontrolled migration on our schools. Commenting, Priti Patel MP said: The EU is undemocratic and interferes too much in our daily lives. We have seen that with the scale of migration, and the impact this has had on local communities and key public services such as the NHS, housing and schools. With more countries waiting to join the EU, including Albania, Serbia, and Turkey and with British taxpayers paying almost 2 billion to help them join this problem can only get worse. This research proves that class sizes are already overstretched, with an 8% increase over the last year in the number of pupils in classes over 30. These demands will only increase if the UK remains in the EU with no control over its borders. Thursday offers a once in a lifetime opportunity to say that the situation is unsustainable and to recognise that it is hurting British families. On Thursday, we have the chance to take back control and Vote Leave. Research shows if Britain remains in the EU, these problems will get worse: 100,800 infants are now educated in classes over the legal limit of 30 pupils per class an increase of 8% on the previous year. Currently one in five primary school children has a first language other than English in state funded primary schools it is 19.4%, in primary academies it is 19.3%. 11.6% of children currently fail to get into their first choice primary school. If the EU remains at its current size, we can expect an additional 261,000 school age European citizens to be in the UK school system by 2030. This could increase to 571,000 if the A5 accession countries (Albania, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Turkey) join in the near future, as currently planned. The increase in school age European citizens is likely to cost between 12.3 billion and 21.7 billion. Added to this, there are also capital costs needed to accommodate these extra children, estimated to range between 3.4 billion and 7.3 billion. Added together, the total additional cost to the UK schools budget of this increase in the school age population due to EU migration can therefore be expected to range between 15.6 billion (assuming the A5 countries dont join) and 28.9 billion (assuming they do join). The additional annual cost by 2030 will be between 1 billion to 1.9 billion per year. The scale of the problem Britains schools are under pressure from uncontrolled EU immigration. David Cameron has admitted, in some areas, the number of migrants were seeing is far higher than our local authorities, our schools and our hospitals can cope with. Theyre much higher than anything the EU has known before in its history. This has caused a number of problems for many schools: something that the Prime Minister has also admitted: There are primary schools where dozens of languages are spoken, with only a small minority speaking English as their first language. These claims are supported by official statistics from the Government: 100,800 infants are now educated in classes over the legal limit of 30 pupils per class an increase of 8% on the previous year. Currently one in five primary school children has a first language other than English in state funded primary schools it is 19.4%, in primary academies it is 19.3%. 11.6% of children currently fail to get into their first choice primary school. 16% dont get into their first choice secondary school. New research shows that the pressures identified by the Prime Minister are set to get far more severe over the next fifteen years. School-age migration from the EU since the A8 accession The Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority has recently confirmed the high numbers of children migrating to the UK from other EU member states. From 2000-2014, 152,000 EU migrants of school age came to the UK. EEA school-age migration, 2000-2014 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 Average 10,000 4,000 2,000 10,000 3,000 5,800 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Average 3,000 6,000 8,000 14,000 10,000 8,200 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 Average 13,000 13,000 16,000 14,000 25,000 16,200 Total, 2000-2014 152,000 Source: UK Statistics Authority, 3 May 2016. These numbers are on a steep upward trajectory. From 2000-2004, the average number of school-age EEA migrants per year was 5,800. This rose to 8,200 in 2005-2009. It then nearly doubled to 16,200 in the period 2010-2014. This trend has been especially clear since the accession of the eastern European member states in 2004. It also increased at an unprecedented rate in the last year of recorded data. Source: UK Statistics Authority, 3 May 2016. Over the same period, around 1 million net migrants came to the UK from the EU, 515,000 of whom were from the EU8 accession states. EU total and school-age net migration compared Year EU total EU8 total EU school EU8 school 2000 6,000 10,000 2001 7,000 4,000 2002 7,000 2,000 2003 15,000 10,000 2004 87,000 49,000 3,000 2005 96,000 61,000 3,000 2006 104,000 71,000 6,000 2007 127,000 87,000 8,000 2008 63,000 20,000 14,000 2009 58,000 16,000 10,000 2010 77,000 49,000 13,000 2011 82,000 40,000 13,000 2012 82,000 30,000 16,000 2013 123,000 44,000 14,000 2014 174,000 48,000 25,000 Total 1,108,000 515,000 151,000 52,000 Source: ONS, 2015; ONS, May 2016; UKSA, 3 May 2016. The school-age migrants as a percentage of the total was therefore as follows: All EU states: 13.6%. EU8 accession states: 10.1%. The number of children in the UK of school age with one or more parent of EU/EEA nationality more than doubled between 2007 and 2015: Total school-age population with one or both parents of EEA nationality 2007 309,000 2008 326,000 2009 361,000 2010 432,000 2011 475,000 2012 419,000 2013 520,000 2014 565,000 2015 699,000 Source: UK Statistics Authority, 29 April 2016. Future school-age migration A conservative estimate of future school-age migration from the EU is that one in ten migrants will be of school age. This allows for a forecast of future school-age migration from the EU to be calculated. Vote Leave has already set out forecasts for future inward migration. It is possible to adapt these models to calculate future school-age migration from the EU. This provides: A baseline forecast, in which the candidate countries do not accede to the EU. A low forecast, under which the accession countries join in 2020 and migrate to the UK at the same rate as the EU-8 countries did. A medium forecast is that net EU migration mirrors migration from the EU-2 countries. A high forecast which builds on the medium forecast, and takes into account the pull factor of the national living wage. We also include a scenario in which transitional controls are imposed for a period of seven years from 2020 until the end of 2027, the duration of transitional controls following the A2 accessions in 2007. This forecast assumes the same migration as in the case of the baseline until 2028, and the increases in net migration that occur under the low forecast thereafter). Future school-age migration from the EU (cumulative) Year Baseline Transitional Controls Low Forecast Medium Forecast High Forecast 2016 18,400 18,400 18,400 18,400 18,400 2017 36,800 36,800 36,800 36,800 38,148 2018 55,200 55,200 55,200 55,200 58,648 2019 73,600 73,600 73,600 73,600 79,900 2020 92,000 92,000 94,061 98,114 110,118 2021 110,400 110,400 116,583 128,743 148,548 2022 128,800 128,800 141,166 165,485 195,192 2023 147,200 147,200 165,748 202,228 241,836 2024 165,600 165,600 190,331 238,970 288,480 2025 184,000 184,000 214,914 275,713 335,124 2026 202,400 202,400 239,497 312,456 381,767 2027 220,800 220,800 264,080 349,198 428,411 2028 239,200 241,261 288,662 385,941 475,055 2029 239,200 245,383 294,845 404,283 503,299 2030 239,200 251,566 301,028 422,626 530,195 Children born to EU parents in the UK In 2014, 76,650 children were born in the UK to a parent or parents from the EU. Children born to EU parents in the UK Number % total births Father from EU 50,512 7.3 Mother from EU 64,067 9.2 Both parents from EU 37,929 5.5 One or both parents from EU 76,650 11.0 Source: ONS, August 2015. These numbers are rising, as the long-term trend for those born in England and Wales to mothers from the EU shows. Children born to EU mothers, England & Wales Year Number % of total births 2008 44,022 6.2 2009 47680 6.8 2010 52,868 7.3 2011 55,194 7.6 2012 59,061 8.1 2013 60,448 8.7 2014 64,067 9.2 Source: ONS, August 2015. Children born to future EU migrants The current birth rate in England and Wales is 12.1 births per thousand of the population. Assuming this will be the birth rate for future EU migrants, the table below indicates the number of children expected to be born to net EU migrants coming to the UK between now and 2030. It should be stressed that the totals at the bottom of the table do not include children born to EU migrants who arrived before this year. Births to EU net migrants arriving from 2016 Year Baseline Transitional Controls Low Forecast Medium Forecast High Forecast 2016 2,226 2,226 2,226 2,226 2,226 2017 4,453 4,453 4,453 4,453 4,616 2018 6,679 6,679 6,679 6,679 7,096 2019 8,906 8,906 8,906 8,906 9,668 2020 11,132 11,132 11,381 11,872 13,324 2021 13,358 13,358 14,107 15,578 17,974 2022 15,585 15,585 17,081 20,024 23,618 2023 17,811 17,811 20,056 24,470 29,262 2024 20,038 20,038 23,030 28,915 34,906 2025 22,264 22,264 26,005 33,361 40,550 2026 24,490 24,490 28,979 37,807 46,194 2027 26,717 26,717 31,954 42,253 51,838 2028 28,943 29,193 34,928 46,699 57,482 2029 33,396 31,918 37,903 51,145 63,126 2030 33,396 34,892 40,877 55,591 68,769 Assuming that the children born to EU migrants will enter the school system five years after their birth, it is possible to combine the figures for the number of school age migrants from the EU and the number of births to EU migrants. Adding these two figures together reveals the total number of new persons of school age due to EU migration for the next fifteen years. Persons added to school population due to EU net migration Baseline Transitional Controls Low Forecast Medium Forecast High Forecast 2016 18,400 18,400 18,400 18,400 18,400 2017 36,800 36,800 36,800 36,800 38,148 2018 55,200 55,200 55,200 55,200 58,648 2019 73,600 73,600 73,600 73,600 79,900 2020 92,000 92,000 94,061 98,114 110,118 2021 112,626 112,626 118,809 130,969 150,775 2022 133,253 133,253 145,618 169,938 199,808 2023 153,879 153,879 172,428 208,907 248,932 2024 174,506 174,506 199,237 247,876 298,148 2025 195,132 195,132 226,295 287,585 348,448 2026 215,758 215,758 253,603 328,034 399,742 2027 236,385 236,385 281,161 369,222 452,029 2028 257,011 259,072 308,718 410,410 504,317 2029 259,238 265,420 317,875 433,199 538,205 2030 261,464 273,830 327,033 455,987 570,745 Total 2,275,252 2,295,861 2,628,838 3,324,241 4,016,362 Average 151,683 153,057 175,256 221,616 267,757 School funding Schools in England have three main streams of current revenue: the Dedicated Schools Grant (Schools and High Needs Blocks), the Pupil Premium and the Education Services Grant (ESG). If these are added together and then divided by the number of schools pupils, it is possible to calculate education spending per pupil. Education Funding Schools Block (2016-17) (m) High Needs Block (2016-17) (m) Pupil Premium (2015-16) (m) ESG (2016-17) (m) Total Funding (m) No. pupils Total funding per pupil () 32,649 5,229.87 2,411 507 40,867 7,041,321 5,803.89 Source: Education Funding Agency, 2016; Education Funding Agency, 2015; Education Funding Agency, 27 April 2016 As the 2016 cohort passes through the school system, each pupil will cost on average 5,803.89 per year. By assuming that per pupil funding remains at todays levels, it is possible to calculate the cost of future school-age migration from the EU to the UK as set out above. In each cohort, we must allow for a certain proportion who will not enter state education: a generous assumption is that this is 7% (the same as the general proportion of children who attend independent schools in England). Capital costs The Department for Education provides 13,780 to cover the capital cost of each school place. This does not include the land values of new school premises. The table below shows the capital costs of children born to EU migrants arriving from 2016. Those born 2016-19 will also enter secondary education, so will require both an additional primary and secondary school place. Likewise, children who enter the UK between 2016 and 2024 will also enter secondary education, so their capital costs are also doubled.Total current and capital spending Combining the figures above gives an estimate of the total costs, both current and capital. Combined current and capital costs Baseline (bn) Transitional Controls (bn) Low (bn) Medium(bn) High (bn) Total current (bn) 12.28 12.39 14.19 17.94 21.68 Total capital (bn) 3.35 3.51 4.19 5.84 7.31 Total current and capital (bn) 15.63 15.90 18.38 23.79 28.99 Total per year (bn) 1.04 1.06 1.23 1.59 1.93 The total cost to the schools budget of EU migration from 2016 to 2030 is therefore expected to range between 15.6 billion and 28.9 billion. This is an annual cost of between 1 billion to 1.9 billion per year. It is worth noting finally that these are conservative estimates since they do not include: the cost of purchasing land for new schools; early-years education; pre-2016 EU migration, or migration of those under five years of age. The actual cost of a remain vote to our schools budget is likely to be far higher. LONDON - England - The Wembley EU debate witnessed an ailing negative IN campaign with nothing good to say about staying in the EU or Britain. Responding to the BBC debate at Wembley, Vote Leave Chief Executive Matthew Elliott said: The IN campaign had nothing positive to contribute tonight just like theyve failed to make a positive contribution during the whole campaign. Theyve lost the economic argument, they dont want to spend the 350 million we send to Brussels every week on our priorities and cant explain how we can ever control immigration from inside the EU. The couldnt even be honest about how many laws in this country come from Brussels. The public will have a choice on Thursday, they can choose project fear and vote IN or they can chose project hope and take back control of their money and their borders. A Vote to Leave on Thursday is a vote for democracy. The Government gave up its veto over the next Treaty as part of the renegotiation. Before the deal, Government Ministers made clear their consent to the next EU Treaty was the price for other member states agreeing to their renegotiation. George Osborne said: So let me be candid: there is a deal to be done and we can work together. Rather than stand in your way, or veto the Treaty amendments required, we, in Britain, can support you in the Eurozone make the lasting changes that you need to see strengthen the euro. In return, you can help us make the changes we need to safeguard the interests of those economies who are not in the Eurozone. David Cameron has said we will not stand in the way of those developments, as long as we can be sure that there are mechanisms in place to ensure that our own interests are fully protected. He believes this happened during his renegotiation. David Camerons renegotiation agreement (which he claims is legally binding and irreversible) states that: Member States not participating in the further deepening of the economic and monetary union will not create obstacles to but facilitate such further deepening. It also obliges the UK to refrain from measures which could jeopardise the attainment of the objectives of economic and monetary union.. This means the UK is committing to support the planned new EU Treaty. House of Commons Library research shows 61% of legislation comes from the EU. Research by the House of Commons Library shows that in 2013, 61.2% of legislation was made by Brussels. The CBI has admitted over 50% of all government legislation originat[es] in Brussels. The CBI has said: It is calculated that 70% of all new legislation relevant to business is now European rather than national in origin. Nick Clegg has admitted: half of all new legislation now enacted in the UK begins in Brussels. Chuka Ummuna has said: EU legislation accounts for around half of all new regulation. The new EU Treaty will transfer major powers to the EU institutions from the British Parliament and courts. An EU intelligence agency: In November, Dimitris Avramopoulos, the European Commissioner for Migration called for the creation of a European ntelligence Agency. An EU army: In March last year, the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker announced that he wanted to see the introduction of a European Army to show that we are serious. Taking control of our NHS: Last February, European Commissioner for Health, Vytenis Andriukaitis, called to change the European Union treaties in the future to allow the EU to take control of public health, including over alcohol. He has said I cant imagine a more economically effective possibility than to manage health issues at EU level. Scrapping the UKs zero rates of VAT: The Economics Commissioner, Pierre Moscovici, has called for further harmonisation of taxation, including scrapping the UKs zero rates, stating a zero rate is not the best idea. Introducing a new pillar of social rights: The European Commission has called for the development of a European pillar of social rights, stating the Commission will pursue two complementary work strands: firstly, modernising and addressing the gaps in existing social policy legislation to take account of todays work environment and to ensure that new models of work maintain a fair balance in the relationship between employers and workers. The Commission suggests areas such as wages, union rights, pensions and access to social services could form part of the pillar. This could mean the UKs more generous social protections are weakened by EU harmonisation. The EU has stopped us removing dangerous individuals from the UK. Terrorists. 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. Murderers. In 1995, Learco Chindamo, who is an Italian citizen, murdered the headteacher Philip Lawrence who went to help a 13-year-old boy who was being attacked. He was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1996. 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. Rapists. Mircea Gheorghiu, a Romanian national, entered the UK without leave in January 2007. In November 2007, he was convicted of driving a motor vehicle with excess alcohol, fined and disqualified from driving for 20 months. It later emerged that he had a criminal record in Romania. In 1990 he was convicted of the offence of rape and sentenced to 6 years imprisonment. Between 2001 and March 2002 he was convicted on three occasions of forestry offences, cutting timber without a licence, and received custodial sentences on the last two occasions. The Secretary of State removed him from the UK in March 2015. Nonetheless, on 18 November 2015, Mr Justice Blake, sitting in the Upper Tribunal, decided this was unlawful under EU law, ruling Gheorghiu must be reunited with his family as quickly as possible and that he was entitled to a permanent residence on his return and the residence card issued to him will reflect that. Turkey and four other countries are joining the EU. This is being accelerated with unanimous support. Talks could begin the day after the referendum. The accession process is being accelerated. In a press release issued on 15 June, the European Commission has announced that The Commission tabled the Draft Common Position on Chapter 33 (financial and budgetary provisions) in the Council on 29 April, enabling the Council to decide on the opening of this Chapter by end of June. In addition, preparatory work continues at an accelerated pace to make progress on five Chapters. There is unanimous support in the EU for the quickening pace of Turkish accession. On 18 March 2016, the European Council unanimously agreed that the EU should re-energise the accession process and that Turkish acceleration should be accelerated. David Cameron strongly supports this. In 2010, Cameron said he was angry at the slow pace of Turkish accession, that he was the strongest possible advocate for EU membership for Turkey, and that I want us to pave the road from Ankara to Brussels. In 2014, he said that: In terms of Turkish membership of the EU, I very much support that. Thats a longstanding position of British foreign policy which I support. The Government admitted it supported Turkish accession last month. Last month, the Europe Minister, David Lidington, said: The UK supports Turkeys EU accession process. The British public will not get a vote on the accession of Turkey to the EU. The European Union Act 2011 allows the Government to ratify EU accession treaties without a referendum). There was no referendum on the accession of Croatia to the EU in 2013 (European Union. The Government opposes giving the British people a say. As the Minister for Europe, David Lidington, said in 2011: A few years ago, 10 new member states joined the European Union at the same time. I believe that their combined population then was 73 million, which is slightly greater than Turkeys population is now. I do not believe that anybody in this country argued at that time that a British referendum on those accessions was right. The UK is paying 2 billion to help Turkey, Albania, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia to join the EU. Turkey alone is set to receive over 1 billion of UK funds to help prepare it for membership. The UK has gone further than EU law on workers rights. Further harmonisation of social legislation poses a threat to the UKs more generous protections. The minimum wage, which was introduced in 1998, had nothing to do with the EU. The Wilson Government passed the Equal Pay Act 1970 before it entered the then European Economic Community in 1973. The Labour Government passed the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, before the first EU Directive on the topic was adopted. There is no need to be in the EU to ensure equal pay for equal work. The Employment Protection Act 1975 provided that a woman who was dismissed on the grounds of pregnancy was to be treated as unfairly dismissed. This was adopted long before the Pregnant Workers Directive. The UK has been more generous than EU law on paid holidays, with 5.6 weeks entitlement each year, rather than the four contained in EU law. The UK is more generous on maternity pay. Statutory maternity pay lasts for 39 weeks under UK law. This is much more generous than EU law, which provides for a period of 14 weeks. UK legislation also gives women the right to receive 90% of their salary during the first six weeks of leave. EU law only requires that the rate of pay be equivalent to statutory sick pay in this period. This is 88.45 per week. The UK is more generous on maternity leave. UK maternity leave may be taken for up to 52 weeks. EU law only requires a period of four months. The right of part-time workers not to be discriminated against is contained in UK legislation. The enabling legislation was the Employment Relations Act 1999. This means that protections for part-time workers would remain in UK law if we left the EU. The UK had legislation against discrimination on grounds of race long before the EU did. The UK passed the legislation against race discrimination, the Race Relations Act 1965 and the Race Relations Act 1968, before we joined the EU. High Court Judge Sir Rabinder Singh has said: The Race Relations Act 1976 [which consolidated the 1960s legislation] was perhaps one of the strongest pieces of legislation of its kind in the world and certainly in Europe. It long predated legislation against racial discrimination in EU law. One of the primary reasons IN campaigners spout their robotic rants during the EU referendum is that if we remain in the EU, Britain will be able to reform it, and change the EU. Today, the EU president, Jean Claude Juncker said that Britain will have to agree to everything if it remains in the EU and it will never be able to reform the European Union, directly contradicting the ailing PM, David Cameron. We have concluded a deal with the prime minister, he got the maximum he could receive, we gave the maximum we could give. So there will be no renegotiation, not on the agreement we found in February, nor as far as any kind of treaty negotiations are concerned. This is why to preserve our democracy, it is imperative that we Vote Leave on June 23. This is the only way the UK can ensure our sovereignty. The UK has been outvoted every time it has voted against an EU measure 72 times in total. 40 of these defeats have taken place since David Cameron became Prime Minister. This costs the UK taxpayer 2.4 billion a year. We do not get our way on the issues we care about. Since the UK joined the EU in 1973, it has lost 101 out of 131 cases before the European Court, a failure rate of 77.1%. Since David Cameron became Prime Minister in May 2010, the UK has been defeated on 16 occasions: a failure rate of 80%. EU rules mean that we dont have the power to intervene to get our way at home. The Government has acknowledged that its scope to intervene in the steel crisis is limited by EU state aid rules. The Business Minister, Anna Soubry MP, has said We have to be very careful because we have to be compliant with state aid rules. This latest intervention by the EU president represents a major blow to the Tory leaders hopes of persuading still undecided voters to vote Remain with the promise of a further renegotiation of Britains relationship with Brussels. It is thoroughly clear from Junckers words that if Britain remains in the EU, there will be no room for reform. Vote Leave on June 23 CODY, Wyo. James Prosek admitted to feeling a bit unnerved when the horse he was on topped a mountain last summer and in the distance loomed a massive male grizzly bear. Thats an image I will carry with me forever to be on the same ground with a huge grizzly bear, the Connecticut artist said. Prosek was in Cody on Thursday to help unveil a new exhibit he was involved in: Invisible Boundaries: Exploring Yellowstones Great Animal Migrations. The combination of art, photography and science that led to the creation of Yellowstone as the nations first national park in 1872 has been modernized in the Buffalo Bill Center of the Wests newest interactive exhibit to include filmmaker Jenny Nichols videography. Its a project that has been in the works for three years. The art and photography bring the science alive, said Bonnie Smith, curatorial assistant. Prize The purpose of the research was threefold, according to Chuck Preston, curator of the Draper Museum of Natural History within the Buffalo Bill Center of the West. One was to provide innovative science, which has been supplied by biologists Arthur Middleton and Joe Riis with the aid of state and federal counterparts in their study of animal migrations in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Number two was to show how even though this was taking place in the GYE, it has an application around the world. And thirdly, it had to be successfully communicated to the public. Most of my colleagues dont think about that, Preston said of publicizing science. The research was funded by the first Camp Monaco Prize, a partnership of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation-USA, the Draper Natural History Museum and the University of Wyomings Biodiversity Institute. The work is on exhibit through December and is concurrently on display at the National Geographic headquarters in Washington, D.C. I hope people take away the amazing natural challenge and incredible drama it is for the migrating animals, Preston said. But also the fact that they cross all sorts of boundaries that werent set out for them: private to public lands, a national park to wilderness areas. What we do on private and public lands affects wildlife across the ecosystem. Lines Those invisible boundaries are what intrigued Prosek and helped him formulate the more than 25 artworks he created for the show over the past year-and-a-half from field studies of a Yellowstone cutthroat trout to a silkscreen of army cutworm moths, and a 56-inch-by-90-inch oil and acrylic painting on wood panels depicting the black silhouettes of numerous Yellowstone species, with a chosen few depicted in color for contrast. Im interested in the lines we draw through things in nature, he said. Scientists, for example, have to draw distinctions between species to be able to talk about them, he explained. Thats similar to lines on a map. Those same invisible lines mean that a bull elk is a hunters trophy outside of Yellowstone National Park and a tourist attraction inside the park, Prosek said. Migrants Although Middleton and Riis study of elk, deer and pronghorn seasonal migrations into and out of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is a highlight of the exhibit accentuated by large reproductions of Riis captivating wildlife photos. Prosek and Preston noted there are other migrants in the park who have traveled much farther like birds and even moths. Those long-traveled migrants also demonstrate how actions far from Yellowstone can have consequences in the nations first national park. Prosek pointed to army cutworm moths as an example. The moths fly to the parks high mountains each year to feed at night on the nectar of flowers, and in doing so provide an important food source for grizzly bears, which can eat up to 40,000 moths a day. If those moths are killed by pesticides in a farmers field thousands of miles away, the repercussions would be felt in Yellowstone. We have to realize this Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is connected to the rest of the world in a greater way, Preston said. I hope this kind of exhibit will be a springboard in conversations, an understanding that everyone has a stake in this including landowners and agriculture pulling all of those people together and creating a common vision, he added. To me, thats what a great exhibit does. Its a conversation starter, not a conversation ender. I think were all stewards of this place, so how can we work together to preserve what we all value? A Busby man and a Lame Deer woman suspected of beating and setting on fire a Crow Agency woman in an April 17 attack that has drawn criticism of law enforcement appeared on criminal charges in federal court Wednesday. Dimarzio Swade Sanchez, 18, and Angelica Jo Whiteman, 23, each are charged with assault with intent to commit murder and aiding and abetting. Both Sanchez and Whiteman waived a preliminary hearing during an appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Carolyn Ostby in Billings. The U.S. Attorney's Office filed a criminal complaint June 20. The case will be presented to a grand jury for indictment. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori Suek asked that Sanchez and Whiteman remain in custody. Ostby ordered the pair to remain in jail pending detention hearing requests. Ostby also appointed Assistant Federal Defender Gillian Gosch to represent Sanchez and Billings attorney Vern Woodward to represent Whiteman. Woodward and Assistant Federal Defender David Merchant, who represented Sanchez during the hearing, said Sanchez and Whiteman had no jobs or income or bills and lived with their mothers. Woodward and Merchant declined to comment on the case. Although the victim is identified in court records by the initials R.R., family members have previously identified the woman as Roylynn Rides Horse, 28, daughter of Ernestine Pretty Weasel and Roy Rides Horse and stepdaughter of Jerry Pretty Weasel. About a dozen relatives attended the brief court appearances on Wednesday afternoon. Roylynn Rides Horse is being treated for injuries at the University of Utah Burn Center in Salt Lake City. The FBI said in charging records that the victim suffered third degree burns over 45 percent of her body and severe frostbite on her legs. Sanchez, Whiteman and four others left Rides Horse in a field where she was beaten, strangled and burned and where she remained for 14 hours until she was discovered and given emergency medical treatment, court records said. Until Wednesdays charges, the U.S. Attorneys Office, FBI and Bureau of Indian Affairs had released little information on the attack, drawing criticism from tribal members and leaders and state legislators. The BIA referred all press inquiries to the FBI. The FBI said it could not release any information due to a strict set of rules governing the disclosure of information at various phases of a criminal investigation. The agency also denied pressuring families to stay silent about crimes. On June 16, about 100 Crow Tribal members marched at Crow Agency to raise awareness about the attack. Charging documents said the assault happened near Castle Rock Road, about a third of a mile north of Highway 212 between Crow Agency and Busby on the Crow Reservation. Rides Horse was at the Kirby Saloon in Kirby with her boyfriend when, witnesses told investigators, the couple got into an argument, court records said. Rides Horse asked Whiteman for a ride home to Crow Agency. Rides Horse and Whiteman got into a car driven by Sanchez. There were four other people, identified as F.S., L.S., J.T. and S.F., also in the vehicle. Information about what happened next came from interviews with F.S., J.T. and S.F., court records said. During the drive, Whiteman and Rides Horse began to argue. Whiteman, who was in the front passenger seat, jumped into the back seat and began beating Rides Horse. Whiteman then told Sanchez to turn the vehicle around so she could beat Rides Horse, court records said. Sanchez turned the car around and drove to Castle Rock Road, where they stopped. Whiteman dragged Rides Horse from the car and attempted to strangle her to death, court records said. Rides Horse lost consciousness. Whiteman got back into the car and started crying, believing she had killed Rides Horse. Sanchez told Whiteman that Rides Horse was still alive and took her back to where Rides Horse was still lying unconscious in a field. "Sanchez made the statement, 'I'm only going to show you this once,' referring to showing Whiteman how to strangle someone to death, and then Sanchez strangled R.R. with a bandana," court records said. Sanchez then ordered F.S. to get a gas can from the trunk. F.S. complied and gave the can to Sanchez, court records said. Rides Horse was then doused with gasoline and set on fire. Sanchez and Whiteman were the only two people near Rides Horse when she was doused with gasoline and set on fire, court records said. The witnesses "could not or would not tell investigators who doused R.R. with gasoline and who set R.R. on fire, but it was either Sanchez or Whiteman or both," court records said. A search warrant executed in 2014 led to a new set of distribution charges filed Tuesday in Yellowstone County Justice Court. Raunella Lee Kannegiesser, 47, failed to appear in justice court where she faced charges for criminal possession with intent to distribute and criminal possession of dangerous drugs, as well as a misdemeanor drug possession charge and possession of drug paraphernalia charge. Justice of the Peace David Carter issued a $10,000 warrant for Kannegiesser's arrest. Kannegiesser was arrested in 2014 after law enforcement agents with the City and County Special Investigations Unit searched her residence, located on the 200 block of North 31st Street. Officers confiscated almost 12 grams of meth, six hydrocodone pills, 10 grams of marijuana, various drug paraphernalia and a handgun. At the time of her arrest, Kannegiesser admitted to selling about a half ounce of meth every two weeks to various customers in Yellowstone County. The brand new Hyundai Elantra has been spotted testing for the second time in the country. The D-segment sedan looks nothing like the car it replaces and carries a new design inside out. The new Elantra ditches the curvy design language for sharper and crisper character lines. The insides follow a mainstream approach and gets Hyundai's latest touchscreen infotainment that supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. In terms of design, the new Elantra is galaxies away from the curvaceous ongoing model it will soon replace. Adopting Hyundais Fluidic 2.0 design language, the next-gen Elantra is sharp, bold and modern. On the inside, the new cabin follows a mainstream approach rather than going ahead with the flowing dashboard present in the current model. It will come with Hyundais latest touch-based infotainment system, which will support Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Mechanically, it is expected of the Elantra to carry forward the current 1.6-litre CRDi diesel, while it is reportedly receiving a new 2.0-litre naturally aspirated petrol in India. However, Hyundai India has not yet confirmed anything related to the new Elantra and it was also not showcased at the 2016 India Auto Expo. Globally,it comes with Hyundais latest 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol motor. The automaker might introduce this engine in India since most of its rivals are offering a turbocharged petrol motor. On sale in countries such as South Korea and North America since last year, it might come to India this year along with the Tucson SUV. The vehicle will compete with the likes of the Skoda Octavia, the Volkswagen Jetta and the upcoming, new tenth-gen Honda Civic. Source: CarDekho.com Datsun is considering introducing its Go hatchback with a 1.0-litre engine. The Go kick-started the brand's resurrection and spawned a MPV called the Go+ as well. Currently, the hatchback is powered by a peppy 1.2-litre, 3-cylinder engine that develops 69PS and 104Nm. The Japanese automaker wants the Go to appeal to a larger audience base, which is likely be the driving force behind this move. If the Japanese auto firm is able to incorporate the less powerful 1.0-litre engine in the GO hatch it will be able to price it more aggressively as 99 per cent of this engines parts are produced in India. On the other hand, the existing 1.2-litre mill is a derivative of the Micras engine and most of its parts are sourced from foreign lands, thereby making it costlier. It is expected that the Kwids 1.0-litre engine will generate 65PS of power, which seems to be ideal for a car like the GO. A compromise of 3PS is by no mean a big deal if one gets a considerable cut in the GO prices which currently start at Rs 3.3lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). However, to get the less powerful engine installed, Datsun needs to make certain changes in the GO as presently the 1.0-litre engine only supports the CMF-A platform of the Kwid. Source: CarDekho.com Companies are also focusing on improving customer satisfaction by shortening delivery times, offering wide product assortments and improved service, in a bid to keep customers engaged with their platforms. MUMBAI: E-commerce players have shifted their focus towards making their business units more profitable as opposed to their earlier focus on revenue growth, with discounts in online sales narrowing and fresh fund raising becoming a bit challenging. Companies are also focusing on improving customer satisfaction by shortening delivery times, offering wide product assortments and improved service, in a bid to keep customers engaged with their platforms. We believe this may be a function of limited availability of capital, forcing companies to focus on cash generation. Post government regulations that curtailed discounts, companies seems to have done away with the same as most discounts being seen online are being offered by sellers or brands themselves. Most companies we spoke to are also evaluating other revenue streams such as advertising and online content to better leverage their platform, said analysts at Kotak Institutional Equities. According to KIE, customer recall, retention and loyalty are key metrics monitored by companies now, as opposed to an overwhelming focus on gross merchandise value (GMV) earlier. While standard monthly active users (MAUs) and app installs are also tracked, orders from repeat customers, and frequency of ordering are being used as metrics to gauge customer engagement. Since delivery is a large cost component for most e-commerce companies, its optimisation has now become a key area of focus. Demand prediction, delivery-linked payments to delivery staff, as well as infrastructure sharing are some of the options evaluated by companies to rationalise delivery costs. Companies are using technology heavily to predict peak and non-peak delivery requirements, and optimising resources accordingly. Cash on Delivery (COD) constitutes a large chunk of payments for the e-commerce companies we interacted with, ranging from 50-70 per cent for online services and products. The proportion of COD, at least for products, has not declined meaningfully over the past couple of years. Tier-2 and 3 cities constitute a sizeable chunk of sales of e-tailers, and hence remain a key focus area, said KIE in its latest report. Banks are expected to disburse Rs 1.80 lakh crore loans under the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) in the current fiscal, said Minister of State for Finance Jayant Sinha (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: Having met the target last year, banks are expected to disburse Rs 1.80 lakh crore loans under the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) in the current fiscal, Minister of State for Finance Jayant Sinha said on Wednesday. Last year, 3.5 crore beneficiaries availed Rs 1.22 lakh crore loans under PMMY. The scheme is being improved this year, Sinha said while addressing the financial literacy camp held here. Major improvements are also in the offing for Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency Ltd (Mudra) Yojana including providing of technical support and hand-holding borrowers for setting up business, he said. Besides, loan origination system would be put in place for proper monitoring of the loans, he said. Under PMMY, loans ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 10 lakh are provided to small entrepreneurs. As of now, three products available under the PMMY are Shishu, Kishor and Tarun, to signify the stage of growth and funding needs of the beneficiary micro unit or entrepreneur. Shishu covers loans up to Rs 50,000 while Kishor covers those above Rs 50,000 and up to Rs 5 lakh. Tarun category provides loans of above Rs 5 lakh and up to Rs 10 lakh. Sinha also said the government has put the economy back on track with the help of progressive policies adopted by it. The improvement in the economy has resulted in an increased inflow of FDI, he said, adding that India has become the number one FDI destination in the world and this has been achieved in two years of the NDA rule. Various social sector schemes including Atal Pension Yojana launched by the government have become a shield for the poor, he said. He also said that the objective of 'Make in India' is to provide jobs to youth. According to analysts, rich valuations of Indian companies may see foreign portfolio investors getting extra cautious about their Indian portfolios in adverse situation created. Brexit or referendum on Britains exit from European Union (EU) is likely to impact many Indian companies earnings, as British pound could fall sharply if the vote is in favour of exit. It could impact Indian companies revenue from the UK and the EU in the medium to long-term. Some estimates say pound could fall up to 20 per cent, impacting rupee though US dollar is rupee main anchor in the international currency market. Tata Steel, Tata Motors, Tech Mahindra, Bharat Forge, Motherson Sumi, Infosys. Hindalco, Wockhardt, Mindtree, Indian depository receipts (IDR) of Standard Chartered Bank are the securities that could face an adverse impact of Brexit as they have their business operations in the UK and the European Union. Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), the UK subsidiary of Tata Motors, estimates its annual profit could be cut by $1.47 billion by the end of the decade if Britain leaves the European Union, Reuters reported quoting two sources familiar with the companys thinking. The worst-case-scenario estimate is in internal document that were prepared by the firms chief economist, David Rea, to outline the possible consequences if Britons vote to leave the worlds biggest trading bloc in Thursdays referendum. It gives an insight into the level of concern at a major company about the uncertainties of a future outside the EU, Reuters said. According to analysts, rich valuations of Indian companies may see foreign portfolio investors getting extra cautious about their Indian portfolios in adverse situation created. Anish Vyas, senior research associate, Choice Broking, said, Basically rupee will be impacted due to Brexits impact on British currency pound. If pound falls, Indian companies dealing in pound would see their revenue fall. Madan Sabnavis, chief economist and Rucha Ranadive, associate economist, Care Ratings, in research note said, Indian companies in Britain will be impacted and hence have to be watched. Several companies have set up shop in Britain for leveraging not just the local market but also the European markets for which Britain was a base camp. This will mean reworking business plans. IT industry body Nasscom said, 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,. Britains exit, if it happens, would have a negative impact on the $108-billion Indian IT sector in the short term, it added An initial analysis indicates that the impact on Indias 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 added. Sanjeev Prasad, senior executive director and co-head of Kotak Institutional Equities, an arm of Kotak Securities, in a strategy note said, Indian markets valuations are rich, the Indian market has done well versus other markets over most time periods. Most foreign portfolio investors view India as a preferred and stable market in an uncertain world given the powerful appeal of its macro-economic stability, ongoing economic and social reforms and long-term growth prospects. They will now have to grapple with Indias Rexit and a possible Brexit in the next few days. Many emerging market investors believed that they could leave the India portion of their EM portfolios on auto pilot. They will now have to navigate through these implications, Prasad said. Reuters adds: JLR, which traces its history back to1922 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 Thursdays 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 in bound 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 A second source said the number had featured in an internal presentation shown to the board. JLR, which 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. 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. The work, which has been updated several times since it was first prepared for the board with input from the companys 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. 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. 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. 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. (This story originally appeared on Financial Chronicle) Mumbai: At the press conference of short film Kriti, filmmaker Shirish Kunder, who directed 'Kriti' in a short film that stars Manoj Bajpayee, Neha Sharma and Radhika Apte in the leads, was present. When asked about the idea for making this short film, he said, "Unlike my feature films, Kriti is what I have written and I made it the way I thought. As a digital medium, you don't have to fight with censor. It is more liberal medium. I will surely make more short films along with feature films." Actress Neha Sharma, who was last seen in 'Youngistaan' took really long to nod her head for 'Kriti'. When asked her about this long gap she said, "I didn't get any interesting script like Kriti after Youngistaan. I hardly get to play such characters in my career. When I heard that Manoj and Radhika are there in the film, I immediately said yes to the film. I did readings with Manoj and he helped me a lot in understanding acrophobia. I have been a huge fan of his since the beginning." "I have completed the shoot of Tum Bin 2. It was fun shooting the film and it is releasing in November. Hope you all love it," Neha added. Manoj Bajpayee, who is known for his versatility is playing a psychopath reveals that he loves playing roles with a difference. He said, "I went for lunch to Shirish's house and we discussed this idea. The script was ready in next five days. I like the scripts which are narrated in a different manner." Priyanka Chopra features on the cover of Maxim India (June-July edition). Mumbai: Priyanka Chopra recently unveiled the cover of Maxim India but the magazine was slammed for retouching the actress' cover shoot picture. Priyanka looked as stunning as ever, but one might have noticed that her armpits looked unnaturally smooth. Several people called out the unnecessary and downright ridiculous retouching job. Read: Twitter furious with Priyanka Chopra over photoshopped underarms Priyanka soon chimed in on the controversy and put an end to all the speculations by posting a no-filter picture of her underarms. She wrote, "Heres another 'pit-stopping' picture to add to the debate "#WillTheRealArmpitPleaseStandUp #nofilter #armpitdiaries." Here is another "pit-stopping" picture to add to the debate. #WillTheRealArmpitPleaseStandUp #nofilter #armpitdiaries A photo posted by Priyanka Chopra (@priyankachopra) on Jun 21, 2016 at 9:03am PDT Check out other pictures from the photoshoot. 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 Mumbai: The Maharashtra State Commission for Women on Wednesday summoned actor Salman Khan over his controversial raped woman comment. The actor has been asked to appear before the commission on June 29 at 2 pm. Salman Khan landed himself in a controversy while promoting his upcoming film Sultan when in a group interview with media the actor made the remark that he felt like a "raped woman" after the gruelling shoot for the wrestling drama. The National Commission for Women (NCW) demanded an apology and an explanation from the Bollywood superstar within seven days yesterday. NCW chief Lalitha Kumaramangalam sought a public apology from the Bollywood actor and asked for an explanation. Mumbai: Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap 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. Audio: Felt like raped woman during Sultan shoot, says Salman; apologises 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. "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. Read: NCW seeks Salman Khan's apology for 'raped woman' remark 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. Read: Salman's 'raped woman' remark wrong but not his intention, says Salim Khan It has been reported that the journalists, who were a part of the interview, erupted into laughter at Salman's 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 actor's behalf, the demand for Salman to issue an apology himself has been growing from political parties, activists and social media users. Bollywood actor/director Arbaaz Khan came out in support of his brother Salman Khan, who is embroiled in a controversy after making insensitive comments regarding rape, and seems to have a baffling explanation for his brothers comments. Last weekend, Salman had compared himself to a raped woman after the gruelling schedule of his upcoming film Sultan. Defending his brother, Arbaaz said, It was just the kind of (statement) where we compare things I can say I worked like a donkey and animal rights activists might question the comparison to a donkey. Sometimes, you say something out of context, your intention is not wrong but you shouldnt become oversensitive about it. However, Arbaaz, who was talking to reporters at the trailer launch of Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai, also hoped his brother Salman would clarify the controversial remark. There are some things we say while talking, but we should look at the intention and ask why was it said? I know whatever Salman might have said, the intention wasnt wrong, he said, adding, I am sure Salman must have realised the comparison was not appropriate and he will apologise if he feels the need to. If he has said it by mistake, may be he should give a justification. He further said, I dont think I am entitled to make a comment and say he has to apologise. I would hope that he gives a clarification because a controversy has been created. So jawaab dena banta hai. After all, people look up to him, as he is an icon of many. Bollywood has been the ultimate dream of young actresses from any industry. It seems that lady luck has favoured the pretty Mrudula Murali, who had played the lead in films like Shikhamani and Ayal Njanalla. Sources confirm that Mrudula will be a part of the Tigmanshu Dhulia period film Raag Desh, which stars Sonam Kapoors cousin brother Mohit Marwah and Kunal Kapoor along with a host of prominent names. The source mentions that Mrudula landed the role after the makers saw her photos and work and thought her apt for the role. The film is a period drama set in 1945 and the shoot of her portion would begin by the first week of July. Mrudula started her career in Mollywood through the film Red Chillies and has also acted in Tamil films that were applauded by the critics. A quit attempt was deemed a success when a study participant went at least one year without a cigarette. (Photo: Pixabay) Though conventional wisdom says it takes five to seven attempts for most smokers to quit, those estimates may be very low, a recent study suggests. Based on data for more than 1,200 adult smokers in Canada, the real average number of quit attempts before succeeding may be closer to 30. For so long weve been talking about five to seven attempts to quit, said lead author Dr. Michael Chaiton of the school of public health at the University of Toronto in Canada. For us (the numbers) were a lot higher. The lower estimate comes from a few past studies that were based on the lifetime recollections of people who successfully quit, but they didnt include attempts by people who had not yet succeeded, Chaiton and colleagues note in the journal BMJ Open. For their study, the researchers analyzed data from 1,277 people in the Ontario Tobacco Survey who were followed for up to three years. When the study began in 2005, participants reported how many times they recalled ever making a serious attempt to quit smoking, and at each six-month follow-up they reported how many serious quit attempts they had made over the past six months. A quit attempt was deemed a success when a participant went at least one year without a cigarette. The researchers used these responses and four different statistical models to estimate how many times the average smoker attempts to quit before succeeding. The most unbiased model suggested an average of 30 quit attempts per smoker. Thats much higher than people tended to report in the previous studies when asked about all their quit attempts since starting smoking, the study team writes. People are very bad at remembering over their whole lifetimes, Chaiton told Reuters Health. The second problem is we were only asking people who have been successful at quitting. The new study may be a better representation of what most smokers go through over time, but it does only describe their situation rather than predict what will happen to an individual smoker who tries to quit, he cautioned. This doesnt mean you hit a magic number and then you can quit, Chaiton said. There are many people who are able to and do quit on their first attempt or in the first few. There are people who are good at many things, some are good at quitting smoking, he added. Quitting smoking is often a long-term process with many attempts, he said. When we talk about trying to reduce the number of smokers, if we try and do that by focusing on one quit attempt at a time were not going to be very successful, Chaiton said. A range of smoking cessation medications, policies like smoke-free spaces and plain-pack warnings can all help some smokers quit, he said. The main impact of this article is that clinicians should reassure smokers that, just because they have failed 10 times, does not mean they will never quit, said Dr. John Hughes of the University of Vermont School of Medicine in Burlington. However, the problem with taking, say, 20 times to quit, is that this may take 10 years and its not only important to quit but its important to quit while you are younger, said Hughes, who was not part of the new study. So its important for those who failed several times to seek treatment to increase odds of quitting and we have lots of medication and counseling treatments that work, Hughes told Reuters Health by email. Overall, an estimated 2.78 million surgical procedures would have been needed for all forcibly displaced people in 2014. (Photo: Pixabay) 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. Ludovico Einaudi played the Elegy for the Arctic against the backdrop of Arctic glaciers to raise environmental awareness. (Credit: YouTube) Acclaimed pianist Ludovico Einaudi chose to raise awareness about the very real danger to the Arctic in the most melodious way possible: by playing a stunning composition while floating on a small platform in the Arctic Ocean off the coast of Norway. The performance was part of a campaign by Greenpeace, a global environmental activist organisation, to convince world leaders to protect the Arctic. Einaudi had written an original composition, Elegy for the Arctic, for the occasion. The sight of the famous musician playing a grand piano even as pieces of a sprawling Wahlenbergbreen glacier crumbled nearby will leave you mesmerised. Scientists have frequently cautioned that the Arctic has been melting much faster than expected and this could eventually lead to disastrous consequences for wildlife and the human population in the future. Click on the link below to watch the performance: Belagavi: The State Human Rights Commission has served a notice to Belagavi police in connection with an alleged police atrocity against a well-known businessman from Belagavi, Santosh Padmannavar. The SHRC has sought a reply within six weeks. Several senior police officers allegedly harassed Mr Padmannavar for several days a few months ago and allegedly demanded huge bribes from him. Mr Padmannavar recently met members of the commission and lodged a complaint, alleging that the police had filed several fake cases against him, including one of dacoity, only to extort money from him. He said that the police called him to police stations several times and demanded Rs 15 lakh as bribe to close cases against him. He has collected several video and audio recordings of police officers demanding money from him and has said he would submit them to the commission as evidence in support of his claims. Mr Padmannavar alleged that a few months ago, when he was out of station with his family, the police officials helped his maidservant to steal all valuables from his house. Later, when he returned home, he went to the maidservant's house and brought back several stolen valuables. The police, instead of helping him in the case, had filed a dacoity case against him for getting his stolen valuables back from the servant's house, he alleged. Despite repeated requests, the police did not help him in getting the cases resolved but started harassing him by filing more cases against him, he alleged, urging the commission to help him avoid police atrocities. If Mr Padmannavar complaints were found true, it would be a gross violation of human rights by the police department, the commission said. The boy, who was 9 years old then, was tortured, starved, locked up, made to work illegally, forcibly converted to Islam and circumcised. (Photo: Representational Image) Bhopal: A 35-year-old woman who sold her minor son to two carpet weavers for Rs 50,000 has been arrested by police in Madhya Pradeshs Satna district. According to a report in Hindustan Times, one Laxmi Chowdhary sold her son Shivam to Guddu and Jahagir Ali in eastern UPs Mirzapur district two years ago. Read: Hyderabad: Man sells two-month old daughter for Rs 10,000 The boy, who was 9 years old then, was tortured, starved, locked up, made to work illegally, forcibly converted to Islam and circumcised. He was given the name Sonu Ali. Shivam managed to escape his tormentors six months ago and went to the Mirzapur police. The child welfare committee of the district put Shivam alias Sonu in a shelter and then reunited him with his deceased fathers family two months ago. Read: Chinese man sells newborn daughter for iPhone, wife backs decision The family reported the matter to the Satna police a week ago. We have lodged a case of human trafficking, child and bonded labour besides forceful religious conversion under the MP Freedom of Religion Act, Satna additional SP Rameshwar Yadav was quoted as saying. Apparently, the boys mother had started living with another man after the boy had been sold off. She was arrested on Saturday and the statements of her two daughters who live with her, will be recorded to ascertain if they too have suffered abuse. Kochi: The Special Investigating Team probing the Perumbavur murder case registered a fresh case of unnatural sex against prime suspect Ameerul Islam on Tuesday night. The cops lodged a case at Kuruppampaddy police station under Section 377 (carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal) after finding out that the accused had sex with a goat days before the crime and even mutilated private parts of the animal. The police had recovered a video of Islam having sex with the goat of a family in Perumbavur. He is also seen mutilating private parts of the animal in the video. According to police, the video was shot by one of Islams friend, also a migrant labourer. Islam also has the habit of watching porn movies on his mobile phone. A Billings man has pleaded not guilty to four felony charges alleging he sexually abused and raped a child over the course of years beginning when she was at least as young as 11 years old. The 11-year-old molested girls parents had also approached the school management but did not get a response. (Representational image) Hyderabad: The 11-year-old molested girls parents had also approached the school management but did not get a response. They then lodged a complaint with the LB Nagar police, who arrested the accused. Police has booked a case of molestation against Ranjith, a native of Assam. Police also started an inquiry into the negligence of the school management. He used to touch the girl inappropriately despite her protests. She informed her class teacher. Later, the girl told her parents about the issue. Her father went to the school and requested the management to take action against the watchman, but they turned a blind eye to the issue, said a police officer. On Tuesday afternoon, when the Class VI student was walking out of school, Ranjith again stopped her at the main gate and molested her, after which her parents approached the police. We have booked a case against him under IPC 354 A (for molestation) and a Section under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act. We have arrested him and produced him before the magistrate, said LB Nagar inspector P. Kasi Reddy. We have also included the school management in the FIR. An inquiry has been launched against them, added the inspector. Despite repeated attempts to reach them, the school management was unavailable for comment. Patna: At least 93 people have been struck by lightning and killed in India over the past two days, disaster management officials said Wednesday, as annual monsoon rains swept the country. The June-October monsoon hit the southern coast earlier this month, but this week's toll is particularly high. Most deaths occurred in Bihar, where an overnight storm killed at least 56 people and injured another 28, mainly in rural areas. "The death toll has climbed to 56 and 28 are injured. Many of the victims are children and women," Anirudh Kumar, a senior official at Bihar's diaster management agency, told AFP. Another 37 people were killed across Uttar Pradesh, Jharkand and Madhya Pradesh states, according to figures compiled by local disaster management authorities. Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted that he was "deeply anguished" by the loss of life. More than 2,500 people were killed by lightning in India in 2014 according to the National Crime Records Bureau, the most recent figures available. New Delhi: Staying true to his promise of training guns on bureaucrats 'loyal' to the Congress, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy on Wednesday said that he wants Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian to be sacked, as he had badmouthed India in the international arena and also encouraged Congress to become rigid on their GST Bill clauses. Swamy launched a scathing attack on Arvind in a series of tweets. "Who said to US Cong on 13/3/13 the US should act against India to defend US Pharmaceuticals interests? Arvind Subramanian MoF !! Sack him!!! Guess who encouraged Congi to become rigid on GST clauses ? Jaitely's economic adviser Arvind Subramanian of Washington DC," he tweeted. Who said to US Cong on 13/3/13 the US should act against India to defend US Pharmaceuticals interests? Arvind Subramanian MoF !! Sack him!!! Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) June 22, 2016 Guess who encouraged Congi to become rigid on GST clauses ? Jaitely's economic adviser Arvind Subramanian of Washington DC Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) June 22, 2016 Swamy's attack comes in the wake of reports stating Arvind Subramanian being among the probable successors of Rajan as the country's central bank chief. Swamy tweeted, "Now PTs (Patriotic Tweeples) can understand why our core economic sectors could not perform last two years. Trojan horses galore in MoF/Fin Institutions." Now PTs can understand why our core economic sectors could not perform last two years. Trojan horses galore in MoF/ Fin Institutions Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) June 22, 2016 "Was AS (Arvind Subramanian) deposing before US Cong Committee against India as a US citizen or Indian? Does any PT know?," he asked. Was AS deposing before US Cong Committee against India as a US citizen or Indian? Does any PT know? Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) June 22, 2016 Swamy reiterated his salvo he had used against RBI Chief Raghuram Rajan, saying that the CEA was a 'green card holder' and was probably not an Indian citizen. "He used to work in America and is also a green card holder. I don't know if he is a citizen or not, but I'm sure he has a green card. There was this American Congress Committee for pharmaceutical purposes and they held a hearing to figure out India's opinion on the matter. There he said in a statement that India was not working according to America in this matter and for that, they should be taught a lesson in WTO. How can we have such a person as an advisor here?" Swamy said. Continuing his assault, he added that when Arvind was appointed by the Indian government, he gave a note to the Finance Ministry asserting that the clauses given by Congress in the GST Bill were absolutely justified. "I think that such people who can fail our government should be tossed out. Now, it's been two years and I think it's about time," he added. The senior BJP leader also said that he has a list of 27 people with him and he will 'fix' them soon. This development comes days after Swamy announced that his next 'project' is to expose a group of bureaucrats loyal to Congress President Sonia Gandhi. "My next project is to expose 27 bureaucrats who are in various Ministries and loyal to TDK. They were handpicked and positioned by PC," Swamy said in a tweet. My next project is to expose 27 bureaucrats who are in various Ministries and loyal to TDK. They were handpicked and positioned by PC. Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) June 19, 2016 Earlier, Swamy had welcomed Rajan's decision to leave his post as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor on the completion of his term, saying that he had taken such a step in order to save his 'self respect'. "Was he getting a second term in the first place? How do we know that he was getting a second term? I have no information that he was getting a second term. So if he says he wants to go and wants to save his self respect, I have no problem. Let them pretend that he is giving up and going, but as long as he goes, it's good," Swamy said. In May, Swamy had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking dismissal of the Reserve Bank of India governor. Rajan had earlier announced that he would return to the academic world at the end of his term on September 4, 2016, adding that he will always be available to serve his country when needed and asserted that his 'successor' would take the nation to new heights. Rajan is currently on leave from the Chicago Booth School of Business, where he holds the post of Distinguished Service Professor of Finance. Incidentally, both Rajan and Arvind Subramanian have worked at the IMF. While Rajan was a UPA appointee, Arvind Subramanian was appointed by the Narendra Modi government. New Delhi: With the parliamentary panel cautioning the Centre of another terrorist strike at the Pathankot airbase, Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday said that it would not be appropriate to comment on speculative matters. To estimate and comment on this matter wont be right. There can be a possibility of it, but it would not be appropriate for me being a minister to comment on the same, Rijiju said. According to reports, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs, which was recently in Jammu and Kashmir to review security measures at the border areas, has informed the government of the possibilities of terrorists hiding in the nearby villages. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs said the government has been informed about it and security of the strategically important facility beefed up. The Parliamentary Standing Committee also said the government has asked the CRPF, BSF to be more alert and the Army has handed over the security of the airbase to them. 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. 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. BJP leader Varun Gandhis supporters were pasting posters of him took out processions demanding that he be projected as the candidate for CM. (Photo: PTI) New Delhi: With the battle to project a face for the BJPs chief ministerial candidate in Uttar Pradesh intensifying and saffron candidates taking various routes to stake claim, a worried BJP high command has cautioned leaders not to indulge in any self-propaganda. If BJP leader Varun Gandhis supporters were pasting posters of him on the walls, Yogi Adityanaths followers, the Hindu Yuva Vahini, took out processions demanding that he be projected as the candidate for CM. The BJP high command has also taken strong exception to a recent WhatsApp message, called Keshav Chalisa, doing the rounds of social media. The message, written along the lines of the Hanuman Chalisa, extols the virtues of UP BJP chief Keshav Prasad Maurya and says the state will prosper if he takes over as CM. While Maurya denied any link to the chalisa and claimed it was an Opposition conspiracy, the party high command has conveyed to him that such messages should not be circulating. Party insiders claim the Keshav Chalisa is the work of the Keshav camp to pressure the BJP high command. It reads: Jai Keshav gyan gun saagar / Jai Keshav tihun lok ujagar / UP doot atulit baldhama / Maurya putra Keshav naama / UP bishwaguru ban jawe / Jab Keshav Lucknow mein aawe. The BJP, which is trying to pull in all its resources for the high-stakes UP polls, is annoyed at the one-upmanship in the state leadership. Yogi Adityanath, Keshav Maurya and Mahesh Sharma are tacitly trying to project themselves as the partys face and, with the BJP trying to polarise the vote bank, all three are playing the Hindutva and nationalist cards to impress the RSS. The RSS, incidentally, might take the final call on deciding who will be projected as CM in UP. On Saturday, Yogi Adityanath had yet again played the Hindutva card, accusing the late Mother Teresa of conspiring to Christianise India. Speaking at a religious meeting in Basti on Saturday, Yogi Adityanath had said, Mother Teresa was part of a conspiracy to convert Hindus to Christianity. Hindus were targeted in the name of doing service and then converted by her. If Adityanath is not projected as the partys face, he could be inducted into the Modi Cabinet to send a signal to the core vote bank in the state, sources said. The BJP high command has made it clear that the final decision in the matter, if there is one, will be taken by party president Amit Shah, in consultation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Rajnath Singh. (This story originally appeared in the Asian Age) Hyderabad: Infrastructure Authority has left the decision on Swiss Challenge proposal submitted by Singapore consortium of companies, to the Cabinet. The Authority met on Tuesday at the secretariat under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary S.P. Tucker and discussed the Swiss Challenge proposal. Without taking any decision, the Authority advised the state government to follow the rules while adopting the Swiss Challenge approach for the selection of Amaravati development partner. Meanwhile, the state government is likely to take a decision on this issue at the Cabinet meeting scheduled for June 24 at Vijayawada. The Cabinet may give green signal to Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) to call for competitive tenders on the proposal of Swiss Challenge method submitted by Singapore Consortium. The Infrastructure Authority met twice in four days to discuss the Swiss Challenge proposal. At the first meeting, the Authority had taken a decision to avail the Advocate-Generals opinion on the matter. Sources said that the Advocate-General gave his opinion via media and ac-cording to that the Authoritys meeting held on Tuesday without taking a firm decision, advised the government to ensure that rules are followed while going in for Swiss Challenge method for the selection of Amaravati development partner. Meanwhile a senior official said that the Authority has nothing to do with the report submitted by the high-powered committee or Swiss Challenge proposals submitted by Singapore consortium. He said that CRDA has already approved the proposals submitted by Singapore and there is no need for the Authority to accept the proposals or High Powered Committee report. He explained that the duty of the Authority is to see whether the proposals match the state governments aims and objectives or not. He said if the proposals are according to the state governments objectives the Authority will give permission to CRDA calling for competitive bids on Swiss challenge proposals submitted by the Singapore consortium. Puducherry: The first signs of strained relations between Puducherry Lt Governor, Kiran Bedi, who led the celebrations on the Beach road, and Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy surfaced on International Yoga Day. The CM and all his Cabinet colleagues who were to participate in the yoga show in Pondy instead went to Yanam to attend different programmes. The CM is due to leave for New Delhi Wednesday evening. According to sources, Narayanasamy is not happy with the moves of Lt Governor Bedi, who he feels is unnecessarily interfering in matters falling under his jurisdiction. The Chief Minister has been maintaining in public that there is no friction with Ms Bedi, but the first cracks have appeared already. Kiran Bedi participated in the mass yoga demonstration at the beach road here on Tuesday which was attended by over 6,000 students from schools and colleges besi-des volunteers of different organisations. The programme which started at 6.30 in the morning lasted for over 90 minutes and the participants performed 40 different asanas in yoga at a stretch of four kilometers on the beach road. Addressing the participants in the yoga demonstration Ms Bedi said that yoga is the greatest gift the country has given to the world.' "It is the greatest gift that we can give ourselves as yoga unites hum-anity and pave way for world peace," she added. Thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking up the cause of Yoga, the Lt Governor said that yoga belongs to everyone and it will transform humanity to peace and added that she will do her best to promote yoga. At the same time Chief Minister V Narayanasamy and his cabinet colleagues who were scheduled to participate in the yoga day celebrations skipped the program and instead went to Yanam to attend different programs . In the evening Narayanasamy will leave for New Delhi to meet the Prime Minister and other union ministers. Though the Chief Minister maintaines that there is no friction between the government and the Lt Governor, the new development is seen as a turn in the supposed tussle between Puducherry Chief Minister V Narayanaswamy and the newly-appointed Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi. According to the reports Narayanasamy is not happy with the moves of the governor and feels that the governor is unnecessarily interfering the jurisdiction of the Chief Minister. Ms Bedi on the other hand said that she was merely performing her duties and there is no politics in yoga. The Congress returned to Puducherry after five year gap in last month's assembly elections and days after the election result former IPS officer Kiran Bedi who was the chief ministerial candidate of BJP in Delhi election was appointed as the new Lt Governor of Puducherry Director General of Police of Sunil Kumar Gautam, Vice Chancellor of Pondicherry University Anisha Basheer Khan, officials of various departments and representatives of different organisations also participated in the yoga day celebrations. New Delhi: Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar headed for Seoul on Wednesday ahead of the crucial NSG Plenary from tomorrow, where India is hoping to clinch membership which is strongly opposed by China and some other countries. Jaishankhar, who was closely monitoring the goings-on during the officials' level meet of the 48-nation grouping which started on Monday, left for the South Korean capital to lobby with members to boost India's prospects of getting membership. 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. However, China continues to stonewall India's bid for NSG membership with the members divided over the entry of a non-NPT signatory country like India. The NSG works under the principle of unanimity and even one country's vote against India will scuttle its bid. 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. 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 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. Hyderabad: A division bench of the Hyderabad High Court has allowed a petition by AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu seeking quashing of all criminal cases registered against him in various police stations in both TS and AP during the byelections in 2008. Mr Naidu moved the petition in 2008, stating that the cases were registered against him in police stations in Vizianagaram district of AP and Adilabad, Nalgonda, Warangal, Khammam, Karimnagar, Medak , Nizamabad, Mahbubnagar and Hyderabad city in TS, alleging that he violated the election code of conduct and prohibitory orders in place during the poll campaign. K. Ravindra Kumar, senior counsel appearing for Mr Naidu told the bench comprising Justice V. Ramasubramanian and Justice A. Shankar Narayana that most of the cases were based on the complaints from election officers and police. The bench perused the records and found that there was no substantial ground to try the offences against the petitioner and quashed all the FIRs against Mr Naidu. Chennai: As AIADMK members continued to attack DMK chief M. Karunanidhi for the second consecutive day on the massacre of Sri Lankan Tamils in 2009, deputy Op-position leader K. Duraimurugan on Tuesday challenged the AIADMK for a debate on the issue on the floor of the House. Duraimurugan, intervening during the speech of AIADMK member Vetrivel, objected to blaming Karunanidhi for the Tamils massacre and said, We are ready for a debate on the Mullivaikkal massacre. Is the AIADMK ready for such a debate? The DMK members who were on their feet demanded that Vetrivel confine himself to Governors address. At this juncture, leader of the House, O. Panneerselvam defended AIADMK members saying Vetrivel was speaking on the Governors address. He also read the relevant portion from the Governors speech on the Lankan issue demanding that those who were responsible for the genocide of Lankan Tamils should be brought to book. Earlier, the House was plunged into commotion, right from the start, as Vetrivel started with criticism on DMK treasurer M.K. Stalins Namakku Naamey campaign. The AIADMK member said the entire show was arranged with DMK members enacting different roles of farmers, bus conductors and workers. The DMK members furiously shouted at Vetrivel and asked Speaker P. Dhanapal to restrict the member to Governors address. Vetrivel immediately moved on to the Lankan Tamils issue and accused the DMK leader of failure to stop the killings of Tamils. DMK members who got up, recalled the AIADMK governments resolution calling for extradition of LTTE chief Velupillai Prabharakan. Hundreds of pups from around the country will show off their shiny coats and polished teeth for three days of the Yellowstone Valley Kennel Clubs annual dog show in Billings this week. The dogs compete on three levels: the best of their breed, best of their group and best of show. The 573 competing dogs represent 114 different breeds from seven groups, including working, terrier and toy, said Sheila Brown, the shows chairman. Brown said every day is a new competition. The judges evaluate different breeds than the previous day, allowing for a more comprehensive assessment of each animal. A best of show is chosen at the end of each day. The field is especially stacked this year. The national Affenpinscher specialty show is being held in conjunction with the YVKC event at MetraPark for the first time. The breeds top competition attracted 32 of the best examples of Affenpinschers from around the United States and Canada, the most entrants from any breed. The MetraPark event, which runs Tuesday through Thursday, is the first Montana stop in a circuit that includes shows in Great Falls and Missoula. Many of the dogs make appearances in all three of the cities, but most of their owners will be nowhere in sight. When you come this far, because Montana is kind of off the beaten path, people send their dogs with a handler because it costs too much for them to travel with the dog as well, Brown said. Nik is the top ranked Akita in the United States and made an appearance Tuesday at MetraPark in an attempt to add to his 29 best in shows. He entered the ring with professional dog handler Alvin Beep Lee Jr. To achieve a top ranking, the dogs have to compete at as many shows as possible, and it isnt cheap. Breeding a champion dog can be quite lucrative, one sample of Niks semen runs about $3,000, but most owners dont turn a profit. Id say for the average dog youre lucky if you can get out of it for $100,000 per year if youre really campaigning it, Lee said. When he works with the elite dogs, it involves more than just what the judges see in the ring. He grooms, exercises and trains the animals to be at their peak level of fitness and health. Lee said hes been working with dogs for 40 years and has never worked another job. Hes a second generation professional. My dad was one of the better handlers, thats what they called it back then. Now were more of agents, Lee said. Lee, along with his wife and fellow professional handler Shari Rhodes-Lee, show half a dozen dogs at more than 140 shows per year. They only spend about 45 days a year at their home in Battle Ground, Wash. Theyve turned more than 400,000 miles in their RV traveling to dog shows around the country. but Montana is always one of their favorite destinations. They first met at a show in Helena almost 25 years ago. Lee said he was lucky to meet someone who not only understands the business but is just as passionate about the dogs. They have fun traveling to all the shows and see the positivity the dog shows bring to society. While some unethical commercial breeders pump out litters for profits, the people trying to raise the best animals attempt to have the healthiest dogs with the best traits true to the breeds origins. We may not be curing cancer but it sure makes a lot of people happy, Lee said. New Delhi: 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's 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 Narendra 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's 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. 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. New Delhi: Congress veteran Mani Shankar Aiyar, a regular at Iftar dinners hosted by the Pakistani High Commissioner, has not been invited for the June 25th bash. Aiyar, who no longer enjoys a Rajya Sabha berth, probably thought that it was not important to his relationship with the Pakistanis with whom he has had a longstanding warm relationship. The Lahore born former diplomat and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi's confidante has made a name for himself for being a strong proponent of strong ties between India and Pakistan. He is the one who first said that India and Pakistan should have uninterruptible talks, something that is trashed by the hawks of Lutyen's Delhi. Aiyar has visited Pakistan often and been part of several track 2 initiatives. But he drew flak recently when on a talk show in Pakistan he seemed to appeal to the civil society of Pakistan to throw out the BJP from office if it wanted good ties with India. Within a few weeks of his comment, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a surprise visit to Lahore to meet his Pakistan counterpart Nawaz Sharif, something that the former's predecessor Dr. Manmohan Singh could not do despite being a strong proponent of India-Pakistan peace talks. Aiyar is a permanent fixture at all India Pakistan social gatherings in New Delhi. The Pakistani High Commissioners are known to pick and choose their guests with great care for their Iftar dinners. And Aiyar has always been a regular, as also Kashmiri separatists. In his interview with ANI, Aiyar appeared a little downcast of not being invited but he focused on the invitation extended to the Hurriyat by the Pakistani High Commission. He said that the BJP government should shun the attitude of distancing themselves from the Hurriyat. The Congress leader said the need of the hour is to initiate talks with the Hurriyat leadership for stabilising peace in the valley. "For the last 15-16 years after former Prime Minister Vajpayee ji's directions, the Pakistanis have been talking to the Hurriyat leadership," Aiyar said. "This in turn has neither benefited them nor has damaged India, but making it as a hitch by saying that we won't talk to Pakistan until they stop talking to Hurriyat is benefitting none," he added. The Congress leader further said Hurriyat is not a stake holder for Pakistan, but for India. "If you want to run democracy then a dialogue is needed with them who oppose you. If you don't talk to Congress in Delhi, if you don't talk to Hurriyat in Kashmir then how can you solve the problems," he said. 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. Mehbooba said the preachers do not talk about harassment of women and girls in the society nor do they mention enviromental degradation in their sermons. (Photo: PTI) Srinagar: Hitting out at separatists, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday said they rake up unnecessary controversies over Article 370 of the Constitution and asked them to rather focus on protecting the people and the environment of the state. She also made it clear that dialogue with separatists can take place only after "the situation improves". "I am surprised that (Muslim) preachers talk so big about Article 370 (in their sermons). What is Article 370? It is of significance only if we are at peace," Mehbooba said in the Assembly while replying to a debate on demand for grants for departments under her charge. Read: Mehbooba plans to release Kashmiri youth involved in unrest before Eid In an apparent reference to Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who is the chief priest of Kashmir and gives sermons after Friday prayers at Jamia Masjid, the Chief Minister said it was not for the preachers to look after the special provisions of the Constitution with regard to the state but for the mainstream political parties of the state. "What are they talking about safeguarding Article 370...They are looking for something else. It is we (pointing towards MLAs) who have to protect it. It is our shared inheritance and nothing in it will change," she said. Mehbooba said the preachers do not talk about harassment of women and girls in the society nor do they mention enviromental degradation in their sermons. "I also belong to the family of preachers. We have to strive for protecting the environment and the water bodies. For years, we dumped our garbage in River Jhelum and it retaliated by dumping it back in our homes for 10 days (by floods). But we still did not learn any lessons," she said. The PDP chief also hit out at opposition National Conference and Congress for repeatedly questioning her party's alliance with BJP and asserted that she will enter into such a coalition thousands of times if it brought peace with dignity to the state. "The alliance with the BJP was taken to respect the mandate of the people. We cannot have a government of one religion (sic) and opposition of another religion. I will form this alliance thousands of times if it helps in restoring peace with dignity in the state," she said. Earlier in May this year, she had hinted at granting general amnesty for separatist militants if they submit to the Constitution and rule of law. (Photo: PTI) Srinagar: Scores of Kashmiri youth languishing in jails for their involvement in 2008, 2009 and 2010 unrests and later incidents are being freed before Eid-ul-Fitr, the festival that will end the ongoing Muslim fasting month of Ramadan in the first week of July. Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said on Wednesday that Jammu and Kashmir Home Department has been asked to prepare a list of the youth whom she termed as misguided as they were involved in various cases of violence since 2008 and were subsequently booked under criminal charges by J&K Police. Read: Mehbooba Mufti seeks decisive mandate as Anantnag goes to polls "My government will study these cases and we are contemplating an amnesty scheme for those youths who are willing to shun the path of violence and lead normal lives, she said. She added, Many of these youths who are languishing in jails will be set free before Eid and the remaining cases will also be considered on humanitarian grounds. She said, Unlike previous government, it is not our hobby to jail people but sometimes certain harsh steps are necessitated to prevent law and order problems." The Chief Minister was replying to the discussion on demand for grants of the departments under her charge in the State Assembly. Read: Clashes in Jammu as 'lunatic' defiles Hindu temple She announced shifting of historic central prisons out of the twin capitals of Srinagar and Jammu and said the premises would be developed to create recreational facilities for the locals. Earlier in May this year, she had hinted that granting general amnesty for separatist militants if they submit to the Constitution and rule of law, may be an option before the PDP-BJP government headed by her. She told a meeting of Unified Headquarters held in Srinagar that it would be in the fitness of things to give an option of homecoming to the local youth who have picked up guns. On Wednesday while speaking in the State Assembly, Mufti described Jammu and Kashmir as an abode of secularism and asked the opposition to stop smelling conspiracies in policies of the coalition government which, she claimed, are aimed at restoring peace and ushering the State towards a new era of prosperity. She said the government is committed towards honourable return of displaced Kashmiri Pandits to the Valley but a sense of security must prevail in the community before they can restart their lives at their native places. We will settle them temporarily in transit accommodation and once they adjust to the new life, they can gradually restart their lives at their native places," she reiterated. She also said that the PDP-BJP government is committed to protect Article 370 which she described as the lifeline of relations between India and Jammu and Kashmir. She said the amendments effected in the States new industrial policy 2016 were necessitated to protect the special status of J&K. Hyderabad: Mr Naga and Ms Maragani Murali, parents of conjoined twins Veena and Vani, on Tuesday approached deputy Chief Minister Kadiam Srihari and requested the government to take care of the twins. The parents are not willing to take them home despite an All India Institute of Medical Sciences report stating that surgery to separate them would be life threatening. Mr Murali petitioned the government stating that they could not take care of the girls and the government should attend to them and also provide a house for them in Hyderabad and employment. Doctors in Niloufer Hospital said that they had been waiting for a week for the parents to give consent for a future course of action. Senior doctors had given five days to the family to decide as the girls are now 13 and can no longer be kept in the hospital. Veena and Vani are intelligent and doing fairly well in studies. A tutor teaches the girls in the hospital. Ms Ayama Padmavati, who has been taking care of them for the last three years said, The girls are smart, intelligent and disciplined. They are well-mannered and listen to the hospital staff. Now as they are 13 years old the doctors want them to be shifted. Two to three ayahs take care of the twins in shifts and attend to all their needs right from food, clothing to even disciplining them when needed. Dr Ramesh Reddy, professor and head of the department of paediatric surgery, said, Due to their increasing age it is becoming difficult to keep them in the hospital. The girls need to go to their home or they require to be rehabilitated in a proper home where they can be well looked after. Other doctors said that they had approached the best surgeons in the world for their separation but they all said surgery was risky. Meanwhile the twins parents, whenever approached by government authorities, have cited their inability to take care of the girls. Vadras company has been asked to submit certain financial statements and other documents to the Investigating Officer (IO) of the case. (Photo: AFP) New Delhi: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday took a dig at Enforcement Directorate for giving out the news of sending a notice to a firm linked to her husband Robert Vadra in connection with its probe into alleged money laundering in a land deal in Rajasthan's Bikaner district. "Apparently, we have received it at 4 o'clock today but you received it before us," Priyanka told reporters in Delhi, implying that the news had been leaked by the government. Read: Robert Vadra's company gets notice in Bikaner land deal case A notice has been issued to the firm M/s Skylight Hospitality under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) seeking certain financial statements and other documents, official sources said. The Congress and the Gandhis have described the investigations against Robert Vadra as a political witch-hunt. In Rajasthan, his firm allegedly bought about 70 acres (275 bighas) of land in Bikaner in 2010, when the Congress was in power in the state. BJP claims the land was first grabbed by local mafia and then sold with "forged and fabricated documents" in connivance with then government officials. The Enforcement Directorate had conducted extensive searches in this case in Rajasthan and other places last month. The Enforcement Directorate suspects that huge amounts of money was laundered in this case by people buying land at cheap rates through forged documents. The land was bought from farmers who were told it was meant for constructing a firing range for the army. It was sold three years later at a substantial profit. Vadras company has been asked to submit certain financial statements and other documents to the Investigating Officer (IO) of the case. Congress insisted that Modi's clarification is a must given the perception that the issues being 'pursued' by Swamy have the 'silent approval' of the PM. New Delhi: Congress on Wednesday dubbed Subramanian Swamy as the "undeclared spokesman" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the BJP MP targeted Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian seeking his sacking and asked the PM to "clarify whether the charges levelled are false". Read: Subramanian Swamy meets Rajnath Singh after attacking Rajan, AAP Party spokesman PL Punia told reporters that the Prime Minister himself should speak out on the issue as Finance Minister Arun Jaitley's dismissing Swamy's statement "mattered little" as the BJP MP has also been targeting Jaitley. "Since the issue involved a key official, the Prime Minister should himself clarify whether the charges levelled are false... Besides, the Prime Minister should specify the action being initiated against Swamy... The Prime Ministershould act against either Swamy or the CEA as per the situation," he said. Read: Arun Jaitley snubs Swamy, backs CEA Arvind Subramanian The Congress spokesman insisted that Modi's clarification is a must given the perception that the issues being "pursued" by Swamy have the "silent approval" of the Prime Minister. "Swamy acts like an undeclared spokesman of the Prime Minister. Whatever the Prime Minister wants to say against any official or opposition leader, he does it through Swamy," Punia claimed. After his tirade against RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan, Swamy on Wednesday opened a new front, targeting Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian and demanded his sacking. Punia alleged that the problem with the government is that it does not have regard for honest officials and makes attempt to humiliate them. "The government wants sycophants like Gajendra Chauhan, Chetan Chauhan, Pahlaj Nihalani, Appa Rao, Sudarshan Rao and Ram Bahadur Rai (in high positions)," he claimed. Congress' chief spokesman Randeep Surjewala tweeted "Subramanian Swamy is the unofficial spokesperson of the PM; Modi uses him to ridicule his own party men and opposition." Jaipur: Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti on Tuesday termed Uttar Pradesh the most unsafe place in the country, while calling Kairana issue just a glance of the "ugly face" of the state. "Uttar Pradesh is the most unsafe place for citizens in the country today. In UP, people are migrating... somewhere due to casteism, somewhere due to communalism and some due to law and order. If there is a feeling of insecurity (among people) more than in Jammu and Kashmir, it is in UP," she told reporters in Jaipur. "There are so many villages and towns in Uttar Pradesh from where people have migrated due to law and order. Kairana is just a glance of the ugly face of UP otherwise," she said. BJP and Samajwadi Party have been sparring over the alleged exodus of Hindu families in Kairana. Bharti visited BJP's National Vice-President and Rajya Sabha MP Om Mathur at the latter's place here and held discussions over the politics in poll-bound UP. Mathur also attacked the state government for law-and-order situation by making a veiled reference to the Mathura violence in which 29 people, including a Superintendent of Police and an SHO, were killed. "There is no law and order in Uttar Pradesh. Police officers are shot dead and other incidents are also happening," Mathur said. In the last expansion of his ministry on October 31, last year, the chief minister had inducted five cabinet ministers, eight ministers of state with independent charge and eight ministers of state. (Photo: PTI) Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav will expand his ministry on June 27 in perhaps the last reshuffle of his council of ministers ahead of the Assembly election in early 2017. Governor Ram Naik will administer oath of office and secrecy to the new ministers at Raj Bhawan on June 27, a Raj Bhawan release said. This will be the seventh expansion of the Akhilesh Yadav ministry since it assumed office in 2012. In the last expansion of his ministry on October 31, last year, the chief minister had inducted five cabinet ministers, eight ministers of state with independent charge and eight ministers of state. Speculation of a cabinet expansion has been rife in the recent past and each time the chief minister met the governor in Raj Bhavan, it would give grist to the rumour mill. After the surprise dismissal of senior minister Balram Yadav from the ministry on Tuesday following the merger of gangster-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari's Quami Ekta Dal with Samajwadi Party, there are four vacancies in the ministry. The maximum permissible strength of the ministry, including the chief minister, is 60 in UP. New Delhi: China on Wednesday said it will play a "constructive" role in the discussions on India's bid for membership of the 48-member Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) but at the same maintained that the issue was not on the agenda of the NSG meeting in Seoul. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said that NSG members had three rounds of unofficial discussions on the entry of India and Pakistan into the grouping. "China hopes to discuss further this issue and will play a constructive role in the discussions," she said. Read: As China talks tough, US asks NSG members to support India's bid 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. Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar , who was closely monitoring the goings-on during the officials' level meet of the 48-nation grouping which started on Monday, left for the South Korean capital to lobby with members to boost India's prospects of getting membership. Read: Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar leaves for Seoul to push for India's NSG membership 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. However, China continues to stonewall India's bid for NSG membership with the members divided over the entry of a non-NPT signatory country like India. The NSG works under the principle of unanimity and even one country's vote against India will scuttle its bid. Read: Successfully thwarting India's NSG bid, claims Pakistan 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. Read: Modi to meet Xi Jinping on June 23 to win support for India's NSG membership 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. On April 1, a civil jury in Helena found that Art Wittich failed to maintain and preserve records of his 2010 state Senate campaign and that he accepted corporate contributions of $19,599 in violation of Montana law. Last week in Anaconda, District Judge Ray Dayton fined Wittich triple the amount the jury found that he illegally received, plus court costs. The penalty will total at least $80,000. The bare facts of Wittichs trial and penalty dont tell the full story of what was at stake in this case that involved a well-orchestrated, well-funded scheme of a national interest group to influence Montana elections. The targets of this direct mail campaign were Republican primary candidates who didnt return National Right to Work surveys, didnt answer the way the group wanted or didnt promise to promote the groups interests in the Montana Legislature. We commend those candidates who insisted on representing their Montana constituents rather than bowing to the dictates of an out-of-state special interest group. Evidence introduced at the week-long trial in Helena this spring showed what this shadowy national interest group did to help Wittichs successful primary campaign for state Senate in 2010. Primary targets Jonathan Motl, who was appointed COPP in June 2013, was investigating complaints from Deborah Bonogofsky, a Billings Republican, who was a Primary Election target of National Right to Work in 2010, when he found evidence that eight other primary campaigns that year involved similarly organized and funded smear campaigns. Motl filed complaints against all nine candidates, reached settlements with some and got default judgments against others. Wittich is the only one who denied wrongdoing and went to trial. The misconduct of candidates who coordinated with National Right to Work in 2010 helped defeat some Republicans and discouraged others from running again in such a negative campaign atmosphere. During the trial, Wittichs 2010 primary opponent Shawn Moran and former state lawmaker John Esp, R-Big Timber, another NRTW target in 2010, said they felt picked on by the group and that the experience soured them on politics. In a very real sense, the people of our entire state lose when people like John Esp dont run, Billings attorney Gene Jarussi told the jury, and all that because National Right to Work came into this state with their operatives and their money. They had a plan to just wreak havoc, and they did. This is a state that long suffered the corrupting influence of money that outright bought elections in our Legislature. A century ago, Montana voters outlawed such corruption. Voter accountability The U.S. Supreme Court has thrown out that Montana law, ruling that money is speech and that corporations are people. But the court, so far, has maintained that the people have the right to know who is giving and spending in their elections. Montanans dont want another debacle such as occurred in the 2010 GOP primary. The 2015 Montana Disclose Act clearly requires much more timely and complete reporting. But ultimately, the people, through their elected representatives, will have to hold violators accountable. Be an informed voter. Question the sources of campaign materials and claims made about candidates. If you have concerns or questions, speak up. Call or email the Montana COPP at 406-444-2942, email to cpphelp@mt.gov or go to the COPP web page at a link with this Gazette opinion at billingsgazette.com. Congestion around school zones is a longstanding problem and blame has been passed to every quarter. Experts, school heads and parents are all at logger heads with each other over the issue. Its been a month since schools reopened after the summer vacation, making severe traffic jams in the morning and afternoon a daily affair for commuters. Even though school hours were changed a few years ago to avoid peak hours, the problem seems to have resumed. The respite of the summer months has been left behind and Bengalureans who hit the major junctions everyday are facing the usual traffic logjams as hundreds of students make their way to and from school everyday. The fact that several schools, especially those in the heart of the city, are hard-pressed for space means that cars, autos and vans line the streets, compounding the traffic mess. The traffic police have been hard at work to beat this problem; they have come out with a number of plans including the Safe Route to School, although none of them have wielded significant results. Commuters who travel across the major roads where schools happen to be located Richmond Road, Residency Road, Chalukya Circle, New BEL Road etc, face this problem twice every day. For instance, Chalukya Circle, which connects several parts of the city with the international airport, is so packed that people sometimes take as much as 30 minutes to cover a distance of 500 metres in the morning and evening hours. This is because vehicles are parked on both sides of an already narrow road, waiting to pick up and drop the children studying in the schools nearby. Other important roads of the city including Richmond road, New BEL road, Ramakrishnashrama road, Outer ring road also face similar traffic congestion due to the near by schools. Read: Guest column School buses are very expensive, despite tax holidays Traffic cops, home guard officers and transport department officials working on the issue are at a loss. Schools operate very few vans, which are the only ones allowed inside the school. Hundreds of vehicles which also make the trip everyday are forced to drop and pick up their children from the side of the road. This has caused a lot of chaos, said a traffic cop in Richmond Town. Schools let children go class by class. This results in parents and drivers of private vehicles waiting for about 20 minutes to pick up their kids, especially if they study in different classes. This, naturally, causes a piling up of vehicles in these school zones, he explained. Traffic problem in and around the schools is not a new problem. We are holding talks with the private schools over improving the traffic situation. Several initiatives have been launched in this regard. Traffic police are coordinating with the school managements over regulating and easing the traffic congestions R. Hitendra, Additional Commissioner of Traffic, Bengaluru Logistics expert Mr Surendra Ganiga says the only solution to the problem is having the schools provide affordable transport to all children. Schools are given various tax exemptions. School vehicles are not taxed. The managements should allow parents to feel the benefit of this as well, he said. Using private vehicles to take kids to and from school is a common phenomenon here in Bengaluru. According to the transport department officials, using private vehicles to ferry kids is not permitted. Issue related to the traffic congestion in and around the schools comes under the purview of the traffic police Ramegowda, Commissioner, state transport department Speaking to this newspaper, Transport Commissioner Mr. Ramegowda said that the department guidelines make it amply clear. All school vehicles follow the rules and guidelines, which are very few. School heads insist that parents prefer private transport because of the added expense, he said. Unfortunately, those drivers dont follow any rules or safety measures. Mr. R Hitendra, additional commissioner of traffic, Bengaluru observed that this trend should be analysed from different perspectives. Many parents opt for the private vehicles as they are cost effective, he said. He also said that traffic police has started several initiatives to discourage parents from using private vehicles. We are holding discussions with school managements, BMTC etc. BMTC has made it clear that it is ready to provide any number of buses to ferry students from home to schools, he said. A holistic approach is need of the hour Congestion around school zones is a longstanding problem and blame has been passed to every quarter. Experts, school heads and parents are all at logger heads with each other over the issue. Many feel that it can be dealt with at a policy level, the absence of a clause relating to school transport, when licenses are issued to new schools, has exacerbated the situation. Schools are using the transportation facility to make money, leaving parents with their hands tied. Because of this, they choose to drop their kids or hire private vans. This is increasing traffic volume around the schools every day Latha SK, a parent School heads claim that private transport is the root of the problem. Many managements who spoke to this papers said it is impossible to allow all the parents to pick up and drop their kids from inside the campus. "Most parents prefer using their own vehicles, most of them four-wheelers. We need several acres of extra land to accommodate all of them on campus, which can also pose security risks," said the principal of a private CBSE school in Bengaluru. He added that the transportation fee is based on the cost per student. "We need to hire drivers with atleast five years' experience, who demand about Rs15,000 per month. As per the conditions put forth by the Department of Public Instruction, we need to depute female crew in every vehicle. It's easy to make allegations against us, but these things have not been taken into account," he said. However, experts feel that parents are forced to resort to private transport because school buses are a ripe money-making opportunity for managements. Traffic expert Shantanu Hegde said a holistic approach is the need of the hour. "The transport department and the cops are to blame for this fiasco, which has been carrying on for decades. They still haven't come out with a workable action plan. We all know that private vehicles are causing the congestion. Why then, don't we have a wider discussion around it," he asked. According to Mr. R Hitendra, Additional Commissioner of Police, Traffic, Bengaluru has several initiatives including fining vehicle drivers, to solve the problem. New Delhi: A day after issuing notice to Skylight Hospitality, the firm allegedly linked to Mr Robert Vadra, son-in-law of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, in connection with a land scam in Rajasthan, sources in the ED on Wednesday said its investigation has revealed that allotments were made in the names of dummy firms and certain private persons. The land in 34 villages of Bikaner was supposed to be used for expanding the Army's firing range in the area, sources said. Meanwhile, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday confirmed receiving the ED notice to the firm allegedly linked to her husband. She, however, made a jibe at critics for creating unwarranted hype and said the over-enthusiastic media broke the news yesterday while the copy has been received today. Hyderabad: The HMDA has ordered another dozen national flags from the Mumbai-based company as all three flags, the largest in the country, are torn. One of the flags ordered is about to be delivered. Officials at Ranchi, which had the largest flag till recently, have informed that every year six-eight flags get damaged. The HMDA is also contemplating getting a woven flag from Pochampally. At present, the flags comprise three stitched pieces the saffron, white and green. However, the woven flag would have several pieces weaved together which would prevent frequent damage. The materials used would be silk and polyester . A senior official from the HMDAs Buddha Purnima Project said, The Roads and Buildings department, which was in-charge of the flag till recently, has placed orders. It will take a month and a half. However, one of the flags will soon be delivered. Currently we have three flags but all are damaged; we have rectified the damage and are using the same. We have to make provision for a new rope too. Since the Tricolour was hoisted at Sanjeevaiah Park on June 2, three flags have been damaged. Each replacement costs about Rs 1.9 lakh. Apart from the maintenance cost, electricity charges for illumination of the flag and the surrounding area are several lakhs a year. The Flag Code for India, which mandates that the national flag should be made of cotton, does not imply for Monumental flags. Hyderabad: The Central government has been following up the Hyderabad Funds case with the Telangana state government as the required documents supposedly stored at the Tarnaka archives have not been found. Officials of the External Affairs ministry have visited the city thrice till date to search for the documents. Meanwhile senior state government officials who are handling the case said that the Centre could not be a claimant since the funds were transferred from the Hyderabad government. They say that the TS government should be the claimant as it is the successor of the Nizam's government. Speaking to DC, a senior government officer said, The funds were transferred from the Hyderabad account to London in 1947-48. It should be remembered that Hyderabad was an independent state even after August 15, 1947. But after the state of Hyderabad came under the Central government, small portions were attached to Karnataka and Maharashtra. The funds transferred were from the Government of Hyderabad whose successor is the government of Telangana. "GOI has been pursuing the evidence with the TS government after the state was bifurcated. While the evidence is in Hyderabad, these files can substantiate the GOI's claim. However no one knows where the files are, neither does the GOI have any original documents to pursue it. It is the government of TS that can claim it as it is the successor of the Government of the Nizam. The last visit of officials from the External Affairs ministry was five months ago, however, the files were not found. Mr A.K. Goyal, advisor to the government of TS, had accompanied the officials in their search for the documents at the archives. New Delhi: In a big boost to India soon after the US proclamation of support, France on Wednesday issued an appeal to all NSG members to support India's entry into the 48-member grouping ahead of the crucial meeting on Thursday between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping in the Uzbek city of Tashkent. The French announcement comes soon after the US proclamation of support and is a big boost for India. With the US and France batting for India, pressure is mounting on Beijing to relent on New Delhis bid for membership of the NSG. With the United States and France batting for India, pressure is mounting on Beijing to relent on New Delhis entry to the NSG, even as India is going all out for immediate membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) at the crucial concluding day of the Seoul plenary NSG meet on Friday. Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar who usually travels with the Prime Minister on his official visits instead left on Thursday night for the South Korean Capital. Read: Narendra Modi leaves for Tashkent to attend SCO Summit Sources said it was decided that Mr. Jaishankar, as the top negotiator, would head for Seoul to answer any clarifications at the NSG plenary, should PM Modi manage a breakthrough with the Chinese leadership at Tashkent. Meanwhile, China continued to make ambivalent statements on Indias bid for NSG membership amid clear indications that it was unrelenting in its opposition. Clubbing India and Pakistan once again, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said members of the 48-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group have had three round of unofficial discussions on the membership of the two countries. China is seeking to equate India with its impeccable non-proliferation record with that of Pakistan for which it is batting. Pakistan had on Tuesday claimed that it had successfully blocked Indias bid for NSG membership, and Chinas clubbing of the two countries is seen as a ploy to block New Delhi. Pakistans National Security Adviser Nasser Janjua has alleged that Americas efforts to include India in the NSG was part of a greater design to contain China and prevent the resurgence of Russia. It's [part of] a greater design, Janjua said at a seminar on 'Pakistan's case for NSA membership, he said. Pakistans former permanent representative at the UN in Geneva Zamir Akram said that Pakistan was only opposed to exclusive membership of the NSG for India. The Dawn reported that Akram's comments follow remarks by Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj that India does not object to any country, including Pakistan, joining the NSG. While the human-animal conflict is not new but water scarcity in the intense summer heat has led to sharp increase in such incidents. (Representational image) Jaipur: Picture and video of a leopard with is head stuck in a pitcher in a village in Rajasthans Rajsamand district on September last year were an instant hit. But, behind that picture was a distressing truth. The leopard was thirsty and had come to village in search of water. He tried drinking the water from that metal pitcher but unfortunately ended up getting his head stuck in it. Still, he was lucky not to get killed by villagers despite his head stuck in the pitcher for nearly 10 hours. Otherwise, the moment people spot a wild animal they get panic and hound him to death. At least four panthers and a couple of hyenas have been killed in last three months. Only 10 days ago month a panther was stoned to death then burnt in Jhali ka Guda in Rajsamand. Prior to this, people in Kachbali village in the same district killed a panther then posted selfie. It is not that only humans have been killing wild animals that too without a purpose. Wild animals too have been constantly entering not just villages but cities; attacking and killing domestic animals and people. There have been at least a dozen incidents in the current month alone. While the human-animal conflict is not new but water scarcity in the intense summer heat has led to sharp increase in such incidents. Due to the sweltering heat, many small water reservoirs have dried up while others are on the verge of drying up. Water scarcity is forcing wild animals to stray into villages, said Babulal Jaju, the in-charge of People for Animals who estimates nearly 125 deaths of panthers due to water and food scarcity in the last one-and-a-half years. Hyderabad: In a significant development with regard to the Agri Gold Group of Companies scam, the AP state government on Wednesday informed the Hyderabad High Court that it was prepared to hand over the investigation to the CBI. The High Court made it clear that though the case may be handed over to the CBI by both AP and TS, the auction of properties which has been going on under its supervision, will continue. The court noted that the Karnataka government has already handed over the cases against Agri Gold to the CBI. A division bench, comprising Acting Chief Justice Dilip B. Bhosale and Justice S.V. Bhatt was dealing with a petition by the Telangana Agri Gold customers and Agents Welfare Association, represented by its president A. Ramesh Babu of the city, seeking a probe either by the CBI or Enforcement Directorate into the deposits scam. The cases against Agri Gold in AP and TS are currently being investigated by the CID of the states concerned. While hearing the plea, the bench asked AP advocate-general D. Srinivas about the status of the investigation. The AG told the bench that the AP government was prepared to hand over the case to the CBI, but it was worried that the delay that may be caused due to this could affect the interests of the depositors. The bench told the AG to place the written proceedings with regard to handing over the case to the CBI before the court. The bench also sought the response of TS over handing the case over to the CBI. While commencing the hearing, the bench asked counsel representing Agri Gold whether its order to deposit the Rs 25 lakh with the registry had been complied with. When counsel replied in the negative and tried place some proposal of transferring the company shares in the name of depositors, the bench expressed its disapproval at this and pointed that out since the beginning, the company management was trying to mislead the court by furnishing false information and was also avoiding extending cooperation to the committee set up to oversee the auction. The bench adjourned the case to next Tuesday. Hyderabad HC summons KU Vice-Chancellor The Hyderabad High Court on Wednesday ordered the in-charge Vice-Chancellor of Kakatiya University to appear before the court and personally explain the reasons for not implementing its order. A division bench comprising Acing Chief Justice Dilip B. Bhosale and Justice P. Naveen Rao was dealing with a contempt case by one V. Naina alleging that though the High Court and Supreme Court directed the university to complete the process of selection to the posts of Assistant Professors, the authorities failed to do so. She brought to the notice of the court that the judgment was delivered in May 2015 and though a year has elapsed, nothing has been done. Counsel appearing for the varsity submitted that the government has not made any appointments and there was no quorum for the executive council to meet and finalise the selections. Telangana advocates try to burn effigies, held Several advocates were taken into police custody at Criminal Court Complex at Nampally and Ranga Reddy district court complex at LB Nagar in the city on Wednesday when they tried to burn an effigy of Andhra judges, demanding immediate bifurcation of the common High Court and recall of the list of provisional allocation of subordinate judicial officers between TS and AP. As part of their ongoing stir to boycott all subordinate courts across the state, T-advocates gathered in front of the courts at Nampally and LB Nagar and tried to burn the effigies of Andhra judges. The police intervened and this resulted in minor scuffles between the cops and lawyers. The protesters were taken into custody and shifted to police stations. However, protesting advocated did manage to burn effigies in various districts across the state. Meanwhile, an extraordinary general body meeting of Telangana High Court Advocates Association was held at the High Court on Wednesday. The meeting resolved to boycott the High Court on July 1, demanding separate high courts for TS and AP and recall of the provisional list allocating subordinate judicial officers between the two states. The meeting, while condemning the arrest of the lawyers at the Nampally and RR courts, demanded their immediate release. There are no senior doctors at government hospitals after 2 p.m or after lunch. Hyderabad: In the strangest twist, health cards being issued by the Telangana government to its own employees are proving useless in cases involving emergency or trauma care. Why? Because they are not being recognised by private, corporate hospitals. And stuck in this situation are the government employees who refuse to go to government hospitals because of non-availability of senior doctors for urgent surgeries or emergency trauma care. A senior employee, whose son had suffered a head injury in an accident, explained the problem. I knew there was no point taking my son to Gandhi Hospital. It will only have junior doctors on call. I then picked a corporate hospital because they would offer the best, urgent treatment. But health cards of government staff are of no use at corporate hospital because no MoUs have been signed with the government. TS employees and the holders of health cards have been constantly asking the government to sign MoUs with corporate hospitals as they say they are not keen on care at government hospitals at all. Another senior government employee said: Diagnostics is a major problem. They take a lot of time and these government hospitals are not even clean. The quality of wards is also very bad. Others say there are no senior doctors at government hospitals after 2 p.m or after lunch. Govind Hari, secretary of the Telanagana Super-speciality Hospitals Asso-ciation said: For trauma care, a maximum number of employees are picking corporate hospitals because of the best care and facilities. Interestingly, 200 hospitals in the city have signed an MoU with the government but the 18 private hospitals who have not, are in demand when it comes to emergency care. Health minister Dr Laxma Reddy said: We are working hard to improve the infrastructure by purchasing the best of equipment for diagnostics. Equipments worth Rs 24 crore has been purchased for Nims. The issue of non-availability of doctors will also be sorted soon. Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has given the go-ahead for hikes in power tariffs and RTC bus fares in the state. Stating that while it was the responsibility of the state government to protect institutions like TSRTC and Discoms, the Chief Minister said even the citizens had to bear some of the burden to pull the institutions out of financial doldrums. Mr Rao suggested not more than 7 per cent power tariff hike on industrial and IT consumers, minimal hike on domestic consumers with more than 100 units per month consumption and no hike for consumers with less than 100 units consumption per month. Officials said about 60 lakh of the total 86 lakh connections in Telangana were of consumers who used less than 100 units per month and as such the power hike would not affect majority of the people in the state. The TS Power Distribution Companies have sought a Rs 1958-crore tariff hike for the 2016-17 financial year. As a result, the major burden of the tariff hike is going to be on the industrial and IT sectors. When officials informed the CM that the industry sector was willing for a 10 per cent hike in power tariff, Mr Rao suggested that the hike for even the IT and industry sector should not be more than 7 per cent. Meanwhile, TSRTC officials were told to ensure that the bus fare hike was not more than 10 per cent for all category of buses like luxury, super luxury, Garuda, Vennela, Metro, city buses, air conditioned and non-air-conditioned, except Palle Velugu. For Palle Velugu buses, the CM suggested a Re-1 hike for up to 30-km travel and a Rs-2 hike for over 30-km travel. He said the poor and a majority of people travelled in Palle Velugu buses so the hike should be minimal. The Chief Minister asked officials of the power sector and TSRTC to work out percentages of the hike in power tariffs and bus fares and submit the same to him on Thursday. As the Energy and Transport ministers were not present, he said the percentage of tariff hike would be announced in their presence on Thursday. Hyderabad: In addition to allowing a bus fare hike, the Chief Minister also showered the following sops on TSRTC to put it back on track. The state will extend Rs 300 crore to TSRTC to purchase 1,200 new buses. The TS government will also release Rs 75 crore every month to the RTC to help it make up its existing losses of around Rs 2,275 crore. TSRTC is incurring about Rs 500 crore on extending concessions on student bus passes, senior citizens, differently challenged etc. The government has decided to reimburse this amount regularly.The Chief Minister has directed GHMC to bear the losses incurred in the city region of TSRTC. Mr K. Chandrasekhar Rao, while approving the power tariff hike, gave four main reasons for power distribution companies incurring huge debts and why they needed government and public support to come out of the debts. As per the directions of the government to ensure quality power supply, Transco and Discoms spend Rs 2,144 crore to improve power distribution infrastructure like construction of sub-stations, laying of 33 KV, 11 KV, HT and LT lines in addition to the erection of power and distribution transformers. To fulfil the promise of the government that there would be no power cuts, Discoms made short-term power purchase agreements with private producers at a high cost and spent another Rs 2,700 crore. The government increased the salaries of the staff in power sector. The additional salary burden too fell on Discoms. Discoms spent another Rs 2400 crore for power infrastructure improvement to ensure 9-hour day time supply to the agriculture sector. TSRTC unions to go on one day strike today The Joint Action Committee of seven various unions in Telangana State Road Transport Corporation have decided to go on a one-day strike on Thursday, after rejecting the invitation from the RTC management for talks saying that only one union was invited to Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Raos review meeting. However, the impact of the strike is expected to be felt only in some districts. In Greater Hyderabad limits, it is likely to be minimal or negligible since the majority union, the Telangana Mazdoor Union (TMU), is not taking part in the strike. The unions on strike have strong presence in certain districts like Khammam and Nalgonda where the impact is expected to be more. JAC leader Raji Reddy said the JACs main demands are release of encashment bonds of last three years, exemption of MV tax to Palle Velugu buses and cracking the whip on private bus operators who are causing a Rs 1,000 crore per annum loss to RTC by operating as stage carriages in violation of rules. TSRTC managing director G.V. Ramana Rao said efforts are on to operate all the bus services on Thursday. Though the strike is only for one-day, we are leaving nothing to chance and are fully prepared to deal with the situation. Also, the strike impact is likely to be minimal or negligible as a majority of the employees are not in favour of the strike, he said. At a meeting organised by JAC of RTC unions elsewhere in the city, Prof. M. Kodandaram-led political Telangana Joint Action Committee threw its weight behind the TSRTC unions which are not happy with the Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao blaming employees for the losses the Corporation has been incurring. Prof Kodandaram and Prof. Haragopal said it is the responsibility of the state government to protect the RTC and that it cannot compare profits in the private sector with the public sector. RTC has sought government intervention to protect the Corporation at any cost. RTC employees played a key role in Telangana statehood movement and TJAC will support them in their struggle to put it back on the profit-making tracks, the two professors said. 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. Bengaluru: The sudden transfer of Bangalore Development Authority(BDA) Commissioner, T Sham Bhat, who had set a record of sorts by surviving in his position for four long years despite a change of government, has raised eyebrows in political and administrative circles. Although sources close to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah claim it is a routine transfer, long overdue owing to Mr Bhat's long stint in the BDA, others feel he has been moved to the Department of Cooperation as principal secretary only to avoid embarrassment to the government in the wake of the Karnataka High Court directing it to appoint an honest person to the Karnataka Public Service Commission(KPSC). Appointed as BDA commissioner on August 27, 2012 by then Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, Mr Bhat continued in the post while other IAS officers were reshuffled like a pack of cards thanks to the 'blessings' of the Congress government. But his luck ran out after the high court, acting upon a petition questioning the government's decision to recommend his name for KPSC chairman, asked one too many questions about him. Mr Bhat has been accused of involvement in the denotification of sites in the Arkavathy Layout and using his office to do favours for politicians. The Governor too has returned the file recommending his name for the top post in the public service commission. Although the officer is due to retire in December this year, the government is still keen on appointing him KPSC chairman, claim sources. Mumbai: Government officials appealed to local traders on Tuesday to stop buying mica mined by child workers, as the government comes under pressure from activists to clamp down on child labour. Thousands of children risk their lives working for a pittance in crumbling mica mines, extracting the sparkly mineral used in lipsticks and eye-shadow as well as electronics. Officials from the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) visited Jharkhand this month to assess the extent of child labour in its mica mines. The state, along with Bihar, produces about three-quarters of the mica mined in India. "Many of these mines are illegal and they hire child workers to keep costs down. But legal or not, no one should be engaging child workers - it is against the law," said Yashwant Jain, a member of NCPCR, who visited Jharkhand. "We met with some traders and told them not to buy mica from child workers. We told them we would take strict action against anyone caught doing so," he said. Thousands of children climb down narrow mine shafts with no safety equipment, and cut mica with hammers and chisels for up to eight hours a day, activists say. The work puts children at risk of skin disease, respiratory infections, injury and death. The International Labour Organization estimates there are 5.7 million child workers in India aged five to 17, out of 168 million globally. Up to 20,000 children may be working in the mica mines in Jharkhand and Bihar, according to some estimates. The current law bans children under 14 from working in only 18 hazardous occupations and 65 processes including mining, gem cutting and cement manufacture. India wants to amend the three-decade-old law to outlaw child labour in all sectors. But children who help in family businesses will be permitted to work outside school hours, a loophole that activists say may be exploited by unscrupulous employers. The mica from illegal mines is sold to traders or intermediaries, who sell it to exporters, who in turn sell it to manufacturers of cosmetics, chemicals and electronics. Few have systems to check the use of child labour, activists say. Indian Nobel Laureate and child rights activist Kailash Satyarthi has said big corporations must do more to clean up their supply chains and ensure that no child labour is involved in the products they manufacture. Jain said it would not be fair to target the children's families, who are usually poor and illiterate. "We realise it is poverty that is driving these villagers to send their children to the mines, not to schools," he said. "So we are putting the onus on the traders, who are benefiting from the situation. Only by raising awareness that what they are doing is wrong can we solve the problem." New Delhi: With Bharatiya Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy waging a war against Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian after targeting Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Wednesday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking him if he plans on handing over the Finance Ministry to Swamy. "Is Modi handing over Finance Ministry to Subramaniam Swami? He has been claiming that PM has assured him as quid pro quo if he targeted Nehru Gandhi Family," Singh said in a series of tweets. He also alleged that Swamy's real target was not Subramanian, but Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. Staying true to his promise of training guns on bureaucrats 'loyal' to the Congress, Swamy on Wednesday said that he wants Arvind Subramanian to be sacked, as he had badmouthed India in the international arena and also encouraged Congress to become rigid on their GST Bill clauses. Swamy launched a scathing attack on Arvind in a series of tweets. "Who said to US Cong on 13/3/13 the US should act against India to defend US Pharmaceuticals interests? Arvind Subramanian MoF !! Sack him!!! Guess who encouraged Congi to become rigid on GST clauses ? Jaitely's economic adviser Arvind Subramanian of Washington DC," he tweeted. Swamy reiterated his salvo he had used against RBI Chief Raghuram Rajan, saying that the CEA was a 'green card holder' and was probably not an Indian citizen. "He used to work in America and is also a green card holder. I don't know if he is a citizen or not, but I'm sure he has a green card. There was this American Congress Committee for pharmaceutical purposes and they held a hearing to figure out India's opinion on the matter. There he said in a statement that India was not working according to America in this matter and for that, they should be taught a lesson in WTO. How can we have such a person as an advisor here?" Swamy said. Continuing his assault, he added that when Arvind was appointed by the Indian government, he gave a note to the Finance Ministry asserting that the clauses given by Congress in the GST Bill were absolutely justified. "I think that such people who can fail our government should be tossed out. Now, it's been two years and I think it's about time," he added. The senior BJP leader also said that he has a list of 27 people with him and he will 'fix' them soon. Earlier, Swamy had welcomed Rajan's decision to leave his post as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor on the completion of his term, saying that he had taken such a step in order to save his 'self respect'. In May, Swamy had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking dismissal of the Reserve Bank of India governor. Rajan had earlier announced that he would return to the academic world at the end of his term on September 4, 2016, adding that he will always be available to serve his country when needed and asserted that his 'successor' would take the nation to new heights. Rajan is currently on leave from the Chicago Booth School of Business, where he holds the post of Distinguished Service Professor of Finance. Incidentally, both Rajan and Arvind Subramanian have worked at the IMF. While Rajan was a UPA appointee, Arvind Subramanian was appointed by the Narendra Modi government. New Delhi: The Monsoon Session of Parliament is likely to begin in the third week of July and end by mid August, with the Cabinet Committee on Parliamentary Affairs set to meet on June 29 to decide on the schedule. Sources say that the Session is expected to start from July 18 and continue till August 13. The CCPA headed by Home Minister Rajnath Singh will, however, take the final call at its meeting on June 29. With increased strength and support from some opposition parties in Rajya Sabha, the government is keen to get the GST bill, which has been pending for a long time now, passed in this session in the Upper House. The government has already missed the target of implementing the GST regime from April 1, this year in the wake of stiff opposition to the tax reform measure by Congress and some other parties. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has recently claimed that almost all the states have agreed to support GST. After a meeting of State Finance Ministers in Kolkata recently, Jaitley had said that except Tamil Nadu, which has some reservations, all other states favour the proposed legislation. The GST is being touted as a key tax reform measure by the Modi government which will help give a fillip of 1 to 2 per cent to the country's GDP. The Bill has already been passed by Lok Sabha. Chennai: The ruling AIADMK and DMK on Tuesday argued over drinking water project for Dindigul, setting up of medical colleges and waiver of agricultural loans. Former minister and DMK deputy secretary I. Periyasamy speaking on the discussion on the motion of thanks to the Governor said the DMK government initiated the drinking water project for Dindigul district. Disputing the DMK member's claim, local administration minister S.P. Velumani said the drinking water project involved a main project and five sub-projects. But, the DMK started the sub-projects and partially completed it, without taking measures to start the main project. The AIADMK government had nearly completed the main project and drinking water would be available to people shortly. Similarly, health minister C. Vijayabaskar challenged Periyasamy's statement that the DMK government had set up five medical colleges. Vijayabaskar said the DMK government had issued GO, but did not allocate funds or acquire lands for the colleges. Periyasamy replied that a special officer had been appointed to find the location and allot funds. When Periyasamy raised the demand for waiver of loans for all farmers without discrimination, minister for co-operation Sellur K. Raju said the AIADMK government had waived loans for Rs 5709 crore and added that the DMK government had waived agricultural loans worth R 5,389 crore and claiming that they had waived Rs 7,000 crore worth crop loans. Periyasamy complained that the names of several beneficiaries of government's pension scheme and financial assistance for senior citizens, destitute women and widows had been deleted. Reacting to the charge, forests minister Dindigul C. Seenivasan said the names of those who were not eligible for the scheme had been removed. The same point was reiterated by revenue minister R.B. Udhayakumar. Earlier, there was commotion and noisy scenes in the House when the AIADMK member mentioned DMK leader M. Karunanidhi's name. Similar commotion was seen when DMK member Mano. Thangaraj mentioned the Chief Minister's name. The Speaker said as per rule the Chief Minister's name should not be used. I have long been arguing that it is better to have 100 per cent foreign-owned companies making their products in India 100 per cent, rather than buying 100 per cent foreign-made products from 100 per cent foreign-owned companies. Liberalisation came to India due to forced circumstances and some adroit statesmanship by then Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao in 1991. Since then we have been on a cycle of endless arguments and quibbling about it. Liberalisation very simply met the ease of doing business, ease of setting up new industries and easy inflows of foreign investment. Due to our being naturally argumentative we didnt make any headway. Interestingly, the BJP and the Left were one in opposing a liberalised economic and industrial regime. Almost two decades ago I was in a public debate with Dr Murli Manohar Joshi, the BJP ideologue who had coined the slogan FDI for computer chips Yes! Potato chips No! The topic of the debate was just this. I argued that the main reason why a country like India with clearly inadequate capital resources wanted foreign investment was to create jobs and generate value addition for the economy. The computer chip plant, I argued, was entirely imported, the raw materials used were also imported and the unit costs were low due to severe global competition making for very little value addition. Such highly-automated plants employed very few workers. The humble potato chip, by contrast, involved growing spuds here, picking and processing them here, cooking and packing them here and consumed by a mass market here. It employed large numbers of workers at every stage of production, implied substantial value addition at every stage and all raw materials were indigenous. Clearly potato chips were going to make a far greater contribution to the economy, which is why we should welcome manufacture of this kind. Who owned a business didnt matter. I recalled Chinese Chairman Deng Xiaopings famous and cryptic comment on the issue of nationality of ownership: it doesnt matter if the cat is black or white, as long as it catches mice. In this case, the mice were jobs and value addition. Economic liberalisation came to India in 1991 when the Congress government of P.V. Narasimha Rao in one fell swoop dispensed with the Industrial Licensing Policy Act 1952 and dismantled overnight the formidable Directorate General of Technical Development (DGTD), which licensed production, allocated quotas and approved technologies and partners. It was a place where huge rents were extracted for the officials and their political masters. Above all it conferred undeserving profits on favored capitalists. Take Bajaj scooters and Ambassador cars or Godrej refrigerators, for instance. It also ensured that industrial production was effectively emasculated and job creation was curbed. I have also been arguing for long that ownership should not be the issue but value addition and employment should be the criteria. The dividend stream is always the smallest cash stream going abroad. For instance, Hindustan Motors assembles Pajero SUVs imported in kit form from Mitsubishi and hence most of the value addition accrues in Japan. Ford and Hyundai are 100 per cent foreign-owned but make their range locally with more than 80 per cent locally-sourced parts. They create huge value addition in India and also employ many more workers. The technology flows that come here with them for ancillaries stay here and flow into other areas and to companies. It is obvious which is more beneficial to India. Opening up the FDI doors will not mean that it will now flood in. FDI is a misnomer. It is mostly local money round tripping back from tax havens like Mauritius, Singapore, Cyprus and the UK. FDI will only start flowing when India looks like a good place to invest to resident rich Indians. Along with this, we need to improve much more on the World Banks Ease of Doing Business index. Being 130 out of 189 is not good. We must also relook land purchase policies, labour reforms and special economic zones to boost industrialisation and exports. The legacy of our sad colonial history and the misguided enthusiasm for a mishmash of Fabian socialist ideals and Soviet-inspired central planning was an India which was economically weak, short of food and industrially backward. The only redeeming feature being that some were doing even worse than us. India with a per capita income of about $220 in 1960 seemed far better off than China, with a per capita income of around $95. China opened up to liberalisation in 1976 and by 1984 it was outstripping India in per capita terms despite a bigger population. China showed us that lower labour costs gave a huge competitive advantage, and FDI will pour in to take advantage of this to cater to their home markets. In less than a decade the entire American and European garment, leather goods and similar labour-intensive sectors had gone overseas, mostly to China. At one time not long ago, FDI companies manufactured almost 70 per cent of their exported goods. Its another matter that more than half the FDI is from Hong Kong, suggesting much round-tripping of illicitly exported capital. Much of the rest is from Taiwan, which is considered a renegade province, and the traditional and bitter enemy Japan. The lesson is one of pragmatism. It didnt matter if the cat was white or black as long as it caught mice. Clearly, the old paradigms are mostly irrelevant. In yet another volte face, the Narendra Modi BJP government has finally found the wisdom, vision and courage to take the bull by the horns. India has crossed a major threshold. Better late than never. We must all celebrate the dawning of good sense. The Congress seems to be in much deeper trouble than ever before. The crisis is bigger than reflected by its successive defeats in various states after its massive loss in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. Not only have many loyal voters, who backed the Congress in election after election and stayed with it even in bad times, now turned their backs, even some leaders appear to have lost faith in its ability to win future elections. Some declined to fight the Lok Sabha polls, citing one excuse or another, while others decided to leave the party. The trend of moving to other parties, that began just before the Lok Sabha polls, is continuing. Recent instances of cross-voting by MLAs in the Rajya Sabha polls in Uttar Pradesh indicates that things are not all well within the party in UP, which goes to the polls early next year. With voters turning away, leaders losing faith and an apparent leadership vacuum, reviv-ing the party will be harder than it has ever been. The massive defeat in 2014 and in subsequent Assembly polls poses an enormous challenge. The Congress was not only voted out of power at the Centre, it lost one state after another for different reasons. As of now, it is the sole ruling party only in four states Karnataka, Himachal, Manipur and Uttarakhand, and part of the ruling coalition in some others like Bihar, Puducherry, Mizoram and Meghalaya. The BJP is celebrating these Congress defeats. True, the Congress did face a major crisis in 1977 and again in 1989 when it lost power at the Centre, but in both cases managed to stage a comeback in just a few years. This, however, will not be so easy now. There is hardly any sign it is trying to win back voters who deserted it in recent years. The Congress may no longer be the natural beneficiary of any anti-incumbency wave as it has vacated the Opposition space in several states to other parties. The Congress present crisis is far deeper than one can imagine. At the central level, it polled its lowest voteshare (19.6 per cent), and ended up with just 44 Lok Sabha seats and couldnt even retain the post of Leader of the Opposition in the Lower House. Had it only been the Lok Sabha defeat, it could have come back soon, but the crisis didnt end there. It suffered a debacle in all state polls after that. Compared to its voteshare in earlier Assem-bly polls, its voteshare fell in all states after 2014. In Haryana, where it was in power for a decade, its voteshare fell 15 per cent and it was pushed back to third position, with the Indian National Lok Dal getting the main Opposition slot. In Delhi, it lost after being in power 15 years, pushed to third position, with its voteshare falling to single digits (9.6 per cent). In Maharashtra, where it was part of the ruling coalition with the NCP, it was pushed to third position. In Jharkhand and JandK too, its voteshare declined. In aAssembly polls, its vote share and seats tally rose in Bihar and Puducherry, where the Congress is part of the ruling alliance. In all other states that went to the polls (Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal), it could hardly improve on its electoral performance compared to previous Assembly elections. These Congress defeats send out a deeper message than just being voted out. In the past, even when it lost power, it remained the first choice of poor and downtrodden voters, in the tradition of Congress ka haath, garibon ke saath. But recent surveys by the Centre for Study of Developing Societies (CSDS) show even those who were earlier loyal to Congress (poor, dalits, Muslims, adivasis), have deserted it in a big way. For the first time, the poor and dalits voted more for the BJP than Congress, turning the table upside down for the party despite it having initiated the NREGA programme in an aggres-sive way. Muslims who stayed loyal to the Congress for decades have moved to regional parties. Compared to 60-65 per cent Muslims voting for the Congress in earlier elections, now only 30 per cent of Muslims vote for the Congress, that too in states where the party is in a direct contest with the BJP. There is something seriously wrong if even loyal voters have turned their back to the party. The question now is: What may help the Congress revive in states and at the national level. I believe it is not so much that policies that have failed the party, the far bigger crisis within the party is its leadership. It is the leadership question that appears to be bothering voters most. After all, two years of BJP rule indicates there is hardly any big difference between the two parties over policies. The only thing that differentiates the BJP from the Congress is the issue of leadership. Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi is a poor match for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while for the Congress Mr Gandhi seems to be both an asset and a liability. The problem is that while the Congress badly needs a change in leadership, there is a real danger that any attempt to elect a new leader may result in factions surfacing that may split the organisation. The choice for the party is hardly easy. The quasi-satellite named Asteroid 2016 HO3 was first discovered on April 27, 2016, by the Pan-STARRS 1 asteroid survey telescope in Hawaii. After nearly orbiting for around a century in Earths orbit, an asteroid has been recognized by the NASA as Earths new mini moon." Measuring between 120 feet and 300 feet in diameter, the quasi-satellite named Asteroid 2016 HO3 was first discovered on April 27, 2016 by the Pan-STARRS 1 asteroid survey telescope in Hawaii. Named, mini moon, the asteroid technically moves relative to sun, but it seems to be dancing around the earths orbit, too, as it may not stay for long. NASA observed that the asteroids orbit itself has a unique pattern, the rock has been doing slow back-and-forth twist over decades. In other words, half the time, its orbit takes in front of the Earth, closer to the sun and in the other half it orbit behind the Earth, farther away from the star. Paul Chodas, manager of NASAs Center for Near-Earth Object explained, 'The asteroids loops around Earth drift a little ahead or behind from year to year, but when they drift too far forward or backward, Earths gravity is just strong enough to reverse the drift and hold onto the asteroid so that it never wanders farther away than about 100 times the distance of the moon.' 'The same effect also prevents the asteroid from approaching much closer than about 38 times the distance of the moon. In effect, this small asteroid is caught in a little dance with Earth,' he said. This isnt the first time an asteroid has hold onto the earths orbit.10 years ago, the asteroid 2003 YN107 followed a similar orbital pattern for a short time, said Chodas, but it has left the Earths vicinity. Click on Deccan Chronicle Technology and Science for the latest news and reviews. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter. An African Union (AU)-mandated force, AMISOM, forced al Shabaab from most of its strongholds in southern Somalia, but it continues to conduct deadly attacks on Somalia's security forces. (Photo: Representational Image/AFP) Mogadishu: The Islamist militant group al Shabaab claimed responsibility for the killing of a senior Somalia security official, who was was gunned down late on Tuesday by one of his own bodyguards. Abdiweli Ibrahim Mohamed, the head of national security in Somalia's Middle Shebelle region, was shot dead in Jowhar, a town 90 kilometres north of Mogadishu. "Two other bodyguards were wounded. The assassin ran away, we are pursuing him," Ahmed Mohamud, a police officer in Jowhar, said. Residents said the bodyguard who shot the security chief was a former member of al Shabaab who had defected to the government. A spokesman for al Shabaab, an al Qaeda linked group which seeks to topple the western backed government in Mogadishu and impose Islamic law, or sharia, claimed responsibility. "We are behind the killing of the head of the national security for Middle Shebelle region," Sheikh Abdiasis Abu Musab, spokesman for the group's military operations, told Reuters late on Tuesday. An African Union (AU)-mandated force, AMISOM, forced al Shabaab from most of its strongholds in southern Somalia, but it continues to conduct deadly attacks on Somalia's security forces, AMISOM and civilian targets, mostly in the capital Mogadishu. Washington: Democrat Hillary Clinton said on Tuesday that if Republican rival Donald Trump wins the White House, it will be a disaster for the US economy, warning that the the king of debt would cause a Trump recession. Now I dont say this because of typical political disagreements liberals and conservatives say Trumps ideas would be disastrous, Clinton said. Economists on the right, the left and the center all agree Trump would throw us back into recession. Clintons speech in Columbus, Ohio, was the second in which she has argued the wealthy businessman is temperamentally unfit to lead the country. The first was on foreign relations and national security. She said Trumps tax plan would benefit the rich over working families, that his promise to toss out trade deals would lead to trade wars, and criticized his business credentials. Donald Trump has said he is qualified to be president because of his business record, Clinton said. So lets take a look at what he did for his businesses: Hes written a lot of books about business. They all seem to end at Chapter 11; go figure, Clinton said, in a jab referring to Chapter 11 of the US Bankruptcy Code. Clinton then said Trump, a self-described king of debt, had allowed businesses to amass huge debts and declare bankruptcy, leaving hundreds of people without jobs and wiping out shareholders. Allowing the United States to accrue similar debt would rattle investors and could lead to economic catastrophe, she added. On Twitter during Clintons speech, Trump said, 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 US. The tussle over the economy comes as the pair gears up for what is expected to be a fierce battle for the presidency ahead of the Nov. 8 election. Trump is set to deliver a speech on Wednesday in New York criticizing Clinton. As the presumptive Democratic nominee spoke, Trumps campaign tested what appeared to be a more active rapid-response operation, sending emails saying Clintons husband, former President Bill Clinton, had backed bad trade deals and that her immigration plan would lower wages. Clinton said Trumps plan to build a wall along the US-Mexico border and deport undocumented immigrants would shake the workforce and prove disastrous for the US economy, creating a Trump recession. This website is intended for U.S. visitors only. The Taliban had named Mawlawi Haibatullah Akhundzada, a conservative cleric in his 50s, as its new leader. (Photo: AFP) United Nations: India has demanded the UN to slap sanctions against the new Taliban leader in Afghanistan, saying it is "sheer folly" that the leader of a proscribed entity is not yet designated as a terrorist individual. "It is sheer folly that the leader of a proscribed entity is not yet designated as a terrorist individual," India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin said at a Security Council debate on the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) on Tuesday. Supporting New Zealand's position that the anomaly should be corrected, Akbaruddin said the new Taliban leader should be sanctioned. The Taliban had named Mawlawi Haibatullah Akhundzada, a conservative cleric in his 50s, as its new leader after Mullah Akhtar Mansour was killed in an American drone strike last month. US State Department's Deputy Spokesperson Mark Toner had said in a press briefing then that Akhundzada was not on any kind of a terrorist designated list. Akbaruddin further emphasised that groups and individuals perpetrating violence against the people and government of Afghanistan cannot have safe havens and should not be allowed to exercise control and wield influence over any part of Afghanistan's territory. "This, in our view, is critical for lasting peace in the country," he said adding that effective implementation of the Security Council sanctions regime including the 1267 ISIL/Al-Qaeda Sanctions and 1988 Taliban's regime should also be carried out "consistently and with perseverance" for it to serve as a strong deterrent to the listed entities and individuals. Previously, India has slammed the UN sanctions committee for taking a "selective approach" in tackling terrorism when a technical hold was put on its application to include the name of Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Masood Azhar on the committee's list of designated terrorists. India had said in April that it finds it "incomprehensible" that while the Pakistan-based JeM was listed in the UN Security Council Committee as far back as 2001 for its known terror activities and links to Al Qaeda, the designation of the group's main leader, financier and motivator has been put on a technical hold. Akbaruddin stressed that the Security Council needs to look into the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan and the means to contain it as it could pose serious threats to the gains made by the people of Afghanistan in the last 15 years. While there has been no dearth of efforts by the Afghan government and its citizens as well as by the international community, Akbaruddin voiced concern over the deteriorating security situation in the war-torn country. "The Taliban are continuing attacks at an unprecedented rate since the beginning of the year and there is continued violence by other armed groups," he said as he cited the UN Secretary General's report that armed clashes have increased this year compared to the same period in 2015. "This situation has put renewed focus on the need for enhanced engagement and action by the international community," he added. Akbaruddin reiterated India s believe that the path to reconciliation in Afghanistan should be through an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned process respecting the red lines drawn by the country s people and the international community, especially the ones regarding giving up of violence and abiding by the constitution of Afghanistan. He voiced India's commitment to help Afghanistan strengthen its defence capabilities to preserve its unity and territorial integrity, saying it is the "most important antidote" to the worsening security situation in the country. The Indian envoy also condoled the loss of lives and property in the bomb attack in Kabul on June 20 in which around 20 people including from Nepal and India lost their lives. Referring to the inauguration of the Afghanistan-India Friendship Dam, Akbaruddin quoted Prime Minister Modi s remarks that while India s capacity may be limited but its commitment to Afghanistan is without limits. "We are strongly committed to supporting Afghanistan in various plurilateral and multilateral fora," he said adding that India looks forward to hosting the 'Heart of Asia' Ministerial Conference in December 2016. Washington: President Barack Obama has denounced the Senate's failure to pass gun control measures in the aftermath of the mass shooting in Orlando, Florida. Obama on Twitter said that the Senate failed the American people and that gun violence requires more than a 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 said on Tuesday that the Republican-led chamber's blocking of four gun control proposals on Tuesday does nothing to keep extremists from acquiring guns. Earnest said lawmakers lament gun violence but "don't do anything about it." He said that while no bill can prevent all gun violence, "why wouldn't we do more?" The fact that notorious terrorist leaders were found and killed in their safe havens there is a clear proof that the country has violated the sovereignty of other nations, says Afghanistan. (Photo: AFP) United Nations: In a scathing attack, Afghanistan has accused "elements within the state structure of Pakistan" of facilitating most of the terrorist groups active in the region and said the country needs political will and not 'nuclear deals or F-16s' to take action against terrorists. In his statement to the powerful UN Security Council on the debate on UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) on Tuesday, Afghanistan's Permanent Representative to the UN Mahmoud Saikal said Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour was "tracked" and killed in Pakistan's Balochistan in an American drone strike. The incident "exposed" that Mansour had a Pakistani passport in a fake name that he had used to fly numerous times from Pakistani airports. "Despite this, the charade of plausible deniability, duplicity, and blame of Afghan weaknesses continues, which must come to an end if we are to succeed in counter-terrorism," he said. Saikal accused "elements within the state structure of Pakistan" of facilitating most of the terrorist groups active in the region and warned that a country using "good and bad terrorists" against each other is "playing with fire". He further pointed out that in the past 15 years, numerous leading figures of terrorism, including bin Laden and Taliban leaders Mullah Omar and Mansour have lived and died in Pakistan. "The fact that notorious terrorist leaders were found and killed in their safe havens there is a clear proof that the country has violated the sovereignty of other nations," he said adding that this constitutes a flagrant violation of UN Security Council resolutions on the Sanctions Regime against the Taliban. "We believe that there is an urgent need for proper implementation of the existing counter terrorism resolutions of the UN Security Council," he said. Saikal quoted President Ashraf Ghani's address to joint sitting of the National Assembly where the Afghan leader had called on Pakistan to respect the QCG agreements and take action against terrorists who have their bases and leaders in the neighbouring country. "We believe that there is a need for political will and honest police action, rather than nuclear deals or F-16s to fulfil the task," of taking action against the terrorists. Making this dramatic revelation, the sources said that entities of Pakistan Energy Commission (PAEC) have been continuing to supply restricted items such as ' Monel ' and ' Inconel ' material to North Korea in violation of UN sanctions. (Image for representational purpose only) Washington: Pakistan is continuing to sell nuclear materials to North Korea, while at the same time urging the international community to accept its membership to the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), according to highly placed U.S. sources who are involved with the tracking of nuclear commerce. Making this dramatic revelation, the sources said that entities of Pakistan Energy Commission (PAEC) have been continuing to supply restricted items such as ' Monel ' and ' Inconel ' material to North Korea in violation of UN sanctions. The sources said that nuclear materials supplied to the PAEC by Chinese entities have also found their way to North Korea, with the China Atomic Energy Authority (CAEA) recently receiving a written complaint that supplies of a Chinese company, Beijing Suntech Technology Company Limited, to Pakistan were being diverted to North Korea by the Pakistani authorities. The Chinese Government hushed up the matter as it could have consequences for Beijing's bid to support Pakistan at the NSG. But this information leaked out of North Korea and came to the knowledge Of Western Governments who are members of the NSG. In another alarming revelation, informed sources said Pakistan has been giving North Korea equipment which has a direct bearing on producing nuclear weapons. Sources said the Beijing Suntech Technology Company Limited manufactures Vacuum Induction Melting (VIM) furnaces which find application in refining hard metals such as uranium and plutonium, which are used in making nuclear warhead cores. Pakistan is known to have procured these items from China and has passed them along to North Korea. When asked if this evidence of Pakistan's illicit nuclear trade with North Korea has been brought to the notice of NSG nations, US sources said all proof and evidence which confirms the violation of sanctions against North Korea and more so the ongoing dangerous nuclear trade has been brought to the notice of "those who need to be informed at the NSG level." Behind the scenes Pakistan is aware that it's nuclear trade with North Korea has been uncovered, but is counting on China to keep the global pressure at bay, said sources. Giving details of North Korea's nuclear commerce links with Pakistan, informed sources mentioned that two North Korean diplomats - Kim Yong Choi and Jang Yong Son --posted in the North Korean Embassy in Tehran visited Pakistan eight times between 2012 and 2015. They were associated With the Korea Mining Development Trading Corporation ( KOMID ) - an entity sanctioned several times by the United Nations Security Council since 2005 for its involvement in North Korea's Weapons of Mass Destruction ( WMD ) programme. These diplomats met with Pakistani officers involved in the nuclear program. They were tracked and investigated by the Western authorities as yet another proof of Pakistan's continuing nuclear links with North Korea. Based on Western inputs on these links, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) 1718 Committee, which is monitoring the implementation of sanctions against North Korea, sought information from Pakistan in November 2015 regarding the frequent visits of the two North Korean diplomats from Tehran to Islamabad and Karachi. At first, say informed sources, Pakistan denied it, but when confronted with photographs and other recorded evidence, Pakistan acknowledged that the two North Korean officials under investigation had indeed visited Islamabad and Karachi. Highly placed sources said that the West has so far kept this information under wraps in recognition of Pakistan's value in the war against terror. But now, when Pakistan has gone into overdrive to upset the equilibrium of the NSG, Western nations of the grouping are saying that Islamabad needs to "look at itself in the mirror " and ask "how can it run with the hare and hunt with the foxes", meaning it can't claim to fulfill the NSG's requirements, and at the same time, sell nuclear weapons materials to North Korea. Last month, the Indonesian navy opened fire on a Chinese trawler near the islands and seized the vessel. (Photo: AFP) Manila: China is using its fishing fleets with armed escorts to bolster maritime claims in disputed territory, a senior US State Department official warned Wednesday, calling China's behaviour "disturbing". The comments came after Indonesian warships fired warning shots and detained a Chinese-flagged fishing boat and seven crew near the Natuna Islands in the South China Sea last week, in actions slammed by Beijing. "I think it's a disturbing trend to see Chinese fishing vessels accompanied by coast guard vessels, used in a way that appears to be an attempt to exert a claim that may not be legitimate," said the US official via conference call to journalists in Southeast Asia. "I do think that it does point to an expanding presence of Chinese sort of military and paramilitary forces and used in a way that is provocative and potentially destabilising," the US official, who asked not to be named, added. Unlike several other countries in the region, Indonesia has no overlapping claims with China to islets or reefs in the sea, but Beijing's claim to fishing rights near the Natunas appears to overlap with Jakarta's exclusive economic zone. Last week's incident was only the latest in a series of skirmishes between the two countries since Jakarta launched a crackdown on illegal fishing in 2014. In March Chinese coastguards rammed a Chinese boat detained near the Natunas and helped it escape as the Indonesians towed the vessel to shore. And last month, the Indonesian navy opened fire on a Chinese trawler near the islands and seized the vessel. Following last week's confrontation, the commander of the Indonesian navy's western fleet said the fishing vessel incursions were "structured", indicating Beijing had "given its blessing". "China protested because it thinks this area is theirs," commander Achmad Taufiqoerrochman told reporters. "Actually the (fish) stealing is just a ruse to stake its claim," he said. China has undertaken land-reclamation works in the Spratly Islands, one of the South China Sea's main archipelagoes which are also claimed by the Philippines, Brunei, Vietnam, Malaysia and Taiwan. The US State Department official said Washington hoped a pending ruling by a United Nations-backed tribunal on South China Sea maritime entitlements will push rival claimants into talks. The case was lodged by the Philippines against China in 2013 to challenge Beijing's "nine-dash line" map through which it claims to control nearly all of the strategic and reputedly resources-rich waters. "It is in China's interest not to take any action that would be provocative and directly in contradiction to the ruling," the US official said. The judge blamed the convict's employer for long working hours. Chaukria was regularly starting work at 2.30 am and finishing only at 7 or 8 pm. (Photo: Representational Image) London: A 31-year-old Indian-origin delivery van driver has been jailed for two years and four months by a UK court after he fell asleep at the wheel, killing his work colleague. Malkit Chaukria was found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving of 29-year-old Aaron Ryan at Gloucester Crown Court in south-west England on Tuesday. Judge Michael Cullum also banned Chaukria from driving for four years and two months during sentencing and criticised histransport firm employer for sending the driver out for such long hours that he fell asleep at the wheel. "You did not set out to kill Mr Ryan in any way - he was your friend. But his death was utterly avoidable," The judge told Chaukria. "Tiredness when driving kills - we all know that. The hours you were expected to drive were utterly irresponsible and it is obvious to me that your employer bears a high degree of moral responsibility for what happened," Cullum said. Chaukria was regularly starting work at 2.30 am, driving between 300 and 500 miles to deliver white goods for the Co-op in the West Country region of England, and not getting home till about 7-8 pm. He nodded off at the wheel of his Mercedes Sprinter van as he headed home on an evening of November 2014 and veered onto the hard shoulder where he smashed into a broken down 44-tonne lorry. Ryan, who was in the front passenger seat, was killed instantly. "It is not for me to comment on the minimum wage that you and Mr Ryan were being paid for working ridiculously long hours and driving hundreds of miles each day, for, it must be said a modest payment," the judge said. "I presume that had you refused to work such long hours, which you should have done, then you would have lost your job," the judge added. The prosecution said during the trial that earlier the same day of the fatal collision Ryan had to wake Chaukria up when he nodded off during another delivery run. NATO announced last week that it would deploy four battalions to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland to counter a more assertive Russia, ahead of a landmark summit in Warsaw on July 8-9. (Photo: AP/Representational Image) Berlin: NATO would currently be unable to protect the Baltics against a Russian attack, the commander of US ground forces in Europe, General Ben Hodges, said in a news report Wednesday. "Russia could take over the Baltic states faster than we would be able to defend them," Hodges was quoted as saying in a German-language article by news weekly Die Zeit. The general said he agreed with an assessment by military analysts that says Russian forces could conquer the capitals of Baltic states Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia within 36 to 60 hours. Hodges also said NATO forces had found numerous deficiencies during the recent "Anaconda" military exercise in Poland, according to the article from Thursday's edition of Die Zeit released early to AFP. Heavy military equipment could not be moved fast enough from western to eastern Europe, he said, while also voicing concern about the alliance's communication technology. "Neither radio communication nor email are secure," he was quoted as saying. "I assume that everything I write on my BlackBerry is being monitored." The Anaconda manoeuvre included troops from more than 20 NATO member states but was officially a Polish national exercise. Hodges told Die Zeit that "some countries, like France and Germany, thought it would be too provocative toward Russia to call it a NATO exercise". NATO announced last week that it would deploy four battalions to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland to counter a more assertive Russia, ahead of a landmark summit in Warsaw on July 8-9. All four countries were once ruled from Moscow and remain deeply suspicious of Russian intentions, especially after Russia's annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014. Russia bitterly opposes NATO's expansion into its Soviet-era satellites and last month said it would create three new divisions in its southwest region to meet what it described as a dangerous military build-up along its borders. Damascus lost more than 40 troops and militia in the jihadist counter-attack on Sunday and Monday, the Britain-based Observatory said. (Photo: AP) Beirut: Air strikes on the Islamic State group's de facto Syrian capital Raqqa killed 25 civilians, six of them children, a monitoring group said today. "Dozens more were wounded, some of them critically," the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, adding it was not immediately able to determine who carried out the Tuesday raids. The air strikes came after IS dealt a significant blow to Russian-backed government forces, driving them out of Raqqa province after they came within just 20 kilometres (12 miles) of the Euphrates River and the country's largest dam. Damascus lost more than 40 troops and militia in the jihadist counter-attack on Sunday and Monday, the Britain-based Observatory said. The Istanbul authorities had broken up the transgender rally after banning that event as well as a larger gay pride rally planned for the coming Sunday. (Photo: Representational Image) Istanbul: Turkish authorities have arrested three suspected Islamic State (IS) jihadists in a probe into a planned attack on a transgender rights rally last weekend, a report said on Wednesday. The three, comprising one Turkish national and two men from Russia's volatile Caucasus region of Dagestan, were detained in raids on Friday and remanded in custody by a court on Tuesday, the Dogan news agency said. Items including suicide belts packed with explosives, camouflage gear and military knives were seized by the authorities, it added. The three had been planning to attack a rally around Istanbul's Taksim Square promoting transgender rights. The gathering took place on Sunday but was broken up by police, Dogan said. It said the raids had been conducted in the Istanbul districts of Basaksehir and Pendik after police acted on a tip-off. The Istanbul authorities had broken up the transgender rally after banning that event as well as a larger gay pride rally planned for the coming Sunday. It had cited security reasons and safeguarding public order as the reason for the ban. Istanbul has twice been hit this year by deadly attacks blamed on IS. A blast in Istanbul's historic centre in January killed a dozen German tourists while an attack on the Istiklal Street shopping hub in March killed three Israelis and and Iranian. Pakistan also said that India's alone entry into the NSG would put back Pakistani efforts for developing its infrastructure and industry by decades. (Photo: AFP/Representational Image) Lahore: A day ahead of the crucial Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) meet in Seoul over India and Pakistan's membership in the elite group, Pakistan's former permanent representative at the United Nations in Geneva Zamir Akram said Islamabad was only opposed to the 'exclusive membership' to India. Read: China stonewalls India bid for Nuclear Suppliers Group According to Dawn, Akram was speaking at a roundtable discussion organised by the Strategic Vision Institute (SVI), on the implications of the upcoming plenary session of the NSG on June 23-24 in Seoul, South Korea, where deliberations will be held on membership for non-NPT states, including Pakistan and India. "Pakistan supports the evolution of criteria that can be applied across the board," Akram said. Read: As China talks tough, US asks NSG members to support India's bid Speaking at the roundtable, Akram warned about the likely implications if India alone was admitted into the NSG, including dimming of future prospects for Pakistan's entry into the club and likely growth in Indian nuclear arsenal. SVI President Dr Zafar Iqbal Cheema said that India's lone entry into the NSG would put back Pakistani efforts for developing its infrastructure and industry by decades. These comments follow the statement by Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj that India does not object to any country, including Pakistan to join the NSG. Read: Successfully thwarting India's NSG bid, claims Pakistan China is the leading challenger to the West-supported bid to get India into the 48-member nuclear trade cartel. According to the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying, "China maintains that the NSG fully discuss the accession of non-NPT countries and make decisions based on consultation in a way acceptable to all". Amberrose Mergenthaler, 25, of Bismarck, received a one year suspended sentence for a period of a year on supervised probation, said Burleigh County assistant state's attorney Julie Lawyer. Drug paraphernalia possession charges were dismissed. An affidavit filed in the case in October alleged that, on one occasion in February 2015, Mergenthaler's home smelled of marijuana and contained smoking devices while children were present. On another occasion in April 2015, the home was in "complete disarray" with trash and clothes strewn on the floor. A consumer forum here has directed a city hospital to pay over Rs 7 lakh to a Delhi Police personnel for wrongly transplanting a pace-maker which was not needed, saying it was against all medical ethics. South Delhi District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum bench, presided by Justice N K Goel, asked Rohini-based Saroj Hospital and Heart Institute to pay Rs 7,24,135 to Ravinder Singh Pawar, then Public Relations Officer at the Delhi Police Headquarters. We hold that Opposite Party-2 (hospital) had implanted the AICD (automated implantable cardioverter defibrillator) in the complainant without there being a need to do so, only with a view to earn profits. Not only this, Opposite Party-2 also implanted an unnecessary AICD (which must be a metal in the body of the complainant) which in the facts and circumstances of the case was against all medical ethics, the forum said, holding the hospital guilty of unfair trade practice. In its order, the forum asked the hospital to reimburse Rs 5,24,135, spent by Pawar as the medical expense, and also directed it to pay Rs two lakh as compensation to him for causing mental agony and harassment and cost of litigation. According to the complaint, Pawar, posted as Public Relations Officer at Delhi Police Headquarters, had suffered two heart attacks in 2003 and 2005. In September 2006, he again suffered chest pain and was rushed to the hospital. An operation was conducted and a permanent pace-maker was installed, citing his serious condition. The hospital charged a bill of Rs 5,24,135, the complaint said. Later when he submitted the bills for reimbursement under Central Government Health Scheme, he was informed that the Standing Committee of medical experts did not recommend the implantation and, therefore, the payment was not made to him, it said. Thereafter, Pawar approached the forum stating that the hospital had advised him wrongly and implanted the pace-maker by creating panic, which amounted to unfair trade practice, cheating and deficiency. Pawar had sought a direction to the hospital to pay over Rs 10 lakh compensation.In its reply, however, the hospital had denied all the allegations levelled against it. Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) held a candle light march demanding justice for NDMC official M M Khan. Scores of protesters, mostly AAP workers gathered at Jantar Mantar on Tuesday and demanded arrest of BJP MP Mahesh Giri for his involvement in the murder. Earlier only the chief minister was demanding justice. Now so many people have gathered for it and this candle light march will have an impact, said Jhanvi Gangwani, a volunteer with the partys Laxmi Nagar wing. Another protester, Kusum Tomar, said, They will plan to take the agitation further if justice is not delivered to Khans family. Khan, an estate officer of NDMC, 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. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has accused the BJP MP of being involved in the murder, following which Giri sat on a hunger strike outside Kejriwals residence and asked him to prove his allegations or resign from the post of chief minister. Giri ended his strike on Tuesday. A 28-year-old man was stabbed to death and his brother was injured by two brothers who were living in their neighbourhood in North West Delhis Mukherjee Nagar on Monday night. The accused are absconding. The deceased is identified as Vikas, 28, and the injured as Kuldeep, 22. The accused are Raju, 28, and his brother Ratan, 26, police said. Vikas was allegedly working as a security guard. The incident happened in Malikpur village of Mukherjee Nagar where both the accused were living as tenant in the house of Vikass uncle house for the last one month. Raju and Ratan rented a room in the house of Vikas and Kuldeeps uncle one month back. Every night they would come on the roof of the house to sleep, said a police officer. According to police, both the brothers used to spread their bed near the adjoining house of Vikas and Kuldeep, and would allegedly peek into their house which irked Vikas and Kuldeep. Warned them Vikas had couple of times spoken with Raju and Ratan over the matter and warned them to not sleep near the roof of his house as women of his family dont feel comfortable, said police. Despite Vikass warning Raju and Ratan kept on sleeping near the house.On Monday around 9 pm, Vikas along with his brothers Veer Singh, Kuljeet and Kuldeep confronted Raju and Ratan. The altercation soon turned violent and Raju and Ratan attacked the brothers with knives, said a police officer. Wounded Vikas and Kuldeep sustained stabbed wounds and a local resident informed the police about the incident. Police took the injured to a nearby hospital where Vikas was declared brought dead. Kuldeep was referred to Trauma Centre where his condition remains critical. Meanwhile, the accused Ratan and Raju fled from the spot after stabbing the brothers.Police have registered a case of murder and investigation has been started. Police teams have been formed to nab the accused siblings. Raju works as a driver in Delhi and had come here last month with his brother from Uttar Pradeshs Kaushambi district. The faculty members of the Delhi government-run Chacha Nehru Bal Chikitsalaya Hospital wrote to Health Minister Satyender Jain criticising the demand put forward by FORDA that the hospitals director should step down in the backdrop of the rising assault cases against doctors at the hospital. The Federation of Doctors Association (FORDA) had written to Jain demanding the hospitals director step down with poor security arrangements for doctors at the hospital. The demand is unjustified and the allegations raised against the director are baseless. The faculty members have written to Delhis Health Minister that we do not support such external interference, said Dr Rahul Jain, a faculty member at the hospital. However, CNBCs resident doctors union feel there should be a change in the administrations way of handling security issues. We cannot comment on the issue at the moment. But security issues need to be handled differently by the administration, said Prerna Choudhury, vice president, CNBC residents doctors association. The FORDA had demanded that the director step down as there is an increase in the number of attacks against doctors at the hospital and the FORDA maintains its demand. Several attacks against the doctors are going unnoticed as the administration is not taking note of it, said Dr Pankaj Solanki, FORDA president. On June 15, a preterm infant was brought to the hospital. The infant needed ventilator but no free ventilator was available at the hospital. The patient was put on an ambu bag which helps a patient breathe. According to doctors, the patients family was told of the situation and the patient was also referred to another hospital. However, they refused to shift the baby, said doctors. When the baby expired, relatives of the patient allegedly roughed up resident doctors. Strike called off Following this, resident doctors and nursing staff went on strike on Saturday. The strike was called off on Tuesday afternoon after the police reassured doctors that the security arrangements would be enhanced. Till Tuesday afternoon, OPDs, emergency services and operation theatres remained shut. We started admitting new patients after the strike was called off by resident doctors in the afternoon, said Dr Anup Mohta, director, CNBC. In an apparent climb down, China today said it will play a "constructive" role in the discussions on India's bid for membership of the 48-member NSG but at the same maintained that the issue was not on the agenda of the NSG meeting in Seoul. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying told PTI that NSG members had three rounds of unofficial discussions on the entry of India and Pakistan into the grouping. "China hopes to discuss further this issue and will play a constructive role in the discussions," she said. "Although parties are yet to see eye-to-eye on this issue, such discussions help them better understand each other," she said. At the same time, Hua said the entry of India and Pakistan is not on the agenda of the NSG grouping's meeting in Seoul. "Deliberation on the entry of specific countries is on the agenda of the Seoul Plenary meeting. However, it is worth noting that the NSG Plenary meeting in Seoul is only to deliberate on the entry of members who signed the NPT," she said. "As for the entry of non-NPT countries, the group has never put that on its meeting agenda. Based on what we have at hand, the agenda of this year's Seoul Plenary Meeting circulated by the Chair does not include this issue either," she said. The NSG has never put the entry application of the non-NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty) countries on its agenda, so it makes no sense to say that discussions are blocked, Hua said. "It is true that all parties attach great importance to the entry of non-NPT countries," she said. The Chinese Foreign Ministry has been singing 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. China yesterday 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. The US, which has been supporting India's NSG bid, has said New Delhi is "ready" for NSG membership and asked participating governments to support its application at the plenary session of NSG in Seoul. President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tashkent beginning tomorrow during which India is expected to seek China's support for membership of the NSG. "We will release relevant information in due course," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said today. The spokesperson said the two leaders would be meeting on the sidelines of the SCO summit in the capital city of Uzbekistan. During his meeting with Xi, Modi is expected to seek China's support for India's bid for membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group, which Beijing is keen on blocking. Hua, however, refuted perception that China is blocking India's entry into the NSG. "With regard to India's entry into NSG, I would like correct that the word China blocking India's membership is not proper," she said. "The word blocking is not proper. In the NSG agenda we have never seen the topic of non-NPT countries entry. So it does not make sense to say we block the entry," she said. "As all of us can see all the countries are concerned about this issue and various issues relating to non-NPT countries entry into the NSG has been discussed through friends of chair presided over by the Chair of the NSG," she said. "We hope that relevant discussion will keep going and Chinese side will take constructive part in the discussion," she said. Seeking to shed its 'anti-Muslim' tag, an RSS affiliate is hosting a grand 'Iftar' on July 2 where it has invited ambassadors of many countries including Muslim nations like Pakistan to spread the message of unity and harmony and of making India "riots-free". Organised by Muslim Rashtriya Manch, an affiliate of RSS, the iftar party here would be a much bigger affair this time. It has also asked its members to hold small iftar parties across the country. "The aim is to tell the world about Indian-ness, helping people from all communities live in peace and harmony...India is a ray of hope and peace for the Muslim world," RSS leader and patron of the Manch Indresh Kumar said. "Rashtriya Muslim Manch has urged members to host small iftar parties by inviting people from all communities and spreading the message of brotherhood ," he also said. Citing holy scriptures, he said even the Prophet has said that whenever he felt disturbed, he felt spiritual waves of peace and love coming from the east and referred to 'Hindustan' and that the day will come, when the message of peace and love will flow from Bharat. "Charity begins at home...all should live in harmony and help make the country free of riots and the world including India free from violence including terrorism," he said in his appeal to the minority community members. Indresh Kumar also said that he has urged the community members to plant a sapling to curb pollution and bring home the holy sapling (Tulsi) at home and worship it, saying it is referred to as "Rehan, also called the 'plant of heaven' in holy Quran". The RSS leader said there should be no discrimination in slogans in favour of the country, irrespective of the language used, and said people should break free from the shackles of communalism to avoid spreading hatred in humanity. The Manch had organised a similar iftar party for some diplomats in Delhi, but this time it is being organised on a bigger scale. He said that invites to diplomats of 35 to 40 Muslim nations and some others have been sent. The MRM was formed in 2002 as a platform for Muslims at the initiative of RSS with the aim of bringing the two communities together. The Union Cabinet today approved the mega-spectrum auction plan which is estimated to fetch about Rs 5.66 lakh crore to the exchequer. "Yes, spectrum auction proposal has been cleared," an official source said. Government expects to raise at least Rs 64,000 crore from the auction of about 2300 Mhz of spectrum and Rs 98,995 crore from various levies and services in the telecom sector. According to sources, the main document of auction, notice inviting application, is likely to be issued by July 1, followed by pre-bid conference on July 6. The bidding is expected from September 1. The plans are yet to be confirmed officially. As per the rules approved by an inter-ministerial panel, the auction would include sale of most premium 700 Mhz band at a reserve price of Rs 11,485 crore per Mhz. The cost of delivering mobile services in this band is estimated to be around 70 per cent lower than 2100 Mhz band, used for providing 3G services. A company interested in buying spectrum in 700 Mhz band will need to shell out a minimum of Rs 57,425 crore for a block of 5 Mhz on pan-India basis. This band alone has the potential to fetch bids worth over Rs 4 lakh crore. The total potential revenue of Rs 5.66 lakh crore from the spectrum sale is more than double of telecom services industry gross revenue of Rs 2.54 lakh crore reported in 2014-15. Leading operators have sought deferring the sale of 700 MHz spectrum, saying that ecosystem for providing services in this band is not developed and would lead to underutilisation of the spectrum for several years, blocking industry's funds. The panel has also suggested stringent payment conditions compared to liberal method suggested by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai). The panel has favoured that companies winning spectrum in higher frequency bands -- above 1 Ghz like 1800 Mhz, 2100 Mhz, 2300 Mhz -- should make 50 per cent upfront payment and the rest in ten years after a 2-year moratorium. In earlier auctions, companies were given option to make 33 per cent upfront payment. For spectrum below 1 Ghz band such as 700 Mhz, 800 Mhz, 900 Mhz, companies will require to pay 25 per cent upfront and rest in ten years after a 2-year moratorium. It is in line with practice of earlier auctions but differs from Trai suggestion. The 21st European Union Film Festival debuted in Bengaluru and there is an exciting variety on offer for movie buffs. The festival is organised by the Delegation of the European Union and embassies of the EU member states in partnership with Alliance Francaise de Bangalore, Goethe-Institut / Max Mueller Bhavan, British Council and Suchitra Film Society. The travelling festival premiered in Bengaluru with a screening of the French film Lillusionniste, an animated film directed by Sylvain Chomet that has won many international awards. The movie revolves around a French illusionist who finds himself out of work and travels to Scotland, where he meets a young woman. Their ensuing adventure forms the crux of the story. Many more such interesting ideas will be showcased in the film collection. Perennial themes like the redemption of love, the resilience of youth and family based stories will be presented in a new light with a cast of characters that includes revolutionaries, ghosts, spirited children and flamenco artistes. The festival features films from Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, The Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Says Anand Varadaraj, CEO of Bangalore International Short Film Festival, It is a beautiful idea as we get to see the best cinema from even the lesser-known countries. All the stories are beautiful and will bring out the emotional connect between people. The audience is also delighted to be able to view the festival again after a gap of a few years. Given the variety, the viewer group is varied, between 18 to 80 years. This includes regulars, Europeans living in the city, youngsters studying cinema, journalists and movie lovers who are curious about such less accessible movies. Says Amal, a movie aficionado, Award-winning movies show more reality than the commercial ones. There is also technical perfection and a completely different way of storytelling than what we are used to seeing here. They show us a lesser-known face of Europe. At birth, the least weasel is as small and light as a paper clip, and the tiny ribs that press visibly against its silvery pink skin give it a segmented look, like that of an insect. A newborn kit is exceptionally underdeveloped, with sealed eyes and ears that wont open for five or six weeks, an age when puppies and kittens are ready to be weaned. A mother weasel, it seems, has no choice but to deliver her young half-baked. As a member of the mustelid clan a noble but often misunderstood family of carnivorous mammals that includes ferrets, badgers, minks and wolverines she holds to a slender, elongated body plan, the better to pursue prey through tight spaces that most carnivores cant penetrate. Bulging baby bumps would jeopardise that sylphish hunting physique. The solution? Give birth to the equivalent of foetuses and then finish gestating them externally on mothers milk. If you want access to small environments, you cant have a big belly, said William J Zielinski, a mustelid researcher with the US Forest Service in Arcata, California. You dont see fat weasels. For Zielinski and other mustelid-minded scientists, weasels exemplify evolutionary genius and compromise in equal measure, the piecing together of exaggerated and often contradictory traits to yield a lineage of fierce, fleet, quick-witted carnivores that can compete for food against larger celebrity predators like the big cats, wolves and bears. Researchers admit that wild mustelids can be maddening to study. Most species are secretive loners, shrug off standard radio collars with ease, and run close to the ground like small bolts of brown lightning, as one team noted. Now you see them, no, you didnt. Nevertheless, through a mix of dogged field and laboratory studies, scientists have lately made progress in delineating the weasel playbook, and its a page turner, or a page burner. Researchers have been astonished to discover that the average mustelid is like a fur-covered furnace, its metabolic rate exceeding not only that of other carnivorous mammals but also that of its twitchy, ever-gnawing rodent prey. If you compare a least weasel to a meadow mouse, theyre the same weight, but the weasel has the higher metabolic rate, said Roger Powell, an emeritus professor at North Carolina State University and doyen of weasel studies. The weasel heart beats at up to 400 pulses per minute, said Mark Linnell, a faculty research assistant who studies mustelids at Oregon State University. Theyre geared to run at full speed, and theyre always high-strung. That keyed-up metabolism is another example of a grand mustelidian compromise. If you have a high metabolic rate, you can be more active and search farther for food in more places and in more diverse ways, Powell said. But you have to catch more food in order to do that. Weasels also have big brains relative to body mass, and they apply their neuronal bounty to continuously fine-tune their movements during a hunt, a strategy that allows them to attack prey up to 10 times their size. The fisher, a particularly fearless weasel in the marten branch, may be the only North American carnivore to have mastered the art of dining on adult porcupine a large rodent that, in addition to being protected by a formidable quill sheath, weighs a good 12 pounds more than the 8-pound fisher. Its got to be one of the great predator-prey matchups in history, said Roland Kays, a biologist at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences and North Carolina State. The fisher must encounter the porcupine on open ground, at which point it can start running circles around its quarry. The fisher tries to dart in and bite the porcupines vulnerable face; the porcupine pivots to turn its shielded back toward its attacker. Dart and spin, dart and bite. After several deep wounds to its face, the porcupine grows weak, loses its footing and match over. The fisher will then flip the punctured, pincushioned animal onto its back and carefully tear into a quill-free patch of belly, gaining access to desirable organs like the small intestine, which is not only rich in protein and lipids, but also contains the partially digested plant matter that even carnivores need. For their part, researchers wish they could overturn the publics generally poor opinion of weaseldom. To call someone a weasel means the person is shifty, untrustworthy. Weasel words are those squishy, defensive qualifiers beloved by, well, journalists. Researchers speculate that the negative image may result partly from the mustelids serpentine silhouette: In some parts of Central America, weasels are called furry snakes. Or maybe its the distinctive mustelid musk. Most weasel species communicate with one another over large home ranges through frequent daubs of a pungent fluid excreted by their anal glands. Shihab Shamma, who uses ferrets to study the mammalian auditory system at the University of Maryland and Descartes University in Paris, said of the ferrets at his Paris lab, We give them the names of smelly French cheeses. Diverse family But mustelid enthusiasts emphasise the familys beauty and diversity: some 60 living species across all continents except Antarctica and Australia, ranging in size from the least weasel, the worlds smallest carnivore (weighing less than half a stick of butter as an adult), to the mighty wolverine, which can weigh up to 70 pounds. Many weasels spend time in water, and one species, the sea otter, is a marine mammal that rarely comes on land. Sea otters are also among the only nonprimate mammals to use tools, cracking open a recalcitrant mollusk shell by banging it with a stone. Most of the time, though, the sea otters teeth do the job. Most weasels have dentition more typical of carnivores, with a few sharp, slicing teeth and fewer, smaller molars, which other animals use to grind plants. As a result of their compact dental layout, many weasels have foreshortened snouts that make them look young and cute. If theyre well fed, Powell said, theyll bounce and ricochet around, pounce, stalk, wiggle and change shape and just about turn themselves inside out. They put kittens to shame. Many weasels live in cold places, and because their long, thin shape has a high surface area relative to volume, they lose heat easily. To tackle the cold without relying on fat as an insulator, many weasels grow luxurious fur coats, some of the densest in nature. A good head of human hair has about 350 hairs per square inch. On a mink, the fibre count per square inch is 44,000. Small wonder that people have historically coveted weasel pelts mink, sable and ermine, the fur of pomp and royalty taken from the animals in winter, when their coats turn white. Weasels also appreciate the value of co-opted fur. In winter, voles and mice build little dome-shaped nests under the snow. When a weasel finds one of these nests, its a genuine jackpot: lunch and lodging combined. A rodents closet of nightmares: no clowns, no juggling, just one cold and hungry weasel, knocking at the door. Yoga was again in the focus of public attention all over the country on the second International Yoga Day on Tuesday. There was a lot of publicity for it during the run-up to the day. The government had planned and pushed the campaign, but it was also taken up by the media and some organisations on their own. Yoga exercises and exhibitions were held all over, including in opposition-ruled states with participation from ministers, officials and others. The day was also celebrated all over the world. There was a special event at the UN and various events in other parts of the world. The Indian embassies had taken the initiative in many places. Since yoga has received international recognition and is practised by millions of people, it is natural that a day devoted to it draws wide attention. It is poised to become more popular in the coming months and years. Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the exercise in Chandigarh where over 30,000 people participated. He also did well to state that yoga is not a sectarian practice. It is a health and wellbeing regime developed in India, but it is wrong to attribute religious connotations to it. The physical and mental regime which make the yoga should not be seen as part of a religious tradition or ritual but as a secular legacy like Ayurveda. Identification and mixing it up with religious tradition will alienate many sections of people from it. It should also be noted that there are different yoga traditions and that some of them developed in countries like Sri Lanka and other Buddhist countries, though the practice had originated in India. India can well be proud of its yoga traditions but taking a sectarian ownership of them will not serve the cause of yoga and its promotion. While yoga is becoming popular, it is witnessing many promotional activities too. Flash mobs, selfie zones and yoga runs were all part of the events on Tuesday. These are attractive ways of celebration and promotion. But anything which becomes popular is prone to commercialisation and dilution of standards. The practice of yoga calls for tutoring by trained instructors and is even individual-specific. A mass movement is likely to throw up frauds and others who take it only as means. Those who want to practise yoga should be warned about it because wrong practices may even damage health. There are plans to introduce yoga in schools and colleges. This is good, but the government should not be seen as imposing it. The practice should become popular by choice, not by coercion. Almost two years after the constitution of Justice H S Kempanna Commission to inquire into the irregularities in the re-modified scheme of Arkavathy Layout, Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) has submitted that three former Land Acquisition Officers (LAOs) have not responded to the notice on the missing original reports pertaining to 46 acres and 19.2 guntas of land. IAS officer T Sham Bhatt has filed this affidavit on Tuesday, the day he was transferred and posted as Principal Secretary Co-operation Department. Justice Kempanna Commission inquiry covers the period from February 23, 2004 the day when the BDA declared that 2,750 acres spread across 16 villages were required for the layout to April 4, 2014, when the final notification for the remodified scheme was gazetted by the government. A resolution was passed in the BDA board meeting on February 12, 2013 based on the reports prepared by nine LAOs in respect of applications filed by land owners under re-modified scheme. The board resolved to prepare village-wise re-modified scheme along with all the information. The affidavit stated that at present 40 original reports passed by three LAOs are missing. These lands taken for re-modified scheme are in Hebbal, Kempapura, K Narayanapura, Thanisandra Jakkur, Amruthahalli, Rachenahalli and Sampigehalli. I have been informed by the officers concerned of the BDA that presently 40 original reports passed by LAOs namely, Boraiah, Basavarajendra and Vrushabhendra Murthy are not available in the file and only photocopy of the original reports are available. BDA has sent notice on June 2, 2016 to the concerned LAOs to provide information about the availability of the original reports and also provide information about contents of 40 reports submitted by them. So far, the LAOs have not responded to the notices and they have also not provided information to the BDA,'' the affidavit stated. In the affidavit, Bhatt has also stated the resolution was passed during the board meeting on February 12, 2013 based on the original reports. Further, he stated that one of the LAOs, Boraiah, has retired from service and Basavarajendra is posted at Keonics while Vrushabhendra Murthy is working with the Information Commission. The LAOs concerned who have submitted the reports may be examined in this regard (missing of the files), the affidavit stated. The Central Arecanut and Cocoa Marketing and Processing Cooperative (Campco) Ltd will export its first consignment of two tonnes of processed tender arecanut to China in the first week of August, on a trial basis. Briefing mediapersons here on Tuesday, Campco president S R Satishchandra said that the processed tender arecanut will be used in China for preparing mouth-fresheners. The cooperative will now procure the tender arecanut required for the first consignment to export from Thondamuthur area in Tamil Nadu and Wayanad in Kerala. Campco former president Konkodi Padmanabha, who was the part of the delegation from Campco that which visited China recently, said the Kou Wei Wang (King of Taste) Company had entered into an MoU with Campco to process and export two metric tonnes of tender arecanut. Training The Chinese company will depute experts to Campco in order to impart training on processing and standardisation of products of their requirement in the month of July. In China, arecanut is grown to the tune of 1,22,000 metric tonne in the Hunan province. There is great demand for processed tender arecanut in China. If we are able to export at least 20 per cent of the tender arecanut, then it would help in maintaining stability in the price of arecanut in the domestic market, he predicted. A delegation from Campco visited the province for six days from June 13 to 18 and held talks with the Kou Wei Wang company on making the proposal a reality. The cooperative and the company have held three rounds of talks to this effect since July last year. Satishchandra said that Kou Wei Wang has been facing shortage of raw material to supply to the remaining states in China. As Campco alone cannot process the quantity of arecanut required for the export, the central and state governments should make arrangements to depute selected arecanut growers to China for a study tour with regard to processing and standardisation of arecanut. The cooperative, which is indulging in the purchase of arecanut, should make a decisive plan on sending progressive farmers to China to help them study arecanut processing. The Karnataka State Arecanut Cooperative Societies Federation, Shivamogga, is ready to extend all cooperation to the interested cooperative societies in this regard, he added. The president said that there are rumours on arecanut having content of carcinogens and a case is pending in the Supreme Court. In China, however, arecanut is grown as a medicinal plant and explanation to this effect is found in various books of medicinal uses. A medicinal book called Compondium of materia medica, in its IV volume, clearly explains the medicinal value of the arecanut. We will produce it as a document to support our stand in the Supreme Court where a case on arecanut is pending, he added. DH News Service Notwithstanding the promises made by the BJP that citizenship rights would be granted to West Pakistani refugees, the J&K government on Wednesday declared it has no plan to do so. The announcement comes a day after the J&K government under pressure from separatists and opposition National Conference modified the states new industrial policy. The government has no plan to give permanent citizenship to the refugees belonging to West Pakistan though they are the citizens of the country, Minister for Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation, Basharat Bukhari, said in the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday. He said 47,448 West Pakistanis, displaced persons of Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (PoK) and Chamb refugees are presently residing in Jammu region. The minister clarified that persons displaced from PoK were entitled to all the legal rights, including citizenship rights, as they were permanent residents of the state. About the particulars of refugees serving in government departments, Bukhari said no West Pakistan refugee has been appointed in any government department. West Pakistani refugees are not considered for appointment against any state government post because they are not permanent residents of Jammu and Kashmir, he said. The West Pakistani refugees, camping in the Jammu region since 1947, have been agitating to get citizenship rights but separatists and Kashmir-centric mainstream parties have been vociferously opposing the demand. BJP national president Amit shah had in May last year promised a group of West Pakistani refugees that citizenship rights would be granted to them within six months. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also made a similar promise in the run up to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. However, granting of citizenship rights to the refugees was a bone of contention between the coalition partners PDP and BJP. In the Agenda for the Alliance, the coalition had promised to take measures for sustenance and livelihood of the West Pakistani refugees. Outspoken BJP leader Subramanian Swamys attack on key Modi government officials is beginning to hurt, with the ruling party again distancing itself from his latest diatribe against Chief Economic Adviser (CEA) Arvind Subramanian. In a series of tweets, Rajya Sabha MP Swamy, who had earlier criticised RBI governor Raghuram Rajans fiscal handling and was openly against government giving him a second term, sought Arvind Subramanians sacking. Swamy charged that the CEA encouraged opposition party Congress to become rigid on GST clauses an economic reform enabling legislation that the government has not been able to get passage in Parliament. This joker CEA also wrote oped against Gujarat model and talked nonsense about beef ban when it is not even required, was another acerbic post of the BJP leader. When asked to react on Swamys new target, BJP general secretary Shrikant Sharma said "the party does not agree with his views. This is completely his personal opinion". Later, finance minister Arun Jaitley, who has consistently come under Swamys attack, came to the defence of Arvind Subramanian. Senior Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu, however, did not outrightly condemn Swamy's act. "Party has not said anything. Government has not said anything...the question is that you cannot gag everybody in democracy. If party says anything then I can react, if government says anything then I can react on that," Naidu said. Party sources said the BJP is finding Swamys rants and campaign against its own people uncomfortable to handle as they also provide fodder to opposition to embarrass the Modi government. Capitalising on the opportunity, senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh said, Subramanian Swamy now guns for Arvind Subramanian, Economic Adviser to NDA. Target is Arun Jaitley not Arvind Subramanian. However, Swamys aggressive verbal assault on the Gandhis and former finance minister P Chidambaram inside and outside Parliament is not out of sync with the BJP, added party sources. Earlier, BJP president Amit Shah had to clarify that Swamys repeated targeting of Raghuram Rajan did not enjoy the party backing. The Centre will soon start a mega exercise to upgrade curriculum of State universities to international standards in engineering subjects, sciences, mathematics and social sciences. Noted academicians from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, University of Pennsylvania, UC Berkeley, University of California, University of Washington and University of Georgia Tech are being roped in for the exercise. It will be a joint initiative of the government of India in collaboration with these universities of international repute. The upgrading of curriculum and pedagogical skills will be carried out under Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA), Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani told reporters here on Wednesday. The central government will bear the entire cost of the exercise, Irani added. Ten states will be chosen for the upgradation and internationalisation of curriculum of their universities based on their performance. The experts coming to India from the top universities of the world may take about a year to complete the exercise, an official said. Meanwhile, the Ministry also approved modifications in 2010 regulations of the University Grants Commission (UGC) to encourage Indian universities to offer undergraduate and post graduate degree programmes under a twinning arrangement with foreign universities. The 2010 regulations have been revised to promote foreign collaborations with Indian institutions. The UGC did not receive even a single application from the institutions for academic collaboration with foreign universities because of certain flaws in the regulations framed in 2010, Irani said. We have made suitable changes hoping that it will promote collaboration between Indian and foreign institutions. The programmes to be offered under the twinning arrangements will cost much lower compared to those offered abroad, she added. Under the revised regulations, an Indian institution can now look for a suitable foreign partner to offer degree programmes under twinning arrangement. Only those Indian universities which have Grade A certification will be allowed to introduce degree programmes in collaboration with foreign universities which graded high in their country of origin, the minister said . Institutions which have already collaborated with foreign universities and are offering programmes, will be given one year window to get approval of the UGC, the minister added. Irani said students admitted to undergraduate programmes will get an opportunity to study at partner institutions campus abroad for at least two semesters. Action will be taken against institutions misleading students through false advertisements about their foreign collaborations. The UGC will write to the state government concerned for necessary legal action against them, the minister said. At least 102 people were killed and several others injured in incidents of lightning and house collapse in different parts of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in the last 48 hours. According to reports, about 57 people, including women and children, were killed in Bihar in the last 24 hours, while at least 45 people died in Uttar Pradesh, which was lashed by heavy rains in the past two days. The casualty figures could go up in Bihar as the Disaster Management Department has sought reports from the district magistrates of the 16 affected districts. The maximum number of deaths in Bihar were reported from Bihta, around 40 km from Patna, where lightning killed 5 people followed by 2 in Naubatpur and 1 in Danapur. All the 3 places fall under Patna district. Four deaths were reported each from Nalanda, Bhojpur, Kaimur, Rohtas, Aurangabad and Purnia. Katihar and Saharsa recorded 2 deaths each. An ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh will be given to the kin of the victims, said Principal Secretary of Disaster Management Vyas Ji here on Wednesday. Patna recorded moderate rainfall of 17.2 mm. It was Purnia which received maximum rainfall at 83.7 mm, said a Met department official here, adding that the state is likely to witness heavy rainfall in the last week of June. Though this is not the first time that lightning has claimed so many lives in Bihar, in recent times this will be arguably the first instance where more than 50 people have died in less than 24 hours due to rain/lightning throughout the state. According to reports, 23 people were killed after being struck by lightning in Varanasi division alone. The police have started preliminary investigation into the alleged case of ragging of a first year BSc (Nursing) dalit student from Kerala studying at the Al-Qamar Nursing College here. They will begin full investigation once they receive the case file from the Kerala police. The file is expected to arrive on Wednesday night or Thursday morning. Once we receive the file, we will proceed further in the case, Superintendent of Police Shashikumar said. A team of police officers has been formed for the purpose and they are collecting information based on facts given by the Kerala police. We dont know under what provisions they have booked the case. Certain laws differ from state to state, particularly the Education Act. We will be able to get a clear picture only after receiving the file, Shashikumar said. The student - a native of Edappal in Malappuram district - was ragged by her seniors at the college hostel here on May 9. The parents of the student have complained that their daughter was forced to drink toilet cleaning liquid, resulting in complications. She was admitted to the Basaveshwara Hospital here and treated for four days, before she got discharged and went to her home state. Meanwhile, the Kozhikode Medical College police registered an FIR on Wednesday, in connection with the incident. The victim has been admitted to the Kozhikode Medical College Hospital with serious alimentary canal injuries. The police registered the case based on a complaint by the girl, that she was forced by senior students to drink toilet-cleaning liquid. The incident occurred on May 9 at the college hostel. The college authorities, however, maintained that the girl consumed the liquid herself and there was no ragging involved. Jaleel E, the Circle Inspector, said a case has been registered against two senior students of the college - Lakshmi, a native of Kollam and Aathira, a native of Idukki. The case has been registered under IPC Section 307 (attempt to murder) and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Details have been passed on to the Roza police station in Kalaburagi, where the case will have to be re-registered, he told Deccan Herald. The officer said though the issue was described as a suicide attempt after the incident, there was no information of a case registered in the Roza station. The victim said that a group of senior students, also from Kerala, targeted her over her complexion. She has dismissed the college authorities statement that she had attempted suicide. Congress MLA K B Koliwad on Wednesday took a dig at the sacked ministers and other MLAs for their angst against the party leadership. Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, the MLA said that the former ministers had enjoyed power for three years, and that they should not be making a big deal about the Cabinet reshuffle. He said that of the 14 sacked ministers, only Kimmane Ratnakar and Abhaychandra Jain had made a graceful exit. Sacked minister Baburao Chinchansur has seconded his colleague Qamar-ul-Islams statements about the prospects of the Congress party. Speaking to reporters in Chinchansur too said the Congress would be responsible for its own downfall in Karnataka. The state will not become Congress mukt because of the BJP; Congress itself will be responsible for that, he said. The doctors at Fortis Hospital in Shalimar Bagh operated on the wrong leg of a 24-year-old man on Tuesday after he suffered a heel bone fracture. They did not realise their mistake till the patient pointed it out himself. Fortis Hospital has sacked five personnel doctors and operation room assistants after its inquiry committee found them to be responsible. The Delhi government has decided to conduct an inquiry into the case, said officials. Ravi Rai, a resident of Ashok Vihar, fell from the staircase at his house on Sunday. He was rushed to the emergency at Fortis Hospital, Shalimar Bagh. The doctors said that he should be immediately admitted. My son suffered a fracture on the right leg after the fall. They suggested the next day that an immediate operation was required for him in this condition. Other tests were also conducted. We decided to do as the doctors said, said Ramkaran Rai, the patients father. When the effect of the anaesthesia wore off, the youth realised that the doctors had operated on the left leg instead of the right. My son called me to say that the doctors had plastered the left leg after operating it instead of the right. The doctors after the operation had even sent me pictures on WhatsApp saying the operation is successful. They were not even aware till the patient pointed out the mistake, said Rai. While Rai runs a business, his son works at an accountants firm in Gurgaon. Following this, the patients family told the hospital to discharge him immediately. The doctors admitted to the mistake and said they would set it right. But we decided that we would shift him, said Rai. In the discharge papers, they stated that Ravi had problems in both the legs, which is not the case. The admission papers clearly state otherwise, said Rai. In a statement, Fortis Hospital said, Following yesterday's (Tuesday) incident, we immediately set up an Expert Committee to enquire into the matter. Their preliminary view suggests that in the rarest of aberrations, the operating team may have disregarded and sidestepped due processes. A handful of disgruntled legislators in the ruling Congress on Wednesday held a meeting and decided to mount pressure on the party to rectify what they termed as flaws in the ministry reshuffle done recently. Senior leaders V Srinivas Prasad, M H Ambareesh, Qamar-ul-Islam, A B Maalakaraddy and S T Somashekar decided to gather support of like-minded legislators in the coming days. The legislators, however, decided not to take any extreme step such as resignation till their number swells. It is for the first time dissident legislators in the ruling party have come as a group. Prasad, who is a prominent dalit leader in the Mysuru region, appears to have been emerging as the rallying force to the disgruntled legislators. A one-time close associate of Siddaramaiah, Prasad has openly questioned Siddaramaiahs leadership. On the other end, Islam and Maalakaraddy, who are from the Hyderabad-Karnataka region, have hit out at the party veteran Mallikharjun Kharge for letting them down and making his son Priyank Kharge a minister. Speaking to reporters after his meeting with Oscar Fernandes, Prasad said Siddaramaiah has not done the reshuffle properly. He (Siddaramaiah) has tried to protect his own interest and let down the party. He has not taken senior leaders into confidence before the reshuffle. I have explained all these to Fernandes, he added. On the meeting of disgruntled legislators, he said they are not indulging in any anti-party activity. The effort is only to improve the image of the party, he argued. Feudal lord Dr Maalakaraddy said Kharge has been acting like a feudal lord. He has sacrificed the interest of the party for the sake of his son. The reshuffle was done as per the whims and fancies of Siddaramaiah and Kharge. The party high command should intervene and provide justice to the loyal leaders, he added. Former union minister C K Jaffer Sharief, who met Ambareesh, extended his support to the disgruntled group. He told reporters that Siddaramaiah was responsible for the crisis the party is witnessing. With the voice of dissidents growing shriller, the Congress high command swung into action to prevent any damage to the party. Senior leader Oscar Fernandes met former minister V Srinivas Prasad here on Wednesday and tried to pacify him not to speak out against the party. But Prasad is said to have remained firm on his stand to articulate his views on the changes effected in the ministry. He has been expressing his discontent against Chief Minister Siddaramaiahs leadership. However, he has not openly sought the chief ministers ouster. During his meeting with Fernandes, the dalit leader poured out his grievances. Fernandes said, I came here on my own after watching the political developments. I havent come here as anybodys representative. Prasad has assured me that he will work for the party and not take any decision that will hamper its prospects. If need be, I will meet the other aggrieved leaders too. Efforts made by some MLAs close Siddaramaiah to pacify Ambareesh went in vain. He reportedly refused to meet any of chief ministers emissaries. The government came out in quick defence of Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian after BJP leader Subramanian Swamy demanded his sacking in a series of tweets on Wednesday. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley not only reposed faith in the chief economic adviser, but also said that politicians should restrain from attacking those whose discipline and constraints of office prevents them from responding. The government has full confidence in CEA Arvind Subramanian. His advice to government from time to time has been of great value, Jaitley told reporters. This is the second such high profile attack by Swamy in a space of weeks, the first being on RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan, who subsequently withdrew his name from the race for a second term. In a series of tweets attacking the CEA, who is an NRI, Swamy said, "Now PTs (Patriotic Tweeples) can understand why our core economic sectors could not perform last two years. Trojan horses galore in MoF/Fin Institutions." "Was AS (Arvind Subramanian) deposing before US Cong Committee against India as a US citizen or Indian? Does any PT know?" he asked. "Who said to US Cong on 13/3/13 the US should act against India to defend US Pharmaceuticals interests? Arvind Subramanian MoF!! Sack him!!!" Swamy tweeted. From the point of view of discipline of Indian politicians, to what extent should we attack those... (whom) discipline and constraints of office prevent from responding. And this has happened more than once," Jaitley said. Jaitley also welcomed suggestions that people like Swamy should be reigned in. Earlier, the finance ministry also defended the CEA saying the government knew of his stance on key issues like IPR before choosing him. Subramanian was appointed CEA to the government in October 2014 after the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government had presented its first Budget. Incidentally, the maiden Budget of the new government was also criticised by Subramanian for being too optimistic in its revenue forecasts. According to a survey conducted by a media group, Subramanian is most likely to succeed Rajan as RBI Governor. Prior to Subramanian, Swamy had led a sustained campaign against Rajan demanding his termination and charging him of being mentally not fully Indian. Rajan subsequently announced that he was not in the race for a second stint as RBI Governor when his term expires on September 4. Industry too described Swamys remarks as merely noise. "If you are asking me about his tweets, I would describe Subramanian Swamy as the noise in our noisy democracy, CII President Naushad Forbes said. British Prime Minister David Cameron and his eurosceptic opponents made final pitches for wavering voters on Wednesday, the eve of a defining referendum on European Union (EU) membership. The vote, which echoes the rise of populism elsewhere in Europe and the US, will shape the future of Europe. A victory for out could unleash turmoil on financial markets. Its very close. Nobody knows whats going to happen, Cameron told Wednesdays Financial Times, with opinion polls showing the rival camps neck and neck. European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker warned there would be no further renegotiation whatever the result on Thursday, after EU leaders reached a deal on a new settlement for Britain in February. The referendum will take place a week after the murder of ardently pro-EU lawmaker Jo Cox shocked the country, raising questions about the tone of an increasingly bitter campaign. Much of the heated debate has boiled down to two issues: the economy and immigration. The City of London financial centre, the International Monetary Fund and the majority of British business leaders back Cameron and his remain camps stance on the grounds that leaving the EU would plunge Britain into recession, costing jobs and raising prices. Supporters of a so-called Brexit have struck a chord with many voters by saying Britain would regain control of immigration if it cut itself loose from a bloc they see as domineering and out of touch. Election experts say turnout will be crucial because of a gulf between generations. The youth, who have a poor voting record, strongly back staying in the EU, while the elderly, the more regular of voters, tend to favour an exit. Polling stations open at 0600 GMT (10.30 am IST) on Thursday and close at 2100 GMT (1.30 am IST, Friday). The official result is due some time after 0600 GMT on Friday, but partial results and turnout figures from 382 counting centres will be announced from about 0100 GMT (5.30 am IST, Friday). World leaders, including US president Barack Obama, Chinese president Xi Jinping, German chancellor Angela Merkel, and the Nato and Commonwealth allies, have urged Britain to remain in the EU. Camerons personal future also hangs on the result. A vote to leave would almost certainly cost him the top job, though he has said he will stay. But even narrow backing for remain could undermine his authority and shorten his term. Opinium poll The Opinium poll put the "Leave" camp at 45 percent and "Remain" at 44 percent, while TNS gave them a lead of 43 percent to 41 percent for staying, although both results were within the margin of error. The Centre on Wednesday sent Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar to Seoul for last-minute backroom parleys ahead of the two-day plenary meeting of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), which is likely to discuss Indias membership in the elite club. Jaishankar, who was to accompany Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Tashkent for a meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, was asked to go to the South Korean capital as India makes an all-out push for its entry into the NSG. A group of 48 nations, the NSG not only regulates global nuclear commerce, but also seeks to curb proliferation of nuclear arms by controlling export and transfer of materials that could foster nuclear weapons development. India currently enjoys a waiver from the NSG granted in 2008, but seeks a permanent place on the high table because the global nuclear industry wants a predictable atmosphere for any investment to be made in India as New Delhi plans to ramp up its nuclear power production. The NSG membership would be helpful in enabling India strengthen investment for its nuclear power sector and would also protect it from any future amendment to the waiver, which may not be favourable to India, said G Balachandran, a fellow at the Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses. In Tashkent, Modi would be meeting Chinese President Xi Jin Ping against the backdrop of Chinas persistent opposition to Indias application for NSG membership. The two leaders will have a full review of the bilateral agenda, said Sujata Mehta, Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs. While MEA officials refused to elaborate whether Indias membership to the NSG would figure in the Modi-Xi meeting, government sources say New Delhi sees the meeting as the last chance to persuade Beijing to come around as Indias bid goes down to the wire. In Beijing, Chinese foreign office spokesperson said the communist country would play a constructive role at the NSG plenary, scheduled to begin on Thursday. While India received support from several countries, including the US and Russia, China not only raised questions on the criterion, procedures and the need for the entry of a non-NPT nations such as India into the NSG, but also made a case for its ally Pakistan, if India is favoured. Since the NSG takes decisions on consensus, India may find it difficult to get the membership if China remains firm on its position, notwithstanding the backing of the US and other members. Interestingly, hours before the NSG meeting, both India and Pakistan are set to become the SCO members with Prime Minister Modi signing the base document in Tashkent, initiating the process of accession. The SCO membership is important for India to access energy-rich central Asian nations. A Congolese delegation met senior officials from the Bengaluru city police on Wednesday and appreciated their efforts in ensuring safety of students from African countries studying here. The delegation met P Harishekaran, Additional Commissioner of Police (East) and discussed various problems being faced by not only the Congo students but also students from other African countries. They spoke about their problems. We have made a list of those issues, which will be addressed after meeting the other senior police officers. They appreciated our efforts about the police-African initiative and lent their support to continue it to keep their students safe. We have asked them to inform us about overstaying Africans and promised that necessary arrangements will be made for their safe return to their country, he added. Another police officer, who met the delegation said: Around 30 Congo students who were part of the delegation complained that their educational institutions were demanding money to return their passports, visa and academic certificates. It was found that a few colleges are trying to cheat these students by demanding extra money for returning the documents. Colleges send their agents to various African nations and they promise quality education and collect money. But once the students join the college, they do not get what they had promised and also agents fail to pay the money to colleges. In turn, the college authorities take away the students documents. We are looked into the matter and will resolve it at the earliest. If one thought that trees were being axed only for Metro rail, here is more bad news. The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) has proposed to axe at least 500 trees for the 6.9-km steel flyover from Basaveshwara Circle to Hebbal. Preliminary assessment by BDA officials put the number of trees facing the axe at not less than 500 trees. These trees are young and old ones and have stood as canopies for decades on prime roads - Ballari Road, Sankey Road, Palace Road and Millers Road. The final report is not yet prepared. It will be done after a detailed survey. But as per our preliminary assessment, 490-500 trees will be cut. We have written to the BBMP forest cell that trees need to be cut, as the roads belong to BDA. But the final number has not yet been communicated to them, a BDA official told Deccan Herald. A survey and numbering of trees will happen at a later stage, when the project takes final shape. The BDA has set a target to start groundbreaking work for the project in two months. High Court order This has not gone down well with conservationists. Environment Support Group member Leo Saldanha said that the High Court had ordered for forming tree committee and public consultation before pruning, cutting and uprooting large number of trees for any project. As per High Court orders, change of land use should be as per Town and Country Planning Act. If these rules are not followed, it is contempt of court. This is because there has been no public consultation as per Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act and Tree Preservation Act, 1976. There is also a HC division bench order that without public consultation and consent from a committee appointed by the court, no mass tree-felling should be executed. Even though the chief minister has put pressure to execute the project, the officials are duty-bound to follow HC directions. Otherwise, they risk being in contempt of court, Saldanha said. Vijay Nishanth, environmentalist and member of the tree committee formed under the High Court directions to inspect trees being axed for Metro rail, expressed shock at the number of trees proposed to be axed. He said on one hand, the committee is chalking out plans for translocation, to save most of the 300 trees in the alignment for Metro phase II on Kanakapura Road and Mysuru Road. On the other hand, the government wants to cut 500 trees for the flyover. It is a huge number. The government should draw the line before it is too late, he said. 20 June 2016 (Global Witness) Para la version espanola, clique aqui. More than three people were killed a week in 2015 defending their land, forests and rivers against destructive industries. For our new report On Dangerous Ground we documented 185 killings across 16 countries by far the highest annual death toll on record and more than double the number of journalists killed in the same period. The family of Michelle Campos (main picture) were among those killed. In September 2015, her father and grandfather were executed in full view of their family and friends in an attack that drove 3,000 indigenous people from their homes. Rich in coal, nickel and gold, their region of Mindanao in the Philippines is one of the most dangerous in the world for land and environmental activists, with 25 deaths in 2015 alone. We get threatened, vilified, and killed for standing up to the mining companies on our land and the paramilitaries that protect them, said Michelle. 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. Global Witness are calling for urgent, meaningful action to end the rising tide of violence which despite the high profile murder of Berta Caceres earlier this year is largely escaping international attention. Download the full version of our report, On Dangerous Ground (pdf) These numbers are shocking, and evidence that the environment is emerging as a new battleground for human rights. 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. The worst hit countries in 2015 were Brazil (50 killings), the Philippines (33) and Colombia (26). Conflicts over mining were the number one cause of killings in 2015, with agribusiness, hydroelectric dams and logging also key drivers of violence. In 2015, almost 40% of victims were from indigenous groups. Its likely that the true death toll is far higher. Many of the murders we know about occurred in remote villages or deep within rainforests for every killing we are able to document, others cannot be verified, or go unreported. Isidio Antonio was one of the latest victims in Brazils Amazon, which saw unprecedented levels of violence in 2015 with 50 killings. Isidio had suffered years of assassination attempts and death threats for defending his land against a small group of powerful landowners who attempted to seize it for valuable timber, or to make way for ranches and plantations. His appeals to the authorities for protection were consistently ignored, and police have never investigated his murder. Locals say he is the fourth victim in his small community in Maranhao state. Globally, collusion between state and corporate interests shield many of those responsible for the killings. In cases that are well documented we found 16 were related to paramilitary groups, 13 to the army, 11 to the police and 11 to private security strongly implying state or company links to the killings. There was little evidence that the authorities either fully investigated the crimes, or took actions to bring the perpetrators to account. While impunity prevails, the criminalisation of protest is on the rise. Most notably in Africa, governments and powerful business interests are using their influence to marginalise land and environmental activists and turn public opinion against them, branding their actions as anti-development. This is a rapidly growing crisis that is showing no signs of abating. Our warming climate and growing population mean that pressures on land and natural resources are set to increase, which means that without urgent intervention the numbers of deaths were seeing now will be dwarfed by those in the future. Global Witness is calling on governments in affected countries to urgently intervene to: Increase protection for land and environmental activists at risk of violence, intimidation or threats. for land and environmental activists at risk of violence, intimidation or threats. Investigate crimes , including their corporate and political masterminds as well as the triggermen, and bring perpetrators to justice. , including their corporate and political masterminds as well as the triggermen, and bring perpetrators to justice. Support activists right to say no to projects on their land, and ensure that companies are proactively seeking their consent. to projects on their land, and ensure that companies are proactively seeking their consent. Resolve the underlying causes of violence against defenders, by formally recognising communities rights to their land, and tackling the corruption and illegalities that blight natural resource sectors. On Dangerous Ground By Tenzin Palden 4 June 2016 (Tibet Policy Institute) On 4 May 2016, a sudden mass death of fish in the Lichu River in Minyak Lhagang, Dartsedo County in Karze Prefecture brought hundreds of local Tibetans out on the street, protesting against a lithium mining company (Ronda Lithium Co Ltd) that released mine waste into the Lichu River, a tributary of Nakchu/Yalong river, the biggest river that merges with Yangtse downstream. Yet another case of contaminated mine waste released into Tibetan rivers by a Chinese mining company clearly contradicts Beijings call for Green Development in their 13th Five Year plan. In recent years, there have been an increase in the number of cases of environmental degradation caused by Chinese mining companies in Tibet, resulting in more than 20 large scale mining-related protests since 2009. The source of lithium at Minyak Lhagang in Dartsedo is pegmatite, economically most profitable lithium minerals from hard rock. Minyak Lhagang lithium mining site may have the same high concentration of lithium as the adjacent Jiajika lithium mine, which is considered as the Chinas largest pegmatite type lithium deposit. The extraction of lithium has significant environmental impact, resulting in water and soil pollution. Unfortunately, extraction and processing of lithium does not involve clean and green technology as advertised in lithium based products such as electric and hybrid cars. Many parts of China still carry out traditional lithium mining in both brine and hard rock lithium. Traditional lithium mining for hard rock involves roasting and calcination process at high temperature followed by water leaching. Water leaching is a process in which lithium is treated with high concentration of acids such as hydrochloric acid or sulphuric acid in water for high lithium recovery. Higher the concentration of acid used in the water leaching process, higher is the lithium recovery rate. Local Tibetans believe that the death of hundreds of fish is caused by the poisoned water from the mining site and suspect leakage from the water leaching site. The highly concentrated acid stored for water leaching process might have leaked and drained into the Lichu River, which in turn may have led to the contamination of water, causing death of hundreds of fish. The optimum pH level of majority of the aquatic animals lies between pH 6.5 to 9. Any further change in the optimum pH causes strain on animal physiology, reduces hatching and survival rate. Aquatic animals are more sensitive towards acids than alkalis. A change in pH with 0.5 towards acid from pure water (pH 7) causes aquatic animals in an abnormal environment and cannot survive when the pH level is lower than 3. Highly concentrated acids in the local river due to leakage of water leaching site may have altered the level of pH to as low as 3 causing death of fish and damage to the entire local river ecosystem. [more] Udta Punjab To Hit The Screens In Pakistan After 100 Cuts Arya To Shoot With 50 Elephants For Climax Of His Next Unless you have been living under a rock, you would know that Google has finally launched its feature packed GBoard keyboard for iOS in India. So why is the Google Gboard for iOS all the rage right now? Lets find out. Google Search Yes, Gboard allows you access to the worlds biggest search engine straight from your keyboard. By tapping the dedicated Google Search button on the keyboard, you can now search and share information at any time, on any app. Be it writing an article on Notes or messaging your friends on WhatsApp, you can bring up search results from Gboard without having to leave your opened application. Single-handed use with Glide Typing Those who own the iPhone 6 or higher models (except the iPhone SE), usually type with both their thumbs, while cupping the device between their palms. With the Google Gboard, those iPhone users can finally rest that other hand, as the keyboard supports Glide Typing. Yes, there are keyboards like SwiftKey that have had support for Glide Typing on iPhones for a while now, but they pale in comparison to the other smart features that come together on the Gboard keyboard. Predictive Search Of course, Google is listening to everything you type or say, but thats a conversation for another time. Predictive Search on Gboard recognises user intentions as they type, and suggests actionable information from Google. For example, if you message a friend - Want to have dinner tonight?, Predictive Search will ask you if you want restaurant suggestions. You could tap on restaurant suggestions and bring up a list of eateries near your location. You can also share the restaurant listing with your friend, without having to leave the conversation at all. Remember, if you dont want Google peeking into your conversations, you can always turn off Predictive Search from Gboard settings. You also have an option of clearing your Gboard search history from the app settings. Emoji Suggestions Along with Google search suggestions, Gboard also suggests emojis that you might want to use in a conversation. As shown in the image below, emoji search suggested a camera emoji on typing movie in the message bar. GIFs Everything is better said with a GIF. If you are one who loves using GIFs in conversations, you are in for a treat! With the Google Gboard, you can now search for GIFs right from your keyboard. Whats great is that Gboard works with every messaging app. So its easier than ever to WhatsApp or Snapchat GIFs to your friends. Shortcut for Full Stop Lastly, while typing a long message, sometimes its irritating to go for that full stop at the end of every sentence. With Gboard, you can just tap on the space bar twice to auto generate a period . punctuation. You could also turn off the feature from the Gboard settings if you like. Finally...Moving the cursor is easier than ever! Another great feature iOS users get with the Gboard keyboard is the ability to place the cursor at that sweet spot! iPhone users would know the pain of trying to edit a message by constantly tapping the screen to move the cursor in the right place. With Gboard, you can get the cursor to move wherever you please by lightly sliding your finger on the space bar. This will get your cursor to move between each character in a message...the way it was always meant to be! With all those amazing features and the power of Google on your fingertips, Gboard is simply the best thing that happened to iOS keyboards ever! Current and former London mayors argue their cases on Brexit on BBC's live TV debate Political figures from both sides of the UK's European Union referendum argument were present on Tuesday night in the last live TV debate before voters head to the polls from Thursday morning. Britain will decide tomorrow whether it believes continued membership of the EU is the right thing for the country. Current London mayor Sadiq Khan from the StrongerIn campaign and his predecessor Boris Johnson from Leave clashed over issues such as the economy, with Khan accusing Johnson of changing his mind over the benefits of the EU to businesses. Mr Johnson said Remain "keeps talking down our country" and that the EU held back the UK's trading progress with the rest of the world. Britain will decide tomorrow whether it believes continued membership of the EU is the right thing for the country. The debate represented a final chance for both campaigns to put their points across before Thursday's referendum. The audience was split between supporters of the two sides, and spirited cheers were heard as each contributor made their points. Ruth Davidson, the Scottish Tory leader, gave impassioned responses to various issues, including giving the closing statement for her side. Joining her was Khan, and general secretary of the Trades Union Congress Frances O'Grady. The Leave panel was completed by Labour MP Gisela Stuart and energy minister Andrea Leadsom. Sadiq Khan received the biggest cheer of the night when he refuted Johnson's claims that he belived immigration was positive for Britain. "You might start off with platitudes saying how wonderful immigration is. But your campaign hasn't been Project Fear. It's been Project Hate, as far as immigration is concerned." Polls in recent days have shown that the vote is too close to call, but bookmakers have said that they believe the UK is going to vote Remain. European Commission President says the outcome of referendum is final One of the European Unions's top officials has said there will be no more negotiations with regard to the UK's membership of the bloc, warning that if they vote to Leave there is no way back. European Commission President Jean Claude Juncker believes the time for creating a new deal is done, and Britain will have to settle for whatever the result of tomorrow's historic election will be. "We have concluded a deal with the prime minister, he got the maximum he could receive, we gave the maximum we could give," Juncker said. Britain will have to settle for whatever the result of tomorrow's historic election will be "I have to add that the British policymakers and the British voters have to know there will be no kind of any renegotiation," he told reporters after talks with new Austrian Chancellor Christian Kern. "So there will be no kind of renegotiation, nor on the agreement we found in February, nor as far as any kind of treaty negotiations are concerned. Out is out." A resounding confirmation from the EU then: Out is out. David Cameron had said earlier on Wednesday that Britain could achieve further reform within the bloc with regard to immigration rules. In less than 24 hours, UK voters will head to the polls to decide whether the country remains in the EU or leaves - a decision that the leaders of the EU's 27 other states have said will have profound consequences not only for the UK but for the future direction of the EU. In less than 24 hours, UK voters will head to the polls to decide whether the country remains in the EU or leaves Former London mayor and prominent Brexit campaigner Boris Johnson has jumped on the remarks, questioning the credibility of Juncker's position. "If we stay in, there is no prospect of any further change," Mr Johnson said. "This is it, folks. We have been told from the horse's mouth that any hope of further change is absolute illusion." "It is time for us to show our courage and our commitment to democracy by standing up to these unelected tin-pot figures." Publications have confirmed their views on upcoming EU referendum As is tradition in Britain during an election or referendum campaign, all of the country's newspapers have told their readers exactly how they should vote in Thursday's Brexit vote. The various tabloid and broadsheet publications have laid out their advice ahead of the historic referendum on the UK's continued membership in the European Union tomorrow. Here is a selection of the papers and their stances on Brexit: European equities overcame their caution ahead of Britains referendum on EU membership the next day, seeing the day out with moderate gains, although analysts were in a cautious mood. The benchmark DJ Stoxx Europe 600 index finished the day sporting gains of 0.38% or 1.28 points to 341.32, Germanys DAX was 0.55% higher and Frances CAC 40 was up 0.29%. At the same time, oil prices retreated, with West Texas Intermediate lower by 1.60% at $49.08 a barrel and Brent crude off by 1.667% to $49.79. Rebecca OKeeffe, head of investment at Interactive Investor, said: Although the poll predictions are still making the EU referendum results too close to call, global equity markets have maintained their positive Remain stance over the past few days and this has continued in European trade today, with equities pushing further forward. With less than 24 hours before voting starts, markets are now pricing in virtually no risk of an exit vote, which begs the question as to whether the euphoria is being overdone and how much upside still exists for investors, or whether this is irrational exuberance and investors are ignoring the risks? UBS strategist Yianos Kontopoulos said that given the risk-rally of the last few days, there is significant room for downside in the event of a Leave vote. We estimate percentage moves in the mid-teens for UK and EU equities but materially smaller moves for the S&P 500 and EM equities. While GBP may come under significant pressure, the EUR may be more stable. In a Remain scenario, outside European and UK stocks where a significant relief rally is likely Kontopoulos expects much less pronounced moves across assets. In equities, we think the S&P 500 could reach new highs, albeit near-term no more than 1-3% higher than current levels. Fundamental pressures limit the potential upside in global bond yields. Yields could rise more for core euro-area bonds, which look the most expensive. We also see limited upside across EM assets (except perhaps local currency bonds). Interestingly, we believe the potential sell-off in gold in a Remain scenario would be small relative to the upside potential in the opposite case. On the corporate side of things, Swedish retailer Hennes & Mauritz rose despite reporting a 17% decline in second-quarter profit. In London, FTSE 250 department store chain Debenhams was sharply lower after it said like-for-like sales fell in the third quarter and warned gross profit margins could be flatter than previously thought. Remain is the central scenario in Societe Generales equity allocation model and the FTSE 100 is one of its preferred indices, the bank said as it outlined its equity trade ideas for both outcomes. In the event of a Brexit, SocGen expects that on 24 June and the following days, the FTSE 100 would lose around 15%, while FTSE 250, Euro Stoxx 50 and the Nikkei would lose 20% and the S&P 500 would drop 10%. After a market correction, the FTSE would recoup most of its losses, the FTSE 250 would remain 20% lower, the Euro Stoxx 50 would recover from lows and the S&P 500 would move back to pre-Brexit levels. If Britain decides to leave the European Union, SocGen recommends selling the Euro Stoxx 50, FTSE 250 and Nikkei, hedged in GBP, during the initial market reaction. After a market correction, it recommends buying the FTSE 100 and S&P 500, hedged in USD. After the initial stage of market reaction, which might last a couple of weeks (hard to tell), we expect FX/equity correlations to normalise as well as active UK intervention to contain outflows. GBP would be durably lower, thereby pushing the FTSE 100 higher, SocGen said. In a Remain scenario, the bank recommends going long the FTSE 100, European banks and the Euro Stoxx 50. In terms of specific stocks, it would buy Lloyds, ING and ABN Amro. The bank said the FTSE 100 was likely to move back to the 6,400 mark it hit in April straight after a Bremain vote, with a target of 6,700 by the end of the third quarter. Beyond the FTSE, a Bremain outcome should alleviate a great deal of uncertainty elsewhere in Europe too, especially for banks which have been strongly impacted recently by Brexit fears. As far as individual stocks are concerned, it highlighted names that would perform well in the event of each scenario. In a Brexit, stocks that are highly sensitive to a weaker pound would do well. These include BAE Systems, Barclays, HSBC, SABMiller, Smiths Group, Burberry Group, Unilever, Reckitt Benckiser, WPP, British American Tobacco and Experian. If the outcome is to remain in the EU, the bank suggested going long stocks that have recently suffered on Brexit fears such as Next, RBS, ITV, Great Portland Estates and Whitbread, and short stocks that have recently outperformed, such as Weir, Accenture, Pearson, Informa and Rolls-Royce. Financial and betting markets were pricing in a high probability of a Remain vote but the outcome was still highly uncertain, Credit Suisse cautioned clients. Indeed, a leave vote might push the brokers measure of risk appetite into panic, Credit Suisse said. The correlation between betting market odds and global risk appetite has been extraordinarily high in the past few weeks. That suggests an immediate, large and highly correlated move in both safe and risk assets once the outcome is clear, analysts Anais Boussie, Peter Foley, Neville Hill, Sonali Punhani and Giovanni Zanni said in a research note sent to clients. In case of Leave coming out on top, the broker forecast a shallow recession unfolding in the UK, together with a slowdown in the euro area and easing measures from the Bank of England and European Central Bank. Just how much would UK gross domestic product shrink if the country left the EU? Credit Suisse estimated a fall of 1.0% between the third quarter of 2016 and the first quarter of 2017. GDP would drop by around 1.0% in 2017 instead of growing 2.3%, with the latter being their current projection under a Remain scenario. To watch out for on Friday was the margin of a potential Leave victory, the analysts said, as it might be proportionate to the speed with which Britain would move towards an exit. Whether the Prime Minister invoked Article 50 of the EU Treaty the exit clause on Friday (which was unlikely) was the other key event to watch for. Once triggered, it would become extremely likely that the UK would leave, Credit Suisse said. Political turbulence in the UK in the aftermath of an exit was likely to be high, with markets also increasingly focusing on mounting political stresses in Southern Europe, the broker said. A victory for Remain, on the other hand, should see the British economy recover momentum after a weak first half of the year, alongside some residual political volatility. Under such a scenario, economic activity in the euro area would continue its domestic-demand-driven expansion, with the BoE and ECB on hold for the rest of 2016. 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. Got unused pills? Here's where to take them Saturday in central Ohio The DEA is encouraging Americans to turn in their old pills and prescription drugs Saturday. Here's where you can take yours in central Ohio. Washington State University The Carson College of Business at Washington State University hired Jessica Cassleman as assistant dean of international programs. Cassleman was assistant dean in the WSU Honors College for the last 16 years and has worked closely with international programs for over 20 years. Subscriber content preview TACOMA (AP) A national rating service says banks and credit unions in Washington state continue to improve. At the end of the latest quarter, 86.5 percent of Washington banks were recommended by Bauer Financial and none were listed as troubled or problematic. The News Tribune reports credit unions are doing well too, with nearly 93 percent recommended and just about 1 percent labeled as troubled. . . . West Coast states meet to talk about oil spills Task force members come from five states and British Columbia to share data on oil spills, work on prevention and promote regulatory safeguards. By PHUONG LE Associated Press Washington and Oregon environmental regulators said Tuesday that regional coordination and planning exercises such as drills aided in their response to the fiery train derailment along the Columbia River earlier this month. The Northwest officials briefed their counterparts from other states on the June 3 train accident in Mosier, Oregon, at the annual meeting of the Pacific States/British Columbia Oil Spill Task Force in Seattle. The task force consisting of members from British Columbia, Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California and Hawaii collects and shares data on oil spills, works together on oil spill prevention projects and promotes regulatory safeguards. They were in Seattle to share knowledge and update each other on their spill response programs and other projects. Dale Jensen, Washington's Ecology spills program manager, says the Oregon derailment is a reminder of how vulnerable the region is to oil spills and underscores the need for states and federal agencies to continue to work together to improve spill prevention and response. In British Columbia, regulators said they have effectively used drones to assess the extent of a tanker truck crash that spilled diesel fuel near Mount Robson National Park. Wes Shoemaker, Deputy Minister of British Columbia Ministry of Environment, said drones can be an effective tool to assess downstream effects of a spill. Bruce Gilles, who manages the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality's cleanup and emergency response program, told the meeting that we couldn't have been luckier during the Oregon derailment. Strong winds typically blow through the Columbia River Gorge but not that day the trains derailed, with four cars catching fire. He also said that there are sections of the railroad that run adjacent to the river, but the train crashed in an area that was farther away from the river. Just several months earlier, more than a dozen agencies participated in a national oil-spill response drill that was based on a scenario where a landslide had caused a 100-unit oil train to spill about 450,000 gallons of oil into the Columbia River between Washington and Oregon. Jensen highlighted the dramatic changes in the way oil is shipped through Washington state, noting an uptick in rail transport of oil. In 2011, no Bakken crude oil was shipped by rail compared with about 2.55 billion gallons in 2015. Washington lawmakers last year passed legislation requiring railroads to come up with oil spill contingency plans; it also require facilities that receive oil to provide the state with advance notice of oil shipments. New rules are expected later this year. California also has a similar oil spill contingency planning requirement for railroads. What we get out of this is new knowledge, Jensen said. We're always looking ahead. We're always anticipating what the potential is and working very, very hard to be as prepared as we can. Subscriber content preview SEATTLE (AP) Officials say a jury has found companies that own and operate a Greek shipping vessel and two ship engineers guilty of felonies related to dumping oily waste at sea in October 2015. The U.S. Justice Department said ship operator Angelakos, ship owner Gallia Graeca Shipping Ltd., as well as engineers Konstantinos Chrysovergis and Tryfon Angelou were convicted Monday. . . . Ghana gives a big boost to rooftop solar projects African country Ghana is giving a big boost to renewable power with the government initiating a ''capital Subsidy Scheme'' for installation of solar panels on rooftop of residential homes across the country. The country expects to increase solar energy penetration in the country by adding some 20,000 rooftop solar systems under the scheme, according to the country's Energy Commission, which is spearheading the project. The government will give selected applicants a maximum of 500 watt peak solar panels free of charge, while they will pay for the remainder depending on what their total need is. To be selected, the participant should have already acquired and installed what is known as balance of systems, which include battery, inverter and charge controller. Chairman of the commission's board, Dr Kwame Ampofo, told journalists at the launch of a promotional programme that several banks and other financial institutions have come on board to offer credit facilities to beneficiaries who may need further financial support to procure the balance of systems. The commission, he said, has so far received 470 applications, with 397 of them coming from the Greater Accra Region and the rest spread across the country. ''It is worth noting that various promotional activities have been rolled out to whip up public interest in the programme and for everybody in the country to take advantage of it. One of such activities is a draw which will be conducted by the National Lottery Authority in all the 10 regions on different dates,'' he said. The government is targeting an initial total of 200,000 households for the rooftop project depending on availability of funds, and the hope is that it will help whip up the interest of the public in going solar on their own. The roof-top solar mission marks a shift from government's initial focus on grid-connected solar, which needed greater investment and land area. With government support, the solar rooftop projects will help Ghanians generate 20 to 30 per cent of their power needs and thereby reducing pressure on the national grid. Halloween creatures owls, crows and bats all live at Crossroads, and that makes us very happy, for these scary animals make a positive contribution to the habitats of the preserve. We don't even mind black cats, IF they are kept indoors. Feral and outdoor cats are exceedingly harmful to wildlife ... and that's not a superstition! But to tamp down superstitions, we at Crossroads will spend the week demystifying Halloween creatures. On October 28, 2022, at 6 p.m. will be our Evening with Owls. The Open Door Bird Sanctuary will be at Crossroads, offering a one-hour presentation followed by the opportunity to meet and greet live birds. Learn all about owls and the other incredible birds in the care of the Sanctuary! Down through the centuries, in many cultures throughout the world, owls have been associated with evil and death. Truth is, owls probably are not smart enough to be evil. But researchers agree that owls are about as dim as the nighttime forests in which they hunt. Owls don't need to be smart. They have everything else going for them. They are muscular. They fly silently. Their huge eyes enable them to see in the dark. Their beaks and talons are strong and wickedly sharp. But their sensitive ears are what make owls extraordinary hunters. Most people assume that the plumicorns (a.k.a. "horns) of an owl are its ears. Not so. The actual ears lie under feathers on the sides of the head, and they aren't symmetrical. Because one ear is higher than the other and the ears are unequal in size, sound is different from different directions, helping owls locate prey, which they do almost unfailingly, even in total darkness. Owls do not smell their prey. As with most birds, the sense of smell is insignificant, if it exists are all. Great Horned Owls frequently prey on skunks. Enough said. But well-developed intelligence? Researchers have observed owls beating their wings on bushes to try to flush out little birds. Is this learned behavior? Is it problem-solving? Maybe. For the most part, owls do not have a lot of problems to solve. They appropriate abandoned nests of other birds, so they don't need building skills. They are stealthy by nature, and they pounce on and usually catch anything they hear, so they don't need hunting techniques. In spite of ghost stories, legends of American First People, and superstitions from Europe and India, hooting owls do not foretell impending death, although their nocturnal calls are spooky. We hear them now and then this time of year, but we will regularly hear those eerie calls at Crossroads in January or February. In contrast to owls, crows are noisy all year round and they are amazingly intelligent. They can learn. They can remember. They can solve problems. They can even identify individual humans. And they detest owls, though whether this is innate or learned behavior is not clear. Those curious about crows will want to attend the Crossroads Book Club on Wednesday, October 26, at 10:00 a.m. This month, the book Crow Planet, Essential Wisdom for the Urban Wilderness by Lyanda Lynn Haupt will explore the fascinating world of these remarkable birds. The program is free and open to all, whether or not they have read the book. So bring the family to our program on owls, learn about crows at the Crossroads Book Club, or learn about bats at our pre-school Junior Nature Club on Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. or our Family Science Saturday program at 2:00 p.m. Costumes are encouraged but not required at Junior Nature Club and Science Saturday, and adult visitors are welcome. A Dothan therapist and her employee have been charged by federal agents with defrauding Medicaid. Catrina R. Copeland, 43, of Dothan, and Stephanie Govan, 41, of Glenwood, were arrested Tuesday and each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Copeland is the owner of The Counseling Place, a Dothan company that contracted with Medicaid to provide counseling services to at-risk youth. Govan was a therapist working for Copeland. Copeland and Govan were indicted by a federal grand jury in April. The investigation into The Counseling Place began after an audit by the Alabama Medicaid Agencys Program Integrity Division of claims submitted for payment by Copeland. According to federal court documents, Copeland and Govan filed claims with Medicaid for services they never provided. If convicted, Copeland and Govan could each face 10 years imprisonment. Copeland and Govan were arrested by agents of the Attorney Generals Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General. 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. Australia's crash authority has investigated a dramatic gap in European and Asian crash test results by re-evaluating the new Kia Picanto. The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) conducted a test of the Picanto in Sydney on Wednesday as part of an audit of Euro NCAP and ASEAN NCAP. The Kia Picanto currently has a five-star rating under the ANCAP system, four stars through Euro NCAP and zero stars with ASEAN ANCAP, as the car does not come with airbags in some markets. ANCAP chief executive James Goodwin says there were significant differences in the Picanto's performance in different parts of the world. The car performed well in Europe, but Malaysian testing saw the car's door fly open, exposing parts of the crash test dummy. The ASEAN car also offered inferior structural technology, with its roof and A-pillar buckling under the force of the crash. That didn't happen in Europe. "We need to confirm the validity of existing results," Goodwin says. "We are concerned that a brand would be making different assessments in the value of a life for different countries." While the door stayed closed in Australian testing this week, the Picanto's body buckled more in Sydney than it did in Europe. While Goodwin says it is too early to issue a result for the Picanto, he says the Kia's body "deformed more than the European test but no more than the ASEAN test". Final results due in coming weeks will show whether structural integrity is the same across different regions. Goodwin says ANCAP purchased the car secretly through a broker, and that Kia was not informed of the test until after the car was prepared for testing. Several Kia Australia representatives attended the frontal offset collision today, including a pair of engineers who flew in from Seoul. A spokesman for the car maker says it respects the audit process, though he could not comment on the result of the surprise crash. Goodwin says it is important to keep carmakers accountable. "Today is a pure and proper audit test to verify the rating that's in the marketplace," he says. "We want to give consumers assurance that we are independent and that we are keeping the brand honest and on their toes." Fine Gael senators will table a motion at their parliamentary party meeting this week calling for a 5,000 increase in pay for councillors. The 19 senators have signed a memo calling on Minister for Local Government Simon Coveney to increase the annual fixed allowance for county councillors. At the moment councillors are paid 16,565 per annum. The councillors had asked for 6,000 of an increase. When a review of councillors pay was carried out by the Department of the Environment. A report on the topic was issued to former minister Alan Kelly and is now with Mr Coveney. Mr Coveney is believed to want the matter settled as soon as [possible. And Minister for Social Protection Leo Varadkar is to consider allowing councillors rights to access a number of social welfare benefits. Some have seen these moves as a Fine Gael leadership contest between Mr Varadkar and Mr Coveney. councillors pay 4 per cent PRSI but are not covered for jobseekers benefit or allowance, or illness benefit. They are also not entitled to a State pension when they retire as county councillors. All public office holders have paid PRSI on their income since 2010 but do not receive the benefits other workers do. The Association of Irish Local Government, which represents county councillors, has been looking for a 40 per cent pay rise because of an increase in workload since the restructuring of councils two years ago. But independent councillor Jim Tenanty believes that if councillors are seen to be looking for money the public is going to turn on them. We did fill in a survey that was sent to all councillors asking for details about full-time and part-time employment, but if it goes through councillors wont be seen to be fighting for it, he said. Cllr Maria Doyle, chair of Dundalk Municipal District, does not think the time is right for councillors to be looking for any kind of pay increase. Cllr Mark Dearey, the new chairman of Dundalk Municipal Committee, hadnt heard anything about the 40 per cent pay claim until it hit the headlines recently. I dont think the time is right for any pay increase and I don't think there's any great support for this, he said at the time.. Its the wrong kind of signal to send out to people especially the private sector. Its too early in the economic recovery to seek salary increases and would sent the wrong message out to employers and employees. The traditional work landscape is shifting, and more and more workers are trying to break away from sterile cubicles and rigid 9 to 5 schedules. We are witnessing new dynamic work environments where everyone is empowered through greater control and flexibility regarding workflow. Gone are the pushy bosses and policies, once set in stone. In their place is meaningful, purposeful work. It shouldnt come as a surprise that workers in coworking spaces reportedly perform better compared to those who work in regular offices. Simply put, these spaces afford workers more freedom in tackling daily tasks, while enhance their commitment to their duties and their motivation to reach their full potential. The meaning of work Coworking areas are usually accessible around the clock, allowing workers to be much more flexible about their schedules. The autonomy is certainly a blessing, but these spaces offer something more than that the structural framework preventing the impediment of productivity and work habits. Indeed, having a community of hard-working pros around you boosts discipline and motivation better than working from home does, as the latter environment faces you with numerous distractions and improper work conditions. On the other hand, many companies fail to both cultivate a feeling of communal belonging and pull together a space which promotes healthy competition. As a result, once they become more than cogs in the corporate machine, migrating to coworking spaces, individuals tend to see their jobs in a more meaningful light. They have a sense of bringing their whole self to the workplace, and feel their work identity strengthened. Here lies the answer to why people actually pay to work with strangers. Best of both worlds These innovative spaces present people with a healthier ambience, which is free from the constraints of internal politics and unburdened by the direct competition. They are membership-based premises where various freelancers, remote workers, and other professionals gather and go about their business. You can work by yourself, but also escape isolation, frustration and accumulated stress associated with working from home or an office. So, coworking space involves a communal, shared setting, bringing various workers with different skills together. Many individuals boast about expanding the network of personal and professional contacts, coming across valuable advice, keeping the skills fresh and raising the profile of their business. These practices are also echoed in the Coworking Manifesto, an online document promoting the benefits of collaboration, perpetual learning and sustainability. Take a seat Naturally, socialising is not compulsory, and individuals who like to keep to themselves can also find coworking areas to be a sound choice. Furthermore, the vibe and layout of each space varies to suit the specific needs of those who use it. This acknowledges the fact that in order to flourish, workers require proper office furniture, ample space, tech equipment and adequate supplies. Open plan layout is increasingly popular and is seen as a design solution which promotes the core values of coworking. What is more, functional and versatile boardroom tables serve as a workspace for multiple people, and are a nice centerpiece in any environment, especially if they are available in any size and color you want. Shared tables always encourage interaction and spur cooperation. For example, many companies are taking notice and are embracing the 1:1 ratio of desk seats and seats in communal areas used for quiet work, or informal hangout. Digging deeper These design solutions induce innovation and stimulate the building of deeper relationships that go beyond coffee breaks and tedious meeting. It is small wonder that many startups and enterprises introduce coworking spaces as alternative workplaces or engage in a cost-effective reverse-engineering of the office. Remote employees are particularly inclined to give these work areas a chance, but enterprise employees are also coquetting leaning towards them. Now, all of this is not to say that coworking spaces are for everyone. Some people are anxious about being surrounded by persons they do not know. Others are simply able to get more things done when managers and bosses loom over them. That being said, the lessons learned in coworking spaces should be applied to the corporate worlds stale scenery, which is in a desperate need of a breath of fresh air. Coworking on the roll The coworking trend has attained the rank of a broad social movement, aspiring to take advantage of swift technological advancements and innovative business models. New spaces put the human element in the spotlight, and aim at building a stimulating, healthy environment around it. That way, people can both preserve the freedom and be a part of the community, exercising a higher degree of control and freedom. It is of the utmost importance to realize that swell design is just as important as the nurturing of an autonomous and worthwhile work experience. I expect the trend to reach new heights in 2016 and beyond, attracting a broader range of professions and organizations to the exciting business frontier of the future. About the author Chloe Taylor is an Adelaide-based blogger whose fields of expertise include design and business related topics including productivity management. You can find her on FB or Twitter. She consulted experts from JasonL for writing this article. A new twist on skillet grilled catfish A southern favorite is catfish. And while most of the time southerners tend to like their catfish fried this recipe takes a little different spin... Decorate the museum, make a garland I dont know if you have been by the museum lately but everyone is buzzing around and getting things planned and ready for the Old... A senior day tradition These senior football, cheer and band moms entertained Early County High School with a dance at the pep-rally honoring their seniors. This past Friday was... Donate to hurricane relief Barry Joslin is one of my closest friends. His family lives on Sanibel Island, Fla., where he serves as a pastor. Hurricane Ian devastated their... See update below. Back in November, I wrote about New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie considering the possibility of appointing an Emergency Manager for Atlantic City which has faced a critical financial emergency due to the near collapse of its gaming industry. This morning it is being widely reported that Gov. Christie will appoint an Emergency Manager. Kevyn Orr is said to have been consulting with with Gov. Christies administration but rumors that he will be the Atlantic City Emergency Manager appear to be inaccurate. Instead, it is believed Christie will appoint New York lawyer Kevin Lavin: Christie is expected to name Kevin Lavin, a lawyer who worked for FTI Consulting Inc. in New York, a source told The Wall Street Journal. Another man, former Detroit emergency manager Kevyn Orr, will be brought on as a consultant to work with Lavin, the paper also reported. Orr controlled Detroits finances beginning in March 2013. The two will begin immediately and will assume the powers now held by the mayor and council. They will also be free to consider a range of solutions including renegotiating public-employee contracts, The Journal reported. Philly.com has more reporting, describing the new position as a Detroit-style emergency manager: On the eve of Gov. Christies third Atlantic City summit, City Council President Frank M. Gilliam Jr. said Wednesday night that the state was poised to bring in a powerful emergency manager to oversee city government. Theyre moving forward with an emergency manager, Gilliam said before the Council meeting. Its very upsetting. [] Among proposals to help Atlantic City recover from the closure of four casinos in recent months is a Detroit-style emergency manager with extraordinary powers over city government and finances an idea opposed by Mayor Don Guardian. Talk of an emergency manager permeated City Hall on Wednesday. Councilman Moise Delgado posted on his Facebook page: There will be a New Czar in town soon. Gilliam said he was distressed that the governor was resorting to a quasi-takeover when he and the Guardian administration had been working proactively to cut the budget and address the citys cash crunch. I dont understand why, Gilliam said. Weve done everything we possibly can do from a municipalitys standpoint. Guardians chief of staff, Chris Filiciello, would say only that we are waiting to hear what the governor proposes tomorrow. Guardian had said he was 100 percent opposed to a manager. Kevyn Orrs name is mentioned in several articles as Christies choice for the new Emergency Manager for Atlantic City. However, he is denying that hes taking the position. Ive been describing Michigan as the testing ground for this new, anti-democratic way of solving the financial emergencies that face some municipalities and its now clear that the experiment is being seen by Republican governors as a resounding success. With the reelection of Gov. Snyder, despite his having gone against the will of the voters with regard to Emergency Managers, we can expect to see more Republican governors using Emergency Management in the future. UPDATE: It is now official: Gov. Chris Christie today announced that hes signed an executive order for a state takeover of financially strapped Atlantic City, installing an emergency management team to help dig the gambling resort out of an enormous hole. Christie tapped Kevin Lavin, a corporate attorney who most recently worked for New York firm FTI Consulting, to oversee the daily operations and finances of the 40,000-resident city, which has lost four casinos and thousands of jobs over the last year. The Republican governor also named Kevyn Orr, who last year served as emergency manager of the similarly struggling Detroit, as a part-time counsel in the city. I cant wait any longer, Christie said while making the announcement at the third summit he has convened with casino executives, business leaders, union leaders, and state and local officials to search for ways to revitalize the city. We need more aggressive action, and thats the action Im taking today. The move also comes as Christie considers whether to launch a campaign for the 2016 Republican nomination for president. [CC image credit: Peter Stevens | Flickr] It may be our only way to thank him for all hes done In a private ceremony on Tuesday, Rick Snyder signed the Detroit Public Schools rescue bill into law. The bill abandoned 15 months of bi-partisan negotiations in favor a giveaway to the charter school industry with almost no accountability. Meanwhile, for the third straight summer, residents of Flint are still depending on bottled water thanks to decisions made by the governors direct reports. Despite evidence that hes been in any way humbled or enlightened by the damage done to Flint, cries to arrest Snyder or even recall him have faded. This is somewhat understandable given the abundance of challenges we face and the necessity to focus on making sure Republicans dont send an outwardly bigoted authoritarian to the White House in November. But watching him continue to make decisions that prioritize profit over people is depressing. We cant let the only consequences for his actions be a stain on his resume that will haunt his life and any word history has to same about him. That will always be trivial compared to the way his decisions will haunt the people of Flint. The chances of Rick Snyder lingering in Michigan after his disastrous second term are close to zero, given the ignominy hes heaped upon himself. So hell leave us behind with his toxic legacy and the inevitable budget shortfalls his corporate kickbacks were designed to create. The very least we can do is use legacy to restore some fairness to this state and cut lots of Michiganders taxes. A new report from the Economic Policy Institute shows members of Michigans richest 1 percent are raking in a near record share of all the income in the state. We rank 11th overall in income inequality, one metric where were near the top 20 percent, in contrast to ethics and transparency where we rank dead last. And though the richest residents of the state contribute less than 6 percent of their income in taxes while bottom 80 percent pay between 9.2 and 9.5 percent. There is no reason a police officer or a small-business owner making $50,000 a year should contribute nearly twice as much of their income as a billionaire, but that is how our tax system works, for now the folks behind Michigan Tax Equality explain. The fix proposed would simply ask residents earning more then $430,000 a year to pay just about the same share of their income as those who earn under $100,000. The less you earn, the bigger your tax cut. With the top five percent paying a nearly equal share of their income, Michigan Tax Equality suggests we could: Help restore our crumbling roads and bridges. Provide our children and grandchildren with the education they need to realize their fullest potential. Lower tuition rates so our children and grandchildren arent burdened with unimaginable debt. We could also fix some pipes. Representative Jeff Irwin has been pushing this legislation for years and perhaps our best hope is to see it on the ballot in 2018, when its time to replace this governor. Its a shame to think of paying taxes to invest in our society as a punishment. But conservatives have spent four decades pushing that frame. Were not going to change it overnight, so lets take advantage of this moment and the righteous anger at Rick Snyder to actually do some good for the state that has been poisoned by his leadership. You know Rick Snyder is rich very rich and he can afford to pay the same tax rate as a nurse or a plumber. So lets raise Rick Snyders taxes. Its the very least we can do to thank him for his service. We live, work, and consume within an increasingly grand, globalized economy. Yet standing amidst its many fruits and blessings, we move about our lives giving little thought to why were working, who were serving, and how exactly our needs are being met. Adam Smiths invisible hand feels more invisible than ever. In response to our newfound economic order, big and blurry as it is, many have aimed to pave paths toward more communitarian ends, epitomized by recent waves of localist consumerism, artisanal shops, and social entrepreneurship. Such efforts can be tremendously fruitful, and insofar as they meet real human needs, we should heed their resistance to blind marches toward progress. I only wish that such movements would appreciate the broader range of possible solutions. The slow and local is all well and good, but something as mundane and mainstream as a local McDonalds can serve community needs just as well as the trendy mom-and-pops of the future. The big and global is not necessarily the enemy of the small and local. As Chris Arnade demonstrates through a series of stories, for many low- and middle-income areas, McDonalds have become de-facto community centers and reflections of the surrounding neighborhood, offering a hub for the very sort of social fabric-weaving that crunchy communitarians crave. (Note: I was an employee and then shift manager of a McDonalds during my teenage years.) One can be resistant to the nutritional risks of the food just as I remain resistant to the budgetary risks of overpriced artisanal donuts and still perceive the value that such enterprises bring to local communities everywhere: economic, social, and (dare I say) spiritual. For many, McDonalds serves the same function of the latest glorified social epicenters and third spaces of mobile freelancers, often with even more intricate circles of community. Indeed, though the new wave of hip-and-homey start-ups have surely done their share of community transformation, few can beat McDonalds at serving within the common constraints of lower-income Americans. When many lower-income Americans are feeling isolated by the deadening uniformity of things, by the emptiness of many jobs, by the media, they still yearn for physical social networks. They are not doing this by going to government-run community service centers. They are not always doing this by utilizing the endless array of well-intentioned not-for-profit outreach programs. They are doing this on their own, organically across the country, in McDonalds. Walk into any McDonalds in the morning and you will find a group of mostly retired people clustering in a corner, drinking coffee, eating and talking. They are drawn to the McDonalds because it has inexpensive good coffee, clean bathrooms, space to sprawl. Unlike community centers, it is also free of bureaucracy. Whether frequented by elderly and retired folks, prayer groups and Bible studies, political organizations, neighborhood associations, or various marginalized persons on the streets, McDonalds provides a cheap, accessible, and comfortable place for all, delivering services and providing jobs with great efficiency. Arnades article is filled with stories of people who find peace and refuge in the very place that loftier minds are wont to disdain as a curse on the poor: For many of the poorest, for the homeless, and for people caught in an addiction, McDonalds are an integral part of their lives. They have cheap and filling food, they have free Wi-Fi, outlets to charge phones, and clean bathrooms. McDonalds is also generally gracious about letting people sit quietly for long periods longer than other fast-food places In almost every franchise, there are tables with people like Betty [who is homeless during daytime hours] escaping from the streets for a short bit. They prefer McDonalds to shelters and to non-profits, because McDonalds are safer, provide more freedom, and most importantly, the chance to be social, restoring a small amount of normalcy. In the Bronx, many of my friends who live on the streets are regulars. Steve, who has been homeless for 20 years, uses the internet to check up on sports, find discarded papers to do the crossword puzzle, and generally escape for a while. He and his wife Takeesha will turn a McDonalds meal into an evening out. Beauty, who has been homeless for five years, uses the internet to check up on her family back in Oklahoma when she can find a computer to borrow. Most importantly though, McDonalds provide many with the chance to make real and valuable connections. When faced with the greatest challenges, with a personal loss, wealthier Americans turn to expensive therapists, others without the resources or the availability, turn to each other. Once again, these sorts of community hubs exist everywhere, and they come in all shapes and sizes. They neednt be businesses like McDonalds, but it does seem that our appetite for enterprise solutions is limited to social signalers and the confines of the small and independent. The success of McDonalds in weaving communities doesnt mean that the economics dont matter small, big, whatever. It simply means that we should be careful that our justified fears about big business and rapid change ought not be replaced by a blind prejudice. Each community is different, and each will require its own set of solutions. As we seek to unpack what really matters and what really works looking at the roots and fruits of each solution our economic imaginations ought to remain as wide as possible. Edward Snowden made a greater effort than originally believed to raise his concerns within the NSA before releasing thousands of classified documents detailing programs that allowed the agency to spy on U.S. citizens. The truth is more complex than the NSA let on, according to Vice News, which published a report based on documents it secured through two years of Freedom of Information Act litigation. In the aftermath of Snowdens release of a cache of stolen NSA documents, he claimed that he had exhausted all official avenues available to him before going public. I had reported these clearly problematic programs to more than 10 distinct officials, none of whom took any action to address them, he said in testimony before the European Parliament in March 2014. However, the NSA maintained then and still maintains that it could find only one email message from Snowden that touched on the subject. Snowden did much more than send a single email warning, Vice found. He had an in-person interaction with one of the people who responded to his email, for example. The NSA, the administration and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., all made efforts to discredit him, the FOIA documents revealed. After releasing the documents to Vice, the NSA posted them to its website, along with a reaffirmation of its original position. The agency found no email records of Snowden raising concerns about its programs with senior leadership, the agency insisted. Snowden Mum on Docs Snowden declined to comment to Vice about its story, according to ACLU attorney Ben Wizner, who noted that his client was ambivalent about issues raised in the declassified documents, because he didnt trust the NSAs motives for releasing them. Whether the new document cache will alter Snowdens status remains to be seen. It certainly hasnt changed his former employers attitude toward him. Edward Snowden was an employee of Booz Allen for less than two months, and his behavior in releasing national security information was illegal, unethical and not reflective of our firms values and ethical standards, Booz spokesperson Misty Holbert told TechNewsWorld. The single letter claim could be a distraction from the larger issues raised by Snowdens revelations. The government is attempting to try and convict in absentia Edward Snowden for revealing information about the NSA, said Richard Stiennon, chief research analyst with IT-Harvest. One way to do that is to sully his character by making it look like he didnt follow proper procedures, he told TechNewsWorld. Theyre trying to paint him as a villain and criminal, Stiennon said. One of the ways to do that is to demonstrate that were so open to internal criticism, all he had to do is come to us and we would have listened to him. We know thats ridiculous because the NSA isnt prepared to change. Denying Facts The NSAs stance on the single letter reflects its position on the larger issue of surveillance, maintained Shahid Buttar, director of grassroots advocacy for the Electronic Frontier Foundation. Snowden has claimed from the beginning that he shared word in official channels that there were oversight problems, he told TechNewsWorld. The agency denied he shared word and now there are documents showing he did. That reflects the narrative of the underlying abuses themselves, which the agency denied and said didnt exist, Buttar added. Its part of a continuing cycle of official denial of fact. Snowden isnt the only whistle-blower the government has targeted during the Obama years. Despite claiming to be the most transparent administration in history, the Obama administration has actually prosecuted more people under the Espionage Act an act frequently used to criminalize whistle-blowers than any other administration in history, said Evan Greer, campaign director of Fight for the Future. There is a general culture of suppressing dissent in these institutions. Whistle-blowers are needed because theres a lack of oversight and accountability particularly of intelligence agencies, he told TechNewsWorld. Although Congress is supposed to exercise oversight of those agencies, it hasnt done so to any significant degree. You have to follow the money, Greer said. If you look at the votes around legislation that affects our privacy and civil liberties over the last decade, the members of Congress who have consistently voted to expand mass government surveillance to undermine our Fourth Amendment rights have received disproportionately larger contributions from [firms in] the defense industry, which by and large profit from this mass surveillance system. 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. Two groups of Russian hackers burrowed into the Democratic National Committees servers and spent months stealing information on Donald Trump, the Republican Partys presumptive presidential nominee, Crowdstrike reported Tuesday. The DNC had called on the security firm for assistance after in-house IT discovered evidence suggesting a breach. Crowdstrike identified two sophisticated adversaries on the network, noted CTO Dmitri Alperovitch, dubbed Cozy Bear and Fancy Bear. They are some of the best adversaries out of all the numerous nation-state, criminal and hacktivist/terrorist groups we encounter on a daily basis, he said. Their tradecraft is superb, operational security second to none, and the extensive usage of living-off-the-land techniques enables them to easily bypass many security solutions they encounter. The hackers used advanced methods consistent with nation-state level capabilities, including repeatedly re-entering the network to change out their implants, modifying persistent methods, moving to new C&C channels, and performing other tasks to avoid detection, according to Alperovitch. Both groups engage in extensive political and economic espionage for the benefit of the government of the Russian Federation and are believed to be closely linked to the Russian governments powerful and highly capable intelligence services, he said. Bears on Board Cozy Bear, aka CozyDuke and APT 29, last year infiltrated the unclassified networks of the White House, the State Department and the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the U.S., and has targeted a variety of business and government organizations, as well as academia, throughout the world, Alperovitch said.It uses a broadly targeted spearphishing campaign that delivers various sophisticated remote access tools, or RATs, to target machines. Fancy Bear, aka Sofacy and APT 28, has been active since the mid-2000s. It has launched targeted intrusion campaigns against the aerospace, defense, energy, government and media sectors around the globe particularly military sites that closely mirror the Russian governments strategic interests. It may be affiliated with Russian military intelligence, Alperovitch suggested. Fancy Bear registers domains closely resembling domains of target organizations, and establishes phishing sites on those domains that have the look and feel of its victims Web-based email services, he noted. Foreign state-backed operatives continue to refine techniques used in obtaining information, said Brad Bussie, director of product management at Stealthbits Technologies. The user is the weak point, and as long as users are able to put themselves at risk, breaches will continue to happen, he told TechNewsWorld. Cozy Bears intrusion goes back to the summer of 2015 and Fancy Bears to April of this year, Crowdstrikes Alperovitch said. Theres no indication the two colluded both compromised the same systems and engaged separately in the theft of identical credentials. No financial, donor or personal information was accessed, the DNC said, but it acknowledged the intruders were able to read all email and chat traffic. As for the hackers purported target, the DNC cant really have anything on Trump that isnt already somewhere on the Internet, remarked John Gunn, VP of communications at Vasco Data Security. Its hard to imagine that the hack would reveal anything more intriguing than what Trumps already saying almost daily, he told TechNewsWorld. Questionable Security? Neither the DNCs network nor their security is likely to be state of the art, [and] there are a lot of skilled hackers around the world, Lastline blogger Craig Kensek told TechNewsWorld. Still, the DNC cant be the only target, suggested Bobby Kuzma, systems engineer at Core Security. If I were running these operations, I absolutely would have targeted all the major parties, he told TechNewsWorld. Id be shocked if the GOP werent targeted and, given the attackers resources, compromised as well. The hackers reportedly have been expelled from the DNC network. Cybersecurity is not enough, argued Yong-Gon Chon, CEO of Cyber Risk Management. Companies should adopt a cyber risk strategy that assesses everything a company does that might impinge security, he told TechNewsWorld, including how it operates, who touches the data, and which third-party vendors are allowed access. Yahoo last week published the text of three National Security Letters it received from the FBI in 2013. The letters demand the names, addresses, length of service, and electronic communications transactional records existing transaction and activity logs and all email header information of the targets. However, they do not ask for any content either the subject lines or bodies of emails. Yahoo sent the FBI the name, address and length of service for each of the accounts identified in two of the NSLs, but it did not provide any information in response to the third, as the referenced account did not exist in its system, according to company spokesperson Charles Stewart. It published the NSLs after the FBI rescinded the nondisclosure requirements imposed in accordance with the USA Freedom Act of 2015. Were the first company to disclose [the NSLs] as a result of the reforms of the USA Freedom Act, Stewart told the E-Commerce Times. The rescinding of the nondisclosure provisions, and Yahoos subsequent publication of the letters is a good win for transparency and keeping users informed of whats going on around them. The Threat of NSLs Each of the NSLs certifies that the FBI sought the information to protect national security, or to carry out criminal, counterterrorism or counterintelligence investigations, among other things. The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in 2013 ruled that the nondisclosure provisions the FBI employed were in violation of the First Amendment and the separation of powers. It enjoined the government from issuing NSLs under Section 2709 of the United States Code or from enforcing the nondisclosure provisions. The Obama administration has appealed the ruling. The FBI applies the same criteria and procedures to review existing nondisclosure requirements that it uses to assess whether a nondisclosure obligation should be imposed in the first place. When those criteria are no longer met, it terminates the requirement. Still, no government branch should be able to circumvent the safeguards of the Constitution and unilaterally acquire information without due process of law, maintained Yasha Heidari of the Heidari Power Law Group. History has shown us that the biggest threat to a citizens freedom is that citizens own government, Heidari told the E-Commerce Times. The NSLs are simply one of the many recent strikes against the Constitution that have recently come to light. NSLs demonstrate just how pervasive government scrutiny is in the area of Internet services, noted Mike Jude, program manager at Stratecast/Frost & Sullivan. They fuel the flames of privacy concerns, he told the E-Commerce Times. Data accessed through NSLs raises concerns, as the governments ability to securely and properly use the data has often not been adequate, noted Rob Enderle, principal analyst at the Enderle Group. In some if not all cases, this may create a bigger problem than the one the governments attempting to address, he told the E-Commerce Times. NSL Issues Disclosed The USA Freedom Act is essentially the governments attempt at public relations, Heidari observed, and the FBIs allowing the publication of the NSLs is inconsequential. How much Yahoo achieved by publishing the NSLs is open to question, as they disclosed nothing of import. Like the government, Yahoo gets some positive PR, Heidari suggested. It can make the publication seem like a large victory for consumers that it championed. The publication is good cover for Yahoo, Jude said, because it helps them demonstrate theyre being compelled to disclose some information. The risk for Yahoo is the letters being leaked and outside their control, Enderle suggested. This way, they can announce and position the event and perhaps better control the underlying perception, he reasoned. Its brilliant of Yahoo to publish, and gives them the moral high ground on the privacy issue, Jude said, noting that other companies might follow Yahoos lead. If that happens, we might be able to look at these [letters] as data points, Yahoos Stewart remarked. Theres no reason for other companies not to publish their NSLs, said Heidari, and get on the PR bandwagon. 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Hezbollah Works with Drug Cartels | Main | Former Undersecretary of State Thomas Pickering Testified in Favor of Iran Deal While Taking Money From Boeing June 22, 2016 Bias by Editing: A Devilish Washington Post-Associated Press Detail In journalism schoolsthose in which accuracy and context are still prizedit would have been an introductory example of bias by editing. In an Associated Press dispatch-turned Washington Post news brief it was a textbook case of minimizing Palestinian Arab violence against Israelis. The Posts June 20, 2016 print edition included a news briefs from AP headed West Bank: $18 million approved for settlement funding.? The seventh and last paragraph as printed says: In the past nine months, Palestinians have carried out several [emphasis added] attacks, which have killed 32 Israelis and two Americans. About 200 Palestinians have been killed in that time, most identified by Israel as attackers.? Online, the first sentence of that paragraph, from APs June 19 report, still readas of June 22dozens [emphasis added] of attacks." In fact, there had been nearly 300 assaults, according to a June 7 Israeli Foreign Ministry article and graphic, Wave of Terror 2015/16.? It was possible that The Posts online AP item and its own in-print version were based on different AP reports, and the change to several? from dozens? of attacks was made by the wire service. But the printed brief in the newspapers World Digest of five short items reads like a version of the online report edited for space, but with APs dozens? of attacks unwarrantedly replaced by, and minimized as several.? Time and space constraints often compel journalists to use a type of shorthand. But in this case, for the wire service to report dozens? of attacks and The Post several? reads less like economy in reporting and editing than revisionism downplaying Palestinian aggression. That was especially so since the actual figure of anti-Israeli, anti-Jewish attacks was hundreds,? with 38 killed and 487 wounded. CAMERA asked The Posts foreign desk on June 20 why APs dozens? of attacks became several? in the newspaper and whether or not it thought a correction or clarification was in order. Two days later, no response had been received. As weve noted, journalists have only their credibility to sell. Turning literally hundreds to virtually "dozens" to barely "several" obscures a nine-month wave of Palestinian terrorism and undercuts press credibility. Posted by ER at June 22, 2016 12:36 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 (Reuters / Aaron P. Bernstein)Presidential candidate Donald Trump in Terre Haute, Indiana during one of his campaign events on May 15, 2016. Donald Trump has won a standing ovation from hundreds of skeptical Christian conservatives in New York City as he pushed the right buttons for many of them, but he has still left significant evangelicals rejecting him. In his comments June 22, the presumptive Republican Party presidential nominee said he would end a decades-old ban on tax-exempt groups that included churches, politicking, called religious liberty "the No. 1 question," and he pledged to appoint antiabortion Supreme Court judges. "I think maybe that will be my greatest contribution to Christianity - and other religions - is to allow you, when you talk religious liberty, to go and speak openly, and if you like somebody or want somebody to represent you, you should have the right to do it," Trump said. A ban was put in place by President Lyndon Johnson on tax-exempt groups making explicit political endorsements and Trump said religious leaders in America today, "are petrified," The Washington Post reported Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee spoke from the stage and said the reception for Trump was warm Dobson and he thanked him for spending time with the group. James Dobson. Richard Land. Ralph Reed, Ronnie Floyd, who just ended his term as president of the Southern Baptist Convention and Jerry Falwell Jr. were there to wave the Christian Right flag, The Atlantic reported. The Atlantic noted, however, "Only three women made the cut on the list of 25 names: Paula White, the pastor at New Destiny Christian Center in Florida; Michele Bachmann, the former congresswoman; and Gloria Copeland, who's listed with her husband as the founder of Kenneth Copeland Ministries." Many of those Chrisitans might have been hoping that Senator Ted Cruz, was the man on the stage, but he fell short in challenging Trump and they had to settle for a man who has Chrsitian credential they do not necessarily embrace.. Marjorie Danenfelser of Susan B. Anthony List, a group working to oppose abortion said, "I believe that he came across very well as a messenger for everybody in the room, not just as a beneficiary of evangelical votes but as a fellow traveler. "That's not necessarily an easy distance for him to have traveled because people didn't see him like that before." She said, "He made no missteps. There were no explosions." But that was not how all conservative evangelicals viewed the meeting. "Trump's meeting with evangelical leaders marks the end of the Christian Right," opined The Christian Post in an op-ed piece on June 21. Michael Farris, chancellor of Patrick Henry College a Christian Right leader was at the very first meeting of the Moral Majority held in Indianapolis in February of 1980. He explained that he was told by the meeting organizer he had not been invited for being too vocal in his criticism of the presumptive Republican Party candidate for the U.S. presidential election. "While I don't question the motives of those who are trekking to the Tower, I strongly dissent from the wisdom of their chosen path," Fariss wrote. "This meeting marks the end of the Christian Right. "The premise of the meeting in 1980 was that only candidates that reflected a biblical worldview and good character would gain our support." Farris said, "Today, a candidate whose worldview is greed and whose god is his appetites (Philippians 3) is being tacitly endorsed by this throng. "They are saying we are Republicans no matter what the candidate believes and no matter how vile and unrepentant his character. They are not a phalanx of God's prophets confronting a wicked leader, this is a parade of elephants." Religion News Service cited seven Christian leaders who have made less-than-enthusiastic statements about "the businessman-turned-reality TV star-turned candidate." They were: Russell Moore, president of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics & R, teligious Liberty Commission; Denny Burk, a professor of biblical studies at Boyce College; author Max Lucado; Thabiti Anyabwile, the pastor of Anacostia River Church and council member of The Gospel Coalition; Erick Erickson, the conservative blogger behind The Resurgent; Robbie George, a Catholic who is McCormick Professor of Jurisprudence at Princeton University and Alan Noble, editor of the website Christ and Pop Culture. The AEUs report Getting Results: Gonski funding in Australian Schools profiles 24 schools which are using the increased resources from Gonski to change students lives.Ive visited many of these schools during our Gonski campaign and have seen first-hand what Gonski is doing to break down the barriers that many children face with their learning.You know Gonski funding is working when you see children finally receiving the speech therapy they need to participate in class, or reading a book by themselves for the first time, or getting the mentoring and tutoring they need to complete Year 12 and become the first in their family to go to university.Thats why this election is critical for the future of our schools.On July 2, voters face a stark choice between investing in our schools, and Malcolm Turnbull s cuts to Gonski funding and disadvantaged schools.Cutting Gonski would be a huge blow for the thousands of students who are still waiting for the help they need at school, and the teachers who are working hard with limited resources.It will be a disappointment for the schools which have already used their Gonski funding to lift results through smaller classes, more one-to-one support, extra literacy and numeracy programs and more professional development.Throughout our campaign we have sought support from all political parties for Gonski because we believe something so important should be above politics.But sadly that has not been the case.Unlike the last election, when we had a so-called unity ticket on Gonski, this time the Coalition is not even pretending it will deliver the funding our schools need.Malcolm Turnbull has decided to turn his back on Gonski funding after 2017 and move away from any attempt to address the chronic underfunding of disadvantaged schools.This would deprive schools of two-thirds of the extra resources they need to give all their students a quality education.Schools will get $3.8bn less in 2018 and 2019 than they would under Labor or the Greens, who have both committed to honouring the Gonski agreements in full.Malcolm Turnbull says he will work out an alternative funding system but there is no certainty about how the funding will be distributed, with no guarantees that it will be done on the basis of need.In fact, the Coalitions Budget Papers clearly show a drop in funding to public schools in Tasmania and the Northern Territory after 2017 something that should never happen under a true needs-based system.I have seen the evidence of the difference Gonski funding can make when it gives skilled and passionate educators the resources they need to turn around the lives of our children.You wont find many public educators who think that governments are throwing money at schools, or that extra funding wont make a difference.And the public agrees with them.Polling conducted for the AEU last week in three key marginal seats in NSW shows that there is high support for Gonski, and high awareness of Malcolm Turnbulls plan to stop it.It found that 61.6% of voters support Gonski, compared to just 17.4% who oppose it, and that a clear majority of 63.4% of voters prefer investment in schools to Malcolm Turnbulls cuts to company tax.Australians clearly recognise that the best way to improve our economy in the long-term is by educating all our students to reach their potential.Worse still for Mr Turnbull, was the fact that 51% of voters said they were very aware of his plans to cut Gonski.There is no doubt Gonski will be one of the key issues at this election and the AEU will continue to campaign for it up to July 2 and beyond if necessary, both with TV and print Ads and our grassroots campaign in key marginal seats.We have made this commitment because we cannot afford to lose the progress which Gonski funding has already made towards changing the lives of our children.We want a society where all kids who need help at school can get it, regardless of where they live or which school they attend.It is not acceptable for us to have a situation where one in seven students is at risk of leaving school without adequate literacy skillsMalcolm Turnbulls cuts to Gonski will hurt our kids, and we cant let that happen without a fight because giving every child a well-resourced school is vital for Australias future both for the fairness of our society and its economic future. A torrent of investment funding has flowed into the educational technology market over the past few years, offering lifeblood to startups and support for maturing companies as they attempt to grow. But the frenzy of activity has also led analysts and companies to wonder: When will the good times end? Recent data on the market dont offer definitive answers. But analysts and investors see signs that the market, both globally and in the United States, is evolving, and at least on some fronts, coolingwith investors becoming more selective. The flow of private funding into the ed-tech sector has an impact that extends well beyond investors returns. The companies that secure funding obtain resources that can prove critical to having their products taken up in the competitive, and heavily regulated, school market. In the global space, there are signs that the tide of investment is slowing. Funding to ed-tech companies worldwide has fallen dramatically over the last quarter from last year, according to a recent analysis by CB Insights, a market-research company. But investors and analysts say that the forces driving that slowdown are complex and may reflect changes in some areas of ed-tech investment, but not in others. Pace of Ed-Tech Dealmaking Slows The number of deals and amount of money being invested in the global ed market may have peaked, according to one analysis. Source: CB Insights The conditions for ed-tech investment in the United States, specifically, remain strong, a number of observers say, because of government policies and market forces that continue to feed schools appetites for ed-tech tools and platforms, despite continued questions among K-12 leaders about how to judge the quality of those products. The apparent global slowdown in educational technology likely reflects overall choppiness in the world economy and technology markets, said Trace Urdan, a managing director who analyzes education for Credit Suisse, an investment bank. And while investment on some frontsfrom the global ed-tech market to later-stage growth in companieshas declined, strong interest still exists in putting money into nascent, U.S.-based digital providers, said Jennifer Carolan, the co-founder of Reach Capital, an investment firm. There are a lot more companies getting started, Carolan said. Its a sign of a healthy ecosystem to have so much innovation at the early stages. CB Insights recently reported that funding to global ed-tech companies fell dramatically in the first quarter of 2016 and is on track for the lowest amount of annual funding since 2013. Overall, the amount of global ed-tech startup activity peaked in 2015, with yearly funding jumping by 64 percent to $3.1 billion and the number of deals climbing by 10 percent, to 491, CB Insights found. Selective Investors But so far in 2016, the amount of activity is far off last years pace, the analysis found. If current trends continue, just 376 deals will take place, worth $1.3 billion, a drop in funding dollars of 57 percent from 2015. Much of the activity in 2015 was fueled by big, $100 million-plus deals, CB Insights says, and those have dried up this year. A lot of activity, however, is still taking place in smaller, early-stage investment in educational technology globally and in the United States, said Matthew Wong, a research analyst at CB Insights. Data from CB Insights show that the portion of ed-tech deals focused on seed, or early-stage funding, has grown from 45 percent in 2011 to 58 percent so far in 2016. Wong also pointed what he saw as throngs of startups seeking money, who greatly outnumbered venture capital investors, at the ASU/GSV Summit, a major annual gathering of investors and companies, held most recently in April in San Diego. Over the coming year, some pullback of investment in ed tech is likely to occur from the peaks of the past two years, said Frank Bonsal III, the director of entrepreneurship at Towson University in Maryland, who has made extensive investments in education companies. But the slowing down of that activity has benefits, he argued. Speculative investors are often frustrated by the slow pace of growth in the ed-tech sector compared with other industries, he said. But theres an upside to school officials and investors becoming more discerning about the quality of ed-tech products. Ed tech has evolved to a better place compared with a few years ago, when the market was flooded with speculative investments, Bonsal said. There is more interest in technological solutions than everas long as they are real and they are solving problems. The ed-tech market has been so flush for such a long time, its only logical to assume it will slow down at some point, said John Richards, the president of Consulting Services for Education, which advises companies and other organizations. But overall demand for ed tech shows no signs of abating, Richards argued. Districts are investing heavily in ed-tech infrastructure, and they continue to shift away from print to digital materials. (In addition, the Federal Communications Commission approved billions of dollars recently in new spending on improving schools and libraries Internet connectivity through the E-rate program. Reliable connectivity is essential for many K-12 digital tools and platforms to function.) Government policies, such as the recent passage of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act, also will encourage ed-tech experimentation, Richards predicted. Too many of the ed-tech products that get funded by investors end up disappointing educators, said Carolan of Reach Capital. But she sees startup companies becoming more attuned to the specific needs of teachers and administrators than was the case a few years ago. Teachers respond to products when they believe technology is not being done to them but designed with their needs in mind, Carolan said. The most successful companies in our portfolio are the ones that educators love. To build the largest and most complete Amateur Radio community site on the Internet - a "portal" that hams think of as the first place to go for information, to exchange ideas, and be part of whats happening with ham radio on the Internet. eHam.net provides recognition and enjoyment to the people who use, contribute, and build the site. This project involves a management team of volunteers who each take a topic of interest and manage it with passion. The site will stand above all other ham radio sites by employing the latest technology and professional design/programming standards, developed by a team of community programmers who contribute their skills to the effort. The site will be something of which everyone involved can be proud to say they were a part. We welcome your comments. The eHam.net Team, Revision 07/2020. Chief engineer Ilya de Marotta completes a massive expansion of the Panama Canal A famous palindrome coined in 1948 reads A man, a plan, a canalPanama. Update that witticism to 2016 and it no longer reads the same way backwards and forwards. On the Panama Canal, the plans are now drawn up by a woman who wears a trademark pink hard-hat and is about to complete one of the worlds biggest infrastructure operations. Ilya Espino de Marotta is the Panama Canal Authoritys executive vice president for engineering and programs management. She was appointed in 2012 to oversee the biggest upgrade to the canal since it opened in 1914. De Marotta had to overcome criticism from those who questioned her abilities in a male-dominated profession. But she got the job done and the massive new locks on either end of the 48-mile waterway will be inaugurated on 26 June. Some men questioned my appointment, but I can handle it, says de Marotta. I wear the pink hard-hat to make a statement that a woman can do this job. The USD 5.2 billion expansion of the canal includes the construction of the locks, widening and deepening the old canal, and digging a new 6.3 km navigation channel to accommodate todays biggest ships, which can carry 14,000 containers at once. The upgrade is vital not only for Panama, but also for world tradewhich is why the European Investment Bank kicked in a USD 500 million loan to help finance it. 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 Astronaut brings Manx stamps back to earth Astronaut Tim Peake has returned to earth bringing with him some special Isle of Man Stamps. The British Astronaut Major returned from space on Saturday morning after spending six months on board the International Space Station. Whilst up there he signed seven stamp covers which were specially produced by the Isle of Man Post Office and the Royal Aeronautical Society. Stamps and Coins general manager Maxine Cannon says now the collection is back five of them will be loaned for display in aviation and science museums around the world: Media Maxine Cannon Younited Italia, Nicola Manzari e il nuovo Coo, Luca Faccini e Head of Growth e Domenico Petraroli e General Counsel As age increases, older adults can develop problems taking their medications. But until now, few studies have examined the traits that might cause elders to need help with their medications, or how widespread a problem this might be. In a study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, researchers investigated this issue using data from the 10-year Duke EPESE study. They examined data from 4,106 African American and white older adults living in five counties in North Carolina. The researchers asked the participants the question, "Are you able to take your medicine without help (in the right doses at the right time)?" The participants' health conditions included: poor vision, poor hearing, or having been diagnosed with stroke, diabetes, hypertension (also known as high blood pressure), heart attack, or cancer (except skin cancer). The researchers also tested the participants' mental abilities and reviewed their medication containers to learn how many prescription and over-the-counter medications they took. At the beginning of the study, 7.1 percent of participants needed help taking their medications. Three years later, 11 percent needed help who did not need help at the beginning of the study. Predictors of a new need for medication help were similar to those seen at the beginning of the study: Being 75-years-old or older Being male Having memory problems Having problems performing activities of daily living The researchers reported that people aged 80 and older were 1.5 to 3 times as likely to need help with their medications than were people aged 65 to 69. Men were 1.5 to 2 times as likely as women to need help. The odds of needing help were 3 to 5 times greater among people with memory challenges. "Health conditions may worsen or not improve if older adults skip or don't take their medications properly," said Brenda D. Jamerson, PharmD, Center on Biobehavioral Health Disparities Research at Duke University. "Serious side effects may also occur from taking medications at the wrong time or in the wrong dose. Some older adults can put themselves at risk for experiencing problems if they don't receive the assistance they may need," added Dr. Jamerson. The researchers noted their study helped identify which characteristics make it more likely that an older adult will need help taking his or her medication. ### This summary is from "A New Method of Identifying Characteristics of Needing Help to Take Medications in an Older Representative Community-Resident Population: The Older Adults Medication Assist Scale". It appears online ahead of print in the June 2016 issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. The study authors are: Brenda D. Jamerson, PharmD; Gerda G. Fillenbaum, PhD; Richard Sloane, MPH; and Miriam C. Morey, PhD. 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. You might believe that older adults who deal with extensive chronic illnesses or serious diseases would be more likely to be frail and to have a poorer quality of life than healthier older adults. That may be true for some elders--but not for all. Researchers writing in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society suggest that an undefined coping mechanism of some sort may play a role in how well older adults are able to live despite having burdensome illnesses. The researchers examined three groups of participants enrolled in the Cardiovascular Health Study, a large research project that examined adults 65-years-old and older from four cities around the country. Researchers assigned people to one of three groups, based on the extent of their disease and their level of vigor or frailty: 1. The expected agers (3,528 people) had higher disease but also higher frailty levels. They spent 47 percent of the remainder of their lives able and healthy. 2. The adapters (882 people) had higher disease levels as well as relatively high vigor (being active and mobile) levels. They spent 55 percent of the reminder of their lives able and healthy. 3. The prematurely frail (885 people) had lower disease levels but higher frailty levels. They spent 37 percent of their remaining lives able and healthy. The researchers said "adapter" older adults who were more vigorous than expected, based on their disease burden, lived longer lives when compared to those who were more frail than expected based on their disease burden. These "adapters" could have unique characteristics, perhaps some undefined coping mechanism, that should be studied further, suggested the researchers. ### This summary is from "Effects of Disease Burden and Functional Adaptation on Morbidity and Mortality." It appears online ahead of print in the June 2016 issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. The study authors are Jason L. Sanders, MD, PhD; Alice M. Arnold, PhD; Calvin H. Hirsch, MD; Stephen M. Thielke, MD; Dae Kim, MD, ScD; Kenneth J. Mukamal, MD, MPH; Jorge R. Kizer, MD, MSc; Joachim H. Ix, MD, MAS; Robert C. Kaplan, PhD; Stephen B. Kritchevsky, PhD; and Anne B. Newman, MD, MPH. 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. DALLAS, June 22, 2016 -- Mobile devices, social media, visual media and crowdsourcing have the potential to improve emergency care for cardiac arrests, heart attacks and strokes, according to a new scientific statement from the American Heart Association. The new statement, published in the American Heart Association journal Circulation, reviewed scientific studies to evaluate current knowledge on the effectiveness digital strategies at improving emergency cardiac and stroke care. "When seconds count, early recognition of the symptoms of cardiac arrest, heart attack or stroke and quick action can make a huge difference in whether someone lives or dies or has serious complications afterwards," said Raina Merchant, M.D., M.S.H.P., director of the Social Media Lab at the Penn Medicine Center for Health Care Innovation in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and co-author of the new scientific statement. "Digital platforms can support existing efforts to educate people about what to do in an emergency. Learning what to do - including how to perform CPR and recognizing the symptoms of stroke - is something many people can do that can save lives." Some studies on digital strategies have shown positive results, such as a Swedish study that used a mobile phone application to alert volunteers within 500 meters of a cardiac arrest victim to respond and start CPR. It found that 62 percent of the volunteers with the app started CPR, while only 48 percent of bystanders without the app started CPR. A Japanese study found that when emergency department personnel sent pictures of 12-lead ECGs via their smartphone to interventional cardiologists for interpretation, the smartphone method shaved 1.5 minutes off the time clinicians needed to diagnose a patient, compared to sending the images via fax. Smartphone apps to view brain images for stroke and Face Time videoconferencing apps to assess stroke patients by a remote neurologist may also be feasible. However, the statement authors emphasize that, while the potential for applying these tools to improve care is compelling, they require evidence of their effectiveness. While no research to date has shown negative results of using digital tools for emergency cardiac or stroke care, the authors raise the issue of unintended consequences to patients due to inaccurate information being provided via digital tools, which could lead to medical errors and higher costs, and the risk of disclosing patients' health information in violation of federal privacy law. "As many of these interventions are new and emerging, it is an optimal time to conduct rigorous evaluations just as are done for traditional medical therapies and interventions," Merchant said. Some unanswered questions that should be the focus of future studies include: Can mobile devices be converted into defibrillators? Can video sharing platforms help real-time bystander CPR and automated external defibrillator (AED) coaching? Can emergency personnel use cell phones to pinpoint the best hospital for treatment based on the patient, traffic, hospital readiness and average treatment times? ### Statement co-authors are John Rumsfeld, M.D., Ph.D.; Steven Brooks, M.D., M.H.Sc.; Tom Aufderheide, M.D.; Marion Leary, M.P.H, M.S.N., R.N.; Steven Bradley, M.D., M.P.H.; Chileshe Nkonde-Price, M.D., M.S., M.R.C.P.; Lee Schwamm, M.D.; Marielle Jessup, M.D. and Jose Maria Ferrer, M.D. Author disclosures are on the manuscript. Additional Resources: Heart and brain images are located in the right column of this release link http://newsroom.heart.org/news/digital-strategies-show-promise-for-emergency-heart-and-stroke-care?preview=e438a95a31c1228f3448fc6b69e1ee59 The American Heart Association/American Stroke Association receives funding mostly from individuals. Foundations and corporations donate as well, and fund specific programs and events. Strict policies are enforced to prevent these relationships from influencing the association's science content. Financial information for the American Heart Association, including a list of contributions from pharmaceutical companies and device manufacturers, is available at http://www.heart.org/corporatefunding. HOUSTON - (June 22, 2016) - Negative feedback is a universal control mechanism that lets a system's output throttle its input. If an engine revs up, negative feedback tapers its power source. But if the engine slows down, it re-opens the power source, keeping output reliably steady. This is an example of a negative feedback that can be found in many systems. In biology, for example, genes under negative regulatory feedback increase (or decrease) their expression in response to falling (or rising) concentrations of the gene product. Remarkably, for such a well-known control system, a new report that unites mathematics with gene regulation experiments demonstrates a new role for negative feedback: it acts as a shock absorber to buffer the damage of mutations. As a result, genes under negative self-regulatory feedback are freer to mutate, possibly feeding into a wellspring for evolution. The work appears in Physical Review Letters, a premier physics journal. "This study pins down a process by which some mutations may foster an organism's long term adaptation while putting its immediate fitness at less risk. It is gratifying to see how math and biology come together to suggest a new mechanism relevant for evolution," says Cullen Chair and Professor Olivier Lichtarge, in whose laboratory the work was done, in collaboration with Associate Professor Christophe Herman, both colleagues in molecular and human genetics at Baylor College of Medicine, in Houston. The study lead authors, Drs. David Marciano and Rhonald Lua, also at Baylor, followed up on their previous and unexpected observation of mutational tolerance in the bacterial LexA gene (Cell Reports, 2014). Here, Lua first built a set of equations that predicted the behavior of a negative regulatory feedback loop and Marciano then compared its predictions to experimental results as each of its components was successively altered. As modeled, they found that mutational tolerance and feedback sensitivity are largely coupled. A gene circuit that strongly responds to perturbations maintains the function of a mutated protein product better than a less responsive gene circuit. This was verified over several biological gene circuits in E. coli, at one point engineering one that maintained function despite normally overwhelmingly disabling gene mutations. "This is of particular importance," noted Marciano, "because mutations deliver the heritable variation upon which natural selection acts. This suggests the ability of gene networks to reshape the mutational landscape of a protein could significantly influence the course of evolution." The new role of negative feedback loops can also be applied to the field of cancer biology. There are many proteins involved in cancer, such as p53, whose expression is regulated by negative feedback loops. "Defects in negative feedback mechanisms can enhance signals that promote tumorigenesis," said Marciano. "Disruption of p53's negative feedback loops results in cancer cells becoming extremely sensitive to radiation. Multiple clinical trials are underway to target p53 or its feedback loop." ### This research was supported by the National Institutes of Health (GM066099, GM079656 and R01GM088653), the National Science Foundation (DBI-1356569), DARPA (N66001-15-C-4042), and the Cytometry and Cell Sorting Core at Baylor College of Medicine with funding from the NIH (P30 AI036211, P30 CA125123, and S10 RR024574). Researchers from the University of Oxford have revealed that the genetic ancestries of many of sub-Saharan Africa's populations are the result of historical DNA mixing events, known as admixture, within the last 4,000 years. Their study, to be published in the journal eLife, uncovers signatures of these admixture events through a large analysis of DNA from populations across the continent. The discovery provides a foundation for the recent genetic history of the continent, which could aid future studies of non-communicable and infectious diseases, such as malaria. While admixture has been demonstrated in other regions of the world, the new analysis has allowed the team to characterise sub-Saharan Africa's mixing events in an unprecedented level of detail. "As Africa has few written records of its history, it is somewhat unknown what important movements of people generated the populations in the continent today," says lead author George Busby, Statistical Geneticist at the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics. "Looking at and comparing the differences in the genomes of people alive today can help us better understand and reconstruct the historical interactions that brought their ancestors together." The team used DNA analysis to characterise the structure of genetic diversity and gene flow - the transfer of genes between different populations - in a collection of 48 sub-Saharan African groups. The data used for these analyses were drawn from several sources, including a subset of samples collected for a malaria susceptibility study, MalariaGEN Consortial Project 1. By applying recently published approaches designed to identify blocks of similar DNA within and between populations, they discovered that most sub-Saharan populations share ancestry with groups from outside their current geographic region as a result of gene flow within the last 4,000 years. The approaches used by the team were particularly tuned to picking up signals of admixture from within this timescale. "Our research provides further genetic evidence that the spread of Bantu languages and agricultural technology from Central West Africa, known as the Bantu expansion, was likely to be accompanied by people who moved from Cameroon to the south and east within the last 2,500 years. Additionally, we revealed that coastal populations in western, eastern, and southern Africa experienced small influxes of Eurasian genes as a result of different events over the last 3,000 years," Busby explains. "These findings show that groups from similar parts of Africa experienced admixture events at similar times and involving similar sources, suggesting that genetic variation in these areas of the continent has been shaped by shared historical events. It is also clear that our ancestors have always moved about and traces of these migrations are left in the DNA of people alive today." Busby adds that this research will be relevant to future epidemiology studies, which aim to uncover novel relationships between genes, the environment, and disease. "An important next step will be to look at the consequences of our observed gene flow and ask if it has contributed to spreading beneficial or detrimental mutations around the continent," he says. Professor Dominic Kwiatkowski, from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute and the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, adds: "Africa has an exciting and important role to play in furthering our understanding of human biology and disease. "Ongoing efforts to generate and analyse large-scale genomic data are yielding new insights into patterns of genetic diversity on the continent. This sheds light not only on the historical movements of its people, but also has the potential to transform how we make sense of genetic differences that effect the development and progression of various diseases, including malaria." ### Reference The paper 'Admixture into and within sub-Saharan Africa' can be freely accessed online at http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.15266. Contents, including text, figures, and data, are free to reuse under a CC BY 4.0 license. First author George Busby has also written a related blog post, 'Understanding historical population movements and the study of malaria': https://www.malariagen.net/blog/understanding-historical-population-movements-and-study-malaria Media contacts Emily Packer, eLife e.packer@elifesciences.org 01223 855373 Tom Calver, University of Oxford thomas.calver@admin.ox.ac.uk 01865 270046 About eLife eLife is a unique collaboration between the funders and practitioners of research to improve the way important research is selected, presented, and shared. eLife publishes outstanding works across the life sciences and biomedicine -- from basic biological research to applied, translational, and clinical studies. All papers are selected by active scientists in the research community. Decisions and responses are agreed by the reviewers and consolidated by the Reviewing Editor into a single, clear set of instructions for authors, removing the need for laborious cycles of revision and allowing authors to publish their findings quickly. eLife is supported by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Max Planck Society, and the Wellcome Trust. Learn more at elifesciences.org. Despite decades of ridicule for the focus of their work, two researchers behind the study of the sex life of the screwworm fly will be saluted at a September award ceremony Edward F. Knipling and Raymond C. Bushland will be posthumously honored later this year for their study of the "sex life of the screwworm fly." The U.S. Department of Agriculture-funded work led to a novel pest control technique and the eradication of the screwworm fly in North and Central America, saving ranchers in the South and consumers billions of dollars over the past 50-plus years. The Golden Goose Award honors scientists whose federally funded work may have been considered silly, odd, or obscure when first conducted but has resulted in significant benefits to society. Knipling and Bushland are being cited for research that led to the "sterile insect technique," in which lab-raised and sterilized male insects are used to overwhelm and eventually eradicate native pest populations. The technique has been heralded as "the only truly original innovation in insect control in [the 20th] century," and continues to inform ongoing fights against other agricultural pests and insects carrying infectious pathogens, including the tsetse fly and the Aedes aegypti mosquito -- the primary culprit in transmission of the Zika virus. "Screwworm research may sound like a joke, but it isn't. It saved the livestock industry billions and is giving us a way to fight Zika," said Rep. Jim Cooper (D-TN), who first proposed the Golden Goose Award. "We should trust our scientists more than our politicians when it comes to research priorities." The two entomological researchers will be honored along with two other teams at the fifth annual Golden Goose Award Ceremony at the Library of Congress on Sept. 22. Descriptions of past winners can be found at the Golden Goose Award website. "Sometimes offbeat, quirky-sounding science is the best science, paving the way for discoveries years down the road which can revolutionize medicine, physics, biology, technology and how we view the world," said Rep. Randy Hultgren (R-IL), a supporter of the Golden Goose Award since its inception in 2012. "Given the recent rise of infectious diseases like the Zika virus, developing eradication programs for carrier pests is a much-needed field of scientific research. Even though 'worms' might make some members of Congress -- as well as the public -- a little squeamish or skeptical of the research we invest in, these studies by Drs. Edward F. Knipling and Raymond C. Bushland have clearly paid off. I applaud them for their groundbreaking work." Though most Americans today are not familiar with the screwworm fly, prior to the 1960s, ranchers in the southern U.S. were locked in a constant struggle against the deadly insect. Female screwworms lay their eggs in the wounds of cattle, livestock, and even humans. The eggs hatch into maggots that feed on wounded flesh. The maggots can kill a full size cow in less than two weeks. The pests cost ranchers hundreds of millions of dollars each year in lost livestock and pest management prior to Knipling and Bushland's innovative "sterile insect technique." Working at field stations in Texas and Florida in the early 1930s-1950s, Knipling, Bushland, and their colleagues did much of their research on a shoestring budget and in the face of ridicule. When they shared their idea to use sterilized males to overwhelm wild screwworm flies and cause the population to collapse through natural mating behavior, their approach was met with skepticism from peers who said "you just can't castrate enough flies." Inspired by the work of Nobel Laureate geneticist Hermann J. Muller, the two demonstrated that they could inflict mass sterilization of insects through irradiation -- a feat widely lauded as one of the most important developments in pest control and one of the first peaceful uses of nuclear radiation. In 1953, after an unexpected request from a Dutch official on the island of Curacao, the researchers completed the first, full-scale field test of the technique on the island. After just three months, not a single sterile egg could be found on the island. The much maligned technique worked even better than predicted. The USDA, with support from state governments and local communities, launched a larger scale effort to eradicate the screwworm fly throughout the southern U.S. By 1982, the screwworm fly had been eradicated across the United States. Since then, the USDA has partnered with countries throughout Central America to wipe out the flies to Panama, where today it maintains a border zone to prevent reinfestation from South America. The eradication effort has cumulatively saved U.S. meat and dairy suppliers billions of dollars over the past 50-plus years, thanks to a modest investment of $250,000 in basic research on screwworm flies. Knipling and Bushland's work predated the late Sen. William Proxmire's "Golden Fleece Award," which was intended to highlight the wasteful excesses of federal spending, but frequently targeted federally funded research. Nevertheless, the "sex life of the screwworm fly" has long been a favorite target of Members of Congress eager to denounce "Washington waste." "As the only Ph.D. physicist in Congress, I applaud Drs. Knipling and Bushland for their creative and groundbreaking government-funded research. Their research saved the U.S. livestock industry billions of dollars over the last fifty years, and it inspired Nebula Award winning science fiction. Their research is used today for controlling Zika-carrying mosquitos, and it continues serve as an inspiration for cutting-edge research on gene drives," said Rep. Bill Foster (D-IL), Golden Goose Award supporter and former high-energy particle physicist. Knipling and Bushland were honored with the 1992 World Food Prize for their groundbreaking work--just one of many accolades the two have received in recognition of their contributions to pest control and the eradication of screwworm fly in North and Central America. The work has given U.S. consumers an estimated 5 percent reduction in the price of supermarket beef. In the developing world, the pest control technique is a crucial component of food security and public health. The international screwworm eradication program is now cited as a text-book example of basic science producing enormous returns. ### About the Golden Goose Award: In 2012, a coalition of business, university, and scientific organizations created the Golden Goose Award, conceived by Rep. Jim Cooper (D-TN) as a strong counterpoint to the citations of basic research as wasteful federal spending by the likes of Sen. William Proxmire (D-WI) and his Golden Fleece Award. Learn more at http://www.goldengooseaward.org/history/. Golden Goose Award Founding Organizations: American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Association of American Universities (AAU) Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) Breakthrough Institute Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) Richard Lounsbery Foundation The Science Coalition (TSC) Task Force on American Innovation United for Medical Research Golden Goose Award Congressional Supporters: Representative Jim Cooper Representative Suzanne Bonamici Senator Christopher Coons Representative Charlie Dent Representative Bob Dold Representative Donna F. Edwards Representative Bill Foster Representative Randy Hultgren Golden Goose Award 2016 Sponsors Benefactor: Elsevier Partner: United for Medical Research Contributors: American Geophysical Union American Mathematical Society American Physical Society Association of American Medical Colleges Battelle SAGE Publishing Supporters: American Astronomical Society American Educational Research Association American Physiological Society American Psychological Association American Society for Microbiology American Sociological Association Association for Psychological Science Biophysical Society Consortium of Social Science Associations Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology Texas Instruments ATLANTA--The transmission of Taenia solium, a pork tapeworm species that infects humans and causes late-onset seizures and epilepsy, can be stopped on a population-wide level with mass treatments of both pigs and humans, researchers have shown. Researchers from several institutions, including Georgia State University, contributed to the study and published their findings in The New England Journal of Medicine. Humans can become infected after eating contaminated pork or through fecal-oral exposure. This study was aimed at eliminating Taenia solium from the villages of Tumbes Province in Peru, a highly endemic region for the disease. Researchers screened and treated pigs and humans in the first two phases of the program. In the final phase, mass treatment was given to 81,170 people in 107 villages, and 55,638 pigs received treatment and vaccination. Mass treatment included chemotherapy with niclosamide in humans and with oxfendazole in pigs, in combination with pig vaccination. The researchers found only three of 342 pigs had live, nondegenerated cysts, but no infected pigs were found in 105 of 107 villages. The researchers showed the transmission of Taenia solium infection can be interrupted on a regional scale in a highly endemic region. The researchers say they expect this effect will only be temporary if it is not bolstered by additional activities. ### Read the study at http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1515520#t=abstract. Women workers often rely on future spouses to organize their retirement finances, rather than making independent decisions now. Men and women working for private Japanese companies make decisions about their retirement savings plans differently based on their gender. Satoshi P. Watanabe, Ph.D., of Hiroshima University completed new research on an insurance company's survey results from 2002. Although the survey is somewhat dated, the data is still relevant because employee demographics have not changed significantly in the intervening 14 years. This is the first study to examine Japanese workers' gender-based decision making about retirement investments. Even when women and men had the same comprehension of their retirement savings plan options, women were more likely than men to accept employers' automatic enrollment plans rather than to choose different options that would be better investments for their circumstances. Previous research in the US and Japan identified a thought process common among women: regardless of my current relationship status, a man will eventually take care of my future or my retirement will just somehow work itself out. Women believe that somehow, Prince Charming will arrange for their financial security in their Golden Years. Men and women usually report that the ability to self-manage their investments is a positive attribute of retirement account portfolios. However, fewer women consider the responsibility that comes with self-management a positive attribute. The survey data reveal more women than men seem to be unwilling to manage their own investments. The decision to not make decisions is a problem that compounds the disadvantages that women already face when building their retirements savings: women are paid less than men and often work fewer years, due to taking time out of the workforce for child-rearing. Additionally, women usually have longer retirements because they have longer average life expectancies than men. Changes in 2001 to the Japanese national pension scheme gave individuals more retirement fund options, equivalent to 401k or IRA (individual retirement account) options in the United States. These changes might actually be detrimental to workers, particularly women. The overall understanding of their retirement savings plan options is low for both men and women. Employer-provided retirement information seminars are often voluntary events that occur after work hours, when women are more likely than men to be busy with family commitments. Women workers may be best served if employers provide retirement planning seminars during official work hours and if the national government created retirement plans that suited the investing behaviors of modern workers. As the workforce becomes more dynamic with fewer permanent and more flexible contracts, individuals need retirement savings plans that do not rely on staying with one employer long-term. However, if workers are unwilling to independently manage their retirement accounts, then these self-management options may actually be detrimental to future generations of retirees. ### Find more Hiroshima University research news on our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/HiroshimaUniversityResearch Original Research Article: "Prince Charming Syndrome?" Gender Gap in Preferences for Defined Contribution Pensions in Japan (forthcoming), Journal of Women & Aging, 30(2), 2018. JACKSON, Mississippi -- A federal judge has declined to block a Mississippi gay marriage law in one challenge filed against it. But it's still possible he will block the law after considering three other lawsuits. U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves said two gay men who plan to marry each other within the next three years can't prove they would face immediate harm if House Bill 1523 becomes law July 1. The American Civil Liberties Union, representing Nykolas Alford and Stephen Thomas, both of Meridian, filed papers Tuesday asking Reeves to reconsider his Monday decision. The law will allow clerks to cite religious objections to recuse themselves from issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. It says those who recuse themselves must find another employee to issue the license, but legislators did not say what would happen if all employees in a particular clerk's office decline to help same-sex couples. State attorneys say the law is a reasonable accommodation to protect religious beliefs, but opponents say it sanctions discrimination. Mississippi was one of several states that considered laws after the U.S. Supreme Court legalized gay marriage nationwide nearly a year ago. The Mississippi law will provide protection for people with three religious beliefs: that marriage is only between a man and a woman, that sexual relations should only take place inside such a marriage and that a person's "immutable biological sex" is determined by anatomy and genetics at birth. In addition to marriage licenses, it could affect adoptions, business practices and school bathroom policies. Reeves heard arguments Monday over a request by Campaign for Southern Equality to challenge the law by reopening its 2014 lawsuit that helped overturn Mississippi's ban on same-sex marriage. He is scheduled to hear arguments Thursday and Friday in two other lawsuits. The Mississippi Center for Justice filed one of the suits June 3 for a diverse group of gay and straight plaintiffs. It says the law violates the separation of church and state by favoring "certain narrow religious beliefs that condemn same-sex couples who get married, condemn unmarried people who have sexual relations and condemn transgender people." The other suit was filed June 10 by Campaign for Southern Equality and an Episcopal priest, the Rev. Susan Hrostowski. It says House Bill 1523 "rather than respect that all men (and women) are created equal, declares that certain people -- only those who hold particular state-defined religious beliefs -- should have special rights and privileges. Even worse, it allows them to exercise those special rights and privileges in derogation of the fundamental equality and dignity of a politically unpopular minority group." June 22, 2016, Baltimore, MD, Insilico Medicine Inc, a big data analytics company located at the Emerging Technology Centers at the Johns Hopkins University at Eastern, announced an agreement with Asia Genomics, a Singapore-based rapidly growing molecular diagnostics company specializing in clinical genomics & genetic testing operating in major Asian countries including Vietnam, Malaysia and China. "Asia Genomics is driven to transform healthcare in Asia through the power of genomics. The company is aggregating the most cutting-edge solutions in personalized healthcare from all over the world and establishing research partnerships in areas, where practical applications can be rapidly translated into clinical practice. We are very happy to collaborate with Insilico Medicine, one of the leaders in applying artificial intelligence to drug discovery and aging research. Ultimately, we bring the power of molecular biology technologies like genomics to Asia, enabling our partners and customers to better understand their health and longevity along with possible ways for intervention" said Dr Wong Mun Yew, Founder and CEO of Asia Genomics. In the scope of the agreement, the companies will develop an advanced personalized longevity suite to identify individual aging related markers based on age-annotated genomic and transcriptomic data of individuals. In addition to aging biomarkers analysis, parties intend to develop artificially-intelligent age predicting algorithm implemented as an ensemble of multiple Deep Neural Networks (DNNs) trained and tested on Asian blood biochemistry samples. "Asia Genomics is one of the leading molecular diagnostics and genomics company in Asia with state of the art equipment and highly qualified staff educated in top international universities. This company represents growing power of molecular biology technologies in Asia and is set to become the next Asian biotechnology unicorn. We are honoured to be selected as one of the providers of high-technology solutions for personalized longevity research," said Alex Zhavoronkov, CEO of Insilico Medicine. Inc. Asia Genomics is developing a program for longevity science in Singapore with strategic expansion plans to different countries in Asia. It uses the genomic, transcriptomic, biochemistry and anonymized healthcare data to develop personalized health and longevity plans to maximize life potential. ### About Asia Genomics Asia Genomics is a leading molecular diagnostics company driven to transform healthcare through the power of molecular biology technologies, including genomics in Asia. Formed by a team with diverse expertise, Asia Genomics focuses on implementing world-class genomic technologies with global accredited diagnostic laboratories to connect healthcare professionals with forefront, reliable and affordable genetic tests previously unavailable in Asia. Asia Genomic advocates and educates physicians and patients through an outlined journey of genomics testing, integrates revolutionary scientific approach with medical and technology partners to help transform the future of healthcare in Asia. http://asia-genomics.com/ About Insilico Medicine Insilico Medicine, Inc. is a bioinformatics company located at the Emerging Technology Centers at the Johns Hopkins University Eastern campus in Baltimore with R&D resources in Belgium, Russia and Poland hiring talent through hackathons and competitions. It utilizes advances in genomics, big data analysis and deep learning for in silico drug discovery and drug repurposing for aging and age-related diseases. The company pursues internal drug discovery programs in cancer, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, sarcopenia and geroprotector discovery. Through its Pharma.AI division the company provides advanced machine learning services to biotechnology, pharmaceutical and skin care companies. Brief company video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l62jlwgL3v8 A 3D dome theater movie visualizing superstring theory, supervised by Kavli IPMU Principal Investigator Hirosi Ooguri, has received the Best Educational Production Award, it was announced at the International Planetarium Society (IPS) Fulldome Festival Brno 2016 in the Czech Republic on June 17. "The Man from the 9 Dimensions" was produced by the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation (Miraikan), and opened to the general public in April this year. The story follows a group of scientists in pursuit of T.o.E - a man believed to hold the key to solving the mysteries of the physical world. As they chase T.o.E., he takes the scientists and the audience on a journey through space and time. Ooguri reacted to the announcement by saying, "I am delighted to learn that our movie is selected to receive the Best Educational Production Award from 66 films submitted by leading science museums, planetariums, and movie production companies around the world. It is a wonderful recognition of our effort to communicate science both accurately and attractively. It also shows that science outreach activities in Japan are at the international level. I thank Director Takashi Shimizu and other visual creators, and staff members at the Miraikan. I hope that this movie will convey excitements of science to young people and contribute to enhancement of science literacy of general public." The Festival was held from June 15 to 17, and attracted 66 dome shows from 15 countries including Australia, Brazil, France, Japan, and the United States. On the final day, three prizes were given out: the Audience Award, the Brno Observatory and Planetarium Director's Award, and the Best Education Production Award sponsored by the IPR-Eugenides Foundation. The Best Education Production Award given to "The Man from the 9 Dimensions" was the only prize chosen by an international jury. The judges commended the show for its fresh insight and ability to spark curiosity on a complex subject regarding the deepest questions about us, and the universe. An Award Ceremony will be held on June 23 at the IPS Annual Conference in Warsaw, Poland. "The Man from the 9 Dimensions does a truly wonderful job of depicting the 9-dimensional world that exists in the minds of theoretical physicists. Japan carries out high quality science communication, but not many videos have been produced that display this sort of high quality content that the general public can enjoy. It is a delight to hear that a movie supervised by Professor Hirosi Ooguri has been recognized internationally, and I hope it has a positive effect on science communication both in Japan and throughout the world," said Hiromi Yokoyama, Associate Professor at the School of Science, and Deputy Director of the Division for Strategic Public Relations, Strategic Public Relations Planning Office at The University of Tokyo. ### Lehigh University professor leads students in 'salvage archaeology' dig on Scottish island of South Uist to preserve, record history of 800-1000 A.D. Viking occupation before erosion washes evidence away Detectives and archaeologists both piece together events by analyzing the evidence that is left behind. "They even use the same tools," says Cameron Wesson, Lucy G. Moses Distinguished Professor in the Department of Sociology & Anthropology at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. "Forensic science is archaeology applied to recent sites," he adds. Wesson and Niall Sharples, professor of archaeology at Cardiff University in Wales in the United Kingdom, are taking a team of students--including 12 from Lehigh--on a four-week archaeological expedition this summer in South Uist. The island is part of the Outer Hebrides--also known as the West Isles--just off the west coast of Scotland. Among the team's goals will be to piece together what happened when the Vikings arrived on the island more than 1,300 years ago. An archaeological anthropologist, Wesson's primary research interests center on European colonization of the indigenous peoples of Eastern North America with a focus on sites in Alabama and Georgia. The South Uist dig represents the first phase of a three- to five-year collaboration with Sharples to search for commonalities between the Viking occupation and the European colonization in parts of the American South. He is interested in what the data may reveal about common patterns of colonization--regardless of the time period or geography. There is a particular urgency to excavating South Uist, says Wesson. "Climate change has caused bigger and more violent storms. The rising sea level is accelerating soil erosion causing human remains to erode onto the shore. Artifacts that have been left untouched for more than a thousand years will soon be lost. Our team will be conducting 'salvage archaeology'--trying to excavate, preserve and record what's there before it's completely destroyed." Wesson and Sharples gained permission to explore the region from the National Trust for Scotland, Scotland's largest conservation charity, which is seeking to rate the importance, or value, of particular sites. The duo will present a summary of their findings to the Scottish government next year. Support from a Lehigh Mellon Digital Humanities Initiative grant will enable the group to share their findings with the wider community. Wesson and the students will take photographs, record 3-D images and upload real-time data from their excavations. One student will record footage for a documentary film about the expedition. The team has set up a website to distribute information. The students will host a live chat every evening during the dig to answer questions about the fieldwork and the nature of the project. The website can be accessed at http://www.lehigharchaeology.net. Common origins of colonization Much of Wesson's work is focused on the nature of social, political, economic and environmental impacts of colonization. "The motivation for colonization is often the same," says Wesson. "Back home the colonizers are running out of resources, usually land. Migration to other locales was often a consequence of primogeniture--the right of succession belonging to the firstborn child--a major source of inequality and poverty throughout history." Primogeniture was a likely motivation for the Norse seafarers--popularly known as "the Vikings"--who "raided and traded" from their Scandinavian homelands across wide areas of northern and central Europe. It would likely have been the Norwegians who landed in South Uist around 800 A.D. "If you were a second or third son you were not able to acquire land in your own community," says Wesson. "Pillaging your neighbor was not OK, but you were free to find land elsewhere." The indigenous people the Norse encountered in South Uist were Gaelic fisher folk. Today, the island of about 1,700 inhabitants (according to the 2011 census) is among the last remaining strongholds of the Gaelic language in Scotland. The Vikings as neighbors Though a group of archaeologists surveyed the Hebrides Islands in the late 1990s, South Uist remains largely unexplored. The Lehigh-Cardiff team will look for evidence of habitation such as stone used for house foundations, pottery, cooking utensils, storage vessels, fishing gear, fish hooks, iron nails, and fittings and riggings from ships. Wesson expects that in addition to human remains, the group will also find sheep bones as the inhabitants of the Hebrides have been sheep farmers for more than 1,000 years. Using shovels, trowels and hand picks "we will dig until we find sterile sub-soils that don't show signs of human presence," says Wesson. According to Wesson, it's possible to uncover 300 to 400 years of occupation in three or four feet of soil. The artifacts will be cleaned, studied and chemically analyzed, ultimately providing clues as to how the arrival of the Vikings changed the story--of the region, the indigenous people and the Vikings themselves. "We want to answer the question 'What's it like to have the Vikings as your neighbors?'" says Wesson. "What happens when they move in or when it's time for their sons and daughters to be married off?" Conquerors or immigrants? Views of colonialism fall into one of two general categories, says Wesson. "There is the idea that colonialism inherently involves violence, bloodthirsty conquerors and the cutting off of heads. Another theory says the process has often been more benign--there was land available and the inhabitants welcomed newcomers." Cultural hybridization is the term anthropologists use to describe the phenomenon of cultures blending over time. The result, as Wesson puts it, is that "both groups become something different than they were before." A particular culture might also change through cultural imposition, the tendency of a group to impose its values and patterns of behavior onto others. In this model the indigenous population is threatened by the invading group. "You either convert to our ways or you're going to get pushed out," says Wesson. "Immigration has always been fraught," he adds. "For some, welcoming foreigners invites troubling questions: 'Will we lose our identities?' 'Will they change to be more like us? Or will they change us?' Others welcome the diversity and vibrancy that immigrant cultures bring." So, did the Vikings conquer the Gaels, or did the Gaels "tame" them? "In the history of migration, few populations have moved to a new place and, by the second or third generation, remained unaffected," says Wesson. Previous evidence has shown that the local people of the Hebrides "Christianized" the Norse seafarers into giving up their "raiding and trading" ways. ### Wesson and his team invite the public to tune in to their website this summer for daily updates on the team's findings--which they hope will offer clues as to who changed whom. Using genetic markers, researchers have for the first time shown how cultivating a specific crop led to the expansion of a pollinator species. In this case, the researchers found that the spread of a bee species in pre-Columbian Central and North America was tied to the spread of squash agriculture. "We wanted to understand what happens when the range of a bee expands," says Margarita Lopez-Uribe, a postdoctoral researcher at North Carolina State University and lead author of a paper describing the work. "What does that mean for its genetic variability? And if the genetic variability declines, does that harm the viability of the species?" To explore these questions, researchers looked at the squash bee (Peponapis pruinosa), which is indigenous to what is now central Mexico and the southwestern United States. Squash bees are specialists, collecting pollen solely from the flowers of plants in the genus Cucurbita, such as squash, zucchini and pumpkins. Before contact with Europeans, native American peoples had begun cultivating Cucurbita crops. Over time, these agricultural practices spread to the north and east. "We wanted to know whether P. pruinosa spread along with those crops," Lopez-Uribe says. To find out, researchers looked at DNA from squash bee individuals, collected from throughout the species' range. P. pruinosa can now be found from southern Mexico to California and Idaho in the west, and from Georgia in the southeast to Quebec in the north. By assessing genetic markers in each bee's DNA, the researchers could identify genetic signatures associated with when and where the species expanded. For example, the researchers found that P. pruinosa first moved from central Mexico into what is now the Midwestern United States approximately 5,000 years ago, before expanding to the East Coast some time later. The researchers also found that genetic diversity decreased depending how "new" the species was to a given territory. For example, genetic diversity of squash bees in Mexico was greater than the diversity in the Midwest; and diversity in the Midwest was greater than that of populations on the East Coast. Given the declining genetic variability, researchers expected to see adverse effects in the "newer" populations of P. pruinosa. They didn't. "We were specifically expecting to see an increased rate of sterile males in populations with less genetic variability, and we didn't find that," Lopez-Uribe says. "But we did find genetic 'bottlenecks' in all of the populations - even in Mexico. "Because P. pruinosa makes its nests in the ground near squash plants, we think modern farming practices - such as mechanically tilling the soil - is causing the species to die out in local areas," Lopez-Uribe says. "And we think that is causing these more recent genetic bottlenecks. "I'm hoping to work on this question in the near future, because it's important to helping understand the relevant bee's population dynamics in modern agricultural systems, as well as what it may mean for Cucurbita crops," Lopez-Uribe says. ### The paper, "Crop domestication facilitated rapid geographical expansion of a specialist pollinator, the squash bee Peponapis pruinosa," will be published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B at 00:01 BST on June 22. The paper was co-authored by James Cane of USDA-ARD in Logan, Utah; Robert Minckley of the University of Rochester; and Bryan N. Danforth of Cornell University. The paper was done with support from the National Science Foundation under grants DEB-0814544 and DEB-0742998. Some 3.9 billion years ago in the heart of a distant galaxy, the intense tidal pull of a monster black hole shredded a star that passed too close. When X-rays produced in this event first reached Earth on March 28, 2011, they were detected by NASA's Swift satellite, which notified astronomers around the world. Within days, scientists concluded that the outburst, now known as Swift J1644+57, represented both the tidal disruption of a star and the sudden flare-up of a previously inactive black hole. Now astronomers using archival observations from Swift, the European Space Agency's (ESA) XMM-Newton observatory and the Japan-led Suzaku satellite have identified the reflections of X-ray flares erupting during the event. Led by Erin Kara, a postdoctoral researcher at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and the University of Maryland, College Park (UMCP), the team has used these light echoes, or reverberations, to map the flow of gas near a newly awakened black hole for the first time. "While we don't yet understand what causes X-ray flares near the black hole, we know that when one occurs we can detect its echo a couple of minutes later, once the light has reached and illuminated parts of the flow," Kara explained. "This technique, called X-ray reverberation mapping, has been previously used to explore stable disks around black holes, but this is the first time we've applied it to a newly formed disk produced by a tidal disruption." Stellar debris falling toward a black hole collects into a rotating structure called an accretion disk. There the gas is compressed and heated to millions of degrees before it eventually spills over the black hole's event horizon, the point beyond which nothing can escape and astronomers cannot observe. The Swift J1644+57 accretion disk was thicker, more turbulent and more chaotic than stable disks, which have had time to settle down into an orderly routine. The researchers present the findings in a paper published online in the journal Nature on Wed., June 22. One surprise from the study is that high-energy X-rays arise from the inner part of the disk. Astronomers had thought most of this emission originated from a narrow jet of particles accelerated to near the speed of light. In blazars, the most luminous galaxy class powered by supermassive black holes, jets produce most of the highest-energy emission. "We do see a jet from Swift J1644, but the X-rays are coming from a compact region near the black hole at the base of a steep funnel of inflowing gas we're looking down into," said co-author Lixin Dai, a postdoctoral researcher at UMCP. "The gas producing the echoes is itself flowing outward along the surface of the funnel at speeds up to half the speed of light." X-rays originating near the black hole excite iron ions in the whirling gas, causing them to fluoresce with a distinctive high-energy glow called iron K-line emission. As an X-ray flare brightens and fades, the gas follows in turn after a brief delay depending on its distance from the source. "Direct light from the flare has different properties than its echo, and we can detect reverberations by monitoring how the brightness changes across different X-ray energies," said co-author Jon Miller, a professor of astronomy at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Swift J1644+57 is one of only three tidal disruptions that have produced high-energy X-rays, and to date it remains the only event caught at the peak of this emission. These star shredding episodes briefly activate black holes astronomers wouldn't otherwise know about. For every black hole now actively accreting gas and producing light, astronomers think nine others are dormant and dark. These quiescent black holes were active when the universe was younger, and they played an important role in how galaxies evolved. Tidal disruptions therefore offer a glimpse of the silent majority of supersized black holes. "If we only look at active black holes, we might be getting a strongly biased sample," said team member Chris Reynolds, a professor of astronomy at UMCP. "It could be that these black holes all fit within some narrow range of spins and masses. So it's important to study the entire population to make sure we're not biased." The researchers estimate the mass of the Swift J1644+57 black hole at about a million times that of the sun but did not measure its spin. With future improvements in understanding and modeling accretion flows, the team thinks it may be possible to do so. ESA's XMM-Newton satellite was launched in December 1999 from Kourou, French Guiana. 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. Suzaku operated from July 2005 to August 2015 and was developed at the Japanese Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, which is part of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, in collaboration with NASA and other Japanese and U.S. institutions. NASA's Swift satellite was launched in November 2004 and is managed by Goddard. It is operated in collaboration with Pennsylvania State University in University Park, the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, and Orbital Sciences Corp. in Dulles, Virginia, with international collaborators in the U.K., Italy, Germany and Japan. ### Nonmedical use of opioids (such as Vicodin, Percoset, and OxyContin) has become a major public health concern due to increases in treatment admissions, overdoses, and deaths. Data collected from high school seniors between 2009 and 2013 showed that 8.3% self-reported past-year nonmedical opioid use. Data have also shown a link from nonprescription opioid abuse to increased risk for heroin initiation and addiction, now widely considered one of the biggest public health challenges facing the U.S. In a new study published in the American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse by researchers at New York University's Center for Drug Use and HIV Research (CDUHR), lead researcher Joseph J. Palamar, PhD, MPH and his team sought to describe differences in self-reporting of nonmedical opioid use among high school seniors, who were asked about both general nonmedical opioid use and also specifically about nonmedical Vicodin and OxyContin use. The data was drawn from the Monitoring the Future (MTF) survey, a nationwide ongoing annual study of the behaviors, attitudes, and values of American secondary school students. The MTF survey is administered in approximately 130 public and private schools throughout 48 states in the US. Roughly 15,000 high school seniors are assessed annually. The results were not always clear-cut. "If someone checks off that they haven't used opioids you'd expect them to check off 'no' to nonmedical use of Vicodin and OxyContin later in the survey, but this wasn't always the case," said Dr. Palamar, who is also an assistant professor of Population Health at the NYU Langone Medical Center (NYULMC). "A lot of these teens reported that they've never used opioids in a nonmedical manner, but later on they report nonmedical Vicodin and/or OxyContin use." The survey defines opioids as painkillers such as Vicodin and OxyContin for those taking the survey, but Dr. Palamar explains that "it is likely that a lot of teens either don't read the definition of opioid or simply don't pay attention." In order to determine the prevalence and correlates of discordant self-reports of nonmedical use of opioids, the researchers' analyses utilized the responses collected from 31,149 high school seniors (12th graders) between 2009 and 2013. The students were first asked how many times they had taken narcotics other than heroin without a doctor's instruction in the past year. Later in the survey students were asked the same question twice more, once with regard to Vicodin and a second time for OxyContin. In total, 8.3% (2,585) said they had engaged in nonmedical opioid use, 7.6% (2,365) had engaged in nonmedical Vicodin use and 4.4% (1,381) reported nonmedical use of OxyContin. However, 37.1% of those reporting nonmedical Vicodin use and 28.2% of those reporting nonmedical OxyContin use did not report overall nonmedical opioid use earlier on. "When combining responses, we found the 8.3% figure to be an underestimate" said Dr. Palamar. "When factoring in the discordant responses, we believe that 11.1% would more accurately represent prevalence of past-year nonmedical opioid use among the high school seniors." The results underscore that medical and law enforcement communities may be underestimating opioid use and not just among younger populations. "Accurate data on the prevalence of nonmedical opioid use is crucial to informing prevention and interventions, especially when considering that heroin initiation can be the next step in the addiction progression," said Dr. Palamar. "We need to do a better job of identifying the scope of the problem in order to correctly assign and deploy resources to combat the unprecedented rise in drug overdose deaths, which are now the leading cause of injury death in the U.S." Surveys administered via pencil and paper, such as MTF, provide a unique opportunity to examine underreporting, as there is no mechanism for preventing contradictory responses, note the researchers. Electronically administered surveys can employ such mechanisms, however, the study's researchers are more concerned with drug education than survey design. "Teens in the U.S. require a better drug education," said Dr. Palamar. "We recently found that teens have been underreporting ecstasy use because many don't know that Molly is ecstasy, and now we found that many teens aren't aware that Vicodin and OxyContin are categorized as opioids, narcotics, or painkillers." The researchers feel that better drug education with honest information may be key to preventing future drug epidemics. ### Researcher Affiliations:Joseph J. Palamara,b, Jenni A. Shearstona,c, and Charles M. Clelandb,d. A. Department of Population Health, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY, USA B. Center for Drug Use and HIV Research, New York University College of Nursing, New York, NY, USA C. College of Global Public Health, New York University, New York, NY, USA D. College of Nursing, New York University, New York, NY, USA Acknowledgements: The authors would like to thank the principal investigators of Monitoring the Future (PIs: Miech, Johnston, Bachman, O'Malley, and Schulenberg) at The University of Michigan, Institute for Social Research, Survey Research Center, and the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research for providing access to these data (http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/icpsrweb/landing.jsp). Funding: This work was supported by the National Institute of Drug Abuse at the National Institutes of Health (grant K01DA-038800 to JP, grant P30DA011041 to CC). Monitoring the Future data were collected through a research grant (R01DA-01411) from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. About CDUHR The mission of the Center for Drug Use and HIV Research (CDUHR) is to end the HIV and HCV epidemics in drug using populations and their communities by conducting transdisciplinary research and disseminating its findings to inform programmatic, policy, and grass roots initiatives at the local, state, national and global levels. CDUHR is a Core Center of Excellence funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (Grant #P30 DA011041). It is the first center for the socio-behavioral study of substance use and HIV in the United States and is located at the New York University College of Nursing. For more information, visit http://www.cduhr.org. About NYU Langone Medical Center NYU Langone Medical Center, a world-class, patient-centered, integrated academic medical center, is one of the nation's premier centers for excellence in clinical care, biomedical research, and medical education. Located in the heart of Manhattan, NYU Langone is composed of four hospitals--Tisch Hospital, its flagship acute care facility; Rusk Rehabilitation; the Hospital for Joint Diseases, the Medical Center's dedicated inpatient orthopaedic hospital; and Hassenfeld Children's Hospital, a comprehensive pediatric hospital supporting a full array of children's health services across the Medical Center--plus the NYU School of Medicine, which since 1841 has trained thousands of physicians and scientists who have helped to shape the course of medical history. The Medical Center's tri-fold mission to serve, teach, and discover is achieved 365 days a year through the seamless integration of a culture devoted to excellence in patient care, education, and research. For more information, go to http://www.NYULMC.org, and interact with us on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. About the NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing is a global leader in nursing education, research, and practice. It offers a Bachelor of Science with a major in Nursing, a Master of Science and Post-Master's Certificate Programs, a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree and a Doctor of Philosophy in nursing research and theory development. http://nursing.nyu.edu/ About the NYU College of Global Public Health At the College of Global Public Health (CGPH) at NYU, we are preparing the next generation of public health pioneers with the critical thinking skills, acumen and entrepreneurial approaches necessary to reinvent the public health paradigm. Devoted to employing a nontraditional, inter-disciplinary model, CGPH aims to improve health worldwide through a unique blend of global public health studies, research and practice. CGPH is located in the heart of New York City and extends to NYU's global network on six continents. Innovation is at the core of our ambitious approach, thinking and teaching. To learn more about CGPH, visit http://publichealth.nyu.edu/ Young bowhead whales may cease growing lengthwise and undergo severe bone loss to help grow their enormous head and baleen plates, according to a study published June 22, 2016 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by John George from North Slope Borough Department of Wildlife Management, Alaska, and colleagues. As filter feeders, bowhead whales depend on baleen, about 640 plates suspended from their upper jaws, to catch their tiny prey. But after weaning, bowhead calves have so little baleen that they can't eat enough to keep up with rapid growth. To resolve this issue, the head and baleen grow faster than the rest of the body, dwarfing it for a few years. To see if the whales redistribute resources from their bodies to the baleen to spur their growth, the authors of this study examined bowheads living along the Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort seas. The researchers took measurements of the whales to estimate their age, body size, and baleen area, as well as CT scans to determine the density of their rib bones. The authors' results confirmed that after weaning, bowhead bodies almost stop growing until the whales are about five years old, in contrast to baleen that continues to grow. The researchers found that the rib bones were extremely dense in one-year old bowheads, but lost up to 40% of their mass over the next few years, presumably to the new baleen plates that grow at such a clip in the young whales. While rare, strategic severe bone loss is not unprecedented in mammals, like some deer, elk and moose that deplete other bones to rapidly grow antlers. The authors suggest that this bone mass variation may complicate the study of life history strategy in bowheads and modern species, as well as the recognition of new species in the fossil record. Co-author Dr. Hans Thewissen notes: "This work shows that the ribs of whales can look very differently at different ages. I work a lot with fossils, we often only have one or two specimens for some species, and this reminds us that we need to take intraspecific variation very much into account for whales, they can change a lot over their lifetime." ### In your coverage please use this URL to provide access to the freely available paper: http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0156753 Citation: George JC, Stimmelmayr R, Suydam R, Usip S, Givens G, Sformo T, et al. (2016) Severe Bone Loss as Part of the Life History Strategy of Bowhead Whales. PLoS ONE 11(6): e0156753. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0156753 Funding: North Slope Borough funded collection of samples, maintenance of database, and analysis. NEOMED funded analysis of data. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Givens Statistical Solutions LLC provided support in the form of salaries for author GG but did not have any additional role in the study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. The specific role of this author is articulated in the 'author contributions' section. Competing Interests: The authors have the following interests: NEOMED funded the analysis of data for this study. Geof Givens is affiliated to Givens Statistical Solutions LLC. There are no patents, products in development or marketed products to declare. This does not alter the authors' adherence to all the PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials, as detailed online in the guide for authors. PRINCETON, N.J.--Pregnant women in Latin American countries were more likely to seek an abortion after receiving health alerts about Zika virus, according to a study co-authored by Princeton University researchers and published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The researchers analyzed data from Women on Web -- an online portal that pairs patients with doctors able to prescribe abortion pills -- and found that many Latin American women using the site reported Zika as their reason for seeking an abortion. Because abortions are illegal or highly restricted across much of Latin America, many pregnant women seek outside options like Women on Web, which serves women who are less than 10 weeks along in their pregnancy and have no severe illnesses. The researchers found a particular uptick in Women on Web abortion requests in countries that issued health advisories about Zika, but also legally restrict abortions. The mosquito-borne virus is associated with microcephaly, a congenital condition that causes babies to be born with abnormally small heads. The researchers defined an "advisory" as a formal warning from the government to avoid pregnancy, a declared state of national emergency or a caution about pregnancy risk from medical professionals. The findings highlight the need for Latin American women to have access to safe and legal reproductive options, especially as Zika continues to spread, the researchers said. "Zika will inevitably spread to other countries where safe abortion is restricted," said co-author James Trussell, the Charles and Marie Roberton Professor of Public and International Affairs, Emeritus, at Princeton's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs. "Therefore, we must ensure that all reproductive choices are safe, legal and accessible," Trussell said. "To do otherwise would be irresponsible public health practice and unjust policy." "A countrywide policy that is impossible to follow if you are pregnant or cannot avoid pregnancy is an unusual and important public issue," said lead author Abigail Aiken, a postdoctoral research associate at Princeton's Office of Population Research, which is based at the Woodrow Wilson School. As Zika began to emerge as an epidemic in Latin America, research and media attention quickly focused on the possible effects of Zika on reproduction. Yet, little attention was paid to how the virus would impact women specifically. In November 2015, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) issued an epidemiological alert highlighting the risks of Zika. As more governments and health organizations began to respond, the researchers -- which also included co-authors James Scott from the University of Texas at Austin, Rebecca Gomperts and Marc Worrell from Women on Web, and Catherine Aiken from the University of Cambridge -- became interested in investigating the effects these health alerts had on women. The researchers organized the data by self-reported country of origin and then divided the women into three groups. The researchers defined Latin America as South and Central America and America and the Caribbean. Group A comprised women who had received the advisory and were living in countries with Zika, but with legally restricted access to abortion. Group B was made up of women in countries where Zika cases hadn't yet been reported and no advisories were distributed but had legal restrictions on abortion in place. Group C contained women in countries with Zika outbreaks and legally restricted access to abortion, but with governments that had not issued public health alerts. Finally, the researchers studied a control group of countries where a rise in abortion requests was unexpected: Chile, Poland and Uruguay. This group allowed them to ensure that the requests were actually related to the Zika virus and not just a global rise in demand for Women on Web services. All women in Latin America were asked specifically if they were seeking an abortion because of the virus. "These groupings allowed us to examine the effects of government responses to Zika and requests for abortion as well as whether abortion requests occurred even in countries with no active transmission," Aiken said. "It's entirely possible, for example, that women in these countries might still have been worried about the possibility of Zika even though no active transmission had yet been confirmed." Using data from five years before the PAHO announcement, the researchers modeled trends for abortion requests for each country. They then used the model to forecast the expected number of requests after the PAHO announcement was issued. The researchers examined their data using a regression discontinuity design, a test used by scientists to produce clear before-and-after effects. In this case, the researchers could effectively examine requests for abortion before the PAHO alert was issued and afterward. An increase in abortion requests was pronounced for Group A. Among the eight countries in this group, all except Jamaica were associated with increases in requests for abortion. The highest figures were found in Brazil, where abortion requests were 108 percent higher than expected, and Ecuador, where they were 107 percent higher than expected. "Brazil was 'ground zero' for Zika in Latin America, which may explain the significant increase," Aiken said. "Cases of microcephaly had already been identified there at the time of this study, and so women had been concerned about the risks and had been exposed to a lot of media coverage." For Group B, only small increases in requests for abortion were found in Argentina and Peru. In Peru, officials had sparked concern about Zika by asking local governments to declare a state of emergency, the researchers said. No statistical increases were found for Group C. "We cannot definitely attribute the rapid acceleration in requests in the first group to worries about Zika, but many women reported Zika as their reason for seeking abortions, so there is definitely a strong correlation," Aiken said. "Our study provides a window on how Zika has affected the lives of pregnant women in Latin America." ### The paper, "Requests for Abortion in Latin America Related to Concern about Zika Virus Exposure," was first published online June 22 in the New England Journal of Medicine. Canada spends more than $400 million annually on drugs prescribed to seniors even though the medicines should be avoided for older patients, according to new UBC research. The study's authors conclude that the full cost to Canada's health-care system is closer to $2 billion when hospital visits and other repercussions of inappropriate prescriptions are factored in. "We're wasting vast sums of money on drugs that we know pose more risks than benefits for patients over 65 years of age," said Steve Morgan, a professor in the school of population and public health. "Canada urgently needs a national strategy to ensure that older patients receive only those medications that are appropriate for their health and for their age." Physiological changes associated with aging alter the effects of many drugs, making some medications potentially inappropriate for older adults. Using prescription claims data for 2013 in all provinces except Quebec, Morgan and colleagues looked for prescriptions filled by patients age 65 and older for medications listed as potentially inappropriate by the American Geriatrics Society. The list, known as the Beers List, is a well-established guide to help health care providers avoid medicines that pose greater risks than other available treatments for older patients. The researchers found that 37 per cent of older Canadians filled one or more prescriptions on the Beers List in 2013. Women were more likely than men to fill such prescriptions. Sedatives were the leading contributors to both the frequency and cost of potentially inappropriate prescriptions among older Canadians. Researchers advise that patients, families and health-care providers have more conversations about what sorts of medications an individual is taking and whether those medications are appropriate. "We hope these findings help destigmatize discussions on medication use and that health-care providers make time for these important conversations," said Morgan. "We need to ask more questions like: 'Am I (or is my mother or father) on the right kind of medicine?'" The researchers call for the creation of a national strategy on the appropriate use of medicines. Other countries, such as Australia, have done so and found that investing in better prescribing behaviour and medication use improves patient health while significantly reducing prescription drug costs and costs elsewhere in the health-care system. Morgan believes that costs associated with developing a Canadian strategy on the use of medicines - estimated to be between $40 to $60 million for Canada - would be more than offset by the reduced cost of inappropriate prescriptions for older adults alone. The study was published today in the Canadian Medical Association Journal Open. ### Quick facts: FINDINGS A UCLA-led study estimates that almost 28,500 deaths could be prevented each year in the U.S. through use of a new FDA-approved class of cardiovascular medication that helps reduce mortality in patients diagnosed with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction, the percentage of blood pumped from the heart with each contraction. BACKGROUND Previous studies have demonstrated that 'angiotensin receptor neprilysin inhibitor' (ARNI) therapy using a new class of medication (generic name: sacubitril and valsartan) reduces mortality in patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction. The therapy works by enhancing the body's protective hormonal systems while simultaneously inhibiting the overactive hormones that harm the heart. In this study, researchers wanted to quantify the number of deaths that could be prevented or postponed with ARNI therapy. Researchers conducted the study by analyzing published data of patients who were eligible for the therapy, estimates of the number of people in the U.S. diagnosed with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction, and the numbers needed to treat with the medication to avert death. IMPACT More than 2.7 million patients in the United States have been diagnosed with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction. Of these patients, 84 percent (almost 2.3 million) are potential candidates for ARNI therapy. This study showed that, if ARNI therapy were comprehensively applied to eligible patients, it could potentially prevent 28,484 deaths each year. "These findings support the timely implementation of ARNI therapy into routine clinical practice because this will have substantial impact on population health for patients with heart failure," said the study's lead author, Dr. Gregg Fonarow, the Eliot Corday Chair in Cardiovascular Medicine and Science, director of the Ahmanson-UCLA Cardiomyopathy Center and co-chief of the UCLA Division of Cardiology. ### AUTHORS In addition to Fonarow, authors included Dr. Adrian Hernandez of Duke; Dr. Scott Solomon of Brigham and Women's; and Dr. Clyde Yancy of Northwestern. JOURNAL JAMA Cardiology, published online June 22, 2016 FUNDING The authors report no external funding for this study. DISCLOSURE Fonarow has received research grants from the National Institutes of Health and consulting fees from Amgen, Janssen, Medtronic and Novartis. Hernandez received research support from Amgen, AstraZeneca, Merck and Novartis and honoraria from Amgen, Luitpold, Merck and Novartis. Solomon received research grants from Novartis to Brigham and Women's Hospital and consulting fees from Novartis, Amgen and Bayer. OCEAN SPRINGS, Mississippi -- A popular Ocean Springs bar and grill, a Moss Point seafood restaurant and a Pascagoula Mexican eatery were among five establishments coastwide cited for violations during recent inspections by the Mississippi Department of Health. Val's Bar & Grill on Porter Avenue in Ocean Springs received a grade of C during a June 17 inspection by Susan Checkley. Val's was cited for not maintaining proper cold holding temperatures and for having insects, rodents or animals present. Val's had received a grade of A in all previous inspections since opening in 2014. A grade of C means critical violations were found, but some or all were not corrected during the inspection. The facility is re-inspected in a 10-day span, and all violations must be corrected in that period. If violations are not corrected in the specified time, steps are taken to suspend the facility's permit to operate. A grade of C is also given if critical violations are repeated from the last inspection, even if they were corrected at that time. Also cited recently was Bayou Seafood on Main Street in Moss Point. During a June 16 inspection by William Buie, the seafood restaurant was cited for food not being in good condition, safe and unadulterated, and for not maintaining proper cold holding temperatures. Those issues were corrected for a follow-up inspection the next day and the restaurant's grade was upgraded to a B. This was the first time Bayou Seafood had received a C since opening in 2013. Los Monchies Locos on Chicot Street in Pascagoula was the third Jackson County eatery cited. During a June 17 permit inspection, Dawn Spatzer found that food was not in good condition, safe and unadulterated, and the restaurant was not maintaining proper cold holding temperatures. As with Bayou Seafood, both violations were corrected in time for a June 20 follow-up inspection. These were the first violations for Bayou Seafood since opening a year ago. Two other coast eateries were cited, including Bacchus On The Beach in Pass Christian, which was cited during a June 21 inspection by Chere Wortham for having insects, rodents or animals present. The issue was corrected by the following day and Bacchus was upgraded to a B. It was the restaurant's first time with a violation since opening in 2014. Domino's Pizza at 1671 Pass Road in Biloxi was also cited. During a June 17 inspection by LaTanya Winn, the pizza restaurant was found to have plumbing which was not installed with proper backflow devices, and did not have the last inspection permit posted in public view. This marked the first time this Domino's had been cited since opening in 2004. Professor Anja Groth and her research team at the University of Copenhagen are concerned with understanding the basic molecular mechanisms responsible for the development and maintenance of the more than 200 specific cell types in our body. Now, new groundbreaking results have made them take out a patent on their knowledge. - We have shown how a cellular DNA repair protein is directed to lesions in DNA via modifications on histone proteins that are bound tightly to DNA. Cancer cells divide rapidly and experience a high load of DNA damage - without efficient repair systems these cells will die. Accordingly, cancer cells are highly dependent upon DNA repair mechanisms and this new molecular mechanism we have found constitutes an attractive target for cancer therapy. Researchers design cancer inhibitors In collaboration with Dinshaw Patel, at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, the research group from BRIC has obtained a detailed crystal structure of the TONSL protein bound to the histone protein, which they show directs TONSL to DNA lesions. This structure tells researchers how the protein works and gives them the opportunity to design a molecule that can bind to TONSL and prevent it from locating the DNA damages. Such an inhibitor molecule may be used in the treatment of cancer because blocking of TONSL function could promote cancer cells to accumulate DNA damage and eventually die. The research team has now put together a team of experts in medicinal chemistry and rational drug design to develop small molecule inhibitors. PHD student Giulia Saredi has been in charge of the functional cell biological experiments. -When our cells divide, not only our DNA is copied but also so-called epigenetic information which is vital for the cells to maintain their identity and stay healthy. The epigenetic information is found in a structure called chromatin. We have discovered that the TONSL molecule recognizes a special chromatin signature which arises when the DNA is duplicated during cell division. TONSL is able to read this signature to boost the repair of damages in our DNA. The researcher's discovery provides a new foundation to understanding how chromatin - the structure that organizes DNA in the nucleus - directs DNA repair processes within our cells. As basic researchers they chase the understanding of how our cells function and this has now generated a unique possibility for designing inhibitors that may be useful in cancer treatment. - Basic research is our core competence and this discovery shows, once again, that society's investment in understanding basic biological processes is vital to open new avenues that can be explored for disease treatment. The possibility of exploiting our basic research findings for advancing cancer treatment in the future is an important driving force in our work, says Professor Anja Groth. ### The research of the Groth lab is financed by the European Research Council (ERC StG, no. 281765), The Danish National Research Foundations Centre for Epigenetics (DNRF82), The Danish Cancer Society, The Danish Council for Independent Research/Medical Sciences, Novo Nordisk Foundation, Lundbeck foundation and the European commisssion Marie Curie ITN ' aDDress'. Elementary particles are the fundamental buildings blocks of matter, and their properties are described by the Standard Model of particle physics. The discovery of the Higgs boson at the CERN in 2012 constitutes a further step towards the confirmation of the Standard Model. However, many aspects of this theory are still not understood because their complexity makes it hard to investigate them with classical computers. Quantum computers may provide a way to overcome this obstacle as they can simulate certain aspects of elementary particle physics in a well-controlled quantum system. Physicists from the University of Innsbruck and the Institute for Quantum Optics and Quantum Information (IQOQI) at the Austrian Academy of Sciences have now done exactly that: In an international first, Rainer Blatt's and Peter Zoller's research teams have simulated lattice gauge theories in a quantum computer. They describe their work in the journal Nature. Simulation of particle-antiparticle pairs using a quantum computer Gauge theories describe the interaction between elementary particles, such as quarks and gluons, and they are the basis for our understanding of fundamental processes. "Dynamical processes, for example, the collision of elementary particles or the spontaneous creation of particle-antiparticle pairs, are extremely difficult to investigate," explains Christine Muschik, theoretical physicist at the IQOQI. "However, scientists quickly reach a limit when processing numerical calculations on classical computers. For this reason, it has been proposed to simulate these processes by using a programmable quantum system." In recent years, many interesting concepts have been proposed, but until now it was impossible to realize them. "We have now developed a new concept that allows us to simulate the spontaneous creation of electron-positron pairs out of the vacuum by using a quantum computer," says Muschik. The quantum system consists of four electromagnetically trapped calcium ions that are controlled by laser pulses. "Each pair of ions represent a pair of a particle and an antiparticle," explains experimental physicist Esteban A. Martinez. "We use laser pulses to simulate the electromagnetic field in a vacuum. Then we are able to observe how particle pairs are created by quantum fluctuations from the energy of this field. By looking at the ion's fluorescence, we see whether particles and antiparticles were created. We are able to modify the parameters of the quantum system, which allows us to observe and study the dynamic process of pair creation." Combining different fields of physics With this experiment, the physicists in Innsbruck have built a bridge between two different fields in physics: They have used atomic physics experiments to study questions in high-energy physics. While hundreds of theoretical physicists work on the highly complex theories of the Standard Model and experiments are carried out at extremely expensive facilities, such as the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, quantum simulations may be carried out by small groups in tabletop experiments. "These two approaches complement one another perfectly," says theoretical physicist Peter Zoller. "We cannot replace the experiments that are done with particle colliders. However, by developing quantum simulators, we may be able to understand these experiments better one day." Experimental physicist Rainer Blatt adds: "Moreover, we can study new processes by using quantum simulation. For example, in our experiment we also investigated particle entanglement produced during pair creation, which is not possible in a particle collider." The physicists are convinced that future quantum simulators will potentially be able to solve important questions in high-energy physics that cannot be tackled by conventional methods. Foundation for a new research field It was only a few years ago that the idea to combine high-energy and atomic physics was proposed. With this work it has been implemented experimentally for the first time. "This approach is conceptually very different from previous quantum simulation experiments studying many-body physics or quantum chemistry. The simulation of elementary particle processes is theoretically very complex and, therefore, has to satisfy very specific requirements. For this reason it is difficult to develop a suitable protocol," underlines Zoller. The conditions for the experimental physicists were equally demanding: "This is one of the most complex experiments that has ever been carried out in a trapped-ion quantum computer," says Blatt. "We are still figuring out how these quantum simulations work and will only gradually be able to apply them to more challenging phenomena." The great theoretical as well as experimental expertise of the physicists in Innsbruck was crucial for the breakthrough. Both Blatt and Zoller emphasize that they have been doing research on quantum computers for many years now and have gained a lot of experience in their implementation. Innsbruck has become one of the leading centers for research in quantum physics; here, the theoretical and experimental branches work together at an extremely high level, which enables them to gain novel insights into fundamental phenomena. ### The scientists are financially supported by the University of Innsbruck, the Institute for Quantum Optics and Quantum Information (IQOQI) of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, the Austrian Science Fund (FWF), the Deutsche Akademie der Naturforscher Leopoldina, the European Union and the Federation of Austrian Industries Tyrol, among others. A book exploring exhaustion by a Kent author reveals we are not the only culture to struggle with it, and this struggle is not limited to modern times In her new book, Exhaustion: A History (Columbia University Press, 2016), Dr Anna Katharina Schaffner, Reader in Comparative Literature and Medical Humanities, in the University's School of European Culture and Languages, says 'burnout' and worries about work life balance were known to different eras by different terms. Dr Schaffner says we do live in an exhausting age but she was surprised to find that there was a substantial body of evidence to show other ages have been preoccupied by the same worry though it may have been called something else. In her book, Dr Schaffner examines how every age battles with its own historically specific challenges. Anxieties about exhaustion, and the loss of physical and mental energies, are present both in fiction and in the medical, theological, and philosophical literature from classical antiquity onwards. Exhaustion is a timeless concern related to fears about death, illnesses, and the gradual waning of our energies as we age. She concludes that though today we do live in an exhausting age, and there is much to justify debates about burnout, work-life balance, and how other cultural factors affect our energy resources, ours is by no means the only age that has had to struggle with anxieties about technological, political, and cultural change. ### Dr Schaffner has been interviewed by the US magazine, Psychology Today [4]. http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-author-speaks/201606/exhaustion-history [5] For further information or interview requests contact Sandy Fleming at the University of Kent Press Office. Tel: 01227 823581/01634 888879 Email: S.Fleming@kent.ac.uk News releases can also be found at http://www.kent.ac.uk/news University of Kent on Twitter: http://twitter.com/UniKent Notes to editors Established in 1965, the University of Kent - the UK's European university - now has almost 20,000 students across campuses or study centres at Canterbury, Medway, Tonbridge, Brussels, Paris, Athens and Rome. It has been ranked: third for overall student satisfaction in the 2014 National Student Survey; 23rd in the Guardian University Guide 2016; 23rd in the Times and Sunday Times University Guide 2016; and 22nd in the Complete University Guide 2015. In the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2015-16, Kent is in the top 10% of the world's leading universities for international outlook and 66th in its table of the most international universities in the world. The THE also ranked the University as 20th in its 'Table of Tables' 2016. Kent is ranked 17th in the UK for research intensity (REF 2014). It has world-leading research in all subjects and 97% of its research is deemed by the REF to be of international quality. Along with the universities of East Anglia and Essex, Kent is a member of the Eastern Arc Research Consortium. The University is worth 0.7 billion to the economy of the south east and supports more than 7,800 jobs in the region. Student off-campus spend contributes 293.3m and 2,532 full-time-equivalent jobs to those totals. In 2014, Kent received its second Queen's Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education. MONTREAL, June 22, 2016 - Years of research have shown that impulsivity in childhood is among the individual vulnerabilities leading to substance abuse, delinquency, as well as aggressive and antisocial behavior in adolescence and adulthood. Yet researchers from the CHU Sainte-Justine Mother-child Research Hospital and University of Montreal have discovered a reversal of this trend for those children when raised in a less coercive environment. "According to our results, labelling impulsive children as "vulnerable" should be reconsidered. Indeed, those who were raised in less coercive families at the age of 6 actually drank less alcohol than their less impulsive peers at the age of 15. Their supposed vulnerability actually turned into an advantage," says Charlie Rioux, PhD candidate in psychology and first author of the paper published in Development and Psychopathology. Acting rapidly and without thinking are typical signs of child impulsivity. According to the researchers, this trait, traditionally viewed as negative, could turn into an advantage when combined with a caring family environment. "A Swedish metaphor illustrates this differential susceptibility to the environment," explains Charlie Rioux. "Many children exposed to challenging environments do quite well. They are said to be resilient, and are referred to as "dandelion children", since they are well adjusted even when exposed to harsh conditions. Children more susceptible to their environment, like impulsive ones, are referred to as "orchid children." For if the orchid fades in harsh conditions, it also thrives when given proper care and attention. We observed that when they are raised in a supportive environment, "orchid children" not only do well in adolescence, but can even outperform their less susceptible peers in many respects." The researchers came to this interesting finding by looking at how these children develop in both adverse and non-harmful environments. To achieve these results, the researchers studied 209 youth born between 1996 and 1997 in urban areas of the Province of Quebec, in Canada. When these youth were 6 years old, their mothers completed questionnaires on their child's impulsivity levels and the coercive practices they used as a parent, including screaming, shaking or hitting. Then at the age of 15, the adolescents reported the frequency of their alcohol use. The results of the study show that when maternal coercive practices were more frequent at 6 years, higher impulsivity at this age was associated with more frequent alcohol use at the age of 15. In contrast, highly impulsive 6-years-olds exposed to infrequent maternal coercive practices had a lower frequency of alcohol use compared to less impulsive children. "These results are particularly interesting because impulsivity is often considered a risk factor for alcohol use. However, our results show that more impulsive children may drink less alcohol than kids who are less impulsive when exposed to low maternal coercive practices," said Jean Seguin, PhD, professor of psychiatry at the University of Montreal, researcher at CHU Sainte-Justine and co-director of Rioux's doctoral thesis. The researchers also conducted a literature review that points in the same direction. Their review identified 14 studies investigating the role of family environment and child and adolescent temperament in the development of adolescent "externalizing problems". These notably include delinquency, antisocial behaviors, attentional problems and substance use. In line with their own observations, this review, published in Developmental Review, demonstrates that susceptibility in childhood - characterized by such traits as impulsivity, disinhibition, or low fear or shyness - is associated with higher levels of externalizing problems in adolescence when children were exposed to adverse environments, but lower levels of externalizing problems when they were raised in suitable home environments. However, having an appropriate home environment during adolescence does not seem to convey any additional benefit to susceptible adolescents. These studies considered several family factors, including maternal and paternal parenting, parent-child relationship and marital conflict. "Although many factors come into play in shaping the future behaviour of children, our findings tend to suggest that special attention to the needs of impulsive children or children susceptible to their environment at an early age may help them realize their full potential," says Charlie Rioux. "To demonstrate this, our results will need to be replicated in clinical studies also designed to test the differential susceptibility model, this time not only assessing the impact of more or less coercive parenting methods, but also the impact of intervention programs targeting parenting practices." ### About the study The articles "Differential susceptibility to environmental influences: Interactions between child temperament and parenting in adolescent alcohol use" and "The interaction between temperament and the family environment in adolescent substance use and externalizing behaviors: Support for diathesis-stress or differential susceptibility?" were published respectively in Development and Psychopathology and Developmental Review. Charlie Rioux is the first author. She is continuing her work under the supervision of University of Montreal Professors Jean R. Seguin, of the Psychiatry Department, and Natalie Castellanos-Ryan, of the School of Psychoeducation, with the collaboration of Sophie Parent, also of the School of Psychoeducation. All are members of the Research Unit on Children's Psychosocial Maladjustment (GRIP) of the University of Montreal and the CHU Sainte-Justine. The studies were funded by the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (CIHR), the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada, the Fonds de recherche du Quebec - Sante (FRQS), the Fonds de recherche du Quebec - Nature et technologies (FRQNT), the Fonds de recherche du Quebec - Societe et culture (FRQSC), as well as the Institut de la statistique du Quebec, and its partners. Charlie Rioux holds scholarships from the IRSC, the FRQS, and the University of Montreal. About the CHU Sainte-Justine Research Center CHU Sainte-Justine Research Center is a leading mother-child research institution affiliated with Universite de Montreal. It brings together more than 200 research investigators, including over 90 clinician-scientists, as well as 385 graduate and postgraduate students focused on finding innovative prevention means, faster and less invasive treatments, as well as personalized approaches to medicine. The Center is part of CHU Sainte-Justine, which is the largest mother-child center in Canada and second pediatric center in North America. More on research.chusj.org About the University of Montreal Universite de Montreal and its two affiliated schools, Ecole Polytechnique (engineering) and HEC Montreal (business) are amongst the world's top 100 universities, according to international rankings. Founded in 1878, the campus today has over 66,000 students and 2,600 professors, making Universite de Montreal the second largest university in Canada. Its students are drawn to the university by its deep roots in cosmopolitan Montreal and in consideration of its tenacious dedication to its international mission. The University of Montreal is officially known as Universite de Montreal. Geoscientist Robert DeConto, one of the world's leading experts on climate modeling, has won the 2016 Tinker-Muse Prize for Science and Policy in Antarctica for his outstanding work on past and future Antarctic climate AMHERST, Mass. - University of Massachusetts Amherst geoscientist Robert DeConto, one of the world's leading experts on climate modeling, has won the 2016 Tinker-Muse Prize for Science and Policy in Antarctica. The recognition comes for his outstanding work on past and future Antarctic climate and for research integrating geological data with modeling to reveal likely consequences for future sea level rise from ice sheet melt. The Tinker-Muse Prize includes a $100,000 unrestricted award to "an individual in the fields of Antarctic science and/or policy who has demonstrated potential for sustained and significant contributions that will enhance the understanding and/or preservation of Antarctica." The foundation's goal is "to provide recognition for important work being done and to call attention to the significance of understanding Antarctica in a time of change." It is inspired by Martha T. Muse's passion for Antarctica and is a legacy of the International Polar Year 2007-2008. The award will be officially presented to DeConto at the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) 2016 Open Science Conference in Kuala Lumpur on August 23. He will deliver a plenary acceptance lecture and will be honored at an award dinner, according to Eoghan Griffin, executive officer of SCAR, which administers the award for the Tinker Foundation. SCAR is the international governing body on Antarctic science of the International Council for Science. DeConto says, "I am thrilled to receive this award. It indeed is an honor to be acknowledged by such an esteemed group of colleagues, and I'll do my very best to represent the award and what it stands for." Julie Brigham-Grette, head of the geosciences department at UMass Amherst and chair of the U.S. National Academy Polar Research Board, says, "DeConto has forged an international reputation based on his collaborations and scientific contributions to understanding the processes and dynamic nature of past climate change and the impact of global climate change on the future." She points out that his 2003 Nature paper with David Pollard of Penn State University is considered a classic and has been cited nearly 750 times, providing a key to quantitatively defining the central role of greenhouse gases in Antarctica's long-term evolution. It also established the basic methodology for a new generation of coupled climate-ice sheet modeling over both poles. DeConto and Pollard have developed one of the world's best Antarctic ice sheet computer models, plus strategies for coupling climate and ice sheet models for paleo climate and future climate research. These model tools and techniques are now being used by research groups all over the world, she adds. Brigham-Grette calls DeConto a "big picture thinker" who is keenly interested in combining models with deep time geological data in new and creative ways and his service to the national and international climate and paleo climate science communities has been "astronomical." She adds, "Perhaps the best and most societally relevant research of Rob's career is his current research involving the use of ancient sea level records, ice sheet reconstructions and ice core constraints, to inform models that can in turn be used for future prediction." With Pollard again, in early 2016 he published an influential article in the journal Nature on the future fate of the Antarctic Ice Sheet. One implication of DeConto's most recent work is that it doubles previous sea level rise estimates for the year 2100. In 2014, DeConto joined the ranks of the most highly regarded scholars in Antarctic climate studies when he was invited to present the S.T. Lee Lecture in Antarctic Studies in New Zealand. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Colorado in 1996 and conducted postdoctoral research at the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Science and the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder before joining the faculty at the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 1999. ### Penn Medicine's Raymond R. Townsend, MD, Director of the Hypertension Program, Receives Physician of the Year Award from the American Heart Association Raymond R. Townsend, MD, director of the Hypertension Program and a professor of Medicine in Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, has been named the 2016 Physician of the Year Award of the American Heart Association (AHA). The Physician of the Year Award is presented to one person each year with direct patient care responsibilities who has demonstrated an exemplary commitment to furthering the AHA's mission to build healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke. Townsend, a member of the AHA since 1986, accepted this honor during the 2016 Awards Luncheon in Dallas. "Having spent the majority of my career dedicated to hypertension, both in research and clinical practice, I have been actively involved in the AHA as their mission goes hand in hand with my career goals," Townsend said. "Receiving this award is such a tremendous honor. I am thrilled to be in the company of those who have received it before me, and am eager to continue supporting this mission." Townsend received his first award from the AHA in 1984, which was also his first ever academic grant. Becoming more heavily involved as his career went on, he became a Fellow of the American Heart Association (FAHA) through the Council for High Blood Pressure Research - now the Council on Hypertension - in 1993. He has served as faculty for the AHA Hypertension Summer School and co-chaired the Program Committee in 2010 and 2013, and Townsend served on the National AHA Professional Education Committee from 2008 through 2010. Over the years Townsend has also served on the Council on Hypertension Professional Education and Publication Committee, as well as the American Society of Hypertension liaison to the Council on Hypertension Professional Education and Publication Committee, and on the Council on Hypertension Program Committee. Townsend has been a reviewer and contributor for the journal Hypertension for more than 20 years. His research interests include the role of blood vessel dynamics in chronic kidney disease progression and the development of cardiovascular disease in patients with chronic kidney disease. Townsend earned his bachelor's degree in biology from LaSalle College and medical degree from Hahnemann University. He joined the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania faculty as an assistant professor of Medicine in 1993, before becoming an associate professor in 1996 and a tenured professor in 2001. ### 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. Chew on this: rice farming is a far older practice than we knew. In fact, the oldest evidence of domesticated rice has just been found in China, and it's about 9,000 years old. The discovery, made by a team of archaeologists that includes University of Toronto Mississauga professor Gary Crawford, sheds new light on the origins of rice domestication and on the history of human agricultural practices. "Today, rice is one of most important grains in the world's economy, yet at one time, it was a wild plant...how did people bring rice into their world? This gives us another clue about how humans became farmers," says Crawford, an anthropological archaeologist who studies the relationships between people and plants in prehistory. Working with three researchers from the Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology in Zhejiang Province, China, Crawford found the ancient domesticated rice fragments in a probable ditch in the lower Yangtze valley. They observed that about 30 per cent of the rice plant material - primarily bases, husks and leaf epidermis - were not wild, but showed signs of being purposely cultivated to produce rice plants that were durable and suitable for human consumption. Crawford says this finding indicates that the domestication of rice has been going on for much longer than originally thought. The rice plant remains also had characteristics of japonica rice, the short grain rice used in sushi that today is cultivated in Japan and Korea. Crawford says this finding clarifies the lineage of this specific rice crop, and confirms for the first time that it grew in this region of China. Crawford and his colleagues spent about three years exploring the five-hectare archaeological dig site, called Huxi, which is situated in a flat basin about 100 metres above sea level. Their investigations were supported by other U of T Mississauga participants - anthropology professor David Smith and graduate students Danial Kwan and Nattha Cheunwattana. They worked primarily in early spring, fall and winter in order to avoid the late-spring wet season and excruciatingly hot summer months. Digging 1.5 metres below the ground, the team also unearthed artifacts such as sophisticated pottery and stone tools, as well as animal bones, charcoal and other plant seeds. This study builds on Crawford's previous research into early agriculture in China, in which he has examined the ancient settlements, tools, and plant and animal management efforts that occurred in different regions of the country. He is interested in better understanding the forces that compelled our human ancestors to transition from hunters and gatherers to farmers. "The question I ultimately want to answer is, what pushed them to move wholeheartedly into the farming regime? Why did they reduce their emphasis on hunting and expand into crop production?" Crawford says. "People did what they needed to do to make their lives more manageable and sustainable, and the unintended consequence was farming. With this rice discovery, we're seeing the first stages of that shift." ### Funded by a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, Crawford's study is published today in Scientific Reports, an online open-access journal from the publishers of Nature. Media Contact: Professor Gary Crawford 905-828-3783 g.crawford@utoronto.ca Most big-game animals in Wyoming and the West can assess the quality of vegetation during the spring green-up to select the best patches of habitat during the growing season, a team of researchers led by University of Wyoming and U.S. Geological Survey scientists has documented. While biologists long have thought that animals essentially "surf the green wave" of new plant growth from low-elevation winter range to high-elevation summer range, the new research has measured how precisely the animal movements are aligned with the green-up. The findings are reported in a paper published today in the scientific journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B. "The importance of timing, and how animals match their movements to their habitat, is the key finding of our study," says Matt Kauffman, director of the Wyoming Migration Initiative, UW professor and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientist. "This will help us understand how animals track plant growth as it is altered by climate change and ecological drought, and provide insights into how human disturbance can alter the ability of big game to track green waves of forage where and when they need to." The researchers gathered movement data from 10 populations of five species -- bighorn sheep, mule deer, elk, moose and bison -- in western Wyoming and eastern Utah. Using remote-sensing technology, they matched those movements with the green-up of vegetation -- specifically, the growth of high-quality forage in its early stages, when it has the highest nutritional value (low in fiber and high in protein). Accounting for variables that typically influence habitat selection for each species, the scientists found that seven of the 10 populations selected patches of vegetation in the early-growth stage. "Some of these animals do a good job of surfing the crest of the green wave, while others appear to favor the leading or trailing edge of the green wave," says Jerod Merkle, lead author and postdoctoral researcher in the USGS Wyoming Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit at UW. "Our research should pave the way for significant advancements in understanding how animals are connected to -- and influenced by -- the quality of forage available to them." Insights gained from similar research projects could alert managers to when animal movements are threatened by climate or land-use changes, the researchers say. If a decrease in "green wave surfing" is observed, managers could enhance certain springtime habitats, or make high-quality forage more accessible to big game. "(This information) will prove useful for quantifying the loss in forage availability -- because of climate change or land development -- that animals might experience in the future," the researchers wrote. ### Other members of the research team were from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies; Western Ecosystems Technology Inc. of Laramie; the Wyoming Game and Fish Department; and the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. The work is part of ongoing research on Wyoming's big game migrations, development and climate change funded in part by the U.S. Geological Survey through the Wyoming Landscape Conservation Initiative and the National Climate Change and Wildlife Science Center. You can follow Wyoming's big-game herds during their spring migration. Check out the Wyoming Migration Initiative's Facebook page for weekly maps and updates. The implementation of state prescription drug monitoring programs was associated with the prevention of approximately one opioid-related overdose death every two hours on average nationwide, according to a new Vanderbilt-led study released June 22 in the journal Health Affairs. States with the most robust programs saw the greatest reduction in overdose deaths: these states monitored and tracked a greater number of substances with abuse potential and updated their data more frequently (at least weekly). Over the last two decades, the sales of prescriptions for opioids like oxycodone and hydrocodone have quadrupled. From 1999 to 2014, more than 165,000 people died in the U.S. from overdoses related to prescription opioids, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In response to the epidemic, many states created prescription drug monitoring programs to monitor high-risk patients and provider behaviors. Today, 49 states--all but Missouri--have such programs, but there have been conflicting data about the programs' effectiveness. In this study, "Implementation of Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs Associated with Reductions in Opioid-Related Death Rates," the authors analyzed mortality data and data on states' prescription drug monitoring programs from 1999 to 2013 to test if programs were effective in reducing the number of opioid-related overdose deaths. Researchers' analysis revealed that states with the most robust programs saw reductions of 1.55 fewer deaths per 100,000 population compared to states without such monitoring programs. "Today, opioid overdose deaths are more common than deaths from car crashes. Our study provides support that prescription drug monitoring programs are part of what needs to be a comprehensive approach to the prescription opioid epidemic," said lead author Stephen W. Patrick, M.D., MPH, M.S., assistant professor of Pediatrics and Health Policy in the Division of Neonatology at Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt. "This work is important not only because it demonstrates that prescription drug monitoring programs can save lives, but also because it shows that there are specific actions that states can take to strengthen their programs," said Melinda Buntin, Ph.D., professor and chair of the Department of Health Policy at Vanderbilt University and senior author of the study. Vanderbilt researchers worked with Timothy F. Jones, M.D., state epidemiologist for the Tennessee Department of Health, who oversees opioid-related research and analyses of the state's prescription drug monitoring data. Tennessee implemented its monitoring program in December 2006. "Tennessee is one of the states most severely affected by the opioid epidemic," said Jones. "The opioid epidemic affects all segments of our society. It is not limited to one part of the state or one social group. It affects all of us--our friends, families, co-workers, people that we would never expect to be involved. All of us have a role to play in combatting it." The study authors estimate that if Missouri implemented a monitoring program and other states enhanced existing programs with more robust features, there would be more than 600 fewer overdose deaths nationwide in 2016, or about two deaths prevented each day. "Congress is currently considering legislation to bolster the U.S. public health response to the opioid epidemic. Our findings suggest that investments in upgraded prescription drug monitoring programs will pay dividends in lives saved," said Patrick. ### Carrie E. Fry, health policy and data analyst for the Department of Health Policy at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, was also a co-author on the study. The study was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health grant K23DA038720. New research indicates that crime committed in 2011 in England and Wales gave rise to more than 4 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalents. In the Journal of Industrial Ecology study, burglary resulted in the largest proportion of the total carbon footprint (30%), attributed to the carbon associated with replacement of stolen and damaged goods. Emissions arising from criminal justice system services, such as police investigations and the running of prisons and court buildings, also accounted for a large proportion. "Although it is not possible to definitively state whether the carbon emissions that result from crime can be avoided completely by preventing crime, raising awareness of these emissions remains important for policy valuation of crime," the authors wrote. "If the relationship between crime and climate change is overlooked, we risk undervaluing the impacts of crime and missing an opportunity as we strive toward a low-crime and low-carbon future." ### 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. In Education Week, Adam Laats and Harvey Siegel offer a seemingly humane and generous compromise on teaching evolution in public schools. Teaching Evolution Isnt About Changing Beliefs, says the headline. Authors of a new book from the University of Chicago Press, Teaching Evolution in a Creation Nation, they argue that students should learn about evolution, but not be indoctrinated in it. Students, they say, simply need to understand the theory, but teachers should not force them to believe it. While I agree with part of their approach, their propositions are obvious almost too much so. They write: By teaching comprehensive science curricula that includes evolution and teaching students to confront subjects they may not agree with, schools are not trying to change beliefs. Understanding is enough. On one level, this makes a lot of sense. Students do need to understand evolution. It is important that teachers educate them on the evidence for neo-Darwinism. This approach is also a big improvement on recent National Science Foundation-supported research aimed at investigating ways to get students to accept not just understand evolution. However, Laats and Siegel leave out some crucial information. For one thing, they seem to believe that only parents who think the world is only 6,000 years old would have a problem with teaching evolution as unquestionable dogma. Not so. Many parents and educators who value critical thinking and, frankly, honesty in education advocate that students be exposed to the fascinating ambiguities of current knowledge about biological origins. The authors, however, simply ignore that there is a major scientific debate over evolution. They say: Evolutionary theory is a building block of our understanding of life. As the best existing scientific explanation of the way our species came to be, how evolution works is vital for all students to understand. Students should not have the right to opt out of learning about a central tenet of contemporary science. But if students have religious objections to the theorys implications, the public school has no right to insist that they believe it that is, to regard evolutionary theory as true. Much of this is very close to correct, as far as it goes. They neglect to mention, though, that some scientists are currently questioning whether Darwinian evolution is the best explanation and therefore if it is indeed foundational to our understanding of life. Researchers are asking whether natural selection acting on random mutations is able to account for the complexity of life. If Darwinian theory with its proposed mechanism of change is in need of a major reevaluation, as substantial mainstream scientific opinion now concedes, that should not be concealed from young people. Not if education is about seeking the truth. The real issue isnt creationism or religion versus evolution. I should add too, for the umpteenth time, its not about intelligent design either. (See our Science Education Policy.) Its about whether students will be introduced to a fair picture of mainstream research on a vital subject of scientific inquiry. This brings us to the second part of Laats and Siegels argument: Teachers should require students simply to understand not accept evolution. Again, this is true. A teacher should not try to make a student internalize any theory of evolution. They can simply require that the student learn the proposition which should mean analyzing it intelligently not just spitting it back on command if they want to achieve a certain grade. But students may not be gaining an accurate understanding of evolution if they learn only the scientific strengths, and not the weaknesses, of the theory. Laats and Siegel try to outline what teaching evolution is not about. But they do not address what it is about. The goal of scientific instruction, ultimately, is not to confirm or upend any religious teaching. It is partly about how information is presented. But it is mostly about the information itself interacting with it, and drawing conclusions based on critical reasoning and examining the evidence. Photo credit: Milles Studio stock.adobe.com. The new language in the bill will almost certainly accelerate the movement away from animal tests for chemicals, pesticides, biocides, cosmetics, and other potentially dangerous substances in risk assessment protocols or for safety substantiation. Photo by iStockphoto 80.9K shares Today, it was my great honor to attend the presidential signing ceremony at the White House for a revision of TSCA, the Toxic Substances Control Act, with my colleague Sara Amundson from the Humane Society Legislative Fund. Todays final action upgrades a 40-year-old federal law regulating the use of chemicals, and contains for the first time in any broader environmental and health protection statute an explicit decree from Congress to minimize animal testing and to create a clear preference for the development and use of alternative methods and strategies. The section of the bill relating to animal testing, championed by Senators Cory Booker, D-NJ, and David Vitter, R-La. and strongly supported by Senators Tom Udall, D-NM, Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., Sheldon Whitehouse, D-RI, Chairman of the Committee on Environment and Public Works Jim Inhofe, R-Okla., and committee ranking member Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., was a hard-fought battle. The inclusion of this language will almost certainly accelerate the movement away from animal tests for chemicals, pesticides, biocides, cosmetics, and other potentially dangerous substances in risk assessment protocols or for safety substantiation. So many lawmakers who pushed the measure across the finish line also attended the ceremony and celebration this morning. President Obamas signing of the bill gives the Environmental Protection Agency an unmistakable mandate from Congress that it must continue to embrace 21st century science and transition away from outdated animal testing protocols, which are expensive, slow, and often non-predictive of the human circumstance. I wrote recently that the EPA is dramatically decreasing animal tests for pesticide hazard assessments, and is now working to replace animal tests in its endocrine screening program. In fact, in 2016, the EPA proposed to waive skin lethal dose tests for pesticide formulations. To be sure, this is a global movement, and there is progress on many fronts. In 2013, the European Union banned cosmetic animal testing and trade, and India followed suit the next year. Recently, we announced that Australia will soon join that club. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, a consensus body of 34 member nations, including the United States, has embraced the concept of using the best new techniques and approaches for safety assessment, and that will also accelerate the move away from animal testing on the international stage. We are making gains in other domains where animal testing has long been a feature of risk assessment. In 2012, our Humane Society International team in Europe worked to reduce animal testing requirements, perhaps by as much as 50 percent, for risk assessment for pesticides and biocides. Weve also succeeded in convincing Brazil, Canada, the EU, and India to delete a notorious one-year dog pesticide-poisoning study requirement (the United States deleted the requirement back in 2007). In the past year HSI also worked with the EU to adopt animal replacement methods for skin/eye irritation, skin allergy, skin lethal dose testing, and a reduced animal use test for reproductive toxicity under its chemicals law potentially sparing 2.6 million animals the effects of these painful tests, while the Indian health ministry banned repeat animal testing of new drug imports. In all, there is evidence around the globe that a combination of moral intention to reduce and eliminate animal testing and implementation of new technologies that give us superior options are ushering in a new paradigm in the realm of safety testing and drug efficacy work. This is the humane economy in action, and the new law on chemical testing is an enormous advance for our cause. The long-established practice of poisoning animals for a variety of purposes is on the way out, and it will be replaced by human biology that will give us better results and not leave a trail of animal victims in our wake. For the first timewell actually be able to regulate chemicals effectively. @POTUS on #ChemicalSafety Act: https://t.co/3YoAKwoq9G White House Archived (@ObamaWhiteHouse) June 22, 2016 The combination of reduced odds of a near-term Federal Reserve rate hike, rising crude oil prices and risk-on trade has seen Canadian Dollar (CAD) exchange rates climb today. The US dollar has failed to make any sort of sustained advance against the Canadian dollar today. There may be a bipartite reason for this; in the first case, concerns about the incoming EU Referendum results have lowered confidence in the Buck throughout the week. In addition, the afternoons US new home sales and leading indicators results for May both dropped off heavily. The US dollar exchange rates slumped sharply on Thursday morning after the IMF unexpectedly lowered its growth forecast for 2016 from 2.4% to 2.2%, adding fuel to speculation of a fresh slowdown. As a result the chances of an imminent Fed interest rate hike seemed to decline, putting strong downside pressure on the USD/CAD exchange rate in spite of safe-haven demand. Investors are hopeful that the latest US crude oil inventories report will show a continued decline in domestic stockpiles, a result which would shore up the price of the commodity and the Loonie by extension. However, if the figure shows an unexpected increase in the number of barrels held then the Canadian Dollar is likely to return to a bearish trend. As traders await Canadas retail sales data, the Canadian Dollar edged higher versus a number of its major peers. The GBP CAD exchange rate is still trending within a narrow range, however, as reduced odds of a Brexit has supported both assets. Expectations that Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen will continue to adopt a dovish tone when testifying to the House Financial Services Committee has also propped up the Loonie (CAD). Below are the latest FX rates for your reference; On Wednesday the Pound to British Pound exchange rate (GBP/GBP) converts at 1 FX markets see the pound vs pound exchange rate converting at 1. At time of writing the pound to us dollar exchange rate is quoted at 1.163. At time of writing the pound to australian dollar exchange rate is quoted at 1.791. Please note: the FX rates above, updated 26th Oct 2022, will have a commission applied by your typical high street bank. Currency brokers specialise in these type of foreign currency transactions and can save you up to 5% on international payments compared to the banks. Pound Sterling (GBP) Exchange Rates Mixed but Holding Strength on Reduced Brexit Odds Somewhat at odds with the freshest EU referendum opinion polls that show the vote is going to be too close to call, trader confidence that the UK will vote to remain in the EU has caused Sterling to soar. Although today as seen a modest depreciation against a number of its peers, with particular reference to risk-correlated assets, the UK unit is holding a comparative position of strength. With a complete absence of domestic data to provoke changes, the Pound is likely to continue holding recent gains unless there is a significant development that suggests Leave will be victorious. Canadian Dollar (CAD) Exchange Rates Tick Higher ahead of Retail Sales Data Against most of its major peers the Canadian Dollar edged higher thanks to risk-on trade and rising crude oil prices. A succession of dovish speeches from Fed Chairwoman Janet Yellen also supported demand for the Loonie, with most traders expecting todays testimony from the Fed Chief to parrot previous concerns. Later today, Canadas Retail Sales data may provoke CAD volatility. However, crude oil prices and market sentiment will be likely to overshadow domestic data results. EU Referendum Takes Center Stage for the USD/CAD Exchange Rate Outlook Though US data is out tomorrow, it may not be enough to counteract EU Referendum forces from the UK. The Buck has been notably weak for most of the week, at least partly on account of concerns that an Out vote may cut the US off from trillions in trade. Because of this, USD movement may be primarily dictated by the perceived swing of the Referendum vote, instead of the afternoons claims and home sales stats from the US. When asked about the best places for expats in France the great cities like Paris, Lyon and Bordeaux often come to min but a new study has found that it is the Breton capital of Rennes that comes out top.It has been named as the best city for foreigners to live in across France for all-round quality of life in a study that looked at several categories including jobs, air links, rents, public transport, weather, nightlife and culture.In second place was Nantes which scored highly for having green spaces, international flights and low rents, followed by Bordeaux which scored well for air links, nightlife and sunshine. Paris came in fifth place and scored badly for housing costs with average monthly rents of over 1,000.Rennes is already well known as being a great city for students but now the city, which has a population of just 200,000 has been voted the best in a poll carried out by The Local online news site.And it is not a total surprise to Mayor Nathalie Appere who said the French have long appreciated the appeal of the city which houses the Brittany Parliament. She pointed out that the upcoming 90 minute rail link to Paris, new Metro works, and a 2 billion investment in public services will make it even more so.Others who are not surprised include Ryan Carter, an Englishman who co-owns the Fox and Friends pub in Rennes. Its a brilliant place to live. Youve got everything you need but in a small format. Youre not lost as you would be in a big city like Paris or Lyon, he told The Local France.Many outside France may not even have heard of Rennes, but foreigners who already live there are not surprised it topped the rankings given the quality of life. Lyon, Bordeaux, and Paris are great cities, but they are overwhelmingly big and can be intimidating to someone visiting France for the first time, said Georgia Wyche, an American English teacher who has been living in Rennes for two years.The size of Rennes is quite comfortable and not intimidating. It's a lively university and student city that is accustomed to opening the door to foreigners, she added.Rennes scored highly in several categories including nightlife, for which it is renowned and indeed only Lille and Clermont-Ferrand have more bars per inhabitant. Rennes was also the city in France with the most amount of green space per inhabitant at 42 square meters compared to the national average of 31 square meters.Rennes also had the lowest unemployment rate of all the 13 cities in the study and low average monthly rents of just 470. It also tied with Nantes in third place for having a local accent thats quite pleasing to the ear.It does have some downsides, including a lack of Michelin starred restaurants and places of culture and the average hours of sunshine were poor compared to cities like Marseille, Nice and Montpellier. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate A pair of rockets designed by Alamo Heights High School students and unveiled Tuesday morning have the potential to travel 100,000 feet or higher but their range as educational tools seemed higher still. Every year I learn from this program, and the places I learn the most are from the students, said Colin Lang, who has been leading the rocket building class at Alamo Heights for nine years. The craft, 12 feet and 18 feet tall, were built in conjunction with the SystemsGo program, each with a different goal once launched. Both rockets will be tested at the U.S. Army missile range in White Sands, New Mexico next week. Students who constructed the shorter rocket want it to fly as high as possible; those behind the taller one designed it for a payload a metal canister containing rocks authorized by NASA to help the space organization test the containers ability to deliver material gathered from other planets. The payloads extra weight is expected to limit the altitude the rocket can reach but no one knows how high that will be. If we get the perfect flight, the rocket will reach 40,000 feet when the payload will be ejected, guessed Graham Douglas, who worked on it as a senior and graduated this year. The program at Alamo Heights has been around long enough for a track record to emerge. Lang said about 90 percent of its students go on to study engineering once they graduate high school. The first year the rocket training class was offered, it had 17 students this year there were 150 spread over four classes. Were one of the five high schools that does this but were one of only three that has successfully launched (a rocket of this size), Lang said. Weve had three successful launches in four years. Each one seems to get a little better. Though he originally planned on going into journalism, Douglas said three years in the rocket training class has steered him toward Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, where he will study aerospace engineering starting this fall. When she counts giving up lunch periods and coming to school during vacations, Tamara Bayegan estimates she put about 400 hours into working on the payload rocket. Also a graduating senior, she said she is ecstatic to go to White Sands to hopefully see it get off the launch pad. There are a bunch of situations where it could go wrong, Bayegan said. We just want it to go at least a few thousand feet. The rocket training class is competitive, she said. If grades arent maintained to a high standard, students are not allowed to work on the rocket or can even be kicked out of the class, she said. When we test the payload for NASA, the idea is that we can bring back rocks and samples from other planets, Douglas said. We have tried to do it in years prior but we never actually completed it. This will be the first year weve tried a payload. The rockets will be tracked with a radar system once they launch. One of Langs favorite parts about teaching the class, he said, is seeing the success his students achieve after high school. Erick Castillon said he contemplated dropping out of Alamo Heights his junior year but stayed in school after taking two years of rocket training classes. He went on to be the youngest intern at NASA when he was 19 and is attending the University of Texas at San Antonio. Lang estimated the cost of creating both rockets at between $8,000 and $10,000. They are working with industrial standard equipment, Lang said. Its dangerous and most teachers think Im crazy. Its a risk to do this, but its so worth it. kcarlson@express-news.net This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate In Las Vegas last week, Donald Trumps Nevada headquarters stood dark. A sign taped to the door declared it had moved, with no forwarding information available. On a weekday morning in New Hampshire, another battleground state in November, a single worker hovered in Trumps main office in Manchester. And at the hub of his national campaign in Manhattans Trump Tower, Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, has cloistered himself with a tiny group of relatives and longtime business associates, relying on a staff of about six dozen people to win over an electorate of more than 120 million. The situation has grown so dire for Trump that on Tuesday, he suggested that he might tap his personal fortune to keep the campaign afloat. He disclosed Monday that his campaign finished May with little more than $1 million in the bank. Hillary Clinton, his presumptive Democratic opponent, reported having about $42 million. And Trumps campaign expenses are hardly inspiring confidence among people whose money hes pursuing, the Associated Press reported. The spending includes a $423,000 May payment to Mar-a-Lago, the private club in Florida that serves as his vacation home, and enough Trump-branded bottled water to fill a bathtub. In all, hes spent millions of dollars in campaign money to pay his own companies and family members, according to his fundraising report. In a defiant statement, Trump said he was just getting started as a competitor against Clinton and that there had been a tremendous outpouring of support from donors since the beginning of June. But he has mused publicly in recent days about funding the race himself and on Tuesday opened the door wider to that possibility. 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. The billionaire businessmans financial woes were enough to inspire the mocking Twitter hashtag #TrumpSoPoor on Tuesday. Clinton also ribbed Trump, tweeting to followers: What is Trump spending his meager campaign resources on? Why, himself, of course. Charles Spies, a Republican election lawyer who advised Jeb Bushs super PAC, said Trump would have to put in an enormous amount of his own money to jump-start his campaign and win over big donors. He suggested an appropriate figure would be $100 million to $200 million. Loans that Trump makes to his campaign can be repaid with donor money, even though he insists he wont do that. Spies said Trump should forgive the loans he had made to his campaign, to reassure contributors that he would not use their money to repay himself. Why would donors give money when the first dollars go to help a billionaire buy products from his own company? Spies asked. Theres nothing illegal about it. Regulations do require companies even ones owned by the candidate to charge fair-market value so as not to run afoul of a ban on corporate campaign contributions. The biggest payment to a Trump company is $4.6 million to TAG Air, the holding company of his airplanes. His campaign headquarters is at Trump Tower in New York. The campaign has paid about $520,000 in rent and utilities to Trump Tower Commercial LLC and to Trump Corporation. For events, he often uses his own properties. The campaign paid out $26,000 in January to rent a facility at Trump National Doral, his golf course in Miami. Hed held an event in the gold-accented ballroom there in late October. The campaign spent another $11,000 on Trumps hotel in Chicago. Even refreshments have a Trump tie. About $5,000 from the campaign went to Eric Trump Wine Manufacturing LLC, which offers Virginia wines bearing the bold letters of Trump. Son Eric Trump also factors into another large Trump campaign expense. The campaign has paid about $4.7 million for hats and T-shirts purchased from Ace Specialties. That company is owned by a board member of Eric Trumps charitable foundation. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Beef farmers in Wales are advised on ways to improve the performance of their herds. The latest Market Bulletin produced by Hybu Cig Cymru Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) uses data released by the British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS) to highlight a number of farm-level changes and substitutions that could lead to increased production and profitability for farmers in Wales. These include revised calving intervals; calving heifers as early as possible; avoiding difficult calvings when selecting bulls and calving heifers; cow longevity; and meeting market and processor requirements. Average calving intervals for beef cows on holdings in Wales and England stood at 428 and 424 days respectively in 2015; both considerably more than the desired 365 days. "A long calving interval can cause multiple herd management problems and impact on the profitability of a beef enterprise," explains HCCs Industry Information Executive, John Richards. "Beef farmers are encouraged to reduce calving intervals and aim for shorter calving periods and easier cow and calf management. "Beef producer prices have come under increasing pressure over the last six months, with many farmers looking at the viability of their enterprise. "We are starting to see a slight uplift in price, driven by reduced imports, but we are still off target. "Producers are therefore advised to contact their proposed market to ensure that they meet their requirements." BCMS data for 2015 also suggests that the average age of first-time calvers in Wales was 1,022 days (or 33 months) 5 days more than in England. The figures also show that the average age of death for beef dams on Welsh holdings was 9 years old, producing an average 5.5 calves in their lifetime. In some cases, these cows could have produced at least one more calf; producers should therefore look to calve their heifers as early as possible to increase calf production and herd profitability. Falling milk production across the UK and Europe, a slight lift in dairy commodity auction prices and firmer spot markets for milk have produced the first glimmer of good news for Scottish dairy farmers in almost two years. However, the vast majority of Scotlands 950 remaining dairy farmers are a long way from a return to profitability. That means all milk buyers must waste no time in responding to these positive price signals, and delivering price rises back to farmers. NFU Scotland will use Scotlands biggest agricultural event, the Royal Highland Show which starts at Ingliston near Edinburgh tomorrow (Thursday 23 June) - to push milk processors and retailers on the need to drive milk prices upwards. Analysts estimate that UK production for April is down 3.5 percent and that production across Europe is declining, with production falls in key dairying nations such as Germany and Ireland. Global and European dairy commodity auctions have shown small but consistent improvements in recent weeks and the spot price for milk in the UK has increased by between 1p and 2p per litre. 'Family farms under considerable pressure' However, the majority of Scottish dairy farmers continue to receive a milk price less than 19p per litre with many receiving less than 16p for their milk. That leaves hard-working Scottish dairy farmers hugely exposed and efficient, family farms under considerable pressure. NFU Scotland President, Allan Bowie said: "Lets be absolutely clear milk prices have a huge distance to go if they are to return Scottish dairy farmers to profitability and rebuild the damage to confidence in the future for milking cows. "In these statistics, we have the strongest indication yet that the tide is starting to turn and the UK dairy chain must waste no time in responding through milk price improvements. "And with supply declining, spot markets lifting and commodity prices firming, traders and processors will be placed under severe pressure from NFU Scotland to respond immediately. That process will continue at the Highland Show. "These are the toughest times in the dairy sector in living memory. If they value their supply, there must be absolutely no delay in milk companies and co-operatives passing any increased value in the chain back to producers. "That requires all milk purchasers to act responsibly and operate within the Code of Practice set for milk contracts. "An appalling feature of the current volatile marketplace is the decision taken by some in the supply chain to capitalise on the weak position of farmers, passing on the full consequences of poor markets to their supplying farmers. "That has seen a minority of irresponsible milk processors drag the sector in a downward spiral, as the more responsible processors are forced to compete. "This is not merely about pricing, but wider contract issues and the need for a supply chain that shares risk and reward in a fair and transparent manner and allows farm businesses to plan and invest with some degree of confidence. "Never has there been a time when farmers should be pressing for better contractual terms so that all share the challenge of volatility and periods of low prices in the future." A recruitment campaign to establish nine new monitor farmers across Scotland is being launched this week. The new monitor farms project, which will be funded by 1.25million secured from the Scottish Government and European Unions Knowledge Transfer and Innovation Fund, will be run jointly by Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) and AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds. The two organisations are looking for interested farmers in the following areas: Nithsdale; Scottish Borders; North Ayrshire; Lothians; Mearns & Angus; Lochaber; Morayshire; Sutherland; and The Northern Isles. The aim of the programme is to establish farms, typical of their area, as monitor farms to help improve the profitability, productivity and sustainability of producers through practical demonstrations, the sharing of best practice and the discussion of up-to-date issues. Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Connectivity Fergus Ewing said: "New agricultural techniques and the uptake of innovation and technology can make a real difference to improve productivity and farm business profitability, and it is essential that they are available to Scottish producers. "That is why the sharing of best practice, adoption of new ideas and research and development carried out at monitor farms is so important. "I am pleased the Scottish Government is able to support this project through funding from the Scottish Rural Development Programme. "I look forward to this ambitious new monitor farm programme playing a leading role in the transformational change of farm and rural business in Scotland to successfully meet the challenges ahead. Strong track record in Scotland QMS Head of Industry Development, Douglas Bell, said that monitor farms have established a strong track record in Scotland and the new programme would build on the success of the initial programme which launched in 2003. "Previous programmes have taken a sectoral approach, but in order to address the challenges currently facing farmers, this new joint initiative between AHDB Cereals and Oilseeds and QMS will focus on improving whole business management and profitability," said Mr Bell. "While maximising returns at enterprise level will remain integral, the relationships between different enterprises will be explored at a business, technical and environmental level." Each of the nine new monitor farms will have its own management team and an associated business group that will evaluate solutions and best practice before sharing its findings, both with the wider community groups and more generally, through various media channels including a dedicated website. Gavin Dick of AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds said: "This new monitor farm project will have positive economic, environmental and social impacts right across Scottish agriculture. "Were taking the existing monitor farm scheme and giving it a bold new direction, in order to help Scottish farmers meet what could be a very challenging future." The criteria for selection specify that farming has to be the full-time profession of at least one of the family members and the farmers need to be willing to disclose information about their businesses with a group of neighbouring farmers and embrace the opportunity for innovation on their farms. The appointed facilitators will work with their monitor farmer to show how the use of accurate baseline and benchmarking information can help to improve the profitability of the monitor farm and other farm businesses in the area. Plans have been hatched to build a brand new hen re-homing and education centre in North Devon. The British Hen Welfare Trust has submitted an application to North Devon Council to build the centre at Hen Central in Rose Ash, near South Molton. It comes after the charitys rapid expansion in recent years, and after the BHWT re-homed its 500,000th hen in January. As well as providing a dedicated re-homing base in North Devon the centre will also be used for educational training, inviting in schools and individuals to find out more about hen-keeping, hen-health, the work of the charity and more. BHWT Rehoming Centre - 3D Inside Preview If approved, the centre will be built on a piece of land next to Hope Chapel in Rose Ash. At present the BHWT re-homes out of a garage at Hen Central which can present difficulties, meaning the charity urgently needs a secure chicken and visitor-friendly building. The charitys re-homing days see re-homers travel from far and wide to collect hens which they then take home as pets thereby saving the birds from slaughter. Jane Howorth, founder of the charity, said: "This is an incredible opportunity to expand the work of the BHWT, which has already done so much to improve the lives of thousands of ex-commercial hens. "I am really excited about potentially providing a purpose-built centre which will not only be a facility for re-homing hens, but can also educate schoolchildren, businesses and individuals alike about hen welfare. "We hope our supporters, partners and the general public will get behind us to support the development which, if approved, will require us to fundraise in the near future." It is estimated the build will cost around 200,000 which the BHWT will look to raise through donations. Ian Firth of Bondstones, which is managing the project, said: "I am very happy to be supporting the British Hen Welfare Trust and am really excited about the opportunity." The EU Commission has released milk production figures for April, which show the the 28 member states produced 437m litres of milk per day in the month. AHDB Dairy looks at the figures: "This was 5m litres per day more than April last year, although that only equates to a year-on-year increase of 1.1%. "Between October 2015 and March 2016, the EU-28 was running 5% up on the previous year. Graph "Breaking the data down by country, shows milk production continued to increase in Germany and Netherlands, but fell in the UK, France and Ireland. "Ireland was running 28% up in March, but recorded a 4% decline in April as a result of poor grazing conditions and low milk prices. "However, because of the over-quota situation in Ireland in March 2015, there were reports that some milk was held over from March to April in order to avoid additional super-levy penalties. "As such, Irish milk production in April 2015 was probably inflated, which will explain part of the year-on-year fall recorded this year. "According to the Irish Farmers Journal, Irish milk production is up again in May, with most milk buyers recording year-on-year increases of 5-10%." A futuristic Dutch collaboration is using the most of modern science to push out an idea of how to feed growing populations despite decreasing amounts of space to grow food. The Floating Farm will produce various kinds of milk and yogurt from its location docked in the port of Rotterdam. The project aims to address the problem of how to feed a growing population when competition for land is growing. The project is an experiment in urban self-sufficiency The project is a partnership between three companies. Courage is the innovation institute of the Dutch Agriculture and Dairy sector, Uit Je Eigen Stad runs urban farms in cities across the Netherlands and Beladon is an authority on floating structures. Each cow will have around 160 square feet of space more than most land-based dairy farms while being contained within a space 3050 times smaller. Using a bridge between the farm and the dock, cows will also have access to an adjacent pasture when tides permit. The project is an experiment in urban self-sufficiency, with the companies aiming to establish whether its possible for an entire city to become entirely self-reliant in terms of food production and waste, clean water, and power. The farm will measure 40 x 32 m (131 x 105 ft) and the plan is for it to produce dairy goods on a daily basis. There will be enough space for 40 cows, producing in the region of 1,500 kg (3,300 lb) of milk every day. Floating Farm says it would be very possible to scale the design up so as to accommodate 200 cows with a daily milk output of 5,000 kg (11,000 lb). Urine produced by the cows will drain through the floor and into an air-tight storage facility. By keeping it contained here, ammonia emissions will be limited and it will be able to be distributed for use as fertilizer for city farms. Poland has been steadily increasing its presence on the UK pig meat market, which seems set to continue. AHDB Marketing Intelligence looks to explore some of the factors behind this movement. There has been a steady growth for processed products, notably canned hams, following Polands accession to the EU in 2004, while imports of fresh pork have started to take off. Imports of processed hams and shoulders amounted to 36,000 tonnes in 2015 and since 2007, when it really started to develop, has more than trebled. AHDB Marketing Intelligence Graph Sausages also account for a significant quantity of imports, 17,000 tonnes in 2015, although these have grown more slowly. Such product is generally branded and sold not only through Polish retail outlets but increasingly through mainstream outlets. For example, the ASDA website includes Authentic Polish Foods, with a wide range of processed pig meat products. Other multiples also sell a range of Polish processed meats. The number of UK residents born in Poland now amounts to 850,000, although the true figure for the Polish population will be higher, as families will have children born in the UK. Therefore, this accounts for a growing market for those customers seeking indigenous foodstuffs from the country in which they were born. UK imports of Polish pork more than doubled UK imports of fresh/frozen Polish pork more than doubled, to reach 11,300 tonnes, in 2015. As recently as 2010, imports only amounted to 750 tonnes. This pork is destined for secondary processing and mainly consists of chilled boneless cuts and bellies. However, one major Polish meat processor, ZM Wierzejki, which has 170 retail outlets in Poland, opened its first shop in East Acton,West London, at the end of last year. Its press release indicates it has plans to open a dozen new stores and attract not just Polish consumers. The meat-processing sector in Poland is sourcing its raw material from both domestic producers and imported product, some of which is subsequently re-exported. Major investment is taking place, including by Scandinavian companies, some of which has yet to come on stream. According to IFIP in France, much of this investment is geared towards supplying the UK market and the premium prices that it can offer. This includes investment in cutting plants and further processing facilities. For domestic production, the Polish breeding herd has been in steady decline, as the sector is very fragmented and suffers from low productivity. As many as 46% of sows were located on holdings with less than 100 sows in December 2013. The most recent census recorded a decline in the breeding herd of 16%, with total pig numbers falling by 12%. Poland increasingly importing from other EU countries However, pig slaughterings and production have been more stable since 2010, as Poland has been importing increasing numbers of finishers from other Member States to support production levels, notably from Denmark, which accounted for 80% of total trade in 2015. In 2006, only 168,000 weaners were imported by Poland but by 2015 official figures show a rise to 4.63 million. In reality, the true figure may be in excess of this based on Danish export data. Polish slaughtering companies have also been sourcing more imported slaughter pigs, which reached a peak of almost 1.1 million head in 2014, but which fell back by one half in 2015. In the case of imported pork, in 2015 Poland received 128,000 tonnes from Denmark, of which almost 60% was fresh bone - in cuts for cutting up. Of the 186,000 tonnes imported from Belgium, 90% was in fresh carcase form. As a result, Poland has been increasing both its imports and exports of fresh and frozen pork in recent years. In 2015 imports amounted to 676,000 tonnes and exports 404,000 tonnes. The difference will be partly the result of the growing export trade in processed pig meat products, led by hams and shoulders. While Poland is not yet a major player on the UK market (its market share of all pig meat imports is still only 7%), it certainly is on the EU market. Even if its pig meat production is no longer expanding, its low labour rates and increased investment in processing is sucking in more imported product for subsequent re-export, including to the UK. Volumes of processed products have been rising year-on-year, and increasing investment would suggest that this is set to continue. Nick White has been appointed as the new head of domestic marketing for beef and lamb at the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB). Nick originally joined AHDB in 2013, when he acted as interim head of marketing for AHDB Beef & Lamb (then EBLEX) for a 12-month period. During this time he instigated the successful Mini Roast campaign (Why Wait Til Sunday?), which continues to be core to the organisations market development strategy. Following this, he then moved into the head of marketing role for AHDB Potatoes (previously the Potato Council), where he launched the three-year EU campaign, Potatoes More Than a Bit on the Side. The first year of the campaign is coming to an end and has already had good engagement and pick-up from the potato industry. Nick brings a wealth of marketing knowledge to the role. He has previously held senior marketing positions for companies including First Milk, where he was marketing director of their cheese portfolio, and Muller Dairy, where he was head of marketing for Ireland and had UK responsibility for a number of their popular brands. Speaking about his appointment, Nick said: "I am thrilled to be given the opportunity to head up the domestic marketing team for beef and lamb. "Encouraging consumption of quality assured beef and lamb is a key part of our work to support the long-term sustainability of the sector. "I look forward to building on the success of last years mini roast campaign alongside other elements of our marketing plan and promoting the great products our beef and sheep industry is producing." 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." Mr Mazza said the government's decision to invest $23 million in Doppler weather radar stations was largely due to Mr Hallett's tenacity and persistence and that he was instrumental in reversing last year's decision to close the Jakarta trade office, which would have damaged WA's livestock export and other markets. capitol dome (DAN GLEITER, THE PATRIOT-NEWS) Good Wednesday Morning, Fellow Seekers. Just days after the U.S. Senate. rejected Republican and Democratic bills that would have made it more difficult for suspected terrorists to obtain guns, a Bucks County lawmaker is making his own run at the issue. Democratic Rep. Steve Santarsiero is pushing what's known as a "discharge resolution" to spring his own watchlist proposal from the House Judiciary Committee, ABC-27 reports. The odds of Santarsiero's gambit are long. Discharge resolutions, which require House approval, rarely work. Ditto for the bill itself - which is unlikely to get a "yes" vote from the Republican-controlled chamber. "I think we need to do everything we can to make sure extremists are not getting ahold of firearms," Santasiero, who's also running for Bucks County's 8th Congressional District, told ABC-27's Dennis Owens. Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, R-Butler, the chair of the House State Government Committee, told ABC-27 that it's "common sense" that terrorists shouldn't be able to buy guns. But Metcalfe said he doesn't trust the federal government to fairly administer a watch list of suspected terrorists. And "rather than addressing the radical Islamic terrorist issue, they want to try and shift it to a debate on the Second Amendment," he told Owens. A House source said Tuesday that the Judiciary Committee, chaired by Rep. Ron Marisco, R-Dauphin, could meet as soon as Wednesday morning to move Santarsiero's bill to the "[Rules Committee] or somewhere to die." We'll be trying to reach Marsico's office this morning to confirm the action. The rest of the day's news starts now. The state House has signed off on a bill severely restricting abortion rights, our Capitol colleague Charlie Thompson reports. Two Pennsylvania women have sued a Catholic priest and the Altoona-Johnstown diocese alleging sexual assault, The Associated Press reports (via The Tribune-Review). DNC convention organizers are prepared for protesters and delegates alike, The Post-Gazette reports. Philadelphia Magazine has endorsed Hillary Clinton for president. Now that he's been convicted, people are calling on U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah, D-2nd District, to give up his seat in Congress, The Inquirer reports. BillyPenn has your quick guide to what happened with Fattah's 29-count conviction. Ahead of the state budget deadline, Gov. Tom Wolf has scaled back his demands. He's now dropped his call for a personal income tax hike, NewsWorks/WHYY-FM reports. The owner of an Emmaus-area gun range was stopped at the Holland Tunnel for carrying a stash of body armor and guns, The Morning Call reports. Here's U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa. , in a radio interview, discussing how he really feels about Donald Trump (via PoliticsPA ). In the fight of his political life, Sen. John McCain lets loose to Politico on Obamacare. A terror watchlist bill in the U.S. Senate sponsored by Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, is gaining bipartisan support. The bill has raised White House concerns because it affects fewer people, Roll Call reports. What Goes On. 11 a.m., Main Rotunda: School principals rally for funding (rescheduled from Monday). 12 p.m., Main Rotunda: Americans for Prosperity makes the unlikely argument that Pa. should mimic the strategies that cratered Kansas. What Goes On (Nakedly Political Edition). 7:30 a.m.: Breakfast for Rep. Bernie O'Neill 5:30 p.m: Reception for Rep. John Galloway The two events will set you back a max of $6,000. WoflWatch Gov. Tom Wolf is scheduled to address EqualityPa's Legislative Action Day today at 10:30 a.m. in the Capitol rotunda. Heavy Rotation. Here's something a little trance-y to get your Wednesday morning going. And now you're up to date. See you all back here in a bit. What was it like to be an Oath Keeper? John Zimmerman can tell you STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Nicole Milea, a local special education teacher who calls Great Kills home, recently published a unique children's book titled "My Friend Henry," a remarkable project that inspires kids to see abilities within disabilities. Nicole reveals she penned her book to be used as a platform to initiate conversation with young children/students and help shed light on disabilities awareness and acceptance of differences. She adds "My Friend Henry" translates into a light hearted narrative depicting a not so typical yet compatible and enlightening friendship. "It provides a charming, connective and engaging interpretation of the simple beauty that can happen when individuals come together in understanding, acceptance and perfectly-imperfect harmony," Nicole further explains. Says she: "Reading to children is a top way to help them understand and be able to spread acceptance and make a difference. And I had a book release/launch party/celebration/disabilities awareness fundraiser on June 5th at Flagship Brewery, St. George, where 100% of the proceeds from the event was donated to United Cerebral Palsy and Autism Speaks." Interestingly, the main character, Henry, is based on Nicole's real-life pet chinchilla of the same name. Nicole has spent her career teaching, supporting and learning from individuals with varying disabilities. She points out both the UCP and Autism Speaks are tremendous organizations in the disabilities community who show support for not only the book but for the book signing event as well. Autism speaks has posted on its Staten Island, NYC and main organization social media sites -- Twitter having over 211,000 followers!), and UCP more than 10,000 followers. "The book seems to be gaining a lot of speed in the special needs community and I would like to spread awareness about the project, inasmuch as there are many people in the community who are looking forward to see it acknowledged -- especially organizations for the developmentally challenged," Nicole continues. "The book will help children realize the beauty they can create by understanding and accepting their disabled classmates and neighbors." Nicole plans to use the book as a starting point to develop educational acceptance programs for children. Her website also features a lesson plan to help interested teachers incorporate "My Friend Henry" into classrooms. Having worked with individuals of various ages, Nicole's passion for her craft extends well beyond the classroom, from early intervention to providing therapy to children in their homes and managing an adult group home. Nicole is a fierce advocate for disabilities awareness of all kinds and she plans to continue working diligently in order to bring further awareness to the cause. "My Friend Henry" is currently available for purchase online at Amazon, or in Barnes & Nobles and all other book retailers. For additional information, visit MyFriendHenry.com. CELEBRATIONS: JUNE 22 Happy birthday Wednesday to Bonnie Bibula, Maggie Riccardi, Lester Puci, Victoria Larsen, Michele Byrne-McGowan and Jennifer Fox. Indias new bankruptcy code is a promising development in a jurisdiction where it is difficult to start a business and a nightmare to shut it down. Global distressed debt funds are focusing on India and there is great potential to clear out bad loans and zombie companies. Anyone in the finance industry or with existing operations in India should pay close attention. On balance, its a positive development. But will any banker in India take a haircut on a loan, whatever the new code says? A banker cutting a deal under current political conditions risks an investigation by Indias anti-corruption and other law enforcement agencies. Indias genuine progress is addressing high-level systemic corruption has become an unintended impediment to clearing out the deadwood of non-performing assets (NPA) that lays like tinder under the Indian economy. While the bankruptcy code is not simply about helping lenders clean up their balance sheets, without that flexibility there is little hope for implementing the code effectively. The problems are largely self-inflicted. Discussions about non-payment of loans in India are burdened with morality, according to Raghuram Rajan, the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, the countrys central bank. There is a knee-jerk impulse to seek criminal sanctions against loan defaulters, and to investigate the bankers who made such loans. It is a completely separate issue of who to blame and whether there is criminal liability involved. In some fraction of the cases there may be criminal liability involved. That should be separated from the whole issue of putting the assets back on track, Rajan has said. Allowing businesses to discharge debt through bankruptcy runs counter to the Indian political desire to demonstrate populist credentials. There are also genuine reasons to treat NPAs with suspicion. Bad loans in developing markets are often the residue of corruption, where banks make economically unviable loans under political pressure. In addition, kickbacks to bankers for commercial loans are a routine occurrence in both public and private banks in India. The enforcement risks to bankers are very real. Indias central law against domestic corruption, the Prevention of Corruption Act, covers actions by public sector banks and bankers. A recent court decision extended coverage of the act to private sector bankers. And while conviction rates in India for such offences are typically very modest, the pain inflicted by an investigations is a very real threat. Bankers fear that investigative agencies will continue to routinely look into legitimate business decisions, according to industry sources. As a consequence, public sector lending volume has declined significantly in the past year. The government is publicly discussing some form of protection for banks and bankers to help ameliorate the threat of prosecution, but the political sensitivities involved in such a program are significant. So while the effectiveness of the bankruptcy code will take years to assess, there are some immediate practical implications. Anyone investing or acquiring a business with loans in India needs to scrub those obligations very carefully for potential corruption or other risks. Tax authorities in India are also aggressive in inspecting any re-evaluation of assets. The potential for political involvement in routine commercial activities involving loans is significant and difficult for outsiders to predict. As for Indian banks and bankers until the political environment cools and the bankruptcy regulations mature, they should lawyer up and keep their heads down. ____ Russell Stamets is a Contributing Editor of the FCPA Blog. He was the first non-Indian general counsel of a publicly traded Indian company and was general counsel for a satellite broadcasting joint venture of a large Indian business house. Hell be a speaker at the FCPA Blog NYC Conference 2016. The SEC has now awarded more than $85 million to 32 whistleblowers since the whistleblower program started in 2011. Last year it received nearly 4,000 tips from every state and the District of Columbia, as well as 61 foreign countries. How does the SEC handle tips? Sean McKessy, chief of the SEC Office of the Whistleblower, posted this transcript (from a video presentation) on the SEC website: * * * We are often asked what happens after a whistleblower submits a tip, so today, I will walk you through how the investigative process works, and your role as a whistleblower. First, when you submit a tip, make sure you use the Form TCR, which is required for you to be considered a whistleblower for this program. It contains declarations of eligibility that you must sign off on. You can submit anonymously and be part of the whistleblower program, but if you do submit anonymously you must be represented by counsel. When you submit a whistleblower tip, you will receive a TCR submission number. Please retain this submission number for your reference, but dont worry if you lose it, we will always be able to find your TCR by your name. When your TCR is submitted to the SEC, our attorneys, accountants, and analysts will review the data you submit to determine how best to proceed. If it is a matter the Enforcement Division is working on already, the TCR gets forwarded to the staff handling that matter. Often a TCR gets sent to the experts in another Division at the SEC for their evaluation. Even if your tip does not cause us to open an investigation right away, the information you provide is retained and may be reviewed again in the future if more facts come to light and a picture becomes clearer. In any event, please know that each tip received is evaluated very soon after being received by the SEC and it is looked at by at least two SEC attorneys. If we need additional information to evaluate your tip, or to assist us in any resulting investigation, we will contact you, or your attorney. The best thing you can do to make your tip useful is to provide specific, timely, and credible information. For instance, a general claim that you think your next door neighbor is committing securities fraud does not give our investigators much to go on even if you are right. Our staff will be much better able to pursue an investigation of your tip if they have specific examples, details or transactions to examine. So, the more information and specifics that you can provide to us to follow up on, the better. People often call us to ask if they should submit something, or submit an update, and we will almost always suggest that you submit it. As I often tell people, you never know what information may be the last piece of the puzzle for an investigation. Additionally, we explain that what may seem small or insignificant to you might be critical to an investigation. So, what happens if you submit your tip and it causes an SEC investigation? Our enforcement staff will follow the facts to determine whether to charge an individual, entity or both with securities violations. These investigation can take months or even years to be concluded. Further, even after the investigation is complete and the Commission decides to file a case, the case may be litigated, which may mean significant additional time before the case is resolved. So please understand that it can be a long time before a resolution to the matter is final. That said, once a matter in which over one million dollars in sanction is ordered is final, we will post a Notice of Covered Action on our website. You can sign up to receive an email each time we post a new one and you may also hear from me or someone in the whistleblower office directly to let you know that the case that you reported has been posted. If you recognize the case you brought, you will have 90 days to submit a Form WB-APP to apply for an award. We will respond promptly to acknowledge receipt. From there, we will go into the deeper analysis required by the Commissions rules to determine whether to pay an award, and, if so, how much. The Commissions rules describe seven factors that we use to determine whether to increase or decrease the percentage of an award. The four factors that may increase an award are: (1) the significance of the information provided by the whistleblower, (2) the assistance provided by the whistleblower, (3) any law enforcement interest that might be advanced by a higher award, and (4) the whistleblowers participation in internal compliance systems as in, if you reported on a company that you currently or used to work for, did you report internally first, and did you participate in any internal investigation. There are also three factors that can decrease the percentage of an award. These are (1) culpability, (2) an unreasonable reporting delay by the whistleblower, and (3) interference with internal compliance and reporting systems. Please know, however, that even if of all these negative factors apply, you may still be entitled to an award higher than the ten percent minimum. You can find more information about each of these factors on our website, under the Frequently Asked Questions section. So in summary, please be aware of the following points. The more specific, credible and timely the information you provide, the better it is for our investigators to follow up on. Please also send in any updates or developments that occur. Understand the positive and negative factors the Commission considers in determining an award percentage. And finally, please be aware that that the securities laws can be very complex and that SEC enforcement actions can take years to be finalized. Thank you for listening, if you have any questions, please call us at (202) 551-4790, or visit the frequently asked questions section of our website, www.sec.gov/whistleblower. * * * Sir Cliff Richard still feels "tarnished" by sex abuse allegations. Sir Cliff Richard The 'Summer Holiday' hitmaker - who has been cleared of all allegations made against him - says the Crown Prosecution Service's (CPS) terminology of "insufficient evidence to prosecute" makes it sound like he did commit a crime. He said: "To get the news a couple of days ago telling me that it was good news from the CPS was just fantastic. It's very difficult for me to explain to people what it's been feeling like, what it felt like for me, to be an innocent, but having these vile accusations thrown at me. "The CPS, I mean, it's just what they do ... there are certain terminologies that they have to use, and in this case they never say there is no evidence, they just say insufficient evidence, nothing on which we can prosecute. And so in a way I still feel tarnished because insufficient suggests that maybe there's something there and I know there wasn't." And the 75-year-old star - whose Berkshire home was raided by police in August 2014 whilst the BBC filmed - has hit back at those who decided to name him as he has become "collateral damage" for the last two years. He added: "In the case of people like myself or anybody that is not charged with, this is sexual molestation, the name should never be out there, unless you have been charged, and here I am 22 months and a week later and no charge. I don't like the idea of being collateral damage, and that's what I've been for 22 months." And Cliff admits he is now "very cagey" about having his photograph taken with young people incase ill informed members of the public get the wrong end of the stick. When asked if the ordeal has changed how he trusts people, he told ITV's Good Morning Britain: "Yes to a certain extent it has, I am very cagey now when I am having pictures taken with people. And I don't like that feeling, because I've always had photographs taken with grandparents and their grandchildren. "I have had my arms around their grandchildren, that's my life, I'm a family entertainer and that's what I have done. But that's one thing I am going to have to try and get rid of." Prince Charles was given a tour of an aircraft carrier named after him in Scotland on Tuesday (21.06.16). Prince Charles The 67-year-old royal - the son of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip - couldn't be missed as he arrived at the 65,000-tonne HMS Prince of Wales at Rosyth dockyard on the Firth of Forth in Fife in his hi-visibility jacket. The duke - who is known as the Duke of Rothesay when in Scotland - appeared to be in his element as he spoke to construction workers and crew members before praising them on the "skills and ingenuity" they have for building the new aircraft carrier bearing his title. According to the Daily Mail Online, he said: "It is an enormous tribute to your skills and ingenuity, and all the dedication and effort that so many of you have put not only into this ship but her sister ship the Queen Elizabeth, moored next door. Nothing could have given me greater pleasure than to have been with you on this occasion and look forward enormously to this ship being completed and finally at sea, where it will be a great testament to everything that you have put into the building." Charles then banged a gavel to signal the crane operators to lower the final 570-tonne section into place on the carrier. Sally Bretton is "delighted" to return for a new series of 'Death in Paradise' - which is to have two episodes set in London. Sally Bretton The 36-year-old actress made her first appearance on season five of the BBC One crime drama last year and will reprise her role as Martha Lloyd in the upcoming sixth season, and is excited to see how her character's storyline unfolds throughout the eight-part series. Speaking about her comeback, Sally said: "I am delighted that I have been given the chance to reprise my role as Martha and join the incredible Death In Paradise cast and crew again. My character is a joy to play and I can't wait for the viewers to see how her story unfolds." The forthcoming series will see Sally come to loggerheads with Detective Inspector Humphrey Goodman (Kris Marshall) over a love interest, and follow Saint Marie's crime-fighting Honore police team on their mission to solve a murder case on the idyllic Caribbean island. However, next year's season will see the cast leave paradise head to London from Guadeloupe to film in England's capital for the first time since the show aired in 2011. Speaking about the London-based scenes, the executive producer of the programme, Tim Key said: "We are very excited to be bringing 'Death In Paradise' to London for the very first time. Humphrey Goodman (played by Kim Marshall) has always been a fish out of water in Saint Marie, adjusting to the island's ways and customs, but for the scenes set in London, the roles are reversed as he is back in his hometown, giving an opportunity to explore the characters that viewers know and love against a new backdrop." Sally and Kris will join the long-standing cast Josephione Jobert, who plays DS Florence Cassell, and Officer JP Hooper played by Tobi Bakare, as well as newcomers 'The Night Manager' Douglas Hodge, 'Happy Valley' Ramon Tikaram, 'EastEnders' star Gary Beadle and 'Birds Of A Feather' Mark Powley. 'Death in Paradise', which is created by Robert Thorogood and produced by Sue Howells, is set to air from early 2017. Photo Donald J. Trump regularly boasts that he is self-funding his presidential bid, but new campaign finance filings show that he is also shifting plenty of money back to himself in the process. According to documents submitted to the Federal Election Commission , Mr. Trump, whose campaign has just $1.3 million cash on hand , paid at least $1.1 million to his businesses and family members in May for expenses associated with events and travel costs. The total represents nearly a fifth of the $6 million that his campaign spent in the month. The spending raised eyebrows among campaign finance experts and some of Mr. Trumps critics who have questioned whether the presumptive Republican nominee, who points to his business acumen as a case for his candidacy, is trying to do what he has suggested he would in 2000 when he mulled making an independent run: Its very possible that I could be the first presidential candidate to run and make money on it. He could end up turning a profit if he repaid himself for the campaign loans, said Paul S. Ryan, a campaign finance expert with the Campaign Legal Center. He could get all his money back plus the profit margin for what his campaign has paid himself for goods and services. While most candidates list an array of vendors providing goods and services on their filings, Mr. Trumps is packed with payments to his various clubs and buildings, his fleet of planes and his family. The self-proclaimed billionaire is required by law to account for his spending this way to prevent his companies from making illegal corporate donations to his campaign. In 2015, about $2.7 million was paid to at least seven companies Mr. Trump owns or to people who work for his real estate and branding empire, repaying them for services provided to his campaign. In May, the biggest-ticket item was Mr. Trumps use of the Mar-a-Lago Club, his Florida resort, which was paid $423,000. The campaign paid $350,000 to TAG Air for his private airplanes, $125,000 to Trump Restaurants and more than $170,000 to Trump Tower, the Manhattan skyscraper that houses the campaigns headquarters. Mr. Trumps family also profited from the campaign last month, with his son Erics Virginia wine business taking in about $1,300. Advertisement Continue reading the main story And Mr. Trump, who has said he will not take a salary if he is elected president, paid himself $3,085 in May. The disbursements are related to travel expenses, according to the filings. Mr. Ryan said that the extent to which Mr. Trump was utilizing his own businesses for his run was unprecedented and that because of his unique financial circumstances, he was wading into territory that went beyond the commissions guidance. We dont have clear answers, Mr. Ryan said. Historically, candidates would separate themselves from their business interests when running for office. Trump has done the opposite by promoting his businesses while running for office. While candidates often gain recognition from running for president, they are barred from enriching themselves directly from their campaigns. When a campaign buys copies of a candidates book in bulk and distributes them, for example, the candidate cannot accept royalties from the purchases. However, Mr. Ryan notes that the election commission does allow candidates who own commercial property to rent it from themselves at fair market rates, as Mr. Trump has regularly done. Mr. Trumps use of his branded water and steaks falls into something of a gray area. Ciara Torres-Spelliscy, an election law expert at New York Universitys Brennan Center for Justice, said that Mr. Trump did not appear to be violating any campaign finance laws, but that he could face more scrutiny over the use of his businesses for campaign purposes now that he is more explicitly asking supporters to donate money to the campaign. It is something to keep an eye on, she said, because as soon as you start using campaign money that has come in from donors, not just the money that he has loaned to himself, and he uses it for something that he will personally keep, or his family will personally keep, that is what crosses the line. Whether Mr. Trump could end up profiting from his campaign remains a subject of speculation; some have questioned if he will eventually ask for the more than $40 million that he has lent to his campaign to be repaid. The eventual effect of the campaign on Mr. Trumps personal brand, which he has said represents a large part of his wealth, also remains unclear. Democrats on Tuesday tried to seize on the payments Mr. Trump made to his businesses as evidence of hypocrisy. Commenters on the liberal website Daily Kos ridiculed Mr. Trump for running a scampaign and overstating the personal investment he was making in his campaign by funneling the money back to his empire. Americas Walmart and JD.com, Chinas largest e-commerce company by revenue, have announced that they have formed a strategic alliance to better serve consumers across China through a powerful combination of e-commerce and retail.The agreement between the companies includes a wide range of business initiatives, covering both online and offline retail, Walmart said on its website. For the American retailer, the alliance greatly expands its opportunity in China e-commerce and provides its stores and Sams Clubs with potential traffic from JD.coms significant base of online customers and vast same-day delivery network to serve its customers.For its part, JD.com will leverage Yihaodians strong brand and business in eastern and southern China and in key product categories such as high-quality grocery and household goods, both of which complement its own geographical and product strengths. In addition, JD.coms customers will gain access to a wide range of new and imported items from Walmart and Sams Club.As part of the agreement, Walmart will receive 144,952,250 newly issued JD.com Class A ordinary shares, amounting to approximately 5 per cent of total shares outstanding.Under the agreement, 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.Sams Club China, which has proven tremendously successful within the markets it operates in China, will open a flagship store on JD.com, vastly expanding the availability of Sams Clubs high-quality imported products across China. It will offer same- and next-day delivery through JD.coms 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. Walmarts China stores will be listed as a preferred retailer on JD.coms O2O JV Dada, Chinas 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 Dadas customers. Walmart will continue to operate its own physical stores. Doug McMillon, president and CEO of Walmart. JD.com shares similar values in making the lives of customers better. It also has a very complementary business and is an ideal partner that will help us offer compelling new experiences that can reach significantly more customers. We also look forward to offering customers a tremendous number of quality imported products not previously widely available in China through Walmart and Sams Club. The United States Industrial Fabrics Institute (USIFI), a division of the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI), has announced its formal support for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade agreement.The TPP which was signed in February by the US and 11 other countries awaits congressional approval. The United States Industrial Fabrics Institute (USIFI), a division of the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI), has announced its formal support for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade agreement. The TPP which was signed in February by the US and 11 other countries awaits congressional approval. The USIFI decided to # The USIFI decided to endorse the TPP after an in-depth review of the final text. It determined that its key objectives were met under the terms of the agreement which includes securing a strong yarn-forward rule of origin for the vast majority of textile and apparel products, and reasonable, multi-year tariff phase-outs for sensitive industrial textile products.The USIFI also determined that the TPP would preserve the Berry and Kissell Amendments, US government procurement laws mandating domestic preferences for national security purposes.It also believes that the trade pact will secure provisions that allow for effective customs enforcement cooperation among the TPP parties and other standard textile chapter terms included in US free trade agreements."The US textile industry can compete globally under trade rules that are reasonable and fair. We extend our thanks to USTR Ambassador Michael Froman and the US textile negotiating team for their strong consideration of our input and analysis regarding provisions important to US industrial textile manufacturers," said Ted Anderson, USIFI Board Chairman and CEO of BondCote Corporation."While every agreement includes tradeoffs, we recognize that the overall outcome on TPP is balanced and reflects core textile industry objectives. As a result, based on the text as drafted and agreed to by the TPP nations, we endorse this agreement," Anderson added.The USIFI is a coalition of domestic US fibre, fabric and end-product manufacturers which serves member company interests in both domestic and international affairs. USIFI is a division of the Industrial Fabrics Association International (IFAI), which represents more than 1,500 members in the specialty textile industry worldwide. (SH) Fibre2Fashion News Desk India Prakash Raj has announced that he will be remaking the recent hit Godhi Banna Sadharna Mykattu in Telugu and Tamil languages, under his banner Prakash Raj Productions. The team held a special screening for Prakash Raj earlier this week, and Prakash Raj liked the movie and shared his views on his social media account - "#godhibannasadharanamykattu proud of this team 4 ushering novelty in #kannadacinema thank you audience 4the response". He went on to say about the current trend of Kannada films, "It's a joy to see such fresh talents #thithi #godhibannasadharanamykattu #uturn #karva being welcomed...by kannada audience. Happy days cheers". Team GBSM, who were ecstatic with Prakash Raj's response, thanked the star through social media. Looks like Prakash Raj has decided to remake this gem into other languages after watching the movie. He approached the producers regarding the same and they were more than happy about their movie being remade into other languages by Prakash Raj. Prakash Raj shared the news of the remakes through social media - "Proud to announce #godhibannasadharanamykattu .. to be made in tamil and Telugu by #prakashraj productions ...Cheers!!" No other details regarding the remake have been officially announced yet. Probably, Prakash Raj will direct the project along with producing and starring in it. In the recent years, he has been reaching out to the audiences with movies which are critically acclaimed in other languages. His last directorial Oggarane was the remake of a Malayalam movie and was well-received in Kannada as well. Prakash Raj is now busy with multiple projects. The Hindi Remake of Oggarane starring Nana Patekar and Shriya Saran is in production. Another movie Idolle Ramayana, which is simultaneously being made in Telugu as Mana Oori Ramayanam is in the post-production stage. Journalist Jogi has written the script and Maestro Ilaiyaraaja is composing the music for this movie. Mohanlal is all set to make a big mark in the Telugu film industry with two back-to-back Telugu films in the form of Manamantha and Janatha Garage. The actor has also went on to learn Telugu to dub for the film Manamantha directed by Chandrasekhar Yeleti. The actor recently posted a picture on his official Facebook page, which shows the actor in a studio dubbing for his upcoming Telugu film Manamantha. The actor also shared his happiness and excitement on dubbing in Telugu and learning the language. Take a look at the Facebook post of the actor.. In fact, it is for the first time that the actor is dubbing in Telugu. The actor had also received many praises while the shooting of the film when the actor had put in a great effort to learn the dialogues in Telugu itself. We all know about the quick learning skills of the actor. In the past, Mohanlal had dubbed for himself in Hindi films like Company, Aag and Tamil films like Iruvar, Popcorn, Unnaipol Oruvan, Jilla etc. Manamantha has been directed by Chandrasekhar Yeleti and the film also has Gautami in an important role. Meanwhile, the actor would also be dubbing for himself in his next Telugu film Janatha Garage which has Jr NTR in the lead role. Both Manamantha and Janatah Garage would be having Tamil and Malayalam versions too, and the actor would be dubbing for all the versions. Well, we appreciate the great efforts taken by Mohanlal and truly, he is one of the most dedicated actors of the Indian film industry. Tamil cinema is not new to the concept of sequels anymore. In fact, in the last few years, numerous sequels have hit the big screen consistently, encouraging film-makers to dish out many such movies. While some sequels narrate the remainder of the story that needs to be told, some begin with a fresh story while keeping the characters intact. Here are 5 such sequels we can't wait to watch: 2.o Starring superstar Rajinikanth, Akshay Kumar and Amy Jackson in the lead, 2.o is the sequel to Enthiran, which released in 2010. Directed by Shankar, 2.o is being made with a budget of 350 Crore rupees. Being captured in the 3D format, 2.o is expected to be a high quality sci-fi movie, on the lines of Hollywood flicks. Vishwaroopam 2 Directed by Kamal Haasan, Vishwaroopam 2 is the sequel to Vishwaroopam, which was a massive hit at the time of its release in 2013. With more than 90 percent of the film already captured, Vishwaroopam 2 is expected to release soon, provided the producers free themselves from their financial crunch. Theri 2 Though not officially confirmed, Theri 2, which will be a sequel to Ilayathalapathy Vijay's Theri, might have the star actor in the lead. Director Atlee had said that the story of Theri 2 has already been penned and that it is left to Vijay to decide whether or not to star in the film. Baahubali: The Conclusion Baahubali: The Conclusion is the sequel to Baahubali: The Beginning, which remains till date as India's highest grossing movie. Being directed by SS Rajamouli, the film, which will release in Telugu, Tamil and Hindi languages, is expected to hit the big screen in April 2017. S3 S3 is the third instalment in the Singam franchise. After tasting success through Singam and Singam 2, directed Hari chose to direct the third film as well. Starring Suriya, Anushka and Shruti Haasan in the lead, S3 will probably hit the theatre later this year. Also Read: 'Jilla' Actor Charandeep Is The Baddie In Demand! Arya, who will be seen playing a tribe in his upcoming movie, which is tentatively titled as 'Kadamban', is all set to shoot with 50 elephants for the climax sequence of the film. Though the schedule starts next month, Arya and the team will head to Thailand this week, as the country is known for rearing elephants. "The schedule starts from July 1, but Arya and the director will be going to Thailand this week because Arya has to attend some training sessions on how to handle the elephants during the shoot. Thailand has a huge elephant pannai and around 50 elephants have been selected from the 300 elephants there. Arya will be trained by mahouts, who will also be present during all the ten days of the shooting schedule. The makers will be spending close to five crore rupees for the climax alone, as renting these elephants is very expensive," a source close to the project told Times of India. Being directed by Ragava, the film, which is set against the backdrop of a forest, will have Catherine Tresa romancing the Naan Kadavul actor. Since the entire movie was shot in forests near Tamil Nadu and Kerala, Arya had to counter snakes and wild animals. "Till now, for most of the films I've done, barring 'Naan Kadavul', for which I shot in Kashi, I have shot in comfortable places like coffee shops, malls, and other places within the city. But this schedule, of shooting in forests amidst snakes and wild animals is really a different experience for me, and I am enjoying it," Arya had said. Meanwhile, the Vasuvum Saravananum Onna Padichavanga actor has signed his next with director Ameer. It is said that the film will be a villaged based subject, on the lines of Ameer's Paruthiveeran. Also Read: 'Muthina Kathirikai' Movie Review & Rating: A Tedious Tale | By Several persons have asked if Im related to the Sanora Babb featured in Ken Burns recent PBS Dust Bowl documentary. After reading her memoir, An Owl on Every Post, years ago, I was determined to meet the author of this wonderful childhood family story. We are distant cousins, and I was fortunate to get to know her in the last years of her life before she died in 2005 at the age of 98. I quickly fell in love with her, influenced no doubt because she looked like and reminded me of the Babb aunts whom I lived with in my early childhood. I miss her. Sanoras life story and her novel about the Dust Bowl victims, Whose Names Are Unknown, are part of the Ken Burns documentary. In it, he tells how she wrote her novel in the late 30s while helping Tom Collins set up the FSA migrant camps in California, but Random House reneged on their contract because a similar book, The Grapes of Wrath, had just been published. Her novel of the Dust Bowl and its devastating effects on farmers in Oklahoma and Kansas, where she was born and lived until she went to Los Angeles in 1929, reflects her personal experiences there and in the camps of California. Critics note the books authenticity, but more important for us readers are the compelling characters she brings to life. She arrived in LA, incidentally, on the day the stock market crashed. The job she had taken with the Associated Press evaporated, and homeless she had to live for a while in Jefferson Park. She said the LA police checked the park at night to be sure the campers, many of whom were women, were safe. Thats not the picture of LA police we have today. Through Sanora I got to know her long-time friend and literary executor, Joanne Dearcopp, whose personal mission is to gain wider recognition of Sanoras work. Joanne is organizing the re-publication of her out-of-print works and seeking a producer for a script of Whose Names Are Unknown. Recently republished, with a new Foreword by Pulitzer Prize author William Kennedy, is An Owl on Every Post, Sanoras beautifully written memoir of her life as a child in Baca County, Colorado. There she lived in a dugout with her parents and grandfather for a couple of years during their failed efforts to raise broomcorn. Being republished this fall is her autobiographical novel, The Lost Traveler, of her adolescent years when her father was a small-town gambler. Sanora wrote five books as well as essays, short stories and poems published in literary magazines alongside the work of Dorothy Parker, Ralph Ellison, William Saroyan, Katherine Anne Porter, and Ernest Hemingway. For more background see her website , a web exhibition with her sister Dorothys photos in the camps, and a recent article Rediscovering a National Treasure in Foreword Reviews. The picture at the beginning of this post is Sanora in the California worker fields in the 1930s. A recent report had stated that Lyca Productions was involved in a crime pertaining to taxes and that members of the production house were arrested in France. But now, the production company, which is bankrolling superstar Rajinikanth's upcoming film 2.o, has released a press statement, stating that the company has no connection with the arrest made in France and that it intends to file a complaint against the mid-day newspaper, for reporting a false news. "On June 22nd 2016, Lyca Productions, one of Tamil Cinema's leading production houses, is filing a criminal and civil case against a leading mid-day newspaper before the Metropolitan Magistrate Court for an inaccurate and defamatory article printed in their newspaper on June 21st, 2016. The article alleges that Lyca Productions was involved in tax fraud and that employees were arrested in France. Lyca Productions would like to clarify that it has no connection with this incident, and this false news is being propagated intentionally by other sources with malicious motives. Lyca Productions has a very solid reputation in the film fraternity, and has been consistently involved in the production of major movies," the statement read. Meanwhile, the shooting of 2.o is happening at a brisk pace. With 50 percent of the film already captured, which includes the all important climax portions, the movie is gearing up for release in the year 2017. "100th day of '2.o' shoot. Ufff... finishd 2 major action sequncs including d climax with Superstar n Akshay. Loading 50%," director Shankar posted on his Twitter page. Made with a whopping budget of 350 Crore rupees, 2.o might turn out to be the costliest film ever produced in India, at the time of its release. Everything about the movie, including the looks of its lead actors have been safely guarded so far. Also Read: 'Jilla' Actor Charandeep Is The Baddie In Demand! Its curtains down for the suspense around Rajinikanth's Kabali release date. The much awaited flick of the Superstar has completed its shoot a couple of months ago. But, due to Tamilnadu elections and various other reasons, the release date of the movie was put on a hold for a longtime. However, some highly placed sources have confirmed us that the film will be hitting screens on 15 July, both in Tamil and Telugu. While the songs are already out in the Tamil market, the Telugu audio will be released on 26 June. Meanwhile, Rajinikanth and Kabali makers are yet to take a call on the audio event of Telugu. Since a huge price was invested on the Telugu rights of the movie, the producer is said to be stressing on the Tamil producer to bring in Rajini for the audio launch, so that the film gets better hype in the Telugu land. However, the actor is reportedly unwell from quite a few days and it looks unlikely for the makers to hold an event for the Telugu audio. Nevertheless, it is almost sure that Kabali will be seeing the light on 15 July. Let the celebrations begin, folks! Aschheim (Munchen)/Jakarta (ots) - Die Wirecard AG und Verifone (NYSE: PAY) sind eine strategische Allianz eingegangen, um den Point-of-Sale-Markt in der Region Asien-Pazifik zugig zu erweitern - beginnend mit Indonesien. Als viertbevolkerungsreichstes Land der Welt gilt Indonesien als einer der groten und am schnellsten wachsenden Markte fur Zahlungslosungen.Die Vereinbarung ist auf funf Jahre angelegt. Sie vereint die Technologieportfolios mit der geographischen Starke beider Unternehmen durch jeweilige Tochterfirmen vor Ort, so zum Beispiel Wirecard uber PT Prima Vista Solusi sowie die lokal ansassigen Verifone-Teams. Finanzinstitutionen, Handlern und verschiedenen Industriebranchen wird dadurch ermoglicht, von Zahlungslosungen bester Qualitat zu profitieren."Als strategischer Entwicklungspartner von Verifone wird Wirecard sowohl Software-Plattformen zur Zahlungsakzeptanz und -abwicklung zur Verfugung stellen, die uber Verifone Terminals laufen, als auch fundierte Marktexpertise", sagte Rudy Khowara, Geschaftsfuhrer Global Point-of-Sales bei Wirecard. "Daruber hinaus werden einzigartige segmentspezifische Funktionen durch die Zusammenarbeit in unserem erweiterten Okosystem, bestehend aus Kunden und Partnern, geschaffen."Obwohl Indonesien eine weitgehend von Bargeld dominierte Gesellschaft ist, entwickelt sich der Zahlungskartenmarkt erheblich: Das Transaktionsvolumen von Kartenzahlungen ist nach Aussagen der Lafferty Group im Jahr 2015 um 124 Prozent angestiegen, im Vergleich zu 2010."Wir freuen uns sehr uber unsere Partnerschaft mit Wirecard, um das Wachstum neuer Zahlungslosungen und den elektronischen Handel in Indonesien weiter voranzutreiben, wo wir ein lokales Team und eine dauerhafte Prasenz etablieren", sagte Steve Aliferis, Prasident von Verifone Asia Pacific. "Wir arbeiten mit Wirecard als Partner zusammen, um Banken und Handlern Zugang zu den besten technischen Losungen zur Verfugung zu stellen und die Zahlungsakzeptanz jeglicher Art in unterschiedlichen Umgebungen weiter zu erhohen."Uber ihre jeweiligen Tochterunternehmen in Asien, PT Prima Vista Solusi und VeriFone Systems International, werden die beiden Unternehmen zusammenarbeiten, um ein umfassendes Angebot an Zahlungsdienstleistungen anzubieten, einschlielich der branchenfuhrenden Terminal-Reichweite. Daruber hinaus wird geplant, die nachste Generation der Verifone Engage Produktfamilie sowie die erstmalig vorgestellte integrierte POS-Losung Verifone Carbon einzufuhren. Wirecard wird Software-Plattformen zur Zahlungsakzeptanz und -abwicklung wie auch eine fundierte Marktexpertise zur Verfugung stellen.Uber Wirecard:Die Wirecard AG ist ein globaler Technologiekonzern, der Unternehmen dabei unterstutzt, Zahlungen aus allen Vertriebskanalen anzunehmen. Als ein fuhrender unabhangiger Anbieter bietet die Wirecard Gruppe Outsourcing- und White-Label-Losungen fur den elektronischen Zahlungsverkehr. Uber eine globale Plattform stehen internationale Zahlungsakzeptanzen und -verfahren mit erganzenden Losungen zur Betrugspravention zur Auswahl. Fur die Herausgabe eigener Zahlungsinstrumente in Form von Karten oder mobilen Zahlungslosungen stellt die Wirecard Gruppe Unternehmen die komplette Infrastruktur inklusive der notwendigen Lizenzen fur Karten- und Kontoprodukte bereit. Die Wirecard AG ist an der Frankfurter Wertpapierborse notiert (TecDAX, ISIN DE0007472060, WDI). Weitere Informationen finden Sie im Internet auf www.wirecard.de oder folgen Sie uns auf Twitter @wirecard.Uber Verifone:Verifone macht aus alltaglichen Bezahltransaktionen neue Geschaftspotenziale fur Connected Commerce. Wir verbinden mehr als 29 Millionen Bezahlterminals weltweit im Netz - und verschmelzen das Online- mit dem In-Store-Shopping-Erlebnis, um die nachste Stufe der digitalen Interaktion zwischen Handlern und Konsumenten zu ermoglichen. Dabei blicken wir auf eine 30-jahrige Unternehmensgeschichte zuruck, in der das Thema Datensicherheit kompromisslos im Vordergrund steht. Unsere Mitarbeiter sind anerkannte Experten, die mit unseren Kunden und Geschaftspartnern eng und vertrauensvoll zusammenarbeiten, um komplexe Herausforderungen rund um elektronische Bezahlungen zu losen. Verifone unterstutzt Kunden und Partner in mehr als 150 Landern, darunter weltbekannte Handelsunternehmen, Finanzdienstleister und Netzbetreiber.OTS: Wirecard AG newsroom: http://www.presseportal.de/nr/15202 newsroom via RSS: http://www.presseportal.de/rss/pm_15202.rss2 ISIN: DE0007472060Pressekontakt: Wirecard Medienkontakt:Wirecard AG Jana Tilz Tel.: +49 (0) 89 4424 1363 E-Mail: jana.tilz@wirecard.comVerifone Medienkontakt:FleishmanHillard Jakarta Stephen Warouw Tel.: +61811151707 / +62818194563 Stephen.warouw@fleishman.com CALGARY, ALBERTA -- (Marketwired) -- 06/21/16 -- Xtreme Drilling and Coil Services Corp. (TSX: XDC) ("Xtreme" or the "Company") announces results from the Special Meeting of Shareholders held on June 21, 2016 (the "Special Meeting"). Transaction Resolution Shareholders approved the resolution relating to the sale of all of the assets of Xtreme used or held for use in connection with Xtreme's Coil Tubing Well Services division to Schlumberger (the "Transaction Resolution"). Of the 64,210,678 votes cast on the Transaction Resolution, 64,175,513 votes were in favor (99.95%) and 35,165 votes were against (0.05%). Name Change Resolution Shareholders also approved the resolution relating to the amendment to the articles of Xtreme to change the name of Xtreme from "Xtreme Drilling and Coil Services Corp." to "Xtreme Drilling Corp." (the "Name Change Resolution"), subject to the completion of the sale of the coil tubing assets. Of the 66,500,716 votes cast on the Name Change Resolution, 66,440,432 votes were in favor (99.91%) and 60,284 votes were against (0.09%). Final voting results on all matters voted on at the Special Meeting are published on our website www.xtremecoil.com and are filed with SEDAR. About Xtreme Xtreme Drilling and Coil Services Corp. ("XDC" on the Toronto Stock Exchange) designs, builds, and operates a fleet of high specification drilling rigs and coiled tubing well service units featuring leading-edge proprietary technology including AC high capacity coil injectors, deep re-entry drilling capability, modular transportation systems and continuous integration of in-house advances in methodologies. Currently Xtreme operates two service lines: Drilling Services (XDR) and Coil Services (XSR) under contracts with oil and natural gas exploration and production companies and integrated oilfield service providers in Canada, the United States, and Saudi Arabia. For more information about Xtreme, please visit www.xtremecoil.com. Contacts: Xtreme Drilling and Coil Services Corp. Matt Porter, President and Chief Financial Officer +1 281 994 4604 ir@xtremecoil.com www.xtremecoil.com Mitsubishi Motors Public Relations Department http://www.mitsubishi-motors.com +81-3-6852-4275 Philippines, June 21, 2016 - (JCN Newswire) - In line with Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corporation's (MMPC's) participation in the Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence Strategy Program which is also known as the "CARS program", MMPC breaks ground on June 17, 2016 to invest more than Php 2 Billion to construct a stamping shop facility. Including the setting-up of the line for its entry models, fixed investments shall reach about Php 4.3 Billion.The occasion was attended by distinguished guests from government, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) and Sojitz Corporation officials, and our local executives as shown in the above photo. A couple of days ago, the Department of Trade and Industry's Board of Investments had issued a certificate of registration to MMPC as an approved participant.The construction of the stamping shop will kick-start MMPC's participation into the CARS program and also complies with one of the program's requirements to produce large body parts of a vehicle in lieu of the usual importation. Studies shows that high logistics cost in producing vehicles are brought about by bulk shipment of containers loaded with large completely-knocked-down parts.The event is deemed to be another significant milestone in the history of MMPC inasmuch as this will be the first time that a metal stamping process will be introduced to the manufacturing process after more than five decades of operations in the Philippines. This added process would create additional job opportunities and transfer of new technology.Meanwhile, MMC will be extending technical assistance during the construction period. On the other hand, MMPC will ensure that its newly hired manpower undergoes extensive training in Japan. The said shop will be fully operational in the early part of 2018. As such, MMPC can assert that the Mirage and Mirage G4 are proudly Philippine-made products worthy of patronage by our valued customers.About Mitsubishi MotorsMitsubishi Motors Corporation is the fifth largest automaker in Japan and the fifteenth largest in the world by global unit sales. It is part of the Mitsubishi keiretsu, formerly the biggest industrial group in Japan, and was formed in 1970 from the automotive division of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.Throughout its history it has courted alliances with foreign partners, a strategy pioneered by their first president Tomio Kubo to encourage expansion, and continued by his successors. A significant stake was sold to Chrysler Corporation in 1971 which it held for 22 years, while DaimlerChrysler was a controlling shareholder between 2000 and 2005. Long term joint manufacturing and technology licencing deals with the Hyundai Motor Company in South Korea and Proton in Malaysia were also forged, while in Europe the company co-owned the largest automobile manufacturing plant in the Netherlands with Volvo for ten years in the 1990s, before taking sole ownership in 2001.Source: Mitsubishi MotorsContact:Copyright 2016 JCN Newswire . All rights reserved. ABERDEEN, SCOTLAND -- (Marketwired) -- 06/22/16 -- Ithaca Energy Inc. (TSX: IAE) (LSE: IAE) Not for Distribution to U.S. Newswire Services or for Dissemination in the United States Ithaca Energy Inc. (TSX: IAE) (LSE: IAE) ("Ithaca" or the "Company") provides an update on the status of the on-going Greater Stella Area ("GSA") development programme ahead of today's Annual General Meeting ("AGM"). The AGM will be held today, Wednesday 22 June 2016, at 2pm (Calgary time) at the Metropolitan Conference Centre in Calgary, Canada. Highlights Good progress has been made on the final stages of the "FPF-1" commissioning programme and completion of the various system handovers to operations is imminent. Preparation of the FPF-1 for departure from the shipyard in Poland is well advanced and the vessel is expected to be ready for sail-away to the Stella field by the end of this month or early in July 2016 Access has been secured to a major oil export pipeline for future GSA production, allowing a switch from tanker loading during 2017. The move to pipeline exports significantly enhances the long term value of the GSA production hub, reducing fixed operating costs, enhancing operational uptime and improving reserves recovery Greater Stella Area Update The FPF-1 modifications programme, which is being completed by Petrofac in the Remontowa shipyard in Poland is in the final stages of completion, with only a limited number of commissioning activities requiring close out prior to sail-away. Commissioning operations on the FPF-1 have continued to progress well over recent weeks and are now materially complete. The operations team have been living on the vessel since May, the marine works have been finished and the engineering teams are in the process of closing out handover of the various processing and utilities systems to the operations team. The planned vessel inclination test remains to be performed, following which the FPF-1 will be moved to a location off the coast of Gdansk for the final marine system trials prior to being towed to the field. It is anticipated that the period from sail-away to first hydrocarbons will be approximately three months. Following towing of the FPF-1 to the field, the vessel will be moored on location using twelve pre-installed anchor chains. The dynamic risers and umbilicals that connect the subsea infrastructure to the vessel will then be installed. Thereafter, commissioning of the various processing and utility systems requiring hydrocarbons from the field will be completed. First production from the Stella field is anticipated in late September 2016. Greater Stella Area Oil Export Pipeline Access has been secured to the Norpipe oil pipeline system, allowing oil exports from the GSA to transfer from tanker export to pipeline export during 2017. This will significantly reduce the fixed operating costs of the GSA facilities and enhance operational uptime, resulting in improved reserves recovery and increasing the long term value of the GSA as a production hub. The key work associated with creating a connection to the system has been successfully executed as part of a fast-track operational programme undertaken during the planned 2016 pipeline maintenance shutdown. Acceleration of this work was made possible as a result of a conventional tie-in point on the system being vacated by a third-party field disconnecting from the pipeline. This provided a unique opportunity for a lower cost, lower risk connection to be made. Norpipe runs approximately 350 kilometres from the Ekofisk offshore production facilities on the Norwegian Continental Shelf to a dedicated oil processing facility at Teesside in the UK, with various UK fields exporting into the system via a spurline. In addition the Company has taken advantage of the downturn in industry activity to secure attractive contracting terms, including a lump sum contract for the installation of the 44 kilometre pipeline required from the FPF-1 to the Norpipe system. The net capital expenditure associated with the work programme is approximately $20 million, with the majority being paid in 2017. Annual General Meeting The AGM will be held today, Wednesday 22 June 2016, at 2pm (Calgary time) in the Strand/Tivoli Room at the Metropolitan Conference Centre, 333 - 4th Avenue S.W., Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It should be noted that this is an hour earlier than the time given in the press release titled 'AGM Notice & Board Changes' issued on 27 May 2016. A short presentation covering the Company's on-going operational and corporate activities will be given at the AGM. The presentation will be available on the Company's website (www.ithacaenergy.com) prior to commencement of the meeting. About Ithaca Energy Ithaca Energy Inc. (TSX: IAE) (LSE: IAE) is a North Sea oil and gas operator focused on the delivery of lower risk growth through the appraisal and development of UK undeveloped discoveries and the exploitation of its existing UK producing asset portfolio. Ithaca's strategy is centred on generating sustainable long term shareholder value by building a highly profitable 25kboe/d North Sea oil and gas company. For further information please consult the Company's website www.ithacaenergy.com. Forward-looking Statements Some of the statements and information in this press release are forward-looking. Forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, "forward-looking statements") are based on the Company's internal expectations, estimates, projections, assumptions and beliefs as at the date of such statements or information, including, among other things, assumptions with respect to production, drilling, construction and maintenance times, well completion times, risks associated with operations, future capital expenditures, continued availability of financing for future capital expenditures, future acquisitions and dispositions and cash flow. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of such information may prove to be incorrect. When used in this press release, the words and phrases like "anticipate", "continue", "estimate", "expect", "may", "will", "project", "plan", "should", "believe", "could", "target", "in the process of", "on track","set to" and similar expressions, and the negatives thereof, whether used in connection with operational activities, sail-away of the FPF-1 vessel, Stella first hydrocarbons, timing between sail-away of the FPF-1 vessel and Stella first hydrocarbons, remaining FPF-1 work programme activities prior to completion, expected costs and benefits of the move to pipeline exports for GSA production, drilling plans including ramp up timing, production forecasts, budgetary figures, future operating costs, anticipated net debt and continued deleveraging, anticipated funding requirements, anticipated characteristics of the Company's future investment programme, planned capital expenditures, potential investment opportunities including the expected development costs thereof, potential developments including the timing and anticipated benefits of acquisitions and dispositions or otherwise, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are not promises or guarantees, and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. The Company believes that the expectations reflected in those forward-looking statements are reasonable but no assurance can be given that these expectations, or the assumptions underlying these expectations, will prove to be correct and such forward-looking statements included in this press release should not be unduly relied upon. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release. Ithaca Energy Inc. expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statement contained herein to reflect any change in its expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any forward-looking statement is based except as required by applicable securities laws. Additional information on these and other factors that could affect Ithaca's operations and financial results are included in the Company's Management Discussion and Analysis for the quarter ended 31 March 2016 and the Company's Annual Information Form for the year ended 31 December 2015 and in reports which are on file with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities and may be accessed through the SEDAR website (www.sedar.com). Not for Distribution to U.S. Newswire Services or for Dissemination in the United States Enquiries: Ithaca Energy Graham Forbes gforbes@ithacaenergy.com +44 (0)1224 652 151 Richard Smith rsmith@ithacaenergy.com +44 (0)1224 652 172 FTI Consulting Edward Westropp edward.westropp@fticonsulting.com +44 (0)203 727 1521 Tom Hufton tom.hufton@fticonsulting.com +44 (0)203 727 1625 Cenkos Securities Neil McDonald nmcdonald@cenkos.com +44 (0)207 397 1953 Nick Tulloch ntulloch@cenkos.com +44 (0)131 220 9772 Beth McKiernan bmckiernan@cenkos.com +44 (0)131 220 9778 RBC Capital Markets Daniel Conti daniel.conti@rbccm.com +44 (0)207 653 4000 Matthew Coakes matthew.coakes@rbccm.com +44 (0)207 653 4000 BEIRUT, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- On 13th June 2016, Mr Iskandar Safa submitted a request for arbitration against the Hellenic Republic at the World Bank's International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). Mr Safa co-owns the Privinvest Group, a global player in the shipbuilding industry, which took control of Hellenic Shipyards SA (HSY) in late 2010. Privinvest and HSY have been asserting their rights against the Hellenic Republic by way of arbitration at the ICC for 3 years. For the record, the Hellenic Republic has, later, also launched its own ICC arbitration against Privinvest, HSY and the former owners of HSY. With this ICSID claim Mr Safa is asserting his individual rights as an investor in HSY under the Bilateral Investment Treaty between Lebanon and Greece. Lately Mr Safa as well as Privinvest have been under personal and vehement attacks in the Hellenic Republic's Parliament, as reported in the media, such attacks being directly contradicted by undisputed facts in ongoing legal procedures to which the Hellenic Republic is a party. Moreover, HSY now faces an existential threat and risks losing its assets due, amongst other things, to the wrongful imputation by the Hellenic Republic of a European state aid decision dating from well before Privinvest's investment. Commenting on the submission, Mr Iskandar Safa notes: "Privinvest invested in HSY in late 2010 because it believed in the future of this historic shipyard. Privinvest wanted to build on the shipbuilding tradition of Greece, its existing relationship with the Hellenic Navy and on HSY's skilled and experienced workforce for the benefit of its wide international customer base. All of the ingredients needed to turn around the struggling shipyard and to make Privinvest's investment a success for my group and Greece were there." "As an immediate solution for the Greek state and upon implementing this investment, claims faced by the Hellenic Republic filed by HSYs former owner were dropped, and the Hellenic Navy took possession of the one completed submarine and 4 substantially complete submarines which it had already paid EUR 2 billion for but did not own. "Soon after implementing Privinvest's investment, unfortunately this time: HSY received a claim for more than EUR 300 million from a government owned entity controlled by the Ministry of Finance (the Minister of Finance being signatory to the agreement with the Hellenic Republic) - such entity, OSE SA , was claiming for breaches allegedly occurring many years before the investment. from a government owned entity controlled by the Ministry of Finance (the Minister of Finance being signatory to the agreement with the Hellenic Republic) - such entity, , was claiming for breaches allegedly occurring many years before the investment. the Hellenic Republic's government then announced that HSY could not work for foreign navies, following the issuing of an EU ruling in December 2010 . . next, the Hellenic Republic's government stopped payment under the parliamentary ratified contracts for its Archimedes and Neptune submarine programs. finally, the additional work promised by the Hellenic Republic's government, which was necessary to maintain full employment at HSY, was denied. "HSY operated, despite these issues, with all of its employees being fully paid, for more than a year, Privinvest and HSY trying at all times to find a solution to restore the agreed investment parameters. Despite a number of promises being made at all levels of the government no solution was found and HSY and Privinvest were left with no option but to initiate arbitration pursuant to the terms of the relevant agreements." "Mr Safa also points out that: LONDON (dpa-AFX) - Elementis plc (ELM.L) said, In Chromium, sales and contribution margins in North America for the first six months of the year are expected to be similar to the previous year. Sales and margins outside of North America for the year as a whole are expected to be materially lower than the previous year. Consequently, earnings per share for the year as a whole is expected to be below the range of market expectations. The Group reported that, for the half year ending 30 June 2016, Specialty Products has continued to make progress. Sales in personal care continue to show impressive growth. 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, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The financial services sector is changing, particularly for banks, constantly struggling to adapt their customer experience strategies to meet the changing demands of today's millennial customer. And in 2016 we're now seeing a battle of the banks, with the traditional vs the challenger vs the disruptor - but which banks will withstand the test of time? Does one size fit all or will banks be forced to specialise their customer experience strategies? These are the critical questions financial services leaders including Ugur Sungur, VP, Internet Channels, ING Bank Turkey; Iain Kirkpatrick, MD Retail, Metro Bank; Stewart Bromley, COO, Atom Bank answered in this just released report: Battle of the Banks: The Traditional vs The Challenger vs The Disruptor. Iain Kirkpatrick, MD Retail, Metro Bank discusses the change in the industry and the shift in power to the consumer: "I think lots of customers have been through a difficult journey over the last five or seven years and banks have a very different perception now than they used to have. There's a lot more transparency and people realise there's an alternative now." Kate Erb, Chief Customer Officer, Oakbrook Finance underlines disruptors and their influence on the marketplace as the one to watch: "With the increasing focus on customer experience, it will be interesting to see how strategies of incumbents change. Also with disruptors like Atom Bank, I'm personally very excited about their proposition and intrigued about how the market will respond to that. I think it's going to be incredibly interesting and one to watch." So, what have these industry leaders highlighted as the forces driving change and what will the industry look like in 5 years time? How are senior executives ensuring their CX strategies withstand the test of time and the increased competition? And who holds the key to the future of the financial services in a millennial world? You can find out all of this and much more by downloading the complimentary eBook Battle of the Banks: The Traditional vs The Challenger vs The Disruptor created by the Customer Experience Exchange for Financial Services EU, ahead of this years' senior level, strategic meeting which will be held in Berlin on the 13 - 14 September, 2016. For more information or to request your invitation to attend the Customer Experience Exchange for Financial Services EU (13 - 14 September 2016, Berlin, Germany) where 70 C-level executives and VPs/Directors of Customer Experience, Marketing and Digital Strategy from across the financial services industry will be gathering to discuss the practicalities of increasing customer retention and loyalty in this hyper-competitive market, visit http://bit.ly/28Mn8yM call +44(0)207-368-9484 or email exchangeinfo@iqpc.com. FLEET, Hampshire, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The FAST-OTA Capability Enables CTIA Approved Laboratory to Speed up MIMO OTA Testing of Mobile Devices by More Than Ten Times Anite, a global leader in wireless equipment testing technology, has today announced that Verkotan laboratory has recently selected Anite's Propsim F32 Channel Emulator to enable faster MIMO OTA testing in Verkotan's advanced wireless performance laboratory. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20151109/285077LOGO ) (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160621/810160 ) Based in Finland, the laboratory includes a state-of-the art anechoic chamber large enough to test laptops as well as base stations aimed for deployment in 5G networks. Verkotan works closely with major mobile operators and manufacturers of wireless equipment, including wearables, seeking to outsource its testing needs to a high-end laboratory equipped to handle a wide range of testing requirements such as those mandated by CTIA. Anite's Propsim F32 enables Verkotan to verify that mobile devices with the latest technology features, including multiple antenna configurations and carrier aggregation, perform as expected. In August last year, CTIA released a standardised MIMO OTA performance test plan, which many manufacturers and mobile operators aim to conform with to ensure high levels of end-user experience. Propsim's FAST-OTA capability enables Verkotan to accelerate MIMO OTA testing of mobile devices by more than ten times compared to conventional testing methods. Anite's Propsim F32 Channel Emulator is the only single unit channel emulator that supports the minimum requirement of eight dual polarized antennas for MIMO OTA testing in an anechoic chamber. It can be expanded to support 16 dual polarized antennas (required for testing larger devices), making it a future-proof solution for upcoming technologies and device formats. Kari Komonen, CEO of Verkotan: "As a key standard in the mobile industry, MIMO OTA is vital to our growth potential. We selected Anite and its FAST MIMO OTA capability as our preferred supplier of channel emulation solutions to enable us to speed up MIMO OTA R&D and CTIA pre-certification testing." Paul Beaver, Products Director at Anite's Device & Infrastructure Testing business commented: "We are pleased to continue our collaboration with Verkotan, once part of a large European OEM. Their selection of Propsim underlines how much one of the world's most advanced MIMO OTA laboratories values channel emulation solutions with leading propagation characteristics for accurate and quick verification of devices." About Anite Anite is a leading supplier of test and measurement solutions to the international wireless market. It provides testing, measurement, optimisation and analytics systems based on its specialist sector knowledge and its proprietary software and hardware products. Customers include major manufacturers of mobile devices, chipsets and network equipment, mobile network operators, regulatory authorities, and independent test houses. Its 500+ staff work from offices in 15 countries across Europe, the Americas, Asia and the Middle East. Anite is now part of Keysight Technologies. For more information, please visit the company's website: www.anite.com About Verkotan Verkotan Oy is a CTIA accredited OTA (Over-The-Air) test house Based in Finland. It offers OTA, SAR and GPS test, analysis, high quality expertise and certification services to the customers from multiple business areas related to wireless performance. Verkotan is the only ISO17025 accredited test house in the world with its own in-house developed test system. Verkotan's sophisticated software and test laboratory capability provides totally new test methods creating unique value for the customers. For more information, please visit the company's website: www.verkotan.com For further information, please contact: Karolina Eklund, Anite, Tel: +44 (0)1252 775245, Email: karolina.eklund@anite.com Matt Humphries, Babel PR, Tel: +44 (0)207 434 5550, Email: anite@babelpr.com Kari Komonen, CEO, Tel: +358 40 5001241, Email: kari.komonen@verkotan.com 32 32 5 2 10 20 21 24 3 3 2 2 1 1 1 --------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------- 50 Smartest Companies 2016 1 Amazon Why Call out a request and AI-powered Alexa will play your favorite song or order you a pizza. And Amazon Web Services just keeps growing. $89.99 What the Echo Dot, the most affordable device to feature Alexa Voice Service, sells for. Company Details 2 Baidu Why Chinas leading search engine is developing autonomous cars, backed by a big research and engineering team in Silicon Valley. 100 Baidu plans to employ more than 100 autonomous-car researchers and engineers in California by years end. Company Details 3 Illumina Why The worlds largest DNA-sequencing company is moving beyond simply selling equipment to expand its uses: a company its launching, Grail, intends to develop a blood test that would screen for cancer before symptoms appear. $2.2 billion Revenue reached last year, up 19 percent from the previous year. Company Details 4 Tesla Motors Why While advancing autopilot technology in its Model S and X cars, the company is taking electric vehicles mainstream with its $35,000 Model 3 car, which already has 400,000 pre-orders. 50 percent According to CEO Elon Musk, drivers have a 50 percent lower chance of having an accident when driving with Tesla Autopilot. Company Details 5 Aquion Energy Why Its innovative batteries for the power grid make this startup unusually successful in a tough industry. Backers Include Bill Gates, Shell. Company Details 6 Mobileye Why A leader in making driver assistance technology such as collision warning systems for clients including Tesla, General Motors, and Volkswagen, among others, it is working on advances that will enable fully autonomous cars. 600 Number of employees who are annotating the images used to train its autonomous driving system. Company Details 7 23andMe Why After a two-year moratorium, 23andMe has resumed selling direct-to-consumer DNA tests that assess risk for genetic diseases. One million The company has sequenced the DNA of more than one million customers. Company Details 8 Alphabet Why Its DeepMind business inside Google developed an AI program that beat one of the worlds best players at the board game Go. 1.6 million Number of miles Alphabets autonomous cars have driven so far. Company Details 9 Spark Therapeutics Why Very strong trial data on its gene therapy for a form of blindness implies that the treatment is headed for approval. Collaborators Corporate collaborators include Pfizer, Genable Technologies, and Clearside Biomedical. Company Details 10 Huawei Why This Chinese telecommunications giant is now the worlds third-largest smartphone vendor thanks to strong sales in both premium and entry-level devices. 27.5 million Number of smartphones Huawei shipped in the first quarter of 2016, according to market researcher IDC. Company Details 11 First Solar Why While rivals face bankruptcy, it has continued to invest in research, increasing the efficiency of solar panels. $546 million Profits earned in 2015. Company Details 12 Nvidia Why With deep learning driving demand for its graphics-processing chips, it started selling chips designed for AI. $1.3 billion Revenue increased 13 percent in the most recent quarter, to $1.3 billion, compared with $1.15 billion a year ago. Company Details 13 Cellectis Why Last summer a hospital in London used Cellectiss gene-editing technology to heal a child with otherwise untreatable leukemia. $300 million Though not profitable, the company has over $300 million in cash, enough to last through 2018. Company Details 14 Enlitic Why A number of Australian radiologists are now using the companys deep-learning software to analyze x-rays. 50 percent Claims its algorithm read chest CT images 50 percent more accurately than experts in its own test. Company Details 15 Facebook Why Its Oculus Rift technology is the first truly high-quality virtual-reality headset for consumers. $599 Rift sells for $599. Company Details 16 SpaceX Why The company is making spaceflight cheaper with rockets that can land and be reused. Four Number of times SpaceX attempted to land a rocket on a barge before succeeding. Company Details 17 Toyota Why Dramatically rethinking its future, the carmaker has committed $1 billion to an automation institute. Leader Roboticist Gill Pratt is CEO of the Toyota Research Institute. Company Details 18 Airware Why Building an operating system for commercial drones, as well as a traffic control system that could increase their usefulness. Leader Airwares founder and CEO also leads an investment fund that supports businesses creating technologies for commercial drones. Company Details 19 IDE Technologies Why Its large-scale desalination process is winning big contracts in China and Australia. 26 percent By October IDE will be producing 26 percent of Santa Barbaras water. Company Details 20 Tencent Why Asias largest Internet company, which owns the popular WeChat messaging app, is expanding into the enterprise market and investing in other technology companies. 78 percent Tencents largest business segment, mostly games, accounts for 78 percent of its revenue. Company Details 21 Didi Chuxing Why Apples $1 billion investment, part of $7 billion raised this year, will help the Chinese ride-hailing app continue to fend off Uber. 14 million Number of rides its drivers complete a day. Company Details 22 Oxford Nanopore Why Its begun selling a DNA sequencer the size of a smartphone that may move genomics out of the lab and into the field. Intellectual property Illumina, once an investor, is now suing the company for patent infringement. Company Details 23 24M Why Created a more efficient lithium-ion battery that could reduce the cost of energy storage for the electric grid and electric vehicles. 50 percent The company claims it can reduce the cost of lithium-ion batteries by 50 percent. Company Details 24 Alibaba Why E-commerce site is now the worlds largest retailer and will benefit from the growth in mobile video ads. $485 billion Gross value of merchandise sold through Alibaba in its last fiscal year. Company Details 25 Bristol-Myers Squibb Why Uses of its life-saving immunotherapy, Opdivo, has expanded to lung cancer, advanced renal-cell carcinoma, and Hodgkins lymphoma. Five years One-third of patients with advanced melanoma survived for five years in a study of Opdivo. Company Details 26 Microsoft Why Its neural-network research is leading to applications such as simultaneous language translation in Skype and social augmented-reality experiences in its new HoloLens headset. 152 A Microsoft network that won a global image recognition contest in 2015 used 152 layers of virtual neurons. Company Details 27 Fanuc Why Worlds largest maker of industrial robots is incorporating machine learning. Eight Number of hours a Fanuc robot needs to learn a task with 90 percent accuracy. Company Details 28 Sonnen Why Its smart batteries, which include software to manage energy use and can store energy for later, are transforming the electricity market in Germany. 25 percent Electricity on its system is 25 percent cheaper than the electricity on the grid, according to the company. Company Details 29 Improbable Why Its virtual-world simulation platform is used to create VR software and test driverless cars. Funding Andreessen Horowitz is a major backer. Company Details 30 Movidius Why Its computer-vision chips are making mobile devices and drones smarter. On the radar Drones using Movidius technology can sense obstacles to avoid collisions. Company Details 31 Intrexon Why The Oxitec division of this biotech holding company genetically engineers mosquitoes that could reduce the spread of Zika. $174 million Acquisitions increased sales from $8 million to $174 million in five years. Company Details 32 Carbon Why Its new kind of 3-D printing is dozens of times faster than rivals. $40,000 Use of its 3-D printers costs $40,000 a year. Company Details 33 Bosch Why Advanced manufacturing facilities it is developing rely on connected sensors and sophisticated software to improve factory efficiency. $80 billion Record revenue generated in 2015. Company Details 34 T2 Biosystems Why Its flexible tool for diagnosing abnormalities more quickly has FDA approval for certain uses, including detecting a fungus that causes sepsis. 35 Number of customers who now use the companys bench-top diagnostic system. Company Details 35 Editas Medicine Why Plans to begin testing a powerful new form of gene repair in humans within two years. $94 million Money raised in its February IPO, and the stock is up 85 percent since then. Company Details 36 Nestle Why Food giant has jumped into microbiome research, working to develop healthy gut products. $2 billion At a slow time for its core food business, its nutritional therapies division has reached $2 billion in annual revenue in its first five years, and more strong growth is predicted. Company Details 37 RetroSense Therapeutics Why Has begun first human trials of optogenetics, using light-triggered genetic changes to restore some vision to people with retinitis pigmentosa. $12 million Revenue raised from foundations and private investors as well as the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. Company Details 38 Line, subsidiary of Naver Why The Japanese messaging app is quick to add innovative features, such as group calls for up to 200 people, and plans an IPO this year. 218 million Number of monthly active users. Company Details 39 TransferWise Why This money-transfer service, with a peer-to-peer model for sending money abroad, aims to charge lower fees than traditional players. $750 million Money TransferWise helps users exchange every month. Company Details 40 Veritas Genetics Why Attempting to sell low-cost genome tests directly to consumers. $1,000 Whole-genome sequencing, including interpretation and counseling, costs under $1,000. The supply is limited to 5,000 customers in 2016. Company Details 41 FireEye Why With clients like JPMorgan Chase, Sony Pictures, and Target, its creating a new model for computer security on a large scale. In the works New products focus on securing public and private clouds and detecting targeted e-mail attacks. Company Details 42 Seven Bridges Why Its software makes it possible to analyze one of the worlds largest genomic data sets. 11,000 Number of patients that have contributed 33 cancer types and subtypes to its Cancer Genomics Cloud. Company Details 43 Slack Why The workplace communications app burrows more deeply into workplaces. Now you can use your Slack login for all the software your company uses. Three million Number of daily active Slack users. Company Details 44 Coupang Why South Koreas largest and fastest-growing online-only retailer is innovating in mobile commerce and same-day delivery. $5 billion Coupangs most recent valuation. Company Details 45 IBM Why Preparing for an AI era by acquiring huge data sets to train its software. 100 Number of clients that have built Watson into a product. Company Details 46 Snapchat Why Building out its advertising business by partnering with Viacom to sell ads and with Nielsen for marketing campaign data. 10 billion Number of videos that are seen on the app every day. Company Details 47 Africa Internet Group Why This e-commerce company is the continents first tech company to be valued at more than $1 billion. 26 Africa Internet Group operates in 26 African countries. Company Details 48 LittleBits Why Maker of electronic building blocks has accelerated its growth with new funding, new investors, and new distribution. $299 Basic kits sell for $99 to $299. Company Details 49 Intel Why In a time of transition, the chip maker is experimenting with reprogrammable processors for deep neural networks and marketing a fundamentally new kind of computer memory. $16.7 billion Money Intel spent to buy Altera, a maker of programmable logic devices. Company Details 50 Monsanto BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Ahead of his upcoming visit to Armenia, Azerbaijan has urged Pope Francis to call upon the Armenian government to end its illegal occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding Azerbaijani provinces and take public responsibility for the Khojali massacre in which over 600 men, women and children were killed in 1992. "We wish to express our profound concern regarding potential issues that might be addressed during your upcoming visit to Armenia, including misleading efforts by Armenian authorities to justify their illegal occupation of Nagorno-Karabakh and other adjacent Azerbaijani territories," the President of the Association for Civil Society Development in Azerbaijan Elkhan Suleymanov noted in his letter to the pontiff. About 20 per cent of Azerbaijani territory was occupied by Armenia during the post-Soviet power vacuum in the early 1990s. In his letter, Suleymanov stressed the resolutions by the United Nations and - earlier this year - Resolution 2085 (2016) passed by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, calling for the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of Armenian troops from the territories. Most recently, the White House too issued a statement stressing the importance of "the return of the territories surrounding Nagorno-Karabakh to Azerbaijan's control." "In light of this, we wish to appeal to the spiritual and moral responsibility bestowed upon the Holy See and to call upon Your Holiness to address in Yerevan the tragedies that have taken place in Nagorno-Karabakh, and to urge Armenian authorities to comply with the conclusions drawn by the international community, in particular the return of all occupied Azerbaijani territories in accordance with United Nations and Council of Europe resolutions," Suleymanov wrote. He also referred to the close relations enjoyed by the Vatican and Azerbaijan and statements made by the former Foreign Minister of the Holy Sea, Giovanni Lajolo, praising Azerbaijan's religious tolerance. "We are certain Your Holiness is well aware of the deep-rooted tradition of religious and ethnic tolerance that has guided the people of Azerbaijan for many centuries, leading to the peaceful co-existence of Christians, Jews and Muslims," Suleymanov noted, adding that the people of Azerbaijan remain committed to this tolerance, "encouraging respect and solidarity between all citizen despite this ongoing injustice and terrible turmoil that has so unfortunately engulfed our country and our region for the past decades." Pope Francis' three-day visit to Armenia is scheduled June 24-26. MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA--(Marketwired - June 22, 2016) - Today, Gigya, the Leader in Customer Identity Management, announced the opening of a new data centre within Russian national borders to ensure compliance with the Russian Federation's Personal Data Protection Act, which went into effect on September 1, 2015. The bill mandates that companies which maintain online properties serving Russian citizens must store those citizens' data within Russian borders. The Data Localisation Trend The new law reflects a global trend toward governments requiring that their citizens' data reside locally. Other recent examples of this include the recent regulatory shakeup in the EU, where the previous Safe Harbour Framework for securing U.S. -- EU data transfers was deemed invalid and ultimately replaced with the more stringent Privacy Shield agreement. In all, since 2013, 20 or so countries have either proposed or discussed potential laws which would require Internet data in those countries to remain within their borders. To address this trend, Gigya employs a multiple data centre strategy to ensure that their customers avoid risk while still delivering seamless and trusted customer experiences to global audiences. By maintaining multiple data centres Gigya enables clients to conduct business internationally while remaining in compliance with local laws. The New Data Centre With hardware wholly owned and operated by Gigya, the Russian facility marks the company's fourth regional data centre; a continued expansion of a multiple data centre strategy to support regional compliance that includes sites in the U.S., EU and APAC regions. Customers opting to use this new data centre will meet regulatory requirements imposed by Russia while still securing both their Russian citizens' user data and international user data. Gigya's new data centre is primary, not secondary, ensuring that Russian-hosted data remains discrete from non-Russian data. Gigya will assist customers using the new data centre in fulfilling the needed filing requirements for the regulation. "We allow the world's biggest brands to safeguard nearly a billion customer records. The value placed on the security of this data is set to reach up to 4% of global revenues under the forthcoming GDPR, which comes into force in May 2018. Despite this, few businesses are ready to open their own regional data centres to satisfy the growing list of countries who are legislating for customer data to be hosted locally," says Richard Lack, Director of Sales EMEA at Gigya. "By investing in this capability on our customers' behalf, we can significantly scale down their costs, and their compliance risks." About Gigya Gigya's Customer Identity Management platform is helping companies build trusted digital relationships with over 800 Million consumers. With Gigya's technology, businesses increase registrations and identify customers across devices, consolidate data into rich customer profiles and provide better services, products and experiences by integrating data into marketing and service applications. For global businesses operating in an increasingly complex regulatory landscape, Gigya optimizes compliance and customer trust, with discrete regional data centers and customer self-service options for managing profile, preference, opt-in and consent settings. More than 700 of the world's leading businesses rely on Gigya to build identity-driven relationships and to provide scalable, secure and compliant customer identity and access management. Contact Information Gigya Inc. Jason Rose +1 917 434 2897 jason.rose@gigya.com Berkeley PR Catriona Macleod +44 1189 090909 gigya@berkeley.global BRUSSELS, BELGIUM--(Marketwired - June 22, 2016) - Travelling has become more and more accessible, especially within Europe. But the current ease of reaching a holiday destination has also sparked a newfound demand for authentic and unique travel experiences. Think beautiful sceneries, mesmerizing cities or unexpected places. Starting June 22 nd , Goodyear, one of the world's largest tire companies, will give adventurers the opportunity to stay the night at unique and usually unattainable places in a caravan. With Goodyear's slogan 'Made to Feel Good' in mind, Goodyear expands with this campaign its mission of giving people the experience of a comfortable journey to their inspiring destination. A person's feel good place is not only that which feels familiar, but also new experiences and discovering beautiful places can make someone happy. And travelling by caravan has become increasingly popular to reach these authentic places. Dr. Dimitrios Tsivrikos, Consumer and Business Psychologist at the University College of London, explains: "Caravans are increasingly becoming consumers' vessels for a bespoke and authentic journey. In this vein consumers are fully in control of their surroundings and path, which creates a sense of freedom and excitement that few other travel means can create." "This campaign embodies the essence of Goodyear's 'Made to Feel Good' credo by offering unique experiences to never forget. Goodyear wants to inspire consumers to enjoy adventures that they haven't encountered before, all the while providing them with the peace of mind of a safe and reliable journey," says Alexis Bortoluzzi, Marketing Director Consumer EMEA Goodyear Dunlop. Consumers across Europe have the opportunity to stay in this unique feel good place via https://goodyear-feelgoodplaces.com/ and spend the night in a furnished and decorated caravan specifically designed to provide a refreshing holiday. People can follow the mobile feel good place on its six-week adventure on Goodyear's social media channels http://www.facebook.com/goodyear, www.instagram.com/goodyear_emea and http://www.twitter.com/GoodyearPress) and book an overnight stay, free-of-charge 1 . Each location will only be revealed a few days before arrival, on social media and on Goodyear's travel blog, which will be integrated on Goodyear's Facebook page. Those interested in the Goodyear experience will have to act fast and book their overnight stay on Airbnb, first come first serve. About Goodyear Goodyear is one of the world's largest tire companies. It employs approximately 66,000 people and manufactures its products in 49 facilities in 22 countries around the world. Its two Innovation Centers in Akron, Ohio and Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg strive to develop state-of-the-art products and services that set the technology and performance standard for the industry. For more information about Goodyear or its products, go to www.goodyear.eu. For additional pictures, visit the online newsroom: http://news.goodyear.eu. You can also follow us on Twitter @Goodyearpress and join our ThinkGoodMobility group on LinkedIn. 1 "Subject to the acceptance of the Terms and Conditions for the Renting of the Goodyear Caravan, knowing that booking of the Caravan is only eligible to people aged 18 or more at time of the booking and to people having "liked" the Goodyear Facebook page dedicated to the renting of the Caravan". Jeroen Rigole Director Brand PR & Events, EMEA T: +32 2 713 19 78 E: jeroen_rigole@goodyear.com MANCHESTER, England, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- As London Gatwick airport reports its busiest ever May, investing in off-airport car parks continues to be a smart option for shrewd private investors. Direct Airport Parking Investment, a master agent for leading UK off-airport car parking provider Park First, watched with interest as London Gatwick's figures for May were announced. More than a quarter of a million passengers passed through this UK airport during the month. May figures take Gatwick's moving annual total passenger numbers to 41,123,000 - a new world record for a single runway airport. This news comes as London Gatwick launches its Pier 1, an improved facility housing an entirely new baggage system for the airport's South Terminal together with state-of-the-art passenger gate rooms. The new facility aims to improve the passenger experience. Park First, which owns and manages eight car parks at London Gatwick airport, is already committed to making the passenger experience as smooth and hassle free as possible. They are the name behind trusted industry brands such as Direct Parking, Help Me Park, Cophall Parking, Park Safe, Park Fast, Swift Park and Park 'n' Fly, operating successfully around London Gatwick, as well as Glasgow airport. These brands all offer long stay car parking services for air passengers, with a choice of Meet & Greet or Park & Ride services. Collectively they park tens of thousands of cars every year on Park First's Park Mark approved car parks. The latest CCTV systems offer peace of mind and exceptional customer service contributes to a stress free service that's available around the clock. Cheshire-based Direct Airport Parking Investment is a company specialising in the sale of car park spaces, in car parks adjacent to major UK airports. All car parking spaces sold by Direct Airport Parking Investment are purchased directly from Park First who continue to operate the car parks and provide the highest standard of management in the industry. Investors receive the rental income from the parking space and also enjoy long term capital growth. Direct Airport Parking Investment's private investors are based all over the world and recognise the huge advantages of this type of property investment, with assured high returns and none of the associated issues of investing in bricks and mortar. Louise Wilson, Investment Consultant at Direct Airport Parking Investment, said: "London Gatwick airport is hugely popular with our investors who recognise the benefits of investing in good quality, well-managed car parking spaces so close to this thriving UK airport. "We're proud to have achieved the status of master agent for Park First. It's an endorsement of the high standards of customer service we provide to our investors. Of course, we encourage all our investors to experience the Park First service for themselves prior to investing. It's important to us that they get the chance to fully appreciate how Park First aims to give its customers a superior quality service as they start and end their holidays or business trip, including at London Gatwick airport." Investing in off-airport car parking with Park First is accessible for many investors, with spaces available from 20,000. Purchasing car park spaces at the busiest UK airports is a low risk investment and earns them a tangible asset that can offer an ongoing income. Investors in off-airport car parking through Direct Airport Parking Investment are assured of an 8% return in each of the first two years of their investment, rising to 10% in years three and four, and 12% in years five and six. Yet already Direct Airport Parking Investment's current year three investors are seeing returns in excess of predictions - as high as 10.8%. It's a return that more traditional investments, such as shares and ISAs, struggle to match. For information about opportunities to invest in off-airport car parking at major UK airports including London Gatwick through Direct Airport Parking Investment Limited, visit www.directparkinginvestment.co.uk or call +44-(0)161-820-4956. Regulatory News: Axactor (OSE:AXAO) (OSE:NMGO) Axactor AB (publ.) ("Axactor") acquires CS Union in Italy. CS Union is a leading independent debt purchase/debt collection company with EUR1bn under management. Banca Sistema will continue as a 10% shareholder of the new entity and will provide attractive financing as part of the strategic partnership. Located in Piemonte, CS Union has operated in the Italian market for more than 20 years and has approximately 105 employees and an external network of more than 100 field collectors. Over the last four years, the company has acquired 21 NPL portfolios with a total face value of more than EUR710m. CS Union has a lean but highly scalable collection platform to manage EUR290m in debt on behalf of banks and financial institutions. In 2015, the company delivered revenues of EUR8.2m and EBITDA of EUR2.1m. Prior to this transaction, Banca Sistema has been a 26% shareholder of CS Union. The bank will retain 10% ownership stake post-closing of the transaction, and will continue the partnership with Axactor in Italy. The partnership will include an attractive financing arrangement, board representation and joint market development in Italy, based on a 3-years Shareholders' agreement. Axactor will pay EUR9.9m for 90% of the shares in CS Union of which 60% will be settled in cash and 40% in Axactor shares. 75% of the shares will be subject to a 24-months lock-up period while the remaining 25% will have a 12-months lock-up period. Banca Sistema will realize a capital gain from the stake sold to Axactor of c. EUR2.3m before taxes. Closing of the transaction is expected by the end of June. Stefano Inguscio and Davide Graneris, the two founders of CS Union and majority shareholders, will continue to support the future development of the Company as members of the new management team. The gross Italian NPL (non-performing loans) stock is in excess of EUR200bn, grown five times larger since 2008. NPL portfolios with a value of approximately EUR19bn was disposed last year, and hence, Italy remains one of the largest global markets for Non-Performing Assets. With the size and the expected continued growth of the Italian NPL market, Axactor regards this market particularly important in its Pan-European growth strategy and the ambition is to become a leading player in the debt collection/debt purchase segments. The regulatory environment has shown new favourable developments during the last year. This includes improving procedures and shortening foreclosure timelines via legal and regulatory measures such as facilitating NPL portfolio funding (GACS) and improving the tax regime. Also, the newly established Atlante fund is intended to be an accelerator of deal flow. "We are excited about the acquisition of CS Union and the strategic partnership with Banca Sistema, and are looking forward to leveraging our joint talent, resources and capabilities in the Italian market. The CS Union management team has built a very successful company over the years by focusing on high quality customer service and a very efficient collection platform. Through this acquisition, we will enhance our European footprint and strengthen our partnerships in the financial services sector", said Endre Rangnes, CEO of Axactor. Gianluca Garbi, CEO of Banca Sistema, said: "In the last three years we have supported the NPL market in Italy by investing in the growth of CS Union. This 10% strategic stake in the new business represents a recognition of the economic value created and a new starting point for CS Union, from today as part of a global network that we will keep supporting it in partnership with Axactor. Our investment has helped to build the story to date and future results will be directly evaluated by the market, as Axactor is a listed company". PwC Deals acted as sole Strategic and Financial Advisor to the transaction and PwC Legal as the Legal Advisor to Axactor. About Axactor Axactor Group is a debt collection and debt purchase company, with operations in Italy, Norway and Spain. The company has a Nordic base and an ambitious Pan-European growth strategy, which targets the market for non-performing loans (NPL) in Europe. This market is estimated to about EUR1,500 billion, and Axactor's main focus is debt collection and purchase of NPL portfolios. After the acquisition of CS Union, Axactor will have approximately 700 employees. About Banca Sistema Banca Sistema was founded in 2011, as a bank specialized in financing and managing trade receivables owed by the Italian Public Administrations, thereby entering a sector of the Italian financial system aimed at granting liquidity to corporate entities in their business dealings with the PA's, mainly through factoring and credit management services.With main offices in Milan, Rome and London, during this time Banca Sistema has extended its activities and services available both to business and retail Clients. As an independent financial operator characterized by a diversified business model, Banca Sistema can offer, today, recourse and non-recourse factoring services. This includes receivables between private companies, yearly and quarterly VAT receivables refunds, current accounts, time deposits with durations up to 10 years, guarantees, securities deposit, reverse factoring, certification of Public Administration credits, salary and pension backed loans, and small and medium enterprises financing. The Bank is also active in the purchasing and management of non-performing financial and trade receivables as well as management and debt recovery from individuals, thanks to its shareholding in CS Union S.p.A.. This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160622005501/en/ Contacts: Axactor Endre Rangnes CEO Tel. +47 482 21 111 E-mail: endre.rangnes@axactor.com or Geir Johansen CFO/Investor Relations Tel. +47 477 10 451 E-mail geir.johansen@axactor.com or Banca sistema Carlo Di Pierro Investor Relations Tel. +39 02 80280.358 E-mail carlo.dipierro@bancasistema.it or Anna Mascioni Media Relations Tel. +39 02 80280.354 E-mail anna.mascioni@bancasistema.it TOKYO (dpa-AFX) - After nearly six years of litigation and many months of settlement negotiations, Sony has finally reached an agreement to settle a lawsuit over the Playstation 3's Linux functionality. Subject to Court's preliminary approval, Sony agreed with the plaintiffs of a class-action lawsuit on the removal of the PlayStation 3's 'Install Other OS' option to make a cash payment of $9 or $55 to qualified customers, depending on their claim. About 10 million console owners in the US are eligible to submit a claim form to receive the cash payment. In 2010, plaintiff Anthony Ventura had filed a lawsuit against Sony, alleging that Sony marketed the PS3 as having the ability to run an operating system, such as Linux, along with the native game operating system, and that the company subsequently removed the 'Other OS' functionality in 2010, harming PS3 purchasers. Approximately 10 million units were sold in the United States with the price ranging $400 to $600. Sony has now agreed to pay $55 to those submitting a valid claim showing proof that he or she used the Other OS functionality. All other Class Members who submit a valid claim and attesting that they lost value and/or desired functionality or were otherwise injured will get $9. Throughout the course of the case, Sony had vigorously denied liability, arguing that it had the right to remove the Other OS. Under the deal terms, persons in the US who bought a Fat PS3 between November 1, 2006 and April 1, 2010 are eligible for the settlement offer. In addition, $2.25 million has been provided in the settlement in attorneys' fees for the legal counsel that brought the claims against Sony. Sony will reach out to customers through the PlayStation Network email database, and will also display internet banner ads and search-related ads on sites including GameSpot and CNET. Video game-related class-action lawsuits are not new for Sony. Last year, the company handed out compensation for the 2011 PSN hack, which compromised more than 70 million accounts. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - The Australian dollar advanced against the other major currencies in the early European session on Wednesday, as investors wait for Fed Chair Janet Yellen's second day of testimony on Capitol Hill later today and Thursday's British Brexit vote on its membership in the European Union. The U.K.'s FTSE 100 index is currently up 0.50 percent or 31.11 points at 6,257, France's CAC 40 index is up 0.63 percent or 27.68 points at 4,394 and Germany's DAX is up 0.76 percent or 75.75 points at 10,091. British Prime Minister David Cameron has predicted a 'Remain dividend', with an investment surge into Britain, if the country votes on to stay in the 28-nation bloc. But he admitted: 'It's very close; nobody knows what's going to happen.' Meanwhile, higher oil prices also boosted sentiment. The oil price rose after a report showed a decline in U.S. weekly domestic crude stockpiles. Crude oil for August delivery are currently up $0.44 to $50.29 a barrel. The American Petroleum Institute report showed that the crude inventories in the U.S. slipped by 5.2 million barrels over the week to June 17, more than the 1.5 million barrels fall expected. Moreover, the strengthening global demand for the crude oil with declining U.S. oil output, also supported the oil price. Traders await the U.S. crude oil inventories official data from the Energy Information Department due later in the day. In the Asian trading today, the Australian dollar held steady against its major rivals. In the early European session, the Australian dollar rose to nearly a 2-month high of 1.5052 against the euro, from an early low of 1.5109. The aussie may test resistance around the 1.45 area. Against the U.S. and the Canadian dollars, the aussie advanced to 0.7483 and 0.9567 from early 2-day lows of 0.7441 and 0.9531, respectively. If the aussie extends its uptrend, it is likely to find resistance around 0.77 against the greenback and 0.98 against the loonie. The aussie climbed to 1.0466 against the NZ dollar, from an early 5-day low of 1.0443. On the upside, 1.07 is seen as the next resistance level for the aussie. Against the yen, the aussie edged up to 78.30 from an early low of 77.78. The next possible upside target level for the aussie is seen around the 81.00 area. Looking ahead, Swiss ZEW economic expectation index for June is due to be released at 5:00 am ET. In the New York session, Canada retail sales data for April, U.S. FHFA house price index for April, Eurozone consumer confidence index for June, U.S. existing home sales data for May and U.S. crude oil inventories data are due. At 10:00 am ET, Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen will testify on the Semiannual Monetary Policy Report before the House Financial Services Committee, in Washington DC. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de AMSTERDAM, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Nominations for Excellence in Research in the Field of Engineering and Innovation Accepted Through September 1, 2016 Nominations opened today for the Elsevier Foundation Awards for Early-Career Women Scientists in the Developing World , a high-profile honor for scientific and career achievements by women from developing countries in five regions: Latin America and the Caribbean, the Arab region, Sub-Saharan Africa, Central and South Asia; and East and South-East Asia and the Pacific. The theme for 2017 will be engineering and innovation. Nominations will be accepted through September 1, 2016. The awards are sponsored and organized by The Elsevier Foundation, the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD) and The World Academy of Sciences for the advancement of science in developing countries (TWAS). The competition will be judged by a distinguished panel of international scientists; one winner from each region will be announced in February 2017 at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in Boston. The five winners will each receive a cash prize of US$5,000 and all-expenses paid attendance at the AAAS meeting. The winners will also receive one-year access to Elsevier's ScienceDirect and Scopus. The Elsevier Foundation Awards for Early-Career Women Scientists rotate annually between disciplines (biological sciences, engineering sciences, and physical sciences) to ensure optimal exposure and networking synergies. Previous winners say the awards have had a powerful impact, enhancing the visibility of their research and creating new opportunities for the future. Dr. Ethel Nakimuli-Mpungu, the 2016 African winner and psychiatric epidemiologist at Makerere University College of Health Sciences in Kampala, Uganda, noted, "Winning the Elsevier Foundation Award was an honor beyond measure. Finally, my ten years of research received the recognition it deserved. The award resulted in more visibility for my research nationally and internationally. It opened doors to more research collaborations and increased opportunities, as well as invitations to high-level global meetings." Dr. Mpungu's research focuses on mental health interventions for HIV/AIDS patients suffering from depression. After receiving her award, she was recognized with a Presidential Medal on International Women's Day as one of the Women Achievers in Uganda. Nominations for the 2017 awards will be accepted for early-career women scientists working in engineering who have received their PhDs within the past 10 years and live in one of the 81 scientifically lagging countries as defined by TWAS. All nominations will be reviewed by a committee of eminent researchers who represent the five regions, including members of TWAS and OWSD, and chaired by OWSD President, Jennifer Thompson. Discussing the awards, Thompson commented, "I urge all young women working in these fields to make sure you are nominated. The voices and perspectives of women are sorely lacking in these areas of science. You can make a difference!" Romain Murenzi, Executive Director of TWAS, said, "It's very exciting that the Elsevier Foundation Awards, for the first time, will focus on engineering." Engineering is essential for achieving the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals - in areas as diverse as energy and water, industrial development, and in building cities of the future. The 2017 Elsevier Foundation Awards will show us the excellent results women are achieving in engineering and encourage women's future work in these fields." "We have worked with OWSD and TWAS to develop these awards over the past five years - and we're really starting to see the benefits that recognition and role models have on women scientists from developing countries. Our award winners from past years are truly emerging as leaders both in their fields and among their own communities of women scientists," commented David Ruth, Executive Director of the Elsevier Foundation. Read more on Elsevier Connect. Notes for editors Nomination applications can be downloaded from the OWSDwebsite and submitted through September 1, 2016 to info@owsd.net . About TWAS: The World Academy of Sciences works to advance innovation and sustainable prosperity in the developing world through research, education, policy and diplomacy. TWAS was founded in 1983 by a distinguished group of scientists under the leadership of Abdus Salam, the Pakistani physicist and Nobel Prize winner. Today, the academy has some 1,175 elected fellows from 90 countries; 16 of them are Nobel laureates. Throughout its history, its mission has focused on supporting and promoting excellence in research in the developing world and applying science and engineering to global challenges. TWAS receives core funding from the Government of Italy. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) administer TWAS funds and personnel. The academy is based in Trieste, Italy. http://www.twas.org About OWSD: The Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD) is an international organization affiliated with TWAS. Headed by eminent women scientists from the South, OWSD has more than 4,000 members. The central role is to promote women's access to science and technology, and their greater involvement in decision-making processes for the development of their countries and in the international scientific community. Created in 1989, OWSD's overall goal is to bridge the gender gap in science and technology. OWSD promotes leadership and provides networking opportunities for women scientists as well as exploring and improving strategies for increasing female participation in science. http://www.owsd.net About the Elsevier Foundation: The Elsevier Foundation provides grants to knowledge centered institutions around the world, with a focus on diversity in STM, health information delivery, research in developing countries, nurse leadership and sustainability.Since its inception, the foundation has awarded more than 100 grants worth over $5 million to non-profit organizations working in these fields.Through gift-matching, the foundation also supports the efforts of Elsevier employees to play a positive role in their local and global communities. The Elsevier Foundation is a corporate not-for-profit 501(c)(3), funded by Elsevier , a global provider of scientific, technical and medical information products and services.http://www.elsevierfoundation.org About Elsevier: Elsevier is a world-leading provider of information solutions that enhance the performance of science, health, and technology professionals, empowering them to make better decisions, deliver better care, and sometimes make ground-breaking discoveries that advance the boundaries of knowledge and human progress. Elsevier provides web-based, digital solutions - among them ScienceDirect, Scopus, Elsevier Research Intelligenceand ClinicalKey - and publishes over 2,500 journals, including The Lancet and Cell, and more than 35,000 book titles, including a number of iconic reference works. Elsevier is part of RELX Group, a world-leading provider of information and analytics for professional and business customers across industries.http://www.elsevier.com Media contact: Edward Lempinen TWAS Public Information Officer +39-040-224-0512 elempinen@twas.org Ylann Schemm Program Director Elsevier Foundation +31-623-982-359 newsroom@elsevier.com BOSTON, MA -- (Marketwired) -- 06/22/16 -- Vesper, developer of the world's most advanced acoustic sensors, today demonstrated the first commercially available quiescent-sensing MEMS device, opening the possibility of acoustic event-detection devices at practically zero power draw. Drawing a scant 3 A of current while in listening mode, Vesper's newest piezoelectric MEMS microphone -- VM1010 -- will dramatically advance voice and acoustic event monitoring. "Our quiescent-sensing MEMS microphone, VM1010, is the only device that uses sound energy itself to wake a system from full power-down," said Matt Crowley, CEO, Vesper. "Even when fully powered-off, batteries in smartphones and smart speakers naturally dissipate 40-80uA, which is far more current than VM1010 needs. This means that there is no difference in battery-life for a system using VM1010 in listening mode and a fully powered-down conventional system." Even in sleep mode, VM1010 preserves its very high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) -- which is essential to improving acoustic range. In fact, there is absolutely no SNR penalty from going into low power, extending the distance of far field voice control in battery-powered systems. "Once embedded in a voice-powered TV remote control or smart speaker, for example, VM1010 could allow you to turn on your device from across the room without having to push a button and without diminishing battery life," added Crowley. "Like all Vesper microphones, VM1010 uses a rugged piezoelectric transducer that is immune to dust, water, oils, humidity, particles and other environmental contaminants, making it ideal for deployments outdoors or in kitchens and automobiles." "For years the electronics industry has envisioned the development of quiescent sensors that consume no power until the appropriate stimulus occurs, but no company has demonstrated this previously in a real commercial device," said Peter Cooney, principal analyst and director, SAR Insight & Consulting. "Vesper's latest piezoelectric MEMS microphone has the potential to advance quiescent sensing into the commercial realm, ushering in a new era of ubiquitous always on sensors that can run indefinitely on small batteries." Availability VM1010 is a single-ended analog piezoelectric MEMS microphone. Engineering samples of VM1010 are available now to highly qualified customers developing technologically advanced systems. Production samples will be available in Q4 2016. For sales inquiries, contact Vesper via email: sales@vespermems.com or visit Vesper on the web: www.vespermems.com. About Vesper Vesper is a privately held piezoelectric MEMS company based in Boston, MA. With origins at the University of Michigan, Vesper microphones improve the acoustic experience with a wide range of consumer products via a patented piezoelectric MEMS platform. These products include smartphones, smart speakers, Internet of Things (IoT) devices and connected automobiles. Vesper is funded by Accomplice, AAC Technologies, XinGang Electronics and other strategic partners. For more information about Vesper, please contact us via email: info@vespermems.com or web: www.vespermems.com. The Vesper logo is a registered trademark of Vesper. All other product and company names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders. Embedded Video Available Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=3024065 Embedded Video Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=3024104 Press Contacts: Matt Crowley Vesper Email: Email Contact Maria Vetrano Vetrano Communications Email: Email Contact VIENNA (dpa-AFX) - European stocks rose for a fourth consecutive session on Wednesday, although gains remained capped ahead of Thursday's all-important UK-wide referendum to decide on the country's future in the European Union. The latest poll indicates that the result could be a close one. The pan-European Stoxx Europe 600 index was marginally higher in choppy trade after hitting its highest level in more than two weeks earlier in the session. The German DAX, France's CAC 40 index and the U.K.'s FTSE 100 were up between 0.2 percent and 0.4 percent. Financials traded mostly higher, with Commerzbank, Deutsche Bank, Credit Agricole, BNP Paribas, Societe Generale Group and HSBC Holdings rising between 0.3 percent and 0.7 percent. Air France-KLM Group gained 1.5 percent in Paris after its pilots canceled a strike scheduled for Friday. Mining giant Rio Tinto advanced 0.8 percent on rumors of an incoming $9 billion BHP-style spinoff. BHP Billiton, Anglo American and Glencore rose between half a percent and 1.5 percent while gold miner Fresnillo lost 1 percent. Tullow Oil rose over 1 percent and Total SA gained half a percent, as oil traded above $50 a barrel ahead of the U.S. Energy Information Administration's closely watched inventory report due later in the day. Storage company Safestore Holdings jumped over 3 percent in London as broker Liberum reiterated its 'buy' rating on the stock. Department store group Debenhams slumped 4 percent on reporting a slight drop in like-for-like sales in the 15 weeks to June 11. Swedish fashion retailer Hennes & Mauritz fell more than 1 percent on reporting a 17 percent drop in second-quarter profit. Merlin Properties Socimi climbed 3.5 percent after it agreed to a merger with Metrovacesa. On a relatively light day on the economic front, investors await U.S. existing home sales figures, Eurozone consumer confidence data and a second day of testimony by Fed Chair Yellen before U.S. lawmakers for further direction. 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. PARIS, FRANCE and SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 06/22/16 -- Sevenhugs, creator of connected home products, today announced the strategic opening of its San Francisco office where the executive team will be overseeing global operations and product development. The new office brings Sevenhugs closer to partners and provides opportunities to solidify its network to further grow its business. Additionally, Sevenhugs has completed a $14.6M (13M euros) Series A funding round that will focus significantly on building the team and investing in product development. Sevenhugs has received a total of $17.5M in funding. "We are very pleased to partner with investors who share our vision," said Simon Tchedikian, CEO and co-founder of Sevenhugs. "Gartner Research predicts that by 2020, there will be approximately 25 billion IoT-enabled devices, of which millions will likely be automating our homes. Our goal from the beginning has simply been to provide smart home solutions focused on the user-experience. From our intuitive hugOne sleep monitor to our next-gen, universal Smart Remote, we are dedicated to making home technology accessible. We value the expertise and support of our investors as we work together to accelerate the expansion of Sevenhugs." High-growth investment firm Xerys Gestion led this current round of funding, which was supported by existing investors who have also reiterated their confidence in Sevenhugs solutions for making smart home products accessible and user-friendly for everyone sharing the technologies. "We first focus on founders with vision and talent -- a combination that we know will result in success," said Jacques Simonnet, President of Xerys Gestion. "I've been impressed by how quickly this highly-effective team brought to market the hugOne. It was shipped to retailers only eight months after the seed round. Our investment will allow for the continued elevation of such amazing products. As a company with global potential, unique technology, and a quality team, investing in Sevenhugs is fully in line with our strategy." Sevenhugs will use its latest round of funding to: Broaden the global launch of the hugOne to the U.S. The hugOne is a sleep monitor that tracks sleep patterns to help families consistently rest better by capturing temperature, humidity, and air quality. It pairs with other smart home technologies such as Nest and Phillips Hue. Accelerate the development of the soon-to-launch intelligent Smart Remote, a universal control center for all home technologies. This product will seamlessly unify the connected home and enhance the user-experience with its simplicity. Expand its U.S. footprint with retail sales channels and bolster partnerships with key players in the smart home landscape. Increase hiring of team members in the U.S. and France. For more information about Sevenhugs, visit http://sevenhugs.com or follow the company on Facebook and Twitter. About Sevenhugs Sevenhugs is an innovative connected home company that creates integrated devices and services aimed at simplifying the smart home experience. Its mission is to reinvent the way people interact with technology at home. Sevenhugs' line of products include hugOne, the first connected solution that helps the entire family sleep better. The company was founded in 2014 by Simon Tchedikian, Stephane Jaubertou, Lionel Marty, and Olivier Mandine. For more information about Sevenhugs, visit: http://sevenhugs.com About Xerys Gestion Xerys is a French portfolio management company specialising in private equity (iOT, cleantech, biotech, energy). It aims to support the managers of Xerys Funds portfolio companies at all stages of their growth, from venture capital to maturity. Xerys aims to provide the financial means to allow entrepreneurs to work in a long-term perspective, without the risk of running out of capital, focusing on their vision for their company. Xerys also aims to put the full range of skills and expertise of the members of its team at their disposal, providing assistance and advice in strategic decisions and choices. For more information about Xerys, visit: www.xerys.com Media Contacts: Beth Keuling lotus823 for Sevenhugs press@sevenhugs.com 732-212-0823 Olivier Ossipoff Alexandre Heraud Xerys Gestion +33 1 82 52 12 25 YOKOHAMA (dpa-AFX) - Mitsubishi Motors Corp. (7211, MMTOF.PK), which expects hefty charge on fuel-cheat scandal, Wednesday said it sees fiscal year net loss of $1.4 billion or 145 billion Japanese Yen. This is for the first time in the last eight years that the company reports a loss. Last year, it had recorded profit of 89.1 billion yen. The Japanese motor giant expects net sales to fall by 16 percent to 1.91 trillion yen, with a decline of eight percent or 86 thousand units in total sales to 962 thousand units for fiscal 2016. In the previous year, net sales were 2.27 trillion. On April 20, the company had revealed a fraud in fuel consumption test, and taking the responsibility, President Tetsuro Aikawa had resigned. Chairman Osamu Masuko replaced him temporarily. The company had said it was using fuel-economy testing methods that were not in compliance with Japanese regulation. Mitsubishi expects fuel test impact of 205 billion yen in fiscal year of which, 150 billion yen is earmarked for one time fuel test charges. Further, it has decided to pay 100 thousand yen or $960 each to car owners affected by fuel-cheat scandal. The individual compensation would come to 50 billion yen or $480 million. Nissan Motor Co., which has agreed to own 34 percent stake in Mitsubishi, has been selling mini cars under the brand Dayz and Dayz Roox. Mitsubishi has offered 100 billion yen in compensation to Nissan. Regional sales in Japan is expected to be down 41 percent, while two percent decline is expected in North America. The company forecasts nine percent and three percent decline in Europe and Asia sales respectively, while 13 percent drop is projected to other regions. Osamu Masuko has announced that the company would resume production of minicars, and the financial impact would not be carried to next fiscal periods. 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, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Global Cloud Xchange (GCX), a subsidiary of Reliance Communications, today announced the appointment of Bryce Jewell as Managing Director of the UK. Mr. Jewell will be responsible for developing and driving the overall business strategy in the United Kingdom. Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160622/382182 Mr. Jewell joined GCX in 2014 as the Director of Corporate Development to lead strategic sales initiatives and was appointed as acting Managing Director of the UK in 2015, where he was instrumental in driving growth across the Enterprise business and building strategic partnerships. "Bryce has been a key member of the senior team in UK and this appointment is an acknowledgement of his accomplishments and leadership abilities over the years," said Mark Russell, President of Europe, Global Cloud Xchange. "His vast industry experience and understanding of local business requirements will continue to contribute significantly to our growth strategy and lead our UK operations to the next level of success." Mr. Jewell brings more than 16 years of telecom and technology experience. Prior to joining the company, Mr. Jewell served as Director of Sales for Pacnet (now Telstra) in Europe where he was responsible for driving profitable revenue growth. He has also received many accolades and awards over the years including Top Carrier Sales performer for four consecutive years. His wealth of experience also include management roles at the former Vanco (now GCX), Telstra Internet Direct in Australia and iTet AS in Norway. Mr. Jewell attended Murdoch University in Australia where he studied Applied Science-- Information Systems and Telecommunications Management. About Global Cloud Xchange Global Cloud Xchange (GCX), a subsidiary of Reliance Communications, offers a comprehensive portfolio of solutions customized for carriers, enterprises and new media companies. GCX owns the world's largest private undersea cable system spanning more than 67,000 route kms which, seamlessly integrated with Reliance Communications' 200,000 route kms of domestic optic fiber backbone, provides a robust Global Service Delivery Platform. With connections to 40 key business markets worldwide spanning Asia, North America, Europe and the Middle East, GCX delivers Managed Services to more than 160 countries and offer extensive VPLS-enabled Ethernet network capabilities globally. GCX is equipped to support businesses through the deployment of next generation Enterprise solutions across its Cloud Delivery Networks. For More Information, contact: Genevieve Li Tel: +852 6028 8236 Email: gli@globalcloudxchange.com OTTAWA, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 06/22/16 -- Effective immediately, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) is increasing its CMHC Green Home premium refund from 10% to as much as 25% depending on the level of energy-efficiency achieved. Introduced in 2004, CMHC Green Home offers a partial premium refund to borrowers who buy, build or renovate for energy efficiency using CMHC-insured financing. CMHC is also updating the eligibility requirements to reflect changes to the EnerGuide Rating System. CMHC is Canada's only mortgage insurer prepared to accept applications for homes assessed using either the current 0-100 scale or the new gigajoule scale. The enhancements demonstrate CMHC's leadership in the mortgage insurance industry. Additional information on CMHC Green Home can be found at www.cmhc.ca/greenhome This release includes video. As Canada's authority on housing, CMHC contributes to the stability of the housing market and financial system, provides support for Canadians in housing need and offers objective housing research and information to Canadian governments, consumers and the housing industry. For more information, visit our website or follow us on Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook. QUOTES "CMHC is committed to fostering energy-efficient housing in Canada. Improving energy efficiency not only reduces greenhouse gas emissions but also lowers the cost of owning and maintaining a home." Steven Mennill, Senior Vice President, Insurance, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation Backgrounder -- Energy accounts for nearly 8% of total household expenditures. On average, Canadian households spent $4,434 on energy in 2012. Lower- income households spend a larger share of their disposable income on energy. -- CMHC has provided nearly 8,000 refunds worth over $10 million since CMHC Green Home was introduced in 2004. -- Homeowners have up to two years from the closing date to apply for a premium refund through CMHC Green Home. Contacts: Jonathan Rotondo CMHC Media Relations 613-748-2734 jrotondo@cmhc-schl.gc.ca VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 06/22/16 -- Mineral Mountain Resources Ltd. ("Mineral Mountain" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: MMV) is pleased to announce that the Company has increased its 100%-owned land position in the Rochford Gold District to 5,447 acres (2179 hectares) by staking an additional 37 unpatented lode mineral claims totaling 606 acres (242 hectares). In all, the Company now owns a contiguous land position located in Lawrence and Pennington Counties totaling 345 unpatented lode mineral claims. The northern boundary of the Company's land holdings is located 18 km (11 mi.) south of the Homestake Mine deposit. The close similarities between the Homestake Mine and the Rochford District in host rock composition, structural style, metamorphic grade, and gold mineralization suggest that the Rochford District has the potential to contain a large gold resource. The property covers four high priority gold targets that are situated within two structural corridors that host Homestake Ledge-type gold mineralization associated with banded iron formation documented by Noranda, Newmont, Western Mining and Homestake between 1982 and 1996. All four priority targets, if traced systematically down the limb fold plunge by diamond drilling are considered to be above average for the discovery of Ledge-type gold deposits. The four gold targets, three along the 5.5 km long Standby-South Standby-Lookout Mine Trend and the fourth along the 1 km long Cochrane Trend, require a well-planned drill program initially totaling 9,000 meters of drilling. (see release dated March 7, 2016) The Rochford Gold District Despite the similarities to Homestake, and compelling evidence for gold mineralization, the Rochford District has remained under explored. The Rochford Gold District is located approximately 26 kilometers south of the world's largest banded iron formation hosted gold deposit, the Homestake Mine, which produced nearly 40,000,000 ounces of gold averaging about 10.89 g/t Au (0.350 opt) over the life of the mine from 1876 to 2001. The geology of the Rochford District is remarkably similar to that at the Homestake Mine with gold hosted in multiple deformed Proterozoic carbonate facies and local sulfide-facies iron formation that has typically been metamorphosed to cummingtonite/grunerite phyllites/schists and chlorite schists. There are numerous, relatively shallow past producing gold mines and prospects in the district that were developed in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Mineral Mountain's property package covers approximately a 9 km long segment of auriferous iron formation considered to have many geological and mineralogical aspects to the Homestake Mine 26 km to the northwest. The Rochford District covers more than 78 square kilometers and has been explored intermittently by several major companies like Getty, Newmont, Noranda, Western Mining and Homestake Mining in the 20th century. The last serious exploration for the Rochford District was completed in 1997. This district appears to have been forgotten and/or overlooked especially after the closing of the nearby giant Homestake Mine in 2001. We believe that because Homestake was so dominant in the Black Hills for over 125 years, many explorers erroneously assumed that the gold belt been thoroughly explored. A plan that shows locations of historic mines and prospects as well as important patented and unpatented claim locations has been posted on the Company's website www.mineralmtn.com. Qualified Persons The technical information in this news release has been prepared and approved by Nelson W. Baker, P.Eng., the President and CEO of Mineral Mountain Resources Ltd. and a Qualified Person for this project. All exploration activities at the Rochford Project are carried out under the supervision of Kevin Leonard, P.Geo., also a Qualified Person for this project and conducted by a highly technical team with several years exploring for iron hosted gold deposits in the Black hills and globally. About Mineral Mountain and the Rochford Project Mineral Mountain Resources Ltd., through its wholly owned subsidiary Mineral Mountain Resources (SD) Inc., is focused primarily on the systematic exploration and, if warranted, the development of its large, 100%-owned Rochford Project located 26 km south of the Homestake Mine along the highly prospective gold belt trending through the Black Hills of South Dakota, U.S.A. The Rochford Project hosts repeating limbs and/or ledges along two structural corridors that hosts commercial grade, iron hosted gold mineralization that require systematic diamond drilling. The project now totals 345 contiguous unpatented lode mineral claims covering approximately 5,447 acres. On Behalf of the Board of Directors MINERAL MOUNTAIN RESOURCES LTD. Nelson W. Baker, President and CEO Forward looking information This release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation ("Forward-looking information"). Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements that address activities, events or developments that the Company expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future, including such things as future business strategy, competitive strengths, goals, expansion, growth of the Company's businesses, operations, plans and with respect to exploration results, the timing and success of exploration activities generally, permitting time lines, government regulation of exploration and mining operations, environmental risks, title disputes or claims, limitations on insurance coverage, timing and possible outcome of any pending litigation and timing and results of future resource estimates or future economic studies. Often, but not always, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "planning", "planned", "expects" or "looking forward", "does not expect", "continues", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "potential", "anticipates", "does not anticipate" or "belief" or describes a "goal" or variation of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking information is based on a number of material factors and assumptions, including, the result of drilling and exploration activities, that contracted parties provide goods and/or services on the agreed timeframes, that equipment necessary for exploration is available as scheduled and does not incur unforeseen break downs, that no labour shortages or delays are incurred, that plant and equipment function as specified, that no unusual geological or technical problems occur, and that laboratory and other related services are available and perform as contracted. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, future events, conditions, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, prediction, projection, forecast, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors include, among others, the interpretation and actual results of current exploration activities; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; future prices of gold; possible variations in grade or recovery rates; failure of equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; the failure of contracted parties to perform; labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry; delays in obtaining governmental approvals or financing or in the completion of exploration, as well as those factors disclosed in the company's publicly filed documents. 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 information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Contacts: Mineral Mountain Resources Ltd. Brad Baker Vice-President Corporate Development & Director (778) 383-3975 bbaker@mineralmtn.com www.mineralmtn.com TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 06/22/16 -- Kombat Copper Inc. (TSX VENTURE: KBT) ("Kombat Copper" or the "Company") today announces that it has appointed Stephan Theron as President and CEO of Kombat Copper. Paul Bozoki will return to his role as CFO and Heidi Gerry will resume her role as Corporate Controller. Mr. Theron will also join the board of directors of Kombat Copper (the "Board") replacing Mr. Bozoki. Mr. Theron brings to Kombat Copper 17 years of extensive management, capital project development and M&A experience within the mining industry. Prior to joining Kombat Copper, Mr. Theron was Managing Director at Liberty Metals & Mining, a private equity group based in Boston, Massachusetts. Mr. Theron was also a strategic member on the board of directors of True Gold Mining. Prior to his work in Boston, Stephan was President & CEO at Forbes & Manhattan Coal Corp., based in Toronto. While he worked at Forbes Coal, he led the acquisition, restructuring and development of two coal mines in South Africa. He has structured numerous mining focused investments and has worked on mining projects throughout Africa and North America. Mr. Theron holds two degrees in Finance and is a Certified General Accountant. Justin Reid, Executive Chairman of Kombat Copper commented: "The Board of Kombat Copper is pleased to welcome Stephan as our new President and CEO. Stephan's extensive operational and African-focused experience, coupled with his detailed knowledge of project funding and investing will act to not only strengthen our core group, but position the Company as we advance through our previously announced mid-term initiatives and ultimately move back towards full scale production. We have a lot of work to do, and we believe Stephan is the right person to lead us. The Board would also like to thank Paul Bozoki, who will be returning to his role as CFO. Paul skillfully stepped in as CEO as we worked on our final restructuring plan." Stephan Theron, President and CEO of Kombat Copper, commented: "I am pleased to join Kombat Copper at an important time in the copper price cycle. The Kombat Mine is very well positioned to act as a platform for future growth in Africa and potentially beyond. I'm looking forward to getting started, further enhancing the team's strength and implementing the mine development strategy." In connection with Mr. Theron's appointment, the Company has granted Mr. Theron 1,500,000 stock options in accordance with the Company's stock option plan. The options have an exercise price of $0.05 and will expire five years from the date of grant. The options will vest immediately. The grant of options remains subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. About Kombat Copper Kombat Copper is a publicly traded Canadian exploration and development company with its core operations focused on copper resources in Namibia, one of the world's most prospective copper regions, where it has substantial assets in place with significant upside. The Company continues to hold an 80% interest in five mining licenses in the Otavi Mountainlands, an area of Namibia particularly known for its high-grade copper deposits. Within these licenses are three past-producing mines including the Company's flagship property, the Kombat Mine. Kombat Copper has contracted EBM Mining Namibia to begin mining lead/copper mineralization at Kombat East, Kombat Central and potentially Gross Otavi within the year. Concentrates will be produced at the Company's production facilities, which are being refurbished by EBM. EBM is also evaluating opportunities to market aggregate stone and sand byproducts locally. Kombat Copper's decision to (i) mine the near surface mineralization on the Kombat East and Kombat Central areas, and (ii) produce any concentrate from such mining and processing is not based on a feasibility study or mineral resource/reserve with demonstrated economic viability. Kombat Copper has decided to put certain areas of the Kombat Mine into production without first establishing mineral resources or mineral reserves, supported by a technical report and/or feasibility study. The Company cautions readers that such production may not be economically feasible and historically such projects have a much higher risk of economic or technical failure. Cautionary Notes 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 news release may contain forward-looking statements. These statements include statements regarding the grant of stock options, the impact of the appointment and resignation of officers and directors of the Company, possible mineralization and deposits, the anticipated timeline regarding future exploration work, availability of results and production, the Company's expectations regarding mineral resources, EBM's ability to commence operations and operate the applicable portions of the Kombat mine, EBM's ability to make the requisite investments, the Company's expectations regarding the production and sales of mineralization from the Kombat Mine and potential development work and the Company's plans for the Kombat Mine including any financial impact and community impact. These statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially because of factors discussed in the management discussion and analysis section of our interim and most recent annual financial statements or other reports and filings with the TSX Venture Exchange and applicable Canadian securities regulations. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable laws. Contacts: Kombat Copper Inc. Rob Hopkins Manager, Investor Relations +1 (416) 861-5899 info@kombatcopper.com www.kombatcopper.com VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 06/22/16 -- Canterra Minerals Corporation (TSX VENTURE: CTM) ("Canterra" or "the Company") is pleased to announce that it has signed an Option Agreement with Mr. Michael Magrum ("Magrum") to acquire up to a 70% interest in the CL-25 Property (the "Property") located in the South Slave Region of the Northwest Territories ("NT"). The CL-25 Property consists of one claim (1,045.10 hectares) entirely surrounded by Canterra's Gwen Property. The Property contains two diamondiferous kimberlite pipes known as CL-25 and CL-174 discovered by Winspear Diamonds in 1994 and 1995 respectively. Historical data from Assessment Reports indicates that 212 diamonds (9 macros) were recovered from CL-25 and 340 diamonds (11 macros) were recovered from CL-174. Indicators from the adjacent Gwen Property suggest other potential kimberlite sources may be present. The Property is located approximately 260 kilometres ("km") northeast of Yellowknife, NT; approximately 30 km east of the Snap Lake Diamond Mine and 50 km west of the Gahcho Kue deposit being developed by Mountain Province Diamonds Inc. and De Beers Canada. Randy Turner, President and CEO of Canterra, commented, "We are excited to add CL-25 to our portfolio of properties across the South Slave Region. CL-25 will be one of our primary target for exploration over the next year and we look forward to advancing it." Pursuant to the agreement, the Company can acquire a 60% interest in the Property by making a cash payment of $35,000 within 10 days of receiving regulatory approval, the issuance of an aggregate of 400,000 shares (200,000 within 10 days of receiving regulatory approval) and work commitments of $1,000,000 over a three year period. Upon completion of the 60% earn-in, the Company will have the right to exercise a second option for an additional 10% interest by making a cash payment of $100,000, issuing 500,000 shares and incurring further work commitments of $1,000,000 prior to the fifth anniversary. The transaction is subject to approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. After the Company has either earned 60% or if elected, the 70% earn-in, the Company and Magrum will form a joint venture for the purpose of continuing exploration and development of the Property. Upon formation, the joint venture has agreed to pay Magrum a 3% gross overriding royalty (the "GORR") on the appraised value of diamonds resulting from the property. The joint venture will have the right to purchase up to two-thirds of the GORR, exercisable at any time, by paying $1,000,000 for each 1%, for an aggregate purchase price of $2,000,000. Corporate Update: In addition, the Company announces that it is proposing to amend the expiry date of 8,107,143 outstanding warrants (the "Warrants") from July 29, 2016 to July 29, 2017, subject to approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. The Warrants will remain exercisable into common shares at a price of $0.10 per common share. Bruce Kienlen, P.Geol, Senior Geologist for Canterra is the Qualified Person, as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed the technical information in this news release. About Canterra: Canterra Minerals is a Canadian resource company specializing in diamond exploration in the Northwest Territories, strategically located between the Snap Lake Diamond Mine and the Gahcho Kue Diamond Project. The Company also maintains a 33% interest in the Buffalo Hills Diamond Project in Alberta where a total of 38 kimberlites have been identified. As leaders of exploration in the junior diamond sector for over 25 years, the Canterra team has been involved in the discovery of two of Canada's four diamond mines, the Snap Lake Diamond Mine in the South Slave and the Ekati Diamond Mine in Lac de Gras. Location maps can be found on the Company's website www.canterraminerals.com. CANTERRA MINERALS CORPORATION Randy Turner, President & CEO The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this news release. Contacts: Canterra Minerals Corporation Randy Turner President 604-687-6644 info@canterraminerals.com www.canterraminerals.com WNS (Holdings) Limited (NYSE: WNS), a leading provider of global Business Process Management (BPM) services, today announced an agreement with Sompo Canopius, a top ten global specialty (re)insurer. WNS is partnering with Sompo Canopius to support the development of the business across a number of back and middle office operational functions. "This exciting partnership furthers our industry-leading position in high-end global insurance BPM. We are delighted to have been chosen to partner with such a prestigious member of the Lloyd's, London and global insurance markets," said Keshav R. Murugesh, Group CEO, WNS. Stephen Manning, Group COO, Sompo Canopius, commented, "WNS has a track record of supporting transformation in complex insurance businesses, and has the breadth and depth of expertise and experience we require for our operations. We look forward to a productive, long-term partnership." A leader in delivering insurance BPM solutions across the globe, today WNS manages services from simple transactions to mission-critical, judgment-based processes. WNS' solutions are underpinned by deep domain expertise, technology and automation, and high-end analytics. About Sompo Canopius Sompo Canopius is a global specialty (re)insurer which is wholly-owned by Sompo Japan Nipponkoa Insurance Inc., one of the top three Japanese insurers with a market share in Japan of 28%. This company is a subsidiary of Sompo Japan Nipponkoa Holdings, Inc. ("Sompo Holdings") which is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (No. 8630). Sompo Canopius has underwriting operations in the UK, Netherlands, Switzerland, Bermuda, US and Singapore. It underwrites through Lloyd's Syndicate 4444 (managed by Canopius Managing Agents limited); a US surplus lines insurer, Canopius US Insurance, Inc.; and a Zurich-based reinsurance company, Sompo Japan Canopius Reinsurance AG. The group offers specialist insurance and reinsurance across property; marine, energy engineering; political risks crisis management and casualty, accident & health lines. About WNS WNS (Holdings) Limited (NYSE: WNS) is a leading global business process management company. WNS offers business value to 200+ global clients by combining operational excellence with deep domain expertise in key industry verticals including Insurance, Banking and Financial Services, Travel, Manufacturing, Retail and Consumer Packaged Goods, Shipping and Logistics, Healthcare and Utilities. WNS delivers an entire spectrum of business process management services such as finance and accounting, customer care, technology solutions, research and analytics and industry specific back office and front office processes. As of March 31, 2016, WNS had 32,388 professionals across 40 delivery centers worldwide including China, Costa Rica, India, Philippines, Poland, Romania, South Africa, Sri Lanka, United Kingdom and the United States. For more information, visit www.wns.com. Safe Harbor Provision This document includes information which may constitute forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, the accuracy of which are necessarily subject to risks, uncertainties, and assumptions as to future events. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied are discussed in our most recent Form 20-F and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. WNS undertakes no obligation to 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/20160622005657/en/ Contacts: WNS (Holdings) Limited Investors: David Mackey Corporate SVP Finance Head of Investor Relations +1 (201) 942-6261 david.mackey@wns.com or Media: Archana Raghuram Head Corporate Communications +91 (22) 4095 2397 archana.raghuram@wns.com; pr@wns.com MUNICH, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Today marks the start of ees Europe 2016. At Europe's largest exhibition for batteries and energy storage systems, exhibitors from all around the world are set to showcase the most up-to-date products, services and solutions in renewable energy storage until June 24, 2016. This year, ees Europe is taking place in parallel with Intersolar Europe, the world's leading exhibition for the solar industry and its partners. Replacing large-scale nuclear and fossil fuel power stations, power is increasingly being supplied by decentralized, regenerative energy producers. Working in combination with these different forms of electricity generation, intelligent storage solutions play a crucial role in guaranteeing supply safety. No wonder then, that the energy storage industry is booming. This growth is also fueled by falling prices in the industry. According to a recent survey conducted by ees and Intersolar Europe together with the German Solar Association (BSW-Solar), the purchasing costs for turnkey solar storage systems for private homes have fallen by over 30% in the last 24 months, due to economies of scale and technical developments. The consequence: Domestic storage systems for solar power in particular are becoming increasingly cost-efficient, which is leading to greater investment in these technologies. Numerous companies are taking advantage of the considerable momentum in the market to expand their business - or to enter the market for the first time, such as Daimler AG for example, who announced the foundation of the Mercedes-Benz Energy GmbH at the start of June 2016. Nissan has reported entering a partnership with Eaton this year to capture the domestic storage system market, and Tesla Energy and the BMW Group have also moved into the market. E-mobility is another important factor driving the energy storage market forward. Electric cars are not just a low-emission form of transport: As mobile energy storage units, they are one of the mainstays in the grid of the future. A few weeks ago, Norway took a pioneering step in this direction and is aiming to rely entirely on electric cars by 2025. Germany is also advocating e-mobility. The German government has set itself the target of bringing one million electric cars onto the country's roads by 2020 and has set up an incentive program in order to achieve this. The conditions are therefore extremely favorable for ees Europe, which opens its doors today for the third time. Exhibitors are presenting their innovations, solutions and services in the area of efficient and sustainable energy storage from June 22-24. ees Europe's success story ees Europe has developed impressively since 2014: Even after the exhibition recorded significant growth in 2015, the exhibition space increased again by 40% to over 12,000 sqm in 2016. Here, 213 battery and energy storage manufacturers are set to showcase their products and services - representing an increase of 35% compared with last year. Together with Intersolar Europe, which takes place at the same time, 369 of the total 1,077 exhibitors are presenting energy storage solutions. Many exhibitors have expanded their exhibition segment and are displaying an even broader range of new products, in comparison with previous years. In a remarkably short period of time, the event has established itself as a leading exhibition in Europe. Special exhibits: Wind meets Solar and Storage and E-Mobility & Renewable Energy Visitors can find out about the current trends in the industry at two special exhibits. At the exhibition space Wind meets Solar and Storage (hall B2, booth B2.290), researchers from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) will be demonstrating how different technologies for power generation and energy storage are connected to consumers in a smart energy system that utilizes the most up-to-date information technologies. One of the centerpieces of the special exhibit is the prototype of an energy storage device measuring almost 100 cubic meters. The exhibition demonstrates how batteries can work in combination with a PV installation and a wind turbine to guarantee the optimal supply safety and grid stability. Along these lines, sessions titled Integration Strategies and Virtual Power Plants are taking place at the Smart Renewable Energy Forum on Thursday, June 23, starting at 1:00pm (hall B2, booth B2.131). The special exhibit E-Mobility & Renewable Energy showcases intelligent solutions for integrating electric vehicles and presents new vehicle concepts and innovative charging technologies in hall B1, booth B1.190. It plays host to innovations from companies such as Tesla, Nissan, GridSense and Parkstrom until June 24. The ees AWARD, ees Forum and ees Conference For the third time in a row, the ees AWARD is set to pay tribute to outstanding innovations in energy storage on the first day of the exhibition. All companies who exhibited at an ees or Intersolar event around the world in 2016 were able to make a submission. The winners will be announced at an official award ceremony today at the Innovation and Application Forum (4:30pm, hall A2, booth A2.530). Another important feature of the exhibition's accompanying program: the ees Forum. In hall B1, booth B1.151 on all three exhibition days, industry experts will be speaking about their experiences in the manufacturing, sales, installation and application of batteries and energy storage systems. Following the successful premiere last year, the ees Conference is taking place again in 2016. From June 21-22, 2016, the presentations held by expert panels at ICM - Internationales Congress Center Munchen - offer visitors the opportunity to find out about the latest advancements in the field of storage devices and storage management, as well as how to use storage systems economically. They will be discussing topical issues in the industry, ranging from political conditions and financing, to new technical accomplishments. ees Europe 2016 takes place alongside Intersolar Europe at Messe Munchen from June 22-24, 2016. Further information on ees Europe 2016 can be found at http://www.ees-europe.com About ees The global ees exhibition series is the industry meeting point, bringing together manufacturers, distributors, users and suppliers of stationary and mobile electricity storage systems. The ees exhibitions are co-organized with Intersolar, the leading exhibition series for the solar industry. The ees exhibitions and accompanying ees Conferences are dedicated to renewable energy storage solutions, from residential and commercial applications to large-scale storage systems for stabilizing the grid. Other focal points are products and solutions for smart renewable energy, energy management, e-mobility and uninterruptible power supply (UPS). With ees Europe in Munich, ees North America in San Francisco and ees India in Mumbai, ees is represented on three continents. ees Europe is the continent's largest exhibition with the greatest number of visitors for the battery and energy storage industry. More than 158 exhibitors took part in ees Europe 2015 (326 companies together with energy storage exhibitors at Intersolar Europe) and approx. 38,000 visitors from 165 countries flocked to Munich. Partners of ees Europe ZVEI (German Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers' Association), EUROBAT (the Association of European Automotive and Industrial Battery Manufacturers), Naatbatt (the National Alliance for Advanced Technology Batteries), and BSW-Solar (German Solar Association). For more information on ees Europe, please visit: http://www.ees-europe.com ees Europe is organized by Solar Promotion GmbH, Pforzheim and Freiburg Wirtschaft Touristik und Messe GmbH & Co. KG (FWTM). Contact: Solar Promotion GmbH | Postfach 100 170 | 75101 Pforzheim Horst Dufner | Tel: +49-7231-58598-0 | Fax: +49-7231-58598-28 | info@ees-europe.com Press contact: fischerAppelt, relations | Infanteriestrae 11a | 80797 Munchen Robert Schwarzenbock | Tel: +49-89-747466-23 | Fax: +49-89-747466-66 | rs@fischerAppelt.de TENERIFE, Canary Islands, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The international aviation industry will gather in Tenerife this weekend for the 11th annual Routes Africa air service development forum (26-28 June). (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150730/250177LOGO ) Routes Africa is dedicated to improving air connectivity across the African continent. It stimulates the African aviation industry by bringing together airlines, airports and tourism authorities to discuss new air services. Tenerife Tourism Corporation is hosting the event with support from the Canary Islands Government. Closer to the African continent than the European mainland, Tenerife aims to become a connecting aviation hub or 'logistical stepping stone' between Africa and the Americas and Europe. Nearly six million tourists a year travel to the largest Canary Island for its beautiful beaches, national park, historical towns and warm climate. Routes Africa will provide Tenerife with a unique opportunity to showcase these attractions and make the case for introducing new air services. Investment in Tenerife's infrastructure will support further growth in the tourist sector. A new cruise terminal will open at Santa Cruz Port in September, five new five-star hotels will open over the next two years and there are plans to invest 120 million in a new terminal at Tenerife South Airport. The African aviation market also presents significant development opportunities. International Air Transport Association (IATA) figures predict that it will grow by 4.7% to 294 million passengers a year by 2034, and that seven of the world's ten fastest growing markets will be in Africa (Malawi, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Central African Republic, Tanzania, Uganda and Ethiopia). Some of the most senior network planners in the industry will attend Routes Africa to capitalise on the predicted growth of the market, including representatives from South African Airways, Royal Air Maroc, Malawian Airlines, Fastjet and major European carriers such as Iberia, Norwegian and Alitalia. Around 200 professionals are expected to attend the event. Delegates will also get the chance to hear industry leaders discussing the latest issues and trends at the'Strategy Summit' conference. The speakers include Richard Bodin, chief commercial officer at Fastjet; Elijah Chingosho, secretary general at African Airlines Association (AFRAA) and Fernando Estrada, chief strategy officer at Vueling. Adrian Newton, group director at UBM EMEA (the organiser of Routes events) said: "Routes Africa has an important role to play in the development of the African aviation market. As the host of this year's event, Tenerife is in a great position to demonstrate the key role it can play in the development of air connectivity within the region." The president of theTenerife Government, Carlos Alonso, highlights: "Tenerife is very keen to improve its air connectivity with Africa and serve as an Atlantic platform for three continents, so holding Routes Africa on the island will be a unique opportunity for us to demonstrate the island's potential to senior representatives of the world's major airlines." For more information about Routes Africa 2016, go to the event website: http://www.routesonline.com/events/185/routes-africa-2016/ Routes Africa 2016, Gran Hotel Bahia del Duque, Costa Adeje, Tenerife, 26-28 June 2016. Notes to Editors About Routes Routes events are unique forums dedicated to the development of new air services. Five 'regional' route development forums are held between February and July in the Americas, Asia , Europe , Africa / Middle East and Silk Road/Russian Commonwealth, and the flagship World Routes event takes place in September. http://www.routesonline.com The events revolve around pre-scheduled meetings and an exhibition and conference which are delivered in partnership with host stakeholders. Hosts tend to be a collaboration between airports, tourism authorities and investment partners (the bidding process takes place two to three years before the event takes place). Routes was founded in 1995 and is part of the EMEA division of UBM plc. For further information contact: Karen Reeves Communications & Content Marketing Manager Routes, UBM EMEA T: +44(0)161-234-2721 M: +44(0)796-6405-105 E: Karen.Reeves@ubm.com Karen Blanchard Communication Tenerife Tourism Corporation T: +34-663-014-452 E: karen@webtenerife.com SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 06/22/16 -- NGINX, Inc., the engine delivering sites and applications for the modern web, today announced the public beta release of NGINX Amplify, a new diagnostic tool created to give users visibility and control over NGINX instances and NGINX-delivered applications. As a platform designed specifically for NGINX and the applications it powers, NGINX Amplify complements and extends existing Application Performance Management (APM) and monitoring tools. Users can get started in minutes, and get access to powerful features such as recommended performance and security improvements, a customizable analytics dashboard, and a powerful alerting system, to ensure a more seamless customer experience. "NGINX has become one of the most critical components in the infrastructure stack, with more than 160 million websites relying on NGINX to deliver their applications to the world with maximum performance, reliability, security, and scale," said Gus Roberson, CEO of NGINX. "By creating NGINX Amplify, we are providing users with more visibility for their NGINX-delivered applications, as well as deep diagnostics and actionable insights tailored specifically to their environment. This gives our users even more control -- enabling them to further optimize performance, resolve issues faster than ever before, and enhance the experience they provide to their customers." NGINX Amplify helps organizations report on hundreds of metrics to help users quickly troubleshoot application health and performance issues -- all within a highly customizable interface. NGINX Amplify combines multiple approaches to extract as much data as possible about the running NGINX instances, including sophisticated real-time log file tracking to provide even more detailed information about the application. It works with a small open source agent installed on each NGINX or NGINX Plus endpoint, which collects the metrics needed for analysis and visualization. NGINX Amplify is incredibly easy and intuitive to use, with key features including: Performance and Security Recommendations -- NGINX Amplify performs static analysis of NGINX and NGINX Plus configurations, and recommends changes to enhance the performance and security of any NGINX deployment. It provides a report for each monitored instance about problems with the configuration, including for each problem the line number where it occurs, a detailed description, and recommendations for resolving it. Analytics and Troubleshooting -- NGINX Amplify provides actionable insights into application performance. Hundreds of metrics are collected from NGINX, log files, and the operating system that provide information on performance and system health. Users can view all the metrics they need together in a highly customizable dashboard. Custom Alerts -- With NGINX Amplify, users can define alerts to be notified when systems are not healthy. It also collects a wide range of metrics from monitored systems that can be used as criteria for generating an alert. NGINX first launched the private beta of NGINX Amplify in November 2015, and has been collecting feedback and suggestions from its NGINX and NGINX Plus users, and incorporating them as improvements into the tool. The company is currently working on developing a number of exciting new features within NGINX Amplify. NGINX Amplify will be available as a general release by the end of this year. NGINX users can sign up for free for NGINX Amplify and provide additional feedback to enhance and improve this service by visiting: https://amplify.nginx.com/signup To learn more about the NGINX Amplify beta release please visit: https://www.nginx.com/blog/nginx-amplify-public-beta Current and prospective NGINX users can also learn more about NGINX Amplify and other NGINX solutions at this year's annual user conference, nginx.conf 2016, taking place September 7-9 in Austin, Texas. About NGINX, Inc. NGINX is the heart of the modern web -- helping the world's most innovative companies deliver their sites and applications with performance, reliability, security, and scale. The company offers an award-winning, comprehensive application delivery platform in use on more than 160 million sites worldwide. Companies around the world rely on NGINX to ensure flawless digital experiences through features such as advanced load balancing, web and mobile acceleration, security controls, application monitoring, and management. More than half of the Internet's busiest websites rely on NGINX, including Airbnb, Box, Instagram, Netflix, Pinterest, SoundCloud, and Zappos. The company is headquartered in San Francisco with offices in Moscow and London. Learn more at https://www.nginx.com/ Press Contact: Chad Torbin Email Contact 415.548.6536 LOS ANGELES, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 06/22/16 -- WRIT Media Group, Inc. (OTCQB: WRIT) today announces the details of its recent acquisition of all of the outstanding shares of Pandora Venture Capital Corp. ("Pandora") common stock in a stock transaction valued at approximately $4.2 million. The acquisition price is based on the closing price of $0.30 per WRIT Media Group common share, as of the date the shares were issued and held in escrow. The Company acquired Pandora through the issuance of 14 million restricted shares of its Common Stock to the shareholders of Pandora, in exchange for all issued and outstanding shares of Pandora, making Pandora a wholly owned subsidiary of WRIT Media Group, Inc. Pandora will assume one seat on the WRIT Media Group board of directors. Further information is provided for in the Company's Form 8-K filed today. Pandora is the developer of an online platform that allows investors to trade digital currencies similar to the way stocks are traded on a stock exchange. The company provides a digital currency software solution that combines trade exchanges, loyalty rewards and a payments support platform. Pandora is also developing an enterprise Blockchain platform that enables institutions to design, deploy, and operate financial networks that can power assets in various markets. The technology underpinning digital currencies has changed rapidly over the past few years, due to the emergence of Bitcoin and other crypto-currencies. It is now reasonably clear that the distributed payment technology embodied in digital currencies has real potential. This technology solves a deep problem in monetary economics: how to establish trust in a distributed network. "Blockchain" technology appears to offer an imaginative solution to that distributed trust problem. Bitcoin and Ethereum have created market capitalizations of $11.5 billion and $1 billion, respectively, and trading infrastructures have built up around them, growing digital currencies into a viable asset class. Blockchain technology is also emerging as useful technology solution in payment processing, loyalty rewards, healthcare record management, insurance, and even legal contracts management. "With this acquisition, we expect to drive meaningful value for our shareholders, customers, and partners around the world," says Eric Mitchell, president and CEO of WRIT Media Group. "We look forward to working closely with the Pandora team to ensure a smooth transition and continued innovation to bring the digital currency of the future, and other unique Blockchain solutions to our customers." About Writ Media Group WRIT Media Group, Inc. (OTCQB: WRIT) is a diversified media and software company whose operations include content production and distribution; video game distribution via mobile platforms; and digital currency software development, including trading platforms and Blockchain solutions. The Company's portfolio of wholly owned businesses includes: Front Row Networks, a content creation company which produces, acquires and distributes live event programming for worldwide digital broadcast into digitally enabled movie theaters and online streaming; Amiga Games, a software company resurrecting the Amiga brand by publishing retro video games on smartphones, tablets and consoles; Retro Infinity, Inc., a video game distribution portal which publishes video games from Amiga, Atari and other "retro" brands on today's smartphones, tablets and consoles; and Pandora Venture Capital, a software developer with a focus on digital currency technologies, including; a cryptocurrency trading platform, a new generation of cryptocurrency, and Blockchain technology solutions. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements Except for the historical information contained herein, the matters discussed in this press release are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted by such forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that all forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, those discussed in WRIT Media Group's latest 10-Q filed December 31, 2015. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Pandora Venture Capital and its related trademarks and names are the property of WRIT Media Group, Inc. and are registered and/or used in the U.S. and countries around the world. All rights reserved. All other trademarks belong to their respective owners. For further Information: WRIT Media Group, Inc. Email: Email Contact Investor Relations: QualityStocks Scottsdale, Arizona www.QualityStocks.com Phone: (480) 374-1336 Email: Email Contact RESTON, VA--(Marketwired - June 22, 2016) - Carahsoft Technology Corp., the trusted government IT solutions provider, today announced it has been named to The Channel Company's CRN 2016 Solution Provider 500 (SP500) list. The annual program ranks the top technology integrators, service providers, and IT consultants in North America by revenue. Since 1995, the SP500 has served as the industry standard for recognition of the most successful solution providers in the channel. Carahsoft made its 11th consecutive appearance on the list, ranking at #20, up from #22 on last year's list. The company's performance in 2015 led to another record-setting year, with Carahsoft closing with more than $3 billion in bookings. "We are honored to be recognized once again as an industry leader by The Channel Company," said Craig P. Abod, Carahsoft president. "As we continue to grow our reseller ecosystem, expand our solutions portfolios, and enter new markets, we are grateful for the support of our customers, resellers, vendors and integrators who make our success possible year after year." Founded in 2004, Carahsoft debuted on the CRN Solution Provider 500 list in 2006 at #399. Today, Carahsoft is recognized as the largest and most trusted government distributor and partner for many of the industry's largest manufacturers including VMware, Adobe, Symantec, Red Hat, HPE Software, SAP, EMC, and F5 Networks, among others. "The 2016 Solution Provider 500 represents a total, combined revenue of over $334 billion -- a testament to their success in keeping pace with the rapidly changing demands of today's IT market," said Robert Faletra, CEO, The Channel Company. "This prestigious list recognizes those companies with the highest revenue and serves as a valuable industry resource for vendors seeking out top solution providers to partner with. We congratulate each of the Solution Provider 500 companies and look forward to their continued success." About Carahsoft Carahsoft Technology Corp. is the trusted Government IT solutions provider. As a top-ranked GSA Schedule Contract holder, Carahsoft serves as the master government aggregator for many of its best-of-breed technology vendors, supporting an extensive ecosystem of manufacturers, value-added resellers, system integrators, and consulting partners committed to helping government agencies select and implement the best solution at the best possible value. The company's dedicated Solutions Divisions proactively market, sell and deliver VMware, Symantec, EMC, Adobe, F5 Networks, Open Source, HPE Software, SAP, and Innovative and Intelligence products and services, among others. Carahsoft is consistently recognized by its partners as a top revenue producer, and is listed annually among the industry's fastest growing firms by CRN, Inc., Washington Technology, The Washington Post, Washington Business Journal, and SmartCEO. Visit us at www.carahsoft.com. About the Channel Company The Channel Company enables breakthrough IT channel performance with our dominant media, engaging events, expert consulting and education, and innovative marketing services and platforms. As the channel catalyst, we connect and empower technology suppliers, solution providers and end users. Backed by more than 30 years of unequaled channel experience, we draw from our deep knowledge to envision innovative new solutions for ever-evolving challenges in the technology marketplace. www.thechannelco.com Contact Mary Lange 703-431-8485 Email contact TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 06/22/16 -- Image recognition leader Slyce Inc. (TSX VENTURE: SLC)(FRANKFURT: 06O1) ("Slyce") today announced a signed contract with leading apparel retailer Express to power visual search for mobile commerce. Express will integrate Slyce's Universal Scanner product, which enables image recognition of clothing and products, as well as catalog and barcode scanning. Express currently operates more than 600 retail and outlet stores, and is based in Columbus, Ohio. Slyce will derive revenues from the contract through monthly recurring software licensing and service fees, in line with its current pricing model, over the term of the contract. Slyce's business model features multiple revenue streams arising from its visual search platform, consumer apps and corresponding data services. The revenue streams include fees for software licensing, integration, purchase transactions, program promotions and data analytics. About Slyce Inc. Slyce, based in Toronto, ON, delivers image recognition technologies and is currently focused on enabling a powerful sales channel for major retailers and their customers. Consumers, wherever they are, can conveniently engage with retailers by taking pictures of desired products using their mobile devices, thereby initiating the visual search service with near-instant product recognition capability. The Company delivers its technology both as a white-label visual search platform and as a suite of consumer mobile apps. Slyce's technology is used by large retail brands such as Neiman Marcus, Best Buy, JCPenney and Home Depot. Slyce's business model features multiple revenue streams arising from its visual search platform, consumer apps and corresponding data services. The revenue streams include fees for software licensing, integration, purchase transactions, program promotions and data analytics. Slyce is also listed on the Frankfurt exchange trading under (FRANKFURT: 06O1). For image download and further company information, please click for the Slyce Media Kit. READER ADVISORY Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Statements in this press release contain forward-looking information including, without limitation, Slyce's business plan, strategy and related milestones, Slyce's suggestions of future outcomes, the future use and development of its technology, future customers and business partners. The words "will," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "intent," "may," "project," "should," and similar expressions are intended to be among the statements that identify forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements are founded on the basis of expectations and assumptions made by Slyce. Readers are cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of such information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of Slyce. Slyce does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements except as expressly required by applicable securities laws. None of the information contained on, or connected to, Slyce's website is incorporated by reference herein. Contacts: For further information and interviews: Slyce Ted Mann President Ted@Slyce.it Slyce Roy Roman Roy@slyce.it (647) 464-6200 MONCTON, NEW BRUNSWICK -- (Marketwired) -- 06/22/16 -- OrganiGram Holdings Inc. (TSX VENTURE: OGI)(OTCQB: OGRMF) (the "Company") a provider of cannabis products, is pleased to announce that the company has received an amendment to its license to include both the production and sale of cannabis oil extracts from Health Canada under the Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations (Canada) ("MMPR") at its facility in Moncton, New Brunswick. The license was upgraded from production only and provides OrganiGram with the ability to produce and sell cannabis oil extracts along with our current dried medical cannabis products. "This addition to our suite of products falls in line with our ongoing strategy of improved product diversity, customer satisfaction and production expansion as our industry continues to move forward towards a recreational marketplace," said Denis Arsenault, CEO of OrganiGram. OrganiGram also announces the issuance of 54,674 shares to XIB Consulting Inc. for services performed pursuant to the arrangement previously announced. We would also like to take this opportunity to announce that Roger Rogers will be stepping down from his position on the Board of Directors of OrganiGram Holdings Inc. effective immediately. We would like to thank Roger for his contribution to the Board and wish him the best of success in his future endeavours. About OrganiGram Holdings Inc. OrganiGram Holdings Inc. is a TSX Venture Exchange listed company whose wholly owned subsidiary, OrganiGram Inc., is a licensed producer of medical marijuana in Canada. OrganiGram is focused on producing the highest quality, condition specific medical marijuana for patients in Canada. OrganiGram's facility is located in Moncton, New Brunswick and the Company is regulated by the Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations. On behalf of the Board of Directors, Denis Arsenault, Director and CEO, OrganiGram Holdings Inc. The TSX Venture Exchange Inc. has in no way passed upon the merits of the proposed transaction and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. This news release contains forward-looking information, which involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual events to differ materially from current expectation. Important factors - including the availability of funds, the results of financing efforts, crop yields - that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations are disclosed in the Company's documents filed from time to time on SEDAR (see www.sedar.com). Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. The company disclaims any intention or obligation, except to the extent required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Contacts: OrganiGram Holdings Inc. Giselle Doiron Director of Investor and Media Relations (506) 801-8986 www.organigram.ca VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 06/22/16 -- Targeted Microwave Solutions Inc. (TSX VENTURE: TMS)(OTCQX: TGTMF) ("TMS") announced today the design completion of its Generation III reactor module. The Gen III reactor incorporates over 10 months of observation, analysis and optimization on TMS's Gen II system, which is currently operating at the TMS King William Plant, and is expected to substantially improve the drying efficiency, throughput capacity, and material handling of TMS industrial aggregate processing systems. With the design phase now complete, TMS is in the process of evaluating tenders for construction of the Gen III project. TMS currently expects construction and commissioning of the Gen III system will be completed in or about the third quarter of 2016. Dr. James Young, Chairman of the Board, stated: "Over this past year, we have worked very closely with target customers to understand their industrial processing needs and emissions footprints. With the Gen II system, we demonstrated the ability of the TMS technology to efficiently dry aggregate materials on a continuous flow basis while significantly decreasing polluting air emissions. It is our belief that the re-designed Gen III model will build upon these successes and further improve throughput capacity to levels that meets the criteria of our target customers. While the Gen III model is under construction, we will continue our engagement strategies with environmental, engineering and regulatory institutions in the state of Virginia to help prepare the way for our planned commercial deployment efforts." About Targeted Microwave Solutions Inc. TMS is a microwave process developer specializing in clean emission, high-throughput industrial drying solutions. TMS's proprietary microwave beneficiation systems are being developed to specifically address the increasing environmental costs of a cornerstone of the global manufacturing and processing economy, industrial drying. The TMS process represents a unique, vertical microwave system that may be deployed to dry, re-size and calcinate industrial aggregates at high throughput capacity. TMS believes that its technology will allow for superior energy efficiency, process control and a clean emission profile, allowing TMS to deliver effective drying solutions that can fundamentally challenge the mainstream narrative that large-scale industry is incompatible with responsible, environmental policy. TMS has completed constructing a commercial-scale facility in King William County, Virginia, U.S.A. and has entered into joint ventures for China and India to develop and market its technology. On behalf of the Board of Directors, Dr. James Young, Chairman of the Board of Directors FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release contains certain statements which are, or may be deemed to be "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements are statements that address or discuss activities, events or developments that we expect or anticipate may occur in the future. Forward-looking statements consist of statements that are not purely historical and, in this news release, include, without limitation, statements regarding the expected benefits of the Gen III system, the timing of expected construction and commissioning of the Gen III system and our planned commercial deployment efforts. When used in this news release, words such as "estimates", "expects", "plans", "anticipates", "projects", "will", "believes", "intends", "should", "could", "may" and other similar terminology are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements reflect the then-current expectations, beliefs, assumptions, estimates and forecasts of our management. Because forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors which are difficult to predict, our actual results, performance or achievements or the actual results or performance of the industries and markets in which we operate and intend to operate may be materially different from those anticipated in our forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve significant uncertainties and risks, should not be read as a guarantee of future performance or results and will not necessarily be an accurate indication of whether or not such results will be achieved. A number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from the results discussed in our forward-looking statements, including the matters described in our public filings available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Accordingly, readers should exercise caution in relying upon our forward-looking statements and we undertake no obligation to publicly revise such statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances, except as required by law. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Contacts: Targeted Microwave Solutions Inc. (778) 995 5833 office@tmsenergy.com 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. WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - NASA released on Tuesday its popular NASA app for a new platform, the fourth-generation Apple TV. This version joins the app's other versions available for iOS in iPhone and iPad versions, Android and Fire OS. The NASA app has been downloaded more than 17 million times across all platforms. 'The NASA app has been a fantastic way for the public to experience the excitement of space exploration from their mobile devices,' said David Weaver, NASA associate administrator for Communications. 'Now, users with the latest Apple TV can explore and enjoy our remarkable images, videos, mission information, NASA Television and more on the big screen with the whole family.' The NASA app for Apple TV offers several features for users: Watch live streaming NASA TV, and get a real-time view of the Earth from the International Space Station; View more than 15,000 images individually or as a continuous slideshow; Play on demand NASA videos; Find the next opportunity to view the International Space Station and other NASA satellites pass overhead, based on your location; Display 2-D and -3-D satellite tracking maps; Discover the latest NASA mission information; Listen to Third Rock internet streaming radio; View the Earth as Art image gallery; and The NASA app is available for free in the App Store on Apple TV. 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. Jongla adds a social discovery layer and reactions to its redesigned messaging app Name: Jongla for Android , iOS , Windows Phone and Firefox OS Quick pitch: Jongla today announced the release of Social Messenger its most significant feature upgrade yet. With new social discovery tools, a redesigned UI and brand upgrade, Jongla aims to make instant messaging more social and more fun for people around the world. Key points: - People built-in community helps users to discover interesting new people nearby - Reactions a new way to express friendship and an interest in meeting new people - Rebranding new app icon, themes, redesigned UI and user profiles - Lite world's lightest messenger helps people to save money and data Jongla the Finnish instant messaging pioneer, has today announced the release of Jongla Social Messenger, a new iteration of its popular cross-platform messaging app. With new built-in social integration that includes reactions, the 3rd generation Jongla aims to bridge the gap between social networks and instant messaging. Messaging apps have become the dominant platform on smartphones, surpassing social networks in terms of user numbers worldwide. The new direction Jongla is taking is down to how the team has seen the messaging industry shift since launching in 2012. The trend of today shows that people, especially in emerging markets, are replacing their social networking apps usage with instant messengers. "The lines between social networking and messaging apps usage are blurring and we firmly believe that soon the two will meet. We're seeing this already with chatbots. Jongla is ahead of this curve, offering new meaningful social layers to our instant messaging service and enabling our users to enjoy the best of them both," explains Riku Salminen, CEO, Jongla. In addition to chatting, Jongla users can now discover and interact with new friends based on their location with a built-in community feature called 'People'. The feature was designed to enable users to be able to discover interesting new people around them. To protect user privacy, only an approximate location is given and the feature is optional. "We are continuing to make Jongla more social without sacrificing the essence of it all private messaging", added Salminen. "For those who want to broaden their horizons to discover and interact with new friends, the community of nearby people is only one tap away." Also added to Jongla's Social Messenger is the ability to engage with user profiles with a choice of reaction. Reactions can be exchanged between people in Jongla's community to express emotions from a simple thumbs-up, smile or even a virtual flirtation with a heart. "Our emotions towards other people might sometimes be hard to put into words. We wanted to give our users a way to express their friendship or interest towards new people in a meaningful and fun way," describes Salminen. Within the next two years, a whole new generation of mobile natives roughly a billion people will access the mobile Internet, mostly via low-end smartphones with prepaid plans. Emerging markets, the driver of this growth, still suffer from low connectivity and the high cost of data. Jongla is growing fast in these areas with their optimised messaging solution. In 2015, Jongla become the world's lightest messaging app in an effort to help people save money and data. According to their studies, Jongla uses 80% less data compared to Viber and 25% less data compared to Facebook Messenger*. Jongla also takes a fraction of data to download compared to all major competitors**. "Jongla remains very economical in terms of data usage and the cost related to this. From download to daily use, Jongla saves people money. It makes all the difference for the people with limited and costly prepaid data plans," finished Salminen. Jongla is available to download for free from the App Store Google Play Windows Phone Store and Firefox Marketplace. For more information about Jongla, please visit www.jongla.com/newsroom . ENDS Notes to editors *Based on a study carried out by Jongla with Android SDK command line tools and Linux Kernel, June 7th, 2016 **Android Application Package sizes in Google Play Store, May 17th, 2016 About Jongla Jongla is an innovative Finnish-based company, specialising in operator-, device- and platform-independent instant messaging. Established in 2009, Jongla was founded by entrepreneur Arto Boman. The company is owned by a group of private investors and management. To date, Jongla has received a total of 11M in funding and been selected as a winner of Red Herring's Top 100 Global Award 2013 a prestigious list honouring the most promising private technology ventures from around the world. This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160622005803/en/ Contacts: MUSTARD PR Dan Walsh dan@mustardpr.com +44 (0) 7827 816 971 VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 06/22/16 -- Viscount Mining Corp. (TSX VENTURE: VML)(OTCQB: VLMGF) ("Viscount" or "the Company"), is pleased to announce the Company has now received approval at Flint Canyon for new drill hole pad locations, sumps, and road construction under a Notice of Intent ("NOI") submitted to the Nevada Bureau of Land Management ("BLM") earlier this spring. With this approval Viscount will have a 7,046 ft. new road, with Phase 1 of the 2016 RC drill program which will consist of approximately 18 holes for 4,380m (14,366 feet) starting at Flint Canyon scheduled for early August. About Flint Canyon The 2015 mapping at Flint Canyon found the area to be much more complexly faulted than previously indicated on the Adair 1961 geologic base map. Summit's mapping program found that east-west orientated faults and fractures, which are important ore controlling structures at the Ticup and Star Mines, also occur in the area. The Flint Canyon area contains highly dissected fault blocks of the Dunderberg Shale with the underlying Marjum Limestone and overlying Notch Peak Limestone. The Pogonip Formation overlies the Notch Peak and both units are important host rocks for Carlin-type gold mineralization in east-central Nevada. Jasperoid occurrences in Nevada are extremely significant in context to Carlin-type gold deposits and mineralized jasperoid outcrops are common throughout the Flint Canyon area. They occur principally along the base of the Dunderberg Shale but other outcrops are found along Pogonip-Notch Peak contact. Many major gold discoveries have been made based on the presence of outcropping, weakly mineralized jasperoid hosted in and along bedding contacts of carbonate rocks. At Flint Canyon, jasperoid is found in the same carbonate rocks that are prolific host rocks at nearby large gold deposits (Newmont Mining-Long Canyon). The jasperoid beds, interpreted as west dipping tabular features, occur along the base of the Dunderberg Shale and within the Pogonip group limestone. Summit's geological team indicated that the Dunderberg Shale is generally recessive and is exposed mainly along the outcropping contacts with more competent rocks. The Dunderberg appears to be moderately altered throughout its distribution, and at Flint Canyon it experienced widespread and significant alteration by hydrothermal fluids. The underlying Marjum Limestone is usually competent and unaltered, while the overlying Pogonip exhibits variable alteration. Jim MacKenzie, Viscount President and CEO stated: "We are very excited that phase 1 of this year's drill program is starting at the Flint Canyon area which exhibits alteration and mineralization characteristic of Carlin-type gold deposits." Qualified Persons The exploration and drill programs are being managed by David Tretbar, Summit Exploration's Executive Vice President, Exploration and Mineral Resources, a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101. Mr. Tretbar is a registered Professional Geologist in Arizona (# 48036) and a Certified Professional Geologist (CPG # 11086) with the American Institute of Professional Geologists. Mark J. Abrams, M.Sc., P.G., R.G., C.P.G., an independent consulting geologist who is a "Qualified Person" reviewed, prepared and supervised the preparation or approval of the scientific and technical content in the news release as defined under National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43- 101"). About Viscount Mining (TSX VENTURE: VML) (OTCQB: VLMGF) Viscount Mining is an exploration company with a portfolio of gold and silver properties in the Western United States, including Cherry Creek in Nevada and Silver Cliff in Colorado. Cherry Creek is comprised of more than 9,000 acres, all 100% owned, and includes more than 20 past producing mines. Viscount has entered into an exploration earn-in agreement with Sumitomo Corporation covering the Cherry Creek property. Sumitomo can earn in up to a 75% interest in the property by producing a feasibility study and by spending in addition a minimum of US$10,000,000 in exploration and development expenses by the eighth anniversary of the earn-in agreement. Silver Cliff in Colorado is comprised of 96 lode claims, covering much of the historical past-producing mineral districts of Silver Cliff and Rosita Hills. For additional information regarding the above noted property and other corporate information, please visit the Company's website at www.viscountmining.com. About Sumitomo Corporation Sumitomo Corporation is one of the largest integrated trading and investment companies in Japan. Sumitomo Corporation, a Fortune 500 company, conducts commodity transactions in all industries utilizing worldwide networks, provides related customers with various financing, serves as an organizer and a coordinator for various projects, and invests in businesses from the information industry to the retailing industry. Summit Mining Exploration, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sumitomo Corporation and is headquartered in Colorado, USA. For more information about Sumitomo Corporation, visit www.sumitomocorp.co.jp. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Jim MacKenzie, President, CEO and Director 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. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains certain statements that may be deemed "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. Although Viscount Mining Corp. 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 may differ materially from those in forward looking statements. Forward looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of Viscount Mining Corp. management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by law, Viscount Mining Corp. undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management's beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change. Contacts: Viscount Investor Relations 604-960-0535 info@viscountmining.com NEWPORT BEACH, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 06/22/16 -- ADVANTIS CORPORATION (OTC PINK: ADVT) announced it has signed an agreement to sub-license N2 Pack's patented packaging technology to marijuana dispensaries. N2 Packaging Systems LLC has developed a packaging system that hermetically seals cans for freshness, longer shelf life and target branding. Advantis has secured rights to a packaging machine and license to sub-license the product and process to California, Oregon, and Washington marijuana dispensaries. N2 Pack allows organizations to have unique brand labels on each container, and track the packages with RFID technology. "N2 Pack technology allows suppliers to better track, store and market their products to dispensaries and consumers," said Advantis Director, Woo Kim, "This packaging process is the future of the cannabis industry; it will allow providers to better manage inventories and charge a premium for products with superior shelf-life and freshness." Advantis has already agreed to sub-license two Southern California dispensaries with over 14,000 units per month. Advantis CEO, Christopher Swartz, says that that Advantis is always looking at the big picture of the marijuana sector. "Providing critical agricultural and processing equipment, packaging and delivery solutions, and innovative extraction methods are all necessary parts of the process that brings cannabis to the public," said Swartz, "We want to make sure we are at the forefront of this industry and create synergy to complement all of our other efforts to 'grow' within the marijuana business." Swartz noted that current trends in the industry have led to finance companies taking notice, saying, "Lenders are actively looking to finance manufacturing, agriculture efforts, and dispensaries; there may be some legitimately leveraged opportunities in the near future." Swartz commented that a marijuana-based social media platform would be an ideal place to further awareness of Advantis within the industry, and should raise the company's visibility. ABOUT Advantis Corporation Advantis Corporation (ADVT) develops products and works with developing companies to provide innovative healthcare products, holistic pain management solutions, and enhance the footprint in the evolving legal cannabis business. Advantis acquires ownership in developing companies that work within the nutraceutical and the alternative health care industries; consulting with these organizations to improve their product lines, expand their distribution channels through internal partnership agreements, and heighten brand value. Forward Looking Statements: This news release contains forward-looking statements made by ADVANTIS CORPORATION. All such statements included in this press release, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements. Although management believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to have been correct. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by these statements. The following risk factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in any forward- looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, economic conditions, changes in the law or regulations, demand for products of the Company, the effects of competition and other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or represented in the forward looking statements. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by the words: believe, expect, anticipate, intend, estimate, and similar expressions or which by their nature refer to future events. The Company is not entitled to rely on the safe harbor provisions of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 because it is not registered under either Act. Image Available: http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=3025222 Media Contact: Woo Kim (949) 354-3585 Info@advantiscorp.com PUNE, India, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- According to a new market research report "Wound Dressings Market by Type (Advanced Wound Dressings, Traditional Wound Dressings), by Application (Surgical Wounds, Ulcers, Burns), End User (Inpatient Facilities, Outpatient Facilities) - Global Forecast to 2021", published by MarketsandMarkets, The global market is expected to reach USD 8.46 Billion by 2021 from USD 6.31 Billion in 2015, at a CAGR of 6.0% from 2016 to 2021. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160303/792302 ) Browse 98 market data Tables with 96 Figures spread through 184 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Wound Dressings Market" http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/wound-dressings-market-123903496.html Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report. Technological advancements in wound dressings are fueling the growth of this market. In addition, prevalence of obesity-related diseases, such as diabetes, and increasing aging population are also contributing factors for the growth of this market. The concept of wound care has significantly evolved from traditional to advanced wound care. Currently, several advanced therapies, such as bioengineered skin, silver alginate dressings, and super absorbers are available in the market. These therapies are utilized for various injuries ranging from lacerations to pressure ulcers or deep burn injuries. The use of wound care products has helped decrease incidences of amputations and permanent disabilities. The global Wound Dressings Market is classified on the basis of product types into traditional wound dressings and advanced wound dressings. Traditional wound dressings are further classified into anti-infective dressings, tapes, and dry dressings and advanced wound dressings are classified into foam dressings, hydrocolloids, hydrofibers, film dressings, alginates, collagen, hydrogels, wound contact layers, and superabsorbent dressings. On the basis of application, the market is segmented into surgical wounds, diabetic foot ulcers, pressure ulcers, venous ulcers, burns, and others, of which the surgical wounds segment is estimated to account for the largest market share. The end user segment of the market is classified into inpatient facilities and outpatient facilities. Major markets in which wound dressings are being used are burns, surgical wounds, venous ulcer, diabetic foot ulcer, and pressure ulcer. Among these applications, diabetic foot ulcers will be the major application area where wound dressings are being used. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there is an increase in aging population across the globe. From 2020 to 2050, there will be a twofold rise (11%-22%) in the population aged 60 years and above. The population aged 60 years and above is more likely to suffer from diabetic foot ulcers. There has been an increased emphasis on wound care management to prevent diabetic foot ulceration and foot amputation. Advanced and active wound care products are increasingly used for wound care management, as they speed up the wound healing process. Talk To Our Research Experts: http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/speaktoanalyst.asp?id=123903496 The major players operating in global Wound Dressings Market include Smith & Nephew plc (U.K.), Acelity L.P., Inc. (U.S.), Integra Lifesciences Corporation (U.S.), Coloplast Corporation (Denmark), 3M Company (U.S.), Organogenesis Inc. (U.S.), ConvaTec Inc. (U.S.), Hollister Wound Care (U.S.), Molnlycke Health Care AB (Sweden), and BSN Medical (Germany). The research study is aimed at identifying emerging trends and opportunities in the global Wound Dressings Market. It provides comprehensive competitive landscape and identifies the key players with respect to market size and market share. The research study also includes a detailed segmentation of the global Wound Dressings Market, on the basis of type, application, end user, and region. Apart from the market segmentation, this report also makes use of the Porter's five forces analysis, which provides an in-depth analysis of the market and market dynamics, such as drivers, restraints, and opportunities in the global Wound Dressings Market. Browse Related Reports: Advanced Wound Care Market by Type (Dressings, Therapy Devices, Active Wound Care), Application (Surgical Wounds, Ulcers), End User (In-Patient Facility, Out-Patient Facility), and Geography - Global Forecast to 2020. http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/advanced-wound-care-market-88705076.html Surgical Sutures Market by Type (Automated Suturing Devices, Absorbable and Non-Absorbable Sutures), Application (General, Cardiovascular, Valve, Orthopedic, Dental, Ophthalmic), and Geography - Global Forecast to 2020. http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/surgical-sutures-market-18374832.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 Unit No. 802, 8th Floor, Tower - 7, Magarpatta City SEZ, Hadapsar, Pune - 411013, Maharashtra, India. Tel: +1-888-6006-441. Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com Visit MarketsandMarkets Blog @ http://mnmblog.org/market-research/healthcare/medical-devices Connect with us on LinkedIn @http://www.linkedin.com/company/marketsandmarkets OTTAWA, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 06/22/16 -- Department of Canadian Heritage July 1 is more than a day of celebration in Newfoundland and Labrador. Every year, before the Canada Day festivities begin, the people of Newfoundland and Labrador gather to remember and honour the soldiers of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment killed in the Battle of Beaumont-Hamel in France on July 1, 1916. The province, which at that time was not part of Confederation, took part in Beaumont-Hamel as a member of the British Empire. The Government of Canada will support The Rooms-Newfoundland and Labrador's foremost cultural institution-in creating "Where Once They Stood We Stand," a comprehensive project that includes an on-site exhibit, a centennial commemorative event on July 1, and an online exhibit. The Rooms will receive $1 million over two years from the Celebration and Commemoration Program of the Department of Canadian Heritage. Quick Facts - Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, Colonel in Chief of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment, will participate in a commemorative event and officially open displays about the battle in the Fortis Courtyard and Amphitheatre at The Rooms on July 1, 2016. - Commemorative programming for the centennial of Beaumont-Hamel at The Rooms began in 2014 and will continue until 2018. - The Rooms is Newfoundland and Labrador's most important cultural institution. It opened in 2005 and includes the provincial archives, museum and art gallery. The Rooms Corporation of Newfoundland and Labrador is also responsible for the Colonial Building and regional museums located across the province. Quotes "Thanks to this initiative of The Rooms, all Canadians will have the opportunity to learn more about the valour and courage displayed by the young men of Newfoundland and Labrador at the Battle of Beaumont-Hamel in the First World War. Commemorations such as these, and the upcoming anniversary of Vimy Ridge next year, honour the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country." - The Honourable Melanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage "The Rooms is proud to pay homage to our brave forefathers through this extraordinary new permanent exhibition. On the eve of the 100th anniversary of the most formative event in the history of Newfoundland and Labrador, we are honoured to have Canadian Heritage support us in capturing the remarkable story of the First World War and its profound impact on our history and culture." - Dean Brinton, CEO of The Rooms Corporation and Co-Chair of The Rooms capital campaign Associated Links Where Once They Stood We Stand The Battle of Beaumont-Hamel Stay Connected Follow us on Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Flickr. Contacts: Pierre-Olivier Herbert Press Secretary Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage 819-997-7788 Media Relations Canadian Heritage 819-994-9101 1-866-569-6155 pch.media-media.pch@canada.ca HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA -- (Marketwired) -- 06/22/16 -- Note to editors: There are two maps associated with this press release. Erdene Resource Development Corp. (TSX: ERD) ("Erdene" or "Company"), is pleased to announce drilling results from the Company's recent high-grade discovery at its 100%-owned Bayan Khundii Gold Project ("Bayan Khundii") in southwest Mongolia. Today's results continue to expand the near-surface, high-grade gold zones recently identified at Bayan Khundii. Included with this release, for reference, are two plan maps. "Our Q2 exploration program has been a tremendous success, following up on our initial high-grade drill results announced in late 2015," said Peter Akerley, President and CEO of Erdene. "We have confirmed continuity of the very high-grade Striker Zone, identified broad zones of gold mineralization at depth, and under post mineralization cover, and identified high priority targets through reconnaissance drilling and trenching. Following a period of review and interpretation we are planning to return to drilling in Q3." Today's results include the final five drill holes and six trenches from the Q2 exploration program designed to test areas around the periphery of the Bayan Khundii Main Zone and in the Northeast Zone 700 m to the northeast. Highlights include: -- 14.2 g/t gold over 8.3 m in BKD-44 -- 0.40 g/t gold over 70 m to the end of hole in BKD-44 -- Drilling continues to confirm extensions of mineralization under post- mineral cover -- Northeast Zone trenching and drilling confirms gold mineralization 700 m northeast of Striker Zone Previously reported drill and trench results from the Q2-2016 Bayan Khundii exploration program include (see news releases dated May 9, May 24 and June 14, 2016): -- 5.3 g/t gold over 63 m and 2.3 g/t gold over 12 m in BKD-17 -- 49.4 g/t gold over 3 m and 26.8 g/t gold over 5 m included in BKD-17 -- 8.9 g/t gold over 3 m in BKD-19 -- 8.7 g/t gold over 7 m in BKT-17 2.1 g/t gold over 13 m and 2.0 g/t gold over 14 m (including 6.5 g/t gold over 4 m) in BKD-21 -- 1.9 g/t gold over 27 m, including 5.7 g/t gold over 8 m, in BKD-22 -- 1.1 g/t gold over 70 m (including 23 m of 2.0 g/t gold) and 1.1 g/t over 18.2 m in BKD-28 -- 1.0 g/t gold over 66 m (including 2.0 g/t gold over 26 m) in BKD-34 -- 15.3 g/t gold over 2 m in BKD-40 (under younger post-mineralization cover) Previously reported drill results from the Q4-2015 Bayan Khundii exploration program include (see news releases dated December 9 and December 14, 2015): -- 27.5 g/t gold over 7 m in BKD-01 -- 9.4 g/t gold over 3 m in BKD-03 -- 5.9 g/t gold over 26.4 m (including 9.9 g/t over 15 m) in BKD-09 -- 5.7 g/t gold over 35 m (including 16.2 g/t over 12 m) in BKD-10 Striker Zone and Extensions Under Cover Holes BKD-44 and BKD-45 tested the near-surface extension of the high-grade Striker Zone and extended drilling further north under post-mineralization cover to test for an extension of gold mineralization. The Striker Zone was intersected at the top of BKD-44 with 8.3 m of 14.3 g/t gold; additionally a broad zone of gold mineralization was intersected under cover, deeper in the hole from 39 m to 109 m (70 m interval) averaging 0.40 g/t gold with values ranging up to 3.9 g/t gold over 1 m and ending in mineralization. BKD-44 had moderate to intense, multi-stage silica-sericite alteration with abundant quartz veins and thin hematite veinlet stockwork throughout. A second hole, BKD-45, collared further northeast, also returned highly anomalous intervals with 42 m averaging 0.2 g/t gold. Table 1 - Bayan Khundii drill results (BKD-41 to BKD-45) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Drill Hole From (m) To (m)Interval (m)(i) Gold (g/t) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Northeast Zone ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- BKD-41 0 6 6 0.28 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- BKD-42 35 39 4 0.57 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- and 46 50(ii) 4 0.29 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Westridge Zone ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- BKD-43 1 8 7 0.95 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Striker Zone and extension to northeast under cover ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- BKD-44 0.7 9 8.3 14.2 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- and 39 109 70 0.40 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- BKD-45 3 8 5 0.26 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- and 52 94 42 0.20 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (i) Reported intervals are not true width. They represent drill intersection widths from holes drilled at a 45 to 90 degree angle. The Bayan Khundii mineralization is interpreted to be moderately dipping (approximately 40 to 50 degrees) perpendicular to the drill hole angle. Hole BKD-42 is a vertical hole. (ii) End of hole Table 2 - Bayan Khundii trenching results (BKT-18 to BKT-22) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Interval Trench ID From (m) To (m) (m)(iii) Gold (g/t) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Westridge Zone ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- BKT-18 30 36 6 0.64 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- West of BKT-16 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- BKT-19 32 36 4 0.63 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Stockwork Hill Zone ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- BKT-20 38 41 3 0.56 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Northeast Target ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- BKT-21 0 34(ii) 34 0.37 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- incl 20 22 2 1.53 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- BKT-22 32 36(ii) 6 0.24 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- (ii) End of trench (iii) Reported intervals are not true width. They represent intersection from horizontal trenches on surface. The Bayan Khundii mineralization is interpreted to be moderately dipping (approximately 40 to 50 degrees) perpendicular to the trend of the trenches. Northeast Target The Northeast Target area, located 700 m northeast of Striker Zone, is characterized by similar alteration and surface mineralization as the Bayan Khundii Main Zone and is well defined by gold-in-soil anomalism. In addition, geophysical resistivity anomalism suggests the silicified zone is continuous between the two zones, under younger cover. Two shallow (50 m vertical) holes (BKD-41 & 42) and two trenches (BKT-21 & 22) tested the Northeast Target area, spaced at approximately 250 m, and both areas returned highly anomalous gold zones. BKD-42 intersected intensely silicified tuff and coarse pyroclastic rocks with zones of sulphide (mainly pyrite) veinlets and quartz-sulphide veinlets with gold values up to 1.7 g/t (over 1 m). Locally massive chalcedony veins and intense hematite and specularite veins and veinlets, were widespread throughout the hole which also intersected increasing sulphide at the bottom of the hole with coincident gold, ending in 4 m of greater than 0.2 g/t gold. The trench (BKT-22) returned 6 m of 0.24 g/t gold at the north-end as the zone continued under cover. The second target area tested in the Northeast included trench BKT-21 that was consistently mineralized throughout, including 34 m of 0.37 g/t gold (highest value 1.85 g/t gold over 1 m). Also of interest, every sample returned assays above the detection limit for silver (2 g/t), with an average grade of 6.3 g/t silver (range 2-13 g/t). Silver has not been observed at these consistent levels in the Bayan Khundii Main Zone. Hole BKT-41, drilled in the same area, intersected intensely altered host rocks that are similar to the Bayan Khundii Main Zone along with several post mineralization dykes that were not evident at surface. BKD-41 contained some elevated gold near-surface with 6 m of 0.28 g/t gold. Westridge Zone The most southwestern hole in the Q2-2016 drill program was at the Westridge Zone and was a reconnaissance hole designed to test the lithologic units in this area. BKD-43 intersected 7 m of 0.95 g/t gold at the top of the hole. Bayan Khundii - Next Steps In addition to the 3,845 m of diamond drilling, the Company's Q2-2016 Bayan Khundii exploration program also included: infill (25 m spacing) and reconnaissance (100-200 m spacing) soil sampling (1,088 samples) over specific target areas; 35 line km of IP gradient array geophysical surveys; 20 line km of IP dipole-dipole geophysical surveys; and detailed geologic mapping. Over the next 60 days, the Company will complete 3-D modeling work on Bayan Khundii, have a structural geologist on site to complete a structural mapping and interpretation program, and complete a spectral mineralogical study, all in advance of the next drill program. In addition, studies to examine the characteristics of mineralization and alteration at Bayan Khundii have been initiated. These studies will be reviewed and drilling plans established in mid Q3-2016, immediately followed by the commencement of a third round of drilling at Bayan Khundii. About the Bayan Khundii Gold Project In Q2-2015, Erdene conducted an initial exploration program on the southern portion of the Company's 100%-owned Khundii license. This reconnaissance work led to the discovery of the Bayan Khundii ('Rich Valley') gold prospect, located 20 km southeast of the Company's Altan Nar gold-polymetallic project. Gold mineralization at Bayan Khundii has been identified over a 1.7 km trend, with detailed exploration only taking place over a 500 m by 350 m zone in the southwest prospect area, where the Company's Q4-2015 and Q2-2016 drill programs have focused. Visible gold was observed in multiple drill holes and results include several high-grade intersections within a series of parallel structures exposed at surface. Results include up to 35 m of 5.9 g/t gold in hole BKD-10 (including 12 m of 16.2 g/t gold) from surface to the bottom of the hole, and 63 m of 5.3 g/t gold in hole BKD-17 from 50 to 113 m depth. Initial drill results and program details are included in Erdene's December 14, 2015, May 9, 2016, May 24, 2016 and June 14, 2016 press releases (click here for link). The license has a 2% net smelter returns royalty ("NSR Royalty") in favour of Sandstorm Gold with a buy-back option to reduce the NSR Royalty to 1%. Qualified Person and Sample Protocol Michael MacDonald, P.Geo. (Nova Scotia), Director of Exploration for Erdene, is the Qualified Person as that term is defined in National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed and approved the technical information contained in this news release. All samples have been assayed at SGS Laboratory in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. In addition to internal checks by SGS Laboratory, the Company incorporates a QA/QC sample protocol utilizing prepared standards and blanks. Erdene's sampling protocol for drill core consisted of collection of samples over 1 m or 2 m intervals (depending on the lithology and style of mineralization) over the entire length of the drill hole, excluding minor post-mineral lithologies and un-mineralized granitoids. Sample intervals were based on meterage, not geological controls or mineralization. All drill core was cut in half with a diamond saw, with half of the core placed in sample bags and the remaining half securely retained in core boxes at the Company's Bayan Khundii exploration camp. All samples were organized into batches of 20 samples including a commercially prepared standard and blank. Sample batches were periodically shipped directly to SGS in Ulaanbaatar via Erdene's logistical contractor, Monrud Co. Ltd. About Erdene Erdene Resource Development Corp. is a Canada-based resource company focused on the acquisition, exploration, and development of base and precious metals in underexplored and highly prospective Mongolia. The Company holds four exploration licenses and a mining license in southwest Mongolia. These include: Altan Nar - an extensive, high-grade, near-surface, gold-polymetallic project that the Company is advancing toward a production decision, however the Company has not yet completed a mining study to support the technical feasibility and economic viability of Altan Nar; Bayan Khundii - an earlier-stage, high-grade gold discovery made in Q2-2015; Khuvyn Khar - an early-stage, copper-silver porphyry project with multiple drill targets and significant copper intersections; Zuun Mod - a large molybdenum-copper porphyry deposit; and Altan Arrow - an early-stage, high-grade, gold-silver project. In addition to the above properties, the Company has an Alliance with Teck Resources Limited on regional, copper-gold exploration in the prospective Trans Altay region of southwest Mongolia. For further information on the Company, please visit www.erdene.com. Erdene has 121,040,992 issued and outstanding common shares and a fully diluted position of 134,495,406 common shares. Forward-Looking Statements Certain information regarding Erdene contained herein may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking statements may include estimates, plans, expectations, opinions, forecasts, projections, guidance or other statements that are not statements of fact. Although Erdene believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to have been correct. Erdene cautions that actual performance will be affected by a number of factors, most of which are beyond its control, and that future events and results may vary substantially from what Erdene currently foresees. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include market prices, exploitation and exploration results, continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. The forward-looking statements are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. The information contained herein is stated as of the current date and is subject to change after that date. The Company does not assume the obligation to revise or update these forward-looking statements, except as may be required under applicable securities laws. NO REGULATORY AUTHORITY HAS APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED THE CONTENTS OF THIS RELEASE To view the maps associated with this press release, please visit the following links: http://www.marketwire.com/library/20160622-1060074_1_800.jpg http://www.marketwire.com/library/20160622-1060074_2_800.jpg Contacts: Erdene Resource Development Corp. Peter C. Akerley, President and CEO (902) 423-6419 Erdene Resource Development Corp. Ken W. MacDonald, Vice President Business Strategy and CFO (902) 423-6419 info@erdene.com www.erdene.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/ErdeneRes CANBERA (dpa-AFX) - The Canadian dollar advanced against its major rivals in European deals on Wednesday, as oil prices firmed, and data showed that the nation's retail sales grew more-than-expected in April. Data from Statistics Canada showed that Canada's retail sales rose a seasonally adjusted 0.9 percent to C$44.3 billion in April. That beat forecasts for an increase of 0.8 percent, after a 1.0 percent drop in March. Core retail sales, excluding motor vehicle and autos, climbed 1.3 percent on month, following a 0.3 percent decline a month earlier. Economists were looking for a 0.6 percent rise. The currency got further support from higher oil prices, which lifted up after an industry group, American Petroleum Institute, reported a 5.2 million barrel drawdown in crude oil inventories last week. The Energy Information Administration will release official data at 10:30 am ET. Investor sentiment improved ahead of tomorrow's Brexit referendum, as analysts predict that the UK voters will likely decide to stay with the EU, averting a potential market tantrum. The currency was higher against most majors in Asian deals, amid rising risk appetite, as investors wait for Fed Chair Janet Yellen's second day of testimony on Capitol Hill today and Thursday's British Brexit vote on its membership in the European Union. Extending early rally, the loonie firmed to 82.05 against the Japanese yen, following a decline to 81.47 at 8:15 pm ET. Continuation of the loonie's uptrend may see it finding resistance around the 84.00 region. The loonie spiked up to near a 2-week high of 1.2743 versus the greenback and an 8-day high of 1.4380 against the euro, off its early lows of 1.2817 and 1.4432, respectively. The next possible resistance levels for the loonie are seen around 1.29 against the greenback and 1.46 against the euro. On the flip side, the loonie fell to 0.9585 against the aussie at 8:25 am ET, from an early 4-day high of 0.9531. The loonie is seen finding support around the 0.97 mark. Survey from Westpac Bank and the Melbourne Institute showed that the Australian economy is expected to stay on a narrowly positive path over the next six to nine months - rising 0.21 percent on month in May. That's up from the downwardly revised 0.14 percent increase in April. Looking ahead, Eurozone consumer confidence index for June, U.S. existing home sales data for May and U.S. crude oil inventories data are due shortly. At 10:00 am ET, Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen will testify on the Semiannual Monetary Policy Report before the House Financial Services Committee, in Washington DC. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de Transition to Microsoft Azure Cloud Platform for Crossrail's Asset Information Management System U.K. Rail Conference Bentley Systems, Incorporated, a leading global provider of comprehensive software solutions for advancing infrastructure, today announced that it has successfully upgraded Crossrail's Common Data Environment (CDE) for asset information through Bentley's AssetWise managed services to a hybrid cloud-computing platform powered by Microsoft Azure. This provides a single location for storing, sharing, and managing information for approximately 1 million assets. Europe's largest construction project, Crossrail has been designed in a virtual environment for 3D, 4D, and 5D BIM, powered by Bentley's comprehensive modeling software. Bentley's asset information management solution, AssetWise, based on Bentley's eB technology, manages the engineering and asset information in the Crossrail project and provides a complete, federated view of "digital railway" information. "Crossrail is leading the world in demonstrating the value of BIM to realize greater efficiency and cost effectiveness in project delivery and asset lifecycle information management," said Alan Kiraly, SVP, Bentley Systems. "We're proud of our work together with Bentley Systems, one of our most important global collaborators," said David Epp, Alliances Director, Microsoft Corp. "We're particularly impressed by Crossrail's groundbreaking ambition in building both a digital and physical railway, and are delighted to have had the opportunity to come together with Bentley to address the challenges and requirements of this world-class endeavor." About Crossrail Crossrail is Europe's largest construction project with a total funding envelope of 14.8bn. The route will run over 100km from Reading and Heathrow in the west, through new tunnels under London to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east. It will bring an additional 1.5 million people within 45 minutes commuting distance of London's key business districts. The Transport for London (TfL) run railway will be named the Elizabeth line when services through central London open in December 2018. The Crossrail project is being delivered by Crossrail Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of TfL, and is jointly sponsored by the Department for Transport and TfL. For additional information about Crossrail, visit http://www.crossrail.co.uk. About Bentley's Managed Services Bentley Systems provides a range of managed services delivery options for its industry-leading project delivery and asset performance solutions through Microsoft's Azure cloud platform and hybrid computing environments. With Service Level Agreements and Success Plans tailored to business outcomes and project objectives, Bentley Systems offers a deep bench of technology and subject matter experts who take responsibility for getting the most value from BIM advancements, as well as innovative, consumption-based commercial models tied to benefits realized. For information on Bentley's ISO 27001 and SOC-2 certifications for managed services and cloud offerings, please visit Bentley's Trust Center at https://www.bentley.com/en/trust-center. About Bentley Systems Bentley Systems is a global leader in providing architects, engineers, geospatial professionals, constructors, and owner-operators with comprehensive software solutions for advancingthe design, construction, and operations of infrastructure. Bentley users leverage information mobility across disciplines and throughout the infrastructure lifecycle to deliver better-performing projects and assets. Bentley solutions encompass MicroStation applications for information modeling, ProjectWise collaboration services to deliver integrated projects, and AssetWise operations services to achieve intelligent infrastructure complemented by worldwide professional services and comprehensive managed services. Founded in 1984, Bentley has more than 3,000 colleagues in over 50 countries, more than $600 million in annual revenues, and since 2008 has invested more than $1 billion in research, development, and acquisitions. Additional information about Bentley is available at www.bentley.com and in Bentley's annual report. For Bentley news as it happens, subscribe to an RSS feed of Bentley press releases and news alerts. Visit TheYear in Infrastructure Conference website for highlights of Bentley's premier thought-leadership event. To view a searchable collection of innovative infrastructure projects from the annual Be Inspired Awards, access Bentley's Infrastructure Yearbooks. To access a professional networking site that enables members of the infrastructure community to connect, communicate, and learn from each other, visit Bentley Communities. To download the Bentley Infrastructure 500 Top Owners ranking, a unique global compendium of the top public- and private-sector owners of infrastructure based on the value of their cumulative infrastructure investments, visit BI 500. Bentley, the "B" Bentley logo, Be, eB, MicroStation, and ProjectWise are either registered or unregistered trademarks or service marks of Bentley Systems, Incorporated or one of its direct or indirect wholly owned subsidiaries. All other brands and product names are trademarks of their respective owners. View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160622005855/en/ Contacts: Bentley Systems, Incorporated Press Contact: Gail McGrew, +1 610-458-2752 gail.mcgrew@bentley.com Follow us on Twitter: @BentleySystems VAL D'OR, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 06/22/16 -- Hinterland Metals Inc. (TSX VENTURE: HMI) ("Hinterland") is pleased to announce that it has acquired 40 mineral claims (2,136 hectares) prospective for pegmatite-type lithium mineralization. The claims are located in the James Bay area of Quebec approximately 40 kilometres southeast of the village of Nemaska, which is linked to Chibougamau, 300 kilometres to the south, by an all-season gravel road. Other infrastructure in the area includes numerous gravel roads, an airport, and high-voltage hydro-electric transmission lines and sub-stations all maintained by Hydro Quebec. The claims lie on the south margin of the volcano-sedimentary Mountain Lake Belt, and are roughly 15 kilometres southeast of Nemaska Lithium Corp.'s Whabouchi hard rock lithium project, which contains measured plus indicated resources of 27,991,000 tonnes of 1.57% Li20 (Nemaska Press Release, January 15, 2014). Nemaska recently released a positive feasibility study that includes the construction of a mine and concentrator at Whabouchi, and a hydrometallurgical plant in Shawinigan, Quebec (Nemaska Press Release, June 9, 2016). Exploration work will commence immediately on the claims with a compilation of regional data and exploration previously done over the area of the claims. None of this prior exploration work, which includes geophysical surveys and diamond drilling, considered the potential for pegmatite-type lithium mineralization on the claims. Hinterland will be re-evaluating the previous data in this context. Mark Fekete, P.Geo is the designated "qualified person" as defined in Section 1.2 in and for the purposes of National Instrument 43-101 that reviewed and approved the technical content of this release. Website: www.hinterlandmetals.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. This release may contain forward-looking statements that are subject to known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to vary materially from targeted results. Such risks and uncertainties include those described in the Company's periodic reports including the annual report or in the filings made by the Company from time to time with securities regulators. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly release the result of any revision of these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date they are made or to reflect the occurrence of an unanticipated event. Shares Issued 32,924,614 Contacts: Hinterland Metals Inc. Mark Fekete President 1-819-354-5244 Hinterland Metals Inc. Zak Dingsdale Director 1-905-269-0797 info@hinterlandmetals.com www.hinterlandmetals.com TORONTO, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 06/22/16 -- Today, Mark Machin, President & CEO of Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) announced the following appointments: -- Alain Carrier is appointed Senior Managing Director, Head of International and becomes a member of CPPIB's Senior Management Team. In this role, Alain will be responsible for CPPIB's international investment activities and will also continue as Head of Europe. He will report to Mark Machin. Alain was most recently Managing Director, Head of Europe for CPPIB. Alain has been with CPPIB since 2008 and has more than 23 years of financial industry experience, which includes senior roles at Goldman Sachs & Co. in their Investment Banking division in New York and London. Alain started his career as a lawyer at Sullivan & Cromwell in New York. -- Suyi Kim is appointed Managing Director, Head of Asia and will report to the Head of International. As Head of Asia, Suyi will be responsible for overseeing CPPIB's significant portfolio of Asian investments. Suyi joined CPPIB nine years ago, establishing CPPIB's first international office in Hong Kong and has overseen the private equity business in Asia most recently as Head of Private Equity Asia. Suyi's previous experience includes Teacher's Private Capital, the private equity group at Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan, The Carlyle Group, McKinsey & Co. and PricewaterhouseCoopers. -- Deborah Orida is appointed Managing Director, Head of Private Equity, Asia and will be responsible for leading private investments in Asia with a focus on both direct private equity investments and fund commitments. Deborah was most recently Managing Director, Head of Relationship Investments International and responsible for significant minority investments in public companies in Asia and Europe. Deborah joined CPPIB in 2009 and has been located in Hong Kong since 2012. Prior to joining CPPIB, Deborah spent nine years at Goldman Sachs & Co. in New York and Toronto advising management teams and boards on M&A and financing transactions. Previously, Deborah was a securities lawyer at Blake, Cassels & Graydon in Toronto. "These appointments are an excellent reflection of both the deep bench strength and great international experience we have within CPPIB," said Mark Machin. These appointments were effective June 21, 2016. ABOUT CANADA PENSION PLAN INVESTMENT BOARD Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) is a professional investment management organization that invests the funds not needed by the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) to pay current benefits on behalf of 19 million contributors and beneficiaries. In order to build a diversified portfolio of CPP assets, CPPIB invests in public equities, private equities, real estate, infrastructure and fixed income instruments. Headquartered in Toronto, with offices in Hong Kong, London, Luxembourg, Mumbai, New York City and Sao Paulo, CPPIB is governed and managed independently of the Canada Pension Plan and at arm's length from governments. At March 31, 2016, the CPP Fund totalled C$278.9 billion. For more information about CPPIB, please visit www.cppib.com or follow us on LinkedIn or Twitter. Contacts: CPP Investment Board Mei Mavin Director, Corporate Communications +44-203-205-3515 mmavin@cppib.com CPP Investment Board Dan Madge Senior Manager, Media Relations 416-868-8629 dmadge@cppib.com www.cppib.com Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - June 22, 2016) - Frontline Gold Corporation (TSXV: FGC) ("Frontline" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has negotiated a $200,000 increase to the previously announced unsecured loan ("Loan") in the amount of $250,000 that was highlighted in its April 20, 2016 press release ("Frontline secures funding to advance to production at its Kambertepe and Keban Tailings Projects) www.stockwatch.com/News/Item.aspx?bid=U-nf20193_136-U%3AFLDPF-20160420&symbol=FLDPFion=U. The Loan, which will now total $450,000, is being advanced by two private investors (the "investors") who are both arm's length to the Corporation. The additional funds will be used primarily to allow the Company to expedite production from its tailings projects at Kambertepe. The proceeds from the $450,000 loan will be used for the following: a minimum of $360,000 will be used for developing the Tailings Projects. Work at the Kambertepe copper tailings, up to 20,000 tonnes, as previous announced, is underway. Preparation for work at Keban started as well; up to $45,000 can be used to fund the pursuit of additional tailings projects that exist in Turkey, and; up to $45,000 can be used to make option payments and advance exploration on the Company's Red Lake and Rainy River projects, in addition to acquiring additional strategic land positions within the Red Lake Mining Camp. Commentary Mr. Walter Henry, President and CEO of Frontline commented, "Given the increase in the Kambertepe tailing tonnage from 6,000 tonnes to approximately 20,000 as previous reported, the $200,000 increase in the Loan funding is warranted to continue the ongoing transportation of the tailings to the processing site. Based upon the significant increase in tailings tonnage and overall grade at both Keban and Kambertepe, the economic in-situ value of both tailings projects has dramatically increased, resulting in continued interest in funding the on-going development of our tailings operations in addition to the other tailings projects that exist within the Elazig region. As previously highlighted, and given Frontline's balance sheet, the signing of an unsecured loan with 1) no debt or working capital covenants, and 2) a six-month principal and interest holiday is an ideal funding structure for the Company to fund and expedite work at both the Kambertepe and Keban projects. The Company's current tailings projects, combined with the potential to add two to three new tailings areas are rapidly transforming the Company into a tailings processor with the ability to generate positive cash flow in the near future. Highlights of the Amended Loan: Will be unsecured and no debt or working capital covenants. The additional $200,000 will be fully advanced by June 20, 2016. The original $250,000 was fully advanced by April 30, 2016. The term on the Loan will be for a term of 18 months from June 30, 2016 and will bear interest at the rate of 12%, payable monthly in arrears, which remains unchanged from the original Loan terms. FGC shall start repaying the Loan at the end of December 2016, by way of 12 monthly payments of $37,500. FGC will also pay to the Investors a royalty (the "Royalty") equal to 3.5% of the net proceeds, calculated as gross revenue less excavating and transportation costs and processing costs, received from the Keban and Kambertepe tailings projects in Turkey. This is an increase of 1.5% from the 2% previously announced. FGC shall have the right to buy back of 0.5% of the Royalty at a purchase price of $90,000 for a 30-day period following the first anniversary of the first Royalty payment. FGC will issue to the Investors a total of 10 million common share purchase warrants (the "Warrants"). The Warrants shall have an exercise price of 2 cents and a term of 3 years from the date of issue. The Warrants are subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. FGC shall use its best effort to obtain regulatory approval to issue the Warrants with an exercise price of 2 cents, but if it is unable to do so, then FGC shall, within a year, use its best efforts to cause its common shares to be consolidated on a 5-1 basis, subject to shareholder approval, and the Warrants shall be issued with an exercise price of 10 cents. If, during the term of the Warrants, the shares of FGC trade at 5 cents or higher for a period of 30 consecutive trading days, then FGC shall be entitled to give notice that half the Warrants have been accelerated to a date not less than 20 business days after such notice has been provided. FGC shall provide the Investors with a two-year right of first refusal ("ROFR") to provide financing to FGC in connection with any additional tailing deposits acquired by FGC in Turkey. The loan and warrants remain subject to the receipt of all regulatory approvals, including approval of the Toronto Stock Venture Exchange. Update The following is a brief summary of the current developments of the Company both in Turkey and the Red Lake: The excavating and transportation of the Kambertepe tailings to the processing site continues; The completion of the processing and receipt of revenue is expected within the next two months; We are currently in final negotiations regarding the signing of a process agreement for the processing of the Kambertepe copper tailings; Third party metallurgical testing on both the Kambertepe and Keban are underway to identify the optimal process of recovery of both the Kambertepe and Keban tailings. Additional information on the ideal recovery processes will be provided when the metallurgical testing is completed; and The Company is continuing to evaluate other potential tailings opportunities in Turkey in addition to evaluating strategic land packages within the Red Lake mining camp in northern Ontario. Keban Tailings Project The Keban tailings project is located approximately 45 km northwest from the city of Elazig, via paved highway, is fully permitted, and includes the exclusive rights to process a minimum 114,000 tonnes of mineralized milled tailings stored in two areas within the defined tailings boundaries. Current tailings tonnage is now estimated to be approximately 150,000 tonnes. Kambertepe Tailings Project The Kambertepe Tailings Project includes the exclusive rights to process mineralized tailings, initially estimated at approximately 6,000 tonnes, with the following average reported grades per tonne of tailings: 2.1% Copper, 21 g/t Silver, 1.9% Zinc, 0.5% Titanium and over 50% Iron, as noted from a Firat University report on the project dated March 15th, 2016. As discussed above, current tailings tonnage is now estimated to be in the range of 15,000 to 20,000 tonnes. Frontline did not complete the work required to verify the historical mining estimates noted above and is not treating these historical estimates as being compliant with current standards under NI 43-101 and as such these historical estimates should not be relied upon. Caution should be used when evaluating these resources as they were calculated prior to NI 43-101 existing and a qualified person has not done work to classify the historical estimate as a current mineral resource. Frontline continues to actively seek additional investor/partner(s) 1) to continue to expedite the full tailings and contained metal recovery at both the Keban and Kambertepe tailings projects; 2) to jointly fund the new tailings projects that the Company has been in discussions to acquire and 3) to fund development on all its properties in the Red Lake and Rainy River areas. To contact Frontline, please call Walter Henry at 416-414-5825 or visit the company's website. The technical information herein was reviewed by Mr. Greg Isenor, P. Geo., who acts as Frontline's Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. About Frontline Gold Corporation Frontline is a Canadian junior mineral exploration company with an experienced discovery team and a proven record of accomplishment. The Company's principal properties include the Menderes gold project in the Izmir province of Western Turkey, the Flint Lake and Sandhill Lake gold projects which are adjacent to Chalice Gold's Cameron Lake Gold Deposit in Ontario and the Niaouleni gold project in southern Mali in the heart of West Africa's prolific gold belt. Other Canadian exploration properties include its Red Lake (gold) property groups that include the Whitehorse Island Mining Patents. Further information about the Company is available on the Company's website, www.frontlinegold.com , or our social media sites listed below: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Frontline Gold Corp./ Twitter: https://twitter.com/frontlinegold This news release contains forward-looking statements, which address future events and conditions, which are subject to various risks and uncertainties. The Company's actual results, programs and financial position could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of numerous factors, some of which may be beyond the Company's control. These factors include: the availability of funds; 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 and reserve estimations, receipt and security of mineral property titles; project cost overruns or unanticipated costs and expenses, fluctuations in metal prices; currency fluctuations; 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, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. "Walter Henry" Walter Henry, President & CEO FRONTLINE GOLD CORP. Contact: Telephone: Fax: Email: Website: Walter Henry (416) 362-9100 (416) 362-9300 info@frontlinegold.com www.frontlinegold.com Frontline Gold Corp. (TSXV: FGC) 1 Toronto Street, Suite 201 Toronto, Ontario M5C 2V6 NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE U.S. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. GRAND RAPIDS, MI--(Marketwired - June 22, 2016) - A Grand Valley State University professor is helping her patients improve their speech as they ride horses. It's an emerging speech-language therapy technique and the results are often immediate. Beth Macauley, associate professor of communication sciences and disorders, has been studying and using hippotherapy for nearly 30 years on patients as young as 2 years old to elderly patients who have experienced strokes. She is one of four speech-language pathologists in the U.S. with board certification in hippotherapy. One of her patients, Davide Cirilli, a 7-year-old boy with autism spectrum disorder, has come to Children and Horses United in Movement in Dansville, Michigan, to receive therapy to improve his fine motor and speech skills. He rides Twiz, a 9-year-old quarter horse and mustang mix gelding. Watch a video. MEDIA NOTE: Photos and video of Macauley using hippotherapy are available to use on Dropbox: http://gvsu.edu/s/0br A simple exchange while riding the horse might go like this: "What do you like on your pizza?" asked Macauley. "Pepp-er-o-ni!" said Cirilli, sounding out each syllable. "Good. Now say that in a full sentence," said Macauley. "I like pepp-er-o-ni on my pizza," Cirilli answered. Macauley said the exchange may seem simple, but for Cirilli, it shows vast improvement in his speech. She said three-dimensional movements -- up-down, side-side, front-back -- of a horse pelvis are very similar to that of a human pelvis. "When a person with a disability is on a horse, the horse's nervous system becomes a framework for that person. Instead of going into a room and using books and cards for speech therapy, you're now doing those same activities on a horse and the horse's movement facilitates improved neurological function," she said. The exercises Macauley uses depend on each patient's goals. Macauley also works with a woman who had a traumatic brain injury from a car accident. The goals were to establish muscle patterns and practice speaking and sustaining vowels. Before the woman got on the horse, her volume was low and she had poor trunk support. At the end of the therapy session, her speech was clearer and more articulate. "We don't quite understand how it works yet," Macauley said, "but we have a theory: the consistent and repetitive motion of a horse walking or trotting stimulates the nervous system of the person on the horse and facilitates increased physical and cognitive function. Since the nervous system is given a coordinated, integrated framework from which to function, it can focus on bigger, more complex thoughts, words and movements." In the future, Macauley hopes to lead a study that focuses on the activity of a patient's brain during hippotherapy. She also hopes the therapy technique will eventually be covered by insurance companies. Hippotherapy started as a physical therapy treatment for children with cerebral palsy, then it was used for adults with polio and brain injuries. Over the years, the technique expanded from helping to improve physical conditions to improving speech, language and cognition. Macauley is available for interviews and can be reached at macauleb@gvsu.edu or 616-331-5617. For more information, contact University Communications at Grand Valley State University at (616) 331-2221. Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2016/6/22/11G103858/Images/160222_SLP_Hippotherapy-0170-6b7076ad4ca69455898c5810a507cc84.jpg Contact: Leah Twilley GVSU University Communications (616) 331-2221 The Company Goes the Extra Mile to Reach Patients Across the Globe RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, North Carolina, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --As the diverse landscape for clinical trials continues to evolve, Marken implements new solutions which allow their clients to reach new patients in remote locations of the world. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110930/NY78064LOGO The company is extending its reach to areas such as Iran, Mongolia, the Azores, the South Pacific Islands and the most remote territories in Eastern Europe and Africa. It has also demonstrated its ability to deliver into and out of cities impacted by war, labor strikes, hurricanes, volcano eruptions and earthquakes. However, moving medical supplies and biologic samples into and out of these areas comes with significant challenges which include qualifying reliable transportation, defining import and export requirements and monitoring shipments continuously until they arrive on time and within stability. Many of the most remote territories which Marken operates in are closely tied to clinical campaigns where children and adults are in need of routine immunizations and vaccines. The World Health Organization (WHO) recently endorsed a plan to "close the immunization gap" worldwide for preventable diseases in "underserved remote areas, in deprived urban settings and in fragile states."* Marken has assured its customers that it will always find a way to service these locations. Recent advances in technology provide the opportunity for more patients to participate in trials, regardless of location. Likewise, the introduction of remote monitoring allows for coverage in rural areas. Marken utilizes innovative tracking technology, such as the Sentry device and Maestro software, to secure data and shipments thus making it possible to conduct clinical trials in these regions. "At the end of the day, our focus has always been to help our clients improve patient outcomes as a supply chain solutions provider," said Wes Wheeler, Chief Executive Officer of Marken. He further commented that Marken "is always looking ahead to the next frontier of research. We routinely work side by side with our clients to ensure continuity of their business. However, we are especially proud to serve when they have special needs in remote locations. We rarely, if ever, decline a challenge posed by our clients and will always do our part to keep the pace of clinical trials moving on time." ABOUT MARKEN Marken is the only patient-centric supply chain organization 100% dedicated to the pharmaceutical and life sciences industries. Marken maintains the leading position for Direct to Patient services and biological sample shipments, and offers a state of the art GMP-compliant depot network and logistic hubs in 43 locations worldwide. Marken's 630 staff members manage 50,000 drug and biological shipments every month at all temperature ranges in more than 150 countries. Additional services such as biological kit production, ancillary material sourcing, storage and distribution, shipment lane verification and qualifications, as well as GDP, regulatory and compliance consultancy add to Marken's unique position in the pharma and logistics industry. * www.who.int FREDERICK, MD -- (Marketwired) -- 06/22/16 -- Nova, a Welocalize company and leader in specialized language services for life sciences and regulated industries, is proud to sponsor the upcoming DIA 2016 52nd Annual Meeting taking place at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia on June 26-30, 2016. DIA 2016 is the world's largest global life sciences event, bringing together key thought leaders and innovators from all areas of health care, product development and life cycle management. As an exhibitor, Nova will be sharing expertise and best practices on the important role that language solutions and translation plays in clinical trials, patient recruitment, medical device and pharmaceutical content, as well as regulatory affairs material and documentation. Nova language service experts will host a series of discussions at the DIA 2016 event at booth #733 related to translation best practices and solutions tailored specifically to the global life sciences industry. Attendees can also enter to win a trip to Nova's headquarters and Welocalize's life sciences center of excellence in Barcelona, Spain. "Content within the life sciences industry can be complex and heavily regulated, which is why it is important to use specialist translation skills to ensure any output is accurate and legally accepted in all target countries," said Consol Casablanca, general manager of Nova, a Welocalize company. "We are excited to have strong presence at DIA 2016 and are looking forward to developing relationships and sharing our experience to help our life sciences colleagues manage content in multiple languages." With more than 7,000 attendees expected at this event, DIA 2016 is the largest global interdisciplinary gathering of life sciences professionals. For more information visit http://www.diaglobal.org/flagship/dia-2016. About Nova, a Welocalize company, provides regulated industry language solutions including translation, web and marketing localization, interpretation and multimedia services. Nova primarily focuses on services for the life sciences industry, including biotechnology, pharmaceutical and medical device, with emphasis on specialized language solutions for clinical research (CRO), patient recruitment (PRO), medical device content, compliance and regulatory affairs material. Nova was established in 1998 and is headquartered in Barcelona. As a Welocalize company, they have 18 global offices and provide language solutions in 175 languages. http://www.nova-transnet.com/ and http://www.nova-transnet.com/life-sciences-translations Welocalize, Inc., founded in 1997, offers innovative language services to help global brands reach audiences around the world in more than 175 languages. We provide translation and localization services, talent management, language tools, automation and technology, quality and program management. Our range of managed language services include machine translation, digital marketing, validation and testing, interpretation, staffing and enterprise translation management technologies. We specialize in consumer, technology, manufacturing, learning, oil and gas, travel and hospitality, marketing and advertising, finance, legal and life sciences industry language solutions. With more than 800 full-time employees worldwide, Welocalize maintains offices in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Romania, Poland, Japan and China. www.welocalize.com Media Contacts: US: Jamie Glass Email Contact 602.369.5537 Europe/Asia: Louise Law Email Contact VIENNA (dpa-AFX) - Eurozone consumer confidence deteriorated for the first time in three months in June, defying expectations for stability, preliminary data from the European Commission showed Wednesday. The flash consumer confidence index declined to -7.3 from -7 in May. Economists had expected the score to remain unchanged. The consumer confidence index for the EU dropped by 0.1 points to -5.8. The score weakened for the first time in three months. The European Commission is set to release the final figures along with the economic sentiment data on June 29. 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. GATINEAU, QUEBEC -- (Marketwired) -- 06/22/16 -- Nouveau Monde Mining Enterprises Inc. ("Nouveau Monde") (TSX VENTURE: NOU)(OTC PINK: NMGRF)(FRANKFURT: NM9) is pleased to announce the results of a Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") covering the West Zone of the Tony Claim Block, part of its Matawinie Graphite Property. The PEA was prepared by Norda Stelo Inc. (formerly Roche Ltd., Consulting Group), an experienced and renowned engineering firm. All costs are in Canadian funds with the exception of the graphite sale price which is provided in US dollars. Eric Desaulniers, President and Chief Executive Officer of Nouveau Monde, stated: "The completion of this first PEA is a significant milestone for Nouveau Monde and demonstrates that the Matawinie Project has the potential of becoming a reliable and long-term supplier of quality natural flake graphite." Mr. Desaulniers further stated that, "The rapid advancement of our Matawinie Project continues to be highly encouraging with a robust PEA being completed only four months after the release of our mineral resource estimate for the West Zone of the Tony Claim Block. On the back of this PEA, and the recent announcement of our successful metallurgical results, we are excited about promptly moving the project forward by completing a pre-feasibility study that continues to highlight the significant potential of our Matawinie Property." The following lists the highlights provided by the PEA: Project Economics: -- Pre-tax Net Present Value (NPV) of $403.7 million at an 8% discount rate; -- After-tax NPV of $237.0 million at an 8% discount rate; -- Pre-tax Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of 31.2%; -- After-tax IRR of 24.7%; -- Life of Mine (LOM) of 25.7 years; -- Mine Pay Back estimated at 2.9 years (Pre Tax); -- Mine Pay Back estimated at 3.5 years (After Tax); -- LOM Revenue of $2,430.9 million (Life of Mine revenue); -- LOM Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation and Amortization (EBITDA) of $1,586.7 million; -- Initial Capital Costs (Capex) of $144.5 million (including contingency of $22.4 million); -- Operating Expenditures (Opex) of $32.95 million per year or $660 per tonne of concentrate; -- Average sales price of graphite concentrate at $1,492 USD per tonne; -- USD$/CAD conversion rate of 1.28. Operational Highlights: -- Annual average full production of 49,921 tonnes of graphite concentrate; -- 4.48% Cg average grade LOM graphite content contained in the mineralization; -- Graphite milling recovery above 89.5%; -- Finished product/ concentrate purity greater than 97.1% Cg; -- Stripping ratio (LOM) of 0.94:1. Cautionary Note: The PEA completed for the Company is preliminary in nature and includes inferred mineral resources, considered too speculative in nature to be categorized as mineral reserves. Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves have not demonstrated economic viability. Additional trenching and/or drilling will be required to convert inferred mineral resources to indicated or measured mineral resources. There is no certainty that the resources development, production, and economic forecasts on which this PEA is based will be realized. A technical report detailing the PEA, and completed in accordance with National Instrument (NI) 43-101 guidelines, will be filed and available on SEDAR within 45 days of this release. MINERAL RESOURCES The PEA is based on the mineral resource estimate, completed in accordance with the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (CIM) Standards on Mineral Resources and Reserves, released on February 23, 2016 by Nouveau Monde and detailed in a technical report, completed in accordance with National Instrument (NI) 43-101 guidelines, entitled: Resource Estimate Update, Tony Block, Matawinie Property, Lanaudiere Region, Quebec, dated March 30, 2016. The in-pit resource located on the West Zone represents only a portion of the total mineral resources identified to date on the Tony Block. The latter include 48.6 million tonnes grading 3.97 % graphitic carbon (Cg) of indicated resources and 34.7 million tonnes, grading 4.08 % Cg of inferred resources, using a cut-off grade of 2.5% Cg, spread throughout three areas, the West, the South-East and the South-West Zones (see press release dated February 23, 2016). Both south zones were not included in this PEA since the West Zone showed resources in excess of 25 years, this being the limit imposed for a relevant financial analysis. Maps displaying significant exploration results obtained to date may be downloaded below: - Property Map: http://nouveaumonde.ca/wp-content/uploads/PR_Tony_Block_20160622r.pdf - Map of the West Zone: http://nouveaumonde.ca/wp-content/uploads/PR_West_Zone_20160622r.pdf MINING A PEA is a conceptual study of the potential viability of identified mineral resources. It includes inferred mineral resources that are considered too speculative in nature, and as such, cannot be categorized as mineral reserves. The purpose of this study is to inform the reader of the economic potential of the mineral property. In the following text, graphite is expressed in graphitic carbon percentage (Cg %). Mining Highlights -- Only the West Zone of the Tony Claim Block has been considered in the PEA as it provided the best economics compared to the other mineralized zones; -- The in-pit resources represents only a portion of the total mineral resources identified on the Tony Block (see news release published February 23, 2016); -- The open pit optimisation, using GEOVIA's Whittle software, considers as viable a portion located 45 metres (m) deeper than the arbitrary limit of 435 m at sea level (ASL) used for the mineral resources estimate of the West Zone as reported on February 23, 2016; -- Mining is performed by open pit using a conventional truck and shovel operation; -- The mining production schedule is limited to one shift of 10 hours, 5 days a week so as to reduce environmental and social impact; -- Mining is to be executed under contract services under the supervision of Nouveau Monde; -- The mining operation is set at 75% of the milling capacity for the first year for ramp up; -- Mine life of 25.7 years, with a total in-pit undiluted resource of 16.0 Mt grading 4.38% Cg and 14.8 Mt grading 4.88% Cg of indicated and inferred resources respectively; -- After a 5% dilution and a mining recovery of 95.2%, the West Zone represents a potential life of mine (LOM) graphite content of 1.38 Mt; -- LOM undiluted head grade of 4.62% Cg compared to the undiluted resources estimate of 4.39% Cg reported on February 23, 2016, indicates that grade increases with depth; -- Pre-production is planned over a two year period in order to prepare the infrastructure which includes the mine site, mill and tailing facilities. The geotechnical parameters presented in Table 1 were used for the West Zone pit optimization performed by GEOVIA's Whittle software: Table 1: West Zone open pit preliminary design parameters. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Item Value Unit ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bench Height (double benching) 10 m ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Berm Width 6 m ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ramp and Haul Road Width 18 m ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bench Face Angle 85 degree ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Inter-ramp Slope Angle 55 degree ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Overall Slope Angle 50 degree ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- The study contemplates an average feed rate of 3,290 tonnes per day and a 25.7 year mine life at an average life of mine (LOM) waste to mineralized material strip ratio of 0.94:1. The mineable portion of the mineral resource was developed based on a marginal cut-off grade of 1.96% Cg (low grade) and a breakeven cut-off grade of 2.28% Cg (high grade) using the cost and revenue parameters presented in Table 2. Table 2: Cost and revenue parameters used for cut-off grade determination (The following parameters could differ from those used for the financial analysis) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Item Value Unit ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Processing cost 14.67 C$/t milled ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- General & Administrative cost 4.21 C$/t milled ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- TMF maintenance cost 0.96 C$/t milled ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Reference mining cost (Waste) 4.52 C$/t milled ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mining cost (Mineralized materials) 5.84 C$/t milled ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Reclamation cost 1.20 C$/t milled ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Selling price Cg 1,492 USD$/t of concentrate ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Milling recovery 89.5 % ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Finished product/concentrate purity 97.1 % Cg ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Commodity payment 100 % ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- A Net Smelter Return (NSR) royalty of 2% applies to the Tony Claim Block. Nouveau Monde can buy back this 2% NSR royalty in a one-time payment of $2 million during the pre-production years. This royalty was therefore not applied on the cut-off grade calculation as it is assumed that it will be paid prior to the beginning of mine production. Once a dilution of 5% and a mining recovery of 95.2% are applied on the in-pit resources (based on experience from similar operations), the mineralized material extracted over the course of the mine life totals 16 Mt grading 4.38% Cg in the indicated category and 14.8 Mt grading 4.88% Cg in the inferred category. The West Zone thus represents a potential LOM graphite content of 1.38 Mt. The in-pit mineable resources for the West Zone are summarized in Table 3 below: Table 3: In-pit life-of-mine resources for the West Zone ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Resources Estimate statement (Mt) In-Pit (February 23, Class Resources (Mt) Grade (% Cg) 2016) Grade (% Cg) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Indicated 16.0 4.38 22.3 4.25 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Inferred 14.8 4.88 15.5 4.59 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Compared to the resources estimate released on February 23, 2016, the in-pit LOM tonnage represents 72% and 95% of the indicated and the inferred resources, respectively. This difference can be attributed to the pit optimisation process which considers as viable a portion located 45 m deeper than the arbitrary limit of 435 m above sea level (ASL) used for the mineral resources estimate of the West Zone as reported on February 23, 2016. Moreover, the LOM undiluted head grade of 4.62% Cg compared to the undiluted resources estimate of 4.39% Cg seems to indicate that grade increases with depth below the 435 m level. The mining infrastructures have been conceived with the purpose of integrating environmentally friendly aspects and promoting a low visual impact. The processing plant and waste piles will be located less than 1,000 metres from the mine so as to minimize the project's carbon footprint, to ensure short cycle times and to lower production costs. The main mining infrastructure considered in this PEA comprises: -- 8.3 km of roads; -- Potential-Acid Generating (PAG) waste rock storage totalling 257,000 m(2)(in case potential acid-generating waste is confirmed through additional testing) ; -- Non-Acid Generating (NAG) waste rock storage covering 233,700 m(2); -- Storage area covering 221,000 m(2)for overburden and top soil; -- Storage area covering 30,000 m(2) for low- grade stockpile; -- Two sedimentation ponds; -- One office occupying an area of 9,600 m(2); -- Garage facilities. A mine site plan conceived for the PEA may be downloaded below: - Mine Site Plan: http://nouveaumonde.ca/wp-content/uploads/PR_Mine_Site_Plan_20160622.pdf PROCESSING & RECOVERY A proven metallurgical process performed on a composite sample from the West Zone, using flotation only, yielded a concentrate with a purity above 97.1% Cg and a recovery rate over 89.5%. Metallurgical testing supplied the parameters shown below: -- Processing costs; -- $331.38/tonne of finished product -- $13.64/tonne of material processed -- Average annual processing rate of 1.21Mt; -- Average annual production of 49,921 tonnes of graphite concentrate; -- Average graphite recovery of 89.5%; -- Finished product purity: -- 100% Global greater than 97.1% Cg, or; -- 16.1%,+50mesh @ 97.5% Cg; -- 29.8%,-50+80mesh @ 97.6% Cg; -- 11.1%, -80+100mesh @ 97.4% Cg; -- 43.0%, -100mesh @ 96.3% Cg. The first step of the graphite recovery process for the Matawinie Project consists of crushing the mined material. This will be followed by multiple steps of grinding, attrition scrubbing and flotation, and subsequent filtration, drying and classification. The processing plant design is based on a flow sheet developed at SGS Minerals Services, located in Lakefield, Ontario (Canada), using proven technologies to create a very efficient beneficiation operation. With this process, it is possible to obtain remarkably high graphite quality while obtaining good recoveries. This is especially true for the West Zone mineralization which is the subject of the current PEA. Although the lock-cycle tests have not yet been performed and the optimization of the various circuits will be part of the next studies only, the results achieved for this PEA are very promising and demonstrate the robustness of the flow sheet. See the Company's press release dated May 9, 2016 for further details on the Matawinie project metallurgical results. GRAPHITE SALES PRICE ASSUMPTION The graphite concentrate sales price used for the PEA was established at 1492$US/tonne. The selling price was determined using pricing information, averaged during a period of 60 months (from June 2011 to May 2016), obtained from Benchmark Mineral Intelligence (Benchmark) (www.benchmarkminerals.com). Benchmark is an independent credible source which compiles international graphite prices for various commercial size fractions and concentrate purities. The West Zone graphite concentrate value was calculated based on the weighted average of each size fraction and purities obtained during the metallurgical testing described in the section above. Table 4 presents graphite concentrate values in USD$ for various size fractions. Table 4. Price per size fraction using a 60 month average value obtained through Benchmark Minerals Intelligence. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 60 month Average Price Size Fraction Purity (Cg) ($USD/t) Weight ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- +50 mesh 96-97% $2,308 16.10% ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- +80 mesh 96-97% $1,526 29.80% ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- +100 mesh 96-97% $1,358 11.10% ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -100 mesh 96-97% $1,198 43.00% ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Weighted Average Price: $1492 USD DESCRIPTION OF ECONOMIC EVALUATION According to the PEA, the Tony Claim Block has demonstrated potential economic viability in regards to an open pit graphite mine over the West mineralized Zone. The capital cost estimate, summarized below, covers the development of the mine, ore processing facilities, and infrastructure required for Nouveau Monde's project. It is based on the application of standard costing methods of achieving a PEA which provides an accuracy of +/-35%. The operating cost covers mining, transportation, processing, tailings and water management, general and administration fees, as well as infrastructure and services. CAPITAL & OPERATING COSTS The capital intensity and cash operating costs are summarized below: Capital Cost Breakdown (CAD) Mining $15,632,000 Plant $60,130,000 Tailings and water management $13,159,000 Infrastructure and Services $9,343,000 Total direct costs $98,264,000 Indirect costs $18,155,000 Owner's costs $5,644,000 Contingency (direct & indirect costs) $22,389,000 Total Initial Capex $144,452,000 Sustaining capital (including contingency) $14,422,000 Mine closure and rehabilitation (including contingency) $11,789,000 Total Sustaining & Mine Closure $26,211,000 Mine development costs Included in Capex (Mining) Cash Operating Cost Breakdown (per tonne of finished product) (CAD$) Mining $241/tonne Process, Tailings & Water $331/tonne General & Administration $88/tonne Total $660/tonne PROJECT LOCATION & INFRASTRUCTURE The Tony Claim Block is located in the Saint-Michel-des-Saints area, some 120 km north of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The claim block, including the West Zone, is easily accessible using existing logging roads and is close to quality infrastructure such as paved roads and high voltage power lines, both necessary for industrial activities. An abundance of skilled workforce is available in the community of Saint-Michel-des-Saint as well as in surrounding communities, following the recent closing of multiple logging activities. QUALITY CONTROL & ASSURANCE The technical information derived from the Preliminary Economic Assessment present in this news release was prepared by Pierre H. Terreault, P.Eng. MPM, of Norda Stelo Inc., an independent Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. The press release was reviewed by Eric Desaulniers, M.Sc., P.Geo., President and CEO of Nouveau Monde, a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101 guidelines. Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Information This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. All information contained herein that is not clearly historical in nature may constitute forward-looking information. Generally, such forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to: (i) volatile stock prices; (ii) the general global markets and economic conditions; (iii) the possibility of write-downs and impairments; (iv) the risk associated with exploration, development and operations of mineral deposits; (v) the risk associated with establishing title to mineral properties and assets; (vi) the risks associated with entering into joint ventures; (vii) fluctuations in commodity prices; (viii) the risks associated with uninsurable risks arising during the course of exploration, development and production; (ix) competition faced by the resulting issuer in securing experienced personnel and financing; (i) (x) access to adequate infrastructure to support mining, processing, development and exploration activities; (xi) the risks associated with changes in the mining regulatory regime governing the resulting issuer; (xii) the risks associated with the various environmental regulations the resulting issuer is subject to; (xiii) risks related to regulatory and permitting delays; (xiv) risks related to potential conflicts of interest; (xv) the reliance on key personnel; (xvi) liquidity risks; (xvii) the risk of potential dilution through the issue of common shares; (xviii) the Company does not anticipate declaring dividends in the near term; (xix) the risk of litigation; and (xx) risk management. Forward-looking information is based on assumptions management believes to be reasonable at the time such statements are made, including but not limited to, continued exploration activities, no material adverse change in metal prices, exploration and development plans to proceed in accordance with plans and such plans to achieve their stated expected outcomes, receipt of required regulatory approvals, and such other assumptions and factors as set out herein. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that such forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking information. Such forward-looking information has been provided for the purpose of assisting investors in understanding the Company's business, operations and exploration plans and may not be appropriate for other purposes. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Forward-looking information is made as of the date of this press release, and the Company does not undertake to update such forward-looking information except in accordance with applicable securities laws. Neither the TSX-V nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX-V) has in any way passed upon the merits of the proposed transaction or approved or disapproved the contents of this press release. Contacts: Eric Desaulniers, M.Sc., P.Geo. President and Chief Executive Officer of Nouveau Monde (819) 923-0333 HOUSTON, TEXAS -- (Marketwired) -- 06/22/16 -- News Release - TransCanada Corporation (TSX: TRP) (NYSE: TRP) (TransCanada) and Columbia Pipeline Group, Inc. (NYSE: CPGX) (Columbia) today announced that at a special meeting held earlier today in Houston, Texas, Columbia's stockholders voted to adopt the previously announced merger agreement. Approximately 95.33% of votes cast by Columbia stockholders were in favour of adoption of the merger agreement, which will have TransCanada acquire Columbia for US$25.50 per share of common stock in cash, resulting in an aggregate purchase price of approximately US$13 billion, including the assumption of approximately US$2.8 billion of debt. "We are very pleased with the support of Columbia's stockholders. Today's vote is an important milestone that moves us closer to completing this acquisition and creating one of North America's leading natural gas transportation and storage companies," said Russ Girling, TransCanada's president and chief executive officer. "Columbia's assets and development projects are managed by a dedicated employee base with experience and a commitment to operating safely, and we look forward to working with them." Columbia's stockholder approval fulfills the final major closing condition for the proposed acquisition. In May 2016, TransCanada and Columbia announced other regulatory conditions necessary to close the deal had been satisfied: Specifically the early termination of the Hart-Scott-Rodino waiting period, and Committee on Foreign Investment in the US (CFIUS) clearance. TransCanada and Columbia anticipate that the closing of the transaction will be effective on July 1, 2016. "This acquisition provides TransCanada with a unique opportunity to invest in a proven, growth focused company with a competitively positioned and growing network of regulated natural gas pipelines and storage assets in the Appalachian region, the fastest growing production basin in North America," added Girling. "Together, we bring greater options for our customers to get their products to markets through one of North America's largest natural gas transmission networks. Our combined $25 billion in near-term growth opportunities supports, and may augment, an expected eight to 10 per cent annual dividend growth rate for our shareholders through 2020." With more than 65 years' experience, TransCanada is a leader in the responsible development and reliable operation of North American energy infrastructure including natural gas and liquids pipelines, power generation and gas storage facilities. TransCanada operates a network of natural gas pipelines that extends more than 66,400 kilometres (41,300 miles), tapping into virtually all major gas supply basins in North America. TransCanada is one of the continent's leading provider of gas storage and related services with 368 billion cubic feet of storage capacity. A large independent power producer, TransCanada currently owns or has interests in over 10,500 megawatts of power generation in Canada and the United States. TransCanada is also the developer and operator of one of North America's leading liquids pipeline systems that extends over 4,300 kilometres (2,700 miles), connecting growing continental oil supplies to key markets and refineries. TransCanada's common shares trade on the Toronto and New York stock exchanges under the symbol TRP. Visit TransCanada.com and our blog to learn more, or connect with us on social media and 3BL Media. FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION This publication contains certain information that is forward-looking and is subject to important risks and uncertainties (such statements are usually accompanied by words such as "anticipate", "expect", "believe", "may", "will", "should", "estimate", "intend" or other similar words). Forward-looking statements in this document are intended to provide TransCanada security holders and potential investors with information regarding TransCanada and its subsidiaries, including management's assessment of TransCanada's and its subsidiaries' future plans and financial outlook. All forward-looking statements reflect TransCanada's beliefs and assumptions based on information available at the time the statements were made and as such are not guarantees of future performance. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on this forward-looking information, which is given as of the date it is expressed in this news release, and not to use future-oriented information or financial outlooks for anything other than their intended purpose. TransCanada undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information except as required by law. For additional information on the assumptions made, and the risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ from the anticipated results, refer to TransCanada's First Quarter Report to Stockholders dated April 28, 2016 and 2015 Annual Report on our website at www.transcanada.com or filed under TransCanada's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission at www.sec.gov. Contacts: Media Enquiries: Mark Cooper / Terry Cunha / Shawn Howard 403.920.7859 or 800.608.7859 TransCanada Investor & Analyst Enquiries: David Moneta / Stuart Kampel 403.920.7911 or 800.361.6522 WATERLOO, Ontario, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- IGNIS Innovation Inc. ("IGNIS"), an emissive display technology company, today announced the execution of a Patent License agreement with LG Display Co., Ltd. ("LG Display"), the Seoul-based world-leading display manufacturer. Under the agreement, IGNIS will provide LG Display under a non-exclusive license, access to its circuit technology to enhance the performance of OLED displays. As recognized by the display industry leaders, circuit technology is crucial for today's AMOLED applications including TV, IT, high resolution smartphone, virtual reality, automotive and next generation printing. "Our team is excited to have LG Display, a global leader and innovator when it comes to OLED displays, as a partner," said Peter Monsberger, Chief Executive Officer of IGNIS Innovation Inc."The efforts of IGNIS over the last 10 years have been focused on circuit technology as a viable solution for material and device issues inherent in emissive displays. This effort has resulted in significant know-how and Intellectual Property being developed by IGNIS, which is available to our partners including LG Display.I am sure that the collaboration between the two companies will contribute to further expanding the rapidly growing OLED display market."Specific terms of the agreement were not disclosed because of their confidential nature. About IGNIS IGNIS Innovation Inc. is an emissive display technology company that provides total solutions for high quality emissive displays. The company is based in Waterloo, Ontario the heart of Ontario's technology corridor. With over 300 patents in the area of emissive displays, IGNIS is a leader in its field. For more information, please visithttp://www.ignisinnovation.com. About LG Display LG Display Co., Ltd. [NYSE: LPL, KRX: 034220] is the world's leading innovator of display technologies including thin-film transistor liquid crystal displays (TFT-LCD), OLEDs and flexible displays. The company manufactures and provides display panels in a broad range of sizes and specifications primarily for use in TVs, notebook computers, desktop monitors, and various other applications including tablets, mobile devices. LG Display currently operates fabrication facilities in Korea and China, and back-end assembly facilities in Korea, China, and Poland. The company has a total of approximately 49,000 employees operating worldwide. For more news and information about LG Display, please visithttp://www.lgdisplay.com. Peter Monsberger, CEO, pmonsberger@ignisinnovation.com, IGNIS Innovation Inc., 12-50 Bathurst Drive, Waterloo, Ontario, N2V 2C5, Canada, +1-519-772-1136 Ext. 252 BOSTON, MA--(Marketwired - June 22, 2016) - Charlesbank Capital Partners is pleased to announce the appointments of Joshua N. Beer and Jason W. Pike to Managing Director. Mr. Beer joined Charlesbank as an Associate in 2003, with a break to obtain an MBA at The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, returning in 2008. Mr. Pike also received his MBA from Wharton, in 2005, and joined the firm in 2012, his prior career having included both private equity and distressed credit investing. Of the appointments, Michael Eisenson, Managing Director and CEO of Charlesbank, said, "Jason and Josh each bring outstanding talent to our work, and each has demonstrated extraordinary leadership and deep commitment to our investment activity and to the firm. We are pleased to recognize their well-earned advancements and look forward to their continued contributions to the success of Charlesbank, our portfolio companies and, most importantly, our investors." Mr. Beer and Mr. Pike will help to lead Charlesbank's investment team, whose senior members have worked together, on average, for nearly 18 years. About Charlesbank Capital Partners Based in Boston and New York, Charlesbank Capital Partners is a middle-market private equity investment firm managing more than $3.5 billion of capital. Charlesbank focuses on management-led buyouts and growth capital financings, generally investing in companies with enterprise values of $150 million to $1 billion. The firm seeks to partner with strong management teams to build companies with sustainable competitive advantage and excellent prospects for growth. For more information, visit www.charlesbank.com. Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2016/6/22/11G103875/Images/Pike-1f32ba58010b863388247bc07835a006.jpg Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2016/6/22/11G103875/Images/Beer-ab5b3a922713a9fdb78484960a9a88dd.jpg Contact: Maura M. Turner 617-619-5457 Email contact MUNICH, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- EES Europe Booth B1 181 The new platform is a unique system combining battery energy storage with Power-to-Heat technology The solution targets the primary control reserve power reducing capital expenditure by 30 % and possibly more, depending on installation AEG Power Solutions, a global provider of power electronic systems and solutions for industrial power supplies and renewable energy applications, today announced it has developed a unique Hybrid Energy Storage System which combines standard battery storage with power-to-heat technology to reduce the total cost of energy storage operation. (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160622/382313 ) The solution can be installed in any type of facility which uses thermal processes, including local heat networks in combination with an electrical distribution network. With the Hybrid Energy Storage solution from AEG PS, the power conversion system (PCS) becomes the central key element operating the power management and controls both the battery as well as the heating system. The PCS and all equipment required for grid connection (e.g. transformer and switch gear) therefore are used for both the batteries and the heater. The platform allows for all typical applications of standard battery energy storage in particular, frequency regulation; bby combining both systems, the capacity of the thermal storage adds up to the battery storage capacity. "Technically, in a stand-alone battery energy storage system, explains Andreas Becker, Product Manager at AEG Power Solutions, it's necessary to keep a battery charge stable at the 50% level in order to provide grid frequency regulation. By combining it with a power to heat system, we allow extra energy to go to the thermal process. The battery can then operate at 100% capacity." This in fact leads to dividing the battery total capacity required by almost two. Taking into account that they represent usually around 70% of an energy storage installation, the economic benefit of the innovation is obvious and the payback period of the investment is approximately 3 years faster in a primary control power market. AEG Power Solutions engineers the complete solution and provides the key components such as the power conversion hardware and the power management software. AEG PS is an innovator in energy storage and management thanks to its many decades of experience in the world of UPS, power electronics, batteries as well as international grid connection compliance. This unique combination of know-how has been leveraged to design products and solutions for energy storage. Visit AEG PS at EES Europe Booth B1 181 and on the web at: http://www.battery-energy-storage.com/ About AEG Power Solutions AEG Power Solutions (AEG PS) Group is a global provider of power electronics systems and solutions for all industrial and demanding commercial power requirements offering one of the most comprehensive product and service portfolios in the area of uninterruptible power supply and power management. Thanks to its distinctive expertise bridging both AC and DC power technologies and spanning the worlds of both conventional and renewable energy, the company creates innovative solutions for next generation distributed power generation. AEG Power Solutions Group is the sole subsidiary of the holding company 3W Power S.A. (WKN A114Z9) / ISINLU1072910919), based in Luxembourg. The Group is headquartered in Zwanenburg in the Netherlands. The shares of 3W Power are admitted to trading on Frankfurt Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: 3W9K). For more information, visit http://www.aegps.com. This communication does not constitute an offer or the solicitation of an offer to buy, sell or exchange any securities of 3W Power. This communication contains forward-looking statements which include, inter alia, statements expressing our expectations, intentions, projections, estimates, and assumptions. These forward-looking statements are based on the reasonable evaluation and opinion of the management but are subject to risks and uncertainties which are beyond the control of 3W Power and, as a general rule, difficult to predict. The management and the company cannot and do not, under any circumstances, guarantee future results or performance of 3W Power and the actual results of 3W Power may materially differ from the information expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. As a result, investors are cautioned against relying on the forward-looking statements contained herein as a basis for their investment decisions regarding 3W Power. 3W Power undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement contained herein. For further information, please contact: Claire Pairault Corporate Communications AEG Power Solutions Mobile: +33-6-19-60-91-64 Email: claire.pairault@aegps.com Andreas Becker Product Manager AEG Power Solutions Phone +49-2902-763-231 Email: andreas.becker@aegps.com HAMILTON, ONTARIO -- (Marketwired) -- 06/22/16 -- The Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science, will announce major funding for discovery research in the natural sciences and engineering. The funds include grants to professors as well as scholarships to graduate students and postdoctoral fellows across Canada. Before the announcement, Minister Duncan will tour the lab facilities of Dr. Lesley MacNeil in the Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences. Media are asked to arrive at least 15 minutes early to sign in at the reception desk. Date: June 23, 2016 Time: Media Arrival-8:45 a.m. (ET) Lab Tour-9:00 a.m. Announcement-9:30 a.m. Location: Atrium of the Farncombe Institute Family Digestive Health Research Institute, Third Floor, Blue Section Hamilton Health Sciences Centre 1280 Main St W., Hamilton, ON Follow Minister Duncan Twitter: @ScienceMin Instagram: sciencemin Follow NSERC Twitter: @nserc_crsng Contacts: Veronique Perron Press Secretary, Minister of Science Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada 343-291-2858 veronique.perron@canada.ca Media Relations Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada 343-291-1777 ic.mediarelations-mediasrelations.ic@canada.ca Martin Leroux Media and Public Affairs Officer Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada 613-943-7618 media@nserc-crsng.gc.ca MCLEAN, VA--(Marketwired - June 22, 2016) - Vricon unveils the newest product in the Vricon Data Suite: the 0.5m resolution Digital Terrain Model (DTM), a high-resolution bare earth elevation data layer. Vricon produces its DTM using access to massive high-quality image archives and unique automated processing that provides delivery speeds far beyond traditional technologies. Vricon's mission is to build The Globe in 3D by producing photorealistic 3D products and digital elevation models with unmatched coverage and delivery timelines. "We are delighted to bring our DTM product to our government and industry users who value it for a variety of uses, such as foundation data, topographic mapping, and orthorectification," says Vricon CEO Magnus Brege. "Like our other Data Suite products, DTM provides our users with exceptional accuracy and resolution. And we anticipate that DTM will serve as a stepping-stone to our true 3D Surface Model -- from which DTM is derived -- for many of our customers." All of Vricon's Data Suite products are derived from the Vricon 3D Surface Model, the most accurate representation of earth. The DTM algorithm removes trees and man-made structures from the 3D data using automated processing and access to massive image archives. In addition to DTM, Vricon Data Suite includes the Vricon 3D Surface Model, Digital Surface Model, Point Cloud, and True Ortho. Visit Vricon's website to learn more about Vricon DTM and the entire Vricon Data Suite. About Vricon Vricon serves the global professional geospatial market with world-leading 3D geodata and 3D visualization solutions. Vricon is headquartered in McLean, Virginia. For further information, visit www.vricon.com. Vricon Media Contact Craig Brower +1 (703) 283-4588 media@vricon.com WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - With a filing deadline looming on Friday, Florida Senator Marco Rubio, R-Fla., has reversed course and announced he will run for re-election this year. Rubio had pledged not to seek re-election to the Senate when he announced his failed bid for the Republican presidential nomination. In a statement, Rubio acknowledged his frustration with the gridlock in the Senate but noted that control of the chamber may come down to the race in Florida. 'That means the future of the Supreme Court will be determined by the Florida Senate seat,' Rubio said. 'It means the future of the disastrous Iran nuclear deal will be determined by the Florida Senate seat.' 'It means the direction of our country's fiscal and economic policies will be determined by this Senate seat,' he added. 'The stakes for our nation could not be higher.' Rubio highlighted the Senate's role as a check on the power of the president and expressed concerns about both presidential candidates. The Florida Senator argued Hillary Clinton would represent four more years of the same 'failed' policies but said the prospect of a Donald Trump presidency is also worrisome. Rubio criticized Trump's offensive comments about women and minorities and said the nation will need Senators to push him in the right direction and stand up to him if necessary. While Republicans leaders have been urging Rubio to run, he said the decision was made over Father's Day weekend along with his wife and children. 'There were two paths before us,' Rubio said. 'There was one path that was more personally comfortable and probably smarter politically. 'But after much thought and prayer, together we chose to continue with public service; to continue down the path that provides the opportunity to make a positive difference at this critical and uncertain time for our nation,' he added. 'In the end, there was simply too much at stake for any other choice.' Rubio noted that his political opponents would likely use his change of heart against him, and Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Fla., quickly released a statement attacking his decision. In the statement, Murphy accused Rubio of abandoning his constituents and now treating them like a consolation prize. 'From missing the most votes of any Florida Senator in nearly 50 years, to seeking to ban abortion even in cases of rape or incest, to repeatedly voting against closing the terrorist gun loophole, Rubio is proving he is only out for himself,' Murphy said. He added, 'Florida is ready for another Senator like Bob Graham and Bill Nelson, who is committed to doing this job and who will work with people to fight for progressive values.' Ahead of Rubio's announcement, Quinnipiac University released the results of a poll showing him leading the two Democratic challengers in the Florida Senate race. The poll showed Rubio with a 47 percent to 40 percent lead over Murphy, and a 48 percent to 40 percent advantage over Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Fla. Murphy and Grayson are ahead of several other largely unknown candidates running for the Republican nomination. 'With Republican national leaders worried about keeping control of the U.S. Senate, Sen. Marco Rubio might ride to their rescue if he decides to reverse field and seek re-election,' said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll. 'None of the other Republican candidates for Sen. Rubio's seat has a lead over either of the two Democrats, Congressmen Patrick Murphy and Alan Grayson,' he added. 'But if Rubio's last-minute decision is to seek re-election, he could be in the driver's seat.' The Quinnipiac survey of 975 Florida voters was conducted June 8th through 19th and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points. (Photo: Gage Skidmore) Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "European Market Report for Peripheral Pulse Oximeters 2016" report to their offering. The aging European population will contribute to the increasing usage of healthcare services. Pulse oximetry, being the most common measurement in healthcare, will stand to benefit. Pulse oximetry can be used across all levels of care in hospital, alternate and home environments. Within the hospital environment, patients with respiratory and cardiac complications are continuously monitored with pulse oximeters. Measurements can also be taken at select intervals (5 to 15 minutes) depending on the condition of the patient. The level of oxygen present within the body is vital to its function. Monitoring of oxygen saturation within the body consists of measuring the percentage of hemoglobin binding sites in the bloodstream occupied by oxygen. As oxygen travels around the body it is consumed and the levels decrease. Functionality can be affected, and complications can result when cells do not have an adequate supply. Key Topics Covered: 1. European Patient Monitoring Market Overview Competitive Analysis Market Trends Market Developments Markets Included Key Report Updates 3. Country Profiles 2.1 Introduction 2.1.1.1 Population 2.1.1.2 Median Age 2.1.1.3 Gdp Per Capita 2.1.1.4 Price Index 3. Peripheral Pulse Oximeter Market 3.1 Introduction 3.1.1 Types Of Oxygen Saturation Monitoring 3.1.2 Limitations Of Pulse Oximetry 3.2 Market Overview 3.3 Market Analysis And Forecast 3.3.1 Peripheral Pulse Oximeter Monitor Market 3.3.1.1 Pulse Oximeter Bedside Monitor Market 3.3.1.2 Handheld Peripheral Pulse Oximeter Monitor Market 3.3.2 Peripheral Pulse Oximeter Sensor Market 3.3.2.1 Disposable Pulse Oximeter Sensor Market 3.3.2.2 Reusable Pulse Oximeter Sensor Market 3.3.3 Pulse Oximeter Device Board Market 3.4 Drivers And Limiters 3.4.1 Market Drivers 3.4.2 Market Limiters 3.5 Competitive Market Share Analysis Companies Mentioned Medtronic Masimo Philips Healthcare Mindray Medical GE Healthcare Nonin Medical For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/rskf77/european_market View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160622006097/en/ Contacts: Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager press@researchandmarkets.com For E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900 U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716 DUBLIN, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Aviation Analytics Market by End-User, Business Function, Application - Global Forecast to 2021" report to their offering. The aviation analytics market is projected to grow from USD 2.16 Billion in 2016 to USD 4.23 Billion by 2021, at a CAGR of 14.38% from 2016 to 2021. The market exhibits a lucrative growth potential in the coming years, primarily driven by real-time analytics and competitive intelligence. High adoption of analytics in the aviation industry help organizations reduce costs, increase profitability & revenue, and improve performance & maintenance. The market has been segmented based on application, business function, end user, and region. The APAC region is expected to exhibit the highest growth rate in the aviation analytics market, during the forecast period from 2016 to 2021. The region has been witnessing strong growth in aviation industry over the past few years, mainly driven by improvement in operational efficiency, increasing consumer expectations, and the growing pressure of reducing costs across regions. This growth can also be attributed to the increasing middle class population coupled with growth in trade and tourism in emerging countries such as India and China. The aviation industry analyses and generates insights from various data formats, such as text, video, speech, and images for their businesses. A variety of data models exist for different types of business needs. These data models are integrated with specific types of analytical solutions. The management often lack knowledge on how to analyze the varied dataset generated in order to make their strategic decisions because of the complexity involved in the entire process. Key players profiled in the aviation analytics market report include IBM Corporation (U.S.), Oracle Corporation (U.S.), SAP SE (Germany), General Electric (U.S.), SAS Institute (U.S.), Ramco International (India), Mu-Sigma (U.S.), Mercator (U.S.), Aviation Analytics (U.K.), Airport Analytics (U.K.) among others. IBM is an eminent player in the analytics market and enjoys unquestionable leading status in the analytics solutions market. It holds many analytics patents and offers various analytics solution that includes aviation analytics to meet the diverse needs of its clients. Also, Oracle Corporation has increased the adoption of cloud-based software which involves integrating its own products such as Oracle Fusion in aviation analytics market. The company intends to offer most of its product offerings through cloud-based platform in market. Scope of the Aviation Analytics Market Report This research report categorizes the aviation analytics market into the following segments and subsegments: - By Application - - Fuel Management - - Flight Risk Management - - Revenue Management - - Customer Analytics - - Navigation Services - - Inventory Management - By Business Function - - Finance - - Operations - - Maintenance & Repair - - Sales & Marketing - - Supply Chain - By End User - - Airlines - - Airports Target Audience for this Report: - Application Design and Software Developers - System Integrators - Airports, Airlines, MROs and Aircraft Manufacturers - IT Service Providers - Consulting Service Providers - Managed Service Providers - Market Research and Consulting Firms - Cloud Service Providers Companies Mentioned - Airport Analytics (AA+) - Aviation Analytics Ltd - Booz Allen Hamilton - Financial Highlights of the Major Players in the market - General Electric - IBM Corporation - MU Sigma - Mercator - Oracle Corporation - Ramco International - SAP SE - SAS Institute For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/xblwx5/aviation 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 VIENNA (dpa-AFX) - The European markets ended Wednesday's session in positive territory, extending their winning streak to 4 sessions. Investors remained in a cautious mood ahead of Thursday's U.K. referendum on whether to remain in the European Union. While recent polls have shown increased support for the 'Remain' camp, the issue remains too close to call. Insurance stocks were among the best performers Wednesday and banks extended their recent recovery. However, energy stocks reversed early gains after U.S. data showed a smaller than expected drop in inventories. Investors continued to keep an eye on the second day of testimony by Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen before the House Financial Services Committee. Yellen warned yesterday that a Brexit could have 'significant economic repercussions.' The Euro Stoxx 50 index of eurozone bluechip stocks increased 0.37 percent, while the Stoxx Europe 50 index, which includes some major U.K. companies, added 1.03 percent. The DAX of Germany climbed 0.55 percent and the CAC 40 of France rose 0.29 percent. The FTSE 100 of the U.K. gained 1.23 percent and the SMI of Switzerland finished higher by 0.46 percent. In Frankfurt, Deutsche Bank increased 2.91 percent and Commerzbank rose 1.31 percent. Utility RWE climbed 2.55 percent and peer E.ON added 0.71 percent. Fresenius Medical Care advanced 1.95 percent and Fresenius gained 1.98 percent. In Paris, Air France-KLM Group gained 1.11 percent after its pilots canceled a strike scheduled for Friday. Societe Generale increased 0.94 percent and Credit Agricole climbed 0.93 percent. BNP Paribas also finished higher by 0.64 percent. In London, mining giant Rio Tinto advanced 1.77 percent on rumors of an incoming $9 billion BHP-style spinoff. Storage company Safestore Holdings jumped 2.04 percent as broker Liberum reiterated its 'buy' rating on the stock. Department store group Debenhams sank 6.13 percent on reporting a slight drop in like-for-like sales in the 15 weeks to June 11. Barclays increased 2.00 percent and Standard Chartered rose 2.13 percent. Royal Bank of Scotland advanced 1.99 percent and HSBC gained 0.95 percent. Insurance stocks also turned in a solid performance. Old Mutual climbed 2.98 percent and Standard Life rose 2.81 percent. RSA Insurance also finished higher by 2.09 percent. Fashion retailer Hennes & Mauritz rose 1.20 percent in Stockholm after reporting a 17 percent drop in second-quarter profit. Merlin Properties Socimi climbed 3.88 percent in Madrid after it agreed to a merger with Metrovacesa. Eurozone consumer confidence deteriorated for the first time in three months in June, defying expectations for stability, preliminary data from the European Commission showed Wednesday. The flash consumer confidence index declined to -7.3 from -7 in May. Economists had expected the score to remain unchanged. Existing home sales in the U.S. sprang to their highest level in over nine years in the month of May, the National Association of Realtors revealed in a report on Wednesday. NAR said existing home sales rose by 1.8 percent to an annual rate of 5.53 million in May from a downwardly revised 5.43 million in April. Economists had expected existing home sales to climb 2.2 percent to a rate of 5.57 million from the 5.45 million originally reported for the previous month. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de SAN JOSE, CA--(Marketwired - June 22, 2016) - Omron Electronic Components is pleased to announce the new D7S Vibration Sensor at the 2016 Sensors Expo & Conference in San Jose, CA, June 22-23, 2016. The D7S is the world's smallest class size seismic sensor, and can be embedded into essentially any device. "The D7S is very tiny and can be put into anything, anywhere, and can take countermeasures directly without reliance on a network or larger system," said Engineer Kozo Moriyama, based at the company's new Creative Lab, located in San Jose, CA. These highly precise sensors help with measures to prevent secondary damages, by shutting off and stopping hazardous devices. The sensor can also determine damage and help in the restoration process via disaster map creation. This data is used to prevent damage in future earthquakes. With this new product launch, Omron is looking to expand past its traditional product-oriented scope. "Because the D7S is an IoT friendly device, our engineers are developing services to support the technology," said Ucchi Uchida, Chief Business Development Officer. "It is also our hope to partner with other technology companies, especially in Silicon Valley." A formal product introduction is soon to come. In the meantime, view our product demo and video presentation by visiting us at Sensors Expo, booth #829. Can't make the show? View more product information online: Product Page Product Brochure and Datasheet Video About Omron Electronic Components For over 80 years, Omron Electronic Components has been a leading manufacturer and provider of advanced electronic components. Extensive product groups include relays, switches, connectors, MEMS flow sensors, pressure sensors, and optical components. Omron Electronic Components is the Americas subsidiary of Omron Corporation, a $7 billion global leading supplier of electronics and control system components and services. Omron's broad product offering can be found in applications for the communications, transportation, medical, HVAC, appliance, industrial automation, consumer electronics, test and measurement, and gaming markets around the world. Omron Electronic Components has an extensive sales network consisting of regional sales professionals, inside sales representatives, technical sales assistants, customer service staff, and an authorized distributor network. Press Contact: Michael Kedzie Marketing Communications Coordinator Omron Electronic Components - Americas (847) 882-2288 The global microdisplay marketis expected grow at an impressive CAGR of 24% during the period 2016-2020, according to Technavio's latest report. In this report, Technavio covers the market outlook and growth prospects of the globalmicrodisplay marketfor 2016-2020. The report covers the entire range of microdisplay technologies and considers the revenue generated from the sales of microdisplays to the key customer segments: military, aerospace and defense; commercial; industrial; medical; law enforcement and rescue; and automobile. "The global microdisplay market will grow primarily due to the increased adoption of heads up display (HUDs) and head-mounted display (HMDs) across different sectors. The unique user experience created with the use of microdisplays is the prime factor for its adoption. Augmented reality devices use microdisplays in their projection units. These devices are mostly used in the consumer electronics, healthcare, and military and defense sectors. The popularity of Google Glass will see significant growth, which will drive the growth of the global microdisplay market," says Sunil Kumar Singh, a lead analyst at Technavio for IT professional services research. Technavio's research study segments the global microdisplay market into the following regions: Americas EMEA APAC Americas: largest market for microdisplays The microdisplay market in the Americas is expected to achieve a CAGR of over 22% during the forecast period. The Americas made a significant contribution to the market revenue because of the increasing popularity and awareness of microdisplays in the region, particularly in North America. The Americas will remain the market's largest contributor during the forecast period, with the US being the main revenue contributor. Rapid advances in technology, and an increasing number of consumers that are technologically proficient have led to the demand for microdisplays in different sectors in the region. In addition, there is a high concentration of HUD and HMD manufacturers because of the increasing demand from the military, defense, and aerospace sector in the Americas. In this sector, microdisplays are used in night vision goggles, thermal imaging devices, situational awareness devices, and rifle scopes. Ask for a sample of this report: http://goo.gl/YIKSjd EMEA: high demand from automotive sector to boost growth The microdisplay market in EMEA is expected to post a CAGR of over 20% during the forecast period. In this region, the presence of electronic device manufacturers is low, but the presence of manufacturers that operate in the automotive segment, particularly HUDs, is high. The revenue contribution from EMEA was higher than that of APAC in 2015 and 2016. However, APAC will overtake EMEA in terms of revenue contribution from 2017 onward primarily because of the increased concentration of the vendors operating across the microdisplay value chain in APAC. With the standardization of this technology and the increasing awareness about the uses of microdisplays, the adoption of this technology in the emerging markets of North Africa, Nigeria, and Sub-Saharan Africa will boost the market during the forecast period. The UAE, the UK, Germany, and Turkey, too, will contribute to market growth during the forecast period. APAC: fastest growing market for microdisplays The microdisplay market in APAC will grow at a CAGR of approximately 32% during the forecast period. The advances in terms of technological adoption and changing consumer behavior in countries such as South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, and China has resulted in the increased demand for microdisplays in the region. The majority of the growth will come from countries such as South Korea, Japan, and China, mainly because of the increased adoption of microdisplay devices in the consumer electronics sector in these countries. In addition, the decline in the ASPs and the increased presence of electronics manufacturers in APAC will fuel the growth of the global microdisplay market. "The availability of low-cost skilled labor is another major factor that will contribute to the market growth in APAC," says Sunil. The top vendors in the global microdisplay market highlighted in the report are: AU Optronics eMagin Kopin Universal Display Browse Related Reports: Global MEMS Microdisplay Market 2015-2019 Global Optical MEMS Market 2015-2019 Global Microfluidic Market for Healthcare Application 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/20160622005031/en/ Contacts: Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media Marketing Executive US: +1 630 333 9501 UK: +44 208 123 1770 www.technavio.com LAS VEGAS, NV -- (Marketwired) -- 06/22/16 -- As hemp legalization continues to make major inroads in the industrial hemp industry across America, Hemp, Inc. (OTC PINK: HEMP) is pleased to report that Rhode Island's legislature has passed a bill to "legalize the production and processing of industrial hemp for commercial purposes in the state." According to the Rhode Island General Assembly, HB 8232, which may also be cited as Rhode Island's "Hemp Growth Act", would take effect on January 1, 2017 and would permit the growth of hemp by properly licensed individuals that have applied and met the requirements and would also allow higher educational institutions to grow hemp for educational and research purposes pending approval from the Department of Health. In an article posted by The Tenth Amendment Center, the bill was initially introduced on May 19, 2016 as legislation that "would have allowed state-licensed representatives of the Narragansett Indian Tribe to produce, possess, distribute, and commercially trade industrial hemp. In a rapid series of events, the bill was amended in the House Committee of Health Education and Welfare to apply to everybody. On June 17, the House passed the amended bill 71-0. The Senate concurred the next day by a 26-7 margin." Rhode Island Governor Gina Raimondo will either sign or veto the bill. As with North Carolina, if she doesn't act, the bill will become law without her signature. Many believe this law is yet another stepping stone in nullifying federal prohibition of hemp. Bruce Perlowin, CEO of Hemp, Inc. (OTC PINK: HEMP), said, "Yesterday, it was New York. Today, it's Rhode Island. This shows the hemp revolution is unstoppable and relentless. More and more states are realizing how important hemp is to the American culture with its amazing economic benefits as demand for hemp in the marketplace continue to grow by leaps and bounds." The Hemp Grow Act would prohibit Rhode Island's Business Regulation department from adopting any rules prohibiting a person or entity from growing or distributing hemp based on the legal status of hemp under federal law. While specific language in the bill acknowledges federal prohibition on hemp, the language also asserts that the state can legally dictate its own policy notwithstanding federal law. Hemp, Inc.'s press release yesterday reported on New York's passage of Bill (A9310/S6960). This bill would allow for the "transportation, processing, sale, and distribution of industrial hemp" as part of the State's research pilot program. The first half of 2016 has been amazing. In January, with a unanimous approval in both chambers of legislature, Nevada made it legal to cultivate hemp under current federal guidelines. Virginia House of Delegates passed a bill to authorize the farming and production of industrial hemp in the state for commercial purposes with a 98-0 vote. Kansas' Senate Bill 147 would legalize hemp oil for treating seizure disorders. In Maine, a new law authorizes individuals and businesses to engage in the farming, production, and commerce of hemp in Maine. In February, South Dakota House of Representatives approved a bill that would allow the cultivation of industrial hemp in the state of South Dakota. In March, Hawaii passed a bill "that would allow the state Department of Agriculture to create pilot research programs for industrial hemp are moving through both chambers of the state Legislature." In Oregon's 2016 legislative session, lawmakers passed agriculture-related bills which included allowing growers to cultivate hemp in greenhouses and "propagate it from cuttings under House Bill 4060, which eliminates the requirement that the crop be directly seeded in fields of at least 2.5 acres." In Washington, state legislature also passed a bill that would allow licensed growers to produce industrial hemp in Washington as part of a research program. Pennsylvania Senate voted 49-0, a unanimous vote, in favor of industrial hemp to provide for an industrial hemp cultivation pilot program in the Commonwealth through the establishment of an Industrial Hemp Licensing Board within Pennsylvania's Department of Agriculture. In April, Missouri's House of Representatives passed industrial hemp bill HB 2038 which is set to legalize and regulate the cultivation of industrial hemp in the state of Missouri. Alabama House and Senate passed an industrial hemp bill that would authorize the Department of Agriculture and Industries to administer an industrial hemp research program. Louisiana's House Agriculture Committee approved two bills to the House floor, HB1085 and HB1099 which authorizes institutions of higher education to develop a pilot program to study the growth, cultivation or marketing of industrial hemp for agricultural or academic research. Hemp, Inc. also reached a few milestones. The company had announced its first Kenaf harvest from its wholly owned subsidiary, Industrial Hemp Manufacturing, LLC, in Spring Hope, North Carolina. One hundred fifty acres of Kenaf were cut, raked, baled and transported to Hemp, Inc.'s 70,000 square foot industrial hemp processing facility where it was weighed, stored and paid for. It went from seed, to harvest, to paying the farmers. With the company's 150-acre Kenaf crop, it was able to inject revenue into the local farming community. Hemp, Inc.'s 70,000 square foot multipurpose industrial hemp processing plant is in its final stages of completion. Spread over 9 acres, the processing facility makes up the central spoke of our North Carolina Hemp Hub. To see video footage of America's largest commercial hemp processing facility click here. 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 Regulatory News: Pursuant to Article L. 225-209 et seq of the French Commercial Code, and Article L. 451-3 of the French Monetary as well as Financial Code and Articles 241-1 et seq. of the General Regulation of the French financial markets authority (AMF- Autorite des Marches Financiers), this overview contains information on the objectives and terms of the Publicis Groupe SA [Euronext Paris: FR0000130577, CAC 40] (Paris:PUB) share buyback program in accordance with the authorization granted by shareholders under the 18th resolution adopted at their Combined General Meeting of May 25, 2016. Issuer: PUBLICIS GROUPE SA, a French corporation with a Management Board and a Supervisory Board, with share capital of 89,228,060 euros and its principal office at 133 Avenue des Champs Elysees, 75008 Paris, France, registered with the Paris Trade and Companies Registry under number 542,080,601 (the Company). Stock Exchange: Euronext Paris; ISIN: FR0000130577. Number of shares and fraction of capital held directly or indirectly by the issuer As of May 31st, 2016, the company's capital was made up of 223,070,150 shares of which 935,342 were held by Publicis Groupe SA, representing 0.42% of its capital. Allocation of equity held on May 31, 2016 according to objectives 86,000 shares for encouraging the secondary market or liquidity of Publicis shares pursuant to a liquidity agreement compliant with the AMAFI's Charte de deontologie approved by the AMF; 23,328 shares allocated for payments or exchanges in connection with external growth transactions and; 826,014 shares allocated to allow allotment or sale of shares to employees and/or corporate officers of the Company and/or its Group. Characteristics of the 2016-2017 share buyback program Buyback program objectives The objectives of the program authorized by shareholders at their General Meeting of May 25, 2016 (18th resolution) are as follows: Allotting or selling shares to employees and/or corporate officers of the Company and/or of its Group, in accordance with the requirements and procedures prescribed by applicable statutes and regulations, in particular as part of a plan for sharing in the Company's expansion, by allotting free shares or granting stock options, or through company savings plans or inter-company savings plans, or by any other method of compensation in shares; Delivering shares to honor obligations in connection with instruments or securities that may confer entitlement to equity rights, whether by redemption, conversion, exchange, presentation of a warrant or by any other means; Conserving and subsequently delivering shares (as a means of exchange in merger or spin-off transactions or as a contribution, as payment in the case of external growth transactions where the practice is authorized by the French market authority (AMF Autorite des marches financiers), inter alia) within the limit of 5% of share capital; Encouraging the secondary market or liquidity of Publicis shares through the intermediary of an investment services provider acting in the name and on behalf of the Company in complete independence and without being influenced by the Company, pursuant to a liquidity agreement complying with the code of ethics recognized by the aforesaid French market authority (AMF) or any other applicable provision; Cancelling shares thus acquired, in accordance with legal provisions in force, and pursuant to authorization granted by an extraordinary general shareholders' meeting; or Carrying out any transaction authorized by regulations in force, now or in the future, in particular within the framework of a market practice that is currently permissible or that may be permitted in the future by the French market authority (AMF). This program is also intended to enable the Company to trade in its own shares for any other purpose that is currently authorized or may be authorized in the future by the laws and regulations in force. In such case, the Company shall inform its shareholders by issuing a press release. Maximum number of shares that may be acquired The maximum number of shares that can be purchased must not at any time exceed 10% of the shares making up the share capital. This percentage shall apply to the share capital as adjusted to reflect transactions affecting the share capital carried out subsequent to this shareholders' meeting. The total maximum amount of this authorization is set at two billion two million eight hundred sixty-six thousand six hundred and sixty euros (2,002,866,660). Pursuant to the provisions of Article L. 225-209 of the French Commercial Code, when shares are redeemed to promote liquidity in accordance with the requirements of the general regulations of the French financial market authority (AMF), the number of shares taken into account to calculate the 10% limit is equal to the number of shares purchased, less the number of shares resold during the authorization period. Maximum purchase price The maximum unit purchase price shall be ninety euros ( 90), excluding costs. However, this price shall not apply to share redemptions used to enable the Company to allot free shares to employees or to comply with its obligations when options are exercised. In the event of a change in the par value of shares, a capital increase carried out by capitalizing shares, an allotment of free shares, a stock split or reverse stock split, the distribution of reserves or any other assets, a capital redemption or any other transaction having an impact on shareholders' equity, the purchase price may be adjusted in order to take into account the impact of such transactions on the share price. Redemption terms and conditions The Company shall be entitled to purchase its own shares, and sell or transfer shares redeemed, in one or more transactions, at any time and by any means authorized by the regulations in force, or that may come into force in the future, on regulated stock markets, multilateral trading facilities (MTFs), through systematic internalizers or over the counter, and notably by buying or selling blocks of shares (without limitation on the portion of the program that may be carried out in block transactions), sale and repurchase agreements, through takeover bids or securities exchange bids, by using option mechanisms, derivative financial instruments, warrants or, more generally, securities granting entitlement to shares in the Company. The Company may also be entitled to hold and/or cancel shares redeemed subject to authorization by an extraordinary general shareholders' meeting, in compliance with applicable regulations. According to the 17th resolution adopted by shareholders at their General Meeting of May 27, 2015, shareholders authorized the Management Board, for a period of 26 months, to reduce the capital should the need arise, by cancelling, in one or more transactions, of up to a maximum of 10% of share capital as authorized by law (it being specified that said maximum applies to the Company's stated capital as adjusted, if applicable, to account for transactions with an impact on stated capital that are carried out after the date of this shareholders' meeting) for each twenty-four month period, of all or part of Publicis Groupe SA shares acquired within the framework of the share buyback programs authorized by the general shareholders' meeting. Program term The program was authorized for a period of eighteen (18) months as from May 25, 2016, i.e., until November 24, 2017. *** The text of the overview of share buyback program authorized by shareholders at their Combined Ordinary and Extraordinary General Meeting of May 25, 2016 is a free translation from the French language and is supplied solely for information purposes. Only the original version in the French language has legal force. About Publicis Groupe The Power of One Publicis Groupe [Euronext Paris FR0000130577, CAC 40] is a global leader in marketing, communication, and digital transformation. Active across the entire value chain, from consulting to creation, and production, Publicis Groupe offers its clients a transversal, unified and fluid model allowing them access to all the Groupe's tools and expertise around the world. Publicis Groupe is organized across four Solutions hubs: Publicis Communications, Publicis Media, Publicis.Sapient and Publicis Health. These 4 Solutions hubs operate across principal markets, and are carried across all others by Publicis One. Publicis One is a fully-integrated services offering making the Groupe's expertise available to all clients, under one roof. Present in over 100 countries, Publicis Groupe employs nearly 80 000 professionals. www.publicisgroupe.com | Twitter:@PublicisGroupe Facebook: www.facebook.com/publicisgroupe | LinkedIn: Publicis Groupe http://www.youtube.com/user/PublicisGroupe | Viva la Difference! View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160622006151/en/ Contacts: Publicis Groupe Peggy Nahmany, 33 (0)1 44 43 72 83 peggy.nahmany@publicisgroupe.com Corporate Communications or Jean-Michel Bonamy, 33 (0)1 44 43 77 88 jean-michel.bonamy@publicisgroupe.com Investor Relations or Chi-Chung Lo, 33 (0)1 44 43 66 69 chi-chung.lo@publicisgroupe.com Investor Relations BRUSSELS (dpa-AFX) - The Swiss stock market ended Wednesday's session with a modest increase, extending its gains from the previous 3 sessions. The market dropped into the red in early trade, but stabilized around midday. The positive opening of the U.S. markets drove the Swiss market higher in the afternoon. Investors were in a cautious mood ahead of Thursday's U.K. referendum on whether it will remain a member of the European Union. While recent polls have shown increased support for the 'Remain' camp, the issue remains too close to call. The Swiss Market Index increased 0.46 percent Wednesday and finished at 7,972.14. The Swiss Leader Index climbed 0.67 percent and the Swiss Performance Index added 0.39 percent. The financial stocks turned in another solid performance Wednesday. Credit Suisse advanced 2.2 percent and UBS climbed 1.6 percent. Julius Baer rose 1.4 percent after an upgrade by Citigroup to 'Buy.' Zurich Insurance increased 2.0 percent after Merrill Lynch upgraded its rating on the stock to 'Buy' from 'Neutral.' Swiss Re also added 1.1 percent. Schindler gained 0.6 percent after it was upgraded by RBC Capital Markets to 'Sector Perform' from 'Underperform.' Dufry increased and SGS both increased 1.3 percent, while Adecco gained 1.1 percent. The pharma heavyweights finished the session in the green. Novartis climbed 0.7 percent and Roche added 0.1 percent. However, Nestle finished with a loss of 0.2 percent. The luxury good companies recovered some ground after yesterday's pull back on watch export data. Richemont gained 0.9 percent and Swatch rose 0.1 percent. LafargeHolcim rose 1.4 percent as it defends itself against allegations related to its cement plant in Syria. French newspaper 'Le Monde' accused the company of entering into arrangements with the Islamic State. 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, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --Chubb today announced that Jeremy Miles, Head of Distribution for UK and Ireland, has been promoted to the role of Senior Vice President, Personal Risk Services, Europe. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160121/324916LOGO In this role, Jeremy will have responsibility for the performance of the company's high net worth personal lines business in Europe and its further development and expansion into new markets within the region. Jeremy has 32 years of insurance industry experience, including over 20 at Chubb. Before assuming his current role in January 2016, Jeremy served as UK and Ireland Manager for legacy Chubb. Prior to this, he served as the company's London Manager and as Specialty Insurance Manager. Jeremy joined Chubb in 1996 as a senior executive protection underwriter and he has held several underwriting and broking positions within financial lines during his extensive career. The appointment is effective immediately. Jeremy will join Chubb's European executive committee and will continue to be based in London, reporting to Jalil Rehman, Executive Vice President and Chief Business Operations Officer, Europe with a matrix reporting line to Darryl Page, Vice President, Chubb Group and Division President, International Personal Lines. Jeremy assumes the European responsibilities of Simon Mobey, who has decided to leave the company. Jalil Rehman, Executive Vice President and Chief Business Operations Officer, Europe, said: "I am thrilled to welcome such a seasoned insurance professional as Jeremy to this important role for Chubb. Gained over more than three decades, Jeremy's mix of underwriting and sales experience, combined with his strong broker and market relationships, will be great assets for the business. "Delivering a superior insurance proposition and exceptional claims service for our high net worth clients remain our top priorities and, under Jeremy's leadership, this strategy remains in safe hands. Together with our highly experienced team of personal lines specialists, Jeremy will also ensure that we work even more closely with our broker partners to create new opportunities for mutual growth, including expansion into new markets such as Switzerland and Monaco. "Simon leaves with our sincere thanks for his contribution over the past two decades and our very best wishes for the future." About Chubb Chubb is the world's largest publicly traded property and casualty insurance company. With operations in 54 countries, Chubb provides commercial and personal property and casualty insurance, personal accident and supplemental health insurance, reinsurance and life insurance to a diverse group of clients. The company is distinguished by its extensive product and service offerings, broad distribution capabilities, exceptional financial strength, underwriting excellence, superior claims handling expertise and local operations globally. Parent company Chubb Limited is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: CB) and is a component of the S&P 500 index. Chubb maintains executive offices in Zurich, New York, London and other locations, and employs approximately 31,000 people worldwide. Additional information can be found at: new.chubb.com WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The Colombian government and the country's largest rebel group, Armed Revolutionary Forces of Colombia or FARC, said Wednesday that they had agreed to a cease-fire, clearing a major hurdle in the effort to end 50 years of war. In a joint statement, the two sides said that they had overcome some of the most intractable parts of a peace deal, which they have been negotiating since 2012. In addition to a cease-fire the rebels also agreed to lay down their arms. The ceasefire agreement will be signed Thursday in Havana by Colombia's president Juan Manuel Santos and Timoleon 'Timochenko' Jimenez, a top commander for the FARC. The UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, announced he would also be present to witness the signing of the deal. 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. LIMASSOL, Cyprus, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The Company Also Protects Clients From Potential High Volatility Risks Ahead of Brexit Vote by Hiking Margin Requirements for GBP and EUR Currency Pairs Leading Limassol, Cyprus-headquartered online ECN foreign exchange (Forex) broker Vipro Markets has surprised Clients and the $5 trillion Forex market by announcing it will not charge commissions on all FX pairs during the Brexit week. Vipro Markets is a destination broker for some of the most sophisticated retail and institutional traders who generate large trading volume. Therefore any commission reduction or outright removal translates into thousands of dollars of immediate savings for such traders. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160523/806389 ) Vipro CEO Valerijus Ovsianikas comments: "Vipro Markets has always had a mission to help our Clients succeed in trading. I believe that by offering commission-free trading during the Brexit week our Clients can cost-effectively improve their profitability whether they are active traders or hedgers." Ovsianikas continues, "Our standard round trip ECN trading commission of just $4 per standard lot of $100,000 is already the lowest in the FX industry. By removing the trading commission in full for the Brexit week we give our Clients a competitive advantage not offered by other retail FX brokers." The Company has also announced it has lowered the leverage on all GBP and EUR currency pairs as well as the UK100 stock index CFD for the same Brexit referendum week timeframe. The referendum is widely considered to be a high impact event for financial markets resulting most likely in higher volatility, potential price gaps/spikes, lack of liquidity, widened spreads and other unexpected market movements. The margin requirement change will affect both new and existing orders of Company Clients. The standard leverage rates will be reduced until market close on June 24 as follows: All GBP pairs standard leverage lowered from 1:500 to 1:25 (4% margin requirement) All EUR pairs standard leverage lowered from 1:500 to 1:100 (1% margin requirement) UK100 index standard leverage lowered from 1:100 to 1:20 (5% margin requirement) The Forex market's daily volume is around $5 trillion and major currencies such as the Euro and British pound rarely move more than 1% on a daily basis. However, many top tier banks providing liquidity to the interbank Forex market and also Vipro Markets have estimated that GBP crosses could move as much as 10% should Britain vote to leave the European Union. Vipro CEO Valerijus Ovsianikas comments: "Vipro Markets has taken this unprecedented approach of lowering the standard leverage to protect our valued Clients from possible extreme market moves and therefore potential losses during Brexit week. Most small and medium size retail Forex traders use leverage of 1:100 to 1:500 which means a $1 million account could control a massive $100 million trading position. Such an account could be completely wiped out with just a 1% negative move in the underlying market. I believe our precaution to lower the maximum leverage will help our Clients weather the storm and exploit any emerging trading opportunities once the Brexit vote has passed and markets gradually return to normal trading conditions." Ovsianikas adds: "Having been almost 20 years in the FX industry I believe the Brexit vote can result in extreme market moves similar to what we saw during the referendum on Scottish independence on September 18, 2014 and also the EUR/CHF Flash Crash that shocked the financial markets on January 15, 2015. We generally recommend that our Clients preemptively lower their risks during such high impact events as the outcomes and possible market directions are hard to predict and protect against. Having said that, should our Clients wish to trade during Brexit week then we are 100% committed to deliver uniquely robust, reliable and low-latency quality trade execution." Vipro Markets focuses primarily on providing trading services in Forex and also CFDs based on global stock indices such as the DAX30, SP500, Nikkei 225 and others. The average spread on the most traded EUR/USD currency pair is 0.3 pips and the average execution speed is 200 milliseconds. The Company is also very pleased to offer one of the industry's lowest average spreads on WTI crude oil and precious metals including gold and silver. Vipro Markets uses state-of-the-art trading infrastructure with key trading servers located at Equinix LD4 data center in London and synchronized backup systems in New York. The Company's trading infrastructure can execute extremely high volume of trades simultaneously with high speed and accuracy. Vipro operates a full STP (straight through processing) and NDD (no dealing desk) business model in accordance with its Investment Firm licence. This means all client trades and risk are automatically passed along to liquidity providers. The Company therefore has no conflict of interest with its clients and generates income solely from commissions and spreads. About Vipro Markets: Headquartered in Limassol, Vipro Markets Ltd is a global full STP ECN broker authorized and regulated by the Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) with licence number 278/15. The Company has distinguished itself among ECN Forex brokers by providing top-notch trading services with low average spreads, industry-lowest ECN commissions and ultra-fast execution though its state-of-the-art London trading servers. Vipro Markets clients can trade FX, precious metals, WTI crude oil and many global stock indices through PC, Mac, iPad/iPhone and Android devices. Trading in derivative financial instruments may not be suitable for everyone and we therefore advise clients to make themselves familiar with all the risks involved. Please review the Vipro Markets Client Agreement and other legal documentation available from Vipro Markets website before entering into any transaction with us. For further information, visit https://www.vipromarkets.com or contact Vipro Markets on: +357 25247650. Watson Health Medical Imaging Collaborative Attracts Sixteen Leading Health Systems, Academic Medical Centers, Radiology Providers and Imaging Technology Companies CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced it has formed a Watson Health medical imaging collaborative, a global initiative comprised of more than fifteen leading health systems, academic medical centers, ambulatory radiology providers and imaging technology companies. The collaborative aims to bring cognitive imaging into daily practice to help doctors address breast, lung, and other cancers; diabetes; eye health; brain disease; and heart disease and related conditions, such as stroke. Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090416/IBMLOGO Members of the collaborative plan to put Watson to work to extract insights from previously 'invisible' unstructured imaging data and combine that with a broad variety of data from other sources. In doing so, the efforts may help physicians make personalized care decisions relevant to a specific patient while building a body of knowledge to benefit broader patient populations. This information may include data from electronic health records, radiology and pathology reports, lab results, doctors' progress notes, medical journals, clinical care guidelines and published outcomes studies. Foundational members for the collaborative include Agfa HealthCare, Anne Arundel Medical Center, Baptist Health South Florida, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Hologic, Inc., ifa systems AG, inoveon, Radiology Associates of South Florida, Sentara Healthcare, Sheridan Healthcare, Topcon, UC San Diego Health, University of Miami Health System, University of Vermont Health Network and vRad, a MEDNAX (NYSE: MD) company as well as Merge Healthcare, an IBM company. As the work of the collaborative evolves Watson's rationale and insights will evolve, informed by the latest combined wisdom of these organizations. Initial plans include training Watson and evaluating potential new offerings in a variety of patient care environments ranging from stand-alone ambulatory settings to integrated health delivery networks. The aim in doing so is to gather data based on diverse real-world experience and to share findings to inform how the medical community might reduce operational and financial inefficiencies, improve physician workflows, and adopt a patient-focused approach to improving patient care and outcomes. Further, medical experts could determine how to integrate Watson into the existing health IT systems of the imaging technology companies in the collaborative. For example, integrating with electronic health records and PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication Systems) to deliver cognitive insights to providers within existing clinical workflows. "There is strong potential for systems like Watson to help to make radiologists more productive, diagnoses more accurate, decisions more sound, and costs more manageable," said Nadim Michel Daher, a medical imaging and informatics analyst for Frost & Sullivan. "This is the type of collaborative initiative needed to produce the real-world evidence and examples to advance the field of medical imaging and address patient care needs across large and growing disease states." Recent studies reveal that inadequate, unnecessary, uncoordinated, and inefficient care and suboptimal business processes eat up at least 35%-and maybe over 50%-of the more than $3 trillion the United States spends annually on healthcare. That suggests more than $1 trillion is being squandered.1 Watson Health aims to help healthcare professionals improve care and reduce waste by enabling enhanced utilization of medical imaging data and providing cognitive offerings and services that support a doctor's ability to make tailored medical recommendations personalized to each patient's unique needs. "With the ability to draw insights from massive volumes of integrated structured and unstructured data sources, cognitive computing could transform how clinicians diagnose, treat and monitor patients," said Anne Le Grand, who recently joined IBM as vice president of Imaging for Watson Health. Ms. Le Grand brings more than 30 years' experience building global businesses that operate at the intersection of imaging, informatics, diagnostics and professional services. "Through IBM's medical imaging collaborative, Watson may create opportunities for clinicians to extract greater insights and value from imaging data while better managing costs." How Watson's Ability to Analyze Image Data Could Transform Care Members of the collaborative are expected to team with Watson Health cognitive computing experts to train Watson on cardiovascular disease, eye health and other conditions using data provided by the members of the collaborative or from population-based disease registries, which house millions of de-identified cases from around the world. To help create new solutions powered by Watson, the industry members of the collaborative could integrate Watson into their workflow systems or image management software. For example, members of the collaborative could train Watson to detect cardiovascular disease early and identify commonly overlooked heart health conditions such as congestive heart failure or myocardial infarction (heart attack). For early disease detection, Watson could be trained to analyze and 'score' a coronary angiogram (a video image of a beating heart) for physician review. This score, commonly known as a SYNTAX score, is one factor used by physicians to decide to refer a patient with coronary artery disease to a minimally invasive stent procedure or a coronary artery bypass graft procedure. In regard to commonly overlooked heart conditions, Watson could be trained to identify congestive heart failure early by 'learning' how patients' hearts are likely to start failing and then monitoring disease progression. Further, Watson could aid physicians in discerning chest pain likely to indicate a future heart attack from chest pain related to a different health condition. Chest pain is a leading reason people visit a hospital emergency room each year, yet of the estimated 7 million people with chest pain who make it to an ER2 as much as 2% may suffer a heart attack at home after a hospital discharge because signs of imminent heart attack were missed3. Eye health is another area of focus for the collaborative. Members involved in this work may undertake projects to develop an evidence-based clinical decision support system for ophthalmologists and optometrists. For example, offerings could take the form of an online tool for eye clinics and ophthalmic practices that enables early detection and monitoring of common eye diseases among high-risk patient populations, such as detecting diabetic retinopathy among people with pre-diabetes or diabetes and people with obesity or heart disease. The Watson Health medical imaging collaborative furthers IBM's commitment to work in close concert with healthcare professionals to develop offerings for the medical community. Watson for Oncology and Watson Clinic Trial Matching are examples of this approach, as are relationships with the American Cancer Society, American Diabetes Association and American Heart Association. IBM will open the first Watson Health European Center of Excellence in Milan near the Human Technopole Italy 2040 research campus, supporting the government of Italy's initiative to establish an international hub for the advancement of genomics, big data, aging, and nutrition. About IBM Watson Health Watson is the first commercially available cognitive computing capability representing a new era in computing. The system, delivered through the cloud, analyzes high volumes of data, understands complex questions posed in natural language, and proposes evidence-based answers. Watson continuously learns, gaining in value and knowledge over time, from previous interactions. In April 2015, the company launched IBM Watson Health and the Watson Health Cloud platform. The new unit will help improve the ability of doctors, researchers and insurers to innovate by surfacing insights from the massive amount of personal health data being created and shared daily. The Watson Health Cloud will allow this information to be de-identified, shared and combined with a dynamic and constantly growing aggregated view of clinical, research and social health data. For more information on IBM Watson, visit: ibm.com/watson. For more information on IBM Watson Health, visit: ibm.com/watsonhealth. Check out the IBM Watson press kit at: http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/presskit/27297.wss. Join the conversation at ibmwatson and watsonhealth. Follow Watson on Facebook and see Watson on YouTube and Flickr. Media Contact Lorie Fiber IBM Communications Phone: 646-318-0575 E-mail: lfiber@us.ibm.com 1 https://hbr.org/2016/07/the-case-for-capitation (July/August 2016 issue) 2 Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. "Many people in emergency department for chest pain don't need admitted." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 18 May 2015. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/05/150518121155.htm. 3 Pope J.H., Aufderheide T.P., Ruthazer R., et al;Missed diagnoses of acute cardiac ischemia in the emergency department.NEngl J Med. 2000;342:1163-1170. DUBLIN, June 22, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "Fish Processing Market by Category (Frozen, Preserved, Others), Species (Fish, Crustaceans, Mollusks, Others), Application (Food & Non-food), Source (Marine & Inland), Equipment, and by Region - Global Forecast to 2021" report to their offering. The global market for fish processing has been growing steadily during the last few decades. In terms of value, the market is projected to reach USD 222.71 Billion by 2021, at a CAGR of 3.8% from 2016 to 2021 and is projected to reach 37,194.98 KT in terms of volume by 2021, at a CAGR of 2.2%. The fish processing market was dominated by the Asia-Pacific region in 2015. It is projected to be the fastest-growing market from 2016 to 2021. Economic growth and the shift of the preferences of the consumers toward value-added processed fish products have led to the market growth in this region. In Europe, countries such as Germany, U.K., France, Italy, Portugal, and Poland have shown increment in the capture rate of marine fish catering to the increased demand for processed fish products. The increasing prices of raw materials are adversely affecting the fish processing industry. The raw materials used in fish processing are a variety of fishes and other marine products. The prices of these raw materials are rising owing to the increase in the cost of aquaculture. Feed is the main input for any aquaculture and the prices of feed are continuously increasing due to which aquaculture is costly to maintain. The key players in this market have adopted various strategies to expand their global presence and increase their market share. Partnerships, agreements, collaborations, acquisitions, and new product launches are some of the key strategies adopted by market players to achieve growth in the global fish processing industry. The rising demand for processed fish products as well as high growth rate of fisheries and aquaculture in emerging countries has encouraged companies to adopt these strategies. Market players are focusing on entering into collaborations to share technical know-how related to biotechnology that can improve marine productivity. Charoen Pokphand Foods PCL (Thailand), Maruha Nichiro Corporation (Japan), and Nippon Suisan Kaisha, Ltd. (Japan) are some of the leading market players that adopted this strategy in order to develop their business. Fish Processing Market Report Scope Based on fish processing Category, the market has been segmented as follows: - Frozen - Preserved - Others (which includes cured, dried, smoked, salted, and surimi) Based on Application, the market has been segmented as follows: - Food - Non-food Based on Source, the market has been segmented as follows: - Marine - Inland Based on Species, the market has been segmented as follows: - Fish - Crustaceans - Mollusks - Others (which includes turtles and urchins) Based on Equipment, the market has been segmented as follows: - Slaughtering - Gutting - Scaling - Filleting - Deboning - Skinning - Curing & Smoking - Others (which includes packing and storing machines) Companies Mentioned - Charoen Pokphand Foods PCL - High Liner Foods Incorporated - Leroy Seafood Group ASA - Marine Harvest ASA - Maruha Nichiro Corporation - Nippon Suisan Kaisha, Ltd. - Norway Pelagic ASA - Pesconova S.A. - Royal Greenland A/S - Thai Union Frozen Products Public Company Limited For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/qqhlm2/fish_processing 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 NEW YORK, NY -- (Marketwired) -- 06/22/16 -- The Association of Junior Leagues International today welcomed new officers and members of its Board of Directors as well as new members of its Governance Committee. In their new roles, these women will provide strategic and governance guidance to one of the world's largest and most effective volunteer organizations. The incoming officers and members of AJLI's Board of Directors are: Subha Lembach, Vice President - member of the Junior League of Columbus, OH; served as AJLI At Large Director since 2010. Elizabeth Tyminski, Secretary - member of the Junior League of Boston; served on the AJLI Governance Committee from 2013 to 2015. Bett Williams, Governance Committee Vice Chair - member of the Junior League of Columbia, SC; served on the AJLI Governance Committee. Laura S. Creekmore, At-Large Director - member of the Junior League of Nashville; currently a member of the AJLI Brand Advisory Taskforce. Terri Broussard Williams, At-Large Director - member of the Junior League of Austin. Tina Winham, At-Large Director - member of the Junior League of Northwest Arkansas. The incoming members of AJLI's Governance Committee are: Brandi Hunt, At-Large Member - member of the Junior League of Phoenix; served as AJLI POLL (Presidents of Large Leagues) President in 2014-15. Katie L. Shuck, At-Large Member - member of the Junior League of Portland, OR. Jephtha Tausig-Edwards, At-Large Member - member of the Junior League of the City of New York, Inc. Susan Danish, AJLI's Executive Director, said, "This distinguished group of women will provide our organization with valuable direction on important strategy and governance issues. They bring an array of skills from their professional experience and community involvement, as well as from their experience as Junior League members, that is impressive." About The Association of Junior Leagues International Founded in 1901 by New Yorker and social activism pioneer, Mary Harriman, the Junior Leagues are charitable nonprofit organizations of women, developed as civic leaders, creating demonstrable community impact. Today, The Association of Junior Leagues International (AJLI) is comprised of more than 150,000 women in 291 Junior Leagues throughout Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom and the United States. Together, they constitute one of the largest, most effective volunteer organizations in the world. Media Contact: Tracy Van Buskirk Marketcom PR Main: (212) 537-5177 Ext. 8 Mobile: (203) 246-6165 tvanbuskirk@marketcomPR.com www.marketcomPR.com WASHINGTON, DC--(Marketwired - June 22, 2016) - Judicial Watch today announced it obtained U.S. State Department records referenced in the May 2016 State Department's Office of the Inspector General report criticizing former Secretary of State Clinton's email practices. The OIG report references the records, which include new Clinton emails, but the records were not released to the public until now. The records were obtained under a June14, 2016, court order issued by Judge Emmet G. Sullivan in accordance with an unopposed motion by Judicial Watch to obtain the records. Judicial Watch requested: March 17, 2009 memorandum prepared by S/ES-IRM staff regarding communications equipment in the Secretary's New York residence identified a server located in the basement. In November 2010, Secretary Clinton and her Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations discussed the fact that Secretary Clinton's emails to Department employees were not being received. The Deputy Chief of Staff emailed the Secretary that, "We should talk about putting you on state email or releasing your email address to the department so you are not going to spam." In response, the Secretary wrote, "Let's get separate address or device but I don't want any risk of the personal being accessible." In another email exchange, the Director of S/ES-IRM noted that an email account and address had already been set up for the Secretary and also stated that, "You should be aware that any email would go through the Department's infrastructure and subject to FOIA searches." OIG reviewed emails showing communications between Department staff and both individuals concerning operational issues affecting the Secretary's email and server from 2010 through at least October 2012. On January 9, 2011, the non-Departmental advisor to President Clinton who provided technical support to the Clinton email system notified the Secretary's Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations that he had to shut down the server because he believed, "Someone was trying to hack us and while they did not get in i didnt [sic] want to let them have the chance to." Later that day, the advisor again wrote to the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, "We were attacked again so I shut [the server] down for a few min." On January 10, the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations emailed the Chief of Staff and the Deputy Chief of Staff for Planning and instructed them not to email the Secretary "anything sensitive" and stated that she could "explain more in person." "The new Hillary Clinton email records show she had zero interest in disclosing her emails to the public as the law requires," stated Judicial Watch president Tom Fitton. "And the emails show the Obama State Department gave special accommodations to Clinton's email system, which the agency knew was unsecure, was likely hacked, and was not transparent under FOIA." The documents were produced in connection with a Judicial Watch Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit that seeks records about the controversial employment status of Huma Abedin, deputy chief of staff to former Secretary Hillary Clinton (Judicial Watch v. U.S. Department of State (No. 1:13-cv-01363)). The full case history of the Abedin employment lawsuit is accessible on the Judicial Watch website. Contact: Jill Farrell 202-646-5188 BOCA RATON, FL--(Marketwired - June 22, 2016) - Cleartronic, Inc. (OTC PINK: CLRI), through its subsidiary ReadyOp' Communications Inc., announces that ReadyOp' is now in use by Northwest Independent School District in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Northwest is one of the fastest growing school districts in Texas, serving 14 communities in three different counties. "We are very glad to welcome Northwest Independent School District as a client. While we have many school districts as clients in other states, this is our first school district in Texas. Working with our marketing representatives in Texas, we are looking to expand our focus in schools throughout the state. Texas has over 1200 school districts, plus many private and charter schools. ReadyOp has proven an excellent platform for planning, communications and operations for school districts as well as incident and emergency response," said Marc Moore, CEO of ReadyOp Communications, Inc., a subsidiary of Cleartronic. Planning and communications are vital to success for all organizations. ReadyOp' provides an easy and efficient, yet powerful capability for organizations, government agencies, airports, universities, school districts and other groups for daily operations, to plan for special events and to plan and respond to incidents that may occur. About Cleartronic, Inc. Cleartronic, Inc. (OTC PINK: CLRI) is a technology holding company that creates and acquires operating subsidiaries to develop, manufacture and sell products, services, and integrated systems to government agencies and business enterprises. ReadyOp' is a secure, web-based platform providing organizations with a single site for planning, response, communications and documentation of personnel, tasks, assets and activities. Cleartronic currently has two operating subsidiaries, ReadyOp Communications, Inc. and VoiceInterop, Inc. -- www.cleartronic.com. For further information about this release, contact Rich Kaiser, Investor Relations, YES INTERNATIONAL, 800-631-8127, yes@yesinternational.com, and www.cleartronic.com. Safe Harbor Statement: This press release may include predictions, estimates, opinions or statements that might be considered "forward-looking" under the provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements generally can be identified by phrases such as the Company or its management "believes,"expects,"anticipates,"foresees,"forecasts,"estimates," or other, similar words or phrases. Image Available: http://www.marketwire.com/library/MwGo/2016/6/22/11G103893/Images/northwest-3292feb18ddc85f7b285951fc95632c3.jpg Contact: Rich Kaiser Investor Relations YES INTERNATIONAL 757-306-6090 WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - With the general election war of words heating up, presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump stepped up his attacks against likely Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in a speech on Wednesday. Speaking at one of his properties in New York, Trump argued that Clinton is part of a rigged political system and cannot fix the nation's problems. 'Everywhere I look, I see the possibilities of what our country could be,' Trump said. 'But we can't solve any of these problems by relying on the politicians who created them.' He added, 'We will never be able to fix a rigged system by counting on the same people who rigged it in the first place.' Trump claimed the whole economy is rigged against the American people by big campaign donors, big businesses, and bureaucrats. The real estate tycoon went on to call Clinton a 'world class liar' and accused her of running the State Department like her own personal hedge fund. Trump suggested Clinton did favors for oppressive regimes in exchange for cash while Secretary of State and highlighted her paid speeches to Wall Street banks after leaving office. He also continued to attack Clinton for her use of a private email server while Secretary of State, which he claimed was an attempt to cover-up her corrupt dealings. The speech comes a day after the Trump campaign launched a 'Lying Crooked Hillary' website, which it said will showcase some of Clinton's most disastrous lies to the American people. Trump's remarks also came after Clinton attacked the billionaire's business practices in a speech on Tuesday. Clinton warned that Trump becoming president would be dangerous to the economy and claimed he would bankrupt America like one of his failed casinos. Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX Kostenloser Wertpapierhandel auf Smartbroker.de Technavio has announced the top six leading vendors in their recentglobal vascular stents market 2016-2020report. This research report also lists 14 other prominent vendors that are expected to impact the market during the forecast period. Competitive vendor landscape The global vascular stents market is highly competitive and fragmented. Leading companies have a strong brand name and offer a wide range of products. They have sizeable shares in the market, which hinders the entry of new players. Medium and small-sized companies offer products at competitive prices or at a low cost to consolidate their shares, which is negatively affecting revenue generation by the leading vendors. However, the medium and small-sized vendors offer products with limited features and functionalities, thus facing competition from the leading vendors that are marketing products with better quality, features, and capabilities. "Vendors in the market are implementing various strategies to expand their geographical presence and increase their market shares. They are extensively investing in research to develop safe and efficient products and gain regulatory approvals for their launch in the market. Advances in technology will lead companies to undergo M&A to use advanced technologies to develop innovative products and enhance their product portfolio. This will further intensify the market competition during the forecast period," says Barath Palada, a lead analyst for cardiovascular devices at Technavio. Request for sample report: http://goo.gl/jRkRqa Key vendors: Abbott Laboratories Abbott Laboratories was established in 1876 and is headquartered at Abbott Park, Illinois, US. The company manufactures and sells healthcare products directly to wholesalers, retailers, government agencies, and healthcare facilities such as hospitals, laboratories, and physicians' offices worldwide. It operates in 150 countries, including the US, Japan, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Canada, France, Spain, the UK, and India. In the global vascular stents market, the company offers drug-eluting stents, peripheral intervention, and carotid intervention products. Boston Scientific Boston Scientific was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in Marlborough, Massachusetts, US. The company develops and markets medical devices for a broad range of medical conditions through its subsidiaries and divisions worldwide. It operates through the MedSurg, rhythm management and cardiovascular segments. Through its cardiovascular segment, Boston Scientific offers vascular stents. Cook Medical Cook Medical was established in 1963 and is headquartered in Bloomington, Indiana, US. The company operates as a subsidiary of the Cook Group. It designs, manufactures, and sells about 16,000 different devices for surgical, dental, hospital, and electromedical applications. Through the aortic intervention and peripheral intervention segment, the company offers vascular stents for treating symptomatic vascular diseases of the iliac arteries and atherosclerotic diseases of the renal arteries. Cordis Cordis was founded in 1957 and is headquartered in Fremont, California, US. The company operates as a subsidiary of Cardinal Health. It develops and distributes drug-eluting stents, catheters, and guide wires for interventional medicine, marginally invasive computer-based imaging, and electrophysiology applications. The company has operations in more than 50 countries. Cordis offers carotid stent systems, transhepatic biliary stents, vascular stents and vascular stents balloon-expandable, and related devices and accessories in the market. Medtronic Medtronic was founded in 1949 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland. The company researches, develops, and markets medical devices such as image-guided surgery and intra-operative imaging systems. It also offers web-based therapy management software solutions in over 155 countries worldwide. It operates through the cardiac and vascular, restorative therapies, and diabetes segments. Through the cardiac and vascular segment, Medtronic offers the Resolute Integrity coronary stent system and the Integrity coronary stent system. W.L. Gore Associates W.L. Gore Associates was established in 1958 and is headquartered in Newark, Delaware, US. The company provides technology-driven solutions in the areas of aerospace, automotive, chemical processing, energy, environmental, industrial and manufacturing, medical, military, pharmaceutical and biotechnology, semiconductors and microelectronics and textile. It holds more than 2,000 patents in the areas of polymer processing, medical devices, and electronics. It has manufacturing facilities in the US, Germany, the UK, Japan, and China. W.L. Gore Associates offers vascular stents, carotid stents, and vascular grafts for treating abdominal aortic aneurysm, thoracic aortic aneurysm, and cardiovascular diseases. These products are based on the heparin-bonded technology, a combination of ePTFE and nitinol. Browse Related Reports: Global Nonvascular Stents Market 2016-2020 Global Drug-Eluting Stent Market 2016-2020 Global Coronary Artery Disease Treatment Devices Market 2015-2019 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/20160622005047/en/ Contacts: Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media Marketing Executive US: +1 630 333 9501 UK: +44 208 123 1770 www.technavio.com CAMPBELL, CA -- (Marketwired) -- 06/22/16 -- hopTo Inc. (OTCQB: HPTO), developer of the most comprehensive mobile workspace platform, announced today a new partnership with Applications2U, a complete IT solutions provider based in the Greater Pittsburgh-area. Applications2U is a Platinum Citrix Solution Advisor, which signifies the highest level of commitment and expertise to offering virtualization, networking and more. In accordance with requirements of the Citrix Platinum Level Solutions Advisor status, Applications2U has an exceptionally trained, highly certified staff that includes a Citrix Certified Enterprise Engineer (CCEE) in Virtualization, Citrix Certified Professionals in Networking (CCP-N) and Virtualization (CCP-V), and Citrix Certified Sales Professionals (CCP) for a number of Citrix products. As a complete IT solutions provider, the Applications2U team has the ability to deliver a combination of traditional IT functions such as, but not limited to Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Software as a Service (SaaS), data storage and security, network monitoring and email hosting -- all of which can be carried out with a simple Internet connection to the end-user device. Applications2U utilizes the latest technology and the most robust hardware to deliver a Microsoft Windows platform that is powered and delivered to clients via Citrix. Through Applications2U's partnership with industry leaders Citrix and Microsoft, combined with the knowledge and skills from a distinctly technical team, Applications2U provides a customized, cloud-based solution. "Applications2U is focused on its core mission to develop loyal, strategic partnerships with customers and associations for whom we assist in building innovative and scalable end-to-end technology solutions. The technology solutions we deliver enable our customers to be more efficient, mobile, secure and productive," said Dan Dillman, CEO and President of Applications2U. "Software technology partners like hopTo play an important part in helping us achieve our mission. hopTo allows Applications2U customers to transform the user experience of existing Windows and Internet Explorer-based apps on mobile devices. The combination of Applications2U's experience and expertise with application delivery on the Citrix platform and hopTo's innovative, touch-enabled mobile experience for existing legacy apps makes for an ever better user experience. Applications2U is excited to offer this 'Best of Citrix Synergy' 2016 Finalist in New Technology solution to our customers." "We're excited to welcome Applications2U into the hopTo partner network," said Barry Flanagan, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at hopTo. "hopTo is focused on working closely with the best of the best Citrix Platinum and Gold partners, and Applications2u certainly fits that description. Dan and his team create and implement innovative, end-to-end technology and cloud computing solutions for enterprise organizations. Together, Applications2U and hopTo are committed to deliver the best user experience possible for existing apps deployed to modern mobile devices via Citrix solutions." About Applications2U: Applications2U was founded in 2003 as a cloud hosting and consulting provider before the term "cloud computing" had reached widespread mainstream use. Applications2U specializes in complete IT solutions, particularly within the healthcare, financial, manufacturing and education industries. Applications2U has been Citrix Advisors since 2013 and the company is certified to sell many Citrix products, including Citrix XenApp virtual application delivery, Citrix XenDesktop full virtual desktop solutions and Citrix XenMobile for mobile device management. More information about the services provided by Applications2U can be found by visiting http://www.applications2u.com or by directing inquiries to info(at)applications2u.com. About hopTo: Citrix XenApp Touch Enabled -- Just add hopTo. Founded in its current form in 2012, hopTo Inc. is an innovator of a unique mobile workspace platform. The hopTo mobile solution enables customers to transport and transform existing applications with a Mobile App eXperience. hopTo brings a new standard of mobile user experience with custom, touch enabled access to existing Windows and Internet Explorer applications. The company is based in Campbell, CA. For more information on hopTo, please visit: http://www.hopTo.com. About hopTo Work: hopTo Work was awarded "Best of Citrix Synergy" 2016 Finalist in the New Technology category. hopTo Work, first launched in November 2014, was built upon hopTo's successful consumer application launched in 2013. hopTo Work's mobile workspace was the first app to address the challenges of transporting Windows and Internet Explorer applications to mobile devices, delivering a rich user interface to take full advantage of the devices native technologies. hopTo Work continues to offer a secure and flexible mobile workspace on the Citrix and Microsoft platform for transforming and "mobilizing" existing Windows and IE based applications. Media contact: hopTo PR@hopto.com 408.688.2674 Brazil's National Electricity Agency (ANEEL) has denied a petition by six companies which had asked for an extension of the timeline to begin electricity delivery under the nation's first electricity auction for solar, which was held in October 2014. ANEEL has denied a request by Canadian Solar, Cobra, Fotowatio, Rio Alto, Inhare and Renova to modify the timeline for 23 projects awarded in the first electricity auction, according to meeting minutes published by the agency. The six companies had ... 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 -- (Marketwired) -- 06/22/16 -- Yorbeau Resources Inc.(TSX: YRB.A) (the "Company" or "Yorbeau") is pleased to announce that it has signed a non-binding letter of intent ("LOI") with Kinross Gold Corporation ("Kinross"), whereby Kinross has the option to acquire a 100% interest in Yorbeau's Rouyn property ("Property") in Quebec, Canada. The LOI outlines mutually acceptable terms for a definitive option agreement under which, subject to certain conditions, Kinross would over a 4-year period make certain exploration expenditures towards an option to purchase a 100% interest in the Property. In order to earn the purchase option, Kinross must complete a resource estimation(i) for the Property after funding C$12 million dollars of exploration expenditures, including a firm commitment to spend C$3 million in the first 18 months including no less than 12,500 meters of diamond drilling. Kinross will be the operator and project manager of the Property during the option period with Yorbeau to have representation on a Technical Committee which will oversee the work program. Upon completion of the resource estimate, Kinross will have the option to acquire a 100% interest in the Property for a single cash payment consisting of (i) USD $25,000,000, plus (ii) 2% of the prevailing gold price(ii) multiplied by the number of ounces of gold in measured, indicated and inferred resources identified by Kinross(iii). In addition to the cash payment, Yorbeau will retain a 2% NSR on any gold ounces produced in excess of the number of ounces identified by Kinross in the resource estimate and on any other minerals produced from the Property. The Company is also pleased to announce that Kinross has committed to participate in a $1 million private placement of units in the Company upon signing the definitive option agreement. Company president Gerald Riverin stated: "Company management is highly enthusiastic to partner with Kinross to advance the Rouyn project with the intention of realizing value for all project stakeholders. Signing the letter of intent marks a significant milestone for Yorbeau and the Rouyn project and we are looking forward to working with Kinross to finalize the definitive option agreement and continue work on the project." About Yorbeau Resources Inc. The Company's 100% controlled Rouyn Property contains four known gold deposits in the 6-km-long Augmitto-Astoria corridor situated on the western half of the property. Two of the four deposits, Astoria and Augmitto, have substantial underground infrastructure and have been the focus of NI 43-101 technical reports that include resource estimates. The Company has recently expanded its exploration property portfolio by acquiring strategic base metal properties in prospective areas of the Abitibi Belt of Quebec and Ontario that also feature infrastructure favourable for mining development. The newly acquired base metal properties include Scott Lake which hosts important mineral resources, and Beschefer where, regionally, exploration interest has been increasing. More information on the Company may be found on the Company's website at www.yorbeauresources.com. Forward-looking statements: Except for statement of historical fact, all statements in this news release, without limitation, regarding new projects, acquisitions, future plans and objectives are forward-looking statements which involve risks and uncertainties. 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. (i) The resource estimate to be completed according to Kinross' standard estimation and reporting practices subject to detailed technical parameters to be agreed between Kinross and Yorbeau in the definitive option agreement. (ii) The price of gold for these purposes will be determined by the average London Bullion Market Association "initial" and "final" fixing prices for gold quoted in US dollars over the period of 30 trading days prior to the confirmation by Kinross of its completion of the required expenditures. ( iii) The number of ounces applied to the calculation of the payment to include those classified as measured, indicated or inferred resources (as such terms are defined by the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum in the most recent CIM Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves). Contacts: Gerald Riverin, Ph D., P. Geo President Yorbeau Resources Inc. griverin@yorbeauresouces.com 819-279-1336 G. Bodnar Jr. Director Yorbeau Resources Inc. gbodnar@yorbeauresources.com 514-384-2202 Toll free in North America: 1-855-384-2202 ST. JOHN'S, NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR and NOVI, MICHIGAN -- (Marketwired) -- 06/22/16 -- At the ITC Holdings Corp. ("ITC") (NYSE: ITC) Special Meeting of Shareholders held today in Novi, Michigan, shareholders approved the acquisition of ITC by Fortis Inc. ("Fortis") (TSX: FTS). "We are very pleased with the solid support from our shareholders for this transformative transaction," said Joseph L. Welch, Chairman, President and CEO of ITC. "Fortis is an outstanding company with a proven track record of successfully acquiring and managing U.S. based utilities in a decentralized manner. This transaction accomplishes our objectives by better positioning the company to fulfill our long-term strategy of investing in transmission opportunities that improve reliability, expand access to power markets and allow new generating resources to interconnect to transmission systems while lowering the overall cost of delivered energy for customers." "Our investors will receive an attractive premium for their investment and will also benefit from the opportunity to participate in any potential upside of the combination, including future value creation and a growing dividend program," added Welch. "Today is another important milestone for Fortis and ITC. The strong results of the ITC and Fortis shareholder votes, as well as the agreement with minority investor GIC Private Limited, demonstrates confidence in this strategic acquisition," said Barry Perry, President and CEO of Fortis. "We remain focused on closing the transaction by the end of this year." Under the terms of the transaction, ITC shareholders will receive US$22.57 in cash and 0.7520 of a Fortis common share for each ITC common share. Based on the February 8, 2016 closing price for Fortis common shares and the US$/C$ exchange rate on that date, the per share consideration offered by Fortis represents a premium of 33% over ITC's unaffected closing share price on November 27, 2015 and a 37% premium to ITC's unaffected average closing price over the 30-day period prior to November 27, 2015. The Fortis-ITC transaction was valued at approximately US$11.3 billion as of the close of markets on February 8, 2016. The closing of the acquisition of ITC is expected to occur in late 2016 and is subject to receipt of certain regulatory approvals, including the approval of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, and the United States Federal Trade Commission/Department of Justice under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as well as various state approvals, among others. About ITC ITC is the largest independent electric transmission company in the United States. Based in Novi, Michigan, ITC invests in the electric transmission grid to improve reliability, expand access to markets, allow new generating resources to interconnect to its transmission systems and lower the overall cost of delivered energy. Through its regulated operating subsidiaries ITCTransmission, Michigan Electric Transmission Company, ITC Midwest and ITC Great Plains, ITC owns and operates high-voltage transmission facilities in Michigan, Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma, serving a combined peak load exceeding 26,000 megawatts along approximately 15,700 circuit miles of transmission line. ITC's grid development focus includes growth through regulated infrastructure investment as well as domestic and international expansion through merchant and other commercial development opportunities. Additional information can be accessed at www.itc-holdings.com or www.edgar.com. About Fortis Fortis is a leader in the North American electric and gas utility business, with total assets of approximately CAD$28 billion and fiscal 2015 revenue of CAD$6.7 billion. The Corporation's asset mix is approximately 96% regulated (70% electric, 26% gas), with the remaining 4% comprised of non-regulated energy infrastructure. The Corporation's regulated utilities serve more than 3 million customers across Canada, the United States and the Caribbean. Fortis shares are listed on the TSX and trade under the symbol FTS. Additional information can be accessed at www.fortisinc.com, www.sedar.com, or www.edgar.com. About GIC GIC is a leading global investment firm with well over US$100 billion in assets under management. Established in 1981 to secure the financial future of Singapore, the firm manages Singapore's foreign reserves. With its disciplined long-term value approach, GIC is uniquely positioned to invest in both the public and private markets, including equities, fixed income, real estate, private equity and infrastructure. GIC employs over 1,300 people across offices in Singapore, Beijing, London, Mumbai, New York, San Francisco, Sao Paulo, Seoul, Shanghai, and Tokyo. For more information, please visit www.gic.com.sg. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of applicable securities laws including the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements included in this media release reflect expectations of Fortis management and ITC management regarding future growth, results of operations, performance and business prospects and opportunities. Wherever possible, words such as "anticipates", "believes", "budgets", "could", "estimates", "expects", "forecasts", "intends", "may", "might", "plans", "projects", "schedule", "should", "target", "will", "would" and the negative of these terms and other similar terminology or expressions have been used to identify the forward-looking statements, which include, without limitation, those statements related to the acquisition, the expected timing of the acquisition, and the satisfaction of the conditions precedent to the closing of the acquisition of ITC, including regulatory and governmental approvals. These statements reflect the current beliefs and are based on information currently available to Fortis' and ITC's management. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Certain material factors or assumptions have been applied in drawing the conclusions contained in the forward-looking statements. These factors or assumptions are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties surrounding future expectations generally, including those identified from time-to-time in the forward-looking statements. Such risk factors or assumptions include, but are not limited to, the risks and uncertainties disclosed in Fortis' filings with the Canadian securities regulators and ITC's annual report on Form 10-K and ITC's quarterly reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, risks relating to failure to complete the acquisition and the timing thereof, the risk that conditions to the acquisition may not be satisfied, and risks relating to the potential decline in the Fortis share price negatively impacting the value of the consideration offered to ITC shareholders. Fortis and ITC each caution readers that a number of factors could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from the results discussed or implied in the forward-looking statements. These factors should be considered carefully and undue reliance should not be placed on the forward-looking statements. For additional information with respect to certain of these risks or factors, reference should be made to the continuous disclosure materials filed from time to time by Fortis with Canadian and American securities regulatory authorities and by ITC with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Fortis and ITC each disclaim any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Additional Information and Where to Find It Fortis filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") a registration statement on Form F-4 including a proxy statement of ITC and a prospectus of Fortis, and other documents in connection with the acquisition by Fortis of ITC, which was declared effective by the SEC on May 16, 2016. This communication is not a substitute for the registration statement, definitive proxy statement/prospectus or any other document that Fortis and/or ITC has filed or may file with the SEC in connection with the acquisition. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS OF FORTIS AND ITC ARE URGED TO READ THE DEFINITIVE PROXY STATEMENT/PROSPECTUS, AND ANY OTHER FILINGS THAT MAY BE MADE WITH THE SEC IN CONNECTION WITH THE ACQUISITION WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE, AS THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE ACQUISITION. The registration statement and proxy statement/prospectus containing the definitive proxy statement/prospectus and other documents filed by Fortis and/or ITC with the SEC are available free of charge at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov, on Fortis' website at www.fortisinc.com or by contacting Fortis' Investor Relations department. Copies of the document filed with the SEC by ITC can also be obtained free of charge from ITC upon written request to ITC at ITC, Investor Relations, 27175 Energy Way, Novi, MI 48377. You may also read and copy any reports, statements and other information filed by Fortis and ITC with the SEC at the SEC public reference room at 100 F Street N.E., Room 1580, Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at (800) 732-0330 or visit the SEC's website for further information on its public reference room. This communication does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, or a solicitation of any vote or approval, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to appropriate registration or qualification under the securities laws of such jurisdiction. No offering of securities shall be made except by means of a prospectus meeting the requirements of Section 10 of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and otherwise in accordance with applicable law. Contacts: Fortis Inc. Investor Enquiries: Ms. Janet Craig Vice President, Investor Relations Fortis Inc. 709.737.2863 Media Enquiries: Ms. Karen McCarthy Director, Communications and Corporate Affairs Fortis Inc. 709.737.5323 ITC Holdings Corp. Investor Inquiries: Ms. Stephanie Amaimo Director, Investor Relations ITC Holdings Corp. 248.946.3572 Media Inquiries: Mr. Whit Clay Managing Director Sloane & Company 212.446.1864 GIC Ms. Mah Lay Choon Senior Vice President GIC +65 6889.6841 Ms. Wendy Wong Senior Vice President GIC +65 6889.6928 Weekly net asset value ("NAV") is calculated as of the close of business on each Tuesday and posted on the following business day. In the event that Tuesday is not a business day, the Company will calculate the close-of-business NAV as of the business day immediately preceding that Tuesday. The end-of-month NAV is calculated as of the close of business on the last day of the month and posted on the following business day. For weeks that include a month-end NAV report, PSH will provide only the month-end NAV and not report the Tuesday NAV. Monthly NAVs are published in accordance with the Decree on Conduct of Business Supervision of Financial Undertakings under the Wft (Besluit Gedragstoezicht financiele ondernemingen Wft). Werbehinweise: Die Billigung des Basisprospekts durch die BaFin ist nicht als ihre Befurwortung der angebotenen Wertpapiere zu verstehen. Wir empfehlen Interessenten und potenziellen Anlegern den Basisprospekt und die Endgultigen Bedingungen zu lesen, bevor sie eine Anlageentscheidung treffen, um sich moglichst umfassend zu informieren, insbesondere uber die potenziellen Risiken und Chancen des Wertpapiers. Sie sind im Begriff, ein Produkt zu erwerben, das nicht einfach ist und schwer zu verstehen sein kann. VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 06/22/16 -- Tudor Gold Corp. (the "Company" or "Tudor Gold") (TSX VENTURE: TUD) is pleased to announce that field crews have commenced drilling on a 1,000 m. diamond drill program at the Electrum property, which is situated in the Golden Triangle area, Skeena Mining Division of British Columbia. Tudor Gold has a 60% joint venture interest in the Electrum property and its partner American Creek Resources Ltd. has a 40% interest. Tudor Gold is the operator for the project. Orion Property Acquisition - Approval to Issue 250,000 Shares Received Tudor Gold also announces that it has received regulatory approval to complete an option agreement to acquire the 3,154 hectare Orion property, also located in the Golden Triangle area (see Tudor Gold news release dated June 2, 2016. The Company is issuing 250,000 shares in connection with the transaction, which will have a hold period expiring on October 23, 2016. About the Company Tudor Gold is focused on being a significant explorer in British Columbia's Golden Triangle, an area which hosts multiple past-producing mines and several large deposits that are approaching potential development. The Company has a 60% interest in both the Electrum and Treaty Creek properties, as well as a 100% interest in the Mackie and the Eskay North properties, all of which are located in the Golden Triangle area. The Company also has recently announced agreements to acquire three other properties in the region (Fairweather, High North and Delta properties), which are still pending regulatory approval and closing of the transactions. There are no known resources or reserves on any of the Company's mineral properties, and the presence of mineral deposits on properties adjacent to or in close proximity to the Company's mineral properties is not necessarily indicative of mineralization on the Company's properties. Walter Storm, President and Chief Executive Officer Cautionary statements Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words "could", "intend", "expect", "believe", "will", "projected", "estimated" and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on the Corporation's current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Actual future results may differ materially. The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof and the Corporation is not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Because of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein. 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. Contacts: Aris Morfopoulos Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Secretary 604-721-2650 604-608-3878 (FAX) VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA -- (Marketwired) -- 09/26/16 -- Alianza Minerals Ltd. (TSX VENTURE: ANZ) ("Alianza" or the "Company") announces that the financing announced on September 22, 2016 has been increased to $300,000, from $250,000, and is fully subscribed. Alianza will now proceed to close the financing and file for approval with the TSX Venture Exchange. Jason Weber, BSc, P. Geo, Director and CEO of Alianza commented that, "We are very happy to have the support of our shareholders and are working diligently to advance our exploration projects in Peru, Nevada and Yukon Territory with a focus on engaging new partners on some of these very prospective gold, silver and copper projects." Under the terms of the financing Alianza will sell 2,400,000 units at $0.125 per unit, where each unit is comprised of one common share and a half non-transferable common share purchase warrant. Each whole warrant entitles the holder to acquire an additional common share for a period of 3 years at a price of $0.20. Securities issued in this offering will have a four month hold period. Certain current shareholders and insiders may be participating in this offering. Finder's fees may also be paid on portions of this offering. These funds will be used to continue the execution of the Company's business model. This includes reconnaissance exploration of recently staked properties in Peru and additional work at existing projects in Nevada and Yukon. About Alianza Minerals Ltd. Alianza increases the chances of success in mineral exploration by using the "Prospect Generator" business model, focussing on gold and copper exploration in Latin America and Nevada. The Company has 25.9 million shares issued and outstanding, and is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSX VENTURE: ANZ). Mr. Jason Weber, BSc, P.Geo., Alianza's President and CEO is a Qualified Person as defined by National Instrument 43-101. Mr. Weber supervised the preparation of the technical information contained in this release. To learn more visit: www.alianzaminerals.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. STATEMENTS IN THIS NEWS 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. Contacts: Alianza Minerals Ltd. Jason Weber President and CEO (604) 687-3520 (888) 889-4874 (FAX) Alianza Minerals Ltd. Sandrine Lam Shareholder Communications (604) 687-3520 (888) 889-4874 (FAX) www.alianzaminerals.com MANCHESTER, England, July 11, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Direct Airport Parking Investment is proud to announce a new and exciting opportunity as it makes car parking spaces at London Luton airport available to investors for the first time. (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160708/813454 ) Following the highly successful sell-out of car parking spaces at London Gatwick and Glasgow airports, the Cheshire-based business is expecting spaces at London Luton to be highly sought after. London Luton is the UK's fastest growing major airport with increases in passenger numbers for the past 25 consecutive months. A 110million investment programme is currently in progress at London Luton to transform the airport. Contractors are already on site redeveloping the terminal building to increase annual capacity from 12 million to 18 million passengers by 2020. The planned expansion will enable the airport to handle an additional 45,000 flights per year - that's more than 120 extra flights per day, a figure that could add up to 20,000 extra passengers every day wanting to park conveniently as they travel through Luton Airport. The airport has also recently announced plans to build a 260million mass passenger transit (MPT) link to connect the rail station with the terminal. This link will replace the existing shuttle bus and cut journey times from St Pancras Station to around 22 minutes, bringing the airport closer to central London than both Gatwick and Stansted airports. London Luton Airport, which is a base for airlines Easyjet, Monarch, Thomson and Ryanair, now has flights to 174 destinations worldwide. As other airlines announce new routes, passengers at London Luton Airport are benefitting from more frequent flights to a wider variety of European and Transatlantic destinations from the airport's three terminals. Over half of passengers who use London Luton airport arrive by car (55%). Consequently, long-stay car parking close to the airport is already in high demand that can only increase dramatically as the airport grows. Park First, the leading provider of secure long-stay car parking alongside major airports in the UK, owns 2,000 spaces within a four minute transfer time of London Luton airport terminals. As their Master Agent, Direct Airport Parking Investment can offer opportunities to invest in car parking at London Luton airport from 25,000. Peter Tomlinson, Senior Investment Consultant at Direct Airport Parking Investment, said: "We are really excited to be introducing our latest offer of single and multiple parking spaces adjacent to London Luton airport to private investors, particularly since it is the first time this opportunity has been brought to market. "As the fastest growing major UK airport with clear and ambitious plans for the future, London Luton represents a very attractive investment option. Situated at the heart of a thriving regional economy with highly ambitious infrastructure plans via the 1.5 billion Luton Investment Framework, and benefitting from its proximity to central London, Luton airport can only go from strength to strength. This commercial buy-to-let property investment in car parking at London Luton airport is therefore a lucrative way for investors to diversify their investment portfolios in a high growth sector. "22 million people live within a two hour drive of London Luton airport - that's more than a third of the entire UK population. With rapid expansion plans already underway at London Luton, there could not be a better time to invest." Individual car parking spaces on Park First owned car parks at London Luton airport will be released for sale from 1 August 2016. Through Direct Airport Parking Investment, investors now have the opportunity to beat the anticipated rush and reserve their spaces from today. Individual car park spaces are valued at 37,500. However, they are sold below market value at 25,000, giving investors significant capital growth on their asset from day one. This low risk, proven commercial buy-to-let property investment - complete with a title deed from the UK Land Registry - also offers a high yield rental income. Investors are assured of an 8% return in each of the first two years of their investment, with a predicted rise to 10% in years three and four, and 12% in years five and six. Direct Airport Parking Investment's year three investors have already been paid returns of up to 10.8%, exceeding the predicted 10% and bettering returns offered by more traditional investments such as ISAs. There's no denying that investors are feeling more cautious following the result of last month's EU referendum. Direct Airport Parking Investment believes strongly that off-airport car parking spaces provide a safe-haven investment ideal for these uncertain times, offering investors higher returns and greater certainty than more traditional safe-haven alternatives such as gold, government bonds and other currencies. For more information about investing in off-airport car parking at major UK airports with Direct Airport Parking Investment Limited, visit http://www.directparkinginvestment.co.uk or call +44 (0) 161 820 4956. Resson, a Fredericton, Canada-based data-driven agriculture technology company, raised $US11m (approximately $CDN14m) in Series B funding. Global agriculture company Monsantos venture capital arm Monsanto Growth Ventures led the round with participation from Build Ventures, Rho Canada Ventures, New Brunswick Innovation Foundation, BDC Capital and East Valley Ventures. The company will use the funds to expand its product development, sales and marketing efforts, and add staff to its technical development team in Fredericton while also opening a new business office in San Jose, Calif. Led by Jeff Grammer, Executive Chairman, Resson provides large and small agriculture companies, agricultural service providers and individual growers with a near real-time predictive analysis platform for crop management. Its Resson Agricultural Management and Analytics System (RAMAS) integrates large-scale cloud-based data analytics with sensor fusion and robotic platforms to assess crop status and health, providing operators with the information required to optimize agricultural operations. FinSMEs 22/06/2016 Realla.co, a London, UK-based commercial property search engine and marketing automation business, raised 1.5m in funding. The round was led by Lord Young of Graffham, Kirsh Family Office and Lloyd Dorfmans Esselco Group. The company intends to use the funds to accelerate growth by building the search engines user base and investing in new technology to further strengthen the offer. Founded in late 2014 by Andy Miles, Realla provides a platform for tenants, investors and agents to source property featuring professional tools to allow commercial agents and landlords to market and manage all types of instructions and keep track of them. Launched eight months ago, the companys marketing automation software has already gained traction with five of the top ten commercial agents. FinSMEs 22/06/2016 Terumo BCT, a Lakewood, Colorado-based global medical device manufacturing company, has been awarded $17.4m in initial funding. The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), a division within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that provides an integrated, systematic approach to the development and purchase of the necessary vaccines, drugs, therapies and diagnostic tools for public health medical emergencies, awareded the funding. The company will use the proceeds to initiate a clinical trial using the Mirasol Pathogen Reduction Technology (PRT) System, the Mirasol platelets in plasma clinical trial (MIPLATE)in the United States. Sponsored by Terumo BCT, the MIPLATE trial is a multi-center, controlled, randomized, non-inferiority study designed to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of standard platelets in plasma versus Mirasol-treated platelets in plasma in patients with hypoproliferative thrombocytopenia. The study will involve up to 15 hospitals, corresponding blood centers and 556 patients who have hematologic malignancies with hypoproliferative thrombocytopenia and who are expected to have a platelet count less than or equal to10,000/L and require at least two platelet transfusions. The study is projected to last 3.5 years. The total value of the contract, with all executed options, can result in up to $169m in total funding over a 10-year period. As options are implemented, additional work for broader configurations may include Mirasol-treated platelets (including platelets stored in platelet additive solution, platelets collected on different platforms and/or whole-blood-derived platelets), next-generation device advancement and clinical development of Mirasol-treated plasma. The Mirasol PRT system is for investigational use only in the United States and Canada. FinSMEs 22/06/2016 Verve, a New York City-based provider of a location-powered mobile marketing platform, acquired Roximity, a Denver, CO-based beacon solutions and location analytics company. The amount of the deal was not disclosed. Co-founded in 2011 by CEO Danny Newman and Austin Gayer, Roximity specializing in beacon software and hardware that provide comprehensive location-based analytics and advertising so retailers, brands, and venues better interact with nearby consumers. It secured investments from Fenox Venture Capital, Ludlow Ventures, Fraser McCombs Capital and other investors. The acquisition aims to expand Verves location and mobile device data with Roximitys beacon hardware and analytics tools. Now, combined, they allow marketers to observe and influence consumer behavior from broad locations down to a specific field making mobile advertising more precise and measurable. Led by CEO Nada Stirratt, Verve provides a location-based mobile marketing platform that allows marketers to identify, reach and engage consumers with advertising experiences. The company has offices in San Diego, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Chicago, London, Eastern Europe, India and Southeast Asia. FinSMEs 22/06/2016 After a protracted and very public battle with the Central Board of Film Certification in India, Udta Punjab has now found itself in trouble across the border. Pakistans CBFC has asked for 100 cuts before allowing the film (mainly pertaining to swear words) to be screened in theatres there. It is worth noting here that the CBFC in Pakistan is not merely a certification body like its Indian counterpart: The acronym stands for Central Board of Film Censors. Censoring then is an important part of this Islamabad-based agencys function. It is currently headed by Mobashir Hasan. There are other watchdog bodies as well that take a call on films that can be screened in specific provinces there is a Sindh Board of Film Certification, as well as one for Punjab. When films from outside Pakistan are censored, it usually has to do with the depiction of the country, Islam, or allusions to state-sponsored terrorism. Indian films like Neerja, Phantom, Ek Tha Tiger have been banned in Pakistan for these reasons; so also have Hollywood movies like Zero Dark Thirty, GI Joe: Retaliation, Noah and The Da Vinci Code. At times, films deemed to be morally objectionable (The Dirty Picture, Delhi Belly) are also banned from being exhibited in Pakistani theatres. Also read: Lollywood has a love-hate relationship with Bollywood. Heres why. The word ban was bandied about in the case of Udta Punjab as well; however, ultimately the Censor Board cleared it with 100 cuts. News reports have said that the films distributor is making the cuts in Dubai while readying for a release across the country over the weekend. However, it isnt just with films from overseas that the Censor Board has had issues. Even with homegrown cinema, there is a conversation around censorship that is taking place in Pakistan. Like our own Pahlaj Nihalani-led CBFC and the Cinematograph Act of 1952 under which it is supposed to operate, the Censor Board in Pakistan too has had to deal with allegations of inconsistency in applying guidelines of the Motion Picture Ordinance, 1979 to the films in its purview. In April this year, Pakistan had its own version of the Udta Punjab row when the Urdu film Maalik was banned (at least one of the objections to the film was that a central character closely resembled the chief minister of one of the provinces). Its director Ashir Azeem tweeted the order banning Maalik, sparking national attention on the issue of censorship of cinema. Last year, Swaarangi about the plight of drug addicts in Pakistan faced a similar ban, but finally made it to theatres. Just like in India, such incidents have prompted debated around censorship in Pakistan too. The Indian producers of Udta Punjab have not made any statement so far about the cuts demanded of their film in Pakistan. Here, succour for the filmmakers came in the form of the Bombay High Court ruling that directed the CBFC to pass Udta Punjab with an A certificate with just one cut. It seems unlikely that there will be a similar reprieve for their film in Pakistan. Update: This piece was originally published on 22 June 2016. On 25 June, news reports said that the makers of UdtaPunjab had decided not to release their film in Pakistan, after the censors there demanded 100 cuts before clearing it for public screening. Director Abhishek Chaubey told The Times of India that while the decision to not release the film across the border meant a loss of revenue, they did not see any sense in releasing Udta Punjab in such a mutilated form. "The film is intended to convey something and make a point," he said, adding, "There is no scope to fight our case in Pakistan. So, we decided not to release the film there." Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Raghuram Rajan urged the country to clean up the bad debt held by its banks, calling it key to achieve stronger economic growth, in his second public appearance since saying he will step down in September. In a speech, Rajan defended the actions taken by the central bank, including ordering state-run banks to conduct comprehensive asset quality reviews of their balance sheets. Rajan urged state-run banks and company promoters to deal with the problem, while also calling on the government to infuse capital to the sector - steps he has previously advocated during his tenure. "To the question of what comes first, clean up or growth, I think the answer is unambiguously "Clean up!," Rajan said in a speech to industrialists in Bengaluru. The speech is his second public appearance since Rajan unexpectedly said on Saturday he will step down after his tenure ends in September. For years, nearly 40 states plus the District of Columbia have used federal funding to help low-income students cover the cost of taking Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate tests. But, thanks to a big change to the program under the Every Student Succeeds Act , states and districts will need to think hard (and early) about whetherand howto continue covering those costs. Some background on how ESSA handles these tests: ESSA consolidated dozens of federal programs, including some that hadnt been funded in years. One of the programs that had still been receiving federal funding when ESSA passed was the Advanced Placement Test Fee Program, which helps low-income students cover the cost of taking advanced exams. The program is currently receiving $28.5 million annually. But next year, it will be part of the brand new, larger Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants. The Student Support and Academic Enrichment Grants are essentially a giant block grant that goes out by formula to school districts around the country. Districts can use the funds for a wide range of activities, including technology, student health, arts education, school safety, counseling services, and yes, college-and-career readiness, including, if districts want, AP and IB fees for low-income students. ESSA recommends more than $1.5 billion for the whole block grant. But right now, its on pace to only receive a fraction of that: It gets just $300 million in the Senate Appropriations bill. And President Barack Obamas proposed budget also gives it much less than ESSAs recommendation. So theres a good chance districts will have to pick and choose what they want the funds to go to. Heres how AP testing fees for low-income kids work now: AP tests cost about $91 per exam, while IB costs about $147 per exam. The College Board, the nonprofit organization that administers Advanced Placement, picks up part of the tab for its testing fees for low-income students, providing some $30 million of its own money. That brings the cost down to about $53 per test, for AP. A handful of states use their own dollars to pay the remaining amount, while the majority of states use federal funds to cover much of the cost. Some states then kick in their own money for the rest, or ask families to contribute a small portion (say, about $15 per exam). States and districts can continue to do this, but now AP testing fees will be competing with the many, many other potential uses for the block grant. And theres a twist, for next year only: This gets complicated, but ESSA has a special, one-time rule in place for states and districts that allows them to use their block grant funds to cover fees for AP and IB tests taken during the 2016-17 school year only. (Typically, districts must essentially decide what to spend the money on before the school year gets started.) At the same time, though, states and districts that want to continue covering the testing fees have to plan for the 2017-18 school year. In other words, states and districts essentially have to find double the money, just for this one year. That is a big change and it will require states and districts to plan in different ways, said Trevor Packer, a senior vice president at the College Board who heads up the AP program. There are a couple of other complicating factors, here. First off, decisions about how to spend the block grant are supposed to be made on a district and not, state level. So districts would have to get on the same page as their states. Whats more, there may be other funding within ESSA that states could use for the fees. For instance, states have the option to set aside up to 3 percent of their Title I money for direct student services, like tutoring. AP fees could be covered using those funds. But it would come at a cost: Districts would get less Title I money overall. How many kids are affected? The situation may be tough to wrap your mind around, but it doesnt effect a trivial number of states (or students). The federal program funded about 880,000 exams in 2016. And nearly 40 states plus some federal territories used the federal funding to cover at least part of the cost, along with the College Boards contribution. Those states include: Alaska, Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia, as well as the Virgin Islands and Washington, D.C. There are a handful of states that will be unaffected by the shift, including Florida and South Carolina. Thats because those states already use their own money to pay for AP fees for low-income kids. The College Board is trying to get the word out about the change. And the organization is encouraging districts and states that see AP as a priority to do their thinking and planning earlyeven though it may be a while before they know exactly how much money they are getting through the block grant, Packer said. And, he said, the number of disadvantaged kids taking AP classesand earning college credithas increased significantly since the federal program began in the late 1990s. (See chart above). It would also be helpful, he said, if the block grant received something closer to the more than $1.5 billion level that ESSA recommends. I think we are concerned about the difficult choices that will need to be made, he said. We are worried [the change] could result in some reduction of opportunity for students. Follow us on Twitter at @PoliticsK12 . (Corrects headline, first and third paragraph after company clarifies it hopes producers, not just Uralkali, will sign a deal with India) MOSCOW Russia's Uralkali hopes potash producers will sign a new supply contract with India, one of its largest customers, by the end of this month, Uralkali head of sales Vladislav Lyana told a conference call on Wednesday. The deal, if reached, would be a rare instance of India signing a potash supply contract with a major producer before China. Contracts with China usually set a price floor and benchmark for other markets. "China and India have delayed signing contracts for shipment by sea because of large inventories. But now stocks are declining and India may sign the deal with the producers this month," Uralkali head of sales Vladislav Lyan told a conference call, organised for analysts after the company posted its first-quarter sales. Both China and India, the world's biggest fertiliser consumers, usually sign their contracts for potash purchases earlier in the year. This year, deals were delayed by high stocks built up by farmers and by drought in India. Major suppliers to India also include Belarus Potash company, Potash Corp of Saskatchewan, Agrium Inc, Mosaic and K+S. Uralkali's previous contract with India was signed in May 2015 for twelve months and set potash supplies at 800,000 tonnes at $332 per tonne. Uralkali also told the call on Wednesday it expected 2016 production between 10.8 million and 11.2 million tonnes and capital expenditure at 22 billion roubles ($342 million). ($1 = 64.3244 roubles) (Reporting by Andrey Kuzmin and Natalia Shurmina; Writing by Polina Devitt; Editing by Mark Potter) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. NEW DELHI Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday rebutted an attack by a party colleague on his chief economic adviser Arvind Subramanian. "The government has full confidence in chief economic adviser Arvind Subramanian," Jaitley told a news conference in answer to a reporter's question, adding that his advice had been of "great value". Earlier, maverick right-winger Subramanian Swamy had demanded the sacking of Jaitley's top aide. It was Swamy who had led a campaign demanding the removal of Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan, who announced last weekend he would not seek a second term. (Reporting by Douglas Busvine; Editing by Manoj Kumar) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. NEW DELHI India successfully launched 20 satellites in a single mission on Wednesday, with most of them set to serve international customers as the South Asian country pursues a bigger share of the $300 billion global space industry. It was the most satellites India has put in space at one go, though Russia set the record of 37 for a single launch in 2014. Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the launch as "a monumental accomplishment" for the state-run Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Modi is bullish about India's space research programme and has repeatedly praised the efforts of scientists who two years ago pulled off a low-cost mission to send a probe to orbit Mars that succeeded at the first attempt. The launch of PSLV-C34, carrying 20 satellites in a single payload including the Cartosat-2 series satellite and 19 co-passenger satellites, was like "allowing birds to fly in space", ISRO chairman Kiran Kumar said. Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle or PSLV is India's workhorse launch vehicle, and has so far successfully carried 113 satellites, of which 74 were for international customers, ISRO said on its website. Of the satellites launched on Wednesday, all except three are for international customers, with the United States accounting for more than half. (Reporting by Malini Menon; Editing by Douglas Busvine and Simon Cameron-Moore) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. BAKSA, India (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Ask the farmers in remote Baksa district, in the northeast Indian state of Assam, whether they are affected by climate change and they usually respond with a look of surprise. Across much of India, farmers are struggling to adapt as their crops fail season after season as a result of increasingly unpredictable and often dry weather. But in Baksa, along Assams border with Bhutan, farmers have never seen their harvest ruined by drought or delayed rainfall, despite having no access to irrigation pipes or water pumps. Their secret is a 100-year-old indigenous irrigation system called dong bandh a network of canals that uses the downhill flow of the area's rivers and streams to bring water to villagers and their fields. Built, monitored and maintained by locals, the system gives the district's residents access to clean water even as droughts devastate many other areas of the country. "I have 1.6 hectares (3.9 acres) of cultivable land, and in that I cultivate rice, maize, and vegetables," said farmer Monindra Choudhury, 44, whose farm gets its water from the dong bandh in Okaladonga Barnadi Ashama Aranga. "I am able to grow three crops a year, and this is solely as a result of this irrigation network, he said. The district in the Bhutan foothills is particularly reliant on the rivers and streams that crisscross it, carrying water down from the hills, because digging for underground water is challenging in the area. "This area is rocky and it is very difficult to dig wells or install hand pumps," said Chakradhar Talukdar, a project officer with the non-profit Gramya Vikash Mancha (GVM), a rural development organization that is researching and documenting the traditional irrigation networks. So farmers a century or more ago found a way to make the land work for them. They built small dams on the rivers and routed the water through canals to their paddy fields and household ponds. Spread throughout an area of around 300 square kilometers (115 square miles), the dong bandh irrigation systems of Baksa serve around 149,000 farmers and 94,600 agricultural laborers, who use it to grow rice, maize, vegetables, tea, and betel nuts and leaves. "Our ancestors started this system of irrigation, and we are reaping the benefits," said farmer Monu Lahkar, 38. "I have 1.9 hectares (4.7 acres) of land, and though there are no irrigation facilities here I don't have any difficulty in cultivating it." IRRIGATION BY COMMITTEE Lahkar is secretary of the Okaladonga Barnadi Ashama Aranga Dong Bandh Committee, one of around 10 local groups responsible for making sure the water keeps flowing to the farms. The irrigation system uses canals dug from a nearby river and then smaller sub-channels that carry the water to fields and villages. The 50-member committees put one member in charge of each sub-canal, with the job of monitoring it every day and reporting to the committee about any damage or other issues. "The watchman inspects the canal and, if any repair is needed, immediately informs the committee president or secretary, and they in turn ask a member to go and repair it," said Talukdar. The committee takes those duties seriously: Any watchman who doesn't show up for work is fined 100 rupees ($1.47) a day. If a new household wants to join the network, it has to apply to the committee and pay a deposit of around $15. That money gets them a seat on the committee and access to the water. After that, every household that uses the system pays an annual fee of 40 kg (88 lb) of rice into the committee's coffers. Each year, the committee uses around 1,600 kg (3,500 lb) of the rice to pay the watchmen and committee secretary; everyone else works for free. Together, the committees and locals have restored much of the irrigation system, parts of which had been abandoned over its century of use. "Over 183.7 km (114 mi) of canals have been restored through cleaning and dredging work, which will benefit over 2,890 hectares (7,140 acres) of cultivable land," said GVM director Pritibhushan Deka. To make sure everyone gets the most out of the system, Deka said the GVM has helped form a central canal management committee to oversee the dong bandh network. Made up of 21 executive members from all the branch canal management committees, the central committee has formulated a constitution to help resolve any disputes regarding the distribution of water. GEOGRAPHY KEY While the dong bandh system was created before the world recognized the effects of climate change, people in Baksa see it as a prime example of how communities can work together to overcome the challenges of their environment. But how widely it could be used remains a question. Just over 100 kilometers away, villagers and farmers are still at the mercy of the rain. "We are fully dependent on rainfall for our cultivation, and we are hit badly when it is delayed or there is a drought," said Romesh Kalita, 52, a farmer in Koniha village, in neighboring Nalbari district. "Even if we hire a pump and get water, it isn't enough, he said. Asked if the dong bandh irrigation system that serves Baksa could benefit struggling areas like Nalbari, Talukdar said it depends on both the place and its people. "In Baksa, it is an ideal situation, with the landscape, the nearby rivers and the cooperation of the people," he said. "But elsewhere it might not be possible to create such a system." (Reporting by Amajyoti Borah; editing by Jumana Farouky and Laurie Goering :; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, climate change, women's rights, trafficking and property rights. Visit news.trust.org/climate) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Aveek Sarkar on Wednesday resigned as the editor-in-chief of Ananda Bazaar Patrika (ABP) and The Telegraph, reported News 18. Sarkar is known to be involved in the day-to-day functions of all the editions. The report added that Sarkar would continue as the chairman of the group. His brother Arup Sarkar took over as the new Group Chief Editor, a top company official said. The report added that Anirban Bhattacharya has been appointed as the new editor of the Ananda Bazaar Patrika and Rajagopalan as the editor of The Telegraph. Arup Sarkar was so long the Chief Editor (Bengali magazines) of the group. Anirban Chattopadhyay will be the new Editor of the largest circulated Bengali daily Ananda Bazar Patrika and the group's Bengali tabloid Ebela. R Rajagopal is the new Editor of The Telegraph, said ABP Chief Executive Officer and Managing Editor Dipankar Das Purkayastha. Aveek Sarkar would now play an advisory role as Editor (Emeritus) and vice chairman of the company. Sarkar announced his decision in the form of a brief note to employees, saying his resignation was part of a "succession plan". The move came in the backdrop of the group's stringent opposition to Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee and her party during the recent assembly polls which she won comfortably. However, Purkayastha said there was no connect between Sarkar's decision and the Trinamool. "He is 71 years old and wants to give a chance to others. This is the succession programme which is being implemented," said Purkayastha. Aveek Sarkar, one of the most prominent personalities in the Indian publishing scene, was tutored by the legendary Harold Evans, then the editor of The Sunday Times. He was the moving force behind the transformation of the ABP Group from a regional house into a prominent national group and also led the group's entry into television. In his book Paper Tigers, Nicholas Coleridge writes "Aveek Sarkar is India's most sophisticated newspaper proprietor...From his power base in Calcutta, Sarkar's sphere of influence is the entire eastern seaboard of India. 'Aveek can deliver the East,' a Delhi-based political lobbyist assured me." Just ahead of the West Bengal Assembly Election, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee attacked Sarkar during a campaign rally in Durgapur. According to The Hindu, Mamata called ABP the "most destructive element" in Bengal and said the organisation is conspiring against the Trinamool Congress-government in West Bengal. She even went ahead and challenged Sarkar to contest election against her. Mamata singled out Sarkar in her election campaign and alleged that he hobnobs with the diplomats of various countries and has been slandering Bengal. "He made it such that industrialists had to visit him before investing in Bengal. Today we have changed that completely with our transparent policy. So now he does not get anything, she had said. Firspost's Gouri Chatterjee had written in May, "Didi is not someone you can cross without fear of reprisal and Aveek Sarkar, with his largest circulating Bengali daily, the largest circulating English newspaper of the East, his stand-alone Bengali tabloid, his most popular Bengali news TV channel and more, has gone out on a limb criticising her governments and her partys innumerable sins of omission and commission." However, sources in ABP told News 18 that his resignation has nothing to do with the TMC. Here are some Twitter reactions to his resignation: Aveek Sarkar resigns as Telegraph supremo. Now everybody choppppppp pic.twitter.com/WZOBuZDrAU greatbong (@greatbong) June 22, 2016 #AveekSarkar resigns as Editor in chief of#ABPGroup; to continue as chairman subhendu ray (@subhenduray) June 22, 2016 Don't be amused if you see 'Amazing Irani' or 'Modi - the man of steel' headlines in The Telegraph from now onwards. #AveekSarkar Nomad (@_SandSurfer) June 22, 2016 With inputs from agencies New Delhi: BJP MP Kirit Somaiya on Wednesday demanded that the government of the party-ruled Rajasthan register a criminal case against firms linked to Robert Vadra in connection with a land deal. Somiaya, who has been targeting Vadra, on Wednesday wrote a letter to the Director General of Rajasthan Police, a day after the Enforcement Directorate issued a notice to a firm allegedly connected to the son-in-law of Congress chief Sonia Gandhi. "I would once again request the Rajasthan government's authorities concerned to register a criminal conspiracy case against Vadra group of companies," he said. Vadra has dismissed the charges against him. The ED issued the notice in connection with its probe into alleged money laundering in a land deal in Rajasthan's Bikaner district. Panaji: The Congress on Wednesday slammed Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar's recent criticism of a section of NGOs and green activists, and accused the former Goa chief minister of interfering in the state administration and matters of policy. Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters in Panaji, Congress spokesperson Trajano D'Mello said that as Leader of Opposition in the Goa legislative assembly, Parrikar in the past used to encourage NGOs to agitate, which in turn had brought development in the state to a "grinding halt" back then. "The defence minister's attack on NGOs, that they are objecting every development, is an absolute lie. He should remember that as Leader of Opposition he was encouraging them to agitate, was participating in agitations and brought development to a grinding halt," D'Mello said. Addressing a government function in Panaji on Monday, Parrikar said that NGOs backed by vested interests were filing cases in court against government projects and were delaying creation of infrastructure. "There are some professionals, who regularly file cases against government projects. That is why I urge state officials to take all the necessary environmental and other required clearances before starting work on a project, so that these so-called NGOs do not find the courage to file cases against us," Parrikar said. "This constant filing of cases against government projects has become a business. If we are wrong, punish us, but do not stop developmental projects unnecessarily," he said, adding that such habitual litigants should be "exposed". D'Mello claimed that Parrikar was now crying foul because his party is in power. "When he was doing it, it was to save Goa's destruction. But now when rampant destruction has started and has been objected to legally, he terms it as obstructing development," the Congress spokesperson said. Reacting to another comment by Parrikar about his non-interference in key state issues, like the contentious medium of instruction policy for state's schools, D'Mello said: "No one believes in Parrikar any more. He is and will continue to interfere in state government affairs." Republican Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder has signed into law a $617 million bailout package for debt-ridden Detroit Public Schools, going against the wishes of Detroit lawmakers, the districts teachers union, and the citys mayor. The package of bills, approved by the Republican-led legislature, will help pay off $467 million in operating debt and provide $150 million in start-up funding to create a debt-free district. This marks a new day for Detroit families, with DPS free from debt and strong accountability measures for all schools in the city that promises a brighter future for all of Detroits children, Snyder said in a prepared statement. Under the law, Detroiters will elect a new school board in November. Members would take office in January and hire a new superintendent. A finance review commission, established after the citys bankruptcy, would be expanded to provide oversight of the school district, which has been run by a series of state-appointed emergency managers since 2009. This legislation gives Michigans comeback city a fresh start in education, Snyders statement read. Now the residents of Detroit need to engage with their schools and help find good leaders who can provide the best possible chance of success for families in the city. Thats not how some Detroit residents see it. The bailout package does not include a proposed Detroit Education Commission, which would have regulated the location of traditional and charter schools in the city. Instead, the law calls for creation of a new advisory council that would produce non-binding recommendations on where schools are needed and study a potential citywide transportation system for all students. The bills, which Snyder signed Tuesday, also strengthen anti-strike provisions that could discourage, or prevent, teacher sickouts. It was the series of coordinated sickouts, where teachers called out sick en masse to protest their working conditions and compensation, that helped bring attention to the plight of the 46,000-student district. But plans to develop a merit pay system solely for the Detroit and allow noncertified teachers in the classroom appear to have hit closest to home for the teachers union. Rather than finding ways to attract and retain qualified and experienced teachers, this law now pretends that skill and knowledge means nothing, American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten, Detroit Federation of Teachers Interim President Ivy Bailey, and AFT Michigan President David Hecker said in a joint statement. By allowing noncertified teachers to enter the classroom, often in schools serving some of our most disadvantaged and vulnerable students, this legislation puts the students and families of Detroit at risk. A special Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) court on Wednesday granted bail to former Maharashtra minister and senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal and his nephew Sameer Bhujbal in the Maharashtra Sadan and Mumbai University library cases, reported Nabvbharat Times. "They both were produced in the court and were granted bail on a surety of Rs 50,000 each," PTI quoted Special Public Prosecutor Pradeep Gharat. However, according to The Financial Express, Bhujbal will continue to remain in judicial custody in the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) case against him. The case is likely to come up for hearing on 22 July. Bhujbal was arrested on 14 March on charges of money laundering under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) after the agency could establish the chain how the bogus deals and illicit funds funneled into the Bhujbal empire, reported Firstpost. The Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) prescribes rigorous imprisonment from three years to seven years in case an individual is found guilty. Both NCP leaders will face action as per the provisions of the PMLA if they are convicted by a court of law, a senior ED official told Firstpost on condition of anonymity. The ACB had chargesheeted 17 people, including the Bhujbals in February this year. It had filed a 20,000-page charge sheetconsisting of statements of over 60 witnesses. According to the ACB, the case was entirely based on documentary evidence, such as fund transfer and bank transactions. In the construction of Maharashtra Sadan in Delhi, contractors had "earned 80 percent profit,"while as per the government circular such contractors were entitled to "only 20 per cent gain", ACB officials alleged. They said that the books of accounts were "fudged" to show that the profit earned was only one percent. Officials had said that for construction of Maharashtra Sadan, Chamankar Associates, the contractor firm, had allegedly transferred money to Niche Infrastructure and other companies in which Pankaj and Sameer were the directors. The chargesheet said that most of the companies floated by the Bhujbals were in the name of employees and were used for siphoning off funds. Niche was earlier owned by some employees of Maharashtra Educational Trust, in which the Bhujbals later became directors. The ACB officials had earlier said that the original cost estimate for Maharashtra Sadan was Rs 13.5 crore, but later it was increased to Rs 50 crore. The Bhujbals got Rs 13.5 crore in kickbacks from the Chamankars who earned a profit of about Rs 190 crore from Maharashtra Sadan and other PWD works, they alleged. The ACB, had in June last year, registered two FIRs against Chhagan Bhujbal. The first one was related to alleged irregularities in allotment of a prime plot at Kalina in Mumbai to a developer. The second case was in connection with alleged rampant corruption and large-scale irregularities in the construction of the new Maharashtra Sadan, the state government's guest house in Delhi. With inputs from PTI President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a host of Union Ministers on Wednesday congratulated Isro for the successful launch of a record 20 satellites. "Heartiest congratulations to Isro Team on successful launch of PSLV-C34 carrying a record 20 satellites #PresidentMukherjee", the President said in a tweet. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "20 satellites in a go! @isro continues to break new barriers. Hearty congratulations to our scientists on the monumental accomplishment". "Our space programme has time and again shown the transformative potential of science and technology in people's lives", he said. "Over the years, we developed expertise & capability to help other nations in their space initiatives. This is the skill of our scientists", he said in another tweet. On the two Indian satellites launched by academic institutions, he said, "Saw with immense joy that students from institutions in Pune & Chennai played a role in the making of satellites. This touched me". "As a common citizen, was totally immersed in happiness to see our youngsters excelling & taking so much interest in science", Modi said. Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, Rajyavardhan Rathore said, "#Isro launch of record 20 satellites is yet another indicator of India's growing space prowess. Congratulations to @isro and our scientists". "20 satellites in single mission. Thumbs up to entire #Isro team for devising novel engg. tech to make this possible", he said. Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Radha Mohan Singh said, "Congratulations Team @isro for launching 20 satellites in one go. 25th consecutive successful mission for #Isro". Minister of State Prime Minister's Office, Jitendra Singh said, "Congrats team #Isro. You have made it. Another milestone, another feather of glory. India is proud of you". Oklahoma has dumped a requirement that students take seven end-of-course tests, and pass four in order to graduate. Instead, it will require students to take a new exam to earn their diplomas. The new testing regimen is outlined in House Bill 3218 , which was signed last month by Gov. Mary Fallin. The law requires the state board of education to issue a request for proposals to build a new assessment system for grades 3-12 that would begin in the 2017-18 school year. The new tests must provide comparability with the scores of tests in other states, and at the high school level, must provide a measure of future academic performance, the law says. Students highest score on the high school test must be included on their transcripts as a signal of competence to future employers and higher education institutions. Depending on the availability of funding, Oklahoma may also offer a nationally recognized high school test free of charge to all students, the law said. As weve explained, the Every Student Succeeds Act, which replaced No Child Left Behind, permits states or districts to use a nationally recognized high school test such as the ACT or SAT as its test for federal accountability at the high school level. The language in Oklahomas law, however, doesnt say the state plans to use a college admissions test as its high school assessment. It says only that the state may offer such a test if theres enough money to do so. Half the states now require all students to take either the SAT or ACT, and a dozen use those tests for accountability . During the 2016-17 school year, Oklahoma high school students will have a reduced testing regimen: They will take exams in English/language arts, math, U.S. history, and science once during high school. See also: Istanbul: Before dawn in Istanbul, in the holy Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. A turbaned Turkish cleric kneels on a prayer carpet and prepares to recite verses from the Koran. "In the name of God, the compassionate and the merciful " Nothing especially unusual except the cleric is reading not in a mosque but what is officially a museum. And the museum is the Hagia Sophia, one of the single most emblematic edifices of human civilisation. A masterpiece of architecture, the Hagia Sophia was first built as a church in the sixth century in the Christian Byzantine Empire. It was almost immediately converted into a mosque following the conquest of Constantinople by the Muslim Ottomans in 1453 with minarets built to flank its magnificent basilica. It became a secular museum in a key reform of the new post-Ottoman Turkish authorities under Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in the 1930s, making the Hagia Sophia universal heritage for peoples of all faiths. But critics have long accused the ruling Islamic-rooted Justice and Development Party (AKP) of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of harbouring a hidden agenda to turn the Hagia Sophia back into a mosque as a symbol of Turkey's status as a majority Muslim nation. Last year, a Muslim cleric recited the Koran in the Hagia Sophia for the first time in 85 years to mark the opening of an exhibition. But this Ramadan the Turkish authorities have gone a step further, with the state TV religion channel Diyanet TV broadcasting every day of the month the Koran recitation by a different senior Turkish cleric, the most extensive use of the building for religious purposes since it became a museum. The recitation takes place at the time of suhur, the pre-dawn meal consumed by Muslims as they prepare for a day of fasting, hours before the thousands of tourists who sweep through the Hagia Sophia daily begin queueing outside the turnstiles. 'Lack of respect' The recitation, broadcast live on Diyanet TV, aroused a furious reaction from Greece, which for years has warily eyed what Athens sees a creeping Islamisation of the building. "This kind of obsession bordering on bigotry for holding Muslim ceremonies in a monument that belongs to the patrimony of humanity is incomprehensible and shows a lack of respect and contact with reality," Greeces ministry of foreign affairs said in a statement. Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias said he had written to the UN's cultural heritage agency UNESCO to complain about its use. US State Department spokesman Mark Toner said Washington "would encourage the Turkish government to preserve the Hagia Sophia in a way that respects its traditions and its complex history." But in a spiteful diplomatic row, Turkey's foreign affairs spokesman Tanju Bilgic said Greece's statement was "unacceptable" and said Athens should look more closely at its own record on religious freedoms. He said Greece has not given permission for the construction of a mosque in Athens for years, violated the religious freedoms of its remaining Muslim minority and "mistakes being against Islam for being modern." Some Turkish officials including a recent culture minister have voiced a desire to see the Hagia Sophia become a mosque again but this has never been an official policy. 'Why another mosque?' Erdogan had already caused some shudders when on 29 May he led a ceremony attended by hundreds of thousands complete with a aerobatic stunt display to celebrate the conquest of Constantinople. Both sides may want to keep the dispute in check however, given the relatively robust relations between Turkey's AKP government and Greek Premier Alexis Tsipras, particularly on the migration crisis. Turkey has also pleased Greece in recent years by offering greater respect for Orthodox traditions, including this year allowing Epiphany Day to be celebrated in the Aegean city of Izmir for the first time in over nine decades. But critics also point to a 13th century Byzantine church in the Black Sea city of Trabzon which was turned into a mosque in the sixteenth century and then became a museum in the 1960s. After a lengthy legal battle, Turkey's religious affairs authority took repossession of the building confusingly also called Hagia Sophia and in 2013 it was reopened again to Muslim believers. It is now the subject of restoration works which have raised concern about its Byzantine frescos. "As there are already three mosques in the area, why has the Hagia Sophia church also been turned into a mosque instead of being preserved as a historic monument?" asked Garo Paylan, MP for the opposition Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP). The story of Nivedita Joshi has been part of the Indian Yoga legend for quite some time now. However, what makes it inspirational even today is the fact that she is the perfect example of how the ancient Indian healing wisdom of yoga can bring back a person to full vitality, who had been bed-ridden and invalid for eight long years due to slip disc cervical spondylosis and had been given up by the cream of the global medical fraternity. Joshi, a microbiologist and an ardent disciple of noted yoga guru Padma Vibhushan BKS Iyengar, after recovering from her ailment at his Pune ashram, decided to dedicate herself to teaching yoga. Her institute, Yogakshema in Delhi, is the only one accredited by Iyengar Yoga Centre, where she follows the principles of her Guruji. As the need for daily yoga practice was underscored with the celebration of the International Day of Yoga on Tuesday, 21 June, Firstpost caught up with Joshi at her yoga centre. Excerpts from the interview: The world celebrated the second International Day of Yoga on Tuesday, for which credit goes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had outlined the vision in 2014 at the UN General Assembly. Has the initiative paid off? Of course, its a very good effort and India has been successful in giving a positive message to the world about yoga. Who would tell the world about this ancient practice, if not India? Yoga took birth in this country only. Had not India taken this initiative, some day we would have seen some other country taking a patent on yoga! What does this often said statement yoga is not just about fitness but its a way of life mean? In fact, what we see the asans, the physical form of exercises, etc are by-products of yoga. The main product or the ultimate goal of yoga is self-realisation. Soul resides in a body and by practising yoga, you prepare your body for a higher goal in life. Yoga has become a generic term and people use it in common parlance to describe yoga asans and pranayams as yoga. What is the difference? There is a misunderstanding about yoga. Yoga means union of the soul with the Supreme Being (Atma with Parmatma). There are eight organs of yoga as enumerated by the greatest exponent of this science, sage Patanjali in his Yoga Sutra thousands of years ago Yama (universal morality), Niyama (personal observances), Asanas (body postures), Pranayam (control of life - Prana - through breathing exercises), Pratyahara (control of senses), Dharana (concentration by cultivating inner perceptual awareness), Dhyana (meditation through devotion) and Samadhi (union with the Divine). In India, Yama and Niyama are a part of our life and we grow up learning these. Pranayam is not just a breathing exercise. Yoga is a holistic system and not just about physical and breathing exercises. To master yoga, one needs to graduate step-by-step to reach the ultimate eighth step. Can practice of yoga make life better, especially when people are highly stressed including school-going children due to various factors, and suffer from life-style diseases? I would quote Patanjali, who in the 16th sutra of the second chapter said, Even if a person of lowest level practices Kriya yoga, benefits will come to him. Yoga acts both as preventive and curative, and if a patient, who is non-curable, will sail through by practicing yoga. In todays atmosphere, if one practices yoga regularly, one is bound to be benefited both physically and mentally. Guruji said, "Yoga teaches us to cure what need not be endured, and endure what cant be cured." People have been found to be advising every other person to do yoga or pranayam, especially when that person suffers from an ailment. Is it so easy or does it require specialised treatment through yoga based on medical findings? It is wrong to advise any patient to do yoga in a generic manner. In a medical case, we need to know which asan will be the right one for a particular patient, timing, duration of doing a particular asan and in a specific order (sequencing). Its a holistic process and only after following it, one gets result. Just reading about asans and doing them is dangerous. Similarly, people also advise others to do meditation to get rid of tension and stress. Whats your take on this? Its again a myth. Meditation is a state of mind and it just cant be attained by sitting silently with closed eyes. Sitting in silence doesnt mean meditation. Thinking is also silent talking. It needs a lot of hard work and practice to reach the stage of meditation. How can you even concentrate, if your body is not prepared to sit comfortably for a period of time and feels uneasy? Here the eight organs of Patanjali matter. Unfortunately, the word meditation has become a common jargon. A lot of politics happened around yoga, especially when the NDA government started propagating it in a big way during the first International Yoga Day in 2015. Is yoga restricted to Hindus alone or does it have any Hindutva element? Can a non-religious, non-spiritual person or one from any other faith practice yoga? There is a small group that criticises yoga due to vested interests vis-a-vis the large following it has. This is a common human trait, whenever something gains popularity, criticism becomes a part of it. Without knowing yoga and tasting its fruits, some people try to create a negative perception. Had yoga not been of such importance, the UN General Assembly wouldnt have endorsed it as an International Day. And the practice of yoga has nothing to do with any particular religion. Doesnt a non-Hindu suffer from ailments or mental stress? Doesnt one like to live a happy and healthy life? Branding yoga as a Hindutva element is wrong, though its a fact that it was codified by sage Patanjali into 196 Sutras, based on Lord Brahmas concept. Anyone who wants to live a healthy and good life can practice yoga. Had it not been the case, people from the West wouldnt have been gaga over it. Can yoga be helpful in de-addiction given the fact that there is a tremendous rise in consumption of alcohol and drugs even among teenagers in our country? It has been proven time and again through medical research and the results are in public domain. Medical research in the US shows that drug addict teenagers, who were treated with medicines and yoga responded much better and permanently than those who took only medicines. If children in India are properly exposed to yoga in schools, there would be a decline in addictions and negative emotions like anger, hatred, jealousy, etc. Because, yoga helps one to systematically get rid of it, as Patanjali said yoga purifies the mind and brings contentment. What is the specialty of Iyengar school of yoga, which you follow in your institution? Guruji (Yogacharya BKS Iyengar) without diluting the yoga sutras, improvised and simplified the asans. Keeping in mind the physical conditions of medically ill people, who cant perform exercises, he invented props and equipment, and became the first one to do so. Like in my case, my limbs couldnt work, but I was made to do asans through improvised methods. Instead of performing Trikonasan on standing posture, Guruji improvised it on a lying posture. Effects are the same in both the methods. Do terms like power yoga, hot yoga, soft Hatha yoga, etc really exist in our yogic practice? Its absurd and a joke. Yoga itself is powerful as it unifies soul with the Supreme, consciousness with super-consciousness. So why prefix power or hot? Is the western world more aware and takes initiative in the practice of yoga compared to India? In the west, they use yoga for physical fitness not for spiritual fulfillment. But they are aware of the benefits of yoga. For Indians, yoga is a medium that unites the cells of soul and cells of skin with the higher state of cosmic energy. Are you working on any book, besides teaching yoga? I already have a book Yogikasparsh for visually-challenged students in Braille for teaching yoga. This manual was prepared along with 11 scientists from IIT using tactile technology. Ill start working on a new book after I get back to India from a two-month educational and training tour. New Delhi: The AAP on Tuesday took out a candle march at Jantar Mantar to protest against the killing of NDMC estate officer MM 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 16 May, 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. Mumbai: Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil alleged on Tuesday 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 in Mumbai on Monday 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 on Tuesday. The decision to go to Chandigarh is "political", Vikhe Patil said, adding, "Modi should have come to Marathwada instead." New Delhi: Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Wednesday took a dig at the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for giving out the news of sending a notice to a firm linked to her husband Robert Vadra in connection with its probe into alleged money laundering in a land deal in Rajasthan's Bikaner district. "Apparently, we have received it at 4 pm Wednesday but you received it before us," Priyanka told reporters here. A notice has been issued to the firm M/s Skylight Hospitality under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) seeking certain financial statements and other documents, official sources said. Earlier on Wednesday, the ED had issued a notice to a firm linked to Robert Vadra, son-in-law of Congress President Sonia Gandhi, in connection with its probe into alleged money laundering in a land deal in Rajasthan's Bikaner district. Official sources said the notice has been issued to the firm Ms Skylight Hospitality under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The company has been asked to submit certain financial statements and other documents to the Investigating Officer (IO) of the case, the sources said. The ED had conducted extensive searches in this case in Rajasthan and other places last month and had claimed to have seized a number of documents. 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 last year 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 had referred to a firm allegedly linked to Vadra which had purchased some of these Bikaner located lands. 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 last year. Rajasthan government had in January last year 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 charge sheets in the 18 cases in a court in Kolayat last year. Nagpur: NCP on Tuesday 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. 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 has 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 in-charge 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 dependson 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. New Delhi: BJP leader Subramanian Swamy on Wednesday met Home Minister Rajnath Singh, two days after he joined a protest with Lok Sabha member Maheish Girri who was demanding proof from Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on the allegations that he was involved in a murder. Sources said it was an one-on-one meeting and what transpired in the 20-minute discussion was not known immediately. Swamy had recently said that after outgoing RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was his next target. "I was after (Raghuram) Rajan and now he is gone. In this, too, I will tell the government to remove him (Kejriwal). He has been made by the Congress," claimed Swamy. On Monday, Swamy had written a letter to President Pranab Mukherjee requesting his urgent intervention "in the state of affairs in the administration of Delhi." "Although the Constitutional provisions of the so-called state of Delhi are well defined, nevertheless, the Chief Minister is acting in reckless regard of all the Constitutional provisions.There appears to be a complete break-down of any semblance of governance in the NCT of Delhi. The AAP is functioning in a highly arbitrary, unreasonable and mala fide manner," he wrote to the President, seeking his intervention. New Delhi: Tina Dabi, the topper of civil services examination, and Jammu and Kashmir's Athar Aamir Ul Shafi Khan have been given the prestigious Indian Administrative Service (IAS). The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has allocated various services to 902 successful candidates. Of them, 178 have got IAS, 138 Indian Police Service (IPS), 43 Indian Forest Service (IFS) while 543 others have been allocated different Group 'A' & 'B' services. Delhi-based Tina, Khan and Jasmeet Singh Sandhu, also a Delhiite, have been allocated the IAS, the DoPT said. While Tina topped the 2015 civil services examination, Khan and Sandhu secured second and third position respectively. Now, candidates allocated to Group A services can be nominated for Foundation Course at Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) in Mussoorie, it said. The civil services examination is conducted annually in three stages preliminary, main and interview to select candidates for IAS and IPS, among others. One thousand and seventy eight candidates 499 in General category, 314 belonging to Other Backward Classes, 176 from Scheduled Castes and 89 from Scheduled Tribes had qualified in the test result of which was declared on 10 May. There are 172 candidates in the waiting list. Over the course of the recently-concluded presidential primary season much digital ink was spilled over the fact that the candidates just werent, to the eyes of many observers, saying enough about education. Sure, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders sparred over the particulars as they debated the best way to bring down the cost of collegeshould it be tuition free or debt free?but a lot of what we heard was either factually incorrect, buried in platitudes, or simply unhelpful. Especially on one side of the proverbial aisle. There are probably a lot of reasons for this, but one underexplored explanation might be that we have low-information politicians, or LIPs, in our midst. These are like low-information voters (LIVs), who happen to be voters energized to participate in the political process but who are generally not well informed about the issues or the candidates proffering solutions to our social problems. Not that that stops them from voting. When too many low-information voters vote for low-information politicians we end up with low-information government. Obviously thats not good. See, low-information politicians, like their voting counterparts, tend to be cynical, self-centered, vain, superficial characters more interested in winning than they are in doing whats right. When they dont have the information they need to have to take reasonable policy positions on important issues, politicians are likely to do what most of us would do: say as little as possible and try to move on to the next question before offending anybody. (These rules dont apply to Trump, of course; his goal, apparently, is to offend everybody before moving on, especially when he doesnt know enough to take a reasonable position on an issue. Hes a special case.) But theres another way to look at it. Imagine presidential candidates being asked to take a position on how doctors should treat their patients, or how judges should sentence criminals, or how pilots should fly their planes. Imagine, too, that they were expected to propose sweeping reforms to instantiate their prerogatives. Sounds a little ridiculous, doesnt it? We tend to assume reflexively that doctors, lawyers, and pilots dont need the president to tell them how to do their jobs. Theyre professionals, right? They should know how to do them. Not teachers. We tend to think that everyone has a valid opinion on education, up to and including people who are running for president, but I cant think of another class of people that is less attuned to the day-to-day challenges of teaching than presidential candidates are. In the first place, presidential candidates tend to be oldtheir last experience in school was probably ages ago. In the second place, theyre almost always men, while most teachers are women. And, finally, if they even have children its increasingly unlikely that those children ever spent any time in a public school classroom, and even less likely that the candidate ever attended a PTA meeting, a parent-teacher conference, or a bake sale. The last president to send his kid to a public school while he was president was Jimmy Carter, who left office when I was 6. That tells you how rare it is. The point is that maybe we shouldnt be asking people who cant fully grasp the work educators do to provide detailed policy solutions to the problems educators face. The job of the government, where education is concerned, is to provide physical and financial resources to ensure that every child gets a chance at a quality education. Thats more than enough responsibility right there. In other words, I think it would make sense to acknowledge that the people running for president (and for other public offices) probably know a lot less about education than they think they do. That, of course, isnt going to stop them from expressing their opinions and passing laws about it. But it does reiterate the point that teachers and other education professionals would be in a much stronger position to advocate for the things that matter if they spoke with a more unified sense of purpose about educational issues. Traditionally, the role of teachers unions has been to organize those efforts, to speak on behalf of teachers, at least, and therefore try to influence the way education policies are shaped and framed. Is that still working for most teachers? Im not prepared to say it is or isnt, one way or the other, but I do wonder about the efficacy of applying a 19th- and 20th-century labor model to the work of teaching in the 21st century. I want to see teaching become more agile and flexible as a profession. Im not sure if traditional unions enable us to do that or not. The larger point is that we have to fight on the terrain that exists, not the terrain as we wish it existed. The people who have clamored to reform education in the past forty years have done it by extolling choice, by playing to peoples economic and racial fears, and by criticizing public schools as government schools. The answer to that has been largely to double down on traditional ways of doing things, which makes teachers seem out of touch and even tone deaf to a lot of people outside of education. That is, at least, to people who shape public opinion and make decisions about the policies well pursue. If weve lost the ability to influence them, then there isnt much reason to think we can turn the tide of reform in a positive direction. And that should bring teachers back to the thing they know best: educating people. How well do local representatives, state bureaucrats, and school board members really understand the work that happens in schools everyday? We need to do a better job of educating our low-information politicians (and maybe our low-information voting neighbors) about what education is actually good for. The point of public school is to help immature people make the transition to becoming thoughtful adults ready to engage in social life and the political process. The skills and dispositions people need to do that overlap in some ways with the generic job-oriented skills we want them to have, but not always. They include learning how to make a good decision when confronted with conflicting information and how to make the right decision when confronted with a moral choice. They include understanding why rules exist, but also when and why they should be resisted. They include being responsible to the people you work with by showing up to work on time, but also being responsible to everyone else by showing up to vote and doing your homework before you do. I think we need to bring our low-information politicians back to school. Lets help them understand what public schools are actually for. Otherwise well just keep getting LIP service, and we could definitely do without that. London: A record number of voters have registered for Britain's EU membership referendum on Thursday with 46.5 million people signed up to cast their ballots, the body overseeing the vote said. "The provisional size of the UK and Gibraltar electorate indicates a UK record of 46,499,537," the Electoral Commission said in a statement on Tuesday. The previous record was in last year's general election when the number was 46,354,197. As with British parliamentary elections, Irish citizens living in Britain a population estimated at around 500,000 people are allowed to vote. Commonwealth citizens, including nationals of European Union member states Cyprus and Malta, can also vote. The commission said 24,117 people had registered in Gibraltar. The deadline for registering was 7 June but this was extended by two days after a rush of last-minute sign-ups caused the official registration website to crash. Around 132,000 of the 525,000 people who did successfully register on 7 June were aged under 25, compared to around 13,000 from the 65 to 74 age group. Opinion polls have shown a clear generational divide, with younger voters more in favour of staying in the EU while older voters tend to favour a Brexit. Younger people are also traditionally seen as less likely to vote, meaning that high registration numbers could favour the "Remain" side. Damascus: Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Wednesday named electricity minister Imad Khamis as the new prime minister of the war-ravaged country. Assad tasked Khamis with forming a new government, the official news agency SANA reported. He is to submit his proposal for new ministerial appointments in the coming days. The 54-year-old engineer replaces Wael al-Halqi who had held the post since August 2012. The changes come two months after Assad's Baath party and its allies won a majority of seats in parliamentary elections dismissed internationally as a sham. Khamis had served as Syria's minister of electricity since 2011 and is an electrical engineer by trade. Since March 2012, he has been sanctioned by the European Union, which accuses him of sharing "responsibility for the regime's violent repression against the civilian population." Syria's conflict began in 2011 with widespread protests demanding reform but has since escalated into a bloody civil war that has left 280,000 people dead. According to the government, production of electricity has more than halved since the beginning of the crisis. PARIS France's government said on Wednesday that trade unions could hold a protest march in Paris after earlier telling police to ban the demonstration, reversing course under fire from union bosses and dissenters in the ruling Socialist Party. Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said he had personally ordered the ban but then decided to allow Thursday's protest against plans to loosen labour laws after an emergency meeting with the unions. "No violence will be tolerated," said Cazeneuve. The ban would have been the first outlawing of a union-organised demonstration since 1962. Violence on the fringes of recent protests has stretched a police force already challenged by the demands of a state of emergency in place since Islamist militant attacks on Paris last November and fan violence during the Euro 2016 tournament. The initial decision to ban the march sparked instant condemnation from lawmakers across the political divide and stirred tensions within the deeply divided Socialist Party. Philippe Martinez, leader of the hardline CGT union, claimed "a victory for unions" and sought to press home the advantage with a call for direct talks with Hollande over the government's plans to make it easier to hire and fire workers. "The president has no other choice but to meet with the unions, and quickly," Martinez told a news conference. Trade unions say the proposed reforms would erode the rights of workers and want the draft bill scrapped, while the government says it is key to tackling unemployment which is running at 10 percent. Hollande and his government are standing firm against union demands, even though opinion polls show he is France's most unpopular leader in decades. "We will press on with this bill ... and it will be adopted because it is in the country's interest," Prime Minister Manuel Valls told lawmakers. But Frederic Dabi of pollster Ifop said Wednesday's compromise over the protest could spur hopes for a broader agreement on the draft law which is currently being debated in the Senate. "French voters don't like the law but they also want this to be over with. They consider the government and the unions are both responsible for the stalemate," Dabi said, adding the government U-turn on the ban showed how tense the situation was. Cazeneuve authorised a 1.5 km (1 mile) loop around a waterway at the foot of the Place de la Bastille square. A police union official said ensuring security would be manageable as long as officers had the authority to arrest known troublemakers on sight and to usher crowds out of the area once they had completed the circuit. Karine Berger, a Socialist lawmaker who has been critical of the government's policies, said on Twitter: "We're back to what French democracy should be like." Backbench lawmaker Christian Paul had earlier said Valls was making "a historical mistake" with the ban, highlighting the rifts within the Socialist Party year ahead of presidential and legislative elections. The last union-organised protest march to be banned in France -- against the war in Algeria -- was in 1962. The ban was defied, leading to clashes with police in which nine people died, eight of them CGT members. (Additional reporting by Richard Lough, Simon Carraud, Gerard Bon and Emile Picy; Writing by Richard Lough and Brian Love; Editing by Catherine Evans) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. CA Lawmakers May Redefine Rape After Stanford Sex Assault Case California's definition or rape could change thanks to the recent case of Brock Turner, sometimes referred to in the media as "The Stanford Rape Case." But that is technically a misnomer, as Turner was not charged with or convicted of rape. Rather, he was convicted of three counts of sexual assault and what he did was not rape under California law. That's one reason why lawmakers are talking about changing the definition of rape in this state, according to CBS News in Sacramento. Let's consider the issue. The Stanford Sexual Assault Last month, Brock Turner was sentenced to six months in jail and three years on probation for assaulting a woman passed out on the Stanford University campus. He was convicted of three counts of sexual assault (including with intent to commit rape). Turner penetrated the woman with a finger, without her consent, which in some states and under federal law can be rape but is not in California. The FBI defines rape as "penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim." But California defines rape as and "an act of sexual intercourse" so what Turner did was not rape in this state, although it might have been elsewhere. What's In a Word? Now California lawmakers who feel Turner was not severely enough punished for his crime want to change the definition of rape. "I'm upset, I'm angry," said Assemblyman Mike Gatto, who says Turner should have had a much more severe sentence and that he is acting on behalf of victims. But there is some question about whether Gatto's approach will make a difference. Does changing definitions really help victims, as the lawmaker claims? What is the appropriate approach to these sexually violent crimes -- after all, there was a time when calling rape by the term sexual assault seemed progressive and positive for victims. Now that is no longer the case and people say rape is the more effective word. The term sexual assault refers to all kinds of unwanted sexual contact, from the mild to the severe. It is a term that, according to Vox, was introduced in the 1960s to replace rape, a word thought to carry too much cultural baggage. Unlike rape, the phrase sexual assault indicates no passion, just serious, unprovoked crime. Under the Umbrella Assemblyman Gatto, along with Assembly members Cristina Garcia and Susan Eggman, propose to expand the California definition of rape to include "more sexually offensive actions under the umbrella of rape," according to CBS News. Gatto says that prosecutors and judges can punish rape suspects more efficiently if the bill passes and that, most importantly, this will help to get justice for the victims. Talk to a Lawyer If you or someone you know has been accused of a crime, don't delay to talk to a defense attorneys. Many criminal defense lawyers consult for free or a minimal fee and will be happy to assess your case. Related Resources: 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. The news reached epidemic proportions a few hours earlier today with journalists calling to ask if I (and many others) now thought that Indian entrepreneurship was dealt a terrible blow with Nikesh Aroras resignation from Softbank. Especially after he got what we like to call a clean chit from an independent body on allegations raised against him. No. One mans resignation letter to his boss does not an Indian start-up disaster make. Keep calm, folks. Lets focus on what the resignation was about. It seems, from reading between the lines on what both parties have said is that the terms of Nikeshs employment had changed. Earlier, he was the heir apparent to Masayashi Son at Softbank. Id assume there was a clear agreement on a timetable to the ascension and coronation. But then there was a hue and cry about financial irregularities and bad judgment calls that the Softbank board had to investigate given its a public company and all. And the investigation came back with an all clear on the financial irregularities part. So theres no integrity issue. As far as the other issue bad judgment calls go, I assume the Softbank India portfolio hasnt been doing well lately. Now, a 18-month track record isnt enough to judge an investor. Sometimes funds do come in at the top of the market only to see the whole market fall away from beneath their feet. That could be luck, or it could be a bad thesis. You probably should see how someone does over 10 years before judging them as a VC. And Nikesh Arora had not even spent two years as one. (Not that this stopped The Times Of India and Economic Times from giving him some random 'Investor of the Year' and 'Indian of the Year' type of awards.) Nevertheless, that red on the portfolio mark-to-market could have spooked some impatient board members. So then perhaps the Chairman decided that his heir-apparent needed a lot more time 5 or 10 years or more - in waiting before gaining the throne. Which may have come as a breach of contract to our man Nikesh, and who then probably decided that he didn't want to take more of this scrutiny for this length of time, and decided to move on. This isn't an indictment of India and its startups. Its a guy resigning from a job. Thats all. Sure, it was a highly paid job. His reported annual salary was more than what many Indian funds invest over 10 years in startups. But so what. And he may have made a few bad calls. But so what, we all have made many of those. In this case specifically, he came to India with a $2 billion war chest and sprayed the money across a few companies. The portfolio comprises hugely-funded, and perhaps even over-funded start-ups and theyre not all shining stars right now. Ola has seen Uber catch up with it and start to slowly draw ahead. Oyo went through a ridiculous non-merger with Zo Rooms and has faced flak that it puts out Ponzi accounting numbers. Snapdeal and the other Indian e-com giants have faced downward valuation pressures. Housing.com, well, the less said the better. And InMobi aint what it used to be. So Im assuming the pink of health that the Softbank India portfolio displayed just 6 months ago is less pink and more red these days. But that doesnt mean the India story is dead. Quite the contrary. Sure, we hit Peak Valuations last year. And Flipkart is trying desperately not to take that 50% haircut from its $15 billion value last year. But thats not because theres anything wrong with India. Its just because these firms were wrongly and ridiculously over-valued in the first place. Softbank was one of the folks who graciously threw large truckloads of money at our me-too businesses. But they werent alone. Tiger did that. So did Accel. And Sequoia. And Alibaba. And J P Morgan. And dozens of other funds. Theyre all writing down valuations. And thats the right thing to do. Because the numbers will go up again, over time, with actual user growth and actual profit growth. At which point valuations will go up again. Our GDP is growing strongly, despite some belief that the governments quoted numbers have as much credibility as Oyos quoted revenues. More entrepreneurs are being created every day. More people buy online. More people have credit cards. More e-governance is happening. More angels are backing businesses. The genies out of the bottle. Its not going back in. So whats the difference now? Sure, we have fewer of what we call the Bangalore model companies whose modus operandi was copy-paste from US, get big funding, and do bigger topi. And we have more of reality and rationality in startups now. And more real innovation happening. Were seeing companies come up in sectors other than motorbike-based delivery, or as we call it, food tech. Were seeing more older entrepreneurs, and more younger ones. And more female entrepreneurs. Investors are actually talking about firms going public. Earlier they just depended on the circular you-give-my-investee-a-3X-on-series-B-i-will-give-yours-the same. Now theyre actually looking for real exits. This de-horning of our unicorns is a good thing. Its never healthy to live under a delusion. It may take another boom-and-bust cycle for the get-rich-quick mentality to go away and for us to get back to the more viable get rich slow. But its happening. This de-valuation is sour medicine we have to take, to bring us back to our senses. And its making us healthier. Back to Mr. Arora So what of the chest-beating and wailing over the loss of an invaluable supporter of the Indian startup scene. Well, some of that was understandably from the overfunded ones. They would say that, wouldn't they? The easy mark and the easy money has perhaps gone away. Hard work actually has to be done now perhaps. But Nikesh is unlikely to do badly from this. His last salary was somewhere in the Rs. 100 crore a month range, and hell land on his feet. Hes an accomplished professional, and hell do well wherever he lands next. And hopefully he doesnt need to wait another 5 years like Softbanks Son wanted him to, to become a big boss himself. The balls not in his court. Its in ours. These cycles happen. I guess our steel and infrastructure companies saw that happening too, under Raghuram Rajans watch. The funny money has gone. Its time to work truer. And to work harder. That's all. Oh yes, and to keep calm about it all. (This article was first published on LinkedIn . Mahesh Murthy is a commentator, investor and marketer. He tweets @MaheshMurthy) PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. On the morning before the massacre at Orlandos Pulse gay nightclub, shooter Omar Mateen drastically altered his appearance, shaving his head and face, and seemed agitated and surly, said an acquaintance who saw him that day. Mateen also talked about staying up all night to do online research into anti-psychosis medication, the acquaintance said in a interview. The acquaintance requested anonymity, saying authorities had asked him to keep quiet. The 29-year-old gunman, who killed 49 people and wounded 53 in the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history, called himself an "Islamic soldier" and pledged allegiance to the Islamic State militant group before being fatally shot by police after a three-hour siege. The FBI would not comment on the acquaintances remarks, but several senior U.S. sources told Reuters the investigation was moving more toward the belief that Mateen's motives were personal rather than political. "It looks increasingly like this may have been the act of a seriously troubled individual whose personal problems dwarfed any last-minute inspiration from radical groups," said a senior U.S. official familiar with the investigation, speaking on condition of anonymity. Authorities believe Mateen, a U.S. citizen of Afghan descent, was self-radicalised and acted alone in the rampage. He seems to have been a troubled youth, disciplined dozens of times in school and had his aspirations to become a policeman dashed when he was expelled from the academy. The acquaintance, a resident at the PGA Village in Port St. Lucie, Florida, where Mateen worked as a gate security guard, said he noticed signs of deteriorating behaviour a few weeks before the massacre. He had passed the gate for three years, meeting Mateen several times a week and exchanging friendly small talk. About three weeks before the attack, he noticed Mateen seemed agitated and asked him if he was all right. Mateen said he was worn out from staying up all night to research psychiatric medication, although he did not say he was taking specific drugs. Hed been real worried about whether or not hed slipped into psychosis," the acquaintance said. He wasnt as friendly. He was obsessed with researching medication online. The acquaintance said he thought it was strange that Mateen would confide to him his concerns about his mental health, because they were not very close and he did not know anything about Mateen's personal life, including whether he was married or had children. "The last month, he looked worried, he looked upset, he looked confused," the acquaintance said. "He didnt seem himself." In the early morning, about 18 hours before the June 12 attack, the acquaintance said he drove up to the gate but Mateen was not there to open it as usual. In a couple of minutes, he appeared, silent and with a completely transformed look - a shaved head and face, without his usual short whiskers and glasses. When asked if he was OK, the usually polite Mateen responded: Whats it to you, anyway?" (Additional reporting by Jon Walcott and Mark Hosenball in Washington; Editing by Peter Cooney) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. The business world is currently hooked on to conversations around Nikesh Arora. Many know who Nikesh Arora is. Many dont. But many more would now discover him as one of the three highest salaried executives in the world. There are richer people, but theyre entrepreneurs. When someone is paid close to Rs 500 crore per year in annual remuneration, you simply cant ignore them. Its also only natural for them to go on to become inspirational figures for millions of budding entrepreneurs far beyond the Silicon Valley. However, with heroes come another risk. Admirers dont quite like it when the lives of their heroes take a sudden turn. When things dont quite go the way they are expecting it to. And the wide world out there has a long list of personalities who have been through journeys of all kinds. Recently, we all read the story of Rahul Yadav, the popular founder of Housing.com. And the series of emails that became public. At some point in time, Rahul Yadavs unceremonious exit from Housing was likened and compared to the life of the tech worlds accepted hero Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. The only common factor between them would be a certain element of eccentricity. Nikesh Arora has an impressive resume. But like every important person in the business world, he is known as an ex-Google executive and now as President and COO of Softbank. However, not many would care about the fact that he was on the board of Colgate-Palmolive for two years between 2012 and 2014. He spent a good decade at Google between 2004 and 2014, when resigned as Senior Vice President and Chief Business Officer. Through his career, Arora has held positions such as Chief Marketing Officer at T-Mobile and Fidelity Investments before that. And it helps remind oneself that Softbank isnt a bank after all. Its primarily an internet and telecommunications conglomerate with heavy interests in emerging business through its venture fund. So when Nikesh Arora joined Softbank in 2014, it made global headlines. Given that its portfolio of companies includes names such as Buzzfeed, HuffingtonPost, Oyo Rooms, Ola, Didi, Snapdeal, Housing, Yahoo! and Zynga, it makes sense. Anyone leading a company that includes names such as these with billions invested would garner a noticeable level of public and industry curiosity. The last time we saw a similar surge of interest (though not matching in magnitude), was around Arun Sarin when he was at the helm of affairs at Vodafone. The Indian born IIT Kharagpur alumnus, he also has an impressive resume as a telecom executive through most portions of his career. However, as the CEO of Vodafone, hes known for driving growth in emerging markets, including making inroads into India. Similar to Aroras tenure at Google, Sarin spent nine years at Vodafone. Coincidentally, Sarin is now on the board of Ola. When the government of India celebrated the Startup India initiative in January this year, Masayoshi Son and Nikesh Arora were among the special guests. We love to see professionals scale up to great heights in their respective careers because we love heroes. Men and women alike. But global businesses are founded and driven by personalities as well. Sometimes, these personalities may not be very public figures. We love the successes of Sundar Pichai, Satya Nadella, Shantanu Narayen, Indra Nooyi. As Indians, theyre inspirational stories. But what about Larry Page, Sergei Brin, Bill Gates, John Warnock, Charles Geschke, and other living founders? Theres a certain difference between creators and executors. Founders and CEOs. Sometimes, CEOs hired later could overshadow founders. Sometimes, it also results in differences and clashes. Remember John Sculley? Steve Wozniak may have been the brain behind Apple, but Steve Jobs was the very visible face. John Sculley, the popular Pepsi executive was hired by Jobs, only to be himself axed from Apple by the board influenced by Sculley. Clearly, the world of business is driven by personalities. And steering the course of the business eventually lies with the passionate leader of the respective business. The one who conceived it, the one who incubated that idea when no one else believed in it. In the case of Softbank, one cannot take away from Masayoshi Son, who at one point in time lost up to $70 billion dollars! Hes regarded as a legend, a visionary. His experience is looked up to. His age commands a level of respect. He identified an able and capable individual to steer it and grow Softbank. But then comes a time when paths differ. And its time to set off on a new path. The series of tweets by Nikesh Arora only underscore the admiration and the unspoken rules that the entrepreneurial fraternity abides by. The mutual admiration continues. Its time for each to pursue their own dreams. New chapters. New destinations. And hope that the twain shall meet. 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. Seoul: Nuclear-armed North Korea conducted two back-to-back tests of a powerful new medium-range missile on Wednesday, with both achieving a significant increase in flight distance over previous failed launches, South Korea's Defence Ministry said. Both tests were believed to be of a much-hyped, intermediate-range Musudan missile capable of reaching US bases as far away as Guam. The US State Department strongly condemned the launches, saying they represented clear violations of UN resolutions banning North Korea from any use of ballistic missile technology. The first test shortly before 6 am (2100 GMT Tuesday) was deemed to have failed after reportedly flying around 150 kilometres (90 miles) over the East Sea (Sea of Japan). The South Korean defence ministry said the second Musudan fired from the same east coast location two hours later had flown 400 kilometres. "South Korea and the United States are conducting further analysis," the ministry said in a statement that stopped short of labelling the second test a success or failure. North Korea had previously carried out four failed Musudan tests this year, all of which either exploded on the mobile launch pad or shortly after take-off. A successful test would mark a major step forward for a weapons programme that ultimately aspires to develop a proven nuclear strike capability against the US mainland. US condemnation US State Department spokesman John Kirby said the latest launches would only increase global efforts to counter North Korea's illicit weapons programme. "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". A Pentagon statement said the US military had tracked both missiles and determined they "did not pose a threat to North America". The Musudan 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. First unveiled as an indigenous missile at a military parade in Pyongyang in October 2010, the Musudan has never been fully 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. Military tensions 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. Marijuana Startups Still Face Many Legal Obstacles Marijuana has come to seem like the growth industry to get in on for anyone who can handle a little uncertainty. States are increasingly legalizing cannabis for medical or recreational use, sometimes both, and celebrities are scrambling to establish marijuana brands while the industry is still young. It seems like those who invest in cannabis today could do great financially down the line. But the cannabis business has its own special wrinkles. Even if you believe in weed and want to see marijuana businesses succeed, you need to be aware of some legal issues that continue to threaten the industry, despite its increasing legitimacy. Banking and Finance While cannabis has gained legitimacy and momentum of late, it's still not easy to find banks that will do business with weed growers and sellers. The reason for this is that no matter how many states change their medical marijuana laws, the federal government still considers the drug illegal. Most banks are federally chartered and there are business owners who have run into trouble with banking institutions due to the contradictions between federal and state law. For example, Andy Joseph of Apeks Supercritical in Ohio -- a company that makes equipment for the marijuana industry -- said that he has had trouble with financial institutions before. Joseph says that his company's accounts have been twice frozen due to conflicting financial regulations. "It's a giant pain in the butt," he complains. Balancing the Scales Justin P. Breidenbach, an assistant professor of accounting at Ohio Wesleyan University who specializes in the marijuana industry, said cannabiznesses should prepare for banking obstacles. In September, Ohio will become the 25th state to legalize medical marijuana. Although Ohio's new law makes allowances for local businesses to operate legitimately and pay employees, the many federally chartered banks will still have to be avoided. Small, hometown banks and credit unions will be the better option, says Breidenbach. He believes in weed as a growth industry and does not consider the obstacles cannabiznesses face prohibitive. The professor told The Columbus Dispatch that opportunities abound and that marijuana is a promising area of growth, despite potential problems with federal institutions. "Advocates think this is going to be a great market because of population size," he said. Talk to a Lawyer If you are in the marijuana businesses or considering investing in a cannabiz, talk to a lawyer. Many attorneys consult for free or a minimal fee and will be happy to provide guidance. Follow FindLaw for Consumers on Google+. Related Resources: Islamabad: 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. Beijing: President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tashkent beginning on Thursday during which India is expected to seek China's support for membership of the NSG. "We will release relevant information in due course," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said on Wednesday. The spokesperson said the two leaders would be meeting on the sidelines of the SCO summit in the capital city of Uzbekistan. During his meeting with Xi, Modi is expected to seek China's support for India's bid for membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group, which Beijing is keen on blocking. Hua, however, refuted perception that China is blocking India's entry into the NSG. "With regard to India's entry into NSG, I would like correct that the word China blocking India's membership is not proper," she said. "The word 'blocking' is not proper. In the NSG agenda we have never seen the topic of non-NPT countries entry. So it does not make sense to say we block the entry," she said. "As all of us can see all the countries are concerned about this issue and various issues relating to non-NPT countries entry into the NSG has been discussed through friends of chair presided over by the Chair of the NSG," she said. "We hope that relevant discussion will keep going and Chinese side will take constructive part in the discussion," she said. AMMAN 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) This story has not been edited by Firstpost staff and is generated by auto-feed. Beijing: Accusing the US of playing "extremely destructive role" by wading into the South China Sea dispute, a flagship Chinese daily on Wednesday said Washington has "chosen a wrong opponent" to make forays into the region and Beijing will not let Washington "have its way". "Conveying a so-called message about security through the exhibition of military might and furthermore describing the events as an act of deterrence is something that the US has done far too many times," the ruling Communist Party's official mouthpiece People's Daily said in a commentary. "Regardless of how many times it may have gone smoothly in other parts of the world the US has chosen the wrong opponent by selecting China for this type of game. Behind all of this is lack of patience and brassy moves and it also reveals a nature of hegemony beneath the surface," it said. "Statements from high ranking officials in the US military as well as the aircraft carrier drills themselves once again demonstrate that the US is definitely not a regional security safeguard, and instead precisely a trouble maker. In the regard of the South China Sea issue, the US is playing an extremely destructive role," it said. "China will continue to maintain strict supervision of the sea area conditions and will take appropriate measures should there be any incidences, and defend against the occurrence of situations that harm Chinese territorial sovereignty or security benefits," it said. China will not let other countries have their way with their temper or to act arbitrarily regardless of the rules in the regard of South China Sea stability, it warned. China is locked up in a maritime dispute with Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan over the South China Sea. The resource-rich South China Sea is the main maritime link between the Pacific and Indian ocean, giving it enormous trade and military value. The sea connects East Asia with Europe and the Middle East and over $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes through the sea annually. Beijing is concerned over US backing the smaller states to challenge China to assert their rights. "The United States is a country outside the territory of the South China Sea, coming from one side of the Pacific Ocean all the way to the other side of the Pacific Ocean to demonstrate their military power is for the purpose of intensifying the situation and to provoke disturbances and break peaceful stability and then to fish in troubled water and make an effort to maintain hegemony thereat at all costs. "This deceitful business is despised in the regard of international law, and it is also harmful to the security benefits of the country," it said. digital and print publisher. digital and print publisher. We are Americas largest We are Americas largest The brands you love. The experiences you want. Queens Teacher Abused by Students Settles Claims for $125,000 You know a school is tough when the teachers complain about bullying and are terrified of the students. Kathy Perez said that is how it was in two Queens schools where she worked. Now she has settled a claim with the New York City Law Department for $125,000. The claims against the state's Department of Education stem from incidents with her students, both of which landed Perez in the hospital with injuries. The teacher says that her teenage students in Queens harassed her sexually and racially in addition to causing her physical injury. School Slept on Complaints Perez told the New York Post that she was twice taken out of her classroom by medics on a stretcher. Still, she said that school officials did nothing to address her complaints about student behavior. "These kids knew they could beat on me all they wanted, and the administration would tacitly encourage it by not doing anything about it," Perez said. "In no other workplace would I be expected to take this as part of my day." One of the two schools that Perez was placed in, MS 72, reportedly has known bullying and discipline problems and low student achievement. Although Perez made numerous reports about student behavior, her lawsuits stem from two major incidents. Dangerous Environment In one incident Perez was chased around the classroom by teenage students who trampled her. In the other major event a girl shoved the teacher to the floor. Both times Perez says she was removed from the classroom on a stretcher by emergency medical personnel. Apart from the two major incidents that led to serious injuries and multiple surgeries, Perez made multiple reports of harassment by students. She said that they called her by racist names and accused her of being a racist, among other claims. Although school officials said that they did discipline children who misbehaved in the classroom and who were rude to the teacher, Perez said school officials never addressed the complaints with her and even warned the teacher about her behavior. The teacher's claims were settled with the City Law Department in April and the resolution was reported by the New York Post this month. Injured? If you, like Kathy Perez, were injured at work or elsewhere, talk to a lawyer. Tell your story and find out your options. Many personal injury attorneys consult for free or a minimal fee and will be happy to assess your case. Related Resources: Funeral Protest Laws When the Westboro Baptist Church will picket the funerals of U.S. servicemembers because it believes those soldiers were punished for a government that recognizes the civil rights of gay, lesbian, and transgender Americans, it shouldn't be shocking to learn they plan to protest the funerals of victims of the nation's worst mass shooting that happened earlier this month at a gay nightclub in Orlando. What may be surprising, in a good way, was how effective a counter-protest of "angels" was in silencing the WBC. You might think it would just be easier to ban funeral protestors entirely, but even groups like the WBC had First Amendment rights. Here's how those rights are restricted when protesting a funeral. Content Back in 2011, the Supreme Court upheld the WBC's right to protest funerals on free speech grounds. In that case, the father of a Marine killed in Iraq sued the church, claiming the protest at his son's funeral constituted harassment and intentional infliction of emotional distress. While a jury initially awarded him $10.9 million, the award was overturned on appeal. And the Supreme Court agreed, saying the protests deserved First Amendment protection because they were statements on matters of public concern: The "content" of Westboro's signs plainly relates to public, rather than private, matters. The placards highlighted issues of public import -- the political and moral conduct of the United States and its citizens, the fate of the Nation, homosexuality in the military, and scandals involving the Catholic clergy -- and Westboro conveyed its views on those issues in a manner designed to reach as broad a public audience as possible. Time and Place But it wasn't a total victory for Westboro Baptist. Even if the government can't restrict the content of funeral protests, it can put reasonable restrictions on the time, place, and manner of the protests. Therefore, state laws prohibiting protests from being closer than 300 feet of a funeral have been upheld. The nation may have "chosen to protect even hurtful speech on public issues to ensure that public debate is not stifled," but that doesn't mean local governments can't tell protestors like the WBC where and when to spew that hurtful speech. If you have more questions about local protest laws or the First Amendment, contact an experienced civil rights attorney in your area. Related Resources: Microsoft if finally foraying into mobile wallets club. The company has introduced tap-to-pay with Microsoft Wallet to Windows Insiders (build 14360 or higher). The Wallet app for Windows 10 Mobile is available for Windows Insiders and those who are on the Fast Ring for updates. It is compatible with Lumia 950, 950 XL, and 650 smartphones in the US. Microsoft said that the service supports MasterCard and Visa from eight major banks including Bank of America and three regional credit unions. Chase and US Bank are listed as coming soon. It works at more than 1 million retail locations. Users will also be able to store coupons, loyalty cards, and so on. Similar to Apple Pay and Android Pay, Microsoft Wallet does not store your card number on the device and is encrypted when making purchases. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTP6QGf21Gg Unicode Standard has released the Version 9.0 collection of 72 new emojis on Tuesday, as promised earlier this month. It includes several new Faces, hand gestures, gender pairings, animals, food, drinks, and sports. Just to remind you, the update release doesnt mean that these 72 new emojis will be rolled out to end-users immediately. In fact this is for smartphone companies and so actual rollout by them in public releases depends on these companies. In 2015, Unicode had released the Unicode 8.0 with 37 new emojis plus new skin tone modifier capabilities, which counted as 285 emoji images if each modified emoji was counted. But now in comparison, Unicode 9.0 includes a larger number of new emojis, but no specific new functionality such as gender or hair color attributes. Unicode also notes that amongst the non-emoji updates included in Unicode 9.0 are support for Adlam, Bhaiksuki, Marchen, Newa, Osage and Tangut scripts. httpv://youtu.be/b81S9lWIMnE The veteran design lead for Motorola Mobility, Jim Wicks is leaving the company and heading to Northwestern Universitys McCormick School of Engineering next month. Now, Wicks position will be replaced by another Lenovo executive, Ruben Castano. Wicks spent 15 years at Motorola since 2001 and out of which he headed Design for over 12 years. He was the brain behind Moto RAZR, Moto G, Moto X and Moto 360 etc. He worked with Sony and Sapient before that. Chairman of Motorola Mobility and Co-President of Lenovos Mobile Business Group, Aymar de Lencquesaing, said : We greatly appreciate Jims contributions in leading a consumer experience design team that delivered standout, iconic, and award-winning industrial design and user experiences for Motos mobile and wearable products. Lencquesaing further added: To move us forward, we have an ideal leader on board, Ruben Castano, who will continue our design teams success. Ruben Castano joined Motorola back in October of 2005 as Design Manager in Chicago. He moved up to Design Director in July of 2008 for Motorola in China and later moved back to Chicago as Senior Design Director in 2012. But now he works at Motorola Sao Paulo unit as Senior Design Director since 2014. Image source: Pinterest He said that now that the rainy season has started it is essential for paddy farmers to plough their paddy fields so that they can plant their rice in time, but the farmers have been facing difficulties ploughing as their cattle are suffering from foot-and-mouth-disease. The Maungdaw Township farmers are totally dependent on their cattle as they have no tractors. But, in Natala Villages (model Buddhist villages set up by the Ministry of Border Affairs) the government has provided some tractors, said Samir,a local villager. A former school teacher from Maungdaw South said that the villagers are still hoping that the government will help them to get treatment for their cattle. But, until now, no veterinarians have come to the area. He said that they should come to carry out surveys of the area and collect samples from animals to determine what strain of foot-and-mouth it is and whether it is a seasonal outbreak or whether it has come from abroad. A farmer from Maung Nama Village has also sent a request to the relevant authorities asking them to send a team of veterinarians to the village to treat the cattle. Foot-and-mouth is a livestock disease caused by a virus called a picornavirus which is highly contagious and spread by droplets in the animals breath, through contact with contaminated farming equipment, vehicles, clothing, or feed, and by domestic and wild predators. To stop it from spreading to other areas, villagers are prohibiting people from moving their cattle and informing people not to eat meat from animals that have died, said a veterinarian from Maungdaw Town. Jamal, a villager said: We must separate the sick animals to control the spread of the disease. The outbreak occurred a week ago in Maungdaw Township, but has not killed any cattle or goats. He also said that the families and villagers in Maungdaw Township do not feed their cattle on farms but let them graze naturally. Generally, in Burma foot-and-mouth outbreaks are one of three types: Serotype O, Serotype Asia 1 and Serotype A. In 2010 there was an outbreak of Serotype A in Arakan State, close to the border with Bangladesh. Edited in English by Mark Inkey for BNI We know some visitors come to the website because a domain name leads them to here. If you are interested in buying California voters are getting ready to vote on whether or not marijuana should be legalized for recreational use and one local chef is hoping to capitalize on his new cannabis-infused gourmet meals. I do cannabis-infused fine dining and to me its like how a glass of wine can be paired with a dinner, Chris Sayegh, CEO of The Herbal Chef tells FOXBusiness.com. Sayegh, 24, is leading the way with his tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD)--which are the two main ingredients found in a marijuana plant--filled dishes for private events and banquets across Los Angeles for $300 to $500 per person. I have had everyone from a two person anniversary dinner to a 50 person corporate gathering where it was a public launching of a company and honestly everybody in between, he adds. Each person gets an average of 10 milligrams of THC and CBD spread throughout 5 to 15 courses. Its spread out like that, so its a smooth ride. When you have an edible all at once, in 30 minutes its like bam! Youre hit with that intensity. So, this is more of a smooth come up. He also created a frozen line of prepared meals for cancer patients and other people who are battling disease. We have a chemotherapy line, geriatric line, and were coming out with a diabetic line, he adds. We work with patients and built a meal plan that is micro and macro nutrient rich along with their THC and CBD that they would normally get out of cannabis. So we combine that so theyre able to focus on getting better rather than what am I going to eat. Sayegh says the whole idea around his business is to help educate people about the health benefits of marijuana. THC is the active ingredient that gives people the psycho active high whereas CBD is used more for medicinal purposes. CBD is working behind the scenes in your endocannabinoid system making sure that its flowing effectively. When running efficiently, it facilitates energy to all of your major organs which helps your whole body run better. But there are some lows to the business concept especially with the heavy regulations around selling marijuana. Regulations are very difficult. Every county has different rules and regulations. Federally, we all know its still illegal and classified as a schedule 1 drug so technically were all operating federally illegally but through the state were operating in compliance, he adds. Sayegh says he hopes this November things will change when voters head to the polls. Everyone has been very supportive especially when they understood my mission of helping people and educating people about THC and CBD, he says. It really allows people to take the food is medicine approach to a whole new level. General Motors (NYSE:GM) and Ford (NYSE:F) are building the most American-made cars, trucks and SUVs, according to an annual report from American University. GM and Ford dominated the 2016 Kogod Made in America Auto Index, which analyzes how much each vehicle relies on domestic parts. The index, compiled by associate professor Frank DuBois at American Universitys Kogod School of Business, also takes into account research and development, profit margins and labor, among other items. GMs family of midsize crossovers, the Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse and GMC Acadia, topped the list. According to the Kogod index, an estimated 90% of the parts used in the three vehicles originate from the U.S. The crossovers are built at GMs factory in Lansing, Mich. The Ford F-150 is alone in second place at 85%, making it the top pickup truck on the list. Ford makes the F-150 at its Dearborn Truck Plant, which is located near the companys Michigan headquarters. The Chevrolet Corvette (83%) ranked third, and eight other GM vehicles formed a tie for fourth place. The Chevrolet Equinox, Chevrolet Impala, GMC Yukon, Cadillac Escalade, Buick Lacrosse, Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban, and two versions of the Chevrolet Malibu all posted scores of 82.5%. The Auto Index shows that vehicles produced by automakers headquartered in the U.S. rate higher overall, mainly because profit derived from their sale is more likely to return or remain in the United States and a majority of American companies R&D activities are located in the U.S., DuBois said. Among the surprises this year, DuBois noted, the Honda (NYSE:HMC) Accord jumped from 19th last year to fifth place with 81% American content. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (NYSE:FCAU) Jeep Wrangler Unlimited and GMs midsize trucks, the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon, earned scores of 80.5%. The Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro and Cadillac CT6, a new sedan launched for the 2016 model year, also scored well on the Made in America list. The least American-made vehicles include certain models from a large group of import brands: Audi, Honda, Kia, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Infiniti, Subaru, Toyota (NYSE:TM), Lexus and Scion. In addition to the Honda Accord, other non-American cars that heavily use U.S. components are the Honda Pilot (78.5%), Toyota Camry (75%), Toyota Tundra (65%) and Kia Sorento (67.5%). The industry sold a record 17.5 million vehicles in the U.S. last year. Approximately 65% of those vehicles were built domestically, the report said. Image source: Adobe Systems Incorporated. Adobe Systems Incorporatedannounced fiscal second-quarter 2016 results Tuesday after the market close, and the stock is down around 4% in after-hours trading as of this writing. But keeping in mind that shares of the creative-software company touched a fresh 52-week high just ahead of the report, investors shouldn't be disappointed with the performance. Let's take a closer look at how Adobe fared in its latest quarter. Adobe Systems results: The raw numbers Metric Fiscal Q2 2016 Actuals Fiscal Q2 2015 Actuals Growth (YOY) Revenue $1.40 billion $1.16 billion 20.4% GAAP net income $244.1 million $147.5 million 65.5% GAAP earnings per share (diluted) $0.48 $0.29 65.5% DATA SOURCE: ADOBE SYSTEMS INCORPORATED. What happened with Adobe Systems this quarter? Excluding one-time items (including stock-based compensation, amortization of intangibles, and restructuring charges), adjusted (non-GAAP) net income climbed 47.7% year over year, to $357.4 million, or $0.71 per diluted share. Both the top and bottom lines were above the midpoints of Adobe's respective guidance rangesprovided in March, which called for revenue of $1.365 billion to $1.415 billion, GAAP earnings per share of $0.42 to $0.48, and adjusted earnings per share of $0.64 to $0.70. Digital media segment revenue grew 26% year over year, to a company-record $943 million, including a 37% increase in creative revenue, to $755 million. Digital media annualized recurring revenue increased $285 million from last quarter, to $3.41 billion, exiting the quarter, driven by continued strong adoption of both Creative Cloud and Document Cloud. Adobe marketing cloud revenue increased 18% year over year, to $385 million, setting another company record. Cash flow from operations was $489 million. Deferred revenue increased to a company-record $1.68 billion, up from $1.61 billion last quarter. Adobe repurchased 2.2 million shares for $205 million during the quarter, leaving roughly $1.2 billion remaining under its current repurchase authorization. What management had to say "Adobe's cloud solutions are powering digital transformation at the world's biggest brands, educational institutions and government agencies,"Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen said. "Our record revenue reflects our market leadership and the exploding demand for digital experience solutions." Adobe CFO Mark Garrett added: "Record revenue with strong profit and cash flow highlight our second-quarter results. Based on our first-half performance and momentum, we're on track to meet or exceed all of our annual fiscal-year 2016 targets." Looking forward For perspective on those targets, last quarter Adobe increased its goal to achieve digital-media annual recurring revenue of $4 billion exiting fiscal 2016. In addition, Adobe called for full fiscal-year revenue of $5.8 billion, GAAP net income of $2.00 per share, and adjusted net income of $2.80 per share. For the current fiscal third quarter of 2016, Adobe anticipates revenue of $1.42 billion to $1.47 billion, GAAP earnings per share of $0.46 to $0.52, and adjusted EPS of $0.69 to $0.75. In the end, though the market's reaction may not show it in light of Adobe's recent rise, this was an admirable performance as Adobe continues to successfully implement its cloud-based future. With Adobe on track to meet or beat the encouraging guidance it laid out three months ago, I think investors should be more than pleased with where it stands today. The article Adobe Remains on Track for a Solid Year originally appeared on Fool.com. Steve Symington has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Adobe Systems. 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: Flickr user stockmonkeys.com. After initially rejectingOpko Health's kidney disease drug Rayaldee earlier this year because of manufacturing concerns, the FDA approved Rayaldee four months ahead of a new timeline it had set for itself.The approval clears the way for Opko Health to begin selling Rayaldee to chronic kidney disease patients later this year, but investors might want to take a wait-and-see approach before rushing in to buy Opko Health's shares. Tapping a big market The market for Rayaldee is conceivably massive. The drug addressessecondary hyperparathyroidism that's due to vitamin D insufficiencyin patients diagnosed with stage 3 or stage 4 chronic kidney disease (CKD). There are an estimated 9 million Americans who could benefit from Rayaldee treatment. When patients suffer from vitamin D insufficiency, excessive amounts of parathyroid hormone are secreted. If that hormone remains too high for too long, it can lead to calcium and phosphorous being released from bone. In addition to weakening bones, this situation can lead to thecalcification of vascular tissue and renal tissue that can be life-threatening. Between 40% and 60% of stage 3 and stage 4 CKD patients are affected by this condition. In trials, patients taking Rayaldee achieved at least 30% reductions in plasma intact parathyroid hormone versus placebo, and Vitamin D insufficiency was corrected in more than 80% of the patients. For comparison, less than 7% of people who received placebo saw their vitamin D insufficiency corrected. In approving Rayaldee, the FDA gave a go ahead to the first FDA-approved therapy designed to address this condition. Currently, stage 3 and stage 4 CKD patients are treated with high-dose vitamin D supplements with arguable efficacy. Moving in the right direction The approval of Rayaldee is in keeping with Opko Health's mission to become a major player in the treatment of large, under-served patient populations. Opko Health was founded by billionaire healthcare investor Phillip Frost, whose resume includes successfully building Ivax Labs into a major generic drugmaker. Frost sold Ivax Labs to Teva Pharmaceuticalin 2005 for $7.4 billion and served as Teva Pharmaceutical's chairman until stepping down in 2014 to run Opko Health. In addition to Rayaldee, Opko Health also markets the prostate cancer screening test 4Kscore, and it operates a large specialty lab courtesy of its $1.5 billion deal to acquire Bio-Reference Labs in 2015. Opko Health is also on tap to receive royalties and potential sales milestones associated with Tesoro's Varubi, a therapy that can reduce post-chemotherapy nausea. The FDA approved Varubi last fall, but sales in Q1 were less than $1 million. Opko Health's other irons in the fire include a long-lasting human growth hormone it has out-licensed to Pfizer. Phase 3 trial results for use of this human growth hormone in adults are expected later this year, and if they're good, a filing for FDA approval could be on deck shortly thereafter. Patient approach While the acquisition of Bio-reference Labs successfully transformed Opko Health into a $1 billion revenue company that could turn a profit next year, it remains to be seen whether Opko Health's prostate cancer test and its various drugs will be top sellers. The 4Kscore test, for example, has been on the market since 2014, and despite it targeting a massive market for prostate cancer screening, its sales have yet to take off. In Q1, the company didn't bother to break out sales for the test in its earnings release. Similarly, while Varubi targets a billion-dollar opportunity in chemotherapy-induced nausea, its sales during its first full quarter on the market were tepid. Opko Health could have better success with Rayaldee, but that's not a given. Sales may ramp slowly if it proves to be a challenge to convince doctors who are used to prescribing supplements to embrace it. Taking a patient approach to investing in Opko Health may be best. Rather than rushing to buy, it could be worth waiting a few quarters to see if the company's various products gain traction or not. In the meantime, concentrating on other money-making investment ideas may prove to be more profitable. The article Is Opko Health a Buy Now That Rayaldee Is Approved? 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. The analyst from investment firm Maxim Group who reiterated his buy rating on Palo Alto Networks stock last week is hardly alone. Yes, his $215 price target is on the high side, even in the context of nearly across-the-board bullish sentiment. But consensus target estimates from the 37 analysts covering Palo Alto are still a lofty $188.78 a share, equal to a nearly 50% jump from Monday's closing price of $128.16. The question is, why is this analyst, along with many of his brethren, so excited about Palo Alto? It appears most pundits are of the mind that Palo Alto's near-term questions surrounding slowing top-line growth and spending are just that -- anomalies that will "normalize" given time -- and there are numerous rationalizations to justify Palo Alto's high expectations. So who's right: the bullish analysts or investors who have continued to apply pressure to Palo Alto stock? Image source: Palo Alto Networks. The analyst case for Palo Alto Palo Alto's string of quarters reporting 50%-plus revenue growth came to an end in the third quarter, though at 48% above last year's fiscal Q3, there was little to complain about. The sales growth slowdown -- both during the most recent quarter and the expected 36% to 37% top-line growth forecast for the current quarter -- was largely due to macro issues, according to CEO Mark McLaughlin. The bullish Palo Alto analyst notes that a tough sales environment in the Asia-Pacific region, notably Australia, was one culprit. Of the 11% of Palo Alto's revenue derived from Asia-Pacific, Maxim Group estimates that 30% to 40% comes from Australia. If the region had performed as it had in prior quarters, Palo Alto would have enjoyed a 52% jump in sales. The poor guidance for the currentquarter, along with Palo Alto's weak days sales outstanding (which measures a company's average period to collect accounts receivable), was viewed as a positive by the analyst -- and is clearly not a concern for others, given Palo Alto's price target -- suggesting that McLaughlin and team have a realistic perspective. Strong billings growthof 61% year over year and a near doubling of free cash flow were also cited as bullish indicators. Not so much Similar to its peer Fortinet , Palo Alto has demonstrated revenue growth over the course of the last couple of years that has been nothing short of spectacular. Fortinet's on a string of 30%-plus quarterly sales improvements, which it attained again last quarter. Fortinet's revenue of $284.6 million was a 34% year-over-year jump. In Palo Alto's case, revenue gains were what had so many pundits singing its tune. But with last quarter's 48% increase, and expectations of just 36% to 38% in the current quarter, Palo Alto's saving grace is coming to a halt. That, combined with soaring overhead, is disconcerting, to say the least. Cost of revenue climbed $30.5 million to $94.9 million in Q3, and operating expenses skyrocketed 50% to $309.9 million. Palo Alto was once again in the red by $70.2 million last quarter, well above fiscal 2015's Q3 loss of $45.9 million. Fortinet's spending also rose last quarter, which was why it, too, reported a loss. However, at just $0.02 per share, Fortinet's shortfall was a blip on the screen compared to Palo Alto's $0.80 per share loss. The bottom-line The bullish analysts covering Palo Alto certainly make valid points in support of a target price as high as $215. However, for investors who prefer stocks with sound fundamentals or prospects for sales growth, Palo Alto falls short. Even if Palo Alto continues to drive top-line improvements -- albeit less impressively than in the past -- this raises another concern. An astounding 58% of Palo Alto's sales last quarter, equal to $202 million, went to fund its sales and marketing efforts. These aren't one-time costs associated with developing a new product, expanding office space, or hiring much-needed expertise. No, Palo Alto's sales and marketing outlays will continue to eat away at bottom-line results, and that's a scary proposition, given its slowing revenue growth. The article 1 Analyst Thinks Palo Alto Networks Is Worth $215 -- Is He Right? originally appeared on Fool.com. Tim Brugger has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Palo Alto Networks. 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: iStock/Thinkstock. It's easy to thinkWells Fargo will sail through this year's stress test, given its reputation for prudence and profitability. But if we've learned anything over the past few years, it's that we can never be sure how even the best-run banks will perform under the Federal Reserve's spotlight. In April, for instance, the Fed rejected Wells Fargo's living will, which lays out how the California-based bank would be resolved in the unlikely event of a bankruptcy. This recent hiccup aside, there are at least four reasons to believe Wells Fargo will emerge from the upcoming stress test unscathed. The first stage of results from the test are due on Thursday. The first reason Wells Fargo should pass is because the bank has a significant amount of excess capital. At the end of March, it had $144 billion worth of tier 1 common equity. That exceeds the amount it's obligated to hold by $71 billion. In last year's stress test, meanwhile, the Fed estimated that Wells Fargo would lose $29 billion. Assuming a similar outcome this year, the bank would emerge from the test with $42 billion more capital than it's obligated to hold. This strongly suggests Wells Fargo will satisfy the quantitative aspect of this year's test, which is designed to measure whether or not banks have enough capital to survive an economic downturn akin to the financial crisis. Measure Standardized Approach Advanced Approach Regulatory Minimum Common equity tier 1 capital ratio 10.87% 11.06% 5.625% Common equity tier 1 capital (millions) $144,100 $144,100 $73,288* *Estimated by author. Data source: Wells Fargo's 1Q16 10-Q, page 145. Compounding this is the second reason Wells Fargo should pass -- namely, that it produces a large and consistent earnings stream. This plays into capital as well, given that undistributed income accumulates in a bank's capital account. By one important measure, Wells Fargo is the most profitable multitrillion-dollar bank in the country. It earned $23 billion in 2015, which equated to a 12.7% return on equity. Runner-up JPMorgan Chasegenerated a slightly larger $24.4 billion profit, but its return on equity was 11%. The only area where Wells Fargo could stumble, then, is on the qualitative portion of the stress test. This is what has tripped up many of its competitors in the past. Last year, for instance, while Bank of Americahad plenty of capital to satisfy the Fed, it was nevertheless required to resubmit its capital plans in the second stage of the test, known as the comprehensive capital analysis and review, in order to "address certain weaknesses in its capital planning processes." While qualitative missteps are impossible to predict, there are still two reasons to believe Wells Fargo won't run into issues in this regard, either. First, its focus on traditional banking allows it to sidestep the added complexities of running a large Wall Street operation, as is the case at both Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase. And second, other than the issues Wells Fargo had on its living will submission, there's no precedent suggesting it will fail the stress test, as it's consistently passed them since they were implemented in the wake of the financial crisis. Thus, while investors should be humble when trying to make predictions about a specific bank's ability to unconditionally pass this year's stress test, it seems reasonable to conclude that Wells Fargo has a very good chance of doing so. The article 4 Reasons to Believe Wells Fargo Will Pass the Stress Test originally appeared on Fool.com. John Maxfield owns shares of Bank of America and Wells Fargo. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Wells Fargo. The Motley Fool recommends Bank of America. 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. Charles Schwab has quickly become a competitor in the world of index funds, creating low-fee funds that are priced to steal assets from the competition. Here are 5 of Schwab's best index funds, complete with expense ratios. Below, I'll lay out the case for making each index fund a part of your portfolio. Index Fund Name Ticker Expense Ratio Schwab S&P 500 Index SWPPX 0.09% Schwab Total Stock Market Index SWTSX 0.09% Schwab 1000 Index Fund SNXFX 0.29% Schwab Small Cap Index Fund SWSSX 0.17% Schwab International Index Fund SWISX 0.19% Data source: Charles Schwab. Note that all of its funds require a minimum investment of just $100 to get started. 1. Schwab S&P 500 Index Fund This fund is as simple as it gets. When you buy the Schwab 500 Index Fund you're basically buying part of the 500 largest stocks listed on American exchanges. This fund is designed to produce returns that mirror that of the S&P 500 Index, minus a tiny annual fee. The allure of S&P 500 index funds is that they are downright cheap, and cover a majority of the stock market by market value. S&P 500 constitutents make up about 80% of the value of all American-listed companies. Owning this group at a price of just $9 per year for every $10,000 invested is an incredible deal. 2. Schwab Total Stock Market Index Not happy with owning a majority of the stock market by investing in an S&P 500 fund? This fund is for you. The Total Stock Market Index fund has a stake in nearly 2,500 stocks at the time of writing, encompassing virtually every stock listed on American exchanges. The advantage to a Total Stock Market Index is that you get access to small-cap stocks that you don't get from an S&P 500 index fund. Thus, its performance will beat the S&P 500 when small company stocks outperform large companies, and vice versa. Small and microcap stocks make up 6.7% and 2.3% of the fund's assets, respectively, giving you exposure to smaller companies you won't get in its S&P 500 index fund. 3. Schwab 1000 Index Fund This fund technically tracks the Schwab 1000 index, which is basically a copycat of the Russell 1,000 index. The process is relatively simple: It invests in the 1,000 largest stocks on American markets, weighting them by market cap. As a result of its portfolio construction, this fund is more heavily weighted toward midcap stocks, which made up about 21% of the fund's assets at the time of writing, compared to about 13% for its S&P 500 fund, and 20% for the Total Stock Market Index fund. Given its higher expense ratio, though, you'd likely be better suited with the Total Stock Market Index, which comes at a fraction of the cost of the Schwab 1000 index fund. Where this fund has lagged the S&P 500 over the last 10 years, Schwab's Total Stock Market Index fund has outperformed the S&P 500. The difference in performance is due in no small part to the fee differential between these two funds. 4. Schwab Small Cap Index Fund This fund generally tracks the performance of the Russell 2000 Index, which includes the 2,000 smallest stocks in the Russell 3000 index. Due to subtle differences in how it allocates its portfolio, this Schwab index fund actually beat the Russell 2000 index over the 10-year period starting in 2006. There isn't much more to say about this fund other than that it is an excellent way to inexpensively buy and hold small-cap stocks listed in the United States. The fund carries an annual expense ratio of 0.17%, and was broadly diversified across 1,969 stocks at the time of writing. 5. Schwab International Index Fund Following the theme of inexpensive funds with low turnover and broad diversification, Schwab's international index fund ticks the boxes perfectly. The fund seeks to track the MSCI EAFE index, and has done it exceptionally well. The fund generally invests in large companies that trade on markets outside the United States. It primarily invests in developed markets, having more than 99% of its assets in stocks listed in developed markets, according to Morningstar. Stocks listed in Japan, the United Kingdom, and France made up about 23%, 20%, and 10% of the fund's assets at the end of March 2016, respectively. With an annual expense ratio of just 0.19% of assets annually, this Schwab fund is a great way to conveniently own more than 900 stocks that you won't find in American-centric index funds. The article The 5 Best Schwab Index Funds originally appeared on Fool.com. Jordan Wathen 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: BP via Flickr. BP, like all of its large oil and gas peers, has been under a lot of pressure from Wall Street to get its spending habits under control. The rapid decline in oil prices over the past two years has left them dipping into the debt markets and selling off large chunks of assets to meet the funding needs of their large development projects. As BP wraps up several of those projects, management is making a hard push to close the funding gap and get back to both profits and free cash flow, and these recent quotes from BP CFO Brian Gilvary explain how the company plans to do it. Reducing capital spending even more than before BP gained a very valuable lessonfrom the Macondo spill in 2010. With so much cash going to pay for the spill, the company needed to learn how to stretch its capital spending budget as much as possible by focusing on its highest-return projects. That lesson is actually paying off a bit as of late, because BP is now using that tight-fisted approach to capital spending as a way to deal with low oil prices. According to CFO Brian Givary, the company is cutting back on spending even more than originally anticipated: Big cost cuts On top of the big cuts to spending on new projects, the company is also using this time of low oil prices to drastically lower its operating budget. According to Gilvary: Cutting $7 billion out of its operating costs will go a long way toward restoring profitability at BP, but those cost-cutting efforts need to be sustained over a couple of years. Hopefully that will be a lesson that will last longer past other major price drops. Getting closer to meeting cash needs The reason the company is going through all of these massive cost and capital cuts is because it has one major priority: Protect its dividend payment to shareholders. After all, for a large company in a cyclical industry like BP is in oil & gas, a constant dividend payment is one of the core parts of the investment thesis. Thanks to these cost-cutting measures, Gilvary notes the company is lowering its cash breakeven cost per barrel of oil: Getting into that $50 to $55 a barrel range would be rather impressive considering that the company's breakeven was well above $70 just a few years ago -- then again, most thought this was fine when oil was consistently above $100 a barrel. Investors should keep an eye on this breakeven number and where it goes from here. In the short term, it would be handy if BP could lower it a little more to come in line with the market. Longer term, we don't want to see it tick up, regardless of what oil prices do. Some growth left in the tank For a long-term investor, a big concern is that the decline in capital spending today will result in a lack of growth. Or even worse, a lack of new production to offset natural production decline. According to Gilvary, though, the company still has a lot of room to grow profitable production into the next decade: The real big one to watch here is the Shah Deniz project. This massive natural gas field in the Caspian Sea is one of those megaprojects that has stymied companies in recent years -- think the cost overruns at ExxonMobil & Royal Dutch Shell's Kashagan project and Chevron's Gorgon LNG facility. It should bring on lots of profitable production, but it needs to keep it on time and on budget. The other question investors may want to ask, though, is whether these cost cuts will catch up to the company beyond these projects. No big purchases on the horizon As oil and gas prices have fallen over the past two years, Wall Street has clamored for Big Oil companies to make some big acquisitions while stock prices are cheap. So far, though, the only one to pull the trigger on a major deal has been Shell with the $52 billion acquisition of BG Group. When asked whether BP sees any potential to make an acquisition, Gilvary had this response: Basically, he's saying, "no large deal has blown us away yet and we're focused on other stuff, but we'll keep and ear open." This is pretty much the same line execs at ExxonMobil and Chevron have been saying for a while as well. Part of what they are saying could be true, and no deal out there today looks like a huge steal, but you also have to take into account that the currency each company would use for a deal -- likely shares of their companies -- aren't exactly selling for a premium right now and would potentiallylead to some unnecessary dilution. Perhaps once these companies get their cash-flow statements cleaned up,we might hear a few more whispers on the merger front. For now, though, the rumor mill will remain rather quiet. The article 5 Things BP's Management Want You to Know originally appeared on Fool.com. Tyler Crowe owns shares of ExxonMobil. You can follow him at Fool.comor on Twitter@TylerCroweFool. The Motley Fool owns shares of ExxonMobil. The Motley Fool recommends Chevron. 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. Cheetos could be the secret to Burger King's next big hit. Image source: Getty Images. Following in the path created by the Doritos Locos Taco fromYum! Brands' Taco Bell, Restaurant Brands International's Burger King is testing a hybrid of Cheetos and macaroni and cheese. The new concoction -- dubbed Mac n' Cheetos -- looks like a giant Cheetos puff stuffed with macaroni and cheese, Foodbeast.com reported. The snack/appetizer is not all that different from the fried mac and cheese that appears on many casual sit-down restaurant menus, albeit with the bonus of having Cheetos signature orange dust on the outside. Currently Mac n' Cheetos is only being tested in a few select restaurants with sightings being reported in southern California and Indiana. The product joins the Whopperrito -- a burrito made using the same ingredients as the chain's signature sandwich, in the company's testing pipeline. Why is Burger King doing this? While it seems like a weird combination of brilliant and gross, Burger King pursues ideas like Mac n' Cheetos and the Whopperrito because the right new product can be a game changer. Taco Bell, for example, has had great success with its Doritos Locos Taco and because the company has an exclusive licensing deal for the snack chip (at least when it comes to using it in a branded taco shell) its competitors cannot copy it. Products like the Doritos Locos Taco get people talking and they bring customers into stores. Then, if people actually like the product (and who wouldn't like a combination of Cheetos and macaroni and cheese), the only place they can get it is Burger King. Outrageous signature products can bring publicity, crowds. and repeat business. They can also become items that appear for only a limited time, making their arrival a newsworthy event. How big could this be? While creating a hit new product can be very difficult and most ideas fail to make a splash, the rewards for hitting a home run can be huge. Taco Bell has sold more than 450 million Doritos Locos Tacos since the product launched in 2012, according to Fast Company. "We had to hire about 15,000 people last year -- two to three per restaurant -- in order to handle the sales growth and demand of the Doritos Locos Tacos business," Taco Bell CEO Greg Creed told the magazine. Taco Bell also has a Cool Ranch version of the product and Doritos (and Cheetos) parent company Frito-Lay (aPepsico brand) has even announced that it will offer Taco Bell-flavored Doritos, which brings the product full circle. So while Mac n' Cheetos seems like a publicity stunt -- and on some level it is -- it's also a swing for the fences, an attempt for Burger King to one-up its rivals. The odds are long, but the potential rewards are great. The article Burger King Testing Mac n' Cheetos originally appeared on Fool.com. Daniel Kline has no position in any stocks mentioned. He would never eat any of this. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends PepsiCo. 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. European Central Bank policy makers on Wednesday reinstated a waiver that will allow Greek banks to again participate in cheap funding operations. Greek banks will again be able to use debt guaranteed by the country's government as collateral in the funding operations. The decision was widely expected after eurozone finance ministers last month reached a deal with the International Monetary Fund that allowed the release of bailout funds to Athens. For more than a year, Greek banks had to rely on more expensive funding via the Greek central bank after the ECB revoked the waiver amid a dispute between the Athens and its creditors over austerity measures. Greek government debt however, remains ineligible for purchase as part of the ECB's bond-buying program. The ECB said it would examine possible purchases of Greek government bonds under that program at a later stage, "taking into account the progress made in the analysis and reinforcement of Greece's debt sustainability, as well as other risk management considerations." Copyright 2016 MarketWatch, Inc. Package delivery service FedEx (NYSE:FDX) is spending big on improvements to its ground delivery segment to keep pace with increased demand from leading retailers, including Amazon Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) and Walmart (NYSE:WMT). The Tennessee-based company posted adjusted earnings per share of $3.30 on $13 billion in revenue for its fourth fiscal quarter of 2016, beating analyst expectations of $3.28 EPS and $12.8 billion in revenue. With one-time charges included, FedEx reported a loss of $0.26 per share, thanks in large part to its acquisition of Dutch delivery service TNT. But FedExs continued emphasis on ground expansion has begun to pay off. FedEx Ground revenue grew 20% to $4.29 billion in the 2016 fiscal year. Alan Graf, FedExs executive vice president and CFO, said the company is expanding Ground as rapidly as we can to meet increased shipping demand. The companys capital spending amounted to $4.8 billion in its 2016 fiscal year, as network expansion and self-insurance expenses dragged on overall results that otherwise benefitted from cheaper fuel costs and e-commerce growth. FedEx forecasts capital spending of $5.1 billion in 2017, with $2 billion dedicated to further expansion of ground shipment facilities. BT&T Capital Markets reiterated its hold rating for FedEx due to a currently shaky global economic outlook, but raised its EPS estimate for fiscal year 2017 to $11.85 from $11.80. Management expects positive momentum to continue in fiscal 2017, driven by improved operating performance through pricing, volume and the Express profit improvement, BT&T analyst Kevin Sterling wrote in a note. In addition, the company continues to modernize its fleet (particularly by adding 767s) and invest in Ground facilities to support the rapid growth of e-commerce. FedEx officials directly addressed the companys relationship with Amazon and Walmart, the worlds largest retailers, who are currently jockeying for position in the e-commerce sector. Mike Glenn, the president and CEO of FedEx Services, downplayed the effect that any one company would have on FedExs business, even as he touted FedExs efforts to address Amazons needs. Because of our close relationship with Amazon and close collaboration, we have a very clear and specific understanding of their needs across the FedEx portfolio during FY17, and further we expect them to be a significant customer for many years to come, Glenn said during a post-earnings conference call. Having said that, it is important to remember that no single FedEx customer represents more than approximately 3% of total revenue. Glenn fielded a question about Walmarts new two-day subscription shipping service, seen as the companys bid to challenge the ever-popular Amazon Prime. Walmart plans to use regional carriers to deliver packages, potentially to the detriment of FedEx, which currently handles most of its e-commerce shipments, the Wall Street Journal reported. Glenn said Walmart remains a long time and growing customer for Fedex, adding that regional carriers arent a significant threat to its business. The fact of the matter is regional carriers simply don't have the scope and the scale to be able to compete with the networks that make up 95% of the e-commerce shipments in the U.S, and as said before that would be FedEx, UPS, United States Postal Service, Glenn said. There's a role for regional carriers and -- but they cannot compete in our opinion with FedEx over the long haul. Buckingham Research Group reiterated its Neutral rating for FedExs stock and maintained a below-consensus EPS estimate of $11.50 for 2017, citing questions about FedExs bid to integrate the newly-acquired TNT. FedEx officials declined to include TNT in the 2017 forecast, noting that integration efforts had just begun. What was clear to us, is that the integration will take longer, and the EPS ramp, slower, at both the Ground and TNT Express divisions, Buckingham analysts said in a note. FedEx will be spending heavily in 2017/2018 to bring its Express fleet up to date, expand its Ground operations and integrate TNT Express. All will add to EPS growth in future years, but currently, we are concerned that consensus expectations for EPS accretion in 2017/2018 are too high. Daniel Ek, founder and CEO of Spotify. Image Source: Spotify. Global streaming music leader Spotify is finally growing up. Having officially surpassed 100 million users worldwide, Spotify has shifted its focus to improving user monetization and revenue growth in 2016. Its efforts to build a profitable business atop its leading music product is the next natural step toward an eventual Spotify IPO, which has led to speculation that Spotify might go public before year's end. However, before it does so, Spotify will have to make significant improvements to, among other things, its advertising business, as one recent report detailed. Inside Spotify ad business growth In a recent interview with The Wall Street Journal, Jeff Levick, Spotify's chief revenue officer, discussed the improvements the company is making to its advertising business. According to Levick, Spotify's advertising team was one deemed a non-priority internally, viewed as "those people over there ... with their [banner advertisements]." However, as part of Spotify's push to eke more revenue out of its users, the company has grown its headcount, launched new products, and expanded its advertising partnerships. The results have been impressive. Image Source: Spotify In each of the past two years, revenue from Spotify's free, ad-supported usage tier has doubled, and Levick sees more room for continued focus on the advertising side of its business. According to the WSJ piece, CEO Daniel Ek is scheduled to speak at the ongoing Cannes Lions festival, one of the most important advertising industry events of the year. The company also recently required all of its tech and product employees to use the Spotify free version in an effort to ensure those building the product were actually familiar with its user interface. To be sure, trying to grow sales across one of its two main revenue sources is simply good business on Spotify's part. However, improving its advertising business likely won't be enough to help Spotify eventually make money for its investors. The bigger picture Simply stated, Spotify's advertisements simply do not generate enough revenue alone to support its free service, which constitutes roughly 70% of the company's users. Worse yet, even significant improvements to its free user monetization might not be enough to ever make the free segment profitable. Take a look at Spotify's revenue composition between its free and paid users in 2014 and 2015. 2014 Revenue 2014 Average Revenue per User (ARPU) 2015 Revenue 2015 Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) Advertising $107,846,000 $2.40 $213,723,000 $3.01 Subscriptions $1,067,908,000 $71.19 $1,903,656,000 $67.99 Source: Author's calculations from Music Business Worldwide data This is perhaps the most important chart in understanding Spotify from an investor's perspective. Think of Spotify as a seesaw. From an "aggregate users" perspective, the free, ad-supported side of its business dominates Spotify. However, in terms of revenue generation, the paid subscription portion of its operations contributes the vast majority of dollars, both in total and on a per-user basis. This is also likely why a key competitor like Apple has relied on free trials, which are fixed in duration by nature, as the primary means to promote Apple Music, rather than trying to upsell a subscription product to a base of potentially permanent, ad-supported free-tier users who offer it little financial upside. It's also why Amazon.com's forthcoming streaming product and Pandora Media's new streaming product are both expected to be on-demand subscription products. The entry of Apple, Amazon, and Alphabet into the streaming music market is a clear threat to Spotify. They also add urgency to its IPO plans. Streaming services like Spotify and Pandora have traditionally encountered difficulties producing consistent profits. One problem is lack of differentiation, which both Apple and Spotify are seeking to overcome by slowly adding their own original video content to their offerings. Amazon will likely pursue a similar but slightly different strategy. The key here in terms of a Spotify IPO is that investing in video content, particularly exclusive video content, requires a fair amount of capital. Spotify raised $1 billion this year, and it isn't clear how much of that has been dedicated to its eventual public debut. However, in order to raise additional funds via an IPO, Spotify must demonstrate it has a clearer path to profitability. Its efforts to build a more robust advertising business should help with that -- to a certain limited extent -- in the months ahead. The article Improving Its Ad Business Wont Be Enough for Spotify originally appeared on Fool.com. Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool's board of directors. Andrew Tonner owns shares of Apple. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Alphabet (A shares), Alphabet (C shares), Amazon.com, Apple, and Pandora Media. The Motley Fool has the following options: long January 2018 $90 calls on Apple and short January 2018 $95 calls on Apple. 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 Source image: Getty Images. Last week, Samsung Electronics made a notable move when it agreed to purchase Joyent, Inc.,a public and private cloud provider that sells cloud space to companies and also helps them set up their clouds from their data centers. Samsung's keeping Joyent as a separate business, but will use the company's cloud computing prowess to help build out its own cloud-based initiatives. And it's coming at the perfect time. Back at the end of 2015, Samsung changed its management structure (as it does every year) and put D.J. Koh in place as the head of the company's mobile division. At the time, it was expected that his leadership would help bring in more software and services focus, and it appears that the Joyent purchase is part of that plan. Samsung's CTO of mobile communications, Injong Rhee, said in a press release that, "In Joyent, we saw an experienced management team with deep domain expertise and a robust cloud technology validated by some of the largest Fortune 500 customers." Samsung is looking for new ways to bring in revenue that isn't from selling smartphones, and the growing cloud market could help fill in the gaps. How Samsung stands to benefit Purchasing Joyent gives Samsung access to a platform that the company can use across its mobile, Internet of Things (IoT) and cloud-based services. It's still unclear just how much Joyent could add to Samsung's bottom line right now, but the company is likely looking to boost is mobile division, where Joyent will officially exist. Samsung has seen its Galaxy smartphone shipments fall for the past two years while the cloud computing market is growing. Gartner says the public cloud services market is worth $204 billion right now. And it's in this large cloud market where Samsung stands to benefit. Joyent competes with other cloud services offered by Amazon.com , though on a much smaller scale. Amazonis known as an online retailer, but its Amazon Web Services (AWS) brought in $7.8 billion in revenue in Q4 2015, up 69% year over year. Samsung isn't looking to take on Amazon directly, but by purchasing Joyent the company will be able to offer new software and services directly to its customers. Samsung needs a new area to focus its attention as its mobile business stalls. Cloud software and services could be it, and Joyent is a solid move into the space. Theplaftorm-as-a-service (PaaS) market -- which Samsung may tap into with Joyent -- is expected to hit $7.5 billion in the next thee and half years, according to Global Industry Analysts. Investor takeaway I wouldn't invest in Samsung (or sell) based on the company's decision to buy Joyent. Samsung is a massive conglomerate that made 12 major acquisitions last year, so the recent move is nothing new. Instead, investors should view Samsung's move as yet another step in creating a software and services company that complements its current mobile position. Remember that despite the drop in Galaxy shipments, Samsung is still the leading smartphone vendor in the world. But hardware is starting to take a backseat to software and cloud services, and Samsung's slowly making the shift. Joyent will help the company transition, but it's going to be a slow one. The article Samsung's Getting More Serious About Cloud Computing Services originally appeared on Fool.com. Chris Neiger has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Amazon.com and Gartner. 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. Tesla Motors is betting that customers will want to buy a car, a solar power system, and energy storage in one big purchase at Tesla showrooms. Image source: Tesla Motors. Tesla Motors has officially made an offer to buy SolarCity , which would combine Elon Musk's clean-energy empire into one company. News of the deal has sent SolarCity stock surging higher and Tesla Motors shares plunging by double digits in early trading Wednesday. Combining an automaker with a solar panel installer will be complex, and combining two companies that are currently losing money adds to the risk. Here's why I think this is a marriage that would end in disaster. SolarCity doesn't have its own house in order Tesla Motors is buying SolarCity at a discount compared to where shares traded a year ago. But a stock doesn't fall more than 60% for no reason: SolarCity is already facing a host of challenges this year. SCTY data by YCharts. SolarCity badly missed its own installation guidance the last two quarters, and has seen its costs skyrocket as a result. And the market is starting to question whether or not the company is adding as much value for shareholders as it's formerly said. Image source: SolarCity. There are three factors that drive SolarCity's value proposition for investors, and they're all being questioned by investors at the moment. First is that it has lower costs than competitors, which is being challenged by local installers who can undercut SolarCity's cost structure. The second driver has been SolarCity's low capital costs, which allow it to sell leases and power-purchase agreements to customers at lower prices than competitors. Those contracts are then chopped up and sold to investors in the form of tax equity, securitizations, and other financing deals. It's this ability to finance more than the cost of installing a solar power system that Elon Musk is talking about when he says SolarCity will be cash-flow positive this year. But if capital markets close to SolarCity, as they did to SunEdison and Vivint Solar when those two solar companies tried to merge, that cash-flow positive business can go negative quickly. It requires open capital markets month after month to keep SolarCity going. The third thing SolarCity points to as a value-creation metric is the long-term contracts and high credit scores of its customers. These allow it to create a long-term cash flow business based on multidecade relationships with its customers. These are the relationships that Tesla wants to exploit by cross-selling cars and energy storage. But the solar market is moving away from leases to cash sales or loans, and investors are questioning whether a homeowner will be able to transfer a 15-year-old lease to a buyer if they sell their home. So, the market is discounting the value of these long-term contracts because they may not be as safe as they appear. In 2016, investors are questioning all ofSolarCity's theoretical advantages in the rooftop solar market. And that's why the stock is dropping. These are structural challenges that Tesla Motors won't be able to fix, and may actually make worse. SolarCity workers installing a rooftop solar system. Image source: SolarCity. The problem for SolarCity under Tesla's umbrella On top of SolarCity's own problems, I don't think its future meshes well with Tesla Motors. Musk talked at length about Tesla's Powerwall being added to SolarCity's solar power systems. But there are very few locations in the world where residential energy storage makes any sense financially. And even an aggressive analysis of the industry shows that it'll be at least five to 10 years before it does. There's simply no way to make money on energy storage systems broadly today, and worse yet, there's no path to financing energy storage systems in a way that's as simple as SolarCity's $0-down lease product, which drove solar adoption. The market is also moving away from SolarCity's preferred business model. The leases and power-purchase agreements that locked customers into solar energy contracts for 20 years were a good way to get cautious customers into solar with no money down while the industry was in its early growth phase, but now, customers want to buy systems with cash or loans -- a method that saves them considerably more money over the long term, and allows them more choice in what they get installed on their roofs. CEO Lyndon Rive admitted that the lack of a loan product in the first quarter cost the company sales, and was one reason it had to lower 2016 guidance. The rising popularity of sales and loans will also make rooftop solar more competitive on a cost basis, which may not be good for SolarCity, and a merger with Tesla doesn't change that. No matter what its sales model is, SolarCity is incredibly reliant on capital markets to fund solar power systems. Based on current guidance, the company would need around $3 billion of financing to get through the year. If capital markets shut down to SolarCity, as they did to SunEdison after it said it would acquire Vivint Solar, the company could need billions in funding annually from Tesla Motors. That's money Tesla doesn't have. I don't see how Tesla Motors makes SolarCity a better company, and it may actually complicate both of their businesses. Where are the synergies? The justification for mergers often include synergies between the two companies. And the synergies between SolarCity and Tesla are questionable at best. Manufacturing of solar panels and cars are two different worlds. I don't see how the companies would see any synergy at all on the manufacturing front. Musk says he'll move solar sales into Tesla Motors showrooms, but it's not clear that car buyers will want to sign a 20-year lease or figure out how to make money on an energy storage system at the same time as they buy a car. They're two very different decisions, and I don't see customers making both on the same trip to the showroom. This also seems to be a confusing move for SolarCity's sales force. They're primarily soliciting business today with tactics like door-to-door sales, telemarketing, and booths in retailers to keep volumes flowing through the system. The showroom would add to those sales avenues. But the flip side is that Musk says showrooms would allow lower sales costs in the solar business, so does that mean layoffs are coming to SolarCity's sales organization? I'm not sure these sales organizations have the synergies Musk sees right now. More questions than answers today Elon Musk is selling the acquisition of SolarCity as a vertical integration of solar to energy storage to electric vehicles. But I think it's a stretch to say that the sales or manufacturing of any of those devices work in tandem. When you add that both Tesla Motors and SolarCity are spending billions every year to build out capacity and losing money in the process, it's a high-risk bet. And it makes Tesla Motors a much riskier company in the process. The article Tesla Motors + SolarCity: Is Elon Musk's Clean-Energy Dream Doomed From the Start? originally appeared on Fool.com. Travis Hoium has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends SolarCity and Tesla Motors. 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. Tesla Motors Inc Chief Executive Elon Musk said on Wednesday that the proposed acquisition of his SolarCity could eventually push the electric car maker's valuation to $1 trillion, but investors disagreed. Tesla stock opened at $198.26, down nearly 10 percent from its Tuesday close. SolarCity opened at $23.27, up 10 percent. Tesla on Tuesday made an offer to buy the rooftop solar panel company in a stock deal worth as much as $2.8 billion. Musk is a major shareholder in both companies. "I have no doubt about this - zero," Musk said of the deal in a conference call with analyst before markets opened on Wednesday. "We should have done it sooner." Barclays auto analyst Brian Johnson disputed that view in an overnight note to investors, saying the proposed merger had "little in the way of synergies (and) much in the way of cash burn," with "uncertain growth/cash prospects" for the combined companies. "It is even more clear that Tesla will need additional cash raises" to continue its expansion of electric car and battery production, Johnson said. The combination of SolarCity's solar panels with Tesla's electric vehicles and stationary storage batteries is "what the world needs, the ultimate solution" to a sustainable-energy future, Musk said on the Wednesday call. "As a combined automotive and power storage and power generation company, the potential is there for Tesla to be a trillion-dollar market cap company," he added. SolarCity will become cash flow positive in the next three to six months and will not have a material impact on Tesla's future cash needs or expectation to be cash-flow positive by year-end, Musk said. Musk said costs for both companies would go down significantly after the merger, but he did not give specifics. Tesla General Counsel Todd Maron said he expected shareholders of both companies to vote on the deal in the next few months. (Reporting by Supantha Mukherjee and Narottam Medhora in Bengaluru and Paul Lienert in Detroit; Editing by Anil D'Silva and Lisa Von Ahn) Image source: iStock/Thinkstock. A recent poll suggests that America's favorite national bank is JPMorgan Chase . According to the Harris Poll, which conducts annual customer service surveys, consumers chose the nation's biggest bank by assets as their preferred place to bank. This is obviously good news for JPMorgan Chase, which prides itself on its service quality. The bank is, after all, named after J.P. Morgan himself, who believed in doing "first-class business in a first-class way." On top of this, while JPMorgan Chase struggled in ACSI's 2015 customer satisfaction index, eclipsed by Wells Fargo and Citigroup, it sat atop that survey in 2014. Bank 2015 ACSI Score 2014 ACSI Score Wells Fargo 75 72 Citigroup 73 74 JPMorgan Chase 71 74 Bank of America 68 69 Data source: 2015 ACSI Finance and Insurance Report. It's difficult to draw a straight line between a bank's showing on surveys like this and shareholder returns. At the same time, it isn't unreasonable to presume that a link exists. The reason many people have previously argued that customer satisfaction matters less in the bank industry is because of so-called switching costs. Because it's so hard to unwind one's banking relationships -- given direct deposit and automatic bill pay -- it has long been believed that banks were essentially free to exploit their customers. And, of course, this has largely been the story line over the past two decades. Before new regulations reined in banks' worst abuses, it was standard operating procedure in the industry to knowingly take advantage of customers -- and poor customers in particular. Among other ways, banks did so by rigging overdraft policies in order to maximize fees for customers who lived paycheck to paycheck, as well as by obligating credit card holders to submit to non-neutral arbitration forums to resolve disputes. Yet, if you look at JPMorgan Chase's shareholder returns compared to Bank of America's , the perennially least-liked bank in the country, there's at least an anecdotal relationship. To this end, while JPMorgan Chase often ranks atop its class when it comes to service, Bank of America just as frequently ranks at the bottom. JPM Total Return Price data by YCharts. There are other variables at play here that help to explain the divergence between the two stocks, but despite efforts to marginalize the importance of customer satisfaction, it seems naive to conclude that a customers' feelings toward their bank has no impact on its profitability. In a recent review on Consumer Affairs, for instance, a customer spoke of closing her Bank of America account after being on the business end of its notoriously bad service. This would reduce any money that Bank of America earns from that customer today, as well as in the future. In short, while investors shouldn't put a whole lot of stock in subjective customer satisfaction surveys, they can nevertheless serve as another variable to factor into one's analysis about whether or not to buy a particular bank stock over another. The article This Is America's Favorite National Bank originally appeared on Fool.com. John Maxfield owns shares of Bank of America and Wells Fargo. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Wells Fargo. The Motley Fool recommends Bank of America. 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: Restoration Hardware. Sometimes, investors seem to focus on a single future event and stay in a holding pattern until that event happens. Wednesday's quiet stock market action was an example of that phenomenon, and gains early in the day gave way to a gentle downtrend in the afternoon in anticipation of the coming U.K. vote on whether to remain within the European Union. The vote will take place tomorrow, and results are expected in time for the U.S. markets to open on Friday morning. Until then, the overall tone of the market is likely to be one of uncertainty, and major market benchmarks reflected that tone today, falling around a quarter percent. Nevertheless, some stocks posted solid gains, and Restoration Hardware , Gold Fields International , and Unisys were among the best performers in the market Wednesday. Restoration Hardware climbed 7% after analysts at BB&T suggested that the high-end home furnishings chain should consider a combination with industry peer Williams-Sonoma. Given the tough conditions in the retail environment right now, merger and acquisition activity would serve the dual purpose of discovering synergies between currently separate firms and reducing the level of competition within the industry. Restoration Hardware in particular has had to deal with an overall slowdown at the upper end of the retail spectrum, and the company has cited weakness in former energy-boom areas of the country that are now struggling because of the plunge in crude oil prices. Restoration Hardware hasn't made any public overtures toward major M&A activity, but even the hint of that being a possibility was enough to get investors excited today. Gold Fields International rose 6% in the wake of getting an upgrade from analysts at RBC. The price of gold didn't move substantially on Wednesday, taking away what is a typical source of support for gold mining stocks like Gold Fields. But the RBC analysts believe that a promising future for the company's South Deep mine could help boost its overall performance, and Gold Fields also stands to gain substantially if some of its assets in areas like Ghana and Australia pan out better than the somewhat pessimistic assessment that market participants have right now. If gold prices continue their climb from the beginning of the year, then that could be even further impetus to keep Gold Fields stock moving in the right direction. Finally, Unisys picked up 11%. The company was also a beneficiary of positive analyst action, this time from SunTrust Robinson Humphrey. Unisys received a buy rating, and the $11 per share price target represented a nearly 50% potential gain from where the stock closed Tuesday afternoon. The information technology company has fallen on hard times lately, with falling revenue producing substantial losses for the company. Yet even though those losses are expected to persist at least through 2017, a more positive long-term assessment for the long-suffering Unisys was enough to produce the sizable bounce in the share price. If moves like its recent alliance with Microsoft on cloud security work out well, then further gains could be in the offing for Unisys. The article Why Restoration Hardware, Gold Fields International, and Unisys Jumped Today originally appeared on Fool.com. Dan Caplinger has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Restoration Hardware. 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. Donald Trump may have dropped another bombshell against Hillary Clinton. During his speech at his Trump SoHo hotel in New York, Wednesday, Trump accused Hillary Clinton of committing a felony during her time as Secretary of State according to Fox News Senior Judicial Analyst Judge Andrew Napolitano. Hillary Clinton accepted $58,000 in jewelry from the government of Brunei when she was Secretary of State plus millions more for her foundation. The Sultan of Brunei has pushed oppressive Sharia law, including the punishment of death by stoning for being gay. The government of Brunei also stands to be one of the biggest beneficiaries of Hillarys Trans-Pacific Partnership, which she would absolutely approve if given the chance, said Trump. Judge Andrew Napolitano said this may be the first time a presidential candidate of a major party has accused their opposition of committing a felony -- and could carry some major implications for both candidates. [Trump] is exposing himself to all kinds of things. He is also really pushing the envelope on her. He painted a strong case from the Schweitzer book that this is one of the two criminal investigations of her -- and its called public corruption. That she used her power as Secretary of State, to enrich herself, to enrich her husband and to enrich their commonly owned entity -- the Foundation, he said. FOXBusiness.coms request for comment from the Clinton campaign were not returned at the time of publication. Authorities in Georgia raided two of Gladys Knights Chicken and Waffles restaurants and its headquarters Tuesday. WSB-TV reported that Knights son, Shanga Hankerson, runs the restaurant and is at the center of an investigation involving about $1 million. Georgia Department of Revenue Special Investigations Chief Jeff Mitchell told the station that investigation solely surrounds Hankerson and not Knight. Mitchell said shes totally in the clear. Mitchell said neither Knight nor any other restaurant employees are facing criminal charges. A warrant for Hankersons arrest charges him with multiple felonies, but not all the money is involved in the warrants. Shanga's accused of stealing over 650,000 in both sales and withholding tax, Josh Waites, a special investigator, told WSB-TV. (With) penalties and interest, its up to over $1 million owed. Waites said the raids in search of tax records cap off years of efforts trying to collect money paid by customers for sales tax or withheld from the employees. Officials tried unsuccessfully to arrest Hankerson. The station reported that Clayton County District Attorneys Office has filed a civil anti-racketeering lawsuit to seize assets to recoup the owed taxes. District Attorney Tracy Graham Lawson said one of Knights signature restaurants has a location in Clayton County. Waites said state officials are working with Hankerson's attorney "to have the businesses up and running again as soon as possible." TMZ reported that employees were told to leave the restaurant before officials removed computers, filed and contents from safes. A spokesman for Knight said in a statement to Fox 5 Atlanta that Knight wasnt involved in any way with the restaurants operations. Gladys Knight lent her name to her sons restaurants in the Atlanta area, similar to a celebrity endorsement, the statement read. Ms. Knight was not involved in any way with the operation of the restaurants and she is sure that her son and his business partners will rectify the situation. As always, her main concern is for her familys well-being and she is making sure the family has the guidance they need to assess the situation and move forward. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Click for more from WSB-TV. Click for more from Fox 5 Atlanta. next Image 1 of 2 prev Image 2 of 2 During a 20-week ultrasound, doctors told Bentley Yoders parents that their son was incompatible with life, and that he had a 0 percent chance of survival. Devastated, the Ohio parents considered terminating the pregnancy, but ultimately they decided to carry Bently to term. All the way through, I just kept having the feeling that its going to be OK, its going to be all right, Dustin Yoder, Bentleys father, said in a post on Thriving, a Boston Childrens Hospital blog. In the ultrasound, doctors had detected that brain tissue was bulging out of an opening in Bentleys skull and diagnosed him with encephalocele. The condition is a rare neural tube defect that occurs when the tube does not close completely during pregnancy. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the condition occurs in one out of 10,000 babies born in the United States each year. I specifically remember asking, Is there any chance he could survive? They said no that in the best-case scenario, hes going to be a vegetable, Sierra Yoder, Bentleys mother, said in the blog post. They made it out like I was going to lose him at any point. The Yoders entered the birth excited for the limited time they were expected to have with their son and picked out an outfit to bury him in, but Bentley had other plans. The staff sent the family home with hospice but Bentley was feeding from the bottle, cooing and crying like any other child. I couldnt make him out any different from my other son, Sierra said, according to the blog post. He was just a normal baby with something on the top of his head. The sac on Bentleys head continue to grow as it filled with fluid, but doctors needed to figure out whether he was using any of the brain tissue before attempting to remove it. They were referred to Boston Childrens Hospital, where Dr. John Meara, a plastic surgeon of the Cleft and Craniofacial Center, determined they could safely operate on Bentley. Along with neurosurgeon Dr. Mark Proctor, Meara planned to drain the fluid, expand Bentleys skull and replace the brain tissue that was being used. They used Boston Childrens Simulator Program to produce several 3-D models of Bentleys skull to plan the procedure. Weve operated on a lot of encephaloceles in the past, but wed never had one where there was so much brain tissue we felt was functional and had to be protected, put back in the cranium and covered up, Proctor said in the blog post. It really presented a unique challenge. The procedure lasted five hours, and doctors saved a majority of the brain tissue. However, fluid accumulated in Bentleys brain, causing him to become limp and lethargic two days later. Having prepared for this situation, doctors implanted a drain and a permanent shunt to divert the fluid to Bentleys abdomen. The more the shunt was working, the better he was starting to get, Sierra said in the blog post. He looks at us way more now and is starting to be more interactive. He fights tooth and nail to stay away now he doesnt want to miss anything. Doctors arent sure what the future holds for Bentley and say its unlikely he will develop like other children. Currently, he requires no special care and will be followed by a neurologist near the familys home in Ohio. I am certainly optimistic that he could have a rewarding life, Proctor said in the blog post. 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 aplea 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." 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. 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. The Zika virus, which continues to wreak havoc in the Americas, is at the forefront of many travelers minds as we head into the summer months. There is currently no vaccine commercially available for the virus, nor is there a cure for those who become infected, but there are a few ways to stay safe. We recently got this question from a viewer: Dear Dr. Manny, Im traveling this summer and am concerned about the Zika virus. I dont want to buy bug spray with chemicals in it. Are there any essential oils I can use to ward off mosquitos instead? Thanks, Gina Before booking your vacation, familiarize yourself with the so-called Zika hotspots, which are areas where the virus is prevalent. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a travel advisory to anyone headed to areas in Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, the Pacific Islands, South America and Cape Verde. Its also important to consider the risks involved with travel to such areas. The Zika virus is particularly dangerous for expectant mothers and women of childbearing age. The virus can cause severe birth defects in developing babies such as microcephaly, which causes abnormal brain development. The virus can be contracted either by being bit by an Zika-infected mosquito, or through sexual transmission. Most people who are infected with the virus do not experience symptoms, but those who do may suffer from fever, rash, joint pain, muscle pain, headache or conjunctivitis. If symptoms present within two weeks of traveling to a Zika-infested location, it is important to see your doctor. Although there is no vaccine, you can take a few steps to protect yourself from this virus. Practicing safe sex with condoms, and protecting yourself from mosquitos by avoiding low-lying areas surrounded by water and covering exposed skin can help. The CDC has said it is safe to use insect repellant that contains deet, but for those looking to avoid chemicals there are also essential oils you can use. Essential oils are a really great way to keep mosquitoes away that could be carrying the Zika virus because theyre natural, toxin free and they smell really great, Lara Riggio, owner of The Lara Touch Wellness Center in New York, and an eastern healing and essential oils expert, told FoxNews.com. Its super easy: Get a three ounce bottle so you can actually travel with it, [and] fill it halfway with water and halfway with witch hazel. Then youre going to take your essential oils I like to use citronella, eucalyptus and tea tree oil youre going to take 10 to 15 drops, drop them in with the water, shake it up, spray it all over your body, Riggio said. The mosquitoes will stay away, and youll smell great. For the most up-to-date information on the Zika virus and travel notices, visit CDC.gov. Do you have a health question? Tweet us at @DrMannyonFOX. An Ohio teen died Sunday after contracting a suspected brain-eating amoeba while swimming in North Carolina. Lauren Elisabeth Seitz, of Westerville, Ohio, was visiting the U.S. National Whitewater Center in Charlotte with her churchs youth music ministry group when she contracted the infection, WYFF4.com reported. They had one day of recreation where they stopped at the U.S. Whitewater Center and went whitewater rafting, and they had a grand day, Jim Wilson, Seitzs pastor at the Church of the Messiah United Methodist Church, told WYFF4.com. Reports do not indicate when Seitz began feeling ill, but her cause of death is primary amoebic meningoencephalitis, an infection caused by Naegleria fowleri, also known as brain-eating amoeba, Fox26 reported. The organism is not harmful if swallowed, but it can be fatal if it travels to the brain through the nose. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Ohio Department of Public Health, Franklin County Public Health Department, U.S. National White Water Center and Mecklenburg County Health Department are investigating the incident. The Mecklenburg County Health Department said the Whitewater Center is believed to be safe, as it is equipped with a treatment system for the water that is chlorinated and treated with UV radiation, WYFF4.com reported. Amoebas are common in warm waters, but swimmers can take precautionary steps to avoid infection. Recommendations include: limiting the amount of water in the nasal passage by holding the nose shut, utilizing nose clips or keeping their head above water, and avoiding water-related activities in warm fresh water during periods of high water temperature and low water levels. President Obama and the Democratic Party have failed African-Americans, and it no longer serves their interest to reliably support either Hillary Clinton or the party. From Reconstruction to the Great Depression, African-Americans were strongly aligned with the GOP, recognizing Abraham Lincolns role in ending slavery and the virulent segregationist policies championed by southern Democrats. Franklin Roosevelts New Deal and Harry Trumans executive orders to desegregate the military and end discrimination in federal employment broke those ties but as recently as 1956 and 1960, Dwight Eisenhower and Richard Nixon managed to win 39 and 32 percent of the African-American vote. Lyndon Johnsons support for The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Fair Housing Act of 1968 and the GOPs subsequent southern strategy to win white voters hostile to such progressive policies put about 85 percent of African-Americans reliably in the Democratic column. Democrats rewarded their loyalty with a host of economic and social measures intended to alleviate poverty and compensate for past discriminationincluding income support programs, federally enforced preferences in private sector hiring and college admissions, and minority set-aside programs that benefit only a few, but often influential, entrepreneurs and civic leaders. Conservatives have long argued that programs to aid those adversely affected by the prejudices of history or simply poor business conditionsfor example, the decline of the textile and furniture industries which employed many blacks in the Southcan become self-defeating. Assistance can cross the line from providing help to overcome disadvantages to discouraging individual initiative, accountability and self-improvement. In the process, those cultivate a client relationship between protected classes of voters and politicians who promise ever greater handouts and state-coerced preferential treatment, and a decadent cycle that keeps African-Americans pinned down in poverty. Mr. Obama has been the most aggressive president since Lyndon Johnson in championing welfare programsfor example, expanding Medicaid, the earned income tax credits and food stamps and aggressively pressing universities to grant greater preferences to minorities in admissions. And Hillary Clinton promises even more of the same. Government benefits are now so generous that low-income wage earners face increased taxes of 50 to 80 percent on additional incomefrom extra taxes and lost government benefitsif they work more hours or send a second adult into the workforce. Often, it can pay an African-American working mother to have absent fathers paying child support rather than a strong role model, earning a second salary, under her roof. Democrats have effectively isolated conservative leaning Republicans and broadened their minority base by adding Latinos through lax immigration enforcement and initiatives like the Dream Act in several states, and assigning to Asian-Americans protected status under affirmative action laws that are simply unwarranted by social and economic indicators. Asian-Americans outperform whites in education, and their average annual family incomes are about $74,000, as compared to $35,000 for African-Americans and $60,000 for whites. In these times of slow economic growth, African-Americans, not whites, have been the biggest losers. They are pushed out of jobs and educational opportunities by illegal immigrants and other groups Democrats are cultivating to win a permanent lock on the White House. On Mr. Obamas watch, African-American family incomes are down by about $2,200, while those for Hispanics and Asian-Americans are up $800 and $2,100, respectively. The wealth gap with whites has widened tremendously, and African-Americans have regained far fewer of the jobs lost in the Great Recession than other Americans. African-Americans are disproportionately saddled with student loans after dropping out of college after a few years or earning a degree that hardly imparts the skills necessary to earn a living. President Obama was elected on the promise to create greater economic justice but for African-Americans conditions have become decidedly worse. African-American elites have grown prosperous through minority set-aside programs and protected jobs in business and academia but their advice to support Hillary Clinton is ill-informed at best, and simply cynically self-interested at worst. Republicans abandoned an anti-civil rights posture long ago and their pro-growth platform simply offers more hope for a better future for all Americansincluding African-Americans. Neither Donald Trump nor Paul Ryan advocate shredding the social safety net, for example. The GOP advocates for benefits that offer a hand up not huge indiscriminate largess that imposes a lifetime of poverty and injustice in exchange for votes. I want to address the crisis of conscience that many conservative evangelicals face when wrestling with what to do with Donald Trump. As a pastor, I have been party to countless conversations among fellow Christians about whether to support Mr. Trump, or not. While I do not endorse candidates, I could easily vote for Mr. Trump this November without endorsing him, his behavior, his language or his temperament. Let me explain. To use the now cliche line in many faith circles, we are electing a Commander in Chief, not a Theologian in Chief. His words and behavior have left many conservatives thinking, we want to support you Mr. Trump, but why must you make it so difficult? It is true we have some concerns. At the same time, we must face the facts. Mr. Trump has ignited a movement that most of us didnt see coming. I certainly didnt. He has been underestimated time and again and despite the establishments most ardent efforts to block his nomination, his core appeal resiliently overshadows his flaws. After spending much of my morning yesterday with Mr. Trump in a small meeting in his office and in a larger meeting attended by 1000 of the nations most influential Christian leaders, I would vote for Donald Trump because he has convinced me he will fight for the issues that matter most to conservatives. And one thing is certain with Mr. Trump for better or worse, hes not afraid of a fight. Its Trumps position on three key issues that encourage me. The first - and most important - is that of The Supreme Court. Trumps campaign recently released a list of potential Supreme Court Nominees, all of which are judges who will uphold the constitution without attempting to legislate from the bench. I cannot overstate the importance of this. Any honest conservative should commend this list of nominees. The second issue is the protection and sanctity of life. Now I know that candidate Trump has changed his position on this particular issue and many question his sincerity. But, Im a pastor and I love it when someone changes their mind and comes over to the right side of an issue! I choose to believe Mr. Trump has truly converted to support life and will be a protector of the unborn. And what is the alternative? Hillary Clinton is clearly in favor of legalized abortion. There is no choice here for me and millions of evangelical Christians. We will vote life every time. We will vote principle over personality, party, or our pocket books. The last issue is that of Religious Liberty. Trump has brought greater voice to the concerns held by many Americans when it comes to our faith. With a great marketers instinct, he sums it up like this, When Im President, well say Merry Christmas again. Its an impressively simplistic - but effective - way of articulating a widely held conviction. As Christians, we believe the lefts agenda is to marginalize Christianity to the sidelines, diminishing our influence and many of the faith traditions we cherish. Mr. Trump, to his credit, has made considerable efforts to include evangelicals in his campaign to lead the nation. He has spoken positively and persuasively of his desire to support Christian faith in America. We know he has stated many times that he is for us and not against us. These are the reasons I could vote for Mr. Trump, and encourage others to do the same. Actually, its not that difficult. Donald Trump says he will support those issues that conservative evangelicals care about. Hillary Clinton promises she wont. I know this as a fact: it is critical that Christian citizens prayerfully vote and participate in the election process. The future of our country depends upon it. For the record, Im not Catholic. But I do know the religion well. I also happen to live in one of the top 10 Catholic cities in America. I know the religion well for several reasons. My mothers entire family is Catholic, for one thing. Since she broke away from The Church, however, my sister and I were not raised Catholic. But: I attended Catholic high school. That was out of desperation, though. I was a bit of a troublemaker at my local public school, and my mother needed the nuns to straighten me out. Im also married to a Catholic; and I agreed to raise our kids Catholic and send them to Catholic schools. Ive attended hundreds of masses in my lifetime, and I even got an annulment some years ago for the sake of my husband and kids. So Im no stranger to Catholicism. Still, Im not Catholic. Im more like a peripheral participant. Too many people want marriage to be something it isnt. Something that makes them happy, that demands equality, that never disappoints. Something that exceeds ones hopes, desires and expectations and satisfies every need a person can have. I mention this to help explain that I hold no allegiance to Pope Francis. Until recently, Ive never noticed what any pope says or does. The only time I did was when I got wind of Franciss favorable comments about feminism. On that subject, the man is clueless. Which is interesting, since his latest remarks about modern marriage are spot on. Apparently, Francis doesnt see the parallel between feminism and societys current attitudes toward men and marriage. He hasnt put two-and-two together. Nevertheless, it is a perfectly reasonable observation to say young people treat marriage more casually today than they did in the past. Marriage is provisional, said Francis. Because of this, he added, most sacramental marriages are null. Young people say yes with good intentions, but they have a different culture and thus dont appreciate the significance of the phrase I do. I dont see how anyone over 40 can disagree with that. Much of the controversy over the popes remarks stems from his use of the term null. That term holds a lot of weight to Catholics, and I respect that. But why not consider the popes intent, rather than quibble over terminology? We do too much of that these days. When Francis refers to modern marriage as provisional and thus not representative of what marriage is supposed to be (and therefore null), he means many young people todaywho, thanks to technology and a life of convenience, have their needs met the moment they have themfail to grasp that marriage is a lifelong commitment that will, at times, be very difficult or even, at times, unsatisfying. Instead it is presumed to be something that should make the individual happy and that if it doesnt, well, its time to move on. Weve all heard the phrase lifes too short or lifes a journey; you only get one chance. Thats the different culture to which the pope refers. Same goes for the secular and materialistic approach to ones wedding day. Hello? Destination wedding, anyone? Like many folks, Fox News Adam Shaw took offense to the popes message. For Pope Francis to say the great majority of marriages are null implies that the great majority of Catholics are ignorant fools who cannot understand the responsibilities of a bedrock of society that has existed for thousands of years. Or it simply implies somethings awry in modern marriage. Which, ironically, was the focus of Time magazines cover story last week. In How to Stay Married (and why), author Belinda Luscombe asks that very question: What does a modern marriage promise that historical unions didnt? Too much, apparently. Too many people want marriage to be something it isnt. Something that makes them happy, that demands equality, that never disappoints. Something that exceeds ones hopes, desires and expectations and satisfies every need a person can have. If thats not how you view marriage, great. But it doesnt make the problem, or Pope Franciss observation, any less true. Newly obtained congressional data shows hundreds of terror plots have been stopped in the U.S. since 9/11 mostly involving foreign-born suspects, including dozens of refugees. The files are sure to inflame the debate over the Obama administrations push to admit thousands more refugees from Syria and elsewhere, a proposal Donald Trump has vehemently opposed on the 2016 campaign trail. [T]hese data make clear that the United States not only lacks the ability to properly screen individuals prior to their arrival, but also that our nation has an unprecedented assimilation problem, Sens. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., and Ted Cruz, R-Texas, told President Obama in a June 14 letter, obtained by FoxNews.com. The files also give fresh insight into the true scope of the terror threat and cover a wide range of cases, including: A Seattle man plotting to attack a U.S. military facility An Atlantic City man using his Revolution Muslim site to encourage confrontations with U.S. Jewish leaders at their homes An Iraq refugee arrested in January, accused of traveling to Syria to take up arms with terror groups While the June 12 massacre at an Orlando gay nightclub marked the deadliest terror attack on U.S. soil since 2001, the data shows America has been facing a steady stream of plots. For the period September 2001 through 2014, data shows the U.S. successfully prosecuted 580 individuals for terrorism and terror-related cases. Further, since early 2014, at least 131 individuals were identified as being implicated in terror. Across both those groups, the senators reported that at least 40 people initially admitted to the U.S. as refugees later were convicted or implicated in terror cases. Among the 580 convicted, they said, at least 380 were foreign-born. The top countries of origin were Pakistan, Lebanon and Somalia, as well as the Palestinian territories. Both Sessions and Cruz sit on the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and the National Interest, which compiled the terror-case information based on data from the Justice Department, news reports and other open-source information. The files were shared with FoxNews.com. The files include dates, states of residence, countries of origin for foreign-born suspects, and reams of other details. Specifically, they show a sharp spike in cases in 2015, largely stemming from the arrest of suspects claiming allegiance to the Islamic State. They also show a heavy concentration of cases involving suspects from California, Texas, New York and Minnesota, among other states. EXPLORE THE DATA IN THE MAPS AND CHARTS BELOW The senators say the terror-case repository still is missing critical details on suspects immigration history, which they say the Department of Homeland Security has failed to provide. Immigration data the senators compiled came from other sources. Sessions and Cruz asked the president in their letter to order the departments of Justice, Homeland Security and State to "update" and provide more detailed information. The senators have sent several letters to those departments since last year requesting immigration histories of those tied to terror. The administration refuses to give out the information necessary to establish a sound policy that protects Americans from terrorists, Sessions said in a statement to Fox News. Asked about the complaints, DHS spokeswoman Gillian M. Christensen told FoxNews.com the department will respond to the senators request directly and not through the press. More than 100 Congressional committees, subcommittees, caucuses, commissions and groups exercise oversight and ensure accountability of DHS and we work closely with them on a daily basis. Weve received unprecedented requests from a number of senators and representatives for physical paper files for more than 700 aliens, she said, adding that officials have to review each page manually for privacy and other issues. Cruz ran unsuccessfully this year for the Republican presidential nomination. Sessions, an ardent critic of the administrations immigration policies, is supporting presumptive GOP nominee Trump. The allegations detailed in the subcommittees research pertain to a range of cases, involving suspects caught traveling or trying to travel overseas to fight, as well as suspects ensnared in controversial sting operations which civil-liberties groups including the ACLU have criticized. In a 2014 report, Human Rights Watch said nearly half of the federal counterterror convictions at the time came from informant-based cases, many of them sting operations where the informants played a role in the plot. The report said: In some cases the Federal Bureau of Investigation may have created terrorists out of law-abiding individuals by conducting sting operations that facilitated or invented the targets willingness to act. But even in some of those cases, federal agents got involved after learning of a serious suspected plot. In the case of the Seattle suspect, Abu Khalid Abdul-Latif, authorities said he approached someone in 2011 about attacking a military installation. That citizen alerted law enforcement and worked with them to capture Latif and an accomplice. FoxNews.coms Liz Torrey contributed to this report. Hillary Clinton IT specialist Bryan Pagliano invoked the Fifth more than 125 times during a 90-minute, closed-door deposition Wednesday with the conservative watchdog Judicial Watch, a source with the group told Fox News. The official said Pagliano was working off an index card and read the same crafted statement each time. It was a sad day for government transparency, the Judicial Watch official said, adding they asked all their questions and Pagliano invoked the Fifth Amendment right not to answer them. Pagliano was a central figure in the set-up and management of Clintons personal server she used exclusively for government business while secretary of state. The State Department inspector general found Clinton violated government rules with that arrangement. He was deposed as part of Judicial Watch's lawsuit seeking Clinton emails and other records. A federal judge granted discovery, in turn allowing the depositions, which is highly unusual in a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit. The judge cited "reasonable suspicion" Clinton and her aides were trying to avoid federal records law. Paglianos deposition before Judicial Watch is one of several interviews with high-profile Clinton aides, taking place as the FBI separately is continuing its federal criminal investigation. A federal court agreed to keep sealed Paglianos immunity deal struck with the Justice Department in December, citing the sensitivity of the FBI probe and calling it a criminal matter. The next Clinton aide to testify is Huma Abedin. In an earlier deposition, lawyers for senior Clinton aide Cheryl Mills, during a nearly five-hour deposition in Washington, repeatedly objected to questions about Paglianos role in setting up the former secretary of states private server. According to a transcript of that deposition which Judicial Watch released, Mills attorney Beth Wilkinson as well as Obama administration lawyers objected to the line of questioning about Pagliano. I'm going to instruct her not to answer. It's a legal question, Wilkinson responded, when asked by Judicial Watch whether Pagliano was an agent of the Clintons when the server was set up. A transcript of the Pagliano deposition will be reviewed and is expected to be released next week. Clinton could also be deposed in the Judicial Watch lawsuit. There was no immediate comment from Pagliano's attorney. In much of the world, its the year 2016, but in Bolivia its 5524, at least according to an indigenous calendar there. And now the countrys president, Evo Morales, has suggested that the country switch back to that indigenous calendar, and away from the Gregorian one. Morales said Bolivia should "reclaim its ancestral calendar as part of the rebuilding of our identity, according to the BBC. That calendar has 13 months comprised of 28 days, making it more orderly than the Gregorian one, Morales said. The number 5524 for the year comes from some simple historical math. Its been 524 years since Columbus arrived in the Americas, and the 5000 comes from an estimate of how long indigenous people have been present in the area. The suggestion from Morales came as the country celebrated the winter solstice on June 21 a national holiday and the start of the new year in the calendar used by the Aymara indigenous group. The biggest celebration for the occasion took place at an archaeological site called Tiahuanaco, although rituals took place in other locations as well, like Lake Titicacas Sun Island. Bolivia isnt the only country to consider changes how it keeps time. North Korea set its clock back by 30 minutes last year in a gesture meant to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of Japanese rule. A man who created a revenge website to "destroy" his ex-wife is now in custody and facing charges of criminal harassment. His ex says her only hope is that he'll be held long enough to give her time to change her identity and "disappear" before he is freed, reports the National Post. Vancouver resident Patrick Fox, also known by his birth name Richard Riess, was arrested by US border patrol agents in Washington state after trying to cross into the US illegally. He has since been deported to Canada, where he is facing weapons charges in addition to the harassment charges. Previously, he told the CBC that he'd keep his website up and running until ex-wife Desiree Capuano is dead or "destitute and homeless." Capuano lives in Arizona with their teenage son, and says she's lost job opportunities and is "more scared now than I've ever been in my entire life." The revenge site, which is still live, harasses and defames Capuano, accusing her of being a stripper, a drug addict, an unfit mother, a white supremacist, and more. Fox also posted emails between himself and his teenage son that include him writing that he'd have "no qualms" killing Capuano if it were legal to do so. A judge in Arizona has upheld Capuano's protection order against Fox, calling his actions "domestic abuse." Fox emailed Capuano when the site went up last year, writing that he would "do everything in my power and capabilities to make your life as miserable as possible ... to the point that you ultimately commit suicide." Fox is in custody awaiting a bail hearing in Vancouver. Says Capuano: The only chance I have of having a normal life is to disappear." (This man got 18 years for running a massive revenge porn site.) This article originally appeared on Newser: Man's Revenge Site So Extreme Ex Wants to 'Disappear' An airport official says a flight was diverted to the Seattle area after a male passenger aboard an Alaska Airlines flight tried to kiss a sleeping girl seated next to him on the airplane. Seattle-Tacoma International Airport spokesman Perry Cooper said Tuesday that Port of Seattle police arrested the 23-year-old California man for investigation of fourth-degree assault. Cooper confirmed that the man attempted to kiss a 16-year-old girl who was sleeping next to him. The pilot was notified and reported it to police before landing. The Alaska Airlines flight was heading to Anchorage, Alaska, from Portland, Ore. The girl remained on the plane when it later departed for Anchorage. Cooper says the man was cooperative when he was arrested. He is expected to be booked into King County Jail. The incident comes amid several disrupted Alaska Airlines flights due to passenger behavior. In March, Alaska Airlines passengers headed to Portland received a $100 airline voucher when a flight was diverted due to a rowdy, drunk flier. And last month, a female Alaska Airlines passenger says she was molested by another woman while flying from Las Vegas to Portland. The Associated Press contributed to this report. A heat wave in the Southwest United States has resulted in at least two deaths and has even forced a plane to return to its origin airport due to the extreme temperatures. The National Weather Service is reporting 17 daily heat records were broken Sunday, but the peak of the heat wave will come Monday as temperatures in some desert area are expected to reach around 120 degrees. Officials confirmed Monday that two hikers had died from heat-related issues in separate incidents on Sunday. The first victim was a 19-year-old woman who died on a trail near Tucson, Arizona, and the other was a man found a short distance away. There is also another person missing who was hiking on the same trail. More from TravelPulse Will Airbnb Suffer Significant Blow in New York? 5 Events You Need To Be At In Cabo San Lucas What Will You Do for 141 Days at Sea? Could The Virgin America Brand Survive? Nickelodeon Hotels & Resorts Punta Cana is now open In addition, the extreme heat forced a United Airlines flight from Houston to Phoenix to return to Texas when temperatures reached 118 degrees in Arizona. The airline said it would compensate passengers and provide an added flight Monday morning. For tourists making their way to the Southwest for summer vacation, the National Weather Service has issued excessive heat warnings for cities such as Tucson and Yuma, as well as popular destinations such as the Grand Canyon and Lake Havasu. A 58-year-old Florida man had to be airlifted to a hospital after he was attacked by an alligator Tuesday, officials said. The attack occurred at 6:30 p.m. in Bushnell, Fla. and involved an 8-foot long alligator, The Sumter County Sheriff's Office said in a Facebook post. The man suffered injuries to his right left and was transported to Ocala Regional Medical Center. The man's condition has not yet been released. The gator was euthanized by a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission gator trapper, officials told Fox 35. Click for more from Fox35Orlando.com. An 18-year-old from suburban Indianapolis was arrested Tuesday and accused of trying to travel to the Middle East to join ISIS. Prosecutors said Akram I. Musleh, of Brownsburg, was arrested by FBI agents as he attempted to board a bus from Indianapolis to New York. Musleh allegedly planned to fly from New York to Morocco before making his way to ISIS-controlled territory. Tim Horty of the U.S. Attorney's office said Musleh had an initial hearing in federal court on a charge of providing material support to ISIS. Horty said Musleh was in the custody of federal marshals at an undisclosed location. Musleh's attorney, Michael Donahoe, told the Associated Press that he had no immediate comment on the case. Indiana Gov. Mike Pence issued a statement thanking local and federal law enforcement officials for their work on the case. "In light of the most recent terrorist attacks in Orlando and San Bernardino, no community is immune from this new threat," Pence said. " ... it is essential that all Hoosiers exercise vigilance and report any suspicious activities to the appropriate law enforcement authorities. In short, if you see something say something." According to court documents, Musleh posted videos of U.S.-born Al Qaeda leader Anwar al-Awlaki on his personal YouTube channel in the summer of 2013. When questioned, Musleh said he knew of al-Awlaki's ties to the terror group and was using the videos to understand the history of Islam. The documents also claim Musleh bought an ISIS flag online in September 2014 and posted a photo of himself in front of the flag in June of last year. That April, Musleh was identified as one of a group of people asking juveniles in a Brownsburg park if they wanted to join ISIS. According to an affidavit, Musleh made five travel reservations to Iraq or Turkey in 2015. On one occasion, Musleh was questioned by customs officials and claimed he was traveling to Turkey to meet his fiancee and visit family and friends. FBI investigators said they were unable to locate any relatives of Musleh in Turkey, but did say that Musleh's alleged fiancee had been identified as an ISIS sympathizer living in Sweden. This past May, investigators allege that Musleh researched potential terror targets in Indiana, using a list compiled by the state's Department of Homeland Security. That same month, Musleh was observed shopping for pressure cookers at a local Wal-Mart. If convicted, Musleh faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The Associated Press contributed to this report. A Texas judge arrested for making a secret deal committing his county to a 10-year contract with a red-light camera company was suspended Tuesday for allegedly blowing right past the state's Sunshine Laws. Judge Joel Patrick Baker of Smith County was arrested last week, after an activist group complained his 2014 meeting with American Traffic Solutions officials violated the Texas Open Meetings Act. Baker was charged with three misdemeanor counts of violating the act. "A community is known for what it tolerates," the activist group, Grassroots America We the People, said in a statement. "In Smith County, Texas, we should never accept disrespect for citizens, abuse of the public trust, and selective application of the rule of law." Baker's alleged 10-year pact with ATS would have the Arizona compay exclusive rights to operate the lucrative, but deeply unpopular cameras in Smith County. The cameras are banned in Texas municipalities, but Baker apparently believed he could authorize them for the county. Baker, who allegedly made the deal without the knowledge of county commissioners, was suspended without pay by the State Commission on Judicial Conduct. Grassroots filed a complaint in May 2015 with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and the local district attorney, calling on them to investigate business dealings between Baker and ATS. A warrant for Baker's arrest was issued Thursday from the Smith County Grand Jury and Baker turned himself in to the Smith County Sheriff at 5 p.m. Friday. He was released an hour later on $2,000 bond, according to an unsealed arrest sheet obtained by FoxNews.com. The grand jury's indictment charged that Baker, by meeting privately and conducting business on behalf of the county, knowingly closed a regular Smith County Commissioners Court meeting to the public. Baker, who has no criminal history, has denied any wrongdoing and called the charges against him a "political witch hunt." "As the Attorney General and his supporters will agree, an indictment alone is no evidence of guilt or wrongdoing," Baker said in a statement obtained by FoxNews.com. "I am not guilty of these charges. At no time did I or any member of the court knowingly violate the Texas Open Meetings Act," Baker said. "I maintain this was not a mission to find the truth, rather a political witch hunt. I look forward to producing the true facts to a jury. I am confident a jury will find these charges to be frivolous." A spokesman for ATS was not immediately available when contacted Tuesday. Red light cameras have been long been controversial in cities across the U.S. Advocates of the system claim it makes the roads safer because drivers are more conscious of running red lights. A 2011 study by a red-light camera industry trade association concluded the devices have helped save more than 150 lives in 14 of the largest U.S. cities between 2004 to 2008. Critics, meanwhile, say the cameras are simply money-making machines for towns and cities and often unreliable. Opponents also point to statistics that show an increase in accidents at intersections where cameras are used. Investigators on Tuesday released photo of a "bikini bandit" who they said burglarized two California homes on June 4 and was still on the loose. The woman, wearing only a yellow bikini bottom and green top, stole valuables from locations in Lancaster and Lake Hughes, officials from the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station wrote in a Facebook post. She was seen driving from one of the homes in a tan sedan. A suspect has been identified, a detective told LA Weekly, but no one was in custody as of Wednesday morning. The swimsuited robber was caught on a security camera at one of the crime scenes, investigators said. Shes described as being in her late 30s, standing 5 feet, 5 inches and weighing 120 pounds. The California governor is offering a $50,000 reward in the cold case murder of a young mother whose unsolved death has haunted a tiny, rural town for nearly half a century. Phyllis O'Brien Carson was 32 with four children when she disappeared on Oct. 27, 1970, after visiting a popular bar called Francis Truck Stop in French Camp, Calif., a close-knit community 77 miles east of San Francisco. Carson, who was out with her brother and sister, called home to check on her children and told relatives she was getting a ride home from a friend, whom she did not name. That was the last time she was heard from. Carson's body was found by pheasant hunters three weeks later. No suspect or motive were ever identified, according to detectives. Carson's remains were so badly decomposed that a cause of death could not be determined. Carson's daughter, Melissa, has spent her entire adult life trying to answer two questions: Who did it, and why? Melissa Carson, who learned of the gruesome details from investigators when she turned 18, said it is believed her mother was raped and then killed. Her capri pants were found inside out and appeared to be tossed from the side of Yettner Road. Her body was discovered partially clothed and in a position that suggests she was thrown from a vehicle, Carson said. Her personal belongings, including her wallet and jewelry, were also found, ruling out robbery as a motive. Investigators said Carson's remains were found lying down an embankment off the road about five miles from her family's home. At the time of the murder, the area was rural, with heavy brush and only one house near the crime scene. Melissa Carson's father, who died in 1992, was long ruled out as a suspect. Over the years, Carson said she and her brother came up with theories and identified a few persons of interest -- none of whom ever came forward to take polygraph tests. In 2012, Carson turned to social media to help crack the decades-old mystery, creating a Facebook page dedicated to the hunt for her mother's killer. California Gov. Jerry Brown approved a $50,000 reward earlier this month for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Carson's killer. At Melissa Carson's urging, Joaquin County Sheriff Steve Moore sent a letter to Brown requesting the reward. Moore also received formal support from three state assembly members. Anyone with information in the case is urged to call sheriff's investigators at (209) 468-4400 Click here to visit the Phyllis O'Brien Carson Facebook page Rescue teams recovered a second body Thursday afternoon as they continued a desperate search for any survivors among a family of four who vanished on a sailboat off Florida's Gulf Coast. Crews pulled a second, unidentified, body out of the water around 11 a.m. and located a mast believed to be from the missing ship at 11:55 a.m. The first body, found late Wednesday night, was identified as 17-year-old Rebecca Kimberly by a family member Thursday on NBC. The teen had been wearing a life vest. Rebecca, along with her father, Ace, and her brothers, 15-year-old Donny and and 13-year-old Roger, haven't been heard from since Sunday afternoon. That's when Ace phoned his brother to report the family had been caught up in six-foot waves and were "attempting to survive." "We still have hope they're out there," Coast Guard Capt. Gregory Case said Thursday morning. "We're still searching. It's an active search and rescue mission." The grim discovery followed a slight glimmer of hope Thursday morning when Case announced a rescue boat and helicopter had spotted what they believed to be a flare at 2:30 a.m. The possible flare sighting is the first evidence that at least one of the Kimberlys may indeed still be out in the water alive. A Coast Guard response boat and helicopter reported the three-second sighting at 2:30 a.m. Officials immediately developed a search pattern and have been covering the area ever since. "Whether it was a flare or not we treat it like it was," Case said. "It was in the search area, and we're searching it very hard." Case said it's possible the rising light wasn't a flare, but given the report came from Coast Guard crews, searchers were taking the sighting seriously. "It could be anything -- plane light reflections -- we get thousands of reports, some of them are flares, some of them not," Case said. "But we treat them all as if they are and we're certainly treating this one like it was." Around 1:15 a.m., Search teams also found a yellow kayak matching the description of one of the kayaks Ace was pulling behind his sailboat. At 8:15 a.m., a bucket was located that contained birth certificates, a pool noodle, a GPS, a toolkit and other items. The Kimberly family was sailing to Fort Myers from Sarasota to have repairs done on the sailboat. Ace's brother contacted the Coast Guard Tuesday after the family failed to reach their destination. The 29-foot boat did not have a name or a radio, CBS reported. Case said officials never received a distress call. Case said Wednesday that the Kimberly family was "feeling very anxious and upset, and they're hoping for the best." Mariners with any information were asked to contact the Coast Guards St. Petersburg sector at 727-824-7506. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Click for more from the News-Press. A Florida police officer said Tuesday that he and a group of five of six other officers surrounded the bathroom where Omar Mateen was holed up, but were told to wait until a SWAT team arrived. Belle Isle, Fla. Police Officer Brandon Cornwell, 25, told The Washington Post that he and the officers entered Pulse Orlando as bullets flew and clubgoers screamed. He said his group aimed their rifles and waited about 15 or 20 minutes because they were told not to engage the bathroom area. Cornwell said he never even saw Mateen. Federal authorities said Monday that police engaged the shooter inside the club at about 2:08 a.m. Cornwalls account to The Post offers a first glimpse into the efforts to take down Mateen, who murdered 49 people before being killed by officers in a hail of gunfire. However, the officers account raises questions as to why the first officers who engaged Mateen werent told to pursue Mateen in the bathroom or whether SWAT team members or other officers entered the club once the first group retreated. Those who were still in the club when Mateen was on his killing spree were trapped for hours. The FBI has said that the SWAT team didnt go into the building until 5 a.m., three hours after the attack started. Cornwall didnt further discuss what happened inside the club, citing the ongoing investigation, but he explained that he didnt second-guess the decision to hold position outside the bathroom. We just basically stayed there, waited for movement, and we just held our position until SWAT got there, he explained. 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. Cornwalls account of the early standoff with Mateen is one of three other accounts that state and federal authorities are investigating, even if top police officials believe that everyone did a good job. Thats the worst part of this. I think we did an outstanding job, but unfortunately people died, Orlando police Captain and SWAT commander Mary Canty said. He also added that the incident will be reviewed. Cornwell was at the scene of the shooting by chance. The Belle Isle officer was in the middle of assisting with a traffic stop after he heard the call on the radio that shots had been fired at the Orlando club. He told The Post he was at the scene in 38 seconds. Some ran towards the building; some stayed back with people running out, he told the paper. 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 said when he arrived there were about seven other vehicles at the scene and he converged with a group of Orlando Police Department officers who all believed that they should go in an engage Mateen. 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. Witnesses have said that there was a gun battle between police and Mateen at the south side of the building. But Cornwell said he couldnt even see Mateen in the dimly lit club. 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. He told The Post that officers quickly began clearing rooms, not knowing if there was more than one shooter at the club. He said they located Mateen in the bathroom. Cornwell said that once the officers got into position, thats when they had to wait for up to 20 minutes. He stands firm that his group was told to hold their position rather than enter the bathroom. He said at some point during the holding pattern, Cornwell and the others exited the club. 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 witnesses have said that there were pauses in Mateens shooting. However, its unclear whether the pauses occurred before, after or during the first responders rush into the nightclub. According to the transcript of Mateens 911 calls with Orlando police negotiators, he pledged allegiance to Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. He also claimed at one point that he would put explosive vests on hostages and he had an explosive vest on himself, though it turned out to be a hoax vest. He also claimed to have a bomb-laded vehicle outside the club. The calls with crisis negotiators may explain why officials waited three hours -- until 5:14 a.m. -- before ramming a hole in the side of the club to free hostages and engage Mateen in a final, deadly fight. During those three hours, Mateen was holed up in a bathroom with several hostages, though authorities have said no gun shots were fired during this period. Mateen later died during a shootout with police. With questions still remaining around the attack, Attorney General Loretta Lynch said Tuesday that authorities are open to releasing more of the conversations between Mateen and police. Click for more from The Washington Post. The FBI is looking into Omar Mateen's purchase of plane tickets for himself, his wife and child days before he unleashed the massacre in Orlando's Pulse Nightclub, a law enforcement source close to the investigation told Fox News on Wednesday. The tickets were for a flight to San Francisco set for weeks after the June 12 attack. Fox News is told the FBI is trying to make sense of the timing. Mateen's mother-in-law lives in the Bay Area. She had underwent an operation and was not recovering, NBC News reported. Mateen's family had planned to spend a long period of time with her, a federal official told the network. The gunman killed 49 people and wounded 53 others, investigators said. Mateen died in a shootout with police hours after he stormed the club. A separate report shows Mateen cased the nightclub hours before the attack. He took a wristband before leaving the first time so he could return, CBS News reported. Investigators did not reveal where Mateen may have gone after he first left. Other 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. 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 terror 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. Fox News' Matt Dean and The Associated Press contributed to this report. An illegal immigrant who stabbed a Connecticut woman to death after doing time for attempted murder might not have been in the U.S. soil if the federal agency responsible for deporting him had done a better job, a government watchdog wrote in a scathing report released this week. Haitian national Jean Jacques was sentenced to 60 years in prison earlier this month for the murder of Casey Chadwick, 25, in her Norwich apartment just over one year ago. The Department of Homeland Securitys Inspector General, which examined the circumstances that led up to the murder at the request of three Connecticut lawmakers, found the agencys overwhelmed Immigration and Customs Enforcement bureau should have booted Jacques from the U.S. prior to the killing. The caseloads of Deportation Officers in the field make personalized follow-up with the aliens under their supervision functionally impossible, the report found, noting that at one office just four officers were assigned to facilitate deportation of 37,000 illegal immigrants following their release from prison. The report also found that officers typically dont manage their crushing caseloads based on the threat posed by individuals, but instead by gauging their likelihood of removing subjects. In Jacques case, Haiti denied his entry three times when ICE tried to deport him, claiming there was no proof he was a Haitian citizen. Haiti refused to allow U.S. officials to obtain his birth certificate, and a 2001 U.S. Supreme Court decision limits how long immigration officials can detain people without deporting them. Jacques, who was held for a total of 205 days, was released. The Inspector Generals report found that ICE still could have used GPS to track Jacques, but cited the massive workload as a major obstacle. The report also stopped short of saying better tracking would have saved Chadwicks life. Jacques originally sneaked into the U.S. in 1992. Four years later, he was involved in a shooting that left one dead and another injured. Convicted in 1997 of attempted murder and possession of a firearm without a permit, he was sentenced to 20 years, but was released after 15. He was locked up again after violating parole while ICE was attempting to have him deported. This report confirms what we have long suspected: ICE could and should have done more to remove Jean Jacques from this country before he had the chance to brutally murder Casey Chadwick, the three Democratic lawmakers who requested the report, senators Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy, and Rep. Joe Courtney, said in a statement. Calling the investigation alarming, they said, ICE lacks the framework for effective risk-based monitoring and supervision of released individuals like Jacques who have violent criminal pasts. ICEs efforts to deport Jacques were documented in the report. He was listed as a passenger on three charter flights to Haiti in June, August and October of 2012, but each time the Haitian government refused to repatriate him. Wendy Hartling, Casey Chadwicks mother, blames immigration officials for her daughters death. "No action," Hartling, told Fox 61. "And, that, to me, is the biggest crime here is that they took no action." The report is the first detailed look into what lengths ICE officials must go through to deport illegal criminal aliens, said Jessica Vaughan, director of Policy Studies for the Center for Immigration Studies, a Washington-based research institute. Although ICE agents could have taken more steps to ensure Jacques deportation, Vaughan believes ICE isnt the sole government agency that deserves blame for the tragedy. The State Department, Congress and the Obama administration could have all played a role in ensuring Haiti allowed Jacques repatriation, she said. We can use our leverage to influence the Haiti government through the State Department, and impose sanctions if they do not cooperate, Vaughan said. That has worked in the past but is a tool that hasnt been used since 2005. The OIG agreed State Department intervention is an option, but noted immigration officials did not seek the diplomatic help because they believed their request would be rejected. Enforcement and Removal Operations believed that the State Departments involvement was typically limited to aliens engaged in terrorism or human rights violations, the OIG said. Although we did not interview State Department officials about this, we have no basis to believe that Enforcement and Removal Operations experience in this area was unfounded. Congress can also close loopholes in the law that resulted from the Supreme Court decision forcing the release of illegal criminal aliens who completed their sentence, and as a last resort, Vaughan said, the president could also intervene to break this kind of bureaucracy. ICE spokeswoman Sarah Rodriguez told FoxNews.com in a statement that ICE is carefully reviewing the Inspector Generals report to determine if any policy or operational changes are warranted. She laid much of the blame on Haiti. The U.S. Government remains firm and focused in its resolve to engage all nations that deny or unreasonably delay the acceptance of their nationals, Rodriguez said. 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 The Latest on wildfires burning in the West (all times local): 8 a.m. More evacuees are expected to return home as firefighters inch closer to snuffing out a massive wildfire in central New Mexico. Authorities said Wednesday that the blaze in the mountains south of Albuquerque is more than halfway contained. It has destroyed at least two dozen homes and burned nearly 28 square miles. Fire officials say crews constructed more fire lines along two sides of the blaze. Helicopters also have dropped more than 2,100 gallons of water close to where there are structures. The human-caused fire ignited June 14, racing across miles of tinder-dry forest. Several villages that line the eastern side of the Manzano Mountains had to be evacuated. The blaze also led Gov. Susana Martinez to declare a state of emergency. ___ 7:15 a.m. Moisture has moved in along much of the Southern California coast, and most mandatory evacuation areas near a wildfire in Santa Barbara County have been lifted. Fog arrived overnight on the rugged coast west of Santa Barbara, where a fire of more than 12 square miles is nearly entirely contained Wednesday morning. As planned, mandatory evacuation orders for many areas were reduced to warnings at 5 a.m., allowing residents to return. All orders are expected to be lifted by the weekend. Firefighting resources are being redirected to two fires in the San Gabriel Mountains northeast of Los Angeles and to a blaze east of San Diego near the Mexico border. Many Christians no longer view marriage as a lifelong commitment, says Mary Hasson, director of the Catholic Women's Forum at the Ethics & Public Policy Center in Washington D.C., who agrees with Pope Francis' assertion that couples often fail to understand the sacred vows they are making to each other. "It's individual consumerism applied to sexuality what I want, when I want it, and only for as long as I want it," said Hasson, who has over a decade of experience in marriage preparation work for the Catholic Church, to The Christian Post. "It's meaningful only from a 'what's in it for me' perspective. Relationships often take on the same quality they are vehicles for personal fulfillment (however defined) and, like an old car, they can be traded or dumped when the repair costs get too high or a new model appears on the scene." The majority of couples she meets who are preparing for marriage frequently tell her that they want to commit for life, she said, "but they often have their own personal asterisks the unspoken 'exceptions' that they believe will justify divorce and remarriage later on." "That mindset is toxic to marriage, where couples need a unified vision, a capacity for sacrifice, a willingness to compromise, and a commitment to the good of the marriage, spouse, and children." Last Thursday, Pope Francis told participants at the Diocese of Rome's annual pastoral conference that most Catholic marriages are effectively void because couples don't understand that the marital union is a lifelong commitment. "A large majority of sacramental marriages are null," the pope said, according to the Catholic News Service. "They say 'yes, for my whole life,' but they do not know what they are saying because they have a different culture." The notion that marriage is a temporary obligation is a manifestation of a larger societal problem where everything is provisional, the pontiff added. Click Here to Read the Full Story at ChristianPost.com 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. Michigan's attorney general filed a civil lawsuit Wednesday against two water engineering companies, saying their negligence caused and exacerbated Flint's lead-tainted water crisis and demanding what could total hundreds of millions of dollars in damages. Veolia and Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, also known as LAN, were sued in Genesee County Circuit Court. The firms already are facing suits from Flint residents over the disaster, in which improperly treated water from the Flint River scraped toxic lead from pipes into tap water. Houston-based LAN -- whose Flint office in 2013 and 2014 helped the city of nearly 100,000 switch to the Flint River as its primary water supply after decades of buying treated water from Detroit -- was accused of professional negligence and public nuisance. Veolia, a French multinational corporation with U.S. offices, faces the same allegations along with a fraud count. The firm was hired in 2015 after Flint began encountering numerous water problems but, according to the suit, it and LAN didn't detect the lack of a corrosion control chemical and instead recommended the addition of a chloride that made the problem worse. "In Flint, Veolia and LAN were hired to do a job and failed miserably," Schuette said at a news conference in Flint. "They basically botched it, didn't stop the water in Flint from being poisoned. They made it worse." In a statement, Veolia North America said it "will vigorously defend itself against these unwarranted allegations of wrongdoing." It noted that a task force appointed by Gov. Rick Snyder largely blamed the state for the emergency and did not even mention the company or assign it any blame. "The Attorney General has not talked to Veolia about its involvement in Flint, interviewed the company's technical experts or asked any questions about our one-time, one-month contract with Flint," Veolia said in a statement. "Veolia's engagement with the city was wholly unrelated to the current lead issues." A LAN spokesman said Schuette "blatantly mischaracterized" its role. The decision to not add corrosion controls was made by the city and state regulators, not LAN, according to the company, which said it had regularly pushed for corrosion control. Snyder has apologized for regulatory failures while the poverty-stricken city was under state financial management and began drawing its drinking water from the local river in a cost-cutting move. The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality told the city that it was not required to add an anti-corrosion chemical until after a year of testing. Lead from old pipes leached into homes and businesses, leading to a public health emergency. There also were earlier E. coli detections, resident complaints about color, odor and taste, and high levels of a disinfectant byproduct. A General Motors plant had stopped using the water just six months after the 2014 switch because it was rusting engine parts, and experts suspect a deadly Legionnaires' disease outbreak was tied to the water. Flint returned to the Detroit system in October. Criminal charges have already been filed against two state environmental officials, while Flint's utilities administrator pledged cooperation in exchange for reduced charges. Once Snyder signs budget legislation, Michigan will have allocated at least $240 million to resolve the water crisis in Flint. next Image 1 of 2 prev Image 2 of 2 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. 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. Omar Mateen, the gunman who murdered 49 people at an Orlando, Fla. nightclub, reportedly was at the club and left before returning to commit his atrocity. Federal investigators told CBS News on Tuesday that Mateen went to Pulse Orlando to get a wristband so he could leave and return to the club later in the night. The gunman left at some point through the night and returned about 2 hours later to murder 49 people before dying in a hail of gunfire by police. The officials didn't reveal why Mateen left the club or where he had allegedly gone. Earlier Tuesday, Attorney General Loretta Lynch opened the door to releasing transcripts of phone calls between Mateen and Orlando police a day after the Justice Department was pressured to reverse course on its censoring of key lines from the shooters 911 call. We are looking to be as transparent as possible and to provide as much information as possible, Lynch told reporters at an Orlando press conference after meeting with survivors of the June 12 massacre. Lynchs remarks come a day after an embarrassing backpedal when, under pressure from Republican leaders and media outlets, the Justice Department released a full transcript of Mateens 911 call the night of the massacre -- after initially releasing a partly censored transcript. An earlier version of the transcript had deleted the term Islamic State and the name of ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. The full transcript would show that during the 50-second 911 call, Mateen had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State's leader and said he was acting on their behalf. The FBI also released summaries of Mateen's phone conversations with law enforcement, but not entire transcripts. After meeting with victims of the attack Tuesday, Lynch said at the press conference that she had been moved by the survivors resilience in the face of such a horrendous attack. I am inspired by the strength and the resilience of the survivors and their loved ones. And I am deeply moved by the way that this community and our national community has stood together in support of one another, in defiance of terror and in defense of our most cherished ideals, Lynch said. Lynch was scheduled to visit the memorial site at Orlandos City Hall, as well as meet with first responders and other people affected by the tragedy. According to the transcript of Mateens 911 calls with Orlando police negotiators, he pledged allegiance to Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. He also claimed at one point that he would put explosive vests on hostages and he had an explosive vest on himself, though it turned out to be a hoax vest. He also claimed to have a bomb-laded vehicle outside the club. Lynch also announced that the Justice Department was making $1 million in emergency funding available for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Gov. Rick Scott initially requested $5 million in funding from FEMA, but was denied. The Presbyterian Church (USA) has elected a co-moderator for its 222nd General Assembly who believes members of the denomination are just as evil as Orlando shooter Omar Mateen who pledged his allegiance to the Islamic State terror group. In a blog written within hours of the Orlando nightclub shooting in which Mateen killed 49 people, the Rev. Denise Anderson a pastor from National Capital Presbytery who is serving alongside the Rev. Jan Edmiston, a presbytery executive from Chicago as a co-moderator for the PCUSA's annual assembly argues that "many in our own ranks aren't too idealistically different from this gunman." "Much of this [homelessness, human trafficking, crime, drug use and suicide among LGBT youth] can be attributed to religious teaching," Anderson claims. "A pastor who counseled parents to turn their backs on their gay son, or submit their lesbian daughter to conversion therapy. Flippant comments about 'sissies' thrown carelessly about from the pulpit. "Relegation of gay men to the choir loft (entertain us!), but kept from the trustee board. Scapegoating same-sex couples as the purveyors of moral erosion. That's our doing. That's our assault weapon." Anderson further asserted the American Church "is in the same business" as Mateen, but is "simply not as efficient as he was." As part of the opening day of PCUSA's 222nd General Assembly held in Portland, Oregon, on Saturday, delegates overwhelmingly elected Anderson and Edmiston as co-moderators. Click Here to Read the Full Story at ChristianPost.com The California attorney who prosecuted a former Stanford University swimmer convicted of sexually assaulting an unconscious woman is sponsoring legislation to toughen mandatory sentencing. Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen and two lawmakers announced AB2888 Wednesday. Brock Turner was sentenced to 6 months in jail in March, though current law does not require hard time if force is not used on the victim. The bill would prohibit probation and effectively require jail time for anyone convicted of rape or sexual assault against a person who was unconscious or too intoxicated to give consent. Democratic Assemblymen Bill Dodd of Napa and Evan Low of Campbell are the authors. Another bill introduced following the Stanford case would expand California's legal definition of rape to include penetration by any object without consent. A high school cheerleader fought back tears Monday as she pleaded not guilty to helping a pair of brothers who allegedly beat a homeless man to death during an April robbery near San Diego. Hailey Suder, 18, pleaded not guilty to two felony counts of being an accessory after the fact in the shocking murder, Tanya Sierra, spokeswoman for the San Diego County district attorneys office, told the Los Angeles Times. The San Diego Union-Tribune reported last week that Suder is the girlfriend of one of the two brothers who are charged with killing George Lowery, 50. However, its unclear what role she played in the mans death, or which brother she was dating. Police said that on the evening of April 24, Lowery's wife, who lived with him in a makeshift camp in El Cajon, found him unconscious in a field, with injuries to his upper body. Lowery, who also had been tied up and robbed, was admitted to Sharp Memorial Hospital, where he died four days later. Police arrested Austin Larry Mostrong, 21, and 19-year-old Preston Autry Mostrong, on suspicion of committing the assault. The two pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and torture. According to the Los Angeles Times, Suder was a senior and cheerleader at Santana High School. Catherine Martin, spokeswoman for the Grossmont Union High School District, told the paper that she didnt graduate with her class last month. Katey Torres, Lowerys daughter, told the Times that her father was a generous man who suffered a stroke and two brain hemorrhages due to the beating. Although he did not have much, he was always giving, she said. Anyone he came across loved his personality and he was always talking to people. Anyone he saw that needed help or just needed a smile he'd be there lifting your spirits. If someone was in need he would do what he could to help, no matter how hard the task. If he came across good fortune, he shared it. Suder was ordered held on $100,000 bail and faces three years and eight months in prison if convicted, Fox 5 San Diego reported. She has a preliminary hearing scheduled for July 5. Click for more from the Los Angeles Times. A suspect in the murder of a Louisiana sheriff's deputy was in custody after he tried to hide in a backyard Wednesday afternoon, authorities said. Jefferson Parish Sheriff's deputy David Michel, Jr., 50, was shot multiple times at around 12:20 p.m. local time after stopping a pedestrian on the street in Harvey, just outside New Orleans. Michel died after being taken to University Medical Center in New Orleans, Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office spokesman Col. John Fortunato said at a televised news conference. The suspect was captured after law enforcement agencies flooded the area, using dogs and helicopters. Geralisha Henderson said she went to her back door Wednesday to make sure it was locked after police combing her street said they were searching for a suspect. When she went to the back door, she saw what appeared to be a young man dressed in jeans and T-shirt hiding in the back of the yard. Frightened, she went to the street and waved for a police officer to come. When she went to the back door to peek outside again, she said the suspect was much closer to the house. The suspect saw her and asked to be let in, she said. "He was telling me `Open the door, let me in,"' she said. "He looked scared." She said she did not see a gun. At that the point, several officers rushed in and detained him in the backyard. Henderson's mother, Alicia, said an officer later came back to the house and told her the man was the suspect they were looking for. The unidentified suspect was also taken to University Medical Center with minor injuries. Fortunato said authorities believe the suspect sustained the injuries in a struggle with Michel prior to the shooting. Witnesses told investigators the suspect pulled a gun from his waistband during that struggle, Fortunato said. It was not immediately clear why the suspect was initially stopped. Michel was assigned to the street crimes unit, which targets drug sales and criminal activity in 17 high-crime areas around the parish, Deputy Chief Craig Taffaro said. Michel was in a black unmarked car and dressed in plain clothes with sheriff markings. "The normal operational tour of duty for these guys who work in street crimes is to drive around certain neighborhoods that we know are high-crime areas and make pedestrian stops, and make vehicle stops as well," Fortunato said. WVUE reported that Michel was assigned to the street crimes team last year. He joined the sheriff's office in 2007 and attained full-time status in 2013. The station also reported that Michel's wife is a sheriff's office employee, but did not specify in what capacity. The shooting happened on Manhattan Boulevard near its intersection with Lapalco Boulevard, both heavily traveled thoroughfares in the area known as the West Bank, across the Mississippi River from New Orleans. It was the year's second shooting of a Jefferson officer. Another member of the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office was shot and wounded in January during a drug raid on a house in the Lower 9th Ward section of New Orleans. Stephen Arnold was shot five times as he and others were trying to serve a warrant as part of a Drug Enforcement Administration raid on a house. The alleged shooter, Jarvis Hardy, has been indicted on eight counts, including attempted murder of a federal officer. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Click for more from Fox8Live.com. The backlash was swift after the Freedom From Religion Foundation asked a city in Texas to remove two signs that include the phrase "God's country," prompting the mayor to respond on Tuesday, "No way in hell." The signs appear on Highway 90 in Hondo, Texas, about 40 miles west of San Antonio. They read, "Welcome -- This is God's country; please dont drive through it like hell -- Hondo, Texas." The Freedom From Religion Foundation sent its request in an email to the city last week, Fox 29 reported. It warned Hondo the city would be "legally vulnerable," but did not specify whether it would file a lawsuit. Two unidentified Texans had complained about the signs, according to the foundation. "It is inappropriate for the city of Hondo to display religious signs that convey government preference for religion over non religion," part of the letter from co-president Annie Laurie Gaylor reads. "Imagine the public outrage had the city posted a sign saying 'This is Vishnu's country." Hondo mayor Jim Danner said his city was preparing a response, but he could sum it up briefly: "There's no way in hell that sign is coming down." The city had changed the signs before, Fox 29 reported. Workers added "please" in 2012. Local news stations asked people in Hondo for their reactions, and nearly all supported the signs. "If you don't like it, don't read it or drive around," Stacey Cross told KSAT. Foundation co-president Dan Barker said he was open to discussing the issue. "It would be best if they just removed it, but the compromise could be, 'Drive safely. This is beautiful country.'" Click for more from Fox 29. An adventure wedding photographer in Colorado said Tuesday she wasn't expecting a rattlesnake to jump out and bite a groom as he was posing for photos with his bride -- but she wanted to capture all the ups and downs of their wedding day, so she kept taking pictures. "I often wade in chest-high water, hike into jungles in Costa Rica, or go on 10-mile hikes with couples on their wedding day. I never would have guessed that my only indoor church wedding this year, in my home town, would actually become the biggest adventure, and my craziest wedding story to date," photographer Maddie Mae said. Johnny and Laura Benson were walking by Horsetooth Reservoir near Fort Collins, just about 50 feet from a parking lot last weekend when the snake bit the groom in the ankle. "All of a sudden it was like someone kicked me in the shin. Then I looked over and saw the snake sitting there, and it was rattling," he told the Denver Post. The photographer said they shouted out to a park ranger, but he clearly didn't hear them. He simply yelled back, "Congratulations!" Eventually he stopped by and helped the groom keep his leg elevated before paramedics could arrive. The bride rode along in the ambulance to the hospital. And Maddie Mae snapped away with her camera. She said doctors determined the snake didn't inject any venom. Since it was pretty clear the bride and groom had a reception to attend, hospital staffers got them in and out quickly. Naturally, the couple was late to the reception -- but only by an hour or so. "Ive never seen such a emotional 'grand entrance' as all 184 guests cheered when Johnny & Laura walked in, and showered them in a sea of passionate hugs. I admire Laura & Johnny so much for staying calm, and holding each others hand through the first great test of their brand new marriage," Maddie Mae wrote. Laura Benson called the whole experience "pretty epic." Now that the bride and groom have the photos, they probably won't forget the experience any time soon. One picture showed the park ranger elevating the husband's leg. Another showed the bride in her wedding dress approaching the ambulance. And one photo showed the scaly culprit slithering through the grass. Fort Collins is an hour's drive north of Denver. Organizers of a special ax-throwing league in Canada say they'd like to make the experience even more fun -- by getting a license to serve alcohol. As the Toronto Star asked, "What could possibly go wrong?" The Backyard Axe-Throwing League brought in a safety expert to its six locations in Ontario within recent months, the newspaper reported. We received glowing reviews on the safety to go ahead with the application for the liquor license, CEO Matt Wilson said. But until liquor gets the OK, people who want to stop by and hurl axes around will have to quench their thirst with non-alcoholic beverages they bring from home. Wilson emphasized the club's near-spotless safety record. In 2014, we had 100,000 new visitors... Nothing has ever happened to any of the guests while throwing the axes. He told the newspaper that ax throwers sign waivers, and plenty of trainers are on hand. Over the past five years, the worst injuries were just a few cuts to the hand that came when staffers were sharpening axes, Wilson said. The league is confident that ax throwers will be able to safely booze it up by the end of the summer. We want people to leave with a smile, and were excited for the upcoming change, Wilson said. Click for more from the Toronto Star. 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. With Britain's membership in the European Union on the line, campaigners from the prime minister on down blanketed the country Wednesday trying to convert the undecided on the final day before the crucial vote. Outlining his vision of a future with Britain retaining its position in the 28-nation bloc, Prime Minister David Cameron bristled at the notion that the country would be headed in the wrong direction if the "remain" side prevailed in Thursday's vote. "We are not shackled to a corpse," Cameron told the BBC. "You can see the European economy's recovery. It's the largest single market in the world." Pushing for a British exit, or Brexit, the most notable figure on the "leave" side, former London Mayor Boris Johnson, mugged for the cameras at the Billingsgate Fish Market in East London and pretended to kiss a fish a not-so-subtle reminder that this is an island nation that takes great pride in its independence and self-assurance. "It's time to break away from the failing and dysfunctional EU system," Johnson said. "It's time to have a totally new relationship with our friends and partners across the Channel." Wednesday's feverish campaigning took place even as mourners gathered in London and other world capitals to honor the memory of Jo Cox, the youthful pro-EU Labour Party lawmaker who was stabbed and shot to death last week in her Yorkshire constituency. Speaking to a crowd of 9,000 in Trafalgar Square on what would have been Cox's 42nd birthday, her husband, Brendan, said that Cox "feared the consequences of Europe dividing again" and urged people to follow her example. The motive for the killing is unclear but the rare slaying of a politician cast a shadow over a divisive campaign that has been unusually heated, even by the lively standards of British politics. Nigel Farage, the outspoken leader of the U.K. Independence Party, resisted fresh calls to apologize for a controversial poster showing hundreds of non-white migrants making their way across Europe alongside the words, "BREAKING POINT." The poster, labeled racist by opponents, was unveiled hours before Cox was killed. "I apologize for the timing and I apologize for the fact that it was able to be used by those who wish us harm," Farage said. "But I can't apologize for the truth." "This was a photograph that all newspapers carried. It is an example of what is wrong inside the European Union," he said. High profile political, military and business figures also weighed in on the debate as the final hours of campaigning ebbed away. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told The Associated Press in Brussels that a British exit from the EU could weaken the trans-Atlantic alliance. "We are faced with so much uncertainty, so much unpredictability, with terrorist threats, with a more assertive Russia in the east," Stoltenberg said. "I believe that a more fragmented Europe will be something which will only add to the uncertainty which surrounds us." European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker flatly rejected suggestions that Britain might be able to negotiate better terms with the EU if it votes to leave. "Out is out," he said. The reach of the EU into every aspect of life has made the issues at stake far more complex than in a general election. And while the vote is final unlike in an election where the results can be reversed in the next term it is not legally binding and Parliament would have to vote to repeal the law that brought Britain into the EU in the first place. A vote to leave would invoke Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union, which allows a member state to withdraw. That has never been done before and would trigger a period of uncertainty during years of negotiations on the relationship between the EU and the U.K. Much of the debate has hinged on the economy. From the international banks in the skyscrapers of Canary Wharf to the home of Britain's financial industry in the City of London, business has awaited Thursday's vote with trepidation. Many fear a vote to leave would undermine London's position as one of the world's pre-eminent financial centers and damage an industry that underpins the British economy. Leaders of about half of Britain's largest companies made a last-ditch appeal to their employees to vote to remain in the EU. In a letter to the Times on the eve of Thursday's vote, some 1,285 business leaders including representatives of half of the FTSE 100 businesses argued that a vote to leave would hurt the British economy. Similar letters have been released in the course of the acrimonious campaign. But Wednesday's letter was clearly meant to make the 1.75 million people employed by the signatories think twice about their vote. "Britain leaving the EU would mean uncertainty for our firms, less trade with Europe and fewer jobs," the letter said. "Britain remaining in the EU would mean the opposite: more certainty, more trade and more jobs. EU membership is good for business and good for British jobs. That's why, on June 23, we back Britain remaining in the EU." Among the companies represented were Barclays, Standard Life and Anglo-American. Stock markets and the pound continued to rise, indicating that investors think the "remain" side will win. Markets are likely to be jittery, though, as the vote is expected to be tight and a decision to leave would create huge uncertainty. U.S. Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen warned Tuesday that the upcoming vote "could have significant economic repercussions." The betting markets stood solidly by the "remain" side, however. The Betfair exchange said "remain" is now at 76 percent probability. In a statement, it said some 80 percent of the 1 million pounds placed during and after a BBC debate on the issue Tuesday were for "remain." An angry crowd of Muslims reportedly looted and burned the homes of 80 Christian families in an Egyptian village Friday after rumors circulated that they wanted to build a church. Christian media reported the violence taking place in the village of Qarayat al Bayda, near Alexandria, quoting witnesses who claimed police did little to protect them. The alleged violence began after noon prayers, when a throng of Muslims gathered in the front of a home being built, Mousa Zarif told International Christian Concern. "They were chanting slogans against us, Zarif said. Among these slogans were, 'By no means shall there be a church here.'" Egypt is roughly 85 percent Muslim and Coptic Christians have long faced persecution in the Arab nation. The village in which the attacks were reported to have occurred has no Christian churches, according to International Christian Concern. The incident prompted renewed calls for the government in Cairo to do more to protect religious minorities. Naim Aziz told Daily News Egypt the homes, a community center and other properties owned by Christians were destroyed. Police initially arrested Aziz and Zarif, according to reports. They also reportedly arrested six Muslims, who were quickly released, while holding the Christians on bail after charging them for praying and building without a permit. Persecution of Christians in Egypt has prompted the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom to encourage the US State Department to include Egypt on its list of countries of particular concern, where particularly severe violations of religious freedom are perpetuated or tolerated, according to ChristianToday.com. 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. The United States called on China and other rival claimants Wednesday to exercise restraint when an international tribunal issues a landmark ruling on the South China Sea disputes that Beijing has chosen to ignore. A senior U.S. State Department official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to Asian journalists through a teleconference, said the upcoming decision by the arbitration panel in The Hague may offer "a great deal of clarity" on the disputes and help the claimants forge an arrangement to avoid potential confrontations. She said the decision, expected within weeks, could also serve as a jumping off point to diplomatic talks. "We would certainly call on all governments to exercise restraint and to use this post-arbitration period as an opportunity to restart those diplomatic discussions," she said. China has said it would not recognize any arbitration decision despite calls by several Asian and Western governments for it to respect international law. Some fear Beijing may take a harder stance and take provocative actions if it comes under pressure from outside, including by the United States, to comply with an adversarial ruling. In a harsh attack on U.S. policies in Asia, the flagship newspaper of China's ruling Communist Party on Wednesday accused Washington of seeking to turn the South China Sea "into a powder keg" and warned it not to underestimate China's determination to defend its territorial claims. The People's Daily cited recent combined exercises by two Navy aircraft carrier strike groups off the coast of the Philippines as a sign of U.S. hegemony and said Washington has made a mistake in seeking to intimidateChina. In making displays of military power aimed at China, the U.S. has "picked the wrong counterpart," said the editorial, the contents of which are usually vetted by high ranking party officials. U.S. military activity, including freedom of navigation cruises near China's man-made islands and exercises with allies, is contributing to the militarization of the region, the editorial said. Beijing prefers one-on-one negotiations with each of the rival claimants, an arrangement that gives it advantage because of its sheer size and clout and prevents Washington from playing any role to resolve the conflicts. In the 2013 case, the Philippines challenged the validity of China's so-called nine-dash line claiming virtually the entire stretch of the South China Sea, a crucial waterway where a major chunk of the world's oil and trade passes. The Philippines also asked the tribunal to rule whether several disputed areas are outcrops, reefs or islands and how much stretch of territorial waters they project. The U.S. official also expressed concern over China's coast guard ships escorting Chinese fishing vessels in areas including Indonesia's Natuna Islands, where Indonesian vessels fired warning shots. Florence Mae Minor Taylor transitioned with grace and peace to her heavenly home on Sunday, June 19, 2016, at Woodmont Center in Fredericksburg, VA. Florence was born on April 8, 1931, to the late John and Margaret Minor, in Caroline County. Florence was family-oriented and could be relied upon to help her parents with her siblings. Florence is remembered by all as a caring and compassionate person who always put the needs of others first. She had a special fondness and love for children. Florence loved cooking and sewing and made beautiful outfits for her family and friends. She was a wonderful homemaker and loved her pet dog, Priscilla. Florence was an active member of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Spotsylvania until her illness. She served in many capacities: Sunday school teacher, Ushers Ministry, Vacation Bible School (VBS) Director, Culinary Ministry, Pastors Aide Society and President of the Missionary Ministry. She also served as a volunteer for the Fredericksburg Food Bank. Florence was a member of the Celestia Chapter #38, Order of the Eastern Star, NAACP member, voting rights advocate and community activist. In the summer of 1963, she joined three other parents in petitioning the Superintendent of Schools to send her daughter to the previously all-white Robert E. Lee Elementary School. In August of 1963, her daughter became one of the four elementary school children to desegregate Spotsylvania Schools. Florence was preceded in death by her husband Moses L. Taylor Sr. and siblings John L. Minor Jr., Randolph Minor, Mary Minor and Julia Wheeler. She is survived by her loving children, Mozelle Janice Taylor and Moses L. Taylor Jr. Her surviving siblings include Molly Minor, Virginia Smith, Dorothy Washington, Rosa Minor, Margo Minor; and a devoted niece, Carolyn Chin. A celebration of life will be held at noon on Thursday, June 23, at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Spotsylvania. Viewing will be from 10 a.m. to noon, prior to the service. Interment will follow the service at the Mount Lawn Cemetery in Caroline County. Arrangements are with A. L. Bennett and Son Funeral Home. Online condolences and guest book are available at albennettandsonfuneralhome.com. IV Therapy Clinics: Announce Leader Of IV & Vitamin Infusion Therapy Clinics IV Therapy Clinics have been heralded as a cure-all and preventive for hangovers, a natural boost for workouts, a fighter of fatigue, a mood enhancer, an anti-aging preventative, a way to improve concentration and memory, and as a means to supercharge overall wellness. -- IV Therapy Clinics are gaining traction as the hottest new trend amongst Hollywood's elite. Celebrities like Rihanna and Simon Cowl have been caught by the paparazzi leaving IV Therapy Clinics time and time again. This is because IV Therapy Clinics have been heralded as a cure-all and an overall all preventive for hangovers, a natural boost for workouts, a way to speed up the healing process, a fighter of fatigue, a mood enhancer, an anti-aging preventative, a way to improve concentration and memory, and as a means to supercharge overall wellness. Sites like http://ivtherapyhub.com are now taking it to the masses. This new popular craze actually has a long history in the medical world. It began in the Middle Ages, where IV injections used quills and bladders to perform therapy. It was improved upon by Dr Thomas Latta during the 1800s with the introduction of the IV saline infusion. It did not become a routine practice until the latter part of the 20th century, and now is safe enough to be consumed as a lifestyle product. Doctors still continue, however, to recommend IV Therapy Clinics more and more to their patients. This is because an IV introduces the necessary nutrients and hydrating elements immediately into the body's circulatory system. The body responds almost right away to repair itself, and relief may come immediately if solution is the correct dosage and composition. In certain cases, it can even outperform simply drinking water! IV treatments, however, can experience complications due to inferior administration by subpar IV Therapy Clinics. This is inclusive of veins becoming inflamed, infections, and even in rare cases air embolus due to air in the needle. That is why it is of extreme importance that when choosing an IV Therapy Clinic that clients select one that has quality and efficient staff. IV Therapy Hub was founded to help customers do just that. It is an innovative geo-locational directory that connects clients with the closest IV Therapy Clinics instantly, providing immediate access to superior IV Therapy Clinics. For more information, please visit https://ivtherapyhub.com Contact Info: Name: Richard Linden Email: Support@Webvisable.com Organization: IV Therapy Hub Address: 3187 Airway Ave, Suite C Costa Mesa, CA 92626 Phone: (855) 639-8444 Release ID: 120356 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) Michael Wild Wins Award from South Florida Business and Wealth Magazine Each year South Florida Business & Wealth Magazine recognizes a group of people considered to be the rising stars of the community. The only professional to win the award for Top Attorney in Broward County was Estate Planning and Asset Protection attorney, Michael Wild. -- Every year the South Florida Business & Wealth Magazine recognizes a group of individuals that are considered to be the rising stars of the community. These individuals have not only proven to be dedicated leaders to their community but respected professionals within their field. This year, 79 finalists were nominated by their peers and colleagues. On June 17, everyone gathered at the Venue in Wilton Manors to see who would actually win the prestigious Up and Comer Award. Of the 79 finalists only 19 professionals walked away with the award and the only professional to win the award for Top Attorney in Broward County was Estate Planning and Asset Protection attorney, Michael D. Wild. "Being recognized by my peers as a trusted professional and leader in the community is truly an honor. I feel fortunate to share this award with a list of incredible business professionals and I'm elated that they are being recognized for their hard work and contributions as well." Michael Wild is the managing partner of WFP Law. Michael and the attorneys at WFP Law offer free one hour consultations and assist in the areas of estate planning, asset protection, probate administration and wealth transfer. A leader in his community, he serves on the Board of Directors of 211 Broward, HANDY, ARC Broward and Riverwalk Ft. Lauderdale. He is also the founder and chairman of United Way of Broward County's Envision Broward. The Up and Comer Awards is a unique program created by Lifestyle Media Group and South Florida Business and Wealth Magazine to honor the professionals in South Florida that promote excellence in their respective fields, maintain the highest level of ethics, show a commitment to their community and are proven leaders. Michael states, "Receiving this recognition is truly a great honor. I appreciate such acknowledgment of my accomplishments. This is a testament of my dedication to providing my clients with the highest quality legal services and handling their estate planning with the utmost care to ensure their needs and goals are met." For more information on Michael Wild and the law firm of WFP Law please visit their website at www.wfplaw.com For more information, please visit http://www.wfplaw.om Contact Info: Name: Michael Wild Organization: Wild Felce & Partners Address: 1250 South Pine Island Road, Suite 200 Plantation, Florida 33324 Phone: (954) 944-2855 Release ID: 120539 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) Cleansing Oil Industry Development Trends and Research from 2015 to 2020: Radiant Insights Radiant Insights has announced the addition of "Global and Chinese Cleansing Oil Industry, 2015 Market Research Report" Market Research report to their database -- The 'Global and Chinese Cleansing Oil Industry, 2010-2020 Market Research Report' is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the global Cleansing Oil industry with a focus on the Chinese market. The report provides key statistics on the market status of the Cleansing Oil manufacturers and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the industry. For further inquiries, about Cleansing Oil Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2010 - 2020, click on this link - https://www.radiantinsights.com/research/global-and-chinese-cleansing-oil-industry-2015-market-research-report Firstly, the report provides a basic overview of the industry including its definition, applications and manufacturing technology. Then, the report explores the international and Chinese major industry players in detail. In this part, the report presents the company profile, product specifications, capacity, production value, and 2010-2015 market shares for each company. Through the statistical analysis, the report depicts the global and Chinese total market of Cleansing Oil industry including capacity, production, production value, cost/profit, supply/demand and Chinese import/export. The total market is further divided by company, by country, and by application/type for the competitive landscape analysis. Browse All Reports of This Category @ https://www.radiantinsights.com/catalog/personal-care The report then estimates 2015-2020 market development trends of Cleansing Oil industry. Analysis of upstream raw materials, downstream demand, and current market dynamics is also carried out. In the end, the report makes some important proposals for a new project of Cleansing Oil Industry before evaluating its feasibility. Overall, the report provides an in-depth insight of 2010-2020 global and Chinese Cleansing Oil industry covering all important parameters. Request a Free Sample Copy of this Report @ https://www.radiantinsights.com/research/global-and-chinese-cleansing-oil-industry-2015-market-research-report/request-sample About Radiant Insight Radiant Insights is a platform for companies looking to meet their market research and business intelligence requirements. It assist and facilitate organizations and individuals procure market research reports, helping them in the decision making process. The Organization has a comprehensive collection of reports, covering over 40 key industries and a host of micro markets. For more information, please visit https://www.radiantinsights.com/research/global-and-chinese-cleansing-oil-industry-2015-market-research-report Contact Info: Name: Michelle Thoras Email: sales@radiantinsights.com Organization: Radiant Insights, Inc Address: 28 2nd Street, Suite 3036 Phone: (415) 349-0054 Source: http://marketersmedia.com/cleansing-oil-industry-development-trends-and-research-from-2015-to-2020-radiant-insights/120573 Release ID: 120573 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. Analysis by platform provider Zurich shows nervous investors are switching into cash ahead of the European Union referendum tomorrow (22 June). The provider has seen a 20 per cent increase in cash being held by savers on its retail platform. This is both clients wanting to switch of their own volition and advisers encouraging them to make this decision, according to Zurich. Alistair Wilson, Zurichs head of retail platform strategy, said even during the sharp stock market falls of 2015 the industry didnt see the levels of cash holdings at the height they are today and the amount being put into cash continues to climb. Mr Wilson said: In the last two weeks alone we have seen cash levels soar by 20 per cent. We know uncertainty has an impact on stock market volatility and clients appear to be increasingly flying to the safety of cash. We know uncertainty has an impact on stock market volatility and clients appear to be increasingly flying to the safety of cash. Alistair Wilson Whatever the outcome, volatility and nervousness could endure. Many clients may decide a controlled, phased re-entry is safer for them. Paul Lindfield, director of wealth management of Manchester-based Sedulo Wealth Management, said: If they are switching to cash this week they are very late - they are not going to make a difference by doing it now. It would be the same with currencies. Earlier today FTAdvisers sister newspaper Investment Adviser issued a warning about whipsaw market movements after fund selectors and managers rushed to take risk off the table ahead of tomorrows EU referendum. Some investors have moved into safe assets ahead of tomorrows vote amid fears of market falls and further shifts in asset allocation. ruth.gillbe@ft.com Perhaps it was the clear Vancouver air, or the friendly greetings of financial advisers from across the world, but little could have been more invigorating than this years Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) annual meeting. I fell in love with Canadas most beautiful city on my first visit while working as a photographer in 1959, and have been fortunate enough to return many times for both pleasure and business. This years MDRT meeting has been right up there with the best, as more than 11,500 financial planners from across the world were inspired by great presentations from more than 100 speakers, while countless breakout sessions and workshops available meant the record number of attendees had a veritable smorgasbord of subjects from which to choose. It is hard to think of an area of personal or corporate financial planning that has not been covered by this MDRT. Personally, I tend to focus on areas of general self-improvement, and subjects such as corporate or personal development, marketing and client care. One of the aspects of MDRT I find so exciting is that even after 45 years of membership, I am still learning new ways to enhance the quality of my life, business or relationships. It is tremendous to be able to discover new ideas to further improve and advance the quality of service we deliver to the firms we serve. I am still learning new ways to enhance the quality of my life, business or relationships Even just revisiting the basics of planning for success such as we heard on the first morning from Krish Dhanam can have a powerful impact. Born in India, he emigrated to the US in 1984. He reminded us all of the importance of identifying and setting your personal goals and then demonstrated how to motivate oneself to achieve those goals by visualising both the benefits of doing so and the potential obstacles. We also heard an incredibly moving story from Don Stephens who founded the charity Mercy Ships in 1978 after meeting with Mother Teresa in Calcutta. Staffed by hundreds of medical volunteers, Mercy Ships provides top-quality medical help to patients across Africa, and healthcare training to thousands of local people. We also laughed as Frank Miles used humour and juggling to demonstrate how change is good, and that, while we may fear the unknown, if we prepare and learn, we have nothing to fear. A point that really struck home was in relation to the Retail Distribution Review, from which, undoubtedly, those who prepared and learned have prospered. MDRT in Vancouver did not disappoint: we laughed, we cried and we learned. I hope to see you at the next one. Ken Davy is chairman of SimplyBiz Group However, even a back of a vape packet calculation suggests that the care industry may well be correct when it suggests that the UK is facing significant issues when it comes to paying for care. With an estimated 433,000 adults living in residential care settings across the UK, as well as over-65s making up an increasing proportion of the population, the number of people needing this type of support is only likely to grow. However, residential care is not inexpensive with a typical home in England costing annually approximately 29,558 ranging from 34,788 in the South East to 24,492 in the North West. This is in addition to the cost of nursing care, which can cost far more. So who pays these costs? This has always been a challenge to communicate as not only do 72 per cent of over-45s believe that they are unlikely to need care in later life but 30 per cent believe the State will fund care if they need it. With the number of over-65s due to make up 25 per cent of the UK population by 2046 , this is simply not achievable. In 2014, the Coalition Government passed the Care Act which was designed to create an equitable standardised system easier to navigate and ultimately to use. If a person has deliberately spent or given away their assets they could be accused of deliberate deprivation In April 2015, the first tranche of the Care Act was introduced. However, the second tranche which is the most interesting from a funding point of view as it would have introduced the care cap in April 2016 has been delayed until 2020. The care cap would have seen qualifying people (with assets below 118,000) receiving some local authority support with the theory that people would not have to spend more than 72,000 on the cost of social care during their lifetime. This point has been extensively debated given the fact that not all costs were included in the calculation and someone in England could conceivably spend 177,500 before hitting the cap. However, this approach did provide some modicum of protection from catastrophic costs, unlike the current system. Daily living Currently, people in England are assessed by their local council to ascertain how many activities of daily living they can undertake and then they are required to pay for care until their assets reduce to 23,250 (limits in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland vary). When this limit is hit, they then receive some state funding until they reach the lower limit of 14,250 when the local authority is required to fund their care completely. It is important to note that the person must be assessed to have severe/critical needs in order to qualify for local authority funding support so a relatively healthy 75-year old who has depleted their assets would not necessarily receive support. Story Highlights 37% of Britons approve of EU leadership Nearly half of Britons aged 50 or older, 46%, approve of EU leadership Approval is far lower among youngest Britons, 29% WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Britons cast their votes in a referendum Thursday that will determine whether the United Kingdom stays in the European Union. While recent reports suggest the "Brexit" vote will be too close to call, Gallup in February and March found firm majority disapproval of the EU's leadership among Britons. Fewer than four in 10 Britons (37%) approved of the EU's leadership at the time -- consistent with Britons' dismal approval ratings for almost a decade. The U.K. cast its economic lot with Europe in 1973 when it joined the European Economic Community, the forerunner of the EU. Britons' approval ratings of the EU's leadership have been consistently lackluster since 2008, when Gallup started asking them this question, ranging between 29% and 39%. But notably, Britons' ratings of their own country's leadership have not been high over the same period. In fact, at several times, their ratings of their own leadership were marginally lower than their ratings of the EU -- including in the years leading up to the 2010 election that resulted in the Labour Party losing majority control. Since then, Britons' ratings of their own leadership have been somewhat higher than those of the EU's leadership. However, what looks to be a fairly stable trend in EU leadership approval masks a sharp contrast between views of younger and older Britons. While leadership approval of the EU was highest among those aged 15 to 29 in 2008, at 62%, it has declined since, dropping to a low of 29% in 2016. At the same time, the typically lower approval among Britons aged 50 and older began inching up in 2014, and now nearly half (46%) in this age group approve of the EU's leadership. Bottom Line Britons hold deep-seated opinions on both sides of the Brexit issue. Those likely voting to leave the EU believe it would free Britain from EU regulations and stimulate economic expansion -- and result in far fewer migrants making their way to its shores. Among those with the contrary view, many fear that leaving the bloc could roil global economic markets, harm trade with Europe and lessen British productivity and incomes. It remains to be seen if or how last week's murder of a young, pro-EU member of British Parliament, Jo Cox, affects national sentiment on this critical vote about Britain's future, although some weekend U.K. polls find an uptick in "stay" votes. If Britons vote to stay, the country's leaders must still acknowledge and contend with the strong undercurrent of disapproval of the bloc's leadership that paved the way to Thursday's vote. Historical data are available in Gallup Analytics. Survey Methods Results are based on telephone interviews with 1,000 adults, aged 15 and older, conducted Feb. 19-March 16, 2016, in the United Kingdom. For results based on the total sample of national adults, the margin of sampling error is 3.6 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. The margin of error reflects the influence of data weighting. For more complete methodology and specific survey dates, please review Gallup's Country Data Set details. Learn more about how the Gallup World Poll works. Story Highlights Nearly half of cohabiting same-sex couples now married Up from 38% before same-sex marriage legalized in all states 9.6% of LGBT Americans married to same-sex spouse, up from 7.9% PRINCETON, N.J. -- The proportion of same-sex cohabiting couples who are married has increased from 38% to 49% in the year since the U.S. Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. Change in Percentage of Married Versus Unmarried Same-Sex Cohabiting Couples After Supreme Court Ruling on Same-Sex Marriage Based on LGBT Americans Pre-Obergefell v. Hodges decision Post-Obergefell v. Hodges decision % % Married 38 49 Living together but not married 62 51 Note: Since Jan. 28, 2015, Gallup has measured sex of spouse/partner for LGBT respondents reporting they are married or living with a partner. Gallup Daily tracking On June 26, 2015, the Supreme Court in Obergefell v. Hodges struck down prohibitions on same-sex marriage in the 13 states that still had them. Since then, the same-sex marriage rate has grown significantly in those 13 states, but it has also grown in the states where it was already legal. The increase has been slightly greater (13 percentage points versus 10 points) in the states that had prohibited same-sex marriage before last June. Change in Percentage of Married Versus Unmarried Same-Sex Couples Living Together After Supreme Court Ruling on Same-Sex Marriage, by Prior State Law Based on LGBT Americans Marital status Pre-Obergefell v. Hodges decision Post-Obergefell v. Hodges decision % % Same-sex marriage NOT legal in state before June 26, 2015 Married 26 39 Living together but not married 74 61 Same-sex marriage legal in state before June 26, 2015 Married 42 52 Living together but not married 58 48 Note: Since Jan. 28, 2015, Gallup has measured sex of spouse/partner for LGBT respondents reporting they are married or living with a partner. Gallup Daily tracking The proportion of married same-sex couples remains higher in states in which the practice had been legal before the Supreme Court's ruling -- 52% to 39%, with only a slight closing of the gap in the past year. The results are based on Gallup Daily tracking interviews conducted throughout 2015 and 2016. Gallup asks U.S. adults if they identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, and to indicate their marital status. Those who say they are LGBT and are either married or living in a domestic partnership are asked whether their spouse or partner is of the same sex or the opposite sex. Gallup currently estimates 3.9% of U.S. adults are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, and 0.4% of U.S. adults are married to a same-sex spouse. These figures can be used to estimate there are approximately 981,000 U.S. adults in a same-sex marriage and, thus, 491,000 same-sex marriages in the U.S. That latter estimate is up from roughly 368,000 a year ago. One in 10 LGBT Adults Now Report Being Married to Same-Sex Spouse Currently, 9.6% of LGBT adults report being married to a same-sex spouse, up from 7.9% before the landmark court decision. Meanwhile, the percentage of LGBT Americans who are living with a same-sex domestic partner has declined, from 12.8% to 10.1% -- a larger decline compared with the increase in same-sex marriages. This indicates that while many unmarried same-sex couples who were living together got married in the past year, many others stopped living together or no longer consider themselves to be domestic partners. The largest percentage of LGBT Americans -- 49.9% -- continue to identify as single or never married, up from 47.4% a year ago. Marital Status of LGBT Americans, Before and After Supreme Court Ruling Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage Nationwide Pre-Obergefell v. Hodges decision Post-Obergefell v. Hodges decision Change % % pct. pts. Married to same-sex spouse 7.9 9.6 +1.7 Living with same-sex partner 12.8 10.1 -2.7 Single/Never married 47.4 49.9 +2.5 Living with opposite-sex partner 4.8 5 +0.2 Married to opposite-sex spouse 14.2 13.6 -0.6 Divorced 7.1 6.4 -0.7 Separated 2.5 2.2 -0.3 Widowed 2.8 2.9 +0.1 Gallup Daily tracking At the time of Gallup's initial update on same-sex marriages after the Supreme Court ruling, 9.6% of LGBT Americans said they were married to a same-sex spouse. Since that November update, the percentage is essentially unchanged, at 9.5%. This suggests there was a burst of same-sex marriages in the first few months after the Supreme Court ruling but little additional increase since then. Males who identify as LGBT are more likely than females who identify as LGBT to report being married to a same-sex spouse (10.5% vs. 8.8%, respectively). Gallup tracking documents similar increases since last June in the percentage of both groups who are in a same-sex marriage. A year ago, 8.7% of LGBT men and 7.2% of LGBT women said they were married to a same-sex spouse. Implications Gallup's data indicate a clear increase in same-sex marriages in the U.S. since the Supreme Court granted those unions legal status nationwide. Now, roughly half of all cohabiting same-sex couples are married, up from 38% a year ago. Gallup estimates that approximately 123,000 same-sex marriages have taken place since the Obergefell v. Hodges decision, with increases apparent among those living in states where same-sex marriage was already legal as well as those where it was not. More recent data collected since Gallup's initial update on same-sex marriages in November show the growth in same-sex marriages may be leveling off. The Obergefell v. Hodges ruling appears to have provided the impetus for an initial surge in same-sex marriages, but that surge only lasted a short while. Going forward, as the nation moves further away in time from that June 2015 decision, increases in the same-sex marriage rate may be more evident in the long term rather than in the short term. This is especially likely given that the U.S. LGBT population is decidedly young, and many who one day want to marry a same-sex spouse are not currently at a point in their lives when they are likely to seriously consider marriage. These data are available in Gallup Analytics. Survey Methods Results for this Gallup poll are based on telephone interviews with a random sample of U.S. adults, aged 18 and older, living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia, on the Gallup U.S. Daily survey. Sample sizes and margins of error are shown in the accompanying table: Margin of Error Sample Sample size Margin of error % Pre-Obergefell v. Hodges decision (Jan. 28-June 26, 2015) National adults 148,457 +/-1 LGBT 4,752 +/-2 Non-LGBT 135,643 +/-1 Post-Obergefell v. Hodges decision (June 27, 2015-June 19, 2016) National adults 351,880 +/-1 LGBT 11,588 +/-1 Non-LGBT 322,321 +/-1 Gallup Daily tracking All reported margins of sampling error include computed design effects for weighting. Each sample of national adults includes a minimum quota of 60% cellphone respondents and 40% landline respondents, with additional minimum quotas by time zone within region. Landline and cellular telephone numbers are selected using random-digit-dial methods. Learn more about how Gallup Daily tracking works. 'Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2' Gameplay, News & Update: New Features Revealed! "Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2" is undoubtedly one of the most anticipated games to be released this year. Because of that, Dragon Ball fans are trying to get every inch of hint and detail about the much-awaited game and finally the "Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2" developer has revealed some new features! 'Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2' News & Update: New features revealed Although "Dragon Ball Xenoverse" was already and still a fan favorite, Developer Dimps is trying to bring some new elements to "Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2" to enhance gamers' experience, Game Spot reports. "Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2" will bring a new avatar customization system. After picking a character, the gamers will then go to a location exclusively created to the race they chose. The "Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2" city will accommodate more players this time around. "Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2" will have the capacity for 300 players simultaneously. "Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2" gamers will be able to fly around the new hub city. "Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2" will also feature a hovering device that will let players move from one point of the city to another. New combat skills will be available in "Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2," bringing curved Ki blasts to the mix. READ: 'Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2' E3 2016 News & Update: Everything We Know So Far Including Release Date! Christian Today reports that "Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2" has already been confirmed for a Winter release in Japan and it is only going to be the PS4 version, as previously pointed out by Famitsu. Although there was no confirmation on the release date for the U.S. and U.K. for now, but if you're a die-hard Dragon Ball fan and you know how they work, you'd be expecting "Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2" to come out this Winter 2016 as well. "Dragon Ball Xenoverse 2" will be available on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC Theo James Vs Tom Hiddleston: Which Actor Is The Better James Bond Material? There is no question that both Theo James and Tome Hiddleston could play the James Bond Role quite capably. But since there could never be two James Bonds at the same time, one needs to weigh their strengths and weakness to assess who is the best fit. Since Daniel Craig's rather surprising departure from the James Bond franchise, speculations have been unceasing about who is most likely to replace him. Among the numerous actors whose names have been put forward as possible James Bond candidate, two names seemed to top the list - Theo James and Tom Hiddleston. Acting Experience Fit For James Bond Both Theo James and Tom Hiddleston are experienced and exceptional actors. Theo James is well-known for his Divergent series role as well as "Bedlam," "Underworld: Awakening and" "Downtown Abbey." On the other hand, Tom Hiddleston also has well-established acting credentials. He appeared as Loki in several Marvel movies such as "Thor" and "The Avenger." However, Tom Hiddleston fans argued that Tom is the better choice because of his role in "The Night Manager." In this BBC hit series, Tom Hiddleston plays a British spy that is similar to the James Bond role - articulate, charming but deadly, according to The Guardian. Who is Perfectly Aged to Play the James Bond Role? Officially, there has never been an age requirement for actors to play James Bond. Yet, among fans, there seems to be this consensus that a proper James Bond actor should be somewhat middle-aged - Think about Pierce Brosnan or Roger Moore. So between Theo James and Tom Hiddleston, who is the actor better suited to play the James Bond role in terms of age? Born in Dec. 16, 1984, Theo James is 31 years old. The age is not too young but many people would probably say that for the James Bond role, it's almost but not quite there yet. Of course, it does not help that moviegoers usually see Theo James playing roles much younger than his actual age. Because of this, people would usually say that he is too young to play James Bond yet, especially those who are unaware that he is already 31. Tom Hiddleston was born on Feb. 9, 1981, which makes him 35 years old. James Bond fans would surely say he is just the right age to play the iconic British spy, especially since he had already played as a British spy in television. Tom Hiddleston certainly projects that matured air fitting of 007. But How Is It Really Decided In The End? Actually, fans could argue all they want but according to former James Bond director Sam Mendes, choosing who's going to play 007 is not a democracy, as reported by Belfast Telegraph. The privilege is reserved to one woman alone, Barbara Broccoli, the franchise's producer. Since it is unlikely that Brocolli will bend to public opinion, only she can decide whether it's Tom Hiddleston or Theo James or even anyone else is fitting for the James Bond role. Shamsadiin Aden, a four-month-old triplet born with his brothers in the U.S., is shown June 8 in his Springfield home. After living in an Ethiopian refugee camp for 25 years, his Somali family recently resettled in Springfield. SARAH CROSBY/Daily Hampshire Gazette Nimo Aden, 4, feeds her four-month-old brother Muhyadiin Aden, left, while his triplet brother Nuradiin Aden, right, is fed by mother Asha Muhumed June 8 in their Springfield home. After living in an Ethiopian refugee camp for 25 years, the Somali family recently resettled in Springfield, where the triplets were born. SARAH CROSBY/Daily Hampshire Gazette Four-month-old triplet Shamsadiin Aden, front, is shown with his sister Nimo Aden, 4, at left, his brother Muhyadiin Aden, back center, and his mother Asha Muhumed in their Springfield home on June 8. After living in an Ethiopian refugee camp for 25 years, the Somali family recently resettled in Springfield, where the triplets were born. SARAH CROSBY/Daily Hampshire Gazette Four-month-old triplets Muhyadiin Aden, front left, Shamsadiin Aden, front center, and Nuradiin Aden, right, are held by mother Asha Muhumed, second from left at back, father Hussein Ali, back center, and uncle Khadar Muhumed in their Springfield home on June 8. Their sister Nimo Aden, 4, is shown at left. After living in an Ethiopian refugee camp for 25 years, the Somali family recently resettled in Springfield, where the triplets were born. SARAH CROSBY/Daily Hampshire Gazette Four-month-old triplets Nuradiin Aden, left, Muhyadiin Aden, center, and Shamsadiin Aden, right, are shown with mother Asha Muhumed, sister Nimo Aden, 4, and father Hussein Ali in their Springfield home on June 8. After living in an Ethiopian refugee camp for 25 years, the Somali family recently resettled in Springfield, where the triplets were born. SARAH CROSBY Muhyadiin Aden, a four-month-old triplet born with his brothers in the U.S., is shown June 8 in his Springfield home. After living in an Ethiopian refugee camp for 25 years, his Somali family recently resettled in Springfield. SARAH CROSBY/Daily Hampshire Gazette Four-month-old triplets Nuradiin Aden, left, Muhyadiin Aden, center, and Shamsadiin Aden, front, are held by their mother Asha Muhumed, left, sister Nimo Aden, 4, and father Hussein Ali in their Springfield home on June 8. After living in an Ethiopian refugee camp for 25 years, the Somali family recently resettled in Springfield, where the triplets were born. SARAH CROSBY/Daily Hampshire Gazette Four-month-old triplet Shamsadiin Aden, front, is shown with his brother Muhyadiin Aden, back center, his mother Asha Muhumed, and his sister Nimo Aden, 4, in their Springfield home on June 8. After living in an Ethiopian refugee camp for 25 years, the Somali family recently resettled in Springfield, where the triplets were born. SARAH CROSBY/Daily Hampshire Gazette Four-month-old triplets Muhyadiin Aden, left, Shamsadiin Aden and Nuradiin Aden are posed for a portrait June 8 at their familys Springfield home. After living in an Ethiopian refugee camp for 25 years, their Somali family recently resettled in Springfield, where the triplets were born. SARAH CROSBY Four-month-old triplets Nuradiin Aden, left, Muhyadiin Aden, center, and Shamsadiin Aden, front, are fed by their mother Asha Muhumed, left, sister Nimo Aden, 4, and father Hussein Ali in their Springfield home on June 8. After living in an Ethiopian refugee camp for 25 years, the Somali family recently resettled in Springfield, where the triplets were born. SARAH CROSBY/Daily Hampshire Gazette SPRINGFIELD When the refugee family of 11 learned that triplets were on the way, they expected their family to grow by three. What they didnt anticipate was gaining a sisterhood of young American mothers across the upper Pioneer Valley. Asha Muhumed and Hussein Ali were living in a refugee camp in Ethiopia when they received the news that Muhumed was pregnant. Twins, the Somali parents were told. But with nine children and meager resources, the young couple was afraid. In the camp, the first thing that comes to mind after waking up is what to feed them, said Muhumed, speaking in Somali through caseworker Nasra Ali of Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts, who translated their words to English. We were scared and worried about how to take care of them, the parents agreed. Muhumed and Ali fled their birth country 25 years ago because of ongoing civil war in Somalia. Basic food and shelter were scarce, they said, while healthcare and education were not an option because they couldnt afford them. The second priority, said Muhumed, was finding random jobs each day to keep that slim food supply coming. In September of 2015, Jewish Family Service of Western Massachusetts (JFS) resettled the family in Springfield. The Springfield-based organization which has additional offices in Northampton and Pittsfield, offers social services grounded in Jewish values including refugee resettlement, general counseling, elder services and U.S. citizenship services. Maxine Stein, JFS president and CEO, said the organization will resettle at least 235 refugees this year. Five months after arriving with solely the clothes on their backs, the familys world changed yet again as not twins, but surprise triplet boys were born Muhyaddin Aden, Nuradinn Aden and Shamsadiin Aden. Muhumed, a seasoned mother, knew that babies make a significant impact on a familys finances. The one-time payment of $925 per refugee granted by the Department of Homeland Security for resettlement in the United States would quickly disappear as they tried to stock up on essential items for the three newborns. Community effort Deborah Roth-Howe of Leverett, who is the daughter of Holocaust refugees, cut back her work hours in September. After seeing the Syrian refugee crisis all over the news, Roth-Howe looked for a way to get involved and wound up on JFSs doorstep. While she was volunteering there, Stein mentioned the organization was collecting donations for the triplets. She said JFS tries to get as many items donated as possible to protect refugees funding for food and rent, as well as to buy them some time until they start working. Her request was exactly the call-to-action Roth-Howe was looking for. She shared the need with her daughter, Leah Roth-Howe, who posted it to her Amherst area new moms email list serve. No one expected the result that followed. I just remember every day coming home and people would leave things on my porch, said Stein, who offered her Northampton porch as a closer drop-off location. Everything from little brand new socks and stuffed animals to a breast pump and washcloths, she said. Oh my god, it just did not stop. The effort spread like wildfire, providing diapers, wipes, a crib and mattress, new baby clothing, a stroller, a changing table and a baby bathtub, among other items. The drop-offs continued for six to eight weeks, filling up the porch several times. Stein said the minute the refugee family got home from the hospital, all the items were waiting for them. The most striking, Deborah Roth-Howe said, was that the young moms were also just getting their feet under them and are not from a wealthy, affluent community. But, she said, they were so connected with what it was like being a mom, then imagine triplets, then image doing it with nine other children, then imagine doing it in a country where youve recently arrived and dont speak the language. Their hearts just opened, she said. The family has yet to meet their supporters but said they felt as if they had a family in America. To know someone who doesnt know you cares enough to extend their hand to you its something indescribable, said Ali. Were finally not alone. JFS future effort Stein said the occurrence has inspired JFS, which is nearing its 100th anniversary, to create a new moms wish list to drive future donation efforts for refugee mothers who are expecting. This is a family who survived, said Deborah Roth-Howe. I cant even imagine what hardships theyve had on their plates and oh my gosh, the rest of us have it so easy. As for Ali and Muhumed, they said they feel the triplets have a better chance at life here, particularly with safety and education. If they try their best, they can be anyone, Ali said. Everything is possible in this country. June 20 is World Refugee Day, during which the United Nations and other groups around the world bring attention to the plight of refugees as well as celebrate their tenacity, resilience and culture. To mark the event, JFS is offering a film screening of Refugee Kids at the Trinity United Methodist Church, 361 Sumner Ave, Springfield. The 5:30 p.m. screening will be followed by a Q&A session with film editor and Holyoke State Rep. Aaron Vega. The event is free but requires registration at the JFS website. Attendees are welcome to bring donations of school supplies for current and newly arriving refugee children. Sarah Crosby can be reached at scrosby@gazettenet.com. CSULB alum wins gold at the 38th Long Beach Marathon which was his first Lindsey Shirley has perhaps one of the most far-reaching positions at Oregon State University. As associate provost and associate director of the OSU Extension Service, Shirley runs the day-to-day operations of the service and works with outposts in all 36 Oregon counties. She succeeds Deborah Maddy, who retired this year. One of her first orders of business since assuming the position June 1 is to visit all 36 counties. She will start with visits to the Portland metro area, Eastern Oregon and Central Oregon. She doesnt have a sense yet of how long it will take, and it sounds like one of those enterprises that could turn into a bit of an adventure. The extension service is the front door of the university, Shirley said. Its really important for me to spread the word about the benefits of the extension service. We have diverse offerings and programs and ways to communicate that information." Shirley also notes that she has to have a dual focus: understanding the breadth of the service's programs and accomplishing group goals. "I need to be combining information gathering with task-oriented advocacy on things that can be implemented," she said. "I don't want to take my first 100 days just information gathering." When you think OSU Extension Service, 4-H and other agricultural programs wind up top of the mind, but Shirley emphasizes that the service is much more than that and tailors its programs to the needs of people in those 36 counties. Shirley also noted that 4-H has a presence in all Oregon counties. She offered a handout that identified the activities the services is involved in, including energy, poverty, economic development, urban issues and human health. What activities are appropriate? What gets you the outputs and outcomes you want? she said. It could be a change of behavior that could help fight obesity for adults and children. We need to look at the people in each county. What are the needs for this region? Thats why the visits are so critical. Although Shirley knows that some spots on the Extension Service map are much more conveniently reached by air, you could also see it as a road trip, a way to see all the dots and whats between the dots. Shirley came to OSU from Utah State University, where she initiated a bachelors program in outdoor product design. There are more than 1,000 companies in Utah that are involved in outdoor products, she said, and no career path. We worked on everything from materials to manufacturing, snowboard gear and apparel. Shirley grew up in Iowa, with two of her degrees being awarded from Iowa State University in her hometown of Ames. The strong extension programs and agricultural resources in the state definitely influenced her life path, she said. And the life path of her family as well. Her parents have moved from Iowa to Portland, and her brother also left Iowa and is now working for the University of Oregon. Shirley previously had only brief experience traveling through Oregon but she felt Oregon was a great place to live and work and this position gets me connected with people in Oregon. We continue to be pioneers. Im a parent of two kids here in Corvallis: One who is graduating from high school this week and another starting high school this fall. I feel lucky that both have been highly successful in the public school system here and want to assure that all kids are just as successful. Two of the most important objectives of our high schools are ensuring every student graduates and preparing every student to take advantage of the myriad of options available after graduation. In Corvallis weve made great strides with graduation in just a few years. Our on-time graduation rate has climbed from 67.5 percent in 2012 to 86 percent in 2015. Superintendent Erin Prince, at a recent public meeting, credited a culture change that has high school staff focused on making an intervention when a student starts to veer off track. While we have had success increasing our high school rates here in Corvallis, the same cannot be said statewide. Oregons graduation rate is among the four or five worst in the nation. Im dismayed by the fact that 1 out of 4 freshmen dont make it to graduation more than 10,000 students each year roughly. Its scary to think of the future they face without a high school diploma. In addition, even with a diploma, too many graduates dont have the skills to succeed in the real world. Three-quarters of our community college freshmen must take remedial courses that dont count as credits toward their certificate or degree. Without a strong base of skills, it will be tough for local tech employers, like Hewlett-Packard and others, to find the workforce they need. We know how to solve this problem a rich array of vocational education that gives high school students the hands-on skills to succeed in the workforce; opportunities to take college-level courses that prepare students for college level standards; and dropout prevention programs that refuse to let any student fall behind. Most of our schools arent able to do the level of interventions that we do here to keep kids from dropping out and succeeding in high school. The best way to solve a chronic problem like our state high school graduation rate is to make solving it a statewide priority. Thats exactly what Initiative Petition 65 would do prioritize the evidence-based, proven solutions that will boost graduation rates and help students succeed in their academic and career pursuits. IP65 provides districts with an average of $800 per student to spend on things that we know make a difference for students career technical education, college prep education and dropout prevention. Districts get to decide how to spend those dollars and must be transparent in reporting how they spend taxpayer dollars and the results they are getting for our students. By providing funding for schools to introduce or expand their career technical education/vocational education offerings, we open doors for students to learn practical skills computer coding, construction, manufacturing, accounting, nursing and more that make their academic education come alive and teach the skills that area employers need in their workforce. From what Ive seen with my own two daughters and their friends, high school can be a time of tremendous opportunity and growth that leads to graduation and a world of possibilities beyond. We need to give all of our students a fair shot at achieving that vision. Please vote "yes" on Initiative Petition 65 this November. 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. Opening celebration : International Rotary Club is official Bonn It was a truly a global affair as members of Bonns first International Rotary Club gathered for the official opening celebration on the weekend. Teilen Teilen Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Tweeten Tweeten Weiterleiten Weiterleiten Drucken On Saturday, a celebration was held at the University Club to commemorate Bonns International Rotary Club becoming an official member of Rotary International. District Governor Jorg Dienenthal and Mayor Reinhard Limbach handed over the official Rotary membership certificate to initiator and founding president Monika Horig. She was a member of the Rheinbach Rotary Club for ten years but worked for several years to found an International Rotary Club. It made sense to create a Rotary Club in the UN host city of Bonn which would reflect the wide spectrum of Bonns internationalism, said Horig, who is the spokesperson for the City of Bonn in her daytime job. English is the language spoken at the club. Currently, there are 26 members from 14 countries and five continents. It took around three years for the idea of the club to come to fruition. Horig said she campaigned and searched around to find like-minded people to get it going. I like to bring people together, she explained and recalled a conversation in Bonn with Richard Dictus, the head of United Nations Volunteers (UNV), and then UN General Secretary Ban Ki Moon. Dictus told her that UN employees wished for more contact with Bonn residents. Horig took that thought with her and visited all ten Rotary Clubs in Bonn to try and win support for an international club. As spokesperson for the City, Horig also used her contacts with press speakers of DAX companies, UN institutions and universities, finding open ears and doors. It was especially Dictus who helped her in finding potential members for the new club. She is pleased that the average age of members is 44-years-old. Our youngest member is 30, she notes. From doctors to consultants, scientists to engineers, museum curator or communications expert, many different occupations are represented within the group as called for by Rotary. Plans for various projects are currently being developed. We will start modestly, says Horig, we want to begin by engaging in Ausbildung statt Abschiebung (Education instead of Deportation), an association which helps young refugees prepare for school, studying and career. 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. Pressure Puts ISIL on Its Heels, Pentagon Spokesman Says By Lisa Ferdinando DoD News, Defense Media Activity WASHINGTON, June 21, 2016 Coalition and local forces in Iraq and Syria are making significant progress in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, the Pentagon's press secretary told reporters today. "The counter-ISIL coalition continues to pressure ISIL on multiple fronts in Iraq and Syria as local forces continue to put ISIL on its heels," Peter Cook said. Progress in Fallujah Iraqi security forces, led by the Iraqi Counterterrorism Service, are advancing in Fallujah at a rate of about 5 to 10 percent of the city per day, he said. The forces have cleared about a third of the city, and are careful to safeguard the lives of civilians and limit property damage to the extent possible, Cook said. The coalition continues to provide daily air support in the fight for the city, Cook said. There have been 85 strikes over the last four weeks, including four over the last 24 hours, he added. Progress Elsewhere in Iraq, 'Significant' Air Support In northern Iraq, Iraqi forces are making progress as they push toward Qayyarah from multiple axes, Cook said. Iraqi forces moving north from Beiji advanced another six kilometers today, overcoming ISIL defenses along the way, he said. "Meanwhile, Iraqi forces moving from the east also continue their push," the press secretary said. "We are, again, providing significant coalition air support for these efforts as well." 'Tightening the Noose' in Syria "In Syria, the Arab-led forces fighting to take back Manbij City are tightening the noose around this critical crossroad between Raqqa and the Turkish border," Cook said. Those forces have faced ISIL resistance inside the city and along the southern edge, he said, adding "they expect ISIL to hunker down for a tough fight in the city itself." The Syrian Democratic Forces are clearing territory, which is an important development, Cook said. The SDF is gaining new insight into ISIL's operations in the area, including the flow of foreign fighters, he said. "We believe that this will be helpful as we work to stem the foreign fighter flow and the risk that ISIL poses outside of Syria and Iraq," he said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address U.S. Department of Defense Press Operations News Release No. NR-230-16 June 21, 2016 Readout of Deputy Secretary Work's Meeting with Dutch Minister of Defense Secretary-General Geerts Deputy Secretary of Defense Spokesperson Lt. Cmdr. Courtney Hillson provided the following readout: Deputy Secretary of Defense Bob Work met with Dutch Minister of Defense Secretary-General Wim Geerts at the Pentagon today. They discussed the strength of the U.S.-Dutch defense relationship; security environment in Europe and the Middle East; and comprehensive strategy and capabilities to degrade and destroy the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). They exchanged insights on sustaining robust military capabilities and noted the benefits of defense cooperation for both nations. The deputy secretary thanked Geerts for the Netherlands' progress toward meeting the NATO target of two percent GDP spending on defense and for the Dutch contribution to joint NATO deterrence efforts. Work and Geerts agreed to continue an in-depth dialogue on defense issues. http://www.defense.gov/News/News-Releases/News-Release-View/Article/808727/ NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address USNS Lewis B. Puller: The Future of Expeditionary Minehunting Navy News Service Story Number: NNS160621-08 Release Date: 6/21/2016 2:43:00 PM By Bill Mesta, Military Sealift Command Public Affairs ATLANTIC OCEAN (NNS) -- The Navy's first expeditionary mobile base, USNS Lewis B. Puller (T-ESB 3) got underway from Naval Station Norfolk to perform airborne countermine deployment training, June 13-16. Puller's hybrid crew of U.S. Navy Sailors and civil service mariners (CIVMARs) worked in concert with Sailors attached to the "Blackhawks" of Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron (HM) 15 to hone mine elimination capabilities. "This underway was the first opportunity to merge the Puller's full mission deck which included small boat operations, countermine sled launches and flight operations," said Lt. Cmdr. Matthew Muehlbauer, Puller's military crew officer-in-charge. "The underway was our first opportunity to simultaneously launch aircraft, small boats and anti-mine sleds." "We got underway to train in preparation for a future Initial Operational Test and Evaluation," said Bryan Stoots, Puller's chief mate. "We performed a mock Airborne Mine Countermeasures (AMCM) mission, which included deployment of countermine assets from the ship's AMCM inventory." The training battery during the four-day underway consisted of deploying and recovering two types of mine countermeasures from the deck of Puller. One mine countermeasure deployed was a Mark 105 magnetic sled, which creates a magnetic field to destroy mines as it is towed behind a helicopter. The second type of countermeasure system used during the training battery was the Magnetic Orange Pipe (MOP). This system is a shallow-water mine countermeasure which also uses magnetism to negate mine threats. The deployment of each countermeasure was broken down into multiple phases. Puller's deck department Sailors and CIVMARs first launched three rigid-hull inflatable boats (RHIBs), manned by HM-15 Sailors. These boats were used to guide and maneuver the magnetic sled and MOP. The countermeasure devices were moved into position for towing. The sled was attached to one of HM-15's MH-53 Sea Dragon helicopters and towed through simulated mine target area. "Prior to this underway, we developed these capabilities independently," said Muehlbauer. "We tested and qualified the crew to handle small boats and crafts. On the flight deck, we qualified the crew to launch and recover different types of aircraft." After the designated target area was cleared, the mine countermeasures and the RHIBs were brought back aboard Puller. "The Puller is designed to support anti-mine countermeasure mission sets," said Muehlbauer. "We are able to embark up to four MH-53 helicopters capable of towing different types of countermine equipment, such as different types of minehunting sleds or mine-finding sonars through the water." "To support these anti-mine operations we are able to launch and recover small boats and different mine neutralization assets," added Muehlbauer. "This platform can be adapted very quickly to deploy the mine countermeasure assets required based on a particular situation." Stoots explained his role as chief mate and the CIVMARs' responsibilities during Puller's underway. "The chief mate is similar to an executive officer on a Navy combatant ship," said Stoots. "The position includes being the deck department head, [ensuring] safe navigation of the ship and leadership in the deck department. As the chief mate, I was responsible for the safety on deck and supervised the entire operation on deck in regards to launching rigid-hull inflatable boats, the mine countermeasure sled and Magnetic Orange Pole. While Puller's crew was busy with mine countermeasure training evolutions, there were many critical tasks being performed behind the scenes by Puller's CIVMARs. "The main function of the deck department is navigation of the ship," said Stoots. "At all times while we are underway, there is a licensed mate on the bridge. We have a helmsman, lookout, and rover on duty. The helmsman steers the ship and takes direction from the mate. The rover keeps the ship safe and ensures there are no fires, flooding, or injured personnel." "The lookout is maintaining a proper lookout," continued Stoots. "Other aspects of the deck department include having the boatswain on scene and they manage the deck responsibilities such as operating the cranes, winches, and supervise the movement of cargo and equipment. There were approximately 40 CIVMARs aboard during the underway. "I felt like the mine countermeasure training evolution was very successful," said Stoots. "We were uncertain about certain elements of the evolution. This was the first time these types of mine countermeasures were deployed from a ship's deck while using a ship's crane to deploy the equipment instead of a ship's well deck, which is the norm. There was a lot of anticipation to see how the deployment of this equipment would work from Puller and I felt like it went very well." "The Puller has 100 Sailors in its crew," said Muehlbauer. "The military crew is in charge of the aviation department, mission deck operations, launch and recovery of small boats and any other deployed mission assets, [and] ship's force protection. The Sailors also manage C4I (command, control, communications, computers and intelligence), and are capable of providing galley services for approximately 250 military personnel." "The Puller's military crew supports the CIVMARs in the deck department with tasks such as line handling, logistic tasks include crane operations, and moving material on and off the ship," added Muehlbauer. "The military crew is made up of four officers and nine chief petty officers. The majority of our junior enlisted Sailors are aviation boatswain's mates [equipment, fuel, handling], information [systems] technicians, damage controlmen and aviation [structural] mechanics. To round it out, we have about 30 Sailors who work in the supply department." "This underway was our first big integrated training event and it went very well," said Muehlbauer. "The training from this underway will lead us into our final testing and evaluation period later this year when we will certify the full capabilities of the Puller and crew." Puller's crew is categorized as a hybrid as its members are both active-duty Sailors and CIVMARs. The success of the ship is dependent on a strong working relationship between the two distinctive cultures. "A successful hybrid crew is definitely a team effort; I like to refer to the crew as 'Team Puller,'" said Stoots. "We are one ship and one crew, and work together on every aspect of every evolution. The military crew supports the CIVMARs on deck operation, and likewise we support the military crew on operations such as mine countermeasures." "Early on there were times when we struggled with the crew interactions between the Sailors and CIVMARs," said Muehlbauer. "When the military crew arrived on the Puller, the mariners had already been on board for over a year. So when the military detachment arrived, we were very much the 'new kids on the block.' It took a little while to build trust, credibility, and rapport with the mariners." "The ship's master and I worked together to lay down initial ground rules for the crew, but most of the real 'gelling' for the crew took place on the deck plates," continued Muehlbauer. "The more we placed Sailors and CIVMARs in situations where they had to work together, the better they understand each other's skillsets and how each does business. This was how we really started to build our team spirit. We put the right people in the right place and it worked very well for us. The formation of a successful hybrid crew for Puller was not dictated from the top, but was more of a grassroots effort which has proven to be very effective." "Over the course of the last six months, the crew has gotten to the point where the Sailors and CIVMARs are able to predict how each is going to react or think during a variety of situations," said Muehlbauer. "The positive development of our hybrid crew has allowed Puller to maintain its very strict timeline and will ensure we are ready to deploy next year. I believe the Puller brings great capabilities to the Navy. This platform allows the Navy to sustain an expeditionary presence longer and will free up combatant ships to undertake missions which they are better suited for." The future for Puller includes testing and evaluation. The vessel is also going to spend some time in the shipyard for upgrades and modifications prior to being permanently deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility in 2017. "The Puller is going to receive an upgrade which will enable special operations forces (SOF) to utilize the ship for operations," concluded Muehlbauer. "The Puller will be able to support maritime interdictions, operations potentially in-country, and different adaptive military packages to perform different types of SOF contingencies throughout the world." In addition to countermine training evolutions, Puller's crew performed vertical replenishment training with the Afloat Training Group, practiced flight deck firefighting techniques, and trained to counter the threat of a small boat attack. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Outbreak of Violence in the Central African Republic Press Statement John Kirby Assistant Secretary and Department Spokesperson, Bureau of Public Affairs Washington, DC June 21, 2016 The United States is deeply concerned by a recent increase in violence in the Central African Republic. We underscore the fundamental need for all actors to work together to promote peace and prosperity in a country that has suffered for far too long from instability and conflict. We support the efforts of the Government of the Central African Republic and the international community to restore order and protect civilians. In addition, we strongly condemn the targeted attacks against humanitarian actors whose sole purpose in the Central African Republic is to provide lifesaving support to the population. The United States remains a committed partner to the Government of the Central African Republic, the UN mission MINUSCA, and most importantly, the Central African people in efforts to bring the country out of these cycles of conflict. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Nominee to Head US Military in Africa Warns of IS Focus on Libya by Carla Babb June 21, 2016 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. military's Africa Command. "That's why instability inside Africa is to ISIL's 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Bemba Supporters Reject ICC Verdict by William Clowes June 21, 2016 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 ICC's 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. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Two California Men Convicted of Conspiring to Join ISIL FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tuesday, June 21, 2016 A federal jury today convicted two Orange County, California, men one of whom attempted to travel to the Middle East to join the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), a designated foreign terrorist organization of conspiring to provide material support to ISIL. The verdict was announced by Assistant Attorney General for National Security John P. Carlin, U.S. Attorney Eileen M. Decker of the Central District of California and Assistant Director in Charge Deirdre Fike of the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office. Nader Elhuzayel, 25, and Muhanad Badawi, 25, both of Anaheim, California, were convicted today in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California following a two-week trial. Elhuzayel was found guilty of attempting to provide material support and Badawi was found guilty of aiding and abetting the attempt to provide material support to ISIL. "Foreign terrorist fighters have traveled from countries around the world to join ISIL and are responsible for some of the most despicable acts of violence committed by the terrorist organization," said Assistant Attorney General Carlin. "ISIL depends on these travelers as a significant part of its fighting force. Stopping Americans from engaging in terrorist activity on behalf of ISIL here or abroad will remain one of the highest priorities of the National Security Division." "These two defendants betrayed their country and sought to join ISIL, a terrorist organization dedicated to brutally murdering innocent people," said U.S. Attorney Decker. "The FBI and the Orange County Joint Terrorism Task Force did outstanding work in investigating and apprehending these men before their plans could be completed. The fine work of law enforcement undoubtedly saved lives, both in the United States and abroad." "These convictions are a message to those who aim to travel to take up arms with ISIL and to those who support them the FBI and our partners are determined to thwart your efforts," said Assistant Director in Charge Fike. "The JTTF's proactive identification of these subjects and disruption of a terrorist conspiracy is a coup in the fight against the scourge of ISIL. At trial, the jury heard evidence that Mr. Badawi also encouraged other associates to support ISIL and participate in violent jihad. 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." 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. Both men were arrested on May 21, 2015, when Elhuzayel attempted to board a plane at Los Angeles International Airport to travel to Turkey to join ISIL. Badawi had purchased for Elhuzayel a one-way ticket to Israel with a layover in Istanbul. Badawi and Elhuzayel used social media to discuss ISIL and terrorist attacks, expressed a desire to die as martyrs and made arrangements for Elhuzayel to leave the United States to join ISIL. In recorded conversations, Badawi and Elhuzayel discussed "how it would be a blessing to fight for the cause of Allah, and to die in the battlefield." The evidence at trial also showed that Badawi had a Facebook account, on which he made posts that supported ISIL and violence aimed at non-Muslims, and he said he intended to join the terrorist organization. Elhuzayel also had a Facebook account and used the ISIL flag as his profile picture. According to court documents, on Oct. 21, 2014, Badawi made a video of Elhuzayel in which Elhuzayel swore allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of ISIL, and pledged to travel to Syria to be an ISIL fighter. Elhuzayel was convicted of obtaining cash through a scheme to defraud three different banks by depositing stolen checks into his personal checking accounts and then withdrawing cash at branch offices and ATMs in Orange County. The money generated from the bank fraud was to finance his travel to Syria to join ISIL. Badawi was convicted of using his federal financial aid to purchase a plane ticket for Elhuzayel to travel to Turkey. U.S. District Judge David O. Carter of the Central District of California scheduled Elhuzayel's sentencing hearing for Sept. 19, 2016, and Badawi's sentencing hearing for Sept. 26, 2016. At the time of sentencing, Elhuzayel will face a statutory maximum sentence of 30 years in prison on each bank fraud count, Badawi faces a statutory maximum sentence of five years in prison on the financial aid fraud count and both men each face a statutory maximum sentence of 15 years in prison on each material support count. Both men have been held in federal custody without bond since their arrests. The investigation in this case was conducted by the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force in Orange County, which includes the following agencies: the Anaheim Police Department; the California Highway Patrol; the Orange County Sheriff's Department; the Orange County Intelligence Assessment Center; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations; the U.S. Secret Service; IRS-Criminal Investigation; the City of Orange, California, Police Department; the Irvine, California, Police Department; the Naval Criminal Investigative Service; and the Orange County Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory. The Department of Education's Office of Inspector General provided substantial assistance in the investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Judith A. Heinz, Deirdre Z. Eliot and Julius J. Nam of the Central District of California, with assistance from Trial Attorney Michael Dittoe of the National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section. 16-723 National Security Division (NSD) USAO - California, Central Topic: Counterterrorism NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Indiana Man Arrested on Terrorism Charge FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tuesday, June 21, 2016 18 Year Old Attempted to Travel Overseas to Join ISIL A Brownsburg, Indiana, man was arrested today for attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), a designated foreign terrorist organization. The arrest was announced by Assistant Attorney General for National Security John P. Carlin, U.S. Attorney Josh J. Minkler of the Southern District of Indiana and Special Agent in Charge W. Jay Abbott of the FBI's Indiana Division. Akram Musleh, 18, was arrested by FBI agents while attempting to board a bus from Indianapolis to New York, where he was to fly to and transit through Morocco on his way to ISIL-controlled territory. The criminal complaint alleges that he planned to provide personnel (himself) to ISIL. "According to the complaint, Musleh attempted to travel overseas to join ISIL and to provide material support to the designated terrorist organization," said Assistant Attorney General Carlin. "The National Security Division's highest priority is countering terrorist threats, and we will continue to work to stem the flow of foreign fighters abroad and bring to justice those who attempt to provide material support to designated foreign terrorist organizations." "The radicalization of American citizens by terrorist organizations like ISIL is a threat to our safety here and abroad," said U.S. Attorney Minkler. "I am committed to using the full authority of the United States Attorney's Office to identify, investigate and prosecute those that provide material support to terrorists. I would like to thank the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Brownsburg Police Department for working with us during this investigation. We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners but as in this case, we rely heavily on the public's assistance to help make our community safe." "Terrorism is the FBI's number one priority and we work closely with our law enforcement partners to ensure the safety of our community," said Special Agent in Charge Abbott. "This case demonstrates the value of law enforcement collaboration and community engagement." A criminal complaint is only a charge and not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven otherwise in federal court. If convicted, Musleh faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. This prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bradley Shepard and Doris Pryor of the Southern District of Indiana and Trial Attorneys Paul Casey and Kiersten Korczynski of the National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section. 16-720 National Security Division (NSD) USAO - Indiana, Southern Topic: Counterterrorism NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Seoul: N. Korea Tests 2 Ballistic Missiles, 1 Fails by VOA News June 22, 2016 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. VOA's Steve Herman contributed to this report. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Media Told to Dress Up, Keep Quiet on Myanmar Leader's Thai Visit by Steve Herman June 21, 2016 Journalists attempting to cover this week's three-day visit to Thailand by Myanmar's 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 Thailand's Foreign Ministry, in an agenda sent to correspondents, also advised photographers, videographers and reporters covering the Nobel Peace Prize laureate's 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 Kyi's visit with 3,000 Myanmar migrant workers at Thailand's largest seafood market Thursday and a speech the following day at Thailand's 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 Kyi's National League for Democracy, has been criticized for limiting media access since it took power in April, following last year's 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 Myanmar's 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 Myanmar's 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 Friday's scheduled joint news conference with the Thai prime minister, an uncomfortable situation it appears the two neighbors have now found a way to avoid. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Syria Policy Discontent Unlikely to Be Resolved Before Obama Term Ends by Pamela Dockins June 21, 2016 An internal rift over the U.S.- Syria policy could be a headache inherited by the next president, analysts say, because the Obama administration appears unlikely to dramatically alter its current policy. In a memo, 51 State Department diplomats indicated their dissatisfaction with the status quo, saying they back stepped-up military engagement that includes targeted airstrikes against the Syrian regime. Many of those mostly mid-level employees are likely to be around during the next presidency, Atlantic Council Middle East analyst Faysal Itani said. "The next president is going to inherit this internal debate within the State Department that has shifted at least the debate focus of U.S. policy in the run-up to the elections," Itani said. 'Willingness to use' military It is a view shared by Richard Haass, a former State Department policy planning director. "Even if what they [the diplomats] have to say is rejected now, it might be welcomed by the next occupant of the White House especially if it were to be Hillary Clinton, who, as secretary of state, showed considerable willingness to use military force in pursuit of U.S. foreign policy aims," said Haass, in an article for the Council on Foreign Relations. But others say if the next U.S. president listens to public opinion, stepped-up U.S. engagement to foster a political transition in Syria may not be a high priority. "The American population is not seized with the issue of Syria. It is seized with the issue of the Islamic State," said Daniel Serwer, director of conflict management at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. Serwer added that neither presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump nor presumptive Democratic nominee Clinton has clearly delineated a course of action for Syria, but both have expressed dissatisfaction with the course of the war and the pace of the fight against Islamic State. The Obama administration admits it has not achieved its goals in Syria, where fighting continues between the government and rebels, and more than 10 million people have been displaced during the country's five-year civil war. Also, a February cease-fire with multinational support has eroded, and U.N.-facilitated talks on a political transition have stalled. White House view But the White House does not appear to believe that stepped-up military engagement would help resolve these snags. "The United States will not be successful, nor will anyone else, in imposing a military solution on the problems inside of Syria, said White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest. The State Department said Tuesday that Secretary of State John Kerry met with about 10 diplomats who signed the cable. "I believe the secretary came away feeling that it was a good discussion and that it was worth having," spokesman John Kirby said. Call for change Syria's crisis has prompted some U.S. allies that also are part of the International Syria Support Group to call for change. "We have supported a more aggressive approach, a more robust approach, including a military approach to Syria," said Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir during a Washington visit last week. The Atlantic Council's Itani said Turkey, Qatar, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates also favor a more robust military response. "The reason that these countries have been hedging their positions, especially sort of more neutral countries like Jordan and UAE, is that they have calculated that the United States is not going to play such a role," he said. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Fraudsters steal up to $40 billion from the industry a year, says Judit Albers of A1 Telekom Austria. She tells Alan Burkitt-Gray about A1s work with the GLF to reduce the cost of crime Estonian English With the ruling of 20 January 2016, the Tallinn Circuit Court terminated criminal proceedings regarding Selver AS and its former employee Tiiu Valk on all charges in criminal case 1-14-3730 due to expiry of the limitation period. The Prosecutors Office submitted an appeal to the Supreme Court of Estonia. On 20 June 2016, the Supreme Court annulled earlier judgement and expressed a view that the Circuit Court erred when considered the alleged crime to be expired due to limitation period. The Supreme Court referred the case back to the Circuit Court for a full review of all the circumstances and evidence by a different panel of judges. During the entire proceeding, Selver AS has deemed the charge of the Prosecutors Office to be unfounded and incomprehensible since Selver AS has never concluded any price agreements with their competitors. Regardless of the fact that the proceeding is continued, Selver AS is convinced that they have not contravened the law. 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. If there was one conclusion business and civic leaders and Virginia Lt. Governor Ralph Northam reached after a brief roundtable discussion Monday at South Boston Town Hall, it was that economic development is not a one-way street like the one that runs through downtown South Boston. Northam, a physician, business owner and native of Virginias Eastern Shore, has declared his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for governor in next years election. The purpose of Northams visit to South Boston was to meet with Mayor Ed Owens, and after a tour of local businesses along Main Street, the lt. governor and mayor joined a group of local civic leaders for the roundtable discussion. He agreed with roundtable participants Owens, Chris Lumsden, Robert Bates, Dennis Witt, Betty Adams, Missy Neff Gould and Matthew Leonard that private-public partnerships and education are two major keys to getting, retaining and expanding business opportunities in areas which are still suffering economically. Northam said the Eastern Shore has challenges similar to South Boston and Halifax County. Halifax County IDA Executive Director Matt Leonard noted people across Southside and Southwest Virginia are still hurting in certain ways. You have to have land, labor and capital in the right amount and prove to whoever is coming you can not only provide those things at the threshold level they require but also be a partner for them for years to come, said Leonard. Thats something we try to explain. For us, success is not just announcing a new company but sitting in the back office 10 or 15 years down the road and saying what else can we do for you. We also need to take care of businesses that are already here and help them grow, said Northam. An Army veteran, Northam and 35 fellow specialists started their own business, an LLC, which now has over 100 sub-specialists and employs over 300 individuals. I have a little bit of experience starting a business and helping a business grow, and how to take good care of employees, added Northam. To wake up and say I want to start a business is one thing, but to carry it out is a daunting task. We put a lot of emphasis in Richmond on education this year and put $1 billion in the budget, Northam continued, with an emphasis on SOL reform and pre-k education. We realize we wont see yields from that for years but feel money spent on that is well spent. Owens and Adams, executive director of the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center, said there already are programs and organizations in place to help attract businesses to the region. The tobacco commission gives some incentives for companies to move here, said Owens, including start-up, research and development, whatever creates jobs and expands the tax base, thats what we are. Adams noted the chambers of commerce throughout the region also do a good job of outreach to existing businesses, but added the state, which recently included over $1 billion for education in its budget, needs to be involved to help the business climate of communities long-term. Outreach from you (Northam) is a big deal when theyre thinking of being here for a long time. Its meaningful for them, and I think the state could play a bigger role. Halifax County Supervisor and former Halifax County Public Schools Superintendent Dennis Witt lauded Northam for the states financial support of education in the upcoming budget, adding its a key element to attracting business. We need to be positive, stay on the same page and get our message out its a good place to live and work, said Witt of Halifax County. All this infrastructure is in place, and I dont know what else to do. Its good you recognize the higher ed center and the need for it in the state budget. We believe it takes someone who understands business to talk to a businessman, Leonard pointed out. We try to operate as a team, and it could be the chamber, could be the IDA, could be the higher ed center, but it depends on who you interact with first. We are a team, and there are a lot of ways to penetrate South Boston and Halifax County as a new business. Northam told the roundtable there are different ways to encourage business development, mentioning reforms in the BPOL tax by basing it on gross receipts rather than net profits and reducing the business tax rate from 6 percent to 5 3/4 percent, the later a measure not passing muster in the most recent General Assembly. With a nod toward The Prizery and in agreement with the roundtable participants, Northam repeated his belief that arts education is also vital and must be part of any plan to attract business to the area. Your digital subscription allows you to view any content, comment on any issue and submit your own news to our newsroom. Digital subscriptions do not include home delivery of the Tracy Press. To receive the paper at home, sign up for Premium Membership. Calgary, Alberta (FSCwire) - Morro Bay Resources Ltd. (Morro Bay or the Company) (TSX-V: MRB; OTCQX: MRRBF) hereby advises, as announced on May 30, 2016, the defaults by Morro Bay alleged by Riverside Resources Inc. ("Riverside") have not been remedied by Morro Bay. As a result, subject to the requirements of the May 25, 2016 Option Amending Agreement between Riverside and Morro Bay (the "Amending Agreement") being met, Morro Bay's interest in the Penoles exploration project will terminate and will be returned to Riverside. The Amending Agreement has been filed on SEDAR by Morro Bay. The Amending Agreement requires Riverside to transfer to Morro Bay or (subject to applicable securities laws) its assigns, 20,108,108 Morro Bay Common Shares currently owned by Riverside. Morro Bay has requested this transfer to its assigns. Pursuant to the Amending Agreement, Morro Bay has the option to return the 0.75% net smelter returns royalty in the Penoles Project (the "Royalty") in exchange for forgiveness of debt. Morro Bay has therefore elected (subject to the satisfaction of other terms of the Amending Agreement) to return the Royalty to Riverside in exchange for forgiveness of the debt allegedly incurred by Riverside on the Penoles Project in the amount of $139,578. John Zang, CEO of Morro Bay, stated "Assuming all of the terms and conditions of the Amending Agreement are met, this will result in Morro Bay having no further interest in the Penoles Project. Morro Bay is currently considering other business opportunities". Morro Bay also announces that effective as of June 15, 2016, Garth Kirkham has resigned from the Morro Bay Board of Directors. John Zang stated "Mr. Kirkham was of significant assistance as a Board member. His knowledge and expertise in resource exploration was invaluable. We thank Mr. Kirkham for all of his assistance to Morro Bay." Morro Bay is currently continuing to locate and analyse other business opportunities both within the mining sector and other business opportunities. About Morro Bay Morro Bay is a junior mineral exploration company based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, focused on the exploration for precious metals in Mexico. Morro Bay's business strategy is to build shareholder value by rapidly advancing the Penoles Project in Mexico through the resource delineation stage. Further Information For further information please contact: Morro Bay Resources Ltd. John C. Zang President and Chief Executive Officer E: jzang@morrobayresources.com T: 403 680 9264 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. Information in this news release may contain forward looking information. Statements containing forward looking information express, as at the date of this news release, the Company's plans, estimates, forecasts, projections, expectations, or beliefs as to future events or results and are believed to be reasonable based on information currently available to the company. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The forward-looking information contained in this news release is as of the date hereof and Morro Bay does not undertake any obligation to update publicly or to revise any of the included forward looking statements contained herein, except as required by applicable law. The forward-looking statements contained herein are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any state in the United States in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The securities referred to herein have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration requirements. To view this press release as a PDF file, click onto the following link:public://news_release_pdf/morobay06212016.pdfSource: Morro Bay Resources Ltd. (TSX Venture:MRB, OTC Pink:MRRBF) http://www.morrobayresources.com/ Maximum News Dissemination by FSCwire. http://www.fscwire.com Copyright 2016 Filing Services Canada Inc. TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Jun 22, 2016) - Kombat Copper Inc. (TSX VENTURE:KBT) ("Kombat Copper" or the "Company") today announces that it has appointed Stephan Theron as President and CEO of Kombat Copper. Paul Bozoki will return to his role as CFO and Heidi Gerry will resume her role as Corporate Controller. Mr. Theron will also join the board of directors of Kombat Copper (the "Board") replacing Mr. Bozoki. Mr. Theron brings to Kombat Copper 17 years of extensive management, capital project development and M&A experience within the mining industry. Prior to joining Kombat Copper, Mr. Theron was Managing Director at Liberty Metals & Mining, a private equity group based in Boston, Massachusetts. Mr. Theron was also a strategic member on the board of directors of True Gold Mining. Prior to his work in Boston, Stephan was President & CEO at Forbes & Manhattan Coal Corp., based in Toronto. While he worked at Forbes Coal, he led the acquisition, restructuring and development of two coal mines in South Africa. He has structured numerous mining focused investments and has worked on mining projects throughout Africa and North America. Mr. Theron holds two degrees in Finance and is a Certified General Accountant. Justin Reid, Executive Chairman of Kombat Copper commented: "The Board of Kombat Copper is pleased to welcome Stephan as our new President and CEO. Stephan's extensive operational and African-focused experience, coupled with his detailed knowledge of project funding and investing will act to not only strengthen our core group, but position the Company as we advance through our previously announced mid-term initiatives and ultimately move back towards full scale production. We have a lot of work to do, and we believe Stephan is the right person to lead us. The Board would also like to thank Paul Bozoki, who will be returning to his role as CFO. Paul skillfully stepped in as CEO as we worked on our final restructuring plan." Stephan Theron, President and CEO of Kombat Copper, commented: "I am pleased to join Kombat Copper at an important time in the copper price cycle. The Kombat Mine is very well positioned to act as a platform for future growth in Africa and potentially beyond. I'm looking forward to getting started, further enhancing the team's strength and implementing the mine development strategy." In connection with Mr. Theron's appointment, the Company has granted Mr. Theron 1,500,000 stock options in accordance with the Company's stock option plan. The options have an exercise price of $0.05 and will expire five years from the date of grant. The options will vest immediately. The grant of options remains subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. About Kombat Copper Kombat Copper is a publicly traded Canadian exploration and development company with its core operations focused on copper resources in Namibia, one of the world's most prospective copper regions, where it has substantial assets in place with significant upside. The Company continues to hold an 80% interest in five mining licenses in the Otavi Mountainlands, an area of Namibia particularly known for its high-grade copper deposits. Within these licenses are three past-producing mines including the Company's flagship property, the Kombat Mine. Kombat Copper has contracted EBM Mining Namibia to begin mining lead/copper mineralization at Kombat East, Kombat Central and potentially Gross Otavi within the year. Concentrates will be produced at the Company's production facilities, which are being refurbished by EBM. EBM is also evaluating opportunities to market aggregate stone and sand byproducts locally. Kombat Copper's decision to (i) mine the near surface mineralization on the Kombat East and Kombat Central areas, and (ii) produce any concentrate from such mining and processing is not based on a feasibility study or mineral resource/reserve with demonstrated economic viability. Kombat Copper has decided to put certain areas of the Kombat Mine into production without first establishing mineral resources or mineral reserves, supported by a technical report and/or feasibility study. The Company cautions readers that such production may not be economically feasible and historically such projects have a much higher risk of economic or technical failure. Cautionary Notes 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 news release may contain forward-looking statements. These statements include statements regarding the grant of stock options, the impact of the appointment and resignation of officers and directors of the Company, possible mineralization and deposits, the anticipated timeline regarding future exploration work, availability of results and production, the Company's expectations regarding mineral resources, EBM's ability to commence operations and operate the applicable portions of the Kombat mine, EBM's ability to make the requisite investments, the Company's expectations regarding the production and sales of mineralization from the Kombat Mine and potential development work and the Company's plans for the Kombat Mine including any financial impact and community impact. These statements are based on current expectations and assumptions that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially because of factors discussed in the management discussion and analysis section of our interim and most recent annual financial statements or other reports and filings with the TSX Venture Exchange and applicable Canadian securities regulations. We do not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable laws. VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Jun 22, 2016) - Canterra Minerals Corp. (TSX VENTURE:CTM) ("Canterra" or "the Company") is pleased to announce that it has signed an Option Agreement with Mr. Michael Magrum ("Magrum") to acquire up to a 70% interest in the CL-25 Property (the "Property") located in the South Slave Region of the Northwest Territories ("NT"). The CL-25 Property consists of one claim (1,045.10 hectares) entirely surrounded by Canterra's Gwen Property. The Property contains two diamondiferous kimberlite pipes known as CL-25 and CL-174 discovered by Winspear Diamonds in 1994 and 1995 respectively. Historical data from Assessment Reports indicates that 212 diamonds (9 macros) were recovered from CL-25 and 340 diamonds (11 macros) were recovered from CL-174. Indicators from the adjacent Gwen Property suggest other potential kimberlite sources may be present. The Property is located approximately 260 kilometres ("km") northeast of Yellowknife, NT; approximately 30 km east of the Snap Lake Diamond Mine and 50 km west of the Gahcho Kue deposit being developed by Mountain Province Diamonds Inc. and De Beers Canada. Randy Turner, President and CEO of Canterra, commented, "We are excited to add CL-25 to our portfolio of properties across the South Slave Region. CL-25 will be one of our primary target for exploration over the next year and we look forward to advancing it." Pursuant to the agreement, the Company can acquire a 60% interest in the Property by making a cash payment of $35,000 within 10 days of receiving regulatory approval, the issuance of an aggregate of 400,000 shares (200,000 within 10 days of receiving regulatory approval) and work commitments of $1,000,000 over a three year period. Upon completion of the 60% earn-in, the Company will have the right to exercise a second option for an additional 10% interest by making a cash payment of $100,000, issuing 500,000 shares and incurring further work commitments of $1,000,000 prior to the fifth anniversary. The transaction is subject to approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. After the Company has either earned 60% or if elected, the 70% earn-in, the Company and Magrum will form a joint venture for the purpose of continuing exploration and development of the Property. Upon formation, the joint venture has agreed to pay Magrum a 3% gross overriding royalty (the "GORR") on the appraised value of diamonds resulting from the property. The joint venture will have the right to purchase up to two-thirds of the GORR, exercisable at any time, by paying $1,000,000 for each 1%, for an aggregate purchase price of $2,000,000. Corporate Update: In addition, the Company announces that it is proposing to amend the expiry date of 8,107,143 outstanding warrants (the "Warrants") from July 29, 2016 to July 29, 2017, subject to approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. The Warrants will remain exercisable into common shares at a price of $0.10 per common share. Bruce Kienlen, P.Geol, Senior Geologist for Canterra is the Qualified Person, as defined by National Instrument 43-101 and has reviewed the technical information in this news release. About Canterra: Canterra Minerals is a Canadian resource company specializing in diamond exploration in the Northwest Territories, strategically located between the Snap Lake Diamond Mine and the Gahcho Kue Diamond Project. The Company also maintains a 33% interest in the Buffalo Hills Diamond Project in Alberta where a total of 38 kimberlites have been identified. As leaders of exploration in the junior diamond sector for over 25 years, the Canterra team has been involved in the discovery of two of Canada's four diamond mines, the Snap Lake Diamond Mine in the South Slave and the Ekati Diamond Mine in Lac de Gras. Location maps can be found on the Company's website www.canterraminerals.com. CANTERRA MINERALS CORPORATION Randy Turner, President & CEO The TSX Venture Exchange has not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the content of this news release. VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - June 22, 2016) - Zadar Ventures Ltd. (the "Company") (TSX VENTURE: ZAD) (FRANKFURT: ZAV) (OTCQB: ZADDF) is pleased to announce that has filed an Intent to Operate with the State of Nevada to carry out, on-the-ground exploration work consisting of detailed follow up gravity geophysical survey over the WSP Project as well as three (3) diamond drill test holes on both our WSP and CR claim groups in Clayton Valley. The Company has engaged Hasbrook Geophysics, Inc. of Prescott, Arizona to conduct the Gravity surveys. Hasbrouck Geophysics, Inc. has a long history of working in Clayton Valley which gives the Zadar the benefit of their extensive knowledge and experience within this closed basin, lithium brine environment. Inc specific, Hasbrock Geophysics, Inc. has done the geophysical surveys work for Pure Energy in the Clayton Valley as well as many other lithium exploration companies. About the WSP and CR Lithium Projects: The WSP project is located immediately adjacent to the Rockwood/Albamarle claims in North Clayton Valley and covers approximately 425 hectares, including a gravity low anomaly interpreted to represent a basinal low permissive to host brines containing elevated concentrations of lithium. This project's merit is supported by a USGS test hole (Drillhole CV-2) located ~600m from the eastern claim boundary that reported a 55ppm Li maximum content from analyzed water samples. The CR project lies approximately 18 kilometres southeast of Silver Peak, Nevada and covers over 330 hectares of an isolated and un-drilled basin which has the potential to host a similar lithium brine environment by virtue of its proximal location to the possible source of the lithium within the Clayton Valley system. This later project has also been the subject of a suite of initial gravity surveys and shows a basinal feature, which if closed, could host brines with elevated lithium concentrations. Zadar Ventures Ltd. is a Resource Company focused on the acquisition and exploration of economically viable green energy resources in jurisdictions favorable to mining and industry. For more information we invite you to visit the company's website at www.zadarventures.com The Company is looking forward to an active and accretive 2016. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS Paul D. Gray, P. Geo. President Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Service 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 press release may contain certain forward-looking information. All statements included herein, other than statements of historical fact, forward-looking information and such information involves various risks and uncertainties. There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, and actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. A description of assumptions used to develop such forward-looking information and a description of risk factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking information can be found in the company's disclosure documents on the SEDAR website at www.sedar.com. The company does not undertake to update any forward-looking information except in accordance with applicable securities laws. Trading Symbol: TSX-V: ZFR Shares Outstanding: 33,395,961 HALIFAX, June 22, 2016 /CNW/ - Zephyr Minerals Ltd. ("Zephyr" or the "Corporation") (TSX-V: ZFR) is pleased to announce that excellent progress continues to be made on its high grade Dawson Gold project in Colorado, USA. Five of the planned 16 hole diamond drill program have been completed with core for four holes shipped to Bureau Veritas Mineral Laboratories in Vancouver BC for fire assay. Assay results are anticipated in mid July, 2016. The drill program is focused on expanding resources in the Windy Gulch area where high grade gold mineralization occurs at surface. The current inferred resource* at Windy Gulch is 16,000 ounces comprised of 49,000 tonnes at a grade of 10.6 g/t with a cutoff of 5 g/t and a top cutoff of 40 g/t. Uncut the grade is 11.0 g/t. The majority of the drill program is outside the current resource estimate following the zone to the east. Drilling to date supported by the Induced Polarization ("IP") results of the recently completed geophysical program points to gold mineralized body raking to the southeast. The Company is expecting delivery of a report late June early July by Denver-Sonoita based MagmaChem Exploration, Inc. on detailed mapping and geochemical sampling conducted in the Windy Gulch area. Results of this work indicate the gold mineralization at Dawson Gold is related to a low pressure, northeast trending dilatational jog along an east west trending shear zone between two large granites. The deposit type is postulated to be a weakly oxidized peraluminous intrusion related deposit sourced in peraluminous granitic intrusions. Ground geophysical programs comprised of magnetics and IP has just been completed and the Company anticipates having a report in hand by early July 2016. The magnetic survey was successful in outlining the rock types hosting the gold mineralization as a strong magnetic low anomaly. The readily identifiable low magnetic signature will assist in tracking the gold mineralized shear zone in overburden obscured areas. The IP survey successfully demonstrated a strong correlation between chargeability anomalies and gold mineralization. This strong correlation has identified new drill targets both near surface and at depth and may prove to be an important exploration tool in discovering new blind gold deposits at Dawson Gold similar to the Dawson Main Zone which is a blind deposit approximately 130 m (400 ft) below surface. The preliminary proposed process plant design for the project is expected to be completed by the end of the month and will be integrated into the Preliminary Economic Assessment ("PEA") which is tentatively scheduled to be completed by the end of 2016. The preliminary tailings dam design for the project has been commenced and is being undertaken by the engineering firm of Amec Foster Wheeler in Denver, CO. Completion date is expected to be the end of the Q3 2016. Loren Komperdo, President & CEO stated, "We are very pleased with the continued progress at Dawson and look forward to reporting pending drill results as they are received. The high gold grades, favourable metallurgy and excellent location, mitigates many of the risks often associated with developing a new gold mine." *Resource was estimated in conformance with the Canadian Institute of Ming, Metallurgy and Petroleum Standards on Mineral Resources and Reserves Definitions and Guidelines, as referenced in National Instrument 43-101. About Zephyr Minerals Ltd. Zephyr Minerals Ltd. is a gold exploration and development company focused on advancing its flagship high grade Dawson Gold Project in Colorado, USA. Zephyr has commenced engineering and development studies along with additional exploration with a goal of completing a PEA as part of its efforts to advance the Dawson Project with the ultimate goal of production. Mr. Mark Graves who is a P.Geo. registered with the Association of Professional Geoscientists of Nova Scotia (APNS), has prepared the scientific and technical information in this news release. The technical information related to the metallurgical content contained in this press release has been prepared by Mr. H.M. Matt Bolu, Principal Metallurgical Engineer of BOMENCO Inc., and the Company's metallurgical consultant, who is a P.Eng. registered with the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of BC (APEGBC). The technical information related to the geophysical content contained in this press release has been verified and approved by Dean Fraser, P.Geo., a qualified person for the purpose of National Instrument 43-101, Standards of Disclosure for Mineral projects of the Canadian securities administrators. The forward-looking statements contained in this document are made as of the date hereof and the Company undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, unless so required by applicable securities laws. Neither 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. SOURCE Zephyr Minerals Ltd. /NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES./ TSX-V: CLZ www.canasil.com VANCOUVER, June 22, 2016 /CNW/ - Canasil Resources Inc. (TSX-V: CLZ, DB Frankfurt: 3CC, "Canasil" or the "Company") announces closing on June 21, 2016, of the first tranche of 1,525,000 units for proceeds of $488,000 in the non-brokered private placement (the "Placement") of total 8,000,000 units (the "Units") at a price of $0.32 per Unit, previously announced on 7th and 20th June 2016. There was no finder's fee paid with respect to this tranche of the Placement. The TSX Venture Exchange has accepted for filing documentation with respect to this tranche of the Placement and all shares issued are subject to resale restrictions for a period of four months plus one day from the closing date to October 22, 2016. Each Unit consists of one common share of the Company and one-half of one non-transferable share purchase warrant. Each whole warrant (a "Warrant") entitles the purchase of one common share of the Company at a price of $0.50 within two years of closing. If, commencing after the fourth month after closing, the closing price of the Company's shares exceeds $0.80 per share for a period of 20 consecutive trading days (the "Acceleration Trigger Date"), the Company will have the right to accelerate the expiry date of the Warrants to the 20th trading day after the Acceleration Trigger Date by the issuance of a news release announcing such acceleration within three trading days of the Acceleration Trigger Date. The proceeds of the Placement will be used for continuing exploration programs on the Company's mineral exploration projects and for working capital. The balance of the Placement is expected to close by June 29, 2016. About Canasil: Canasil is a Canadian mineral exploration company with a strong portfolio of 100% owned silver-gold-copper-lead-zinc exploration projects in Durango and Zacatecas States, Mexico, and in British Columbia, Canada. The Company's directors and management include industry professionals with a track record of identifying and advancing successful mineral exploration projects through to discovery and further development. The Company is actively engaged in the exploration of its mineral properties, and maintains an operating subsidiary in Durango, Mexico, with full time geological and support staff for its operations in Mexico. 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 news release. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of any of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful, including any of the securities in the United States of America. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933 (the "1933 Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to, or for account or benefit of, U.S. Persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) unless registered under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration requirements is available. SOURCE Canasil Resources Inc. MONTREAL, QUEBEC--(Marketwired - Jun 22, 2016) - Yorbeau Resources Inc.(TSX:YRB.A) (the "Company" or "Yorbeau") is pleased to announce that it has signed a non-binding letter of intent ("LOI") with Kinross Gold Corp. ("Kinross"), whereby Kinross has the option to acquire a 100% interest in Yorbeau's Rouyn property ("Property") in Quebec, Canada. The LOI outlines mutually acceptable terms for a definitive option agreement under which, subject to certain conditions, Kinross would over a 4-year period make certain exploration expenditures towards an option to purchase a 100% interest in the Property. In order to earn the purchase option, Kinross must complete a resource estimationi for the Property after funding C$12 million dollars of exploration expenditures, including a firm commitment to spend C$3 million in the first 18 months including no less than 12,500 meters of diamond drilling. Kinross will be the operator and project manager of the Property during the option period with Yorbeau to have representation on a Technical Committee which will oversee the work program. Upon completion of the resource estimate, Kinross will have the option to acquire a 100% interest in the Property for a single cash payment consisting of (i) USD $25,000,000, plus (ii) 2% of the prevailing gold priceii multiplied by the number of ounces of gold in measured, indicated and inferred resources identified by Kinrossiii. In addition to the cash payment, Yorbeau will retain a 2% NSR on any gold ounces produced in excess of the number of ounces identified by Kinross in the resource estimate and on any other minerals produced from the Property. The Company is also pleased to announce that Kinross has committed to participate in a $1 million private placement of units in the Company upon signing the definitive option agreement. Company president Gerald Riverin stated: "Company management is highly enthusiastic to partner with Kinross to advance the Rouyn project with the intention of realizing value for all project stakeholders. Signing the letter of intent marks a significant milestone for Yorbeau and the Rouyn project and we are looking forward to working with Kinross to finalize the definitive option agreement and continue work on the project." About Yorbeau Resources Inc. The Company's 100% controlled Rouyn Property contains four known gold deposits in the 6-km-long Augmitto-Astoria corridor situated on the western half of the property. Two of the four deposits, Astoria and Augmitto, have substantial underground infrastructure and have been the focus of NI 43-101 technical reports that include resource estimates. The Company has recently expanded its exploration property portfolio by acquiring strategic base metal properties in prospective areas of the Abitibi Belt of Quebec and Ontario that also feature infrastructure favourable for mining development. The newly acquired base metal properties include Scott Lake which hosts important mineral resources, and Beschefer where, regionally, exploration interest has been increasing. More information on the Company may be found on the Company's website at www.yorbeauresources.com. Forward-looking statements: Except for statement of historical fact, all statements in this news release, without limitation, regarding new projects, acquisitions, future plans and objectives are forward-looking statements which involve risks and uncertainties. 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. i The resource estimate to be completed according to Kinross' standard estimation and reporting practices subject to detailed technical parameters to be agreed between Kinross and Yorbeau in the definitive option agreement. ii The price of gold for these purposes will be determined by the average London Bullion Market Association "initial" and "final" fixing prices for gold quoted in US dollars over the period of 30 trading days prior to the confirmation by Kinross of its completion of the required expenditures. iii The number of ounces applied to the calculation of the payment to include those classified as measured, indicated or inferred resources (as such terms are defined by the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum in the most recent CIM Definition Standards for Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves). Taxidermy is a feature at Blind Tiger. Photo: Bradley Kanaris Taxidermy animals are part of the eclectic furnishings at Bulimba's cosy new dive bar, Blind Tiger, that takes its design cues from the prohibition era. The name references the nickname given to the illegal drinking dens of the time that were disguised as "natural curiosity halls" where people could buy a ticket to ostensibly view exotic creatures, with the ticket price including a glass of whisky. And yes, there is whisky on sale, 45 in fact, from all over the globe, thanks to bar manager and whisky appreciator Sam Tripet. There are also 16 types of rum and an imaginative cocktail list put together by bartender Jesse Stowers. On tap are half a dozen beers: a selection from Stone and Wood, Burleigh Brewing Co and local Brisbane brewers Green Beacon, and a house beer, in addition to a range of bottled beer and a clipped wine list. A pair of pork sliders at Blind Tiger. Photo: Bradley Kanaris Blind Tiger is the first hospitality venture for Robert Harding, who owns Moustachery Barbering in Teneriffe and Bulimba. "We offer drinks with our cuts at the shop and customers always say if it was a bar, they'd be here all the time. So when the space next to the shop in Bulimba came up I jumped at it because there's really nothing else like it here," Harding says. During the first week of trading the bar was at capacity, and Harding says he's looking at enlarging the 30-seater by taking a bit of space from the barber shop. A Kentucky Bow Tie cocktail. Photo: Bradley Kanaris A simple food offering includes a cheeseboard, potatoes with chorizo, grilled mushrooms with blue cheese, tacos and sliders. Heartier hotpots and stews will be served in winter. First drinks are poured at 4pm and they'll wrap up sometime before midnight, depending on demand, Harding says. Open daily 4pm-late. 1b/204 Oxford Street, Bulimba, facebook.com/Blindtigerbulimba There's no shortage of sugar fixes at El Chapel, Marrickville. Photo: Daniel Munoz You don't have to be a churchgoer to appreciate El Chapel, the new cafe by Marrickville's Two Chaps. The new venture is a short 10-minute pilgrimage from owner Piero Pignatti Morano's first eatery on nearby Chapel Street and, in the way that parents have way too many shortlisted names for their kids, El Chapel was what Two Chaps might have been originally called. "It seemed fitting for the new spot, a little reference to our beginnings on Chapel Street and a relationship between food and place that we liken to [a] religious experience," he says. You can still be a heathen, though, and enjoy what El Chapel showcases - which includes some items you won't find at Two Chaps. There's a mushroom toastie ($12), with roasted portobello sealed in with the heft and ooze of Tassie Tilsit cheese, Dijon mustard and pickles on a seeded, semi-sourdough malt rye loaf. El Chapel's pastry experiments include the blueberry morning buns. Photo: Daniel Munoz "We also have an awesome quesadilla ($12) that we make our own purple corn tacos for. We serve this with sauteed rapini, spicy back beans, our prickly pear hot sauce and smoked fior di latte," says Morano. "In the next month, we will also be offering our own pies and empanadas which will not be on offer at Two Chaps." Your sugar fix is also taken care of at El Chapel. "We recently started making croissants ($4) after picking up a fairly cumbersome old Australian-made dough sheeter off a friend. This has allowed us to experiment with a few simple Euro classics like the lunette, a dainty piece of pastry baked with a dollop of custard in the centre," he says. "Our baked brioche morning bun ($5) is a sneaky alternative to the old faithful breakfast muffin." There's still menu crossover with between the two venues, though, and you can also score some of the pastries seen at sister cafe Two Chaps, such as the burnt butter cookie ($4), lime and pistachio loaf, and glazed doughnuts. While El Chapel features a small shopfront (and you may have to fight for the tiny number of seats it currently has), it's worth paying attention to this cafe, given the talent behind the menus. El Chapel makes its own purple corn tortillas and prickly pear hot sauce for this dish. Photo: Daniel Munoz Head chef Kim Douglas (who also works at Two Chaps) was at Rockpool Bar and Grill for four years and has also spent time in the kitchens of Bread and Circus, Henrietta Supper Club and Cornersmith. Hayley Thorncraft, who looks after the baked goods, recently came on board from Black Star Pastry. Manager Jo Fairall is masterminding all the drinks (and the "new beetroot hot chocolate using cold pressed beetroot juice is a winner", says Morano). Like Two Chaps, El Chapel just happens to have an all-vegetarian menu. (And like Two Chaps, it doesn't make a big deal out of it.) This also means there's also a decent showing of vegan options, too, such as ciabatta with turmeric-roasted cauliflower, hummus, pickled onions and sprouts ($10), raw caramel slice ($4) and a fruit granola cup with coconut yoghurt that's spiced with the Sticky Chai that Morano makes ($8). El Chapel is also footsteps away from Vic On The Park and The Factory Theatre, which both host gigs at night, and there are definitely plans for the cafe to get up to some after-dark mischief. Advertisement "We are still figuring out how the nights at El Chapel will play out. At this point, the aim is to begin in October with a snacky interpretation of our current night menu [at Two Chaps] to pair with a small and keg-only wine and beer list." And given that Morano already has two Marrickville venues, plus his Sticky Chai business, does he have any plans to expand further? "Let's see if we can make this work before any more projects are undertaken!" Open Mon-Fri 7-3pm; Sat 8-2pm The vegan options include a chia seed brekkie cup Photo: Daniel Munoz 373 Enmore Road, Marrickville, 02 8384 8673, facebook.com/ElChapelMarrickville Spanner crab, sake vinegar jelly, brown butter emulsion, pea flower and horseradish from Sepia, Sydney. Photo: Dominic Lorrimer Grilled oyster from Igni, Geelong. Photo: Josh Robenstone Uni, koshihikari rice, salted yolk, fish maw, sweet prawns, umami broth from Quay, Sydney. Photo: Brett Stevens Schnitty sanga from Fleet, Brunswick Heads. Photo: Kate Nutt Marron, Geraldton wax and watercress from Orana, Adelaide. Photo: Aaron Fenwick Slow-roasted parsnip and apple mousse, Brae, Birregurra. Scallop dish from Wildflower, Perth. Photo: Supplied Yabby jaffle from Monster Kitchen & Bar, Canberra. Photo: Lee Grant Apple truffle strudel from Esquire, Brisbane. Photo: Michelle Smith Salted red kangaroo and bunya bunya from Attica, Melbourne. Photo: Jane Holroyd Roasted Murray cod grenobloise from Restaurant Hubert, Sydney. Photo: Supplied Pad Thai from Long Chim, Perth. Poulet vin jaune d'Australie from Bar Brose, Sydney. Photo: Dominic Lorrimer Paperbark-grilled fish from Paper Daisy, Cabarita Beach. Photo: Supplied Whole slow-roasted lamb shoulder, Cumulus Inc, Melbourne. Photo: Earl Carter of Of course you're not planning to die any time soon, but we thought you should know how good the Australian dining scene is right now, just in case. So here's a handy glovebox guide to 17 of the most exciting dishes that are happening across the country. Diversity being our middle name, they jump from Japanese-inflected seafood, slow-roasted meats and Australian natives to retro snacks that make drinking even more fun. Together, they represent a new era in Australian gastronomy. Pace yourself. There's a lot to get through. Roasted Murray cod grenobloise Where: Restaurant Hubert, Sydney Why: An impeccably farmed Australian freshwater fish famed for its subtle, snow-white, flaking flesh is wood-roasted and served whole by classics-with-a-twist chef Dan Pepperell. Bathed in a classic French sauce of brown butter, capers and onions and served by candle-light. It's a real "event" dish, a magnificent thing in keeping with the nostalgia of this sprawling basement bistro and bar. restauranthubert.com Salted red kangaroo and bunya bunya Where: Attica, Melbourne Why: It's never a dull moment dining at the highly awarded Attica, as Ben Shewry builds the experience into a unique and almost interactive experience. This is the standout dish, a mind-bending drama queen of salted Uluru kangaroo fillet teamed with purple carrot, native currants, fermented cabbage and a lush bunya bunya puree that is both astringent and lush, primeval and elegant. attica.com.au Poulet vin jaune d'Australie Where: Bar Brose, Sydney Advertisement Why: Because Analiese Gregory is a rising star who brings originality, freshness and great wine-friendly flavours to this long, narrow Darlinghurst bar. And because the busty Holmbrae chicken is bathed in a ladleful of glossy, winey sauce (not the celebrated yellow wine of the Jura but Gregory's own blend of Pennyweight Oloroso, Tom Shobbrook's Il Chicco, and shao hsing), enriched with foie gras butter and crisp chicken-in-a-biskit shards. barbrose.com.au Slow-roasted parsnip and apple mousse Where: Brae, Birregurra Why: Former Mugaritz head chef Dan Hunter created his ground-breaking regional restaurant as "a place to interact with nature and eat from the land". In his hands, the humble parsnip takes on a new life as a naturally sweet dessert slow-roasted until it is a crisp, hollowed-out shroud, filled with parsnip and apple mousse under a fizz-wizz of tart, dehydrated apple. braerestaurant.com Spanner crab, sake vinegar jelly, brown butter emulsion, pea flower and horseradish Where: Sepia, Sydney Why: Because the Queensland spanner crab meat is cooked in butter at 70C to keep its moisture, then dressed in walnut oil and rolled in a very fine sheet of sake vinegar and sake jelly, served on a brown butter creme fraiche and finished with pea flower petals and dehydrated pea dust. Complexity reduced to simplicity: pure Martin Benn. sepiarestaurant.com.au Apple truffle strudel Where: Esquire, Brisbane Why: It makes you rethink the apple. Stanthorpe pink ladies are rotor-sliced, gently cooked, dried, fried and formed into a crisp apple rose, served with a truffle jam made from Malmsey wine, beef stock and fresh Manjimup truffles and a rich mascarpone Chantilly cream. And no, it's not a dessert. esquire.net.au Uni, koshihikari rice, salted yolk, fish maw, sweet prawns, umami broth Where: Quay, Sydney Why: Peter Gilmore says this is a great representation of his cooking right now, being full of texture and powerfully harmonious flavours. The nutty koshihikari rice is enriched with Port Phillip Bay sea urchin butter, topped with crisp fish maw made from the swim bladder (fish maw) of northern barramundi, served with an intense umami broth made from 30 different ingredients. quay.com.au Raw Shark Bay saucer scallops with sesame cream Where: Wildflower, Perth Why: In this glass-and-steel cube atop boutique hotel COMO The Treasury, chef Jed Gerrard serves raw scallops from Shark Bay, 800 kilometres north of Perth, on a white sesame cream with a gel of apple juice and native basil. An additional apple, wild fennel and chardonnay "snow" falls at the table. Where: Paper Daisy, Cabarita Beach, NSW Why: Forget your fish of the day; this is the fish of the year. At this charming beachside boutique hotel Ben Devlin layers blue-eye trevalla in both soft and crisply cooked caramelised onions, seaweed and lemon myrtle, encases it in a sheath of paperbark and grills it over hot coals. It is, quite simply, a great Australian dish. halcyonhouse.com.au/restaurant Grilled oyster Where: Igni, Geelong Why: Chef Aaron Turner (formerly of Loam) is back with a bang at this tucked-away 50-seat treasure down a Geelong laneway. With luck, the opening volley of snacks will include this take-your-breath-away oyster with seaweed and oyster plant, served warm in a porcelain oyster shell. restaurantigni.com Seasonal agnolotti Where: LuMi, Sydney Why: It could be small coins of spelt ravioli holding hot buttery pumpkin puree, or soft capsules of paper-thin agnolotti encasing nonna's tomato sugo, but it will be extraordinary, as Federico Zanellato packs elegance, power, structure, acidity, balance and finesse into the very idea of pasta. lumidining.com Schnitty sanga Where: Fleet, Brunswick Heads Why: In this tiny restaurant, Astrid McCormack and Josh Lewis redefine how we dine with personal warmth and quietly captivating small courses. The downy-soft, white-bread "schnitty sanga" pairs crumbed sweetbreads and anchovy and mustard mayo in a shock of crisp/soft, hot/cold. instagram.com/fleetrestaurant Marron, Geraldton wax and watercress Where: Orana, Adelaide Why: In Australia, it makes perfect sense for a Scottish/Italian chef with French training to champion indigenous Australia and its powerful, resonant ingredients. That's how we roll. Hence the relentlessly restless Jock Zonfrillo marries delicate Kangaroo island marron or Coorong mullet with the lime/lemongrass shock of Geraldton wax in this luxurious, evocative dish. restaurantorana.com Wood-roasted pigeon Where: Franklin, Hobart Why: It's all about the 10-tonne wood-fired Scotch oven in this minimalist concrete-clad, wine-oriented, Tasmania-first restaurant. Uncompromising chef/owner David Moyle roasts whole local pigeons to a bronzed caramel, pressing the bones to extract goodness for the accompanying (very pinot-friendly) sauce. franklinhobart.com.au Yabby jaffle Where: Monster Kitchen & Bar, Canberra Why: Yabbies + horseradish + creme fraiche + chives + lemon juice + gruyere + buttered bread = one hot, crisp, toasty yabby jaffle. Chef Sean McConnell takes comfort food to new heights at Hotel Hotel's free-wheeling, all-day restaurant. monsterkitchen.com.au Pad Thai Where: Long Chim, Perth Why: When David Thompson does pad Thai, it's done properly. So the usual mindless office lunch order is, instead, beautifully eggy, with springy rice noodles, crunchy bean shoots and sweet prawns, with three types of chilli and the traditional white sugar on the side. longchimperth.com Whole slow-roasted lamb shoulder Where: Cumulus Inc, Melbourne Why: Sharing the eight-hour slow-roasted lamb shoulder at Melbourne's best workaday bistro is a rite of passage. Inspired by a humble worker's meal in La Rioja in Spain, Andrew McConnell cooks the shoulder sous-vide for eight to 12 hours, then roasts it until the crust caramelises and the meat falls from the bone at the very sight of a fork. Festive, celebratory and delicious. cumulusinc.com.au LEFT: Grits with spicy collards, shrimp, roasted red peppers and aioli drizzle from Robin Asbell's "Great Bowls of Food." SHARE Grits with spicy collards, shrimp, roasted red peppers and aioli drizzle from Robin Asbell's "Great Bowls of Food" is a great blueprint for building a bowl. Start with a grain, in this case grits. (Michael Tercha/Chicago Tribune/TNS) Add a vegetable; here, Robin Asbell uses collards. (Michael Tercha/Chicago Tribune/TNS) Include a protein, such as these shrimp sauteed with red pepper flakes. (Michael Tercha/Chicago Tribune/TNS) Finish with a sauce, such as Robin Asbell's aioli drizzle. (Michael Tercha/Chicago Tribune/TNS) One-dish meals: Simple and comforting By Bill Daley, Chicago Tribune (TNS) Bowls used to evoke visions of Oliver Twist hold one while posing that fateful request: "Please sir, I want some more." But Dickens' famous waif has been pushed aside in my mind by another Brit, celebrity chef Nigella Lawson, who poses on the cover of her 2015 cookbook holding a stack of pristine white bowls in her hands. "If I could, I'd eat everything out of a bowl," Lawson writes in "Simply Nigella," in which she gives what she calls "bowlfood" a chapter of its own. "For me "bowlfood" is a simple shorthand for food that is simultaneously soothing, bolstering, undemanding, and sustaining." The word might also be considered shorthand for a new way of eating as the bowl takes over the dinner plate as the meal vessel of choice in restaurants and at home, it has come to mean a category of food, with all the elements of a meal together. "Most bowls are very component-oriented: grain, proteins, vegetables, sauce," said Lukas Volger of Brooklyn, New York, author of "Bowl" (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $25). "It makes sense in a bowl." His book is one of four recently published bowlcentric cookbooks that highlight the good-for-you and improvisational nature of this style of cooking and eating. Allison Day, author of "Whole Bowls" (Skyhorse, $24.99), says people want to re-create at home the "vibrant and international flavors" they enjoy in restaurants but in a "more approachable way" where they can pick and choose ingredients and have the flexibility in meal planning they desire. Healthy is an important part of the bowl's appeal. Day's book is subtitled, "Complete Gluten-Free and Vegetarian Meals to Power Your Day." Volger's book is vegetarian. "The Sprouted Kitchen Bowl + Spoon" (Ten Speed, $25) by the California chef and writer Sara Forte promises "simple and inspired whole foods recipes to savor and share." "A bowl lends itself to healthy eating," Volger said. "It is so clean and straightforward." Ditto for the process of assembly. You can follow the recipes or use a basic building-block approach to assembling a main-dish bowl. Robin Asbell offers a template on how to build a bowl in her new book, "Great Bowls of Food" (Countryman Press, $21.95). Start with about to 1 cup of the grain or starch (or an alternative like sweet potato "rice" or zucchini "noodles") as a base, then add your protein, vegetables, dressing broth or sauce, and finally the garnishes. "The ones that look the most beautiful have the most color and a combination of different colors and textures," Volger said. What might be more challenging than building a bowl is finding the right bowl to use. Asbell urges readers to "mindfully" select their bowls. "Some of the bowl ingredients like to sprawl out in a wide pasta bowl-type dish. A bowl of this kind offers a wider surface to arrange your lovely toppings," she writes. "Other recipes are for times when you want to feel comforted by the abundance of a deep bowl with its round belly." SPRING RICE BOWLS WITH CHIVE OIL Prep: 15 minutes Cook: 60 minutes Makes: 4 servings Ingredients Bowls: 1 cup uncooked short grain brown rice 2 cups water 1 pound asparagus, tough ends trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces 2 cups cooked chickpeas 3/4 cup fresh or dry, cooked and peeled, or frozen, defrosted fava beans 2 carrots, julienned, shaved, or shredded Chive oil: 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 tablespoon finely diced fresh chives, plus chive blossoms for garish, optional 1/2 teaspoon sea salt - ground black pepper, to taste Directions 1 Make the bowls. For the brown rice, in a medium saucepan, bring water and rice to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 45 minutes. Steam, covered, for 5 minutes; fluff with fork before serving. 2 For the asparagus, add to a large-rimmed baking sheet. Roast in a preheated 400-degree oven for 10 minutes. Alternatively, steam asparagus for 3 to 5 minutes. 3 In a medium bowl, combine chickpeas with fava beans. 4 Make the chive oil: In a small bowl, combine all chive oil ingredients. 5 To serve. To bowls, arrange brown rice, chickpeas and fava beans, asparagus and carrot. Drizzle with chive oil and garnish with chive blossoms (if using). Serve warm or chilled. From "Whole Bowls" by Allison Day, creator of the Yummy Beet blog (www.yummybeet.com GRITS WITH SPICY COLLARDS, SHRIMP, ROASTED RED PEPPERS AND AIOLI DRIZZLE Prep: 15 minutes Cook: 20 minutes Makes: 4 servings Polenta may be used instead of grits, she writes. Ingredients 3 cups water 1 cup grits 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1 clove garlic, pressed 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil 1 bunch collard greens, stems removed, sliced 1 teaspoon water 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 pound shrimp, peeled, deveined 2 jarred medium roasted red peppers, drained, sliced (or homemade) Directions 1 Heat the water to a boil in a 1-quart pot over high heat. Stir in the grits and half the salt; cook, stirring, 5 minutes. Remove pan from the heat, cover and let stand to thicken, about for 5 minutes (or follow package directions). 2 While the grits cook, stir together the mayonnaise, garlic and lemon juice in a small bowl. Set aside. 3 In a large skillet, heat half the olive oil over medium-high heat; add the collard greens. Stir to wilt, then sprinkle in 1 teaspoon water; cover the pan. Cook until softened, 2 minutes. 4 Scrape the greens into another bowl. Add the remaining olive oil to the same skillet; heat over medium-high heat. Add the red pepper flakes, and shrimp; sprinkle with the remaining salt. Cook, stirring, until the shrimp are pink, lightly browned and cooked through, about 3 minutes depending on size. 5 Divide grits among four bowls. Top with the shrimp, place the greens beside the shrimp, garnish with red pepper slices and drizzle with mayonnaise mixture. Serve warm. A recipe from Robin Asbell's "Great Bowls of Food." RICE BOWL WITH GINGER, RADISH AND AVOCADO Prep: 20 minutes Cook: 40 minutes Makes: 2 servings In her book "Simply Nigella," Nigella Lawson describes this as a "non-recipe recipe" because she makes it differently each time depending on what foods are available. Lawson usually uses raw radishes but writes that you may roast them, too: Halve the radishes, roast cut-side down with a little oil at 425 degrees for 10 minutes. We added tofu to the dish for additional protein, but you may leave it out. Ingredients 3/4 cup uncooked short grain brown rice 1 cup cold water 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled 4-6 radishes 11/2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce 1 teaspoon organic raw apple cider vinegar 1/4 cup mixed seeds, such as pumpkin, sunflower, sesame 3 -4 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro 1 small ripe avocado - grilled firm tofu, cubed, optional Directions 1 Put the rice and the water in a heavy saucepan that comes with a tight-fitting lid; bring to a boil over high heat. Once it's bubbling, clamp on the lid, turn the heat down very low and simmer, 25 minutes. Then turn off the heat, leaving the lid on, and let it stand for another 5 minutes, by which time the rice will be cooked but still nutty and the water absorbed. 2 Meanwhile, shave the ginger into very thin strips with a vegetable peeler. Cut the radishes into quarters or eighths lengthwise, depending on their size. 3 When the rice is cooked, spoon into a mixing bowl. Add the tamari or soy sauce and the apple cider vinegar; toss with a fork to combine. Do the same with the ginger shavings, radishes and seeds. Stir all but a little of the chopped cilantro into the rice, still using a fork. 4 Divide rice between 2 smallish bowls; top with avocado, cut either into gondola-shaped slices or chunks. Add tofu, if using. Sprinkle with the remaining cilantro. SHARE Randy Avila Robert Blanco Brandon Deleon Julian Diaz Shots fired into San Angelo kids' bedroom By Justin Zamudio The frail front door was barely enough to keep the cool, wintry breeze out of Rocio Godinez's northeast side home, and not nearly thick enough to stop gunfire. Shots ripped through that thin door in the early morning darkness Monday. Three rounds burst at an angle into the room to the immediate left of the entrance, only a few feet away from Godinez's sleeping children. "Their bed is just right here ? against this wall," said Godinez, the mother of the 14-year-old and 12-year-old who were sleeping in that bedroom, as she pointed at the bullet holes inside her house. "It came too close to hitting them." The shots served as an unexpected alarm clock for the family of five. Jose Melendez, Godinez's husband, said he immediately checked to make sure everyone was OK after realizing the household, in the 1900 block of Magnolia Street, had been a target for gunfire. Godinez's 9-year-old child also was asleep in the house at the time. San Angelo police arrested four men early Monday morning on East 12th Street who they said might be linked to the shooting on Magnolia Street. The four suspects ? Brandon Deleon, 18, Julian Diaz, 18, Randy Avila, 17, and Robert Blanco, 18, all of San Angelo ? all were charged with Class B possession of marijuana. Deleon also was charged with unlawful carrying of a firearm. Godinez said there never has been a problem with anyone coming around and trying to do harm to her family. She said that her 14-year-old son is not associated with gangs and that she isn't aware of any vendettas he might have with anyone. The San Angelo Police Department discovered in its investigation that there was a party at the house in October and that three males were told to leave after wanting to start a fight. They threatened to retaliate and left in a white four-door Cadillac, according to a department news release. The four San Angelo men who were being held Monday were arrested in a white four-door Cadillac. Although the charges against them are not directly connected to the drive-by shooting on Magnolia Street, a police news release about their arrest included information about the shooting incident and two other property damage complaints that occurred earlier Monday. The men were arrested about 6:45 a.m., police said, after being seen in a car that matched the description of a vehicle seen in the vicinity of events reported during the night. The reports began about 1:15 a.m. when patrol officers were sent to investigate damage to a pickup parked on the street in the first block of East 12th Street, the news release said. A man said his vehicle had been damaged by thrown rocks and a cinder block, and he had noticed a white four-door Cadillac driving in the neighborhood earlier. Just more than an hour later, officers were sent to investigate a report of shots fired at the house in the 1900 block of Magnolia Street. Officers found three bullet holes in the front door. At 6:45 a.m. in the first block of East 12th Street, officers were dispatched to a report of shots being fired. They found spent shotgun shells in the street and damage to vehicles that appeared to have been fired upon. A witness said a white four-door Cadillac had been seen driving in the area. At the same time in the 200 block of East Ninth Street, two officers saw a white four-door Cadillac parked by the curb. The car's headlights were switched off as police approached, and the occupants slumped down from view, police said. Drugs and drug paraphernalia were found in the car, police said, along with a handgun under one of the seats, and a spent shotgun shell. Deleon was released on $1,500 bond, Diaz and Blanco both were released on $1,000 bond, and no information was available on Avila. Lt. Curtis Milbourn, a police department spokesman, said no new information was available for release Wednesday afternoon. He said the investigation is ongoing and that more charges might be filed on the discovery of more facts. "Until the facts are known completely, we won't be able to bring any other charges against the suspects," Milbourn said. "I'm sure we will look at the most serious charge in that instance." For the time being, Godinez and her family are shaken up and more cautious in their home. "It's scary," she said. "Nothing like this has ever happened before out here. ... I'm just glad nobody got hurt." John Tufts/Standard-Times The 9/11 Memorial Monument near the Concho River was destroyed sometime over the weekend. The San Angelo Police Department is searching for the person or peopole responsible. SHARE Standard-Times file A wreath sits next to the 9/11 memorial near the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts in 2014. The memorial included a piece of debris from the north Twin Tower. By Staff Report Police are searching for the person or people responsible for destroying San Angelo's Sept. 11, 2001, monument and stealing a piece of steel on the memorial that came from the World Trade Center. The monument, near Celebration Bridge on the Concho River and below the San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts, is unusual because it is one of the few in Texas that had a piece of steel from ground zero in New York City, according to a San Angelo Police Department news release. The monument was dedicated Sept. 8, 2003, in memory of those who died that day. Several community events occurred near the monument over the weekend, and police believe someone in attendance may have witnessed the incident, the release stated. Police are asking anyone with information about the suspect or the stolen item to contact them at 325-481-2718. To remain anonymous, tip online at bit.ly/SAPDTips247, text TIP SAPD to 888777 or call the 24-hour tip hotline at 1-855-847-7247. SHARE Staff report The San Angelo Police Department is investigating the death of a 9-week-old boy at a local licensed in-home day care Monday afternoon, according to an SAPD news release. Police were dispatched to a residence in the 2600 block of Colorado Avenue just before 4 p.m. Monday in response to a report of a nonresponsive infant, the release states. San Angelo Fire Department medics gave emergency rescue care to the infant, who was taken to San Angelo Community Medical Center for treatment. The baby was pronounced dead by medical staff at 4:42 p.m., according to the release. The cause of death is unknown. The infant was taken to Lubbock for autopsy. No signs of foul play were found at the scene, the release states, and police continue to investigate. Korby Kennedy SHARE By Staff Report The Blue Knights Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club, Texas Chapter XXXV will honor San Angelo Police Sgt. Korby Kennedy during a prayer vigil and the unveiling of a memorial marker at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at 3100 Knickerbocker Road. The public is invited to attend the free event and encouraged to wear blue clothing or ribbons in a show of support. Kennedy, 45, a longtime SAPD officer, was killed June 25, 2015, after he was struck by another vehicle while on escort duty. A Tom Green County grand jury in late March indicted Cynthia Quigley, 46, of Ozona, on a charge of criminally negligent homicide. The indictment stated that Quigley committed criminal negligence "by failing to yield the right of way, while using a cellphone" in the crash that killed Kennedy. A pretrial hearing for Quigley is scheduled 2 p.m. July 5. A graduate of Central High School, Kennedy attended Angelo State University and initially went to work at the Tom Green County Jail. In 1995 he graduated from the San Angelo Police Academy and was hired by the department. He was promoted to the rank of sergeant in 2005 and assigned to the Traffic Division of the SAPD. In April, Kennedy was honored by participants in the Texas Peace Officers Memorial Bike Trek. The group presented Kennedy's family a plaque in his honor during a ceremony in front of the San Angelo Police Department. The bike group came to San Angeo as part of a 2,000-plus-mile journey to remember fallen officers across the state. SHARE Spring rains have contributed to a bounty of fresh produce available at the Concho Valley Farmers Market thrice-weekly Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The Farmers Market Pavilion is located at 609 S. Oakes St., across from Fort Concho. We are so lucky to have potatoes, green beans, sweet peas, squash and zucchini, peppers, corn, greens, tomatoes, onions, radishes, and all those herbs available for $1 for a bundle or a bowl. However, the folks in the cities will pay much more, even if fresh produce is available. On a national level, the age-old problem of farm labor shortage now held up by visa backlogs is fast approaching crisis proportions again all but guaranteeing that crops will rot in the field on many farms this year, said Zippy Duvall, American Farm Bureau Federation president. "Many farmer members have called us and state Farm Bureaus asking for help," Duvall said. "They face serious hurdles in getting visas for workers in time to tend and harvest this year's crops. Paperwork delays have created a backlog of 30 days or more in processing H-2A applications at both the Department of Labor and United States Citizenship and Immigration Services." Duvall said the Labor Department too often fails to comply with rules that require it to respond to farmers' requests before crews are needed. "Crops can't wait on paperwork," Duvall said. "DOL is routinely failing to approve applications 30 days prior to the day farmers need workers. That delay, coupled with delays occurring at USCIS, places farmers in an impossible situation." According to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service, there were 583,000 workers hired directly by farm operators on the nation's farms and ranches during the week of January 10-16, 2016. For the week of April 10-16, workers hired numbered 703,000. Wage rates for hired workers in the Southern Plains averaged $11.83 per hour; nationally the average wage was $12.83 per hour. Seasonal farm labor is a necessity from the truck farms of South Texas to the big farms of California. And the undocumented Mexican national workers have always made a difference. Back in 1977 the Standard-Times assigned me to Presidio in far West Texas to investigate complaints from some 45-50 local farmers as they were in the midst of harvesting onions, chili peppers and cantaloupes with no laborers. As soon as undocumented Mexican workers were in the fields, the U.S. Border Patrol descended and transported them back across the Rio Grande. As a result, some $15,000 worth of peppers was scratched on the production calendar as lost in one field alone. Weeds were growing 2 feet high in the crops. Workers would cultivate the crops by hand. They pulled the weeds by hand or used a small knifelike tool to cut the weeds out when pulling them would destroy the fruit plant. In the case of cantaloupes, the vines required turning periodically and removal from irrigation ditches so the developing melons would not be in a pool of water and the bottoms rot. The story was told in Washington by West Texas representatives and finally at the White House, Jimmy Carter snapped the bureaucratic red tape, and on the heels of a presidential decision, Mexican farmworkers came back across the Rio Grande in time to save the cantaloupes that year. Fast forward to this spring when Duvall repeated American Farm Bureau's call for Congress to pass responsible immigration reform that provides farmers' access to a legal and stable workforce. He also outlined possible solutions to the challenge, including modernizing agency H-2A approval procedures. He said DOL and USCIS both rely on sending documents to farmers by regular mail, which he called "unacceptable in 2016." Processing and procedural delays, such as the government's use of U.S. mail instead of electronic communications, are leading to losses from unharvested crops, Duvall said. Farmers and ranchers receive only 16 cents out of every dollar spent on food at home and away from home. The rest goes for costs beyond the farm gate: wages and materials for production, processing, marketing, transportation and distribution. Compare that to 1980, when farmers received 31 cents out of every dollar. Jerry Lackey is the agriculture editor emeritus. Contact him at jlackey@wcc.net. SHARE By Michael Riley And Nafeesa Syeed, Bloomberg News (TNS) WASHINGTON The U.S. has curbed hacking by Chinas military. The trouble is the battle may be moving to another front. Chinese military hackers attempted to steal troves of confidential information from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management in 2014 and failed. But China got the data anyway: It passed the job to contractors a group code-named Coldcuts by the U.S. who worked on their own or for private companies to conduct a dragnet for sensitive data from government, airlines and health insurers. The new information about those incursions, confirmed by two people involved in the investigation who asked not to be identified because the details remain confidential, suggest a possible shift in cyberstrategy by the Chinese government, which has long said its behavior is no different from that of the U.S. That shift makes the question over whether China is keeping a promise that it wont hack U.S. companies for technology and personal data a challenge to answer. The Chinese militarys pullback is quantified in a report issued Monday by security firm FireEye Inc., which shows a dramatic decline in hacking over three years. Since August, attacks from known Chinese hacking groups with a connection to state interests have dropped more than 80 percent, FireEye found. Thats a success for the Obama administration, which has ratcheted up pressure, including through criminal indictments and in meetings with top leaders, in the hope of lessening tensions in cyberspace between the countries. Its a steep and steady decline, and a relatively abrupt one, Kevin Mandia, FireEyes chief executive officer, said in an interview. The bottom line is that based on all our observables our researchers, our Mandiant responders, the activity in customer networks the scale and scope of Chinese espionage has dramatically reduced. What the report doesnt answer is how much China-based hacking has moved to harder-to-track contractors who provide a level of deniability to the government. Some of the 72 groups tracked in the report are small or relatively new, and Chinas hacking scene has become more fragmented as former military hackers set up business on their own, said Laura Galante, director of threat intelligence at FireEye. It could take the U.S. years to infiltrate those networks and gauge their effectiveness, a task it will undertake even as it also tries to track increased activity from state-backed hackers from North Korea and Pakistan to Russia and Iran. FireEyes detection technology depends in part on matching breaches to a deep archive of tools and infrastructure used by state-sponsored groups. U.S. intelligence agencies use a classified version of similar data to track activity of those groups. Its extraordinarily difficult to verify if that drop is real, said Bob Stasio, a former member of the National Security Agencys offensive cyber unit and a fellow at the Truman National Security Project. Its very easy to hide much of that activity by shifting it to the private sector, universities or unaffiliated actors. One former intelligence official directly involved in the OPM investigation, who asked not to be identified because some details of the probe are still classified, said several countries, including Russia, make liberal use the contractor model. FireEyes new report has particular credibility coming from the company that purchased Mandiant Corp., which produced a ground-breaking report in 2013 on Shanghai-based hacking operations by Chinas Peoples Liberation Army and the targeting of commercial companies in the U.S. and Europe. FireEye tracked cyber activity of 72 groups, suspected of being based in China or operating in support of Chinese interests, going back more than three years. The company, based in Milpitas, California, said it monitored 262 incidents of network compromise, in which groups got remote entry into a targets network. The company attributes the shift to measures taken in recent years by the Chinese government as well as the U.S. Starting in 2013, there was heightened exposure of Chinese hacking as more information became public and the U.S. took several steps, including indicting five Chinese military officials in 2014 on charges that they stole trade secrets from companies including Westinghouse Electric Co. and United States Steel Corp. Last year, Chinas President Xi Jinping and President Barack Obama reached an agreement vowing that they wouldnt condone hacking to steal commercial secrets. After meeting with Xi, Obama pointedly said he hadnt ruled out resorting to sanctions if their agreement was violated. 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, FireEye said in its report. Pledges to diminish Chinese intrusions were often met with skepticism by researchers and some in the U.S. intelligence community, who had seen Chinas hacking operations over a decade hit thousands of companies, universities and research institutes in the U.S. and Europe. The company said there are strong indications that the 72 groups its tracked are based in China or support Chinese interests, based on various indications, including similarities in the types of malware, language settings, hours of operation and the type of data targeted. Despite the decline in threats from China, not all hacking has stopped. From late 2015 to the middle of this year, 13 suspected China-based groups have compromised corporate networks in the U.S., Europe and Japan as well as targeted government, military and commercial entities in countries surrounding China. The FireEye report cites several recent examples. From April to May, three groups compromised the networks of four firms based in the U.S., Europe and Asia that are involved in semiconductors, while one group compromised a network at a high-tech U.S. company by accessing login credentials and deploying backdoors into systems. In another recent case, a group apparently tried to obtain information related to U.S. military projects, deploying backdoors into the targets web servers and accessed credentials at a U.S. government services company. We are still seeing activity, Jordan Berry, FireEyes principal threat intelligence analyst, said in a an interview. We see the same kind of activity but on a much lower scale. Even if China is changing tactics, Mandia said, the activity of new or upstart hackers is still less than the former operations of the military groups by orders of magnitude. We would still detect the activity of contractors in some form, he said. SHARE Legislation in House loses repeatedly By Maggie Ybarra, McClatchy Washington Bureau (TNS) WASHINGTON Gun control measures have stolen the spotlight in the days after a deadly mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Florida, and other legislation important to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community has suffered defeats in recent weeks, with little public attention. An amendment that would have protected the LGBT community from discrimination in the workplace was defeated by the House Rules Committee last Tuesday, while legislation that would require federal surveys to obtain data on sexual identity has garnered only one Republican among its 84 sponsors in the House of Representatives. The politics of providing equal opportunity to gays, lesbians and others are complicated, made more confusing by the Orlando attack by Omar Mateen, which left 49 people dead and 53 wounded in the largest mass shooting by a single gunman in U.S. history. While the tussle over gun control measures has been public, the smacking down of LGBT legislation has gone largely unheralded. Rep. Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania, the chairman of the House Ethics Committee, has had a front-row seat to some of those failed endeavors. Dent is a rare Republican advocate for LGBT equality. I feel very strongly that we should not discriminate against people based on their sexual orientation, he said. You know, the country has evolved demographically and socially on this issue. I believe the Republican Party should, too. So the bottom line is that nondiscrimination is a reasonable proposal. This month, Dent watched his colleague Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, D-N.Y., try to gather enough support to strike legislative language that left a loophole for military contractors to fire employees based on their sexual orientation. Maloney tried to amend the defense spending bill to remove the language, but the House Rules Committee would not allow that amendment to be debated. Just a few weeks earlier, in May, House Republicans had voted in favor of similar legislation and then changed their votes when the measure was poised to move forward. Another bill with the power to change the way the federal government treats the LGBT community might face a similar fate. The measure, known as the LGBT Data Inclusion Act, or H.R. 5373, has the backing of 83 House Democrats and one Republican. It would seek information on gender identity and sexual orientation in federal population surveys. That data collection would help lawmakers better understand how to address health, housing and employment disparities, said Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif. Additionally, that information could change the way officials approach the task of redistricting, said another California Democrat, Rep. Alan Lowenthal. The more we talk about gender identity and sexual orientation, it makes those people were accountable to all of our community it makes them real and it humanizes them, knowing what the numbers are and whether services are really needed in those communities, Lowenthal said. We dont have any of it. We just estimate now. So I just think its an issue whose time has come. Little is known about the LGBT community at a national level, according to Ian Thompson, a legislative representative for the American Civil Liberties Union. Most of the data available is collected by outside organizations, such as the National Center for Transgender Equality. Equality California has also been an advocate for expanding and implementing data collection so that officials can, among many things, steer social services toward homeless LGBT youth. The group was the driving force behind state legislation that now requires California social service agencies to collect data on sexual orientation and gender identity. California Gov. Jerry Brown signed the legislation last year. It was the first bill of its kind to require that data to be collected along with other demographic data, so we were very, very excited about that and we think its going to make a tremendous difference for people here in California, said Jo Michael, Equality Californias legislative manager, who cited health care services as an area likely to be affected. Obviously, it will take a while to put all that together, but once it gets to that point it could have a tremendous impact in that area. The federal LGBT Data Inclusion Act would expand the amount of information available, but only if it survives another battle on Capitol Hill, said bill co-sponsor Rep. Tony Cardenas, D-Calif. Thats an uphill fight. Its always good to work with the most accurate information thats honest and true, he said. For us to be able to have H.R. 5373 go through with this Republican Congress, my hopes are not too high, but were going to keep pushing it. 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) SHARE 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) 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) 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) By DANIEL ESTRIN, Associated Press 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. 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. State and local budgets are based on general fund revenues. The cash usually comes from such primary sources as income and sales taxes, and pays for a wide swath of government services. When managers talk about balancing the budget, theyre almost always referring to balancing the spending and revenues from this repository.Reliance on the general fund as the centerpiece of fiscal management, however, has growing flaws. This is largely because the general fund is diminishing as the main source of money for governments. Data from the National Association of State Budget Officers shows a fairly steady drop in the portion the general fund makes up of the total -- 41 percent in 2014 compared with 52 percent in the early 1990s. In Virginia, the general fund made up 47 percent of the total in 2006 and only 39 percent in 2015.Some of the drop comes from an increase in bonds and, even more so, federal funds, but theres also been a slow and steady rise in the size and quantity of special funds that are earmarked for specific purposes and get little attention in the annual budget debate.The Fiscal Futures Project at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) has pinpointed a number of problems with this shift. Depending on state law, special funds may bypass the appropriations process, and unlike the general fund, money collected and unspent may be retained at years end rather than being returned to the general coffers. This makes special funds an appealing target when tough budget times hit. Lawmakers see these plush balances outside the general fund as a means to balance the budget. They may transfer or lend money from the special funds to the general fund.That leads to additional problems. It is a common tenet of responsible budget management that one-time money be used for one-time expenditures. If these funds are raided, then unless revenues are raised or expenses are cut, the government will still come up short in the next budget cycle.The movement of money between general and special funds has reduced the transparency of budgeting, says David Merriman, a professor at the Institute of Government and Public Affairs at UIC. The cloudiness of the budget picture enables political leaders to boast about a reduction of general fund spending, when spending has just been added to one or more special funds.States can also put themselves in legal peril by using funds for general purposes that are restricted to a specific use. Just after the recession ended, for example, the Wisconsin Supreme Court nixed the transfer of money from a malpractice fund into the states general fund. The state had to pay back the $200 million along with interest.New Mexicos reliance on special funds has led to a host of policy and management problems. As the state auditor pointed out in a February analysis of fund balances, New Mexico had $4.4 billion in unused balances socked away outside of the general fund at the end of fiscal year 2015. Some of that money is untouchable because of iron-clad restrictions about its use.The large amounts of unspent money raise questions about whether so much should be in funds that get so little attention. Auditors in New Mexico, for instance, found that a significant amount of money was being retained in revolving funds, which are intended as a cash-flow device for agencies and local governments. Localities are supposed to use this money and then return it so it can be used again. The practice isnt the problem, but the auditor found that some of the funds had very little lending activity, even though the state faces critical infrastructure needs for which it could be used. For example, $34 million sat unused in a revolving fund account for rural infrastructure between fiscal years 2014 and 2015. You cant justify a loan fund that had no loans out of it, says Tim Keller, New Mexicos state auditor.Keller, who was a legislator for six years before he took over last year as state auditor, spells out the real-life drawbacks of low-attention money. As a member of the legislature, he helped secure financing to build a dam in Las Vegas, N.M. I thought that fixing the dam was important and I put my political weight behind it, he says. He wasnt alone. The governor and local legislators were all taking credit for the dam, he says.But that back-patting was premature. With less visibility, money outside the general fund can go unspent, particularly when a legislative appropriation only provides partial funding as was the case for the dam. Thats because theres no one constantly monitoring it, says Sarita Nair, general counsel in the auditors office.Today, the dam is half finished, the money that was appropriated is largely unspent, the projects opponents have brought a lawsuit to stop its progress and the town still has a water crisis. You can take credit for funding something, but thats a different question than actually having it built, Keller says. Donald Trump's presidential campaign has paid $35,000 to a mysterious firm with ties to Missouri's raucous Republican gubernatorial primary race, and no one can figure out why.Our national media colleagues are certainly trying. As of Tuesday, numerous news platforms -- including CBS, BuzzFeed, Slate, The Hill and Vanity Fair -- were all asking (as a Washington Examiner story puts it), "Is Trump doing business with a fictional ad agency?"It's all the result of the release Monday night of the campaign finance records of Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee. The big headline out of that data dump was that Trump's campaign is sitting on just $1.3 million, which is peanuts for a presidential bid. Presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton has more than $42 million.A side story, apparently first reported Tuesday by ThinkProgress, is that, buried in almost 1,700 pages of campaign records, is $35,000 in payments from Trump to an entity called "Draper Sterling," for "web advertising."The name is clearly a play on the two main characters from the hit AMC series "Mad Men" (starring St. Louisan Jon Hamm as the dapper and deeply flawed 1960s ad-man Don Draper).The firm's odd name caught reporters' attention. What kept it is the fact that there's only a little public mention anywhere of what "Draper Sterling" is. And that little mention is in a federal election fraud complaint.We know a little something about all of this at the Post-Dispatch, because the Draper Sterling "fictional ad agency," or whatever it is, is tied to a federal PAC that big-footed into Missouri's race for governor earlier this year.This gets complicated. Stay with us:--"Patriots for America" is a federal PAC run by Adam McLain, who is a former staffer of Missouri Republican gubernatorial candidate John Brunner.--The PAC last year set up an attack website against Missouri Republican candidate Eric Greitens. Brunner has denied he had anything to do with it, even though his former staffer ran it. Greitens alleged otherwise, culminating in a seething, secretly recorded phone argument between Greitens and Brunner.--McLain, of the Patriots for America PAC, is the brother of Paul Holzer, according to the ThinkProgress report. Holzer also has worked with the Brunner campaign.--Holzer has been a business partner with one Jon Adkins, who is the founder of Draper Sterling, according to corporate records.--In addition to paying Draper Sterling $35,000, the Trump campaign paid Adkins and Holzer $3,000 each, for "field consulting," according to Trump's records.--Patriots for America -- the PAC set up by Brunner's other former staffer, McLain, to go after Greitens -- has been hit with an FEC complaint, filed by a Greitens supporter, questioning why the PAC owes $56,234 to Draper Sterling for "business consulting.""To recap, there is a nexus between Jon Adkins, Paul Holzer and Adam McLain that meets at the mysterious Draper Sterling," writes Judd Legum in the ThinkProgress piece that flagged the Trump expenditure."We still aren't sure what Draper Sterling actually does, but these individuals are going to considerable lengths to obfuscate their activities."A Brunner spokesman said his campaign has had no contact with McLain or Holzer since September 2015.In addition to Brunner and Greitens, Missouri's GOP primary field includes former state House Speaker Catherine Hanaway and Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder. The winner of the Aug. 2 primary will likely face Democratic Attorney General Chris Koster in the Nov. 8 general election. Ongoing conflict Existing restrictions Gov. Paul LePage says despite his proposal being rejected by the Legislature and federal government, Maine will move forward with restricting the purchase of what he calls junk foods with food stamps in Maine -- or give up administration of the program altogether."It's time for the federal government to wake up and smell the energy drinks," wrote LePage in a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which provides full funding for benefits for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly called food stamps. "Doubtful that it will, I will be pursuing options to implement reform unilaterally or cease Maine's administration of the food stamp program altogether. You maintain such a broken program that I do not want my name attached to it."A USDA representative did not respond to a question about whether the federal government administers the program in any state, though the USDA website indicates that it is a state-run program without any other explanation.On Tuesday evening, U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, a Democrat who represents Maine's 1st District, said that the USDA had informed her that if Maine opts out of administering SNAP, recipients in the state would lose benefits.The USDA informed Pingree that "states have the option to administer [SNAP]. If they choose not to do so, their citizens will not receive these nutrition assistance benefits. USDA does not have the authority or funding to administer SNAP at the state level," according to a release from her office.Democratic Rep. Drew Gattine, D-Westbrook, who co-chairs the Legislature's Health and Human Services Committee, said he doesn't think it's possible for a state to turn over administration of the SNAP program."This just seems to me to be just the governor trying to pick a fight with the feds," said Gattine. "Nobody thinks that people on food stamps should be buying snack food and candy and sugary drinks. What we really need to do is find a way to make healthy food more affordable."At issue is the LePage administration's long-held goal of restricting what can be purchased with SNAP benefits. Attempts to pass state laws to impose limits on what recipients can purchase through the program -- which is fully funded by the federal government but administered by states -- failed in 2013 and 2015, so the administration requested a waiver from federal rules. That waiver was denied.As of June 1 of this year, more than 195,000 individuals in Maine were receiving SNAP benefits. In 2015, more than $292 million was distributed in Maine through the program.LePage wrote in his June 17 letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack that restricting the purchase of candy and sugar-sweetened beverages "is such a commonsense proposition that a demonstration project should not even be necessary." He said "special interests" are to blame."Only when Washington politicians stop kowtowing to powerful retail grocer and junk food manufacturing interests will American taxpayers have a respectable food safety net," wrote LePage. "Beyond the health effects of the federal government's corrupt food stamp policy is the tragedy of billions in wasted taxpayer dollars that buy candy and soda through a program that was originally designed to reduce hunger."In its June 8 response to Maine's waiver request, the USDA said essentially that the state has not provided enough guarantees that the pilot program on purchase restrictions would yield clear results or that retailers are prepared to provide the necessary data."The waiver request does not indicate that Maine has agreement from any retailers, or has even begun conversations with retailers about obtaining this data," reads the letter from USDA. "The absence of retailer data in the evaluation plan significantly limits the feasibility of determining the impact of the restriction on consumptive patterns or health outcomes for SNAP participants in Maine."The letter also cited recent media reports about lags in the administration of Maine's SNAP program, which angered LePage. In late May, the Bangor Daily News published a story about more than 2,200 Mainers who must repay SNAP benefits that were overpaid to them because of errors at DHHS."According to your own website, Maine's food stamp error rate is actually more than 30 percent lower than the national average and I can only conclude that is why you cite one-side articles from Maine's liberal media as your source instead of referring to your own data," wrote LePage. "Shameful."A 2014 SNAP report on the USDA's website, which includes the most recent nationwide data available, shows that Maine DHHS made about 600 mistakes in fiscal year 2014 in which it distributed an incorrect amount of SNAP benefits. That was along with another 500 mistakes made by recipients and 185 cases of intentional fraud.However, data provided to the Bangor Daily News by DHHS in early May indicated that the error rate continues to increase. The data showed that agency errors increased to more than 2,200 instances in 2015, plus another 800 agency errors in the first four months of 2016 alone.In late 2015, the federal government chastised Maine for having the slowest processing times for food stamp applications in the country. It warned that without improvements, Maine could lose federal assistance in administration costs for the SNAP program, which are split between the state and federal governments."Before moving forward with any new demonstration program, USDA encourages Maine to resolve the state's multiple longstanding issues that present obstacles to low-income Maine families on SNAP, including timeliness with processing applications, claims backlogs related to state-administered errors and staffing shortages," read a statement from a USDA spokesperson to the Bangor Daily News on Tuesday.However, errors in the SNAP program are common in states across the U.S. In 2014, there were a total of more than 330,000 errors.According to the USDA's SNAP website, restrictions on how food stamps can be used include alcohol, tobacco products, non-food items such as pet food and household supplies, vitamins and medicines, food that will be eaten in the store and hot foods. The website says explicitly that "soft drinks, candy, cookies, snack crackers and ice cream are food items and are therefore eligible items." Also eligible are seafood, steak and bakery cakes.A USDA study, also posted on the agency's website, found that there are "serious problems with the rationale, feasibility and potential effectiveness" of restricting certain foods from the program. Among the problems cited by the USDA are:-- There are no clear standards to differentiate "junk food" from nutritional food, making it difficult to determine whether foods with a mix of healthy and non-healthy ingredients should be eligible.-- Implementation of food restrictions would be complex and costly at both the governmental and local retailer level.-- There is no proof that restricting purchases with food stamps will change buying patterns or improve the health of food stamp recipients.The USDA said in a statement Tuesday to the Bangor Daily News that it encourages states to be creative when it comes to addressing obesity and healthy eating by SNAP recipients."However, in response to questions from USDA, Maine was unable to show that the state could properly evaluate the proposed demonstration project to determine it would have a meaningful impact on curbing obesity," said the spokesperson. "USDA has given Maine the opportunity to provide further clarifying information about their proposal, and we look forward to their response."Maine has made significant changes to its welfare programs in recent years. In 2014, Maine instituted a work requirement for recipients that cut food stamp rolls by thousands. Later that year, it sparred with the USDA on a photo ID requirement for recipients and in September, it announced that it would restart an asset test to determine eligibility for cash benefits.Earlier this month, the ongoing friction between Maine and the federal government boiled over to Capitol Hill as a House subcommittee conducted hearings on how to improve the SNAP program. Maine Health and Human Services Commissioner Mary Mayhew argued that the federal government is too stubborn about allowing reforms, such as allowing state agencies to share data and allowing the placement of photographs on benefits cards -- which Maine did over the objections of the USDA."It does feel as though we're constantly receiving all the reasons why we can't move forward," said Mayhew.Kevin Concannon, a former Maine DHHS commissioner who is now a USDA under secretary for food, nutrition and consumer services, called some of Maine's reforms "poorly implemented.""We simply want it done properly," he said.USDA has never granted a state's request to restrict certain junk foods from the SNAP program. The Michigan attorney general filed a lawsuit Wednesday morning against a water company and an engineering firm, plus several related companies, in connection with the Flint drinking water crisis, alleging the firms' "acts and omission constitute professional negligence, fraud and public nuisance."Attorney General Bill Schuette's lawsuit names seven corporate defendants in all, but according to court records they are all related to two firms that did work for the City of Flint.The civil lawsuit filed in Flint in Genesee County Circuit Court and obtained by the Detroit Free Press accuses the companies of causing "the Flint Water Crisis to occur, continue and worsen," the lawsuit said. The companies listed as defendants include Veolia North America, Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam and Leo A. Daly Co., which is LAN's parent company.The attorney general's office said in court papers that the city of Flint and state of Michigan hired the firms for their expertise but "as a result of the defendent corporations' acts and omissions, Flint's lead pipes corroded, leaching lead into residents' drinking water, ultimately poisoning the residents themselves."LAN issued a statement saying the company was "surprised and disappointed that the state would change direction and wrongfully accuse LAN of acting improperly," and "LAN will vigorously defend itself against these unfounded claims."The statement said Schuette "blatantly mischaracterized the role of LAN's service to Flint and ignores the findings of every public investigation into this tragedy that the key decisions concerning the treatment of the water from the Flint River were made by the City of Flint and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality."It went on to say that "contrary to statements by the Attorney General, LAN was not hired to operate the plant and had no responsibility for water quality, but, and although LAN was not asked, LAN had regularly advised that corrosion control should be added and that the system needed to be fully tested before going online."Veolia spokesman Paul Whitmore issued a statement saying the company is disappointed that the Attorney General has taken this action and will vigorously defend itself against these unwarranted allegations of wrongdoing."The statement said "the Attorney General has not talked to Veolia about its involvement in Flint, interviewed the company's technical experts or asked any questions about our one-time, one-month contract with Flint," and "Veolia's engagement with the city was wholly unrelated to the current lead issues."Flint didn't hire Veolia until nearly one year after the switch to the Flint River, and the company recommended changes "to minimize (disinfectant byproduct) formation along with risks associated with corrosion," the statement said.Schuette was joined at a 10 a.m. news conference today at U-M Flint by Special Assistant Attorney General Noah Hall and members of his investigative team, which is led by Royal Oak attorney Todd Flood and Andrew Arena, the former special agent in charge of the FBI office in Detroit.In April, Schuette announced felony criminal charges against two Michigan Department of Environmental Quality officials and one City of Flint official in connection with the lead contamination of Flint's drinking water. The city employee, Mike Glasgow, pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor as part of a plea agreement reached in the case last month and is cooperating with the investigation. The two DEQ employees, Stephen Busch and Mike Prysby, are awaiting preliminary examinations.In the civil lawsuit, the attorney general's office said in court papers that the companies had a legal responsibility to act with a level of care and competence befitting their industry's professional standard."The defendant corporations knew or should have known that high chloride levels in the Flint River would make the water corrosive without significant treatment, and that the corrosion would result in dangerous levels of lead for residents served by the City's many lead pipes," the attorney general's office wrote in its 24-page court filing.The companies, according to the lawsuit, ignored information that a professional engineer would see as a cause for concern. The addition of ferric chloride only compounded the city's problem and danger to its residents, according to the lawsuit. Furthermore, the attorney general's office accused Veolia of fraud in its interim 2015 report indicating that the city's water was safe, according to court papers.In 2011, then Flint Mayor Dayne Walling commissioned LAN to conduct a feasibility study of whether the city could use the Flint River as a water source and treat the water locally through a city water treatment plant. The firm was again employed in 2013 at the cost of $171,000 for helping the city start up its use of the Flint River water, the lawsuit says.But according to the attorney general's lawsuit, LAN in its work between July 2013 and April 2014 "failed to meet its duty of care and competence at a professional standard," the lawsuit alleges. "When the Flint Water Treatment Plant, with upgrades designed and implemented by LAN, began distributing Flint River water" in April 2014, "it did so without implement s corrosion control program."As for Veolia, the lawsuit alleges the water consulting company was hired by the city in February 2015 as it was dealing with federal safe drinking water violations and residents' complaints about the quality of the water. The company issued an interim report later that month, according to the lawsuit."Veolia again states that there is no health or safety problem," saying that discoloration did not mean that the water was necessarily image, the lawsuit said. It responded to questions about medical problems reported by residents by stating some people might be sensitive to any water, the suit alleges.The attorney general's office called in court papers Veolia's public findings about the nature and cause of the water quality problems in Flint "false and material." The lawsuit accuses the company of making the findings "recklessly without any knowledge of the potential truth."A later report by Veolia in March "not only missed the problem, its root cause, and the public health implications, it also offered recommendations that made the problem worse." It recommended an additional dosage of ferric chloride, a powerful acid, to the water, a move the attorney general's office alleges was "unqualified and in no way warned that ferric chloride could increase corrosion."LAN, which is based in Texas but has a Flint office, in May claimed authorship of an August 2013 engineering report on how to prepare the Flint Water Treatment Plant for treating Flint River water on an interim basis. The report made no mention of the need for corrosion control chemicals. The lack of those chemicals has been cited as the reason lead was able to leach into drinking water from pipes, joints, and fixtures. But a LAN spokesman has said it was the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, not the company, that said corrosion control chemicals were not needed.The Free Press reported in January that a March 2015 consultant's report from Veolia, a multinational environmental consulting firm, recommended spending $50,000 to add corrosion control chemicals to Flint's drinking water because iron was leaching from the pipes and turning the water brown. But the city didn't act on the recommendation at the time, which was well after the lead leaching problem began.Flint's water became contaminated with lead when the city, under the control of a state-appointed emergency manager, switched its drinking water source from Lake Huron water treated by the Detroit water system to Flint River water treated at the Flint Water Treatment Plant.Michigan DEQ officials have acknowledged a disastrous mistake in failing to require the city to add corrosion-control chemicals as part of the treatment process.The corrosive water caused lead to leach from pipes, joints and fixtures. Although Flint reconnected to Detroit water in October, after state officials acknowledged the lead-poisoning problem after months of denials, the risk remains because of damage to the water infrastructure system.Officials also are exploring possible links between the river water and outbreaks of Legionnaires' disease tied to 12 deaths. The city's shuttered Holmesburg prison will be available during the Democratic National Convention to hold arrested protesters, if necessary.Shawn Hawes, spokeswoman for the city's prisons system, said the facility is being readied on an if-needed basis for the convention July 25-28."If we had to activate Holmesburg that would be out of necessity for a mass-arrest kind of processing situation," she said. "We're always ready to open whenever necessary, so like the city, we're hoping for the best, preparing just in case."Hawes was quick to say the portion of the prison to be used is the recently renovated gymnasium -- currently available for overflow when the city's jails are over-capacity -- not the cell blocks where horror movies have been filmed.The gym has 100 beds, showers and air conditioning, Hawes said. Typically, processing an individual takes between eight and 24 hours before they make bail or are transferred to another facility.Built in 1896 and in use until 1995, the prison on Torresdale Avenue has a grim and controversial history.It was once used for biochemical research projects using inmates as test subjects. It also was the site of major riots and the subject of a scathing report on hundreds of rape cases in the 1970s.The news website Billy Penn first reported that Holmesburg would be activated during the convention.Hawes said given the city's move to decriminalize certain minor offenses associated with demonstrations, officials are not expecting large numbers arrests at the convention.A bill to downgrade "nuisance crimes," such as blocking traffic, failure to disperse and disorderly conduct, passed in City Council last week."If you are committing an act that brings you here -- you've committed a criminal act," Hawes said.City officials have said they do not want a repeat of the Republican National Convention when police arrested 400 protesters.Following the arrests in 2000, the city was smacked with several wrongful arrest lawsuits. Insurance covered settlements in those cases.The convention's host committee has an insurance policy for this year's convention that covers, among other things, general liability against lawsuits.The insurance and the prison activation do little to curb concerns of the American Civil Liberties Union, which sent a letter to the city last week asking for clarification on what will and will not permitted when it comes to protesters.The city met with the ACLU and provided answers but the responses are in some cases murky.For instance, protesters without permits "probably" won't be arrested, Kenney said.There is no camping allowed overnight in FDR park, but it's unclear what happens if protesters refuse to leave. At a press club luncheon in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, Kenney again promised protesters would be treated fairly."We've done big events before and we are not being restrictive to permits . . .we're ready and willing and able to have people exercise their First Amendment rights," he said. "What's the sense of having a democracy if you can't say what you think and protest when you want to?"In preparations for the Republican National Convention, Cleveland has purchased 11 conversion vans, some to be used to transport prisoners.Cleveland officials are also considering moving inmates from county jail to outlying facilities to create space for protesters if needed.Philadelphia has issued 13 demonstration permits to date. All totaled, the permits "expected attendance" numbers predict more than 50,000 people. Description GIS 22 June 2016: The need for every Mauritian student to come out of school after having fulfilled their potential was highlighted on 20 June 2016 by the Minister of Education and Human Resources, Tertiary Education and Scientific Research, Mrs Leela Devi Dookun-Luchoomun, at the Octave Wiehe Auditorium, in Reduit. The Minister was speaking at the 10th Edition of the Outstanding Cambridge Learner Awards ceremony to reward 109 young students with outstanding performances in the various subjects examined for the School Certificate and Higher School Certificate 2015 Examinations. These Awards are attributed to those students who have excelled at national and international levels, that is, Cambridge Top in Mauritius Award and Cambridge Top in the World. In her address, the Minister said that there is space for all students within different education systems both in the developed countries and in developing ones. These systems seek to cater to the needs of a diversity of learners, where none is excluded, neither the ones with learning difficulties nor the high achievers, and the reform we have embarked upon in the Education sector in Mauritius keeps this dimension in view, she pointed out. The Minister also spoke on the importance to cater for students who have learning deficits through a series of intervention strategies, as well as on the inclusion process for those with special education needs, and those who are challenged, whether physically or otherwise. But we are equally concerned about the bright and the gifted and the talented. We have to create the ethos for them to demonstrate their capability as well, said the Minister. Equity in no way means a levelling down, it is in fact a means to ensure that everyone is on board, she added. It is recalled that Outstanding Cambridge Learner Awards are a group of awards issued by Cambridge International Examinations. They recognise exceptional learner achievement in Cambridge examinations around the world. The primary purpose of these awards is to celebrate and recognise the success of high-performing Cambridge learners. All Cambridge International Examinations students are eligible for the prestigious Top in the World award. In those countries where Cambridge examinations are taken by more students a wider range of awards are available, including Top in Country, Best Across and High Achievement. (TNS) -- A $10 million fund that will award grants to local technology entrepreneurs won final approval Tuesday night from the Sacramento City Council, giving Mayor Kevin Johnson a key piece of his agenda to boost the citys high-tech sector in his final year.That was huge, Johnson said after council members approved the plan.The Innovation and Growth Fund, a project of the Mayors Office of Innovation, will offer $1 million annually to local programs that help young tech companies through leadership training, work-share spaces and other support. It will also examine the potential of investing in local and national venture capital funds, according to Abhi Nemani, Sacramentos chief innovation officer and head of the project.Some of the funding may be awarded as soon as August, Nemani said.The fund began as a traditional economic development program in 2013 using redevelopment money from local property taxes after the statewide dissolution of redevelopment agencies.In 2014, the City Council dedicated other revenue to that pot, including proceeds from the sale of city-owned lands. The fund was tagged with its new name during last years budget deliberations at the behest of Johnson, who has spoken frequently about expanding the citys economic base.The fund generates about $2 million annually and will use about that amount every year, Nemani said. That includes $500,000 the economic development department can use to lure technology companies to move or expand in the area. An additional $425,000 is allotted to the Office of Innovation, housed within the mayors office, for salaries and other costs including hiring a full-time person to replace Nemani when his contract expires in December and a program manager who was hired last month.An additional $125,000 is reserved for the purchase or development of technology to aid the city in streamlining its own business in areas such as planning and permitting another key focus of the mayors economic agenda.The remaining $1 million will be paid out to local projects and companies with strategies that could promote a tech ecosystem to draw and nurture other investment, Nemani said.The city will begin accepting applications for those Rapid Acceleration, Innovation, and Leadership in Sacramento grants Wednesday via its website . Applications will be accepted for 30 days, then reviewed by a panel of city personnel and local business leaders, still to be named.Nemani said it was important to have successful entrepreneurs participate in the process to gain private sector insight.The program isnt looking for scratch ideas but instead will give money to existing local endeavors that already have some funding and a track record. Applicants can request larger amounts, but Nemani said the goal is to award a range of smaller grants to enhance the programs success.The City Council will have final say over innovation funds and likely will choose the inaugural group of seven to 15 winners in August, Nemani said. He plans to present a package of grantees, rather than asking the council to debate on individual applicants.Approval was unanimous, but two council members, Jay Schenirer and Eric Guerra, said they had concerns about whether the plan does enough to establish career paths for young people in Sacramento.We are trying to make sure we are creating opportunities ... for (people) here, Guerra said. (TNS) -- IOWA CITY If youve strolled down Iowa Citys Linn Street, near Devotay Restaurant & Bar and La James spa and salon, a fascinating piece of the communitys history has been right under your feet.And a group of researchers want you to know it.So on Monday, crews lowered laser-scanning technology down a 25-foot-deep hole to take 3-dimensional images of Iowa Citys historic beer caves in hopes of creating a virtual reality of the hidden landscape.Information gleaned from what remains of the beer caves beneath Brewery Square, at 123 N. Linn St., will be used in UI classrooms, to educate the community and maybe for public tours, said Mark L. Anderson, a research specialist with the Iowa Society of the Archaeological Institute of America.People are really interested in archaeology, and its an easy sell, Anderson said. But its important that we sell it. Archaeology is so heavily funded by the public through various laws and regulations So we as archaeologists and historians and other researchers really, really feel its super-important to inform our constituents of the really cool stuff right beneath their feet.The scanning technology being used for the new mapping is known as LIDAR or Light Detection And Ranging.LIDAR is a remote-sensing method that uses light a pulsed laser to measure both natural and man-made environments with accuracy, precision and flexibility, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.The three-dimensional renderings anticipated from the scans of Iowa Citys beer caves will be the first of their kind in the state, Anderson said.It may be the first time for really any kind of brewing-related cave structure like this, Anderson said.Defunct beer caves exist statewide including in Cedar Rapids but because none has been imaged using the new technology, questions remain around the caves exact size, location and makeup.Anderson said LIDAR offered us the first opportunity to be able to really image, in a 3-dimensional way, something you can put on a 3-D screen and actually rotate.Iowas beer caves date back to the 1850s when breweries were popping across the state. Prohibition ushered in the beginning of their end, and most breweries were razed between 1940 and 1960, according to the Office of the State Archaeologist.Two of the three breweries in Iowa City, City Brewery and the Great Western Brewery, were torn down by the early 1960s. The third, formerly the Union Brewery, was restored in 1985 and became the Brewery Square Building now owned by developer Marc Moen.Moen has worked with Marlin Ingalls, at the state archaeologists office, to undertake further exploration hence the use of LIDAR mapping.We dont know exactly where this is under the streets, said Adam Skibbe, GIS administrator for the UI Department of Geographical and Sustainability Sciences, while setting up LIDAR equipment 25 feet underground in one of the caves on Monday.With the help of other UI and state researchers, Skibbe said hes eager to determine the caves precise size, depth and location.It will be really neat when its all said and done, he said.UI senior Chris Watland, a GIS major and member of a student geography organization, also climbed down into the caves Monday to observe and learn.I had no idea, he said. Its just so cool how much history is hidden beneath Iowa City that I never knew of before.As a student, Watland said, hes looking forward to the 3-D modeling and research potential.Anderson, with the Iowa branch of the Archaeological Institute of America, said future commercialization like public tours and special events will depend on the building owners and what they feel is viable.Theyre underground and, as noted, there are serious considerations about access and safety, he said. It would be quite an endeavor, not impossible, but it would take quite a bit to be able to do some kind of publicly accessible version.l Comments: (319) 339-3158; vanessa.miller@thegazette.comYour next Government articles2016 The Gazette (Cedar Rapids, Iowa)Visit The Gazette (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) at thegazette.com Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. (TNS) -- 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. (TNS) -- 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.Police officers want the cameras, Buscaino said, so they can show the public the professionalism, the courtesy they employ every single day.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.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. Chamber of commerce members Thursday heard details on a proposed project that could put huge conduits for water under the community to produce more power and create jobs. The proposed Banks Lake hydroelectric pumped storage project could be operational by the year 2025. Tim Culbertson, and a team from Columbia Basin Hydropower, outlined a project that could require some 2,600 workers during construction and as many as 100 permanent employees. Culbertson spoke at the Grand Coulee Dam Area Chamber of Commerces weekly luncheon at The Siam Palace. He said licensing could take as long as three years, with seven years or more construction time. The project would take water from Banks Lake through a large penstock (pipe) to a pump-generator station near Crescent Bay on Lake Roosevelt, generate electricity and then pump the water back into Banks Lake later. That process would actually result in a net loss of energy, but would be flexible enough to supplement the burgeoning renewable energy sector (wind and solar power) that has no way to store energy. Culbertson said that a large 35-foot, or two 20-foot, pipes would go underground and take water from the bottom of Banks Lake about 400 feet south of North Dam. The Banks Lake project would provide up to 500 megawatts of energy and capacity to offset the retirement of some coal-fired energy plants in the Northwest. Culbertson said while the project could provide 35 hours of continuous generation, it is unlikely that the duration of continuous operation would last that long. He said that the level of Banks Lake would drop no more that one or two feet during long operating periods. Columbia Basin Hydropower is owned by three irrigation districts in the Columbia Basin East Columbia Basin, Quincy Columbia Basin and South Columbia Basin. Culbertson said operation of the pumping plant could be run by permanent employees or through a contract arrangement with the Bureau of Reclamations John W. Keys III Pump-Generating plant. Columbia Basin Hydropower currently has seven power producing units under operation, with the power going to the cities of Tacoma and Seattle. He said the firms talks with Reclamation are going better than they once were. The underground pipe would be from 6,000 feet to 9,000 feet long, depending on where engineers decide to locate the overall system. The underlying granite rock formations are ideal for drilling, and Culbertson didnt think that would pose a problem. Italian automobile club (Aci) chief Angelo Sticchi Damiani says a new F1 race deal for Monza beyond 2016 is now "on the home straight". Bernie Ecclestone admitted in Baku last weekend that reports another well-known Italian circuit - Imola - could poach the race are true. The F1 supremo also warned that Italy could be left off the calendar altogether for 2017. "Yes, I know," Sticchi Damiani told the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera. "We are completing the team of supporters, including a sponsor, to help the Aci in this significant expense," he revealed. "We would have closed it earlier if there had not been other actions that brought a bit of confusion to the negotiations." He is referring to Imola, who have been in negotiations with Ecclestone as well. "Yes, but not only that," Sticchi Damiani admitted. "Imola started by saying 'If Monza does not make it, we are here', which is absolutely correct. "But then their position changed and it created a costly competition that was unnecessary. Because the stability law is for Monza," he added, referring to a dispute over funds. Imola, however, has claimed that any funding put aside for Monza should also be available to Imola, otherwise it would be illegal state aid. "That's absurd," Sticchi Damiani declared. "The state is not paying a cent. Parliament authorised the Aci to use its money for the GP." He also ruled out Imola's suggestion that Monza and Imola annually alternate the race. "The reason is simple," he said. "The sponsor that is interested wants to stay in one place, Monza." Sticchi Damiani said he hopes the deal is done by July. (GMM) After Singapore and London, Naidu to ape Russia! Strange are the ways of Telugu Desam Party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu. All these days, he has been saying that he would make the new capital of Amaravati into another Singapore. For every design and construction, he has been consulting Singapore government and what is worse, he is all set to hand over major part of the Amaravati land to Singapore for development. And not just Singapore, Naidu has been taking the name of every place that comes to his mind whether it is Istanbul, Beijing, Shanghai, London, Tokyo, Putrajaya etc, saying he would adopt development models from these places to construct Amaravati, forgetting the local flavour and culture. More recently, he came under sharp criticism from various sections for approving the Japanese designs for the assembly and high court buildings which looked like atomic reactors. Now, Naidu is planning to visit Russia and Kirghizstan shortly along with his paraphernalia in a special aircraft. Apparently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had visited these countries recently, is learnt to have told Naidu that they have great buildings with wonderful architecture. So, Naidu has decided to go these places and emulate the architecture in these places while developing Amaravati. If Naidu apes the buildings of all these countries, one will see a mixture of various architectures in Amaravati; and not the native Telugu culture! The Society of Automotive Engineers has already developed Standard J3016 which describes six different levels of driving automation increasing from Level 0 - No Automation, to Level 5 - Full Automation. At Level 0, a human driver performs all driving tasks, even if assisted by warning or other momentary intervention systems. At Level 5, a system comprising sensors, actuators and control algorithms performs all driving tasks such as steering, braking, acceleration and monitoring the vehicle and roadway under all modes of driving. At Level 5, a human driver is no longer necessary. No one who follows automotive news and technology trends can be unaware of the intense research and experimentation taking place related to vehicles that drive themselves, i.e., Autonomous Vehicles. Among other potential benefits, these vehicles offer the promise of increased safety on the nations roadways and personal mobility to those who are not able or do not wish to drive themselves. Obviously, there is a long and difficult path to progress from Level 0 to Level 6. In fact, as the level of automation goes up, the research and development task increases in a very rapid and steep fashion due to the increased sophistication of both the hardware and software that are required. Recently, Raj Nair, Ford Motor Companys Vice President for Product Development was quoted in Automotive News saying that it is credible that an autonomous vehicle at SAE Level 4 [one step below full automation] will hit the market by 2020. Even if this proves to be an optimistic projection, it attests to the level of enthusiasm that surrounds the development of this highly disruptive new technology. Mr. Nair noted that the most significant needs were improved sensor capability and the development of software that can read the road as a human would. To those following the development of this exciting technology, it is clear that along the development path to higher levels of automation, many safety aids and improvements will emerge and will work their way into commercially available products. It is self-evident that the US military, specifically the Army, would be highly interested and supportive of efforts related to the development of high speed, large and heavily loaded Autonomous Ground Vehicles (AGVs) to avoid sending humans (i.e., soldiers and/or military specialists) on dangerous missions where injury and death might be possible outcomes. In certain areas of this technology they would naturally be in a forefront position, given the difficult circumstances under which they would be operating military AGVs. Of additional interest is the fact that the principles and features of this technology could find applicability in the civilian heavy duty sector, as discussed in brief at the conclusion of the article. As the US Armys Center of Excellence for Modeling and Simulation of Ground Vehicles, the Automotive Research Center (ARC), led by the University of Michigan, is in a forefront position to develop innovative and advanced methods of controlling AGVs under almost all conditions. In recently completed work, Model Predictive Control (MPC), which includes optimization of overall vehicle performance with respect to a specific mission, has been employed to demonstrate that an AGV can reach a pre-chosen target position in terrain that is laden with fixed obstacles without any collisions with these obstacles and with no loss of dynamic stability, which could lead to vehicle rollover or skid. The researchers involved in this work have considerable experience in this field and have published earlier technical papers on their work. The effort recently completed represents the most sophisticated approach and use, to date, of advanced MPC methods for obstacle avoidance and maintenance of vehicle stability. In prior work, the vehicle speed was held at a constant value. However, in the latest work the vehicle can be controlled to accelerate and decelerate as well as change its direction of travel (steer) in conjunction with its intrinsic capabilities in an optimal manner that ensures safe travel from an initial position to a target or goal in the minimal possible time. In this work, the AGV is operated and controlled in what is termed an unstructured environment. In practical terms this means that there are no lanes or other markers to follow and no traffic rules that must be obeyed. In their work, the researchers have defined the mission of the AGV as moving safely (i.e. obstacle avoidance and dynamic stability) from its initial position to a predesignated goal position as quickly as possible. Between the starting point and the goal, there are obstacles whose location, size and shape are not known in advance. The only information as to the location and nature of the obstacles is obtained through the use of a LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) sensor that is mounted on the front of the vehicle, giving it a very wide frontal field of view extending to about 100 meters in distance. The LiDAR sensor illuminates its field of view with laser light, which can detect the distance to an obstacle and most, but, unfortunately, not all of the precise boundaries of the obstacle. The uncertainty introduced by this lack of 100% precise information as to the shape of the obstacle is accounted for in the control algorithm. As for the dynamic stability of the vehicle, this is achieved by ensuring that a positive vertical force exists between all of the vehicle tires and the ground at all times, which has the effect of not allowing a single tire to lift off the surface at any time during the vehicles travel. This requires that a full, well-calibrated transient dynamic model of the vehicleincluding mathematically based description of the powertrain, steering system and brakes, as well as both the longitudinal and lateral load transfers due to acceleration/deceleration and turning forcesbe embedded within the control software. In actually determining the optimal vehicle trajectory, the total region of potential travel, as determined by the feedback from the LiDAR sensor, is broken up into various categories consisting of a number of sub-regions. Some of the sub-regions are open and free of obstacles and some are boundary regions terminated by obstacles. The vehicle is propelled forward in a sequence of multi-stage time segments or prediction horizons, during each one of which the vehicle may be accelerated, decelerated and steered according to the prediction and instructions of the predictive control optimizer. The control optimizer is formulated so that the vehicle will reach its destination safely (with respect to both speed and dynamic stability) in the shortest possible time. The detailed mathematical formulation is complex and will not be discussed in detail in this article. A full description can be found in the technical paper the researchers have published[1] as well as in their prior work. The researchers conclude that Model Predictive Control allowing both variable velocity and steering control, as opposed to the constraint of constant speed, not only improves the performance of the AGV by allowing it to operate closer to its dynamic limits but also enables its safe travel through and around a set of obstacles that might not be traversable at constant speed with steering control alone. For example, in a 500-meter trajectory specified by the researchers, the AGV with variable speed controlthe speed varying between approximately 10 m/sec and 30 m/sec after the initial acceleration from a stopped positionreaches its target about 7% more quickly than a vehicle limited to a constant speed. This can be decisive in mission-critical or hostile situations. Furthermore, at an enforced constant speed of 20 m/sec, the vehicle collides with the obstacle, as shown in the figure. Future work will investigate the use of improved software algorithms that explicitly take into consideration uncertainties in both the models and in sensor measurements. This is expected to improve the overall robustness of control. Applying MPC to moving obstacles is another direction for future research as well. Of course, as sensor technology improves, incorporation of their improved characteristics will also be implemented and evaluated. In the heavy duty truck commercial sector there are also obstacles (such as the vehicle directly ahead or a vehicle that suddenly cuts in or simply the presence of potentially dangerous debris in the road) combined with an economic and logistical incentive to safely reach a specific location or goal in a minimum amount of time. Dynamic stability is also of concern as rollover or jack-knifing are to be avoided at all costs. However, the environment for these vehicles is structured, i.e. there are generally well-defined lanes and traffic rules exist (both explicit and implicit) that are to be followed. Although fully autonomous heavy duty vehicles are not foreseeable in the very near term, it is evident that the principles of Model Predictive Control, combined with appropriate sensors and algorithms, could serve to produce significant passive aids for the truck operator in the form of information and alerts. These aids would entail both speed and steering control advisories for collision avoidance and dynamic stability. In extreme cases of immediately impending danger, they could be implemented to intervene actively in order to initiate the required extrication maneuvers. Dr. Blumberg is currently a Visiting Research Scientist, Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. References An exhibit titled Waterfowl/WOW! recently opened in the Natural History Museum at Western Wyoming Community College. The exhibit, which features live mounts of swans, cranes, geese, ducks and upland game birds, is designed and installed by Dave Mead, Exhibits Coordinator at the Sweetwater County Museum, and Will Clark, WWCC Biology Professor. The waterfowl on display are part of a large collection of mounted birds donated to WWCC by Ray Johnson of Helena, Mont. Johnson, a taxidermist, visited the colleges Wildlife Museum and found it so impressive that he decided to gift it with his collection, according to David Tate, WWCC community relations director. A collection this complete is rare at the university level. At the community college level, it is just another aspect that sets Western apart from the rest, Clark said. Students have the opportunity to examine specimens of all huntable waterfowl in North America. Mead said. To have a great collection like this for display is a museum exhibit designers dream, Mead said. Waterfowl/NOW! is developed to accompany a Smithsonian traveling exhibit titled Water/Ways that is being installed next week in the colleges gallery next to the pendulum. Water/Ways is produced by the Smithsonians Museums on Main Street program and is being brought to WWCC by the Wyoming Humanities Council and the Sweetwater County Museum. Both exhibits will be open following a ribbon cutting at 10:00 a.m. on June 27, and free thereafter for public viewing during the next six weeks. Great things are happening on West 55th Street. Photo: Paul Wagtouicz This list is all about bistros, as in the kind that serve traditional hard-to-come-by staples like veal blanquette and oeufs mayo. Vive la France! The Absolute Best 1. Benoit 60 W. 55th St., nr. Sixth Ave.; 646-943-7373 Benoits tenure in midtown began in 2008 as a kind of bistro simulacrum. Its inspiration was and is Alain Ducasses Paris establishment of the same name. With trademark Duccassian pomp, we learned the 133-seat quasi-clone would be outfitted to the gills with Opinel knives, slate lions-head soup bowls, and the hardwood bones of a 19th-century Bordeaux apothecary reconstituted to create a private dining room. What diners got instead was a stilted museum-quality reproduction of the form, without purpose or passion, as Adam Platt put it. Diners were all but told how to eat their cassoulet that is, when the staff was paying attention. I think Americans dont quite understand French bistro, Ducasse finally scoffed. Eight years on, as the influence of new-wave Parisian bistros like Bones and Frenchie has spilled over Stateside in the form of places like Rebelle and the newly minted Le Coucou, great things are happening on West 55th Street. Philippe Bertineau, Ducasses chef since 2010, carries the torch for pate en croute: Cubes of lean and fatty pork turn up in cross-sectional slabs with hunks of foie gras and speckles of pistachio; head space between the veal-shoulder pate and its pastry encasement brims with meaty, reduced ruby-port gelee, and theres a stoneware crock of pickles and mustard on the side. A special of soft-shell crabs with spring peas is light and pitch-perfect; sweetbreads with chanterelles and more peas a few weeks later are even better. The mess of Provencal vegetables adorning the loup de mer, as well as king salmon with favas and marjoram, are some of the simplest, best-handled fish dishes in the entire city. The famed quenelles de brochet are still a war between the domineering flavors of freshwater pike and crustaceans, waged with cream and butter and served piping hot in enameled iron, but the hard-to-pull-off contrast of fluffed and smooth textures is more deft than ever. Benoit is by no means inexpensive, the way were supposed to think something like it might be in Paris, but the contrast between it and other so-called bistros is more apparent, and wider, than ever. 2. Chez Napoleon 365 W. 50th St., nr. Ninth Ave.; 212-265-6980 Order the poufy Grand Marnier souffle when you sit down, because it really will take an hour; get an entree, or a minimum of three appetizers. Follow the house rules, and Chez Napoleon almost always delivers excellence. The dim, gauzy Hells Kitchen dining room turns 56 this year, but, thanks to the the run-down Gallic kitsch it exudes, it doesnt look a day over 84. Napoleon bills itself as a transatlantic cousin to the kind of cluttered, rustic, fierce-spirited bistro you might find near the Seine, but the truth is that the whole endive vinaigrette isnt as good at those places, if those places exist at all, and Chez Napoleons spirit is uniquely, fiercely, New Yorkish. Try the herby littlenecks Josephine, or the escargot, which are buttered up inside ceramic, mollusk-shaped servingware shells, the kind that fell out of favor decades ago everywhere else. Chez Napoleon gets no memos, and we are better for it. Grand-mere Marguerite Brunos menu is chockablock with faithfully prepared standards; the Frenchest-sounding ones sweetbreads, cassoulet, half-duck confit with crisp skin usually pay off the most. 3. Tout Va Bien 311 W. 51st St., nr. Eighth Ave.; 212-265-0190 At first glance, the broad-checked tablecloths make this Theater District oldie seem like its a place to get spaghetti and meatballs. The sporty, flag-festooned bar telegraphs little more than an attractive Bud Light happy-hour-pricing schematic. The heart of this 69-year-old dining room, however, is larded through with morsels of saucisson sec. Its soul is all croute everything. Sorry for the Service in Advance made it onto the menu in all caps, and a sort of food-magazine aesthetic looms. Specifically, its the February 1961 Gourmet. Mashed potatoes are piped out of a bag with a fluted tip, while ham-and-cheese omelettes are offered at dinnertime alongside the steak, the way Careme intended. Head cheese comes with eggy gribiche, and veal kidneys are offered with a choice of mustard-wine sauce or Bordelaise. The coq au vin appears to have been obliterated in some kind of nuclear fallout, except instead of fallout its demi-glace and red wine, and instead of atomic devastation its the lowest, slowest braise ever. My French girlfriend was impressed, someone pleaded on Yelp last month. Spend long enough mulling over the wonders of saucisson brioche, and chances are you will be, too. 4. Cafe Loup 105 W. 13th St., nr. Sixth Ave.; 212-255-4746 The walls are beige and hung with prints, this publication noted in 1978, shortly after Cafe Loups debut. The prints are now black-and-white photographs, but not much else has changed. It should be pointed out that Loup took New Yorks Best Smoker-Friendly Restaurant in 1998, which suggested a bright, nicotine-tinged, and entirely incorrectly prognosticated future for this West Village fortress of lardons. Otherwise, where there were Montmorency cherries on the duck in the 80s, there are now Granny Smith apples and shiitake rice. Gay Talese championed the icy house martini, which means the same drink is right now being endorsed by some poorer-dressed blog-to-book wunderkind at table five. This is a genuine neighborhood bistro that welcomes repeat diners with an effortless kind of warmth, and while it is more or less a classic bistro, the scene has never devolved into overly reverential spectacle. Cafe Loup has done fine without plastering its interior with French artifacts and souvenirs. This means the prix fixe onion soup still bubbles under a mantle of Gruyere, and the dining room remains the only place in the universe where Sunday jazz brunch has ever been acceptable. 5. Le Veau dOr 129 E. 60th St., nr. Lexington Ave.; 212-838-8133 There were probably fresh-cut peonies on the bar when Oleg Cassini met Grace Kelly here in the 1950s, nearly 20 years into the restaurants tenure on 60th Street. Business deals and divorces alike worth millions have roots in the house celery remoulade, creamy and unchanged since who knows when. More than 60 years ago, wheels of genuine Roquefort cheese took turbojets from Paris to Idlewild and were trucked into midtown. All for a salad. Next year Le Veau dOr turns 80, which basically makes it immortal. Its trademark mix of money and humble bistro food including the namesake veal kidney dijonnaise, or scalloped cutlets with lemon butter has long since reached an infallible kind of durability. So what if the skate wing has too much of a hard sear, or the enormous poached leek with vinaigrette is a little waterlogged, or the stiff cube of gratin with the sole amandine lingered in the broiler a little too long? Its a cool thrill to sit and eat in a dining room where years are metered out in curly parsley sprig garnishes. Also, the ile flottante is for real, and perfect. 6. Quatorze Bis 323 E. 79th St., nr. Second Ave., 212-535-1414 The restaurant is temporarily closed, with a projected reopening by July. Its reputation for clubby, elite clientele is well-deserved and readily apparent from the signed dust jackets on the wall. Menu prices are tellingly high, but the food is thoughtful and cooked well. Some green and red bitter chicories from the salad with warm bacon vinaigrette wend their way into another, beneath a seared slab of goat cheese, and its nice that someone still cares about skate Grenobloise. Grill marks on the chicken are identical diamonds; the fries are golden and crisp. If you cannot stomach kvetching about your $100-a-month rent hike while the guy at the next table (loudly) cannot decide whether to gift his sons 501(c)(3) $5 million or $10 million come Q3, theres a long list of Calvados, Armagnac, and Sauternes to take the after-dinner edge off, or just get you drunk. Cheese, profiteroles, and poached pears belle Helene are offered as desserts, along with an apple tart with fanned slices of caramelized fruit that are so pretty they appear be in a pastry-school textbook, or a socialites dream. 7. Lexpress 249 Park Ave. South, at 20th St.; 212-254-5858 Four words: Baked Camembert at dawn. If you end up here at 5 a.m., you can enjoy a round of stinky cheese, warmed through, with greens and crusty bread on the side. The Gramercy restaurant is open 24/7, and its graveyard menu brims with snails bubbling in vivid green garlic butter, and tripe a lancienne. Its not an overnight dish, but you can get a round of foie gras torchon, sometimes, if you ask nicely. How about our famous onion soup instead? The server asks, which is all right because its one of the few great questions in the history of language, and the stoneware cauldron is roughly half molten cheese and half funky onions. The steak quotient of the steak-frites looks a little more like sirloin flap, or the Frenchified bavette more than it does the advertised cut of hanger, but it has a decent sear and is plated with a tangled heap of thin, salty fries. 8. La Mirabelle 102 W. 86th St., at Columbus Ave.; 212-496-0458 Peter Kump, who banded together with Julia Child to co-found the James Beard Foundation and who started the cooking school that later became the Institute of Culinary Education, was an early champion of La Mirabelle. Two Frenchwomen run it, and its like going back into the sixties, he told this publication, in 1987, three years after it opened on the Upper West Side. (One of them, Annick LeJeune Le Douaron, died in October, at the age of 70.) The wine list skews French and has always been based on the idea that, to accompany meals, reds or whites should be affordable, enjoyable, and funner to order by the bottle than by the glass; the least expensive is a Chardonnay from Maconnais, for $21. When I ordered the chicken livers, a man at the next table leaned in to say he orders the same dish once or twice a month. When the server went to go put in my order, he added that the prix fixe is $39.50 and includes a glass of wine, and mentioned a waitress who bursts out into song whenever the dining room begins to fill up. New reports suggest that Samsung may not even bother with a flat-screened Note this year, contrary to early reports of Samsung testing two different models for the Note5s successor, The Korea Herald reports, Samsung is not considering launching a flat screen version of the Note phone. This is according to Munwha Ilbo, a local daily Newspaper in Korea. The Samsung Note 4, Galaxy S6, and Galaxy S7 have all seen edge variants of the standard model. Starting off with the Note 4, Samsung released an oddball called the Note Edge. When I worked at Samsung at the retail level, I had to answer this question so many times what does it do differently? My answer always ended with well, and it looks pretty damn cool. Samsung Galaxy Note Edge, released in late 2014 The next year when the S6 edge launched alongside the Galaxy S6, Samsung drastically underestimated how many edge devices would sell and couldnt keep up with the demand. Samsung is clever to gradually introduce such a form factor into the market and Samsung has already launched 4 edge devices: Note edge, S6 edge, S6 edge+, and of course the Galaxy S7 edge. If Samsung solely released a curved Note smartphone, would you care that there wasnt a flat-screened version of it? Source | Via Google offers a page with all the information youd like to know about updating a Nexus device. However, recently, Google has updated this page with official information about when Nexus devices will cease to receive updates from Google. Usually a Nexus devices lifetime is around 2 years. For two years since their launches, these devices received updates directly from Google before most if not all manufactures can push out updates. (there was the strange case of the Verizon Moto X (2013) which received Kit Kat before the Neuxs 4). Whether its a full version update (ex: 5.1.1 to 6.0) or an incremental one (ex: 6.0 to 6.0.1), Google will stop updating its Nexus devices according to the chart seen below. Strangely, though, the Motorola Nexus 6 is not in the chart. Perhaps the date of decay for ol Shamu has not yet been decided. In case youre wondering about Androids monthly security patches, Google says Nexus devices will receive security updates For the longer of 3 years from availability or 18 months when the Google Store last sold the device. For example, since the Google Store stopped selling the Nexus 9 in April of this year, it should keep getting security updates until October of 2017, 18 months later. The current generation of Nexus phones, 5X and 6P, will be getting their last version update in September of 2017 while the Nexus 9 will cease to receive version updates in October of 2016. Source | Via Overall, Lenovo's acquisition of Motorola isn't a total flop, but hasn't generated too much profit either. What has stemmed from the whole ordeal, however, is a lot of controversy regarding the future of the Moto brand. A newly uncovered Lenovo device might actually be the first sign of an ongoing phasing process within the company, or at least, some form of product line remodeling, which was expected from the get go. The device in question, featured in an extensive leak from today, is said to be the Lenovo Vibe C2. It looks like an upcoming entry-level offer, featuring a 5-inch 720p display, MediaTek MT6735P SoC, 1GB of RAM and 8GB or 16GB of storage. Other alleged specs include a rather modest 8MP plus 5MP camera setup, LTE, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, all powered by a 2,750 mAh battery. Lenovo Vibe C2/Moto E(2016) As for the Moto connection, the new device is said to bear an XT1021 model number. It does look suspiciously similar to existing Moto E numbers, like XT1527, XT1511, XT1505 & XT1524. This could be a coincidence, but the more likely explanation is that this will actually be the next Moto E phone on most markets. The Vibe C2 moniker will likely be used exclusively in Asia, where Lenovo did recently release the Vibe C. Lenovo Vibe C2/Moto E(2016) Source These are the best offers from our affiliate partners. We may get a commission from qualifying sales. The new Sony Xperia family landed in Europe, the US, Canada and we even heard that the Xperia XA will land in India on June 22. Well, the rumor was mostly right, the actual launch is on June 24 (this Friday). Sony Xperia India tweeted about "borderless design" along with a dark image that can only be the Xperia XA (you can see the old-school, fingerprint readerless Power key). The Sony India site shows the recommended price is INR 21,000 (the equivalent of $310/275). The Xperia X is listed at INR 49,000. The X Performance and XA Ultra are not listed. Thanks for the tip, Tina! Source Harlow is a former New Town in Essex with a population of 86,000. Located in the upper Stort Valley, it was built in the decades after the Second World War to ease overcrowding and London and provide homes for people bombed out during the Blitz. It includes Britain's first pedestrian precinct and first modern residential tower block, The Lawn. Old Harlow, the historic part of the town, was mentioned in the Domesday Book. David and Victoria Beckham's former home, Rowneybury House, nicknamed 'Beckingham Palace', is nearby. 11:52, 25 OCT 2022 Grandfather Mountain Earns 2016 TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence The Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation isnt about moving mountains. Its about moving people. And the people have spoken. Grandfather Mountain has received the 2016 TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence. This marks the fifth consecutive year that the Linville-based attraction has been recognized with the achievement. Now in its sixth year, the award celebrates hospitality businesses that have consistently earned outstanding traveler reviews on the TripAdvisor travel website during the past year. According to TripAdvisor, award recipients represent the upper echelon of businesses listed on the worlds largest travel site. Were honored and proud to receive this accolade for the fifth year in a row, said Frank Ruggiero, director of marketing and communications for the Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation, the nonprofit organization that oversees the attraction. I cant think of a greater measure of our success than receiving such feedback from our guests. The fact that they took the time to put their experience to words means mountains to us here. To qualify, a business must maintain an overall TripAdvisor bubble rating of at least four or five, have a minimum number of reviews and must have been listed on the site for at least 12 months. Grandfather Mountain currently holds a 4.5 overall rating based on its 1,302 visitor reviews. Approximately 250,000 people visit Grandfather Mountain each year. The park is open every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas, weather permitting. During the summer, the nonprofit nature preserve offers a wide variety of special events and daily programs, including habitat animal enrichments, naturalist programs and guided hikes. To learn more, visitwww.grandfather.com. For more information about TripAdvisor, visit www.tripadvisor.com. The not-for-profit Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation strives to inspire conservation of the natural world by helping guests explore, understand and value the wonders of Grandfather Mountain. For more information, call (800) 468-7325, or visit www.grandfather.com to plan a trip. Concert at St. Johns on July 3 with Joseph Sobol Concert at St. Johns. Sunday, July 3rd., 5:00 pm Joseph Sobol, nationally acclaimed scholar, teacher, writer, musician and balladeer will present an evening of music, song and storytelling of folklore of Appalachia and the Celtic influence. Bring a covered dish and join in a potluck supper after the concert. St. Johns is located on Herb Thomas Rd., off Mast Gap Rd., in Valle Crucis (signs will be posted) Admission $5.00, children free. For more information call 828-963-4609 High Gravity Adventures Hosts Summer Sunrise and Sunset Yoga Looking to add a little om to your weekend? Head to High Gravity Adventures for Sunrise Yoga and Sunset Yoga, held on select mornings and evenings throughout the summer from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Revive your weekend routine with these all-levels yoga flow classes taught by High Country Yoga, focused on increasing strength, flexibility and balance. Tucked in the middle of the Blue Ridge Mountains, High Gravity Adventures provides a peaceful, scenic place to re-focus your mind, body and spirit. After completing your practice, enjoy a 20% discount on High Gravity Adventures aerial adventure park! The park offers 75 different aerial challenges, allowing you to climb, balance and swing from heights of 15 to 50 feet in the air. Sunrise Yoga and Sunset Yoga classes are $5 for High Country Yoga members and $7 for non-members. Check out High Gravity Adventures events calendar for all upcoming dates. See below for some photos of recent yoga classes and feel free to contact me for more photos or details to share with your readers. ASU Library Summer Author Series Begins June 30 BOONE High Country Sustainability is the theme of the 2016 University Libraries Summer Author Series to be held at Appalachian State University. The series is sponsored by the Richard T. Barker Friends of the Library. Janet Larsen, co-author of 2015s The Great Transition: Shifting from Fossil Fuels to Solar and Wind Energy, kicks off the series with a talk Thursday, June 30, at 3:30 p.m. in Parkway Ballroom of the Plemmons Student Union. Other speakers in the series are Jay Leutze at 3:30 p.m. July 14, also in the student unions Parkway Ballroom, and Chris Arvidson, Julie Townsend and Scot Pope at 3:30 p.m. Aug. 4 in Room 114 Belk Library and Information Commons. Janet Larsen Larsen is an environmental analyst working to connect the dots between climate, energy, water, agriculture and security. She led the research efforts of the Earth Policy Institute (EPI) from its inception in 2001 until 2015. Prior to the creation of Earth Policy Institute, Larsen worked at the Worldwatch Institute. Her research has covered a range of topics, from bike sharing and bottled water to food security, forest cover and crop yields. In addition to The Great Transition, Larsen also co-authored The Earth Policy Reader. She managed the research for all of EPIs books, including the Plan B series and Full Planet, Empty Plates. She holds a degree in earth systems from Stanford University. Jay Leutze Leutze was born in Virginia and now lives in the Southern Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina. Trained as an attorney, he has become a leading voice for state and federal conservation funding for investment in public lands. He is a trustee for Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy, one of the nations most established land trusts. He is the author of 2012s Stand Up that Mountain: The Battle to Save One Small Community in the Wilderness Along the Appalachian Trail, winner of the Reed Environmental Writing Award. Leutzes book tells the true story of a North Carolina outdoorsman who teams up with his Appalachian mountain people neighbors to save treasured land from being destroyed. Chris Arvidson, Julie Townsend and Scot Pope These three writers edited the 2015 anthology Reflections on the New River: New Essays, Poems and Personal Stories. Arvidson is a writer who has worked in land and water conservation. She lives in West Jefferson. Pope is a photographer, musician and writer who lives in Creston. Townsend has taught writing for 23 years at UNC-Charlotte and Appalachian State University. She lives in Fleetwood. For more information about the series, contact Lynn Patterson at 828-262-2087. Share this: Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Pocket Hardly a day goes by without some new revelation of an information technology mess in the United States that seems like an endless round of the old radio show joke contest, Can You Top This except that increasingly the joke is on us. From nuclear weapons updated with floppy disks to needless deaths from medical errors, many of which are caused by preventable interoperability communication errors. According to a report released to Congress, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has found that the US government last year spent 75 percent of its 80 billion dollar technology budget just maintaining aging computers where floppy disks are still used, including one system for US nuclear forces that is more than 50 years old. In a previous report, the GAO outlines the challenges facing health IT interoperability. Lack of EHR interoperability is not an academic issue, it impacts the healthcare of millions of Americans, and it is a major factor behind the deaths of hundreds of thousands of patients every year as a result of medical errors. A study from the British Medical Journal cites medical errors as the third leading cause of death in the US, after heart disease and cancer. The GAO report, titled EHRs: Nonfederal Efforts to Help Achieve Health Information Interoperability details the status of efforts to develop infrastructure that could lead to nationwide interoperability of health information. The report, which was requested by Congressional leaders, describes a variety of efforts being undertaken to facilitate interoperability. The report concludes that most of these efforts remain works in progress. The GAO identifies five barriers to interoperability: - Insufficiencies in health data standards - Variation in state privacy rules - Difficulty in accurately matching all the right records to the right patient - The costs involved in achieving the goals - The need for governance and trust among entities to facilitate sharing health information CMS Pushing for Plug and Play Interoperability Tools That Already Exist Meanwhile in an interview with the Massachusetts Medical Society, Andrew Slavitt, Acting Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS) acknowledges in the CMS interoperability effort we are not sending a man to the moon. We are actually expecting (healthcare) technology to do the things that it already does for us every day. So there must be other reasons why technology and information arent flowing in ways that match patient care, Slavitt stated. Partly, I believe some of the reasons are actually due to bad business practices. But, I think some of the technology will improve through the better use of standards and compliance. And I think well make significant progress through the implementation of APIs in the next version of (Electronic Health Records) EHRs which will spur innovation by allowing for plug and play capability. The private sector has to essentially change or evolve their business practices so that they dont subvert this intent. If you are a customer of a piece of technology that doesn't do what you want, it's time to raise your voice. He claims that CMS has "very few higher priorities" other than interoperability. It is also interesting that two different government entities point their fingers at interoperability yet plug and play API solutions have been available through middleware integration for years, the same ones that are successfully used in the retail, banking and hospitality industries. As a sign of growing healthcare middleware popularity, Black Book Research, recently named the top ten middleware providers as Zoeticx, HealthMark, Arcadia Healthcare Solutions, Extension Healthcare, Solace Systems, Oracle, Catavolt, Microsoft, SAP and Kidozen. Medical Errors Third Leading Cause of Death in US The British Medical Journal recently reported that medical error is the third leading cause of death in the United States, after heart disease and cancer. As such, medical errors should be a top priority for research and resources, say authors Martin Makary, MD, MPH, professor of surgery, and research fellow Michael Daniel, from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. However, accurate, transparent information about errors is not captured on death certificates which are the documents the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) uses for ranking causes of death and setting health priorities. Death certificates depend on International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes for cause of death, but causes such as human and EHR errors are not recorded on them. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 117 countries code their mortality statistics using the ICD system. The authors call for better reporting to help capture the scale of the problem and create strategies for reducing it. According to the World Healths reported by the CDC form our countrys research funding and public health priorities, says Makary in a press release. Right now, cancer and heart disease get a ton of attention, but since medical errors dont appear on the list, the problem doesnt get the funding and attention it deserves. It boils down to people dying from the care that they receive rather than the disease for which they are seeking care. The Root Cause of Many Patient Errors Better coding and reporting is a no-brainer and should be required to get to the bottom of the errors so they can be identified and resolved. However, in addition to not reporting the causes of death, there are other roadblocks leading to this frighteningly sad statistic such as lack of EHR interoperability. Unfortunately, the vast majority of medical devices, from EHRs to other healthcare IT components, lack interoperability with interoperability meaning a built-in or integrated platform that can exchange information across vendors, settings, and device types. Various systems and equipment are typically purchased from different manufacturers. Each comes with its own proprietary operating system and its own interface technologies, just like the days before the client and server ever met. Moreover, hospitals often must invest in separate systems to pull together all these disparate pieces of technology to feed data from bedside devices to EHR systems, data warehouses, and other applications that aid in clinical decision making, research and analytics. Many bedside devices, especially older ones, dont even connect to computers and require manual reading and data entry. Healthcare providers are sometimes forced to take mental notes on various pieces of information in order to draw conclusions. This is time consuming and error-prone. This cognitive load, especially in high stress situations, increases the risk of error such as accessing information on the wrong patient, performing the wrong action or placing the wrong order. Because information can be entered into various areas of the EHR, the possibility of duplicating or omitting information arises. Through the EHR, physicians can often be presented with a list of documentation located in different folders that can be many computer screens long and information can be missed. The nations largest health systems employ thousands of people dedicated to dealing with non-interoperability. The abundance of proprietary protocols and interfaces that restrict healthcare data exchange takes a huge toll on productivity. In addition to EHRs physical inability, tactics such as data blocking and hospital IT contracts that prevent data sharing by EHR vendors are also used to prevent interoperability. Healthcare overall has experienced negative productivity in this area over the past decade. The Devil Is in the Data Distribution There are numerous areas in hospitals that are particularly vulnerable to deadly errors, such as acute care settings requiring a complexity of care, time critical interventions, staffing and the systems that are relied upon to tie these many IT resources together. However, due to the complexities and differences between health data systems, medical professionals are constantly presented with different user interfaces that must be consciously thought about to appropriately gather data as well as capture their decisions and treatment plans. It is equally important to look at how the data stored in these disconnected, disparate systems is used. Much of the collection of patient, process, quality and financial data in medicine looks like a large jigsaw puzzle with a number of pieces missing. Raw data and information is fragmented across numerous non-operable EHRs, both within a single hospital or clinic along with spanning geographic ranges. Connecting these pieces has focused primarily on the transfer of the information to those who request it, a manual and error prone process that is further compounded by lack of interoperability. Dynamic Data Flow Extends Healthcare IT Extending the power of health IT depends on understanding the idea of data flow which is critical to the management of entire populations of patients, either within a single clinic, hospital, health system or entire community. We need dynamic data flow connected through smart interoperable middleware pipes so we can improve on the care delivered. The flow of data can be as important, or even more important, than the individual data points and connecting the patient, the data and the interpretation depends on it. Data flows contain signals and streams which allow automation and screening to take place. When we think at healthcare information technology from the perspective of data flow, we are not dependent on understanding every possible state or internal details, but can instead focus on the overall flow of the patient through the healthcare system. This allows for the design of complex analysis, automation and understanding that is not possible with disconnected databases. To build a better system for solving medical errors, we need to understand the interdependent parts of the system to create a win for the patient in better care and less redundancy, a win for the healthcare professionals enhancing and optimizing their workflow and a win for the insurance companies who are already investing a great deal of resources into care management, says Donald M. Voltz, MD, Department of Anesthesiology and Medical Director of the Main Operating Room at Aultman Hospital in Canton, OH who is an advocate and authority on middleware. Middleware Eliminates Need for HIEs Now those using or considering an HIE have a new concern when the interoperability provider goes bankrupt as has happened to users of Sandlot Solutions. The MCHC-Chicago Hospital Council (MCHC), which operates the Metro Chicago Health Information Exchange (HIE) had to go to court to keep Sandlot from deleting its files until after the validation of their information was completed and delivered to MCHC. Additionally, several other Sandlot customers were dramatically affected by the same problem at significant cost to all those organizations. As a sign of growing importance of middleware technologies in the healthcare industry, leading health IT research organization Black Book Research recently released a report on the interoperability tangle. In the report, managing partner Doug Brown warned that, The misalignment of requirements and protocols has hampered all the stakeholders interoperability efforts. This disorder is ushering in a new replacement revolution, this time for those HIEs failing to meet the expectations of their users, payers and providers alike. According to the announcement of the report, In response to alleviate concerns of HIEs with poor connectivity outside their IDNs and hospital systems, interoperability middleware is also a fast growing consideration according to 16% of hospital systems IT leaders with EHR-dependent HIE grievances, in particular. Middleware is gaining popularity fast by hospitals using EHR-dependent HIE systems with extremely expensive custom development for data sharing outside the network. Brown explained that The middleware software sits within the data pipeline and translates data from disparate EHRs which shows promise for private HIEs, particularly payer-centric enterprise models. It creates a business intelligence layer that provides information to all stakeholders in real time. How to Fix This Mess While the US technology gap will most likely continue, actions can be taken today to end the needless medical deaths. Two obvious immediate steps include: The CDC needs to be more transparent and accountable by providing specific patient expiration details on death certificates. The ICD must also step up and add codes for human and EHR causes of death so the 117 countries using this system will have better accuracy and can help pinpoint specific problems. As government officials continue to fail in taking a leadership role in solving interoperability, health systems operators can easily step up. Integrating EHRs with open middleware driven IT systems can begin today. By working together, vendors and healthcare administrators can end these needless deaths and concentrate of solving problems that there is no readily available solution to like cancer! Thanh Tran, CEO, Zoeticx, Inc., a medical software company located in San Jose, CA. He is a 20 year veteran of Silicon Valleys IT industry and has held executive positions at many leading software companies. Edited by Stefania Viscusi The European Union, he argues, has over the past nearly ten years done practically nothing about the financial crisis, the eurozone crisis, the refugee crisis and its relations with Russia in the aftermath of the annexation of Crimea without first consulting Berlin. Matti Vanhanen, the presidential candidate of the Centre Party, has voiced his concerns that the powers of large member states would increase if the United Kingdom left the European Union. It's my estimate that if Brexit materialises, we'll return to a LondonBerlinParis setting especially in the area of foreign policy. Is the return of such superpowers in the best interests of a country such as Finland, if the outcome is a setting where Germany and Russia are the ones taking action? Vanhanen, the chairperson of the Centre Parliamentary Group, asked at the Kultaranta Talks on Monday. His concerns are justified, admitted Teija Tiilikainen, the director at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs. It's clear that in these crisis-ridden years Germany, as Vanhanen said, has been a bellwether. You've turned to them whenever you've needed quick decisions as the union's common machinery has been slower, she said. The leadership issue has to be put back to the union's table in the long run. What would it mean for the union and who would lead the union's foreign and security policy in the scenario that Brexit materialises? That's one of the major questions we'll revisit next week once we know more, said Tiilikainen. Kai Mykkanen (NCP), a first-term Member of Parliament, reminded that the withdrawal could also have an impact on relations with Russia. It's appropriate to [draw attention] to its impact on managing relations with Russia, because the United Kingdom certainly would not disappear from the map if it made the exit. I consider it obvious that large member states would dictate the EU's foreign policy for some time before the responsibility shifted towards the [European] Commission, he said. He argued that it is crucial for a country such as Finland to ensure also decisions on how to communicate with neighbouring countries are made by the institutions of the EU. Paavo Vayrynen (Centre), a Member of the European Parliament, is baffled by suggestions about the return of geopolitics and superpowers. They've never gone anywhere. Some have simply thought that geopolitics is no longer of significance. You also can't talk about the return of superpowers because they've been here all along. I don't see how Britain's possible exit would change this in any way, he said. Markku Jokisipila, the director of the Centre for Parliamentary Studies of the University of Turku, agrees with the views of Vanhanen. If we somehow returned to a wider exercise of superpower politics within the European Union, I'd have to agree with Vanhanen in that it'd be difficult to regard as anything else than a negative development from the viewpoint of a small country like Finland, he said. Russia is currently trying desperately to accomplish that. I think that's definitely not the way to go for the European Union, commented Jokisipila. Aleksi Teivainen HT Photo: Petteri Paalasmaa Uusi Suomi Source: Uusi Suomi David Clancy (24) has not yet entered a plea to the charges A young man is facing trial on drugs charges following the seizure of an estimated 500,000 worth of heroin and cocaine in west Dublin. David Clancy (24) had the case against him adjourned for the preparation of a book of evidence when he appeared in Blanchardstown District Court. Mr Clancy, of Oatfield Avenue, Clondalkin, is charged with possession of cocaine and heroin with intent to sell or supply. He is also charged with simple possession of both drugs. The offences are alleged to have taken place at Oatfield Avenue on February 16. The case came before Judge David McHugh for the DPP's directions to be made available. State solicitor Mary Kate Halpin said the directions were for the case to go forward on indictment. This means it is to be dealt with at circuit court level. Ms Halpin sought an adjournment for the preparation of the book of evidence. The accused's lawyer consented to this. Ms Halpin said there may be additional charges "of the same nature" being considered by the DPP. Judge McHugh remanded the accused on continuing bail, to appear in court again next month. Mr Clancy initially appeared in Dublin District Court last February. At that time, Garda David Charles of the Ronanstown Drugs Unit, said he arrested the defendant and brought him to Ronanstown Garda Station, where he was charged. He made no reply to any of the charges after caution, Garda Charles said. The accused has not yet indicated how he intends to plead to the charges and did not address the court during the brief hearing. Information sworn by a detective to obtain a warrant to search businessman Jim Mansfield and his brother PJ's homes must be furnished to their legal team by the end of this week, a judge has ruled. Jim Mansfield (48) is charged with having 180 rounds of .22 Walther ammunition without a firearms licence at his home at Tassaggart House in Saggart on January 29, 2015. Two further charges of possession of a pump action shotgun and 19 rounds of 12-gauge shotgun cartridges were struck out. His brother Patrick James Mansfield (38) is accused of possession of 1,252 rounds of Walther ammunition without a firearms licence at his former home at Coldwinters Lake in Saggart. In relation to Jim Mansfield, Judge David McHugh had refused jurisdiction to deal with his case at district court level. He was asked by a State solicitor to reconsider the allegations after two of the charges were struck out. Detective Garda Ian Pemberton alleged that gardai searched Mr Mansfield's home under warrant and located a legally-held pistol as well as 480 rounds of ammunition, 180 rounds in excess of the licence. Judge McHugh accepted jurisdiction of the charge. Defence counsel Tony McGullicuddy said his clients would plead not guilty to the charges. Search Mr McGullicuddy requested a copy of the information which a garda swore to a judge to obtain the warrant to search the men's home. He said his clients required this information if they wished to challenge the validity of the warrant. A State solicitor said there were other people named in the information who were not party to the proceedings before the court. He asked for the case to be adjourned to allow the investigation to conclude. Mr McGullicuddy argued the right course of action was to strike out the charges and "the State can take whatever course when the ongoing investigation concludes". Judge McHugh adjourned the case into the Criminal Courts of Justice next week to allow the Mansfield brothers to enter a plea. Mr McGullicuddy said the parties had agreed the information would be furnished to the defence "by the end of this week". One of the diaries in which she recorded bullying A woman whose daughter took her own life following a campaign of online bullying, harassment and physical abuse has forgiven those responsible. But Collette Wolfe has called for more to be done by social media websites and the Govern- ment to crack down on cyberbullying. Ms Wolfe lost her daughter Leanne (18) nine years ago. The teenager endured emotional and physical torture at the hands of a vicious female gang in Cork for at least three years before her death in 2007. She left behind diaries detailing her suffering. Now her mother has said that anyone caught bullying on social media websites should be banned. The call follows a similar plea for new laws earlier this week by Elaine Hughes, who lost her 17-year-old son Darren to suicide in 2012. He was also bullied online. Ms Wolfe said that despite seeing shocking messages on the social networking pages from those who bullied Leanne, she eventually forgave them. Bible "I saw a message of hers on one of her bullies' pages and it said, 'I know I'm hated but I'm loving the attention'. That was her saying she's dead and that she didn't care," said Ms Wolfe. Despite suffering through the pain of Leanne's loss - she said she considered taking her own life - she forgave the bullies and said she found hope in God. "I forgave her bullies. I had to or I'd be a different person," she said. "It was a guard who gave me a Bible. I went on a walk one day and I realised there was hope." Ms Wolfe said it was time that social networking sites began tackling the growing crisis of online bullying. "I think just like if you're driving drunk or without insurance, you should be banned for a period if you're caught harassing or bullying online," she said. "The websites don't care, and why would they? But it's time they started doing more - the amount of bullying that's out there, it's at crisis stage." One issue raised by Ms Wolfe was how the impact of cruel taunts and threats are more permanent on social media, compared with when a victim could walk away from a bully. "Now the messages are left on sites and are there to see over and over again. In Leanne's case it tore her down," she said. "She was thinking, 'I'm no- thing', and when they're young they don't know how to deal with that. "The act of communication is now gone. Leanne couldn't express how she was feeling, it made her feel ashamed." While Ms Wolfe said she was grateful for the support she and her husband Anthony had received from the gardai, she supported making bullying easier to report, such as through a website. "It's a good idea, but you have to go to the Government to fund it. The Government need to do more than sit on their hands," she said. The homeless crisis in the capital has spiralled yet again - with more than 1,800 children now living in temporary accommodation. New figures released by the Dublin Region Homeless Executive revealed there are now 913 families with 1,847 children in accommodation for the homeless. The latest figures released yesterday refer to the week ending May 29. Nationwide, there were 1,054 families, including 2,177 children, who were in homeless accommodation during the same week. The number of families who are homeless in Dublin has increased by 34pc since last December, when there were 683 families, including 939 adults and 1,409 children, who were in homeless accommodation in the week ending December 27. Depaul, a charity focusing on aid for homeless people, urged a strong and coordinated approach to stem the daily flow of families into emergency accommodation and to provide move-on options for them. "On a daily basis in our services we are seeing more and more families who are facing the devastation of homelessness," said Ms Kerry Anthony, chief executive officer of Depaul. "Over the past two years these numbers have gone up and up every single month. "In May 2015, the number of children who were homeless in Dublin surpassed the 1,000 mark - and Depaul, along with other homeless charities, were urging action. "One year on, there are 800 additional children who have no place to call home in Dublin. It is time that we confront this situation as the emergency that it is, and put in place immediate and long-term solutions to reverse this damaging trend. "We urge that the recommendations included in the report from the Oireachtas Committee on Housing and Homelessness be delivered as a priority." The committee has recommended local councils nationwide provide 10,000 new social housing units each year for the next five years. Inner City Helping Homeless CEO Anthony Flynn accused the Government of "too much talk and not enough action". Invite He also accused new Housing Minister Simon Coveney of not being "fully up to speed" and said he "needs to start implementing changes now, rather than months down the road". "I would invite the Minister onto the streets to meet some of the 140 sleeping rough around the city each night - maybe that will open his eyes," he said. Mr Flynn added the cost of accommodating those who are without a place to call home is rising week on week. Today FM's Louise Duffy has said that it "can't be denied" that there is a predominantly male line-up on the station's daytime schedule. But the popular presenter said she wouldn't have wanted to remain in her afternoon slot just because she's a woman. Duffy (31) will take over the reins of the 7pm slot from next month after Fergal D'Arcy was moved to the 2.30pm show. She noted the strong line-up of male presenters that will be on air at the station from 7am until 7pm. "You can't really deny that. It's evident in the schedule," she told the Herald. "We have some very strong male presenters but females are very present too. Today FM has always nurtured emerging female presenters and have always had my back. "I know the argument is out there and there's lots of concern and it is changing slightly. I was very proud to be there (in the afternoon) but you can't just be there because you're a female voice. "That's the business we're in. You have to be flexible and ready to move. I'm excited about getting involved in something new." But Duffy said the evening slot suits her far better as it gives her more time to work on her new website, womenswearstory. Combining her two passions of fashion and music, she's going to take the next month off to concentrate on the website before starting her new slot on August 1. Wishing "I'm so excited about that. I spend all of my time in the evening just window shopping online. I have about 18 tabs of different stores open. I'm not buying, I'm having a gawk and wishing I could buy everything. So I'm putting that into a business and mixing it with my love of music," she said. She said her new slot is "kind of perfect" for taking on new challenges. "It gives me an opportunity to do as many articles as possible and explore it and still be present on the Today FM schedule. The show itself will let me veer outside the usual playlist and explore other genres of music," she said. Duffy will be taking centre stage during Galway Races week when she judges the g Hotel's most stylish lady competition on July 28. The stylish star will be joined by her fashion designer husband Paul Galvin at the glamorous event and revealed what might catch her eye on the day. "I think it's really important to not conform to what you think you should wear to the races. It shouldn't be too matchy-matchy. "True style is when you're comfortable in what you're wearing and aren't afraid to try different things. It's not about going crazy price-wise. It's about mixing colours and prints and looking and feeling good," she said. She said the Galway Races has always been a big tradition for her. "I love it, I'm from Mayo, so it's the one thing every summer that we all congregate for, so I was going to be there anywhere," she said. NEW YORK The Alzheimers Foundation of America (AFA) is asking people to support the issuance of an Alzheimers-focused semipostal stamp. The United States Postal Service (USPS) is considering issuing the stamp, which would allow consumers to pay a little more than the normal postage stamp, with funds going to Alzheimers disease and dementia research sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The USPS is accepting submissions in support of the issuance of five new semipostal stamps over the next 10 years. Similar stamps have raised millions of dollars for causes such as breast cancer. People can voice their support for an Alzheimers stamp by sending an email to semipostal@usps.gov with Semipostal Discretionary Program in the subject line. The deadline is July 5. The issuance of these semipostal stamps would be a tremendous one-two punch in fighting Alzheimers disease, said Charles J. Fuschillo Jr., AFAs president and chief executive officer. Not only will its proceeds bolster Alzheimers disease research at the NIH by helping to fund promising therapies, it will also help in raising public awareness of this devastating disease. AFA is urging all impacted by dementia: individuals living with the disorder, their family caregivers, friends and loved ones to weigh-in with the USPS and call for an Alzheimers stamp. Alzheimers disease currently affects more than 5 million people in the U.S. and it is estimated that that number will nearly triple by mid-century. The cost of care for people with Alzheimers is also expected to skyrocket in line with these numbers, from $307 billion annually to $1.5 trillion by 2050. For more information visit https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2016/04/20/2016-09081/semipostal-stamp-program. 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 Inc will be hurt, Indian immigrants may benefit but the overall Anglo-Indian relationship will decline with Brexit. Britains possible withdrawal from the European Union following a referendum in June 23 is a mixed bag for India, but likely to be a net negative. If the leave campaign wins (and it is leading now), the immediate impact will be on the worlds capital markets and India will fare poorly. Already, global capital is seeking safe havens as it fears a fall in the value of the sterling and the euro. The nonconvertible rupee will be expected to lose value and so will be dumped even though both capital flows and the exchange rate are likely to recover. One currency the rupee will gain against will be the pound. An informal survey of Mumbai forex traders comes up with an expectation of a 15 to 30% drop in sterlings value if the leave campaign wins. Full coverage: Britains EU referendum Corporates The medium-term impact will be on Indian firms which have invested in the United Kingdom. India is the third largest source of foreign investment in Britain. Many of these firms use the UK as a base for their operations and sales to the rest of Europe. Manufacturing firms, in particular, will face tariffs when they export from the UK to the EU. Tata Motor Jaguars would face a 10% tariff when being exported from the UK to the continent, says Charles Grant of the London-based Centre of European Reform. Watch | Why India doesnt want Brexit CLSA has pinpointed other Indian firms that will suffer: Tata Steel and auto component makers such as Bharat Forge and Motherson Sumi. Motherson, for example, derives 60% of its UK sales from exports to the EU. For the information technology sector, argues Nasscom, Brexit will be clearly negative in the short term and harder to discern in the longer term with either scenario having some positive and negative points. Many Indian IT service firms such as TCS, Infosys and Wipro have a large UK footprint. The fall in sterling will shrink the sectors earnings in the UK, roughly 17% of their global earnings. But many also use the UK as a base to provide services to other European countries. Though services will be less affected by Brexit, some may have to move offices and personnel across the English Channel. Nearly a third of Indian investment in the UK is in the IT and telecom sector. If some of this has to migrate to the continent along with the manufacturing firms, Indian investment into the UK will be diverted to the EU. A pro-Brexit flag is attached to a window of a house in Carshalton, south of London. (AFP) Indian immigration Going by Brexit campaign rhetoric, a UK-EU divorce could actually boost Indian migration to Britain. Since it joined the EU, Britain has deliberately given preference to European Union migrants and shut down migration paths for Commonwealth and other non-EU countries. Britain saw about 70,000 migrants a year from the Commonwealth through the 1970s, mostly from India. Restrictions imposed afterwards saw, by the early 1980s, Indian migration fall to 18,000 a year. By the 1990s, less than 5,000 a year were becoming British citizens. The hunt for tech workers and highly skilled migrants in the 2000s pushed the figure up again but the numbers kept below 20,000 a year. Obligated by treaty, the UK left its borders open to other EU citizens. Since the original EU member-states were of comparable economic wealth, this did not mean much. When the EU included the poorer countries of Eastern and southeastern Europe, this changed. Between 2004 and 2009, some 1.5 million EU citizens migrated to the UK. These EU migrants, epitomised by the Polish plumber, combined with the global financial crisis laid the basis for the rise of the anti-EU UK Independence Party which, in turn, forced Prime Minister David Cameron to promise a referendum on the UK continuing in the EU. The Ukips supporters tend to be opposed to migrants, but its leader Nigel Farage has been more nuanced. He has argued that a Ukip government would treat immigrants from within and without the EU on an equal footing. This line of thinking, echoed by many Brexit supporters, argues that the Commonwealth represents an economic and political alternative to the EU for British interests. Farage has gone as far as to say he would prefer Indians to continental Europeans. In an interview he said, I have to confess I do have a slight preference. I do think, naturally, that people from India and Australia are in some ways more likely to speak English, understand common law and have a connection with this country than some people that come perhaps from countries that havent fully recovered from being behind the Iron Curtain. Boris Johnson, the former mayor of London who has challenged Cameron from within the Tory Party on Brexit, had similarly complained against the sharp decline in Indian students in the UK and sought to reverse the governments policy of denying them post-study work visas. Johnson has also pushed for a renewed Commonwealth-centred foreign policy but his biggest immigration suggestion -- a visa bloc that encompasses the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand does not include India. The truth is that even in the case of Brexit, the UK will continue to tighten its borders against all migrants because the majority of the UK electorate are opposed to migration. While EU citizens would no longer have priority over Commonwealth migrants, the general hostility to migrants would not change no matter Thursdays vote. As The Economist commented, Yet it is politically unrealistic to believe that Britons who have just voted to leave the EU partly to curb uncontrolled migration from eastern Europe will want to welcome many more migrants from places like India and Africa. Leave supporters hold up placards in Clacton-on-Sea as UK Independence Party (UKIP) leader Nigel Farage visits. (AFP) Foreign policy Though the Brexit campaign has argued for a revitalised Commonwealth as the alternative to European integrity, a UK in splendid isolation would have a smaller profile in Indian foreign policy. Foreign minister Sushma Swaraj explained, however indirectly, why. Britain is Indias gateway to the EU, she said, while insisting Brexit was a sovereign decision on which New Delhi had no opinion. This underlines the fact that one of Britains key foreign policy utilities for India has been to serve as New Delhis lobbyist within the EU. Because of their close economic ties, Londons continuing influence among smaller South Asian states and a new strategic closeness between India and the United States, it is generally true that there is not much space between Indian and British foreign policy. There are exceptions. For example, the two are at loggerheads over the Taliban in Afghanistan as the US military withdrawal from that country gathers pace. But London has been supportive of Indian policies in Bangladesh, Nepal and the Maldives. In the last case, the UK helpfully allowed opposition leader Mohamed Nasheed to leave a Maldivian jail and go to London for medical reasons helping India move closer to stabilising the political situation in Male. While India has close ties with other EU countries, notably Germany and France, it tends not to see them as being able to represent its views within the EU. Partly this is historical legacy, but it also reflects a belief that Britain thinks in a more realpolitik fashion than many European states which New Delhi finds frustratingly focussed on human rights and other post-modern concerns. This has been under pressure the past few years in any case. The UKs unwillingness to work with the EU has meant that its voice in Brussels has been proportionately smaller than the size of its economy. Other countries, particularly Germany and Poland, have offered to take up the same role within the EU as the UK has traditionally played. A Polish diplomat once counted the nearly dozen EU countries, mostly in Central Europe, as well as Warsaws close ties with Berlin, as part of a hardsell of his country as Indias representative within the EU. British Prime Minister David Cameron speaks to the press in front of 10 Downing street in London. (AFP) Obviously, in case of a Brexit, the UK would no longer be able to play this role for India, drastically reducing its utility for New Delhi. Combined with Indias ability to talk directly to Washington, the almost lack of any political coherence within the Commonwealth and an increasing sense in New Delhi that Britains clout in Asia is now minimal, there would be little of substance in the bilateral strategic partnership announced in 2004. As one British diplomat ruefully admitted, As far as hard power goes, our army is now smaller than Nepals. While an older generation of Indians still think that a UK outside the EU would automatically mean stronger bilateral ties, the reality would almost certainly be different. New Delhis statement on Brexit indicated what India thought. As Ian Bond of the Centre for European Reform wrote recently, the major countries of the Commonwealth have all indicated they preferred the UK to remain in the EU. Earlier this month, Ashwin Kumar, a 31-year-old labourer in the Lahaul and Spiti district in Himachal Pradesh, experienced sudden shortness of breath and pain in the chest. He was rushed to the district hospital at Keylong, the administrative centre of the district. Things could have gone out of hand but fortunately the centre has a telehealth centre, which the junior doctor used to consult senior specialists in Chennai. Within seven minutes, a Chennai-based cardiologist checked Kumars vitals and recommended cardioversion, a procedure that uses electric current to bring down heart rate in emergency situations. But the junior doctor did not know how to do it and the specialist used telehealth to guide the doctor to stabilise Kumars condition using minimal medical equipment. Once his condition stabilised, Kumar was moved to a bigger hospital. Read: A healthcare prescription for Indias growth story Over the past year, telehealth centres at Keylong and Kaza in Himachal Pradesh have saved over a 100 patients. Thanks to the difficult terrain and weather, people travel between 20 and 50 km for primary health care and at least 250 km for secondary care. Moreover, it is hard to find doctors despite the state striving to appoint at least 10 medical professionals for the district and willing to pay specialists up to Rs 25 lakh a year, which is almost three times of what is normally paid. To meet the shortfall, the National Health Mission has opted for emergency telehealth under the public-private partnership (PPP) model in Himachal Pradesh. Apollo TeleHealth centre is a first-of-its kind in such a remote location anywhere in the world. The centres in Keylong and Kaza were set up about 15 months ago and the two facilities offer regular clinical care apart from emergency aid. The centres have facilitated more than 3,000 tele-consults and provided emergency care to at least 200 people. Read: Humane society must have universal health coverage Under the PPP model, all expenditure - capital and operational - is taken care of by the state and the private player is responsible for the setting up and functioning of the centres. Apart from saving lives, telehealth also saves cost. In Himachal Pradesh, Apollos estimates show that the community would have saved nearly Rs 15 lakh spent on travel and other expenses. Though telehealth has been around in India for at least 16 years, it has been put to fruitful practice only over the last two to three years. Connectivity issues, interrupted power, lack of trained people to manage the centres, and the preconceived notions of the prospective users -- doctors and paramedical staff come in the way of successful implementation. The biggest impediment, however, is the resistance to change.The first step to success, therefore, is to convince local doctors that technology would complement their services. The knowledge and experience of local professionals is irreplaceable because they are most familiar with the geography, demography, available facilities and medicines. Without the complete commitment of the all concerned parties, technology would be defeated. Sangita Reddy is the joint managing director, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Limited The governments decision to have a dedicated website that will have the marks and ranks of candidates appearing in various tests for government jobs is remarkable for its openness. The decision is reminiscent of the days of the Indian Civil Service (ICS), when ones performance in an examination was treated as a public document. However, subsequently the government of independent India chose to keep each persons performance a secret and the results of all candidates, including those who were unsuccessful, went sent by post. And this too was not done in all cases. The new decision will do two things at the same time: First, it will enable candidates to compare themselves to the others paper by paper and, if required, prepare better at the next attempt; second, it will give other employers such as those in the private sector and parastatals to tap into this data base to make appointments in accordance with their own priorities. Doing well in the test for one job may land a candidate a cushy job in another organisation. Third, there will be no scope for any candidate to make false claims regarding his performance because results can be cross-checked. Read: Govt job test scores to go online to check fudging But despite all its positives, there are some limitations in this new system. For example, if there are malpractices in the written tests, it is difficult to remove them just by publicising the results in the written test. For example, how would one ascertain that a person who can peddle influence did not arm-twist an examiner to be biased in favour of a candidate? And it has been a constant grudge of candidates of some regions that they do not get a fair deal in all-India exams. Second, doing away with interviews for junior posts might preclude possibilities of manipulation but there should be some personality test also. And having the results of personality tests handy would be of immense help to private sector organisations who are on the lookout for someone like, say, a security officer. It wouldnt matter so much how well the person concerned had performed in the written test. Third, the system gives the candidates the option to stay out of this. Presumably many would opt for that. Read: SSC cannot bar tattooed person from selection in service, rules tribunal Once such a system has been put into motion, it would be useful to take it further. So far the Union Public Service Commission, Staff Selection Commission and Railway Recruitment Boards are being sought to be covered by this. The next step should be to bring under it the equivalents of the erstwhile Banking Service Recruitment Boards, and the Public Enterprise Selection Board. The rule could also extend to public sector organisations, particularly those in the infrastructure sector. This way a dialogue may evolve between various recruitment agencies, both public and private, as regards the appointment process and synergies may develop. A fatwa has been issued against actor Jimmy Sheirgill for starring in political drama Shorgul, which has also been banned in several cities of Uttar Pradesh, the films makers said on Wednesday. The makers are planning to approach the states Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav to resolve issues regarding the ban in places like Muzaffarnagar, Kanpur, Ghaziabad and Lucknow. Read: Shorgul trailer: Watch Jimmy Shergill, Ashutosh Rana in a political drama Shorgul is a political drama which also touches upon the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots. The fatwa has been issued by Khamman Peer Baba Committee to Jimmy and the makers, read a statement issued on behalf of the films producers. The fatwa states that a seasoned actor like Jimmy has hurt the sentiments of the Muslim community by enacting scenes that will cause unrest in the community through the dialogues and scene depictions, read the statement. Jimmy will be barred from shooting in Uttar Pradesh and his films release in the region will also not be allowed, the statement further read. A 24 FPS Films Production, the movie is based on intolerance and aspires to make audiences contemplate where humanity stands amidst the noise of religious, social, political and economic prejudice. Also featuring Sanjay Suri, Narendra Jha, Hiten Tejwani, Eijaz Khan, Suha Gezen, Anirudh Dave and Deepraj Rana, Shorgul touches upon grave subjects that have transpired in the recent past such as the Muzaffarnagar, Godhra and Babri Masjid riots apart from making references to bureaucratic misdoings, mind games and controversial master strokes of some high profile dignitaries. Read: Playing more mature cop in Madaari than my other cop roles: Jimmy Sheirgill Earlier this month, a PIL filed by Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader Milan Som against the film was dismissed by the Allahabad High Court bench in Lucknow. The film is slated for release on June 24. Swatantra Vijay Singh, one of the producers of Shorgul, said: Yes, we have received the PIL and the fatwa but as we have stated earlier our film is a cinematic recreation of various incidents that have transpired in the past without a reference to any specific issue...We believe no one can ban Shorgul if the population supports films like these. Aman Singh, who is also a co-producer of the film, shared: This news is extremely unfortunate and we will approach Akhilesh Yadav in the matter. Every citizen has the right to watch this film as the film is a reflection of the voice of the common man. Jimmy is currently in Canada. Bipasha Basu Singh Grovers name is synonymous with fitness. The Bollywood actor, who is known for her well-toned physique, often shares fitness tips with her fans. The actor released her first fitness DVD in 2010. Titled Love Yourself, it showcased a 60-day weight-loss regime. In 2011, she launched another DVD, titled Break Free. It was a 30-minute dance routine. Her last DVD, called Unleash, released in 2014. It consisted of an advanced training routine. A source close to Bipasha reveals that the actor is planning to release a yoga DVD soon. Read: Bipasha Basu and Karan Singh Grover to attend Baba Siddiques Iftar party When contacted, Bipasha confirmed the news. She said, I am planning an extension of my dance workout series and a DVD on yoga. The actor will shoot for the same in August. Bipasha added, The idea is to make more people aware about yoga, and allow a synchronised growth of the mind, body and soul. The womens wing of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Tuesday staged a protest and lodged a police complaint against Bollywood actor Salman Khan over his raped woman remarks in Nagpur. Bollywoods controversy star Salman Khan was slammed by fans and critics alike on Tuesday when his interview surfaced wherein he said when he used to walk out of the ring, after the shoot, I used to feel like a raped woman. I couldnt walk straight. Salman was talking about his experience of shooting for the upcoming film Sultan where he plays a wrestler. The National Commission for Women (NCW) demanded apology within seven days from Salman. NCP women members protest against Salman over his controversial rape remarks at Bandra, Mumbai on Tuesday. (PTI) While Salmans manager claimed the actor was misquoted in the interview, his father Salim Khan took to Twitter to apologise on the behalf of his son. The Bollywood scriptwriter tweeted, Undoubtedly what Salman said is wrong, the simili, example and the context. The intention was not wrong. 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. Read: Salman Khan just cant quit controversies Undoubtedly what Salman said is wrong, the simili, example and the context. The intention was not wrong. Salim Khan (@luvsalimkhan) June 21, 2016 NCP activists, led by Maharashtra unit President of NCP womens wing Chitra Wagh, submitted a written complaint to Sitabuldi Police Station. In the complaint, the Opposition party members said the 50-year-old actors remarks were derogatory and he should be booked under relevant sections of IPC for insulting women. Read: Salman says he felt like a raped woman, stirs controversy 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. Listen to Salmans controversial rape comment When contacted Police Information Centre said they have received the complaint and it would be forwarded to appropriate authorities for action. Follow @htshowbiz for more Bollywood actor Arbaaz Khan expressed hopes Tuesday evening that his brother Salman Khan would give a clarification about his controversial remark where he compared himself with a raped woman while describing the gruelling Sultan shoot. Salman plays a wrestler in the film that also stars Anushka Sharma in the lead role. Arbaaz said it was just like any other comparison: It was just the kind of (statement) where we compare things...I worked like a donkey so now people will say you used the word donkey so some animal activist will come after you. Read: Salman says he felt like a raped woman, stirs controversy While the National Commission for Women has demanded an apology from Bollywood actor Salman Khan within seven days, the womens wing of NCP has filed a police complaint against the star in Maharashtra. (Reuters) Not every incident that happens with Salman I am supposed to be answerable...He is a 50-year-old man who says what he wants to the media and lives his life. There are some things which we say while talking but we should look at the intention, why was it said. I definitely have no doubt that whatever Salman said, the intention was not wrong, Arabaaz said, when quizzed by reporters about the controversy at the trailer launch of Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai. Read: Salmans remark a mockery of rape victims, says Delhi bravehearts mother He further said, I am sure Salman must have realised the comparison he did was not may be appropriate and for that, if he feels he needs to apologise, he will apologise or not, why are you asking me whether he should or not. If he has said it by mistake, may be he should probably give a justification. But I dont think I am entitled to make a comment and say `he has to apologise. I would hope that he gives a clarification for whatever, because a controversy has been created. So jawaab dena banta hai, because people look up to him, he has got a lot of following, he is a youth icon. Read: Salim Khan apologises for Salmans felt like a raped woman comment Sometimes you say something out of context, your intention is not wrong but if you de-sensitise it and become over sensitive about it then you can create an issue over anything, Arbaaz added. Follow @htshowbiz for more Pakistani actor Adnan Siddiqui was in India earlier this month to shoot for his Bollywood debut that also stars Sridevi and Nawazuddin Siddiqui. Completely bowled over by the performances of his co-stars, Adnan cant stop praising them. I had a great time working with Sri Maam. She didnt let anyone feel any pressure on the sets, says the Pakistani actor, adding that her dignity and grace won him over. He feels that the Bollywood actor has a strong head on her shoulder, and is humble and wonderful. The 46-year-old actor rues the fact that he didnt have any scenes with Nawaz in the film. He says, Is baat ka rona hai (Its the only regret) that I didnt get to share screen space with Nawaz. But I am glad that we have become good friends. We bonded well. Now I wait for the day to share screen space with him. Siddiqui was also seen in Angelina Jolie-starrer A Mighty Heart Read: Adnan Siddiqui feels Pakistan needs to learn a lot from Indian TV industry Several Pakistani actors, including Fawad Khan, Mahira Khan and Marwa Hocane, have made their way into Bollywood in the recent past. Adnan feels this exchange of talent will lead to better things. Actors, painters and art dont have boundaries. All of us (Pakistani actors) working in Bollywood are ambassadors of Pakistan. We would love to see Indian actors working in Pakistan too. In fact, the trend has already started with Om Puri, Nandita Das and Naseeruddin Shah having worked in Pakistani films. Shuruwat aap ne ki, aur achhi ki (you guys started the trend, and it has been a good one). And we wont back off, he adds. Read: I am not a robot, controversies do affect me: Nawazuddin Siddiqui SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Indian businesses and policymakers are worried over UKs vote on whether to quit the European Union (EU), as a decision to pull out may mean a realigning of many companies operations, although the exact impact on Indias real economy is anybodys guess. Britain was taking a call -- with the Leave camp leading --- on whether it should share common economic objectives as the rest of the 27-member nations of the monetary union and this may force 800-odd Indian companies operating in Britain and employing more than 100,000 people to revamp their investment plans, and export and foreign-exchange strategies. Several companies have set up shop in Britain for leveraging not just the local market but also the European markets for which Britain was a base camp. This will mean reworking business plans, said Madan Sabnavis, chief economist of Care Ratings, a credit rating and research firm. Brexit: Why its Indias business to watch how Britain votes Minister of state for finance Jayant Sinha said last week the government is keeping a close watch on the Brexit vote outcome. India has been negotiating a free-trade agreement with the EU and a Brexit outcome will have direct bearing on this. If Britain stays put, then India neednt rework the current line of negotiations. If Britain quits, then this will create an additional need for India to set up a similar pact separately with the UK. Watch | Why India doesnt want Brexit If the leave camp wins, it is likely that the UK will seek trade agreements with non-EU partners, including India, DBS Group, a bank, said in a research note. At $8.83 billion in exports and $5.19 billion in imports, Britain ranks 12th in terms of bilateral trade and is one of seven countries with which India has a trade surplus. Brexit vote: All you need to know about Britains referendum A major impact at the level of individual business may be visible on Tata Steels plans to sell off its troubled UK assets. A lot of potential European buyers will in turn have to reassess their interests in buying Tata Steel UK depending on where Britain ends up. According to Carwyn Jones, first minister of Wales, who last month returned after meeting top officials of the company in Mumbai, if Britain votes to leave the EU, it could scupper the sale of Tata Steels UK assets. All these buyers are holding off to see what the result is on June 23 and Ive no doubt theyll run if they find the UK has left, he said last month. Indias IT sector is equally anxious. UK accounts for 17% or one-sixth of Indian IT firms global exports that topped $100 billion (approximately Rs 6.70 lakh crore). For one, Britains exit clearly will increase overhead costs, such as setting up new headquarters, one for EU and another for Britain. 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, Nasscom, an IT industry body, said in a statement. Experts also cautioned about impending volatility in currency and equity markets. Brexit could negatively affect the British pound, which means the rupee could appreciate and this will hurt Indian exports by making them costlier for Britain. Volatility in the currency markets will likely impact capital inflows to emerging markets including India. It will heighten global volatility impacting capital inflows, said Ritesh Jain, chief investment officer, Tata Asset Management. Any substantial depreciation of the euro or the pound, could lead to increased headaches for India in a sluggish export environment. The cabinet approved on Wednesday an auction of mobile phone airwaves, a government source told Reuters. Earlier this year the telecom ministry proposed sale of airwaves in the 700 Mhz, 800 Mhz, 900 Mhz, 1800 Mhz, 2100 Mhz, 2300 Mhz and 2500 MHz bands. India is the worlds second largest mobile phone market by users after China, and a rapid expansion of high-speed 4G services is expected to create demand for additional airwaves. The government is expected to announce details of the auction at a press conference later in the day, the official who did not want to be named, said. Indian companies currently based in Britain and others considering expanding to Britain and Europe have put on hold their decisions given the uncertainty around Thursdays referendum, a senior legislator here told HT. Conservative MP Alok Sharma, who has the role of Prime Ministers Infrastructure Envoy for India, said Indian companies had informed him of deferring some decisions in view of the referendum. He is closely involved in the delivery of multi-billion pound deals announced during the November last visit of prime Minister Narendra Modi to London. He said: Their overwhelming view is that a vote for the UK to leave the EU will be bad for British businesses, jobs and investment. India is the third largest investor in Britain, where over 800 Indian are based and operate in the European market. Sharme added: Indian companies have informed me that some decisions on future investments into the UK have been deferred until the outcome of the referendum is known and, if we vote to leave the EU, there is a big risk that Indian companies will think twice before investing in the UK. Sharma, who has been coordinating campaign group British Indians for IN, said the group had the support of over 80 British Indian business leaders including prominent entrepreneurs such as Karan Bilimoria, Uday Dholakia, Kartar Lalvani, Diljit Rana and Rami Ranger. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The new RBI governor is likely to be appointed before the next session of Parliament begins, top sources in the finance ministry told HT on the condition of anonymity. The monsoon session is tentatively scheduled for July 25. The preference is for someone who has experience as deputy governor at the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), sources said, on speculation that bankers will be preferred for the job. The stress on cleaning up of bad loan hit state-run banks balance sheets led to speculation that the government will choose a banker to lead the central bank. The RBI governor will have to have credence as an economist so a banker is out of the race said the source quoted above. RBI governor Raghuram Rajan on Saturday announced his decision to exit after his term ends on September 4. The announcement led to hectic speculation about Rajans successor. Names, including SBI chairperson Arundhati Bhattacharya, RBI deputy governor Urjit Patel, former deputy governors Subir Gokarn and Rakesh Mohan, tax expert Parthasarathi Shome, chief economic adviser Arvind Subramanian and economic affairs secretary Shaktikanta Das, have been doing the rounds. Rakesh Mohan and Urjit Patel are to be the top contenders for the post, keeping the preference for deputy governors of RBI, in mind. While Rakesh Mohan is currently Indias executive director at the International Monetary Fund, Urjit Patel succeeded Subir Gokarn in the monetary policy department of RBI in 2013. The government has already clarified that the decision on a successor will be taken by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi in consultation with finance minister Arun Jaitley. The successor has already been decided, it is the announcement that has to be made. And it will be done before Parliment begins said the source quoted above. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON In line with trending terms like Brexit and Rexit, now Twitter users 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 Britains possible exit from the European Union, while Rexit word came up after RBI governor Raghuram Rajan decided against seeking a second term. On Twitter, Aroras surprise exit was being referred as #Nexit, in line with the trending terms -- #Rexit and #Brexit. Arora said on Tuesday he is stepping down from his role as Masayoshi Son wanted to continue as the CEO for the next 5-10 years. Read: SoftBank president Nikesh Arora to step down 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...Didnt want to be CEO-in-waiting past my sell-by-date. 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 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 SoftBanks investments in India in e-commerce 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 ....cant change faith if you change jobs, he tweeted. Still there till Jun 30. Then advisor for an year :). Think they dont mind me keeping it there and i am lazy. https://t.co/qU34yQD36E Nikesh Arora (@nikesharora) June 21, 2016 Arora, who is among the highest paid global executives, received 135 million dollar pay package including a joining bonus in 2014-15, and was paid 73 million dollar 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. The Union Cabinet is likely to discuss today the mega-spectrum auction plan in which airwaves worth Rs 5.66 lakh crore will be put for sale. The Cabinet is likely to take up spectrum auction proposal. The timeline for auction will be prepared after the Cabinet approval, a source told PTI. Government expects to raise at least Rs 64,000 crore from the auction of about 2300 Mhz of spectrum and Rs 98,995 crore from various levies and services in the telecom sector. According to sources, the main document of auction, notice inviting application, is likely to be issued by July 1, followed by pre-bid conference on July 6 and bidding from September 1. However, the same has not been officially confirmed. As per rules approved by inter-ministerial panel, the auction would include sale of most premium 700 Mhz band at a price of Rs 11,485 crore per Mhz. The cost of delivering mobile services in this band is estimated to be around 70 per cent lower than 2100 Mhz band, used for providing 3G services. A company interested in buying spectrum in 700 Mhz band will need to shell out a minimum of Rs 57,425 crore for a block of 5 Mhz on pan-India basis. This band alone has the potential to fetch bids of over Rs 4 lakh crore. The total potential revenue of Rs 5.66 lakh crore from the spectrum sale is more than double of telecom services industry gross revenue of Rs 2.54 lakh crore reported in 2014-15 financial year. Leading operators have requested to defer sale of 700 MHz spectrum, saying that ecosystem for providing services in this band was not developed and sale would lead to underutilisation of the spectrum for several years and block industrys fund. As per global industry body GSMA, the total recommended reserve price for the auction is almost double the cost of all spectrum investment to date in India and more than 20 times the annual free cash flow of the entire mobile industry. The panel has also suggested stringent payment conditions compared to liberal method suggested by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai). The panel has favoured that companies winning spectrum in higher frequency bands -- above 1 Ghz like 1800 Mhz, 2100 Mhz, 2300 Mhz -- should make 50 per cent upfront payment and the rest in ten years after a 2-year moratorium. In earlier auctions, companies were given option to make 33 per cent upfront payment. For spectrum below 1 Ghz band such as 700 Mhz, 800 Mhz, 900 Mhz, companies will require to pay 25 per cent upfront and rest in ten years after a 2-year moratorium. It is in line with practice of earlier auctions but differs from Trai suggestion. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will be leaving for Beijing later in the week to attend the first meeting of the Board of Governors of the USD 100-billion Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). Jaitley, who will reach Beijing on June 24, will participate in the AIIB meeting the next day. He will also address a session on Infrastructure and Global Economic Growth on June 26. The first annual meeting of the Board of Governors of AIIB will be held in Beijing on June 25-26. On June 27, Jaitley will meet Chinese Finance Minister Lou Jiwei to discuss bilateral issues, official sources said. He will also meet National Development and Reform Commission Chairman Xu Shaoshi and Peoples Bank of China Governor Zhou Xiaochuan. During his visit, Jaitley will meet select Chinese investors and bankers to sell the India growth story and seek investment in sectors like infrastructure. On June 27, he would also participate in the eighth India-China Financial Dialogue. BRICS nations Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa founded the AIIB to boost infrastructure investment in Asia. Besides AIIB, the BRICS nations have also founded the BRICS Development Bank. The two join existing bodies including Asian Development Bank, World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank in offering finance to developing nations. European Bank for Reconstruction and Development was the last new multilateral lending institution that was set up in 1991 to help rebuild former Communist nations in Eastern Europe after the Cold War. NEW DELHI: In a major crackdown, over 100 personnel from the south district police spread across south Delhi on Sunday night and nabbed 16 alleged robbers and snatchers, including five minor boys, active at night. Four country-made pistols with four cartridges, 11 stolen mobile phones, nine two wheelers, two long knives and Rs 14,500 were recovered in the drive through Sunday night, police said on Tuesday. Senior police officers said their questioning helped 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 autos, 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. 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. Vehicle checking by our 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, by the Vasant Kunj south police. Three alleged juvenile snatchers were caught by a team of the Malviya Nagar police station. NEW DELHI: Four masked men went on the rampage at a crowded market in northeast Delhi on Tuesday morning, firing indiscriminately on a busy road killing a 45-year-old man and injuring three others, including a 16-year-old boy. In a bid to escape, the men, who blindly fired over 15 rounds, ran their car over a man crossing the road. The incident happened around 8am at the Wazirabad Market in Northeast Delhis Bhajanpura. The men, who have not been identified yet, managed to flee. A case was registered but no arrests were made till late Tuesday night. According to the police, the men, who came in a white Swift car targeted Kailash Gupta (45), a property dealer, and his son Rajan Gupta (16). The father-son duo was on a bike when the men stopped the car and opened fire. The duo lost their balance and fell on the ground. While the men managed to gun down Kailash by pumping two bullets in his chest, Rajan ducked and saved himself. He then ran towards a tea stall in the area. Turning to Rajan, the men fired three more rounds. One bullet hit Rajans leg but he managed to get inside the tea stall. The men opened fire again, injuring a 50-year-old auto-rickshaw driver, Ram Lakhan, who was having tea. A man who works at the tea stall, said, The men were on a killing spree. They were firing bullets as if bursting crackers. Even after killing one person, and injuring two, the madness did not stop and the men again fired rounds in the air, this time, injuring a passerby, Banwari, who was hiding behind a shop. The bullet hit his leg. The men, who had covered their faces with handkerchiefs, fled. In a bid to flee, the men hit one Javed who was crossing the road. After they fired indiscriminately, they sped off and after crossing a few metres, they ran over a person who was crossing the road. They ran over his leg and he was critically injured, an eyewitness said. One of the onlookers made a PCR call. All the injured were rushed to the hospital. We have zeroed down on a few suspects and arrests will be made soon. It appears to be a case of personal enmity. The men had come to kill the property dealer and his son. A case has been registered and investig ation is on, DCP, northeast, AK Singla said. BEIJING: 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 the 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. 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. 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. 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. NEW DELHI: Soon after four masked men went on a rampage, shooting indiscriminately, killing a 45-year-old man and injuring four others in Wazirabad Market, Northeast Delhis Bhajanpura area on Tuesday morning, the police zeroed down on the suspects with the help of the CCTV footage accessed from the area and detained more than seven people in connection to the case. The police said that the men wanted to kill Kailash and Rajan Gupta due to some personal enmity. Kailash Gupta worked as a property dealer and it appears that he had a long standing enmity with the men. After speaking to Guptas family members, we found out that they had an old property dispute with a few persons and Gupta was earlier threatened by them. Based on their suspicion, we have detained persons for questioning and the arrests will soon be made, a senior police officer said. The police also said that a business rival may be behind the incident. Guptas family also suspects that a business rival, from whom Gupta split of late, may be behind the planned murder. It is possible that the business rival, roped in contract killers to carry out the murder, an investigator told HT. NEW DELHI: 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. 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 anticorruption branch in the alleged Rs 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. NEW DELHI: 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. 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. 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. 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. 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 chiwef minister) Shivraj Singh Chouhan in the Vyapam scam, I will raise my voice, he said. PhD student V emula s suicide at Hyderabad University 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. NEW DELHI: 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 on Tuesday. 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. Arora had been under fire from some of SoftBank s 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 adviser 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 .... can t change faith if you change jobs :)! tweeted Arora. Snap deals 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, cofounder and CEO of Ola, said Arora would continue to be a source of support and inspiration to the Indian start-up ecosystem. I look forward to engaging with him in his role as an adviser to SoftBank in the time ahead. SoftBank, as an investor, has played a key role in Olas growth story. 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. NEW DELHI: A 28-year-old man was killed and his brother critically injured when their uncles tenants allegedly attacked them with a knife after an argument over laying a cot on the terrace in northwest Delhis Malikpur village near Mukherjee Nagar on Monday night. Police said the two brothers were attacked when they stopped the tenants, both brothers, from laying a cot on the terrace of their uncles house that was attached to their own terrace without any partition. The two objected as the tenants alleged stared at women in the family while sleeping on the terrace, said police. A senior police officer said the two brothers, identified as Raju and Ratan from Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh, are on the run. A team has been sent to their hometown to nab them. A case of murder and attempt to murder was registered against them at the Mukherjee Nagar police station. The deceased, identified as Vikas, lived with his brother, Kuldeep, 22, and other family members in Malikpur village. According to the police, Vikass uncle Virendra owns a building adjacent to his house and had rented one of the floors to Raju and Ratan. The two brothers were staying at Virendras house for the past one year. Since Virendras building is next to Vikass house and they were relatives, they had not erected any wall to separate their roofs. Vikas and his family members, including women, used to sleep on their terrace to beat the heat. Virendras tenants also used their terrace for the same purpose. Vikass family regularly had arguments with the two tenants over their habit of staring at women sleeping on the terrace. They had brought the matter to Virendras notice as well and he had asked his tenants to vacate the flat next month, said the officer. On Monday night, the officer said, Vikas once again entered into an argument with the two brothers while they were laying their cot and preparing to sleep on the terrace. Soon, the argument turned into a fight during which the two brothers attacked Vikas five times with a kitchen knife. Hearing Vikass screams, his brother Kuldeep rushed to the terrace and joined his brother in the melee. The attackers attacked him as well before fleeing the crime scene, the officer said, adding the injured brothers were taken to Babu Jagjivan Ram Hospital where Vikas was declared dead on arrival. Kuldeep is recuperating and his condition is stable, the officer added. The leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have now cornered the AAP government over alleged corruption in the distribution of high-security number plates for vehicles. BJP national secretary RP Singh and Delhi BJP spokesperson Harish Khurana have filed a complaint with the Anti-Corruption Branch against the private concessionaire and AAP government. In the complaint, the BJP leaders alleged the tender was awarded in March 2012 to Rosmerta HSRP Ventures Pvt. Ltd, a company with doubtful credentials. After the award of the contract, the transport department received several complaints but the department overlooked the illegalities and regulations. AAP government, during its 49-day tenure had taken the allegation seriously and constituted a committee. The committee had submitted its report confirming the irregularities. Despite the adverse findings of the committee, the AAP government did not terminate the contract with the concessionaire, said Khurana. As per the complaint, since two lakh vehicle are registered every month in Delhi, nearly 30 lakh vehicles were registered during the 15 months of AAP government. The average notified price in Delhi is `119 but `1,200 is being charged as mentioned by the committee report. Taking these figures into account, the scam is worth `300 crore. We have demanded an FIR be registered and immediate action taken against the company and AAP government, said Khurana. RP Singh demanded a special session of Delhi assembly to discuss the scam. They have called sessions on every small issue then why not to discuss scams that AAP government allowed to continue, said Singh. This issue is pending before arbitrator, there is no illegal plates were supplied by us. There is no question of any illegality, said a spokesperson of Rosmerta. Delhi BJP president Satish Upadhyay has said Delhi government should clarify its position on the number plate scam. ACB chief MK Meena has confirmed that the complaint has been received and an inquiry has been initiated. AAP govt clarifies New Delhi: The Delhi government on Wednesday defended itself over charges of inaction in the alleged HSRP scam, saying that it was the 49-day AAP government that had ordered cancellation of the contract of the vendor in 2014. The then transport minister Saurabh Bhardawaj had ordered cancellation of the contract. During the Presidents Rule, the lieutenant Governor had sent the matter to an arbitration tribunal. The tribunal had since stayed any coercive action against the contractor till its hearings are over. In all its hearings since then, the transport department has requested the tribunal to allow cancellation of the contract, said a Delhi government official. HTC The Delhi governments transport department has issued an order banning the retrofitting of CNG kits in in-use cars in the view of some CNG kit manufactures supplying unapproved and uncertified CNG fuel kits. The department has directed its motor licensing officers (MLOs) not to register vehicles that have been retrofitted with CNG kits till further orders. There were allegations that some CNG kit manufacturers are supplying unapproved/uncertified and sub-standard CNG kits for retrofitting in the in-use vehicles, thus cheating the vehicle owners by charging them prices of original kits. In this connection, all MLOs are hereby directed not to endorse CNG fuel in vehicle registration certificates till further orders, deputy commissioner (Transport operations) Yogesh Pratap said in the order. The Fortis Hospital at Shalimar Bagh dismissed five staffers on Wednesday for allegedly operating on the healthy left ankle of a chartered accountant instead of the injured one during a surgical procedure conducted the previous afternoon. A police complaint lodged at the Ashok Vihar police station stated that the patient, 24-year-old Ravi Rai, had fractured his right leg when he fell down a staircase on Sunday. He was taken to Fortis Hospital, where screening tests showed that the ankle joint was damaged. Following this, the surgeons decided to operate on the leg. He had fractured an ankle joint, and needed screws to hold it in place, said Rais father Ram Karan. But when they brought him out of surgery, we noticed they had operated on his left leg. His right leg was untouched. Ram Karan alleged that the hospital authorities were shockingly nonchalant about the entire episode. When we questioned the doctors, they said there was no problem they would simply perform another surgery to remove the screws from the left ankle and put them in the right one, he said. Claiming criminal negligence and apathy on the part of the hospital authorities, the distressed father said: Several tests were conducted before the surgery, and they had even marked his right ankle with a marker. What made them operate on the wrong ankle, then? Ram Karan said Mediclaim reimbursement of Rs 1 lakh has already been paid to the hospital. They delayed the surgery by a day because we hadnt received confirmation from the insurance company, he added. Rai, meanwhile, has been shifted to Max Hospital in Shalimar Bagh for treatment. In a statement released on Wednesday, Fortis claimed that the hospital had set up an expert committee to probe the incident immediately after the botched surgery. Preliminary findings suggested that the accused doctors had deviated from routine operating room procedures to reduce chances of human error, it added. The operating team may have disregarded and side-stepped due processes... As this is a zero-tolerance area for us, the services of five erring doctors and operation room personnel have been dispensed forthwith. Action is also being contemplated against others, pending inquiry, the hospital said. Police said a case under sections 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others), 338 (causing grievous hurt by an act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered against the staffers. We are looking into the matter, said Vijay Singh, deputy commissioner of police (northwest). SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The transport department on Monday started seizing buses plying under Ola, Shuttl and other aggregators even as the controversy over AAP governments ambitious bus-aggregator scheme rages. So far the department has cracked down on at least a dozen buses. The Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) is investigating a complaint by BJP MLA Vijender Gupta alleging that the AAP government had prepared the policy to favour a particular company. The allegations have been denied by the government. The government also said that the ongoing crackdown on bus aggregators was initiated because in the absence of a policy, their operations are illegal. The transport department has written to the traffic police asking to conduct regular drives against buses plying illegally in Delhi. We have limited staff and enforcement becomes a difficult task. We have asked the traffic police to carry out regular drives. We have seized about a dozen buses as they do not have the licence to run from point to point. Most of them are tempo travellers and run on diesel, which is another violation, said a transport department official. At present, there is no rule under which these companies can take licence and the bus-aggregator policy would have allowed them to apply for licences. These buses have All-India Tourist Permits and they attach themselves to aggregators to earn money. Most of them act as feeder to Metro and ply from Dwarka to Gurgaon. Also Read | Ready for jail if graft charges in bus aggregator scheme proved, says Rai Sandeep Goel, special commissioner of police (traffic), said, We keep taking action against commercial vehicles including buses for various types of permit violations. Officials at Ola refused to comment on the issue. Authorities at Shuttl were not available for comments. Last month too, transport department had seized 52 buses that were plying illegally and picking passengers from bus stops. The department noticed buses from Haryana, UP and Rajasthan picking up passengers from bus terminals of Delhi. On checking, they were found to be running without any permit. Sources said since the transport department had not given an interstate permit to buses in the past few years, most of them were running illegally. The buses were taking commuters to NCR towns and far-off areas. Only the DTC buses and cluster buses and those given permit by neighbouring cities are allowed to operate in Delhi and NCR area. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Private water tankers, though illegal in the city unless hired by the Delhi Jal Board, became south Delhis lifeline during the recent water crisis. The Delhi Jal Board banned private tankers when the new government took office last year. Water filling stations, as per rules, are under the control of DJB and only tankers hired or owned by the utility can fill water and supply it. Though illegal, getting private water tankers is not a problem. Number of suppliers can easily be found with the touch of a button. Their phone numbers are listed on websites that specialize in providing service-related information. Read more: Water distribution in need of complete overhaul, says DJB For residents, though, the matter of legality or illegality becomes irrelevant at the time of a crisis. We ultimately have to rely on private tankers as they are easy to catch hold of and they also supply water to second or third floors using booster pumps, said SS Gupta, president of Hauz Khas DDA Apartments RWA. A 4000-litre water tanker costs R1,000, residents in Sangam Vihar say. The area has battled water shortage for decades. Water pipelines have been laid in a few blocks, but any fault hits the area hard. There is no water supply in the lanes and people fight over water when the DJB tanker comes to area. And during peak summers the frequency of the tankers has also reduced. As a result, we are forced to make alternative arrangements to fulfill our requirement, said a resident. He alleged that water being supplied through tankers meant for free distribution in the area is being sold. Delhi Jal Board CEO Keshav Chandra says the board has requested people to not pay private tankers. Any tankers, other than those hired by us are illegal, he says. The demand, however, remains huge. When residents went to DJB office during the crisis earlier this week, the officials tabled were full of applications. I visited the DJBs substation at RK Puram to request for supply through a water tanker, but the situation was maddening there. Already 100 requests for supplying water tankers were lying in front of these officials. Initially they refused to help us but a lot of requesting they supplied just 1,000 litres of water in our area and that too in the evening, said Anil Marwah, president of R block RWA, Hauz Khas Enclave. Should I choose the college over the course, will I be able to qualify for a regular Delhi University college or will I be able to meet the high cutoff? These are queries flooding the Mind Body Centre of the university. The centre, run by the Delhi University Women Association (DUWA), has for the past few weeks been attending to the woes of stressed aspirants. This centre, which was started in 2014, has also been meeting students regularly. For those unable to visit the centre, they are providing help over phone and email. Astha Jain, who works as a counsellor at the centre, attends the calls between 3-5 pm on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and responds to emails within a week. Read more: Got admission at DU? Heres a bigger challenge: Finding a PG Out of the total calls received, 40% are related to admissions of which 60% are by female students. Apart from the admissions, 50% queries are related to panic attacks, social phobia and depression. Jain shared how most students are confused about the choice of course. Students do not know whether they should choose the course or the college. I usually tell the students that college name does not matter. They should focus on the career they want to pursue by choosing the right course, said Jain. The centre receives calls from students in Delhi NCR, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh. The centre is only for women, so queries from male students are answered over phone or emails. Officials at the centre shared that once the college starts, a lot of outstation candidates share problems of home-sickness, adjustment and accommodation. Read more: Entrance tests, important dates: All about Delhi University admissions Last year, we had a student from Gorakhpur who had completed her graduation from her home town and was doing Masters in Physics here. She was having problems adjusting in her hostel. It was more of a cultural shock,said Amita Kapoor, a DUWA official. Now the centre is planning on having camps at Vishwavidyalaya metro station to help fresh out of school students to adapt to the changing environment. The sky is the limit goes the idiom. But for the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro), space is the limit. On Wednesday, the organisation successfully launched into orbit 20 satellites, creating a record in the process. The launch was significant for it shows Isros prowess in space programmes and yet again showcases India as a destination for cost-effective satellite launch missions. Of the 20 satellites carried by the PSLV C-34 rocket, Indias 725.5 kgs Cartosat-2 Earth observation satellite was the main payload. The other 19 consisted of two from educational institutions in India, 13 from the US, two from Canada and one each from German and Indonesia. Twenty satellites is a big number but the record for launching the most number of satellites in a single launch is with Russia, which launched 37 satellites on its Dnepr rocket in 2014 . Read | As it happened: Isro places record 20 satellites into orbit Foreign satellite launches are crucial for Isro because the market is projected to run into billions of dollars by 2017. At the moment India sits on the margins because it has only the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), which is primarily for low-weight satellites. The combined weight of the 20 satellites on Wednesdays launch was about 1,288 kg. Isros focus should be on GeoSynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicles (GSLVs), which can launch heavier satellites in the range of 5,000 kg. For cost-effective successful launches, Isro needs to further perfect the cryogenic engine technology. Once that is achieved, India can compete with world leaders like the US or Europe. Read | Isro says launch of US satellites may not be a one-off affair Since the 1990s India has launched close to 80 satellites, of which more than 50 are foreign ones. If about 20 countries have signed up for launching from India (including the US), it is because launches here are close to 60% cheaper than in other countries . As India shifts from PSLVs to GSLVs with indigenous cryogenic engines signs are that we will get there soon Isro will move into the prestigious club of heavy lifters. In that sense, Wednesdays launch is a sign that Indias space programme is on the right trajectory. If there is one photograph of the Syrian refugee crisis that will haunt the world for the years to come, it must be that of three-year-old Aylan Kurdi, whose body was washed up on a beach in Turkey in September. The young boy, found lying face-down on a beach near Turkish resort of Bodrum, was one of at least 12 Syrians who drowned attempting to reach Greece from their war-torn country. The latest United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) report Global Trends, Forced Displacement in 2015 is not only an eye-opener on the scale of the crisis but also a reminder how little governments of the world have done to tackle the problem, which was in the making for quite some time. Read: Full Report here According to the report, forced displacement increased in 2015, with record-high numbers. By the end of 2015, 65.3 million individuals were forcibly displaced worldwide as a result of persecution, conflict, generalised violence, or human rights violations. This is 5.8 million more than the previous year (59.5 million). On average, 24 people worldwide were displaced from their homes every minute during 2015 some 34,000 people per day. This, the report added, compares to 30 per minute in 2014 and six per minute in 2005. Interestingly, developing regions hosted 86% of the worlds refugees. At 13.9 million people, this was the highest figure in more than two decades. The Least Developed Countries provided asylum to 4.2 million refugees, or about 26% of the global total. Read: New record: 65 million people displaced in 2015, says UN While the report is timely and useful to understand the challenge governments have at hand in tackling the crisis, it surprisingly glosses over the crisis of internally displaced people in India. Take, for example, civil strife-induced internal displacement in Chhattisgarh and in other insurgency-hit areas of India such as the North-East or Kashmir. While there is no official figure, civil society organisations in 2013 put the number of displaced people above 3 lakh. This is just one kind of displacement; environmental problems, caste issues and communal riots have also been pushing people out of their homes in large numbers. By overlooking this huge number, the UNHCR has glossed over a refugee crisis that is in no way less critical than what is happening in other parts of the world. Read: Falling short: How India treats those seeking refuge Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta (IIM-C) is offering a range of management development programmes (MDPs) to for managers, business leaders, and entrepreneurs, to help them hone their skills. These MDPs span three days to three weeks and are conducted on-campus and at corporate offices. IIM Calcutta holds triple international accreditations by AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business), AMBA (Association of MBAs) and EQUIS ( the three major international accreditation bodies for Business Schools). Elaborating on these programmes, Professor Uttam Kumar Sarkar, dean, New Initiatives and External Relations, IIM Calcutta, says, The programmes are aimed at giving the right mentoring to professionals. To survive the challenging business world of today, managers and executives need to continuously hone their skills and upgrade their business acumen, to stay abreast of industry trends and leverage on the emerging opportunities. IIM Calcuttas MDPs are based on key business fundamentals like managerial effectiveness, team building, leadership ,strategic cost management, and marketing skills and project management to emerging topics like business analytics, oil economy and business in the BRICS nations . The pedagogy involves a variety of teaching methods: case studies, simulations, closed group analyses, and applied learning projects; interspersed with lecture sessions on theory and practice. The sessions are essentially interactive, and participants are encouraged to question assumptions, identify opportunities, solve complex problems, develop operational performance, boost productivity, and in the process, build sustainable competitive advantage. These MDPs are offered in both formats, open enrolment as well as customised formats tailor-made to address specific mandates from individual organisations. For more information, click here. Hollywood director Steven Spielberg returns to making films through the eyes of children with The BFG, a big screen adaptation of the much-loved story by British author Roald Dahl. The tale follows young Sophie, played by Ruby Barnhill, who comes across a giant, portrayed by Oscar winner Mark Rylance - a Big Friendly Giant (BFG) who, unlike his peers, does not eat children. Read: Gulshan Grover gives voice-over in Steven Spielbergs film Although Spielberg has made many family movies in his award-winning career, he has also directed more historical films such as Saving Private Ryan and Lincoln. I havent really swum in this wading pool in a long time, Spielberg told Reuters at the films premiere in Los Angeles on Tuesday. It was really nice to be able to just let my imagination roam free without being kind of fettered by all the precepts of history and all the truths you need to tell when you do a historical subject. So all of us felt free and very happy to be returning to our childhoods to tell this story. Steven Spielberg, third from right, director/co-producer of The BFG, poses with cast members, left to right, Penelope Wilton, Mark Rylance, Ruby Barnhill, Bill Hader, Rebecca Hall and Rafe Spall at the premiere of the film at the El Capitan Theatre. (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP) The BFG, which first screened at the Cannes Film Festival in May, hits cinemas worldwide from June 30. Read: Steven Spielberg wont kill Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones 5. Promise Follow @htshowbiz for more Amid stiff opposition by China to Indias entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group, France strongly backed New Delhis case on Wednesday, saying it will bolster global efforts against nuclear proliferation and asking the members states to take a positive decision in the Seoul plenary meeting. A key member of the 48-nation grouping, France also asserted that Indias participation in nuclear control regimes will help better regulate the export of sensitive goods, whether they are nuclear, chemical, biological, ballistic or conventional materials and technologies. France considers that Indias entry into the four multilateral export control regimes (NSG, MTCR, The Australia Group, The Wassenaar Arrangement) will bolster international efforts for combating proliferation. Read: China rules out discussion on Indias NSG bid at Seoul meet, again Indias participation in these bodies will help better regulate the export of sensitive goods, whether they are nuclear, chemical, biological, ballistic or conventional materials or technologies. In line with its active and long-standing support to Indias entry to the NSG as a full-fledged member, France calls on its members, who are meeting on 23 June in Seoul, to take a positive decision, the French foreign ministry said in a statement. The ministry also mentioned that strategic partners since 1998, France and India share common goals regarding the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems. Read: Why NSG membership matters to India: All you need to know These goals were reaffirmed during the visit of the President of the French Republic to India, from 24 to 26 January 2016, it added. The French President was the chief guest at the Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi. On Tuesday, the US White House had in a statement said India was ready for NSG membership and asked participating governments to support Indias application at the plenary session of NSG in Seoul starting Thursday. 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. Read: S Jaishankar heads to Seoul to push for Indias NSG membership 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. Police arrested an octogenarian art dealer for possessing hundreds of artefacts thought to have been stolen from Hindu temples, as they probe possible links to international smuggling rackets, officers said on Wednesday. G Deenadhayalan, 85, was formally arrested on Tuesday after police carried out multiple raids on his properties in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, leading to the recovery of the cache of idols. Police called in experts to determine the age of the 275-odd metal and stone statues of Hindu gods, which some specialists say could be hundreds of years old. Deenadhayalan is booked for conspiring to smuggle idols and idol theft, Pon Manickavel, inspector general of a Tamil Nadu police unit that tracks down stolen idols, told AFP. Deenadhayalan was remanded in custody after appearing in court on Tuesday on initial charges of conspiracy and theft, as well as a charge of smuggling under the Antiquity and Art Treasures Act. The arrest comes after the United States returned more than 200 statues and other artefacts earlier this month to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that were taken from Indian temples. Deenadhayalans arrest prompted the Tamil Nadu government to order an inventory of idols thought to be housed in the hundreds of temples and shrines located throughout the state. Smugglers and looters have long been suspected of targeting the temples, many of which are located in remote areas and have been abandoned. Police said they uncovered the suspected racket believed to have been led by Deenadhayalan after they arrested a gang of thieves carrying stolen idols last month. Police this month conducted lengthy raids on Deenadhayalans house, warehouse and office where he has run his art business for some three decades. We have seized substantial evidence to confirm that he had sold several antiques and artefacts to many traders and individuals in Europe, UK and the US, another senior officer involved in the investigation, Prateep V Philip, said. The arrest comes five years after international art dealer Subhash Kapoor was arrested and extradited to India on charges of running a multi-million dollar international smuggling racket. Police are probing whether Deenadhayalan has any links with Kapoor, who used to own a gallery in Manhattan but is now in jail in the southern Indian city of Chennai awaiting trial. Kapoor denies wrongdoing. We are yet to confirm Deenadhayalans connection with Kapoor, said Philip. As the BJP-helmed North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) meets for the first time since it formed last month, the coalition will discuss taking its mission Congress-free Northeast forward. Together with its allies, BJP rules half of the eight states in the northeast, while the Congress holds to its dissidence-troubled governments in Manipur and Meghalaya. It also rules Mizoram while the Left Front is firmly entrenched in Tripura. NEDA convenor Himanta Biswa Sarma, who is Assams minister for health and education, said the alliance aims to win most of the 25 Lok Sabha seats across the eight states in the region. Our common objective is to oust the Congress. We will be working together to help our allies where they are strong and strengthen our base in areas where we are strong, Sarma said. In Assam, the BJP formed government for the first time in alliance with the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Bodoland Peoples Front (BPF) after it won the assembly elections in May. Its allies, the Peoples Party of Arunachal (PPA) and the Nagas People Front (NPF) rule Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland. The Sikkim Democratic Front is also considered a friend of the alliance considering Sikkim chief minister, Pawan Kumar Chamling, had attended the inaugural NEDA meeting last month. At Wednesdays meeting, several important parties are expected, including three regional parties, viz., the National Peoples Party and United Democratic Party of Meghalaya and the Mizo National Front of Mizoram. Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Kalikho Pul of PPA and his Nagaland counterpart TR Zeliang of NPF have also been invited. Confirming the same, AGP president, Atul Bora said they would work towards an initiative that would help the cause of regionalism. BJP president Amit Shah, who chaired the May 24 inaugural meeting, is expected to attend the alliances first convention in July. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Bharatiya Janata Party-helmed North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) is scheduled to meet in Guwahati Wednesday evening in a bid to take its Congress-free northeast mission forward. This would be NEDAs first meeting after its inception on May 24, the day the BJP formed its first government in Assam in alliance with Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and Bodoland Peoples Front (BPF). AGP and BJP would be attending the meeting for the first time along with three other regional parties National Peoples Party and United Democratic Party of Meghalaya and the Mizo National Front of Mizoram. Peoples Party of Arunachal (PPA) and Naga Peoples Front (NPF) of Nagaland are the other constituents of the forum cobbled together to give Congress a stiff competition in the region where it runs three governments. BJP president Amit Shah chaired the inaugural meeting of the forum in May, and is expected to attend NEDAs first convention in July. Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Kalikho Pul of PPA and his Nagaland counterpart TR Zeliang of NPF will attend Wednesdays meeting. AGP and BJP have confirmed participation too. We have been invited for an initiative that would help the cause of regionalism, AGP president Atul Bora said. NEDA convenor Himanta Biswa Sarma, who is Assams minister for health and education, said NEDA has realistic goals for ensuring BJP and its allies win most of the 25 Lok Sabha seats across the eight-state in northeast. Our common objective is to oust the Congress. We will be working together to help our allies where they are strong and strengthen our base in areas where we are strong, Sarma said. The BJP and its allies rule half of the eight states in the northeast. While the saffron party heads the government in Assam, ally PPA rules Arunachal Pradesh and NPF rules Nagaland. Sikkim Democratic Front is considered a friend since Sikkim chief minister Pawan Kumar Chamling had attended the inaugural NEDA meeting last month. The Congress is holding on to its dissidence-troubled governments in Manipur and Meghalaya. It also rules Mizoram while the Left Front is firmly entrenched in Tripura. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON In a welcome news for as many as 5,727 Special Frontier Force (SFF) veterans who had retired before January 2009, the Centre has informed the Delhi high court that it was ready to restore service pension to them in line with the benefits available to retired Indian Army personnel. The government, however, has sought six months time to implement the high courts January 29 order on the ground that large financial implications are involved in payment of amounts to the tune of ` 600 crore, which requires consultation with several ministries. The high court had earlier given four months deadline to the Centre to issue a circular restoring the benefits to all eligible retirees. But with the government now saying that it has accepted the judgment and proposes to implement the same and it needed more time, a bench of Justice Hima Kohli and Justice Sunil Gaur relaxed the deadline for compliance on the January 29 judgment by another four months, starting June 2. The SFF a top-secret regiment was created in the wake of the Chinese aggression in 1962 and initially comprised only Tibetans. Later, Nepali Gurkhas too were recruited from 1965. They were included in the fighting force to guard the nations territories given their physical attributes and their ability to survive in very high altitude and extreme climate. In 1985, they were given rank parity with the army personnel. Subsequently, in January 2009, they were brought at par in pay, allowances and pension with the personnel of the Indian Army but prospectively. Aggrieved by the discrimination meted out to pre-January 2009 retirees, the ex-servicemen welfare union moved a public interest litigation in the high court challenging the imposition of cut-off date for the reimbursement of pensionary and other retirement benefits. The SFF had contended that the service rendered by its personnel was no less crucial to maintain the territorial integrity and sovereignty of India. Noting that the SFF veterans have made outstanding contributions to the nations defence and security, the high court had ruled that before and after 2009, SFF retirees cannot be discriminated on the basis of pension benefits. There is no justification why this differentia is introduced, given that both preand-post 2009 SFF retirees performed the same duties and stood to benefit in terms of rank parity with army personnel, for purposes of pensionary benefits, since 1985, the high court had noted. They were not army regulars, nor are they Indian nationals. Yet, they stood at the border, shoulder to shoulder with Indian Army personnel, to patrol and defend our borders. The Indian Union gave them grudging and incremental recognition for these services, the high court had remarked while deciding the plea of the still-secret regiment. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON China virtually ruled out on Wednesday the possibility of Indias entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) at a meeting in Seoul, reiterating that the inclusion of countries that have yet to sign a non-proliferation agreement was not on the agenda. Both India and neighbour Pakistan have not signed the NPT. Days after India filed its application, Pakistan, Chinas all-weather ally, too made a similar bid to join the club of countries controlling access to sensitive nuclear technology. Speculations were rife that China had softened its stand after Beijing said on Tuesday that there was room for discussion on the inclusion of the non-NPT countries. Read: S Jaishankar heads to Seoul to push for Indias NSG membership As it turned out, that was not the case. Deliberation on the entry of specific countries is on the agenda of the Seoul Plenary Meeting (June 23-24). However, it is worth noting that the meeting is only to deliberate on the entry application of countries that are state parties to the NPT (Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty). As for the entry of non-NPT countries, the group has never put that on its meeting agenda, the Chinese ministry of foreign affairs said in a statement. China has stonewalled Indias membership on the grounds that it is not a signatory to the NPT. The group, set up in response to Indias first nuclear test in 1974, aims to prevent the proliferation of nuclear weapons. Read: Why NSG membership matters to India: All you need to know 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 not on the agenda, but the US had raised the issue and Germany, the then chairman, had accepted it for discussion. 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. Opponents argue that granting India membership will undermine efforts to prevent proliferation and irk Pakistan. NSG members had three rounds of unofficial discussions on the entry of India and Pakistan into the grouping, foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said. China hopes to discuss further this issue and will play a constructive role in the discussions, she said. Although parties are yet to see eye to eye on this issue, such discussions help them better understand each other. China hopes to further discuss this issue and will play a constructive role in the discussions. China softened its stand in 2008 to allow India to get a waiver from the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) but is unlikely to repeat the gesture for New Delhis application to join the group, a top Chinese expert on nuclear disarmament said on Wednesday. The rationale behind Chinas stand in preventing India from joining the club that controls access to sensitive nuclear technology is the lack of legitimacy in New Delhis application as it is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), said Han Hua, director of the influential Centre for Arms Control and Disarmament at Peking University. (It was a surprise to me) how China was so acceptable in 2008. China was quite soft on the issueon the last waiver, Han, who specialises in nuclear disarmament in south Asia, told Hindustan Times at her office. Read: China rules out discussion on Indias NSG bid at Seoul meet, again In 2008, the NSG with grudging support from China after a diplomatic row not unlike now had granted a unique waiver to India whereby New Delhi could access civil nuclear technology without being part of the non-proliferation regime. No room for trade-off now. I see no softening of the stand on either side. To me China has hardened stand a bit. The (2008) waiver was the only exception. Joining the NSG is something different, Han said. Though she could not rule out any possibility, she said it would be difficult for India to get into the NSG in the short-term. All 48 NSG members have to give their consent to welcome a new entrant to the group. New nuclear states made China change its thinking in the late 1990s. The appearance of new nuclear states forced China to think about (nuclear) consequences more clearly, Han said. To Han, it is only the US that differentiates between good proliferation and bad proliferation in Indias context. It was only (former President) George W Bush who talked about good proliferation and bad proliferation, she said in the context of the India-US civil nuclear deal. To the Chinese, the driving force behind USs support for the deal was to make India a quasi-strategic ally. The civil nuclear deal wasnt the driving force. The thinking in Chinas strategic circles is that the reason behind Indias quest for NSG membership is international status not clean energy, as New Delhi has been arguing. What will India get (after NSG membership) that India is not getting now? What it wants, it is getting now from France, Russia, US. Dont give me the argument about clean energy. Just try to convince China about what India is being blocked from getting now? India is getting everything, she said. Han said Indias twin aims are status and legitimacy, and which mean a lot for the NPT regime. She said it was the same for China when it became an NSG member in 2004. (China signed the NPT in 1992.) I dont know what China got (that it wasnt getting)? Yes, maybe, a say in international matters, she said. The Pakistan factor behind China leading the charge against Indias inclusion in the NSG is being exaggerated, she added. Criteria, and not credentials, was Chinas lookout, she indicated. Pakistan is a factor. If India joins the NSG, Pakistan will want to. North Korea will want to do the same. There is no good or bad proliferation. Han said China is surrounded by nuclear states and more Asian countries want to become nuclear states. That kind of tendency is very worrying and against Chinas interests. Increasing number of nuclear states is not good for China. Indias inclusion will not be a good example for the region, she said. Communal tension prevailed in the Gaharpur and Haribhanpur villages of Varanasi district on Wednesday, after a Muslim mourner was allegedly lynched in a fallout over a burial dispute. The killing of the 22-year-old youth led to stone pelting by two groups, in which six people were injured and the windscreens of several vehicles smashed. Trouble began after a former village head Vijay Singh and his supporters objected to a grave being dug for the burial of a woman named Nasirun. Vijay Singh claimed ownership of the graveyard land. Subdivisional magistrate (SDM) Tribhuvan Ram and Kapsethi station officer Akhilesh Kumar Mishra reached the spot along with a police team and ordered measurement of the graveyard land. The SDM pacified both sides and said the body would be buried in the graveyard. He asked the village head to go home. Meanwhile, one Kaju (22) alias Asraf, a mourner and resident of Haribhanpur, was beaten to death on his way to the local market from the graveyard. As news of his death spread, the mourners put up a road block with two bodies, that of Kaju and Nasirun. The blockade was lifted after the officials assured the locals of strict action against those involved in the incident and compensation to the relatives of Kaju. The body of the youth was sent for post-mortem thereafter. The womans body was buried in the graveyard. The situation was tense but under control, police sources said. Heavy police force has been deployed in the village as a preventive measure. Teams have been constituted to identify those involved in the violence. Soon, they will be arrested, senior superintendent of police Akash Kulhary said. Three people were taken into custody and were being interrogated, police sources added. The district magistrate and the SSP were camping in Gaharpur, according to latest reports. A day ahead of a crucial meeting of the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), China on Wednesday changed tack on Indias entry into the elite club, saying only applications of countries that signed an atomic non-proliferation pact will be considered. This is seen as a hardening of stand after Beijing had said on Tuesday there was still room for discussion on countries such as India. Neither India nor Pakistan, which also wants to get into the club of countries controlling trade in sensitive nuclear technology, has signed the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT). Present NSG rules allow only NPT signatories to apply for membership. Read: China rules out discussion on Indias NSG bid at Seoul meet Deliberation on the entry of specific countries is on the agenda of the Seoul plenary meeting (June 23-24). However, it is worth noting that the meeting is only to deliberate on the entry application of countries that are state parties to the NPT, the Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement. As for the entry of non-NPT countries, the group has never put that on its meeting agenda. The United States has already put its weight behind India, and on Wednesday France reiterated its support, saying New Delhis entry will help better regulate nuclear trade. In line with its active and long-standing support to Indias entry to the NSG as a full-fledged member, France calls on its members to take a positive decision, the French foreign ministry said in a statement. Meanwhile, foreign secretary S Jaishankar flew to Seoul on Wednesday to shore up New Delhis efforts to join the NSG despite the stonewalling by China, which has pushed for Indias application to be considered along with that of Pakistan. NSG members held three rounds of unofficial discussions on the entry of India and Pakistan into the group, the Chinese statement said. Although parties are yet to see eye to eye on this issue, such discussions help them better understand each other. China hopes to further discuss this issue and will play a constructive role in the discussions, it added. Read: Why NSG membership matters to India: All you need to know A senior Western diplomatic source noted there had been an evolution in Chinas stance even in the past 24 hours. Diplomatic sources said India will have scored a victory even if it manages to get its application on the agenda so that the matter is open for discussion by the NSG at a subsequent stage. The sources pointed out that when New Delhi got a waiver from the NSGs rules in 2008, following the India-US civil nuclear deal, this was based on the countrys commitments and track record on non-proliferation. This track record is a key reason for the strength of US support for Indias membership of the NSG. In the US view, Indias non-proliferation record since the NSG exemption in 2008 has actually improved. The lack of a similar track record, US sources said, is why Washington and other NSG members are opposed to Pakistan being considered at the same time as India. The US also believes that even if China is able to ensure Indias application is not taken up at the NSG plenary in Seoul, this will not bring the bid for membership to an end. But membership will take a concerted diplomatic effort, the US sources said. Read: S Jaishankar heads to Seoul to push for Indias NSG membership One possibility that was being explored was the creation of a working group by the NSG to examine the membership of non-NPT countries, sources said. Let us not pre-judge anything. This is a long and winding negotiation, an Indian source said. We are hopeful that we will make it sooner than later. We dont want to put a timeline or a deadline. The NSG, set up in response to Indias first nuclear test in 1974, aims to prevent the proliferation of atomic weapons. The group works on the principle of consensus and a single hold-out country can spoil Indias chance of joining the club. The launch of satellites belonging to American companies Terra Bella - a Google company - and Planet Labs on Wednesday need not be a one-time affair, officials of Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) said on Wednesday. We are in discussions with Planet Labs and other companies for the launch of their satellites, S Rakesh, director, Isro Propulsion Centre and chairman-cum-managing director of Antrix Corporation told reporters in Sriharikota. Antrix Corporation is Isros commercial arm. An Indian Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) put into orbit 20 satellites including Terra Bellas SkySat Gen2-1, twelve of the Planet Labs Dove Satellites, each weighing 4.7kg, and also the main cargo Indias own Cartosat satellite. The 110kg SkySat Gen2-1 belonging to Terra Bella, is a small earth imaging satellite capable of capturing sub-metre resolution imagery and high definition video. Both the companies have plans to launch a series of satellites. With the earth observation satellites going down in size globally, the Isro has been reducing the size of its earth observation satellites, said AS Kiran Kumar, chairman, Isro. We cant take the private companys approach. There has to be certain minimum requirements for our government needs, he added. Queried about space agencys five year plan for launch of satellites, Kumar said as per estimation around 70 satellites are needed to be put into orbit. Currently, there are 34 satellites in orbit comprising communication, earth observation, navigation and space science satellites. When asked about the need for a third launch pad to increase the launch frequency, Kumar said Isro is building a new vehicle/rocket assembly building that would speed up the assembling of rockets. Once the existing bottlenecks are removed and if there is a need for new facilities we will go for that, Kumar added. According to him, the next PSLV rocket will put into orbit a weather monitoring and forecasting satellite Scatsat. He said the South East Asian satellite built by India is likely to be launched between December 2016-March 2017. On Indias plans to have a space station of its own, Kumar said it depends on the long term plan of Isro, the funding received from the government and other aspects. The government on Wednesday expressed full confidence in chief economic adviser Arvind Subramanian, in an apparent snub to BJP MP Subramanian Swamy whose recent criticisms of top policymakers have led many to question the acceptable limits of public discourse in India. Finance minister Arun Jaitley came to his top advisers defence after Swamy accused him of encouraging the opposition Congress to become rigid on the proposed Goods and Services Tax (GST), and acting against Indias interest during his time in the United States. Swamys earlier diatribe had been directed at central bank governor Raghuram Rajan, and many saw that criticism as contributing to his decision not to seek a second term after September. Jaitleys comments on Wednesday were the strongest yet against Swamy that not only backed the two top policymakers but also asked politicians to desist from personal attacks targeting officials. The government has full confidence in the chief economic adviser Arvind Subramanian and his advice to the government from time to time has been of great value, Jaitley said at a press conference in New Delhi. I would also add one more fact from the point of view of discipline of Indian politicians. To what extent should we attack those the discipline and constraints of whose offices prevent them from responding? And this has happened more than once. Swamy had accused Rajan of wrecking the economy, alleging he was mentally not fully Indian since he held a US green card. Both Rajan and Subramanian have worked at the International Monetary Fund. While Rajan was appointed by the previous UPA government, Subramanian was brought in by the NDA government in October 2014. Jaitley rejected suggestions that the government had not spoken out for Rajan when Swamy had targeted him, asserting that he as well as BJP president Amit Shah had spoken on the matter. On Wednesday, Swamy looked isolated as the BJP also chose to distance itself from his remarks. The party does not agree with his views. This is completely his personal opinion, BJP national secretary Shrikant Sharma said. In a series of tweets Wednesday morning, Swamy unleashed a tirade against the chief economic adviser whose name is among the several doing the rounds to succeed Rajan as RBI governor. Who said to US Cong on 13/3/13 the US should act against India to defend US Pharmaceuticals interests? Arvind Subramanian MoF !! Sack him!!!, tweeted the BJP MP. Modis chief economic adviser Arvind Subramanian had opposed India on IPR till recently, he said in another tweet referring to reports about Subramanian, when he was a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, urging the US to take action against India at the World Trade Organisation over patents. The Rajya Sabha member from the BJP accused Subramanian, who succeeded Rajan as the CEA, of encouraging the opposition Congress to harden stand on the Constitution (Amendment) Bill that would enable the rollout of the GST. Guess who encouraged Congi to become rigid on GST clauses? Jaitleys economic adviser Arvind Subramanian of Washington DC, Swamy tweeted, saying he is helping Jaitely to recognise the enemies in our camp. Now PTs (Patriotic Tweeples) can understand why our core economic sectors could not perform last two years. Trojan horses galore in MoF/Fin Institutions, said Swamy. Was AS (Arvind Subramanian) deposing before US Cong Committee against India as a US citizen or Indian? Does any PT know? he tweeted. Finance ministry officials dismissed Swamys allegations against Subramanian, saying that the ministry knew about his views and credentials before his appointment. People should read his papers on IPR and pharma before commenting on his views. They are actually in favour of India, said a finance ministry official. The ruling party MPs attack on the chief economic adviser gave an opportunity to the opposition Congress to take a swipe at the government. Subramanian Swamy now guns for Arvind Subramanian Economic Advisor to NDA. Target is Arun Jaitley not Arvind Subramanian, senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh tweeted. Is Modi handing over Finance Ministry to Subramanian Swamy? Read: Real target Arun Jaitley, not Arvind Subramanian: Digvijaya Singh SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Five students of a nursing college in Karnataka have been booked in connection with the alleged ragging of a first-year Dalit girl student, who has been hospitalised in Kozhikode with severe stomach problems, police said. The case was registered against Lakshmi of Kollam, Athira of Idukki and Krishna, Shilpa and Joe of Al Qamar College of Nursing at Gulburga, based on a statement from the 19-year-old victim, who is undergoing treatment at Kozhikode Medical College Hospital, sub-inspector of KMCH Police Station, Habib said. He said the girl had named only five of the eight seniors who were involved. The SI said her condition was now stable. A copy of the FIR had been sent to Gulbarga Police commissioner for further investigation into the matter, he said. Police said the victim was allegedly forced to drink toilet-cleaning lotion by eight of her seniors, who are all from Kerala, on May 9. Following the incident, she was admitted to a private hospital in Gulburga with serious stomach problems. As her condition worsened after five days of treatment, she was sent back home along with another Keralite student. The girl was then admitted to Thrissur Medical College Hospital, after which she was referred to Kozhikode Medical College Hospital (KMCH) on June 2. Doctors at KMCH had suggested a major surgery as the chemicals of the toilet cleaner severely damaged her food pipe following which she had been admitted to the ICU. Cases were booked under various sections of IPC,including 307 (attempt to murder), 36 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) and 346 (wrongful confinement in secret) and various sections of SC, ST Atrocities (Prevention) Act, they said. A woman police official who resigned from her post earlier this month over alleged interference in her work by a minister, has now written to the Karnataka State Commission for Women accusing senior official of harassment on duty. In her seven page letter to the commission, Anupama Shenoy, former deputy superintendent of police of Kudligi sub-division in Ballari district, has accused Ballari superintendent of police R Chetan of harassing her by succumbing to political pressure. Shenoy also accused the Chetan of causing mental torture by issuing memos to her for silly reasons on returning to Kudligi after her OOD (On Official Duty) was cancelled by the government, following public pressure. She had tendered her resignation as the DSP on June 4 as, which was accepted by the state government. Her alleged posts on Facebook levelling charges against the then labour minister and district in-charge P T Parameshwar Naik, had created a flutter. Naik was dropped from the Karnataka cabinet in the major reshuffle carried out by chief minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday. Read | Ex-Karnataka cop Anupama Shenoy who took on minister claims threat to life Confirming that the commission has received the letter from Shenoy, womens commission chief Manjula Manasa said, Someone on behalf of Anupama has submitted her letter. The commission would require her statement and personal affidavit also. The commission certainly will look into her complaint, will be recording statement of the SP also and get enquiry done, she said. In January, Shenoy was transferred allegedly at the behest of Naik for putting his call on hold, with the incident triggering a storm. A video footage purportedly showing Naik making a boastful claim about shunting out Shenoy had also gone viral later. Meanwhile, Chetan said he has performed his duty within the limits of law and refuted the charge that Shenoy was harassed. He said the matter has gone to the Womens Commission and the truth will come out from the enquiry. The Kerala Police has approached its Karnataka counterparts to register a case against two college students for brutally ragging a Dalit nursing student from Kerala. Speaking to IANS, Jaleel Thotathil, circle inspector of police, here said that they have recorded the statement of the 19-year-old victim who is presently undergoing treatment at the Kozhikode Medical College hospital. Since the place of occurrence of the crime is in Karnataka where we have no jurisdiction, her statement has been recorded and through a special messenger we have send it to the Roza Police station at Gulbarga in Karnataka, said Thottathil. The two accused of brutally ragging the student both from Kerala are Lekshmi hailing from Kollam and Athira from Idukki. The charges that have been put up include attempt to murder besides sections in the Kerala Ragging Act and Atrocities under SC/ST Act, Thottathil added. According to the victim, a first-year nursing student of Al Qamar College of Nursing at Gulbarga, she was forced to drink a bathroom cleaning liquid last month was due to which she fell ill. After spending a few days in a hospital in Karnataka, she was sent back home and has since been hospitalised at the state-run Medical College hospital at Thrissur. Following the episode, she has developed serious oesophagus problems and she has been put on intravenous fluid supplements. Her mother Janaki, on Wednesday told the media that the college authorities failed to act and has been protecting the accused. Kerala Culture Minister AK Balan said the state will bear the entire treatment expenses of the victim and will take up the case with the Karnataka government. Read| Kerala nursing student battles for life after seniors force her to drink phenyl Lance Naik Hemrajs ultimate sacrifice at the India-Pak border still lingers in the minds of Indians, but the lofty promises made to his family after the incident have largely been forgotten. The soldiers body was found beheaded after a skirmish with enemy forces in January 2013, and the then army chief and chief minister Akhilesh Yadav were among the big names who visited his village, Sher Nagar in Mathura district promising everything from land and jobs for the family to water supply and schools for the village. However, Hemrajs widow, Dharamwati, who was in Agra on Tuesday to meet officials of the power corporation over the issue of electricity supply to her village, said many of these promises are yet to be complied with. A major promise made at the time was about providing better road connectivity and water supply to the village, she said. The water in our village is saline and we have to walk for kilometres to get potable water. A water tank being constructed in our village has been lying incomplete. Also, our village is located in the ravines of Mathura district and the link road constructed is damaged. The village has been included in the list of Lohiya villages, but facilities are still to be upgraded, she added. Though five acres of land were promised, she said the family received only three acres, and her brothers-in-law are still waiting for the promised jobs. We were also given assurances that our village would get an intermediate school (up to Class 12) but any such initiative is still to commence, she said. Dharamwati, who is presently living in an army accommodation in Mathura, said even though her children were studying in the army school, she was worried about how long the facility would continue. But I have no complaints with the army, she said. Although the government had proposed to install Lance Naik Hemrajs statue at a park in the area, it failed to deliver. The family ultimately bore the entire cost of the installation, the martyrs widow said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON At least 76 people have been killed by lightning in the last two days as violent storms and heavy rains lashed Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, disaster management officials said Wednesday. Bihar reported most of the deaths after an overnight storm, which coincided with the arrival of the monsoon in the eastern state on Tuesday, left at least 56 people dead. Bihar disaster management minister Chandrashekhar warned that the toll could be higher, news agency ANI said. Though lightning strikes are relatively common during the June-October monsoon the death toll is particularly high for two days. Read: Lightning killed more Indians than other natural disasters in 2014 We have confirmation of 47 deaths and fear the toll may go up as reports are pouring in from other districts, Anirudh Kumar, a senior official at Bihars disaster management agency, told AFP. Five deaths were reported from Rohtas and Patna, followed by four each in Aurangabad, Nalanda and Buxar districts. Three deaths were reported from Saharsa, two from Bhojpur and East Champaran and one each from Banka, Muzaffarpur, Madhepura and Samastipur. Unconfirmed reports, however, said five deaths were also reported from Kaimur, three each from Katihar and Saran, two each from Purnea and Munger and one each from Gaya, Kishanganj and West Champaran. Read: Monsoon sets in over Ukhand, Met predicts heavy rain in next 2 days In Naubatpur block, on the outskirts of the state capital Patna, a lightning strike left open a 100-foot (30.5 metre) crack on the ground. The crack due to lightning is 100 feet and 8 feet deep, district magistrate Sanjay Kumar Agarwal confirmed. In Patna and Rohtas alone, 16 people were injured by lightning. More than 12 people were also hurt in the Kosi region of Saharsa. The state government, which announced a compensation of Rs 4 lakh to the victims families, has issued an advisory to people to stay away from fields during thundershowers. Authorities in the neighbouring state of Uttar Pradesh said 20 people were killed as heavy rains accompanied by lightning hit many parts of the state over two days. Lightning kills thousands every year, most of them farmers working the fields. More than 2,500 people were killed by lightning in India in 2014, according to the National Crime Records Bureau, the most recent figures available. Read: Waterlogging woes: Delhi-Gurgaon Expressway still not ready for monsoon (With agency inputs) Compelled to change four shelters in the past two years, Kanu Gandhi, the US-returned grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, wants to settle down in Gujarats Rajkot, where his grandfather had spent the early years of his life. At present, Kanu Gandhi, 87, stays at the Guru Vishram Vridh Ashram in Delhi, where an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) has been converted into a room for his stay with wife Shiva Laxmi, 85. With old age home Dikranu Ghar on the outskirts of Rajkot ready to offer lifelong accommodation, medical care and security to the couple, this former Nasa employees wish to move closer to the place where the Mahatmas journey began in Porbandar may come true. Gujarat-Rajkot is where the roots of our family are. I would like to move there and stay for the rest of my life, said Kanu Gandhi. But there is a bureaucratic hurdle. We can allow the couple to move only if recommended by a responsible authority like the PMO or any other ministry, said Dr GP Bhagat, founder of the Delhi home. In May, when the couple was shifted to Delhi by the authorities of Gujarat Vidyapith, an academic institute founded by the Mahatma, both the central and Delhi government had approached them to extend required help. PM Narendra Modi had sent Minister of State for culture and tourism and civil aviation Mahesh Sharma, even as the Delhi government rushed SC/ ST, child and women development minister Sandeep Kumar to call upon them. We read how the couple has been moving from one place to another. We want to provide a permanent stay to them, said Mukesh Doshi of Dikranu Ghar. . SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Guwahati The Meghalaya Police has busted a racket that used chemistry to con people into believing pieces of a special black paper could be turned into currency notes. The police arrested four persons two from Boko in Assam and two from Meghalaya capital Shillong and are hunting others suspected to be involved in this racket. Fake Indian currency notes smuggled in from Bangladesh had, like the other north-eastern states, been bothering Meghalaya for quite some time. The police sensed a similar racket when they received reports of the paper-to-cash magic. Our team followed the four-member gang and arrested them at Pillankata in Ri-Bhoi district, superintendent of police (City) Vivek Syiem said from Meghalaya capital Shillong. Three males of the four-member gang arrested (HT Photo) Investigations revealed the quartet was using chemical-coated black papers cut into the shape of a Rs 500 currency note to hoodwink unsuspecting customers bitten by the get-rich-quick bug. Their modus operandi was to coat genuine cash with black iodide solution and wash it with greenish-blue sodium thiosulphate or hypo that was once popular for developing photographs from negatives in the dark room, Syiem said. The gang would then convince customers to buy wads of ordinary currency note-shaped paper coated in black iodide and the chemical solution in a bottle. The female member of the gang, Shiela Marbaniang. (HT Photo) A member of the gang, Syiem said, would later bump into the buyer to ensure the bottle is damaged as an insurance against discovering the con and informing the police. The arrested four said their network extended up to Arunachal Pradesh where no one has seen through their trick yet. A Meghalaya police officer said the items seized from the quartet included a green laminated paper where solutions were to be applied for demonstration, bottles of sodium thiosulphate solution and 17 bundles of iodide-coated black paper in the shape of a Rs 500 note. Topping each of these bundles was a genuine Rs 500 note coated with the black chemical. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping this week on the sidelines of a summit in Uzbekistan, foreign ministry said on Wednesday, seeking Chinas backing for Indias entry into a nuclear trade group. India wants to become a member of the 48-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) to get better access to low-cost, clean nuclear energy -- important for its economic growth. While several countries including the United States and France have publicly backed Indias quest to join the NSG, China, which has not yet supported the bid, is seen as the biggest obstacle. A senior foreign ministry official confirmed Modi would meet Xi at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Uzbekistans capital Tashkent, which starts on Thursday. The SCO is a six-nation group comprising China, Russia and Central Asian countries focused on regional energy and security issues. The timing could be critical, as the NSG on Thursday begins a two-day meeting in Seoul, where Indias application may come up for discussion -- with a last-minute backing from China potentially a powerful factor. Read | China wont soften stand on Indias NSG bid like it did in 2008: Expert Our foreign secretary S Jaishankar is already in Seoul to closely monitor the NSG meet while our PM holds key bilateral meetings with the Chinese and Russian Presidents on the SCO sidelines, the foreign ministry official told AFP on condition of anonymity. Modi has ramped up his bid to get into the NSG this month, undertaking a multi-nation trip to court key countries including the US, Switzerland and Mexico. India is also hoping to join the SCO at the summit in Tashkent, which could help it gain access to deals in energy-rich Central Asia and boost its regional security cooperation. The multi-agency group probing Panama papers, which named around 500 Indians who have allegedly stashed money in offshore entities, has submitted three reports to the government. The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has also been updating the Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up under the directions of the Supreme Court to monitor cases related to black money, according to the revenue department. The government had in April formed MAG to investigate whether the money deposited in tax haven Panama are legal or illegal. MAG comprises officials from the RBI, I-T department, financial Intelligence unit and foreign tax and tax research. The purpose of constituting MAG is to ensure speedy and coordinated investigation in the cases of persons whose names have appeared in the Panama paper leaks. Investigations in such cases are being conducted by respective investigating agencies and the progress is being monitored by MAG, the department said. The issue of undisclosed foreign income was discussed in the zonal conference of tax officers and it was decided to focus on expeditious action, proper follow-up action in cases where prosecution complaints have been filed and taking of effective steps for recovery of demands raised. The thrust areas identified at the conference also include expeditious analysis of evidence gathered from all possible sources, examination of implications of the newly enacted foreign black money law and examination of requests of other law enforcement agencies for sharing of relevant information and documents. The Indian Institute of Petroleum (IIP) at Dehradun and Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) have developed an indigenous technology to reduce cancer-causing benzene levels in petrol. The World Health Organization has already identified the chemical as a risk for petrol pump workers and vehicle users. Therefore, the technology is likely to get global attention, sources said. We are getting a few inquiries on [the] new technology, senior IIP scientist MP Garg said. IIP officials said the petrol supplied in India carries 1% benzene and the new technology can bring down its levels down to 0.2%. In fact, RIL has already begun using the technology at its Jamnagar refinery, which primarily exports petrol to the United States, where there are tough guidelines on benzene levels. As per the global standards, the presence of benzene shouldnt exceed 0.62% to reduce health risk. However, the petroleum ministry has standardised benzene presence to 1%, which all 21 refineries are adhering too. IIP director R Vishwakarma said the benzene levels in petrol in India used to be around 5% before 2000. Garg, who has also served as director general of Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) MP, suggested that India should meet the global marker and the refineries should adopt the technology, considering the health risks of benzene. However, he said, Any new technology involves investment. We also understand that. RIL group president (research and technology) Ajit Sapre said his team approached the IIP in 2011 to know whether it had a technology to remove benzene from gasoline, popularly known as petrol. And after years of research, they were able to develop the technology. Besides petrol, benzene is used in paint, plastic and related industries. However, petrol is a potential threat because it is a highly used fuel. According to a World Health Organization document, Automobile exhaust accounts for the largest source of benzene in the general environment... benzene has been measured in air inside vehicles at levels higher than those in residential air. It further states that human exposure to benzene has been associated with a range of acute and long-term adverse health effects and diseases, including cancer. The risk is manifold especially for millions of workers at petrol pumps who have direct exposure to petrol fumes. The new vehicles have catalyst converter but [there are] still many old vehicles running on Indian roads, Vishwakarma said. The state government has seemingly taken strong exceptions to references of drug factories in Himachal Pradesh in the Alia Bhatt and Shahid Kapoor starrer Udta Punjab. A few scenes in the movie shows youths referring to drugs supplied from Himachals pharma hubBarotiwala. Also read I Udta Punjab effect? Dope test a must for 6 lakh wannabe cops Whatever is depicted in Udta Punjab about Himachal Pradesh is not a reality. I will take up the matter with the film producer and ask him to delete the reference to Baddi-Barotiwala, chief minister Virbhadra Singh told Hindustan Times. Today Baddi-Barotiwaala is not only a leading drug manufacturer in the country but it meets 30% of the requirement in Asia. There is some reference to drug entering Punjab from Himachal. It is bad to portray Himachal as a source of drugs for Punjab, he said. BY THE WAY: Udta Punjab is cared of deeper, human reality The drug manufacturers in Himachal are for genuine purpose but its also true that they are being abused by addicts, the chief minister said. No doubt, the films producer has a good intention and wants to spread awareness about the growing drug addiction among the youth but the reference to Himachal Pradesh has not gone down well, he said. I have ordered the drug authorities to keep a strict watch on the drug factories in Himachal, Virbhadra said. Also read I Facts, figures and falsehoods of Punjabs drug problem There are more than 400 pharmaceutical units based in the industrial township of Baddi, Barotiwala, Nalagarh, Parwanoo in Solan district, while more than 100 pharmaceutical units are based in Poanta Sahib and Kala Amb in Sirmaur district. Over the years, the state has emerged as one of the pharmaceutical hubs in North India. Himachal alone produces drugs worth Rs 24,000 crore. Pharmaceutical units in Himachal export drugs amounting to Rs 9,000 crore. Also read I We got it from a Himachal village Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal on many occasions has blamed drug factories in Himachal Pradesh for drug spillover in Punjab while chief minister Virbhadra Singh has been denying it. In the wake of reports that drug factories in Himachal Pradesh were clandestinely supplying drugs to Punjab, the Centre had red ordered large-scale sampling of the pharmaceutical firms in Baddi and Barotiwaala. Several states have also been sending their teams for random sampling of drugs being produced in these towns. Central drug authorities had collected 40,000 samples of the various drugs manufactured in different states across the country, of which 27,000 were from Himachal only. Extensive random sampling had triggered panic among manufacturers in the state. Of the total 700 drug manufacturing units in Baddi and Barotiwaala townships, 540 units manufacture medicines while 160 of them manufacture cosmetics. The pharmaceutical industry in Himachal has an annual turnover of Rs 30,000 crore. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Union minister M Vankaiah Naidu on Wednesday took a dig at the Congress leadership, claiming that Team Modi decides on public welfare these days, unlike the days when Madam decided and PM obeyed. The biggest change Modi government has brought is that we have ended the situation of policy paralysis. Today the PM presides and Team Modi decides on public welfare unlike the days when Madam decided and PM obeyed, Naidu was quoted as saying in a statement by his party. He was addressing a Vikas Parv programme organised by the BJP in east Delhi to celebrate two years of Narendra Modi governments rule and its achievements. At the behest of Congress, Modi was denied US visa 9 times but now the same American people are hailing Narendra Modi as an an icon, Naidu claimed. Union Minister of State for Finance Jayant Sinha said today the world is eager to invest in the country that has emerged as the top hub for investors. A large number of BJP leaders including state president Satish Upadhyay, MPs Maheish Girri and Manoj Tiwari, and Delhi in-charge Shyam Jaju were also present. Police on Wednesday conducted a pre-dawn search operation in villages surrounding the Pathankot Air Force Station, a day after a parliamentary panel cautioned the Centre of another terrorist strike at the airbase. The Parliamentary Standing Committee (PSC) on Home Affairs said on Tuesday it has informed the Centre of the possibility of terrorists hiding in villages close to the vulnerable Pathankot airbase and that it can come under fresh attack. After going back from Pathankot, we made our suggestions to the government and said that there can be a further attack on Pathankot... We were told by the villagers that some terrorists were still hiding in the villages there, chairperson of the committee P Bhattacharya told reporters. The panel visited the airbase and its surrounding villages in February after it was attacked by heavily-armed Pakistani militants, who killed seven security personnel before being eliminated in an eighty-hour long encounter on January 2. Read: Terrorists hiding near Pathankot: Rijiju downplays speculations Bhattacharya also said that the government has alerted the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF) and the Indian Army and handed over the security of the airbase to them after the recommendation of the committee. Nearly 300 Punjab police personnel led by Pathankot senior superintendent of police Rakesh Kaushal cracked down on the Gujjar settlements near the airbase wall at 5am and at least 30 villages in the vicinity were combed by the different teams led by three deputy superintendent of police of the district. Senior police officers, who were involved in the operation, said nothing suspicious was found. We quizzed many villagers, including those from the Gujar community, and have been informed that no such presence is being felt in the area, SSP Kaushal told Hindustan Times. Read: No clean chit to Pak official machinery over Pathankot terror attack: Rijiju Kaushal, who later met the GOC, BSF officials and other security agencies, also said that all the agencies have denied the presence of any suspected militant in the area. As nothing can be ruled out and we are taking every input seriously, so we conducted this surprise combing today morning, he said. Sources, however, denied the deployment of the CRPF, BSF and the army to guard the airbase. They said it is being guarded by the Indian Air Force security and its commandos. President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tashkent that begins Thursday during which India is expected to seek Chinas support for its NSG bid. We will release relevant information in due course, foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said Wednesday, confirming the meeting between the two leaders. The summit in the Uzbek capital coincides with the two-day annual plenary of the nuclear suppliers group in Seoul, South Korea where Indias application for a seat on the global nuclear trading table is expected to be discussed. During his meeting with Xi, Modi is likely to seek Chinas support to join NSG, which Beijing is resisting. Hua denied China was blocking Indias entry. With regard to Indias entry into NSG, I would like correct that the word China blocking Indias membership is not proper, she said. The word blocking is not proper. In the NSG agenda we have never seen the topic of non-NPT countries entry. So it does not make sense to say we block the entry. All the member countries were concerned and issues relating to non-NPT countries entry into the NSG were discussed, she said. We hope that relevant discussion will keep going and Chinese side will take constructive part in the discussion, she said. China has clubbed Indias entry with that of Pakistan, which, like New Delhi, has not signed the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT). An NSG membership will give India access to latest nuclear technology, crucial to meet its growing energy needs. The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation is a Euroasian political and security grouping increasingly seen as a counterweight to Nato. India and Pakistan will be formerly inducted into China-dominated group during the Tashkent summit. Membership will give India access to major gas and oil exploration projects in Central Asia. It was 6 am, and our SUV rushed at breakneck speed to the remote, spindle-shaped island of Sriharikota, around 20 kms from Sullurpeta town in Nellore district, Andhra Pradesh. On both sides stretched the Pulicat lake, which at places is no more than shallow pools of entrapped sea water this summer. Pulicat is the second largest brackish water lake in India, after the Chilika in Odisha. We zipped past long-beaked pelicans, storks, cranes, kingfishers and other native and migratory birds as they crowd these orangey waters, swallowing their pick of fish. The breeze rising from the lake was strong and gushes against the windscreen. It made a powerful whizzing hum, and I wondered if it would be similar to what the rocket igniter would sound like in a few hours. Sriharikota is Indias primary orbital launch site, with features like a good launch azimuth corridor, nearness to the equator and large uninhabited area as a safety zone. The facility consists of two launch pads for spacecraft. SHAR will also be the main base for the Indian human spaceflight program, for which a third launchpad will be built. Crowds gathered at the official launch site for the historic occasion (Swati Sanyal) On launch day, Wednesday, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) C34 took off from the second launch pad. This was ISROs biggest launch ever at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) at Sriharikota Range (SHAR), where we witnessed the PSLV C34 fly to inject 20 satellites into a single sun synchronous orbit, at a height of about 505 km. Three of the satellites were Indian ones a Cartosat-2 satellite for earth observation, used for urban, rural, coastal land use, water distribution and other such applications; the other two were developed by Indian universities while the rest are commercial satellites from US, Canada, Germany and Indonesia. ISRO has a commercial arm, Antrix Corporation Ltd, that launches foreign satellites into space. According to reports quoting the prime ministers office, 28 foreign satellites launched on the PSLV between 2013 and 2015 and generated around $101 million in commercial launch fees. Several countries use ISROs services because its space missions are conducted at costs that are several times lower than that of other space agencies. Wednesdays launch cemented Indias place as a forerunner in global space programs. According to ISRO, the PSLV is one of worlds most reliable launch vehicles, and its XL version has made the worlds major rocket powers appreciate the working being done in the organisation. It will be taking its 36th trip to space; it has been in service for over 20 years and has been used for the Chandrayaan-1, Mars Orbiter Mission, Space Capsule Recovery Experiment, and Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS). It has launched over 40 foreign satellites for 19 countries. In 2008, it created a record for the most number of satellites placed in orbit in one launch by launching 10 satellites into various Low Earth Orbits (the current record is by the Russian DNEPR rocket launching 37 satellites in 2014). Given its unfailing service and flexibility towards customisation, it is known as ISROs workhorse and has the capability of injecting 1750 kg of payload (satellites) into the 600 km sun synchronous polar orbit. Our SUV continued to rush as my host was in a hurry. At the main entrance of SDSC, the maroon wall announcing the name of this ISRO centre gleamed. The 48-hour countdown to Wednesdays mission began at 9.25 am on Monday, June 20. The previous day, officials conducted a Mission Readiness Review to inspect all the processes, explain what would be expected from each team member and department, and clarify the general flow of work. Before a launch, every team is expected to be vigilant in both meeting its own targets and collaborating with others on the larger mission. The MR Kurup Auditorium from where the whole event was witnessed (Swati Sanyal) Everywhere you looked, the whole area was dotted with uniformed men moving about on two-wheelers and in jeeps. The security and safety measures here were beefed up several times ever since the launch countdown. There was a crowd in front of the Keepakah centre employee canteen. Many of the staff also brought along a guest or two for the historic occasion. Employees from the afternoon and night shifts had to roll in for special launch duties in the morning. There was, of course, a launch day special breakfast menu: idly, vada, upma, pongal, coconut and tamarind chutneys, sweets and coffee, all in unlimited supply. There was an exuberance in the air, a feeling of festivity along with the kind of nervousness that you experience inside an exam hall. Anticipation builds as the moment draws near (Swati Sanyal) The wonder of the PSLV The PSLV has four parts, each with its own set of motors, fuels and propellants. The lowest section (PS1) includes the core of the vehicle while the fourth (PS4) holds all the satellites that are to be injected in the orbit. There are six strap-on boosters containing 12.2 tonnes of solid propellant to augment the engines, four of which are at ground level. When the core is ignited, the propellant starts burning radially and these four grounded boosters are ignited along with the core to provide the massive thrust that is required for the giant vehicle to break its gravitational pull, and rise, gaining enormous velocity at every stage. The solid propellants are made in-house at ISROs SHAR premises, while the 42 tonnes of liquid propellant for PS2 has to be procured from third party industrial collaborators. According to N Narayanamoorthy, an electronics and communications engineer associated with the PSLVs development right from its formative years, special permission had to be obtained from the government in 1982 for this unique configuration of solid and liquid propellants. At some point, the scientists realised that increasing PS2 fuel from 33 to 37.5 tonnes was needed to increase its payload capability and carry heavier satellites to their relevant orbits. Today, the PSLV is available in three configurations the generic vehicle with six strap-ons, which is the earlier edition of PSLV (which will be discontinued soon), the core-alone version (without strap-ons), and the XL version with extended strap-ons. Other parts of the launch vehicle are manufactured separately at a Bangalore campus named after Vikram Sarabhai (VSCC) and then transported to SHAR for testing and launching. After each part of the vehicle is tested, it is integrated and assembled. An umbilical tower connects to the integrated vehicle at different stages through wires and pipes, filling it with fuels and gases, charging its batteries, and coordinating other processes. The day before the launch, the fuel tanks get filled with propellant. Launch day Beginning five hours before launch, GPS radiosonic balloons were released every hour into the atmosphere. These balloons send data to track parameters like wind speed and direction. An hour before launch, this data was programmed into the launch vehicle system to be able to harness the wind to its advantage. Just as you avoid stepping on the puddles on the street after it has rained, the vehicle is programmed to avoid opposing forces, explained one official on condition of anonymity. Marine and air traffic commands gave their clearance an hour before, clearing the region of all other air and water vehicles. Next, the propellant, fuel and control tanks are topped up 30 minutes before launch to account for any liquid evaporation and ensure steady pressure on the propellants. Imagine when the rocket lifts up and moves at such a high speed, everything inside it is supposed to move around. This is not acceptable in case of the propellants because air blocks will disrupt the free flow of propellants to the engines. To prevent this, and to ensure that steady pressures on the propellants are maintained, helium gas at a very high pressure of around 375 bars is bled into the fuel tanks, said the official. In these last 30 minutes, voices from the mission control room started pouring in through speakers to announce mission-readiness updates. The auditorium from where we were watching also started receiving live commentary, explaining many of the small and big aspects of the launch. About 20 minutes before launch, the spacecraft was switched on using its internal power. Ten minutes to go, and the whole system moved to the Automatic Launch Signals (ALS) phase, which meant the reins were handed over to the hands of computers that receive and examine data from all parts of the PSLV, looking out for last minute glitches. If there is a leakage or a slowdown during any step, this is the stage at which it must be detected, and these computers have the power to decide to stop the launch if needed. A senior employee told me on condition of anonymity that things have indeed gone wrong in the past before a launch; he told me about a situation in which a propellant leakage was identified in a GLSV vehicle hours before the launch. But cool-headed scientists followed protocols and safety norms to fix the leak, and the launch took place after all. The roll control engine is the first to ignite just 3 seconds before the launch. Once the computers check if this has happened on schedule, it is the turn for the core and the four strap-on boosters to ignite at minute zero. Smoke thrusts down the rockets tail and, after all the anticipation, the quake of burning fuel comes like a relief. The thrust formed by the fuel at this stage lifts the vehicle along with its precious load of satellites. Within a fraction of a second, the rocket is in the air. The terrace of the MR Kurup auditorium, where relatives and personal guests of ISRO staff gathered to witness the launch (Swati Sanyal) On the terrace of the MR Kurup auditorium, where relatives and personal guests of ISRO staff gathered to witness the launch, I looked at the faces around me. Many were smiling. Some were concentrating. Many of us didnt comprehend all the moving parts of this highly technological event, but we understood that it was something very special. Some were in tears. Maybe it was the sun, or maybe it was just wonder and pride. (This story has been published in arrangement with GRIST Media) Muslim Rashtriya Manch, an RSS affiliate group is hosting a grand Iftar in Delhi on July 2 for which it has invited ambassadors of many countries including Muslim nations like Pakistan to spread the message of unity and harmony. The iftar party in the Capital would be a much bigger affair this time. It has also asked its members to hold the event across the country. The aim is to tell the world about Indian-ness, helping people from all communities live in peace and harmony...India is a ray of hope and peace for the Muslim world, RSS leader and patron of the Manch Indresh Kumar said. Citing holy scriptures, Kumar said even the Prophet has said that whenever he felt disturbed, he felt spiritual waves of peace and love coming from the east and referred to Hindustan and that the day will come, when the message of peace and love will flow from Bharat. Charity begins at home...all should live in harmony and help make the country free of riots and the world including India free from violence including terrorism, he said in his appeal to the minority community members. Kumar also said that he has urged the community members to plant a sapling to curb pollution and bring home the holy sapling (Tulsi) at home and worship it, saying it is referred to as Rehan, also called the plant of heaven in the holy Quran. The RSS leader said there should be no discrimination in slogans in favour of the country, irrespective of the language used, and said people should break free from the shackles of communalism to avoid spreading hatred in humanity. The Manch had organised a similar iftar for some diplomats in Delhi, but this time it is being organised on a bigger scale. Kumar said that invites to diplomats of 35 to 40 Muslim nations and some others have been sent. Foreign secretary S Jaishankar on Wednesday headed for Seoul ahead of the crucial NSG Plenary from tomorrow, where India is hoping to clinch membership which is strongly opposed by China and some other countries. Jaishankhar, who was closely monitoring the goings-on during the officials level meet of the 48-nation grouping which started on Monday, left for the South Korean capital to lobby with members to boost Indias prospects of getting membership. 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 Indias case, sources said. Read: Pak claims to have successfully thwarted Indias NSG entry bid However, China continues to stonewall Indias bid for NSG membership with the members divided over the entry of a non-NPT signatory country like India. The NSG works under the principle of unanimity and even one countrys vote against India will scuttle its bid. 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. 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. Read: Chinas U-turn on Indias NSG bid: Theres always room for discussion 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 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. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president Amit Shah and yoga guru Ramdev performed yoga at a function organised on the occasion of the International Yoga Day in Faridabad on Tuesday. Haryana governor Kaptan Singh Solanki and chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar were present at the national function held in Chandigarh attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Haryana health minister Anil Vij, state BJP president Subhash Barala, Kalka MLA Latika Sharma were also present at the function held at the Capitol Complex. Besides, various Union ministers and state ministers participated in yoga events in different districts of Haryana. A large number of people performed yoga together at a district-level function organised in Faridabad in which Union minister of state for social justice and empowerment Krishan Pal Gurjar participated. The programme was conducted under the supervision of yoga guru Ramdev. Speaking on the occasion, BJP chief Shah said the enthusiasm shown by the people towards yoga indicated the success of the campaign to promote this ancient practice to stay fit and healthy. He said that through the efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, people in 170 countries had adopted yoga as a part of their lives and the Yoga day was being celebrated in 193 countries. Shah also released the book titled Yog Vishwakosh penned by Baba Ramdev. Haryana state in-charge of BJP Anil Jain said that with the efforts of Baba Ramdev, people across the country had become keen to adopt the indigenous practices. Several MLAs and experts from Patanjali Yogpeeth also participated in the event. Elsewhere in the state, several ministers and chief parliamentary secretaries (CPSes) participated in the events organised in different districts of the state. A large number of prisoners and jail department staff as well as senior police officials, including director general, prisons, Yash Pal Singal also participated in an event held at the Central jail, Ambala. INCONVENIENCE AT GOVT OFFICES KARNAL The various district administrations on Tuesday celebrated the International Yoga Day as almost all officials from the district administrations, school children and general public participated in functions held in the morning on this occasion. However, people faced inconvenience at various government offices as the officials reached late. While the government had announced two-hour short leave for the employees participating in the Yoga day function from 6am to 8am, the people, who visited to the mini-secretariat in Karnal, had to wait for several hours. Six people, including a doctor couple, were arrested on Wednesday, on charges of arranging the sale of a 11-day-old boy here. Police said the mother of the infant, born at a hospital in Kulamangalam in the district, decided to sell the baby for money and sought the help of the doctor couple Rajasekharan and Shanthi, who in turn struck a deal with Chitra Bai, running a home for women in the city. Chitra bought the baby for Rs 5 lakh, and planned to sell it for a profit, they said. Following a tip-off regarding sale of the baby, police and child helpline members under the pretext of buying the infant contacted Chitra. When Chitra told them to come to Maravankulam near here, a police team reached the spot and rescued the baby and arrested six persons. Chitra was also arrested, police said. A case has been registered under Anti-Human Trafficking and Child Protection Act against the six, police said. Pakistans national security adviser Nasser Khan Janjua has alleged that the USs efforts to get India included in the nuclear suppliers group (NSG) was part of a greater design to contain China and prevent the resurgence of Russia. Its [part of] a greater design, Janjua said at a seminar on Tuesday on Pakistans case for NSA membership. American policies, he cautioned, would ultimately bring Pakistan even closer to China. Janjua said the move by the US to induct India into the 48-nation exclusive nuclear club should be seen in the context of global power politics trends. He then listed contain China, prevent the resurgence of Russia and keep the Muslim world in a controlled chaos as some of the leading trends in the current global power politics, The Express Tribune reported. The newspapers said it was unprecedented that a top Pakistani official would publicly make such a candid statement on a sensitive issue. Pakistan was upset with the US decision to aggressively campaign for India while ignoring Islamabads NSG aspirations, the paper said. Pakistan formally applied for NSG membership in May, setting the stage for a showdown with India at the elite groupings plenary session in Seoul. The campaign for Indias membership was seen as carrying the risk of antagonising Pakistan as well as China, which could veto Indias application, the paper said. Pakistan feared that NSG membership for India would disturb strategic balance and trigger a new arms race in South Asia, it said. Pakistans former permanent representative at the UN in Geneva Zamir Akram said Islamabad was only opposed to exclusive membership of the NSG for India. He was speaking at a seminar organised by the Strategic Vision Institute (SVI), a think-tank, in Islamabad. The Dawn reported that Akrams comments follow remarks by Indian foreign minister Sushma Swaraj that India was not against any country, including Pakistan, joining the NSG on merit. Pakistan supports the evolution of criteria that can be applied across the board, Akram said. Experts are concerned about the discovery of a predatory fish that can grow up to eight feet from Subhas Sarovar in Kolkatas eastern fringe of Beliaghata as it can destroy local ecosystem and biodiversity. A local angler, Shibu Mondol, caught a 3.5-feet long Alligator Gar a fish that resembles an alligator with long sharp teeth and equally predatory instincts and sometimes known to attack humans two months ago. Biodiversity experts, ecologists and anglers say the fish could kill almost every other fish in the lake. The prehistoric relatives of this mega fish inhabited many parts of the world, but today gars live only in North and Central America. Of the seven known species, the Alligator Gar is the largest. Alligator Gar has already become a nuisance in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh and reports of the fish spreading fast and becoming invasive in water bodies of Tamil Nadu are also pouring in. In 2015, an Alligator Gar was caught from a well in Dadar in Mumbai. (HT photo) It is a highly carnivorous fish. It not only kills other fishes but there are reports of it attacking humans too. The fishs egg is also poisonous. It has no natural enemies and hence can become invasive in no time destroying the local ecosystem and biodiversity, Mathe Rajeev Mathew, expert member of the National Biodiversity Authority and the Telangana State Biodiversity Board, said. Alligator Gar has already become a nuisance in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh and reports of the fish spreading fast and becoming invasive in water bodies of Tamil Nadu are also pouring in. In 2015, an Alligator Gar was caught from a well in Dadar in Mumbai. A group of experts has been called in to tackle the menace. This is the first time that this species has been caught in the city. We would like to send a team and collect the specimen. We would also try to explore the lake to check if their population has proliferated and how big is the threat, KC Gopi, a fish expert of the Zoological Survey of India, said. Experts say they are usually smuggled into the country to be reared in aquariums. But when the fish starts gaining size and kills other fish, owners often release them in the local water bodies. We have had a similar experience with another aquarium fish called the Crocodile fish while working in East Kolkata Wetlands. They are bought by aquarium keepers and then released into wild when they grow big. Crocodile fish are now found in almost every pond and lake in Kolkata and are destroying the local biodiversity, Dipayan Dey, who heads the city based NGO South Asian Forum for Environment, said. Mondol the person who caught the fish - gave a scary account of how he caught the fish as it tried to attack him and snap his finger. Mondol is a member of the West Bengal Anglers Association and fishes regularly in Subhas Sarovar. Unlike a Rohu or Katla fish, which usually tries to drag the rope deep into the pond after it is hooked, this fish was lying idle in the water like a tortoise. When I started pulling it out of the water, I was shocked to see the alligator-like snout. I screamed and local residents soon rushed to the spot. The fish after being pulled out not only made a dart to bite me but also killed a Katla fish which I caught earlier, Mondol said. The Alligator Gar that Mondol caught weighed more than five kilos. One of Mondols friends killed the fish and ate its meat that tasted sour. Mondol, however, managed to retain the skin and head and is drying to preserve it. We couldnt cut the fish with a knife. It was so hard that it had to be hacked with an axe, Mondol said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON In their craze for taking selfies, seven boys, including two siblings, were swept away by the fast current of the Ganga at the Ganga Barrage here on Wednesday morning. The bodies of the boys, aged between 21 and 23 years, were recovered after three hours of frantic search. The deceased-- Maqsood, Sachin Gupta, Shivam Gupta, Satyam Gupta, Golu Tiwari, Rohit and Sandeep Gupta-- had gone to the Ganga barrage on a joy-trip. Maqsood lived at Colnolganj in Parade, and the others were residents of Lal Colony in Juhi under the Kidwai Nagarpolice station. Two of the drowned boys, Shivam and Satyam Gupta, were brothers. According to eyewitnesses, eight boys drowned, but police put the figure at seven. Professional divers were still trying to find the 8th missing boy, at the time of filing the report. According to the Kohna police, the boys went to Ganga Barrage from gate number one around 10.30 am and were taking selfies on the stairs. Suddenly, one of the boys slipped and fell into the river and was swept away. The other six boys, either in panic or in a bid to rescue their friend, jumped into the river but failed to make it to the shore. A few people who witnessed the incident informed the police, who immediately swung into action and summoned a professional swimmer, Nasir, from Shuklaganj. Nasir with his team of ten people reached the site and fished out seven bodies and was trying to trace the eighth boy, according to the latest reports. MUMBAI: The BJP has criticised the Congress-NCP-controlled district cooperative banks for not honouring crop insurance claims of farmers. The move is being seen by many as another attempt to get control of the cooperative sector that is still largely controlled by the Congress and the NCP. The NCP hit back saying it is a political move with malafide intentions. State cooperation minister Chandrakant Patil on Tuesday said there are complaints that many district cooperative banks are not disbursing crop insurance money, resulting in difficulties for the farmers who are already in distress. The state government will take action against all such banks that have not released crop insurance claim amounts, Patil said. Sources in the government confirmed that the government is considering to issue notices to three district cooperative banks directing them to comply the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) rules. They are Beed, Osmanabad and Jalna all controlled by NCP heavyweights. Senior NCP leader and leader of Opposition Dhananjay Munde controls the Beed district cooperative bank, Osmanabad bank is being controlled by former NCP MP Padmsingh Patil, while former education minister Rajesh Tope has control of the Jalna district cooperative bank. Sources said around Rs 800 crore are pending with the Beed bank, while Jalna has to pay around Rs 480 crore against crop insurance claim amounts to the farmers. The cooperation minister warned all such banks to start releasing the amount immediately or face action. However, Tope has refuted the claim and said it is a political move. Its propaganda. What has been said about Jalna bank is false. This also shows malafide intentions of the government, Tope said. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON 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 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, Modi said in a tweet. In a second tweet, he 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 Jagaran Manch national coconvener. 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 state-of-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. The special anti-corruption bureau (ACB) court on Wednesday granted bail to Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Chhagan Bhujbal and his nephew Sameer Bhujbal in the Maharashtra Sadan scam case. They will, however, continue to be in jail because they have been booked in a enforcement directorate (ED) case, in which the Bombay high court rejected his bail. The ACB court had on last occasion issued a production warrant against the two in the case. The jail authorities had on Wednesday produced the duo where they were formally arrested and later granted bail. The court had last month taken the cognisance and issued summons to all the 17 accused, of which one has died. As Bhujbal and his nephew Sameer have been lodged at Arther Road Jail in connection with a money laundering case, the summons were returned and the court issued a warrant to produce the duo before the court. The ACB alleged the senior NCP leader misused his official position to ensure gains to the contractor, which caused a huge loss to the state exchequer. The ACB, in its charge sheet has cited government norms that clearly state a contractor should not earn profit exceeding 20% for the project he has been allotted. However, the agency alleged that in this case, the contractor earned 81.9% profit. Around 10km off Versova beach, Jayant Pawar pulls out his fishing net from the sea to inspect the catch. What tumbles out is a mix of plastic fragments and discarded shopping bags, but very few fish. We have been forced to travel further into the sea for fish as Mumbais coast and beaches are filled with plastic waste, Pawar said. Mumbais beaches are facing a garbage crisis with environmentalists estimating that 100 tonnes of trash lies dumped on the beaches at any given moment. A study by Mumbai-based ReefWatch Marine Conservation found plastic bags, food wrappers, discarded tyres and styrofoam choking the beaches. From November 2015 to May 2016, the group examined and counted trash at nine beaches in the city Gorai, Aksa, Madh, Versova, Juhu, Dadar, Chimbai, Erangal and Girgaum Chowpatty and one on the outskirts Uttan Virgin. They found Juhu, Versova and Aksa to be the most polluted. Chimbai, Madh and Erangal, called the rocky beaches because of a lower proportion of sand cover, were the dirtiest. People walking in the middle of the filth that's left back after a high tide at Versova beach in Mumbai. (Vidya Subramanian/ HT Photo) An analysis of the trash found that plastic bags formed the biggest chunk. Fragments of plastic, PET bottles, glass fragments, paper, cardboard, cement bags, clothing, fishing nets, tyres, batteries, food wrappers and automobile scrap were other items. What we are throwing into the ocean could potentially end up in our stomach. During the study, we observed that plankton microscopic organisms that are eaten by larger marine animals were ingesting microplastics small plastic particles 5-10 microns in size from the litter, which is a concern, said Animish Limaye, mainland projects manager, ReefWatch Marine Conservation. According to our inference, the base of the food chain gets affected because the planktons are eaten by bigger fish, which is consumed by humans. A boy walks past plastic bags and other garbage at Mahim Beach. (Kunal Patil/HT Photo) A senior official from the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) said inadequate management of garbage and sewage was responsible for the trash on the beaches. While Mumbais dumping grounds get around 10,000 tonnes of garbage daily, the municipal corporations solid waste management department estimates that 500 tonnes is not collected and ends up in the storm water drains, from where it flows into the sea. Also, 25% of Mumbais sewage is not treated before it is discharged into the sea. According to 2015 data from the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment Survey of Manual Scavengers in Statutory Towns, human waste from 36,883 of the total 26,65,479 households in the city flow into the drains. Currently, we are treating 75% of the citys sewage across 50 pumping stations, said a senior official from sewage operations department. Nullahs that were originally fresh water streams are carrying industrial slurry and domestic waste from households directly to the sea. Slums near the beaches are also dumping their waste, said the official. The untreated sewage has also affected the quality of water along the coast. A study in 2015 by the state pollution control board 2015 found that the average level of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) oxygen levels crucial for plants and animals to survive in water was twice the safe limit at Juhu, Versova and Dadar beaches. While Juhu and Versova recorded 10.83 mg per litre, 10.7mg per litre was recorded at Dadar. Water with a BOD reading of more than 3mg per litre is unfit for human consumption and marine life is endangered at levels above 6 mg per litre, according to Central Pollution Control Board guidelines. Members of the fishing community said the trash and sewage in the sea has caused a 50% drop in business in the last few years. The city is treating the sea as its dumping ground, said Damodar Tandel, president, Akhil Maharashtra Machhimar Kriti Samiti. There has been a massive loss in business because 80% of our catch is trash and the remaining fish have micro-plastics in their stomach. The sorry state of Juhu Koliwada beach in Mumbai. (Satish Bate/HT Photo) N Vasudevan, chief conservator of forest, state mangrove cell, said if citizens need to segregate so that plastic and other non-biodegradable trash does not reach the sea. Increasing pollution in coastal areas, especially beaches, are a matter of concern. We need to take urgent steps to make beaches attractive and simultaneously protect the biodiversity of these areas, said Vasudevan, who promoted the study of beach trash. It is, however, not all bad news. Some beaches such as Girgaum Chowpatty are relatively free of trash because of regular cleaning, while others like Uttan Virgin and Gorai do not have large settlements that could pollute the beach. Officials from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)s solid waste management (SWM) department said they are trying to clean the beaches. We have installed automatic machines to collect plastic waste at all the sandy beaches in the city. The BMC has also employed workers to handpick waste from rocky beaches, said a senior official from SWM. Girgaum Chowpatty stands as an example of regular efforts being carried out for beach cleaning. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A five-member team of Mumbai crime branch left for Singapore on Wednesday night for extradition of engineer-turned-gangster Kumar Krishna Pillai, who is wanted for murder and extortion cases. On the run since the early 2000s, Pillai was arrested in January 2016 in Singpore. His extradition was cleared by the court there on May 18, giving him 15 days to appeal before a higher court. The judges also accepted the evidence, including his fingerprints, provided by the Mumbai police. The deadline ended on June 2 without his filing a fresh appeal, paving the way for his extradition. Police sources said that he will be brought back to Mumbai before the end of this month, attributing the delay to incomplete procedures. Some immigration related documents will have to be prepared, as Pillai also holds a Hong Kong passport, officials said. Putting the documents in place will be done by the Singaporean government in coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). Until those papers are ready, we wont be able to take him in custody, said a crime branch officer. The crime branch team, headed by a DCP-rank officer, will bring him back by a commercial airline, unlike gangster Chhota Rajan who was brought to Mumbai from Bangkok by a 15-seater Gulfstream charter plane in November 2015, due to security reasons. Born in an affluent family in Vikhroli, Pillai became a textile engineer before joining gangster Amar Naik gang in 1994. He has six criminal cases, including murder. His father, Krishna Pillai, was killed after he refused to sell his club to a local corporator. Dreams of avenging his father death drew Pillai to organised crime. Later, he left Amar Naiks gang and was alleged to have planned the murder of Sunil Khatau, owner of Bycullas Khatau Mills, in 1994. Pillai was arrested around 1998, but was later released on bail. Later, he was said to have left the country for Hong Kong. His mother runs a school in Vikhroli (East), started by her husband. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON In an indication that recently ousted revenue minister Eknath Khadse has a window open for a comeback, CM Devendra Fadnavis said the probe into the land deal allegations against the senior BJP leader will not be conducted under the Commission of Inquiry (COI) Act. Fadnavis announced on Monday that a retired judge will carry out the probe in the next three months. Read more: Maharashtra CM backs ministers, hits out at Congress-NCP Ousted Khadse still part of the plan as party leaders rally behind him It [probe under Commission of Inquiry Act] goes on for years. We want a judicial probe by a retired judge, to be completed in three months. The name of the retired judge has been finalised and will be announced soon, said the chief minister, adding that the probe will focus on the Bhosari land deal. The inquiry will be conducted under four terms of reference, including whether the land belonged to the MIDC, if the land acquisition process was completed, legality of the deal and if there was any conflict of interest. An investigation under the COI Act while not binding on the government can seriously harm a reputation of the person found guilty under it. Such an inquiry held as a court proceeding, allows for summoning of witnesses as well as production of evidence by the government and anyone else in the case. A recent example of a probe conducted under the COI Act was the Adarsh scam inquiry. The findings of which have been used by the Fadnavis government to re-open a CBI case against former chief minister and senior Congress leader Ashok Chavan. By ruling out a probe under the COI Act, the state has opened itself to criticism. The chief minister has already given a clean chit to Khadse in the controversy related to the phone calls from underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and a graft case involving the former ministers alleged assistant Gajanan Patil. Fadnavis, at the BJP state executive meeting, had said that Khadse will come out clean after the agnipariksha (trial by fire) in the land deal scam. Khadse had resigned on June 4 following a series of controversies. Patrolling the sea is a tough job and proper training is necessary. But the citys coastal police are at the mercy of agencies like the coast guard and Indian Navy for their training. Sometimes, police swimming pools are used to train the staff. In 2013, the coastal police found that around 150 of its officers did not know how to swim. The training part has suffered largely because the state governments plan for a coastal academy in Raigad district had to be shelved after the Union government decided to set up the academy in Gujarat once the BJP came to power at the Centre. Of the many problems faced by the Mumbai police while patrolling the sea, sea sickness tops the list. Several boats have not been maintained and there is a constant fear of them turning turtle at sea. Patrolling in the rain is also a major issue because the sea is rough. Also, the police say often their boats break down and getting new parts is a long and tedious process. For instance, the 16-odd amphibious boats that the Mumbai police purchased after the 26/11 terror attacks are in a bad state. The city police had to put carburetors (regulates the flow of air and gasoline into the engine cylinders of vans and spark plugs belonging to an Ambassador car to keep them moving. A senior police officer from the city police, on condition of anonymity, said there needs to be a separate wing for sea patrolling. He said after the 26/11 terror attacks, a senior officer had opposed the move to keep coastal policing with the Mumbai police, but the state government had asked the police to follow the orders. For training, the Mumbai polices coastal wing undergoes a month-long course in swimming at the Coast Guards pool in Worli or at the naval facility at Colaba. These policemen are then asked to patrol boats on shifts, which go on for a week. The current state of affairs is detrimental for the security of the country. Currently, the threat perception from across the border is less as Pakistan is busy tackling terror on its own land. However, after the situation changes, the threat will rise again. There is a negative attitude, red tapeism and lack of accountability, said YP Singh, an IPS officer-turned-lawyer. LUCKNOW: 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 incarcer-ated Mukhtar Ansari was shifted from Agra jail to Lucknow jail. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON NEW DELHI: 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. Nothing comes free and that includes soaring national pride. Several states and organisations competing with each other in hoisting the countrys largest and tallest tricolour are finding that out the hard way. To mark its second formation day on June 2, Telangana spent Rs 3 crore on unfurling a flag measuring 72-foot long and 108-foot wide atop a 291-foot tall mast that weighed 40 tonnes in Hyderabad. But keeping the huge flag fluttering is proving to be a tall task. Since being unfurled, the flag has already been replaced twice as strong winds invariably tear the cloth. The first time it was torn, the flag was stitched and hoisted again. But as the Indian flag code, which governs usage of the national flag, does not permit the hoisting of a repaired flag, the authorities have had to order two fresh flags in quick succession. Each new flag cost the state exchequer about Rs 2 lakh and is likely to add to the financial burden of the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) that is entrusted with the upkeep of the flag at the Sanjeevaiah Park. According to HMDA commissioner T Chiranjeevulu, the upkeep of the flag is estimated to set them back by about Rs 70 lakh per annum. Now that we have officially taken over the project, we will appoint dedicated staff to maintain the flag in shifts. The cost includes salaries, maintenance of lawns, repairs to flag pole, replacement flags, high-mast lights, generators. Whether the government will reimburse or not, HM DA will bear the cost from its own resources, he said. Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and UP, states with giant-sized flags are facing similar rough weather. Ranchi boasts of the countrys tallest flag, fluttering at a height of 293 feet atop the Pahari temple. The task of keeping it fluttering is equally towering. Since being unfurled by defence minister Manohar Parrikar on January 23, the flag has been torn four times and some Rs 3.4 lakh has been spent by the Pahari temple authorities to get replacements. The authorities also made heavy weather of hoisting the large flag some weeks ago and it remained stuck at halfmast for several days. The malfunction attracted public ridicule and the flag could be brought down only after dozens of workers built a scaffold round the flagpole to climb up. The flag has not been hoisted since then. Larger and higher being the norm, Raipur in Chhattisgarh got its own showpiece on April 30 with the tricolour flying at 269 feet. The project cost the state Rs 1.10 crore and another Rs 3.6 lakh for three new flags after being repeatedly torn. But nothing has slowed down the vanity projects as yet. The BSF is reportedly working to put up the countrys tallest tricolour at the Wagah border. Fluttering at 350 feet, the flag will be visible from Lahore, a top official is quoted to have said. (With inputs from Hyderabad, Lucknow, Raipur, Ranchi) Five years back and before the Election Commission (EC) sounded the poll bugle in December 2011, a private company hired by the Punjab Police had done bullet-proofing of two Toyota Land Cruisers for Rs 67 lakh per vehicle. Now, the police have bought 14 Toyota Land Cruisers to make the travels of chief minister Parkash Singh Badal and deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal comfy during the campaigning for the upcoming high-stake assembly elections. But, this time the bullet-proofing cost has come down to Rs 23 lakh per vehicle (Rs 44 lakh less than what was paid in 2011). Despite this sharp dip in the bullet-proofing cost, the grand plans of Punjab Police to appease their political masters with 14 high-end Land Cruisers have hit a legal tangle that threatens to delay the induction of the new vehicles. Fund-starved Badal regime buying 14 Land Cruisers, 100 Innovas The cash-strapped Parkash Singh Badal-led Akail Dal-BJP government has splurged about Rs 19 crore on the 14 Land Cruisers fleet. The cost of each vehicle before bullet-proofing is Rs 1.32 crore. The rationale behind having 14 vehicles is that a bullet-proofed vehicle has to be stationed in advance at each place the protectee visits within the state. According to a four-page confidential note signed by director general of police (DGP) Suresh Arora and DGP (intelligence and special protection unit) Anil Kumar Sharma, a Maharashtra-based vendor, who had done bullet proofing of two Land Cruisers in 2011, has lodged a complaint with Punjab governor Kaptan Singh Solanki, CM Badal and five other state functionaries after failing to get the contract this time. we have saved approximately Rs 40 lakh per vehicle this time. The total savings on 14 vehicles is about Rs 5.6 crore. This proves that we have not favoured any firm, reads the police note reportedly sent to chief ministers office. Eyebrows are being raised in police and administrative circles over the procedure followed by the police in 2011 when the two vehicles were bullet-proofed at a high cost. The price of bullet-proofing in 2016 should have been higher than 2011. Surprisingly, it has come down, a DGP-rank officer told Hindustan Times. The plea of police is if the task of bullet-proofing is given to vendors outside Punjab, it becomes difficult to send vehicles for repairs to places such as Jaipur, Ahmednagar (Maharashtra) or Hyderabad. This results in unnecessary financial burden on the state and decreases the life span of the vehicle. Thus, when tenders were floated this time, the condition was that the bidder should have a workshop within 100-km radius of Chandigarh. Every repair of such vehicles has to be done in the presence of our technical staff and the clause was added in view of our future requirements, the police officer said. As per the police note, when the Maharashtra-based company had done bullet proofing of two Land Cruisers in 2011, it had a tie-up with Bharat Earth Movers Ltd (BEML)a Public Sector Undertaking (PSU). The BEML had nothing to do with bullet proofing of the vehicles. The BEML was a face mask of the private company to bypass formalities as tenders can be awarded directly to a PSU, reads the police note. After bullet-proofing of the two Land Cruisers, the tie-up between the private company (that has now lodged complaint) and BEML was severed and does not exist any longer. This tie-up was meant to bag the contract directlyThis vendor has tried to hoodwink our department by furnishing wrong information in his latest tender document also, the police note states. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON On the second day of the protest against the non-availability of water for agricultural purposes in Abohar, Fazilka and Balluana, Abohar MLA and Punjab Congress vice president Sunil Jakhar along with farmers performed virodhasana (protest posture) to mark the International Yoga Day. Also read I Jakhar comes calling, Cong warms up to Bains bros Slamming the state government, farmers from theses three assembly segments raised slogans against the state government for not providing irrigation water through canals. The protesters also raised slogans against the central government on Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) link canal issue. Addressing the protestors, Jakhar criticised Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal for misusing the entire state resources for their political gains. He said that the entire state machinery was busy in organising programmes for the yoga day for past so many days without caring for the farmers. He said that water works systems of all villages have collapsed. He said state government only talks about the crop diversification. but did not even provide the basic facilities required for agricultural purposes. Also read I Jakhar corners govt on post-matric scheme, asks Sampla to clear air In a major embarrassment to Yadavindra Public School (YPS), Patiala, run by Punjab Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singhs family, the Council of Indian School Certificate Examination (CISCE) has rejected the recent appointment of Major General Sanjiv Verma (retd) as its headmaster, stating he does not have requisite qualification and teaching experience for the post. Confirming the development, board chief executive officer-cum- secretary Gerry Arathoon told HT that the school management was informed a month back to replace the current headmaster since his appointment is not in consonance with board rules. CISCE chief executive officer-cum- secretary Gerry Arathoon told HT that the school management was informed a month back to replace the current headmaster. (HT photo) As per our rules, to be appointed the head of an affiliated school requires a postgraduate academic degree in a teaching subject besides a recognised teacher education degree. Also, the candidate must have five years of teaching experience. The current headmaster of the school is an MPhil in strategic studies, which doesnt suffice to hold a principals office, he told HT over phone from Delhi. The school had appointed Sanjiv Verma -- who is a graduate in economics (honours) from Hindu College, Delhi -- in April this year after his predecessor SV Kumar retired, following 10 years of service. Gerry said the board made its position clear soon after the school moved an application seeking mandatory approval for the headmasters appointment. So far the school management has not responded to us after our initial letter. We will pursue the matter again once the summer vacation is over, he said. YPS is one of the most prestigious institutes in Punjab, named and run by the family of an erstwhile Maharaja of Patiala. (Photo: patiala.nic.in) School website contradicts chairpersons claim School chairperson Malvinder Singh, who is the younger brother of Captain Amarinder Singh, called the controversy total nonsense. Sanjiv Verma has been appointed as schools director, and not its headmaster, he said. Claiming he was fully aware of board rules, Malvinder Singh said being the director Vermas responsibility was to look after the administrative duties, whereas the academic duties are being looked after by the deputy headmistress. Gerry, however, claimed that in the schools application for boards confirmation, Verma was referred to as its headmaster. The school chairpersons statement also contradicts with the information available on the school website, where Vermas message appears under the headmasters foreward. The schools latest editorial magazine also carries his interview in his capacity as the headmaster. When presented with these facts, Malvinder claimed the school editorial board and officials might not be aware of the nomenclature of Vermas post. We will get it rectified after the summer vacation, he said. Captain Amarinder Singh is the school patron. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A local court in Chandigarh on Wednesday dismissed the bail application of Vinod Verma, the co-owner of jewellery showroom Forever Diamonds at Sector 17. Verma had on June 16 submitted his bail application in the court while Chandigarh Police on Monday had strongly opposed it. The police said the accused had intended to claim loss from the insurance company by conspiring to conduct a fake robbery heist. However, advocate Harish Bharadwaj, defence counsel of the accused, contended no cheating case could be made out against Vinod. He said offence could not be made out at the planning or preparation stage. Cheating could have been made in case the insurance company concerned was approached by the accused, Bharadwaj added. The dacoity had made headlines on May 1 when the showroom owners had claimed two men and a woman, all in their 20s, looted diamond and gold jewellery worth Rs 14.08 crore from their showroom, after allegedly locking them into a room, in broad daylight. The police had arrested five accused, including Rajneesh Verma and Vinod Verma, owners of the said jewellery shop, for allegedly stage-managing the loot. Later, accused Shivani, Vaibhav Verma and Ankur Jolly, were also arrested for allegedly robbing the shop. Shivani and Ankur were later released on bail. Lack of basic amenities remained the main concern of residents during Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singhs Halke Vich Captain campaign at Jagraon on Wednesday. Majority of the 2,120-odd grievances received by Captain related to water supply, roads, sewerage, health infrastructure, education and unemployment, said the organisers. While 15 complaints were on drug menace, a few also related to land grab cases and fake FIRs, said sources. The event at Jagraon was the second in the series that kicked off from Jalalabad, the constituency of deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal, on June 20. Over 3,000 people from Jagraon and surrounding villages attended the event. While some got a chance to share their grievances with the former chief minister in person, others filled in forms provided to them. Captain, who has promised to look into the complaints if the Congress is voted to power during the upcoming assembly elections, interacted with the gathering for around three hours. Inderjit Singh, a Jagraon resident, told Amarinder that chocked sewers were leading to flooding of streets and houses in his locality, raising the concern of disease outbreak. The Punjab Congress chief said the problem was prevalent in most cities of the state and would be looked into once the Congress comes to power. Sharanjit Singh, a resident of Mallah village in Jagraon, complained about absence of roads in most parts of the village. The state government claims to have connected villages with roads, but come to our village to see the reality, he said. Manjeet Kaur, a cancer patient from Kaunke Kalan near here, said she had been deprived of health benefits under government schemes, to which Captain replied: A super-specialised cancer treatment hospital will be set up in the state to provide free treatment to patients. Congress workers were not allowed to highlight party issues during the event. Captain held a separate meeting with them at Manuke village in the afternoon. Cong leader suspended Parshotam Lal Khalifa, a senior party leader from Jagraon, has been suspended from the party for indiscipline. Khalifa had misbehaved with a block president in Jagraon on Tuesday. After preliminary inquiry, the party decided to suspend him, said sources. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Many first-timers kids, youth and other residents performed yoga and vowed to make it a part of their lifestyle at several events held in the city to mark the International Yoga Day celebrations on Tuesday. Maharaj Nagar resident Rahul Khanna (23), who had come to Rakh Bagh to perform yoga, said, I have been reading about the Yoga Day celebrations for past many days in newspapers and on internet and wanted to try it, so I came here. Yoga instructors were invited to teach different exercises, all people enjoyed doing them, he added. Benefits of yoga exercises were highlighted in different articles in the past one week, as well as during the programme. I have decided to practice yoga from today, Khanna said. Even the school-going children, along with their parents, were seen cheerfully following the instructor at the yoga sessions. A resident, Virender Sood said, My two sons were so curious about participating in the event that they had been asking me about the venue and timings since last week. Moreover, I also wanted them to learn yoga, which is linked to our culture, and will help them lead a healthy life if they practice it regularly. The first-time participants were full of enthusiasm and energy, and were seen trying to learn different steps from the instructors. Anshul, a yoga instructor, who was training people at a local park in BRS Nagar, said, Those who have come for the first time to learn yoga were very eager to learn new techniques. Meanwhile, Vanika Goyal, a college student, who also performed yoga for the first time at SBS Nagar event, said she was not aware that yoga could provide relief from stress. I will continue performing yoga from now onwards, she said. The Punjab government will be setting up 25 smart khadi villages, where youth from rural areas will get employment, said industry and commerce minister Madan Mohan Mittal on Wednesday. The Punjab Khadi and Gram Udyog Board will also be providing easy loans worth Rs 140 crore to the youth of Punjab, under the Prime Minister Self-employment Generation Scheme, he said. Under the scheme, Rs 35 crore will be provided as subsidy to the beneficiaries for setting up of their own ventures. North Indias first multipurpose skill training centre will also be set up at SAS Nagar to equip the youth with latest know-how about entrepreneurship. Kin of farmers who have committed suicide will be given priority under the scheme, said the minister. Alleging police inaction against the accused in two cases of crime against women related to Ajnala sub-division, district Congress committee (rural) president Gurjit Singh Aujla on Tuesday said they would stage a protest on June 23 outside DSP office in. Addressing the media at the party office here, Aujla also presented the victims one of whom is from Chak Dogran village and the other from Mohan Bhandarian village who were allegedly abused and thrashed by men said to be close to local Shiromani Akali Dal leaders. The victim, from Chak Dogran village, was allegedly sexually assaulted by a man associated with the SAD. The issue was reported to the police but they did not take any action under pressure from the Akali MLA. So they did not file an FIR against the accused, said Aujla. Commenting on the other incident in which a girl was allegedly abused and her father who runs a tea stall was thrashed by five persons of Mohan Bhandrian village, the Congress leader said police had to file an FIR against the accused as per victims medical report but have failed to do anything. Jungle raj prevails not only in Ajnala but in entire Punjab. Saviours of Nani Chhaan have become their butchers. Local MLA is least interested in womens security. He is sheltering molesters and gangsters instead, he said, blaming Ajnala MLA Amarpal Singh Bony. He also added that his party would fight to ensure justice for those victimised by SAD goons. Fighting for the rights of reservation and special protection of orphans and abandoned kids, Inderjit Kaur, president, All India Pingalwara Charitable Society, said the home for the destitute would be taking up the matter with the ministry of social justice and empowerment. Addressing the media, on Tuesday, Kaur said it was condemnable there was no reservation for orphans and abandoned children in government educational institutes and jobs. It should be considered that these children do not have parental and financial backing, she added. The state government should take this up. These children dont have any parental or financial support and yet they have to compete within the general category without concession or reservation, said Kaur, adding that a survey conducted in 2010 stated that there were over 2.5 crore orphaned/abandoned children in India out of which barely 10% are taken care of by orphanages. Pingalwara currently houses 104 orphans and abandoned children, out of which 67 are girls and 37 boys. They have already made a mark as skilled professionals in the field of education but despite that they need our backing to get government jobs, she said. Pingalwaras chief administrator Col Darshan Singh Bawa (retd) said, It is the duty of the state government to safeguard their rights. We will fight for their reservation as they deserve dignified jobs. The district administration will soon start a Panghura Ghar at Khanna under the cradle scheme to save newborn babies thrown out by their parents after birth. Deputy commissioner (DC) Ravi Bhagat said this while addressing a meeting of officials at his office on Tuesday. Bhagat said, A piece of land at an old age home has been identified at Khanna and the officials concerned have been asked to make necessary arrangements. Till now, Ludhiana had only one panghura ghar at Sarabha Nagar. Usually the babies received at the panghura ghar are handed over to government recognised adoption centre Swami Ganga Giri Bhuri Wale International Foundation Dham at Talwandi Khurd. The cradle has curbed incidents such as dumping of newborns in trash cans or on roadsides,he added. Shaukat Ahmed Pare, subdivisional magistrate (SDM Khanna), Kuldeep Singh Mann and Rajinder Singh, both from Swami Ganga Giri Bhuri Wale International Foundation Dham, besides several others attended the meeting. Deputy commissioner Ravi Bhagat said that in Khanna, a piece of land at Old Age Home has been identified and the concerned officials have been asked to make necessary arrangements. Akashdeep Singh, 15, who was injured in an accident, has been waiting to be operated upon for over two weeks at Rajindra Hospital in Patiala. Courtesy: Indefinite strike called by nurses and ancillary staff since the beginning of this month coupled with the fact that over 100 doctors are on summer vacation. Admitted to ward number 7 on June 6, Akashdeep, who is from Malkpur near Sirhind, was to undergo the operation last Wednesday, which was postponed to this Wednesday. Finally, he has been told to leave the hospital after the operation theatres (OTs) besides the out-patient department (OPD) building were locked for the second time within three weeks. My son sustained a stomach injury in an accident while riding a cycle. The operation was postponed last Wednesday, and now we have been told to leave the hospital because operation theatres have been closed, said Akashdeeps mother Paramjit Kaur, who works as a daily labourer. Sukhjinder Singh, 20, who has lost his both legs in a train accident, is also waiting to be operated upon since June 11. The pain is killing me, but I have been abandoned. The operation is being delayed, and I dont have resources to go to a private hospital, said Sukhjinder, who has been referred to a Ludhiana hospital. There are many other patients facing hardship at the 62-year-old government-run hospital that serves the Malwa region along with peripheral areas of neighbouring states. Baljit Kaur, 42, a thyroid patient, said: I came here from Devigarh, but the OPD was locked. When we visited Mata Kaushalya government hospital, we were welcomed by long queues of patients. Poor people are being harassed, but the state government is taking no step. The government is delaying its decision on the issue of regularisation of paramedical staff, while poor patients are left to fend for themselves, said Gurmukh Singh, who had come from Barnala for skin treatment. Protesters not ready to give up Hospital records reveal that in general 70 to 80 patients are operated upon at the hospital every day. During the protest, however, the system has entirely collapsed. The emergency wards are being run by nursing students along with two staff nurses in different shifts. The protesting paramedics, meanwhile, are not ready to give up. We dont want to harass the patients, but we are being forced to take this extreme step owing to the government taking U-turn on its assurance to regularise our services, said nurses and ancillary staff union president Karamjit Kaur. The union chief said they will continue to keep the OPD and OTs locked till the government issues the required notification. Reacting to the deadlock, medical superintendent BS Brar said the hospital authorities are helpless in the face of the present crisis. The state government is fully aware of the situation, and they are taking all required steps to resolve it, he said. On being asked about the mass leave of 102 doctors during such a crucial moment, Government Medical College principal BL Bhardwaj said: It happens every year; some doctors go on leave and others carry on the work. The protest so far June 4: Protesting staff lock OPD building, OTs June 10: Services restored June19: OPD building, OTs closed again June 21: Nursing staff lock medical superintendents office Republican Donald Trump appeared to raise questions about likely rival Hillary Clintons religious faith at a closed-door meeting with evangelical leaders Tuesday. The presumptive GOP nominee, in a video clip of his remarks, appeared to suggest the public doesnt know anything about Hillary in terms of religion. You know, shes been in public eye for years and years, and yet theres no, theres nothing out there. Theres like nothing out there, he told the group. Its going to be an extension of Obama, but its going to be worse because with Obama you had your guard up, with Hillary you dont. And its going to be worse, Trump warned. A spokesperson for Trumps campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on exactly what Trump meant. Footage of Trump speaking at the meeting at a Times Square hotel, which was closed to reporters, was posted by attendee Bishop EW 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 positions on social issues. He was saying in the context that liberals and the Democrats dont get those kind of questions, they dont get their faith examined in that way, he said. He wasnt 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 doesnt 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. 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 cant 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. Trump has sometimes struggled to discuss religious issues. He has declined to cite his favourite biblical verse and has toted around a photo from his confirmation as evidence of his Christian upbringing. But in another video clip from Tuesdays event, Trump talked about the meaning of faith in his life. Christianity, I owe so much to it in so many ways, through life, through having incredible children, through so many other things, he said, noting his great support from religious voters in GOP primaries. The evangelical vote was mostly gotten by me, he said. Trump also talked in another clip about the lack of spirit in inner cities. Weve got to spiritize this country. And Im not only talking about the inner cities. Im talking about everywhere, he said, coining a new word. Trumps 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. Jackson, the bishop who posted video to Twitter, said that hed walked into the meeting as more of an anti-Clinton voter than pro-Trump one, but said the meeting had changed his view. The thing Ive heard most people say is, He moved the needle, he said. People who came in with reservations, they have fewer reservations. Others left thinking, Maybe I need to take a look at him again. Three decades after Khalistani terrorists blew up Air Indias flight 182, killing 329 passengers, Canadian investigators have said they continue to treat the case as a priority. The British Columbia Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) continues to investigate with the objective of pursuing charges of any individuals involved in the bombings. This investigation is a national priority for the RCMP, spokesperson Staff Sergeant Rob Vermuelen said in an email. A probe team is in touch with members of families of the victims of the attack, one of the worst aviation-related terrorism incidents in the world and second only to the September 11, 2001 attacks in the US. Susheel Gupta, whose mother Ramwati was killed when the airliner named Kanishka exploded, said, The RCMP has kept us (families) updated on their investigation. Ultimately, we do hope that the rest of the perpetrators will be brought to justice. Read | AI Kanishka bombing: Reyats release stuns victims kin However, given the passage of time, some doubt the ongoing investigation can make up for the botched inquiry following the June 23, 1985 tragedy. The two principal accused in the case, Ajaib Singh Bagri and Ripudaman Singh Malik, were acquitted of the charges they faced by a court in British Columbia in March 2005. The only person ever convicted in the case was Inderjit Singh Reyat, on charges of perjury. Reyat was released on parole in January. Retired Canadian Supreme Court justice John Major, who headed an inquiry commission into the case, wrote in his June 2010 report, This remains the largest mass murder in Canadian history, and was the result of a cascading series of errors. The report pointed out the tragedy could have been averted but for multiple mistakes. Read | Canadian justice system did scant justice to victims of Kanishka bombing For instance, while the Canadian Security Intelligence Service had a surveillance team present when plotters detonated a device in the woods near Duncan, causing a loud explosive sound, the sound was misinterpreted and the surveillance report was ignored. In addition, the report said the RCMP did not forward to the intelligence service a June 1 Telex that set out Air Indias own intelligence, forecasting a June terrorist attempt to bomb an Air India flight by means of explosives hidden in checked baggage. Read | 30 years after Kanishka bombing, the tragedy still haunts kin SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON The Taliban have released 21 of some two dozen hostages pulled from their vehicles on a highway in southern Afghanistan, officials said on Wednesday, a day after they were abducted by the militants. The passengers were kidnapped in Washer district of volatile Helmand province as they were travelling on a bus and two trucks from southern Kandahar to western Herat province. Officials said on Tuesday that an estimated 25 people were taken. Twenty-one of them have been released and are now with the police, the Helmand governors spokesman Omar Zwak said. Afghan army corps in southern Afghanistan said they were freed in an operation on Tuesday evening in Marja district of Helmand. Read: Two Indians from Dehradun among 25 killed in attacks in Afghanistan But the Taliban denied the claim, saying they decided to free the hostages after they were found to be innocent. The insurgents had earlier said they were targeting Afghan government officials aboard the vehicles. We found 21 of them innocent and released them, Taliban spokesman Qari Yousuf Ahmadi told AFP, saying six others were still being held captive, a number that could not be immediately verified by officials. Highways in Afghanistan passing through insurgency-prone areas have become exceedingly dangerous, with the Taliban and other armed groups frequently kidnapping or killing travellers. Earlier this month, gunmen abducted 40 people in northern Kunduz province, releasing some later, but an unknown number of others remain in Taliban captivity. Voters in the United Kingdom are set to vote remain or leave on June 23 a momentous decision that could not only change the face of modern Europe but have far reaching global consequences. But before the critical Brexit campaign, European countries have opted for the referendum route to decide issues of national importance. 1. Greece rejects bailout conditions Greek Prime Minister Alex Tsipras took the surprise decision of holding a snap referendum, asking voters to decide whether to accept or reject the terms of an international bailout for his debt-ridden country. On July 5, 2015, 61% of Greek voters resoundingly rejected the austerity measures that accompanied the bailout package, sending Greece back to the negotiating table and fuelling doubts over its stay in the eurozone. This was the only referendum in modern Greek history that was not concerned with the form of government. Read: Brexit vote: All you need to know about Britains referendum on leaving the EU 2. Scotland decides against becoming an independent country Scotland has long grappled with the question of becoming an independent country and exiting the United Kingdom. On September 18, 2014, the question was put to vote through a referendum, with then Scottish first minister Alex Salmond batting for independence. But Scottish voters rejected the demand, with 55.3% voting no. The referendum witnessed a record turnout of 84.6%, the highest for any such vote in the UK. 3. Referendums for the formation of the European Union The history of the European Union is littered with referendums. The Maastricht Treaty of 1992, commonly called the pillar of the EU as it led to Europes integration and the creation of the euro, was ratified only after multiple referendums by member states. Denmark and Ireland held two referendums each before the terms of the treaty were accepted by their people. In September 1992, a referendum in France only narrowly supported the ratification of the treaty, with 51.05% voting in favour. The same fate befell the Treaty of Lisbon in 2007, which amended two treaties that formed the constitutional basis of the EU. The treaty was signed by member states on December 13, 2007 but did not come into effect till 2009, because the Irish electorate rejected it in 2008. They reversed the decision through a second referendum in 2009, after securing a number of concessions. Read: Brexit: Why its Indias business to watch how Britain votes 4. Northern Ireland chooses to remain a part of the United Kingdom: In 1998, Northern Ireland held a referendum to gauge public support for the Good Friday Agreement, an important political development. The agreement spelt out the region would remain part of the United Kingdom until a majority of the people of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland wished otherwise. A decisive 71.1% voted in favour of the agreement, while a simultaneous referendum held in the Republic of Ireland produced an even larger majority of 94.4%. The 1998 vote built on the sovereignty referendum of March 8, 1973, when Northern Ireland first decided to remain a part of the UK and not join the Republic of Ireland. 5. Independence referendums The borders of Europe, as we know them today, have been determined through referendums. Many European countries gained their independence from colonial powers by holding public referendums. In 1905, Norway decided to become independent from Sweden. In 1918, Iceland voted to secede from the state of Denmark. Watch | Why India doesnt want Brexit A referendum will be held to decide whether Britain should leave or stay in the European Union (EU). The possible exit, called Brexit (Britain+ exit), could have lasting consequences. Following are details of what the ballot paper looks like, what is the process followed on the day of referendum and who are allowed to vote. What is the question? Voters will be given a 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. When to vote? The polling stations open at 7 am on June 23 and close at 10 pm local time. When will the results come? Votes will be counted by hand, starting as soon as polls close at 10 pm. 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 10:30 pm on June 23 and 01:30 am on June 24. The last turnout figure is expected at around 4 am on June 24. Each area will count the votes and announce totals for Remain and Leave in each of the 382 areas. Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron speaks about the EU referendum outside 10 Downing Street in London, June 21, 2016. (Reuters) Five things to watch out for 1) Turnout could be the key to the result but only partial figures will be available initially. Turnout at last years British parliamentary election was 66 percent. Turnout well below this is likely to favour 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 favourable to Brexit. 3) Geography: Leave is expected to do well in eastern England, so close results in some of the most eurosceptic areas such as Southend-on-Sea (2am) and Castle Point (1:30 am) could give an indication the national vote has swung towards Remain. 4) Swing seats: Nuneaton (1 am) 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. 5) Count chronology: Some research has indicated Remain could be well ahead at first and that from around 3am-4am the Brexit count is less likely to deviate from the end results. Can the count 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. Full Coverage| Britains EU Referendum Read| Brexit vote: All you need to know about Britains referendum on leaving the EU Read| Of expats and corporates: Why India wants Britain to remain in Europe Goans who opted for Portuguese citizenship and moved to Britain, or Goans considering the same, will be watching Thursdays referendum closely as they will be affected whether Britain stays in or leaves the European Union. Using Portugals nationality law, which allows anyone born before December 19, 1961 (the date of Goas liberation from Portugal) and their three generations to acquire Portuguese nationality, thousands have migrated and settled in Britain, mainly in Swindon and London. As Portuguese nationals, they become EU citizens, which entitles them to live and work in any of the 28 members of the bloc under the freedom of movement principle. A vote to leave the EU will restrict their right to stay in Britain and a vote to remain will affect their access to state financial benefits under the deal secured by Prime Minister David Cameron from Brussels earlier this year. Rabi Martins, the Goa-origin councillor in Watford, north London, told Hindustan Times: It is a walk into the unknown. Goans now need to rethink before applying for Portuguese passports, since the EU referendum will adversely affect them. Brexit will make it worse, but even a vote to stay in will make it difficult. Watch | Why India doesnt want Brexit There are reports that some EU citizens living in Britain have applied for British passports to avoid any adverse impact of the referendum outcome, while many British citizens keen to retain EU links have applied for Irish citizenship. Britain allows dual citizenship and neighbouring Ireland is a key member of the EU. According to an Oxford analysis, the India-born Portuguese citizens accounted for just over 20,000 UK residents in the first quarter of 2015. Calling it backdoor entry into Britain, groups such as Migration Watch UK have opposed their migration. A vote for Brexit is likely to mean EU nationals (including the Goan Portuguese) will need a work permit, currently required for Indian and other non-EU citizens. It will also mean no access to benefits and public funds for the first four years of stay. Martins said the thousands of recently migrated Goans find life is not exactly great in Britain: Many highly qualified people end up doing menial work in supermarkets. Its sad but they wont admit it to anyone back home. The impact of Brexit on new and recently migrated Goans needs to be highlighted. Armando Gonsalves, chairman of Goa ForGiving Trust, said, It is amazing that Goans are going to Britain via the Portuguese passport rule when there are many opportunities back home. They leave behind priceless properties as they head to Britain with the hope that they will improve their lives. He added: I believe this is part of a herd mentality, demand remains high. I met many such people in London who were unhappy and disgruntled, but are not ready to return home due to a false sense of pride, since their erstwhile Goan friends would laugh at them. Portugal was the first Western country to colonise parts of India (Goa, from 1510) and the last to leave (in 1961). The Goan migration to Britain has led to several social problems in their villages of origin, including empty neighbourhoods and low church attendance. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A referendum will be held to decide whether Britain should leave or stay in the European Union (EU). The possible exit, called Brexit (Britain+ exit), could have lasting consequences. The referendum is scheduled for Thursday, June 23. Here are the key things that you need to know about the referendum and why does it matter to India: Why the vote? On Thursday, the people of Britain will vote on their countrys future in the European Union and the outcome can have profound implications for the 28-member bloc and UKs ruling Conservative Party. Though Britain joined the EU in the 1990s, the people have had misgivings for long about the blocs economic regulations. These fears were heightened by the EUs response to the recession in 2008, especially the need to bail out poorly performing countries such as Greece. In recent years, their worries have grown about the EUs internal migration policies. Prime Minister David Cameron came under pressure in 2012 to hold a referendum on Britains future in the EU. He announced in January 2013 that he would hold such a vote if the Conservative Party won the 2015 general election. After the partys victory, Cameron said the vote would be held on June 23. Watch | Why India doesnt want Brexit What happens if Britain votes to leave? Even if Britons vote overwhelmingly for Brexit or the countrys exit from the EU, it wouldnt be as if matters would be settled there and then. It could take years for Britain to settle a range of issues that have implications for its relations with the EU, including tax laws and immigration rules. The two sides will also have to decide if EU laws will continue to apply to Britain after a possible exit and this matter will have to be settled within a period of two years. British firms that sell across Europe would have to ensure once again that their products meet safety and environmental standards. Why it matters to India: Industry 800 Indian companies operate in the UK, employing 110,000 people The effects: For Indian IT companies, Britain accounted for almost 17% of the total $100-bn global IT exports in 2015-16. If Britain leaves the EU, IT operations are likely to be hit most. Indian IT companies may need to establish separate headquarters for the EU, which may increase the cost of operations Trade Indias bilateral trade with Britain in 2015-16 was $14.02 bn, ($8.83 bn in exports and $5.19 bn in imports). Britain ranks 12th in terms of bilateral trade and is one of seven countries with which India has a trade surplus. Effect The British government estimates economic losses due to Brexit could amount to as high as 6% of GDP after two years, and up to 9.5% of GDP after 15 years in the absence of a negotiated bilateral trade agreement with the EU. This could lead to reduced import demand as Britain would aim to spur domestic industries. Indias exports to Britain may decline. Pound 98.5: Rupees exchange rate with the pound 8%: The likely appreciation in rupee if Brexit happens Effect If the rupee appreciates, exports from India will become costlier. This will also lead to lack of foreign investment from Britain as the rupee will become a costlier currency to buy. Immigration 85,403: Total work visas granted to Indians in 2015, 51% of the total visas granted. 455,793: Total visas given to Indian citizens in 2015, 85% of the total. Effect Brexit may lead to Britain tightening immigration laws, so Indian companies sending people to the UK for work may be affected. Stricter visa rules may also affect people working on work visas in Britain, who may not get an extension Indian companies with major operations in Europe Garment makers: Kitex Garments, Zodiac Clothing, KPR Mill IT: TCS, HCL Technologies, Tech Mahindra, Infosys Steel: Tata Steel, Hindalco Auto and auto component makers: Tata Motors (Jaguar and Land Rover), Bharat Forge, Apollo Tyres, Motherson Sumi Drug makers: Dr Reddys, Wockhardt, Cipla, Torrent Pharma and IPCA Labs, Cummins India Full Coverage| Britains EU Referendum Read| Brexit on paper: What the Brits are actually voting for Read| Of expats and corporates: Why India wants Britain to remain in Europe As many as 71 councillors of Indian origin across Britain and across the political spectrum have pledged their support for the British Indians for IN campaign to make the case for remaining a member of the European Union. Ahead of Thursdays referendum, the councillors said remaining in the EU significantly benefits Britain not just economically, but in terms of security, trade and presence globally. Areas represented by the pro-EU councillors include wards in England, Wales and Scotland, and they represent the Conservative, Labour, and Liberal Democrat parties. 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. Balwant Chadha, councillor for Cumbernauld North in North Lanarkshire and the country's first Sikh Justice of the Peace, told the campaign: I strongly believe that Britain is in a much stronger position remaining in E.U 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 has a history of engaging with the world and standing up on matters of international laws against countries. 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. The British Indians for IN campaign group coordinated by Conservative MP Alok Sharma has more than 15 members of the House of Commons and the House of Lords. According to senior Labour MP Virendra Sharma, being a member of the EU means Britain 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 Britains biggest trading partner with a say over the rules of doing business across Europe, he said. Group coordinator Alok Sharma said: 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 June 23. 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. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON A German nurse jailed for life last year for murdering two patients, is now a suspect in at least 33 more deaths, investigators said on Wednesday, adding that he admitted to having killed more. The man, identified only as Niels H., 39, who was jailed for life in February 2015, has been found guilty of two murders and three attempted murders of intensive-care patients. He previously claimed to have killed more than 30 patients with lethal overdoses at the Delmenhorst hospital near the northern city of Bremen, which would make him one of Germanys worst post-war serial killers. Analyses carried out on 99 exhumed patients at Delmenhorst suggest that at least 33 were killed by the nurse through lethal injections, investigators said today. But they added that the tall and heavyset man had also admitted to killing other patients at another hospital nearby -- the Oldenburg Clinic, without giving a figure. We can say that the horror hasnt ended, said Johann Kuehme, police chief of the city of Oldenburg. Oldenburg prosecutor Thomas Sander added that in addition to the 33 likely cases, we assume that the real number of victims is higher than that. Hundreds of patient records will be examined at the Oldenburg clinic before deciding if mass exhumations of patient corpses would need to be carried out there as well. The grisly case dates back to 2005, when a colleague witnessed Niels H. injecting a patient at the Delmenhorst hospital. The patient survived and Niels H. was arrested and, in 2008, sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in jail for attempted murder. Amid the media publicity, a woman then contacted police, voicing suspicion that her deceased mother had also fallen victim to the killer-nurse. The authorities exhumed several patients bodies and detected traces of the drug in five of them, declaring it either the definitive or possible contributing cause. Nils H. eventually admitted to injecting some 90 patients with the drug so he could then try to revive them and, when successful, shine as a saviour before his medical peers. He said he felt euphoric when he managed to bring a patient back to life, and devastated when he failed. After the shocking revelations of the nurses murderous obsession, police and prosecutors launched a special forensic commission dubbed Kardio (Cardio) to look into other patient deaths. The sweeping investigation is expected to take many more months. The nurse had previously also worked at an elderly home and an emergency medical service. 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 Trumps 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. 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 Tuesdays 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. Iraqs armed forces pressed on with their offensive to retake the city of Falluja from Islamic State on Tuesday, dislodging the militants from two eastern districts and pushing them back into a handful of northern and western neighbourhoods. A military statement said the elite counter-terrorism forces took the northeastern Shurta police district while units from Baghdad operations command recaptured the Askari military neighbourhood. Islamic State still held the northern districts of Jughaifi and Golan as well as the western banks of the Tigris river. Fighting to recapture the Iraqi city longest held by Islamic State, now in its fifth week, has forced more than 85,000 residents to flee to overwhelmed government-run camps. Iraqs Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said last week that the recapture of Falluja would pave the way for the military to march on Mosul, Islamic States de facto capital. The operations commander Lieutenant General Abdul Wahab al-Saidi told Reuters on Monday that U.S.-backed Iraqi forces expected the final push would take place in the west. The Iraqi army is also pressing on with an offensive to dislodge the militants from farmlands located on the western bank of the Euphrates, opposite the built-up area of Falluja, that the militants use as a base for snipers and mortar attacks. The simultaneous attacks are continuing from four directions to tighten the noose around Daesh (Islamic State)fighters entrenched in houses among civilians and prevent them from catching their breath, said Colonel Ahmed al-Saidi from the federal police. A Pentagon spokesman in Washington said that about a third of the city had been cleared of Islamic State forces and the U.S.-led coalition had carried out 85 air strikes on the city in the past four weeks. Iraqi forces continue to advance at a rate of about five to 10 percent of the city per day being careful to safeguard the lives of civilians and limit property damage to the extent possible, Peter Cook said. Government troops launched the operation on May 23 to retake Falluja, a bastion of the Sunni Muslim insurgency against U.S. forces that toppled Saddam Hussein, a Sunni, in 2003, and later against Shiite-led governments. The militants seized Falluja in January 2014, six months before they declared a caliphate over part of Syria and Iraq. North Koreas latest ballistic missile tests on Wednesday are a clear and unacceptable violation of UN Security Council resolutions, the councils president said, calling for a swift response by the world body. Council President Francois Delattre of France said the Security Council would likely meet later in the day on the back-to-back tests of new medium range missile. 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 said. Confronted by the threat of proliferation we consider that weakness is not an option. The missiles tested on Wednesday were believed to have been North Koreas new Musudan intermediate-range missile. 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. Four previous Musudan tests this year failed either on their mobile launch pad or shortly after take-off. Several UN Security Council resolutions ban North Korea from engaging in nuclear or ballistic missile activity. 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. North Koreas latest ballistic missile tests on Wednesday are a clear and unacceptable violation of UN Security Council resolutions, the councils president said, calling for a swift response by the world body. Council president Francois Delattre of France said the Security Council would likely meet later in the day on the back-to-back tests of new medium range missile. We favour 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 said. Confronted by the threat of proliferation we consider that weakness is not an option. The missiles tested on Wednesday were believed to have been North Koreas new Musudan intermediate-range missile. The first test was deemed to have failed after the missile flew an estimated 150km (90 miles) over the East Sea, or Sea of Japan. Council president Francois Delattre of France said the Security Council would likely meet later in the day on the back-to-back tests of new medium range missile. (Reuters file photo) Japanese military monitors said the second test attained a height of 1,000km and a range of 400km. Four previous Musudan tests this year failed either on their mobile launch pad or shortly after take-off. Several UN Security Council resolutions ban North Korea from engaging in nuclear or ballistic missile activity. 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. An influential Pakistani parliamentary panel has declared the conversion of women from other religions to Islam as un-Islamic and expressed concern over the practice. Forced conversion of girls to Islam is against the teachings of Islam and also a violation of the law in the country, said Hafiz Hamdullah, chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Religious Affairs. His remarks came in the wake of an incident in Chitral Valley, where a young woman from the animist Kalash community converted to Islam, triggering clashes between members of the community and local Muslims. Religious minorities have argued there is no law to protect members of their faith from being forcibly converted to Islam. A recent law that formalised Hindu marriages in Pakistan too did not touch on the issue. Hamdullah observed that non-Muslim women were being converted across Pakistan on a daily basis, which is a dilemma for society. Religion is a personal matter of every individual, and a person cannot be converted by force, he said. Raja Zafrul Haq, the Leader of House in the Senate, too said compelling anyone to convert is against the teachings of Islam. We are already under observation from human rights organisations due to growing incidents of forced conversions, he said. Senator Gian Chand, also a leader of the Pakistan Hindu Council, informed the committee that Hindu girls in Sindh province are victims of forced conversions, which have acquired alarming proportions. Chand was of the opinion that police and the local administration do not help victims or their families. The committee urged the government to adopt a comprehensive mechanism for protecting women from minority communities. The panel directed the federal and provincial governments to draft legislation to curb the practice. Last year, a move to criminalise forced conversions and to prevent misuse of the blasphemy law was endorsed by members of the Senates Functional Committee on Human Rights. A group of Hong Kong activists are demanding a return to British rule as a stepping stone towards independence, as fears grow that Beijing is tightening its grip on the southern Chinese city. Pro-independence advocates have launched The Alliance to Resume British Sovereignty over Hong Kong and Independence party, the second political group in recent months to advocate a breakaway from China. Independence is the ultimate goal, to return to British rule is just a transitional phase, Billy Chiu, the Alliances leader told AFP on Wednesday. The activists said they believed it would be easier to gain independence from Britain than China. An independent nation is Hong Kongs only way out, Chiu said, adding that the new party, which consists of around 30 members, will be formally announced on Sunday. Chiu in 2013 broke into a Peoples Liberation Army facility in central Hong Kong holding up a colonial flag and asking the PLA to get out of the city. Hong Kong was handed back to Beijing in 1997, with the Sino-British Joint Declaration preserving its liberties for 50 years as a special administrative region. It has remained an autonomous territory since, governed under Chinas one country, two systems principle, affording Hong Kong freedom not enjoyed on the mainland. However, in recent years, citizens have begun criticising the Chinese government for attempting to interfere politically and clamp down on Hong Kongs privileges. In 2014, scores of citizens held a series of sit-in protests from September to December against the Beijing-backed proposal for limited democracy in the Honk Kong elections. Occupying the financial district of the city and elsewhere, the movement came to be known as the Umbrella Movement. The protests fizzled out by the end of 2014 as public opinion turned given that local businesses were suffering. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump fired back at his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton on Wednesday, calling her a world class liar in his first major speech of the general election for the White House. Reading from a teleprompter, Trump went on to say Clinton was the most corrupt person ever to run for the White House and that she hadperfected the art of politics of personal theft. Clinton had called him the King of Debt in a speech on Tuesday, slamming his business experience, his strong suit, and practices in what her campaign said was Evisceration Part II. Part I came some days ago when Clinton questioned his foreign policy credentials, or the lack of them, and remarks that have left his own party supporters and surrogates squirming. Trump, who prides himself as a counter-puncher, had let that attack pass with remarkably low intensity push back. But he counter-tweeted Clintons Tuesday speech live. He hit back full on on Wednesday in a speech replete with insults and questionable claims and facts, but one that was the kind of disciplined attack Republicans had long wanted of him. After wrapping up the nomination weeks before Clinton, Trump was widely seen to have squandered the advantage by embroiling himself in one controversy after another with his remarks. Trump lashed back at Clinton, attacking her on expected lines paid speeches, Benghazi, use of a private email server as secretary of state, and her behaviour in White House as the first lady. Her decisions spread death, destruction and terrorism everywhere she touched, he said of Clintons term as secretary of state, which, he added, cost thousands of American lives. He also defended his own business record, which has recently come under close scrutiny, with reports about his refusal to pay his bills, and bankrupting companies to bail on debtors. Calling him the King of Debt, Clinton said Tuesday, Maybe we shouldn't expect better from someone whose most famous words are 'you're fired. And referring to his books, which he likes to boast about, Clinton said, Hes written a lot of books about business. They all seem to end at chapter 11 (the bankruptcy clause). Trump defended himself on Wednesday, saying, I have always had a talent for building businesses and, importantly, creating jobsThat is a talent our country desperately needs. He went to talk about how he built a company worth billions starting out with a $1 million loan from his father, which he tends to call small. The UK governments website (gov.uk) has uploaded stories of bravery of six Indians who had received Victoria Cross, the highest gallantry award for soldiers in countries ruled by the British, during the First World War (1914-18), as part of a centenary commemoration. The Cross is equivalent to present-day Param Vir Chakra. Among the six were Lance Naik Lala of Himachal Pradesh and Risaldar Badlu Singh of Punjab. Lance Naik Lala was awarded Victoria Cross for saving the lives of British officers on January 21, 1916. (Photo: gov.uk) We fought true Lance Naik Lala served in the 41st Dogras during the First World War. He was awarded Victoria Cross for saving the lives of British officers on January 21, 1916, during the First Battle of Hanna in Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq). According to his citation, after providing medical aid to an officer and four others in a temporary shelter, he heard calls from the adjutant of his own regiment who was lying in the open, severely wounded. The enemy were not more than one hundred yards distant, and it seemed certain death to go out in that direction, but Lance Naik Lala insisted on going out to his adjutant, and offered to crawl back with him on his back at once. When this was not permitted, he stripped off his own clothing to keep the wounded officer warmer, and stayed with him till just before dark, when he returned to the shelter. After dark he carried the first wounded officer back to the main trenches, and then, returning with a stretcher, carried back his adjutant. He set a magnificent example of courage and devotion to his officers, read his citation. According to the website, he died of polio in 1927 and his last words were said to be: We fought true. All machine guns and infantry had surrendered to him Risaldar Badlu Singh was a part of the 14th Murrays Jat Lancers, attached to the 29th Lancers, who was awarded Victoria Cross posthumously for his sacrifice on the banks of the river Jordan in Palestine on September 23, 1918. According to his citation in the London Gazette, his squadron charged a strong enemy position on the west bank of the river Jordan, between the river and Khes Samariyeh village. On nearing the position, Risaldar Badlu Singh realised that the squadron was suffering casualties from a small hill on the left front occupied by machine guns and 200 infantry. Without the slightest hesitation he collected six other ranks and with the greatest dash and total disregard for danger, charged and captured the position, thereby saving very heavy casualties to the squadron. He was mortally wounded on the very top of the hill when capturing one of the machine guns single handed, but all the machine guns and infantry had surrendered to him before he died. The website says that he was cremated where he fell, but his name is inscribed on the Heliopolis Memorial at Heliopolis War Cemetery in Cairo (Egypt). His Victoria Cross is part of the Lord Ashcroft collection at the Imperial War Museum. Also read I Udta Punjab effect? Dope test a must for 6 lakh wannabe cops The website also mentions the name of four others Sepoy Chatta Singh of Uttar Pradesh who saved the life of his commanding officer while fighting in Iraq in 1916, Naik Darwan Singh Negi of Uttrakhand for taking on Germans in France despite being wounded in head twice and arm in 1914, Rifleman Gabar Singh Negi of Uttarakhand who got the medal posthumously for flushing out Germans in the Battle of Neuve Chapelle, France, in 1915 and Lance-Daffadar Gobind Singh of Rajasthan who got the medal for his role in sending across messages to brigade headquarters during the Battle of Cambrai in 1917. A referendum will be held to decide whether Britain should leave or stay in the European Union (EU). The possible exit, called Brexit (Britain+ exit), could have lasting consequences. Here are the key things that you need to know about the historic vote that could shape British-EU ties: What is a referendum? A referendum is a vote in which everyone of voting age can take part, normally giving a Yes or No answer to a question. Whichever side gets more than half of all votes is considered to have won. When is the vote? The referendum is scheduled for Thursday, June 23. Watch | Why India doesnt want Brexit What is the European Union? The European Union is an economic-political union with roots in the post-World War II era, set up as a response to nationalism that ripped through Europe at the time. The idea was to ensure peace partly by promoting economic cooperation in a single market of the member-states. It has headquarters in Brussels, has its own currency - the Euro - which is used by 19 of the member countries, its own parliament and it now sets rules in a wide range of areas - including on the environment, transport, consumer rights and even things like mobile phone charges. Citizens of member-states have the right to freedom of movement, which means the citizens can move, live and work in any of the member-states. It currently has 28 member-states, with more (including Turkey) applying to join. Why is it being held? Britain has always been uneasy about the EU since its formation in the early 1950s. It voted in a referendum in 1975 to stay in the EU, but since then, many believe Britain did not have a say on its relationship with the EU. There has been much disquiet in Britain since the early 2000s about migration into the country from within the European Union and its effects on communities, towns, wages and public services. In 2004, 10 East European countries joined the EU; two more joined in 2007, allowing its citizens freedom of movement. In 2013, Prime Minister David Cameron promised to hold a referendum if he won the 2015 general election. What is the referendum question on the ballot paper? Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union or leave the European Union? Who is campaigning? There are two sides recognised by the Electoral Commission: the In Campaign Ltd and Vote Leave Ltd the first campaigning to remain in the EU and the second to leave. The official position of the David Cameron government is to remain in the EU; thus, Cameron and most of his ministers and Conservative MPs are on the In side, so is Labour. Vote Leave includes six ministers, including Justice Secretary Michael Gove, employment minister Priti Patel and Boris Johnson. The UK Independence Party (leader: Nigel Farage), which has enlisted much support in recent local and general elections on its anti-EU plant, is not part of Vote Leave, but has been campaigning vigorously. Campaigners from the "Vote Remain" group hand out stickers, flyers and posters in Oxford Circus, central London on 21 June 2016. (AFP Photo) What are the main arguments to stay? The Remain side has made economy its main plank. Britains economy has grown since it joined the EU; it enjoys tariff-free movement of goods, services, capital and workers across the 500-million strong EU market. It says millions of British jobs depend on continued membership of the EU. Britain also benefits from EUs policies on climate change, agriculture, fisheries, education. Membership also allows Britons to move, live and work across Europe. It argues that leaving the EU would shrink the economy, lead to job losses and more austerity in public spending. Cameron has already got a deal from Brussels to reinforce its special place in the EU: curbs on EU migrants accessing state benefits, not being part of Schengen, continued use of its own currency, the pound (not adopting the Euro). Most of British business and industry supports the In cause. What are the main arguments to leave? The Brexit camp has made the sensitive issue of immigration its main plank, which has gained it much traction in recent opinion polls. It wants to put in place the same tough conditions for EU migrants as for people from India and other non-EU countries. Its key message is: Take back control, building on the perception that more and more national powers have been taken over by the EU super-state. It wants Britain to be run by its own elected representatives, instead of un-elected bureaucrats in Brussels. This camp has its own group of business and industry leaders who want a leave vote. It wants to trade more with India and the Commonwealth after leaving the EU. A Leave campaigner holds placards as she waits for the arrival of UK Independence Party (UKIP) leader Nigel Farage in Clacton-on-Sea, eastern England on June 21, 2016. (AFP Photo) Who can vote? British, Irish, Indian and other Commonwealth citizens over 18 who are resident in the UK, along with British nationals living abroad who have been on the electoral register in the past 15 years. Citizens from EU countries living in Britain apart from Ireland, Malta and Cyprus cannot vote. What about the Indian diaspora in Britain? Some polls suggest that since both sides have near-equal support, votes of Indians and other minorities would play a deciding role. Most of the Indian community supports remaining in the EU, but there are Indian and Indian-origin businessmen who support leave. The main Indian-origin politician in the Brexit camp is Priti Patel, who is joined by MPs Suella Fernandes and Rishi Sunak. There are 15 Indian-origin law-makers, including Labours Keith Vaz, who are in the In camp. Cameron and Chancellor George Osborne have been visiting temples to campaign for the In vote, while Patel has been touring cities and areas with large Indian presence to canvass for Brexit. What is Indias position on the referendum? India does not have an official position, since it would be seen as an interference, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi said during his November 2015 visit to London that India sees Britain as a gateway to Europe. India is the third-largest investor in Britain and nearly 800 Indian companies are based in Britain. FICCI would like Britain to remain in the EU. The Reserve Bank of India, Nasscom and other Indian organisations have been closely monitoring the developments, with reports that plans for investment and expansion have been put on hold until the outcome of the referendum is known. Is the referendum important? Yes, it has major implications on Britains perception of itself and its place in international relations. But most of all, remaining or leaving will have serious implications for Britains economy, with many knock-on effects on the global financial system, given Londons pre-eminent position in the world of finance. Given that opinion polls and bookies went wrong during the May 2015 general elections, no one has an idea which way the vote will go, but bookmakers favour the Remain option. (With inputs from agencies) Read| Brits dont quit: Camerons last-minute appeal to stay In EU before referendum Read| 5 potential consequences if Britain votes to leave the European Union SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON BRUSSELS: A man with psychiatric problems who was carrying a fake suicide belt full of salt and biscuits was arrested on Tuesday after he triggered a major anti-terror operation at a Brussels shopping mall, prosecutors said. Belgium remains on a high state of alert after Islamic State-claimed bomb attacks in March left 32 people dead at the airport and at a metro station near European Union headquarters. Prosecutors said they were still probing whether the man - who had once claimed he had been urged to join the Islamic State group - had any genuine links to terrorism or not. The 26-year-old man, identified only as JB, called police to say he had been abducted in a car and dropped at the City 2 mall in central Brussels with an explosives belt that was to have been detonated remotely. After an initial inspection it was confirmed that it contained salt and biscuits. Any threat of an explosion has been initially ruled out, prosecutors spokesman Rym Kechiche said in a statement. JB is known to the authorities for various incidents, including some linked to psychiatric problems, Kechiche said. Police later located the car identified by the suspect in the Schaerbeek district of the capital and planned to question its owner. The apparent threat had triggered a massive security operation. Only one exit remained open at the nearby Rogier metro station, where soldiers checked passengers bags and belongings. Police and soldiers sealed off the immediate area, an AFP reporter at the scene said. Prime Minister Charles Michel called an emergency meeting of his security cabinet when the shopping mall alert was ongoing, reflecting the tensions in the country. The situation is for now under control. We remain vigilant, Michel said. The terror alert level in Brussels remained at level three out of four, Belga news agency reported. ISLAMABAD : 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. The more alarming indicator, according to the report, is the intensity of poverty, as each poor person lacks access to half the indicators selected for measuring poverty. The MPI findings show 60.6% of Pakistans population does not have access to cooking fuel, 48.5% do not complete schooling, almost four out of every 10 people (39%) do not have any assets and over 38% of the population lives in a one-room shelter. About one-third population does not have access to health facilities. Among the provinces, multidimensional poverty is the highest in Balochistan and the lowest in Punjab, the most populous province. Planning minister Ahsan Iqbal, who released the report, said poverty came down largely because of the growth in the informal economy. But he pointed out millions are still left behind. Four of the five poorest districts are in Balochistan, where the poverty level is alarmingly high. The poorest district is Kila Abdullah with 97% poor population, followed by Harnai (94.2%), Barkhan (93.6%), Sherani (90.6%) and Kohistan in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa with 95.8% poor people. WASHINGTON: 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. President Barack Obama denounced the vote, tweeting, Gun violence requires more than moments of silence. It requires action. In failing that test, the Senate failed the American people. What am I going to tell 49 grieving families? I am going to tell them the NRA won again,said Senator Bill Nelson, a Democrat representing Florida. 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. The New York Times noted that Democrats, who favour gun reforms, were eager (after Orlando) to press their advantage and were not about to make it easy for Republicans. 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. RIYADH: Fifty young men have been arrested in Saudi Arabia for haircuts, necklaces and other adornments considered un-Islamic. The suspects were detained during a Ramzan crackdown in the western Saudi city of Mecca, Islams 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. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON ISLAMABAD: 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 Agha s 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 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 said in such situations, the kidnappers make contact after taking their captive to a secure location. They can also have sold the captive to another group, which is common as well, he added. LONDON: Exemplary tales of valour of 175 men including six Indians who fought in different theatres during World War I have been put online in a new digital archive of Victoria Cross recipients. The Victoria Cross (VC), Britains highest military decoration for valour, was awarded to the 175 men from 11 countries. As a mark of gratitude, bronze memorial plaques were presented to their home countries in June 2014, including India. According to the archive created by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the six Indian Victoria Cross recipients and their location of action were as follows: Badlu Singh (Palestine), Chatta Singh (Mesopotamia), Darwan Singh Negi (France), Gabar Singh Negi (France), Gobind Singh (France) and Lala (Mesopotamia). Foreign office minister Hugo Swire said: Behind every name engraved on the memorial plaques there is a truly remarkable story. It is fitting that we pay tribute to the Victoria Cross recipients from overseas by bringing their stories together in this digital archive. By doing so we are sending a message that these men, and the important role played by their home countries in the First World War, will never be forgotten by the people of the United Kingdom. Besides the six Indians, there were 70 VC recipients from Canada , 66 from Australia , 16 from New Zealand, 14 from South Africa , five from the US, three from Pakistan, two each from Nepal and Denmark, and one each from Belgium and Ukraine . KANDAHAR: The Taliban on Tuesday ambushed buses and cars in southern Afghanistans Helmand province, forcing people out of the vehicles and abducting around 60 passengers, an Afghan official said. The insurgents 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. SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON WASHINGTON: 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. According to a complaint filed in federal court in Nevada, Michael Sandford tried to disarm the officer at the rally at the Mystere Theatre in the Treasure Island Casino before being overpowered. It said the 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. It looks like Trump is not getting much love on the cash front either. 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 mag nate 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. ISTANBUL : A Turkish court has freed a young woman who murdered her husband after years of violent abuse in a case that became a rallying cause for feminists in the country, media reports said Tuesday. Cilem Karabulut, 24, was found guilty earlier this month of killing her husband Hasan Karabulut, 33, in the southern Adana region in 2015 with a pistol . SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON Less than three weeks after the Confederate victory at Second Manassas, some 86,000 Union troops under 35-year-old Major General George McClellan clashed with 40,000 Confederates led by 55-year-old General Robert E. Lee at the Battle of Antietam in west-central Maryland. The 23,000 killed, wounded or missing by nightfall made September 17, 1862, the single bloodiest day in American history. Here are the recollections of some of the soldiers who fought there. Union We were finally however ordered to lie down in a cornfield & stray shot and shell began to whiz over our heads and burst around us. Of course every one thought it incumbent upon him to dodge every time he heard a chirra whoo even though it was flying a hundred feet above us. This feeling soon passed away however and the boys were decidedly too anxious to get up and see what was going on. They were soon satisfied. We were ordered to get up and throw off our bundles (I in this way lost my rubber and woolen blankets & have not seen them since) & march to the left into the woods [East Woods]. Lying just in front of our lines was a great number of dead and wounded. One poor fellow lay just before us with one leg shot off; the other shattered and otherwise badly wounded; fairly shrieking with pain. Lt. Sebastian Duncan, Jr., 13th New Jersey Infantry, 12th Corps Letter to his Mother, Sept. 21, 1862, Duncan Papers, New Jersey Historical Society As soon as it was sufficiently light for our artillerists to commence operations, the ball was fairly open, the like of which I hope we shall never again see or hear. The discharges from the batteries were more frequent than I could count, and I could think only of the awful destruction of life they were causing. Bests regular battery, attached to our brigade, covered the front, and these six 12 pound Napoleons truly made their mark. We were ordered to the left into the woods with orders from Gen. Mansfield to hold them till reinforcements should arrive; and let me assure you that in those woods the 10th had just as much of a chance as did the enemy, and we improved it. Not a mound or a tree that gave us protection we did not improve and the lifeless remains of 43 rebels, among them Lieutenants, Captains, and one Colonel, as we advanced, proved the unerring aim of our mens rifles. It was a squirrel hunt on a large scale, as you could see our men creep along from tree to tree. Lt. Colonel James Fillebrown, 10th Maine Infantry, 12th Corps Letter to his wife, Sept. 19, 1862, LewistownFalls Journal What a bloody place was that sunken road as we advanced, and the Irish Brigade fell back; the fences were down on both sides, and the dead and wounded men were literally piled there in heaps. As we went over them in crossing the road, a wounded reb made a thrust at me with his bayonet; turning my head to look at him, I saw that he was badly hurt, and continued on. As we pushed forward into the cornfield [Piper Cornfield] beyond the road, Private charley Spencer in the front rank just before me, went down with an awful cry; stooping over him as I passed I saw that he had fallen forward on his face and was motionless. Just then a strand of canister went over our heads, and that was my dread; I could endure rifle bullets, but when the big iron bullets went swishing through the air with a sound as though there were bushels of them, it made me wish I was at home. Charles A. Hale, 5th New Hampshire Infantry, 2nd Corps The Story of My Personal Experience at the Battle of Antietam, John R. Brooke Papers, Historical Society of Pennsylvania Battle oh horrid battle. What sights I have seen now see around me. I am Wounded! And am afraid shall be again as shells fly past me every few seconds carrying away limbs from trees and scattering limbs around. Am in severe pain. Furies how the shells fly. I do sincerely hope shall not be wounded again. We drove them first till they got sheltered then we had a bad place. Oh I cannot write. Sgt. Jonathan Stowe, 15th Massachusetts Infantry, 2nd Corps Diary entry, Sept. 17, 1862, CWTI Collection, USAMHI I had just got myself pretty comfortable when a bomb burst over me and completely deafened me. I felt a blow on my right shoulder and my jacket was covered with white stuff. I felt mechanically whether I still had my arm and thank God it was still whole. At the same time I felt something damp on my face; I wiped it off. It was bloody. Now I first saw that the man next to me, Kessler, lacked the upper part of his head, and almost all his brains had gone into the face of the man next to him, Merkel, so that he could scarcely see. Since any moment the same could happen to anyone, no one thought much about it. Christoph Niederer, 20th New York Infantry, 6th Corps Civil War Misc. Collection, USAMHI You may call the feeling fear or anything you choose. I dont deny that I trembled and wished we were well out of it. I tried to do my duty and am satisfied. I came off the field side by side with Col. Beach. Afterward we led the remnants of our own regiment and the 11th [11th Connecticut] on to the field again through as hot a fire as I saw any time during the day. So far as my experience goes, I should not be sorry to see the war ended tomorrow without firing another shot, and yet I am a little eager to see one more battle. Not from any reckless desire for the excitement, but I have a little practical knowledge now and I think I should be more at home next time and perhaps do better. I should be considerable cooler, I have not doubt. Adjutant John H> Burnham, 16th Connecticut Infantry Letter to mother and family, Oct. 4, 1862, State Archives, History and Genealogy Unit, Connecticut State Library Confederate . . . after a hurried march of 2 miles we reached the field of battle & went immediately into action, through a piece of woods [West Woods] facing a terrific fire of artillery and musketry, several of our men were killed & wounded in the woods & many hesitated and took shelter behind trees & could not be forced forward, when we passed the woods we crossed a fence & under a most galling fire of grape & canister from the artillery & musketry & many of our force could not be rallied beyond the fence, I drew my pistol and threatened to shoot & scolded but with very futile effect, I mounted the fence & moved forward exposed to a terrible fire which swept away every thing before it & saw our Regt. Breaking & the whole gave way in confusion & retreat in disorder. I tried to rally them in the woods behind the brow of a hill, but was not aided by our Col. Commandant, who led the retreat nor listened to by the men. Lt Colonel Samuel H. Walkup, 48th North Carolina Infantry Diary entry, Samuel H. Walkup papers, Southern Historical Collection, University of North Carolina We were ordered by the left flank and were very soon into the engagement. I commenced loading and shooting with all my might but my gun got chocked the first round and I picked up the gun of one of my comrades who fell by my side and continued to fire. Here I could see the second line of battle of the enemy and when their men would fall the rest would close in and fill their places. Their first line was lying by a fence and I could see the old Stars and Stripes waving over them I fired as near as I could aim at the men around the flag I do not know whether I killed any one or not during this time[.] our Reg got cut up very severly and the Brig was ordered to retreat back when we met reinforcements coming in and I was glad to see them for I was nearly tired to death. Calvin Leach, 1st North Carolina Infantry, D.H. Hills Division Diary, Southern Historical Collection, UNC Tired and sleepy we still march on, and as we come in proximity of the battle ground the scores of wounded passing to the rear remind us that bloody work is going on. A little further on, to the left of the pike, we halt & load at will. No sooner done, then in again. The enemys batteries give us shot & shell in abundance causing many muscular contractions in the spinal column of our line. But all the dodging did not save us. Occasionally a shell, better aimed than the rest would crash through our line making corpses & mutilated trunks. James J. Fitzpatrick, 16th Mississippi Infantry, Richard H. Andersons Division Diary, Eugene C. Barker Texas History Center, University of Texas at Austin There was no halt made until we reached the northern boundary of the corn [Millers corn field], and there for the first time that day I saw the enemy. He had a battery on top of the hill and was shooting over us. Our line silenced the guns, but did not capture them. A quiet of a few minutes followed, then an infantry line appeared on the crest and engaged our line. The flag of the regiment opposing the 11th Miss. was shot down (or lowered) at least a half dozen times before it disappeared behind the hill. Our line did not advance any farther, but kept its same position. The next move in our immediate front was an attempt to get a gun in position to bear on us. It came up in a gallop but the horses were nearly all killed or wounded, the artillerymen disappeared and the effort failed. D. L. Lowe, 11th Mississippi Infantry Lowe to J. M. Gould, April 29, 1891, Gould Papers, Dartmouth College Just then, a Yankee horseman waved his hat at us, and Col. Tew returned the compliment. It was the last I saw of the colonel [Tew was killed in the ensuing engagement]. Our skirmishers began to fire on the advancing line, and we returned to ours. Slowly they approach up the hill, and slowly our skirmishers retire before theirs, firing as they come. Our skirmishers are ordered to come into the line. Here they are, right before us, scarce 50 yards off, but as if with one feeling, our whole line pour a deadly volley into their ranks they drop, reel; stagger, and back their first line go beyond the crest of the hill. Our men reload, and await for them to again approach, while the first column of the enemy meet the second, rally and move forward again. They meet with the same reception, and back again they go, to come back when met by their third line. Here they all come. You can see their mounted riders cheering them on, and with a sickly huzza! they all again approach us at a charge, but another volley sends their whole line reeling back. Lt. John C. Gorman, 2nd North Carolina Infantry, D. H. Hills Division Letter to wife and mother, September 21, 1862, North Carolina State Archives White and I, seeing we were in point blank range of the batteries, had pressed the left wing forward under the hill, the colors continuing to advance. Just here, Major White passed down the line from the right, and said to me; We can take that battery forward! We both passed through the ranks, and moved side by side, with the colors, to the front, and had almost reached the battery (the guns of which were already abandoned), when the Major was struck in the cheek by a rifle ball, fired by the infantry in rear of the battery. Still he pressed forward, until within twenty yards of the battery, when just at this moment the guns, re-manned, opened upon us, and swept down the remnant of gallant men who had followed us; the Major falling at the first discharge, being struck about the ear by a grape shot. Captain, 7th South Carolina Infantry, McLawss Division In Memoriam, Charleston Mercury, Dec. 3, 1862 We have again lost some of the noblest men in the south. The wounds generally in more of a serious nature than heretofore. I pronounce this battle to have been the most terrible in artillery than any one of the preceding fights. I never was so tired of shelling in my life. I hate cannons . Dr. James Boulware, 6th South Carolina Infantry, D. R. Joness Division Diary, Virginia State Library Compiled by D. Scott Hartwig From Farm to Prison SUBMITTED BY BENJAMIN SMITH OF PORTLAND, MAINE NAME: Llewellyn Smith DATES: 1836 to 1883 ALLEGIANCE: Union HIGHEST RANK: Private UNIT: 9th Maine Infantry, Company I SERVICE RECORD: Mustered into the 9th Maine Infantry on September 22, 1861. Captured at Bermuda Hundred, Virginia, on August 25, 1864. Incarcerated at Belle Isle Prison until mid-September and at Libby Prison until October. Mustered out on July 13, 1865. A small town not far from Bangor, Maine, Carmel was a tranquil place populated by farmers who had little time for anything besides farminguntil the Civil War erupted. Llewellyn Smith and other sons of Carmel put away their plows and took up rifles. The 25-year-old Smith was mustered into the 9th Maine Infantry, Company I, on September 22. Two days later, the farmers were on their way south as soldiers. At left, Smith stands stoically with his Springfield rifle musket. The knife and revolver in his belt are probably props supplied by the photographer; few foot soldiers carried such weapons. Almost immediately, the 9th Maine was assigned to Brigadier General Thomas W. Shermans South Carolina Expeditionary Corps. Smith saw his first action in the Union capture of Port Royal. Then, after several months of quiet duty in Florida, the Pine Tree Staters were thrown back into action in South Carolina, where they fought desperately in three assaults and a siege against Charlestons Battery Wagner in July 1863. Thirty-nine men from the 9th were killed or mortally wounded, but Smith escaped uninjured. Early in 1864, the regiment was reassigned to the Army of the James and joined Major General Benjamin F. Butler in his operations outside Richmond, Virginia. More than 70 men of the 9th Maine died during bitter fighting at Cold Harbor and Petersburg in June. Smith survived only to be captured at Bermuda Hundred on August 25. He spent three weeks at Belle Isle Prison on the James River before being transferred to Libby Prison in Richmond. Smith stayed at Libby only a month, but the suffering that began there would last the rest of his life. Libby Prison was populated mostly by officers. As a private, Smith received even fewer aids to survival than the suffering officers. He had no bed, no blankets, and few clothesonly a shirt and pants. In the damp Southern autumn, Smith rapidly developed severe heart and lung infections. Paroled in October, he went home to Carmel for a lengthy convalescence. Although he eventually returned to his regiment, the war was over for Smith; shortly after his return, the men of the 9th Maine were mustered out, on July 13, 1865. A shell of his former self, Smith was still one of the lucky ones; nearly a quarter of the 197 men of his company never came home. Too weak for farming, Smith became a wagon maker in Carmel. He soon married his sweetheart, Adaline Maloon, and over the next several years, the couple had five children. Adaline died in 1880, and three years later, Smith succumbed to his wartime ailments. His children were sent to the State Military and Naval Childrens Home in Bath. Even today, Smiths descendants do not know where he was buried, only that it was in Maine. Buffalo Bill wanted an epic production with theatrical flair that defined the West and drew viewers into it. When fabled bison hunter William Buffalo Bill Cody first staged his Wild West show in 1883, he needed more than heroic cowboys, villainous Indians, teeming horses and roaming buffalo to transform it from a circus into a sensation. He needed star power. And there was one man who guaranteed to provide it: the Sioux chief widely blamed for the uprising that overwhelmed George Armstrong Custers 7th Cavalry at the Battle of Little Bighorn only a decade earlier. I am going to try hard to get old Sitting Bull, Cody said. If we can manage to get him our ever lasting fortune is made. It took two years, but Cody finally got his man. In June 1885, Sitting Bull joined the Wild West show for a signing bonus of $125 and $50 a week20 times more than Indians who served as policemen on reservations earned. Buffalo Bill reckoned his new star would prove to be an irresistible draw. With the Indian wars drawing to a close, and most Plains Indians confined to reservations, Buffalo Bill set the stage for a final conquest of the frontier. Since accompanying an army patrol as a scout shortly after the Battle of Little Bighorn and scalping the Cheyenne warrior Yellow Hair, he was known as the man who took the first scalp for Custer. As the man who now controlled Sitting Bull, he symbolically declared victory in the war for the West and signaled a new era of cooperation with the enemy. Cody excluded the chief from acts in which other Indians made sham attacks on settlers and then got their comeuppance from heroic cowboys. All Sitting Bull had to do was don a war costume, ride a horse into the arena and brave an audience that sometimes jeered and hissed. Sitting Bulls mere presence reinforced the reassuring message underlying Codys Wild West extravaganza, as well as the Western films and novels it inspired, that Americans are generous conquerors who attack only when provoked. At the same time, Codys vision of the West spoke to the fiercely competitive spirit of an American nation born in blood and defined by conflict on the frontier, where what mattered most was not whether you were right or wrong but whether you prevailed. The lesson of his Wild West was that sharpshooting American cowboys like Buffalo Bill could be as wild as the Indians they fought and match them blow for blow. The real frontier might be vanishing, but by preserving this wild domain imaginatively and reenacting the struggle for supremacy there, he gave millions of Americans the feeling they were up to any challenge. Buffalo Bills Wild West depended on Codys ability to draw shrewdly on his frontier experiences to make himself a commanding figure. He earned his nickname, he claimed, by killing 4,280 buffalo during an 18-month stint for the Kansas Pacific Railroad in the late 1860s. Indiscriminate hunting was encouraged by the army as part of a campaign to wipe out buffalo herds that gave subsistence to free-roaming Plains Indians. The Indians did not take well to having this food supply annihilated. Cody told of being chased once by 30 Indians on horseback. Cavalry guarding the tracks came to his aid, and together they killed eight redskins, he said, expressing sympathy only for a horse one of the warriors was riding, killed by a shot from his trusty rifle Lucretia: He was a noble animal, and ought to have been engaged in better business. Later in life Cody mused that Indians deserved better. But his early exploits on the Plains and his autobiographical account of those feats, designed to portray him as a classic frontier enforcer, came first. His crowning claim involved the rescue of a white woman from the clutches of Indians. In July 1869, he was serving as a scout for the 5th Cavalry when it surprised hostile Cheyennes in an encampment at Summit Springs, Colorado Territory, where one white woman held captive was killed in the ensuing battle and one rescued. Official records give credit for locating the camp to Pawnee scoutswho volunteered to serve the army against their traditional tribal foesand make no mention of Buffalo Bill. But Cody boasted of killing Cheyenne Chief Tall Bull during the engagement after creeping to a spot where he could easily drop him from the saddle without hitting his horse, a gallant steed he then captured and named Tall Bull in honor of the chief. [continued on next page] From left, Surya Sapkota, owner Yam Parajuli, Keshab Subedi and owner Ram Subedi stand with some of their favorites including chicken tadoori, garlic and plain naan and momo dumplings on June 15 at Monsoon Himalayan Cuisine. Cat Cutillo / Review According to new study doctors who receive free meals from drug makers are more prone to prescribe the brand-name drugs those companies sell. Physicians who got just one free meal, price less than $20 on average, twice more likely to prescribe a promoted brand-name drug than a lower priced generic alternative, compared with doctors who did not get a meal. Doctors who who got several meals were up to three times more likely to prescribe those drugs. "To my surprise, tiny, tiny payments are associated with big differences in prescribing," said study author Colette DeJong, a research fellow at University of California San Francisco's (UCSF) Center for Healthcare Value. Additional meals and higher price were linked with even higher prescribing rates of the promoted drug. "So whether you get zero, one, two, three or four meals has a step-wise increase in the prescribing of the brand-name drug that's being promoted, and that has huge implications for Medicare and huge implications for patients," said DeJong. Marketing guidelines set up by the American Medical Association and Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) allow gifts to doctors up to $100 worth. "Although voluntary guidelines from the American Medical Association and Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America allow meals and gifts to physicians of up to $100 in value, our findings indicate that even payments of less than $20 are associated with different prescribing patterns," they added. "Small payments and meals should continue to be monitored in the United States." Most of the meals in the study were of very low value. "It's more like the pizza in the doctor's office than the formal dinner out," DeJong noted. Dr. Adams Dudley, director of UCSF's Center for Healthcare Value addressed that It's not the value of the gift driving doctors' prescribing patterns; it's "feeling like you owe the drug rep something," he said. Similarly, a Harvard Medical School study published in May discovered that Massachusetts doctors prescribed a bigger proportion of brand-name statins the category of drugs that treat high cholesterol the more industry money they got. There was no big increase in brand-name prescribing for those who received less than $2,000. Most Medicare beneficiaries are in prescription drug plans where the median copay is $1 for generics and $40 to $80 for brand-name drugs, DeJong noted. "You can imagine for a senior on 10 or 20 medicines, that's a huge cost every month," she said. However, the study did not prove a cause-and-effect relationship. It might be that doctors go to industry events where information is provided on drugs they already like. The differences persisted after controlling for prescribing volume and potential confounders such as physician specialty, practice setting, and demographic characteristics, the study states. Furthermore, the relationship was dose dependent, with additional meals and costlier meals associated with greater increases in prescribing of the promoted drug. The study was published online Monday by JAMA Internal Medicine. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. For nearly a century, a tiny asteroid circling around the Earth's orbit and has now been officially tagged by NASA as Earth's tiny second moon. Between 120 feet to 300 feet in diameter, the miniscule quasi-satellite also revolves around the sun on a similar orbit as our planet. Known as "asteroid 2016 HO3," Earth's new companion is estimated to have been around for the past 100 years. First detected on April 27 by the University of Hawaii's Institute for Astronomy using the Pan-STARRS 1 asteroid survey telescope, the asteroid quasi-moon may eventually leave at some point in time unlike our very own moon which has been Earth's constant playmate for eons. The rock's orbit seems to follow a unique low back-and-forth twist pattern for the past several decades. Scientists think that it may continue to hang around the Earth's orbit for hundreds of years more, Inhabitat reported. "The asteroid's loops around Earth drift a little ahead or behind from year to year, but when they drift too far forward or backward, Earth's gravity is just strong enough to reverse the drift and hold onto the asteroid so that it never wanders farther away than about 100 times the distance of the moon," said Paul Chodas, manager of NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object (NEO) Studies at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California as quoted by Mother Nature Network. Chodas added that this celestial arrangement also prevents the miniscule satellite from "approaching much closer than about 38 times the distance of the moon." The tiny moon, in Chodas' words, is "caught in a little dance" with our very own planet. Interestingly, "asteroid 2016 HO3" is just one of Earth's celestial buddies other than the moon. Astronomers have made a catalog of other tiny space entities caught up in the Earth's orbit which are as follows (via Smithsonian Magazine): 1. Cruithne: The three-mile wide asteroid quasi-satellite 3753 Cruithne was discovered in 1983 and is quite similar to 2016 HO3. 2. 2010 TK7: A Trojan asteroid that tags along the Earth's orbit as it revolves around the sun. 3. 2006 RH120: Discovered in late 2006 by astronomers at the Catalina Sky Survey in Arizona after detecting a mysterious white space entity circling the earth. It was first thought of as space debris or a spent rocket booster but was later discovered as a small asteroid. However, it disappeared by 2007. Meanwhile, the European Space Agency has laid out an ambitious plan to construct a deep space human outpost between the Earth and the Moon. The space base is envisioned to facilitate easier back-and-forth travel between the Moon and the Earth, the Telegraph reported. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. As per recent reports, teenage consumption of marijuana has reduced considerably in Colorado ever since the government legalized pot. The results were seen in a biannual poll obtained by Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. It revealed that there has been a significant change in the number of teenage consumers of pot in Colorado. The department conducts a poll every two years and close to 17,000 students participated in it. The survey revealed that the number dropped more in 2015, than 2011 when the number only dipped from 22% to 21.1% for the teenagers who consume pot in Colorado. "These statistics clearly debunk the theory that making marijuana legal for adults will result in more teen use," Mason Tvert, said. "Levels of teen use in Colorado have not increased since it ended marijuana prohibition, and they are lower than the national average. Elected officials and voters in states that are considering similar proposals should be wary of claims that it will hurt teens." There are also reports explaining that legalization of pot had very little to do with the increasing number of pot smokers as it was already available easily, even before the government legalized its use. Simply put, it means that the kids who wanted to smoke up weed were able to do so, even when pot was not legalized. Even though the numbers dipped, an anti-legalization group called Smart Approaches to Marijuana pointed out that Colorado has the highest number of pot smokers throughout United States. Legalization may have its own benefits and pitfalls, but it is parents who need to educate their children about not doing this behind their back. @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. N ow that Lea Bridge has a railway station again, this run-down east London outpost is to get its first major housing development. Hill, the award-winning house builder responsible for reinvigorating acres of warehouses around Cambridge station, has been granted permission for a scheme of more than 300 new homes in nine blocks in Lea Bridge Road. About 60 of the homes will be affordable, aimed at low- and middle-income buyers and renters currently priced out of the private sector. The announcement comes a month after the long-awaited reopening of Lea Bridge station, which was closed in the mid-Eighties as part of a cost-cutting exercise. Revealed: London's top property news stories 1 /40 Revealed: London's top property news stories Southwark council moves to save historic arches A London council is stepping in to save its historic railway arches, after a rush of applications to convert them into homes. Read more > Scroll right for more of London's top property news stories... Alamy Stock Photo Canning Town revealed as the most affordable property hotspot along the new 24-hour Night Tube route New research reveals the 10 most affordable stops to buy along the newest branch of Londons weekend Night Tube network... Read more Daniel Lynch London's property hotspots for "second steppers" New research reveals the capitals top locations for first-time owners trading up in the suburbs. Here's where to start your search for good-value homes with more space... Read more New-look 2016 Monopoly board for London's first-time buyers Barking and Bexley replace Old Kent Road and Whitechapel as the capital's cheapest property hotspots. Discover the average cost of buying in every London borough... Read more Barratt London Top 30 fastest-rising hotspots for first-time buyers from Peckham to Walthamstow South-east London postcodes are a favourite with the capital's first-timers, but discover which areas are proving to be the best investment for newbie buyers... Read more Bob Comics_Flickr City of London set to ban cars and trucks at Bank Junction The junction outside the Bank of England could become a bus and bike-only zone as early as next spring in an effort to reduce regular traffic accidents. Read more 100 days after Brexit: how the UK's vote to leave the EU has impacted the property market We ask UK property experts how Brexit has effected the housing market and what the future holds... Read more > Scroll right for more of London's top property news stories... Shutterstock London borough of Redbridge is home to the capital's most satisfied residents The north-east London borough containing Ilford, Woodford and Wanstead has the best levels of life satisfaction in the capital, according to the latest data from the Office of National Statistics. So, what makes it such a good place to live? We find out... Read more Daniel Lynch The Optic Cloak at Greenwich Peninsula This gigantic energy tower in south-east London, called the Optic Cloak, is set to warm up 15,000 new homes... Read more Marc Wilmot_Greenwich Peninsula North Kensington house prices tipped to soar as council pledges to plug W10 into the Elizabeth line A new train station in North Kensington has become more likely after Kensington & Chelsea council pledged to foot the nine-figure bill to link the area to the Crossrail network. Read more Alamy Stock Photo Post-Brexit sales "better than usual": 35m of London property sells in a single day at auction Guide prices were busted at a fiercely contested property auction where sellers were more nervous than the buyers... Read more The 'world's largest smog vacuum cleaner' turns polluted city air into jewellery Winner of the 2016 Airbnb London Design Innovation medal, Daan Roosegaarde has launched his acclaimed Smog Free Tower in Beijing - and London could be next... Read more Derrick Wang Locals vow to fight demolition of Fulham Gasworks Residents are preparing to fight plans for 1,300 new homes in tower blocks of up to 27-storeys high on the site of Londons last surviving Victorian gasworks in Fulham. . Read more Post-Brexit UK property prices The pace of growth has slowed, but property prices are still rising following the Brexit vote. See how your region compares... Read more PA Quietway cycle routes: Enfield to Greenwich London's first Quietway, the cycle route from Waterloo to Greenwich, is already up and running, with six more due next year. We reveal the traffic-free enclaves along the routes that are still some of the capitals best-kept secrets... Read more Seven of the best Hertfordshire villages with 40-minute commutes to London Some of England's loveliest villages are found in family-friendly Hertfordshire, the low-profile home county just north of the capital that offers quick commutes to the centre. Take a tour of our pick of the best... Read more Alamy Quietway cycle routes: Clapham Common to Walthamstow Discover the homes along TfLs peaceful new bike routes linking the suburbs to the centre through back streets and parks and along riverbanks and canal paths... Read more Jonathan Bewley House prices in east London borough of Newham rise by more than 20 per cent in a year New figures reveal that while the pace of growth is slowing, property prices are still rising across the capital as demand continues to soar. Read more Rex Grammar school expansion plans: homes near England's top 30 state schools command premiums of up to 630k Parents face paying an average of 53k extra to live near England's top 30 state schools - and grammar schools dominate the top 10, says new report. Read more London's Zone 5 homes hotspots Thinking of moving? These are the areas you need to know about... Read more Graham Hussey Tottenham Hale masterplan row Local residents complain they will lose their views if plans for the regeneration of the the River Lee Navigation waterfront, including apartment blocks up to 21 storeys tall, go ahead.... Read more Notting Hill's skinniest home for sale for 1.25m Inside west London's 'life-size doll's house' - measuring just seven feet wide... Read more Seven of the best Kent villages less than 60 minutes from the capital - with good schools, shops and pubs Idyllic Kent villages with pubs, shops and good schools are great commuter options and only an hour - or less - from London. Read more The Tube line extensions and Crossrail homes hotspots you need to know about Transport-led regeneration is the single most important factor boosting the value of homes. These are the new routes you need to know about... Read more London's new walk-to-work homes near emerging business hubs - and mainline train stations As more creative companies and start-ups move out of central London's traditional business areas, neighbourhoods with new commercial hubs are being created with walk-to-work homes... Read more The Olympic legacy? More than 100 small start up firms in Vittoria Wharf, Hackney Wick, are being forced to move into new premises following a green light to bulldoze the area to make way for a new bridge over the River Lee Navigation. Read more Alamy Three-year forecast predicts the house price changes in your region House price growth has fallen in recent months, but is expected to start rising again by 2018, according to the latest three-year housing forecast by Countrywide... Read more Shutterstock Night Tube: Tottenham Hale revealed as the most affordable property hotspot New research reveals the 10 most affordable stops to buy along London's Night Tube network as addresses along the Central and Victoria lines benefit from 24-hour connections... Read more Rents fall for the first time in eight years as homes to let flood the market While rents are falling for the first time since the financial crash of 2008, rental prices across the capital are still far too high in relation to salaries. Read more The university areas that get top marks for return on investment For parents considering buying a property for the three-year stint, a new study of the capitals top 12 universities reveals which present the best deals for buyers compared with renting. Read more Alamy By 2031 it is forecast that more than 350,000 passengers a year will use the Zone 3 train station. It will take about five minutes to reach either Stratford or Tottenham Hale and connect to London Underground. Construction of the apartments starts later this year, and expressions of interest are already being taken ahead of a sales launch in 2018. Right now the area has streets of Victorian houses which, by London standards, are highly affordable, with three- to four-bedroom homes selling for between 500,000 and 600,000. Two-bedroom flats in period homes sell for around 325,000 to 350,000, and one-bedroom flats are available for under 250,000. Prices in the area are already growing strongly, according to Rightmove, which reports an increase from an average of just under 305,000 in February last year to almost 413,000 at the start of this year, and over 30 per cent in less than two years. The link between improved transport connections and house price rises is well documented, and the area is also in line for other major infrastructure improvements. Waltham Forest council is investing 30 million in a programme to improve road safety across the borough, replacing the hated Whipps Cross roundabout with a T-junction, adding segregated cycle lanes and improving pedestrian crossings and street lighting. Hills development will include a gym and a few shops. Shabby Lea Bridge currently has little to offer you need to travel to Stratford for a good choice of shops, bars, and restaurants. For anyone trying to run a business and plan ahead uncertainty is rarely welcome, particularly in the hospitality sector. Few things throw up more uncertainty than this week's referendum in the UK on the country's continued membership of the European Union. Polls show the two sides are neck and neck and with Britain's recent run-ins with unreliable polling data, nobody is willing to make a call on which way this referendum will go until the votes are counted in the early hours of Friday morning. Britain leaving the EU - now almost universally referred to as Brexit - is adding uncertainty to business not just in the UK or the EU, but around the world. For those of us in the hospitality sector though, one of the most acute effects could be on business travel. Much like the rest of us, business travellers just don't know what a post-Brexit world will mean for the way that they operate and how they organise their business trips. We recently carried out research, asking 500 frequent business travellers across the UK to see what they thought about the prospect of a British exit from the EU. Of those we asked, a full 30% said that they felt particularly uncertain about the prospect of Brexit from their standpoint as a regular business traveller. 1 in 4 polled said that they were concerned that they would have to spend longer applying for visas to enter countries before their business trips, and 1 in 5 said that they were worried about delays at passport control within the EU and around the world. It's not just time costs which are spooking business travellers. 21% said that they were worried about the rising prices for airfares as the cost of their trips abroad increased something which could well have a knock on impact on how much they can spend on hotels once they have arrived at their destinations. This uncertainty is something that those working in the hospitality industry need to sit up and pay attention to. Britain might vote to remain in the EU, but should Brexit occur, businesses need to move quickly to demonstrate why business travel is still as vital as ever and how they can help make regular business travellers' trips as simple as possible. This could be by providing regular updates on new travel regulations or sending advice on how to apply for any travel documentation. Ultimately, while a Brexit vote might make business travel more complicated around the world, it does not necessarily mean that less travel will take place. Businesses that have clear advice and can work around new frameworks and regulations will be best placed to reap the rewards. Tellingly, our same research found that the vast majority of business travellers expect to take even more business trips abroad in the next year, whether or not Britain votes to leave the EU. This is an encouraging sign for businesses, but one that makes planning more important than ever. Uncertainty is never welcome, but when it comes to business those that can adapt quickest will succeed most; the question isn't whether business travellers will keep coming, but how their travel preparations will differ in a post-Brexit world. By the end of this week we'll know the results and we can start to assess the potential impact on the hospitality industry and the travel sector. Andrew Rogers Diffusion PR / DCC Forum +44 (0)207 291 0245 DCC Forum 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 Ann-Charlotte Johansson, VP Communication & IR, has decided to leave Scandic Hotels Group for a new position. The process to appoint a successor has started and Ann-Charlotte will remain in the company until the end of the year. "Ann-Charlotte has played an important role in the company's listing process and I wish her the best of luck in her new position at the same time as I'd like to thank her for her contribution to Scandic", says Frank Fiskers, President & CEO Scandic Hotels Group. Scandic Hotels Group (publ) is required to publish this information under the Swedish Securities Market Act and/or Financial Instruments Trading Act. The information was submitted for publication June 22, 2016 at 08:00 CET. Scandic is the largest hotel company in the Nordic region with 14,400 team members and a network of close to 230 hotels with about 44,000 hotel rooms in operation and under development. UFO hunting was recently reported as his reason for leaving the band. Tom DeLonge has responded to reports that he quit pop punk band Blink 182 to focus on alien hunting with the US government. He took to Facebook to say, "Quitting the band to search for UFOs? Hahhaha WTF is wrong with you media". He goes on to reiterate that, despite contrary widespread reports, he "never did quit, remember?". He also claims to be in touch with drummer for the band Travis Barker about his return. In April, DeLonge released a book call Sekret Machines Book 1: Chasing Shadows based on material coming from sources "within the military and intelligence community" along with DeLonge's own fictional sci-fi narrative. While DeLonge remains adamant that he did not quit Blink 182 he is keen to reinforce that he is in fact working with the US government in the search for extra terrestrials. "But - Am I currently working with people in the Government? YES. Including leadership from DOD [Department Of Defence], Intelligence and Executive Branch? YES. Just wait for the documentary before considering ridiculous headlines". Blink 182 parted ways with DeLonge in 2015 and subsequently enlisted Alkaline Trio's Matt Skiba in his place. The band are preparing the release their seventh studio album, California on July 1. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Boeing has reached a tentative agreement to sell passenger planes to Iran's state-run carrier, the aircraft maker said Tuesday, in the first potential major U.S. deal with Tehran since a nuclear accord last year lifted sanctions. The pact with Iran Air is in the early stages and could face more hurdles, including further review by U.S. regulators and possible political blowback from some U.S. lawmakers. But it offers a potential 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 country's sanctions-choked economy. Iran's transportation minister, Abbas Akhoundi, was quoted by Iranian state media as placing the deal with Boeing at up to $25 billion - similar in scope to an earlier order with Boeing's European rival, Airbus. 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 U.S. Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been openly wary of allowing greater business footholds for U.S. companies. But he has also allowed Rouhani's 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 U.S. trade authorities for the deal. Boeing said Iran Air signed a deal expressing its "intent" to purchase aircraft, the Associated Press reported. Chicago-based Boeing gave no details on the size of the potential sale. Akhoundi said the first Boeing planes could arrive by October. Iran Air has already signed agreements to buy 118 planes from Airbus and 20 from ATR. But in a sign of possible obstacles for Boeing, some U.S. lawmakers have complained about the company's outreach to Iran. Jeb Hensarling, R-Dallas, 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 world's foremost state sponsor of terrorism." "It's not American jobs that are on the line, but potentially American lives." Saudi Arabia's new energy minister said the supply glut that kindled a crippling oil rout around the world and thrashed Houston's biggest business for two years has finally vanished. "We are out of it," Khalid Al-Falih said in his first newspaper interview since his rise to the most powerful job in the global energy industry last month. "The oversupply has disappeared. We just have to carry the overhang of inventory for a while until the system works it out." Falih, Texas A&M University graduate and former Saudi Aramco chief executive, replaced the long-time Saudi oil policymaker Ali al-Naimi in May. He was in Houston this week to visit Saudi Aramco operations here and later joined in an evening meal to break the Ramadan fast at Houston's Museum of Fine Arts. Two years and day after U.S. oil price peaked at $107 barrel, he sketched out the end of the world's oil surplus and the beginning of a new chapter in the cyclical energy business in an exclusive interview with the Houston Chronicle. Prices tumbled as low as $26 a barrel in February in the biggest oil-market crash since the 1980's. Texas alone has lost 100,000 jobs since the slide in prices began in the summer of 2014. But countries like India and parts of Asia have a bigger appetite for oil now, Falih said, while crude production in the United States, Nigeria and other regions has fallen, closing the 1 million-barrel a day gap between supply and demand. The first phase of a long-anticipated industry recovery is underway as refineries on the Gulf Coast and around the world work through storage tanks of crude oil. The United States has a near-record stockpile of more than 530 million barrels, which could take months to cut down. "The question now is how fast you will work off the global inventory overhang," said Falih, who serves as chairman of Saudi Aramco, the company that produces one out of eight barrels of oil the world consumes every day. "That will remain to put a cap on the rate at which oil prices recover. We just have to wait for the second half of the year and next year to see how that works out." Boom and busts In the first half of the decade, shale drillers in Texas and North Dakota put fracking in the nation's lexicon and led the United States to its biggest oil boom since the 1970s. But oil markets eventually became overstuffed as producers pumped more than 1 million barrels than the world needed each day. For Saudi Arabia and other OPEC nations, the surge in U.S. oil production proved shale drillers could respond faster to high crude prices than all but the lowest-cost producers "a game-changer," Falih said, in the way the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries manages oil markets. Since November 2014, Saudi Arabia has refused calls by other OPEC nations to resume its role as the world's swing producer and cut its oil production in a bid to stabilize falling crude prices. "The tools that OPEC has used in the past targeting specific prices have not always worked in the long term," Falih said. "They create market dislocations that ultimately hurt producers and consumers." The Kingdom, which can profit off of oil even at low prices, opted to let market forces weed out higher-cost producers. U.S. oil production, driven by higher-cost shale plays, has dropped by more than half a million barrels a day since early 2015 and nearly 80 drillers have gone bankrupt."No matter what we do, ultimately markets win," Falih said. "Not Afraid" Saudi Arabia's financial reserves have also declined as it collects less oil revenue, but it's in better shape than many of its rivals. The government is planning a series of reforms and investments to expand other parts of its economy outside of oil production, including tourism, services, mining, petrochemicals, even renewable energy. One goal of the plan, which Saudi officials call Saudi Vision 2030, is to bring its non-oil exports up from 16 percent to half of the exports it offers the world over the next decade. Deputy Crown Prince Mohammad bid Salman has said the Kingdom is striving to be able to live without oil by 2020 a mere four years. The comment "impress on the urgency that this needs to happen quickly and it needs to happen now," Falih said. "But nobody has the intention of turning off the oil economy in Saudi Arabia," Falih said. "We're trying to build it up. But what we hope while we're doing this is the non-oil economy will grow even faster." It's a big play for the world's biggest oil producing country and some observers of the closely guarded Kingdom have wondered if it reflects anxiety over the possibility the world's oil and gas demand will eventually peak amid global efforts to limit rising temperatures by moving the world from combustion engines to electric vehicles making the Kingdom's number one export a relic of a bygone age. Some industry players, including major oil companies like Statoil,believe it will take much more than the Paris climate accords signed last year to thwart the worst effects of climate change, including much tighter emissions rules for vehicles and massive growth of solar and wind power in electricity generation and a sharp reduction in coal production. Still investing But Al-Falih said Saudi Aramco is still investing heavily in maintaining the Kingdom's capacity of 12.5 million barrels a day because Saudi officials believe global economic growth will continue to support rising energy demand of about 1.5 million barrels a day annually. Even as it pumps 10 million barrels of crude a day, he said, the world's largest oil company is working to offset natural declines in its spare oil production capacity so it's ready to meet demand if supplies drop somewhere else in the world. That's because Saudi Arabia, he said, isn't too worried about big changes in the world's energy mix. Unlike quickly evolving information technology, global energy systems take decades to build, and while the Kingdom plans to invest in renewable energy resources, it also recognizes "any transition is going to take decades." "We're going to invest in making it happen. We're not afraid of it, but we're also realists and we know that oil will be a significant part of the energy mix for decades to come," Falih said. "Even if the share of oil goes down from, say, 30 to 25 percent, 25 percent of a much bigger global demand means a much higher absolute number of barrels that will be in demand by 2030 or 2040." So while electric vehicles could one day make serious inroads in transportation, because of sheer demographic and economic growth in coming years, "we believe overall demand for petroleum in transportation and petrochemicals is going to rise for a long time before it starts falling in absolute numbers. Yes, we know it will fall in percentage terms but very gradually." CHICAGO - United Continental Holdings hopes to find an extra $1 billion, in part by persuading passengers to pay for more in-flight extras. It isn't yet ready to say exactly what counts as an extra, and whether that means putting a price tag on something United used to provide for free - like being able to pick your own seat. But during a call with investors Tuesday, United CEO Oscar Munoz made it clear the Chicago-based airline is committed to developing products and fares for customers at opposite ends of the travel spectrum. Shares of United rose 3.4 percent to close at $44.86 Tuesday. By the end of the year, bargain-hunters can expect to see "basic economy" entry-level fares. The airline hasn't spelled out what customers will get in exchange for the no-frills approach, but United said it's expecting get more revenue by convincing some customers to upgrade from the no-frills tickets, adding bundles where they can purchase services such as access to priority security lanes and a free checked bag and getting more fliers to purchase seats in business, first or Economy Plus sections. United said it plans to increase the number of Economy Plus seats, which have more legroom, on its flights by 20 percent and the number of business and first-class seats by 30 percent by 2018. United isn't the only airline trying to better target customers by willingness to pay. Delta already offers basic economy fares, and American Airlines plans to add a similar program. United expects trimmed expenses and new revenues to add about $3.1 billion between 2015 and 2018, Munoz said. The outline Tuesday was one of the most in-depth looks at Munoz's strategy for the airline, which has struggled since its 2010 merger with Houston-based Continental. Munoz took over as CEO in September. In the months since, he suffered a heart attack and underwent a transplant, then fought off a proxy battle with shareholders after returning to work full-time in March. Other revenue gains will come from improvements to the technology United uses to determine how many seats to sell at which prices, he said. Passengers also should expect to see more narrow, "slimline" seats on domestic flights as United squeezes more seats onto its aircraft. It's also going to fly fewer small, 50-seat aircraft. The airline has fallen short of rivals in the share of flights that arrive on time, but Munoz said it's seen major improvement this year. The airline said it expects second-quarter passenger revenues to decline 6.5 to 7.5 percent, on the lower end of the 6.5 to 8.5 percent range it had previously given. Munoz also said that United will look at all of its hubs and routes to see if they're meeting goals. United plans to add seats or flights to its best-performing hubs, and slow growth at its weaker ones, he said. The airline has a major hub in Houston. The most impossible job at any corporation may be serving on the board of directors. When a company outperforms its peers, the chief executive officer takes a bow. But if the management team robs the place blind, the shareholders blast the board for not standing guard. If the CEO gets a fat paycheck, the board is too loose with the purse strings, but if the CEO quits, the board should have offered more. And if the company doesn't boost the dividend or the share price every year, the board has failed in its duty to the shareholders. The Dodd-Frank financial rules also lay more liability at the directors' feet. As the highest legal authority at any corporation, the board is ultimately responsible for everything. It hires and fires the management team, oversees operations, guarantees compliance and develops a strategic vision for the corporation. And it is supposed to accomplish all of this at maybe 10 formal meetings a year. These are unreasonable expectations for part-time employees, according to new research led by Steve Boivie, an associate professor at Texas A&M University. "We shouldn't expect them to be sharp, eagle-eyed overseers of managers," he told me. Business professors have spent lifetimes studying corporate structures and governance trying to understand what is optimal. Boards of directors, who supervise the management team, have received special attention because they so frequently fail. One debate is over who goes on the board. CEOs often recruit peers and friends who have similar backgrounds and share their vision. These boards tend to rubber stamp the management team's proposals and sign off on extravagant compensation packages. Large shareholders propose independent board members, but too often they have little experience in the industry. That makes it easier for the management team to control access to critical information and pull a fast one. Striking the right balance and deciding what information board members need are part of the never-ending debate, largely because case studies have shown deeply contradictory results for every possible combination. Boivie and his co-authors asked a more fundamental question: Do shareholders and regulators ask too much from the board? "Most studies that look at boards assume that if the board just works hard enough, or if they are vigilant enough, they will be able to do it," he said. "We're saying even if they try their best, we still don't think monitoring is going to happen the way we would like. If they are not even trying, then it's really bad." The biggest challenge is processing all the information required to understand what a management team is doing. "There is no way they will know as much as the CEO, even if the CEO isn't trying to hide anything," Boivie added. Then there is group-think. In any organization, cultural norms take hold and can defang even the most aggressive watchdog. Boivie writes about the "norms of deference" that lead the board to acquiesce to the management team, such as sticking to a fixed agenda that discourages criticism or even candid discussions with managers. Board members who ask tough questions can find themselves silenced by others. "On boards, norms about appropriate behavior develop and in many cases may act to constrain directors from fulfilling their roles," the paper concludes. "Norms against speaking up in board meetings are especially likely to stifle candid discussion regarding proposals that are considered contrary to the interests of management." Going along to get along, though, pays well. The median pay for a board member at an S&P 500 company was $235,000 in 2014, according to Equilar, an executive compensation consulting firm. That's a lot of money to attend a handful of meetings a year, and a good reason not to rock the boat. Boards can effectively hire and fire the management team, and they can provide important advice to CEOs, but don't expect much more, Boivie said. "Boards are not going to work the way that we want, so we should stop relying on them if they are not going to be the solution," he added. But he doesn't offer an alternative, saying that will require additional research. The study suggests an argument for activist investors, shareholders who are not afraid to challenge the management team and demand changes. Or so-called "governance whips," who are employed by some pension funds to make sure the board and management team really are acting in the shareholders' best interest. Governmental and military organizations have inspectors general who can independently review managers and investigate whistle-blower complaints outside the formal chain of command. These professional overseers can report directly the board. Others argue that serving on a board should be a full-time profession. Boivie's research has the ring of common sense, something that's always helpful in academic research. Boards should take heed and seek solutions for their inadequacies, but that would require a self-awareness and humility that is beyond the capability of too many board members, which is the ultimate problem. WASHINGTON - For years, the idea of storing electricity on the power grid might have been chalked up as science fiction. Demonstration projects proved too expensive. Scientists struggled to even guess which technologies might ultimately prove out. But as large-scale battery projects increase around the country and research matures, a commercially viable means of storing the large volumes of electricity demanded by the power grid now appears to be in sight. At a meeting on Capital Hill earlier this month, George Crabtree, director of the federal government's Joint Center for Energy Storage Research, said his team of scientists had identified a technology they believed would one day to store electricity on the grid economically. "The technology isn't quite there yet, but we have a direction that looks promising," he said. "A lot of people are following us and watching what we're doing." Elusive goal The rush to develop a battery large enough and cheap enough to make storing electricity on the power grid feasible has long seemed an elusive goal. The ability to generate electricity and store it until it's needed would provide solutions to some of the power grid's most vexing problems, including the cost of maintaining large fleets of power plants that only operate a few times a year when electricity demand peaks, and the increasing instability of electrical current as weather-dependent wind turbines and solar panels proliferate. After years of research and development, the era of the battery is beginning to take shape, industry analysts and executives said. As cities and states, such as Austin and California, force utilities to install energy storage systems, more projects are getting built, technology is advancing, and costs are coming down. "Storage has been that mystery in the past where we in the electricity sector have a product that's demanded instantaneously," said John Chillemi, executive vice president for national business development at NRG Energy. "It's still relatively small, but the economics are getting lower and more competitive." Around the country hundreds of small-scale projects have gone up in recent years, largely concentrated in California, said Sam Jaffe, managing director of Cairn Energy Research Advisors in Colorado. Earlier this year Austin Energy, the city owned utility, announced it was building two grid-scale batteries connected to solar power projects within its service area after receiving a $4.3 million grant from the Department of Energy. Obstacles in Texas In deregulated electricity markets like most of Texas, where the lowest cost means of generation wins out, energy storage largely remains too expensive. Still, battery projects are not unheard of; the power company AES Corp. and the transmission company Oncor launched one in Dallas to help regulate power. "We definitely are at an acceleration point," Jaffe said. "You're starting to see project you wouldn't call pilots anymore, big large projects." So far, energy storage has largely gravitated around lithium ion technology, the same form of battery used to power smartphones and laptops. Costs have come down fast as companies like Tesla and Panasonic refine the manufacturing process for use in cars and grid storage systems. But as anyone with a smartphone knows, lithium ion's lifespan is limited, with a steady loss of capacity as the years tick away. That might not be much of a problem for personal electronics or even cars, but power industry equipment is expected to last 20 years. Instead, many scientists are turning towards what is known as flow battery technology, which stores energy by shifting electrical charges across liquids and is believed to have a lifespan of decades. Scientists at the federal Joint Center for Energy Storage Research have already committed to the technology for grid storage after spending more than three years exploring alternatives, Crabtree said. "Everyone says batteries are at the place solar was 10 years ago," he said. "As you know, the cost of solar has come down and the quality has gone up. Now they're getting installed like mad." As the United States works to meet climate change goals agreed to in Paris last year, clean energy sources like wind turbines and solar panels are expected to play an ever larger role in the decades ahead. But in places like California, where renewable penetration is already high, the rush to build means open land is disappearing and grid operators are struggling to deal with drop-offs in energy generation when clouds pass overhead. "If we can not store this energy, we're going to be using so much of our land it might become a problem," Rep. Steve Knight, R-California, said at a congressional hearing last week. Rush has begun A rush is on among companies large and small to develop a commercially viable battery for the grid, from humble startups to giants like Bosch and Duracell. UniEnergy Technologies, headquartered outside Seattle, switched on what they said was North America's largest flow battery - dispersing a full megawatt of power for 4 hours - for a small utility in Washington last year. Now UniEnergy is working with its sister company to build a battery 200 times that size under a contract with the Chinese government. "With wind and solar expanding, (grid operators') ability to manage the grid is becoming more and more difficult," said UniEnergy Technologies President Rick Winter. "By the time we get to 2020, you better have something figured out." When the Joint Center for Energy Storage Research battery project was launched in 2013, bringing together scientists from government labs and the private sector, the team of scientists was given five years to develop a battery prototype capable of competing with traditional forms of power generation on cost. They are on schedule to complete that work, Crabtree said. But when it would be commercially available would depend on companies finding a way to mass produce it in a way that would keep costs down and maintain quality. "Every emerging battery company has a spread sheet saying this is when we're going to reach 'x' price point," said Jaffe. "But it's a spread sheet, it's not a battery." Even a swift amputation last week couldn't rid a local man of the flesh eating bacteria he contracted while wading the Gulf, the Chronicle reported Tuesday. With half his right leg gone, the 50-year-old is still fighting for his life, thanks to a tiny creature that that swam inside him at a Galveston beach. So what is this menace? It's a bacteria called Vibrio vulnificus, only visible with an electron microscope. It doesn't target humans, but occasionally infects them by chance. Then things get really ugly. (Graphic image behind link) RELATED: Dangers of deadly bacteria in state's saltwater The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston sees about five to six cases of Vibrio vulnificus each year, said Dr. A. Scott Lea, director of the UTMB Infectious Disease Clinic. "Every time it happens it's always a dramatic story," Lea said. "About half the patients come to an amputation. A certain number of them actually die." The story typically starts in summer in muddy water. The Vibrio family loves the mucky bottom of warm, semi-salty standing water, like coastal bays and the mouths of rivers. It's been found across the world, but few places seem more like home to Vibrio than the marshy coast of southeast Texas and Louisiana. Unlike most bacteriastraight and rigidVibrio look like bent commas, and none of them are friends of humans. We know one of the family members as Cholera, and others can wreak havoc when swallowed. But Vibrio vulnificus tends to wander into tiny flesh wounds on its own. Stirred up from their home in the mud, the bacteria have a knack for inadvertently floating into cuts and scrapes on wading beachgoers. Then the trouble begins. After an incubation period of two to five days, Lea said, the bacteria can "spread like wildfire." "Once it starts it will overwhelm a patient in 24 hours," he said. Uncredited/HONS The bacteria wriggles its way into a soft layer of flesh between the skin and the muscles, where Lea said there are few barriers to slow the spread. But the Vibrio vulnificus don't actually eat the flesh like their nickname would suggest. Instead they excrete a toxin, which elicits a swift response from the body's immune system. White blood cells swarm in to clean up the mess, which they do by destroying the flesh contaminated with toxin. "The body just creates a tremendous immune response to it to the point that it destroys all the surrounding tissues," Lea said. "It's going to tear down all the normal structure then come back and replace it with scar tissue." The victim begins to feel very ill, with fever, chills and sweats. But Vibrio vulnificus is so rare, especially in non-coastal communities, that Lea said patients risk having their condition misidentified and mistreated by a physician. But not at UTMB, he noted. Once doctors discover the patient had been in coastal waters, they'll search the skin for red patches and swelling. The tell-tale signs of Vibrio vulnificus are large blistersbigger than a centimeter acrossfilled not with the typical puss but with blood from the lower layer of ravaged flesh. Then they know the tissue is infested. "The infection is not going to go away until you get rid of that tissue," Lea said. "So these people end up with massive areas where the surgeons are stripping away the skin trying to get rid of the tissue underneath." A handful of specialized anti-biotics are administered through an IV, but even in the hands of experienced physicians, ten to 20 percent of patients will die, Lea said. Even since the 18th centurya stretch of time shaped by reason and reaction, revolution and counter-revolutionour world has been awash in isms. Liberalism and conservatism, socialism and communism, nationalism and imperialism: all of these ideologies have had their day in the sun. But one ismterrorismstands apart for two reasons. First, while other isms have long since waned, terrorism has proven the most persistent and potent. This persistence, in turn, is explained by the second reason for its exceptional nature: it is not an ideology, but a strategy. (See Robespierre and French Revolution.) A war against terrorism (or, for that matter, terror) makes no more sense than does a war against carpet-bombing or trench digging. With an eye to underscoring the specificity of terrorism, a glossary of terms might prove helpful. A is for Assassin. The word conjures images of Nikita wielding long-barreled pistols and even longer legs, or Jason Bourne discovering the homicidal possibilities in household appliances. But this is no more accurate than the occasional claim that the term derives from hashish, thought to be the drug of choice for those who belonged to this sect. Instead, the Assassins sprang from the Ismailis, a medieval Shiite movement devoted to the overthrow of Sunni-based rule of the Seljuk Turks. From their fortress in present-day Iran, the Assassins were equal-opportunity terrorists, murdering Sunni administrators, Christian crusaders and Shiite opponents. Disguised in the garb of their enemies, they slipped easily into other societies; alert to dynastic politics across the Middle East, they exploited tensions to their own advantage. Apart from their weapon of choicethe daggerlittle distinguishes them from present-day terrorist groups, ranging from the Sunni Al-Qaeda and Islamic State to the Shiite Hezbollah, in the ability to instill fear dramatically disproportionate to their numbers. (See also Asymmetrical Warfare.) K is for Krypteia. Not the language or capitol of the planet Krypton, but instead, the ethical essence of the ancient planet we know as Sparta. Historians continue to debate the handful of ancient references made to the place and practice of krypteia in Sparta. According to one school of interpretation, it was both a rite of passage for young Spartan males and a tool of terror to keep in line the slave population of helots. At certain times of the year, young Spartans, hiding under the cover of night, would pounce upon and kill unsuspecting helots. The seemingly random nature of the terror attacks cultivated complicity among the Spartans, but more important, seeded fear among the helots. Spartas great invention, argues the classicist Roberto Calasso, was to establish terror as a normal condition of life. As for Athens great inventiondemocracyancient history reminds us how fragile it is as an institution in the face of terror. L is for Lone Wolf. A misnomer wrapped in a misunderstanding. Lone wolves of the canis lupus variety are loners not by choice, but circumstance: either they have been expelled by their pack, or can no longer keep up with it. They are, as a result, truly alone. Lone wolves of the homo sapiens variety, while influenced by circumstances, pride themselves on making choices. In order to realize the murderous intent of these choices, this species of lone wolf requires the complicity not just other individuals, but also the complicity of a society where weapons of fairly massive destruction are easily obtained. The most recent examples of lone wolf depredations are those wrought by Omar Mateen in Orlando, and Syed Farook and Tashfeen Malik in San Bernardino. Earlier instances of lone wolf activity, ranging from Timothy McVeigh in Oklahoma City through Eric Rudolph at abortion clinics across the American South to Baruch Goldstein in Hebron, suggest that lone wolves thrive in a variety of political and religious ecosystems. T is for Thug. Think of it as the Hindi version of breaking bad. The term derives from a seventh-century religious sect in India devoted to Kali, the goddess who personifies many things, including destruction. At chosen times during the year, members of the group would break from their daily activities and strangle unsuspecting travelers as a ritualistic offering to Kali. The Thugs hold the dubious distinction of enjoying the longest unbroken run of murder and terror: It was only in the 19th century that British imperial officials succeeded in wiping out the sect. Some scholars believe that during their 1,200-year run, the Thugs killed as many as one million people. Even if these estimates are off by half a million or so, the Thugs still hold the record for body count among terrorist organizations. (For other uses of the word, see Trump, Donald.) Z is for Zealot. Small-z zealots are easily identified in all walks of life. They are the ones who drive cars, don clothes, and decorate cakes in the same, sad maroon of their alma mater; sleep, eat and work in Feel the Bern T-shirts, opposed to the presumptive Democratic presidential candidate whose name cannot be uttered; or spend their weekends edging their lawns with the precision of a neurosurgeon. Regardless of their particular fetish, this variety of zealot stands out in a crowd. Not so, however, with the original Zealots, who disappeared in crowds. The template for the terrorist movements born two millennia later, the Zealots led the Jewish rebellion against Roman rule at the turn of the first century BCE. Not only did they seek to rid their land of foreign occupiers, but they also sought to rid their religion of foreign elements. In their relentless pursuit of religious and political purity, the Zealots became known as the sicarii, or dagger men. Cloaked and disguised, they sidled up to their targets and slit their throats. Carried out in public squares and marketplaces, these terrorists had no need of modern social media: Fear rippled nearly as quickly through the crowds then it does now across the Web. (See also NRA, PETA, and the BBC Whovian Fan Club.) Robert Zaretsky teaches at the University of Houston and is the author, most recently, of Boswell's Enlightenment. He's currently writing The Empress and the Philosophe: Catherine the Great, Denis Diderot and the Eclipse of the Enlightenment. Bookmark Gray Matters. Think of it as the Hindi version of "breaking bad." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Mosquitoes trapped in The Woodlands by the Montgomery County Mosquito Abatement team have tested positive for the West Nile virus, according to township officials. The abatement team responded following the Texas Department of State Health Services protocol, which includes larviciding, spraying of select storm drains and targeted street spraying. So far, Montgomery County has had no reports of West Nile virus in a human this year. The only human case of West Nile in Texas this year was in El Paso, according to the Texas DSHS. The testing of mosquito samples was done in-house at Precinct 3's South County Mosquito Abatement office for the first time this year. Previously, all mosquito samples had to be sent to the Texas DSHS to be tested for the virus, which could take a week or more to get the results, according to Justin Fausek, program leader for South County Mosquito Abatement. Now, the abatement team can get results back the same day. Although the in-house testing is more expensive, Fausek said that the county believes the ability to streamline testing and treating affected areas makes it worth it. "We feel that this increased cost is more than justified since we will be able to respond to disease activity faster than we ever have before," Fausek said. Last year, Texas had a total of 252 cases of the West Nile Virus in humans, 181 of which were the serious, neuro-invasive form of the disease and 11 of which resulted in death. Most people infected with West Nile show no symptoms, but about one in five experience fever, headache, body aches, vomiting and other flu-like symptoms. Less than one percent of those infected develop the serious neurologic illness, which can result in seizures, paralysis and, in rare cases, death. Area environmental services officials are also preparing for the possibility of the Zika virus spreading to Montgomery County. In the past year, there has been a Zika outbreak in Latin America and the Caribbean, with some cases of people infected abroad before coming to the U.S. Infection is characterized by fever, rash, joint pain and conjunctivitis, and is of most concern in pregnant women, as it can cause microcephaly, a condition where the baby's head is much smaller than normal, and other birth defects. As of June 21, there were 46 confirmed cases of Zika virus disease in Texas, including 15 in the Greater Houston area. So far, there have been no cases of mosquitoes infecting people with Zika in the U.S. However, the state health department is testing mosquito samples from high-risk areas for the virus. Local samples have not yet had to be tested for Zika, said John Geiger with The Woodlands Environmental Services. The Woodlands did start testing and treating for mosquitoes earlier than usual this year, he said, and they are taking the threat of Zika seriously. "We are planning and preparing as best we can - putting more resources toward it," Geiger said. "(Zika) is a real possibility." In the meantime, Geiger said that the use of in-house testing for West Nile will help The Woodlands better protect the residents from health hazards. Still, he urges residents to take precautions by eliminating or treating any standing water that could serve as a breeding ground for disease-carrying mosquitoes, by wearing long pants and sleeves, using mosquito repellent, and avoiding outside activity during dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are most prevalent. Avoid mosquito-borne disease West Nile: can cause flu-like symptoms in infected people, including fever, headache, vomiting and rash. Zika: is characterized by fever, rash, joint pain and conjunctivitis, and is of most concern in pregnant women, as it can cause microcephaly, a condition where the baby's head is much smaller than normal, and other birth defects. To prevent infection: cover up outside when you can and wear mosquito repellent containing DEET. Eliminate or treat standing water in the yard and ensure window screens are intact. To report areas: with high mosquito activity in The Woodlands, contact the Environmental Services Department at 281-210-3800. WASHINGTON Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro is on the short list of potential running mates for Hillary Clinton and has been asked by her campaign to provide personal information. Citing Democratic sources, the Associated Press reported that in addition to Castro, a pared-down list the Clinton campaign is considering includes Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and that others also may yet be in the running. A Clinton campaign spokesman declined comment. Castro, a former San Antonio mayor, said in Texas last week that he was not being vetted for the position. But since then, the Clinton campaign has hastened the process, according to a Democrat familiar with the process. A spokesman for Castro also declined comment. Campaign insiders at the Bipartisan Policy Center recommended this spring that because of the high stakes, presidential nominees devote at least two months vetting potential running mates, which includes digging into their finances, their family history and even their social media posts. But Clinton, who has been a fixture in Democratic politics for more than two decades, apparently feels secure in a more compressed time frame. She is not expected to announce her choice until or just before Democrats gather in Philadelphia on July 25 for their nominating convention. Castro's chances were widely thought to have dimmed with the rise of presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump, whose incendiary remarks about people of Mexican heritage had served to energize Latino voters. Castro, who would be the first Latino on a major party ticket, may yet fall short given his lack of experience. But supporters of Castro, 41, said he would bring other advantages, among them his relative youth alongside Clinton, 68, and some of the other potential running mates. In her challenge from Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, Clinton struggled to attract young voters to her cause. U.S. Rep. Xavier Becerra of California and Labor Secretary Thomas Perez also have been mentioned on a list of Hispanic candidates who could be appealing to Clinton. Warren, who turns 67 Wednesday, is a favorite of many Sanders backers for her outspoken liberal views, particularly when it comes to regulating Wall Street. She and Clinton have not been close, but the two met recently in Washington after Clinton's victory over Sanders became clear. Kaine, 58, who is known as a centrist in the party, had emerged as a favorite of some party insiders because he might appeal to independents and address another of Clinton's weaknesses her problem with white male voters. Kaine is a former Democratic Party chairman and a fluent Spanish-speaker who was under consideration by Barack Obama in 2008 before the selection of Joe Biden. Kaine also represents a state that is likely to be a battleground in the November election. The Clinton campaign has closely guarded the selection process and a spokesman would say only that that it is being run by campaign chairman John Podesta. James Hamilton, who has taken part in vetting of other potential Democratic running mates, also is heavily involved along with Clinton family confidant Cheryl Mills. Clinton has said only that she wants somebody who could step in to the presidency if need be A factor in Clinton's selection could be a desire to help Democrats win back the Senate. As it stands, Republicans hold the Senate by a 55-45 margin. But that majority appears in jeopardy, with two Midwestern Republicans Mark Kirk of Illinois and Ron Johnson trailing in races and five races generally regarded as "toss-ups." Clinton's selection of Sherrod Brown of Ohio or Cory Booker of New Jersey, two senators who have been mentioned as running mates, could imperil Democratic hopes because both states have Republican governors. Likewise, Warren's seat would be filled at least temporarily by the Massachusetts Republican governor. If Kaine, the Virginian, were selected, a Democratic governor would choose his replacement. Larry Sabato, who directs the University of Virginia Center for Politics, argued that it might be wise for Clinton to choose a No. 2 who would help her win a battleground state. He also noted the importance of earlier in her presidency of a Democratic-run Senate as far as the Supreme Court and other matters. "You've got to have your administration ready to go. The Clintons know this because they didn't have it ready to go in 1993," he said. Joel Goldstein, a leading expert on the vice presidency, observed that since 1940, all but three Democratic choices for first-time vice presidents were senators. That's been the case, he said, because senators are generally believed to have a grasp on an array of issues, including national security. Goldstein noted that although speculation on running mates is rampant now, Clinton likely won't make her decision until the Democratic convention arrives. "In the next month, the context could change. What will Trump's campaign look like then? Will the Republican Party still be in disarray? How do Senate races look? How much does she need to reach out to Sanders' backers. Things could look different a month from now," said Goldstein, a St. Louis University law professor and the author of books on the vice presidency. GALVESTON - Derry Dunn considers himself lucky. If the Orange County justice of the peace had waited a little longer to begin treatment, he could have been among the 30 to 40 percent of victims who lose their limbs due to a bacterium that causes a flesh-eating disease. Dunn, 69, the Precinct 2 judge, was admitted to Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center around midnight Wednesday with a severe case of vibrio vulnificus on his right leg. He believes his leg became infected July 27, when he splashed into the surf at Crystal Beach to pluck his 8-year-old grandson out of the water. "Everybody thinks we got to it soon enough to stop it," Dunn said. Dunn is one of the more than 20 cases that doctors see every year on the Texas Gulf Coast, said Dr. A. Scott Lea, assistant professor of infectious diseases at the University of Texas Medical Branch here. "In Galveston, we see it four or five times a year," Lea said. "We've seen two this year already." Related to cholera According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, vibrio vulnificus "is a bacterium in the same family as those that cause cholera" and can be found in warm seawater. The bacterium flourishes in the brackish coastal waters during the hottest months of the summer, Lea said. Most cases are in July, August and September, he said. Vibrio invades through cuts or abrasions and can trigger a disease that eats away the connective tissue just under skin, he said. "I wouldn't get in the water if I had a cut or active lesion on my leg," Lea said. Dunn said he wasn't aware of any cuts or bruises on his leg when he ventured into the water nearly two weeks ago. Doctors told him that the bacteria can creep into even the smallest of cuts, even those too small to notice. He didn't notice any symptoms until five days later at his home in Mauriceville. "All of a sudden I had symptoms of the flu, chills, fever and joint pain that just hit me hard," Dunn recalled. The next day his right leg was red from knee to ankle. Doctors at Memorial Hermann Baptist Orange Hospital in Orange immediately started him on antibiotics. That initially didn't stop the disease but it may have slowed the bacteria, which doctors told him might have saved his leg. In the lucky 50 percent Doctors on Wednesday removed a chunk of flesh from his leg about 5 inches long, less than 2 inches wide and about a half-inch deep, Dunn said. After the surgery, Dunn was transferred by ambulance to Houston, where more specialists and equipment are available. "The overall experience has been pretty weird," Dunn said from his hospital bed. In about half the cases, doctors don't get to the patient soon enough. About 10 percent of vibrio patients die, Lea said, and 30 to 40 percent lose a limb. "If you are really lucky, you only lose some skin and tissue," the UTMB doctor said. Although it triggers a vicious disease, it affects only a tiny fraction of the hundreds of thousands of people who get wet in the Gulf of Mexico every year. Lea said that a sure sign of the disease would be purple blisters, compared to other blisters that are usually yellow in color. "The doctors along the coast are pretty adept at diagnosing it," Lea said. "It's when the patient goes back to North Texas or Central Texas or wherever they came from and the doctor doesn't recognize it, that it can really be a problem." Once vibrio has been diagnosed, a regimen of antibiotics usually cures the disease if given soon enough. "The main thing to learn is to act on it as quick as possible," Dunn said. "You cannot give it a head start." While arguments on what to do with the nation's 11 million immigrants here illegally rage loudly at presidential rallies and on cable television, the lives of the Sosa family clip on quietly, at a steady pace. Amid fiery calls from Donald Trump for deportation roundups of people like their father and mother who have been here illegally for decades, the five Sosa girls focused their attention on the solidly American lives they have stitched together: band practice, ROTC, high school graduation. But now the Alvin family anxiously awaits a Supreme Court ruling in the coming days that could give their parents temporary work permits and shield them from deportation. The stakes, at the peak of a divisive election season, are high: About 4 million immigrants, mostly the parents of American citizens and legal residents whom Trump has vowed to deport, could be eligible. The Sosas, however, are accustomed to the ebb and flow of immigration politics: one step forward, three steps back. So they resign themselves to another disappointment but not to giving up. "I hope it passes, that would be awesome," said Maria, at 21 the eldest daughter and only child who is not an American citizen, having come here illegally with her mother nearly two decades ago from Mexico. "If it doesn't, everyone's going to be disappointed but I don't think people are gonna be just like, 'well, we didn't get it.' We're going to keep fighting." Texas, leading a coalition of 26 mostly Republican states, sued to block President Barack Obama's immigration program in 2014, arguing he had overstepped his powers by giving immigrants a semi-legal status that Congress hadn't approved. Texas said it would suffer financially by being forced to provide subsidized driver's licenses to eligible immigrants. If the shorthanded high court allows the plan to go forward, it would fill this Alvin trailer with the relief that comes from not fearing a police car on the main road, not worrying that one faulty tail light could lead to thousands of dollars in lawyers' fees, a father deported back to Mexico, and years of trying to live invisibly. It would give Jose, the patriarch, the ability to grow his small but successful business building fences and installing decks. And it would allow Leticia, the mother, the chance to swap her job cleaning houses for something better paid, maybe nursing. It would alleviate big worries but also small, like how to get 17-year-old Erika a driver's license when the Department of Public Safety demands the American citizen's guardians present proof of their legal residency. At CVS, Leticia encounters the same dilemma when picking up prescription medication for 9-year-old Lupita. Like the Sosas, at least four-fifths of parents eligible for the Obama plan have lived in the United States for a decade or more, according to a study by the Center for Migration Studies, a research center in New York. Most are steadily employed, and half say they speak English well. Fortunately for the Sosas, they can rely on Maria, with the temporary work permit she received under Obama's 2012 program for certain youth who came here illegally as children. Otherwise Leticia said she wouldn't know how to maneuver some of the hurdles that have sprung up in the past decade as the state government made it more difficult for immigrants here illegally. "I hope the court makes the right decision," Leticia said. "The truth is, it's really needed." As they wait on a ruling, life patters on. Last month, Leticia had her sixth and final baby, a tiny boy named Martin who sleeps through the night and barely cries. Erika, a senior with long, wavy brown hair who plays saxophone in the band at Alvin High School, attended prom in Galveston in an emerald green dress. She graduated. This week, she took her nursing assistant certification exam. She dreams of becoming a forensic scientist. Dulce, a junior who plays trombone, once struggled with anger after her father was deported in 2010. Pearland police arrested Jose for driving with an invalid license after an officer saw the expired registration sticker on his truck and discovered he hadn't paid a long-ago ticket for a malfunctioning light. Though he returned to Houston two months after he was deported, just like he had often before as a migrant worker crisscrossing the porous border, the father this time was overwhelmed with paranoia and depression. He feared going out in public or driving in his truck. All the stress made Dulce rebel, once even breaking a window with her bare fists. But now she is more calm. She is active in ROTC. Rocio, 13, is the most musically gifted of the family and an animal lover. Last month she convinced Jose to let them take in another puppy. Lupita, 9, has had problems at school, where a classmate threatened to call the police and tell them that her parents are here illegally. This summer she plans to go to Galveston "every single day." The family has moved from a rundown trailer park where gunshots often rung out to their own plot of land on a peaceful country road. And Maria? She's engaged. To a Mexican immigrant who awaits his citizenship ceremony this September, just in time, he said, to cast a vote against Trump. Plenty of us have driven through the quaint south-central Texas town of Hondo and smiled at the clever roadside signs that have become iconic through the years and even a tourist attraction. "Welcome. This is God's Country," they read. "Please Don't Drive Through it Like Hell." A little humor goes a long way. They might have even convinced a few lead feet to lighten up. Earlier this month, they inspired the opposite reaction from the Madison, Wis.-based Freedom From Religion Foundation. The group, which boasts 24,000 nonreligious members, sent a letter urging town officials to remove the two signs because they are "needlessly divisive" and violate First Amendment protections against government endorsement of religion. God help us. Actually, I shouldn't say that. Ahem, a colleague suggested I reword it this way: May we be guided by that purported force which may or may not reflect divine existence but herein is used only as a rhetorical device. In a news release, the foundation's co-president Annie Laurie Gaylor goes so far as to suggest the signs could have a detrimental effect on public safety. "Some people may want to flee 'God's Country' faster than hell," she writes. "Hondo officials could actually be encouraging drivers to speed with such signs." Really? On Monday, Hondo Mayor Jim Danner didn't mince words in response to the complaint: "There's no way in hell we're going to take those signs down," he was quoted saying in the San Antonio Express-News. Evelyn Barbutti, a longtime former head of the Hondo Area Chamber of Commerce who stressed that she no longer speaks for the organization, said she got a similar reaction when she sent the story to friends. She admitted that she, too, was incensed. "If they don't believe in God, that's fine. They don't have to. This is not a sign that says you have to be a Christian to live here." She said she was unaware of previous complaints about the signs and that during her tenure at the chamber, European tourists would come to Hondo just to snap a picture with one. Barbutti argues the signs aren't about religion at all: "It was just a cute slogan that somebody came up with." 'Ridiculous' attack Joe Larsen, a First Amendment attorney in Houston, agreed that the meaning seems purely idiomatic, a "clever turn of phrase" meant to praise the patch of real estate, not bestow upon it religious affiliation. "I cannot speak on behalf of the Freedom of Information Foundation of Texas in this instance, but I think my fellow board members all agree that Texas is God's country," Larsen wrote me in an email. "I do think some confusion has arisen due to God's general lack of transparency and the ever present problem of selective release of information. That said, I understand that God does not owe us an explanation, and, frankly, if He told us the truth, probably nobody would believe it." In a more serious tone over the phone, Larsen said he found the attack on the signs ridiculous. "It seems like they could choose their battles a bit more wisely," he said. And, to me, that's the bottom line. Plenty of important issues out there involve the principle of church-state separation. Why make this one a priority when in fact the silliness of it could undermine the cause and the organization? Sam Grover, a staff attorney with the foundation, said it sent the letter after receiving complaints from two Texas residents. He didn't know if they lived in Hondo. "I'm proud to work for an organization that can give voice to people who live in those small towns who don't feel like they can speak up for themselves," he said. 'Bigger fish to fry' Still, he acknowledged that the Hondo complaint "is not the most impressive church-state violation we've tackled in the last week." He mentioned, for instance, a lawsuit involving a Texas law enforcement agency that puts crosses on patrol cars. "We write thousands of letters a year," Grover said. "This is one small example. But I do think it's important to go after the small examples. There's a sense that each little violation can create a death-by-a-thousand paper cuts." Given the mayor's steadfast refusal to remove the signs, I asked Grover about the foundation's next step. "My guess is that we do let this one go," he said. "There are bigger fish to fry." Indeed. And those bigger fish may be taken less seriously after this episode. It's one more example that politicians, religious activists and Donald Trump supporters can point to as a politically correct country run amok. "My personal opinion?" says Barbutti back in Hondo. "These are people that are paid to cause problems, and they are trying to undermine America and change America." She said she could pretty much assure me that if the city has to remove the signs, all kinds of people would post versions of it on their private property. "What have we accomplished then?" Good question. Heights residents hoping to ensure shady, tree-lined Yale Street stays that way for generations of Houstonians to come have asked City Council to declare about 1.6 miles of the thoroughfare the city's first "green corridor." The little-known designation was written into a landmark landscaping ordinance in 1991 but apparently had been forgotten until a group of Heights activists dusted off its provisions and submitted the first such application to City Hall in March. The program would expand the number of protected trees along Yale between 6th Street and 19th Street - those that require the city forester's approval to remove. If those trees are cut down, they must be replaced with trees with trunk diameters that combine to equal that of the original tree or by paying a fee into a city parks fund. "We think it's extremely important. Houston's verdant tree cover is one of its most important assets," said Heights resident Jonathan Smulian, who helped gather the necessary support from adjacent landowners. "This particular green corridor, which is essentially a demonstration project because it hasn't happened before, not only enhances walkability, it would improve health, provide shade and improve property values, and would also act as a buffer to increasing commuter traffic that's coming down through the Heights at the moment." Mayor backs plan Mayor Sylvester Turner cheered the proposal, saying as a resident of the north side he enjoys using Yale. "That's a beautiful canopy, and the trees have aged over the years very nice, provide beautiful shade and make it very attractive when you drive down Yale Street," the mayor said. "The emphasis is to preserve trees and the green canopy that exists within our city but to do it in a way that's very compatible with the people in that corridor." City ordinances typically protect two types of trees: those of any size in the public right of way - basically, the area between the sidewalk and the street - and those with trunks at least 20 inches in diameter at chest height and that stand outside the right of way but inside the building setback line on private commercial property. On Yale, the space between where the road's 70-foot-wide right of way ends and buildings can be built under current standards extends 25 feet on both sides of the street. Yale's green corridor designation, which is headed to council on Wednesday, would protect another 210 trees along the 13 blocks in question by reducing the size a tree must reach to be protected from 20 inches to 15 inches across. The fees associated with removing a healthy 20-inch tree, according to the city planning department, can range from $4,800 to $10,700. Regardless of whether a green corridor is in place, however, homeowners can do what they wish with trees on their land. "This is going to benefit the community," said Councilwoman Ellen Cohen, who represents the area. "It really will enhance the quality of the neighborhood." Has reservations John Broz, a real estate broker and longtime owner of a property at 18th and Yale, said he supports the idea of Yale's tree cover but was uncomfortable with the wording of the ordinance, believing it could limit his options on what to do with trees not bordering the proposed corridor. "From what I read in the ordinance, it talks about trees in the building setback on all sides of the property. That's the only issue I have - there's setbacks on all sides," he said. "If I have trees in other positions on the property, am I caught up with their deal?" Smulian said the petitioners intended to extend the corridor to 24th Street but could not get the necessary support to go that far north. Still, he and others said the designation process could be duplicated throughout the city. "Visual character, community pride, health, safety, walkability, cleaner air, it's all very well represented by street tree plantings," said Anne Culver of the nonprofit Scenic Houston. "The green corridor designation along Yale, which already has significant street trees, is a great demonstration project of how this could be employed in other appropriate stretches across Houston." Turner agreed, but said he has no intention of pushing more such corridors from his office. "The potential is there to extend it, but to the extent it's extended, it will be extended at the request of people that live in the area," Turner said. "This is where the people in the community, people along the street, the corridor, are asking us to do it, and simply asking us to ratify something they already want." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Worrying about bills and plummeting shrimp prices, Dwayne Harrison stopped to apply for a mowing job one morning recently before dropping his nets in the Houston Ship Channel. The 65-cents-a-pound he was getting last week for small, head-on wild shrimp is one-third the price of a year ago and less than his catch brought in 1998, the year he bought his 50-foot vessel, Angel Lady. Harrison, 51, is among Gulf shrimpers who say they're leaving the business or are barely afloat, and many blame imports, which make up more than 90 percent of the shrimp market in the United States. Last year, imports rose by 143 million pounds and are up another 2 percent in 2015. While driven to the brink, shrimpers in Texas also are driven to anger by the indifference of American consumers. "In those restaurants," Harrison pointed out, "people will be watching our boats come in while being served shrimp from halfway around the world that are fed antibiotics to keep them alive." Foreign competition and the rise of aquaculture to fill the world's seafood needs are familiar issues. But illegal antibiotics in farm-raised Asian shrimp is a lesser-known story, one that Gulf shrimpers have begun telling. Food and Drug Administration records suggest they have reason to sound warnings. In August, FDA inspectors set a monthly record by refusing 72 shipments of shrimp, much of it from Malaysia, that either tested positive for antibiotics or lacked evidence of being drug free. Most of the shrimp was turned away from the agency's Southwest Import District, which includes Texas ports. Through October, the FDA has refused 377 separate shrimp entries - from large containers to small packages - citing antibiotics or veterinary drug residues. In all of 2014, the agency turned away 208 shrimp shipments due to illegal drug residues, and that was nearly four times the refusals of a year before. The FDA actions acknowledge the worrisome fact that antibiotics relied on for decades are becoming ineffective because of overuse in human health care and indiscriminate use in farming. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 2 million people a year contract serious infections that don't respond to antibiotics and that at least 23,000 die. Few shipments tested In foreign aquaculture, some operators persist in giving shrimp hatchlings feed laced with antibiotics that are prohibited in the United States. They do so to strengthen their immune systems against bacterial diseases. No antibiotics are approved for shrimp farming in the United States. The discoveries raise questions about whether the speed of global trade has outpaced the ability to keep food safe. Some in the domestic seafood industry contend that the pending 12-country Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement could make it even more difficult for regulators to do their jobs. The FDA has been criticized over the years for lack of attention to antibiotics. The uptick in refusals suggests that the agency may be getting more vigilant at the borders. Even so, the FDA inspected just 3.7 percent of 110,000 shrimp shipments last year and tested far less than that in a monitoring system that focuses on risk. What's more, the FDA, citing lack of resources, is ignoring a 2011 law ordering inspections of thousands of foreign food plants. For Texas shrimpers enduring one of the hardest seasons in memory, the hit-and-miss regulatory system is another vexing reality. In interviews, several said they're convinced that ships turned away for contamination seek out other ports to bring in their wares. "It doesn't look like they (the FDA) are doing anything," Dwayne Harrison said, dodging a tanker and barges during a fruitless day on the water. Studies raise questions In April, Consumer Reports disclosed finding antibiotic residues in about 5 percent of imported shrimp purchased at some 300 groceries, big box stores and even at "natural" retail outlets across the country. Tests also found bacteria, including Vibrio, which can cause serious illness. "The FDA can't be catching all the illegal products on the market when it comes to shrimp and antibiotic residues," Urvashi Rangan, Consumer Reports' director of consumer safety, said in an interview. After publishing its findings, Consumer Reports made recommendations to top FDA officials, noting that antibiotics in shrimp were especially concerning. The magazine never heard back. Shrimpers like to say that consumers have no clue what they're getting, no matter what labels and menus say. DNA tests by the advocacy group Oceana last year bear out those concerns. Oceana found that 35 percent of shrimp tested nationwide was misrepresented, a level of mislabeling that rose to 41 percent in groceries. In a common deception, farmed shrimp, largely from Asia, was sold as Gulf shrimp or simply labeled "wild." Even in the Gulf region, home to America's biggest shrimp fishery, genetic tests on dozens of shrimp products in nine cities - including Houston and Galveston - showed 30 percent were misrepresented. Scientists found imported shrimp not listed on the FDA's list of 1,842 species of seafood consumed in the United States and shrimp with unrecognized genetic makeup. Tests on a bag of salad-sized shrimp imported from Vietnam sold at a Gulf grocery showed banded cleaner shrimp, aquarium pets not intended as food. "When you find out it's your own local seafood involved in this bait-and-switch, it wakes people up," Kimberly Warner, Oceana's senior scientist, said in an interview. Plenty of shrimp In Texas, shrimpers say they're falling behind even while catching more. In September, Texas vessels landed 6.1 million pounds, 600,000 pounds more than September of last year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported. For the year, the catch in Texas is 8 million pounds more than at this time in 2014, attributed to abundant spring rains that moved shrimp from bays and estuaries into the Gulf. The bigger catch in Texas, it turns out, almost exactly matches the decline in Louisiana from a year ago. That hasn't made up for abysmal prices shrimpers are getting across the Gulf - one-third lower than a year ago for large shrimp and half the price for medium-sized. Smaller shrimp were bringing just one-third the price of 2014, NOAA said. Far fewer vessels than a decade ago are chasing the crustaceans. Andrea Hance, executive director of the Texas Shrimp Association, said the number of permits across the Gulf had shrunk from 5,000 in the early 2000s to about 1,400. Of those, roughly 1,100 are operating, she said. Hance, who operates two vessels out of Brownsville, said the catch had tailed off after early fall successes. But the price she got last week for her large brown shrimp had ticked up to $3.25 a pound, albeit about half of what it was a year ago. Overall, imports were down 6.5 percent in September, a hopeful sign for the Texas industry. Shrimpers' challenge, she said, is saving money to withstand times like these and expensive repairs - like the new $25,000 freezer on one of her trawlers. "One of these years, the sun, the moon and stars will align and we all will make some money," she said. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate For 300 years, La Belle sat in a watery grave in Matagorda Bay as time ravaged the historic ship that once belonged to famed French explorer Robert de La Salle. State archaeologists discovered the shipwreck in 1995 and ultimately plucked it from the muck. The ship and its artifacts, everything from muskets to hair combs, were then trucked to Texas A&M University's Conservation Research Laboratory, which focuses primarily on conserving material from historic shipwrecks. Now, after almost 19 years of painstaking effort to restore and preserve La Belle, archaeologists announced this week that work is finally done on the ship. "It's been exciting, a huge headache and a huge frustration at times, but I love old ships and in particular this one," said Peter Fix, the lab's watercraft conservator who's played a critical role in restoring La Belle. "Needless to say, it's been a challenging emotional ride." Considered one of the most important nautical archaeological finds of the century, the La Belle has been on display at the Bullock Texas State History Museum in Austin since late 2015. Just a few weeks ago, however, restoration was completed on the ship's interior bulkhead. In a somewhat unusual move, museum visitors have been allowed to observe the archaeology team up close as it worked on La Belle in the museum's atrium. This fishbowl approach probably slowed the work even more, Fix said, but everyone who's been involved in restoring La Belle is passionate about sharing the ship's rich history with the public. "Yes, that meant there were a lot more distractions but the ooh's and ah's from the kids who came to see the ship made it all worth it," Fix said. "As an archaeologist, I'm not used to people wanting my autograph. Unless you're Indiana Jones, that's not something that happens." The La Belle, meaning "the beautiful," was constructed in France in 1684. It was one of four ships under the command of Rene-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle who hoped to colonize the Gulf Coast area. He and 300 settlers left France on Aug. 1, 1684, but within two years all four ships Le Joly, L'Aimable, St. Francois and La Belle either returned to France, sank or were captured by pirates. Due to incorrect maps, the fleet missed its intended target of the Mississippi River delta and landed more than 400 miles away on the Texas Gulf Coast. When a severe storm grounded La Belle during the winter of 1686, the ship was abandoned. La Salle was killed a year later when some of his crew mutinied near present-day Navasota, Texas, while he was leading a group to Canada in hopes of fostering a rescue for his colony. More Information The 'beautiful' La Belle, a timeline 1684: French explorer Robert de La Salle and more than 300 settlers set sail from France for the mouth of the Mississippi River on the La Belle and three other ships. 1686: The La Belle is grounded and abandoned near Matagorda Bay during a storm. 1995: La Belle is rediscovered by archaelogists. 1996: A temporary dam is built around the ship to help with its excavation. 1997: Excavation of the ship is complete and conservation work begins. 2015: La Belle goes on display at the Bullock Texas State History Museum in Austin. 2016: Restoration work on La Belle is completed. 2018: La Belle will move into renovated gallery space at the museum. See More Collapse "As the Texas Historical Commission says, the La Belle changed history," Fix said. "Had his colony not failed, perhaps Houston and the rest of Texas would have a stronger French influence." Using improved magnetometer surveys, state archaeologists discovered the shipwreck in 1995. A few artifacts were brought to the surface at that time. Although the ship was only in about 13 feet of water, the visibility underwater was so poor that a temporary dam was constructed around the wreck so that water could be pumped out. At the time, that technique never had been tried before in North America, said James Bruseth, who was then head of the archaeology division of the Texas Historical Commission and oversaw the excavation. "It was a nerve-wracking time," he said. "Our engineers thought the dam would hold but it might leak. They just couldn't say for sure." The dam did indeed hold and Bruseth and his team were able to unearth a treasure trove of artifacts, almost 1.6 million objects. Among them was what archaeologists thought was a Roman coin. Later they would determine the item was actually a jeton, a gaming piece likely used by La Salle's crew as they waited for their leader to return with help. "Every day we made a grand discovery," said Bruseth, author of La Belle: The Ship that Changed History. "I had to pinch myself to believe it." Bruseth said that typically when early American settlements are unearthed, archaeologists find items that settlers used but rarely are they in good shape. With La Belle, the items the settlers brought with them were never used, giving historians a virtual time capsule and a peek into life during those days. Once excavated from the bay, La Belle and all of her artifacts were extensively photographed so archaeologists could have a detailed blueprint to help restore them at the Texas A&M lab. Even then, it was no easy feat. After spending more than three centuries in the water, La Belle's timbers had become so waterlogged it was almost impossible for them to retain any shape once on dry land. To strengthen the wood and preserve it, the restoration team individually "freeze dried" each segment at the lab. Fix said the technique had been used before, but not on such a large scale. "There were definitely some sleepless nights," he said. In late 2014, the ship was taken to the Bullock museum for the final phase of the restoration project. As a result of an international treaty agreement, the La Belle artifacts will stay in Texas indefinitely though they are owned by France. While there was more work to be done on the ship, museum officials decided it was important for the public to have access to La Belle given the tremendous interest that had been generated during the ship's excavation from Matagorda Bay. "The public response has been just what we had hoped for; people say seeing La Belle is an amazing, awe-inspiring experience," said Margaret Koch, the museum's deputy director of exhibits. Koch said La Belle will stay in the atrium until 2018, when the museum completes a gallery renovation project. With that project, museum officials plan to encase La Belle in a specially made glass enclosure so that visitors can walk up a ramp and peer down inside of the ship for a more interactive experience. Fix said the ship has been a tremendous teaching tool for students enrolled in A&M's nautical archaeology program who work in the conservation research lab. While he and other researchers at the lab have moved ahead with other projects, Fix said it will be hard to top the experience of working on La Belle. "It has really been a privilege to have been a part of this project," he said. "This is the kind of thing that doesn't come around every day in archaeology." This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate As famous observation decks go, the Sky Lobby some 60 floors up in downtown Houston's Chase Tower is a bit less than ideal: Parking is a hassle, the view is limited, and there are no concessions, souvenirs or interactive whatnots to give visitors a sense of what they're really looking at. On the other hand, it's free. And pretty cool. When the clouds roll in and drop an unexpected shower on the city center, there's nothing quite like being in them or above them. No surprise, then, that there were cries of dismay Tuesday when the tower's management company abruptly announced the lobby would be immediately closed to everyone other than tenants and their guests. Though never officially designed as a public observation platform, the lobby on the 60th floor of the 75-story building - the tallest in the city- waswidely touted as a must-see tourist attraction in the city. "After careful consideration, ownership and management of the JPMorgan Chase Tower (also known as 600 Travis) have made the difficult decision to restrict access to the building's 60th floor 'sky lobby' strictly to building tenants and their authorized visitors," the Hines management firm said in a prepared statement. "Our primary focus is to provide a quality experience for our tenants and their employees who were often inconvenienced by the extra non-business-related traffic in the building." Place of solitude The floors above 60 require separate elevator access. Years ago, when word got out that the transfer point was open for public viewing, the lobby became a popular attraction for tourists and Houston residents. Workers in neighboring buildings sometimes used it for a few minutes of solitude and inspiration. No doubt it would have become a popular lunch spot had it not been for an emphatic no-food policy. Even so, the visitors kept coming. Some romantic sorts used it as a backdrop for proposals of marriage. When the Sky Lobby was closed for refurbishment in 2013, no one imagined that it would one day go the way of other observation points around town that had shut down, including Williams Tower near the Galleria, the Wells Fargo Plaza, and the former Skyline Bar & Grill in the Hilton Americas-Houston. If there was widespread displeasure because of the public coming to visit the lobby, not all of those who work there were aware of it. Stephen T. Harris, director of communications for Locke Lord LLP, an international law firm that maintains an office in the building, said he first heard about the closure on Tuesday when the announcement was made. "That's all I know about it," Harris said, adding that his law firm had no role in the decision. "It's a huge asset, I think, for this property," he said. "It's a beautiful view, both for people from Houston and for folks from out of town." Harris said he didn't recall anyone make complaints about visitors. "You see people in the lobby all the time," he said. "It's always a busy lobby. I think everyone at some point should be able to see the view from the 60th floor." Sometimes a nuisance The tenant who paid for naming rights, JP Morgan Chase and Co., likewise insisted it did not lobby to close the lobby. The bank's Houston spokesman, Greg Hassell, said he had taken his teenage daughter to the Sky Lobby just weeks back to check out the view. "I'm glad we both got to see the view one last time at least," Hassell said. Other tenants said the decision was understandable because the public visitors could be a nuisance. Frank Tsuru, president and CEO of M3 Midstream, said the high-traffic times of the year resulted in crammed elevators and some unhappy workers. People on the higher floors complained more than others, he said. "There's people pretty stressed out about it," Tsuru said. Immigration lawyer Sang Shin said the visitors did not bother him, and he enjoyed taking clients up to the lobby a few times a month to see a "nice view of the lay of the land." He especially remembers going up after the Memorial Day flood last year and seeing parts of Texas 288 and Memorial Parkway under water. Sometimes he got requests from friends to go see the city's lights at night stretching across the area, which he still hopes to do even if the area is closed to the public. "I hope they'll open it again," Shin said. Also disappointed was Mario Zimmermann, who along with five colleagues craned his neck upward toward the top of the Chase Tower, where they had just gathered outside as downtown grew empty. "This is bad news," said Zimmermann, who works in the energy corridor in west Houston. "Very bad news." The 51-year-old oil and gas engineer moved to Houston for a temporary stay eight weeks ago, and in that span he has brought more than a dozen coworkers and friends from his homeland of Germany to view the city from on high. When he arrived at Chase Tower on Tuesday with another group, he immediately saw the sign announcing: Sky Lobby Closed to the Public. Disappointed, Zimmermann said the Sky Lobby offered a perspective that cannot be replaced. "If I go to a city, the first thing I try to do is go upstairs to get an overview," he said. The Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau, which has touted the Sky Lobby in the past as a Houston must-see, didn't have a comment on the decision. Mike Glenn contributed to this story. Children in Texas continue to fare poorly compared to kids in other states, and the state has even dropped a few notches in national rankings, a new report has found. The Lone Star State ranks 43rd for a child's overall well-being, according to a report released this week by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. The state ranked 41st last year and has consistently ranked low in recent years. The foundation based its rankings on economic well-being, education, health and family/community. Robert Sanborn, president & CEO of Children at Risk, a Houston nonprofit that works to improve children's quality of life, isn't surprised at the findings. "It's not unexpected," Sanborn said. "I think when we live in a state with such a high percentage of children and families that are low-income, then we should expect that to have an impact on our overall ranking." 25% of kids in poverty More than a million Texas children, or about 25 percent, live in poverty, according to the report. "Houston kids are reflected very accurately in that report," Sanborn said. "We have a lot of poor children, and in many ways poor children in Houston are getting the short end of the straw. We're not serving those kids as fully as we should be serving those kids, and it's going to bite us in the end because they are our future workforce." Nationally, children are seeing better outcomes than in the past, said Florencia Gutierrez, senior research associate for the Annie E. Casey Foundation's report. However, children of color at the national level are also more likely to grow up in high-poverty areas. The large number of children growing up in high-poverty areas and with parents who don't have a high school diploma contributes to Texas' low ranking, 47th, in the family/community category. Texas ranks 33rd in economic well-being, 32nd in education and 38th in health. The limited types of jobs available to parents with very little education is also a factor in the high poverty levels children face nationally, Gutierrez said. More than 15 million children live in poverty nationwide. "A lot of jobs that are available to individuals that have limited skills or education are jobs that don't pay a living wage," Gutierrez said. "They don't pay families enough to care for their basic needs, so it makes it really hard to get themselves out of poverty." Jennifer Lee, a researcher at the Center for Public Policy Priorities, said minority children in Texas are also more likely to grow up in higher-poverty areas compared to white children. About a third of African-American and Hispanic children live in poverty compared to 11 percent of white children, according to Lee. 11% are uninsured Texas has seen improvements in the number of uninsured children but still continues to rank low among states. Eleven percent of children - or 784,000 - don't have health insurance, causing Texas to rank 49th overall. That share has dropped from 2008, when 18 percent of Texas children were uninsured. Nationally only 6 percent of children are uninsured. "Even though Texas might be improving in some areas, there are other states that might be doing more or improving at a faster rate," Gutierrez said. Demographically, Hispanic children are much more likely to be uninsured than white children in Texas, Lee noted. "African-American children were also more likely to be uninsured, but over time we actually closed that gap. Black and white children have similar uninsured rates across the state," Lee said. Texas has also seen improvements in the number of kids graduating from high school and in lowering the teen birth rate. The number of Texas teenage births has dropped from more than 47,000 in 2010 to a little over 35,000 in 2014. Eighty-four percent of kids graduated from high school in 2010, a figure that had grown to 88 percent in 2014. "It's really showing that teens are making smart decisions that will help them in the future, but it's also very important for us to keep in mind that this was possible because of policies and investments that states have made," Gutierrez said. A south Texas woman alleges she was sexually assaulted by a former La Joya police officer after she was arrested, according to media reports and court documents. The woman, identified as Autumn Renee according to the lawsuit posted by Buzzfeed, was arrested May 29, 2014, for a misdemeanor probation violation and booked into the La Joya City Jail. The lawsuit, filed May 27 in U.S. District Court in McAllen, states that Felipe Santiago Peralez, then-communications officer for the La Joya City Police Department, conducted an "all-night invasion of plaintiff's body." SEE ALSO: Bollywood's Salman Khan causes uproar with rape remark Peralez inserted his fingers and hands into Renee's private areas, according to the lawsuit. It also states he forced her to perform oral sex on him. Renee suffered injury to her private areas and that she was, "in staunch fear of further brutal, sadistic and invasive acts causing severe bruises, scratches, irritation and soreness... for repeated hours." The lawsuit calls Peralez's actions "malicious and (a) sadistic use of force." RELATED: Attorney says Ex-Baylor coach Art Briles broke promise to apologize to rape victim La Joya police Lt. Ramon Gonzalez reviewed the video recording on May 30, 2014, and "obtained (Renee's) statement, offered her a taco, declined her request for medical attention" the lawsuit reads. According to the lawsuit, La Joya Police Officer Nancy Venecia knew about the assault the same day Gonzaelz reviewed the video recording but did not request that Renee be transported to an emergency room for examination. Buzzfeed reports Peralez resigned after being suspended from the police department May 30, 2014. SEE ALSO: Former Vanderbilt football player again convicted of rape Renee's lawyer, Tammy Peden of Houston, cited the incident as a violation of the Prison Rape Elimination Act passed by U.S. Congress in 2003, which establishes a zero tolerance for rape and sexual assault. The lawsuit also highlights violations of the Eighth Amendment, which forbids "cruel and unusual punishment" and "prohibits excessive use of force and guard brutality." In addition to Peralez, Venecia and Gonzelz, the lawsuit is filed against the City of La Joya and the City of Penitas as she was originally arrested by the Penitas Police Department. The lawsuit states Penitas police conducted the follow-up investigation to the alleged sexual assault and failed to act against La Joya officers involved in the incident. Renee is seeking $5 million in damages and emotional distress. Republican backers of a compromise measure aimed at keeping guns out of the hands of suspected terrorists say they're gaining momentum and may win enough support to advance the measure in the Senate. Republican Sen. Susan Collins of Maine is pushing a measure that would bar people on the "no-fly" list, as well as another narrow list of possible terrorist suspects, from buying weapons. The Senate defeated four other gun-related amendments Monday, and Collins suffered another setback Tuesday afternoon when the National Rifle Association called it "unconstitutional." Even so, if the new compromise can win enough support in the wake of the Orlando, Fla., nightclub attack, it could break a longstanding stalemate. "I think we're getting there," said Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona, one of the three Republicans who have joined Collins in co-sponsoring her amendment to a spending bill that funds the Justice Department and other agencies. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Sen. Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, who is facing a tough re-election race, have also signed on. Republican Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, who is also running in a competitive race, also backed her plan on Tuesday. Democratic support The Collins amendment also has five co-sponsors on the Democratic side, including Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, the lone Democrat to vote against an amendment Monday from Senh. Dianne Feinstein of California that would have banned people on the broader terrorism watch list from buying guns. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday that he would allow her proposal to come to the floor. Backers still face an uphill climb getting anything on guns done, with Majority Whip Sen. John Cornyn of Texas among the Republicans saying that a court order and probable cause should be required before someone is banned from buying a weapon. He called it a "slippery slope" to deny due process to Americans who want to buy guns, but said "we'll see how the vote comes out." Democratic leaders praised Collins, with Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York calling it "a step in the right direction." But he added that several "potentially serious problems" remain, including that the measure doesn't block "nearly 900,000 foreigners in the terrorist screening database" from buying guns. NRA opposition The NRA's opposition could scare away some Republicans, as the group encouraged its followers on Twitter to contact lawmakers and defeat any new gun control proposal. Instead, the NRA called on Congress to pass a law allowing people to carry concealed firearms nationwide. Graham told reporters earlier Tuesday that the NRA should balance the inconvenience of a legitimate gun-buyer being on the no-buy list with the likelihood of someone on the list buying a gun and killing people. "To my friends at the NRA, I'm with you most of the time. I believe we're at war, and I can't think of a way to fight this war without somebody being inconvenienced, and once you sell the guy the gun there is no getting it back. You can get off the list," he said. Attorneys, retirees and the folks over in one tony Houston neighborhood apparently really love Hillary Clinton, at least according to recently posted campaign finance data from her campaign. Houston was Clinton's best fundraising locale in Texas last month. FACT CHECK: Hillary Clinton takes liberties in Donald Trump takedown The former first lady, senator and secretary of state hauled in $8.2 million from Texas last month, $1.8 million of it from Houston donors. The Bayou City was followed in the seven-figure club by Dallas ($1.5 million) and Austin ($1.1 million). This data does not include roughly $1 million given by Texans to the main pro-Clinton Political Action Committee, Priorities USA. Almost all of that money came from Houston trial lawyer and Democratic mega-donor Steve Mostyn. Clinton's largest Texas donor base in May by employer (aside from those who didn't list a workplace) were the self-employed and retirees (the latter matches Donald Trump's largest donor base). READ MORE: Trump calls Clinton campaign funds 'blood money' The top profession listed among Clinton's Texas donors, by a wide margin, was "attorney," followed again by retirees and then doctors, homemakers, CEOs and consultants. Clinton's top zip codes, as shown in the map above, were Houston's 77005, which covers the West University/Rice area, and 78746, in west Austin; both of those gave her about $200,000 in May. For a similar analysis of where Trump's Texas support came from, try this post. >>>See the celebrities who support Clinton for president in the gallery above COLUMBUS, Ohio - Hillary Clinton warned Tuesday that Donald Trump's business record disqualified him from overseeing the nation's economy, arguing that his policies and temperament risked sending the U.S. into a recession and setting off a global panic. The Democrat's address to the audience in Ohio 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 general election opponent. "Just like he shouldn't have his finger on the button, he shouldn't have his hands on our economy," Clinton said. And just as she did in her national security address in San Diego, Clinton repeatedly used Trump's own words and the few policy details he's offered against him - confessing at one point even she had to ask her own staff: "He really said that?" On taxes, for instance, Clinton cited an independent analysis that Trump's tax plan would increase the national debt by $30 trillion, something it said was "not even in the universe of the realistic." "Alexander Hamilton would be rolling in his grave," she said. Trump's campaign responded by impugning the source of the report Clinton cited: Moody's analyst Mark Zandi, who Trump aides noted has ties to Democrats and the Obama administration, and has contributed to Clinton's campaign. But Zandi also advised Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., a point Clinton made in her speech. And she noted that criticism of Trump's economic policies come from across the political spectrum, including 2012 GOP nominee Mitt Romney and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., 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 the consequences of what he proposes. 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 can't let these loose, careless remarks get any credence in our electorate or around the world." Clinton's 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 Trump's main selling points: his business acumen. Trump "has no real strategy for creating jobs, just a string of empty promises," she said. "But then maybe we shouldn't expect better from someone whose most famous words are, 'You're fired.'" She saved some of her most stinging criticisms for Trump's own finances and business practices. She wondered whether Trump would not make public his tax returns because "maybe he isn't as rich as he claims." And while he's 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 over decades, most from "ordinary Americans and small businesses" that his companies didn't pay or pay fully. "The same people he's trying to get to vote for him are people he's been exploiting for years," she said. Mexicans sent a powerful message to the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) on June 5 when they voted in opposition governors in seven of the 12 states up for grabs, including four states the PRI had led for more than 80 years. Pre-election polls had forecast a much more successful day for the PRI, but simmering voter anger over public corruption and rampant violence, mostly linked to drug cartels, came to a boil at the ballot box. The center-right National Action Party (PAN) won the seven states, three of them in alliance with the center-left Democratic Revolution Party (PRD), and now will hold governorships in 11 of Mexico's 32 states, the most in PAN history. Some analysts said the election results foretold the PRI's possible defeat in 2018 when Mexico chooses a successor to President Enrique Pena Nieto. That remains to be seen, but they were definitely a reflection of voter anger at Pena Nieto, whose approval ratings have plummeted to a record low 30 percent, and other PRI officials. When he won the presidency in 2012, Pena Nieto was the first PRI president in 12 years. His ascension to the nation's highest office prompted concern because of the PRI's history of widespread corruption when it held power for most of the 20th century. In the fall of 2014, he was politically damaged by two events: corruption allegations in connection with a luxurious home he and his wife had in Mexico City, and the disappearance and likely massacre of 43 student teachers in the southern city of Iguala. The latter prompted massive public demonstrations as the sensational case went unsolved, official corruption and impunity were revealed and Pena Nieto looked unable or unwilling to take action. In response, he proposed extensive anti-corruption measures that were approved by Congress a year ago, but further legislation needed to implement them has stalled and some of the measures have been watered down. In Veracruz and Tamaulipas, two of the states the PRI had held for 80 years, voters turned against the party because of corruption at the state's highest levels and the impunity of drug cartels. The inability or unwillingness to stop such problems has overshadowed some of Pena Nieto accomplishments, including a major and much-needed reform of Mexico's oil industry. But if he wants to resurrect his image and perhaps salvage his presidency, we would urge him to pressure his fellow Priistas in Congress to take action on the still-pending anti-corruption proposals. The recent election has shown once again it's an important issue to the Mexican people tired of living under an entrenched political class that has put lining its pockets ahead of the betterment of their country. For Pena Nieto, the question is this: Does he remain loyal to his political class or does he put the larger interests of his country first? We urge him to side with his country. One has to start with a simple belief: No one chooses to be homeless. Add a dose of compassion, and perhaps even some enlightened self interest (reducing the enormous cost to the taxpayer of welfare programs, hospital care and prison time) and one can quickly arrive at the conclusion that homelessness is a problem that needs an urgent solution. Particularly galling to those of us who follow the issue is homelessness among our military veterans, an issue that President Barack Obama addressed at the televised PBS "News Hour" town hall in Elkhart, Ind., on June 1. Even one homeless veteran is one too many, Obama said, although the U.S. government's Opening Doors program has failed miserably in achieving its 2010 goal of eradicating homelessness among veterans by 2015. Statistics on homelessness are famously inexact. Most official government figures are compiled by "point in time" surveyors who do a count one night of the year. Some of the surveyors are inexperienced, and many of the homeless resist being counted. The 2015 Annual Homeless Assessment submitted to Congress by the U.S.Department of Housing and Urban Development put the official total at 564,708, of whom 47,725 - that particular night - were veterans. The figures indict: While the number of homeless vets has declined slightly over the last year, the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans has put the number of veterans at risk at any given time at 1.4 million, the result of poverty, lack of a support network and "dismal living conditions." Moreover, women vets are two to four more times at risk than their male counterparts; 74 percent suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, while 53 percent suffer from "military sexual trauma," according to the National Center on Family Homelessness. But there's hope, with progress made recently in several jurisdictions. Two Texas cities, Houston and San Antonio, have demonstrated that homelessness among veterans can be eliminated almost entirely. Both cities have huge veterans' populations - more than 300,000 in Houston, according to city statistics, and 107,000 in smaller San Antonio, where veterans account for a whopping 10 percent of the population. Homelessness among veterans was, therefore, a big concern. Jeb Bush caught flak when he declared in December that there were "no homeless veterans in Houston." And his critics were correct - technically. Homelessness among veterans has not been completely eliminated; in January 2015, 563 veterans remained homeless in Houston, according to PolitiFact Texas, and in January of this year the Mayor's Office for Homeless Initiatives conceded homeless veterans could still be living on the streets. The city has made stellar progress, though. As of January, 4,114 homeless veterans had been housed, partly as a result of streamlined efforts by The Way Home, a coalition of 35 agencies that works to end homelessness. Like other jurisdictions that have made serious efforts to solve homelessness, officials also relied on federal funds for "permanent supportive housing." In San Antonio, the National Veterans Outreach organization has declared that veteran homelessness has been entirely eliminated; in that city, no one has stepped forward to dispute the claim. Altogether, according to the organization, the city has moved 1,335 homeless veterans into permanent housing, including some chronically homeless veterans deemed to present "severe barriers" to housing. The key to success in San Antonio, as in Houston, was the coordination of agencies and services. In addition, San Antonio's effort has benefited from corporate support, including $2 million received from financial services and insurance company USAA. Among states, homelessness has been reduced in Utah by a stunning 91 percent over the last 10 years, and to "an effective zero" among veterans, according to a state report, with a program that puts the chronically homeless in permanent homes first and asks questions about such things as sobriety or past drug use later. Once people are housed, social services follow. Virginia has also eradicated homelessness among veterans. Like Utah, Virginia focused on providing "rapid re-housing" rather than transitional shelter. The state spent just $1 million on its effort, which included aligning agency priorities to focus on homeless veterans, providing a portal where communities could share best practices, obtaining financial commitments from utilities and other entities and tapping VISTA volunteers and the AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps to help staff its campaign. All of the jurisdictions that have tackled veteran homelessness successfully have first demonstrated the political will to address what can only be described as a humanitarian crisis. Los Angeles, Portland, Ore., Seattle-King County and Hawaii recently declared states of emergency so they could act aggressively to solve the problem. Other jurisdictions need to step up and make the same commitment. King is the former senior writer at the National Crime Prevention Council in Washington, D.C., where he wrote about the intersection of crime prevention and homelessness. AUSTIN -- For months, Democrats have welcomed the vulnerabilities Donald Trump brings to the Republican presidential ticket, many of which have showed up in various public polls surveying everything from his likeability to his readiness for office. His abysmal approval ratings among Latino, African-American and women voters have not turned around in the weeks since he became the presumptive GOP nominee. Headlines about disunity in the party and lackluster fundraising totals, less than a month before the Republican convention in Cleveland, have played perfectly in Democrats' hands as Clinton's support surges in national polls. What's more, other polls have shown traditionally GOP states, such as Utah and Kansas, could be a lighter hue of red this year. If there is one thing that Democrats in Texas, Utah and Kansas know, it is how lonely it can be when the other party controls every statewide office for years. So, what could the lukewarm support of Trump in two red states mean for Texas? Last week, the narrative prompted a group of Texas House Democrats to commission their own poll to measure Texans' opinions on Trump and their statewide elected leadership, all of whom are Republicans. As Dallas Rep. Rafael Anchia put it: "It really is to answer the question of where we are in Texas. Are we in the same political climate that produced a 20-point margin (for Republicans) in the last gubernatorial (election), or have things changed?" About 25 percent of self-identified Texas Republicans said they, as of now, are not supporting Trump for president, according to the poll, which was conducted from June 13-14. Beyond the presidential race, the poll also showed that by a 3-to-1 margin Texans believe corruption in state government is a real problem. Combined, Texas Democrats argue, the results show growing opportunities for them as they run, not only against Trump, but also against the Texas GOP's decades of one-party rule. The Republican Party of Texas, in response, said the Democrats had no room to criticize corruption of state officials. Tom Mechler, the partys chairman, pointed to two Democratic state lawmakers, Rep. Dawnna Dukes and Ron Reynolds, who have undergone high-profile criminal investigations recently. The Texas Democrats should look in the mirror if they want to talk about scandals, Mechler said. Whether its shady Texas Democrat Dawnna Dukes or convicted criminal Ron Reynolds, what is clear is that Texas Democrats have a hard time functioning within the rule of law. Dukes, an Austin Democrat, currently is being investigated by the Texas Rangers and Travis County prosecutors after former staffers raised questions about her spending and personnel practices in her state office. A Montgomery County jury convicted Reynolds, a Missouri City Democrat, on five counts of misdemeanor barratry, an outcome he is appealing. Mechler concluded: "This is typical lip service from a group of individuals who are incapable of winning a statewide election in Texas." Dukes and Reynolds have done their party no favors, which is why it stings when Mechler's casts the poll as the latest round of Democratic desperation. Sure, basically nobody outside Dukes or Reynolds' districts knows their names or their legal predicaments, as state Rep. Poncho Nevarez argued. Those two people are not moving the needles at all on the statewide perception of corruption, the Democrat from Eagle Pass told reporters. Considering the state's voter turnout in recent elections, as many people probably know Dukes and Reynolds as do the party's top targets, Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is under indictment on securities fraud charges, and Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller, who is being investigated over his use of public monies. A new manufacturer at Cabool is seeking employees for its operation. Sunrise Bakers will hold a job fair next Thursday and Friday at 503 Second St., which is behind Drury University. The hours are 9 a.m. until noon and 1 to 6 p.m. Thursday. Hours on Friday are 9 a.m. until noon and 1 to 3 p.m. Resumes are recommended. The new commercial bakery is seeking entry-level and qualified applicants for permanent employment. It will employ up to 79. Departments include production, packing, shipping and sanitation. A local business on a successful run has relocated its Houston office to a familiar location. Missouri Sun Solar (MSS) recently moved into the building on South U.S. 63 that since 1967 has been home to ARPCO Pump Service. The space is being shared with ARPCO, which is run by Arthurs father, David. Caleb Arthur founded MSS in May 2012. Now the company has 115 employees and offices in Springfield, Columbia, St. Louis, Kansas City and Columbia, S.C., as well as its headquarters in Houston. Arthur said the expansion into South Carolina was due to the states solar-friendly policies. Missouri Sun Solar founder and CEO Caleb Arthur holds an electric bill for just over $25 for the firms new location in Houston the former ARPCO Pump building on South U.S. 63. Arthur said that before the building was converted to solar power, the bill ran about $120 a month. Theyve seen the writing on the wall that creating solar incentives creates a huge economic driver, he said, with job creation, money coming in and everything else. Last year they passed a law where utilities would pay a portion of their profits to pay for their customers going solar both homeowners and businesses. They also created a state tax credit for solar, so theres both federal and state tax credits as well as the incentive provided by the utilities. Missouri has no state tax credit for solar, and other incentives in the state are few and far between. Were hoping that some of the rebates that used to exist will come back soon, Arthur said. MSS installs solar panels on about 70 homes per month all over Missouri. The company is responsible for equipping Greenfield School District in southwest Missouri with the largest public school system solar array in the state, and has recently finished systems on 12 OReilly Auto Parts stores. Were the only company in the nation that does OReilly stores, Arthur said. Were working on locking up deals on 25 in South Carolina, and well probably end up being their solar power provider nationwide. Theyve already given us a list of more than 4,000 stores. MSS has four cars in its fleet capable of running off of solar-generated electricity. The firms Smart Energy Solutions division has now made more than 90 homes more energy-efficient outside the solar realm, by sealing up duct work, spraying insulation, converting lighting to LED bulbs and more. That really helps people who dont necessarily have the money to go solar right away, Arthur said. The average savings for homes where we do this is 30 percent off of their electric bill, just by doing these upgrades. Arthur is also president of the Missouri Solar Energy Industries Association (MOSEIA). He said the city of Columbia offers a rebate to people who go solar, and is the only city in Missouri with such an incentive. They were the first and are still the only city in the state to do that, he said. By doing that they were able to shut down their last coal-fired power plant and theyve built out some of their own solar farms, and its already paid for itself. Now when the sun comes up, theyre generating free electricity for their citizens. I dont know why more cities including Houston dont move in that direction. Were in the middle of a solar revolution, but its hard for people around here to understand it. Arthur said his company will soon drop Missouri from its name and become simply, Sun Solar. For information, call 417-413-1786. Were in the middle of a solar revolution, but its hard for people around here to understand it. CALEB ARTHUR After battling a lengthy backlog that drew the ire of Gov. Jay Nixon, Missouri tax officials say they expect to send out most of the remaining state income tax refunds within the next 10 days. In May, three days after it was revealed that wait times for taxpayers expecting a refund of their 2015 taxes had hit the 10-week mark, Nixon directed the Missouri Department of Revenue to get moving. Agency spokeswoman Michelle Gleba said the department this month has returned more than $125 million in refunds to Missourians. The department has implemented overtime and used temporary workers and reallocated full-time workers to speed up the processing of tax returns, and expects the remaining refunds that do not have issues that require extra scrutiny to be sent out by July 1, she wrote in an email. The added cost of the effort was not available. After first saying refunds would be processed within about one week, the department said delays began mounting as they double-checked tax returns to ensure against online tax fraud. The state last year identified $85 million in fraudulent refund filings. That amount is expected to top the $11.5 million level this year. Scammers attempt to file other peoples returns in search of refunds. Nationally, the cost of the fraud hit more than $5 billion in 2013. Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print. Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition. If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create. As an existing print subscriber it is easy to get FREE access to all our online content. When you click get started below it will walk you through creating an online account to attach your print subscription number to. After your account is created it will ask you to either add a subscription for online access or click on the print subscriber button. Click the print subscriber button header and it will open a dropdown, now click on get started. The page will reload and you will be prompted to enter an account number and a zip code. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO USE THE NUMBER OFF OF THE MOST RECENT ISSUE OR ANYTHING AFTER JANUARY 28, 2019 TO GAIN ACCESS! OLD ACCOUNT NUMBERS WILL NOT WORK The account number and zip code are easily available on your most recent issue of the High Plains Journal or Midwest Ag Journal in the address fields as is shown here. Sometimes the account number has extra zero's in front of it, just ignore those. Weve entered the era of telecommuters, flex work hours, and continuously connected employees. These changes have had serious ramifications for businesses that never worried about cyber security beyond their four walls. The risk of data breaches has intensified during this exodus from the office. As of 2015, Gallup reports that 37 percent of employees have telecommuted, up from just 9 percent in 1995. On average, these employees telecommute two days per month. Of course, this doesnt capture the volume of work that happens outside the office anyway. A 2015 survey from Career Builder and Harris Poll found that two in five workers work beyond traditional office hours, and 63 percent said working nine to five is an outdated concept. For three practical reasons, telecommuting will continue to grow. First, if all American employees, capable of telecommuting, worked from home half the time (about 50 percent of the workforce), the U.S. economy would save $700 billion annually, according to GlobalWorkplaceAnalytics.com. Second, academic researchers are finding that employees are more productive and happier working from home. And last, nearly two thirds of Americans want the opportunity to work from home according to research from PwC. For HR, telecommuting presents opportunities to save money, improve performance and attract employees. However, as workers migrate out of offices, security concerns will proliferate. Although IT de... How do consumers today go about solving their problems? If a local store doesnt have the right size running shoe or the right color shirt, they simply look to the Internet and expansive online marketplaces offering every color, shape and size available. While most of us cant imagine our lives without Amazon or Zappos, businesses have been slower to embrace the possibilities of global marketplaces, but thats changing. An increasing number are looking at globalized, online distribution as the future of work. You can see it now at startups and major companies alike; employees work from remote locations and outsourced project contractors are increasingly common. In fact, in this new connected world of work, you may never meet the people you work face-to-face. Increasingly flexible arrangements are a significant departure from the good ol days when every business deal closed with a handshake, but this is a progress for the better. What we lose in tradition is returned a few times over in new opportunities. Consider the benefits of a distributed team: Flexibility, as a Strategy and Recruiting Tool Effectively distributing work can keep an organization lean, but also nimble. The assortment of freelancers, agencies and contractors selling their services online allows businesses to tap into an always on world where someone can execute on a short-term assignment no matter what time of day it is. W... On June 1, 2016, the draft law regarding the reform of the German Act on the Supply of Temporary Employees (Arbeitnehmeruberlassungsgesetz AUG) has been adopted by the Federal Cabinet. The German Bundestag will address the draft law after the summer break. However, material changes to the draft are not expected to be made during the parliamentary process. If the time schedule will be observed, the reform will come into force as planned on January 1, 2017. The new law will bring material changes for both, employment agencies and their customers, the host businesses. What Agencies and their Customers need to know now Maximum hire term of 18 months: In future, the same temporary employee may only work for the same hirer for a period no longer than 18 consecutive months. If this maximum period is exceeded, an employment relationship between the temporary employees and the host business is established by law. Hire times prior to entering into force of the Act shall be expressly excluded. In case of a repeated supply of the same temporary employee to the same hirer, the deployment periods will be added up if the interruption is no longer than three months. Thus, if the deployment is interrupted for at least three months and one day, the maximum period begins to start anew and previous deployments will not be taken into account. A deviation from the maximum hire term is only possible by collective barg... A high school education is seen as the absolute minimum standard for adult success but what about those who become wildly successful without one? Some very recognizable public figures didn't graduate, but they still made billions. Virgin Group founder Richard Branson dealt with dyslexia and struggled in school, and at age 16, dropped out to start his own business. Advertisement Sir Richard Branson at a gala at the Beverly Wilshire Four Seasons Hotel on May 12 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo: Greg Doherty/Getty Images) But he later went on to found a massive conglomerate that now includes an airline, a wireless phone brand, a hotel chain and even a spaceflight company. He's currently worth US$5.5 billion, according to Forbes He's not the only famous billionaire who got by just fine without a high school diploma. You can learn about more of them in the video above. Advertisement Also on HuffPost Following the tragic death of actor Anton Yelchin over the weekend, the cause of his death has now been confirmed by the coroner's office. People magazine reports that the 27-year-old "Star Trek" actor died of blunt traumatic asphyxia, according to the Los Angeles County coroner's office. Yelchin died after his 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee rolled backwards down a steep driveway, and pinned him against a mailbox pillar and security fence at his house in Los Angeles. Advertisement Asphyxia occurs when the body is unable to breathe. The Jeep was recalled in April after there were reports of the vehicle rolling away unexpectedly. "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," a Los Angeles Police Department spokesperson told People magazine. Over the last few days, the "Like Crazy" actor was remembered by his colleagues as "open and intellectually curious," "[a] beautiful spirit," and "a true artist." "I am utterly heartbroken about this terrible news. Anton Yelchin was a gift to this world," "Breaking Bad" actor Aaron Paul said in a tweet. Advertisement More details of the actor's death, including his toxicology report, will be released in the next six to eight weeks. With files from the Canadian Press. OTTAWA Canada lost its bid for a United Nations Security Council seat because of the European Union and the country would be better served if Britain left the organization, a long-time Conservative MP says. Calgary Forest Lawn MP Deepak Obhrai, the parliamentary secretary for foreign affairs from 2006 to 2015, laid the blame for the Tories' embarrassing lost at the UN firmly at the foot of the EU Tuesday. Advertisement "We lost the Security Council seat because of that. Despite the fact that we were a larger donor than Portugal, but the European Union controlled it," he told The Huffington Post Canada. Conservative MP Deepak Obhrai stands in the House of Commons during question period in Ottawa on May 30, 2014. (Photo: Fred Chartrand/CP) In 2010, Canada competed in a three-way race with Germany and Portugal for two rotating slots on the UN Security Council. Germany was considered a shoo-in and won the necessary two-thirds of support on the first ballot, but Portugal surprised Canadian officials by coming in second, and increasing its support by a large margin during the second round of voting, after which Canada pulled out to avoid a further embarrassment. Advertisement "They forced the European Union [states] to vote for those two, against Canada, and Canada lost because of the European Union ganging up on us as a larger entity," Obhrai said. The EU also used the colonies of some of its member states to lobby for support, he said, pointing to Brazil's campaign for the motherland. "You see the huge control of this bloc? That is threatening our interests," Obhrai said. "Britain's exit from the EU will help small countries like Canada." A referendum will be held Thursday to determine if Britain should remain part of the EU. "Britain's exit from the EU will help small countries like Canada." Conservative MP Deepak Obhrai Obhrai dismissed suggestions Canada had lost because of its pro-Israel voting record, and cuts to the development aid budget that affected African countries in particular. "No," he said firmly. "I campaigned We were giving money to Africa and everywhere, through multilateral institutions and we had countries of focus." Perhaps, the Arab states didn't appreciated the country's support for Israel, but they were only one bloc, Obhrai said. Advertisement Several former diplomats suggest, however, that the European Union isn't to blame for Canada losing its seventh attempt at a Security Council seat its only unsuccessful one. Paul Heinbecker, Canada's ambassador to the UN from 2000 to 2003, told the CBC after the vote that the Conservatives' foreign policy from decreasing African aid, to staunchly supporting Israel, to a lack of engagement on climate change and peacekeeping operations had been unpopular with the international community. Yves Fortier, another ex-ambassador to the UN from 1988 to 1991, told The Globe and Mail that the "lamentable result" was "a reflection of things that Canada has done or not done that a majority of nations" disapprove of. "It can only be interpreted as a slight to Canada by the international community," Fortier told the Globe. 'EU dimension can be overcome' One diplomat posted at the Permanent Mission of Canada to the United Nations during the Security Council campaign noted that there is "certainly huge pressure" from EU members to vote for one another and to use their influence to get third countries to vote for EU members. Advertisement "The fact we were running against two EU members (Portugal and Germany) certainly exposed us to that dynamic," he told The Huffington Post Canada. But the fact that non-European union countries in the group of seats reserved for Western countries sometimes get elected, such as Australia and New Zealand, does "demonstrates that the EU dimension can be overcome," he added. "So in our case it was one of the reasons we lost, but I would not say it was the predominant one." Another former diplomat who worked on the 2010 Security Council bid told HuffPost blaming the EU and African colonies for the loss mathematically "doesn't even make a little bit of sense" and is "a lazy excuse." Nobody knows for sure, and it's probably a combination of several different reasons, said the former official who agreed to speak anonymously so he could be candid. Former foreign affairs minister Lawrence Cannon, flanked by Tory MP Peter Kent and Canada's former UN ambassador John McNee participate in a news conference at United Nations headquarters, Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2010. (Photo: Richard Drew/AP) Advertisement Canada's middle east policies, its stance on climate change, and the announcement of a free trade deal with Israel the day before the vote "wasn't the smartest thing." Another reason Canada lost some votes was a due to a fight with the United Arab Emirates over landing rights at Canadian airports for Emirates and Etihad Airways, he said. "But the biggest reason we lost is that Minister Cannon was ineffective. Part of our strategy was to have him in New York meeting with ambassadors (who cast secret ballots) regularly, but he only came once or twice outside of the General Assembly's leaders week (when he met with ministers). He just refused to meet with ambassadors," the official said. Obhrai and Peter Kent, the then minister of state of foreign affairs for the Americas, were used to help court ambassadors' support but they weren't the minister of foreign affairs "which makes a difference to a lot of countries," he added. "Combine that with our refusal to spend to fly diplomats in for junkets (which Portugal spent a fortune on), and we didn't seem like we cared nearly as much." Loss was a 'badge of honour': Baird A year after the vote, then foreign affairs minister John Baird went on to describe the failed bid as a badge of honour. Advertisement "Maybe if we had shut up, and not talked about gay rights in Africa; maybe if we had shut up and been more quiet about our concerns about Sri Lanka; maybe if we hadn't been so vocally against the deplorable human rights record in Iran, maybe Iran might have voted for us.... But we didn't and I don't think we regret anything. Iran probably voted against us; North Korea probably voted against us; Gadhafi probably voted against us. I think those are all badges of honour," he said. Whatever the real reason for Canada's failed attempt at UN Security Council, Obhrai believes a weaker EU would benefit Canada. "They dominate everything. That is why if [Britain] leaves the European Union and the European Union is brought down in size, then we have direct relations with these countries in which we would benefit more because they would support us and they don't need to support the European Union," he said. Canada would be "better off" engaging with European states one-on-one and strengthening already close ties, outside of the lens of the EU, Obhrai said. Advertisement Former foreign affairs minister John Baird addresses the United Nations General Assembly, Thursday, Nov. 29, 2012. (Photo: Richard Drew/AP) Even on matters like the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), Obhrai said. That's a free trade deal that the Tories spent years trying to finalize and promoted as unique access to the world's largest market of 500 million people in 28 countries with a combined GDP of $20 trillion. "It doesn't really matter if it is CETA or whatever," Obhrai said. "We have free-trade agreements with multitudes of countries around the world. We could have free-trade agreements with Britain, Germany, France and doing it all at the same time." During his decade as the parliamentary secretary for foreign affairs, Obhrai said he represented Canada at countless forums where the tables were taken over by foreign ministers of European countries as well as a representative of the EU. "The European Union acts like a sovereign nation!" he said. The European Union has grown too big. Either this is a lesson for them, what has happened, and if Britain leaves, it's fine it will bring them down to size, if they don't, they'll have other revolts as well." Advertisement Scheer calls for Brexit On Saturday, another Conservative MP, former speaker of the House of Commons Andrew Scheer, penned an op-ed suggesting a Brexit would be better for Britain and better for local decision-making. "The supremacy of Parliament the will of the people expressed through their elected representatives is increasingly being replaced by the dictates of EU bureaucrats in Brussels," Scheer wrote. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, however, firmly supports Britain's continued participation in the EU. "More unity is a path toward greater prosperity. We have a great relationship with a strong and united Europe and certainly hope that that continues," he told Reuters in May. "Britain is always going to have clout, it's just obviously amplified by its strength as part of the EU." A British exit from the EU would strip the organization from its second-largest economy, one of its top military powers and its biggest financial centre, the news agency noted. ALSO ON HUFFPOST: Jason Kenney, one of the top ministers from Stephen Harper's government, is set to leave federal politics, according to several reports. Kenney will reportedly announce his departure this summer, and the news has set off speculation that he could devote his time to uniting Alberta's Progressive Conservative and Wildrose parties, reported the CBC's Chris Hall, citing unnamed sources. Advertisement Those sources said Kenney came to his decision after meeting with prominent Conservatives including ex-Harper advisor Ian Brodie, ex-MP Monte Solberg and former party campaign manager Tom Flanagan over the past few weekends. In an email to CTV News Wednesday, the MP did not confirm or deny the news. "Im getting very close to making a decision, and will let you know," Kenney wrote. "If he won, he would be pledging to proceed very quickly to open negotiations with the Wildrose." Political scientist Tom Flanagan The leadership of Alberta's PC party is currently vacant after former premier Jim Prentice steered it to a dismal third-place showing in the 2015 provincial election. CBC News reported that Kenney renewed his PC membership recently, but there is no confirmation of his candidacy. Advertisement Flanagan, a political scientist at the University of Calgary, said Kenney's platform would focus on bringing Alberta's right together. "If he won, he would be pledging to open negotiations with the Wildrose," Flanagan told the Calgary Herald. Flanagan added he would personally support Kenney if he decided to run. The reports come as Kenney has been touted as a possible candidate for leadership of the federal Conservative Party, a position that is currently held by interim leader Rona Ambrose. Last week, Kenney said he was keeping his options open when it came to his political future and he didn't rule out diving into Alberta provincial politics, The Calgary Sun reported. Advertisement He told the newspaper that numerous people had approached him to help unite the right in Alberta, which is something that he feels "needs to be done." The Tories and Wildrose have repeatedly denied any intention to merge, but other conservative groups in the province have pushed for the two parties to unite, or for the creation of a third right-leaning party. Popular Calgary MP Kenney was first elected at the age of 29 as the MP for Calgary Southeast in 1997 as a member of the Reform Party. He was then re-elected in every subsequent election, as a member of the Canadian Alliance and then the Conservatives. As of the October 2015 election, he represents the Calgary Midnapore riding in the House of Commons. Kenney served in numerous cabinet roles under Harper, overseeing portfolios including defence, multiculturalism, immigration and employment and social development. Advertisement Also on HuffPost: Jobs are reportedly booming in Canadas marijuana economy both the legal one and the not-so-legal one. There are dozens of ads, mostly in Toronto and Vancouver, for marijuana trimmers at legally sanctioned medical pot growers, or for "budtenders" who serve customers at the not-entirely-legal marijuana dispensaries that have popped up around those cities. Advertisement According to Lift Cannabis magazine, the marijuana dispensary business continues to see a boom ... despite a massive round of raids on May 26. (Vancouvers marijuana dispensaries were also raided by police.) There are also spinoff jobs in industries that support marijuana jobs in pot marketing and awareness, graphic design and data, and even jobs for doctors wholl issue medical marijuana prescriptions. One such job ad, listed on Kijiji, offers a $300,000 salary. But the boom may not last it depends on how marijuana is eventually legalized. Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne has signalled her intention to contain legal marijuana sales to the LCBO, the provinces monopoly alcohol chain. Advertisement If thats how things play out, there may not be many marijuana jobs at dispensaries in years to come. This may prove to be a Prague Spring, a rare moment of wild-west freedom before the government monopoly takes over. Either way, there are plenty of cool-sounding jobs to be had in the pot business today. Here are some that were recently advertised. Driver of a weed bus Urban Bella Marketing in Vancouver is hiring a marijuana expert who will drive a mobile marijuana clinic and dispense information about medical cannabis (but not cannabis itself). The ad notes the job is 100 per cent legal, and you need to not apply if you are uncomfortable with or offended by medical cannabis. Advertisement Were guessing the bus wont look as cool as Ken Keseys famous Merry Pranksters bus from the sixties (pictured above), but, well, it should. Marijuana media manager And here you thought your obsessive habit of posting pictures of crystallized bud weeds to Instagram would never pay off. An unnamed Toronto company is looking to hire a social media manager to post to Facebook, Twitter and elsewhere. The job also requires an understanding of Canadas medical marijuana program and flawless grammar and communication skills, which, in our opinion, would be a first for a social media manager. Cannabis writers and tastemakers Advertisement If you wanted to write about weed for a living, it used to be you had to try for a job at High Times. Not anymore, as an unnamed company in Toronto is hiring writers and tastemakers for a new cannabis magazine. It pays $100 an article not bad for something you pounded out at the last minute in a haze of smoke. Cannabis comedy writer/director/editor Someone in Toronto (once again, an anonymous ad) is looking for "a comedy director / writer / producer / editor for a new cannabis online series." Let's hope it's a small project, or the $500 to $1,500 in compensation will be a funnier comedy than the online series itself. Graphic designer for a weed tech company Lift describes itself as a technology company in Canada's burgeoning cannabis sector. Its hiring a graphic designer to help them establish Lift as the go-to brand for cannabis information and resources in Canada (and beyond!). Advertisement Lift isnt the only tech company that sees profit in bud. Microsoft recently partnered with a California startup to provide seed-to-sale tracking of marijuana for governments where it has been legalized. Also on HuffPost Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is signaling that Canadians shouldn't expect him to tell off Russian President Vladimir Putin at next month's NATO summit. Trudeau spoke to reporters in Ottawa Wednesday and was twice asked about the Russian president who now says he wants strained relations with Canada to improve. Advertisement The prime minister ducked a question on whether or not Russia is becoming more of a threat to world peace, and didn't take the bait when asked to share his personal thoughts about Putin. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addresses an end-of-session news conference on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on June 22, 2016. (Photo: Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press) Liberals committed in the last campaign, he said, to "re-engage Canada with the world." And that means "cautious re-engaging with people (with whom) we disagree." Advertisement The prime minister noted that he told the Ukrainian Business Council this week that his government remains concerned about Russia's actions. Trudeau will make his first visit to Ukraine in July after the summit, which will be held in Poland. "We will be thoughtful and firm as I have always been on how we re-engage with Russia," he said. A journalist noted how former prime minister Stephen Harper made headlines in 2014 when he reportedly confronted Putin at a G20 meeting and told him that he needed to "get out of Ukraine." 'Fairly direct exchange' When asked what his "first words" to Putin might be, Trudeau reminded the group that he already met the Russian president at the G20 summit in Turkey last November. "As many of you know, I had a fairly direct exchange with him where I pointed out that his actions in Ukraine were illegitimate and irresponsible," he said. Advertisement Putin evidently remembers things a little differently. He told The Canadian Press last week that Trudeau told him that Canada and Russia "should re-establish the relations in full" something the Prime Minister's Office denies was said. The PM told reporters last November he made it clear to Putin that although Canada's approach has shifted with a change in government, "we remain committed to the fact that Russia's interference in Ukraine must cease." Called Putin a 'bully' during the campaign Just days before Liberals won the fall election, Trudeau pledged to confront Putin a man he called "dangerous" in Europe, "harmful" in the Middle East, and "unduly provocative" in the Arctic if given the chance. "Canada needs to continue to stand strongly with the international community pushing back against the bully that is Vladimir Putin," he said during a stop in Toronto. "If I have the opportunity in the coming months to meet with Vladimir Putin, I will tell him all this directly to his face because we need to ensure that Canada continues to stand strongly for peace and justice in the world." Advertisement 'Deeply concerning': Tories Meanwhile, Conservatives continue to paint the Trudeau government as soft on Russia's aggression. Foreign affairs critic Tony Clement and deputy critic Peter Kent released a statement Wednesday urging Liberals to take more "principled" stands internationally. "It is deeply concerning the government continues to cozy up to Russia," the statement reads. "Vladimir Putin has indicated that he and Prime Minister Trudeau have discussed re-establishing 'full relations.' Former prime minister Stephen Harper walks past Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G20 Summit Sept. 5, 2013 in St.Petersburg, Russia. (Photo: The Canadian Press) "We must stand firm against the Russian invasion of Ukraine and annexation of Crimea. We must protect our Arctic sovereignty against Russian imperialism." Advertisement Tories are also calling on the government to support the Conservatives' version of the Magnitsky Act, which will more harshly punish Russian human-rights violators. Foreign Affairs Minister Stephane Dion has already signaled that Liberals won't support the legislation. With files from The Canadian Press Also on HuffPost: The temperature hit 35 degrees Celsius at an event to mark World Refugee Day in downtown Toronto this week. There was no breeze, no shade. Humanitarian workers sweltered in the booths they'd set up, to raise awareness for the world's 65 million refugees. Organizers had provided tent-like covers, and everyone crowded underneath to stay out of the sun. But the heat was relentless. In the World Vision tent, Lindsay Gladding worked hard to entertain her eight-year-old son William, who had come along for the day. As Humanitarian and Emergency Affairs team leader for World Vision Canada, Lindsay was on hand to describe the dire needs in refugee camps and settlements. Advertisement William tries World Vision's 360 video, about a 13-year-old Syrian refugee boy named Ali. All photos World Vision For a time, William was contented with the toys and activities World Vision staff had brought. But after an hour, he was bored, hungry -- and melting in the heat. And he let his mother know it! I watched how creatively Lindsay worked to care for her son in a cramped, stifling space with very few resources available. I thought of all the refugee mothers who are doing the same. Not just for a few hours, but for months or years at a time. Advertisement Parenting empty handed Lindsay has just returned from Lebanon's Bekaa Valley, where she spent five days visiting families living in tented refugee settlements. Back in Toronto, we found a tiny patch of shade, so I could ask Lindsay what life is like for those families. Debbie: There's a heat warning in effect in Toronto today. How does this compare to the place you've just returned from? Lindsay: In the settlement I visited last week, it hit 45 degrees Celsius. In a few minutes, I'll be able to take my son to an air conditioned Subway restaurant to cool down and have a drink. But mothers in the Bekaa Valley have nowhere to take their children except for the family tent. Debbie: It's pretty crowded where we're sitting, in this small tent here in Nathan Phillips Square. Your son's making the best of it, even though there's not much space with all the adults. How does this compare to a family tent in Lebanon? Advertisement Lindsay: Families in the Bekaa Valley are living with up to 10 people in a tent about this size. There's no room to spread out, or to find a quiet space alone, especially at night when everyone's lying down. Debbie: Your son is wearing shorts and a t-shirt today, like most Canadian children. What were children wearing in the refugee settlement? Lindsay: Most children have one change of clothes at the most. If their parents grabbed winter clothing when they fled their homes -- which makes good sense if you were fleeing in winter--then that's what the children wear in summer. There just isn't anything else. Debbie: You use the term 'informal tented settlement' for the community you visited last week. What's the difference between this and a refugee camp? Advertisement Lindsay: The Bekaa Valley is an agricultural region in Lebanon. Syrian seasonal migrant workers used to come here every year, and a few tents were set up to accommodate them. When things got bad in Syria, fathers started bringing their families with them. Some just stayed, and more families came. They've built their own shelters out of found materials. They pay on average the equivalent of $775 Canadian a year in rent for the land, and without legal work even this modest amount means mounting debt for Syrian families. Debbie: We got to see a video of children in the settlement you visited last week. They were smiling, even laughing, and seemed very happy. How are the children when the cameras are switched off? Lindsay: They're incredibly bored. They just wander around. So few of them are in school in Lebanon, because they've fallen behind, and the cost of transportation and books is too far out of reach. Advertisement Lebanese school is conducted in Arabic, English and French, not just Arabic as it was in Syria. Older children don't have much chance of catching up, and are often bullied by the younger kids when they try to go to school. So they just walk around the settlement all day. Debbie: What's this like for the mothers? How are they able to parent the kids? Lindsay: The moms say the children don't listen. Parenting is so hard when you've got no incentives to offer. They can't impose consequences as there's nothing left to take away. There is little to entertain them and without the structure that school provides children feel lost and insecure. That feeds into their behaviour during the day. Some of the children are able to participate in what we call "psychosocial support," meaning they get help talking through their experiences so they can gradually heal. They've even formed a children's council, and are learning to speak up for themselves, giving their views on how things are to be run in the community. I would love to see all children have this kind of opportunity. The difference that it makes in their lives in immeasurable. Advertisement Debbie: Is there anything hopeful about life in these tented settlements? Lindsay: Some mothers feel grateful that they're still alive and at least have their children with them. One mother, who has been raising her children in this tented settlement for the past four years, said she wished they had stayed behind in Syria. She said it would be better to have died than to be living as they are. Debbie: What kind of hope do families have that things will change? Lindsay: They do hope that peace will come, so they can go home. For now, the one really bright spot is World Vision's Early Childhood Education classes, for children three to six years old. Many of these children were born as refugees, or came to Lebanon as babies. The hope is to get the youngest children ready to enter school in Lebanon, so the children are learning English and basic literacy and numeracy skills in preparation. Advertisement It's so wonderful to see how the children flourish in this "child-friendly space," as we call it. They're not bored there, that's for sure. And it's no coincidence that most of the children there want to be teachers when they grow up. This could be the highlight of their lives right now, having something to actually aim toward. That's why it's so important that Canada keep the centre open, and offer this kind of chance to other refugee children. It helps preserve futures. A mother gently coaxes her son to attend the first week of early childhood education classes, taking place inside the tent. Debbie: What would you like Canada's mothers to know about what Syrian mothers need for their children? Advertisement Lindsay: First and foremost, their children need peace. And just as importantly, their children need a chance to keep up with their education. Education is everything for Syrian families. These children will need to help rebuild Syria after the war ends. They need to be ready. Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook ALSO ON HUFFPOST: In the hit movie The Martian Matt Damon's character, astronaut Mark Watney, is left in the dust of Mars alone to survive. He realizes that to live, "I'm going to have to science the sh*t out of this." There are some lessons in there for the Trudeau government as they conduct their consultations on Canada's wait-and-see innovation budget. LESSON 1: New ways to spread manure are not enough. In the movie, Mark Watney figures out how to grow potatoes on Mars through an innovative use of his team's manure. There is a tendency in government to slap the word "innovation" on an array of repackaged program announcements. We can't do the same things over again and expect different results. Advertisement LESSON 2: Success involves risk and failure. Figuring out the fertilizer issue was not enough. Watney needed water to bring his seedlings to life. Hey! That is like the capital our startups need. Watney uses chemistry to make water from rocket fuel. What was once critical to his escape becomes the fodder for his survival. The process is risky and he even blows himself up while trying. But he succeeds. Reallocating money from election promises or historically sacred programs needs to be part of the "innovation agenda." As Dan Breznitz, the Munk Chair of Innovation Studies at the University of Toronto, has said: "An innovation policy without vision is the usual Canadian non-innovation policy. Trying to turn our grand new vision into reality without constant experimentation will be a waste of public money." LESSON 3: 'Mission critical' means all-encompassing. The entire movie hangs off of Damon's line. It's even a favourite of real-life celebrity astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson. We have no doubt about Watney's commitment. His very survival depends on applying absolute best know-how to everything he does. We need this same urgency in Canada. This is not only the file of Navdeep Bains, the minister of innovation, science and economic development. We need government-wide changes like a plan for procurement policy to embrace buying from Canadian startups. Advertisement In the forward to the recent report, Breznitz says that "there is no one-size-fits all model" for state innovation agencies. As I review my recommendations for change, I agree that each initiative needs to consider our unique context and transform solutions inspired by global successes to make them our own. The danger is that minister Bains completes his innovation walkabout and the whole federal government does not come back with the kind of realization that Mark Watney had. For him, every day was a series of firsts. We are seeking business models, products and technologies that do not exist yet. We need a lean, agile startup-like approach to experimentation throughout Canada. For example, in a recent spat with Visa over merchant credit card fees, Walmart Canada stopped accepting Visa cards from Canadians on millions of transactions. With merchant credit card fees at 0.3 per cent in parts of Europe and as high as 1.5 per cent in Canada, it can seem like Canadian consumers are getting a crappy deal. But before the Federal Government steps in with a regulatory response, consider ways to promote Canadian interests in what amounts to a battle for profit margins between multi-national market agents. Why not a policy to promote the adoption of alternative payment methods like nanoPay's MintChip? That would put pressure on credit card companies to reduce fees. Is there a way that Shopify, our national champion of e-commerce, can take advantage of Walmart's use of Canadian consumers as a bargaining chip? Breznitz's team says their aim is to help policymakers think more systematically and clearly about the choices they have. We can be grateful for a useful framework to calibrate initiatives as long as governments begin with the end in mind. Advertisement Let's innovate the sh*t out of this. Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook MORE ON HUFFPOST: (Photo: Vincent Tremeau/Plan International) As a Child Rights Advisor with Plan International Canada, I'm too often reminded that the commercial sexual exploitation of children is a grim reality in many parts of the world. It can arise in, or as a result of, a variety of contexts -- emergencies, disasters, poverty, and any other situation where there is an imbalance of power or resources. Unfortunately, as a recent study by ECPAT International demonstrates, this issue is not confined to other countries and continents; it's happening right here at home. Child-sex tourism is a particular kind of commercial sexual exploitation of children, interrelated with prostitution, pornography and human trafficking for sexual purposes. It occurs when someone travels to a place and, while there, sexually abuses a local child or young person. It becomes "commercial" when the exploitation involves a transaction, including the exchange of cash, food, clothing or any other perceived advantage. Advertisement Child-sex tourism, like any other industry, exists as a result of demand. A wide range of people may profit from the sexual exploitation of a child, including parents, family members, community members, friends, peers, teachers, businesses (especially bars, restaurants, hotels, motels, roadside rest areas, taxis, bus and railroad stations, airports, travel agencies and cruise ships) -- or even the local economy as a whole. Many beaches around the world are considered "hot spots" for child-sex tourism. (Photo: Unni Krishnan/Plan International) Tourism has seen extraordinary growth over the past 20 years, with the number of international tourist arrivals rising from 527 million in 1995 to 1,135 million globally by 2014. Canada and the United States have long been considered source countries for offenders, but they are also, increasingly, destinations. Neither country maintains reliable data on this issue, but according to the ECPAT report, there are signs that children are becoming involved at a younger age and that some engage in commercial sex for survival, with indigenous children at particular risk. Child-sex tourism, like any other industry, exists as a result of demand. Our vast global tourism infrastructure is being exploited by traffickers hoping to meet the demand of business travelers and transient workers. As a society, we often try to exempt ourselves from these issues, choosing to believe that these crimes don't happen in Canada, or that the perpetrators are easily-identifiable deviants. The reality is that child-sex tourism is generally a crime of opportunity. The fact that more people are on the move and more countries are competing for travel and tourism dollars creates increased opportunities and rewards for offenders to exploit children. Unfortunately, regulations and laws to protect children from the child-sex tourism are lagging behind. Advertisement Without real measures to ensure their protection, children are left vulnerable and at risk. Laws to deal with child-sex tourism have never been strong enough to properly prosecute or track perpetrators at a domestic level, let alone across borders. In Canada, weaknesses include the relative ease with which registered offenders can leave the country and the lack of information sharing between law enforcement and border authorities. The Tougher Penalties for Child Predators Act received Royal Assent last year and is meant to close some of these gaps. The use of extraterritorial jurisdiction has also been an important means of charging offenders. However, overall Canada's extraterritorial laws remain underused, with only seven successful prosecutions so far. Children collaborate on a child rights exercise at their school in Kenya. (Photo: Ivette Fonseca/Plan International) Plan International has a great deal of experience working with children to ensure that they are safe and protected. Just this week, in collaboration with our sector colleagues, we released "25 Years of Fighting the Sale and Sexual Exploitation of Children: Addressing New Challenges," a United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography, which includes a child-friendly booklet to help children to speak out against abuse. In our work, we have found that education is one of the most successful ways to change behaviours and discourage abuse. For instance, our programs in Kenya's coastal communities exemplify the many ways education can serve as a vital tool to fight against the sexual exploitation of children. Once we collectively acknowledge the issue, there are immediate solutions. Kenya's beaches were identified as a hot-spot for child-sex tourism. To tackle the issue, a multi-pronged approach was implemented. Beach Management Committees (BMCs), made up of small business owners on and near the beach, were educated about the issue, and of their responsibility to prevent, detect and report incidents. The County Tourist Police Officer has commended Plan International and the BMC for the initiative and called upon the beach operators to work closely with the police, the Department of Children's Services and other stakeholders to protect children establishing beaches free of child-sex tourism. Teachers and students were armed with information about child rights and were empowered with rigorous reporting mechanisms. Advertisement Volunteer children's officers in Kenya with Plan International Canada Child Rights Advisor Ivette Fonseca (centre). These community-based volunteers are responsible for detecting and reporting child protection issues in coordination with child protection institutions. (Photo: Ivette Fonseca/Plan International) This approach can work here too, and by reading this article, you're already starting to work on the solution. One of the major issues Canada faces in combating this crime is our willful ignorance that it is taking place. Once we collectively acknowledge the issue, there are immediate solutions. Firstly, we can call on the Canadian government to endorse the Code of Conduct for the Protection of Children from Sexual Exploitation in Travel and Tourism ("the Code"). The government's endorsement would, in turn, encourage Canadian businesses to adopt the Code, spreading awareness of their responsibility to children. The Code has already been successfully implemented elsewhere, as in Costa Rica, where a bilateral project funded by the Canadian government and implemented by the International Bureau for Children's Rights (IBCR) and Paniamor, a local NGO, has used it to raise awareness about child-sex tourism and empower communities to better protect themselves. Secondly, we must continue to increase the private sector's involvement and foster cross-sectoral partnerships pushing for more effective laws, stronger enforcement, the end of impunity for offenders, and, most importantly, better protection of children. Beyond these measures, we must ensure that our social structures are capable of responding to the needs of our population's most vulnerable -- especially children. We can achieve this by educating children about their right to bodily autonomy and safety, no strings attached; by ensuring that teachers are prepared to recognize and respond to signs of child sexual exploitation; and finally by ensuring that our justice system is attuned to the unique needs of victims, from front-line police officers, to forensic investigators, to judges. Advertisement Ignorance is not an excuse, and inaction is not an option -- it's our collective responsibility to ensure that Canada's children have the opportunity to grow up safe and secure. Ivette Fonseca is a Child Rights Advisor with Plan International Canada. For as long as I can remember, being black and gay was like the biggest crime one could commit in my community. It didn't matter where you were born, the culture was one that saw black churches openly bashing homosexuality and parents disowning their children, leaving them on the streets to survive however they could. Fast forward to 2016, the black LGBTQ community is growing by the minute and more and more black gay men and women are embracing who they are without apology. I mean, what's there to apologize for? Even in the wake of the Orlando shooting, many more gay, lesbian, transgender and bisexual people are coming out and showing the world that they are proud members of the rainbow family. Advertisement We are now celebrating Pride and my friends from across the Caribbean and North America have joined me in letting the world know just how proud we are to be able to celebrate something that many had to sacrifice their lives for. Here's what Pride means to us: Maurice Tomlinson (Jamaica/Toronto) Pride for me is political. It is daring to be visible in spaces where LGBTI people are persecuted and even killed. That is why I organized Pride in Montego Bay where homophobic murders have repeatedly cost beautiful lives. But we refuse to be exterminated. Advertisement Carla John (Bermuda/Toronto) Pride means freedom and family. Growing up gay in a tiny country like Bermuda, I didn't think I'd ever be able to marry a woman or raise a family. But on June 22, 2012 after being together since 2004, I married my best friend. Now every June we get to celebrate Pride and family. Andrew Campbell (Jamaica/Toronto) It is finally having the power and resolve on the inside to dictate my energy. It reminds me that I do not need to hide and it is okay for me to me my authentic self. I have given myself permission to be proud of who and what I am. Laurisa Francis (Antigua and Barbuda) Pride means being free to enjoy life without people invading your space or trying to tell you what life is about! It is being proud of myself and my accomplishments, standing up for what I believe in and showing others that no matter what life throws at you, you should not lose faith or turn away from what makes you happy, what makes you tick, what makes you laugh, what makes you love and most of all what makes life complete. Advertisement Juelz Edwards (Antigua and Barbuda/New York) Pride to me means finally being able to live life freely, taking away the shame that you were made to feel and just being able to smile. It is about not hiding my true colors and letting it spread beautifully like a rainbow after the storm. Pride is about loving me, being who I am, dressing how I want, loving who I love without holding back. Pride to me is ACCEPTANCE, PEACE and LOVE. I am a lesbian -- a stud and I'm not ashamed of who I am. I am proud! Victor/Naomi Leone (Africa/Toronto) To me, Pride means just being myself: A joyful and proud African man. As a performer, I hope to inspire others and touch their hearts by telling a story about the fight for freedom and equality. Pride should remind people to stand up for themselves and for others. We will continue to fight equality and we will continue to celebrate pride. Advertisement Vanessa Crevelle (Trinidad and Tobago/Toronto) To me, pride means understanding and acceptance among ourselves and elsewhere. It also means peace, harmony, support and so forth. The LGBTI black community came from such a long way (Legally, Socially, Politically, Religiously and mostly Culturally). The black LGBTI organizations have struggled so much to balance OUR OWN culture expectations through community stigmatization, oppression and prosecution particularly within the Caribbean. There is a sense of freedom and comfort that I see LGBTI people have here that they cannot/will NOT be able to have within the Caribbean. Kingade` Johnson (Jamaica/Toronto) It wasn't until Pride 2009 when I found freedom from my struggles, I found self-love, I found Gay love, I found the kind of love that made me love myself as a "Black Jamaican Gay man" and that became my PRIDE. Pride is letting go of religious governance, letting go of self-hate, letter go of anger and finding inner peace. Pride means to love one's self and live in one's happiness... HAPPY PRIDE TORONTO 2016. Janelle Bruney (Dominica/Antigua and Barbuda) Pride for me is being myself and no one else. It means wearing my joggers and high top sneakers one day, then cute sandals and lipstick the next. It means dressing as I feel and in what I'm comfortable in. It's being proud of myself for making myself happy despite what anyone thinks or likes. It's being a proud gay black single mom from the Caribbean raising my daughter to be who she is and accepting and loving everyone no matter their race, sex, age, nationality or sexual preference. It's being able to chase my goals and it is also going through many trials in life and coming out dancing and smiling. Advertisement Twysted Miyake-Mugler (Jamaica/Toronto) Pride is a rebellious expression -- an expression of everything that we have been told to keep inside during our years of socialization. We were cast out for being born who we are, so we form a rebellion by coming together and celebrating what we were told to be ashamed of. When we celebrate PRIDE, we don't do it for those who can, we do it for those who can't. Tammie-Faye Connor (Antigua and Barbuda/Toronto) Pride means being me! *** People often ask why we need a gay pride celebration and all I can say is that Pride is much more than a parade; it is a reminder of our journey which has been filled with lots of ups and downs and too many dead bodies. So for me, Pride is a celebration of life! scyther5 via Getty Images Close up of lease agreement empty document with pen How much do you know about your legal rights as a tenant? Are you aware of the consequences if you don't pay your rent on time? Do you know much notice you need to give your landlord if you plan on moving out? Chances are that even if you have been renting for a long time, you may not know all that much about the legalities of renting an apartment or condo. There is much more to a landlord-tenant relationship than just a contract, and understanding your rights and responsibilities is vital to keeping you where you want to be, at the amount you want to pay (or at least agreed to). That being said, there are horror stories on both sides of the relationship, and chances are someone you know has had their share of issues either with a tenant or their landlord. Advertisement While some associations feel that the Ontario Residential Tenancies Act currently favours tenants (although associations representing tenants will disagree), there are proposed changes being debated that could shift the power back into the hands of the landlord. One of the biggest proposed changes affects the ease at which landlords can evict tenants, and many are debating what the aftermath of these purposed laws could be. The current provincial government is suggesting changes to the Residential Tenancies Act in an effort to improve the affordable housing situation in the province. Essentially, the government believes that more rental units on the market will lead to more affordable housing options, a simple game of numbers. The more units on the market, the more affordable options right? The idea is that the government wants to encourage more people to become landlords. By giving landlords more power, it will be easier (or more tempting) to become a landlord and thus increase the number of landlords. Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Ted McKeekin was quoted in a CBC article stating, "Many people don't want to rent out space because they don't want to deal with problem tenants." The following changes were purposed to help increase the number of landlords thereby creating more options for tenants and increasing the number of affordable housing units. Many disputes boil down to whomever has the ball in their court from the legal side of things. Evictions for Smoking One proposed change would give landlords the ability to evict tenants for smoking in non-smoking units. At the moment, landlords cannot evict tenants for smoking even though they signed a non-smoking lease. On the surface this change seems logical enough, but proving this would be difficult (how many cigarettes need to be smoked to warrant an eviction?), as many conflicts between landlords and tenants tend to be. Advertisement However, many disputes boil down to whomever has the ball in their court from the legal side of things, and if the landlord has the legal rights, it will be naturally easier for them to flex their muscle and evict tenants. When the law is on your side, so is this power. Advocacy groups for tenants believe that landlords shouldn't have the power to evict tenants, or rather are fearful the power could be abused. This creates the problem that evicting tenants (especially on "debatable" actions like smoking) gives landlords the power to willfully evict current tenants and charge new tenants more for the same place. So this same argument can be used against making housing more affordable as many tenant associations think the proposed changes would actually increase rent. Therefore, this change would arguably lead to increases in costs, while marginalizing a section of the population who choose to smoke. Annual Rent Increase Amounts One of the biggest changes would be amending the law that states landlords cannot increase rent on a yearly basis by more than 2.5 per cent. At this point the provincial government dictates what the annual raise in rental amounts can be. The Ontario Government just released the 2017 rent increase guideline, which was set at 1.5 per cent. Naturally, if landlords are able to increase their rent by more than this amount, expect rent prices to increase, especially in high-demand areas like downtown Toronto. Prohibiting Pets Whether or not your landlord allows pets is also being debated, and a blanket ban on pets is being discussed. If landlords are allowed to fully ban pets, rent may not necessarily increase, but it may become harder for the pet-owning segment of the population to find a place to call home. If there are fewer renters, demand would dip and therefore rent fees could lower as a result, though it's hard to imagine this rule making a substantial, measurable impact either way. Advertisement Overall, whether or not these proposed changes become legal, the only way rent will decrease as a result of the proposed laws is if there is a substantial increase in the number of new listings. It's tough to imagine that the ability to evict a tenant for smoking or banning pets would substantially affect rental prices when compared against much larger issues like the Canadian dollar, employment numbers or supply and demand. Geordie Dent from the Federation of Metro Tenants Associations said that "A lot of these things seem like landlord giveaways" and at the moment, the government is still weighing in on the 15 proposed changes. The proposed changes were discussed under the veil of helping small landlords feel comfortable renting their properties, thereby creating more rental apartments across Canada on the market and increasing the number of affordable housing options. If these goals are achieved, it could create a win-win situation for both landlords and tenants. Imagine that! Follow HuffPost Canada Blogs on Facebook Watching the rise of Donald Trump while peering nervously over the Atlantic to watch the EU referendum unfold in my homeland, it has been hard to escape the feeling that they represent two different versions of the same phenomenon. The Leavers may be more genteel than the Donald, but they spring from the same poisoned well. Whatever their claims to the contrary, they are selling the same politics of division and mendacity - just on different sides of the pond. The time has come to decide whether you support this politics or not. No Leave supporter turning out to vote or Remain voter not bothering to do so has any excuse for what they will be allowing to happen. The Leave camp will tell us they do not stand for division. Instead, they assure us, they are "globalists". They want simply to remove us from the shackles of the European Union so that they can broaden our collective horizons. Scratch the surface of a Little Englander and you will reportedly find Marco Polo. Once the dead hand of the bureaucrats in Brussels is removed from our economy, our trade with the rest of the world will flourish; and by the way, the Europeans will just roll over and give us everything we want, too. It's so simple that all we can do is marvel at the fact no-one thought to do it sooner. If you think that removing us from the largest free market in the world seems a strange way to begin an export-led boom and foster a new politics of global inclusivity, you would be right. Look beyond these claims to what the Leave campaign actually wants to do and the rhetoric it uses to support it, and you see hints of a darker truth. Listen to them demur that in the last analysis it doesn't matter if the economy takes a hit for the sake of restoring "sovereignty" and immigration controls, and the truth becomes yet clearer. See them echo Donald Trump's rhetoric, and it becomes unmistakeable. Advertisement What unites both Trump and the Leavers is an essentially zero-sum view of global economics and politics in which their countries are not getting a fair shake. Foreigners, of course, are to blame. Trump has described Mexico as "an enemy nation", and Brexiteers have warned of the danger posed by "ze Germans". In a strange inversion of the post-Cold War optimism that greater trade would lead to peace and harmony throughout the world, the culprits often seem to be our closest allies. The Brexiteers stir us to battle against them. An attempt to return Europe to a primordial state of nature in which each nation must battle anew to secure its livelihood and rights might seem worthwhile if it promised vast rewards. But it does not. The twin delusions on which the expectation of these rewards are based - that we will get everything we want in a "deal" with Europe and that non-European trade will skyrocket - quickly wither under analysis. Brexiteers are fond of talking about national interests and of citing the role Germany will play in ensuring we get what we want from the EU after we leave, so let us consider Germany's national interest. According to the Leave campaign, Germany is so dependent on trade with the UK that it will ensure a quick, painless transition to a sort of a la carte status for the UK in Europe in which we get all the benefits of the free market but none of the perceived drawbacks of free movement. What this completely fails to acknowledge is that Germany has a far greater interest in holding the EU and the euro together than it does in keeping tariffs off its relatively insignificant trade with us. When the Leave campaign reduces Germany's national interest down to the size of its trade surplus with the UK, it displays a mind-bogglingly narrow-minded worldview which alone ought to make us question their judgement on every other issue. Germany will be devastated to see us go, but will immediately turn to stem the damage to the rest of the EU after we do. Encouraging members to leave and then negotiate their own a la carte deals would serve the opposite interest. Presumably even the most pugnacious booster of John Bull recognises that the euro is more important to the German economy than selling cars to the UK. Any German politician who did not leverage the UK's overall much greater dependence on EU trade into a terrible deal for London would be guilty of professional negligence - especially given how desperate our post-Brexit government will be to secure a deal amid the twin sterling and fiscal crises that will inevitably follow. Advertisement Then take the supposed rewards of boosting non-European trade after Brexit. This would begin, of course, with renegotiating every trade deal that we currently have courtesy of our EU membership. A mere trifle that will only take a decade or so, I'm sure. Then we can somehow move on to leveraging our much smaller economy into achieving the better deals that our perfidious neighbours, with whom we form an exponentially larger and more attractive market, somehow held us back from. Germany, meanwhile, managed to export over three times more to China in 2014 than Britain. Given that both countries are part of the EU and subject to exactly the same regulations, this would seem to suggest the reason for Britain's sluggishness lies elsewhere. Some might wonder if the UK economy's dire productivity, the second-worst in the G7, had something to do with it. Others find it easier to blame "ze Germans". We can tell by the rhetoric they have already employed how our new post-Brexit government will react when they fail to secure the concessions they promised from the outside world - as, make no mistake, they will. These right-wing radicals do not even have the excuse of their counterparts on the left who, in George Orwell's words, are often guilty of playing with fire without knowing that fire is hot. Our friends on the right know full well how hot fire is, and they intend to direct it appropriately. A movement that had its beginning in blaming foreigners for holding Albion back will return to this comfortable ground when its dreams are denied. This brings us back to Donald Trump, who has already mapped out this ground for us. He has shown that in the globalized world we live in, any attack on foreigners outside our borders quickly becomes an attack on those within. The acrimony at other European nations who refused to deal on our terms, at the migrants and descendants of migrants within our shores on whose inherent undesirability the Leave campaign has based so much of its message, and even at the Scottish and Irish who will press claims of their own in the aftermath of Brexit - all of these will be grist to the mill of a movement grounded in English nationalism. If Brexit does lead to a continent-wide collapse of the EU, the same tragedy will play out 28 times. Advertisement The attacks on Orlando are undoubtedly a low point for the worldwide LGBT community. The UK press appears to have begun to forget the significance of this attack in light of more recent news closer to home, and the media have barely given any concessions to claims of "straightwashing" coverage of the events. Vigils held worldwide and calls for solidarity at this time are a bright light coming out of the darkness, and must serve as a beacon for our community never to forget these atrocities. The hate crime that took place in the early hours of Sunday 12 June has left families and loved ones of 49 victims devastated - but we must make sure it galvanises the global LGBT community and their allies. After all the work that has been done to grant our freedoms - as well as mainstream acceptance - this act throws into stark relief that homophobia still exists in society. Whatever the range of motives behind the attack, it is undeniable that homophobic prejudice played a part. Huge progress has been made in recent years, not least towards marriage equality, but also by my own Women and Equalities Committee in Westminster on pushing for greater rights for the transgender community and by the progressive SNP Government in Scotland. Yet many people still live in a climate of fear. Advertisement Homophobia and transphobia still exist in society. Most worryingly, there is a direct correlation between this attack and casual homophobia expressed in language, prejudice in homes, and name-calling in school playgrounds. This includes seemingly innocuous actions like the use of the word "gay" as a pejorative. Acts like this may seem small in comparison to the atrocities seen in Orlando, but serve to normalise an ingrained sense that gay people are lesser than others, unnatural or wrong. That is exactly why it is the responsibility of everyone who has been shocked, outraged, angered or saddened by the attacks in Orlando to challenge all forms of homophobia and transphobia that still exists in our society and to stand up for LGBT equality. If any good can come from these horrific events, it must be that everyone, regardless of their orientation, has a greater responsibility to question what full equality means for the LGBT community. I joined the vigil in London's Soho on the Monday night following the attacks, a huge and sprawling collective of thousands of people, centring on the Admiral Duncan pub, which was in 1999 the target of the worst homophobic attack in Britain. The atmosphere was one of solidarity among the LGBT community and our allies, the fullest expression of the rallying call on the back of the Orlando attacks that "Love Is Love", and one that I hope will continue to echo through pride celebrations in the UK and across the globe this month. Advertisement However far we have come in recent years, we still have a responsibility to challenge the culture of homophobia and transphobia that exists in society in all its forms. Until we do, prejudice, discrimination and extreme acts of hate will continue to happen. With British voters heading to the ballot box on 23 June to decide on a referendum about whether the UK should remain within the European Union or not, it is striking that the Vote Leave campaign has used the same tactics to deny the economic dangers of Brexit as lobbyists who refute the risks of climate change. A ComRes opinion poll released on 16 June showed that 18 per cent of people who intended to vote to leave also disagreed with the statement that "human activity is causing climate change", compared with 10 per cent of those planning to vote to remain. As a report on the survey in The Guardian pointed out, this is perhaps not surprising given the views of the leaders of the Vote Leave campaign. Michael Gove, Co-Convenor of the Vote Leave campaign, has attracted sharp criticism after telling a television interviewer "I think people in this country have had enough of experts". And this week he compared the actions of economists who have warned of the impacts of the UK leaving the European Union with the Nazi smear campaign against Albert Einstein. Mr Gove was encouraging people to turn a blind eye to the assessments of not just Her Majesty's Treasury, but also those of independent experts, such as the Institute for Fiscal Studies. Advertisement However, Mr Gove also has a history of being muddled about climate change risks. As Education Secretary, he tried unsuccessfully to have the topic removed from the National Curriculum, arguing that it was too "contemporary". Alongside Mr Gove on the Vote Leave Campaign Committee is Lord Lawson, who set up the Global Warming Policy Foundation in 2009 to lobby against policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. His most infamous comments on climate change risks include an attempt to blame French families for thousands of deaths during a European heatwave in 2003, the hottest since at least 1500, which scientists have concluded was made more likely by global warming. In his 2008 book An Appeal to Reason: A Cool Look at Global Warming, Lord Lawson wrote: "As it happens, I spent the summer of 2003 in south-west France myself, and found it perfectly tolerable, but it was clearly a hardship for some. It is the custom in France for every family to go away on holiday during the first fortnight in August, leaving behind, to fend for themselves, those family members who are too old to travel. In August 2003, this proved to be a problem (the number of staff at old people's homes who had gone on holiday at the same time did not help, either)." Lord Lawson not only rejects the scientific evidence for the risks of climate change, but he often attacks the scientists who are responsible for carrying out research on the potential consequences of rising greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere. In his 2006 pamphlet for the Centre for Policy Studies, a right-wing lobby group, Lord Lawson compared concerns about climate change risks with Islamic fundamentalism, stating that "the new priests are scientists (well rewarded with research grants for their pains) rather than clerics of the established religions, and the new religion is eco-fundamentalism". Advertisement More recently, during the 2013-14 UK floods, caused by the wettest winter on record, Lord Lawson denied any link to climate change, rebutting the "absurd statement" of the Chief Scientist of the Met Office, who he described as "this Julia Slingo woman". The tactic of attempting to smear dissenting experts has been adopted by the Vote Leave campaign against economists who speak out about the risks of Brexit. Last month, Vote Leave tried to undermine a new analysis by the Institute for Fiscal Studies by calling it a "paid-up propaganda arm of the European Commission". But it is not only Lord Lawson among the Vote Leave campaign who exhibits a disregard for evidence and experts. One of its Board members is Graham Stringer MP, who recently became a trustee of the Global Warming Policy Foundation. Mr Stringer has not been as vocal about his 'scepticism' of climate change risks, but he has promoted an unwillingness to accept medical evidence for the existence of dyslexia. Another key member of the Vote Leave campaign who has flirted with climate change denial is Boris Johnson. He showed on more than one occasion while he was the Mayor of London that he is sympathetic to the discredited claims of climate change 'sceptics'. And he also demonstrated a hostility towards scientific evidence revealing how much of a problem air pollution is in London, even though it caused tens of thousands of premature deaths during his eight years in charge of the capital. This disdain for expert organisations and individuals that undermine flawed arguments is a key characteristic of those who are climate change and European Union 'sceptics'. It means that scientists who warn of the risks of climate change and economists who warn of the risks of Brexit are simply dismissed as "alarmists". Advertisement So if the Vote Leave campaign prevails on 23 June, it may not only be the end of the UK's membership of the European Union. It may also mark the end of enlightened decision-making, based on expertise and evidence, in English politics. After months of anticipation, heated debate and brash headlines, tomorrow the UK takes to the voting booth to decide its future relationship with the European Union - will we maintain membership, or, will tomorrow herald a new chapter in Great British history? Where does that leave creative entrepreneurs, who straddle both the creative industries and the interests of entrepreneurs and small businesses? Last month we launched a poll to gauge the sentiment of entrepreneurs in the UK creative sectors towards the EU referendum. So, how do creative entrepreneurs propose to vote? Our unique poll showed that over 75% plan to vote to Remain in the EU, citing reasons such as greater investment opportunities, ease of trading within the single market and easier collaboration with European colleagues, as key reasons to Remain. Advertisement Whilst an overwhelming majority support EU membership, 14% of creative entrepreneurs plan to vote for Brexit, with many citing EU bureaucracy as threatening the growth of small business. The poll showed that 7% remain undecided as to how to vote and just over 3% plan to abstain entirely. At Creative Entrepreneurs we believe a vote to remain as EU members is crucial to the success of creative British businesses, for several, straightforward reasons: Britain leaving the EU would mean uncertainty for creative firms, less trade with Europe and fewer jobs. Britain remaining in the EU would mean the opposite: more certainty, more trade and more jobs. That's why I joined 1285 other leading British business owners, including 900 small and medium-sized businesses and 51 of the FTSE 500, in an open letter to the Times published today, to demonstrate support for the Remain campaign. Although the position of creative entrepreneurs has been made clear, national polls continue to show a very close result. Whether tomorrow yields a victory for Remain or a triumph for Leave, the implications for entrepreneurship in the creative sector are to be far reaching. The world watches with bated breath... Creative Entrepreneurs EU Referendum Poll Results Vote Stay in the EU: 75.00% Vote Leave the EU: 14.29% Undecided: 7.14% Nicola Sturgeon's latest intervention in the EU referendum reveals the panic consuming the SNP's leadership. Speaking during a campaign event for Remain on Tuesday, the SNP Leader claimed her party would enter "decisions and discussions" over the uro if Britain pulls out of the European Union. This is a remarkable turnaround from claims she made only a couple of weeks ago during a town hall event organised by Facebook and BuzzFeed, when she insisted an independent Scotland would look to retain use of the pound - regardless of EU membership. It is clear Sturgeon is completely unprepared for Brexit, instead betting on the conventional view that people may be inclined to back the status quo. It is also clear the SNP - as a party - is in a similar position to the Conservative party in England, with a considerable disconnect between its activists - many of whom support Leave - and its leadership which is staunchly Remain. It has been rather awkward for nationalists like Sturgeon to argue for Remain, when a Leave vote would grant greater powers to Holyrood. The truth is Sturgeon and the SNP's leadership recognise the threat Brexit poses to their dreams of an independent Scotland. There are several reasons why Brexit would make Scottish Independence less likely. Firstly it destroys the economic argument for an independent Scotland. In September 2014, when the SNP built its economic case for independence, it did so based on two main pillars: high oil prices and membership of the EU. The former would have ensured sufficient revenue to cover any break-up costs and allow the SNP to paint a rose-tinted view of an Independent Scotland being a land of milk and honey. Their argument on membership of the EU, on the other hand, was used to stress economic continuity and stability. Advertisement The first of these pillars, high oil prices, has already collapsed. Had Scotland gained Independence it would now be facing a 10bn-plus black hole. This would have required the SNP to cut spending by 18%, raise taxes by 21% or implement a mixture of the two. The SNP's leadership has repeatedly refused to answer how they would have rectified this massive deficit, suggesting they had no realistic economic plan. It is undeniable that the fall in oil prices has seriously wounded the economic case for Scottish independence. Brexit would finish it off During the Scottish referendum the SNP argued it did not matter if they left one union (the UK), as they could join another (the EU) - hardly 'independence'! They batted away the warnings from EU leaders, who pointed out how Scotland would not automatically retain EU membership, and they would have to apply separately. The SNP confidently predicted a deal could be done which would speed up or even bypass the application process. Following Brexit, the focus of the British government and their European counterparts will be on the decoupling of the United Kingdom as a whole and the EU. Any potential new EU deal for an independent Scotland would have to wait until this was complete - and, of course, on the SNP convincing the Scots independence would be their best option. Indeed it is highly likely a post-Brexit independent Scotland would face stricter terms to attain EU membership, which would include signing up to the uro. Considering the problems engulfing the urozone, this would hardly make an attractive proposition. Sturgeon's suggestion on Tuesday shows there is recognition of this amongst the SNP's leadership, who hope to use the prospect of forced uro membership as a way to frighten their own supporters into backing Remain. A second referendum on Scottish independence after Brexit would be centred on the prospect of Scotland leaving the United Kingdom in order to join the EU. We have seen throughout the course of this referendum how the Remain campaign has struggled to put forward a positive EU vision. The SNP would have to convince the Scottish electorate they would be better off leaving a union which they have been part of for three centuries, to join one which has barely lasted a sixth of that time. The question would ultimately come down to whether the majority of Scots see themselves as European or British. Advertisement BULENT KILIC via Getty Images I am a Brexiteer because we need to control our borders and welcome more refugees. This is not an anomalous statement but a consistent one. My view of control is based upon a fair and decent immigration system. A system which welcomes the skills we need without discrimination of workers from EU or non EU countries. And a system which welcomes refugees, particularly vulnerable refugees who are not able to stay in regions of conflict and need safe and legal routes for sanctuary in the UK. When there is a lack of control of immigration, as with EU migration, the capacity to properly welcome and support refugees is diminished. So what has our response to the refugee crisis got to do with the EU referendum? In one sense the issue of freedom of movement of EU citizens is not relevant to refugees. It is an issue of economic migration and whether freedom of movement to work is properly controlled. It may well become more relevant when refugees welcomed into Germany and other EU countries gain citizenship in around 5 years time and then become eligible to move to the UK. Migration Watch has made a conservative estimate that at least 400,000 migrants could move to the UK in search of a better life. It could well be many more. I believe that it is fair for our country to determine how many EU migrants and what skills are needed through a points based system. Advertisement What is at issue on Thursday is whether the EU is fit for purpose to justify our continued membership. Some people may be willing to take the loss of control of EU migration, the loss of democratic control on laws, and loss of billions of pounds in membership fee, if the EU is responding well to the big global issue - the refugee crisis. The EU came together with noble ideals to promote peace and solidarity and support the welfare of others. The plight of refugees in Europe highlights the failure of the ideals and purpose of the EU. As the Pope said "What has happened to you Europe?" That was my sentiment when I visited Calais and Dunkirk and saw children knee deep in mud and human misery. These are the visible sad faces of 90% of migrants and refugees who are taken by people smugglers across Europe. They are caught up in what I call an "irregular migration game"; a real life version of snakes and ladders - full of smuggler vipers who prey on the most vulnerable. The collective EU response has been derisory. Two years ago the EU pledged to relocate 160,000 refugees but only several hundred have been given sanctuary. In the meantime it is estimated that 10,000 lone children have gone missing in Europe at risk of trafficking and exploitation. By contrast the UK last September pledged 20,000 places for vulnerable Syrian refugees and has already relocated 1,800. Further commitments have been made to relocate 3,000 Syrian children at risk of exploitation and a scheme to provide refuge for lone children in Europe. Advertisement On aid the EU does not fare much better. Only Denmark, Luxembourg, Norway and Sweden have matched the UK's international aid commitment to 0.7% of GDP. Our aid commitment of 46million to support refugees and migrants in Europe makes the UK the largest aid donor in Europe. The EU response to the refugee crisis has lacked control and compassion. On the one hand Germany opened its doors to migrants and refugees which caused an uncontrolled surge of people and will doubtless cause a secondary migration surge from 2020. On the other hand Denmark, despite its proud heritage of providing refuge for Jews from the Nazis, has resorted to legislation which seizes assets from refugees to pay for their keep. Most countries in the EU have been in a race to the bottom to be the least welcoming place for refugees. Supporters of the EU talk about building bridges not walls but the harsh reality of the EU project for many refugees has been stuck behind a Macedonian barbed wire fence. The refugee crisis cries out for European and international cooperation and the EU has shown itself not up to the task. Where people smugglers control the destination of vulnerable people, the international community should do so - providing safe and legal routes before they get to Europe. Britain has shown the way forward by providing the world's first children relocation scheme under the auspice of the UNHCR. Other countries in Europe and beyond should step up and provide more safe routes for vulnerable refugees, and more aid to support the vast majority of refugees who want to stay in the region. Ensuring our response is compassionate requires us to take control. Control is not straightforward where people are fleeing poverty and drought as well as war and persecution. By controlling who we welcome primarily through safe and legal routes, we protect the refugees from smugglers and traffickers and provide a carefully managed package of support and integration across the UK. It is not fair that counties like Kent have taken the main burden of supporting refugees arriving by irregular routes. The debate about control of immigration can be wrongly conflated with issues around refugees. However our confidence to welcome more refugees is damaged when wider immigration is uncontrolled. So I believe that leaving the EU and gaining control of EU migration will increase our confidence and capacity to support more vulnerable refugees. Advertisement Leaving the EU does not mean leaving our historic and international obligations to refugees. In fact I believe outside of the EU we can continue to take the lead in our compassionate response to refugees and provide more support in cooperation with our European and International partners. I look forward on Thursday to voting to Leave the EU for more control and more compassion for refugees. This Thursday, we will be voting either to stay in the EU or leave it and go it alone. Think carefully when making your decision as it will affect both your health care and your social care for decades to come. At one stage or another we will all end up needing care in a hospital or in a care home. Our health is so fragile and when we are young we often take this for granted. We are so lucky in this country to have an NHS and social care system that means EVERYONE has access to care regardless of their financial situation. Advertisement This is why the NHS has become a battleground of the EU referendum. One of the main arguments of the Vote Leave campaign is that the money we send to the EU every week could be invested in the NHS and social care. Meanwhile the Remain campaigners argue that leaving the EU would lead to a weaker economy reducing the amount of public funding for the NHS, care homes and home care. It is worrying that social care has had such a low profile in the EU referendum but then again it is hardly surprising as older people and people with disabilities do tend to be marginalised and forgotten about. There are 10 million disabled people in the UK getting some kind of care and support. Nearly half a million older people and people with disabilities live in care homes and around the same number are cared for in their own homes. A fifth of the 1.5million care workers caring for these people are foreign. Many fear that if Britain leaves the EU, we will lose a lot of our foreign care workers. We already have a recruitment problem in the care sector and losing around 90,000 of our care workers (around six per cent of the workforce is estimated to be made up of EU migrants) would be terrible for care homes and home care agencies. Advertisement However a huge amount of foreign care workers are from outside the EU. In terms of the most recent migrant workers joining the social care sector, the top five countries of birth are India, Poland, the Philippines, Romania and Nigeria - only two of these are in the EU. It is interesting that immigration has become key to this whole debate yet it is not immigration which is pushing the NHS to the brink. It is people living longer with complex, long-term health conditions such as dementia, cancer and heart disease. The EU has brought in some valuable anti-discrimination legislation and people with disabilities have been able to go to the European Convention of Human Rights to challenge things like the bedroom tax. Leaving the EU does not mean that we will automatically leave the ECHR. We would have the option to do so but it would be hugely unpopular with the rest of Europe. The polls seem to indicate that the two sides will be extremely close. Older people seem to be swinging more towards Vote Leave and are more likely to go and vote. Only half of people aged between18-34 are predicted to vote. Young people are more likely to vote to stay in the EU and will be the ones really feeling the effect of the outcome of the referendum in years to come. The care and health of millions of people will be affected by the results of the referendum so think carefully and make your vote count! Advertisement Photo by Paulius Chmieliauskas, captured in Shoreditch, London Politics, sometimes, may seem not entirely related to fashion, but voting in EU Referendum should be an ultimate 'must' to every British fashionista. As strong supporters of borderless talent exchange and European fashion, Fashion Bloc prepared a simple no-brainer guide helping to decide if you should vote #strongerin or #weakerout (no pressure). 1. UK fashion industry Votes 'in' If you follow fashion news (sure you do!), you already know about the survey conducted by the British Fashion Council which revealed that of the 290 fashion businesses that disclosed their vote in the forthcoming referendum, just 4.3 percent said they intended to vote to leave. If you look up to the guys like Vivienne Westwood, Burberry's Christopher Bailey, J.W. Anderson, Vogue's Alexandra Shulman or BOF's Imran Amed, you know what to do. Advertisement 2. Your favourite fashion houses will lose their core talents Did you know that surprisingly big numbers of employees in the major fashion houses are non-British? The competition calls for higher quality, as simple as that. In the scenario Britain votes #weakerout, to source your talented team (hassle free) in Paris, Milan or other European cities will become more complicated. Burberry, which can be rightfully considered the most successful British luxury fashion brand, has hundreds of European talents from Italian Director of Merchandising to Greek Footwear designer. 3. Who will be your next Mary Katrantzou? Without any doubts, Britain is rich of artistic talents on its own, but how many McQueens can you expect to meet in a century? Major art schools such as Central Saint Martins or Royal College of Arts are thriving not just because they are based in London but also because they attract top international students (and are supported by EU funds). Tuition fees and complicated rules for non-EU students will put a strain on these universities. Did you know that currently, international students have to leave the country if they don't nail a sponsored work visa within 6 months after graduation? Let's be honest, the fashion industry is based on extensive internships, not quick-to-nail jobs. And yes, Greek Mary Katranzou, as well as Georgian David Koma or Cypriot Hussein Chalayan, are CSM alumni. 4. What about the non-British fashion in the UK? If you don't care about the trade regulations that thousands of British companies will face if Britain is to vote 'leave', think personal. What about the European brands in Britain? Will major European high-street labels such as Spanish Zara or Diesel still be reasonably priced? Or will you have to travel to Barcelona each time you consider buying a new pair of jeans (that wouldn't be too bad, actually)? And one more thing, if you haven't heard of Customs Duty, you don't really want to find out what a hassle it is. 5. And most importantly, voting 'out' has no class (see the photo). Who supports 'leave' campaign? People like Donald Trump (the most famous crazy person on Earth) and Nigel Farage (who suggested that breastfeeding mums should sit in a corner). Who supports 'stay' campaign? From reasonable politicians (Barack Obama, for example) to all the major figures in the arts, culture and the media: Vogue, i-D magazine, British Fashion Council, Business of Fashion, University of the Arts London; artists and entertainers from Steve McQueen to Eddie Izzard, from Keira Knightley to Benedict Cumberbatch, from Vivienne Westwood to Christopher Raeburn. Advertisement _______ There is nothing to be proud of in Britain this week. No matter what the outcome is, this referendum has pulled the country apart. As we enter the final few days of the campaign I find myself despairing at what the future holds for Britain. The Conservatives are a mess, hardly something to cry about if you are on the left, but Thursday's outcome is going to leave the government in turmoil nonetheless. Not that Labour has gotten off lightly; their remain stance has alienated many Labour supporters, who now view them as middle class metropolitan elites who don't understand or care for their target audience. Advertisement I'll vote remain and I know that's the right choice, but I'm so tired of the Remain camp pretending the EU is perfect. How many times do we have to hear middle class 'left wingers' condescend and patronise working class people who want out? Immigration is difficult and problematic and yet no one in the remain camp is prepared to say that. The more privileged people sing the praises of immigration and demonise all other concerns as racist the more the left loses the argument. Immigration is difficult for the people who live in near proximity to it. That is a fact. The working class in Britain deals with immigration, and the middle class dismissing their concerns is patronising. UKIP and the right can only manipulate these people's feelings because Labour has abandoned them. If we remain in the EU those people will be lost, if we leave the EU the feeling of hatred and intolerance will grow more and more. It's taken the murder of an MP for people to actually reflect on the hatred that's been spread, to reassess what it is anyone actually wants from this campaign. If we leave who knows how fast the anti-immigrant, isolationist views will spread. If we stay we have to think about what we are going to do with the growing frustration of so many. The referendum was supposed to be an exercise in democracy, but we'll be left with a country divided. Britain has been whipped into frenzy about what was once a niche Tory interest. We've forgotten what the issues for young people in Britain really are; lack of jobs, lack of housing, student fees, and above all the lack of a bright future ahead. All of these problems are made in Britain, and yet we've spent the last year discussing the European Union. Advertisement Factional divisions have opened up between the countries within the UK, between old and young, rich and poor, rural and metropolitan populations, and yet this issue barely touches on some of the most problematic issues in British society today. By even taking sides Labour and the left have sacrificed itself on the altar of high Toryism. We need to reject everything about this campaign; it has been a facade. Europe is the Tories' argument and it's been sold to us as a problem that needs fixing. Young people need to vote remain on Thursday to stand together against isolationism dressed as socialism. Getty It's hard to believe that we are on the cusp of leaving the European Union. The big question we're facing goes to the heart of who we are as a country, what it means to be British. Two years ago I was juggling maternity leave with campaigning in another referendum, rocking my baby boy to sleep and then hitting the phones to ask East Dunbartonshire residents to support Scotland staying in the UK. (My apologies to those who got cut short when naptime ended...) Advertisement I made the case that Scotland is better off economically, and has more influence globally, as part of the UK. And I drew on a less tangible, but just as important, emotional argument. I love what we have created together in the UK, from the BBC to the NHS, from the soft power of our culture to the strength of our democracy: the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. I don't want Scotland to separate from our friends and family in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. For me the arguments are analogous for this referendum. In an inter-connected world, the UK has more economic success as part of the Single Market, and more clout in world affairs as a member of the EU. And whether we consider the aftermath of the Second World War, the embracing of eastern European countries as the Cold War ended, or the fragile rebuilding of peace in the Balkans, I am proud of what the European Union has done to promote peace, security and democratic values. I don't want us to retreat from our leading role in the EU, to storm off in a huff and find ourselves diminished, looking inward. Scotland nearly left the UK, and tomorrow's result looks even closer. In both campaigns we have seen the destructive power of nationalism. The independence referendum divided my country. Even now, I know of people who have friends or family members they no longer speak to, so irreconcilable were their views. I fear we will see the same across the UK, but in an even uglier, nastier form. In Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP leadership are clear that their brand of nationalism is inclusive of all races and religions, and they try to define Scottishness positively, rather than by what it isn't. Even so, there is an issue with a vocal minority of the SNP grassroots, who whip up online abuse and have engaged in bullying behaviour, even "hunting" politicians they disagree with. I remember English colleagues who engaged in the referendum debate expressing shock at the sheer torrent of "cybernat" abuse suddenly unleashed on their social media timelines. It was a daily reality for many Scottish MPs. Advertisement Ultimately, nationalist politics is about identity - you criticise the ideas, and it is interpreted as a personal attack. If you try to make the case on a nuanced constitutional argument about the precise optimal size of country structures, that quickly lands you in the weeds of dry discussions about subsidiarity and fiscal autonomy. In the end, the wider debate comes down to a sense of national pride - you can't quite escape the nationalist's inference that the people in your country are just intrinsically superior to those they are seeking to distance themselves from. In the UK-wide Brexit leadership, there is none of the careful positioning of nationalism that we've seen north of the border. Instead we've had political leaders indulging in nasty insinuations, and demonising whole groups of people. Boris thought it was relevant to mention Obama's "part-Kenyan" heritage, Zac Goldsmith's mayoral campaign plumbed new depths with its foul attacks attempting to link Sadiq Khan to extremism, while Nigel Farage's Breaking Point poster literally mimics Nazi propaganda. When I criticised Farage's comments on rape, my social media timeline gave me a glimpse into the horrible anti-Muslim sentiment lurking online. Sections of the media feed us hate on a daily basis, and double standards in newspaper reporting reinforce negative racial stereotypes. This is not the kind of country I want Britain to be. We can and should be a tolerant, open, outward-looking country. Our politics should be a lively, energetic exchange of views, where ideas are robustly challenged in a climate that respects the individuals involved in the debate. I cheered when London rejected the appalling campaign run for Zac Goldsmith, and elected Sadiq Khan as its first Muslim mayor. Tomorrow I hope as a country we will reject the hatred we have seen in this campaign, and vote Remain to consolidate the UK's place as a leader in Europe. Even if we do, those on all sides have much to do to stem the forces of division that have been unleashed. Advertisement Yulin Torture Festival is scheduled this year to take place behind closed doors - healthier eating or a token gesture to Hong Kong politicians? A few years ago in 2013, when NoToDogMeat was founded, China seemed impenetrable and unhearing but now we are beginning to see the results of campaigning and activism - an effort to address the issue by the Chinese authorities. Advertisement Most encouraging, is that it has become clear that many Chinese think the same as those of us who have been shouting from the outside. In a poll this week 64% of Chinese have been shown to be against the Yulin festival. This year the outcry against Yulin has become mainstream internationally as celebrities and even UK politicians have begun to speak out. So far, the Beijing government has remained silent on the issue but even though the Chinese embassy in London refused to accept an 11 million strong petition, real cracks seem to seem to be appearing in the once unbreakable edifice. China is not a democracy but public opinion still carries a degree of weight as do the attitudes of the outside world. The authorities are also open to the very common sense public health arguments. Comments from the Yulin government last week indicated there is now no theoretical barrier to the possibility even of animal welfare laws - which up till now have only existed in Westernised Hong Kong. Does Michael Tien's appeal herald that Hong Kong will be a bridge to animal welfare legislation in China's mainland? Advertisement In the last few weeks Michael Tien, Hong Kong deputy to China's National People's Congress lobbied to end the festival. They have responded quickly by banning the slaughter of dogs in the streets, saying "The dog meat festival, though not promoted by the local government, is a private and spontaneous activity. However, the Yulin authorities and relevant government agencies will take immediate actions to prevent it from happening again." The Ministry of Agriculture in Beijing have also said they were looking to put "measures in place" after Chinese legislator Zhang Dejiang called for improvements and reforms to the country's food safety supervision system. Reportedly, the annual protest campaigns have helped to drastically reduce the slaughter with an estimated 2,000 dogs killed during the three-day festival last year, compared to more than 10,000 in 2012 and 2013. Local officials have also felt the pressure and responded by shutting down some markets and slaughterhouses and declining to attend the festivities themselves. So it seems China is now at a crossroads now with the dog meat trade: the authorities have now taken notice but what will they decide? The political reaction now could be pivotal to the dog meat trade issue as a whole - China could set a precedent for the rest of the Far East. Julia de Cadenet in Chinese yard with dogs just rescued from a truck. At this point, we at NoToDogMeat are seeing our work of the last four years come to fruition as we finally bring some of our sponsored dogs to the UK - Annabel, Camille and Oliver. Bringing our first sponsored dogs to the UK in this way is a proud moment and for Camille to represent his Asian brothers and sisters at the Chinese Embassy last week was a testament that dogs are more than just food. There are many more dogs like Camille and Oliver who need loving homes and their daily needs cared for and we are appealing for kind - hearted sponsors to come forward. Advertisement Camille with Ladies of London stars at Chinese embassy demo last week. Proud of being the first in the West activists to campaign against Yulin - we have extended our reach to working closely over the last year with rescuers and activists in China. Working with them as they bravely stopped trucks we have been able to identify what they need in terms of education, shelter training and veterinary support. As such we are now raising funds to equip 'first response' veterinary trucks for them as well as developing education programmes they can use in the more rural areas of China which have little access to social media. It is fair to say that progress has been made. Working closely with local activists and rescuers and responding to their needs on government controls, vaccination against disease and education in the rural areas is the way forward. In the past, animal activists have made various attempts to rescue man's best friend from the annual festival, including halting trucks transporting dogs to Yulin, even spending 500,000 RMB to buy the condemned dogs. While we work to intercept trucks before they make it to Yulin and lobby for animal welfare laws, some American groups have suggested 'buying out' slaughterhouses and dog meat restaurants. As East battles West on challenging customs and traditions, charities in both continents pushing for animal welfare laws debate over the Hollywood solution to pay slaughterhouses to shut down, or open vegan restaurants. This complicated issue is about more than food safety and pushing economics over ethics. 'Throwing money' at the problem will not stop this trade. The sad reality of the trucks our activists stop bringing dogs into the festival is the the same drivers can be "bought to ship them out". A Few Fast Facts Consuming dog meat puts individuals at risk of infection from such deadly parasites as E.coli 107 and salmonella (commonly found in contaminated meats), as well as at risk of contracting other serious and potentially deadly bacterial diseases such as anthrax, brucellosis, hepatitis, and leptospirosis. Hong Kong is the only country in Asia where eating /selling or trading dog meat is punishable by imprisonment. It was also the first country (in 1950) to ban the practice. Philippines and Taiwan have followed suit imposing fines on those involved in the trade but Vietnamese and Korean workers still manage to slip the net. WHO/OIE has plans to help eradicate the spread of rabies throughout Asia and banning the dog meat trade would go a long way to achieving this. How You Can Help How chefs are using food and supper clubs to respond to global tragedies Food. It nourishes our demanding bodies, reminds us of the nostalgic home and people we once shared it with; and it is the rope that ties us to our cultural identity. We are served generous portions of it by our local curry restaurant, and we serve it proudly from our own kitchens to our friends and loved ones. But food serves a greater purpose. It is more than a rope to connect us to our culture or our neighbours, it is a fishing net to collect and draw us all together. Food brings us to the table to share our cultures, our stories, and our pain. "Food is essential for our survival. As such, eating is the one activity that unites us as humans. And when you go back to what makes us quintessentially human, you realise the power that food has on our culture and mindsets," said Olivia Sibony, co-founder of Grub Club. Advertisement Grub Club is a start-up company in the heart of London that connects chefs to venues, to host supper-club-style events all around the city. Founded by two food and travel loving friends, Grub Club aims to recreate the intimate dining experiences from London to Zanzibar through supper clubs hosted by creative chefs. "Creating a platform that enables people to partake in amazing dining experiences which will leave a lasting impression is a fundamental way in which we can connect with our own humanity and become closer to those around us," said Sibony. Besides uniting people at the table, chefs have employed the communal environment of these supper clubs to raise awareness of and try to alleviate, in a small way, the pain of tragedies across the world. Together with Grub Club and 15 Hatfields, the founder of Latitudinal Cuisine Alex Haw raised 25,000 for Nepal after the devastating earthquake in 2015 that left 8,617 dead and 2.8 million displaced. The event for 100 people came together in just 10 days, including a raffle and auction with prizes donated from Faction Skis, Angel Investment Network and Lesa Green Jewellery. But the spotlight shined on the Nepali traditional food. Advertisement "Hosting dinners is the best way of raising funds because I believe food brings people together. That way, the guests will be able to enjoy the night while raising funds," said Rajiv, host of Rajiv's Kitchen. Another champion of this idea, Conflict Cafe aims to promote peace through dialogue by serving food from countries suffering from violence and conflict. This pop-up cafe alternates cuisine each week inspired by Syria, Turkey, Armenia, Columbia, and Nepal. They will soon announce their new dates for September here. ""Peace begins with dialogue, and what better way to get a conversation started than over food?" said Ilaria Bianchi, Head of Communications at International Alert, the charity led by Conflict Cafe. "At Conflict Cafe we weave the history of countries that have been affected by violent conflict - and the peacebuilding efforts to resolve them - into the fabric of each delicious meal. It's a way to bring Londoners, who are often far removed from the realities of conflict, together and engage them in conversations about food, and subsequently the cultures behind it," said Bianchi. But perhaps no supper club has experienced more growth and success than the Syrian Supper Club. What began as three friends hosting a Syrian-inspired meal from their London kitchen in 2012, The Syrian Supper Club now hosts an authentic dinner every first Wednesday of the month at E5 Bakehouse in London Fields. Advertisement Their 75 meals have touched over 2,500 hungry and supportive guests from London to Singapore to Washington D.C., and they have raised over 100,000 for aid in and around Syria through the Hands Up Foundation. "By doing something as simple as going out to dinner and sharing food you have the power to change someone's life or perhaps even save it - which is a pretty wonderful thing," said Rose Lukas, "Chief of Words" for The Syrian Supper Club. Wonderful, powerful, and still needed. After the recent tragedy in Orlando, FL, marking the deadliest shooting in U.S. history, questions of what could have been done and what to do now echo in the heads and hearts of all those who read about the shooting. If the deaths of 49 people at a gay nightclub early Sunday morning call us to action, what action can we take to truly change our world? Supporting local LGBTQ organizations or simply checking in with your LGBTQ friends are two small ways we can all make a difference in our local and global communities. Even better: gather your friends and loved ones together for a dinner to celebrate Gay Pride and to raise money for the victims and their families at the GoFundMe page organized by Equality Florida. The fact that we even have a Brexit vote breaks my heart. Now there aren't many things that I'm afraid of - apart from spiders, I mean who likes spiders, do even other spiders like spiders? - but I am definitely afraid of decisions made on the basis of fear. It just doesn't seem a sensible way for us all to move forward, yet still all manner of emotive scenarios have been imagined, with language to match. So there has been what can only be described as a demonisation of migrants. And that's just not okay. As I quoted in my blog from March, 60% of European migrants have degrees. One in seven UK firms are created by migrants, employing at least 1.16 million people. And European migrants contribute 2 billion a year in taxes. How are these not the stories that we tell people all day, every day? Being Polish without a British passport I might not have a vote, but I have a voice and so do my colleagues at Azimo. That's why we've decided to start the ball rolling on a campaign to redefine the word 'migrant'. To show that the story being told now is not the only story. And to stand alongside people who move around the world in order to make their lives, and the lives of their families and communities, better. Now whether it is right for a commercial business to openly state a political position is open to debate. But sometimes, when you see how things are going, and you don't like it, you have to make a stand. You have to state what you believe in. To start our campaign, we asked 3000 Brits and migrants about their opinions and experiences. We found it shocking that 1 in 3 migrants in the UK suffered from verbal abuse - so we made a short film that highlights the issue. Finally, we put together a report which made it very clear what information often shared about migration are myths (i.e. migrants are stealing all the jobs) and facts (i.e. UK unemployment is at it's lowest in a decade). Advertisement Reassuringly, we also found that Brits and migrants alike, share one thing: we really care about our families. 49% of Brits would themselves pack a bag and move to a different country if their family was in need. Redefining the word migrant won't happen overnight. But it will happen, because it needs to happen. And it needs to happen, because however the EU Referendum goes, we all have to find ways to live together on a planet where people will always move from one country to another. You can watch the film here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSvvrJHUL7E You can read the report here I think it's a film worth watching, and a report worth reading. I believe it's important to speak up about things we really care about, and as a resident of this country I truly care about it's future. Well, as someone who came from Poland, lived in New York and started a business in London to service customers all over the world, I am somewhat biased. But I think together, we're better. The sky will not fall, in foreign-policy terms, if the United Kingdom votes to leave the European Union. NATO is not going anywhere, nor is the UK's seat on the UN Security Council. But if Brexit does happen, Britain will start to find itself a little lonelier, and the West a little weaker. The idea of alliance has been having a rough time in recent months. Its loudest critic is US presidential candidate Donald Trump, who has laid into America's ties with Japan and South Korea, and called NATO obsolete. But in the campaign for Brexit, too, there has been an undercurrent of disdain for the idea that like-minded countries owe each other something, and that they should stick together. When the Times columnist Melanie Phillips wrote on Tuesday that 'no one would willingly fight and die for Brussels', she overlooked not only that Belgium is a NATO member and Brussels hosts NATO's headquarters, but that, as historian Lawrence Freedman pointed out, Britons have indeed fought and died for Brussels before. When Britain declared war on Germany on 4 August 1914, it did so in defence of Belgian neutrality. Advertisement David Cameron's warning that Brexit could put European peace and stability at risk was derided in the UK press as melodramatic fear-mongering. But his basic point was that the EU is part of a 70-year project, built out of the rubble of the Second World War, to save Europe from the scourge of conflict. Cameron's argument would have been largely uncontroversial in most European countries, and especially in Germany and France, where the importance of post-war reconciliation and a sense of common European purpose has not been forgotten. Brexit would not, of course, be quickly followed by European war. But it would strike a cruel, and very badly timed, blow to Western solidarity. The West - loosely defined as the democracies of Europe, North America, and a handful of allies elsewhere - is at a tricky moment in its history. Non-Western, autocratic powers, China foremost among them, are challenging the liberal international order on which Western prosperity depends. Huge movements of refugees from a war-torn Middle East are straining European entry points and providing fertile ground for the re-emergence of toxic far-right political movements. Russia is testing NATO unity, and risking a dangerous military confrontation in the process. These problems are by no means insurmountable. The West is, in material terms, strong: it accounts for a third of global GDP, and more than half of global military spending. But what these problems all share is the need for solidarity in solving them. Europe is large enough to be able to take care of even a few million refugees, but only with a plan for spreading the financial and political burden among its member states. Vladimir Putin's threats to NATO may be primarily defensive bluster, but the more divided the Western alliance becomes, the more Russia has to work with (and while the EU is, obviously, a separate institution from NATO, its very similar membership means resentment and division built up in one forum can easily spill over to the other). The trade-offs and coordination amongst friendly countries needed to face up to these challenges will be difficult to achieve, but nonetheless crucial. Advertisement Brexit would threaten the West's collective ability to cope with these problems in a number of ways. It would be a symbolic retreat from cooperation: a decision that the UK's freedom of action is more important than the shared gains offered by a limited pooling of sovereignty. Brexit would also, by definition, remove British resources and influence from EU responses to Europe's crises, from which the UK, whether it likes it or not, cannot run away. Brexit could encourage separatists in other European countries: after Britain goes, which country will be next? Moreover, governments have limited attention spans: if Europe is dealing with a series of unhappy national divorces, it will not be dealing with much else. And this is not just bad news for Europe. As ECFR analyst Jeremy Shapiro puts it, 'a chaotic, unstable Europe would be unable (and probably unwilling) to help the US confront geopolitical challenges around the world.' A little boy weeps besides the body of his brother. His hands ceaselessly scavenging the corpses of his brother, unable to believe his sibling is no longer with him in this world. Simultaneously, a father stands panic-stricken in the morgue. Tears flow from his eyes and his face is puffy. Before him lies lifeless body of his beautiful baby; a boy for whom he had waited ages. These scenes are not fairy tales. They are real; they are happening in our world. We do not hear about them because we do not live there and the mainstream media are not paying attention. If we are destined to be the people of Syria, perhaps the weak and helpless faces of those who have lost loved ones, or the innocent bodies lying in hospital beds or among the rubble, are our own faces or the bodies of our families. Advertisement The tears and blood of Syrian people have long been spilled for reasons unknown to them. They have no idea what sins they committed towards their cruel ruler until bombs are dropped on the roofs of their homes. They also have no clue what mistakes they have made to the extent that super-advanced fighter aircraft constantly direct their missiles towards schools and hospitals. The war has been raging for more than five years, but the innocent individuals continue to wonder why they are easy targets. The horrendous attacks against Syrian people unfold like a television serial. Two of the most recent episodes occurred last week, on 14th and 16th of June, in the city of Aleppo. The 16th June episode lasted a few hours before a ceasefire was declared. The attacks targeted residential areas and caused fires, which resulted in the destruction of houses and buildings. Not only that, the indiscriminate attacks reportedly claimed the lives of seven and injured many more. The previous episode, 14th June, was more powerful. That day saw more than 50 air strikes bombarding the houses of Syrian people. During this episode, 34 individuals were killed and many more injured. Keep in mind, these are just two latest episodes. There are many other previous episodes that escape our attention and it is impossible to explain them one by one. And perhaps new episodes are developing as we type. Indeed, the battle is a daily one for innocent Syrians. There is a famous proverb that reads as follows: when two elephants fight, the victims are the ants creeping underneath. They will surely die, sinking to the ground and trampled by the elephants that are being battered by anger. In the context of Syria, unfortunately, there are not only two elephants. There are many other elephants fighting each other: the Assad regime; Russia; Hezbollah; the Islamic State; the Gulf governments; US-led coalitions; the UK; France; and others. Among these elephants are those who claim to be loyal supporters of other elephants. Each elephant arrived draping across their chests a banner stating 'for the sake of Syrian people'. But of course, it was just a cosmetic necklace to appear dashing and humanist in the eyes of the people. In reality, they do not care about the cries and the blood of Syrian people. Their concerns lie only in their own interests. As for the suffering of the Syrian people, in their hearts they say "none of my business!" Advertisement It is evident that their giant feet have destroyed everything beneath them, not only the Syrian people. Schools are collapsed, hospitals are destroyed, there are leaking water pipes, houses of worship are destroyed, and the economy is stalled. As reported by the UN Commission of Inquiry, most parties involved in the Syrian conflict have been proven to have committed war crimes, such as murder, torture, rape, and disappearances. Furthermore, they are methods of warfare that cause suffering to the Syrian people; for example, blockading access to food, water, and health services. To date, a significant number of Syrians have become victims of war in their homeland. Though the number may not sound critical to us, it is important to remember one human life is truly meant for those who lose. These individuals may be a son, a father, a wife, a husband, a grandson or a grandmother. They are all very important because they are the source of happiness for those closest to them. When this source is removed, the lives of those left behind will be accompanied by an indefinite sadness. Syrian citizens who have escaped the war have not fared well either. They have been transformed into a group of vagrants with neither homes nor shelter. Their number is not small. More than 11 million people must leave their homes as a result of the never-ending war. If calculated per day, since the conflict started in 2011, an average of 50 families per day have been forced to leave Syria. It is vital to remember that 11 million is not merely a number written on the piece of paper. These are the lives of human beings, just like us. They have dreams, they have places full of memories. Everything has to be abandoned because of the endless fighting between the power-hungry, heartless elephants. Advertisement Wailing moans of loss will continue to reverberate in the Syrian air as long as the elephants involved continue to promote their egos. It is unclear how to stop these, but one thing must be made clear; if concrete steps are not taken, eventually we will pay the price. Finally, the time has come to lend whatever assistance we can to alleviate the suffering of Syrians. Remember, they are humans, just like us. Dylan Martinez / Reuters This blog is a version of a speech delivered by Muna Abbas at a gathering at Unicef in New York on Jo Cox and the the impact on Jo's death on her hometown For those of you who aren't familiar with Jo's constituency of Batley and Spen, it is a small town on the outskirts of the city of Leeds, in West Yorkshire. Before last week, if you had asked anyone in the area who the most notable person to have originated from there was, they may have replied with Joseph Priestley - the man who discovered oxygen, would you believe - who passed away in 1804. Advertisement Since last Thursday, I have been both utterly sad and prouder than ever that Jo Cox will overtake Mr. Priestley. Sad as a constituent that our town only had the privilege of having her represent us in Parliament for a mere 13 months, but so proud that for that short period of time, she really did work tirelessly for our community. Like me, Jo was born and bred in Batley and Spen but she set her sights on much bigger things. As someone who, like her, chose to pursue a career in politics, she showed me that someone from our town could spread their wings and make a difference. I am not alone. Jo inspired the youth of our community to stand up, campaign, push for the changes that they believe in, and fight for what is right. She taught us that the world was our oyster, but Batley was always home. And to home she returned in 2014. In a seat that many had their eye on, Jo swooped in and won over everyone in the constituency in a matter of months. In a political climate where demographic divisions are more visible than ever, she really did unite the whole community. Her events and fundraisers were filled to the brim, and packed with diversity. From the white working class to Sikh, Muslim, and Hindu members - young, old, politically active, and those who just wanted to meet Jo - the new local celebrity. She campaigned for our rights - locally to save our hospital, to support the food bank which had been set up; nationally to fight against welfare cuts and campaign against hatred such as Islamophobia; and internationally highlighting the plight and suffering of millions across the globe - most recently helping secure a change in government policy on unaccompanied refugee children. Advertisement Most coverage of Jo's work has focused on her international efforts, and rightly so - work which many of you here today will have worked with her on, side by side. Being the super woman that she was, she took on the world, but always saved some of her buzzing energy to serve those in Batley - wherever she was, whatever she was doing. She showed our hometown at its best - the beautiful, vibrant and peaceful place that we have always known. In the end, it was in the same area she loved and cherished that her life was so tragically taken. In a touching irony, a statue of Joseph Priestley stands no more than 20 metres from where Jo lost her life. A statue now flooded with flowers and tributes to Jo. It is as if he has passed on the baton to her as the new hero of our small town. When I first told Jo I was moving to New York, her eyes lit up, and spoke about how much she loved the city. Standing here today at one of the most important institutions in the world, thousands of miles from home, seeing everyone here, it makes me so proud as a young woman from Batley to see how another woman from Batley made such an impact on the world. The Batley that I know and love has lost some of its sparkle, we have lost some of our light. But I believe that Jo and the memory of Jo will continue to burn bright and live on in all of us who continue her good work with the same passion, love and zeal that she displayed throughout her short-lived time in Parliament. Jo is gone, but will never be forgotten. What is the European Union? The answer most commonly given to that would no doubt be the parliament and commission in Brussels, the bureaucrats who work for it, and the legal framework around them. But there's another side to the EU that deserves more attention as we draw closer to a vote on Britain's future within or outside the union, a vote that polls suggest could see Britain opting to leave this cross-continental alliance. It's the People's Europe - the people's union. For the EU is also all of the campaign groups, the unions, the civil society alliances that work together across Europe to achieve their aims of workers' rights, human rights, environmental protections and many other ways to improve the common good. Advertisement The People's Europe has many successes to report, its victories delivering many laws, rules and rulings that do a great deal to protect the rights of workers, to make us safer in our homes and communities and to prevent further destruction of our much-damaged natural environments. It's this alliance that's grown strong, principled, determined opposition to the proposed EU-US trade deal known as TTIP - that produced what may be the world's largest -ever petition, signed by more than 3.5 million people and ensured it wasn't signed at the end of last year as scheduled. It's the alliance that's jointly campaigned against pollinator-threatening neonicotinoid pesticides, and working to end the use of "probably carcinogenic" glyphosate across the union. It's the alliance that, with Britons to the forefront, won the ban on the disastrous discarding of fish by the European fishing fleet. Advertisement EU civil society organisations working together are far stronger collectively than they would be as individual national groupings - the unions in France and Germany stronger than those in the UK, the environmental organisations in the UK contributing to work in eastern areas of the union where such concerns are just starting to get public attention, the Scandinavians offering their strong gender-equality models. There's a lot of focus on the existence of corporate lobbying interests in Brussels, and that is a serious concern - although certainly one not restricted to, or at its worst in, the European institutions. In Westminster, where the influence of the fossil fuel industries and the nuclear lobby are painfully evident in our energy policy, to give just one example. It was the EU that agreed to put a cap on bankers' bonuses, the British government that used our money to try (and happily failed) to legally challenge it. Working together we can also draw on the strength of different nations. Many people from other parts of Europe have told me how much they value the work of the New Economics Foundation (NEF) and other British think tanks and researchers. Perhaps because we live in the most extremely neo-liberal nation of the continent, we come up with some of the most potentially transformatory proposals and plans for change, from the RSA working on universal basic income to NEF offering alternative models to our failed financial system. When it comes to planning to rebalance the British economy away from our dangerous, unproductive reliance on the financial sector, the model of German banking, with regional and local banks that fund and support small and medium enterprises for the long haul has a lot to offer. Of course we can also work with knowledge and skills from other parts of the world outside the EU, but by being already partners, members of the same union, the impetus for cooperation is stronger, the frameworks clearer, the funding available for cross-EU work ready for applications. Advertisement I'm a fully paid-up member of the Labour Party. A Blairite. I welcome immigration and support freedom of movement. I wanted us to join the euro. I love Europe and I'm passionately Pro-EU. But, after a long period of indecision, I'm going to vote Leave on Thursday. Why? Because for Labour voters like me this is one decision that must be made with the head and not with the heart. And despite what I - and many others in my position - once believed, the 'head' decision is to vote Leave. Neither side in this campaign can hold its head high This whole EU Referendum campaign has been a trauma. It has divided us and pitted us against family and friends. The hard-right Leave rhetoric has been appalling: hate-filled, incendiary nonsense that encourages division and welcomes verbal aggression. For me, migration is a good thing. Immigration is good for our economy and it's good for humanity. Freedom of movement is one of the EU's proudest achievements. Advertisement The Remain rhetoric has been equally outrageous and unfathomable. Outright lies at every turn: scaremongering and patronising; threatening and provoking by equal turn. The UK economy will not collapse if we leave the EU. We will not be cast out into a global wilderness. Workers' rights in UK will not be affected, and war will not break out on Friday morning if we vote Leave. Both sides have been savage, heartless and disingenuous. When this campaign started, no one knew how vicious we could be to each other. How much division we could create and how much suffering we could cause by our needless words and thoughtless actions. There are very few voices on the Remain side that resonate and cut through the cacophony of exaggeration, vitriol and spin. And even fewer within the Leave campaign. However, there are some measured tones from people including Gisela Stuart for Leave, who make a left-wing case I can relate to. The decision must be made - we must vote We have to vote. We will never get another chance in our lifetimes to have a say on our future in the EU. So a decision must be made. For all its inflammatory rhetoric, for me, the decision on which way to vote boiled down to just one single question: Advertisement Is this incarnation of the EU right for our future and right for the future for Europe? And, as a Labour supporter, when you look at the issues with a clear head. The answer must be 'no'. Youth unemployment and tax avoidance Look at Spain, Greece and Italy. Look at how the EU has treated them and continues to treat them. It ran roughshod over Greece and its people, ignoring their pleas, threatening, blackmailing and leaving it with a youth unemployment rate that currently stands at 50 per cent. In Spain it's not much better. Their youth unemployment is 45 per cent, and in Italy it's 36.9 per cent. These are real young people with no hope. And it's the EU's obsession with saving the euro that has caused this abject and continuing misery. Take another issue: tax avoidance. The EU promotes tax avoidance. Mega-corporations that do the bulk of their business in the UK have been given carte blanche to set up in the cosy tax haven of choice, Luxembourg, whose former Prime Minister, Jean-Claude Junker, is now President of the EU Commission. The European Court of Justice enforces the rights of EU states as tax havens and outlaws attempts by the UK to crack down on tax evaders. Animal welfare and the spectre of TTIP I'm a vegan, so let's look at animal welfare. In principle the EU should be a good thing for animal welfare both here and across Europe. But in practice it most definitely is not. The UK has a ban on intensive battery cages. EU law ignored this. The UK banned sow stalls in 1999, but 17 EU countries continue to use them. And under EU law, the UK is powerless to stop the utterly inhumane and horrendous practice of exporting live animals, many of them lambs, abroad for slaughter. Let's take TTIP. This secret deal is a huge threat to the UK. It will become the template for all future EU trade deals and if, as Labour voters, this alone doesn't scare the pants off us, then I'm not sure what will. War on Want say TTIP will cost 1 million British, European and American jobs and sell off all UK public services including the NHS to the highest bidder for ever. A Labour government in a regressive EU Finally, what about a future progressive Labour government? If we stay in the EU, we can kiss goodbye to any policies designed to help the most vulnerable in our society such as energy price caps, or any renationalisation of our railways or post office. All this is banned under EU law, and in fact there is a little-known privatisation policy similar to the Tory programme called the Fourth Railway Package, which is set to be imposed onto every single EU Member State. A Labour government would be utterly hogtied. Our dreams and aspirations to create a better society, utterly laid waste by the EU. Advertisement It's time to decide - and I vote Leave Ultimately the decision we make will change history. And it's for each of us to decide what's important to us, what we hold dear and what kind of UK and Europe we want to live in not just today but in 10 years, 20 years, 30 years. If we project the current EU policies and trajectory forward, do we like what we see? This decision was made easier for me by thinking about this analogy: by staying in the EU we are giving them a vote of confidence; we're saying, we love all your policies and future plans; go ahead! Not just for us but for every other Member State. But if we had a good friend who was continually in debt; who overspent compulsively, would we keep giving them money; keep telling them everything is going to be fine? No, we'd get to the point where we had to stop for their sake, and for ours. In a sense, the Prime Minister is to be congratulated. The last person who ignited such an interest in politics was Guy Fawkes. Although look what happened to him. Forget hanging, drawing and quartering ( who shouted "Shame?"), at least the worst fate likely to befall Cameron is that he's hung out to dry by the Tories. Whether or not the whole European referendum blows up in his face, it has highlighted an important issue about Britain. At our heart, we aren't a forward thinking country. On the contrary, we're a nation constantly looking back on itself to a past which is infinitely more glorious than our present and indeed our future. Forget nationalism, what this vote is really about is nostalgia. The sort much in evidence when I recently caught a repeat of The Good Old Days on BBC 4. Advertisement As Ken Dodd entertained the Edwardian attired theatre audience (part of its shtick) with another music hall favourite, it occurred to me that whatever other societal changes our membership of the EU has resulted in, it's also transformed our telly viewing habits. By embracing series such as Wallender, The Killing, Borgen, The Returned, The Bridge and Deutschland '83 to name but a few, the Europhile cultural elites among us have helped to create an appetite for languid and thoughtful - some say boring - programming. This has even had a knock on effect with the creation of homegrown shows like The Fall and Broadchurch. All of which begs the following questions: What happened to the time when British TV was truly, well, British and might we ever see its return? Here are 10 shows from yesteryear to fill those who are old enough to recall them with a misty-eyed wistfulness. Advertisement 10- Dixon of Dock Green. Running from 1955 to 1976, it starred Jack Warner as George Dixon, a uniformed policeman on the beat; the kind of benevolent 'bobby' any Home Secretary would have wet dreams over. 9- Take Your Pick. The first televised quiz show to offer money to the public, it gave contestants the chance to win small sums, culminating with the choice to take the cash or open a box, which contained either a prize worth having (a washing machine) or one definitely not worth having (the leadership of the Labour Party). 8- Department S. Featuring Peter Wyngarde as Jason King, a flamboyant author turned sleuth and apparent ladies man whose taste in clothes and facial hair in fact gave him the appearance of a cross between Quentin Crisp and Tom of Finland. 7- Opportunity Knocks. For aspiring stars, there was no other talent contest to appear on. A forerunner to Britain's Got Talent, which owes it a huge debt of gratitude, it was hosted by the smarmy Hughie Green whose catchphrase was: "And I mean that most sincerely", delivered, of course, with all the insincerity of an aspiring MP. 6- Hancock's Half Hour and latterly Hancock. To witness true comic genius at work, watch the magnificent Tony Hancock in The Blood Donor. Over 50 years old and genuinely funny, it remains richly deserving of its now legendary status. Advertisement 5- The Saint. Moore, Moore, Moore. How did we like it? How did we like it? Quite a lot actually. After he was Ivanhoe, before he was Lord Brett Sinclair and James Bond, the former knitwear model was Simon Templer for 8 years. We can almost forgive his use of the Swedish manufactured Volvo P1800. Just. 4- Steptoe and Son. Galton and Simpson's masterly scripts about two rag and bone men who were played to perfection by the Wifred Brambell and Harry H. Corbett, who out of interest wasn't the same Harry Corbett famous for having his hand up Sooty's backside. 3- The Avengers. Not the current film franchise one beloved by Marvel meatheads, this was The Avengers from the 1960s starring Patrick Macnee as gentlemen agent, John Steed, equipped with nothing more than a brolly and a bowler to fight crime. Try that Captain America. 2- The Benny Hill Show. Criticised for being sexist, it certainly had its fair share of knockers, but the seductive mix of seaside double entendres, burlesque and slapstick kept legions of fans entertained from 1955 to 1991. 1- The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club. This variety show set in a fictional Northern working men's club was presented by Colin Crompton and Bernard Manning, who in particular was known for his socially aware, politically correct, pro-feminist style of standup. (N.B: the last statement may not be strictly accurate). Advertisement Getty I'm happily retired and I understand why it's easy for people my age to yearn with rose tinted spectacles for a Britain which once was. To be completely honest, two months ago i didn't think IN or OUT mattered much. Then the campaign started and it all got a bit emotional. I was frustrated seeing endless propaganda, and knowing how often the media can twist things to suit their own agenda I decided to go to the source documents themselves and to do a lot of research into FACTS. What I learnt, after endless hours pouring over original documents, was that the central fact is that the UK has an amazing deal with the EU, a deal which no other country has. We have permanent opt-out of the eurozone, of Schengen, of political integration. We have the ability to restrict benefits to job-seekers, to ask them to leave if they haven't found work, to keep out undesirables from other EU states, even if they have no criminal records, to control borders... and still have full access to the Common Market of free trade that my generation voted for in 1975. It's all in a 37-page legally binding document signed by the 28 Heads of Government in February, and yes I have read it all. Advertisement Sadly the Leave campaign and some newspapers propagate myths and untruths - well, lies. The EU is not" run by unelected bureaucrats", as I have myself learnt and condensed into my Democracy for Dummies diagram. We don't lose 350million a week by being a member. It costs 120million or so, much of which goes to build better infrastructure in those very countries whose citizens come to work here (maybe after a few years of the inevitable austerity post-Brexit, unemployed British workers will be seeking work in a modernised and thriving Romania or Croatia. It's not inconceivable.) That 120million which Leave claim could go the NHS is 0.4% of our GDP. If we leave, that 120million loss is predicted by the vast consensus of economists to become more like 1,200million loss per week. Where is the extra 1,000m or so to to come from? From the NHS? Turkey wont be eligible to join the EU in my lifetime; even then any one state can veto its entry, such as Cyprus or the UK - if we are still a member. Advertisement We retain our much lamented "sovereignty", because that is precisely what allows us to leave the EU if we want to. If we leave, no army is going to march in to restore EU supremacy. The EU forms 50% of our trade, our biggest market. We trivialise that at at our own risk. I could go on, but the core message is: the UK has an amazing deal, If we leave, it may never be available again. If Brexit is not the dream that is promised we would be cap in hand, accepting whatever is offered. We have a respected and powerful voice, and a vital part to play in a much bigger world stage than that of Little Britain - or Little England when Scotland leaves the UK to join the EU. We need a stronger Europe, not a weaker one. Putin would be happy to see a weakened Europe, thereby allowing Russian influence to move back into the eastern states - especially in the Baltic. I'm sitting down to write this text, because of this amorphic frustration coursing through my body and brain: I'm an immigrant living in the UK, within a democratic system (at least in name); a referendum is about to take place. It will significantly influence the outcome of my life, career and relationships and I. Can't. Vote. Let me do what I can. When we're talking about EU we're talking about immigration. When we're talking about immigration, we're talking about feelings, not facts. Those negative feelings -- of fear, aggression and hatred -- are impacting actions, and become facts in that way. What is immigration? Is it a group of scared looking people on a wobbly boat? Is it the Ugandan NHS nurse, who was actively recruited to come to UK, only to face the rhetoric of "stealing our jobs"? Is it me, a Polish writer, who came in search of more open society? Funnily enough, nobody speaks of British migrants, even though they most definitely exist. What is immigration, how is it a problem? Before you say anything: immigration is one thing, a convenient scapegoat to blame for the results of austerity. British society is being successfully, masterfully played. Advertisement Speaking of games. What is the long game of Brexit? How do we picture it? Does it last two years? Four years? More, less? Is Norwegian model any good? Is Greece a warning? Is there an actual plan? Not a "strawberry fields forever" promise of paying farmers the same money that they get from EU, but a plan: how to extend the current projects without EU funding; how to regulate immigration in a humane manner, if to regulate at all -- how to pull our weight in the refugee crisis; how to take care of each other in this society. Also, what will happen to the migrants who already live here? Many Leave voters believe that "nothing would really change", but I'm not so sure: wouldn't a Brexit win become a prelude to throwing people out, willy-nilly? I'm not pointing fingers, but, y'know, everyone laughed at Hitler. There was a time when he didn't seem like a danger. Now we have the same rhetorical patterns (Volk Ohne Raum, anyone?) and similar posters and yet we're not taking it seriously. I can say for sure that I feel endangered and vulnerable by the referendum: my fate depends on common sense of British citizens, and future plans are conspicuously absent from public conversations. Spoiler alert: there is no plan, not one I can discern, and if we don't take initiative, there will be no plan. There will be playing off our worst fears. It is already happening. It is a truth that terrified people are easy to govern: it is enough to point them towards the enemy and get out of the way. We need to defeat the fear. Scared people don't behave reasonably or responsibly; panic is not a good adviser, neither is aggression. Whatever choice is made in the referendum, I would love to see a measured response to current situation. But that's not what's happening. Both Leave and Remain campaign are running around like headless chickens, trying to appeal to our fear. And even though fear is a powerful motivator, it's hard to build constructive things on it, unless (touch wood) you're aiming for a 3rd world war. We need to do better: we need engaged communities, nuanced politics, fact-based conversations. Instead, the referendum is polarizing the public opinion: you have to say yes or no, and people are going to the mattresses. As there is a distinct possibility that even if Leave campaign wins, there will still be no Brexit, we should instead ponder what is our vision for the future. Not to mention that the big, loud, possibly unnecessary argument that this referendum has devolved into now has a body count; Jo Cox, author of passionate, humanitarian speeches, is gone in what looks like a consequence of all the hate flying around. Surely that's the most obvious indication that we're playing with fire. Advertisement These are times of great changes: EU is attempting to create things we did not have before. It would be madness to think those things have no consequences. Whether it's freedom of movement, open market or euro, there are -- and will be -- unlooked for results. If we can openly and cooperatively work those out, we continue to progress. What kind of Britain do we want? What kind of Europe? I'm not saying that Britain should never leave Europe, but it shouldn't leave like this -- flouncing off in a snit, full of underlying fear, with polarized society and racists getting their way. It's not only what we're doing, but also -- how. Yes, I'm saying we, although some would brand me stranger. But I live here, work here, pay my taxes, love my boyfriend. This is my voice. In my own way, I want to make a difference. On Thursday we are about to make arguably the biggest decision the British electorate will make in a generation. I had always intended to outline the issues for civil society of withdrawing from the EU before thousands of charities and millions of volunteers across the country made their decision. In light of recent events, I want to do this as factually and in as non-partisan a way as possible. For civil society organisations, the prospect of the UK voting to leave the European Union constitutes a leap in the dark - particularly with regard to the economic implications for the sector post-Brexit. These can be categorised as both direct risks to funding and the indirect consequences of prolonged financial volatility. In terms of direct contributions, the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) estimates that in 2013/14, charities received around 308million direct funding from the EU. Through the European Structural Investment Funds (ESIF), for example, funding is directed at targeting geographically the areas in which private investment may be lacking, with the aim of promoting economic competitiveness and boosting employability. Advertisement As part of the ESIF, 20% of the EU's structural funds budget is ring-fenced for projects that develop greater social inclusion and could be worth an estimated 500m in England alone over the lifetime of the programme (2014-2020). Likewise, the EU structural funds provide significant scope for the devolved nations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, with the voluntary sector able to play a crucial role in these areas to support disadvantaged communities and invigorate the labour market. In addition to the ESIF, our membership of the EU enables voluntary organisations to bid for funding from a wealth of other programmes, including those aimed at: preventing violence against women and children; promoting high-quality and sustainable employment; and supporting small and medium-sized cultural enterprises. Over the period 2014-2020, voluntary sector organisations in the UK are eligible to bid into a funding pot totalling upwards of 13billion. It is without doubt a very significant concern for the voluntary sector that equivalent funds would not be made available by future UK Governments in the event of our withdrawal from the EU. Of course it may be possible for budgets to be reallocated, but would charities be a priority? Amidst promises of more to the NHS, farmers, fishermen and so on, where would charities fit in? If the money didn't come, who would be able to make up the shortfall? Charities need to know, as this in itself would be a considerable hit. But perhaps even more important to civil society and fundamental to sustaining its income from public, private and voluntary bodies, is a strong economy. Leaving the EU, as all sides have acknowledged, would cause economic uncertainty and threaten our economic security. The Bank of England suggests a recession could result: this would have wide-spread implications for funding in the voluntary sector. Advertisement First, any economic shock would inevitably precipitate a more rigorous focus on fiscal consolidation, with public finances stretched to cover only essential public services. Secondly, there is the prospect that any market volatility could affect charities through both diminished investment returns and reduced incomes from grant-making trusts and foundations. Finally, any period of growing levels of unemployment, combined with a fall in average real wages, would mean more demand for services of charities at the same time as leading to a reduction in individual disposal incomes and thus the ability to donate to charitable causes. It is a potentially a potent double whammy. In addition, it is likely contributions from the business community would fall, as economic uncertainty necessitates a firm focus on the commercial, possibly to the detriment of social responsibility and charitable giving. There have been no definite answers to these questions in the debates to date, so as to reassure voluntary organisations that they will not take a huge hit from a UK withdrawal from the EU. With this absence of information, charities have been advised to put in place appropriate contingencies to try and offset not only losses from direct EU funding, but also absorb any indirect financial consequences to maintain their survival in a post-Brexit world. This is the crux of the matter for civil society: this unprecedented situation really does represent a step into the unknown. For decades, the country and the voluntary sector have been inextricably linked to the EU - not only financially, but also in terms of regulatory approaches to delivering essential services. Leaving the EU will undoubtedly present a series of new challenges, both in the transition but also in the long-term. Specifically for civil society, the risks of EU withdrawal are huge. At a time when the country needs charities and volunteering to be at the top of its game, they could be compromised, overwhelmed by demand and starved of resources. Brexit is a huge risk to the stability of the sector, one that may take decades to recover from. Advertisement I will begrudgingly vote 'Bremain'. I will do this in spite of the 'Bremain' and 'Brexit' campaigns. For me and thousands of 'In' voters like me, Bremain isn't talking to a Britain I recognise. Brexit is. I will not be voting for my country or those of Europe to be bludgeoned into one great bureaucratic blob. It is hard to love the EU's flimsy banknotes or its tacky flag and it is a fair bet to say millions across Europe feel the same. Au contraire: I love Europe, its staggeringly accomplished cultures, and especially my own part of it - Great Britain. Like the Brexiteers I am worried by the almost audible effacement of each and any of our cultural heirlooms that 'don't meet regulation standards'. Whether Britain's imperial measurements or those nice olive oil jugs that restaurants are no longer allowed to use, the Europarliament is forever poking its nose in places it shouldn't be. Advertisement The strange thing is that--on paper--people like me are the core vote "Bremain" needs on side to win the EU referendum tomorrow. A former staffer to the Lib Dem leadership, my comfortable middle-class experience of immigration has been unerringly positive. I do very well out of the EU, thank you. The Bremain campaign should have had me and mine stomping the streets handing out leaflets, imploring you to vote 'In'. They didn't. This is because for us, the In or Out debate became a choice between two different visions for Britain. It is even a question of two different visions of Britain. Yet Brexit has stolen Bremain's strongest argument from under our noses, and made it their own. Brexiteers insist we are on the cusp of a British resurgence, our history-battered country back in rude health. It's an exciting, rallying message. In every country of every continent people dress as we dress, follow ever more of our values and (literally) speak our language. And good thing too, say Brexiteers. Britain is dynamic, wise to history and--unlike its muddled and inward-looking continent--utterly global in its ambitions. Yet somehow they have sold us the story that by leaving the EU, by disentangling and curbing all that interconnectedness, we would end up with a Britain that is more connected to the world and better placed to shape its surroundings. Advertisement They tell us leaving the EU would give us greater control of our destiny. Exactly the reverse is true. Instead of crying foul, Bremain have fed this story. They tell us we are a puny island, doomed to be endlessly outvoted in the Europarliament on everything from cucumber length to condiment dispensary by twenty-eight nosy neighbours. To vote Bremain tomorrow is presented as a vote for some sort of capitulation. Thousands upon thousands of us feel we are being asked to declare with our ballots we are not half the country we were. The outrage is this: in truth it is the other way around. Brexit has pulled the wool over half the country's eyes, and Bremain has helped them get away with it. Pull the wool off, and you realise it is by leaving that we would be capitulating. Are we so inept that we cannot win around our neighbours? Europe's strongest voice for economic liberalism is being goaded by Brexit to bow out of the contest, leaving the Germans to lead. Brexit present us with absurd 1930s comparisons, but they are giving us Chamberlin's philosophy in Churchillian prose. The opinion polls say we're falling for it. I will vote for Britain to change the EU from within tomorrow, because I know this is an island on the up. There are harsh truths to swallow in this debate, but the nonsense that Britain has become a mouse of a country is not one of them. Advertisement The EU is run badly, on flawed principles. It will be tough to bring about change. By getting other free-trade countries on side and providing a alternative vision to the Franco-German cauchemar of economic asphyxiation by red tape, it is possible. If we leave, those obsessed with using that red tape to bind nations together in 'ever closer union' will dig in their heels and plant their flag. Freedom's fruits may seem a better bet for many voters, than the EU's economic uncertainty. Britain's referendum campaign has ended as it began, with uncertainties - over the likely result and over what a vote either way will bring. In these final days the 'Remain' side is keen to ratchet up the economic uncertainty a leave vote could pose, though whether this will pay off is not clear. People throughout the campaign have shown themselves impervious to the tone of menace, taking the threats and dire warnings with a pinch of salt. Even when the chorus of doom reached crescendo during the campaign with the Treasury's gloomy reports being echoed by the IMF and the Bank of England heads, two thirds of those polled foresaw no negative impact on their finances after a Brexit vote. And as late as this week we heard voters confirm on a BBC news progamme that 'no', they did not 'believe' the official analysis. More potent for them may be the picture the EU evokes. High unemployment especially in Spain, Italy and Greece has blighted the lives of millions, with dreadful levels of joblessness hitting the young (c.40-50 percent). More generally, the picture is of political instability, insecurity and extremism casting its shadow westwards across the bloc even the once proud capitals of the EU's founder states. Advertisement The real problem for the remain side is not so much that enough people don't believe it. Rather it fails to understand Britain's political culture and the tradition in which remain politicians are themselves participants, one which has emerged over centuries. That identity has been characterised by a perception of freedom - freedom for people to make their own laws, to stand up to and limit arbitrary executive power. Its focus has been parliament, described in recent centuries to be the 'guardian' and symbol of the country's freedoms. As the great labour parliamentarian and former minister, Tony Benn put it in the 1980s, 'through talk, we tamed kings, restrained tyrants, averted revolution'. By the 19th century that freedom extended to the power to elect MPs and governments and to remove them if necessary from office. No country could boast as lively a popular interest in and knowledge of politics. People and their politicians combined to promote through parliament the great causes of the day such as free trade and parliamentary reform. By then the party politics we know today had emerged. Two main political parties made up of shifting alliances, pursuing shifting interests, exploited events and causes to their party advantage. Great popular political movements shaped politics and economics such as the movement to repeal the Corn Laws in the 1830s and 40s as did its party political aftermath for over a hundred years. Politicians too could make common cause with the people. And, far from bribing the voters with their own money, or scaring them with unproven fears, politicians made political and electoral capital by appealing to the sceptical, pragmatic, side of the voters. That was summed up by two of the last century's most successful prime ministers when they told the voters they would not make them [false] promises of utopia. It may well be that for a large proportion of Britain's people the idea of the EU being a source of prosperity for Britain belongs to the realms of fantasy. It may be that they, no more than the politicians painting the idyllic scene, simply don't know. However, the likelihood is that many people will vote leave because of one certainty, the certainty that if they do, they will regain the freedom for this country to make its own laws, forge its own destiny through parliament, elect its own rulers and remove them when things go wrong. British people have shown that they use that power wisely to bring change, stability and prosperity at home. They have also empowered their governments to use it to promote co-operation and security abroad. These things are the fruits of freedom, of the parliamentary sovereignty which has allowed the people of Britain to decide how, and by whom, their country is ruled. Advertisement If you've read any of my posts before you'll know that, for the most part, I believe that the major infrastructure projects planned for the Camden and Euston area can lead to big wins for local regeneration and economic growth. Camden Town Unlimited and Euston Town are two business improvement districts operating in an area that will soon become a major works zone. Our local business members are hopeful about Crossrail 2 and the redevelopment of Euston Station. Advertisement Detailed plans are now being drawn up before the Crossrail 2 Bill is presented to Parliament. Before this happens, however, the Government needs to communicate a clear vision for the project. I believe that, from a business perspective, there are two key questions that need to be answered. 1.What is the purpose of Crossrail 2? If we are to take arguments about increased capacity and better connectivity as a given, we can start to think about who and what this new line will actually work for. A starting point is to consider the route itself. The line will extend the transport network out to Hertfordshire in the north east and Surrey in the south west, bringing the capital closer to residents and commuters in the counties. Through central London it then connects major day-trip and tourist destinations such as the high-end shops on the King's Road via Chelsea, Buckingham Palace via Victoria and the heart of the West End via Tottenham Court Road. Advertisement In sum this is a markedly different route to its sister line, Crossrail 1, which will soon start running trains between Berkshire and Essex. Crossrail 1 has a far different design, running through major hubs like Heathrow Airport, Liverpool Street, Canary Wharf and Stratford. In this respect it is very much a 'business line' connecting major transport and commercial centres. The commercial tenants that make-up our membership will be contributing to the funding of Crossrail 1 via the 2% supplementary business rate well into the 2030s. One of the options on the table is to extend this into the 2060s to cover Crossrail 2, in order to raise 15% of the funding. We are therefore quite concerned that businesses - and that's commercial tenants rather than landowners - will be levied for the new scheme. In short, private renting companies will end up paying out for another thirty years for little short-term return. If we are going to ask London to part-fund the scheme, we need to have a real understanding of who the major beneficiaries of this project will be. Advertisement It seems to me we need to consider how this affects properties along the route and put a greater emphasis on funding the line by capturing the rise in value it will inevitably bring. 2.How can we maximise the benefits of the project in terms of driving economic growth? Planners on major rail infrastructure projects rightly prioritise station redevelopment as a driver of local regeneration. When they get this right, businesses respond in kind, opening up to catch the pedestrian footflow, bringing key services and choice to an area. Close to home, we want to see this happen in Euston - where Crossrail 2 will stop - but we're concerned that we may not see the comprehensive redevelopment that the Chancellor himself has talked-up. Euston is the gateway to the Midlands and the North West and serves as a major central London interchange; but it isn't currently fit for purpose. Advertisement For Crossrail 2 (and HS2) to generate local economic growth, we need to reconsider the station's positioning, so that it's no longer southward facing and inaccessible to pedestrians from the north, east and west. Regeneration and economic growth should therefore be front of mind for the Government as it moves forward. Business can help, but if only if the station design lets it. Do you remember the image of two-year-old Aylan Kurdis' body on a Turkish beach, which shook social media? How did you feel when you looked at it? Did you feel angry? Sad? Powerless? I will tell you what I felt: I felt tired of seeing everyone sharing this awful image, and feeling bad. I felt that only sharing those images wouldn't help preventing more awful images from being created; it wouldn't help to change the situation. And that is what I wanted: I wanted to be able to help. I believe that this is a first, important step needed to become what people like to call an activist; you need to have the desire to change something (hopefully to improve something). Through social media I got to know about the incredible work Citizens UK was doing to help welcome refugees and to generate pressure on the government, so I got in touch with them. When one of Citizens UK's coordinators told me about their plan to lobby UK universities to set up fully funded scholarships for Syrian refugees I knew what my role was in that: I would fight to turn Oxford into safe havens for students fleeing conflict-torn societies. I learned from an early age that personal and professional integrity must go hand-in-hand with academic excellence. Both my high school education in Brazil and my undergraduate studies in Germany were sponsored by scholarships awarded on the dual basis of academic merit and ethical standing. Because my DPhil in Biomedical Engineering has only been made possible by the generous donation of alumni and the Oxford University, I feel very strongly about giving back to its diverse, wide-reaching community. Advertisement Through my engineering degree I have developed innovative ways to solve and tackle problems. As a result, I was able to design and set up the Oxford Students Refugee Campaign: an initiative that seeks to coordinate the efforts of student, academic and administrative members of the University of Oxford to establish comprehensive financial and welfare support for refugee and asylum-seeking students. The main idea of the campaign is to get every student at Oxford University to pledge a monthly 1 contribution for two years. This is a small payment individually, but if every student in Oxford chose to participate, the funds could provide as many as 20 fully funded scholarships for asylum-seeking and refugee students. With help of close friends, Emeritus Fellow Bernard Sufrin of Worcester, Den Moore, the Deputy Director of Student Administration, and Helena Kennedy, Baroness Kennedy, QC, Principal of Mansfield College, I launched the campaign last October. Through our student union (OUSU), we were able to go to the fresher's fair to spread the word about the campaign and to seek the support from the student body. We have grown from a tiny campaign to a successful scholarship fund entirely through the support and generosity of Oxford students. We have the backing of 11,000 students, totaling a financial commitment of GBP 240,000 over two years. Advertisement The University authorities have been very receptive to the ideas so far, and are willing to back the campaign administratively. They are not only administering our fund but also have brought our initiative into the Oxford Thinking Campaign as well as into the existing Give as You Earn schemes for faculty and staff. We (with the help of the University) have already identified eight eligible students holding offers for the coming academic year, and who would immensely benefit from the scholarships. We have yet to receive much of our funding (due to the monthly contribution), so we are now reaching out to friends, alumni, the general public (through media) and potential donors to raise enough funds to support all eight of them. As a student myself, I believe that such a scheme will create a tremendous positive impact on these students' lives. And with the added benefit of raising the morale of the Oxford student community at large: The Oxford Refugee Campaign stands as a flagship example of how much the student body can achieve when they are concerned about and committed to improving fellow students' lives. I had the pleasure to meet the Dalai Lama, the world's most famous refugee, when visited Oxford last year to discuss the global response to the refugee crisis. In his visit, he stated that only education, dialogue and personal contact could resolve conflicts in the long-term. I really hope that, through sustainable scholarship and welfare schemes like ours, we can turn Oxford and other academic communities around the world into safe knowledge havens for students and academics fleeing conflict-torn societies. For more information please visit our website, you can also make a donation. The 23rd of June is fast approaching, and we will soon be heading to the polls. The question of whether or not we should remain in the EU has dominated dinner table, bus stop and coffee shop discussions for months; everyone has their own talking points, and many of you have already made up your minds. Unfortunately, lots of figures and charts have been thrown around by both campaigns. Everything from how we buy bananas to the funding of the NHS have been questioned; resulting in serious confusion. So while everyone has a recycled line about the EU as it relates to immigration and the economy, what about senior citizens? It may be likely that by the end of this article, you won't have changed your mind-but hear me out. I think that it's important for everyone to get an accurate understanding of our relationship with the EU and how it benefits us before voting. Active ageing: The EU has implemented strong measures for older generations to enable them, if they choose, to remain in work longer. This is done through the promotion of flexible working hours and working from home and funding lifelong learning and training. There are EU programmes like Europe for Citizens, which promote civic participation and Erasmus+, which provides educational support for lifelong learning. Advertisement Equal rights: Under European Union regulations, workplace discrimination based on age is illegal. Another piece of legislation is currently being developed to ban other aspects of age-related discrimination. Funding support: The European Social Fund (ESF) provides significant resources to promote active and healthy ageing. For 2014-2020, the UK will receive 8.6bn for initiatives such as improving skills for citizens over 50. Another beneficial programme is Horizon 2020, the largest-ever EU research and innovation programme for universities and SMEs, with a budget of 57bn. The UK has won the highest share of grants for this programme, providing vital research on Alzheimer's, projects finding IT solutions to assist the elderly and for research on improving sustainable care systems. Protecting the interests of citizens with disabilities: The EU's Disability Strategy 2010-2020 has a wide range of proposals that European countries can introduce to improve the quality of life for citizens living with a disability. The new law will include minimum requirements to ensure that essential products and services are disability-friendly, allowing for greater participation. Other measures include measures to enhance access for citizens with mobility problems in regards to finding transport solutions and better access in urban centres. Living abroad: There are roughly 400,000 British pensioners living in another EU country. The EU safeguards the right for pensioners to draw their pensions wherever they might live within the EU. This also applies to invalidity and survivors' pensions. By 2018, new protections will be in place for workers' occupational pension rights if individuals decide to work outside the UK in the EU. With the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), British citizens abroad in the EU have the right to free healthcare. Between 2009 and 2013, the UK had over 500,000 claims for healthcare abroad in the EU. Advertisement Many of these services and benefits will be undermined if we leave the EU. The independent Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has warned of a 20bn to 40bn gap in our public finances by 2020 if we leave. And a very recent analysis by the TUC, who represents nearly 6 million UK workers, warns of a 25% slash to the NHS's budget by 2019-2020. According to the IFS, our net contribution to the EU is 1.2% of our national budget, while our government completely controls 98.8% of all other public expenditures. So while Brexiters will have us think that our contributions to the EU cost us an arm and a leg, think again. On top of the above, we benefit a great deal from our membership with the EU. Millions of pounds in daily investments, over 100,000 EU nationals supporting the NHS and shared security services to tackle terrorism and organised crime are just a few examples. For those of you strongly in favour voting to leave, these warnings will no doubt displease you, but these are real facts. Two lovers kissing in the shadow of the Berlin Wall, a watchtower looms over, waiting to shot anyone willing to risk their lives for freedom. It was this view from the studio that would inspire David Bowie's 'Heroes'. Small acts of humanity could be large acts of heroism. My grandfather's first trip to the continent was being parachuted into occupied France to begin a journey through Northern Europe accompanied by a gun. Ordinary people doing extraordinary things in the name of freedom. Advertisement A generation of Europeans put millennia of warfare, tribalism and suffering behind them and started to build something better. It would never be perfect, democracy never is, but it still stands to this day as the best alternative to the blood bath that birthed it. Right now Ukraine fights for its right to look to Europe for its future, right now people risk their lives to feel the sand of our beaches between their toes. We fail to see the inclusion of the former Eastern Bloc countries as a testament to what we have helped build. We fail to see those desperate souls clinging to shabby rafts as a tribute to the better world we've created for this land. Most sadly we see them as a threat. The Leave campaign lives in a cloud of doublethink and misinformation. UKIP's dream of an independent United Kingdom would soon turn to dust. Leaving the EU would see the dissolution of the Union, with Scotland likely to have a second referendum and Northern Irish peace put in jeopardy. Leave want all the economic advantages of the single market without the freedom of movement that underpins it. It's like hiring a stall on the other side of a brick wall and being disappointed when you can't serve your customers. Advertisement The Leave argument turns from the illogical to lies when it claims we, one of the EU's largest populations and economies, is some how voiceless. We didn't give away sovereignty; we pooled it, extending the British tradition that built our very own union. Is the Remain campaign scaremongering when there is so much to scared of if we leave? When big business and trade unions are united against leaving, when 9 out 10 economists are warning us, when the economy is already wobbling, it's hard not to focus on the negative. But there is a positive case for Europe, a positive case not to just stay course but lead the way. Martin Luther King Jr. said, "The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice." We are building a vehicle for that justice, one where the future of a child isn't determined by the cartographer's line, where barbed wire and watchtowers don't define your rights as a human. The project is complicated and messy at times, of course it is, but the prize is worth it because the goals are universal humans rights and prosperity. We should be struck that the generation that voted us in are now threatening to vote us out. They made a promise to the people of Europe that love would have no borders. To leave is break that promise, it is to divide young couples, to split a new generation of pan-European families. A younger generation, those who will live with the consequences the longest, now face being outvoted by their elders. Currently young lovers can kiss by the shattered remains of the Berlin Wall, they can travel from London to the Netherlands by train armed with little more than a smart phone and a rail pass; a new European generation. Advertisement A King of Porc has been crowned, and that gluttonous godsend is Chef Walter Manzke of Republique in LA. However, one Miami chef was serving up dishes that were a sight for sore eyes. This past weekend, Grand Cochon took place with ten of the winners from their regional competition, COCHON 555. The final competing chefs prepared show-stopping dishes using whole heritage-breed pigs in a head to tail showcase for a crowd of pork-loving gourmands, that took place hosted last Saturday, June 18th during Food & Wine Classic in Aspen. One competitor of Grand Cochon that threw COCHON fans in for a loop was Chef Diego Oka of La Mar by Gaston Acurio. La Mar is ruling the Peruvian game where Oka's specialty is not pork but, seafood. According to Chef Diego, La Mar doesn't even have pork on their menu. During his first year of participating of COCHON 555 in Miami, he won over the crowd with a Large Black Breed of pig raised by Maverick Meats/FKS Farms. The event benefitted the Piggy Bank, a farm devoted to providing free heritage breed pigs and business plans to emerging family farms. Advertisement Even though Chef Diego didn't win Grand Cochon his dishes had standing ovations featuring Quinoa Tamales stuffed with Peruvian corn called mote, aji panca, pig face and feet wrapped in banana leaves. Adventurous eater extraordinaire, Chef Andrew Zimmern posted a photo on Instagram of the Miami challenger's Stuffed Pepper captioning it, "brilliance." Before the Peruvian prodigy went up to Aspen to battle out all things pork, he shared some insight on the culinary competition and his strategy. Will any of your winning dishes from Cochon 555 be available at La Mar? Our new menu launched June 7th and we added one of the favorites which was the quinoa tamale! I love your Korean Fried Chicken, Chaua Aeropuerta with Chinese Sausage and Lomo Satlado but, many of your fans know you more for seafood. Were you nervous to take on the challenge of only cooking with pig? Yes, I was nervous to participate in general, but also it was a great opportunity to show that I can do more than seafood. Most of our menu is based on seafood but, we also served different kinds of protein, I think now more people are going to know that we not only have great cebiches, that we also have amazing tamales! What is your favorite part about the overall Cochon 555 event? First, it has to be about gathering with my team and having the same goal and pushing it to be the best. Second would be interacting with new people that were costumers of La Mar and giving them non La Mar dishes. Overall been in the event is lot of fun! How did you prep for this year's Cochon 555? At first we were brain storming about what we wanted to do. Then we asked, what do we want to show to the judges and guests?. At the end I decided that we have to showcase Peru but, with a twist, so I picked my favorite peruvian pork dishes and then we made little changes, I think it worked! What is some advice you would give other chefs in the future who will participate? At the beginning, I was researching and asking what other chefs did in the past years. I started to get confused and at the end I stops asking and researching and decided to do what I like and what surprise I would like if I was a judge. Since the event starts very early, I would suggest to get there with all your prep ready and have a good sleep the day before, it's a long day! If you could be any Heritage Bred Pig, which one would you be? His Holiness the Dalai Lama met with President Barack Obama today. This is the fourth time, since holding office that President Obama has met with His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Today's meeting is not a visit favoured by the Chinese who issue stern rebukes to any Head of State that visits with His Holiness Dalai Lama. As such, it is has become customary for President Obama to meet with His Holiness the Dalai Lama quietly ,with little fanfare, behind closed doors. Official media were not invited in, and the White House issued only one photo of the meeting and that was through their flicker account. This is apparently the White House's attempt to limit any fall out by the Chinese who are trading partners of the United States and elsewhere. The Meeting was held in the Map Room rather than the ceremonial Oval Office as the United States does not recognise the Dalai Lama as Tibet as an independent country nor the Dalai Lama currently as Head of State. Advertisement According to White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest President Obama accepted the Dalai Lama's condolences for the shooting in Orlando, Florida on June 12 and commended the Dalai Lama for his efforts to promote compassion, empathy, and respect for others. The Dalai Lama is the spiritual leader of the Tibetan Buddhists and,due to his extraordinary compassions and spiritual leadership is revered throughout the Buddhist world,including Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, VIetnma and elsewhere. To learn more about the various strand of Buddhism and it's deep centuries old history please watch my critically acclaimed film, www.Buddhawild.film.com ,that played for 60 days in cinemas. The Dalai Lama looks as young now ,as he did then. The history, with China, one of the earliest seats of Buddhism is complicated, as the Tibetan Buddhists were originally an off shoot of Chinese Buddhism. Tibetan Buddhism was set up by dozens of monks who fled and set up their own strand of Buddhism in Tibet, with their own rules. This is not a commonly known fact that is often overlooked by media, historians and the political elite. In the meeting, the President and the Dalai Lama discussed the situation for Tibetans in the People's Republic of China, and the President emphasized his strong support for the preservation of Tibet's unique religious, cultural, and linguistic traditions and the equal protection of human rights of Tibetans in China. Advertisement It is of no surprise that the President lauds the Dalai Lama's commitment to peace and nonviolence and expresses support for the Dalai Lama's "Middle Way" approach. Ever the diplomat and hopeful peace maker, the President expressed that he wants to see "meaningful and direct dialogue between the Dalai Lama and his representatives with Chinese authorities to lower tensions and resolve differences". President Barack Obama reiterated the longstanding United States position that Tibet is a part of the People's Republic of China, and the United States does not support Tibetan independence. it is known to insiders that the Dalai Lama is not seeking independence for Tibet . The Dalai Lama stated that " he hopes that dialogue between his representatives and the Chinese government will resume" Supporters of the victims of the recent mass shooting at the Pulse nightclub attend a vigil at Lake Eola Park, Sunday, June 19, 2016, Orlando, Fla. Tens of thousands of people attended the vigil. (AP Photo/John Raoux) Unlike the gunman at Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, the man who shot me didn't target me because of my sexual orientation. He was aiming for a woman who was pregnant with another man's baby. He shot her twice in the leg and kept shooting but missed her head. The stray bullet, however, hit me in the chest. I woke up from a coma four days later. It pains me to think about the more than 50 people lucky enough to survive the massacre in Orlando that killed 49 people. I'm grateful they're alive, but I also know they have a long uphill battle ahead to recover physically, emotionally and financially. I have walked in their shoes. Advertisement Shortly after the hospital released me, I received a six-figure bill for my two-week stay. It took me seven months of physical therapy just to walk without pain. Three years later, only now do I feel emotionally stable enough to be on a crowded street without anxiety. It hurts even more to think about the loved ones of the 49 victims who have fallen. Often, people think of a gun violence survivor as someone like myself who was directly hit by a bullet. But the grief of losing someone you love is often overlooked. I felt this personally when I discovered one of my first responders, a local barber, was shot and killed months after my own shooting. It was as if my scars had opened up again. When the shooter opened fire at Pulse, he shot at my LGBTQIA family. He was aiming for every one of us. I felt every bullet. Fearing for her safety and the safety of her children, the pregnant woman who was shot with me decided not to testify against the gunman who injured us both. She was understandably afraid he would come after us again if she spoke out. As a result, the gunman took a plea bargain and my shooter is now out on parole, after serving a year and a half in jail. My shooter may be out free, but at least as a convicted felon he won't be able to buy a gun legally. The same cannot be said about a suspected terrorist. Under current federal law, people on terror watch lists can legally buy guns. Think about that. People who are considered too dangerous to board a plane are legally allowed to buy a semi-automatic weapon. This is absurd and an insult to every American everywhere. Advertisement A strange thing happened after the events in Orlando. Gun violence prevention activists across America planned events around pride marches. LGBTQIA Americans donated their time, money and even their blood (those who were allowed to) in order to help the victims of this hateful crime. The two worlds I lived in coalesced. Both communities rose to the challenge and offered support to one another. But we can't continue to do it alone. Gun violence survivors and the LGBTQIA community have always relied on the support of allies outside of our communities. Growing up as a gay teen, my high school's Gay/Straight Alliance helped shape me into the person I have become. Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, a group created on Facebook after the Sandy Hook shooting, provided moral support during my recovery from my shooting. Gun violence is a uniquely American problem, and can strike any of us at any time. It struck a black church in South Carolina almost a year ago. It struck a women's health clinic in Colorado last fall. It struck an LGBTQIA nightclub in Florida this week. Even a single innocent victim, no matter their race, gender, religion or sexual orientation, is one too many. Gun violence kills more than 90 Americans and injures hundreds more each day. It means the world to an entire family -- nay, an entire community -- if that number is even reduced by one. If you do pray, pray out loud. But also, please continue to demand our lawmakers act to keep guns out of dangerous hands. On Monday, a majority of U.S. Senators voted in lock step with the NRA against closing loopholes that allow dangerous people -- including suspected terrorists - to buy guns in this country. And now it's time to hold those Senators accountable at the ballot box by replacing them with elected officials who will stand with the American people. We need leaders, not gun lobby lapdogs. We, as a people united, must ally ourselves against this gun violence epidemic. It's the only way forward. Yesterday Bloomberg published an article about a meeting of multiple cities in Amsterdam last month "to forge an alliance in response to Airbnb and Uber." This headline misses the mark; it is both misleading and glosses over what actually happened. I should know: I was at the meeting. The Global Sharing Cities Roundtable was conceived by the City of Amsterdam several months ago, as an opportunity for cities who are leading efforts to understand and promote the sharing economy worldwide. Participant cities ranged from Seoul, whose Sharing City initiative dates back to 2012 and includes everything from a city-owned space sharing platform to investment of public funds in more than 50 sharing economy initiatives, to Copenhagen, whose sharing economy strategy is linked to its goals for sustainability and the circular economy. Of course, Amsterdam played a leading role -- as Europe's first self-declared sharing city, home to numerous sharing economy enterprises and a fresh approach to policy reform. Airbnb and Uber were discussed at the roundtable. But to be clear: the roundtable was not "about" them. The purpose of the roundtable was for cities to meet each other -- the overwhelming majority of them had never been in contact before -- and to engage in blue-sky thinking about the sharing economy's potential. Advertisement True, Amsterdam's innovative approach to policy reform for homesharing and short-term rentals was one topic discussed, due to popular demand by other cities. But it was only one topic. Dozens of other topics were also part of the agenda. Ridesharing and ridehailing were another popular topic, though ironically Uber itself barely came up. Rather, more time was spent on brainstorming how the sharing economy can link with waste reduction initiatives, serve to rethink delivery of public services, engage youth and elderly, and potentially help tackle a wide range of other social problems for cities worldwide. The Bloomberg article misses the mark in failing to detail -- or even acknowledge -- this much broader agenda. I was honored to be invited as the only non-city employee. (For full disclosure, I have advised several of the cities in attendance.) Bloomberg reached out to interview me but did not follow through in doing so. Meanwhile, it appears none of the people quoted in the interview were at the meeting. With all due respect, this falls short of what I would expect from one of the world's most esteemed publications. The sharing economy is about much, much more than Airbnb or Uber. We should know that. It is extremely frustrating to see the media focus disproportionately on what is but one piece of a much larger pie. It is increasingly easy to single out one or two companies, but by doing so, we are missing the forest for the trees -- and missing a much bigger opportunity. As fear and terror increasingly grip American society, the Supreme Court marches in lock-step with overzealous police tactics. Ensuring safety almost always means giving up liberty and privacy. The Court has invented so many technical rules to insulate unlawful police tactics from judicial scrutiny that police violations seem to be the rule, and sanctions the exception. It wasn't always that way. The Court early on believed that by excluding misbegotten evidence from a trial the police would be deterred from violating the Constitution The Court pays this rule lip-service, but no longer nourishes it. Indeed, the Court's decisions increasingly encourage police to violate the Fourth Amendment with impunity without facing any consequences, either personally, or with respect to the evidence seized. Consider this week's decision in Utah v. Strieff in which a majority of the Court upheld an officer's deliberate violation of the defendant's constitutional guarantee against unreasonable police seizures. The officer arbitrarily detained Strieff without any legal basis. Then, after determining that Strieff had an outstanding traffic warrant, arrested him, searched him, and found drugs. The unlawful detention really didn't matter, according to Justice ClarenceThomas, because the existence of the traffic warrant somehow cleansed the officer's illegality, or in the Court's constitutional vernacular, attenuated the violation. In the Supreme Court's world of Fourth Amendment hocus pocus, there's usually a technical way to get around almost any constitutional violation. For example, motorists are generally at the mercy of police. Police have the power to stop virtually every motorist for no individualized reason any time, any place. Roadblocks, security zones, and safety check-points are ubiquitous. The motorist is then subject to intensive questioning and sometimes searches. Moreover, the existence of hundreds of potential traffic infractions allows police to detain and even arrest motorists often for the most dubious traffic violation; police don't have to issue summonses if they don't want to. When a motorist is stopped, police use an assortment of techniques to search the motorist, his car and his belongings -- trained canine sniffers, consent searches, inventory searches and searches pursuant to the arrest for the innocuous traffic violation. This unparalleled police power has consistently been upheld by the Supreme Court, and consistently augmented. Advertisement People using public transportation also are at the mercy of police. Passengers can be questioned, and their belongings searched. If passengers don't want to answer questions or subject themselves or their bags to a search, they can be escorted off the carrier. Searches following a passenger's consent are commonplace, and if there is a dispute over whether the passenger actually consented, courts almost always defer to the officer's version. And the canines are frequently available, and quick to identify contraband. To be sure, post-Orlando society will notice a dramatic upsurge in interrogations, searches, and detentions. But the threat of terrorism, and the increased feeling of personal vulnerability, offers law enforcement increased opportunities for aggressive invasions of privacy, and increased justification for judicial toleration of these tactics, if not approval. Forcible street encounters between police and civilians, typically without individualized suspicion, as illustrated by the Strieff case, have been denounced as an insidious example of police overreaching, without any official accountability. Once again, the Court's formulations of special doctrines to insulate police misconduct and protect the evidence is breathtaking. The list is very long: legal limits on the ability of an aggrieved citizen to sue; good faith exceptions; consent searches; inventory searches; emergency and exigency exceptions; and attenuation, as invoked in Strieff to save the unlawfully-acquired evidence. Advertisement This column was originally published by Truthdig.com A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed, (Second Amendment to the Constitution of the United States). If you're looking for someone to blame for the continuing partisan paralysis on gun control after the Orlando bloodbath, I have a candidate for your consideration. And no, it's not congressional Republicans, or the National Rifle Association, although their fingerprints are all over the country's inaction in the face of our unyielding epidemic of gun violence. My nominee is the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia. Scalia, who died in his sleep in February while, ironically, on a hunting trip in Texas, gets my nod as the author of the 5-4 majority opinion in the landmark 2008 decision, District of Columbia v. Heller, which held for the first time that the Second Amendment protects an individual right to bear arms. Advertisement Now, of course, I'm not saying that Scalia was in any way directly responsible for the murderous rampage of the Orlando shooter, Omar Mateen, or the perpetrators of the other mass shootings that have ravaged American communities over the past three decades, or even for the lunacy of the gun-waving, Constitution-thumping Cliven Bundy clan and other proponents of the "sovereign citizen" movement. But on an array of issues ranging from gay rights to gun rights, Scalia brought an incendiary temperament to the bench, and the rhetorical style of a fuming political activist that inspired an almost worshipful devotion from his admirers and discouraged civility, reasoned discourse and, ultimately, respect for law. Beginning with his appointment to the high court in 1986, Scalia was the intellectual leader of what I and many other legal commentators have termed a conservative "judicial counterrevolution," aimed at wresting control of the nation's most powerful legal body from the legacy of the liberal jurists who rose to power in the 1950s and '60s under the leadership of then-Chief Justice Earl Warren. Scalia was also a key architect of the jurisprudential theory of original intent -- the idea that judges should interpret the Constitution according to the intent of the framers and the purported "original public meaning" of the terminology used in the Constitution. Advertisement Heller was his crowning glory. In it, he delved selectively into the archives of colonial history and the early years of the republic to conclude that the framers of the Second Amendment actually intended to protect purely personal gun ownership rights. In doing so, he broke with the great weight of prior scholarship and court opinions, including the Supreme Court's 1939 decision in United States v. Miller, which had held the amendment protected private gun ownership only in connection with service in long-since antiquated state militia. Although Heller was technically limited to gun ownership in the nation's capital and other federal venues, the court extended its individual-rights analysis to the states two years later in the case of McDonald v. Chicago, a 5-4 ruling authored by Justice Samuel Alito, with Scalia concurring--and doubtless lending a guiding hand. Together, the decisions elevated gun ownership in America to the status of a basic national right, alongside free speech, the privilege against self-incrimination, equal protection, due process and other constitutional bulwarks. In fairness to Scalia, his Heller opinion did not foreclose new gun-control legislation or directly threaten most measures already on the books. In fact, he wrote that the Second Amendment, like all other constitutional rights, is subject to "reasonable regulation." But when you hear Republican politicians like Sens. John McCain, Tom Cotton, Marco Rubio and Mitch McConnell, or the National Rifle Association's loud-mouthed executive vice president, Wayne LaPierre, explain why they oppose even the most modest of new federal reforms, they inevitably invoke an ideology of Second Amendment fundamentalism animated by Scalia and Heller. Like its religious counterpart, gun-rights fundamentalism views society through a simplistic filter, populated, in LaPierre's nauseating catchphrase, by "good guys" and "bad guys." The armed citizenry is mythologized and lionized. Government regulation--especially at the federal level--is met with suspicion, paranoia, fear and, whenever possible, rejection. Advertisement To be sure, there are important economic factors that also undergird the largely Republican opposition to gun control. The NRA's campaign contributions, lobbying and ad budget are enormous, and its determination to defeat hostile candidates at the polls is legendary. But it is the fundamentalist ideology that gives the gun-rights camp respectable public cover in the face of one mass shooting after another, and which, thanks to Scalia, endows it with the imprimatur of constitutional law. It would be one thing if Scalia had gotten the historical analysis of the Second Amendment correct in Heller. But the tragic fact is that he got it so thoroughly wrong. As former Justice John Paul Stevens noted in his lengthy dissenting opinion in Heller, Scalia's exegesis not only rendered the opening "militia clause" of the Second Amendment meaningless, but he also distorted and underplayed the importance of the actual debates conducted during the founding era on the amendment's purpose and meaning. Those debates, Stevens forcefully argued, focused not on personal gun ownership but on the state militia, which the founders viewed as an antidote to a burdensome and potentially oppressive permanent standing federal army. The militia was seen as the best means for "providing for the security of a free State" against popular insurrections like Shay's rebellion, the anti-tax uprising of Massachusetts farmers of 1786-87 that exposed the weaknesses of the fledgling national government as constructed under the Articles of Confederation. In the end, the Second Amendment was worded as a federalist compromise, with the states retaining their right to organize militia and other provisions of the Constitution (for example, Article II, Section 2), clarifying that ultimate control over the militia would vest in the executive branch of the federal government. Personal gun ownership rights were left, as they had been during the colonial period, to the police powers of local government. Following Heller, Scalia's scholarship was widely panned by respected historians such as Jack Rakove of Stanford University for its "faulty rethinking of the Second Amendment" and Saul Cornell of Fordham University for being "a constitutional scam" and "an intellectual shell game in which contemporary political preferences are shuffled around and made to appear part of the Constitution's original meaning." That Scalia got it so wrong matters not just to students of constitutional law, but also to everyday people who want to prevent the next Mateen or Dylan Roof from getting their hands on easily acquired firearms. Although Maine Sen. Susan Collins, a Republican, has introduced a still-pending bill that would prevent those on the government's "no-fly" list from buying guns, no new federal gun-control legislation has been passed by both houses of Congress since Heller. And since McDonald, the Supreme Court has refused to hear another Second Amendment case, in which Heller's analysis might be reversed or narrowed. Instead, we have a patchwork system in which some states, such as Connecticut, California and New York, have adopted tough restrictions on semi-automatic weapons and the issuance of concealed- and open-carry gun permits, while many others, including Texas and Florida, make it possible to obtain AR-15s in less than 10 minutes. Advertisement There has been a resurgence of discussion about gun violence prevention in the wake of the mass shooting in Orlando. For those who may be less familiar with some of the gun terms used, and the legal principles at the heart of the discussion, here is a summary of ten basic and important facts: 1. An "automatic" weapon is one in which a single trigger pull can release more than one shot (think "machine gun"). Contrary to popular belief, automatic weapons are not illegal in the United States but they are heavily regulated and, accordingly, their use is generally confined to police and military. Advertisement 2. A "semi-automatic" weapon is one in which a single trigger pull releases a single shot; however, the weapon then automatically ejects the cartridge and reloads a new one. 3. Semi-automatic weapons utilize a "magazine," which is an ammunition storage and feeding device. The capacity of a gun "magazine" is the amount of ammunition or rounds that can be fired before stopping and reloading the gun. Some magazines hold just a few rounds while some can hold up to 100 rounds. There is no single definition of a "high-capacity magazine" but some legislation has defined it as a magazine that holds more than 10 rounds. Both handguns and rifles can have high-capacity magazines. 4. The term "assault weapon" does not have a standard meaning. However, it generally refers to an automatic weapon or a semi-automatic weapon with a large capacity magazine. Note that an assault weapon can be a pistol or handgun, as well as a rifle. 5. On September 13, 1994, Congress passed, and President Clinton signed, an "assault weapons ban," which applied to certain semi-automatic weapons and high-capacity magazines. However, the ban only applied to weapons manufactured after the date of the law's enactment, and it expired on September 13, 2004, in accordance with its sunset provision. Multiple efforts to renew the ban have failed. Advertisement 6. Gun safety laws vary substantially state by state. For example, New York, Massachusetts, California, and New Jersey have among the strictest gun laws. In contrast, certain states, including Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, Puerto Rico, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming, do not even require a permit for adults (generally 21 and older) to carry a concealed firearm or openly carry (provided the person is not otherwise prohibited from owning a firearm). Sometimes those latter jurisdictions are referred to as "Constitutional Carry" jurisdictions in that they take the view that the right to carry weapons is inherent in the Constitution and, accordingly, should not be conferred by government via a permit. 7. During the 2011 shooting in Tucson, Arizona, involving Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, the gunman was overpowered and stopped when he had to pause firing in order to change the 31 round, high-capacity magazine on his Glock pistol. In 2012, the Aurora, Colorado shooter used a 100-round magazine, but it jammed before all of those rounds could be discharged. High-capacity magazines were also used in the Sandy Hook and Orlando attacks. 8. The Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution reads: "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." The Second Amendment was adopted in 1791. At the time of the adoption of the Second Amendment, there were no automatic or semi-automatic weapons, or high-capacity magazines. 9. District of Columbia v. Heller (2008) is a landmark United States Supreme Court case that concerned regulation of handguns (the Heller opinion did not address the issue of high-capacity magazines). In a 5-4 decision, with the majority opinion written by Justice Antonin Scalia, the Court held that the Second Amendment protects an individual right to possess and carry firearms. The Heller majority found that the language of the first clause of the Second Amendment, "[a] well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State," merely sets forth a purpose and does not limit the later or "operative" language of the amendment, "the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed." 10. However, the Heller opinion expressly states that the right to keep and bear arms, like most constitutional rights, is not unlimited. The Second Amendment, said the Heller majority, is "not a right to keep and carry any weapon whatsoever in any manner whatsoever and for whatever purpose." The Court noted, in particular, that "dangerous and unusual" weapons would properly be subject to regulation but it did not define, and has not defined, which weapons might be included in that category. Specifically, the Court has not yet commented on the regulation of semi-automatic weapons or high-capacity magazines. At some point, in the near future, the Supreme Court will likely consider how ownership, use, and regulation of semi-automatic weapons and high-capacity magazines square with the Second Amendment. By Thomas Kennedy Paola Calvo had to choose between taking care of her 10-month old child and going hungry. She went hungry. She and her partner were giddy with excitement about the birth of their first child Sebastian, but they hadn't anticipated he'd be born with a cleft palate, a condition in which the roof of the mouth contains an opening into the nose. This disorder can result in feeding problems, speech problems, hearing problems, and frequent ear infections, and left the couple unable to enroll him in a regular childcare center because he required special medical attention. The lack of affordable options left Paola unable to work until Sebastian could have corrective surgery at 10 months old. That meant she and her partner had to burn through their savings in order to make ends meet. She went to bed hungry more than once, worried about how that could hurt her nursing child. These are the choices that working families face in their daily lives. Costs continue to rise and parents are devoting more time to work in order to make ends meet. It is no surprise then that couples are waiting longer to have children. They don't always want to, but it is a choice they have to make because of the financial constraints involved in raising a family in modern America. Advertisement Here's an idea for much needed relief for families: Affordable childcare. The annual cost of putting two kids in a full-time childcare center, a necessity for lots of working class families, is more than the annual cost of rent in most states and infant care costs more than a year of public college in 31 states. I am an immigrant in this country trying to make ends meet. I was undocumented, but am now working to be a citizen in my adopted home where I want to lay roots. At 25, I am at an age where many people start to think about these things, and it is discouraging to me to see hardworking friends struggle to start a family. The system should encourage and protect those who want to do the right thing for families. It wasn't always this tough for families in the United States. In the 1940s, we had a universal childcare program under the Lanham Act, which cost parents the equivalent of $9 to $10 dollars a day in today's dollars. The purpose of this act was to provide incentives for women to join the workforce during World War II, and it remains a more affordable childcare program than any available today. In the 1970s, the country saw a resurgence of interest in the issue of childcare and a universal childcare system was nearly pushed through Congress. Unfortunately, President Nixon vetoed the bill before it could be enacted into law. Advertisement Now we find ourselves in 2016 and with greater urgency than ever before. We need a comprehensive childcare system that takes working class families into account. The United States is increasingly falling behind the developed world on this issue. The lack of childcare does not only affect families, it also hurts employers. It costs businesses around $3 billion dollars annually when parents who are forced to interrupt their work schedules because of unexpected issues related to childcare. Julio Calderon and his girlfriend found themselves having to make the difficult choice between work and caring for their child. Julio is an undocumented Immigrant from Honduras who lives in Miami, Florida. He and his partner have been struggling to find affordable childcare for their six-month old baby. The least expensive option they found costs $350 dollars a week, exceeding their rent. Julio has been forced to put his university education on hold so he can work two jobs to make ends meet. They rely on family and babysitters. He wishes they had a more stable -- and affordable -- option. They both need to work to pay their bills, but too often find themselves having to choose between them who stays home with the baby. We live in one of the wealthiest, most developed nations in the world, yet we have a system that has left the core of our society, our families, behind. Families should never have to choose between paying for child care and paying for enough food to put on the table. Advertisement Funding an affordable childcare system is not only a smart fiscal decision, but also a moral responsibility for a country that regularly cites family values as the core of its identity. Families like Paola's and Julio's have to fight twice as hard to help their families thrive. Paola found full-time work as a communications manager with the Florida Immigrant Coalition, an immigrant rights group. Now her partner is home taking care of their son. "For a country with supposed high family values, the support my family needed in our time of need was simply just not there," Paola says. We can't afford to leave any more families behind. My personal commitment as a human being is for everyone to have the same rights. I mean we all started as an egg and a sperm, we all started right there. It just becomes convoluted. My personal opinion is that many people, most people, I wouldn't say all but they find ways to elevate themselves by downing other people and if people would just stop in some way, I mean it starts in the home. I think we need to let people know that everyone is equal. I don't care, we can label everything we want; we can have new labels for this and new labels for that; we can do all that stuff but we're all the same and it's just shocking to me that people haven't gotten that yet and you know we're heading for 2020 and people just don't get it or they do get it but they don't care because the only way they can elevate themselves is finding a way to down somebody else. I'm just going to find a way and I hope in my way, I mean politically I'm an actress and I don't know how much in politics people care what I say, but it doesn't matter because we don't live in politics. We live in real life and I'm going to do all I can from my end to get people to see that everyone is the same. Continued from >>>> Entry 11 I sit on the bed next to him smoothing his hair back and telling him I am his Nonnie and I love him. Sumeet changes him, gives him a bottle and he comes into the living room where he sits in her lap and I give him the floppy dog I brought from home and an ABC picture book. He gives me a stern look. And I imagine he is wondering, "Who is this person and what part does she play in the revolving door of my very short life" I have brought money to Sumeet and her family that was owed her and some extra as a thank you. I hold both her hands and tell her how grateful I am for taking care of Christian. Tarn translates and I am told, "Sumeet and her family love Christian. They want only the best for him and they hope you will be able to bring him home with you." This means the world to me. I know he has been cared for lovingly by this wonderful family. Tarn, Ant, Sumeet's husband, their 2 daughters and the driver who brought them to Bangkok, and I all go out to a wonderful lunch Tarn has arranged close to the hotel in Bangkok. Sumeet stays behind to watch over Christian. She does not know that after today she will never see him again. Advertisement Tarn has also arranged for A to meet us in Bangkok. Tarn has gotten a hotel for her. The plan is that Tarn and I will be bringing Christian to Tarns house for a few days leading up to his first birthday party. A will take him Christian back to Surin City after our visit. It is now time to leave and Sumeets husband brings Christian downstairs to us. I hold him on my lap and Christian is terrified to be taken from the man he thinks of as his dad. He shrieks for the next 40 minutes. Tarn, Ant and I are crying right along with him. We arrive at Tarns house and Julie is there waiting for us. Julie is Tarns housekeeper, now nannie. She is from Burma and speaks not one word of English. Christian sees her and calms down instantly. He likes Julie, Tarn says. We spend the day at Tarns taking Christian in Tarns pool, playing with him while Julie prepares his dinner. Fresh minced chicken, organic vegetables and brown rice pulverized into baby food. He will eat like this every day he is here. Nothing is store bought. Everything is cooked fresh. Julie sleeps on the couch next to Christian while I am upstairs in the guest room. Tarn must tend to business so I think I will have Christian to myself. Not so. Julie doesn't let me have 2 seconds with the baby. She runs a mean interference. I am so frustrated. Tarn calls to check on things and I plead with her to call off Julie. Julie disappears into the other room and I am afraid I have hurt her feelings, but now I have my grandbaby all to myself. Advertisement We read, we play ball, I put back all the electrical wires he delights in removing from one of the drawers he is constantly trying to climb in. I am exhausted, but so happy. I pantomime to Julie that I would like to take Christian for a walk around the neighborhood. She just stares at me. I go to collect the stroller Tarn has bought but I cannot open it. Julie just stares. Finally I am able to wrench open the stroller and put Christian in. I point to my watch and show her little hand on 2 big hand on 25. It is 2:05 and I will return in 20 minutes. She nods. Out we go and as I turn around to check the number on the front of Tarns house for our return, I see Julie peeking out from behind the post, watching after us. I wave at her. It is freakishly hot and humid yet I have not been this happy in almost a year. I sing The Wheels on the Bus over and over again making up words to the song. Christian turns back in his seat to look at me and for the first time he smiles. I cry. This will be our little ritual; our singing walks. Row Your Boat, Swinging on a Star, Twinkle Twinkle, but mostly Wheels on the Bus. Tarn has a trip planned for us. She and Ant, Christian and I are going to Hua Hin Beach about 90 minutes from Bangkok. We are staying at Novotel, a huge hotel with lots for kids to do. A whole wing at the hotel with a playroom, ball house, puzzles. I am excited. Then I find out I am to share a room with Christian and Julie. I am a very light sleeper and I know when Christian wakes for his 5AM bottle that's it for me. But this turned out to be the hour I loved most. While Julie slept, I would take Christian out on the balcony and sit with him in my lap waiting for the sun to come up. I think we bonded! We discovered Christian likes salmon! And fish in general. He has an amazing appetite. But he pulls on his ear and I worry he may have a chronic ear infection. Josh had them and we had his tonsils removed when he was 3. There is also a small rash on his chest that bothers him on occasion. He is a very serious little boy. Advertisement We spend 3 days and 2 nights at Novotel. I pay for Julies and my room. It is hard not to pay for more but Tarn is so generous that I try to pick up the tab as often as I can. She is used to going first class and as much as I admire that, I am a little out of her league. The next day we head back to Bangkok for mamas arrival. A! We have been making nicey-nicey and Tarn is worried I will screw things up. I think she is remembering my plans to have her killed! I promise I will be kind and loving. Tarn thinks that is hilarious and gives me an evil eye. Uh-oh. I am sick, feeling weak and tired and not myself. This will be my third trip to Thailand and the first time visiting Josh I was so ill in Chang Mai I could not leave my hotel room. My second trip was after Josh died and if I got sick I didn't know it, my grief was so profound. This trip I am most definitely coming down with something; sore throat, red eyes. And A gets here tonight. We are prepared for her to want to take the baby back to the hotel Tarn has reserved for her. She arrives 2 hours late and makes a big to-do over Christian. Christian seems unimpressed. I pretend she is the person I most want to see in the world. And Tarn adds to the gifts I have brought her. We go out to dinner, the 3 of us. Julie stays back with Christian. I ask if I can stay with Christian and Julie can go with Tarn and A. Tarn gives me The Look. As I write this, a protest is occurring on the floor of the House of Representatives. Democrats, led by John Lewis, Jim Clyburn, Nancy Pelosi (and many others), are staging a "sit-in" to protest Republicans' refusal to even hold a vote on any gun control legislation. Their battle cry is "No bill, no break" -- a veiled threat to keep the protest going right into the next one of those too-frequent vacation weeks Congress regularly awards itself. Whether the protest is ultimately successful or not, it shows a renewed vigor in the Democratic Party to push back against the do-nothing party in the majority. This could bode well for their chances to retake control of both chambers of Congress this fall, in fact. This protest comes the week after the ninth-longest filibuster in Senate history, launched by Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut, on exactly the same subject. Murphy forced the Senate Republicans to allow votes, and although no bill has yet passed, compromise legislation is still a possibility. This shows that on both sides of the Capitol, Democrats are willing to use extraordinary measures to spotlight the refusal of Congress to even attempt to keep guns out of the hands of suspected terrorists. It could even be called the "Occupy Congress" movement. The tide may be turning on the politics of gun control, but it's really too early to know this for sure. Gun control is still a sticky subject for Democrats, because in recent decades it has been a big loser for them at the polls. When Democrats passed the last round of significant gun control legislation in the 1990s, they promptly lost control of both the House and Senate (to be fair, there were other reasons for the so-called "Republican Revolution" as well). This gave rise among Democratic politicians (those old enough to remember this era) to a certain amount of "once bitten, twice shy" feelings. If gun control is unpopular with the voters, they figured, then why go out on a big political limb for it? Advertisement Of course, that was several dozen massacres ago. The San Bernardino and Orlando shootings seem to have changed attitudes, both among Democratic politicians and among the public at large. Hillary Clinton, to her credit, got out in front of the issue early on in her campaign and has shown some real strength in challenging the National Rifle Association's sway over the legislative process. And now congressional Democrats also seem eager to tackle the issue. It was always a glaring loophole -- Congress, immediately after 9/11, essentially rewrote large chunks of the Bill of Rights, in the sacred name of "national security." But they left a few things untouched, and the most obvious one was the Second Amendment. Terrorists wouldn't be allowed to fly on airplanes, but allowing them to buy high-powered guns was still perfectly OK. This loophole has existed now for 15 years, but this is really the first time it has become a political hot topic. That's one measure of the stranglehold the N.R.A. has had over the debate, in fact -- few politicians have even talked about this loophole until very recently. Democrats seem to have learned one big lesson about gun control proposals, and that is to be very selective about which laws to propose. As Pelosi stated in her press conference today: "85 percent to 90 percent of the American people support the background checks and the 'No Fly, No Buy' legislation." That is a pretty good political strategy -- focus first on the issues that an overwhelming majority of the public agrees with. Shine a spotlight on how reasonable the proposals are, which will in turn also draw attention to how Republicans won't even take steps most of their own constituents agree should be taken. To this end, Democrats have whittled their wish list down to just two specific issues: ending the "gun show loophole" and their new "No Fly, No Buy" attempt to deny weapons to suspected terrorists. If neither one of these passes both houses of Congress (which seems the likeliest outcome), then Democrats are signaling loud and clear that they are going to make it an enormous issue in the upcoming campaign season. Advertisement Which is why putting on a bit of political theater right now is so impressive. It's kind of hard to ignore the minority party when they have shut down both houses of Congress within the past week. The House group swears they're not going anywhere -- they're going to keep up this sit-in until they are allowed a vote on the two proposals. Pelosi pledged today: "all day we'll be there, as long as it takes, every day." The longer it goes on, the more attention it will get from both the media and the public. Since the two bills aren't likely to pass (in the current Congress, at any rate), the entire exercise is a political one anyway -- Democrats are planning to use this on the campaign trail, and the more attention they get now, the easier that case will be to make. Some might see this as setting a bad precedent for politics in general -- refusing to let the House conduct business could generate some blowback both now and in the future. But in the near-term this isn't all that likely, if the Democrats are right about the "9 out of 10 people support this" statistic. If the public truly does want these commonsense laws passed, then Democrats are likely to gain support from most of the public for their protest. In the long term, Democrats risk the same strategy being used against them (at some future date when the House is back under their control). But if that were to happen, Republicans would also have to choose their issue carefully. If they launched a protest of their own without the support of a wide majority of the public, it would likely fizzle on them or generate public backlash. The Tea Party's "let's just shut down the government" tactic didn't exactly work wonders for the party, to put it another way. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan is now in a bind. It's completely up to him what legislation gets floor votes, and his refusal to allow any gun control measures to even be voted on is going to get more and more uncomfortable if the sit-in continues (and garners significant public support). He won't want to look like he's caving in to Democratic demands, but not even allowing a vote is going to look pretty intransigent to the public (who currently has nothing but disgust for the way Congress refuses to get anything done). Ryan was supposed to be leading the news stories today (by releasing his vague, specific-free "replacement plan for Obamacare"), but his grand achievement now looks like it's going to get buried under the sit-in news. That's got to be annoying to Ryan, to put it mildly (especially after most everybody has ignored all his other grandiose white papers for the past few weeks). Democrats are not likely to see any of their proposals pass this Congress and make it to President Obama's desk. They knew this all along. Instead, they are strongly making the case to the voters to elect more Democrats so that such commonsense laws can get passed on a regular basis, instead of the continuing "Party of No" obstructionism from the Republicans. In a normal election year, this case would be made on an individual basis by Democratic candidates for the House and Senate. But such dilution means not speaking with one unified voice, to a national audience. That is precisely what the whole "Occupy Congress" movement is now doing. By standing up and saying "We've had enough!" in such a clear fashion, Democrats can much more easily make that case to the voters from now until November. And the longer the sit-in goes on, the easier that case will be to make. Political theater should always be judged on two qualities -- is it attention-grabbing, and is it effective? Some manage the first without achieving the latter. But occupying Congress may wind up being a winner on both yardsticks. Chris Weigant blogs at: The Kochs have spent over $88 million in *traceable* funding to groups attacking climate change science, policy and regulation. Of that total, $21 million went to groups that recently bought a full page New York Times advertisement defending ExxonMobil from government investigations into its systematic misrepresentation of climate science. If you're an executive at a big oil company watching as ExxonMobil is finally exposed for studying climate change, covering up the science and spreading misinformation, you're probably worried now that state attorneys general are knocking on Exxon's door. Charles and David Koch must be worried, anyway. Their foundations gave more than $21 million to the people and groups that signed a recent, full page New York Times advertisement that defends ExxonMobil's longstanding efforts to ruin the public's understanding of climate change science. Advertisement Here are the numbers: For comparison, Exxon itself spent half as much on the same people and groups, $10.1 million; money that the front groups spent on tactics like ... a $100,000-or-so full page ad buy in the New York Times! (More info at Climate Investigations Center from my former colleague, Kert Davies.) The ringleader group behind the letter, the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI), is of particular interest. Exxon dumped CEI for its unsupportable climate stance back in 2006, a crushing blow for the aggressive beltway front group that continued to humiliate CEI staff for years. But it appears that CEI is loyal to the cause of climate denial, despite being abandoned by Exxon a decade ago. Other financiers, like the Koch family and several coal and oil companies may explain why the denial campaign was sustained. Traceable funds only represent a portion of the Koch family's contributions to CEI. At CEI's annual fundraising events, Koch Industries' lobbying subsidiary has been listed as a sponsor. Full-disclosure tax filings published by PR Watch revealed that Koch Industries directly paid Americans for Prosperity, the Texas Public Policy Foundation, and other organizations. Advertisement PR Watch discovered another revelation in the full-disclosure tax documents that were leaked. Apparently, David Koch likes to cut CEI $100,000 checks straight from his own coffers. David Koch's money was not sent through his nonprofit foundation, which would have had to report the grants to CEI. This incomplete patchwork of previously-undisclosed funds from Koch Industries and David Koch adds $3,124,834 to the accounting on groups that co-signed the CEI ad. This raises the question: who else is just cutting a direct check to the climate deniers? And then there's the "Dark Money ATM" sister groups, DonorsTrust and Donors Capital Fund. The DonorsTrust franchise is run by CEI's former president, Lawson Bader, who helps donors -- including Koch -- anonymize tens of millions of dollars that go to dozens of front groups each year. DonorsTrust & Capital Fund have funneled millions of dark money dollars to CEI. But that's still not the end of the financial trail. Other mechanisms used by Charles Koch and his army of donor friends include Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce, a dark money umbrella group that has hidden hundreds of millions of dollars in politically-charged cash, shuffled between various trusts, nonprofits, and limited liability corporations. For the deep history, check out Kert Davies' post for the Climate Investigations Center, which spurred my own interest in the sponsors of the recent New York Times ad. Kert details the crucial history of some of the letter's signatories, the role they have served in the climate denial machine over the years and the exact documents that inform his understanding. Advertisement I have reproduced Kert's ExxonSecrets map (below) of the players involved, as it helps show how a small group of people funded by a few oil and coal companies can cast a shadow that is deceptively deep. The tobacco industry crafted this deceptive model, and fossil fuel companies have innovated it since. It helps that the same people doing tobacco science denial moved on to climate science denial. One of those tobacco denial alumni, lawyer Steve Milloy, himself an aggressive defender of ExxonMobil, knows that a small group of people can have an outsized impact with enough funding -- even in the face of 97-99 percent of the world's climate scientists. Milloy once said, "There's really only about 25 of us doing this. A core group of skeptics. It's a ragtag bunch, very Continental Army." This indicates that folks like Milloy aren't just deceiving the public, but themselves. If I was taking Charles Koch's money to attack science, I too would probably have to constantly remind myself of my American heroics. Mr. Koch is as awkward as ever in his half-hearted attempts to understand climate change science (you'd think a MIT alumnus would get it), he has been wary of climate laws and regulations for a long time. That's probably why he has rained cash on the organizations that stage the fight, groups that have given room for a top U.S. CEO, with a background in chemical engineering, to demonstrate such scientific ignorance. Since 1997, the Kochs have spent more than $88 million in *traceable* dollars into the network of groups that attack climate science, the scientists doing the research, the potential policy solutions and the champions of those policies. Advertisement ExxonSecrets Map of the Players At such a volatile time for inter-European relations, as the United Kingdom mulls over the upcoming referendum to remain or leave the European Union, Raphael Giannesini's refreshingly uniting 'Explorers' exhibition comes to London. Speaking of his upcoming exhibition, French-born artist Giannesini - who studied at Central Saint Martins and now lives and works in London - explains he was interested to create something out of his 'knowledge and interest of both scenes'. His unifying exhibition will feature 17 emerging artists from France and England, countries he describes as 'very influential (to the) artistic scene in Europe, with long-standing history of exchanges'. As well as collaborating the two cultures, the Explorers exhibition will also host a series of talks, workshops and readings aimed at developing exchanges between French and English artists. 'Explorers, In the pursuit of The Terra Cognita', invites artists to consider the idea of exploration in the contemporary context of a 'known land': when all territories are mapped out and accessible, what is left to explore? Described as a 'cultural and artistic challenge', the exhibition explores a multitude of mediums, including sculpture, photography, video, installation, painting and performance to challenge the boundary between the known and the unknown. Advertisement 'Seaway' by Joris Henne & Natasha Lacroix, on show at the exhibition For Raphael, the future for Explorers will involve further cultural exchanges, including artists from Berlin and Amsterdam. Today the UK votes on whether it will remain a part of the EU or go off on its merry way. The vote gives people the choice between two storied British traditions: meddling in the affairs of its continental neighbors (Remain) and annoying the French (Leave). I hope the UK chooses to remain and, for that matter, continue meddling. Much of the campaign waged by the "Leave" camp centers on the issue of migration, as one British friend told me once "this is essentially a referendum on immigration." But, it isn't about migration, it is about EU membership, of which migration plays a small role that, often, has nothing to do with what Leave campaigners are talking about. For example, Leave, has made a big fuss about the issue of migration from Turkey, which is not an EU member. When faced with this obvious truth they mentioned a possible visa-waiver program that was being negotiated between the visa-free Schengen zone and Turkey. Only problems with that argument are that England isn't part of the Schengen zone, so this doesn't apply to Turkish travelers to the UK who would still need a visa, the agreement in question isn't likely to be approved and the overt racism inherent in the argument. Advertisement Again, Leave campaigners weren't deterred. They argued that Turkish travellers could sneak into the UK from the EU. It is unclear how voting to Leave would stop that from happening though as control of travel to Britain by non-EU citizens is already within the UK government's control. The other arguments by the Leave campaign focus on taking back "control" from Brussels (the EU's capital). It's never exactly clear what they would take back "control" of... besides, of course, control over immigration. They scream and shout about how "unfair" and "undemocratic" the EU is but, ironically, UKIP, the most pro-Brexit political party, has only ever won an election when it came to voting in the EU's parliament (they only have one seat in the UK parliament). What about the economy? That's where the Leave campaign is weakest. In a good case scenario a decision to Leave the EU would undoubtedly weaken the UK's economy. Uncertainty about what comes next will defer investment and hiring decisions and when the dust settles many companies will likely "onshore" a lot of functions to the EU. The best part about this is that for the UK to retain access to the EU's common market and not weaken its economy if it leaves, it would have to guarantee the "freedom of movement" (aka immigration) that the Brexiters are so angry about... a sort of damned if you do, damned if you don't scenario. Facing unanimous expert opinion that a Brexit would hurt the British economy the Leave campaign has decided to dismiss experts and encouraged voters to not be afraid of these doomsayers... Advertisement In the extreme scenario that a Brexit vote would lead to the slow disintegration of the EU (something pro-Brexiters not-so-secretly hope for) that would be even more calamitous for the UK's economy as both the UK and its biggest trading partner would go through years of uncertainty. So... to sum up the Leave argument: Brexiting will reduce immigration from countries that have nothing to do with the EU for reasons we can't explain. We need to take back control of things that are so important to us that to articulate them would blow our mind. The EU has no democratic legitimacy except for the fact that it is composed of a number of democratically elected government and it gives us, Brexiters, our only democratic avenue for complaining about how un-democratic it is. Don't listen to experts who say Brexiting might hurt the economy because experts suck. Don't be a coward and vote for Brexit. When faced with that impenetrable wall of "coherent and logical arguments" it should come as no surprise that I am not swayed. But voting to Remain in the EU shouldn't just be about why the Leave campaign has failed to make a solid argument for exiting. On balance the EU is a force of good, for the UK, Europe and the world. True a bureaucratic, terribly-accented, often contradictory force of good but a force of good nonetheless. Look at it this way, between 1870 and 1945 Germany invaded France three times. In the 70 years since then that has happened a grand total of zero times. I like to think the EU played a small role in making sure that was the case. Advertisement Some people like to say that the EU isn't a complete success because, I don't know, not every European is born into a gilded birthing pool. But when you think about where Europe started from then the EU really is a smashing success. Imagine for a second that Africa created a new African Union and that caused it to be the most peaceful continent on Earth with the highest standards of living whose biggest concern was whether the finance minister of Burundi wears a tie and how to incorporate all the Brazilians that are suddenly flocking to its shores... well, that would be a success no? This isn't to diminish the rough decade that the EU has had. Low growth and depression era unemployment stats in Southern Europe and former industrial regions are nothing to scoff at but that doesn't justify discrediting the entire EU. In fact, instead of arguing whether the UK should stay in the EU the argument should be about how much more involved should the UK be. The UK can offer Europe a third path between German style austerity and French style "Je don't give a fuck" approach to economics and social inclusion. It can offer leadership in areas like monetary policy, innovation, law and, ironically enough, integrating lots of immigrants. It is for all these reasons that I hope the UK votes remain in today's referendum. -Tewfik Cassis Sign up for Daily Pnut, an email on world affairs that will brighten your mornings and make you sound marginally more intelligent. Stars and stripes on gun This was originally published on Sum of My Pieces. It happens after every major tragedy. An outpouring of love and grief and support on all platforms of social media: inspirational memes, profile-picture overlays, petitions, indignant status updates, political hashtags. It's all just so very...right there. Our collective rage. Our sadness and terror and wishes for things to be different. On our screens and in our feeds: over and over and over again. And each time it happens, I have to admit, it bothers me. I really struggle with it. Each time social media goes wild--about a mass shooting, a dead animal, a parent who needs eviscerating--I take a step back from all of it and try to understand what's happening. We are all so used to instant gratification now. Click a button and there it is: proof that you've said something--done something. And not only do you have the proof but all of your friends, followers, and stalkers have it as well. There, I stand with Orlando. Or Paris. Or a dead lion. Or rape victims. I wrote a meme about how I will raise my boys to respect women. I posted something with a rainbow flag. I have done something helpful. Advertisement I just can't help but wonder what any of that does, truly. Since the shooting in Orlando last week, there have been a lot of declarations about the need for gun reform. Personally I hate guns, and wouldn't mind if the 2nd Amendment (written in reference to the right to form a militia, not wield an uzi) was repealed altogether. But shaking our fists at the heavens and demanding a general ban on assault-weapons isn't productive. Let's take a minute to get the facts straight before we go diving into our online indignation. I've seen many posts about the AR-15 and how awful it is and how it needs to be banned. Great idea--except for the fact that that wasn't the gun used in Orlando. What was used was a Sig Sauer MCX, a weapon that, according to the Washington Post, is very similar to the AR-15, but not quite the same thing. These details matter. It matters that we get the facts straight before we go rushing in to demand change and vocalize who we hate and who's to blame. Here's why the details matter: because they'll matter to the NRA. Because if all those petitions that are circulating on social media work, and somehow Congress actually does its job and passes legislation that bans all "assault weapons," the NRA will say, "Ok no problem--no more assault weapons. Oh and btw, the term 'assault weapon' only applies to fully automatic weapons, so we're still all good with semi-automatic ones" (like the Sig Sauer MCX and AR-15). Or, the NRA-bought politicians might write the law--as they did in the 1994 assault weapons ban H.R. 3355--to exclude any weapon that has already been manufactured, so that while making new ones would be outlawed, buying and selling the ones that already exist would be perfectly legal. Are any of the social media petitions explicit about wanting both future and present weapons banned? Do they make it clear that the new legislation shouldn't be riddled with loopholes like the 1994 one was? What about handguns? How should they factor into things? Is anyone demanding that this new legislation apply to more than just the 18 specific semi automatic weapons that were listed in 1994? Gun manufacturers simply worked around the bill last time, and they'll do the same again if all we want to do is feel good about ourselves for a moment as we click a link and type out our names. (Check out the 1994 bill here. It's fascinating.) Advertisement My point is that there's a difference between motion and action. There's a difference between an emotional gut-reaction that will fade by next week, and a thoughtful, nuanced conversation. It doesn't seem to matter what the specific issue is--we hand down verdicts and demand justice so swiftly and automatically these days that there isn't time to allow for actual change. Because there isn't time for actual listening. I'm at a loss, and I think it's ok to admit that--I think it's ok to say that I'm not sure what The Answer is, but I do know that one, single, swift motion is rarely productive. Sometimes depraved, marginalized people do horrific things that speak to more than a single problem. But we don't like grey areas because grey areas are hard to meme. We don't like complexity because they get in the way of immediate and loud action. Each side just continues to ring the same bell over and over, each tragedy just serves as further proof of how right they were in the first place. And I understand the need to feel like you have a voice that matters and that can be heard. I understand the need to pass stories back and forth--to connect with other people who are as confused and startled and terrified as you are. I stand with you. I see you and I see your pain. Sometimes that's exactly what people need. I get that. But meanwhile, when was the last meme posted about Cecil the lion or even Harambe from the Cincinnati Zoo? How long will it take for the outrage about the Disney crocodile to subside? How long until our attention is needed urgently to eviscerate another set of parents? And what about Orlando and guns? How long until the next news cycle brings along something else to scream and yell and post about? Advertisement A few days? A week? "The U.S. and its Gulf Arab Allies share a broad vision for the Middle East," the Wall Street Journal reported recently, breaking the news that "mom and apple pie" have been discovered in the land of hummus and tabouleh. Obama and Saudi Arabia's King Salman agree the summit was "constructive and fruitful" and that they are both committed to "developing strategic relations" between our countries and regions, in service of world peace. As a growth strategist who consults with Fortune 1000 firms and the thought leader who pioneered the phenomenon of Relationship Economics, the quantifiable value of business relationships, headlines about "strategic relations" capture my attention. And as a native of Iran who came to the U.S. as a teen, news from the Gulf States still hits close to home, and it hurts. I see too clearly how business leaders, politicians, and academic forums throw around "strategic partnerships" but fail to walk their talk. They change alliances like you and I change undergarments. What is missing is transparency, candor, and substantive dialogue on relationship-centric investments. Personal and professional success--and in this case, urgently needed geopolitical success as well--depends on the diversity and quality of relationships. Yet most of us don't spend nearly enough time identifying, much less nurturing those relationships. Neither our leaders nor those in the Gulf States have made the relationship-centric investments over time that could have made this promise of "strategic partnership" a reliable indicator of future performance. Advertisement President Obama seeks a relationship in which all parties have knowledge of what the others are doing. To achieve that, he--and the others at the table--must be credible in their description of the real status of the relationship. The goal must be true co-creation of reciprocal value moving forward, not merely knowledge of each party's tactics. If any of these leaders, on either side of their intellectual as well as geographic gulf, were to seek my counsel, I would encourage them to: 1. Map who can add value to the search for stability and peace, and how to reach them. 2. Relate to each other to deepen connections around mutual best interests. 3. Nurture that relationship over time through the transparent delivery of value--no quid pro quo, no hidden agendas. 4. Sustain the relationship with proactive communications where listening is the top item on the agenda. Only then can we-- 5. Request action in such a way that it is possible for others to say yes, and 6. Capitalize on the value that has accrued in the relationship over time. I offer these six components of Relationship Economics, my proven formula for co-creation of a shared future in the Middle East. Bring on the transparency, the candor, the dialogue, through relationship-centric investments. Now THAT would truly be newsworthy. Advertisement Nour Takeaways 1. As a thought leader on the quantifiable value of business relationships with roots in Iran, I see too clearly how the recent talks between the U.S. and our Gulf Arab allies fall short of investing in truly strategic relationships. 2. President Obama and our Gulf allies must have the courage to be candid about the real status of the relationship, to co-create future reciprocal value. 3. Applying the six components of Relationship Economics could bring the transparency, candor, and dialog needed to make this geopolitical relationship stronger and more resilient. _____________________________________________________ The latest YouGov polling has the Brexit vote in a dead heat: 44 percent of British voters want the UK to leave the EU, 42 percent want the UK to stay in the EU, and 9% don't know how they will vote yet. The detailed data offers some interesting insight into the reasons behind the voting. Leave voters think about social issues, while stay voters stress economic concerns. Both sides think the other side's concerns are non-existent. We have been tracking British voters weekly on their financial expectations using the mobile platform Pollfish; our repeated repeated cross-sections reinforce and extend YouGov's findings. On issues involving the economy and foreign affairs, stay voters see negative consequences of leaving, while leave voters think there will be no impact. Of those that want to remain in the EU, 78 percent think Britain would be economically worse off, and just 4 percent think Britain would be economically better off if they leave. But, there is no symmetry: Only 45 percent of the those that want to leave think Britain would be better off economically if they leave, with 43 percent thinking it will make no difference. Similarly, 77 percent of stay voters think leaving the EU would be bad for jobs, but only 44 percent of leave voters think it would be good for jobs. Forty-seven percent of leave voters think it will make no real difference for jobs. Stay voters are worry about pensions, with 52 percent thinking it would be bad for pensions, but 64 percent of leave voters say it would make no difference. Finally, 78 percent of stay voters think Britain would have less influence in the world, but, of leave voters, only 31 percent think this will increase influence with 59 percent saying it would make no difference. Advertisement On a personal level, stay voters think they will be worse off financially, but leave voters think Brexit will have no impact. Fifty-six percent of stay voter think they will be worse off financially, but just 5 percent of leave voters think that. Sixty-six percent of leave voters think there will be no difference from the vote. On social questions, especially immigration, leave voters think leaving will make a big change, but stay voters think it will make no impact. Eighty-five percent of leave voters think there would be less immigration if Britain leaves. But, 54 percent of stay voters think it will make no difference, with 27 percent thinking less immigration, and 8 percent thinking more immigration. While the polling is nearly tied, the prediction markets now show a 75 percent likelihood of the UK staying the EU. This value has shifted a lot over the last few weeks. During the week of June 6 it was cruising at 75 percent, but by June 13 it had dipped down to 60 percent, only shooting back up in the last few days. By polling people weekly, we were able to capture some interesting dynamics as the probability of staying dipped dramatically. Above we chart the expectations for the financial success of the family (above) and Britain (below) over the next 12 months. the blue line shows the earlier week of June 6, when it seemed unlikely Brexit would pass, while the red line shows June 13, where the likelihood of Britain voting to leave increased dramatically. Advertisement The expectations of the financial success of the family is more volatile in the second week for those who want to stay in the EU, but the expectation for the country is dramatically lower. This meshes well with the YouGov data, which shows slightly negative expectations for personal finances, but overwhelming concern for the country, from stay voters, if the UK left the EU. But, the volatility is interesting to see on the family side, as well as the intensity of the concern for the country. The intensity bodes well for potential turnout on the stay-side. The expectations of the financial success of the family and country increase slightly for the leave voters. Again, this consistent with the YouGov data. It is likely the the intensity on the leave-side was lessened this week by the connection to the tragic assassination of a pro-stay lawmaker and the assassin's ties to far-right groups. But, the most interesting thing is that the unsure voters actually showed a much larger shift towards expected growth for the British economy, if the UK leaves the EU. There is a selection effect here. Unsure voters shrunk between the weeks, and it may be that the more pessimistic voters switched to remain in EU, which gained some vote-share in our poll. But, the remain camp should be concerned about optimism of the remainder of the unsure voters. Traditionally these groups break towards stability, but there are very few of these types of elections on which to build our models. It's 2:22 a.m. at Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, Omar Mateen, 29, has already shot over 11 innocent club goers. He is on the phone with a 911 dispatcher, about to say one word that will make this hate crime, different. One word that would remove personal responsibility for the night's massacre. One word that would send America into another state of paranoia. The word "ISIS." Mateen betrays his own country as he cowardly pledges loyalty ISIS. 50 people were murdered that night and more will be scared for life. But further now Mateen's actions has instilled fear and anxiety, especially LGBT+ people, who are now afraid to attend a gay club or their local pride parade. We can keep arguing about rather or not this attack was actually planned by ISIS. Mateen claims to have been associated with ISIS and also claimed to have connections other terrorists groups. However we should note that he was born in America, and his parents migrated from Afghanistan. Mateen was also was mentally ill, and had previous problems with law. Mateen's actions have fueled both parties's political agendas. Republicans say we should be scared of ISIS. Democrats say we should be scared of guns. Either way we can't use fear as an excuse to never leave our homes. Advertisement With or without ISIS, there is always a chance we could die tomorrow and we can't control some things, it doesn't matter how careful we are. Don't let fear prevent you from going to a club, parade, or even school. Especially this month, June, gay pride month we should bravely stand tall and stand proud to be ourselves. Just last pride we celebrated a history making event in marriage equality. Now this year we mourn senseless tragedy. We can't let one man's actions scare us into not going to pride or any gay club ever again. The more we hide ourselves, the more we feed the paranoia, the hatred and the close mindedness. #KeepingLoving #KeepKissing In a speech to the Congressional Black Caucus last September, President Obama praised Black women for their resilient dedication to advocating for progress in America. "All of us are beneficiaries of a long line of strong Black women who helped carry this country forward," he said. That long line of Black women, which includes many of the founders of the National Congress of Black Women like the late Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm, former U.S. Secretary of Labor Alexis Herman, and the late Dr. Dorothy I. Height, have made tremendous strides and sacrifices to better America and empower Black women. Advertisement As president of the National Congress of Black Women, I hope to do the same: better America and empower Black women. It is my job to drive awareness on the most pressing issues we face, which include domestic violence, immigration reform, childhood obesity and equal access to education. Atop that list are the challenges posed by carbon pollution and climate change. It's an environmental, economical, and public health crisis - and it's only getting worse. The costs to our community are real: 68% of Black Americans live within 30 miles of a polluting coal-fired plant. Without escape from the constant cloud of toxic pollution, Black Americans make on average 350 percent more emergency room visits than white Americans. "I won't stand by as the lives and families of Black women across this country are endangered by climate change." The harm to our children is especially alarming. With so many Black families living so close to polluting power plants, Black American children are two to three times more likely to be hospitalized and die from asthma. When children miss days of school, their mothers, sisters, aunts and grandmothers - many who are the sole economic providers for their families - miss hours or even days of work. Affording the inhaler or the visit to the pediatrician is hard enough. Missing shifts only makes it worse. Advertisement The terrible impacts of carbon pollution and climate change are real, and we can't ignore them. We can lock arms with the long line of strong Black women and demand action now! That's why the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)'s Clean Power Plan is so important. The plan, which was finalized by President Obama in August 2015, sets the first federal limits on carbon pollution from power plants and encourages the development of safer, cleaner renewable energy. It's the single biggest action the U.S. has ever taken to cut carbon pollution and combat climate change. The life-saving rules will yield great health and climate-related benefits - up to $54 billion annually by 2030. In addition to cutting carbon pollution by nearly a third by 2030 the rules will lead to 90,000 fewer asthma attacks and prevent 300,000 missed work and school days. Most importantly, the Clean Power Plan will help avoid up to 3,600 premature deaths. The Clean Power Plan needs our support. In February, the Supreme Court temporarily paused implementation of the clean air standards. Corporate polluters and their political allies in state capitals have sued to stop the rules. By doing so, they're attempting to block critical public health and economic benefits -- putting profits ahead of our well-being. To those who value the health of all American families, especially Black American families, we're not alone. In April of this year, a broad coalition of businesses, faith groups, elected officials, professional medical and environmental and health organizations filed "friend of the court" briefs in support of the Clean Power Plan. They defended the strong legal foundation of the rules and touted the immense economic and public health benefits the Clean Power Plan provides from coast to coast. Advertisement Join that broad coalition supporting the President's Clean Power Plan. Write your elected officials saying you support the Clean Power Plan and demand they do as well. I am confident that if we work together, we can keep millions of women and children out of harm's way. The global fashion tribe has now moved on to the next (Milan) fashion week, and the record-breaking numbers for this season's Pitti Uomo have just been communicated by email. Yet, here I am, in the midst of sorting out all the trends, the trendsetters and the great inspiration, left to wonder about what the loaded "F" word means to me. I think fashion to any woman, man or child means much more than simply clothing. It's enough to watch how the wildly colorful Rabaris of Kutch in India distinguish themselves through their cloth from say, their neighbors, the cattle farming Maldharis and their exquisitely block printed fabrics. Clothing is about identity and if we fail to recognize that, perhaps we are avoiding being completely true to our own heritage. Personally, this wondrous world of how we look -- and most importantly how we feel in an outfit -- manages to draw me back in, again and again. Perhaps it's because clothes can make us experience strong emotions. I know opening my closet brings me joy every time and wearing a favorite outfit can change my mood from deep in the doldrums to proud happiness. Beyond our personal relationships with what we wear, the fashion world is also a place of discovery and theatrical productions that combine cinema, photography, art, music, taste and scent. When those extra bright lights tun on and the music increases to dizzying volumes, we chosen few fortunate enough to experience a fashion show live know that the time has come for discovery. And sometimes, it turns into a magnificent, once-in-a-lifetime discovery. Advertisement Which brings me to Raf Simons. Raf Simons and a model backstage in Florence, photo by Vanni Bassetti I knew going into this edition of Pitti Uomo -- its 90th in 45 years of this fashion fair bringing the best of menswear from and to all around the world -- that the Raf Simons presentation titled "Raf Simons: Florence Calling" and scheduled at the very end of the week, would be one worth waiting for. What I didn't know was that it would be life changing. I've admired Simons' clean, architectural lines for Jil Sander and I adored his reinventions of archival Christian Dior classic silhouettes for the Maison, during the three and a half short years he was there. There was one suit from his time at Dior -- a restructured version of the iconic bar jacket and slim pant ensemble in black -- that has stayed in my mind and which I'll never forget. While there is plenty of unforgettable clothing in my dreams, this particular suit doesn't even sit in the same category as the rest. It's the kind of outfit that if I ever won a prize, or went to the event of the century, I would want to wear. But I digress a bit, since we are talking Raf Simons now, not Raf Simons then, even if one cannot be separated from the other it seems. In his latest incarnation, head of his own brand and designer whose label bears his name, Simons filled the old train station in Florence, the Stazione Leopolda, with life-size mannequins wearing his past creations. That was dreamy enough and honestly, I could have spent a whole day, and night wondering around this living archive of his work. Nothing Simons has ever made is dated and that's his ultimate genius. Advertisement Raf Simons Florence Calling presentation, photo by Giovanni Giannini Even when he finds inspiration in the 90s genius of Robert Mapplethorpe, his creations leave one breathless. Even if his cuts are classic and clean -- his trademark I dare say -- his looks are awe-inspiring. Am I gushing? You betcha, and I'll add that I don't think I have never seen such beauty up-close. Even his models paid tribute to a hero of my generation, a man who fought all his life with the art establishment to be recognized as the true artist he was. A photographer who chronicled the end of the 20th century with mastery, class and personal courage. If that doesn't give you goosebumps... It definitely gave me some. I imagined if only Mapplethorpe could have seen this living, loving tribute to his work and his style! Which now takes me to another icon, and another designer who paid tribute to a hero -- Gosha Rubchinskiy with his Pier Paolo Pasolini homage. At first, I'll admit I didn't understand completely where Rubchinskiy was going with this. I mean, here he is a young, energetic Russian designer with his finger on the pulse of what the Instagram generation wants, paying homage to a man, an Italian legend who could only have existed in his time, during the 60s and 70s. And yet perhaps through Rubchinskiy's eyes, I finally saw the modernity of Pasolini and how inspiring he can be to the next generation, as a style icon but also as a revolutionary thinker, someone unafraid of stepping outside the norm, cut through the bureaucracy and help us find our footprint on the other side of political correctness -- which we can all agree is seriously hurting our human survival. Gosha Rubchinskiy's Spring/Summer 2017 collection, photo by Giovanni Giannini With his Fila t-shirts, those oversized striped sweatshirts on slim teenage models, his boxy version of a blazer in bright red and impossible silver (I could have sworn it was corduroy) and then the show all coming together in the figure of the model pictured above, a young Pasolini look-alike, Rubchinskiy captured the spirt of a style legend who never actually realized that he could add fashion muse to his extensive resume. I yearned to watch once again Mamma Roma and Accattone as I left Rubchinskiy's show, after a tasty meal inside the old tobacco factory, and a screening of Renata Litvinova's haunting short film. And then, there was a whiff of Lagerfeld... Well, for most, the private walk-through with Karl Lagerfeld inside the Pitti Palace, as we had imagined languidly watching his fashion photographs mingle and play with the century-old portraits by Rafael while Lagerfeld explained his inspiration, never materialized. He was there, then he was gone, stopping only long enough for a quick visit and the honorary awarding of the "Fiorino d'oro" by Florence Mayor Dario Nardella. Advertisement But thanks to a not-so-mild case of feeling uncomfortable being stuck in large, pushy crowds, three of us took a side staircase down to the courtyard and ended up right in front of the style legend himself. Up-close he's everything you think he would be, and more, and while he allows his vision to come through his fashion, his photographs and his design, Lagerfeld himself is a walking inspiration. Peeking out of his impeccable, elegant suit, were fingerless silver leather gloves, and his hair, tied in his signature ponytail, had an extra bounce to complement the art around him. Ultimately, his appearance, that brief moment in his presence, full of silence and stillness, defined this edition of Pitti Uomo for me, and I realized once again that Florence, fashion and these magical moments in time define the meaning of "belonging". Because in the midst of this global fashion tribe, each of us can find our place and all it takes is a piece of clothing, something that defines our personal style. Nothing more, nothing less. Alongside my college counseling work, I've written six novels and taught creative writing to college students and adults for decades. You don't need to write a novel to get into college, but you do need to adopt some of the essentials of writing creatively to make your application essays sing. Since most of the supplements are not yet on line, I'll focus on the Common Application essay for now. Do's 1. Get personal. Find a topic that makes your heart beat a little faster than usual - a topic with some energy and even tension in it: A piece of your personal story that's essential to who you are and not reflected in your activities list, a talent, a hardship, a moment you took a risk and spoke out to defend a position, or a problem you solved, even if it was putting together a trampoline in your backyard. These are personal essays, not academic paper or speeches. 2. Before you start writing, do some free writing on your topic. Scribble down what comes to you without thinking about organization, voice or structure. This is a great way to find your voice and your material. Put your notes aside for a day or two, and when you come back to them, see which passages stand out. Advertisement Time - and time away from what you're writing - is a great editor. Every writer I know has the experience that we write something we think is terrific and look at it in the morning and want to cry. The writing that holds up a week later is the good stuff. 3. Speaking of time: Don't save this essay or any of the others for the last minute. Think of the essay as a work-in-progress, and set aside time to do it over a period of weeks. 4. Write informally and write long. Don't stick to the 650-word limit as you begin. Again, you're looking for material, energy, what matters. Once you have that down, you can edit out everything that isn't essential. 5. College admissions officers often report that they want to be entertained and engaged by your essay. I'd say it's more important to go for "engaged" than "entertained," but the message is clear. The first sentence needs to be a grabber. You may end up writing the first terrific sentence once you're done with the third draft. It doesn't need to be acrobatic or pyrotechnic, and it doesn't need to be one for the ages ("Call me Ishmael" - opening of Moby Dick), but a little pizazz goes a long way, at the beginning and throughout. Advertisement 6. This is essential for every writer I know: Read. Read. Read. Writing is a discipline, and the more you read good writing, the better your own writing will become. Start with a few pieces from The New York Times every day. Notice clarity, detail, and precision, whether it's a news story or an opinion piece about a lost father. I strongly suggest students read The New Yorker magazine. The writing is superlative, sophisticated, and often funny in interesting ways, and the subjects are as vast as those in The Times. Don'ts 1. Don't write about sex, drugs, or other vices. Don't write about books that hundreds of millions of others have read: Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, or Twilight. If you mention a book in your essay, avoid To Kill a Mockingbird or The Great Gatsby, standard fare for high school students. 2. If you have a strong academic record, I'd suggest not choosing Prompt Two - "Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure" - unless your failure has an unusual angle. Perhaps you failed to make a souffle that rose, which led to all kinds of insights, or failed to revive a wounded animal, leading to your interest in becoming a vet. Though I don't generally proscribe topics, I'd say to avoid "I didn't get into X Club or Y orchestra or Z team, and the lesson I learned is to try harder next time." An important lesson, yes, but not uniquely yours. 3. If your topic is built around an experience you had at a college or university, avoid naming the school if possible, as it will suggest to admissions officers that you are interested in that institution, which may diminish your chances at other schools. 4. Don't feel you need to write about a major accomplishment to produce a good essay. Parents often say to me, "My son hasn't found a cure for cancer, so I'm sure he can't get into an Ivy League university." Your academic record - grades, scores, recommendations, etc. - will convey your potential for performing well in college. Advertisement The essay is a personal chat about a subject that thrills you or that you feel is essential to conveying who you are. This past spring, a young woman who wrote about a lifetime of shopping at Costco made news. The headlines - "This Essay Got a High-school Senior into Five Ivies and Stanford" - made it sound as though the essay itself did all the work. No, the entirety of her academic record got her in, and the essay was one piece of it. The five Ivies and Stanford have their own rigorous essays that were part of her applications, which never makes it into these news stories. The newsworthy essay was quirky, colorful, and unusual - and it solidified the rest of her impressive record. 5. Don't assume that a good essay - even a really good essay - will compensate for a poor record at a highly competitive college or university. Admissions officers insist that high school grades are the best predictor of success in college. But admission to the very top colleges and universities now depends on a strong overall record along with an essay that confirms the record. A strong essay can really help a student with a mixed record at school that's outside the highly competitive zone. 6. The essays matter, but making good choices about where to apply is just as important. I sometimes work with students whose list consists of ten reach schools and one safety. My favorite resource, written from the student's eye view, is The Best 380 Colleges, published every summer by Princeton Review. It's got a wealth of useful statistics and relevant descriptions. Do remember that this is a process that will come to an end. Have some fun along the way. In the aftermath of the June 12, 2016 Orlando mass shooting and public outcry about self-identified terrorists obtaining assault-style weapons, we caught up with David Yassky, who served as chief counsel to US House Subcommittee on Crime when Congress passed the Brady Law (1993) and the Assault Weapons Ban ( 1994). Enacted under the Clinton Administration, the Assault Weapons Ban (AWB) expired in 2004 under Bush due to lack of Congressional action to renew it. Yassky has a 20-plus-year perspective on the issue: Assault Weapons Ban Again? There seems to be a lot of argumentation over what an assault weapon is. In 1994 the law used a technical definition, characterizing specific features of the guns. But not to get lost in the weeds, the key idea was that the legislation should cover guns with the capacity to spray fire, guns designed to enable rapid-fire release of many bullets. In the horrible mass killing in Orlando last week, it is no coincidence that the gun of choice was the AR15, which makes it easy, however awful it is to say this, to kill 50 people. Is the word "ban" accurate? No. When the Federal Assault Weapon Ban was enacted in 1994, any existing privately owned firearm was allowed to be kept and transferred. It was a ban on manufacture and sale of new assault weapons to civilians. Advertisement Aren't assault weapons on the same spectrum as machine guns, which were outlawed in the 1934 National Federal Firearms Act? We've effectively kept machine guns out of private hands since the 1930s. More serious weaponry like bazookas and hand grenades are not legal to possess outside the military. Regulation of assault weapons to curtail their ownership outside of military and law enforcement usage would be the logical next policy step for public safety. What would happen with the many assault weapons currently in circulation? In the original 1994 bill, owners were allowed to keep their assault weapons. In retrospect, I would prefer to have treated existing assault weapons the way machine guns are treated now: you'd have to go and get a license for the weapon you own. Companies would not be able to make or sell new ones, and the ones that are out there would have to be registered with law enforcement. The number of bullets in an assault weapon -- the magazine size -- could also be reduced to reduce lethality. All of this is not practical given today's Congress. "Terror Gap" What about the "No Fly, No Buy" regulation to close the so-called "Terror Gap"? It's common sense: if someone is not allowed to fly because they're on the federal No Fly list, they shouldn't be allowed to buy assault weapons either. Private and non-store sales should be subject to background checks too, so that potential terrorists cannot buy guns online or at gun shows. These initiatives--what Connecticut's Senator Chris Murphy is trying to do right now--would help close the so-called "terror gap." What else would you like to see happen? I'd like to see the closing of loopholes in the Brady Bill. Brady prohibits people from buying guns if they are a felon, or have a history of domestic violence or very serious mental illness. But these background checks are performed only for sales at licensed gun stores - not for sales at gun shows or over the internet. These loopholes are an open invitation for gun traffickers to evade the Brady background checks, and they now account for a pretty big percentage of gun sales. I'd also like to see a renewal of the assault weapons ban. The tragedies at Orlando, San Bernardino, Newtown, and all of the others show how much we need that. Advertisement Regulating Firearms Like Cars You draw the analogy between regulating cars and firearms? Yes, the analogy I like is cars. If you want to buy a gun you should have to get a license like a drivers license, pass a written test, be examined by a qualified instructor who can determine if you have the basic competence to operate it safely, get insurance, and tell the government that this is the model and make -- like the car, the gun-- that you own. The car regulatory system doesn't stop people from buying and owning cars and enjoying their cars -- nor would it stop most people from owning and using guns for their full enjoyment. We gradually figured out that first seat belts and now auto braking technology make driving safer. As with cars, we could be making guns as safe as possible. In the context of commonsense regulation of firearms like cars, a new assault weapons ban would be one place to start. Who Benefits? Gun Deaths, Mass Shootings, Politics Who benefits from having assault weapons so easily available to the general public in America today? Honestly? With guns, Republican politicians have an issue on which they can easily appeal to a swath of voters. Some Democrats, too. Sure, the firearms industry benefits. But gun manufacturers aren't a vast sector. It's not like Pepsi arguing against soda tax or Exxon against a gas tax. That's not what stops reasonable gun regulation. Rather, it's the ideology of a small but nontrivial percentage of the population that believes really fervently in unregulated gun ownership. Politicians willing to appeal to this sector can easily claim a big chunk of votes by endorsing this ideology. Advertisement That said, gun company money has had an impact in funding the NRA itself. So you're saying that gun regulation could be advanced if citizens just started contacting their elected officials? Yes! But you have to be specific. Specify that you want them to prohibit people on the No Fly list from buying a gun. Specify that you want them to vote for legislation so that when someone wants to buy a gun from a gun show, he or she is background-checked for severe mental illness and felony history. You have to be specific to the content. Politicians are pretty responsive. If they get just a hundred calls one way or another, they start to pay attention. When you boil it down, the lack of regulation of firearms is due to public passivity, and not the NRA? It's lack of intensity. People who support gun regulation aren't as intense as those who oppose it. Tom Foley (former Speaker of the House), at the time I worked for Chuck Schumer, used to say, "What makes the NRA so powerful is not the money." He'd say, "It's that they can send a postcard to people in your district to say, 'those liberals are trying to take your guns away, go to the phone and dial 202-225-3121, and ask for Congressman so-and-so, and tell him to stop trying to take my guns away.' And they'd get up and go to the phone and make that call." What has happened at the federal level in terms of gun regulation since the 1994 Assault Weapons Ban? Not much. In 1993 and 1994 when Congress passed the Brady Law and AWB, they didn't address steps like national licensing and registration. These broader initiatives would have allowed law enforcement to track guns alleged to have been stolen, strike down black market sales of guns, and foster implementation of new technologies like smart gun technology. The AWB expired after ten years, in 2004. In my view, both Brady and AWB were relatively small steps. In fact, not only haven't we moved forward, but we've actually gone backward. The AWB expired after 10 years, and the rise of gun shows has created a giant loophole in (the protections originally afforded by) the Brady bill. Advertisement Where does it go from here, in light of preventing more mass shootings? There's a new sense of urgency about reasonable restrictions on firearm access. We've seen a shocking number of mass killings -- along with less dramatic but equally tragic "everyday" firearm killings and suicides -- without sufficient public pressure to move Congress. Now the issue of domestic terrorism has changed the debate. In a nutshell, given so much NRA flack, what is the reason to have new regulation on assault weapons? We have two big goals in firearms safety. We want to keep guns out of hands of dangerous people, criminals, or people who are unstable and might use them in a moment of instability. And, we want military style weaponry to be unavailable to private citizens. Are you hopeful that the so-called "terror gap" will be closed, background checks expanded, and a assault weapon regulation passed? I'm optimistic. The famous King quote -- "the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice" -- I believe that is true even beyond civil rights. Sooner or later, common sense is going to win. I don't know how long it will take, or what will be the turning point. But to me, it is so plain: We accept all this regulation with cars and people can still buy, own and use cars, don't feel hampered, and are much safer. There's just no reason not to do that with guns. That logic has to break through at some point. As most of us are still trying to process the senseless, horrific tragedy that recently occurred in Orlando, politicians, segments of the media, clergy and good ol' regular common folk wasted no time weighing in on the psychological wreckage, the carnage and the searing level of emotional destruction that has resulted from this most unfortunate event. By now, anyone who has a pulse is aware that, on June 13, Omar Mateen went to a gay dance club on Latin night, initially had a drink at the bar and later opened fire, killing 49 people and wounding scores more. The atrocity ignited ample amounts of racist and homophobic commentary from both predictable and unusual quarters. Presumptive Republican Party nominee Donald Trump, ever the pitiful opportunist, declared to his right wing base and non-supporters for that matter that he was right on target when it came to his perception of radical Islam terrorism. He shamelessly suggested that President Obama harbored a sympathetic attitude toward terrorists and furthered his call for an absolute ban on Muslim immigration without providing any concrete specifics on how such bans would have prevented the killer, who was an American citizen, from carrying out his sinister plan. This is typical Trump behavior--loud, bloviating, accusatory, self-righteous speech that is virtually absent of any substance. Advertisement The fact is that Trump was hardly alone in his racist and xenophobic rhetoric. He was joined in company by Roger Jimenez, a Baptist minister who heads a church in Sacramento. Jimenez unleashed a vicious, disgraceful homophobic tiradehttp://www.cbsnews.com/news/sacramento-baptist-pastor-roger-jiminez-post-orlando-anti-gay-preaching/ arguing that it was "great" that 49 pedophiles were killed. Not content with espousing such odious remarks, he further commented that, "If we lived in a righteous government, they should round them all up against a wall, and blow their brains out." Wow! Advocating for the brutal murders of men and women who happen to harbor a sexual orientation that you disagree with? Appalling! There has been recent speculation that Mateen may have, in fact, been either gay or bisexual himself. Moreover, some psychologists have made the argument that he was likely consumed by his own self-hatred and denial. To be sure, there are a number, perhaps many, of religious people of varied faiths who oppose gay marriage or a gay lifestyle for personal reasons. More than likely these people tend to be over 55 years old. Yet, it is highly unlikely that they would equate gay men and lesbian women with pedophilia or encouraging the sanctioning of gays and lesbians to violent and sadistic forms of murder. Indeed, recent polling has demonstrated that the majority of Americans, especially those under 50 (this includes large numbers of Generation X'ers like myself and millennials), including a sizable number of conservative Christian millennialshttp://www.pewforum.org/2016/05/12/changing-attitudes-on-gay-marriage/ ,support gay marriage. The cold, hard truth is that, while Jimenez may view himself as a man of God, the fact is that his incendiary, odious, callous rhetoric is far from Christian in its message. As far as I am concerned, such rhetoric is reprehensible and morally indefensible. Jimenez represents the antithesis of genuine Christianity. Trump and Jimenez are two peas in a pod. They both are saying the same thing. They only differ in the weapons they have decided to employ for their carnage. Advertisement Trump and Jimenez aside, they are hardly alone in their disgraceful behavior. Some people do not hesitate to make pathetic excuses for people like Omar Mateen and others of his sadistic ilk for engaging in human atrocities, rationalizing the dispositions of such mentally unhinged madmen as they use the cause of ideological differences as the primary reason for such behavior. By doing so, they are helping to normalize hate, violence, intolerance and deviancy. This in and of itself is sad. On the brighter side of things, there were hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of people (including politicians) who responded to this incomprehensible tragedy by donating blood at blood banks, reaching out and comforting family victims, providing monetary contributions and denouncing the hate-filled rhetoric. This is reassuring. These are the men and women who epitomize the real Judeo-Christian spirit. They represent genuine humanity. God bless them. Unity the Focus of Holy and Great Council Opening Session; Patriarch Irinej of Serbia Calls All Orthodox Churches to Participate The Holy and Great Council of the Orthodox Church has commenced in Crete. Ten of the fourteen Church Primates concelebrated the Divine Liturgy yesterday for the Sunday of Pentecost. The following morning, Monday of the Holy Spirit, a Divine Liturgy -- presided over by Patriarch Theophilos of Jerusalem -- was celebrated in a monastery beside the Orthodox Academy of Crete where the Council has been convened. Advertisement The Divine Liturgy will be celebrated each morning during the Council, concluding with a second Synodal Divine Liturgy for the Sunday of All Saints (June 26th). This sacramental, Eucharist unity is the most important part of Orthodox worship and the glue that binds the fourteen Orthodox autocephalous (self-headed, or administered) churches into the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church whose Founder and Head is Christ. It was the issue of unity that every participating Primate focused on in their own way during the opening session of the Holy and Great Council. As chair, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew first addressed the Council and allotted much of his time to the issue of unity, highlighting three areas specifically: unity in the sacraments, the faith, and the canonical structure of the Church. Advertisement He also addressed critics of the Council, condemning those who characterized it as a "Robber" council before it had even began. The Orthodox faith, Bartholomew said, is protected by the synodal system, which defines the boundaries between the Church and heresy. The Ecumenical Patriarch delivered his opening statement with resolute joy and cautioned that all Orthodox sister churches need to be vigilant that differences do not lead to divisions. Patriarch Theodore of Alexandria followed Bartholomew as the second in order of honour and delivered a passionate plea beseeching his brother hierarchs to undertake the sacred work of the Council with a deep sense of obligation. Each Primate addressed delegates with humility and an Orthodox ecclesiastical phronema (mindset); a standout speech, however, marked by blunt and candid commentary, was delivered by Archbishop Chrysostomos of Cyprus. He confronted "inter-Orthodox one-upmanship due to ethnophyletism," argued that the state -- and state interests -- cannot be allowed to influence ecclesiastical affairs, and denounced the actions of some who have made the Orthodoxy seem "ridiculous." Advertisement The Archbishop said that a main purpose of the Council is to create a framework for Church unity and in doing so "put forth the spiritual treasures of Orthodoxy" for the world to see. Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece, echoing Bartholomew's sentiments on synodality, said that the expression of different opinions is suitable with conciliarity but that individual opinions should be rejected. Archbishop Anastasios of Albania, taking the issue a bit further, addressed, in his opening remarks, those "little drops of poison" from some who wish to derail the work of the Holy and Great Council. He was one of a number of Primates who asserted that the Council in Crete is not a "copy and paste" of the Seven Ecumenical Councils, nor is it a "facsimile" of the councils in the West (e.g., Vatican II). The Archbishop also criticized the need of unanimity, a system which was "unknown as a principle previously" and which has led to a number of recent trials, including the participation, or lack thereof, of the four absent churches (Antioch, Russia, Bulgaria, Georgia) and called for majority rule. Finally, Anastasios remarked that the "Heresy of our time is egocentrism," a sentiment shared - both directly and indirectly -- by a number of Primates. Advertisement On the issue of unity, the youngest Primate, Archbishop Rastislav of Czech Lands and Slovakia, in his succinct yet insightful address, closed it by declaring that despite differences, including linguistic, "We are one Church." Each Primate, without exception, thanked and praised the Ecumenical Patriarch for his patience and perseverance in working towards and realizing the Holy and Great Council. Bartholomew remarked that pan-Orthodox unity has been his guiding star since being enthroned nearly 25 years ago, even confessing to the Council that his early efforts to call a Synaxis of Primates was resisted by some of his own bishops. Imparted with a sense of brotherly love and unity by the concelebrated Divine Liturgies, the opening session of the Holy and Great Council has cultivated a constructive and positive environment; a number of participating hierarchs confirmed this to me privately following the session. Of course, the hard work, deliberations, and decisions are still to come but the foundation has been set by the Primates that Orthodox unity and the need to address contemporary challenges is of utmost importance. Moreover, this Council may not be the last -- there was talk of gathering together every five or ten years depending on circumstances. Advertisement While much of the media attention has focused on the participatory withdrawal of some churches, especially Russia, the opening session showed that the Orthodox Church, as the entire body of faithful, is greater than anything earthly. Jesus and the Roman Empire have plenty of things in common. Without the Roman Empire there would have been neither Jesus nor Christianity. Both Jesus and the Roman Empire arrived at about the same time. The impoverished Jewish boy, Jesus, grew up in an Israel that was an obscure province of the Roman Empire. Some scholars say Jesus was not a historical person. Jewish preachers concocted the entire Biblical and New Testament tradition and Jesus from extremely ancient Egyptian myths. But a vociferous Christian theological tribe argues Jesus was real. He grew up in Nazareth of Galilee. He went for baptism to John the Baptist. He then returned to Galilee where he started his preaching career. Advertisement If Jesus existed, he must have been saying and doing controversial things. He was a magician performing miracles. He also spoke like a prophet, issuing warnings on the coming of the end of the world. He won men disciples and made enemies. Those enemies convinced the Romans to crucify him. The death of Jesus was the beginning of Christ: the anointed one, the son of the Jewish god who rose from the dead. These exaggerations rose sharply decades after Jesus' death. The mythologized Jesus moved from a miracle worker to the superhero of Christianity. The Evangelist Mark and Luke made that possible. Mark lived in late first century of our era. Luke lived in early second century. This was an era when Greek thought mattered. The Roman Empire had absorbed not merely political Greece but its civilization. Homer was the hallmark of that civilization. Homer defined the identity of the Greeks. Greek children and children of non-Greeks drank from the lips of Homer. They learned Greek and mastered the myths of gods and heroes. Homer provided a rich vocabulary, an even richer catalogue of allusions of human and divine behavior, and, for a strategist like Alexander the Great, a manual of warfare. Advertisement Writers who wanted to be read always had the Iliad and Odyssey in mind. Mimesis of Homer -- not plagiarism but deep understanding of his style and stories -- was key to their success. Mark and Luke put that truth to work for the uplifting of Jesus in their Gospels, giving him all the assets of the Greek superheroes and even gods. Their Jesus walked on water like the Greek gods. In fact, this mythologized Jesus was more powerful than the Greek gods who never claimed they created the cosmos. Jesus did. Mark and Luke mythologized Jesus not because they loved Homer or the Greeks. On the contrary, like all aspiring Christians, they despised the Greek "idolaters" and loathed the Greek gods. But Mark and Luke put their biases away and constructed attractive texts that, to their contemporaries, sounded like stories out of the Iliad and the Odyssey. Mark and Luke also took advantage of the Romans' mimesis of Homer, especially the Aeneid of Vergil. The Aeneid was a poem about Aenias, son of the Greek goddess Aphrodite and the Trojan Anchises. After Troy fell to the Greeks, Aenias led the surviving Trojans to Italy for a new beginning. Vergil shaped his epic poem on the model of Homer. Imitations from the Odyssey appear in the first six books, and mimesis of the Iliad dominates the remaining six books of the Aeneid. The first Roman Emperor Augustus loved the Aeneid. Virgil became the national poet of the Romans. So Mark and Luke read the best Greek and Roman literature for boosting their fictional creation: Jesus. Advertisement We are fortunate that Dennis R. MacDonald, expert on New Testament and Christian origins, has spent thirty years of his life documenting Greek influence on the Gospels. He summarized his erudition and passion for Homer in "Mythologizing Jesus: From Jewish Teacher to Epic Hero" (Rowman and Littlefield, 2015). This book is a rare treat. It breams with knowledge of Homer, the Gospels, and early Christian writings. MacDonald says Greek-speaking Christian writers down to the ninth century noticed the similarities between Jesus and the Greek gods and heroes. But he focuses on the architects of those similarities, Mark and Luke. He often gives summaries of revealing statements in the Iliad and Odyssey, putting then next to similar statements in the gospels. The Christian imitation of the Greek original is startling. MacDonald says the Evangelists "injected" Jesus "with narrative steroids to let him compete with the mythological heroes of Greeks and Romans." The experience of reading MacDonald is uplifting. First, even when Rome was the master of the world, Homer and the Greeks were unrivalled in the influence they exercised among the educated class. Even the early Christians, who made the destruction of Greek culture the center of their agenda, read and imitated Homer. Second, McDonald's book demythologizes Jesus. He says most of the stories about Jesus are fictions, "they never happened." So he urges twenty-first century Christians to read the fictional Gospels with "critical honesty and historical humility." "People don't walk on water, multiply bag lunches to feed thousands... or vanish into clouds after their deaths," he writes. Advertisement MacDonald's heart is with the stories of Homer, how they decorated a new religion with notions of greatness, and largely unknown to the Christians, how they gave all the power and assets of the Greek heroes to their own superhero, Jesus. MacDonald ends his book with a telling story. For a week he read his young son stories from Homer and stories from the Gospels, always comparing them. He then asked his son "which myths he liked better, the Greek or the Christian. His response was immediate and unequivocal: 'The Greek, of course.' Although I was teaching at a Christian seminary, I had to agree with him." Head of French far-right party Front National (FN) Marine Le Pen delivers a speech marking the launch of the 'Collectif des usagers de la Sante' (Collective for Health services' users' in Paris on May 17, 2016. / AFP / PHILIPPE LOPEZ (Photo credit should read PHILIPPE LOPEZ/AFP/Getty Images) PARIS -- Even though she has maintained a low profile in the media over the past few months, National Front leader Marine Le Pen has kept a watchful eye on the upcoming British referendum, which may result in the country's departure from the European Union. The far-right leader has refrained from campaigning, but she has often made clear her intentions to follow in London's footsteps and build a case for France to leave the EU. She reiterated this vision on French TV channel TF1 on Tuesday night. Asked by Gilles Bouleau on the potential Brexit, Le Pen said: "Whatever the outcome [of the referendum], it still proves that the EU is failing, that it's showing cracks everywhere." Advertisement According to Le Pen, France is suffering in the EU, which she has described as a "totalitarian" institution. She told Bouleau on Tuesday that she believes that a similar referendum should be held in France. "It's been 11 years since the French were last asked [about the EU], and the last time they voted, their voices were betrayed by the Socialist Party and the Union for a Popular Movement," she said. The National Front is convinced that the Brexit vote is proof of its longstanding argument that the European Union, in its present form, is doomed to disintegrate. "I support Brexit with all my strength and all my heart, as a free French woman," she said last April. It is no secret that the UK's potential departure from the EU would be of less impact than a French exit. But the National Front is convinced that the Brexit vote is proof of its longstanding argument that the European Union, in its present form, is doomed to disintegrate. Advertisement For starters, Brexit proves that it is possible to reverse the course of European integration. For Marine Le Pen, the British debate is a "strong sign" of the "will of the people." She believes that the public's will has the power to dismantle the EU -- which is regarded by the far-right as an anti-democratic regime built at the expense of sovereign nations. "Either we sit here waiting for the flood, the explosion, or we gather around a table and build a Europe of Nations to replace the totalitarian EU as we know it today," Le Pen pleaded Tuesday night on TF1. Le Pen also appreciates the Brexit referendum because of what it represents: British Prime Minister David Cameron backing Brussels into a corner. Marine Le Pen plans to make this approach her own -- and she believes that it will spread across the continent. "Every EU member should be able to have its say in a referendum," she told TF1. "If I am elected president of the republic, I will commit myself, alongside the French, to organize, within six months, a referendum on the exit from the European Union," Le Pen has said. She hopes to negotiate a Euro exit with Brussels under the threat of outright withdrawal from all European institutions. From Vienna, where she met with her European allies last week, Marine Le Pen denounced the "discourse of fear" used by European Parliament President Martin Schulz and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, who both support keeping the UK in the EU. "What they fear is that the UK will recover its freedom, the freedom to trade with whomever they (the British) want," she said."We want all the people of Europe to have these freedoms." Advertisement That's one way for Marine Le Pen to reassure the French, who are increasingly hostile towards the European Union but who remain concerned about the economic consequences of a Frexit. + + + 'The Jungle' is the infamous nickname given to the transient refugee settlement in Calais, France. This makeshift slum-labyrinth is one of the biggest migrant camps in Europe and has been 'home' to an estimated 6,000 people from all over the Middle East and Northern Africa who have fled their war-torn countries and hope to make it to the UK and apply for asylum there. Although French authorities began the demolition of the camp back in March, an estimated 4,946 refugees are still living there. Bored and fed up with the consumer culture that's come to surround the holiday season, I decided to spend last Christmas giving in a different way and went to volunteer in The Jungle with an organization called Help Refugees UK. I went to Calais because I wanted to understand the situation with my own eyes. I went to listen and to learn. In the face of so many unwilling politicians and impotent systems I had to do something - even if that was as simple as showing up. Making eye contact. Looking these people in their eyes and reminding them that they're not invisible or forgotten. That they're not alone in their struggle. That their lives matter. All lives matter. Advertisement The atrocious conditions were heartbreaking to bear witness to. Below is a photo essay that I hope will better share what I experienced than my words could. But what I'm most interested in sharing with others are the refugees' experiences in their own words. I made this short film to bear witness to the struggles, hopes, opinions and dreams of four different migrants I became close with in the camp. In order to protect their identities from ISIS and other extremist groups in their countries, they asked that I only film their eyes. These voices offer a different perspective from what we see on mainstream media that I hope will help to challenge the ignorance, prejudice and racism surrounding the global refugee crisis. Most people will never get the chance to sit and talk with someone in these circumstances and be humbled by just how relatable their wants and needs in life are. I hope to help humanize this community of refugees by sharing these profoundly articulate and heartfelt voices. It's pretty easy to live with the idea that its impossible for one person to make a difference, especially in a crisis of such magnitude. But I left Calais reminded that collectively, our individual choices, voices, and actions really CAN and DO make a difference. One by one. The only reason thousands of people are not starving and freezing to death only two hours from both Paris and London is because of ordinary people who won't stand by and let others suffer. I hope my lens might persuade you to reconsider who a refugee is, what their situation is, and how you as an individual really CAN help. It's not out of your reach. xx,Gillian PHOTOS FROM THE JUNGLE You understand why The Jungle got its nickname as soon as you step foot in the camp. It's not a place for human life. Advertisement A pop-up third world shantytown less than two hours from two of the wealthiest European capitals, Paris and London. Tucked right off the side of a busy highway, these muddy grounds were once the local garbage dump. Most people are living in flimsy, uninsulated tents or makeshift shanties completely inadequate for winter conditions. The camp is loosely divided among ethnic lines. The Sudanese, Eritreans, Syrians, Afghanis, Pakistanis, Kurds, Iraqis and Iranians all have their own sections of the camp. This is one of the many refugee run restaurants in the camp. Everyone kept asking us for plastic tarps to cover their tents or structures with to try and keep out the torrential winter rains. The Pink Caravan is where a volunteer from Help Refugees sleeps every night in order to give people who arrive to the camp in the middle of a night a tent and some blankets. Advertisement Some children are lucky enough to still have their parents, while others were forced to make the perilous journey across Europe alone. There are an estimated 514 children living in the camp, 294 of whom are unaccompanied minors. The average age of the minors in camp is 14 years old. The youngest unaccompanied child is 8 years old. People patiently queue in distribution lines sometimes for an entire day desperately waiting for warm clothing, shoes, blankets, sleeping bags, and other such handouts. This is the literal divide between worlds. The entrance to The Jungle begins on the right, and the millions of dollars the British government spent on fencing to keep migrants from making it onto the roads (where they try and hide in the backs of trucks heading to England) begins on the left. A Sudanese man cooks a meal. These flip flops were his only pair of shoes in the dead of winter until we gave him a new pair of winter boots. This is one of 7 water points in the whole camp. There are a few showers but you have to pay to use them and often the wait can take up to 6 hours so most people have to use freezing cold water when they want to bathe and have no privacy. Advertisement A man from Afghanistan cooks a meal. One of the most pressing needs in The Jungle is food. There is one volunteer-run kitchen and a few refugee-run restaurants for those who have money, but the majority of the people there go hungry every single day. A woman saying prayer inside the Eritrean and Ethiopian Othordox church. These women had just arrived from Eritrea in the middle of the night before and only had these clothes on their back. It was in the middle of winter and because of the distribution scheduling, warm jackets weren't goign to be available for another few days. While the distribution system is essential to keeping the camp in some form of order, I found that one of the best things I was able to do as a volunteer with a car was to talk to individuals, find out their exact needs, and then run back to the warehouse to get them so that in situations like this people didn't have to go cold unnecessarily. The winds in this part of northern France are extremely cold and so strong that they can rip holes right through tarp. Besides stocking around 200 books, the Jungle Book Library also supports a school that offers classes to those in the camp. Shadi, a 5 year old girl from Iraq, shows us her home where she and her family of six all sleep. Achmed, a 24 year old refugee from Sudan, shows us his book collection inside his tent. He said he writes little reminders and notes on his walls to help keep his spirit up. A Pakistani man sitting in the entrance of his shelter As the camp grows it has also developed a variety of businesses. This is one of many small shops inside The Jungle selling cigarettes, headphones, batteries, drinks and some small things to eat. Advertisement Some restaurants in The Jungle like this Afghani one provide a place to sleep for newcomers or those who find themselves without a tent or shelter for the night. A volunteer from Children Of Calais helping insulate one of the new pop-up schools they're building for the refugee children. An Iranian father cooks dinner for his family. Kurdish men sit around a wood-burning stove heating up stones that they then carry in their pockets to keep warm. A man lights a damp pile of wood to keep warm. Having a single burner propane stove is considered a huge luxury in the camp. A group of Kurdish friends invite us in for tea and cigarettes. An England flag hangs inside a Sudanese man's trailer. Racist threats and violent attacks by both local police as well as fascist and far-right extremist groups is a regular part of reality faced by the migrants in The Jungle. After his friend was tear-gassed by a neo-nazi group the night before, this 22 year old Pakistani named Amin was going around trying to raise money to help his friend make his way back to his home. Despite the war-zones these people are running away from, some still decide to embark on another perilous journey all the way back to where they started because of the scarce hope of making it to the UK on top of the horrible living conditions in The Jungle. for more information on how to get involved please check out HELP REFUGEES UK Diana Divecha I felt for the preschooler in the park whose mother issued a steady stream of instructions: "Go down the slide, put your shoes on, be careful, stay out of the dirt." When he eyed me and my dog with curiosity, I responded. "Would you like to throw the ball for my dog? She'd love it!" I said. He picked up the ball and gave it a few squeezes, but his mother had more instructions: "Don't squeeze the ball, throw it. Throw it over there. Throw it hard." There wasn't much breathing room for the child to explore the ball, his throwing ability, the dog, or just a friendly interpersonal exchange. However well-intentioned, this "playtime" seemed more about the parent. Advertisement In her fourth book, The Awakened Family: A Revolution in Parenting, Shefali Tsabary argues that parenting should be focused more on developing parents' maturity--and less on children themselves. Children come into the world naturally "awake," or aware of who they truly are, claims Tsabary. The problems that show up in children--anxiety, behavior problems, resistance--are not of their doing, but are really manifestations of problems with parents who are not sufficiently enlightened, awake, or conscious, according to Tsabary. She may have a point: If the mother of that preschooler continues to be so controlling, I can well imagine a future for them of conflict and resistance. Despite the word "revolution" in the title, the message of Awakened Family is not new--but it does bear repeating. For at least a hundred years, clinicians, scholars, and even poets have called for a shift in the focus of parenting away from the children and onto the parents. The Swiss psychologist Alice Miller wrote extensively about the ways that parents who were physically or psychologically harmed as children unconsciously pass on their wounds. Scholars validated the intergenerational transmission of trauma, linking child abuse to later adult violence. Family therapists found that many of children's behavior problems go away when parents alone receive counseling. And last month, at the annual meeting of the Association for Psychological Science, developmental scientist Alison Gopnik urged parents to nurture but not shape their children, and to back down from the pervasive supervision, control, and directiveness of today's intense parenting. Advertisement Tsabary is not even talking about abuse or trauma. She has a more refined lens focusing particularly on parents' desires to control their children, especially in the service of achievement, which can stoke parents' egos but doesn't necessarily support children's emotional and mental needs. When children bend in response to their parents' egos, Tsabary says, they become anxious and depressed. The key to conscious parenting is to become aware of the ego--the false construction of the self, who we believe and think we are, much of which is rooted in fear. Though Awakened Family contains some serious flaws, Tsabary's message is one that many parents need to hear. Loving parents, harmful beliefs The first half of Awakened Family unpacks the most common harmful beliefs that cloud parents' ability to see their children clearly: that parents assume themselves to be perfect, that parenting is not about the adult but about the child, that control is a kind of caring, or that preparing for the future is more important than the present moment. Parents project their own needs, dreams, and expectations onto children, yet they are also afraid of being rejected by their children. All of these parental beliefs and fears contaminate children's ability to keep their spirits intact, to grow their authentic voices. Parenting, Tsabary says, is about managing parents' dynamics--the children are okay. Tsabary's guidance is based on her clinical and personal experience and influenced by yoga philosophy and mindfulness traditions. When parents are "aware," she says, their family naturally thrives. "Empowered with self-awareness, boundless in self-belief, liberated in self-expression, each feels free to explore, discover, and manifest their authentic being. This is the mandate of the awakened family." Tsabary holds a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Columbia University but her advice is not based on research or developmental science. While that doesn't preclude it from being good advice, there are some direct conflicts that may contribute to inaccurate ideas about how children develop. Advertisement For example, Tsabary says that babies are born in a state of perfection and "awakeness," when cognitive research shows that babies have predispositions and biases--for better or worse--and the way the predispositions manifest depends a lot on the care they encounter. And in her enthusiasm, Tsabary implies that parenting involves only a focus on growing one's own maturity, to the exclusion of taking into account children's developmental processes, unique temperamental differences, or the "co-constructive" nature of development that is the product of the unique interaction among multiple layers of influences, from economy and culture to genes. And she out-Rousseaus Rousseau in her romantic vision of children: In an awakened family, "[children] will naturally develop a self-discipline." This is, in a word, unlikely. Tsabary's language assumes a familiarity with Eastern-leaning philosophies: Phrases like "grounded in your own center," "awakening in the present moment," "deepest self," and "usher our children into their own self-realization" are used liberally but not defined. Unfortunately, she also contradicts herself: When explaining how parents can resolve their fears, projections, and ego-based control, she first advises that "We don't have to go way back into our childhood to excavate the roots of our fear," but instead can watch it in the present moment--surely a relief to many parents. Yet only a few pages later, Tsabary cautions that "The only way we can ultimately free our children from our dependency is if we have freed ourselves from our parents." In a chapter titled "How the Culture Sets Up Parents to Fail," there is no actual mention of cultural dynamics. And she does not answer questions a novice parent might raise, in reaction to her philosophy, such as, "What is the line between supporting a child's authentic self and coddling them? What about teaching children actual skills?" Transformative tools Despite these editorial flaws, the message of the book is vitally important and may contribute to advancing the human rights of children. Tsabary makes some bold and much-needed points: Traditional parenting, she says, has sanctioned the "unbridled use of parental power." Punishments, time-outs, threats, shaming, and silencing aren't effective but are hallmarks of "lazy and rote parenting." "I am dead set against children being ostracized to naughty corners, stools, or steps," Tsabary writes. Just because a parent gets triggered, it doesn't mean that a child is wrong, and it doesn't confer the legitimacy of an adult to "fix" a child. Most parenting books teach how to manipulate children out of feeling what they're feeling; to stop a behavior rather than to teach how to negotiate feelings in constructive ways.Tsabary encourages parents to move away from disciplinary techniques to creating healthy boundaries--something that requires an examination of the adult's psychology. Children thrive within a predictable structure, she says, but often parents' own relationship to limits is "wishy-washy." It is our ability to set good limits, structure, and expectations for our children that fosters their sense of discipline. One important tool in this transformation is mindfulness: At risk of over-promising, she says, when we are alert to the present moment, the ego and all its attachments, ideas and agendas fall away. "We witness, engage, act, let go." The second transformative tool is taking five minutes of silence, or inserting a pause between being triggered and formulating a response. This is consistent with advice coming from emotional intelligence (the "meta-moment") as well as neuroscience, which shows that when we're triggered, it takes time for the thinking part of our brain to kick back in. Taking five minutes of silence, Tsabary says, allows "space for the wisest action to enter our awareness." In the early part of the twentieth century, Kahlil Gibran wrote, "Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself...You may give them your love but not your thoughts, for they have their own thoughts." Tsabary's message may not be new, but her ability to amplify it is. She is a loquacious, telegenic force that is saturating new media and is a favorite of Oprah. Advertisement 3. Fooling evangelicals: In an interview with David Brody of the Christian Broadcasting Network, Newt Gingrich gave as a reason for committing adultery that he was working so hard and feeling such passion for this country. Newt believes that God forgave him for his excessive patriotism, and that other good Christians should also forgive him. Donald Trump said he couldn't disclose his tax returns because of audits, adding, "Maybe I get audited so much because I'm a strong Christian." Really? How much faith does that statement require? At the recent Faith and Freedom Summit, Trump showed his commitment to religious freedom: "We will respect and defend Christian Americans," but said nothing about defending people of other faiths or the non-religious. 4. Concern about national security: Gingrich might not be as enthusiastic as Trump about building walls to counter the inscription on the Statue of Liberty, "Give us your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free." Instead, Gingrich told an appreciative crowd at a South Carolina megachurch about an even more important danger than immigrants: "Removing God from the public arena is the biggest domestic threat to America today." 5. Cries of media bias: Donald Trump is known for denying statements of his that the media has on tape. Not to be outdone, here's how Newt Gingrich claimed that Democrats and the media were dishonest: "So let me say on the record, any ad which quotes what I said on Sunday is a falsehood." 6. Disgraceful political pandering: If Donald Trump slipped on a banana peel, he would probably look for ways to blame it on Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama. Trump even blamed Hillary for starting the birther movement against Obama. Newt Gingrich has a long track record of political pandering and hypocrisy, but I think the worst instance happened in 1994 in my home state of South Carolina, where Susan Smith tragically drowned her two children. Three days after the incident and just before the November election, Gingrich said that such violence somehow arose from a Democratic-controlled political system. When asked if the Republican change he was offering the country would stop killings like those in South Carolina, he replied, "Yes. In my judgment, there's no question." I agree with Newt that we need to change aspects of the society in which Susan Smith was raised. She was not raised with any dreaded liberal influence. Beverly Russell married Susan's mother after she divorced Susan's dad, and from the age of 6 her stepfather raised Susan in a strict church-going home. At age 13, Susan attempted suicide so she could be with her father in heaven. At 15, Susan told authorities that her stepfather had been sexually molesting her for over a year. Susan's mother talked her out of pursuing charges against Russell. At 18, Susan again attempted suicide. At Susan's murder trial, Russell admitted that he was still having sex with his stepdaughter as recently as two months before she killed her children. Beverly Russell, who had been campaigning for Newt Gingrich, was a Republican leader in South Carolina and county chairman of Pat Robertson's Christian Coalition, championing "family values" and "school prayer" as partisan Republican issues. Russell urged nationwide prayer during the nine days that Susan Smith had the country hunting for a nonexistent black carjacking kidnapper whom she had blamed. After finally confessing, Susan Smith said she was consoled that her two sons were happy in heaven. After the 1994 Republican takeover of the House of Representatives, what did Newt do to improve the country? He led his "pro-family" forces in dismembering the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act, which made it easier for well-connected businessmen like Beverly Russell to keep "it" within the family. Did Gingrich apologize for his political pandering and mischaracterization in the Susan Smith case? No, he was likely pleased by how his unsupported and inaccurate portrayal created the opportunity for him to become Speaker of the House. Donald Trump would have been proud of such winning tactics. Bottom line: I think I hear political wedding bells. It's hard to find a more compatible running mate for Donald Trump than Newt Gingrich. Ziggy loves to wear winter hats; in fact, he wears them year round. After ordering several different brands online, he realized nothing really fit his style. Ziggy travels to Peru often with his mother for business, and decided to see if he could hire locals in Peru to design his dream hats. After some design and thread tweaking, the hat making is in full swing. He pays the locals $10 dollars to make the hats, helping the impoverished community, and then also donates 10% of his profits to the non-profit group Community Plates. His love for hats and helping others is improving lives across the world! There's no way to ''correctly'' profile someone based off their race. Somehow we do it anyway. Donald Trump's comment on CBS' ''Face the Nation'' Sunday night addressing the profiling of Muslims as something ''that we're going to have to start thinking about as a country'' were not only racist but quite ignorant; it's already happening! It was only last Wednesday that a report by Stanford University accused the Oakland California Police Department of racial profiling people based off traffic stop data from April 2013 to April 2014. But racial profiling is not only related to crime; it carries on farther than that and that is where I take offense. Advertisement Trump also added on Sunday that while he ''hates the concept of profiling we have to start using ''common sense'' and ''use our heads.'' Since when is judging someone by the color of their skin common sense? The first memory I have of being racially profiled goes back to when I was a child shopping with my mother and older sister. I was only 13 or 14 years old, but I knew what was happening when I broke away from my sister and mother and started looking around at a store on my own and was being followed by two of the store employees. I wasn't dressed bad at all, but in a store that was moderately filled with people, the girl with darker skin (darker to that of both her mother and sister) could not stop being followed (even when I joined them again). During my first semester of college I was shouted at while walking near the school for being "Latino'' and ''not being someone that belonged there" (I went to school in Austin, TX. A city with a population of over 275,000 Hispanics). The list is endless. When will it be common sense to end this? You don't have to believe a certain ideology to see this. And while I might agree that there needs to be a stop to it, I do applaud Donald Trump for bringing attention to this -- even if it wasn't done correctly. So I invite you in joining me on Twitter to say what #racialprofilingis and voice your opinion. What are your experiences with it? What are your thoughts about it? Let's start talking! Trying to put my finger on the rise of Donald Trump has been difficult. He's not Hitler. He's not Mussolini. He's a lot like Silvio Berlusconi. But, not quite. He is something of an American original. I find two quotes come to mind when I think of Mr. Trump and his campaign. The first from Sinclair Lewis, "When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross." The other from old Karl Marx, not someone I usually cite, but, "History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce." Again, neither quite works. But both suggest. Robert Kagen, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institute writing at the Washington Post observes significantly, "What (Mr. Trump) offers is an attitude, an aura of crude strength and machismo, a boasting disrespect for the niceties of the democratic culture that he claims, and his followers believe, has produced national weakness and incompetence." Advertisement Mr. Kagen continues, His incoherent and contradictory utterances have one thing in common: They provoke and play on feelings of resentment and disdain, intermingled with bits of fear, hatred and anger. His public discourse consists of attacking or ridiculing a wide range of "others" -- Muslims, Hispanics, women, Chinese, Mexicans, Europeans, Arabs, immigrants, refugees -- whom he depicts either as threats or as objects of derision. His program, such as it is, consists chiefly of promises to get tough with foreigners and people of nonwhite complexion. He will deport them, bar them, get them to knuckle under, make them pay up or make them shut up. Mr. Trump throws a suit on it, but the threat hangs in the air. This is a message of brutalism. And, me, I feel a frisson of fear when I watch him - and the crowds he draws. Now, not everyone is quite so worried. Joshua Holland cautions us all to get a grip. Mr. Holland, a fellow at the Nation Institute writing at the Nation acknowledges Mr. Turmp's ascension "has certainly revealed a dark current in American politics" and cites the troubling list of far-right figures who have been endorsing the real estate developer and reality television star's campaign. He goes on to point out that Mr. Trump's negatives are extremely high, and blandly suggests the magnate has no real chance of winning the presidency. Mr. Holland also notes in our contemporary polarized politics anyone who captures a major party nomination is pretty much guaranteed forty percent of the national vote. That reality can be read a couple of ways. He suggests in that light it's wise not to derive too much specificity as regards to the actual person running for office. As I understand him, Mr. Holland sees Mr. Trump as a manifestation of a rear-guard reaction to the rush of history. And that he more represents a spasm of fear on the part of those caught up in our changing culture than a forward movement carrying us to totalitarianism. The wave is washing over, and soon Mr. Trump will be left high and dry. Advertisement Maybe. There's a good chance he's right. But. And. Mr. Trump is flat out selling a form of fascism, hard on fear of the other and a promise of putting it all right. What he is asking for is not actually election as president, but as strongman. And the part that makes me sick is people are buying it. Large numbers. Enough so that he has captured the nomination of one of the two parties in a two-party system. And with that as we got from Mr. Holland, he is pretty much guaranteed that forty percent of the national vote. Forty percent is a landslide loss of historic proportions. But. With a couple of bad things happening in the right moments in the run-up to the general election, maybe he can garner just enough additional votes in the right states that he, in fact, does get elected. He doesn't actually have to get the most votes, just the most votes in the right places. All this said, I find myself deeply concerned about the people who are supporting him. Whether people are supporting Mr. Trump for their own reasons while not actually believing in his platform, such as it is, hardly matters. You vote for the fascist, it doesn't matter that you figure you can control him, you're voting for the fascist. Their "motives" are overtaken by their actions. What they're doing is supporting someone running on, well, call it what you like, fascist platform isn't quite right, neo-fascist, perhaps. More fascist as farce. It's easy to see Mr. Trump as a buffoon, an orange clown. But people are supporting his run. Whether because they buy the message or for other reasons. People are supporting Mr. Trump. Lots of them. And, you know, clowns have grabbed the throne before. So, beyond getting serious quickly about supporting Secretary Clinton's campaign, what else? Me, I'm deeply concerned for the Republic. I'm worried about the people who have put him where he is today. And, I'm worried about the conditions we find ourselves in that have become the seedbed of such poisonous things. As a religious leader, I see a soul sickness. And, I am worried. We have firmly landed in the midst of that old Chinese curse. These are interesting times. Photo: Krista Campbell with Helios Lens Krista Campbell is a Northwest Arkansas based photographer and Click Photo School instructor who is always searching for new ways to create extraordinary images in ordinary locations. Being able to transform a mundane setting into an incredible scene gives her the ability to make swoon-worth images anywhere. How does Krista do it? She uses light, lenses, movement, and simple items to transform her images from mundane to magical. Krista shares all of her secrets in her popular class, Click Photo School, Ordinary Locations, Extraordinary Images in which she teaches photographers how to create magic in any area of their home, yard, or community. Here, Krista shares her top 5 techniques to create magical images. 1.Backlight and Pockets of Light: Look for buttery backlight and place your subject in a pocket of light. In the image below, this gorgeous mama-to-be and Krista were next to a popular walking trail. Krista looked for a pocket of light, where the sunlight was streaming through the trees and onto the grass and purple clover on the ground. She then placed her subject in the center of the pocket of light and had the subjecgt look lovingly at her growing baby. The result was a magical moment, created in a very ordinary location. Advertisement 2.Get a (cheap) Creative Lens: Invest in an inexpensive Helios lens. Helios lenses (typically under $70) can be found on Amazon and eBay. They are Russian made, manual focus lenses that produce amazing sunflare in both indoors and outdoors. They are so much fun to use. Just place your subject with his/her back to the sun at Golden Hour and experiment with the different types of lens flare that you can achieve. Photo: Krista Campbell with a baggie 3. Use a Baggie: Find a small ziplock bag in your pantry. Cut a small hole at the bottom of the baggie and place the baggie over your lens. By shooting through the small hole at the bottom of the baggie, you can create soft, dreamy imagery. Photos: Krista Campbell 4. Go Low: Get down low. One of the easiest ways to transform an image is to capture your subjects from a low vantage point. In both of the photographs above, Krista got down low to the ground and used a wide-angle lens to capture both my subjects and the beautiful sky. Krista exposes her images for the sky (so her subject may be a little underexposed) so that she is able to capture all of the detail in the clouds. Photo: Krista Campbell taken using a crystal 5.Sparkle with Crystals: Use an Amlong Crystal. Krista purchased an inexpensive 6 inch Amlong crystal on Amazon and loves to experiment with it. When you place the crystal up to your lens as you shoot, and turn it, the light reflects back and creates interesting flare and even a reflection. Crystals are a simple tool to use to transform your images by adding light and visual interest. Advertisement Using these techniques can take a little practice, but are also a lot of fun and can open up new ways to stretch your creativity. When getting started with these techniques, don't be afraid to take a few extra minutes to experiment once you have the "safe" shot. You may be surprised to find that a snack bag gives you the images you love the most! "If you want something badly enough you will get it. If you don't, you won't." It was eight o'clock on a Friday evening during the summer of 2014 and Anna Marie Nass had just finished the day after working over 60 hours this week -- 80 when accounting for travel time. She has seen somewhere between 30 and 50 patients in the past 12 hours... and that was a "good" day, a "slow" day. It is that mantra she holds dear to her heart on weeks like this one -- the same mantra that got her through ten years of schooling. What may seem like a lot of work is actually more, because for this Advanced Practicing Nurse, the job doesn't simply end with the patient. However many people her line of work sends her way, Anna Marie always sees what the average person doesn't in an ill person: their entire family dynamic. Advertisement Just a few hours earlier she felt obligated to educate the parents of three preteen boys on the importance of using antibiotics. Two of the three boys had come to be examined at her place of employment -- Riverside Pediatrics in Secaucus -- both complaining of throat pains. A series of tests concluded the two had been suffering from strep throat, but neither of them were thrilled with the idea of taking medicine and their parents were seemingly nonchalant about that. Whether the boys want to take the medicine not, untreated infections can have lasting effects. Anna Marie cautioned them of the potential heart damage that can occur when "infection is just left sitting in someone's throat." "We just hope our middle child doesn't catch it," both parents were in agreement. Anna Marie's defenses went up. "You have another son? How is he doing, is he showing similar symptoms?" "No, but he has lung and thyroid cancer." That only enhances the urgency for their other two sons to be on antibiotics. Their infections need to be completely eradicated because bringing that home with them could potentially kill their immuno-compromised brother. Advertisement Anna Marie had no scruples about stating that firmly. While coercion has no place in a medical institution, her entire reason for entering the medical profession was to fight for those who can't fight for themselves. She wouldn't change a thing about this exchange in her medical room. The next day, she woke up to do it all over again. Well respected at Riverside Pediatrics, she has been employed there for less than a year, though she is no novice as a nurse and certainly not as a medical advocate. Anna Marie was offered the job this past November after finally crossing the finish line of ten years of schooling, clinical hours and board certifying exams. Thank goodness for the support of her family, but had she not had it, that wouldn't have stopped her. "Nothing was stopping me," she said. "Not the birth of my kids, my marriage, nothing." As a pediatric nurse practitioner, her days are more fulfilling as she has more freedom to use her medical expertise, something that is not permitted for an RN. Anna Marie is able to give an official diagnosis for ailing children and prescribe medicine. Driven though she was, achieving this long-term goal was not without sacrifice. Unlike many who decide to change careers, Anna Marie was unable to work full time and go to school part time -- or vice versa. She charged on ahead making the transition from paralegal to nurse, working full time and attending school full time. Advertisement Her family relies on her as the sole income provider. Unemployed to a physical disability, Anna Marie's husband John assumed full parenting responsibilities in their home. For these ten years she barely saw her children. A hug and a kiss n in the morning before school, then she would not see them until the next day. There is no resentment, only love and admiration. Her oldest son Chuck, 14 at the time, understands the importance of what his mom does and feels both he and his younger brother -- Austin, 10 -- appreciate education that much more. "We both will go to college; we know how necessary it is to be independent," Chuck says. All of Austin's life (Anna Marie went to school directly after he was born), he has witnessed his mother working and attending school nonstop, save for a three week break at Christmas. And, notes Anna Marie, nine out of ten final exams she took over that time period were on Christmas Eve. After January 15, the hectic schedule resumed. The best piece of advice she ever received in the midst of it all was from one Dr. Joel . "Follow your heart," he said. "Don't stop until you get what you want." Her family knew they were only benefiting from their mom/wife's driven personality--a job with an established medical group led to a higher income. For Anna Marie, it was about that and so much more. Advertisement While in school for her last set of board exams, Anna Marie worked at as a hospice nurse for the New Jersey Visiting Nurses Association (VNA) and was quick to call her patients' doctors should anything be amiss. "She told it like it was," says Sara Organic, a medical social worker for VNA. Organic regards Anna Marie as a "fireball" who genuinely advocates for her patients. The Apple logo is seen atop the Apple Store Thursday, March 31, 2016, in Palo Alto, Calif. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg) An open letter to the tech industry in San Francisco and Silicon Valley Facebook, Google, Microsoft: Here's why you should follow Apple's lead in not supporting the GOP Convention in Cleveland this July. If you're new to the Bay Area, if you work in San Francisco or in Silicon Valley, you may not realize it, but you're here because of the Beat Generation. Advertisement At the Beat Museum in North Beach, one of the things we hear every day, from visitors from all over the world is, "This is such a great environment! The people in this town are so welcoming and friendly! This is definitely our favorite city in the USA!" It's their favorite city because of the Beat Generation. The Beat Generation is a subset of the generation Tom Brokaw dubbed "The Greatest Generation" -- those born circa-1920, who grew up during the Great Depression of the 1930s, came of age during World War II in the 1940s, and in the 1950s, changed the world. The Beats were creative intellectuals, writers, poets, artists, performers; the restless, the wayward, the disillusioned, the forward-thinking. They were the non-conformists of their day, and they influenced everyone, from Bob Dylan and The Beatles onward. Every era has its dissidents, its outlaws. Every civilization, since well before the Greeks and Romans, has its non-conformists; the ones who question the status-quo, who challenge the social order, and leave society the better for it. Beat Generation Values are San Francisco Values Amidst the stifling social climate of the 1950s, which demanded conformity, nationalism, enforced racial and economic segregation, and repressed anyone whose lifestyle didn't aspire to the status-quo, the Beat Generation practiced a philosophy of compassion, sympathy and tolerance. The Beats understood that living an authentic life on one's own terms means respecting and celebrating the differences of others. The Beats embraced the values of racial equality, gender equality and the freedom of LGBT people to be themselves. "America I'm putting my queer shoulder to the wheel," Allen Ginsberg wrote in 1955, offering that even those whom society deems outcasts, like himself, are doing the hard work toward everyone's betterment. The Beats, Gary Snyder and Michael McClure especially, were also vocal about the need to protect and preserve the natural environment. Advertisement The fact that most millennials regard these values as basic truths is proof that we're living in the kind of world the Beat Generation sought to create. Allen Ginsberg taking a picture of me taking a picture of him. NYU, New York City, 1994 The Hippies, the 1960s, India, Steve Jobs, Psychedelics, Burning Man and Millennials On January 14th, 1967, "The Human Be-In" was held in Golden Gate Park. Allen Ginsberg, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Michael McClure, Lenore Kandel, Timothy Leary, Richard Alpert (Ram Dass) and Jerry Rubin -- among many, many others -- attended. Beat poets took the stage to read poetry, followed by bands such as The Grateful Dead and The Jefferson Airplane. The Human Be-In represented a passing of the torch from the elder Beats to the next generation, who would become the counterculture of the 1960s -- the hippies, yippees, the anti-war movement, etc. Steve Jobs attended Reed College in Portland, the same college where Beat poets Gary Snyder, Lew Welch and Philip Whalen studied two decades prior. In 1974, before founding Apple Computer, Jobs took a trip to India, much like Gary Snyder and Allen Ginsberg did in the late 1950s. In his backpack, according to Daniel Kotke, Jobs' roommate at Reed, who accompanied him on that journey, was a copy of Kerouac's The Dharma Bums, the novel that introduced Zen Buddhism to America. Over 20 years later, Apple's iconic "Think Different" advertising campaign ("Here's to the crazy ones...") contained obvious echoes to writings of Kerouac and others. In 2008, when Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg sought advice from Steve Jobs on how he could refocus his young and rapidly evolving company, Jobs suggested he take a trip to India and visit the Kainchi Dham Ashram, as Jobs had done himself 30 years prior. Advertisement The Burning Man festival, one of the defining cultural institutions of our time, draws clear inspiration from the Beat and the Hippie subcultures, and has drawn myriad comparisons to Woodstock, the Human Be-In -- historic occasions that set the tone for their time. Tech companies are leading the way in 2016. A good portion of today's workforce and consumer base are Millennials, and their thoughts, their values matter for the future. Millennials believe in authenticity, and that success in business should be more than just financial performance -- that doing good, and having a positive impact on society are of critical importance. Millennials grew up with a team mentality that embraces diversity, inviting everyone to join and collaborate while doing work that matters. If you're a young person working in tech, if you came here to do great things, to create and innovate brilliant new tools and solutions, you're following directly in the footsteps of the Beat Generation. For as long as anyone can remember, people have come to San Francisco to do new and interesting things, to live their dreams, to push the boundaries and change the world. Donald Trump Does Not Represent Your Values Whatever tech company you might work for, Donald Trump is the antithesis of everything you believe in. Technology is about connecting people, bringing people together, improving the way we communicate, because the better we build communities, the better we understand one another. Donald Trump is about dividing people through dog-whistle politics, cynically preying upon fear, anger, prejudice, and misogyny. The Beat Generation represented everything positive that came out of the 1950s. Theirs was a message of optimism: that the kind of world we want to live in can be ours. Donald Trump wants to drag us backward, toward everything negative about the 1950s and 60s -- racism, suspicion, conformity, and xenophobia -- everything we and our forebears fought to rise above. Advertisement This isn't really about politics. This is about doing the right thing. Behaviors have consequences. Language has consequences -- and that's why we're asking you to do the right thing -- to take Apple's lead in refusing to support the Republican Convention this July in Cleveland, so long as Donald Trump remains the presumptive nominee. With E3 in the rearview and VRLA on the horizon, it's hard to imagine carving out any extra mental space for yet another conference, yet another round of panels and product announcements and business cards to clutter your suitcase. But Virtual & Augmented Reality Toronto World Conference & Expo won't be like anything you've ever attended. When I hopped on the phone to talk to VRTO Executive Director Keram Malicki-Sanchez earlier this week, I really didn't know what to expect. I had some questions prepped so that I'd be able to best cover the event while I'm there. After hanging up, I was buzzing with excitement. I didn't reference my questions once -- this guy's passion and depth of engagement just spilled out of him. Advertisement When it kicks off this weekend, VRTO is going to: 1. Literally Make History ...with a proposal to ratify a Code of Ethics for Human Augmentation, spearheaded by Steve Mann, the Chief Scientist for Meta and General Chair of the IEEE International Symposium on Technology and Society. Mann, who holds patents for the first smartwatch (from back in the 1980s) and the camera-based contact lens, has been donning an eye display throughout the last 4 decades, so it's understandable why he's been called the "father of wearable computing." "He has written a bunch of papers that he's going to announce at this show, having to do with what he's observed," Malicki-Sanchez said. "It's not just 'Steve Mann's Code of Ethics.' We want to ratify and underwrite this with participation of others." On the panel directly following Mann's keynote address, he'll be joined five other experts, among them Brett Leonard, famous for directing Lawnmower Man in 1992, considered the first seminal film to explore virtual reality. "Brett is somebody who, if you look back at his work, some of it is very B-movie-ish," said Malicki-Sanchez. "That's not because it's a poor director making feeble attempts at virtual reality movies. On the contrary, it's somebody who's making grindhouse films as cautionary tales against a possible future, that, you know, we should probably think about a couple times before we unleash it." Imagine it's 2020. You're sporting a spiffy new augmented reality headset. You're walking down the street when you spot an intriguing stranger. Imagine right then that you can access all kinds of information about this stranger using your AR headset -- and they can do the same to you -- all before you've said a word to each other. What information should be made available to us in this case? What about to corporations and the government? A code of ethics helps create a starting point in finding solutions to the complicated questions we've yet to encounter. "This is not about the fun police coming in and being the PTA or whatever -- it's about saying, 'You know when we'll really have fun is when we have a basic general agreement between us to not be complete assholes about this thing,'" said Malicki-Sanchez. "It's way too easy to exploit people in this tech. You're basically hijacking their sympathetic nervous systems, blindfolding them, and immersing them completely and setting all their senses on fire... and then giving them a highly focused, curated message within that. If that's put into hands that only care about the bottom line, it's terrifying what can happen. There are deep physiological and neurological implications to the use of this tech, whether it's short- or long-term, and they're really only documented in hardcore academia. Aside from very basic, common-sense suggestions that are in the literature when you get these products, there's no other standards that exist." Advertisement This isn't to say that we should approach VR and AR with doom and gloom. Quite the contrary! "There are millions of beneficial applications," said Malicki-Sanchez. "You can take a legless veteran and let them have walking experiences again, you can take a grandmother in a convalescent home and have her back in her childhood bedroom, you can take someone who's afraid of spiders or elevators or public bathrooms or driving on freeways and provide exposure therapy in a way you can't anywhere else." And this is only the very beginning. "This may explode into something totally unexpected. We can see this happening already in the industry -- the fact that Chris Milk just a few days ago announced that Vrse is going to call itself 'Within,' belies what just two years of exposure to this new medium has already revealed: a whole longer road that we didn't even consider." So how do you tap into all the awesome potential of VR for the light side of the force? 2. Redesign How We Share VR In attending a variety of conferences and festivals, Malicki-Sanchez noticed flaws in the way VR is exhibited. Take Kaleidoscope, for example. "They basically truck a bunch of swivel chairs around the country -- which is totally great -- and they evangelize 360 videos -- which is totally great -- and they oversell these venues for 3 hours and people line up and then they got hot and sweaty and frustrated -- and that totally sucks," said Malicki-Sanchez. "That's not the way they should be herding people through these experiences. It's bottlenecking us into this horrible carnival-barker type attitude and it cheapens the effect." Advertisement And this model will prove especially unsustainable once we all have our own VR headsets, a realization Malicki-Sanchez made at Kaleidoscope's NAB pavilion. "It was a roped-off area with a bunch of people swiveling around making awe-struck faces while people outside the rope took pictures of them with captions like, 'Wow, look at the future of VR' and 'We're all doomed,'" said Malicki-Sanchez. "It was a humiliating, debasing, un-inclusive experience. It was like they were on display. And I thought, where's the privacy for these people, where's the respect and dignity for these viewers who are submitting themselves to this vulnerable position? If the people weren't so excited to see the technology in the first place they might think twice about that and think, 'Why should I submit myself to that kind of ridicule?'" So Malicki-Sanchez took an entirely different approach with the FIVARS (Festival of International Virtual and Augmented Reality Stories) pavilion at VRTO, which will feature a host of world premieres. "We do it for 8-hour stretches," said Malicki-Sanchez. "We run an algorithm that decides how many people can go through in a day, so that each viewer has a 25-minute choice of what they see, never has to stand in a lineup, and is never rushed through. And then, not only that, but they have a certain amount of discretion, and afterward they have an opportunity to talk about what their experience was with it -- either with the filmmakers themselves or our guys who can share the feedback -- rather than being carted out of their seat so the next person's ass can be plopped down in it. Because at this point it should be about a conversation and about discovery, and how each unique person who sits down in one of those chairs matters. They matter! It's not just tickets. They're people who are going see that RYOT documentary about Aleppo from their point of view and that totally matters. That matters as much as the content, if not much more." "FIVARS is not a virtual reality film festival because I don't think virtual reality and film should really be put together in the same sentence," said Malicki-Sanchez. "It's an experimental festival that forces the question of the submitters, 'What novel mechanics are you introducing with your project?' It's kind of a jerk thing to ask. Like, 'Wow, it's not good enough that I made a good 360 video that tells a good story, now you want me to introduce a unique mechanics to that?' And I say, 'Yeah, for sure, try something and fail at it miserably and let's learn from that.' And we manage to find 15-20 pieces a year (this is our 2nd year and we've done about 4 shows), where we keep finding new mechanics, where people say, 'Let's keep the camera stationary and do theatre-in-the-round,' or 'Let's convince Samsung to allow us do multi-directional audio on a Gear VR and have 4 simultaneous stories happening at the same time,' or 'Let's have you move through a Van Gogh painting but you're using an Xbox controller.'" With each success and failure, we learn something new about the budding media. In the case of the "The Night Cafe," it was made exceedingly clear that motion sickness can occur in even the most serene VR environments. "If it had been some kind of fragging, first-person shooter and everybody got sick then we'd be like, 'Oh yeah, of course.' But it wasn't -- it's a gentle, calm painting and people made themselves nauseatingly ill by not using the controllers properly." Advertisement 3. Emphasize People, not Products "VRTO is not something where the keynote was purchased by a company and then delivered by their Head of Sales," said Malicki-Sanchez. "Not a single talk was purchased or paid for. I didn't allow it. I also didn't allow merchants or vendors to buy floorspace so that they could drop a stack of business cards and then walk away and check their Tinder. Every booth has to push forward our modes of thinking, it has to challenge what we're doing. We can't afford to have platitudes and generalizations and 'just good enough,' and then phone this in the way Best Buy phoned in 3D TVs." Malicki-Sanchez was a young adult when the Internet began to enter the public conscious. "In 1992, when we were starting to shift into graphical interfaces for this incredible, telephathic new technology that was suddenly emerging and being gifted to us by the military-industrial complex, I said, 'How long are we going to have this present before somebody takes it away? How do we vanguard against the inevitable paywalls that are going to come up? They're going to figure it out and all of a sudden we'll have scarcity models, sales funnels, and paywalls, and this will all be taken away. Sure enough -- there's more data than there's ever been up online, and all we do is go to Facebook." So what can we do to make sure that VR doesn't become a corporate commodity? "It's about being open-hearted, honest, authentic, and noble," said Malicki-Sanchez. "And also being careful to try not to impose restrictions that limit kinds of creativity that we're unfamiliar with, because there are people who might have really amazing ideas that don't resonate with us, and it's not our obligation or privilege to drown them out. We have to keep it wide open. It's a tricky thing to do, isn't it?" 4. Generate Cutting-Edge Conversations Malicki-Sanchez's tenure as Editor-in-chief of Indie Game Reviewer put him front and center for the indie game renaissance of the aughts. Advertisement "The software and the tools got democratized and it wasn't incredibly difficult to make video games anymore, and all of a sudden it became this cultural tool for expression. You got Twine and GameMaker. It grew, it blossomed, it became a leveraging tool with major consoles. And now VR is feeling the same way." In preparation for assembling VR Toronto, he spent the last 12 months attending and researching conferences. "I found that a lot of these panels were a re-skin of the same talk, you know, 'Storytelling in VR,' over and over and over again. And of course we're very interested in the fact that VR is disruptive to the very nature of narrative itself! But I found a lot of those answers already existed in the indie game space, which has been doing incredible work in exploring non-linear approaches for years. And without drilling down into how amazing that whole conversation can be, what's important is that all these people are being catalyzed to have this conversation again by way of the current virtual reality renaissance. These people were there for the indie game explosion, they were there for the Internet's information superhighway explosion, and every couple of years they kind of cluster together and start sharing ideas again." To capitalize on this swell of energy, Malicki-Sanchez got straight to recruiting for VRTO. "I went and I cherry-picked all of the hotheads that had really radical or controversial opinions and put them together for this show. It was like The Muppet Movie, I went around and found them and convinced them to come to Toronto. And believe me, two months ago nobody knew what the hell I was talking about -- like, 'What backwoods thing is this, I'm sick of VR shows, I've been to all of them' -- I said, no no no, this is different, I promise. And now they're all looking at each other going, 'Holy shit, you're going to be there?' And I'm just excited to see what it manifests." Advertisement Why go to such pains to make a non-traditional conference? "People say, 'Why do you have to be such a disruptive pain in the ass?' And it's not just the punk history I'm coming from, it's the fact that we have to create more space because we're already getting bottlenecked by habituation. All these companies keep saying, 'It's all about the content,' and people just echo that because they don't know what to say. 'It's all about the content.' Well what does that mean? So for instance we have a panel called, 'OK, So We Can Shoot in 360. Can We Start Making It Interesting Now?' These panels are not just talking heads -- they're highly curated. I can't control what they're going to say and I have no intention of doing that. I don't know if they'll go well or they'll go poorly, but at least I know they'll go really well or really poorly. The won't be boring." 5. Announce Toronto as a VR Hub Malicki-Sanchez has called Los Angeles home for 20 years, so why not host the conference there? "LA's amazing, I really love LA. I've learned a lot there, a lot of the smartest thinkers in this space are there -- but when I thought between LA and my native Toronto, I thought, Toronto is strangely a much more volatile gestation ground. It's sort of New York and Chicago and Detroit and Montreal and Buffalo, and it's on the other side of the border, and there's Canadian grants and subsidies which allow things to be developed for their own sake, not necessarily as market-driven. The nature of the research is different." What's more: Toronto was also recently named the Most Multicultural City in the World. This makes it a hotbed for the kind of forward-thinking necessary in maintaining a culture of technological innovation. Advertisement "There's something about [Toronto] to me that's much more sociologically experimental," said Malicki-Sanchez. "This whole notion of a 'melting pot' doesn't exist -- it's a mosaic. People just come here and then they just are. So it's a powerful place to stage the meeting of East and West. Steve Mann himself comes from Toronto -- the Chief Scientist for Meta, which is in Silicon Valley, is still based in Toronto! So I convinced him we should stage this in Toronto, the announcement of this Code of Ethics, because what Fort Lauderdale is to space travel, Toronto is to wearable technology and augmentation. And he agreed." VRTO might also clear up some misconceptions about Toronto in helping it emerge as a tech powerhouse. "It's not some kind of South Park-y utopia, it's just a crazy, incredible mess of cultures and things going on. It's labyrinthian, it's like Blade Runner, it really is. All of these things on top of each other, influencing each other, affecting each other. It usually leaves me pretty breathless." *** And VR is just the beginning of what Malicki-Sanchez suspects is a long, fascinating road -- one full of trial and error and learning of all sorts. It was the summer of 2003, and I took a chance. I was running my own advertising and promotion agency and my biggest client was Tylenol. This particular client was very progressive and aggressive, so I knew I could be bold and suggest that we advertise Tylenol PM to the gay market...and that we should support June Pride Month by sponsoring New York's Gay Pride. "Targeting a brand new market that's never been tapped would generate incremental sales," was my argument to him. He agreed and I jumped head first into developing advertising and promotion for the very first OTC product to ever support the gay community. Advertisement The work was incredibly rewarding both personally and professionally. I was letting go of my fear of being out at work, and I was helping my clients legitimately grow their business. Couldn't get much better than that! Of course as a result, I was professionally "outed" by the trade press, when they signaled the importance of the campaign and its "first ever." First ever for me too. While it would be no big deal today, it was a really big deal back in the day. I was afraid that I'd lose clients. I had two young children that I was raising, so I had a right to be afraid. Although I was scared, I knew that it was the right thing to do. It was inevitable, to tell you the truth, so I might as well be proactive and take the bull by the horns. So I'm sure you can imagine the sheer joy I feel when I see so many brands today supporting gay inclusion, marriage equality, and equal rights for all. Advertisement Sheer joy is the only way I can describe how I felt when I just recently saw Colgate's first ever gay-inclusive commercial in Mexico. A first for the brand and for the country. Click here to see it. Sheer pride is how I feel when I see how Target is supporting LGBT rights, perhaps at its own expense. They even have a "Pride Store" within their stores. Sheer laughter is what I do when I see the new pride-full sneakers from Converse. And sheer "Cheers!" is what I do when I see Budweiser's extension of their Campaign campaign featuring same-sex marriage. Click here to see it. I walked by TD Bank and saw that they too are supporting Pride Month. I saw a social post from the employees of Bloomingdale's honoring #Orlando. And at the airport I was greeted with "Happy Pride" as I boarded my flight. These brands are only a sampling of the brands that are joining the celebration of Gay Pride this month, thank you Mr. President. Advertisement I literally never thought I'd see the day...the day when we aren't afraid to say who we are for fear of losing our jobs or putting our families at risk. Now I realize that we have a long way to go, and we've recently taken a few steps backwards, but Pride Month is all about moving forward, and celebrating that which makes us special. So I offer a hearty "thanks" to all those brands that help make that happen and continue to support us all. In a chapter of Critical Voter dedicated to bias, I talk about how early ideas that attributed the human tendency to act illogically to our emotions overwhelming our reason had to be updated once it was discovered that our reasoning facilities aren't as hot as we once through they were. Daniel Kahneman, in his best-selling book Thinking Fast and Slow, describes work that replaced a mind-heart divide which pitted our intellect against our emotion with a new model that sees different aspects of our reasoning working in harmony (leading to understanding) or disharmony (leading to cognitive errors and biases). For example, the part of our brain that processes information very quickly loves to find patterns which then get encoded into stories that have enormous staying power. These stories can be accurate, or at least useful (such as the story which says a loud noise usually signals danger). But they can also be inaccurate, or open us up to manipulation when someone is trying to get us to think the way they want by fitting facts and events into stories that serve their purposes. Advertisement Politics is rife with an appeal to storylines, especially by those eager to gin up their base, with "the base" defined as those pre-disposed to believe a particular story. For example, Hillary Clinton would clearly like you to believe that controversies regarding her use of a private e-mail server are the result of a right-wing conspiracy that's been trying to destroy her and her husband for decades. In contrast, Clinton's foes would prefer you build the facts about her communication irregularities into a different storyline, one that tells a tale of widespread corruption swirling around the potentially two-time first couple. Given that politics is all about persuasion, leveraging the public's desire to fit pieces into story-driven patterns is fair game. But as critical thinkers, we need to be able to distinguish between stories designed to help us understand a complex situation vs. stories designed to get us to not think about important things. We saw a high-contrast example of this phenomenon last week when a brutal attack took place at the Pulse night club in Orlando, leaving fifty people dead and as many injured. Certain facts about the massacre are clear cut. The Pulse is a gay club, which meant all those targeted were part of the LGBQ community. Also, the crime was committed with a high-powered automatic rifle. Finally the man who committed mass murder swore fealty to ISIS and publically declared that his act was inspired by Islamist ideology. Advertisement Since none of these facts is in dispute, the contentious debate we've had since the killings took place (a debate that began before the bodies were even identified) has primarily been about which storyline these facts should fit into. For instance, is this a story about Islamist terror expanding in the United States, which would require a debate over how to wage war against a foe driven by religious ideology (not to mention discussion of complex domestic issues relating to religious tolerance and immigration)? Or is it a story about the widespread availability of high-powered weapons in America, which would precipitate a conversation about legal controls to be placed on such weapons? Or maybe it's about intolerance directed against homosexuals, which would link this grisly tale to other issues related to LGBQ rights? Each of these stories represents legitimate issues in and of themselves. Islamic extremism is indeed a challenge to the entire world, and it's too easy for anyone who wants to do something nasty to obtain a gun, and gays are discriminated against and such discrimination is wrong. But is it really so difficult to determine which of these stories is the most important and relevant to the specific matter at hand? Given that this is an election season, a set of meta-stories emerged almost immediately regarding how each candidate was dealing with the news out of Orlando. Was the President's choice to frame his remarks on the subject in the context of guns and LGBQ rights an attempt to avoid (and thus avoid having to do anything about) violent religious extremism? Was Republican nominee Donald Trump's condemnation of Obama for not talking enough about religious terror an attempt to use a tragedy to inspire fear among the public? Given how much coverage of the Pulse story has centered on what the candidates did and didn't say afterwards, clearly stories about domestic Presidential politics have taken precedence over stories related to the event itself (apart from stories of people dealing with personal tragedies, which have fortunately not been used to fuel partisan arguments - yet). Advertisement The brutal murder of British parliamentarian Jo Cox, praised as a relentless and warm-hearted humanitarian, has sent a nation into mourning. A wife and mother of two small children, no British lawmaker fought harder for a more humane immigration policy toward refugees fleeing the Syrian civil war, especially the thousands of Syrian children who have lost their families in the conflict. Cox's death invites some intense soul-searching -- not only in Britain but also in the United States -- about the West's failure to prevent the worst humanitarian disaster since the Second World War. Soon after joining Parliament in May 2015 as a Labour MP, the 41-year-old Cox help set up the All Party Parliamentary Group on Syria with Conservative MP Andrew Mitchell. The group collects evidence from military commanders, diplomats, and officials from the region about the plight of the roughly 4.5 million refugees who have fled Syria's five-year civil war to neighboring countries. Earlier this year Cox fought for legislation to admit into the UK at least 3,000 child refugees from Syria -- roughly three percent of the estimated 95,000 unaccompanied minors, mostly from Syria, now living precariously in Europe. "Those children have been exposed to things no child should ever witness," she said, "and I know I would risk life and limb to get my two precious babies out of that hellhole." Though a junior parliamentarian in the opposition party, Cox quickly earned a reputation as a bold and principled human rights advocate. Her campaign for Syrian refugees was waged in the midst of Britain's national debate over whether to remain in the European Union, which has been widely criticized for mishandling the immigration crisis. Cox's assailant was a 52-year-old-man who shouted "Britain First," a slogan associated with far right elements in Great Britain. Advertisement Many American conservatives would not agree with Cox's views on immigration or her outspoken support for the European Union. But liberals would not have cheered her recent speech in Parliament, where she vigorously rebuked both David Cameron and Barack Obama for failing to act decisively to confront the escalating violence in Syria: I believe that both President Obama and the Prime Minister made the biggest misjudgment of their time in office when they put Syria on the 'too difficult' pile. Instead of engaging fully, they withdrew and put their faith in a policy of containment. This judgment, made by both leaders for different reasons, will, I believe, be judged harshly by history, and it has been nothing short of a foreign policy disaster. Of course, Cox is right: Britain has followed America's lead on Syria, right into a moral quagmire of feckless and cynical diplomacy. Obama's views on Syria were best expressed recently by Ben Rhodes, his principal foreign policy advisor: "Nothing we could have done," Rhodes told a group of Syrian activists, "would have made things better." The problem is not just that the Obama White House has adopted, unflinchingly, this defeatist view of the Syrian tragedy. It is effectively the position of both presumptive party nominees for president, Hilary Clinton and Donald Trump. It is the position of Bernie Sanders, the Democratic Socialist who has drawn millions of voters into his isolationist mirage. It was, for anyone's guess, the position of most of the 16 Republican presidential candidates who have since dropped out of the race. Advertisement The depth of America's leadership crisis on Syria is indeed staggering. Aside from Rep. Chris Smith (R-New Jersey), Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), and a pitifully tiny handful of others, there are no members of Congress -- Republican or Democrat -- who match the humanitarian vision and commitment of Jo Cox. With regards to Syria's refugee children, she has no counterpart in the U.S. Congress. Fears of Islamic radicals slipping into the refugee population have overtaken our politics, leaving child refugees out of sight and out of mind. Secretary of State John Kerry, for his part, delivered a flawed Syrian "peace" initiative that simply allowed Bashar al Assad to strengthen his position, thanks to Russia's unchallenged military intervention. The collapse of the peace plan, which has left tens of thousands of civilians at grave risk -- many of them children -- was predicted by diplomats involved in the negotiations. Even Samantha Power, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and an advocate of humanitarian intervention, has provided cover for the administration's moral abdication in Syria. Now compare Obama's powder-puff diplomacy to that of Jo Cox, who took a Russian ambassador to task for his country's bombing campaigns against Syrian civilians. "She was fearless, utterly fearless," Andrew Mitchell wrote in The Telegraph. "Last year, we went to see the Russian ambassador in London, to give him a rollicking about the terrible way his country has behaved in Syria. He's a professional diplomat and a pretty tough case. But Jo got the better of him: it was her mixture of charm and steel." Cox spent a decade at Oxfam, the British aid agency, and worked at the Freedom Fund, an anti-slavery organization, before joining Parliament. A devoted mother, she often brought her children with her into Westminster. Yesterday more than 1,500 parliamentarians from 40 countries signed a pledge to uphold Cox's humanitarian legacy -- an unprecedented expression of solidarity for a junior politician. "Jo was a lifelong campaigner against injustice," the joint statement says. "We will do whatever it takes to renew our bonds and fight for those at the margins of our society, our continent, and the world." Can anyone imagine a similar outpouring of support for any major American politician? Earlier this week in the House of Commons, parliamentarians wore white roses as they paid tribute to a colleague who had devoted most of her adult life helping people on the outskirts of civilization, regardless of race or creed. For an hour they spoke, with deep affection and eloquence, often choking back tears, as they put aside partisan differences to grieve together and to reflect on a remarkable life cut short. As one participant put it, "not in living memory has there been a House of Commons session like it." Advertisement It is becoming increasingly difficult to imagine such a scene on the floor of the U.S. House or Senate: our politics has become so shallow and degraded, our leaders so morally compromised. In a nation once admired for its open borders, its commitment to human rights and humanitarian assistance, something has gone wrong -- deeply and disturbingly wrong. Jo Cox, I suspect, would have some ideas about how to set things right. SPRINGVILLE, UT - JUNE 17: Courtney Manwaring holds an AR-15 semi-automatic gun at Action Target on June 17, 2016 in Springville, Utah. Semi-automatics are in the news again after the nightclub shooting in Orlando F;lord last week. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images) On Monday evening, the United States Senate failed to pass legislation that would have stopped suspected terrorists from purchasing firearms and required background checks on all private gun sales. These two common-sense reforms are non-controversial and supported by 92 percent and 85 percent of Americans, respectively. The fact that 60 votes could not be found to support either reform is shameful and a matter that will need to be rectified by Americans at the ballot box in November. Despite this setback, the future of gun violence prevention in America is bright. Facing intense pressure from the public, the Senate is already preparing for another round of votes on gun reform. And there is hope beyond the federal level, too. Advertisement In the wake of our nation's worst mass shooting ever, state lawmakers have a golden opportunity to enact a policy that cannot only prevent tragedies like the one we witnessed in Orlando, but also prevent firearm suicides: the Gun Violence Restraining Order (GVRO). The GVRO process is similar to the domestic violence restraining order process and provides the opportunity to defuse a potentially dangerous situation before permanent harm is done. Under a GVRO policy, family members and/or law enforcement officials can petition a judge to have firearms temporarily removed from an individual in crisis for a period of one year. This would allow those who are a threat to themselves and/or others the time they need to get help and heal. Equally important, the GVRO allows for due process, as individuals are able to petition to get their firearms back following a brief period of time. Following the mass shooting in Isla Vista, California became the first state in the country to enact a GVRO law in 2014. That law went into effect at the start of this year. Connecticut and Indiana have similar laws on the books that allow firearm removal in certain circumstances. If Florida had a GVRO law, it might have stopped the Orlando shooter. Research shows that the strongest indicator for potential future violence is a history of violent behavior, and the Orlando gunman (like many mass shooters before him) had such a history. Advertisement The Orlando gunman's ex-wife described her short-term marriage to him as marred by domestic abuse, stating that, "He would just come home and start beating me up because the laundry wasn't finished." Her family eventually came to Florida to physically remove her from his presence. Additionally, the gunman's coworkers noted that he frequently made homophobic, racist and sexist comments. "He said he was going to kill a whole bunch of people," recalled a private security guard that worked with him. The gunman also told his wife about his planned shooting rampage. Finally, the Orlando shooter had been investigated on two different occasions by the FBI for potential ties to terrorists. All of the warning signs were there, but there was no opportunity under Florida law for the gunman's family members or the law enforcement officials who were investigating him to intervene and initiate some type of firearm removal process. So he was able to maintain possession of his military-style assault rifle and the handgun he used to kill 49 and injure 53. The early data on Connecticut's firearms removal process shows that it has enormous promise. Duke professor Jeffrey Swanson recently gave a presentation at the American Psychiatric Association's annual convention in which he reported that Connecticut's law is preventing suicides. The data also shows that many of the individuals whose guns were removed were able to seek and receive mental health treatment that they desperately needed. My organization, the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, has worked with stakeholders across the country to promote the GVRO at the state level. Law enforcement officials are very interested in the GVRO because they frequently respond to 911 calls where they can see a crisis coming, but are unable to act to remove firearms from the situation. GVRO legislation has either been introduced, or is expected to be introduced next legislative session, in more than a dozen states. The Senate will take up "compromise" gun legislation introduced by Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) before the end of the week to address the "Terror Gap," and I hope for a fruitful outcome. But regardless of how that voting goes, there is still ample opportunity to save lives by working to enact GVRO policies at the state level. I would encourage all HuffPost readers to contact your state legislators and ask them the following: "Is your chamber considering a GVRO bill? If not, when will you be introducing one?" Advertisement ___________________ If you -- or someone you know -- need help, please call 1-800-273-8255 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. If you are outside of the U.S., please visit the International Association for Suicide Prevention for a database of international resources. The future of the coal industry is anything but bright, but a new study in the journal Energy Economics offers hope for coal workers for high-quality employment in the rapidly expanding solar photovoltaic industry. A combination of factors have led to a decline in profitability for coal-fired power plants in both the near and long term in the U.S. This reduced profitably is driving a steep decline in coal plants. For example, the U.S. Energy Information Administration notes that between 2010 and 2012, 14 GW of coal-fired capacity was retired and that a total of 60 GW will be retired by 2020. What these dry government numbers leave out is the effect on coal workers and their families as one major coal company after another files for bankruptcy. Although coal investors can simply call their brokers to move their money to more profitable industries, coal workers are left with pink slips and mortgages. Fortunately, there is one energy industry sector growing at an incredible rate - solar photovoltaic technology that converts sunlight directly into electricity. Advertisement And they are hiring. Some might question if the solar industry would welcome workers from a historical rival. Tom Kimbis, the interim president of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), puts that question to rest. He says "We welcome them with open arms. Every day, we're seeing talented men and women joining our ranks from every sector of the American workforce, including the coal industry." Christopher Turek, a Director at Solar Energy International (SEI) agrees, "we welcome them with open arms to come get re-trained in the growing solar energy sector. The solar energy tent is a big tent approach and we welcome everyone." Since the rapid decrease in the costs of solar photovoltaic technology, solar deployment is rising rapidly. Bloomberg reports the American solar industry had another record first quarter, but this time accounting for the majority of new power generation from any source for the first time. This is creating a lot of jobs in the U.S. solar industry, which is bringing on new workers 12 times faster than the overall economy. As of November 2015, the solar industry employs 208,859 solar workers, which is already larger than the roughly 150,000 jobs remaining in the coal industry. The new study found that the growth of solar-related employment could absorb the layoffs in the coal industry in the next 15 years. Kimbis points out, "these aren't just punch-the-clock jobs, these are careers." How can a coal worker get a solar job? The new study provides an analysis of the needs to retrain current coal workers for solar photovoltaic industry employment in the U.S. The current coal industry positions were determined, the skill set evaluated and the salaries tabulated. For each type of coal position, the closest equivalent PV position was determined trying to match current coal salaries and then the re-training time and investment was quantified. Turek points out, "One interesting opportunity for many of these coal miners is that many of them have transferable skill sets. These skill sets range from mechanical and electrical expertise and extends all the way to their confidence in working in a highly technical field with a strong focus on safety. Coal miners have a strong focus on safety while working in hazardous work environments and the solar industry needs these safety focused individuals who can bring that same level of focus to the solar industry". Advertisement The appendices will be most useful to current coal workers that can look up their existing job to see what some of the best potential fits for them might be and the training necessary. It should be noted, however, that the costs and specific schools used as examples -are only that - there are low cost options for solar retraining in all the individual States, which coal workers may be able to use while still employed in the coal sector. Turek explains that this is not a purely academic study. "SEI is headquartered in the heart of the declining Western Colorado coal country - this hits home for us. Many of our neighbors are losing their jobs as more and more coal mines close down. The good news is that they have the solar industry's leading technical training school right here in their backyard." Kimbis points out that the requirements will depend on where you live: "Some states do require employees to obtain solar-specific licenses or certifications." He recommends learning as much as you can about the industry and the specific policies at play in your state. Turek continues, "There are challenges for anyone wanting to get into this field as it is a highly dynamic and changing industry with new technologies coming to market all the time. Training is key and getting that training from a respected school is also crucial to overcome the challenge of jumping into a new career field." Advertisement The results of the study show that a relatively minor investment in retraining would allow the vast majority of coal workers to switch to solar-related positions even in the event of the elimination of the coal industry."With some training in solar-specific technologies, workers can move into sustainable, well-paying careers in solar." Kimbis explains. Training times depend on type of job and prior experience. As Turek points out, "Unfortunately, politics has also gotten hold of this conversation and in an election year that creates a challenge. Electrons and the photovoltaic effect don't have a political affiliation. The sun just sends us photons everyday and the more we can do to harvest that power and convert it to usable clean energy to keep driving our country and the world forward - the better we ALL will be in the long run no matter your politics. Here at SEI - we don't care if someone sees themselves as a republican - democrat - conservative - or progressive - we just want to share our knowledge and expertise about renewable energy with anyone who is interested." photo: The Stand-By Generation/Davila Santiago, 2015 In the last few months Puerto Rico's economic crisis has become pretty famous. People talk about the financial instability of the islands of Puerto Rico, as much as they used to dance the Gasolina of Daddy Yankee, or Livin' La Vida Loca from Ricky Martin. Truth is, things are rough and now more than ever Puerto Ricans need to dance. Not just for fun, but to escape from the reality of a precarious livelihood and an uncertain future. Some people say that the United States Territory of Puerto Rico has around a 72 billion dollar debt to bondholders. It is still not clear how the Puerto Rican government acquired so much debt, or how the money was spent. Most of this seems to be an Odious Debt, in which citizens of the islands have not benefited from the borrowed money. The money was not necessarily used to build roads, schools, and hospitals, or to create projects of public interest. This is why this debt needs to be audited, first of all. But most people in the United States and in Puerto Rico accept the narrative of the 72 billion dollar debt as they would accept Medalla beer or a Malta for those who don't drink. Without necessarily understanding or questioning the debt accumulated and where it comes from. Advertisement This is the case of Pulitzer Prize winner, Lin-Manuel Miranda who humbly kneeled before Speaker Paul Ryan to ask for mercy and approve a bill that will ease Puerto Rico's economic crisis and pay the debt. He even offered free tickets for his Broadway show Hamilton, in order to push legislation for Puerto Rico (this would be considered extortion in other scenarios). But if Miranda wants to contribute something to his Puerto Rican people, he should stop offering free tickets and maybe use some of those royalties from Hamilton's costly tickets to start a fund that could help the soon starving young workers and students of Puerto Rico. In Miranda's own words "The good news is that Speaker Paul Ryan has fulfilled his promise: he worked together with Republicans and Democrats, and has created a bill that will determine the immediate future of Puerto Rico." This bill (H.R. 5278) is the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act, better known as PROMESA, which was developed by the Committee of Natural Resources under Chairman Rob Bishop, and recently approved in the United States House of Representatives with a vote of 297 to 127. PROMESA proposes the establishment of an Oversight Board with seven members appointed by the United States President, who will be granted totalitarian control over Puerto Rico's finances in order to restructure the Puerto Rican debt, which equals to: "Fuck you pay me". Section #4 of the bill says, "The provisions of this Act shall prevail over any general or specific provisions of territory law, State law, or regulation that is inconsistent with this Act." Nevertheless, the creation of an apparatus like PROMESA should not be a surprise. The United States Congress had total control over the insular government of Puerto Rico, ever since the Foraker Act was approved in 1900. It wasn't until the creation of the Free Associated State Constitution (ELA) in 1952, that Puerto Ricans were granted the right to elect their own governor and handle the internal administration of the country. Still when the United States Congress approved this, they sustained the capacity of imposing legislation over Puerto Rico's Government and retaining ultimate power over all of Puerto Rico's affairs. Advertisement Today is a historical moment: we are seeing how the United States Congress is making use of that supremacy they secured more than half a Century ago. The consequences are still to be seen. Some people talk about an ongoing humanitarian crisis, but the real humanitarian crisis is going to come when seven business men come to Puerto Rico to elaborate an economic plan as they get drunk on Barrilito in the beach of the San Juan Hotel. However, many Puerto Ricans in the homeland have a welcoming sentiment towards the Oversight Board. According to a recent poll from El Nuevo Dia, 46% of the citizens in Puerto Rico favor the Oversight Board or Junta de Control Fiscal, as it is locally known. Fed up with corruption and incapacitated officials administering the territory, it is understandable the frustration among the islanders and their lack of faith in the local government. A weak leadership on the left also aggravates this, which for decades has been unable to present itself as viable alternative to the country's development. This puts all the pieces in the right place for a checkmate! According to many members of the Democratic Party, PROMESA is the only help the Republican-Controlled Congress is willing to enact on Puerto Rico and we must make "Lemonade out of Lemons". Ironically on June 9th, more Democrats than Republicans voted in favor of this bill in the House of Representatives (158 Democrats versus 139 Republicans). Puerto Rican workers have been making lemonade out of pee since the economic crisis started to hit in 2006. Precarious jobs are on the rise, professional services are not paid well and employment opportunities are scarce. PROMESA does not propose to do anything about this, on the contrary it will make the economic crisis worse on workers, while rewarding corporations and making sure that bondholders keep receiving monthly payments. One of the most controversial provisions of the bill is the reduction of the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $4.25 an hour for workers 25 years old and younger. The last time hourly wages were this low was about 20 years ago. Gas, tripletas and condoms are more expensive now. Still, employers can pay $4.25 an hour to workers 20 years old and under, but they can only do so for the first 90 days of employment. PROMESA changes that for Puerto Rico; it doesn't establish a cap on days and elevates the age to 25. Advertisement The side effects of a $4.25 an hour to young workers, are more than we can think of. It represents the postponement of economic independence for young adults, and in many cases limits the capability of contributing economically to their household. The bill doesn't take into consideration parents under 25 or young workers who their own parents rely on, with all the layoffs in recent years and pensions at risk. The necessities of college students are also outside of the map inside this provision, not taking into account how many of them rely on their wages to pay for university studies, books and housing. $4.25 x 40 hours = $170 of weekly gross income. If you're a full-time worker, $170 (before taxes) is what you as a young worker will have pa' resolvertelas in the most expensive country of Latin America. Isla del Encanto, where gas, utilities and groceries are more expensive than the average in the United States. $170 a week, that's if you're lucky. As the deregulation of labor continues to be the trend in this Century, employers hire less full-time workers and young workers need to conform with only working 15 to 35 hours a week with no benefits or regularity. You make the math for that one. PROMESA promises: to give corporations a legal tool on "How to Make More Profit Out of the Sweat of Young Puerto Ricans". The $4.25 wage also poses a threat to older workers. Even though the bill states, "No employer may take any action to displace employees (including partial displacements such as reduction in hours, wages, or employment benefits) for purposes of hiring individuals at the wage authorized ($4.25)" it is easy for an employer to do exactly that, they just need to find ways around the legality of their intentions. Union jobs could be safer in this sense, but non-unionized workers on a precarious situation could be fired or punished for any fault that goes against the employer according to their established policies. Then, there will be a job opening starting immediately at $4.25 an hour for a: "... committed, motivated and energetic individual, who is able to work under-pressure and enjoys working flexible hours". Isn't this what most job postings say? Advertisement Something else that the PROMESA sponsors don't take into consideration is the chance of delinquency increment in the islands of Puerto Rico if a sector of the population was to make less money. This is what happens when you have Republicans from Utah and Wisconsin writing a legislation that concerns a Caribbean Third-World Colony of the United States. There is already lack of employment opportunities in Puerto Rico, and unfortunately many youngsters who've been abandoned by the education system struggle even more. Puerto Rico has a decaying public education system, and a bill like PROMESA facilitates the closing of schools and education programs in order to pay the debt. This could represent many more school dropouts in the upcoming years that will enter the labor world of $4.25 an hour. Between a job that offers $4.25 an hour versus a robust and stable underground economy in Puerto Rico with opportunities of advancing, hustling in the streets becomes very tempting. Young people don't want to be 425 slaves. I don't think that most candidates aspiring for Puerto Rico's governance understand the social impacts of a $4.25 minimum wage, but they all have expressed their opposition to it (there are many voters between ages 18 and 25). This is the only provision in PROMESA's bill that requires the governor of Puerto Rico to directly sing on, any other administrative decisions of the Oversight Board can be done without the authorization or approval of Puerto Rico's governor. This is not a guarantee that a $4.25 minimum wage will not be implemented. For example, we've seen in the past how gubernatorial candidates have expressed their opposition of adopting sale taxes, and once in office they've done the entire opposite. Such is the case of former governor Anibal Acevedo Vila, who said he would never approve a 7% sales tax and later argued he had no choice. Alejandro Garcia Padilla, the current governor brought a VAT of 11.5%. A waiver to the federal minimum wage doesn't only represent a threat to the Puerto Rican people; this could also establish a precedent for other states in the union. While in the United States workers are fighting for a $15 dollar an hour minimum wage, young Puerto Ricans face the possibility of less than $5 in the upcoming years. This is why labor unions are very attentive to this case, including the SEIU and the UAW who have opposed this bill. But, Hillary Clinton (the presidential candidate they've endorsed) said "While I have serious concerns about several provisions in this bill, including the creation of an oversight board that would exert substantial control over Puerto Rico, I believe that we must move forward with this legislation." Advertisement Soon, PROMESA will be discussed in the United States Senate. Sources say that the Senate will try to pass this like Steph Curry on a fast break ahead of Puerto Rico's next bond payment in July 1st. At this stage, the only hope to kill this bill inside Congress lies possibly on Senator Bernie Sanders, who the Puerto Rican democrats didn't favor in the presidential primaries of the territory. Clinton won big in Puerto Rico, but it seems that Sanders didn't take it personal. In opposition to PROMESA, he has done more than proposing amendments to the bill. Sanders, has introduced the Puerto Rico Humanitarian Relief Act, which doesn't establish an Oversight Board or includes a $4.25 minimum. Still, Sanders legislation needs to be expanded upon according to Natasha Lycia Ora Bannan, president of National Lawyers Guild. Co-authored by Rachel Anspach This week, as we mark the one year anniversary of the Charleston massacre, the country is reeling from another mass killing rooted in hatred. One week ago, Omar Mateen opened fire in Pulse, a queer club in Orlando, killing 49 and wounding 53 as they celebrated Latinx Night. Clearly, as a country we have failed to deeply or meaningfully grapple with the realities of racism, patriarchy, homophobia and hate in America. During the twelve months bookended by the massacres in Charleston and Orlando, terrifying acts of racialized and gender violence have followed one after another. We have seen former Oklahoma City Police Officer Daniel Holtzclaw's trial for serial sexual assault of vulnerable Black women in the course of duty. We have learned about Brock Turner, the white Stanford student who received a six-month jail sentence for brutally raping an unconscious woman behind a dumpster due to the judge's concern that a longer sentence would have a "severe impact" on the swim team star. We watched as Jasmine Richards, a Black Lives Matter activist, received a prison sentence eight times the length of Turner's after being convicted of a felony lynching for interfering with a protest related arrest. We've seen cops continue to kill men, women and children of color with impunity, and time and time again, not face any legal consequences for doing so. Advertisement And now we have seen Orlando. It's hard not to feel hopeless in the wake of what we have witnessed. It's hard to feel like anything we can do will make a difference. As white feminists, maybe a first step can be acknowledging and speaking with each other about the ways we are implicated in the racist patriarchy that gave rise to what happened on Charleston, in Oklahoma City and in Orlando. "You rape our women, and you're taking over our country, and you have to go." These are the words that Dylann Roof reportedly uttered before opening fire on churchgoers at the historically Black Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina on June 17, 2015, killing nine parishioners in the midst of bible study. Roof's disturbing manifesto was predicated upon both racism and patriarchy, and his words and actions serve as a harsh reminder that in order to root out oppression and violence, we must combat multiple bases for marginalization at the same time. Despite this claims of protecting white women from Black men, most of Roof's victims were Black women. Advertisement As members of the queer community, we can insist that our movement centers those who are most targeted by society -- people of color, trans and gender nonconforming folks, undocumented folks, those living in poverty -- the subsets of our community living in the crosshairs of multiple oppressive systems. We must be willing to acknowledge that while the shooting at Pulse is deeply upsetting to the LGBTQ community as a whole, it is queer people of color, those targeted by the attack, who will feel its aftershocks most acutely. Where will undocumented queer folks find safety, now that Pride events and gay clubs are being so heavily policed? Where will Muslim queer folks find safety, now that they are being criminalized and pitted against the rest of the LGBTQ community by the media? Where will Black queer folks find safety, knowing that presumptive safe havens from white supremacy such as Black churches and clubs for queer people of color have both been the sites of racialized terror in the past year, and are now more heavily policed than ever? Without intersectionality -- a concept coined by Kimberle Crenshaw to describe the ways in which multiple facets of our identities overlap to give rise to unique forms of marginalization -- we fall into the danger of erasing those who are most impacted by the tragedies from the narrative. Last Tuesday, Representative Pete Sessions (R-TX) was quoted as saying that Pulse was not a gay club because most of the Orlando victims were Latinx. "It was a young person's nightclub, I'm told. And there were some [LGBTQ people] there, but it was mostly Latinos." Sessions' failure to recognize that individuals can identify as both queer and Latinx is a prime example of intersectional erasure. While his statement was blatantly ludicrous, the underlying failure to acknowledge that this tragedy specifically targeted queer and trans people of color has been reinforced by mainstream media and politicians across the political spectrum. This erasure is dangerous. It divides marginalized groups and serves to distract attention from the root causes of American violence and inequality. It's up to us to counter this narrative. Silence in the face of the status quo is complicity. As the death toll of those killed by white supremacy, toxic masculinity and homophobic hate continues to mount every day, we cannot afford to be silent. Advertisement Like all members of the LGBT community, I awoke a week ago Sunday stunned at the news from Orlando. And as I tried to piece my emotions together, I realized I was feeling something I hadn't felt since the morning that the Challenger exploded, way back in 1986: slapped in the face by a reality that had always been a possibility but that I had stopped worrying about because everything was going so well. Just as I had on that horrific day my first reaction was stunned catatonia: I sat staring at news stories, trying to fathom the immensity of it, trying to understand, as if one can understand horror and hatred. It had been just the previous Thursday when I stood scant feet from President Obama as he delivered his eighth LGBT Pride Reception address, a beautiful few hours in the White House spent meeting LGBT folks from all over who were there to do what I was there to do: celebrate the incredible gains that we've made under this administration. The conversations there were full of hope and promise and not whether but when. Could that have been just that Thursday? Two days before the universe collapsed? In 1986, I must have watched that endless loop of the shuttle exploding a hundred times. There was a teacher on board. A teacher like me from New Hampshire, where I grew up. It was personal. It was too much to handle. It was too much to believe. Advertisement It was a different world. Sunday, I didn't need video to confirm the stories. The scene has become sickeningly familiar to us all. And yes, it's still very personal. I'm not young-obviously, if I remember the Challenger-and I am not Latina, but in a different life I might have been someone who went to a club like Pulse. I'm transgender. I like enjoying life. And 100+ young LGBT people who had gone to do just that were mowed down because...why? The shooter hated them? He was a self-loathing closeted gay man? He was a secretly radicalized Muslim who really hated the fact that he was gay and somehow blamed all LGBT people for it? What? Catatonia slowly turned to deep sadness. I read stories about the victims: two men who were to be married who will now instead be buried; a soldier who had challenged the insane DADT rule; a young nurse who will never be able to fulfill her promise; students, dancers, single parents, journalists, salespeople, beauticians, Disney World employees, out of towners just there for fun... so hard to read. So many lives, so senseless. So horrible. And then deep sadness morphed to plain old anger. It started when I began thinking about how the news was reporting this tragedy. The more they didn't say "LGBT," the angrier I grew. The more they latched onto the "radical Islam" angle and called it "terrorism" instead of a hate crime, the more my anger ignited. The more I saw people sharing sympathetic memes and rainbow ribbons on facebook-people whom I know to be NRA supporters and therefore complicit in the fact that this guy could legally purchase a military-grade weapon at a shopping plaza gun store without even any needed background check-the more my anger started becoming fury. The more I started hearing that this was about Islamic hatred and we needed to get rid of the Muslims, as if it were not the Christian right in THIS country that fosters the environment that gave this shooter the notion that LGBT people are somehow lesser and are valid as targets and that if he, in fact, is one, he should hate himself, the more that fury became livid. Advertisement The President said-as he has said so many times now that he might as well play a recording- that we need to decide what kind of country we are. That's the problem: we have decided. We are a country that doesn't care if gunmen, every couple of months or so, blow away large groups of businesspeople, gay people, medical people, moviegoers, or even school children, because we need to hold on to our precious right to own what are, in civilian terms, weapons of mass destruction. That is who we are. Or anyway, that is who the cowards who populate Congress are, as they showed us once again on Monday night, voting down two easy-to-take gun laws even though they had about 90% support from the populace. And I am utterly enraged about it. Because I thought we were finally safe, you know? I thought that all of the asinine laws that the GOP keeps passing were the last, worst gasps of a dying breed of dinosaur passing out of existence. I had forgotten that within all of the ugliness that the right espouses also lies the real potential for actual violence. Until now. In 1986, no one was even watching the launch of the Challenger. Such launches had become so easy and routine that, as I said, they were sending civilians up. Only the brand new 24-hour CNN, with nothing else to fill its time, covered the launch live. And only they had the video that immediately (in 2016 parlance) went viral. It was a huge event not only because of its inherent newsworthiness, but because of its shattering of a kind of innocence: suddenly we were all reminded, so violently, of what some part of us of course already knew: the dangers inherent to space travel. The Pulse atrocity has reminded us, so violently, of the dangers inherent to being LGBT in this country. Where we had started to become a bit complacent -- overconfident after so many victories, maybe? -- now we once more need to look over our shoulders. Where two gay men kissing in the street was starting to feel (as it should) just fine, now, thanks to this shooter, it will come with the shadow of what if there's someone like that guy watching? Where many of us gather together, there will always be slight trepidation. Because that is the kind of country America is. This evening 5 African women, including the much-celebrated Lupita Nyongo , will command the stage at the Golden Theater on Broadway as they have for the past many weeks. Their final moving performance will transport the audience to the makeshift camps and traumatized villages and towns of Liberia, where civil war spilled into homes and destroyed the lives of thousands of civilians. You will meet a peace activist; young girls used as sex slaves; upper class Liberian women and poor village women; and fierce female guerillas determined to use guns to assert their power. You will sit on the edge of your seat, hardly daring to breathe as you are immersed in a war that took place not so long ago. A war in which women's bodies were brutalized, enslaved, used as vessels of shame, as instruments of salvation, and exploited in every fashion. You will be reminded that Liberia is closely, deeply, unmistakeably linked with the United States and you will be ashamed that you cannot find Monrovia on a map, nor recall when Charles Taylor's violent autocratic rule came to an end. You may not have any idea that it was Liberian women who brought that reign of terror and the civil war between the dictator Taylor and the increasingly murderous LURD rebels to an end. Few of you may have watched the brilliant film by Abby Disney and Gini Reticker Pray the Devil Back to Hell that recounts how both Muslim and Christian Liberian women came together to challenge and defeat the violence in their land by wearing white and protesting by putting their bodies on the line. But for us in the global women's movement, Eclipsed is something else. It is both Herstory on stage and Herstory in practice. It is the reminder of the power, beauty and sacrifice of women's rights defenders in the midst of war, in the midst of brutality, in the midst of despair. It is a song of praise for the creativity and courage that women find whether they are grassroots activists, founders of non-profits, playwrights, actors, producers or directors. Eclipsed is the first ALL BLACK, ALL WOMEN production on Broadway ever. EVER. It seems fitting that among the actors is Akosua Busia, the sister of a founding member of the African Women's Development Fund, one of the first to support Nobel Peace Prize winner Leymah Gbowee's nascent peacewomen movement along with the Global Fund for Women. These early investments of "risk capital" made it possible for Leymah and her amazing band of peacewagers to keep going, to pay for tickets to Ghana to keep the pressure on LURD and Taylor when the negotiations seemed about to fail; to provide shelter for women and children displaced by the war. This is what women's philanthropy and the women's funding movement are all about. Women's funds like the New York Women's Foundation and the Ms. Foundation for Women and many others try to stretch their limited funds between grassroots activism and support for emerging artists, writers, poets, and filmmakers, providing them with access to retreats, training, and career development opportunities long before they go on to become the accomplished performers you will get to see in Eclipsed. Those resources are scarce and often scattered. Playwrights like Danai Gurira and directors like Liesl Tommy are a rare thing on Broadway - Black African Women running their own show. In a 21st century world we need many many more such leaders of change. Private philanthropy needs to follow the lead of women's funds and make sure we support diverse voices and talent in the arts and in civil society across the globe. Together we could ensure women are not eclipsed by the forces of discrimination and bias but are telling and making Herstory that liberates and illuminates all our lives. On June 22, 1941, Adolf Hitler's Nazi army stormed through the Soviet Union in a surprise attack that should have been anything but a surprise. The blitzkrieg started in the middle of the night and set into motion a chain of events that would result in millions of people dead. It was well coordinated, well planned, but not necessarily well thought out. "I danced my last dance on the 21st of June." Marina Fedorevna looked at me with tears in her eyes and described those first days of war. The confusion and horror and fear were still very real to her, though decades had passed. Advertisement Marina and I met in Ukraine in April 2003. She shared her story with me slowly, taking her time to remember each detail. "June 21st was our last day of school, and we had a party. I danced with a young man named Maxim. He was to begin attending the University in the fall, but I still had one more year of primary school before I could join him. Instead of going to University, however, he went to war. He died before the year ended. "I still remember the sound of the bombs falling in the night. It was a terrible sound, and we didn't know what was happening. I was young, of course, and I knew nothing of politics. I knew there was a war in Europe, but I didn't know that the danger would come to us. I was surprised. Many of us were surprised." When Marina got up on the morning of June 22, 1941, her entire life was changed. Her country was now at war, and she would lose two brothers and many friends to that war. She herself would take part in the fight through her local partisan group, battling against the Germans with tricks and underground operations. Advertisement "We were innocent on June 21st," Marina told me. "But on June 22nd, we were no longer children. I danced my last dance on the 21st of June." This week marks 75 years since the Germans launched their blitzkrieg across the Soviet Union. In the course of those five years, an estimated 26,000,000 Soviets died, 6.8 million of them from Ukraine alone. The Germans would ultimately lose the Soviet Union, underestimating the Red Army's resilience, the frigid temperatures they would face, and the power of the alliance struck between the USSR, the United States, and Great Britain. In those days, the world had a common enemy, and that threat was enough to unite us against it. The Tripartite Pact brought Germany, Italy, and Japan together in a shared quest to establish a new world order, and the rest of the world was forced to respond. This was a war of ideology, and the results were catastrophic. I spent ten years studying and researching the effects of World War II on the former Soviet Union, with a particular focus on Soviet Ukraine. How did those events collide in such a way as to leave such a devastating mark? Advertisement On Monday, June 27 the culmination of all those years of research, of the countless interviews I conducted with former Soviet World War II survivors, comes to fruition with the release of my novel, Like a River From Its Course.* Based on true stories, Like a River From Its Course gives a glimpse into one of the most tragic periods in history through stories the world hasn't heard before. These are stories of heartache and grief, of love, pain, and redemption. Hailed as "gritty and touching" by Publisher's Weekly, Like a River From Its Course is more than just a set of stories. It is history come to life, here to remind us of what it means to stand up in the face of evil and refuse to give in. In an increasingly volatile world, it's important to look at the past and to learn from it. If history has taught us anything, it's that the struggle for freedom is one that will never end. Though the enemy we face today is complex and different than that of the past, what is clear is that they want to bring the fight to our borders. This cannot be allowed. The events in Orlando are a wake up call, reminding us to be ever vigilant because we are not immune to attack. The history of 75 years ago begs us to learn - to remember. May we not dance on the memories of the past. Kelli Stuart is the author of Like a River From Its Course, an epic story of war, love, grief, and redemption set in World War II Soviet Ukraine. (Kregel Publications, June 2016) Advertisement BERLIN, GERMANY - JUNE 18: A mourner attends a vigil for victims of a shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida nearly a week earlier, in front of the United States embassy on June 18, 2016 in Berlin, Germany. Fifty people were killed and at least as many injured during a Latin music event at the Pulse club in the worst terror attack in the U.S. since 9/11. The American-born gunman had pledged allegiance to ISIS, though officials have yet to find conclusive evidence of his having any direct connection with foreign extremists. The incident has added fuel to the ongoing debate about gun control in the country. (Photo by Adam Berry/Getty Images) Maarten Boudry argues that religion and religion alone motivates ISIS and ISIS-like extremists to violence. He claims (without citation) that other factors, "socio-economic disenfranchisement, unemployment, troubled family backgrounds, discrimination and racism," have been "repeatedly refuted." Thinking that religion plays any lesser motivational role is, he claims, "a dramatic failure of imagination." Since the claim that religion plays a lesser motivational role in extremist violence is empirically well-supported, I think Boudry's claim is "a dramatic failure of imagination." Moreover, I think it's dangerously uninformed. Advertisement In this essay, I'll explain why this claim is uniformed. In the followup, I'll explain why it's dangerous. You can read my argument in its entirety here. It's easy to think that the troubles in Ireland were religious because, you know, Protestant vs. Catholic. But giving the sides religious names hides the real sources of conflict--discrimination, poverty, imperialism, autonomy, nationalism and shame; no one in Ireland was fighting over theological doctrines such as transubstantiation or justification (they probably couldn't explain their theological differences). It's easy to think that the Bosnian genocide of 40,000 Muslims was motivated by Christian commitment (the Muslim victims were killed by Christian Serbs). But these convenient monikers ignore (a) how shallow post-Communist religious belief was and, more importantly, (b) such complex causes as class, land, ethnic identity, economic disenfranchisement, and nationalism. It's also easy to think that members of ISIS and al-Qaeda are motivated by religious belief, but... Blaming such behaviors on religion commits the fundamental attribution error: attributing the cause of behavior to internal factors such as personality characteristics or dispositions, while minimizing or ignoring external, situational factors. As an example: if I'm late, I attribute my tardiness to an important phone call or heavy traffic, but if you're late I attribute it to a (single) character flaw (you are irresponsible) and ignore possible external contributing causes. So, when Arabs or Muslims commit an act of violence we instantly believe that it's due to their radical faith, all the while ignoring possible and even likely contributing causes. Let's look at some examples. Within minutes of Omar Mateen's massacre of gays in Orlando, before learning that he had pledged allegiance to ISIS during the attack, he was labeled a terrorist. Pledging fealty to ISIS sealed the deal for most people - he was a terrorist, motivated by radical Islam. If a white (Christian) man kills 10 people, he's crazy. If a Muslim does, he's a terrorist, motivated by exactly one thing - his extremist faith. Advertisement Yet, Mateen was, by all counts, a violent, angry, abusive, disruptive, alienated, racist, American, male, homophobe. He was likely bi-polar. With easy access to guns. According to his wife and father, he wasn't very religious. His multiple pledges of allegiance to warring factions such as ISIS, Al Qaeda and Hezbollah suggest that he knew little of any ideology or theology. The CIA and FBI have found no connection with ISIS. Mateen was a hateful, violent, (mostly) irreligious homophobe who killed 50 people on "Latin Night" at the club. While the structure of motivation for Mateen is murky, it would be bizarre to elevate his religious beliefs (such as they were) to some special motivational status. Mohammad Atta, leader of the 9-11 attacks, left a suicide note indicating his fealty to Allah: So remember God, as He said in His book: 'Oh Lord, pour your patience upon us and make our feet steadfast and give us victory over the infidels.' And His words: 'And the only thing they said Lord, forgive our sins and excesses and make our feet steadfast and give us victory over the infidels.' And His prophet said: 'Oh Lord, You have revealed the book, You move the clouds, You gave us victory over the enemy, conquer them and give us victory over them.' Give us victory and make the ground shake under their feet. Pray for yourself and all your brothers that they may be victorious and hit their targets and ask God to grant you martyrdom facing the enemy, not running away from it, and for Him to grant you patience and the feeling that anything that happens to you is for Him. Surely we should take Atta at his word. Yet Atta (along with his fellow terrorists) seldom attended mosque, partied almost nightly, was a heavy drinker, snorted cocaine, and ate pork chops. Hardly the stuff of Muslim submission. When his stripper girlfriend ended their relationship, he broke into her apartment and killed her cat and kittens, disemboweling and dismembering them and then distributing their body parts throughout the apartment for her to find later. Makes Atta's suicide note seems more like reputation management than pious confession. Or maybe it was a desperate hope that his actions would attain some sort of cosmic significance that his otherwise insignificant life lacked. When Lydia Wilson, a research fellow at the Centre for the Resolution of Intractable Conflict at Oxford University, recently conducted field research with ISIS prisoners, she found them "woefully ignorant of Islam" and unable to answer questions about "Sharia law, militant jihad, and the caliphate." Not surprising then that when wannabe jihadists Yusuf Sarwar and Mohammed Ahmed were caught boarding a plane in England authorities discovered in their luggage Islam for Dummies and The Koran for Dummies. In the same article, Erin Saltman, senior counter-extremism researcher at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, says that "Recruitment [of ISIS] plays upon desires of adventure, activism, romance, power, belonging, along with spiritual fulfillment." Advertisement England's MI5's behavioral science unit, in a report leaked to the Guardian, revealed that, "far from being religious zealots, a large number of those involved in terrorism do not practise their faith regularly. Many lack religious literacy and could . . . be regarded as religious novices." Indeed, the report argued, "a well-established religious identity actually protects against violent radicalization." Why would England's MI5 think that religion plays virtually no role in extremism? Boudry is half-right about those "other factors." There is no single, well-established profile of terrorists. Some are poor, some are not. Some are unemployed, some are not. Some are poorly educated, some are not. Some are culturally isolated, some are not. Nonetheless, these sorts of external factors, while neither necessary nor jointly sufficient, do contribute to radicalization in some people under certain circumstances. Each extremist has his or her own unique socio-psychological profile (which makes their identification nearly impossible). In parts of Africa, with sky-high unemployment rates for 18 to 34-year-olds, ISIS targets the unemployed and impoverished; ISIS offers a steady paycheck, meaningful employment, food for their families, and an opportunity to strike back at those viewed as economic oppressors. In Syria many recruits join ISIS solely to topple the vicious Assad regime; liberated criminals find ISIS a convenient place to hide from their past. Palestinians are motivated by the dehumanization of living as disempowered second-class citizens in an apartheid state. In Europe and America, where most of the recruits are young men who are educated and middle class, cultural isolation is factor number one in driving Muslims to extremism. Young, alienated Muslims are attracted by slick media that offer adventure and glory to their tedious and marginalized lives. German Muslims are motivated by adventure and alienation. Long gone are the days of listening to boring and monotonous Osama bin Laden sermons. ISIS's highly-skilled recruiters use social media and personal contact (through the internet) to create personal and communal bonds of otherwise disaffected Muslims who are then enticed to leave their mundane and meaningless lives and fight together for a noble cause. That is, they are motivated by a sense of belonging and a quest for human significance. Advertisement One might think that dreams of afterlife virgins are especially conducive to violence. But as far as some greater good goes, just about any ideology will do. Indeed, non-religious ideologies in the 20th century caused vastly more suffering and death than all of the religiously-motivated violence in human history combined. Adolf Hitler's Germany killed more than 10,000,000 innocent people, while WWII saw the deaths of 60,000,000 people (with many more deaths attributable to war-related disease and famine). The purges and famines under Joseph Stalin's regime killed millions. Estimates of Mao Zedong's death toll range from 40,000,000-80,000,000. The current fashion of blaming religion ignores the staggering death toll of secular ideologies. Once human beings feel like they belong to a group, they will do anything, even commit atrocities, for their brothers and sisters in the group. I have a friend who fought for the US in Iraq. He and his mates grew increasingly cynical of the US mission in Iraq. Although he was no longer ideologically committed to US goals, he told me that he would have done anything, even sacrificed his own life, for members of his group. This dynamic increases if one is able to disidentify with and dehumanize those who are not in one's group. Anthropologist Scott Atran, who has spoken with more terrorists and their families than any Western scholar, concurs. In testimony to the US senate in 2010, he said, "What inspires the most lethal terrorists in the world today is not so much the Quran or religious teachings as a thrilling cause and call to action that promises glory and esteem in the eyes of friends, and through friends, eternal respect and remembrance in the wider world." Jihad, he said, is "thrilling, glorious and cool." Oxford's Harvey Whitehouse directed an international team of distinguished scholars on the motivations of extreme self-sacrifice. They found that violent extremism isn't motivated by religion, it is motivated by fusion with the group. There is no psychological profile of today's terrorist. They are not crazy, they are often well-educated and many are relatively well off. They are motivated, like many young people, by a sense of belonging, a desire for an exciting and meaningful life, and devotion to a higher cause. Extremist ideology, while not a non-factor, is typically low on the list of motivations. Democratic U.S. presidential candidate Hillary Clinton pauses as she speaks at a campaign rally in Cleveland, Ohio June 13, 2016. REUTERS/Aaron Josefczyk When Barack Obama became the first African-American president of the United States, the thin facade of American tolerance was ripped away and the ugly underbelly of racism that lurked just beneath the surface was exposed. It was evident all over social media. There were viral memes and graphics depicting our president in ways I won't even describe, because they were so awful. I'll just say there were gun targets, nooses, watermelons, and other inflammatory, racist images. Oddly, the Supreme Court decided that racism no longer existed and they gutted the Voting Rights Act, deleting Section 4's pre-clearance language, which disenfranchised a hell of a lot of non-white folks. Advertisement If Hillary Clinton wins in November, incidents of sexism and misogyny will not fall by the wayside; they'll ascend to new heights (or descend to new depths). And the funny-not-funny thing of it is the sexist misogynists will insist that there's no more sexism and misogyny. They'll be more than happy to explain it to you, too. They'll beat you over the head with it until you want to fucking scream. And that's their goal. They want you to scream and yell; and then they'll call you hysterical and unreasonable. Because in their archaic minds, their male-dominant superiority will be confirmed. The sexists will make any and every attempt to quell the feminist army, who will refuse to live under the mistaken belief that everything is 100 percent equal. And when I say feminist army, I'm not describing an army of women; I'm describing an army of women and men who get it. We get that rape culture exists, and it needs to be eradicated. We get that women (and men) do not have constitutional protection against gender discrimination. We get that a woman president won't mean automatic gender equality -- in fact, we get that it will agitate the sexists just as much as a black president agitated racists. And the sexists will protest. They'll be loud, obnoxious and they'll firmly believe they have the moral high ground. In other words, America will begin to resemble a feminist Facebook page, complete with brigades of trolls, mansplainers and mansplaining trolls. Unfortunately, I was unable to find the clip from an Oprah show where feminist icon Gloria Steinem talked about pay inequality -- an obvious crime against 1950s fan-fiction -- which upset a sexist man in the audience. The conversation between Steinem and the man went something like this: Advertisement STEINEM: If women do the same work as men, they should earn the same salary. MAN IN AUDIENCE: You're being ridiculous, and it sounds like you want women to have more power than men. STEINEM: We don't want more power, we're fighting for the same seat at the table men have. We don't want more, we want an equal amount. MAN IN AUDIENCE: All I hear is that you want to dominate men! This is the kind of bullshit that will happen with greater frequency with a woman president, and it will be maddening. It will make some feminists feel as if we are losing the battle -- and due to the fact that the sexists will be so driven to win, they'll be unrelenting. They'll twist words and meanings so much your head will spin. This will be their goal. They will argue and argue and argue. They'll exhaust and frustrate you in an effort to wear you down. The saddest part of all of this is that many of these sexists will use the fact that they vote for Democrats as proof they are not sexist. They will argue that they are progressive and, because of their self-imposed label, we should all calm down, take a pause from our hysterical, uppity demands and just let them explain it to us -- because they know better. When we reject their form of "enlightenment," the progressive sexists will take on a calm, morally superior posture in an effort to make us look and feel unhinged, and then they will declare they are finished with the conversation. If you dare to keep it going and call them out, they will have one more reply before they walk away or block you. Can you guess what it'll be? C'mon, it's not that difficult to figure out - they'll peg you as a man-hater, and then they will disappear into the valley of I know Better Than You. One day, maybe very soon, America will have a woman president, and the sexists are going to revolt. It's going to be ugly. It's going to spike your blood pressure and induce raging heartburn. Please keep in mind that while it may feel as if the sexists will never get it, remember two things: growing pains often accompany progress, and eventually the sexists will die off. Obviously, there will always be some form of sexism (because some people have to be asses). Younger generations will have a more evolved approach toward gender issues and equality will prevail. It always does. The morally superior 'splainer sexists can go fuck themselves. Advertisement Terrorist written newspaper, shallow dof, real newspaper. ANADOLU AGENCY VIA GETTY IMAGES Nepalese People, Be Calm And Patience! The news that 14 Nepalese have been killed in the terrorist attack has shocked everyone in Nepal and many are reacting with grief and sorrow on Facebook and other social medias. This attack is reminding the execution of the 12 Nepalese workers in Iraq. Nepalese are reacting with grief at the news that terrorists have killed 14 Nepalese security guards in Kabul. They were killed in an attack on a minibus. The minibus was carrying Nepalese security guards in Kabul. It was the first attack in the capital since the start of the holy fasting month of Ramadan two weeks ago. Taliban has claimed responsibility for the attack on a minibus. Advertisement The news that 14 Nepalese have been killed in the terrorist attack has shocked everyone in Nepal and many are reacting with grief and sorrow on Facebook and other social medias. This attack is reminding the execution of the 12 Nepalese workers in Iraq. Islamic militants in Iraq had killed Twelve Nepalese hostages in 2004. Nepalese workers kidnapped by Islamist extremists were murdered in the biggest mass killing of hostages. The news was received with anger and grief in Nepal and thousands of angry demonstrators took to the streets of Kathmandu. This time, everything is under control. Nepalese people should show patience because history has already proved that the reaction with anger and riot is harmful. But it's not only time to express grief and sorrow; but also time to be more unified against global terrorism. Terrorism doesn't have any nationality. Terrorists can kill any national around the world and everybody is under threat. It is not just an attack on Kabul; it is an attack on all humanity. This is why all Nepalese around the world should stand strongly for humanity. Nepal lacks a law specifically criminalizing terrorism or material support to terrorist networks. In response to an act of terrorism, Nepali courts would prosecute the perpetrators on the basis of laws pertaining to murder or arson. At this point, the government of Nepal should rethink about national policy and law against terrorism. At this point, the government of Nepal should rethink about national policy and law against terrorism. Because South Asia is at high risk of terrorism and Nepal could be a safe heaven. Nepal has experienced no significant acts of international terrorism yet. However, Nepalese are losing lives in Iraq and Afghanistan in terrorist attacks. Advertisement As Country Reports on Terrorism 2015 said, Nepal lacks a law specifically criminalizing terrorism or material support to terrorist networks. In response to an act of terrorism, Nepali courts would prosecute the perpetrators on the basis of laws pertaining to murder or arson, for example. Most Nepali officials view Nepal as being at no or low risk for an international terrorist incident on Nepali soil. Nepal has limited ability to process modern forms of evidence. An open border with India and relatively weak airport security is increasing the risk that international terrorists could use Nepal as a transit or staging point. Nepal should make a proper law criminalizing terrorism and should be aware of the risk that terrorists could use Nepal as a staging point. Otherwise, Nepalese could lose their lives not only in Iraq or Afghanistan because of terrorist attacks but also in Nepal too. CO-AUTHORS: Hana Abu Hassan: Dr Abu-Hassan works in the UK and Jordan. In Jordan, her country of origin, she holds an academic post at the School of Medicine, University of Jordan, where she conducts research and teaches both medical students and Family Medicine residents. She also works at a Family Medicine clinic based at Jordan University Hospital which covers patients in the capital Amman and those commuting for healthcare to Amman from the outskirts or other rural areas.In the UK, she is a self-employed GP and works between different GP surgeries in London, Hampshire and Jersey. In addition to her work at the University of Jordan and in the UK, Dr Abu-Hassan works with refugee populations pro bono in both Jordan and Greece. [hana.hani@gmail.com] Lucy Waterfield: Lucy is a UK trained doctor with an MBBS from University College London and three years post-graduate experience working in the NHS. With a Diploma in Medical Care of Catastrophes (refugee health focus) as well as a Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, Dr. Waterfield has taken time out of training to work with the SAMS Global Response in Greece. [lucywaterfield@me.com] Those of us working on the ground with Syrian refugees understand that their stories remain with us long after we hear them. Now thousands of miles away, the harrowing stories of adversity we heard last week from Syrian refugees while on a medical mission with the Syrian American Medical Society Foundation on the border of Greece and Macedonia repeat uninterruptedly in our minds. Advertisement Shireen, 7 years old, lost both parents while crossing the Mediterranean Sea to Lesvos. Before she and her family made the journey, Shireen was told to wait for her parents on the shore in case they got separated. When rescue workers found her, she was speaking to her teddy bear, Luna, about her parents. She refused to leave the shore for 5 days, believing her parents were still coming. "Daddy and mommy are just swimming slowly, Luna. I am going to see them again very soon." Today, she is one of thousands of unaccompanied minors in Greece, some of whom refuse to believe that their parents have died. Mohammad, 35 years old, was a nurse in Syria before he escaped to Greece. Last week, he, his wife, and his 1-year-old girl left one of the camps on the Greece-Macedonia border to be smuggled into Macedonia. Several miles away from there, police officers heard the daughter's cry and sent the family back to the camp. Next week, Mohammad is paying to be smuggled in the opposite direction: back to Turkey. "All Syrian refugees here have died several times already. We died when we left our home and our families in Syria. We died when we literally crossed the world on our feet to get to Turkey. We died on the way to Lesvos. The worst death of all, however, is the slow one experienced right now in this camp- where we are expected to merely eat and sleep without any understanding of what will happen to us tomorrow. I would rather go back to war in Syria than be treated like this in Greece." Dalal, 23 years old, lives with her husband in a camp and is active on social media. "I saw on Facebook that people are talking about an animal killed somewhere in the world and how that's been one of the most important pieces of news. I think if we were animals, the world would care more about us. Because as humans, the world has demonstrated over and over again that we do not matter. Europeans do not want us. We are not worthy enough to be humans in Europe." Advertisement There are close to 57,000 refugees in Greece of whom a proportion live near the border of Macedonia. The misconception is that these refugees were able to escape harrowing adversity, war, and persecution to achieve stability and peace in Greece. That said, Syrians on the border reiterate that the worst part of the journey thus far has been their experience in Greece. Denied sufficient medical and psychological attention, denied sufficient amounts of food after long days of fasting Ramadan, denied opportunities for jobs and education, refugees stuck on the border of Greece and Macedonia have been denied basic human rights. Sonia Menon is the Chief Operating Officer at Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg LLP, a Chicago based law firm with over 140 lawyers, where she oversees the management of the day-to-day operations of the firm, including human resources, knowledge management, marketing, facilities, records and space planning. She is responsible for the design and implementation of talent management initiatives and operating policies for lawyers and staff. She provides strategic advice to the firm's leadership on the development of policies and procedures and works to ensure that the recruitment, development, advancement and diversity policies and programs are aligned to support the firm's strategic agenda. Ms. Menon is an active member of the firm's Women's Network, Pro Bono and Diversity Committees, developing new initiatives to enhance the advancement and retention of women and minority lawyers. As a certified practitioner of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, Ms. Menon conducts training workshops for leadership development, team building and management development. Ms. Menon has been a featured speaker on subjects relating to law firm economics and profitability, competency talent management, recruiting strategies, diversity and inclusion, career planning and alternate career models. She is an active member of NALP, and most recently served as the chair of NALP's 2015 annual educational conference. Ms. Menon is also actively involved with SHRM, HRMAC, ALA, the Chicago Committee on Minorities in Large Law Firms and the Professional Development Consortium in Chicago. Ms. Menon graduated in 1988 with an honors degree in Psychology. Advertisement How has your life experience made you the leader you are today? Over the course of my life, I have lived on three different continents and in essence, very different cultures. I was born in England and spent my early childhood in London. Our family moved back to India, and I attended college in Mumbai. Upon graduation, I returned to London and started building my career there. And then, 19 years ago, I moved to America. Each place I have called home has its unique cultural norms and values that influence every aspect of life, from how we interact with strangers, to how we build a social life, to how we conduct business. While each move brought apprehension over how I would build relationships, integrate into a new community and succeed, it has been exciting to learn new things, keep an open mind, and draw unreservedly from my very diverse experiences. I learned to embrace change as a constant and an opportunity, rather than an obstacle. This has greatly influenced who I am today as a leader. Through inclusive and intentional leadership, I allow myself to stay flexible and guide my organization to stay relevant, evolve and thrive in this constantly changing environment. As a leader, I focus on building teams that bring diverse perspectives and experiences to the table and where individuals are comfortable challenging each other and the status quo. How has your previous employment experience aided your position at Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg? Throughout my career, I have been interested in human behavior and how I can contribute to an organization's success by improving the satisfaction, performance and well-being of its employees. Advertisement With an academic background in organizational psychology, I started my career interning with a psychologist, conducting research on the use of psychometric testing in the hiring process. I came to understand the importance of "fit" both for the individual being hired and the culture of the organization. The challenge of finding this "fit" was fascinating to me, and led me to the world of search firms. I loved the opportunity to learn about an organization's business and culture and then challenge myself to find the right individual for their needs, not just in terms of qualifications and experience, but almost more importantly, the philosophical and cultural fit. At Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg LLP, human capital is our most valuable asset. Finding people who are qualified to do the work, and who also genuinely like our environment and want to stay and advance throughout their careers, is the most rewarding experience for me. My one detour from talent management was a three-year stint with the Hilton group of hotels in London. I was very fortunate to have a terrific mentor who taught me everything I needed to know about the business operations of a hotel. As a revenue generator it was important for me to understand the business, and about business development. It was fascinating to learn about the hospitality industry, business projections, forecasting and budgeting. That experience and training has translated into every other role and held me in good stead. In my current role, I have the unique opportunity to draw on all of these experiences, in efficiently and cost effectively managing the operations of our law firm, and more importantly, managing our talent. What have the highlights and challenges been during your tenure at Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg? Before I came to Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg LLP I found it challenging to stay at an organization for more than three years - I got bored if I was not stretched in my role. Fifteen years later at Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg LLP, and every day is still a new challenge. I get to work with very smart individuals, and have been presented with interesting and somewhat daunting challenges in my various roles at the firm. Each day that I come to work, I am reminded of what a special place the firm is. It is extremely rewarding when that sentiment is echoed by individuals you hired who sincerely appreciate the culture and the people. My first role as Director of Professional Recruitment and Development was very gratifying because I got to see how excited law students were to accept an offer from the firm, and then watched and helped as they thrived and developed as lawyers. My job was "cradle to grave". I was involved in our attorneys' development and advancement from the time they were law students all the way through their progression to partner, to helping them gradually transition out of active practice. Advertisement The ability to be creative in my strategic approach has been a privilege and a highlight for me. As a single office law firm, I am fortunate to have access to all the key decision makers. Our leaders have always placed a premium on exceptional quality and a true commitment to client service, and we are encouraged and challenged to innovate and try new progressive approaches to problem-solving every day. The huge shifts in the practice and business of law in the last decade challenged us to stay true to our identity and vision, while providing the same level of individualized support to our clients, and remaining fiscally sound. We have the benefit of being nimble as a smaller firm, to adjust course and capitalize on new, innovative and cost-effective ways of delivering legal services as a trusted advisor to our clients. While the legal industry is still in a state of change, this has provided us with an exciting opportunity to focus on the future and our unique position in the market, our succession plan and strategy. What advice can you offer women who are seeking a leadership role? Do not try to fit someone else's mold, shape your own. It has always been important for me to stay true to myself, and to have courage in my convictions. Develop a leadership style that feels right to you and reflects who you are. Try new strategies, particularly those outside your comfort zone. You should be willing to take meaningful risks and to challenge the status quo. Women often talk about wanting a seat at the table. While I don't believe you need to wait to be asked, you do need to feel comfortable carrying the mantle of leadership, projecting confidence and most importantly, being well prepared so that you are viewed by others as a strategic thinker and thought leader. Don't be afraid to speak up and contribute your ideas, even if you are the only woman in the room. Standing out and speaking up can sometimes be difficult, but if you are prepared, it will be recognized and appreciated. Purposefully seek out meaningful opportunities that you are passionate about and that will allow you to stand out through your enthusiasm and excellence. Finally, don't forget to give back. Nurturing talent is a responsibility we all share, and in a leadership role it is important to be a role model and mentor to others. How do you maintain a work/life balance? I think balance is a deceptive word. I am not sure what it means to truly achieve balance, so what I strive for is harmony. I recognize that I will never be everything to everyone, but what is important to me is to pay attention to what balances and challenges me. My career is a very important part of who I am, and I need to recognize and respect that. It is equally important for me to be a good mother and wife, and so I strive to be truly present in each situation. When I am working that's what I am focused on, without feeling guilty about not spending more time with my family. When I am at home I am present and not pre-occupied with work. Also, rather than compartmentalizing the different aspects of my life, I try to create synergies that allow me to recognize how each experience impacts the other. I am fortunate to have a terrific husband who is very supportive of my career, and a very hands-on dad. I have a wonderful relationship with my teenage daughter, and even with my busy schedule, we are always able to spend quality time together and have fun. I don't try to live by others' standards or riddle myself with guilt for not baking homemade cookies for a school event. Rather, I decide what's truly important to me and my family and focus on achieving those things. Advertisement What do you think is the biggest issue for women in the workplace? While we still have many issues in the business world as it relates to equality of pay, the glass ceiling, and the lack of gender diversity in leadership, it is more useful for me to focus on issues that women can influence by helping themselves in the workplace. I think women need to give themselves permission to value their careers, to speak up, and not be so apologetic. Women too often try to be perfect at everything, both at home and at work. This is an unrealistic expectation, and as a result of this high bar that we set for ourselves, we end up letting someone down, often ourselves. We need to stop beating ourselves up, and realizing that while excellence in the things that matter to us is a worthwhile goal, perfection is not. Rather than let tradition or circumstance dictate your future, women must be more fearless in standing up for their ideas and taking credit for their accomplishments. We need to be willing to be disruptive and challenge the status quo. Women have a particularly hard time with this. I think this is because there is often a gap between their actual competence and their self-confidence. I too often come across women who are so much better than their own image of themselves. Business is a mental game and self-confidence and projecting that confidence, is a significant part of being successful. How has mentorship made a difference in your professional and personal life? I have been very fortunate to have terrific mentors through my life, both male and female. My parents, both of whom have been true role models to me, instilled the importance of integrity, respect and hard work early in my life. My mother taught me to be bold and fearless, while my father guided me to be effective within the constraints of the business world. My mother never felt the need to conform to any norms that the traditional Indian family and societal structure imposed. She often took on very non-traditional roles in her professional life, from starting and running a successful investment company to becoming the sole agent for a Scotch whiskey brand in India. She was never afraid to go outside her comfort zone and always encouraged me to be a zealous advocate for what I believed in. This gave me the confidence to grow up believing that I always had a seat at the table if I wanted it. My father, who was a successful corporate executive for an international pharmaceutical company, gave me a view into the workings, often political, of modern business. He taught me the need to be strategic, to think about how to be most effective in the long term, and how to bridge cultural gaps for the benefit of the company and its stakeholders. Advertisement Right from the beginning at Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg LLP, senior leaders at the firm have been generous with their time and willingness to guide me through my career. While I have not been part of any formal mentoring program, different people have supported me along the way, whether through the innovative leadership of our managing partner who encourages me to be creative in my problem solving and think outside the box, or the wise counsel of a senior partner in navigating and managing the different personalities, each individual has had a significant and lasting impact on my outlook and developing my own authentic leadership style. Recognizing the impact great mentorship has had on my life, I make every effort to pay it forward. I enjoy helping others to discover their authentic selves and develop their careers, and watching them flourish and succeed gives me great joy. Which other female leaders do you admire and why? There are many women leaders, some more well-known than others, who have had a tremendous influence on my philosophy, leadership style and outlook. While it would be difficult to list all of these women, Melinda Gates' life captures many facets that I admire. Melinda had a successful career at Microsoft, took time out to focus on bringing up her children, and is now one of the most influential and powerful women globally as the co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. She has changed the way funders across the world think about effective philanthropy. Her strategy has not only been through very targeted campaigns, but she has directed her efforts on global goals through global collaboration, and has made the impact tangible and meaningful through sophisticated data-driven monitoring. Since I consider myself somewhat of a global citizen, her broad reach and business strategy are particularly appealing. Moreover, what speaks to me in particular is that much of her attention is focused on championing investments in girls and women around the world, including providing better access to funding for women in economically stricken areas. She has become a vocal advocate for access to contraception, and through this advocacy and aid her foundation is empowering women worldwide to decide whether and when to have children. This will have a lasting transformational effect on third world countries. Many leaders are driven by a desire for the limelight, but Melinda seems truly driven by the need to make the most out of her talents and opportunities to create positive outcomes. I relate very strongly to her approach and philosophy, and believe that leading is about influence and impact, not power. What do you want Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg to accomplish in the next year? This year is a milestone year for the firm as we celebrate our 30th anniversary. Reflecting on what this milestone means to me, I am reminded of the core values on which our firm was founded - our steadfast commitment to being true business partners with our clients, retaining the brightest legal talent, our culture of teamwork, and the importance of cultivating long-lasting relationships that are based on integrity and respect. As COO, I would like to see the firm remain true to its core values and identity as we grow in size and scope, while staying nimble and building on our unique market position. To further meet the changing needs of our clients the firm is exploring innovative and cost effective solutions, including value enhancing technology, sophisticated pricing strategies and creative staffing models. I look forward to shepherding the firm through this next exciting phase of growth and development. Today, more than 1,000 leaders from business, finance, civil society and academia will gather in the UN General Assembly Hall to kick off the 2016 UN Global Compact Leaders Summit. They come to the Summit with a better world on their minds and the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on their agendas. But this is not another sustainability conference. It is about the business activities and markets of the future. It is about inventing, developing and launching countless new ideas and solutions within a very short time period. In other words, the SDGs not only identify where we have to be in 2030 to create a sustainable world which leaves nobody behind, but they also outline new opportunities for companies all over the world. Advertisement The 17 goals represent one guide - a blueprint - for a sustainable way of life for all people on Earth. They are about hopes and dreams of a better future, which we can turn into reality together, if we so wish. And we do. The Leaders Summit is the first formal step on this journey - because we have the will, the capabilities and the power to do so. But it will only be possible if we build alliances and partnerships between businesses and all relevant stakeholders to demonstrate the huge potential of a values-driven market approach. It is all about connecting the best ideas and people, co-creating new solutions and communicating them to the world. That's why we launched our Making Global Goals Local Business campaign, which will be the priority for our organization over the next five years. The UN Global Compact is ready to be a leading catalyst of the transformation ahead and we will devote our capacities and global network to make it happen - based on the ten principles the UN Global Compact is built upon. Over the next two days at this Summit: We will focus on the key areas required to reach a new era of sustainability, including responsible business practices, transformative partnerships, breakthrough innovation and impact reporting. We will hear CEO and civil society voices calling for a new mindset to meet the world's ambitions for 2030. We will announce 10 Local SDG Pioneers with the goal of inspiring more individuals and companies around the world to follow their lead. We will host numerous leadership talks and opportunity sessions - all aimed to drive the business models, products, services and partnerships of tomorrow. The opportunities are huge, but time is short. We urge businesses worldwide to embark on this journey to 2030. We need pioneering corporate leaders and entrepreneurs who can build the sustainable societies of tomorrow - and we need them now. Let's make this movement big, strong and innovative. Let's make a difference. Oswaldo VIgas, Hieratica IV, 1971. Oil on canvas, 70.7 x 58.9 in. An international traveling museum retrospective of the late Venezuelan artist, Oswaldo Vigas' prolific life's work provides a rare opportunity to view the legacy of a modernist artist who shunned self-promotion. Yet, as his filmmaker son Lorenzo Vigas says, " he had a conviction in his own greatness." To shun promotion for the freedom to make the art that engrossed him, for sixty years, with an unshakeable conviction of gaining a place in history later, might seem like a contradiction in today's era of self-promotion. However, it really demonstrates the difference between internal and external motivation - a major topic in psychology today - which art critic Robert C. Morgan applies to art. When artists are too preoccupied with extrinsic rewards of fame and fortune in today's market-driven art world, they are in danger of losing touch with the intrinsic value of making art. But as history demonstrates, great talents are - and always will be - internally driven rather than externally driven by the demands of the art market. This makes Vigas' historic legacy interesting within contemporary discourse, because he is a reminder of the value of uncompromising internal motivation. I had the opportunity of viewing this remarkable touring retrospective Oswaldo Vigas: Antologica 1943-2013 at MAC, the Museu de Arte Contemporanea da Universidade de Sao Paulo (on view April 2 to July 3) and spending time with the organizers in Sao Paulo, Brazil. This exhibition also toured museums in Lima, Peru, Santiago, Chile and Bogota, Columbia and will tour institutions in the USA (although dates have yet to be finalized). The organizers' enthusiasm over paying homage to Vigas is infectious, making me reflect on the dangers of commodification of art - particularly after a fascinating discussion with Robert C. Morgan in Sao Paulo about his thesis (for a paper he was presenting) on the difference between inner-driven and outer-driven artists. Advertisement The traveling retrospective includes more than 60 paintings and many sculptures. It was organized by the Vigas Foundation, led by his son Lorenzo - an acclaimed filmmaker who recently won the Golden Lion for From Afar, a film about a father and son relationship - which shows the unconscious influence his father had on his own creativity. Currently, Lorenzo Vigas is completing a long-awaited film on his father's work. The exhibition organizers shared the ways in which they were personally touched by their relationship with the late artist in a museum panel discussion and informal discussions over lunches. Clearly, Vigas was larger than life and his largesse not only comes through his artwork but in the extraordinary lengths the Vigas Foundation and curators have taken to present his work in a way that invites a very personal response. Gallery Installation, CABINET 2, 2016 Photo courtesy of Fabio Zanzeri Vigas' work poses interesting challenges to a curator because Vigas transitions back and forth, from one period to another, and the curator must find a key to solve this puzzle which cannot be understood chronologically, since it is "lateral" as art critic Marek Bartelik says, because lines of interest cross over. Guest curator Katja Weitering, Artistic Director of the CoBrA Museum of Modern Art in Amsterdam, found the key by viewing his work as "chapters" which she says are "integrated in a very personal way" by the recurring motifs. She defines these chapters as: the human form, the use of mythology, the architectural approach and the free use of matter. She collaborated with Amsterdam interior architect Jowa Kis-Jovak who visualized her idea of five chapters as five cabinets. They have collaborated for several years at CoBrA Museum, because they both understand how much exhibition design supports curatorial vision. Exhibition design is usually either neglected or overwhelming, but Kis-Jovak's innovative design broke new ground. He uses diagonal dividing walls inside each cabinet to create two triangle spaces for works that need to be isolated. The design allows viewers to tour and detour, by walking down the exhibition one way and returning another way, viewing art works from different angles and re-visiting subjects, much as the artist himself worked. Vigas' collection of pre-Columbian and Japanese art, books and memorabilia - including photos with Picasso and other luminaries - are the heart of this exhibition design which tells the highly personal story of a great artist's life's work. Advertisement Vigas' trajectory is unique: as a mainly self-taught artist who began drawing at 16 years old and continued to make art while studying medicine. Right when he graduated as a doctor from the Central University of Venezuela in 1952, he won the prestigious Venezuelan National Fine Arts Prize and moved to Paris. He worked in Paris as a cultural attache for twelve years, making art and taking classes at Ecole Des Beaux Arts and the Sorbonne. Vigas was accepted into the heady mix of great artists who lived in Paris in the 1950s: Pablo Picasso, Max Ernst, Fernando Leger and Latin American artists Wilfredo Lam and Roberto Matta. Living and working around this explosion of artistic innovation, Vigas absorbed the dynamics in a non- academic way - as if through his pores - to find his own "visceral and irrational" language. Oswaldo Vigas, Gesticulante, 1976. Oil on canvas, 58.9 x 47.2 in. His characteristic mix of figuration and abstraction shows the clear influence of cubism, expressionism and constructivism, yet he always retained a distinctive flair for using fragments almost like fractals - which sets his work apart from his contemporaries. This use of fragments is also the crucial device of Vigas' oeuvre, that allows him to re-invent recurring themes throughout his long artistic career. Shapes are sometimes fragmented into geometric shapes and his images are often made of recomposed fragments. After living as a foreigner in Paris for over a decade, he returned to Venezuela in the 1960s and began to dig into his heritage to explore local pre-Hispanic art in Guajira Peninsula of northwest Venezuela, where native peoples still live. Vigas' son, Lorenzo Vigas, insists that " he was always sure of his identity, and "did not want to be comfortable, so he changed and did something different." The elder Vigas began studying the iconography and mythological beliefs behind the artifacts he found and collected as he searched for his roots. Oswaldo Vigas, Duende Rojo, 1979. Gouache on cardboard, 29.7 x 22.1 in. Figurative work was not appreciated in Paris at that time, but Vigas looked for non-European inspiration to reinvigorate figuration. He found a pre-Columbian female fertility figure that he could flatten, morphing her limbs into vegetation and covering her in minerals to create a new figuration. This atavistic rendition bridges what he absorbed in Paris with his own cultural heritage. Vigas transforms the Venus de Tacarigua fertility figures into archetypal "witches" or "brujas" which became his trademark. Using strong Caribbean reds, yellows and blues to symbolize the land, forest, fruit, flowers and minerals, he re-establishes a natural order which brings his paintings to life. Advertisement Venezuelan art critic/historian Belgica Rodriguez, who was a leading force in the organization of the traveling exhibition, says " the soul of Vigas' work is the figure of a woman." Vigas' female figures are deformed, recalling both pre-Columbian Venus figures and the deformed female figures created by Picasso, de Kooning and Lam. In the 1960s he made his Personagrestes series, in which his witch figures dominate compositions with lines and color planes moving in multiple directions. The witch figure changes every decade, but it is always the emotional force of maternal power that obsessed him. Although Vigas is acclaimed as the most important Venezuelan artist and left his mark in Paris in the fifties, he is only recently gaining the international attention he deserves. He chose the thoughtful life of a working artist surrounded by a supportive family and many artist friends who regularly visited his atelier rather than the world of galleries - which he shunned until late in his life because he did not want market dictates to hinder his artistic freedom. He pursued the "irrational side" in his work, and was vocal in art debates criticizing the kinetic art movement in Venezuela for political correctness. By contrast, the confidence and skillfulness of Vigas' brushwork and his emphatic use of dramatic black are a testimony to his freedom of spirit. Vigas' conviction that he would find his place in art history late in life might be old school but is certainly happening now through the efforts of the Vigas Foundation and acclaimed devotees. Miami 's Ascaso Gallery began representing Vigas late in his life and will exhibit his work in December during Art Basel in Miami Beach Fair. International visitors to SP- Arte 2016 had the opportunity to view this traveling retrospective currently at MAC, in Sao Paulo, located across the road from the fair, in an Oscar Niemeyer building - ideally suited to Latin American modernist art which was influenced by Brazilian architects. Memo to environmental activists: It's the oceans, stupids. This summer, hundreds of millions of people in the Northern Hemisphere will flock to beaches to swim, surf, wade, boat, fish, sunbathe, or even fall in love. To these revelers, the oceans are eternal -- as certain as the rising and setting of the sun, and a permanent bounty in an impermanent world. But there is a rub: The oceans are living entities and they are in trouble. Much more trouble than the sun-seekers of summer can imagine. Mark Spalding, president of The Ocean Foundation, says, "We are putting too much into the oceans and taking too much out." Advertisement In short, that is what is happening. Whether deliberately or not, we are dumping stuff into the oceans at a horrifying rate and, in places, we are overfishing them. But the No. 1 enemy of oceans is invisible: carbon. Carbon is a huge threat, according to ocean champion Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I. The oceans are a great carbon sink, he explains, but they are reaching a carbon saturation point, and as so-called "deep carbon" resurfaces, it limits the oxygen in the water and destroys fish and marine life. There is a 6,474-square-mile "dead zone" -- an area about the size of Connecticut with low to no oxygen -- in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Dead zones are appearing in oceans around the world due to excessive nutrient pollution (especially nitrogen and phosphorous) from agribusiness and sewage. Two great U.S. estuaries are in trouble: the Chesapeake Bay and the Long Island Sound. Warming in the North Atlantic is disturbing fish populations: Maine lobsters are migrating to Canada's cooler waters. Whitehouse and other Atlantic coast legislators are concerned as they see fish resources disappearing, and other marine life threatened. Advertisement Colin Woodard, a reporter at The Portland Press Herald, has detailed the pressures from climate change on fish stocks in the once bountiful Gulf of Maine. He first sounded the alarm 16 years ago in his book, "Oceans End: Travels Through Endangered Seas," and now he says things are worse. The shallow seas, like the Baltic and the Adriatic, are subject to "red tides" -- harmful algal booms, due to nutrient over-enrichment, that kill fish and make shellfish dangerous to consume. Polluted waterways are a concern for Rio de Janeiro Olympic rowers and other athletes. Apparently, the word is: Don't follow the girl from Ipanema into the water. The culprit is raw sewage, and the swelling Olympic crowds will only worsen the situation. My appeal to the environmental community is this: If you are worried about the air, concentrate on the oceans. It is hard to explain greenhouse gases to a public that is distrustful, or fears the economic impact of reducing fossil fuel consumption. If I lived in a West Virginia hollow, and the only work was coal mining, you bet I would be a climate denier. The oceans are easier to understand. You can explain that the sea levels are rising; that it is possible for life-sustaining currents, like the Gulf Stream, to stop or reverse course; and you can point to the ways seemingly innocent actions, or those thought of as virtuous (like hefting around spring water in plastic bottles) have harmful effects. Advertisement Plastic waste from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch washed up on Kamilo Beach Plastic is a big problem. Great gyres of plastic, hundreds of miles long, are floating in the Pacific. Flip-flops washed into the ocean in Asia are piling up on beaches in Africa. Fish are ingesting microplastic particles - and you will ingest this plastic when you tuck into your fish and chips. Sea birds and dolphins get tangled in the plastic harnesses we put on six-packs of beer and soft drinks. They die horrible deaths. Sunscreen is lethal to coral. It is hard to explain the way carbon, methane and ozone in the atmosphere cause the Earth to heat up. It is easier, I am telling my environmentalist friends, to understand that we will not be able to swim in the oceans. Sustainability cannot be limited to a single department in a company, words in a glossy report, or on a poster on the wall. It should be the focal point in every business' purpose. To me, making a real difference for the world within SDG 6, water, and SDG 13, climate change, leads othe way. Today, I have the pleasure of sharing these thoughts with world- and business-leaders at the UN Global Compact Leaders' Summit in New York. This, I am both honoured and excited to do. Because thinking businesses and sustainability in a common context is decisive. Not least in my business. The water business. Water is actually in everything. To some it might be self-explanatory, but to many, it comes as a surprise. However, it is. This also goes for the SDG's. In fact, 15 out of the 17 connect to water. Advertisement My thoughts mostly revolve around goals 6 and 13. Clean water and sanitation and climate change. Two goals, which are very closely connected. The need for water and sanitation on a global scale is evident - and the lack for equal access to both is one of the world's greatest risks in the future. Everybody needs access to drinking water to live, however, more than 663 million people lack access to it. That's a staggering figure. Another eye-opener is that 2.4 billion are without basic sanitation. Roughly one third of the world's population, at high risk of losing lives to waterborne diseases. Meanwhile, climate change causes global water issues. Some places all too much water, other places way too little. Add to this, that solving the challenges takes a lot of energy and by this effect the climate as well, then it becomes evident that it's important to find long lasting solutions. What we are trying to do with the SDG's is solving these issues. By 2030. That's not far away. Therefore, it's increasingly important that we all join forces and push for genuine change, which can make us able of reaching the very ambitious targets. Advertisement My claim is that without substantial action from the private sector, the targets cannot be reached. My business can contribute with innovative water technology, which energy efficiently can move water to where it should be. This expertise, we have refined for decades, and I feel confident that our knowledge can make a difference. What we also need is sustainable business models supporting the ambitious targets defined by the SDG's. Something, which is necessary not only seen from a global citizen's perspective, but also from a business standing point. Keeping with the water and climate challenges, these huge threats also poses very real risks to businesses and societies worldwide - and hold the capability of disrupting even the most firmly based institutions, companies and countries. Therefore, what we come up with needs to be self-sustaining solutions. We need to make sure that resources put into solving these problems will not be one-time donations, but rather investments which can pay off and turned into reinvestments. We need commercial drivers in order to have a chance of fulfilling the ambitious and necessary goals we have set out to achieve together. We need to cooperate across NGO's, governments and businesses to succeed. Today, June 22, Lockheed Martin will roll out the first Israel-bound F-35 in my hometown of Fort Worth, Texas. This important day fortifies our nation's strong alliance with Israel and will ensure our global security. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee and the Congressional Joint Strike Fighter Caucus, I have been a staunch supporter of the production of the F-35 since day one and understand the importance of its production for my fellow Texans and our nation's security. For Texas, the production of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has brought approximately 40,000 jobs and more than $3 billion dollars into our local economy. As the economic benefits continue to accrue, the roll-out of the first Israel-bound F-35 will serve as a major milestone which will spearhead an integrated security approach between the United States and our allies. In 2010, Israel became the first U.S. ally to select the F-35. Our allies in Europe, North America, and Asia will fly F-35 aircraft as well. In the coming years, Israel intends to purchase a total of 33 F-35 aircraft to replace older technology. As part of this acquisition, Israel Aerospace Industries will produce wings for hundreds of F-35s out of their production facility in Israel. Advertisement As a further example of U.S.-Israeli defense cooperation, here in North Texas, Elbit Systems of America, the Fort Worth-based subsidiary of Israel's Elbit Systems, played a key role in the development of the F-35 Helmet Mounted Display System. Elbit Systems has been working jointly with Iowa-based Rockwell Collins to create the technology for this critical component of the F-35. The F-35 Helmet Mounted Display System puts critical information on the visor, allowing the pilot to have complete situational awareness. As the key node for controlling the airplane, the helmet is connected to the seeker in the missile. With a simple turn of the head, the pilots can easily move their missiles. American military pilots can now more successfully target the enemy and evade enemy fire, meaning more successful missions and more American pilots returning home safely. Joint development of this helmet is tangible proof of how Israel provides critical expertise to help keep our nation safe. With all that said, the Middle East is once again in turmoil. Iran remains committed to regional dominance by supporting proxies in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Yemen and Gaza and test-launching long-range ballistic missiles. ISIL controls large swaths of territory in Iraq and Syria while trying to destabilize our allies in Jordan and Egypt as its followers commit terrorist attacks around the globe. Hezbollah is rearming on Israel's northern border, and now has an arsenal of 150,000 rockets. This is a time for strengthening ourselves and working together with our closest allies in a tumultuous region. The joint efforts we are engaged in with Israel on the F-35 helmets demonstrate how our two countries must work in coordination in order to protect our nations from global threats. As the United States and Israel negotiate a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) regarding American military aid to Israel, it is vital that we remember how important the U.S.-Israel partnership is to North Texas, our local economy, and to our national defense. These F-35 planes incorporate the best of American manufacturing and Israeli technology and represent a partnership which will keep both of our countries safe for years to come. The beach is supposed to be a 'happy place,' - a place to kick back, relax, and not worry about a thing. Still, as a woman, I can't help but want to look and feel good at this serene place during the summer. Let's be honest ... between the humidity and sweat, accomplishing either of those is not always easy. Over the past few years I've been experimenting with different low-budget and simple things to do in order to achieve both. Based off what I found works best, here's how you too can look and feel good at the beach this summer. Plan ahead with hair humidity hacks. There can be a lot of work that goes into looking good (unless you are Heidi Klum perhaps who seems to be naturally beautiful). I was never the kind of girl who could be bothered with spending hours in front of the mirror or preparing my outfits each week. I've always just wanted quick and simple fixes. Advertisement One of my biggest beach beauty concerns was my hair - I was getting sick of it always looking a mess a few hours into my beach retreat, so I tried some humidity hacks such as Ry's Humidity Hacks for Summer and fell in love with these two: 1. Use a clean toothbrush and comb your hair with hairspray in order to keep small areas of frizz at bay. (If you get your hair wet at the beach, this hack will cancel itself out. I personally tend to avoid the ocean and rarely get my hair wet at the beach, so it works well for me.) 2. Wash your hair less. Your hair has natural oils and washing too frequently strips them away, according to Ry. I now swear by dry shampoo and bring a small bottle to the beach with me. (This hack works great before, during, and after the beach. As your hair dries off after you dive into the ocean, freshen it up with your dry shampoo.) Replace the foundation with a pressed powder over a light BB cream. I've found that a lot of foundations would just sweat off my face when it got hot but were also too heavy for a casual beach day. I now use two inexpensive drug store products and save my pricey makeup for nights out. Both of the products have an SPF in them so I don't have to worry about applying sunblock to my face. I found that by using each product alone, they would melt off. Advertisement By combining the two, I get extra coverage that lasts longer. Pictured below are the two products I use. I discovered the CC powder by accident - after getting frustrated with the BB cream not lasting, I went into the local drugstore and it was the only CC pressed powder the store had. I chose the CC over a regular pressed powder because the BB cream alone does not cover up in imbalance in color on my left cheek. It ended up being a major win - not only did it work great and last for several hours (when combined with the BB cream) but it was inexpensive (less than $15) and came with a mirror and brush (convenient!). I brought it to the beach with me a few times incase I needed touch ups but since it lasts, I never had to use it while there. I'm sure applying the CC powder over a foundation would work just as good but haven't yet found a light enough foundation that I like. Side note: The BB cream was also an accidental purchase. The buy one get one 50% off sale at the time drew me in. I bought two different BB creams from the brand and ended up liking the one and loving this one. Sales = great opportunities to try new products. Waterproof mascara is a must. I've used the following and based on price and overall makeup result, I'd recommend them. Maybelline Great Lash Waterproof Mascara (less than $7) e.l.f Waterproof Lengthening and Volumizing Mascara (less than $8) L'Oreal Telescopic Shocking Extensions Waterproof Mascara (less than $12) Frozen fruit = healthy, delicious, and cooling. It's always tempting to visit my local boardwalk food stands and shops which are typically filled with pizza, fries, donuts, bagels, and other unhealthy eats. Can you relate? Feeling bloated while in a bikini? No thanks. I now pack accordingly and cheat less. Frozen blueberries are my favorite beach snack and have been associated with decreasing risk of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease in addition to having other health benefits, reported Medical News Today. Advertisement I put them in small containers the night before then pop them into the freezer. They tear apart easily making them easy to eat when frozen. Frozen grapes have also worked well for me. Red grapes in particular are low in calories and fat plus pack a number of essential vitamins and minerals according to Livestrong. Freshen up with a spray deodorant and facial spray. Choose your favorite spray deodorant (I prefer smaller bottles to limit how much I carry to the beach). My favorite facial spray is a recommendation from one of Carli Bybel's beauty videos - Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs, and Rose Water. De-stress by coloring. A few years ago I brought a kids coloring book to my parent's house along with some colored pencils. My dad asked what I was doing with them. I told him I like to color - it's relaxing. He found it surprising until he tried it himself. Why didn't I think of the now trendy adult coloring book idea back then? In 2014, Huffington Post Spain ran an article on how coloring can help adults combat stress - the article was translated here. It stated, "...coloring has a de-stressing effect because when we focus on a particular activity, we focus on it and not on our worries. But it also brings out our imagination and takes us back to our childhood, a period in which we most certainly had a lot less stress." So grab your favorite coloring instruments and coloring book and feel good by coloring. US President Barack Obama speaks following a National Security Council meeting on the Islamic State at the Department of Treasury in Washington, DC, June 14, 2016.US President Barack Obama on June 14 said the Islamic State group was losing ground in Iraq and Syria, and that the number of foreign fighters joining the extremists was plummeting. 'ISIL lost nearly half of the populated territory it had in Iraq and it will lose more. ISIL continues to lose ground in Syria as well,' Obama said after a meeting of the National Security Council on the fight against the jihadist group. 'In short, our coalition continues to be on offense. ISIL is on defense,' Obama said, using an alternate acronym for the group. / AFP / SAUL LOEB (Photo credit should read SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images) In an internal "dissent channel cable," 51 State Department officers called for "targeted military strikes" against the government of Bashar al-Assad in Syria, a proposal that President Barack Obama has thus far resisted. However, were he to accept the cable's advice, he would risk a dangerous - possibly catastrophic - confrontation with Russia. And, such a use of military force in Syria would violate U.S. and international law. While the cable decries "the Russian and Iranian governments' cynical and destabilizing deployment of significant military power to bolster the Assad regime," the cable calls for the United States to protect and empower "the moderate Syrian opposition," seeking to overthrow the Syrian government. Advertisement However, Assad's government is the only legitimate government in Syria and, as the sovereign, has the legal right to seek international support as it has from Russia and Iran. There is no such legal right for the United States and other countries, such as Saudi Arabia and Turkey, to arm Syrian rebels to attack Assad's government. The dissent cable advocates what it calls "the judicious use of stand-off and air weapons," which, the signatories write, "would undergird and drive a more focused and hardnosed US-led diplomatic process." Inside Syria, both the United States and Russia are battling the Islamic State (also known as ISIS) as ISIS and other jihadist groups seek to overthrow the Assad government. But while the U.S. is supporting rebel forces (including some fighting ISIS and some fighting Assad), Russia is backing Assad (and waging a broader fight against "terrorists," including Al Qaeda's Nusra Front). Reuters reports the U.S. has about 300 special operations forces in Syria for its "counter-terrorism mission against Islamic State militants but is not targeting the Assad government." The policy outlined in the dissent cable would change that balance, by having the U.S. military bomb Syrian soldiers who have been at the forefront of the fight against both ISIS and Nusra. But that policy shift "would lead to a war with Russia, would kill greater numbers of civilians, would sunder the Geneva peace process, and would result in greater gains for the radical Sunni 'rebels' who are the principal opponents of the Assad regime," analyst James Carden wrote at Consortiumnews.com. Advertisement Journalist Robert Parry added that the authors of the cable came from the State Department's "den of armchair warriors possessed of imperial delusions," looking toward a Hillary Clinton administration which will likely pursue "no-fly-zones" and "safe zones" leading to more slaughter in Syria and risking a confrontation with Russia. As we should have learned from the "no-fly zone" that preceded the Libyan "regime change" that the U.S. government engineered in 2011, a similar strategy in Syria would create a vacuum in which ISIS and Al Qaeda's Nusra Front would flourish. Violating U.S. and International Law The strategy set forth in the cable would also violate both U.S. and international law. Under the War Powers Resolution (WPR), the President can introduce U.S. troops into hostilities, or into situations "where imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated by the circumstances," only (1) after a Congressional declaration of war, (2) with "specific statutory authorization," or (3) in "a national emergency created by attack upon the United States, its territories or possessions, or its armed forces." None of three conditions that would allow the president to use military force in Syria is present at this time. First, Congress has not declared war. Second, neither the 2001 Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF), which George W. Bush used to invade Afghanistan, nor the 2002 AUMF, which Bush used to invade Iraq would provide a legal basis for an attack on Syria at the present time. Third, there has been no attack on the United States or U.S. armed forces. Thus, an armed attack on Syria would violate the WPR. Even if a military attack on Syria did not run afoul of the WPR, it would violate the United Nations Charter, a treaty the U.S. has ratified, making it part of U.S. law under the Constitution's Supremacy Clause. Article 2(4) of the Charter says that states "shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state." Advertisement The Charter only allows a military attack on another country in the case of self-defense or when the Security Council authorizes it; neither has occurred in this case. Assad's government has not attacked the United States, and the Council has not approved military strikes on Syria. Indeed, Security Council Resolution 2254, to which the cable refers, nowhere authorizes the use of military force, and ends with the words, "[The Security Council] decides to remain actively seized of the matter." This means that the Council has not delegated the power to attack Syria to any entity other than itself. If the U.S. were to mount an armed attack on Syria, the Charter would give Assad a valid self-defense claim, and Russia could legally assist Assad in collective self-defense under Article 51 of the Charter. Moreover, forcible "regime change" would violate Article 1 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which the U.S. has also ratified. Although it's true that the "dissent" cable eschews the use of U.S. "ground forces," its recommendation that the U.S. should bomb Assad's government would involve U.S. military personnel who would fly the bombers or fire off the missiles. And, such an operation would invariably necessitate at least a limited number of U.S. support troops on the ground. Opposition to Violent 'Regime Change' Many commentators have warned of dangers from a U.S. military attack on Syria, risks that are either ignored or breezily dismissed by the "dissent" cable. Advertisement Jean Aziz cautions in Al-Monitor, "the recommendation of military strikes against the Syrian government - no matter how well intentioned - is, in the end, escalatory, and would likely result in more war, killing, refugees, less humanitarian aid reaching civilians, the empowerment of jihadis and so on." The United States is already empowering jihadis, "going out of its way to protect the interests of al-Qaeda's closest and most powerful ally in Syria, Ahrar al-Sham," Gareth Porter wrote in Truthout. Porter reported that Ahrar al-Sham, which works closely with the Nusra Front, "is believed to be the largest military force seeking to overthrow the Assad regime in Syria, with at least 15,000 troops." So, in seeking Assad's ouster, the U.S. has terrorist bedfellows. So much for the "global war on terror." As CIA Director John Brennan recently told the Senate Intelligence Committee, "Our efforts have not reduced [Islamic State's] terrorism capability and global reach," adding, "The branch in Libya is probably the most developed and the most dangerous." No wonder President Obama told Fox News "the worst mistake" of his presidency was not planning for the aftermath of U.S. regime change in Libya, although he stubbornly maintains that ousting President Muammar Gaddafi was "the right thing to do." Advertisement The Center for Citizen Initiatives, a group of U.S. citizens currently on a delegation to Russia in order to increase understanding and reduce international tension and conflict, issued a statement in strong opposition to the "dissent" cable. Retired Col. Ann Wright, anti-war activist Kathy Kelly and former CIA analyst Ray McGovern are part of the group. "It is not the right of the USA or any other foreign country to determine who should lead the Syrian government," the statement says. "That decision should be made by the Syrian people." The statement urges the State Department "to seek non-military solutions in conformity with the UN Charter and international law." It also urges the Obama administration to "stop funding and supplying weapons to armed 'rebels' in violation of international law and end the policy of forced 'regime change'." Finally, the statement calls for "an urgent nation-wide public debate on the U.S. policy of 'regime change'." This is sage advice in light of the disasters created by the U.S. government's forcible regime change in Iraq and Libya, which destabilized those countries, facilitating the rise of ISIS and other terrorist groups. There is no reason to believe the situation in Syria would be any different. Instead of saber-rattling against Assad, Russia and Iran, the Obama administration should include them all in pursuing diplomacy toward a political, non-military settlement to the Syrian crisis. Advertisement Marjorie Cohn is professor emerita at Thomas Jefferson School of Law, former president of the National Lawyers Guild, and deputy secretary general of the International Association of Democratic Lawyers. A member of the national advisory board of Veterans for Peace, Cohn's latest book is Drones and Targeted Killing: Legal, Moral, and Geopolitical Issues. Follow her on Twitter. Schoolboy standing in front of a blackboard with a bright idea light bulb above his head concept for innovation, imagination and inspirational ideas For National Foster Care Month, I interviewed Echoing Green Global Fellow Serita Cox, who is the Co-Founder and CEO of iFoster. iFoster developed an online platform that connects at-risk children and teens in foster care to the resources they need to become successful, independent adults. Before launching iFoster, Serita provided strategic counsel to some of the largest philanthropic foundations and non-profits service at-risk youth as a management consultant with the Bridgespan Group. She was also the Vice President of Strategy and Business Operations for 3Com Corporation, and previously a strategy consultant for Fortune 500 companies with Deloitte Consulting. Serita was a 2012 White House Office of Social Innovation Citizen Innovator and is a National Urban Fellows America's Leader of Change. Here's my interview with Serita: Advertisement Marquis Cabrera: What is iFoster? Where did you get the idea from? Serita Cox: iFoster is a national non-profit with a mission of ensuring that every child growing up outside of their biological home has the resources and opportunities they need to become a successful, independent adult. The foster care community is highly fragmented, some of it is structural due to ensuring privacy and safety of the child, but this leads to few if any economies of scale and difficulty for the community to act or speak as one, let alone interact effectively with those outside of child welfare. iFoster brings together this fragmented population into a virtual community where they can access the resources they need and their collective voice can be heard. Our core competency: Bridging child welfare and the greater community because a single system, alone, cannot provide everything a kid needs to grow up and become a successful, independent adult. Marquis Cabrera: What pain point is iFoster solving? Is it that child welfare is not engaged with the stakeholders outside of the child welfare community? Serita Cox: Child welfare is not designed to engage with the outside world, by its very nature it is about the security and privacy of the child. iFoster is focused on is the resource deficit for our children and youth in care. According to the USDA, it costs $250,000 to raise a child from 0 - 17. This is what the child consumes in food, clothing, playing sports, hair cuts, computers, braces, tutoring, you name it, etc. If you compare that to foster care, reimbursement rates and entitlements in foster and kinship care are a fraction of this total amount, being focused on basic needs more so than higher level needs or what we call thriving needs like educational supports or recreational activities. No wonder our [foster children] are failing because we are not investing in those thriving resources. Advertisement Marquis Cabrera: Have you talked with folks in government about the aforementioned family financial pain points? Serita Cox: I'm not sure it is a government issue per say, but a larger more societal issue since the very purpose of foster care is that it is a temporary solution for the safety and security of a child with the notion that it is a temporary until a permanency either through reunification or adoption is found. The sad reality is that children aren't in foster care temporarily. It has become the only solution for far too many children resulting in over 30,000 aging out of the system each year without permanency. So how can we expect a system that was never really set up to replace Mom and Dad, effectively nurture and raise a child? To me, it is not an issue of system change since technically the system is doing what it was designed to do, but rather a broader societal question of how do we as a society ensure that children growing up outside of their biological home get the resources, supports and opportunities they need to succeed. One system can't do it alone. Marquis Cabrera: Can you tell me more about iFoster's core product? What is the example of use case? And, what has been the impact to display your impact to date? Advertisement Serita Cox: Currently we have over 30,000 members that use iFoster -- our digital platform -- on a daily basis. Through our platform, members can access 100s of products and services that we have sourced and vetted to meet their needs - 24/7 access via computer or mobile device. The platform is secure and user-personalized -- and free to users. An account is created and personalized based on type of member, type of resources looking for, and location. So when they're approved, they have a personalized account that is set up with tons of resources that meet their specific need. If a member lives in NYC, that user won't see resources in LA. If they don't have baby, they won't see resources related to babies. Caregivers can of course update or temporarily change their preference to see all of our resources, but we try to narrow them down to the ones that each of our members are most interested in and can use. Our main goal is to go out and source products and services that our community says they need the most; then make them available through a digital platform. The number one requested resource needed is always laptops. Social workers, caregivers and youth tell us our kids are failing in school and not integrated into society because they are disconnected. To solve this problem, we partnered with Microsoft, who provided free licenses to Windows & office; then we partnered with largest refurbisher of computers, CDI, to provide families and youth with laptops with the full suite of productivity software they need and ongoing tech support for $200. That's one example. Another: If you break your glasses, it's really expensive to go and get a new pair; most foster youth do not have the money, so they wait a year to get another pair. So we partnered with VSP, who is the largest insurer of eyeglasses, to provide free eye exams and to replace eyeglasses for free. Also, we partnered with SmilesChangeLives to help youth get orthodontic care for 10% of the costs to get braces, ongoing treatment, and a retainer at the end of treatment. We have national and regional partners providing free tutoring, including phone and online one-on-one tutoring with no appointment necessary. Through iFoster, transition age youth can get a free cell phone with unlimited voice and unlimited text so that they can always be in communication with their support network, employers, teachers, family and friends. We also partner with companies to employ our youth through our iFoster Jobs Program, as well as providing scholarships or tuition reimbursement. So not just concrete resources, but services and opportunities as well. Marquis Cabrera: How do you know what to provide to your community? Do you poll your community to figure out what needs they have? Advertisement Serita Cox: We constantly ask our community what they need most. We conduct focus groups in every new market we enter with agency staff, foster youth and caregivers. On our portal, we have a feedback button where we receive hundreds of requests and suggestions a month. We also collect analytics across our platform. Since it is a secure, user authenticated system, we know what every member does on our site - what they are looking at, what pattern they do their searches in, how long they stay on a page, what they download - through this we can begin to map the behavior and needs of different member types in different locations and better understand how to serve them. Marquis Cabrera: How is the organization evolving? Are you working to develop new products? Serita Cox: We evolve based on the demand from our community and whether what they are asking of us is in our wheelhouse - our core competency. For example, Transitioning youth have asked us for help on finding a place to store their vital documents. So - we launched a Digital Locker - it's available nationwide [and included in our free membership]. Youth can take a picture of medical card, birth certificate, or other essential documents, like their adoption certificates [and upload them into organized files in their individual locker]. These documents are hosted on a separate HIPAA compliant platform, which is all integrated into their account. Any transition age youth automatically gets a digital locker. [Each locker is integrated into our overall resource portal, so not only is this a safe and accessible place to store life documents, but youth can find and store the resources they most need from our hundreds of offers. We can also suggest resources to youth based on their geography and preferences, so we try to make it really easy for transition age youth to get all of the resources and services they are eligible for to help them be successful out there]. When s/he logs in as a transitioning youth, their account has those resources; locker section (save and download) and then it has a cases and contact section. There's a contact system to send encrypted documents to their contacts. We launched BETA last September and host an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 documents. We have also launched a jobs program for transitioning youth. Access to jobs for our youth, like access to laptops, has been a constant request from the community. This past year, we devised a way to build a program that leverages our core competencies of working with companies (the outside world) and bridging into existing program and partnerships within child welfare to deliver a scalable, replicable jobs program for foster youth. In just under a year, we are now the biggest permanent jobs program for foster youth and with solid results - 100% hire rate and 90% retention through 6 months. We actually cannot meet demand from either child welfare or companies. Who knows what our community will ask of us next! Marquis Cabrera: Do you have a big idea that would improve outcomes for children and families? Does providing concrete resources really matter? Advertisement Serita Cox: Give every foster kid a laptop! The UN said access to internet is a basic human right. Bangladesh and other countries have better access to the internet than our foster youth. We're only beating Uganda, that's it. Meanwhile 90% of US teens and 79% of low income US teens have access to a laptop in their home, compared with less than 20% of foster youth (5% for rural foster youth). This is why iFoster created and built out the One Laptop program for youth (it is only for kiddos to have laptops). We provided in 3-4 years, 7800 laptops to in college and college bound foster youth in almost every state but two. Most people say kids can go to libraries, it doesn't matter. For National Foster Care Month, I interviewed David Ambroz, who is the Executive Director of Corporate Citizenship & Social Responsibility for Disney|ABC Television Group. In that role, Ambroz convened more than 100 partners to create FosterMore - a multi-media effort to communicate with the American public during Foster Care Awareness Month. Private sector companies, foundations, non-profits joined forces to create a campaign that shines a light on the potential of the 400,000 plus youth and countless families in the system. As an alumnus of foster care, Ambroz has demonstrated a lifelong passion to child welfare reform; from his work to establish the National Foster Youth Advisory Council (1997), the GLBT Foster Care Joint Initiative (1998), and more recently his service on the California Child Welfare Council, and his service on the ABA Commission on Youth At Risk - he continues to engage. David Ambroz is a graduate of Vassar College and the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law. Advertisement Marquis Cabrera: What are some consistent pain points you see in the current foster care/child welfare system? David Ambroz: I will tell you that in my years of experience, what I have found is a great community of passionate people who care deeply. What I have found missing is the sense that we're part of a movement, and communication to the general public has been haphazard and not purposeful. Both have caused different outcomes, which is not good. Foster parents, social workers, and many child welfare leaders lack awareness of even being in the movement. More often than not, we're talking to ourselves and using language that alienates or scares the general public. I want to make it a movement and not a complex. It actually feels like a gap. Instead of reporting the stories of failure, death, tragedy, what if we as a movement told stories about the amazing resilience of what is happening with these youth and families? This is what FosterMore addresses: recognition of the movement and communicating it to the larger American public. Marquis Cabrera: What is FosterMore? How is FosterMore improving the foster care space? Essentially, what impact are you hoping to create? Advertisement David Ambroz: FosterMore is an organization that acts as a neutral territory - it doesn't advocate any one issue. We're focused on re-branding foster care and working with expert marketing companies to better organize. We're not an advocacy organization, and therefore any non-corporation can be part of the conversation. We're working toward national reprogramming of what the public thinks about the foster care system to chip away at ignorance and prejudice and to educate and elevate positive stories. Promos are done with intentionality; it's things described without intentionality that scares people, like the CW industrial complex. The child welfare community must coalesce around an idea to bring people into a movement, rather than accidentally creating a horror film promo. So, we need to undergo transformation. We need to find a cause-marketing partner to transform our blue into the same pink. Not necessarily to raise funds, but to raise awareness and show people that foster care is education - not tragedy and sorrow. We'll reprogram and the public will begin to think differently. If we collectively do this, we will see the American public become part of the change. Marquis Cabrera: What metrics are you using to measure the effectiveness of the FosterMore campaign? What are you hoping to accomplish in 5 years with FosterMore? David Ambroz: We're using clicks, how long people stay on site, and the number of partners we have. Our partners know where their traffic is coming from. Currently the only cause marketing we do is for the national scholarship for foster you. If you don't want to foster nor adopt, donate some funds for foster youth to get an education. In 5 years, I hope to take an issue that is overwhelming and dark and transform it into an opportunity to be a part of a solution. Instead of having negativity attached to foster youth, the public will think of education and opportunity. When we do that successfully, that will mean that we're acting as a movement. Marquis Cabrera: What do you think of media's coverage of the child welfare system, insomuch that it is highlighting child fatalities and sensational cases? Advertisement David Ambroz: That question implies blame and error. I don't blame the press. I blame us for being disaggregated and disconjointed. How many amazing American parents are there? How many amazing grandparents there are? I believe media is responsible to report the news, and we can make it a point to share some good news with them, or lament over what they choose to cover in the absence of us doing anything. When legislators go home to talk, they need to hear about the good things, not tragedy, and we have the opportunity to shape that narrative together. Collectively, what is the actual budget to launch a major motion picture? What is the budget among the CW industrial complex to market to the American public? At the end of the day, we have to engage in communicative marketing and tell all sides of the same story. We need to tell stories to get folks to mentor, adopt, or just to care, the same way folks market the new Volvo or Chevy. Check out the amazing work done by our sisters in breast cancer and the folks in environment; they coalesce around media and feed stories out, as well as generate them. There are things that everyone can do to help our earth: recycle, turn off the lights, etc. I hope we are as successful as our friends in the global warming and environmental industries. Why should we figure out which tactics to use when our friends already have the roadmap? We just need to embrace and borrow their tactics. Marquis Cabrera: How do child welfare champions use the media to improve the foster care system? David Ambroz: Media is not to be used. Media has own pressures and authorities. The responsibility is on child welfare leaders to figure out that we're collectively part of a movement and to think about how to best market the stories that are in our communities that collectively advance all of our issues. When you engage and work with media, you need to simplify the message so people can share. You cannot overwhelm them; you cannot make them want to do something else. Yoplait buys pink tops and then the American public buys Yoplait; in this way, the public is aware. They're aware of the fact that we need research to find a cure, and there should be a cure. 20-25 years ago, we didn't discuss breast cancer and global warming because of silence, fear, and scientific language. But if you engage the global public in a conversation and help them understand, it becomes a common household topic. If we engage the public in the same way, the foster care system can become one, as well. I don't think media is to be used; it is meant to be a partner. They're telling stories for listeners and viewers. What stories are we telling and are we intentional with them? How do we talk together? We're great at talking with each other, but we have to be great at talking to everyone else. Today, the Earth got a little hotter, and a little more crowded. Saving BUB - beautiful unusual biodiversity, as illustrated in this small asian kingfisher, is another reason to preserve carbon-storing forests. Source pinterest.com Forests: the cheapest way to store carbon Beautiful Norway: Trying to Keep All Forests Green through its new policy. Source paktravel.net OO Norway Takes Global Lead With First Ever Nationwide Deforestation Ban in its procurement of goods to encourage deforestation-free supply chains. It and the US have pledged to coordinate forest protection efforts. <> Only The Drone Knows where illegal deforestation is occurring in this Panama forest, which is why local tribes are learning how to use them to protect their forests. Source www.coronadocarrental.com Advertisement OO Panama's Indigenous Peoples Use Drones To Save The Rainforest from illegal deforestation. When we harm forests, we harm ourselves. * * MELTDOWN Extreme 2015 Melting in Greenland's ice sheet was linked to warm air delivered by the wandering jet stream (above), which has been linked to extreme warming in the Arctic. Credit: NASA OO Wobbly Jet Stream Sent Warm Air to Greenland, Causing Extraordinary Melt in 2015 and sending the melting arctic into 'uncharted territory,' says a new study. As global warming decreases the temperature difference between polar and temperate zones decrease (due to faster polar warming), the jet stream weakens and undulates. Specifically, the jet stream (shown as "x's" above) brought a blob of warm air that "sat" over northern Greenland, affirming a recent idea that Arctic ice loss is creating such blocking patterns and a wavy jet stream that can deliver such warm air. Advertisement Arctic ice loss results in darker waters, allowing them to absorb more heat and further melt ice - the "Arctic amplification" effect. Now, we know that the resulting wavy jet stream can speed the melting of Greenland, speeding sea rise. A Canyon of Melting Ice in Greenland Credit James Balog Ultimately, Greenland's ice melt will also slow the north Atlantic section of the global ocean conveyor belt, responsible for conveying heat throughout the world's oceans and moderating the weather. <> Monthly May Arctic Sea Ice Extent for 1979 to 2016 shows a decline of 2.6 % per decade - and the dramatic drop happening in 2016, as approximated by the red line. Source National Snow and Ice Data Center OO Arctic Ice Declining At A Rate That Even Surprises The Experts OO Arctic Sea Ice Hit A Stunning New Low In May: 'We've Never Seen Anything Like This' notes the National Snow and Ice Data Center, beating the previous 2004 record by more than half a million square kilometres. The daily extents in May were two to four weeks ahead of levels seen during 201,2 the record year for lowest ice extent in September, when Arctic ice hits its yearly low point. Related Headline: OO Arctic Sea Ice Breaks May Record . . . By A Lot - shrinking to its fourth-lowest level in 50 years last month, and setting up conditions for what could become the smallest Arctic ice extent in history. Advertisement <> Beating a Hasty Retreat - the Juanggudiru Glacier in 2006, one of the largest that feeds the Yantze River. Source Stringer at Reuters OO China Says Important Glacier Is Melting Due To Climate Change - one of the largest at the source of the Yantze River, a main river in China. OO US Spy Photos Reveal Anatartic Ice Shelf Collapse Begun In 1960s Snowline Drifts Higher As Warming Continues in the Rockies, Sierra Nevada (above) and Cascades and the resulting decrease in spring runoff endangers those below, shows a new study. Source NOAA, NASA OO California: Unabated Global Warming Threatens West's Snowpack, Water Supply - as shorter, warmer winters means less snow gets stored for later use by its ever increasing population. * * 30 YEARS AGO, SCIENTISTS WARNED CONGRESS OF WARMING AND SEA RISE OO 30 Years Ago Scientists Warned Congress On Global Warming in a hearing on "Ozone Depletion, the Greenhouse Effect, and Climate Change." They warned that manmade global warming would heat the world, melt ice, and raise sea levels: just what we are seeing today. Advertisement * * FOSSIL FUEL CONSUMPTION GREW, BUT NOT EMISSIONS - MAYBE This Methane Was Included in the fossil fuel consumption assessment by BP, a methane leak from a California natural gas operation. But did BP include carbon emissions from a warming Arctic, driven by fossil fuel burning, or all methane leaks? Don't bet your gas meter on it. Source edf.org OO World Sets Record for High Fossil Fuel Consumption - coal declined, but oil and natural gas consumption grew, says the new yearly BP report. Was This Methane Included? BP measured carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels, not Arctic emissions driven by the global warming created from those burnt fuels. Credit Chip Phillips at flickr OO World Fossil Fuel Carbon Emissions Did Not Grow In 2015 due to the switch to cleaner burning fossil fuels. Why aren't we dancing in the streets? High global fossil fuel emission levels still drive harmful climate change and human disease;Global carbon emissions probably DID grow. Why? The Arctic emits increasing amounts of climate changing methane and carbon dioxide, from warming driven by the burning of fossil fuels. Assessing how much methane leaks from its increased mining and distribution is also difficult. The takeaway: stop dancing, and get to work. And ... OO Energy Is A Large Consumer Of Water In A Drought-Threatened World - especially when making electricity. * * CLIMATE LEADERSHIP OO Bernie Sanders Made Hillary Clinton A Greener Candidate OO A Green US City And A Power Giant Join Forces To Curb Power Demand - Rather than add a new natural gas facility after a coal plant closed. OO Washington DC Pension Fund Announces Full Fossil Fuel Divestment OO Green Conservative Lawmakers Call For Earlier UK Coal Power Phase-Out Canada Goes Green in its climate policies, as the land literally greens from global warming. Source www.canadiangeographic.ca OO Canada: Alberta Carbon Tax Legislation Passes: First Stage Of Climate-Change Plan OO Canada: Greens, Car Makers Laud Ontario's $8+ Billion Climate Change Plan OO Norway Brings Forward Carbon Neutrality Goal To 2030 from 2050, a big jump. Hey, hey! * * CLUELESS LEADERSHIP Credit Michael Lukovich OO US Republican House Opposes Carbon And Oil Taxes In Symbolic Votes - symbolic of their shortsightedness, that is. * * ELECTION YEAR: If You Don't Vote For Climate Action, You Can Forget The Rest - in a climate-changing world of famine, drought, rising seas, giant storms and heat waves, there will be no security in jobs, health, wealth, or national safety. There will be chaos ensuing from increasing crises and disasters. Vote. Advertisement OO Global Warming Policies We Set Today Will Determine The Next 10,000 Years - of global warming, a new study shows -- and whether our civilization survives or not: history shows that harmful climate change has destroyed civilizations before. This time, it could be worldwide. Let's keep "The Hunger Games" in the realm of fiction. * * MASSIVE CLIMATE MIGRATIONS FORESEEN Let's Hot Foot It Outta Here! Large tropical migrations, both human and animal, might result from trying to escape the increasing heat of continued global warming. OO Climate Change Could Force Huge Tropical Migrations Of People And Animals says new research, even from a moderate amount of warming, to escape the increasing heat. * * GOOD IDEAS Bevis Longstreth: An Ex SEC Commisioner With a Way Forward on Divestment , Courtesy of Bevis Longstreth OO A Way to Open the Divestment Floodgates - is offered by retired lawyer Bevis Longstreth, who has helped institute legal change before. He notes that: Advertisement New arrays of investment risks from climate change, Driven by the burning of fossil fuels, Allow state attorney generals (AGs) to legally re-interpret What constitutes prudent management of institutional funds. If AGs spell out the risks in "interpretive releases", Institutions will not be able to ignore it. Longstreth thinks the AGs of CA, MA, and NY will be receptive. <> OO California's Underground Drought Solution: Create Carbon-Rich, Water-Retaining Soils - by reducing tillage and chemical fertilizers, and leaving crop residues to up the soil's organic content., which increases its water retention. As USDA soil scientist Tony Rolfe notes, "If you increase soil organic matter by 1 %, you can save 25,000 gallons of water per acre from being used ... And the more you can store organic carbon in the soil, the less carbon dioxide is released, which also helps with climate and carbon sequestration." He notes that we depend on soil for food, clothes, wood, besides storing carbon. <> Source guttercleaningtips.com OO Water Conservation Has Saved Energy, Cut Greenhouse Gas Emissions - a new study finds, saving significant amounts of electricity and reduced greenhouse gas emissions in California. Advertisement OO Buildings That Breathe, Grow, Burn Calories -- And Save Energy - a revolution in architecture is occurring as designers work out smart ways for buildings to moderate their climate with a minimum of energy. Algae, anyone? In the Works: A US Sustainable Town Babcock Ranch is being planned on an 18,000-acre of Florida land. OO Florida: Small Town Will Have Self-Driving Cars And Run Completely On Solar Bronzeville to Shine in a Smart Grid Change to this old poor Chicago neighborhood by the local utility giant. OO Energy Future: Big Utility Plans A Smart Grid Change To a Poor Nieghborhood in Chicago as a first test on a system that could improve people's lives and point out how the utility can survive in a rapidly changing energy landscape. OO National Deep Decarbonization Pathways Needed For Effective Climate Policy - constraining global temperaturerise to under 2C will require halving energy system emissions by 2050, and stopping them entirely by 2100. Advertisement The Deep Decarbonisation Pathways Project has outlined how 16 countries - covering 74% of global energy emissions - can restrain their own emissions while maintaining development aspirations. OO Drought-Parched Zambia Turns To Solar Powered Water Wells - freeing up adults and children, who can study, rather than collect water. <><><> * * REQUIEM FOR A REEF: THE DEVASTATION OF THE GREAT BARRIER From This ... To This. The devastation of this reef, one of the most beautiful undersea wonders of the world, will not recover in our children's lifetimes, if ever. Diving photographers were saturated with the stench of rotting corals. OO The Great Barrier Reef: Almost A Quarter of All Corals Just Killed, The Rest In Danger due to hot waters that stressed, bleached then killed the corals; the rest are endangered from continuing climate change and pollution. An area the size of Scotland is largely dead. Giant Clams, Too: Beautiful in Life, Starving, then Bleached and Dead - like corals, these Great Barrier giant clams can get heat stressed, ejecting the algae they rely on, and then undergo a slow, starving, bleaching death. Surveys have revealed that 90+ % of the almost 3,000 individual reefs making up the Great Barrier have been touched by bleaching, and almost a quarter - 22% - of coral over the entire Great Barrier Reef has been killed by this bleaching event. Advertisement Leading Great Barrier Coral Research Terry Hughes: "Coral bleaching has changed the reef forever." Large bleached areas are visible in the aerial overviews here. Humanity Murdered This Undersea Wonderland and we saw it coming: The first signs of worrisome bleaching occurred here in 1979; The 1998 extreme bleaching, helped by an intense El Nino, destroyed 16 % of all reefs; Noticeable bleaching occurred in 2002; Now, 2016 extreme bleaching, also helped by an intense El Nino, has destroyed far more than in 1979. <> Lights Winking Out - the beautiful living lavender coral has almost disappeared, as stressed corals bleach (to left of lavender), then die and are covered by brown algae (most of the rest). Source reefbuilders.com OO Reefers' Eye View Of Dying Corals Of The Great Barrier Reef - the nutrients given off by so many dead corals further fuel the algae growing over them, preventing future corals from growing. Advertisement All Types of Coral Are Bleaching and Dying including soft corals, which simply dissolve. A brown curtain of algae descends over the bleached mid coral; on either side, colorful live corals show signs of an encroaching white death. Source reefbuilders.com OO Government Pledges $1 Billion To Save Great Barrier Reef - a laughably small amount given the scope of the problem, but a start must be made... One of Many Coral Graveyards on the Great Barrier Reef. Source the Ocean Agency @@ Coral Graveyard: the Great Barrier Reef has many more photos of the devastation. Related Headline: @@ Australia's Coral Cemetery - yet more dramatic photos of the devastation. OO How The Great Barrier Reef Got Polluted - From Farms And Fossil Fuels To Filthy Propaganda OTHER LETHAL HUMAN EFFECTS ON CORALS OO Overfishing And Pollution Kill Corals In A Warming World - Takeaways: Different types of pollution - sewage, industrial, farming - weaken reefs; Oxybenzone* sunscreen from snorkelers is lethal to corals at 62 parts per Trillion; Overfishing removes algae eaters, allowing algae to cover weakened corals; Weaken reefs are more vulnerable to damage and death from climate change heat stress. Any combination of these harmful effects can kill corals and let algae overrun the reef.** *Use zinc oxide sunscreen instead, or wear a hat. Parrotfish: From Protector to Predator of Corals - normal benign nibbling of corals by the fish, which also eat coral competitors, can kill corals via bacterial infections from sewage pollution. Credit Waywuwei at flickr ** For example, parrotfish occasionally nip off coral for calcium, and the coral heals; farm runoff or sewage also bring huge amounts of bacteria; when nutrient rich pollution is present, most corals die from bacterial infection of their parrotfish wounds. Advertisement <> Credit Paul Horn at InsideClimate News OO As Coral Bleaching Goes Global, Scientists Fear Worst Is Yet To Come - Takeaways: Corals are crucial ocean nurseries, nurturing up to 25% of all marine species; about 275 million people depend directly on reefs for livelihoods and food; hot waters have caused the most widespread bleaching of corals ever recorded; reefs near 38 countries and over half the southern hemisphere are affected; bleaching is affecting previously unaffected reefs. Surviving corals emerged weakened, and more likely to die from future bleaching. Under continued global warming, half of all reefs will die by 2050; 90% will die by 2100. * * GOOD CLEAN NEWS Climate Leaders Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, and Barack Obama, US President are pushing to ratify the Paris climate deal. OO US And India Vow To Push To Ratify Paris Climate Deal OO The US And India Progress On Climate Changing HFC Gases - a popular coolant used in air conditioners, and 10,000 times more effective at trapping heat than carbon dioxide. <> OO US Coal Production Plummets To Lowest Level In 35 Years OO Big Oil's Footprint In Washington Shrinks With Price Of Crude OO BP: Global Coal Use Fell By Largest Recorded Margin In 2015 OO The World Nears Peak Fossil Fuels For Electricity Coal and gas will begin their terminal decline in less than a decade, says a new BNEF analysis. OO The Growing Opportunity for Residential Energy Storage in the US Advertisement Much Prettier Than Natural Gas Source www.pv-magazine.com OO Unlikely Casualty In California's Renewable Energy Boom: Natural Gas as an unexpected oversupply of natural gas collides with a surge in solar. OO $38 Billion Economic Benefit From EPA's Carbon Rule says a new study. OO UK Electricity Is Secure Without Coal, Says Conservative Thinktank * * SOCIAL REPERCUSSIONS Water Scarcity, Conflict and Refugee Exodus are the strongest mega-trends in West Asia, indicating their status and how these factors may shape the future. OO Water Scarcity Could Impact West Asian Credit Ratings OO Guess What Else Climate Change Hurts? Globalization - Supply chains now crisscross the globe, and most start where it's hottest. More than a quarter of the world's population lives near the shoreline. OO World's Population Very Slowly Backing Away From Dangerous Coasts OO San Francisco Bay Area Flood Prevention Tax will be used to lower flood risk by restoring wetlands. As Waters Recede, Climate Change Links Are Forged indicating the flooding was tied to global warming. Advertisement OO Paris Deluge Made Up To 90% More Likely By Climate Change, scientists say OO Paris Floods Were 'Directly' Tied To Global Warming says a new study, showing that global warming made the floods far more likely compared to a climate not warmed by fossil fuel emissions. Past rainfall records helped. OO Climate Change Correlated to Zika, Ebhola Outbreaks - allowing scientists to develop a model for predicting outbreaks based on changes in climate. * * SPEAKING OUT Source www.siemens.com OO Energy Firms Urge EU To Back Offshore Wind OO UN Asks Governments For 2050 Plans To Phase Out Coal, Oil And Gas OO EU Says Seeks Swift Ratification Of Paris Climate Accord * * FOSSIL FUEL FOLLIES Source www.usatoday.com OO Air Pollution Now Major Contributor To Stroke, Global Study Finds - up to one third of them. Microscopic particles, much of which are generated by diesel exhausts, have been shown to cause clotting, which can lead to a stroke. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development has warned that fossil fueled air pollution, has become a "terrifying" problem, set to cause as many as 9 million premature deaths yearly over the next four decades. Economic costs are likely to rise to $2.6 Trillion. OO Air Pollution Cuts Life Of Indians By Average 3.4 Years says a new study. Source www.laprogressive.com OO Methane Emissions Are Extremely Harmful - and the US government might not know how much there is. Advertisement OO Regulators Fear $1 Billion Coal Cleanup Bill For Taxpayers and are wrangling with bankrupt coal companies to set aside enough money for the cleanup. Everglades Ensures Clean Water to Millions - now imagine it, and this resident spoonbill, covered in oil. OO Controversial Everglades Oil Well Plan Moving Forward OO UK Oil Sector Job Losses 'To Reach 120,000 By End Of Year' If we do not grow sustainably, Our children will die inhumanely. @@ Myth vs Truth: The Huge Value of Contraception is an incisive, heartfelt recognition of the value of contraception by Sarah Brown, CEO, The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy Unintended Pregnancy Costs US Taxpayers: Unintended Pregnancies Cost US Taxypayers Nearly $11 Billion Yearly -the Guttmacher Institute Teen Childbearing Alone Cost US Taxpayers $9+ Billion In 2010 And the costs of raising a child usually ensures decades, if not a life, of poverty for its mother. - US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Advertisement WHAT YOU CAN DO Help prevent unintended pregnancies in your community: publicize where women can access affordable contraception. They can go here to find locations: And there are many more actions you can do, right here. * * * SOLAR KEEPS DRIVING Source www.solarkinguk.com OO Solar Made Up Two-Thirds of New Electric Generating Capacity in the US In 2016's First Quarter OO Unemployed US Oil Workers Find New Home in Solar Industry OO Solar Will Replace Nearly All Retiring Coal In Texas OO A Million New Solar Homes Projected With India-U.S. Announcement OO California Calls for Solar to Meet Natural Gas Shortfall OO UK Solar Electricity Outproduced Coal for the Month of May Check it out here, right now! * * * WHY WE SHOULD ACT NOW: RISING RISKS Daily Climate Change: Global Map of Unusual Temperatures, June 21, 2016 How unusual has the weather been? No one event is "caused" by climate change, but global warming, which is predicted to increase unusual, extreme weather, is having a daily effect on weather, worldwide. Looking above at recent temperature anomalies, much of the US and the waters surrounding it, are experiencing warmer than normal temperatures: the eastern Pacific warm spot continues to prevent much rain from reaching California, sending it into further drought. Much of the areas surrounding the North Pole are experiencing much warmer than normal temperatures - not good news for our Arctic thermal shield of ice. Hotter than usual temperatures continue to dominate human habitats. * * * There is, of course, much more news on the consequences and solutions to climate change. To get it, check out this annotated resource list I've compiled, "Climate Change News Resources," at Wordpress.com here. For more information on the science of climate change, its consequences and solutions you can view my annotated list of online information resources here. Advertisement To help you understand just what science does and does NOT do, check this out! This combination of file photos shows Democratic presidential hopefuls Bernie Sanders(L)on March 31, 2016 and Hillary Clinton on March 30, 2016,US presidential primaries spark back to life April 5, 2016 after an eventful 10-day break. For Clinton, a loss in Wisconsin would be more symbolic than anything else, as the state distributes delegates proportionally according to the primary results.But she comes into the contest having lost five of the last six states to Bernie Sanders, and polls show him finishing on top in Wisconsin. / AFP / PHOTO DESK (Photo credit should read PHOTO DESK/AFP/Getty Images) As a Democrat, I've been reluctant to support either Clinton or Sanders: I've admired both of them but find them deeply flawed. They represent divergent views of political change and reflect my own conflicting beliefs about the political process. That said, I'm prepared to support either as the nominee, because they're both committed to improving the lives of Americans through building a more equitable, inclusive, and just country. It's unnerving to see diehard Sanders supporters saying they would never vote for Clinton. Doing so would not only threaten the nation (and the world) with a bigoted, misogynistic, and proudly ignorant conman, but it would completely destroy the revolution they claim to care so much about. Advertisement My fellow liberals, no matter how much you hate Clinton, she still has to listen to you. When she needs to build support for a bill on paid maternity leave or an executive action on immigration, she will look to you. Your support will be yours to give or withhold. Her agenda won't fully satisfy you. Nor should it. But it will be shaped, in large part, by your conception of the world. Clinton will attempt to address poverty, health care costs and disparities, climate change, and women's equality because she is a Democrat, and these are the things Democratic voters care about. Any Democrat elected to the White House would face intense pressure from their base to solve these problems. Even if you think Clinton is a deceptive cretin or a corporate puppet, no politician makes it this far by ignoring their party. Voting for Clinton means you get to be heard. Interest groups advocating for reproductive rights, consumer protection, and the poor will have more influence in a Clinton administration. Even if Clinton doesn't give full-throated support for a $15 minimum wage or universal health care on Day One, you can successfully pressure her, like any Democratic president. For example, last month, President Obama announced his support for expanding Social Security benefits, after years of supporting cuts as part of a "Grand Bargain." It took years of progressives fighting for Obama's support on the issue, and after seven years, they got it. Further, Clinton will nominate Supreme Court justices who won't relish the chance to gut campaign finance restrictions, government health care programs, affirmative action, voting rights protections, and clean air laws. The Supreme Court vacancy presents an unprecedented opportunity for liberalism after 45 years of a conservative majority. Throwing it away would be unconscionable. Advertisement Trump, on the other hand, will never listen to you. The jury's out on whether Trump listens to anyone but himself, but you can rest assured he will ignore your pleas for a more equitable, inclusive, and just society. Under a Trump presidency, conspiracy theories and Twitter insults will have more influence over domestic and foreign policy than years of scientific research and expert opinion. You may take to social media and bemoan Trump's latest misdeed; you may even feel validated when your friends agree. But it will change nothing. As a liberal, voting for someone other than Hillary Clinton in this election would be like burning down your house because your toilet is broken. Please don't burn down the house. As families, friends, and supporters gather for the funerals of the innocent victims of the horrific Orlando shooting, I see three profound challenges coming to the fore for our society. One is simply this: In this day and age, the twenty-first century, homophobia is a grave sin that can no longer be tolerated by any religious group, be it Muslim or Vatican or any other tradition. It is long past time for the human race and its religions to heed the proven scientific data: that about 8% of any human population is going to be gay or lesbian; that more than 450 other species have been documented as having homosexual populations; that nature is biased in favor of diversity. Period. It is particularly tragic that many of the murdered, being Latino, had fled to the US from Puerto Rico and other traditionally Catholic countries because they could not be free to be themselves under the rigid rules of the Catholic church (rules, I hasten to point out, that are based not on Jesus' teachings but on those of Augustine and popes right up to today who have chosen to ignore scientific findings on the diversity of sexuality in our species). Advertisement Not only were 50 people murdered and another 50 seriously injured for "partying while gay," but the FBI is investigating reports that the perpetrator was a homosexual himself operating out of self hatred. I wonder where he got that from? Quite possibly from the fanatic elements of his religion, and from his father. A second lesson is obvious: Why does our country allow citizens, some of whom are deranged and self-hating, to buy guns whose use was intended for the military only? Apparently even the US Congress is beginning to act on this none-too-subtle issue after a filibuster by some Democratic congresspeople. Good for them! The third challenge is one I have not heard anyone else talk about, but I think it is the biggest issue of all. It is a challenge to Silicon Valley to stand up and be counted. Recall that the killer, in the midst of all his shooting, calmly called 911 on his iPhone to tell police that he was doing this in the name of ISIS...exchanged text with his wife...and then went on Facebook to see the interest he'd generated. Let us be honest: The cell phones, tablets, and other must-have gee-whiz gadgets that litter our world are also used by ISIS, Al Queda, and self-hating men who perpetrate group killings on a regular basis. What can Silicon Valley corporations do about this? Surely they do not want their inventions to be used for evil purposes. Yet they are so used. Evil is not going to disappear through technology and new gadgets. Deep change has to come from some other place. Advertisement Here is something Silicon Valley can do to enable that change: Invest in supporting movements that are working hard and with far too little financial backing to combat the forces of evil in the human soul. The late and great monk Thomas Merton tellingly described the shadow side of human nature that gets amplified when it links to modern technology, when he wrote the following: Man begins in zoology He is the saddest animal He drives a big red car Called anxiety.... Whenever he goes to the phone To call joy He gets the wrong number Therefore he likes weapons He knows all guns By their right names.... Now he is putting anxiety Into space He flies his worries All around Venus But it does him no good.... Man is the saddest animal He begins in zoology And gets lost In his own bad news. (1) Merton points out that flying into space--which was the technological dream of the 1960s when he lived and wrote this poem--is a modest adventure compared to the greater challenge which is to "cross the abyss that separates us from ourselves. This is the most important of all voyages of discovery, and without it all the rest are not only useless but disastrous." (2) Merton, who died in 1968, was referring to the big technological dream in his day to get to the moon, but his teaching still resonates with today's technological achievements of iPhones, Facebook and more. What if we had heeded his advice 48 years ago and explored "the most important of all voyages"? Advertisement It is not nearly enough that technology companies make continuing profits for their shareholders: it is imperative that they support those movements and efforts that research the deeper layers of human consciousness to explore where all the evil comes from and why joy is so scarce that we are driven to embrace guns instead of one another. It is time to explore the reptilian brain's influence on our decisions and especially those of men (in whom Adrienne Rich points out there very often lies "a fatalistic self-hatred" - a self-hatred fueled in part, I would propose, by homophobic religions and culture). Many techniques have been devised over the centuries by spiritual geniuses and cultures to explore the depths of the human psyche. Among these are practices of silence and contemplation, sweat lodges and whirling dancing, mantras and mindfulness, yoga and meditation, ceremonies and rituals. I have been involved in recovering many of these traditions and in telling the world about the people who have lived them out, and whom we call mystics, for over 40 years. For 20 years I have been involved in reinventing the Western Liturgy using rave and dance, dj and vj, and I have seen powerful results. In creating schools with a proven pedagogy for both adults and for teenagers from the inner city, we have demonstrated that we can indeed lead people through creativity and letting go into their healthy empowerment. In my book, The Hidden Spirituality of Men, I have offered metaphors or archetypes to recover a healthy understanding of Masculinity since there is so much toxic masculinity out there poisoning the souls of young men. Investment in this kind of important work from Silicon Valley would be a powerful way to increase access and practice to an avenue toward inner and an outer peace. There are many other movements too in our time that have teachings and practices to offer. Let Silicon Valley respond to the misuse of its inventions by supporting those who take us deeper than gee-whiz technologies into the soul arena where the struggle against evil truly takes place. Let Silicon Valley tax itself in order to create more of a balance between sickness and health, necrophilia and biophilia, because currently necrophilia is gathering all the headlines. It does not have to be this way. Deeper journeys into the human spirit are possible. As Deepak Chopra has put it in the Foreword to my recent book on evil, the departure of millions of people from organized religion does not mean that evil is being more seriously addressed: "the satanic side of human nature seems more intractable than ever" and evil represents "the simple greatest obstacle of spirituality in the twenty-first century," he observes. (3) Advertisement In the last few years, as the consequences of opioid use have become more recognized among white people--so widespread this is now considered an epidemic--reforms for drug policies have finally been considered. But the "opioid epidemic" comes with softer language, and generally, a more moderate response than past initiatives. This new emphasis--on the treatment of addiction instead of incarceration--represents a new paradigm. For the entirety of the "War on Drugs," policies concerning substance use have been directed toward criminalization. Yet this criminalization, as with many forms of the justice system, is largely steeped in racist narratives. The system of drug enforcement continues to disproportionately affect black people. The racialized discourse of substance use dates farther back than the notorious "War on Drugs," into the 19th century. In the 1800's, use of substances like cocaine among black people was thought to create villainous super-humans, akin to the account of "super-predators" described during the 1990's. These paralleled beliefs held merit in most people's minds until recently--serving to confirm notions of black people as morally deficient, and used as justification for disgraceful acts of violence, including lynching. However, by the time the "War on Drugs" began, this kind of violence was no longer acceptable. As many now recognize, the justice and carceral systems served as a new means to disenfranchise and repress the black people community. Indeed, the gains of the Civil Rights Movement, which immediately preceded the "War on Drugs," motivated the obscuring of structural racism. The "War," created by President Nixon, became a pivotal issue for his administration, and aided in converting a system that had long thrived on clear, systematic disparities, and made them less visible. For the white population, it was no longer acceptable to publicly embrace the racism of figures like George Wallace. Thus, the "War on Drugs" became a proxy for supremacy, creating the marginalized "addict," who was almost always portrayed as black people. And though these policies set out to limit the use of narcotics, they did everything but, instead preying on some of the poorest, most vulnerable sections of the population, and furthering already-established economic and social inequalities. Advertisement Undeniably, the "War on Drugs" involved more than shifting the focus of the justice and penal systems. It was also a continued embodiment of the myth that black people were morally deficient. Years after the "War on Drugs" began, President Reagan, alongside First Lady Nancy, moved to openly affect the discourse on drugs, making substance use prevention into a national campaign. "Just Say No," Nancy Reagan's call to vulnerable youth, did not immediately change the tactics of the U.S. government. Instead, it may have affected public perception, reengaging the attitude that addiction was a moral or personal failing--a choice to which one could simply say "no." In 1986, 50% of Americans saw drug use in this manner, according to a New York Times-CBS poll, signifying the penetration of the Reagan message. Though current addiction science fails to support this narrative, the "Just Say No" campaign fit perfectly with it. By 1989, just as President H.W. Bush was taking office, 64 percent of respondents to a New York Times-CBS poll rated drugs as the nation's number one problem, a dramatic rise in the urgency Americans felt concerning the impact of substance use, despite no clear signs that drug use was actually increasing. Only a half-a-decade prior, that figure was in the single digits. This was a deliberate effort to retroactively justify the "War on Drugs." It stood to reason that this artificial scourge of drug use had to be rectified. If people couldn't hold themselves back from drug abuse, they didn't simply need punishment. They deserved it. In white America, few felt the brunt of this perception, and the ensuing prejudice. It was believed drug abuse wasn't in the suburbs where many white people lived. It was elsewhere. Advertisement It was true that Reagan's "War on Drugs" campaign focused heavily on the "crack epidemic," a drug largely associated with an already assailed urban black population. The narrative of inadequate personal control and moral turpitude among black people, and particularly black drug users, made the "crack epidemic" the perfect target for a new wave of punitive drug policies. This account could not reasonably support drug abuse as a universal American problem--i.e., a white problem, too. The same group was targeted; the process of othering black people in America was as powerful as ever, taking on the moralistic facade that proved effective for hundreds of years. The mechanism was addiction. White people, who supposedly didn't use crack cocaine, remained practically immune to law enforcement, and ergo sum, couldn't possibly be addicted. The laws concerning powder cocaine reinforced this notion: crack cocaine penalties were mandated to be 100 times greater than powder cocaine. Additionally, the policing tactics related to crack--almost exclusively in black neighborhoods, using strategies most would consider entrapment--created a penal system where it was clear who would be arrested and imprisoned for drug infractions, no matter how minor. One could see this policing as a new form of terrorizing the black community; militaristic forces that descended on black neighborhoods, targeting anyone that fit into an archetype of "drug-dealer" or "addict." Though the statistics on drug abuse didn't justify this antagonism, even at the highest wave of the "epidemic," addiction needed to be seen as foreign, even alien to white people to maintain socio-economic supremacy. This othering also allowed many addicted and drug dealing white Americans to avoid incarceration, and in all likelihood, treatment. For the number of white people who recognized their addiction, there was no active, well-known and recognized response by the justice or health systems to address it. Whites were blameless; they didn't live in the neighborhoods where these policing tactics played out, and therefore could never be held responsible. The justice system--so often a reactionary apparatus of the state--attacked only the black population; and the health system, usually so much more attentive to hegemonic white, did nothing, beholden to supremacy and fearful of stigma. Perhaps as a consequence of these unequal policies, the normalization of drug use among white people reached new heights. Advertisement The lack of attention put on white addiction would at least partially explain the rise of drug abuse in that population. In turn, the displaced--and very unnecessary--focus on black people contributed to the largest prison population in the world: Today, black people constitute around half of all incarcerations, representing our toxic duality. In Part I of this series published in December, 2015 immediately following the San Bernardino killing of 14 people by an ISIS-inspired husband and wife team, I made the obvious point that the slaughter was merely the first act of domestic terrorism against civilians on American soil by less than a handful of "lone wolves." Many more were certain to follow. Tragically, we've now had our second--the worst in American history--early Sunday morning, with at least 50 dead in a gay Orlando nightclub at the hands of an America-born Muslim claiming ties to ISIS. In the decades long struggle by the NRA to prevent any infringement whatsoever on the purchase of all firearms by absolutely anyone who wants one, including assault rifles that belong only on the battlefield, San Bernardino marked the very first instance of unfettered acquisition of assault weaponry by home-grown terrorists. In the wake of that tragedy, the Democrats immediately put forth a bill in the Senate calling for the prevention of individuals from buying guns who were identified as terrorists on the so-called Terrorist Watch, many of whom were on the No-Fly list preventing them from boarding planes. The rationale of the bill suggested that anyone who was identified by the FBI as too potentially dangerous to fly should not be allowed to purchase a firearm. The bill required 60 votes to pass. It was rejected by 53 republicans and one democrat, with 44 democratic senators and only one republican (Mark Kirk of Illinois) voting in favor of the prohibition. Republican spokesman, Senator John Cornyn, in a titanic stretch to justify the refusal to make it harder for suspected terrorists to have legal access to assault weaponry, weakly offered that it would be unfair for the innocents on the list to have their Second Amendment rights abridged, displaying no reservations whatsoever about the green light this would give to budding terrorists on the list. Advertisement In the earlier article, I presented a selection of statistics that startled many who read the piece. Hard facts, not opinions. For that reason, I quote the entire list: The Freedom Group, which manufactures the assault rifle used in the Sandy Hook slaughter, saw profits jump from $5.9 million to $57.7 in 2013. Smith and Wesson's profits jumped from $16 million to $79 million in 2013. Smith and Wesson's profits tripled year-over-year from July through Sept, 2015. In an overall flat stock market, their stock was recently up 130%. There are well over 300 million guns in the US, nearly one per person. After each spree shooting in movie theaters, schools, etc., gun sales skyrocket driven by fear of government bans and the desire for self-protection. Gun CEO's readily admit that shooting sprees are fantastic for business. Advertisement On Black Friday following the Paris attacks, gun sale background check surged to a new record of 185,345, each for the purchase of one or more guns. This was before San Bernardino and does not include gun shows or online purchases. Stunning numbers. Back to the present, we do not yet know the extent of NRA political contributions for the current election cycle, but we can be certain that they have continued on their meteoric trajectory. Many consider the NRA the most powerful and feared lobby in the country. And true to form, on the first business day following the massacre, Smith & Wesson stock did indeed surge 12% before closing up 6.87%, while the overall market lost nearly a full percentage point. Other gun manufacturers showed similar gains. Omar Mateen had twice been intensively interrogated by the FBI for inflammatory statements regarding Islamic extremism. It was determined that his case was insufficient to warrant close monitoring. He could not be prevented from legally purchasing guns. One week before the massacre, he was able lawfully to purchase his semi-automatic AR type assault rifle as well as two subsequent purchases of a Glock pistol and an enormous cache of ammunition. The is no system to alert the FBI about the purchases, which would have allowed them to monitor Mateen's actions extremely closely and prevent him from carrying out the massacre. In painfully sharp contrast, 20 year-old James Howell, who himself had served time for pointing a gun at a neighbor, acquired an enormous arsenal and drove from Indiana to LA, apparently bent on mass murder at the LA gay pride parade. At 7am PDT Sunday morning, less than five hours after the Orlando shooting ended, neighbors noticed that he had parked the wrong way on a one-way street and was behaving erratically. The police were called, they discovered the weapons, and yet another LGBT slaughter was prevented on the streets of LA. In a similarly ironic twist, recall that only a few hours before the December, 2012 Sandy Hook massacre in Newtown CT, a 34 year-old deranged man in China leaped into a throng of six and seven year-olds as they gathered before entering school in the morning. Slashing wildly with a knife, he injured 22 children before being stopped. Not a single child died, whereas 20 children and six school staff were slaughtered in the Sandy Hook attack only a few hours later. Had the man been using an AR-15 rather than a knife, the results would have been as hideous as Newtown. Advertisement We know the drill. The NRA will lie low for a few more days while the outrage dies down. Then Wayne LaPierre, face of the NRA, will emerge from under his rock praising the armed security guard at the Orlando disco, stating that if only there had been more good-guy guns (in a loud, crowded, dark, strobe-lighted space!), that Americans need to arm themselves--the usual drivel. As I stated in the earlier piece, we have crossed a terrible threshold in which our insanely easy access to military-style weaponry not only makes it possible for murderers, lunatics, and gang members to arm themselves. By buying off corrupt politicians, the NRA's accomplishments now allow home-grown terrorists the same access. It is not a matter of " if" but "when" the next American lone wolf terrorist attack occurs--and the next and the next and the next. And yet there is no evidence whatsoever that the will of American voters has strengthened to see through the deceptions and insist on change. Of course not. For starters, just by having a Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) strategy, you're doing more good than harm. But I'd wager that if you're worried, then you know something's wrong with your firm's overall program. So maybe let's investigate? Does your strategy look like this? To be real? That's so 2004. Seriously. Actually? Take out "Veteran Status" and you're back in 1996. The difference is this... Your version is about compliance, and my list reflects different experiences. One is reactive, and the other, proactive. I'll bet your company loves metrics, right? Advertisement Well, metrics are usually used to suggest to others that your company is diverse. A lot of the time, they're for show (and 99% of data can be manipulated anyway, so...). Metrics have value, but... Exactly (but don't get mad). Now, also of interest is that you have "religion" on your list -- but I don't have it on mine. Fair question. But no, I'm not. And yet I don't believe it should be a part of D&I. Well, the doctrines of most major religions put it in direct conflict with another D&I element, "Sexual Orientation." With all due respect? It's 2016. It's not complicated. It's bigotry. Any D&I strategy that tries to accommodate both, is unfortunately, doomed to fail because religion, and LGBTQ concerns, might forever be in conflict with one another (unless you're all Wiccan, of course). No. D&I is not about sweeping issues under a rug, and it's not about "tolerance," it's about respect. Advertisement (Sarcastic tone) Thanks for listening. Now, here's another question: Does your company encourage employees to be themselves in how they interact, or communicate? Well, outside of swear words, or sexually unwanted commentary, doesn't that feel restrictive? You all speak corporatespeak then, right? Of course you know Corporatespeak! It's your language! For instance, the English language phrase... "Cleaned hotel rooms," translated into Corporatespeak, comes out as... "Utilizing contemporary cleaning methods and products, successfully restored temporary residences of upper-management clients to their fullest potential of hygiene, sanitation, and appearance." But to be fair, the very notion of "professional behavior" is also in direct contrast with the behaviors that distinguish most non-apparent disabilities, like autism spectrum disorders. As opposed to "apparent" disabilities, yes. :-) Then have the guts to ask for help -- outside, not inside your company. Demand that your superiors put some real resources into resolving their antiquated, for-show D&I programs; don't seek help from consultants that just pat your back (and call you "leaders"); and don't allow your bosses to avoid these "elephants in the bathtub" we've been discussing, like the "religion vs. LGBTQ" dilemma. Kind of. Why? Gulp. You're right. I agree. You actually could argue that. But... why can't you just ask which choice makes the marginalized group in question feel more welcome? Or makes the company less prone to hypocrisy? Advertisement Look, I know this is hard. There's so much to consider. So let me ask another, smaller question: Does your Supplier Diversity Chief hire from vendors that are owned or run by all aspects of D&I? Sigh... Did you really just say that? -- Do you watch the news much? (Shocked pause.) You corporate types are NOT very popular right n- Thought so. But the "reality" is that you care only about perception. Your CEO's proportionately ridiculous bonuses, and your D&I program's easily visible inadequacies prove that. Simple. I'm not a big Sigmund Freud fan (for starters, he slept with his patients), but he had one brilliant thing to say... "If you want someone to change, then YOU have to change." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Stephen Beck Jr., Achieving a Better Life Experience Act, better known as the ABLE Act, is perhaps the most important law passed by Congress since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in 1990. Why? ABLE recognizes that there are often added costs to living with a disability. The ABLE Act responds to these significant daily and weekly out of pocket expenses by creating tax advantaged savings accounts (ABLE accounts). However, an ABLE account has a second powerful advantage. For the first time, eligible individuals and their families will be allowed to establish ABLE savings accounts that will not affect their eligibility for SSI, Medicaid and other public benefits. (For ABLE account basics, please watch the video: ABLE Accounts: 10 Things You Should Know.) ABLE accounts are tax-advantaged savings accounts for individuals with disabilities and their families. The beneficiary of the account is the account owner, and income earned by the account will not be taxed. Contributions to the account made by any person (the account beneficiary, family and friends) will be made using post-taxed dollars and will not be tax deductible for purposes of federal income tax, although some states may allow for state income tax deductions for contributions made to an ABLE account. Millions of individuals with disabilities and their families are often relegated to a life of poverty as a result of not being allowed to build even the most modest level of resources. Individuals receiving supports through Social Security, Medicaid and other publicly-funded programs, are often disqualified from those supports if they have more than $2,000 worth of resources or assets. Now, eligible individuals with disabilities and their families will be able to take a step to better secure their financial futures and to help offset the often significant financial challenges that can accompany living with a disability. Advertisement 2016 marks the first year in which ABLE accounts will be available to qualified beneficiaries. Ohio and Tennessee have opened ABLE programs and Nebraska and Florida will open ABLE programs in the next 30 days. Each state program has different investment choices and costs and fee structures. How can you become ABLE ready? 1. Identify your need for savings Whether you are working and producing income and/or a Social Security beneficiary of SSI and/or SSDI monthly income payments, make a list of short and longer term needs to set aside for funds in an ABLE account. Consider whether these needs will be covered by any public benefit program you currently receive or may receive in the future. Some examples include: Long-term supports like personal assistance services which a government funded benefit may cover, but restricts the number of hours per week or month; Renovations to where you live to make it more accessible; Assistive technology like hearing aids or repairs to a wheelchair; The purchase of a computer or iPad; Supported or customized employment assistance including on-the-job training; Public benefits planning; and The purchase and retrofitting or modifying of a van. Investigate costs to meet identified needs and develop a short-term (up to three years) and longer term budget. Advertisement 2. Identify potential sources for income Friends, family and an employer may all be invited to contribute to your ABLE Account. The total allowable contributions from all contributors combined is currently $14,000 in any given tax year. Your contributions to an ABLE account are not tax deductible for purposes of filing your federal taxes, but may be deductible for purposes of your state income tax depending on where you live. While you or your family may not have the resources to contribute $14,000 annually, you might also consider crowdsourcing or letting relatives and friends know about your specific future savings goals and how they can help make it happen. 3. Consider an ABLE account as part of long-term financial goals If you already have or are considering a Special Needs Trust, or SNT, discuss your long-term goals with your financial advisor or attorney about whether an ABLE account could be established to complement the goals of the Trust. The ABLE account funds will not impact continued eligibility for SSI, Medicaid and other public benefits. The SNT also protects against loss of eligibility for public benefits. The costs of establishing an SNT with the engagement of a knowledgeable attorney will more likely be higher than establishing an ABLE account with a state. 4. Be aware of stipulations related to all ABLE accounts You may not be eligible for an ABLE account if your age of onset of disability is after age 26, or your disability does not meet the threshold to document significant disability below age 26. The greater disability community will continue to work with Congress to raise the age of onset beyond age 26, however, this will take time. If you establish an ABLE account and do not use all the resources in the account before you die, the remaining funds are subject to a payback provision to the state if you used Medicaid for any supports and services. You are limited to total contributions of14,000 annually. There are no such restrictions in an SNT or Pooled Income Trust. 5. Start saving now You do not have to wait until your state or another state establishes its ABLE account program. While you should still be aware of your asset limits as they relate to your benefits, you can begin to save now! Set aside a dollar amount weekly or monthly from your paycheck and/or Social Security check if you receive SSI and/or SSDI. Visit with a local financial institution, such as a bank or credit union, and open a savings account if you do not have one. Find a financial institution with no monthly administrative fees, an interest bearing savings account, any matched saving options, and discuss minimum balance requirements and how many transactions you may make monthly at no cost. Set a savings goal for the calendar year and invite family and friends to contribute to your savings account. These funds will be moved to an ABLE account when you select a state's ABLE program that is a good fit for your needs. 6. Compare state ABLE programs This summer, at least four states will have opened ABLE programs and be inviting eligible individuals nationwide to open an ABLE account outside of their state of residence. Below are some questions to keep in mind when comparing state ABLE account programs. Is there a minimum contribution to open an ABLE account? Is there a fee to open an account and, if so, how much is that fee? Is there a required minimum contribution to your account? If so, what is the amount? Are there restrictions on how often you can withdraw funds from your account? What are the investment options the state ABLE program offers? Are the options likely to meet your needs for limiting risk with the growth of your contributed dollars to the ABLE account? Are there options to help increase income from your invested dollars? What has been the history of the rate of return of the investment fund? Do you have a clear understanding of the fees associated with management of the fund? Are the fees front end loaded or are they reduced if you leave your funds invested for several years? What access will you have to learn about the current rate of return on funds invested? Could you access the information daily online? What proof will the ABLE program require to document: Your eligibility to open an account? That your disbursements are qualified expenses? Does the program offer any unique or value added program elements to help you save, contribute to your account, grow the account and manage your invested dollars? Does your state have a program and, if so, do they offer a state income tax deduction for contributions to their account? 7. Your needs are unique No two eligible individuals have the same needs for opening and managing an ABLE account. You may have set short-term priorities and be withdrawing funds weekly or monthly. Another individual may have longer term needs and priorities for saving and using an ABLE account. Talk with people you trust. Create a circle of support of family and friends. Though not required in order to open an ABLE account, you may consider consulting a financial advisor who has documented experience with creating and/or managing a special needs trust. Find out if there is a pooled income trust in your community. Then talk with the program administrators and seek referrals from families who have experience using the trust. Advertisement For many families, the ABLE account will be a significant and viable option in addition to, rather than instead of, a trust program. 8. Be an informed consumer As states open ABLE programs, NDI will compare and contrast individual state programs to help you make informed decisions. Currently, ABLE TN and Ohio STABLE Account are the only two programs enrolling beneficiaries in the country, and they are doing so via their online portals. However, several other states are expected to open ABLE account programs in the near future, including Nebraska, Florida and Utah. In fact, both Nebraska (a national plan) and Florida (an in-state only plan) are expected to launch prior to July 1. Imitating Stephen Hawking is a bold move, but doing it with wit and satire is an endearing statement. Hailing from Gloucester, Massachusetts is musician Ken Lawrence whose better known moniker is M.C. Hawking. In the early 2000s, Lawrence created this alter-ego by producing tracks using the synthesized text-to-speech program made famous by Hawking. Lawrence's music is not a parody of the great physicist but rather an act of reverence for his contributions to the world of science. Lawrence quickly became an internet sensation, especially amongst the "nerdcore" community. Tracks such as "The Hawkman Cometh" and "Entropy" went viral and received international interest from both the music and science community. This lead to a record deal with Brash Music with whom he recorded and released his debut album, M.C. Hawking: A Brief History of Rhyme. Lawrence will be releasing the video for his newest track, "Fear of a Black Hole" with fellow nerdcore rapper, M.C. Lars, next week which is off of his forthcoming fall LP, The Hawkman Returneth. Though his lyrics are insightful, witty, and humorous, his satirical style is most appreciated by a very niche community and so may not be understood by the everyday hip hop listener. That being said, M.C. Lawrence is not a manufactured superstar who is mass producing music and beats to sell out stadiums and records but instead is blazing his own path, a path whose foundation is science and those who tread upon it are its devotees. Advertisement While Lawrence's career was successfully taking off, the pinnacle occurred when he was invited to the 2016 STARMUS Festival in the Canary Islands of Spain to perform live for the actual Stephen Hawking. This year's festival, which will take place from June 27th to July 2nd, is being held to commemorate the many achievements of Stephen Hawking. The STARMUS Festival was founded in 2011 by world-renowned astrophysicist Garik Israelian as a place to celebrate science, culture and music with presentations from astronauts, cosmonauts, Nobel Prize winners and various other prominent figures. "It is an honor to perform not only for Professor Hawking, but to other legendary scientists, musicians, and world dignitaries," says Lawrence. "Professor Hawking is a pillar within the scientific community and it still feels surreal that I will be performing for him." M.C. Hawking will be performing as part of a space-themed concert that will include other musicians such as Academy Award winning composer Hans Zimmer, Grammy Award winning soprano Sarah Brightman, Grammy Award winning musician and producer Brian Eno, as well as many more talented musicians who will be sharing their cosmic compositions. Retired astronaut Chris Hadfield who was the first person to record a song in space, will be performing his famous version of "Space Oddity" which was even given the David Bowie stamp of approval. In addition to music, there will be a series of lectures by notable figures such as scientist/author/television personality, Neil deGrasse Tyson and of course from the man of the hour, Stephen Hawking himself. Attendees were even given an opportunity to submit questions in advance to be presented to and answered by Hawking during the lecture. The STARMUS Festival is not only for the scientific community but for the world, as it celebrates the achievements born of human curiosity. The people who followed their wonder and curiosity eventually reached great milestones in science and produced profound works of literature, music, art, and media. In the words of M.C. Hawking: "Maybe there is still hope for the young, if they reject the dung being slung from the tongues, of the ignorant fools who call themselves preachers, and listen instead to their science teachers." New York summer's offer plenty. The streets are quieter as the really lucky retreat to their weekend cottages and the students have left town for their gap year. That leaves the rest of us to find joys in the lengthened days and beautiful weather. From a show based around the Egyptian Book of the Dead on Governor's Island o full moon watching from a rooftop with Tecate; there is no shortage of diversions. Lower Manhattan Cultural Council sponsors its annual River to River Festival. In the basement of the Arts Center, choreographer Kaneza Schall and her team draw inspiration from the Egyptian Book of the Dead, using analog projection, sound and dance to animate a series of burial vignettes. It's a magical show; the three male dancers looking like Temple Priests, eerie and powerful in the lighting of the tombs. There are real surprises and I won't spoil the fun, but it's a terrific piece and worth the jaunt over on the ferry. Advertisement The National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene is presenting KulturfestNYC, the world's largest festival of Jewish performing arts for three months, including dance, film, music and social engagement. I have no father to spend Father's Day with so I joined a live sing along with the movie of Fiddler on the Roof at the Jewish Heritage Museum. Topol as Tevya is the father to three daughters and not a bad substitute for my own Pop. A couple of performers, one fiddler and an MC lead the show, getting the audience revved up for the songs. The screen presents the lyrics and though it is not Rocky Horror Show crazy, there is real enthusiasm and joy. I said to my friend that I may not have anything in common with the other members of the audience, beyond the love of the music of this show and of course, the traditions that many of us were raised with. The special guest stars of the event were two of the original performers from the film, Neva Small who played Chava (she runs away with the gentile) and Rosalind Harris who as Tzeiitel, escaped the clutches of the butcher, Lazar Wolf. I met Leonard Frey, who played Teitel the tailor, at an art show years ago. He blew upwards on my mother's old silver fox coat, proving to us both that it was real. Ironically, his other big role was in The Boys in the Band and he was great. When the villagers of Anatevka are forced to pack up and leave, we all feel the ache. We have only to look at the migration of Jews out of France and Syrians, Somalia, Afghanistan and others today to see how current this Sholem Aleichem story still is. Advertisement After a long and lingering stroll up the Hudson, I stopped at La Mama to see a production called I'm Bleeding All Over the Place: A Living Tour. Avant garde theatre is special and this piece conceived and directed by Brooke O'Harra (co-founder of the OBIE Award-winning group Two-Headed Calf is challenging. The actors face off with the audience by having encounters and at times one isn't sure who the real performer is. They make good use of the space, having the audience follow the performers around, creating both a sense of immersion and distance. For the Sunday finale, there is of course, the full moon. Please see: r LMCC and all events on river to river. http://lmcc.net/news/river-river-2016-live/ www.kulturfestnyc.org for the Folksbeine Festival. The purchase of a home is among the biggest financial decisions people will make in a lifetime. Taking a qualified homebuying class will do more than teach you how to get a mortgage or pull together a down payment - it will help you determine the amount of home you can afford without endangering other lifetime financial goals. If you think this training is just for first-timers, think again. Real estate markets change, and so do homebuying environments. It is worth considering taking a class each time you're making a home purchase, especially if it has been a significant number of years between purchases. The homebuying class can keep you up to date on what you'll need to know this time around. Where can you find these courses? Many private lenders offer their own training, but governments -- local, state and federal -- are the main source for instructional classes for homebuyers. In fact, on both the public and private side, these classes are often tied to special loans or funding assistance for the qualified. Advertisement Most homebuyer trainings are free - if you're asked to pay, get an explanation for what those costs cover. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provides a list of approved state and local agencies that offer a range of homebuyer education options - some even help first-time buyers obtain grants and other financial assistance with their down payments. HUD has backed up this effort with additional funding this year. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and Department of Agriculture (USDA) also offer assistance and educational programs for qualified buyers. Meanwhile, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the two government-sponsored agencies that keep mortgage funding flowing through our lending system, also support their own homebuyer education options. In fact, a 2013 Freddie Mac study indicated that pre-purchased financial counseling may cut the likelihood of a first-time homebuyer becoming seriously delinquent by nearly 30 percent. If you think the homebuying process is overly complicated, you're not alone. A 2015 survey by NeighborWorks America indicated that 70 percent of Americans think so, noting that the perception is higher among new college graduates, adjusting to managing their student loans. Advertisement Most Americans don't seem to know there's help out there. In an earlier 2013 study, NeighborWorks noted that nearly three quarters of Americans had no idea about federal or state down payment assistance or related programs to help people understand homebuying. Here are some of the major topics a thorough homebuying class should cover: 1.Homebuying readiness. Explore the general questions around a homebuying decision, such as why you want to settle in a particular area, how long you plan to stay, what kind of property you're considering and where you are in your career and lifestyle. You may also be asked to answer specific financial questions to support your thinking, which should not be shared with others. The best courses will help you determine answers to the big questions, such as whether you should buy a home or stick with renting. 2.Budgeting and credit. These courses will help you evaluate how you handle money. Do you have a budget? If not, do you know how to create one? Do you understand your credit rating and what goes into determining your score? If you have debt, how are your efforts going to pay it off? Essentially, what you don't know about spending and borrowing can limit your ability to buy a home. 3.Preapproval for mortgage financing. Navigate the nitty-gritty of the loan process - what a mortgage is, the various types of mortgages, how they work and what it takes to be preapproved for a mortgage. Preapproval involves filling out a full mortgage application, typically with a fee to cover an extensive credit check as if you were actually buying a home. Pre-approval, unlike prequalification, allows a potential borrower to receive a loan commitment for a specific amount, which can grease the wheels in a potential purchase and focus the search on properties in the right price range. 4.Knowing what you can afford. Analyze the above and consider the reality of what kind of property you can really afford to buy. Look at price limits and locations and ways to get more for your money, including specific local, state and federal borrowing programs you may qualify for. Buying your dream home can seem nice, but it can turn into a nightmare if you can't afford the home while living within your means. Advertisement 5.Your home search. Determine how, when and where to shop for specific properties within the neighborhoods you are interested in and how to get the best overall deal for what you're buying. 6.What you'll need to close a home sale in your chosen community. Buying a home can also include an introduction to the specific regulatory and cost environment where you're planning to live. For example, your course should take you through such things as community-specific housing laws and zoning restrictions that could affect what you'll be investing in the property, property tax issues (particularly if an assessment is pending), your home titling process, inspection requirements and the other costs linked to legal processes and paperwork. 7.The aftermath. A solid homebuying class should give you a wide picture of the costs you'll face after the sale and how to manage them so you don't put the rest of your finances in jeopardy. Being too "house poor" not only puts you at a risk of losing the property, it can threaten other important financial goals. Including a certification of course completion with your loan application won't guarantee loan approval. But if you've recently improved your borrowing status based on what you've learned, it may help to have that certification in your file. If you're hoping to qualify for a government-sponsored mortgage program that offers a low loan rate, down payment credit or other benefits, you're likely to need certification before you'll be accepted. Finally, if you have your eye on particular lenders in your community, call them to see whether homebuying education can be a helpful factor in getting approved for a loan. Ask them to explain how they evaluate such training and what courses they recommend. Always ask whether any homebuyer class has a fee and why. Also, get a second opinion - if you work with a qualified financial professional, ask what he or she thinks about the course and its benefits. Advertisement As you consider such a course, don't think narrowly about what you can get out of it. It's not just about getting the mortgage. It's a chance to ask about how a home purchase may affect other aspects of your financial life - all personal finance goals should be considered equally. Bottom line: It never hurts to seek additional education to better understand your finances, particularly if you are looking to buy a new home. Whether it's your first home purchase or your second or third, take a few hours to better understand the mortgage process, improve your credit and shop smarter for a home you can actually afford. Nathaniel Sillin directs Visa's financial education programs. To follow Practical Money Skills on Twitter: www.twitter.com/PracticalMoney Mathew Parr explains how double entry bookkeeping can help us to interpret nature and natural systems This article has been submitted as part of the Natural Capital Coalition's series of blogs on natural capital by Mathew Parr, senior advisor on natural capital, IUCN Netherlands. We take our current system of numbers, counting and mathematics for granted. They are an integral part of our everyday lives: essential in the workings of our modern technology; indispensable in running our global economy; central to our understanding of the environment. Advertisement Up until only a few hundred years ago though, we used a completely different system to count and calculate: using counters and Roman numerals. It wasn't until an unlikely group of savvy merchants in Florence saw the benefits of what was then known as Hindu-Arabic 'abbaco' mathematics, that things started, very slowly, to change. Over the 14th and 15th centuries, they embraced and studied this new system, using the now familiar numerals 0-9 in addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, and put it to use in what they called "the expression in writing of the arrangement of [their] affairs." This 'expression in writing' has become known as double entry bookkeeping, and was perfected by Luca Pacioli, a Franciscan monk born near Florence, Italy, in the 1440s. In 1494 he published the first treatise on double entry bookkeeping, a record keeping system under which every business transaction is recorded in at least two accounts: debit entries on the left and credit entries on the right. As Jane Gleeson-White writes in her wonderful little book on the history of finance and accounting, double entry bookkeeping became the cornerstone governing our global economy and every business which operates therein. By virtue of this innovation, the merchants became some of the wealthiest and most educated in Europe, unleashing first a cultural revolution (modern financing and, to some extent, the Renaissance), and subsequently, a scientific and industrial revolution. While they lived a life of wealth and extravagance in Italy, scientists in Western Europe were busy experimenting with these new numbers and equations, and applying them in order to chronicle and interpret the natural world. Advertisement For these scientists, numbers become an essential tool. Early conservationists like John Muir, although renowned for their written prose on the beauty of nature, also measured and calculated many aspects of the natural world. Darwin, while a reluctant mathematician, wrote towards the end of his life that he wished he had learned the basic principles of math, "for men thus endowed seem to have an extra sense." Today, numbers, math, and statistics are essential in how we describe and study the status and trends of our global species, ecosystems, habitats and environment, without them projects like the IUCN Red List would be impossible. For most of their history, market economists and conservation ecologists have not bothered each other much. The economists observed and produced economic theories, and measured production and consumption of goods and services in the market place. The ecologists observed and produced ecological theories, and measured the interaction of living organisms with their environments. However, both economists and ecologists have, over time, come to recognize that neither approach produces a complete picture. Our failure to achieve a unified understanding is leading to inefficient and destructive decisions, which ultimately benefit neither the economy nor the environment. Every economic enterprise fundamentally depends in some way on the natural world. Any measurement or account of economic activity - from a cost-benefit analysis, to a company account, and all the way to measuring GDP itself - should therefore include nature. Failing to do so creates blind spots in identifying economic and corporate risk and opportunity. Correspondingly, no ecosystem exists that has not been affected or altered by economic activities in some sense. This relationship, when poorly understood and managed, leads to a vicious circle of environmental degradation and economic instability. Any attempt to maintain ecological integrity and diversity in the 21st century then, must therefore include recourse to economics and economic actors, just as any attempt to maintain economic stability and prosperity must recourse to ecology and ecological actors. Advertisement Fortunately, as in 1494, 2016 could be a watershed moment; the year when business and conservation comes together to collaborate in a constructive, systematic way to account for natural capital alongside traditional measurements of financial capital. This will undoubtedly lead to better, more informed decisions that will benefit us all. A number of initiatives are at the forefront this next revolution. One of these is the Natural Capital Coalition, which brings together leading initiatives and organizations under a common vision of a world where business conserves and enhances natural capital. In July of this year, the Coalition will launch the world's first Natural Capital Protocol, a framework for businesses to identify, measure and value their impacts and dependencies on natural capital, and generate trusted, credible, and actionable information to inform better decisions in business. While he was alive, Luca Pacioli realized how vital it is for businesses to express their values in numbers. If he were alive today, he would surely see the benefit of such a framework to help business - across all geographies and sectors - express, in writing, the "arrangement of [their] affairs" with regard to nature. Disclaimer: Articles in this series are submitted by people who work in organizations who are part of the Natural Capital Coalition, or people who are involved in the natural capital space more generally, the views expressed here do not necessarily represent the views of The Natural Capital Coalition, other Coalition organizations, or the organization that employs the author. Follow Mathew Parr on Twitter: @MathewMasseyP Keep up to date with IUCN NL on Twitter: @IUCNNL Keep up to date with IUCN on twitter: @IUCN Advertisement Mathew is the Senior Advisor Natural Capital at IUCN Netherlands, overseeing and advising projects on both natural capital for business and development. This includes their work engaging corporates and testing of the Natural Capital Protocol, as well as ecosystem valuation studies in the tropics, where he is currently overseeing a large valuation study of Atewa Forest Reserve in Ghana. Prior to IUCN NL Mathew spent several years in Vietnam working on national park management and social forestry. Mathew holds an MSc in Biodiversity Conservation and Management from Imperial College, University of London, and an BA in Economics and Philosophy from the University of Leeds. He guest lectures on Natural Capital at the the Free University of Amsterdam and Wageningen University. On 13th July 2016, The Natural Capital Coalition will launch a standardized framework for business to identify, measure and value their impacts and dependencies on natural capital. This 'Natural Capital Protocol' has been developed through a unique collaborative process; a World Business Council for Sustainable Development consortium led on the technical development and an IUCN consortium led on business engagement and piloting. The Protocol is supported by practically focused 'Sector Guides' on Apparel and Food & Beverage produced by Trucost on behalf of Coalition. Keep up to date with the Natural Capital Coalition on Twitter: @NatCapCoalition What They Do With Your Money is a thoughtful, meticulously documented, and downright infuriating indictment of the American financial services industry, which not only takes much more in fees from investors than their counterparts in other countries but hides those fees so that people who are relying on employer-sponsored pension funds, 401(k)s, and other investments cannot tell how much of their money is being siphoned off. The subtitle of the book is How the Financial System Fails Us and How to Fix It, and it ends on a hopeful note. In an interview, authors Stephen Davis, Jon Lukomnik, and David Pitt-Watson explained the 16 layers and 100 different fees that erode the pensions of American workers and the changes in social media and technology that could reroute those returns back to employees and investors. Why do you say that worker savings have become a "virtual ATM for the financial industry?" Understandably, we have allowed experts to manage our nest eggs--but the number of agents between us and our investments has grown exponentially and each takes a fee or extracts a cost. Yes, there are money management fees which most of us see, but also marketing fees (12B-1 fees), custodial fees, transfer agent fees, sub-transfer agent fees, sub-custodial fees, audit fees, mutual fund board fees, valuation agent fees, proxy advisory fees, trading costs, broker fees, administration fees... the list goes on and on. It sometimes takes as many as 16 different agents--each extracting fees or adding costs--to shepherd our money from an account to an investment. And while some of those fees are disclosed, many are not, so that the average investor really doesn't appreciate how much the financial industry siphons. Stealth costs can climb enough to knock 50% off the total that a typical worker would have on retirement without those fees and costs. Advertisement We have seen a series of post-crash and post-scandal reform efforts over the past 30 years -- what has been effective and what has failed? The Enron scandal begat the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, and the financial crisis begat the Dodd-Frank Act. In each case reforms from Washington added some constructive safeguards. But they have amounted to Band-Aids rather than comprehensive treatment for market ills. Experts disagree about whether the benefits have been worth the cost when companies have to comply with thousands of pages of new regulations. But one thing is certain: When it comes to fixes, policymakers have had a blind spot about financial agents. The biggest hidden failure in today's financial system is that there is almost no effective oversight of our financial agents. The main law addressing the issue (the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, or ERISA) is 42 years old; it was written for retirement conditions that no longer exist. For instance, we have far fewer workers compared to retirees; people live a lot longer, so they need more money to draw on; and traditional pension plans have given way to 401(k)-style plans with far more risk and higher fees. Advertisement Gridlock in Washington has put a brake on efforts to update law and regulation. Recently the US Department of Labor required investment advisors to put client interests ahead of other commercial interests - and the industry is suing to block that rule, and the Congress is trying to overturn it, largely on partisan grounds. That's a shame, because if the partisan gridlock would loosen enough for a rational discussion, much could be accomplished. For example, a reform package could oblige retirement plans to disclose the equivalent of a nutrition statement, so that consumers can learn in plain language whether their agents are configured to act in their best interests, how many agents there are, how they get paid and how much that reduces potential earnings. Legislation could require retirement savings plans to feature skilled, independent boards that police fees, conflicts of interest, and policies of investment funds. Finally, laws could mandate that financial agents abide by fiduciary duties that put the client first. The interesting thing about that package of reforms is that they are systemic; designed to allow the market to work by adding information, expertise and clear accountability. They are not the type of "do this, don't do that" regulations to which the industry objects and, which, we contend, have unintended consequences and don't work that well in the first place. Consider this: There are now about 100,000 more compliance officers in finance than there were before the financial crisis. They monitor a virtual Hammurabi's code of very specific compliance-type regulation. But few think that the financial sector works better because of this. But if we made the process transparent, made accountability explicit, made fiduciary obligation extend throughout the chain of intermediaries, we could lighten up on the amount of spot regulation. How has the shift from defined benefit pension plans to defined contribution plans affected retirement benefits? How has it affected shareholder oversight of corporate direction? The overall economy? Advertisement Defined contribution plans were conceived as a supplement to pension plans, not a substitute for them. As the principal vehicle for retirement savings, they fall well short of needs. Fees are higher, and returns are lower, than traditional defined benefit or hybrid collective savings plans. Savers shoulder excessive risk, and even those who are supposedly sophisticated are shown to make poor choices. No wonder that the US faces a worsening savings crisis, with the typical American nearing retirement with inadequate income to meet basic living expenses. But it is even worse than that. The shift to 401(k)s has ballooned the power of mutual funds, and the business model of mutual funds is trading-oriented rather than long-term investment oriented. Studies show they too often act short term - in general they turn over their portfolios every year -- which in turn compels companies to act short term to match their investors' time frame. While some fund families, such as Blackrock, Vanguard, State Street and TIAA, have grown more responsible as owners of shares, some have not. To take one case, in 2012 a large mutual fund spent an estimated $138 million promoting its brand as a champion of clients, but at the same time employed a single person to actually do that advocacy, by managing voting shares at more than 10,000 portfolio companies worldwide. If holders of vast blocks of US stock act in our name in this way, it short-circuits the genius of free enterprise--that owners watch the store. The result is an underpowered type of capitalism in which managers, not owners, make fundamental strategic business decisions. A number of politicians have recommended a legal standard for boards and executives that is measured by stakeholder benefits. What would that change? We think this is a distraction. In the real world, managing a company means balancing the demands/risks/opportunities of innumerable groups and time frames. But our legal system makes some of those risks more equal than others. So, for example, financials are audited and filed with the SEC, but companies feel free to omit or segregate into a separate statement the ways in which they address so-called environmental, social and governance, or ESG, factors, when, in today's world, these are fundamental risks and opportunities. Even when there is SEC guidance requiring disclosure of these risks, as there is on climate change, it is honored in the breech, with boilerplate, non-differentiated disclosure. And the SEC has sat by silently while its own guidance is ignored. Advertisement So, the first step is for the SEC to start enforcing its own guidance. The second and more important step is for boards, managements, regulators and investors to stop seeing ESG issues as somehow different from other risks and opportunities companies face. Human capital management, climate change, supply chain management, and a host of other ESG issues are now known to have financial consequences. Why would an investor voluntarily assume the risk of ignoring them? Why would a company take on unnecessary risk by omitting them from strategic calculations? Standards should clarify that factors relevant to value, whether conventionally measured or not, should be integrated into statements to allow investors and others to get a more accurate profile of a company. Disclosure of relevant risks is the law. Making it clear that disclosure applies to both short- and long-term risks and opportunities would help investors more accurately assess the danger to, and potential of, portfolio companies. How many intermediaries are there between an employee and the stock he or she owns in a retirement plan? As noted above, one study counted 16. That may be low. The Transparency Task Force in the UK has detailed more than 100 fees. While the regulatory regime in the UK and the US are different, we would not be surprised to see such a list here. What do you think of binding arbitration agreements in contracts between investors and money managers? Advertisement Arbitration, like a court proceeding, has its advantages and disadvantages. The great advantage of arbitration is that is flexible, and the parties can agree to the procedure and the arbitrators, customizing the process and tribunal to their specific needs. But that means there needs to be equal knowledge and power in deciding on where, how, and before whom to arbitrate between the parties signing the contract. That may the case for large investing institutions, but it is virtually never the case for consumer investors. Therefore, we believe the courts are better served to protect investor interests. Granted, the sophisticated and monied will always have an advantage, however a court's procedures and a judge's discretion can lessen those advantages. To deny retail or unsophisticated investors a court hearing based upon a fine print paragraph buried in the back of a multi-page legal document we believe is wrong. The business community is currently suing to stop a new rule that would require them to put the interests of their customers ahead of their own. Why does that matter? Investment advisors should put the interests of client investors ahead of their firm's commercial interests. That way individuals seeking investment help can know if the advice they get is truly going to be best for them, or if it is being offered because a broker is being paid on the side. Financial service companies are fighting the measure through Congressional allies and court action, using the argument that the action would curb financial advice. In fact, the new fiduciary duty standard could curb excessive fees going from individuals to those financial companies. And while it might end some types of advice, the chances are that type of advice isn't very good for the investors, since it's being influenced by the promoters of a financial product. Large institutional investors - the CalPERS and Harvard endowments of the world - usually mandate by contract that their advisors are fiduciaries, which is the legal way of saying that their advisors must put their interests first. Individuals don't have the power to do so. They can fend for themselves and get that contract language. This battle is about some parts of the financial community trying to deny fiduciary protection to small investors who generally do not have the leverage to get fiduciary obligation put into a contract. Advertisement Even from the industry point of view, we find the industry's position on this short-sighted. At a time when the financial system is under attack, we need to build up trust. Opposing the fiduciary rule does the opposite. Instead, the industry ought to be proposing a grand bargain: Embrace fiduciary obligation and real transparency so that the market can work the way it's supposed to. In return, let's simplify the exponential amount of "spot" regulation that has created 100,000 new compliance officers since the global finance crisis, and which many think does not work as well as it should. But the industry today seems to be opposing systemic fixes. Cynics would say that Wall Street has figured out how to pass on the cost of those compliance officers, and has identified the loopholes in the myriad of spot regulations that have been passed. We prefer to think that the industry - our industry - is being short-sighted and will come around to embracing a systemic fix in time. Why do Americans pay so much more in fees for managing their retirement money than people in other countries like the Netherlands? The US in the past three decades has migrated away from collective pension savings to individual accounts in which citizens, if they are lucky enough to have a plan at all, shoulder nearly all risks when they save for retirement. In effect, we are sold financial products, instead of buying retirement plans. Studies show that the 401(k)-style system comes at a high cost compared to the type of collective plans available in the Netherlands. Plus, thanks to better governance of savings arrangements there, plans feature fewer intermediaries between the saver and the investment and fewer distortions caused by conflicts of interest. One other thing that generally flies under the radar. After you retire, the Dutch system features simple, low-cost annuities, compared to the type of very complicated, high-cost annuities you can buy here. So, while a typical retiree in the Netherlands will retire with 50% more in assets than will a similarly-situated retiree here, if the Dutch and the American buy annuities to provide income in retirement, the Dutch retiree will be able to live on 79% more than the American retiree. Advertisement You have some intriguing ideas about the use of social media and technology to provide more transparency and oversight for investors. What do you think is most promising? Take the example of Buycott, a free app launched in 2013, which aims to help consumers align their values with their purchasing. The first question it asks is: "Have you ever wondered whether the money you spend ends up funding causes you oppose?" You can scan a product at a store to see if the company that produced it is involved in any ethical campaign you support. Now, let's imagine a smartphone tool that asks a parallel question: "Have you ever wondered whether the money you save ends up funding causes you oppose?" It could compare pension or 401(k) plans, providing you with a picture of how accountable each is, how fees compare, and how well or poorly they align with what you believe. That's a gap just waiting to be filled. FinTech approaches hold other promise. Today, those with a 401(k) plan can easily summon an online page filled with latest data on holdings, transactions, and stock prices. But what's conspicuously missing are real-time updates on how funds you own have voted in your name at portfolio companies on key issues such as CEO pay, or engaged in your name with boards on climate change. Funds don't offer a ready description of how they are governed, or precisely how much in fees is subtracted. It isn't technically difficult to do. They just need pressure from their savers to do it. I spent 5 years in Mexico, and one of my fondest memories was the occasional "Fiesta Caribena" my friends and I organized. We mainly planned and executed the event to maintain our Caribbean identity and culture as well as to help our Mexican friends experience our different countries through us without actually going there. With that said, it then begs the question, how can the average Caribbean national or even better those in privileged positions like entertainers play their part by painting pictures of the Caribbean to others who are not as privileged to be there? My last two articles on the Huffington Post dealt with the responsibility Caribbean natives have to help control the narrative about our respective countries in the media and how Caribbean soca artists can use social media to build their brands worldwide. Those topics are very important to me, and I also think they go hand in hand since Caribbean artists and well-known personalities can make a significant contribution by promoting themselves while eliminating some of the misconceptions people may have about the Caribbean. Often times, saying what should or needs to be done is easy but actually following through is most times where the difficulty lies. I firmly believe that action is the only true agent of change, so I thought the best way to strengthen my points was to follow up with an article highlighting someone of reputable standing that is practicing exactly what I outlined in my first two pieces. I thought who better to feature than the Caribbean Queen of Bacchanal herself Destra Garcia. In my opinion, Destra does a great job with social media and have built a raving community around her brand online. She uses her music to give people in different cities around the world a view of Caribbean, especially her home country Trinidad and Tobago, without really being there. Advertisement Her latest single, "Luv with the Riddim", which is a cross between soca and pop, is a classic example of how she is able to infuse a Caribbean flavor into everything she does. While it is easy for me to provide my opinion on why Destra perfectly epitomises what I spoke about in my last two articles, I thought it would better to get the views directly from The Queen of Bacchanal herself. So I spoke with Destra, and I was absolutely blown away. Blown away not only because she is awesome, and I am a fan, but by the fact that she embodies everything I have been speaking about. Caribbean artists, especially those on the rise, should definitely take a page from her book to see that what I have been writing about is indeed possible. In terms of helping shape and control the image and reputation of Caribbean countries, Destra indicated that whenever she goes to any country to perform, she does not tailor her performances to suit the country. Although she is blessed with the unique ability of versatility with many different musical genres such as reggae and the likes, she is primarily known as a soca artist, as evidenced by her eleven captivating albums. Consequently, when she performs, it's authentically Caribbean. She brings a colourful display, energy, and plain fun to her performances which are all synonymous with soca and by extension the Caribbean. In all fairness, a number of other artists carry the Caribbean with them wherever they go and try to help control its image. For instance, I clearly remember when the regrettable death of a tourist occurred in Grenada, Hollice "Mr. Killa" Mapp, one of Grenada's cultural ambassadors, took to Facebook to address the issue and tried to dispel some of the rumours that were circulating at the time. However, not all Caribbean nationals and entertainers, particularly soca artists, take advantage of social media in that way to help shape their country's image and build their brands. Additionally, as a digital marketing strategist, one of the things I enjoyed most about my talk with Destra was how active she is on social media where she has cultivated a huge community around her music. While many popular figures have social media managers, Destra sees things differently. Therefore, to build a level of authenticity, she believes that it is imperative that she does it herself. Just like Gary Vaynerchuk, a social media mogul and chief advocate of its use, she is very engaging with her online community. Every tweet, mention, comment, like, retweet, and reply all come directly from The Queen of Bacchanal herself and not someone acting on her behalf like most people of her caliber do. Advertisement I believe that the Caribbean has a lot to offer and not only where music is concerned. For instance, if most Caribbean nationals, regardless the number of followers they have on Instagram or social media on a whole, decided to take matters into their own hands and not let the media houses in the large countries shape people's perception of the Caribbean, huge changes may result. I also believe that Caribbean soca artists, entrepreneurs, athletes, and others need to use social media to build their brands and communities around their brands. Consequently, social media is certainly the way to go. At the end of my talk with Destra, I was left with an interesting tidbit however. I asked her to name one thing a lot of people do not know about her, and she responded that many people do not know that she speaks three languages namely English, French, and Spanish. This was rather interesting to me since, I speak the same three languages. Well in all honesty, my French is terrible, but soon it will be as fluent as hers. More importantly, I even thought to myself that with her ability to speak multiple languages she is in a privileged position and has greater potential to share the Caribbean even further with foreign audiences if she so chooses. "Remembrance of things past is not necessarily the remembrance of things as they were." -- Marcel Proust Proust's In Search of Lost Time is perhaps the most famous exploration of memory, with associations sparked by sensory cues like the famed madeleine. Our memories are fundamental to our sense of self, our relationships, and our behaviour. And yet, as Proust recognized, they are less reliable than they seem. Cognitive psychologists have long proposed that memories are reconstructed over time, from Frederic Bartlett's 1932 experiment where participants were tested over a span of years on their recollection of a Native American legend called "The War of the Ghosts" they read in an initial session. Bartlett found that over time, memories of the story became "schematized" -- participants remembered the general gist of a story but lost details, and often replaced exotic and foreign items in the story with things that were more familiar to them. Hunting seals, an action foreign to Bartlett's Edwardian English participants, was replaced with going fishing; canoes were replaced with boats. Advertisement Other findings demonstrating the fallibility of memory abound. In 2001, Daniel Schacter categorized the "seven sins of memory," classifying seven shortcomings of memories further grouped into three sins of forgetting, three sins of distortion and inaccuracy, and the singular "persistence," the inability to forget something even when we'd be better off to do so, as in post-traumatic stress disorder. Research has found no correlation between our certainty in a memory and its actual accuracy -- so-called "flashbulb memories," memories for events that feel particularly detailed and vivid (for example: where were you on 9/11?), are just as prone to inconsistencies as more mundane memories, despite high confidence in their accuracy. Similarly, psychologist Elizabeth Loftus' work on eyewitness accounts has shown they are unreliable and highly susceptible to manipulation through carefully-framed questions. From the perspective of neuroscience, the alteration of memories over time was less intuitive. Pioneering work by Donald Hebb, Eric Kandel, and many others all suggested that memories should stabilize over time through what Hebb coined as a "fire together, wire together" process. The strengthening of synapses formed memories, and once formed (or "consolidated"), they were thought to be stable. The process of reconsolidation, recently in the news as a potential target for treating PTSD, offers a mechanism through which established memories can be adjusted and altered. Each time a memory is retrieved, it is reactivated, placing it in a labile state where it is susceptible to change. It is then "reconsolidated," or stored again in the brain. The idea that memories are susceptible to change is worrying -- we have faith in our own recollections and rely on our memories in all aspects of life. But the malleable nature of memory isn't necessarily a bad thing -- it also serves as the basis of our ability to update and integrate information, to form narratives and make sense of our experiences. Schacter himself suggested this, proposing that the "sins" of memory are actually byproducts of otherwise adaptive features, and that they can sometimes be adaptive in and of themselves. To return to the example of PTSD, the malleable nature of memory allows us to remove the negative emotions associated with particular memories. Memories can also be distorted in self-serving ways, protecting a positive and consistent self-image. One of Schacter's seven sins is bias -- including a tendency to recall our previous attitudes (for example, political opinions) as more consistent with our current beliefs than they actually were. Advertisement by Emma Baccellieri Also-ran presidential candidate Marco Rubio announced today he would attempt to stay in the U.S. Senate. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz, File) Marco Rubio may have promised "like 10,000 times" that he would be a private citizen in January 2017, but he apparently didn't say it enough to make it stick -- the Florida senator announced his intent to run for re-election Wednesday morning. Rubio suspended his presidential campaign in March, though his candidate committee lives on with $24,000 in cash and nearly $1.9 million in debt as of the end of May, according to its latest Federal Election Commission filing. Those numbers won't have much bearing on his Senate campaign, though, which will have a wholly separate committee. Advertisement But pro-Rubio super PACs that still have funds left will be able to divert it to his Senate race, if they so choose. Since super PACs cannot coordinate any of their activity with candidates, they can use their funds to support multiple candidates in multiple races, regardless of where donors may have thought their money was going when they chose to contribute. The largest pro-Rubio super PAC, Conservative Solutions PAC, still has more than $1.7 million available of the $60 million it raised during Rubio's White House run. Though the money raised for Rubio's presidential campaign will have little direct impact on his Senate race, it may provide some clues as to where he's likely to draw cash in the months to come. Over the course of his presidential run, Rubio reported raising more than $113 million, with $52 million of that going straight to his candidate committee and the rest going to outside spending groups, mostly Conservative Solutions PAC. About 27 percent of the money came in the form of small donations -- $200 or less. A quarter of his cash, $24.5 million, came from Florida, with his home metro area of Miami alone giving him $14.4 million. It wasn't enough to be his most generous city, though -- that title went to New York, which gave $14.6 million to his presidential campaign. The securities and investment industry provided by far the largest segment of Rubio's contributions, with nearly $18.5 million pouring in from bankers and others in the field. He was also popular with retired individuals and the auto industry, receiving $8.2 million and $7.4 million from them respectively. The company responsible for the single largest chunk of his cash was Braman Motorcars, a luxury car dealership in West Palm Beach; the dealership's owner, billionaire Norman Braman, is a longtime patron of Rubio's who was vocal not only in his support of Rubio but also in his distaste for former the Florida governor and Republican presidential also-ran Jeb Bush. Unknown is how much cash is sitting in a 501(c)(4) "dark money" group that spent $8 million on pro-Rubio ads in 2015 alone. The organization, Conservative Solutions Project, is not required to disclose its donors. Advertisement Over three quarters of a billion people, yes, three quarters of a billion people around the world have engaged with a British government campaign to celebrate the life of William Shakespeare in this year, the 400th anniversary of his death. June 2016 brings us to the halfway moment, the middle, the mid, indeed a season of midsummer nights, 'looking before and after'. So it would seem apt that it is A Midsummer Night's Dream that, for so many of us, captures more than any other of his plays the width and wisdom of all that is Shakespeare. As a comedy The Dream presents the panorama of people. It is underscored with the threat of tragedy but, in its escape from the potential gloom and trauma, it celebrates the way society can and must be made to work. For all its contextual magic, A Midsummer Night's Dream is a realistic study in the worth of behaving responsibly and intelligently. Commanding its vision are the great Shakespearean virtues and values, embodied in characters determined and frustrated in their search for identity and relationship, often through the pursuit of love and the dedication of service. The Dream is a restorative staging post in the great Shakespearean transformational journey from his setting-out in The Comedy of Errors to his returning-home in The Tempest. The play is created out of what for him are the defining attributes that comedy articulates and explores - 'comedy' as in Dante's Divine Comedy, involving an embracing of the full, foolish and fallible panoply of human community within a metaphysical context. These are virtues above all of generosity, kindness, magnanimity, tolerance and forgiveness. At Midsummer 2016, in a most disturbing year of human cruelty and confusion, where the very concept of 'community' ('who's in, who's out?' - Lear) is so cynically challenged, do we not more than ever need the story of that midsummer night and the single path of hope that eventually emerges from the two divergent paths of love and hate which wind through the briar and thickets of that wood in Athens? Advertisement It is often the very first word of a Shakespeare play that can propel us into meaning. 'Who?' sets Hamlet on a quest for identity. 'When?' begins Macbeth, the play where the Future forces nature's healing. It is 'If' for Twelfth Night and its illuminating conditionality, and 'Now' ('Now fair Hippolyta') for The Dream. 'Now' takes us directly into the present moment, sealing immediacy between the audience and what they are witnessing on stage. For now is the stuff of which drama is made and A Midsummer Night's Dream is one of those Shakespeare plays - with Hamlet and The Tempest - that most consummately explores the nature of theatre and its tautology and synchronicity with play, with dreaming and with life. The Dream's sub-play Pyramus and Thisbe is another of Shakespeare's great dramas. It is defiantly a play that is unable to engage its audience, to share its 'now'. The audience struggles and fails 'willingly to suspend their disbelief' as Coleridge would have it. And so Pyramus and Thisbe powerfully accentuates the potent reality that The Dream, the greater play that embraces what it is delivering--that extraordinary reality and hold on truth which is being shaped by a wilfully dreamlike, supernatural and unreal world. The world's love of A Midsummer Night's Dream has been manifested in a myriad of great, and often innovative, productions. If our understanding of the power of theatre was transformed (that is a major Dream word) by Peter Brook's life-changing, art-changing and audience-changing book The Empty Space in the 1960s, it was Brook's own extraordinary production of A Midsummer Night's Dream at Stratford which gave the book its compelling ideas and emotional thrust. For the British Council it was Tim Supple's production of The Dream, emanating from a startling convergence of Asian and European cultures and languages in 2006 that most materially realized the efficacy of the British Council's core remit of international cultural relations. And, when we look to the cinema, is there any more captivating rendering of a Shakespeare play on film than Max Reinhardt's 1935 Dream with Joe E Brown's Flute, Dick Powell's Lysander, Mickey Rooney's Puck and (Olivier's favorite actor) Jimmy Cagney's Bottom? Advertisement In the UK this year, The Royal Shakespeare Company's nationally touring production for the 2016 celebratory year will be A Midsummer Night's Dream. But the community spirit of this iconic play will be cleverly captured by adding extra performers to the RSC professional touring troupe. In each town where this Dream settles, local children will play the fairies and the local amateur dramatic society will be asked to play 'the mechanicals'. No danger there - the worse, the better in those roles - though the reviews wonderfully have the locals regularly upstaging the mature thespians. A Midsummer Night's Dream will also be celebrated globally too. Building on the success of the 750 million people involved in the British Council and the UK's GREAT campaign Shakespeare Lives, Midsummer is currently being celebrated with a 48 hour social media campaign on Twitter encouraging people from all around the world to celebrate the play. Because finally A Midsummer Night's Dream is about the diversity and demographics that must constitute our working societies and our successful communities. The illusion of the play ('It seems to me that yet we sleep, we dream') consumes the audience's experience and yet there is a clear vision of the realities of social life that emerges. And that community understanding is dependent on love to make it work. Love in The Dream is as much the energizing motive of right living as it is a sentiment of attraction and romance. Here, then, is a play of the people, presented through, that most popular of arts, the theatre. Royalty, aristocrats, chiefs of staff, adolescents, young professionals, proletarians and craftsmen all struggle to get along, accompanied by variant walls and lions, moons and benevolent, malevolent fairies and by lunatics, lovers and poets. (N'Djamena, Chad) - Sitting cross-legged on a mat in her modest home in the capital of Chad, as a fan whirled noisily to stave off the 105 degree heat, Khadidja Hassan Zidane described what it was like finally to testify in court against the man who raped her 30 years ago. The rapist, Hissene Habre, was Chad's dictator from 1982 until 1990. On May 30, Habre was convicted of atrocity crimes - including raping Khadidja, who was 26 when it happened - by a special court across the continent in Dakar, Senegal, where he has lived since he was overthrown. It was the first time in a human rights trial that a head of state had ever been convicted of personally committing a sex crime. Habre was also convicted for sending Khadidja and other women to a military base in the desert north of Chad as sexual slaves for his army, as well as for overseeing widespread torture and war crimes. I've known Khadidja for 16 years, as I worked to build the case against Habre, and I had known most of her story: how she had been suspected of helping Habre's Libyan enemies, tortured, imprisoned in Habre's presidential palace, and sent to the north. But she always said that if she ever came face-to-face with Habre, she would have something else to tell. Advertisement I was in court in Dakar last October when Khadidja told the court that "the president himself raped me four times." The presiding judge at first looked puzzled at this accusation, which seemed to come out of the blue- which president? "Hissene Habre," she said in Arabic, "there wasn't any other president." Was Khadidja scared to tell her story with the former tyrant sitting only 15 feet away? "No, I felt strong inside. When I was finished, I felt that a great weight had been taken off me." Habre remained silent throughout his trial, his head rapped in a turban, his eyes hidden behind sunglasses. The week after the landmark verdict, several of the women who had been forced into sexual slavery, and others who had been raped in Habre's clandestine prisons, spoke to me with pride about breaking their long silence to testify in court. Although Habre's conviction set off celebrations here among the victims and their supporters, the women seemed much happier about the simple fact that they had told their story in front of Habre. Kaltouma Defallah, a former stewardess, was sent with Khadidja and others on the four-day convoy through the desert to the northern outpost of Oudi Doum where they spent a year doing the soldiers' bidding. When I talked with her after the verdict, she told me almost exactly what she had told the judges - "When I saw Habre there, I no longer felt any hatred. Now I was the strong one, telling my story, and this man, who was the all-powerful dictator, who tried to make 'things' out of us, did nothing but listen." Advertisement The women's testimony was the most dramatic of the trial, and the verdict is already being hailed as a breakthrough for sex crimes prosecutions. The irony, though, was that sexual violence almost wasn't part of the case at all. In our early interviews with women prison survivors, they never mentioned rape, a taboo in traditional Chadian society. Our study on Habre's rule hardly refers to rape, and the charge was not included in the indictment. It was only as our campaign picked up steam and Habre's trial appeared likely, that the survivors began, hesitantly, to give their full stories to their Chadian lawyer and trusted advisor, Jacqueline Moudeina, who coaxed them through their concern about coming forward. "This isn't something women talk about," Moudeina told me. "It was very important that we get this out in court." At trial, Moudeina and her colleagues moved to have the charges amended to include sex crimes, and the judges agreed after hearing the women. Khadidja and Kaltouma don't see themselves as heroes, just as women who had for decades carried stories within them that they needed to tell. But thanks to them, an international court has made it clear that no leader, however powerful, is above the law, and no woman is below it. The United States runs the world's largest immigration detention system. This network's most indefensible features are its reliance on jails and prisons to hold violators before a hearing and countless systemic inequities and bureaucratic hurdles. It's a broken-down scheme in drastic need of reform. The United States is the country I've lived in for 40 years. I became an American citizen in April 2016. Twenty-three years earlier I was one of the thousands of detainees witnessing first-hand the baleful effects of immigrant enforcement, which punishes victims far beyond the scale of any offense they may have committed. Advertisement Summoned to a U.S. immigration court in 1993, the possibility of deportation from the only country I've known since age 11 hung over me like a proverbial sword of Damocles. I'd completed my prison sentence for the self-defense shooting of my cousin (who was hired as my bodyguard before becoming a literal menace, extorting money and threatening my family) during which a bystander was injured. Since then I've had no other trouble with the law. A lengthy hearing ensued. Lawyers demonstrated that I am a father of two, with personal and business properties here, who pays his taxes year in and year out. They presented evidence of my close social ties, outstanding community service and other good deeds. Ultimately, the presiding judges reinstated my permanent resident status "aka green card." They found that my positive conduct far outweighed my conviction, demonstrating "unusual and outstanding equities," and that I was clearly rehabilitated. Immigration authorities appealed the ruling and lost. Though an administrative appeals board decided that allowing me to remain in the States was "in the national interest," they appealed again. They pursued the case even after I was unconditionally pardoned by then New York State Governor David Paterson. Only after 23 years of administrative appeals, pardons, and federal court litigation at all levels of the legal landscape was the original order reaffirmed. One month after that I was sworn in as a naturalized citizen. This long, drawn-out journey is the failure of higher-ups at The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the recalcitrant Immigrations & Customs Enforcement Agency to to weigh in and say, "This is crazy!" Instead they use of every technical hook in the book - real and created - to thwart a just result. Advertisement While the Immigration and Naturalization Service, now known as the Department of Homeland Security, was trying to deport me, the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. was arranging an exhibit honoring my contributions to hip-hop culture and society at large. My extended saga underscores everything that's wrong with America's immigration system. Prior to 1990, immigration judges had the authority to balance a person's qualities against the government's interest in deporting that person. My original immigration judge did just that. He concluded I should remain in America. But vindictive prosecutors, federal bureaucrats and a damaged system perpetuated my ill treatment for decades. After serving my criminal sentence, I was incarcerated in immigration detention for over 18 months. This, in many respects, was far worse. Unlike criminal dentition, immigrants are incarcerated for months or years, in what are supposed to be short-term prisons and jails. These offer "inmates" few or no services, and they have limited or no outdoor access. They wear prison uniforms and visit with family through Plexiglas barriers. There's a psychological toll to all this, from depression to a sense of hopelessness. These places are filthy, and the experience of being served expired food on dirty trays is one of the routine indignities. Prolonged immigration incarceration was not always the norm. It began in 1980, to save the near-bankrupt Corrections Corporation of America. Its owner was the primary fundraiser for the Republican Party in Tennessee. Today, we have an immigration industrial complex where Congress, at the behest of private prison companies like Corrections Corporation of America and GEO, mandates that 33,000 immigrants remain incarcerated at all times. The growth of private prisons completely altered the "civil" nature of immigration. Today, we have tens of thousands of children and young mothers incarcerated in immigration prisons. Many immigrants die in prison, some by suicide. All are treated like prisoners, when their only crime is their desire to live in the U.S. These excessive and harmful detentions check in at a taxpayer expense of almost one billion (yes billion!) dollars per year. We could easily return to the old system of allowing immigrants to remain free on bond while monitoring their activities. However, such humane action won't satisfy the prisons-for-profit mentality that now pervades. The sad truth of is that my 23-year immigration journey was unnecessary and damaging. My case should have ended when the judge entered the order supporting my right to remain in the United States. We need to reinvent a system of immigration justice that grants fair, speedy hearings, free from prolonged incarceration, where an immigration judge can exercise common sense that balances a person's misdeeds, if any, against his positive contributions to the community. This course will not only relieve a costly burden to taxpayers, it will reaffirm America's values and commitment to human rights. Advertisement Co-Written By Ira Kurzban Esq. Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have condemned Hillary Clinton's accusations after a mass shooting in Orlando that the two countries are among those that need to stop "funding terrorism". Speaking earlier this week in Ohio, Ms Clinton unveiled her plan to defeat ISIS and said: "It is long past time for the Saudis, Qataris and Kuwaitis and others to stop their citizens from funding extremist organisations". This week's post written by my ever-articulate cousin, Joshua Manning. Certain spaces are transformative. Stepping foot in a holy city might feel like coming home, no matter where you were born. Or perhaps you get that feeling when you arrive on the campus of a women's college, or a historically black college, or when you enter a house of worship. Maybe you live in a tight-knit community and your neighborhood is that place. Maybe it's a certain festival where you can shed expectations, or a particular campground or vacation spot that, more than any other, frees you from the nagging burdens of life. When you're in these spaces, you are connected to something special. Because whether you're around people or appreciating it alone, you are in a place that other people deliberately put effort into making for people like you. If you're lucky, you have at least one of these spaces. If you're very lucky, you don't need any of them. When I meet a stranger, I begin a dance that every gay person you've met has probably done - after we "come out" to the world, we still have to come out to each new person we meet because the assumption is always that we are straight until proven gay. Living in the largest city in one of the most progressive states in the country, it would be easy to assume I don't need a safe space to be gay. Yet even on the streets of downtown Boston, I have been spat at and called a faggot. I have been punched in the face by a stranger for (as far as I could tell) the crime of wearing a shirt that looked too gay. And there's the lower-level stress. When I meet a stranger, I begin a dance that every gay person you've met has probably done - after we "come out" to the world, we still have to come out to each new person we meet because the assumption is always that we are straight until proven gay. It sounds trivial, but this dance has to be done just so. It can't seem like you're forcing the issue; it must seem natural. You have to bring it up early, even when it's irrelevant to the current conversation, because you never know when the conversation is going to turn towards your personal life and by then it might be too awkward. You hope that the stranger will react well, but you don't know what to expect. In most social exchanges, the only viable alternative to this dance is to carefully mind your pronouns, and that just feels like being back in the closet. There's a weird phenomenon of human interaction where certain things are completely lopsided. While I'm actively doing this dance, you are just having a low-key conversation. Why would you be thinking about any of this? Similarly, being spat at or punched or called names - that has stuck with me for years. I'm guessing the people who did those things don't even remember. The loss of 49 of our family is staggering, but the knowledge that our safe places are not so safe - that has a far wider reach. This is what it feels like in Boston as a well-employed gay white male. The world is far more risky for LGBT people living in poverty, LGBT people of color, for trans people in general, for LGBT people in more conservative parts of the country, the list goes on. My worries are a baseline - it only gets harder from here. Which is why, for many LGBT people - myself included - gay bars are on that very small list of transformative places. The moment you walk in, none of those worries are relevant. You are not going to be punched or harassed. You already came out to everyone just by walking in the door - no conversational juggling needed. You don't need to read into every interaction because the space exists to equalize all the reasons you would do that. That is true whether you like the bar or not - from the seediest dive to the clubbiest club. In there you can connect differently when, for a few hours, you're in a safe place where it feels like the world is made for you. Some of this connection lingers in the outside world - it's why you'll often hear LGBT people call each other "family" even when we don't know each other. So perhaps you can imagine the shock and pain at hearing that one of those few safe places had been attacked. Whatever the killer's motivations, the effect was more than just taking away one gay bar; it feels like there was a target placed on all of them. For now, the outside world has entered those unique, transformative places and they have lost a bit of their power. The loss of 49 of our family is staggering, but the knowledge that our safe places are not so safe - that has a far wider reach. This tragedy falls at the intersection of several political subjects - LGBT rights, gun laws, terrorism, privacy vs. security, and mental health diagnosis and treatment, to name some big ones. Please understand that talking about these issues is not making the tragedy political. And there's the fact that LGB rights have come so far, so fast, and in the wake of that success we have been steadily shifting the focus to the tougher battles of trans rights. It felt like we were maybe poised to leave hatred and violence behind. But at the moment, that road feels a lot longer. As the politics of the situation are hashed out in the news, we've read numerous possible motivations behind this attack. Republicans in particular are convinced that radical Islam is to blame. But Christians, Jews, and Muslims alike in our country have long used religion as a justification for bigotry and brutality towards the LGBT community - to reject us, to kick us out of our homes, to beat us up, degrade us, and sometimes kill us, and then to turn back around and invalidate those struggles. The Orlando massacre is shocking, but the slower trickle of hate-motivated LGBT homicides by people of all faiths each year, in aggregate, far exceeds the number of LGBT people killed in this incident. Treating this solely as an issue of Islam is not only taking a narrow field of view, it's cherry-picking data and misdiagnosing the problems that actually hurt us, and it distracts from a productive discussion about making our community safer. This tragedy falls at the intersection of several political subjects - LGBT rights, gun laws, terrorism, privacy vs. security, and mental health diagnosis and treatment, to name some big ones. Please understand that talking about these issues is not making the tragedy political. It was already political on all of these fronts the moment a self-radicalized terrorist, who the FBI was already suspicious of, decided to use readily-obtainable guns to shoot up an LGBT club after declaring allegiance to at least one terrorist organization. Untangling the facts from the politics that brought us here is impossible, and trying to do so is a disservice to what happened. And treating it as an attack on all Americans - while true, and in some ways the solidarity from that approach is appreciated - also bypasses the disproportionate impact on the LGBT community that has been targeted by Americans for so long. Reach out to your friends in the LGBT community, to ask questions. They might not see things like I do. If you're uncomfortable, tell them you might make mistakes, but you're trying to better understand what they go through every day. Problems that we still have today are still here because we haven't yet found ways to solve them. Which means they're likely complex. Even in isolation, there are more than two sides to each of the political debates I mentioned. There are valid counterarguments to even the most "common sense" positions on each of them. When looking at how the political positions interact, the picture is vastly more complicated. That doesn't have to paralyze us. Good policy is not perfect - instead, it balances benefits and drawbacks effectively. First and foremost, building good policy takes empathy. Empathy with the people the policy is meant to protect. Empathy with the people it could harm through no fault of their own. Empathy with policy-makers who are trying to balance those competing needs effectively but who cannot be experts in everything. Empathy with well-meaning people who have not yet joined the conversation, and a willingness to engage in a dialogue with them even if they don't know quite how to have that conversation in a sensitive and well-informed way. In that spirit, I am sharing my experiences, to contrast them with yours and to help you find parallels between our lives. Now it's your turn to reach out to your friends in the LGBT community, to ask questions. They might not see things like I do. If you're uncomfortable, tell them you might make mistakes, but that you're trying to better understand what they go through every day. Trust them to give you the benefit of the doubt. Be open to learning, to coming up with creative ideas about these issues that are so difficult to tackle. In truth, I don't have a lot of optimism that this tragedy will lead to good policy on a national level, but if we reach out to each other and commit to honest conversations, we're on the right path. World celebrated 2nd International Day of Yoga on 21st June as declared by the United Nations. Yoga enthusiasts rolled mats everywhere, from UN headquarters and New York's Times Square to European Parliament to hundreds of locations in India and abroad. Millions of people from more than 150 countries participated from all over the world. Be it Hatha yoga or Bhakti Yoga (Yoga of Devotion) or Raja Yoga (Effortless Yoga), yogis gathered to celebrate as per their inclination. On this occasion, it is great idea to learn the journey and evolution of yoga, where it stands today and determine how we should take it forward. Why People do Yoga Today? Yoga has adapted itself quite well to the changing preferences of the world. From being an ancient spiritual pursuit for those seeking enlightenment, yoga has been absorbed into mainstream lifestyle by people from all cultures and backgrounds across the globe. And with the United Nations earmarking a day for it, even those who are a bit hesitant will also shed the prejudice. According to the newly released 2016 Yoga in America Study conducted by Yoga Journal and Yoga Alliance, The top five reasons for starting yoga are: flexibility (61%), stress relief (56%), general fitness (49%), improve overall health (49%), and physical fitness (44%). Advertisement A few hundred years back, the stats could have been like this - the top five reasons for starting yoga are: Self-realization (90%), spiritual growth (80%), imbibing human values (85%), self - discipline (70%), improve overall well-being (60%)!!! According to many studies, yoga and meditation help to lower the violence and crime rates in many part of world. The recent horrifying incidence of reckless gun violence at the Pulse club in Orlando proves the greater relevance of yoga in the modern times thanks to its profound effects to calm the mind and establish the human values. Ancient Indian Philosophy Emerging into Thriving Business The same 2016 study also shows that the number of US yoga practitioners have gone to more than 36 million, up from 20.4 million in 2012, while annual practitioner spending on yoga classes, clothing, equipment, and accessories rose to $16 billion, up from $10 billion over the past four years. "Yoga is a thriving, growing industry", says Carin Gorrell, editor in chief of Yoga Journal. Her words sound so true indeed. Great thing about this is it has increased the popularity of yoga in USA and globally by leaps and bounds. Though some feel that yoga may be slowly losing its authenticity, purpose and spirit. The Role of Authentic Gurus for Nurturing the Real Essence of Yoga "Like a flower bud, human life has the potential to blossom fully. Blossoming of human potential to fullness is Yoga." - Yoga Guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's this definition of yoga explains the real purpose of yoga so beautifully. Advertisement Authentic guru is regarded as an essential spiritual guide, a living example of the teachings one advocates. In yoga, master is one whose life is an embodiment of spiritual philosophy and one who walks the talk. Since time immemorial, the science and philosophy of Yoga has always been taught from Preceptor to student--transferred by the grace of the Guru to the spiritual aspirant or disciple. It is this grace which makes yoga practice effective, true and complete. Since there is much skepticism and misunderstanding about gurus in the world today, it is important to understand who the guru actually is. Guru (gu+ru= dispeller of darkness) is the guiding light - removing the darkness of ignorance. A Guru is someone who is filled with love for the Highest Cause - love or compassion for all living beings and who has dedicated his life to helping everyone find true happiness. A Guru will show you what you are, your highest potential and take you there. Recently at a curtain raiser event in India for 2nd International Day of Yoga, Sri Sri mentioned, "Yoga is not about shaking your tummy. Yoga is that which shakes the world." A few days ago Sri Sri tweeted, "The source of joy is deep within & events are impermanent. Keeping the mind like a clean mirror & being unfazed by events is Yoga." While yoga has been showcased and become popular as physical flexibility or fitness program, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the founder of Art of Living, continues to spread the ancient wisdom and inspire millions to harness the profound spiritual dimensions of yoga. He also addressed and lead the European Parliament into meditation to inaugurate the International Yoga Day celebrations on 21st June at Belgium. As the world celebrated the Yoga Day, it is definitely a great chance to understand the true spirit of Yoga from one of the most popular contemporary yoga Gurus in the world today. After completing his UK tour, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar will be visiting many states of the USA as a special guest for the yoga based "Get Happy" immersion program. He will also be spending a week at his Foundation's world class spiritual retreat center in Boone, NC, July 14-19th celebrating Guru Purnima - Master's Day celebration. It is a day of gratitude and for honoring all the teachers and spiritual Masters who have lighted and lightened human lives with wisdom and happiness. It is an opportunity to experience the most mystical and magical aspect of yoga which is very integral part of yoga in India though not very common in the western world. The tragedy in Orlando called forth amazing and eloquent responses. But we think the most powerful -- certainly of the responses from public officials -- came from a Utah Republican, Lt. Governor Spencer Cox. We urge you to read it. He reminds us that our humanity is measured by our response to hatred and terror. He quoted Muhammed, "You will not enter paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love one another," as well as Jesus, "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you..." Huge numbers of Americans -- not just Cox -- have reacted to Orlando in this spirit. Gay Muslims are seeing a breakthrough in recognition of their struggles from mainstream Muslim organizations. The Gay community in Orlando reached out to combat Islamaphobia and show solidarity. A Google search for "Vigils, Orlando, images" produce scrolled page after scrolled page of Americans expressing this solidarity, this belief that as President Obama said, we must come together around "respect and equality for every human being." Religions - all of them - honor and respect love and peace. They do throw off cancerous sects that embrace hatred and violence - whether it is Jim Jones leading his followers to mass murder/suicide in Ghana, the murdering cult of Thugee in India, or the massacres of other Christians led by a Catholic Pope in the medieval Albigensian Crusade in France. Narrowness and intolerance take over; anyone who differs becomes an enemy. Hatred and fear replace love. Violence drives out peace. Trust is replaced by paranoia. Instead of seeking security in broad social bonds, cults turn in on themselves and prepare for war. As David Brooks put it Friday , what he called the spirit of dominion seeks "to heal injury through revenge and domination." The Islamic State in Syria and the Levant is such a cancer within Islam. But Americans must confront our own homegrown "spirit of dominion" sect - the worship of guns. SHAHNAZ: I'M A MUSLIM Omar Mateen, a devout Muslim was clearly deeply disturbed - uncomfortable in his own skin, perhaps unclear about who he even was. But who taught him and is teaching other Muslims that they can get away with murder - not just metaphorically but literally as Omar Mateen thought he could? The tragedy here is that 49 people died in the course of his deathly rampage. Precious lives were lost, families were torn apart and for what? Islam condemns this kind of brutal killing. But ISIS does not. Too many people hear it as the voice of their faith. The why, what and how of this massacre will affect not only the families of the 49 victims who died, not only loved ones left behind, but the fabric and well-being of entire communities, not only in Orlando. This planned but senseless act destroyed the integrity of so many families, and put the bonds that connect us all as Americans at risk. I'm a Muslim woman of Indian origin. Nowhere did I learn, study or hear a hint that mass killings are being acceptable in our Islamic faith. In my family we think of Islam as a religion of peace--even as I realize that the world views Islam now as a faith that has become fraught with violence. I sat glued to the TV most of this week, there was much to absorb. One of the quotes by an imam from Florida being interviewed on TV struck me: "I don't consider a terrorist to be a Muslim." The imam is right on. In her speech this week, Hilary Clinton warned that "Hate crimes tripled after Paris and Brussels." She urged action to "prevent on-line radicalization." She went further to say: "You will have millions of allies who will always have your back and I am one of them." She continued: "America is strongest when we are not a land of winners and losers." She is right - marginalization is not a plus. As Clinton says: "We are a country in which all Americans need to stand together and we need to bridge our divides." CARL: WE WORSHIP GUNS Shahnaz, a Muslim, feels terrible because her faith was invaded by the cult of ISIS. I feel equally terrible because my country has been permeated by a culture of guns. A disturbed young man filled with hate and confusion, placed on a terrorist watch list, but alone, was able to carry out the worst massacre in our history only because our gun cult empowered and encouraged him to buy a military assault weapon and ammunition with no legitimate civilian use. (From 1994-2004 such weapons were banned. American freedom was not notably disturbed.) But for the NRA, and the gun cult it leads, we cannot rely on a peaceful society for protection, but on arming ourselves against an invasion of our homes.The NRA claims that the writers of the constitution would have wanted us to own assault weapons (if they had been invented), because "the only way for us to stay free was by having whatever guns the bad guys have." There it is, the logic of a cult: fear; hatred of diversity, with those who are different "bad guys"; violence as the solution. The day after Orlando, the NRA urged Americans to buy more assault weapons. We should hold more vigils instead, vigils with the kinds of people we don't really know. That, not arming up, is how the Founding Fathers - as well as the prophets of our faiths -- would have wanted America to respond. When I planned my trip to Greece to volunteer with refugees, I anticipated distributing 2,000 menstrual pads (read about that here), and the rest was unknown. When I arrived to Athens, I found myself in the ambiguous situation of being an independent volunteer, taking leads from Facebook connections. There is no refugee-volunteer guidebook, and we depend heavily on social media. I was lucky enough to be connected to Norman Hering, a Psychotherapist who moved to Athens to volunteer. He led me to the Port of Piraeus ad hoc refugee camp. The port is the landing ground for refugees moving from the islands (mainly Lesvos) on their way to western Europe. In the early stages of the crisis, the port housed more than 5,000 refugees at a time in disgraceful and dangerous conditions. Advertisement In March 2016, the borders closed. Thousands of refugees became stranded in Greece, a large portion in Athens. Since then, the Greek government has moved refugees around to various camps. Some refugees have found housing in Anarchist squats, Christian centers, and, more and more, on street corners. By the time I arrived at the port, around 2,000 refugees were there. Now, less than two weeks later, the numbers are nearing 1,000. The port is an intersection of tourists and Greeks traveling to the various islands, port workers, residents, and refugees. Various NGOS are present at the camp, but a majority of the volunteers who I met were like me: passionate, non-NGO affiliated individuals from various parts of the world. The concrete landing of Gate E1 is littered with tents housing refugees from Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq. Alongside the tents are portable toilets, which volunteers clean daily, and portable showers where the refugees are allotted 6 minutes to bathe with little or no soap. A volunteer keeps order of who will shower next by writing a number on each person's arm and dispensing the tiniest amounts of shampoo. One morning, I saw my friend Almas, a 20-year-old from Afghanistan with the number "96" scrawled across his arm. At 5 p.m. I noticed the "96" still there. I asked why he hadn't showered yet. "Water finished," he said with a disillusioned and unsurprised shrug. The port is one of many camps where refugees are waiting. Waiting to procure enough money to pay yet another smuggler to get them into Germany, waiting for papers to process so they may seek asylum, waiting to be deported back to their home country because they have lost hope. Advertisement These people escaped war-torn nations, traversed across land and sea only to find themselves trapped in tents with no resolution in sight. They are filled with trauma, and that trauma is overflowing into the volunteers who are giving up their jobs, relationships and homes to help them. I am not an expert in mental health. I have no degrees or certifications in the field, but as a human, it is clear to see and feel the suffering of others. From the children to adults, refugees to volunteers, trauma is insidious in the camp. A majority of my time at the camp was spent with the children, a mix of Afghans, Kurds and Syrians. During our play times, I noticed how they would oscillate from childhood joy to blinding aggression in a matter of seconds. One child that I became attached to, Mousah an 8-year-old from Syria, would hug and kiss me and ask me to play. Then in a blink of an eye, he would shut down or start lashing out. One afternoon I found him quietly hidden in the corner of the container holding all of the kids' supplies (papers, markers, toys, etc.). He was not supposed to be in the space, so I had to take him out. At first he was incredibly aggressive, kicking and hitting me as I took him out of the container. I held him close and started to kiss his cheeks and forehead telling him, "I love you, I love you." He relaxed in my arms and I found a shaded spot away from the camp's chaos to hold him. For nearly an hour he rested in my arms, tearing up and relaxing into his own exhaustion. It was one of the most peaceful moments I experienced at the camp. I witnessed first hand PTSD among the children including depressive and suicidal behaviors and severe attachment issues between refugees and volunteers. Advertisement A 13-year-old from Syria, Abdullah -- who volunteers and mental health workers agree is somewhere on the Autism spectrum -- displayed suicidal thoughts and even named his own depression. When I first met him, he was doing math problems and drawing shapes. We talked about how he liked math, and then he suddenly became sullen. He drew pictures of helicopters dropping TNT on a building, and beneath it wrote, "I am finished. Sorry." When I told Norman about Abdullah's statement, which expressed as suicidal thoughts, we scrambled to find someone to translate for us so we could better understand his call for help. It took us nearly an hour to find a refugee able to translate into English. Abdullah told us that he wanted to leave the camp, that he was depressed and that he thought about killing himself. I wanted so badly to tell him that everything was going to be okay, that it would get better. But how could I? He was removed from his home in a violent way, and now he is stuck sleeping in a tent with his family. It is impossible to tell a child things will get better, especially when I don't believe it myself. Over the rest of the week I spent ample time with Abdullah. We would sit and talk, using Google translate to share our thoughts. He would oscillate from engaged and happy, to closed and drawing pictures of bombs falling on his family's home. When I said goodbye to him, he broke down in tears and walked away from me without saying a word. As a volunteer, it was impossible to separate myself from the trauma and heartache of the refugees, and I saw this inability in other volunteers too. Advertisement The volunteers exhibited mental health issues that were rooted in a foundation of uncertainty of what is to come, witnessing the trauma of the refugees, and capacity burn-out. Many of the volunteers, short-term and long-term, are exhausted and unable to establish boundaries to keep their own mental and physical health in check. While the Greek government is providing bare minimum support for the refugees -- a consequence of their current economic crisis -- the refugees are increasingly depending on the assistance of volunteers. It was not uncommon to see a volunteer step away from the camp to cry or write an emotional post on Facebook. In these dire situations, where the level of need is so immediate, volunteers quickly integrate into the camp and it becomes unbearable to freely walk away while the refugees remain stuck and waiting. Volunteers work with an understanding that our efforts and contributions are short-term patches for an issue that requires large-scale solutions from governing bodies. We work knowing that there is no help coming from other avenues, and that, for now, we are all the refugees have to depend on. And that is a burden not a single volunteer knew they would be taking on when they decided to come to the camps. I certainly did not. Clearly shelter and food are paramount, but when children are talking about taking their own lives, it is absolutely necessary that mental health needs to be considered and addressed. Volunteers, like myself, are ill-equipped to deal with these serious mental health issues. We can only do our best to hold space for the refugees, and, eventually, we all go home. ___________________ disneyland paris november 22 ... Tragedy strikes in Orlando, FL, yet again as the remains of two-year-old Lane Graves have been discovered after the child was reportedly attacked and pulled into the water by an alligator at Walt Disney World's Grand Floridian Resort. The incident was said to have happened while the toddler and his mother were attending an outdoor movie night at the resort. Witnesses of the incident said that they saw the mother with the toddler, who was wading on the edge on the lake, which seems to resemble a small beach. Advertisement At approximately 9:00 p.m., Lane Graves was attacked and pulled into the lake by an alligator reported to be four-to-seven feet in length. His father's attempts to dive in after him and force the alligator's mouth open to release the child were unsuccessful as the boy had already been pulled under the murky water. Tragically, his remains were discovered, 12-15 yards from where the attack occurred, by an Orange County dive team after a grueling 16-hour search of the property. His body was found intact with a few puncture wounds and, while an autopsy has yet to be performed, it is likely that the cause of death was drowning. Disney World commented on the incident by saying that in the 45 years since the canals have existed there has never been a report of an attack like this. The Seven Seas Lagoon, as the lake is called, is a man-made body of water that separates the resort from the Magic Kingdom park and stretches into a series of canals that wind through the entire Disney property. While the hotel did in fact have signage posted around the Seven Seas lagoon that read "No Swimming Please," the question of whether or not Disney is liable for this incident is open for discussion. IS DISNEY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ALLIGATOR ATTACK? Advertisement As a business, Disney has a responsibility to ensure reasonable upkeep of its premises, which would include appropriate warning signage. While it may not be Disney's job to protect its guests and ensure their safety at all times, the question still remains, did Disney do enough to warn its guests of the possible danger of alligators in the Seven Seas Lagoon? As a Miami personal injury lawyer who has argued many cases against Walt Disney World as well as hundreds of other hospitality properties in premises-liability cases, I feel that there is a huge difference between signs that read "No Swimming Please" and "Warning: Beware of Alligators." The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Committee has reported that Disney routinely removes alligators from their property. That fact suggests they knew or should have known that that their waters were inhabited by alligators. It is Disney's duty to warn the public of these known dangers. However, according to WESH 2 news, there was only one alligator warning sign found on the property by a small pond. A few miles up the road the Hyatt Grand Cypress Resort displays a similar "No Swimming" sign with a secondary warning showing a picture of an alligator and the words "Please be aware of alligators in the lake." In this case Disney's lack of proper signage shows negligence on their behalf in their duty of care to their guests. Marketing as a Medium: An Interview with Experimental Creative Studio Hello Velocity * * * * * * * Our online lives are completely saturated with marketing, even when we're not expecting it. From social media feeds laced with paid advertisements to product placement and "native marketing" masquerading as editorial content, to be online is to be subjected to a constant stream of messaging aimed at making us feel incomplete, so we'll be better consumers. This saturation presents a challenge to those of us who might be concerned with such quaint notions as trying to leave the world a bit better than we found it. Do we try to ignore marketing culture? Or can we participate in it in a way that challenges its expectations? A crop of conscientious young creatives has opted for the latter path, taking it on themselves to try to reshape marketing culture from the inside, or at least have fun trying. Hello Velocity is a trio of artists who sculpt in the medium of viral marketing. JS, Kevin and Lukas bonded while they were all studying design in Providence, Rhode Island. Soon they began working together making sculpture, furniture, and eventually absurdist web projects. In 2014 they launched Bitelabs, a farcical biotech company pushing the potential for artisanal, in vitro meat grown in a laboratory using celebrity muscle tissue. Advertisement This two-month campaign went viral: the Bitelabs site was viewed almost half a million times, and generated some 22 thousand tweets for tens of millions of total impressions across Twitter and Facebook. Bitelabs was written about in more than 16 languages all around the world--not too shabby for three artists testing the waters of digital marketing! After Bitelabs, the trio were accepted into the New Museum's NEW INC program, the first museum-run incubator program for art, design and technology. JS reached out to me upon discovering that Siren was also artist-founded, and he was curious about our experiences navigating the business, client, and fundraising world. We clicked immediately and soon Siren was collaborating with Hello Velocity on their next brainchild, MeatFace (these boys love their protein!), a satirical ad campaign going on right now that is taking on the dehumanizing swipe culture of other dating apps and confidently declaring: Tinder, Meat Your Match. I asked these up-and-coming social artists some questions on the nexus of art and entrepreneurship, marketing, and tech culture. * * * * * * * What do you mean when you say 'marketing is a medium'? We're interested in marketing, particularly social marketing, because of our interests in the mechanisms at play in social media. Particularly, today, we're fascinated with the cultural implications of media in the social age, where there is a shift from brands having an identity, to individual's identities being created through brands. With a like, a pin, or a follow, consumers have so many more ways to interact with brands-- and marketing so much more potential than making a sale.The landscape for identity construction has matured into a robust network. Brands and personal identities are in constant negotiation, and micro-celebrities are flooding the network. This is the canvas we're working on, using marketing to be cultural players and to disseminate a critical viewpoint. Advertisement How did you come up with the idea of Bitelabs? Looking back, why do you think it went viral? We started working on Bitelabs out a confluence of different interests we held at the time. The project was a critical examination of celebrity culture, an investigation of virality's potential as a critical medium, and oblique publicity for in vitro meat as a technology. One of the things we emphasize when talking about Bitelabs is the form of the project vs. its content. The form we chose (biotech startup) was a deliberate language of legitimacy used to construct a vehicle for our content. It was engineered from the very start as a viral project-- in vitro meat to follow the (at that time recent) Google Burger; a perfect visual imitation of (90% of) 2013/2014 tech startup web design; an absurd Twitter call built into the structure of the campaign. How do you think you approach marketing differently than most "marketing" agencies? Brands have the potential to be critical and interesting cultural players, instead of just barfing banners all over the net. What we sell with brands is the idea that they should be interested in their cultural production as they scale up. We work with brands so that they can be culturally conscious, engaged, and conversant. Companies and brands are powerful forces in creating and shaping culture, but these effects should be viewed as integral brand activities, rather than externalities. We believe in the spread of ideas: branding and marketing are media that have every ability and obligation to transcend making sales. We investigate the mechanics of selling and constructing identity and the implications of doing so in a social network. What does your ideal client relationship look like? We want to work with brands and companies that have a stake in shaping culture. We want to be your experiment. We want to be your pilot program for new paradigms. Advertisement What is your assessment of macho tech culture? As three males, do you think it is possible for you to run counter to this bro-culture? Male-dominated tech culture is very real, and while it is debatable how far we really fall into the tech archetype, male-dominated art world culture is also very real. As a company started by three art/tech bros(?), we're cognizant of this. As the HV team continues to grow we hope we can continue to broaden the range of viewpoints that join in our design process. How do issues such as politics, social justice, and empathy play into your campaigns? Within a media sphere dominated by short form content, is it possible to create short form content that actually creates long term response? We have often described our projects' purpose as starting, facilitating, or furthering conversation around specific topics-- whether that's celebrity obsession, or objectification in dating app interfaces. In this sense we feel these campaigns differ fundamentally from general trends in media: as our attentions shorten, conversations seem to stop. Headlines reign and mediators fall away. At the heart of all our campaigns is our belief that critical (and targeted) provocation is valuable, and that human conversation can lead to change. I'd call your work subversive, but not snarky -- it questions social tendencies but ultimately asks what it means to be human. What made you think this would be a good collaborative fit with Siren's mission? We knew it would be fun to work with Siren after we'd all downloaded the app and saw how bonkers (in a good way) some of the questions got. That was when we all said, "yep. We get it, this is a social intervention." Advertisement A depraved attack--aptly described as the United States' worst mass-shooting incident--befell the Pulse gay nightclub in Orlando recently, leaving 49 dead, 53 injured, and a million others truly heartbroken. Hours of scrutiny, inspection, and analyses later, the FBI recently came to the glaring conclusion that this incident furthers the list of recently executed "home-grown" attacks of terrorism, pointing duly to its similarity to the San Bernardino incident. Firstly, I feel extremely sorry and heartbroken in the aftermath of such a brutal, debauched attack that can never, ever be justified, regardless of whatever reasons the attacker may have advocated. My heart goes out to all of the victims and equally so, to their loved ones and family. The attack was not only a mere shooting incident, however; it was a reminder of the improvements that must be made in terms of gun laws, organization and the management of mentally-afflicted people. As a nation that always stands for personal choices, liberty, and freedom to volition within the confines of law, the U.S. has always espoused the need for individualistic decision-making. Given this, it is not odd or even minutely surprising that sexuality and gender too, like other facets of a human, are subjective topics that everyone can have different opinions on. But who was Omar Mateen, the Orlando shooter, to judge people at the club for being gay? Advertisement The answer is simple: he was no one other than a bigoted, seemingly psychotic, and perhaps a severely mentally disturbed person who, when he discovered no other outlet, channeled his internal frustrations through the means of violence. However, Mateen's extremely egregious actions and thought processes in view, we need to work towards fomenting significant reforms. And to note one thing, as a friend of mine recently stated, blaming Islam for these attacks, or pointing fingers at the much-venerated president Obama for not using the word "radical Islamism" will not be, by any means, a stepping stone for such a reform. I do agree that Mateen was a Muslim whose morals and ethical standards were extremely skewed. But can we attribute his personal problems to how Islam is, as a whole? Certainly not. 1.6 billion muslims are not all a part of a huge Facebook group chat where every person informs the others about his/her spurious plans. Instead, these 1.6 billion Muslims also stand in unwavering solidarity with the Orlando victims. Recently, a group of Muslims gathered in Orlando, in a huge congregation, to offer a truly heartfelt prayer for the Orlando victims and their families. In other Muslim communities I have the privilege of being a part, Muslims are making amends by reinforcing the original teachings of Islam, which are all centered on peace and tolerance. Islam does not teach a follower to hurt others based on their gender, race, ethnicity or sexuality. In this context, it is not surprising that increasing the already high level of surveillance on Muslims will not be the key to a reform. Instead, a standardized process of a much tighter gun control, a ban on machine guns (both Orlando and Sandy Hook were carried out with AR-15 assault rifles), and a better professional system of identifying and dealing with mental health issues--a topic that is often deemed too trivial in many countries still--will be of immense utility. Furthermore, educating individuals regarding oppressing homophobia in both Muslim and non-Muslim communities will also be a potentially helpful step. Advertisement Therefore, as a nation, we need to reflect on how allowing easy access to deadly weapons such as guns is sowing seeds for more home-grown acts of terrorism. Granted that dissidents might argue that guns are needed as a means of personal protection, but that is truly analogous to fighting fire with fire. Why should not we, in the first place, aim to take the fire down? It is starkly obvious that we cannot immediately deal with each and every psychotic and mentally ill person in the U.S. Does this mean we should still allow these people to have access to deadly firearms too? Or should we make access to guns very restricted, and instead vie to fight violence, amongst other things, with a better process of dealing with parochial and intolerant societies that advocate concepts like homophobia? In early May, a rapid, low-cost, freeze-dried, paper-based, strain-specific diagnostic system for detection of the Zika virus was introduced by an international consortium of researchers led by synthetic biologist James Collins of Harvard's Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering. It could soon be used in the field to screen blood, urine or saliva samples. The core of the test kit is a piece of paper that changes color in the presence of Zika virus RNA and produces results in two to three hours, much faster than the PCR test now used, according to Collins, a Wyss Core Faculty member, and Termeer Professor of Medical Engineering & Science and Professor of Biological Engineering at MIT. University of Toronto biochemist Keith Pardee adds that it should cost less than a dollar per test. Advertisement The team from a number of different institutions came together, and, in a matter of six weeks, developed the new approach to detection and designed a system to deploy in the face of future pandemics. In response to an emerging outbreak, Collins claims, a custom tailored diagnostic system could be ready for use within one week's time. All components of the diagnostic system can be freeze-dried for storage and transport while retaining their efficacy. The ability to pinpoint a strain-specific diagnosis in the field could prove valuable to national and global health organizations for tracking the spread of a viral outbreak in real time and for preparing containment strategies and treatment plans. The work by collaborators from the Wyss Institute, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the Broad Institute, Cornell, Arizona State, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Boston University, and Addgene, was described in the May 6 issue of the journal Cell. In this 53-minute podcast, I speak with Collins and Pardee about how a crisis can incite collaboration and innovation. We explore how they did it, what they learned, and what this might mean for the future. Advertisement "Lucy, you want to see Lucy?" young, would-be tour guides prompt in Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa. Lucy stars in tourist brochures as one of the East African country's great attractions. She also appears in the cultural history collage at the entrance of the Ethiopian National Museum. Ethiopians are clearly proud of Lucy, a hominin specimen of special renown, a cultural heritage attraction. You meet Lucy, or Dinknesh, meaning "you are marvellous" in Amharic, in the lobby of the Ethiopian National Museum. "Hi, I'm Lucy," greets a sketch of Australopithecus afarensis. "I am almost 3.2 million years old, but am walking fully upright." It goes on to suggest: "Please meet my world-famous ancestors and descendants, all from Ethiopia," prompting a visit to the palaeoanthropological exhibit in the basement. This is striking. Lucy, an ape-like creature, becomes a human-like cultural ambassador for African archaeological heritage in Ethiopia. What does it mean to humanise the remains of our ape ancestors? What kinds of things are they made to say about the countries that display them? And what do they say about Africa as a place of scientific "discovery"? Advertisement Simplifying complicated science One reason why fossil remains are humanised is because it helps make confusing biological leftovers sensible. It also simplifies complicated scientific findings for the media. But this simplification of science also creates problems. These stories often hinge on the idea of "discovery", a word linked to colonial exploitation, and recycle stereotypes about who is allowed to produce, and what counts as, new scientific knowledge. Let's take Lucy. Popular media accounts state that she was "discovered" by Donald Johanson in Hadar, in Ethiopia's Afar Valley, in 1974. He happened upon the remains by chance while walking back to his car near an ongoing archaeological dig. The team celebrated the find that night, playing music by the Beatles, which led to the specimen being named Lucy, after the song Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds. Told differently, we could say, the remains of a female ape-like hominin were found in a developing African country by a highly educated man from America. This white man is portrayed as having the strength, expertise and skill to recover precious female fossil remains in black Africa. He takes credit for digging up, identifying and explaining its importance, as an Indiana Jones-like hero of science. This is a common way of explaining how hominin fossils are recovered in Africa. Think about how Homo naledi was found northwest of Johannesburg, South Africa, and identified, and how Professor Lee Berger became the dominant voice in explaining its scientific importance. In reality, archaeology does not work like this. Nick Shepherd's article, "When the Hand that Holds the Trowel is Black...", shows that simple stories like these actively erase the black labour and nous that go into recovering such finds. Advertisement This shows that the unearthing of important fossil remains often entails the burying of important information about who should share in the prestige it brings. Story of our ancestors The palaeontology exhibition in Ethiopia's National Museum uses Lucy's remains to make claims about shifts in deep time. One panel declares, "These remains tell us a long story of great transformation in landscapes, living beings and techniques. They tell us the long story of our ancestors." Referencing human and spiritual predecessors, ancestors are a potent explanatory idiom in Africa. My original research shows, for example, how "ancestors" informed the heritage claims made by Freedom Park in South Africa. Exhibition panels also flag Ethiopia as a special site of palaeoarchaeological remains. It has "the most complete and richest record of human ancestors and with the longest record of stone and tool making". Indeed, one panel declares, "the oldest known remains of Homo sapiens, our very species, were discovered in Ethiopia around 200,000 years ago". Ethiopia makes a distinctive contribution to the African story of human evolution. "Hominid species are known only in Africa and nowhere else on earth," a panel explains. Ethiopian fossils, however, complete the African story of human evolution. "Early hominids have been found in several African countries," its says. "Together with Ethiopian fossils [they] contribute to a general understanding of evolution in Africa." Advertisement Where humankind originated Surprisingly, South African heritage sites make similar claims. Maropeng and the Sterkfontein Caves, for example, are described as "the oldest and most continuous palaeontological dig in the world". Known as the "Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site", it is "widely recognised as the place from which all of humankind originated". Visitors could take comfort in the company slogan, "Welcome Home". This was the site of major shifts in human evolution. It is the place where "the best evidence [has been unearthed] of the complex journey which our species has taken to make us what we are". "Our ancestors were able to use and control fire at least one million years ago in the Cradle of Humankind," the website states. It is a special place in Africa, "the birthplace of humankind ... where our collective umbilical cord lies buried". It is not surprising these countries appear to be making similar, competing claims. African fossils are valuable remains, and much is at stake. They reference problematic ways of talking about archaeology as a science of "discovery" in Africa. The fossils serve as evidence distinguishing countries as important sites of archaeological research. They also allow countries to make claims to and about Africa, and the idea of Africa as the cradle of humankind. And finally, they have the potential to attract, entertain and educate visiting tourists, and generate revenue in the process. Duane Jethro, Postdoctoral Fellow, Archive and Public Culture Research Initiative, University of Cape Town Advertisement There are places in America where events occurred that are so powerful, they helped shape our nation's history and culture--and must never be forgotten. Stonewall Inn, and the area surrounding this historic site in New York's Greenwich Village, is one such place. Stonewall served as a gathering place. In the late 1960s, it was one of the few venues in New York City where LGBT people could openly congregate and be themselves. In fact, at that time very few establishments welcomed openly gay people. Despite the routine police raids, at Stonewall they found a place they could gather without judgment. Stonewall served as a spark. On June 28, 1969, in response to yet another police raid at Stonewall Inn, the LGBT community rose up and fought back, igniting a movement that would change America. No longer would LGBT citizens let their community suffer injustice without taking action against the continued harassment. It was this moment, and the days that followed, that are often considered to be some of the most important in the LGBT community's fight for civil and human rights. Advertisement Stonewall has served as a beacon of hope. In 2015, thousands gathered to mark the passage of the Marriage Equality Act, a pivotal turning point in American history that granted an important right that had long been denied the LGBT community. And Stonewall has served as a place of mourning. It was here that crowds gathered to try and make sense of the tragic events of Orlando, where a gunman targeted a community that has long struggled for equal rights. A place this powerful, with a story this meaningful, deserves to be protected and its story deserves to be told. And in fact, it's not just the story of that night in 1969. Many of those who gathered there two weekends ago weren't even born when the Stonewall uprising occurred. Rather, this is a story of the decades-old struggle in communities across the country - a struggle that continues to this day, four decades after the rebellion that sparked the modern LGBT rights movement. This is a story that deserves to be told by the National Park Service. Two-thirds of America's more than 400 national park sites are dedicated to cultural and historic significance. These are places where people lived, ideas were born, struggles occurred and history was made. The history of America isn't always pleasant, but it is always important. Our past is full of triumphant victories and inspirational people but also full of regrettable moments. And we have national park sites that tell those stories, from the fight for women's rights at Seneca Falls to the fight for African-American rights at Selma. Advertisement Thanks to President Obama, we are making progress ensuring our national parks tell the stories that represent all Americans - including our struggles. We now have a national park site to tell the story of the plight of U.S. farm workers and their fight for higher wages and safer working conditions with President Obama's designation of the Cesar E. Chavez National Monument in California in 2012. We now have a national park site to tell the story of the nation's first industry-wide strike in 1894 and early Civil Rights history with President Obama's 2014 designation of Pullman National Monument in Chicago, the city's first national park site. And just this year, he designated Belmont-Paul Women's Equality National Monument, home to the National Woman's Party for the last 90 years and the epicenter of the struggle for women's suffrage and equal rights. We urge President Obama to declare the area around Stonewall a national park site. The story of discrimination represented at Stonewall is too tragic to repeat and too important to forget. The best kind of discovery is a serendipitous one, whether it be discovering your future wife in line at Starbucks, an unclaimed $20.00 bill on the sidewalk, or a book that inspires you to renounce your law practice for a life of celibacy as a newly professed Buddhist monk. For Malcolm Gladwell, author of Outliers: The Story of Success, one must be a student "of all different mechanisms of chance encounters of the unusual and insightful" to be a serendipitous learner. In a world where it is key to distinguish yourself from others, serendipitous learning seems to be the only authentic pursuit of knowledge left which does not result in an invisible, algorithmic filter bubble edited by Google. So how does one "find" serendipitous learning when the very essence of serendipity relies on finding value in what is not pursued? Advertisement The irony is, serendipitous learning is found only by those who pursue chance encounters: chance encounters with people, with knowledge, and with the wider world. So, what's the dilemma? The dilemma is, most people lack the opportunity, or maybe even the imagination, to expand their own reality outside of the rituals they've prescribed for themselves, therefore limiting their own encounters beyond the ordinary. Gladwell frames this method of learning to be as simple as conversing with people well outside of one's world. What may be relevant to you may not be relevant to your neighbor, yet conversing with others from all walks of life builds cultural and moral understandings, and allows ideas to cluster in powerful ways. People often view travel as a way to bear witness to the life of another, and often cite travel as the answer to finding meaning amongst the chaos. But is travel really the answer? THINK Global School, the world's first traveling high school, provides its students with endless opportunities for chance encounters as they travel to 9 countries and experience all walks of life as a prerequisite for their high school graduation. While this extraordinary opportunity may only be granted to 45 international teens, what is key is the institution values the pursuit of chance encounters and structures educational opportunity around that very pursuit. TGS students learn about geisha traditions in Kyoto, Japan But serendipitous learning isn't limited solely to schools with access to travel. It's something stationary schools can engage in as well. Advertisement "Many schools are organized as they are because they always have been, not because they must be," says Ken Robinson, in Creative Schools: The Grassroots Revolution That's Changing Education. Making the impossible possible only happens when one first pursues possibilities they've never encountered before, which takes both inventiveness and courage. To value a chance encounter means to apply value to any encounter. While traveling is the most obvious way one can transplant to unfamiliar territory, travel by itself does not provide the awareness and openness required to make meaningful connections with the wider world. There is no value placed on international chance encounters that we are unable to extend locally. Students, whether stationary or transient, can adapt a discovery mindset that sets them apart from others. Very rarely does anyone, be it a traveler or homebody, take advantage of engagement far beyond their comfort zone. Very rarely, when in line at Starbucks or any other coffee shop, would one take notice of the impatient woman behind them, nor would one consider speaking to said person. To find the $20.00 bill, we first must see the sidewalk. And to accomplish that, we must cease the endless fixation with our iPhone and instead pay attention to where we're walking. Put down the legal books and take a stroll down the Religion & Philosophy aisle, even if you know nothing about religion and philosophy -- even better, especially if you know nothing about religion and philosophy. IB Coordinator Adnan Mackovic (left) helps explain Islam during our term in his homeland of Bosnia It is easy to fall into the daily grind of who we once decided to be and therefore are today. We read the same newspaper we've always read, we call the same friends we've always called, and we visit the same stores we've always visited. We walk through this world with a set of eyes which are as untrustworthy as Google's algorithmic filter. And it's our own fault; we are the programmers of our own ignorance. We've forgotten the value of what it means to see, or to be open to chance encounters with the unknown. Advertisement Students all over the world enter and leave classrooms daily yet fail to see value in their course content, stifling their academic understanding and growth. Schools have become the K-Marts of learning, where superficial ideas are mass-produced and sold, yet lack the lifetime warranty that really matters ten years down the road. Dr. Richard Davidson, a neuroscientist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, concludes, "Your grades in school, your scores on the SAT, mean less for life success than your capacity to co-operate, your ability to regulate your emotions, your capacity to delay your gratification, and your capacity to focus your attention. Those skills are far more important--all the data indicate--for life success than your IQ or your grades." * By understanding what can be gained by being open to our surroundings and assigning each encounter value, other authentic opportunities will strike us more often and more deeply as a direct result of our awareness. While we should encourage schools to ditch traditional models that restrict opportunities for serendipitous learning, we should also encourage students to search out opportunities that their peers would likely turn a blind eye towards; talk to a janitor, select a random book from the library to read, break into the auditorium sound booth. Whatever it is you do, set out to capitalize on all of the knowledge lurking in the background that others are too paralyzed to embrace. More importantly, students should no longer see their school as an institution for learning, they should see every moment of living as an institution for learning. Yada learns about elephant conservation in her hometown of Chiang Mai, Thailand Robinson further discusses the importance for teaching children how to employ their natural creativity as the seeking of these talents "might insulate them against the unpredictability of the future in all parts of the world." The only way to arm ourselves against the unpredictability of the future is to prepare for the future of unpredictability. And what better way to do that than to live unpredictable lives ourselves? We have to value chance encounters, abroad and at home, or live to repent not having valued them. The dilemma is ours to rectify. Advertisement -Breanna Reynolds, IB Language and Literature teacher at THINK Global School Elon Musk is, without a doubt, one of the most forward thinking and entrepreneurial minds that has prominently emerged in the last few decades. His contributions to society, and particularly to science and the future of this Earth's sustainability, are nearly unparalleled among modern business professionals. Musk is fond of stating that hydrogen is and will always be the future of transportation. Recently, Musk's co-founding partner at Tesla, Marc Tarpenning, added his thoughts alongside Musk, referring to hydrogen fuel technology in a less than positive manner. Musk, Tarpenning, and others share this feedback as they vie for their slice of the market share sought by innovative and sustainable technologies as America works to phase out fossil fuels. It would be naive of course to claim to not understand their hesitations around hydrogen fuel technology. First, while the major auto manufacturers including Honda, Toyota, Hyundai, and now Mercedes Benz continue to pursue hydrogen fuel technology, these products have not yet garnered the mass adoption needed to really create a trend. This could, of course, be due to the lack of hydrogen fuel infrastructure, as numerous reports surfaced last year of the unavailability or lack of consistency by the filling stations in California. Advertisement Musk and those who criticize hydrogen fuel often point to the cost of production, stating that the energy output to produce and store hydrogen outweighs the positives of the element itself. It is easy to pinpoint these hurdles, as most emerging markets and technologies encounter challenges in their early stages of development and adoption. Musk too knows this, as his powerful companies of Tesla and Solar City have faced adversity and continued to advance in terms of both adoption and market capitalization. There is one key distinction that I believe Musk should acknowledge when opining on hydrogen technology - it's not just about the "future," it's about the "now." Hydrogen fuel technologies are already in use, the market is already there, and the upside for the industry is tremendous. Hydrogen fuel technologies for industrial use have been in practice for years! Count Walmart, Ace Hardware, FedEx, and many others who depend on it for warehouse transportation. Plug Power's GenKey, a turnkey solution for businesses, is powered by the Company's GenDrive product, a hydrogen fuel cell system. Plug Power has stated that there are over 10,000 GenDrives currently on the market - no small figure. Advertisement In Aberdeen in the U.K., is now touted as a success and a model for other countries to look to as they continue adoption hydrogen fuel technologies. According to ITM Power, the Aberdeen station that features Linde's IC-90 ionic compressors dispensed over 35,000 kg of hydrogen to the buses and has proved extremely reliable. The Company is now implementing new filling stations around London with plans to complete at least eight. In the telecommunications sector, Intelligent Energy announced late last year a $1.8 billion deal to bring fuel cell technology to provide backup for over 27,000 cell phone towers in India. Their proton exchange membrane's (PEM) are powered by pure hydrogen, and leave absolutely no by-product. These examples above are just that - examples of hydrogen fuel technology that have already found their place in the market. While there are of course uncertainties going forward, the same can be said for any industry whose market is positioned as high growth. The real takeaway here should be focused upon the market opportunity for both electric and fuel cell vehicles. Gasoline powered vehicles have dominated the roadways for so long, effectively forming a monopoly that hydrogen and EV must break. Can you really envision only one succeeding, i.e. a major roadway with only EV charging stations or hydrogen fueling pumps? There is room for two if not more alternatives to gasoline. In the Fall of 1964, administration officials at UC Berkeley banned students from participating in political activities on campus. In response, students from across the political spectrum protested, sat-in, risked arrest and their academic careers, in what is now known as the Free Speech Movement (FSM). The victories won by Jack Weinberg, Brian Turner, Michael Rossman, Bettina Aptheker, Mario Savio, and others in the FSM are in large part, why college campuses remain a place where students can engage in rigorous debate of any topic. Now however, much of what these activists worked for may be at risk. Recently, New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo signed an executive order that according to the New York Times, "essentially created a blacklist of entities that boycott or divest from Israel or encourage others to do so, banning those companies from receiving taxpayer funding." The movement to boycott, divest from and sanction Israel, known as BDS, is a strategy intended to combat Israel's nearly 50-year occupation of the Palestinian territories in the West Bank and Gaza, "a situation that three former Israeli prime ministers, as well as Secretary of State John Kerry, have warned would become akin to apartheid if allowed to continue." The New York State legislature has followed suit. This time however, the action is directed specifically at students. The bill recently passed by the New York State Senate, S8017, bars student groups in the SUNY and CUNY system from receiving funds if they participate in any activities that "cause harm to or otherwise promote or cast disrepute upon, such allied nation, its people, or its commercial products." The bill is clearly designed to shield Israel from criticism. The language specifically referring to "allied nation and boycotts" is exactly the same as two other pieces of anti-BDS legislation that circulated earlier this year that focused on penalizing and monitoring NGOs, corporations and individuals involved in the BDS movement. Advertisement While blunting the BDS movement on college campuses is clearly the primary aim, the language is a frightening overreach that could have long lasting implications. As a Peace Action New York State Fund Board member, I can attest to the fact that this bill would all but ensure Peace Action student chapters would cease to exist as many depend on these funds to operate. Therefore, students would not be allowed to raise awareness about refugees who are discriminated against in European nations, protest free trade agreements, child labor, rape, human rights abuses, economic inequality, nuclear proliferation, or any campaign that casts a negative light on an "allied nation," in essence shielding 56 countries and various corporations operating with them. As student peace activists are under attack, colleges and universities continue to serve as recruitment centers for the military. Officers promise to pay for students' education and offer a chance to see the world, while refusing to utter phrases such as loss of limbs, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or death. Universities continue to serve as a resource for the Pentagon to research and develop weapons. Students are dissuaded from studying peace, ethnic studies, or history. They are rewarded for conformity and encouraged to pick a major that will guarantee financial gain for both the student and the college. Students have always been crucial to the success of social movements in the U.S., whether it was free speech, civil rights, Vietnam, women's liberation, peace, or nuclear disarmament. Now, the New York State Government is trying to eliminate students' ability to fight for change. If they are successful in this endeavor, are we to think other states, especially traditional red states, would not follow suit? Writing this I cannot help but be reminded of Mario Savio's famous words as he stood in Sproul Plaza over fifty years ago imploring activists to resist this type of repression: "There's a time when the operation of the machine becomes so odious, makes you so sick at heart, that you can't take part! You can't even passively take part! And you've got to put your bodies upon the gears and upon the wheels, upon the levers, upon all the apparatus, and you've got to make it stop! And you've got to indicate to the people who run it, to the people who own it, that unless you're free, the machine will be prevented from working at all." Advertisement Age has taken its toll on my father, and he is a shadow of his former self, especially after the demise of my mom. I have been thinking of ways and means to cheer him up and get the sparkle back in his eyes. I got the answer. One of my father's unfulfilled dreams was to visit Varanasi, the spiritual Capital of India. He had traveled across India, but by some travesty of fate he had never been able to go to his dream city. I was sure he would love to go there and The City of Light would bring back the light to his eyes. I started making plans for the trip, the fact that I had been there helped me visualize the entire trip that I was planning for my father and I had everything planned to a t. Advertisement Why Varanasi? Varanasi can be called as the spiritual capital of India, it occupies a prime position in the list of the holiest of holy destinations for Hindus. Varanasi is also an important spiritual destination for Buddhists too as Buddha gave his first sermon and established Buddhism in the year 528 BC at a place called Sarnath, just outside Varanasi. Based on archaeological evidence, it is estimated that the city of Varanasi was inhabited as early as the 20th century BC, making it one of the world's oldest continually inhabited cities. Today, Varanasi is famous, the world over for its pulsating culture, the ghats along the banks of the holy river Ganga and its 23,000 odd temples which include the Kashi Vishwanath temple dedicated to Lord Shiva with whom the city is synonymous with. Hindus believe that death in the holy city of Varanasi would lead to their salvation and this belief draws the devout like a magnet, to visit the city at least once in a lifetime. My father with a deep rooted interest and fascination for the spiritual and mythological intricacies of Hinduism was sure to love and treasure this visit to this ancient city, I thought as I gave the finishing touches to the itinerary. Advertisement How we would get there Varanasi is accessible by road, rail and air by all the major cities of India, including Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata. It has an international airport called Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport and all the major domestic airlines operate from here. I planned for us to fly in to Varanasi from Delhi, a flight of approximately 90 minutes. Where we would stay We would be staying at the Radisson Hotel as I felt it would be quite comfortable for my father and also the hotel is centrally located with easy access to the Ghats on the River Ganga and just about 5.5 Kilometers from the Kashi Vishwanath Temple. The Hotel also provides a free Buffet Breakfast and has a nice swimming pool. I was sure my father would feel at home here. What we will eat We will feast on the famous Varanasi breakfast of Kachoris and Jalebis We will drink huge glasses of Lassi We will experience ecstasy, chewing on the famous Banarasi Pan What we would see and what we would do Varanasi is a city which needs you to stay there for at least a week to really soak in the atmosphere and see all the sights. But I planned only for a couple of days as I did not want to tire out my father. I carefully selected the top things that we would see and do based on my father's preferences. Kashi Vishwanath Temple This temple is considered to be one of the holiest as well as oldest of Hindu temples and is dedicated to the Hindu God Shiva. The temple's sanctum sanctorum houses one of the twelve Jyotirlingas of Shiva. Jyotirlingas are symbols of devotion and represent Lord Shiva and literally mean, "Radiant sign of Lord Shiva." This temple finds mention in ancient Hindu scriptures seems to have been existing from the beginning of time itself, however the temple has been destroyed by marauding invaders and rebuilt again and again. The last structure was destroyed by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb and the temple which now stands was built in its place in the year 1780 by the Maratha queen Ahilyabai Holkar of Indore. Advertisement I felt a thrill go up my spine as I imagined my father bending reverently in front of the sacred Jyotirlinga and experiencing spiritual bliss. A boat tour of the Ghats of Varanasi I have planned for a boat tour which would take us across the different ghats ( embankments with steps leading the the river banks) that dot the sacred river Ganga, each ghat is unique in its own right and has a glorious history attached to it. I can almost visualize my father waxing eloquent on the stories behind each of these ghats as the boat gently floated along the placid waters of the Ganga. Though he has never been there, he is sure to know everything about the city and its history as he is a walking and talking encyclopedia. He has been my Google much before search engines were invented and even today, he may come up with an answer for something for which even Google does not have an answer! There are about 87 ghats along the banks of the river Ganga in Varanasi, most of the ghats date back to 1700 AD and were built for purposes of bathing and ritualistic worship, while some are exclusively meant for cremation rites. Some of the more famous Ghats include the Dashaswamedh Ghat which is very near to the Kashi Vishwanath temple and is the most spectacular of all the Ghats, the Manikarnika Ghat and the Harishchandra Ghat, both of which are ghats reserved for cremation of the dead. I am sure to hear my father philosophizing about the ephemeral nature of life when we glide past the burning funeral pyres at the Manikarnika and Harishchandra ghats. Watch this video full screen HD to get a feel of the river Ganga. Advertisement Sarnath I have planned for us to take a short half day trip from Varanasi to Sarnath which is just about a half hour drive away. Sarnath is the place where Buddha went from Bodh Gaya soon after his enlightenment under the Bodhi tree and preached his first sermon to five disciples and laid the foundation stone for Buddhism. We shall visit the Deer Park and take a stroll in its spacious and calm environs and visit the lovely Buddha temple that stands here. I am sure my father will revel in the positively charged atmosphere of this place where many, many years ago the air was rent by the voice of the Buddha as he delivered his first sermon. Even today as you walk in the deer park if you listen carefully, the sounds of "Buddham Sharanam Gacchami," echoes in the air. We shall then visit the Archaeological Museum which is home for the various findings from the Sarnath site. The Museum has a collection of more than 6,000 sculptures and various artefacts. The most famous of these is the Lion Capital of Ashoka (sculpture of 4 asiatic lions standing, back to back), sculpted in sandstone and originally erected in Sarnath in the year 250 BCE. An adaptation of the Lion Capital of Ashoka has been adopted as the National Emblem of India. A Circular wheel at the base of the sculpture, known as Ashok Chakra, has found a place of pride in the National Flag of India. And last but not the least, we shall stare in awe at the massive Dhamek Stupa , a solid structure with a height of 43.6 meters and a diameter of 28 meters. The Stupa is said to mark the spot where the Buddha gave his first sermon. Ganga Aarti The grand finale to our trip would be, witnessing the spectacular Ganga Aarti on Dashashwamedh Ghat sitting in a boat, moored near the ghats. Advertisement It will be such a blissful experience, I thought as remembered the last time I had witnessed this glittering ceremony. As the sun sets in the horizon and twilight casts its mystical glow, the river Ganga assumes a golden sheen and its gentle waves shimmer and caress the sides of the boat, the wooden boat now appearing gilded gently comes to a stop in front of the Dashaswamedh Ghat. There is a flurry of activity on the ghat as preparations are being made for the evening Aarti. Aarti is a very important component of Hindu ritualistic worship, it is the act of waving lamps in a circular motion accompanied by the chanting of Vedic mantras or hymns, facing the object of worship or veneration. The Aarti is performed in temples and houses on a daily basis or during specific festivals. In this case the worship is of the River Ganga, whom the Hindus worship as a personification of the Divine Mother, a mother who has nurtured and sustained civilization along her banks from time immemorial. Suddenly a hush falls upon the crowd as twilight slowly gives way to darkness, the ghat explodes into a brilliance of light as priests light their brass lamps and the aarti begins, the priests wave the lamps in rhythmical and circular motion in time with the mellifluous song in praise of the River Ganga that pervades the air. This ceremony lasts for 45 minutes and waves of devotion and spirituality submerge the people gathered to watch this event. The mind experiences a strange sense of calm as if the River Ganga has cleansed your very being and set at rest all the troubles and doubts that plague your mind. Advertisement It is such an uplifting experience, but for me, I am sure that this time around when I witness the Ganga Aarti with my father, the magnificence of the spectacle and the spiritually charged atmosphere will pale in comparison to the smile that I will see on his face, the sparkle that will kindle his eyes again and the touch of his hand as he gently squeezes mine. I look forward to this trip and hope things go well as planned and I get to see my dad smile. What special something have you planned for your Father, do let us know through our comments section. This article was originally published on our Voyager site - A spiritual experience in The City of Light, Varanasi If you loved this article and would like to follow my travel site, do check out my personal site: Voyager Things haven't gone so smoothly for Bernie Sanders since the primary season ended with a cascade of victories for Hillary Clinton. His big speech at the end of last week on the future of his campaign and movement was marked by network cutaways when he declined to acknowledge Clinton's insurmountable lead in the Democratic presidential contest. That was followed by coverage dismissive of his ongoing efforts, only some of which are about actually seeking the presidency. Before that, his ballyhooed return to Washington, replete with several very high-level meetings and a low-key rally at RFK Stadium was almost entirely overshadowed by a rush of remaining big endorsements for Hillary Clinton. Sanders got the respectful meeting with President Barack Obama, but Hillary got the full-throated endorsement from her onetime bitter rival-turned-boss. There are good reasons for Sanders to continue, and as a Sanders primary supporter, I think he should. But he does need to find a way to more clearly acknowledge the obvious, that Clinton will be, absent the most unlikely of occurrences (no, not the silly e-mail "scandal"), the Democratic nominee in a race that must be won. Not only a race that must be won, but won decisively, to preserve and reinforce the Enlightenment ethic on which this Republic was founded and which is clearly under threat in a new era marked by a dangerous sort of reactionary ignorance. Advertisement Senator Bernie Sanders vowed that the political revolution will continue in this address to supporters last Thursday evening. But what happens if the revolution is not televised? Donald Trump and the aggressively know-nothing neo-fascism he represents must not only be defeated but decisively defeated. I saw him coming last year and I continue to believe that it's no sure thing. Everything is going Hillary's way right now, yet her regained lead in the polls isn't really all that big. If there's a downturn from our very uneven economic recovery (which could be triggered by several things, including a British exit from the European Union) or a jihadist terrorist attack or three -- and Trump refrains from acting like a deranged jackass -- this election could again go south in a hurry. Yet the mission of Bernie Sanders retains its importance. If Sanders and some of his most vehement supporters can't find a way to more clearly acknowledge the reality of their situation, they simply won't get the sort of coverage they need in order to move forward into the Philadelphia convention next month and beyond. Advertisement Politics is the art of the possible, but it is also about expanding the sense of the possible. Sanders has demonstrated that there is far more support for doing more on economic inequality than most had imagined or wanted to acknowledge. If he ends his campaign much before the convention, he risks the ability to drive his message forward. But if he does not acknowledge the obvious fact of Clinton's ascendance -- say, by congratulating her on winning seven of the last nine contests, including a decisive win in the hoped-for Sanders lynchpin state of California -- he will be seen as a dead-ender. That will make it easy for the media, which has, despite sometimes hyping his chances, generally given him ridiculously short shrift, to ignore and devalue his efforts. Sanders also needs to deal with a problem around some of his supporters, who are frankly seeming more than a bit delusional about the reality of the situation. In Santa Monica, at Sanders's last election night party of the campaign, as I wrote earlier, Sanders backers cried "Bullshit!" at TV news reports of a sizable Clinton California lead, forcing the feed to be shut off. Since then, Sanders backers have been hostile at the California delegation meeting over the weekend -- in sharp contrast to the Obama-Clinton lovefest I reported on in 2008 -- and jeered the election of Governor Andrew Cuomo as head of the New York delegation to next month's convention. Advertisement The thing is, Clinton won big in both California and New York, as she mostly did in nine of the 10 biggest primary elections. Clinton even won Santa Monica, the erstwhile "people's republic," which Sanders selected as the site for his last big election night event of the campaign. Having encountered Sanders on the weekend before the California primary, I have no doubt he grasps the reality of the situation. Even if his pollster did erroneously state after the primary that Sanders might end up losing California by a low single-digit margin in percentage points. But right now, Sanders, and especially too many of his fiercest supporters, are in danger of looking like they live in the sort of "Denialistan" of strictly filtered "information" which flourishes all too often in social media but doesn't work in real life. And that's getting in the way of their mission to positively impact the Democratic Party and the next Presidency. Advertisement It's a painful reality that too many children in our country face challenges beginning at birth. During a recent visit to the Head Start community in West Virginia, I heard from programs about just what Nicholas Kristof describes in his recent column, Building Children's Brains, -- babies born on drugs, early attachments interrupted when parents are incarcerated, and communities overwhelmed by the instability of families. To Mr. Kristof's point - we need to invest in the earliest years of life to ensure our children are fully prepared to compete in their later years. Nobel-winning economist Dr. James Heckman nails it, "The road to college attainment, higher wages and social mobility in the United States starts at birth. The greatest barrier to college education is not high tuitions or the risk of student debt; it's in the skills children have when they first enter kindergarten." The stark reality is the biggest obstacles and greatest inequality often have roots early in life. And that's where Head Start plays a critical, life-altering role for nearly one million vulnerable children each year. Beginning with Early Head Start programs for pregnant women, infants, and toddlers, and continuing into Head Start programs for preschool-aged children, Head Start enrolls the most at-risk families in each community and customizes comprehensive health and early learning services to help each child succeed. While it's true that Washington has stalled on the issue of pre-K, investments in vulnerable infants and toddlers through the expansion of Early Head Start have been one of the stand out successes of the last several years. Since the end of the sequester, Congress has invested $635 million in Early Head Start-Child Care Partnerships, which establish collaborations that infuse high-quality Head Start practices into child care settings in every state across the country. In West Virginia, programs described holding home visits in local jails with parents in plain clothes and creating transitional housing so Head Start parents have stable environments as they transition back into their roles in their families and communities. This kind of innovation and local design is why Head Start has thrived across our country for more than fifty years, and it continues to be our most essential national commitment to early childhood. When the war against the Soviets in Afghanistan ended, Arab fighters began to wonder for whose cause they had fought. Yehia Ghanem is an Egyptian journalist and war correspondent who has covered conflicts in Bosnia, Afghanistan and DRC. During the second half of the 20th century, Arab political groups were at the forefront of the battle against tyrannical regimes. Our societies had come to understand that democracy, peaceful transitions of power, transparency and political and financial accountability were out of reach as long as the dictators were in power. Advertisement Many concluded that the only way to force these obstinate dictators from power was through violence. Yet this unintentionally offered those same dictators a new lifeline on to which they could cling. They were able to use this threat of violence as evidence to be presented to the West that they were engaged in a war against "terrorists" in their own countries. There were two main groups leading the Arab struggle for freedom and democracy: the leftists and the Muslim Brotherhood. During the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, it was easy for Arab regimes to discredit the leftists by branding them communists. In truth, many had no connection to that political creed. But when Arab dictators sought to present this as a battle to halt the spread of communism to the Middle East, the truth didn't matter much.The Muslim Brotherhood proved more frustrating - particularly when it adopted more peaceful sociopolitical methods to achieve its aims, thus removing the dictators' ability to discredit them and occupy the moral high ground. Still, at this time, neither the more violent Islamist groups nor the Muslim Brotherhood viewed the United States as its enemy. For them, that was to be found on the eastern front in the form of the irreligious Soviet Union. The West, led by the US, was considered to be at peace with Muslims.After the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979, it presented an opportunity for Washington to finish off the "evil empire", as US President Ronald Reagan labelled it in 1983. It also allowed the US to settle some past political debts and to repay Moscow for turning Vietnam into a war of attrition. Advertisement The dictatorial regimes in Arab countries - most of whom were by then allied with the US - found in this a way to serve their new chaperone. They began to loosen their security grip on local Islamist groups, encouraging them to go to Afghanistan, where they could fight against the Soviets. It served a double function: redirecting the efforts of these groups away from their own countries and proving their value to the US in the battle against a common enemy. Arab fighters in Afghanistan - the majority of whom were Egyptian - played a key role in the war. But when the Soviets began to withdraw in 1989, these mujahedeen, as they were known, were thrown into flux. For a decade they had been absorbed into Afghan society, but their main reason for being there had suddenly been removed. Their mission had been successfully completed, but they were facing a crisis of identity. Naturally, they began to look back towards their homelands, where the same, unelected dictators remained in power and their objectives were far from fulfilled. They began to receive signals from the regimes in their own countries that they were no longer welcome to return.It was around this time that their animosity began to shift away from the Soviet Union and towards the US, who had backed them during the war in Afghanistan.As the US continued to back the dictators who ruled their own countries, these Arabs began to wonder if they had not been fighting a war against the Soviets so much as a crusade on behalf of the US. It was the beginning of a long period of animosity that would have far-reaching consequences for those on all sides ... More in this series: Part 1: Into the cage - a journalist on trial in Egypt Part 2: Crocodiles in a court of law Part 3: Inside the cage - the writing on the wall Part 4: Chasing a childhood friend who became a fighter in Afghanistan In the next instalment of Chronicle of a caged journalist, Egyptian war correspondent Yehia Ghanem tells the stories of some of the Arabs who fought the Soviets in Afghanistan. Advertisement Chronicle of a caged journalist is a series of excerpts from a forthcoming book. The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect Al Jazeera's editorial policy. A demonstration against the costs of the Mercosur Summit in 2014. (Digital Analysis) 14ymedio, Yoani Sanchez, Havana, 22 June 2016 -- Rupture can only be possible if there was once an agreement, a relationship or love. In the eyes of Latin America, Brexit seems like the story of a mature friend embroiled in the bitter litigation of a divorce, provoking a certain envy in those who have never managed to mate. In this world, while some arrange their departure from an alliance, others yearn for the marriage of an agreement. When the British vote this Thursday on a referendum to decide whether the United Kingdom will remain in or leave the European Union, the major impact of in Latin America should be a reflection on unitary structures, their reason for being and their fragility. On a continent where, in recent years, there have been innumerable groups, alliances and regional councils, each one more ineffective than the last, comparisons are inevitable. The dozens of entities and coalitions, whose initials, logos and premises surround us everywhere in Latin America, pompously hold inaugural summits with family photos filled with heads of state, but in practice and in real life they are of very little use. Latin America has not even achieved full freedom of movement for its citizens within its own borders, a theme that takes on a seriousness in the face of the strict requirements Cubans need to meet to visit neighboring countries. Advertisement The history of the political community called the European Union, even if one of its parties chooses to leave this week, is that of the hard road of conciliation, the journey of dialog with all its obstacles and its search for points in common. Why haven't Latin Americans extended an embrace in our area to create a legal framework that facilitates easier migration, investment and exchanges for our inhabitants? Few areas on this planet show so many linguistic, cultural and historical similarities as that found between the Rio Grande and Patagonia. These similarities make the fragmentation exhibited in so many regulations increasingly incomprehensible, in an area where many governments have chosen to join in their "little groups" based more on ideological affinities than on their responsibilities to their peoples. The reason for so much disunity - contrary to the common points of our identity that work to bind us together - are a sign of the egotism of the executives and the shortsightedness of the foreign ministries. The Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), created to emulate the Organization of American States (OAS) while leaving out the "uncomfortable" United States and Canada, does not advance beyond symbolic statements. At its last meeting in Ecuador, held in January, its most "concrete" achievement was to express support for the states participating in the Colombia peace process and to congratulate the government of Juan Manuel Santos. After long organization and with the concurrence of the delegates from the 33 member countries, the intergovernmental organization didn't move beyond paraphernalia to results and was incapable of taking on and proposing solutions to the great challenges of the continent. Advertisement Even worse has been the outcome of the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA), inflated by the temperament of a populist politician who thought he could redesign his country and go on to define the contours of the map of Latin America. With the death of former Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez, this regional entity, defined by ideological exclusion and political commitment in exchange for oil, is like a pricked balloon: it has deflated. Even the Central American Integration System (SICA) demonstrated its ineffectiveness during the Cuban migrant crisis which, in late 2015, raised the political temperature on the border between Costa Rica and Nicaragua. Tension over the unilateral decision of Daniel Ortega to close his border to Cubans caused Costa Rican President Luis Guillermo Solis to declare that "Costa Rica can not participate in these conditions in an Integration System that ignores solidarity." Mercosur, the alliance the has come closest to achieving the free movement of goods and services between its member states, is also faltering because it became too incestuous and too dependent on Brazil's Planalto Palace, from which President Dilma Rousseff, one of its principal supporters, has departed as of a few weeks ago, in the midst of process in which she is accused of trying to disguise the country's budget deficit. Amid the rubble of so many failed organisms and so many acronyms condemned to the dustbin of history, the Pacific Alliance, comprising Chile, Mexico, Peru and Colombia, has chosen to "make it on their own" in a region where agreements are here today and gone tomorrow and organized groups bear more resemblance to gangs than to functional entities. This Thursday, when the British decide to leave or remain in the European Union, at least they will have known the taste of coexistence, the bittersweet contrast that defines every marriage. We in Latin America remain chronically single, looking enviously toward the altar. By Phil Laboon If you're a business owner, then you've probably already figured out just how vital SEO strategy can be to your overall success rate. Online exposure is the most effective way to get the word out about your products and services. Just about every form of business out there has information available about them online, describing what they do and how they can be reached. However, that does not necessarily mean that the information is accurate, up to date, or even easy to find. If you're not managing a well-maintained SEO marketing strategy for your business or website, then you could be missing out on more lead conversions than you even realize. But as a successful entrepreneur, you may already know more about SEO than you thought. It's easy to hear phrases like "SEO," "Panda algorithm update," and "Google quality rater guidelines" and get lost in a sea of confusion. But trust me when I say that internet marketing is not as difficult as people make it out to be. I started my internet marketing company in my basement, knowing almost nothing about the industry. Fast forward 14 years, and I'm one of marketing's top influencers. Get a head start on your internet marketing efforts with my three-step approach to building an online authority. Advertisement Research the Need for Your Services When you came up with the idea for your business, you probably noticed a lack of availability for something that you were looking for, or had difficulty finding it. In turn, you also may have asked around to see if people would pay for that kind of service if it were more available to them. Hence, you were able to do some research and find the value or demand for that service. It probably helped you to better understand your target audience as well. With an effective internet marketing strategy, you want to do the same. Make sure you are not attracting just any customers, but rather the right customers. Let's say someone is looking for a car engine, and you own an auto body store that mainly provides parts for foreign vehicles. If that potential customer is specific with their search and you're specific with your keywords, then they are more likely to find you right off the bat. Let's say they type "Subaru Outback engines" into their search. If you use this keyword effectively, then they'll be able to find you right away. Effective keyword research and application is a big step in the right direction of targeting potential customers and closing a sale. Attract New Customers Without customers or the need for a service, there really is no possible way for a business to thrive. If consumers are not investing in your product, then you won't have income. So naturally, you want to get the word out about what you have to offer. Before the internet, people found out about services through the Yellow Pages, television and radio ads, magazines, newspapers and word of mouth. Now, people are searching for products and services on their mobile devices and having hundreds -- even thousands -- of results available to them within seconds. Advertisement You want to attract as many new leads as possible, including both people who have never heard of you and are searching for your product, as well as people who have heard of you and are becoming more curious about your services. So, how do you place your brand front-and-center for your audience to see? It all starts with highly-targeted content creation with the user in mind. Without question, content should be the heart of your brand. From blog posts and original landing page copy to downloadable white papers, the content on your site is ultimately what drives new audiences to your brand. Make sure your brand is in a position to succeed by creating user-oriented content that provides your audience with trustworthy information. Keep in mind that it should be content that they actually want to read. Publish on Social Media Channels Most new businesses start out small and begin by offering services to family and friends. The results are then talked about and shared with other family and friends, thus perpetuating word-of-mouth marketing. Today, practically everyone we know has at least one social media account. Most people like to share their experiences with businesses and services on social media because it's a quick and easy way to tell others about their experience. If you are not advertising your business on any social media websites, you could be missing out on a lot of potential customers due to a lack of exposure. If someone receives a wonderful service from you, encourage them to share it with everyone they know online. Something as simple as a quick review on your Facebook profile could do a lot for your business's exposure to new customers and clients. When preparing to effectively optimize your online SEO marketing strategies, there's quite a bit of research to analyze. Just like when you're starting out in a new business, doing your due diligence and considering all your options will lead you to higher quality clientele and ROI. Advertisement NOAH SEELAM via Getty Images An Indian artist puts the final touches to statues of the Hindu God Lord Ram ahead of the Sri Rama Navami Festival at a workshop in Hyderabad on April 13, 2016. Sri Rama Navami will be held on April 15 and celebrates both the birth of Rama and his wedding to Sita. / AFP / NOAH SEELAM (Photo credit should read NOAH SEELAM/AFP/Getty Images) NEW DELHI -- A journalism professor in Bangalore has been jailed for allegedly insulting Lord Rama. The Hindustan Times reported today that Professor B.P. Mahesh Guru, who teaches journalism at Mysore University, was arrested on June 17 in connection with a case registered against him for allegedly insulting the Hindu god at a conference in January, 2015. Earlier this year, another complaint was filed against Guru for allegedly using abusive language against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani and former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Advertisement Guru had spoken at a condolence event for Rohith Vemula, the University of Hyderabad student, whose suicide sparked anger across the country, and is widely regarded to have been the result of harassment by his college authorities. Guru was reportedly denied bail in the Lord Rama case because he is also embroiled in the case about insulting Modi and Irani, according to HT. He alleged described Irani as a third-rate actress unworthy of being the HRD minister." The Indian Express, however, reported that he refused to avail bail. Guru allegedly made the remarks about Lord Rama at a conference in January 2015. HT reported that some people in the audience were offended that Guru said that Lord Rama was unfair to Sita, and a group called Karnadu Sarvodaya Sena filed a complaint against him. The University of Mysore is also deciding whether to suspend Guru because he celebrated Mahishasur Martyrdom Day to pay tribute to the demon king slain by Goddess Durga. In her speech in Parliament, Irani had condemned the celebration of Mahishasur Martyrdom Day. Advertisement Contact HuffPost India Also on HuffPost India: Hindustan Times via Getty Images NEW DELHI, INDIA - MARCH 5: A Cabin Crew member during a function to celebrate a 'Historic' New Delhi-San Francisco flight with all-women crew on board, on March 5, 2016 in New Delhi, India. Air India will operate the longest all-women crew flight from the national capital to San Francisco on March 6, to celebrate the International Womenas Day (IWD). Celebrating the power of women, the flight AI 173 that'll take the non-stop Delhi-San Francisco route will set a record for being the world's longest all-women operated and supported flight. This first-of-its-kind flight will serve the passengers with an all-women staff, be it cabin crew, cockpit crew, and check-in staff, doctor or customer care staff. Not just that, the ground staff - from operator to technician, engineer, flight dispatcher and trimmer - will also all be women. (Photo by Vipin Kumar/Hindustan Times via Getty Images) Air India, which has long been struggling to shape up its performance, has decided that 130 of its flight attendants who were identified as overweight and failed to get in shape despite repeated warning will have to be grounded. Most of these 'overweight' cabin crew members are women. According to a report in The Telegraph, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation has turned down a proposal by the government-owned airline to retain "overweight" cabin crew. Advertisement The DGCA has said that weight norms cannot be rolled back because they have been prescribed on "technical and efficiency grounds". Air India now wants to either ground the cabin crew members who do not meet the weight standards or ask them to opt for voluntary retirement. In May 2014, the DGCA issued a circular directing all domestic airlines, giving them an 18-month deadline, to classify flight attendants as "normal", "overweight" or "obese" and ensure that only the "fitter" crew were assigned aircraft duties. The circular said that women would need to have a Body Mass Index (BMI) between 18 and 22 to be declared normal. Women with BMI between 22 and 27 would be labelled overweight and those with a BMI higher than 27 would be classified as obese. For men, BMI levels between 18 and 25 would be deemed normal, 25 and 29.9 overweight, and above 30 obese. Advertisement Among the 3,500 cabin crew members in Air India, 600 were found to be 'obese' and had been asked to reduce weight. When 130 among them failed to reduce weight, Air India sent a letter to DGCA in October last year asking for a relaxation in norms as they were among the senior and more experienced staff. However, the DGCA said that they will not go back on the BMI norms as they have been "set after long deliberations over safety concerns." "The airline wanted to ground all its overweight crew members last year itself, but realised that most of them would end up being grounded and this would have a direct and severe impact on the already hit operations. The crewmembers were called back for another three months, as the process of hiring more cabin staff was expected to be completed by then. However, the overweight staff still continue to fly," an airline official told NDTV. Reuters Photographer / Reuters Fujitsu's newly developed bendable electronic paper, which the company says is the world's first film substrate-based bendable colour electronic paper with an image memory function, is displayed in Tokyo July 14, 2005. The electronic paper can continuously display the same colour images even when it is bent without electricity, thereby making it convenient for displaying information or advertisements especially on curved surfaces, Fujitsu said. REUTERS/Yuriko Nakao YN/JK In the mid-2000s, a designer by the name of Tamer Nakisci created a concept phone called Nokia 888 that won the Nokia Benelux Design Award. The phone could be worn around the wrist and when flattened, could function like a mobile phone. That phone never took eventual form but, today, we are getting there. Over the years, many phone makers have displayed their concept phones in electronic shows and it appears that finally, in the not too distant future, devices with flexible displays will become a reality. In concept, these devices can be worn as a bracelet and also work as phones. Advertisement In 2008, Nokia, in partnership with Cambridge University, launched a concept called Morph that employed nanotechnology. The idea was to design mobile phones of the future that could take many forms, depending on the users needs. Nokia later displayed a more commercial concept called Kinetic that was more realistic in terms of actual production. Sony and ASU also made efforts to design bendable phones at the conceptual level that never came to light. So far, the most successful attempts at making bendable displays have come from LG and Samsung. LG has been the only manufacturer to announce the mass production of flexible e-paper. Their curved phones first made an appearance as concepts and later hit the market. Samsung displayed a fully flexible OLED display on an unnamed Windows phone at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in 2013. Advertisement LG delivered LG G Flex and LG G Flex 2, both of which had a curved glass display with a good amount of flexibility. On the other hand, Samsung displayed a phone called Youm at CES 2013 that had a curved edge. Samsung went on to release many phones with curved edges, namely Samsung Note 4 Edge, Note Edge, Galaxy S6 Edge, Galaxy S6 Edge+ and Galaxy S7 Edge. Only the Note 4 Edge had single sided curved display. There have been recent reports that Samsung will be launching a flexible phone in 2017. Most likely, it will be a 5-inch phone that will turn into an 8-inch tablet. Other phone makers are not far behind. At its recent Tech World event, Lenovo showed off two concept phones -- Lenovo C Plus, which could be worn as a bracelet that could turn into a phone; and Folio, a foldable phone that could bend almost 360 degrees. Advertisement Oppo is another smartphone maker in the fray to make a bendable smartphone and the phone's design surfaced online recently. Another phone brand, Maxi, from China has also shown off its bendable phone-making capability. "These devices are certainly the future. In the case of India, what will matter finally is the cost and longevity to ensure that continuous bending of the device doesn't affect the display and user interface in any way," said Gartner researcher Vishal Tripathi, according to a report. As the displays are getting bigger and phones are getting thinner, the user's main concern would be to not have to compromise on durability. To have a device with a big screen that can also be slipped in one's pockets is always desirable. But not at the expense of performance. Either way, from the looks of it the future bright belongs to flexible displays. Advertisement helenecanada via Getty Images Two young Indian having an argument. One is pointing her index finger at the other to warn her. NEW DELHI -- It could be the plot of a Bollywood film. But this bizarre story is actually truea legal case is being fought over a man who is in coma, and two women have both claimed to be his wife. No one knows what's the truth. A woman has petitioned the Delhi High Court alleging that a woman and her son have "illegally detained" her husband who is in coma, by taking him to her west Delhi home from the hospital he was admitted in. Meanwhile, the second woman has claimed she is the man's lawfully wedded wife. Advertisement The petitioner has asked for the man's comatose body to be presented in court. The bench of Justices G S Sistani and Sangita Dhingra Sehgal was unable to determine who is the actual wife, and has given a temporary solutionthe second woman should continue taking care of the man while the petitioner should be allowed to visit the man every Wednesday for an hour. An investigating officer and a woman police constable will be present for these visits, the bench ordered. The court is expected to hear the matter again next month. Till then, the two women will have to live with this arrangement. Also See On HuffPost: Honor Fears of a weak monsoon are obviously misplaced. It is raining smartphones! Today, Huawei's sub-brand Honor launched a new phone called Honor 5C in India. As always, the Chinese phone maker is aiming to fit as many components with top specifications, usually found in a higher category smartphones, as possible. Honor 5C is priced at 10,999. So far, Honor has released 8 phones in India and, overall, has received a favorable response. Worldwide, the Honor 5X smartphone has sold almost 8 million units. Advertisement Honor 5C is powered by Huawei's own Kirin 650 processor with 8 cores which run at 2 Ghz. It has a 5.2 inch full HD screen and a 3000 mAh battery with something called Smart Power 3.0 that, according to the phone maker, makes it the equivalent of 4000 mAh. Maybe, the feature is similar to Android's Doze in Marshmallow and the upcoming N version. The phone has a 13 MP rear camera and 8 MP front camera, which are now standard in phones in the 10,000-rupee range. Notably, Honor 5C is being launched with Android Marshmallow with EMUI customization. Honor is also providing free screen replacement for the first month. Honor 5C has a 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of Internal memory which can be expanded by an SD card. The phone will be available on Flipkart in three colors. Registration starts today and the first flash sale will take place on 30 June. Advertisement Honor 5C faces a tough competition from the other phones of this range. Moto G4, LeEco L2, Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 and Zuk Z1 from Lenovo are to name a few. Apart from that the flash sales strategy might not give them the room to sell the phone in larger volumes as a lot of phone are now avilable through the open sales. The company also launched a 7-inch tablet named Honor t1 7.0. The tablet will be priced at 6499. The tablet has 3G calling facility with a high resolution screen. Advertisement Kalaippuli S Thanu/YouTube Thalaivar fans in Bengaluru who want to watch his upcoming film Kabali on 15 July, will now have the option to fly to Chennai on a flight catering specifically to them. Low-cost carrier AirAsia has signed an agreement to become the airline partner for the eagerly-anticipated film Kabali, according to the Business Standard. Advertisement Bengaluru fans, who want to catch the first show on the first day, will be able to fly to Chennai on a special flight. The package, priced at 7,860, will be inclusive of the flight ticket, a movie ticket, an audio CD, Kabali merchandise, breakfast, lunch and snacks, reported Rediff. Amar Abrol, CEO, AirAsia India sounded upbeat about the novel tie-up. "Kabali has already generated so much buzz even before the release of the movie... AirAsia Group is overwhelmed with joy to be a part of the movie and will enable as many flyers to celebrate the Kabali fever!" he gushed. The film, directed by Pa Ranjith, also features Taiwanese actor Winston Chao, Radhika Apte, Dhansika, Dinesh Ravi, Kalaiyarasan, and John Vijay in key roles. Advertisement Film analysts suggest that Kabali, termed as the 'hottest film in the Indian film trade right now', will make 200 crore from theatrical deals, merchandise, and endorsement deals before its release. So far, the film trailer has been viewed over 23 million times in less than two months. Also On HuffPost: MONEY SHARMA via Getty Images In this photograph taken on May 9, 2016, Subramanian Swamy, an Indian politician and a member of the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian parliament, gestures during an interview with AFP in New Delhi.He's been called India's Donald Trump: a media-savvy right-wing populist who is unafraid of upsetting everyone from the ruling elite to religious minorities as he rails against corruption. And after returning to parliament following a 15-year absence, Subramanian Swamy says he won't temper his shoot-from-the-hip style that has made him one of India's most popular if divisive politicians. / AFP / MONEY SHARMA / TO GO WITH AFP STORY BY BHUVVAN BHAGGA (Photo credit should read MONEY SHARMA/AFP/Getty Images) After badmouthing the outgoing Reserve Bank governor Raghuram Rajan, Subramanian Swamy's new target is the Prime Minister's Chief Economic Advisor Arvind Subramanian. In Rajan's case, Swamy was apparently batting for the BJP's collective interest. Is he doing the same for Arvind as well because he is one of the hopefuls to head the RBI? Advertisement Whether Swamy has the tacit support of the powers that be in the BJP - particularly the finance ministry and even the PMO - or not, he is probably right in this case. Rajan, although more or less from the same school of economics, has been politically relevant to a plural, secular India; but Arvind had a professional past and a economic philosophy that do not befit a strategic role in Indian economics or politics. Most part of the story is rather old and Swamy is in fact a bit late in pushing them now. It dates back to Arvind's days in the US as a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics and Center for Global Development. In Rajan's case, Swamy was apparently batting for the BJP's collective interest. Is he doing the same for Arvind as well because he is one of the hopefuls to head the RBI? In March 2013, in a crucial testimony before the 'Ways and Means Committee of the United States Congress', which was hearing on US-India trade relations, he spoke for protecting American rights in India. According to him "protectionism" and "recourse to localisation", the pejorative western euphemisms of our struggle for survival, in India favoured domestic providers over foreign providers and hence were challenges to the US. Advertisement This is what he had said: "US business faces three major challenges in India. Two challenges common to all foreign business are: first, the weak and uncertain regulatory and tax environment that affects the civil nuclear industry, infrastructure, pharmaceuticals, and more broadly the operations of foreign multinationals in India. Second, although the broad macroeconomic picture is one of opening and surging trade and investment, protectionism in selected sectors has re-surfaced. India is seeking increasing recourse to localization -- in banking, telecommunications, retail, and solar panels among others -- which favours domestic providers of inputs and equipment over foreign providers. Thus, broad trade and macroeconomic policies toward foreigners are moving in the right direction but sectoral policies have experienced setbacks." (Chief economic adviser at India's Finance Ministry, Arvind Subramanian, speaks at the Global Business Summit in New Delhi, January 17, 2015. REUTERS/Anindito Mukherjee) He went on to add: "American firms are increasingly facing implicit but substantial discrimination in India's large and growing market because of India signing (or on the verge of signing) free trade and economic partnership agreements with its largest trading partners that are all major competitors to the US: Europe, Japan, Singapore, ASEAN, and possibly ASEAN-plus 6. Soon, if not already, this discrimination may be the bigger challenge for US business than some recent sectoral measures. These RTAs are neither as comprehensive in their coverage across and within sectors as the FTAs negotiated by the United States, nor as expeditious in the time frame for implementation. But they provide more favorable access to non-American suppliers and because India's tariffs and barriers can be high, the discrimination can be substantial. Combined with the fact of India's large and growing market, US suppliers can really be disadvantaged." Advertisement This was exactly the language the Big Pharma and other business monopolies from the US and EU had been using against India. This was exactly the language the Big Pharma and other business monopolies from the US and EU had been using against India. They had a problem with India's legitimate use of TRIPS flexibilities that seek to ensure fair drug prices, and instruments for industries and agriculture that were essential for India's survival. He echoed the western criticism that they were protectionist. Arvind was obviously advising the US on how to do business with India. And his tone and tenor was that of an American trade specialist who was quite keen on protecting his country's interests. And this man should never have been given a strategic role in India's policy space. In fact, even the RSS swadeshi think-tanks didn't want him, but probably the fetish for the IMF/WB roster done the Modi government in. Arvind is also a strong advocate for the TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement), which activists in India and elsewhere are extremely wary of. The TPP is a short cut to nullify all that India has legitimately safeguarded in terms of international trade. As Shailjia Singh, an assistant professor at the Centre for WTO studies, wrote in The Hindu, "By not being part of the TPP, India will certainly incur losses on account of trade diversion. Yet, joining the TPP is not an option for the country. This would entail very heavy costs. Medicine prices, for instance, would see steep increases. That is precisely why mitigating such projected losses from the TPP should be a government imperative. This can only be achieved by a cohesive trade policy approach on the international as well as domestic front, aimed at protecting and promoting India's trade interests." Advertisement In other words, India stands to lose more than what it's purported to gain. TPP is an American pivot and there is immense pressure on India. Through the TPP, and more specifically through its investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) mechanism, the Indian intellectual property regime and WTO-enabled safeguards will come under tremendous stress. It's a classic example of unfair plurilateralism short-circuiting the benefits of multilateralism. Perhaps India should stop shopping for people with a Rajan/Arvind template. Arvind obliquely voices this pressure when he asks: "It's not just about economics. Especially with (the current) prime minister, what India you want to project: an India that is out of everything or an India that is part of everything? And the same pro-TPP position also finds a place in the Economic Survey. And finally, the whole idea of importing US-based expats from the IMF/WB rosters. It's high time countries like India looked at them with circumspection than blind faith, particularly when these institutions are self-admitting to their failures that had once been prescribed as sure recipes for success such as the Chilean model of reforms. In a recent paper, the IMF admitted to its folly of overselling neo-liberalism. "Instead of delivering growth, some neoliberal policies have increased inequality, in turn jeopardizing durable expansion". The paper even concluded that Joseph Stiglitz was a better fit for the world than Milton Friedman. What Indians should take note is this self-deprecating point from the high priests of international economic policy: "policymakers, and institutions like the IMF that advise them, must be guided not by faith, but by evidence of what has worked. Advertisement (BJP leader Dr. Subramanian Swamy addressing a press conference at Delhi Pradesh BJP office on November 5, 2013 in New Delhi, India. Swamy said the AAP was an 'anti-national' party and would struggle to win even a single seat in Delhi. Photo by Virendra Singh Gosain/Hindustan Times via Getty Images) Perhaps India should stop shopping for people with a Rajan/Arvind template. Many developing countries have done it and paid the price. We have had great Indian talent advising the country and we still have more of them. We need home-grown development economists (overseas training is not a bad idea though) balancing the need and quest for growth. Even its creators have dubbed the pure neoliberal model as a failure. For an optimum mix of growth and welfare, India needs Indians who are not tied to the American agenda that masquerades as policy. Bloomberg via Getty Images Subramanian Swamy, member of India's parliament for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), speaks during an interview in New Delhi, India, on Friday, May 20, 2016. Outspoken, nationalist and combative toward minorities including Muslims and gays, Swamy has long been a lightning rod for controversy in India. Photographer: Prashanth Vishwanathan/Bloomberg via Getty Images Here's the intriguing thing about Subramanian Swamy. His outbursts can no longer be ignored. Having helped to script RBI governor Raghuram Rajan's exit with a series of sharp personal attacks, his latest tirade against chief economic advisor Arvind Subramanian has set the Yamuna on fire. Could this key aide to the finance minister be Swamy's next scalp? As the Rajan episode suggests, there may be a method to Swamy's seeming madness. In retrospect, it is obvious that Swamy was playing hatchet man for the government in the Rajan case. He articulated what the powers-that-be hesitated to say to the RBI governor. It took two letters and multiple tweets from Swamy over a period of a month for Rajan to quit. The government remained silent while the storm swirled. Advertisement Subramanian's fate will unfold in time. But for now, Swamy seems unstoppable. In the short span of two months, since Prime Minister Narendra Modi nominated him to the Rajya Sabha in May to be precise, his profile has zoomed to dizzy heights. This was a man long dismissed as a loud mouth, a maverick, a loose canon and no loyalties. But now, at age 76, his political career has got second wind as he emerges as a force to reckon with in the current dispensation. This was a man long dismissed as a loud mouth, a maverick, a loose canon and no loyalties. But now, at age 76, his political career has got second wind... Ironically, many in the BJP failed to read the tea leaves when he was nominated to the Rajya Sabha. He was shooting salvos from the margins for so long that the nomination was seen as a lollipop to keep him quiet. Despite his formidable connections in the RSS, Swamy never really made it in the BJP. When he joined the party in 2013, it was with the expectation that he would be accommodated in a senior organizational post given his long years in politics. Nothing happened. In 2014, he lobbied hard for a BJP ticket to contest the Lok Sabha polls from Delhi or Mumbai. He was denied a seat. When Modi assumed office, he had hoped for a ministership, preferably finance, but would have been satisfied with any official position carrying cabinet rank. He got nothing. Much later, he was finally given a government bungalow, security and other paraphernalia with a stern message that he would have to be content with just trimmings. Advertisement His luck turned this year when he was made a Rajya Sabha MP. But few realized what his role would be. Many in the BJP thought his brief was political, limited to turn the heat on the Gandhi family. He performed with aplomb from his first day in the House when he raked up the Augusta Westland helicopter scandal and did the unthinkable by accusing Sonia Gandhi by name of corruption. It is now dawning on his fellow BJP members and others in the political class that Swamy could be more than just a Gandhi-baiter. It is now dawning on his fellow BJP members and others in the political class that Swamy could be more than just a Gandhi-baiter. He may be the spearhead of a broader ultra-nationalist agenda that is slowly unfolding. Read his lips on Rajan. The RBI governor was accused of not being "mentally fully Indian", of leaking "confidential and sensitive information from the RBI" to persons across the world, of "wrecking the economy'' and so on. There are echoes of the same sentiments in the allegations he has thrown at Subramanian. Describing him as "Subramanian of Washington DC", he accused the chief economic advisor of selling out Indian interests to American pharma and of encouraging the Congress to stall the GST. Advertisement Swamy has made no bones about working closely with the current dispensation. He calls them his "friends" in the government and the party and claims to regularly consult with them. It may well be that he is his master's voice on potentially controversial issues. The fact that he holds no official position gives the government the fig leaf of plausible deniability. Swamy's outbursts can always be dismissed as his personal views. However, the fig leaf may soon wear thin. If Subramanian quits, the government can no longer hide in the comfort zone of deniability. And then there is Swamy's penchant for self-glorification which can lead him to overstep his brief. He has always boasted that even his father could not control him. It will be interesting to see whether the Modi-Amit Shah duo can keep him on a tight leash. Advertisement Contact HuffPost India Also see on HuffPost: Lucas Jackson / Reuters India's Finance Minister Arun Jaitley speaks at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, June 18, 2015. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson NEW DELHI - In a public snub to Bharatiya Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley told the media that he has "full confidence" in Arvind Subramanian, Chief Economic Adviser to the Modi government. After claiming credit for toppling RBI chief Raghuram Rajan, Swamy, a BJP lawmaker in the Rajya Sabha, was on the warpath to ensure Subramanian's exit as well. "Sack him," Swamy tweeted on Wednesday morning. Advertisement Both the Modi government and the BJP have dismissed Swamy's remarks. In a press conference on Wednesday afternoon in Delhi, Jaitley put an end the furore and speculation which Swamy's tweets had generated. "The government has full confidence in the Chief Economic Adviser," Jaitley told the media. We do not share Subramanian Swamys views, he said. One has to ponder as to what extent one should attack officers whose office constrains them from responding. The BJP has also distanced itself from Swamy's remarks. "The BJP does not agree with Subramanian Swamys views on governments Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian. This is his personal opinion," BJP said in a statement. Who said to US Cong on 13/3/13 the US should act against India to defend US Pharmaceuticals interests? Arvind Subramanian MoF !! Sack him!!! Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) June 22, 2016 Guess who encouraged Congi to become rigid on GST clauses ? Jaitely's economic adviser Arvind Subramanian of Washington DC Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) June 22, 2016 While Swamy has claimed credit for Rajan's exit, it isn't clear how far he influenced Modi government's decision not to offer another term to the RBI chief, who had famously predicted the 2008 global economic crisis. After Rajan's exit, Swamy has vowed to weed out 27 other bureaucrats, who, he claims, are loyal to the Congress Party. There has been speculation about whether the new RBI chief could be Subramanian or Arvind Panagariya, the vice-chairman of Niti Aayog, who, unlike Rajan, are appointees of NDA government. Swamy's tweets came a few hours after Bloomberg News reported that top economists had Subramanian pegged as the most likely to succeed Rajan. But neither Subramanian nor Panagariya are among the candidates who are on the long list to replace him. Advertisement Contact HuffPost India Also on HuffPost India: YouTube 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 Despite reports of several accidents every year during the popular Dahi Handi festival, the Maharashtra government has now allowed children above 12 years of age to be part of teams which form the celebratory human pyramids. They have also said that there will be no restrictions on the height of these pyramids. Reportedly, the state government has given into pressure from Dahi Handi mandals, just ahead of the upcoming civic elections. Advertisement Accusing Narendra Modi of trying to intimidate him, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said that unlike Rahul Gandhi or Sonia Gandhi he was not scared of the Prime Minister. He was speaking regarding the case registered by the Delhi Anti-Corruption Branch against former Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit in an alleged 400-crore water tanker scam in which the AAP chiefs name also found a mention. A 19-year-old Dalit nursing student was admitted to a hospital and is in a critical condition, after being allegedly ragged by her seniors. Ashwathy, a first year nursing student of Al Qamar College of Nursing at Gulbarga near Bengaluru, was forced to drink phenyl, following which, she vomited blood. Main News The ISRO is set to make a record by launching 20 satellites in a 26-minute flight today at 9:25 AM from the Satish Dhawan Space Center in Andhra Pradesh's Sriharikota. ISRO will also launch 13 US-made small satellites including an earth imaging satellite made by Terra Bella, a Google-owned company. The 110 kg Google satellite called 'SkySat Gen- 2' is capable of taking sub-meter resolution images and high definition video. After the US reiterated its support for New Delhi's bid to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), China toned down its opposition to India's admission, saying that there was always room for discussion. While China's primary concern is the non-proliferation treaty, Indian negotiators are prepared to show records of seven meetings of the NSG plenary sessions where Delhis adherence to its commitments made in 2008 have been acknowledged. Advertisement Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav fired Balram Yadav, a senior politician and one of the founding members of Samajwadi Party, for engineering the merger of a political party headed by a mafia don Mukhtar Ansari who has been in jail for the murder of a BJP MLC. Off The Front Page With cult Tamil actor Rajinikath's film Kabali set to hit the theatres on 15 July, the producers have announced a special flight for his Bengaluru fans. Rajinikanth's fans, who wish to watch the film on the first day, first show, will get to fly to Chennai on a special flight, in collaboration with AirAsia India. The package, priced at 7,860, will be inclusive of the flight ticket, a movie ticket, an audio CD, Kabali merchandise, breakfast, lunch and snacks. The Maharashtra government 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. According to recent data, there are about 2,644 Jews in the state and all schemes meant for minorities will now be available to them. The Bangalore Metropolitan Task Force (BMTF) will now book cases against people putting up illegal ads, birthday wishes, film posters, greetings, among others, under the Karnataka Open Places (Prevention of Disfigurement) Act, 1981. Opinion In perhaps the most unsurprising news break of the century, Salman Khan said something stupid and outright obnoxious he actually compared a rigorous shooting schedule to getting raped, writes Piyasree Dasgupta for HuffPost India. Bollywood, who almost crucified comedian Tanmay Bhat at the supposed insults hurled at Sachin Tendulkar and Lata Mangeshkar, didn't bat an eyelid at Khan talking about rape the same way he talks about talented flies and ants in his tweets, she wrote. Advertisement In absolute terms, yoga still has the lowest spending among alternative medicinal forms, according to AYUSH ministry figures. But the actual spending might be more, says Roshan Kishore in Mint. "The beginning of business yoga is well under way in India. Baba Ramdev who is giving large FMCG companies a run for their money, found his first business calling in promoting yoga through the Aastha television channel. His yoga camps charge a fee of 1,000-2,000 per day. PM Modi appealed to the nation to focus on mitigating diabetes through yoga this year. It remains to be seen how many Indians can follow the strict discipline and perseverance required to reap such benefits of yoga. Those in the yoga business would not mind the sugar-coated revenues yogas growing popularity would bring in," he says. In addition to its present role of representation and accountability, the Rajya Sabha could be the House that represents difference in our polity, difference marked not merely by its culture but its diversity, writes Valerian Rodrigues in The Hindu. "Difference in India is encoded not merely around regions, languages, and communities but also in its inegalitarian social relations. Representation through federal units hardly captures these multiple and often overlapping differences. The Constituent Assembly debates, and the need for the Upper House to be embedded, are a sufficient justification in this regard. One can understand the deep discomfiture that some of the nominated members feel in the House given the adversarial context in which they have to function. There are probably ways to shape representation that reaches out and connects to nodal concerns without being overwhelming," he says. Advertisement Contact HuffPost India Also On HuffPost: 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. Venture capitalists complain a lot about music tech companies being bad investments, because such a tiny percentage succeed. A VC brought it up at Midem just last week. Well, welcome to the music business! How many records become huge hits? VCs invest in promising, early stage companies with the hope that theyll bring back an exponential return on their investment. The funny thing is record labels have been venture capitalists since long before VCs were even a thing. Its true! The first venture capital firms were founded in 1946. The phonograph was invented in 1877 and soon after that, commercial recordings appeared. Gramophones and Victrolas followed and by the first World War, people were buying records in significant numbers. Which of course, means that a proto-A&R scout went out and found an artist, convinced a label owner to risk their money and record a couple of sides on the chance that people might like it enough to buy it. And maybe the sales of that record would be enough for the label to fund another one that people might like. Many people in this crowd got started funding releases out of your own pockets, some of them still do it. How many VCs do you think put their OWN personal money into the tech companies they seed? But then, all of this is true. And none of this is true. Most of us go to work thinking were the good guys. Whether were artists making the music, labels releasing and marketing it, or tech companies building ways for consumers to congregate and consume music, most of us dont wake up, wring our hands and say I cant wait to screw someone over today. Labels, artists and music tech companies exist in symbiotic relationship, where each can benefit from the activity of the other. But after 20 years of digital music, the symbiosis is still not mutually rewarding, and is often parasitic. This feels like a good time to segue into a few thoughts about YouTube. The folks at YouTube probably show up to work thinking theyre good guys too, although Irving Azoff and others are making that a little harder lately. YouTube seem to have a gated community mentality about artists they get that artists provide needed services (content), but they dont want to see them too much, and rarely want to hear their complaints. YouTube uses the DMCA as a shield and an excuse to behave like internet companies did in the Napster and Limewire days, when iffy behavior about copyright was still getting hashed out. The fact that consumers can listen to pretty much anything on YouTube for free certainly impedes the value proposition of streaming services that charge listeners fees. YouTube enables large scale theft in plain sight and benefits from it to the tune of billions of dollars. To hide behind the DMCA, to pay artists little or nothing in their legitimate deals they do offer and then have Do The Right Thing as a corporate motto is the ultimate irony. Vinyl revenue is bigger than YouTube revenue in the U.S. and U.K. come on. There was a famous club in NYC called the Limelight, which opened in 1983. It was a wild place with all sorts of open illegal activity, none of which was being perpetrated by the owners of the club. But the NYPD shut it down anyway, deeming it a harbor for illegal activity. They said the club owners created an environment in which this criminal activity could thrive. If YouTube was a NYC dance club, it would have been shut down years ago. Of course, YouTube is an essential distribution and promotional platform, we all get that. And it could be an essential revenue platform if things change. The truth is, the music industry needs YouTube as much as YouTube needs music; nobody wants it shut down. But we must speak truth to power. It is an obligation. Google has been called out on so called revolving door hiring in both the U.S. and EU governments, where employees in key government policy making positions are hired by Google and then go back to government. The Google Transparency Project said that in the EU, these hires dramatically stepped up just after the European Commission launched its first investigation into alleged anti-trust violations by Google. As big a threat as Napster once was to the survival of our industry, Google is a much greater existential threat, now and in the years to come. Napster didnt have the ambition or the deep pockets required to influence governments. Its going to be an incredibly difficult battle, and our industry is outgunned. Were going to need consumers on our side, which means the artists are going to have to get a lot more vocal. And the messaging needs to be crafted carefully, because the tech industry and the media so often reframe any artist who speaks up about their rights as greedy. When we speak about protecting copyright, very few consumers get the message. Perhaps they would understand better if we called it protecting consent. Consent is a word that is rarely heard when the rights of creators are discussed. There are many instances where music for free makes sense. Weve been deeply discounting and giving away our products for decades to reap the promotional benefits. But if and when an artist or label chooses to do it should be up to them. Consent also means not being forced into a bad deal because someone has power over you. Consent should rest in the hands of the creators, not those who make the negation of it their growth strategy. A lot of people think the music business got killed by Napster; I dont think thats true. File sharing is not the predominant way people consume music today. But Napster did help kill was the perceived value of music, and the record industry made it easy for them. We did such a good job as an industry positioning the CD as a premium product that consumers believed that the physical carrier was where most of the value was. So when they could cherry pick the songs they wanted on Napster, replicate and distribute music themselves that put a bullet in the perceived value of music. And its doubtful that well ever get back to a place where people buy an album at the 1999 frontline CD price point. But can we all admit that the static pricing of digital music lacks imagination? Almost everything we else we consume has a variable price: a cup of coffee, a hamburger, your cable bill or a subway swipe. If cows have a bad year the price of milk goes up for a while. Yet ten or eleven bucks is the carved-in-stone monthly price of music access. If the streaming services need better margins, labels and publishers want higher rates, and artists demand better compensation, how is that all going to work? We used to work with our retail partners on price evolution and had formats with different price tiers. Catalog music that we used to put in bins at a cut-rate price in the backs of record stores is now some of the most listened to content on streaming services. Why cant we work together, explore and experiment in this digital world that has no boundaries? There is this ceiling that has somehow become sacrosanct. And yet some pundits say this price is still too high. There was a time in the not too distant past when journalists and so-called digital thought leaders said that streaming would never work because people dont want to rent their music. These same people say that tiered pricing would be confusing to consumers. You know, all it takes to be a thought leader is a bullhorn and a backside to stick it in there is no reason why labels, artists and music services cannot work together creatively to extract more from the consumer, instead of always looking to extract it from each other. Of course, all of this is true. And none of this is true. Q: How did you get into the insurance business? A: By accident. Nobody aspired to get into the insurance industry when I was in college. After I graduated from Colorado State, I tried commercial real estate without finding my niche. In 1986, I was hired at Allstate. I left because I felt there was more and that being with one industry was too specific. I decided to start my own agency in 1997. Q: What are your priorities as president of Mountain Insurance Brokers? A: To grow a profitable business. Our agents should be the first and best resource for clients and remember that we work for our clients, not the carrier. Q: What should an ideal insurance broker be? A: Stressed! Q: In your opinion, what is the biggest issue facing insurance brokers today? A: For smaller insurance brokers, the most difficult thing is getting enough appointments to be able to work with your clients effectively. Its difficult to stay profitable and produce enough business. This leads to a proliferation of aggregators. Q: What lines do you feel have the biggest potential for growth over the next few years? A: Definitely commercial, particularly construction. The economic recovery has helped, particularly in Colorado. One of our clients has $30 million in construction projects just over the next couple of months. A few years ago, that wasnt the case. Q: Whats the strangest thing youve ever had to arrange cover for? A: A couple of people starting different companies that wanted insurance: a guy growing worms in his basement and a company that made plaster casts of pregnant womens bellies. Q: If you werent in insurance, where would you be? A: Law school. It was my original plan and I even took the LSAT, but I ended up going into insurance. No regrets. A proposal to scrap the Affordable Care Act and introduce a new range of financial support for health insurance is being proposed by the Republicans.The plan, due to be unveiled Wednesday by House Republicans at the American Enterprise Institute, would include an idea previously mooted by House Speaker Paul Ryan in which Medicare recipients could instead receive a subsidy to buy private health insurance.Our proposal is like a health-care backpack that provides every American access to financial support for an insurance plan chosen by the individual and can be taken with them job-to-job, home to start a small business or raise a family, and even into retirement years, Ryan wrote in a summary.There is also a chance that a former John McCain proposal to tax those with employer-provided health insurance based on the value of the plan, although it is expected that there would be a cap on how much would be taxable.Some of the ideas tie-in with Donald Trumps health plan ideas but others could put the GOP at odds with its presidential hopeful.Lloyds has opened a new office in Bogota, Colombia to help build its trading relationships in the fast-growing market. Two Lloyds insurers, Advent and Brit , will be represented on the Lloyds Colombia platform alongside the representative office.Lloyds chairman John Nelson said the market is an important part of the global insurance and reinsurance markets expansion plan: As Colombia realizes its economic potential, insurance and reinsurance can play a key role in supporting this economic growth by improving resilience, taking risks out of the country, and helping the economy recover after catastrophes.Insurance penetration rates in Colombia are currently around 1.6 per cent, compared with a 6.1 per cent global average, so there is significant opportunity for further growth. Lloyds estimates that there is an underinsurance gap of $570 million against the countrys natural catastrophe exposures.Lloyds is already a well-established provider of energy, property, financial lines and aviation cover in Colombia and is also licensed to provide cross-border Marine, Aviation and Transport insurance.A survey of drivers in Quebec has found that there is a lack of understanding of how auto insurance works.The poll by SOM survey conducted on behalf of the consumer-focused insurance body Groupement des assureurs automobiles (GAA) discovered that 69 per cent are unaware that their insurance policy covers them following a collision for which they are not liable, even if they have no coverage for damage to their vehicle.A fifth of drivers believe that the color of their vehicle affects their insurance premium although most are aware of the ratings criteria used by insurers. The growing insurance market in India, which has attracted investment from many North American insurers could be about to see a flurry of mergers.Indias largest mortgage lender and multi-business conglomerate Max Group said Friday that they are in talks to merge their life insurance operations, a move which could spark further deals.Bloomberg reports that the merger would bring Max Life Insurance and HDFC Standard Life Insurance together. Max is a joint venture with Japans Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Co, while HDFC Standard Life is 49 per cent owned by UK insurance group Standard Life.Two US insurance commissioners have been elected to the executive committee of the International Association of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS), the body which sets international standards for insurance supervision.Ted Nickel, President-Elect of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and Wisconsin Insurance Commissioner; and David Mattax, Texas Insurance Commissioner; join NAIC vice-president Julie Mix McPeak on the committee. She has served for more than two years and has been appointed vice-chair.Our international work is critical to consumer protection here in the states; it is also important for ensuring a level playing field for our domestic companies, said John M. Huff, NAIC President and Missouri Insurance Director. These individuals, along with all regulators and NAIC staff, are to be commended for their on-going contributions to support global financial stability.Connecticut Insurance Commissioner Katharine L. Wade was appointed to the IAIS Financial Stability and Technical Committee. The appointments were announced at an IAIS meeting this week.As residents of Fort McMurray begin to return to their homes and businesses, one local insurance brokerage has resumed operations in the city.Rogers Insurance has re-opened its office on Franklin Avenue with assistance from head office staff from Calgary due to some of the local brokers being displaced themselves by the fires.The office has reported 3,300 claims and seen a 400 per cent spike in phone calls since the wildfires took hold last month.Meanwhile, AIG Insurance Company of Canada has donated $50,000 to the Red Cross Alberta Fires Appeal to help those affected by the fires.In concert with our broker partners, AIG Canada claims staff and our independent adjustors have been on the ground helping our policyholders recover from their losses, commented Lynn Oldfield, AIG Canadas CEO and president. This donation of $50,000 has great significance to AIG Canada; it symbolizes our 50anniversary in Canada. The Obama administration approached an appeals court Thursday to make its case on why MetLife Inc. should remain under government oversight through the Federal Reserve.The move is the administrations latest bid to overturn a federal judges decision that revoked the systemically important label of the insurer.The administration produced a 98-page brief for the U.S. District Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. According to the brief, the Financial Stability Oversight Council found that MetLifes size, leverage, interconnectedness, potential liquidity risk, and complexity could cause material financial distress at MetLife to threaten the U.S. financial system.It was U.S. District Judge Rosemary Collyer that ruled in March that MetLifes distress would not put the economy at risk, contrary to what regulators have said. Judge Collyer reasoned that the governments findings included baseless speculations that did not consider the potential losses sustained by MetLife and its counterparties.In April, the Justice Departmentrepresenting the administrationappealed Judge Collyers decision.The administration maintained its argument that policymakers were not obligated to undertake another assessment under the law in making the determination; it also called the courts review of the guidance profoundly mistaken.In the brief, the government further asserted that of the 10 factors the council is required to consider in evaluating a firm as a systemically important, none of them require the council to evaluate the probability that the company could experience material financial distress or to approximate specific counterparty losses.The council did not set itself the impossible task of predicting the precise impact of a companys distress on its counterparties and the broader market, the government brief read.The government also argued that policymakers were not required to perform a cost-benefit analysis along with a decision.A MetLife spokesman said that the company would prepare a response to the governments brief by its filing period on Aug. 15, reported The Wall Street Journal. A proliferation in lone wolf-style terrorist attacks like the Orlando, Florida nightclub shooting earlier this month has more businesses than ever before turning to insurance professionals for protection. Both carriers and agents have been fielding a rising number of requests, and the low chance that a lone-wolf attack will be detected has security firms looking more closely at solutions.The changing face of terrorism risk, however, means agents and brokers have several choices of coverage to put before commercial clients.In Orlando, 29-year-old Omar Mateen killed 49 people and wounded 53 others in a shooting at Pulse, a gay nightclub, before he was killed by police. During the attack, Mateen called 911 and pledged allegiance to the Islamic State terrorist group. He had also spoken against homosexuality previously, Mateens relatives said.Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malike, the perpetrators in the 2015 San Bernardino attack, were likewise unsupported by any larger group, but did express commitment to jihadism and martyrdom before going on a shooting spree and attempted bombing in a San Bernardino County Department of Public Health training event and Christmas party.Both events involved a lone, or small number, of perpetrators acting on an ideological basis without the backing of a particular group, terrorist cell, or network.The events have fueled an increased interest in standalone terrorism coverage, particularly among small businesses, said Jen Rubin, head of Hiscox War, Terrorism & Political Violence Practice Group.Weve gotten a lot of inquiries since Orlando, with folks wanting to know whats available in the market, what pricing looks like and what limits look like, Rubin said. Most of that is coming from the smaller side of the market those who are largely new to standalone coverage and may not be big enough to have their own security procedures in place.Unlike government-backed terrorism insurance, which includes a $120 million loss threshold, standalone coverage pays at the first dollar lost and operates on a much broader definition of insurance. Standard industry policies define terrorism as an attack that is politically, religiously or ideologically motivated a determination that is made after claims departments review details of the case, news media reports and other evidence.Something like the Orlando shooting likely qualify under this definition, Rubin said.Standalone terrorism coverage pays for property loss, including repair and replacement, as well as business income and any relocation expenses needed. Businesses can also purchase endorsements for nuclear, radiological, chemical or biological attacks, which are typically not covered under the policy.But the San Bernardino and Orlando incidents had something else in common they were both committed using firearms.Gun violence in the United States has become so prevalent that several insurance companies, including major brands like Willis, have begun offering active shooter insurance. The policies provide coverage outside of workers compensation policies, including the liability companies have if they are found not to have taken needed precautions to prevent gun rampages.It also covers on the scene costs of an attack, including property damage and any needed counseling or consulting for victims.Wendy Peters, an executive vice president at Willis, said that like terrorism insurance, theres been widespread interest in the product.So which coverage choice is preferable if either?Rubin says it is up to an agent to determine, based on the particularities of the client.When youre doing your review of coverages, its really important to make sure perils are defined and any gray areas youre concerned about are documented or discussed, she said. A traditional policy is silent on what would happen in an active shooter event; new products are defining what is covered based on the evolution of events in the market." Tony Pastore has been named the grand marshal for 2016 July 4th parade in Pittsfield. VFW Life Member Named Grand Marshal of Pittsfield July 4th Parade PITTSFIELD, Mass. Tony Pastore has been named the grand marshal for 2016 July 4th parade. Pastore is a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW). He is also a member of the Disabled American Veterans (DAV), and American Legion Post 68 and has been a frequent Fourth of July Parade participant as a U.S. Army Air Corps veteran along with his fellow veterans. He served as the commander of the DAV from 1992-94 and DAV Chaplain for the last 40 years. In addition to his military service, Tony is well-known in the community for his heartfelt renditions of the National Anthem at many patriotic events and programs in Pittsfield. He a regular choir member at St. Marks Church and has been singing all his life, Pittsfield Parade Committee President Peter Marchetti said. Born in 1924 and a 1942 graduate of Pittsfield High School, Pastore was drafted into the U.S. Army in March 1943 and saw action at Monte Cassino and Anzio in Italy. His unit entered Rome on June 4, 1944, and then invaded Southern France. When in Rome, which Pope Pius XII had declared an Open City, he was included in a private audience with the Pope, the first of two audiences he attended. He was transferred to the 524th Fighter Squadron of the 27th Fighter Group, his duties included repairing planes and supporting the infantry. Pastore was stationed in Germany at the conclusion of the war. Southwestern Vermont Medical Center Names Education Director Drew Totten BENNINGTON, Vt. Drew Totten, clinical education and simulation specialist, has been promoted to the position of director of education and organizational development, effective June 1, at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center. He replaces Margaret Daly, who retired from the position after an 11-year career in the health system. Totten joined Southwestern Vermont Health Care in 1992 as a phlebotomist in the hospital laboratory and worked as an Emergency Department technician while attending nursing school. He also worked as a critical care registered nurse in the Emergency Department, and was a medical/surgical staff nurse with a specialty in oncology and palliative care. Totten joined the Education Department in 2007 and was responsible for creating the SVHC Innovative Learning Center for Simulation in 2011. Totten holds bachelor of science degrees in nursing and business administration and will complete his master's in nursing education in March 2017. The massive Greylock Mill project was approved along with the Redwood Motel for tax incentives. State Development Program OKs Incentives for State Road Projects NORTH ADAMS, Mass. Two in-development projects on State Road have been approved for development incentives through the city and state. The Beyond Place LLC and Greylock Works LLC entered into tax incremental financing agreements with the city; the state's Economic Assistance Coordinating Council on Wednesday approved both agreements and 16 other projects for participation in the Economic Development Incentive Program. All 18 projects are expected to create 855 new jobs and retain 2,958 jobs throughout Massachusetts, while leveraging approximately $199 million in private investment. "Massachusetts boasts a robust, pro-growth business environment, and our administration is committed to maintaining and improving the commonwealth's business ecosystem," said Gov. Charlie Baker. "Through targeted business development tools like the Economic Development Incentive Program, we will continue to support sustainable, long-term growth." The Beyond Place is the development group restoring and rebuilding the 50-year-old Redwood Motel across from Stop & Shop. The 18-room motor court is being expanded to 47 or 48 rooms with a focus on the environmental and recreational attributes of the area. It is expected to create 14 new full-time jobs and generate more than $5.3 million in private investment. Future plans include a 40-acre nature activity park and restoration of the historic Blackinton Mill on the other side of Hoosic River. The City Council approved a tax increment financing agreement valued at $60,000 over five years. The EACC Board approved $70,000 in tax credits. 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 The content you are trying to view is exclusive to our subscribers. To unlock this article: Imperial Valley News Center In Its First Measurement of Plancks Constant, NISTs Newest Watt Balance Brings World One Step Closer to New Kilogram Washington, DC - A high-tech version of an old-fashioned balance scale at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has just brought scientists a critical step closer toward a new and improved definition of the kilogram. The scale, called the NIST-4 watt balance, has conducted its first measurement of a fundamental physical quantity called Plancks constant to within 34 parts per billion - demonstrating the scale is accurate enough to assist the international community with the redefinition of the kilogram, an event slated for 2018. The redefinitionwhich is not intended to alter the value of the kilograms mass, but rather to define it in terms of unchanging fundamental constants of naturewill have little noticeable effect on everyday life. But it will remove a nagging uncertainty in the official kilograms mass, owing to its potential to change slightly in value over time, such as when someone touches the metal artifact that currently defines it. Plancks constant lies at the heart of quantum mechanics, the theory that is used to describe physics at the scale of the atom and smaller. Quantum mechanics began in 1900 when Max Planck described how objects radiate energy in tiny packets known as quanta. The amount of energy is proportional to a very small quantity called h, known as Plancks constant, which subsequently shows up in almost all equations in quantum mechanics. The value of h according to NISTs new measurement is 6.62606983x10-34 kgm2/s, with an uncertainty of plus or minus 22 in the last two digits. Accurate measurement of this tiny number is the key to retiring the physical kilogram, because it provides a way to equate mass with a particular amount of electric energy, which can be expressed as a function of h. If we know h precisely, we can build an electromagnet and measure exactly the amount of electric current it needs to lift a kilogram off the ground, and define the kilogram in terms of the current. Scientists are putting this idea to work in a device called the watt balance, which compares a physical mass with finely measured amounts of electricity (see this story for details of how watt balances work). With enough accurate measurements of Plancks constant, scientists will eventually fix its value to a very high degree of precision, allowing highly accurate measurements of the kilogram. For scientists to agree on a new mass definition that relies on Plancks constant, however, there must be solid evidence that we know h to great accuracy, so multiple countriesfive to datehave built watt balances to make independent measurements that can be compared. NISTs measurement, the first using its recently constructed NIST-4 watt balance, is good news because it is consistent with watt balance measurements from other countries and also because the amount of uncertainty in the measurement is far lower than the NIST team had hoped for. Both points imply that the international science community is on track to redefine the kilogram by its self-imposed 2018 deadline. This measurement was essentially a dry run, said NIST physicist Stephan Schlamminger. We were hoping to achieve an uncertainty of within 200 parts per billion by this point, but we got better fast. For the redefinition to meet scientists exacting standards, at least three experiments must produce values with a relative standard uncertainty of no more than 50 parts per billion, and one with no more than 20 parts per billion. All these values must agree within a statistical confidence level of 95 percent. The results also must be reconciled with the alternative Avogadro method, which involves counting the atoms in an ultra-pure sphere of silicon. Because Plancks constant is important for quantum electrical standards, the overall effort also will benefit electrical metrology, Schlamminger said. Fixing hs value will explicitly connect the quantum based standards for the ohm and the volt to the international system of units for the first time. *D. Haddad, F. Seifert, L.S Chao, S. Li, D.B. Newell, J.R. Pratt, C. Williams, and S. Schlamminger. A precise instrument to determine the Planck constant, and the future kilogram. Review of Scientific Instruments. June 21, 2016. DOI: 10.1063/1.4953825. Imperial Valley News Center First Lady Michelle Obama Launches Snapchat Account Ahead of Upcoming Let Girls Learn Travel to the Republic of Liberia, the Kingdom of Morocco and the Kingdom of Spain Washington, DC - To give young people everywhere a fun way to follow her trip, learn about the more than 62 million girls around the world who arent in school, and take action to support them, the First Lady launched an official Snapchat account: MichelleObama. Follow the First Lady at MichelleObama to see behind-the-scenes Snaps from Washington and abroad, including her upcoming trip and events in the coming months. You can follow the First Ladys trip on her new Snapchat account by adding MichelleObama learn more HERE. Background on the First Ladys travel: As part of Let Girls Learn, the First Lady joined by Malia and Sasha Obama and Mrs. Marian Robinson will visit Margibi County, Liberia; Marrakech, Morocco; and Madrid, Spain from June 27- July 1, 2016. The First Lady and her family will return to Washington, D.C. on July 1. In Liberia, the First Lady will visit a Peace Corps Training Facility in Kakata, where she will meet with girls and young women participating in a GLOW (Girls Leading Our World) Camp. Her visit will highlight both the Peace Corps work to help girls in underserved communities build self-confidence, communication, and other leadership skills and new programming from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) aimed at improving access to quality education and life skills for adolescent girls across Liberia. Also in Liberia, the First Lady will visit a school in Unification Town for a discussion with adolescent girls who have faced serious obstacles in attaining an education. This discussion will be moderated by actress Freida Pinto, an advocate for girls education. The conversation will highlight both the educational barriers girls face as Liberia moves beyond the Ebola epidemic, and the U.S. Governments efforts to continue to address those barriers and provide adolescent girls with equitable access to safe and quality education. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf will join Mrs. Obama during her visit. The First Ladys events in Liberia will take place on June 27. In Morocco, the First Ladyjoined by Meryl Streep, also an advocate for girls education, and Freida Pintowill participate in a conversation with adolescent girls moderated by CNNs Isha Sesay. In the discussion, participants will discuss the challenges many girls in the region face in getting a quality education. The First Ladys visit will also highlight commitments made by the U.S. Government through the Millennium Challenge Corporation, and USAID in partnership with the Kingdom of Morocco to help adolescent girls in Morocco go to school and stay in school. The First Lady will be in Morocco on June 28 and 29. In Madrid, the First Lady will deliver a speech on Let Girls Learn to girls and young women, sharing the stories of girls she has met in Liberia and Morocco - and her prior travels - and highlighting new commitments to support Let Girls Learn. Mrs. Obama will encourage the audience to value their own educational opportunities, continue to strive for progress for girls and young women in their country, and take action to help the more than 62 million girls around the world who are out of school. This event will take place on June 30. While in Spain, the First Lady will also meet with Her Majesty Queen Letizia. NAVFAC Small Business Program Recognized by Veteran Association Washington, DC - The National Veteran Small Business Coalition (NVSBC) recognized the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) for its proficiency in awarding contracts to veteran-owned small businesses, today. "It is our pleasure to recognize NAVFAC for your accomplishments in using veteran and service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses in your procurement program in fiscal year 2015," said NVSBC Executive Director Scott Denniston, in a letter to the command. NVSBC is a nationwide, not for profit, trade association promoting the use of veteran-owned and service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses in federal contracting as prime and subcontractors. Last year, NAVFAC awarded 8.4 percent of contract awards to veteran-owned small businesses and 6.2 percent to service disabled, veteran-owned small businesses -- which exceeds the congressionally mandated goal of 3 percent. "We are honored to receive this award," said NAVFAC Commander Rear Adm. Bret Muilenburg. "To be recognized for our efforts in helping veteran-owned businesses is a testament to all the hard work of our Small Business Program." Last year, awarded contracts totaled more than $538 million in obligations to veteran-owned small businesses, including nearly $400 million to service-disabled, veteran-owned small businesses. "NAVFAC has a proud history of exceptional success in leveraging the capabilities of our nation's veteran-owned small businesses," said Scott Crosson, Small Business Program associate director. "The command's enterprise-wide efforts clearly demonstrate support for public policy, but more importantly, they exemplify smart business decisions." California and the Netherlands to co-host joint webinar on July 7 Sacramento, California - The California Department of Food and Agriculture and the Ministry of Economic Affairs in the Netherlands will co-host a joint webinar on Climate Smart Agriculture on July 7, 2016. The webinar will feature discussions and presentations addressing salinity in specialty crops within Californias Central Valley and along coastal areas. Climate Change is furthering collaboration around the globe among farmers and researchers to address strategies for improving agricultural production and sustainability, said CDFA Secretary Karen Ross. The Netherlands is a good example for practices and approaches on climate smart agriculture that can be beneficial to California. The webinar will be held on July 7th from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. in California and individuals can register for free at https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/climatesmartag/ The webinar can also be viewed live at the California Department of Food and Agriculture, 1220 N Street Main Auditorium, on the day on the event. Saline agriculture, the ability to produce crops with brackish water and in high salinity soils, could potentially be of interest to California farmers who encounter these growing conditions. This webinar will feature an overview by Arjen de Vos of Salt Farm Texel, a producer of saline agriculture in the Netherlands, as well as perspective from California State Board of Food and Agriculture member Don Cameron, of Terranova Ranch, a diversified farming operation in the Central Valley. Researchers from Wageningen UR and University of California will also provide perspective. The Climate Smart Agriculture webinar is the first in a series of online discussions on Climate Smart Agriculture to be hosted in the coming months in collaboration with the University of Californias World Food Center. Terrorist Attack in Jordan Washington, DC - The United States strongly condemns today's attack on Jordanian security forces, and expresses its deepest condolences to the victims, their families, and the Jordanian people. We remain committed to Jordans security and stability, and are proud to stand side-by-side with Jordan in the Global Coalition to Counter ISIL. The United States will continue to provide assistance and cooperate closely with Jordan in the wake of this heinous attack. As Jordan evaluates how best to safeguard its security, we will work with the government to ensure humanitarian support continues to be provided to those displaced by the conflict in Syria and to the communities that host them. We commend Jordan for the tremendous sacrifices they have made in hosting hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees. As always, the United States stands together with Jordan. Outbreak of Violence in the Central African Republic Washington, DC - The United States is deeply concerned by a recent increase in violence in the Central African Republic. We underscore the fundamental need for all actors to work together to promote peace and prosperity in a country that has suffered for far too long from instability and conflict. We support the efforts of the Government of the Central African Republic and the international community to restore order and protect civilians. In addition, we strongly condemn the targeted attacks against humanitarian actors whose sole purpose in the Central African Republic is to provide lifesaving support to the population. The United States remains a committed partner to the Government of the Central African Republic, the UN mission MINUSCA, and most importantly, the Central African people in efforts to bring the country out of these cycles of conflict. Assistant Secretary Thomas-Greenfield To Travel to Uganda, Zambia, Botswana, and Malawi Washington, DC - Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Linda Thomas-Greenfield will travel to Uganda, Zambia, Botswana, and Malawi, June 23-July 1. In Uganda, June 23-24, she will have meetings with government officials, civil society representatives, and youth leaders. On June 26, Assistant Secretary Thomas-Greenfield will begin a visit to Zambia, Botswana, and Malawi focused on the recognition and consolidation of democratic gains in the region. She will be accompanied in these three countries by Ambassador Alexander Laskaris, Deputy to the Commander for Civil-Military Engagement, United States Africa Command. In each of these countries, Assistant Secretary Thomas-Greenfield will meet with government officials and civil society representatives. Additionally, in Zambia, she will meet with a group of Mandela Washington Fellows from President Obamas Young African Leaders Initiative and will visit U.S.-trained Zambian peacekeeping troops who have served in the Central African Republic. In Botswana, she will launch a U.S. government innovation grant to a youth NGO focused on civic education. In Malawi, she will meet with Malawi Defense Forces representatives to discuss military cooperation. Be sure to follow the Assistant Secretary on Twitter @StateAfrica for more updates throughout her trip. Watch: Snake Attacks Owner As She Tries To Release It From Cage 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 }} Liza Johnson, 86 mins, starring: Michael Shannon, Kevin Spacey, Alex Pettyfer, Johnny Knoxville It's a wonderfully incongruous and jarring image: Elvis Presley in a black cape and gold belt, looking as if he has just walked off the set of a Tim Burton movie, and the very clammy and furtive seeming US President Richard Nixon, shaking hands. Given that Elvis took vast amount of drugs himself (albeit most of them prescribed) and was a quintessential symbol of youth rebellion, there is an obvious irony in his joining Nixon's crusade against the counter-culture. This is a whimsical, enjoyable but very slight drama which recreates the famous meeting between Elvis and Nixon in 1970. Both subjects' lives have been chronicled in exhaustive fashion but there is still an air of mystery around their unlikely encounter. Recommended Read more Elvis Presley breaks album record almost 40 years after his death It came before Watergate and before Nixon had begun secretly taping everything that happened in the White House. The filmmakers, therefore, have to rely on the (not always reliable) accounts given by members of the Elvis entourage, the so-called "Memphis Mafia". The version given here is that Elvis turned up at the northwest gate of the White House with a hand written letter requesting the meeting. At first, Nixon was inclined to rebuff him but eventually reconsidered, primarily in order to get an autograph for his daughter. When they did finally come face to face, they got on famously. The "king" was far more regal than the President. The White House, he told Nixon, reminded him of his own pad in Memphis, Graceland. Both men were from similarly humble backgrounds. Both distrusted communists. Elvis got his badge, allowing him to become a federal agent at large. There is a telling moment early on, when Elvis (Michael Shannon) is accosted at the airport by an Elvis impersonator. The impersonator thinks that the real Elvis is also an impersonator. (Popular mythology has it that Presley once came third in an Elvis lookalike contest.) Shannon, a notably intense Method actor, is strange casting as the king. He has none of the playful, puppyish innocence that the real Presley brought to movies like Fun In Acapulco or Girls! Girls! Girls!. Shannon, first seen shooting a pistol at the TV screens in Graceland (one of which is playing Dr. Strangelove), brings majesty and dark humour to his performance. His Elvis is accustomed to being accosted by fans and reacts to autograph hunters with the same lofty politeness that a monarch might show to his subjects. Elvis & Nixon MovieBites He is so removed from everyday life that he is surprised that an airline might object to his carrying multiple concealed guns onto a plane. Shannons earnest performance helps bring out the deadpan comedy, not least when he is demonstrating kung fu moves to the bemused President. Access unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows with Amazon Prime Video Sign up now for a 30-day free trial Sign up Spacey, meanwhile, is wearing heavy make-up and some kind of skull cap that makes him look like Nixon, complete with very long forehead and receding hairline. House Of Cards viewers will notice that many of his gestures are very similar to those he uses when playing fictional President Frank Underwood in the HBO series. The other main character is Presleys friend, Jerry Schilling (Alex Pettyfer), who accompanies the king to Washington and acts as his publicist and general flunkey. Schilling is a young, likeable US everyman type at a crossroads in his own life, on the verge of marrying and trying to break away from Elvis to establish his own identity. Elvis & Nixon doesnt reveal much about its protagonists that isnt already well known. This is a film that feels like a bar room anecdote stretched to feature length and wildly embellished in the process. Its a very likeable movie, though, and one that you warm to in spite of its lack of substance... and of Elvis music. 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 }} Suburra, a rain-soaked hyper-stylised introduction to Italian filmmaker Stefano Sollima, is resplendently neo-noir - a crime thriller that may initially begin a meretricious homage set to the backdrop of select songs by French electronic act M83 but ends having embedded itself into the flesh under your skin; there it stays. The character resting at the heart of this sprawling ensemble is amoral MP Filippo Malgradi (Pierfrancesco Favino) whose night of debauchery kickstarts a series of events that ricochet through Rome involving abduction, blackmail and vicious canines that would make Game of Thrones villain Ramsay Bolton feel ashamed. Stylistically, the film's influences are plain to see: Martin Scorsese, Brian De Palma, Michael Mann, to name but a few. Like his peers, Sollima displays a knack for refining material and balancing plotlines that would seem overbearing in lesser hands. There's almost a televisual feel pertained by the interweaving character encounters with scriptwriters Stefano Rulli and Sandro Petraglia (adapting Carlo Bonini and Giancarlo De Cataldo's novel) moving them around like chess pieces. In this way, there's even a scent of Coen in the air. Montage sequences showing concurrent events build to crescendos which force you to instinctively predict what's coming next. Shunning this expectation, Sollima instead throws in a gunshot here, a car accident there - as with life - when you least expect it; this tactic will temporarily turn your seat into a sit-down travelator. Playing around with the expectations of your audience is a brave ploy but one that pays off. Having now steered both a TV series (acclaimed Italian mob drama Gomorrah) and a two-hour-plus crime epic, Sollima ensures he fast tracks standalone Sicario sequel Soldado to the top of your most-anticipated list. Suburra will be no doubt regarded as the film that kick-started a body of work surely destined for the Italian director. 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 }} Twitter trolls are reporting Muslim women and girls to authorities in the Middle East for being pro-LGBT or atheist. In many of the countries, the penalty for being seen to support such causes can be punishable by death under blasphemy laws. The Daily Beast reports that one user took a screen-shot of a Muslim 16-year-old girls feminist tweet in which she re-wrote a verse from the Quran to include a slang word for vaginas. The user then tweeted the image to followers, urging them to report the girl, who is believed to be a resident of Kuwait, to the police. The user reportedly posted "This is another atheist and we should continue exposing every Arab atheist child to their parents who do not know of their atheism." Screenshots posted online show Dubais verified police account appeared to tweet the user saying: please send your details and supplied the polices email address, to which he replied has been sent. Shortly after, the girl who posted the original message posted they f**king found me and Im gonna puke before deleting her account. Other users attempted to defend the girl, with one user saying: This counts as targeted harassment and urging people to report the user to Twitter for breach of guidelines and harassment policies. Soon after this, the users account was suspended. Other users have told the Daily Beast that this and other accounts have been active for some time, deliberately seeking out tweets in which people from the Middle East are supporting LGBT causes or atheism and subsequently reporting them to local authorities for blasphemy. 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 One woman who asked for her name to be withheld for fear of retribution, said: 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. Although rare, some countries have taken criminal proceedings against citizens for posting blasphemous messages on social media sites. In 2012, a man in Kuwait was found guilty of insulting the prophet Mohammed following tweets posted on the social media site in his name. The man claimed his account had been hacked and he had not written the messages. Local religious figures had called for the death penalty to be given in the case. He was eventually jailed for 10 years. 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 }} Forget about red, white and rose a new variety of wine is about to land in UK shops and its blue. Six young entrepreneurs set up Spanish firm Gik to revolutionise Spanish wine industry, where wine is deeply attached to tradition. The drink is made using different varieties of red and white grapes from around Spain, including the wine regions of Castilla la Mancha and Rioja. Anthocyanin, a pigment from the red grapes skin, and indigotine, which is derived from plants, give the wine its bluish colouring. Non-caloric sweeteners are then used to modify the flavour and create a sweet drink with 11.5 per cent alcohol per volume. Not convinced? The entrepreneurs claim to have already sold around 70,000 bottles in Spain within a year and their blue wine will be available online for UK consumers in the coming months, with each bottle costing 8. Early clients are equally split between men and women and aged between 25 and 34 years old, according to Giks online data. (gik) The producers suggest pairing the wine with sushi, nachos with guacamole or pasta carbonara with music from James Blake or Alt J in the background. Aritz Lopez, co-founder of Gik, said that in Spain new generations are not used to traditional wine, they prefer beers, liquors or cocktails. None of us liked traditional wine, so we decided to start a little revolution by creating a sweet, easy to drink and blue wine, Lopez told the Independent. We are no winemakers and we dont even have family links in the industry, Lopez said. (Gik) Lopez said Gik spent two years working with the University of the Basque Country, which provided them with a laboratory and a team of chemical engineers. The blue colour has its own meaning and comes from a book called the Blue Ocean Strategy. The book says there are two kind of oceans: the red ones, full of sharks (competitors) fighting against each other for a few fishes (clients) and turning the ocean red because of the blood. And it talked about creating blue oceans; oceans where, thanks to creativity and innovation, everyone could be free, Lopez said. It sounded like poetry to us, so it could not be any other colour, he added. 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 }} Mayhoola for Investments, an investment fund backed by the emir of Qatar, acquired French fashion house Balmain, adding a brand favored by Kim Kardashian to a roster of labels that includes Italys Valentino. Financial terms were not disclosed, though a person familiar with the matter said Mayhoola agreed to pay close to 500 million (384 million). The acquisition of 100 per cent of Balmain from shareholders including Frances Hivelin family will allow the brand to accelerate its development by opening new stores around the world, advisers Bucephale Finance said in a statement late Tuesday. Balmain has become one of the most talked about fashion brands under creative director Olivier Rousteing, whose Instagram account is peppered with images of reality-television star Kardashian and her family wearing his military-inspired designs. The fashion house, founded by Pierre Balmain in 1945 and revived in 1995 by Alain Hivelin, has enjoyed strong growth since Rousteing joined in 2011, according to the statement. Mayhoola, which describes itself as a Qatari company focused on local and global investments, also owns Valentino, which is considering selling shares in an initial public offering as early as next year after nearly doubling profit on revenue of more than $1 billion in 2015. Mayhoola didnt immediately respond to a request for comment. Kimye for Balmain spring 2015 Show all 4 1 /4 Kimye for Balmain spring 2015 Kimye for Balmain spring 2015 Kimye for Balmain spring 2015 copyright: Mario Sorrenti/Balmain Kimye for Balmain spring 2015 Kimye for Balmain spring 2015 copyright: Mario Sorrenti/Balmain Kimye for Balmain spring 2015 Kimye for Balmain spring 2015 copyright: Mario Sorrenti/Balmain Kimye for Balmain spring 2015 Kimye for Balmain spring 2015 copyright: Mario Sorrenti/Balmain The acquisition of Balmain is the second fashion deal this week by Middle Eastern investors after Bahrain investment house Investcorp Bank purchased 55 per cent of Italian luxury menswear maker Corneliani. The transactions come as demand for luxury goods cools, with consultants Bain & Co. estimating global sales will expand at best 2 per cent this year, the second-weakest rate since 2009. 2016 Bloomberg L.P 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 cause of Anton Yelchins death has been confirmed as an accident by the Los Angeles County coroners office. Yelchin, who is known for playing the character of Chekov in two Star Trek movies, was tragically killed by his own car at his Los Angeles Homes on Sunday (19 June). He was 27. Police said the 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. Yelchin had been on his way to meet friends for a rehearsal but when he did not show up, they went to his home and found his body. Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter of the Los Angeles County coroner's office told People Magazine Yelchin had died of accidental blunt traumatic asphyxia. Notable deaths in 2016 Show all 42 1 /42 Notable deaths in 2016 Notable deaths in 2016 Debbie Reynolds was an American actress, singer, businesswoman, film historian, and humanitarian. She died on December 28 in Los Angeles Rex Notable deaths in 2016 Actress Carrie Fisher died on December 27 aged 60 Rex Notable deaths in 2016 Comedian and Actor Ricky Harris died on December 26 aged 54 Rex Notable deaths in 2016 British singer George Michael died on 25 December aged 53 Getty Notable deaths in 2016 Rick Parfitt OBE was an English musician, best known for being a singer, songwriter and rhythm guitarist in the rock band Status Quo. He died on December 24 in Marbella, Spain Rex Notable deaths in 2016 Lord Jenkin of Roding died at the age of 90 on the 21 December PA wire Notable deaths in 2016 Rabbi Lionel Blue died on the 19 December Rex Notable deaths in 2016 Zsa Zsa Gabor died on December 18 Getty Notable deaths in 2016 Leonard Cohen died on 7 November Getty Images Notable deaths in 2016 Grand secretary of the Orange Order Drew Nelson died on 10 October aged 60 after a short illness PA Notable deaths in 2016 Aaron Pryor, the relentless junior welterweight died Sunday, Oct. 9, at the age of 60 at his home in Cincinnati after a long battle with heart disease AP Notable deaths in 2016 Polish Director Andrzej Wajda died on October 9, aged 90 Reuters Notable deaths in 2016 Stylianos Pattakos has died following a stroke on 8th October. He was 103 years old. AP Notable deaths in 2016 Dickie Jeeps, was an English rugby union player who played for Northampton. He represented and captained both the England national rugby union team and the British Lions in the 1950s and 1960s. He died on 8th October. He was 84 Getty Notable deaths in 2016 Duke of Westminster Billionaire landowner the Duke of Westminster, Gerald Cavendish Grosvenor has died on 9 August, aged 64 Rex Features Notable deaths in 2016 Christina Knudsen Sir Roger Moores stepdaughter Christina Knudsen has died from cancer on 25 July at teh age of 47 Getty Images Notable deaths in 2016 Caroline Aherne The actress Caroline Aherne has died from cancer on 2 July at the age of 52 Getty Images Notable deaths in 2016 Christina Grimmie Christina Grimmie, 22, who was an American singer and songwriter, known for her participation in the NBC singing competition The Voice, was signing autographs at a concert venue in Orlando on 10 June when an assailant shot her. Grimmie was transported to a local hospital where she died from her wounds on 11 June Getty Notable deaths in 2016 Kimbo Slice Former UFC and Bellator MMA fighter Kimbo Slice died after being admitted to hospital in Florida on 6 June, aged 42 Getty Notable deaths in 2016 Muhammad Ali The three-time former heavyweight world champion died after being admitted to hospital with a respiratory illness on 3 June, aged 74 Getty Images Notable deaths in 2016 Sally Brampton Brampton who was the launch editor of the UK edition of Elle magazine has died on 10 May, aged 60 Grant Triplow/REX/Shutterstock Notable deaths in 2016 Billy Paul The soul singer Billy Paul, who was best known for his single Me and Mrs Jones, has died on 24 April, aged 81 Noel Vasquez/Getty Images Notable deaths in 2016 Prince Prince, the legendary musician, has been found dead at his Paisley Park recording studio on 21 April. He was 57 Notable deaths in 2016 Chyna WWE icon Joan Laurer dies aged 45 after being found at California home on 20 April Notable deaths in 2016 Victoria Wood The five-time Bafta-winning actress and comedian Victoria Wood has died on 20 April at her London home after a short illness with cancer. She was 62 Notable deaths in 2016 David Gest The entertainer and former husband of Liza Minnelli, David Gest has been found dead on 12 April in the Four Seasons hotel in Canary Warf, London. He was 62-years-old PA Notable deaths in 2016 Denise Robertson Denise Robertson, an agony aunt on This Morning for over 30 years, has died on 1 April, aged 83 Notable deaths in 2016 Zaha Hadid Dame Zaha Hadid, the prominent architect best known for designs such as the London Olympic Aquatic Centre and the Guangzhou Opera House, has died of a heart attack on 31 March, aged 65 2010 AFP Notable deaths in 2016 Ronnie Corbett British entertainer Ronnie Corbett has passed away on 31 March at the age of 85 2014 Getty Images Notable deaths in 2016 Imre Kertesz Hungarian writer and Holocaust survivor Imre Kertesz, who won the 2002 Nobel Literature Prize, has died on 31 March, at the age of 86 REUTERS Notable deaths in 2016 Rob Ford Rob Ford, the former controversial mayor of Toronto, has died following a battle with a rare form of cancer. The 46-year-old passed away at the Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto on 22 March Notable deaths in 2016 Joey Feek Joey (left) passed away in March after a two-year cancer illness. She was part of country music duo, Joey + Rory, with her husband Rory (right) Jason Merritt/Getty Images Notable deaths in 2016 Umberto Eco Italian writer and philosopher Umberto Eco died 19 February 2016 aged 84 EPA Notable deaths in 2016 Harper Lee Harper Lee, the American novelist known for writing 'To Kill a Mockingbird', died February 19, 2016 aged 89 2005 Getty Images Notable deaths in 2016 Vanity Vanity, pictured performing in 1983, died aged 57 REX Features Notable deaths in 2016 Dave Mirra The BMX legend's body found inside truck with gunshot wound after apparent suicide aged 41 Notable deaths in 2016 Harry Harpham The former miner became Sheffield Labour MP in May after many years as a local councillor. He died after succumbing to cancer, at the age of 61. Notable deaths in 2016 Dale Griffin The Mott the Hoople drummer died on January 17, aged 67 REX Notable deaths in 2016 Rene Angelil Celine Dion's husband and manager Rene Angelil has lost his battle with cancer on 14 January, aged 73 2011 Getty Images Notable deaths in 2016 Alan Rickman Legendary actor Alan Rickman has died on 14 January at the age of 69 after battle with pancreatic cancer. He is largely regarded as one of the most beloved British actors of our generation with roles in Love Actually, Die Hard, Michael Collins, and Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and an illustrious stage career 2015 Getty Images Notable deaths in 2016 Maurice White The Earth, Wind & Fire founder died aged 74. The nine-piece band sold more than 90 million albums worldwide and won six Grammy awards Notable deaths in 2016 Lawrence Phillips Former NFL star found dead in prison cell on 13 January in suspected suicide, aged 40 AFP/Getty Images On Monday, an LAPD spokesperson said the investigation was still ongoing and traffic detectives would be looking at all the factors they would examine in any traffic collision investigation. Yelchin was driving a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee - the same model which Fiat Chrysler Automobiles recalled in April because the gear-shift design meant some drivers were exiting the car without ensuring the handbrake was in place. Recommended Read more Anton Yelchin interview Fiat Chrysler recalled approximately 1.1 million cars after reports owners were seeing their cars roll away. In a statement sent to The Independent, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles said: FCA US extends its deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Mr Yelchin. The Company will be conducting a thorough investigation of this tragic incident. It is premature to speculate on its cause at this time. Tributes for Yelchin have poured in from across the world from Star Trek colleagues, fellow actors and fans since the news of his shock death emerged. Yelchin was a rising star in the film industry and managed to carve out a career for himself which comprised of both blockbusters and independent films. 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 }} Apprentice star Lord Alan Sugar has been attacked for saying a Brexit campaigner should not "tell us British what we should do" because she is originally from Germany. Commenting on the BBC's debate on EU membership ahead of the referendum on Thursday, the businessman said he found it "strange" that Bavaria-born Gisela Stuart was participating in the debate for Leave side. Referring to her by her maiden name, Lord Sugar called her "a 1974 immigrant from Germany". Ms Stuart, Labour MP for Birmingham Edgbaston, moved to the UK at the age of 19. She is one of the most high profile Labour voices on the official Vote Leave campaign and appeared alongside former Mayor of London Boris Johnson and energy minister Andrea Leadsom in an BBC debate in front of 6,000 people at Wembley Arena. 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." Ruth Davidson: You deserve the truth 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." 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 Retweeting someone who called him racist, the peer said: "You ignorant fool. How can my comment be classified as racist. Crawl back under your rock." Lord Sugar came out for the Remain last month saying British people would be "mugs" if they voted to leave the EU. In an article for The Sun, he said: Ive been in business for 50 years, Ive seen some pretty daft ideas in my time. And Ill tell you one of them: Britain leaving the EU. Despite this, the official Stronger In campaign distanced itself from his remarks telling political blog Guido Fawkes that his comments were "completely unacceptable and inappropriate". 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 }} Earth has been followed by a mini Moon for nearly a century and scientists have only just spotted it. A tiny asteroid has been orbiting us for years and is likely to continue doing so for centuries to come, according to scientists. Although the rock is too distant from us to really be a new moon, Nasa says that it is stable enough in our orbit to be considered a near-Earth companion or a quasi-satellite. Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Show all 30 1 /30 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Solar Flare An image from Nasa's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) shows a 200,000 mile long solar filament ripping through the Sun's corona in September 2013 Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Nasa Celebrates 50 Years of Spacewalking For 50 years, NASA has been "suiting up" for spacewalking. In this 1984 photograph of the first untethered spacewalk, NASA astronaut Bruce McCandless is in the midst of the first "field" tryout of a nitrogen-propelled backpack device called the Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU) Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space A Hubble Cosmic Couple The spectacular cosmic pairing of the star Hen 2-427 more commonly known as WR 124 and the nebula M1-67 which surrounds it ESA/Hubble & NASA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Veil Nebula Supernova Remnant Nasa's Hubble Space Telescope has unveiled in stunning detail a small section of the Veil Nebula - expanding remains of a massive star that exploded about 8,000 years ago Nasa's most stunning pictures of space The Soyuz TMA-15M rocket launch The Soyuz TMA-15M rocket launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Monday, Nov. 24, 2014, carrying three new astronauts to the International Space Station. It also took caviar, ready for the satellite's inhabitants to celebrate the holidays Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Earth from the ISS From the International Space Station, Expedition 42 Flight Engineer Terry W. Virts took this photograph of the Gulf of Mexico and U.S. Gulf Coast at sunset Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Black Hole Friday Nasa celebrated Black Friday by looking into space instead sharing pictures of black holes Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space NuSTAR X-rays stream off the sun in this image showing observations from by NASA's Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, or NuSTAR, overlaid on a picture taken by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Cassiopeia A c A false colour image of Cassiopeia A comprised with data from the Spitzer and Hubble Space Telescopes and the Chandra X-Ray observatory Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Orion Capsule splashes down The Orion capsule jetted off into space before heading back a few hours later having proved that it can be used, one day, to carry humans to Mars Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Earth Observations From Gemini IV in 1965 This photograph of the Florida Straits and Grand Bahama Bank was taken during the Gemini IV mission during orbit no. 19 in 1965. The Gemini IV crew conducted scientific experiments, including photography of Earth's weather and terrain, for the remainder of their four-day mission following Ed White's historic spacewalk on June 3 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Frosty slopes of Mars This image of an area on the surface of Mars, approximately 1.5 by 3 kilometers in size, shows frosted gullies on a south-facing slope within a crater. The image was taken by Nasa's HiRISE camera, which is mounted on its Mars Reconaissance Orbiter Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Yellowstone from space NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman shared this image of Yellowstone via his twitter account Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Saturn This near-infrared color image shows a specular reflection, or sunglint, off of a hydrocarbon lake named Kivu Lacus on Saturn's moon Titan Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Worlds Apart Although Mimas and Pandora, shown here, both orbit Saturn, they are very different moons. Pandora, "small" by moon standards (50 miles or 81 kilometers across) is elongated and irregular in shape. Mimas (246 miles or 396 kilometers across), a "medium-sized" moon, formed into a sphere due to self-gravity imposed by its higher mass Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Solar Flare An X1.6 class solar flare flashes in the middle of the sun in this image taken 10 September, captured by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy An image of the Large Magellanic Cloud galaxy seen in infrared light by the Herschel Space Observatory. Regions of space such as this are where new stars are born from a mixture of elements and cosmic dust Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Mars Rover Spirit Nasa's Mars Rover Spirit took the first picture from Spirit since problems with communications began a week earlier. The image shows the robotic arm extended to the rock called Adirondack Nasa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Morning Aurora From the Space Station Nasa astronaut Scott Kelly captured this photograph of the green lights of the aurora from the International Space Station Nasa/Scott Kelly Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Launch of History - Making STS-41G Mission in 1984 The Space Shuttle Challenger launches from Florida at dawn. On this mission, Kathryn Sullivan became the first U.S. woman to perform a spacewalk and Marc Garneau became the first Canadian in space. The crew of seven was the largest to fly on a spacecraft at that time, and STS-41G was the first flight to include two female astronauts Nasa's most stunning pictures of space A Fresh Perspective on an Extraordinary Cluster of Galaxies Galaxy clusters are often described by superlatives. After all, they are huge conglomerations of galaxies, hot gas, and dark matter and represent the largest structures in the Universe held together by gravity Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Hubble Sees a Galactic Sunflower The arrangement of the spiral arms in the galaxy Messier 63, seen here in an image from the Nasa Hubble Space Telescope, recall the pattern at the center of a sunflower ESA/Hubble & NASA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Pluto image Four images from New Horizons Long Range Reconnaissance Imager (LORRI) were combined with colour data from the Ralph instrument to create this enhanced colour global view of Pluto Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Fresh Crater Near Sirenum Fossae Region of Mars The HiRISE camera aboard Nasa's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter acquired this closeup image of a "fresh" (on a geological scale, though quite old on a human scale) impact crater in the Sirenum Fossae region of Mars. This impact crater appears relatively recent as it has a sharp rim and well-preserved ejecta Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Hubble Peers into the Most Crowded Place in the Milky Way This Nasa Hubble Space Telescope image presents the Arches Cluster, the densest known star cluster in the Milky Way NASA & ESA Nasa's most stunning pictures of space An Astronaut's View from Space Nasa astronaut Reid Wiseman tweeted this photo from the International Space Station on 2 September 2014 Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Giant Landform on Mars On Mars, we can observe four classes of sandy landforms formed by the wind, or aeolian bedforms: ripples, transverse aeolian ridges, dunes, and what are called draa Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Expedition 39 Landing A sokol suit helmet can be seen against the window of the Soyuz TMA-11M capsule shortly after the spacecraft landed with Expedition 39 Commander Koichi Wakata of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), Soyuz Commander Mikhail Tyurin of Roscosmos, and Flight Engineer Rick Mastracchio of NASA near the town of Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan (NASA/Bill Ingalls) Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Jupiter's Great Red Spot Viewed by Voyager I Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system and perhaps the most majestic. Vibrant bands of clouds carried by winds that can exceed 400 mph continuously circle the planet's atmosphere Nasa's most stunning pictures of space Chandra Observatory Sees a Heart in the Darkness This Chandra X-Ray Observatory image of the young star cluster NGC 346 highlights a heart-shaped cloud of 8 million-degree Celsius gas in the central region The asteroid is called 2016 HO3 taking its name from the year in which it was discovered and orbits the sun but also stays as a constant companion to Earth. "Since 2016 HO3 loops around our planet, but never ventures very far away as we both go around the sun, we refer to it as a quasi-satellite of Earth," said Paul Chodas, manager of NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object (NEO) Studies at its Jet Propulsion Laboratory. "One other asteroid 2003 YN107 followed a similar orbital pattern for a while over 10 years ago, but it has since departed our vicinity. This new asteroid is much more locked onto us. Our calculations indicate 2016 HO3 has been a stable quasi-satellite of Earth for almost a century, and it will continue to follow this pattern as Earth's companion for centuries to come." Recommended Read more Nasa sets up team to save Earth from asteroids 2016 HO3 spends about half of the year closer to the sun than to us, passing ahead of Earth. But the rest of the time it falls away. Nasa describes its orbit as a game of leap frog with Earth though one thats further complicated because the asteroid also moves up and down in its orbit. The asteroid's loops around Earth drift a little ahead or behind from year to year, but when they drift too far forward or backward, Earth's gravity is just strong enough to reverse the drift and hold onto the asteroid so that it never wanders farther away than about 100 times the distance of the moon," said Mr Chodas. "The same effect also prevents the asteroid from approaching much closer than about 38 times the distance of the moon. In effect, this small asteroid is caught in a little dance with Earth." The mini Moon was first spotted in at the end of April by a telescope based in Hawaii. Its size hasnt yet been confirmed, but its probably between 40 meters and 100 meters, Nasa said. Sign up for a full digest of all the best opinions of the week in our Voices Dispatches email Sign up to our free weekly Voices 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 Voices Dispatches email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A scientific study into the sex life of the screwworm once ridiculed as a waste of money is to be given a US award designed to recognise research that might sound silly or odd but is actually important. Its findings led to the development of the only truly original innovation in insect control of the 20th century, credited with the eradication of the screwworm fly from North and Central America. The flies lay eggs in wounds on animals and the resulting maggots can kill a fully grown cow in two weeks. It is estimated the technique, in which males are sterilised to cause the population to crash, has saved farmers billions of pounds over the past 50 years. It is now being used to kill the mosquitoes that spread the Zika virus in South America. Entomologists Dr Edward Knipling and Dr Raymond Bushland, who developed the technique in the 1950s after years of research, will be posthumously awarded the Golden Goose Award at a ceremony at the US Library of Congress in September, it has been announced. Democratic Congressman Jim Cooper, who first proposed the Golden Goose Award, said: Screwworm research may sound like a joke, but it isn't. It saved the livestock industry billions and is giving us a way to fight Zika. We should trust our scientists more than our politicians when it comes to research priorities. Science news in pictures Show all 20 1 /20 Science news in pictures Science news in pictures Pluto has 'beating heart' of frozen nitrogen Pluto has a 'beating heart' of frozen nitrogen that is doing strange things to its surface, Nasa has found. The mysterious core seems to be the cause of features on its surface that have fascinated scientists since they were spotted by Nasa's New Horizons mission. "Before New Horizons, everyone thought Pluto was going to be a netball - completely flat, almost no diversity," said Tanguy Bertrand, an astrophysicist and planetary scientist at NASA's Ames Research Center and the lead author on the new study. "But it's completely different. It has a lot of different landscapes and we are trying to understand what's going on there." Getty Science news in pictures Over 400 species discovered this year by Natural History Museum The ancient invertabrate worm-like species rhenopyrgus viviani (pictured) is one of over 400 species previously unknown to science that were discovered by experts at the Natural History Museum this year PA Science news in pictures Jackdaws can identify 'dangerous' humans Jackdaws can identify dangerous humans from listening to each others warning calls, scientists say. The highly social birds will also remember that person if they come near their nests again, according to researchers from the University of Exeter. In the study, a person unknown to the wild jackdaws approached their nest. At the same time scientists played a recording of a warning call (threatening) or contact calls (non-threatening). The next time jackdaws saw this same person, the birds that had previously heard the warning call were defensive and returned to their nests more than twice as quickly on average. Getty Science news in pictures Turtle embryos influence sex by shaking The sex of the turtle is determined by the temperatures at which they are incubated. Warm temperatures favour females. But by wiggling around the egg, embryos can find the Goldilocks Zone which means they are able to shield themselves against extreme thermal conditions and produce a balanced sex ratio, according to the new study published in Current Biology journal Ye et al/Current Biology Science news in pictures Elephant poaching rates drop in Africa African elephant poaching rates have dropped by 60 per cent in six years, an international study has found. It is thought the decline could be associated with the ivory trade ban introduced in China in 2017. Reuters Science news in pictures Ancient four-legged whale discovered in Peru Scientists have identified a four-legged creature with webbed feet to be an ancestor of the whale. Fossils unearthed in Peru have led scientists to conclude that the enormous creatures that traverse the planets oceans today are descended from small hoofed ancestors that lived in south Asia 50 million years ago A. Gennari Science news in pictures Animal with transient anus discovered A scientist has stumbled upon a creature with a transient anus that appears only when it is needed, before vanishing completely. Dr Sidney Tamm of the Marine Biological Laboratory could not initially find any trace of an anus on the species. However, as the animal gets full, a pore opens up to dispose of waste Steven G Johnson Science news in pictures Giant bee spotted Feared extinct, the Wallace's Giant bee has been spotted for the first time in nearly 40 years. An international team of conservationists spotted the bee, that is four times the size of a typical honeybee, on an expedition to a group of Indonesian Islands Clay Bolt Science news in pictures New mammal species found inside crocodile Fossilised bones digested by crocodiles have revealed the existence of three new mammal species that roamed the Cayman Islands 300 years ago. The bones belonged to two large rodent species and a small shrew-like animal New Mexico Museum of Natural History Science news in pictures Fabric that changes according to temperature created Scientists at the University of Maryland have created a fabric that adapts to heat, expanding to allow more heat to escape the body when warm and compacting to retain more heat when cold Faye Levine, University of Maryland Science news in pictures Baby mice tears could be used in pest control A study from the University of Tokyo has found that the tears of baby mice cause female mice to be less interested in the sexual advances of males Getty Science news in pictures Final warning to limit "climate catastrophe" The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has issued a report which projects the impact of a rise in global temperatures of 1.5 degrees Celsius and warns against a higher increase Getty Science news in pictures Nobel prize for evolution chemists The nobel prize for chemistry has been awarded to three chemists working with evolution. Frances Smith is being awarded the prize for her work on directing the evolution of enzymes, while Gregory Winter and George Smith take the prize for their work on phage display of peptides and antibodies Getty/AFP Science news in pictures Nobel prize for laser physicists The nobel prize for physics has been awarded to three physicists working with lasers. Arthur Ashkin (L) was awarded for his "optical tweezers" which use lasers to grab particles, atoms, viruses and other living cells. Donna Strickland and Gerard Mourou were jointly awarded the prize for developing chirped-pulse amplification of lasers Reuters/AP Science news in pictures Discovery of a new species of dinosaur The Ledumahadi Mafube roamed around 200 million years ago in what is now South Africa. Recently discovered by a team of international scientists, it was the largest land animal of its time, weighing 12 tons and standing at 13 feet. In Sesotho, the South African language of the region in which the dinosaur was discovered, its name means "a giant thunderclap at dawn" Viktor Radermacher / SWNS Science news in pictures Birth of a planet Scientists have witnessed the birth of a planet for the first time ever. This spectacular image from the SPHERE instrument on ESO's Very Large Telescope is the first clear image of a planet caught in the very act of formation around the dwarf star PDS 70. The planet stands clearly out, visible as a bright point to the right of the center of the image, which is blacked out by the coronagraph mask used to block the blinding light of the central star. ESO/A. Muller et al Science news in pictures New human organ discovered that was previously missed by scientists Layers long thought to be dense, connective tissue are actually a series of fluid-filled compartments researchers have termed the interstitium. These compartments are found beneath the skin, as well as lining the gut, lungs, blood vessels and muscles, and join together to form a network supported by a mesh of strong, flexible proteins Getty Science news in pictures Previously unknown society lived in Amazon rainforest before Europeans arrived, say archaeologists Working in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso, a team led by archaeologists at the University of Exeter unearthed hundreds of villages hidden in the depths of the rainforest. These excavations included evidence of fortifications and mysterious earthworks called geoglyphs Jose Iriarte Science news in pictures One in 10 people have traces of cocaine or heroin on fingerprints, study finds More than one in 10 people were found to have traces of class A drugs on their fingers by scientists developing a new fingerprint-based drug test. Using sensitive analysis of the chemical composition of sweat, researchers were able to tell the difference between those who had been directly exposed to heroin and cocaine, and those who had encountered it indirectly. Getty Science news in pictures Nasa releases stunning images of Jupiter's great red spot The storm bigger than the Earth, has been swhirling for 350 years. The image's colours have been enhanced after it was sent back to Earth. Pictures by: Tom Momary Republican Randy Hultgren added: Sometimes offbeat, quirky-sounding science is the best science, paving the way for discoveries years down the road which can revolutionise medicine, physics, biology, technology and how we view the world. Given the recent rise of infectious diseases like the Zika virus, developing eradication programmes for carrier pests is a much-needed field of scientific research. Even though 'worms' might make some members of Congress as well as the public a little squeamish or sceptical, these studies by Edward Knipling and Raymond Bushland have clearly paid off. The award deliberately echoes the Golden Fleece Award, which became a US institution in the 1970s and 1980s. It was created by the then Senator William Proxmire and given to state-funded projects he and the judges considered to be a waste of public money. 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 }} Tim Peake has spoken about how exciting his journey back to Earth was and said that he wants to get straight back into space. At his first press conference since leaving the International Space Station (ISS) and landing in Kazakhstan, Major Peake said that he was feeling fantastic but was looking forward to getting back to exploring space and would return in a "heartbeat". Major Peake describes how his tiny Soyuz capsule tumbled back to the Earth and lit into sparks and flames during its way down. He then felt the strange sensation of falling back to Earth as he underwent the surging G-force that pushed him into his seat. The most incredible space images of Earth Show all 30 1 /30 The most incredible space images of Earth The most incredible space images of Earth Striking Africa Explore ESA astronaut Tim Peake's stunning photos of Earth, taken from the International Space Station during his six month mission (captions by Tom Peake) "The striking colour and texture of Africa Illizi, Algeria" The most incredible space images of Earth Favourite Reef "Every day spent living in space is a great day, but today was particularly special. I got to speak with one of my inspirational heroes Prof Stephen Hawking and his amazing daughter Lucy, who developed the Principia Space Diary to engage children with STEM subjects. As well as talking about dark matter, quantum entanglement, alien life and light beam powered nanocraft we also got to see an amazing pass over the Bahamas and this - my favourite reef smile emoticon" The most incredible space images of Earth Russia's north-east coast "Sunrise approaching Russia's frozen north-east coast" The most incredible space images of Earth Hello London "Hello London! Fancy a run? :) #LondonMarathon" The most incredible space images of Earth Bahamas "50 shades of blue: Bahamas" The most incredible space images of Earth Yinchuan "Snow on the mountains next to Yinchuan in China" The most incredible space images of Earth Rocket flames in Africa "Is it just me or do I see some rocket flames down there? These strange land features are in the Erg Iguidi desert, with its yellow stripes of sand stretching from Algeria to northern Mauritania in the Sahara" The most incredible space images of Earth Stunning colours "Sunlight reflecting the stunning colours of this Himalayan lake" The most incredible space images of Earth The real Everest "The real thing: found Everest! Last picture turned out to be third-tallest mountain Kanchengjunga" The most incredible space images of Earth Go Exomars "Go #Exomars have a great mission. Earth has more in common with Mars than you might think #AfricaArt" The most incredible space images of Earth Tenerife "Amazingly clear view of Tenerife" The most incredible space images of Earth Midday winter sun "Some midday winter sun glinting off Greenlands snow-capped peaks" The most incredible space images of Earth Sand dunes "Great texture in these huge sand dunes, Saudi Arabia" The most incredible space images of Earth Dragon Dam "The dam makes this river look like a dragons tail. Oahe Dam north of Pierre, South Dakota in the United States. (North is to the right)" The most incredible space images of Earth Smoking volcano "Spotted volcano smoking away on Russias far east coast this morning heat has melted snow around top" The most incredible space images of Earth New Zealand "New Zealand looking stunning in the sunshine. Mt Cook centre left with the Grand Plateau to the front and Mt Tasman (3,497m) to the right of the Grand Plateau. Fox Glacier in the middle then Franz Josef curving right. Tasman Lake (largest at front) is at the foot of the Tasman glacier which runs along the front of them. The Hooker Glacier flows out behind Mt Cook coming down to meet the Mueller Glacier on the left of the photo. The Murchison Glacier is at the front of the photo running parallel with the Tasman Glacier" The most incredible space images of Earth Plankton bloom "Another great pass over Patagonia and a swirling plankton bloom off the coast" The most incredible space images of Earth Alaska "We dont often get such clear views of Alaska" The most incredible space images of Earth Lights along the Nile "Lights along the Nile stretching into the distance from Cairo" The most incredible space images of Earth Kamchatka "The Pacific Ring of Fire clear to see amongst the volcanoes of Kamchatka, Russia" The most incredible space images of Earth Cumulonimbus "Im guessing there was an impressive storm going on under that cumulonimbus cloud" The most incredible space images of Earth Night Sahara "Night-time Sahara you can really see how thin the Earths atmosphere is in this picture" The most incredible space images of Earth Japan "Tokyo and Japanese coast. This image shows most of Japan with the largest mass of light corresponding to Tokyo. The white lights on the left are fishing boats" The most incredible space images of Earth Morning sun volcanoes "Morning sun striking active volcanoes in Guatemala" The most incredible space images of Earth Tapajos River "The vast waters of the Tapajos river, Amazonia" The most incredible space images of Earth Patagonia "Beautiful glacial river water flowing from this Patagonian ice field Lake Viedma, West is up" The most incredible space images of Earth Dubai Palms "Minus the #Dragon photobomb this time..." The most incredible space images of Earth Sediment in Ethiopia "Sediment spilling into this mountain lake, Ethiopia" The most incredible space images of Earth Italy "We have phases of short nights on the International Space Station sunlight is nearly always visible right now. No prizes for guessing where this is" The most incredible space images of Earth Panama Canal "From one mighty ocean to another ships passing through the Panama canal" He also spoke of his "dream" of going to the Moon, his hope that the UK continues to fund manned space missions - and his relief at using a gravity-assisted Earth toilet at last. The 44-year-old father-of-two returned to Earth from a six-month European Space Agency (Esa) mission on the ISS with American Nasa astronaut Colonel Tim Kopra and Russian cosmonaut Yuri Malenchenko. Recommended Read more Tim Peake touches down after six months in space Their "descent module" - the only part of the three-section Soyuz TMA-19M spacecraft to complete the journey - parachuted down on to a remote spot on the vast Kazakhstan steppe at 10.15am UK time on Saturday. All three men are now undergoing an intense programme of rehabilitation and tests to help them re-adjust to Earth gravity and show scientists how their bodies have stood the strain of 186 days in space. Major Peake spoke in a packed briefing room at the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne, Germany, where the Esa's astronaut activities are based. Peake on returning to Earth He was treated to a standing ovation when he made his appearance as members of the audience clapped and cheered. Additional reporting by Press Association 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 }} Two brothers are to be sentenced for a horrific acid attack which left a mother-of-six permanently blind in one eye. Billy and Geoffrey Midmore were convicted at Southampton Crown Court of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to 37-year-old Carla Whitlock. Older brother, Geoffrey, 27, pleaded guilty to spraying drain cleaner in her face outside the Turtle Bay restaurant in Southampton, Hampshire, on 18 September last year. Recommended Read more What happened to one woman for refusing a marriage proposal 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. The trial was told that the brothers had visited several DIY stores to buy a particular brand of drain cleaner called One Shot which had the highest concentration of sulphuric acid. 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. 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 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. Carla Whitlock has been left permanently blinded in one eye (TIM STEWART NEWS LIMITED) 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 originally from London with connections to Kent. Billy and Geoffrey Midmore 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. 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. 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 }} Distinctive differences between how male and female kill people have been identified in a major new study into the gender dynamics of murder. It has long been established within gender scholarship that men are much more likely to commit murder than women are, although debate prevails as to whether this is due to physiological factors such as hormonal differences or gender socialisation which promotes and condones male violence while encouraging women to be passive. New research into female and male murderers in Sweden analysed all cases of deadly violence in the country between 1990 and 2010 and has been published in the International Journal of Forensic Mental Health. It found that for every ten murders, male perpetrators will have committed nine, while female perpetrators will have committed one. Researchers found this split between gender of perpetrators was stable throughout the 30 year period covered by the research. Other key gender differences noted by the researchers included that women were most likely to kill using a knife as a weapon in some way if the victim is an adult or to use an implement to smother or asphyxiate a victim if they are a child. Previous research has suggested women may be more likely to use an implement in violent crime, due to actual or perceived lower body strength than men. Fatal attacks by women were also much more likely to occur within the home environment, whereas attacks by men were more likely to occur outside of homes; at work, in public or other environments. They also found that after infanticide, the murder of a child, women were more likely to kill themselves as well, than male murderers are. 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 Thomas Nilsson, Researcher at Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg which took part in the study, said: The study showed that the proportion of female perpetrators in relation to men largely remained constant during the time period studied. The social and criminological differences we found between male and female perpetrators of deadly violence should be taken into account in the implementation of preventative measures, and the effectiveness of these measures should in turn be evaluated in future research. These measures should focus in particular on issues relating to the relationship between the victim and the perpetrators as well as the crime scenes, since the primary differences between male and female perpetrators appear in those areas. 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 Sudanese refugee has been handed a nine-month prison sentence for obstructing trains by walking through the Channel Tunnel in a desperate attempt to reach the UK. Abdul Rahman Haroun, 40, was granted permission to stay in Britain after being caught walking near the end of the 31-mile tunnel in Folkestone on 4 August last year. He was prosecuted under Victorian legislation the Malicious Damage Act 1861 for obstructing an engine or a carriage using a railway. Haroun risked his life dodging trains in the tunnel (AFP/Getty Images) (Getty) Haroun, who was granted asylum by the British Government on Christmas Eve, pleaded guilty on Wednesday at Canterbury Crown Court. He was sentenced to nine months in prison but walked free from court because of the time already served at HMP Elmley in Kent, where he was held until being bailed in January. Sentencing Haroun, Judge Adele Williams said: You not only put your own life in danger but, in my judgment, you put the lives and safety of others in danger. Kate Adams, from Kent Refugee Help, said he had fantastic legal representation and support but should never have needed to defend himself his actions in court. She told The Independent campaigners had originally hoped for the charges to be dropped after Haroun was granted asylum and that his lawyers were now considering launching an appeal. Were very pleased that hes not going back to prison but it has been a very long process and its been incredibly stressful for him, Ms Adams said. The case was very much about corporate interests over human rights Haroun has been made an example of. People will carry on risking their lives trying to cross from Calais to the UK and some of them will die. Migrants in France say they will continue Chunnel crossing attempts into UK Philip Bennetts QC, speaking for the prosecution, told the court that Haroun was caught by police at as he neared the end of his journey, dodging high-speed trains on different sides of the Tunnel. He was asked how he had got into the tunnel and he said: I came from France, always trying to get here, Mr Bennetts said, adding that the defendant had jumped over a perimeter fence in Calais. In an interview with the Home Office, Haroun described how he had been persecuted by the Janjaweed militia who operate in Darfur and have been accused of ethnic cleansing - forcing him to flee his home in 2004. He ended up in a camp at the Kari-Yari dam on the Sudan-Chad border where he spent several years before journeying to Europe via Egypt, Libya and the deadly boat crossing to Italy, and on to France. Speaking through an interpreter, he told police following his arrest: "I came here for protection and to be safe..it was the only solution." Mr Bennetts said Haroun had caused "significant disruption" and a "significant economic consequence" and led to delays of up to four hours for cross-Channel travellers. In pictures: Calais crisis Show all 15 1 /15 In pictures: Calais crisis In pictures: Calais crisis Calais crisis Migrants climb in the back of a lorry on the A16 highway leading to the Eurotunnel in Calais Getty Images In pictures: Calais crisis Calais crisis Protesting French employees of the company English Channel passenger and freight ferry company "MyFerryLink" block the railway tracks of the Eurostar Channel tunnel line in Calais Getty Images In pictures: Calais crisis Calais crisis Protesting French employees of the company English Channel passenger and freight ferry company "MyFerryLink" block the railway tracks of the Eurostar Channel tunnel line with a burning plastic barrier In pictures: Calais crisis Calais crisis French riot police officers drive out protesting French employees of the freight ferry company MyFerryLink Getty Images In pictures: Calais crisis Calais crisis French riot police take position to drive out protesters blocking the railway tracks Getty Images In pictures: Calais crisis Calais crisis Passengers stranded by the cancellation of Eurostar trains wait at St. Pancras station in London. Eurostar said it has canceled all passenger trains through the tunnel that links France and England, after striking ferry workers swarmed the train line setting tires alight In pictures: Calais crisis Calais crisis Passengers sit on stairs after being stranded by cancelled Eurostar trains at St. Pancras station in London In pictures: Calais crisis Calais crisis A police vehicle drives past lorries are backed up on the M20 motorway which leads from London to the Channel Tunnel terminal at Ashford and the Ferry Terminal at Dover In pictures: Calais crisis Calais crisis Trucks queue up as part of Operation Stack in Dover In pictures: Calais crisis Calais crisis Cars queue to board a ferry in Dover bound for Dunkirk, France, as the disruption at Calais looks set to enter a second day as migrants continue to target lorries in a bid to cross into the UK In pictures: Calais crisis Calais crisis A police officer sprays tear gas to migrants trying to access the Channel Tunnel on the A16 highway in Calais, northern France PHILIPPE HUGUEN/AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Calais crisis Calais crisis Migrants wait near the A16 highway as they try to access the Channel Tunnel in Calais, northern France PHILIPPE HUGUEN/AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Calais crisis Calais crisis Striking employees of the French company My Ferry Link, a cross-channel ferry service, stand in front of tyres set on fire as they block the access to the Channel Tunnel in Calais, northern France PHILIPPE HUGUEN/AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Calais crisis Calais crisis A striking employee of the French company My Ferry Link, a cross-channel ferry service, sits on a tyre in front of tyres set on fire as he takes part in a blockade of the access to the Channel Tunnel in Calais, northern France PHILIPPE HUGUEN/AFP/Getty Images In pictures: Calais crisis Calais crisis Striking employees of the French company My Ferry Link, a cross-channel ferry service, prepare to set tyres on fire to block the access to the Channel Tunnel in Calais, northern France PHILIPPE HUGUEN/AFP/Getty Images Aid workers and refugee charities condemned his prosecution, accusing authorities of using an arcane piece of legislature in a politically-motivated attempt to deter thousands of migrants in Calais from attempting the same journey. The Calais Migrant Solidarity group raised fears that the prosecution could be used to have Haroun deported at a later date. A survey of refugees living in the Jungle carried out earlier this year by Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) found that more than 80 per cent of its 6,000 inhabitants were aiming to reach Britain. An unknown number of asylum seekers have been suffocated, run over, hit by trains, electrocuted in the Channel Tunnel and drowned in desperate attempts to swim to England. Anglo-French efforts to bolster border security continue, including the investment of millions of pounds on fencing at Coquelles and extra perimeter barriers. But rising number of refugees are still flocking to camps in Calais, according to census figures released this week by Help Refugees and L'Auberge des Migrants. Volunteers said the number of unaccompanied children has risen by almost a third in one month, and that the largest group of migrants were from Afghanistan, followed by Sudan. Additional reporting by PA Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Morning Headlines email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} The remaining structure of the Didcot power station will be demolished as efforts continue to locate three men killed in the collapse over four months ago. Demolition workers Ken Cresswell, 57, and John Shaw, 61, both from Rotherham, South Yorkshire and Chris Huxtable, 34, from Swansea have been missing since the disaster in Oxfordshire on 23 February. Site owner RWE Npower said, since the partial collapse, its priority has been to recover the three men, trapped underneath the 20,000 tonnes of rubble, as quickly as possible. But rescue work was halted on 16 May when contractors reached a 50-metre exclusion zone and the company said it had come to a point where it was too dangerous to continue searching. Since then an RWE spokeswoman said they have been developing two recovery options with demolition experts; as well as clearing material from the base of the remaining part of building and using laser scanning techniques to build up a 3D picture of the structure. She said: "The conditions caused by the collapse are unprecedented at this scale in the UK. "Given these extraordinary circumstances, and in order to minimise the risk of any further incidents, it is necessary to bring down the remaining structure to be able to continue the recovery of the men. "We have a clear recovery plan in place which has been aligned with all agencies involved and have already completed several stages of it." The aftermath of the power station collapse in February (PA) The two options being considered include using remote operated vehicles (ROVs) to place demolition charges at the base of the structure, or the traditional method of using people to go in and place the charges instead. RWE said using ROVs is "preferable since it limits the risk to life" and that the second option of using people to go underneath "carries inherent risks to life", because the structure cannot be proven to be stable. The company said it is "essential" the "highly complex" demolition is planned meticulously. Images show Didcot destruction Show all 10 1 /10 Images show Didcot destruction Images show Didcot destruction 'Major incident' in Didcot Part of the collapsed building is illuminated as emergency serviceswork at the decommissioned power station in Didcot Reuters Images show Didcot destruction 'Major incident' in Didcot A still taken from ITV News footage showing the scene at Didcot power station following the explosion ITV News Images show Didcot destruction 'Major incident' in Didcot A still taken from ITV News footage showing the scene at Didcot power station following the explosion ITV News Images show Didcot destruction 'Major incident' in Didcot Smoke rising from Didcot power station in Oxfordshire where a 'major incident' has been declared Blaine Morris-Smith/PA Images show Didcot destruction 'Major incident' in Didcot A major incident has been declared at Didcot power station in Oxfordshire Stephen Griffin/Twitter Images show Didcot destruction 'Major incident' in Didcot A major incident has been declared at Didcot power station in Oxfordshire Andrew Harvey/PA Images show Didcot destruction 'Major incident' in Didcot Emergency services on the scene at Didcot power station in Oxfordshire BBC News Images show Didcot destruction 'Major incident' in Didcot An image taken from BBC News coverage showing the destruction at Didcot power station following the 'major incident' BBC News Images show Didcot destruction 'Major incident' in Didcot An image taken from BBC News coverage showing the destruction at Didcot power station following the 'major incident' BBC News Images show Didcot destruction 'Major incident' in Didcot An image taken from BBC News coverage showing the destruction at Didcot power station following the 'major incident' BBC News Using accurate data from the site they said the testing needed to ensure the building comes down properly and in the right direction is a "time-intensive process". A spokeswoman added: "We have been progressing both options with our contractors. The 'ROV' option is the preferred route, with the traditional method being prepared as a back-up, should the robotic option not prove reliable. "We have now received the detailed design for the robotic demolition option and are reviewing it together with independent experts this week before it is submitted to the HSE. Emergency services work under floodlights as they search for survivors at the power station (Reuters) "We understand that the time taken to recover the families' loved ones is deeply upsetting. We are in close contact with them, providing information and regular updates. "Our priority remains the recovery of the missing men and we are doing everything that is within our power to ensure it is progressed as fast and safely as possible." A date for the demolition is yet to be established. Recommended Read more Police release aftermath video of Didcot power station collapse Keith Cundall, an expert workplace accident lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, representing widows Gail Cresswell and Adele Shaw, said: "While the proposed plan of action for recovering Ken and John has been welcomed by the families we are supporting, there is yet to be a clear indication of when this will take place. "The lives of the families we represent have been changed forever by the delays in recovering their loved ones and the current situation continues to cause them an unbelievable amount of distress. "They want their husbands recovered as quickly and carefully as possible as they are currently living under a cloud of uncertainty that has been in place for more than four months." Calling for a "definite timetable" from RWE for the next phase, Mr Cundall said the families are keen to understand the events leading to the accident and that Irwin Mitchell are seeking to work with authorities as they begin their own investigation into the disaster. 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 plane carrying a banner displaying the slogan Take Control #VoteLeave has repeatedly flown over Trafalgar Square as Jo Coxs husband gave an emotional speech at a rally in her memory. Brendan Cox was telling crowds how the killed Labour MP lived for her beliefs and would have been spending the day campaigning for Britain to remain in the European Union. Thousands of people were gathering at events in London, across the UK and around the world to pay tribute to Ms Cox's life and legacy on what would have been her 42nd birthday. Many of those rallying in Trafalgar Square condemned the appearance of the pro-Brexit plane as disgusting, saying the banner flew over the rally several times as the memorial continued. One person called the appearance unbelievably tasteless, while another said it was completely disrespectful. Stella Creasy, the Labour MP for Walthamstow, wrote a tweet to the official Vote Leave campaign saying: Flying your plane over the memorial tribute to Jo Cox in Trafalgar Square is beyond low. Have some self respect and disappear! Jo Cox's birthday celebrated She added: It's been over twice now - that isn't coincidence @voteleave , that's just sickening disrespect! Vote Leave said it did not organise the plane, which had been dispatched by British aircraft manufacturer Britten-Norman as part of its own pro-Brexit campaign. Brendan Cox, widower of Jo Cox addresses the rally in Trafalgar Square, on what would have been the 42nd birthday of the Labour MP (PA) In a press release announcing the stunt, the firm said its banner would be flown around the UK between 9 June and the day before the referendum from a turboprop Islander aircraft. "We understand that, during a pre-planned photo opportunity over Westminster today, we were visible from Trafalgar Square and that our flight coincided with an important memorial service, a spokesperson said. "The timing of our flight was determined by weather, air traffic control and the prior approval of the the Diplomatic Protection Group and required the consent of the Metropolitan Police. "We are clearly very disappointed that the timing of the service and our flight have overlapped but there was no NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) requesting the avoidance and the coincidence of timing could not have been known by the crew flying the sortie. "Our sincere apologies to anyone present who has been offended by the overflight. We would also like to take the opportunity to advise that the flight was a private one and was not sanctioned by the official Vote Leave campaign. The plane's engines could be heard as Mr Cox fought against tears in an emotional tribute to his late wife. Brendan Cox, husband of Jo Cox, and their children ride on the boat towing a memorial dedicated to the Labour MP down the River Thames (Getty Images) Your support and your love has helped us all, he told the crowds. Today would have been Jos 42nd birthday and she would have spent it dashing around the streets of her hometown trying to convince people that Britain is stronger in Europe. He said the Labour MP would have been amazed, baffled and humbled at the global reaction to her death and the outpouring of love from around the world. A minutes silence was held during the hour-long celebration of her life, which was also attended by her three-year-old daughter Lejla and son Cuillin, five. Malala Yousafzai, the education campaigner who was shot in the head by the Taliban for her activism, was among the guest speakers at the rally. Events were being held in a variety of locations in tribute to Ms Cox's love, energy, passion, flair, Yorkshire heritage and belief in the humanity of every person in every place. Bill Nighy was due to give a reading, while U2 had recorded a musical tribute in Los Angeles. 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 The band that played at the couple's wedding, Diddley Dee, also performed and a group of the MP's friends will form an honour guard dressed in suffragette-style sashes. Leaders of multiple faiths were to lay 42 white roses, the symbol of Yorkshire, to mark her birthday at the event, hosted by Mrs Cox's friend, Mariella Frostrup. International events were also taking place in Beirut, Brussels, Melbourne, Nairobi, New York and Washington DC. Glastonbury's Park Stage will be the location of one tribute, while a charity album of music recorded by bands including Coldplay and Muse at the festival this weekend will be released in her honour. It came after a fundraising page in Mrs Cox's memory raised more than 1 million for three of her favourite charities in just three days. Tommy Mair, 52, has been charged with murdering Mrs Cox in a shooting and stabbing attack in Birstall on Thursday, and remains in custody. 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 }} Jo Coxs husband condemned his wifes death as an act of terror as he fought back tears in an emotional tribute in Trafalgar Square. Thousands of people gathered in London to remember the Labour MP on what would have been her 42nd birthday, as similar events took place across the UK and around the world. Jos killing was political, it was an act of terror designed to advance an agenda of hatred towards others, Brendan Cox told the crowd. People attending a commemorative event to celebrate the life of Labour MP Jo Cox in Trafalgar Square (AFP/Getty Images) (AFP/Getty) What a beautiful irony it is that an act designed to advance hatred has instead generated such an outpouring of love. Jo lived for her beliefs and on Thursday she died for them, and for the rest of our lives we will fight for them in her name. His speech was overshadowed by the droning of a plane carrying a banner with a Vote Leave slogan that repeatedly passed over the crowd, flying low enough for its writing to be read. The Labour MP Stella Creasy was among the attendees condemning the disgusting timing, although it was not clear whether the planes path was deliberate. Its engines could be heard as Mr Cox described his wifes passionate campaigning for Britain to remain in the European Union. 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 Today would have been Jos 42nd birthday and she would have spent it dashing around the streets of her hometown trying to convince people that Britain is stronger in Europe, he said. She feared the consequences of Europe dividing again, hated the idea of building walls between us and worried about the dynamics that could unleash. A minutes silence was held during the hour-long celebration of her life, which was also attended by her three-year-old daughter Lejla and son Cuillin, five. Ms Coxs younger sister, Kim Leadbeater, then took to the stage to pay tribute to the caring, compassionate and inspirational MP. "We have been truly overwhelmed by the outpouring of kindness and support and it has provided great comfort and strength in order for us to keep going, she said. "I don't have any answers as to why such a horrendous and tragic event has occurred in our lives. But I do know that Jo would not have wanted any of us to allow it to make her life anything other than the force for good it always was. Mayor of London Sadiq Khan listens as Brendan Cox addresses the rally in Trafalgar Square (PA) Malala Yousafzai, the education campaigner who was shot in the head by the Taliban for her activism, was among the guest speakers at the rally. Events were being held in a variety of locations in tribute to Ms Cox's love, energy, passion, flair, Yorkshire heritage and belief in the humanity of every person in every place. Bill Nighy performed a reading, while U2 recorded a musical tribute in Los Angeles. The band that played at Ms Coxs wedding, Diddley Dee, also played and a group of the MP's friends formed an honour guard dressed in suffragette-style sashes. Leaders of multiple faiths were to lay 42 white roses, the symbol of Yorkshire, to mark her birthday at the event, hosted by Mrs Cox's friend Mariella Frostrup. International events were also taking place in Beirut, Brussels, Melbourne, Nairobi, New York and Washington DC. Brendan Cox, husband of Jo Cox, and their children ride on the boat towing a memorial dedicated to the Labour MP down the River Thames (Getty Images) Glastonbury's Park Stage was the location of one tribute, while a charity album of music recorded by bands including Coldplay and Muse at the festival this weekend will be released in her honour. Mr Cox said his wife would have been amazed, baffled and humbled at the global reaction to her death and the outpouring of love from around the world. "Thank you for the love that you have poured on our family since our world collapsed on Thursday, he said. "As amazing and deeply touching as all of this is, I wish I wasn't here today. Not because I'm ungrateful to the organisers and you all for coming, but because of course I'd rather be with Jo. "But I wanted to come and show my gratitude and that of all of our family. Wednesdays commemorations came after a fundraising page in Mrs Cox's memory raised more than 1m for three of her favourite charities in just three days. Tommy Mair, 52, has been charged with murdering Mrs Cox in a shooting and stabbing attack in Birstall last Thursday, and remains in custody. 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 }} Nigel Farage has refused to apologise for a widely condemned Breaking Point poster showing a vast queue of refugees stretching into the distance. It comes after the Ukip leader was accused of adopting Nazi style propaganda tactics to help win the EU referendum. The poster Mr Farage unveiled showed refugees on the Slovenian border - part of Europe's passport-free Schengen area. Next to the billboard was the headline Breaking Point and underneath it the EU has failed us all. When asked if he had apologised for the controversial billboard as one Ukip MEP claimed during the television BBC debate on Tuesday Mr Farage responded after his speech: I apologised for the timing but I cant apologise for the truth. The SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon described the poster as disgusting while one of her MPs, Pete Wishard, also weighed in saying that a vote for leave is pretty much become a vote for petty xenophobia and anti-immigrant rhetoric. American playwright Bonnie Greer, who has famously clashed with Mr Farage in the past, compared him to Nazi military leader Herman Goering. George Osborne, the Chancellor, described it disgusting and vile and said it had echoes of literature used in the 1930s. Mr Farage also used his last major speech before voters head to the polls to cast their vote in the EU referendum to urge British people to vote with the heart and soul. He added that voters could make Friday the UKs "Independence Day. Lets stop pretending what this European project is, the Ukip leader said in his speech. They have an anthem, they are building an army, theyve already got their own police force and of course theyve got a flag. At the end of the day tomorrow when people vote they must make a decision: which flag is theirs? I want, I want us to live under British passports and under the British flag. Vote with your heart, vote with your soul, vote with pride in this country and its people and together we can make tomorrow our Independence Day a big day in our national history. Speaking to press from all over the world and Vote Leave supporters in Westminster, Mr Farage branded the EU "a big business cartel". 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 He said: "We find ourselves, for the benefit of tariff-free trade, having to accept unlimited free movement of people. We find ourselves prohibited from making our own deals with the rest of the world." Mr Farage accused Brussels of usurping control and sovereignty from the UK, and imposing EU law which "is supreme". His voice rising with passion and pulling out his passport from his jacket and waving it in front of the microphone - a signature move by the Ukip leader - he declared: "We don't even have a British passport anymore" - raising a clap from his supporters in the audience. He said: "Let's stop pretending what this European project is - they have an anthem, they are building an army, they have already got their own police force, and of course they have got a flag. "At the end of the day tomorrow when people vote they have to make a decision - which flag is theirs? "I want us to live under British passports and under the British flag." 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 }} Boris Johnson has been accused of shirking his fish-kissing responsibilities as he began a tour of England to urge people to vote Leave in the EU referendum. The former London Mayor visited Billingsgate Fish Market in London, where he was introduced to some British fish by Joey Essex's uncle. During his tour of the market, Mr Johnson spoke out against the EU's Common Fisheries Policy and said it was time to "believe in our country". While posing with a salmon alongside Greg Essex, the two were urged to kiss their respective fish for the waiting cameras. But while Mr Essex duly obliged, the Tory MP appeared to go in for the kiss before wincing and pulling away. It was a shaky start to a day's activities that have seen Mr Johnson appear on BBC Breakfast and ITV's Good Morning Britain in a last-ditch attempt to grab votes. His next stop was a tour of the town of Maldon, in Essex, where he joined the Brexit-backing Cabinet minister John Whittingdale. Boris Johnson meets supporters in Maldon (PA) Boris Johnson gives a thumbs up to supporters in Maldon, on the final day of campaigning before the EU Referendum (PA) The rally was interrupted by former Tory supporter Nigel Brunt, who said: "Democracy will win tomorrow and it will be Remain." And after jumping in a light aircraft, Mr Johnson was met by a group of supporters on the tarmac at East Midlands Airport. Boris Johnson takes a plane from Southend to East Midlands for a final day of campaigning around the country on behalf of Vote Leave before the EU Referendum (PA) Boris Johnson arrives at East Midlands Airport (PA) He told them he expected a victory for the Leave camp in tomorrow's vote, adding: "I think it's going to be a big surprise." 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 }} Boris Johnson has said June 23 would become Britains independence day if it votes to leave the European Union. The former mayor of London made the comments at the end of a landmark BBC debate about the European Union at the Wembley arena in London. Mr Johnson received loud cheers and a standing ovation from parts of the audience when he made the declaration after summing up his arguments. Recommended Read more Scottish Tories leader Ruth Davidson attacks Boris Johnson over Brexit Earlier in the debate the Tory MP came to blows with Scottish Conservatives leader Ruth Davidson who said his evasive responses on whether Brexit would cost jobs were not good enough. Mr Johnson, who is believed to harbor leadership ambitions for the Conservative party, took centre stage at the debate on Tuesday night. At the end of this campaign I think you'll agree there is a very clear choice between those on their side who speak of nothing but fear of the consequences of leaving the EU, and we on our side who offer hope, he said. Between those who have been endlessly rubbishing our country and running it down, and those of us who believe in Britain. They say we can't do it, we say we can. They say we have no choice but to bow down to Brussels, we say they are woefully underestimating this country and what it can do. Nigel Farage joins 'Fishing for Leave' flotilla campaigning for Brexit Show all 10 1 /10 Nigel Farage joins 'Fishing for Leave' flotilla campaigning for Brexit Nigel Farage joins 'Fishing for Leave' flotilla campaigning for Brexit A Fishing for Leave pro-Brexit "flotilla" makes its way along the River Thames in London PA Nigel Farage joins 'Fishing for Leave' flotilla campaigning for Brexit Boats from the 'Fishing for Leave' campaign group join a flotilla along the Thames River Getty Images Nigel Farage joins 'Fishing for Leave' flotilla campaigning for Brexit Supporters of the EU Remain camp attach banners to Tower Bridge as they await a flotilla of fishing boats campaiging for Brexit to pass under the bridge AFP/Getty Images Nigel Farage joins 'Fishing for Leave' flotilla campaigning for Brexit A Fishing for Leave pro-Brexit "flotilla" alongside HMS Belfast (left) as it makes its way along the River Thames PA Nigel Farage joins 'Fishing for Leave' flotilla campaigning for Brexit Bob Geldof (centre) on board a boat taking part in a pro-EU counter demonstration PA Nigel Farage joins 'Fishing for Leave' flotilla campaigning for Brexit A flotilla of fishing vessels campaigning to leave the European Union REUTERS Nigel Farage joins 'Fishing for Leave' flotilla campaigning for Brexit A boat from the 'Fishing for Leave' campaign group and smaller boats from the 'In' campaign join a flotilla along the Thames River Getty Images Nigel Farage joins 'Fishing for Leave' flotilla campaigning for Brexit A fishing boat campaiging for Brexit passes by the Tower of London AFP/Getty Images Nigel Farage joins 'Fishing for Leave' flotilla campaigning for Brexit A boat decked out in flags and banners from the 'Fishing for Leave' campaign group Getty Images Nigel Farage joins 'Fishing for Leave' flotilla campaigning for Brexit Fishing boats campaiging for Brexit pass under Tower Bridge AFP/Getty Images If we vote Leave we can take back control of our borders and huge sums of money, 10 billion a year net, our tax-raising powers, our trade policies and of our whole law-making decision - democracy, that is the foundation of our prosperity. And if we stand up for democracy we will be speaking up for hundreds of millions of people around Europe who agree with us but who currently have no voice. If we vote Leave and take back control I believe that this Thursday can be our country's independence day. Mr Johnson made the comments because some elements in the Leave campaign have claimed that being part of the trading bloc is akin to being integrated into a "superstate". Mayor of London Sadiq Khan however branded the Leave campaign project hate because of its aggressive stance against immigrants. The European Union referendum takes place this Thursday. The deadline to register to vote has already passed. Additional reporting by PA Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UK Sign up to our Brexit email for the latest insight Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Brexit and beyond email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} Boris Johnson has pledged to apologise in public if leaving the EU triggers a recession. The former Mayor of London has rejected claims by the Remain camp and several economic experts that Britain would be plunged into an immediate recession if it votes to leave the EU on Thursday. Chancellor George Osborne claimed Brexit would create a "DIY recession" and said he would be forced to introduce an emergency Brexit budget full of swingeing cuts. But speaking on LBC Mr Johnson denounced the warnings had been induced by Project Fear and said the Remain campaign were talking the country down. When he was asked whether he would apologise he said: Of course I will. 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? 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 He said he did not want to be disparaging or critical of my friends in government, but said it was well known that there is an operation in Downing Street. He then accused of Remain side of using threats over Government contracts and the honours system as bribes to get businessmen and high profile figures to back Remain. The MP for Uxbridge and Ruislip praised the courage of JCB chairman Anthony Bamford and entrepreneur James Dyson for backing Leave. Following a small lift for the Remain side, the polls remain neck and neck with only one day of campaigning left. 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 }} David Cameron has warned his warring Tory Party colleagues that he expects them to accept the result of the EU referendum no matter how close the result. In one of his last interviews of the campaign Mr Cameron said Britain will not want to go through this again and that he expects them to back his Governments and get on with it. He is planning to roll out a series of policies to change the agenda and is scheduling a vote to renew Britain's Trident nuclear deterrent to try and unite the Tory party. But some Tories expect Mr Cameron to face a challenge regardless of the result. All that would need to happen is 50 letter from Tory MPs calling for a contest to be sent to head of the backbench 1922 Committee. In an attempt to see off this Mr Cameron has made clear that prominent Government Brexit supporters will not be punished despite the bruising nature of the campaign. Political parties are teams, broad churches, he told the Financial Times. You have to put your best players on the pitch, you have to bring parties together. It has been very hard and very tough. But referendums are always difficult As far as I am concerned this referendum should settle the matter, he says, in a clear warning to Eurosceptic Tory MPs to accept the verdict of the people, not carry on fighting the same war. I believe it will one way or another be decisive. Britain will not want to go through this again. On the other hand if we vote to leave, this really is irreversible. 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 Mr Cameron will also travel to Brussels next Tuesday for an EU summit to examine the referendums entrails. He claims a Remain vote will make him a strengthened figure in Europe, better able to promote a British agenda. He said he would push for new trade deals and new co-operation in fighting terrorism Britain holds the EU presidency next year as well as for wider economic reform. We are the reformers, he says. Reform ends if we leave, not just for us but also our friends in Europe who want our voice heard 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 }} Economic experts warning about the fall-out of Brexit are like the Nazis who orchestrated a smear campaign against Albert Einstein in the 1930s, Michael Gove has claimed. In inflammatory remarks just hours before polls open the Justice Secretary, who co-chairs the Vote Leave campaign, said experts could not always be trusted and pointed to the German scientists used to denounce Einstein to back up his point. "I think the key thing here is to interrogate the assumptions that are made and to ask if these arguments are good, he told LBC Radio. "We have to be careful about historical comparisons, but Albert Einstein during the 1930s was denounced by the German authorities for being wrong and his theories were denounced, and one of the reasons of course he was denounced was because he was Jewish. "They got 100 German scientists in the pay of the government to say that he was wrong and Einstein said: 'Look, if I was wrong, one would have been enough."' Mr Gove added: "The truth is that if you look at the quality of the analysis, if you look at the facts on the ground, you can come to an appropriate conclusion. "And the appropriate conclusion, I think, all of us can come to is that with growth rates so low in Europe, with so many unemployed and with the nature of the single currency so damaging, freeing ourselves from that project can only strengthen our economy." 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 Mr Gove made his comments after being challenged over why he is not heeding the advice of many economists who have warned that Brexit could have dire consequences and tip the economy into recession. The International Monetary Fund, ten Nobel-prize winning economists and the Bank of England have all warned that leaving the EU could damage the economy. 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 }} With Britain heading to the polls to vote in the European Union referendum, The Independent has put together a step-by-step guide on how to vote, where to vote and crucially what time we can expect the results to come in. Follow the latest live updates on the EU referendum If you have any further questions please let us know in the comments below and well try to answer them. When do the polls open and close? On Thursday 23 June polling stations across the UK will be open from 7am to 10pm. Am I registered to vote? If you are worried that you are not registered you can check with your local authority, who hold the electoral register for your area. To find the contact details of your local office, enter your postcode here on the Electoral Commissions website. Deadlines have now passed so if you are not registered you will be unable to vote in the referendum. I am registered. What will I be asked? This question will appear on your ballot paper: Should the United Kingdom remain a member of the European Union or leave the European Union? Youll be given the option to put a cross next to Remain or Leave. What is a referendum? Basically, a referendum is a vote in which a large majority of the population can take part as long as they are registered and of voting age. Usually voters are given a Yes or No question. But in the EU referendum, however, the option available will be to Remain or Leave. what about Brexit? Brexit is a merge of the words Britain and exit a fast way of saying the UK leaving the EU. Though, Brits cant claim originality for this word. During the Greek financial crisis Grexit became common referring to the countrys potential exit from Eurozone. Pro-Brexit flags fly from a fishing boat moored in Ramsgate (AFP/Getty) So, where do I vote? You can vote in the referendum in person at your local polling station which youll be able to find the location of on the Electoral Commissions website. If youre voting by postal vote you will need to send your ballot paper back to your local council by June 23 at 10pm the same time the polls close. So, if youre heading to Glastonbury next week make sure you send your vote before travelling. What time is the result announced? Well, theres no specific time. The Electoral Commission, which is in charge of overseeing the referendum, estimates the final result will be announced at breakfast time on Friday 24 June. Its a safe bet that by around 4am there should be a clear indication of which way the vote is going. Basically, as soon as it becomes apparent either the Remain or Leave side has passed the crucial 50 per cent mark of the vote as well know national turnout by this point it will be clear whether Britain has voted to either embrace Brussels or opt for Brexit. All you need to know about the EU referendum The count itself will get underway when the polls close at 10pm on 23 June at 382 local centres across the UK. These local results will be declared as the counts are completed before being collated at 12 regional centres, which will also declare to the totals for each side. The chief counting officer will then collate all the results and once they are approved and declared the referendum result will be officially announced. If you want to see a breakdown of the specific times each of the 382 local centres are set to declare, the Electoral Commission has a handy guide. Where will the national result be announced? The chief counting officer will announce the result at Manchester Town Hall. This was decided in December 2015 to ensure value for money for the taxpayer as the Electoral Commission chose to combine the event with one of the regional count collation centres rather than hosting a separate event. Will there be a speech after the announcement in Manchester? The Electoral Commission is in discussion with the campaign groups as to whether they want to make any speeches on the night. It is expected, however, that David Cameron will address the nation from Downing Street on June 24 in the event of both a Leave and Remain vote. Is there an official exit poll? No. But Britains hedge fund industry is commissioning private exit polls to get an early warning of the result and trying to make a profit from it. Electoral Commission rules allow exit polls on the day of a referendum so long as they are not published until polls close at 10pm. But that does not stop the funds themselves trying to profit from early indications of the result by using the information to place bets on whether sterling will rise or fall depending on the result. EU Referendum: Latest Poll That in turn may move the market giving the public an early indication of which way voting is going. Polling companies have said demand is high for their private services on referendum day 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 }} Jeremy Corbyn was never going to be the most convincing cheerleader for the European Union. When Britain voted by a margin of 67 to 33 to stay in the European Economic Community in 1975, the Labour leader then a councillor in the London borough of Haringey was among the minority who voted Out. His attitudes to Europe have evolved since. The social Europe of common workers rights, poverty reduction and welfare, has always appealed. But after the Maastricht Treaty of 1992, he began to see the EU as a vehicle for precisely the kind of free-market-at-all-costs ideology that he abhors. Recommended Read more The map that shows where EU referendum voters live By the time he stood for leader in the summer of 2015, his Eurosceptic views had been reinforced by the EUs handling of the Greek debt crisis. The grinding austerity enforced on Greece led him to say, in an LBC Radio debate during the Labour leadership contest: If Europe becomes a totally brutal organisation that treats every one of its member states in the way the people of Greece have been treated at the moment, then I think Europe will lose a lot of support from a lot of people. Its not quite a ringing endorsement. Indeed, it wasnt until he had been elected Labour leader that he categorically ruled out support for Brexit. Not to have done so would have risked all-out revolt within the parliamentary party and would have alienated a large section of the membership particularly the young who are so firmly behind the Labour leader. But those who say he is still, in his heart of hearts an Outer, however, are probably wrong. Shadow Cabinet colleagues say that in private conversations he has made clear that he genuinely believes that, despite his reservations, staying in is the best course for the country. Still, there is no denying that his campaigning in the referendum has been lacklustre. Different explanations are offered for this. Some Labour MPs believe the partys official EU campaign, Labour In for Britain, led by party grandee Alan Johnson, was from the outset too distant from the leaders office. Mr Corbyn and his team, already ambivalent about Europe, were happy to let Mr Johnson and the Labour In office plan the schedule, the timing and the message, and were therefore slow to react when it became apparent, through polling, that it was Mr Corybn himself who Labour voters most trusted on the issue. Mr Johnson and other Labour figures have also, understandably, pointed out how hard they have had to fight for airtime and column inches while broadcasters and newspapers were, also understandably, fixated with the political drama of Conservative politicians tearing shreds off one another. All you need to know about the EU referendum With internal Labour Party and Remain campaign polling showing support for Brexit at alarmingly high levels, David Cameron and the Tory figureheads of the Remain campaign cleared the stage for Mr Corbyn and Labour last week. A show of shadow Cabinet unity and a speech by Mr Corbyn in which he effectively dismantled the Leave campaigns claim to be champions of the NHS quickly followed. Was it too little too late? Only the outcome of the referendum will tell. If Britain votes to leave, there will be those who pin the blame on Mr Corbyn. But many senior Labour figures are now facing up to the fact that the partys problem in this referendum runs deeper. In our industrial heartlands, there is no getting away from the issue of immigration, Labour In figurehead Chuka Umunna said last week. Other MPs speak gloomily of staunch support for Leave on the doorstep in lower income, urban Labour areas. Immigration, again and again, is offered as the reason. The question of how to address the issue is not a new one for Labour. For years its leading figures had been more or less unambiguously pro-immigration. Only when the party began haemorrhaging votes to Ukip ahead of the last election did Ed Miliband attempt to address the issue, with a halfway house call for controls on immigration that looked too much like lip service to win back many votes. Now, in Mr Corbyn, they have a leader who is whole-heartedly pro-immigration. Shadow Cabinet colleagues say he takes a highly principled line on it it is good for the country and the only problems are those caused by employers undercutting workers wages. His positive stance is admired in some sections of the party, especially amid mounting unease about the tone of the EU referendum debate and fears of the rise of more virulently anti-migrant sentiment in Britain. In other quarters there are concerns that the leader will not be able to grasp the nettle and properly address Labour voters concerns about migration risking a further exodus of working class supporters into the hands of Ukip or, in the event of Brexit, a ruling Tory party with a mandate to shut the borders to EU migrants. 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. If Britain votes to Leave, it could be taken as a sign among Mr Corbyns opponents in the party that Labour and its leader underestimated scale of public concern about immigration, weakening their position. If Remain wins, immigration could still become a divisive issue within the leadership. The partys deputy leader Tom Watson added his voice last week to calls for reform to the EUs freedom of movement rules, in a bid to convince supporters that Labour backs Remain, but is serious about controlling immigration. The UK has the EU presidency in 2017 and a significant opportunity to push for such changes. Against this backdrop, Mr Corbyn will face a choice between doing a Miliband, and offering half-hearted support for moderate reforms to immigration controls, or sticking to his guns and arguing that current levels of migration are sustainable and good for a country with an ageing population. Many in his party feel the same, even if they fear their voters do not. Others fear further erosions of the partys support in its northern heartlands. It all adds up to another potentially damaging schism within the Labour Party, at a time when they will also face an almighty row over the renewal of the Trident nuclear missile system. Whatever the outcome of the EU referendum, Jeremy Corbyns difficult reign as Labour leader shows no signs it will get any easier. 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 }} Michael Gove has apologised for comparing economic experts warning about leaving the European Union with the Nazis who denounced physicist Albert Einstein in the 1930s. The inflammatory remarks just hours before the polls open led David Cameron, who is Mr Goves close friend and Cabinet colleague, to say that the Justice Secretary had lost it and made a massive mistake in making the comparison. Apologising for the comments, which he made on LBC radio on Tuesday, Mr Gove said: Yesterday I was asked a question by Iain Dale [LBC presenter] about the predictions of doom for the economy. I answered, as I often do, with a historical analogy. It was clumsy and inappropriate. Obviously I did not mean to imply anything about the motives of those who have spoken out in favour of staying in the EU. Throughout the campaign I've avoided making personal attacks, I'm sorry for speaking so clumsily and apologise for giving offenceI think Britain will be more prosperous if we end our connection to the euro project and I should have answered this question directly. Just hours before his apology his fellow leading Leave campaigner Boris Johnson backed him, telling BBC Radio 4s World at One: Michael Gove has run an absolutely fantastic campaign and he is right in what he says, I think. Tim Farron attacks Michael Gove "Some of these experts, they totally failed to foresee the crash of 2008, the former mayor of London added. The International Monetary Fund, ten Nobel-prize winning economists and the Bank of England have all warned that leaving the EU could damage the economy. "I think the key thing here is to interrogate the assumptions that are made and to ask if these arguments are good, Mr Gove told LBC Radio on Tuesday. 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 "We have to be careful about historical comparisons, but Albert Einstein during the 1930s was denounced by the German authorities for being wrong and his theories were denounced, and one of the reasons of course he was denounced was because he was Jewish. "They got 100 German scientists in the pay of the government to say that he was wrong and Einstein said: 'Look, if I was wrong, one would have been enough."' Ruth Davidson attacks Boris Johnson and Michael Gove on the economy Mr Gove added: "The truth is that if you look at the quality of the analysis, if you look at the facts on the ground, you can come to an appropriate conclusion. "And the appropriate conclusion, I think, all of us can come to is that with growth rates so low in Europe, with so many unemployed and with the nature of the single currency so damaging, freeing ourselves from that project can only strengthen our economy." 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 }} If Im honest, all this had been written long in advance. There are no lies left untold. No deceptions left unexploited. No half truths turned to face the mirror as the smoke machine fires up. And then wallop! In walked Ruth Davidson and if the nation votes to stay in the EU on Thursday it will be very hard indeed to resist the temptation it was Ruth that did it. Almost an hour and a half had passed when she stared Boris Johnson in the eye and turned the face the 6,000 strong crowd, who, if the whoopometer is a reliable measure, were on balance seemed to be of a Brexit disposition. Youre being asked to make a decision on Friday thats irreversible, you cant change it, and youre being sold it on a lie, she thundered. They lied about the costs of Europe, they lied about Turkey. They lied about the European Army. We have a veto on all those things. Theyve put them in their leaflets and its Not. Good. Enough. You deserve the truth. You deserve the truth! They went utterly wild. On a personal note, Ive had my nose pressed up against the glass of this referendum for far too long, and from a starting position of immense uncertainty, I made my mind made up me long ago. Its immigration versus the economy. And the Leave side are just offering lies on immigration, so its no debate at all. Ive watched the debate descend into the darkest places - naked fascism, to be exact - the ghosts of dead Great Britons argued over like the last Digestive biscuit. And if the ghost of Churchill has showed his face at all, it was in that moment. In long and gruelling months, it has been tempting to wonder whether a single utterance from a single politician, however impassioned, has changed anyones mind one iota. I believe that did. 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 If youve left it til now to take an interest in the EU Referendum debate then good for you. Theres every chance you found last nights events genuinely illuminating. As for the rest: Andrea Leadsom still speaks as a mum. Gisela Stuart is still an immigrant and a mum. Boris Johnson is still the grandson of immigrants. My family has benefited enormously from immigration, said Boris, which goes some way to explain why his Dad Stanley, his sister Rachel and his MP brother Jo are all campaigning for the other side. Remain had handed the script to some new actors. And it worked. Your campaign hasnt been about Project Fear, its been Project Hate, Sadiq Khan screamed at Boris Johnson. Pressure on wages comes from those greedy bankers crashing the economy. And if we leave, well crash it again, the head of the TUC, Frances OGrady boomed at the 6,000 strong audience, wisely mitigating for the small risk that the microphone wasnt working. For the first hour, applause broke out each time Vote Leave succeeded in their mission to end every utterance with the words take back control. In the final 45, something changed. When Frances OGrady asked Andrea Leadsom if leaving the EU would bring immigration numbers down, the greatest deception of all appeared to be skewered. That at no point have Vote Leave promised to bring the number down, the 350,000 number. And the audience knew it too. Later in the evening, Priti Patel wandered into the Spin Room, to tell some TV news crew how the brightest and the best will be welcome in this country. But the brightest and the best still go to the GP. The Brightest and The Best still have kids that go to primary school. Its not the Brightest and the Best that people are bothered about. Its the size of the number. At the very end, Boris Johnson, wandered to the centre of the stage, stared down the barrel of the camera, and compelled the audience to make June 23rd our Independence Day. Hell have imagined it was all very Churchillian. But his sides problem? They were completely Ruthless. 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 Daily Mail has broke with its sister paper The Mail on Sunday to formally back the campaign for Britain to leave the EU. In a two-page editorial, the newspaper argued it was best for the country to vote to leave the union in Thursday's referendum. The declaration came two days after its sister publication The Mail on Sunday - which is a separate publication with a different editorial team - urged its readers to vote Remain. It warned that "by any calculation" Britain would face higher tariff and economic uncertainty, saying it was "not the time to risk the peace and prosperity" of the UK. The split has been interpreted by some media watchers as indicative of a split within both papers' parent company, Associated Newspapers, over the issue. Journalists said it was an example of the editors choosing the stance of their own papers without the influence of their proprietor, Lord Northcliffe. The Mail on Sunday has been edited by Geordie Gregg since 2012 and Paul Dacre has edited The Daily Mail for more than 20 years. Despite this, the national paper's declaration has not been included on the front page of its Scottish edition. The Scottish Daily Mail has run on a different front page story about David Cameron's plea for voters not to "let Brexit destroy the union". Scottish voters are widely regarded as fair more pro-EU than their English neighbours and there have been warnings that the country will face calls for a second independence referendum if Britain as a whole votes to quit. The papers are not the first to come to different conclusions about their stance. 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 Last week The Times declared for Remain whereas its sister title, The Sunday Times, opted for Leave. Its stablemate, The Sun, also choose Leave which some on Twitter have said was due to the influence of its proprietor, Rupert Murdoch, - a charge denied by its associate editor Trevor Kavanagh. The Daily Mail's decision will come as no surprise to some as many commentators noted the paper's largely anti-immigration stance over the past few years. A study by Loughborough University analysing media coverage of the referendum found that The Daily Mail was the second most pro-Brexit daily newspapers after The Daily Express - which has campaigned for the country to leave the EU for several years. 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 exit polls at general elections, which are run for the BBC, ITV and Sky by Professor John Curtice of Strathclyde University, have built up a reputation for getting the result right over many election cycles. The polls work by asking people how they voted at sampling points across the country, and comparing that with surveys at the same places in the previous election. The changes can then be projected to build up a national picture. Last year, the exit poll announced when the polls closed at 10pm put the Conservatives on 316 seats and Labour on 239: the Tories ended up winning 15 more and Labour seven fewer. Follow the latest live updates on the EU referendum However, there will be no exit poll published at 10pm when voting in the EU referendum closes because the broadcasters have no way of knowing how accurate it would be. Brexit supporters urged to take own pens to polling station amid fears of MI5 conspiracy Prof Curtice and his team couldnt do what they usually do, because the last referendum to compare todays with was 41 years ago and there wasnt an exit poll then. There is, therefore, no baseline against which to measure how people have voted this time. Some estimates have been made, extrapolating from opinion poll questions, of how pro- or anti-EU various places in the UK are. These will be useful on Friday morning for judging the significance of the early results. Chris Hanretty of the University of East Anglia estimates that if Leave is six percentage points ahead in Sunderland, expected to be one of the first councils to declare, that would mean the national vote is close. YouGov has also produced a map of the UK showing how Eurosceptic the country is by parliamentary constituency. But such estimates are not accurate enough to base an exit poll on, so the broadcasters decided not to go to the expense of commissioning one. What about private exit polls? That does not mean, however, that there will be no exit polling. The Independent understands that some financial institutions have commissioned exit polls, so that they can gain early intelligence of likely movements in the markets. As we have seen, when polls have been published suggesting that Leave might win, the pound has fallen on the currency markets. Any trader with inside information on what the outcome of the referendum might be could, therefore, make a lot of money. The problem they face is the same as that faced by the broadcasters: without a baseline it is hard and expensive to construct a sample of polling stations that is representative of the country as a whole. And they wont know if they are right until the actual results start to flow in from about 12.30am on Friday. For that reason, any movements in the currency markets on Thursday should be treated with scepticism. They may be based on private exit polls, or they may be the result of rumours about them, and if they are based on exit polls those polls may be wrong. 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Show all 21 1 /21 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Portugal drinks more wine than France Tindo - Fotolia 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Young Italians, by some distance, are the most likely to live at home with their parents 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Britain is on course to overtake Germany as Europes most populated country 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Greek workers work the longest hours in the EU 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Estonia has, per capita, more drug-related deaths than anyone else 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe The fastest download speeds are to be found in Romania 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Slovenia, Malta and Poland have the smallest gender pay gaps 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe France hates its leader more than other European countries 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Eastern and Western Europe are very divided on the issue of gay marriage 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Germany has the most millionaires 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Everyone likes Christmas, apart from France 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Germany accepts by far the most asylum applications 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe The UK and France have some of the most positive views of Muslim people 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Europe's largest Muslim population is in Germany 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Danes are the most trusting Europeans, and Cypriots the least 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Finland has the worst economy in the EU 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Italy has cut back its military spending more than any other major European Nato member 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Everyone is sad about the refugee crisis 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe People in Spain are also the most likely to live in flats (Brits are most likely to live in houses) 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Spain is the most likely to feel neighbourly 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Luxembourg is home to the highest proportion of foreign nationals Remember, publishing exit polls before 10pm is illegal Section 66 of the Representation of the People Act 1983 prohibits the publication, before the close of poll, of any forecast, survey or estimate of how people have voted. This includes postal votes (opinion pollsters ask how people have voted but they are not allowed to publish the results) and any kind of exit poll or on-the-day poll, but not what individuals say about how they have voted. And it includes social media. So you are allowed to say on Facebook how you have voted, but you may not count up how all your friends say they have voted and publish that. So what will we know on Thursday? The last normal opinion polls will be published today and tomorrow morning. Opinium this afternoon, ComRes and YouGov tonight and Ipsos MORI tomorrow morning. What will be published at 10pm, when the polls close, will not be exit polls but at least two on the day polls. YouGov will publish a survey of its panel, recontacting what they hope is a representative sample of people to ask how they actually voted. When YouGov did this on the day of the Scottish referendum in 2014, its prediction was within one percentage point of the result (YouGov predicted a No vote of 54 per cent as against the final result, 55 per cent). Another polling company, TNS, will publish a similar exercise at 10pm on Thursday, but its Election Day Voter Panel consists of only 200 people, and is designed to pick up more on the reasons for any late swing, rather than to make a prediction. 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 Remain and Leave camps clashed in an acrimonious debate in which the economy and immigration were at the forefront of claim and counter-claim. London Mayor Sadiq Khan drew raucous cheers for rounding on his predecessor Boris Johnson and claiming Vote Leave was "scaremongering" by claiming Turkey would imminently join the EU. Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson also received widespread praise for challenging the Leave side to provide examples for their arguments and passionately describing her time in the armed forces. But Mr Johnson received possibly the biggest cheer of the night when he declared in his closing arguments that polling day on Thursday "could be our country's independence day". Here is how The Independent rated the two sides: Leave The Vote Leave team (from left), Boris Johnson, former Mayor of London, Gisela Stuart, Labour MP for Birmingham Edgbaston and Andrea Leadsom, Tory energy minister (AFP/Getty Images) Gisela Stuart 4/10 Not easy for the only Labour member of Leave side. She started well but fell apart when challenged on whether the Leave campaign would promise to cut immigration to the EU. She did not have a convincing answer. Boris Johnson 6/10 This was always going to be a challenge for the London Mayor as he was going to be the one member of the Leave panel who the Remain side wanted to take down. His was an assured performance but not outstanding. He held his ground but little more. Andrea Leadsom 3/10 A less impressive performance from Ms Leadsom than in the last debate that she took part in. She seemed slightly stilted and very Conservative which given that Labour voters are the key constituency was perhaps a mistake. Remain The Remain camp: Ruth Davidson, leader of the Scottish Conservatives, Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London and Frances O'Grady, General Secretary of Frances O'Grady (Getty Images) Sadiq Khan 6/10 Sadiq Khan was a tough and, at times, aggressive debater taking on Boris Johnson on the economy and immigration. Not always sympathetic he, however, managed to get his points across. Unlikely to convince many swing voters. Ruth Davidson 8/10 The star of the debate. Davidson repeatedly challenged the leave campaign and Boris in particular for not having specifics to back up their arguments. She was feisty without being overly aggressive and proved why she has been so successful at improving the Tories fortunes north of the border. Frances OGrady 6/10 The former head of the TUC was there to be the workers voice in the debate. She didnt lack passion but sometimes sounded a little over the top. However her attacks on the Tory leavers saying they could not be trusted to protect employment rights will probably have hit home with voters she was on the panel to influence. 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 long-term outlook for Britain outside the EU is about three things: economics, economics and economics. Almost all economists who have pronounced on the subject say that our national income would be lower than if we stayed in the single market. They do not say we would be poorer than we are now, but that we would be poorer than we would otherwise be. Estimates of the long-term effect range from 3 per cent of national income (Oxford Economics) to 8 per cent (London School of Economics). Source: Financial Times There may be all sorts of good reasons for leaving the EU, but maximising national wealth is not one of them. Wouldnt a Brexit recession be short-lived? We are not talking about the short-term effects of the disruption of Brexit. That would happen in two stages. First would be the immediate effect on confidence of a Leave vote: that would reflect expectations of lower growth in the long term, reducing economic activity immediately. Second would be the effects of Britain actually leaving the EU: the costs of tariffs on trade with the EU, and of new regulations now that we are responsible for our trade with the rest of the world. But after that, once the economy has adjusted to those changes, the long-term effects of being outside the EU would still be acting as a brake on growth. There are three main reasons for this. All you need to know about the EU referendum 1. We would be trading less with the EU Whatever our relations with the EU, we would not have tariff-free access to the single market, if we assume that Boris Johnson, or whoever is prime minister, sticks to the Leave campaigns policy of refusing to allow Britain to be part of the free movement of EU workers. 2. We would attract less foreign investment One of the reasons American, Chinese and Japanese companies choose to set up in Britain is that it gives them access to the EU single market. We would still have many attractions the English language, lovely countryside, three-pin plugs but we would be slightly less attractive than we were. 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. 3. Our labour market would become less dynamic At the moment, the British labour market is a world phenomenon. We are creating jobs at a record tilt. This is largely driven by immigration from the rest of the EU, but it is having a beneficial effect on British workers, driving growth and creating jobs for them too. Restricting immigration would create labour shortages, which might push up some wages in the short run, as Lord Rose, chairman of the Stronger In campaign, embarrassingly admitted three months ago. In the long term, however, most economists say that a restricted labour market would restrict growth and any gains for groups of workers would be wiped out. But these are the people who said we should join the euro No, they are not. Most of the people who advocated adopting the euro were politicians. Economists were divided on the question. The Treasury, after all, concluded in 2003 that we should not join. Now, the Treasury, the Institute for Fiscal Studies, the IMF and the OECD all agree that the economic consequences of leaving the EU are negative. This is not just guesswork. EU membership has been good for the British economy. Before we joined the EEC in 1973 we had the lowest average growth rate in the G7 thats us and the US, Japan, Germany, France, Italy and Canada. Since we joined we have had the highest. Slower population growth The main motive for leaving the EU, for most voters, is to reduce immigration. It seems reasonable to assume, therefore, that a post-Brexit government would exclude Britain from EU rules on freedom of movement, and try harder than the pre-Brexit government to restrict immigration from outside the EU as well. Even so, it would be hard to reduce net immigration by much, as Clare Foges, David Camerons former speechwriter pointed out this week (pay wall). When I worked at No 10 in 2010-15 writing key speeches on immigration I saw time and again how the Whitehall machine and various vested interests move to crush proposed immigration reforms. But population growth would be lower. So the effect on national income per head would be smaller than the 3-8 percentage points, and over time house prices might rise slightly less fast than they would otherwise rise. Diminished global clout Finally, there would be some non-economic effects of Brexit in the long term. If Scotland breaks away from the UK possibly at the same time as England actually leaves the EU in around 2018 the remaining kingdom of England, Wales and Northern Ireland would be smaller and even more lop-sided. Northern Irelands status probably wouldnt change, but it would seem even more anomalous. Britain might come under pressure to give up its permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (the other members are the US, Russia, China and France). This can be resisted, but over time, as new international arrangements are built, they will be built around the US, the EU, China and possibly India. Britain would probably come behind Japan and Russia in that global pecking order. The first of our special reports, on the immediate impact of a Brexit vote, is here, and Andrew Grices second report, on the effect of Britains actual departure from the EU, is 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 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 }} It's not just the politicians who have been engaged in acrimonious debate during the EU referendum. While Boris Johnson, David Cameron et al have been hurling insults at each other, voters have also been expressing their views - in the form of graffiti. One of the most striking examples has been a mural depicting Donald Trump and Johnson kissing each other to highlight what some perceive as the right-wing, narrow-minded message promoted by Leave campaigners. The image, which shows the presumptive Republican presidential candidate with his hand firmly on the former London mayors neck as they kiss, popped up in Bristol and is a reworking of the famous 1979 image that showed Leonid Brezhnev, the Soviet leader, and East German President Erich Honecker kissing. But it's not just that one with EU graffiti appearing all over the UK. Although most of the graffiti has been anti-Brexit, it hasn't all been one-sided. Eighty-year-old John Kapp, a Leave campaigner, was arrested after daubing Vote Leave in white paint on seafront billboards in Brighton. He painted the two-foot high letters on three commercial adverts, a skip and seven buildings. Mr Kapp, who was arrested for criminal damage, told the Argus: Ive had a Vote Leave sticker in my window for weeks now but hardly anyone goes down the road where I live so I thought Id choose the A259 where lots of people will see it. 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 }} Ukip leader Nigel Farage has pulled out of the final debate before the EU referendum for "family reasons". The leader of the unofficial Leave.EU campaign to get people to vote Leave on Thursday was due to appear on the final debate hosted by Jeremy Paxman on Channel 4 this evening less than 12 hours before the polls open. A spokesman for Mr Farage told The Independent that the politician had been forced to drop out of the debate at the last minute for "family reasons" but did not elaborate further. He said the party had offered their migration spokesman, Steven Woolfe, instead but were declined. A spokesman for Channel 4 said Mr Farage had pulled out at around 2pm and the line up had been reshuffled. Mr Farage has been accused of "blatant scaremongering" and "Nazi propaganda" during the campaign as his side - which is separate from the official Brexit campaign Vote Leave - remaining heavily focused on immigration. Last week he was condemned for unveiling a new poster depicting a line of refugees with the caption "Breaking Point" with "the EU has failed us all" underneath within hours of pro-Remain MP Jo Cox being murdered in her Batley and Spen constituency. Farage refuses to apologise for 'Breaking Point' poster Earlier today, he refused to apologise for the poster - as Ukip MEP Dianne James claimed he already had - saying he was sorry "for the timing...but I can't apologise for the truth". Polling stations open in less than 12 hours with both sides still neck and neck. 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 The final debate will pit the likes of Remainers like former Shadow Business Secretary Chuka Umunna MP, Green MP for Brighton and Hove Caroline Lucas and celebrity chef Delia Smith against Leavers such as Daniel Hannan MEP, Conservative MP for North-East Somerset Jacob Rees-Mogg and former weather girl Ulrika Jonsson to win over the remaining undecided voters. 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 }} We could be in for a very long night on Thursday. Nearly every opinion poll published during the last few days has put Remain and Leave at or very close to 50 per cent each. Even polls conducted by phone that until recently painted a much more optimistic picture for Remain have now also been saying that the two sides are very difficult to separate. Of course, nobody who remembers the polls underestimation of Conservative support at the last general election will wish to rely too heavily on their figures. Maybe one side or the other will eventually prove to have a clear lead. But the polls will have to make an even bigger mistake than last year for either side to win comfortably. As a result, whether it votes to stay in or get out, Britain is likely to look like a seriously divided country by Friday morning. Younger voters will have voted strongly for Remain, older ones to Leave. Graduates will have backed Remain, those with few education qualifications will have opted for the exit door. Scotland and Northern Ireland are likely to have demonstrated much greater for remaining in the EU than either England or Wales. Meanwhile, many a Conservative voter and MP will have voted against staying in the EU, leaving the party with battle scars that could well prove very difficult to heal. Equally, however the vote goes, it is unlikely to prove an unalloyed endorsement of either sides arguments. If the country votes to Remain, it will have done so despite its concerns about the level of immigration. If it votes to Leave it will have done so even though many fear the economic consequences of that choice. The choice may well have been a difficult one as voters weighed up the implications of free trade and freedom of movement. What to believe about the EU referendum But how will we discover what that the choice has proven to be? The count is being conducted and the results announced local authority by local authority. That means that, on the one hand, we will have a separate tally for the small band of 1,500 voters on the Isles of Scilly, and, on the other, just one result for the three quarters of a million or so people registered to vote in Birmingham. The first information we will get is the turnout in each area. It is widely thought that a higher turnout will favour Remain, but of this there is no guarantee. The demographic differences in turnout in last years general election, when 66 per cent participated, were very similar to those in the 2011 referendum on the Alternative Vote when just 42 percent did so. But a bigger issue is that there will be no previous results with which to compare the early results. We will not be able to say that there has been a swing to Remain or to Leave in Sunderland or Swindon. However, the broadcasters have been analysing many thousands of survey responses to estimate which are the local authorities where Remain would be expected to do well and which the ones where Leave are likely to be in the lead. 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 It is these estimates that will provide the clue to the apparent implications of the early results. If one side or other starts consistently to outperform its expected tally across a wide range of local authorities it should soon become clear which choice Britain has made. But if, on the other hand, the early results suggest both sides are performing in line with those expectations, we will most likely be facing a long night. Although Sunderland and Swindon are promising to declare by one or so in the morning, most councils expect to take much longer. The pace will only begin to quicken after 2am, while most results are expected between 3am and 5am. The last few counts may not be finished until shortly before the financial markets are due to open at 8am. If the result does go down to the wire, they may not get much warning of how in the referendum has turned out. And by then they may well, like the rest of us, already be thoroughly exhausted! John Curtice is Professor of Politics, Strathclyde University 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 UK has voted to leave the European Union after Leave won 52 per cent to Remain's 48 per cent. Following 43 years in the EU, the British electrorate chose Brexit after a turnout of 71.8 per cent. With more than 30 million voting, this is the highest turnout at nationwide vote since 1992. Prime Minister David Cameron has announced his decision to stand down following the result. He said he will continue in Number 10 until a successor is voted as Conservative Party leader. The chart below shows a running tally, with the map broken down into regions. You can also use the search tool to find out how your local area voted. Follow the latest live updates from the EU referendum England and Wales voted strongly for Brexit while Scotland and Northern Ireland supported Remain. In Scotland, 62 per cent voted to remain with 55.8 per cent voting voting the same in Northern Ireland. England voted 53.4 per cent to leave the EU with 52.5 per cent in Wales also voting for Brexit. How the EU referendum result unfolded The capital strongly voted to remain with 28 boroughs voting to stay in while only five boroughs voted for Brexit. London Mayor Sadiq Khan said he believes Britain "can survive and prosper outside the European Union", as he called for calm after the vote. "I want to send a clear message to the British people and to businesses and investors around the world this morning - there is no need to panic," he said in a statement. Final opinion polls released as the voting booths shut at 10pm gave a four-point lead to Remain but while conducted on the day, that was far from a conventional exit poll and subject to a similar set of accuracy issues as most polls. The first major results to come in, from Newcastle and Sunderland, have showed much stronger performances for Leave than experts predicted. EU referendum - in pictures Show all 18 1 /18 EU referendum - in pictures EU referendum - in pictures A woman in a wheelchair with British and European Union flags shows her support for the United Kingdom to remain in the European Union on the day of the EU Referendum in Gibraltar Getty Images EU referendum - in pictures A polling station being used in the EU referendum at Batley Town Hall in the constituency Labour MP Jo Cox PA EU referendum - in pictures People arrive to vote in the EU Referendum at the Library where British MP Jo Cox was shot and fatally wounded last week in Birstall EPA EU referendum - in pictures A man arrives to vote at a polling station for the Referendum on the European Union in north London REUTERS EU referendum - in pictures Voters queue to enter a polling station at Trinity Church in Golders Green in London Getty Images EU referendum - in pictures British Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha Cameron leave after voting in the EU Referendum at Central Methodist Hall, Westminster Getty Images EU referendum - in pictures Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn cast his vote at a polling station at Pakeman Primary School in Islington Getty Images EU referendum - in pictures Chelsea pensioners arrive at a polling station near to the Royal Chelsea Hospital PA EU referendum - in pictures A woman wearing an "I'm In" t-shirt, promoting the official "Remain" campaign, leaves a polling station in London AFP/Getty Images EU referendum - in pictures People queuing outside a polling station on Amott Road in London PA EU referendum - in pictures Scotland's First Minister and Leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP), Nicola Sturgeon and her husband Peter Murrell, react as leave after casting their votes at a polling station at Broomhouse Community Hall in east Glasgow AFP/Getty Images EU referendum - in pictures A man wearing a European themed cycling jersey leaves after voting at a polling station for the Referendum on the European Union in north London REUTERS EU referendum - in pictures Ukip leader Nigel Farage arrives to cast his vote at Cudham Church of England Primary School in Biggin Hill, Kent PA EU referendum - in pictures Justice Secretary and prominent 'Vote Leave' campaigner Michael Gove poses with his wife Sarah Vine after voting in the European Union referendum at their local polling station in Kensington Getty EU referendum - in pictures Nuns leave a polling station after voting in the EU Referendum in London EPA EU referendum - in pictures People arrive to cast their ballots in the EU Referendum in Gibraltar. The United Kingdom and its dependant territories are going to the polls to decide whether or not the the United Kingdom will remain in the European Union Getty Images EU referendum - in pictures A man driving a van covered in stickers urging people to vote for the United Kingdom to remain in the European Union drives outside a polling station on the day of the EU Referendum in Gibraltar Getty Images EU referendum - in pictures A sign on a gable wall in Belfast's, Loyalist Tigers Bay urging voters to leave the EU using scripture from Revelation 18:4, as voters head to the polls across the UK in a historic referendum on whether the UK should remain a member of the European Union or leave PA An hour ahead and with a small population, Gibraltar announced its result first shortly before midnight, giving a big lead to Remain as was expected from a territory positioned on the other side of the EU. European Council president Donald Tusk said there was "no way of predicting all the political consequences of this event, especially for the UK" and called for calm. "It is a historic moment but for sure not a moment for hysterical reactions," he said. 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 }} It is, without doubt, going to be a long night. The referendum results will be counted by local authority areas who will each declare their own results. These will then be passed up to regional centres - who will declare their results - before being passed over to the central counting centre in Manchester where the final result will be declared around breakfast time on Friday. Follow the latest live updates on the EU referendum But for those who intend to "see it through" here is The Independent's guide to the results to watch for, when to expect them - and when we could know the final answer of In or Out. How the EU referendum result unfolded 1am Newcastle and Sunderland These cities will be among the first results to declare. They are strong Labour areas so will be important to see how successful the party has been at getting their voters to back Remain. 1.30 Stirling The first big Scottish city to declare. Expect a big Remain win if not the UK could be heading for Brexit. 2.00 Oxford Again should be a Remain vote. Turnout here will be interesting to see how many students have bothered to come out and vote. 2.00 Basildon Which way will Essex man go: Probably for Brexit - but if not it will be bad news for the Leave campaign. 3.00 Hammersmith London is expected to firmly back Remain. If they dont or its close here expect a long night. 3.00 Torbay The South West has always been traditionally Eurosceptic. But has project fear been enough to scare richer voters into sticking with the devil they know? 4.00 Birmingham Being such a large area this could be a real bell weather seat giving us the first real clear indication of how the vote is likely to go. But if its neck and neck we will still be hanging on. 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 4.00 Tendring The local authority that covers Clacton Douglas Carswells seat. Expected to be a stomping vote to Leave. 5am Glasgow and Liverpool The votes will really be stacking up by now and it may well be possible to begin calling the night for Remain or Leave. 4.30 Great Yarmouth A number of predominantly Eurosceptic areas, such as Great Yarmouth are not expected to declare until towards the end of the night so even if Remain are in the lead it could be reversed if the vote is tight. 7.00 Waveney The Electoral Commission expects the final four results to come through at 7am. We should know who has won a bit before then. But if its close who knows. 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 }} As Britons decide whether to back the Remain or Leave camp in the European Union referendum, Europeans across the continent are also pondering the potential consequences of a Brexit vote. Here The Independent takes a look at some of the specific questions that are among the top Google searches from people living across the EU: Germany: 'Would Brexit be bad for Londons financial centre? Besides the typical what is Brexit? query common across the vast majority of the EU Germans are particularly concerned about whether a Brexit vote would be bad for Londons financial centre. Earlier in June the German Chancellor Angela Merkel broke her self-imposed vow of silence on the EU referendum to say she hopes the UK will vote to remain for the benefit of all of us. She also appeared to warn that Britain would get a worse deal outside the bloc. In a special edition of this weeks Der Spiegel, an influential news magazine in Germany, the cover headline declared: Please dont go! Why Germany needs the British. The editorial said: The only internationally known politician in favour of a Brexitis Donald Trump - and, if nothing else does, that alone should make the British worry. Der Spiegel with cover headline of 'Please don't go!' (Getty) A survey for the magazine from polling firm TNS found that 79 per cent of Germans wanted Britain to remain a member of the EU. It added that half of the respondents believed Brexit would have no negative impact on the German economy while 36 per cent thought the economic situation would deteriorate. Poland: How would Brexit affect Poles in the UK Poles are searching for more specific areas of interest such as: what will happen to the British pound if there is a Brexit and how would Brexit affect Poles in the UK? At the last count, the Office for National Statistics concluded that there around three million citizens of other European countries residing in the UK or, around five per cent of the population in Britain. Poles make up by far the biggest group within the overarching figure, with some 800,000 living here. Predictably, perhaps, many are likely to be fearful of what the future holds if Britons vote for Brexit. Spain How would Gibraltar be affected by Brexit? In Spain the second most popular search after what is Brexit? concerns the British overseas territory on the south coast of Spain Gibraltar. In May Fabian Picardo, Gibraltars chief minister, warned Leave campaigners that they risk sacrificing the territory to the spectre of a Spanish soveirgnity grab. Rock of Gibraltar (Getty) If you care about Gibraltar, if you believe that Gibraltar should remain British, then you have to vote for the UK to stay in the EU so that we dont face a challenge to our sovereignty within four days of the referendum result, he told the London Evening Standard. We fought so hard to push off the spectre of Spanish sovereignty, or even joint sovereignty, and we would in effect be put in a situation where we are giving Spain the excuse to table it again. Romania: What will Romania lose with Brexit? More than 170,000 Romanians currently reside in Britain, so it is no surprise they are pondering the effects of a potential Brexit. As Romanian expats - like other European expats in the UK - send home a considerable amount of money, people in the country are likely worried that a Brexit vote could restrict the rights of Romanians to work in the UK. Speaking about a potential Brexit, the Romanian Prime Minister Dacian Ciolos said in an interview with French newspaper Le Monde: The Brits will decide what is best for them and Im sure they will do so in a rational way, taking into account what they stand to lose in this perspective. He added that, like other member states, Romania is concerned the economic impact of Brexit. It is expected that the countrys exports to the UK could also be severely affected. Britain is the fifth most important destination for Romanian exports with a four per cent share of the total or equivalent to 2.3 billion. Croatia: 'Is the Queen supporting Brexit?' Croatia joined the EU just three years ago by a large majority so are likely to be mystified as why Britain wants to exit. One of Croatians most popular searches relates to what their government is advocating in terms of the European referendum. But, interestingly, Croatians also seem to value Queen Elizabeth IIs input. Is the Queen supporting Brexit? is the countrys fifth most searched question in relation to the EU referendum. Close followers of Britains monarch will know she never makes public interventions in matters concerning politics. The Sun - March 2016 The Queen remains politically neutral, as she has for 63 years, is a common phrase oft repeated by Buckingham Palace. So Croatians were likely to be interested in the front page of the Sun earlier this year which declared that the Queen backs Brexit. She was reported to have let rip at the then Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg during a lunch at Windsor Castle, where she is said to have informed him of her belief that the European project was heading the wrong direction. 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 year before the general election I heard myself saying, in a live television interview: In five years time, we will have forgotten who Nigel Farage was. Ukip had just come top in the European Parliament elections, winning 27 per cent of the vote, but I didnt think the party would do well at Westminster. I was wrong about that before I was right. Farages party gained two seats in October and November 2014, when Douglas Carswell and Mark Reckless defected from the Conservatives, fighting and winning by-elections. Then, in the general election, in which Ukip was expected to win about five seats, it ended up with just one. Carswell, who had already fallen out with Farage, held his seat, but Reckless lost his and Farage himself didnt even come close in the seat he had nursed for a while, Thanet South. I still think I was right to describe the 2014 European Parliament elections as peak Ukip. I said then that the general election would be the end of the party, not because it would hardly win any MPs but because its purpose would have been exhausted. Either Ed Miliband would have formed a government, in which case the Conservatives in opposition would become the main Brexit party, rendering Ukip redundant. Or David Cameron would have been returned, in which case the referendum would be held, also rendering Ukip redundant, because the objective for which the party existed would be decided directly by the British people. Which is roughly what happened. Farages party didnt even get the kitemark as part of the official Leave campaign. As the Dick Van Dyke of the one-man band, Farage has been one of the prominent characters campaigning for Leave, but his party has ceased to be visible in its own right. 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. Indeed, Farage has been more visible than the official Leave campaign intended. One of the striking moments of the substructure of the referendum was the late-night wobbly thrown by Dominic Cummings, Vote Leaves campaign director, when he found out that ITV had booked Farage to appear on the same programme as the Prime Minister. Cummings put out a Vote Leave statement saying: ITV has effectively joined the official In campaign and there will be consequences for its future the people in No 10 wont be there for long. Cummings was well aware that Farage was engaged in an undeclared competition with Jeremy Corbyn to see who could do the most damage to his own side. The reason Vote Leave didnt want Farage anywhere near its campaign was that it knows he is a repelling magnet for undecided voters. He inspires enthusiastic support from Ukippers those with whom he hasnt had any personal dealings, anyway but his appeal is to a tightly defined minority demographic. So what happens to him and his party after Friday? Ukip continues to attract more support in opinion polls than the 13 per cent share of the vote it won in the general election in ComRess survey for The Independent last weekend it was on 19 per cent but it will become increasingly hard to see what the point of the party is. If the British people vote to leave the EU, it would be a Conservative government and a Conservative prime minister probably Boris Johnson charged with putting into effect the central purpose of Ukip. If, on the other hand, we vote to stay, politics would continue in recognisable form, a politics in which there would be a role for Ukip, but a minor one. The party could carry on as a vehicle for protest against immigration among Labour supporters in the north, and as the repository for nostalgia among disaffected Tories in the south. But the fundamental question of immigration free movement of EU workers would have been decided by the referendum. Meanwhile, the questions that once animated Tory defectors, gay marriage and wind turbines, are losing their power. Farage has shown himself surprisingly resilient in Ukips long haul from irrelevance to todays Indian summer, in which he can claim credit for having secured the referendum. But that haul has been punctuated by periods, including a few days after the general election when he resigned as party leader and then unresigned, when he abandoned the struggle. It is hard to imagine that he would set off on another long march of protest towards the distant prospect of a second referendum. But, of course, we wont forget who he was. Journalists are still full of stories about how he would suggest going for a drink at 11am, saying, The sun will be over the yard-arm somewhere in the Empire. No, we wont forget this throwback to the old City of London, the metals trader nostalgic for the boozy, unregulated days before the Big Bang, the opponent of the EU who is married to a German, and who drives a Swedish car. But on Friday, win or lose, his career in British politics is over. 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 }} Ryanair has stoked yet more controversy in the referendum debate by promising its biggest-ever seat sale on Friday - but only if the UK votes to stay in the EU. Michael OLeary, chief executive of the Irish airline, said: If Britain votes to remain theres going to be the biggest-ever Ryanair seat sale for people who want to go and visit Europe. It will be particularly aimed at Messrs Johnson, Farage and Gove - the people who really dont know that much about Europe and need to spend more time abroad. Recommended Read more Biggest turnout in history could decide EU referendum Speaking exclusively to The Independent, Mr OLeary said: We wouldnt have grown to the size weve grown without Europe, the single market and deregulation. Low fares were brought to you by the single market. What Boris [Johnson] and Michael Gove want to go back to is a Europe when British Airways were charging 800 and only the rich could afford to fly. Last month Ryanair was investigated by the Metropolitan Police following a Brexit special offer that invited British residents overseas to fly home to vote remain in the Referendum for 19.99. The Vote Leave campaign director, Dominic Cummings, said the offer was corrupt because it offered a discount to passengers with the sole aim of ensuring that they vote, and vote to remain in the European Union. Mr OLeary rejected the suggestion that the conditional offer is illegal, saying: On Friday its after the referendum is over. Its not bribery as the cheap seats will be available for both people who vote to remain and vote to exit. "We want to reward everybody. Were calling for a strong remain vote. We think if theres a remain vote air fares will fall. Ryanair will invest more in the UK, invest more in jobs and it will be better for Britain generally. 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 What to believe about the EU referendum 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 }} The lunar calendar is unlikely to have been a consideration in the planning of the BBCs EU debate in Wembley Stadium last night, but it certainly made its effects felt on one of the stars of the evening, London Mayor Sadiq Khan. The month of Ramadan, in which Muslims fast during daylight hours, moves back 12 days each year and this year coincided with the summer solstice when days are at their longest. With the EU debate falling on the evening of 21 June, it was the worst possible timing for Mr Khan, who, despite frequently raising his voice to make his points on stage, did not drink any water or eat for more than 19 hours. A spokesman for Mr Khan confirmed that the mayor did not take exceptions despite being one of just six people on stage in the high-stakes referendum campaign. Muslims in London were required to fast from 2.40am until 9.24pm, at which point the mayor was able to break the fast and take refreshments. Mr Khan was pitted against former Mayor of London Boris Johnson, with the pair trading heated remarks over immigration. Mr Khan won the loudest cheers of the evening, after he said: The problem is this, Boris. You might start off by saying how wonderful immigration is. But your campaign hasnt been Project Fear, its been Project Hate as far as immigration is concerned. Mr Johnson threw the Project Hate remark back at Mr Khan saying he was a passionate believer in immigration but it has got to be controlled, and reiterated his desire to introduce the policy put forward by Nigel Farage of an Australian-style points system so we get the people we need. 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 Khan was quick to point out that Australia sees twice as much immigration as Britain does for a country its size. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A Vote Leave representative has dodged a question about whether the campaign will pay back a 600,000 donation from a former BNP member. The BuzzFeed News website first reported on Tuesday afternoon that Gladys Bramall, of Sutton Coldfield in Birmingham, had been a member of the BNP. TUC general secretary Frances OGrady, who backs Remain, raised the question live during an EU referendum debate at the Wembley Arena. Today we learned that Vote Leave took a 600,000 donation from a former member of the BNP. Are you going to pay it back? she asked. Andrea Leadsom, a Conservative MP who was present in the debate for the Leave campaign, did not directly answer the question, however. That is unworthy of this debate, she said, before continuing: There are millions of people who have very real and genuine concerns about the impact of free movement in this country and who have donated to a campaign, to Vote Leave, to take back control. The problem with free movement, for me as a mum. Ms Bramall, the third biggest individual donor to Vote Leave, had her name on the BNPs membership register, which was leaked in 2006 when Nick Griffin was leader. She told the website: My husband joined, he obviously enrolled me at the same time. It wasnt with my knowledge. 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 After the debate Michael Gove was asked about the donation. He said Vote Leave were currently investigating how this money arrived in the accounts. Mr Gove added that the donation was from a woman who was signed up to the party by her husband, who has since died, and was "horrified" when she found out. "So you're keeping the money," he was asked. "We're still investigating," he replied. Vote Leave has also declined to comment on the revelation. Sign up to the Inside Politics email for your free daily briefing on the biggest stories in UK politics Get our free Inside Politics email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy notice Thanks for signing up to the Inside Politics email {{ #verifyErrors }}{{ message }}{{ /verifyErrors }}{{ ^verifyErrors }}Something went wrong. Please try again later{{ /verifyErrors }} A Ukip politician told a Muslim man his sort are not to be trusted after he wished him a happy Ramadan, it has been reported. Michael Frost, who is a leading Ukip politician in Bristol and former councillor for the party, made the comments in a group email thread sent to local councillors, The Bristol Post reports. Local resident and family centre worker Ahmedhakim Jahad emailed the politicians to mark Ramadan, quoting a passage of the Koran which reads: Blessed is the month of Ramadan. It is the month of prayer and guidance, discipline and tolerance, repentance and charity. In response, Mr Frost reportedly wrote back: Tell this to all the innocent people you and your type have murdered. Shame on you and the bastard scum who kill in the name of Islam. Mr Jahad said in response: I'm a practicing Muslim but have not killed anybody. I'm sorry that you feel that way, as [I] have extended my hand to you. You do not know me yet you [are] insulting me. It is very common of your sort to insult every Muslim but thank you anyhow I shall endeavour not to trouble you again. God Bless. A further response was then reportedly sent by Mr Frost, saying: Thank you for your reply, I did not accuse you of anything and I know that all muslims are not terrorists but all the terrorists ARE muslims. The vast majority of the 'real' British public don't trust your 'sort' and we don't want you in our civilised country. Please stop using the word 'righteousness' until you understand what it means, unless you think that mutilating your young girls private parts, making your women subservient and brainwashing your young men to leave their families and waste their lives fighting a hopeless war is Righteousness. 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 One of the councillors who was copied into the exchange, shared the emails with the Bristol Post after saying he was disgusted by its contents. Mr Frost defended his comments to the newspaper, saying: My stand point on all of this was always that whatever race, creed or colour you are, if you want to be accepted into our country, obey the law, accept our culture, enjoy our freedom, and if you can't or won't, you have the freedom to leave. Mr Frost became Ukip's first ever councillor in Bristol when he was elected in 2014. He lost his seat in last month's local elections. The Independent has approached Ukip for comment. 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 }} Labour MP Yvette Cooper has received a message from someone threatening to kill her children over her stance on the EU referendum. The MP, who is campaigning for Britain to remain in the EU, received a tweet which read: Hello, Yvette I have received your Stronger In propaganda e-mails 5 times please stop or I will kill your kids and grandkids. Ms Cooper retweeted the threat, writing Got this today for speaking out for Remain This has got to stop. She said she had reported the incident to the police and to Twitter, and the users account has been suspended. The threat comes amid increased security for UK MPs after the killing of Ms Coopers colleague Jo Cox, who died after being shot and stabbed in an attack in Birstall in West Yorkshire last week. Brendan Cox said his wife was killed because of her "very strong political views". Ms Cooper also represents a West Yorkshire constituency. 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 Along with Ms Cox, Ms Cooper has actively supported welcoming child refugees to Britain from Europe. She was also part of a group of MPs that launched an online consultation on abuse aimed at women on social media. 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 physical and psychological rigors of combat are intense, and militaries have the challenge preparing their soldiers for the worst of what they may face on the battlefield. The world's militaries require their personnel to go through grueling training to equip them for life in the field, and to make sure that soldiers who might not have prior combat experience are still in a state of readiness. Here are photos from around the world of some of the toughest training imaginable. In mainland China, paramilitary policeman face an intense regimen. Here, the policemen take part in a training session in muddy water. (China Daily/REUTERS (China Daily/REUTERS) Later in the training, the paramilitary police also have to crawl under fire obstacles ... (China Daily/REUTERS (China Daily/REUTERS) ... and hone their hand-to-hand combat skills. (China Daily/REUTERS (China Daily/REUTERS) Training is sometimes aimed at pushing troops to their absolute limit: Here, paramilitary police in China train at holding their breaths underwater. (China Daily/REUTERS (China Daily/REUTERS) Meanwhile, in far northern China, soldiers train in temperatures as cold as -22 degrees Fahrenheit. (China Daily/REUTERS (China Daily/REUTERS) In South Korea, members of the country's Special Warfare Forces also train in icy conditions. (Kim Hong-Ji/REUTERS (Kim Hong-Ji/REUTERS) A Canadian soldier in Latvia takes part in ice-plunge training as part of NATO exercise Operation Atlantic Resolve. (Ints Kalnins/REUTERS (Ints Kalnins/REUTERS) During joint exercises, US and South Korean Marines train together in the South Korean mountains. (Lee Jae-Won/REUTERS (Lee Jae-Won/REUTERS) US Marines also take part in annual joint drills with their counterparts in Thailand, in opposite climatic extremes. During the jungle-survival exercises, Marines have the chance to drink cobra blood. (Athit Perawongmetha/REUTERS (Athit Perawongmetha/REUTERS) Over in Japan, members of the Ground Self-Defense Forces practice holding onto a rope dangling from a cargo helicopter. (Yuya Shino/REUTERS (Yuya Shino/REUTERS) In Taiwan, in order to pass the final stage of a nine-week Amphibious Training Program, a trainee crawls along a 150-foot path of jagged coral and rocks on his belly. (Nicky Loh/REUTERS (Nicky Loh/REUTERS) In Belarus, servicemen must pass through an extensive and difficult obstacle course before becoming members of the elite "Red Berets." (Vasily Fedosenko / Reuters (Vasily Fedosenko / Reuters) The Red Berets stage annual displays of skill where some troops head butt flaming concrete blocks. (Vasily Fedosenko / Reuters (Vasily Fedosenko / Reuters) Militaries around the world make use of endurance challenges. In Israel, soldiers from the Golani Brigade must complete a 43-mile march to finish advanced training. (Baz Ratner/REUTERS (Baz Ratner/REUTERS) Enemy forces in the region have clearly taken note: In the Gaza Strip, Palestinian militants from the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades train in anti-Israel military drills. (Suhaib Salem/REUTERS (Suhaib Salem/REUTERS) In Syria, members of the Kurdish YPG train on monkey bars and fire obstacles. (Rodi Said/REUTERS (Rodi Said/REUTERS) Like the YPG, Iraq's Shia militias are one of the major ground forces fighting ISIS. Here, members of a militia demonstrate close-quarter combat skills at a graduation ceremony. (Alaa Al-Marjani/REUTERS) Other Shia militias in Iraq require their members to take part in desert field-training exercises before graduation. (Alaa Al-Marjani/REUTERS (Alaa Al-Marjani/REUTERS) 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 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 high school cheerleader wept in court this week while pleading not guilty to helping two brothers brutally murder a homeless man near San Diego. Hailey Suder, 18, faces two counts of being an accessory after the fact to the murder of George Lowery, who was allegedly tortured and beaten to death in April. Police said Mr Lowery, 50, was found unconscious by his wife Penny, close to their encampment in a river bed in El Cajon, a San Diego suburb, on the evening of 24 April. He had reportedly been kicked and punched in the head, tied up, tortured and robbed. He died in hospital several days later. Brothers Austin and Preston Mostrong, who are 21 and 19 respectively, were arrested and charged with the killing. They have pleaded not guilty to murder and torture and face life in prison if convicted. Ms Suder is the girlfriend of one of the brothers, according to a report by the San Diego Union-Tribune. Officials have yet to disclose what part Ms Suder is alleged to have played in Mr Lowerys murder, but she is accused of being present throughout the attack. The teenager was a student and cheerleader at nearby Santana High School, but did not graduate with the rest of her class last month, a spokesperson for the school district told the Los Angeles Times. Mr Lowerys wife and his daughter, Katey Torres, believe he may have been killed in retaliation after confronting Austin Mostrong for firing paintballs at another homeless man. If someone was in need he would do what he could to help, no matter how hard the task, Ms Torres said. Although he did not have much, he was always giving. Ms Suder, who entered her not guilty plea on Monday, faces close to four years in prison if she is convicted. Her preliminary hearing is scheduled for 5 July. 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 }} In the battle between Americas fast food titans, one would think the hamburger would reign supreme; but customers appear to be going the way of the chicken when ordering their meals from the seat of their cars. Chick-Fil-A came in number one according to the the latest report from the American Customer Satisfaction Index. The chicken chain soared above its competitors with a score of 87 out of 100, the report shows. The secret to their success, it seems, is keeping their menu simple and unwavering. They have a pretty limited selection of offerings and are really focused on chicken and chicken sandwiches, director of research at American Customer Satisfaction Index, Forrest Morgeson, told CNN Money. They focus on what they do best, and it does well. Behind the packaging: Photographer Peter Augustus's project on what really goes in our fast food Show all 4 1 /4 Behind the packaging: Photographer Peter Augustus's project on what really goes in our fast food Behind the packaging: Photographer Peter Augustus's project on what really goes in our fast food A burger with a pig's snout Peter Augustus Behind the packaging: Photographer Peter Augustus's project on what really goes in our fast food A hot dog made from intestines Peter Augustus Behind the packaging: Photographer Peter Augustus's project on what really goes in our fast food A ham sandwich containing pig's trotters Peter Augustus Behind the packaging: Photographer Peter Augustus's project on what really goes in our fast food Chicken nuggets containing chicken feet Peter Augustus Chick-Fil-A has garnered negative publicity in recent years, as their CEO made statements against same-sex marriage, as well as the company's reported support for anti-LGBTQ nonprofits. CEO Dan Cathy had publicly declared that the company supported traditional marriage in 2012. The claim was exacerbated by apparent millions of dollars in contributions to anti-LGBTQ organisations, like Marriage & Family Foundation, the National Christian Foundation, Family Research Council, and Exodus International. Recent tax filings, however, have shown a significant decrease in contributions to organisations with specifically anti-LGBTQ agendas. "I still wouldnt call Chick-fil-A a gay-friendly company, but I would say that our dialogues and conversation that Campus Pride has had has been a positive one. There is some, albeit small, progress there, Shane Windemeyer, executive director of Campus Pride, told qnotes. Controversy notwithstanding, Chick-Fil-A has garnered the favour of American fast food connoisseurs, followed closest by Papa Johns Pizza at 82 points. Seemingly cursed by food poisoning scares over the past year, Chipotle saw the sharpest decline in the report, falling 6 per cent to 78. Reports of e coli caused the closure of hundreds of locations throughout the US. 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 }} Officials in Florida said a man is recovering after a nine-foot alligator attacked him. Wildlife staff killed the animal, which bit the man in the leg. Reports said the attack on the man took place at Bushnell is about 60 miles away from Disney World in Orlando, where an alligator killed a toddler last week. The Associated Press said that the man was airlifted to the Ocala Regional Medical Centre after the attack on Tuesday evening. Officers with the Sumter County Sheriffs Office said they believed the alligator was up to nine foot long. The attack happened along on the victims private property in a rural part of Bushnell. The victim suffered injuries to his right leg, but Chad Weber with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, said the man was alert and talking when he was taken to hospital. Body of 2-Year-Old Boy Attacked by Alligator Found in Orlando Area The alligator was euthanised by a Florida Wildlife Commission trapper. It weighed approximately 300lbs. The incident came a week after a young child was snatched and killed by an alligator at one of its resorts. Lane Graves was snatched by an alligator at the Seven Seas Lagoon at Disney Worlds Grand Floridian Resort and Spa near Orlando. The two-year-old was on holiday with his parents, Matt and Melissa Graves, from Elkhorn, Nebraska. His body was recovered the following day. Personal injury lawyers have suggested that Disney could find itself on the end of a multi-million dollar lawsuit if it was found that it was was in some way responsible for what happened. 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 }} US Rep Steve King says his amendment to block Harriet Tubman from appearing on the new 20 dollar bill is not racist; instead the Iowa congressman blames liberal activism for causing further division amongst Americans. It's not about Harriet Tubman, it's about keeping the picture on the $20, Mr King said pointing to a portrait of Andrew Jackson, the seventh president of the US, on Tuesday. Yknow? Why would you want to change that? I am a conservative, I like to keep what we have. The Department of Treasury announced its plan to change the image on the $20 bill in April. The Republican lawmaker filed his amendment on 17 June that would bar agency from changing any images that already appears on both coin and paper currency, effectively preventing the department from carrying out their plan to replace Jackson with Tubman - a former slave, abolitionist, and womens suffrage activist - in coming years. The House Rules Committee, however, denied floor consideration of Mr Kings proposal, preventing a vote that could have thwarted the Treasurys plans to change the note. Civil rights in the US Show all 6 1 /6 Civil rights in the US Civil rights in the US Civil rights in the US Martin Luther King Jr Rex Civil rights in the US Civil rights in the US Motel sign at the National Civil Rights Museum Civil rights in the US Civil rights in the US NCRM exhibit Civil rights in the US Civil rights in the US Birmingham Civil Rights Institute Civil rights in the US Civil rights in the US MLK's birth home James Duckworth Civil rights in the US Civil rights in the US Martin Luther King Jr's tomb James Duckworth Here's what's really happening, this is liberal activism on the part of the president, that's trying to identify people by categories and he's divided us on the lines of groups, Mr King said. This is a divisive proposal on the part of the president and mine's unifying. It says just don't change anything. Andrew Jackson is a rather controversial figure in US history. A slave-owning Tennessee plantation owner, Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act during his tenure as president in 1830. The law forced relocation of Native American tribes to unsettled land west of the Mississippi River. As a result of the law, thousands of Cherokees were forcibly moved from their territory by the US government between 1838 and 1839. More than 4,000 died in what became known as the Trail of Tears. Historical memory of Tubman, many feel, demands the honour of appearing on the banknote - a gesture only granted to white, male figures of US history. Tubman was born into enslavement in 1822. She escaped in 1849. After finding freedom, Tubman returned as a Union spy and helped many other enslaved people escape through the Underground Railroad during the Civil War. After the war, Tubman became active in the movement for women's suffrage. Once Tubman becomes the face of the $20 note, however, Jacksons face is still expected to adorn the back of the bill. The former Democratic opponent of Mr Kings, Kim Weaver, told the Des Moines Register that the seven-term congressmans amendment does nothing to serve their districts constituents. Iowans have four representatives in the United States House of Representatives, and unfortunately one of them seems to maintain a laser focus on where his next headline-grabbing piece of stunt legislation will come from, Ms Weaver said. Mr King is perhaps best known for his stance against undocumented immigration into the US - particularly as it related to the DREAM Act, the legislation that granted conditional residency brought to the US by their parents as minors. Not one to mince words about the subject, the congressman said that for every undocumented minor whos a valedictorian, theres another 100 out there who weigh 130 pounds and theyve got calves the size of cantaloupes because theyre hauling 75 pounds of marijuana across the desert. But Ms Weaver sees Mr King as a public servant who does little to address the issues that their constituents face. Tuition costs are rising and graduating students are suffocating under oppressive student loan debt. Seniors are struggling to make ends meet and retire in dignity. Wages for working class Iowans continue to stagnate, she added. And Steve King is waging a one-man war against putting the first African-American woman on US currency." 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 }} Three Pennsylvania residents arrested by Port Authority police while entering New York City with an apparent arsenal claim they were on a mission to rescue a 16-year-old girl from heroin dealers. Recommended Read more Trio with huge arsenal of weapons arrested trying to enter Manhattan 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, John Cramsey, 50, said in a Facebook post on the Enough is Enough anti-heroin groups page Tuesday morning. The group made claims that the 16-year-old was being help against her will - which the NYPD later determined to be false. Once law enforcement was able to track the girl down, they said she denied needing saved. She was still taken into police custody. Mr Cramsey was pulled over with two friends, Dean Smith, 52, and Kimberly Arendt, 29, approaching the Holland Tunnel in New Jersey. Ms Arendt is reportedly the teenagers counselor, and said she received a call for help on Monday. (John Cramsey/Facebook) While the three were en route to New York, a Port Authority officer reportedly noticed a crack in the windshield of their brightly coloured sport utility vehicle. During the stop, the officer saw a loaded magazine. In the proceeding search of the vehicle, police found an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle, a shotgun, five handguns, tactical vests, helmets, and high-capacity magazines, CBS News reports. The trio is being held on $75,000 (51,000) bail. Mr Cramsey owns the Higher Ground Tactical gun range in Emmaus, Pennsylvania, and has been on an anti-heroin crusade since the overdose death of his 20-year-old daughter Alexandria in February. Newtown massacre: Barack Obama plans to reinstate assault weapons ban as retail giants suspend rifle sales after backlash Show all 2 1 /2 Newtown massacre: Barack Obama plans to reinstate assault weapons ban as retail giants suspend rifle sales after backlash Newtown massacre: Barack Obama plans to reinstate assault weapons ban as retail giants suspend rifle sales after backlash pg-30-gun-backlash-1-getty.jpg Getty Images Newtown massacre: Barack Obama plans to reinstate assault weapons ban as retail giants suspend rifle sales after backlash pg-30-gun-backlash.jpg Ever since his daughter died, I think it was one of those things where he wishes he could have done something to save her, said Michael Nickisher, a friend of Mr Cramseys, told CBS, and now that she's gone, he feels this guilt in his heart that he needs to help other people. The Tuesday morning arrest comes years after New York passed strict gun laws in 2012, in direct response to the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newtown, Connecticut, that killed 20 schoolchildren. 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," said Attorney General Eric T Schneiderman. 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 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 }} Drugs mule Melissa Reid has arrived back in the UK after spending three years in prison in Peru after being caught smuggling cocaine. The 22-year-old arrived at Glasgow airport at 9:45pm on Wednesday after completing the last leg of her journey from the capital, Lima. The Scot smiled as she arrived at Lima Airport on Tuesday evening with her father, Billy, and British embassy staff, before being whisked through security by Peruvian officials overseeing her deportation. Reid, from Lenzie, East Dunbartonshire, was caught with 23-year-old Michaella McCollum, from Dungannon, Co Tyrone, trying to smuggle cocaine worth 1.5 million in mayonnaise bags from Peru to Spain in 2013. The pair - nicknamed the "Peru Two" - were jailed for six years and eight months after admitting the offence. However, in May a judge granted Reid's expulsion under an early release scheme for deporting first-time drug offenders. Janeth Sanchez, a spokeswoman for Peru's prison service, said on Tuesday that the Scot had "served her time in prison according to the law and can now go to her country, free, to the streets". Michaella McCollum leaves the Sarita Colonia courtroom after being sentenced to six years and eight months in prison for trying to sneak a total of 11 kilos (24 pounds) of cocaine out of Peru on a flight to Spain. ( AFP PHOTO/ERNESTO BENAVIDESERNESTO BENAVIDES/AFP/Getty Images) (AFP PHOTO/ERNESTO BENAVIDESERNESTO BENAVIDES/AFP/Getty Images) A Scottish Prison Service spokeswoman said it was not involved with Reid's case. McCollum was freed in March under new legislation but was required to remain on parole in Peru. The pair were caught at Lima Airport on August 6 2013 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. Peru 'drugs mules' Melissa Reid and Michaella McCollum 'had a good offer' Show all 2 1 /2 Peru 'drugs mules' Melissa Reid and Michaella McCollum 'had a good offer' Peru 'drugs mules' Melissa Reid and Michaella McCollum 'had a good offer' Peru-REUT.jpg Reuters Peru 'drugs mules' Melissa Reid and Michaella McCollum 'had a good offer' 29-Michaella-McCollum-Conno.jpg Michaella McCollum Connolly, second right, and Melissa Reid, far right, after their arrest for drugs smuggling in Peru McCollum and Reid faced the prospect of a maximum 15-year prison term but struck a behind-closed-doors plea bargain to secure the shorter sentence. Around nine in ten of the 1,809 foreigners in Peru's prisons are either sentenced or awaiting trials for drug trafficking. Reid's father 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." Additional reporting by PA 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 story did not end when a Massachusetts man, who worked as a custodian at the very school he attended, graduated college this summer. Only a month later, he has landed the job of his dreams in the aerospace engineering industry. Michael Vaudreuil, 54, took advantage of the free tuition package when he took a custodial job at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) after losing his plastering business in the 2008 economic collapse. Upon his May 2016 graduation, the story went viral, and he was featured in a segment on NBC Nightly News. Michael Vaudreuil graduated from WPI in May 2016 (Michael Vaudreuil/Facebook) I was certainly welcoming of [the media attention], because I thought it would help networking-wise, Mr Vaudreuil told the WPI school paper, The Daily Herd. To the degree that it took off was a bit surprising. It was almost an out-of-body experience. You see this happen, things go viral - now its happening to me. 10 weird and wonderful university courses Show all 10 1 /10 10 weird and wonderful university courses 10 weird and wonderful university courses 449601.bin Getty Images 10 weird and wonderful university courses 449602.bin Getty Images 10 weird and wonderful university courses 449604.bin Getty Images 10 weird and wonderful university courses 449605.bin Getty Images 10 weird and wonderful university courses 449606.bin Getty Images 10 weird and wonderful university courses 449607.bin Getty Images 10 weird and wonderful university courses 449608.bin Getty Images 10 weird and wonderful university courses 449610.bin Getty Images 10 weird and wonderful university courses 449611.bin Getty Images 10 weird and wonderful university courses 449612.bin Getty Images After his segment aired on the news programme, Mr Vaudreuil said he was approached by four representatives from the Pratt & Whitney aerospace manufacturer separately. While Mr Vaudreuil was approached by companies all over the US, that Pratt & Whitney valued life experience, he says, spoke to the culture of the company. Im going to quote one of my favorite movies - they made me an offer I couldnt refuse, he said, referencing The Godfather. Im looking forward to the satisfaction and fulfillment that will come with the job. While the custodial and engineering positions may seem like a night and day leap for Mr Vaudreuil, he had always had an interest in engineering. He first received his associates degree in 1982 in aeronautical engineering, but did not pursue work in that field, according to the Washington Post. Instead, he ran his own plastering company until business died in 2007. He reportedly took a 50 per cent pay cut once he found the job at WPI, and felt taking advantage of the tuition-free courses would be a positive supplement to his income. Mr Vaudreuil will relocate with his family to Connecticut and begin his position as engineer for Pratt & Whitney on 11 July. Until then, however, he will continue his custodial job through the month of June. 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 Hispanic man who claims to have been the lover of the Orlando gunman, has said that Omar Mateen carried out his attack as an act of revenge after fearing he had been exposed to HIV. In the aftermath of the attack on a gay nightclub that left 49 people dead and wounded another 50, there was speculation that Mateen may have been gay or bisexual. There were reports that he had visited the club more than a dozen times and had used gay dating apps. Now, a man who has been identified only as Miguel, said he became Mateens lover after connecting with him on Grindr, one of the dating apps. He said Mateen was a confused man, struggling with sexuality and Muslim upbringing. He said he was a heavy drinker who was attracted to Latinos but felt rejected by them. Speaking to Univision, Miguel said that he believed that Mateen had engaged in sex acts with two Puerto Rican men, one of whom was HIV positive. In pictures: The victims of the Orlando shooting Show all 44 1 /44 In pictures: The victims of the Orlando shooting In pictures: The victims of the Orlando shooting Frank Escalante AP In pictures: The victims of the Orlando shooting Luis Daniel Conde AP In pictures: The victims of the Orlando shooting Brenda Lee Marquez McCool In pictures: The victims of the Orlando shooting Yilmary Rodriguez Solivan AP In pictures: The victims of the Orlando shooting Joel Rayon Paniagua AP In pictures: The victims of the Orlando shooting Jerald Arthur Wright AP In pictures: The victims of the Orlando shooting Paul Terrell Henry AP In pictures: The victims of the Orlando shooting Shane Evan Tomlinson AP In pictures: The victims of the Orlando shooting Antonio Davon Brown AP In pictures: The victims of the Orlando shooting Jason Benjamin Josaphat AP In pictures: The victims of the Orlando shooting Enrique L. Rios, Jr. AP In pictures: The victims of the Orlando shooting Darryl Roman Burt AP In pictures: The victims of the Orlando shooting Cory James Connell REUTERS In pictures: The victims of the Orlando shooting Tevin Eugene Crosby AP In pictures: The victims of the Orlando shooting Jonathan Antonio Camuy-Vega AP In pictures: The victims of the Orlando shooting Rodolfo Ayala-Ayala AP In pictures: The victims of the Orlando shooting Leroy Valentin Fernandez AP In pictures: The victims of the Orlando shooting Christopher Andrew Leinonen AP In pictures: The victims of the Orlando shooting Angel L. Candelario-Padro AP In pictures: The victims of the Orlando shooting Simon Adrian Carrillo-Fernande AP In pictures: The victims of the Orlando shooting Christopher Joseph Sanfeliz REUTERS In pictures: The victims of the Orlando shooting Javier Jorge-Reyes AP In pictures: The victims of the Orlando shooting Gilberto Ramon Silva-Menendez AP In pictures: The victims of the Orlando shooting Juan P. Rivera-Velazquez AP In pictures: The victims of the Orlando shooting Miguel Angel Honorato AP In pictures: The victims of the Orlando shooting Jean Carlos Mendez Perez REUTERS In pictures: The victims of the Orlando shooting Mercedez Marisol Flores REUTERS In pictures: The victims of the Orlando shooting Xavier Emmanuel Serrano Rosado REUTERS In pictures: The victims of the Orlando shooting Anthony Luis Laureano Disla REUTERS In pictures: The victims of the Orlando shooting Franky Jimmy De Jesus Velazquez REUTERS In pictures: The victims of the Orlando shooting Oscar A. Aracena-Montero REUTERS In pictures: The victims of the Orlando shooting Luis Daniel Wilson-Leon REUTERS In pictures: The victims of the Orlando shooting Martin Benitez Torres REUTERS In pictures: The victims of the Orlando shooting Stanley Almodovar Facebook/Stanley Manolo Almodovar III In pictures: The victims of the Orlando shooting Eddie Justice Faebook/ Eddie Justice In pictures: The victims of the Orlando shooting Luis Vielma Twitter/@jk_rowling In pictures: The victims of the Orlando shooting Eric Ivan Ortiz-Rivera Facebook/ Eric Rivera In pictures: The victims of the Orlando shooting Juan Ramon Guerrero Facebook/ Juan Ramon Guerrero In pictures: The victims of the Orlando shooting Peter O. Gonzalez-Cruz Facebook/ Peter Gonzalez Cruz In pictures: The victims of the Orlando shooting Amanda Alvear Facebook/ Amanda Alvear In pictures: The victims of the Orlando shooting Anthony Disla Facebook/ Anthony Disla In pictures: The victims of the Orlando shooting Edward Sotomayor Twitter/@ryanraiche In pictures: The victims of the Orlando shooting Luis Omar Ocasio-Capo Facebook/Luis Omar Ocasio-Capo In pictures: The victims of the Orlando shooting Kimberley Morris Twitter/ @katiezavadski While Mateen had tested negative, he feared the results were not accurate and wanted to make them pay. The thing that makes me want to tell the truth is that he didnt do it for terrorism, said Miguel, his face disguised by a mask. In my opinion he did it for revenge. (AFP/Getty) (AFP/Getty Images) Before the massacre, Miguel insists, Mateen seemed adorable and sweet and that he loved to be cuddled. He said that the pair had visited a hotel room more than 20 times. He said Mateen lashed out when he once tried to take selfies in bed, forcing him to put his phone down. The 29-year-old eventually revealed to him that he was married with a child, he says. Gunman Omar Mateen was radicalised by information he accessed on the internet (AP) After an argument, he says, Mateen apologised to him then told him his wife knew about his gay encounters. He hated gay Puerto Ricans for all the bad things he did, he said. In the days since Mateen launched his attack on the Pulse night club in the centre of Orlando, more details have emerged his background and upbringing. On Wednesday, it was reported that Mateen had visited the night club earlier that night, leaving for several hours before he returned and opened fire with a semi-automatic rifle and a handgun. The authorities released more details about the attack and some of the transcripts of the conversations Mateen had with police. During one of the conversations, Mateen told police he was carrying out the attack in the name of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of Isis. You people are gonna get it, and Im gonna ignite it if they try to do anything stupid, he said. While Isis subsequently claimed that Mateen was a soldier of the caliphate, investigators have said there is no evidence that the gunman was part of a larger conspiracy and that he was most likely self-radicalised. 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 }} Two days after US politicians failed to pass a series of gun control proposals, around 40 Democrats held a sit-in at the House of Representatives chamber to try and force another vote. Led by civil rights veteran John Lewis, the politicians took to the floor of the chamber, to try and embarrass their Republican counterparts into action in the aftermath of the Orlando massacre. Now is the time for us to find a way to dramatise it, to make it real, said Mr Lewis, according to the Associated Press. We have to occupy the floor of the House until there is action. The move came after the US Senate on Monday voted down four proposed gun-control measures introduced in the wake of the recent Orlando massacre, the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history. Following the 12 June shooting, which left 49 dead and another 53 injured at an LGBT nightclub in Orlando, Democratic Senators had staged a 15-hour filibuster to demand new gun-control legislation. 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. On Wednesday, Congressman James Clyburn of South Carolina, led the Democrats in a prayer on the House floor. Visitors in the public gallery stood and joined in. No bill, no break, the Democrats chanted loudly as they returned to sitting on the floor. The protest is not being televised because the House has not formally gaveled into session. As a result, members took to social media to lodge their protests using the hashtag #NoBillNoBreak and #goodtrouble. 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 }} In a recalibrating of his campaign for president, Donald Trump has opened a new line of assault against Hillary Clinton, accusing her of using her tenure as Secretary of State to enrich herself, while seemingly sidelining past pledges to ban Muslim migrants and build a wall on the Mexican border. Addressing an invited audience of supporters as well as reporters in the Trump Soho Hotel in Manhattan, Mr Trump called Ms Clinton a world class liar and the most corrupt person ever to seek the presidency. He made the remarks one day after Ms Clinton in Ohio launched her own attack against his economic proposals and his record as a businessman. Most striking, however, was Trumps failure to make any mention of his previously trumpeted plan to build a wall on the US-Mexico border and deport 11 million illegal immigrants. Nor did he offer more than the most fleeting of references to his proposal to restrict immigration, limiting himself instead only to accusing Ms Clinton of supporting a radical 550 per cent increase in Syrian refugees coming into the United States. Saying nothing specific of Muslims, he said: I only want to admit people who share our values and love our people. The change of tone and substance came two days after the firing of his long-term campaign manager, Corey Lewandowski, and seemed to be a deliberate effort to answer the calls from the top of the Republican Party and from donors to step away from his most controversial proposals, like the Mexican wall, and attempt a more uplifting, less divisive, message. I think what appears to be occurring over the past 24 hours is a moment in a direction that could be very, very positive, Senator Bob Corker, a Republican from Tennessee, observed in Washington DC after viewing Mr Trumps speech. 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 Using a teleprompter and speaking with none of the pantomime theatrics usual at his rallies, a ponderous Mr Trump also attempted to personalise his now familiar vision of making America great again the message on his hats by emphasising what it will mean for ordinary voters. Americans are the people that tamed the West, that dug out the Panama Canal, that sent satellites across the solar system, that built the great dams, he said. Then we started thinking small. We stopped believing in what America could do, and became reliant on other countries, other people, and other institutions. We lost our sense of purpose, and daring. "But thats not who we are, he offered. Come this November, we can bring America back bigger and better, and stronger than ever. He wound up: Americans are going to start believing in the future or our country. We are going to make America rich again.We are going to make America safe again. We are going to make America great again and great again for everyone. People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Show all 8 1 /8 People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Miley Cyrus 'God he thinks he is the f***ing chosen one or some shit! Honestly f*** this sh*t I am moving if this is my president! I dont say things I dont mean!' Jemal Countess/Getty Images People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Whoopi Goldberg 'I dont think thats America. I dont want it to be America. Maybe its time for me to move you know' People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Samuel L. Jackson 'If that mother**er becomes president, Im moving my black ass to South Africa' People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Raven Symone 'My confession for this election is, if any Republican gets nominated, Im gonna move to Canada with my entire family. Is that bad? I already have my ticket. I literally bought my ticket, I swear' People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Cher 'If he were to be elected, I'm moving to Jupiter' People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Neve Campbell 'Im terrified. Its really scary. My biggest fear is that Trump will triumph. I cannot believe that he is still in the game ... [I'll] move back to Canada' People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Jon Stewart 'I would consider getting in a rocket and going to another planet, because clearly this planets gone bonkers' People who will flee America if Donald Trump wins Randy Blythe 'He could just be a clown. If he is the president, though, I am leaving America 'till he's gone' That not does mean, however, that as soon as Mr Trump gets back on the campaign trail and away from the formal setting of a prepared speech in New York, he wont get back to all of his old antics, leading chants to build the wall and even detouring into tirades against his own party. Nor, clearly, did it mean that he would be easing up on Ms Clinton. Rather, he unleashed a torrent of allegations against her, many that might not easily stand up to scrutiny. They ranged over terrain that has now become familiar grist to critics of Ms Clinton, from her failure to prevent the killing of the US ambassador in Benghazi in 2012, to her support of her husband signing the Nafta trade deal in the 1990s and her use of a private email server. In his speech, Mr Trump focused more than before on her time as Secretary of State, repeatedly citing the 2015 New York Times best-selling book by Peter Schweitzer, called Clinton Cash, to make the claim that the former First Lady and her husband were corrupt, taking cash from regimes and other individuals in return for favours. She gets rich making you poor, Mr Trump said of his rival for the White House. Hillary Clinton may be the most corrupt person ever to seek the presidency. He claimed she had done favours for many many people in exchange for cash. Pure and simple. He also sought to link the ongoing investigation into her use of the private email server while Secretary of State with her alleged corruption. To cover-up her corrupt dealings, Hillary Clinton illegally stashed her State Department emails on a private server, Mr Trump said, before also suggesting that enemy powers probably gained access to 30,000 emails she deleted before showing investigators. As for the Benghazi attacks, Mr Trump was similarly blunt, if arguably careless with the facts. Among the victims is our late ambassador, Chris Stevens, he said. He was left helpless to die as Hillary Clinton soundly slept in her bed that's right, when the phone rang at 3 o'clock in the morning she was sleeping She started the war that put him in Libya, denied him the security he asked for, then left him there to die. 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 }} North Korea has apparently fired two powerful new Musudan mid-range missiles, according to US and South Korean military officials. At least one of the launches is said to have failed, Pyongyang's fifth such reported flop since April. Despite the repeated failures, the North's persistence in testing the Musudan is causing concern for the US and its allies in Japan and South Korea, because the missile's potential 2,180-mile range puts much of Asia and the Pacific, including US military bases, within striking range. Each new test also presumably provides valuable insights to North Korean scientists and military officials as they push towards their goal of a nuclear and missile system that can threaten the US 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. A statement from South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said a suspected first Musudan launch failed, but gave few other details on the early-morning firing from near the North's east coast city of Wonsan. Later, the JCS said the North fired another suspected Musudan, but it was not immediately clear if the launch succeeded. AP 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 }} Animal rights activists and other dog lovers have disrupted China's most controversial annual "festival" - an event that celebrates the eating of dog meat. Human Society International and others have been buying caged dogs to rescue them being slaughtered and eaten in dog hotpot dishes at the Yulin dog meat eating festival, which takes place every Summer Solstice. An estimated 10,000 dogs are expected to be killed during the 10-day event, but the society said it had bought many from a local trader who was preparing to sell them to a slaughterhouse in Yulin. It wrote on its Facebook page that the dogs have been taken to a shelter. Seperately animal rights activist Marc Ching claimed on Facebook that he had freed a total of 1,000 dogs ahead of the festival. Although locals complained activists were ruining the event and what they consider a local tradition, others took a different stance. We came to Yulin to tell people here dogs are our friends," Yang Yuhua, an animal rights activist from the central city of Chongqing, told CBS News. "They should not kill dogs in such a cruel way and many of the dogs they killed are pet dogs. '"Dogs are man's best, the most loyal friend. How could we eat our friends? You tell me. Yang spent over 1,000 yuan ($150) to buy two caged dogs at the market from the vendor. Vendors said that they hoped for good business this year. They are a lot, a lot of people who like (eating dog meat). It's your habit, it's my habit, said a vendor surnamed Zhou. Despite the open sales of dog meat on the street, reportedly none could be found for sale at any restaurants, unlike previous years. In pictures: Yulin Dog Meat Festival 2016 Show all 10 1 /10 In pictures: Yulin Dog Meat Festival 2016 In pictures: Yulin Dog Meat Festival 2016 Dog meat market, Yulin In pictures: Yulin Dog Meat Festival 2016 Dogs in holding pen at slaughterhouse, Yulin In pictures: Yulin Dog Meat Festival 2016 Cats crammed in wire cage, delivered to slaughterhouse in Yulin In pictures: Yulin Dog Meat Festival 2016 Dogs held at slaughterhouse, Yulin In pictures: Yulin Dog Meat Festival 2016 Cat looks out from its crate as arrives at slaughterhouse, Yulin In pictures: Yulin Dog Meat Festival 2016 Dogs in blood-covered holding pen at slaughterhouse, Yulin In pictures: Yulin Dog Meat Festival 2016 Dogs at slaughterhouse, Yulin In pictures: Yulin Dog Meat Festival 2016 Dog meat market, Yulin In pictures: Yulin Dog Meat Festival 2016 Dog meat market, Yulin In pictures: Yulin Dog Meat Festival 2016 Cat slaughterhouse, Yulin Ms Min, a Yulin resident, said: Why won't they (let us openly celebrate the festival)? The city government came out and told (the vendors) not to let restaurant owners sell (dog meat). The city government is always (handling this issue) this way." An animal rights activist carries a dog she bought at a market in Yulin (AP) Xu Yongfen, a restaurant owner from eastern Anhui province, said he was disappointed in the city efforts to keep the festival low key. The people of Yulin can see so many dog lovers who like dogs, so they don't want to connect (anything) with dog. I personally like eating dog meat, he said. Dog meat eating has existed in China for more than 500 years, where it was once a delicacy, and has since dramatically declined, but the festival has only taken place since 2009. The event has also attracted international condemnation from animal lovers, including record and television entrepreneur Simon Cowell. The local government of Yulin, in south east China, has distanced itself from the controversial event, which it says it does not recognise and has received widespread opposition. More than 11 million people have signed a petition calling for the event to be cancelled. The government is reported to hold meetings before every event to discuss counter measures, which include deploying police and authorities to inspect those who sell dogs. Dogs in a cage for sale at a market in Yulin city, southern China's Guangxi province (EPA) Vendors of the dog meat say the animals are killed in a humane way, but those who oppose the event say dogs are caged with other animals and are either skinned alive or bludgeoned to death in public before being turned into meat and sold on the street. Slaughtered dogs for sale in Yulin, images that have outraged animal lovers (EPA) Dogs, which were once banned under the communist control of Mao, are now legally allowed to be kept as pets once more, encouraging people to see them as companions instead of food. The consumption and trade of dog meat is legal in China, but dog theft, which is reported to fund much of the dog meat industry, is against the law. Stop Yulin Forever, which started the petition, says the festival is a contributing factor in the killing of 10 million dogs in China for meat every year. But it found that as more people are educated on the issue, numbers are declining. Polls as high as 64 per cent suggest the general Chinese community would agree to end the festival. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) director Mimi Bekhechi said: The Yulin dog meat festival is condemned internationally and by many people in China itself these days because, for most of us, the idea of killing, cooking and eating dogs animals we know and love is revolting." AP contributed to this report 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 }} For Nigel Farage, Nigel Lawson and Michael Gove, Brexit is only the beginning. A UK vote for secession on Thursday would, they hope, eventually destroy the evil empire of Brussels and free 27 other nations from the yoke of Eurocracy. One mans hopes are another mans fears. The former Conservative leader, William Hague, once a Eurosceptic himself, has warned that the death of the EU might return Europe to its dark days of poisonous tribal hatreds and beggar-my-neighbour economic policies. The former Irish Taoiseach John Bruton agrees. I worry most not about the technicalities but about the destructive forces that this could unleash, not just in the UK but across the continent, Mr Bruton said. It is the potential undoing of 70 years of statesmanship. Can the European Union survive Brexit? And, if so, in what form? And should Britons care? Short-term collapse is unthinkable. EU leaders would attempt to close ranks against a common enemy Britain. By making the British departure negotiations as miserable as possible, EU governments would seek to prevent the contagion from spreading across the continent. They would fail. Brexit would embolden and encourage Eurosceptic forces of both the right and left in the European Unions heartland. In France, whatever the result this week, the Front National leader, Marine Le Pen, will make Frexit the core of her campaign in the presidential election next spring. She is unlikely to be the next President of the Republic, but her message will earn her new supporters from the nationalist left. If Britain is already in the European departure lounge, she might do uncomfortably well. A recent pan-European poll by the Pew Research Centre found a steep rise of anti-EU sentiment in almost all member states and especially in France and two of the most Europe-minded founder countries, Italy and the Netherlands. Much depends on how the 27 and especially core member states such as France, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands react. There will be a chorus of opinion, led by the former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, pushing for a refoundation of the EU with a hardcore of some of the eurozone states and an outer, looser circle of the newer, poorer states to the east and the south. There will also be demands by unrecontructed European federalists, such as former Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, for a spectacular reaffirmation of European faith. The British have gone? Good riddance, they will say. We can now press ahead with more Europe and a leap forward towards a true European government. There is also a view, in Spain and on the French centre-left, that a British vanishing act would allow a shift away from open markets towards a more political (that is, protectionist) EU. What to believe about the EU referendum One of the most far-seeing European statesmen Hubert Vedrine, the former French foreign minister, says that all these approaches could drive the union to its ruin. The divorce between popular feeling and the elites who support the European idea has gone far beyond the borders of Britain, he says. If the 27, or even some of the 27, try to press on with more European integration without popular support, there will be a backlash that could destroy the EU. Mr Vedrine calculates that there is at most 1 per cent approval across the continent for the United States of Europe, so feared by the Daily Express or the Daily Mail. There is a bloc of 15 to 25 per cent of ferocious anti-Europeans of left and right, There is a similar-sized bloc of moderate pro-Europeans, also of both left and right. Hubert Vedrine, former French foreign minister (Getty) Up to 60 per cent of voters in most EU countries are now, he says, Eurosceptic in the sense of doubtful about the capacity of the EU to deliver its promise of greater prosperity and its capacity to handle the middle-east migrant crisis. To try to win over this majority with more Europe or a hard-core Europe would, Mr Vedrine says, be like treating an allergy with high doses of allergy-inducing products. Mr Vedrine says that the EU should treat Brexit, if it happens, as a warning, not a a rallying cry. A pause should be called on European integration. There should be a refounding conference to devise a more modest, practical EU, retaining some super-national powers, but focused on limited areas like trade, better management of the Euro, defence, internal security and the environment. All grand plans, even Mr Vedrines counsel of caution, will be laborious and dangerous to implement, a senior European commission official warns. The danger is that the EU will be too divided both divided between nations and between blocs of nations to come up with any coherent post-Brexit strategy, he said. 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. In the recent Pew poll, the most pro-EU nations were Poland and Hungary. And yet the hard-right governments of those countries believe that they can scoop the free trade and free movement advantages of membership while trampling EU rules on democracy and the rule of law. The migrant crisis has divided the EU between a west which broadly but uneasily accepts multi-culturalism and an an east that rejects both. The eurozone crisis has divided the EU between a struggling south and a north that is reluctant to bail out its lazy and incompetent cousins. A post-Brexit crisis would see the 27 try to close ranks against Britain. That will not solve the other crises. If the Sarkozy approach prevails, bundling the eastern and southern Europeans into a second division, it may deepen them to the point of rupture. Hooray, say the Brexiteers-in-chief. The former Chancellor Nigel Lawson, said: The idea that there is anything to be lost if [the EU] breaks up peacefully I find totally unconvincing it has passed its sell-by date. I see no purpose in the EU at all. Michael Gove speaks glibly of the the democratic liberation of a whole continent. Both men ignore the vital role of the EU in permitting the orderly passage of the eastern European and Baltic countries to something like democratic and open societies in the last two decades. That process is not finished; it still could (with enthusiastic support from Moscow) go into reverse. The EU has 'has passed its sell-by date,' says Nigel Lawson (Getty) A break-up of the EU even a division of the EU into rich and poor would not be a comfortable experience for a post-Brexit Britain. Inside or outside, the British economy would remain heavily inter-linked, and interdependent, with the prosperity and stability of our nearest neighbours. The history of the past century and a bit suggests that attempts to distance or islolate Britain from the continent have unpleasant consequences first for the continent and then for its biggest off-shore island. 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? 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 }} Matteo Renzi, the Italian prime minister, has made an impassioned plea for the British people to "stay true to themselves" and remain in the European Union. The 41-year-old politician said that a vote to leave the EU would be the "wrong choice" for Britain because its identity has always involved "looking beyond itself" rather than being isolated. His words warned of the immense challenges faced by the world at present, including populist movements that were whipping up division and resentment. The former Mayor of Florence also queried the distorted idea many Britons had of the EU. "No, there is no superstate in Brussels, no pedantic grocer who measures cucumbers and lives on arcane and exacting acronyms that obscure reality," he wrote in an article for The Guardian. "Can Britain really believe this caricature?" He expressed Europe's admiration for Britain's enterprising and innovative history, noting that it was "not easy to give the British people lessons on liberty and democracy." Yet he said that voting to Leave in the referendum on Thursday 23 June would mean swapping pride for weakness. 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 Renzi also refuted the idea that the EU intervened too much in individual countries, arguing instead that struggling countries were left to flounder with their problems. "Why not take the momentum generated by this vote and channel it instead towards demanding a more effective European Union?" he asked. Mr Renzi, who became Italy's youngest prime minister in February 2014, leads the centre-left Democratic Party and has won praise for his efforts to radically overhaul Italy's political system. He is not the first European leader to appeal to Britain to remain in the EU, with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her finance minister Wolfgang Schauble warning that new trade deals will be neither easy nor favourable in the event of a Brexit. Other leaders to line up against a Leave vote include US president Barack Obama, Japanese premier Shinzo Abe and former archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams. 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 }} Our challenge, the day after, is twofold: to avoid contamination caused by Brexit and restart immediately a positive project for Europe declared Emmanuel Macron, the French economic minister. The European project cannot only be a system of abolishing rules. It will be the end of the ultraliberal Europe that the British pushed us into, a Europe without a political plan, centred on its domestic market. Of course, Mr Macron stated that he wished that the referendum vote would be for Remain, if only so that Britain does not turn into another Gurnesey, a trading post at the edge of the Continent. But, even if that happens, he added, France will take the initiative on a new dynamic for a positive project for Europe so there can be no doubt where the future lies. Recommended Read more Final Opinium poll shows Leave ahead by one point This was one of an increasing number of statements by public figures in the European Union who sees Brexit as an opportunity - allowing, at last, other member states to accelerate the ever closer union which the United Kingdom has staunchly opposed over the years. Those in the EU seeking greater economic and political integration have been rather cautious about voicing their views. This is partly because it was felt that it would have provided the Leave campaign in Britain with ammunition. But there was also recognition that there was growing antipathy towards Brussels in other member countries as well. The Dutch voted in April rejecting, in a referendum, the EUs proposed association agreement with Ukraine. Last December the Danes voted to keep its opt-outs on judicial matters, even if it cost the country membership of Europol. Last July the Greeks voted against the bailout package organised by the European Commission and the IMF. But there is the growing view, among some, that controlling the danger of contamination Mr Macron raised could be presented as a valid reason to start taking corrective steps . There is a need to guard some important principles, some important values, a senior EU official said in Brussels last week. It will not be acceptable to have states demanding the exceptionalism that the UK had enjoyed. Stopping that happening may need acceleration of some of the process of greater integration. It can be a powerful message. The belief that the European vision has become too diluted is deeply felt by many senior Eurocrats. Jean-Claude Juncker, the European Commission chief, bemoaned: In former times, all those implied in the project were full-time Europeans. Now we have too many part-time Europeans. That is a problem because some of our colleagues in the European Council are listening exclusively to their national opinion. And if you listen to your national opinion, you are not developing what should be common European sense, a feeling for the need we have to put together our efforts. But even some of those who were full-time Europeans are urging caution on ever closer union. Wolfgang Schauble, the German finance minister, has long advocated that an integrated Europe would be far better equipped to face global challenges. He even proposed during the eurozone crisis that the EU should have a uniformed fiscal policy and appoint a joint finance minister. 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. But Mr Schauble, an important ally of Chancellor Angela Merkel, has now warned against a rush to further integration if Britain leaves and declared he would oppose such a move. We couldnt simply demand more integration as a result of a Brexit. This would be crude; many would be right in asking whether we politicians have still not understood, he said. This would be the case if Remain won, but with a small majority. We should understand it as a warning and a wake-up call that we simply cant go on as before. 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? 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 French woman who left her baby daughter on a beach to drown on a beach has claimed "witchcraft" was the only explanation for her actions. Fabienne Kabou, 39, stands accused of the premeditated murder of her 15-month-old daughter Adelaide in November 2013. If found guilty she could face life in prison. The court in Saint-Omer heard that Kabou, who is of Senegalese origin, travelled with her daughter from their Paris home to the seaside town of Berck-sur-Mer. After enquiring about local tides, she then left her sleeping daughter on the beach near the water. Baby Adelaide's body was found in the early hours of the next day by prawn fishermen. Kabou told the court she was driven to kill her daughter by voices and evil forces, alleging she spent an estimated 40,000 (30,717) consulting "witchdoctors and healers". She said: "In 2011 I fell pregnant with Adelaide, she was born in August and I ended up killing her, 15 months after her birth. "Witchcraft. That is my default explanation because I have no other "Nothing makes sense in this story. What interest could I have in tormenting myself, lying, killing my daughter? "I spoke of sorcery and I am not joking. Even a stupid person would not do what I did." The court-appointed psychiatrist said her "psychological status is largely influenced by cultural references and an individual history linked to Senegalese witchcraft that radically altered her view of the world". Another court psychiatrist, Paul Bensussan, said her act could have been triggered by post-natal depression, Expatica reports. Kabou had told investigators she chose Berck, which is placed between Calais and Dieppe, because "even the name sounded sad". 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Show all 21 1 /21 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Portugal drinks more wine than France Tindo - Fotolia 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Young Italians, by some distance, are the most likely to live at home with their parents 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Britain is on course to overtake Germany as Europes most populated country 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Greek workers work the longest hours in the EU 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Estonia has, per capita, more drug-related deaths than anyone else 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe The fastest download speeds are to be found in Romania 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Slovenia, Malta and Poland have the smallest gender pay gaps 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe France hates its leader more than other European countries 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Eastern and Western Europe are very divided on the issue of gay marriage 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Germany has the most millionaires 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Everyone likes Christmas, apart from France 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Germany accepts by far the most asylum applications 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe The UK and France have some of the most positive views of Muslim people 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Europe's largest Muslim population is in Germany 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Danes are the most trusting Europeans, and Cypriots the least 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Finland has the worst economy in the EU 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Italy has cut back its military spending more than any other major European Nato member 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Everyone is sad about the refugee crisis 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe People in Spain are also the most likely to live in flats (Brits are most likely to live in houses) 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Spain is the most likely to feel neighbourly 21 maps and charts which will challenge perceptions of Europe Luxembourg is home to the highest proportion of foreign nationals In her account to the police, she spoke of the moment of leaving her daughter, saying according to Le Monde: "I stopped at one point. She gave a small jump as if shed just woken up. "She was looking for my breast, I gave it to her. I remained standing and I clutched her against me and then, I dont know, I said: No, no, no. "I couldnt stop saying no, I dont know why. I cried. It was as if I was saying to someone: I cant do something like that, but I did it." Recommended Read more Mother admits trading daughter to sex abuser in exchange for heroin Kabou moved to France in 1995 after a well-off childhood in Dakar and was studying philosophy in Paris where she met Adelaide's father, an artist 30 years her senior. She said: "For many years I struggled to wake up in the morning, my feet were paralysed. I had hallucinations, like the walls which didn't stop trembling "The two years before the murder of my daughter were the worst of my life. The two years in prison have been calmer and more peaceful." Her lawyer, Fabienne Roy-Nansion, said the 39-year-old had "remarkable intelligence" but was "subject to irrational beliefs". The trial is expected to last a week. 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 }} In many ways, it is no surprise that we stand on the brink of Brexit. No major British politician has made a positive case for EU membership since Tony Blairs short-lived attempt in 1997 to end what he called our half in and half out relationship with Europe. If we vote to leave, David Cameron will be blamed by politicians who wanted to remain for his unnecessary and reckless gamble of an In/Out referendum. But it would not be all his fault. I have watched our prime ministers perform at EU summits since 1987 when Margaret Thatcher in power. Perform is the right word, because it was usually a performance aimed at a domestic audience. Of course, other EU leaders played the same game, but most were committed to a vision of European cooperation and solidarity that Britain never was. After Thatchers handbag-wielding won the rebate on Britains EU contributions, her successors in Downing Street, egged on by most of our newspapers, felt it necessary to portray the European Union as a never-ending battle between us and them. Our prime ministers played a zero-sum game, instead of explaining the inevitable need for compromise in a club that expanded to 28 members. They trumpeted our gains as something won from a hostile enemy, and rarely explained the positive benefits of EU membership. 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 John Major tried to put Britain at the heart of Europe, but ended up declaring game, set and match. His pro-EU stance sparked the rebellion among Tory Eurosceptics, who gradually raised their sights from reform to withdrawal a campaign that could culminate in a remarkable victory tomorrow. Blair sold the UK to the rest of the EU, his high-water mark being a defence cooperation deal with France in 1998. But during his walking on water phase, he missed the greatest opportunity to sell the EU to the British public. Although being pro-European was a central part of New Labours modernising project, Blair preferred appeasing Euroscepticism to tackling it head-on. Blair saw joining the euro the EUs central project as Britains destiny, but the decision was sucked into the power struggle between him and Gordon Brown, who rightly blocked early entry. Blairs pro-European dream ended in failure. By the time Brown succeeded Blair, the new Prime Ministers relationships with other EU leaders were sour. As Chancellor, he had angered fellow finance ministers by picking an item on their agenda on which there was pre-cooked agreement, demanding such an outcome in media briefings before the meeting and declaring victory afterwards. Bemusement among his counterparts turned to anger. Major praises Cameron's work Cameron, scarred by Majors struggle to lead an ungovernable party, told the Tories to stop banging on about Europe. But he shied away from a showdown with his Eurosceptics, preferring to pander to them a big mistake, because any concessions were gobbled up and quickly followed by more demands. Although there was no great clamour from the public, the rebellion within and the external threat from Ukip persuaded Cameron to offer an in/out referendum in 2013. The die was cast. To win the Tory leadership, Cameron had pledged to take Tory MEPs out of the mainstream centre-right EPP group, whose figurehead is Angela Merkel, the most powerful figure on the EU stage. The decision returned to haunt him. As Prime Minister, Cameron found himself with only one ally when he vetoed an EU fiscal pact in 2011. The rest of the EU went ahead with it anyway. At the Brussels summit, I asked Cameron how it served the national interest for us to be so isolated. He replied that it was about doing the right thing. It was really about getting another headline in the Eurosceptic papers. He made the same error in a doomed attempt to stop Jean-Claude Juncker becoming European Commission president. Realising but not admitting his earlier mistakes, Cameron adopted a much more conciliatory approach towards other EU leaders in a frantic renegotiation of Britains membership terms. But he had so little credit in the bank that he won very few concessions. Unable to fight the referendum on such a wafer thin deal, he had to rely on the economic risk of leaving the EU. Nor could Cameron run a positive campaign about the EUs benefits. A two-month referendum campaign was never going to turn around 30 years of Brussels-bashing by many of our politicians and newspapers, often based on myths and the spectre of a phantom super-state. Recommended Read more Xenophobic has become the new normal during the EU referendum Our self-imposed, semi-detached status means, I believe, that we would get a rotten deal if we leave. You could hardly blame our EU partners because we have only ever been half in. They want us to stay but would probably want a quickie divorce if we decide to walk out. The attitude of other EU leaders would inevitably be shaped by what is best for them. Our game of us versus them would reach its apotheosis, and we might not even be allowed in the room when they discuss the divorce settlement. The EU is more likely to punish the UK with bad exit terms in order to discourage other referendums than it is to keep happy a rather annoying former partner. As the Greek euro crisis showed, we should never underestimate the determination to keep the EU project alive. The result: Brexit would mean a worse deal on trade and cooperation than we have now. Worth thinking about when you vote. 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 }} If you had just started to pay attention to the referendum campaign as many people have and last night's BBC referendum debate was the first thing you saw, you would have been surprised to be presented not with two opposing arguments, but with two alternative governments. The format was strange, with three equally matched champions on each side of the gladiatorial combat in the the arena. It meant the principals mainly traded soundbites to enthusiastic cheers and applause from their sides supporters, while the other side heckled and tried to interrupt. The first thing you would have heard, though, is that wages will go up if Britain leaves the EU, as Gisela Stuart, the Labour MP and Leaver, said, quoting Stuart Rose, the chairman of the Stronger In campaign. Boris Johnson followed up by quoting one of the Remainers opposite who had said that in too many places immigration has driven wages down, before revealing that it was his successor as London Mayor, Sadiq Khan. Recommended Read more Scottish Tories leader Ruth Davidson attacks Boris Johnson over Brexit Round one to Leave. Frances OGrady, General Secretary of the TUC and a Remainer, challenged the Leavers to promise every single social and employment right that the EU has won for us. Johnson couldnt believe his luck: We have done that already. When it suits the Leavers, they pretend to be an alternative government, promising whatever people want. Round two to Leave. Then it started to get a bit bumpier for Johnson, because the thing about being an alternative government is that it has to have policies on everything. That means it has to have a policy on immigration. Australian-style points system, said Johnson, happily. Khan quickly pointed out that Australia has twice as much immigration as we have for a country its size. Later on, because the debate bounced from subject to subject and back again with all the discipline of an unfamiliar pinball machine, the combatants returned to the subject, and OGrady demanded to know if the Leave alternative government was promising to reduce immigration. Stuart said the Leavers were not an alternative government and that it was up to whoever was the government to decide how much immigration we had, but if we left it would be able to do so. Its a con, said OGrady. Round three to Remain. If new viewers had started here, they would have discovered that Johnson, the prime-minister-apparent of this alternative government that has policies or doesnt have policies depending on whether it is winning or losing the argument, is a bit of blusterer. He had some great lines. At one point he said: Jeremy Corbyn hes the leader he said there was no way of controlling immigration in the EU. He used the word wrought. He burbled about selling haggis to America. As soon as he got into anything technical he seemed to get it wrong. He claimed that the EU prevented the British government from cutting green policy costs on energy to help Tata Steel, which both OGrady and Khan instantly recognised was untrue. And new viewers in England might have thought, who is that rather forceful Scottish woman who is pushing Johnson and Andrea Leadsom around? They too have just discovered Ruth Davidson, the leader of the Scottish Conservatives. She went for the Leavers much-repeated slogan, Take back control, by saying: You lose control by losing your seat at the table. She quoted Johnsons recent words saying that Turkey joining the EU was not going to happen, was simply not on the cards. She and Khan did a reasonable job of attacking Leaves scaremongering about Turkey. If new viewers had not been turned off by the chaotic format, they might have ended up wondering if they would rather have Ruth Davidson or Sadiq Khan as the prime minister of their alternative government. Murdered MP Jo Cox has been remembered at a gathering in central Dublin as a smart, funny and passionate public servant and activist who was destined for the top. Crowds gathered by the Irish capital's iconic Ha'penny Bridge - as others gathered in cities worldwide - to pay tribute to the mother-of-two on what would have been her 42nd birthday. Heartbroken personal friends and former work colleagues of both Ms Cox and her widower Brendan were among them. Jamie Drummond, who along with Bono co-founded poverty foundation One, was a friend of Ms Cox since her days working with aid agencies. "Jo stood for the best, whether as an activist on the outside or as an activist on the inside when she joined parliament," he said. "She stood for the best in public life and she brought out the best in people, and I hope posthumously she will bring out the best in people in Ireland, the UK and the world." Mr Drummond said he personally remembers Ms Cox for her great sense of humour. "She was just very funny and lively, had a wicked sense of humour and fantastic dimples," he smiled. "I know people in Ireland like to boast about their dimples but Jo could beat any Irish woman or man for her amazing dimples." He added: "That something so awful could happen to someone so brilliant is something that, everyone knows, has shocked everyone to the core. "Her death has impacted so many people around the world." Doug Keatinge became friendly with both Ms Cox and her widower from his time working with them overseas for Oxfam. "I remember her as being an extremely talented, determined but fun person," he said. "The kind of person you only meet very infrequently in your life that combines serious smarts with a great sense of humour and character. "You could see even from afar this was a woman who was destined for the very top - extremely able, extremely articulate and extremely passionate. "But with the passion she had pragmatism in terms of being able to reach out and work across the political divide with different people." A number of Irish politicians turned out for the tribute. Many others took turns to sign their name and leave messages on a large billboard overlooking the River Liffey which read "Today I pledge to #LoveLikeJo". Irish actor Liam Neeson has become the latest global figure to warn of the dangers of Britain leaving the European Union. With just hours until polling officially opens, the 'Leave' and 'Remain' sides are said to be neck and neck. In a statement released to AFP, the Hollywood star said a 'Brexit' would have the "worst ramifications for the island of Ireland" and would reverse the progress made since the Troubles. "Border controls would be implemented to allegedly stop illegal immigrants coming into the UK through the back door. Trade will be enormously impacted," the Ballymena born actor said. "It would be truly a shame to sacrifice all the progress that has been made by the peace process regarding border controls." Meanwhile, the Irish 4 Europe organisation said that with the polls showing an extremely tight race, Irish voters living in the UK could tip the result in the favour of Remain. David D'Arcy of Irish 4 Europe said interventions from the likes of Mr Neeson could prove critical. "Liam has come in at the last minute to rally the Irish vote and voice his concerns about the clear impact a Brexit would have on Northern Ireland," Mr D'Arcy said on Wednesday. "Irish represent up 10pc of the electorate. With such a tight race, we're hoping the Irish can tilt the balance to Remain," he added. A truck is driven by Vote Leave supporters through Parliament Square, ahead of Thursday's EU referendum, in London. Photo: Reuters Edinburgh Castle rock is illuminated with a sign to "Vote Remain" in a show of support for the campaign to remain in Europe ahead of Thursday's EU Referendum in Scotland. Photo: Reuters A Brexit could cost the Irish economy between 2.5bn and just over 3bn over the next two years, potentially wiping out the room for tax cuts and extra spending. Finance Minister Michael Noonan has attempted to play down the risk to the future budgets here, saying the reduction in growth would be "containable". However, working off analysis compiled by the UK Treasury and a British government think tank, the Department of Finance estimates a 'Leave' vote tomorrow could cost Ireland up to around 3bn between 2017 and 2018. This is more than the 2.2bn the minister has predicted will be available to increase spending and tax cuts during this period. It comes as Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin criticised the Government's lack of a 'Plan B' for a Brexit, saying: "There would appear to be a lot of prayer going on and a lot of hope that it goes the right way as opposed to any considered contingency planning." Taoiseach Enda Kenny said he does not want to set out a strategy that suggested the Government believes that the UK will vote to leave. He said that should a Brexit occur there is a "full scale contingency programme" that can be considered by ministers from 5am on Friday morning if necessary. As he unveiled the Summer Economic Statement yesterday, Mr Noonan indicated he expects to have 1bn for increased spending and tax cuts in Budget 2017. Expand Close Edinburgh Castle rock is illuminated with a sign to "Vote Remain" in a show of support for the campaign to remain in Europe ahead of Thursday's EU Referendum in Scotland. Photo: Reuters / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Edinburgh Castle rock is illuminated with a sign to "Vote Remain" in a show of support for the campaign to remain in Europe ahead of Thursday's EU Referendum in Scotland. Photo: Reuters This will increase gradually to 1.2m for 2018 and to around 3bn each year between 2019 and 2021. However, the document also revealed the worst case scenario of a Brexit would involve a hit of 1.6pc to Gross Domestic Product over two years, which equates to around 3bn. Mr Noonan moved to quell fears about the impact of such an outcome, suggesting it wouldn't affect the amount of spare cash that the Government will have to spend. "That's containable within the figures. There are a lot of moveable parts within the figures. "We're pointing out that there's a risk from Brexit, but it's not a risk that would damage the general thrust of what we're saying today," he said. Asked later on RTE if the money available for Budget 2017 would "vanish", Mr Noonan said "nothing would happen immediately". "We could carry it immediately. But certainly it would have to be allowed for. All these figures are the figures as we see them now, and then individual governments in individual years out to 2021 would have to make the budgetary decisions." The Government anticipates having around 670m extra for spending and 330m worth of tax cuts in October's Budget. That's around double the original prediction made last year. Read More Over the next five years, Mr Noonan said the so-called 'fiscal space' would be 11.3bn, taking demographics, the Lansdowne Road Agreement and capital plans into consideration. And he said that from 2019, 1bn per year will be put into a 'Rainy Day Fund' to help mitigate against another crisis. Capital spending is also to be topped up by another 1bn, meaning an extra 5bn has now been set aside over and above what was allocated to the 42bn capital spending plan last year. Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe said the mid-term review of the Capital Plan will be brought forward from late 2017 to early next year. "We won't repeat the mistakes of the past by committing to unsustainable spending increases without regard to the huge damage caused to our economy, our public services and every household by a spending policy driven by the boom-bust cycle," he said. Mr Noonan said that the Fiscal Council had yet to see the figures, although he believes it would have no problem with the Department of Finance's assessment. Meanwhile Taoiseach Enda Kenny told the Dail a Brexit plan has been designed but will not be revealed in advance of the referendum. "[The plan] would be about the economy, trade, about jobs, investment, whether or not Sterling would remain strong or whether it would collapse and if so for how long," he said. It also covers how agencies dealing with small and medium enterprises can support the diversification of their export markets. Mr Kenny said the Government would work with the EU and the UK "to protect Irish interests, including co-operation between North and South, as far as possible." His remarks came as he told the chamber the migration crisis and a range of economic issues will also be discussed at a meeting of the European Council next week. Fianna Fail's Micheal Martin said that whatever the result, there will be a need for "cool heads". He said if there is a 'Remain' vote that there should be a "moment of reflection" among EU leaders. As Ireland is heavily dependent on UK imports, any potential trade barriers could result in higher prices here. Bloomberg You'd be hard pressed to find an economist who thinks a so-called Brexit would be good for Ireland. The business community fears that a vote to pull out, if it comes on Thursday, would damage the Irish economy and potentially affect the 1.2bn weekly trade link with our nearest neighbour. The Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) has already warned there's a potential for trade to slump by up to a fifth, arguing that a British withdrawal would be particularly damaging for sectors that export disproportionately to the UK, such as food and beverages. And as Ireland is heavily dependent on UK imports, any potential trade barriers could result in higher prices here, the think tank warned. Ibec and the Irish Exporters Association have warned about the effects on sterling. A British exit could see the value of the pound plummet, making it more expensive for Irish exporters to sell their goods into the UK market, damaging their competitiveness. The effect on currency has already been felt. At the end of November, 1 was worth around 69 pence. By early April, 1 was worth around 80 pence, although it's pulled back to around 76 pence in recent days as momentum seems to have gathered for the Remain camp. The Government believes Irish GDP could be hit by up to 1.2pc over a two-year period in the event of a Brexit. That could worsen by a further 0.4pc if our trading partners in Europe are affected, it says. Financial markets are also expected to suffer turmoil, and Ireland won't be immune from that. Our borrowing costs have been inching up recently as investors have grown increasingly jittery. There has also been speculation in the UK that a Brexit could plunge Britain into a recession, which would have a knock-on effect here. And then there's the impact on Northern Ireland, arguably the UK region most economically vulnerable to a British withdrawal. The ESRI warned the north could be particularly badly affected given its large farming community. There's been much talk about the uncertainty surrounding the referendum. But economists are certain a Brexit would be bad news for Ireland. Should the UK vote to leave the EU, Irish agriculture would undoubtedly feel negative consequences, both in the short-term and longer term. Already in 2016, we have seen a weakening of Sterling arising mainly from uncertainty on the referendum outcome. In the event of Brexit, the strong trading relationship between Ireland and the UK would be significantly disrupted. That's a major concern for the Irish agri-sector - the UK is our most important export market, accounting for over 40pc of output, including half of beef exports, 60pc of cheese, 350m worth of pig meat and almost 100pc of mushroom exports. It's worth bearing in mind that, regardless of the outcome on Thursday, the UK remains part of the EU for a minimum of two years, as set out in the European Union treaty. We come back to the uncertainty issue; nobody knows how the negotiation process will go, and for how long, as nobody has ever applied to leave the club. Special arrangement for a special relationship? Despite our relationship, Ireland would not be in a position to negotiate any special bilateral trade agreement with the UK in the event of Brexit. We would be bound by whatever trade agreement is reached between the EU and UK. It has been suggested that the UK would negotiate a trading arrangement with the EU similar to that of Norway, which has access to the Single Market, and makes a financial contribution to the EU. Under this arrangement, however, many agricultural products are outside the Single Market agreement, with restrictions in place in the form of tariff quotas and regulatory, non-tariff barriers. The reintroduction of these barriers would increase costs, reduce the competitiveness of Irish exports and, ultimately, reduce the potential the UK holds as a destination for Irish agri-food exports. Where will our agri-exports go? In the event of Brexit, trade to the UK will continue, albeit at a reduced level. Ireland will find other markets but these are unlikely to be as high value as the UK. The other issue to consider is the opportunity cost - the UK is not only a high-value market but a growing one. Eurostat forecasts that by 2050 the UK will be the largest country in Europe. In contrast, almost half of European countries are forecast to experience population decreases. Another risk for Irish agri-exports is the likelihood that the UK would pursue separate trade agreements with third countries, including those with whom they have traditionally strong trade links, such as Canada and New Zealand. This would potentially displace Irish product currently going to the UK market. How would it affect UK farmers Ireland remains the main export market for the UK agri-food sector, and seven of the top 10 countries to which UK exports food are in the EU. So for farmers in the UK, the reintroduction of trade barriers could also have negative consequences, as tariff and quota restrictions could undermine their ability to export to the EU. UK farmers receive 3.9bn annually in CAP funding. It is unknown what domestic support payments would replace the current EU CAP payments but UK Treasury is likely to provide less direct support for its farmers, with a particularly negative impact for Northern Irish, Scottish and Welsh farmers. What would Brexit mean for the EU Budget? As a net contributor to the EU budget, UK's withdrawal could mean either a reduction in the overall budget, or a requirement for increased contributions from the remaining States. Any reduction in the overall EU budget would put significant pressure on CAP funding for all EU states. Another issue to consider is UK's position as an Irish ally in the EU. We entered the EU together and as part of an EU of 28 diverse Member States, our shared strong economic, social and cultural links make the UK a very important partner and ally in Europe. What other impacts could Brexit have? With a shared land border between Ireland and the UK, there is good all-island cooperation and coordination on animal health issues. Risks to the health of the animal population would increase, if, over time, different regulatory regimes were pursued between Ireland and the UK. Ireland imports approximately 90pc of its oil and gas from the UK; a UK exit would potentially increase the costs of connecting to the EU Internal Energy market. Then there are the issues that will affect all individuals such as the easy movement of people between the two countries. In the event of Brexit, the days of travelling from the UK to Ireland using the library card as ID (true story) would truly be over! Rowena Dwyer is chief economist with the IFA Another week, another EU chemicals row. This time the fracas was over chemicals that interfere with hormones, known as endocrine disruptors. The Commission last Wednesday (June 15) proposed guidelines on how to define endocrine disruptors that are present in pesticides and biocides, after a three-year delay. Endocrine disruptors are found in weedkillers, food additives, cosmetics, plastic packaging and toys, and have been linked to infertility, cancer, obesity and diabetes. One of the most notorious such chemicals is weedkiller glyphosate, which has caused a political storm in Brussels as its EU licence comes up for renewal and the science remains split over whether or not it causes cancer. A 2012 report by the World Health Organisation and UN Development Programme said at least 800 chemicals are currently known or suspected to be capable of interfering with hormones, but very few have been tested to see if they are actually harmful to humans or animals. EU health chief Vytenis Andriukaitis said that EU rules are based on science and that if a chemical is found to be an endocrine disruptor, it will be immediately banned. Unusually, Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker intervened in the row, issuing a statement saying that the EU executive is "committed to ensuring the highest level of protection of both human health and the environment" and that it is the first jurisdiction to define scientific criteria for endocrine disruptors in law. But the problem with the European Commission's new guidelines, say some MEPs and health campaigners, is that they define endocrine disruptors too narrowly, and allow for too many exceptions. The rules are also restricted to pesticides, they say. Campaigners at the Endocrine Society said it would be better to categorise endocrine disruptors based on the available scientific evidence. The Commission faces an uphill battle to have the rules agreed by individual EU countries and the European Parliament, who are furious at the lengthy delay in getting the rules out. Under EU law, the guidelines should have been proposed in 2013. The Commission was sued over the delay and was told last year by the European Court of Justice that it had breached EU law by failing to act. The issue is shaping up to be a glyphosate-sized row, with French health minister Marisol Touraine denouncing the Commission proposals for not being "protective" enough. France has already banned one known endocrine disruptor, Bisphenol A, and is concerned the Commission's rules could reverse the ban. Sinn Fein MEP Lynn Boylan said the Commission had "wasted a good opportunity to properly regulate for the protection of human health and the environment". If the action which you are proposing is considered 'a notifiable action', you must make an application to the Department of Agriculture. In NHAs, SACs and SPAs, certain activities can only be carried out with the permission of the Minister. These are called Notifiable Actions and vary depending on the type of habitat. There are 39 notifiable actions including changing the type of farming activity on lands or erecting a fence where there is no pre-existing fence. More recent regulations now state that all developments requiring an EIA will also need planning permission. An EIA attempts to predict the environmental impact of a proposed development. This is necessary for every application for planning permission for development on designated lands and is estimated to cost up to 4,000 for a 500m fence. The costs will be higher if the issue goes to Bord Pleanala, without any guarantee of success. If their decision goes against a farmer, the final option is to appeal to the High Court. Landowners should be aware that there is a short window within which legal proceedings must be started and it can be expensive. Falling foul of planning regulations can have serious consequences including fines and up to two years' imprisonment. First steps on new food safety deal EU parliamentarians and national ministers have reached a preliminary deal to improve food safety and avoid future crises like the 2013 horsemeat scandal. The agreement brings in more controls on food, feed, plant health, pesticides, animal welfare, protected geographical indications and organic farming. It also allows for surprise inspections by the Commission and national authorities in all sectors and countries, including outside the EU. The rules will introduce conditions on animal and product imports from outside the EU, and will provide for penalties for intentional violations. The legislation aims to raise consumer confidence following the 2013 scandal, first picked up by Irish food inspectors, that saw horsemeat being fraudulently sold as beef in several EU countries. Last weeks deal, MEPs hope, will eliminate fraud and introduce common principles all along the food chain, unifying rules which are currently spread over more than 15 different pieces of legislation. EU ambassadors will vote on the preliminary agreement in June. Opening salvos on fish quotas The European Commission has issued the opening salvo in the EUs annual fish fight, setting out a preliminary assessment of the state of fish stocks in European waters. While it hasnt yet set any quotas for the amounts of fish that can be caught in 2017 that will come in the autumn the Commission did indicate which stocks are doing better than others. It said the Atlantic, North Sea and the Baltic Sea sticks were sustainable, while fish stocks in the Mediterranean and in the Black Sea continued to fare poorly. However, it did warn cod and whiting remain at low levels west of Scotland and in the Irish Sea. Irelands quotas will be unveiled in October as part of the Atlantic Sea proposals. A Donegal farmer is challenging the re-election of the IFA president to the board of Farm Business Developments at next Friday's AGM. Brian Marshall, who owns a 100ac livestock farm, and is a card-carrying member of IFA, was a founding shareholder. He now holds 60,369 shares in the company, and says that even though IFA only has a 1pc shareholding in FBD, it has five seats on the board compared to the six seats allocated to other shareholders that own 91pc of the business. He wants farmer shareholders to add his name to the proxy voting card issued with the notice of the AGM because he says he is "very concerned about the decisions being taken for the future of the business". "Joe Healy publicly stated at the Donegal election hustings that he would guarantee an end to IFA cronyism, but he has not followed through," he said. "Why is a public company with assets of over 100m without a website that gives farmer shareholders easy access to information?" he asked. He is also querying a marked decline in administration costs from 947,000 in 2011 to 381,000 in 2014 when the volume of assets it administered was the same, and the deal that saw the company buy 50pc in property from FBD Holdings. "Why were we not given an opportunity to vote on the deal," he asked. The Teagasc student of the year awards have been running for over 30 years, with eight finalists each receiving 500 each, while the two runners-up receive 1,000 and the winner walks away with 1,500. One of the runner-ups was another student who had achieved plenty off the farm before she decided to take the plunge. Emma Cotter (pictured) studied pharmacy after receiving a stellar Leaving Cert of 520 points, but decided to return home to the family's farm at Castlelyons in Cork after just six months working in the pharmacy sector. Johnes disease is possibly the largest skeleton in the Irish dairy industry's closet.Not only is there a growing mountain of data linking Johnes with the debilitating Crohns disease in humans, the spread of Johnes in national cattle herds continues at an alarming rate. Ireland is no exception. Best estimates until Teagasc complete their survey this year is that one in five herds -in both beef and dairy - are carrying the disease. Globally, it may be closer to 50pc in intensive dairy regions. Meanwhile, industry insiders speak in quiet tones about loads of Irish milk powder being rejected because of the presence of Johnes cells, and studies carried out by various internationally renowned specialists in this area have repeatedly found viable Johnes cells in samples of infant milk formula from some of the world's biggest brands. "It's no good pointing the finger at any particular country - the ingredients for these products are often sourced from all over the world," said Mike Collins, a professor in Pathobiological Sciences at the University of Wisconsin. He has focused a lifetime's work on the disease since the 1980s, and will be chairing one of the key sessions on this subject at the World Buiatrics conference to be held in Dublin in early July. "I think it's fair to say that every major dairy exporting country in the world has a problem with Johnes. We've had it in the US since the 1900s, and now it's effectively endemic because it is present in 91pc of dairy herds," he said. He believes that any country that expanded its herds over the last century bought in the disease, with the US and Australia being some of the first, followed by Chile in the 1950s, and more recently China as it goes through a major expansion of milk output. "Some of the positive herds may have an incidence rate of 40pc, when clinical cases are obvious, but more herds will be exhibiting no signs of the disease even though 5-10pc of the cows will actually be carrying the infection," said Mr Collins. He believes that the evidence linking the disease to the similar human wasting condition, Crohns, will only continue to mount. Trial "There is a major clinical trial here on a new antibiotic for Crohns. If it proves successful, it will be a major new piece of incriminating evidence to link the two conditions," he said. The expert added that Ireland is a high risk region for the spread of Johnes now as dairy farmers attempt to rapidly expand. "With quotas gone, farm businesses will either expand or get out of business. A lot of that expansion is likely to happen through buying in stock, sadly, without enough biosecurity. If you buy enough, sooner or later, you're going to buy in Johnes," said Mr Collins. He believes this is the reason that larger, more "progressive" herds are the ones that have suffered initially with the disease. Despite Ireland being "behind" on tackling the disease, the US professor thinks that we can learn a lot from countries such as Australia, Holland, Sweden and Denmark. "Sweden are the world leaders with a verifiably Johnes-free herd. Ironically, the EU is resisting the Swedish authorities' attempt to impose import restrictions on animals from Johnes-positive herds. "The Danes are also to be commended for being quite open about the issue. They are lucky in that they are a small industry that is vertically integrated so it is relatively easy for them to implement a national programme. "The Dutch programme doesn't stand up to much scientific scrutiny but at least they test every cow, while the Australians have done a very good job with comprehensive programmes for every species," he said. He says that processors should be more proactive in dealing with the issue, but that they are "afraid to break ranks". "The cost of eradicating Johnes should not be heaped on farmers because the reality is that farmers with low incidences of the disease in their herds will not see any major improvement in their profit by tackling the disease. "It takes 8-10 years to get a herd free of Johnes. The US government threw $260m (233m) over 10 years at the disease, but when state funding stopped, herd participation also stopped. "This proves that Johnes is not actually a very costly disease for the farmer, but if it ever becomes an issue beyond the farm gate, then everyone will have to pony up," he said. 500m project to tackle Johnes The Irish government have sunk nearly 500,000 into a pilot project aimed at getting farmers to tackle Johnes, mainly through Animal Health Ireland (AHI), who have a wealth of resources available online. Over 1,400 farmers started off in the programme, but the dropout rate among farmers that found their herd testing negative was high. But as Prof Michael Collins notes, Johnes is a "sneaky" pathogen that spreads slowly but silently through a herd long before animals start showing clinical signs. One of the farmers that has been through the wringer with the issue is a 400 cow dairy farm in Co Meath with over 80pc of the herd calving in the spring. In the late 1990s, a major TB outbreak resulted in the entire herd of 180 cows being replaced over the course of three years with imported stock. By the early 2000s they began to see sick animals that were scouring and becoming thin. Initial veterinary advice said it was a problem with parasite control, resulting in no progress. Things began to change when the farm joined a Johne's disease control programme in 2005. In the first round of blood testing revealed that 60 animals were positive - almost 40pc of the herd. When added to the culls over the next seven years, an average of 20 animals were culled annually during this period. As part of the programme two blood tests were taken per year with random faecal sampling every two years. It was estimated that the disease was costing the farm up to 30,000 each year. Through the programme, the farmers to learn how to tackle Johnes, including the construction of individual calving and calf pens. Since then the herd has grown to 400 cows, but the efforts to eliminate the disease continue. The farm continues to calve all their cows in individual pens and these pens are washed out and disinfected after each calving. Each new-born calf is given two feeds of colostrum from their own dam or from a test-negative cow before moving them on to milk replacer. No slurry is spread on the calf grazing area. The levels of Johnes in the herd prevalence has gone from 40pc to 2pc, with zero clinical cases. In order to push for full eradication, this year they concentrated on snatching calves within 10 minutes of birth, which required all the calvings to be monitored. The annual blood test is now taken in December to identify all the positive cows before calving. These animals are isolated and they cull both the positive cows with high readings and their heifer calves. The efforts have resulted in improved fertility and a significant reduction in the use of antibiotics, but it will be some years before the farm will be Johnes free. Understandably, these farmers feel that every farmer should know their infection status, and that the pilot programme was worthwhile. But they also want farmers that go through this process given formal recognition, and claim that compulsory testing would benefit all. A COMPANY controlled by businessman Larry Goodman has been refused a stay on orders clearing the way for other shareholders in Blackrock Clinic to redeem their loans for investing in the facility. Lawyers for Joseph Sheehan, who has a 28pc stake in the clinic, told the Court of Appeal Dr Sheehan is prepared to pay higher interest to another lender to secure funds for loan redemption so as to be "unchained" from Mr Goodman's company, Breccia. The dispute concerns loans made by the former Anglo Irish Bank to Dr Sheehan and his fellow shareholder, Dr John Flynn and Mr Flynn's company, Benray, for investing in the Dublin clinic. The loans were later acquired by the National Asset Management Agency (Nama) which sold them to Mr Goodman's Breccia. Mr Goodman is also a shareholder in the clinic. The High Court ruled the shareholders were entitled to redeem their loans for figures substantially less than sought by Breccia. Pending appeal, Breccia sought a stay from the Court of Appeal which would effectively prevent the shareholders proceeding with loan redemption until the appeal is decided. Sean Brogan has officially resigned as chief executive of Dublin-based Stobart Air. His planned departure was announced last month by the carrier, which operates the Aer Lingus Regional service. Mr Brogan is understood to have tabled a management buyout offer Stobart Air, which had been up for sale with a rumoured price tag of about 65m. Stobart Air is 45pc-owned by UK transport group Stobart. Invesco Perpetual owns 40pc, whole broker Cenkos owns 10pc. Former Aer Arann chairman Padraig O'Ceidigh owns 5pc. Dublin-based airline CityJet is currently examining a possible acquisition of Stobart Air. Such a deal would leave CityJet as a majority owner in the merged business, it's understood. Stobart Air also operates some flights on behalf of UK regional carrier FlyBe. CityJet plans that eventually its wet leasing operations will account for about 60pc of its business and half its profits. The first ever direct air route between Dublin and China looks set to be launched by Hainan Airlines. The carrier is part of the huge Chinese conglomerate HNA, a Fortune 500 company whose activities range from aviation to hotels, and shipping to technology. HNA chief operating officer William Zhang confirmed yesterday that a Dublin-Beijing route is under serious consideration. He said that Hainan Airlines - the fourth-largest airline in China - is "very likely" to launch the service, demand for which is currently being assessed. In what would be a significant coup for the IDA, Mr Zhang also revealed that Ireland is one of the countries where HNA might consider developing its first regional headquarters, saying that Ireland has "strong advantages". Senior HNA executives were in Dublin for the past few days, and held a meeting at the Chinese embassy to discuss the route, said Mr Zhang. He declined to be drawn on when a route could be announced, but airport authorities in both China and Dublin have been involved in discussions. Government agencies such as the IDA, Enterprise Ireland and Tourism Ireland have been pushing for a direct route for a number of years. The DAA, which controls Dublin and Cork airports, has been heavily involved in efforts to lure a Chinese carrier to the capital. HNA, which also has a huge property portfolio, aims to be a Fortune 100 company within three years. Last year, its Bohai Leasing subsidiary paid $2.6bn to buy Dublin-based aircraft lessor Avolon, which was co-founded by Domhnal Slattery. Mr Slattery continues to run Avolon, which is now the world's fourth-biggest aircraft leasing firm. Mr Slattery is hopeful that a Beijing-Dublin route will be launched. "The core issue now is does it make business sense to do it," he said. "It's got to stand on its own merits. I'd be optimistic." Yesterday, Dublin Airport also secured other new business as KLM announced it's launching a twice a day service to Amsterdam starting in October. HNA was founded in 1993 and has annual revenues of over $25bn. It is heavily involved in the aviation sector. Apart from aircraft leasing, it also owns stakes in other airlines and last year agreed to pay $2.8bn to buy aircraft baggage handler Swissport. Earlier this year, it agreed to pay $1.5bn for aircraft catering firm Gategroup. It has also been linked to a sale of aircraft leasing firm CIT Aerospace. That business could fetch as much as 2.7bn. HNA Capital chief investment officer Guang Yang declined to say yesterday whether HNA would bid for the CIT business. Mr Slattery said that if HNA did pursue CIT Aerospace and managed to buy it, that such a deal would be transformational for the group. "CIT is in a process at the moment and we'll see how that evolves," he said. CIT has about 300 aircraft on its books. "That would be a very significant acquisition for us to consider and could be quite transformative for us were we to proceed with it or engage," he said. Difficult market conditions have been blamed by Liberty Insurance for its decision to cut 70 jobs in Dublin and Cavan. It said it was "realigning" commercial insurance and back-office functions. The announcement comes a year after the company said it was laying off 270 people in Cavan, Dublin, and Fermanagh. US giant Liberty Mutual bought Quinn Insurance in 2011. Quinn Insurance employed 1,500 people when the US group took over. The company said in a statement it would now let 70 people go, to take the total employed on the island to 400. "Difficult market conditions continue to hamper the commercial sector but the company anticipates changes will position it to achieve close to financial break-even," a Liberty Insurance spokesman said. The company said it is commencing a consultation process that is expected to result in the voluntary redundancies, primarily from its commercial and back-office functions in its Cavan and Dublin offices. WITH thousands of Ireland supporters scouring the streets of Lille for tickets to Irelands crucial clash with Italy tonight, one teddy bear will be the envy of all of them Paddy the Bear has had the adventure of a lifetime during Euro 2016 supporting the Boys in Green and bringing them luck along the way. He was bought by friends Kate Walshe, Emma Daly and Ruth Farrell before they left Ireland for Paris two weeks ago. He was down in the Moulin Rouge, the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower and saw all the sites. Paddys had a great time," said Kate. Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Expand Previous Next Close Meet Paddy the Bear Paddy arrives in Paris Paddy's in Paris Paddy's on the beer. Photo: Facebook Paddy the security guard. Photo: Facebook Paddy's big adventure. Photo: Facebook Paddy is hitting up all the landmarks. Photo: Facebook Paddy and his best friends. Photo: Facebook Paddy has a sweet tooth. Photo: Facebook Pizza time! Photo: Facebook Who needs GPS? Photo: Facebook Paddy's had too much fun. Photo: Facebook Time for bed. Photo: Facebook Paddy does Notre Dame. Photo: Facebook Paddy and his bff. Photo: Facebook Ready for the match. Photo: Facebook Little bear. Big seat. Photo: Facebook Paddy is hitting the big time. Photo: Facebook Excited fans get ready for the Ireland v Italy match. Photo: Independent.ie Excited fans get ready for the Ireland v Italy match. Photo: Independent.ie Kate Walsh, Emma Daly, Ruth Farrell and Paddy the Bear. Photo: Independent.ie / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Meet Paddy the Bear The group documented Paddys visit by creating three photo albums on Facebook to the envy of their buddies at home (click above to see full photo gallery of Paddy's Parisian adventure). However, Paddy missed the Bordeaux game because the girls had to return home for work. But now he is back and the girls are determined that he will make a difference tonight. Paddy was having withdrawal symptoms all week so we had to get him back out here, said Emma. We had no tickets until last Friday but the Gods answered our prayers and we got our flights and tickets last week, booked time off work and came out. Paddy was the lucky charm against Sweden and hell bring even more luck tonight. Click below to see the full photo gallery of Paddy's big adventure. A taxi driver convicted of careless driving after food critic Tom Doorley was knocked down and seriously injured has been fined 500, but spared a road ban. Mr Doorley suffered two broken shoulders during the incident, Dublin District Court heard. Mark Cruikshanks (38) of Cushlawn Park, Tallaght, Dublin, pleaded not guilty to careless driving at Fleet Street in Dublin city centre on October 17, 2014. He claimed Mr Doorley rushed out in front of his Toyota Avensis, but he was found guilty yesterday by Judge Miriam Walsh. The court heard he had one prior conviction, imposed in 2003, for driving without insurance - which resulted in a fine and a one-year road ban. Defence solicitor Kieran Friel asked the judge to note that his client depended on his driving licence for work. Fining him, the judge noted that in special circumstances the court had discretion not to impose a road ban and she said she would not disqualify him from driving. Mr Doorley told Judge Walsh he suffered two broken shoulders when he was knocked down. He said he checked if any cars were coming before he crossed the Fleet Street junction with Westmoreland Street. Mr Doorley, who appears as a resident critic in TV3's hit reality show 'The Restaurant', had gone into the city centre for a business meeting and lunch at the Merrion Hotel. He drank two average-sized glasses of red wine. Afterwards, he went to Trinity College to check some references for a book he was preparing, he said. Later, at about 6pm, he went to another restaurant for another meal during which he drank two small bottles of water. He then decided to get a taxi home and walked along Westmoreland Street. At the junction with Fleet Street he prepared to cross the road. He said he looked up Fleet Street and confirmed nothing was coming. He added that he proceeded to cross when he spun and ended up on the bonnet of a car, before landing on the ground on his back. The court heard he was taken by ambulance to St James's Hospital, and subsequently treated at Blackrock Clinic. One shoulder was broken in three places, the court heard. Cruikshanks told the court the road was clear and he would have braked if he had seen Mr Doorley but "he rushed out in front of me". A man who has the same name as his brother spent a week behind bars while gardai verified his story, a court has heard. The case was so confusing, even the judge hearing the case decided it was better to give the two men numbers to identify them - just like the brothers' parents had done. Barrister Kathleen Henry told Judge Paul Kelly at Letterkenny District Court that the man before the court was Gheorge Bot (43), from Shercock Road, Bailieboro, Co Cavan. She said the man who should have been before the court is his brother - also called Gheorge Bot (42), from The Willows, Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan. The younger brother is now facing charges of driving carelessly in Letterkenny last June and driving a car without an NCT certificate. However, the older brother had originally been charged with the offences. The older brother was arrested on a bench warrant and jailed for seven days. Ms Henry said the brothers were named after their father in Romania. She said they were often referred to as 'Gheorge One' and 'Gheorge Two'. "Unfortunately, my client Gheorge One has spent a week in Castlerea Prison as a result of the confusion," said Ms Henry. "The brothers were named after their father, also called Gheorge. "We are asking that the charges are put to Gheorge Two," she added. There was laughter in court as Judge Kelly asked: "So when is Gheorge the Second going to be able to be here to deal with the case?" Ms Henry said he was at home in Romania due to a family death. Judge Kelly remarked: "It strikes me their father is probably Gheorge the First, this man before me is Gheorge the Second and the gentleman currently in Romania is Gheorge the Third." He adjourned the case until September 1. School's out, or almost out, for about 900,000 primary and post-primary pupils and anyone who encountered bullying during the year is probably breathing a sigh of relief, thinking that the harassment will now disappear. But, Dr James O'Higgins Norman, director of the Anti-Bullying Research Centre at Dublin City University, says just because schools close, the problem doesn't necessarily go away for the summer. That is particularly true in the modern era, where cyberbullying knows no bounds and children engaging with online activity are vulnerable. Dr O'Higgins Norman says bullying can also follow children to other activities, such as summer camps, and parents need to be alert to the possibilities. Over the past month, the DCU anti-bullying centre has received a lot of calls from parents of fifth and sixth class pupils. He doesn't know why they have experienced such a surge but suggests that "perhaps bullying has been going on all year and they feel frustrated that it hasn't been resolved and they don't want it spilling into next year." In relation to online activity that children may be engaging in over the holidays, Dr O'Higgins Norman says parents need to be careful that any contact is appropriate and that there is no bullying taking place. "Parents need to be aware that they use the internet in a different way from their children and need to get to grips with social media sites that their children are using," he says. A survey published by the DCU centre earlier this year showed that while over half of parents of nine to 16-year-olds engage in social media sites such as Facebook, they have almost no interaction with Twitter, Instagram or Snapchat, the platforms of choice for their teen and pre-teen children. Dr O'Higgins Norman says: "the best way is to sit kids down, talk to them about what they are doing online and encourage them to talk; ask them questions like 'have you ever come across cyberbullying'." But he cautions: "The number one thing that parents must promise kids is that they won't take away their internet access. It is the number one reason why kids don't report what might be going on." The DCU centre recently ran its annual conference, which heard that much more needs to be done at school level to deal with the bullying issue. There has been a raft of initiatives from the Department of Education in recent years, but Dr O'Higgins Norman says they don't go far enough. He says while Ireland has developed a National Anti-Bullying Action Plan, we have not gone so far as to implement a national programme across all schools. "Thanks to the last government, we are in a much better place than we had been. The national plan has moved the whole area on by light years." But his issue is that the action plan leaves it to individual schools to develop their own programme, whereas he says what is needed is a national approach across all schools. While the Government is funding parental awareness of the issue through training being offered by national parents' councils and by supporting research at the DCU anti-bullying centre, he says what is missing is teacher training. According to Dr O'Higgins Norman, there is a "massive need" to upskill teachers: "We are finding there is tremendous anxiety among teachers and principals about how to deal with bullying and the victim can lose out. The recent DCU conference heard from a leading international academic who spoke about the effectiveness of an anti-bullying programme called KiVA, currently in use in more than 2,300 Finnish schools, and in other countries. Finland's education system generally is regarded as a world leader. Unlike many anti-bullying initiatives, KiVa is based on decades of research and was evaluated in Finland over two years before a nationwide roll-out in 2007-2009. It is now also running in Belgium, Estonia, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, UK, Sweden and Hungary. The network of international KiVa partners collaborates in both research and programme development. KiVa has three age-appropriate programmes, one for six to nine-year-olds, one for 10 to 12-year-olds, and the third for junior-cycle age students. It involves a range of classroom-based and online lessons, group discussions, visibility of play time supervisors and enhancing peer support for victims of bullying. They say that what marks KiVa out is that it has been tested in rigorous scientific studies, and independent data, collected by Finland's National Institute for Health and Welfare, indicates that bullying and victimisation have decreased in the country since the roll-out of KiVa. Studies from the Netherlands, Estonia, Italy, and Wales are also showing that KiVa is effective outside of Finland as well. Professor Christina Salmivalli of Turku University, Finland spoke to the conference about how it helped to reduce incidents of bullying. One issue in particular that Prof Salmivalli highlighted was how influencing bystander behaviour leads to an overall reduction of bullying. She said that the effectiveness of KiVa was due to the emphasis on changing bystander responses to bullying and changes in how students perceive their teachers' bullying-related attitudes. Dr O'Higgins Norman points that in a school context, the teacher can be the bystander. "There needs to be a basic programme where all schools have teachers trained and have an understanding of what bullying is about, so that they can recognise it and deal with it appropriately." He says the DCU centre has piloted a whole school approach that could be rolled out nationally if funding and resources to train teachers were made available. While there is no such commitment, Dr O'Higgins Norman is heartened that the Programme for Government includes a commitment to a revision of the National Anti-Bullying Action Plan. In the meantime, the DCU centre plans to launch a training course in September, which, it hopes, will attract teachers who want to know more about effective anti-bullying practices. A leading specialist in the field, she says that, by using their professional judgement, teachers can better support a students future learning through direct involvement in the assessment process. Stock Image Teachers in Ireland should be proud to take responsibility for assessing their own students, according to an international education expert. As the row over the roll-out of junior cycle changes to all 730 second-level schools rumbles on, a conference this week will hear of the benefits for teachers and students of embracing the reforms. Students who have just finished second year are the first to experience junior cycle changes, involving classroom-based assessments alongside traditional exams. Opposition from the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) - much of it around teachers assessing their own pupils - has disrupted the introduction of the reforms, and the union is threatening to continue the row into next year. The Australian state of Queensland has had teacher assessment for about 40 years, and Professor Val Klenowski from Queensland University of Technology insists that it is better that students are assessed by their own teachers than by external examiners. Prof Klenowski is one of the speakers at the annual Maynooth University Education Forum on Friday, which is exploring the issue of assessment. A leading specialist in the field, she says that, by using their professional judgement, teachers can better support a student's future learning through direct involvement in the assessment process. Prof Klenowski says it does require professional development of teachers and a system of moderation to ensure quality assurance, but students need that interaction with teachers if they are to learn from the assessment process. She says in Australia teachers see it as "very much part of their responsibility to be able to assess their own students and to devise assessment tasks and to come together with other teachers to talk about what really matters, student learning". While the ASTI remains opposed to junior cycle changes, the Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI) is co-operating and students in more than one third of schools had their first classroom-based assessments in English last month. The reforms are being phased and from September there will be a new curriculum for both science and business studies, with classroom assessments for students from spring 2018. The results of HPAT Ireland 2016 will be released next Monday. HPAT is an essential component for entry to undergraduate medicine: an applicant must do well in both HPAT and the Leaving Cert to be offered a place. It is possible to achieve maximum CAO points but not receive an offer for medicine if a candidate has not done well at HPAT. When students receive their HPAT score it may be clear to some that they will not receive an offer for medicine, irrespective of what they achieve in their Leaving Cert. These students may need to consider making changes to their CAO application. After receiving their HPAT score, applicants should check how many CAO points they may need to qualify for medicine, by consulting Student Resources/Entry to Medicine on CAO.ie. This gives an indication of how many CAO points last year's applicants with the same HPAT score needed. It is important to remember that points can change every year - and can go down as well as up. Last year, the course with the lowest points was the NUI Galway's GY501, which had a cut-off of 723*. So, applicants needed a minimum of 160 in HPAT in order to gain enough CAO points to be considered for medicine. To achieve 723, a candidate with a HPAT score of 160 would have needed 615 points in the Leaving Cert. The higher the HPAT score, the fewer Leaving Cert points are required. A candidate with a HPAT score of 170 would have required 565 points to be considered for GY501 last year. While this is still a lot of points it does give a little more wriggle room. If, as a result of their HPAT score, candidates are concerned about gaining entry to medicine, there are a number of things that can be done. Firstly don't panic - nobody knows what the cut off for medicine will be in August. If there is any possibility of receiving an offer, no matter how unlikely, students should consider leaving at least a couple of medicine courses on the CAO form. Points may fall and candidates often do better in their Leaving Cert than they expected. If a candidate needs to amend their CAO (Change of Mind is open until July 1), they should consider degrees that they will enjoy and perhaps build a career from, if medicine is never possible for them in the future. Graduate medicine, the preferred alternative entry route for many aspiring doctors, will accept a 2:1 from a degree in any discipline. Research shows that graduate medicine students from arts backgrounds perform just as well in their studies as classmates with science or engineering backgrounds. Other routes to medicine include studying in Europe, UK, and retaking HPAT or the Leaving Cert. Aoife Walsh is a guidance counsellor at Malahide Community School, Co Dublin Q. I am trying to finish my CAO Change of Mind form but I am worried about missing courses that could be the perfect option for me. Is there any way I can be sure I have found everything? A. The most difficult aspect of researching courses is ensuring that you have found all possible options. Students often report that they dont know where to start and miss some courses that they are likely to enjoy because they dont know that they exist. There are a number of different ways to approach this task including using college prospectus and, from time to time, I will use them all. One of the easiest ways for students to ensure that they are finding all relevant courses is by using an online search tool. This week careersportal.ie release their new course search tool coursefinder+. It allows students to research from a number of different angles, including by results of the careers interest test (also available on the website), by sector, by region or by college. Other useful filters, unique to this website, include courses that accept foundation maths or courses that do not require a language. Important dates Today Enrolment day - Ballsbridge College of Further Education Tomorrow Live Q&A Session - DIT Hospitality Management and Tourism Reply to offers by this date - UCAS June 25 Open Day - Maynooth University Open Day -St Patrick's College Maynooth Counselling and Psychotherapy Taster Day - PCI College June 27 Change of Mind Online Information Session - DCU Drop in Day - Maynooth University Kilkenny Change of Mind Q&A (5 Day Event) - Waterford IT June 28 Open Day - College of Media and Artistry Open Day - DCU Health Minister Simon Harris has ruled out putting any new warnings on the vaccine given to schoolgirls to prevent cervical cancer. The minister gave the HPV vaccine the all-clear based on a European expert study which looked at its safety. The research was carried out in the wake of fears by some parents that it was associated with a small group of teenage girls developing symptoms such as chronic fatigue syndrome, pain and seizures after getting the jab. "The European Medicines Agency has advised healthcare professionals that available data does not warrant any change to the use of HPV vaccines as there are no new safety concerns regarding HPV vaccines," he said. "I am aware of claims of an association between HPV vaccination and a number of symptoms experienced by a group of young women. "It appears that some girls first suffered symptoms around the time they received the HPV vaccine, and understandably some parents have connected the vaccine to their daughters condition. Expand Close Health Minister Simon Harris. Picture Credit : Frank Mc Grath / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Health Minister Simon Harris. Picture Credit : Frank Mc Grath "Anyone who is suffering ill health is eligible to seek medical attention, and to access appropriate health and social care services, irrespective of the cause of their symptoms. "The individual nature of the needs of some children may require access to specialist services which can be accessed through their GP," he added. He said the immunisation programme in Ireland is based on the advice of the National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC). Read More NIAC is a committee of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland comprising of experts in a number of specialties including infectious diseases, paediatrics and public health. Expand Close HPV vaccine. Photo: PA / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp HPV vaccine. Photo: PA The committee's recommendations are informed by public health advice and international best practice, he said in a parliamentary reply to Kerry Fine Gael TD Brendan Griffin. "In 2009, NIAC recommended HPV vaccination for all 12 year old girls, and in September 2010, the HPV vaccination programme was introduced for all girls in the first year of second level schools. "The HPV vaccine protects girls from developing cervical cancer when they are adults. It is available free of charge from the HSE for all girls in 1st year of secondary school and over 200,000 girls have received the vaccine since its introduction." The combination of a HPV vaccination schools programme along with regular screening of the women as adults has the potential to reduce the incidence of cervical cancers by up to 90pc. Mr Harris said that, in Ireland, the medicines' watchdog the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) is the regulatory authority for medicines in Ireland and is the appropriate authority to which possible adverse reactions to medicinal products should be reported. "In November 2015, the European Medicines Agency completed a detailed scientific review of the HPV vaccine. The review which the HPRA participated in, specifically focused on rare reports of two conditions, complex regional pain syndrome and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome associated with heart rate increase. "The outcome of the review which was carried out by the EMA Pharmacovigilance and Risk Assessment Committee (PRAC) found no evidence of a causal link between the vaccine and the two conditions examined. "The European Medicines Agency has advised healthcare professionals that available data does not warrant any change to the use of HPV vaccines as there are no new safety concerns regarding HPV vaccines," he continued. "Healthcare professionals should therefore continue using the vaccines in accordance with the current product information. "On January 12 last the European Commission endorsed the conclusion of the European Medicines Agency stating that there is no need to change the way HPV vaccines are used or to amend the product information. This final outcome by the Commission is now binding in all member states." The publicity surrounding the fears of parents about possible side-effects led to a fall-off in take up in recent rounds, particularly in the west of Ireland. Dr Kevin Connolly, chair of the NIAC, asked parents to continue to have their daughter vaccinated to reduce their risks of cancer later in life. As adults they will continue to need cervical screening but their risks of cancers are greatly reduced. He said:"There has been publicity about an alleged link between chronic fatigue syndrome and the HPV vaccine. I respect peoples beliefs but there is no evidence to link HPV vaccine with chronic fatigue syndrome." The latest outbreak is largely centred on Kerry and first hit the county in mid-April. Stock Image At least 22 people have caught measles in a serious outbreak of the virus which has already led to several hospitalisations for the potentially life-threatening illness. And seven more people are undergoing tests to find out if they have caught the virus, which in rare cases affects the lungs and brain. The latest outbreak is largely centred on Kerry and first hit the county in mid-April. So far, there have been 22 confirmed cases in the north of the county. Read more: 22 diagnosed with measles in Kerry 'after infectious person travelled on flight from Dublin' Around 19 of these patients, who include infants, young children, teens and adults in their 20s, have had to be admitted to Kerry University Hospital for complications. Most have now recovered. HSE public health specialist Dr Fiona Ryan said measles is all but eradicated in Ireland. However, the highly contagious illness was spread after people who were infected abroad returned here. Around 30 people nationally have been diagnosed with measles so far this year, compared to five in 2015 and 33 in 2014. "The way it comes into Ireland now is that somebody brings it in. Somebody who was infected travelled back to Kerry and this causes it to circulate in the community," explained Dr Ryan. The HSE is not saying what country the Kerry outbreak originated in. It has listed areas where different people who turned out to have measles passed through, including Dublin Airport in mid-May. An infected person was on a Ryanair flight from Zadar in Croatia to Dublin on May 16 and another was in Limerick city while others were in Ballina, Co Mayo, and Enniscrone, Co Sligo. Dr Ryan said the measles patients in Kerry have come from Ballyheigue, Dingle, Milltown and Tralee. The MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine is given in two doses, at age 12 months and again at age four or five years. The vaccine take-up is currently high but it is still not enough to ensure 'herd immunity'. Dr Ryan said "there are small numbers of people in the population who are not vaccinated against measles and these are vulnerable to the disease if they come into contact with an infected person". Anyone who was born before 1978 probably got measles as a child and is immune. Dr Ryan said if people are unsure if they have had the two jabs they should go to their GP. They can have the doses a month apart. Patients who have suspected measles should not go to their hospital emergency department, but should ask their GP to call to their home. "The group we worry about are children under one year of age who are too young to be vaccinated," said Dr Ryan. She said the time between exposure to measles and developing the illness is normally 14 days. "People are infectious from four days before a rash starts until four days after," she added. The holiday season poses new risks and there have been more than 60 cases of measles reported in the last two months in London. In 2014, two infected people came here from the Philippines and another from Japan. Last year, another case originated in Indonesia. How vaccination works - Babies are given the first dose of MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine at the age of 12 months. A second dose is given in school at age four to five years. Anyone born before 1978 probably had measles as a child and is immune. An unfounded scare around the MMR vaccine in the late 1990s led to many parents not vaccinating their children. It means there are pockets of young people who are not protected. They can still get the two doses of the vaccine a month apart to ensure they do not catch the illness. One of the diaries in which she recorded bullying Leanne Wolfes parents Collette and Anthony (Inset: The cover of one of Leanne's diaries) A woman whose daughter took her own life following a campaign of online bullying, harassment and physical abuse has forgiven those responsible. But Collette Wolfe has called for more to be done by social media websites and the Government to crack down on cyberbullying. Ms Wolfe lost her daughter Leanne (18) nine years ago. The teenager endured emotional and physical torture at the hands of a vicious female gang in Cork for at least three years before her death in 2007. She left behind diaries detailing her suffering. Now her mother has said that anyone caught bullying on social media websites should be banned. The call follows a similar plea for new laws earlier this week by Elaine Hughes, who lost her 17-year-old son Darren to suicide in 2012. He was also bullied online. Expand Close One of the diaries in which she recorded bullying / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp One of the diaries in which she recorded bullying Ms Wolfe said that despite seeing shocking messages on the social networking pages from those who bullied Leanne, she eventually forgave them. Bible "I saw a message of hers on one of her bullies' pages and it said, 'I know I'm hated but I'm loving the attention'. That was her saying she's dead and that she didn't care," said Ms Wolfe. Despite suffering through the pain of Leanne's loss - she said she considered taking her own life - she forgave the bullies and said she found hope in God. Expand Close Leanne Wolfes parents Collette and Anthony / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Leanne Wolfes parents Collette and Anthony "I forgave her bullies. I had to or I'd be a different person," she said. "It was a guard who gave me a Bible. I went on a walk one day and I realised there was hope." Ms Wolfe said it was time that social networking sites began tackling the growing crisis of online bullying. "I think just like if you're driving drunk or without insurance, you should be banned for a period if you're caught harassing or bullying online," she said. "The websites don't care, and why would they? But it's time they started doing more - the amount of bullying that's out there, it's at crisis stage." One issue raised by Ms Wolfe was how the impact of cruel taunts and threats are more permanent on social media, compared with when a victim could walk away from a bully. "Now the messages are left on sites and are there to see over and over again. In Leanne's case it tore her down," she said. "She was thinking, 'I'm nothing', and when they're young they don't know how to deal with that. "The act of communication is now gone. Leanne couldn't express how she was feeling, it made her feel ashamed." While Ms Wolfe said she was grateful for the support she and her husband Anthony had received from the gardai, she supported making bullying easier to report, such as through a website. "It's a good idea, but you have to go to the Government to fund it. The Government need to do more than sit on their hands," she said. If you are affected by any of the issues in this article, contact the Samaritans on 116 123 (Ireland and UK), email jo@samaritans.org or find your local branch at www.samaritans.org Childline runs a 24-hour confidential phone service on 1800 666666, or can be contacted by text. Children can text the word: talk, bully or help to 50101. Any child can contact the line for support. Griffith Park playground in Glasnevin which is closed due to fire damage. Picture credit; Damien Eagers Griffith Park playground in Glasnevin which is closed due to fire damage. Picture credit; Damien Eagers Griffith Park playground in Glasnevin which is closed due to fire damage. Picture credit; Damien Eagers Griffith Park playground in Glasnevin which is closed due to fire damage. Picture credit; Damien Eagers Griffith Park playground in Glasnevin which is closed due to fire damage. Picture credit; Damien Eagers THE cost of repairing a childrens playground destroyed by an arson attack could be as high as 20,000. The playground at Griffith Park, between Glasnevin and Drumcondra, was set alight late last Thursday night. The malicious damage to the playground equipment happened after a wheelie bin filled with rubber tyres was set on fire. It is estimated that the cost to Dublin City Council (DCC) for repairs will be between 15,000-20,000. Expand Close Griffith Park playground in Glasnevin which is closed due to fire damage. Picture credit; Damien Eagers / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Griffith Park playground in Glasnevin which is closed due to fire damage. Picture credit; Damien Eagers The council contacted contractors on Monday to get a more accurate cost and time estimate. The playground will be closed until the equipment is replaced. It is not the first act of malicious vandalism in the park in recent weeks. There have been reports of wheelie bins being taken into the park at night and set alight. Several trees have also been broken. Expand Close Griffith Park playground in Glasnevin which is closed due to fire damage. Picture credit; Damien Eagers / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Griffith Park playground in Glasnevin which is closed due to fire damage. Picture credit; Damien Eagers A spokeswoman for DCC told the Herald that both they and the gardai are investigating the incident. Unfortunately, public parks are subject to anti social behaviour on occasions and this park, and others, have been targeted before. The extent of the damage caused in this incident is significant, she said. It is regrettable that the council has been forced to close this facility due to the extent of the damage and also because of health and safety concerns. The damage will be repaired as soon as possible and the playground will then re-open, she added. Expand Close Griffith Park playground in Glasnevin which is closed due to fire damage. Picture credit; Damien Eagers / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Griffith Park playground in Glasnevin which is closed due to fire damage. Picture credit; Damien Eagers Local representative, Noeleen Reilly said there needs to be an increase in park wardens across the Dublin north-west area. There is not enough security in the parks. If someone wants to get into the park they will, but there is no one there to move them on, she said. There have been a number of different attacks on playgrounds in parks all over Dublin north west in recent times. This [cost of repairs] is such a waste of taxpayers money, she added. US Vice President Joe Biden shakes hands with President Michael D Higgins as he signs the visitors book in Aras an Uachtarain this morning. Photo: Tony Gavin US Vice President Joe Biden shares a joke with President Michael D Higgins as he signs the visitors book in Aras an Uachtarain this morning. Photo: Tony Gavin US Vice President Joe Biden waves goodby as he leave Aras an Uachtarain this morning as President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina look on. Photo: Tony Gavin US Vice President Joe Biden with President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina as he leave Aras an Uachtarain this morning. Photo: Tony Gavin US Vice President Joe Biden arrives with President Michael D Higgins at Aras an Uachtarain this morning. Photo: Tony Gavin US Vice President Joe Biden with President Michael D Higgins as he signs the visitors book in Aras an Uachtarain this morning. Photo: Tony Gavin US Vice President Joe Biden waves goodbye as he leave Aras an Uachtarain this morning as President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina look on. Photo: Tony Gavin US Vice President Joe Biden jokes with President Michael D Higgins that he had "no credentials" to present as they met in Aras an Uachtarain this morning. Under tight security Mr Biden made the short journey from the American Ambassador's residence in the Phoenix Park to the Aras at 9.30am. In a jovial mode the Vice President told Mr Higgins he was delighted to be in Ireland and said his grandfather's family would have been proud to see him signing the guestbook in the Aras. Mr Higgins explained that the State Reception Room where he signed the book with a JFK quote was normally used for new ambassadors to present their credentials, prompting Mr Biden to say: "I have no credentials." Vice President Joe Biden quoted JFK in the Aras an Uachtarain visitors book: pic.twitter.com/YSjWhMSTEl President of Ireland (@PresidentIRL) June 22, 2016 Mr Higgins replied: "We'll talk about that later." Read More The two men held a private meeting for over 30 minutes, ending the formal element of the Vice President's six day visit to Ireland. He is shortly due to fly from Dublin to Knock Airport from where he will begin a tour of Mayo that includes Taoiseach Enda Kenny's hometown of Castlebar, Westport and Castlebar. In a statement issued after their meeting, Aras an Uachtarain said the discussion between Mr Higgins and Mr Biden included Irish, European and current global affairs. Among the issues that were discussed were the central importance of human rights to the political perspectives of both the President and the Vice President. Specifically, President Higgins commended Vice President Bidens work on the elimination of all forms of violence against women. The two leaders further discussed the current issues facing the European Union and the current position in relation to the peace process in Northern Ireland. The present position of the discussion and advocacy in relation to the legislative process regarding out of status Irish in the United States was discussed, the statement said. Growing up surrounded by heavy, powerful machinery, I'm well aware of the very real dangers they pose to those who use them on a daily basis. But, I must admit, that level of self-awareness has come with age. As a care-free child, full of mischief and a sense of adventure I loved nothing more than climbing up on the biggest, noisiest machine in the yard to play 'turf-cutter' or run my own make-believe garage. My big brother and little brother were the very same. Looking back, I don't know how our parents kept an eye on us - if it had tracks we were on it, if it had a cab, we were in it. Thankfully, despite a few close shaves, we never came to any harm. The ease at which a farm yard or agricultural accident can occur is frightening. Staggering statistics show 2,500 accidents occur every year. While some are minor, others inflect permanent, often life threatening injuries. To date, the focus of farm safety events and courses have generally centred on raising awareness and reducing risk. While this approach is proving successful, we must accept that even in the best run farms and workplaces accidents will still happen. On June 23, Teagasc in Cavan will run a special farm accident response course called 'FARM 999'. In addition to highlighting awareness, Niall McCabe, organiser, says the one day course will focus on how to be a first responder if an accident or medical emergency occurs. "Paramedics talk of the 'golden hour' after an incident happens. What happens in this period has a huge bearing on how well a person will recover and could even make the difference between life and death. Rather than aiming this course solely on the farmer we are targeting it at the farmer and family who often become the first responder almost by default," he said. The course, sponsored by Poles Co-op in Cavan, will include demonstrations on treating injuries, preventing shock and administering CPR. "Young people now will be the farmers of the future and better to learn these life skills now rather than later," he said. Participants must book their place by calling the Teagasc Advisory Office in Ballyhaise on 049-4338300. On June 12, more than 280 tractors participated in the Shane Brolly Memorial Tractor Run in Donegal. The successful event also remembered farmers Kevin Woods and Seamus Hegarty - both fatally injured in farming accidents in 2014. Meanwhile, as silage cutting season continues, farmers are being asked to purchase purple wrap and net in aid of the Children's Medical and Research Foundation for Our Lady's Children's Hospital Crumlin. 'Farmer in Charge' Maurice Walsh is a country man of humble means, used to the odd hair cut twice a year when his tresses get so long he cant see through them. So, when the successful dairy farmer from Mitchelstown, Co Cork, was asked to apply his entrepreneurial acumen to a struggling hair and beauty salon in Tallaght as part of RTE business makeover series Farmer in Charge, the nerves kicked in. Id no clue it was going to be a hair salon so I was nervous. Id never done anything like it before but it was fantastic, he said. His central approach to rejuvenating the salon was focus on quality. Whether its milk, tillage, peas or a haircut, the customer must be satisfied with the product, said Maurice, who milks 100 cows on his dairy farm everyday. What shocked him the most? The capitals metrosexual grooming culture. Men are worse than women in Dublin for beauty. Fellas were in every week to get the hair done and trim their Conor McGregor beards. Jaysus I wouldnt have the patience for that, he laughed. (Farmer in Charge is available on RTE Player). * Congratulations to Tullow Macra in Carlow celebrating their 70th anniversary with a bit of a shindig at the Mount Wolsey Hotel on Friday. Major uncertainty surrounds the impact on used-car prices here should Britain vote tomorrow to leave the EU. In that event, some in the motor industry here fear there could be a big increase in the numbers of lower-cost used imports on the back of an anticipated weaker sterling. Imports fell over the past couple of years because sterling had been so strong. Now if imports get cheaper due to a weaker UK currency, there could be serious knock-on effects on the residual values of 'home' cars on the Irish secondhand market - at least in the medium term. No one is exactly sure what will happen - and obviously a vote to stay in will greatly allay fears of such a development. There is even talk of tariffs and quotas. The uncertainty underlines how widespread the ramifications of a UK exit would be and the sense of potential crisis it is creating. All the big car manufacturers globally have been active in warning of severe consequences across the board. Toyota estimated that Brexit could lead to levies of as much as 10pc on the cars it builds in Britain. In a letter to its UK workers, it says Brexit would challenge it to cut costs or make its cars more expensive. The Japanese giant exports almost 90pc of the vehicles it builds in the UK. Reports say three-quarters of those cars are sold in the EU. The letter was signed by two of Toyota's UK manufacturing executives and a trade union representative. It says: "We will face significant business challenges as a result of a decision to withdraw from the EU." It insists that it remains committed to its UK factories and employees - last year it built 190,000 Avensis and Auris cars at its Burnaston plant. But a 10pc rise in prices at a time of severe competition could have major implications for future long-term planning. Several other carmakers and suppliers have voiced "widespread concern" over the prospect of a British exit. Leaving the EU would be "highly damaging" and make the carmaker's products less competitive in Europe, Jaguar Land Rover chief Ralf Speth warned on Monday. And Nissan chief Carlos Ghosn has said that staying part of the EU makes sense for jobs, trade and costs. 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. It has become the 90m question: just how will senior judges interpret a crucial line in an agreement between insurers and the State? Essentially, that is what the row over who should carry the can for the 2014 collapse of Setanta Insurance turns on. The issue is quite technical and has divided the sharpest of legal minds. But it will have huge ramifications for every motorist in the country and the 1,750 injured parties with claims against drivers who were insured by the Maltese-registered firm. All eyes will be on the Supreme Court in the coming months when it examines 'Clause 4.1.1' in an agreement between the Motor Insurers' Bureau of Ireland (MIBI) and the Department of Transport. The MIBI was set up in 1955 as an industry-funded body to compensate victims of road traffic accidents caused by uninsured drivers and unidentified vehicles. Since then it has had several operating agreements with the Transport Minister, the most recent of which was in 2009. Clause 4.1.1 of that agreement requires the MIBI to make payments where a judgment against an insurer is not satisfied within 28 days "whatever may be the cause of the failure of the judgment debtor". Under one interpretation of the clause, the country's 40 remaining solvent insurance companies will have to pick up the bill for 1,750 outstanding claims against drivers who were insured by Setanta. In proceedings brought by the Law Society, the High Court interpreted the clause as meaning the MIBI could be held liable. Three Court of Appeal judges subsequently agreed with this finding. But those rulings proved hugely controversial, as in reality the cost of outstanding claims - an estimated 90m - will end up being covered by higher insurance premiums. Insurers say each driver in the State would have to pay an additional 50 on their premium. The MIBI has argued, thus far unsuccessfully, that under another interpretation of the clause it is only liable to compensate victims of uninsured and untraced drivers and should not have to carry the can for the liabilities of a failed insurer. It believes the rulings mean solvent insurers will be faced with covering the costs of outstanding claims in the event another insurer fails, even if that insurer behaved recklessly or imprudently. The MIBI believes the tab should be picked up by the Insurance Compensation Fund, which insurers pay into but is administered by the President of the High Court. The fund has been around since 1964 and was previously used to satisfy claims in the cases of PMPA and Quinn Insurance. Under this scenario the hit taken by solvent insurers, and ultimately the premium-paying motorist, would be much less as there are caps on what can be paid out of the fund. The flipside is it would mean a very raw deal for a claimant who suffered catastrophic injuries in a road traffic accident. The fund is limited to paying just 65pc of an award, up to a maximum sum of 825,000. This may seem a large sum, but could be less than adequate for someone who suffered life-altering injuries. "It has been a characteristic of this whole debate and media commentary on it that the focus has been on the poor insurance companies and the premium payers," said Law Society director general Ken Murphy. "Nobody is thinking of the victims of these accidents at all. Surely these are the people, some of whom may have suffered life-changing injuries, who are the real victims here." Interestingly, after Setanta went bust, the Department of Transport's legal advice was that the MIBI was not liable and that claimants should be paid out of the Insurance Compensation Fund. The President of the Court of Appeal, Mr Justice Sean Ryan, found the department's position could not be considered to be decisive. His judgment also suggested the MIBI only had themselves to blame for the current situation. The MIBI argued the clause could not mean they were on the hook as it defied common sense for insurers to agree to giving cross-guarantees to all their competitors. However, Mr Justice Ryan said there was evidence insurance companies had themselves envisaged insolvent insurer liability being an issue for the MIBI as far back as 1964. They have had the opportunity since then "of agitating for a change in the legislation", Mr Justice Ryan noted. But they didn't, leaving them in the position they are in today. Premium John Downing Opinion New British prime minister Rishi Sunaks succession proves an important milestone in British political inclusivity There is an old saying in British politics that goes: The right looks for converts while the left seeks out traitors. It comes to mind when one reflects upon the election of Rishi Sunak as the UKs first non-white prime minister in a party traditionally seen as most opposed to mass immigration and the dilution of national identity via multiculturalism. American actress Selma Blair was reportedly taken off a plane on a stretcher after an outburst on board a flight from Mexico. Blair, the 'Cruel Intentions' and 'Anger Management' star, was allegedly removed from the Delta flight when it landed in Los Angeles because the crew were concerned about her behaviour. The 43-year-old, pictured above, who was travelling with her four-year-old son, was said to have shouted uncontrollably while travelling. When the flight from Cancun, Mexico, landed at LA International Airport, the mother-of-one was taken off the plane and transported to a local hospital, celebrity news website TMZ reported. It said two nurses who were on board helped her and checked her bags for pills. "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," an insider told 'People'. Blair was most recently seen in the TV series 'The People v OJ Simpson: American Crime Story'. She also starred alongside Susan Sarandon in the film 'Mothers and Daughters'. An underwater test-fire of strategic submarine ballistic missile is pictured in this undated photo released by North Korea's Korean Central News Agency The United Nations Security Council will most likely meet on Wednesday to discuss North Korea's latest ballistic missile launch, which was an "unacceptable violation" of a U.N. ban, French U.N. Ambassador Francois Delattre told reporters. "We want a quick and firm reaction of the Security Council on this," said Delattre, who is president of the 15-nation council this month. "We hope that ... we'll have a press statement on this." Earlier today, North Korea test-fired two powerful new Musudan mid-range ballistic missiles. The launches mark the North's fifth and sixth such attempts since April. Five of those launches failed, many exploding in mid-air or crashing, while the sixth flew only about 250 miles, South Korean military chiefs said, well short of the missile's potential 2,180-mile range. The North's determination in testing the Musudan has worried diplomats in Washington, Tokyo and Seoul, because the missile's range puts much of Asia and the Pacific, including US military bases, within reach. Each new test - apparently linked to a command from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un - also provides valuable insights to the North's scientists and military officials as it pushes towards its goal of a nuclear and missile system which can threaten the US mainland. Pyongyang conducted a nuclear test, its fourth, this year, and launched a long-range rocket that outsiders say provided cover for a test of banned missile technology. In April, North Korea made an unsuccessful attempt to launch three suspected Musudan missiles, but all exploded in mid-air or crashed, according to South Korean defence officials. Earlier this month, North Korea had another suspected Musudan failure. Before April's launches, North Korea had never flight-tested a Musudan missile, although one was displayed during a military parade in 2010 in the capital, Pyongyang. 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 US-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. Meanwhile, diplomats from the US and North Korea are attending a six-nation security forum in Beijing in a rare opportunity for contact between the sides. Despite their joint attendance at Wednesday's event, the US State Department said there are no plans for direct talks between the US special representative for North Korea policy Sung Kim, and North Korea's deputy director general of its Foreign Ministry's department of US affairs, Choe Son Hui. The conference is described as a multilateral forum involving high-level policymakers, defence ministry officials, military officers and researchers from China, Japan, North and South Korea, Russia, and the United States. The nations taking part had participated in years of talks on North Korean nuclear disarmament which have been stalled since 2008, with little apparent prospect of a resumption. Two teenagers broke into Blackpool Pleasure Beach and went for a 30-minute joyride on a rollercoaster at 4am. The pair scaled the locked gates of the amusement park and gained access to the control-room of the 82-year-old Blue Flyer ride, a wooden rollercoaster which can reach speeds of up to 15mph. Expand Close Blackpool beach / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Blackpool beach They were seen on CCTV using the children's ride, which is in the Nickelodeon Land part of the park and lasts one minute and 30 seconds. Security guards found the teens, who also went into the T Cafe and reportedly threw food, at about 4.50am on Friday, June 17. A 15-year-old boy was arrested by police on suspicion of burglary and dealt with by community resolution. A spokeswoman for the park said: "The intruders gained access over barriers and locked gates, and managed to enter a control-room of the Blue Flyer ride at Blackpool Pleasure Beach. "They managed to operate the ride some time before security patrols discovered them at 4.50am. "From CCTV footage, we understand the intruders were at the ride for up to 30 minutes. During this time two youths can be seen on the ride. "Following the break-in, the ride has been fully inspected and is operational and open to the public." The spokeswoman added there was "no significant damage" caused to the T Cafe. She added: "Security will continue to operate with vigilance over a 24-hour period across the 42-acre site, assisted by CCTV surveillance, monitoring activity on the grounds of Blackpool Pleasure Beach." A Lancashire Police spokesman said: "At around 4.50am on Friday, June 17, we were called by security at Blackpool Pleasure Beach after they spotted two youths on the site on CCTV. "A 15-year-old boy from Blackpool was later arrested on suspicion of burglary and was given a community resolution." The force spokesman added the exact requirements of the community resolution, which does not lead to a criminal record, had yet to be determined, while officers were still trying to identify the other youth. A park spokeswoman said there was "no evidence" the youths threw food while in the cafe. 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 in 2013, 11 months after winning a high-profile custody battle Ellie Butler's death should be subject to a public inquiry, according to the murdered child's grandfather. Neal Gray said he wants everything "open and above board" as he recalled the suffering of the six-year-old, who was killed by her father Ben Butler in a fit of rage. Expand Close Screen grab from an undated home video issued by the Metropolitan Police of Ellie Butler / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Screen grab from an undated home video issued by the Metropolitan Police of Ellie Butler Jobless Butler, 36, who inflicted horrific head injuries on Ellie while left home alone to look after her and her younger sibling in October 2013, has been jailed for a minimum of 23 years for murder. Read More He was also sentenced to five years to run concurrently for breaking Ellie's shoulder and failing to get her medical attention weeks before her death. His partner, Jennie Gray, 36, was jailed for 42 months after being found guilty of child cruelty having admitted perverting the course of justice. Mr Gray and his wife Linda, who died on the first day of the murder trial, were Ellie's maternal grandparents and cared for the child after her father was accused of shaking her as a baby. They were forced to hand her back 11 months before her death. Read More Mr Gray said he last saw Ellie during a 30-minute visit at a McDonald's in Sutton, south London, the day before she died. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "She wasn't the Ellie we knew. She had bruises on her forehead and her face and scratches, her hair was all bedraggled, she had odd shoes, odd socks, clothes and she looked as though she'd been dragged through the back of a hedgerow." Read More Asked if Ellie resisted returning with her parents at the end of the meeting, Mr Gray said: "No. But you could see her eyes were sunk in and there was sadness in her eyes." He added: "Now the court case is over I hope to pursue a judicial review or an article 2 inquiry." Mr Gray went on: "In layman's terms, a public inquiry surrounding this case to find out why the judiciary didn't do their job correctly, why the social services failed Ellie - especially the private side. "I want it all open and above board, and I want everybody to answer because everybody failed Ellie completely and utterly." Ellie and her younger sibling had been handed back to Butler and Gray following a bitter custody battle in which Mrs Justice Hogg sided with the parents despite objections from Mr Gray who warned she would have "blood on your hands". A serious case review published in the wake of Butler's conviction blamed the judge for handing "all the power" to Butler when she decided he had been the victim of a miscarriage of justice over the 2007 baby shaking case. She took the "unprecedented" step of ordering Sutton Council to send letters to up to 40 education, child protection, police and health bodies, stressing that Butler was innocent. Agencies were effectively "paralysed" from taking action to protect Ellie as the judge also allowed Butler and his legal team to send follow-up letters to remind them he had been "exonerated". Report author Marion Davis said on Tuesday that she plans to write to the President of the Family Division of the High Court and the Family Justice Council to ask for answers over the case as a "concern of national interest". Mrs Justice Hogg, who retired before Butler's trial, has refused to comment on or contribute to the review in line with a judges' convention. However, Anne Longfield, children's commissioner for England, has called for a reform of how the judiciary provide information to reviews in light of "unanswered questions". She said: "I'm concerned that all the circumstances in this family - which included violence, aggression and habitual evasion of any engagement with local services - may not have been fully considered when custody was awarded, despite custody being objected to by local children's services, the police and Ellie's grandparents. "There remains a number of unanswered questions regarding this judgment. The role of the judiciary and their involvement in providing information to serious case reviews needs to be looked at as part of ongoing reform." With just hours to go before kick-off Irish fans in Lille are already making plans for the last 16. Confidence is high in the French city and supporters say they will do everything they can to get that important win for the Boys in Green. But fans say it is time for the team to stand up and "start doing their bit." Brendan Casey (23) is originally from Charleville Co Cork but has travelled over from his home in Bangkok, Thailand for the tournament. We have been here for two weeks and we're drinking and we're singing for two weeks and morale is pretty low at the moment. We are hoping for something, a win, a goal will do, anything. We will take what we can. His pal Shane agreed: We have done all we can, we need the team now to start doing their bit. Take the lead and we will get you through the rest, take the burden off us. The pals are travelling around in a campervan and they admit that they are shook after the last 10 days of singing and partying. Daithi Purcell (23), from Tramore, Co Waterford, said: I can't wait for some clean clothes, me mother's cooking, a cuddle off me lack [girlfriend]. But if Ireland win today then the cuddles will have to wait. Brendan said: We will cancel the flights straight away. We will motor on. We have the campervan until Friday so we will bring that back and then get a train to wherever. Shane added: We will win first and worry about the rest later. Just tell the team we will be there. The Munster men are not the only ones making plans for the last 16. Mick McDonagh (62) from Sligo joked: Tomorrow I have to go to a funeral, because me granny died in Lille. If anyone's watching this in Ireland, I won't be in work tomorrow. Michael Ferriter (30) from Castlegregory, Co Kerry hasn't figured it out yet but he knows that he's staying if we qualify. I'll pretend to lose the passport and stay on for the next game. Michael and his friends Kevin 'Sweets' Kennedy (31) and Donal O'Connor (30) who are all from Co Kerry struggled to find accommodation in Lille last night so they slept in hammocks near the city centre. They said it was comfortable and weren't troubled during the night. Asked what he'll do if Ireland qualify, Gerry Smith (29) from Co Cork said: I'll probably break up with the girlfriend, cancel what I do for a living and come back for a week. Tommy Byrne (29) got married three weeks ago and he spent his honeymoon in Fota Island Cork, where the Irish team were training before the tournament. The Mullingar man then headed to France, leaving wife Joanne Cregg home alone. It's going to cost me a trip to New Zealand in the future, that's the promise, but I got here and I'm here to support the Boys in Green. She was fairly okay about it. Tommy is booked on a 3am flight back to Ireland tomorrow and is currently in negotiations for a last 16 qualifier. If we lose, we go home in the flight. If we win we will stay on for the week. But some fans have used up all their holidays and cash. Annie Murtagh (35), from Cavan, but living in Melbourne Australia said she has no choice but to head back down under. But she wants to leave on a high. I've spent enough money over here. I came over for this especially so they better play a decent f**king game tonight. FORMER French President Nicolas Sarkozy has told Angela Merkel that Turkish membership of the EU is "unthinkable". Mr Sarkozy met with the German Chancellor in Berlin yesterday. He told reporters: "Europe needs leadership, Europe needs to take initiatives, Europe needs new ideas." Yesterday, dozens of Turkish demonstrators protested in Istanbul over the arrests of two journalists and an academic on charges of disseminating "terrorist propaganda". A Turkish court on Monday ordered the pre-trial arrest of Reporters Without Borders' Turkey representative Erol Onderoglu, journalist Ahmet Nesin and academic Sebnem Korur Fincanci. The three had participated in a solidarity campaign in support of 'Ozgur Gundem', a pro-Kurdish publication subject to multiple investigations and lawsuits. The state-run news agency said the three acted as chief editors for a day for the publication and the issues they edited in May and earlier in June included alleged terrorist propaganda. Anadolu Agency also said the court ordered the suspects' arrest on "strong criminal suspicion." Press freedom advocates warn that freedom of expression has dramatically declined in Turkey. Recently, David Cameron claimed that arguments made by the campaign to Leave the EU about Turkey joining the bloc were "simply not true". The British prime minister said: "I really feel strongly about this, as people are getting through their letterboxes leaflets from Leave saying 'Turkey's going to join the EU' - not true, 'there's going to be a European army with Britain in it' - not true, 'we give 350m (456m) per week to Brussels' - not true." A male nurse sentenced to life in prison for killing two patients with overdoses of heart medication is likely to have killed many more people at two German hospitals, tests suggest. Oldenburg police chief Johann Kuehme said investigators found residue of a heart drug in 27 of 99 patients from a hospital in nearby Delmenhorst whose bodies were exhumed, the news agency dpa reported. Investigators are also examining an unusually high number of patient deaths that occurred at a second hospital in Oldenburg, where the nurse worked before. Mr Kuehme told a press conference: "The horror doesn't end. The investigations cannot be closed." A court in Oldenburg in northern Germany last year convicted the 39-year-old man, identified only as Niels H in line with German privacy rules, of murder and attempted murder. During the trial, he had said he intentionally brought about cardiac crises in some 90 patients in Delmenhorst because he enjoyed the feeling of being able to resuscitate them. He was only convicted of two killings but he suggested more patients had died. In addition to the killings at Delmenhorst hospital, Niels H said during a more recent interrogation by investigators that he also killed patients at a hospital in Oldenburg. "We cannot say how many of the patients in Oldenburg were (his) victims," prosecutor Daniela Schiereck-Bohlmann said. In a joint statement, Oldenburg police and prosecutors said there is "strong suspicion" that Niels H killed at least six patients at the Oldenburg hospital by injections of either heart medication or toxic doses of potassium. Several hundred additional files of deceased patients are currently being examined to determine if there were more. The investigation will likely not be finished before next year. In a related probe, several managers at both hospitals are also being questioned to determine if they are somehow criminally culpable for not having noticed and reported much earlier the high number of deaths during Niels H's shifts. Donald Trump has accused rival Hillary Clinton of being a "world class liar" who personally profited from her tenure at the US State Department. The presumptive Republican presidential nominee said of Mrs Clinton "she gets rich making you poor", during an address at his hotel in New York. Expand Close Hillary Clinton said Donald Trump "shouldn't have his hands" on the economy / Facebook Twitter Email Whatsapp Hillary Clinton said Donald Trump "shouldn't have his hands" on the economy Seeking to steady his campaign after a difficult period, Mr Trump cast himself as the White House candidate best positioned to address Americans' economic interests. "This election will decide whether we're ruled by the people or the politicians" he said. He made his arguments in a pointed yet measured tone, less loud and strident than has been typical in most previous campaign speeches. Yet his remarks included erroneous statements and distortions about Mrs Clinton's record, and he frequently referenced sources of information that have been widely questioned, including the book Clinton Cash by Peter Schweizer. The speech marked an opening salvo against Mrs Clinton, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, in the general election campaign. It came as the billionaire faced growing questions about his readiness not just for the presidency, but for the campaign he will need to run to get there. Mr Trump made a direct appeal to supporters of Mrs Clinton's primary rival Bernie Sanders, urging them to help him fix a "rigged system". He also argued his trade and immigration policies would be more beneficial than Mrs Clinton's for black and Hispanic people, two groups that have overwhelmingly voted for Democrats in recent presidential elections. Still, the central goal of Trump's speech appeared to be uniting the Republican Party and appealing to people who may be sceptical of him but vigorously oppose Mrs Clinton. He also referred to Mrs Clinton's use of a private email server while she was secretary of state, her response to the deadly 2012 attacks on Americans in Benghazi, Libya, and accusations that she and former president Bill Clinton profited from their family foundation. "Hillary Clinton may be the most corrupt person ever to seek the presidency," Mr Trump said. Some of Mr Trump's charges come from Schweizer's book, which has been criticised for failing to provide evidence of direct connections between business dealings by foreign interests, sometimes involving the Clinton Foundation, and decisions by Mrs Clinton when she was secretary of state. The Republican candidate also argued that Mrs Clinton's opposition to a massive Asia-Pacific trade pact was an example of her political opportunism, noting that she had worked on the agreement while at the State Department and has previously backed free trade accords. And he took aim at her immigration policies, saying her call for providing those in the US illegally with a path to citizenship amounted to "mass amnesty". Mr Trump's remarks came one day after Mrs Clinton launched her own blistering attacks on her White House rival. She moved to undercut Mr Trump's argument that his business record would help him create jobs as president, arguing instead that he had been "reckless" with his companies and "shouldn't have his hands on our economy". Mr Trump also tried to turn Mrs Clinton's strengths into negatives. He spent much of his speech trying to undercut her foreign policy record, highlighting her early support of the 2003 invasion of Iraq, which she now says was a mistake, and linking the policies she promoted at the State Department to the rise of the Islamic State terror group. "The Hillary Clinton foreign policy has cost America thousands of lives and trillions of dollars and trillions of dollars and unleashed ISIS across the world," Mr Trump said. Mr Trump's speech came on the heels of his firing on Monday of campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, a controversial figure who was seen as an impediment to efforts to build a more robust campaign organisation. A new fundraising report released hours after Mr Lewandowski's firing showed how much ground Mr Trump has to make up. He started June with just 1.3 million US dollars (890,000) in the bank. Mr Trump's allies cast Mr Lewandowski's firing this week as the start of a new phase for the campaign. Paul Manafort, the campaign chairman and Mr Lewandowski's internal rival, signalled on a conference call with aides that a rapid staffing expansion would be coming soon. Tennessee Republican Senator Bob Corker, who has been seen as a potential vice presidential pick, said he was "pretty excited" to learn of the changes. "I think that what appears to be occurring over the last 24 hours is a movement in a direction that I think could be very, very positive," Mr Corker said. Mr Trump launched an outspoken attack on his likely Democratic rival for the White House (AP) Donald Trump has accused rival Hillary Clinton of being a "world class liar" who personally profited from her tenure at the US State Department. The presumptive Republican presidential nominee said of Mrs Clinton "she gets rich making you poor", during an address at his hotel in New York. Seeking to steady his campaign after a difficult period, Mr Trump cast himself as the White House candidate best positioned to address Americans' economic interests. "This election will decide whether we're ruled by the people or the politicians" he said. He made his arguments in a pointed yet measured tone, less loud and strident than has been typical in most previous campaign speeches. Yet his remarks included erroneous statements and distortions about Mrs Clinton's record, and he frequently referenced sources of information that have been widely questioned, including the book Clinton Cash by Peter Schweizer. The speech marked an opening salvo against Mrs Clinton, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, in the general election campaign. It came as the billionaire faced growing questions about his readiness not just for the presidency, but for the campaign he will need to run to get there. Mr Trump made a direct appeal to supporters of Mrs Clinton's primary rival Bernie Sanders, urging them to help him fix a "rigged system". He also argued his trade and immigration policies would be more beneficial than Mrs Clinton's for black and Hispanic people, two groups that have overwhelmingly voted for Democrats in recent presidential elections. Still, the central goal of Trump's speech appeared to be uniting the Republican Party and appealing to people who may be sceptical of him but vigorously oppose Mrs Clinton. He also referred to Mrs Clinton's use of a private email server while she was secretary of state, her response to the deadly 2012 attacks on Americans in Benghazi, Libya, and accusations that she and former president Bill Clinton profited from their family foundation. "Hillary Clinton may be the most corrupt person ever to seek the presidency," Mr Trump said. Some of Mr Trump's charges come from Schweizer's book, which has been criticised for failing to provide evidence of direct connections between business dealings by foreign interests, sometimes involving the Clinton Foundation, and decisions by Mrs Clinton when she was secretary of state. The Republican candidate also argued that Mrs Clinton's opposition to a massive Asia-Pacific trade pact was an example of her political opportunism, noting that she had worked on the agreement while at the State Department and has previously backed free trade accords. And he took aim at her immigration policies, saying her call for providing those in the US illegally with a path to citizenship amounted to "mass amnesty". Mr Trump's remarks came one day after Mrs Clinton launched her own blistering attacks on her White House rival. She moved to undercut Mr Trump's argument that his business record would help him create jobs as president, arguing instead that he had been "reckless" with his companies and "shouldn't have his hands on our economy". Mr Trump also tried to turn Mrs Clinton's strengths into negatives. He spent much of his speech trying to undercut her foreign policy record, highlighting her early support of the 2003 invasion of Iraq, which she now says was a mistake, and linking the policies she promoted at the State Department to the rise of the Islamic State terror group. "The Hillary Clinton foreign policy has cost America thousands of lives and trillions of dollars and trillions of dollars and unleashed ISIS across the world," Mr Trump said. Mr Trump's speech came on the heels of his firing on Monday of campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, a controversial figure who was seen as an impediment to efforts to build a more robust campaign organisation. A new fundraising report released hours after Mr Lewandowski's firing showed how much ground Mr Trump has to make up. He started June with just 1.3 million US dollars (890,000) in the bank. Mr Trump's allies cast Mr Lewandowski's firing this week as the start of a new phase for the campaign. Paul Manafort, the campaign chairman and Mr Lewandowski's internal rival, signalled on a conference call with aides that a rapid staffing expansion would be coming soon. Tennessee Republican Senator Bob Corker, who has been seen as a potential vice presidential pick, said he was "pretty excited" to learn of the changes. "I think that what appears to be occurring over the last 24 hours is a movement in a direction that I think could be very, very positive," Mr Corker said. AP Two people have died and more than 50 have been arrested amid rioting and looting on the outskirts of South Africa's capital city of Pretoria. Looters targeted shops in the Mabopane and Ga-Rankuwa neighbourhoods belonging to immigrants, echoing similar attacks last year against foreigners, including Pakistanis and Somalis who run businesses in poor urban areas. Police fired rubber bullets to disperse crowds in Mabopane, where people ran out of one store with stolen groceries and other goods, according to South African media reports. Two people were shot dead in the Mamelodi district. Police arrested 54 people on charges of public violence, theft and possession of stolen property. The government said stability was returning to some areas, while violence persisted in other districts. "The attacks and looting of shops show that some of the protest actions are motivated by pure criminality," the government said. The violence started on Monday after the selection of the ruling party's mayoral candidate for Pretoria ahead of local elections on August 3. Some residents said they were not adequately consulted about the selection. The rioting has raised concerns about security ahead of municipal elections on August 3. AP SHARE Alexis Marie Bradberry Alexis Marie Bradberry, better known as Lexie, a senior at Abbeville High School has been awarded the prestigious South Carolina Teaching Fellowship. Lexie will join the freshman cohort at Lander University this fall where she will be offered numerous professional development opportunities and involved with communities and businesses through various service projects and partnerships with local schools. The state's Teaching Fellows Program, operated by the Center for Educator Recruitment, Retention and Advancement (CERRA), and was established in 1999 by the S.C. General Assembly to address the shortage of teachers in our state. The mission of the program is to recruit talented high school seniors into the teaching profession and help them develop leadership qualities. Each year, the program provides fellowships for up to 210 high school seniors who have exhibited high academic achievement, a history of service to their school and community, and a desire to teach in South Carolina. Applicants for the program undergo a rigorous selection process that includes an online application, an interview and presentation in front of a team of three educators, and a scored response. Following the rigorous selection process, applicants who are awarded a Fellowship receive up to $24,000 in yearly scholarships (up to $6,000 a year for four years) to attend a Teaching Fellows Institution in South Carolina. Each Fellow agrees to teach in South Carolina one year for every year he or she receives the Fellowship. For more information about the South Carolina Teaching Fellows Program, visit teachingfellowsc.com. SHARE Jackie Freeman (left) smiles with Dr. Rajeev Malik (middle left) and Dr. Ravinder Malik (middle right) near Angela Stringer during the Cancer Association of Anderson Heroes of Hope and Remembrance honoring the two in the Civic Center of Anderson. Freeman and Stringer are both cancer survivors. Sylvia McLeod (left) of Anderson greets Dr. Rajeev Malik during the Cancer Association of Anderson Heroes of Hope and Remembrance in the Civic Center of Anderson. McLeod said she has been cancer-free after Dr. Rajeev Malik helped her with treatments. Dr. Rajeev Malik makes a speech after being honored with his wife Dr. Ravinder Malik during the Cancer Association of Anderson Heroes of Hope and Remembrance in the Civic Center of Anderson. Dr. Rajeev Malik and Dr. Ravinder Malik are given a standing ovation during the Cancer Association of Anderson Heroes of Hope and Remembrance in the Civic Center of Anderson. By Charmaine Smith-Miles of the Independent Mail Sylvia McLeod thought she was going to die. At least that's what the doctors were telling her. It was written on the faces of the people she saw in the hospital. It was the underlying message in the flowers she received in January 2008 as she learned she was suffering from stage-four colon cancer. But Dr. Rajeev Malik gave her a different outlook from the first moment they met. "I had been told I had two months to live," McLeod said. "But when Dr. Malik walked into my room, he said, ' ... you are going to have many, many years. My mouth dropped open. He gave me hope.'" Malik then he referred her to a doctor in North Carolina who specialized in treating late-stage cancers. McLeod says the specialist in North Carolina and Malik's treatments helped to save her life. . McLeod said she received her cancer diagnosis in January 2008. By that November, she was cancer-free. "It has been eight wonderful years. I am happy, and I am on no medicine. How do you thank someone for saving your life?" McLeod said, her eyes welling with tears. "I just love him. He is my hero." On Tuesday, McLeod and about 300 others had that chance to say "thank you" at the Cancer Association of Anderson's inaugural Heroes of Hope and Remembrance dinner. They came to honor Malik, and his wife, Dr. Ravinder Malik, for their mark on the community through their work as physicians and as tireless supporters of the Cancer Association of Anderson. The couple came to Anderson in 1982 and began the oncology program at AnMed Health. Both natives of New Delhi, India, the Maliks, who met in medical school, were among the first foreign-born doctors to practice in Anderson. Dr. Ravinder Malik worked in radiation oncology and Dr. Rajeev Malik had a hematology and oncology practice at AnMed Health. In 2012, Dr. Ravinder Malik retired and Dr. Rajeev Malik retired in 2015. Through the years, they have cared for thousands of cancer patients many of whom credit the Maliks with saving their lives. When the Cancer Association of Anderson was first forming in 2003, the Maliks offered the use of a house they owned on Calhoun Street to become the charity's headquarters. "That was just pivotal for us," said Kathryn Smith, the founding director of the Cancer Association of Anderson. Thirteen years later, the Maliks still own the home, and rent it out to the Cancer Association of Anderson for the property's annual taxes. And Dr. Ravinder Malik has served on the charity's board of directors three times, Smith said. "She is always volunteering and helping us," Smith said. "And I always call Dr. Rajeev our 'fairy godfather' because he's always willing to help us. He'll say, 'Well, if it's for the Cancer Association.'" At the dinner, South Carolina House of Representative members Jonathon Hill and Anne Thayer presented the Maliks with a resolution, passed in the State House, honoring their work. Meanwhile, others gave them hugs and gave donations to the Cancer Association of Anderson in honor of the Maliks. Some spoke of how the Maliks gave up vacations to serve their patients. Their daughter, Robin, attributed her career as a family physician to their influence. She said she and her brother were taught at an early age to always do more and to give back. She said they volunteered at the Hospice of the Upstate when they were still in middle school and saw then the effect that their parents had on the people of Anderson. "They taught me the importance of generosity," Robin said. It was that spirit of giving that spurred Dr. Rajeev to specialize in oncology as early as the 1980s. He said he saw hownot much was being done to serve cancer patients because it was assumed that cancer was a death sentence. "I thought it was unfair that we stopped caring for them when we learned they had cancer," Malik said. "But, I was just such a small spoke in the wheel." But for the people in the room at the Anderson Civic Center, the Maliks were more than that. They are hometown heroes. And for that, the Maliks received a standing ovation. Follow Charmaine Smith-Miles on Twitter @Charmaine_AIM. SHARE Katherine Bates (left) and Cody Durham dance during The City of Anderson & 24 Hour Musical Inc. presentation of William Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing" at Carolina Wren Park in Downtown Anderson. Josh Barnes (left) and Lena Bledsoe dance during a rehearsal for The City of Anderson & 24 Hour Musical, Inc. presentation of William Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing" at Carolina Wren Park in Downtown Anderson. The City of Anderson & 24 Hour Musical, Inc. presentation of William Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing" at Carolina Wren Park in Downtown Anderson. Jessie Davis (left) and Graham Poore act a scene in The City of Anderson & 24 Hour Musical, Inc. presentation of William Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing" at Carolina Wren Park in Downtown Anderson. By Jake Grove of the Independent Mail Dr. David Larson, Dean of the South Carolina School for the Arts and professor of theatre at Anderson University, has always been enamored with the idea of Shakespeare in the Park. The only thing was, he didn't have a proper venue to display such a passion. Enter the Carolina Wren Park three years ago and Larson's mind started churning with possibilities. "The Shakespeare in the Park name is recognizable and has been going on since the late '60s," Larson said. "And Greenville does it as well. We wanted to do something with great quality in a great venue and we have all that now." The second annual Shakespeare in the Park performance is presented by Larson and producer Diane Lee and sponsored by the City of Anderson. It's smack in the middle of the Anderson Theatre Festival that has brought together 10 community theater organizations for a three-month festival of the performing arts. And, it's all free starting Friday and continuing through Monday. Last year was a performance of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" set in the 1960s. This year, they travel further back in time for Shakespeare's comedy "Much Ado About Nothing," but not as far as The Bard's own time. "We set this right after World War II," Larson said. "It's a period that people recognize and that allows them to really get into it. We have big band music, uniforms, cars and wonderful sets to match the great production." Shakespeare in the Park is a tradition throughout the United States. It started in New York in the late 1960s and has continued in communities throughout the United States and all over the world for nearly 50 years. But it took the building of Carolina Wren Park to get a production to the Electric City and based on the popularity of the first one last year, it might not ever leave. The allure of Shakespeare in the Park, according to Larson and Lee, is the interaction of actor and audience throughout the play. The action all takes place outside at Wren Park and is done much in the same way it would have been in Shakespeare's time. With Larson's direction, he wants his players to interact with the audience as much as possible. It's a challenge for the actors, while the audience gets into it from the start. "The audience is, literally, part of the play," Larson said. "The biggest challenge we have is getting the actors comfortable with interacting with the audience. And once they do, it takes only seconds for the audience to get into being a part of the play." If you've walked by Wren Park at all in the last couple weeks, you have likely seen something going on with the play. Lee and Larson have been hauling over set pieces like giant, aluminum palm trees and more for dress rehearsals each evening for the last two weeks. And the actors have been battling heat and exhaustion to ensure a great play. As for the choice of "Much Ado About Nothing," it was one that seemed perfect to Larson. He said the play has everything from slapstick comedy and risque topics to intense drama, mistaken identity and betrayal. All the plot points are there and it's done without having to sit through six hours of Shakespeare. "We cut it down a lot and make it much more approachable," Larson said. "We couldn't do the entire play if we wanted to. But we can do something like this." Shakespeare in the Park is a free performance put on by the City of Anderson. Audiences are encouraged to bring coolers of food and drink or just stop by one of the downtown restaurants and bring some picnic food from there to Wren Park for the show. There is no alcohol allowed and there will not be concessions served. As for chairs, if you want to sit close, bring a blanket instead. No chairs will be allowed in the very front. But after that, chairs are allowed and can be set up. The performance will start at 8 p.m. Friday through Monday at Carolina Wren Park. This is a change from last year's 7:30 p.m. start time when the actors and audience were getting a little warm for comfort. "The lighting will be amazing at that time and we will have great supplemental lights as well to add to the ambience," Lee said. Larson and Lee were both astounded by the success of last year's Shakespeare in the Park performance and look to grow from that for this year. And it's Shakespeare the way Shakespeare was meant to be seen. "It's outside, it's a social celebration and you get to enjoy the space with something really fun," Larson said. "What more could you ask for from the theatre?" Here's an interesting update.... Did you know? That, Jacqueline Fernandez was the only girl among 200 men on set while shooting for "Sau Tarah Ke" song in 'Dishoom'... Yes, you heard that right! While shooting for the peppy footing tapping number, that has been picturized in Morocco, Jacqueline was the only girl with 200 men on set. The actress had to make all the men dance to her killer moves coupled with her hotness quotient and Jacqueline did not get conscious for once. Everyone on set was chatting about her confidence level. Even her costar Varun Dhawan was overheard talking about Jacqueline at a recent event, "We had 200 hundred dancers on the set. Hats off to Jacqueline, she was the only girl amongst us. She has done a brilliant job." 'Dishoom' is presented by Eros International, produced by Sajid Nadiadwala and directed by Rohit Dhawan. The film hits theaters on 29th July, 2016. At the best of times, investing in commercial real estate requires forethought, research and planning. When tracking down the ideal commercial property for business operations or for investment, various factors such as soundness of location, the health of the local job market, current and future infrastructure initiatives in an area and migration patterns into a city play important roles. While the broad guidelines above hold true for any commercial property investment, prime commercial properties require even greater insight and investigation. Obviously, investing in a commercial property in a prime location can have multiple benefits: It is easier to find tenants for properties in prime locations than in low-demand locations. Finding tenants quickly is important, since it plays a role in yield calculations. Leaving a commercial property vacant for extended periods will result in loss of income. Banks are more willing to give loans to commercial projects in prime locations, since there is very low likelihood of capital loss It is easier for employees to travel to work every day - a major factor, considering that employee retention ranks very high on employers' list of priorities today A prime office space purchased for self-use is arguably the soundest business decision any firm can make. Apart from the fact that such a property is extremely convenient to commute to, a commercial office in a prime location increases a firm's visibility and reputation. It is a visible demonstration of your firm's commercial worth to your clients, partners and other businesses. Also, the capital appreciation of a prime office property reflects very favourably on a company's balance sheet. Prime Locations Both in terms of business potential and returns on investment, the highest value lies in prime office spaces. Invariably, the 'prime' value in commercial real estate is vested in the location, which leads to the question how does one define a 'prime location'? The factors that make a location prime are a function of its overall accessibility within the city, the quality of infrastructure that supports it, the saturation of high-profile companies represented there and the overall quality of buildings in the submarket. To determine if a location is prime, investors need to examine the following parameters: Can the office property be reached easily via all modes of transport? Is the office property close to major commercial hubs? What is the demand-supply gap? What is the tenant profile of the location? Which industries prefer it and what are their growth potential? Does the location have good social infrastructure such as restaurants, malls, shopping centres etc.? Is the location well-planned (e.g. Bandra Kurla Complex in Mumbai or has it grown with increased requirements (e.g. Nariman Point, which was reclaimed from the sea? Are there a lot of commercial space transactions happening in this location? Do the buildings have a modern look and feel (e.g. glass facades)? If the answers to most of these questions are positive, then the location is a prime one. Prime Properties The next aspect to determine is whether the project and property meet prime criteria, as well. There are over 30 important technical specifications that a commercial property must meet, and this needs to be verified by an expert. If the project is under construction, the buyer or investor must be fully updated on the construction risks, the developers track record, etc. The project and property must also be assessed for: Repositioning potential Refinancing potential Refurbishment potential. Finally, prime locations and prime commercial properties in them naturally come with prime prices. Since returns on investment are important, one must determine whether the location will also offer good capital appreciation. Regardless of whether the purpose of buying a commercial property is self-use or investment, using the services of a reputed real estate consultant is a key factor for success. Expert, research-driven advice can ensure that one is not buying into a property or location which has or will have major drawbacks high vacancies and result in low returns on investment. The author is Ramesh Nair, COO - Business & International Director, JLL India BASF India Ltd is currently trading at Rs. 1052.25, up by Rs. 40.8 or 4.03% from its previous closing of Rs. 1011.45 on the BSE. The scrip opened at Rs. 1025 and has touched a high and low of Rs. 1052.45 and Rs. 1025 respectively. So far 1607(NSE+BSE) shares were traded on the counter. The current market cap of the company is Rs. 4378.57 crore. The BSE group 'B' stock of face value Rs. 10 has touched a 52 week high of Rs. 1416 on 10-Aug-2015 and a 52 week low of Rs. 699.9 on 12-Feb-2016. Last one week high and low of the scrip stood at Rs. 1060 and Rs. 980.5 respectively. The promoters holding in the company stood at 73.33 % while Institutions and Non-Institutions held 5.85 % and 20.82 % respectively. The stock is currently trading above its 50 DMA. BASF has signed an agreement to acquire Albermarle's global surface treatment business of Chemetall for a purchase of $3.2 billion. The Union Cabinet approved the spectrum auction norms on Wednesday. The 2016 spectrum auction is expected to start from September 1, as per reports.The government is expected to auction nearly 2,300MHz of spectrum across 7 bands. The spectrum bands of 700 MHz, 800 MHz, 900 MHz, 1800 MHz, 2100 MHz, 2300 MHz and 2500 MHz would be auctioned this year.Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) is likely to meet the cabinet again to discuss spectrum usage charge.The government will accept applications from companies from July 1 till August 10. Mock auctions will be conducted on August 28 and 29, as per reports.The 2016 mega-auction is considered to be the biggest spectrum auction seeking Rs.64,000 crore for the government, with a revenue of Rs.98,995 crore from various levies and services. The government is reportedly planning to consolidate among the 27 state-owned banks to create 4-5 large sized lenders,according to reports. Report says that government is looking at stake in IDBI Bank coming down to 60% if stake dilution happens via QIP. SBI and its associate banks are to be merged, while decision on other banks will be taken in due course, finance ministry official reported. Patanjali Ayurved is planning to raise Rs 1,000 crore in project loans, according to reports. Report says that the company is in talks with banks including State Bank of India, Bank of Baroda, Uco Bank and a few others. The company has embarked on expansion plan setting up plants across the country. Bangalore-based Quess Corp, promoted by Ajit Isaac and Thomas Cook (India), will launch its initial public offering (IPO), which opens on June 29, 2016 and closes on July 1, 2016, with a price band of Rs. 310 Rs. 317 per equity share of face value of Rs. 10 each.The IPO consists of a fresh issue of equity shares aggregating to Rs.400 crore. The anchor investor bid/issue period shall be on June 28, 2016, i.e. one working day prior to the bid/issue opening day.The company proposes to utilize the net proceeds of the issue for repayment of debt availed by the company; funding capital expenditure requirements of the company and its subsidiary, MFXchange US, Inc.; funding incremental working capital requirement of the Company; acquisitions and other strategic initiatives and general corporate purposes.The issue is being made through the book building process wherein at least 75% of the issue shall be allocated on a proportionate basis to QIBs, provided that Quess Corp may, in consultation with the BRLMs, allocate up to 60% of the QIB category to anchor investors on a discretionary basis in accordance with the SEBI Regulations, of which one-third shall be reserved for domestic mutual funds, subject to valid bids being received from domestic mutual funds at or above the anchor investor allocation price.Further, 5% of the QIB category (excluding the anchor investor portion) shall be available for allocation on a proportionate basis only to mutual funds, and the remainder of the QIB category shall be available for allocation on a proportionate basis to all QIBs, including mutual funds, subject to valid bids being received at or above the issue price.Further, not more than 15% of the issue shall be available for allocation on a proportionate basis to non-institutional investors and not more than 10% of the issue shall be available for allocation to retail individual investors in accordance with the SEBI Regulations, subject to valid bids being received at or above the issue price.All potential bidders (except anchor investors) are required to mandatorily utilise the application supported by blocked amount (ASBA) process providing details of their respective ASBA accounts in which the corresponding bid amounts will be blocked by the SCSBs. Anchor investors are not permitted to participate in the issue through the ASBA process.Axis Capital Limited, ICICI Securities Limited, IIFL Holdings Limited and YES Securities (India) Limited are the Book Running Lead Managers (BRLMs) to the issue. The Registrar to the issue is Link Intime India Private Limited. Anil Mabani-led Reliance Power is trading 0.86% down at Rs.51.60 on BSE after the Coal Ministry issued a show cause notice to to the company for Kerandari coal block.The Ministry also issued the same notice to Jharkhand Ispat in the same regards.The scrip opened at Rs. 52.1 and has touched a high and low of Rs. 52.45 and Rs. 51.5 respectively. So far 1439699(NSE+BSE) shares were traded on the counter. The current market cap of the company is Rs. 14600.68 crore.The BSE group 'A' stock of face value Rs. 10 has touched a 52 week high of Rs. 61.4 on 12-Jan-2016 and a 52 week low of Rs. 33.05 on 25-Aug-2015. Last one week high and low of the scrip stood at Rs. 53.65 and Rs. 51.35 respectively.The promoters holding in the company stood at 74.98 % while Institutions and Non-Institutions held 10.48 % and 14.21 % respectively.The stock is currently trading above its 50 DMA. After losing steam in the previous trading session, the Indian equity yet again ended with marginal losses on Wednesday. Market participants remained cautious ahead of the Britain's referendum outcome on Thursday. Although, indices just lost few points today, internally selling pressure was callous. Barring the realty and healthcare stocks all the other sectoral indices on the BSE ended with losses. Auto, telecom, industrial, capital goods and power index were top losers. Even the midcap and smallcap index edged lower.Among the 30-stocks of Sensex, Dr. Reddy's, Coal India, Lupin, Bharti Airtel, Asian Paints, Wipro, Sun Pharma, TCS and HDFC Bank were among the gainers, whereas Tata Motors, GAIL, Hindustan Unilever, M&M, Tata Steel, RIL, Infosys and ITC were among top losers on BSE.Finally, S&P BSE Sensex ended at 26,766 down 47 points, while NSE Nifty ended lower by 16 points at 8,204.The INDIA VIX is up 5.35 % at 18.1850. Out of 1,815 stocks traded on the NSE, 1062 declined, 507 advanced and 247 remained unchanged today.A total of 35 stocks registered a fresh 52-week high in trades today, while 14 stocks touched a new 52-week low on the NSE.Meanwhile, Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen was optimistic about the economy and played down the risk of a recession. She also added that the UK's vote on EU membership and a potential economic slowdown in China had raised concerns about the strength of the global economy. Meanwhile, ECB President Mario Draghi said ECB was ready for all contingencies in case of Brexit.Tata Motors dropped 3% to Rs.472 on BSE. Jaguar Land Rover, Britains biggest carmaker, estimates its annual profit could be cut by $1.47bn by the end of the decade if Britain leaves the European Union, as per media reports.Escorts shares soared as much as 14% to Rs.207 and hit their highest level in nearly six years since July 2010.Sharon Bio-Medicine hit 20% upper circuit to Rs.11.62 on BSE. The company informed the exchange that the Board of Directors discussed the current financial position of the company and decided to introduce more profitable products, to increase capacity utilization and get the business to move in the regulated markets, specifically in the United States of America.Mandhana Industries was locked at 10% lower circuit at Rs.160.The company reportedly said it is in the process of demerging its current retail business. PALM BAY, Florida A large electronic welcome sign outside Pineapple Cove Classical Academy scrolls: An old-fashioned education. Located in Palm Bay, on Floridas mid-Atlantic coast, this public charter school serves a diverse community of lower- and middle-income families. Pineapple Cove quickly has become an educational gem in Brevard County. Its 23 classrooms feature directed instruction, teaching in explicit phonics, history (imparted through original source documents not textbooks), music, art and rare in 2016 cursive writing. A fervent expectation infuses this campus: All students can grow, academically and also in character. Its really funny that our 2,500-year-old curriculum is now an innovative one, says the schools principal, Kelly Gunter, 33, who wrote the schools charter. Just a year old, the kindergarten-to-sixth-grade school will expand to add a seventh grade this fall and an eighth by 2017, when new-classrooms are completed. This campus is one of the latest in Hillsdale Colleges Barney Charter School Initiative. The Michigan-based liberal-arts college has supported 15 U.S. charter school start-ups, aiming for 50 such institutions by 2022. Hillsdale does not fund the schools. Instead, it offers free mentoring to school founders who follow Hillsdales educational philosophy. Our role is to serve as the architect of the academic program, which includes curriculum and instruction, and provide on-going advice to the school founders and to the school principal, said Phillip Kilgore, director of Hillsdales charter program. Hillsdale also helps the schools recruit principals, trains teachers and offers feedback after on-site visits. We maintain this relationship with each school, Kilgore said, so long as they stay on mission and adhere to the educational philosophy we all embraced together at the inception of the relationship. With its classical curriculum, uniforms and commitment to teaching the virtues of courtesy, perseverance, self-government, service, honesty and courage, Pineapple Cove already boasts a 400-student waiting list for fall as word spreads. It has taken that community by storm, said Kilgore, who praises the schools great start. The teachers there have had just a really wonderful experience in their launch in their first year. The school was founded by John and Beth Moran, who opened Pineapple Cove Academy Early Learning facility, also in Palm Bay. Thanks to their success with pre-kindergarten students, parents asked for more. Soon, the enterprising couple connected with Hillsdale and started the new campus last August. Moran says hes no educator and calls himself a business guy. But his enthusiasm for excellence is heartfelt. I have an incredible drive, he says. His connection to children is also undeniable as he scans the cafeteria and playfully sprays whipped cream on small, giggling faces. Statewide, 22 percent of all charter-school students are black. Pineapple Cove is similarly diverse. Hispanic students make up 16 percent of enrollees. Black and multiracial students represent 9 percent each. Academically, Florida charter schools perform well against their traditional counterparts, according to Student Achievement in Florida Charter Schools, an April 2014 state education department study. Most significantly, the report revealed that the black/white student-achievement gap was lower for charter-school students in 18 of the 18 comparisons, across all grades and subjects. State reading scores from 2015-16 show Pineapple Cove outpacing its district counterparts in second, fourth and sixth grades. Gunter says teachers and students focus on excellence. Its all business when you are here, because this should be your job. Latin and classic literature are school staples. Sixth graders read everything from Shakespeare to The Scarlet Pimpernel. They also learn to recite poetry, which fortifies their memorization and public-speaking skills. Pineapple Cove uses a core knowledge curriculum that outlines a series of lessons and learning goals that fortify one another, from grade to grade. When students study Greek, they also listen to Greek music. Students do not work on computers in the classroom. Perhaps most important, there is a shared focus on teaching virtues and doing the right thing. A tone-setting sign in a second-grade classroom cites Booker T. Washington: Character, not circumstances, makes the man. The school also teaches service and patriotism by partnering with the American Legion. Members participate in school ceremonies and student projects, such as Valentines for Veterans. Assistant Principal Lisa Wheeler, 37, praises her colleagues and the schools growing family. We have such invested parties here, she said of their spirited devotion. I believe the freedom we have been given as a charter school allows us to make decisions that are in the best interests of the children, she said. There are a lot of things that we profess in this school that are the exact opposite of what public progressive schools are doing today. When Starbucks asked April Richardson to mail its CEO a sample of her cake, she went a step further: She sent herself. I tried every email variation of Howard Schultz and sent him an email, says Richardson. One of them worked, and three hours later, I got a return saying We would love to try your product, please ship it. But we had never shipped a cake before, says Richardson. We went through the whole gamut of possibilities, but nothing felt right. I booked a one-way trip to Seattle and delivered the product myself, and said, I know youre expecting UPS, but you got me instead. This risky but pivotal move was one of many that rapidly transformed Richardsons Delectable Cakery and its signature product the DC Sweet Potato Cake from an obscure local treat into a product ubiquitous in Starbucks, specialty stores and supermarkets in D.C., Maryland and Virginia. Richardsons bold move also landed her business a coveted spot on QVC. The shopping channel features the cake on holidays, with Richardson an attorney by training as its pitchwoman. Unlike the tales of many a lawyer who turned a cooking passion into a business, Richardson does not bake. Born to a family of 15 and living in a four-bedroom house in a tough West Baltimore neighborhood, her passion was using her legal talent to see that the community businesses with which she grew up survived, especially during the 2007-08 economic downturn. I represented everybody during the foreclosure crisis, and it was hard to watch, Richardson says. So, I started ghost-whispering to them, offering strategies for turning their businesses around. It was my way of giving back. One such business was Delectable Cakery, a small bakery that pinned its hopes on an unusual sweet-potato cake recipe passed down by the founders mother. Richardson saw the potential, and brought her experience to the table. I looked at the books and said, The only way Im involved is that no matter what I ask you to do, the answer must be yes. I have to make sure your families are fed. We spent the first year just making sure old customers were happy. We gave away a whole lot of cake and wrote off a whole lot of invoices, Richardson says. We couldnt bring on more clients until we got our house in order. Once we did, it was time for us to bring on partners, Richardson says. That decision led her to approach Starbucks. We started with two Starbucks stores in Capitol Hill and Georgetown. Two weeks later, we were in 11 stores. Customers were excited by the products and because the business is local and woman-owned, according to Richardson. Yet, while Delectable Cakery built its early reputation in the Black community, Richardson thinks being a Black-owned business is important, but less key to its growth. Some Black companies focus so much on the African-American market that we forget that other people want our products as well, says Richardson. When we do that, we give up our access to other people and their money. We want people to understand that cake is for everyone. When people taste it they say, This is a great product. They dont say, This is a great product for a Black piece of cake. Delectable Cakerys success helped inspire Starbucks Project Engine, a program that gives small companies access to the Seattle-based powerhouses leadership and helps them scale up. We aim to be relevant in the communities we serve, Erin Jane Schaeffer, Starbucks communications manager, said of DC Sweet Potato Cake and Project Engine. Some products will be offered locally, others will expand, depending on what resonates with our customers. What we do is simple we put these local food items into 10 or 30 of our stores. After that it is up to our customers. Richardson will open a retail shop called DC Sweet Potato Cake and Cafe in late 2016, in the booming Arts District of Hyattsville, Maryland, just across the Washington, D.C. line. She also plans a 20,000-square-foot facility to produce and distribute cakes to some 300 Starbucks outlets as well as Safeway and Wegmans grocery stores. As they organize for more growth, Richardson says her company will keep taking risks and follow one basic guideline: Dont tell me no until you taste the cake. While Democrats scramble to secure the African-American communitys support post-Obama, black contractors complain that they are not getting their fair share of the partys campaign spending. Among $514 million that Democrats spent on consultants during the 2010 and 2012 election cycles, only $8.7 million (just 1.7 percent) went to minorities, according to a June 2014 study by Democratic minority advocacy firm PowerPAC+. Seventeen companies, among 287 approved consulting firms, were minority-owned or just 5.9 percent. This report fueled existing anxiety within the African-American community over whether Democrats truly have black peoples best interests at heart. Although 56 percent of blacks thought the party had become more representative of minorities in recent years, 35 percent disagreed, as a Kaiser Family Foundation/CNN survey discovered last November. Democrats are wasting millions of dollars chasing after white swing voters instead of investing the money in engaging communities of color, said Steve Phillips, founder and chairman of PowerPAC+. The company could partner with the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Phillips said. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee already has made reforms based on the study. Americas population is 13.2-percent black, according to 2014 Census Bureau estimates, but African-American voters are expected to play an outsize role in Novembers elections. Eighty percent of black voters are Democrats. Only 11 percent are Republicans. Some consulting firms repeatedly prosper. Event Transportation Associates, the go-to transit service for the past two Democratic conventions, seems poised to thrive again this year and partner with diverse local vendors. The company, which did not reply to repeated requests for comment, last month announced its preparations for the 2016 Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia. Janie Hollingsworth, the companys CEO and majority owner, co-chaired the 2012 conventions transportation subcommittee, according to her LinkedIn profile. Hollingsworth also provided logistical expertise for Pope Francis visit to Philadelphia last year. The Democratic National Convention Committee declined comment on the company or Hollingsworth, citing sensitive contract negotiations. The committee instead offered a statement by its CEO, Rev. Leah Daughtry. It is an article of faith for us that we ought to allow the people who move our party forward to be able to be beneficiaries of the partys resources, said Daughtry. But Vectour Transportation Group, a 2012 convention contractor, lost its bid to return. Things did not go exactly how we would have liked for them to go this year, said Reggie Halsam, the black-owned companys CEO. Internal Democratic National Committee statistics show that in 2015, women composed 48 percent of its staff, and nearly 36 percent of its employees were minorities. Also, 23 percent of contracts and 25 percent of total dollars spent that year went to minority-owned enterprises. Twelve percent were African-American owned, representing 14 percent of the total dollars spent. As for vendors, we have an unprecedented goal of awarding 35 percent of our contracts to diverse companies, said convention committee spokesman Lee Whack. Two African-American-owned firms are among five major contracts the Democrats convention committee granted to minority businesses. There are 500 diverse suppliers and vendors registered to do business with the DNC and other Democratic entities. Cornell Belcher, president of Brilliant Corners Research & Strategies, said the partys real power and spending are centered in the congressional and senatorial committees, the Democratic Governors Association, and EMILYs list, where Belcher once worked. Groups like EMILYs List (which supports pro-choice Democratic female candidates) face zero scrutiny and accountability, Belcher said. Meanwhile, Republicans hope to erode black support for Democrats. However, the Republican National Committee, which announced in 2013 that it would spend $10 million on minority outreach, did not respond to requests to analyze its own internal and vendor-diversity statistics. Telly Lovelace, the GOP committees director for African-American Initiatives & Urban Media, instead spoke of its grassroots-level training efforts to engage the black community, including African-American operatives placed in seven battleground states, and plans to boost hiring into the fall. Despite several notable departures among minority staffers in recent months, Lovelace denied the Republican headquarters is experiencing a so-called black exodus. Kirsten Kukowski, the committees communications director, said organizers are working with more than a dozen minority-owned vendors and have several staffers conducting community outreach. Richard Dickerson, a Democratic campaign operative, said an important conversation about money and influence needs to occur, because the people who run Democratic campaigns end up in senior government positions. Theyre going to spend a billion dollars, Dickerson said. Ten percent of that is $100 million. If you put $100 million into the black community, you can see it. youtube The makers of Malayalam movie, Kathakali, have been at loggerheads with the CBFC since quite sometime now, because the Censor Board has denied a certificate to the movie on the grounds of nudity. In fact, last week Malayalam film directors and technicians staged a protest in front of the Censor Board's office. Sijo Kannanaikkal's film revolves around the life of an orphan man, who tries to create a space and identity of his own in the society around. The censor board suggested a cut in the climax scene where the main lead of the film removes his Kathakali attire and crosses the river as a symbolic mark of protest against the society. The filmmakers have currently moved to the Kerala High Court regarding this matter and they have released this hilarious video trolling the censor board in a way! Watch it here. Salman Khan's terrible, insensitive analogy has dominated a good part of the last two days. During a group interview in Mumbai last week, Salman compared his state to that of a raped woman - an analogy that should haunt him to his death bed. Social media has been brutal on Salman as they should be, an eminent film critic Raja Sen announced that he would boycott the next Salman Khan movie. Not saying it'll make a difference at all. It'll open big. Also, filmmakers are often happiest when I *don't* review. But screw it, I'm out. Raja Sen (@RajaSen) June 21, 2016 However, the speculation was also ripe on who the Resident Editor of Hindu Sachin Kalbag was tweeting about. Kalbag sent out a series of six tweets talking about a 'famous' actor who once took revenge on a female journalist by unzipping his pants and peeing in front of her. This is what he tweeted (1/n) More than a decade ago, an independent, national award-winning film critic had gone to interview a famous actor now in the news... Sachin Kalbag (@SachinKalbag) June 22, 2016 (2/n) The film critic had panned a few films in which the said actor had a lead role or was one of the male leads. He held a grudge... Sachin Kalbag (@SachinKalbag) June 22, 2016 (3/n) But since a new movie was releasing, he had to give interviews. Unfortunately, it was with this critic. He had to avenge, though... Sachin Kalbag (@SachinKalbag) June 22, 2016 (4/n) So first he made her wait for several hours in the hot sun and then asked her to sit on a set prop (a 'khatiya'). She sat. Waited... Sachin Kalbag (@SachinKalbag) June 22, 2016 (5/n) Finally, he emerged. He told her, "Wait, I have to pee." He then went to a tree 5 ft away, unzipped his and peed in front of her... Sachin Kalbag (@SachinKalbag) June 22, 2016 (6/6) That was the actor's "revenge" on a female film critic and reporter who had the "audacity" to not like his movies. Sachin Kalbag (@SachinKalbag) June 22, 2016 While Kalbag has not made the name of the star public, people haven't really lost any time putting two and two together and discussing who the actor is. Meanwhile, an excerpt from cinema journalist Mayank Shekhar's book is being widely retweeted as well. In it, Shekhar talks about an incident in which Salman insisted on dropping a film journalist to the gate of her house, made her show him the floor she lived on and asked her to kill the interview she had just done with him since he now knew where she lived. Meanwhile Salman has maintained radio silence on the issue, his brother Arbaaz Khan did make an attempt to defend Salman but might have ended up making things worse by saying: It was a comparison quite akin to someone saying there was a huge mountain on my shoulders or I worked like a donkey. Now, will the usage of the word donkey make animal activists upset? An employee of a private firm has lodged a complaint with the Dariapur police regarding a theft of Rs 4 lakh. Prahlad Patel, 67, alleged that someone stole the money from the storage compartment of his two-wheeler while he had stopped to have some bhajiyas. wikimedia/representational image According to the complaint, Patel who works at Aluminum Section in Ashtamandal Complex in Madhavpura, collected Rs 4 lakh from an angadia pedhi (courier firm) in Dariapur on June 3. "While returning to office, Patel stopped to have some bhajiyas at the Vadigam bhajiya House in Dariapur. He claims that while he was having the snack, someone stole the money from the storage compartment of his two-wheeler," the police said. On reaching office, Patel was shocked to find the cash missing. He immediately went to his boss who initially did not believe in Patel's tale. whosayshealthyfoodaintfun/representational image "However, once Patel told him everything that had happened in detail, his boss believed him. But as he was leaving for Dubai in a few hours, they did not file a complaint immediately," the police said. The firm finally lodged a complaint on Monday. livemint/representational image newshonk/representational image Dariapur Sub-Inspector B RJadeja said, "We are investigating the case. The incident happened on June 3. However, as his boss had to go to Dubai, they had to postpone filing of a complaint. We have to come to know that crime branch has caught some people in a similar offence. We are investigating whether the accused caught had any part in this theft." The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) gave a new form of security to women on International Yoga Day in the form of a new combat group for Delhi Metro. The step was taken after multiple cases of molestation were registered at Metro police stations. bccl The all-women combat group has been especially trained to fight in narrow enclosures, like Metro trains, with multiple opponents using a combination of Pekiti-Tirsia Kali, a Filipino martial art. Called the "Internal Combat Group", the women demonstrated their skills in Connaught Place on Tuesday. The 20-minute demonstration was attended by senior officers of CISF and other paramilitary forces. CISF led the yoga session for all the forces, including NDRF, SSB, BSF, ITBP and others. bccl DIG CISF (DMRC) Raghubir Lal said that such a group was needed to win the confidence of women commuters and ensure safe travel for them. "We have received many complaints about miscreants trying to touch women inappropriately during peak hours and even commit thefts. To provide women safer travel, the team would be deployed in civil dress to keep a watch on such offenders," said Lal. bccl/Represenatational image This group has especially been trained to handle miscreants bare-handed. "These women use the smallest of daily use things to tackle a person with a much stronger built," the DIG said. Senior officers said that the group will give combat education to women so that they can defend themselves. That awkward moment when you're asleep and two women fight over you, that's what a Delhi man is unknowingly experiencing. According to the Indian Express, one stays at their home, while the other meets him every week - all with Delhi High Court permission - until someone can figure out who the real wife is. The Court passed this rare order after one of the women filed a petition, claiming that the other woman and her son illegally detained the husband, after he was released from a hospital. The court has asked for a police report to investigate the matter. The Hindu Marriage Act prohibits second marriage - now the court just needs to know who he 'married' first, if at all. As agreed, the petitioner will be allowed to meet him every Wednesday between 5- 6 pm in the presence of the investigating officer, any other woman constable The petitioner undertakes not to create any nuisance during her meeting, ordered the bench. 5G wireless is coming to American airwaves, a top telecom regulator told international media. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chairman Tom Wheeler announced he would propose a vote in July 2016 to free up spectrum for 5G, which will power autonomous vehicles, smart cities, remote medicine and other innovations. "If the United States is going to continue to be a world leader in wireless, we need to speed the deployment of 5G, here, on our shores," Wheeler said in a National Press Club speech Wheeler said the FCC will vote July 14 on his proposal that aims to allocate spectrum for the ultrafast wireless technology. Even though most commercial deployments of 5G equipment are not expected until 2020, Wheeler said now is the time to act. "We won't wait for the standards to be first developed in the sometimes arduous standards-setting process or in a government-led activity," he said. The new 5G networks could open up a range of services by delivering data at up to 100 times the speed of current technology, enabling services such as remote surgery or driverless cars and allowing customers to experience video and virtual reality with ease. Meanwhile in India... The average internet speeds in India were around 2.8 Mbps in the last quarter of 2015 according to Akamai's State of the Internet report. While most of will be more than happy with that speed, it is the slowest internet speed in all of Asia! While the speeds across the world grew by 8.6% to 5.6 Mbps in the same quarter. Singapore was the best performed according to the report with peak average speeds of 135.7 Mbps! South Korea had the highest average speed of 26.7 Mbps. India stands at 115th position in the global list A first year nursing student from Al Qamar College of Nursing in Gulbarga near Bangalore has been admitted in a hospital in Kerala in critical condition after she was forced to drink phenyl, a toilet cleaner. Aswathi, a 19-year-old girl from Kerala suffered serious burn injuries to her internal organs after she was made to drink the fluid as part of ragging by senior students. ANI The incident happened on May 9, when she was subjected to ragging in the college's women's hostel by a gang of eight senior students, all of them who are also from Kerala. The girl who complained of being unwell was sent home by the college and has been admitted in hospital ever since. In her statement to the police, the student has alleged that she was tortured for over five months. "I have been mentally tortured by my third year seniors in last five months. They told me that I am dark and that's why no one likes me and I am left without a father. They used to force me to keep my hands lifted up. They held my mouth open and forced me to drink toilet cleaning lotion." 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. Despite enormity of the incident, the Al Qamar College continues to be in denial of the alleged ragging. "There is no ragging involved. The girl drank the phenol because of some family problems," Dr Esther, the Principal of the nursing school said. educrib/ Representative Image Following the girl's mother's complaint both Kerala and Karnataka police have launched separate probes into the incident. The girl, Aswathi, is dalit and lost her father years earlier. She joined the college five months ago after after taking an education loan of Rs 3 lakhs from Kerala Gramin Bank. Professor B.P. Mahesh Guru,who teaches at the Department of Communications and Journalism, University of Mysore has been jailed for allegedly insulting Lord Rama. Also read: After Lord Ram, Now Lord Hanuman Summoned Into Court - This Time For Encroachment He was arrested after a case was registered against him for allegedly insulting the Hindu god at a conference in 2015. The professor already has a complaint filed against him for allegedly using abusive language against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani and former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. The latter cases have prevented him for accessing bail; he alleged called Irani a third-rate actress unworthy of being the HRD minister." Audience members at the conference were reportedly offended that Guru said that Lord Rama was unfair to Sita, and a group called Karnadu Sarvodaya Sena filed a complaint against him He may be suspended from the University of Mysore as he as celebrated Mahishasur Martyrdom Day, in tribute to demon king slain by Goddess Durga. Bihar Lawyer Sues Lord Ram For Abandoning Sita Even After Her 'Trial By Fire' Nearly 10,000 dogs are estimated to be killed and eaten this year at China's Yulin festival. The country is preparing to host the 10-day festival where dogs will be caged, killed on the streets, and served as 'dog hot pot'. Petitions are already underway with the world condemning the inhumane practices of boiling and bludgeoning the animals to death. Animal Hope and Wellness Foundation Every year with the beginning of the summer solstice starts this horrific festival that celebrates the Chinese belief that dog meat helps the body cope with the heat. Animal right activists are busy trying to either shut the slaughterhouses or rescue the animals from these compounds. Marc Ching, an American activist has already succeeded in rescuing 1,000 dogs from their certain death. Animal Hope and Wellness Foundation Marc arrived at Yulin ahead of the festival and with his friend Valarie Ianniello, managed to uncage 1,000 dogs from six different slaughterhouses. He announced his success on Facebook: Marc, who works with The Animal Hope & Wellness Foundation, has five more slaughterhouses pending and is moving to close dozens more. Marc also posted the following video, exposing the living conditions in which the dogs are caged: While working towards this goal, Marc has had to assume different roles. In some, he posed as a dog buyer which helped him ship thousands of dogs back to the US. In others, he played a persuader helping the trader to shut his business for a fee and an entirely murder-free trade. Animal Hope and Wellness Foundation On numerous occasions, Marc and his team have been beaten up and detained by authorities. Even though the local government denies any role in the festival, the police have no qualms in preventing activists from reaching the slaughterhouses. Braving the frigidity that is the Antarctic, a plane landed Tuesday at the South Pole to evacuate a sick worker from the Amundsen-Scott research station. In the station's 60-year history, this is the third time a plane has flown to the Pole, which is currently in its six-month-winter period. Wikipedia With temperatures dipping to minus 100 degrees and where the only light received is from the moon and the stars, it wasn't an easy flight. It took 10 hours for the plane to reach its destination - a task that is dependent on no more than 12 to 13 hours worth of fuel. And in climates such as these, fuel usually turns into jelly, and grease in the hinges and gears freeze - leading to "a point of no return" after which one is simply "committed to the pole". newsmobile Kelly Falkner, director at the National Science Foundation, that runs the South Pole base, said that an employee for contractor Lockheed Martin had to be flown out due to medical conditions that could not be named. A need may arise for the rescue of a second worker, reports The Washington Post. Several people spend the winter at the station every year - helping in base maintenance, monitoring climate change, conducting research on universe's history, and recording the behaviour of subatomic particles at the station's IceCube Neutrino Observatory. aviationweek For the rescue, a Twin Otter plane was used as it's well equipped to fly in temperatures as low as minus 103 degrees. Also, these planes can function on less fuel. The pilots and crew will journey back to Rothera once they are well rested and have refueled the Otter. The patient(s) will be taken to Punta Arenas in Chile to an undisclosed hospital. When Nikesh Arora stepped down from his post as Softbank president, the world was thrown into a turmoil. Nobody really saw it coming but Masayoshi Son's decision to continue as the CEO was probably the last nail in the coffin that did it. Flickr For Arora, the next big step was to fill in as Softbank's next CEO but after Masa's announcement, the former Google executive perhaps decided it was best to resign and move on to greener pastures. And he definitely did move on in style. While his statement read, "I have enjoyed working with Masa and the SoftBank team and I look forward to my next challenge", his Twitter feed was all things interesting. 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 And as many questions and compliments threw at Arora, he answered them all. "Son had clearly stated you were his successor, why the change of heart? Did recent events force him to continue to lead?" He and I love each other. Leading is a drug, a positive influence, a raison d'etre. U need to be ready to leave... https://t.co/xcdUWCbTgF Nikesh Arora (@nikesharora) June 21, 2016 "How to be a successful Chief operating officer (COO) like you?" To not want to be one, so you try hard to excel and upgrade :) https://t.co/EbGzaexlok Nikesh Arora (@nikesharora) June 21, 2016 "I hear the government is looking for a soft banker." Punny :). But i am leaving "softbank"... https://t.co/2M7DJ5n0jy Nikesh Arora (@nikesharora) June 21, 2016 "Mixed feelings about @nikesharora stepping down. Been looking up to him." Hmm - if i step down, you can look across instead of up? Just kidding . https://t.co/XStZyrlY4L Nikesh Arora (@nikesharora) June 21, 2016 "What's your biggest takeaway from brief stint at Softbank? And how Japanese culture (business) different from Indian?" "What next can we expect from you? What should we watch out for?" You wont have to watch out...it will be in your face :) - but not for a while. https://t.co/u1DuyUV6YA Nikesh Arora (@nikesharora) June 21, 2016 So sassy! Were excited to announce that indmin.com is now part of fastmarkets.com. A new look and an improved experience means you can still stay ahead of this fast-moving market with price data, news and market intelligence right here on Fastmarkets. Discover more than 2000 prices, news and analysis in primary and secondary metals markets. We cover base metals, industrial minerals, ores and alloys, steel, scrap and steel raw materials. If you already have a Fastmarkets account, youll still have uninterrupted access to your markets by logging in with your current details. An ongoingby a Competition Committee in Greece, a semi-autonomous watchdog entity, into allegations of a public works cartel by domestic and foreign construction companies could lead to a freeze in EU funding for the country by the Unions Cohesion Fund In Praise Of Ignorant Politicians..Unschooled In Beltway Delusions By David Stockman June 22, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - " Contra Corner " - The Imperial City deserves to be sacked by insurgent politicians of the very ignorant kind. That is, outsiders unschooled in its specious groupthink and destructive delusions of grandeur. Thats why Donald Trumps challenge to the beltways permanent bipartisan ruling class is so welcome. He is largely ignorant of the neocon and war hawk catechisms and sophistries propounded by joints like the Council on Foreign Relations. But owing to his overweening self-confidence, he doesnt hesitate to lob foreign policy audibles, as it were, from the Presidential campaigns line of scrimmage. It is these unpredictable outbursts of truth and common sense, not his bombast, bad manners and bigotry, that has the Acela Corridor in high dudgeon. The Donalds establishment bettors are deathly afraid that he might confirm to the unwashed electorate of Flyover America what it already suspects. Namely, that Washingtons hyper-interventionism and ungodly expensive imperial footprint all around the globe has nothing at all to do with their security and safety, even as it saddles them with massive public debts and the threat of jihadist blowback to the homeland. For Trumps part, the fact is that most of his wild pitchesthe Mexican Wall, the Muslim ban, waterboarding-are basically excesses of campaign rhetoric that would likely get fashioned into something far more palatable if he were ever in a position to govern. By contrast, the fundamental consensus of our bipartisan rulers is a mortal threat to peace, prosperity and democratic rule. Worse still, the beltway consensus is so entombed in groupthink that the machinery grinds forward from one folly to the next with hardly a peep of dissent. Nothing could better illustrate that deleterious dynamic, in fact, than the NATO warships currently trolling around the Black Sea. For crying out loud, the very thought that Washington is sending lethally armed destroyers into the Black Sea is an outrage. That eurasian backwater harbors no threat whatsoever to the security and safety of the citizens of Americaor, for that matter, to those of Germany, France, Poland or the rest of NATO, either. The shrunken remnants of the Russian Navy- home-ported at Sevastopol on the Crimea, as it has been since Catherine The Great-could not uncork the Dardanelles with war-making intent in a thousand years. Not in the face of the vast NATO armada implacably positioned on the Mediterranean side of the outlet. So what is possibly the point of rattling seaborne missile batteries on Russias shoreline? It assumes a military threat thats non-existent and a hostile intent in Moscow that is purely an artifact of NATO propaganda. In truth, these reckless Black Sea naval maneuvers amount to a rank provocation. With one glance at the map, even the much maligned high school educated voters who have rallied to Trumps cause could tell you that much. The same can be said for the 31,000 NATO troops conducted exercises in Poland and the Baltic republics right alongside the border with Russia. These are not isolated cases of tactical excess or even far-fetched exercises in deterrence. Instead, they directly manifest Imperial Washingtons hegemonic raison d etat. Indeed, these utterly pointless maneuvers on Russias doorsteps are just a further extension of the same imperial arrogance that stupidly initiated a fight with Putins Russia in the first place by igniting a Ukrainian civil war on the streets of Kiev in February 2014. Washington not only sponsored and funded the overthrow of Ukraines constitutionally elected government, but did so for the most superficial and historically ignorant reason imaginable. To wit, it objected to the decision of Ukraines prior government to align itself economically and politically with its historic hegemon in Moscow. So what? There was nothing at stake in the Ukraine that matters. During the last 700 years, it has been a meandering set of borders in search of a country. In fact, the intervals in which the Ukraine existed as an independent nation have been few and far between. Invariably, it rulers, petty potentates and corrupt politicians made deals with or surrendered to every outside power which came along. These included the Lithuanians, Turks, Poles, Austrians, Czars and commissars, among others. Indeed, in modern times Ukraine functioned as an integral part of Mother Russia, serving as its breadbasket and iron and steel crucible under czars and commissars alike. Crimea itself was actually Russian territory from 1783, when Catherine The Great purchased it from the Turks, until the mid-1950s, when in a fit of drunken stupor the newly ascendant Khrushchev gifted it to his Ukrainian compatriots. Given this history, the idea that Ukraine should be actively and aggressively induced to join NATO was just plain nuts. You might wonder what bantam brains actually came up with the scheme, but only until you recall that NATO itself has been a vestigial organ since 1991. Its now in the business of self-preservation and concocting missions, not securing the peace of anyone, anywhere on the planet. The Ukraine intervention has already caused NATO, the IMF and Washington to pony up more than $40 billion of aid, which has gone straight down the proverbial rathole. The part that wasnt stolen by the thieving oligarchs Washington installed in Kiev has been used to prosecute an horrific civil war which has killed and wounded tens of thousands of civilians caught in the cross-fire and destroyed what is left of the Ukrainian economy. Indeed, it was the neocon meddlers from Washington who crushed Ukraines last semblance of civil governance when they enabled ultra-nationalists and crypto-Nazi to gain government positions after the putsch. In one fell swoop that inexcusable stupidity re-opened Ukraines blood-soaked modern history. That includes Stalins re-population of the Donbas with reliable Russian workers after his genocidal liquidation of the Kulaks in the early 1930s. It also encompasses the large-scale collaboration by Ukrainian nationalists in the west with the Nazi wehrmacht as it laid waste to Poles, Jews, gypsies and other undesirables on its way to Stalingrad. And then there was the equal and opposite spree of barbaric revenge as the victorious Red Army marched back through Ukraine on its way to Berlin. What beltway lame brains did not understand that Washingtons triggering of regime change in Kiev would re-open this entire bloody history of sectarian and political strife? Moreover, once they had opened Pandoras box, why was it so hard to see that an outright partition of Ukraine with autonomy for the Donbas and Crimea, or even accession to the Russian state from which these communities had originated, would have been a perfectly reasonable resolution? Certainly that would have been far preferable to dragging all of Europe into the lunacy of the current anti-Putin sanctions and embroiling the Ukrainian factions in a suicidal civil war. After all, the artificial country of Czechoslovakia, created on a political whim at Versailles, was peacefully and inconsequently devolved into its separate Czech and Slovakian nations. The same of true of Yugoslavia. In that instance, it was American bombers which forced the partition of Kosovo from its Serbian parent. And even then, this Washington sanctioned partition ended up in the hands of a criminal mafia that makes Putin appear sainted, to boot. In short, the current spat of NATO saber-rattling exercises on Russias borders is living proof that Washington is enthrall to a permanent ruling class of educated fools and power-obsessed apparatchiks, Is it any wonder, therefore, that the Imperial City continues to squander scarce fiscal resources on the obsolete machinery of NATO and the bloated cold war military establishments of its members that have no legitimate purpose. No wonder Trumps establishment bettors scolded and harrumphed when he had the temerity to suggest that NATO was too expensive and possibly obsolete. But of course it is! Its mission ended 25 years ago when Boris Yeltsin mounted a soviet tank vodka flask in hand and stood done the Red Army. The very geopolitical earth parted right there and then. Indeed, two years earlier, President Bush 41 and his able Secretary of State, James Baker, had promised Gorbachev that in return for acquiescing in the reunification of Germany that NATO would not be expanded by a single inch. Time and again that promise has been betrayed for no good reason except imperial aggrandizement. Now a military alliance which had no purpose other than to contain 50,000 Soviet tanks on the central front has been joined by the likes of Albania, Croatia, Latvia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Bulgaria, too. Has the ascension of these micro-states added to the security and safety of the citizens of Lincoln NE or Springfield MA? No it hasnt. It has actually subtracted from national security by threatening a third rate power with a GDP no larger than that of the New York SMSA and an annual defense budget amounting to less than 30 days of Pentagon spending. As to the necessity of the current naval maneuvers, even the leaders of Bulgaria-a nation check-by-jowl to Russias Black Sea fleet have demurred, pointing out the obvious. To wit, the Black Sea is a place for sailboats and vacationers, not NATO warships. In fact, that is so obvious that it is no wonder our beltway bettors are frothing at the mouth about Donald Trump. He just might mobilize the country against the threadbare predicates of their ruinous rule. Prime Minister Boiko Borisov said he would not join a proposed NATO fleet in the Black Sea because it should be a place for holidays and tourists, not war. I always say that I want the Black Sea to see sailboats, yachts, large boats with tourists and not become an arena of military action I do not need a war in the Black Sea, Reuters cited Bulgarias Prime Minister as saying at a media briefing. To send warships as a fleet against Russian ships exceeds the limit of what I can allow, Borisov told reporters in Sofia on Thursday, as cited by Bloomberg. To deploy destroyers, aircraft carriers near [the resort cities of] Bourgas or Varna during the tourist season is unacceptable. Thats the beginning of good sense. Disbanding NATO would be the next rational step forward. I Reported Omar Mateen To The FBI. Trump Is Wrong That Muslims Dont Do Our Part. We love America, too, and we're horrified by what our neighbor did. By Mohammed A. Malik Mohammed Malik, a man who knew Omar Mateen for over 10 years, explains his decision to report him to the FBI in 2014 and why Donald Trump is wrong about Muslims not cooperating with authorities. (Adriana Usero/The Washington Post) June 22, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - " Washington Post " - Donald Trump believes American Muslims are hiding something. They know whats going on. They know that [Omar Mateen] was bad, he said after the Orlando massacre. They have to cooperate with law enforcement and turn in the people who they know are bad. But you know what? They didnt turn them in. And you know what? We had death and destruction. This is a common idea in the United States. Its also a lie. First, Muslims like me cant see into the hearts of other worshipers. (Do you know the hidden depths of everyone in your community?) Second, Trump is wrong that we dont speak up when were able. I know this firsthand: I was the one who told the FBI about Omar Mateen. I met Omar for the first time in 2006 at an iftar meal at my brother-in-laws house. As the women, including his mother and sisters, chatted in the living room, I sat with the men on the patio and got to know him and his father. Omar broke his Ramadan fast with a protein shake. He was quiet then and always and let his dad do the talking. Id seen them before at the oldest mosque in the area, the Islamic Center of Fort Pierce. We have a lot of immigrants in our community. They grew up in other countries, often with different sensibilities. A few dont understand American culture, and they struggle to connect with their American-born or American-raised kids. I came here from Pakistan in 1979 when I was 6 years old, grew up in Queens (like Omar) and Fort Lauderdale, went through the American education system, and assimilated well. So I was able to make better inroads with young people in our community, including that introverted teenager I met at the iftar. I tried to stay in touch with the younger generation, acting as a mentor when I could. In his speech after the Orlando mass shooting, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said that Muslims "have to cooperate with law enforcement and turn in the people who they know are bad." (Reuters) I saw Omar from time to time over the next decade, and we developed a relationship because most of the other Muslim kids in his age group went elsewhere for college, and he stayed behind. We mostly spoke over the phone or texted with one another a half-dozen times per year. We talked about the lack of social programs at the mosque, especially for teens and young adults like him. I often played pranks on him. Once, around 2009, I attached LED lights to the tires of his car, so when he drove the wheels glowed neon. He laughed when he figured it out a few days later. Soon after Omar married and moved to his own home, he began to come to the mosque more often. Then he went on a religious trip to Saudi Arabia. There was nothing to indicate that he had a dark side, even when he and his first wife divorced. 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. Since Sept. 11, Ive 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. 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. Hed traveled 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-radicalized and had also done so by listening to the lectures of Anwar al-Awlaki, the charismatic Yemen-based imam who helped radicalize 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, hed tried to recruit a few Florida friends to the cause. They told the FBI about him.) Immediately after Moners attack, news reports said that American officials didnt 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 wasnt much we hadnt been close but Im an American Muslim, and I wanted to do my part. I didnt want another act like that to happen. I didnt 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. After my talk with the FBI, I spoke to people in the Islamic community, including Omar, about Moners attack. I wondered how he could have radicalized. Both Omar and I attended the same mosque as Moner, and the imam never taught hate or radicalism. Thats 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 Awlakis tapes. He hadnt committed any acts of violence and wasnt planning any, as far as I knew. And I thought he probably wouldnt, because he didnt 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 fathers 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 hed taken with his father to Orlando the previous weekend. Hed been impressed by the local mosque. What happened next is well-known. Were still in shock. Were totally against what he did, and we feel the deepest sadness for the victims and their families. If you dont agree with someone, you dont have the right to kill them. We are taught to be kind to all of Gods 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 cant mutilate dead bodies. You cant destroy buildings, especially churches or temples. You cant 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 dont agree with every government policy (I think theres too much money in politics, for instance), but Im 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. Its a better country to raise children than someplace where the electricity is out for 18 hours a day, where politicians are totally corrupt, or where the leader is a dictator. But theres so much suspicion of Islam here. The local paper published an unsigned editorial called Leave our peaceful Muslim neighbors alone, and the comments were full of hateful lies that the Boston bombers had visited the area, that the Sept. 11 bombers came from here, that we were a hotbed of violent ideology. None of this is true. Donald Trump didnt create these attitudes, but he plays on them and amplifies them. I am not the first American Muslim to report on someone; people who do that simply dont like to announce themselves in to the media. For my part, Im not looking for personal accolades. Im just tired of negative rhetoric and ignorant comments about my faith. Trumps assertions about our community that we have the ability to help our country but have simply declined to do so are tragic, ugly and wrong. [Editors note: A federal law enforcement official confirmed the authors cooperation to The Washington Post.] Hillary Clintons Likely Defense Secretary Wants More US Troops Fighting ISIS and Assad By Patrick Tucker June 22, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - " Defense One " - The woman expected to run the Pentagon under Hillary Clinton said she would direct U.S. troops to push President Bashar al-Assads forces out of southern Syria and would send more American boots to fight the Islamic State in the region. Michele Flournoy, formerly the third-ranking civilian in the Pentagon under President Barack Obama, called for limited military coercion to help remove Assad from power in Syria, including a no bombing zone over parts of Syria held by U.S.-backed rebels. Flournoy, and several of her colleagues at the Center for New American Security, or CNAS, have been making the case for sending more American troops into combat against ISIS and the Assad regime than the Obama administration has been willing to commit. Since Russias increased involvement, the facts on the ground in Syria, she said, Do not support the kind of negotiated conditions we would like to get to. U.S. policy should be the removal of Assad even if that meant using limited military coercion, Flournoy said, at Mondays annual CNAS conference in Washington. What might that look like? Last week, three CNAS authors, in a new report, call for the United States to go beyond the current Cessation of Hostilities. The United States should press Syria and Russia to agree not to treat the Southern Front as an extremist group and to cease air attacks on the territory it controls, wrote Ilan Goldenberg, Paul Scharre, and Nicholas Heras. CNAS says those views are not the entire organizations, but noted the report was informed by deliberations of CNAS ISIS Study Group, chaired by CNAS CEO Michele Flournoy and CNAS President Richard Fontaine, a former foreign policy advisor to Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. If Syrias bombing continues, the United States should consider instituting what the paper dubs a no bomb zone. If the Assad regime bombs areas that are held by the Southern Front, an opposition alliance that the United States supports, then the United States would retaliate, using standoff weapons like cruise missiles to hit targets associated with the Assad regime, but not airbases housing Russian forces. The retaliatory strikes might include Syrian forward operating bases or security apparatus facilities in Damascus that are fixed regime targets and would require less invasive reconnaissance. The targets need not be ones that are directly tied to Assad strikes on U.S. partners, so long as the message is clear to Assad. Its not a traditional no-fly zone so youre not having air craft drill holes in the sky. Youre not having to take out the entire civilian air defense system, Flournoy told Defense One. She called the bomb zone idea a declaratory policy backed up by the threat of force. If you bomb the folks we support, we will retaliate using standoff means to destroy [Russian] proxy forces, or, in this case, Syrian assets. The no bomb zone could arguably slow the refugee flows. It would stop the bombing of certain civilian populations she said. Flournoy called the no-bomb zone worthy of more examination. The analysis that needs to be done is playing out the concept, two, three and four steps down the road. What if the Russians do test it? What would the response be? she said. Flournoy served as Obamas under secretary of defense for policy from 2009 to 2012. On Monday, Washington Post columnist David Ignatius described her as being on short, short list for the job. So what would she do in the job? Last 2015, Flournoy delicately condemned the Obama administrations ISIS policy as ineffectual. The military dimensions of the strategy have been under-resourced, while many of the non-military lines of operation remain underdeveloped, she wrote. She outlined several key steps to increase pressure on ISIS. They included: increased numbers of combat missions; embedding U.S. military advisors in the Iraqi Security Forces at the battalion level and allowing them to advise Iraqi commanders during operations; deploying forward air-controllers to call in air support during combat missions; and direct arming of Sunni tribes and the Kurdish Peshmerga. The strategy would hold out the prospect that arms will flow through Baghdad if and when the central government establishes a reliable process for their transfer. Home Sign up for our FREE Daily Email Newsletter Israeli Intelligence Chief: We Do Not Want ISIS Defeat In Syria By News Desk June 22, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - " Al Masdar News " - Israeli intelligence Chief, Major General Herzi Halevy, said that the last three months have been the most difficult for ISIS since its inception. In a speech delivered at Herzliya conference yesterday , Halevy explicitly said Israel does not want the situation in Syria to end with the defeat of ISIS , the Israeli NRG site reported. Withdrawal of the super powers from the region and letting Israel alone in front of Hezbollah and Iran that possess good abilities Will make Israel in a hard position Therefore, weve to do all we can so as not finding ourselves in such situation, the Israeli chief intelligence added. Lebanon Will Become Refugee State in Next Hezbollah War, Says IDF Intel Chief By Jerusalem Post June 22, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - " Jerusalem Post " - Lebanon will become a "state of refugees" from which it will be difficult to recover if there is another war between Israel and Hezbollah, a senior IDF intelligence general said Wednesday. "The situation in the next conflict will be completely different. We are stronger than we have ever been and are able to deal with any threat," said the head of IDF Military Intelligence, Maj.-Gen. Herzi Halevi. Speaking at the 16th Annual Herzliya Conference, Halevi stated that while Israel is not interested in another armed conflict with the Lebanese Shi'ite terror group, the Jewish state is "more prepared than ever" for such an event. "Never in history have we had an enemy that we know more about," he added. When addressing the question of how the next northern border conflict would look, Halevi replied: "The next conflict in the North will be different from Operation Protective Edge and also from past wars such as the Yom Kippur War." Turning to the topic of Iran, Halevi stated, "In the next wars, the majority of weapons that will attack Israel will be Iranian products." The military intelligence chief also said that "Iran is leading the way in cyber warfare and aiding Hezbollah on that front." He also addressed changes in strategic alliances in the Middle East between Israel and other moderate countries. "Part of the strategies of the pragmatic Sunni nations are becoming closer to our own," he said. "Saudi Arabia is not the same country we once saw just a year and a half ago, they have a new king and are leading the Sunni camp in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia is implementing vast reforms in order to move the country away from their oil dependent economy." Halevi, describing the purpose of intelligence, stated: "It is to describe the enemy, to tell the story and a slightly newer second purpose - to influence reality. The struggle between wars to restrain the building of power of the enemy is a type of influence that we greatly invest in and to a large degree we are very successful." Israeli and international policy-makers and analysts gathered for the 16th Annual Herzliya Conference, convened by the Interdisciplinary Center's Institute for Policy and Strategy in Herzliya. The three-day conference kicked off on Tuesday, the conference is focused on raising central issues and promoting public discourse on issues that affect Israel on both domestic and international fronts. 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. 20 Congress Members Send Obama Letter Requesting Protection Of Palestinian Children From Israeli Abuses Reps. Betty McCollum, Keith Ellison, Barbara Lee and more highlight Israel's systematic abuse of Palestinian kids. By Ben Norton June 22, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - " Salon " - The lawmakers sent the president a letter on June 20, urging him to appoint a special envoy for Palestinian youth in order to monitor the Israeli governments violation of Palestinian childrens human rights. The letter (embedded below), notes that Palestinian children are growing up under military occupation with very few opportunities to improve their lives. The letter describes the occupation as an unimaginably difficult and at times hopeless environment, where children live under the constant fear of arrest detention and violence at the hands of the Israeli military. Israels illegal military occupation marked its 49th anniversary earlier this month. Nearly half, 46 percent, of the roughly 4.7 million Palestinians living in the Israeli-occupied territories are minors under 18 years of age. The 20 lawmakers raised concerns about Israels frequent imprisonment of Palestinian children as young as 12, sometimes without charge or trial. UNICEF, Human Rights Watch, the Israeli human rights organization BTselem and other rights groups have documented Israels systematic abuse of Palestinian children. According to the U.N., Israel has tortured Palestinian children and has even used them as human shields. An April report by Defense for Children International Palestine cited by the letter found, after interviewing 429 Palestinian children who had been detained by Israel, that three-quarters experienced some form of violence. Minors reported being physically and psychologically abused, threatened and forced into solitary confinement. In 42 percent of cases, Israeli soldiers arrested children in their homes in the middle of the night. In 88 percent of cases, Palestinian minors were arrested and were unable to notify their parents. Israel has the dubious distinction of being the only country in the world that systematically prosecutes between 500 and 700 children in military courts each year, Defense for Children International Palestine wrote. There were 440 Palestinian minors in Israeli military prisons, as of February. An average of 204 children are held in Israeli custody each month, according to the rights group. The letter was initiated by Rep. Betty McCollum, a Democrat representing Minnesota. Salon spoke with McCollum, who emphasized, Military prisons for 12-year-old Palestinian children is inhuman. It totally dehumanizes them and its an abuse of Palestinian human rights. That needs to stop. I want the Israeli people to have peace and security, but I also want Palestinian children and their parents to have security, dignity, justice and equality, she added. McCollum said the letter is an important sign that my colleagues and I care about Palestinian children and we understand that ensuring their safety and well-being will play an important role in being able to create a more peaceful Middle East. The additional 19 congresspeople who endorsed the letter represent states around the country. Among the fellow signees are Reps. Keith Ellison, Barbara Lee, Luis Gutierrez and more. Ellison, a Democrat also representing Minnesota, has been particularly outspoken in support of Palestinian human rights. Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders appointed Rep. Ellison to the drafting committee of the Democratic Party in May. Rep. McCollum said she and the other congresspeople imagine that the role of the special envoy for Palestinian youth would be to shine a bright light on how Palestinian children are held in military in detention, sometimes in solitary confinement, on how they dont have access to their parents, let alone an attorney. Thats just abuse that needs to come to an end, McCollum stressed. She warned that, when children are abused in this way, they grow up to feel hopeless, and that leads them to desperation. In the letter, the lawmakers argue that the increase in violent attacks in the past year must be examined and understood within this context: a life of utter hopelessness and the collective psychological trauma associated with the Palestinian people living for decades under Israeli military occupation. McCollum told Salon that she hopes the conflict can resolve with a two-state solution. Many people say its too late, but I remain hopeful, she said. Hard-line right-wing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was re-elected on the promise that there will never be a Palestinian state (although he later tried to walk back this claim, just after winning the election). McCollum said she does not have much confidence that the current Israeli government, which is very far to the right, is interested in pursuing peace with the Palestinians. It is very alarming, McCollum lamented, noting that the defense minister recently resigned in protest of the Israeli cabinets increasing extremism. In May, Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon, a fellow member of the prime ministers staunchly right-wing Likud party, stepped down early after Netanyahu offered the defense minister position to Avigdor Lieberman, one of the most extreme figures in Israeli politics. Yaalon warned that extremist and dangerous elements have taken over Israel. McCollum said she hopes that the next U.S. presidential administration works together with Israelis and Palestinians in order to bring an end to the occupation. This is about the right for Israeli and Palestinian children, and children throughout the Middle East, to grow up with an opportunity of having a safe and secure childhood, and opportunities for success, she explained. We need to work together to make sure that Israeli and Palestinian children dont see another 40 years of unrest and violence in their lives. The idea for the letter was a joint project, Rep. McCollum recalled. Several lawmakers, particularly those who have traveled to Israel-Palestine and other parts of the Middle East, expressed interest in trying to help contribute to peace. In the letter, the congresspeople also called on the U.S. State Department to elevate the human rights of Palestinian children to a priority status in its negotiations. These children deserve to grow up with dignity, human rights and a future free of repression, the lawmakers wrote. The letter was supported by the No Way To Treat a Child campaign, a joint project of the rights groups Defense for Children International Palestine and the American Friends Service Committee. The other lawmakers who signed the letter are Reps. Eddie Bernice Johnson, Andre Carson, John Conyers, Earl Blumenauer, Donald Beyer, Hank Johnson, Bobby Rush, Marcy Kaptur, Chellie Pingree, Danny Davis, Peter Defazio, Raul Grijalva, Sam Farr, Jim McDermott, Yvette Clarke and Mark Pocan. The letter can be read below. Rep. McCollum letter to Obama, urging special envoy for Palestinian youth Brexit: What Is It About? By Paul Craig Roberts June 22, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - If you read the presstitute media, Brexitthe referendum tomorrow on the UKs exit from the EU is about racism. According to the story line, angry rightwing racists of violent inclinations want to leave the EU to avoid having to accept more dark-skinned immigrants into England. Despite the constant propaganda against exit, polls indicated that more favored leaving the EU than remaining until a female member of Parliament, Jo Cox, was killed by a man that a witness said shouted Brexit. Cox was an opponent of leaving the EU. The UK government and presstitute media used Coxs murder to drive home the propaganda that violent racists were behind Brexit. However, other witnesses gave a different report. The Guardian, which led with the propaganda line, did report later in its account that Other witnesses said the attack was launched after the MP became involved in an altercation involving two men near where she held her weekly surgery. Of course, we will never know, because Coxs murder is too valuable of a weapon against Brexit. There is no doubt that many in the UK are disturbed at the transformation of their country. One doesnt have to be a racist to feel that ones country is being stolen from them by people of alien cultures. The British have a long history of fighting off invaders, and many believe they are experiencing an invasion, although not an armed one. An armed one, of course, would not have the governments and medias support. When British people hear pundits pronounce that immigrants contribute more to the UK than they absorb in social payments, what they hear is inconsistent with their experience. Moreover, many British are tired of having to avoid entire sections of their cities, including London, because of safety concerns. It is a propaganda choice to call these concerns racism rather than cultural defense, and the UK political establishment has made that propaganda choice. Little wonder so many British citizens no longer believe that the British Establishment represents Britain. But lets give the propagandists the benefit of the doubt and for sake of argument assume that Brexit is about racism. What is the opposition to Brexit really about? Most certainly it is not about helping the refugees from Washingtons wars that the UK government has enabled. If the British establishment cared so much for the Muslims seeking refuge from Americas invasions, bombs, and drones, the British establishment would not have supported Washingtons attacks on these people. Opposition to Brexit is based on two powerful interests of Washington. One is the interests of the New York banks and Wall Street to eliminate the UK as a financial center competitor. This blatant fact has escaped the notice of the City and the Bank of England. The British have forgotten that they only have one foot in the EU, because the UK was permitted to keep its own currency. The UK does not use the euro and, thus, retains the power to finance the British government. Greece, Portugal, Spain, Italy, France, Germany, etc., do not have this capability. They are dependent on private banks for financing. In order to trick the UK into joining the EU, the British were given special privileges. However, these privileges cannot last forever. The EU process is one of political integration. As I reported years ago, Jean-Claude Trichet, at that time the president of the European Central Bank, said that to complete the political integration of Europe, the fiscal policies of member states would be centralized. It is impossible to centralize fiscal policies if the UK is an independent financial center with its own central bank and currency. Wall Street understands that the defeat of Brexit means a shortened lifespan for London as a financial center, as it is impossible to be a financial center unless a country has its own currency and central bank. As it is impossible for the UK to be a member of the EU and not operate under the European Central Bank, once the Brexit referendum is defeated, the process of gradually forcing the UK into the euro will begin. The other powerful interest is the interest of Washington to prevent one countrys exit from leading to the exit of other countries. As CIA documents found in the US National Archives make clear, the EU was a CIA initiative, the purpose of which is to make it easy for Washington to exercise political control over Europe. It is much easier for Washington to control the EU than 28 separate countries. Moreover, if the EU unravels, so likely would NATO, which is the necessary cover for Washingtons aggression. The EU serves Washington and the One Percent. It serves no one else. The EU is a murderer of sovereignty and peoples. The intent is for the British, French, Germans, Italians, Greeks, Spanish, and all the rest to disappear as peoples. Brexit is the last chance to defeat this hidden agenda, and apparently the British will vote tomorrow without having a clue as to what is at stake and what the vote is about. Dr. Paul Craig Roberts was Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Economic Policy and associate editor of the Wall Street Journal. He was columnist for Business Week, Scripps Howard News Service, and Creators Syndicate. He has had many university appointments. His internet columns have attracted a worldwide following. Roberts' latest books are The Failure of Laissez Faire Capitalism and Economic Dissolution of the West , How America Was Lost , and The Neoconservative Threat to World Order . The Looming US War on Russia By Finian Cunningham June 22, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - " Sputnik " - Russian President Vladimir Putins comparison of increasing US-led NATO aggression towards Russia to the attack by Nazi Germany on the Soviet Union is advisedly apt. Putin was addressing the Russian State Duma this week on the occasion 75 years ago when the Nazi Third Reich launched Operation Barbarossa on June 22, 1941. Nazi Germanys aggression, which led to the Great Patriotic War in which up to 30 million Soviet citizens lost their lives in order to gain victory against that fascist power, was at bottom an attack by Western imperialism. As Putin reminded, this fundamental fact is often omitted in Western commentary. In that way, the significance of NATOs current military buildup what else is that but aggression? on Russian territory is all too often absent in Western media. And, by extension, Western public appreciation is lacking on how sinister the unfolding situation is. Russias history over centuries is replete with examples of where Western imperialist powers have tried and failed to subjugate Russia with military attack from its Western flank. It is consistent with historical precedent that Putin should describe increasing aggression by the American-led NATO military alliance in the same context as the repugnant Nazi assault on Russia. The burgeoning US-led aggression towards Russia in the form of provocative political campaigns to demonize and vilify with false accusations, economic sanctions and the spurning of diplomacy and dialogue, as well as the expansion of military forces, including the deployment of missile systems is in a long, reprehensible tradition of Western belligerence towards Russia, going back to, among others, French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte and German Fuhrer Adolf Hitler. This congenital aggression towards Russia stems from the dynamic of the Western economic system of capitalism, which in turns begets imperialism as its necessary tool for expropriating natural resources and subjugating foreign nations. Russia is not the only target of Western aggression, of course. But the largest nation by land mass on Earth is and always has been a prime target. The little-known historical record at least in Western media is that Nazi Germany was fomented by American and British capitalism as a proxy with which to vanquish the Soviet Union. The subsequent Western alliance with Soviet Russia to defeat Nazi Germany was merely a cynical damage-control move by the Western powers who were witnessing their Nazi attack dog being muzzled and liquidated. How could anyone who has a sound understanding of history as opposed to the anesthetizing non-history common in the West be not perplexed by the current US-led military menace on Russias Western flank? It should be a matter of deep concern that even Germanys foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier last week denounced the largest-ever NATO war exercises being conducted in Poland as warmongering. What underscores the alarm is that Washington and certain NATO allies are pushing this confrontational agenda without the slightest discussion in Western media or among the Western public. As President Putin pointed out, people in the West are oblivious to the dangers of potential global war because the Western media is committing a huge disservice by not informing accurately on developments. There are any number of flash-points where NATOs military could combust into all-out war with Russia. The Baltic region, Eastern Europe, Ukraine, the Southern Caucus region, or the Black Sea where US warships continue to penetrate in violation of international treaties. Certainly, historical precedent strongly suggests this geographical swathe. As the US presidential election swings towards Democrat contender Hillary Clinton, that portends ominously for relations with Russia. It was Clinton who as Secretary of State in the first Obama administration in 2009-2013 plunged bilateral relations into the freezer and who set the course for the present geopolitical tensions. Of further concern is Clintons likely selection to head the Pentagon . It is hotly tipped that Clinton will appoint Michele Flournoy as the first female Secretary of Defense. Flournoy (56) is a prominent Pentagon insider, with close links to the military and CIA. We can be sure that this duo will keenly push a bellicose agenda towards Russia. Only last week, Flournoy made strident calls for increased US military intervention in Syria. She wants to deploy large numbers of American troops and openly use military force to topple the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad. Under Obama, regime change has been a covert enterprise through proxies such as Saudi Arabia, Turkey and a menagerie of terrorist militia. Under Clinton, the signs are that regime change in Syria will be made an overt military objective. Flournoy is calling for the use of cruise missiles to hit Assad targets, including those of allied Russian forces in Syria. If you bomb the folks we support, we will retaliate using standoff means to destroy [Russian] proxy forces, or, in this case, Syrian assets, she told the military publication Defense One. Flournoy said the US should jettison the pretense of fighting terror groups, and instead direct its efforts to remove Assad from power in Syria. In blatant contravention of international law and UN resolutions on Syria, the probable next White House administration is declaring war on Syria. Such a move is an unabashed aggression towards Russian strategic interests and calculated explicitly with military strikes on Russian forces in Syria. In short, a wider war with Russia. Whether the Middle East proves to be the flash-point of American aggression towards Russia remains to be seen over the coming months. But one thing seems irrefutably clear by now. Washington is already on the path of war. An American war on Russia is looming. Maybe the people of the US and Europe can stop that outcome by threatening political ad social revolt, on the streets if necessary since the electoral process seems to be stacked against the democratic will. On the solemn anniversary of Nazi Germanys ill-fated invasion of the Soviet Union 75 years ago, it is astounding that such horror seems largely forgotten in the West. The criminal, reckless aggression by US-led NATO forces towards Russia is a sign of the dangerous ignorance and apathy in the West. Russia is once again facing a recurring historical pattern of Western aggression. President Putin is correct in his contextualization of NATOs actions and attitude alongside the historic Nazi war on Soviet Russia. Only those who have been brainwashed by banal Western disinformation would consider such a warning as alarmist. The beast that is Western capitalist imperialism is salivating for war again. The positions of war are aligning, and certainly Syria is among the most volatile, especially if Hillary Clinton takes over as Commander-in-Chief. Russia will stand strong, as Putin firmly stated in his address to the State Duma. But this time around any war would involve a global arsenal of nuclear weapons that has no precedent. This really would be war to end all wars and the planet too, as we know it. In the name of peace and humanity, the onus is on the Western public to bring the warmongering system to an end once and for all by slaying the beast that is capitalism and its monstrous twin imperialism. Finian Cunningham has written extensively on international affairs, with articles published in several languages. He is a Masters graduate in Agricultural Chemistry and worked as a scientific editor for the Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge, England, before pursuing a career in newspaper journalism. He is also a musician and songwriter. For nearly 20 years, he worked as an editor and writer in major news media organisations, including The Mirror, Irish Times and Independent. The Chinese People Are Outraged "China Will React if Provoked Again: You Risk War" By Andre Vltchek The AntiDiplomatico (Italy) interviews philosopher, Andre Vltchek: Russia and China are forming an incredible defensive wall to protect humanity from Western terrorism. June 22, 2016 " Information Clearing House " - Andre Vltchek has become renowned in Italy for being the co-author, along with Noam Chomsky, of the famous book Western Terrorism (Ponte alle Grazie). A documentary filmmaker, novelist, essayist, philosopher and intellectual, multi-faceted Vltchek is the cosmopolitan man par excellence, a true revolutionary as he likes to call himself. In recent years with his camera and his extraordinary commitment against injustice on this planet he has explored every corner of the Earth and taken over the length and breadth of Western terrorism, one that our media likes to censor and hide from our consciences. After the interviews with the great Australian journalist John Pilger and the famous American playwright John Steppling, we have the honor and privilege of speaking to our great friend of lAntiDiplomatico, asking some questions on burning current international issues. Alessandro Bianchi: I start from a brutal question: What has become of a country that it is offering Donald Trump as its best candidate? Andre Vltchek: It is not much different from the country that it used to be for decades, even centuries. Since the beginning, the US presidents (all of European stock, of course), had been promoting slavery, extermination campaigns against the native population of North America, barbaric wars of aggression against Mexico, and other Latin American countries, the Philippines, etc. Has anything changed now? I highly doubt it. Donald Trump is horrendous, but he is also honest. Both Presidents Clinton and Obama were great speakers, but unrepentant mass murderers. AB: In a recent survey over 53% of Americans were against both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. How long will we continue to consider the United States a democracy? And why, in your opinion, is abstention the only form of rebellion by a population completely excluded from the decision-making stage? AV: Democracy means nothing else other than, rule of the people, in Greek. There is nothing democratic about the political concepts of the United States and Europe. And there is absolutely nothing democratic about the global arrangement through which the West has been ruling over the rest of the world for decades and centuries. The second part is, Im convinced, much more important, much more devastating; in the West, people have been tolerating their insane political system, in exchange for the countless privileges they are getting from their countries plundering of the planet, and violating entire nations and continents. But in Africa, Asia and elsewhere, those un-people have no choice at all. AB: Is Bernie Sanders really the change that many in Europe have described? AV: Bernie Sanders is like those liberal members of the German National Socialist Party during the WWII, or of the Italian Fascist movement during Mussolini. Theyd do much for their own workers and peasants, socially as long as funds were flowing in from the countries plundered by their imperialism. Under Bernie Sanders, Western workers would definitely do much better, but the rest of the world, the wretched of the Earth would still have to pay the bill. AB: What would happen to the world under a Hillary Clintons presidency? AV: Nothing exceptional things would stay the same: sponsorship of Color or Umbrella or whatever revolutions, some more coups, regime changes, direct invasions, bombing, propaganda warfare against China, Russia, Iran, South Africa and what is left of the Latin American revolutions. There would be plenty of torture in secret centers, but it would not be as advertised and glorified as it would be if Trump were elected. World War III would become a great possibility, but such a scenario is quite possible under any new US administration To answer your question: business as usual. AB: What did you feel when you recently saw Obama speaking in Hiroshima and not apologizing for what was done by his country, declaring almost sarcastically as the head of the worlds first atomic power hope for a world without nuclear weapons? AV: Im quite immune to such speeches, arent you? Although, yes somehow Obamas is much more disgusting than others, because he is smart and we all know that he knows. He is thoroughly dishonest and it is clear. It would be somehow more acceptable to see George W. puking over sushi. And Trump: hed probably declare in Hiroshima that hed nuke half of Asia if it would help the West to retain its control over the world. At least one would not harbor any false hopes. AB: Will the growing US expansionism come to a breaking point and collision with China? AV: Yes, it will. I have no doubt about it. China is one of the greatest cultures on Earth, and it is one of those countries that suffered immensely from colonialist horrors and humiliation. Chinese people are indignant. Indignant! For decades, despite everything, they tried to make peace with the West. They are, in fact, the most peaceful big nation on Earth and what do they get in return? They get insults, provocations and intimidation. The Western public should learn and remember one essential thing about China: no matter what European and North American propaganda barks about the Peoples Republic, China is much more democratic than the West. It is democratic in its own way. For thousands of years, it developed its own political system. Its rulers, no matter who they are, are given a conditional right to govern by the people. In the past, but even now it is called a Heavenly Mandate. If the rulers fail to respect the will of the people, they get deposed. And the Communist Party of China is greatly respectful of the desires of the majority of the Chinese people. When they want liberal reforms, they are delivered. When they want more Communism and an epic fight against corruption, like now, Chinas government immediately reacts. It is powerful and democratic, although a very specific and complex arrangement. And now, the Chinese people are outraged and they are sending clear signals to Beijing: do not succumb to the West. If you do, our nation will suffer immensely, and the rest of the world will turn to ashes. Do understand: Chinese people are brilliant; the West cannot fool them. And they are thoroughly sick of Western imperialism. This time, if confronted and provoked, the Chinese government would yield to the pressure from its people: it would be forced to give orders to fight to defend its motherland! AB: Although it is NATO that is bringing his installations more and more to the East, in Europe our information apparatus feeds the danger of an aggressive Russia. Who benefits from spreading these Russophobe feelings? AV: Of course, the Empire! Of course, the Western supremacists! With Russia, it is almost similar to China: people there have had it up to here with the West! The Russian people suffered immensely from Western imperialism. Throughout their history they fought countless invasions led by the French, Scandinavians, Brits, North Americans, Germans, Poles, Czechs and others. Tens of millions of Russian people died, fighting all sorts of Western expansionism. They defeated Nazism. They helped to liberate much of our world from colonialism. Of course, the West never forgave Russia for fighting the epic battles against its expansionism and colonialism. But it is not only European and North American propaganda that is responsible for the present state of things: it is also the people, quite ordinary people, living in the West. For years now, the fake European left is trying to portray European citizens as victims of the US imperialism. It is even trying to make the world feel sorry for those European workers who do not get a fair deal from their governments! It is thoroughly absurd. Overwhelming the majority of European citizens are unhappy with the social deal they get, yes; and that is why they are so angry with their governments. Because they want more, much more! They couldnt care less that their benefits, salaries and other privileges, have been, for decades and centuries subsidized by the plunder of other parts of the planet; that they are paid for by blood. There is absolutely no solidarity in the West towards its own victims, and the recent refugee crises is direct proof of it. Fanon and Sartre had already determined more than 50 years ago, each and every European citizen is responsible for (and has been benefiting from) the countless genocides and unbridled theft. It has to be repeated again and again: you give Europeans once again all benefits that they can eat, you make them work shorter hours, and you give more money, and theyd be back in a self-congratulatory, self-righteous mode; damned be the rest of the world. The only reason so many are so pissed off at the US is because they see North America as promoting a bad deal for its own masses, not because it is ruining the rest of the world! So, back to Russia Russia, despite its heavy flirtation with capitalism and some quite unsavory oligarchs, is still building its foreign policy on the Soviet ideals of internationalism, solidarity and logic. And even domestically, President Putin is slowly, step-by-step, restoring many important Soviet achievements that were torpedoed by a nitwit, and one gangster Gorbachev and Yeltsin. Lets not forget that one poll after another clearly demonstrates that well over 50% of Russian citizens still wants both socialism and the USSR back. And the Russian government is listening. The West, both the elites (consciously) and ordinary people (sub-consciously), want Russia to go to hell; to disappear, drown, explode. It is because Russia is once again defending humanism all over the world. If it succeeds, the elites would lose their power over the planet, and the ordinary citizens of the West would lose their privileges; the plunder would have to stop, and the life of one African or Asian person would suddenly gain the same value as that of a one European or North American. And that would be really unacceptable! On top of it, Russia and China have become two great allies. Theyd never be divided as they were during the Cold War Days. Russia and China together cannot be defeated: militarily, economically or morally. The West can only try to destroy them internally, through horrendous sets of tricks, propaganda and toxic lies. But now even such a scenario is unlikely. Russian people, like their Chinese comrades, are well aware of what is going on. And there are tens of millions of their martyrs who are reminding them what is to be expected from the West. Encircled and provoked, Russia is once again turning into a mighty monolithic defense wall. Its people are ready! They want peace, above anything else. But if theyd have to fight for their own survival, and for the survival of the world, they will. And this time again, if there is a showdown, two enormous nations, Russia and China, standing side-by-side, will defeat fascism! That is why Russia is hated. That is why China is hated. They are forming a tremendous, final defense line protecting humanity from the Western terror. AB: Since the advent of the so-called Arab Spring, which began with the famous Obamas speech at the University of Cairo in 2009, the Eastern Mediterranean has become a powder keg. Was it an external plan a planned destruction of the states hostile to rulers in Washington, like Libya and Syria in particular, or was it a real quest for democracy and freedom? AV: Both. Some socialist movements in Egypt, Tunisia and Bahrain, for instance, were genuine. I was making films about the so-called Arab Spring, and Im well aware of how complex the situation really was. But it goes without saying is that the West immediately infiltrated and derailed the revolutions, turning them into what you have described. Remember, the West had absolutely no appetite for risking its dictatorial powers over the area. It had no desire to let democratic and revolutionary forces take control of their countries. Why? Just look, again, at the polls: the majority of Arab people see the United States and Israel (definitely not Iran or Syria) as the greatest danger to the world. Could you imagine what the Arab people would do if true democracy (rule of the people) were to be victorious? Theyd side with Russia and China, not with the West. And theyd throw their elites groomed in and by the West, straight out the window. AB: Is it right today, to define Aleppo as the Stalingrad of Syria and the cemetery of the dreams of fascist Erdogan as stated by the Syrian President Assad? AV: Yes, it is like that, or at least, it is somewhere along those lines. Aleppo, Homs Yes. I wrote about it earlier, comparing Syria to Stalingrad. AB: What do you think will be the final scenario for Syria? It risks crystallization like the Cold War-style situation between the two blocks Damascus, Russia and regional allies, on the one hand, and Kurds with the United States on the other and Raqqa, which would become a new Berlin? AV: The Western planners are definitely trying to fragment the entire Middle East. They already have done, on several historical occasions. But this is a new chapter. They play with the Arab countries as if they were simply some milking cows. There is no regard for human lives, or local national interests. It is because the West, despite its hypocritical rhetoric (political correctness) does not really consider non-whites and non-Christians as human beings. You kill millions, so be it. You ruin 5 regional states; who cares? AB: What role, in your opinion, do the human rights NGOs play in the current international context? AV: Even that term, human rights, makes me ill. You have to really go back to Fanon and Sartre They said it all. Human rights are only for humans, therefore for the West. And for the rest of the Planet: there, the human rights are used to discredit uncomfortable, even hostile governments through countless implants like NGOs. Who talks about the real human rights violations, those committed by the West? Europeans and North Americans have already butchered hundreds of millions of people, or close to one billion, to be precise. They have been looting, torturing and raping. Even now, they are killing millions directly and tens of millions indirectly. But it does not count; because their victims are not white, therefore not human, and as a result, they dont really have any rights. AB: 14 years ago, the coup in Venezuela against the democratically elected President Hugo Chavez failed and began the US exit from Latin America. Shortly after, the US invaded Iraq. Today the hegemony in the eastern Mediterranean wobbles, and Washington uses all the weapons at its disposal to return to Latin America. Is, in your opinion, President Rafael Correa right when he says that we are facing a new Plan Condor in the region? AV: Definitely! Comrade Correa gets it right, most of the time. This is new, final offensive of the Empire in Latin America. I have just returned from Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay; it is absolutely horrible what is going on there. The Empire is trying to finish both BRICS and all the Latin American revolutions. AB: If that is the case, considering what has also happened in Brazil, Ecuador and Bolivia, which techniques are being used today? AV: The same as before, the same techniques, which have been used against, for instance, President Allende and Unidad Popular in Chile, before the 9-11-1973 US-orchestrated coup. The West is supporting, even financing the right-wing media, it is financing the opposition, encourages capital flight of billions of dollars, works closely with the local elites to create deficits, uncertainty and despair. It creates corruption scandals, and it even supports fake left anti-government movements. And, of course, it is training and corrupting some key military cadres. AB: The future of the world offers at the moment two possible paths: a US unilateralism, particularly in the event of Clintons presidency, made up of areas of free trade treaties around the world on the NAFTA model (such as the TTIP in Europe), with millions as the desperately poor products of them, profits only for multinationals, and the planned destruction of all countries who rebel against this vision (Libya and Syria style); or, the second possibility: a period of multilateralism, respect for sovereignty, self-determination and peace. If the alternative project to the Washington Consensus were to prevail, it would be that of the BRICS and regional integration in Latin America, designed and built by Chavez, Lula and Kirchner. And which of the two views will prevail in your opinion? AV: There will be great battles fought for the future of the world! The coming years will be very tough. In order for the second scenario to win, the world would have to return where the struggle for independence and against Western colonialism and imperialism was lost or abandoned more than 50 years ago. Lets face it: the world was never really completely de-colonized. It would be total hypocrisy to claim otherwise. One of the popular views in the liberal circles of the West is that we are actually all victims of capitalism. I disagree. This savage global capitalism is only one of the most terrible bi-products of the dominant Western culture of racism, greed, brutality and unbridled desire to control the world. The world is still being battered by the Western/white/Christian supremacy dogmas and practices, by the most primitive and fundamentalist principles. The truth has to be unveiled. If the West insists, if it keeps pushing, the battles have to be fought. And they will be fought. And the forces of internationalism, humanism and solidarity will have to be victorious, or soon there will be nothing left of the human race. This interview first appeared in the Italian language, published by LAntiDiplomatico Ale is an Italian activist, politician (5 Stelli) and chief editor of Anti-Diplomatico. Andre Vltchek is a philosopher, novelist, filmmaker and investigative journalist. He covered wars and conflicts in dozens of countries. His latest books are: Exposing Lies Of The Empire and Fighting Against Western Imperialism .Discussion with Noam Chomsky: On Western Terrorism . Point of No Return is his critically acclaimed political novel. Oceania a book on Western imperialism in the South Pacific. His provocative book about Indonesia: Indonesia The Archipelago of Fear . Andre is making films for teleSUR and Press TV. After living for many years in Latin America and Oceania, Vltchek presently resides and works in East Asia and the Middle East. He can be reached through his website or his Twitter . Movie sources have revealed that 15 year old Ghanaian actor, Abraham Attah will feature in the soon to be released Spiderman: Homecoming movie. Attah shot into the limelight after an astute portrayal of Agu, a child soldier in the Idris Elba co-produced movie, Beast of No Nation and earned himself the Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead and National Board of Review Award for Best Breakthrough Performance. It was his first major role and it appears hes set for even bigger things as he will join an already star studded cast which includes Martin Starr, Donald Glover, Logan Marshall-Green, Marisa Tomei, Robert Downey Jr., and Michael Keaton. The role hell play in the movie which is set for release in July 2017 has not yet been revealed. 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. 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, denied agreeing a ceasefire deal with the Nigerian Government. This is just as another militant group, Niger Delta Red Squad (NDRS), has surfaced in Imo State. In a tweet yesterday, the Avengers denied reports of a one-month ceasefire deal with the government. The NDA High Command never remember (sic) having any agreement on ceasefire with the Nigeria Government, the group said on its Twitter page. This is the second time in less than two weeks the group, which has vowed to reduce Nigerias production level to zero, would be denying truce with the government. Meanwhile, the new militant group in Imo State, which claimed bombing of two pipelines belonging to Elf Oil Company at Awara, Ohaji Egbema Local Government Area, also threatened to attack Shell pipelines in Oguta Local Government Area and shut down all oil wells in the state. The group, in a Facebook post on its wall, boasted that it has what it takes to carry out the threat. The NDRS warned that until the oil producing areas in the state were given what rightfully belongs to them, there would be no peace for oil companies to operate in the state. It, therefore, warned oil companies to evacuate their workers with immediate effect. Our correspondent reports that the threat by the NDRS is coming less than two weeks after members of the State House of Assembly queried the exclusion of Imo from Federal Governments proposed dialogue with oil producing states in Niger Delta to quell the current hostilities by the Avengers. The lawmakers, during plenary marking the beginning of the new legislative year, argued that the state had been deliberately sidelined by the facilitators of the dialogue because of its youths disposition to peace. They expressed worry that the exclusion might trigger militancy similar to what was happening in other Niger Delta states. After two months of endless wait for his return, residents of Otukpa community have discovered the decaying body of the kidnapped General of Catholic Diocese of Otukpo, Rev. Father John Adeyi. Adeyi was kidnapped on his way to Otukpo, from his country home, Otukpa, Benue state where he has gone to settle a case in the local church. His body was found in Otukpa on Wednesday morning. Source: Idoma Voice The controversial National Grazing Reserve Agency Bill pending in the House of Representatives, has landed in the Senate. The bill was introduced in the upper legislative chamber on Wednesday alongside another controversial bill the National Ranches Commission Bill. Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso (APC/Kano Central) and others are listed as sponsors of the National Grazing Reserve Agency Bill entitled: National Grazing Reserves Agency (establishment etc) Bill 2016 (SB.292), while the National Ranches Commission (establishment etc) Bill 2016 (SB 293), had Senator Barnabas Gemade (APC/Benue North East) as its sponsor. Both bills scaled the mandatory first reading on the floor of the Senate today. Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Bala Ibn NaAllah (APC/Kebbi South), who read the general principles of the bills said, do we take it that the bills have passed second reading? to which senators responded with a deafening No, not at all. The National Grazing Reserve Agency Bill pending in the House of Representatives has been criticized by a cross-section of Nigerians as a ploy by the Federal Government to grab and seize land from their original owners and give same to cattle rearers. An attempt by former Senator Zainab Kure from Niger State to get the bill passed, failed in the sixth Senate when it was introduced. The government at a recent public hearing organized by the Senate made a case for the establishment of grazing reserves as a panacea to the deadly conflicts between farmers and herders. While some states have proposed establishment of ranches, the herders, under the aegis of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, MACBAN, have insisted that it is either grazing reserves or nothing. MACBAN argued that establishment of grazing reserves in parts of the country is the only solution to farmers and herdsmen clashes. The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, has asked Chief Medical Directors and Medical Directors of Federal Tertiary health institutions across the country to disregard a circular directing them to fill the vacancies created by resident doctors, who were on strike. Adewole, in the circular signed and issued Tuesday in Abuja by Amina Shamaki, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, said resident doctors had voluntarily withdrawn from the residency training programme by refusing to report for training without authorization, a clear violation of public service rules. The circular directed management of the health institutions to replace all such doctors, about 16,000 of them, with others from pool of applicants for the training programmes. The striking doctors under the aegis of National Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, were protesting the sack of some of their colleagues, working conditions, unpaid salaries, non-payment of skipping entitlement, among others. Representatives of the NARD, led by its national president, Dr. Muhammad Askira, were reportedly in a meeting brokered by Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, with representatives of the Ministry of Health, when the circular containing their sack was issued. However, following a successful outcome of the five-hour meeting, the federal government agreed to implement the resolutions reached with the resident doctors. Prof. Adewole said, We will do everything humanly possible to implement all the decisions arrived at in this meeting including the fact the circular sacking Resident doctors be ignored by all the parties concerned. The meeting is to reconvene in three weeks to review progress on the resolutions. The Federal Ministry of Education will convene a meeting with vice-chancellors, admission officers, and other stakeholders to discuss processes for the post-Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME). Dr Folashade Yemi-Esan, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education made this known while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja. According to her, the meeting will hold next week. The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, had recently scrapped the post-UTME test As far as I am concerned, if the nation has confidence in what JAMB is doing, the universities should not be holding another examination. If the universities have any complain against JAMB, let them bring it and then we address it. But if JAMB is qualified enough to conduct tests and they have conducted test, then there will be no need to conduct another test for students to gain admission, Adamu had said. According to Mrs Yemi-Esan, the minister had made a pronouncement which should be complied with. The responsibility is now on us to give them guidelines and modalities on how to go about what the honourable minister has said. There is no written directive but all the stakeholders were at that meeting where the minster said it openly. There is going to be a meeting of the all the vice-chancellors and admission officers sometime next week to work our modalities, she said. According to Saharareporters, the former Minister of State, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) under Goodluck Jonathans administration, Oloye Jumoke Akinjide, is currently on the run. The former minister has allegedly absconded after being implicated in a N650 million fraud involving the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and one Senator Ayo Ademola Adeseun. According to a highly placed source in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Akinjide and cohorts fraudulently received the sum of N650 million which they converted to their personal use and the use of others. The money was allegedly routed through a new generation commercial bank and disbursed to some politicians for the purpose of facilitating former president, Goodluck Jonathans victory at the March 28 presidential election. But soon after the EFCC commenced investigation into the fraud, Akinjide reportedly took to her heels. The former minister got jittery when the anti-graft agency obtained an interim order from the Lagos State Magistrate Court, Ikeja District, to remand one of the culprits, Yinka Taiwo, in its custody for the next 30 days. The detention order will enable operatives of the Commission progress with investigations and prevent any interference in the alleged illegal disbursement of monies running into billions of Naira belonging to the Federal Government of Nigeria. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum has described the freezing of the personal accounts of Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as gross abuse of the constitution. Speaking through its Chairman and Ondo State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, the forum called on President Muhammadu Buhari to call the anti-graft agency to order. Mimiko said EFCC cannot interfere with the account of a sitting governor, adding that, it was contrary to Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution. In a statement, the PDP Governors Forum chairman argued that if the intention is to suggest any criminal infraction or fraud against the governor, the agency should have sheathe its sword till he (Fayose) vacates office. Mimiko warned that the country is drifting towards totalitarianism, insisting that the account of any individual could only be frozen after a court of competent jurisdiction has so ruled or an interim order by a court of competent jurisdiction is granted to the anti graft agency. Former Military President, General Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida, (retd), has promised to continue to advise both the federal and state governments where necessary to move the country forward. I am ready and willing to continuously offer beneficial advice to the federal and state governments, Babangida said in Minna, yesterday when he received the Chairman and members of the Niger State Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by state chairman of PDP, Tanko Beji. I am committed to the Project Nigeria because I have no other country that I can call my own, he said. He solicited the support of all Nigerians for governments at all levels, as he noted that without our support the governments cannot achieve their plans for the states and the nation. Speaking earlier, Beji prayed that God grants Babangida sound health to serve the state and nation longer. He urged him not to relent in his advisory role as the younger generation is happy to be tapping from your wealth of experience. Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State has disclosed that workers in the state have been receiving their salaries in the last five years despite the Boko Haram insurgency and current economic realities in the country. SEE ALSO: Atiku Abubakar Commends Gov. Shettima He said the state was able to prioritize workers welfare in the last five years, despite suffering immense losses as a result of the insurgency. Gov. Shettima, who former Vice President Atiku Abubakar recently said could have been the best governor in the country but for the Boko Haram insurgency, spoke when he hosted members of the Borno Elders Forum and the Business Community in the State for Ramadan Iftar, at the Government House. Opening up on the challenges of providing N2.6billion monthly to pay workers salaries, seeing to the welfare of internally displaced persons and carrying out reconstruction of infrastructure destroyed by Boko Haram in the last five years, the governor said it was a rare feat. Ordinarily, I dont consider payment of salaries as achievement because salaries are debts, people worked and should be paid. However, in todays Nigeria, payment of salaries has become rare and this makes it an achievement especially for a state like Borno that which has been battling with serious security challenges and spending billions over that. Well, we have sustained payment of salaries for an economic reason. It is elementary knowledge that salaries of workers mostly stimulate local economies especially in a situation where export is cut and there is gross decline in the number of persons coming into the State not to talk of doing business. We made it a duty to inject funds into the system through prompt payment of salaries by 25th of every month even while we were dealing with serious crisis of rebuilding communities from 2011 to date. We had to pay salaries because workers were at a point the only buyers of commodities, traders relied on salaries for the economy to be active. We had to consistently inject N2.6 billion for salaries of workers every month and that money circulated around markets. The money was what was going in circles from markets to the transport system, to the banking sector and to payment of other services. It was the salaries that held Bornos local economy because nothing was happening before 2015, our exporters couldnt go anywhere, whatever our traders brought in could only be bought when money circulated and salaries ensured that circulation, the governor said. Mr. Shettima further stated that there were times the state had to top as much as N700 million on the monthly revenue from the Federation Account of N1.9b to pay salaries. After a meeting with the Federal Government ended in a deadlock, The Joint Health Sector Unions has directed its members to embark on a 7-day warning strike action starting on Thursday June 23. Nigerias Resident Doctors also began a warning strike on Monday over unpaid salaries and allowances. In a letter dated June and signed by its executives, JOHESU appealed for the general public understanding. The letter reads: JOINT HEALTH SECTOR UNIONS & ASSEMBLY OF HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS A COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF THE MEETING BETWEEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND JOHESU HELD ON TUESDAY 21st OF JUNE 2016 IN THE CONFERENCE HALL OF THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR LABOUR, FEDERAL SECRETARIAT, ABUJA Following repeated ultimatums totalling 92 days issued to the Federal Government by JOHESU, a meeting was called for Monday 20th of June, 2016 at the instance of the Federal Government at the Conference room of the Hon. Minister of Labour and Employment with a view to resolving the issues in dispute. However, the Federal Government was not prepared for the meeting and therefore pleaded that the meeting be shifted to Tuesday 21st June, 2016 at 9.00am. At the rescheduled meeting of Tuesday 21st` June, 2016, it was observed that despite the series of meetings earlier held with committees and subcommittees set up to look into the various issues presented by JOHESU and agreements reached, to our utmost surprise the Federal Government asserted that there was no agreement on the issues upon which the erstwhile Secretary to the Federal Government set up a sub-committee, the report of which was accepted by the Federal Government and another sub-committee set up to workout the financial implication, to be submitted to the Federal Government for approval. Other issues upon which previous submissions had been made were equally pushed to the unions to make fresh submission showing lack of seriousness on the part of the Federal Government. Having consulted widely with members nationwide and having shown consistent understanding since February 2015, the leadership of JOHESU hereby directs that all members in Federal Tertiary Health Institutions should proceed on a 7-day WARNING STRIKE from 12.01am of Wednesday 22nd of June, 2016. We hereby appeal to the general public to please bear with us and impress it on the Federal Government to meet the demands of the unions to prevent the warning strike from becoming a full blown indefinite strike. President Muhammadu Buhari has said that anyone who survived the Nigerian Civil War, which lasted three years, will never advocate for another war in the country. He stated this on Tuesday night while breaking fast with members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), mainly his Ministers, at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja. The Nigerian Civil War, which lasted for two-and-half years, was a war fought by federal troops to counter the secession of Biafra (old eastern region) from the rest of Nigeria. An estimated two million civilians, mostly women and children, died from diseases and starvation as a result of the bloody conflict. Buhari, who fought the war on the Nigerian side, said Nigeria is a (sic) one united nation, which can never be divided by anybodys selfish interest. He, therefore, urged his Ministers and indeed, Nigerians at large to pray for the peace and continued unity of the country. The president noted the month of Ramadan as a special time when God listens and answers prayers of the faithful. He said: It strengthens our resolve to build our country to make it stronger and to make sure that the incoming generations are sufficiently motivated to be patriotic. It is no news that we are the biggest country in Africa, we are the economy engine of Africa, which are true by the way. But, we must always be patriotic in our dealings with others. This (Ramadan) month of prayers and service to God, let us keep on these prayers all the times, believing that God in His infinite mercy will listen to our prayers, give us peace, security and better the economy once more, so that we can quickly rebuild and even do more for the country. Let me assure that the time of Ramadan is making us more conscious of what leaders at every level ought to do, and leading the people is not a joke. It means accepting responsibilities for good or wrong, he said. The president further recalled the economic challenges and the agitations for the sovereign state of Biafra. We need a lot of prayer. Certainly, with the nations economy going down. We havent developed the agriculture; we are still trying to talk on those who will come and develop the solid mineral for us. The militants in their various homes, we need to reflect very seriously on what happened between 1967 and 1970 where about two million Nigerians lost their lives. And at that time, as young military officers, you hardly heard of anything about petroleum or whatever money you got from it. Look at what Gen. Gowon said; To keep Nigeria one is a task that must be done and every soldier whether he has been to school or not, knew what the General meant. But, we were quarreling with our brothers, we were not fighting an enemy and then somebody is saying that once again he wants Biafra. I think this is because he was not born when there was Biafra. We have to reflect on the historical antecedent to appreciate what is before us now and what we intend to leave for our children and our grand-children, Buhari counseled. President Buhari also thanked the ministers and other members of the cabinet who have identified with his government despite all odds. Speaking on behalf of the FEC members, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo expressed gratitude to the president for inviting them to break the fast with him. The former running mate to late Prince Abubakar Audu, in the November 21, 2015 governorship election in Kogi State, James Faleke, has appealed the Election Petition Tribunals verdict that affirmed Yahaya Bello as governor. In a 35 grounds submission filed at the Court of Appeal, Abuja, by his lawyer, Wole Olanipekun (SAN), Faleke is challenging the tribunals decision, except the part of the preliminary objection resolved in his favour. He is praying for an order setting aside the judgment delivered on June 6, and an order granting all the reliefs sought in the petition. According to him, the tribunal erred in law by refusing to grant his reliefs, particularly an order directing him to be sworn in as governor for the reason that there was no declaration made after the election. He said: One of the major reasons why the appellant instituted the petition at the lower tribunal was the failure of the first respondent (Independent National Electoral Commission) to make a declaration and return from the election of 21st November, 2015. The lower tribunal failed to consider whether there was any constitutional justification for the failure of the first respondent to make a return from the election. It failed to consider whether there was any constitutional basis for the declaration of the November 21, 2015 election as inconclusive. It merely based its decision in refusing the appellants claims on the failure of the first respondent to perform its statutory duty, he said. The appellant further argued that the tribunal was wrong to hold that he does not have the locus standi to present the petition before it. Faleke, who is the member representing Ikeja Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, said the reason given by INEC for declaring the election as inconclusive on November 22, 2015 was that the margin of win between the joint ticket of Audu and appellant and the Wada/Awoniyi ticket, which was 41,353 votes, was less than the total number of registered voters in the 91 polling units were the electoral umpire decreed a supplementary election to hold. Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Idris Ibrahim Kpotun on Wednesday formally assumed office as the Acting Inspector General of Police in a ceremony held at the Force Headquarters, Abuja. AIG Kpotun was appointed Acting IGP by President Muhammadu Buhari following the retirement of Solomon Arase after attaining the mandatory retirement age of 60 on Tuesday. Kpotun, who was in charge of operations at the Force Headquarters until his elevation to the foremost police job in the country, assumed office in a symbolic hand over to him by his predecessor in office, Mr. Arase. In his brief remarks, the Acting IGP pledged to operate with what he called the principle of democratic policing. The Lagos State University is rewarding the top performing students at the institution. 160 students have received a totl of N4 million as reward for attaining a Cumulative Grade Point Average of 4.50 and above during the 2015/2016 academic session. The students received N25,000 each as the Vice Chancellor Prof. Olanrewaju Fagbohun urged them not to grow complacent; We are proud of you, but you must work harder to sustain the grade. Do not relent in your efforts because you were celebrated today. Of the 160 students, 35 were from College of Medicine, another 35 from Faculty of Management Sciences, 32 from Faculty of Social Sciences and 34 from Faculty of Science. Thirteen students were from the Faculty of Education, nine from Faculty of Engineering and two from Faculty of Arts. The National Association of Resident Doctors which embarked on a strike action on Tuesday has announced the suspension of the strike action. SEE ALSO: JOHESU Commences Nationwide Strike The suspension is as a result of a planned meeting with stakeholders in the health sector after a first round of meeting chaired by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Another round of meetings has been scheduled for July 14. A consolidated group of militants, Joint Niger Delta Liberation Force (JNDLF), has alerted President Muhammadu Buhari to alleged schemes by top military officers to overthrow him in a coup detat. The militant group, which about two weeks ago threatened to launch six missiles targeted at the Presidential Villa, Abuja and other national assets, said yesterday that persons behind the coup plot were planning to instigate civil unrest in the Niger Delta as part of their strategies to topple the Buhari administration. The JNDLF made the weighty allegation in an electronic statement on Tuesday. The statement said already the top military officers involved in the unholy plot approached its leaders with an appeal to continue bombing oil installations in the region, which they would later use as grounds for their takeover of the government. The statement was signed by persons who identified themselves as General Torunanaowei Latei (Creek Network Coordinator); General Agbakakuro Owei-Tauro (Pipeline Bleeding Expert); General Akotebe Darikoro (Commander, General Duties) and General Pulokiri Ebikade (Intelligence Bureau). The group said: We are constraint to let the cat out of the bag today that President Muhammadu Buhari should be wary about the security of this country as some military men are making move to remove him from power by instigating civil unrest in the country. Some top military men through their civil agents approached us to cause and continue the vandalization of the oil and gas pipelines in the Niger delta region so as to use as an excuse to take over the government from democracy to military rule in the country. We said no as such plan will not work and not in conformity with our genuine desire of agitation. The military want to disgrace him now and let him quickly look into the issues and make pronouncement for his administration to be in peace. The president should analyze certain memo from the military concerning Niger delta region before taking action or otherwise the military will use that as a platform to remove him. We know the issue of Niger delta is political and we preferred political solution to resolve it but the president refused. The group further advised President Buhari to adopt holistic approach in resolving the problems of the Niger Delta. It also listed the ongoing probes of arms procurement in the Nigerian Armed Forces by the Buhari administration as one of the reasons why like minds had gathered to plot the removal of the president, stressing that most officers behind the purported coup plot were above the ranks of major-generals. We received several calls unknown to persuade us to continue the bombing and that when succeeded in overthrowing the government we will be placed on a better position, we said capital NO! When asked of their names, they are above Major Generals level. They refused to disclose their names but their intonations seem like Yoruba and Hausa. Our agitation is not for selfish interest but for the overall benefit of the Niger delta region. Well not kidnap any person, kill or hostage taking of any expatriate in the country but will continue our agitation with clear determination to actualize our course in Nigeria. We believe their sinister plan because there is ceasefire in the region for dialogue, but since then the attitude and actions of the service chiefs show that such plan could [not] work for them, it said. The group also accused the military of invading Ijaw communities in the Niger Delta, harassing, chiefs and women during the period of ceasefire. It further reiterated its demands for a cessation of hostilities, which include the immediate release of the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd.) and IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu. Others are directing the EFCC to defreeze the bank accounts of ex-militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo, a.k.a. Tompolo; resuming the academic sessions of the only Nigerian Maritime University sited in Okerenkoko, Delta State and immediate implementation of the report of the 2014 National Conference report. They also asked the president to clean up all the oil-polluted land in the region and to remove Brigadier General Paul Boroh (rtd.) as Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme. According to the JNDLF, Boroh should be replaced with Dr. Felix Tuodolo, who it said had been in the struggle of non-violence since 1980 and the originator of the Amnesty Programme. A new militant group called the Red Scorpion, based in Imo state, has claimed responsibility for blowing up two pipelines belonging to Elf Oil Company in Awara in Ohaji Egbema Council Area of Imo State. This admission comes as the militant group had threatened to blow up the Shell Pipelines in Oguta. The group in a post on their Facebook account yesterday, said that their threat should not be taken as an empty one as they have the capability to carry it out, warning that until the oil producing areas in the state are given their due, the oil companies operating in the areas will know no peace. Meanwhile, some of the ex-militants from the area, who confirmed the existence of the new group, said that they were not part of the renewed spate of militancy. According to one of them, who preferred anonymity, people are angry and blowing up pipelines is no longer news Source: Sun News The desperation of some youths to get a job in Nigeria may land them in jail. Nineteen persons seeking enlistment into the Police Force in the ongoing nationwide recruitment have been arrested for being in possession of fake results, the Adamawa State Command said. Public Relations Officer, Mr. Othman Abubakar, made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Yola. According to him, the suspects have been charged to court. We have arrested 19 of them for result falsification and they have been charged to court, he said. He, therefore, warned persons trying to use fake results to join the force to desist from doing so. The police are not a dumping ground and anyone who tries to play smart will face the music, Abubakar said. The Senate on Wednesday suspended the confirmation of the 47 ambassadorial nominees forwarded to it by President Muhammadu Buhari last week. The Senate took the decision following complaints that some states were not represented in the list forwarded to it by the president. Majority of the senators, who spoke during plenary, were aghast that such an important list of career diplomats, which ordinarily should reflect federal character but did not, could be sent by the executive for confirmation. In his contribution, Senator Sunday Ogbuoji (PDP/Ebonyi South) claimed that the list had Assistant Directors while Directors, who were qualified, were left out. Also speaking, Senator Shehu Sani (APC/Kaduna Central), said that many states have complained that they have no representative in the ministerial list. At the plenary, Senate President Bukola Saraki revealed that his office has been inundated with petitions regarding those states that were not captured in the list, noting that the situation had put him under pressure. Saraki stressed that the suspension was to enable states that were not represented on the list to be given their own opportunity before screening begins. He said, Distinguished Colleagues, in the last two weeks, after the submission of the ambassadorial list, there have been petitions from various quarters bothering on why some states like Bayelsa, and Taraba were omitted. Senator Foster Ogola (PDP/Bayelsa West), explained that the omission of an indigene of Bayelsa State from the list was an insult to his reputation as it has been mistaken by his constituents to mean that he was not representing them well. While wondering why Bayelsa, a state that generates 40 per cent of the nations revenue could be treated in such manner, Senator Ogola urged the Senate to step down the proposed screening until the anomaly was rectified. Mr. Senate President, Distinguished Colleagues, let the proposed screening be stepped down until the Foreign Affairs Ministry has captured Bayelsa and other states before we do anything. How can Bayelsa State that generates 40% of the nations oil revenue be left out? the senator fumed. In the same vein, Senator Emmanuel Bwacha (PDP/Taraba South) expressed disappointment that Taraba was completely left out, insisting that the right thing must be done before the screening commences. Bwacha also averred that there was no need for batch by batch screening. Upholding the step down of the screening, Senate President Saraki in his remarks after putting to prayers, also referred to the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs to report back in a weeks time. Senate also voted in favour of the motion by Senator Joshua Dariye (PDP/Plateau Central) that the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama be summoned to explain the irregularities surrounding the Ambassadorial nominees List. 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. Watch the video below. Source: Independent The Vice chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Professor Abdulganiyu Ambali has blamed the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Osun state chapter, for the recent religious crisis in the state. According to him, a court h=judgement had allowed Muslim students to wear Hijab to school; CAN should have appealed the judgement in court instead of resulting to self-help. Speaking on Wednesday at the opening ceremony of the conference on Law and Religion held in the university auditorium, he warned that it was unacceptable to use antics of religion to violate the law. Rather than appeal the judgement and use the law, the Christian Association of Nigeria (Osun state chapter) resorted to self help saying Muslim girls cannot wear hijab in public/christian schools. CAN directed pupils to go to school in their choir gowns and thereby violate the approved school uniforms. There was tension that has now simmered as harmonious co-existence and healthy development became threatened by the antics of using Religion to violate law when law was seen to be consistent with religion. However, when religion appears to be a tool in the hands of lawless men,harmonious co-existence is undermined and development is compromised, he stressed. Professor Ambali, therefore, urged Nigerians to stay away from religious crisis in any form because it compromises development. The protracted impasse between workers and governors in the six South-West states over unpaid salaries has led the leadership of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in the region to seek the intervention of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. SEE ALSO: Strike Continues In Ekiti As Labor Meeting With Government Ends In Deadlock The union leaders on Tuesday met with Chief Obasanjo behind closed-doors at his hilltop mansion in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital for over an hour. The unions delegation was led by the South West Coordinator of TUC, Olubunmi Fajobi. Speaking with reporters after the meeting, Mr. Fajobi, who doubles as the TUC Chairman in Ogun State, said they decided to seek the intervention of the former president over the lingering issue of their unpaid salaries since they were convinced he was the only person that commanded greater respect of the governors involved. He said some 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 stressed that the meeting became necessary considering that the former Nigerian leader experienced similar situations in the past 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. That is why we are seeking his assistance to intervene in the matter, Fajobi said. On the threat by some governors in the region to invoke the no-work-no-pay rule, the labour leader faulted their tough stance, saying such was against the rules of fair play in labour engagement. Present at the meeting with the former president were: Comrade Akinyemi Olatunji (Osun), Francis Ogunremi (Lagos), Andrew Emelieze (Oyo), Clement Fatunase (Ondo Secretary), Adebisi Adebayo (Ekiti Secretary), Gbenga Ekundayo (Lagos), Bola Fajulugbe (Ekiti Women Leader) and Olaniyi Okewole (Ogun Secretary). The Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose said in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, that his 2014 election was funded by Zenith Bank Plc, fund raisers, donations from friends and associates. His statement was in response to a Tuesdays decision by the EFCC to to freeze his account pending investigation. The EFCC alleged that Governor Fayose had received illegal election funds from the office of the National Security Adviser. In somewhat shocking circumstances, sources close to INFORMATION NIGERIA have denied the Governors claims. Our sources say that Fayose wanted Zenith bank to conceal NSA funds but they couldnt. Zenith Bank was said to have handed EFCC all documents required to nail the Ekiti state governor. SEE ALSO: Fayose, Obanikoro Received N4.7b Arms Cash For Ekiti Fayose has also been challenged by the bank to publish his bank statements for all his 3 accounts at the bank so the public could see them. SEE ALSO: Zenith Bank Funded My Election Fayose As at the time of the report, Governor Fayose had not responded to the fresh allegations. If youve never travelled by road to Abuja, I think you should give it a try. The feeling is absolutely cathartic! It is the third day of the #C9ja tour and getting to Nigerias capital city was a grueling 10 hours ride-not to mention the plenty security checks but we made! Our mission: to hunt down Abujas exhilarating sites and capture them in powerful detail So, we figured starting our photography race with Abujas popular landmarks wouldnt be a totally bad way to tackle our Day three mission- my CAMON C9, please. You cant miss those striking minarets of the National mosque! I trusted my TECNO CAMON C9 to bring Abujas many exhilarating sites alive through its powerful camera technology and it didnt disappoint. About the CAMON C9 camera specs, its not all the time you find a budget camera phone flaunt Dual 13.0MP front/back low-light cameras which shoot 83 wider angle shots plus first-of-it-kind 120 panoramic camera presets on both the front and back cameras. I will spare you CAMON C9 reviews for now; just do your research- you can start here if that will help. The architecture gets to you at first glance! Anyways, back to the adventure. Our next stop was the National cathedral Abuja and you wont believe this shot was taken while in motion-it no hype the camera preset on CAMON C9 is fantastic! Fill up the fuel tank and to Gurara falls we go We figured adding a bit of nature and color to our photography will give it richness and a broader scope, so we headed for the border. To Niger state we go! It was a fifty minutes drive to the land of the Gurara falls and we could hear waters tumbling down rocks in crashing symphony. Gurara falls beckons us IT IS SO BEAUTIFUL You really need to see it! You can totally lose yourself to this idyllic world All shots taken with TECNO CAMON C9 Dual 13.0MP Front/ Back cameras with 83 wide angle shots, 120 panoramic preset on both front and back cameras. 2GBRAM/32GBROM expandable to 128GB Abuja conquered; we set out for the city of coal Enugu here we come For the past five months, there has been a crescendo of complaints about slow Windows 7 scans. The check for Windows updates -- a simple process that should take a few minutes -- has ballooned to two, three, four, eight, or more hours for many (I'm tempted to say most) Win7 customers. Microsoft claims to have finally solved the problem with speedup patch KB 3161647, but there are a couple of gotchas. The monthly Win7 patch whack-a-mole has been reaching Keystone Kops proportions. In April, poster EP on AskWoody.com discovered that installing two completely unrelated patches -- KB 3138612 and KB 3145739 -- could reduce Win7 update scan times from hours down to minutes. In May, EP found that installing a totally different patch, KB 3153199, also did the trick. In June, the magic bullet came from KB 3161664. All of these solutions had one thing in common: they involved replacing win32k.sys. Apart from that, they seemed to be completely random. A German site, wu.krelay.de, issued new speed-up advisories for March, April, May, and June, all with intricate tables of the downloads that could shave hours off Win7 update tasks. Every month there were different patches. But what really got my goat: Those hours-long waits generally involved the computer just sitting there. There was little activity over the internet, almost no activity on the PC, while "check for updates" kept checking and checking and checking. Millions of people were sitting, hour upon hour, waiting for Microsoft's servers in the sky to get their act together. Of course, conspiracy theorists took this as one more sign that Microsoft doesn't give a rat's patootie about Windows 7 users. There aren't many companies that would treat half their installed user base to such an experience. Here are the two gotchas with Microsoft's official fix: First, you have to install last year's servicing stack update, KB 3020369, before you can install the speedup patch. Microsoft doesn't document that anywhere, but various reports indicate that you need it installed. Note that there were problems with KB 3020369 triggering a "Stage 3 of 3" hang. There's a description and a workaround in my post from a year ago. Second, Microsoft doesn't have a download for the Win7 scan fix by itself. The only way you can get KB 3161647 is by installing the update rollup KB 3161608. KB 3161647 contains the "fix for a Windows Update error 0x8007000E on some computers while they are updating" as well as "some reliability improvements." The update rollup KB 3161608 includes four fixes that are completely unrelated. Confused yet? This means Windows 7 users must install six unrelated patches in order to get Microsoft's Win7 updating mess untangled -- seven unrelated patches, if you include KB 3020369. If one of those seven patches isn't to your liking, sorry bucko, you're relegated to the eight-hour-wait list. KB 3161608 is only starting to roll out to Win7 users, so if you haven't seen it yet, be patient. As best I can tell, there's no analogous patch for Vista customers. It's still too early to tell if this is a permanent fix, and won't really know if Microsoft actually fixed the problem until July. Do the math. Half a billion PCs times two or three or four lost hours per machine -- and this from your favorite productivity company. Is it any wonder people are turning off automatic updates? Many thanks to EP, NC, ch100, and other sleuths on the AskWoody.com fora. For Flint Water, Michigan Sues Veolia, UN Global Compact Member Like G4S By Matthew Russell Lee UNITED NATIONS, June 22 -- 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 22, as a Global Compact event with Ban Ki-moon took place in the General Assembly Hall, Michigan's Attorney General sued, for misdeed with respect to Flint's water, the French firm Veolia. Inner City Press has previously covered the UN giving Veolia the contract for Syria chemical weapons - and, Veolia is a member of the UN Global Compact. Will there be an inquiry, given Flint? 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 would be forthcoming. On June 22, here it is: photo. 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. Grain Spreads: Wheat Drama Continues Walsh Trading - 41 minutes ago Corridor Out of Ukraine Temporarily Shut. Nat-Gas Prices Fall Back on the Outlook for Warmer U.S. Temps Barchart - 45 minutes ago Dec Nymex natural gas (NGZ22 ) on Wednesday closed down by -0.047 (-0.76%). Dec nat-gas prices Wednesday posted moderate losses on expectations for warmer U.S. temperatures that would reduce heating demand... NGZ22 : 6.148 (-0.29%) Crude Rallies on a Weak Dollar and Tight U.S. Fuel Supplies Barchart - 47 minutes ago Dec WTI crude oil (CLZ22 ) on Wednesday closed up +2.59 (+3.04%), and Dec RBOB gasoline (RBZ22 ) closed up +2.09 (+0.82%). Crude oil and gasoline prices Wednesday rallied moderately, with crude posting... CLZ22 : 88.10 (+3.26%) RBZ22 : 2.5920 (+1.38%) Hog Commentary Walsh Trading - 49 minutes ago Hog markets continued to climb higher today only by a slight margin as the Feb contract settled up .325 at 91 by the close. The market is still showing technical indicators of being overbought, and with... Sugar Prices Tumble as ISO Projects Robust Global Sugar Production Barchart - 1 hour ago March NY world sugar #11 (SBH23 ) on Wednesday closed down -0.25 (-1.38%), and Dec London white sugar #5 (SWZ22 ) closed down -5.00 (-0.95%). Sugar prices Wednesday extended this week's losses, with NY... SBH23 : 17.86s (-1.38%) SWZ22 : 519.30s (-0.95%) Coffee Prices Sink on Rising Global Production and Demand Concerns Barchart - 1 hour ago December arabica coffee (KCZ22 ) on Wednesday closed down -6.05 (-3.26%), and Jan ICE Robusta coffee (RMF23 ) closed down -73 (-3.75%). Coffee prices Wednesday sold off sharply for a second day, with... KCZ22 : 179.75s (-3.26%) RMF23 : 1,875s (-3.75%) Cocoa Prices Under Pressure on Demand Concerns Barchart - 1 hour ago December ICE NY cocoa (CCZ22 ) on Wednesday closed down -18 (-0.78%), and December ICE London cocoa #7 (CAZ22 ) closed down -31 (-1.61%). Cocoa prices Wednesday retreated for a second session and posted... CCZ22 : 2,278s (-0.78%) CAH23 : 1,859s (-1.33%) The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) in Washington D.C. began as an idea in 1978 and now serves as a living memorial to the Holocaust visited by 2 million people annually. While the museum receives federal support, donors also help keep the museum a fixture of the National Mall. Many of USHMM's featured donors were impacted by the Holocaust. Now consider a recent $20 million gift from Allan and Shelley Holt to sponsor a comprehensive revitalization of USHMM's Permanent Exhibition. The son of Holocaust survivors, Holt was appointed vice chairman of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council by President Obama in December 2015. Among other things, the funds will will support "efforts to expand the reach and impact of the exhibition and ensure its relevance to new audiences, especially youth." Holt describes some of his motivations, "The Museum is an important American institution. This gift is an expression of our familys gratitude to this remarkable country, and most especially it honors my parents, all of my grandparents who were killed, and my mothers two sisters who survived with her. Allan Holt is the latest executive at D.C. private equity giant Carlyle Group we've come across who's involved in philanthropy in a big way. We've written about Carlyle co-founder David Rubenstein, a major patron of museums and cultural institutions. Rubenstein recently gave Smithsonian's new National Museum of African American History and Culture a $10 million gift, as well as historic artifacts, and has given the Smithsonian at least $44 million through the years. Another Carlyle cofounder, William Conway Jr., meanwhile, is poised to give at least $1 billion to Washington D.C. We've also written about the third billionaire co-founder of Carlyle, Daniel D'Aniello, who gave $20 million to American Enterprise Institute not long ago. Related: Allan Holt doesn't have as much money as Carlyle's co-founders, but clearly he's done pretty well. He and his wife Shelley have been giving through the Hillside Foundation, a vehicle established in 2005 which disbursed around $4.3 million in a recent tax year. The couple has steadily supported USHMM via their foundation and have also strongly funded Jewish Federation of Greater Washington and Congregation B'Nai Tzedek. The Holts have helped bankroll a film about a Nazi concentration camp, too. Outside of the Jewish community, the Holts also key in on STEM education in the D.C. area. Like Rubenstein, the Holts are linked to Smithsonian, too. Holt is a board member of Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum and the couple helped establish the Holt Scholars Program. The Holts have supported 3D mammography at Mercy Hospital in Baltimore. For a complete overview of this funder, read our profile of Allan Holt. One question we ask often at Inside Philanthropy is where private philanthropy fits in, given all the things that government and business may be doing to address a problem. Cancer research is a great example. Both public agencies and big pharma spend billions every year seeking breakthroughs on cancer. So what difference can much smaller-scale funding by private philanthropists make in this area? Maybe a lot, actually. Or so we argued earlier this year, looking at Sean Parker's $250 million initiative to push forward the boundaries of cancer immunotherapy by backing risky research, breaking down silos, and forging new collaborations. Related: What I Learned About Philanthropy and Cancer At Sean Parkers Pad Last Night Something similar can be said about much smaller investments. Most recently, a couple of the University of Michigan's staunchest philanthropists stepped up to make the largest private donation for cancer research in the school's history, giving $17.5 million to create a new research institute, fund cutting-edge research, encourage cross-disciplinary research and endow new scholarships and professorships. The gift came from Michigan mega-donors Madeline and Sydney Forbes, who are big supporters of health and cultural causes throughout their home state. He founded the Forbes Company, which develops and manages luxury shopping malls. The couple has supported the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Cranbrook Schools, the Karmanos Cancer Institute and the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit. The gift, like others of its caliber, is notable for a couple of reasons. Obviously, it's a game changer for the University of Michigan, which created the Forbes Institute for Cancer Discovery within the U of M Comprehensive Cancer Center. The goal is to accelerate understanding of cancer and the development of new therapies. It's also significant because it highlights the way that private giving often complements federal grants. As we've noted before, federal dollars for medical research has been constrained in recent decades, putting more pressure on academic and other research institutions to draw support from private sources. It's not just that budgets have been falling, it's that government agencies are known to be conservative abput what they fund. After many years of austerity, Congress increased the NIH 2016 budget by $2 billion, up to $32 billion. It's the first boost in 12 years, and welcome news, but it's not like the NIH is an easy touch for scientists seeking grants. The feds typically favor sure things and established investigators, and are less likely to fund high-risk, high-reward research or early-career scientists. That's where private donors, like the Forbeses' and others, can make a big difference. Their new gift will provide grants to develop new technologies and research by junior faculty. And these days, the importance of multidisciplinary research is often cited, not just between specialties within medical schools, but between medicine and departments of engineering, pharmacy and others on campus, as well as cross-disciplinary innovation and research. That's another focus of the Forbeses' gift. Fortunately for University of Michigan, Sidney and Madeline Forbes have long been excellent boosters for medical research and other causes at the school, as have their sons, Nathan Forbes and David Forbes, and daughter Nancy Forbes Katzman. A rezoning request for a new self-storage development in Greenville, N.C., was unanimously rejected on June 20 by the Pitt County Board of Commissioners during a public hearing. The county board and planning-department staff opposed the project, proposed for a 5.3-acre lot on Eastern Pines Road, because it didn't meet the criteria for a business in a residential setting, according to the source. The property is near the Brandy Creek and Brittney Ridge subdivisions. "It's a relatively large-scale, more intensive type of development being proposed," James Rhodes, planning director, said during the meeting. Four residents also spoke against the project, which would comprise about 60,000 square feet of storage space. Resident Pamela Johnson told board members the community already has seven self-storage facilities within a three-mile radius. "We have a glut of mini-storage available in our neighborhood," she said. Others voiced concerns about possible drainage issues for the site and that the storage facility would cause a decrease in home values in the area. Mike Baldwin of Baldwin Design Consultants, which represented property owner Linda P. Stokes during the meeting, told the board the storage facility would have little impact on the area because of its minimal traffic during morning and evening commute times. Stokes lives opposite of the proposed site, according to the source. Her husband was also involved in the development of the area subdivision, Baldwin added. The community currently has two commercial-zoned properties: a now-defunct child-care center and an automotive shop, the source reported. The land cant be used for residential development due to the cement pads that would prevent septic-tank construction, Baldwin said. The commissioners didnt ask any questions about the proposed development prior to the vote. @Johnsonville @JohnsonvilleCA #NASCAR AYR, ON Adam Martin stunned racers and fans alike with a stellar fourth place finish in his NASCAR Pintys Series debut Saturday night, at Sunset Speedway. The Ayr, Ontario, teenager battled a star-studded field of stock car racers to score the impressive result. Everything about today was surprising, said Martin following the 300-lap event at Sunset Speedway in Innisfil, Ontario. We were fast in practice, and I was shocked how fast we were in qualifying. These drivers have so much experience, and its all new to me. Martin qualified his Johnsonville-sponsored Ford sixth fastest in the 19-car field stacked with talent. The qualifying result in itself would be reason to celebrate, but following that up with 300 nearly flawless laps to finish fourth had the 18-year-old Bluevale High School graduate close to speechless. The car was so good all night long I knew I just needed to avoid trouble and things would go well, said the soft-spoken Martin. Don Jacobson was our crew chief tonight, and he was amazing to work with. Our crew did a great job today including a very quick last pit stop. This is definitely more than I had hoped for this weekend. Progressing from 2-stroke karts to full-sized stock cars at Sunset Speedway just three short years ago Martin hopes to compete in the NASCAR Pintys Series full time come 2017. Adam and his team planned to contest four events this season starting with Sunset. The remaining three events on their schedule are road racing events at Circuit ICAR near Mirabel, Quebec, the Pintys Grand Prix of Toronto, and the final road race of the year at Canadian Tire Motorsports Parks big NASCAR weekend. The outing this weekend may cause the Martins to change their plans. Im so proud of what Adam did tonight, said the proud father Brad Martin. We may have to explore another oval race or two. Well start to discuss the possibilities this week. For more information: adammartinmotorsports@gmail.com (519) 658-7447 @sswracing Halifax, NS. June 22, 2016) SCHOOLS OUT! And kids get to take the front seat at Scotia Speedworld this Friday for Kiddie Rides Night! Gather up the kids and kick-off your weekend with one of Scotia Speedworlds most popular events Kiddie Rides, where kids get the unique opportunity to go for a ride in a racecar with their favourite driver! Kiddie Rides get underway at 7:00 pm sharp so be sure to get there early. Grandstand gates open at 5:00 PM. The format for Kiddie Rides is simple and safe. Drivers bring their cars to the front stretch and park. Once all engines are stopped, the grandstand gate is opened and children come onto the track and climb into their favorite car. When all children are safely in the cars the drivers are led around the track at a safe speed by the pace car. After a few laps, the cars are stopped; the children climb out and proceed back to their seats in the grandstand to enjoy the rest of the nights events. Following Kiddie Rides fans will enjoy great racing action from five Weekly Racing Series divisions. First up are the Hydraulics Plus Bandoleros, also heating up the track will be the Coors Light Trucks, Strictly Hydraulics Legends, Affordable Fuels Sportsman and the Toursec Thunder cars. Also joining us on Friday night are the great folks from Hydraulics Plus who are proud sponsors and supporters of the Bandolero division at Scotia Speedworld. Admission is just $14.00 for Adults; Youth (8-15) are $4.00 and children 7 and under are freeall summer long! Tickets are available at the gate on race day (cash only). For complete schedule and event information please visit www.scotiaspeedworld.ca About Scotia Speedworld: Scotia Speedworld (SSW) is a 3/10-mile asphalt oval racing facility. SSW is the only track in Nova Scotia to host a weekly racing series, which runs May through September and features six different classes of racecars. SSW also hosts special events, including Monster Jam, Nitro Circus and the Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour. SSW is located at Exit 6 on Highway 102, across from the Halifax Stanfield International Airport. For more information please click on www.ScotiaSpeedworld.ca or call our Event Hotline at (902) 873-2277 or our office at (902) 481-2514. Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/sswracing and follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/sswracing Media Contact: Tara Foster Yusef Kassim Blue Harbour Group For Yusef Kassim, 39, succeeding in hedge funds has reinforced the importance of his early opportunities to learn about business and industry. He co-founded and sits on the governing board of America Needs You, a national nonprofit that secures professional internships and aids in career development for first-generation college students. Kassims parents came to the U.S. in the early 1970s from the war-torn West African nation of Sierra Leone. Arriving separately with nothing, they met through the Sierra Leone diaspora community in Washington, D.C. Married and still in their early 20s, the couple attended college while bringing up Kassim and his brothers. The Kassim household was a small inner-city apartment that always housed at least eight to ten people, including aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews. Kassims father earned his Ph.D. in chemistry, and his mother became a social worker. Kassim went to public school in D.C. before attending the University of Pennsylvania, where he majored in systems engineering with a minor in mathematics. Entering the Ivy League was life-changing: He started learning about the world of finance and the depth and diversity of opportunities that awaited him. During his senior year, Kassim won a spot in Goldman Sachs Groups analyst training program in New York, working in the equities division. In 1999 he joined the firms new prime brokerage group. Two years later Kassim made a leap of faith and moved to Gerson Lehrman Group, a New Yorkbased research start-up that offers hedge fund managers access to sector industry experts. At GLG, where he was co-head of and built up the technology, media and telecommunications business, his client service skills stood out. In 2007, Kassim was hired away by one of his local hedge fund clients, R6 Capital Management, to head marketing and investor relations. Within a year, R6 merged into Eton Park Capital Management, Goldman Sachs alumnus Eric Mindichs multistrategy hedge fund firm. Kassim was absorbed into the investor relations team at $8.5 billion, New Yorkheadquartered Eton Park. Last year Blue Harbour Group, a $3.3 billion activist hedge fund firm based in Greenwich, Connecticut, hired him as a managing director and partner within investor relations. Visit the 2016 Hedge Fund Rising Stars: Ivy League Schools Pave the Way for more. Sarah Berner Aristeia Capital A career in hedge funds wasnt part of Sarah Berners postcollege plan. In fact, there was very little plan at all. After graduating in 2002 with a BA in political science from McGill University in Montreal, Berner, who grew up near Philadelphia, took a gap year in Paris. With no firm path in mind, she started working for a Belgium-based business publisher that creates media products to sell in emerging-markets countries. Part marketer, part journalist, Berner soon found herself developing an expertise, clients and contacts in Middle Eastern markets. The years after 9/11 were dramatic and exciting times to be working in the region. Keen to become a foreign correspondent, Berner was working for Nima Abu-Wardeh, a British Broadcasting Corp. business newscaster based in the United Arab Emirates, in 2006 when her parents asked her to come back to the U.S. because they were increasingly concerned about instability in the Middle East. Berner already knew that her sales skills and her contacts in the Arab world could be an asset for a hedge fund. The asset management industry was starting to recognize the value of sovereign wealth funds, common throughout the oil-rich region, and of Middle Eastern investors as clients. On trips home Berner had begun talking with investment managers; she soon landed a business development job with New Yorkheadquartered hedge fund firm AM Investment Partners. In 2012 she joined Aristeia Capital, a $2.5 billion credit-focused hedge fund firm based in New York and Greenwich, Connecticut, where last year she was promoted to head of business development. Berner, 35, has long been interested in the good that capitalism and investors can do. One thing that attracted her to the hedge fund industry was reading about the Robin Hood Foundation, the not-for-profit founded by billionaire Paul Tudor Jones that tackles poverty in New York City. In January, Berner joined the board of Gratitude Railroad, a new investor network focused on using the tools of capitalism to confront social and environmental problems. Visit the 2016 Hedge Fund Rising Stars: Ivy League Schools Pave the Way for more. The tragic slaying of two Canadian hostages in the Philippines may not have been avoided by kidnap and ransom policies, says an expert but such coverages can still be of use in ransom situations.Robert Hall and John Ridsdel were killed by Abu Sayyef militants who have claimed alignment with Islamic State on June 13 and April 25, respectively. As their kidnappers identified with a prescribed terrorist organization the Canadian government would not fulfill their ransom requirements.In response to both killings, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated, Canada cannot and will not pay ransoms to terrorists We will not turn the maple leaf, worn with pride by over 3 million Canadians abroad, into targets.Canadas rigid ransom policy has drawn criticism from those who say refusal is a moot point when a large majority of ransom cases are paid out anyway from K&R coverage or third parties. However, Sam Aiken, head of Kidnap & Ransom at JLT Group, says insurance policies are bound by similar restrictions in regard to terrorists.Due to sanctions, a K&R policy would be unable to pay that ransom, purely because they have aligned themselves with the Islamic State, he says, adding such cases account for 0.5% of kidnappings. Ironically, Abu Sayyef aligned themselves for a profit perspective rather than an ideological one. From the kidnappers perspective, thats backfired because its illegal under international sanctions to pay them anything.However, he adds, policies can still be enormously useful in such hostage situations as ransom payout is just one element of K&R coverages. A prescribed terrorist organization such as ASG would not be able to receive any cash goods or services as a ransom, but the policy will still trigger in all other areas, he says. A K&R policy will still respond by offering expert advice and negotiation, both at the board level and also on the ground, it will ensure you can obtain the best knowledge possible, and it would also trigger and pay for addition expenses.Such expenses can include flights and accommodations, pastoral and after care, as well as the salaries of the victim and those directly involved in the incident.He adds that its important for expatriates and travellers visiting high-risk regions (North Africa, the Middle East, South America and Mexico remain on the top 10), connect with a specialty broker who intimately understands the risks involved.Speak to a specialty broker rather than a generic broker, because you need to be advised on the correct previous ransom payments, he says. You need to have someone who actually understands the risks in the area you wish to travel to. "Your insurer has no part to play other than having your back" The Queensland budget has allocated $3.5 million to the Drought Resilience Program for establishing in partnership with the University of Southern Queensland (USQ) a centre focused on helping Aussies better prepare for drought, reported ABC.Professor Roger Stone, director of the International Centre for Applied Climate Sciences at USQ, said the centre was a fantastic step forward for agriculture in Australia which probably has the highest rainfall variability in the world, and in many parts of Queensland, which has the highest rainfall variability in Australia.According to the ABC report, the centre will monitor and research climate, often in cooperation with international agencies, for finding more about what drives drought."We know, for example, [that] El Nino is one of the main sources for drought, but that's only really for half of Queensland or two-thirds perhaps," explained Stone in the ABC report."When we get out to western Queensland, there are other factors that take over, which we know about, but its about tying all this together.We work with a lot of international agencies who do a lot of the atmospheric modelling, so they understand some of the patterns and we understand some of the patternsSo its putting all that together to help us prepare better for the droughts when they start to develop, but also getting us ready for when they break so we can capitalise on the better seasons when they occur, said Stone.Stone also explained that the new centre could have implications for crop insurance, in that one of its projects is to have a better look at the crop insurance programs.So, linking in with the insurance and the re-insurance agencies, not only in Australia but globally, on transferring this risk about, so that insurance companies better understand the sort of variability that Australia has to put up with and the climate mechanisms that cause our droughts, said Stone. The Travelers Cos. Inc. announced it will offer insurance directly to UK small businesses with fewer than 10 employees and less than 2.5 million ($3.7 million) in revenues. The online platform will initially be available for office businesses, such as consultants, web designers and recruiters. Insurance coverage will include business contents, public and products liability, employers liability and business interruption. Travelers said the platform uses clear and understandable language and simplifies the insurance-buying experience for small business owners. It provides access to dedicated customer service and 24/7 claims reporting, as well as information on topics relevant to small businesses, including risk mitigation and human resources, the company said, noting that customer support is available via call center and web chat. Were excited to provide the UK small business market with a new solution that caters to the growing number of entrepreneurs who prefer to conduct business online, said Matthew Wilson, chief executive officer of Travelers Europe. We have traditionally focused on providing insurance to medium- and large-sized businesses in the UK through the independent broker channel, and we remain committed to that model. Our online platform enables us to bring our knowledge and expertise to a new customer segment in this market, Wilson added. In the coming months, Travelers plans to extend the offering to shop businesses, such as convenience stores, bike shops and florists. Additional coverage will also be made available over time. About Travelers Travelers has operated in Europe for decades in both the general insurance market and through Lloyds. Travelers Insurance Co. Ltd. offers business insurance, bond and specialty insurance and risk management services. Travelers Syndicate 5000 at Lloyds underwrites specialist and complex business classes, including marine, global property, power and utilities, accident and special risks, aviation and energy. Source: The Travelers Cos. Inc. Topics Commercial Lines Business Insurance A new U.K. law, designed to make it harder for insurers to dispute commercial insurance claims, could lead to more intense price competition and slimmer margins for the sector, according to Fitch Ratings. The Insurance Act, due to take effect in August, will make it harder for an insurer to refuse a commercial insurance claim due to insufficient disclosure, the ratings agency explained in a Fitch Wire briefing. It will also prevent firms from refusing to pay if a business customer breached a requirement of the policy that was entirely unrelated to the claim, such as if the customer failed to install required fire alarms, but then claimed for a loss from flooding, Fitch added. Separately, the Enterprise Act, which will come into effect next year, will give customers the right to sue for damages caused by a late payment of their insurance claims, the agency affirmed. Together, we expect the new laws to result in fewer disputes over commercial insurance claims and an increase in the number of claims paid, Fitch said. When claims are disputed, insurers may also attempt to deal with them quicker to reduce the risk of being held liable for damages. Overall claims costs will therefore rise and insurers will increase premiums to compensate. Fitch noted that the variation from company to company in the speed and perceived fairness of settlements are two of the factors that customers use to assess the quality of their carriers service. With less ability to differentiate on service, price competition is likely to increase. But insurers are unlikely to be able to increase premiums enough to fully offset the higher claims costs, which will squeeze margins, explained Graham Coutts, director, Insurance, in an interview. Insurers can price in some of the extra costs, but they are unlikely to be able to include all the costs because of ongoing market competition, Coutts said. Further, higher overall premiums are also likely to make some customers such as small and medium enterprises shop around more for better deals, which will further exacerbate the price competition, he indicated. Commercial property insurance is likely to see a bigger impact than commercial motor policies, where underwriting margins are already slim and in line with domestic personal line policies, said Fitch Wire. Quoting data from the Association of British Insurers, Fitch said calendar year combined ratio for commercial property policies was 90.1 percent in 2014, compared to 93.3 percent for domestic property. The largest writers of U.K. commercial property insurance are multiline groups such as Zurich Insurance, Aviva and AXA, Fitch said. These and other rated insurers are well placed to absorb the increased costs due to diversification by geography and business line. Smaller insurers with a heavy focus on commercial policies would be more exposed but the scale of the potential impact is hard to gauge. Fitch noted that one positive impact for insurers is that the Insurance Act should reduce the prevalence of data-dumping, where a customer discloses large amounts of information without attempting to determine whether it was relevant. Less data-dumping could reduce costs for the insurer if they no longer need to wade through disclosure to identify the pertinent risks. However, this would not be enough to offset weaker underwriting margins, Fitch explained. Source: Fitch Topics Carriers Claims Property Minnesota-based GNP Company is recalling more than 27 tons of chicken after contaminants were detected. The company sells products under the Just BARE and Goldn Plump brands. But it says the only affected product in grocery stores is the Just BARE whole chicken in 4-pound poly-bags, with a use-by date of June 26. That item bears code P-322 inside the USDA mark of inspection and UPC 024105594057. The company says the rest of the recalled meat was bulk and custom items sold through foodservice and institutional outlets. No illnesses have been reported. The U.S. Department of Agricultures Food Safety and Inspection Service issued the recall Saturday. The company says the affected products are linked to an isolated tampering incident at its Cold Spring plant this month. The incident is under investigation. People who bought the chicken are urged to discard it or return it to where it was purchased for a refund. Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Minnesota Los Angeles-based Grandpoint Bank is now selling cyber insurance policies to its business customers to provide coverage for wire-transfer and cyber fraud. Grandpoint, which does business in California, Arizona and Washington, says it is the first bank to market policies of this type. The Client Cyber Crime Insurance policy is available to business accounts at Grandpoint Bank and its affiliates that include Regents Bank, Bank of Tucson and The Biltmore Bank of Arizona. The policy s underwritten by Hiscox Inc, on behalf of underwriters at Lloyds of London. The bank said its own affiliate, Grandpoint Insurance Services Inc., has partnered with the insurance agency LBW Insurance & Financial Services Inc. in Valencia to sell the policies. The bank says the discounted premiums for its customers range from $30 to $70 per month for up to $1 million in coverage. According to the banks description of the policy, it reimburses for losses due to two types of cyber crime: funds transfer fraud and cyber deception. Funds transfer fraud occurs when a bank transfers funds from a customers account based upon instructions that were issued by someone impersonating the customer. The policy provides coverage of $100,000 to $1,000,000 and premiums between $30 to $60 per month, with a deductible of $2,500. Cyber deception occurs when a criminal poses as a vendor, client or employee and deceives an employee of the company to transfer funds to the criminal. This type of crime is also known as business email compromise. The basic policy includes $50,000 in cyber deception coverage. For $10 more per month, customers can get $100,000 in cyber deception coverage. There is a deductible of $1,000. The FBI said in April that losses from business email compromise scams surpassed $2.3 billion from October 2013 through February of this year. Topics Cyber 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. Low Flights 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. 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 ( 25 kilograms) and keep speeds below 100 miles (161 kilometers) per hour. 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. 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. 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 e-mailed 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. Ahead of EU 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 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 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 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, Wynne 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 Copyright 2022 Bloomberg. Topics USA Legislation Europe Aviation Agribusiness Atlanta-based international claims management firm Crawford & Co. has named Harsha V. Agadi president and CEO. He has served as interim president and CEO since August 2015. Agadi was named interim CEO last August when Jeffrey Bowman agreed to step down from the position after nearly eight years as president and CEO and 24 years of service with the company. During Harshas interim leadership period, he made some tough but necessary changes that helped move Crawford toward profitable growth, said Charles H. Ogburn, Crawfords non-executive chairman of the board. Agadi is chairman of GHS Holdings LLC, a family office, and has nearly 30 years experience in various executive management positions for several food service, franchise and Fortune 500 companies. This is the fifth time he has held the title of CEO. He has been a member of the Crawford board of directors since 2010 and will continue to serve on Crawfords board. He additionally serves on the boards of Belmond Ltd. and Diversified Foodservice Supply Inc. Last Augusts announcement that Bowman was exiting did not give reasons for Bowmans resignation. The firm had a disappointing first half of that year, in part because a lack of severe weather contributed to a decrease in the insurance claims business. The company has become more dependent on lower margin, high volume claims. It has also been dealing with costs associated with its integration of the GAB Robins acquisition, a new servicing center in the Philippines, and several large legal settlements. Bowman had initiated cost reduction steps that he said were starting to improve margins. Jury selection began on June 20 for whats expected to be a lengthy and complex trial arising from lawsuits over an offshore oil platform explosion and fire that killed three workers off Louisianas coast in November 2012. The case combines nine lawsuits involving the platforms owner, Black Elk Energy, relatives of the workers killed in the accident, injured workers and companies that were working for Black Elk. About 70 prospective jurors were ushered into the courtroom for questioning. The platform was about 17 miles from Grand Isle, Louisiana, in about 50 feet of water. The three-phase trial is expected to last about four weeks. The first phase will deal with legal Black Elks legal relationship with companies working on the platform. Negotiations and settlements on some of the claims and counterclaims were being reached as late as Friday, according to court records. Ellroy Corporal, Jerome Malagapo and Avelino Tajonera died as a result of the accident. The platform was shut down for maintenance and was not producing oil at the time of the explosion on Nov. 16, 2012. In a 2013 report on the blast, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement said storage tanks werent properly purged of flammable liquid before a crew began welding nearby. In addition to the lawsuit, federal criminal charges were filed in the case. A January trial is currently scheduled in the criminal case, which includes involuntary manslaughter charges against Black Elk and another company, Grand Isle Shipyards. Both companies have pleaded not guilty. Related: Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Louisiana Vertafore, a provider of insurance technology, has added several new homeowner carriers to their flagship comparative rating system PL Rating, expanding the companys reach into the Florida property market. Since its acquisition of QQSolutions, a Florida-based agency management system and rating company, Vertafore said it has seen overwhelming demand to provide the service to current Vertafore and QQTM clients in the state. Improving access to the difficult Florida property market will allow our customers a better experience writing and servicing their clients, said Mark Malis, president of QQSolutions. While the first step is to offer this functionality in PL Rating, well be embedding the property workflow and Florida markets directly into the QQCatalyst system to make it even easier for our agencies to get access to this crucial information. Vertafore and PL Rating currently have over 10,000 agencies that leverage the rating program in 48 states and the District of Columbia. PL Rating also currently has over 150 carriers in production for auto and homeowners rates nationwide. PL Rating integrates with prefill and automated Insurance to Value (ITV) products from CoreLogic, as well as state Public Protection Classification (PPCTM) from ISO, which are key components to the homeowners platform. Vertafore has also added the capability to do an automatic, integrated flood quote at the same time as homeowners by partnering with AON National Flood Services (NFS), a provider of WYO flood processing for many of the nations carriers. A sampling of the recent Florida homeowner carriers that have signed up and will be available by Q3 on the PL Rating platform include: Tower Hill Insurance Group, Sawgrass Mutual, Cypress, Modern USA/American Traditions and Stillwater Insurance Group among others. Vertafore expects to have the majority of carriers writing homeowners in the state available by the end of the year. Carriers can contact the company if they are interested in joining the platform. Topics Florida Property Homeowners The North Carolina Department of Insurance (NCDOI) has accused a mother and daughter of insurance fraud, according to a statement from the department. Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin announced the arrests June 15 of Paige Marie Alexander, 18, and Taiwanna Marshell Alexander, 43, of High Point, N.C.; both were charged with one count each of filing a false police report and insurance fraud. NCDOI criminal investigators accuse the Alexanders of filing a false police report on Feb. 24, 2016, and a fraudulent claim with GEICO Indemnity Company on Feb. 25, 2016, claiming Paige Alexanders vehicle was struck by a vehicle that left the scene. Investigators allege the damages were caused by a vehicle owned and operated by her mother, Taiwanna Alexander. Paige and Taiwanna Alexander were arrested on June 14 in Guilford County, and each was placed under a $7,500 bond. The Department of Insurance employs 20 sworn state law enforcement officers dedicated to investigating and prosecuting claims of insurance and bail bonding fraud. Topics Auto Fraud North Carolina Residents of Southern California and the Southwest were looking for a break after some of the hottest weather in decades had utilities warning of power failures and cities opening pools and cooling centers. At least four hikers died in Arizona, where on Sunday Phoenix set a record of 118 degrees Fahrenheit (48 Celsius) for that date, AccuWeather Inc. reported. It was 109 in Burbank, California, on Sunday, besting the mark set in 1973, and temperatures there reached another daily record of 108 at midday Monday, the first official day of summer. The Los Angeles 911 service saw a 5 percent to 10 percent spike in the number of calls on Monday, said Chris Ipsen, public information officer for the citys emergency management department. The National Weather Service had posted excessive heat warnings across Southern California, southern Arizona and into central Utah. The heat began tapering off Tuesday, with temperatures in Burbank dropping to 89 degrees at 12:45 p.m. local time. Ken Clark, a meteorologist at AccuWeather, said Tuesday afternoon that while the heat had moderated, the area isnt out of the woods yet. We are expecting to have the heat return by the end of the weekend. We could see 105, 110 temperatures at the start of next week, he said of the Los Angeles area. Californias main grid operator called on residents to turn off unneeded lights and avoid using major appliances to prevent blackouts. Los Angeles and other cities opened public libraries and senior centers to those in need of cooling. In Riverside, the city started operating water splash areas in public parks that had been shut because of an unprecedented drought that the region has been battling in recent years. The heat wave is the first big test of the Southern California grid after a historic natural gas leak that resulted in constrained supplies of the power plant fuel. The state has warned that the region risks as many as 14 days of blackouts this summer due to the leak. The use of Sempra Energys Aliso Canyon storage facility has been restricted since methane spewed uncontrollably from a broken well for nearly four months starting in October. We are confident we have a strong plan in place to meet the operational challenges posed by the upcoming hot temperatures, California Independent System Operator Inc.s chief executive officer Steve Berberich said in a statement. Conservation efforts by consumers are key to reducing stress on the system and to help avoid service disruptions. As of 10 a.m. local time on Tuesday, about 8,900 customers had lost power, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power spokeswoman Vonda Paige said in a telephone interview. The outages were spread all throughout the grid, including 1,900 in Hancock Park and 1,600 in the San Fernando Valley. Californias electricity demand was forecast to peak at 40,881 megawatts on Tuesday, a decrease from 44,467 megawatts the previous day, California ISO said on its website at 2:04 p.m. local time. The forecast peak for Wednesday was 42,762 megawatts. Spot electricity prices in Southern California surged amid the heat, and wholesale natural gas there traded at a premium of more than 22 cents per million British thermal units versus the benchmark Henry Hub on Monday, data compiled by Bloomberg show. Natural gas-fired power generators were supplied last week with fuel needed to meet demand during the high temperatures, said Steven Greenlee, a spokesman for the grid. The state has electricity capacity reserves and no reports of major transmission line failures or generation shutdowns, he said. Edison Internationals Southern California Edison, which operates the regions biggest electric utility, said it had mobilized its emergency operation center and was deploying crews that can rapidly respond to service disruptions. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti extended hours at several of the citys cooling centers so residents without air conditioning could remain as late as 9 p.m. on Monday. In Palm Springs, where temperatures had been expected to hit 123, special education summer school was canceled Monday, said Joan Boiko, a spokeswoman for the school district. With assistance from James Nash, Christopher Palmeri and Naureen S. Malik Topics California The Foo Fighters are suing insurers for failing to reimburse them for European shows they cancelled following the Paris terrorist attacks in November. The suit, filed Monday in federal court in Los Angeles against underwriters with Lloyds of London and loss adjuster Robertson Taylor, alleges the band headed by Dave Grohl is owed for shows they called off in Turin, Italy; Paris and Lyon in France; and Barcelona. The band was to perform in those cities immediately after the Nov. 13, 2015 attacks by Islamic State radicals that killed 130 people. The band says the website, www.foofighterstours2015.com , had been hacked the day after the attacks to display an ISIS flag, automatic weapon and the threat, be prepared. A Robertson Taylor representative did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The band says in the suit that it believes it will be paid for the Paris and Lyon cancellations but alleges that Robertson Taylor advised underwriters against paying for canceled shows in Italy and Spain despite ISIS releasing a video threatening additional attacks in Europe. The band is also suing the insurers for not paying for three canceled shows related to Grohls injured leg after a fall from a stage in Sweden last June. Topics Lawsuits California Excess Surplus Lloyd's In April, startup accelerator Plug and Play Tech Center announced its plans to make insurance its eighth innovation focus area. Previous programs have included brand & retail, fintech and Internet of Things, among others. A ninth startup program, mobility relating to auto insurance, is also set to launch in the future, the company says. Later this year, 25 insurtech startups will partake in a 12-week mentorship program, culminating in Plug and Plays quarterly competition event, EXPO, on Dec. 14. As of last week, Plug and Play has begun accepting startup applications. Ali Safavi, director of Plug and Play Insurance, spoke with INN about Plug and Plays new initiative, tech trends in insurance and the impact startup technologies will have on the industry. INN: Describe the timeline of the Plug and Play Insurance program AS: Insurance is the fastest growing program weve had. It launched on May 26 and is up to 11 partners within the industry, including Munich Re, Farmers, USAA and StateFarm. USAA was a part of our fintech accelerator program while StateFarm and Munich Re were a part of IoT. One or two additional insurance partners will be announced soon. We want to build on our relationship with venture capitalists and press and help startups disrupt the market and industry. INN: What do you make of current technology trends in the industry? AS: I love statistics about how investments in insurtech have increased. Its mainly in startups and one thing Im seeing is the solution for insurance can be brought over from other industries. User experience, fintech, security, IoT and data collection have been around in other spaces. They just have to be brought over. Insurance companies are not just competing with other insurers; they compete with other user experiences. Whats the latest app trend or design for apps? They are always adapting to millennials. INN: What does the application process look like for prospective startups? AS: When we open up applications there are a few ways we connect. One is startups upload their contact info and site on our website and we have sources look into them. Two, we approach them. Or three, they are introduced to us by our corporate partners. Overall, we look at 800 to 1,000 startups, knock the list down to the top 100 we are excited about and then send the list to our partners. They then choose the top 30 to 50 and later decide on the top 25 that enter the program. At our Expo on Dec. 14, startups meet with insurers, brokers and VCs in one-on-one sessions. If it peaks their interest, they follow up with the startup. INN: What technology areas are startups tapping into more frequently than others? AS: The biggest one Im seeing in insurance is distribution models. It could be anything from helping agents or replacing agents. Then theres user experience, data collection and analysis for risk assessment. INN: How important was it to partner with insurance companies like USAA and Munich Re on this initiative? AS: A lot because we believe they are the best experts in the market. When you have them on board, startups can then talk to them and they mature much faster. Speaking to ten insurance companies compared to one makes a huge difference in the way startups pitch. There is a way higher chance of success. Pillar two will change the international tax system forever. Here Christian Kaeser, global head of tax at Siemens, looks at how businesses and tax administrations can simplify pillar two compliance. Un ottobre da sogno per Antonio Conte: lex ct della Nazionale italiana, attualmente alla guida del Chelsea, nelle ultime quattro gare di Premier League ha collezionato solo successi, conditi da 11 reti segnate e addirittura nessuna incassata. Numeri da record che non sono certo passati inosservati alla Federazione inglese, la quale ha conferito al tecnico leccese lambito premio di Manager del mese. Unavventura oltremanica iniziata in sordina, quella di Conte, pur a fronte di tre vittorie nelle prime tre gare di campionato. A far vacillare, anche se solo per un momento, le certezze del patron del club londinese, Roman Abramovich, i risultati conseguiti tra la 4a e la 6a giornata, coincisi con un pareggio sul campo dello Swansea City e, soprattutto, con le due pesanti sconfitte subite dal Liverpool, sul terreno casalingo di Stamford Bridge, e dallArsenal. In particolare, la debacle interna coi Reds, aveva irritato non poco il numero uno russo, poiche occorsa proprio nel giorno della sua 250esima partita da presidente della societa. Come detto, solo un momento. Dopo lincontro dellEmirates, il tecnico salentino cambia modulo, adottando un piu equilibrato 3-4-3 e inserendo elementi di corsa come lo spagnolo Pedro. Una svolta totale perche, di li in poi, il Chelsea inanellera solo e soltanto vittorie: 2 gol allHull City e al Southampton in trasferta, 3 ai campioni dInghilterra del Leicester e 4 allo United in casa, con un meraviglioso numero zero nella casella delle reti subite. Un fantastico poker, ottenuto tra l1 e il 29 ottobre. Un cambio di marcia sbalorditivo, confermato dal 5 a 0 rifilato ai toffees dellEverton nel primo match di novembre, e una scalata che, man mano, ha portato i blues al secondo posto in classifica, a soli 2 punti dal Liverpool capolista. E allora, non poteva mancare il riconoscimento di migliore allenatore del mese, ottenuto surclassando tecnici del calibro di Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool), Arsene Wenger (Arsenal) e Mark Hughes (Southampton). Tanta, ovviamente, la soddisfazione: E un grande onore e voglio condividerlo con i giocatori e con la societa ha dichiarato Conte sul sito ufficiale della Premier League -. E la prima volta che lavoro in un altro Paese, con una cultura diversa, e portare la propria filosofia non e facile, ma ora sono contento di questa scelta. A completare la festa, la premiazione del fantasista belga, Eden Hazard, come miglior giocatore di ottobre. Due risultati importanti per il club, ottimo incentivo per la rincorsa al trono dei campioni, occupato dal Leicester di Ranieri. Il prossimo appuntamento per l11 di Conte sara al Riverside Stadium, tana del Middlesborough neopromosso. Il tempo di festeggiare e gia finito. Globalization has led to some exciting developments. Markets around the world are now much more connected than they were before, allowing businesses and investors a chance to tap into investment opportunities they could never access from a distance. Countries like China and India, which were once closed to foreign investors, present potential growth opportunities for people who want to invest their money beyond their own borders. While the U.S. maintains its number one rank as the largest world economy by nominal gross domestic product (GDP), both China and India consistently rank high in the top world economies. It's because of the rising status of both nations that many investors are interested in the foreign investment potential of these countries. So what's the best way to put your money into foreign markets like China or India? Read on to find out more about how you can tap into these parts of the world. Key Takeaways Buying stocks directly in a foreign market like India or China is possible, although it might be harder than purchasing domestic shares. Investors can purchase American Depositary Receipts on U.S. exchanges, which are certificates that represent shares in a foreign company. China A-shares are open to foreign investors. Mutual funds and ETFs are less risky ways to gain exposure to foreign markets. How to Approach Foreign Markets There are a few ways to invest in foreign markets. The direct approach is to buy stocks in those countries. However, buying shares that trade on exchanges outside your home country or that of your broker can be harder than trading domestic shares. If you are looking to invest in a foreign company listed on a foreign exchange, the first thing to do is to contact your brokerage firm and see whether it provides such a service. If it does, the firm will need to contact a market maker or an affiliate firm located in the country in which you want to buy the shares. However, even if the firm provides this service, it may not be able to gain access to the specific shares you want. In that case, the alternative would be to try to set up a brokerage account with a firm in that foreign country. ADRs and A-Shares One way to tap into the foreign market is to look into American Depositary Receipts (ADRs). These are certificates issued by U.S. banks that represent a specific number of shares in a foreign company. These certificates or receipts trade on American exchanges just like regular stocks. They trade in U.S. dollars, so there are none of the usual hassles that stem from foreign exchange. The underlying assets are held by the U.S. bank or financial institution overseas. And just like domestic publicly-traded companies, these foreign corporations are required to provide U.S. banks with regular, updated financial statements. If you're looking to invest specifically in Chinese companies, you can do so through China A-shares. These are shares of companies from mainland China that are listed on the Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock Exchanges. Because of China's restrictions on foreign investment, these shares were only available to Chinese investors for many years. But that restriction was lifted in 2002. Understand the Risks If you find a way to invest in other countries, you must also understand the risks associated with foreign investment. First of all, timely and accurate information about foreign companies is not available to the same degree as it is in the U.S. Another concern is that the regulations in foreign countries can affect both your investments and any accounts set up in that country. For example, there may be restrictions on your ability to transfer funds from your foreign account to one in your home country or your funds may be taxed whenever you try to take them home. Being informed allows you to carefully weigh the risks and benefits of investing in a particular foreign market. Look to Alternatives Investors can also use instruments such as mutual funds or exchange traded funds (ETFs) as less risky ways to gain exposure to foreign markets. There are many of these investment products that cover a wide range of regions around the world, such as Latin America or Asia ex-Japan. These instruments can be actively managed or tied to an exchange, but in either case, they offer exposure to a country, diversification, and management expertise. They can also be easily purchased through any discount or full-service broker. Top News - Investor Idea REE Stock News - Defense Metals (TSX-V: DEFN.V) (OTCQB: DFMTF) Drills 113 metres of 2.50% Total Rare Earth Oxide at Wicheeda Vancouver, British Columbia - October 26, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Mining / Metals / Green Energy Stock News - Defense Metals Corp. (TSX-V: DEFN / OTCQB: DFMTF/ FSE:35D) is pleased to announce high-grade Rare Earth Element ("REE") assay results from one additional core hole, totalling 383 metres (m), collared within the northern area of Defense Metals' 100% owned Wicheeda REE Deposit. Top EV Stock News - Investor Idea Breaking EV Stock News: Mullen (NASDAQ: MULN) FIVE 'Strikingly Different' EV Crossover Tour Starts Tomorrow, Oct. 27, in Pasadena, California; New Los Angeles Area Stop Added BREA, Calif. - October 26, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) Mullen Automotive, Inc. (NASDAQ: MULN) ("Mullen" or the "Company"), an emerging electric vehicle ("EV") manufacturer, announces today the beginning of the Mullen FIVE Strikingly Different EV Crossover Tour, which will commence on Oct. 27 in Pasadena, California. Due to overwhelming interest, new dates have been added for Nov. 1 and 2 at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California. Top AI Stock News - Investor Idea Breaking AI Stock News: FatBrain (OTCQB: LZGI) Acquires Confidential Computing Platform ZeroTrust to Protect Data Privacy and Accelerate Innovation for Millions of Growth Businesses NEW YORK, NY - October 19, 2022 (Investorideas.com Newswire) FatBrain AI (LZG International, Inc.) (OTCQB: LZGI), the leader in powerful and easy-to-use artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for star enterprises of tomorrow, has acquired the confidential computing and privacy intellectual property (IP) plus software assets of Zero2A PTE LTD ("ZeroTrust Platform"), a software company based in Singapore. Check out our Podcasts for great investor ideas: Get new posts by email: Subscribe Powered by Investorideas.com Newswire: Subscribe to Investor Ideas Newswire Thanks to technological innovation, vegan pizzas have become some of the most delicious and nutritious meals around. It is a truth universally acknowledged that Oscar Wilde, the Irish writer and aesthetic leader who wrote The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Importance of Being Earnest, was lightyears ahead of his time. His style, wit and talent for celebrity (hes been called the first person famous for simply being famous) were unparalleled, as was his commitment to remain true to who he was and what he wanted. All this makes his final years spent in prison for sodomy and gross indecency before dying penniless in Paris from cerebral meningitis in 1900 all the more tragic. Read More: Top ten amazing facts about Irish legend Oscar Wilde But now it seems that the world is finally catching up with Oscar Wilde. As Brenda Cronin noted last week in the Wall Street Journal, a great number of new high-profile books, movies and plays about him indicate that 116 years after his death, Wilde is making a comeback. Here are just a few of them: An opera by Gerald Barry based on The Importance of Being Earnest is playing in New York at Lincoln Centers Rose Theater. Across the river, at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, "The Judas Kiss," David Hares 1998 play about Wilde, just wrapped up a revival. It starred the wonderful British actor Rupert Everett. The Happy Prince, a movie about Wilde, starring, written and directed by Everett, who has previously portrayed both Wilde and some of his most famous characters, begins shooting soon in locations throughout Europe, including Bavaria, Belgium, France and Italy. A new biography about Wilde by Emer OSullivan, titled The Fall of the House of Wilde, is out in the UK and will be released here in the US in the fall. It delves into his upbringing in Victorian Dublin, in a house on Merrion Square, and the influence of his father, the surgeon Sir William Wilde, and his mother, the poet Lady Jane Wilde. Earlier this year, Eleanor Fitzsimmons published Wilde's Women: How Oscar Wilde Was Shaped by the Women of His Life. Read More: Irish genius Oscar Wilde's 10 best sayings In Paris, where Wilde spent his remaining days in exile after being released from prison, an exhibition about Wilde, titled Oscar Wilde: Limpertinent absolu (Oscar Wild: the absolute impertinent person) will open on September 28 at the Petit Palais museum. Wilde is also getting his due as a key figure in path towards gay rights. Gay marriage and all the things happening now are all very much the product or part of the road that was started with Oscar Wildes death, Everett told Cronin. [He helped] unleash one of the great 20th-century debates, which was sexuality, women, men and what we are. Wildes grandson, Merlin Holland, added that his grandfathers reach extends far, calling him an icon in the modern world. H/T The Wall Street Journal Irish Senator Frank Feighan has suggested it is time for Ireland to rejoin the Commonwealth (formerly the British Commonwealth), the intergovernmental organization of 53 member states around the world, mostly made up of former colonies of the British Empire. Addressing Seanad Eireann (the Irish Senate) yesterday, the Senator from Co. Roscommon appointed to the 25th Seanad by Taoiseach Enda Kenny, told his fellow Senators that the debate on the Brexit referendum presented the perfect opportunity for the Republic of Ireland to reevaluate its relationship with its closest neighbor. Given the power of the peace dividend in succeeding to build many bridges in the last twenty years on this island and with Britain, one of those issues which has been occasionally highlighted in the last number of years is whether Ireland should rejoin the Commonwealth, the Senator said in his address. And today, I want to reopen the debate again about the merits of Ireland rejoining the Commonwealth. Referring to the 65 years since Ireland officially became a Republic and left the Commonwealth as decades of deep political and societal upheaval but which are now thankfully firmly behind us, Feighan stressed that as many as 33 Republics are current members of the Commonwealth and that some member states, such as the UK, Australia, Canada and New Zealand, are also home to a large number of the Irish diaspora. @FrankFeighan Couldn't agree more about commonwealth - shared heritage with all these countries. How do we apply? Tom O'Leary (@_TomOLeary) June 21, 2016 @martanoconghail @FrankFeighan Sigh, I'd rather live my life in a plural and modern Ireland. You can live in the past. Sen. Neale Richmond (@nealerichmond) June 21, 2016 Among the Commonwealths many noble objectives is the promotion of democracy, rule of law, human rights, good governance and social and economic development, Feighan continued, arguing that the peace and tolerance achieved through the peace process in recent years has led us to a point at which becoming a Commonwealth member is the next intelligent step. He asked the Seanad: Would rejoining not help further develop a pluralist Ireland where all our different identities are always mutually recognized and respected? Would it also not just strengthen existing trade, business, cultural and political relationships but nurture new ones across the world? By doing so, will it not promote Irelands values to a global audience while strengthening and growing important economic and cultural ties internationally? Although the Taoiseach ruled out Irelands membership during a visit to the UK in 2013, Feighan claims Kenny equally acknowledged the growing links between Ireland and Commonwealth, in terms of trade, diplomacy, culture, an argument that could be backed up by the Taoiseachs recent campaigning in England on behalf of the UK remaining in the EU. .@FrankFeighan Rejoin the commonwealth? Are you having a laugh? Carol Cronin (@karlachameleon) June 21, 2016 For trading & sporting reasons I think it is, great article @FrankFeighan https://t.co/YlFeVl4Kkf Sen. Neale Richmond (@nealerichmond) June 21, 2016 This is not the first time that the Fine Gael politician and former TD (member of parliament) for Roscommon South has acted controversially. While serving in the Dail, he wore a red poppy on Remembrance Day each November, a token worn throughout the UK to remember those who died in the service of the British Army during the First and Second World War. I made a decision to wear a poppy in the house on Remembrance Day to commemorate the thousands of men from across the island of Ireland who fought in the Great Wars, Feighan said yesterday, again addressing his choice during the Seanad address. I wanted to publicly show that we had well and truly moved on from that dark, bloody era in the North before the evolution of the peace process - a time when the politics of fear and divisiveness tore apart communities living side by side. I wanted to affirm the wide acceptance that there is now a new political dawn in this country which has allowed us to move on from the divisions of the past and which had created so much tension on our island and between Ireland and Britain. Feighan was also subject to public abuse in 2011, at times fearing for his personal safety, after he sided with the Fine Gael government on a decision not to reopen emergency services in a Roscommon hospital, an emotive issue for many of his constituents who wished for Fine Gael to follow through on their election promises to restore the service. It has now been shown that the decision not to reopen the service was correct as medical advice showed the safety of patients could not be ensured but Feighan had resigned himself to never running for public office again because of the fallout of his vote. He did not run for reelection in this years general election but was chosen by the Taoiseach as one of his eleven candidates to the Seanad. Listen to an Irish Times interview with Feighan about his mixed political career below: Although various Republics are within the current Commonwealth, Queen Elizabeth II of England is still its figurative head of state and she is recognized as a monarch within 16 of its countries. According to The Commonwealths official website, its current purpose is to support member governments, and partner with the broader Commonwealth family and others, to improve the well-being of all Commonwealth citizens and to advance their shared interests globally. Ireland left the Commonwealth in 1949. Do you think rejoining the Commonwealth could be a smart move for Ireland, or is the Emerald Isle better off as an independent Republic? Share your thoughts in the comment section, below. Murdered British MP Jo Cox has been remembered at a gathering in central Dublin as a smart, funny and passionate public servant and activist who was destined for the top. Crowds gathered by the Ha'penny Bridge - as others gathered in cities worldwide - to pay tribute to the mother-of-two on what would have been her 42nd birthday. Heartbroken personal friends and former work colleagues of both Ms Cox and her widower Brendan were among them. Jamie Drummond, who along with Bono co-founded poverty foundation One, was a friend of Ms Cox since her days working with aid agencies. "Jo stood for the best, whether as an activist on the outside or as an activist on the inside when she joined parliament," he said. "She stood for the best in public life and she brought out the best in people, and I hope posthumously she will bring out the best in people in Ireland, the UK and the world." Mr Drummond said he personally remembers Ms Cox for her great sense of humour. "She was just very funny and lively, had a wicked sense of humour and fantastic dimples," he smiled. "I know people in Ireland like to boast about their dimples but Jo could beat any Irish woman or man for her amazing dimples." He added: "That something so awful could happen to someone so brilliant is something that, everyone knows, has shocked everyone to the core. "Her death has impacted so many people around the world." Doug Keatinge became friendly with both Ms Cox and her widower from his time working with them overseas for Oxfam. "I remember her as being an extremely talented, determined but fun person," he said. "The kind of person you only meet very infrequently in your life that combines serious smarts with a great sense of humour and character. "You could see even from afar this was a woman who was destined for the very top - extremely able, extremely articulate and extremely passionate. "But with the passion she had pragmatism in terms of being able to reach out and work across the political divide with different people." A number of TDs turned out for the tribute. Many others took turns to sign their name and leave messages on a large billboard overlooking the River Liffey which read "Today I pledge to #LoveLikeJo". While many farmers are facing difficult market challenges in recent years, one in five agri-food firms have taken on new staff during the first quarter of 2016. InterTradeIreland surveyed 119 agri-food firms across the island, and unearthed very positive findings for their January to March activities. InterTradeIreland strategy and policy director, Aidan Gough, said: The results show that agri-food firms are more innovative than most with 77% of business implementing innovative new processes, new product development and new branding or design in the past three years. Many agri-food businesses seem to be in a positive place but they are not ignoring the future. Almost two thirds (62%) are scanning the horizon to see what areas of opportunity might be out there; from developing new premium products to taking advantage of the health and wellness agenda, he said. For those agri-food firms with ambitions to grow outside their local market, the main obstacles appear to be concerns about the cost of going into a new market or the impact this might have in terms of management time and resources. Those already exporting find different challenges in new markets with one in six agri-food firms (16%) saying that setting the right competitive price is a major challenge, while 13% cite compliance with regulations, and 11% of survey respondents say that they are challenged by financial resources. The agri-food sector which is the islands largest indigenous industry is now outperforming other sectors, including sales, employment, exporting and innovative activities. More than half (53%) of agri-food companies grew in the last quarter versus 39% of all other firms. In addition, 18% of agri-food companies surveyed have reported an increase in staff numbers this quarter with a further 27% planning to create job opportunities in the coming year. While primary producers have been challenged by low prices being paid for dairy, beef, sheepmeat and other commodities, agri-food industry leaders are pointing to better times ahead. It is encouraging to see that despite challenges and volatility in global markets, Irish agri food as a whole is going from strength to strength, stated Aaron Forde, Chief Executive of Aurivo, a globally-focused agri business headquartered in the north west of Ireland. As a leading agri-food business, we are delighted to contribute to the success of this strategically important sector for the island of Ireland. It is worth noting the importance of cross-border trade to the continuing success of this industry. "Furthermore, the increase in innovation over recent years will continue to benefit the industry in the years ahead. Aidan Gough, Strategy and Policy Director at InterTradeIreland, added: The growth in agri-food firms is most likely related to their strong tendency to be innovative and/or actively exporting. "The majority of agri-SMEs are selling across the border or exporting outside the island, which is twice the number of firms across the full spectrum of sectors. Hearteningly, for InterTradeIreland, 27% found the experience of cross-border trade influenced them to a large extent to go into other new markets. Many companies have told us that the export pathway towards markets in Great Britain and much further afield in the EU, Middle East and North America, can begin right here on our doorstep by trading across the island. www.intertradeireland.com/researchandpublications/business_monitor/ Costa reported underlying sales growth of 2.6% in the 13 weeks ended June 2, its financial first quarter, recovering from a disappointing 0.5% level it recorded in the 11 weeks to February 11. It blamed that performance on a mild winter and fewer people on the high street. Lawyers for Joseph Sheehan, who has a 28% shareholding in the clinic, told the Court of Appeal Mr Sheehan is prepared to pay higher interest to another lender to secure funds for loan redemption so as to be unchained from Mr Goodmans company, Breccia. The dispute concerns loans made by the former Anglo Irish Bank to Dr Sheehan and his fellow shareholder, Dr John Flynn and Mr Flynns company, Benray, for investing in the Dublin clinic. The loans were later acquired by the National Assets Management Agency which sold them to Breccia. Earlier this year, the High Court ruled the shareholders were entitled to redeem their loans for figures substantially less than sought by Breccia. Mr Justice Robert Haughton, having rejected arguments by Breccia concerning surcharges and enforcement costs, ruled Mr Sheehan could redeem his loans for 16.9m, not the some 20m sought by Breccia. In his separate case, Mr Flynn/Benray won an order allowing them redeem for 9.3m, not some 11m sought by Breccia. The judge also refused to put a stay on his orders after the shareholders undertook to provide Breccia with a second charge on their shares. Breccias appeal against those orders has been fixed for November 2017. Pending appeal, Breccia sought a stay from the Court of Appeal which would effectively prevent the shareholders proceeding with loan redemption until the appeal is decided. Alternatively, it asked the court to direct Mr Sheehan and Mr Flynn/Benray to pay into court sums totalling several million euro to represent the estimated difference between Breccias redemption claims and the redemption sums fixed by the High Court. Having heard argument, Ms Justice Mary Finlay Geoghegan gave her reserved decision yesterday in which she concluded that refusing a stay would best minimise any risk of injustice in this matter. Her conclusion took into account the fact the appeal would not be heard until November 2017 and that the High Court had decided the shareholders were entitled to redeem their loans at the sums fixed. It was also a matter of common sense and commercial reality a stay pending an appeal that might not be determined for up to 21 months might create uncertainty about availability of funding for loan redemption, she said. If they lost the required funding, that would be a very serious injustice when the High Court had ruled they were entitled to redeem their loans. It was not disputed by Breccia they were entitled to redeem their loans, the dispute was over the appropriate redemption figure, she said. The figures being sought by Breccia were a lot higher than demands for repayment of the same loans in 2014, she noted. The balance of justice was also against requiring the shareholders pay the funds sought in court, she ruled. She accepted arguments by John ODonnell SC on behalf of Dr Sheehan it would be highly unusual to require a winning party in the High Court to pay sums into court pending an appeal when the High Court found they were not liable for those. The judge stressed her decision was not concerned with the shareholders claims about the motivation and conduct of Breccia. The Cork-headquartered company has announced a voluntary redundancy programme which will affect up to 1,500 employees, predominantly in China. A number of support roles will also be lost, however, according to company founder and chief executive Liam Casey. Mr Casey said yesterday that there could be job losses at its Cork office where about 30 staff are employed but said that he wouldnt want to speculate on that just yet as PCH is concentrating on dealing with the Chinese redundancy package first. The move comes as PCH looks to reposition itself as a leader in areas such as the internet of things, wearables, and connected products for health, beauty, and luxury sectors. One of the great things were seeing is established large brands that are category leaders in their own sectors but theyre for non-tech products. A lot of those companies are looking at how do they enable their products to be internet of things-enabled. For us, the amount of interaction and the quality of client coming to us is whats really prompting us to be able to take advantage of these opportunities, said Mr Casey. PCH has already made significant progress in these high-growth areas thanks to the establishment of its innovation hub in San Francisco as well as through the acquisition of product development company, Lime Lab. This is the right time to make this change to support our long-term profitable growth. Although this is a tough decision, it supports our strategy to diversify our business and customer portfolio and grow profitably in the connected hardware space. PCH has made significant strategic investments in the acquisition of PCH Lime Lab, building up premier hardware accelerator Highway1, and establishing a San Francisco Innovation Hub to attract global brands and globally-focused tech startups operating in the connected hardware sector. As a result of these investments, PCH has cultivated a diverse set of new customers who partner with us because of our extensive and specialised experience in delivering sophisticated products and the custom supply chains to support them, Mr Casey said. The layoffs, which will largely affect its packaging business in China, is a further sign of its move away from commodity manufacturing which has been the backbone of the company for years. The redundancy programme will see PCHs global headcount fall from 2,100 to 600 with about half of the remaining staff based in China. [High-volume manufacturing is] a business we would have taken on a couple of years ago because it would have been attractive to us at the time. "But with our increased engineering in San Francisco and our earlier engagement with customers, its just not right for the profile of our business and the economics just dont work and weve made a decision that thats a piece of business that we want to get out of. The voluntary redundancy programme comes months after PCH left 250 workers go in China at the end of February. At the time, Mr Casey ruled out further job losses, saying the company was doing it all at once. The sale to be put before shareholders at an extraordinary general meeting next month will enable Providence to eliminate its debt and fund a planned drilling round next year; as well as increase its chances of concluding deals with development partners on its main assets off the west coast of Ireland and at Barryroe in the Celtic Sea. Speaking yesterday, Mr. OReilly said, if approved, the share sale will completely restructure Providences balance sheet and remove its financial instability. It will also broaden the companys UK institutional shareholder base. The $74m will come via a $68.4m placing of 399.6m ordinary shares with institutional and other investors and up to 4.84m through an additional open offer. The shares will be offered at a 13% discount to Providences trading price before its shares were suspended in April. The money will allow Providence pay off what it owes drilling services firm Transocean from a long-running dispute relating to the Barryroe field. Londons Court of Appeal, last April, ruled Transocean was owed up to $7m in costs by Providence and Lansdowne Oil and Gas, the 20% junior partner in Barryroe. Providence needs to pay 80% of those costs. Both firms shares have been suspended since that ruling, which resulted in Providence entering emergency funding talks with its chief lender Melody Capital. At the time of the court ruling, Providence had $4m in cash. It also owed Melody $21.7m by May of this year. This fund raise will also see Providence pay down $20m of that Melody debt, with the US lender converting the outstanding $1.7m into an equity stake in Providence. The money will also fund general working capital needs and Providences share of planned drilling costs. It plans to drill an exploration well at its Druid prospect, off the west coast, next year, dependent on getting a joint-venture partner, regulatory approval, and equipment availability. Providence said that its ongoing viability is likely to be dependent on the success of the proposed placing and open offers. It has applied for its shares to restart trading as of this morning (Lansdowne Oil and Gas announced its own funding deal and readmission plans late last week). Mr OReilly said Providences farm-out discussions on all assets remain active and encouraging. However, the company warned that even if a deal is done on its flagship Barryroe asset, the timing of actual drilling may be delayed as companies continue to reduce spending levels in the face of the current oil price environment. Mr Doorley suffered two broken shoulders during the incident, Dublin District Court heard. Taxi driver Mark Cruikshanks, aged 38, of Cushlawn Park, Tallaght, Dublin, pleaded not guilty to careless driving at Fleet St in Dublin on October 17, 2014. He claimed Mr Doorley rushed out in front of his Toyota but he was found guilty yesterday by Judge Miriam Walsh. Defence solicitor Kieran Friel asked the judge to note his client depended on his driving licence for work. He said his client would have to look for another job if disqualified from driving. Fining him, the judge noted that in special circumstances the court had discretion not to impose a road ban and she said would not disqualify him from driving. Mr Doorley told Judge Walsh he suffered two broken shoulders when he was knocked down. He alleged he checked if any cars were coming before he crossed the Fleet St junction with Westmoreland St. Mr Doorley appears as a resident critic in TV3s hit reality show The Restaurant. He told the court that he lives in Cork but also has a flat in Dublin. He said he went into the city centre for a business meeting and lunch at the Merrion Hotel. He drank two average sized glasses of red wine. Later, at about 6pm, he went to another restaurant for another meal during which he drank two small bottles of water. He then decided to get a taxi home and walked along Westmoreland St. At the junction with Fleet St, he said, he was on the outside flank of a number of people crossing the road. He had said he looked up Fleet St and confirmed nothing was coming. He claimed he proceeded to cross and he recalled that as he was about to step on to the pavement on the far side when he spun and ended up on a bonnet of a car. He said he then landed on the ground on his back. He broke both shoulders, the court heard. His left side was immobile for six months, he said. Cruikshanks told the court he picked up a passenger and had to make his way to Fleet St. He was 10m-15m from the corner and the road was clear as he continued driving. He said a person appeared in front of his car. He claimed Mr Doorley had been in the middle or the road when he was hit and other people were still waiting to cross. He said he would have braked if he had seen him but he rushed out in front of me. Ministers Shane Ross, John Halligan, and Finian McGrath are on a collision course with their Fine Gael counterparts over a bill seeking to allow for abortions in cases of fatal foetal abnormality. The bill is being brought forward by Independents for Change TD Mick Wallace. The alliance will formally decide on Friday what way they will go, but the three do not want to vote down Mr Wallaces bill. Last night, the Government press secretary said that ministers and government party TDs are unlikely to be given a free vote on proposals to liberalise the abortion laws during a private Dail motion being held next week. Taoiseach Enda Kennys refusal to allow government members a free vote is now threatening to result in the first major disagreement for the minority government and possibly even the loss of support of some ministers. Mr Halligan confirmed to the Irish Examiner last night that he would not back down from his position and intends to back the abortion proposals. The alliance has sought a free vote on the Wallace motion. I have voted all my life in this way, Mr Halligan said. However, Mr Halligans intentions are clear to his colleagues who say he is not for turning. He wont back down on this one, said one alliance minister. Mr McGrath, speaking to the Irish Examiner last night said he always supports the rights of individuals to vote freely on controversial issues like abortion. I have always supported freedom for conscience on controversial issues. The Independent Alliance will be deciding our position at a meeting on Friday on how we will vote as a collective group. But a key part of our group is the right of people to have different views. But we would like to decide as a group on Friday, he said. My own personal view is that we have to face the reality and deal with fatal foetal abnormality in rape and incest cases. That is my personal view but I respect other views, he said. It is understood that there is a split of opinion over the matter within the Independent Alliance as junior minister Sean Canney and Kevin Boxer Moran set to support the Government and vote down Mr Wallaces bill. A private members motion is scheduled to be tabled next week by Mr Wallace which is set to call for changes to abortion rules if there is a diagnosis of fatal foetal abnormality. Mr Kennys spokesman yesterday indicated that government members would not expect to be given a free vote on the issue and would be expected to fall into line in opposing the opposition motion. The spokesman said the only free vote that had been signalled in the programme for government was in relation to any Dail vote that may arise from a promised assembly and follow-on committee due to debate potential changes to the Eighth Amendment in the Constitution, which protects the life of the unborn. A free vote, as promised by the Taoiseach, would arise in that context, said the spokesman. If people stand up for a programme for government, there is an expectation they adhere to it. The spokesman said he did not expect a change to the current process or arrangement. He [Mr Kenny] has not spoken about a free vote in the context of any other vote, added the spokesman. Fine Gael and the alliance are on a direct collision course on this issue, which is expected to come before cabinet next week and could even result in a vote being taken by members across the table with Mr Kenny at the weekly meeting. Elsewhere, the Cabinet agreed yesterday to set in motion the Governments promise to set up a citizens assembly on examining potential changes to the Eighth Amendment. So what did we learn from the later-than-usual economic statement agreed by the Cabinet and released yesterday? The summer economic statement produced somewhat later because of the general election and government formation talks gives the macro economic projections for the economy and the fiscal space available next year. Ministers very happily announced, as expected, that an extra billion euro will be available for spending on services and tax cuts next year compared to this year. This is on the back of projected economic growth. There will also be an extra 1bn in capital spending. But the message was two-fold, for observers who might think that the boom times are back. Finance Minister Michael Noonan announced that a rainy day fund of 1bn a year will become available from 2019. This is when EU restrictions on spending here will be lifted too. Sensible spending, was the core message coming from the Government. Economic forecasts, however, could be moveable depending on the outcome of the Brexit vote in Britain on Thursday and in the days following the referendum, Mr Noonan admitted. It is this unknown factor and result which could cause dramatic changes to our ability to spend, cut taxes or even possibly just keep up with expected costs to run day-to-day services. In the meantime though, the Government are predicting that up to 11.3bn will be available to spend over the next five years. This includes the extra one billion euro next year. Mr Noonan explained: We will use the fruits of growth to repair damages now we have money, we can do better for healthcare, education and childcare. Reacting to the economic statement, former public expenditure minister and Labour leader Brendan Howlin expressed surprise that when there were huge demands for better services for broadband, roads and schools, the Government is planning to put money away and save it as a rainy day fund, even if that meant using the spare cash to pay down debt. While the spending projections may be rosy, the future of Irelands economy may very much depend on the outcome of this weeks Brexit vote. The manager of Kerry University Hospital, Maria Godley, is asking parents visiting the hospital not to bring children unless there were exceptional circumstances. Those with suspected measles, a highly contagious disease, should also not attend a doctors surgery and should instead arrange a home visit. The 15 cases so far were confirmed by GPs and public health nurses and technically the level was now an outbreak. However there may be more milder cases which had not been confirmed, Ms Godley said. This outbreak has been traced to April and the arrival of a person by plane who presented at hospital. The disease is airborne and highly contagious. Recently a child who presented at the Accident and Emergency department at KUH and was there for a number of hours was found to have had 120 contacts, which had to be traced by clerical staff. The emergency department and the paediatric departments have been under huge pressure. Martin Boyd, consultant at the emergency department, said measles was difficult to spot until the rash appeared and the most contagious period was four days before the rash, and four days after its appearance. Sore throat, head cold, runny nose, conjunctivitis, cough and fever were among the symptoms. Those who get the two sets of MMR vaccinations (at 12 months and at four years) are 99% protected against the virus, Mr Boyd assured the public on Radio Kerry. Members of the Oireachtas have also signed a book of condolence that was opened in Leinster House last Friday. Taoiseach Enda Kenny led tributes to the British MP, saying that the outpouring of grief and dismay at her murder gave a strong indication to her standing as an individual and a public representative. Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin also offered his deepest sympathies to Jos husband Brendan, and her two young children. He said the murder of a public representative in a democracy is thankfully a very rare and shocking event but one that society should reflect upon. He paid tribute to Ms Coxs record in politics, describing her as a person who was passionate, and independent in both mind and spirit. Brendan Howlin, leader of the Labour Party, gave a powerful description of his experience of hearing the news of Ms Coxs murder while campaigning alongside British Labour members for the EU referendum last week: Word came through to the British MPs that were with us, and a British MEP who knew Jo very well. It was very emotional. Mr Howlin said Jo Cox would have a legacy that stood up for progressive politics: She will inspire us to redouble our efforts to combat extremism and hatred in all its forms Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams said Ms Cox was a believer in equality for women, and a fierce opponent of racism, intolerance and injustice whenever they existed. In a mark of respect Labour TDs and senators wore white roses, as did MPs at Westminster earlier this week. In total the DPC received 14,427 queries by email, 16,173 by phone, and 855 by post, according to its annual report, published yesterday. Some 932 were opened as complaints for investigation and over 60% of those related to access rights. The high level of complaints, the report suggests, shows the extent of the difficulties some individuals experience exercising their statutory right of access. The next largest portion of complaints related to electronic direct marketing. While most disputes were resolved amicably, commissioner Helen Dixon made formal decisions in 52 cases, 43 of which upheld a complaint. One complaint upheld by the commissioner related to CCTV cameras being used in certain areas of the workplace. A supermarket worker was dismissed from her job after she placed a paper bag over a CCTV camera in the staff canteen. She was on an official break and her colleague was styling her hair. In that case, the commissioner found the employer had breached data protection laws. Several other complaints the commissioner upheld related to CCTV monitoring. Separate to this area of complaints is the issue of information on the internet and a persons right to be forgotten. Ms Dixon said a major focus of her office in 2015 was liaising with technology companies that have headquarters here in order to deal with this matter. The office engaged with companies such as Microsoft, Google, LinkedIn, Airbnb, and Facebook in 2015. Our engaged approach to interacting with the many tech multinationals based here, as well as other public and private sector organisations, continues to be central to our role/ensuring that data protection rights are upheld, while also ensuring access to digital services that many enjoy and even rely upon, said Ms Dixon. Another function of the office is to carry out audits of organisations to ascertain how compliant they are with data protection law. Some businesses audited in 2015 by the DPC included Aer Lingus, Littlewoods, Aldi, Bank of Ireland, and Zurich Insurance. Although the inspection teams found that there was a reasonably high awareness of, and compliance with, data protection principles in the organisations that were inspected, the majority required immediate remedial action in certain areas, states the report. From an international perspective, the DPC took part in a global survey (GWEN Sweep) last year which looked at practices of websites and mobile applications aimed at young people. Results from this global study found that 41% of the websites and apps surveyed raised major concerns, specifically relating to the level of personal data collected and then shared with third parties. Other results found that 67% of apps and sites studies collected childrens personal information and 22% gave young people the opportunity to provide their phone number. A further 71% of the sites and apps did not offer an easy route to deleting account information. The Equality Tribunal ruled the department had discriminated against the student on grounds of her disability and had not provided her with reasonable accommodation under the Equal Status Acts. It also directed the department to review its grants schemes to allow for applicants to meet and engage with decision makers. The tribunal heard the student, who suffered from dyslexia, migraine, and obsessional compulsive disorders, began a three-year degree course in social science at UCC in 2010. In 2011 she agreed with UCC she would be allowed to complete the course over a six-year period, taking each course year over two years. She was charged a full registration fee in each year. However, when she applied for the continuation of her maintenance grant from Cork City Council, she was informed the grant would not be paid for years two, four, and six of her studies. In December 2012, the Department of Education rejected the students appeal to the councils decision on the basis the grant scheme did not allow for a one-year course to be pursued over two years. The student told the Equality Tribunal she had to seek funding from the UCC Student Unions hardship fund to help pay her registration fees, which required her to disclose sensitive matters about her condition which had caused her embarrassment. She complained that the Department of Educations refusal was both arbitrary and unfair. The department denied discrimination, stating the terms of the Higher Education Grants Scheme did not allow her to obtain grant funding over a six-year period. It also pointed out the student had benefitted from a number of supportive financial arrangements made available to her by UCC which ultimately were paid by the department. It would have cost the department an extra 20,000 in grants to pay for the extra three years of her studies. The tribunal said it was somewhat perplexed by the departments lack of response to numerous medical submissions made by the student. It found the department had not engaged in an in-depth examination of the students circumstances in her appeal. It also noted that department officials had never met the student to tease out her views. The announcement was made yesterday during a visit by director general of the ESA Jan Woerner to Ireland. It follows an agreement between the ESA and the Tyndall National Institute that will see a Space Business Incubator established to support fledgling Irish businesses in space related technologies. The number of Irish companies in the space sector is expected to soar to more than 80, with annual income rising from 76 million in 2015 to 135m by 2020. The new multi-disciplinary entity, led by the Cork-based Tyndall National Institute will help to develop 25 Irish start-up companies in space-related technologies by 2020. Minister for Jobs Mary Mitchell OConnor described it as an exciting time for the Irish space industry. With the support of my Department and Enterprise Ireland, the Irish space sector is set to expand at an unprecedented rate over the next few years. Our investment in ESA will manifest itself through new companies entering the space sector, scaling of existing companies and the development of a strong cohort of high technology start-ups, leading to increased sales, exports and jobs. Investment in ESA space programmes, given the pace of expansion of the Global and European space economies, will put high-tech Irish companies and researchers in a position to exploit this potential to the maximum, she said. Details of a partnership between the Irish Research Council and the ESA were also revealed yesterday to mark Mr Woerners visit during which he met Taoiseach Enda Kenny. The traineeship agreement will give Irish science and engineering graduates a chance to make their mark on space exploration. Announcing details of the partnership Dr Eucharia Meehan, director of the Irish Research Council, said: This is a hugely exciting opportunity for science and engineering graduates. We are delighted to be embarking on this partnership, which will allow Irish graduates in these sectors to get involved in cutting-edge space research projects on the international stage. Dr Woerner said: This agreement will provide opportunities for young men and women from the Irish R&D community to come to ESA sites around Europe and collaborate on exciting space projects and innovative technology developments. Earlier this month, the local authority granted planning permission to Cleanrath Windfarm Ltd to build six wind turbines near Inchigeelagh. The planned farm is sited at the head of the Toon river that flows into the forest, a special area of conservation. In recent months, Cork County Council has been taking part in meetings with the ESB, Inland Fisheries Ireland, and the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) about the future conservation of the Gearagh site. Kevin Corcoran of the West Cork Ecology Centre, who has long campaigned for the 1,500-acre Gearagh forest to become an eco-tourism site, said the windfarm decision makes a mockery of the councils biodiversity action plan, which actually includes Gearagh images: Despite clear evidence to show that the forested islands of the unique river delta will undergo further disintegration by increased flash flooding, council planners dismissed such concerns and accepted the opposing arguments of the developer. This is the fourth time Cleanrath has lodged the windfarm planning application. Their first application was rejected as invalid by the local authority; a second was withdrawn. The third application was refused by the council, but the developers appealed to An Bord Pleanala. The boards inspector recommended rejection, but the board granted permission. In response, a local couple managed to raise the money to fund a judicial review which halted the application last year. However, this fourth and latest planning application was given the green light by Cork County Council, to the disappointment of families and environmentalists. Originally, the developers sought 11 turbines but the council only allowed six, as an earlier Bord Pleanala report expressed concerns about the farms environmental impact on the areas ecology. Locals have gathered 3,000 signatures as part of a petition against the development to be sent to the EU Commission on Environmental Law Enforcement and Cohesion. A section of the Gearagh was controversially flooded by the ESB in the 1950s to make way for hydroelectric dams at Carrigadrohid and Inniscarra. Thousands of ancient oak and yew trees were destroyed. However, over the past 30 years, much of the area has begun to revert back to forest as seeds from the older forest germinate. Willow, birch, hazel and oak have all started to grow. A council spokesman said they were unable to comment as the case was under appeal. Crosshaven RNLI crew, which patrols the busy Cork Harbour area, have begun training on their new Atlantic 85 class vessel which arrived on Monday from the RNLIs lifeboat centre in Cowes, in England. It was provided with one condition from the benefactor that it be named the John and Janet. The four-person lifeboat will replace the old three-person vessel, the Atlantic 75 class Miss Betty, which will be returned to the UK to become part of the RNLIs relief fleet. The 7.3-metre Miss Betty has been based in Crosshaven since 2002, just two years after the lifeboat station was established in the harbour village on a trial basis, and a year after the lifeboat station was declared a permanent facility. The station is now one of the busiest in Ireland, launching 42 times last year, saving 50 lives, with up to a fifth of their call-out time on the water spent operating in darkness. The crew are now undergoing an intensive four-day training programme on board their new vessel, which is due to enter service on Friday. Atlantic class lifeboats usually operate closer to shore than all-weather lifeboats, in shallower water, close to cliffs, among rocks and even in caves. At 8.5-metres in length, the new vessel is longer and more powerful than Miss Betty which had a top speed of 31 knots and an operating limit of three hours. Powered by two inversion proofed 115hp engines, which stay operational even after capsize, John and Janet has a top speed of 34 knots and has a manually operated self-righting mechanism. Atlantic 85s have stronger hulls which allow them to be beached in an emergency without sustaining damage to engines or steering gear. The new lifeboat will be officially dedicated and named at a ceremony on September 11. Marie McNally said she could never get over the loss of her two boys as she attended an inquest into the death of her younger son, Alan McNally (36). My life is over, she said. Mr McNally from Cappagh Avenue, Finglas, Dublin 11 died due to gunshot wounds on February 2 2012. The father of three sons, the youngest of whom was six when his father was killed, spent the hours before his death drinking in a Finglas pub. He had previously told a friend, Laura Pennick that his 'head was wrecked' due to an ongoing threat to his life. Mr McNally went to the Cappagh House pub in Finglas around midday on February 1 2012. Laura Pennick said she made numerous attempts to persuade him to leave throughout the day. She spoke to him around 1.10am on February 2 and he said he was leaving. Moments later, Gardai directed all free units to the scene of a reported shooting at the bar. Ms Pennick said Mr McNally had been in great form the day before his death, laughing and joking. She said the Cappagh House pub wouldnt be somewhere he would normally go or stay all day. Mr McNally had been badly beaten following a row with some gang from Ballymun, according to Ms Pennick. He said they were not people you would want to start something with. He was on edge about it, he was worried, she said. Alan McNally Gary Thompson said he was drinking at the bar all day on February 1 with Mr McNally. We were fairly drunk and out of our heads, Mr Thompson said in his statement. I was talking to Alan and next thing I heard a loud bang. I saw a fellas arm, a black gun. I jumped off the stool and ran out to the lounge into the storeroom and shut the door behind me. I thought it was me they were after, Mr Thompson said. Mr McNally was rushed to Connolly Hospital where he was pronounced dead. The cause of death was multiple gunshot wounds, according to a post-mortem carried out by Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis. Detective Inspector Des McTiernan said Gardai followed 450 lines of inquiry and took 250 witness statements as part of a detailed murder investigation but ultimately no charges were brought. All avenues were pursued to their finality but the case remains open, Det Insp McTiernan said. Mr McNallys older brother Graham was murdered in Finglas in 2008 aged 34. The jury returned a verdict of unlawful killing. Coroner Dr Myra Cullinane extended her sympathies to Mrs McNally. This is a very tragic case. Im aware you been bereaved previously in a similar fashion, this must be an unbearable burden to bear. Ends Commitments are still in place to phase out the universal social charge over the next five years, Finance Minister Michael Noonan said, although reductions will be clawed back for higher earners. A rainy day fund to help any volatility in the economy of around 1bn a year will also be made available to use every year between 2019 and 2021, the Cabinet agreed. The announcements were made as part of the summer economic statement, published yesterday. It sets out the blueprint for next years budget and at this stage projects that there will be an extra 1bn in fiscal space next year. This is due to projected growth in the economy, officials say. Mr Noonan said the economy was making very strong progress and would grow by 5% this year and up to 4% next year. The Government needs to remain prudent and have planned for a 3bn rainy day fund to be spent for three years from 2019. Separately, Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe outlined how an extra 1bn would be available for capital spending next year, meaning 5bn would be there for the next five years. Departments and organisations, particularly acute hospitals, needed to be conscious of staying within their budgets, he said. Extra capital spending would help address deficiencies in schools, hospitals and transport, he said. Mr Noonan was also asked about the what effects a Brexit would have on the Irish economy. He referred to figures in the economic statement, compiled by the ESRI, which predict that growth could be reduced by between 0.5% and 1.6% in the years ahead if Brexit goes ahead. This meant that economic projections were moveable, depending on what the outcome is this week in Britain. Officials in Government openly say a Leave vote will be a shock to the Irish economy. Asked if he would stay a full five years as minister and whether the Government would equally last as long, Mr Noonan said he had signed up for government and well see what happens. Nobody has an idea how long it [the minority government] will last. He pointed out that the confidence agreement with Fianna Fail was set to last three years, after which it will be reviewed. The minister also reiterated a Fine Gael election promise to scrap USC by 2021. Further reductions will be made to the charge for next year for lower and middle income earners. Overall though, USC savings for higher earners, possibly on salaries in excess of 70,000, will be clawed back, he added. There will not be pro-rate decreases for higher earners, he added. The Government also said the budget next year would be split with two thirds going on services and a third on tax cuts. Fianna Fail Public Expenditure spokesman Dara Calleary described the economic statement as devoid of consideration of the potentially massive impact of Britain voting to leave the EU. Ray McDonagh appeared before Limerick District Court, charged with assault causing harm to a woman on June 12, and with stealing the womans car on the same date. Yesterday, as his case was being heard, Mr McDonagh complained he no longer wished to physically appear before court while his case was awaiting directions from the DPP. The accused indicated he would prefer to appear before the court via video link. He told presiding judge, Mary Larkin: I dont want to be in this place. A few minutes after he was remanded via video link to a later date, Mr McDonagh re-emerged in the court body, looking to speak to the judge. As gardai and prison officers attempted to remove him, Mr McDonagh shouted out: Ill kill the whole lot of ye bastards. As he was tackled further by additional gardai and prison officers, he shouted: Bastards, the whole lot of ye. Mr McDonagh is charged with striking a woman and stealing her car, with the woman still in the vehicle. The woman was let out of the car after pleading with Mr McDonagh to let her out, gardai told an earlier bail hearing. After he was charged Mr McDonagh allegedly told gardai: Im sorry, I didnt mean to do it. The vehicle was found 12 hours later submerged in water at Seafield, Quilty, Co Clare. Mr McDonagh was arrested afterwards in Limerick City. Mr McDonagh cried throughout the bail hearing, prompting Judge Larkin to scold him, Behave like an adult, she said, addressing the accused. Youre like a 16-year old who got caught with his hands in the cookie jar. Now, pull yourself together. After Mr McDonagh continued sobbing, the judge told him: I can assure you, your crying doesnt cut any mustard in my court. Yesterday, Sgt Donal Cronin, prosecuting, told the court new charges may be brought in relation to the same alleged incident. Judge Larkin remanded Mr McDonagh in custody, to appear before Limerick District Court again on July 5. The relationship between British colleges and Irish students would have to be negotiated if Brexit occurs, the Department of Education has said. EU membership means Irish students can study in Britain or Northern Ireland and pay the same fees as domestic students. However, Brexit would end this setup and could see Irish students having to apply as international students, incurring fees of 13,000 to 22,000 per year to study in Britain or the North. The Department of Education says a new arrangement would need to be worked out with British universities and EU students, and that the Irish government will seek to emphasise our very particular relationship with Northern Ireland and the UK, a fact that is widely understood by our EU partners. However, the current relationship would not be guaranteed in the uncertainty of Brexit. Last year 2,085 Irish students went to study in Britain and Northern Ireland according to UCAS, which processes British third-level college applications. Similarly, CAO figures showed this year 2,193 UK A-level students applied to Irish colleges and universities, up from 2,094 in 2014. However, in a Brexit scenario Irish students would no longer be able to apply as common EU citizens to the UK, and would have to do so as international students. Tuition fees for international students in Britain and the North range from 13,000 to 22,000 for arts or sciences courses, and 26,000 to 39,000 for clinical courses such as medicine or physiotherapy. British and Northern Irish students can also take advantage of shared EU membership to study in Ireland and pay the same rates as home students, which is currently 3,000 a year. Circuit Court president Mr Justice Raymond Groarke said he was happy the new offer would be sufficient to compensate Kyle Tighe Donoghue for the traumatic incident he suffered while attending Doras Bui Creche, Bunratty Drive, Coolock, Dublin. Barrister Peter Maguire yesterday told the court that following talks between the parties, a previous offer of 20,000 had been doubled. He said that in December 2014, Kyle was taken to the toilet in the creche, when another child slammed the toilet door on Kyles hand severing the top joint of the ring finger on his left hand. The court heard that Kyles mother, Rachel Tighe Donoghue, of Bunratty Road, Coolock, was called to the creche by a staff member. She had been told Kyle had an injury to his finger which would need stitches. Mr Maguire, who appeared with Thomas Loomes solicitors, said an ambulance had been called and on the way to Childrens University Hospital, Temple Street, Dublin, a paramedic, while wanting to dress Kyles wound, discovered the top of the boys finger was missing. The court heard that Ms Tighe Donoghue made an urgent call to the creche to recover the severed part which was later found still attached to the toilet door. Mr Maguire said Kyles fingertip was appropriately packaged by creche staff and rushed to the hospital where it was reattached under general anaesthetic. The court heard that Kyles finger had no functional deficit, but there had been concern that he may have a residual psychological trauma. Kyle, through his mother Rachel, sued Doras Bui Creche, A Parents Alone Resource Centre Ltd, for negligence. Mr Maguire said he was recommending the new 40,000 settlement offer which was approved by the judge. Last November, Judge Groarke said he was not enthusiastic about the 20,000 offer as it was too early to determine the matter. For higher level chemistry candidates, Ciara OShea of the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) thought diagrams were used well throughout the paper. While a titration question on vinegar had a calculation phrased a bit differently to what they would be used to, she thought it was nonetheless a nice opening question. Students who did their practical work over the two-year senior cycle would have been rewarded, and she found no problems with the short questions on the exam. Mary OCallaghan, the Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) subject spokesperson said all elements of the syllabus featured in a fair and balanced paper. She said it was good to see students challenged in areas like data analysis and the application of their chemical knowledge to new scientific areas. Ms OCallaghan said the ordinary level exam was also fair and balanced, covering a wide range of the syllabus. She thought the wide-ranging questions gave students good choice, and said a reasonably-prepared student should have found it within their capabilities. Ms OShea said ordinary level students would probably have been pleased with a question about water, as it is a topic they tend to like. The reference to two organic preparations within the first question rewarded students who had their practical work done. There were very nice diagrams and an atomic theory question was very accessible However, Ms OShea said there was a lot of detail in some of the short questions for students at this level. Yesterday mornings Leaving Certificate higher level Spanish paper was described as challenging but fair by Robbie Cronin of the ASTI. He thought the comprehension section was good, particularly a very interesting piece about Uruguays ex-president Jose Mujica on which fair questions were based. Mr Cronin thought the optional opinion pieces, asking to write on statements about life being simple or doing more for others. However, he thought another comprehension piece was very difficult. There was very tough language in the item about a teenager who fell from a cliff while taking a selfie, and the difficult rescue that followed. While the dialogue question was considered a good option, some students would have found it difficult offering a translation for a sailing course which they were to ask about in the conversation. There was also a nice letter question about part-time work, and the choices of note or diary entry were fair. Mr Cronin thought the ordinary level exam, taken by around 1,700 of the 6,700 Leaving Certificate Spanish candidates, was very fair. Unfortunately, however, he thought the first section was very difficult. He suggested the first question was not properly asked, as the answer was not in the paragraph suggested to students. The written section of the exam was good, he said, and of an expected standard. Mr Cronin said a comprehension piece about graffiti was interesting, but a little bit challenging. Judge Con OLeary had adjourned Anthony Wests sentencing until yesterday to consider a psychiatric report and to hear from the mother of the child. The judge said the report showed the accused mans lack of empathy, and also showed him to be sufficiently in control of his faculties to come up with a cock-and-bull story about what happened on the day. Judge OLeary said it was a serious case and that against a maximum possible sentence, he was allowing for the plea of guilty and sentenced West to eight months in prison. The mother of the child said it was a very frightening experience on the day, October 12, 2015, and that she still found it frightening to think of what happened. Inspector Mary King said yesterday that the mother was bringing her three-year-old son to a creche when she noticed a man dressed in black pointing a gun at her child. Insp King gave details of the incident at Cork District Court yesterday when 40-year-old man faced sentencing on three charges arising out of the incident. The incident in Cork City the day after the fatal shooting of Garda Tony Golden in Co Louth. Insp King said that as the woman arrived at the playschool she saw a man taking a firearm out. He was dressed all in black dancing around the front of the house, said Insp King. He started pointing the gun at the child. The woman was frightened. She shielded the child and moved him into the creche. Gardai Danielle Hegarty and Matthew OMahony were the first to arrive on the scene. Gardai saw West in the front of the house with the black handgun pointed at them. They got out of range of what turned out to be an imitation firearm. Gardai from the Armed Response Unit arrived at the scene and drew their firearms. When they did so, the man dropped his imitation gun. West, aged 40, of 7 Pophams Rd, Cork, pleaded guilty yesterday to three counts of making threats to kill, namely threatening to kill the two gardai and the mother of the child. Joseph Cuddigan, defence solicitor, said the accused had been diagnosed with a transient psychotic condition as a result of prolonged cannabis use, and that this personality disorder could explain the lack of victim empathy. Mr Cuddigan complained that before the threatening charges was brought, the accused was before Cork District Court for several months on a charge of having a firearm even though, the solicitor claimed, the DPP knew the firearm charge was never sustainable and would be withdrawn. He complained that this was a Kafkaesque abuse of his constitutional rights. On that point Judge OLeary said: I cannot understand why the charge [the charge under the Firearms Act was ultimately withdrawn by the State] was kept before the court where the State had information it could not be sustained. In relation to the account of events given by the accused to his psychiatrist, the judge said it reflected extremely badly on him that he would come up with an account that was so at variance with the one given by the inspector. Ever since, various notions of populating the moon including an out-of-this-world Disneyland were promoted but dismissed as the fantasies of the scientific lunatic fringe. That may be about to change if Jan Woerner, the director general of the European Space Agency (ESA) has his way. Living and working on the moon may sound like science fiction, but Mr Woerner, who was in Dublin yesterday to sign a partnership agreement between the Irish Research Council and the ESA, is determined to make this giant leap a reality. It would take the form of an international network of research labs known as Diverse Lunar Surface Operations but which he prefers to call the Moon Village. My intention is to build up a permanent base station on the moon, he says in an ESA broadcast. In the Moon Village we would like to combine the capabilities of different spacefaring nations, with the help of robots and astronauts. The participants can work in different fields perhaps they will conduct pure science and perhaps there will even be business ventures like mining or tourism. Earlier this year, the ESA unveiled plans to construct a 3D-printed moon base and has now laid out a timetable that could see the project completed by 2030. The Moon Village would be printed from regolith, a naturally-occurring material on the moon that would protect the base from harmful radiation. The plan is to build the village as a pit-stop to Mars, replacing the International Space Station after its lifetime ends and in order to test technologies needed to make the trip to Red Planet. The idea of the Moon Village says Mr Woerner, is to bring together different interests of companies and countries, meaning for instance robotics and humans but also totally different interests like mining, tourism, but also especially science. The agency has a budget in excess of 4bn a year and a staff of 2,000 across its member countries, including Ireland. More than 50 Irish companies are involved in ESA programmes. There is a lot of interest in building a community on the moon for mining and science, Mr Woerner said yesterday, speaking on RTEs Morning Ireland. If, for instance, you go to a little bit to the far side of the moon then you are in the shadow of the moon, meaning that all the radiation coming from the earth our telecommunication etc is shadowed. Therefore, you can have very a nice look into the universe. There are a lot of practical operations, even for tourism and some companies are interested in building a hotel on the moon. Mr Woerner sees the prospect of lunar operations as far more feasible than building colonies on Mars. It is exactly 350,000kms from Earth. To go to the moon and back takes about seven days, so you could do it on summer holiday. It takes three days to get to the moon but to go to Mars takes about two years. The large three-storey building overlooking the harbour town began life as a workhouse in the 19th century. It later became a hospital and is where the storyteller Peig Sayers died in 1958. Closed since the west Kerry community hospital opened in 2010, there have been calls to convert it into an arts and education centre. However, given that restaurant owners, pubs, and food businesses are unable to get specialist outside staff because of an acute shortage of accommodation in Dingle, councillors are now looking to convert the building into apartments. West Kerry councillor Michael OShea (FF) has told a meeting of the county council that the lack of accommodation for staff in Dingle is now a crisis. He said there is also a problem with single local people on social housing lists, some of whom had been on the lists for a decade or more. Dingle had a very large bachelor population and older people on their own found it next to impossible to get social housing in Dingle, said Mr OShea. The lack of accommodation is having a massive effect on business, he said. Business leaders had approached him recently to try to find a solution. Mr OShea suggested the old Dingle hospital be turned into self-contained apartments for seasonal staff as well as for local need. The price of property in the area was beyond the reach of most local people and no social housing had been built in around seven years, said Mr OShea. The council said it has held meetings with the HSE, which is the owner of old hospital buildings in Killarney as well as in Dingle, with a view to converting them to accommodation. Other public lands and buildings were also being looked at, according to a written report produced for Mr OShea. Dingle Oceanworld, one of Kerrys biggest tourist attractions, has recently spoken out about how difficult it was to get accommodation for staff in Dingle. Maire Treasa OShea, of the aquarium said that there is absolutely no staff accommodation, adding that its been difficult for years, but given that 2016 has been one of the busiest tourist seasons yet, the situation has worsened. Oceanworld employee Axelle Lepee, 23 and originally from the Auvergne region of France, had searched for accommodation since February and had been staying in a B&B. Two weeks ago she finally managed to get a room. According to a new report by Property Industry Ireland (PII) the Ibec group representing businesses working in the property and construction sector there was just over 2,000 housing starts in the first quarter of this year, of which 38% were one-offs. The total level of housebuilding is forecast at 11,000 units in 2016. The report pointed out that, while there is a substantial amount of new office supply under construction and awaiting planning in Dublin, there is a lack of Grade A office accommodation is the common thread across other urban markets. This is putting office rents under pressure, most notably in Cork, where office rents were up by 8% in the first three months of this year. In the region of 740 million of commercial investment transactions were recorded in the first three months of this year, just two-thirds of the corresponding level of investment in the same period last year. PII director Dr Peter Stafford said more needs to be done to increase the number of houses being built. Based on leading indicators, it looks like only 11,000 new houses will be completed in Ireland in 2016. This represents another year when demand for new houses will far outstrip supply. While it is good news that the proportion of one-off houses is falling, more needs to be done to bring new developments through financing and planning, and on to construction, he said. Dr Stafford said the industry welcomes intervention by housing minister Simon Coveney in reviewing blockages and delays in the planning system and that it eagerly awaits the publication of governments Action Plan for Housing. Director of DKM Economic Consultants, who compiled the report, Annette Hughes, said scarcity of Grade A space in sought after locations in the commercial property sector is a common thread in the report: This is probably what would be expected in a market lacking any signs of construction activity for almost seven years until 2015. The veteran sailor, who is competing in a pre-Games regatta in Rio before his 11th Paralympics in August, spoke out after the latest in a series of violent incidents affecting paralympic sailors based in Rio. I am not being sensationalist about this. There is real, live danger on the streets here. I would urge people who are considering coming out here as spectators to be super cautious, and to be aware of the problems, said Mr Twomey. The security arrangements for the athletes are pretty good, but I would have real concerns for spectators. Ive been to a lot of international events all over the world and Ive never seen it so bad. The Kinsale Yacht Club member, who won gold in Seoul in 1988, also criticised the water quality around Rios Paralympic and Olympic sailing course, which he said is littered with plastic rubbish that is fouling rudders. Mr Twomey spoke out last night after a gun battle erupted between rival gangs across the street from a neighbouring yacht club, just days after two members of the Australian team were robbed at gunpoint. Australian team members, sailor Liesl Tesch and team official Sarah Ross, were confronted by two men, one armed with a gun, while riding their bikes in a park near their hotel on Sunday. I was threatened with the pistol and pushed to the ground, said Tesch. He took my bike, and the other perpetrator took Sarahs bike. We are both shaken, but physically were both okay. Australian Sailing chief executive Matt Carroll said they are working with the Australian Paralympic Committee and Australian Federal Police to ensure the team has an appropriate level of security in the lead-up to, and during, both the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Earlier this month, two members of a drugs gang armed with machine guns stole two Team Great Britain ribs from a yacht club in Niteroi across the bay from where Mr Twomey is staying. The yacht club was hit by stray bullets from a nearby gunfight some weeks ago. Mr Twomey praised the security arrangements around his accommodation just outside Rio and said athletes will be well protected, but he urged extreme caution to anyone who intends visiting Rio as a spectator. The continued decision to delay the proposed air route has been described by Mr Ross as puzzling. He said that while he is not meeting Mr Biden himself, he feels an early decision to clear this blockage should be sought by Mr Kenny this week. Fine Gael Seanad leader, Jerry Buttimer, questioned Mr Ross yesterday in the Seanad over the delay in securing a North Atlantic route connecting Cork and the US. Mr Buttimer claimed that the lack of movement on the issue is coming from an impasse on the US side. The Cork-based senator said he hopes government officials will bring up the issue with Mr Biden during his six-day visit to Ireland. He expressed his wish that members of the Government will impress upon him the importance and centrality of this new route from Cork in promoting our country in North America. Last April, the US Department of Transportation granted a permit to Norwegian Air International to fly from Cork to the US, but the tentative decision has yet to be finalised and signed off on by Washington. Mr Ross stated the delay is clearly not in the interest of the many people on both sides of the Atlantic who had intended to avail of the new service. He added he looks forward to the decision being confirmed as soon as possible, so the airline can start operating the new route from Cork to Boston and other new transatlantic routes. The European Commission is also eager to see the Cork-US route go forward and has stated it would have the right to launch an arbitration process if the backlog continues, he said. The blockage would fall under the remit of the EU-US Open Skies Agreement, Mr Ross told the Upper House. The agreement allows for European airlines to operate flights from the EU to the US, and US airlines to run flights within the EU. The European Commission supports the Norwegian airline securing a permit to fly from Cork, to ensure a more competitive transatlantic aviation market. Mr Ross said he will try to push for a final decision on the matter: I and the department will continue to liaise closely with the Irish embassy in Washington, the Irish Aviation Authority, and the European Commission, and we will continue to take the appropriate steps to help secure this important new service for Cork. Thirty-nine grounds of appeal have been advanced against the High Courts rejection of Mr Shatters challenge to barrister Sean Guerins report of May 2014. The appeal concluded after a day-long hearing yesterday before Judge Sean Ryan, presiding, and Judges Mary Finlay Geoghegan and Mary Irvine. The court has reserved judgment. Outlining the appeal, Paul Sreenan, counsel for Mr Shatter, argued the Guerin report reached conclusions which were highly critical of his client who was not afforded fair procedures or the right to be heard before it was given to the Taoiseach who later published it. The report inflicted a serious injustice on the former minister, a holder of important constitutional office, career politician, and citizen with rights to his good name and to earn a livelihood, who had no alternative but to resign. It was clear any adverse findings had potential to damage his good name and livelihood and there was no compelling reason not to give him the right to be heard on any proposed adverse findings. While findings of the OHiggins Commission that Mr Shatter acted properly at all times might go some way to alleviate the damage, the Guerin report directly caused Mr Shatters resignation and damage to his good name, he argued. The report contained findings recognised by the Taoiseach among others as hard-hitting and described in the media as explosive and damning of Mr Shatter as minister, counsel said. Had Mr Shatter been heard, it was likely such findings would not have been included, he argued. Mr Guerin clearly made findings of fact, including the only action the minister took on foot of the confidential report concerning the McCabe complaints was to seek a response from the Garda commissioner which he did not challenge in any meaningful way, he said. Mr Guerin has denied any unfairness and argued that his report contained observations, not conclusions, based on documents provided for the review by the Department of Justice. His counsel, Paul Anthony McDermott, argued Mr Guerin was asked by the Government of which Mr Shatter was then a part to prepare a scoping report and the consequences that flowed were a result of purely political decisions. The High Court accurately described Mr Shatters case as extraordinary and said he was rewriting history in asserting the purpose of his case was not to mount a collateral attack on the OHiggins Commission set up, in line with Mr Guerins recommendations, to inquire into the McCabe claims, counsel said. Mr Shatter had seemed to envisage a commission that would look at all aspects of the handling of the McCabe complaints except the role of his department, counsel said. If, as was claimed, the Taoiseach only allowed Mr Shatter read three chapters (1,19, and 20) of the report, that was political and Mr Shatter had not read chapter three where Mr Guerin said he was not deciding anything, counsel said. Mr Guerin gave Mr Shatter the fair procedures required of a scoping exercise such as this was and there was ample basis for the High Courts finding against Mr Shatter on all grounds and describing several of his claims as extraordinary and unstateable. Known locally, in Cobh, Co Cork, as Heartbreak Pier, its hoped it will be refurbished as a tourist attraction to coincide with its 150th birthday next year. Its estimated that more than 1m people walked on it as they emigrated to Australia and the US. Ownership of the pier was unclear for a number of years. However, after a lengthy process to identify the title holder, the pier was finally purchased by Titanic Experience Cobh Ltd in 2014. A joint venture between Port of Cork, Cork County Council, and Titanic Experience was initiated to stabilise the structure in December 2015 and January 2016. The design incorporates new steel piles alongside the existing piles that had collapsed. They are visually unobtrusive and do not detract from the overall look of the pier. Hidden angle connections have been installed to the joints, as have new bolts which match existing connections as far as is possible. . We did not want to alter the haunting look of the pier, said Titanic Experience managing director Gillen Joyce. We wanted to preserve the existing structure as much as possible. This pier is history. An estimated 1m emigrants stepped on to ships and tenders from Heartbreak Pier as they left Ireland for Australia and the United States A suspended viewing area will be added to the pier and it will feature interpretive signs and touch-screen technology detailing its history and stories about some of the people who emigrated from it. Meanwhile, the Titanic Experience, on the site of the former White Star Line offices, has opened new exhibition sections which will provide visitors with the sights, sounds, and even smells from the great liner. We have always tried to give an immersive experience here, and with our new exhibits we take this further, bringing our key stories to life. You will now hear first-hand accounts of the sinking from survivors, meet character portrayals, and experience the rescue of more than 700 survivors on board Carpathia, said Mr Joyce. Thanks to funding received from Failte Ireland under the New Ideas In Ancient Spaces support scheme, the completed works include new character projections, audio stations and audio-visual presentations. Jenny De Saulles, Failte Irelands head of programmes for Irelands Ancient East, said she was very excited by the Cobh project and hoped it would add to its 80,000 visitors per year. Tom Healy, director of the Nevin Economic Research Institute, said consensus thinking is that tax increases are only for recessions while tax cuts are natural once the economy gets going again and we all pay far too much tax anyway. The highly-contrived and arcane measure of fiscal space is used to concentrate discussion on the equivalent of just a little more than 1% of total public spending in any one year, he said. In other words, for every 100 of spending on schools, hospitals, roads, teachers, gardai, pensions, child benefit etc, the public debate is concentrated on the one euro of spending at the margin. Even then, the public are led down a little pathway of tax cuts versus spending increases. That there is a connection between what we spend and what we, as a society, collect through taxation seems to have largely escaped attention. The view universally shared is that I pay too much tax, or we pay too much tax, and they ought to pay more, or, we should all pay less tax and stop throwing money at people on bloated public sector pensions or living off the dole as the assumed truth goes. Mr Healy then sought to address four myths around taxation. We all pay too much tax: To address this, he pointed to data from the OECDs tax-benefit modeller for 2014. It found that for, example, a single person with no children earning the average wage in Ireland had the second-lowest rate of taxation on income among EU member states for which the OECD provided information. Ireland is not competitive when it comes to income tax especially on average to above-average incomes: The highest level of pay used by the OECD modeller was 200% of the average wage, which in Ireland equated to 68,356. True, the average effective tax rate moves up sharply from just over 20% for a single person in the Republic of Ireland earning 34,178 per annum, to just over 36% at an income of 68,356, he said. At 36%, the Republic of Ireland is about mid-ways on the OECD comparison. The way to win the hearts of lower-paid workers is to give them tax cuts: Mr Healy found Ireland is way off the chart when one considered the low amount of tax being paid by those below the average wage 3.7% for a single person earning 50% of the average wage. That compared to 35% for someone in the same income bracket in Denmark. Ireland has the most progressive tax system in the world: Mr Healy points to what he terms as the fairly steep rise in average tax rates here from a very low 4% for those at 17,000 per annum to 14% for those at 23,000. The rate climbs to 20% for those at 34,000 and 36% for those at 68,000. Overall, the conclusion he draws is that: Ireland is a low-tax country no matter what way it is measured; relatively high-income earners do not pay more in income tax than is the average across the OECD; relatively low-income earners pay much less income tax than is the case elsewhere, but this is undoubtedly linked to the fact that the Republic of Ireland has a much more unequal distribution of income and a relatively poor social wage. Gheorge Bot appeared at Letterkenny District Court in Co Donegal charged with a series of driving offences. However, Mr Bot had the cases against him dismissed after Judge Paul Kelly heard of the mix-up. To avoid confusion in the case, his own barrister called him Gheorge 1 saying the alleged offences were committed by his brother, also known as Gheorge 2. Barrister Kathleen Henry said the man who should be before the court on driving charges is Gheorge Bot of The Willows, Lough Na Glack, Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan. The man she represented and who was in court was a different Gheorge Bot of Shercock Rd, Bailieboro, Co Cavan, or Gheorge 2. Due to confusion in the case, Ms Henry told Judge Paul Kelly, Gheorge Bot 1 had spent a week in Castlerea Prison. The two men are brothers and there is a year of difference in age between them, said the barrister. Their father is also called Gheorge and both sons were named in his honour. They even refer to themselves as Gheorge 1 and Gheorge 2. Gheorge 2 has gone home to Romania to his father-in-laws funeral and couldnt be in court today. Mr Bot addressed the court and said it was a custom in his native Romania that a father gave his sons the same name. Gheorge 2 is now facing charges of careless driving, no road tax, no insurance, no NCT, and no tax in Letterkenny on June 1, 2015. So when is Gheorge the Second going to be able to come her to deal with the matter? asked Judge Kelly. The barrister asked for a hearing on September 1. There was laughter in court as Judge Kelly said: It strikes me that as the father has the same name he was probably Gheorge the First, this man before me is Gheorge the Second and the other Gheorge currently in Romania is Gheorge the Third! The case was adjourned until September. THE doomsday narrative of British prime minister David Cameron, the Bank of England, and their official friends around the world is setting a course for a self-fulfilling financial panic. They insist that the British economy will be permanently poorer and global markets will be roiled if the British public votes to leave the EU in tomorrows referendum. These claims are based on fuzzy analysis. More seriously, they are deeply irresponsible. Make no mistake, if markets do panic it will be because of the hysteria that the officials have built up. To redeem themselves, policymakers around the world must set up visible signposts now to dampen financial turbulence. Upon leaving the EU, Britain would trade less with Europe and more with other nations. Its possible that overall trade may fall somewhat during the transition. But all economists agree that the costs of such a decline would be small and short-lived. A just-released study from the IMF shows that the share of British goods exported to the EU fell stunningly to 45% in 2014 from 60% in 2000. This shift away from slower-growing Europe to the rest of the world is set to continue irrespective of Brexit. For this reason, the entire official campaign against a Brexit is based on the further claim that British productivity would fall precipitously. There is no evidence for this assertion. A possible small, transitional decline in trade cannot cause such a large fall in productivity. Its true that more trade has sometimes been associated with higher productivity, but only when countries emerged from economic isolation. For advanced economies, the evidence favours the opposite possibility. The most productive firms are the most active exporters, and when it becomes harder to export, they redouble their efforts to improve productivity. For decades, as the deutsche mark appreciated, German producers held back an increase in their export prices by raising their efficiency. At the very least, the long-term economic consequences of Britain leaving the EU are neutral within a small margin that no economist can parse. The Bank of England, for example, claims Brexit fears have contributed to the fall in the value of sterling since late 2015. This conclusion does not pass the simplest smell test. Much of the decline in sterlings value took place earlier this year, when the polls and especially the betting markets showed a clear lead for the Remain campaign, and hence a low probability of exit. Sterling, in fact, stabilised as the Leave campaign gained ground earlier this month. But such is the power of narrative that every analyst sees the ghost of Brexit in every market movement. European bank stocks are down, the claim is, because of Brexit. It takes a moment to recognise that European bank stocks have been falling behind for years as their leveraged bets are being unwound. Italian banks are walking on the edge of a precipice. Similarly, theres no basis to the Bank of Englands claim that economic growth has already slowed in anticipation of Britains departure from the EU. The British economy has moved predictably with the degree of fiscal austerity: Gratuitous austerity delayed recovery from the financial crisis, a brief reprieve in 2014 drove a fleeting rebound, and more anticipated austerity is causing a slowdown. No forecaster can or should try to discern a Brexit effect amid these much larger movements. The world economy is in a fragile state. World trade, the best single barometer of global economic health, has been crawling. Indeed, the latest numbers suggest world trade may not be growing at all. We know the reasons why. The Chinese economy has been grinding down, which has put a lid on Japanese and Asian growth. Though the eurozone is out of crisis mode for now, it is, at best, muddling ahead. And the US has ceased acting as a global engine of growth. Now the collective voices of officialdom have primed financial markets to fear Brexit. The big rebound in sterling and world stock markets after this weekends modest shift back to Remain suggest that the association of Brexit with financial mayhem may have sunk in. There are enough fault lines in the global economy to worry about already. Adding this spectre of a Brexit-induced financial collapse is misguided and self-indulgent. Evidently, individual central banks are taking precautions. Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen notes Brexit is on her radar screen. And the Bank of England has added liquidity lines. It is time to step back from this dangerous course. Central banks should make a joint statement reassuring markets they stand by with credible tools to protect global financial systems. If a Brexit passes, a chapter in post-War European and global history will come to a close. How the event is remembered will depend on the wisdom of the present stewards of the global economic and financial systems. Ashoka Mody is visiting professor of international economic policy at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton and a visiting fellow at Bruegel, the economic think tank. He is a former mission chief for Germany and Ireland at the IMF ON MONDAY morning, the US supreme court signalled again that the countrys constitution does not stand in the way of addressing gun violence. The court refused to hear a challenge to a Connecticut law that broadly restricts access to the kind of semi-automatic rifles used in the 2014 Sandy Hook shooting and, more recently, in San Bernardino, California, and Orlando, Florida. That lets the law stand. It was the latest confirmation that the second amendment the right to bear arms does not impede most laws designed to reduce gun violence. The US supreme courts landmark Heller decision in 2008 established that a broad range of gun regulations are presumptively lawful. The court has driven this point home repeatedly, leaving in place dozens of lower court decisions upholding a wide range of gun laws. Yet, just hours after the courts action, the US Senate reaffirmed another truth about American democracy: The likelihood of the current US Congress passing meaningful gun reform is close to zero. Even as the urgency of American gun violence increases not only in light of the horrific incident in Orlando, but also the fact that the 49 killed at the Pulse nightclub were fewer than half the number of Americans killed with guns that weekend the US Congress does nothing. It may not be realistic to expect US congressional consensus on contentious gun issues, or even seemingly easy ones, like keeping suspected terrorists from buying the kind of guns used in the Orlando massacre. But when the US Senate, along partisan lines, rejected four bills aimed at curbing gun sales on Monday, it looked like even meaningful compromise was off the table. Thats not to say theres no talk of bi-partisan collaboration. US senator Susan Collins, a moderate Republican from Maine, has been working with a bipartisan group of colleagues to break the logjam with a compromise proposal. But the odds are stacked against it. The stalemate is hardening because neither side displays genuine interest in giving any ground. Many Republicans depend on support from the powerful gun lobby. They have every reason not to bend. Ditto the Democrats. Having taken so many political hits on gun politics over the last two decades, and sensing a sea-change that gives them the political upper-hand, why ease up now? The Democratic Party has every incentive to exploit the issue for political gain rather than concede even an inch and settle for a bill that can garner support from an increasingly elusive group of moderates. The Republican intransigence on guns stems from fear of a powerful gun lobby led by the National Rifle Association. The NRA once took a bipartisan approach, supporting members of either party it trusted on guns. But no more: Now the NRA is all in on the GOP. It spends tremendous amounts of money and mobilises its membership base on behalf of the Republican politicians who toe its line. GOP officials rightly fear that any willingness to compromise on gun issues will provoke the NRAs wrath which could result in the gun lobby backing a future primary opponent. In the middle of a US presidential campaign where many fear that usually engaged political supporters may sit on the sidelines, to anger the NRA could be political suicide. Democrats used to cower in fear of the NRA as well. For a generation, the party viewed gun issues as an untouchable third rail of politics. Mondays vote reveals a significant change in their thinking. But it isnt any more likely to lead to bipartisan compromise on a bill. Democrats clearly arent afraid of gun politics anymore. In fact, theyre pulling out the stops to show voters that theyre smart on guns, and strong on public safety. The public agrees overwhelmingly as new polling shows. So why should they meet the hardline, gun-lobby opposition half-way? The Democrats new approach became obvious during the presidential primary, when former secretary of state Hillary Clinton said she was proud to have made an enemy of the NRA and repeatedly attacked senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont for his past votes against background checks and for gun-industry immunity. The change was also visible when Democratic senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut led a filibuster to demand votes on background checks and the terror gap just days after the Orlando shooting. No response to a mass shooting has led to a vote in US Congress as quickly. And the change was visible in Mondays voting, when Democrats drew sharp lines in the sand and signalled that they plan to make guns a political litmus test theyll exploit through election day. This new, vocal engagement on gun violence may help Democrats win seats in the US Congress, and it may help usher Clinton into the White House especially given the emergence of an engaged, passionate and increasingly well-resourced gun-violence-prevention movement. But its not likely to produce any meaningful action in Congress in the near-term, given the persistence of Americas hyper-polarised, gridlocked politics. The US senate on Monday didnt do anything about the terror gap that allows those on the no-fly list to buy firearms legally. And it swung and missed on adopting comprehensive criminal background checks for gun sales a policy supported by nine in ten Americans, and three-quarters of NRA members. Collins efforts to identify a bipartisan middle ground are commendable, but they face extraordinary odds. In all, its a recipe for inaction through election day and, likely, beyond. If theres hope, its that the public is increasingly fed up with the never-ending drumbeat of gun violence that claims more 90 American lives each day. Only when the public demands that the US Congress elevates public safety over partisan politics and makes that demand in the voting booth will there be any real chance for federal legislation that will meaningfully combat American gun violence. Adam Skaggs is an attorney in New York City who specialises in gun policy and second amendment law. ON DAYS like tomorrow, that Irelands political system is more a colander for cabbage water than a sieve for fine flour, will seem a mixed blessing, but a blessing nonetheless. Unlike a still-United Kingdom straddling the north of this island and the neighbouring island across the Irish Sea, the concept of a referendum whose results are final, is alien to us. The shoutout that the people have spoken after a plebiscite is less a point of conclusion than a comma. It is usually, though not always, a premise for a continuation of the fight, via another constitutional referendum, not its end. The movement to repeal the eighth amendment is a case in point. It is little more than 30 years since it was passed with evangelical fervour by an overwhelming majority. But the matter is not settled far from it. It is amusing to look back on the recent history of many now defending the status quo. Having secured in the 1980s the supposedly pro-life referendum demanded, they spent most of the 1990s demanding another but this time real pro-life amendment after the Supreme Court ruled in the X case that flawed wording pivoting on an equal right to life between mother and child in fact allowed for abortion in certain circumstances, specifically suicide. Of course this was an outcome confidently predicted at the time by Alan Shatter and Adrian Hardiman among others. But no matter. When it came in 2002, the real pro-life amendment wasnt real enough for some. Critically, important independent TDs comprising Jackie Healy Rae, Harry Blaney and Mildred Fox, and others elsewhere, in Fine Gael and Fianna Fail ensured that a wording, copper-fastening what they imagined was the original purpose of the 1983 amendment was put to the people. However, it wasnt pro-life enough for some, especially Dana Rosemary Scanlon. Rejected by every major urban constituency as too restrictive, the small but numerically decisive ultra-right wing of the pro-life movement was the critical block ensuring defeat by a tiny majority. The endorsement of Catholic bishops wasnt enough. The then Cardinal Ratzinger was left perplexed, by an Irish catholic subculture so contaminated by John Calvin via Cornelius Jansen that the mutual obsession by intellectually inferior followers of both in Ireland mutated into an outlook that could only define itself, in terms of what it was against. Say what you like about Ratzinger but he had the measure of the Catholic Church in Ireland, and it wasnt a generous pour. Now the tables have turned. There is no chance ahead of the real pro-life amendment once wanted to replace the eight amendment of 1983, once so insisted upon. Instead, warts and all, its retention is the new red-line. Less a constitutional prohibition than a sandbag, the imperfect has become a requirement. It is strange how compromise, in retention of a flawed and certainly punctured eighth amendment, which would not be countenanced as enough prior to 2002, is now an object of principle. But this is only the most egregious example of our malleability. In general, however, it is a malleability that has served us well. The first referendum on the Treaty of Nice in 2002 to facilitate institutional change on foot of the enlargement of the EU was defeated here, but with reassurances and a subsequent strong campaign passed in 2002. In 2008 the first referendum on the Treaty of Lisbon enabling the EU to move to qualified majority voting on a large number of topics as well as significantly empowering the European Parliament was defeated here but subsequently passed in 2009. In the case of both defeats, poor campaigns by an incumbent government, in bad odour with the electorate played a role. So did a residual angst about a burgeoning unaccountability in a geographically and thematically expanding European Union. The empowerment of the European Parliament has done something in fact, as distinct from perception, to address the issue of unaccountability. But here, the forum remains so distant, that it provides little by way of practical answer to a question insidiously undermining the EU: namely who exactly are they and how did they get there. The parliament is a double-edged sword for Ireland. While it unquestionability is an advance for accountability, itis not so clearly an unqualified advance for Ireland. In the Council of the European Union, as a small country, we are one of 28. In the European Parliament we are 11 out of 751. For Ireland, accountability is always an ambiguous issue. It is not just that we rerun some constitutional referenda to suit the popular mood and political requirements, we hold others and simply pay no heed. In 1979 the seventh amendment to the constitution enabled graduates of any institute of higher education, elect the six senators on the university panel. Nothing further was ever done. In 2013 the proposed 32nd amendment to the constitution proposed the abolition of an unreformed Seanad. It was rejected by the people and the Seanad, still unreformed, sails on. Now, however, it has no Government majority and is likely to be a recurring fulcrum of problems in a deeply problematic legislature. All of that, however, is the colander for our constitutional cabbage water. For all the rigour of a written constitution, ultimately arbitrated by a Supreme Court, because referenda are an embedded part of the system and specifically provided for, they can be treated as business as usual and certainly business to be rerun again. For the United Kingdom tomorrow, it is entirely different. They have no written constitution and referenda are constitutionally extraordinary events. Only 10 referenda have been held within the UK and until tomorrow only two will have covered all of its constituent parts, as distinct from specific referenda in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The first UK-wide referendum was in 1975 on entry to the European Economic Community. The second, at the behest of the Liberal Democrats, was a failed attempt in 2011 to adopt an Alternative Vote System. Tomorrow will be another irretrievable decision in a system where, because parliament is sovereign, sovereign decisions when delegated, cannot be easily if ever be reversed. It is an irony that the very holding of referenda is a greater blow to the British tradition of parliamentary sovereignty, than the EU membership, supposedly at the core of tomorrows vote. But, once opened, Pandoras box cannot be closed. The supposed strength of the British constitution is opaque flexibility. As Walter Bagehot, Victorian editor of The Economist and authority on the unwritten British constitution wrote: What is most evident is not the difficulty of getting a fixed law, but getting out of a fixed law. The legal mistake of Brexit, like the pro-life amendment, is that it gives inflexible definition to positions which in their ultimate unreasonableness undermine traditional edifices which actually depend on the avoidance of absolute certainty for their continuance. Deputy chief Michael Harrington, Deputy Insp James Grant, and Brooklyn businessman Jeremy Reichberg, were charged with conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud. David Villanueva, an NYPD sergeant assigned to the gun licence bureau, was arrested on charges of conspiring to commit bribery. In exchange for the bribes, Mr Reichberg and others got a private police force for themselves and their friends, US attorney Preet Bharara said at a news conference. Effectively, they got cops on call. A criminal complaint said Reichberg exploited his connections within the police department to speed up gun licence processing, make tickets disappear, organise 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 police officials with well over $100,000 in benefits from 2012 to 2015. Spanking was a training model I have been exploring for many years, the trainer, Jiang Yang, posted on Weibo, Chinas Twitter-style social media site. Changzhi Zhangze Rural Commercial Bank, a lender in Chinas 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, Im not hard on myself. Another shouted, I didnt 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 womens hair and shaved the mens heads, according to media reports and www.czlook.com, the website of the Changzhi city government news office. The punishment, captured in a mobile phone 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 for comment, phone calls to the bank went unanswered, and Jiangs phone appeared to have been switched off. In an online statement, the oversight body described the training as improper, adding that it had suspended the banks 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. Mr Cameron warned the economic impact of Brexit would hit jobs and opportunities for years to come. These are risks to our families and we should not take them, he said. He warned future generations would be hit hardest as he spoke outside 10 Downing St. For you, for your family, for the future of our country, vote Remain, he said. Opinion polls have suggested that older voters are more likely to back Brexit and Mr Cameron addressed them directly. He said: 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. The next generation will have to live with the consequences far longer than the rest of us. Tomorrow it will just be you in that polling booth, he said, taking a decision that will affect your future, your childrens future, your grandchildrens future. He said: 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 childrens future and there is no going back. However, Steve Hilton, Mr Camerons former policy guru and a Leave supporter, labelled the statement as weird. He told BBC News: 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. Mr Hilton said there was nothing new in what Mr Cameron had said. He has claimed Mr Cameron was told by his civil servants four years ago that it was impossible for the British government to fulfil its pledge to reduce net migration to below 100,000 while the UK remained in the EU. Mr Hilton was asked on BBC News if he thought Mr Cameron had been wheeled out as a result of his comments. I think thats exactly right because it goes to the heart of this argument in the referendum campaign, he said. Meanwhile, former British prime minister Gordon Brown has said staying in the EU could see half a million jobs created across the UK in the next decade, including 50,000 in Scotland. As well as creating jobs, Mr Brown argued that a Remain vote will allow the UK to reap the benefit of the EUs 351bn infrastructure fund, which could help projects aimed at regenerating the UKs industrial heartlands. Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) president Naomi Hiroses apology followed the revelation last week that an investigation had found his predecessor instructed officials during the 2011 disaster to avoid using the word meltdown. I would say it was a cover-up, Mr Hirose told a news conference. Its extremely regrettable. Clintons address in Ohio, one of the nations most prominent swing states, aimed 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 Belgian capital of 1.2 million people remains on edge under a high-security alert three months after three IS suicide bombers blew themselves up at Brussels Airport and in a metro train, killing 32 people. Yesterday, 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 transport ministry said the figure came from its own mileage tests to look into cheating by the Japanese carmaker on its minicar models, tiny cars eligible for tax breaks in Japan and reputed to deliver very good mileage. Mitsubishi Motors acknowledged recently it had systematically inflated mileage for eK minicar models, as well as other models. 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. Vendors slaughtered dogs and cooked their meat in dozens of restaurants across the city of Yulin, in an event that has come to symbolise 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. They are caged and trucked to the city about 2,000km south of Beijing, 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 recognised by government or by any regulations or laws. "We hold meetings every time, discussing counter measures such as deploying local police, business and sanitary authorities to deal with those who sell dogs, said an official. Opponents expanded their campaign to the US, petitioning politicians in San Francisco to pressure their Chinese colleagues into calling for an end to the slaughter. Actors and celebrities, including Matt Damon and Joaquin Phoenix released a public service announcement calling for an end to the torture and killing of dogs in China, South Korea and other Asian nations. The Recorder reports Janis Lefebres children bought her the skydiving package from Jumptown, a skydiving centre based in Orange, after learning that jumping out of a plane was something she always wanted to do. A crowd of family and friends gathered to cheer on Ms Lefebres descent from 13,500 ft. Ms Lefebre said her first try was perfect. She said skydiving lived up to her expectations and she wouldnt hesitate to do it again. Ms Lefebres family members think she might go running with the bulls in Spain or ride in a racecar for her next birthday. Her daughter Lori Craig said her mother wears us out. Bale honour WALES: A county council renamed itself after superstar Gareth Bale following Waless Euro 2016 triumph. Wales made history by reaching the last 16 of the tournament following an emphatic 3-0 win over Russia. Vale of Glamorgan officials announced that for one night only, the local authority was to be called Bale of Glamorgan. And it proved a hit with social media users with a doctored signpost being shared almost 400 times. Never too late... USA: One Massachusetts commuter believes it is never too late to say sorry or pay your train fare. Matthew Andrewes hand-delivered an apology letter, along with $300 (266) in cash, to the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) on June 9. That was the amount Mr Andrewes believes he owes MBTA for evading fares. The 31-year-old said he avoided paying the train fare whenever he could as a teenager and in his 20s. He wrote: I am so sorry. Please accept this money as compensation. Gun giveaway USA: A Republican candidate for Congress in Florida has launched a contest on his Facebook campaign page to give away a semi-automatic rifle on July 4. Greg Evers announced the competition barely a week after a shooting at a gay nightclub killed 49 people in Orlando, which is about a five-hour drive from the Florida Panhandle congressional district Mr Evers seeks to represent. With terrorism incidents on the rise, both at home and abroad, protecting our constitutional rights has never been more important, Mr Evers said. With all thats happening in the world today, Ive never felt stronger about the importance of the second amendment in protecting our homeland than I do now. Man in a van USA: Police in New York City say theyve 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 police received multiple noise complaints Saturday night in the Queens neighbourhood of Willets Point, near Citi Field. Police found the van and confiscated it. Authorities say the vans owner, Nelson Hidalgo, has been arrested on charges of criminal nuisance, unreasonable noise, unlawful assembly and other offences. It was not immediately known if Hidalgo has an attorney. The NYPD tweeted out a picture of the van on Sunday. In largely party-line votes, senators rejected one proposal from each side to keep extremists from acquiring guns and a second shoring up the governments system of required background checks for many firearms purchases. With the chambers visitors galleries unusually crowded including the relatives of victims of past mass shootings 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 chamber first voted on dueling proposals related to the federal background checks systems. The Republican amendment, which aimed to pour more resources into prosecuting violations of the current background checks system but did not expand it in any way, fell short by a vote of 53 to 47. The Democratic alternative, which would have required background checks for all gun sales except for gifts and loans between immediate family members, failed by 44 to 56. The stalemate underscored the pressure on each party to stand firm on the emotional issue going into Novembers 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 of Nevada. And all the time, their cheerleaders, the bosses at the NRA, are cheering them. That the four roll-call votes occurred at all was testament to the political currents buffeting lawmakers after Omar Mateens June 12 attack on a gay nightclub. The 49 victims who died made it the largest mass shooting in recent US 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 spectre of terrorism to their arguments for firearms curbs. A young Briton accused of attempting to grab a police officers 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 hopefuls 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. 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 he was unemployed. 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 officers 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. Sandford was carrying a UK driving licence at the time he was arrested. A neighbour in Dorking, England, described him as a very quiet lad, while another, who did not give her name, said: He used to say hello, which is good in this day and age. Asked if she was surprised by what is said to have happened, she said: Kids do strange things and he (Trump) is a horrible man anyway. Burma After Shooting of Kachin Teen, Protesters Dispute Burma Army Claims On Monday, an unarmed 19-year-old Kachin college student was shot dead by a Burma Army soldier. Protests ensued, but what really happened remains unclear. RANGOON After nearly one thousand local residents in Myitkyina, Kachin State took to the streets on Tuesday to protest the shooting of a teen by a Burma Army soldier, the Ministry of Defense has officially announced the cause of death as a misfire. On Monday night in the Kachin State capital, an unarmed 19-year-old ethnic Kachin university student, Gum Seng Awng, was shot to death by a Burma Army soldier. The Ministry of Defense announced in The Global New Light of Myanmar, a state-run newspaper, on Wednesday, The death of a Kachin man on Monday night was caused by a misfire from a soldiers gun. The two soldiers were providing security at the Bala Min Htin Bridge in Myitkyina and were escorting four [female] civilians who asked them to help as they were being threatened by a group of men, said the statement. When the soldiers arrived back [at] the bridge, a group comprising eight men fought them and attempted to grab the arm of a soldier, who then apparently misfired his weapon killing a young male. The two soldiers were injured and are receiving medical treatment at a local Army battalion base. Action will be taken according to the procedures, said the Ministry of Defense. However, residents and relatives remain upset because the victim was an unarmed civilian. Local sources confirmed that there was an argument between the two soldiers and a group of young Kachin men that led to the Gum Seng Awngs death. But they dispute the events that led up to the shooting. Zau Lat, Gum Seng Awngs uncle, told The Irrawaddy the cause of the death was unclear because his nephews friends had different accounts. His friends said they were on their way home when they saw two girls and joked around with them. But then the two soldiers drove behind the girls and asked the young men why they were talking with the girls, so they had an argument, said Zau Lat. But, looking at his injures, it looks like he was shot from behind deliberately at close range, added Zau Lat, adding that his nephews body had three bullet holes. According to the account Zau Lat heard, Gum Seng Awng was with three of his friends, as opposed to the Armys claim of a group of eight men. Relatives of the victim wanted local authorities to investigate the killing and bring to justice those responsible. However, they said they had low expectations and claimed the local authorities tried to prevent them from seeing and examining Gum Seng Awngs corpse at the hospital on the night of the incident. In their march on Tuesday, the protesters held placards and posters that read, Stop killing students, stop killing unarmed civilians, stop killing Kachins. They marched yesterday [Tuesday] to condemn the killing of civilians, and they want guarantees it wont happen again, Zau Lat said. They are trying to put pressure [on the authorities]. There was no protest today, and a funeral ceremony will be held Thursday at 1 pm, led by the Kachin Baptist Convention, a local Christian civil society organization. Burma Suu Kyis Trip to Refugee Camp in Thailand Scrapped State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyis trip to a refugee camp on the Thai-Burma border has been cancelled by local Thai authorities, sources say. BANGKOK, Thailand Local Thai authorities have reportedly cancelled the State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyis official visit to the Tham Hin refugee camp in Ratchaburi province on Saturday, according to sources close to the camp administration. Suu Kyi will be arriving in Thailands capital Bangkok on Thursday for her three-day visit, and had planned to travel on Saturday to Tham Hin camp in Ratchaburi, where more than 6,000 Burmese refugees are residing. The source, who chose to remain anonymous due to the sensitivity of issues concerning the refugee camp, told The Irrawaddy that local Thai authorities had informed the camp committee on Wednesday that the trip had been cancelled, with no reason given. Communities in the camp would like to welcome our leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the source said. We would like her to see the situation of the camp in order to help us. We would like to raise some questions regarding refugees and hear what she has to say too. Heavy restrictions on access are in place for non-residents in the Tham Hin camp, the second-smallest of the nine refugee camps along the Thailand-Burma border. Sally Thompson, director of the Thailand Border Consortium, said she had also been informed by her field staff about the cancellation of the trip, but had not received an official confirmation. If it was cancelled, everybody [the refugees and the NGOs] will be disappointed, Thompson told The Irrawaddy. It would have been a good opportunity for her [Aung San Suu Kyi] to have a dialogue with the refugees [who] can explainwhy they are still here in the camp. Some of the issues related to refugee repatriation are supposed to be discussed during the State Counselors meeting with the Thai Prime Minister Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha on Friday, she said. Landmines, land allocation issues and military presence have all been cited as obstacles preventing the refugees from returning to Burma. The government of Myanmar is not ready, and at the moment the Thai government is waiting for the Myanmar government to say they are ready, the Thailand Border Consortiums Sally Thompson said. Thai government spokesperson Maj-Gen Werachon Sukondhapatipak was quoted by Thailand-based English-language newspaper The Nation on Wednesday as saying that Thailand has always been eager to return refugees to Burma but has been unable to overcome legal and logistical hurdles to doing so. Burmas Ambassador to Thailand U Win Maung did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Burma UN Rapporteur Avoids Contentious Terms with Arakan Chief Minister Yanghee Lee and Chief Minister Nyi Pyu exchange positive words, while the Arakan National Party have refused to meet with the biased UN rapporteur. RANGOON The United Nations (UN) special rapporteur on human rights in Burma, Yanghee Lee, and Arakan State Chief Minister Nyi Pu struck a conciliatory tone on a meeting in the state capital Sittwe on Wednesday, in which the contentious terms Rohingya and Bengali were avoided. Yanghee Lee expressed confidence in the leadership of Nyi Pu, a National League for Democracy (NLD) member who was appointed as Chief Minister by the NLD leadership in the face of opposition from the Arakan National Party (ANP), which represents the Arakanese Buddhist majority and holds the largest plurality of seats in the state parliament. Despite a reported request from Yanghee Lee, the ANP issued a statement on Wednesday saying they would not meet with her because she was coming to write a biased report for the UN. Yanghee Lee and the UN have been the subject of fierce criticism, and abuse, from nationalists in Burma for highlighting discrimination against the stateless Rohingya Muslim minority in Arakan State, whom the general public in Burma refers to as Bengali, to imply they migrated illegally from Bangladesh. This week, the UNs human rights office released a report stating that violations against the Rohingyaincluding denial of citizenship rights, forced labor and sexual violencecould amount to crimes against humanity. The report has already drawn criticism from within the Burmese government. Arakan State government spokesman Min Aung told The Irrawaddy on Wednesday that Yanghee Leewho is in Arakan State for two dayswas travelling to Kadi, a Muslim-majority village tract of 421 households in Ponnagyun Township. Yanghee Lee will then proceed to the Pa Nyar Wa camp in Kyauktaw Township, which is sheltering members of non-Muslim ethnic minority groupsincluding the Mro and Daingnetdisplaced by recent fighting between the Burma Army and the Arakan Army. Min Aung said that Yanghee Lee arrived at 10 am on Wednesday at Sittwe airport, where she held a ten-minute meeting with Chief Minister Nyi Pu. According to Min Aung, Yanghee Lee did not use either of the controversial terms Bengali or Rohingya. The Arakan State government spokesman also said that Yanghee Lees agenda did not include visits to any of the camps for displaced Muslims. He said that Yanghee Lee was interested to visit Kadi village tract in Ponnagyun Township because it is one of the sites being targeted by the governments re-booted citizenship verification program aimed at stateless Muslims in Arakan State. As previously reported by The Irrawaddy, Muslim residents of the village tract have met the process with distrust, with some refusing to cooperate. The Irrawaddy contacted four separate individuals who attended the meeting between Yanghee Lee and Nyi Pu. They concurred with the account of spokesman Min Aung. A government source shared an audio file of the meeting with The Irrawaddy, which featured no mention of the words Rohingya or Bengali. Chief Minister Nyi Pu said the state government is now observing and analyzing the situation in Arakan State and following instructions from State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, who chairs the new Committee for Arakan State Peace, Stability and Development. Nyi Pu said that, under Suu Kyis leadership, we will quickly implement changes and deliver development. I believe our people will fully obtain the benefits. Nyi Pu mentioned that the world is watching Aung San Suu Kyi and her actions will be judged according to international standards. Nobody should doubt her sincerity, he said. He added that there was no cause for misunderstanding between the UN and the Burmese government. He called on Yanghee Lee to collaborate with the governments plan. Yanghee Lee said she had come as a true friend of Arakan State and was there to help. Yanghee Lee expressed her gladness that Aung San Suu Kyi was leading the new committee on Arakan State, and was devoting attention to its pressing issues. She also expressed confidence in Chief Minister Nyi Pu, whom she trusted would help deliver positive change. Today I would like to take the opportunity again to thank you all for working hard on a very complex and very difficult situation, she said. On Tuesday, Ms. Yanghee Lee told civil society groups in Rangoon that she had been prohibited by the government from visiting northern Shan State, where several thousand civilians have fled armed conflict in recent months, out of concern for her safety. The Irrawaddy phoned President Offices spokesman Zaw Htay on Wednesday to clarify this restriction imposed on Yanghee Lee but the calls went unanswered. Wednesday, June 22nd, 2016 (1:49 pm) - Score 547 Shropshire-based broadband and telecoms provider Entanet has warned that the Governments controversial Investigatory Powers Bill (IPB), which will force ISPs to snoop on their customers, is not clear or workable but still looks certain to become law within weeks. The IPBill proposes various changes and chief among them is a new requirement for ISPs to retain Internet Connection Records of all their subscribers (i.e. your details + what websites and servers you visited) for a period of up to 12 months, which can then be provided to various public bodies and the security services upon request (a police warrant is only required for more detailed interception). However ISPs, especially smaller providers, frequently warn that the technical details of this system and how it would work have yet to be fully clarified. On top of that the new approach would impose a significant financial burden upon them, which is likely to cost dramatically more than the Governments thinly researched estimations (upwards of 175m+). Some are even predicting a figure well north of 1 billion; the government will only pick-up part of the tab for this. The latest draft revision of the IPBill was officially published in March 2016 (here) and has already made it through the House of Commons, with only a few minor amendments. The bill is now headed for the House of Lords where it may face greater scrutiny, although Entanet and many other ISPs dont expect much to change. Paul Heritage-Redpath, Entanets Product Manager, said: The current IPB is not clear or workable by any stretch of the imagination. To our dismay, following its third reading, Labour has now lent its support to the Bill, which passed in the Commons with a majority of 444 to 69; the SNP, Liberal Democrats, and Green Party voted against it. Home Secretary Theresa May MP, said that the Bill had received unprecedented levels of scrutiny. Were not at all convinced by this statement; the Public Committee that has been scrutinising the IPB is made up of 20 MPs, none of whom, as far as we are aware, are experts in the Internet or security. Consultation with industry has been scant at best. The concern for MPs is perhaps that the industry will come up with all sorts of objections (as it already has, quite independently) and slow the Bills passage down. The Shadow Home Secretary, Andy Burnham MP (Labour), has at least joined with others to continue his calls for greater clarification of what ICRs actually constitute and who should have access. I believe the threshold at which ICRs can be accessed must be higher. At present, the Bill sets it at any crime. I do not think it is necessary or proportionate for information held in ICRs to be accessed in connection with lower-level offences, said Burnham in April, before adding that too many public bodies can still access the data. Paul Heritage-Redpath added: We have watched the progression of the IPB carefully and we feel it needs much more scrutiny and input from the industry. Like ISPA, we believe that it is important for the government to bring forward new legislation but the current Bill is still a long way from being clear or fair. Another issue that was raised last week by Gavin Newlands, is the cost impact that keeping ICRs is going to have on ISPs; it is estimated this could be anywhere between 1 billion and 3 billion. Weve argued in the past that it is unfair that ISPs should have to shoulder the burden of this cost and that the likely outcome is that the extra costs will be passed on to the consumer. But until we know what an ICR actually is, we have no hope of calculating what the cost is likely to be. In summary, this is a Bill that the government seems to be pushing through quickly for political as well as practical reasons; has not been properly and thoroughly thought-out, lacks clear guidance and definition; and will almost certainly lead to an increase in costs for customers. Entanets opinion appears to be almost universally shared by other ISPs and civil liberty groups, which all fear the aggressive encroachment of mass state surveillance upon ordinary law abiding citizens. However for ISPs its arguably the cost and technological challenges that create the most concern, both of which are difficult to factor when you have a bill that looks set to become law before anybody is quite sure about how to either implement or pay for it. Broadband provision in particular is a very low margins business and asking ISPs to implement a system that would impose a disproportionately huge cost is ultimately something that will surely be felt in the price we all pay. UPDATE 2:12pm The Regulatory Manager for Zen Internet, Gary Hough, has also given some input on the cost side of things. Embracing the Mobile Development Trends of 2016 Initially, the timeline for 5G suggested that the ambitious technology would be ready in the 2020 timeframe. Thats still the date people are using, but there are more than a few hints that vendors and operators are speeding things up a bit. The latest example is Ericssons announcement earlier this month that it is preparing software that will help network providers evolve their LTE networks to 5G. Industrial IoT 5G said the plug ins will include Massive MIMO (multiple in multiple out), radio access network (RAN) virtualization, intelligent connectivity, and software aimed at reducing latency. Ericsson is at the forefront of the carriers that could beat the original 2020 target: Ericsson has been aggressive in moving towards 5G and software deployments, touting 5G network trials with more than 20 operators, and planned field trials starting this year. 5G standards are not expected to be finalized until at least 2019, with commercial deployments using that standard not expected to roll out until the 2020 time frame. However, some carriers are looking to begin those field trials this year, with pre-standards-based commercial deployments beginning as early as 2017. Indeed, there are several signs that the technology is moving quickly. AT&T is conducting 5G trials with Nokia, and Verizon seems to be ahead and is hoping to pilot 5G services this year and launch in 2017, according to Business Insider. More evidence of efforts to move quickly comes from Qatar. Ooredoo Qatar, a carrier in the Middle East, is quite clear in its intentions with 5G, according to The Peninsula: Waleed Al Sayed, CEO of Ooredoo Qatar, told The Peninsula that it is working to bring forward the introduction of 5G technology from the current goal it is expected to go on trial in 2018 and then launch globally by 2020. He said: We believe 2020 is very far away. So we are trying with manufacturers and other concerned entities such as ITU and GSM Association (organiser of Mobile World Congress) to bring the launch date forward. The general consensus clearly is that the 2020 deadline can be beat. Indeed, it seems to be the accepted reality. Nokia CEO Rajiv Suri suggests that 5G will roll out in an evolutionary manner, with large-scale deployments in 2020. However, lots of incremental steps will be taken between now and then. These will result in 5G-based services being available to the public. There are a couple of things of which to be wary, despite the general optimism. One is whether the 5G that executives are talking about is the same technology that was originally promised. It is possible, and even easy, to gloss over technical differences. The move to 4G LTE was characterized by incremental steps beyond 3G, but somewhat short of true 4G. Marketing departments always push the envelope, and they generally sought to portray 3G-plus as 4G. Also keep in mind that there are still significant technical and standards steps that must be taken to achieve fully fledged 5G. None of the voices suggesting that 5G will arrive before 2020 seem to be from the people who are tasked with working out those highly technical details. Carl Weinschenk covers telecom for IT Business Edge. He writes about wireless technology, disaster recovery/business continuity, cellular services, the Internet of Things, machine-to-machine communications and other emerging technologies and platforms. He also covers net neutrality and related regulatory issues. Weinschenk has written about the phone companies, cable operators and related companies for decades and is senior editor of Broadband Technology Report. He can be reached at [email protected] and via twitter at @DailyMusicBrk. The Internet of Things (IoT) is a network of tangible items - from vehicles to refrigerators - that allows these things to collect and exchange data. Up until now, the IoT is very minimally seen in everyday life, with autonomous cars probably being the biggest example. However, the promise of IoT lands on a much larger scale and a South Korean tech giant is ready to take the lead. Samsung will be investing as much as $1.2 billion in the United States in the course of 4 years, as reported by Engadget. The investment will be used to develop technology that is targeted at enhancing the the power of everyday devices and will be shared between Samsung's own company and different startups. The company is already co-founding a "National IoT Strategy Dialogue," which aims to shape U.S. policies on always-online gadgets. Of course, Samsung is hoping that the guidelines will go in their favor, or that the guidelines will not "hold back" its interests. As C|Net adds, the goal of Samsung with the Internet of things is far greater than just making the lives of individuals easier. The company knows that the technology can be used for the bigger picture as well. In fact, Samsung's Vice Chairman, Oh-Hyun Kwon, spoke about this at an event in Washington, D.C. Kwon made an example of nursing homes. "Today, IoT is changing individual lives... Tomorrow, using IoT, we can give the same independence to millions of Americans. We can keep people out of hospitals and nursing homes." Kwon also discussed a few issues that the Information Technology Industry Council plans to address as IoT is further developed. These issues include privacy and security, internet infrastructure investment, leveraging public-private partnerships, letting innovation flourish, a global-wide set of standards and best practices, and enabling interoperability - the ability of a system to interact and work with another. Google is simplifying the two-factor authentication process required in order to log into a user account by integrating it into the iOS search app. According to MacRumors, Google has introduced the two-factor authentication in order to add an extra layer of security to users' Google Apps accounts. This is achieved by requiring users to enter their username and password and an additional verification code when signing into their account. If someone obtains a user password, Google's two-step verification process can prevent unauthorized access. In order to use this authentication process, users previously needed to receive a phone call or text message or in order to get a verification code. Alternatively, users could get a time-limited numerical code from the Google Authenticator mobile app. The change in the way the two-factor authentication process works is being rolled out since Tuesday, June 21. Google has explained the details of the change in its blog. According to Google, a notification from the iOS search app now asks if the user is trying to sign when they try to sign into a Google account with two-step verification enabled. The account is quickly authenticated by a simple tap on the option "Yes, allow sign-in." Users need to sign into Google's My Account section and select Google prompt in order to enable two-factor authentication. In order to work, the option requires a data connection. According to Google, it may take up to three days for the feature to appear across all account pages. According to ZDNet, the new two-step verification method is called by the internet search giant company "Google prompt." This comes to offer Android and iPhone users a simpler manner of signing in to Google than one-time codes received from the Google Authenticator app or via SMS. Since it can stop someone who has stolen a password from accessing an account, tech experts estimate that the new option will encourage Google users to enable two-step verification in order to protect their accounts. In response to the recent MySpace and LinkedIn password leaks, many security experts have recommended users to enable the two-step verification. Singapore-based Dropsuite, a cloud back-up solutions provider for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and corporates, has expanded its offerings in Europe via Netherlands-based premium Telco LeaderTelcom. But wait there's more. Dropsuite is helmed by former Google and Dell executive Charif Elansari and backed by top-tier global investors including 500 Startups and Hatcher. In April, Singapores Dropsuite expanded into the North American and Australian markets, gearing up for its upcoming listing on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX). The LeaderTelecom deal follows similarly successful deals with some of the biggest names in the tech industry, including Ingram Micro (the worlds largest distributor of computer and technology products), GoDaddy (the worlds largest hosting company), Blacknight Solutions (the #1 hosting company in Ireland), GMO Internet (the #1 hosting company in Japan), HostPapa (the #1 hosting company in Canada), and Singtel (the #1 telco in Singapore). It also comes months after Dropsuite rebranded from Dropmysite. By integrating Dropsuites range of cloud-based back-up solutions, LeaderTelecom can expand its service offerings to better protect its clients most important asset: their data. It welcomes Dropsuite to its list of best-in-class global partners including Comodo, Entrust, and Symantec. Dropsuite provides a fully-automated and secure platform that enables SMEs to back-up and restore website, email, mobile and server data. Its range of cloud-based back-up products and services include Dropmysite (website and database back-up), Dropmyemail (email backup and archiving), Dropmymobile (mobile data back-up), and DSE Server Backup (file-based server back-up). Ridley Ruth, chief operating officer of Dropsuite said, LeaderTelecom is a European market leader in online security. It will deliver best-in-class, one-click back-up solutions to its clients, not just in Europe but to its fast-growing client base around the world. LeaderTelecoms clients trust it as their premium telecom service provider of choice, and were delighted to now be a part of that process. Aleksei Ivanov, founder and managing director at LeaderTelecom, said, Since (it was) founded in 2012, LeaderTelecom has been at the forefront of the market by offering cutting-edge technology solutions from its painstaking process of choosing great partners. We are delighted to add Dropsuite to that list of world-class partners as we incorporate its simple and easy one-click cloud back-up solutions alongside our offerings. It also positions us favourably to tap into the European and global data protection and recovery markets. LeaderTelecom has clients in 80 countries and is a member of HSD (The Hague Security Delta), the largest security cluster in Europe and second-largest in the world. It is one of only 15 companies worldwide to enjoy WSSP-specialist status. In the four years since launch, LeaderTelecom has forged enduring strategic partnerships with security solutions provider including Symantec, IT security company Entrust, and the worlds second-largest SSL-supplier Comodo, among others. NABERS is the national rating that measures the energy efficiency, water usage, waste management and indoor environment quality of a building and its impact on the environment. It is managed nationally by the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage, on behalf of Commonwealth, state and territory governments. The rating is done by using measured and verified performance information, such as utility bills, and converting them into an easy to understand star rating scale from one to six stars. For example, a 6-star rating demonstrates market-leading performance, while a 1-star rating means the building or tenancy has considerable scope for improvement. Fujitsu Australia was an early adopter of NABERS ratings and is the first to achieve a fully rated data centre portfolio across six centres. The achievement is due to a local initiative to drive the companys global environmental action plan stage VIII, which seeks to contribute to society through developing ICT solutions and reducing the environmental impacts of their business. Mike Foster, chief executive of Fujitsu Australia and New Zealand, said: The portfolio rating is just as important from an environmental leadership perspective as it is from a transparency one. When it comes to energy efficiency claims regarding data centres, transparency is crucial. With the exponential increase in data centre energy and Australia being powered predominantly by fossil fuels, the industry needs more accountability for our environmental impacts. Tom Grosskopf, director of the metro branch at the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage, said, Fujitsu have been strong supporters of the NABERS Energy for data centres tool since its inception. This achievement is another significant statement that marks them as leaders in this industry. All digital companies should be looking to follow Fujitsu's lead if we're to reach our national sustainability targets. Fujitsu is also commencing a customer program to engage clients in their energy efficiency movement. For Fujitsus customers, choosing a provider with a high NABERS Energy rating will ensure they benefits from a resilient and efficient data centre. Fujitsu is looking to extend this best practice initiative to advise customers on how to obtain their own NABERS Energy rating, through consultation and learning. While digital copies have reduced paper print volumes, it is all too easy to print out a hard copy costing from a few cents to a few dollars each. A layer of control is needed. Nuance Equitrac intelligent print management software tracks all print jobs, produces cost centre reports, and allows for print accounting for on-charging. It has developed a reputation for security and cost containment, especially in the legal and education sectors. It has released a Chinese language version to cater for the growing Asian market. "Nuance is committed to the Asian market and will continue to invest in the region to meet the needs of our customers. Equitracs Chinese version complements our English version which is already widely used in Asia," said Stephen Dubois, vice-president sales APJ - Nuance Document Imaging. The Chinese version is available to customers through the companys long-term regional partners, Canon, Fuji Xerox, HP, Konica Minolta and Ricoh. These partners can assist customers with training and support, which is underpinned by Nuances solid expertise and technical know-how. Nuance has invested in China and has approximately 100 staff there. Key features include: NEC is investing $4.38 million in setting up a new global Security Intel Centre in Adelaide to help address what it says are growing demands for cyber security around the world. The new centre is expected to create 50 new high-value jobs in South Australia over the next five years. South Australia's Minister for Investment and Trade, Martin Hamilton-Smith, says the new secufrity centre will make the state a more attractive destination for ICT skills that are in high demand by organisations operating in South Australia, and newer entrants that have established themselves in the state. "Cyber security is a rapidly growing sector, and is attracting increasing attention and investment. Governments and businesses alike need innovative products and services to protect them from increasingly sophisticated threats to privacy and security. According to Hamilton-Smith, the establishment of the new security centre will bring about the creation of highly-specialised jobs in an area that will be transformational for the local economy." He says Adelaide has quickly become a destination of choice for companies in the technology and creative industries space and the city offers a vast talent pool through the three local universities and a competitive business environment that ensures tech companies can grow and thrive in South Australia. NEC Australia chief operating officer, Mike Barber, said NEC sees the cyber security demand in Australia and the Asia Pacific Region as a huge opportunity aligning with the company's global vision." "This isn't just about the creation of 50 new high-value jobs in South Australia over the next five years this is a major global investment in a growth sector. "South Australia is providing NEC with a great base to bring new technologies into Australia. Adelaide is a recognised hub for new technologies and we've worked with a lot of local partners with great intellectual property delivering innovative technical solutions." Barber said the facility builds on NEC Australia's recently announced memorandum of understanding with the University of Adelaide's Smart City initiative, under which the organisations will collaborate closely on research and development. Not a day goes by without cyber criminals bragging about a data breach from Ashley Madison to Sony. The fact is, no company appears to be immune to data breaches and hacks. One solution is multi-factor authentication (MFA) or 2-step verification (2SV) which essentially use a login and password to access a secure site that then generates an SMS code (or another method) to verify it is you. It may add a login step, but it eliminates the use of stolen passwords and logins unless attackers steal the mobile device as well. Google now supports 2SV by accessing My Account and selecting Sign-in & Security > Signing in to Google > 2-Step Verification. It supports SMS codes, physical security tokens, landline calls, USB keys and more. EIther 2SV or MFA is great because it alerts the user that their password and login has been used it is easy to identify fraudulent use. Chris Webber, security strategist with cybersecurity company Centrify, has welcomed news that Google is simplifying its two-step verification security process by providing in-app access authorisation. Webber said This move is a good step forward. It mirrors what the best enterprise MFA apps have been doing for some time. Having in-app MFA which requires only a yes or no tap both makes the end user experience simpler and raises the bar even further for attackers. Even an SMS-based code sent to a mobile device is many, many, times stronger than simply relying on username and password. Without MFA, attackers only need a stolen password, which today is very easy to get. With SMS, they need the password, and they need to socially engineer mobile carriers into redirecting text messages from the correct phone to another device. That second piece requires real effort, some skill, and a lot more time. As we all know there is no perfect security. But there is poor, good, and strong security and its good to see we are moving away from poor password-only security, to MFA for all users. The founding chief executive of NBN Co, Mike Quigley, has intervened in the last two weeks of the federal election, slamming the Coalition for making a huge miscalculation with the networks use of copper access technologies. Quigley ended what has been a low-profile retirement since 2013 with a strident attack on Wednesday on the Coalition, with his comments that the Coalitions betting of tens of billions of taxpayers dollars on a multi-technology mix (MTM) rollout, and the NBNs use of copper, was a colossal mistake. The ex-boss of the NBN resigned in 2013 ahead of the election of the Abbott government and, in one of his only public comments since, says to spend billions of dollars to build a major piece of national infrastructure that just about meets demand today, but doesnt allow for any significant growth in that demand over the next 10 or 20 years, without large upgrade costs - is incredibly short-sighted. Quigley launched his broadside in an address to an audience of around 200 industry figures at the University of Melbourne on Wednesday organised by the university's Melbourne Networked Society Institute (MNSI) with the Telecommunications Association, TelSoc. And, Quigley was unequivocal about what he says is the only technology fibre to the premises (FttP)Australia should have to deliver its NBN. Quigley is in apparent support of Labors original plan for the delivery of a fibre network, and told his audience that the plan to deliver FttP to 93% of the population would have cost $45 billion considerably less than the estimates of $64 billion to $94 billion. Forty-five billion is still the correct peak funding cost if the project (FTTP) had been allowed to continue," he said. To believe that the original FttP deployment would have required a peak funding of somewhere between $64bn and $94bn you have to make totally unrealistic assumptions about take-up rates and ARPUs, assumptions that have proven to be wrong. You have to distort per premise capex numbers, and finally you have to ignore the improvements in technology that are driving down FttP costs, increasing productivity and reducing FttP build times everywhere else in the world. Given the complexity of all of this information it is little wonder that it is very difficult for the average person, or even the media, to sort out fact from fiction concerning the peak funding costs for the original FttP-based NBN. But what is clear is that every forecast regarding the NBN that the Coalition has made, for which there is now data, whether for their own MTM or for the original FTTP plan - every one of them has been wrong. Quigleys major beef is the Coalitions decision to roll out a multi-technology mix (MTM) broadband network based on copper, rather than the original FttP-based NBN. It is such a pity that so much time and effort has been spent on trying to discredit and destroy the original FttP-based NBN. And equally a pity that the Coalition has put their faith in what has turned out to be a short-sighted, expensive and backward looking MTM based on copper. The nation is going to be bearing the consequences of those decisions for years to come in higher costs and poorer performance in an area that is critical to its long-term future. So, why is it important that we all understand the true picture regarding the original FttP-based NBN? asks Quigley. Unless the reality regarding FttP is known and understood, decisions will continue to be made about the NBN which are based on faulty information. Despite his criticisms, according to Quigley it is not too late to change the current direction of the NBN, but that change would need to be made in a controlled and managed way so that the project is not subject to another major disruption. Asked by iTWire what changes to the NBN rollout he expected the Coalition, if returned to government, or Labor, if elected on 2 July, would make to satisfy his and the industrys demands for a full FttP network not a fibre to the node (FttN) network Quigley is not overly enthusiastic. I expect the current government (Coalition) to continue to do what they are doing now, theyre so invested in it. They will maybe do less FTTN and use FTTPdb but thats not a trivial technology, but theyre likely to do that. With Labor, Quigley says he expects them to do what is logical to phase down the FttN and do more FttP and retain the HFC plan. They have no choice other than to do that, he stresses. And, on Labors stated commitment to halt the rollout of FttN and start deploying full fibre to 40% of premises, Quigley says he doesnt expect the transition will make a difference to the costs or the timing of the NBN completion and ongoing maintenance and upgrade costs will be lower. Quigley says that, compared to the original FttP-based NBN, Australia is on the way to a much poorer performing broadband network with a mix of FttP, FttN, and other technologies, entailing increased long-term costs and completion at about the same time as the original project would have been completed. Around the world, the direction in which new builds of fixed broadband networks are headed has become clear. The world is increasingly moving towards FttP. As a consequence, advances are being made in FttP technology that make it cheaper and easier to deploy. These developments, which have taken place in the last few years, have only reinforced the rationale for basing Australias NBN on FttP." As Australia's Julian Assange begins a fifth year of life in the Ecuador embassy in London, it looks like Sweden, the country that has accused him of rape, is finally beginning to come around. A report in the Guardian says Ecuador has received a formal request from Swedish authorities to interview Assange, a move that could bring the long-running saga to an end. Strangely, this is exactly what Ecuador has been asking for all along! Proposals for Assange to be extradited to Sweden for questioning were rejected because it was feared that he would be sent to the US from there. In the US, although the authorities are unwilling to admit it, there is a grand jury reportedly waiting to issue an indictment over Assange's alleged involvement in the leaks of confidential documents by former US soldier Chelsea Manning, documents that exposed several home truths about the US invasion of Iraq in 2003. Manning is now in jail. Assange visited Sweden in August 2010 to attend a conference where he was scheduled to give a talk. During that visit, he had sex with two women whom he met. The pair filed rape and molestation complaints against him later, claims that he denied. He was questioned by Swedish authorities and cleared of all accusations. He could have left the country then and there but stayed for a while, in case the authorities decided to question him again. Interpol issued a Red Notice for his arrest on 20 November 2010. On 27 November, Assange surrendered to authorities and appeared before a Westminster judge. Bail was granted to him in December after his backers provided 240,000 in cash and sureties. Then began a protracted period of legal back and forth that went on until June 2012, when Swedish prosecutors sought his extradition. Assange's lawyers, among them the world-renowned Australian Geoffrey Robertson, replied that if he agreed to the extradition request, then he could be flown to the US from there. On 19 June 2012, he jumped bail and took refuge in the Ecuadorian embassy in London, seeking asylum in the South American country. British police surrounded the building and blocked any chance of his leaving. Ecuador granted him asylum in August 2012. He has had to stay inside the four walls of the embassy since then. Assange went to the UK because he did not trust the government in the so-called Lucky Country Australia. He feared it would hand him over to the US if he came home. Given Australia's obeisance to any dictates from Washington, one cannot question his logic. Australia has behaved in a craven way at least twice in the recent past when two of its citizens Mamdouh Habib and David Hicks were incarcerated by the Americans. Hicks was freed only after former Liberal prime minister John Howard begged the Americans to do something because the issue was affecting his poll prospects. Ecuador's foreign minister Dr Guillaume Long was reported by the Guardian as saying that his country is considering the Swedish request. In the interim, he has asked why the UK refused to accept a ruling by the UN in February that Assange was being arbitrarily detained. He also pointed out that between November 2010 and March 2015, Sweden made 44 requests to various countries to interview suspects. "So it is very common and could be easily done, but we faced total refusal for years," he said. If the standoff over Assange continues for another four years, then a statute of limitations under Swedish law will apply to the case. If the Swedes climb down from their unreasonable perch, then Assange may well be free later this year. But he will owe his native country, Australia, nothing. Both Redflow and Redback are Brisbane-based companies that are using innovative Australian developed technologies to secure this countrys role in the emerging energy storage revolution. Reflow, maker of the ZCell home storage battery, has approved use of Redback Technologies Smart Hybrid Solar Inverter system. In essence, Redbacks Smart Inverter takes DC electricity generated by solar panels and changes it into 240V AC power. It can also divert excess energy to a ZCell battery for later use. Redflows ZCell home battery, launched in March, is a 10 kilowatt hour (kWh) flow battery that can "timeshift" solar power from day to night, store off-peak power for peak demand periods and support off-grid systems. Australia is transitioning to lower emission energy systems, with 20% of homes now solar equipped. Due to the popularity of home solar systems over recent years, the government plans to minimise the subsidies to solar bonus schemes, with the NSW scheme ending on 31 December. FITs will reduce by 38.8 cents per kWh to 5.2 cents per kWh, meaning home energy systems will need to be smarter and more productive to ensure peak performance and avoid paying for grid electricity. Redbacks solution is hosted in Microsofts Azure IoT Suite cloud platform, ensuring easy updates and upgrades as their technology develops. It runs on a cloud-enabled intelligent system for analytics and remote control, which monitors consumption patterns, moving the use of appliances such as pool pumps and hot water into the solar window so they can be optimised to maximise self-consumption of rooftop solar. Redflow executive chairman Simon Hackett, who was closely involved with the certification process, said the Redback inverter was a smart piece of technology. We are very pleased that two Australian leaders in the emerging energy storage sector now have their devices working together. For customers to enjoy the benefits of Redflow's innovative flow battery technology, it's really important for us to work alongside like-minded businesses such as Redback. Redback Technologies founder and managing director Philip Livingston said he looked forward to working with Redflow as the energy storage sector develops. Australia is the perfect place from which to build a globally relevant energy storage sector based on local innovation, Redback Technologies is building the infrastructure for the next generation grid and partnering with Redflow provides choice to consumers and solar installers. We are going to put more money into homeowners pockets and create cleaner energy for our childrens future. Mobile World Congress, arguably the most important tech trade show in the world, is coming to the U.S. Trade groups GSMA and CTIA are joining forces to bring a smaller version of the event to the U.S. in 2017. GSMA Mobile World Congress Americas will debut Sept. 12 to 14, 2017, in San Francisco and will replace U.S. trade group CTIA's Super Mobility conference. Super Mobility will continue this year in Las Vegas from Sept. 7 to 9. The new conference will be the "first truly global wireless event" in the Americas, CTIA President and CEO Meredith Attwell Baker said in a press release. The new trade show, however, will apparently be more focused, spotlighting the leading innovations from the North American mobile industry, John Hofman, CEO of GSMA, said in a press release. The trade groups expect about 30,000 attendees and 1,000 exhibitors at the 2017 trade show, similar to the numbers from CTIA's Super Mobility conference. GSMA's Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, earlier this year drew more than 100,000 attendees and 2,200 exhibitors. The 2017 Barcelona event will take place from Feb. 27 to March 2. The new Mobile World Congress Americas will feature C-level speakers, exhibits featuring the latest mobile technologies, and a regulatory and public policy program. Android y is making it easier to find apps that partner up with s easy payment service. An update to version 1.4 includes a new button in the overflow menu that shows a specific list of apps that can tap into Android y. This means youll be able to easily find out the possibilities with Android y with a splashy promo, such as buying a swich from Grubhub, or catch an Uber ride without the need to fumble through your wallet for a credit card. You can now find out quickly which apps play nicely with Android y. You can authenticate an Android y payment with your fingerprint or N. Many of the apps listed in this section also have a promo for using Android y for the first time, so it may be worth checking out. Android lice also found a few hidden features that is working on in an A teardown. The most interesting is a some type of method for locating stores near you that accept Android y. tentially your location would pop up on a Map with the merchants stores. so, theres an indication you may be able to sign up for loyalty programs right inside the app with auto-filled data. This way if youre at a store get inevitably bugged about joining their loyalty program, you could sign up right from your phone. If you want to check out more about whats coming, recently published this Android y session from I/O: y this matters: Android y, mobile payments in general, have yet to really take off in the mainstream. So such subtle nudges by are designed to make the process easier encourage you to try it out with freebies. The biggest detractor, however, is just getting more merchants to jump on board. In scenes associated more with dictatorships than the U.S., politicians in the House of Representatives took to Twitter and Periscope on Wednesday to evade a TV blackout of a sit-in held to push forward new gun legislation. Trouble started when House Democrats, led by Representative John Lewis, a Georgia Democrat, started their protest. It came just over a week after a gunman killed 49 at a Florida nightclub and two days after four gun control bills were voted down by Republicans in the Senate. Asked for order on the floor, the Democrats refused to budge, and so the House went into recess. The cameras in the House are controlled by majority Republicans, and the signals are provided to broadcasters for their use. C-SPAN, a channel owned by cable and satellite operators, typically carries the signal live, and when the House went into recess, the feed from the floor went black. That immediately sparked accusations of censorship, and C-SPAN was quick to point out that it had no control over the feed. C-SPAN has no control over the U.S. House TV cameras. CSPAN (@cspan) June 22, 2016 Frustrated that their protest was not being seen by the American public, the politicians began providing updates on Twitter. If GOP thinks that turning off @cspan's cameras will somehow stop this sit-in, they may want to be aware of a little thing called Twitter Catholic Democrats (@CatholicDems) June 22, 2016 They posted images that were no longer being seen on television. We are united! Democrats sit-in for an end to gun violence! #NoBillNoBreak pic.twitter.com/l2WtTmUToS Brenda Lawrence (@RepLawrence) June 22, 2016 Later, the TV network picked up a Periscope feed that was being broadcast from the House floor, restoring its coverage. At least two politicians were broadcasting live on the platform and being watched by thousands of viewers. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has proposed fining Amazon $130,000 over two incidents in 2014 when it shipped or attempted to ship hazardous goods by air. The flight safety regulator says Amazon shipped the packages without warning labels, paperwork that specified the chemicals inside, or emergency response information. The proposed penalty comes two weeks after the FAA fined Amazon $350,000 over a similar incident that caused injuries to several UPS workers. The first of the two latest fines relates to a shipment made in May 2014, when Amazon sent two packages containing a rust-stain removing product from Illinois to Florida. One box contained four 1-gallon plastic jugs and another two jugs of the corrosive chemical. The shipments were discovered by FedEx workers when they began to leak. The second shipment was in June 2014, when Amazon offered UPS a box containing a 19-ounce container of Simple Air EZ Green HVAC Cleaner. The flammable gas was discovered by UPS workers in Kentucky. Two weeks ago, Amazon was fined for sending a gallon of Amazing Liquid Fire, a corrosive drain cleaner, by air from Kentucky to Colorado, in October 2014. On that occasion, the container leaked and nine UPS workers had to be treated for a burning sensation on their skin. Amazon has 30 days to respond to the allegations. The company did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday, but in response to the fine two weeks ago it said: "We ship tens of millions of products every day and have developed sophisticated technologies to detect potential shipping hazards and use any defects as an opportunity for continuous improvement." Get unlimited access to all content and features at ivpressonline.com with our Full Online Access Subscription. Read our E-Edition, the digital replica of the print newspaper online, access content in exclusive sections including Family, Teen, Business, Databases, Farm and more. This option does not include daily home delivery of the Imperial Valley Press newspaper. For home delivery service, please select Premium or Premium Plus. What is a Jew? Israeli museum attempts an answer JERUSALEMI was on a short visit to Israel and spent time with a friend with whom I have been engaged in a 30-year argument. Elli... When anti-Semitism rears its head, we must be ready to fight it Anti-Semitism is a force that is persistent as well as pernicious. When it occurs, it must be fought both by being confronted in real time... The "Dragon Ball Super" episode 49 trailer has been released. The upcoming installment is entitled "A Message from the Future! Goku Black Invades!" Design&Trend reported that "Dragon Ball Super" episode 49 will see a traumatized Future Trunks facing Goku. Apparently, he and the Super Saiyan may have a quick battle. "Dragon Ball Super" episode 48 showed Future Trunks attacking Goku. This is believed to be caused by Black Goku's similarity to the Super Saiyan. The new villain threatened to come after Future Trunks in this week's episode. The publication noted that Black Goku will definitely pose a problem for present Goku and the Z-fighters. The villain's real identity may be revealed in the upcoming installment. According to Christian Times, "Dragon Ball Super" episode 49 may see the beginning of an epic battle between Black Goku and Goku. Vegeta and Future Trunks are said to also help the Super Saiyan in the fight. GamenGuide noted that the trailer for episode 49 featured Goku and Future Trunks preparing for their fight against each other. It was revealed that Black Goku is threatening the future. Later in the clip, Goku, together with Vegeta and Future Trunks, can be seen looking up at Black Goku. It seems as if he has arrived in the present. This led to speculations that a major fight will be coming up in the series. "While I don't think Nozawa-san knows it yet, you can feel in your bones just how evil Black is... it's incredible," Trunks voice actor Takeshi Kusao said about Black Goku. "From your very first look at him, he's just bad to the bone." Enstarz added that the current "Dragon Ball Super" saga has been deemed as the best arc of the franchise. Episode 48 has reportedly earned an 8.4 rating from viewers. "Dragon Ball Super" episode 49 will be aired on Sunday, Jun. 29, 9 a.m. Japan time. It is shown on Fuji TV. The "Game of Thrones" season 6 episode 10 trailer has been released. The finale will be tying up loose ends for this season and building groundwork for the next. The trailer for "Game of Thrones" season 6 episode 10 opened with a shot of Cersei, Daenerys and King Tommen. A shot of Jon Snow talking to Sansa Stark was shown next. "We need to trust each other," Snow told Stark. "We have so many enemies now." It was previously reported that Ramsay Bolton's chilling final speech in episode 9 seems to imply that Sansa is pregnant with his child. Moreover, she may have to marry Petyr Baelish, also known as Littlefinger, to protect the baby. In the "GoT" season 6 episode 10 preview, Littlefinger and Sansa were shown talking to each other. "I thought you knew what I wanted," Baelish said. Tyrion also continues on giving Daenerys advice. "You're in the great game now," he said, "and the great game is terrifying." "Game of Thrones" season 6 episode 10 is entitled "The Winds of Winter." It will be aired on Jun. 26. According to The Hollywood Reporter, "The Winds of Winter" will be the longest installment of "Game of Thrones" with 69 minutes. Fans can also expect massive highlights in the upcoming episode. "It's not a recap," actor Liam Cunningham told the publication. "It isn't, 'Here's what's to come in season seven.' There are very big events that are going to happen." Showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss have confirmed that the series is nearing its conclusion. The main "GoT" cast has been renewed for season 8. However, there is still no confirmation on how many more episodes there will be. "The actual messiness of storytelling might not be quite that numerologically elegant, but we're looking at somewhere between 70 and 75 hours before the credits roll for the last time," they said. Recent development on George R.R. Martin's "The Winds of Winter" release date has revealed that the book could be released by Jan. 2017. Email Links to our top local news stories of the day, Monday through Saturday. Alterra co-founders Ward Fowler (top, from left), Paul Miller and Lincoln Fowler cheer as the first sign bearing the coffee chains new name was unveiled at Colectivo Coffee, 2211 N. Prospect Ave., in 2013. Credit: Journal Sentinel files MKE Diner News and notes on the restaurant scene from dining critic Carol Deptolla SHARE By of the Colectivo is opening its first cafe outside Wisconsin, in Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood, Eater Chicago and DNAinfo are reporting. The coffee roaster already is advertising for a cafe manager for the Chicago location. It would open in what's been called a small storefront with patio space at 2530 N. Clark St. According to the Chicago Cityscape building-permit tracking website, Colective is proposing a one-story addition. Colectivo spokesman Scott Schwebel said the coffee roaster would release more information Wednesday about the project. Colectivo has 13 MIlwaukee-area cafes and three in Madison. Its Troubador Bakery and commissary are in Bay View; the roasting plant is in Riverwest. Chicago-based Boeing Co. confirmed signing an agreement with Iran Air expressing the airlines intent to buy its aircraft. Credit: Associated Press SHARE By Dubai, United Arab Emirates 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 if it goes through. 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 Chicago-based Boeing welcome news to workers on the company's massive assembly plants around Seattle. However, the long-standing enmity between the United States and Iran, as well as other sanctions and even presidential politics, still could complicate any agreement, even after last year's nuclear deal. If the agreement is finalized, aircraft orders are often announced at list prices, meaning the actual price tag would likely be lower as airlines typically get steep discounts. 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 Iran's airlines, and any and all contracts with Iran's airlines will be contingent upon U.S. government approval," it said. Boeing's statement offered no further details. Fakher Daghestani, a Dubai-based spokesman for the manufacturer, declined to elaborate. State Department spokesman John Kirby said, "The State Department welcomes Boeing's announcement of this deal with Iran Air, which involves the type of permissible business activity envisioned in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. Boeing has been in close contact with the State Department regarding this deal." Iran Air, that country's national carrier, said Monday it wanted to buy new Boeing 737s and 777s. The 737s are single aisle jets, typically used for flights of up to five hours. The 777 is a larger plane that can carry passengers for 12 hours or more. Iran's 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 country's earlier agreement with Boeing's European rival, Airbus. That deal was for 118 new planes. 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, the first Boeing plane could arrive in Iran in October, said Ali Abedzadeh, the head of Iran's Civil Aviation Organization. Some analysts were skeptical that Iran will ever take delivery of so many jets. "A $25 billion deal delivered by unicorns flying unicorns," said Richard Aboulafia, an analyst with the Teal Group Corp. "Some planes may or may not be delivered, but everyone has a huge interest in inflating the likelihood of this happening. Airbus and Boeing are desperate for a growth story, and the Iranians love commercial opportunities for political leverage." Aboulafia said the market faces too much competition from Etihad, Emirates and Qatar the rapidly growing airlines directly across the Persian Gulf from Iran. Iran Air, whose website lists 43 airplanes in its fleet, has direct flights to 35 international destinations, including London. The European Union eased its restrictions on Iran Air last week. In the past 12 months, global airlines have scheduled 150,000 flights to and from Iran, with 22.7 million available seats, according to schedule tracking service Diio Mi. It is unclear how many of those seats were actually filled. By comparison, during that same period, there were 250,000 flights to and from Poland, a country with a similar GDP but roughly half the size of the population, with 34 million available seats. The world's largest aviation market, the United States, had nearly 10 million scheduled flights. 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 Iran's 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. A spokesman for the union that represents Boeing engineers and other professionals in Washington state says they continue to see job cuts despite sales announcements like the deal with Iran Air. Forty-seven members of SPEEA, the professional aerospace union, received layoff notices just last week, according to spokesman Bill Dugovich. He said the Iran Air deal is not likely to change that. "They factor in all these things. These deals don't come out of the blue," Dugovich said. SHARE By of the Cellular Dynamics International Inc., a Madison company at the forefront of making human cells that might someday be used to help cure disease, has hired an executive to lead its cell manufacturing. Derek Hei is CDI's new vice president of clinical manufacture, quality and regulatory activities, the company said. Hei was previously director of Waisman Biomanufacturing, a facility at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he established biotherapeutics and cell therapy contract manufacturing. "We want to put people on notice that we're going to treat patients and cure patients," said Chris Parker, executive vice president and chief business officer. Hei is the first high-level hire CDI has made since it was acquired in May by Tokyo-based Fujifilm Holdings Corp. He will help CDI comply with "Current Good Manufacturing Practice" regulations enforced by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Hei has a Ph.D in biochemical engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, and a bachelor of science in chemical engineering from the UW-Madison. "As we anticipate the expansion of the number and variety of cellular therapies that will benefit from CDI's manufacturing capabilities, it is a critical priority for us to maintain the best management team in the stem cell space," said Emile F. Nuwaysir, president and chief operating officer. From the lab to the clinic At the International Stem Cell Meeting this week in San Francisco, there has been more discussion than ever before about getting stem cell therapies into the clinic, said Don Gibbons, a spokesman for the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine. "Companies and university research teams are all thinking about those last steps leading up to approval for a clinical trial," Gibbons said. CDI is the leader at automating the process of making human cells in industrial quantities to exact specifications. Starting with a small sample of blood or skin, the company, in essence, rewinds cells to create the equivalent of embryonic stem cells. Then it nudges the cells forward in the developmental process to become different varieties of cells, including heart, liver and several types of neural cells. CDI also on Wednesday said it has entered into a cooperative research and development agreement with the National Eye Institute to supply its induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPSC-derived cells, and collaborate on research to advance a cell transplantation therapy for the treatment of retinal degenerative disease. "While iPSC-derived cells have great potential for regenerative medicine applications, there are many hurdles yet to overcome," said Kaz Hirao, CDI's chairman and chief executive officer. "This agreement builds on the longstanding relationship between CDI and the National Eye Institute to address some of these hurdles, and may lead to iPSC-based therapies for patients with serious diseases of the eye." Trial put on hold A clinical trial the first ever involving induced pluripotent stem cells began in 2014 when Japanese researchers transplanted retinal tissue made using reprogrammed cells into a woman with age-related macular degeneration. The trial was put on hold last summer before a second patient could be treated because of concerns about mutations in the cells that were to be transplanted. SHARE By , After years of serving meals quick and cheap, fast-food chains are having to turn to a new tactic in hopes of luring Millennial customers: going natural. The latest example came Wednesday as Hardee's and Carl's Jr. announced new chicken breasts for their sandwiches that are "natural" because they don't have any artificial preservatives or additives. The dual chain, operated by CKE Restaurants Holdings, already has natural turkey burgers and a line of all-natural hamburgers. In March, McDonald's said it was testing new Chicken McNuggets in Portland, Ore., that lack artificial preservatives, flavors or colors. McDonald's is also testing fresh, not frozen, hamburger patties in some Dallas locations. And both have watched as Chipotle Mexican Grill has grown, appealing to younger customers with a formula pushing natural ingredients and no non-therapeutic antibiotics or synthetic hormones in its meats. For Hardee's and sister chain Carl's Jr., the movement has represented a turnabout in the desires of its core customers, men ages 18 to 34 who are among the most frequent customers of fast-food chains, said Brad Haley, the chain's chief marketing officer. Young men's biggest goal "used to be a lot of food for the money," he said. "Now, they are more concerned about what they put in their bodies than ever before." The generation has, he points out, more vegetarians than in the past, not a great development for hamburger-driven chains like Hardee's and Carl's Jr. Younger men in the target demographic visit fast-food chains 11 times a month, more than any other group, and spend more on their meals, according to Haley. In the past, Hardee's and Carl's Jr. have lured them with TV ads that played to images of hulking burgers with a dash of sex appeal whether it was sexy models or, in one ad, Paris Hilton at the height of her fame, struggling to devour the monster burgers. Now, Haley said, young men are "just as interested in all-natural or minimally processed food as the total population, which does mark a change from previous years when younger guys were less interested in those things." SHARE Bob Doll, senior application engineer, holds a hydraulic reservoir made by Price Engineering on Tuesday at the inaugural Fluid Power Technology Conference at the Milwaukee School of Engineering in Milwaukee. Mark Hoffman Hydraulic reservoirs made by Price Engineering are on display at the conference. Mark Hoffman By of the A Hartland firm says it's stepping up technology aimed at making big machines, such as garbage trucks and construction equipment, more efficient and better for the environment. Price Engineering made its announcement Tuesday at a fluid power technology conference that continues Wednesday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., at Milwaukee School of Engineering. Price says it's collaborated with Solar Plastics, of Delano, Minn., on the development and manufacture of new hydraulic fluid systems that, in some cases, reduce the amount of toxic, mineral-based fluid used by more than 90%. Hydraulic motors use fluid under pressure to generate, control and transmit power. Among thousands of uses, they turn the drum on a cement mixer, swing the boom on a crane, and power the lifting equipment on a garbage truck. Hydraulic reservoirs hold the fluid, the lifeblood of the motors. Often they're big, inefficient, and haven't changed much in design in the last 30 years. Price has expanded the use of what's called cyclone technology, which rapidly removes suspended air from hydraulic fluid. By doing that, the size of a fluid reservoir can be dramatically reduced, saving hydraulic fluid and making the system more environmentally friendly. "I think it's disruptive technology," said Terry Glidden, Price Engineering managing director. The cyclonic system originated from Eaton Corp. 17 years ago, but Price Engineering says it's taken the technology to a higher level through numerous changes. Hydraulic pumps provide the muscle for equipment used in construction, mining, agriculture, forestry and transportation. "These are the things that are all around us, but we aren't always aware of them," said Price Engineering President Tom Price. The company uses 3-D printers to rapidly develop working prototypes of hydraulic fluid reservoirs. In some cases, it has managed to shrink the size of a reservoir that held 8 gallons down to the size of a milk jug. "I think we are at a crossroads; some people call it the next industrial revolution, the digitization of machinery," Price said. A traditional hydraulic fluid reservoir could contain up to five times the amount of oil that the pump can handle in a minute. Thus, even a 20-gallon-per-minute system would need up to 100 gallons of oil. The environmental benefits from smaller, more efficient hydraulic fluid systems come in several ways. The petroleum-based fluid is toxic, for instance, and if there's less to spill there's less to clean up. That's especially important in a marine environment, Price said Moreover, in some cases biodegradable oil can replace the mineral-based hydraulic fluid. "The trends that we see that are important are not only modern technology, productivity and energy efficiency, but also working in a global environment where we leave the world to the next generation in a better place," Price said. "We haven't been as good of stewards as we should be. I think there's a real call to executives and manufacturing leaders to rethink how we do some things," he added. Price Engineering has won U.S. military contracts for its compact hydraulic fluid reservoirs, with the equipment installed on a new prototype vehicle from Oshkosh Corp. Manufacturers of even the largest trucks value every square inch of space in their designs. "When you open the hood of some of these vehicles, there's hardly room left for a pad of paper," Glidden said. The Fluid Power Institute, at Milwaukee School of Engineering, has done industry-funded research for off-road equipment makers Caterpillar, John Deere and Case-New Holland. Researchers also are seeking ways to scale-down fluid power applications to human size for prosthetics. "It's almost like the 'bionic man' is going to be a reality at some point soon, the way things are going in the medical field," said Thomas Wanke, director of the Fluid Power Institute. Research is under way for using hydraulic fluid power for offshore power generation, essentially tapping the motion of waves to generate electricity. The wind-turbine industry also uses a lot of fluid power in its equipment. "Those areas are continuing to grow," Wanke said. "And we are doing a lot of research in hydraulic fluids to improve the efficiency of pumps and motors. If they're using less fuel, they're producing less pollution." The fluid power technology conference, at MSOE's Kern Center, includes a trade show and 45-minute presentations of technical papers. Registration for the event, sponsored by Fluid Power World magazine, is available online or at the event. SHARE By of the The metropolitan Milwaukee unemployment rate fell to 4.2% in May, down from 5.0% a year ago, the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development said Wednesday. The local jobless rates are not adjusted to reflect the normal seasonal factors that affect hiring. And the latest figure, calculated from a survey, is preliminary and subject to revision. Still, the results continue the generally downward trend since the unemployment rate in the four-county area stood at 10.1% in February 2010. Like Milwaukee, every metro area in the state showed year-over-year improvement. The rates ranged from a low of 2.9% in metropolitan Madison to a high of 4.7% in metropolitan Racine, which is the same as Racine County. The steepest decline in joblessness came in metropolitan Janesville Rock County which saw its rate drop from 5.3% in May 2015 to 4.1% last month. The preliminary statewide unemployment rate for May was reported last week a seasonally adjusted 4.2%, the lowest level since early 2001. Lisa Reardon (right), CEO of OwnersEdge, joins service technician John Donner (foreground) and service manager Scott Schoen as they check the cable connections in a secure IT hub of their operations. Credit: Rick Wood SHARE Lisa Reardon joins finance team members Becky Foat (left) and Chris Adee at OwnersEdge, a holding company that sets up ESOP plans. Rick Wood By of the For five days, Steve Elias didn't even open the unsolicited acquisition offer. Although he wanted to sell his three Green Bay businesses, Elias worried about how a new owner particularly one looking to consolidate within the industry might treat his 70 employees. So instead of responding to the sender, Elias remembered a presentation he had heard several years earlier and picked up the phone. Six months later, Elias is still running his companies, but they've been sold to OwnersEdge Inc., a Brookfield-based employee stock ownership plan holding company that is looking to invest in and build companies in the Midwest. The presentation Elias remembered was made by Lisa Reardon, president, chief executive officer and chairwoman of OwnersEdge. Reardon had talked about business owners' succession planning, and about how her company sought diversification through acquisitions of companies with leaders such as Elias who want to continue running their businesses. "Quite honestly, nothing's really changed for me," said Elias, president of Baycom Inc., a provider of wireless voice, mobile data and video equipment to public safety and commercial clients. Since the OwnersEdge acquisition in April, Elias says he has continued to run and expand Baycom, along with Baycom Cellular, which sells cellphones and other equipment from two retail stores, and Tour Guide Solutions, which sells wireless tour guide and conferencing equipment to manufacturers, museums and attractions. But OwnersEdge now handles all of the financial and administrative responsibilities, Elias said. And because it is an ESOP, all of Elias' employees have the chance to be part-owners. "An ESOP in a successful company can generate substantial long-term benefits for employees," said Chris Mercer, chief executive officer of Mercer Capital, a Memphis, Tenn.-based business valuation firm that has had an ESOP in place since 2006. About 60% of people who are selling businesses start out saying they'd like to sell to their employees, said Linda Mertz, chief executive officer of Mertz Associates Inc., in Rubicon, and a 30-year veteran of the mergers and acquisitions industry. But the rules and legal work involved in forming an ESOP appear daunting, so it often "just stalls out, and they end up selling to a third-party buyer," she said. OwnersEdge changes that picture by offering company owners an ESOP structure that's already in place. When OwnersEdge acquires their companies, they can cash out, but still continue running things while in the process providing an upside for employees who become part of the ESOP, said Mertz, who is a strategic adviser to OwnersEdge. The model, where OwnersEdge formed a holding company to make acquisitions for the ESOP, is not a common one, she said. "I don't know of anyone else doing this in our market," she said. "It's a wonderful, wonderful opportunity." The idea for forming OwnersEdge grew out of Reardon's search for diversification. In 2008, when she took the helm at CC&N, Reardon says she was focused on creating a structure within which the network connectivity and communications technologies provider could grow. In 2012, Reardon and her management team launched NEXT Electric, an electrical contractor that wires buildings for computing infrastructure and specializes in complex projects. NEXT helped CC&N to grow and had explosive growth itself, gaining 100 employees in four years, Reardon said. But that didn't satisfy her desire for more diversification. Reardon had run CC&N through the recession, when revenue didn't budge for several years. She knew the importance of keeping an ESOP growing and worried that NEXT wasn't enough. "I felt it didn't allow me to grow through whatever the economy throws at us in the future," Reardon said. So in 2014, she formed OwnersEdge, made CC&N and NEXT Electric subsidiaries, and went looking for more companies. "I think that I'm at heart a problem solver and I do have a longer time span of looking ahead, trying to always be on the offensive side of the court," Reardon said. Not all companies are suited to be ESOPs, Mertz said. It helps, for example, to have a collaborative management team like the one at OwnersEdge that works together well, she said. Also, companies that are consistently profitable with stable and preferably growing earnings work best for ESOPs, Mercer said. Reardon says she and her management team have produced a 20% annual return over the last five years. With the addition of Elias' companies, OwnersEdge has more than $70 million of revenue and 320 employees, she said. And from her perspective, the future looks bright. "We're expecting a very positive return for employees," she said. Representatives of eight Great Lakes states met in Chicago Tuesday to vote on Waukeshas request to divert Lake Michigan water. Credit: Dohn Behm SHARE By of the Tuesday's vote by Great Lakes states to allow Lake Michigan water to flow to Waukesha is about more than having a safe drinking water supply for Wisconsin's seventh-largest city. Among other things, the decision means businesses seeking to attract new talent won't have to face questions about radium-contaminated water every time a prospective employee puts the word "Waukesha" into an online search engine. "Today's decision is incredibly important to the business community," Suzanne Kelley, president of the Waukesha County Business Alliance, said of Tuesday's vote. "Undoubtedly there were businesses out there that were watching the water situation very closely." Whether companies are seeking to attract or retain talented employees or choose sites for expansion, the vote puts Waukesha and the region on a level playing field when it comes to water, Kelley said. "All businesses that currently operate in the city of Waukesha will benefit from this decision, and any business looking to locate in Waukesha in the future will benefit from this," Kelley said. "They now know there is a sustainable source of clean water that they will have access to." The water issue had already surfaced at an area company. "We actually had an employee that asked about the radium in the water because they were looking to buy a home in the Waukesha area," said Tom Fotsch, chief operating officer for EmbedTek LLC, which has a postal address of Waukesha but is located in nearby Pewaukee. "If they are concerned about it, that has an impact on individual employees and the business as well." Kelley said the problem had to be addressed. "Obviously, businesses in Waukesha need to provide safe water to their employees," Kelley said. "It's important to them for their current employees as well as any future employees. For businesses in Waukesha to grow, they need to be able to ensure safe, sustainable water for their employee base." With information at nearly everyone's fingertips, news of something such as a radium-contaminated water supply travels fast. "When someone is researching our communities, information is so easy to get. Someone goes online and what pops up? Radium," said Marie O'Brien, president and CEO of Enterforce Inc., a national staffing and workforce management consulting company in Pewaukee. "All these things impact the health and welfare of their families." Quality-of-life issues are increasingly part of the process of younger workers deciding whether to accept a job offer. "When a candidate makes a move today, particularly millennials, their top five (reasons) are very different," than those of previous generations of workers, O'Brien said. "Today it's about who they work for, the culture of the company, the environment they live in.... Money comes in kind of down at the bottom." Amenities such as clean water and the environment can be recruiting tools, O'Brien said. "That is what is going to be top of mind for our young candidates," O'Brien said. "It's not only important from the standpoint of our health and welfare." O'Brien also said she believes the decision transcends regional boundaries. "I would be just as passionate about this if it hadn't been in Waukesha County, if it was in Milwaukee County or Washington County or the counties to the south. It just makes good sense," O'Brien said. "I'm glad our neighboring states think the same thing." Others in Waukesha County also said they see the vote as a win for the region. "A strong Waukesha is good for a strong Milwaukee and is good for a strong southeast Wisconsin," Fotsch said. Despite opposition to the plan from some corners, "The science prevailed, and I think the region is better for that," Fotsch said. "The issue was, long term, there needed to be a solution to water for Waukesha," he added. "It's all part of a good, solid infrastructure that helps build a community and that community becomes an integral part of the region." Added Kelley, "This is an important day for Waukesha. It's an important day for the Great Lakes Compact." The Frozen gang gets the Lego treatment with four new animated shorts from the Lego Group, airing on the Disney Channel in November. SHARE By , Rather than "Let It Go," Disney is making its "Frozen" franchise snow. The Mouse House has announced an extension of the brand called "Frozen Northern Lights," featuring books, animated shorts and a TV special. It's no surprise that Disney is capitalizing on the animated movie's success: After all, the film raked in $1.2 billion globally, won two Academy Awards in 2014 (best animated feature and original song), sold 4.1 million soundtracks and is headed to Broadway in 2018. "Frozen Northern Lights" is "a brand-new original story and it's going to feature all of the Frozen fan favorites," says Andrew Sugerman, executive vice president of Disney Publishing Worldwide. The idea, he says, began as "a partnership with the original filmmakers taking some of the rich storytelling that was in the film and finding a way to bring a new story to life that lived within the overarching Frozen franchise." The bonanza will launch July 5 with a 224-page book, "Journey to the Lights" by Suzanne Francis, to be published by Random House. Nine more books are planned through the end of 2017, and the first kicks off with beloved original characters Anna, Elsa, Olaf, Kristoff and Sven plus a new protagonist named Little Rock as the gang aims to restore the glimmer of the Northern Lights. This November, "Frozen Northern Lights" will get the Lego treatment with four new animated shorts from the Lego Group, airing on the Disney Channel. They'll feature the film's original voices, including Kristen Bell (Anna), Idina Menzel (Elsa), Jonathan Groff (Kristoff) and Josh Gad (as the snowman Olaf). A TV special presenting the shorts will also air on the Disney Channel around Thanksgiving. Why Lego-ize Elsa and friends? Their wit and humor fit, says Sugerman. "We thought it was a unique take on the storyline through their eyes," he says. Social media is getting in on frigid fun, too: Disney will soon launch the Instagram account @DisneyFrozen. This isn't the first time that Disney has added fresh powder to Frozen since the film's release in 2013. Last year, the seven-minute "Frozen Fever" short was released in theaters in front of Disney's live-action "Cinderella" starring Lily James and Cate Blanchett. (In that tale, Elsa decided to throw her sister Anna a birthday bash, only to be derailed by a cold.) "It really comes down to quality of storytelling," says Sugerman. "If we can create great stories that stand on their own and take these characters deeper into the world, then everything will evolve from there. With Northern Lights, we feel like we did exactly that." The Summerfest grounds are packed in this photo from the mid-1980s. How many people were there? Back then, it was anybodys guess. Credit: Journal Sentinel files SHARE Gerald Kloss wrote the Slightly Kloss-Eyed column in The Milwaukee Journals Green Sheet for years. Journal Sentinel files By Editor's note: From the 1960s through the 1980s, one of the pastimes of the Milwaukee summer was reading in disbelief the less-than-scientific way local officials estimated the size of crowds at the city's summer attractions. (For years, for example, Summerfest charted its attendance by weighing admission tickets collected at the gate.) Often, this duty fell to the Milwaukee Police Department, which typically had better things to do than count heads.In this July 30, 1971, Green Sheet column,Gerald Kloss took on the issue. The credibility of our justly famed and admired Milwaukee Police Department has been challenged twice in the last several weeks, both times over the police estimate of the size of crowds attending big civic events here. The police estimated that a crowd of 750,000 watched the Fourth of July circus parade 150,000 over the estimate of the last five previous circus parades. A Milwaukee Sentinel reporter calculated the square footage of available watching space along the 33-block route, figured a maximum of one man, one woman and one child for every two square feet, and came up with a top figure of some 250,000 people. Quite a discrepancy, right? Then Summerfest came along and, at the end of the 10-day festival, which all agree had larger crowds than ever, Summerfest officials computed an attendance total of 581,000, based on the weight of the admission tickets collected. Admittedly, that was a pretty crude method, since some tickets weighed more than others, but the Summerfest people thought it was more accurate than a police estimate. Last year (1970), the police estimated Summerfest attendance at slightly less than 1 million. Why is it, we've asked ourselves, that police estimates of large crowds seem to be so much higher than others, including sponsors of the events? Surely they're not upping the estimate out of civic pride that would be a lie, and police do not lie. If they were caught in a lie, that would ruin their later credibility on the witness stand. For example: Q. Now then, Sgt. Murphy. You have testified the defendant fired four shots, is that correct? A. Correct. Q. That is your statement as a trained police officer? A. It is. Q. Are you also trained in estimating the size of large crowds? A. I am. Q. What was your estimate of the crowd at the circus parade? A. 750,000 people. Q. Your honor, I challenge the credibility of this guess. I would suggest, on his past record, that the witness actually heard only one, or possible two shots not four. Judge: The point is well taken. Case dismissed. That would wreck our entire system of jurisprudence, so the police, I'm sure, do not actually urge the officers to up the attendance figures. Instead, there is probably something like a Crowd Attendance Estimate School in the police training course, and the most promising rookies are selected, something like this: Officer: Jones, I will now raise my right hand. Tell me how many fingers I have. Trainee: Five, counting the thumb. Officer: Sorry, Jones, you've flunked. Next man. What's your name? Trainee: Smith. Officer: OK, Smith. I will now raise my right hand. Tell me how many fingers I have. Trainee: Let's see. Hmm, I'd say between 12 and 13. Officer: Right on, Smith! We're sending you on for advance training in crowd estimating. Good luck, and we'll count on you at next year's Summerfest! ABOUT THIS FEATURE Each Thursday, the Green Sheet brings back some of the stories and features that gave the old Green Sheet its distinct identity, including Gerald Kloss' "Slightly Kloss-Eyed" column taking a humorous look at news and happenings in Milwaukee. Look for them in print and online at jsonline.com/greensheet. SHARE By of the An 18-year-old woman's arrest Tuesday at a Madison mall prompted criticism from family and community members, who say the officers' actions were excessive. The woman faces potential criminal charges after pointing a knife at a Taco Bell employee and resisting officers in what she said was an attempt to retrieve a stolen cellphone Tuesday evening, according to a police report. Madison Police Chief Mike Koval has ordered an internal review of police conduct after the 18-year-old's arrest, The Cap Times reported. Koval, along with city aldermen, Rep. Chris Taylor (D-Madison) and Dane County Boys & Girls Club CEO Michael Johnson, met with the woman's family after the incident. Security officers at East Towne Mall called police about 5:15 p.m. Tuesday after they said the woman made threats to kill them. A knife was later recovered at the scene. The woman spit in one officer's eyes and kicked and scratched police until they subdued her with a stun gun, the police report said. Two officers were taken to the hospital for injuries and later released. The incident, caught on video and posted to Facebook, sparked a protest Tuesday night at the city's Public Safety Building. The video has been removed from Facebook, but a longer version on YouTube shows an officer using his knees to bring the woman to the ground after asking her several times to put her arms behind her back. On the ground, she can be heard telling officers "I can't breathe." She also is heard threatening to bite the officers. Unionized Milwaukee teachers protested plans in 2013 to implement elements of the Act 10 law restricting collective bargaining. A new study says dire predictions about the affect of Act 10 on public education are largely unrealized. Credit: Journal Sentinel files SHARE By of the Wisconsin public school teachers saw their base salaries and fringe benefits drop an average of $2,095 and $5,580, respectively, in the wake of Act 10, the 2011 law that rolled back collective bargaining powers of public workers, according to a new report released Tuesday. However, it says, Act 10 appears to have had little or no effect on a host of measures, including student-teacher ratios and the number of licensed teachers in the state when compared with other states findings that drew a swift rebuke from the state's teachers union. The report by the Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty, a conservative public interest law firm that has litigated cases to enforce Act 10, addresses many of the criticisms levied against the law touted as Gov. Scott Walker's signature policy achievement. "What we saw in 2011 and going forward was many politicians and public sector unions saying Act 10 would destroy public education and hollow out the teaching workforce," said CJ Szafir, WILL's vice president for policy and deputy counsel. "Five years later, when compared to other states, these studies show that many of these claims were either greatly exaggerated or failed to materialize," he said. Betsy Kippers, a Racine teacher and president of the Wisconsin Education Association Council, the state's largest teachers union, questioned the validity of the report, saying that WILL has received almost $4 million from the Bradley Foundation, which is run by Walker's campaign chairman. "This so-called report is mere propaganda bought and paid for by the same groups that pushed nearly $1 billion in cuts to our neighborhood public schools over the past five years," she said. "Clearly the authors...are more concerned with fixing the numbers to create a virtual reality than they are about our students. And they certainly haven't spent any time in public schools to see reality for themselves." State schools Superintendent Tony Evers issued a statement saying the law and the rhetoric around it has contributed to the vilification of teachers. "We are facing a looming teacher shortage and it is due in part to the way we portray the profession. That must change," he said. "You would be hard pressed to find someone celebrating a $2,000 reduction in annual pay for welders, doctors or engineers." Act 10 effectively eliminated collective bargaining by public workers for all but base wages and gave employers a number of avenues to rein in costs, including requiring workers to contribute, or contribute more, for health care and retirement benefits. At least one study has suggested it has saved state taxpayers more than $5 billion. WILL is billing the report as the first systematic study of the effects of Act 10 on the education workforce. It looked at state and federal data between 2008 and 2014, and then compared Wisconsin with surrounding states to isolate whether shifts were caused by Act 10 or broader regional or national education trends. It expands on earlier studies, including one by the Public Policy Forum, that found that the number of teachers in the Milwaukee metro region had declined by 700 in the years following Act 10, most of those in Milwaukee Public Schools. Among WILL's findings: The number of public school teachers in Wisconsin fell from 61,059 in 2008 to 59,512 in 2014. But the decline began in 2009, two years before the passage of Act 10, and has slowed since 2011. The number of teachers fell by about 2.2% in the first year after Act 10 but has ticked up slightly since. Act 10 was responsible for a $150 per-pupil cut in district spending on salaries and a cut of up to $600 on benefits, when compared with other states. There was little difference in the demographic makeup of Wisconsin's teaching workforce in the years before and after the passage of Act 10, when compared with other states. The average age, for example, fell from about 44 to 43. And it remains predominantly white and female. However, there was a 0.3% increase in Hispanic teachers and identical decline in those who identified as white. There is no evidence to suggest that Act 10 significantly increased student-teacher ratios, when compared with other states. However, there is evidence to suggest it reduced the ratio of students to administrators. The report found no statistically significant difference in the effect of Act 10 on schools in urban, rural or suburban communities. Dr. Michael R. Lovell (center, blue), president of Marquette University, takes the stage at the universitys 2016 commencement. A recent study found that Marquette has the highest six-year graduation rate among Wisconsin private universities. Credit: Michael Sears SHARE By , Fewer than two-thirds of students graduate within six years from 17 of Wisconsin's 22 private, nonprofit colleges and universities, a new study says. A report done by Third Way, a centrist think tank in Washington, D.C., released the six-year graduation rates for private schools based on data from the U.S. Department of Education. The rates were part of a larger analysis that ranked private, nonprofit schools across the country based on per-student cost after federal aid, repayment rates of student loans and earning power of students six years after graduation. Highest rankings of Wisconsin schools in the study were awarded to Marquette University, St. Norbert College and the Milwaukee School of Engineering. The lowest ranking schools were Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, Alverno College, Silver Lake College and Concordia University. MIAD ranked the lowest of the Wisconsin schools at 827 out of more than 1,000 schools nationwide. MIAD addressed the report in a statement saying the school is "relentless in researching and implementing ways to help our students not only graduate, but to find rewarding and meaningful careers." In a recent change, MIAD is also having students meet with their advisers twice per semester until graduation. The private, nonprofit school with the worst six-year graduation rate in the state was Mount Mary University, with 38%. Other schools with a rate below 50% were Marian University, Viterbo University, Lakeland College, Cardinal Stritch University Silver Lake College and Alverno. The report didn't evaluate public schools, but UW System schools show similar graduation rates. UW-Madison had a six-year graduation rate of 85%. Among others: UW-Milwaukee at 40%, UW-Whitewater at 60% and UW-Eau Claire at 65%. The UW System as a whole has a rate of about 60%. Rolf Wegenke, president of the Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, said the data regarding graduation rates from the U.S. Department of Education is skewed because it doesn't account for transfer students. He said a college such as Silver Lake takes in a large amount of transfers from two-year technical colleges and that would cause it to have a lower rate. In a statement, Silver Lake College spokeswoman Suzanne Weiss said the college prides itself for its affordability and said compiling a list that compares Ivy League schools to small Wisconsin liberal arts colleges is "comparing the proverbial apples to oranges." The report also compares the percentage of students receiving Pell Grants to the graduation rate over a six-year period. The report revealed that universities with a higher percentage of students with Pell Grants had lower graduation rates. Alverno College had the highest percentage of students receiving Pell Grants, at 61%, and had a completion rate of about 39%. Marquette University had the highest completion rate of all the Wisconsin schools, at about 80%, but the lowest Pell Grant percentage, at 16%. A spokesman for Alverno noted the college's high percentage of Pell Grant students and said a number of factors play into the graduation rate, including a high percentage of students balancing school with jobs and family. At Alverno, 75% of students are the first in their families to attend college, he said. "There has been a commitment at Alverno to address high-need students, and we have been working to create more scholarship opportunities for students," spokesman Sebastian Thachenkary said. "We are certainly working to reduce costs and provide additional funding." SHARE The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has won a national Edward R. Murrow Award for its multimedia Unsolved series, which explored the 40-year-old cold-case murder of 14-year-old John Zera. The Murrow Award, administered by the Radio Television Digital News Association, is considered a top-line award in the world of broadcast and electronic journalism. This is the first Murrow Award for the Journal Sentinel, the only Milwaukee-area news organization to be recognized this year. Madison-based WISC-TV won several awards in the small market television category. The Journal Sentinel competed in the large online news organization category. Other winners this year in that category included entries from The New York Times, The Washington Post, Detroit Free Press and The Denver Post. Unsolved was recognized with the top award in the website-audio category. The seven-part narrative story, which featured a companion weekly podcast, traced 40 years of failures and frustrations with the case of a boy who disappeared from Franklin High School in 1976 and was found dead several days later in Whitnall Park. In December, the podcast reached No. 3 in the iTunes store. The story was reported by Gina Barton. The podcast was produced by Katie O'Connell with assistance from multimedia producer Bill Schulz. The website, which featured searchable documents and an immersive presentation, was designed by multimedia producer Erin Caughey. Illustrations were done by graphic artist Lou Saldivar. The Unsolved team has previously been recognized with a national Society of Professional Journalists award for nondeadline story in the online category and with the integrated storytelling award from the Society for Features Journalism. It also was a finalist for online storytelling from the American Society of News Editors and won honorable mention from the Associated Press Media Editors for innovation in storytelling. In recent months, the Journal Sentinel won recognition in two other broadcast-oriented contests. A project examining issues facing the Great Lakes "A Watershed Moment" won an Alfred I. duPont Award from Columbia University. And the Precious Lives project, which explores the causes and consequences of gun violence on Milwaukee's youth, was a finalist for a Peabody Award. The series is done in partnership with 371 Productions, radio stations WUWM and WNOV and the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism. In this 2015 file photo, Mayor Tom Barrett addresses officers at an MPD District 7 roll call. The police department may be facing an upcoming surge in officer retirements. Credit: Michael Sears By of the The City of Milwaukee may face a surge in police officer retirements. Some 339 officers with the Milwaukee Police Department will be eligible to retire by the end of 2017. That means nearly 20% of the city's 1,889 sworn police officers could retire over the next 18 months. "It's certainly not a revelation," said Mike Crivello, president of the Milwaukee Police Association. "For years, I have been preaching to the Fire and Police Commission, the Common Council, and the mayor's office that this would happen." Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said the city has been closely tracking officer retirement numbers for years, and considers retirements when hiring new officers. "We are well aware of the fact that there are going to be a significant number of people eligible for retirement, and that goes directly into our budget planning process," Barrett said. The mayor said he anticipates the city will hire more new police officers to cover those retiring, but added that the total number of officers may not increase. Sworn police are eligible to retire at age 57, or after 25 years of service. The possible wave of retirements is linked in part to a surge in officer hirings in the early and mid-1990s. At that time, the city had to "catch up because the city had allowed the staffing levels to fall so low," Crivello said. He urged city officials to give incentives for officers to stay by offering more support, such as increasing staffing levels, adding that too many officers are unable to get time off when they request it. The state Supreme Court ruling on police residency requirements, which is to be released Thursday, could aid in retention efforts if it determines that officers cannot be required to live in the city, Crivello said. "I think that will help us, I know that will help us, retain some officers," he said. "So that's a good thing for us." Republicans who control the Legislature included a provision in the state budget in 2013 prohibiting local governments from maintaining residency rules, other than those requiring police and firefighters to live within 15 miles of their borders. That conflicted with Milwaukee's policy, enacted in 1938, requiring employees to live within the city. City officials at the time argued that they could continue to enforce the policy under the "home rule" provision of the state constitution. The Milwaukee Police Association brought a lawsuit against the city that was later joined by the Milwaukee Professional Fire Fighters Association Local 215. The city halted the residency rule while the case continued. Like the Milwaukee public safety unions, the Wisconsin Professional Police Association supports the 2013 law limiting the ability of local governments to set residency requirements. A Milwaukee County circuit judge in 2014 sided with the city unions and determined the state residency law trumped the city rule. But in July, the 1st District Court of Appeals reinstated the city's residency rule. The unions appealed, and the state Supreme Court is expected to release its decision Thursday. Wisconsin's constitution provides that state laws must yield to local ordinances unless they involve matters of statewide concern and uniformly affect all cities and villages. The appeals court decision found the 2013 law was not of statewide concern and did not affect all municipalities equally because it would have an "outsize impact" on Milwaukee because of its hit to the city's neighborhoods and economy. But the attorney for the unions contended residency requirements were an issue of statewide concern because lawmakers have an interest in addressing the welfare of municipal employees and make sure they are treated fairly. Milwaukee's deputy city attorney, Miriam Horwitz, argued the issue was strictly local, saying each municipality had unique reasons for establishing residency requirements that vary considerably from one community to another. The city agreed to stop enforcing the residency rule after the lawsuit was filed, and hundreds of Milwaukee employees now live outside the city. Officials have said they will again enforce the residency rule if they prevail before the state Supreme Court. Terry Kafka of the DNR holds water sample of manure and liquid flowing from a farm field in Marathon County in 2014. Credit: Ken Pozorski SHARE By of the Citing concerns about staffing and lagging enforcement at the Department of Natural Resources, members of a citizens board grilled officials on Wednesday in the wake of a critical audit that detailed shortcomings in the agency's water regulation programs. The state's Legislative Audit Bureau found backlogs in the DNR's wastewater program for factories, municipalities and large farms. It also found that the agency issued only a small percentage of violation notices for the cases reviewed. The audit released on June 10 comes after news reports of a drop-off in DNR enforcement activity in recent years, as well as criticism by environmental and conservation groups that the DNR has de-emphasized environmental oversight since 2011 when Republican Gov. Scott Walker took office. Natural Resources Board chairman Terry Hilgenberg, a real estate executive of Shawano, directed agency officials to discuss the audit at the board's monthly meeting. The meeting in Richland Center also included a discussion of this spring's erosion of bluffs on Lake Michigan. The audit cited numerous issues, including staff turnover, especially involving oversight of the state's largest farms. Large-scale farms known as concentrated animal feeding operations, or CAFOs have come under scrutiny because of the vast quantities of manure produced by them and the potential for the waste to pollute waterways. The audit found regional differences in enforcement results and weaknesses of electronic record keeping. It called for the DNR to improve its administration and "better align DNR's enforcement practices with its policies." DNR officials said the audit was useful, but defended the agency's efforts to enforce water pollution laws. Officials also acknowledged staffing issues have slowed work on numerous fronts. Under sometimes sharp questioning, officials said the backlog at the end of 2015 for municipal and industrial permits was roughly in line with the national average for other states. As for enforcement, state auditors noted the DNR had issued notices of environmental violations in only 33 of 558 instances, or 5.9% of the time, from 2005 to 2014 using its own criteria in such cases. The notices, also known as enforcement letters, are the lowest rung on the agency's enforcement ladder and began during the administration of former Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle. Patrick Stevens, DNR administrator of environmental management, said the figures obscure a long-standing approach going back several administrations of trying to ensure companies and individuals first achieve compliance. The most flagrant cases end up being referred to the Department of Justice for prosecution, he said. The report "suggests we are not doing anything," which is not the case, said Stevens. The DNR's lack of staffing and the reasons for it generated many of the questions from board members. Earlier this year, the agency said employment had dropped 15% since 1995. The DNR's head count stood at 2,641, including vacancies. There were then 365 vacant positions and 90 were in the process of being filled. Officials pointed to high levels of retirements and staff turnover since 2011, and financial constraints on the agency that have limited hiring in many cases. Training new employees can take two years, board members were told. "If we have been unable to acquire the adequate number of employees over the last six years, what are you going to change, so that we have some level of confidence that there are going to be enough people in that department ASAP?" asked board member and dairy farmer William Bruins of Waupun. Board member Preston Cole of Milwaukee, an administrator in the City of Milwaukee's Department of Public Works, said he was "perplexed" why the agency didn't better plan for anticipated retirements. Another board member, dentist and cranberry company operator Frederick Prehn of Wausau, questioned why the DNR has not sought fee increases for CAFOs that pay $395 for a permit even though the cost of developing the farm can reach tens of millions of dollars. "That's not fair," Prehn said. Board members pressed officials on whether they will seek higher fees from CAFOs and more funding from the governor and the Legislature. DNR Secretary Cathy Stepp said efforts to reorganize the agency and a top-to-bottom analysis of work priorities must be finished to convince lawmakers the agency needs more money. Officials hope to complete a major revamping of the agency later this year. Walker has not said whether he supports additional funding for the DNR. Wisconsin Public Radio reported on Tuesday that the governor said in Dunn County, in western Wisconsin, that his office is mulling changes at the DNR, ranging from additional staffing to turning some duties over to other agencies. Spokesman Tom Evenson said in an email on Tuesday, "The governor is considering many policy items as we work to build the next state budget. Any specifics related to the DNR will be presented with the governor's budget proposal." The questions put to DNR officials were among the most pointed in recent years. But board member Julie Anderson of Sturtevant, who works for Racine County, applauded the agency for trying to bring changes at a time of limited resources while being pressured by dueling constituencies. "What this team has been able to accomplish so far, and what they continue to strive for, is nothing short of incredible," Anderson said. On the topic of Lake Michigan bluff erosion, board members were told the problem has been worst in Racine County, particularly in Mount Pleasant where one home has been removed and a handful of other homes are precariously close to falling into the lake. The lake has experienced a 4-foot jump since its low point of 2013, but is still about 2 feet below the historic high, board members were told. If water levels on Lake Michigan continue to rise, "we will continue to see failures on taller bluffs in other parts of the state," said Michael Thompson, a program manager for the agency. Federal authorities are investigating a range of potential crimes at Lincoln Hills School for Boys, including second-degree sexual assault, physical child abuse, child neglect, abuse of prisoners, and intimidation of victims and witnesses. Credit: Mark Hoffman By of the Madison When an inmate at a troubled juvenile prison brushed a female worker's breasts and groin, Department of Corrections leaders and law enforcement initially did little, with officials instead subjecting the victim to a seven-week investigation to find out whether she invited offenders to grope her. Officials waited months to investigate whether the Lincoln Hills School for Boys inmate had committed a crime, and the first investigators the employee heard from said they were focused on whether she had asked to be touched, newly released records show. "In this case, the employer seems to have flunked Investigation 101," said Jeff Hynes, president of the Wisconsin Employment Lawyers Association. "It seems they did everything you're not supposed to do." He called what happened to Teri Jenson a "ripe candidate for litigation" that could cost taxpayers large sums. Hynes is not involved in the matter. The incident provides the latest example of Lincoln Hills leaders not promptly reporting crimes at the facility and renews questions about how seriously officials there have taken the safety concerns of employees and inmates. The prison and its sister facility, Copper Lake School for Girls, have been under a criminal probe for 18 months for prisoner abuse, misconduct in office and other crimes. The internal investigation of Jenson was conducted when top corrections officials were insisting that they were putting strong controls in place at the Northwoods juvenile prisons and came almost four years after a Racine County judge wrote to Gov. Scott Walker to warn him about "inexcusable" indifference to a case of sexual assault there. Only weeks after the groping, then-Corrections Secretary Ed Wall praised the outgoing officials in charge of Lincoln Hills for their leadership, saying "their impact was not only felt in our state, but across the country." Internal investigators ended their review of Jenson soon after she provided them with a report showing an inmate had threatened to get another employee fired by making up similar charges. Two weeks later, the inmate accused of touching her was charged with fourth-degree sexual assault. Department of Corrections spokesman Tristan Cook said the agency is "committed to ensuring a safe and secure environment for staff and youth" and has made significant improvements in recent months. Jenson declined to comment for this article, but her union representative said she was comfortable with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel using her name to tell her story. She told investigators she was supervising inmates during recreation time when inmate Christopher Rayford, 17, walked past her, raised his forearm and brushed it against her breasts. He apologized and at the time she thought it was possibly an accident. A few hours later, as inmates were changing their shoes for gym, Rayford reached out and brushed his hand across her thighs and pubic bone, according to her account. She told him if he ever did that again he would be on the ground so fast he wouldn't know what hit him. "It totally freaked me out. It threw me in a whirlwind," Jenson told investigators. She reported the incident soon after it happened to a supervisor, Dusty Meunier. Rayford admitted to Meunier that he had touched Jenson twice but said it was accidental, according to Jenson's account. Meunier then sent Rayford to a secure unit. Within a week, the inmate was found to have inappropriately touched staff and was given seven days in restrictive housing, according to the Department of Corrections. The evening of the incident, 10 or more inmates taunted Jenson for more than an hour, asking her if she enjoyed having Rayford touch her genitals. Another staff member then relieved her so she could talk about the situation with another supervisor, Clyde Maxwell. In a report, Maxwell described Jenson as crying and upset over what had happened. Two reports one about the touching and one about the taunting were sent to Paul Westerhaus, the juvenile corrections administrator at the time. The position is one of the top jobs at the Department of Corrections. John Ourada, the superintendent of Lincoln Hills School at the time, told Jenson a couple of days after the incident that the matter would be referred to the Lincoln County Sheriff's Department, according to what Jenson told investigators. Later, she asked Ourada and then-Deputy Superintendent Wendy Peterson about reporting it to the Sheriff's Department herself, but they told her it was "myth" staff could do that, saying only the prison's leaders could alert law enforcement to crimes at Lincoln Hills, according to Jenson's account. Peterson has since been promoted to prison superintendent. Cook said Tuesday that correctional workers are free to report suspected crimes at prisons to law enforcement. Records show Ourada gave a Lincoln County detective a report about the incident on Oct. 16, or nine days after it happened. The detective, Thomas Barker, responded by email on Oct. 27 20 days after the incident to say he wanted to talk to Ourada about it later that week. Barker could not be reached late Tuesday, but in a December report he wrote that the prison's security director at the time, Rick Peterson, had told him earlier he was considering formally referring the matter to the Sheriff's Department but didn't provide additional paperwork about it. Barker got the paperwork after Jenson reported the incident to the Sheriff's Department. Westerhaus and Ourada did not return phone calls this week asking to discuss how they handled the situation. The two abruptly retired in December, days before about 50 agents and attorneys raided Lincoln Hills as part of their investigation. Nearly two months after Jenson reported being assaulted, on Dec. 1, Jenson was interviewed by two investigators from the Department of Corrections' Office of Special Operations, its internal investigation unit. They said they had opened the probe because of inmate accusations that she had invited them to touch her sexually but could not provide her with the names of her accusers. On Dec. 10, Jenson was put on paid leave. Over the next week, investigators conducted nine interviews with inmates but did not talk to any other staff about it, records show. A month later, Jenson was called in for another interview to talk about whether she allowed inmates to touch her and whether she smoked in the prison's bathrooms claims she emphatically denied. She expressed frustration that investigators were more interested in the accounts of inmates than her co-workers. "In all this stuff, why is it that my partner or even Denise (Dillenberg, who witnessed the taunting) have not been talked to about any of these supposed allegations? If you're investigating this, why has that not been included in it?" she said, according to a transcript of the interview. "I'm a little flabbergasted that nobody's been talked to." Department of Corrections Capt. Rick Freeze, who helped conduct the internal probe of Jenson, responded that talking to co-workers would be "getting an opinion" and they wanted facts. Jenson countered that her co-workers see her throughout the workday and could provide them with details about how she acts around inmates. At that interview, Jenson provided investigators with a Dec. 30 incident report filed by Lincoln Hills worker Rita Lokemoen that said an inmate told Lokemoen he was going to make up false allegations against her because he was upset they weren't going to get to go to gym. "She's gonna be another (Jenson) and get fired," the inmate said, according to the report. "You hear me? She's gonna be another (Jenson) and get fired for letting kids touch her." The report appears to have helped Jenson defend herself and keep her job. Within days of her providing it, internal investigators ended their probe, writing that her accusers were unable to corroborate their claims with witnesses or dates. Investigators never found any video from the institution's cameras backing up the claims. She returned to work on Jan. 18 seven weeks after the investigation began and five weeks after being put on paid leave. Taxpayers spent more than $3,200 on her pay while she wasn't working. Later that month, District Attorney Don Dunphy charged Rayford with fourth-degree sexual assault, a misdemeanor. Rayford has pleaded not guilty. Jason Stein of the Journal Sentinel staff contributed to this report. 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. Credit: Wire photos SHARE Election 2016 Visit our election section for complete coverage of the 2016 spring and fall local, state and national elections. By , Watertown Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker said Tuesday that 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% 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." Even as Walker wavers, the top Republican in the Wisconsin state Senate repeated his call Tuesday for the GOP to get behind Trump. Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald said attempts to abandon Trump for some other alternative "is just not going to work." Doing that would hurt other Republicans on the ballot, including U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, Fitzgerald said. A first-ever task force of citizens, farmers and public officials called for limits on manure spreading and stronger oversight from the Department of Natural Resources in Kewaunee County, which has a large number of large dairy operations. Shown here is Deer Run Dairy LLC near the southern end of Sleepy Hollow Road in the county. Credit: Submitted Photo SHARE By of the In Kewaunee County, where controversy has long raged over large-scale dairy farms and pollution, a first-ever task force of citizens, farmers and public officials called for limits on manure spreading and stronger oversight from the Department of Natural Resources. The recommendations made Tuesday will be closely watched because the group focused on activities in northeastern Wisconsin, where thin soils, geologic conditions and the practices of concentrated animal feeding operations, or CAFOS, and their potential to pollute streams, lakes and groundwater have long been under scrutiny. The work of the Groundwater Collaboration Task Force also could be used elsewhere in the state with manure conflicts, according to a report accompanying the recommendations. CAFOs are the largest classification of farms, and in the case of dairy operations, they house a minimum of 700 milking cows. A single milking cow produces about 80 pounds of manure a day. Six environmental groups petitioned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in October 2014 to investigate water contamination in the county, arguing the DNR had failed to protect drinking water with its authority to regulate groundwater and large-scale cattle operations. That prompted the DNR to bring together farmers, residents, environmental groups, local officials and staff from the two government agencies to find solutions that would reduce the risk of groundwater pollution. The recommendations outlined Tuesday call for changes in farming practices and more oversight from the DNR and the county. Legislative changes would also be required in some areas. Lee Luft, a Kewaunee County Board member and a member of the task force, said, "My concern is when and how the recommendations will be implemented that's absolutely the key." Russ Rasmussen, a water regulation official with the DNR, said the work of the group was important because "it helped focus attention on the issue." But the outcome is not clear, he said. The DNR has already sent proposals for changes to Gov. Scott Walker for review. But he said the process that follows will require input from the public and interest groups, the Natural Resources Board and the Legislature. Don Niles is owner of Dairy Dreams in Casco, which milks about 2,800 cows. He said the status quo is not acceptable and farmers must make changes. "I think there is growing sentiment on all sides that we need to be creative, innovative risk takers," Niles said. In a 63-page report, the group called for a one-time allocation of $300,000 in state funds for emergency water supplies, water treatment systems and construction of new wells. In December, 34% of wells tested in the county were found to be unsafe because they failed to meet health standards for drinking water, according to a state-funded study conducted by the U.S. Agriculture Research Service and the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. The task force also called for more oversight of manure spreading in areas where waste can filter through shallow soil and fractured bedrock to pollute groundwater. It also wants the DNR to beef up staffing in compliance and environmental enforcement in northeastern Wisconsin. Among other recommendations: the group called for no spreading of solid manure on soil with less than 12 inches to bedrock; and no spreading of liquid manure where soil is 24 inches or less to bedrock. "Overall, these recommendations are really robust and reflect the best thinking of many people who want to see the problem fixed," said Elizabeth Wheeler, an attorney with Clean Wisconsin, one of the groups that petitioned the EPA. "We just need the political will to implement these recommendations." Sarah Geers, an attorney with Midwest Environmental Advocates, said she was pleased the EPA will now be able to evaluate the recommendations. But she said in an email: "We still have the same concerns that we and other environmental organizations had a year and a half ago when we filed the Safe Drinking Water Act petition with the EPA: Residents with contaminated drinking water wells need immediate action, including having access to safe drinking water now." By of the Eight days before Rick Frenette was fired as chief executive officer of the Wisconsin State Fair, Gov. Scott Walker's administration determined that he was involved in "fraudulent transactions" in approving pay raises for nearly his entire staff, including himself. The information was contained in a May 3 memo prepared for the Wisconsin Department of Administration, which oversees the State Fair, and obtained by the Journal Sentinel in response to an open records request. Frenette was fired May 11 and a day later Human Resources Director Ryan Burns resigned after they bypassed state procedures for granting raises to themselves and 30 other State Fair employees. The memo dealt with the issue of "State Fair Park misappropriation of Discretionary Merit Compensation," involving Frenette and Burns. It concluded that the DOA's Department of Personnel Management "must approve all increases." "These fraudulent transactions represent an abuse of discretion, and have greatly eroded the integrity and trustworthiness of the position of executive director," the memo said. In a May 2 interview with DOA officials, Burns placed the blame for the raises on his boss, Frenette, even though he was the one who technically entered them into the state system. Burns acknowledged he had someone else enter his raise. Asked if he ever thought about getting required approval from his superiors at the state, the Department of Personnel Management, Burns said, "Yes, but I had been given the spreadsheet by Rick and told to go ahead." At the time of his dismissal, Frenette's attorney, Franklyn Gimbel, said his client had made a mistake but argued he shouldn't be dismissed. Frenette gave himself a $5,000 raise on top of his $127,000 salary. After Frenette was fired, he was replaced on an interim basis by Kathleen O'Leary, a longtime fair employee. Wisconsin State Fair Park Board Chairman John Yingling said Tuesday that he hopes to have a permanent chief executive officer hired by Thanksgiving. The position will be advertised after this year's State Fair, Aug. 4 to 14, Yingling said. The search and screening committee will be comprised of five board members, led by Jim Villa, a former longtime aide to Walker. Yingling said the screening committee will "sift and winnow" the candidates to "an appropriate number of people." The full board is expected to interview up to five finalists, he said. Asked if she was interested in the permanent position, O'Leary said, "After 19 years of being here, of course I'm interested. Right now, my focus needs to be on leading a team to and through the 2016 Wisconsin State Fair." Here are all the charges Darrell Brooks is convicted of in parade trial Reddit Email 0 Shares By EurActiv.com with AFP Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan lost a German court battle against a top media boss 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 groups 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 Doepfners letter of support a permissible expression of opinion as protected under Article 5 of Germanys constitution, the court said in a statement. Erdogan could still seek recourse before Germanys top tribunal, the Federal Constitutional Court. The legal action came after Doepfner published in April an open letter in one of the Springer groups newspapers, in which he backed Jan Boehmermann the satirist who in a poem accused Erdogan of bestiality and watching child pornography. Boehmermanns 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 Germanys legal limits to free speech and was intended as a provocation. In his letter, Doepfner took the comedians 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. Via EurActiv.com with AFP Related video added by Juan Cole: Euronews from 2 months ago: Germans divided amid frenzy over comedians satirical Erdogan poem VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA / TheNewswire / June 22, 2016 / MGX Minerals Inc. ("MGX" or the "Company") (CSE: XMG / FKT: 1MG) is pleased to report the Company has received a National Instrument (N.I.) 43-101 compliant technical report (the "Report") regarding its Alberta Lithium Properties (the "Properties"). MGX commissioned APEX Geoscience Ltd. ("APEX") to prepare a N.I. 43-101 Technical Report on its Lithium Oilfield Brine project in Alberta, Canada. MGX's Alberta lithium-brine properties, which are the subject of the Technical Report, consist of 30 Metallic and Industrial Mineral permits for a total land package of 243,185.6 hectares (600,924.7 acres). The 30 contiguous and non-contiguous Permits can be divided into 15 sub-Properties that are located in four general areas of Alberta: The Red Deer group of permits are situated in the Red Deer, AB area of south-central Alberta and comprise 10 permits, including a contiguous cluster of six permits (Buck Lake sub-Property) and four non-contiguous permits (Bonnie Glen, Rimbey Homeglen, Erskine and Wimborne sub-Properties); The South Peace River Arch group of permits is situated near the communities of Hines Creek, AB and Fairview, AB and south of the Peace River Arch in northwestern Alberta, and comprises 10 permits, including a contiguous cluster of four permits (Sand Lake sub-Property) and six non-contiguous permits (Clear Lake; Utikuma River; Lesser Slave Lake; Upper and Lower Smoky River; and Pouce Coupe sub-Properties); The Fox Creek group of permits is located near the Town of Fox Creek, AB and includes two separate groups of contiguous permits: Fox Creek East sub-Property (4 permits) and Fox Creek West sub-Property (2 permits); and The Southeast group of permits is located north of the city of Medicine Hat, AB and east of the city of Brooks, AB in southeastern Alberta and comprises four contiguous permits (Dishpan Lake sub-Property). MGX, by making certain payments and share issuances, holds 100% rights on the Permits, which gives MGX the exclusive right to explore for and develop potentially economic deposits of metallic and industrial minerals within the boundaries of the Permits subject to meeting bi-annual expenditure requirements. In addition to these Permits, MGX has recently applied for additional Alberta Metallic and Industrial Mineral Permits; these permit applications have yet to be formally granted by the Government of Alberta. Infrastructure and Brine Production In general, the Permits are situated in areas where the energy sector is active year round providing excellent transportation roots, supplies services, equipment and personnel that is associated with Alberta's vast oil and gas sector; consequently there is an unlimited availability of resources including: workers and resource field personnel; power; equipment; engineering expertise; etc. MGX Minerals Inc.'s Lithium Oilfield Brine Project in Alberta aquifers are within Devonian reef complexes of the Beaverhill Lake Group (Swan Hills Formation), Woodbend Group (Leduc Formation) and Elk Point Group (Winnipegosis Formation). The brine is currently being pumped to the surface from depths of between 1,660 m and 3,300 m below surface as a waste product of hydrocarbon production. Currently, the extracted brine is separated from the petroleum products and then re-injected back into the subsurface. Hence, the brine represents the largest-volume waste stream associated with oil and gas production. The first major oil discovery in Western Canada was made in the Late Devonian (Frasnian) Leduc Formation of the Woodbend Group near the city of Devon, AB in 1947 (Leduc #1 well). Oil has been produced from the Devonian petroleum system in the Alberta portion of the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin ever since. The remaining established reserves of conventional crude oil in Alberta is about 288,200,000 cubic meters- more than one third of Canada's remaining conventional reserves- and the Cretaceous and Devonian reservoirs are the major sources for all remaining conventional oil. The vast Devonian hydrocarbon reserves can largely be attributed to the abundance of mature, excellent to good quality carbonate source rocks. These same porous Devonian rock units host significant volumes of formation water, which can possibly and are currently being assessed for their lithium-enriched brine potential. Highlights A historical account of fluid geochemistry of Devonian formations waters from wells that were spudded on the MGX sub-Properties shows that: Mineralization on MGX's Properties consists of Li-enriched Na-Ca brine hosted in aquifers within Devonian carbonate reef complexes predominantly of the Woodbend-Winterburn groups (MGX's Red Deer, South Peace River Arch and Fox Creek groups of permits) and Elk Point Group (MGX's Southeast group of permits). The Devonian formation/aquifer brine samples on the MGX Properties were collected from depths of between 1,665 m and 3,666 m below the surface. Devonian formation waters from selected wells on the MGX Properties reportedly contain up to 140 mg/L Li (21 separate well analyses average 100 mg/L Li). All 15 sub-Properties have at least one well with a recorded lithium content of >75 mg/L Li. Potassium was recorded in four separate Devonian wells yielding between 4,570 and 7,270 mg/L all of which were recorded in the area of the Red Deer group of permits. Formation water from a single well, 00/15-22-033-26W4-0, was analyzed for bromide (956 mg/L Br) and iodide (18 mg/L I). One Triassic sample contained significantly less lithium (26 mg/L Li) and potassium (430 mg/L K) showing that the Devonian brines contain higher concentrations of the elements of interest. Devonian Oil & Gas Pools As the Devonian petroleum system has generally been subject to hydrocarbon production for decades, many of the fields/pools are classified as mature or have extinguished their hydrocarbon resources. Consequently, an important consideration for Li-brine companies is to investigate Devonian fields/pools with viable petroleum reserves and active hydrocarbon production (i.e., operational lifespan) to ascertain/estimate the Li-brine potential of the associated aquifer going forward. With respect to MGX's Properties, the Bonnie Glen, Erskine and Wimborne sub-Properties are all reported to have significant remaining established commingled natural gas reserves (15 x 106m3; 24 x 106m3; and 629 x 106m3, respectively; Alberta Energy Regulator, 2015). In addition, the Fox Creek area is undergoing hydrocarbon resurgence in that hydraulic fracturing technology has made tight oil and gas associated with the Woodbend Group (Duvernay Formation shale) accessible to current and future development. A total of 4,969 oil, gas and water wells - regardless of stratigraphic target age - have been spudded on MGX's Properties. Of the 4,969 wells, 228 wells penetrate the Devonian within the MGX Permits; the current well status of these wells includes: 41 active wells; 32 suspended wells; 148 abandoned wells; and seven wells of unknown status, which are typically related to shallow water wells. The majority of the Devonian wells, regardless of well status, occur in MGX's Bonnie Glen; Rimbey Homeglen, Wimborne and Erskine sub-Properties (Red Deer group of permits in central Alberta) and Fox Creek group of permits in west-central Alberta. Importantly, production records show that these wells are capable of producing substantial volumes of formation water. For example, well 11/08-14-033-26W4, on the Wimborne sub-Property, produces about 900 bbls of formation water per day. Recommendation The Technical Report has shown that historical formation water geochemical analyses within MGX's Properties contain up to 140 mg/L Li, which is equivalent to the highest lithium-enriched brine samples documented to date in Devonian aquifers of the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin. It is recommended, therefore, that MGX conduct a two-phased program to verify and assess Li-brine at its properties. The total estimated cost of both phases is CDN$600,000. Recommended Phase One work, which is estimated at CDN$180,000, involves a formation water geochemical sampling program with the objectives of verifying the historical brine chemistry that is presented in this Technical Report. Pending the results of the Phase One exploration work, the purpose and objective of the Phase Two exploration work is to: 1) prepare inferred mineral resource estimations at selected MGX sub-Properties; and 2) conduct laboratory-scaled test work to explore and optimize the elemental recovery process. The total cost of the Phase Two exploration work is estimated at CDN$420,000. Property Lithium Values (mg/L) Hectares Clear Lake 96 7,136 Sand Lake 83 33,923 Utikuma River 96 9,216 Pouce Coupe 89 9,216 Upper Smokey River 94 9,216 Lesser Slave Lake 98 9,216 Lower Smokey River 115 8,741.76 Fox Creek East 130 34,438.32 Fox Creek West 118 17,021.1 Bonnie Glen 140 4,772.8 Buck Lake 90 50,653.4 Rimbey Homeglen 140 4,678.75 Erskine 130 4,699.432 Wimborne 120 4,928.8 Dishpan Lake 76 35,328 Technical Information The Report summarizing the Properties was prepared in accordance with N.I. 43-101 standards by APEX and has been filed under the Company's profile on SEDAR. The Qualified Person ("QP") for the Report is D. Roy Eccles, M.Sc., P. Geol. This press release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Eccles and the Company's Vice-President Exploration Mr. Andris Kikauka, both Qualified Persons under National Instrument (N.I.) 43-101 Standards. About MGX Minerals MGX Minerals (CSE: XMG) is a diversified Canadian mining company engaged in the acquisition and development of industrial mineral deposits in western Canada that offer near-term production potential, minimal barriers to entry and low initial capital expenditures. The Company operates lithium, magnesium and silicon projects throughout British Columbia and Alberta. For further information, please visit the Company's website at www.mgxminerals.com. Figure 1. General location of MGX Minerals Ltd.'s northern Alberta lithium-brine properties Click Image To View Full Size Contact Information Jared Lazerson President and CEO Tel: 604.681.7735 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking information or forward-looking statements (collectively "forward-looking information") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information is typically identified by words such as: "believe", "expect", "anticipate", "intend", "estimate", "potentially" and similar expressions, or are those, which, by their nature, refer to future events. The Company cautions investors that any forward-looking information provided by the Company is not a guarantee of future results or performance, and that actual results may differ materially from those in forward-looking information as a result of various factors. The reader is referred to the Company's public filings for a more complete discussion of such risk factors and their potential effects which may be accessed through the Company's profile on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Copyright (c) 2016 TheNewswire - All rights reserved. VANCOUVER, June 22, 2016 /CNW/ - NovaCopper Inc. (TSX, NYSE-MKT: NCQ) ("NovaCopper" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an update on its project and corporate activities. Project Update Preparations are underway at the Bornite Camp to accommodate the 2016 field program on the Company's 100%-owned Upper Kobuk Mineral Projects located in Northwest Alaska. The majority of this year's project budget of US$5.5 million is planned to be spent on a drilling program at the Arctic Project that will include approximately 3,000 meters of drilling for geotechnical, hydrological, waste rock characterization and metallurgical studies as well as further resource definition. In addition to the drilling program, a series of environmental studies are planned for this year including an aquatic survey, avian and large mammal habitat survey and a continuation of baseline environmental information collection. The LiDAR survey that was incomplete last year due to weather conditions will be completed while the wetlands delineation and surface water quality work will be expanded. This site investigation work will form the basis for completing a future pre-feasibility study on the Arctic deposit. The exploration camp will host approximately 40 to 50 staff and contractors with the majority of the workforce hired locally and most of the work occurring from mid-June through mid-August. "We are extremely pleased with the progress made to advance the Upper Kobuk Mineral Projects over the past year considering market conditions. Last year we completed the first phase of a multi-year site investigation program at the Arctic Project to support pre-feasibility. In addition, we reported a 173% increase in Indicated Resources at the Bornite Project," said Mr. Rick Van Nieuwenhuyse, NovaCopper's President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Van Nieuwenhuyse continued, "While the majority of this year's site investigation program will focus on the Arctic Project, the Company will also continue to improve our geological understanding of the regional exploration potential of the Ambler mining district through low-cost bedrock mapping within the Ambler schist belt and a deep penetrating soil geochemistry survey located immediately north and east of the current Bornite multi-billion pound copper resource. We also look forward to continuing to work closely with our partners at NANA to support training and hiring of the local workforce and with AIDEA to support their effort to build access to the Ambler mining district." The Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority ("AIDEA") has changed the name of the approximately 200-mile industrial access road proposed from the Dalton Highway to the Ambler mining district to the Ambler Mining District Industrial Access Project ("AMDIAP"). AIDEA undertook this project in 2013 to finance, construct, operate and maintain a road corridor to enable surface access to the Ambler mining district, which has been characterized as one of the largest undeveloped copper-zinc mineral belts in the world. At the end of 2015 AIDEA initiated the Environmental Impact Statement ("EIS") process for the AMDIAP by filing a Consolidated Right-of-Way permit application with several relevant federal agencies, including the National Park Service, the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Coast Guard, and the U.S. Federal Highways Administration. The project design is modeled on AIDEA's successful Delong Mountain Transportation System ("DMTS") which includes an industrial access road from the Red Dog Mine (one of the largest and highest grade zinc mines in the world) to the DMTS port. AIDEA worked with private industry to develop the DMTS industrial access road and the costs of road construction were paid back through tolls on road use paid by the mine. AIDEA, as a development finance authority for the State of Alaska, plans to develop the access route as a public-private partnership in which AIDEA funds and bonds would be used in conjunction with private capital for the construction and operation of the access corridor. AIDEA's project team is working with residents and communities to address their concerns and will be thoroughly investigating all potential impacts on local communities and subsistence resources. Corporate Update The Board is pleased to welcome Diana Walters as a new director of NovaCopper. Ms. Walters has 28 years of experience in the Natural Resources sector, as an investment manager and equity investor, as an investment banker and in operating roles. Ms. Walters has been the owner and sole manager of 575 Grant, LLC, a company that provides advisory services in the field of natural resources, since 2014. She served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Liberty Metals & Mining Holdings, LLC and a member of senior management of Liberty Mutual Asset Management from January 2010 to September 2014. She was a Managing Partner of Eland Capital, LLC, a natural resources advisory firm founded by her, from 2007 to 2010. Ms. Walters has extensive investment experience with both debt and equity through various previous leadership roles at Credit Suisse, HSBC and other firms. She also served previously as Chief Financial Officer of Tatham Offshore Inc., an independent oil and gas company with assets in the Gulf of Mexico. Ms. Walters currently serves on the board of directors of Platinum Group Metals and Electrum Special Acquisition Corporation. Ms. Walters graduated with Honors from the University of Texas at Austin with a B.A. in Plan II Liberal Arts and an M.A. in Energy and Mineral Resources. Mr. Igor Levental, a director of the Company since it went public in 2012, did not stand for re-election at the annual shareholders meeting as he has taken on expanded responsibilities within the Electrum Group, where he serves as President. The Board of Directors of the Company would like to thank Mr. Levental for his valuable contribution in establishing NovaCopper as a well-financed premier North American exploration and development stage company. The Board and Management wish him success in his future endeavors. The Company's shareholders approved changing the Company's name to Trilogy Metals Inc. at the Annual General Meeting held on May 18, 2016. Implementation of the Company's new name is expected on or about September 1, 2016. Qualified Persons Erin Workman, P.Geo., Director of Technical Services for NovaCopper Inc., is a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101. Ms. Workman has reviewed the technical information in this news release and approves the disclosure contained herein. NovaCopper recently filed a National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101") compliant technical report (the "Report") titled "NI 43-101 Technical Report on the Bornite Project, Northwest Alaska, USA," that describes the potential in-pit and below-pit resources previously announced by the Company on April 19, 2016. The effective date of this report is May 16, 2016. The Report has been filed on SEDAR and EDGAR and is also available on the Company's website at www.novacopper.com. About NovaCopper NovaCopper Inc. is a metals exploration company focused on exploring and developing the Ambler mining district located in northwestern Alaska. It is one of the richest and most-prospective known copper-dominant districts located in one of the safest geopolitical jurisdictions in the world. It hosts world-class polymetallic VMS deposits that contain copper, zinc, lead, gold and silver, and carbonate replacement deposits which have been found to host high grade copper mineralization. Exploration efforts have been focused on two deposits in the Ambler district - the Arctic VMS deposit and the Bornite carbonate replacement deposit. Both deposits are located within NovaCopper's land package that spans approximately 143,000 hectares. NovaCopper has an agreement with NANA Regional Corporation, Inc., a Regional Alaska Native Corporation that provides a framework for the exploration and potential development of the Ambler mining district in cooperation with local communities. Our vision is to develop the Ambler mining district into a premier North American copper producer. The Company also owns 100% of the Titiribi Project located approximately 70 kilometers southwest of the city of Medellin, Colombia, in Antioquia department, within the historical Titiribi mining district. More information on the Company, its properties and its management team is available on the Company's website at www.novacopper.com. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes certain "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" (collectively "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian and United States securities legislation including the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements including but not limited to anticipated activities at the UKMP, this year's anticipated budget, achieving a pre-feasibility level of study at some point in the future, and the advancement of the AMDIAP. Forward-looking statements are frequently, but not always, identified by words such as "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "potential", "possible", and similar expressions, or statements that events, conditions, or results "will", "may", "could", or "should" occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements involve various risks and uncertainties. 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. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from NovaCopper's expectations include the uncertainties involving the need for additional financing to explore and develop properties and availability of financing in the debt and capital markets; uncertainties involved in the interpretation of drilling results and geological tests and the estimation of reserves and resources; the need for cooperation of government agencies and native groups in the development and operation of properties and infrastructure; the need to obtain permits and governmental approvals; risks of construction and mining projects such as accidents, equipment breakdowns, bad weather, non-compliance with environmental and permit requirements, unanticipated variation in geological structures, metal grades or recovery rates; unexpected cost increases, which could include significant increases in estimated capital and operating costs; fluctuations in metal prices and currency exchange rates; and other risks and uncertainties disclosed in NovaCopper's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended November 30, 2015 filed with Canadian securities regulatory authorities and with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and in other NovaCopper reports and documents filed with applicable securities regulatory authorities from time to time. NovaCopper's forward-looking statements reflect the beliefs, opinions and projections on the date the statements are made. NovaCopper assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements or beliefs, opinions, projections, or other factors, should they change, except as required by law. SOURCE NovaCopper Inc. VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - June 22, 2016) - Mineral Mountain Resources Ltd. ("Mineral Mountain" or the "Company") (TSX VENTURE:MMV) is pleased to announce that the Company has increased its 100%-owned land position in the Rochford Gold District to 5,447 acres (2179 hectares) by staking an additional 37 unpatented lode mineral claims totaling 606 acres (242 hectares). In all, the Company now owns a contiguous land position located in Lawrence and Pennington Counties totaling 345 unpatented lode mineral claims. The northern boundary of the Company's land holdings is located 18 km (11 mi.) south of the Homestake Mine deposit. The close similarities between the Homestake Mine and the Rochford District in host rock composition, structural style, metamorphic grade, and gold mineralization suggest that the Rochford District has the potential to contain a large gold resource. The property covers four high priority gold targets that are situated within two structural corridors that host Homestake Ledge-type gold mineralization associated with banded iron formation documented by Noranda, Newmont, Western Mining and Homestake between 1982 and 1996. All four priority targets, if traced systematically down the limb fold plunge by diamond drilling are considered to be above average for the discovery of Ledge-type gold deposits. The four gold targets, three along the 5.5 km long Standby-South Standby-Lookout Mine Trend and the fourth along the 1 km long Cochrane Trend, require a well-planned drill program initially totaling 9,000 meters of drilling. (see release dated March 7, 2016) The Rochford Gold District Despite the similarities to Homestake, and compelling evidence for gold mineralization, the Rochford District has remained under explored. The Rochford Gold District is located approximately 26 kilometers south of the world's largest banded iron formation hosted gold deposit, the Homestake Mine, which produced nearly 40,000,000 ounces of gold averaging about 10.89 g/t Au (0.350 opt) over the life of the mine from 1876 to 2001. The geology of the Rochford District is remarkably similar to that at the Homestake Mine with gold hosted in multiple deformed Proterozoic carbonate facies and local sulfide-facies iron formation that has typically been metamorphosed to cummingtonite/grunerite phyllites/schists and chlorite schists. There are numerous, relatively shallow past producing gold mines and prospects in the district that were developed in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Mineral Mountain's property package covers approximately a 9 km long segment of auriferous iron formation considered to have many geological and mineralogical aspects to the Homestake Mine 26 km to the northwest. The Rochford District covers more than 78 square kilometers and has been explored intermittently by several major companies like Getty, Newmont, Noranda, Western Mining and Homestake Mining in the 20th century. The last serious exploration for the Rochford District was completed in 1997. This district appears to have been forgotten and/or overlooked especially after the closing of the nearby giant Homestake Mine in 2001. We believe that because Homestake was so dominant in the Black Hills for over 125 years, many explorers erroneously assumed that the gold belt been thoroughly explored. A plan that shows locations of historic mines and prospects as well as important patented and unpatented claim locations has been posted on the Company's website www.mineralmtn.com. Qualified Persons The technical information in this news release has been prepared and approved by Nelson W. Baker, P.Eng., the President and CEO of Mineral Mountain Resources Ltd. and a Qualified Person for this project. All exploration activities at the Rochford Project are carried out under the supervision of Kevin Leonard, P.Geo., also a Qualified Person for this project and conducted by a highly technical team with several years exploring for iron hosted gold deposits in the Black hills and globally. About Mineral Mountain and the Rochford Project Mineral Mountain Resources Ltd., through its wholly owned subsidiary Mineral Mountain Resources (SD) Inc., is focused primarily on the systematic exploration and, if warranted, the development of its large, 100%-owned Rochford Project located 26 km south of the Homestake Mine along the highly prospective gold belt trending through the Black Hills of South Dakota, U.S.A. The Rochford Project hosts repeating limbs and/or ledges along two structural corridors that hosts commercial grade, iron hosted gold mineralization that require systematic diamond drilling. The project now totals 345 contiguous unpatented lode mineral claims covering approximately 5,447 acres. On Behalf of the Board of Directors MINERAL MOUNTAIN RESOURCES LTD. Nelson W. Baker, President and CEO Forward looking information This release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation ("Forward-looking information"). Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements that address activities, events or developments that the Company expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future, including such things as future business strategy, competitive strengths, goals, expansion, growth of the Company's businesses, operations, plans and with respect to exploration results, the timing and success of exploration activities generally, permitting time lines, government regulation of exploration and mining operations, environmental risks, title disputes or claims, limitations on insurance coverage, timing and possible outcome of any pending litigation and timing and results of future resource estimates or future economic studies. Often, but not always, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "planning", "planned", "expects" or "looking forward", "does not expect", "continues", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "potential", "anticipates", "does not anticipate" or "belief" or describes a "goal" or variation of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking information is based on a number of material factors and assumptions, including, the result of drilling and exploration activities, that contracted parties provide goods and/or services on the agreed timeframes, that equipment necessary for exploration is available as scheduled and does not incur unforeseen break downs, that no labour shortages or delays are incurred, that plant and equipment function as specified, that no unusual geological or technical problems occur, and that laboratory and other related services are available and perform as contracted. Forward-looking information involves known and unknown risks, future events, conditions, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, prediction, projection, forecast, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors include, among others, the interpretation and actual results of current exploration activities; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; future prices of gold; possible variations in grade or recovery rates; failure of equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; the failure of contracted parties to perform; labour disputes and other risks of the mining industry; delays in obtaining governmental approvals or financing or in the completion of exploration, as well as those factors disclosed in the company's publicly filed documents. 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 information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - June 22, 2016) - CanAlaska Uranium Ltd. (TSXV: CVV) (OTCQB: CVVUF) (FSE: DH7N), is pleased to report that De Beers' exploration team has collected over 100 samples for kimberlite indicator mineral (KIM) processing from the West Athabasca project. The samples of glacial gravels were collected from eskers within the target area. These samples will now be processed in De Beers laboratories to establish further evidence for kimberlite intrusives associated with the magnetic anomalies staked by CanAlaska. These striking anomalies were identified from processing data from the Saskatchewan Government Geological Survey/Geological Survey of Canada airborne magnetics program carried out in 2010. In the next few weeks, the second phase of exploration will commence for detailed magnetic mapping of staked targets, as well as any further significant features. The new high resolution airborne magnetic survey carried out by a specialized aircraft from New Zealand will define the targets in preparation for drilling. President Peter Dasler commented, "I am very pleased with the significant attention that De Beers is giving our project. The initial reconnaissance sampling has been completed, and known targets visited. The rapid deployment of this specialized aircraft and the attention to detail with this program is very comforting. I look forward to the results of the programs, and the next steps in the exploration process." De Beers geologist collecting samples from Esker at West Athabasca CanAlaska and De Beers are exploring the West Athabasca project for diamonds under a staged $20.4 million Option-Participation Agreement. The project area covers 75 kimberlite-style targets staked by CanAlaska in the northwestern Athabasca Basin of Saskatchewan. De Beers may earn an interest in the project through a series of escalating exploration programs. For more information about the Athabasca kimberlite project visit http://www.canalaska.com/s/AthabascaKimberliteProject.asp?ReportID=740492 About De Beers De Beers is a member of the Anglo American Group. Established in 1888, De Beers is the world's leading diamond company with expertise in exploration and development, mining, and marketing of diamonds. Together with its joint venture partners, De Beers employs more than 20,000 people (directly and as contractors) across the diamond pipeline, and is the world's largest diamond producer by value, with mining operations in Botswana, Canada, Namibia and South Africa. As part of the company's operating philosophy, the people of De Beers are committed to Living up to Diamonds by making a lasting contribution to the communities in which they live and work, and transforming natural resources into shared national wealth. For further information about the De Beers Group of Companies visit www.debeersgroup.com. About CanAlaska Uranium CanAlaska Uranium Ltd. (TSXV: CVV) (OTCQB: CVVUF) (FSE: DH7N) holds interests in approximately 500,000 hectares (1.2 million acres), one of the largest land positions in Canada's Athabasca Basin region the "Saudi Arabia of Uranium." CanAlaska's strategic holdings has attracted major international mining companies Cameco, Denison, KORES, KEPCO, and the De Beers Group of Companies. CanAlaska is a project generator and is positioned for discovery success in the world's richest uranium district. For further information visit www.canalaska.com. The qualified technical person for this news release is Dr Karl Schimann, P. Geo, VP Exploration, for CanAlaska. On behalf of the Board of Directors "Peter Dasler" Peter Dasler, M.Sc., P.Geo. President & CEO CanAlaska Uranium Ltd. Contacts: Peter Dasler President Tel: +1.604.688.3211 x 138 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. John Gomez Corporate Development Tel: +1.604.484.7118 Email : This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tom Ormsby, Head of External & Corporate Affairs De Beers Canada Inc. Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. Tel: +1.403.930.0991 x 2703 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. Forward-looking information All statements included in this press release that address activities, events or developments that the Company expects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve numerous assumptions made by the Company based on its experience, perception of historical trends, current conditions, expected future developments and other factors it believes are appropriate in the circumstances. In addition, these statements involve substantial known and unknown risks and uncertainties that contribute to the possibility that the predictions, forecasts, projections and other forward-looking statements will prove inaccurate, certain of which are beyond the Company's control. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, the Company does not intend to revise or update these forward-looking statements after the date hereof or revise them to reflect the occurrence of future unanticipated events. [JURIST] A court in Cairo on Tuesday invalidated the Egyptian presidents decision to give sovereignty over two islands to Saudi Arabia. In April President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi [BBC profile] transferred sovereignty of Tiran and Sanafir islands in the Red Sea to Saudi Arabian Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman [official profile] as a gesture of good will following a meeting in which deals for oil and development had been discussed. While some showed celebration within the court room, it is likely that the government will appeal [Guardian report] the ruling. Last year Egypt and Saudi Arabia signed an agreement [JURIST report] to improve stability and safety in the region. The agreement, entitled the Cairo Declaration and signed in Cairo by al-Sisi and Saudi Defense Minister and Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, aims to boost military and social ties in the region, as well as improve economic stability. The relationship between the two countries has been improving since the ouster Islamist Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi in 2013. Saudi Arabia has in turn offered billions of dollars to aid Egypt in its joint bombing campaign with the Saudis against Yemen. The pact also sets out plans to build a new joint Arab military force to combat regional terrorism. Germanys top court [official website] ruled [press release] Tuesday that a bond-buy program created by the European Central Bank (ECB) [official website] complies with German law. The unlimited bond-buying program was created at the height of Europes debt crisis. The program, called Outright Monetary Transaction [ECB profile], was created in September 2012 in order to save the Euro. The program itself has never been used. Many against the program complain that the ECB has overstepped its authority and is taking advantage of the system. However, the Federal Constitution Court ultimately decided that the program doesnt present a constitutionally relevant threat the German Parliaments right to decide on the budget. This is not the first time the German court has had to deal with this issue. In February 2014 the Court removed [JURIST report] this same case to the European Court of Justice. This is the latest development in the ongoing struggle to establish financial stability in the EU. In January 2015 EU Advocate General Cruz Villalon gave legal support [JURIST report] to the ECB program as an attempt to remedy the financial crisis in the Eurozone. In September 2014 the EU parliament approved [JURIST report] a new bank supervisory mechanism. Last November the ECJ ruled [JURIST report] that the Eurozones permanent bailout fund, the European Stability Mechanism, is in line with European law. The ruling came following several member states own courts finding the ESM constitutional under their own laws, including Estonia and Germany [JURIST reports]. That June the European Commission [official website] announced [JURIST report] a proposal that would address the problems of bailing out large banks with public funds during financial crises in the future. [JURIST] The International Criminal Court (ICC) [official website] on Tuesday sentenced [decision, PDF; press release] ex-Congolese military leader Jean-Pierre Bemba to 18 years in jail for crimes against humanity and war crimes stemming from his involvement in the conflict in the Central African Republic (CAR) in 2002 and 2003. Bemba was sentenced to 16 years for murder as a crime against humanity; 16 years for murder as a war crime; 18 years for rape as a war crime; 18 years for rape as a crime against humanity; and 16 years for pillaging as a war crime, with all sentences to run concurrently. The court noted that the rape was particularly disturbing as it was (i) against particularly defenceless victims and (ii) with particular cruelty. It is possible that Bemba will appeal the sentence. The Bemba [JURIST news archive] case has been ongoing before the ICC since 2008. In March the ICC found unanimously [JURIST report] that Bemba was guilty of two counts of crimes against humanity and three counts of war crimes for his role in the armed conflict in the CAR in 2002 and 2003. In September Bemba pleaded not guilty to charges of interfering with the administration of justice after he and four members of his legal team were ordered to stand trial [JURIST reports] on those charges. In October 2014 ICC Trial Chamber III delayed the closing statements [JURIST report] in the case against Bemba so that it could hear additional witness testimony after the defense requested to testify about alleged collusion between prosecution witnesses. In November 2013 four persons were arrested on charges of falsifying evidence [JURIST report] in connection with the trial of Jean-Pierre Bemba Bembas defense lawyers opened their case before the ICC in August 2012. A lawsuit [complaint, PDF] is accusing a Louisiana judge of running a modern-day debtors prison. The lawsuit, filed Tuesday by the Southern Poverty Law Center [advocacy website], alleges that Judge Robert Black is sending poor defendants to jail when they cannot pay fines and charging them an extension fee to avoid jail time. The lawsuit contents that the judge routinely jails people who cannot pay fines for minor offenses without verifying why they cannot pay. One example [AP report] given is of a man who was fined $450 for stealing $5 worth of groceries and then jailed for four hours when he could not pay the fine or extension fee until a cousin paid the fee. Beyond just jailing the poor, the lawsuit contends that the extension fee created by Black to allow defendants to buy additional time in order to pay their fines is illegal and not authorized by state law. The lawsuit is seeking a declaration condemning Black and the Bogalusa City Court for their actions and an injunction against their practices. The treatment of prisoners and prison reform [JURIST podcast] has been a matter of ongoing concern in the US. In March the Department of Justice urged state court systems to stop using procedural routines and hefty fines to profit off poor defendants. In February the Supreme Court of California ruled [JURIST report] that Governor Jerry Brown can put his plan to ease prison overcrowding on the ballot this November. In January the US Supreme Court ruled that a landmark decision banning mandatory sentences of life without parole for juveniles should apply retroactively [JURIST report]. In August the Department of Justice reached a settlement [JURIST report] with Los Angeles prisons on mentally ill inmate care. In May of last year Human Rights Watch released [JURIST report] a report stating that mentally disabled prisoners experience unnecessary, excessive, and even malicious force at the hands of prison staff across the US. A federal court in February 2015 approved [JURIST report] a settlement agreement between the Arizona Department of Corrections and the American Civil Liberties Union in a class action lawsuit over the health care system within Arizona prisons. Also last February rights group Equal Justice Under Law filed suit [JURIST report] against the cities of Ferguson and Jennings, Missouri, for their practice of jailing citizens who fail to pay debts owed to the city for minor offenses and traffic tickets. KEARNEY - A woman pleaded with a Kearney judge to not send a teen to prison for burglarizing two Kearney homes. Hes 18, an unidentified female supporter of Taylor Quintana blurted out as another woman cried loudly Wednesday during Quintanas sentencing hearing in Buffalo County District Court. Quintana, 18, was sentenced to five to 12 years in prison for two counts of attempted felony burglary to a home in the 3100 block of Ninth Avenue and a home at East Lawn Mobile Home Estates. He also will serve one to three years in prison for felony possession of Lexapro in January. Lexapro is a narcotic used for the treatment of major depressive disorder in adolescents. The drug sentence will be served at the same time as the burglary sentences. Looking over the top of his glasses Judge John Icenogle fired back at the woman in the gallery. Maam, he burglarized two homes, Icenogle said in a stern, elevated voice. He also committed one (burglary) after he was already charged. Both women remained quiet after Icenogles scolding. For more about this story see the Thur., June 24 Hub print edition. WASHINGTON Rep. Steve King says his proposal to keep Harriet Tubmans face off the $20 bill should not be viewed as anything against the famous abolitionist. The Iowa Republican told reporters Tuesday on Capitol Hill that he simply favors keeping things the way that they are with Andrew Jacksons visage gracing the front of the currency. "Its not about Harriet Tubman, no, its about keeping the picture on the twenty," King said as he pulled a twenty spot from his pocket and held it up. "Why would you want to change that? I am a conservative. I like to keep what we have." King had offered an amendment to a spending bill barring the use of funds to redesign any Federal Reserve note or coin. But its going nowhere after the House Rules Committee late Tuesday denied him a vote on the proposal. Kings proposal would have halted plans announced in April by Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew to have Tubman replace Jackson on the front of the $20 bill. A former slave who was a leader of the Underground Railroad, Tubman will become the first African-American featured on U.S. paper currency and the first woman on paper currency in a century. Jackson, the nations seventh president, will be moved to the back of the $20 bill, which will also retain an image of the White House on the back. Reporters pressed King on why there shouldnt be a woman or person of color on a piece of U.S. paper currency. King characterized such thinking as "sexist" and "racist." "Why would a person even think like that?" King said. "Why wouldnt you look at who are the icons of our country that have been on our currency for a long time?" King said the plan to replace Jackson represents "liberal activism" by President Barack Obama. "Hes divided us down the lines of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, prosperity versus poverty, and pitted us against each other," he said. "This is a divisive proposal on the part of the president." Kings Democratic opponent in Iowa, Kim Weaver, said Kings proposal was "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. Asked about Weavers criticism that the proposal is mean-spirited, King responded: "I dont know why she would think she knows." He said theres no reason to disparage Jackson, whom he defended as "a president of the United States that was in fine and good standing." King also questioned why the country would spend money to change the currency given the size of the national debt. "Why does this come up now when weve got a country to run?" King said. "Its because President Obama is on his way out the door and youre going to watch hes going to do everything he can think of to upset this society and this civilization and hell pit more people against each other and get more people to think of themselves as members of a group. Im one of Gods children. So was Harriet, so was Jackson. Theres no reason to make the change." This report contains material from the Associated Press. 452 Shares Share A primary care physician named Ashley Maltz recently discussed advantages and disadvantages of a cash-based practice. I appreciate her evenhanded tone: She prefers this model yet expressed concern for patients who cant use it. In the comments section, several physicians extolled the virtues of cash-pay, but patients were mixed. Its attractive for those who can afford it, while it worries, and maybe angers, those who cant. I enjoy the personal and patient benefits of a mostly cash-pay psychiatric practice (I also see some patients under Medicare). I like running my own small business, keeping clinically useful paper charts as opposed to a ponderous EHR, and protecting my patients privacy. Billing is simple enough that I do it myself. There is also an argument for keeping the relationship dyadic, i.e., 2-person, in psychotherapy. Third-party payers can complicate the therapeutic relationship in a domain where clarity is paramount. Most of my private practice colleagues likewise avoid insurance panels. Its become the norm in my field. Yet were all painfully aware that most of the seriously mentally ill cant come to our offices. They are relegated to county clinics, training settings, and to the rare private practitioner who still accepts public insurance. Like Dr. Maltz, Im saddened that, those on Medicaid or disability programs cannot be seen for cash by medical providers for medical care. Most of these people do not have the financial means to seek alternative types of care. Thus, they are seen in large community clinics with overworked providers and limited resources. Some critics of cash-based psychiatric practice exaggerate, painting a picture of high-society shrinks getting rich off the worried well. They point to real or imagined $400 per hour psychiatrists calming the Silicon Valley nouveau riche. Others like Allen Frances M.D. provide a more balanced critique, noting that individual psychiatrists gravitate toward more functional patients, but that we are only a small part of a very large puzzle. It appears that as a society we prefer not to pay for treatment of the seriously disturbed, but only for the jails and prisons they occupy after committing minor property and lifestyle crimes due to their condition. Our situation in psychiatry is a harbinger for primary care. Theres no denying the advantages of cash-based practice; it serves both doctors and patients very well. Yet cash-based primary care practices, like psychiatric practices, exclude many patients who cant afford them. They cant comprehensively serve the primary care or psychiatric needs of a population. Even more obviously, almost no one can pay out of pocket for more elaborate medical care, such as major surgery or a lengthy ICU stay. Theres a basic tension between health care as a private transaction and health care as a public good. Regarding the former, we can show our compassion by offering some free or low-fee care, or by treating some publicly insured patients under Medicare or Medicaid. This way we avoid elitism and do our part for the less fortunate. However, we must recognize that no matter how charitable we are as individual physicians, many more are in need of our services than our charity can accommodate. The private transaction model of medical care cannot save sick people from dying in the street. Universal access to health services is needed. While taxpayer-funded Medicare and Medicaid cover many patients who cannot otherwise afford care, our current backstop is EMTALA, the 1986 federal law requiring hospital emergency departments to evaluate and treat emergencies regardless of ability to pay. According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 55 percent of U.S. emergency care now goes uncompensated, costing hospital systems tens of billions annually. Much of this cost is shifted to paying patients, inflating medical bills for everyone else. One way or another, society (i.e., we) pay to keep our fellow Americans alive and relatively well. It would be far more economical, not to mention humane, to offer universal access earlier, before health problems progress to emergencies just as it would be to treat the seriously mentally ill before they need to be imprisoned. Its no surprise that many patients who are otherwise sympathetic to the plight of demoralized, burned out doctors draw the line at a cash-based care model that excludes them. In order to ally with these patients, those of us with cash-based practices should at minimum acknowledge the need for a two-tier model, public and private. Better yet, we need to think hard about who provides services in the universal-access public tier. Should this be all of us at some point in our careers, i.e., a type of doctor draft or public service requirement? Should these services be relegated to PAs and NPs? Or can we let the market decide, such that these services are provided by physicians who arent sharp, ambitious, or economically secure enough to hang a shingle or for whatever reason prefer not to? These hard questions must be answered if were to be intellectually honest and admit that the physicians role in society is more than entrepreneur. Steven Reidbord is a psychiatrist who blogs at Reidbords Reflections. Image credit: Shutterstock.com The developers of the proposed Coves of Winfield subdivision speak out about the city's denial of a Tax Incentive Package. Killam Developments had requested approval of a Tax Reinvestment Zone from the City of Laredo. The proposal would have offset investment and development costs for the Coves Subdivision, which would have consisted of a 700-acre development and an estimated 2,000 new homes. In a statement released by Killam Development, it reads: "We are disappointed that the Laredo community will not be able to reap the benefits of the Coves of Winfield project. "This $500 million investment, which would have been invested over a 15 year period by different companies into the Laredo economy would have created a multitude of benefits for the City of Laredo." Proponents argue the development would have created over 2,000 jobs and spured growth in the area. However, opponents said the tax packages wasn't fair because a significant portion of the new tax revenue would have gone back to the developer and could only have been used for improvements in that development. City Council is now looking at the possibility of putting the Tax Incentive Proposal before the voters on a referendum election. To see the full statement, you can click the document on the right. The former Ceann Comhairle of the Dail, Seamus Pattison who was struck down some years ago with Parkinson's Disease, had over 20,000 robbed from him, over a seven month period, by the young carer assigned to mind him in his own home in the city. There were emotional scenes on Thursday in Kilkenny Circuit Criminal Court when Rachel Walsh (26), No 8 Lakeside Court, Kilkenny pleaded guilty to writing fraudulent cheques on Mr Pattison's cheque book and of using Mr Pattison's Visa card for transactions, which according to the trial judge, Karen O'Connor were thoughtful in the way it was carried out. By the same token, she said that the thefts were not used to pay for an extravagant lifestyle and one trip to Barcelona, on Mr Pattison's credit card was not large. She believed that Ms Walsh was truly remorseful and a letter of apology was forwarded to Mr Pattison while she made a guilty plea very early on in the garda investigation. And it was disclosed that Mr Pattison had been completely reimbursed by his bank. Judge said that Ms Walsh had been employed to look after Mr Pattison for a period of 14 months before the investigation and for four months while the investigation was being carried out and she was eventually charged. The offences were carried out between August 2014 and February 2015. When confronted, Ms Walsh was quite distressed and made no attempt to minimise what she had done. At an earlier sitting of the court, Det Garda John Kennedy said that Mr Pattison's brother had noticed a number of irregularities and was mandated to make enquiries in behalf of his brother. And at this stage the gardai were notified. A total of 25 cheques had been cashed by Ms Walsh for her own benefit. and a total of 21,685. Judge O'Connor said the amounts involved were small and that there was no large spending spree and no attempt to lead the high life. There was one for 2,000 and the largest amount was 3,750 0n Mr Pattison's Visa card. She said Ms Walsh had through her own admission, highlighted other transactions carried out by her. The Judge noted a very remorseful letter of apology was provided to the victim and Ms Walsh broke down in court at the end of the hearing while once again making her heartfelt apologies to Mr Pattison. On a number of occasions, during her summing up, the judge referred to the very serious breach of trust involved in the case. The judge said that Ms Walsh did not have a gambling or alcohol addiction problem and that the spending was modest and she noted that a short trip to Barcelona, paid for out of Mr Pattison's funds was not extravagant. The judge did note that a lot of thought had gone into the spending methods used by Ms Walsh to defraud the victim. She said the charge before the court would put an end to Ms Walsh's attempts to enter the nursing profession. She noted a number of testimonials from people vouching for Ms Walsh's good character including one from a former employer, Mrs Boyd. She said Ms Walsh was living with her widowed father and that he was in ill-health and that from an early date, attempts at restitution were made and that a sum of 2,293 had been paid back and that a further 1,200 had been offered in compensation. It was agreed that this money would be delivered to Garda Supt at Kilkenny Garda station and would be given back to the victim. At this stage the court was told that Mr Pattison had been reimbursed for the loss by the bank, so there was no loss to the victim and it was explained that the money in court, 1,200 would be handed over to the victim to do as he liked with it. Judge O'Connor said Mr Pattison had led an exemplary life of dedicated public service and that he had displayed considerable generosity of spirit in the case. She sentenced Ms Walsh to two years in jail with the entire period suspended provided Ms Walsh sign a bond promising to be of good behaviour for two years and agreeing to doing a 240 hour community service in lieu of the sentence. Judge O'Connor said she was giving Ms Walsh a chance and Ms Walsh said she appreciated it. Det Garda John Kennedy was thanked by the judge for the manner in which he carried out his duties in an understanding manner. Counsel for the State was Brian O'Shea BL instructed by the State solicitor for Kilkenny city and county, Mr Gerry Meaney. Editor's Note: The article was updated to include comments from analysts at Thomson Reuters GFMS. (Kitco News) - The latest trade data from Switzerland demonstrates just how much the Brexit uncertainty has weighted on British consumers. For the third month consecutive month, the United Kingdom was the main destination for Swiss gold exports. According to the data released Tuesday, 69.473 tonnes of gold was exported to the U.K. from Switzerland, slightly down from 78.8 tonnes in April. In the last three months, 192.273 tonnes of gold have flowed into Britain as voters struggle to decide whether to remain a member of the European Union. Analysts from Commerzbank noted that the bullion into the U.K flowed mostly into the reserves of gold-backed exchange-traded products, which is a strong investment of choice among Western investors. In total Switzerland exported 177.3 tonnes of gold in May, up 20% from April and the highest amount for the year so far. Looking ahead, as Brexit fears start to diminish, Simona Gambarini, commodities economist at Capital Economics, said that she expects traditional gold markets to regain their dominance in the market. The latest Swiss data showed that demand in India remains lackluster as exports fell to 18.5 tonnes last month, down 16% from April. Gambarini explained that last month, the Indian market was still adjusting to the 42-day strike organized by the nations Jewelry industry to protest the governments high duty tax on gold imports. India has been the biggest surprise so far this year but we expect consumer demand to pick up as the strike factors dissipate, she said. We also expect demand to pick up following a positive monsoon season. Gambarini said that she expects Indian demand to pick up in the second half of the year ahead of the all-important wedding season. After a lackluster start to the year, Swiss data shows that Chinas gold demand is starting up pick up. Nineteen tonnes of gold were shipped to mainland China from Switzerland, an increase of 36% from April. At the same time, exports to Hong Kong grew to 24 tonnes, up a whopping 161% from April. Gambarini noted that Chinese demand is relatively price sensitive, and it is not surprising demand picked up last month as the price saw a 6% correction. In a recent report, Analysts at Thomson Reuters GFMS also highlighted price sentivity as a factor in recent Chinese lackluster interst in gold so far in 2016. However, they are also expecting sentiment to shift later in the year. "We are likely to see some pent-up demand coming later in the year, particularly should we see a correction in gold prices below the $1,200/oz level. That said, we will not be surprised if total demand in China remains weak for the year as a whole, given that jewellery demand, which accounts for the larger share of total demand, has remained weak so far this year and is likely to remain under pressure due to the slowing economy," the analysts said. By Neils Christensen of Kitco News; nchristensen@kitco.com Follow @Neils_C SHARE By Tristan Baurick of the Kitsap Sun OLYMPIA A long-prohibited method of salmon farming is gaining support among state fisheries managers. The state Department of Fish and Wildlife is dusting off the idea of allowing private companies to raise and release salmon for commercial harvests. Known as salmon ranching, the practice boomed in the Northwest during the 1970s. It went bust in Oregon and was outlawed in Washington but continues to thrive in Alaska. Norway and Japan are world leaders in the business, producing huge quantities of ranched salmon, lobster, cod and other species. As wild salmon runs decline and government hatchery production wanes, some Fish and Wildlife leaders believe the private sector could have a role in boosting the supply of fishable salmon. "The understanding is that hatchery funding will continue to decline and we should be planning alternatives," Fish and Wildlife Commissioner Miranda Wecker said. Commissioners discussed salmon ranching at a June 10 meeting in Olympia and have directed staff to continue researching the issue. Concerns about the impact of hatchery fish on wild stocks has led to stricter production rules and lower funding levels. Since 1998, hatchery salmon and steelhead trout production fell about 40 percent. Wild stocks particularly coho and chinook salmon have plunged, leading to this year's near-cancellation of the nontribal salmon fishing season. A salmon ranch is essentially a privately run hatchery. In Washington, hatcheries are run by government agencies, with Fish and Wildlife and tribes playing the largest roles. Hatchery fish are produced with the assumption that many will be caught by commercial, tribal and recreational fishers before they return home to spawn. With salmon ranching, the assumption is that many or most of the salmon will return to the rancher for harvest, thereby recouping the initial investment and ideally producing a profit. In this regard, salmon ranching is a bit like cattle ranching: Animals are released, allowed to mature, and then rounded up for slaughter. Salmon would do the roundup themselves, with their natural spawning impulses drawing them home for harvest. Unlike hatcheries, some salmon ranches retain young salmon in net pens, fattening them up with food pellets before releasing them at an age when they're less likely to be eaten by predators. Oregon had 12 salmon ranches in the '70s and '80s. "But none got to the point they were making a profit," Fish and Wildlife salmon biologist Chad Herring said. There was no way to prevent predators or recreational and commercial fishers from picking off the ranch-hatched salmon. "They could not control the harvest, and it was a free-for-all," said Commissioner Conrad Mahnken, a retired fisheries biologist who tracked the issue for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration during the early 1980s. Washington opted to quash the practice before it gained traction. "There was so much opposition to (salmon) ranching and salmon farming that the Legislature went with outlawing it," said Mahnken, a Bainbridge Island resident who represents Kitsap County on the commission. Washington's commercial fishers worried that ranched salmon would out-compete wild stocks, while environmentalists objected to the use of net pens, which concentrate fish waste and are blamed for transmitting diseases to wild fish. Alaskan salmon ranching could serve as a model for Washington, according to Fish and Wildlife staff. Alaska allows private nonprofit ranches that are partly supported by revenues from a commercial fishing tax. In operation since the 1970s, Alaska's salmon ranches account for about 40 percent of the state's salmon harvest. A cost-benefit analysis conducted by Fish and Wildlife staff indicated salmon ranching need to overcome challenges to gain public acceptable and private investment. On the plus side, ranching could increase the commercial catch and reduce state hatchery costs. It would also boost the number of young salmon that would, in turn, serve as prey for wild chinook. The negatives include possible harm to wild stocks, the spread of disease, lower water quality and an uncertain market for ranchers. "There are economic problems and environmental problems, but I think they can be overcome," Mahnken said. Another big challenge: changing state law. "Is there a champion out there in the Legislature for this? That's what we'd need," Commissioner Larry Carpenter said. "If we're blessed legislatively, this might be something to consider." SHARE By Ed Friedrich of the Kitsap Sun BREMERTON Kitsap County Association of Realtors is revisiting its stance on a cross-Sound passenger-only ferry plan. In April, the group's government affairs committee came out against Kitsap Transit's proposal to run fast ferries from Bremerton, Kingston and Southworth to downtown Seattle. The service would require voters to pass a three-tenths of 1 percent sales tax increase in November. The committee supports the passenger-only ferry concept, but members were worried about the reliability of high-tech, low-wake ferry Rich Passage 1, and wondered whether the service was worth $48 million to establish and $11 million annually to operate, association executive Mike Eliason said. The decision by the government affairs committee wasn't embraced by the board of directors. The board told the committee to present it with the ferry plan's pros and cons. The board will vote whether to uphold or overturn the committee's decision during a special meeting June 29, Eliason said. "The board feels like the board needs to make the decision," he said. "There's some expectation the decision could be overturned. My sense is the board is divided on this issue. It could go either way." The board, which had delegated responsibility for endorsing candidates and ballot measures to the committee, now will require that committee decisions be ratified by the board. Calls to the board president and government affairs committee chairwoman weren't returned Tuesday. Past President Frank Wilson said he couldn't speak for the organization but believes real estate professionals should focus on the basics transportation, health, education and the economy. "I support anything we can do to improve the ferry transportation," he said. "We've only got a couple of ways to get out of here Highway 16 and the ferries. In this case, we should put the vote before the people and let the people decide what they want to do." The Realtor group is the only entity that has taken a stand on the ferry issue. Rich Passage I Transit officials hope to bring Rich Passage 1 back to Sinclair Inlet by the end of the month, they said during a passenger-only ferry subcommittee meeting Tuesday. The low-wake ferry is in Port Townsend, where it has been stored out of the water since fall. The boat isn't working properly in the slower, more fuel-efficient "performance" mode, said project manager Carla Sawyer. It seems fine in the high-speed, "low-wake" mode. It will undergo its annual Coast Guard hull inspection Thursday. The computers will be reset and the ferry returned to the water June 30 to confirm the settings are working. "If sea trials go fine, we could come down the afternoon of June 30," Sawyer said. The ferry, which can make half-hour trips between Bremerton and Seattle, needs to be visible during the busy festival season, Bremerton Mayor Patty Lent said. Even better would be the ability to walk aboard and check it out. "There's no reason we can't let people on," said Kitsap Transit Executive Director John Clauson, who participated in the meeting by phone. "We can't take them out for a ride." There could be a way. "Once we get the Coast Guard certificate of inspection, there's no reason it could not operate between Port Orchard and Bremerton," Clauson said. SHARE If you turned on cable TV news Monday, chances are good that you caught Corey Lewandowski fibbing that he doesn't have a clue why Donald Trump fired him as his campaign manager. Of course he knows. In a series of interviews on several shows, Lewandowski dodged every question, including from CNN's Dana Bash whether Trump's daughter Ivanka and her husband had anything to do with his dismissal. Tensions among them were well-known to campaign followers, but Lewandowski shrugged off such concerns as typical of all campaigns. No doubt. But Lewandowski was a special case he looked and acted more like a bodyguard/bouncer than a campaign manager. At one Trump event, he was accused of assaulting a female reporter. On Monday night, however, there was no evidence of the tough guy. Rather, Lewandowski portrayed a humble, thoughtful, soft-spoken, gee-whiz guy who only wants to do the right thing for his country and get Trump elected. Naturally, people wondered: How big is his golden parachute? And speculators wagered: He must have signed a confidentiality agreement. This is highly probable. Usually, when high-profile employees are escorted from the building, as Lewandowski was, they tend to leave with two things: a check and a promise never to speak ill of the company. And Trump is the company. There's no disagreement that Lewandowski had become a liability. His brash style, which reflected that of his employer, rubbed many the wrong way. Moreover, Trump's campaign is in dire straits. His poll numbers are slipping and are below any candidate's, Democrat or Republican, in the past three election cycles. Adding to his travails, Trump's campaign cupboard is relatively bare with just $1.3 million compared to Hillary Clinton's $42 million. Something had to change and somebody had to take the fall. Or so the obvious theories have gone. Another plausible theory is far more cynical and seems more Trumpian. It wasn't money or campaign discord at least not exclusively that got Lew the boot. He was fired as a sacrifice to one of the few constituencies Trump hasn't thus far insulted directly and one he desperately needs evangelical Christians. Could it be mere coincidence that just one day later on Tuesday Trump was scheduled to meet in New York with a congregation of about 900 Christian leaders to sort things out in advance of likely endorsements? That's a rhetorical question. Those gathered wanted to know more about the "real" Trump, to find a way to support him, despite his un-Christian behaviors and attitudes. And Trump's purpose was to assure them that he's really a good guy who loves the Lord, "believe me," and just wants to make America great again. The meeting was closed to media, especially The Washington Post, which Trump has banished from all events. It seems he doesn't like the way the paper is covering him. Richard Nixon felt the same way. But one imagines that his metamorphosis mirrors Lewandowski's. Remember Lewandowski, the humble, soft-spoken, gee-whiz-I-just-love-my-country fellow? Just add "and-Jesus" after "country" and you'll have a fair idea of how a new, improved Trump might appear. Not so much presidential as born-again. This is how I imagine Trump's handling of the meeting: "Look, I never meant any of those things I said, not really. Sure, we need to secure our borders and be smarter about immigration, but this doesn't mean I dislike Mexicans or think they're rapists, even though, I assume, some of them are. "I just get carried away sometimes because I'm so passionate about making this country great again. God willing. Plus, to be perfectly honest, I was getting some really bad advice from my campaign manager and that's why I had to let him go." Ba-da-bing. Lewandowski, not Trump, was the problem all along, you see. He told Trump to act like a raging, misogynistic, xenophobic, racist. Cleansed of Lewandowski's influence, he's liberated to be his presidential self. And, in this new light, the evangelical community can justify supporting this unlikely bearer of civilization's torch. Christians love the penitent sinner who has sought forgiveness and been reborn. Not all will buy Trump's reinvention, no matter what sort of incantations transpired Tuesday. Indeed, just across town on the same evening, another group of faith leaders gathered for dinner with members of "Better for America," a new organization aimed at finding and funding an alternative to Trump and Hillary Clinton. Barring divine intervention, they're probably too late. Then again, miracles can happen. A penitent, born-again Trump would certainly be one. Kathleen Parker's email address is kathleenparker@washpost.com. She writes for The Washington Post Writers Group. Stuff reports: A petition to be sent to the Government demanding Mike Hosking be removed from television screens has now clocked up more than 14,000 signatories in just over a week. Started by lawyer Dan Wayman the petition asks that Mike Hosking be removed from public broadcasting at TVNZ Im tempted to call these people cultural fascists. First of all do they really think the bloody Government should decide who is and is not allowed to appear on television as a broadcaster? Secondly they seem to hate views they disagree with, and want Hosking gone because he says things they dont like. This seems to be a phenomenon that mainly occurs on the left. I dont recall 14,000 right wingers signing a petition demanding John Campbell be removed from public broadcasting. If you dont like what someone says, then dont watch. Change the channel. I think NZ is better when it has diversity of views on air I think it is good both Hosking and Campbell are broadcasters. But these cultural fascists hate views that are not their own, and think the Government should decide who is allowed to be on air. They can get f****d. Share this: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Reddit WhatsApp More Pinterest Print Tumblr Mohammed Malik writes: Donald Trump believes American Muslims are hiding something. They know whats going on. They know that [Omar Mateen] was bad, he said after the Orlando massacre. They have to cooperate with law enforcement and turn in the people who they know are bad. . . . But you know what? They didnt turn them in. And you know what? We had death and destruction. This is a common idea in the United States. Its also a lie. Firstly, Muslims like me cant see into the hearts of other worshippers. (Do you know the hidden depths of everyone in your community?) Secondly, hes also wrong that we dont speak up when were able. I know this firsthand: I was the one who told the FBI about Omar Mateen. And he is not alone in this. In many countries the best source of information on radicalised Muslims comes from other Muslims. Soon after Omar married and moved to his own home, he began to come to the mosque more often. Then he went on a religious trip to Saudi Arabia. There was nothing to indicate that he had a dark side, even when he and his first wife divorced. 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. Since September 11, Ive 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. Good advice. After my talk with the FBI, I spoke to people in the Islamic community, including Omar, abut Moners 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. Thats 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 to Omar, I contacted the FBI again to let them know that Omar had been watching Awlakis tapes. He hadnt committed any acts of violence and wasnt planning any, as far as I knew. And I thought he probably wouldnt, because he didnt 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. So while he was not stopped, Malik did his best. 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 dont agree with every government policy (I think theres too much money in politics, for instance), but Im proud to be an American. I vote. I volunteer. I teach my children to treat all people kindly. Our families came to the US because it is full of opportunity a place where getting a job is about what you know, not who you know. Its a better country to raise children than someplace where the electricity is out for 18 hours a day, where politicians are totally corrupt, or where the leader is a dictator. Dr Malik sounds like a great American. Share this: Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Reddit WhatsApp More Pinterest Print Tumblr There is so much to coordinate that I can't keep it straight in my head. I explain it to my friend Susan until it starts to make sense. "We're going to pack a trailer with the furniture we have in Knoxville then drive to Blacksburg to get some furniture from Zack's old apartment. Then we'll drive to Penn State and unload everything into the apartment he's subleasing this summer. We'll spend the night in State College, and the next morning, we'll drive to Blacksburg again to get the furniture we want to bring home." "That sounds exhausting!" she says sympathetically. "I know," I tell her. "We're going to drive twelve-hundred miles and move three times in three days in three cities. What could go wrong?" For the first leg, we hire two college students in Blacksburg to help us. It's worth every penny. They load the trailer in an hour, and we're on our way to State College. With the trailer in-tow, the trip takes close to eight hours instead of six, but we're undaunted. The next morning, we meet another pair of college students at the Penn State apartment Zack has subleased for the summer. It's the apartment he rented, despite my warnings, from a total stranger, sight unseen. There weren't even any pictures attached to the Craig's List ad he answered. Now we know why. The apartment smells like dead animals and looks even worse. There's dirt everywhere. The carpet is stained and covered in debris. There's no air conditioning. My feet stick to the kitchen floor. Dried blood from old meat covers the bottom of the refrigerator. The bathroom is a horror. I don't say, "I told you so" but the rest of the day I refer to the apartment as his cautionary tale. The couch we brought from Knoxville doesn't fit through the apartment door. We spend the day driving it around looking for a storage unit. We lose the dolly we rented somewhere along the way. We buy industrial cleaning supplies and spend four hours cleaning the terrible apartment. His roommate never emerges from his bedroom. The next day we drag ourselves out of bed, kiss Zack goodbye, and begin our six-hundred-mile trip back to Knoxville with a stop at Virginia Tech. When we got to Blacksburg to pick up the last of our furniture, I turn to my husband and say, "I think we may be too old for this." He sighs and rubs his sore shoulder, which I take as a sign of agreement. We lock Zack's Virginia Tech apartment for the last time. We close up the trailer and pull out of town for the final leg of our long weekend journey. We drive in silence for a while. Both of us tired. Both of us thinking through the events of the weekend. We coordinated cars and trailers. We managed movers and oversized couches. We scrubbed a filthy apartment until the thought of our son sleeping there didn't give us nightmares. And through all of it I never stopped to think about what we were doing. I was so busy packing and planning that I lost sight of the big picture. "We just moved our son to another state," I say, breaking the silence. "For the first time in our lives, one of our children is more than a day's drive away." "I know," my husband replies, his voice full of emotion. His words hang in the air. There is nothing more to say. Leslie Snow may be reached at snowcolumn@aol.com. Photo by Saul Young, Knoxville News Sentinel staff SHARE By Mary Constantine of the Knoxville News Sentinel For the second season the AARP Foundation's Fre$h Savings in partnership with the USDA healthy-food incentive program has funded said program at two local markets Market Square Farmers Market and New Harvest Park Farmers Market. The program is in conjunction with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) where SNAP participants spending up to $10 at participating markets purchasing fresh fruits and vegetables using their SNAP card will receive the equivalent amount in Fre$h Savings tokens which can be exchanged for fresh fruits and vegetables. According to a study by the AARP Foundation Tennessee is ranked among the lowest states in terms of consumption of fruits and vegetables. New Harvest Park Farmers Market, 4775 New Harvest Lane, operates 3-6 p.m. each Thursday. Market Square Farmers Market operates from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m.-2 p.m. on Wednesday. SHARE A tray of rogel, which Viviana Ceballos-Ponzio describes as "a traditional Argentine pastry with layers of light and crunchy dough as well as layers of Dulce de Leche topped with a puff of meringue." Viviana Ceballos-Ponzio at her Pastries by Vivi booth at market. Viviana Ceballos-Ponzio Above: Viviana Ceballos-Ponzio at her Pastries by Vivi booth at market. At left: A close-up of the traditional Argentine pastry called rogel that Ceballos-Ponzio makes and sells. Those in search of European and Argentine pastries are in luck, as Viviana Ceballos-Ponzio offers these baked goodies at her downtown market booth, Pastries by Vivi. "The main idea is to bring something completely different and unique into the Knoxville market," Ceballos-Ponzio says. Her passion for creating pastries began in Argentina and traveled with her all the way to Knoxville before becoming her business. Ceballos-Ponzio, 39, was born in Buenos Aires and moved to Knoxville with her husband after he finished his MBA program. They wanted to be closer to his family. In Argentina, she was an executive assistant for a high profile law firm in Cordoba. Though her job was outside of the baking world, she was always passionate about food, in particular pastries and classic Italian and French cuisine. "It wasn't until I moved into the U.S.A. that I decided to more seriously embrace my passion for baking," she admits. "It initially started more as therapy, just to feel closer to my roots and to my family; but it kept growing and evolving from there and the more I baked, the more passionate I felt about it." She received so much positive feedback from those who tasted her baking that she decided to begin baking for a larger market. Her primary focus is European and Argentine pastries, cakes, and cookies. She says she loves to create elaborate baked goods using a gourmet approach, focusing on European pastry techniques. She can be found at the Market Square Farmers Market on Saturdays throughout the summer from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Her booth is typically between Union Avenue, in front of Tupelo Honey. Some of the products you can expect to see at her booth include raspberry and white chocolate cookies, lemon-lavender cookies, vanilla meringue drop cookies and apple-raspberry coffee cake. She also makes traditional Argentine pastries, including alfajor, chocolate babka and rogel. "Alfajor is a traditional Argentine cookie," she explains. "It is two soft vanilla cookies with a layer of Dulce de Leche and shredded coconut. Rogel is another traditional Argentine pastry with layers of light and crunchy dough as well as layers of Dulce de Leche topped with a puff of meringue." Although she bakes and works her market booth alone, Ceballos-Ponzio says a lot of good people are behind her business. She says she's surrounded by supportive people who have helped make her dream a reality. "You can say it is a one-woman operation, but with tons of support from my family and friends, all of whom have been wonderful and encouraged me to embark on this journey!" she says. Not only have her friends and family encouraged her, many of them are key players in the experience she gained baking, both as a child and as an adult. "One of my fondest memories growing up was helping my abuelo (grandfather) make Gnocchi from scratch," she remembers. "Then I spent many years bonding in the kitchen with my mother-in-law, who is quite possibly one of the most talented cooks I've meet in my life. We would get together and spend hours in the kitchen making pasta, sauces and baking desserts while talking a little bit about everything." She then started researching and practicing techniques to perfect her craft and developed her own recipes for her favorite baked goods. "Everything I make has my own spin, I put a lot of thought and love into my products," says Ceballos-Ponzio. She admits that her passion is also driven by a self-proclaimed sweet tooth. "As a matter of fact, every time I go to a restaurant, I check their dessert menu first and then order my entree accordingly to make sure I can make it into the dessert round," says Ceballos-Ponzio. "When I travel to big cities, I plan my whole trip around the pastry shops and coffee houses I want to visit. "Luckily for me, everyone at home has a sweet tooth too, so we all happily organize these visits!" says Cabellos-Ponzio, who lists tiramisu, French macarons and rogel among her list of favorites. In addition to her participation in the downtown market, she is interested in expanding to other places. "I would like to participate in other markets and events, but I am just taking things one step at a time and making sure that quality does not get sacrificed in the process of growing my business," she says. SHARE Knoxville city workers board up Club Dejavu after Knox County Criminal Court Judge Steven Sword declared the Chapman Highway club a public nuisance and ordered it closed Friday, April 8, 2016. (MICHAEL PATRICK/NEWS SENTINEL) By Lydia X. McCoy of the Knoxville News Sentinel The owners of an oft-troubled South Knoxville nightclub have agreed to sign a permanent injunction that will close the business, according to the Knox County District Attorney's Office. Club Dejavu, 2619 Chapman Highway, was closed in April as part of a nuisance raid following a shooting outside the club March 26, when police said a gang fight spilled into the parking lot and erupted in gunfire. No one was injured or arrested, although bullets struck several cars and windows of the club, the neighboring Disc Exchange and Allen Sign Co. across Chapman Highway. Investigators later recovered 55 shell casings from the scene. Authorities said it was the latest among 10 incidents connected to the nightspot since November 2014. Sean McDermott, a spokesman for the Knox County District Attorney's Office, said the injunction means that Club Dejavu, and its owners Kevin Cherry and Kenneth Ray, will never be allowed to operate at the location again. "This was a successful operation that brought an end to the escalating gang violence surrounding Club Dejavu," he said. "When we see a property operating as a haven for gang activity, the DA's office will continue to step in to combat gang violence, end the nuisance, and protect the community." According to the injunction, Cherry and Ray also agreed to surrender the club's beer permit within five days of the agreement, which was filed Wednesday. The owners previously had been fighting the club being shut down and had a court hearing on the matter scheduled for Friday. McDermott said the hearing was canceled because of Wednesday's order. Cherry previously said he had made several efforts to counter violence outside his club installing a metal detector at the entrance and enforcing a no loitering rule in the parking lot. And, he argued, that the real problems outside the business didn't start until after Knox County Sheriff Jimmy "J.J." Jones barred his deputies from working off-duty security outside the club. Cherry did not return phone calls Wednesday seeking comment on the permanent injunction. SHARE Ricky Helmick Jr. By News Sentinel Staff A Hancock County man has been charged with the deaths of his father and a woman who were found in a home in upper East Tennessee in April while he tried to steal a truck, according to a release from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation. On Monday, a Hancock County grand jury returned indictments against 30-year-old Ricky Helmick Jr., charging him with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of felony murder, one count of aggravated kidnapping and one count of theft over $1,000. He was already being held at the Hamblen County jail and his bond has been set at $750,000. On April 8, the TBI was asked to join detectives with the Hancock County Sheriff's Office in investigating the deaths of Ricky Helmick Sr., 57, and Natasha Riley, 37. Both were found shot to death in a residence at 1041 Vardy Blackwater Road near Sneedville. During the course of the investigation, authorities developed information that Ricky Helmick Jr. was the individual responsible for their deaths during the attempt to take his father's truck. The investigation further found that the younger Helmick had confined another relative during that incident. More details as they develop online and in Wednesday's News Sentinel. Laura Ann Buckingham, 29, Kingston woman charged with criminal intent to commit first-degree murder for allegedly planning a murder-for-hire scheme to kill her ex-spouse, Bradley Sutherland of New Albany, Ind. According to authorities, Buckingham repeatedly asked her boyfriend, Joseph Chamblin, if he could make her ex-spouse "go away." Chamblin is one of four Marines filmed urinating on the bodies of dead Taliban fighters in a 2011 incident in Afghanistan that gained him nationwide notoriety. (ROANE COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE) SHARE By Bob Fowler of the Knoxville News Sentinel KINGSTON The pregnant woman accused of trying to hire a hit man to kill her former boyfriend has been indicted on an amended charge of solicitation to commit first-degree murder. Laura Ann Buckingham, 30, was indicted Tuesday by a Roane County grand jury and is to be arraigned Monday in Criminal Court. She had originally been charged with attempted first-degree murder. The case has drawn national attention. Buckingham had been living in Kingston last winter and had repeatedly asked her live-in boyfriend if he could make her former boyfriend "go away," according to a Roane County Sheriff's Office incident report. The live-in boyfriend was former Marine Corps sniper Joseph Chamblin, who gained notoriety for a 2011 YouTube video of him and other Marines urinating on dead Taliban fighters in Afghanistan. He later wrote a book about the incident titled "Into Infamy." Buckingham allegedly wanted a former boyfriend, Bradley J. Sutherland, now of Charleston, Ind., killed to end a bitter custody dispute involving their 3-year-old son. Sutherland had taken Buckingham to court for custody and visitation rights, according to court records. Buckingham, in allegedly seeking to have Sutherland killed, stated to Chamblin "that since he (Chamblin) was in the military maybe he had some friends that might could do this for him," the sheriff's office incident report stated. Concerned about her repeated requests about how to kill Sutherland, Chamblin secretly recorded Buckingham and provided those recordings to the sheriff's office. A Tennessee Bureau of Investigation agent posing as a hit man then met with Buckingham and recorded on audio and video "many conversations" with her, according to court records. Buckingham, herself a former Marine who had been stationed in combat zones in Iraq and Afghanistan, was arrested Feb. 24. After her arrest, Chamblin filed a petition for an order of protection against her, saying in an affidavit that she "has threatened me in the past." Buckingham is free on $150,000 bond under guidelines that she wear a GPS monitoring ankle bracelet and remain in Tennessee. She's represented by the Public Defender's Office. SHARE Naomi Jean Cassandra Justice By Jamie Satterfield of the Knoxville News Sentinel A federal judge on Wednesday cited a Seymour mother's own history of victimization in cutting her a sentencing break for peddling photos of her sexual abuse of her 18-month-old son. U.S. District Judge Pamela Reeves sentenced Naomi Jean Justice, 23, to 15 years in federal prison for taking photographs of her rape of her son and sending them to an Internet predator in hopes of getting cash. At a hearing in U.S. District Court on Wednesday, Reeves shaved off nearly seven years from the minimum penalty called for by sentencing guidelines after Assistant Federal Defender Bobby Hutson Jr., argued the young mother was herself victimized as a child and coerced by the convicted Internet predator Joseph R. Rutherford. Rutherford, a North Carolina resident, was under investigation by the FBI in August 2014 for trolling for photographs of incestuous abuse of children when he provided an undercover agent images of Justice's rape of her son. Hutson said Justice met Rutherford through the Internet at a time when she was a 21-year-old mother essentially left broke and homeless when the baby's father was arrested for beating her. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Morris said Justice ceded to Rutherford's push for incestuous photographs in hopes of getting cash. Justice initially sent photos that were "disturbing" but not technically rape, including images of her sucking the baby's toes and heel. She refused his demands for more graphic images, even trying to fake her own death via a videochat, but eventually shared photographs of two acts of rape of the baby, Hutson said. Hutson said Justice was sexually abused throughout her childhood and has related mental health problems. She has agreed to surrender her parental rights to the boy, who is now being raised by a relative of the child's father. Rutherford, who agreed to cooperate with the FBI, received a 37-month prison term. Justice offered a tearful apology at Wednesday's hearing. SHARE 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) By Kristi L. Nelson of the Knoxville News Sentinel In the audience of more than 200 people waiting to hear U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy speak Tuesday night at Knox County Health Department, two women talked quietly about their adult children. "I can't even tell you how many overdoses," one said. "And how many times they said they were clean?" said the other. "They put on a good show." During the public town hall meeting, Murthy spoke about the importance of preventive care and good emotional health; the controversy around the safety of electronic cigarettes; his "call to action" for Americans to "briskly walk" 22 minutes a day, which he said would cut their risk of heart disease and sudden death by 20 percent and diabetes by 30 percent; and the mosquito-borne virus Zika, which was discovered decades ago but is receiving new attention because of its spread to more countries and tie to serious birth defects. "We're learning new things about this virus every day and every week," said Murthy, although so far any mosquito-borne U.S. cases have been contracted abroad. But it was clear from the questions the audience submitted what most people were there to hear him speak about. Murthy, the nation's 19th surgeon general, initiated the national tour, "Turn the Tide Rx," to spread awareness about three priorities of his office: to expand access to addiction treatment, especially among the poor and uninsured; to expand public access to the drug Naloxone, which can reverse the effects of opioid overdose; and to change the prescribing habits of providers so that opioid drugs are no longer the front line of treatment for pain. He'd spent the day meeting with providers, law enforcement officers, legislators and community advocates about how to further those goals. At the town hall, he outlined his plan to send a letter to more than 2 million providers who prescribe opioid drugs, along with a "pocket guide" on appropriate prescribing. "We want to sharpen their skills so that they are treating pain, but safely and effectively, and without putting folks at risk for addiction," he said, to audience applause. With the CDC issuing new guidelines on the use of opioids to treat pain, Murthy said he foresees the medical community addressing prescription painkillers the way it did the overprescription of antibiotics for viruses when patients demanded them. That started to change, he said, when providers began to suggest to patients that antibiotics might not be the right treatment for their illness. "Now the word is out," he said. Murthy said later this year 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. Those include evidence-based programs that use both medication-assisted therapy such as methadone, suboxone, or newer drugs like Vivitrol and counseling, he added, and insurance reimbursement must change to include the counseling component, as well as to include alternate treatments for pain. On his visits to other communities where addiction is rampant, he said, he sees "far too many" families "suffering in silence" because of the stigma around addiction. Health providers, community members and law enforcement need to work together on the answer, he said. "This is a problem that we have the power to bring out of the shadows," Murthy said. "If we do that, then we will not only make it easier for people to get help, but we'll make it easier for us to come together and fashion solutions." In the audience, the other conversation continued. "He's been in jail long enough this time to get clean," one woman told the other. "Maybe he'll stay clean this time." "We can only pray," she answered. SHARE Bailey Keeton Jr. By Bob Fowler of the Knoxville News Sentinel Army Sgt. Bailey Keeton Jr.'s remains are returning home Thursday in a motorcade more than six decades after his death and will be laid to rest Saturday with full military honors in what a brother calls the "prettiest cemetery in Scott County." "The way this is being handled, it's a really good thing," said Ron Keeton of the honors for his brother, a soldier killed at age 20 on a frozen battlefield in North Korea 66 years ago. Another brother, Arnold Keeton of Indiana, who hadn't been born when his brother was killed, is a pastor and will officiate at the 12:30 p.m. services Saturday in the chapel of West-Murley Funeral Home on Alberta Street in Oneida, Tenn. Gov. Bill Haslam has declared Saturday a day of mourning and ordered flags to fly at half-staff from sunrise to sunset "in honor of Sergeant Keeton's ultimate sacrifice." "Bailey Keeton Jr. answered the call to serve his country and we are grateful that his family will finally have the closure of laying him to rest in his home state," Haslam said. Ron Keeton was a toddler when his brother died in an attack by an overwhelming number of Chinese forces on the eastern bank of the Chosin Reservoir. Sgt. Keeton was one of about 2,500 U.S. and 700 South Korean soldiers who had begun a fighting withdrawal in late November 1950, and he couldn't be found at the end of the battle. Only wounded soldiers were removed during the battle, and Sgt. Keeton was reported missing in action on Dec. 2, 1950. Three years later, on New Year's Eve 1953, the missing soldier was listed as killed in action. Efforts to find and return his remains spanned decades and included high-tech detective work, with relatives contributing swabs of DNA samples to eventually confirm the missing GI's remains. It was during the 32nd Joint Recovery Operation in 2004 that the remains of nine soldiers were discovered in the area where Keeton was last seen, according to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. There's a special laboratory in Hawaii devoted to analyzing remains. More years would pass before scientists were certain. "There was a lot of different evidence," Ron Keeton said. "To have the facts and make sure they were absolutely right, it took that long." He said he and other family members were notified about a month ago that the DNA swabs contributed years ago by a younger brother and older sister before the remains were found were a match. The remains are scheduled to arrive at McGhee Tyson Airport just before 11:30 a.m. , said Bailey Keeton's cousin, Scott County Veterans Service Officer Ron Keeton. Full military protocol will be in effect at the airport, he said. Family members hope residents will be standing next to state Highway 63 from the Campbell-Scott County line and north on Highway 27 into Oneida, waving flags, when the procession crosses the county line about 2 p.m. Bailey Keeton was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation, and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal. The Keeton family will receive friends between 10:30 a.m. Saturday and the 12:30 p.m. funeral, which will be in the chapel of West-Murley Funeral Home. Burial, with full military honors provided by the Army Honor Guard from Fort Campbell, Ky., will be at 2 p.m. in Hazel Valley Memorial Cemetery on Verdun Road. Ron Keeton said parents Bailey Keeton Sr. and Elise Keeton are buried nearby. Another 7,812 Americans remain unaccounted for from the Korean War, according to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn. SHARE By Michael Collins of the Knoxville News Sentinel WASHINGTON Furious that Republican leaders have refused to allow a vote on gun-control legislation, U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen and dozens of other Democrats staged a sit-in Wednesday on the House floor, bringing business to an abrupt halt. Led by U.S. Rep. John Lewis of Georgia, the Democrats took control of the chamber around 11:30 a.m., just as the morning's proceedings were getting under way. Chanting "no bill, no break," they sat down on the House floor as the GOP quickly gaveled the chamber into recess. Democrats demanded a vote on measures to prevent suspected terrorists from buying firearms and to expand background checks in the aftermath of the June 12 massacre at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Fla., that killed 49 people and wounded 53. It was the nation's worst mass shooting. "Moments of silence have grown old and seem hollow," said Cohen, a Memphis Democrat, referring to what's become Congress' typical response to mass shootings across the country. "The American people want a bill to prohibit gun sales to suspected terrorists to come to the floor and pass. If there is a reasonable threat to prohibit an individual from flying, they shouldn't be allowed to buy a weapon. In addition, gun show and internet loopholes need to be closed when purchasing guns." Democrats are pushing for a vote on gun-control legislation before the House adjourns later this week for the July 4 recess. Wednesday's protest began with a fiery speech from Lewis, who asked fellow Democrats to join him on the floor and then blasted GOP leaders for refusing to even allow debate on the gun-control measures. Lawmakers "have turned a deaf ear to the blood of the innocent and the concern of our nation," said Lewis, a hero of the civil-rights movement. "Where is our courage?" he asked. "Those who pursue common-sense improvement are beaten down. Reason is put aside ... What is the tipping point? Are we blind? Can we see? ... Give us a vote! We came here to do our job!" Lewis demanded a vote on the legislation "not next month, not next year but now." Following his speech, Lewis and some 40 Democrats sat down in front of the podium and pledged to remain there until House Speaker Paul Ryan agreed to a vote. As the day wore on, more than 80 Democrats joined the protest. Ryan spokeswoman AshLee Strong said, "The House cannot operate without members following the rules of the institution, so the House has recessed subject to the call of the chair." As for whether Ryan would allow a vote, Strong pointed to his remarks earlier Wednesday that the House would wait to see what the Senate does on the issue. Senators on Monday voted down four partisan gun measures and were working on a compromise Wednesday. Cohen called the sit-in "inspiring" and said it stirred up memories of similar protests during the civil-rights era. "It's absurd we don't pass some gun laws," particularly a measure that would bar terror suspects on the "no-fly" list from purchasing guns, he said. The proposals wouldn't restrict the Second Amendment, Cohen said, but are a legitimate attempt to keep guns out of the hands of terrorists. "We're not going to take away every gun, and we don't want to," Cohen said. "(But) somebody who can't fly on an airplane should not be able to buy a gun." The National Rifle Association has been standing athwart the slippery slope of gun control for decades, but it now faces the possibility of losing its footing. The NRA has been the vehicle for gun owners to ensure their rights, culminating in the Supreme Court decision in Heller affirming the individual's right to bear arms. American public opinion has been generally favorable and state legislatures have had no trouble liberalizing gun control laws across the board. But now the question arises: Can we not prevent a suspect on the FBI watch list or the no-fly list from buying an assault weapon with which to shoot a hundred people, killing 49, in a Florida dance club? It is the kind of argument that can shift public opinion away from being sympathetic to gun ownership and wanting to do something to prevent mass killings. American public opinion is slow to change, but when it does, it does so with alacrity. From segregation to civil rights. From sodomy laws to gay marriage. From illegal abortion to making it a constitutional right. And yes, from draconian gun bans to a Second Amendment right to bear arms. Public opinion is like the swings of a pendulum. But if the pendulum swings too far in one direction, it starts to swing back. Take abortion. From anything goes to restrictions on the procedure before 20 weeks, tightening regulations on clinics. Public opinion would seem to favor restrictions on people on watch lists and no-fly lists from purchasing guns. The problem, of course, is the sloppy way in which such programs are administered and people wrongly sanctioned. It is also likely to be unconstitutional to start restricting the rights of Americans without any sort of due process. Can we trust the government to find home-grown terrorists in Orlando and San Bernardino without also curtailing the rights of innocents? And even in Orlando and San Bernardino, until the whack-brains commit a crime, what can be done? On the one hand it is comforting to know that the FBI was aware of these murderers and had investigated them. But what is scary is that even after being identified as potential terrorists they were able to procure guns and kill people. One of the problems people who advocate gun control have is that they try to write laws on the issue without knowing anything about guns. The "assault rifle" ban back in the 1990s just listed a group of weapons that "looked scary" without defining how they functioned. It was obvious that with some name changes the law was unenforceable. We have had federal gun control since the 1930s. The days when Machine Gun Kelly and Ma Barker used machine guns to rob banks led to establishing a procedure to own such a weapon. You can own a machine gun. But you have a background check, you pay a stiff fee and you are registered as an automatic gun owner. There was no controversy about enacting such regulations and they remain in effect today. Instead of leaving gun regulation to President Hillary Clinton's Supreme Court or to liberal senators, perhaps some responsible gun-owning legislators should look for reasonable solutions. We need to fix it. Perhaps a better procedure to warn police about potential terrorists trying to buy a gun. All it takes is courage. SHARE Over the next few days, University of Tennessee system President Joe DiPietro will complete one of the most agreeable tasks he has encountered and embark on a vitally important and likely most difficult one. DiPietro will recommend the UT Board of Trustees approve the lowest tuition increases in more than three decades during the panel's two-day annual meeting in Knoxville today and Thursday. Once that rather pleasant mission is accomplished, DiPietro will begin the search for a new chancellor for the flagship Knoxville campus. Chancellor Jimmy Cheek announced on Tuesday he would give up the post to return to the classroom. Parents and students no doubt are rejoicing at the prospect of facing only a modest tuition boost. DiPietro's plan, initially reported by the Chattanooga Times Free Press, would limit increases to 2.2 percent for most students. At UT Knoxville, those admitted in 2013-2014 under a program designed to speed up graduation times will see a 3 percent tuition increase. Graduate school tuition levels would vary under the plan, with some programs staying at this year's levels and others increasing between 2.2 percent and 5 percent. The Tennessee Higher Education Commission had told the UT system and the Tennessee Board of Regents to cap overall tuition increases to 3 percent. Some legislators earlier this year wanted to freeze tuition and fees, even though the state's portion of the higher education outlays has shrunk dramatically over the years. The Tuition Stability Act would have frozen tuition and mandatory fees at current levels until the 2018-19 school year, and in subsequent years required unanimous approval by an institution's governing board for tuition increases greater than 2 percent above the consumer price index. The bill was sailing through the Senate, but the House version sank in a subcommittee. Sponsors of the bill said they were concerned about soaring student debt. Legislators, both current and former, helped cause the high tuition increases of recent years, however. Between 2005 and 2015, lawmakers cut $270 million out of the funding for colleges and universities, according to the Higher Education Commission. Twenty years ago tuition accounted for 30 cents out of every dollar spent on higher education in the state; now tuition covers about two-thirds of the tab. Giving students and their families a break from their burden is the right move for the UT Trustees to take. DiPietro's next order of business will be to launch the search for Cheek's successor. Cheek, who has served as Knoxville chancellor since February 2009, will remain in office until his successor is found. DiPietro said he hopes to have a candidate to recommend to the board at its spring 2017 meeting. During his time as chancellor, Cheek set a target of making UT a Top 25 public research university by recruiting the best and brightest students and faculty, improving retention and graduation rates and expanding research and partnerships. DiPietro will need to find a seasoned administrator who will buy into the Top 25 goal and possesses the ability to lead UT Knoxville to it. POSCO Chairman and CEO Kwon Oh-joon, center, greets startup CEOs during a meeting at POSTECH C5 building in Pohang, South Gyeongsang Province, June 15. / Courtesy of POSCO By Jhoo Dong-chan POSCO Chairman and CEO Kwon Oh-joon met startup CEOs and entrepreneurs at the Creative Economy Innovation Center at the POSTECH C5 building in Pohang, South Gyeongsang Province, June 15, to encourage their business innovations. During the two-hour meeting, Kwon listened to their operation performances and future business strategies. He also shared his opinions with each presenter, a POSCO official said. Among venture startups who participated in the meeting, Nature Gluetech and 3D Controls won this year's K-Startup contest hosted by the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Defense and the Small and Medium Business Administration. Kwon showed interests in eight participant startups' technologies, including Nature Gluetech's new bio-glue technology that was developed with mussel protein. "The Creative Economy Innovation Center has finally gotten off the ground, becoming an incubator for various startup companies with great vision," said Kwon. "I believe their success is also crucial for job creation. We have to put our utmost efforts into supporting their business models." POSCO has carried out a startup supporting program, called "Idea Market Program" (IMP), since November 2011. The IMP has selected startup companies with innovative business models and ideas to help them with expert mentoring courses and introduce them to possible investors. POSCO also invested in a number of startups under the IMP. Nature Gluetech was also incubated under the program with its bio-glue technology. Utilizing mussels' adsorptive power in the water, the company introduced bio-glue technology using mussels' adhesive protein incubated with colon bacillus. POSCO has hosted a total of 10 IMP contests in the last five years, and 112 startup companies have benefited from the program since last year. Forty nine startups have clinched a total of 7.8 billion won in direct investments, and the figure exceeds 31.2 billion won if secondary and R&D investments are included. A POSCO official said that the company will carry out the IMP contest this year as well to help more startup companies. By Choi Sung-jin North Korea's trade reliance on South Korea, which had grown steadily under two liberal governments and turned down under the Lee Myung-bak administration, could fall further under the Park Geun-hye administration. In the meantime, North Korea's reliance on trade with China has grown to exceed 90 percent of the total last year, according to a Hyundai Research Institute report released Tuesday. The North's trade reliance on the South is expected to plunge and its dependence on China surge further because Seoul has suspended all trade with Pyongyang since the latter conducted its fourth nuclear test in January, the report said. North Korea's trade dependence on the South was 22.1 percent in 2002 and peaked at 37.9 percent in 2007. The ratio began to fall in 2008 when former President Lee took office, and hit the bottom of 13.4 percent in 2013, the first year of the Park administration. It resurged to 30.3 percent last year but is expected to plunge close to zero this year amid the stoppage of inter-Korean trade. In contrast to the shrinkage of inter-Korean trade, the North's reliance on China has continued to increase. Of North Korea's total foreign trade -- after excluding inter-Korean trade -- China's portion has steadily increased from 24.8 percent in 2000. The reliance on China rose to the 80-percent range in 2010 and topped 90 percent in 2014. North Korea's trade with China last year, including estimated oil imports, totaled $5.71 billion, or 91.3 percent of its total foreign trade. Compared with 2000, the North's trade reliance on China has grown more than three times and the trade volume expanded more than 12 times. Particularly, North Korea's export reliance on China has surged, from 6.7 percent in 2000 to 92.1 percent last year, with export value rocketing 67 times. North Korea's imports from China grew six times over the period, with import dependency rising 2.4 times, from 31.9 percent to 77.6 percent. "The growth in North Korea's exports to China seems to be based on increased processing trade, in which the North imports intermediary goods, reprocess them and exports end products," said Lee Yong-hwa, a research fellow. "North Korea's income level appears to be improving because China has expanded imports of capital goods and consumer products from its communist ally." South Korean companies need to turn their eyes to the resource-rich Central Asian region to overcome current hardships like rising production costs and faltering global demand, a report said Wednesday. Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, the two leading countries in Central Asia, have put their policy priority on fostering their local manufacturing industry, reducing their dependency on natural resources, according to the report released by the state-run Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA). It said the two countries are opening their market to attract overseas investment and technology by designating a number of special economic zones for foreign plants. China has moved swiftly to tap into the Central Asian countries, as the Beijing government is pushing infrastructure development projects in the region, and some Chinese companies are already doing business in Uzbekistan's special districts. The KOTRA report said South Korean companies should grab the new opportunities in the newly emerging markets. "Central Asia is no longer a resource-developing region. It can be one of the most potential manufacturing bases for South Korean firms," said the report. (Yonhap) The head of South Korea's central bank will head to Basel, Switzerland this week for the annual general assembly of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), the Bank of Korea (BOK) said Wednesday. BOK Gov. Lee Ju-yeol will depart Thursday to attend the 86th BIS General Assembly to be held over the weekend, according to the bank. While in Basel, the South Korean top central banker will also attend the BIS Global Economy Meeting and the Meeting of the Asian Consultative Council where he will exchange views on current economic and financial conditions with his global and regional peers, it said in a press release. The Asian Consultative Council consists of the central bank governors of 12 Asian economies, including Australia, China, Hong Kong, Japan and India. Lee will return home on Tuesday. The BIS is an international financial institution that serves as a bank for central banks, providing banking services only to central banks. It currently has 60 member central banks, including those of Britain, France and the United States. (Yonhap) South Korea's finance minister said Wednesday that the government will do "sufficient" fiscal reinforcement in the second half to prop up Asia's fourth-largest economy, reiterating his earlier hints that the government is considering drawing up an extra budget. "We are in grave danger as the economic conditions will likely be worse in the second half. The government has to move more aggressively to deal with it," Finance Minister Yoo Il-ho said in an economy-related ministers' meeting in Seoul. "The government will come up with sufficient fiscal expansion to buffer the downside risks in the economy and employment." His latest remark came as the necessity of drawing up a supplementary budget to prop up the economy is becoming apparent. The finance minister had adamantly opposed plans to create an extra budget to achieve the government's 3.1 percent growth target for 2016. Yoo said the South Korean economy will face a tougher economic environment in the latter half of the year due to the end of an excise tax cut program and painstaking corporate restructuring process in labor-intensive industries like the shipbuilding sector. Heightened financial uncertainties, including a possible U.S. rate hike and a landmark British referendum, also weigh heavily on the country. Against this backdrop, South Korea's exports fell 6 percent on-year in May, marking a record 17-month losing streak, while industrial output fell 2.8 percent in April from a year ago, posting negative growth for the second consecutive month and widening its downward pace from March. "We are now mapping out the second-half economic policy plan focusing on cushioning fallout from corporate restructuring and creating more jobs," said Yoo, who also doubles as the deputy prime minister for economic affairs. "The government will also put in constant effort to control rising household debt and stave off the impact of the U.S. Fed's decision." The finance ministry will announce its fiscal stimulus package early next week, while experts anticipate that the plan will contain a supplementary budget and a cut in its growth target from 3.1 percent. (Yonhap) By Yoon Ja-young The introduction of smartphones and tablets is leading to unpaid extra work as employees are still connected with the office when they go home in the evening. They should be paid for the overtime or the working conditions will only worsen, a researcher pointed out at a forum. Kim Ki-sun, an associate fellow at the Korea Labor Institute, said in a forum "Workers afraid of Kakao Talk" that smart devices such as smartphones and tablets have led to 1.44 hours of work after official working hours every day, or 11.3 hours a week. Kakao Talk is a mobile messenger service widely used in Korea. Kim pointed out that most of the workers in the country are suffering from "overwork." According to a survey on 2,402 workers in the manufacturing and services sectors, only 13.9 percent said they are not using a smartphone for work after official working hours. The rest had to use smart devices even after leaving the office. When asked how much extra work they do using smart devices, 27.1 percent said less than 30 minutes; 20 percent said more than two hours; 18.6 percent said between one hour and two hours; and 9.8 percent said between 30 minutes and one hour. They were not free on weekends, either. The survey showed that they used smart devices for 1.6 hours a day on weekends for work. "When the BlackBerry was first introduced, one of my bosses who was an early adopter bought the device and said how convenient it was to give us work anytime, anywhere. I had an uncomfortable feeling about the new era and I was so right," said a government official. He said he can't even sleep when he goes for a business trip overseas as he continues getting Kakao Talk messages from the Seoul office despite the time difference. The survey also showed that 44 percent said they were deprived of sleep due to overwork with smart devices. When asked what they were doing with their devices, 63.2 percent said they were sending and receiving emails, while 57.6 percent were preparing work related files. They were also giving and getting work orders through messenger services. As smart devices are leading to extra work worldwide, some countries are restricting contacting employees or sending them email after official working hours. Kim said that overwork should be fully compensated to stop the trend. Shinhan Financial Group Chairman Han Dong-woo listens to an employee of a group affiliate discussing its fintech business model, during Shinhan Future's Lab Demoday at Shinhan Investment's main office on Yeouido, southern Seoul, in October 2015. / Courtesy of Shinhan Financial Group By Kim Jae-won Shinhan Financial Group said Wednesday that it is strengthening its digital business department to cope with the rising demand for smart financial services. Earlier this year, the nation's most profitable financial group started the Digital Strategy Team, which plays the role of control tower directing its affiliates' digital businesses. "The new team holds the key in the group's digital finance sector," said a spokesman for Shinhan. "All of our affiliates have also beefed up their organizations dealing with digital businesses." The digitalization move comes amid group chairman Han Dong-woo vowing to lead the company's digital finance business, providing safe and convenient services for customers. Han showed his interest by taking part in the finance technology, or fintech, exhibition. He stressed that fintech will be a new cash cow for the group. Shinhan has led the industry for the last decade, posting a few trillion won in net profit every year. Its balanced business portfolio has been praised by analysts and market watchers, having a wide range of revenue sources from banking and credit card businesses to brokerage and insurance affiliates. Observers said that Sunny Bank, Shinhan Bank's smartphone application, is a good example showing the group's success in digital first strategy. Customers can open their accounts, buy foreign currencies, borrow money and get remittance services through the application, without visiting the bank's brick-and-mortar branches. In particular, the lender identifies customers with their fingerprint, further securing their financial transactions. Thanks to convenient and safe services, Sunny has drawn hundreds of thousands of customers. Encouraged by the successful release of the application in the domestic market, Shinhan introduced it in Vietnam in December. According to the lender, almost 20,000 customers are using the service there, gaining popularity in the country. "About 90 percent of the customers are young in their 20s and 30s," said a Shinhan official. "We expect Sunny Bank to play a leading role in expanding our presence in Vietnam." In addition, Shinhan is gearing up to begin a new asset management model, using a robo-advisor which offers automated portfolio management advice. By Kim Jae-won Fintech is changing the landscape of the finance industry from banks and insurers to brokerages and asset managers as they embrace state-of-the-art technologies, attracting new customers and expanding their businesses into territories which they have barely tapped into. Customers can get full banking services, such as deposits, transactions, loans and foreign currency exchange, through their smartphones and automated teller machines without visiting brick-and-mortar branches. Analysts said that Internet-only banks, which will be introduced later this year in Korea, will accelerate this trend as they gear up to offer banking services through a few touches on their customers' smart devices. People will be able to transfer their money to family members, friends and business partners through their KakaoTalk accounts, the nation's most popular chat application, as a consortium led by its operator Kakao had won a preliminary license to operate the online-specialized lender. Based on its wide customer base reaching in the tens of millions subscribers, Kakao aims to offer simple transaction services for users and extend loans to those who cannot borrow money from top-tier banks. To evaluate their credit ratings, they rely on big data, rather than credit ratings agencies, which reveal a wide range of information from their income resources to consumption patterns. Jeong Yu-shin, chairman of the state-run Fintech Center of Korea, said that fintech can be applied to various fields in the finance industry, and it will expand to other sectors, too. "Entrepreneurs here started various fintech firms and some of them distinguished themselves in the field of mobile instant payment, mobile instant transfer, P2P lending and robo-advisor services," said Jeong. "Korea's fintech industry has built up its fundamentals and competitiveness so that it can compete with any of its rivals around the world." Allianz Life Insurance Korea is one of examples about what Jeong described. The insurer released a policy titled AllRight last year, cutting premiums for customers who exercise regularly. The insurance company checks policyholders' blood pressure and heart rates among other things through their smart watches which report them to the company. Asset managers are no exceptions. In fact, they are the most active players in the sector, adopting robot engineering in designing their investment portfolios. They analyze big market data quickly through computerized methods, applying them to allocating customers' assets. "We apply rigorous science to the financial markets," said Gary Collier, co-Chief Technology Officer at Man AHL, a U.K.-based asset manager. "One of the areas my team is responsible for is data infrastructure. It's a crucial part of how our quantitative researchers make decisions." Government support As fintech emerges as a new golden goose in the industry, government agencies try to support their homegrown players. The U.K. is leading the race by supporting fintech firms through the U.K. Trade & Investment. "The U.K. government is committed to supporting the development of the U.K.'s fintech sector," said Harriett Baldwin, economic secretary to the nation's Treasury, in her forward to a report on the issue. "We have already taken a number of measures to further this aim, including measures to support alternative lenders and the digital currency sector as well as an industry-led initiative to give consumers better access to their bank data." According to data from the U.K. government, its fintech sector represented 6.6 billion pounds sterling in revenue in 2015 and attracted 524 million pounds sterling in investments with 61,000 people employed in the sector, or 5 percent of the total financial services workforce. Korea's chief financial regulator Yim Jong-yong, who had been dispatched to the Korean Embassy in London for two years between 2004 and 2006, seeks to benchmark London by adopting its knowhow and skills in supporting fintech firms. Last year, Yim invited HSBC and Barclays to a forum in Seoul, discussing a wide range of topics in fintech with the U.K.-based financial giants. In Asia, Singapore is leading the trend, being ranked at the top in the region in its fintech ecosystem by global consulting firm Ernst & Young last year. EY said Singapore has an "increasingly progressive regulatory regime" in its fintech industry with a market size of 600 million pounds sterling. It also said that it has a dedicated fintech team in the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) focused on establishing public and private partnerships for fintech growth. It's the preferred gateway into the Asian market, given its ease of doing business and English language proficiency that helped boost its status in the sector, the consulting firm noted. By Kim Jae-kyoung SINGAPORE Korea is being left out of a global wave of fintech alliances due to its inward-focused strategy and a lack of deregulatory reforms to respond to market changes. To become Asia's fintech center, it is urgent for Korea to build a "fintech bridge" with major nations by creating a regulatory environment conducive to fostering a new fintech model domestically and invite more innovative firms from abroad, according to analysts. "From a global perspective the cooperation in London and other major capitals around the world is evidence that innovation is more readily accepted outside of Korea, giving fintech companies outside of Korea a clear competitive advantage to create markets for their products or services," said Jeffrey Jones, an international lawyer specializing in finance. "It is very sad that we have one of the most tech-savvy populations on the globe, but the legal and regulatory system prevents this population from developing products and services that could create jobs for so many young people." Such concern comes as global financial centers, such as Singapore, Australia and the U.K., have joined hands to bolster the fintech industry and solidify their leadership position as global financial hubs. On June 16, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and the Australian Securities and Investment Commission signed a contract to boost cooperation on financial innovation. The new agreement will streamline the regulatory process, paving the way for fintech companies of Singapore and Australia to do business in each other's markets more easily. In May, Singapore and the U.K. also agreed to form a "fintech bridge" to foster financial innovation. The MAS and the U.K.'s Financial Conduct Authority signed a regulatory agreement to support fintech firms and investors by allowing them to share and use financial services information in their respective markets. Growing alliances among traditional financial powerhouses come as efforts to solidify their leadership position by taking the lead in the coming era of financial services defined by fintech. In particular, Singapore and Australia have already pushed themselves as fintech capitals of Asia, moving ahead of their rivals such as Hong Kong and South Korea. "These alliances are likely to help with innovation and investment in innovation although I think that these things take a long time to have any meaningful effect," said Mark Yeandle, associate director of the UK-based Z/Yen Group of Companies. Yeandle is the author of the Global Financial Centers Index. Strategic approach Korea is also doing what it can to catch up with the global trend. On June 15, the Fintech Center of Korea, an affiliate of Korea's Financial Services Commission, hosted a Fintech Demoday in Singapore to promote Korean fintech firms' entry into Southeast Asia. The center signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Singapore FinTech Consortium to help fintech firms find business partners and provide information on regulations in their respective markets. The event was the second of its kind following one in Cambodia on June 13. The center plans to hold similar events in China, the U.K. and the U.S. later this year. In late May, the center also signed a similar MOU with French Tech Hub Seoul, a Seoul-based affiliate of France's financial regulator aimed at promoting its fintech companies. However, Korea's approach does not seem to be in the right direction from two aspects. First, the strategy is focused too much on exporting Korean fintech abroad, rather than creating a financial innovation ecosystem through regulatory reforms and cooperation with other countries. Second, direct discussions are not being held among regulators. For meaningful alliances to create a more vibrant fintech ecosystem, it is important to clear regulatory hurdles through binding agreements between financial regulators. Jones pointed out that the primary problem Korea faces with the development of the fintech industry is the regulatory environment. "It is difficult for fintech companies to market their services in Korea because of the regulations and licensing requirements that tend to protect existing financial services companies," he said. "Generally any financial-related services through innovative fintech technologies are blocked because of barriers found in regulations governing foreign exchange controls, fees, approvals and business licenses." Gong Yoo, left, and Kim Su-an, who appear as father and daughter in the film "Train to Busan," high five during a press conference, Tuesday. / Yonhap Train to Busan' received with big accolade at Cannes By Yun Suh-young A standing ovation is a big honor for any filmmaker at an international film festival. The claustrophobic Korean zombie thriller "Train to Busan" received a 10-minute standing ovation when it premiered on May 13 at the Cannes International Film Festival's Midnight Screening. The festival's General Delegate Thierry Fremaux was quoted as saying it was the "best midnight screening in the Cannes festival's history." Having received such wonderful praise overseas, the film is coming to Korea to win over local audiences with a July 20 release. The film is the first commercial Korean film of this size with zombies. Very few films in Korean film history have featured the undead monsters. "It is a genre very familiar in the West but not so much in Korea. I wondered how it would turn out if I brought the zombie concept and made it in a Korean style," said director Yeon Sang-ho of "Train to Busan" during a press conference held Tuesday in Seoul. "I thought the speed of the train added to the chaos and confusion would evoke a particular type of thrill in the audience." The film is Yeon's first live-action film, as he had only produced animated movies so far. "The Fake" (2013) and "The King of Pigs" (2011) are some of his representative works. His animations have received numerous awards at overseas international film competitions. "Train to Busan" is a live-action feature film inspired and extended from the animation "Seoul Station" (2015) which acts like a prequel to "Train to Busan." The film is set inside a train headed to Busan, in which a strange virus spreads from one person who boards the train from Seoul and starts infecting other passengers inside the train and turning them into zombies. People die out and the main characters struggle to remain alive and reach Busan, which is supposedly claimed to be safe from the virus. "In the beginning, I was a bit worried about how Koreans would look as zombies and perhaps that could prevent audiences from immersing in the film. But after seeing the zombies, it was even scary for the actors and in fact helped us act out real fear," said Gong Yoo, who plays Seok-woo, a coldhearted fund manager dad who tries to protect his daughter Su-an from the zombies. The film evokes claustrophobic fear as it is set inside a train, echoing "Snowpiercer" where the characters couldn't leave the train. The train set for the film was built to replicate a real KTX train running from Seoul to Busan. The film is also the first Korean film to adopt LED technology during the filmmaking process by using LED rear screen projection to help the actors see what's going on and react more realistically. Korean films are known to use green screens as background and later use computer graphics, but Yeon decided it would be "difficult to portray the reality." "Director Yeon screened the parts that were filmed in advance such as infected people jumping at us to help bring out real feelings in the actors," said actor Gong. "We didn't have to imagine while looking into thin air like we used to, but actually look at the expressions of the zombies on screen and react." The wall at exit 10 of Gangnam Station in southern Seoul is covered with memos and flowers left there by citizens, Thursday, in memory of a woman who was murdered in a nearby building, Tuesday. / Korea Times photo by Shin Sang-soon By Kim Bo-eun A recent murder has triggered an angry public response, especially from women, after it was alleged that the male suspect killed the victim simply because "she was a woman." According to police, the suspect surnamed Kim, 34, stabbed the victim, 23, to death at 1 a.m., Tuesday, at a restroom in a building beside Exit 10 of Gangnam Station in southern Seoul. Kim and the victim had never met before. Kim told police that he committed the murder because he "had often been looked down on by women." Women are expressing anger about the suspect's stated motive, saying the female victim was killed because the suspect took out his anger on someone weaker than him. Early on Wednesday, a post appeared on the Twitter account of the user @0517am1, which said "Let's leave a chrysanthemum and post-it at Gangnam Station Exit 10. It is now society's turn to provide an explanation for violence and murders committed against women." The post was retweeted more than 8,000 times and spread on other social media platforms and online communities. Headline reads "New airport plan scrapped, the government has abandoned us." By Lee Han-soo A vernacular daily in Daegu left the front page of its Wednesday issue blank in an apparent protest against the government's scrapping of a plan to build an international airport in the southeastern part of the nation. This came a day after the government decided to expand the existing airport at Gimhae rather than build a new one at Gadeok Island in the southern port city of Busan or the inland town of Miryang, South Gyeongsang Province. The Maeil newspaper has published stories supporting Miryang. The Wednesday issue ran nothing but a small headline in the middle of the page: "New airport plan scrapped, the government has abandoned us." Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn presides over a special meeting of ministers to discuss administrative procedures to expand the Gimhae International Airport at the Government Complex in Seoul, Wednesday. / Yonhap By Kim Bo-eun The government's decision to expand Gimhae International Airport instead of building a new airport in the southeastern region is drawing skepticism. Critics point out that the construction of a new airport amid growing demand for air travel there came in the first place because expanding Gimhae was deemed unfeasible and in effective. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) said Tuesday it would build a new runway, terminal and control tower at the airport. The airport expansion, set to be completed in 2026, is expected to be able to accommodate 40 million passengers yearly, up from the current 5.9 million. This is the government's alternative to meet the region's growing demand for flights as the existing airport in Gimhae has reached capacity. The original plan had been to build an airport on either Gadeok Island in the port city of Busan or in the inland town of Miryang, South Gyeongsang Province. There was a strong backlash from residents and regional governments of the two sites, but Prime Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn said Wednesday the government would push ahead with the alternative. MOLIT said there would be no problems regarding safety and little issue regarding noise, but these were some of the key reasons for not expanding Gimhae each time it was proposed previously, in 2002 and 2007. Gov't to strengthen security at residences in remote areas By Kim Se-jeong All 1,366 female school teachers and public servants living in remote areas will get smart watches that will let them summon help should they be attacked, the government said, Wednesday. The Ministry of Education also said it will install automated door locks, surveillance cameras and security bars on the windows of their residences. The announcement was in response to a rape case last month on Heuksan Island in Sinan County, South Jeolla Province, in which three residents including students' parents sexually assaulted a female teacher in her 20s. The new measures came after the ministry inspected working conditions for female employees in the public sector. The inspection found 4,274 women worked in remote regions such as islands. Among them, 3,946 were living in employer-provided housing, and 1,366 of them were living alone without relatives or colleagues. Only 9.2 percent of the employer-provided residences had an automated door lock system, and only 29.8 percent had security bars over windows. Only 16 percent of employer-provided housing was equipped with surveillance cameras. The ministry said it would install automated door locks and security bars in all the residences by the end of August. The female workers will receive smart watches by the end of this month. When a woman feels threatened she can press a button on the watch, which will send an alert message to three pre-designated police officers. The police manual will also be changed to speed up responses to such alerts. The ministry said it will also push for revision of the relevant law, mandating school safety measures. The current law doesn't require schools to inspect safety conditions for their employees. Over the long term, the ministry will establish housing that can be shared by several workers in one region, such as teachers and workers at public health centers and post offices, providing safety in numbers. Apart from hardware changes, the ministry said it will push compulsory education to villagers on preventing sexual violence. In last month's case, two offenders were fathers of the victim's students, and families of the suspects and their neighbors defended their action, petitioning the court to ask for leniency. The three were indicted on June 10 on charges of sexual assault and home intrusion. Immediately after the incident, the ministry initially considered refraining from posting young female teachers to remote areas. But the idea was scrapped after drawing strong criticism for being shortsighted. / Graphic by Cho Sang-won By Jun Ji-hye North Korea's latest launch of the Musudan intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) shows that Pyongyang has fixed its problems after six test firings since April. This raises concerns that the threat of the North's operational IRBMs, which could strike any target in Japan and also reach Guam, home to U.S. naval and air bases, has become a reality. After five consecutive failures including one conducted at 5:58 a.m. Wednesday, the North is believed to have succeeded in launching the missile to some extent in its sixth attempt conducted at 8:05 a.m. the same day. The sixth missile flew about 400 kilometers, a far longer distance compared to the other missiles previously launched. A military official, asking not to be named, said, "Combined with North Korea's submarine-launched ballistic missile program, an operational Musudan IRBM can pose a considerable threat." If the missiles work properly, they pose a serious threat to U.S. units that would be dispatched to the Korean Peninsula in an event of a war, the official said. Pyongyang shows improvement in technology By Jun Ji-hye North Korea fired two missiles from its east coast Wednesday morning, with the second one flying about 400 kilometers, officials said. The first one exploded mid-air after flying some 150 kilometers. It was too early to call the second missile a success or failure, though it marked the most notable improvement of North Korea's missile technology yet, the officials said. Following the launch of what appeared to be Musudan intermediate-range ballistic missiles (IRBMs), National Security Office chief Kim Kwan-jin called an emergency meeting of the National Security Council at Cheong Wa Dae. The United States and Japan strongly condemned the firing, saying it was a clear violation of U.N. resolutions banning the North from developing ballistic missiles. At around 5:58 a.m., the isolated state fired off the first missile, presumed to be the Musudan, from near Wonsan along the east coast, but the missile exploded after 150 kilometers, according to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). About two hours later at 8:05 a.m., the North launched another missile from the same area, the JCS noted. "The second missile flew about 400 kilometers," a JCS official said, without revealing where the missile landed. "South Korea and the United States militaries are carrying out an in-depth analysis of it." The JCS refused to elaborate on whether the second launch was a success, but sources said the North appeared to have overcome previous failures, given that it flew a far longer distance this time compared to previous tests. The Maeil Shinmun, a daily newspaper published in Daegu, ran a blank front page, Wednesday, to represent the government's scrapping of a plan to build a new airport. Scrapping of new airport plan infuriates residents By Kang Seung-woo The government and the ruling Saenuri Party are struggling to quell a massive backlash from politicians and residents after it scrapped a much-touted plan to build a new airport in the southeastern region of the nation. The government announced on Tuesday that it would expand Gimhae International Airport in Busan instead of building a new airport on either Gadeok Island or in Miryang. This was considered a "stopgap measure" to prevent a split of traditional strongholds of President Park Geun-hye and the ruling party. However, Park is now facing harsh criticism from residents and politicians based in the regions for reneging on one of her presidential election pledges. In protest against the government's decision, the Maeil Shinmun, a local newspaper in Daegu, ran a blank front page in its Wednesday edition, with only one sentence in the middle, "The government gave up on this province by giving up on the airport plan." Analysts said the decision could prompt many people in the southeastern provinces to turn their backs on the President and the ruling party ahead of next year's presidential election. "Yesterday, the government reached the conclusion to expand Gimhae Airport based on a feasibility study by a foreign company. It is a cost-saving and yet safe measure that is expected to effectively handle growing airline demands," Park said during a meeting with the National Unification Advisory Council at Cheong Wa Dae. "The government will try its best to successfully complete the airport expansion." Earlier in the day, the presidential office defended the expansion plan, refuting the claims that Park withdrew her campaign pledge. "The decision was made based on many conditions, and thus can be considered the most optimal choice, so it is not the case that President Park broke her pledge," said presidential spokesman Jung Youn-kuk. "Expanding Gimhae airport is virtually equivalent to building a new airport." National Assembly Speaker Chung Sye-kyun on Wednesday held talks with the Chinese ambassador to Seoul and discussed ways to beef up bilateral ties between the two neighboring countries. "South Korea and China have been developing their friendship since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1992. The free trade agreement between the two also helped build up the connection," Chung said during the meeting with Ambassador Qiu Guohong. Chung also said South Korea wishes to expand ties with China in various sectors including economy, politics, diplomacy and culture. The parliament speaker then said he will focus on supporting policies that can promote two-way tourism and make it easier for Chinese visitors to enjoy South Korea's hospitality. Qiu echoed the speaker's view on expanding cooperation and said he wished to deliver a congratulatory message from Zhang Dejiang, chairman of the Standing Committee of China's National People's Congress, on Chung's appointment as the parliament speaker. (Yonhap) South Korea and the United States on Wednesday conducted a joint helicopter attack exercise in an effort to test their combat readiness to counter North Korean provocations, the military said Wednesday. The joint drill mobilized the allies' military assets including the South Korean Army's Cobra (AH-1S) helicopters and Apache helicopters used by the U.S. Army's 2nd Infantry Division. "The two nations were able to identify their ability to work closely together," the South's Army said. "The drill served as an occasion to prove that the allies' military air assets have a high degree of flight and firing capacity." The exercise was carried out under a theoretical situation in which the allies' helicopters are deployed to deter the movement of North Korean armored vehicles. The choppers used various weapons like rockets during the drill. South Korea kicked off wind tunnel testing as it moves forward to finalize the design of its next-generation jet fuselage by mid-2018, the aircraft's local developers said Wednesday. Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd. (KAI), the country's sole aircraft manufacturer, and the Korea Aerospace Research Institute said they started the first phase of wind tunnel testing in a bid to lay out the design for the Korean Fighter Experimental (KF-X) program. The KF-X project, which will cost 18 trillion won (US$15.3 billion) of the taxpayers money, will call for the building of some 120 twin-engine combat jets. Seoul aims to deploy the new planes starting in the mid-2020s to replace its fleet of vintage F-4s and F-5s. A wind tunnel test assesses aerodynamic forces that an object can withstand as well as overall flight properties by letting air move past it. Officials said that they will conduct a combined 13,000 hours of wind tunnel testing with the finalized design to be penned in about two years time. The testing is part of a broader effort by Seoul to build a jet fighter that is expected to boost the capabilities of its Air Force. In May, South Korea picked U.S. company General Electric (GE) as the preferred bidder to supply engines for the fighter jets, while a month earlier it tapped South Korean defense manufacturer Hanwha Thales as the primary negotiation partner to build active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar. South Korea had initially planned to secure 25 fighter jet technologies from U.S. aerospace giant Lockheed Martin in an offset deal linked to Seoul's purchase of 40 of the company's F-35 Lightning II fighters in 2014. But the U.S. government refused last year to approve the export of four core technologies, including those related to the AESA radar, forcing Seoul to find an alternative supplier. (Yonhap) South Korea on Friday called on North Korea to end its nuclear and missile programs as Seoul marked the 100th day since shutting down the joint industrial complex in the communist country. Seoul shut down the Kaesong Industrial Complex in the North's border city of the same name on Feb. 10 in response to Pyongyang's January nuclear test and long-range rocket launch in February. The decision came amid concerns that money generated from the factory zone is bankrolling the North's nuclear and missile programs. Seoul's unification ministry said that the closure of the complex reflects the government's resolute decision to take into account national security. "We urge North Korea to suspend its nuclear and missile provocations and show its sincere commitment toward denuclearization," Jeong Joon-hee, a ministry spokesman, told a regular press briefing. The U.N. Security Council on Wednesday condemned North Korea's recent ballistic missile tests, saying they contribute to Pyongyang's development of nuclear weapons delivery systems. The Security Council unanimously adopted the press statement, a day after the North attempted unsuccessfully to launch a Musudan intermediate-range ballistic missile believed to be capable of reaching the U.S. territory of Guam. The missile is believed to have exploded on a mobile launcher as soon as the fire button was pressed. It was the North's fourth test of the Musudan missile after the first on April 15 and two more on April 28. All three previous launches also ended in failure, with the missile either exploding in midair or crashing seconds after launch. "These repeated attempted launches are in grave violation of the DPRK's international obligations under United Nations Security Council resolutions," the statement said. DPRK is the acronym of North Korea's official name: the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. A North Korean nuclear envoy was tight-lipped on Wednesday when asked about the North's test launch of two intermediate-range ballistic missiles earlier in the day. South Korean defense officials said North Korea test-fired two mid-range ballistic missiles into the East Sea in the North's latest violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions that ban Pyongyang from using ballistic missile technology. The Wednesday tests come as North Korea sent its nuclear envoy, Choe Son-hui, deputy director for North American affairs at North Korea's foreign ministry, to Beijing to attend a security forum that also brings together nuclear envoys from nations involved in long-stalled nuclear negotiations with the North. Choe was entering the closed-door forum when she was asked by reporters about the North's missile tests. But she did not respond to the questions. Among those attending the Northeast Asia Cooperation Dialogue (NEACD), which began its two-day run on Wednesday, are Ambassador Sung Kim, a top U.S. envoy on North Korea policy; Kim Gunn, South Korea's deputy chief nuclear envoy; and Wu Dawei, China's chief nuclear envoy. On Tuesday in Beijing, the U.S. envoy warned North Korea against launching a mid-range ballistic missile. North Korea's national carrier, Air Koryo, will increase the number of its flights between Pyongyang and Beijing despite stringent U.N. Security Council sanctions including a ban on the export of aviation fuel to the reclusive country, a news media report said Wednesday. According to Air Koryo's website, the North's flagship carrier is scheduled to increase flights between the two capitals to five times a week from the present four as of July 1, Washington-based Voice of America (VOA) reported. VOA said Air Koryo's JS151 will depart Pyongyang International Airport for Beijing every Friday morning at 8:30 a.m. starting next month. On the same day, the airline's JS152 will depart Beijing Capital International Airport at noon and arrive in Pyongyang at 2:30 p.m. The media said that the Russian-made Tupolev Tu-204 will be used on the route. It is a twin-engine medium-range aircraft capable of carrying 140 passengers. Meanwhile, the North's Air Koryo is known to be operating the Pyongyang-Shanghai route two times a week, according to VOA. The route was temporarily operated last summer but then stopped. In a related development, the North resumed flights between Pyongyang and Kuwait last month, after the route had been suspended in February. (Yonhap) South Korean firms suffering snowballing financial damage from the shutdown of an inter-Korean industrial complex four months ago urged the government on Wednesday to allow them to visit North Korea to check their remaining assets before the rainy season. Seoul shut down the Kaesong Industrial Complex in the North's border city on Feb. 10 in response to Pyongyang's January nuclear test and long-range rocket launch in February. With the Kaesong investors' losses mounting, the government last month offered 386.5 billion won ($334.7 million) in compensation to the companies. The Korean firms, who reported a combined 944.6 billion won in financial losses in the first three months, urged the government to take full responsibility for inflicting damage by doing an abrupt about-face on its North Korean policy. Chung Ki-seop, who heads an emergency committee for the companies, said company officials will hold rallies starting next week to pressure the government and raise public awareness of the issue. "We decided to hold rallies as follow-up measures to boycotting the government's support measures," Chung said. "We will hold rallies and street demonstrations, and also distribute leaflets to raise awareness of our suffering." They will also request the government to allow their visit to North Korea within the month. Their previous request on June 8 was not accepted by the government. "Our demand is not an immediate resumption of Kaesong park. We are asking the government to allow us to visit the complex to check our equipment as the rainy season is starting," Chung said. "The government should approve our visit because assets in the Kaesong park are also South Korean assets." The complex, located some 50 kilometers northwest of Seoul, had served as a major revenue source for the cash-strapped North since opening in 2004. More than 54,000 North Korean workers produced labor-intensive goods, such as clothes and utensils, there. (Yonhap) China called for calm and restraint on Wednesday, shortly after North Korea test-fired what appeared to be two intermediate-range Musudan ballistic missiles. China's foreign ministry spokeswoman, Hua Chunying, urged the "relevant countries" not to take action that could escalate tensions on the Korean Peninsula, when asked about the North's latest launch of ballistic missiles. "The situation on the Korean Peninsula is very complex and sensitive," Hua said at a regular press briefing. North Korea has defied U.N. resolutions that ban the North from conducting missile tests using ballistic missile technology. President Park Geun-hye warned North Korea Wednesday that it will only face isolation and self-destruction if it continues to develop nuclear weapons. "The government will continue to join hands with the international community to make Pyongyang realize it has no choice but to accept changes, and that there will be no future without giving up nukes," Park said during a meeting with the National Unification Advisory Council. Park said South Korea has been making efforts to avoid tensions and establish peace on the Korean Peninsula, but pointed out that Pyongyang only responded with nuclear tests and more missile launches. North Korea also launched intermediate-range ballistic missiles earlier on Wednesday in direct violation of the international ban. "The development of nuclear weapons and long-range missiles are grave provocations that threaten not only the peace of the Korean peninsula but that of Northeast Asia and the world," Park said, adding no international organizations will lend a hand to Pyongyang if the situation continues. The president added South Korea needs to roll out consistent policies on the North Korean issue, adding it will continue striving for the reunification of the divided country. On the government's latest decision to expand the existing Gimhae International Airport, Park said the option is better in terms of efficiency and safety compared to building a new one in the southeastern part of the country. South Korea earlier said it has scrapped a plan to build a new gateway airport, choosing instead to push for the expansion of Busan's existing airport. Park said the option not only helped to cut costs significantly, but the construction of a new terminal and V-shaped runways will also help overcome flight safety concerns. 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. "I believe all problems can be solved if all parties reach mutual agreement and respect the decision made by the experts," Park said. (Yonhap) By Kwon Yong-wook "This was how I greeted him," said Mr. Halferty, raising his arms and letting his fingers slide across the air. His voice was soft as he recounted his visit to the war memorial in Busan. He did not expect to see his older brother's name etched on the memorial among those of thousands of other veterans. Sixty six years ago, second Lt. Richard Halferty and his older brother Lt. Harry Halferty travelled across the globe to fight in the Korean War. Only one returned home Lt. H. Halferty was killed in action defending the Nakdong perimeter in September 1950. The younger brother survived the war and retired as a decorated navy captain. Sixty five years after leaving Korea, he returned on June 8th, being invited to an event organized by the ROK Third Armor Brigade and the OP International of the U.S. Third Infantry Division. As a private of the Third Armored Brigade, I worked as the translator, translating back and forth between the U.S. guests and dozens of Korean veterans. As the veterans reveled in sharing their experiences, I felt incredibly privileged to be part of this exchange of oral histories by men and women who saved our nation from the jaws of oppression. Each June, we reach out to our veterans and remember their sacrifices. While many of us honor our own veterans, relatively less attention is given to non-Koreans. Part of the reason is distance many of them live far away from Korea, and have difficulty making the long trip. To reach out to these veterans, our brigade has been promoting a pen-pal program between brigade soldiers and U.S. Korean War veterans. Reading some of the letters is a most touching experience: many of them are proud of the growth of South Korea and are glad they are remembered for their services. I hope more people, even civilians, would join us in this effort. Being involved in these exchange programs made me realize just how much of an emotional bond exists between many of these veterans and their families and Korea. These people from around the world had fought with Koreans to defend freedom and democracy, and the blood they shed remains a visceral tie. This stands in vivid contrast to the attitude of many Americans towards Korea. Calls to scale back the ROK-U.S. alliance and have Korea shoulder more of the burden of defense are resonating with the U.S. electorate. The historical significance of our alliance, as well as the deep emotional bonds our two people once shared fighting against totalitarianism, seem missing from the dialogue. In light of those developments, remembering and honoring Korean War veterans _ both Korean and American attains a deeper significance. By honoring these men and women, we are invoking the memories of our shared sacrifices and bringing the narrative of our friendship back into the national conscious. The relationship between the United States and Korea transcends the ROK-US alliance: it is the ROK-U.S. friendship, one forged by blood. Personally, when I think of the United States, I immediately think of my close friends and mentors I have made studying in the States. I remember our shared meals and many debates, our silly jokes and meandering conversations. I am sure that for these veterans, Korea will similarly invoke memories of dear comrades, a nation of friends. Of course, most Koreans and Americans do not share such personal relationships. Therefore, it is even more important for us to honor our veterans. By honoring these soldiers, perhaps we can revisit our shared history and friendship, just like how Mr. Halferty revisited Korea 66 years after the war. National policies are often determined by national interests, but history has shown the impact human emotions have had on major national decisions. Perhaps the power of stories can transcend cost-and-benefit calculations. I want to end with the toast Mr. Halferty gave at the ceremony, which inspired me to write this response. The retired Navy Captain, now in his late 80s, spoke softly yet with conviction to the Korean audience. "I am Korean, I am Korean, I am Korean. The blood of my brother, mixed with the blood of Korean men, has seeped into the depths of the Korean soil. I am Korean." The writer is a pfc at the Third Armored Brigade, serving at Brigade HQ as a translator. Before joining the military, he was a junior at Harvard University, and majored in math and computer science. Write to korcadetea@army.mil. A court hearing to determine whether a dozen former North Korean restaurant workers defected to the South in April, out of their own free will, ended without any conclusion Tuesday. The Lawyers for a Democratic Society, which had filed a petition with the Seoul Central District Court questioning if the female defectors might be detained illegally here, asked for the judge to be replaced. The court said it would decide to resume the hearing later after discussions. The defectors, who had worked at a North Korea-run restaurant in China, did not appear at the hearing. Instead, their legal representatives attended the session and said the defectors refused to attend out of fear that their testimony in public about voluntary defections might imperil the safety of their family members left behind in the rogue state. Their arguments sound plausible, considering that the family members could face reprisals after being branded as the relatives of traitors. The association of liberal lawyers, better known as Minbyun, instigated the court proceedings by raising suspicions about details of their group defection and special treatment granted to them here. In fact, the government's abrupt announcement of the defection, made days before the April 13 general election, stoked rumors that the National Intelligence Service (NIS) had orchestrated the escape with political intentions. North Korea has called for the repatriation of the former waitresses, alleging that they were kidnapped by the South. The lawyers' group sympathized with the North's assertion and has been insisting that the defectors take the witness stand to clarify whether they defected voluntarily. However, this demand sounds far-fetched. More than anything else, testifying in public will put in a great quandary the defectors who worry about the safety of their families in the North. This indeed amounts to reneging on their human rights. Also, it defies our understanding that the South's spy agency kidnapped as many as 12 North Koreans in China. As things stand now, there is no reason to believe that they were brought here against their will except Pyongyang's argument for abductions. Park Young-sik, an attorney representing the Korean Bar Association who serves as a human rights adviser to the NIS, reportedly had one-on-one interviews with the 12 defectors and said none of them had expressed their wish to return to their home country. The lawyers' group should act with prudence, aware of the aftermath that could be triggered by the defectors' testimony. Ensuring the safety of the defectors and their families must be a top priority. Time for rival regions to end division The battle between Busan and Miryang over a new airport in the southeastern Yeongnam region ended without a winner. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport picked neither Gadeok Island in Busan or Miryang, whose airport campaign had been backed by the two nearby industrial hubs of Ulsan and Daegu. Instead, the ministry will expand Gimhae International Airport, located in a western suburb of Busan. The ministry announced the decision Tuesday after the release of a feasibility study by French airport engineering company ADPi, a unit of Paris Airport Group. Gadeok and Miryang were both ruled out because of safety and cost. The French company conducted the feasibility study with the consensus of the rival regions, so they should accept the outcome of ADPi's year-long review. The report should be an occasion to terminate the dispute over the building of a new airport for the southeastern region once and for all. Politicians should no longer use the airport proposal as a populist pledge to attract voters. The plan was first reviewed during the Roh Moo-hyun administration, but his successor Lee Myung-bak scrapped it in 2011 due to an intense regional rivalry and lack of economic viability. Seymour Bernstein By Jun Ji-hye Seymour Bernstein, a world-renowned pianist and a Korean War veteran, will visit Korea with his former comrades, Thursday. The American pianist, 89, is among 70 visitors that include former U.S. soldiers who fought in the Korean War (1950-53) and their relatives as well as Korean veterans living overseas. The Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs invited them for a visit until Tuesday. Bernstein, a New Jersey native, joined the U.S. Army in December 1950 at the age of 23 and was dispatched to Korea after completing his 14-week training. He arrived by ship in Incheon in April 1951 and served in the war as a private first class infantryman belonging to the 8th U.S. Army until he was discharged in November 1952. His special mission was performing at military camps to boost the morale of the troops. "Bernstein served in the war both with arms and a piano," the ministry said in a release. "He performed around 100 concerts for the frontline units." Recalling his war memories, Bernstein said in an email interview with the ministry, "Performances for the frontline units took place by placing an upright piano at the foot of hills, and soldiers sat on the slope of the hills." He also said the Air Force flew over the hills and protected them in case shells were directed to their location. "Violinist Kenneth Gordon, who was also a soldier, and I performed on a hospital ship for wounded soldiers who were terminal patients," he said. Bernstein then returned to Korea in 1960 under the sponsorship of the U.S. State Department to give concerts, lessons and lectures here. But all plans were canceled following the April 19 Revolution, the pro-democracy civil uprising that led to the ousting of Syngman Rhee, the nation's first president. At the time, Bernstein received permission from then-U.S. Ambassador to Korea Walter P. McConoughy to perform in the wards of Seoul National University Hospital for wounded students to demonstrate that the U.S. was on their side. "International reporters picked up the story and I was videotaped internationally performing for the wounded students," he said. Bernstein was the subject of the documentary "Seymour: An Introduction," directed by actor Ethan Hawke and released in 2014. Hawke described Bernstein as a mentor. During his stay, he will visit the truce village of Panmunjeom as well as the Seoul National Cemetery with other visitors. He will hold a press conference at Hotel Grand Ambassador Seoul Friday, and give a concert at a banquet dinner party Monday arranged for the war veterans by Patriots and Veterans Affairs Minister Park Sung-choon. Samsung Electronics, Korea's No. 1 tech firm, announced Tuesday that it will pour $1.2 billion by 2020 into the Internet of Things (IoT) business in the United States, as part of its global initiative to create a new IoT ecosystem, a hot issue in the ICT world. Samsung also launched an advisory group in partnership with Intel to affect U.S. policy on IoT. "I am excited to show how we are moving IoT to the center of our strategy and am delighted to announce that Samsung is planning to spend $1.2 billion in U.S.-centered IoT investments and R&D over the next four years," Kwon Oh-hyun, the company's vice chairman and CEO, said in a forum held at the Washington Post Conference Center in the U.S. capital. The inaugural event with the theme of "Internet of Things -- Transforming the Future" drew more than 300 participants from the U.S. government, Congress and businesses, according to Samsung. They include Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), who co-chairs the Congressional Internet of Things Caucus; Dean Garfield, president and CEO at the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI); and Doug Davis, senior vice president for the IoT Group at Intel Corp. Kwon said Samsung will seek joint ventures with IoT startups in the U.S. via its agencies in Silicon Valley: Samsung Strategy & Innovation Center, Global Innovation Center and Samsung Research America. Laying out Samsung's vision for IoT, Kwon stressed a "human-centered" approach. "At Samsung, putting peole at the center of everything we do is our highest value. The same must be true for IoT if we want to realize its full transformative power," he said. "Today, IoT is changing individual lives, helping people to age in their own homes. But tomorrow, using IoT, we can give the same independence to millions of Americans. We can keep people out of hospitals and nursing homes. As our populations live longer, these benefits and cost savings for society cannot be ignored," he said. IoT is a network of physical objects, including vehicles, buildings and electronic devices, connected to the Internet to exchange data. It allows such objects to be sensed and controlled remotely. "If we want innovators everywhere to make use of IoT, we must make sure all tools are open to them," Kwon said. "This means technologies that connect to each other, because we know that boundaries around technologies hold back innovation and scale." For that, Samsung and Intel established the National IoT Strategy Dialogue meant to offer advice to U.S. policymakers. The ITI is tasked with operating the group, of which membership is open to other companies. Samsung said it hosted the Washington conference to "ensure that the rapid expansion of IoT benefits everyone, everywhere through the transformative power of innovation." It marked the start of an international series of dialogue on IoT, it said. (Yonhap) Models promote Pantech's new smartphone, the Sky IM-100, during a showcase at the company's headquarters in Sangam-dong, western Seoul, Wednesday. / Yonhap By Yoon Sung-won Pantech has returned to the smartphone market Wednesday after 19 months, with the launch of a new budget model the Sky IM-100. The handset maker, which has managed to pull itself out of a bankruptcy crisis, faces a tough challenge in the budget market against Samsung, LG and emerging Chinese brands. "We have returned after the last two regretful years," Pantech President Moon Ji-wook said during a press conference in Seoul, Wednesday. "We needed an overhaul and now we will focus on providing products that satisfy the customers, not ourselves." Pantech had its domain in the highly competitive domestic handset market until the early days of smartphones. It lagged behind larger brands such as Samsung, LG and Apple amid fierce competition and slipped into severe financial problems. Last September, the company fired nearly half its employees and was acquired by Solid Consortium, ending a period of court receivership in November. It had to dismiss hundreds of more employees in April as part of corporate restructuring. "The slogan I'm back' ambitiously reflects our hope for the return of those who had to leave the company during difficult times," a Pantech official said. The company said it plans to launch the IM-100 later this month through SK Telecom and KT, with LG Uplus excluded. It said it plans to distribute up to 20,000 IM-100s initially and aims to sell about 300,000 in total. The price is expected to be about 449,000 won ($389), according to industry sources. The company also revived its Sky brand, which had enjoyed a dominant image as associated with premium features, and released teaser ads appealing to former Sky handset users. It said after-sales service will be available at 65 service centers nationwide. It also said it would let customers send in phones for repair through the mail and provide a handset rental service. "We have analyzed client patterns from our last 20 years in the industry and plan to expand the points of contact with our customers," Pantech said. "To this end, we will provide mobile after-sales services and maximize customer satisfaction." The IM-100 has a metallic exterior and a full high-definition LCD screen. As a budget model, it has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 application processor, 2GB of memory and a 3,000mAh embedded battery. Despite its relatively mediocre hardware specifications, the IM-100 has Qualcomm's latest audio chip the WCD9326 to maximize its audio functions. It supports high-quality sound technologies such as the free lossless audio codec and aptX codec, Pantech said. "Qualcomm and Pantech have maintained a long-term partnership in the smartphone ecosystem," Qualcomm Korea General Manager Lee Tae-won said. "In the smartphone business, we expect to maintain the cooperation between the two companies in wearables and the Internet of Things." To differentiate itself from other handsets, the IM-100 has a jog dial on the right side. With this, users can adjust volume and easily control playback while listening to music or watching videos. As a companion device for the new smartphone, Pantech also showcased what it calls the Stone. Once synchronized with an IM-100, a Stone can wirelessly charge the handset and serve as a 2.1-channel Bluetooth speaker. Supercell CEO Ilkka Paananen, right, and Tencent President Martin Lau pose after reaching an agreement on an acquisition deal at the Finnish company's headquarters in Helsinki, Tuesday. / Courtesy of Supercell China's expanding presence looming on Korean market By Yoon Sung-won Tencent will acquire Supercell for $8.6 billion in a megadeal with SoftBank, according to industry insiders, Wednesday. As the Chinese IT giant will become the parent company to the top game companies in the computer online and mobile sectors Supercell and Riot Games expectations are that Tencent will exert a dominant influence in the global gaming industry with their economy of scale. "Yes. Tencent, the world's biggest games company, has taken a lead to purchase SoftBank's investment in Supercell and will be our strategic partner," Supercell CEO Ilkka Paananen admitted in a posting on the company's website, Tuesday. After the acquisition, which is expected to take place in the third quarter of this year, Tencent will hold 84.3 percent of shares of Supercell. In the deal, the corporate value of Supercell has been estimated at $10.2 billion. The deal will also benefit SoftBank as it had purchased 51 percent of Supercell for only $1.53 billion in 2014 and boosted its share to 73 percent a year later. Established in 2010, the Finnish mobile game company has provided "Clash of Clans," one of the most sought-after mobile games in the world as well as "Hay Day," "Boom Beach" and "Clash Royale." In total, it has drawn more than 100 million daily active users globally, and posted $2.43 billion in sales last year. "Masa, the founder of SoftBank and our chairman, told me that if we were able to find a new partner, he would like to sell SoftBank's shares in Supercell to finance what he called SoftBank's 2.0 transformation strategy," Paananen said. The Supercell CEO said that Tencent has agreed that Supercell will continue to be operationally independent as it was under SoftBank's ownership. "They understand that our unique culture of small and independent teams is what makes Supercell," he said. "Also, our headquarters will stay in Helsinki and we will pay our taxes in Finland." Tencent has been known to allow independent management of Riot Games, provider of one of the world's most-played computer online game "League of Legends," since acquiring 100 percent of its share in 2011. Meanwhile, concerns are escalating in the Korean game industry that Tencent's acquisition of the world's top mobile game company may speed up the penetration of Chinese game businesses and their titles here. "There are concerns that Korean game businesses will face tougher challenges to compete not only on the global scale but also locally in terms of economies of scale because Chinese games are already expanding their presence," a source from a major Korean game company said. Meanwhile, another industry insider expected that the acquisition will not immediately escalate competition. "The competitive landscape in the gaming industry will not change much as Tencent will make its new subsidiary run independently instead of coming to the center stage as a platform operator," he said. PRESS RELEASE Obama, NATO Are Threatening General War Based on an Admitted Lie June 21, 2016 (EIRNS)The entire array of fournow five simultaneous NATO maneuvers involving 50-60,000 troops, and forward basing of four battalions, on Russias borders, is based on what was today admitted by a senior NATO official to be a lie. That admission became the lead story on Russias Sputnik news service today, and confirms the warnings from German leaders like Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, that NATO is escalating dangerously against Russia without reason. Chairman of the NATO Military Committee Petr Pavel admitted in a June 21 news conference that the entire Baltics/Poland forward build-up and maneuvers are not based on any threat of "Russian agression." Said Pavel, "Deployment of more substantial military force [than the four battalionsed.] is not being considered. 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." Yet NATO Commanders Gen. Craig Breedlove and Gen. Curtis Scaparroti, NATO General Secretary Jens Stoltenberg, and President Obama have claimed that threatened "Russian aggression against the Baltic States and Poland" justified escalating with massive exercises to the borders of Russia and otherwise generating a situation which could break into war between nuclear superpowers. Stoltenberg today inaugurated yet a fifth simultaneous exercise, "Dynamic Mongoose," a Norwegian Sea/North Sea exercise against Russian submarines based near there. Since June 15 Der Spiegel in Germany and then Foreign Minister Steinmeier have warned the exercises were going too far, risking a rapid mutual escalation to war for an "aggression" threat which did not exist. Pavel admits thiseven as attacks on Steinmeiers statements are multiplied from NATO and U.S. military officials! Also today, Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges, commander of U.S. Army Europe, outrageously complained that Russian military units inside Russia had full freedom of movement! The speed of Russias snap exercises "scare him," General Hodges said in an interview with BBC; thus he calledand not for the first time for a "military Shengen" in Europe. The Shengen Agreement meant the free movement of travelers and migrants across borders within the European Union; it has effectively been scrapped when large numbers of refugees entered Europe from the Mideast and North Africa. Lt. General Hodges demands a new Shengen agreement but for tanks. PRESS RELEASE Congresss Financial Control Board for Puerto Rico Violates UN Resolutions June 21, 2016 (EIRNS)In a strongly-worded speech before the UN Decolonization Committee June 20, Puerto Rican Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla charged that H.R. 5278, which includes the creation of a financial control board to supervise the islands finances (to the exclusion of local legislators and the Governor), is a violation of the terms of the 1953 UN Resolution 748 stating that Puerto Rico enjoys the "attributes of political sovereignty which clearly identify the status of self-government attained by the people of Puerto Rico as an autonomous political entity." Garcia pointed out that the U.S. delegate to the UN General Assembly (UNGA), Francis P. Bolton, stated at that time, that Puerto Rico would, from then on, be governed "by a bilateral pact whose terms can only be altered by mutual consent." The control board, Garcia emphasized, violates that principle, "usurps the powers the people of Puerto Rico have delegated to the Governor and Legislative Assembly," and eliminates political sovereignty. The Governor explained that he reluctantly accepted H.R. 5278, which must be passed in the Senate, because it provides a mechanism for debt restructuring, given the islands horrific humanitarian crisis; but the control board is a threat to Puerto Ricos democracy, he added. The people of Puerto Rico demand that the terms of Resolution 748 be respected, "and that no backtracking be accepted." In response to the Governors request that the Decolonization Committee take Puerto Ricos case to the UNGA and the Human Rights Committee, the Committee voted up a resolution by consensus, proposed by Cuba, to do exactly that, urging the UNGA to make a determination on this issue "as soon as possible." The Committee has voted the same way for the past 16 years, although this year, several of the committees Ibero-American members stated their concern about the control board and the humanitarian crisis. Venezuela, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Syria, Ecuador, and Russia cosponsored the resolution. PRESS RELEASE Steinmeier Defended, Germany Opens Up Against NATO War June 21, 2016 (EIRNS)An apparent split within Germanys governing coalition over NATOs military exercises and BMD deployments threatening Russia, may actually signify a shift in Germanys population and institutions, realizing that NATOs escalation is threatening the very survival of Europe. The German leader who on June 16 called the NATO exercises "saber-rattling," and "war cries" against Russia, and called for them to stop, Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, currently enjoys the most support of any German politician, according to polls. The subsequent attacks on Steinmeier by NATOs General Secretary Jens Stoltenberg and others were strongly rebutted as "absurd," today, by German Vice-Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel, who is reported to be going to Moscow himself next week and meeting with Russian President Putin. Former NATO Military Committee head (2002-2005) General Harald Kujat (retired, former German Armed Forces Chief of Staff) told German NDR radio in an interview this morning, that he fully supports Foreign Minister Steinmeier. General Kujats stand represents deep consensus among German military and strategic experts, not only that the conflict with Russia originated, unnecessarily, in the West; but also, that an escalation will lead to a strategic nuclear showdown. General Kujat said that in crisis periods like this one, military measures always have the effect of escalation. He posed the obvious question: "Does one want to escalate the tensions, or, does one want to help to reduce the tensions?" For the many conflicts in the world, be they Ukraine, Syria, or Libya, "we need Russia ... it is a question of reason which way one chooses and I think the foreign minister [Steinmeier] wanted to change things." Kujat said the criticism of Steinmeier was "a Pavlovian response to the remarks of the Foreign Minister and completely absurd. I think they should carefully listen to what he said. He is proposing the proper approach." In Berlin, June 21, former French President Nicolas Sarkozy meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and then warned against the danger fueling tensions between Russia and the European Union. "We can only solve the problems of Europe and Russia by dialogue," Sarkozy said. He defined the most serious threat facing Europe as the terrorist groups ISIS and al-Qaeda, both being fought by Russia. Aerospace giant Boeing Co. has established a preferred partnership with MemorialCare Health System to offer most of its Southern California employees a health plan option that eliminates much of the role of a traditional insurer. Starting in January, Boeing employees who choose the MemorialCare option will have smaller paycheck deductions for healthcare coverage, no co-payments for primary care office visits and full coverage for generic drug prescriptions. Experts say this kind of arrangement with a healthcare system is rare. The two companies said it will be the first direct partnership in California, though Boeing has established similar plans for its employees in the Seattle area, St. Louis, Mo., and Charleston, S.C. Advertisement Fountain Valley-based MemorialCare has partnered with other healthcare providers, such as UC Irvine Health and Torrance Memorial Health System, to expand its coverage network. See the most-read stories in Business this hour >> Were really after improving quality, improving the member experience and controlling cost, said Jeff White, Boeings director of healthcare strategy. MemorialCare has had a similar program for its own employees, focusing on preventive care and heading off chronic conditions before they appear. For us, it gives the ability to manage the care of all these folks across the entire continuum to work on prevention and wellness and disease management, said Barry Arbuckle, chief executive of MemorialCare. Direct relationships between employers and health providers could become more common in response to rising health insurance costs, said Janet Coffman, associate professor of health policy at UC San Francisco. As providers get more experience with being part of Accountable Care Organizations and managing risk in the sense of setting fees for the employer at levels they think can cover their costs, more of them are going to be interested, she said. However, Coffman cautioned that such arrangements are beneficial only for large, self-insured employers, such as Boeing, which has about 15,000 employees, with 22,000 dependents, in Long Beach, Orange County and South Bay alone. On the provider side, networks need to include an array of hospitals, physician groups and services, such as imaging or labs. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois will be handling third-party administrative duties, such as claims, under the arrangement. samantha.masunaga@latimes.com For more business news, follow me @smasunaga MORE FROM BUSINESS Bid for SolarCity sends Tesla stock plunging Itll take time and $3.8 billion to shut down the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant Stocks rise ahead of more Fed news and Britain vote Decommissioning a nuclear power plant is a long and expensive process that sometimes takes more money than originally expected. But executives running the Diablo Canyon nuclear facility, who announced Tuesday that the sites two reactors will be shut down by the middle of the next decade, expressed confidence that they can do it quickly and without running up the tab. The basic design is, by the time you get to the licensing end of the plants life, youve collected enough to decommission the plant, said Tony Earley, chairman and chief executive of Pacific Gas & Electric, the investor-owned utility that runs Diablo Canyon, in a conference call with reporters. Advertisement As required by California law, PG&E has established a trust fund created by ratepayers, through their electricity bills over the course of decades, to cover decommissioning costs. According to a document filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Tuesday, the trust fund for Diablo Canyon is nearly $2.8 billion. Thats about $1 billion shy of meeting the costs to shut down the plant. In PG&Es most recent submission to the California Public Utilities Commission, the utility estimated it would cost $3.779 billion to decommission Diablo Canyon. The beauty of this agreement is that it gives us almost a decade to work through these issues, Earley said. Were not scrambling around like other nuclear plants who shut down their plants unexpectedly, trying to pull together these numbers. Wall Street investors appeared to like what they heard. The stock price for the San Francisco utilitys parent company, PG&E Corp., dropped on the announcement but recovered during the day to close at $62.63 a share, up 6 cents, or less than 1%. In 2014 Southern California Edison estimated decommissioning costs at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station at $4.4 billion. The facility was formally shut down in 2013, but the reactors had already been idled for months because premature wear in new generators allowed a small amount of radioactive steam to be released. Edison customers ended up getting billed for $3.3 billion leftover plant costs which has drawn harsh criticism. Last month, the utilities commission decided to take a second look at the settlements details after it was revealed that in 2013 then-commission President Michael Peevey and an SCE executive met secretly to sketch out an agreement. A major issue involved with decommissioned nuclear plants is what to do with spent fuel. Diablo Canyon has a storage facility on site to handle spent fuel in dry casks. Interested in the stories shaping California? Sign up for the free Essential California newsletter >> There is enough space to store all the fuel that will be generated during the current operating licenses, said Blair Jones, spokesman for PG&E. The used uranium pellets at Diablo Canyon have a combined weight of 1,356 metric tons, or 2.98 million pounds. Diablo Canyons spent fuel will remain on site because, as in the case with all nuclear facilities including San Onofre, it is the federal governments responsibility to ultimately find places to deposit nuclear waste. With the proposed depository at Yucca Mountain in Nevada scrapped, many nuclear facilities have had to keep spent fuel at their respective sites. Our position is that the federal government made a commitment to establish a repository solution for the country, Jones said. And we believe its important they fulfill that commitment. In the meantime, we will continue to safely store the fuel on site as we always have. At San Onofre, Edison wants to store its spent fuel rods in sealed stainless steel canisters, encased in concrete and partially buried on the plants property. Activists have sued to reverse the Coastal Commissions approval of Edisons plan, preferring that the fuel be shipped via truck to the Palo Verde nuclear plant in Tonopah, Ariz., in which Edison has a minority stake. But the Arizona facility, under its license from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, is allowed to store only its own spent fuel, which remains radioactive for centuries. Decommissioning is a long process, which requires facilities working in conjunction with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to file reports, submit reviews and go through federal oversight to get a license terminated. Its not a quick thing, said Murray Jennex, utilities expert and professor of management information systems at San Diego State. You have to be down a while to let contaminated areas decay to a safe level. Then you have to take apart buildings designed to be very, very strong. You have lots of debris and you have to dispose of that.... Its about a 10-year process, at least. Earley told reporters Tuesday hes optimistic the Diablo Canyon shutdown will go smoothly. We can do it thoughtfully, we can learn from what other plants are doing and I think in the end that will benefit everybody, he said. RELATED: PG&E to close Diablo Canyon, Californias last nuclear power plant From the Archives: Diablo Canyon nuclear plant could be at fault in a disaster OPINION: A no nukes victory? Californias short and complicated history with Diablo Canyon and nuclear power The redevelopment of the run-down shopping core of the Pacific Palisades received final approval Tuesday from the Los Angeles City Council. The approval paves the way for shopping center magnate Rick Caruso to start work on his Palisades Village project, which the Grove owner envisions as more of a walkable Main Street than ritzy shopping center. The 116,00-square-foot complex on Swarthmore Avenue bordering Sunset Boulevard will include a movie theater, community space, grocer and retail shops. There will also be eight apartment units. Advertisement Councilman Mike Bonin, who represents the Pacific Palisades, said in a statement that the project will revitalize downtown Palisades and give the neighborhood the thriving community center it deserves. Caruso Affiliated is expected to start demolitions on Swarthmore Avenue in August, with Palisades Village scheduled to open in summer 2018. andrew.khouri@latimes.com Follow me @khouriandrew on Twitter The Canaveral Port Authority in Florida may start charging SpaceX higher fees to dock the reusable rocket boosters that the aerospace company has been launching at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, landing at sea and then hauling to shore. Port authority officials had planned to consider the measure Wednesday, but at the last moment, Chief Executive John Murray pulled it from the agenda. He told the board that it probably would be reintroduced. The fees are our source of revenue, Murray said, though he emphasized that the relationship is good between the port authority and SpaceX, which is based in Hawthorne and whose full name is Space Exploration Technologies Corp. Advertisement The measure would have charged SpaceX $500 per ton or $15,000 every time it brings a rocket into dock. The port regularly charges fees based on weight, although most are less than $10 per ton. According to the ports fee schedule, the highest charge is $35.30 for containers with cargo in them on vessels 450 feet long or more. A SpaceX spokesman declined to comment when asked how much the company had been paying. Murray said the port authority had a previously scheduled meeting with SpaceX on Wednesday afternoon. Port Canaveral is an important partner in our recovery operations, SpaceX spokesman John Taylor said in a statement. We appreciate the boards willingness to reconsider this proposal. Canaveral Port Authoritys Rule 715, which governs tariffs placed on those using the port, would be amended to add charges for aerospace/aircraft items. The port authority left the door open for negotiations with other companies as more pursue rocket recovery efforts. On three occasions once each in April, May and June SpaceX has landed a reusable rocket booster on a barge floating in the Atlantic Ocean and then brought the booster back to land. msantana@orlandosentinel.com MORE FROM BUSINESS Trump University seized upon the foreclosure crisis Elon Musk calls Teslas bid for SolarCity a no-brainer, but Tesla stock dives Itll take time and $3.8 billion to shut down the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant A new Holocaust-themed play by a Polish dramatist has become a source of friction between the Polish consulate in Los Angeles and the experimental Santa Monica theater company that is producing the unconventional stage piece. City Garage in Santa Monica said the consulate withdrew support for the production because of the dramas controversial content and fears about how officials in Polands new right-wing government might react. The consulate has denied the accusations, saying that it never promised to support the production financially and that its lack of funding is caused by budgetary limitations, not the political situation in Poland. Advertisement Right Left With Heels, by Sebastian Majewski, is a surrealistic play that follows a pair of high-heel shoes that once belonged to Magda Goebbels, the wife of Nazi minister of propaganda Joseph Goebbels. In the play, the shoes, made from the skin of Jewish victims at Auschwitz, are put on trial at Nuremberg. They later bear witness to major events of postwar Polish history. See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour >> City Garage is scheduled to open the play July 8 at its venue at Bergamot Station in Santa Monica. In recent weeks, the company corresponded by email with Ignacy Zarski, the Polish consulates cultural attache, to discuss the possibility of supporting various aspects of the production. They promised their support, said Charles Duncombe, producing director of City Garage. He said the pledge included supporting an opening-night reception as well as outreach and promotional activities. He said that Zarski later met in person with him and his wife, company artistic director Frederique Michel, following a performance earlier this year of City Garages Othello/Desdemona. Duncombe said Zarski explained that the consulate was backing out because of concerns about how the new government in Warsaw would react and because of the content of the play. Zarski said in an email to The Times that we are not withdrawing our financial support, [because] of never initially promising to support this particular production. He said that the decision has nothing to do with [the] political situation in Poland. It is merely the result of a limited budget. He added that the consulate is still considering using its email list and social media contacts to promote the event. In October, Polands right-leaning Law and Justice party won the countrys parliamentary elections with a majority victory. The party is known for its conservative views on cultural and social issues, as well as its skeptical view of the European Union. See the most-read stories in Local News this hour >> Majewski, the playwright, didnt respond to a request for comment. City Garage said that funding for Right Left With Heels is coming in part from a Polish couple in Southern California. They responded when one of our contacts in Poland told them about the consulate pulling out, Duncombe said. The company also has launched a Kickstarter campaign. City Garage said it had applied some months ago to the city of Santa Monica for a grant but hasnt heard the results of its application. City Garage was founded in 1987 by Duncombe and Michel. It has won local awards for its productions, which often are avant-garde. In my job, Im asking people for money all the time, Duncombe said. Im used to being turned down. I would never have disrupted a relationship with a valued funding partner had it been simply that they just didnt have enough available to help. Frederique [and] I both saw this as an issue of artistic free expression. MORE FROM ENTERTAINMENT VidCon, the annual video star convention, has gotten so big its expanding globally Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant recounts the creation of Stairway to Heaven in copyright trial Steven Spielberg-produced American Gothic chokes on its own pretensions Alleging woefully oblivious decision making and a lack of structure, HaeAhn Kwon, the lone student enrolled in the studio art MFA program at USCs Roski School of Art and Design, announced she was withdrawing from the university via an email statement submitted to USC provost Michael Quick and associate vice provost Robin Romans. The letter was blind copied Tuesday afternoon to several media outlets, including The Times. The move comes a little more than a year after an entire class of MFA candidates (seven in total) withdrew from the university in protest of changes in the programs faculty, curriculum and funding. In the wake of the negative publicity, only one student Kwon, an international student from South Korea accepted admission to the 2017 studio art MFA class. Now she is leaving after completing only half of the two-year program. And she is walking away from what is essentially a free graduate degree: As one of USCs International Artist Fellows, Kwon had her tuition and expenses fully covered. Advertisement Sign up for our weekly Essential Arts & Culture newsletter We were sorry to hear that HaeAhn is leaving the university and wish her all the best in her future endeavors, said Romans in a statement issued by the university on Tuesday evening. We had lengthy conversations with HaeAhn prior to her arrival, and informed her that we were committed to working with her and providing every available opportunity to ensure she had the best possible experience, but that the one thing we could not provide was a graduate cohort for her in the first year of her MFA program. There was no midterm, no finals, nor any review of any kind for my studio practice, which is the essential purpose of an MFA degree in visual art. HaeAhn Kwon Nao Bustamante, the Roski schools new vice dean of art, says the withdrawal caught her by surprise. I had just sent HaeAhn an email with a list of all of the amazing speakers coming in next semester and I didnt have an indication this was happening, she said via telephone on Tuesday evening. In her withdrawal letter, Kwon describes her first semester as a shambles. I am still perplexed that the administrators of a renowned educational institution would allow anyone to attend such a dismantled and disorganized program, she wrote. I was both socially isolated as well as pedagogically misdirected due to a lack of structure and foresight in the nonexistent studio component of this ersatz program. Roski Dean Erica Muhl with Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre at the opening of the Jimmy Iovine and Andre Young Academy for Arts and Technology and Business Innovation in 2013. (Damian Dovarganes / Associated Press ) I had no functioning Group Critique class, the central component of an MFA degree, she added. Further, the fall term entirely lacked the studio component of the program. In short, it did NOT exist there was no midterm, no finals, nor any review of any kind for my studio practice, which is the essential purpose of an MFA degree in visual art. Kwon also alleges that her Group Critique class met only once over the course of the semester, even though it was supposed to gather twice a week. For the class, she says she initially received an Incomplete on her transcript, which was then changed to a B without her knowledge. I must ask you, she wrote, how is it that a student could even PASS a class that was held on no more than one day? Bustamante, who landed at the university in January, after Kwon had already completed her fall semester, said she was unaware of the issue with the grades. This is the first of me hearing about it, she said. Well have to get back to you. Romans does not address Kwons allegations about her grades in her statement but wrote: During her time in the fellowship program, HaeAhn requested numerous accommodations to offset the lack of MFA colleagues, including a request for double studio space, all of which were granted. Her spring group critique included two graduate artists, award-winning senior artists and a trio of exceptional faculty in Nao Bustamente, Edgar Arceneaux and Tala Madani. In addition, we have an extensive list of other faculty and visiting artists with whom she also worked. Finally, HaeAhn received personal invitations from artists who offered impressive networking opportunities. To our dismay, she took advantage of very few of these. Kwon could not be reached for comment, but she ended her letter with a searing statement: During my time at Roski, it became clear that I had never entered an MFA program; instead, I was participating in a sham under the leadership of an unfit dean and an administration irresponsibly ignoring the crisis. I can tell you that we are doing a cluster hire that were going to be able to announce very shortly. Nao Bustamante, Roski vice dean of art Kwons very public withdrawal comes at a delicate time for the Roski School of Art and Design. In addition to losing an entire MFA class last year, the school also saw numerous staff defections during this period including artist Sharon Lockhart, who decamped to CalArts, and Frances Stark, a tenured professor who departed after a decade of teaching. The turmoil follows the 2013 appointment of Erica Muhl, who has made numerous changes at the art school including a name change (from the Roski School of Fine Arts to the Roski School of Art and Design) and adjustments in curriculum, plus other changes that ultimately led the entire class of studio art MFAs to withdraw in May 2015. Roski, once #36 on U.S. News & World Reports list of top fine arts schools, now stands at #69 where it is tied with the University of Kansas and Cal State Long Beach, among others. Bustamente, however, says that Roski is moving forward. There is a full cohort of eight incoming studio art MFAs arriving in the fall (the class of 2018). That was a highly competitive process, she said. Theyre coming from really diverse traditional and non-traditional backgrounds. And I can tell you that we are doing a cluster hire that were going to be able to announce very shortly, she added. I can only say that I am bringing my experience to bear, my artistry to bear, and my goodwill and my complete sincerity in wanting to create a program for these students. Im really excited to be in this environment, she added. Its an art school among strong art schools. I mean, we are the art school. MORE: Behind the impasse that led USCs 2016 MFA students to withdraw in protest Heartbroken: 72 USC alumni write in support of withdrawn MFA students The dean of the USC art school with only one MFA student responds to her critics L.A. education foundation became a lucrative source of income for USCs Pat Haden and his relatives Find me on Twitter @cmonstah. A director of heartfelt melodramas wouldnt necessarily be the first person youd think of to direct an updated adaptation of a globetrotting John le Carre thriller. In a way, though, Oscar-winning Susanne Biers trademark filmic touches meticulously framed wide landscape shots, exotic locations and a rich-hued color palette seem perfectly suited to AMCs glossy, suspense-filled limited series The Night Manager. But likely all those double-crosses, false identities and detonating convoy trucks, less familiar territory for Bier, served as a six-hour argument that she should direct a Bond film. Directing spy stuff and making explosions is so much fun, says Bier, who is rumored to be shortlisted for the next 007 outing. Recently, a mildly jet-lagged Bier visited with The Envelope to chat about how she landed the job, why an actors hair should be taken seriously, and about Le Carres cameo as an elegantly tuxedoed gentleman at a Majorca restaurant who becomes embroiled in a dust-up over a lobster salad. It was amazing, says Bier of the scene in which Le Carre holds his own reportedly ad-libbing lines with the likes of Hugh Laurie and Tom Hiddleston. Advertisement John le Carres world is white, male and upper class. How did you convince the producers you were right for the job? I said, I know Im none of these things and I think its going to be a big advantage. I love John le Carre and I love that world, so I will preserve the diamond of it, but it will be in a new, contemporary shape. Making it contemporary meant having a strong female element and also portraying the diversity of the current society. I also said, I will make it sexual. This novel is one of his sexiest novels. Everyone in the series is hiding something, has secrets, are never completely honest. They dont know if they can really trust each other. But I think theres an element of something erotic within all the characters and all of their relationships. For me, its a character. Yes, you can talk a lot about psychology and other things. But if the look and detail isnt right, then the character isnt defined. Susanne Bier Talk about turning the novels male ex-SIS chief into a very pregnant woman. When I came on, that character was still a man. Then the producers said, Weve been discussing whether Burr could be a woman, and I went, Yes! Id been looking for a chance to work with Olivia Colman. Shes amazing. So we met at this hotel in London. And she comes in and says, I have to tell you: Im pregnant. And I was, like, [cautiously] Okaaaay. Then I thought, Its going to be fantastic for the character. I think at that time, even the producers, who were quite worried about the risk, had recognized that should [Colman] not work out, Burr would have to be pregnant in the series. It was kind of a gift. Can I just say that Hiddlestons and Elizabeth Debickis hair was perfect in every single scene? How much of that was you? I pay lots of attention to an actors look. For me, its a character. Yes, you can talk a lot about psychology and other things. But if the look and detail isnt right, then the character isnt defined. Youre famous for incorporating unexpected moments in a scene. Give an example of something unscripted that ended up in Night Manager. In the army camp in Episode 5, Roper comes down the stairs and speaks to all the [mercenaries]. It was written as a quiet scene. But because all the extras were Moroccan and didnt understand English, it became this noisy, vibrant scene. Had those extras been picked more carefully, the scene wouldnt have been as great. I think that because things dont work the way you planned them, you get something better. MORE: After some Le Carre-worthy twists, The Night Manager arrives with Hugh Laurie and Tom Hiddleston For these five dramatic actors, the depth of storytelling on TV stuns Olivia Colman steals spy story The Night Manager from high-end Brit stars calendar@latimes.com Anika Noni Rose, one of the stars of Historys acclaimed reboot of the slavery saga Roots, called her involvement in the making of the project a spiritual experience that profoundly moved her in ways she never expected. In a video chat for The Envelope, Rose said there were times when she actually felt there were spirits on the New Orleans set that would manifest themselves through mysterious winds that would abruptly start and then suddenly stop. There were times that you knew you were not alone, and that the story you were telling was not about you, said the actress, who played Kizzy, the daughter of Kunta Kinte, the young African warrior who was captured by slave traders and brought to America. Advertisement See the most-read stories in Entertainment this hour She added, It was about and for all who came before you and made the opportunity for you to tell a story, for you to be able to be in a film and be in a position when someone is coming up to fix a button or put lotion on your ankle or whatever you need. Rose said the story of Roots is timeless and essential. Its so much bigger than me and us. See our full interview with Rose below: Anika Noni Rose chats with The Times Yvonne Villarreal about the retelling of the TV movie Roots. yvonne.villarreal@latimes.com Twitter: @villarrealy MORE FROM ENTERTAINMENT VidCon, the annual video star convention, has gotten so big its expanding globally Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant recounts the creation of Stairway to Heaven in copyright trial Steven Spielberg-produced American Gothic chokes on its own pretensions On the fine line separating the fearless from the reckless is where youll often find Werner Herzog. Again and again over his five decades in film, the German director has turned his lens on figures who walk that tightrope, frequently in exotic landscapes the bear-obsessed loner of Grizzly Man, the Irish rubber baron who wanted to build an opera house in the Peruvian jungle in Fitzcarraldo, the oddball Antarctic poets of Encounters at the End of the World. Such characters seem to be both reflections and projections of the director himself, who has become legendary for real-life episodes of derring-do in the execution of his professional duties, though Herzog recounts them almost nonchalantly. Hes been detained during a coup attempt in Africa (a case of mistaken identity they were looking for a guy named Hertz, he explains with a wave of the hand). He was shot in the crotch near Lookout Mountain in Los Angeles, not far from his home, during an interview with the BBC (a minor wound, he demurs, with a twinkle in his eye). Advertisement Perhaps most infamously, one of Herzogs local crew members sawed off his own foot deep in the South American jungle to save himself from a poisonous snake bite. (It was the right thing to do, because he survived, Herzog intones matter-of-factly, his Bavarian accent still strong despite decades in America.) But at 73, Herzog insists he remains firmly on the sane side of the line. I was always, not without fear, but from a certain point in my life, [fear] is not even in my vocabulary anymore, said Herzog last week at the Shanghai International Film Festival, where he premiered his latest film, Salt and Fire. But its not stupid fearlessness. Theres such a thing as heroic stupidities, and there are some sort of grotesque stupidities, and there are such a thing as stupid stupidities, and Im not into that none of those categories. Yet even after 70-odd films, Herzog continues to push himself and his collaborators -- to extreme places, and Salt and Fire is no exception. A meditative and at times surreal thriller starring Michael Shannon and Veronica Ferres, it was shot in the remote high-altitude salt flats of Bolivia. Salt and Fire is a kidnap drama set against a vague but ominous ecological disaster Herzog contrived called El Diablo Blanco. A multinational conglomerate headed by Shannons character has inflicted some unspecified havoc on the Bolivian landscape, causing the salt flats to multiply with terrifying speed; Ferres, playing a scientist, has been sent as head of a U.N. investigatory unit. Follow the Entertainment section on Facebook! Before the probe can even begin, though, the scientific delegation is abducted. (In a quintessentially Herzogian twist, cosmologist and theoretical physicist Lawrence M. Krauss shows up as one of the bad guys; other characters quote Nostradamus and Ecclesiastes.) Exactly why the hostages have been taken remains unclear until deep into the 98-minute production. As if things werent bad enough, the threat of a massive, planet-ending volcanic eruption looms over the desolate and deadly (yet hauntingly beautiful) white landscape, which in real life stretches over 4,000 square miles. The plot for Salt and Fire was loosely inspired by Tom Bissells short story Aral, about how Soviet authorities misguided irrigation policies destroyed Uzbekistans Aral Sea. But Herzog describes Salt and Fire as being like a daydream and a work that doesnt follow the rules of cinema. Stranded in the blinding white salt flat, with its hexagonal crystalline shapes stretching to the horizon, Shannons and Ferres characters must come to terms with one another and themselves. The question of ecology is very much in the background, says Herzog. Salt and Fire is Herzogs second drama in a row with a female protagonist, following last years Queen of the Desert, which featured Nicole Kidman as British archaeologist and writer Gertrude Bell, who explored the Middle East in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. That movie, which debuted at the 2015 Berlin film festival to mixed reviews, should finally be coming to U.S. theaters this year. Personally I think I should have had female protagonists much more often in my filming life, says Herzog, but why it is like this, I cannot explain. He seems to have found a simpatico muse in Ferres, who had never worked with Herzog before. See the most-read entertainment stories >> For me, it was really challenging, I have to admit, said the 51-year-old, who spent weeks doing altitude conditioning in Europe before the shoot in the remote Bolivian location. From the last village we saw, we were driving one day [to the salt flats]. Just along mud streets, and there were coyotes, and llamas and dried trees and rocks and nothing [else]. I thought, my God, what is Werner doing? If anything happens to anyone, we are one day away from any hospital. So he organized an ambulance car to follow us. At one point, Ferres said, Herzog had to enlist his leading lady to quell a near-mutiny among the crew, who were unhappy when water supplies ran out at the remote guesthouse where they were bunking, leaving them unable to shower. Ultimately, Ferres whose father died just before shooting began came to find the solitude comforting, particularly during filming on a rocky island in the salt flats. Herzog kept most of the crew largely away from Ferres during the filming to create both intimacy and intensity. No one was allowed to even bring me tea or water. He did that, she said. He creates kind of a special space around you. In total, the film took just 16 days to shoot. Thats not atypical, says Herzog. Ive never filmed much footage. I do basically what I need for the screen, he says. Because of that, Im done editing much faster than others. His writing process, too, is expedient. Penning Salt and Fire took him five days. His 1972 feature Aguirre, the Wrath of God, took just 2 days -- largely on a bus filled with inebriated companions swilling from a keg of beer. I had this little typewriter on my knees, he recalls. Everyone was drunk, and singing obscene songs and even vomiting into my typewriter. Respected documentarian Werner Herzog, at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival in Utah, tells The Times what hes learned from the reality show Honey Boo Boo. Herzog says he typically sees a film in his mind, so writing a screenplay is just like copying a text. If you can copy 20 pages a day, in five days, easily you have a screenplay, he shrugs. Im done writing much faster than anyone I know. Which explains in part why Herzog is so prolific. His documentary on technology, Lo and Behold, Reveries of the Connected World, which premiered at Sundance in January, will arrive in American theaters this August. Hes teaching through the online platform Masterclass this summer. In the meantime, hes editing his next documentary, on volcanoes. Shooting for that has taken him to North Korea, Ethiopia, Indonesia and the remote Pacific island nation of Vanuatu. Its not unhealthy; youd better have a new film out every half year to stay relevant, says Herzog. But even he admits that hes got a lot in the pipeline. I have four projects coming out within eight weeks or so. Everyone, somehow, is after me for the moment. DNA test results show a Colorado prison inmate is not Princes son, a person who has seen a sealed document said Wednesday. The finding means that Carlin Q. Williams is not entitled to inherit a fortune worth up to $300 million. The person who spoke to the Associated Press was not authorized to release the finding and therefore requested anonymity. Advertisement TMZ, citing unnamed sources with direct knowledge of the case, first reported the DNA results. Attorneys for Bremer Trust, the special administrator for the estate, filed the results Wednesday in Carver County District Court. Prince died of an accidental drug overdose on April 21 and no will has emerged for him. He had no known surviving children although a few other people besides Williams have filed documents claiming Prince was or might have been their father. Williams claimed that his mother had unprotected sex with Prince at a Kansas City, Mo., hotel in 1976. Williams, a 39-year-old Kansas City man whose long criminal record includes drug and domestic violence charges, is serving nearly eight years in federal prison for unlawfully transporting a firearm in a stolen vehicle. An attorney for Williams did not immediately return messages seeking comment. Messages left with the Bureau of Prisons to request an interview with Williams were not immediately returned Wednesday. He has previously denied a request to be interviewed by the Associated Press. Under Minnesota law, Princes sister, Tyka Nelson, several half-siblings and a possible niece and grandniece currently stand to inherit shares of the estate. There is really nothing to say, said President Nelson, Tyka Nelsons son. There isnt much to say because it was never a thing. Carver County Judge Kevin Eide, who is overseeing the estate case, has not set a deadline for filing paternity and kinship claims. Eide issued an order Wednesday sealing Williams test results due to the confidential nature of the determination of heirship issues under Minnesota law. Williams had long asserted that he was Princes son, though its not clear whether Prince was aware of that. Before he went to prison, Williams was trying to launch a career as a hip-hop artist under the moniker Prince Dracula. His page on Reverbnation, a site that supports emerging artists, describes him as Princes son, and a vocalist and lyricist. Like Princes music, the sound is heavy on synthesizers. Associated Press reporter Amy Forliti contributed to this story. MORE PRINCE NEWS: Prince | 1958 - 2016 Judge in Princes estate case authorizes DNA testing A look into the key players in the Prince investigation Are Princes vaults full of music headed to a Broadway-style musical or Cirque du Soleil-type production? Stephen Colbert is going live during next months political conventions, CBS announced Wednesday. The Late Show will air live from July 18 to July 21 during the Republican National Convention in Cleveland and will resume live broadcast during the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia from July 25 to July 28. Colbert will host the show, as usual, out of the Ed Sullivan Theater in Manhattan, but The Late Show will have a presence on the ground at both events, according to CBS. Advertisement Going live at 11:35 p.m. should allow The Late Show to react in a more timely fashion to the conventions and leverage Colberts perceived strength as a political commentator. The move comes as The Late Show continues to find its footing after 10 months on the air and is locked with ABCs Jimmy Kimmel Live! in a tight race for second place in the ratings. Chris Licht, formerly of CBS This Morning, was brought on board in April as executive producer and show runner, reportedly to free up Colbert to focus on performing. ALSO: How Orange Is the New Black and other shows raise awareness of criminal justice and prison issues Game of Thrones and Outlander top our summer TV binge list The People v. O.J. Simpson cast connected with their characters and each other Follow me @MeredithBlake It doesnt get much more decadent than a plate of aushak, the chive-filled dumplings from Afghanistan. The sheer dumplings are typically served with a meaty, Bolognese-like sauce, layered with swirls of creamy garlic-infused yogurt, a sprinkling of stewed yellow dal and dried mint. In this one plate, you taste the Persian, Indian and Chinese influences found in Afghan cuisine, interwoven over centuries, thanks to the countrys proximity to the Silk Road. Aushak cognoscenti complain that few Afghan restaurants actually serve the labor-intensive dish. And many good sources have evaporated: Old Town Pasadenas Azeens recently rolled up its kilims after a dozen years on Union Street, and Walters Restaurant in Claremont Village no longer lists the dumplings on its menu. If youre looking for the elusive dumplings, here are five restaurants that serve great aushak. At San Fernando Valley Persian restaurant Nan Dagh Kabob Dagh on Lindley Avenue, theres a kebab menu, and then theres a menu of Afghan dishes. Once youre seated and you ask about the bolani (a flatbread from Afghanistan) you see on several tables, the manager will hand you a separate green menu from behind the cash register that reads Khybar Afghan Foods. Advertisement Apparently Khybar catering, which makes and distributes Afghan bread and supplies Nan Dagh Kabob Dagh with its Afghan dishes, is housed within the restaurant. Its menu lists aushak along with other Afghan specialties that you can order any time of day. Khybars version, a plate of sturdy half-moons reminiscent of Italian mezzelune, under a particularly rich tomato sauce, is a testament to the commonly used aushak nickname, Afghan lasagna. 7163 Lindley Ave., Reseda (818) 774-9966. Ariana is another aushak treasure in the West Valley, but its sign simply reads Middle Eastern cuisine. Its menu offers items such as shawarma and grape leaves. But if you sit at one of the maroon-clothed tables close to the open kitchen, Ariana will reveal its true identity. Exiting the roaring deck oven are beautifully bronzed bolani the size of prayer rugs and chaplee kebab, the juicy disks of ground sirloin and marinated lamb chops seasoned Afghan-style. And then theres the aushak, and its meat-filled cousins, mantu. The dumpling dough is fine and silky. And the coriander and ginger in the accompanying sauce impart an unmistakable Central Asian flavor. 19321 Ventura Blvd., Tarzana, (818) 457-4545, www.arianalarestaurant.com. The new Mirage Restaurant and Banquet Hall in Orange County was intended to house a cultural center for Lake Forests surprisingly large Afghan community. Replacing the former El Toro Tack and Feed building in a somewhat obscure business park, the luxurious facility is where Soria Popal, an Afghan chef (formerly of Nimroz), is making aushak. Her refined, carefully plated aushak, stuffed with locally grown Persian chives, balances pungent Asian seasonings with sweet, tangy sauces. The aushak is available every day in the small cafe area in front of the restaurants wine bar. The restaurants menu also includes Italian and Iranian entrees and pizzas. 22731 Aspan St., Lake Forest, (949) 716-4323, www.miragelakeforest.com. At S. Gyros Kabob House and Pizza Parlor, a tiny restaurant in Reseda, the chicken wings and hot dog combos are all halal. These items were the restaurants mainstay in its early days. When owner Sayed Saidzadah came to this country 25 years ago, he thought that introducing unfamiliar foods seemed too risky. But he loved to cook Afghan dishes for us at home, said his daughter Nargis Saidzadah. Today, the backlit photos above S. Gyros ordering window tell a different story. Almost every one features an Afghan specialty, including Saidzadahs aushak, which people carry out by the trayful for catered parties. Shaped like over-filled tortellini, the sturdy pasta is tender, lightly sauced and redolent of herbal notes that dont overshadow the chive filling. 7221 Tampa Ave., Reseda (818) 341-1946. At Chili Chutney in Lake Forest, Afghan families fill the tables and share heaping platters of qabili pilau (an Afghan rice pilaf dish), rich chicken korma, potato-stuffed bolani, aushak and the bright bowls of chutney for which the restaurant is known. Chili Chutney started life as a six-table hole in the wall with an Afghan-only menu. As word of its aushak spread, it expanded into a larger two-room space that turns an Afghan meal into a full immersion experience. Instead of sitting in the formal dining area, ask to be seated in the more whimsical second room with its pillowed sofas and sheer fabric-draped booths. 24301 Muirlands Blvd., No. 1A, Lake Forest, (949) 859-1778, www.chilichutney.com. ALSO: Cool off with this refreshing cucumber mint lemonade recipe This La Verne gas station has great breakfast burritos, but not for long Head to Restaurant Marin in Costa Mesa for giant English muffins and chicken pot pie California showed a slight decline in reported anti-Semitic incidents from 2014 to 2015, according to an audit released Wednesday by the Anti-Defamation League. The ADLs annual audit identifies both criminal and noncriminal acts of harassment and intimidation, including distribution of hate propaganda, threats and slurs. In 2015, the group counted 105 incidents in California, compared with 127 incidents in 2014. Advertisement Its not a scientific survey, its not a poll, said Amanda Susskind, ADL Pacific Southwest Regional Director. This is something that is a headcount. Were just counting how many reports weve heard about from the public, the press, law enforcement and the community. Despite an overall drop in reported incidents, the ADL said that episodes of anti-Semitic vandalism had increased. In 2015, there were 69 reports of vandalism in California, up from 54 in 2014 Traditionally, California and New York, with large Jewish populations, report the highest number of incidents. Last year, New York reported the most incidents with 198. California had the second-highest number of reported incidents. Overall, anti-Semitic incident totals in the U.S. are historically low, the ADL said in a news release. During the last decade, the number of reported anti-Semitic incidents peaked at 1,554 in 2006 and has been mostly on the decline ever since. alexia.fernandez@latimes.com @alexiafedz The Southern California heat is just too much to bear for some and apparently even criminals need relief. Case in point: the bikini bandit. Authorities in Santa Clarita announced Tuesday that they were in search of a woman who sported a bikini during recent break-ins. Clad in two-piece bathing suit, the unidentified woman broke into a locked property in the 28000 block of West Avenue C-6 in Lancaster on June 4, sheriffs deputies said. Advertisement Hours later, she entered an unlocked home in 47000 block of Three Points Road in Lake Hughes. In both instances, the woman stole belongings, deputies said. Although temperatures didnt soar over the 100-degree mark on June 4 as they did this week, temperatures reached the mid-90s. She was believed to be in her 30s, is 5 feet 5 inches tall, weighs 120 pounds and was wearing a yellow bikini bottom and green top. Anyone who has seen the woman and can help detectives identify her is urged to call the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriffs Station at (661) 255-1121, ext. 51565. For breaking news in California, follow VeronicaRochaLA on Twitter. ALSO Prosecutor calls for mandatory prison for sexual assaults like Brock Turners Party bus driver charged after 33 Marin County teens found with pills, booze, fake IDs San Diego high school cheerleader charged in fatal beating of homeless man A cluster bomb was dropped off Wednesday afternoon at a business in Newhall for disposal, sheriffs officials said. The bomb was left about 2 p.m. at a military supply store in the neighborhood of Newhall Avenue and 8th Street, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department. Members of the sheriffs departments Arson and Explosives Detail arrived in the area about 45 minutes later. Bomb experts safely detonated the device just after 3:30 p.m., sheriffs officials said. Advertisement At one point, deputies tweeted that evacuations were underway at a nearby community center. But they later said the center was not evacuated. Deputies from the Santa Clarita Sheriffs Station described the device as a cluster bomb, which releases projectiles when detonated. For breaking news in California, follow VeronicaRochaLA on Twitter. MORE LOCAL NEWS Huge increase in dead trees across California forests, heightening fire risk this summer L.A. Uber driver threatens to hit passenger with a rock, steals his iPhone, police say Twin fires in San Gabriel Mountains force hundreds of evacuations amid brutal conditions UPDATES: 3:49 p.m.: This article was updated with bomb experts safety detonating the bomb. This article was originally published at 3:03 p.m. Los Angeles County supervisors voted Tuesday not to appeal a judges ruling that will strike a cross from the county seal. In April, a federal court judge sided with the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California and a group of religious leaders and scholars of various faiths who sued the county over the addition of a cross to the depiction of the San Gabriel Mission on the seal. The plaintiffs argued that the design unconstitutionally favored Christianity over other religions. A divided Board of Supervisors voted in 2014 to reinstate a cross on the seal. Ten years earlier, the county had redesigned the seal to remove a cross that was shown floating above the Hollywood Bowl, after being threatened with a similar lawsuit. Advertisement At that time, there was no cross atop the real San Gabriel Mission; it had gone missing during earthquake retrofitting. The cross was later restored on top of the building. Supervisors Michael D. Antonovich and Don Knabe argued that reinstating the cross on the depiction of the mission on the seal was necessary for historical and architectural accuracy. They were joined by Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas in voting to restore the cross on the seal, while then-Supervisors Zev Yaroslavsky and Gloria Molina voted to oppose it. In her April ruling, U.S. District Judge Christina A. Snyder wrote that the change and the associated expenditure of public funds places the countys power, prestige, and purse behind a single religion, Christianity, without making any such benefit available on an equal basis to those with secular objectives or alternative sectarian views. On Tuesday, after a closed-door discussion of the lawsuit, Ridley-Thomas joined Supervisors Sheila Kuehl and Hilda Solis in voting not to appeal the court decision, with Knabe and Antonovich dissenting. Ridley-Thomas said in a statement on his change in stance: The court has spoken and in the interest of the county I think we need to move on and focus our attention on some of the more pressing issues like the crisis of homelessness. Antonovich, reached by phone, said he was confident that the county would have prevailed on appeal. Once again, the ACLU, who I refer to as the Atheist Criminal Liberties Union, was successful in bullying their way to rewrite history, he said. This was a victory for the book burners. The ACLU of Southern California said in a statement Tuesday, The ill-conceived and misguided effort to alter the county seal and favor Christianity over all other faiths has cost taxpayers at least $1 million. Todays action guarantees that the taxpayers will not be forced to suffer further. The county previously refused to disclose how much it spent on outside legal fees in the case, citing ongoing litigation. ACLU spokeswoman Sandra Hernandez said $1 million was a conservative estimate of legal fees and the cost of redesigning the seal. abby.sewell@latimes.com Twitter: @sewella UPDATES: 5:35 p.m.: This article was updated with comments from Supervisors Michael D. Antonovich and Mark Ridley-Thomas. This article was first posted at 5:19 p.m. When forecasters last year warned of a massive El Nino, some Californians held out hope that a single extremely wet year could bust the states severe drought. But a study published Tuesday in Geophysical Research Letters, a journal of the American Geophysical Union, offered support for the argument that state hydrologists have been making for months: It will take several years to recover from the four-year water shortage. Specifically, researchers studied the Sierra Nevada and found that the lackluster snowpack there, year after year, created a sizable water deficit that the state may not recoup until 2019. Advertisement The main take-home is thinking about drought over longer time scales, said the studys principal investigator, Steve Margulis of UCLAs Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science. The first wet year doesnt necessarily solve the longer-term problem. The size of Californias snowpack became a statewide concern in April 2015 when its water content hit 5% of average -- the lowest in 500 years. Gov. Jerry Brown made a point of standing on a barren field that should have been blanketed in powder when he ordered a 25% reduction in urban water usage to free up the resource during the drought. Since then, many Californians have closely monitored the health of the Sierra Nevada snowpack. As snow melts, it runs off into the states reservoirs, providing Californians with roughly a third of their water supply in a typical year. As 2015 wound to a close, forecasters predicted that a strong El Nino would drench much of Southern California and part of northern California. But the winter turned out to be essentially average, dashing any hope that the drought would end abruptly. On March 30, surveyors found that the water content held by the states snowpack was 87% of normal a vast improvement from 5% the year prior, but still below average. Margulis and his team used both the states records and satellite data to get a full picture of the Sierra Nevada snowpack and determine how large a water deficit the drought created over four years. They tallied the water that the state didnt get from its snowpack each year and found that it added up to the highest cumulative deficit ever over the 65-year period the authors analyzed. The researchers then used probability models based on the historical record to predict the volume of the snowpack in the coming years. The models did not incorporate factors such as temperature and climate change, Margulis said. Their analysis found 14 of the 65 years studied would be classified as drought. In all but one of the drought events, the snowpack deficit recovered within a single year, the study said. Californias most recent drought is different, though, the study said. The researchers found a 7% chance that the drought would be fully alleviated in 2016. A full recovery, they said, is expected to take about 4.4 years. Margulis, who is a professor of civil and environmental engineering, said the snowpack might have been able to recover from four years of less severe drought in a single year. But the last four years were so crazy, that wasnt possible. What weve seen the last four years might be the new normal going forward, Margulis said. Under climate change, if this kind of deficit happens more frequently, then longer-term recoveries will become more common. ALSO Man arrested in theft of trailer containing $250,000 in artwork by Matisse and Chagall San Diego high school cheerleader charged in fatal beating of homeless man Some prominent California Trump backers have buyers remorse matt.stevens@latimes.com Twitter: @ByMattStevens Business / Economy by Staff reporter This week the Government is to finalise its agreement to repay some $1,8 billion of arrears to multilateral financial institutions triggering its re-entry into the international financial system after almost two decades in the cold.The news comes as Zimbabweans continue to struggle with a chronic shortage of the US dollar bills, the main denomination in the country's multi-currency financial system, and the Government has announced it will be phasing the payment of salaries for June over the next three weeks.The boards of the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank and the African Development Bank are due to meet in September to confirm the settlement of all outstanding payments to them and discuss plans for fresh loans to Zimbabwe.The road map for Zimbabwe's return to the international system was launched at the IMF and World Banks' annual meeting in Lima last September and was finalised at a special meeting at the African Development Bank in Lusaka on May 27.Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa is due to arrive in France on June 30 for talks with the Paris Club of official creditors on a schedule to resolve arrears on bilateral debts. A team from the IMF arrived in Harare on June 15 for follow up discussions after it had assessed Zimbabwe's adherence to agreed reforms as satisfactory. He will then go to London to address the Africa Confidential conference: "Zimbabwe: rebooting and rebuilding" on July 5.He'll be accompanied by a senior delegation including John Mangudya, Governor of the Reserve Bank and the ministers of Trade and Commerce, Mining, and Investment.The next step is for the Government to negotiate a medium-term programme of economic restructuring with the IMF which will include much tougher measures and more rigorous monitoring but could be worth as much as $1 billion.The loan conditions will include deep cuts to the public sector payroll, commercialisation and privatisation of state-owned enterprises, and a roster of pro-business policies in agriculture, banking and industry. All that will require much greater accountability and public audits of Government institutions.While some diplomats and foreign governments differ over the Government's plan, China, Russia and India are broadly supportive but have been less forthcoming with budgetary cash than the Government hoped. But all three are lining up to invest in mining and power projects.European governments have given conditional support to the deal with the IMF and World Bank but want to see further political and constitutional reforms. The Los Angeles City Councils tortured dealings with a troupe of antagonistic gadflies took another strange turn Tuesday, as police confiscated a tool with a blade from a masked man who frequently appears at public meetings to berate council members. The incident took place during a morning meeting of the councils Public Safety Committee. Los Angeles Police Capt. Vito Palazzolo said an officer noticed the item a device about 2 inches long with a retractable blade on Armando Herman, who was attending the meeting carrying a stuffed bear dressed in a swastika-decorated hood. Palazzolo said Herman was apologetic and told the officer he hadnt realized he was carrying the device. No arrest was made, although Herman was kicked out of the meeting soon afterward for dancing in the aisle and waving the teddy bear. Advertisement Herman, who regularly harangues council members with obscenity-laced monologues during public comment periods, is part of a small group of gadflies whose invective has tested the bounds of free speech in recent years. In 2014, the city paid $215,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by a black Venice resident who was ejected from a meeting for wearing a Ku Klux Klan hood and a shirt with a racist slur. City lawyers also recently obtained a restraining order against another frequent visitor to the council, Encino lawyer Wayne Spindler, who was arrested last month on suspicion of making a racist threat against Council President Herb Wesson. No charges have been filed against Spindler, who was taken into custody after he turned in a City Hall public comment card with the N-word and a drawing of a lynching and a burning cross. See the most-read stories in Local News this hour >> After that incident, Spindler filed legal claims against the city for $775,000, saying he was the victim of false arrest and was denied his right to free speech. He has asserted that the drawings were satirical and that the hanging figure was meant to represent L.A. residents being lynched by higher water and power rates. Reappearing at another council meeting Tuesday wearing a deaths head mask and still carrying his stuffed bear, Herman said the tool is for opening boxes and that he voluntarily gave it to police. He said he was being harassed by city officials and likened Spindlers case to his own. Look what they did to Wayne Spindler, Herman said. Im in the same category as him. peter.jamison@latimes.com @petejamison kate.mather@latimes.com @katemather david.zahniser@latimes.com @davidzahniser Times staff writer Emily Alpert Reyes contributed to this report. MORE LOCAL NEWS Huge increase in dead trees across California forests, heightening fire risk this summer L.A. Uber driver threatens to hit passenger with a rock, steals his iPhone, police say Twin fires in San Gabriel Mountains force hundreds of evacuations amid brutal conditions Hundreds of Duarte residents who were evacuated this week as a pair of wildfires burned in the Angeles National Forest will be allowed to return home Wednesday afternoon, officials said. Improved weather conditions have aided firefighters battling the Reservoir and Fish fires in the San Gabriel mountains. Crews had contained part of the southern flank of the Fish fire, which on Monday forced the evacuations of hundreds of Duarte homes. Residents north of Royal Oaks Drive between Greenbank Avenue and Encanto Parkway will be allowed to return home at noon, Los Angeles County Sheriffs Capt. David Halm said at a morning news conference. About 858 homes had been evacuated in the foothills areas this week, and about 534 households will be allowed to return, he said. Advertisement Returning residents, he said, will have to show identification. Horses and large animals are not yet being allowed back into the evacuated areas, where authorities have had a large presence as they guarded empty homes, Halm said. The fires, which are being handled as a single incident called the San Gabriel Complex fire, have burned 4,900 acres and were 10% contained Wednesday morning. On Tuesday, authorities had estimated the size of the fire at 5,400 acres, but revised that figure based on infrared observations from aircraft made overnight. The battle against the flames has been aided by a cooling and moistening trend in the days following Mondays record-breaking heat, according to authorities. However, steep, challenging terrain still presents a problem, said Mike Wakoski, a spokesman for the multi-agency wildfire effort. Weve got to make as much progress as possible while the weather [is being] favorable for us right now,Los Angeles County Fire Dept. Deputy Chief Vince Pena said. Were trying to secure as much as possible before the next heat wave comes. Alex Bernardini, left, and his mother Regina move valuables back into their home two days after they were forced to evacuate as the Fish fire burned in the nearby hillsides. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times) Firefighters have also been instructed to avoid a 1,000-foot radius area around a nest where a baby bald eagle is getting ready to fledge, according to an official with the U.S. Forest Service. The eagles nest is not located in a part of the mountains where the fire is burning, and therefore not directly vulnerable to fire crews, according to Ann Berkley, a wildlife biologist with the Forest Service. The 1,000-foot buffer zone above and around the nest is mainly intended for helicopters, which create noise and air turbulence that could disturb the chick as it is getting ready to fledge. We dont want to startle him out of the nest because it could be very detrimental to his survival, Berkley said The bald eagle is no longer considered an endangered species, but it is federally protected under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. Matt Mehle, a meteorologist from the National Weather Service, said high temperatures Wednesday would be in the 80s and 90s, with humidity in the double digits much better conditions than when the fires started in Mondays record-breaking heat. Todays main concern will be stronger west and southwest winds, Mehle said. Those winds could be in alignment with the direction of the San Gabriel Canyon, where the fire is burning, making them more powerful. Triple-digit heat is possible again this weekend, according to the National Weather Service. Improved weather has allowed fire authorities to divert resources from a brush fire burning in Santa Barbara County to the San Gabriel Complex fire. Most evacuations from the Sherpa fire in the Santa Ynez Mountains and Los Padres National Forest were lifted at 5 a.m. Wednesday as weather improved and firefighters increased containment, allowing crews to head south to Los Angeles and San Diego counties, Santa Barbara County officials said. More than 1,000 firefighters have been battling the Reservoir and Fish fires, which have burned about 1.5 miles apart in the mountains above Duarte and Azusa. The blazes raged in a tinderbox region of the forest that had not burned for many years. See the most-read stories this hour >> The Reservoir fire was reported first, about 11 a.m. Monday, at Highway 39 in the San Gabriel Mountains, and was apparently ignited by a car crash that killed one person, authorities said. A vehicle went over the side of the road and plunged to the bottom of a canyon near Morris Reservoir, said John Tripp, deputy chief of the Los Angeles County Fire Department. The Fish fire erupted more than an hour later near Brookridge and Opal Canyon roads in Duarte. The causes of both fires remain under investigation. Other crews from the Sherpa fire were headed to San Diego County, where a wildfire fueled by dry brush and sweltering temperatures had scorched 6,020 acres just north of the U.S.-Mexico border and prompted mandatory evacuations for the entire east county community of Potrero. The Border fire was about 10% 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. Staff writer Ruben Vives contributed to this report. For breaking California news, follow @JosephSerna. ALSO Shutting down the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant will be a long and costly process Land around San Andreas fault rising and sinking, new earthquake research shows It will take years of wet weather before California recovers from drought, study finds UPDATES: 10:40 a.m.: This article was updated with new details from a morning press briefing. 7:56 a.m.: This article was updated with details on evacuations and Wednesdays forecast. This article was originally published at 6:39 a.m. A Long Beach man and his recreational vehicle storage company in Imperial County were charged Tuesday with illegally disposing sewage and violating federal water laws. Federal prosecutors in San Diego allege that Kyle Vestermark, a firefighter with the city of Long Beach, and his company, Dunes Edge Storage, dumped sewage from RVs parked at two locations near El Centro over a four-year period, according to an eight-count indictment. Reached Tuesday evening by telephone, Vestermark declined to comment on the case and referred questions to his attorney, Jeremy Warren. Advertisement The government is wrong about Kyle Vestermark, Warren said, calling him a dedicated public servant who will defend himself against baseless charges. He has put his life on the line to protect the public every day for the last 18 years. He did absolutely nothing to endanger the public in his side business. Vestermark, 46, secured a permit in 2004 for a 10,000-gallon sewage tank at a storage facility in Brawley from the Imperial County Public Health Department. He obtained a second permit in 2005 for his Holtville location. According to the indictment, the permits did not allow for installing underground leach lines, which typically disperse waste underground. The permits called for another company to pump out sewage from the tanks and transport it to a treatment plant. But prosecutors contend that at both sites, Vestermark installed underground leach lines in 2005 and 2006, which allegedly sent sewage underground. The lines were removed after Imperial County officials discovered them in 2015, prosecutors said. Vestermark and his firm were charged with conspiracy to illegally discharge sewage and seven counts of unlawful injection of sewage. Others involved in RV storage near the Imperial Sand Dunes Recreation Area have been targeted for unlawful sewage dumping in recent years. In May, Daniel Williams of Arizona admitted to hiding the underground sewage disposal system at Dunes Toy Storage, which is also owned by Vestermarks company, according to federal prosecutors. He is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 5 and faces up to five years in prison. In 2014, Michael Mamelli Sr. of Newport Beach pleaded guilty to dumping potentially millions of gallons of sewage over four years at his RV storage company in Glamis in Imperial County. Mamelli was sentenced to time served and he and his company were ordered to pay about $60,000 in fines. ALSO Palisades Village redevelopment by Rick Caruso receives final approval Tool with blade confiscated from gadfly at public meeting Twin fires in San Gabriel Mountains force hundreds of evacuations amid brutal conditions matt.hamilton@latimes.com For more news in California, follow @MattHjourno. A high school cheerleader has been charged in connection with the beating death of a homeless man in San Diego County, officials said. Hailey Suder, 18, pleaded not guilty Monday to two felony counts of being an accessory after the fact, according to Tanya Sierra, spokeswoman for the San Diego County district attorneys office. Suder was dating one of two brothers charged with killing 50 year-old George Lowery, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported. Sheriffs homicide investigators did not say what role she played in Lowerys death, and which brother she was dating. Advertisement Suder was a senior at Santana High School, but did not graduate with her class this month, said Catherine Martin, spokeswoman for the Grossmont Union High School District. She was a cheerleader, Martin said. In a photograph on Suders Facebook profile, she and three other cheerleaders were pictured posing together holding pom poms. On Facebook, Suder listed her relationship status as single. Brothers Austin Mostrong, 20, and Preston Mostrong, 19, have admitted involvement in Lowerys beating, according to Deputy Dist. Atty. George Modlin. Lowerys wife found him unconscious April 24 near their camp in a river bottom at Chubb Lane and North Magnolia Avenue in Santee, according to the San Diego County Sheriffs Department. Lowery suffered severe trauma after being kicked and punched in the head. He was taken to a hospital, where he died days later. Sheriffs investigators alleged Lowery was tortured during the attack. Lowerys daughter, Katey Torres, set up a GoFundMe account to raise funds for the familys expenses. See the most-read stories in Local News this hour >> She said her mother and father had been married 25 years. His whole life revolved around his wife, Penny, Torres said. Working and doing any handy work he could to provide for him and his wife and family. Her mother, she said, found her father brutally beaten, bloody, tied up, face down and unconscious. Covered up to die. Torres described her father as a generous man who suffered in his last days. He had a stroke and two brain hemorrhages as a result of the beating. Although he did not have much he was always giving, she said. Anyone he came across loved his personality and he was always talking to people. Anyone he saw that needed help or just needed a smile hed be there lifting your spirits. If someone was in need he would do what he could to help, no matter how hard the task. If he came across good fortune, he shared it. For breaking news in California, follow VeronicaRochaLA on Twitter. MORE LOCAL NEWS 1 in 10 Cal State students is homeless, study finds L.A. will keep getting hotter, scientists say a lot hotter Woman who defiled national parks with graffiti banned from 524 million acres of public land Lake Elsinore Mayor Brian Tisdale was arrested Monday on suspicion of attacking his wife, according to authorities and a posting on Tisdales Facebook page. Tisdale, 53, was taken into custody on suspicion of battery and vandalism, according to the Riverside County Sheriffs Department. Lake Elsinore police were called about 1:30 a.m. to Tisdales home in the 19000 block of Applewood Court for a domestic disturbance, sheriffs officials said. Advertisement Further details of the disturbance were not released. Tisdale posted a statement on Facebook the following day, saying that he and his wife were involved in a dispute. Tisdale, who was released from custody, said he will not comment on the incident but planned to take full responsibility for his actions. See the most-read stories in Local News this hour >> I apologize to all of those who have, or will be impacted, particularly my children, he wrote. Tisdale announced he would be taking an immediate leave of absence from his roles as Lake Elsinores mayor and legislative assistant for Riverside County District 3 Supt. Chuck Washington. Tisdale, a retired U.S. Marine Corps master sergeant, began serving his four-year term as mayor in November 2014. He has been serving as an elected official on the Lake Elsinore City Council since 2010. I urge my colleagues on the City Council and the community to continue the positive momentum to build a better, healthier and vibrant city of Lake Elsinore, he wrote Tuesday. According to his biography on Washingtons website, Tisdale has been married to his wife, Sharon Tisdale, for 22 years. The couple have two school-age children. For breaking news in California, follow VeronicaRochaLA on Twitter. MORE LOCAL NEWS Huge increase in dead trees across California forests, heightening fire risk this summer L.A. Uber driver threatens to hit passenger with a rock, steals his iPhone, police say Twin fires in San Gabriel Mountains force hundreds of evacuations amid brutal conditions The Los Angeles City Council gave its final approval Wednesday to a five-year, $57.6-million plan to buy thousands of police body cameras, clearing the way for the LAPD to resume rolling out the devices after a six-month delay. The LAPD is poised to become the largest law enforcement agency in the country to use the cameras on a widespread scale, with plans to distribute 7,000 devices among officers. Wednesdays decision capped a sometimes-rocky review process for the LAPDs body camera initiative, which was backed by Mayor Eric Garcetti and his appointees on the Police Commission. The rollout came to a standstill in recent months amid lingering concerns from city lawmakers. Advertisement Garcetti said in a statement Wednesday that the vote marked a historic moment for the LAPD. Police Commissioner Steve Soboroff, who spearheaded efforts to bring body cameras to the LAPD, echoed the mayors comments, calling Wednesday a really good day not only for the LAPD, but for other agencies that he said would look to the Los Angeles Police Department when creating their own body camera programs. The sooner we would have gotten the cameras the better, Soboroff said. But, he said, council members in recent months asked really good questions to which there were really good answers. 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 late 2017, at the earliest. 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. Critics of the LAPDs plans have been less enthusiastic, saying the departments policy for the cameras will undermine efforts to improve police oversight. The American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, for example, 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 ACLU, said Wednesday that the LAPDs policies for how the cameras will be used represent a backward step for public trust. She said her organization would evaluate its next steps as it continues to monitor the programs implementation. If people think these body cameras will improve police accountability, transparency and public trust, they are sadly mistaken, she said. This is money down the drain. The LAPD already has about 860 cameras, purchased with private donations. Last year, the department negotiated a contract with Taser International to provide thousands more, along with replacement equipment, digital storage of the recordings and 4,400 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 police 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. LAPD officials then surveyed several camera companies to determine whether they had made upgrades to their devices or storage systems, but decided Taser still was their preferred choice. ALSO Prosecutor calls for mandatory prison for sexual assaults like Brock Turners 26 million trees have died in the Sierra since October, raising fire risk Property owner asks Verity Baptist Church to leave after pastor praises Orlando massacre UPDATES: 1:27 p.m.: This article was updated with additional comments from the ACLU. This article was originally published at 12:09 p.m. Encounters with the citys homeless population have long been among the most sensitive and legally fraught parts of being a Los Angeles police officer. Police have taken a leading role over the last decade helping clean up the streets of a rapidly gentrifying downtown L.A., resulting in historic legal battles over the rights of homeless people and the limits of law enforcement. Last year, two of the most controversial L.A. Police Department use-of-force cases involved homeless men fatally shot by officers. These interactions are often complicated by mental health and substance abuse issues suffered by homeless people, a problem that some advocates said the LAPD has struggled to effectively address. Advertisement On Tuesday, the LAPD moved to reset this relationship. The Los Angeles Police Commission approved a new policy directing LAPD officers to treat homeless people with compassion and empathy. Top LAPD officials say the policy is part of a larger effort to rethink the way officers approach the citys growing homeless population and try to ease tensions. Its important on a number of levels as we begin to move forward in what I hope will be a big transition in the way that our streets appear and the way that some of the most vulnerable of the people in Los Angeles live, Chief Charlie Beck said. The LAPDs move comes amid renewed efforts by city and county officials to provide housing and other services to the swelling number of people living in tents, cars and shelters across the region. An estimated 47,000 homeless people live in Los Angeles County, nearly two-thirds of whom live in the city of L.A. The rules direct LAPD officers, when appropriate, to offer homeless Angelenos information about housing, medical or psychological services yet respect their right to refuse help. It reminds officers that some homeless residents may have mental or medical conditions affecting their ability to communicate. Others, the policy say, may not carry proper identification, and may feel harassed by officers who ask for an ID. The department is rolling out other efforts to address homelessness, including working on new outreach teams, and looking to better analyze crimes within the homeless community in hopes of preventing them from occurring, said Cmdr. Todd Chamberlain, who heads the LAPDs homeless efforts. The policy was meant to be a broad statement a philosophy more than it is the nuts and bolts, Chamberlain recently told police commissioners. More specifics will come in future directives, he added. But the new statement was met with some skepticism from homeless advocates. Gary Blasi, a retired UCLA law professor who studies homelessness, said it would take more than a policy to improve interactions between officers and those living on the citys streets. To do that, he said, the city should limit laws that unfairly criminalize situations involving homeless people so that the police are not involved in the first place. The policy is probably too generic to have much effect, he said. It will enable the city to say that it has a humane policy while doing nothing concrete to make police actions more humane. Homeless advocates often accuse police of unfairly sweeping through encampments to tear down tents, take belongings, and hand out tickets or arrest those who dont comply. The sweeps have resulted in a series of lawsuits filed against the city, with courts frequently siding with the homeless and rejecting the citys actions to clean up sidewalks. Still, others credit police tactics with reducing crime and blight in some parts of downtown L.A. over the last decade. Some downtown residents and businesses say the police need to step in to make sidewalks passable and deal with drug dealing and other crimes within the homeless community. The issue of how police interact with the homeless came into focus in 1999, when an LAPD officer fatally shot a 102-pound homeless woman, Margaret Mitchell, who waved a screwdriver at police along a sidewalk near 4th Street and La Brea Avenue. The citys police commissioners overruled then-Police Chief Bernard Parks, saying Mitchell did not present a deadly threat to police and that therefore the shooting was out of policy. Mitchells death prompted protests by civil rights activists and other critics. Last year, two deadly police shootings stoked the long-simmering tensions among the citys homeless and their advocates, renewing criticism that officers were too quick to use heavy-handed tactics. In March, the LAPD drew international attention after a witness posted an online video showing the fatal police shooting of a man living on skid row, the sprawling stretch of makeshift camps located not far from City Hall. The LAPD said officers opened fire after Charly Keunang, known by the name Africa on skid row, reached for a rookie officers holstered gun. Two months later, an officer shot and killed another homeless man during a scuffle near the Venice boardwalk. Beck has publicly recommended that Officer Clifford Proctor be criminally charged in the death of Brendon Glenn, a shooting the Police Commission also determined had violated department policies for using deadly force. The LAPD said officers are a last-resort response to a problem that goes beyond policing. It will take a multi-faceted approach, police officials say, complete with additional housing, treatment and other social services, to best help the homeless. Our officers are on the front lines of this crisis. Each day, we ask them to act as members of law enforcement, social workers, psychologists often in a single encounter, Matt Johnson, the president of the Police Commission, said Tuesday. The policy before us today emphasizes peoples rights and dignity, and provides a balanced, compassionate framework for the LAPD to operate under. Mayor Eric Garcetti also praised the initiative, noting how frequently police contact homeless residents. The policy, he said, gives officers guidance on how to elevate those interactions into opportunities. The policy was a good start, but didnt go far enough, said Carol Sobel, a civil rights attorney who has successfully sued the city over how it treats the homeless. The key, she said, will be for the LAPD to monitor officers to ensure theyre abiding by the new guidelines. Well believe it when we see it, Sobel said. You can hand out all the policies you want that doesnt make a difference unless you put enforcement behind it. kate.mather@latimes.com Follow me on Twitter: @katemather ALSO Man arrested in theft of trailer containing $250,000 in artwork by Matisse and Chagall San Diego high school cheerleader charged in fatal beating of homeless man Some prominent California Trump backers have buyers remorse Imagine this: A stunning, untouched beach, marked by crashing blue surf and a broad shoulder of dunes that are home to native plants and wildlife. Now imagine this: A massive condo-and-hotel monstrosity carved into the wall of sand, permanently scarring the landscape and, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, destroying the habitat of birds protected under the Endangered Species Act. Im going to start my travels at the Oregon border and drive all the way to Mexico. Advertisement The location is Sand City, Calif., just north of Monterey, and the long-contested development is inching toward reality. The developer and the staff of the California Coastal Commission are haggling over conditions that must be met before construction begins. There! said Blake Matheson, president of the Monterey Audubon Society, who gave me a tour of the site last week. You see that snowball moving toward the surf? Thats a snowy plover. Blake Matheson, president of the Monterey Audubon Society, at the site of a proposed development in Sand City, Calif. (Steve Lopez / Los Angeles Times ) We saw several more plovers on our walk. The developer of the property has argued that his eco resort will restore damaged habitat rather than negatively impact it. But Matheson isnt buying that. All I can do is listen to what the biologists say, Matheson told me. And what they say is that all that construction and the development it creates will disrupt the plovers breeding habits. The birds, Matheson said, are not going to nest on the roof of the hotel. That development, and another hotel proposed for the same beach, are reason enough to insist on strict interpretation and enforcement of the California Coastal Act, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. Ill head back to Monterey later this summer to see if the bulldozers have begun rousting the birds. But as noted in my Sunday column, Im going to start my travels at the Oregon border and drive all the way to Mexico, sizing up the Coastal Commissions successes, failures and ongoing challenges, meeting with crusaders and characters along the way. Based on the response to that column, I cant believe I didnt think of this sooner. Californians, unsurprisingly, are crazy about their coast and passionate about preserving what hasnt already been plundered. The birds are not going to nest on the roof of the hotel. Blake Matheson, president of the Monterey Audubon Society Ive received love letters to beaches. Poems. Invitations to tour imperiled open spaces. Offers to meet with the pioneers who started the coastal preservation movement. A reading list of books extolling the magnificence of Californias 1,100-mile shoreline. Tirades against Gov. Jerry Brown, who has been silent on the running controversies involving coastal commissioners including his own appointees. On your coastal journey can you invite Jerry to meet you at some great spot!?? wrote Joyce from San Diego. His myopia is so disappointing. Actually, Joyce, I already pitched that very thing to Gov. Brown. I offered through a spokesman to meet the governor any time and anywhere, but preferably on a beach. He was, after all, the governor who, in 1976, signed the Coastal Act into being. But by his inaction now, plenty of coastal stewards wonder if Brown is more interested in coastal development than coastal preservation. Break the silence, I say. Let us know where you stand. A woman named Elizabeth Bishop certainly let me know where I stand with her. She read my Sunday column and sent me a withering put-down, asking if I was familiar with the word humility. Clearly not, she said, answering the question for me and suggesting my only purpose is to get a paid vacation and pretend that Im important. You are so full of yourself. Elizabeth Bishop, a reader That wasnt my first motivation, Elizabeth, but its not the worst idea ever. You are so full of yourself, she went on. But wait, Elizabeth, Im just trying... Disgusting, she continued. Holding people accountable is all Im trying to Be humble, she said. With Californias coast, I am humbled. Its a gift, and it has to be robustly defended, protected, preserved for generations to come, and open to everyone regardless of income. Im 70 years old and I still delight in sticking my toes in the sand and listening to the children beside me squeal as they do the same, wrote Shirley LaCanfora of Torrance, who has been sinking her feet into the sand at Redondo Beach since she was 4. My parents would often drive us, my brother and I, to the Esplanade just to sit and watch the sun go down. It was free and it was wonderful. It does so much for the spirit to be able to take in the beauty of the oceans horizon. It should be available for all to see. But sometimes the views arent so spectacular. Frances ONeill Zimmerman wants me to see the ugly oversize condos cluttering the shore near her home in La Jolla. Steve Stanage of Corona has invited me to pub crawl up the coast by trawler and I cant say no to that, even if he did invite my colleague Chris Erskine first. Im going to start my travels way up north in mid-July, dropping in on Jennifer Kalt of Humboldt Baykeeper. Shes going to give me a tour of some coastal preservation victories and update me on the politics of Gov. Browns upcoming replacement of Coastal Commissioner Martha McClure, a Del Norte County supervisor who was voted out of office this month in part because she lost the support of local environmentalists. Im still open to suggestions, so dont hesitate to write. Or to tweet with the hashtag #saveyourcoast maybe throwing in a nudge to @JerryBrownGov. Tom Osborne, who is writing a book about former Coastal Commission director Peter Douglas, had a good tip for me: Go see James Mills in Coronado. In 1972, Mills was state Senate president pro tem and led 100 cyclists on a ride from San Francisco to San Diego to whip up support for Proposition 20, which was approved by voters and led to the creation of the Coastal Commission and eventually the Coastal Act. I called Mills, who remembered local supporters turning out each evening during the coastal bike tour and serving spaghetti dinners to load up the cyclists on carbs. Mills, now 89, says he still has the bike, and hed be happy to show it to me. Before summer is out, I told him, Ill be paying a visit. Im still open to suggestions, so dont hesitate to write. Or to tweet with the hashtag #saveyourcoast maybe throwing in a nudge to @JerryBrownGov if you want to help spread the word about this California resource or my lack of humility. steve.lopez@latimes.com Twitter: @LATstevelopez MORE LOCAL NEWS Huge increase in dead trees across California forests, heightening fire risk this summer L.A. Uber driver threatens to hit passenger with a rock, steals his iPhone, police say Twin fires in San Gabriel Mountains force hundreds of evacuations amid brutal conditions A federal jury in Santa Ana convicted two men of conspiring to help Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria, with one of the men trying to board a plane to the Middle East. Nader Elhuzayel, 25, and Muhanad Badawi, 24, both residents of Anaheim, were convicted after a two-week trial that detailed their efforts to join the terrorist group, including their recorded pledges to fight for the cause of Allah and to die in the battlefield, according to court papers. The jury deliberated for just over an hour before handing down the verdict. Advertisement Elhuzayel was found guilty of attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State, and Badawi was convicted of aiding and abetting the attempt to provide material support, according to the U.S. Attorneys office in Los Angeles. These convictions are a message to those who aim to travel to take up arms with (Islamic State) and to those who support them the FBI and our partners are determined to thwart your efforts, said Assistant Director in Charge Deidre Fike, head of the FBIs office in L.A. But Kate Corrigan, an attorney representing Badawi, said the case was shrouded in secrecy and showed the extremes of government surveillance, with federal agents placing three listening devices in his familys cars. She said she could never see the warrants for the listening devices, which were filed in the highly secretive Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. The case demonstrated that the government is listening and you better be careful what you say, Corrigan said. The duo were arrested May 21, 2015. Agents from a counter-terrorism task force intercepted and detained Elhuzayel at Los Angeles International Airport before he boarded a plane bound for Israel with a layover in Turkey. Badawi was arrested at an Anaheim gas station. Agents began monitoring the men after seeing their inflammatory comments on social media. But the scrutiny of the men intensified in April and May 2015 as agents eavesdropped on their phone calls and surveillance teams tracked their movements. On May 7, 2015, investigators watched the men as they sat together in Badawis car, according to an FBI agents affidavit filed in federal court. Later, a review of airline records showed that while they were in the car, Badawis debit card was used to purchase a one-way ticket for Elhuzayel to fly from Los Angeles to Tel Aviv. U.S. Atty. Eileen Decker said there is a clear line between those who express support verbally and act upon it: There is a difference between speech and action. These men took action, she said. During the trial, jurors heard evidence that Badawi encouraged others to support the Islamic State and participate in violent jihad, Fike said. Among the evidence presented was that Badawi and Elhuzayel used social media to discuss the Islamic State and terrorist attacks, including their desire to die as martyrs. In recorded conversations, the duo explained how it would be a blessing to fight for the cause of Allah. On Badawis Facebook account, he declared his intent to join the fight and support violence against non-Muslims while Elhuzayels Facebook account displayed the Islamic State flag as his profile picture. Badawi made a video of Elhuzayel swearing his allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the Islamic State, and vowed to travel to Syria to fight. But Corrigan, the lawyer for Badawi, said her client essentially bought an airline ticket for a friend who lacked access to a credit or debit card. And she said the governments case showed its limits at trial: They were only able to say he might go to Syria, Corrigan added. Elhuzayel was also found guilty of 26 counts of bank fraud, and Badawi was convicted of one count of federal financial-aid fraud crimes that arose from the pairs support for the terror group. Elhuzayel got cash through a scheme to defraud three different banks where he had deposited stolen checks into his personal checking accounts, then withdrew money at Orange County branch offices and ATMs. Badawi was convicted of using his federal financial aid to buy the plane ticket for Elhuzayel. The governments case against the pair mirrors many across the country in which potential foreign fighters are accused of trying to travel to Syria and join the Islamic State. Similar cases have been more common in Britain, France and other western European countries with larger populations of young, disaffected Muslim men. In a prior interview, Elhuzayels mother, Falak, described her son as a very good kid not the kind of person who would fit into this kind of category. The family, she said, is Palestinian and her son was traveling to visit relatives in the West Bank. She had described her son as Muslim, but not very religious, just normal. She had said that her son had become more observant of his religion, including increased attendance at an Anaheim mosque. But she insisted it was impossible that hed slipped into extremism. He was, she said, a simple, gullible, nice kid. Elhuzayel could face up to 30 years in prison on each bank fraud count, while Badawi faces up to five years in prison on the financial-aid fraud count. Both men each face up to 15 years in prison on each material support count. U.S. District Judge David O. Carter is slated to sentence Elhuzayel on Sept. 19 and Badawi on Sept. 26. richard.winton@latimes.com Twitter: @LAcrimes ALSO Former state Sen. Ron Calderon pleads guilty in federal corruption case LAPD orders officers to show compassion and empathy to homeless people San Diego high school cheerleader charged in fatal beating of homeless man UPDATES: 10:24 p.m.: This article was updated with comments from attorney Kate Corrigan. This article was originally published at 6:47 p.m. More than 30 teens from affluent Bay Area communities who planned to celebrate on the first day of summer were busted Monday when police stopped their rented party bus and found it loaded with booze, prescription drugs, marijuana and fake IDs, police in Marin County said Tuesday. The teens had intended to party for six hours as the bus tooled around Marin and San Francisco on Monday evening, but their plans were undone by an anonymous tipster who warned the Central Marin Police Authority that a bus full of juveniles and alcohol was about to leave Larkspur Ferry Terminal, police said in a statement. One of the teens, a 16-year-old boy from Tiburon, had reserved the bus online and paid $900 cash and didnt have to provide ID, police said. Advertisement Officers arrived about 5:40 p.m. as the bus was pulling away from the terminal with the passenger door still open and swinging wildly, authorities said. Officers immediately pulled the vehicle over. Inside, police said, they found a trove of illegal contraband. See the most-read stories in Local News this hour >> The bus reeked of alcohol and pot and was loaded with 33 boys and girls who ranged in age from 15 to 17 and were residents of Larkspur, Tiburon, San Rafael, San Anselmo, Kentfield and Mill Valley, according to police. Officers found 30 separate containers of hard alcohol, a case of hard lemonade, a jar of marijuana hidden under a seat and half-filled and empty alcohol containers in the trash. One 16-year-old girl had a purse full of various prescription drugs, marijuana and fake IDs. The bus driver, 63-year-old James Greene, had methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, prescription drugs and alcohol in the drivers compartment and was carrying a switchblade, police said. On Monday, Marin County prosecutors charged Greene with several misdemeanors related to the teens drinking on the bus, along with misdemeanor possession of methamphetamine and carrying an open container in the drivers compartment. He denied knowing alcohol was on the bus to police, officials said. After the stop, police took all the teens off the bus and called their parents, who either picked them up or made arrangements for them to get home, officials said. The girl with the pills, marijuana and fake IDs was cited for possession of a controlled substance and marijuana and possession of false identification cards and was released to her parents. Police notified the bus company about the incident and alerted the California Public Utilities Commission, which oversees passenger carriers. For breaking California news, follow @JosephSerna. MORE LOCAL NEWS Huge increase in dead trees across California forests, heightening fire risk this summer L.A. Uber driver threatens to hit passenger with a rock, steals his iPhone, police say Twin fires in San Gabriel Mountains force hundreds of evacuations amid brutal conditions UPDATES: 1:19 p.m.: This article has been updated with details on the charges against the bus driver. This article was originally published at 10:06 a.m. Entertainment / Music by DJ-Sticha Be visible Gig hard, gig smart Additional networking Make sure that you put the emphasis on making friends with them, rather than focusing on what they can do for you, regardless of who it is or what you're pitching. Every band nom' umculi has to start somewhere. Many groups playing the world's largest stages today started in small clubs in and around their hometowns. But sometimes, it's difficult to even get that far. When you're at the very beginning, with no fanbase or connections whatsoever, how do you cut through the noise and get people to notice you? Social media is a great way to stay in touch with friends and fans you already have, but it's becoming harder and harder to access new fans through it with so much over saturation. Here are my recommendations on how a band with no fans or connections can get moving and start building a career, just so you know umculi nom' eyedwa ubizwa ngeBAND in the office language of music.Support your sceneOther musicians are by far your strongest allies starting out. In the beginning, your best (and sometimes only) shows will usually happen through other bands, whether they asked you directly or referred somebody to you. So you need to get out there and make some friends!The easiest way to do this is by going to local shows. Use the power of the internet to hunt down bands in your area that you like a lot, regardless of whether or not they play the same kind of music as you. Then, get out there and see them live. When they finish their set, make a point to introduce yourself. DO NOT push your music or band on them from the beginning. Let it come up naturally in conversation, even if that means going to see them two or three more times. Otherwise, you'll come off as pushy and might give off the impression that you're just trying to get something out of them.Keep doing this with more and more bands. The world of music is small. You're going to eventually find that some of the bands you're friends with are also friends with each other. Book shows with those bands! Repeatedly! Keep going to see their shows, and they will (hopefully) extend you the same courtesy. Your audiences will eventually intermingle, and the ball will really start rolling.As a new band on the block, one of your first priorities should be creating a logo, font, and overall image scheme for the group that establishes its identity. Then, display that identity proudly for all to see!Yes, I mean posters. It may be the 21st century, but if people are intrigued by your band name and image, they will undoubtedly check out your music after seeing your logo plastered around town enough times. Anywhere that you see other posters, stickers, or advertisements is most likely fair game (just be sure to get permission if you're putting something up in a business). Even if you have nothing to promote, posting your name and image everywhere will establish your band in the minds of all who see them.Weekly open mics are another great way to gain visibility. Find one that occurs in a venue you enjoy, and show up every week to play a short, stripped-down version of your set (treat it like a preview). Use these as a chance to establish a relationship with the people that run the business, as well as the regulars that inhabit it.If you can't find a decent, frequent open mic in your town, street performances will do the job as well. Find a spot you like (depending on the rules and regulations of your city), and show up regularly. Be friendly and talk to people walking by. A strong and personable impression is a memorable one, and sticking in people's minds is the first step towards building a fanbase.Playing live often is, for obvious reasons, a vital component of being visible and building a fanbase. The bands I was in that have generated the most consistent buzz were gigging on a weekly or bi-weekly basis in the beginning. In general, a bi-weekly gigging schedule is a good goal. That doesn't mean, however, that you should take every single gig that comes your way. It's important to be smart about where you're appearing and when.It can be dangerous to play too often in one place. Doing so will tire out your audience in that area and makes your appearance much less special. So gig often, but spread them out geographically. If you live in a large metropolitan area, make it so you're only playing the same part of town once every six weeks or so at most. In smaller towns, reach out to venues in adjacent towns and make the trip. Yes, this could involve a lot of travel, but it will pay off in the end, as you are reaching new fans consistently while keeping the interest of your current ones.I've already covered the importance of meeting other local musicians, but there are other key contacts you want to make as time goes on if you want to continue building your audience. Local radio hosts, news/blog writers, promoters, sound engineers, and club owners are all important parts of the equation, and are the kinds of people you want to get to know as soon as possible.Though it's true that some of these people don't have a lot of time for an artist who's just starting out, you'd be surprised at how friendly many of them are. Start by hunting for a radio DJ or blog writer that you really enjoy (even better if they focus on local talent), and reach out to them with a simple, professional, and friendly email. Introduce yourself, and explain how much you enjoy their work and what you like about it. Again, don't be too pushy with your music, but offer them a free ticket to your next show (even if you have to buy it yourself), and thank them generously.Masicobelane ngolwazi, masikhulisane emculweniFacebook:Dj-Sticha-MixkingTwitter:@Dj-Sticha Santa Clara County Dist. Atty. Jeff Rosen on Wednesday called for mandatory prison sentences for anyone convicted of sexually assaulting an unconscious and intoxicated person. Inspired by the victim in the Brock Turner case, the proposed law which is supported by a growing number of legislators -- would require a mandatory prison sentence for such assaults and remove the option of probation. We are hoping to change hearts and to change minds and to change the law to protect the next Emily Doe against the next Brock Turner, Rosen said at a news conference in Palo Alto. Advertisement Rosens announcement comes weeks after Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Aaron Persky sentenced Turner, a former Stanford University swimmer, to six months in jail for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman behind a dumpster on campus. Prosecutors said Persky had declared unusual circumstances in the case before sentencing Turner on June 2. Turner will serve half of his sentence due to California law. See the most-read stories in Local News this hour >> Perskys sentence has triggered an angry response from those who say the punishment was too light and sets an ominous precedent for campus sexual assaults elsewhere. Many are now demanding that that California Commission for Judicial Performance remove the jurist. Others have launched a recall effort. The judge gave the wrong sentence but he had the legal right to give it, so we will start there, Rosen said. Why under the law is a sexual assault of an unconscious woman less terrible than that of a conscious woman? Is it less degrading? Is it less tragic, less traumatic? The victims 12-page letter, which she read in open court and has been read by senators on the floor of Congress, started a revolution, Rosen said. Since then her words have been read by millions, he said. It started a revolution of empathy and understanding. It has given solace to women who have suffered their own sexual assaults in silence. It has inspired tears at her struggles [and] admiration for her honesty and strength and perseverance. Not only did the victims letter strike a chord with millions, Rosen said it sparked fury and frustration at those who continue to misconstrue these assaults as sex gone a little too far. Her letter left us a painful yet powerful gift that demands something more than just a few minutes of our time, he said. It demands change. Assemblyman Evan Low (D-Campbell), Assemblyman Bill Dodd (D-Napa) and Sen. Jerry Hill (D-San Mateo) worked with Rosen to craft the proposed law. Dodd said he was deeply disturbed by Turners sentence. We need to send the message that sexually assaulting vulnerable victims who are intoxicated or unconscious is a serious crime, Dodd said. Letting a rapist off with probation and little jail time re-victimizes the victim, dissuades other victims from coming forward and sends the message that sexual assault is no big deal. Low said Perskys ruling was unjustifiable and morally wrong but acceptable under the current law. Rapists like Brock Turner shouldnt be let off with a slap on the wrist, he said. Members of UltraViolet, a womens rights advocacy group, said the law doesnt go far enough in holding Perksy accountable. They said the proposal for mandatory minimum sentencing for rapists is not only bad policy generally, but also the wrong solution. Rosens proposal also does nothing to hold Judge Persky a man who chose to protect a privileged white athlete and rapist over the survivor of his crimes accountable for his decision, the groups co-founder, Nita Chaudhary, said in a statement. When Turner was convicted by a jury in March, he faced a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison. Prosecutors asked the judge to sentence him to a six-year prison term for the three felony counts he was found guilty of: assault with the intent to commit rape of an unconscious person; sexual penetration of an unconscious person; and sexual penetration of an intoxicated person. Later, his chief probation officer, Monica Lassettre, recommended a moderate sentence of county jail, three years of probation and sex offender treatment, according to a probation report. In making her recommendations, which Persky signed off on before Turners sentencing, Lassettre considered his age, lack of criminal record, the impact of the crime on the victim, the safety of the community and his expressed remorse. This officer weighed the fact that this 20-year-old offender is now a lifetime sex registrant, his future prospects will likely be highly impacted as a result of his convictions, and he surrendered a hard-earned swimming scholarship, she wrote in her report. Perhaps, just as importantly, but sometimes overlooked, are the victims wishes as to the potential outcome. Describing himself as an inexperienced drinker and party-goer, Turner blamed a party culture and risk-taking behavior for his actions. Turners victim called the lack of a state prison sentence a soft time-out, a mockery of the seriousness of the assaults. In the weeks following Perskys decision, several potential jurors refused to serve in the judges courtroom because of his actions in the Turner case. MORE LOCAL NEWS Huge increase in dead trees across California forests, heightening fire risk this summer L.A. Uber driver threatens to hit passenger with a rock, steals his iPhone, police say Twin fires in San Gabriel Mountains force hundreds of evacuations amid brutal conditions UPDATES: 10:46 p.m.: This article was updated with additional comments from UltraViolet. 12:25 p.m.: This article was updated with comments from legislators. This article was originally published at 11:52 a.m. Former state Sen. Ron Calderon formally pleaded guilty Tuesday to a federal corruption charge after he admitted to accepting tens of thousands of dollars in bribes from undercover FBI agents and a hospital executive. Calderon, who represented the 30th Senate district from 2006 to 2014, appeared before U.S. District Judge Christina Snyder and entered the guilty plea to a count of mail fraud. The plea agreement was announced shortly after Calderons brother Tom Calderon, a former state assemblyman, pleaded guilty to a charge of money laundering. Prosecutors had contended that Tom Calderon helped hide the bribes that his brother sought. Advertisement In his plea agreement filed this month in federal court, Ron Calderon admitted to a damning narrative of allegations that he sought and received bribes for himself and a payment for his sons college tuition. The Montebello resident said that he had the owner of a Long Beach hospital, Michael Drobot, employ his son as a summer intern in exchange for advocating for legislation that would benefit Drobot and his companies. Drobot later pleaded guilty to running a 15-year spinal surgery kickback scheme, part of a wide-ranging medical fraud. Calderon also admitted that he agreed to advocate for a law that would give a more favorable tax break to independent film producers. Calderon thought he made the agreement to advocate for the legislation on behalf of film executives, but the men were undercover FBI agents. In exchange, Calderon had the undercover FBI agents hire his daughter for a job and accepted trips to Las Vegas from the faux film executives that were worth about $12,000. He also had the executives send a $25,000 check to Californians for Diversity, an entity that Tom Calderon and his brother used to pay themselves, according to court papers. While in office, Ron Calderon and others profited handsomely when bribe money was accepted and laundered, and Im gratified that he has chosen to take responsibility for his actions, said Deirdre Fike, the assistant director in charge of the FBIs Los Angeles field office, in a statement this month. Under the terms of the plea deal, prosecutors agreed to request that Snyder sentence Calderon to no more than 70 months behind bars, a prison term on the low end of federal sentencing guidelines. The charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Calderon is scheduled to be sentenced by Snyder on Sept. 19. For more news in California, follow @MattHjourno. ALSO Two O.C. men convicted of conspiring to fight with Islamic State Tool with blade confiscated from gadfly at public meeting Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant recounts the creation of Stairway to Heaven in copyright trial Firefighters battling a pair of wildfires in the San Gabriel Mountains have been instructed to avoid a 1,000-foot radius area around a nest where a baby eagle is getting ready to fledge, a U.S. Forest Service official said Wednesday. The bald eagles nest is not located in part of the forest where the Reservoir and Fish fires are burning. The buffer zone above and around the nest is intended for water-dumping helicopters, which create noise and air turbulence that could disturb the chick, said Ann Berkley, a wildlife biologist with the Forest Service. We dont want to startle him out of the nest because it could be very detrimental to his survival, Berkley said. Advertisement More than 1,000 firefighters were battling the blazes, which are separated by about 1 miles. The wildfires broke out during Mondays record-breaking heat wave, and are jointly called the San Gabriel Complex fire. So far, they have burned about 4,900 acres, authorities said. The fires were about 10% contained on Wednesday. See the most-read stories in Local News this hour >> It is extremely unusual for bald eagles to nest in the San Gabriel Mountains, Berkley said. The fact that this one nested so successfully were doing everything we can to protect it, she added. An adult bald eagle was first spotted by a firefighter and reported to the U.S. Forest Service in late 2011, Berkley said. In mid-April of this year, amateur bird watchers reported seeing the baby, which was estimated to be 10 to 12 weeks old. The bald eagle is no longer considered an endangered species, but it is federally protected under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. The situation with the eagle is emblematic of the broader challenges firefighters face when battling flames in protected areas like the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument or other areas with sensitive habitats. Berkley, a resource advisor on the San Gabriel Complex fire, identifies and alerts crews to any critical habitats or threatened species they might encounter while fighting the fire. Some resource advisors even go out on the fire line with firefighters, she said. Fire crews in the Angeles National Forest have been told to be wary of Spanish broom, a non-native shrub with bright yellow flowers that is considered an invasive species. Forest Service officials are asking crews to wash their fire enginestires before coming down the mountain in an effort to contain the spread of the species as it gets ready to release new seeds, Berkley said. Its very pretty, its very aromatic, and its very hard to get out, Berkley said. Times staff writer Hailey Branson-Potts contributed to this report. nina.agrawal@latimes.com MORE LOCAL NEWS Huge increase in dead trees across California forests, heightening fire risk this summer L.A. Uber driver threatens to hit passenger with a rock, steals his iPhone, police say Twin fires in San Gabriel Mountains force hundreds of evacuations amid brutal conditions The battle to contain two large wildfires burning out of control above San Gabriel Valley foothill communities became something of a smoky slog Tuesday as firefighters took on the flames in rugged canyons, evacuated residents anxiously awaited word, and the surrounding region endured a bad air day. The heat wave blitzkrieg that hit the region this week with record-breaking force eased some, but for firefighters the conditions remained brutal. Its hot. Its dry. Theyre in steep, rugged, nasty terrain, said Mark Peebles, a spokesman for the multi-agency team fighting the fires in the Angeles National Forest. Its extremely arduous work. Advertisement Some of the telltale elements of a Southern California fire siege were on display. Gawkers snapping cellphone photos of flaming San Gabriel Mountains ridges, soon to be posted on Instagram. Horse owners rushing to their stables to save their beloved animals. Neighbors calmly watching smoke plumes from their yards. More than 1,000 firefighters battled the Reservoir and Fish fires, which burned about 1.5 miles apart in the mountains above Duarte and Azusa. The blazes, which broke out Monday as temperatures hit triple digits, raged in a tinderbox region of the forest that had not burned for many years. On Tuesday, crews began managing the fires as a single 4,900-acre conflagration called the San Gabriel Complex, which was 10% contained, authorities said. No structures had been lost as of Tuesday, authorities said. But the fires had forced the evacuation of at least 770 homes, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department. Authorities urged residents of Monrovia and Bradbury to keep an eye on the news and to prepare to flee. John Tripp, deputy chief of the Los Angeles County Fire Department, advised residents to evacuate early if the flames got close, warning of clogged roadways if fire crews and evacuating residents used the same thoroughfares. As smoke rose from mountain ridges near the tiny town of Bradbury on Tuesday, Connie Storey sat like a sentry outside the house of a neighbor who had run to the doctor waiting and watching. Interested in the stories shaping California? Sign up for the free Essential California newsletter With the sound of fire helicopters echoing, Storey, 50, checked her phone for updates on the blaze. Thats how it had been since Monday afternoon, she said, with neighbors monitoring the fire with binoculars and news updates. Storey who lost her house to the 2009 Station fire that tore through the San Gabriels grew frustrated with onlookers driving through Bradbury to photograph the fire and wildlife fleeing the flames. She said she had to warn one man who was too busy trying to get the perfect shot that he didnt see a bear coming his way. Its a three-ring circus, she said. The Reservoir fire was reported first, about 11 a.m. Monday, at Highway 39 in the San Gabriel Mountains, apparently ignited by a car crash that killed one person, authorities said. A vehicle went over the side of the road and plunged to the bottom of a canyon near Morris Reservoir, Tripp said. The Fish fire erupted more than an hour later near Brookridge and Opal Canyon roads in Duarte. The causes of both fires remain under investigation. Capt. Michael McCormick of the Los Angeles County Fire Department provides an update on efforts to fight the Fish fire burning near Duarte. About three dozen people spent Monday night at a Red Cross evacuation center in Duarte, where they were given cots to sleep on, toiletries, food and plenty of bottles of water. Its better than a bed and breakfast except the beds, quipped Merla Canoy, who spent the night. Rafat and Manzoor Khan, who live in the Woodbluff neighborhood of Duarte, also stayed at the shelter. Their daughter and two young grandchildren were visiting from Irvine when sheriffs deputies knocked on their door and told them they had to leave. They packed their medications and some photo albums. They said to take your important things, Rafat Khan said. I dont know what things are important. Everything is important. By Tuesday afternoon, at least 168 horses had been relocated to the Fairplex in Pomona, evacuated from stables throughout the foothills, officials said. Andrea Brown, a horse trainer, moved her eight horses boarded at the Encanto Equestrian Center in Duarte to the Fairplex on Monday and plans to visit them every day until they can leave. She was still coughing from the smoke on Tuesday. All of them are happy and doing well, she said. They are my four-legged family. It was a dramatic scene Monday, she said. Brown saw smoke in the air and sped to the stables. There, she grabbed her horses halters and ran them to a clearing, where people with horse hauling trailers waited to take them away and firefighting helicopters landed right next to the animals. It was very intense, but I have to say that people really came together, Brown said. The neighbors brought water, cooling us down, pouring water on us as we ran with the horses. Mark De Yulia, a driver for Atascadero-based KC Horse Transport, spent Monday night in his truck at Santa Anita Park, ready to go in case any more horses were threatened by the fire. He was on vacation, he said, but he didnt think about that as he spent hours hauling horses from stables in Azusa and Bradbury. As he drove away from Rainbow Canyon Ranch, horses loaded behind him, he could see the flames shooting up the mountains near San Gabriel Canyon Road. As the sun glowed an eerie yellow through the smoke, the horses stayed calm. ruben.vives@latimes.com hailey.branson@latimes.com nina.agrawal@latimes.com Times staff writers Joseph Serna and Veronica Rocha contributed to this report. ALSO 122 degrees: Palm Springs breaks record and it could get hotter Two O.C. men convicted of conspiring to fight with Islamic State Snowpack unlikely to recover from drought until 2019, study finds An Uber driver was arrested in Los Angeles Tuesday after he threatened to attack one of his customers with a rock and stole his iPhone, police said. Medhanie Meshesha, 35, picked up the customer Friday and drove him to his destination but the passenger forgot his phone in Mesheshas car, LAPD officials said. The passenger managed to contact Meshesha and had him drive back where the customer then asked for another ride and took back his iPhone, police said. Advertisement During the ride, the customer offered Meshesha a tip for returning the phone, according to police. But Meshesha became upset at the offer and asked for more which the customer refused before getting out of the car, police said in a statement. Meshesha allegedly got out of his car, grabbed a large rock from the front yard of a home and threatened to hit the passenger if he didnt give the him more money. The passenger continued to walk away so Meshesha put down the rock, grabbed the phone from the mans hands, ran back to his car and sped off, police said. The passenger reported the incident the next day. Meshesha was taken into custody without incident at his Inglewood home on suspicion of robbery and is being held on $50,000 bail, LAPD officials said. Meshesha has been prohibited from driver for Uber and the company is cooperating with police, Uber said in a statement. For breaking California news, follow @JosephSerna. ALSO San Diego high school cheerleader charged in fatal beating of homeless man Michael Jackson stockpiled pornography at Neverland Ranch, documents show Seismic strain: Land around the San Andreas fault is rising and sinking, new earthquake research shows UPDATES: 9:49 a.m.: This post was updated with a statement from Uber. The property owner of a business park in Sacramento has asked a church to relocate after its pastor posted a video on YouTube praising the Orlando, Fla., mass shooting at a gay nightclub that left 49 victims dead. Though Verity Baptist Churchs lease with Harsch Investment Properties doesnt end until March 31, 2017, the company has asked the church to move immediately without any penalty for breaking the lease agreement, the company said in a statement. We have many places of worship and other religious organizations in the properties we manage. Like all our tenants, their occupancy rights are protected in their leases, but we will not tolerate tenants who advocate hatred and the taking of innocent lives, the company said. For decades, the owners and staff at Harsch Investment Properties have supported the LGBTQ community and many other organizations whose missions are to further respect, dignity and the ability for all individuals to live their lives as they wish. Advertisement Last week, a YouTube video was published online showing Pastor Roger Jimenez praising the massacre of 49 people at a gay nightclub in Florida and calling the victims pedophiles and predators. The post was eventually removed by YouTube for violating the websites policy on hate speech. See the most-read stories in Local News this hour >> I think Orlando, Fla., is a little safer tonight, he told his congregation the Sunday after the June 12 attack. The tragedy is more of them didnt die. Im kind of upset he didnt finish the job! Jimenez also said if it were up to him, gays and lesbians would be lined up against a wall so a firing squad could blow their brains out. The reaction to the sermon was been swift and fierce. Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson condemned Jimenezs words. The hateful comments made by a preacher in Sacramento do not reflect Christian values and have no place in our society. #standwithorlando, he tweeted. Hundreds organized a protest outside his church through Facebook. It disgusts me that this immoral sacrilegious individual is spewing hatred and ignorance, and is condoning murder to his churchgoers who may not be old enough to see what true religion is instead of the brainwashing he is doing, the statement read on the Facebook event page. A group of 700 area pastors known as the Sacramento City Pastors Fellowship issued a statement responding to Jimenezs sermon, the Sacramento Bee reported. The statement said: These comments, applauding the death of innocent people, are completely contrary to the Bibles teaching and Gods heart. His statements do not represent Jesus nor hundreds of Sacramento pastors whose hearts have been broken and are praying for the loved ones so tragically affected by this cowardly act. But the pastor defended his comments, telling the Bee that his sermon was not meant to incite violence against LGBT people. All Im saying is that when people die who deserve to die, its not a tragedy, he told the Bee. His church did not immediately reply to a request for comment. For breaking California news, follow @JosephSerna. MORE LOCAL NEWS Huge increase in dead trees across California forests, heightening fire risk this summer L.A. Uber driver threatens to hit passenger with a rock, steals his iPhone, police say Twin fires in San Gabriel Mountains force hundreds of evacuations amid brutal conditions Jack Fuller, journalist, novelist and former president of Tribune Co.s publishing division who shepherded the Chicago companys 2000 acquisition of the Los Angeles Times parent, the Times Mirror Co., has died. Fuller died Tuesday in his Chicago home. He was diagnosed several months ago with cancer. He was 69. A Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial writer, Fuller also was a war correspondent, a champion of jazz and an early advocate of online journalism. Jack was one of the most brilliant writers, editors and newsroom leaders Ive known, said Bruce Dold, editor and publisher of the Chicago Tribune. He had a profound impact on me and many other people at the Tribune. He taught us to be aggressive, fearless and ethical. Advertisement Born in Chicago, Fuller followed his financial reporter father into the newsroom. He worked as a copy boy and later earned a bachelors 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 Chicago Tribune, he left the paper to join the U.S. Department of Justice as special assistant to then-Atty. Gen. Edward Levi. He rejoined the Tribune as a Washington correspondent in 1977 and returned to Tribune Tower in Chicago in 1978 as an editorial writer. Appointed editorial page editor in 1981, he won a Pulitzer Prize five years later for editorials 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 recalled Fuller as soft-spoken, with an 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. A trombone player, pianist and jazz aficionado, Fuller believed it was crucial for the Tribune located in a city thats a hub for jazz to have someone dedicated to covering that music and the culture surrounding it, said Howard Reich, Tribunes jazz critic, a musician appointed to his post by Fuller. 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 Americas classical music, and he wanted the world to know that, Reich said. Even after rising in management ranks, Fuller still wrote the occasional jazz review. Of jazz musician John Coltrane, he wrote: By the time of this death, I think Coltrane himself must have realized he had reached a place he did not know how to get out of. There was nothing left to strip out of his music, nothing forbidden that he could try, no freedom left. Only the universal rumble and buzz, which is random, which is utterly liberated, which is noise. In 1993, Fuller was named president and CEO of the Chicago Tribune and became publisher a year later. With Fullers 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, Fullers 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. In 1997, Fuller rose to lead the companys five daily newspapers and syndicated content. Column: Jack Fuller mentor, newspaperman, hero Former top editor Ann Marie Lipinski, who now runs the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard, said Fullers journalistic integrity made him a master translator for his corporate colleagues in the boardroom who might not understand how a newsroom operates. She said it 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 Ive ever had as a journalist. Fullers 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 chains 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 dont take from 50% of the talent pool. Fuller played a central role in Tribunes acquisition of Times Mirror Co., with its 10 newspapers and their websites, including the Los Angeles Times. 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 Fullers retirement, the company had to compensate advertisers for inflated circulation figures at Newsday and the New York edition of Hoy, the companys 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. He also wrote novels and other books. His eighth novel, One From Without, came out this month. A Times reviewer called his 2000 novel The Best of Jackson Payne (Alfred A. Knopf) one of the few novels about jazz to recognize that language may never capture the magic of music but may just evoke the hell out of it. Fuller is a past president of the Inter American Press Assn., 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. Fuller emphasized commitment to journalism throughout his career. Addressing Los Angeles Times journalists in the wake of the acquisition, he said: I can promise you that there will be change. What I can also promise you is that there will be no abandonment of principle or the purposes that I think we all share. He held that newspapers should take a lead role in community affairs in their respective markets and be involved in local philanthropy efforts. Newspapers grow out of the soil of the community, he 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. He is survived by his wife, Debra Moskovits, and two children from a previous marriage, son Timothy and daughter Katherine Ryan. Brachear Pashman writes for the Chicago Tribune. A Times staff writer contributed to this report. ALSO Wayne Jackson of the Memphis Horns duo dies at 74 Anton Yelchin, actor in Star Trek films, dies in freak car accident at age 27 Verna B. Dauterive dies at 93; longtime L.A. Unified principal and honorary USC trustee Michigans attorney general filed a civil lawsuit Wednesday against two water engineering companies, saying they caused and exacerbated Flints lead-tainted water crisis and demanding hundreds of millions of dollars in damages. Attorney General Bill Schuette sued Veolia North America and Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, known as LAN. Schuette said in a news release that the firms fraudulent and dangerous recommendations made a bad situation worse. The lawsuit charges LAN and Veolia with professional negligence and public nuisance. Veolia was also charged with fraud. Advertisement The companies were hired by the city to assist while it was under state emergency management. LAN, based in Houston, began working with Flint in 2013 to prepare its plant to treat new sources of drinking water, including the Flint River. Veolia was hired in 2015 to address the citys water quality. The struggling city of nearly 100,000 has been dealing with poor water quality since switching from the Detroit system, which draws from Lake Huron, to the Flint River in April 2014. It was intended as a short-term measure to save money while another pipeline to Lake Huron was under construction. Residents quickly complained that the water looked dirty and tasted and smelled bad. E. coli bacteria hit unsafe levels. And last September, state officials acknowledged that a failure to add chemicals to limit corrosion had enabled the river water to scrape lead from aging pipes, exposing people in some homes and schools to the potent neurotoxin. Flint was under state management at the time, leading to an apology from Gov. Rick Snyder. Flint returned to the Detroit system in October. Criminal charges have already been filed against two state Department of Environmental Quality officials, while Flints utilities administrator pleaded no contest to willful neglect of duty, a misdemeanor. Email and phone messages from the Associated Press seeking comment from Veolia and Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam were not immediately returned. ALSO Five years in, theres still no Obamacare alternative from House Republicans Judge: Federal regulators cant set fracking rules Colombia and FARC rebels announce cease-fire deal in a major step to end a half-century of war UPDATES: 8:43 a.m.: Updated with additional background This story was originally posted at 7:31 a.m. Two Mississippi correctional officers have been indicted on suspicion of excessive force in the beating of an inmate and a third is charged with helping to cover up the assault. A nine-count indictment, unsealed Tuesday, charges Lawardrick Marsher, 28, and Robert Sturdivant, 47, with a beating that included kicking, punching and throwing the victim to the ground. Sturdivant also failed to intervene while Marsher punched and beat the inmate at Mississippi State Penitentiary in Parchman, the indictment alleges. Deonte Pate, 23, was charged with conspiring with the other two officers to cover up the beating. All three submitted false reports and lied to the FBI, according to the indictment. Advertisement If convicted, Marsher and Sturdivant face up to 10 years in prison on the excessive force charges. All three officers face up to five years in prison on the conspiracy and false statement charges and up to 20 years on the false report charges. MORE FROM NATION Clinton zings Trump on his economic plans: Alexander Hamilton would be rolling in his grave Man at Vegas rally said he wanted to kill Trump, authorities say Atty. Gen. Loretta Lynch visits Orlando after deadly attack News / Local by Staff Reporter A Kwekwe Pastor Eddmon Enock Nyaradzi (44) has appeared in court charged with fraud involving $900 which he allegedly defrauded a Chitungwiza woman.Nyaradzi allegedly defrauded Judith Ngorima.He appeared before Harare magistrate Vongai Guriro.It is alleged that in January this year he approached Ngorima under the guise that he was on a church mission to source cash for its church members who wanted to be taken to University of Pretoria for degree studies.Judith gave him $900 since the pastor had promised to pay her back end of January. Form that time the pastor became unreachable. Judith managed to get hold of him once more and lured Nyaradzi into a face to face meeting by promising to give him another $300.Nyaradzi failed to give Judith the names of the church members who were beneficiaries of the fund. The woman suspected that she had been defrauded and reported to the police.Nyaradzi is denying the charge saying he has never received any money from Ngorima. On Thursday, voters in the United Kingdom will decide whether to remain in the European Union. That the electorate is apparently so closely split between the options of Leave and Remain is ominous. At issue in this dramatic struggle over Britains identity, culture and independence is nothing less than the future of the 65-year move toward a closer, more integrated Europe. On the merits, the Remain option supported by Prime Minister David Cameron should win overwhelmingly. Britain benefits enormously from its participation in the 28-member economic and political union, and the consequences of withdrawal could be catastrophic for the British economy particularly for Londons role as an international financial center. A recent study by the International Monetary Fund warned that the UKs withdrawal from the EU could shrink the British economy by 5% by the year 2019. Nor would withdrawal affect only affluent Britons, as some Leave proponents have suggested. Researchers at the London School of Economics estimated that middle-class families in the UK would face the loss of at least 4% of their income if the UK left the EU and had to trade under the rules of the World Trade Organization. Advertisement Brexit also would complicate the UKs economic relationship with the United States. U.S. companies would think twice about investing in the UK if it no longer enjoyed the trading advantages of being part of the EU. On a visit to the UK earlier this year, President Obama warned that if Britain were to leave the union, it would find itself at the back of the queue in trade negotiations with the United States. Brexit would also make it harder for millions of Britons to travel freely and work on the Continent. Although supporters of withdrawal complain about an influx of workers from other European countries, the traffic is not only in one direction. Finally, Brexit would increase political tensions within the UK. It was only two years ago that nearly 45% of voters in Scotland expressed a preference for seceding from the UK. Political leaders in Scotland, where support for the EU is strong, have warned that a withdrawal of the UK from the EU might increase the pressure for another independence referendum. In Northern Ireland, Brexit could undermine the Protestant-Catholic peace process by depriving Catholics in the North of a political connection they now enjoy with their co-religionists in the Irish Republic, an EU member that is not part of the UK. Cameron also has warned that a victory for the Leave campaign would lead to the return of border controls between Northern Ireland and the Republic. The debate over Brexit has been distorted by the same fears of international terrorism (mixed with Islamophobia) that have resonated in other places in Europe. Given these negative consequences, why is there so much support for Brexit? Some of the opposition is rooted in an island nations suspicion of the Continent that has been part of British political life for centuries and which helps to explain why, even as as a member of the EU, the UK has maintained its own currency rather than adopt the euro. A variation of that concern is the (highly exaggerated) fear that Eurocrats in Brussels, in their zeal to form an ever-closer union, are usurping decisions that properly belong to the British Parliament. That attitude is especially prevalent in Camerons Conservative Party, and some members of the prime ministers government have broken openly with him to support Brexit. Perhaps the most politically potent argument for Brexit is that the policy of free movement within the EU has allowed migrants from the Continent to take jobs away from British workers. Its true that the UK is a magnet for workers from the continent, especially Eastern Europe. But studies suggest that those workers who of course are also consumers of goods and services produced in the UK havent dramatically affected the job prospects or wages of British workers. Finally, the debate over Brexit has been distorted by the same fears of international terrorism (mixed with Islamophobia) that have resonated in other places in Europe and in the U.S. presidential campaign. Brexit supporters have warned that Turkey, a predominantly Muslim county, could be admitted to the EU in the near future a claim Cameron has ridiculed. Britain has a veto power over the admission of new members (though Cameron hasnt promised to exercise it to keep Turkey out), but the more important reality is that Turkey is far from meeting all of the requirements for admission. Supporters of Brexit have argued that, once Britain withdrew from the EU, it could find other ways to establish favorable trade relations with the rest of Europe. They suggest, for example, that the UK could follow the example of Norway, a non-EU member that participates in what is called the European Economic Area. But a condition of membership in that arrangement is the same commitment to freedom of movement that supporters of Brexit object to as part of membership in the EU. Cameron has rightly called Brexit a leap in the dark, and other opponents have noted that it threatens to destabilize the entire EU, giving other countries reason to reconsider their own membership in the institution. On Thursday, voters in the UK should refuse to take the plunge. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook Heres the short-term rental dilemma: Websites like Airbnb and VRBO have made vacation rentals and house-sharing incredibly popular by making it easier for travelers to find homey, affordable lodgings and for homeowners to earn extra money by renting out all or part of their dwellings. But short-term rentals are not only illegal in Los Angeles residential communities, they can create nuisances in neighborhoods and take much-needed housing off the market. Cities in the U.S. and abroad have struggled to manage the resulting boom in short-term rentals. Some cities, such as Hermosa Beach and Ojai, have decided to ban short-term vacation rentals (those less than 30 days) altogether. Mayor Eric Garcetti and members of the City Council have rightfully recognized that the sharing economy offers real benefits to residents and the city. Thats why L.A. is following the lead of Santa Monica, San Francisco and other big cities that have attempted to legalize and control short-term rentals. So far, however, those cities have found its easy to adopt regulations on short-term rentals; its far more difficult to actually enforce them. Hosts would have to register with the city, display a valid registration number on their advertisement and pay L.A.s 14% hotel tax. Advertisement On Thursday, the Los Angeles Planning Commission will consider a proposed Home-Sharing Ordinance that seeks to set the rules and tries to fix the enforcement problem. The law would dramatically scale back the number of short-term rentals in the city currently estimated at 20,000 active listings and give authorities more power to penalize both the hosts and the websites that violate the new rules. The law would only allow people to rent out their primary residence, and for no more than 90 days a year. Hosts would have to register with the city, display a valid registration number on their advertisement and pay L.A.s 14% hotel tax, which could generate millions of dollars a year for the city. The ordinance would bar short-term rentals of second homes or investment properties, as well as apartments covered by the citys rent-stabilization law. This is to discourage property owners from turning long-term rentals into short-term rentals, which can change the character of a community, tighten the housing supply and make neighborhoods less stable. Yes, limiting home sharing to primary residences will remove an option for people who have vacation homes and for real estate investors. It will also probably diminish the availability and affordability of temporary rentals. Still, this is a necessary trade-off in a city with too few apartments and too high rents. L.A.s proposed regulations are good ones, but other cities have found that good laws are futile without simple registration and strong enforcement. Los Angeles has to make it as easy as possible for hosts to register and to pay taxes. In order to enforce the rules, the city will need the cooperation of Airbnb and the other websites and, if necessary, the authority to penalize them for failing to help weed out illegal rentals from their websites. Most home-sharing websites hide the full names of hosts and the addresses of the available property until the rental has been booked. That makes it hard for cities to investigate and crackdown on illicit listings. Airbnb and others have argued that they should not be held liable for the behavior of hosts who use their service, and that the government should not compel them to turn over data on who is hosting and how often. Theyve fought city regulations, like L.A.s proposal, that would fine them for failing to require a registration number on the advertisement or for refusing to submit hosts data. The Times Editorial Board has shared those concerns in the past, noting that, in general, government shouldnt force private companies to monitor customer behavior on its behalf. Yet there is no escaping the fact that cities cannot effectively regulate short-term rentals without a measure of cooperation from the booking websites. At the moment, these websites are facilitating illegal transactions; short-term rentals are against the law in L.A. If the city is going to legalize home sharing and allow this new branch of the hospitality industry to grow bringing great financial benefits to Airbnb and other booking websites then these companies must recognize and embrace their role in carrying out the new regulations. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook Until the collapse of the Berlin Wall, most Americans assumed the Cold War would be a permanent fixture of the geopolitical landscape. From Harry Truman onward, every president explained that the confrontation with Soviet communism was generational in scope. In his inaugural address, John F. Kennedy pledged to bear the burden of a long twilight struggle, year in and year out. When Ronald Reagan said that his strategy on the Cold War was we win, they lose, he upset four decades of bipartisan resignation to Soviet hegemony. What most shocked the foreign policy establishment about Reagan was not his militant disdain for the Soviet Union but his sincere conviction that it could actually be defeated. Over a quarter-century after the Soviet Unions collapse, we consider that momentous event as having been inevitable. It was not. Many factors contributed to Western victory: a massive military build-up, the resolve of multilateral alliances like NATO, support for third world anti-communist insurgencies, unrelenting dedication to the intellectual cause of human liberty, and the internal weaknesses of communism itself. All these components pertain to the war against the enemy that attacked the United States on Sept. 11 and continues to wreak havoc everywhere from Istanbul to Raqqa to Paris: Islamist radicalism. Armed support for allies, diplomatic cooperation, gathering human intelligence, and vigorous contestation in the battle of ideas are as much a part of our long, twilight struggle against Islamic supremacism as they were tools in the fight against revolutionary Marxist-Leninism. Whats missing today, however, is acknowledgement from the leader of the free world that this war is ongoing, never mind likely to continue for generations. Advertisement Elected to office as an anti-war president, Barack Obama seemed to believe that he could wrap up the war on terrorism within two terms. His 2013 speech to the National Defense University was an echo of his predecessors ill-timed appearance under a Mission Accomplished banner. At NDU, the president declared that Osama bin Laden is dead, and so are most of his top lieutenants, adding that there have been no large-scale attacks on the United States, and our homeland is more secure. Less than a year after he delivered this premature coda, however, Islamic State came into being, and no serious analyst can say that America or its allies are safer than they were in 2008 when Obama came to office. Islamic State is a far more sophisticated foe than the Afghan Taliban, whose control of territory in the years leading up to Sept. 11, 2001, provided Al Qaeda with the logistical means to carry out its deadly assault. A series of Islamic State-planned or -inspired terrorist attacks on Western targets, of which the massacre in Orlando is the latest, indicates that as long as Islamic State is a going concern it constitutes a threat to America and its allies. Obamas complacency regarding radical Islam ... explains his failed foreign policies. For the president and his supporters, things werent supposed to work out this way. Reducing the American footprint in the Middle East, combined with the very presence in office of a man who grew up in Muslim Indonesia, was supposed to set aright all the damage wrought by George W. Bush. Obama declared the end of the Iraq war in 2011, by which he really meant the end of Americas military presence. The tide of war is receding, the president declared. Except it didnt recede. It just continued without us. Obamas complacency regarding radical Islam his failure to see its utter defeat as a necessary and decade-spanning task explains his failed foreign policies. Because he believed this menace would wither on the vine (helped along by a few drone strikes and conciliatory speeches to Muslim audiences), Obama shrank the defense budget, hastily pulled our troops out of Iraq (where a small contingent should have remained as a stabilizing force as they still do in Germany and South Korea, 70 years after conflicts in those countries were decisively won), and sat on the sidelines as Syria descended into hell. Obamas obsessive focus on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which has remained irresolvable for nearly seven decades without negatively affecting the regions broader political stability, indicates a naive belief that the lack of a 23rd Arab state, and not the breakdown of the Middle Eastern state-structure into sectarian bloodletting, is the root cause of the Islamic worlds problems. Obamas conviction that we are fighting just a few bad apples and not a world-encompassing, theologically-motivated enemy claiming millions of adherents, also illuminates the controversy du jour: his terminological reticence in uttering radical Islam. For to do that would implicitly acknowledge the gravity of the threat, inherently connected to the religion of Islam. This war, like all wars, must end, Obama declared in 2013. It should not surprise us that a president who places so much stock in the power of his own voice would fail to understand that saying something doesnt make it so. James Kirchick is filling in for Doyle McManus. He is a fellow with the Foreign Policy Initiative. Follow him on Twitter @jkirchick. Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion or Facebook The news Tuesday that Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant the last nuke in the state -- will close for good in 2025 puts an ending on this short and contentious chapter of Californias history. Pacific Gas & Electric Co. said Tuesday that it has worked out a deal with environmental groups to let the operating licenses for Diablo Canyons two units expire and decommission the plant just 40 years after it opened. The utility says it will start planning now to balance the lost power with other renewable sources, like solar and wind, and expand storage capacity. Its a significant moment for Californians of a certain age cough, cough brought up in the No Nukes culture of the 1970s and 1980. At the time, many people were deeply suspicious of nuclear power, and hating Diablo Canyon (what an appropriate name, right?) was a thing long before the plant actually opened. Especially in my house, down the highway from the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station in San Diego County. As a kid I even spent some extremely dull days lounging in the Diablo Canyon blockade camp near San Luis Obispo while my activist mother and other adults did their blockading thing to try and stop the plant from opening. Obviously, it didnt work. Advertisement That a terrible accident would happen seemed a given, what with all the earthquake faults running through the state. If not that, then surely someone would push the wrong button or fall asleep on the job. These werent unfounded fears. The accident at Pennsylvanias Three Mile Island in 1979 and another one at Chernobyl in 1986 provided real-life scenarios for disaster. And movies such as Silkwood and The China Syndrome didnt help the collective distrust of nuclear power. Imagine how terrifying it was for a kid already overly concerned with nuclear war to contemplate the possibility of a meltdown so severe it would burrow through the Earths core and come out the other side. None of those things happened in about a half-century of using nuclear power, and for that we are most fortunate. Nevertheless, the tide of popular opinion never shifted in favor of nukes. And after the unplanned 2013 shutdown of San Onofre, the decision in 2010 to end once-through cooling at coastal power plants, including Diablo Canyon, and the accident in Fukushima Daiichi plant after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, it seemed inevitable this day would come. So victory, right? Its a little more complicated now that climate change is a bigger threat. People rally in front of the San Luis Obispo County government building in support of the Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant in San Luis Obispo on March 17, 2016. (David Middlecamp/The Tribune of San Luis Obispo via Associated Press ) A contingent of the environmental advocates who support nuclear power is protesting the shutdown of the Diablo Canyon. The advocates said Tuesday they will fight the closure at every step along the regulatory process because they believe that theres no way PG&E can replace the power from nuclear without using fossil fuels. Diablo Canyon accounts for about 20% of PG&Es power portfolio. If so, it would set the state way back on its climate change goals. A bigger worry is the message this would send to the nations remaining nuclear generating stations. Are we letting our fears over nuclear power get in the way of the greater environmental good? Thats a valid question. Its one that lawmakers and regulators must ponder as they contemplate the Diablo Canyon shutdown proposal, lest we trade abstract fear about nuclear winter for the clear and present danger of climate change. mariel.garza@latimes.com Follow me @marielgarzaLAT With a little more than three weeks before Donald J. Trump takes a confetti shower as he accepts the presidential nomination at the Republican National Convention, this is the state of his campaign: -- The campaign manager who helped shepherd his unlikely rise has been sacked. -- Trump has, politically speaking, pennies in a jar compared to the cash his presumptive Democratic opponent Hillary Clinton has raised, and seems to have squandered what should have been a prime window of opportunity in which to reach potential donors. Advertisement -- A lot of the money he has raised has gone to Trump businesses, which, as the Associated Press put it, gives already reluctant donors a fresh batch of reasons to withhold their money. -- Trump remains at odds with party leaders who fear his presence on the ticket will be toxic for Senate and congressional candidates in close races. -- Civil lawsuits by students alleging they were defrauded by Trump University are still bubbling, though unlikely to reach trial until after the election. -- That he refuses to release his tax returns remains a problem among voters who wonder if hes hiding something. -- To win a presidential election takes state-level organizing, of which the Trump campaign has done relatively little. -- Some pledged delegates to the convention seek a rules change that will allow them to not vote for Trump on the first ballot as an act of conscience, which could deny him the nomination and spark a contested convention (though the odds of that are long). But dont start dancing on Trumps political grave just yet. His path to the White House has more than a few barriers, but who wins will likely hinge on whether voters in the crucial swing states dislike him more than they dislike Clinton. Or, conversely, fear a Trump administration more than another Clinton one. And who knows what voters moods will be like after the next four months of Crooked Hillary sneers and various conspiracy theories Trump flirts with, and the expected scorched-earth approach by Clinton and her supporters. Yet right now Trump doesnt have the money to mount an effective campaign at any level. His strategy so far has been to spew obnoxious ideas, mock his rivals, and ride the national media coverage. To keep getting free coverage hell need to keep making news, which in Trumps case often involves outrageousness a double-edged sword. Scott.Martelle@LATimes.com Follow my posts and re-tweets at @smartelle on Twitter MORE FROM OPINION Donald Trumps campaign doesnt have enough money for a three-bedroom in Santa Monica, let alone a presidential race Can Brazil protect the Olympic Games and its own citizens? Obama wont admit it, but the fight against Islamist radicalism will last generations To the editor: We can debate concealed carry, preventing people on the no-fly list from buying guns or the National Rifle Assn. But it seems more important for us to revisit the 2nd Amendment in light of recent American experience. (Senate votes down proposal to bar gun sales to terrorism suspects, June 20) About 30,000 people have been killed with guns in the United States every year since gun death records have been kept. Additionally, those states with greater gun ownership and more liberal gun laws have higher rates of gun death. Mass killings are on the rise, and we have just now experienced another such event at the hands of a homegrown terrorist. Is the 2nd Amendment worth the equivalent of 10 Sept. 11 attacks per year? Do we want continual mass shootings? Obviously, the answer is no. Therefore, we must convince Congress and other elected leaders that we need to change the 2nd Amendment or add another one that will finally allow us to address the killings of so many Americans. Advertisement Dale Huss, Pacific Palisades .. To the editor: I appreciate that Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) brought focus to the issue of gun control. But everyone knew before that vote happened how it would end. There were two competing proposals per party up for vote. Both sides drafted proposals that would give them a narrative for the general election talking points. Thats all. As long as the NRA exists in its current form, there is nothing inside the box that can be done that will change things aside from winning control of everything legislative. Jesse Albert, Los Angeles .. To the editor: In response to the Orlando, Fla., night club massacre, Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton proposes 2nd Amendment intrusions for persons (who could easily be U.S. citizens) whose names appear on terrorist watch lists. Any first-year law student would see that this would be on a direct collision course with the U.S. Constitution. Of course, Clintons principal opponent, likely Republican nominee Donald Trump, would create even grander encroachments on all the enumerated benefits of the Bill of Rights. So this election cycle is offering me a choice between a constitutional ignoramus and a neofascist. I consider neither qualified for the presidency. My only option is to vote for a third-party candidate. Patrick Sullivan, Reseda .. To the editor: When the Senate took no action on gun reform after the slaughter of 20 children and six teachers at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012, you knew that any chance for meaningful change was over. Since then weve experienced mass shootings in Washington, Ft. Hood, Isla Vista, Charleston, Chattanooga, Roseburg, Colorado Springs, San Bernardino and Orlando. No wonder Americans are fed up with politicians who talk, posture and debate but at the end of the day do nothing. John Snyder, Eagle Rock Follow the Opinion section on Twitter @latimesopinion and Facebook MORE FROM OPINION Brexit would be a disaster for Britain Can Brazil protect the Olympic Games and its own citizens? Obama wont admit it, but the fight against Islamist radicalism will last generations Sen. Marco Rubio announced Wednesday that he will seek reelection to the Senate, a risky political move and a reversal from his previous vow to return to private life following a failed White House bid. Rubios about-face launches a high-stakes gamble for the charismatic young Republican. If he wins a second term, he could help Republicans in their uphill struggle to keep control of the Senate this fall. But an embarrassing defeat would brand him as a two-time loser, potentially damaging his future presidential prospects. For the record: This story originally reported that Rubio ended his presidential campaign in April. He ended it in March. In a statement released Wednesday, Rubio, 45, said his decision was motivated by a concern that neither a Hillary Clinton nor a Donald Trump administration would be able to adequately handle the challenges ahead, including such issues as terrorism and a slowing economy. Advertisement No matter who is elected president, there is reason for worry. With Hillary Clinton, we would have four more years of the same failed economic policies that have left us with a stagnant economy, Rubio said. But he also called the prospect of a Trump presidency worrisome. It is no secret that I have significant disagreements with Donald Trump. His positions on many key issues are still unknown. And some of his statements, especially about women and minorities, I find not just offensive but unacceptable. If he is elected, we will need senators willing to encourage him in the right direction, and if necessary, stand up to him. Ive proven a willingness to do both. Rubio faced considerable pressure to run. Florida will be a key swing state this fall. With Clinton polling strong against Trump, Democrats saw a prime opportunity to pick up the Sunshine States Senate seat, particularly after Rubios initial decision to retire. With Rubio back in the race, Democratic chances of winning the seat are narrower, but the road ahead is not guaranteed for Rubio, either. He still must clear a crowded Republican primary field, which could be difficult at a time when voters prefer outsider candidates. His decision just days before the Friday candidate filing deadline left some Republican rivals fuming. Millionaire businessman Carlos Beruff has vowed to dip into his own wealth beyond the nearly $4 million hes already spent to prevent Rubio from winning the Aug. 30 primary. But Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera, a longtime Rubio ally who was counting on the senator to headline a fundraiser Friday, suspended his campaign after Rubio joined the race. Democrats say they relish the opportunity to try to topple Rubio, dismissing him as an opportunist who cited the Orlando, Fla., shooting as one of the reasons for his decision to try to stay in office. He is cravenly using the deadliest mass shooting in American history as the springboard to go back on his word and further his political career, said Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Communications Director Sadie Weiner. But Democrats face their own primary battle between the partys preferred candidate, Rep. Patrick Murphy, and the more progressive Rep. Alan Grayson, who faces ethics complaints. I have only said like 10000 times I will be a private citizen in January. Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) May 17, 2016 After ending his presidential campaign in March, Rubio repeatedly said he was returning to private life. I have only said like 10000 times I will be a private citizen in January, he tweeted in May. But GOP leaders had other ideas, particularly after Trump became the Republican Partys presumed presidential nominee. GOP leaders have been increasingly worried that Trumps polarizing campaign will hurt down-ballot candidates, endangering Republicans Senate majority. With several lesser-known Republicans vying for Rubios seat, none was gaining traction the way officials believe Rubio could. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky personally warned that keeping Florida was crucial not just for the Senate majority, but to Rubios own future White House aspirations. GOP senators and donors piled on. And even Trump, who disparaged Little Marco on the campaign trail, recently tweeted, Run Marco! Theres so much pressure on him to get back in, said Nick Iarossi, a Tallahassee, Fla.-based Republican fundraiser. Hes really agonized about it. But Rubio faces new challenges that have dimmed his once-rising-star status. The first-term Republicans popularity suffered from his failed presidential run. During the campaign, he unapologetically skipped Senate votes and aired his frustration with the slow-moving Congress though he has since argued that reports of his displeasure with Washington were overblown. I never said I hated the Senate, Rubio said when returning to work in April. I enjoy being a senator, but I really believed the best place for me to contribute was as a president. In attempting to stand up to Trumps personal attacks during the bitter primary, Rubio brought presidential politics to a new low by making a negative reference about the size of Trumps penis. He later apologized for the remark. Rubios campaign war chest is also diminished, though fundraising is expected to start up quickly and super PAC donors can fuel his reelection bid. Another loss in 2016 would certainly be a setback to a future White House bid, which many expect Rubio will pursue in 2020. But it is a risk Rubio appears willing to take. Hes a political creature, said GOP strategist David Johnson, a former state party official and ally of former presidential candidate Jeb Bush. People who are born that way theyre born to run like greyhounds they have to run. lisa.mascaro@latimes.com Twitter: @LisaMascaro MORE POLITICS NEWS: California tribes give U.S. Senate race the cold shoulder Still no Obamacare alternative from House Republicans, five years on Faith-based colleges say anti-discrimination bill would infringe on their religious freedom UPDATES: 11:10 a.m.: This article was updated with additional comments from Marco Rubio. 8:20 a.m.: This article was updated with Marco Rubios statement officially announcing his reelection bid. This article was originally published at 7:29 a.m. As millions of people were losing their homes in the depth of the recession, instructors at Trump University were urging students to seek out anxious or desperate sellers to reap a financial windfall, according to recently released documents in the federal class-action lawsuit against presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump. The now-defunct for-profit real-estate school, founded by Trump and two associates in 2004, offered workshops on how to take advantage of the foreclosure crisis in some of the hardest hit states, including California. In a 2008 slide aimed at persuading potential students to sign up for a three-day, $1,495 workshop, Trump is pictured alongside a quote: Ive always made a FORTUNE in FORECLOSURES, and YOU WILL TOO. The timing will never be better than NOW! My recommendation is that you attend our retreat. ENROLL TODAY! Advertisement That year, more than 2.3 million foreclosures were filed across the nation, including more than a half-million in California, said Daren Blomquist, a senior vice president at RealtyTrac, a housing data firm. It was the height of the foreclosure market. Trump was certainly not alone among investors who sought to make a profit by purchasing foreclosed or distressed properties at a deep discount. These investments helped the housing market eventually rebound, Blomquist said. See the most-read stories in National News this hour >> But what is routine in business can be controversial in politics, as seen in Democrats successful 2012 effort to brand that years GOP nominee, Mitt Romney, as a heartless corporate vulture. In a similar move, Democrats seized upon Trump Universitys focus on foreclosures as an example of Trumps willingness to profit on Americans suffering. Its really offensive, said state Controller Betty Yee, who has endorsed presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton. Hes looking at really taking advantage of vulnerable communities to line the pockets of the wealthy. The Trump campaign did not respond to a request for comment. In May, when Clinton castigated him for comments he made in 2006 and 2007 about the opportunities to make money if the housing market collapsed, Trump countered by saying that he was a businessman. I have made a lot of money in down markets. In some cases, as much as Ive made when markets are good. Frankly, this is the kind of thinking our country needs, understanding how to get a good result out of a very bad and sad situation, he said. Politicians have no idea how to do this they dont have a clue. The revelations about Trump Universitys focus on foreclosures are found in documents that were unsealed in late May by U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel in San Diego. They are part of the exhibits in a fraud trial that is scheduled to begin after the November election. The fraud allegations have already been raised by Trumps GOP rivals in the Republican primary and by Clinton, as recently as Tuesday. The San Diego lawsuit one of three pending against Trump involving the university was most recently in campaign news because Trump repeatedly said that Curiel could not oversee a fair trial because of his Mexican heritage. The remarks drew widespread condemnation from both sides of the aisle. The hundreds of pages of documents include advertisements, speaker scripts and slide shows for a free introductory workshop designed to enroll students in longer classes and memberships that started at $1,495 and topped out at $35,000. A 2009 newspaper ad for introductory Trump University classes in Monterey, San Jose and Fremont urged prospective California students to Cash in on the Greatest Property Liquidation in History! This was during the peak of the housing crisis, with 2.8 million foreclosures filed across the nation. Some of the ads targeted the hardest-hit states. In addition to California, Trump University ran similar ads in Florida and Nevada, both of which are battleground states where Democrats will likely raise the matter in the general election. Its certainly not out of the question that we would want to make sure people knew this guy was taking advantage of people losing their homes, or taking advantage of people who thought they could get rich quick because of the housing market crash, said Justin Barasky, spokesman for Priorities USA Action, a pro-Clinton super PAC that has $47 million in the bank and commitments for another $45 million to take on Trump. When pitching the Fast Track to Foreclose Investing system and a proprietary Trumps Foreclosure DealSource software to prospective students, speakers described the mortgage meltdown as a historic opportunity to make money. One compared it to The Perfect Storm, a 2000 movie about a commercial fishing boat that sank after being confronted by two storm fronts and a hurricane off Massachusetts. Well the same thing has happened in the housing industry and thats an incredible opportunity for us, according to a speaker script. Everything is coming together in a perfect storm that may swamp some folks, but if you are properly trained and supported you can prosper. Investors were advised to target distressed home sellers by looking for keywords in newspaper ads, such as anxious owner and seller desperate. Students were told they could save underwater homeowners credit, possibly through a short sale. A slide featuring Trumps picture included a quote: There is no reason why an investor cant make money and help people at the same time. seema.mehta@latimes.com For the latest on national and California politics, follow @LATSeema on Twitter. MORE NATIONAL NEWS The Dreamers Obama spared from deportation: What are they dreaming about? Still no Obamacare alternative from House Republicans, five years on Marco Rubio launches Senate reelection bid, says hell rein in Clinton, Trump Im Christina Bellantoni. This is Essential Politics. Lets get started. The past week has found some good news for fans of Sen. Bernie Sanders, as California elections officials make their way through hundreds of thousands of uncounted ballots but not enough to change the outcome of election night. As of Tuesday night, there were about 784,000 ballots left to process from the June 7 primary. And over the course of the last week, the Hillary Clinton lead has narrowed slightly, now at about nine percentage points statewide. Advertisement While state law allows the vote count to last through early July, the current review rate could mean things are wrapped up by the middle of next week. In fact, 11 of Californias 58 counties already have finished processing their ballots. CLINTON: HAMILTON WOULD BE ROLLING IN HIS GRAVE With the primary behind her and racing toward the general election, Clinton warned in a speech Tuesday that Donald Trumps business record disqualified him from overseeing the nations economy. She argued his policies and temperament risked sending the U.S. into a recession and setting off a global panic. Saying Alexander Hamilton would be rolling in his grave, Clinton repeatedly used Trumps words and the few policy details hes offered as a weapon against him. Trump on Tuesday also questioned Clintons faith, even though she has talked about her Methodist religion for years. For the latest about the campaign, keep an eye on Trail Guide and follow @latimespolitics. TRIBES TEPID ON SENATE RACE Californias Native American tribes are usually high rollers when it comes to contributing to political campaigns, but thats not the case in the U.S. Senate race. Phil Willon reports that a number of tribes that operate lucrative casinos have avoided the race altogether, even though theyve been generous to other federal candidates and political parties. Some Native American leaders arent too happy with the record of Democratic Atty. Gen. Kamala Harris on tribal issues, especially those related to gaming. And her Democratic rival in the November election, Rep. Loretta Sanchez, didnt do herself any favors with her Native American war cry gaffe in 2015. CALL TO ACTION AT POT CONFERENCE 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. Patrick McGreevy reports from Oakland that Newsom also 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 sponsored by the National Cannabis Industry Assn. Newsom said current drug policies constitute a war on the poor, on folks of color, and its got to end. We will continue to track the measures on the Nov. 8 ballot on our Essential Politics news feed. BUYERS REMORSE? Two of Trumps most high-profile supporters in Congress have a case of buyers remorse, writes Joshua Stewart of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Vista) said hed like to redo the entire primary process without Trump as a candidate. Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Alpine), one of the first members of the House to back Trump, warned of an attempt to block Trump as the Republican Partys presidential nominee and of potential violence at the GOP national convention in July. Issa, blaming President Obama for voter frustration, said Sanders and Trump found a socialist versus an egotist on primary ballots, and Neither one of them were particularly people who should have been so far up. MORE ON THE CLINTON FUNDRAISERS We told you yesterday about the fundraiser at tech mogul Sean Parkers home next week. Among the co-hosts is Ron Conway, an angel investor who was an early Napster funder. Given Donald Trumps stand on trade, immigration, gun safety, etc., the tech community MUST make a big showing for Seans event given his leadership in the tech community and philanthropy, Conway wrote in an invitation to his network obtained by The Times. CONGRESSIONAL BASEBALL GAME Rep. Linda Sanchez will again be the only female player in the annual Congressional Baseball Game on Thursday night between Democrats and Republicans. The Whittier Democrat was one of the Democrats most valuable players last year. Sarah Wire reports that Sanchez is just one of the handful of California members who will suit up in jerseys of their local teams Thursday night as Republicans try to end Democrats winning streak. Democrats have won the last seven games of the annual Washington charity tradition at Nationals Park. The event, sponsored by the Capitol Hill newspaper Roll Call, draws Hill staffers, lobbyists, other members of Congress and, last year, even President Obama. (Dont miss the photos in the story.) TODAYS ESSENTIALS A jury has convicted Pennsylvania Rep. Chaka Fattah on trial in a racketeering case that centered on various efforts to repay an illegal $1-million campaign loan. The Democrat was found guilty Tuesday of racketeering, fraud, money laundering and other counts. His lawyers had argued that the schemes were engineered without Fattahs knowledge by two political consultants who pleaded guilty in the case. The fight among California Democrats over Uber and Lyft regulations was laid bare during a Senate committee hearing Tuesday. A bill that would ease rules on the industry advanced. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs will have to look at whether its suicide prevention programs are meeting female veterans needs under a California-led bill that passed the House on Tuesday. San Bernardino County and the city of Ontario could reclaim control of Ontario International Airport soon under legislation that passed the House by a voice vote Tuesday afternoon. The legislation allows some of the $2-per-passenger facility charge collected at the Ontario airport to be used to reimburse Los Angeles International Airport. The reimbursement is required under a deal between the owners of the two airports that would give local control back to the Inland Empire. Several California House members are asking how the military plans to stop using live animals in medical combat-trauma training, as it has said it will. The Los Angeles City Ethics Commission fined a former City Council candidate nearly $16,000 for failing to pay for campaign services that exceeded city limits on donations, as well as other violations. At the same meeting, commissioners also fined former Mayor Richard J. Riordan for neglecting to include key wording on election emails backing candidates for the Los Angeles Unified school board. Check out our interactive Electoral College map. LOGISTICS Im headed out for a short vacation and will be back July 5 with your regular edition of Essential Politics. Sacramento bureau chief John Myers will take things from here. 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. Jokes about Donald Trump and his border wall are now routine late-night TV and comedy sketch material. So when a startup Southern California company wanted to gin up some attention for its 360-degree camera, the premise for the commercial was obvious: Theres President Trump unveiling a giant wall on the border of Mexico, and when a camera pulls back, there are mariachis and churro vendors tunneling under it into America. Get a broader perspective, the motto reads. But television executives have declined to air the spot because they are worried about political neutrality and reinforcing stereotypes, says Peter Adderton, chief executive of 360fly. Standards and practices staff for two networks said they didnt know about the spot and declined to elaborate. Industry sources who declined to be named pointedly said small companies have been known to try to get headlines with similar claims and no proof. Others suggested there is a fine line between a commercial for a product and political advertising less than five months before an election. Advertisement Election 2016 | Campaign coverage on Trail Guide | Sign up for the newsletter A source with the team helping 360fly with marketing told The Times the networks had intoned they want to remain politically neutral and dont want to be seen as poking fun at an ethnic group. A company source declined to provide the documentation showing the spot was rejected, saying it was legally protected by nondisclosure agreements with the networks. A similar message came from the networks. Its our policy not to comment on specific spots, but all spots are reviewed to ensure that they meet the standards and expectations of our local viewing audience, said Mike Nelson, a KCBS-TV spokesman. Another network told The Times there was no record of 360fly in its system, and its standards and practices staff doesnt recall seeing an ad that matches this one. Adderton said Fox would broadcast the spot which he insists is parody and satire, and not anti-Trump this week. After this story was published, Marc Altieri of The Brand Amp marketing team said 360fly decided against airing on a local Fox channel and Fox News Channel. Instead, he said, the video would air online with the Onion, Complex and Funny or Die. We didnt take a political side, Adderton said, noting the commercial also depicts Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders welcoming and helping the border violators as they arrive on U.S. soil. Our point is a positive point. Adderton, a native of Sydney, Australia, who has lived in the U.S. for 15 years but cant vote here, says his commercial is a commentary on the dynamic hes observed in American politics. I talk to Republicans and Democrats and independents, and everyone has got a singular point of view and is not willing to look at others point of view, he told The Times. But there are multiple sides, which needs a 360 approach. (Get it?) He said he is politically conservative, votes with Australias conservative Liberal Party, and considers himself aligned with Republicans here. Like everybody else, I am quite confused at the moment, he says of Trump. The chief executive said focus groups of Republicans, Democrats and Latinos overwhelmingly loved the spot and had a little bit of a laugh. Hes not shy about admitting his ultimate goal is to sell his cameras, which retail for less than $500. We want to get our name out there and our brand out there and this is how were trying to do it. christina.bellantoni@latimes.com Twitter: @cbellantoni ALSO: Want to have dinner with Donald Trump? It will cost $25,000 (or more) West Hollywood Mayor to Trump: Stay out 360-degree camera makers are focusing on the consumer market Updates on California politics Live coverage from the campaign trail UPDATES: 1:30 p.m.: This article was updated to clarify that documentation from the networks about the spot is protected by a nondisclosure agreement. 9:40 a.m.: This article was updated with details about where the spot would air. This article was originally published at 9:21 a.m. News / National by Stephen Jakes Mthwakazi LIberation Front has warned the people of Mthwakazi to never allow being misled by the Zimbabwean ruling party Zanu PF as the party has totally failed to implement their interests.In a statement MLF spokesperson for Bulawayo Ndabezinhle Fuyane said people from Mthwakazi region should desist from being led astray by the circumstances of the situation in the country."This comes from the analysis that any political party that need to advance its political mileage should cast their political nets in the region in a bid to gain support," Fuyane said."People should learn from their previous mistakes which saw political parties like Zanu PF using local people to gain their political mileage but get dumped afterwards. MDC-T came in the the name of exposing Gukurahundi perpetrators but has hidden agenda. Now ZimPF to mention but the few."Fuyane said Mthwakazians need to stand their ground in defending their heritage and ubuntu by not allowing such exploitation taking place."We are sick and tired of such exploitation taking place ion the pretext of purportedly exposing Gukurahundi perpetrators which some are even part of. It is allowed that people should support parties of their choice, but at the same time bearing in mind the future and objectives of that certain political party," he said." It is our plea to the people of Mthwakazi to revisit their historical background and have their actions revised. Let us not allow the same things happening again and again. We are loosing value,our cultural values dwindling and we end up loosing focus to our objectives as a recognized people," Fuyane said."Let's stand together and support each other as we have always stood in some instances that have seen the Mthwakazians sailing through. It is our mandate to build up 'ubuzwe bethu' as a state. We have the local supportive and powerful chiefs who can lead us through this painful oppression, who value our cultural objectives and our cultural background but falling short of support.""Let us not be taken by storm from other groups whose only cause is to gain their political mileage through local people and at the end they throw us away and forget about our cause. Alluta continua Mthwakazi kaNdaba!!!" he said. Two of Donald Trumps most high-profile supporters in Congress have a case of buyers remorse. Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Vista) said hed like to redo the entire primary process without Trump as a candidate. Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Alpine), one of the first members of the House to back Trump, warned of an attempt to block Trump as the Republican Partys presidential nominee and of potential violence at the GOP national convention in July. Issa blamed President Obama, in part, for the Trump phenomenon. Advertisement Donald Trump got this job because this president has been so polarizing, Issa said Monday at the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce annual congressional luncheon. Now thats not a good reason for the voters to have passed over experienced governors and senators candidates who in another climate likely would have been thought of much more on what they said they were going to do and their resumes. Neither Trump nor Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders should have done as well as they did in the primaries, but frustration with the Obama administration fueled their candidacies, Issa said. Its a socialist versus an egotist. Neither one of them were particularly people who should have been so far up, he said. Issa added that the presumptive Democratic nominee, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, also fails her partys voters because of the investigation of her use of a private email server while leading the State Department. This is a very unusual year. I would love to redo the deck and start over and see who we would pick if we say, You can have those, you have to pick someone experienced, said Issa, who initially backed Florida Sen. Marco Rubio for the GOP presidential nomination. Hunter, despite being a Trump delegate, reiterated that he wont go to his partys convention in Cleveland next month. I think its going to be mayhem and riots and hooligans and thugs and police forces. And thats just the actual convention, Hunter said at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront. He said he expects there to be some sort of political battle to change procedures or rules to block Trumps path to the nomination. I think its going to be a madhouse, really, Hunter said. Hunter and Rep. Chris Collins ( R-N.Y.) were the first two representatives to endorse Trump and subsequently became the candidates intermediaries to the House in an attempt to build rapport and support with members. Last week, the Washington Post reported that Hunter said he didnt always agree with Trump and couldnt explain some of Trumps conflicting policy stances. Yeah, its not my job to answer for Donald Trump, Hunter said as he spoke with a gaggle of reporters in Washington. Really. Im not even a surrogate. Im just an endorser. Rep. Susan A. Davis (D-San Diego) said the political climate during the primary season indicated that people were not satisfied with how Washington works. What we really want is a president who can help make government function again, said Davis, a Clinton supporter. Davis and Rep. Scott Peters (D-San Diego), who also backs Clinton, said they expect their candidate to be elected president. Whoever the president is -- I guess the betting money is on Secretary Clinton -- I hope they take the opportunity to recognize that people are frustrated with a D.C. that is not working together, Peters said. Neither Hunter nor Issa made any statement at the luncheon indicating that they believe Trump will win Novembers election. Rep. Juan Vargas (D-San Diego), the fifth member of San Diego Countys House delegation, was not at the event. ALSO Man at Vegas rally said he wanted to kill Trump, authorities say As ballots are counted, Hillary Clintons California lead shrinks Sanders delegates in California cling to their dream, unfazed by math Gun-control advocates in the U.S. often point to Australia as proof that Americans would be safer with a ban on semiautomatic weapons. In the land down under, there has been a total of zero mass shootings since rapid-fire guns were outlawed in the 1990s. But a new analysis of crime in Australia stops short of giving gun-control laws the credit for this remarkable run. The reason: Although homicides involving guns have declined over the past 20 years, homicides committed without firearms have dropped even more. Because of this, it is not possible to determine whether the change in firearm deaths can be attributed to gun law reforms, researchers concluded in a study published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Medical Assn. Advertisement Rapid-fire guns were banned throughout Australia after an event known as the Port Arthur massacre, a mass shooting left 35 people dead and 19 wounded. The shocking rampage, in a quiet town in southeastern Tasmania, prompted lawmakers to enact the National Firearms Agreement. The centerpiece of the NFA is a set of strict prohibitions on rapid-fire rifles and shotguns. Other parts of the agreement require gun buyers to demonstrate a genuine need for a weapon, pass a gun safety test, wait at least 28 days for the purchase to go through and then register their firearm, among many other conditions. The Australian government also sponsored two gun buyback programs that resulted in the destruction of at least 728,667 weapons. A trio of researchers wanted to know whether those efforts succeeded in reducing firearms-related deaths in the country and if so, whether the reduction in shootings was offset by additional homicides committed by other means. The researchers, from the University of Sydneys School of Public Health and the psychology department at Macquarie University in Sydney, analyzed information from Australias National Injury Surveillance Unit. The data included information on all deadly shootings in the country, with the exception of justified shootings by police. See the most-read stories in Science this hour In the 17 years before the Port Arthur massacre, there were 12 other mass shootings in Australia that left at least five people dead, not including the the shooter. Altogether, 104 victims died in these 13 events, along with eight of the shooters. All of those figures have dropped to zero in the 20 years since Port Arthur. But thats not enough to make a strong case for gun control. So the researchers examined other trends before and after the strict laws went into effect. Each year between 1979 and 1996, Australia had an average of 3.6 gun deaths (both homicides and suicides) per 100,000 people. After the NFA was passed, that rate dropped to an average of 1.2 gun deaths per 100,000 people. In both time periods, the total number of firearm-related deaths was on the decline. But the trend accelerated after gun control took effect, the researchers wrote. The researchers also found that passage of the NFA was associated with a steep drop in the overall homicide rate. Before Port Arthur, homicides involving weapons of any kind had been falling at a rate of 0.3% per year, on average. Afterward, they fell by 3.1% per year. There was no evidence that killers who couldnt get their hands on guns switched to other weapons instead, the team wrote. In addition, the suicide rate which had been rising by an average of 1% per year fell by 1.5% per year after the countrys gun laws changed. Without guns available to them, suicidal people were simply less successful in their attempts to end their lives, the researchers speculated. Overall, gun-related deaths fell faster after gun control than before it. But some of those gains might be due to factors that have nothing to do with guns. For instance, trauma doctors and surgeons have gotten better at treating gunshot victims. Theyre also getting treated more rapidly in the NFA era, thanks in part to the growing ubiquity of cellphones, the researchers wrote. Put it all together and the researchers couldnt say with certainty that Australias stricter gun laws were responsible for the drop in gun-related deaths. See more of our top stories on Facebook Indeed, connecting those dots was a tall order, according to Daniel Webster, director of the Center for Gun Policy and Research at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Since all of Australias states and territories adopted the NFA, theres no clear way to gauge what would have happened in the absence of the agreement. Still, the study offers convincing evidence that the new policies enacted in 1996 appear to have helped prevent future mass shootings, Webster wrote in an editorial that also appears in JAMA. A reasonable interpretation of the data is that Australias restrictions on guns enacted in 1996 likely spared the country from a significant number of fatal mass shootings. Webster called on Americans to take a cue from Australians and demand that their elected representatives adopt measures to prevent the loss of life and terror of gun violence. Last week, the American Medical Assn. declared gun violence a public health crisis in the U.S. and vowed to lobby Congress to clear the way for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to conduct research on gun violence. karen.kaplan@latimes.com Follow me on Twitter @LATkarenkaplan and like Los Angeles Times Science & Health on Facebook. MORE IN SCIENCE Americans diets improve, but ethnic and income gaps widen Could wear-and-tear on the love hormone gene make us less social? To make chocolate healthier and tastier, all you need is an electric beam An independent auditor is reviewing the Burbank Police Departments response to the discovery two years ago of derogatory emails forwarded by a top Burbank police official mocking Muslims, Latinos, blacks and women, city officials said this week. The Office of Independent Review Group hired in 2012 to provide ongoing oversight to the Burbank agency, which was reeling from allegations of police brutality, racism and sexual harassment will likely present its findings to the Burbank City Council this summer, according to the groups chief attorney Mike Gennaco. NEWSLETTER: Get the latest 818 headlines straight to your inbox >> Gennaco will also review and suggest ways to improve the agencys employee email audits, which in recent years excluded supervisors, including sergeants, lieutenants, captains, the deputy chief and police chief. An audit scheduled for this year is slated to include all ranks, with city officials eyeing Gennaco to review the emails of captains, the deputy chief and police chief. I need independence so that people believe it, because theres a lot of mistrust at this point, interim City Manager Ron Davis said Friday. It appears the former deputy chief ignored these annual notifications and continued to forward offensive, discriminatory emails. Burbank Police Officers Assn. board in letter to interim City Manager Ron Davis Tom Angel sent the emails in 2012 and 2013 when he was the No. 2 police official in Burbank, but they were first discovered in 2014 in response to records requests filed by a Los Angeles attorney on behalf of a client. After learning of the emails, the Leader obtained and published them last month. One email included the subject line, How dumb is dumb? and listed 20 reasons Muslim Terrorists are so quick to commit suicide, including Towels for hats, Constant wailing from some idiot in a tower and You cant wash off the smell of donkey. Another email ridiculed concerns about the racial profiling of Muslims as terrorism suspects. Police Chief Scott LaChasse provided Angel with verbal counseling in April 2014, and decided with then City Manager Mark Scott that no further action was required, according to a May 2 police department memo to Davis. When making his decision, LaChasse considered Angels 40-plus years of exceptional service, his commitment to hiring and promoting diverse candidates, and his involvement in expanding community academies to include classes for Spanish and Armenian speakers, as well as the hearing impaired, the memo stated. The response drew criticism from the Burbank Police Officers Assn. board of directors, which, in a letter to Davis, raised concerns that Angels emails werent properly investigated two years ago, as the offenses apparently were not reported to the management services director, nor to Gennaco. That supervisors were exempt from email audits including one in 2014 conducted after the discovery of Angels emails supports our concern the department and city policies do not apply to the administration, the board wrote. The city report maintains that LaChasses response to Angels emails was consistent with how he handled other email violations discovered during two separate email audits in 2012 and 2013 of civilians, officers and detectives. As a result of those two audits, nine employees five sworn officers and four civilians received verbal counseling. The contents of their emails were not available. After the audits, agency employees received reminders not to forward inappropriate emails to others, including friends outside the department. It appears the former deputy chief ignored these annual notifications and continued to forward offensive, discriminatory emails, the police union board wrote in the letter. Join the conversation on Facebook >> The unions letter also pointed to discipline including multiple days off and a demotion handed by Angel to employees in the communications center for similar policy violations around the time Angel sent the emails. When asked if those employees planned to challenge the discipline, Burbank City Employees Assn. President Pete Bova said, We are looking at our options and are in talks with our legal counsel in regards to the matter. Others are also seeking answers to lingering questions related to the emails. Under the city charter, the Burbank Police Commission can conduct hearings and investigations at the request of the Burbank City Council. At a meeting Wednesday, Commissioner David Diamond asked the council to invoke this power to allow the group to study the incident. The request came after the commission voted to table a general discussion on the departments email audit system in favor of a more thorough review later. This is an incident that calls for a specific review of something, Diamond said. The generalized does the public no good in this situation. In all but one case, the city redacted the names and addresses of Angels email correspondents, arguing that releasing private email addresses would amount to an invasion of privacy. Diamond said that the city had no grounds for the redactions and announced his intention to submit a records request for the unredacted versions. I dont think theres any privacy issues, Diamond said, though he wasnt optimistic that hed get the information. This gives the department and the city attorneys office time now to start preparing their no to me. -- Alene Tchekmedyian, alene.tchekmedyian@latimes.com Twitter: @atchek -- ALSO: L.A. man wanted in killing of pregnant girlfriend is now one of FBIs Ten Most Wanted Fugitives Suspect in alleged crime spree, including Burbank double-shooting, pleads not guilty Gunshot wounds killed man whose plastic-wrapped body was found near railroad, coroners office says During the next fiscal year, Burbank school officials expect to receive roughly $147.2 million in revenue, the vast majority of it from state officials who are sending about $2.9 billion into California schools starting July 1. By the end of June 2017, Burbank Unified expects to have spent about $145 million locally, said David Jaynes, assistant superintendent of Burbank Unified. He presented the school districts budget to the Burbank Unified School Board during a meeting last Thursday. Although the districts budget does not include any place holders for salary increases, approximately $4.4 million could be set aside to support employees compensation packages, Jaynes said. About 87% of Burbank Unifieds revenue goes to employees compensation, he added. Follow us on Facebook >> Currently, Burbank Unified receives $19.5 million in funds from Proposition 30, which voters passed in 2012. The proposition allocated increased sales and income tax revenues to K-12 schools and community colleges through the end of 2018. Burbanks Proposition 30 funds go to pay salaries of credentialed teachers, Jaynes added. An extension of Proposition 30, which would continue to tax individuals earning $250,000 or more per year, or families who earn more than $500,000, would place Burbank Unified in a better financial situation, according to Supt. Matt Hill. Overall, school officials didnt appear deterred by the current budget scenario, although they do project students average daily attendance to decrease, which is tied to declining enrollment. The figure is based on how many students show up for class and determines how much funding the district receives from the state. During the next school year, the average daily attendance number is expected to drop by 124 students to 14,657, Jaynes said. The districts total enrollment is projected to be 15,132, down from 15,268 who were enrolled during the last school year. Although not huge, we are in a declining enrollment stage, Jaynes said. Burbank Unified expects to receive $9,963 for every student it serves in grades kindergarten through third grade and $7,721 for each fourth-, fifth- and sixth-grade student. The per-pupil funding the district receives for seventh- and eighth-graders will be $7,951, while the figure tied to high school students will be $9,452. Another focus of the budget entails setting aside more funds than last year for deferred maintenance projects, a move advised by school board members. District officials will set aside $613,900 during the 2016-17 fiscal year for maintenance projects, up from $250,000 they earmarked last year. The figure will raise to $996,800 during 2017-18 and hold steady at that amount for the 2018-19 fiscal year. Board members plan to adopt the budget during their next meeting, scheduled for Thursday, said Larry Applebaum, board president. -- Kelly Corrigan, kelly.corrigan@latimes.com Twitter: @kellymcorrigan A Newport Beach man who fled the country and evaded authorities for years after he was accused of running a $3-million Ponzi scheme was convicted by an Orange County jury Wednesday. Thomas Franklin Tarbutton, 56, could face up to 34 years and four months in prison for dozens of felonies related to theft, forgery and fraud. He is scheduled to be sentenced by an Orange County Superior Court judge March 4. Between 2004 and 2010, Tarbutton was what is known as a hard money lender, according to the Orange County district attorneys office. Through Tarbuttons company, Villa Capital Inc., private investors could loan funds to borrowers who didnt want to go through the banking system. Tarbutton defrauded 11 of those investors who thought they were lending money for real estate mortgagees, according to prosecutors. Instead of funding those loans, Tarbutton would keep the money and show the investors fake or forged documents that showed they were lienholders on properties in Los Angeles and Orange counties, prosecutors said. To keep clients from finding out their investments were underperforming or the loans were never made in the first place Tarbutton would pay out small amounts he described as interest from the loans, when they were really money from the original investments, according to prosecutors. When the real estate market crashed, Tarbutton stopped making payments at all, according to the district attorneys office. Prosecutors said four investors reported suspicions of fraud in October 2010, and a year later, authorities charged Tarbutton and issued a $2 million warrant for his arrest. Tarbutton fled the country and began living in Brazil, according to authorities. In December 2014, Tarbutton flew to Panama, but when he tried to cross the border to Costa Rica, Panamanian authorities detained him on the warrant, prosecutors said. Tarbutton was returned to the United States three days later and the FBI took him into custody at Los Angeles International Airport, prosecutors said. Tarbutton pleaded not guilty to the charges but was ultimately convicted of 18 felony counts of grand theft, nine felony counts of forgery, 11 felony counts of using an untrue statement in the purchase or sale of a security, and one felony count of use of a device or scheme to defraud. The jury also found him guilty of sentencing enhancements for loss of over $100,000, property loss over $3.2 million and aggravated white collar crime of over $500,000. A proposed land swap designed to assuage neighborhood concerns while providing a state-run veterans cemetery was rejected this week by the Irvine City Council, which decided to stay with the previously approved site on 125 acres of the Orange County Great Park. The application is ready to go, Councilman Jeff Lalloway said after the councils 3-1 vote Tuesday. Why, at the 11th hour, if everybody believes in this project, would we want to put the brakes on now, stop and change course? Area developer FivePoint Communities had proposed to exchange a similar-size plot off the southwest corner of the park for the land currently designated for the cemetery. The idea was greeted with enthusiasm by local residents and a veterans group supporting the cemetery and was presented for council consideration by Councilwoman Christina Shea. I just believed this was a win-win for this city, Shea said. It dealt with all of the residents and their concerns. Approval of a Southern California veterans cemetery was a hard-fought battle won in July 2014, when the Irvine council designated the 125-acre portion of the northeast sector of the Great Park for the project. The site is on the former El Toro Marine Corps Air Station. Veterans groups celebrated the decision, while many affected property owners were incensed. In the nearly two years since, the cemetery has received ratification from the state Legislature and the signature of Gov. Jerry Brown. But property owners in the area vehemently objected to having a cemetery near their homes and the new Portola High School, which is opening this year. Many homeowners who are Asian immigrants observe the ancient Chinese philosophy of feng shui, a belief in harmony among nature, architecture and personal space in which burial grounds have a specific place and specifically not adjacent to dwellings or schools. Six months ago, FivePoint, which has partnered with the city on landholdings around the Great Park, proposed a solution. The developer offered to exchange the current site for property just off the 5 Freeway, near the interchange with the 405 Freeway. That land also is part of the former El Toro Marine base. Residents were pleased, and the veterans group agreed it was an even more preferable site because it offers easy access from both freeways and good visibility for motorists. In addition, the land has been used only for agriculture over several decades, meaning no demolition and little or no cleanup would be necessary. The Great Park property would require demolition of structures and old taxiways. Discussions took place over the winter to align the presentation, and a letter was drafted by FivePoint, which included the signature of veterans representative Bill Cook. The plan was presented to Shea, who placed it on Tuesdays council agenda. Shea proposed a 60-day period to discuss the swap. But no one offered a second to her motion. With a cemetery site already established and a pre-application deadline for a federal grant coming up July 1, city leaders were concerned that the entire process could be undone. Councilwoman Beth Krom expressed concern that the land-swap proposal was only recently presented after months of private discussion. That doesnt suggest to me that were dealing with a transparent process, a sound process, Krom said. And frankly, Im not willing to take that risk. Krom then offered a proposal to reaffirm the July 2014 vote in favor of the current 125-acre site. Lalloway seconded the motion and it passed by a 3-1 vote after Shea left the dais. Mayor Steven Choi cast the dissenting vote. I think its a foolish, foolish decision that theyre making, Shea said. I think its very shortsighted that we dont realize how great a proposal was brought forth. Gang Chen, a community organizer who is running for Irvine mayor this year, said: We are really, really disappointed that the City Council turned down this win-win-win solution. This land swap is good for everyone. They did not listen, said Cook, one of 50 people who addressed the council during public comments on the issue. What was discussed from the dais was unrelated to what we were actually asking. Many homeowners organized by Chen displayed signs reading Vote yes to swap. After the vote, they loudly began filing out of the meeting. The veterans contingent was mostly perplexed. We came away from that meeting, as veterans, with exactly what we walked into it with, Cook said. The constituent community walked into it full of hope and walked out with their hopes dashed. Cook vowed the fight for the other site isnt finished. Im a Marine; I dont expect easy jobs, Cook said. We attacked, we got rebuffed; you better watch your flanks were coming back. The coyote that bit a 3-year-old boy and his father outside their Irvine home last month has been trapped and killed, police said Wednesday. Professional trappers working with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife began looking for the coyote after the Oct. 14 attack in the Portola Springs neighborhood. The father was in the front yard of his home in the 70 block of Forbes when his son jumped on his back, authorities said at the time. The father thought the boy was playing until he felt a bite near his right buttocks. He then saw the coyote and realized it had attacked both him and his son. The coyote ran off before authorities arrived, but officials swabbed the bites so they could use DNA to identify the animal once it was caught. Irvine, and the Portola Springs neighborhood in particular, have endured a spate of coyote attacks recently. Humans were bitten five times from May to October, police said, and another person was scratched. Fish and Wildlife officials definitively connected the euthanized coyote to three of those bites, according to police, who said the animal likely was responsible for the other attacks as well. Fish and Wildlife officials who coordinated the trapping effort couldnt immediately be reached for comment Wednesday. Police said they will keep coordinating with the state agency on tactics to drive coyotes out of residential areas. Those methods have included shooting them with paintball guns. Jackson Lewis signs lease for Irvine office tower Workplace law firm Jackson Lewis has signed a lease for a new Irvine office. The firm will take up a 22,000-square-foot floor of 200 Spectrum Center Drive, Orange Countys tallest office building. The 21-story building is now more than 60% leased. With its central location, 200 Spectrum Center is ideally situated for serving our clients and recruiting and retaining the regions top lawyers, Samantha Hoffman, managing principal of Jackson Lewis Orange County office, said in a statement. Irvine company launches dating website An Irvine-based company has launched a new social dating and relationship website, WandM.com, for Southern California. The company says the site helps make online to offline dating faster, and can help plan dates. Lifeline Emergency acquired by Tunstall Tunstall Healthcare has acquired the assets of Irvine-based Lifeline Emergency Response Systems via its U.S. subsidiary, Tunstall Americas, according to a news release. The acquisition expands Tunstalls role in consolidating the fragmented medical alert market, the company stated. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Lifeline was founded in 2004. Keystone starts new investment bank Keystone Capital Markets, which has an Irvine office, recently formed an investment bank that offers merger and acquisition services. We are all excited to return to our independent, client-focused heritage, founding partner Allan Siposs said in a statement. There is a strong need in the middle market for high-caliber, senior-level advisory services that enhance value for clients. We have put together an experienced, successful team of investment bankers with strong contacts and the proven ability to execute transactions. Irvine church receives $100,000 grant OneWest Bank, a division of CIT Bank, gave a $100,000 grant to the COR Community Development Corp., a nonprofit of Christ Our Redeemer African Methodist Episcopal Church in Irvine. The grant will support CORs Innovation Fund, an entrepreneurial program targeting at-risk, low-income youth in Orange County. From staff reports MORE BUSINESS Biz News: Saint Laurent expands at South Coast Plaza New outdoor dining areas coming to 3 Corona del Mar restaurants Pimco plans layoffs as investors continue to pull out A boutique hotel that is slated to replace the former Newport Beach City Hall at the entrance to the Balboa Peninsula is heading back to the city Planning Commission on Thursday in an effort by the developer to expand parts of the project. The California Coastal Commission approved the four-story, 98,725-square-foot Lido House Hotel last year. The plan calls for 130 guestrooms, meeting and retail space, a spa, restaurants, a pool and recreation area and a rooftop bar. The City Council approved the plans in 2014, and in May the city began demolishing the old City Hall complex at Newport Boulevard and 32nd Street. The hotel is expected to be completed by summer 2017. RD Olson Development, which is building the hotel, now is asking the Planning Commission for permission to expand the planned lobby, hotel management office, spa and restaurant and retail area. The developer also is seeking permission to enlarge two guestrooms on the second floor into suites and decrease the size of the ballroom space by 925 square feet. During the final design phase and preparation of construction documents, including a review of the plans by the hotel operator Marriott International, [RD Olson] determined that additional floor area was necessary and desirable, a city staff report states. If approved, the changes would increase the developments footprint by 4,745 square feet, to 103,470 square feet, according to the staff report. The height of the hotel is not expected to change. The citys general plan, coastal land-use plan and zoning code documents that help guide development in Newport limit the total floor area for the site at 98,725 square feet. Any increase would require the Planning Commission to amend the land-use plan, which had previously been changed to allow the property to be used for commercial and hotel purposes. It previously was zoned only for public facilities. Planning Commission approval would send the plan back to the Coastal Commission for another review. City officials and residents near the site have long billed the Lido House project as a key element in a years-long effort to revitalize the peninsula. Thursdays Planning Commission meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Newport Beach Civic Center, 100 Civic Center Drive. Chapman University in Orange held a public vigil Tuesday evening honoring the 49 people killed June 12 in the massacre at Pulse, a gay nightclub in Orlando, Fla. Speakers at the event, held in the universitys Fish Interfaith Center, included KiNG, a slam poet and activist; Landyn Pan, a Chapman student and activist; and faculty members Ahmed Younis and Kris de Pedro, according to the school. It was sponsored in part by Chapman Universitys Office of Church Relations and Queer Student Alliance. Omar Mateen carried out the worst mass shooting in recent U.S. history last Sunday, entering Pulse around 2 a.m. with a semi-automatic assault-style rifle and a pistol. In addition to the 49 people killed, 53 others were injured. News / National by VOA Zimbabwe is experiencing serious shortages of the South African rand and Chinese yuan as the country attempted Monday to shift to these currencies to address the current critical shortages of cash, especially the United States dollar.Bank queues are now the order of the day in a nation with a fast declining economy due to subdued industrial production, low exports, lack of foreign direct investment and other issues.Several banks started dispensing the South African and Chinese currencies in banking halls and Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) but the banking public complained that accessing the money was not easy.One of the depositors, Simon Mugwagwa said he spent the better of the day in a queue trying to withdraw cash but to no avail.This was echoed by Tecla Zinyowera, who noted that she could not get either the South African rands or the Chinese yuan, in the banking hall and ATMs. She said that the Botswana Pula and the British Pounds were also not accessible, adding that those currencies would be difficult to use in her daily errands.Another depositor, Garikai Murendo, said he managed to withdraw some rands and yuans but most retailers were not accepting those currencies, preferring the US dollar.Some banking staff, who refused to speak on tape, said they failed to dispense the rand, yuan and other currencies because they were in short supply at their branches. Some other bankers, who had accessed the rand and yuan, said they could also not transact because they had not been advised of the exchange rates by the central bank.The central bank chief told the Sunday Mail newspaper that the dispensing of multiple currencies would help in easing the ongoing shortages that started when the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe announced its plans to introduce bond notes.The RBZ's proposal is being rejected by many Zimbabweans who say that authorities are planning to re-introduce the Zimbabwean currency through the back door. The importance of play is almost immeasurable. An essential part of childhood development, it also reaches out through our entire lives, providing a recreational value almost as basic and requisite as sleep. Sure, we could survive without it, but whod want to? At Designer Con, the annual toy, art and design convention which runs the weekend of Nov. 21 and 22 at the Pasadena Convention Centers Exhibition Hall, the significance of play is elevated to an out of this world status. Designer Con stakes out wild territory, where the visual, mechanical and tactile (think plush) converge to form an intoxicating array of exotic, eccentric items. Here, toy vendors, manufacturers and artists convene to present their freshest and best works available worldwide. Now in its 10th year, it began as one day the Vinyl Toy Network biannual show, grew into a one-day annual event and by 2013 grew into its current iteration, a 48-hour thrill fest that covers more than 70,000 square feet and features some 300 participants. Curated by lifelong toy aficionados Ayleen Gaspar and Ben Goretsky, Design Con is a one-of-a-kind affair, which began life as whimsical fantasy but quickly became a self-propelled reality. I started collecting back in 2001-2002. Thats what drew me in, Goretsky said. The whole art toy scene from Hong Kong and Tokyo had just hit here in America and they were just so cool. A company called Kid Robot started selling them to the public, and I just wanted to help get these out and thought, well I may as sell them also. Eventually I became friendly with the artists and met Ayleen Gaspar and started to find out what it takes to make a toy. And I with Ayleens company, October Toys, we started making them. I started my own company, 3D Retro. We sell collectible toys, figures, art the same things Designer Con focuses on, and I realized that there was nothing in the area that allowed people to see all this, Goretsky said. And I looked at San Diegos Comic Con, where all the art and toy aspects are very small compared to the cartoons and comic book stuff, and I just thought, Lets get all the people the designers, the manufacturers, the toy makers, the people who provide the tools these artists need from 3D printers to basic supplies all in one place, and thats how it started. With a global swath of vendors who share such evocative monikers as Cuddly Destruction, Beasties, Middle of Beyond, Squishes, Hyperactive Monkey and Furrybones and encompasses everything from plush zombies to strange, pickled-in-the-jar vinyl critters to elaborate graphic renderings and prints on wood, Designer Cons gamut of visuals, playthings and offbeat clothing lines is both exhaustive and engaging. Seeing families together at the show is fantastic, because of course all the kids love it and Mom and Dad are enjoying it just as much, Goretsky said. And its not like they are walking with their kids through a Toys R Us, because all of this stuff is made for them. And its not just toys, its art, and its apparel and now they, as grown-ups, can afford to buy it. For Goretsky, it remains a very personal pursuit. I am still a huge fan and a collector, he said. These things remind us of what it was like as kids and that memory is wonderful. As adults we have to try and find a way to escape and toys are the number one thing to take us back, to give us that feeling. They send us back to the pop culture we grew up with, and anything that brings that feeling back is fantastic. Its got to be fun or its not worth doing. I just wanted to bring together all these aspects of design. Its so cool, and its not just a toy show, because a lot of people wouldnt be interested in that. And its not just apparel, a lot of people wouldnt care for that, but when you take it all and put it together, with all the design aspects, its a show for just about everybody. And its always a great experience. Who: Designer Con Where: Pasadena Convention Centers Exhibit Hall, 300 E. Green St., Pasadena When: Nov. 21 and 22, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (on Saturday); 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (on Sunday) Cost: $5 one day; $10 two-day advance tickets; $7 a day at the door More info: (626) 449-7360, designercon.com -- JONNY WHITESIDE is a veteran music journalist based in Burbank and author of Ramblin Rose: the Life & Career of Rose Maddox and Cry: the Johnnie Ray Story. The Los Angeles World Affairs Council is leading an 11-day trip to the Arabian Peninsula, with highlights that include private meetings with the foreign ministries of Oman and the United Arab Emirates. The tour begins in Muscat, the capital of Oman, followed by excursions to Ras al Jinz and its beaches and endangered green turtle habitat, the Wahiba sand dunes and the ancient city of Nizwa. From Oman, participants will take in Dubai and visit the citys markets, the Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Center for Cultural Understanding and the worlds tallest building and largest man-made island. Advertisement Participants also will spend a day in Abu Dhabi and visit the Emirates Palace Hotel and Falconry Hospital. The tour can be combined with the World Affairs Council trip to Iran, Nov. 4-13. Dates: Oct. 25-Nov. 4 Price: From $4,699, depending on group size; single supplement $1,299. Includes all accommodations, most meals, land transportation and entrance fees. International airfare and visa fees not included. Info: Los Angeles World Affairs Council, (424) 258-6160 The Soarin flight simulator rides at Disney California Adventure and Epcot have traded the California-centric scenes of the Golden Gate Bridge, Yosemite and Malibu for an international itinerary that spans six continents. I recently rode the updated Soarin Around the World three times and found the journey a fun globe-trotting travelogue. The hang-gliding flight simulator ride combines a mechanical lift system with three rows of seats and an 80-foot-tall concave domed movie screen. The new five-minute IMAX film has been playing for several weeks in China during soft opening previews at Shanghai Disneyland in advance of the new parks official grand opening. Advertisement The Soarin rides in Florida and California debuted Friday, a day after the attraction officially opened in Shanghai Disneylands Adventure Isle, its version of Adventureland.. The new scenes include a flight over Switzerlands Matterhorn, the Arctic Ocean with a leaping whale, the Sydney Opera House in Australia, Germanys Neuschwanstein castle, a herd of African elephants, the Great Wall of China, Egyptian pyramids, Indias Taj Mahal, hot air balloons in Monument Valley on the Arizona-Utah border, outrigger boats off Fiji, the Iguazu waterfalls on the Argentina-Brazil border and Frances Eiffel Tower. The Chinese version of the movie concludes with nighttime fireworks over Shanghais skyline, but the California version ends at Disneyland. Gone are the artificial scents of lemon blossom, evergreen and sagebrush that used to simulate a hang-gliding flight over California. The new international scent effects include grass over Africa, an ocean breeze over the South Pacific and roses over India. A new soundtrack performed by the London Studio Orchestra is based on the original Soarin score. Patrick Warburton, best known as Elaines on-again, off-again boyfriend Puddy on Seinfeld, returns as chief flight attendant and the host of Soarin. I was disappointed to learn that Soarin no longer has a single-rider line, although employees do ask for solo riders to fill in random spots, but only after youve waited in line. Another bummer: Disney Imagineering didnt update the Soarin queue to the new international storyline, leaving the entry area dedicated to California aviators. One of my favorite parts of Soarin is seeing the feet of the children in the row above kicking back and forth as riders fly above the clouds. What I love most about Soarin are the memories the ride conjures up of Disneylands old Circle-Vision attraction, a circular movie theater with nine screens that put viewers in the middle of the action. My favorite scene in the new film: The panoramic view of water surging over the majestic Iguazu waterfalls. The movie visits 13 places around the globe, flying so close you wonder how the filmmakers got permission to capture the footage. The camera flies through towering buttes in Monument Valley and within feet of the Eiffel Tower. Making of videos released by the Disney publicity department show a camera-equipped helicopter repeatedly buzzing over the Great Wall of China during filming. Several instantly recognizable landmarks didnt make the cut, including Italys Colosseum and Leaning Tower of Pisa, Englands Stonehenge and Big Ben and Russias Red Square. The short film makes many subtle nods to Disney films and history, including Cars (Monument Valley), Ratatouille (Paris), Finding Nemo (Sydney Harbour), the upcoming Moana (set in the South Pacific), Disneylands castle (based on Neuschwanstein) and the parks Matterhorn bobsled coaster (Switzerland). The film employs several clever transitions from scene to scene, including a scary seaplane barreling toward you, a playful kite that swoops across the screen and an eagle with wings spread that briefly frightened the little girl sitting next to me. My favorite transition morphed the dome of the Taj Mahal into a hot air balloon over Monument Valley. Soarin Over California debuted at Disney California Adventure when the park opened in 2001. Soarin opened at Epcot in 2005 with less emphasis on the films California locales. Soaring Over the Horizon officially opened Thursday at Shanghai Disneyland with a properly spelled name that translates more easily for the Chinese audience. Tokyo DisneySea plans to add a Soarin attraction in 2019 with Renaissance-era flight simulators evocative of Leonardo da Vincis flying machines. DCA upgraded the screens and projection systems in the twin Soarin theaters last year in anticipation of the new film. Epcot just completed construction on a third Soarin theater ahead of the reboot. ALSO 32 best new theme park additions of 2016 8 unanswered questions about Disneylands Star Wars Land Disneyland 2055: What the future may hold for the original Disney park Disneyland 1955: Walts Folly got off to a nightmare start 21 creepiest abandoned amusement parks 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, Pyongyangs fifth such reported flop since April. Despite the repeated failures, the Norths determination in testing the Musudan worries Washington and its allies, Tokyo and Seoul, because the missiles potential 3,500-kilometer (2,180-mile) range could target much of Asia and the Pacific, including U.S. military bases there. Each new test apparently linked to a command from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un also likely provides valuable insights to the Norths 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. Advertisement See the most-read stories in World News this hour >> A statement from South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said a suspected first Musudan launch from the east coast city of Wonsan failed early Wednesday morning but gave few other details. Later Wednesday, the JCS said theNorth fired another suspected Musudan, but it wasnt immediately clear if it succeeded. 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 wasnt 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 United States had no immediate details on the reported second launch. 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 Aprils 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 Uns 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 theNorth 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 doesnt yet possess such a weapon. The North, however, has already deployed a variety of missiles that can reach most targets in South Koreaand 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. MORE WORLD NEWS 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 UPDATES: 5:37 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details on the second launch, and background on North Koreas nuclear program. This article was originally published at 5:19 p.m. Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio is proud of the connection he and presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump share, even though growing indications are the alliance could ultimately spell huge problems for both men and the GOP as a whole. "Timing is perfect right now for a guy like him," the 84-year-old Maricopa County Sheriff defiantly told Politico of the man who shares his hardline stance on immigration and has vowed to deport millions of undocumented immigrants if he is elected. "Timing is everything, and he hit on the right timing." Arpaio quickly moved to endorse Trump at least partly based on that stance and since then has described the two as "political soulmates" who were actually born on the same day (June 14). Like Trump, Arpaio is also on the ballot this year and seemingly facing an uphill climb. He finished the 2012 election with just over half the vote in a crowded field and this election cycle has spent much of his time blasting the Obama administration's alleged attack on his policies. Locally, however, reporters have come to find Arpaio's positions simply don't carry the kind of cache with voters they once seemed to, with many of the white educated supporters who once stood behind him now having moved far from his corner. Arpaio was among those leading the charge for Arizona's now-defunct immigration laws that aggressively targeted immigrants. As recently as 2010, he violated a federal judge's order by boasting to supporters that he'd locked up as many as 500 immigrants his staffers pulled over "out of spite." Since then, Arpaio has ridicled the whole concept of racism in the year 2016 as "overstated." "I think there's a lot of hype," he added. "Unfortunately, in our country today, you have to be very careful what you say. We do have freedom of speech, but if you say the wrong word, it looks like it makes headlines. So everybody has to be very careful." Arpaio is just as adamant when it comes to expressing his support for Trump, recently blasting party leaders for what he characterized as half-hearted and lukewarm endorsements of his candidate. "I thought when you endorse someone, you usually mention their name," he said. "We do have some Republicans who don't know his name. Why would you say the [presidential] office and not say who is running for it? They need to get a few guts to say that." Given the way the national voting map is rapidly changing, even Arpaio admits his unabashed support of Trump comes with some peril. "I know there's a lot of controversy on the Hispanic vote," he said. "People are always saying, 'Oh, you can't win if you don't have the Hispanic vote.'" Indeed, a recent Pew Research survey found 27.3 million Hispanics will be eligible to vote in November's general election, with most of the growth coming from among young U.S.-citizen Hispanics at a time when the issue of immigration is one of the most contentious issues of the entire election season. That can't bode well for either Arpaio or Trump and a recent Washington Post/ABC News poll bares that out for the latter. Pollsters found 89 percent of Latino voters insist they have an unfavorable view of Trump, the highest unfavorable rating he has registered since marking the launch of his campaign by deriding Mexicans as "criminals" and vowing a build a wall along the Mexican border to further keep them out. Hillary Clinton is blasting Donald Trump's boastful plan to deport some 11 million undocumented immigrants as "really bad economics." In a speech centered on the economy recently delivered to supporters in the swing state of Ohio, the presumptive Democratic nominee added, "Kicking out 11 million immigrants would cost hundreds of billions of dollars, and it would shrink our economy significantly. Some economists actually argue that just this policy alone would send us into a Trump recession." Research Finds Trump Plan Would Weaken Economy Clinton's fiery words are bolstered by a recent Moody Analytics analysis in which researchers concluded a Trump presidency would "significantly" weaken the economy, driving the U.S. into a "lengthy" recession with nearly 3.5 million job losses and a 7 percent unemployment rate. The chief economist on the analysis, Mark Zandi, is a former John McCain adviser and Clinton tried to strengthen her case against Trump by pointing out more than just democrats are clearly concerned about some of his proposed policies. The former first lady and secretary of state also sounded the alarm bell when it comes to how Trump might handle such pressing issues as the national debt and making tax codes fairer for all Americans. "A few weeks ago, I said his foreign policy proposals and reckless statements represent a danger to our national security," she said. "But you might think that because he has spent his life as a businessman he would be better prepared to handle the economy. Well, it turns out he's dangerous there, too. Just like he shouldn't have his finger on the button, he shouldn't have his hands on our economy." Clinton also took the presumptive republican nominee to task over what she characterized as his willingness to gamble with the faith and credit of the U.S. by hinting he would allow the country to default on all its massive debt. "That could cause an economic catastrophe, and it would break 225 years of ironclad trust that the American economy has with Americans and with the rest of the world," she added. "Alexander Hamilton would be rolling in his grave. You see, we pay our debts." Clinton also highlighted the irony she sees in Trump boasting of his "America First" policy at a time when many of the billionaire businessman's signature merchandise is produced overseas. "Interestingly, Trump's own products are made in a lot of countries that aren't named America: Trump Ties are made in China, Trump Suits in Mexico, Trump Furniture in Turkey, Trump Picture Frames in India, Trump Barware in Slovenia, and I could go on and on, but you get the idea," she said. Clinton went on to blast Trump's claim that his business acumen make him a natural fit for the Oval Office and his ability to jump-start the overall economy would lead to him being revered as the "jobs president." "He's written a lot of books about business. They all seem to end at Chapter 11," she said in a not so subtle dig at the numerous bankruptcies he has filed over the years. Go figure." Trump Fires Back Trump immediately took to social media to refute many of Clinton's claims, including labeling Zandi an Obama adviser and Clinton donor. He later ripped Clinton for what he called her role in the loss of more than a quarter of American manufacturing jobs over the last two decades stemming from President Clinton's enactment of the North American Free Trade Agreement. Latin Grammy Award winner Gaby Moreno has been tabbed to sing the theme song for the new Disney Channel animated series "Elena of Avalor." The much anticipated show, featuring a Latina princess, is set to debut on Disney Channel on July 22. The character of the princess will also be voiced by Dominican-born actress Aimee Carrero, who previously starred on the ABC Family Show (now known as Freeform) "Young & Hungry." The Guatemala City born Moreno won her first Grammy in 2013 for best new artist. She sings in both English and Spanish, and her style of jazz, blues and R&B is herald as a natural fit for the show's artsy theme song. Plot Centers on Queen out to Protect her Throne The Elena of Avalor plot centers on a princess who vows to do all it takes to protect her kingdom after she becomes queen. "Princess Elena is a confident and compassionate teenager in an enchanted fairy tale kingdom inspired by diverse Latin cultures and folklore," Disney Channel said in a statement. Hector Elizondo, Danny Trejo and Lou Diamond Phillips are among the Latino actors rumored to be cast in recurring roles. Theme Song Part of Seven Track set The series' theme song will be part of a seven-track EP set to be released on the day of the premiere. The 26-year-old Carrero is also slated to sing several songs on the show and her "My Time" single will be released on iTunes on June 24. According to Disney Channel execs, each episode of the series will feature original songs in different Latin music styles, including "mariachi, Latin pop, salsa, banda and Chilean hip-hop." Emmy Award-nominated Tony Morales ("Hatfields & McCoys") is on board as the show's composer, and John Kavanaugh, who won an Emmy for "Sofia the First" theme is the show's songwriter and musical director. Opinion / Columnist Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) leader, Joice Mujuru who recently addressed a handful of her party supporters at Stanley Square in Bulawayo revealed that she has nothing to offer the people of Zimbabwe.In her speech, 'MaNdlovu' as Mujuru called herself so as to be politically accepted in Bulawayo stressed the issue of coalition of opposition parties. ZimPF was only declared a political party this year in February. This means that ZimPF is still adapting to the opposition politics environment. Politics is a game of numbers. However, this different with Mujuru's party which has little numbers of supporters. After realizing that ZimPF has few numbers of supporters, Mujuru thought of coalescing with other opposition parties. The idea of a coalition implicates that ZimPF wants to use other opposition parties who have better numbers of supporters than that party.However, Mujuru should be advised that the downside of forming an alliance of political parties is that all the leaders of different parties crave for power. In the event that the union has been formed, things like slight digression from the common agenda or misjudging a partner's sentiment can cause a great damage to the planned union.Also, alliance between political parties is often affected by the difference in ideology among the leaders of those parties. Ideologies of disgruntled politicians usually affect the output.People Democratic Party (PDP) led by Tendai Biti strongly believes that forming solidarity with Mujuru's ZimPF is a great idea. ZimPF and PDP share the same background of being political turncoats. Worse still, Mujuru is a reject of the ruling party ZANU-PF while Biti is a discard from the opposition party MDC-T. ZANU-PF ideology and MDC-T ideology are like water and oil which never mix. The same is likely to be experienced if ever Mujuru and Biti attempts to unite.Other opposition leaders like Morgan Tsvangirai have a big brother mentality and thinks that all opposition parties should fall under him. While addressing her supporters in Bulawayo, Mujuru talked of inclusivity. This could mean that her party is open to accommodate all other opposition parties who may want to join ZimPF. But then, who will lead who? Mujuru will boast that she has war credentials; hence, she will not be under someone who did not fight the liberation the war. Whilst on the other hand Tsvangirai will cock-a-hoop saying he is now a veteran of opposition politics, hence no one should be above him. Honestly, Tsvangirai will never allow a mafikizilo like Mujuru to lead him.It is surprising how Mujuru who has aspirations of becoming a Zimbabwean President talked about tribal divisions within her party. Instead of uniting the people from all the provinces to work together in trying to develop the nation, Mujuru was using a language that sows division across the nation rather than bringing them together. Mujuru was reportedly quoted saying, "Hakuna anobva kwangu kumaShona uko to come and plan a developmental programme in Lupane when you are here". Every Zimbabwean should be free to work in any preferred province. Currently what is needed in the country is productivity and nothing else. What is wrong for a talented farmer from Matabeleland to grow tobacco or maize in Mashonaland East? Mujuru should be reminded that tribal hostility will never build Zimbabwe.In her address Mujuru denied that she denigrated the late Vice President Joshua Nkomo. Reports have it that Mujuru insulted the late Father Zimbabwe by calling him senile. Why then did she apologize for sentiments that she never mentioned? And why is she trying to clarify the issue now? Where was she all along? Is it because she is seeking sympathy from the people of Bulawayo?Each opposition leader has his/her attitude towards the coalition of opposition parties. This becomes so obvious that coalition of opposition parties is just a wishful thinking. If ever they wish to form a union, opposition leaders should bury their egomania personalities as this is a major blockage of their much talked and non existing union.------------sibusisiso ndlamini Opinion / Columnist Some are physically challenged, some are widowed, some are HIV positive and some are homeless . The women vendors in Harare have suffered a lot in the hands of ruthless municipal police and state police who have cruelly abused their power to the extent that is questionable and the victims are the women vendors in the city centre and other satellite towns. While Zimbabwe is reeling in abject poverty and rampant unemployment. Most males educated and uneducated are out of traditional employment and worse goes to the women.Many of them have lost homes due to massive demolitions by government and lost some parts of their bodies due to political violence as much as they lost their work and reputation due to the economic meltdown in the country . Now they are losing their wares, dignity and reputation as well as money to the state authorities who raid them every day of God and make them regret their poverty and the plight of the education of their children. Most of these women are coerced into sex because they would not have money to bribe the municipals and they need to continue doing what make them and families mostly children survive. The municipal also take large sums of money from the these materially poor women and some are butchered and tear gassed despite the fact that they are physically challenged and they need and deserve a decent lives like anyone else.Women are really under threat in Zimbabwe, mostly poor women. They need feed their children, proper health care and also good and reputable shelter but alas also this is in vain due to the disturbances caused by the police state . Perpetrators of women vendors abuse are men and most of them have gone to school through vending and today they are ruthlessly crushing the hopes of the same mothers and grandmothers who are fending for many lives. In a country that purport to promote indigenisation and empowerment of women, measures should be put in place to realise the dignity of mothers, sisters, grandmothers and young girls .Life has gone tough that small entrepreneurs mostly have to be supported and women organisations must come out to support and carry the burden with women vendors who have since been subjected to HIV/AIDS through forced sex by these ruthless mongers, are also subjected to abject poverty and desperation especially when their goods are dispossessed from them . Some are victimised for their political party affiliations and such deserves no forgiveness for those enforcing the raids. They are lot of women pressure groups in Zimbabwe, nowadays they are very silent especially on issues that concern this special grassroots groups of our society .We have a governmental ministry in this country that should be able to assist the plight of our vulnerable gender race that has been taken for granted and abused for a long time. Its time women vendors themselves rise up and say enough is enough . Furthermore these women despite paying large sums of municipal money they are not provided with proper sanitation facilities like clean water and best ablution . So many infections and diseases are an order of the day. Women should speak with one voice and should rise for the best change. Change is healthy and change is powerful. ONTARIO, Calif.To continue its support of the LGBTQ community, pleasure products manufacturer CalExotics donated $5,000 to the National Compassion Fund. The donation comes in the wake of the recent mass shooting in Orlando. Our hearts are heavy with the burden of sadness that we feel for all those impacted by this malicious tragedy, said Susan Colvin, founder and CEO of CalExotics. Our aim is not only to support the greater community, but also to assist those that have been directly impacted by this act of domestic terror. With this donation, CalExotics makes a pledge to stand with the LGBTQ community and against any acts of terrorism, domestic or foreign. All of the funds received through the National Compassion Fund are distributed directly to victims. The National Compassion Fund is working closely with Equality Florida, the states lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights organization to combine efforts and ensure fair and transparent distribution of the donations received. For more than 20 years the organization has donated over $1.5 million to various organizations involving the rights of the disenfranchised and underserved. CalExotics support spans gender, religious and cultural boundaries, and is done so in hopes of a creating better world. To make a donation, visit NationalCompassionFund.org. For more information, visit CalExotics.com. An Allentown woman is facing prostitution charges after meeting an undercover officer at an undisclosed location and offering sex for cash, police said. Chelsea Joan McDonnell, 20, of the 1200 block of Ulster Street, shortly before 7 p.m. Aug. 27 was arrested by Bethlehem Township police as part of an operation targeting prostitution and related offenses in the township. McDonnell allegedly met the male officer working undercover after the officer contacted her on a website promoting prostitution, according to police. McDonnell went by the name, "Brianna," and agreed to have sex with the officer for $300 cash, police said. McDonnell allegedly admitted to police she came to the location to have sex for cash and provided a written statement. She told police in court records she mostly stays at hotels and does not have a permanent address. Police described her as a "flight risk" in records, noting McDonnell has ties in New Jersey, New York and California. McDonnell is charged with prostitution. She was arraigned Tuesday before District Judge Patricia Broscius, who set bail at $10,000. In lieu of bail, McDonnell was taken to Northampton County Prison. Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. After the last few years of a global pandemic, and the resulting pressure that is being put on many care providers, health is A Bethlehem man accused of making more than a dozen phony 911 phone calls indicating robberies, shootings and fires now is headed to possible trial on more than 35 charges. Michael Noel Pellot, 35, of the 1300 block of Fritz Drive, appeared Wednesday before Senior District Judge Anthony G. Rapp Jr. and gave up his right to a preliminary hearing. The judge then sent charges of 12 counts false reports to police; 12 counts false alarms to public safety; and 12 counts false 911 calls to Northampton County Court. Michael Noel Pellot gave up his right to a preliminary hearing on Wednesday. (Courtesy photo) At the county court level, Pellot could face trial unless a plea is entered or the case is disposed of in an alternative way. Pellot did not have an attorney representing him Wednesday and Northampton County Assistant District Attorney James Augustine said no plea arrangements have been discussed in the case. Pellot allegedly called Bethlehem's 911 center 12 times between July 31, 2014 and Feb. 29, 2016. In all the calls, Pellot claimed emergencies in the 1300 block or 1400 block of Fritz Drive -- from fires, to police officers being shot, to hostage situations, city police said. But there were no emergencies, and crews responded to find nothing out of the ordinary, police said. The calls were made on cellphones, and police linked the phones to Pellot. Pellot also is charged separately with theft by deception and unsworn falsification to authorities after he allegedly lied on government forms about his income to obtain public housing in Bethlehem. Pellot allegedly filled out forms claiming he had no income, when police say he was a driver for a trucking company since December 2014. In May, Bethlehem investigators also learned Pellot was under investigation by New Jersey State Police for allegedly making a similar 911 call in Hunterdon County. In that case, Pellot used the same phone to call 911 and claim an off-duty NYPD officer was shot on Interstate 78. Pellot was arrested last month in New Jersey and in that case, remained free on $100,000 bail. He was arrested on June 8 in the Bethlehem case. Pellot was taken to Northampton County Prison in lieu of $15,000 bail in both cases, but has since bonded out of jail. Bethlehem Police Chief Mark DiLuzio said Wednesday that initially, the calls were treated as legitimate, and several police, fire and EMS agencies responded in both Bethlehem and New Jersey. He is still calculating the cost of emergency services, he said. "It's going to be thousands of dollars for the city alone," DiLuzio said. "I'm estimating it's easily above $10,000 or more." Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Bixler's Jewelers left Easton in 2009, but Easton never left Bixler's. Joyce Mitman Welken, the great-great-great granddaughter of founder Christian Bixler III, says loyal Eastonians still make the trek out to the Bixler's on Hamilton Boulevard in South Whitehall Township -- the only one still open for business. But the notion that merchandise being sold under the family name would someday cease happening for the first time since 1785 wasn't entirely foreign to Mitman Welken. That made the recent sale of Bixler's all the more appealing to the descendants of its founder, she said. The buyer - Perry Sporn, a jeweler who runs dozens of stores and has a Vermont manufacturing division that employs 100 people - closed on Bixler's in late April in a quiet transaction that has garnered little publicity. Trade publication JCK Magazine first reported the sale last week. Sporn made the deal with Mark Maurer, who previously bought the business from Mitman Welken. It was a deal Sporn has relished. "The store to me has the most amazing history," Sporn said Monday. "This is a perfect marriage. We love the story and the story needs investment." Part of that investment will be a museum within the store that will display the many artifacts Bixler's family has collected from more than two centuries of being in business. Sporn said there is adequate space at the current location to create the museum. He is working with the family to get many of the more unique items on loan. Christian Bixler's original ledger, sketches of clock designs, cutlery samples and old advertising materials are some of the items that Sporn thinks will be of interest. He said he's also in the market for some of the antique clocks Bixler originally designed. Those will be part of the museum, which he estimated will be open to the public as early as next March. Mitman Welken, who still works for Bixler's on a part-time basis, said she's excited about the prospect of being involved in curating the museum. Sporn's plans to keep the Bixler's name intact also are aligned with the family's hopes, she said. "This means that the name's going to go on for a long time," Mitman Welken said of Bixler's, which is one of the oldest continuously operating retail businesses in the nation. In addition to the museum, other changes to the store have already happened. Sporn has brought in new inventory manufactured in Vermont, including his company's flagship Devotion Diamonds line. He said he's proud of the fact that his jewelry is made in the United States, a rarity these days and a characteristic of the business that pays homage to Bixler's history. Eventually, Sporn wants to design custom jewelry that would be sold under the Bixler's name and marketed beyond the Lehigh Valley. What isn't changing is the store location, its staff and its appreciation of history, he said. The portrait of Christian Bixler III hangs prominently from a wall. Mitman Welken still works behind the counter, lending her expertise to customers. And many of those customers still come from Easton. "That's been gratifying to me that they followed us here," she said. Nick Falsone may be reached at nfalsone@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @nickfalsone. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. Before a crowd of more than 100 people, the Easton Area School Board approved a tax hike to stave off cuts in staff and hours at the Easton Area Public Library. Library Executive Director Jennifer Stocker said the 34 percent hike in the library's millage rate equates to about $14.38 next year for the owner of a home assessed at the district median. She said the library previously closed the South Side branch and cut staff to balance its budget. Under the new budget, employees will give up family health care. The budget was supposed to be addressed May 17, but the crowd was beyond the capacity of the school district education center, so the discussion was moved to Tuesday at the middle school. It was clear before anyone spoke that the community stands behind its library, West Ward resident Carrine Buzzuto told the board. "It's one of the most valuable resources this community has," she said. About a dozen people lined up to speak until board Vice President Billie Weiss cut off comments and asked the remainder of speakers to email the board with comments. Kennedi Washington, 9, said she collected a petition with 30 signatures to save the library and its reading program. "If you're going to take the summer reading program away you might as well close the library," she said. "The library is my favorite place in all of Easton," said 12-year-old Maddie Swart. "Sometimes I just go and smell the books." "How can you take this away?" asked city resident Pat Koefoed. "You can't this is something so vital and of such major importance to our city." The board approved the library budget 8-0, with minimal discussion. Board president Frank Pintabone was absent. The library sent fliers urging residents to come to the meeting to support the tax hike. Weiss said she's not sure why the library and the public feared the board would turn on the library. "I hope the public doesn't think anyone at this table is against the library at all," she said. "We are all very strong supporters of the library." Stocker said that while her relationship with school district Chief Operating Officer Michael Simonetta has been "bumpy" at times, he's the first of the past three business managers to meet her head-on to decipher the library's budget issues. The library tax will not count against the state index limit on the school district's tax rate, Simonetta said. Superintendent John Reinhart said the school district understands what it means to make financial sacrifices. The district laid off teachers and froze raises to eliminate $9 million in debt and thwart a fiscal crisis. Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook. Officials reopened North Third Street in Easton after a contractor neutralized a chemical spill and disposed of it Tuesday afternoon. Authorities didn't definitively identify the chemical but described it as a strong acid; about a gallon or less of liquid was involved, said Todd Weaver, Northampton County's director of emergency management services. Found in a trash receptacle, the chemical prompted the closure of the first block of North Third Street. A city employee who came in contact with the chemical was taken to the hospital as a precaution but was not seriously hurt, officials said. The chemical was discovered when a worker pulled a bag out of the trash bin and the chemical spilled from the bag onto the pavement, said Jeff Steiert of the county's emergency management services. It happened around 11:40 a.m. and the road was reopened by 3 p.m. Besides emergency management officials, Easton firefighters and the Lehigh County hazardous materials team responded to the call. "Sometimes it's difficult to identify an unknown," Weaver said. "It was safely taken care of." Jim Deegan may be reached at jdeegan@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @jim_deegan. Find lehighvalleylive on Facebook. JERSEY CITY -- The three people arrested after police found a cache of guns in their SUV outside the Holland Tunnel Tuesday plan to fight the charges, arguing that they were pulled over by police only because of Second Amendment rights stickers on the exterior of the car, their attorneys said Wednesday at a brief court appearance in Hudson County's central judicial processing court. Pennsylvania residents John Cramsey, 50, and Dean Smith, 53, both of Zionsville; and Kimberly Arendt, 29, of Lehighton, were arrested outside the tunnel Tuesday morning on charges that they were in possession of five pistols, an assault rifle, a 12-gauge shotgun, marijuana and a marijuana pipe, authorities said. Port Authority Police said they initially pulled the truck over because of a cracked windshield. But, the three attorneys representing the trio argued Wednesday that the political statements on the car actually prompted the stop. "They didn't stop the car because of his cracked windshield," James Lisa, the attorney representing Cramsey, told Judge Sheila Venable Wednesday. "They stopped the car because of what was on the car." BREAKING: Three people were arrested with a cache of firearms and body armor at the Holland Tunnel https://t.co/j4wb76f1wo New York Post (@nypost) June 21, 2016 The brightly colored car was apparently wrapped in logos for multiple businesses - including that of Higher Ground Tactical, an indoor shooting range and gun dealership in Upper Milford Township that Cramsey owns. The car, Lisa said, also had pro-Second Amendment and other gun-related stickers and messages on it. The three attorneys said they may seek to suppress the evidence in the case, arguing that it was obtained illegally, based on the motivation for the traffic stop. The lawyers also argued against the $75,000 cash only bail that had been set for all three. "It's a regular gun case," argued attorney Mario Blanch, who represented Smith. But Venable denied the request, noting that the charges against the three include transporting an assault rifle with a high capacity magazine. Lisa said he might seek further appeal of the bail later Wednesday. Arendt's public defender, Amanda Hickey, agreed, telling the judge."It's just an ordinary possession case." But Assistant Hudson County Prosecutor Tom Zuppa said the nature of the weaponry and ammunition found in the car made the case anything but ordinary. "The transportation of an assault rifle with a high-capacity magazine shows this case had the potential to cause widespread harm," Zuppa said. To which Lisa responded, "We don't lock people up for potential." But Judge Sheila Venable was unmoved, and said guidelines permitted the judge who had set bail on Tuesday to consider the nature of the weapons found in the car. Lisa said after the hearing that he would ask Judge Mark Nelson, who had originally set bail at $75,000 cash, to lower bail later on Wednesday. According to a Facebook post, Cramsey said he was headed to Brooklyn, N.Y., to pick up a girl who was at a party where a person died of a heroin overdose. The attorneys Wednesday denied to comment on where the trio was headed. Steve Strunsky may be reached at sstrunsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteveStrunsky. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Friends and family defended the trio stopped at the Holland Tunnel as they said they headed to rescue a teen girl whose friend died of a heroin overdose. Arraigned in court Wednesday in Jersey City, N.J., were John F. Cramsey, 50, owner of Higher Ground Tactical, an indoor shooting range and gun dealership in Upper Milford Township; Dean S. Smith, 53, of Upper Milford Township; and Kimberly Arendt, 29, of Lehighton, Pa. The trio were on a mission to help a 16-year-old girl they believed was in trouble after a friend overdosed in New York City, according to Cramsey. Police said they found a cache of weapons and marijuana after they stopped Cramsey's truck for a cracked windshield Tuesday morning at the Holland Tunnel. The three are charged with possessing five pistols, an assault rifle, a 12-gauge shotgun, marijuana and a marijuana pipe. A longtime friend of Cramsey who requested anonymity said the death of Cramsey's daughter earlier this year inspired him to crusade against heroin and advocate for those who are addicted. Alexandra "Lexii" Cramsey, 20, died from a combination of heroin and Fentanyl in February. Lehigh County Coroner Scott Grim ruled her death an accident. "I think this was kind of a calling for John....he takes on this sense of ownership, he knows the hurt, he doesn't want other families to go through it," the friend said. "He became the voice" of families who lost loved ones to the drug. "All of this really fell on his plate," the friend added. After the trio's arrest, friends and family began posting on the "Enough is Enough" group Facebook page defending Cramsey's mission. Cramsey himself posted on it about his trip to New York just before his arrest Tuesday. Lyn Baker, who created the Facebook group with Cramsey, told The Associated Press the group has helped dozens of addicts. Baker said Cramsey called her on Tuesday morning and asked her to find a detox or rehabilitation facility for the teen, the AP reported. She said she thought the charismatic Cramsey had been growing depressed and withdrawn recently. "Particularly when it comes to rescuing females, to him it's like rescuing his daughter," Baker told the AP. "He's just adamant that I have to make every attempt to get this person help." She said Arendt, the girl's former counselor, received a call from the girl seeking help on Monday. 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 after an issue involving drugs. Smith replied, "I'm there." The teen was once the subject of an Amber Alert in Pennsylvania last July, said Christine Barndt, a spokeswoman for the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. But multiple media outlets, citing police sources, reported authorities checked with the teen Cramsey identified as being in danger and determined she was safe and not in need of rescue Tuesday. Facebook was flush Wednesday with folks defending Cramsey's alleged actions and offering him prayers and well-wishes. Police said they recovered the weapons, high capacity magazines and other ammunition, two tactical vests and three helmets. It was unclear what, if anything, the weapons had to do with their plans. New Jersey has tougher gun regulations than Pennsylvania and requires guns to be unloaded and inaccessible while driving. Matthew Eschke wrote, "After see several media coverage of John Cramsey. I firmly believe the media it trying to turn John into a monster. The very monster's he is trying to fight." Others posted directly to Cramsey's Facebook page and spoke of his work with local veterans groups. Friends were also working to raise bail money, and planned to create a GoFundMe account. Bail for each of the three has been set at $75,000, cash only, with no 10 percent option. At the time of her arrest, Arendt was free on unsecured bail in an outstanding 2014 DUI case in Carbon County, court records show. She is slated for trial next month. Cramsey's criminal record in Pennsylvania only shows three summary citations for allegedly failing to send a child to school. All three cases were dismissed. Smith's record included two traffic summaries this year, and DUI cases, most recently in 2009. Cramsey this year had spoken out at town hall meetings about the heroin epidemic. He opened up about the loss of his daughter, and said he was contacted by hundreds of people with loved ones battling heroin addictions. At a meeting at The Alternative Gallery, a nonprofit arts center in Allentown, he said he has a son who is a recovering addict. When he got the call from the coroner's office in February, he thought it was about his son, he said in a video posted on YouTube. "When I heard it was my little girl, my heart hit the floor," he said. Friends said people reached out to Cramsey because they felt they had nowhere else to turn for help. "My daughter's voice is still alive inside me. She's reaching out to all you guys with her strength," Cramsey says in the video. Cramsey said he has "Shoot your local heroin dealer" stickers and T-shirts, and was wearing one that night at the arts center. One of the stickers was found on a box along with firearms and ammunition in his SUV when he was stopped in New Jersey. "I've changed my tune a little bit. I'll hug you...I'm the inoculation to this disease," Cramsey says in the video. The Associated Press and NJ Advance Media intern Luke Nozicka contributed to this report. Sarah Cassi may be reached at scassi@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @SarahCassi. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. A woman who bilked Superstorm Sandy victims out of more than $49,000, now is jailed in Northampton County Prison for allegedly scamming other victims in the Nazareth area. The new charges, filed Tuesday, come on the heels of her pleading guilty to the separate charges in New Jersey involving the Sandy case. Dorian Leigh Dammer-Guerrierie, 56, who has addresses listed in Pen Argyl and Hellertown, in July 2012 allegedly issued her landlord, Colleen Kugel of Upper Nazareth Township, five phony checks totaling $5,100. Dammer-Guerrierie then went by the phony name of "Dorian L. Grey," according to police. Dorian Gray is the protagonist in an Oscar Wilde novel. In September 2012, Upper Nazareth police determined Dammer-Guerrierie also issued worthless checks to two people totaling $1,600 each. Police learned the checks were from an account closed in 2004 and the checks were written between 2010 and 2012. In a separate case, also from September 2012, Dammer-Guerrierie allegedly stole a computer from an Upper Nazareth Township man who was showing a prospective tenant an apartment on Schoeneck Avenue. Someone stole his computer out of his open trunk while he showed an apartment, police said. The victim later found a young boy who told police he bought the computer for $25 from someone at an area park, according to police. It turns out the boy was Dammer-Guerrierie's son. When the victim contacted Dammer-Guerrierie through the boy, she told him she'd give back the computer for $1,000. When the victim accused her of stealing the computer, she threatened to throw it away. The victim ended up paying Dammer-Guerrierie $1,000 to get the computer back, according to Upper Nazareth Township police. The victim told police he recognized Dammer-Guerrierie from a meeting the pair had in the past. Dammer-Guerrierie is charged in the July 2012 case is charged with theft and writing bad checks. In the September 2012 cases, she is charged with theft, receiving stolen property and disorderly conduct. She was arraigned Tuesday before District Judge John Capobianco, who set bail at $25,000 for the July 2012 case and $10,000 for the September 2012 cases. In lieu of $35,000 bail, Guerrierie-Dammer was taken to Northampton County Prison. The judge said the bail was set at $35,000 because he feared Guerrierie-Dammer would be a flight risk. Plea deal reached Guerrierie-Dammer this week pleaded guilty in a scam involving a pair of New Jersey homeowners. One of the homeowners included a Bridgewater, Somerset County widow seeking a contractor to help with property damage from Superstorm Sandy. In October 2013, Guerrierie-Dammer stole money from the woman who hired her to fix roof damage caused by the storm. Guerrierie-Dammer posed as an employee of Vanguard Construction, cashing three checks totaling $28,770 but never had the work done. Guerrierie-Dammer did work for Vanguard at one time but she had been fired a month earlier for stealing from the company. She also pretended to be a physician in the scheme. When the victim complained about the work not being done, Guerrierie-Dammer allegedly made excuses, blaming foul weather and sick family members for the delay. Guerrierie-Dammer then scammed a second Bridgewater, Somerset County, homeowner in December 2015. In that case, she posed as a Majestic Exteriors employee to get a job installing windows in a township home. She cashed three checks totaling $15,000 but never had that work done. Guerrierie-Dammer reached a plea this week and pleaded guilty to two counts of theft by deception before Superior Court Judge Robert B. Reed in Somerville, Somerset County. She agreed to pay both victims $37,500 in restitution. The state is recommending a probationary sentence for her with sentencing scheduled for Aug. 25. Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. John Cramsey, Higher Ground Tactical John Cramsey, owner of Higher Ground Tactical in Upper Milford Township, holds a book about Camp Compass, an organization aimed at introducing young people to various outdoor activities and promoting gun safety in this 2014 file photo. (lehighvalleylive.com file photo) A Lehigh Valley gun dealer and two others were charged with weapons and drug possession Tuesday after police confiscated a cache of weapons at the Holland Tunnel. Arrested were John F. Cramsey, 50, owner of Higher Ground Tactical, an indoor shooting range and gun dealership in Upper Milford Township, outside Emmaus; Dean S. Smith, 53, of Upper Milford Township; and Kimberly Arendt, 29, of Lehighton, Pa., the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Department said in a news release. This is vehicle from PA heading to NYC stopped @ #HollandTunnel by @PANYNJ with cache of weapons inside. @NBCNewYork pic.twitter.com/tEavRLDCpG Marc Santia (@MarcSantia4NY) June 21, 2016 They were in a brightly-colored sport utility vehicle that bore the name of Cramsey's business, according to reports. Police said they stopped the truck because of a cracked windshield. During the stop, authorities allegedly found an assault weapon, handguns and ballistic vests, as well as a camouflage helmet with night-vision goggles. Police made the discovery about 7:40 a.m. on the New Jersey side of the tunnel. "At this time, the investigation is continuing, but the agency does not believe the incident is terrorism-related," said Joe Pentangelo, a Port Authority police spokesman. Authorities seized five pistols, an AR-15 assault rile, a .12-gauge shotgun, less than 50 grams of marijuana and a marijuana pipe, according to police. Some of the firearms were loaded, police said. John Cramsey, owner of Higher Ground Tactical in Upper Milford Township, stands in his indoor firing range in September 2014. (lehighvalleylive.com file photo) A woman who answered the phone at Higher Ground Tactical on Tuesday afternoon declined comment. In a Facebook post shortly before the incident, 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 on the anti-heroin Facebook page Enough is Enough. "I'm bringing her out of NY today and anybody else that wants to go home, too," he wrote. Cramsey has been an outspoken advocate for fighting the Lehigh Valley's heroin epidemic. His 20-year-old daughter and her boyfriend both died of accidental heroin overdoes earlier this year, according to the Lehigh County Coroner's Office. His business also made headlines in recent weeks. In May, the government cited Higher Ground Tactical for exposing its employees to lead and noise hazards, according to the U.S. Labor Department's Occupational Safety and Health Administration. OSHA cited the business at 5402 Chestnut St. in Upper Milford after an inspection Nov. 5. It faces $135,200 in fines for the alleged violations. Under OSHA rules, Cramsey had 15 days to comply with the regulations, request a conference with OSHA or contest the findings. Jim Deegan may be reached at jdeegan@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @jim_deegan. Find lehighvalleylive on Facebook. Pohatcong Township police officer Sierra DiMaio sworn in Mayor James Kern III swears in Sierra DiMaio as a Pohatcong Township police officer as her father, Assemblyman John DiMaio, watches on June 21, 2016. She is the township's first woman officer, and the only female municipal police officer currently serving in Warren County. (Steve Novak | For lehighvalleylive.com) Sierra DiMaio knew from a young age that she wanted to be a police officer. Growing up she was inspired, she said, by another woman in uniform in her hometown of Hackettstown. Now, maybe she can inspire others as well. "I hope ... it will open doors for females in Warren County," DiMaio said Tuesday after being sworn in as Pohatcong Township's first female police officer. DiMaio isn't the first woman to wear a police uniform in Warren County, but she is the only one currently serving in a municipal department, officials say. Women made up less than 10 percent of New Jersey's 19,646 full-time municipal police officers in 2014, according to statistics compiled in the New Jersey State Police annual unified crime report -- the latest figures available. The report tallied 185 full-time municipal police officers in Warren County in 2014. None were women. Countywide, there were eight women in law enforcement officer positions in 2014: five in the prosecutor's office, and three in the sheriff's department -- including DiMaio. The state police report does not distinguish civilian positions by gender. "For some reason, Warren County is a little bit behind the times in regards to hiring female police officers on the local level. ... Hopefully that's something that will change," Assemblyman John DiMaio, Sierra DiMaio's father, said before Tuesday's meeting. Predicting a "stellar career," Mayor James Kern III said DiMaio came highly recommended from the sheriff's office. "I am incredibly proud that Pohatcong Township is the only agency with a female officer in the county," Kern said ahead of the ceremony. "Having a female police officer gives our force a tremendous advantage in dealing with the many complex issues law enforcement face today." Sierra DiMaio and Mayor James Kern III share a laugh before she is sworn in as a Pohatcong Township police officer. (Steve Novak | For lehighvalleylive.com) DiMaio started in the county sheriff's department late in 2013 and graduated from the police academy about six months later. Her goal, she said, has been to expand her horizons and face new challenges. She called it an honor to work with the Pohatcong department, where she started last week. She also expects some extra scrutiny based on her gender. "I'm sure they're looking at me like, what can she do?" DiMaio said, speaking generally. The elder DiMaio, attending the meeting less as a public official and more as a proud father, said his daughter worked hard to get where she is. "I'm just very proud of my daughter," he said. "I'm excited that she has decided to serve the public in a very honorable way." Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @type2supernovak and find him on Facebook. The Irish government wants the UK to remain a member of a reformed EU, Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan told the Seanad during a debate today (Wednesday, June 22). Minister Flanagan set out the Governments position on the eve of polling day for the UK referendum on EU membership. "We want the UK, as our friend, closest neighbour and partner, to remain a member of a reformed EU. This is a view which enjoys near-unanimous support within both Houses of the Oireachtas, though I recognise and respect that there is a different point of view. The reasons underpinning the Governments position will also be familiar to you - these include important considerations in relation to our economy, Northern Ireland, the Common Travel Area and of course the EU itself." Minister Flanagan set out the extensive work undertaken by the Government and by Irish diplomats and officials on this issue since a referendum was first proposed by Prime Minister Cameron in 2013. Focusing on the Irish contribution to the UK referendum debate in recent months, the Minister said: "During the course of a visit to the UK in early April, I identified a desire among the local Irish community to hear the Irish perspective from Government and Opposition. My own experience of referendums here meant that I was aware of the sensitivities but happy to give our perspective, if asked. Over the last three months or so as the formal campaign was underway, you will have noticed that the Irish Government complemented by active engagement by civil society here in Ireland, the Irish community in Britain and leading Opposition figures has made its own contribution to the UK referendum debate. We respect fully that the decision ultimately lies with the UK electorate, but we strove to put across the Irish perspective, including through a programme of 14 visits at Government level to Britain and Northern Ireland since the beginning of April. As Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, I managed this programme across Government and as part of it I visited London, Belfast, Derry, Liverpool and Manchester." The opening of Digital Office Centre Group's newest campus in the former MBNA site in Carrick-on-Shannon is set to be followed by more good news this week, the Leitrim Observer understands. At last Friday's AGM of Leitrim County Council, Council CEO, Frank Curran hinted at the good news noting that the former MBNA site is going to be very busy soon. Earlier this week the Digital Office Centre Group (DOCentre), listed the addition of its third campus, the Ready-to-Go offices in the Carrick Business Campus at the former MBNA site, on its website. The new campus offers office facilities in approximately 120,000 sq ft of space and its development has been divided into two phases. At present one quarter of the building is occupied by AvantCard. The remaining available space comprises serviced, semi-serviced and unserviced offices in turn-key condition. According to the DOCentre, the office has two large open plan floor plates suitable for between 200 and 400 people each with a third space containing smaller units. The DOCentre describe Carrick-on-Shannon as one of the most progressive centres of diverse quality commercial activity in Ireland. Numerous prestigious companies, big and small have chosen to locate here not least because of the quality of life, education, infrastructure, enthusiastic young work force, quality affordable residential housing and support services but also because of incentives from the local authority and various State and Semi-state development agencies. James Harvey, CEO of DOCentre commented there are very few turnkey office solutions of this size available in Ireland. He went on this space will be of particular interest to financial services companies, call centres and business outsource providers. The location is accessible to a large, diverse labour pool. Expanding further he said Carrick Campus compliments our first two offices in Ireland, the 20,000 sq ft office in Camden Row, Dublin 8 and the 50,000 sq. ft. in Maynooth. Independent local councillor, Enda Stenson, contacted the Leitrim Observer to welcome the initiative stating this would have huge potential for Carrick-on-Shannon and the surrounding areas. This project is a massive vote of confidence in this area and the spin offs from having additional businesses using this site, will be enormous for Carrick-on-Shannon and Co Leitrim, he said. I welcome this news wholeheartedly and I am delighted to see a state-of-the-art facility such as the DOCentre coming to this area. Cllr Stenson paid a special tribute to Leitrim County Council CEO, Frank Curran, for his dogged determination in finding an alternative business for this site. I would like to pay tribute to him and to the management of Leitrim County Council for pursuing this. This is a wonderful achievement and it is wonderful news for the people of Carrick-on-Shannon and Co Leitrim, said the Independent councillor. Anti-fracking campaigners are celebrating following the news last week that no oil was found in Woodburn Forest, outside of Belfast. Infrastrata had drilled 2,000 metres underground at Woodburn Forest, Carrickfergus but found water instead of oil in their two target rock formations. The drill had been the subject of much concern among the anti-fracking campaigners throughout Ireland who were extremely worried that this would be the start of a fracking operation that would cover 200 square miles of the Larne Basin and also would spark off fracking operations in the Leitrim-Fermanagh area again. Dr Aedin McLoughlin (GEAI) from Ballinaglera said, We are so delighted that the drill failed to find oil. What was so frightening about this drilling was.....the inability of the local campaigners to stop, or even delay, the drilling, despite heroic efforts by campaigners and complete dedication to the Stop the Drill campaign. All we could do at the end of the day was to pray for a dry well, we got one and thank God for that. But what a close call! We can and are celebrating this weekend, but at the back of everyones mind is the Infrastrata declaration in their press release: the joint venture will now fully evaluate the data collected in the well and decide where to focus its future exploration activity in the basin. Aedin McLoughlin concluded The war is not over! Meg Rybicki from Northwest Network Against Fracking warned that this success is not the end of the campaign. The scale of the struggle we are facing is now clear. To stop fracking in Ireland will require a united all-island effort that will engage all sectors communities, activists, political parties and representatives, and lean on the massive international support that is available to us. This is what the campaign against fracking will now focus on. A ban against fracking North and South must be implemented. Valuable lessons have been learned and using these, we will succeed in keeping fracking out of Ireland! Peace: the single most important reason for the creation of what we now call the European Union, and the reason it remains so crucial. The European project arose from a clear vision: to make war in Europe materially impossible, to create enduring peace in a continent long ravaged by war. It is almost impossible to imagine now the devastation that plagued our continent for so long. And that is thanks to the visionary ideas of its founders. A spirit of reconciliation and mutual cooperation among the six founding members was crucial to ensuring Immanuel Kants idea of perpetual peace seemed to be a reality. Of course, many would argue that is NATO that has kept the peace in Europe. It has certainly been important in securing the borders of its European members. During the Cold War the European Community as it was initially known could rely on an American security blanket to protect them from Soviet threats. Yet, within its own borders it was the mutual trust that developed as a result of pooling sovereignty in the areas of coal and steel and then across a wider set of economic policies that ensured member states began to see each other as partners and allies, not potential invaders. For generations now we have lived secure in the knowledge that our fathers, brothers and sons will not be summoned to fight for our country. Military engagement by the state and by individuals signing up is voluntary, not forced. We have the EU to thank for that. And it is important to remember that this is a voluntary union, not a forced marriage. Yes, there is a degree of negotiation and compromise involve as happens in any relationship. Ultimately, the UK can decide what role it plays in the EU; it isnt coerced into action. In the 43 years since the UK joined we have seen our influence wax and wane, mostly dependent on how engaged the government of the day has sought to be. At times we have led, as in the initiative to complete the internal market enshrined in the Single European Act (SEA). Taking down internal barriers to trade, including free movement of goods, capital, services and labour envisaged in the founding treaties but taken so much further in the 1992 programme was pushed by Margaret Thatcher, and it achieved a huge amount. When the UK engages we can make a significant difference to the EU, to our mutual benefit; when it takes itself to the side-lines its influence is inevitably reduced. You dont have to love all the details of the EU to believe that it has played a crucial role in the peaceful development of first six and now 28 member states, but you do need to be part of that Union to influence and improve it. Being part of the worlds greatest peace project remains a great prize. This article is from the EuroFile (pdf) a collection of essays offering a positive, liberal case for Europe * Julie Smith is a Senior Lecturer in International Relations at the University of Cambridge, a member of the House of Lords and Cambridge City Council Willie Rennie has been travelling round Scotland on town centre tour over the last few days, urging voters to vote to remain in the European Union. Here he is in Perth: Campaigning for remain in Perth with the team. #INtogether Still lots undecideds so work still to be done. pic.twitter.com/3kdb5MH8l6 Willie Rennie (@willie_rennie) June 22, 2016 In his final pitch to voters he said: Voters going to the polls tomorrow will be doing more than simply putting a cross in a box. They are taking a decision over the values that will define us as a nation for decades to come. Open and outward looking or insular and closed. Ambitious and hopeful or timid and cynical. We have a choice between building on the progress that we have made as part of the EU, or leaving and going it alone. The EU has helped protect human rights and workers rights. Our businesses sell their products all over Europe, supporting jobs here in Scotland and across the UK. Crime does not respect international borders and the EU helps our police work with other forces across Europe to keep us safe. Tomorrow we can choose to work together or walk away from international cooperation that has helped keep the peace in Europe for more than five decades. We will choose to work together or walk away from something that has given us billions of pounds in trade, millions of jobs across the UK and has helped bring thousands of criminals to justice. A Remain vote means protecting jobs, lower prices and a decent, tolerant United Kingdom and if we vote to leave there is no going back. He emphasised that every vote would count: Dont leave it to everyone else. If we vote to leave, there is no going back. Every single Remain vote in Scotland will count. We need you to make the case for our place in the EU over the last few days of the campaign. What this referendum debate boils down to is a question over the sort of country that we want our children to grow up in. For me, the answer will always be a Britain that is open, outward looking and leading in Europe. If you agree, then the time to speak up is now. Vote Remain for more jobs, lower prices, stronger public services and a decent, tolerant Great Britain. Earlier this week, he talked about Charles Kennedys long contribution to the European debate in a speech to activists in Paisley: We wont always have to look back to the memory of Charles Kennedy. But on this issue of Europe, on this campaign, I dont think Charles would want to miss out. This debate is at the heart of his ideals, his compassion and his hard-headed sense. I look at his words in his speech to the Council of Europe in June 2014, two years ago. He quoted Robert Burns and the need to see ourselves as other see us. And in the next five days, that is surely the poetry everyone in the Scotland and the whole UK needs to think about. What message would we send around the world if we said that we cant work with others that we cant co-operate, that we always know best? Why would people take us seriously in the capital cities and the company boardrooms in Madrid, Delhi, or Washington DC? If we declare that we will not co-operate with our neighbours, why would others truly believe that we will work with them? Charles Kennedy reminded us in a speech to our Scottish party conference soon after he took over the party leadership of the words of a former U.S. ambassador in London (Raymond Seitz): If Britains voice is less influential in Paris or Bonn, it is likely to be less influential in Washington. As Charles concluded, it is utter nonsense to think that the UK would be treated like a 51st state of the USA or a special friend of China or Russia after withdrawal from influence in Europe. It has been a dark week for freedoms and democracy. Forty-nine people murdered in a gay club in Orlando a week ago shocked us all. The murder of Jo Cox in the line of her duty left us numb at the senselessness of it all. This is a week when I needed to hear the compassion, the common sense and the decency of Charles Kennedy. He could speak about the idealism. He could speak about the dreams. And he could speak too, of the hard-headed economics of remaining in the European Union. He told us in 1999: The eurosceptics like to talk about 800 years of Britains independent history. But we have an equally long and proud history of constructive engagement in Europe. Go back even to the Middle Ages. When the east coast had far closer links with the Low Countries by sea, than it did with the rest of Britain. Those trading contacts began an 800 year long story of Britain in Europe. The European Union is a story of a fifty year mission, through the European Union, to ensure that Europe is never again ravaged by poverty, unemployment and war. We in this country are, as Charles Kennedy was, a force for good in the world, however imperfect. We should work with that grain, rather than give up in despair. Our work for good in the world is amplified and extended within a European Union. * Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings Ive found this EU Referendum really difficult. Its been a horrible, nasty, divisive campaign with the most uncomfortable racist and nationalist overtones. I cant remember which of our lot said it, but they were right that the dog whistle has become a foghorn. The thought that within 48 hours, our country might choose the path of isolationism and blaming of the others, believing a campaign based on lies is not doing anything for my anxiety levels. This afternoon, however, there was bright spot. Outside the Scottish Parliament, the folk group Lau held a ceilidh flashmob to call for a Remain vote. I heard about it yesterday on Facebook and I was gutted that I couldnt go. I asked Hannah Bettsworth, the awesome almost graduate, former co-President of Liberal Youth Scotland and occasional Liberal Democrat Voice contributor to go instead. She initially demurred, but curiosity eventually got the better of her. The Strip the Willow is the most bonkers, potentially lethal Scottish ceilidh dance. It basically involves lots of spinning at great speed. There have been times I have thought I was going to end up on the next island while dancing it. Its fast and fun. Here, Jamie Ross from Buzzfeed and Lib Dem Scottish Parliament supremo Matthew Clark show people how its done. Matthew is the one with the grey trousers and black jumper. I think I will rightfully look back on this as the low point of my career. Via @severincarrell. https://t.co/YOW2qXrZeJ Jamie Ross (@JamieRoss7) June 22, 2016 Matthew will never be allowed to forget this moment. You can be sure of that. The only thing that could have made this better would have been the presence of Willie Rennie and some pigs. Buzzfeed has more here. Fannying about, indeed. * Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings GARDAI in Limerick are continuing their investigations into a number bomb threats that have taken place in the city over the past month. Last Friday, staff at Live 95fm had to evacuate the building after an anonymous caller phoned the radio station during the Afternoons with Declan Copues programme at 1.55pm, and informed them that a bomb was going to go off at its offices in 10 minutes. HSE pensions staff, who also work in the building, also had to evacuate the premises. Earlier this month, there was a bomb scare at St Josephs Hospital, on Mulgrave Street, which transpired to be a hoax. On May 25, Ulster Bank on OConnell Street received a call from a woman who claimed that there was a bomb in the premises. That incident happened just 24 hours after a similar hoax call to Milford National School, when 500 pupils and teachers were evacuated following a threat at the school. According to a garda source, they are investigating the phone traffic of these incidents which takes time. The source added that they are taking the bomb threats very seriously, and that they are serious offences which carry serious consequences. Senator Maria Byrne told the Limerick Chronicle that it is very frightening. You can never take these things lightly. It has to be taken seriously. Peoples lives could be at risk if they turn out to be true. Obviously, someone has a lot of time on their hands. But you would really have to wonder what this is all about. Is someone playing a joke? Fine Gael councillor Daniel Butler took to social media to condemn the recent threat at the Mount Kennett radio station. Hoping for a hoax. There needs to be an investigation and prosecution. Disgraceful spate of threats locally by hoax callers, he posted on Twitter. He told the Chronicle: These hoaxes need to be taken seriously. Especially any threat to the local press needs to be taken seriously. Often these people feel power and they feed off the fear of their victims. But we really need to fight back at these people. Fianna Fail councillor and former Limerick city detective, Sean Lynch said that these incidents are very annoying. They waste everyones time, including the gardai and the emergency services. A garda source said that they are currently treating each incident separately. I am sure that, with the technology that we have, the gardai have the best position to target these people. I am sure that they will soon reach a successful conclusion. He said that he appeals to anyone who may have information, to contact Henry Street garda station, at 061-212400. A CAMPAIGN for Limericks tilt at European Capital of Culture in 2020 is highlighting the diversity of its people, organisers say. The Citizens of Limerick campaign features contributions from print makers to coffee makers, artists to skaters, while a new video highlighting the bid has also gone live. Limericks 2020 bid team filed its second bid book last Friday, with a jury visit to follow on July 12 and the winning bid also considering Galway and the Three Sisters of Waterford, Wexford and Kilkenny to be announced on July 15. The designation is worth an estimated 170m spinoff to the winner, while Limerick has outlined a 37m project with around 40 key events, rising to a possible 200 for the year in 2020, if it is successful. As part of the bidding process, Limerick people have been sharing their stories of home to reveal what they treasure about where they live, say the bid team, bound under the message: We are culture. Locally-based musician Godknows Jonas Zimbabwean born, Shannon-raised and working with Music Generation in the city says his favourite thing about Limerick city is the cultural diversity". I love the multiple Limericks, I love that theres different types of Limerick. I spend a lot of time in the Island Field and Moyross. I love the aspect of different cultural diversity. I love hanging out in the country in west Limerick with my good friend Pa. I love knowing that you can be from the same place but have a different perspective on how to look at that place also. Limerick born writer, actor and air traffic controller Dan Mooney said there is already a really positive feeling about the bid. Creating a buzz about culture, creating something for people to strive for. Everyone sees an opportunity in this. It is important that we get excited about it. Meanwhile, the bid team has put out a call for volunteers to play a role in welcoming the judging panel to the city in July. Love your city? Want to help us become European Capital of Culture 2020? We need you, says the team, who will take a four person jury on a highly choreographed, whistle stop, eight hour visit of the city on July 12, with the winning bid to be announced on July 15. A number of events have been organised for the day details of which will be announced in due course, the Limerick 2020 team explained and volunteers will be a vital part of that day, helping to ensure that the judges have a welcoming, fun and memorable experience of Limerick, according to deputy bid director Sheila Deegan. We want the people of Limerick to play their part in the citys 2020 bid, she explained. We want you to share in the visit of the jury and show them why Limerick deserves the title. Weve had a huge interest already and we want to see more people sign up to get involved in this incredible experience. Its going to be lots of fun and a celebration of the citys culture. To join in the party and play your part in having Limerick named European Capital of Culture 2020 visit www.limerick2020.ie/volunteer. FORMER Limerick councillor Win Harrington has been remembered as an articulate, vocal and independent-minded lady at her funeral. Ms Harrington who served two terms on the old Limerick City Council in the 1970s and 1980s was laid to rest after tributes were paid in St Josephs Church, OConnell Avenue. Over the course of her life, she became well-known as being an advocate of rights for women, disabled and elderly. She campaigned to improve conditions at St Camillus Hospital, and helped set up the Rathfredagh Cheshire Home near Newcastle West a picture of which sat atop her coffin. Wins godson George Bird said it was out of concern for Limerick people she ran for public office. She was not happy with what was happening to Limerick people, so she went for local election in the 1970s, and the 1980s. Her slogan was Win will win and she did. She represented the people who had no voice, the transient, the disabled and womens rights, indeed everyones rights, he said. George recalled how her home in Clontarf Place was always open, and there was often a queue outside. Among the mourners were Senator Maria Byrne, plus former Mayor Kathleen Leddin. Fr Oliver Plunkett, leading the Mass, recalled how Win enjoyed her lunch in Souths pub each day, where she would read the newspaper from front to back. He highlighted her strong faith, which saw her attend church almost daily. METROPOLITAN councillors have expressed major concerns over shambolic roadworks that have been taking place across the city, by subcontractors for Irish Water, in recent weeks. At Mondays metropolitan district meeting at City Hall, Fianna Fail councillor Kieran OHanlon was the first to address the issue to the councils senior engineer, Vincent Murray. He stated that subcontractors have caused absolute destruction in the Rhebogue area in recent weeks. He said that he received complaints from local residents in relation to roadworks that were ongoing until 1.30am, sometime last week. Residents had to leave their homes and go out to the roadwork contractors and threaten to call the gardai, he said, adding that the loud noise levels were disturbing young people studying for their Leaving Certificate exams. Cllr Joe Leddin said that local residents have also contacted him in relation to poor road conditions in the South Circular Road area. I rang the council about a pothole out on my road, Summerville Avenue, and I am not exaggerating, but it was like a crater. These roads are going to cause an accident. His party colleague, Cllr Frankie Daly said that some of the road conditions in the city north district are like something out of armag-eddon. Its deplorable and its unacceptable. Sinn Fein councillor Seighin OCeallaigh said that he agreed with the complaints. Its not just public roads that are damaged; it is also private property that is being ruined. The problem is that there is no accountability. Irish Water barely talk to us, never mind the subcontractors talking to us. Its about having a certain mutual respect, he said. Cllr John Costelloe said that, because of ongoing roadworks, it took him 35 minutes to drive from Corbally to Rhebogue. Cllr Elena Secas said: The feedback we are getting from the public is that Irish Water do not communicate their plans. We need to bring the roads back to their original condition. Fianna Fails Vivienne Crowley said that it took her 45 minutes to drive from Castletroy to the city, as she had to take numerous detours due to a lack of direction and signage. Mr Murray said that he was very disappointed to hear the councillors complaints at this weeks meeting, and that the council will inform Irish Water of their concerns. 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. Virtual-reality (VR) technology creates new opportunities for storytelling. Pictured: Filming a scene from the VR movie "Ewa: Out of Body," directed by Johan Knattrup Jensen, with a custom VR rig. A good movie can transport audiences, taking them to other worlds and briefly immersing people in characters' lives. And with virtual-reality technology, movie writers and directors have more tools at their disposal than ever before to create immersive experiences. Danish filmmakers Johan Knattrup Jensen and Mads Damsbo and their production company Makropol are using virtual-reality (VR) technology to explore the boundaries of movie narratives, building on traditional visual storytelling and introducing new opportunities for audiences to interact with plotlines and characters and with one another. Their short film "Ewa: Out of Body," premiered at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, and enabled viewers to see the world through the eyes of Ewa, the main character. The short is a brief introduction to Ewa's life. A planned feature-length film will allow audiences to share her experiences from infancy through adulthood, centering on a significant conflict with her mother. [Beyond Gaming: 10 Other Fascinating Uses for Virtual-Reality Tech] Seeing and experiencing The filmmakers say VR could inspire movie creators to approach visual narratives in an entirely new way. "VR opens up a different way of telling stories one you haven't seen before," Jensen, the film's director, told Live Science. "Instead of simply trying to tell a story, I'm trying to convey an experience." A scene from the VR film "Ewa: Out of Body," directed by Johan Knattrup Jensen, showing Ewa's point of view. (Image credit: Talib Rasmussen) Jensen shot "Ewa" as a single take, which means that the camera's point of view what the audience sees in the headset travels uninterrupted from start to finish, mimicking the way that we experience the world. Making a film with no edits, Jensen explained, meant that all the movements of the actors and the camera had to be carefully choreographed and coordinated at every step, with movements linked to actions that would advance Ewa's story. "How do we acknowledge the audience's presence in the film, and how do we use that for telling the story? This is something we're really interested in," Damsbo said. And with VR, filmmakers can begin to imagine an active, participatory role for audience members within their movies, Damsbo told Live Science. VR gets social It might seem that wearing VR headsets in a theater would isolate viewers from one another, and may reduce the shared enjoyment of a movie, but Jensen emphatically disagrees. "If that were true, we'd say books were an anti-social medium," he said. "VR has the power that any good experience has right after you have it, you want to share it." Another Makropol VR film shown at Cannes, "The Doghouse," did exactly that. It offered a group of five viewers the chance to not only participate in a communal VR experience a film about a family sharing a meal but also to discuss it after the movie ended and see how their perceptions of the same story differed, depending on whose role they were playing. SKAMMEKROGEN // THE DOGHOUSE - interview with the artists (opens in new tab) on Vimeo (opens in new tab). "We wanted to say, there isn't really one truth about a story about this family dinner there are five truths," Damsbo said. "And each one is just as true." Talking about the film enabled participants to appreciate how VR allowed each of them to experience a very different narrative, he added. [Photos: Virtual Reality Puts Adults in a Child's World] "A new language is being born" Some established members of the Hollywood community are ready and willing to explore what VR technology can do. Michael Bay, director of the blockbuster "Transformers" movies, is embracing VR. He recently announced a partnership with the production company The Rogue Initiative to create VR experiences that include highly dynamic action sequences a trademark of Bay's movies within an immersive environment. And at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, a roster of VR short films live action and animated which included Makropol's "Ewa" and "The Doghouse," were presented at a special pavilion. Festival officials even included a cardboard VR headset in the event's official "swag bag" giveaway. Johan Knattrup Jensen, director of the VR film "The Doghouse," tests the installation. (Image credit: Asmund Sollihgda) However, certain moviemakers have expressed skepticism about VR's effectiveness for telling stories. At Cannes, director Steven Spielberg suggested that VR might offer audiences too many choices, which could lead them to "forget the story" that the writer and director imagined. But perhaps allowing a viewer to choose among several stories means that the director's role is more important than ever, Jensen suggested. "I can still control my audience," Jensen told Live Science. "But now I have to make a game with them, where I try to persuade them to find the story to find my story," he added. "The medium is changing, aesthetics are changing and a new language is being born. We can only embrace the art of this new language," Jensen said. (Looking for a VR headset? Our sister site Tom's Guide put together a great primer on the best ones on the market right now: The Best VR Headsets.) Original article on Live Science. Genes play a role in a student's performance, but they don't tell the full story. Research shows that a students genetic makeup can have a strong influence on their academic performance. Some interpret this as meaning there is little that can be done to help those who struggle academically and that spending extra money on these students to help them succeed is pointless. But is this the case? A major misconception is that genes are destiny. This is wrong because genes are never the full story. This is because environmental factors (nurture) also play a role in levels of academic achievement. Well-designed and well-delivered remediation can also help struggling students even in cases where genetic factors (nature) may be the source of the difficulties. What we know about genetic influence We know about strong genetic influences on academic skills primarily through the use of the twin method (opens in new tab). This is where the genetic makeup of identical twins is compared with non-identical twins. Evidence of genetic influence emerges if identical twins are more alike in terms of academic performance than non-identical (fraternal) twins. Identical twins share all their genes, fraternal twins share half of their genes, but both types share homes and schools. So researchers can estimate the degree to which genes affect academic achievement over and above the effects of homes and schools: that is, they can estimate how much ability is inherited. And because non-identical twins can be opposite-sex, researchers can also identify if nature and nurture play out differently with males and females. For the most part the same genes appear to affect boys and girls, and in general gender effects are in danger of being exaggerated in public discourse. Studies with twin children have been conducted worldwide, including in Australia, the US (opens in new tab), the UK, continental Europe, Asia, and Africa (opens in new tab), with an emphasis on the core areas of literacy and numeracy. Estimates of genetic influence vary somewhat among subjects and locations, but range from near 50% to as high as 80%. The studies have used standardised tests as well as school-administered tests. Less is known about creative and technical subjects, where particular talents clearly exist. Identical twins are more alike in terms of academic performance than non-identical twins. from www.shutterstock.com What about environmental influence? Twin studies can also parse environmental influence into factors that twin children mostly share, such as home socio-economic status (SES) and school attended. There are also those that are unique to each child in a twin, such as illnesses and, often enough, separate teachers. Contrary to many peoples expectations, some shared factors such as family SES and school attended are relatively minor influences on student differences once genetic endowment has been taken into consideration. It is important to note, however, that some groups may show lower average levels of achievement due to adverse environmental circumstances such as poorer rates of school attendance and retention. Other groups may be affected by unusual environments, such as heavy metal contamination from mining and metals processing, which can be associated with lower NAPLAN scores. Educational interventions What works are well-designed, well-delivered and timely interventions that can help struggling children to reach or more closely approach normal-range levels. These interventions are usually designed for individuals or small groups but have proven successful when implemented at school district level. We do not claim that compensating for genetic disadvantage is easy, but with the right frame of mind and sustained help with an emphasis on how the alphabet represents the sounds of speech, plus supported reading practice, progress is real and rewarding. Funding implications This is why the conclusion that strong genetic influence makes additional spending pointless is too pessimistic. It could be argued that if some children struggling with literacy or numeracy are doing so because of constraints on learning with biological origins, then extra funding delivered to these children is exactly what is needed. This is especially so if we wish to counter increasing gaps between the best - and worst -performing students. Implications for the teaching profession Some teachers have been reluctant to acknowledge the role of genes in school performance, perhaps because of an aversion to biological explanations - so-called biological determinism - and perhaps because of the false impression that if genes matter, teachers dont. Among other consequences, this has meant an overemphasis on the role of teacher skill and dedication in determining why some students prosper and others struggle. There is direct evidence from twins that teacher differences are not responsible for much in the way of student differences in literacy. So teachers do matter in that they are the reasons why children know more at the end of the year or even the day. But our teachers are more uniformly effective than many give them credit for. The Colorado story It is unfortunate that in some education systems, such as in Colorado in the US, teacher employment and remuneration are tied to evaluations that give undue weight to student progress. This ignores the fact that some students struggle because of biological constraints on learning that can be overcome to an encouraging degree, but only with special and adequate resources. In the US, teacher morale is at an all time low, and in other places, including Australia, teachers are blamed by many in the media and politics. What is needed We need a more nuanced understanding of the factors that influence academic achievement, including the role that genes play. At the same time, we need to avoid the unwarranted pessimism that can accompany acknowledgement of genetic influence, a danger that applies not only to attitudes toward academic development but to mental and physical health as well. We need to take comfort from the existence of scientifically-grounded interventions, which in the hands of teachers with sufficient resources, can make a difference to the prospects of students who initially find the going in particular subjects tough. Brian Byrne, Chief Investigator, ARC Centre of Excellence in Cognition and its Disorders, Chief Investigator, NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence in Twin Research, and Emeritus Professor, School of Behavioural, Cognitive and Social Sciences, University of New England; Katrina Grasby, PhD, University of New England, and Richard Olson, Professor of psychology and neuroscience director, Colorado Learning Disabilities Research Centre, University of Colorado This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article. An award announcement celebrates the work of Edward F. Knipling (left) and Raymond C. Bushland (right) in eradicating the destructive screwworm fly. Knipling died in 2000 and Bushland died in 1995. The sex life of a fly whose name translates to "man-eater" has netted two researchers a posthumous award from U.S. politicians. The 2016 Golden Goose Award, which honors basic research that might seem silly but led to important breakthroughs, will go to Edward F. Knipling and Raymond C. Bushland. The U.S. Department of Agriculture funded the researchers' study of the reproductive behavior of screwworm flies (Cochliomyia hominivorax), a parasitic species that caused major problems for farmers and ranchers before Knipling and Bushland's work led to a new type of insect control in the 1950s. "Given the recent rise of infectious diseases like the Zika virus, developing eradication programs for carrier pests is a much-needed field of scientific research," Rep. Randy Hultgren, R-Ill., a supporter of the Golden Goose Award, said in a statement. "Even though 'worms' might make some members of Congress - as well as the public a little squeamish or skeptical of the research we invest in, these studies by Drs. Edward F. Knipling and Raymond C. Bushland have clearly paid off." [6 Politicians Who Got the Science Wrong] Freaky fly Adult screwworm flies look like large houseflies with orange heads. It's their young, however, that do the real damage. Female flies lay their eggs in scratches or cuts on the hides of livestock or other animals. The maggots, or larvae, of the screwworm fly burrow into the wounds, feeding on both the dead and living flesh of the infected animal. "Untreated screwworm infestations can be fatal," reads a fact sheet on the insect put out by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension. "The larvae will continue to feed on the animal and will eventually eat the host alive." Even creepier, the maggots can infect humans, too. In 2008, an emergency-room doctor won a photo competition held by the journal Pediatric Emergency Care with a gruesome picture and case study of a 12-year-old girl who returned from a trip to Colombia with painful blisters on her scalp. A "blunt haircut" revealed the squirming larvae of the screwworm fly burrowed into the girl's skin. In total, doctors removed 142 larvae from her head. [Giant List of the Strangest Medical Cases Reported by Live Science] Eradicating the screwworm Knipling and Bushland's research made such infections for humans and for livestock much less common. The two worked in Texas and Florida through the 1940s and 1950s to understand the fly's biology and behavior, according to the World Food Prize organization, which honored Knipling and Bushland in 1992. (The pair also have a USDA insect research laboratory in Texas named after them.) With annual meat and dairy losses to screwworm flies totaling more than $200 million a year in the 1950s, Knipling and Bushland became focused on disrupting the natural life cycle of the flies, according to their World Food Prize biography. They reasoned that if they could release enough sterile male flies into the wild, mating would result in fewer and fewer offspring, eradicating the fly population. The researchers then figured out that they could treat the flies with doses of radiation calibrated to render them sterile but healthy enough to mate. The first test came on Sanibel Island, Florida, in the early 1950s. It worked. The researchers named their method the "sterile insect technique." According to the USDA, the sterile insect technique eradicated the screwworm fly in the U.S. in 1966. Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua have been screwworm-free since the 1990s. "Screwworm research may sound like a joke, but it isn't. It saved the livestock industry billions," Rep. Jim Cooper, D-Tenn., who invented the Golden Goose Award, said in the statement. Scientists are now looking to transfer the sterile insect technique to Aedes mosquitos, the species that transfers the Zika virus. For example, the International Atomic Energy Agency announced in March that it was granting 2.3 million euros ($2.6 million) to researchers applying the technique to Zika-carrying mosquitos. The Golden Goose Award stands in contrast to the "Golden Fleece" Award, a congressional award that mocks purportedly wasteful science, and former Sen. Tom Coburn's "Wastebook," which highlighted National Institutes of Health grants the Oklahoma Republican judged as pointless. Researchers highlighted in Coburn's "Wastebook" consistently reported that their research was misrepresented. Original article on Live Science. This picture shows an infection of the amoeba Naegleria fowleri, seen under a microscope and stained with a fluorescent antibody. A young woman who went white-water rafting in North Carolina contracted a rare, brain-eating amoeba and died, according to reports. The 18-year-old, who was from Ohio, was on a trip with a church youth group last week, and visited an outdoor recreation center with white-water rafting in Charlotte, North Carolina, according to NBC news station WCMH in Columbus, Ohio. Health officials are still investigating the case, but it is suspected that she contracted the infection when her raft turned over and she went underwater. The deadly infection is caused by a single-celled organism called Naegleria fowleri, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Here are five key facts about these infections. People usually become infected from warm freshwater lakes and rivers. This amoeba likes to live in warm water, including warm lakes and rivers, as well as hot springs. The organism may also be found in warm pools that are not properly chlorinated, and in water heaters, the CDC says. It can live in temperatures as high as 115 degrees Fahrenheit (46 degrees Celsius), and can sometimes survive at higher temperatures for short periods. In the United States, most brain-eating-amoeba infections occur in bodies of freshwater in Southern states. Infections are most common during the summer months, especially when it is hot for prolonged periods, the CDC says. Naegleria fowleri is not found in the ocean. The amoeba gets to the brain through the nose. People do not become infected withNaegleria fowleri by swallowing water. Rather, infections happen when water containing this amoeba goes up the nose and enters the brain. Once in the brain, the amoeba destroys brain tissue, which results in brain swelling and usually death, the CDC says. Early symptoms, which include headache, fever, nausea and vomiting, can occur from one to nine days after infection. Infection with this brain-eating amoeba is very rare. From 2006 to 2015, there were just 37 cases ofNaegleria fowleri infection in the United States, even though millions of people go swimming each year, according to the CDC. For comparison, there were 34,000 drowning deaths from 2001 to 2010. Very few people survive these infections. Infection with this brain-eating amoeba is nearly always fatal. Of the 138 people who were infected withNaegleria fowleri in the United States between 1962 and 2015, just three survived (which means the infection has a fatality rate of nearly 98 percent), according to the CDC. The last person to survive infection with Naegleria fowleri was a 12-year-old girl in Arkansas, who contracted the infection in 2013. Doctors treated her with a number of anti-fungal medications, as well as an experimental drug called miltefosine, which was first developed to treat breast cancer but also had been shown to kill the amoeba in lab experiments. There are a few things you can do to lower your risk of infection. Researchers don't know how to get rid of naturalNaegleria fowleri in lakes, rivers and other freshwater sources, so people who go swimming in warm freshwater should assume that there is a low risk of infection, the CDC says. If you choose to go swimming in warm freshwater, you can try to avoid having water go up your nose by holding your nose closed, using nose clips or keeping your head above water, the CDC says. Original article on Live Science. After spending more than 300 years on the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico, the 17th-century French ship that went by the name La Belle, or "The Beautiful," has finally found a new resting place at a museum in Texas. Archaeologists discovered the shipwreck in 1995, but it took them 17 years to excavate and restore the ship, they said in a statement. Upon finding the wreck, the researchers were able to identify it as La Belle, a French-made ship that sank off the coast of Matagorda Bay (an area about 110 miles, or 177 kilometers, southwest of Houston) in 1686. "It's been exciting, a huge headache and a huge frustration at times, but I love old ships and in particular this one, Peter Fix, a watercraft conservator at the Conservation Research Laboratory at Texas A&M University, said in the statement. "Needless to say, it's been a challenging, emotional ride." [Shipwrecks Gallery: Secrets of the Deep] La Belle, now housed at the Bullock State History Museum in Austin, is one of the most important shipwrecks ever uncovered in North America, Fix said. The ship was one of four under the command of Rene-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle (1643-1687), a famous French pioneer who explored the Great Lakes, the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. The ships carried La Salle and 300 settlers who planned to colonize the Gulf Coast, expanding France's influence in the New World. The ships left France on Aug. 1, 1684, but all four ran into trouble. Within two years, all four ships Le Joly, LAimable, St. Francois and La Belle returned to France, sank or were captured by pirates, Fix said. La Belle's journey La Belle was constructed in France in 1684, and originally measured 54 feet long by 14 feet wide (16 by 4.3 meters). It was designed with a shallow hull so that it could navigate coastal and river waters, including the Mississippi River, Fix said. However, La Belle never made it to the Mississippi. Poorly drawn maps led the French explorers astray, Fix said. The small fleet missed the Mississippi River delta, and instead landed more than 400 miles (644 km) away, on the Texas coast. Two storms within days of each other first grounded and later sank La Belle in Matagorda Bay in the winter of 1686, just two years after its construction. There were 27 people onboard when the ship sank, but only six survived and returned to Fort St. Louis, a nearby French settlement, Fix said. Within months, mutineers killed La Salle near present-day Navasota, Texas, during a trek to Canada, where the explorer was hoping to gather a rescue mission for his colony. Although La Salle's mission failed, it eventually helped pave the way for Texas' creation that is, without French influence. "With the ship went a famous explorer's dreams and a kings ambition to expand his empire to the New World," the Texas Historical Commission said. Artifacts galore Despite spending more than three centuries underwater, La Belle was chock-full of artifacts from 17thcentury France, largely because "La Salle used the ship as a sort of floating warehouse," Fix said. "When excavated, the archaeological site was found full of merchandise everything requisite to form a colony and establish trade; knives, ax heads, pottery, tiny glass beads, bottles and brass pins there are hundreds, or in some cases, thousands, of samples," Fix said. "Personal items including clothing, combs and even a signet ring were found, and also weaponry such as long guns, lead shot, sword parts and three bronze cannons, which were extraordinarily well preserved." [Disasters at Sea: 6 Deadliest Shipwrecks] After finding the shipwreck, the Texas Historical Commission decided to build a temporary dam around the sunken ship. This allowed archaeologists to pump out the water around the ship, and excavate it in the mud, instead. Excavations lasted from September 1996 until April 1997. During that time, archaeologists recovered about 1.6 million items from the La Belle wreck, which gave them insights into how the French explorers planned to set up the colony. La Belle itself is undoubtedly the largest, and most valuable artifact, Fix said. A team, composed largely of Texas A&M nautical archaeology graduate students, meticulously preserved and reconstructed the ship. "The reason the project took as long as it did was due to the nature of the material and artifact that had to be stabilized," Fix said. "La Belles timbers had become waterlogged and heavily degraded during the 300-year immersion in Matagorda Bay, some even had the consistencies of a wet sponge, and we had to employ methods that would slowly displace the water and strengthen the wood." For instance, the archaeologists decided to "freeze-dry" each timber, then remove any remaining water. "Had we not used this method, the timbers most likely would have shrunk and distorted so much, they could not have been used to reassemble the ship," Fix said. Three state agencies worked together to restore and bring the boat to the museum. The boat and its artifacts actually belong to France, according to an international treaty, but the exhibit will stay in Texas indefinitely, under the stewardship of the Texas Historical Commission, Fix said. Original article on Live Science. The first time the clinging jellyfish (Gonionemus vertens), a Pacific Ocean species, was detected in New Jersey waters was in 2016. A dime-size jellyfish that can deliver severely painful stings has been spotted in New Jersey waters for the first time. Gonionemus vertens, commonly known as the clinging jellyfish, is responsible for the hospitalization of a man named Matt Carlo, according to a June 15 alert posted on Facebook by the Monmouth Beach Office of Emergency Management in New Jersey. Carlo was stung while swimming in the Shrewsbury River in Monmouth Beach. Since then, clinging jellyfish have reportedly been found in several river and bay locations near the Monmouth Beach area, the Monmouth Beach Police Department (MBPD) confirmed in a June 16 statement. However, experts said that ocean beachgoers should be safe from the jelly's tiny tentacles, as the animals are too small and fragile to survive waves close to shore. The jellyfish will only be found in quieter waters, like the river in which Carlo was swimming. [In Photos: The Best US Beaches of 2016] According to the MBPD statement their most recent statement about clinging jellyfish as of June 22 "There have been no prohibitions or warnings issued regarding swimming in the river by any agency. An invader from the Pacific Clinging jellyfish are native to the Pacific Ocean, but have been found in the Cape Cod area since 1894, according to Annette Govindarajan, a marine biologist and research specialist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. The jellies use adhesive pads on their tentacles to attach to algae and sea grasses such as eelgrass. Scientists studied the Cape Cod clinging jellyfish in the early 1900s, before the creatures dwindled and appeared to vanish in the 1930s following an eelgrass die-off, Govindarajan told Live Science. Prior to that, Govindarajan said, the researchers and collectors who were handling the jellies in Massachusetts made no reports of stings. Clinging jellyfish populations near Russia and Japan were known to cause severe sting reactions in people. But in some areas of the northeast Pacific, the creatures didn't deliver such painful stings, suggesting that not all clinging jellies delivered a toxic pinch. "The Cape Cod populations were assumed to be the variety that didn't cause severe stings," Govindarajan said. However, in 1990, the clinging jellyfish appeared near Cape Cod again and painful stinging incidents were reported for the first time. And the clinging jellyfish that are newly arrived in New Jersey appear to cause severe reactions, too. Carlo, who was stung on June 15, was given morphine to counteract the jellies' toxin, the Asbury Park Press (APP) reported. "I thought I was going to die that's how much pain I was in," Carlo told the APP. Finding jellyfish hotspots Paul Bologna, the director of the Marine Biology and Coastal Sciences Program at Montclair State University in New Jersey, has been studying eelgrass ecology for 15 years. He was already planning on searching for clinging jellyfish in New Jersey eelgrass beds this summer when he began hearing about sightings in June. So far, Bologna has collected clinging jellyfish specimens in two locations: the Point Pleasant Canal between Manasquan and Barnegat Bay, and in the Monmouth Beach/Oceanport area. His findings there suggest there are at least two established populations, Bologna told Live Science. Clinging jellyfish begin life as polyps, which are too small to be seen with the naked eye, Govindarajan said. The polyps reproduce asexually and can create 30 to 40 clones in a year. "Populations can increase rapidly from asexual budding," Bologna said. "Identifying where the polyps are is important for jellyfish control." But even as Bologna and other researchers work to identify where in New Jersey the clinging jellyfish are settling and where they came from there's one place where experts are confident you won't see these tiny jellies near ocean beaches. "If they get mixed into the surf, they get chewed up and torn to bits," Bologna told Live Science. "People going to ocean beaches have very little to worry about. But if you decide to swim at night in a lagoon, the encounter rate might be higher," he said. Original article on Live Science. A robot in Russia caused an unusual traffic jam last week after it "escaped" from a research lab, and now, the artificially intelligent bot is making headlines again after it reportedly tried to flee a second time, according to news reports. Engineers at the Russian lab reprogrammed the intelligent machine, dubbed Promobot IR77, after last week's incident, but the robot recently made a second escape attempt, The Mirror reported. Last week, the robot made it approximately 160 feet (50 meters) to the street, before it lost power and "partially paralyzed" traffic. [The 6 Strangest Robots Ever Created] Promobot, the company that designed the robot, announced the escapade in a blog post the next day. The strange escape has drawn skepticism from some who think it was a promotional stunt, but regardless of whether the incident was planned, the designers seem to be capitalizing on all the attention. The company's blog includes photographs of the robot from multiple angles as it obstructs traffic, and the robot's escape came a week after Promobot announced plans to present the newest model in the company's series, Promobot V3, in the fall. The company said its engineers were testing a new positioning system that allows the robot to avoid collisions while moving under its own control. But when a gate was left open, the robot wandered into the street and blocked a lane of traffic for about 40 minutes, the blog post states. The Promobot was designed to interact with people using speech recognition, providing information in the form of an expressive electronic face, prerecorded audio messages and a large screen on its chest. The company has said the robot could be used as a promoter, administrator, tour guide or concierge. In light of the robot's recent escapes, and citing multiple changes to the robot's artificial intelligence, Promobot co-founder Oleg Kivokurtsev told The Mirror, "I think we might have to dismantle it." But in its blog post, the company said it considers the escape a successful test of the machine's new navigation system, because the robot didn't harm anyone and wasn't damaged during the getaway. According to the company's English-language website, one of the advantages of the Promobot compared to a human promoter is that it "will not be confused and stray." Original article on Live Science. This digitally-colorized image shows particles of Zika virus, which is a member of the family Flaviviridae. The virus particles are colored blue in the picture. They are 40 nanometers (0.00004 millimeters) in diameter. Requests for abortions in some Latin American countries have doubled since health officials began issuing warnings about the link between Zika virus and birth defects, according to a new report. The report authors analyzed information from a nonprofit organization called Women on Web, which provides access to abortion medications (using telemedicine) in countries where safe abortions are illegal or highly restricted, including many Latin American countries. The researchers looked at requests for abortions before and after Nov. 17, 2015, when the Pan American Health Organization, which is part of the United Nations, issued an alert about the link between Zika virus and microcephaly, a birth defect in which a baby's head is abnormally small. After this date, several Latin American countries also issued their own health warnings advising women to avoid pregnancy. The researchers found that requests for abortions increased in nine Latin American countries: Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Ecuador, Honduras, Venezuela, Argentina and Peru. In all of these nations, access to abortions is restricted, and in most (except Argentina and Peru), health officials had issued national warnings about the link between Zika virus and microcephaly, the researchers said. [5 Things to Know About Zika Virus] In these nine countries, the increases in abortion requests ranged from 20 to 108 percent. The increase was biggest in Brazil, where there were 1,210 requests for abortions between late November 2015 and early March 2016. That's more than double the 581 requests that researchers would have expected in that time period, based on trends in abortion requests from before November 2015. Requests for abortions also nearly doubled in Ecuador, from an expected 34 to 71 requests between late November 2015 and early March 2016. "Our data provide a window on how concern about Zika virus infection may have affected the lives of pregnant women in Latin America," the researchers, from the University of Texas at Austin, Women on Web, Princeton University in New Jersey and the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom, wrote in their report published today (June 22) in the New England Journal of Medicine. The researchers note that they cannot prove for certain that concern about the Zika virus caused the increase in abortion requests. However, the investigators found that countries with the biggest increases in requests for abortions also tended to have a greater percentage of women who cited the Zika virus as the reason for their abortions. The new report could also underestimate the increase in abortions, because some women may have used unsafe abortion methods or gained access to abortion drugs through the black market, rather than through Women on Web, the researchers said. "Official information and advice about potential exposure to the Zika virus should be accompanied by efforts to ensure that all reproductive choices are safe, legal and accessible," the researchers wrote. Original article on Live Science. Winter in Antarctica is lonely. Each year, only a handful of people stay on the continent to keep research stations running. They're mostly on their own even if they're suddenly grappling with a medical issue. On occasion, though, a serious medical event requires a rescue attempt. The latest is ongoing: On June 21, a Twin Otter aircraft arrived at the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station to evacuate a sick member of the overwintering team. The NSF Division of Polar Programs announced today that the plane left the South Pole station and landed safely at the British Rothera station, some 1,500 miles (2,400 kilometers) away. The NSF has not released the name of the sick worker, nor the condition that necessitated the rescue, but past experience suggests that it must be serious: Researchers and staffers have coped with conditions ranging from breast cancer to stroke without having to resort to evacuations. That's because the danger of landing a plane in the icy Antarctic winter can't be understated. [In Images: Antarctic Explorer Robert Falcon Scott's Last Photos] Cold and alone Forty-eight people are spending the winter at the Amundsen-Scott station, according to a website dedicated to station news and history. The cold is unimaginable; according to the National Weather Service, it was minus 79 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 62 degrees Celsius) at 2 p.m. EDT on June 22. The weather was listed, simply, as "ice crystals." That means that it's so cold that the moisture in the air freezes, said Air National Guard Col. Ronnie Smith, who flew rescue and resupply missions for the U.S. Air Force in the polar regions and wrote a book of poetry about his experiences, "The Last White Ruby: The Vanishing Polar Circles" (BookBaby, 2015). "The air literally glitters when the sun hits these ice crystals," Smith told Live Science. Not that there's any sun at the South Pole now. It sets in March and doesn't peek above the horizon again until September. Dark is one of the challenges a pilot trying to land in the Amundsen-Scott station must face. During the first midwinter landing at the Pole which took place in April 2001 the airplane's path was lit by two rows of trash burning in barrels alongside the runway, according to a history of the event in the book "Amazing Flights and Flyers" (Frontenac House, 2010). Cold is another big challenge for any pilot hoping to land in the Antarctic winter. Temperatures that can dip into the negative triple digits can freeze jet fuel into slush, according to the Wisconsin IceCube South Pole Neutrino Observatory. Hydraulic fluid starts to gel at around minus 72.4 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 58 degrees C), Smith said. Twin Otters, the planes that are used to fly these risky rescue missions, have parts that are almost entirely mechanical, helping them avoid locked-up hydraulics. As if cold and dark weren't enough, Antarctica's winters are notoriously fickle. "You have weather that is so extreme," Smith said. "I mean, it can go down to minus 120 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 84 degrees C). The winds can be hurricane-force winds and they often are, especially in the winter." And the wind doesn't even have to be that strong to make flying impossible. Gusts of only 20 knots, or around 23 mph (37 km/h), can obscure visibility with blowing snow, Smith said. "Once it becomes minus 40 degrees, the crystal structure of the snow changes to where the snow is like sand," Smith said. "It's light, it's dry, and it's easily lifted into the air by a breeze." To compound the problem, weather data is spotty at the Pole, Smith said. Weather satellites don't orbit directly over the poles, so atmospheric data is available for only part of the day. And storms can pop up in a matter of hours. "From the time they took off in Rothera, everything can change by the time they get to the Pole," Smith said of the 10-hour flight navigated by the rescue pilots. Perils at the Pole The first-ever midwinter landing at the South Pole, in 2001, was also for a medical evacuation: A doctor at the South Pole station became seriously ill with gallstones and pancreatitis. A Twin Otter aircraft, equipped with skis for landing on snow, was used in that rescue mission as well as in the current one. In addition to a minimum of moving parts, these planes can take off and land on short lengths of runway, according to "Amazing Flights and Flyers." [Extreme Living: Scientists at the End of the Earth] Despite bad weather, the 2001 landing was relatively smooth but takeoff proved a challenge. The hydraulically operated flaps on the Twin Otter froze, requiring unexpected and rapid repair right on the runway. After the flaps were moving again, the crew discovered that the plane's skis had frozen to the runway. Two maintenance workers had to rock the plane's wingtips from a perch atop a bulldozer to free the Twin Otter. There have been other midwinter landings on Antarctica, including one to rescue an engineer with ulcerative colitis at New Zealand's Scott Base, near the Antarctic coast, in 1991. But given the risks, rescues are rare. In 1999, a doctor treated her own breast cancer at the Amundsen-Scott station, a process that included doing her own breast biopsy and treating herself with chemotherapy drugs airdropped by a plane. The doctor, Jerri Nielsen FitzGerald, was eventually rescued in October, early in the Antarctic spring, according to her obituary (she died in 2009 after a recurrence of her cancer). In 2011, an engineer at the South Pole station had to wait two months for rescue after having a stroke. And in 2002, an anesthesiologist and an orthopedic surgeon in Boston helped the Amundsen-Scott station's only physician do knee surgery on a station meteorologist. The Boston doctors used voice- and video transmissions to guide the doctor through the repair of a damaged tendon, according to the NSF. Follow Stephanie Pappas on Twitterand Google+. Follow us @livescience, Facebook& Google+. Original article on Live Science. Check out our latest E-Edition Accessible anytime and anywhere on your desktop, tablet and smart phone devices. The Lodi News e-Edition is enhanced with the latest digital tools, including RSS feeds, social networking and much more. Check out our latest E-edition! Irish Water has apologised after a mains pipe burst in Killoe at the weekend caused significant damage, with flood waters gathering around a local house. Local man John Keogh told the Longford Leader that he was facing a clean-up bill of several thousand euro after the water mains burst outside his property twice inside the space of 24 hours. Four times my property has been flooded by a mains water pipe bursting outside my house, he said. Last weekends episode however was by far the worst, leaving Johns entire front concourse under water. With the last flood a slatted shed has been flooded, a septic tank overflowed and manholes and gullies were left blocked, he said. The wall at the front of the house is cracked due to the force of the water. Its totally unacceptable. In a statement, a spokesperson for Irish Water apologised to local residents affected by the weekend fallout and insisted the public utility was doing all it could to resolve the problem. Repair crews were immediately on site on Friday and Saturday repairing the bursts as they occurred, said the spokesperson. Due to the fragile condition and age of the water main it is prone to frequent bursts. Irish Water is committed to ensuring that customers in the area have a more reliable and secure supply and have approved the replacement of 1.3km section of the water main. Local Councillor Micheal Carrigy called on Irish Water to expedite its plans to carry out restorative works which had originally been earmarked during the last three months of 2016. This line needs to be replaced straight away, he told the Leader, as he questioned how much had been spent on carrying out remedial works as a direct result of persistent water bursts. There are a number of issues that will have to be addressed, not alone the damage to property but also there is a concern to motorists who use the road. Meanwhile Irish Water outlined its plans to spend 900,000 on repairs in Killoe and Edgeworthstown. For more on this story, see this week's Longford Leader. The guilty plea was announced by Robert L. Capers, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Diego Rodriguez, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI); Christina Scaringi, Special Agent-in-Charge, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General (HUD/OIG); and Christy Goldsmith Romero, Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (SIGTARP). According to court filings and facts presented at the guilty plea proceeding, from 2008 to 2012, Gotterup and his co-conspirators made a series of false promises to convince more than a thousand distressed homeowners seeking relief through government mortgage modification programs to pay thousands of dollars each in advance fees to numerous companies owned or controlled by Gotterup, including Express Modifications, Express Home Solutions, True Credit Empire, LLC, Green Group Today, Inc., The Green Law Group, Inc., and JG Group. Among other things, Gotterup directed telemarketers and salespeople to lie to distressed homeowner victims by telling them that they were preapproved for loan modifications and that they were retaining a law firm and an attorney who would complete their mortgage relief applications and negotiate with the banks to modify the terms of their mortgages. Contrary to these representations, Gotterup and his co-conspirators did little or no work in connection with these fraudulently induced advanced fees. Gotterup was arrested in October 2015 and remains incarcerated. In announcing the guilty plea, Mr. Capers extended his appreciation to the agencies that led the governments investigation and thanked the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Staten Island District Attorneys Office for their assistance. Todays guilty plea took place before United States District Judge Nicholas G. Garaufis. The governments case is being prosecuted by the Offices Business and Securities Fraud Section. Assistant United States Attorneys Sylvia Shweder and Bonni Perlin are in charge of the prosecution. * * * This prosecution was the result of efforts by President Obamas Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force (FFETF) which was created in November 2009 to wage an aggressive, coordinated, and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes. With more than 20 federal agencies, 94 U.S. Attorneys Offices, and state and local partners, its the broadest coalition of law enforcement, investigatory, and regulatory agencies ever assembled to combat fraud. Since its formation, the task force has made great strides in facilitating increased investigation and prosecution of financial crimes; enhancing coordination and cooperation among federal, state and local authorities; addressing discrimination in the lending and financial markets; and conducting outreach to the public, victims, financial institutions and other organizations. Since fiscal year 2009, the Justice Department has filed over 18,000 financial fraud cases against more than 25,000 defendants. For more information on the task force, visit here. The Defendant: DAVID GOTTERUP Age: 36 Oceanside, New York E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 15-CR-498 (NGG) Music, Movies & Entertainment, Local News, Travel & Local Attractions, Press Releases, Seasonal & Current Events By Long Island News & PR Published: June 22 2016 Celebrate our nations independence with a spectacular fireworks show and concert in Eisenhower Park on Saturday, July 2, 2016. East Meadow, NY - June 20, 2016 - Nassau County Executive Edward P. Mangano today announced that Nassau County and TD Bank, Americas Most Convenient Bank, will celebrate our nations independence by presenting a spectacular fireworks show and concert in Eisenhower Park on Saturday, July 2, 2016. TD Bank will once again sponsor Celebrate America at the Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre in Eisenhower Park. The fireworks, presented by the Long Island based Grucci family, are part of an unforgettable night in Eisenhower Park which kicks off with a performance by The Steam Punk Pirates, and Killer Joe and the Lido Soul Revue. I thank TD Bank for their continuous support, which makes our spectacular Independence Day celebration possible every year, said Mangano. The annual Fireworks Show and Concert here in beautiful Eisenhower Park is a great opportunity for our residents to come out and enjoy this World Class fireworks show and performances by The Steam Punk Pirates and Killer Joe and the Lido Soul Revue. The theatre area gates will open at 5:30 p.m. and the fireworks will begin at nightfall (approx. 9:30 p.m.). Tickets are required for admission to the Theatre area and are available free of charge, at any TD Bank on Long Island, while supplies last. There is no formal seating; visitors should bring blankets or chairs. Space is limited and overflow will be directed to other viewing and parking areas. In anticipation of Independence Day, County Executive Mangano and Acting Police Commissioner Thomas Krumpter remind residents that fireworks awareness and prevention are important issues to discuss with their families. The possession, use, or sale of fireworks, including sparklers, is a violation of New York State Penal Law, and may be punishable as a misdemeanor or a felony. Parents should talk with their children about the destructive outcomes that can occur from playing with fireworks. Fourth of July fireworks, although popular, can be extremely harmful. Fireworks statistics indicate that: According to a U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission report, an estimated 11,400 injuries were reported during 2013, a staggering 31 percent climb compared to 8,700 injuries reported the year before. Approximately 16% of all consumer fireworks injuries are caused by sparklers burning hands and legs, with the majority of these injuries occurring to young children. Most of these injuries happen at the victims homes. Fireworks can cause life threatening residential fires. Children ages 5 to 9 years old have the highest rate of injuries related to fireworks. There are many licensed professionals that perform fireworks presentations for the public, such as the Celebrate America show at Eisenhower Park. County Executive Mangano and Acting Police Commissioner Krumpter would like to wish the residents of Nassau County a happy and safe July 4th holiday. About the Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre: The Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre is an outdoor theatre located near parking fields 6 and 6A in Eisenhower Park. Special accommodations are available for disabled patrons, including reserved parking, easily accessible restrooms, and a convenient reserved location on the hill. Assistive hearing devices are available for the hearing impaired. There is no formal seating at Lakeside Theatre, so concertgoers are urged to bring folding chairs. If weather conditions are doubtful, call (516) 572-0355 after 7:00 p.m. for updated performance information. About Eisenhower Park: Eisenhower Park is centrally located in East Meadow, with entrances on Hempstead Turnpike at East Meadow Avenue and at the intersection of Stewart and Merrick Avenues. For further information, please call the Nassau County Parks Public Information Office at: (516) 572-0200 or visit the Nassau County Parks, Recreation and Museum website. Old Bethpage, NY - June 21, 2016 - Nassau County Executive today announced Old Bethpage Village Restoration will celebrate Independence Day as observed in the 1860s on Monday, July 4th from 10:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. The Independence Day Parade and Ceremony will begin at 2:30 p.m. Old Bethpage Village Restorations annual 1861 Independence Day Celebration offers a look at the regions past and features a parade and ceremony, historic craft demonstrations, contra dancing, storytelling, military drills, fiddle music and brass band concerts, said County Executive Mangano. Old Bethpage Village Restoration provides visitors with a unique and wonderful opportunity to step back in time and experience life in a recreated mid-19th Century American village set on more than 200 acres. Old Bethpage Village, located at 1303 Round Swamp Road in Old Bethpage is open Wednesday Saturday from 10:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. and on Sunday from 11:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m. Admission is $10.00 for adults and $7.00 for children (5-12), seniors, and volunteer firefighters. For more information about Old Bethpage Village Restoration, please call: (516) 572-8401 or visit the website. Local News, Community, Charity & Cause, Press Releases By Long Island News & PR Published: June 22 2016 Pronto of Long Island, Inc., a not-for-profit, Community Outreach Center serving the most vulnerable children and families received a grant from the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY). Bay Shore, NY - June 22, 2016 - On Wednesday, June 8th, community leaders joined with Kathleen Bennett, President of Pronto of Long Island, Inc., a not-for-profit, Community Outreach Center serving the most vulnerable children and families living in Brentwood, Bay Shore, Central Islip and neighboring communities, to announce their receipt of a grant by the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY) at Bella Verde in Brentwood. The grant will allow Pronto, an affiliate of Family Residences and Essential Enterprises, Inc. (FREE), to update the computer infrastructure at Pronto. This upgrade will help Pronto to provide computer classes in English and Spanish for the community. The computer upgrade will also allow Pronto to provide Test Assessing Secondary Completion (TASC) classes, citizenship classes and will provide software for resource and referral for Prontos programs. The grant will also be used to install solar power at Pronto for energy efficiency. Were grateful for the receipt of this grant as it will help us tremendously in our efforts to help the people we serve, said Kathleen Bennett, President of Pronto. We will continue to explore any and all avenues to raise funds to help this grossly underserved community, she continued. About Pronto of Long Island, Inc. Pronto opened its doors in 1969 in a 5th Avenue storefront as a center to help the poor. It began from the vision of a group of committed lay people and clergy at St. Anne's Roman Catholic Church. Today, Pronto of Long Island is a community outreach center serving the most vulnerable children and families living in Brentwood, Bay Shore, Central Islip and neighboring communities. Pronto has a food pantry, thrift center and warehouse with gently used household and furniture items. Pronto also offers programs and services to help families improve the quality of their lives. The mission of Pronto is to feed the hungry, clothe the needy, welcome the stranger and provide healing and hope to everyone who walks through our doors. Pronto truly is People Helping People. About Family Residences and Essential Enterprises, Inc. (FREE) Family Residences and Essential Enterprises, Inc. (FREE) collaborates with a variety of diverse 501 c3 nonprofit partners on educational, vocational, rehabilitative and a myriad of other creative initiatives to enhance the local communities and the lives of those that reside within them. Each of the valued partners of the Family of FREE Network have a unique mission, vision and strategic goals that are aligned in purpose, and embody the spirit of the meaningful work we do every day. Members of the Network work synergistically to strengthen, expand and diversify their programs to offer the highest quality of services to those we are privileged to support. Each partner has identified their own path to achieving strategic objectives and countless individualized possibilities have been co-created for those we support. For more information, please call 516-870-7000 or visit www.familyres.org. 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 The other day I was thinking about the attack in Orlando and I have come to a personal conclusion, just my opinion, based on my observations. This was not a random attack on a random day at a random target by a random individual. Everything about this attack shows that is was planned out in every detail, there was a political purpose also. This attack was not just about killing Americans. First, the timing. It was during Ramadan, a holy Muslim month. Isis has called for attacks to be carried out during Ramadan. Not only Ramadan, but it was during gay pride month at a gay bar. Homosexuals are executed in Muslim countries for their homosexuality. Second, the place. With the current public debate regarding homosexuality in this country, Isis realized that by conducting the attack at a gay bar, the focus of the media coverage would be about homosexuality and not Americans in general. Isis could attempt to fuel this debate to divide Americans. This was an attack on Americans who happened to be homosexual, it was not an attack on homosexuals alone. Isis was successful. News coverage has been focusing on the attack being in a gay bar and not on Americans. Isis diverted the attention from the real target, the United States. Americans were killed, that should be our focus, not the victims sexual orientation, they were Americans. Third, the choice of weapon. This terrorist could have simply walked in with a bomb(s) and killed many more people. The choice of weapon was carefully chosen. Isis is fully aware of the debate regarding firearms in this country and that the AR-15 (or a similar type), many times, is at the center of the debate. Isis knew that this would intensify the push to ban guns in general, the AR-15 specifically, in this country. What better place to kill people than in an unarmed country. What better place to kill people than in a divided country. America, we need to focus. Right now Isis leaders are sitting back and enjoying the political success of this attack. Mark Harwood Sale Creek * * * The idea that the attack in Orlando was specifically intended to remove our guns so we'd be easier to kill is laughable. Firstly, our spineless Congress is in the pocket of gun lobbyists, and trying to get them to pass stricter gun laws is like trying to get them to ban drinking water. Nothing could be more futile. Secondly, when has a civilian with a gun ever prevented a terrorist from killing? Not once. The monster who killed those people in Orlando was a disturbed and dangerous man who was able to easily and legally purchase a weapon with which he could enact his own personal genocide on a whim. No civilian with any amount of firepower is going to prevent an attack with a gun that can fire 30 rounds in 10 seconds. That sort of weapon should never have been allowed into his hands, nor any one else who doesn't need it for law enforcement or military purposes. Ray Ingraham * * * Thirty rounds in 10 seconds? Mr. Ingraham needs to first quit listening to those who want to take away our personal weapons then go back and verify his own facts, maybe do some personal evidence gathering to prove that 30 rounds in 10 seconds number he cites. That's three per second. I challenge the average person to perform that feat. The fact is that all of these horrible mass shootings occur in gun free zones, no weapons allowed and no way for the victims to defend themselves. It's provable the attackers made decisions to go where there were no personal weapons when they could just as easily have done their atrocities where weapons were allowed, maybe easier. Crimes are prevented every day, multiple times per day, by civilians with personal weapons. The murderer who executed a Chattanooga Police sergeant wasn't apprehended by the police. He was stopped by a civilian with a .22 caliber handgun, put on his knees with hands behind his head until the police could get there by a civilian. Asking "when has a civilian with a gun ever prevented a terrorist from killing" is the same as any other unprovable question. Vicki Rodgers Nine Mile, Tn. UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Tennessee, the Helen Ross McNabb Center, and local and state officials gathered in Chattanooga Tuesday to celebrate the completion of the Bailey Home, a new supportive-living facility in Hamilton County to serve the needs of adults living with mental illness. The Bailey Home was created by the Helen Ross McNabb Center through a $340,300 grant from UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Tennessee to help adults recovering from mental illness live healthier and more independent lives. The Bailey Home will provide comprehensive support services to each resident through onsite and community resources with a dedicated staff who will work 24 hours a day to help with daily-living skills, ensure that medication needs are met and coordinate daily life skills groups. The new facility has five bedrooms, and it will house 10 clients at full capacity. "People who are living with and recovering from mental illness deserve the opportunity to live healthier and more independent lives, said Rita Johnson-Mills, CEO of UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Tennessee. We are grateful for the opportunity to support the Helen Ross McNabb Center and help make that a reality for more Tennesseans with the Bailey Home. In 2013, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Tennessee committed $1 million in grant funding to help support organizations that provide safe, affordable, quality and appropriate housing for people living with mental illness after having been discharged from a mental health facility. In June 2015, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Tennessee presented the Helen Ross McNabb Center with its grant to develop the Chattanooga project. "Our Housing Services team helps provide permanent, safe, affordable housing to people who are homeless and experiencing symptoms of a mental illness, said Helen Ross McNabb Center CEO Jerry Vagnier. We currently offer 162 units in Knox and Hamilton counties, and we greatly appreciate the generosity of UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Tennessee to help us increase the number of housing units we can make available to people in need. I appreciate and commend UnitedHealthcare for its recognition that people living with mental illness are not only deserving but also capable of thriving in our communities with balanced and productive lives, said Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke. In partnership with the Helen Ross McNabb Center and with the support of the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, this investment will make a true impact in the Tennessee communities we serve together. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, more than 245,000 adults and 65,000 children in Tennessee live with serious mental health conditions. Many of them are homeless and survive on low incomes. The Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse estimates that nearly 190,000 Tennesseans with mental illness are in need of housing assistance. The state of Tennessee has been a leader in encouraging the creation of housing options for people with mental illness and co-occurring disorders, said officials. Since 2001, the Tennessee Creating Homes Initiative has leveraged public, private and nontraditional funding sources to create more than 4,600 housing options for Tennesseans diagnosed with mental illness and co-occurring disorders. There is a wealth of literature, both national and local, to support the essential role of stable, safe, quality and affordable permanent housing in the recovery process for people with mental illness, said E. Douglas Varney, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. I appreciate how this partnership among the Helen Ross McNabb Center, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Tennessee and other organizations will help put housing within reach for more Tennesseans. Apples big changes to Messages in iOS 10 seem mostly cosmetic: Giant emoji, full-screen fireworks, handwritten scrawls across photos and videos, and stickers galore. These are features lifted straight from Facebook Messenger, Snapchat, Line, and all the other messaging apps that are resonating with teenagers and, even if they wont admit it, their parents. But the biggest change to Messages is more behind the scenes. Facebook Messenger and WeChat are taking over the world, but Apples decision to open up iMessage to developers makes it clear that the company isnt yielding to the dominant messaging appsin fact, it has an advantage. Apples iOS 10 demo at last weeks Worldwide Developers Conference keynote was full of brand-new features, but Craig Federighi, Apples senior vice president of software engineering, devoted a large chunk of time to changes coming to the Messages app. If youve used any other messaging app in the last few years, most of the flair coming to Messages looks more than a little familiar. iOS 10 gives Messages some signature Apple style, like an invisible ink feature that blurs your photos and texts and has to be swiped away, but the improvements are familiar. But Apples decision to turn iMessage into a platform is more significant than all the Snapchat-like effects that have garnered the lions share of attention, because third-party apps can now be used to enrich your messages without ever leaving the Messages app. Its the Facebook Messenger approach, but more refined. The new iMessage app drawer The new iMessage software development kit allows developers to build extensions that bring their app experiences directly into Messages. In iOS 10, you can access third-party messaging apps from the iMessage App drawer. Just tap on the App icon next to the blank text field to find apps and create content that you can share straightforwardly in-app. Finding Dory stickers are just the beginning. Federighi used a funny image creation app called JibJab to demonstrate the features in his WWDC demo. JibJab lets you create and share e-cards with people, and the iMessage extension allows you to select from a gallery of faces in your Camera Roll and drop a friends face on a JibJab GIF. When you share that image with someone, it will appear in the same iMessage conversation with a button beneath the image to install JibJab. Whereas Facebook Messenger would kick you to the App Store to finish downloading the app, in iMessage, youll remain inside your conversation. JibJab will appear in the new iMessage app drawer, which you can open without ever leaving Messages. That seamless installation process is huge for developers, JibJab cofounder and CEO Gregg Spiridellis told me. This is a monumental improvement in discovery, Spiridellis said. If one of our users sends content to someone today in iMessage, theres no link back to JibJab. People dont know where that content came from or how to get it for themselves. App discovery in Facebook Messenger: If you send someone a JibJab or Bitmoji, that person is also prompted to install the app into the Facebook Messenger platform. Facebook also used JibJab to demonstrate their Messenger app platform at F8 in 2015. Spiridellis said JibJab is platform-agnostic, but Apple has a clear advantage because its tools are built in at the OS level. Apple isnt really trying to compete with Facebook Messenger or Snapchat or any other messaging app, and it doesnt need to. Addictive apps keep people using their iPhones. But Apples newly open iMessage platform has the potential to turn Messages into a universal hub for more than just messaging. First come the stickers A cautiously open iMessage platform could herald a centralized app where you not only send messages with stickers and giant emoji, but also use Apple Pay to transfer money to friends and shop from brands. The Siri SDK launched at WWDC might signal the onslaught of iMessage chatbots. OK, those days are a ways off, if theyre coming at all, but Apple is clearly taking cues from Facebook Messenger and apps like WeChat, which is popular in Asia. WeChat has become a hub for all of these different services in Asia and thats never happened here in the U.S, JibJab CEO Spiridellis said. I think Apples opening up iMessage seems like the clearest opportunity for developers to take advantage of the fact that Messages is gonna become a hub for all sort of experiences. Facebook Stickers and GIFs are cute and all, but Facebook Messenger also has useful third-party integrations, like ordering an Uber right inside the app. Facebooks stand-alone messaging app has more than 900 million monthly active users sending messages, stickers, money, and more without ever leaving the app. Some of that functionality is enabled using other apps that are plugged into the Messenger platform, which launched last year. Tencents WeChat has more than 700 million monthly active users, mainly in China, which is where Apple wants to dominate, and is also a platform for third-party developers. Its unclear exactly how many people use the Messages app, though Federighi said during the WWDC keynote that its the most frequently used app on iOS. Given that Apple has a base of more than a billion active devices, its safe to say a good chunk of them still use iMessage or send SMS messages through the Messages app, even if they use over-the-top apps like Facebook Messenger or WeChat, too. Tech entrepreneur Matt Galligan, who founded the now-defunct news app Circa, wrote a widely circulated blog post last year envisioning what iMessage as a platform would look like. Many of the features he dreamed up came to life in Facebook Messenger, but are even more relevant and seem more possible now that iMessage has actually become a platformlimited, to be sure, but a platform all the same. A limited but secure platform Apple wont bring iMessage to Android, which will limit its capabilities. Facebook Messenger and WeChat can reach more users. But if iMessage will ever become a hub, its a safe bet that Apple will secure it with hardware integration that no other messaging platform is capable of. The children of tomorrow will have no understanding of the English language, Federighi joked as he blazed through the host of novelties coming to iMessage. Some of those visual changes arent popular with people who want a bare-bones messaging app. But if Apple can please the next generation of iPhone owners with gratuitous messaging tricks, they could become the Apple service users of tomorrow. And, as we all know, the future of Apple is servicesor so the company hopes. The Honoring the Sacrifice Foundation is hosting the 3rd Annual American Heroes Dinner on Wednesday, July 15, at 7 p.m. at the Chattanooga Convention Center. The featured speaker will be Lt. Col. Allen B. West (U.S. Army Ret.) The event will be honoring and remembering those involved in the tragic attack of July 16, 2015. Corporate sponsorships and tables, as well as individual tickets, are currently available at: www.honoringthesacrifice.org. Me: Hey Craig, where are the iPad Pro features on that list?Craig: _()_/ I fully expected this weeks column to walk through new features that would make the iPad Pro even better than it already is: Here are the top productivity features for iPad Pro in iOS 10 (or something along those lines) wouldve been the headline. I had it all planned out. Instead, Im sitting here scratching my head wondering if Apple forgot about the iPad Pro. Last years WWDC keynote dedicated a fairly significant amount of time to the iPad and its newfound multitasking features. As someone who had always loved using an iPad to get work done, it was a dream come true. This year, Apple spent two hours walking developers through new software features set for release this fall. WatchOS 3 looks like it fixes a lot of issues with the Apple Watch; tvOS 10 adds key features to the streaming box; macOS Sierra adds Siri (!!) to our computers; iOS 10 focused on Siri and iMessage. Across the board, the improvements are needed and welcomed. Its undoubtedly an exciting time to be an Apple user! Until you start to look through the announcement for new features coming to the iPad Proor any iPad for that matterwhen iOS 10 is released. Beyond the few seconds towards the end of the iOS 10 portion of the keynote, where Craig Federighi quickly mentioned iPad users would gain the ability to view two Safari tabs at the same time split-screen in iOS 10, the iPad took a backseat to the iPhone, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and Mac. Well, thats not entirely true. Apple spent about 10 minutes at the end of the keynote walking through a couple of demos for Swift Playgrounds, a free app aimed at teaching kids how to code directly on the iPad. Outside of that, however, the iPad found itself as the me too device throughout the keynote. At the end of each of the 10 iOS feature sets we were walked through, the presenter on stage would end with something along the lines of this looks great on the iPad as well. Cool. Happy to hear that. What about features specific to the iPad? Going Pro Apple has spent the last year laying out the narrative that the iPad Pro lineup is a fully capable PC replacement for many, yet unveiled absolutely zero new features to move that narrative forward. Viewing two Safari tabs at the same time was on nearly every iOS 10 wish list, and rightfully so. What about user accounts? What about drag-and-drop for photos and text when using apps in split-screen mode? Wheres an improved app switcher in multitasking? Each of those areas desperately need attention. Apple Split-screen Safari is something, but iOS 10 needs more iPad Pro productivity features. Despite the lack of productivity focussed features for the iPad lineup, all is not lost; there are some improvements worth pointing out. The way iOS 10 handles widgets looks to be a useful way of quickly gathering information, and one feature sure to benefit from more screen real-estate. From what I can gather, instead of having a single column of widgets as you will on an iPhone, the iPad will have two columns of widgets for you to arrange to your liking. A 9to5Mac report details a new, three-pane view in Apple Mail and Notes. The added column will give you access to more information without having to tap and swipe between panes. In Mail, for example, youll be able to view your accounts folder hierarchy, contents of a folder, and an emails text, all on one screen. Theres certainly more left to uncover as the iOS 10 beta program matures. Or better yet, perhaps Apple is waiting until later this year when it will presumably announce the second-generation iPad Pro and new software features to go alongside it. Lets just hope those new features make their way back to the first generation model. Kedves Latogato! On egy olyan cimre erkezett, amely a magyarszo.com domain ala tartozik. Ez a cim nem a Magyar Szo napilap tulajdonaban van, de a Szabad Magyar Szo segit Onnek a keresett tartalom elereseben. Kerjuk, valasszon az alabbi lehetosegek kozul: Atiranyitas a Magyar Szo napilap kert tartalmara Magyar Szo Atiranyitas a Szabad Magyar Szo cimlapjara Szabad Magyar Szo Amennyiben nem valaszt, 20 masodperc mulva atiranyitjuk a Szabad Magyar Szo cimlapjara. A Szabad Magyar Szo, a vajdasagi magyar szabad kozbeszed foruma, tiszteletben tartja a szellemi tulajdont, es nem kivan akadalyt gorditeni a napilap elerhetosege, illetve alkalmazottainak munkaja ele. Sreenagar: The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs last day warned the government of another terror attack in the Pathankot airbase, because some terrorists are still hiding in the country. The committee was in Jammu to review the security arrangements along the international border and had earlier visited Pathankot. After the recommendation of the committee, the government had alerted the CPRF, BSF and Army. On 2 January 2016, a heavily armed group attacked the Pathankot Air Force Station. All the six terrorists involved in the terrorist attack were killed by the Indian security forces. Seven Indian security personnel and a civilian also lost their lives in the incident. A $2.2 million greenway along an old rail line will connect Alton Park with the Tennessee Riverwalk. Officials said the city's portion of the project that goes near 33rd Street will be $440,000. The city is applying for a Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Grant from the Tennessee Department of Transportation for design and construction funds. The old rail line was built off the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railroad line that went into town to the old Union Station across from the Read House. The NC&Stl insignia can still be seen on the St. Elmo Avenue overpass. The route includes an overpass over St. Elmo Avenue, an at-grade crossing of Broad Street near Broad Street Fast Lube and WDEF TV, and a viaduct at Alton Park Boulevard (South Market). Trains ran along the line occasionally until some 10 years ago, but most of the tracks were taken up when the service ended. There are fragments of track past Chandler Avenue, and they are in good shape in the vicinity of the 38th Street crossing and beyond to Workman Road. The pathway will extend to a city park near the end of Workman Road. At the west end, it will connect to the new section of the Riverwalk that is almost completed from Ross's Landing to St. Elmo. Blythe Bailey, city transportation director, said it will be a wide, multi-use pathway. City Council Chairman Moses Freeman said Alton Park residents will be able to make their way downtown on a safe pathway rather than traveling along busy roadways. Councilman Chris Anderson said, "It's a great project. I'm thrilled to see it happen." The Trust for Public Land has been involved in securing use of the line from CSX Railroad. At one time, Alton Park was served with three railroads, including an extension from the Central of Georgia and the TAG Railroad that went down through Chattanooga Valley to Gadsden, Ala. Alton Park was its own city with a mayor and city government until 1929. Six government officials from South Korea are visiting the Danish Maritime Authority and, in this connection, they exchange experiences and knowledge about shipping, inspections and safety with the Danish authorities. The South Korean government officials are, inter alia, responsible for passenger ship safety in South Korea and are visiting Europe for other reasons as well. "This is a good example of how we exchange knowledge and experience with other countries. This dialogue is an important part of our endeavours to enhance safety, not only on board Danish ships, but on board ships all over the world,"" says Deputy Director General Troels Blicher Danielsen from the Danish Maritime Authority. The six South Koreans represent the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) and the Ministry of Public Safety and Security (MPSS). During their visit to Denmark, they will inter alia meet with Director General of the Danish Maritime Authority Andreas Nordseth as well as ship surveyors from the Danish Maritime Authority. Passenger ship surveys on the agenda In 2014, the Danish Maritime Authority harmonised all passenger ship surveys. As part of this process, several different surveys were amalgamated into one overall passenger ship survey. The ship surveyors from the Danish Maritime Authority have had a decisive hand in the efforts made to harmonise passenger ship surveys and can thus pass on much knowledge and expertise about passenger ship safety, just as they can get knowledge and experience from the South Korean visitors. Every year, the Danish Maritime Authority is in contact with other countries' authorities as part of a continued dialogue and exchange of knowledge and experience. However, this is the first time that the authorities from South Korea are paying a visit to Denmark. An investigation by special agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has resulted in the indictment of a Sneedville man on charges of killing his father and his fathers friend, while attempting to steal a truck. At the request of 3rd District Attorney General Dan Armstrong, on April 8, TBI special agents joined detectives with the Hancock County Sheriffs Office in investigating the deaths of Ricky Helmick, Sr., 57, and Natasha Riley, 37. Both were found shot to death in a residence at 1041 Vardy Blackwater Road in Sneedville. During the course of the investigation, agents developed information that Ricky Helmick, Jr., the son of one of the victims, was the individual responsible for their deaths during the attempt to take his fathers truck. The investigation further found that Helmick, Jr., had confined another relative during that incident. The Hancock County Grand Jury returned indictments on Monday, charging Helmick, 30, with two counts of first degree murder, two counts of felony murder, one count of aggravated kidnapping, and one count of theft over $1,000. Helmick, who has been incarcerated in the Hamblen County Jail, was served Tuesday on the new charges. His bond is set at $750,000. Bollinger Shipyards has delivered the 18th Fast Response Cutter (FRC), USCGC Joseph Tezanos, to the United States Coast Guard on June 22, 2016 in Key West, Fla. The vessel is scheduled to be commissioned in Puerto Rico during August 2016. We are pleased to announce the delivery of the latest FRC built by Bollinger Shipyards, the USCGC Joseph Tezanos, to the U.S. Coast Guard, said Bollinger president and CEO, Ben Bordelon, announcing the ships delivery. The fleet of FRCs already in commission have more than proven their worth with tons of narcotics seized, thousands of illegal aliens interdicted and many lives saved. We at Bollinger Shipyards are looking forward to hearing of the heroic exploits of the Joseph Tezanos as it joins the Coast Guards operational fleet. The 154-foot patrol craft USCGC Joseph Tezanos is the 18th vessel in the Coast Guard's Sentinel-class FRC program. To build the FRC, which has been described as an operational game changer by senior Coast Guard officials, Bollinger used a proven, in-service parent craft design based on the Damen Stan Patrol Boat 4708. According to the builder, it has a flank speed of 28 knots, state-of-the-art command, control, communications and computer technology and a stern launch system for the vessels 26-foot cutter boat. Each FRC is named for an enlisted Coast Guard hero who distinguished him or herself in the line of duty. The latest vessel is named after Coast Guard Hero Joseph Tezanos, who was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps medal for distinguished heroism while leading the rescue of more than 40 injured service members following the explosion of a Navy LST in Pearl Harbor in 1944. The first ocean cleanup system ever tested at sea will soon be deployed for trials 23 kilometers (12 NM) off the Dutch coast. The goal of the test is to see how the floating barrier design is able to cope in extreme weather at sea during a 12-month period. The Ocean Cleanup, a Dutch foundation developing advanced technologies to rid the oceans of plastic, unveiled its North Sea prototype today in the presence of The Netherlands government, as well as the main sponsor Boskalis, who will transport and install the prototype this week. It has been inspiring to work with The Ocean Cleanup team to optimize the engineering of the barrier, said Peter Berdowski, CEO of Boskalis. Now that everything is ready, we are looking forward to the really exciting next step, with the transportation and installation of the barrier. To validate the survivability of the system, a 100-meter-long segment of the floating barrier will be deployed in the North Sea. Sensors will track every motion and load in the barrier, which will provide engineers with the data to design a system that will be able to survive during the cleanup of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. This is a historic day on the path towards clean oceans, said Boyan Slat, CEO and founder of The Ocean Cleanup. A successful outcome of this test should put us on track to deploy the first operational pilot system in late 2017. We urgently need this initiative to actually clean up the plastic from the mid-ocean gyres, where the pollution is trapped for an indefinite time, to prevent permanent damage due to degradation and fragmentation into dangerous microplastics, said Sharon Dijksma, Dutch Minister for the Environment. Providing an update on the status of the on-going Greater Stella Area (GSA) development programme Ithaca Energy informed that the floating production facility (FPF-1) modifications programme undertaken by Petrofac in the Remontowa shipyard in Poland is in the final stages of completion, with only a limited number of commissioning activities requiring close out prior to sail-away. Commissioning operations on the FPF-1 have continued to progress well over recent weeks and are now materially complete. The operations team have been living on the vessel since May, the marine works have been finished and the engineering teams are in the process of closing out handover of the various processing and utilities systems to the operations team. The planned vessel inclination test remains to be performed, following which the FPF-1 will be moved to a location off the coast of Gdansk for the final marine system trials prior to being towed to the field. It is anticipated that the period from sail-away to first hydrocarbons will be approximately three months. Following towing of the FPF-1 to the field, the vessel will be moored on location using twelve pre-installed anchor chains. The dynamic risers and umbilicals that connect the subsea infrastructure to the vessel will then be installed. Thereafter, commissioning of the various processing and utility systems requiring hydrocarbons from the field will be completed. First production from the Stella field is anticipated in late September 2016. Greater Stella Area Oil Export Pipeline Access has been secured to the Norpipe oil pipeline system, allowing oil exports from the GSA to transfer from tanker export to pipeline export during 2017. This will significantly reduce the fixed operating costs of the GSA facilities and enhance operational uptime, resulting in improved reserves recovery and increasing the long term value of the GSA as a production hub. The key work associated with creating a connection to the system has been successfully executed as part of a fast-track operational programme undertaken during the planned 2016 pipeline maintenance shutdown. Acceleration of this work was made possible as a result of a conventional tie-in point on the system being vacated by a third-party field disconnecting from the pipeline. This provided a unique opportunity for a lower cost, lower risk connection to be made. Norpipe runs approximately 350 kilometres from the Ekofisk offshore production facilities on the Norwegian Continental Shelf to a dedicated oil processing facility at Teesside in the UK, with various UK fields exporting into the system via a spurline. In addition the Company has taken advantage of the downturn in industry activity to secure attractive contracting terms, including a lump sum contract for the installation of the 44 kilometre pipeline required from the FPF-1 to the Norpipe system. The net capital expenditure associated with the work programme is approximately $20 million, with the majority being paid in 2017. Taiwans shipping company Wan Hai Lines has placed an order for eight 1,900 teu box ships worth a total of $212 million - $236 million. Wan Hai said that the vessels will be built by shipbuilder Naikai Zosen Corp. Delivery dates for the newbuildings were not disclosed, according to a stock exchange filing. The shipping liner has already sealed a deal with Japans Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (KLine) and Singapores Pacific International Lines (PIL) to jointly operate a transpacific service from Vietnam and South PRC to the U. S. Pacific South West with seven ships of about 8,000 TEUs. It has recently announced the launch of Japan India / Pakistan Service CHS3 service. This new service will be reorganized to expand Wan Hai Lines network by providing direct service from Japan to India & Pakistan. It will also help to complement Wan Hai Lines existing 5 other India/Pakistan services with better port coverage and frequency. Damen Shipyards Group has teamed up with the global leader in motion compensation access solutions, Ampelmann, to conduct tests with Ampelmanns L-Type system on board a Damen Fast Crew Supplier (FCS) 5009. Damen is developing its marine access solutions in order to guarantee increased safety, reduced costs and efficiency in the global crew transfer market. As part of this mission, Damen has recently increased its cooperation with a number of access suppliers. On this occasion, the process has resulted in a live demonstration of a combined Ampelmann and Damen solution at a North Sea gas production platform. Teaming up with Ampelmann for a number of tests was a natural route says Damen Business Development Manager David Stibbe. Were talking to a number of transfer specialists as we continue to develop our marine access portfolio. Ampelmann has extensive expertise in producing and operating motion compensation access systems and Damen has many years of shipbuilding experience. Working together in this way means that both parties are able to draw on the expertise of the other, leading to the favourable development of their respective solutions and successfully integrated crew change solutions. 30-50 metre crew vessels The L-type is the smallest of Ampelmanns systems, ideally suited for smaller crew vessels ranging from 30-50m without DP. The model combines safe and efficient transfer with a capability for reliable operation up to 1.5 metre Hs. Such a profile seemed to suggest a compatibility with the Damen FCS 5009. Together, Damen and Ampelmann carried out extensive research and testing to see if the two were indeed well-matched. We invested in a lot of research before sailing, and it transpired that the FCS 5009 and the L-type were the perfect fit. explains Mr Stibbe. Once on the water we carried out in-depth interaction tests to demonstrate just how well the system and the vessel worked in tandem. The results were impressive. So impressive, in fact, that the FCS 5009 - L-type combination gained the confidence of a Tier 1 offshore gas production company operating in the North Sea. Credible substitute for swing-roping and helicopter flights The operator was convinced by the extensive data we were able to present and allowed us to make a landing at a working North Sea platform, thus proving the effectiveness of this solution in a real-world scenario. This represents a very promising solution for an oil and gas industry looking to address efficiency and safety concerns in personnel transportation. Our tests demonstrated that the L-type could be added to an existing vessel from the Damen portfolio to provide safe, cost effective transport offshore a credible substitute for swing-roping and helicopter flights. Ampelmann has already transferred more than 2.5 million people safely worldwide for the top oil majors, mainly supporting maintenance, hook-up, commissioning and shutdown campaigns with Walk-to- Work and floatel services. Now these clients are looking for a solution in the crew change segment to improve safety and effectiveness relative to current helicopter, swing rope, surfer or baskets transfers. However, they are not only interested in the gangway, they are in search of a proven integrated solution of vessel with gangway and that is what we have produced together with Damen, says Ampelmann Business Development Manager Crew Change Gerbrand Marbus. As oil prices have fallen in recent times, driving processes of increased efficiency within the offshore industry, Damen has responded by developing its suite of marine access solutions. A key area is the movement of personnel on board a vessel as an alternative to helicopter transportation. A further example of this is the Damen Service Operations Vessel, the first newbuild contract for which has recently been signed with UK-based Bibby Marine Services. Valley Power Systems has entered into a distributor agreement with Yanmar America Corporation for the sale and service of Yanmars commercial marine diesel engine line throughout the states of California, Oregon, Washington and Alaska, as well as the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is Valleys mission to be a single-source marine power solutions provider, said Anthony Domenici, head of Valleys Off Highway division, and our partnership with Yanmar greatly enhances our ability to provide our customers with a comprehensive high-speed power range, as well as excellence in aftermarket parts and service support. In business for over 65 years, Valley Power Systems provides power and propulsion products for the commercial and pleasure craft marine industries from manufacturers such as MTU, Electro-Motive (EMD), Scania, Northern Lights, Technicold and now Yanmar Commercial Marine. Valley provides a network of marine service centers throughout California, Washington and Alaska, with a dedicated work force of more than 350 industry-trained professionals. 1807 - Frigate USS Chesapeake, commanded by James Barron, is stopped by British frigate HMS Leopard after killing several of her crew and take Royal Navy deserters. Barron is court-martialed for not having his ship prepared to fight. 1884 - USS Thetis, USS Alert, and USS Bear, under Cmdr. Winfield S. Schley, rescue Lt. Adolphus W. Greely and six of his exploring party from Cape Sabine, where they are marooned for three years. 1898 - During the Spanish-American War, the Spanish destroyer Terror joins Isabel II in an attempt to torpedo USS Saint Paul, which fires at Terror, damaging the ship. 1943 - USS Monaghan (DD 354) attacks the Japanese submarine (I 7) 10 miles south of Cape Hita. (I 7) runs aground, becoming irreparably damaged, 12 miles south-southeast of Kiska, Aleutian Islands. 1963 - The nuclear-powered submarines USS Tecumseh (SSBN 628), USS Daniel Boone (SSBN 629), USS Flasher (SSN 613), and USS John Calhoun (SSBN 630) are all launched in one day, emphasizing the Navys accelerated nuclear-submarine construction program. (Source: Naval History and Heritage Command, Communication and Outreach Division) Risk Intelligence launches new service providing overview of operational and regulatory risks of privately contracted maritime security in West Africa Maritime operations in West Africa are affected by threats from piracy and other maritime crime. It is very complex to get an overview of the different types of maritime security provisions that are legal in the countries throughout the region. Risk Intelligence now provides this insight with a new service, including reports with an overview of the use of private and government security in 18 countries in the region. Risk Intelligence CEO, Hans Tino Hansen, said, We have provided security analysis for West Africa for more than 10 years. It has always been a complex area with many different types of threats and many different types of security risk mitigation and legal frameworks. This service and the new report provides a clear and comprehensive overview that many maritime operators have been asking for. The new report provides a concise overview of operational and regulatory risks related to the use of additional security services in West Africa. The report covers the use of armed guards and escort vessels provided by private maritime security companies or government security forces as well as additional protection services such as secure anchorages or areas for STS operations. Color-coded tables for every country provide a quick overview of the current situation in 18 countries from Senegal to Angola. Moreover, brief assessments of the efficiency of specific security services against the main threats, which maritime operators have to face in the respective region, are included. Overall, the report is a valuable tool for conducting the necessary due diligence prior to contracting additional security services for operations in the region. In addition, clients will have access to Risk Intelligences West Africa specialists for questions related to the report, which will be updated every six months. Attempts to transfer the Indian Ocean PMSC model to West Africa have created problems for ship operators, who were made to believe that the solutions involving the use of government security forces on board their ships was legal or approved and provided the necessary level of security. In many countries in West Africa this is not the case, said Dirk Steffen, Director Maritime Security and head of West Africa Analysis at Risk Intelligence. The EU transport ministers convened at the first day of the TEN-T Days in the Van Nelle Factory in Rotterdam. They discussed the process of implementing the Trans-European Transport Network: new challenges and opportunities, new technologies and mobility patterns for passengers, as well as digitalization and automation of freight transport. EU Commissioner for Transport Violeta Bulc said, "Only days after we allocated 6.7 billion to priority projects as part of the Connecting Europe Facility, the TEN-T Days offer another opportunity to mobilise funding for transport investments. Implementing the Trans-European Transport is not only about building new infrastructure, it also serves our broader objectives such as the decarbonisation and digitalisation of transport." The ministers agreed upon the implementation of TEN-T and reaffirmed the importance of TEN-T as a key driver of sustainable growth, jobs, competitiveness and territorial cohesion in the European Union. They underlined the need for additional funding from public and private sources to cover investments in the context of TEN-T. The ministers also paid attention to the importance of developing inland navigation and promoting the use of inland waterways. The European Commission is firmly delivering on President Juncker's top priority of creating jobs and boosting growth in the European Union, by unveiling a list of 195 transport projects that will receive 6.7 billion of funding under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF). andidates Marty Haynes and Mark Siedlecki, running for county assessor of property, expressed their disagreements concerning the senior tax freeze at the downtown Kiwanis Club meeting on Tuesday. Mr. Siedlecki said in 2006, Eighty three percent of the state voted to approve the tax freeze. He said it is only available to people who make less than $38,070. We are the last major county not to have implemented it, said Mr. Siedlecki. My opponent said we dont need it. Im unfortunately here to say thats not correct. Senior tax freeze is not coming up in a big way, folks, Mr. Haynes responded. Lets be serious about the issue. Most of the seniors that qualify for this program, their county taxes have decreased. During the debate, each candidate was given four minutes to introduce himself and make opening remarks. After that, audience members could ask questions. Mr. Siedlecki said that his experience starting businesses, his first at 18 years old, as well as his experience in running technology companies, makes him uniquely qualified to serve as the county assessor. I have the understanding to know exactly what were getting for our money, he said. Mr. Haynes,a County Commission member who won the Republican primary in March, said in his opening remarks that people typically want to vote for somebody they know, somebody they like, and somebody they trust. He said he agreed that compared to assessors offices around the state, Hamilton Countys office needs some technology updates. He also said, "We need training for appraisers in the field." Well make sure that we have the best trained force in the state of Tennessee, he said. One audience member asked about the process to object to a property assessment, and Mr. Haynes agreed that it was rather laborious. He said there should be an app for the assessorss office and a way to start the process of objection to an assessment online. Mr. Siedlecki said he believed the entire process should be online. The assessors typically dont like it when people appeal, he said. I will tell you that I will be an advocate for all of Hamilton County. When asked why the candidates wanted this position in the first place, Mr. Siedlecki spoke of technology updates and empowering staff to look for solutions. Its time that Hamilton County citizens have options, he said. Mr. Haynes said he had an interest in the office because it touches every property owner in Hamilton County. He said that while the two previous assessors both came from private business and werent uniquely qualified, they were very successful. Most of us dont want government intrusion into our lives, he said. But when it comes to assessment, we want it to be accurate. In closing statements, he told Kiwanis members he would be honored to have their votes. Mr. Siedlecki restated his emphasis on how crucial it was to enact the tax freeze. I will keep advocating for this problem whether or not I win or lose in this race, he said. I dont think seniors should be forced out of their houses. Ballast water treatment (BWT) system Optimarin has picked up an order covering 15 vessels from VARD shipyards. The vessels, VARD 9 21 Design specialist module carriers, will be constructed for ship owner Topaz at two shipyards in Romania - Vard Braila and Vard Tulcea and one in Vietnam, Vard Vung Tau. VARD knows our systems well, having installed some 55 units on their newbuildings across the world since 2011, said Optimarin CEO, Tore Andersen. They choose us for our expertise and commitment to absolute compliance, as well as the fact that our technology is proven, reliable and simple to install and maintain. The fact that this contract is for a ship owner of the standing of Topaz makes it even sweeter. Optimarin will deliver its UV-based Optimarin Ballast Systems (OBS) to the yards between Q4 2016 and Q4 2017. The Topaz vessels, measuring 123m long and 16.5m wide, will boast the capacity to carry high deck loads of up to 1,800 tons. A spokesperson from VARD says of the decision to choose Optimarin, Optimarin has developed advanced, environmentally friendly technology that, thanks to its modular nature, is simple to install on specialist vessels where space is limited. They understand our requirements and we understand their system is leading the market, in performance, compliance and predictability. Thats what we want to give our customers and thats why we return to Optimarin for key orders of this nature. With this latest contract win, Optimarins list of confirmed orders for 2016 is now approaching 100 units. Alongside VARD, other contracts of note have included a 46 vessel fleet agreement with Carisbrooke, a 10 unit order for Atlantis Tankers, a further 10 for the Royal Netherlands Navy, nine systems for Sinopacific Shipbuilding Group, three for Saga Shipholding (adding to an additional 26 systems already installed on its fleet) and two for Solvang ASA, amongst others. Optimarin said its OBS is currently in its final stages of the USCG approval program and is fully IMO compliant. The technology is certified by classification organizations such as DNV GL, Lloyds, Bureau Veritas, MLIT Japan and American Bureau of Shipping. Countries must be free to pass through the South China Sea, the European Commission said on Wednesday, in its first diplomatic admonishment of Beijing after Chinese jets intercepted a U.S. military plane over the contested waters last month. The Commission avoided directly criticising Beijing, a major trade partner, but warned in a new policy document that it opposed "unilateral actions that could alter the status quo and increase tension", in a sign of concern at China's construction and militarisation of islands in the South China Sea. "The EU wants to see freedom of navigation and over flight upheld in the East and South China Seas," the EU executive said in its document, which is aimed at framing the bloc's China policy over the next five years. EU governments must still approve the document. While the European Union says it is neutral in the South China Sea dispute between China and other Asian nations, Washington has been urging Brussels to speak out against Beijing's claim to almost all the South China Sea. The United States says Beijing is taking a predatory approach to a vital trade waterway where Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Taiwan and the Philippines have rival claims. An international court in The Hague is expected to rule soon on China's claims in a case brought by the Philippines, although Beijing says it does not respect the court's jurisdiction and the United Nations body does not have powers of enforcement. In a further sign of tensions, a senior Indonesian official said his country's president would travel to the Natuna Islands for the first time on Thursday to assert Jakarta's sovereignty after Beijing said it had an "overlapping claim" over nearby waters. In one of a series of recent encounters, two Chinese fighter jets intercepted a U.S. military reconnaissance aircraft over the South China Sea in May, demanding that Washington end surveillance near China. The interception came a week after China scrambled fighter jets as a U.S. Navy ship sailed close to a disputed reef in the South China Sea, through which more than $5 trillion in global trade passes every year. "The large volume of international maritime trade passing through that area means that freedom of navigation and over flight are of prime importance to the EU," the Commission said. "The EU should encourage China to contribute constructively to regional stability ... and support for the rules-based international order," it said. Despite the Commission's careful language, the EU is increasingly concerned by the tensions and French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian called this month for "regular and visible" European patrols in the South China Sea. (Reporting by Robin Emmott; Editing by Gareth Jones) Gibbs & Cox, Inc. (G&C) Chairman Ned Daffan announced today the appointment of Chris Deegan as President and Chief Executive, effective immediately. Deegan, previously Vice President of G&C's Engineering Group, will replace Rick Biben, who is retiring but will remain on the G&C Board of Directors. Deegan spent nearly 28 years in the Navy's acquisition and cost engineering communities, leading nuclear submarine, ship and combat systems programs prior to joining Gibbs & Cox in 2013. His last 10 years with the Navy were as a member of the Senior Executive Service supporting NAVSEA and Program Executive Office, Integrated Warfare Systems. Deegan earned a Bachelor's of Science in Industrial Engineering from Penn State University, a Master's of Science in Engineering from the Catholic University of America. He was selected as a Brookings Institute Fellow in 1997, serving on the staff of Congressman John Murtha. He was cited as NAVSEA Engineer of the Year in 1993, is a certified Program Management Professional, and a licensed Professional Engineer (Naval Architecture). Biben came to G&C in 2010, after senior executive positions at SAIC, CSC (now CSRA), Anteon (now General Dynamics) and Northrop Grumman. Speaking on a panel devoted to Robotics & Automation in Container Terminals at the TOC Europes 40th annual industry gathering devoted to port and terminal technology and operations, APM Terminals Head of Terminal Design and Automation, Alex Duca outlined the concept of container terminal design by module and the importance of integrated automation and information sharing across every aspect of terminal cargo handling to make operations safer and better. The biggest business opportunity is in retrofitting existing terminals with the automation of key processes to enhance our current operational performance, said Mr. Duca, adding This is where you can evaluate some of the specific modules within a container terminal to see which processes can be improved through automation. With larger vessels entering into service, as well as the organic growth of global trade, pressure on terminal operations to avoid congestion during peak cargo-handling periods of high activity has become an increasingly important aspect of future operations planning. What we want is a more integrated container terminal encompassing control systems and equipment functions, instead of todays fragmented activity container terminal; we need to make better use of equipment sensors and systems that combine with logistical information provided by terminal systems if we are to achieve automations true potential, said Mr. Duca. Container volume handled by the worlds ports is projected to reach approximately 720 million TEUs this year, roughly double the global container volume of just 13 years ago. Physical constraints on the number of cranes which can work any particular vessel, even one as large as 20,000 TEU capacity, and the need to transport containers out of the terminal without congestion or increased safety risks to the terminal workforce are driving the next phase of terminal design, development and operations in which data sharing at each aspect of cargo handling will enable new demands for container handling and productivity to be met. Terminals need to keep pace with volume growth and vessel growth, and the clear solution is integrated automation of terminal operations processes, stated Mr. Duca. The Royal Bank of Scotland has received bids for its Greek shipping finance business which is worth about $3 billion as it looks to scale down on non-core activities, banking and financial sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. Credit Suisse and China Merchants were among the suitors bidding, the sources said. RBS and Credit Suisse declined to comment, while China Merchants did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. The British bank, which was bailed out during the financial crisis, had previously been a top lender to the global shipping industry and its Greek office played a pivotal role. The business also includes a banking licence as well as some 40 staff, the sources said. "RBS has held preliminary discussions with a number of interested parties," one source said. In July 2015, Reuters reported RBS was winding down its Greek operation and putting its shipping loans portfolio up for sale. The bank, which is 73-percent state-owned, is in the midst of a restructuring aimed at returning the bank to profit after eight straight years of losses. (Reporting by Jonathan Saul, Sophie Sassard and Andrew MacAskill; editing by David Stamp) 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 The Indonesian president will travel to the Natuna Islands for the first time on Thursday to assert Indonesia's sovereignty, a senior official said, after China said earlier this week it had an "overlapping claim" over nearby waters. Beijing said on Monday that waters near the Natuna Islands were subject to overlapping claims on "maritime rights and interests" between China and Indonesia. Indonesia's foreign minister on Wednesday rejected China's stance, saying the waters were in Indonesian territory. "Our position is clear that claims can only be made on the basis of international law. For Indonesia, we don't have overlapping claims in any form in Indonesian waters with China," Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi told reporters. The chief security minister, foreign minister, and the heads of the individual military branches will accompany the president on his trip to Natuna, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Agung told reporters. Asked the reason for the trip, he told reporters, "Natuna is the territory of Indonesia, that is final. As head of the government and the state, the president wants to ensure that Natuna is part of Indonesia's sovereignty." The remote island chain has a small civilian population. Jakarta objects to Beijing's inclusion of waters around the islands within China's "nine-dash line", a demarcation line used by Beijing to show its claim to the South China Sea. Despite the objection, Indonesia is not part of a broader regional dispute over China's reclamation activities in the South China Sea and Beijing's claims on swathes of key waterways. China's Foreign Ministry said over the weekend that an Indonesian naval vessel fired on a Chinese fishing boat near the chain of islands on Friday, wounding one person. Indonesia's navy responded that it had fired warning shots at several boats with Chinese flags it accused of fishing illegally but that nobody had been wounded. It was the third reported confrontation near the Natuna Islands this year and comes amid rising regional tensions over China's assertiveness in the South China Sea. Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla told Reuters on Monday the Southeast Asian nation would be more assertive in protecting its exclusive right to the waters around the Natuna Islands. Despite this more assertive stance, Retno said relations between the two countries remained good. "This is a matter of law enforcement, not politics," she said. (By Kanupriya Kapoor and Agustinus Beo Da Costa; Addditional reporting by Jakarta bureau; Writing by Randy Fabi; Editing by Michael Perry and Raissa Kasolowsky) Marine Travelift Inc. announced that Newport Shipyard has purchased a customized 200CII mobile boat hoist for its Newport, R.I. facility. When its delivered this fall, the machine will join the 70-, 100- and 500-ton Marine Travelift hoists currently in operation. The new 200CII boasts the first top-beam extension on a Marine Travelift 200-ton hoist and has been designed to use piers that were dedicated to a 100-ton machine and to travel into an indoor workspace. According to Eli Dana, Newport Shipyards General Manager, the yard was facing two challenges that prompted the 200CII purchase. Weve had increased demand from commercial customers, whose vessels are too heavy for the 100-ton hoist and are more difficult to schedule for the 500-ton due to space restrictions, Dana explained. The new 200CII will allow us to handle more commercial customers in the same footprint as the 100-ton. Second, we needed a machine with a specific height so it could travel into our shed, he continued. That will make us more competitive for larger refit work. Otherwise, we have to hire trailers to move boats into the building. The Marine Travelift and Newport Shipyard teams worked together to customize the 200CII design to meet shipyard needs. The result: a unique mobile boat hoist that will fit the current pier sizeand be short enough to move in and out of the work shed, which allows the yard to work on vessels year-round. The help Marine Travelift provided was so valuable, Dana said. They engineered this machine to meet our very specific needs, and we had great communication throughout the process. Our relationship with them is a long-standing one. Their team bent over backward to create a machine that is very specific, yet also offers maximum versatility within our parameters. Newport Shipyard has purchased four Marine Travelift mobile boat hoists in 16 years, three of those purchases taking place in just the last six. The new 200CII is a key component of Newport Shipyards ongoing expansion program, which is allowing the yard to operate around the clock and hire more employees. And, its many features contribute to enhanced operational efficiencies as the yard continues to grow. As Dana noted, each feature is important for different reasons. In addition to the custom design that allows the new machine to fit on the existing piers and travel in and out of the indoor workspace, the top-beam extension accommodates the superstructures of larger vessels, allowing the yard to broaden its reach among potential customers. The raised engine compartment provides better access for forklifts as they place boat stands underneath a vessel. And the lifting blocks allow slings to directly attach, so operators dont need to use a 7-foot spreader. It helps to maximize lifting height, Dana said. Newport Shipyard staff members are awaiting the new 200CIIs delivery so they can start taking advantage of the benefits and added value it will provide to their operation, the manufacture said. Here, too, Dana said the Marine Travelift commitment to its partners truly shines. I was pleasantly surprised by a call from Jason Johnson, North America Director of Sales, letting us know that they will be moving delivery up from mid-December to October of this year, he said. That allows us to use it for our end-of-season hauling. Located downtown on Newport Harbor, Newport Shipyard is Newport's oldest working boat- and shipyard facility. With dockage for boats ranging in size from 20 to 350 feet, and host of one of the countrys most celebrated sailboat races, the Newport-Bermuda Race, Newport has been christened New Englands Yachting Hub. Its expansion is a significant development for the marine industry in Rhode Island and the Northeast, for which it serves as a major resource. Officer Derek Roncin of the Chattanooga Police Department on Tuesday recounted a July 25, 2013 incident with Steven Hacker which led to the defendant filing a lawsuit against the city seeking $600,000. Hacker appeared in Judge Don Pooles courtroom on Tuesday, facing charges before a jury of aggravated assault, evading arrest, driving under the influence, possession of drug paraphernalia, violation of traffic control device, and violation of registration law. Officer Roncin said he saw a vehicle in the parking lot of Sandys Liquor Store on Glass Street after the business was closed. He said someone was talking through the passenger window. We have a lot of drug traffic and violent crimes that happen at that store, he said, which caused him to approach and take a closer look. While running the vehicles tag, he observed it roll through a red light, so he began looking for a safe place to stop, he said. After this, he told the jury the vehicle turned into a driveway. As he turned his car around to pull over, he said the driver got out of the vehicle and began approaching quickly, waving his arms. The witness said he took the gesture as an invitation, as if the person was flagging me down. Officer Roncin said when he asked the defendant for his identification, he became upset, eventually saying f*** you and running off. When the defendant made it inside the garage of the residence, the officer said he returned to his car and called for backup. Officer Cornelius Gaines and Officer John Watkins arrived, and Officer Roncin said the defendant was screaming obscenities from the front door of the residence. He said they tried to approach to communicate with Hacker and get him to calm down when a female came out screaming, trying to figure out what was going on. The witness said that female was Hackers grandmother. He said the woman tried to talk to police, but Hacker began yelling at her and others in the residence, telling them not to tell police who he was and that they were not supposed to be there. (Hackers grandmother) was standing in the hallway trying to keep him from coming toward us, said Officer Roncin. At one point, the witness said Hacker pushed her to the side to come to us. Defense attorney Robin Flores asked the witness why he didnt just tell the defendant why they wanted him to come out and talk. If you normally tell somebody right off the bat that theyre being charged with certain charges, it will agitate them more, the officer responded. Officer Roncin agreed that the defendant told him to leave and get off his property. He also said he attempted to turn on his audio and video while he was running, but didnt manage to activate it. Then he said there was a short break where they couldnt see the suspect before Officer Gaines yelled knife and drew his pistol. Officer Roncin said he was way closer than I wanna be to anybody with a knife that has ill intent toward me and feared for his safety. He said Hacker slammed the wooden door and began screaming, Go ahead! Shoot me! Shoot me! He said he and the other officers walked off the porch to the middle of the driveway, but Hacker didnt calm down. Officer Roncin told the jury he had seen individuals impaired by drugs many times and thought there was some source causing the defendant to behave in such a way. There was no communication between the two of us, he said. I would ask him a simple question and it would be a screaming yelling response. After the suspect came outside the house two or three times, Officer Watkins used his Taser to detain him, the witness said. It was then, he said, that the defendant fell into a window. The witness told the jury Officer Watkins tried to grab the defendant, but didnt make it in time. Officer Roncin said using a Taser was the safest method in their situation, but it was not their intention for the defendant to fall through a window. He said after Hacker was injured, the primary focus became the welfare of the suspect. Attorney Flores said the defendant had a large shard of glass in his back and was bleeding profusely. He said Hacker had to be rushed to the hospital and had to have surgery. Officer Roncin said he went inside to speak with the defendants grandmother and to calm her down, since she had initially thought Mr. Hacker had been shot. He also said Hacker confessed only to drinking that night. He told the jury that after the incident, a scale with white residue on it was pulled from the vehicle. He said the residue was consistent with his knowledge of powder or crack cocaine. He told attorney Flores he had no knowledge of any money or drugs being found in the car, or of any other search of the vehicle. Prosecutor Charles Minor, however, suggested that when the defendant ran inside, he could have put such things wherever he wanted to. When asked about where the knife was now, Officer Roncin told the jury he never had any records of it being collected, nor did he have the property. We had to get down to the emergency room with (Hacker), Officer Roncin said when asked by Prosecutor Minor if hed collected the knife. He agreed with attorney Flores, however, that the defendant would have dropped the knife when he was Tased. Prosecutor Minor asked directly if there was something in the defendants hand when he came out of the house before he was Tased, and the witness agreed, though he said he didnt see if it was a knife or not. He told the jury he knew the suspect had had a cellphone. The state also spoke to the specimen processor from Erlanger Hospital, Ms. Henry, who drew the defendants blood sample. She said she personally checked the names and labels and walked the blood to the lab. She also said no one would have access to the lab but the people who worked in there, not even doctors or nurses. You have to have a code to get in to the lab, she said. You can't just walk in there. She said the lab is locked down 24/7 and keeps track of everyone who enters the code. The witness said back in 2013 she would typically draw blood from 40 patients a night using the same procedure. She insisted on the importance of making sure blood is documented correctly, since even a small mistake could result in the death of a patient. When Prosecutor Minor asked how Ms. Henry knew blood wasnt being tampered with or misplaced, the witness said there is no one else in the lab but the people working there. Why would we tamper with it? she asked, confused. I treat patients like its me or my family. I dont wanna get nothing mixed up. When speaking to attorney Flores, she agreed that there are about eight people in the lab at once dealing with dozens or scores of blood vials. She could not testify about who put the defendants blood on the machine. Attorney Flores mentioned a situation at Erlanger where a fellow came in and identified himself, masqueraded as a doctor, and got access to drugs. The witness agreed that doctors have been let into the lab before. Though she had no proof of what sample was given to Officer Roncin when he came in with a warrant, Ms. Henry said in 37 years she had never seen an instance of blood getting mislabeled inside the lab. While the oil and gas markets are starting to come to life, nearing the $50 per barrel mark, the future fate of floating production remains a mystery The 20 year four-fold growth pattern in the worlds FPSO fleet stalls out in 2016 with a record number of FPSOs idle and available for redeployment or perhaps to be forced into other uses, lay up or scrap. FPSO redeployments typically are far more complex, costly and risky than for (say) drillships and yet the need for redeploying idle FPSOs is now in the forefront of the industry like never before as FPSO owners also have to face the worst ever down market for their equipment and services. Redeployments - The Early Days In 1995 the Uisge Gorm FPSO, designed and built and operated by Bluewater in the Netherlands, entered service at the Fife field in the North Sea under a contract with Amerada Hess who were the operator of that development. Back then Dr. Rex Gaisford was development director for Amerada Hess in London and an enthusiast of FPSOs in their early days. He eloquently spoke of a world where FPSOs would move from producing one field to later producing at another field. Worldwide the FPSO fleet totaled about 50 FPSOs in 1995. Subsequent reality did not turn out quite as Dr. Gaisford forecast but the idea of FPSOs being easy to redeploy had taken root. After finishing at one field, the move of an FPSO to the next field often meant working at a seriously different water depth in different sea conditions with production and processing capabilities being required for a different grade of crude oil that usually had quite different ratios of gas and water present and all at different temperatures and pressures from the first field. So the FPSO usually had to be revamped big time. Time and again it turned out that with realistic project engineering that the changes needed for an FPSO at a subsequent field became many and cost plenty. It was nothing like moving a drill ship from one well location for one operator to another location for another operator in another part of the world. Redeployment can be hazardous to your financial health Changes needed for redeployment have frequently turned out to be troublesome: difficult to manage within budget and often ran over on time. After Uisge Gorm, Bluewater built the Glas Dowr FPSO for another development in the North Sea, where it worked for not much more than a year before the two fields it produced from played out unexpectedly early. Still on contract, it stayed at a dock, warm stacked, for some years until finding a subsequent contract offshore South Africa in 2002. It was good equipment but from my own experience as a business developer back then, finding another contract for Glas Dowr was challenging to say the least. Street talk signaled that conversion costs for the new assignment ran over by about a 100 percent over planned budget (figures of $50 million reimbursed by oil company and $195 million total expended give an idea of the magnitude of work). A few years later a novel kind of FPSO entered the market ROUND instead of the traditional ship shape. Sevan, the designer and builder, had overcome many challenges in succeeding with this new design in a traditionally very conservative industry. One of their new generation of FPSOs (Voyageur) had to move from one field in 98 meters of water in the North Sea to another location in 90 meters of water in the North Sea which took a number of topsides changes (adding gas compression, gas lift and more water injection). Once again the overrun was approximately 100 percent (from about $90 to $170 million) but this time the FPSO contractor was still in its early days and financially strained. The end result was a change in the control of the FPSO contractors FPSO fleet as Teekay took a position in the company in 2011. Redeployments could thus become seriously hazardous to the financial health of FPSO owners. Redeployment of FPSOs had frequently become far more complex in recent years than had been expected in the early days. Rigorous management discipline in tackling these redeployments became crucial even more so than in starting from scratch with an FPSO conversion or newbuild. Industry Learns and the FPSO Fleet Grows These trends became recognized among the more experienced of the FPSO community as FPSOs were redeployed. It was nothing near as simple as it may have appeared on the surface. The redeployment business was well set forth in a presentation by SBM at an FPSO conference in Houston in 2012 which showed a number of examples of FPSOs being redeployed for a second or third time with one example (SBMs FPSO II) being redeployed four times over the 20 year period of 1981-2001. 2012 was a relatively stable time in the FPSO market and SBM indicated a total of about 20 FPSOs being redeployed worldwide in the next five years. Twenty years after the Uisge Gorm FPSO started producing in the North Sea, the worlds fleet of FPSOs had grown more than fourfold to something like 218, counting FPSOs that are operational plus these still under construction and these that are idle. In the last 10 years that growth has been more than twice as fast as for other types of Floating Production Systems such as semisubmersibles, Spars and TLPs, as the table below left shows. The FPSO fleet growth fluctuated from year to year as so often seen in the petroleum industry. The graph shows operator contract awards for the services of FPSOs every year since 2002, including contracts for the small number of redeployments each year in addition to the many conversions and newbuilds for new FPSO projects. (See chart) Reconciling data in the table with the graph of FPSO contract awards, over the 10 year period of 2005-2015 an average of 2.1 percent of the fleet was retired each year for scrap or other uses. Market signals indicate retirals may become significantly higher in 2016. The FPSO downturn in 2009 got peoples attention in the FPSO contractor community in Houston. I saw it firsthand that year when I flew from Houston to Singapore to chair and speak at the 2009 FPSO Congress. Leaving Houston the mood had been gloomy, while in Singapore the feeling was positive and buoyant. Singapore shipyards, engineering companies and vendors were all happily working through their healthy big backlogs of FPSO business. Fortunately for them 2010 was a great year for FPSO orders, and so the 2009 dip in FPSO contracts made little difference to them as their business levels saw little interruption. Today, seven years later, the FPSO communities in Houston and Singapore are both subdued. If you look again at the graph of FPSO contracts, youll detect two downward trends, each fairly steady: in 2005-2009 and again during 2010-2015. Its almost as if this signals a maturing and saturation in the market. But who knows? As the last few years progressed the prospect of FPSOs becoming idle and available for redeployment evolved to no longer be a somewhat unusual now and again phenomenon but more of an anticipated process as FPSOs somewhere or another would reach the end of their service at their locations as the fields they served ended economic production. They would be released and be ready to move on, whether owned by an FPSO contractor or owned by an operator (ownership is split about half and half between contractor and operator for the worlds FPSO fleet). It was often unclear at any particular point in time just when and how many FPSOs would become available for redeployment field production economics and operators plans were often not widely discussed. But in a reasonably stable market if ever that exists in the oilpatch FPSOs would become available, some would be redeployed, some retired, and a somewhat steady turnover could be expected. In a few lucky cases an FPSO employed by one operator might be used in a nearby field development operated by that same oil company. But most of the time an idled FPSO faced a lengthy period of being unemployment pending a new job - or retiral. New FPSO employment was traditionally slow and difficult to find - the same predicament that so many engineers and managers have experienced as they were laid off in the 2015-2016 downturn. The graph on Idled FPSOs Available for Redeployment gives the history. Interestingly the last FPSO downturn in 2009 also saw an uptick of FPSOs idled, just like that shown for 2015. Relative to the world fleet of FPSOs, the number of idled FPSOs has fluctuated year to year from a low of 0.8 percent to about 6.8 percent in 2009 and in 2015. Many expect that percentage to be seriously higher by year end 2016. Todays Dire FPSO Market The pace of FPSO contracts had already slowed in 2015 to 3 after a total of 63 in the previous five years. The slide in crude oil prices that started in 3Q2014 was followed with a downturn in FPSO orders equally steep and in step with oil prices. When 2016 arrived the situation was dire for operators who now were engaged in widespread cancellations and deferrals of projects, plus the selling of assets. New FPSO projects (conversions and newbuilds) had come virtually to a stop. Near term, operators talk of very few developments that will go ahead at current oil price levels. Added to that the economics of operations at tail end fields become quickly worse and operators think more quickly now about releasing FPSOs. Needless to say, prospects for new FPSOs contracts are at a record low. As FPSO demand collapsed in 2015-2016, the scramble for redeployments grows This year in May alone, announcements were made of the release of two FPSOs owned and operated by Bluewater: the Glas Dowr (leaving northwest Australia) and the Aoka Mizu (leaving UK Sector in North Sea), both proven high quality turret moored North Sea FPSOs. Regardless of the terms and settlements for the cancellation of these contracts, it means two more FPSOs on the market for redeployment. It sounds similar to the widespread cancellation of drillships in the offshore drilling business! No one knows for sure how many more idled FPSOs will hit the market and face a similar limited redeployments possibilities. According to one knowledgeable observer (Fearnley Offshore) there may be a total of 22 FPSOs idled by year end 2016, offset perhaps by scrapping (four?) and possible redeployment (one or two?). In other words, something like 10 percent of the FPSO fleet may become idle by the end of 2016, representing an overhang in the market to challenge prospects for new FPSO orders. Not so long ago in 2012 the prospects for redeployment might have been fair and often uncertain on timing, but not so today in 2016. FPSO contractors are sometimes reluctant to say exactly how many FPSOs they expect to have idle and available. It is not quite the open book seen in the offshore drilling industry where idled MODUs are identified and quickly become public knowledge. The shutting down of new FPSO requirements plus so many existing FPSOs coming available has never happened on this scale before - truly uncharted waters. Talk of redeployments sounds to some as whistling in the dark in the current market, trying to avoid the possible necessities of layups and scrapping idle equipment of the kind that the drillers have already started to address. On the E part of E&P business, it is easier for an operator to find productive employment for a drill ship than do so for an FPSO when on the P part of E&P, the prospect of finding an FPSO virtually ready right away to work at a new development would be wonderful but reality rarely seems to work that way. The need to get a production facility that does just what is needed leads back to contracting for a new FPSO, whether conversion or newbuild, rather than a redeployment. Closing Thoughts All of this is not good news to the FPSO contractor community which hopes they do not have to manage their way through the kind of long term downturn that the drillers faced in 1986. And yet they see the potentially long delays before oil companies can see higher oil prices combined with some sense of stability to justify taking the risk in committing on multi billion dollar field investments that may employ FPSOs, whenever that might be, such is survival. Just a few years ago the redeployment situation was a relatively minor issue but in the current downturn it may prompt consideration of write downs on residual values on company balance sheets for both idled and employed FPSOs as a prudent measure in this market. As the offshore drillers have learned after more such brutal downturns, tough decisions are on the table about scrapping and lay up of FPSOs in the face of little or no redeployment prospects this year. About the Author Peter Lovies 49 years in engineering and management in the offshore industry have all been in Houston, the first 22 years on offshore drilling related business. Over the last 21 years Peter has become known as something of an industry authority on FPSOs, from his unusual combination of working on both the FPSO contractor and operator sides of the aisle as well as the necessary shuttle tanker side of it (Bluewater as BD Mgr, American Shuttle Tankers as VP, and Devon Energy as Senior Advisor Floating Systems). He is known for his contributions leading to the first FPSO and shuttle tankers to enter service in GoM. Peter has been a frequent speaker and moderator at FPSO conferences worldwide and currently serves on the Advisory Board for Pennwells Topsides Platforms & Hulls conference. He started in the oilfield with Cameron and The Offshore Company (now Transocean), then founded an engineering company (ETA) with its introduction of a new generation of jackup drilling rigs in the 1970s, that were built in France, Singapore and Japan. That was followed by marketing and contracting MODU construction, then a 6 year stint in pioneering subsea processing. Peter Lovie is author of 5 US patents and numerous technical papers. In the last two decades he held leadership roles in industry groups (DeepStar, SPE, Rice Global E&C Forum). Credentials include: Professional Engineer in Texas (PE), Project Management Professional (PMP) in 2009-2015 and Fellow of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects (FRINA). He earned his Master of Applied Mechanics degree at the University of Virginia where he was a Fulbright Scholar, and his B.Sc. in Civil Engineering from University of Glasgow in Scotland. Currently Peter Lovie is an independent consultant. For more, including recent publications, please visit www.lovie.org Acknowledgement The author is indebted to Jens Heim of Fearnley Offshore who provided the FPSO fleet data that is used in the table and two graphs here to illustrate FPSO business trends. Gold Falls Despite Panic Due To Supply Issues In Inter Bank Gold Market Gold fell again today to its lowest in a week despite continuing uncertainty about the outcome of the Brexit referendum. This is contributing to very significant high net worth and institutional demand in recent days, particularly in the UK, which is leading to panic and supply issues in the interbank gold market. Supply issues which respected gold analysts and ourselves have warned in recent years were taking place, would deepen and would ultimately lead to a reset of gold prices to much higher levels. Click chart to see Increasing speculation that Britain may vote to stay in the European Union and hedge fund liquidations are being blamed for the recent price falls. However, bullion dealers such as GoldCore, mints and refineries that cater to the UK market have seen minimal selling this week and in fact there has been a surge in demand again this week. We believe the price falls are due to hedge funds and banks liquidating positions and shorting the market. As ever, there is the risk that algo and high frequency trading (HFT) may be manipulating prices lower despite very robust physical demand and increasing liquidity issues in the interbank gold market. Informed, senior sources at the highest level of the gold bullion industry have told us that there is panic in the inter bank or institutional gold market. According to the sources one of whom is from a leading Swiss gold refinery, we are in a unique trading climate that they have never seen before. This is not just due to Brexit but to a number of factors and so is likely to continue even after the Brexit referendum. The market is subject to absolutely unprecedented conditions and a degree of illiquidity and supply issues not seen even in the immediate aftermath of September 11th, Lehman Brothers and the height of the Eurozone crisis. Refineries and mints are being advised that bullion banks may take the unprecedented step of suspending the trading of physical gold. Premiums have risen on larger orders creating the situation where spreads are higher on larger orders. An example of this is that a 1,000 ounce order worth $12.66 million at current prices is trading at a premium of $0.33 per ounce over a smaller order of 500 ounces. There is also warnings that stop loss orders above 5,000 ounces may not be filled at agreed prices and could be filled at much lower prices. A number of large liquidity providers in the gold market, such as Intl FC Stone, have increased margins. Thus counter intuitively, larger high net worth and institutional orders are costing more than somewhat smaller relative orders. This has the effect of discouraging larger buy orders for physical whether by accident or by design. Officialdom does not want surging gold prices in advance of the referendum due to the risks that this poses to the financial and monetary system and therefore prices may be being capped prior to the vote tomorrow. This bodes well for prices in the aftermath of the vote whether the UK votes to remain or leave in the EU. Bullion banks have been panicking and advising that soon, they may no longer be able to quote prices on large gold bar orders. This response is previously unheard of and indicates the increasing illiquidity in the large gold bar market due to a recent surge in HNW, UHNW and institutional (wealth managers, hedge funds, banks etc) demand across the world coupled with already robust central bank demand. The increasingly illiquid physical gold market where supply cannot keep up with demand underlines the importance of owning physical bullion coins and bars either in your possession or having direct legal title to your individual coins and bars. Bullion should be owned in your name or your companys name and be stored directly in the safest vaults in the safest jurisdictions in the world outside the financial, banking system. Gold Prices (LBMA AM) 22 June: USD 1,265.00, EUR 1,122.31 and GBP 862.98 per ounce 21 June: USD 1,280.80, EUR 1,129.67 and GBP 866.72 per ounce 20 June: USD 1,283.25, EUR 1,132.08 and GBP 877.49 per ounce 17 June: USD 1,284.50, EUR 1,142.05 and GBP 899.41 per ounce 16 June: USD 1,307.00, EUR 1,161.14 and GBP 922.01 per ounce 15 June: USD 1,282.00, EUR 1,141.49 and GBP 903.04 per ounce Silver Prices (LBMA) 22 June: USD 17.20, EUR 15.23 and GBP 11.72 per ounce 21 June: USD 17.36, EUR 15.34 and GBP 11.78 per ounce 20 June: USD 17.34, EUR 15.30 and GBP 11.85 per ounce 17 June: USD 17.37, EUR 15.43 and GBP 12.19 per ounce 16 June: USD 17.71, EUR 15.79 and GBP 12.54 per ounce 15 June: USD 17.41, EUR 15.51 and GBP 12.26 per ounce 14 June: USD 17.25, EUR 15.37 and GBP 12.17 per ounce This update can be found on the GoldCore blog here. Mark O'Byrne IRL 63 FITZWILLIAM SQUARE DUBLIN 2 E info@goldcore.com UK NO. 1 CORNHILL LONDON 2 EC3V 3ND IRL +353 (0)1 632 5010 UK +44 (0)203 086 9200 US +1 (302)635 1160 W http://www.goldcore.com/uk/ WINNERS MoneyMate and Investor Magazine Financial Analysts 2006 Disclaimer: The information in this document has been obtained from sources, which we believe to be reliable. We cannot guarantee its accuracy or completeness. It does not constitute a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any investment. Any person acting on the information contained in this document does so at their own risk. Recommendations in this document may not be suitable for all investors. Individual circumstances should be considered before a decision to invest is taken. Investors should note the following: Past experience is not necessarily a guide to future performance. The value of investments may fall or rise against investors' interests. Income levels from investments may fluctuate. Changes in exchange rates may have an adverse effect on the value of, or income from, investments denominated in foreign currencies. GoldCore Limited, trading as GoldCore is a Multi-Agency Intermediary regulated by the Irish Financial Regulator. GoldCore is committed to complying with the requirements of the Data Protection Act. This means that in the provision of our services, appropriate personal information is processed and kept securely. It also means that we will never sell your details to a third party. The information you provide will remain confidential and may be used for the provision of related services. Such information may be disclosed in confidence to agents or service providers, regulatory bodies and group companies. You have the right to ask for a copy of certain information held by us in our records in return for payment of a small fee. You also have the right to require us to correct any inaccuracies in your information. The details you are being asked to supply may be used to provide you with information about other products and services either from GoldCore or other group companies or to provide services which any member of the group has arranged for you with a third party. If you do not wish to receive such contact, please write to the Marketing Manager GoldCore, 63 Fitzwilliam Square, Dublin 2 marking the envelope 'data protection' 2005-2019 http://www.MarketOracle.co.uk - The Market Oracle is a FREE Daily Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting online publication. Here is the latest jail booking report from Hamilton County: ARRINGTON, CHRISTINA ELIZEBETH 936 MOUNTAIN CREEK ROAD APT N135 CHATTANOOGA, 37405 Age at Arrest: 31 years old Arresting Agency: Hamilton County POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA --- BANKS, DANIELLE MONIQUE 304 WOODLAWN DRIVE ROSSVILLE, 30741 Age at Arrest: 27 years old Arresting Agency: Chattanooga THEFT OF PROPERTY --- BIRD, THOMAS ANTHONY 27 SWANNER ROAD SIGNAL MTN, 37377 Age at Arrest: 31 years old Arresting Agency: Hamilton County POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA --- BORING, KATENA NICOLE 5608 NORTH ELM STREET CHATTANOOGA, 37415 Age at Arrest: 44 years old Arresting Agency: Hamilton County POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE DRIVING ON ROADWAYS LANED FOR TRAFFIC, VIOLATION --- BRITTAIN, SAMMUEL DAVID 10201 BIRCHWOOD PIKE HARRISON, 37341 Age at Arrest: 50 years old Arresting Agency: Hamilton County Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s) --- BROWN, LASHONDA NICOLE 1439 IVY STREET CHATTANOOGA, 37404 Age at Arrest: 37 years old Arresting Agency: Chattanooga VANDALISM/MALICIOUS MISCHIEF ASSAULT --- COFER, RICHARD S 232 OLD COALFIELD RD HARRIMAN, 37748 Age at Arrest: 53 years old Arresting Agency: Hamilton County THEFT OF PROPERTY (OVER $1000) --- DANIELS, MICHAEL LEBRON 727 E. 11TH CHATTANOOGA, 37401Age at Arrest: 26 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyBooked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s)---DELGADO, FRANCISCO ORTIZ5557 DUBSY LN CHATTANOOGA, 37343Age at Arrest: 35 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyVIO. DRIVERS LICENSE LAWFINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY---DODSON, JOSHUA LEE4301 DAYTON BLVD APT 4 CHATTANOOGA, 37415Age at Arrest: 42 years oldArresting Agency: Red BankDISORDERLY CONDUCT---DYER, BRANDON LYNN2854 WEST FRANCIS SPRINGS ROAD WHITWELL, 37397Age at Arrest: 34 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyCONTEMPT OF COURT---FREEMAN, SHAINNA LYNN3721 6TH AVENUE CHATTANOOGA, 37407Age at Arrest: 32 years oldArresting Agency: ChattanoogaTHEFT OF PROPERTYTHEFT OF PROPERTYDRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSEPOSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIAPOSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCEVANDALISM/MALICIOUS MISCHIEF---FREEMAN, TERESA A4616 SUNFLOWER #110 APT 403 CHATTANOOGA, 37416Age at Arrest: 53 years oldArresting Agency: ChattanoogaDOMESTIC ASSAULTVANDALISM/MALICIOUS MISCHIEFRECKLESS ENDANGERMENT---HERNANDEZ, MARCUS5837 CRESTVIEW DRIVEM HIXSON, 37343Age at Arrest: 27 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyVIO. DRIVERS LICENSE LAW---HOUSE, JEFFERY ANDREW4210 DODDS AVE CHATTANOOGA, 37407Age at Arrest: 28 years oldArresting Agency: ChattanoogaFELONY POSS OF MARIJUANA---HUGHES, MEGAN DIANAHOMELESS CHATTANOOGA, 37421Age at Arrest: 34 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyBooked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s)---HULSEY, CHARITY FAITH568 LAKEVIEW DRIVE ROSSVILLE, 30741Age at Arrest: 25 years oldArresting Agency: East RidgeFAILURE TO APPEAR---JENNINGS, LARRY DALE1724 SHERIDAN STREET CHATTANOOGA, 37406Age at Arrest: 30 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyDOMESTIC ASSAULT---KRAUSE, LAURA LEE991 HENDERSON AVENUE CHATTANOOGA, 37404Age at Arrest: 31 years oldArresting Agency: ChattanoogaTHEFT OF PROPERTY---LANGSTON, MADISON ASHLEE2400 BRIGGS AVE RED BANK, 37415Age at Arrest: 20 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyCHILD NEGLECTDRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALE---LEE, MARK MELCHISEDEC7739 NAUTICAL WAY CHATTANOOGA, 37416Age at Arrest: 21 years oldArresting Agency: ChattanoogaDOMESTIC ASSAULT---LESLEY, FRANK MILFORD727 EAST 11TH ST CHATTANOOGA, 37403Age at Arrest: 49 years oldArresting Agency: ChattanoogaPUBLIC INTOXICATION---LONG, HAILEY MARIE429 MONTCLAIR DRIVE ROSSVILLE, 30741Age at Arrest: 18 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyPOSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCECHILD NEGLECT---MADEWELL, PATRICIA ANN3410 1ST AVE CHATTANOOGA, 37407Age at Arrest: 52 years oldArresting Agency: ChattanoogaCRIMINAL IMPERSONATION---MANIS, JOHN SPENCER6125 OOLTEWAH GEORGETOWN ROAD OOLTEWAH, 37363Age at Arrest: 33 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyBURGLARY OF AN AUTOTHEFT OF PROPERTY OVER 500---MCCLURKIN, JAMES ALLEN510 ELY RD HIXSON, 37363Age at Arrest: 51 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyBooked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s)---MCKENZIE, KIMBER LEE307 HOLDER LANE CHATTANOOGA, 37419Age at Arrest: 22 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyPOSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA---MILLER, ASHLEY NICOLE5854 TANNAHILL DRIVE APT 5D KNOXVILLE, 37909Age at Arrest: 31 years oldArresting Agency: ChattanoogaTHEFT OF PROPERTY (UNDER $500)---MILLER, DEREK ALLEN5854 TANNAHILL DRIVE APT 5D KNOXVILLE, 37909Age at Arrest: 23 years oldArresting Agency: ChattanoogaTHEFT OF PROPERTY (UNDER $500)---MINCY, ROBERT JAMES230 SWEETLAND DRIVE CHATTANOOGA, 37415Age at Arrest: 29 years oldArresting Agency: Red BankBooked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s)---MORGAN, SHERRIE LYNN1095 VAUGHAN STREET CLARKSTON, 30021Age at Arrest: 50 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyPUBLIC INTOXICATIONRESISTING ARREST OR OBSTRUCTION OF LEGAL PROCESS---MORRIS, JESSE BLAKE1252 GRAND CENTER ROAD CHICKAMAUGA, 30707Age at Arrest: 21 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyPOSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCEPOSS. OF HANDGUN WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCE---MOSIER, RONNIE DEAN1542 BURNS AVENUE EAST RIDGE, 37412Age at Arrest: 34 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyBooked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s)---MVUYEKURE, ALEX3929 MANOR RD APT #101 CHATTANOOGA, 37411Age at Arrest: 25 years oldArresting Agency: ChattanoogaHARASSMENTHARASSMENT---NICHOLS, ANTONIO CHAPALE405 ROBERTS STREET CHATTANOOGA, 37404Age at Arrest: 38 years oldArresting Agency: ChattanoogaVIOLATION OF PROBATION (DOMESTIC ASSAULT)---OBANNON, DREW ALEXANDER173 CENTRAL BLVD MTN WASHINGTON, 40047Age at Arrest: 24 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyDRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSEFINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY---OGLETREE, DAYTON KALVIN4956 BRANNUM LANE HIXSON, 37343Age at Arrest: 26 years oldArresting Agency: CollegedaleBooked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s)---PAGE, BRIAN LEE4118 WILKESVIEW DRIVE CHATTANOOGA, 37416Age at Arrest: 55 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyBooked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s)---PARSONS, FRANKIE CLARENCE10278 LOMA CITA LANE OOLTEWAH, 37363Age at Arrest: 22 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyDUI - 1ST OFFENSERECKLESS DRIVINGRECKLESS ENDANGERMENT---PRICE, MENDON JOHN1201 BOYNTON DRIVE APT 315 CHATTANOOGA, 37402Age at Arrest: 50 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyBooked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s)---QUARLES, TERRI KASHA626 BROWNS FERRY ROAD CHATTANOOGA, 37419Age at Arrest: 21 years oldArresting Agency: Tenn Highway PatrolDRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCEIMPLIED CONSENT LAW - DRIVERS---RAINES, KATHERINE DAWN313 BROWNTOWN ROAD CHATTANOOGA, 37415Age at Arrest: 36 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyTHEFT OF PROPERTY (OVER $1000)---SHROPSHIRE, TIRRELL DONAE1439 IVY ST CHATTANOOGA, 37404Age at Arrest: 35 years oldArresting Agency: ChattanoogaAGGRAVATED ASSAULTPOSSESSING A FIREARM WITH INTENT TO GO ARMED---SLYMAN, JERMICHAEL TAMEL7600 MEADOW CREEK WAY APT 202 CHATTANOOGA, 37421Age at Arrest: 25 years oldArresting Agency: ChattanoogaREGISTRATION, EXPIREDDRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSEFINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY---SMITH, JASMINE ALTERRIA8164 HOLLY CREST DRIVE CHATTANOOGA, 37421Age at Arrest: 25 years oldArresting Agency: ChattanoogaAGGRAVATED ASSAULT (DOMESTIC)---SRYOCK, JOHNNY ANDREW308 S. ORCHARD KNOB CHATTANOOGA, 37412Age at Arrest: 40 years oldArresting Agency: East RidgeTHEFT OF PROPERTY---STONE, BRIAN ALEX727 E 11TH ST CHATTANOOGA, 37402Age at Arrest: 45 years oldArresting Agency: ChattanoogaPUBLIC INTOXICATIONDISORDERLY CONDUCT---TACKETT, TIMOTHY FRANKLIN568 LAKEVIEW DRIVE ROSSVILLE, 30741Age at Arrest: 33 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyFUGITIVE (ARREST FOR CRIME IN ANOTHER STATE)---TAYLOR, HOWARD MICHAEL6499 HIGHWAY 27 CHATTANOOGA, 37405Age at Arrest: 38 years oldArresting Agency: Signal MountainVIOLATION OF PROBABTION---TAYLOR, TYLER JOE3806 COTTONWOOD ROAD CHATTANOOGA, 37421Age at Arrest: 22 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyCHILD NEGLECTDRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALE---TELLIS, TIM TAWAIN1813 CARSON AVENUE CHATTANOOGA, 37410Age at Arrest: 53 years oldArresting Agency: ChattanoogaINDECENT EXPOSUREPUBLIC INTOXICATION---TOLAND, DERRICK LEE2023 LYDON AVE CHATTANOOGA, 37415Age at Arrest: 22 years oldArresting Agency: Red BankTHEFT OF PROPERTY (OVER $1,000)---WEST, ZETTA FRANCES3216 5TH VE CHATTANOOGA, 37407Age at Arrest: 36 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyBooked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s)---WHITING, KRISTIN JOY201 LAMP LIGHTER DRIVE BOWLING GREEN, 47104Age at Arrest: 21 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyFAILURE TO APPEAR---WILLIAMS, NORMAN EUGENE4415 DRUMMOND DRIVE CHATTANOOGA, 37411Age at Arrest: 30 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyCRIMINAL TRESPASSINGCRIMINAL TRESPASSING---WOOLF, NICOLE LEA6502 FOX DEN LANE CHATTANOOGA, 37343Age at Arrest: 19 years oldArresting Agency: Hamilton CountyBooked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s) Here are the mug shots: AARON, BRANDON LEE Age at Arrest: 19 Date of Birth: 04/02/1997 Arresting Agency: Hamilton County Last Date of Arrest: 06/21/2016 Charge(s): POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA ANDERSON, JOSHUA CODY Age at Arrest: 19 Date of Birth: 09/27/1996 Arresting Agency: Soddy Daisy Last Date of Arrest: 06/21/2016 Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s) ARRINGTON, CHRISTINA ELIZEBETH Age at Arrest: 31 Date of Birth: 02/23/1985 Arresting Agency: Hamilton County Last Date of Arrest: 06/21/2016 Charge(s): POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA BANKS, DANIELLE MONIQUE Age at Arrest: 27 Date of Birth: 06/26/1988 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga Last Date of Arrest: 06/21/2016 Charge(s): THEFT OF PROPERTY BIRD, THOMAS ANTHONY Age at Arrest: 31 Date of Birth: 04/05/1985 Arresting Agency: Hamilton County Last Date of Arrest: 06/21/2016 Charge(s): POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA BONDS, QUINTON LAMAR Age at Arrest: 45 Date of Birth: 09/20/1970 Arresting Agency: Hamilton County Last Date of Arrest: 06/21/2016 Charge(s): FAILURE TO APPEAR FAILURE TO APPEAR VIOLATION OF PROBATION (FAILURE TO APPEAR) VIOLATION OF PROBATION (FAILURE TO APPEAR) VIOLATION OF PROBATION (THEFT OF PROPERTY) BROWN, LASHONDA NICOLE Age at Arrest: 37 Date of Birth: 05/08/1979 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga Last Date of Arrest: 06/21/2016 Charge(s): VANDALISM/MALICIOUS MISCHIEF ASSAULT BRUMLOW, LAURA MICHELLE Age at Arrest: 38 Date of Birth: 10/30/1977 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga Last Date of Arrest: 06/21/2016 Charge(s): FORGERY FEL. OBTAINING CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE BY FRAUD COFER, RICHARD S Age at Arrest: 53 Date of Birth: 01/01/1963 Arresting Agency: Hamilton County Last Date of Arrest: 06/21/2016 Charge(s): THEFT OF PROPERTY (OVER $1000) DELGADO, FRANCISCO ORTIZ Age at Arrest: 35 Date of Birth: 03/09/1981 Arresting Agency: Hamilton County Last Date of Arrest: 06/21/2016 Charge(s): VIO. DRIVERS LICENSE LAW FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY DIAMOND, MARCUS RENE Age at Arrest: 52 Date of Birth: 11/16/1963 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga Last Date of Arrest: 06/21/2016 Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s) DOMINGUEZ, ROBLERO A Age at Arrest: 35 Date of Birth: 12/25/1980 Arresting Agency: Hamilton County Last Date of Arrest: 06/21/2016 Charge(s): DRIVING WITHOUT DRIVERS LICENSE / EXPIRED LICENSE VIOLATION OF TRAFFIC CONTROL DEVICE DYAR, MATTHEW WAYNE Age at Arrest: 33 Date of Birth: 02/27/1983 Arresting Agency: Hamilton County Last Date of Arrest: 06/21/2016 Charge(s): VIOLATION OF PROBATION (DOMESTIC ASSAULT) FREEMAN, SHAINNA LYNN Age at Arrest: 32 Date of Birth: 07/10/1982 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga Last Date of Arrest: 06/21/2016 Charge(s): THEFT OF PROPERTY THEFT OF PROPERTY DRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSE POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE VANDALISM/MALICIOUS MISCHIEF FREEMAN, TERESA A Age at Arrest: 53 Date of Birth: 06/11/1963 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga Last Date of Arrest: 06/21/2016 Charge(s): DOMESTIC ASSAULT VANDALISM/MALICIOUS MISCHIEF RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT HERNANDEZ, MARCUS Age at Arrest: 27 Date of Birth: 10/24/1988 Arresting Agency: Hamilton County Last Date of Arrest: 06/21/2016 Charge(s): VIO. DRIVERS LICENSE LAW HUGHES, MEGAN DIANA Age at Arrest: 34 Date of Birth: 01/03/1982 Arresting Agency: Hamilton County Last Date of Arrest: 06/21/2016 Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s) HULSEY, CHARITY FAITH Age at Arrest: 25 Date of Birth: 11/10/1990 Arresting Agency: East Ridge Last Date of Arrest: 06/21/2016 Charge(s): FAILURE TO APPEAR JENNINGS, LARRY DALE Age at Arrest: 30 Date of Birth: 12/14/1985 Arresting Agency: Hamilton County Last Date of Arrest: 06/21/2016 Charge(s): DOMESTIC ASSAULT JONES, SAVON JAMAR Age at Arrest: 18 Date of Birth: 07/18/1997 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga Last Date of Arrest: 06/21/2016 Charge(s): THEFT OF PROPERTY UNDER $500 KNIGHT, DONNIE LEWIS Age at Arrest: 46 Date of Birth: 07/22/1969 Arresting Agency: Hamilton County Last Date of Arrest: 06/21/2016 Charge(s): PAROLE VIOLATION (AGGRAVATED ASSAULT) KRAUSE, LAURA LEE Age at Arrest: 31 Date of Birth: 06/23/1984 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga Last Date of Arrest: 06/21/2016 Charge(s): THEFT OF PROPERTY LANGSTON, MADISON ASHLEE Age at Arrest: 20 Date of Birth: 04/09/1996 Arresting Agency: Hamilton County Last Date of Arrest: 06/21/2016 Charge(s): CHILD NEGLECT DRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALE LEE, MARK MELCHISEDEC Age at Arrest: 21 Date of Birth: 05/18/1995 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga Last Date of Arrest: 06/21/2016 Charge(s): DOMESTIC ASSAULT LESLEY, FRANK MILFORD Age at Arrest: 49 Date of Birth: 08/20/1966 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga Last Date of Arrest: 06/21/2016 Charge(s): PUBLIC INTOXICATION LONG, HAILEY MARIE Age at Arrest: 18 Date of Birth: 04/08/1998 Arresting Agency: Hamilton County Last Date of Arrest: 06/21/2016 Charge(s): POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE CHILD NEGLECT MADEWELL, PATRICIA ANN Age at Arrest: 52 Date of Birth: 03/28/1964 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga Last Date of Arrest: 06/21/2016 Charge(s): CRIMINAL IMPERSONATION MCCLENNON, CARL Age at Arrest: 54 Date of Birth: 04/18/1962 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga Last Date of Arrest: 06/21/2016 Charge(s): THEFT OF PROPERTY MCKENZIE, KIMBER LEE Age at Arrest: 22 Date of Birth: 05/12/1994 Arresting Agency: Hamilton County Last Date of Arrest: 06/21/2016 Charge(s): POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA MILLER, ASHLEY NICOLE Age at Arrest: 31 Date of Birth: 08/01/1984 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga Last Date of Arrest: 06/21/2016 Charge(s): THEFT OF PROPERTY (UNDER $500) MILLER, DEREK ALLEN Age at Arrest: 23 Date of Birth: 01/26/1993 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga Last Date of Arrest: 06/21/2016 Charge(s): THEFT OF PROPERTY (UNDER $500) MORRIS, JESSE BLAKE Age at Arrest: 21 Date of Birth: 03/31/1995 Arresting Agency: Hamilton County Last Date of Arrest: 06/21/2016 Charge(s): POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE POSS. OF HANDGUN WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCE MOSIER, RONNIE DEAN Age at Arrest: 34 Date of Birth: 04/12/1982 Arresting Agency: Hamilton County Last Date of Arrest: 06/21/2016 Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s) MVUYEKURE, ALEX Age at Arrest: 25 Date of Birth: 12/12/1990 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga Last Date of Arrest: 06/21/2016 Charge(s): HARASSMENT HARASSMENT OBANNON, DREW ALEXANDER Age at Arrest: 24 Date of Birth: 05/04/1992 Arresting Agency: Hamilton County Last Date of Arrest: 06/21/2016 Charge(s): DRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSE FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY OGLETREE, DAYTON KALVIN Age at Arrest: 26 Date of Birth: 06/30/1989 Arresting Agency: Collegedale Last Date of Arrest: 06/21/2016 Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s) PARSONS, FRANKIE CLARENCE Age at Arrest: 22 Date of Birth: 07/03/1993 Arresting Agency: Hamilton County Last Date of Arrest: 06/21/2016 Charge(s): DUI - 1ST OFFENSE RECKLESS DRIVING RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT RAINES, KATHERINE DAWN Age at Arrest: 36 Date of Birth: 06/22/1979 Arresting Agency: Hamilton County Last Date of Arrest: 06/21/2016 Charge(s): THEFT OF PROPERTY (OVER $1000) ROBERTS, MATTHEW JEROME Age at Arrest: 19 Date of Birth: 05/09/1997 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga Last Date of Arrest: 06/21/2016 Charge(s): THEFT OF PROPERTY (UNDER $500) ROGERS, TRISTAN WYATT Age at Arrest: 20 Date of Birth: 10/10/1995 Arresting Agency: Hamilton County Last Date of Arrest: 06/21/2016 Charge(s): FAILURE TO APPEAR RUTH, RONNIE RAY Age at Arrest: 69 Date of Birth: 03/07/1947 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga Last Date of Arrest: 06/21/2016 Charge(s): VANDALISM/MALICIOUS MISCHIEF THEFT OF PROPERTY OVER 500 THEFT OF PROPERTY SCOTT, ANTHONY JACOB Age at Arrest: 28 Date of Birth: 09/09/1987 Arresting Agency: Hamilton County Last Date of Arrest: 06/21/2016 Charge(s): DOMESTIC ASSAULT SHROPSHIRE, TIRRELL DONAE Age at Arrest: 35 Date of Birth: 06/12/1981 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga Last Date of Arrest: 06/21/2016 Charge(s): AGGRAVATED ASSAULT POSSESSING A FIREARM WITH INTENT TO GO ARMED STEVENSON, BRUCE MONROE Age at Arrest: 33 Date of Birth: 04/15/1983 Arresting Agency: Hamilton County Last Date of Arrest: 06/21/2016 Charge(s): VIOLATION OF PROBATION (DUI) STEWART, LAJUAN MATEO Age at Arrest: 43 Date of Birth: 05/23/1973 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga Last Date of Arrest: 06/21/2016 Charge(s): DOMESTIC ASSAULT STONE, BRIAN ALEX Age at Arrest: 45 Date of Birth: 02/26/1971 Arresting Agency: Chattanooga Last Date of Arrest: 06/21/2016 Charge(s): PUBLIC INTOXICATION DISORDERLY CONDUCT TACKETT, TIMOTHY FRANKLIN Age at Arrest: 33 Date of Birth: 10/04/1982 Arresting Agency: Hamilton County Last Date of Arrest: 06/21/2016 Charge(s): FUGITIVE (ARREST FOR CRIME IN ANOTHER STATE) TAYLOR, TYLER JOE Age at Arrest: 22 Date of Birth: 06/08/1994 Arresting Agency: Hamilton County Last Date of Arrest: 06/21/2016 Charge(s): CHILD NEGLECT DRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALE VELASQUEZ-MORALES, JAIRO Age at Arrest: 18 Date of Birth: 04/27/1998 Arresting Agency: Hamilton County Last Date of Arrest: 06/21/2016 Charge(s): THEFT OF PROPERTY (UNDER $500) WEST, ZETTA FRANCES Age at Arrest: 36 Date of Birth: 09/19/1979 Arresting Agency: Hamilton County Last Date of Arrest: 06/21/2016 Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s) The fiscal year 2016-2017 budget was given approval on the second and final reading Tuesday night at the Red Bank Commission meeting. It has been described as a basic budget and did not require a property tax increase. The property tax rate will remain at $1.35 per every $1,000 of assessed value of property. The 2016 budget also was amended as a bookkeeping measure, so that expenditures and revenues last year were reconciled with the actual costs, which in some cases were higher than planned. Updates have taken place at city hall to comply with two policies. From time to time, said City Manager Randall Smith, rules, regulations and polices need to be reviewed to ensure that its employees know how to operate equipment and vehicles safely. The adoption of an ordinance and implementation of the OSHA program was passed on first reading Tuesday night. The other program that was put into place was to satisfy the comptroller for the state of Tennessee, who has required that every city create and submit an Internal Controls Policy relating to financial issues. This policy is to make sure that funds are not mismanaged. The Red Bank commissioners approved the plan which will now be forwarded to the comptroller for state approval. The renewal of a contract with the Humane Education Society in the amount of $69,990 for animal control services was approved. This is the same amount the city paid in 2016. Mayor John Roberts told the audience that there will be two fireworks displays available on the Fourth of July, one in Soddy Daisy and the other on Signal Mountain. Red Bank will not have a display, he said, with Fire Chief Mark Mathews announcing that Red Bank has a no burn policy in effect until September. t. One of the items that this commission has been focused on is economic development in Red Bank. Mayor Roberts said that since 2010 the city has been trying to find a business that would locate in the old BiLo site at Dayton Boulevard and Browntown Road. He announced that B and B Discount has now bought the building and will move to that location. The June 26 election campaign in Spain is coming to an end. The coalition between Podemos and United Left seems poised to overtake the Socialist Party, and according to some opinion polls is closing the gap with the ruling right wing Popular Party, which remains in first place. What are the implications for the day after, and what is the program on which Unidos Podemos stands? The calling of early elections in Spain on June 26 was forced because the inconclusive results of the December 20 2015 election did not lead to the formation of a government. At that time the Popular Party (PP) suffered substantial losses, losing a third of its votes and collapsing from 44% of the total vote in 2011 to 28.7%, but still remained the first party. The Socialist Party (PSOE) did not benefit from this and lost 20% of its votes going down from 28 to 22% of the total vote. The eruption of Podemos and its allied coalitions in Galicia (En Marea - The Rising Tide), Catalonia (En Comu Podem - United We Can) and Valencia (Es El Moment - Its The Time), which received 5 million votes (just over 20%), was notable but not enough to defeat the two party system completely. The ruling class in Spain and in Europe pushed for the formation of a grand coalition government (in one form or another) involving PP, PSOE and the right populist Ciudadanos (Cs). They need a government with a substantial parliamentary majority which is firmly committed to the continuation of cuts and austerity. However, in this case, the interests of the ruling class did not coincide with the interests of the apparatuses of the different parties, nor the personal interests of their leaders. The PP of Rajoy insisted in being allowed to form government (either with external support or in a coalition). But this is a party which has been extremely discredited, not only by its brutal austerity policies, but also by corruption scandals going right to the top echelons and affecting the party itself as an organisation. For the PSOE and Cs (which demagogically presents itself as the party of anti-corruption and democratic renewal), it would have been political suicide to make a formal pact with the PP. On the other hand the PP was not at all interested in handing power to the PSOE (neither as part of a coalition nor by abstaining). As the party with the most votes, they saw no reason to concede power to anyone else. Podemos played its cards correctly by making the PSOE an offer it could not accept: a PSOE-Podemos-United Left government, in which Podemos and United Left would hold half of the ministers (which corresponds with the ratio of votes of the different parties involved). The right wing of the PSOE (represented by Andalucia president Susana Diaz) would never allow an agreement with Podemos. The ruling class does not consider them as trustworthy enough to carry out the cuts which are necessary from a capitalist point of view. In the end the PSOE leader, Pedro Sanchez, proposed a four way PSOE-Cs-Podemos-IU coalition. This was an offer designed to fail, as the hard core right wing economic policies of Cs could never be reconciled with the program of Podemos nor that of IU. The collapse of these government formation talks is what led to new elections, but the scenario had already changed. First of all, many PSOE voters were now open to the argument that its leaders had rejected the possibility of forming a Left government with Podemos and IU in favour of an agreement with right wing Cs. Pablo Iglesias and Alberto Garzon - Photo: Jose CamoSecondly, under enormous pressure from below, Podemos and United Left had reached an electoral agreement, also involving the Catalan, Galician and Valencian left coalitions. The formation of Unidos Podemos (United We Can), as the coalition is known, was not without resistance in both parties. In Podemos, the wing around Inigo Errejon had always defended the theory that left and right are no longer relevant political concepts, that what is required now is a transversal or cross-sectional approach pitching to those from below, to those at the top, which should be welcoming to all those who want change regardless of their prior political loyalties. This convoluted theory already suffered a serious blow during the election campaign, when Pablo Iglesias made an appeal to the left vote and particularly appealed to the socialist traditions and symbols of the PSOE voters. The idea of transversalism (whatever that might mean) was then completely destroyed by the whole post-election strategy of Podemos, which challenged the PSOE leader to dare form a left government. The defeat of Errejons thesis was symbolised in the removal of his close ally, Sergio Pascual, as Podemos organisation secretary in March. On the United Left (IU) side, there was also strong resistance on the part of the right wing of the organisation (represented by Llamazares Open Left current) against any agreement with Podemos, but also in the centre (represented by national coordinator Cayo Lara). The path to an alliance with Podemos was cleared with the victory of Alberto Garzon and the left wing of IU in the internal primary elections in May (where Garzon got 74% of the vote, Cayo Laras candidate 20% and Llamazares candidate 4%) and then consolidated at the United Left National Assembly (where the vote was split along the same lines) which elected Garzon as the national coordinator of the party to replace Cayo Lara who was standing down. The formation of this coalition has had a positive impact in largely cutting across an element of sectarianism amongst activists and supporters of both formations which had developed in December during the campaign. There have been a series of very enthusiastic and well attended joint election rallies involving Alberto Garzon and Pablo Iglesias, as well as other leading figures of the allied coalitions. The arithmetic addition of the votes Podemos and IU obtained on December 20 would already put Unidos Podemos, with 6 million votes, ahead of PSOE (which got 5.5 million), but while in December IU and Podemos got a combined total of 71 seats for PSOEs 90, this time Unidos Podemos would get 10 to 15 seats more, because of the way the Spanish election constituencies work. On top of this there are other factors which have propelled Unidos Podemos (UP) clearly ahead of PSOE in most opinion polls. First is the multiplying impact of unity between the two forces. Then there is the question of PSOE voters who would want a PSOE-UP coalition government but they are not sure their leaders would allow it and are shifting towards voting for UP. As it becomes clear that UP is ahead of PSOE, a tactical concentration of the left vote in the best positioned party is emerging. All opinion polls now show UP getting between 24 and 26%, consolidating its lead over PSOE, which hovers around 21%. These figures dont tell the whole picture however, as Unidos Podemos is consistently first in the polls amongst the youth (43.6% of the 18 to 34 year old vote), students (35.5%), the unemployed (36.6%), those searching for their first job (37.3%), and those in work (24.2%). What happens is that about 40% of the Spanish electorate is over 55 and 27% is over 65. These are the layers which most loyally turn out to vote and amongst them there is still a strong degree of loyalty for both PSOE and the PP. In most of the Unidos Podemos rallies, where there has been a very enthusiastic mood, the main slogan is now we will beat the PP (vamos a ganar al Partido Popular), as the activists see it as an achievable aim. The vicious campaign of the mass media and the main parties against Unidos Podemos has lost its edge. Ciudadanos leader Albert Rivera actually started its campaign in Caracas, Venezuela, in an attempt to discredit UP for its links with the undemocratic regime of Nicolas Maduro. This has been repeated ad nauseum by the PP and PSOE and echoed by all the main newspapers, right wing and liberal alike. It doesnt stick anymore. If anything it has had the opposite effect. As Unidos Podemos leaders have explained effectively, they talk about Venezuela, because they have a lot to hide in Spain. The Popular Party is forecasted to get a result similar or perhaps marginally better than on December 20, getting 28 to 30% of the vote. Such a result would lead, again, to deadlock in parliament, but with certain differences. First of all, Unidos Podemos is likely to overtake the PSOE not only in votes but also in number of seats, with the former getting between 85 to 95 for the latters 73 to 85. Such a result, giving the combined forces of UP and PSOE either an overall majority of seats or very close to that, would put the PSOE leadership under enormous pressure to form a coalition with UP, which has centered its campaign around offering such an option. However, such a coalition is extremely unlikely. The PSOE leaders are firm representatives of the interests of the ruling class. The ruling class needs to continue to implement a brutal program of budget cuts. Spain has already gone over its agreed deficit reduction target. In order to soften the blow, the European Union has kindly agreed with Rajoy a delay in discussing a fine on Spain for breaking the budget deficit limit until after the election. The European Commission has made it abundantly clear that it expects any government in Spain to implement a package of between 8 and 10bn euro worth of cuts this year. Clearly, a UP-PSOE government in which the PSOE would be the junior partner is not a guarantee of stability from the point of view of the capitalists. This would be different and much more unstable than the government agreement in Portugal, where the PS is the main actor with external support from the PCP and Bloco. At the same time, if PSOE rejects a coalition offer from UP (the ground for which is already being prepared by its leaders), that would seriously damage the party, particularly because it would lead, in one form or another, to a government with the presence of the hated PP. It would clearly create enormous internal turmoil in PSOE and the acceleration of the process of its Pasokification. The ruling class is already exerting enormous pressure towards the formation of a grand coalition between PP-PSOE and Cs. The Spanish media are full of reports of alarm in Brussels and NATO about the possibility of a populist government. This is being used to put additional pressure towards the formation of a grand coalition of austerity. The potential instability of a Brexit vote on Thursday is used as an additional argument. The best answer to the uncertainty it could generate is a government of PP, PSOE and Cs said today the acting Finance Minister De Guindos. There are several variants of how such a government would be formed. If the results are seen as bad for the PSOE, then Pedro Sanchez could be removed, opening the way to a government of the PP with external support from PSOE, or even a formal coalition on the basis of a limited program. Clearly, this is what Rajoy is counting on. If the results are seen as bad for PP (which at the moment is less likely), then Rajoy might be removed opening the way for some sort of agreement with a Pedro Sanchez led PSOE. Cs has already said that a 3-way agreement is its prefered option and in any case its seats are not really crucial in any of the combinations. Whatever the final combination, a government of cuts and austerity with Unidos Podemos being the official opposition would only prepare its rise to power at a later date. It could also provoke a return of mass mobilisations in the streets, which have ebbed in the last 2 years. In this context, it is worth analysing the program of Unidos Podemos. There has been a constant trend towards watering it down ever since Podemos was set up in January 2014. The current program is slightly more moderate than the one Podemos stood on in December. Still, it contains a number of important commitments on concrete policies, like the repeal of many of the reactionary laws introduced by the PP in fields like democratic rights, labour rights, education, etc. as well as a commitment to public spending in health care, education and so on. All of these measures are positive and we support them enthusiastically. The main problem comes when we look at the core of the program, that is, where will the money come in order to implement it. Pablo Iglesias has explained clearly what he wants: a new Social Democracy. This is the thesis he has been putting forward consistently in the last few months, including in a speech to employers in Barcelona (For a New Social Democracy) and in an opinion article in Publico (A Fourth Social Democracy?). What does this consist of, for Iglesias? To quote: A fourth social democracy, understood as the possibility of redistributive policies within the framework of the market economy, ensuring social protection and fiscal justice as engines of economic development based on domestic demand as an engine of transformation of the productive and industrial model and as promoter of social and sovereignist Europeanism, I think this is the best choice for Spain. The concrete proposals he advances are: to re-negotiate with Brussels the rhythm of deficit reduction, by postponing to the end of parliament the achievement of the 3% target, a plan of fighting tax evasion, a progressive reform of the tax system, and a package of measures against tax havens. There are several problems with this. The main one is that whilst social democratic policies were possible in the long postwar boom, on the basis of sustained growth of capitalism, this is no longer the case. We live in a period of capitalist crisis with sluggish rates of growth at best. There is no possibility of implementing redistributive policies in the current context. And European capital (chiefly German capital) will not allow it. We need to look no further than Greece and France to see this in practice. Precisely a year ago, the Greek government of Syriza, elected on a program which was basically the same Unidos Podemos is advancing now, was brutally forced to capitulate. Any idea of renegotiating the deficit reduction targets with the Troika was smashed to pieces by brute force. Pablo Iglesias and the other leaders of Podemos argue that Spain is not Greece and that being a stronger economy would give them more leverage at the negotiating table. It is true that Spain is not tied to a formal bailout program, but nevertherless, the Troika has powerful tools to intervene in the Spanish economy (by causing panic in the markets, massive withdrawal of capital, a sudden jump in the yields of Spanish debt, etc) which would force any government operating within the framework of the market economy to its knees. In France, the program on which Hollande was elected was precisely one of stimulating the economy, taxing the rich and investing in public services. In a few months this was all reversed. The attempt to tax the rich led to them to literally flee the country. A massive package of cuts was implemented and now a draconian pro-bosses labour counter-reform is being fought on the streets. Hollandes popularity ratings are now in the low 10s. A Unidos Podemos government, now or later on, would be faced with exactly the same pressures to implement a policy of cuts and austerity. The only way to implement the progressive reforms included in its program would be to break with capitalism, to put the interests of working people before the interests of bankers and capitalists. This is the main lesson from Greece, one which the leaders of Unidos Podemos attempt to avoid. Whilst we fight with all our strength for an electoral victory of Unidos Podemos, which would represent a massive blow for the ruling class in Spain and a serious defeat for its main parties, we have the duty to warn about the limitations of its program. Spanish workers and youth, who are putting their hopes for fundamental change in Unidos Podemos, will have to go through a steep learning curve. Marxists will accompany them, shoulder by shoulder, and help them understand that the only way to fundamentally change society, to put an end to poverty, unemployment, evictions, cuts in health care and education, the forced emigration of our youth, and many other symptoms of the crisis of capitalism, is to decisively confront the power of the small unelected and unaccountable minority of bankers and capitalists, in Spain, throughout Europe, and in the whole world. Representatives from Komatsu and Power Equipment were greeted by officials with Childrens Hospital at Erlanger as they celebrated the arrival of a Komatsu Excavator outside the hospital. Komatsus very visible support for our Believe Campaign is another great example of community partnership as we raise awareness and money for our new Outpatient Center, said Don Mueller, CEO of Childrens Hospital. We thank them for this loan and hope it serves as an inspiration for others to help us build a new Childrens Hospital. One patient who participated in the visit was 2015 Childrens Hospital Miracle Child, Liam Mull. When Liams mother and Komatsus Customer Service Coordinator, Cherish Mull, heard about her companys support for Childrens Hospital, she was eager to participate. Liam first came to Childrens Hospital when he was just 15 days old. His pulse didnt register and doctors and staff began resuscitation attempts lasting more than two hours. An MRI revealed a significant brain bleed, but also, miraculously, very little brain damage. He was discharged 18 days after his arrival. When he reached 4 months of age, Liam was in the normal range for physical activities and has tracked in the normal range ever since. He is now two-years-old and still holds the Miracle title. SPRINGFIELD -- The historic Merrick Phelps House at 83 Maple St. has gone from a drug-scarred eyesore to the anchor of a business park its owners, DevelopSpringfield, envision for the block. "This was the most blighted house in the neighborhood," said Jay Minkarah, president and CEO of DevelopSpringfield, the public-private partnership that showcased the $1.8-million purchase and rehab project Wednesday afternoon. "Think of all the traffic on Maple. This was 'Welcome to Downtown Springfield.' Think of all the children at the Milton Bradley School who had to look out at that symbol of blight. All that has been reversed." DevelopSpringfield bought the long-derelict home for $160,000 in 2013, along with the property to the rear at 234 Union St. which includes a vacant lot, a row of garages and a carriage house. DevelopSpringfield has already renovated the carriage house and has been using it as offices before moving next week into the Merrick Phelps House. The Greek-revival Merrick Phelps House was built in 1841 for Solymon Merrick, the inventor of the monkey wrench. Ansel Phelps, Springfield's fourth mayor and an attorney for the Western Railroad, bought the property in 1847. In December 2014, DevelopSpringfield purchased a historic former school house at 77 Maple St. from the Springfield Preservation Trust for $35,000. Dating back to 1835, the seminary building will be the third part -- with the carriage house and the Merrick Phelps House -- of a complex of offices in historic structures DevelopSpringfield calls the Lower Maple Business Park. Work begins on the seminary building later this year and is expected to be completed in 2017, Minkarah said. In the Merrick Phelps House, Big Brothers/ Big Sisters of Hampden County will join DevelopSpringfield as a tenant, said executive director David Beturne. The agency is moving five full-time and three part-time employees there from State Street. Minkarah said DevelopSpringfield determined offices would be the best use for the site, as opposed to residential units. All the properties are on the tax rolls. Before DevelopSpringfield took over, the Merrick Phelps House was frequented by drug-users and individuals who set fires and littered the ground with syringes and feces. "It had a negative impact. But the house had good bones," Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno said. "Now it is a positive. A cornerstone. When it makes sense to preserve history and it won't get in the way of economic development, I'll do it." Minkarah said the Merrick Phelps House project cost $1.8 million total, including the $160,000 purchase price. The project was financed with 20 percent tax credits from the state and 20 percent tax credits from the federal government; the rest was borrowed from Westfield Bank. Historic Preservation Associates of Wales, Massachusetts, was the genral contractor. DevelopSpringfield opens rehabbed Merrick Phelps House ELMSLAW.jpg SPRINGFIELD -- Elms College in Chicopee and the Western New England University School of Law in Springfield are set to announce later this month a "3+3" program that could allow students to complete a bachelor's degree and a law school education in six years instead of the typical seven. "This is trying to be more responsive to what students want," said Eric Gouvin, dean and professor of law at WNE. "This is ideal for the student whose life was interrupted -- maybe they are coming back from active duty or they had to leave school -- and they really want to get out into the work force." The program works by allowing college students to complete the required courses for their undergraduate degree in three years and then use their first year of law school at WNE both as law school and to satisfy undergraduate degree requirements for elective courses. The two institutions plan to sign a formal agreement Wednesday. "Their first year of law school does double-duty," Gouvin said. Western New England Law has had similar programs in place with other undergraduate programs for about a decade, Gouvin said. Other participating schools include the undergraduate programs -- including engineering -- at Western New England, Massachusetts College of the Liberal Arts in North Adams, Springfield College, Regis College in Weston, Assumption College in Worcester, Anna Maria College in Paxton, St. Joseph's College in Hartford and Southern New Hampshire University. Springfield College has an agreement with Bay Path University that smooths the way for Bay Path students to go to the law school but doesn't cut the time it takes to gain a degree, Gouvin said. Elms said that its agreement with Western New England is not limited to criminal justice or legal studies majors -- any undergraduate student, regardless of major, can earn credits toward law school under this program. Gouvin said the 3+3 programs save students a year of tuition at their undergraduate school. Students pay the $39,450 a year at Western New England law. The pool of applicants looking to get into law school has fallen by half in the last decade or so, Gouvin said. The recession and a tight job market for new lawyers hurts. Gouvin said demographic trends -- a lower number of 16- to 22-year-olds in the population -- also reduces the number of people looking to attend law school. Western New England University has cut its incoming classes by 35 percent, from 120 new students to 90, over the last five years. "It's just a reality of responding to a market," he said. When Mendon author Michael J. Tougias hears a survival and rescue story, he asks himself if he could have survived. When the answer is no, the Longmeadow High School graduate is curious about how the survivors managed to do just that: Survive. "The Finest Hours" author is also drawn to stories with twists, turns and surprises. His latest book, "So Close To Home: A True Story of an American Family's Fight for Survival during World War II," tells a story with all of those elements plus the little-known historical aspect of German U-boats during World War II not only entering the Gulf of Mexico but reaching the mouth of the Mississippi River. With author Alison O'Leary, Tougias tells the story of the sinking of the freighter Heredia. In 1942 a German U-boat in the Gulf of Mexico stalked its prey 40 miles off New Orleans. Erich Wurdemann, the 29-year- old commander, had his sights set on the freighter, which had 59 souls on board. Most of the crew were merchant seamen, but there was a handful of civilians including the Downs family: Ray Sr. and Ina along with their two children, 8-year-old Ray Jr., nick-named "Sonny;" and 11-year- old Lucille. Asleep in their berth, they had no notice that two torpedoes were heading their way; when the ship exploded they were separated from one another. More than half the crew and passengers aboard the Heredia perished, but after 15 hours in the ocean -- facing sharks, hypothermia, drowning and dehydrationaall the members of the Downs family still were fighting for their lives. "So Close to Home" merges the story of this family with that of Wurdemann. Quoting from Wurdemann's original war diary, the story provides balance and perspective by chronicling the daring mission of the U-boat and its commander's decision-making in the Gulf of Mexico. Writing about Erich Wurdemman setting out on his final patrol was difficult. "I'm sure he knew his days were numbered, yet he went anyway," the author said. "(We) will we ever fully comprehend why, after U-506 was torn apart by bombs dropped by the Liberator, he decided to detach from the two men who were holding him up in the water. Those two survivors later said Erich Wurdemann did not want to decrease their own chances of survival by keeping him afloat. That was part of the commander's decision, but perhaps he simply had enough of this war torn world and the thought of becoming a POW was more than the proud man could bear." The Downs Family Regarding the Downs family, they "had Resilience with a capitol R" because "not only did they have to survive the sharks, jellyfish, drowning and hypothermia, they had to start new lives from scratch," said Tougias, of Mendon, co-author of the international bestseller and New York Times bestseller "The Finest Hours." They lost everything they owned when the ship sank. "Sonny [now of Quincy] had such admiration for his parents. They picked themselves up and made the very best out of a bad situation," Tougias said. He suspects that the success U-boats had in the first half of 1942 against an unprepared United States has been swept under the rug in many history books used in schools and colleges because it does not put the country in a favorable light. "But we need to know all our history. We are history buffs and constantly read nonfiction books and articles, but we were amazed and appalled by the incredible loss of ships and Merchant Mariners right here in waters off the East Coast and Gulf Coast in 1942," he said. "The fact that the U.S. was utterly undefended and unprepared for the U-boat attacks despite British warnings that they were coming was surprising, and it had a lot to do with politics. Also, the way the German U-boat crews lived and died was also very eye-opening: These guys worked so hard in such awful conditions for months at a time, barely getting fresh air or a glimpse of the sun." And, according to the authors' research, they were not Nazis: "They were often as humane as they could be despite the war, even saving hundreds of British passengers from the Laconia, a ship that was sunk in the mid-Atlantic," Tougias said. One of the biggest surprises he found involved Ray Downs, the father, and the captain of the Heredia. "When the ship was torpedoed, these men, along with Sonny were on one tiny life raft," he said. "The captain and Ray did not see eye to eye, and it almost came to blows. Ray literally took over command of the raft, and he made the decisions, not the captain." Though the war is long over, "We still must be on our guard and help each other in every way possible," Tougias said. "The U-boats spread a kind of terror on our coast (they even dropped off spies and sabotage experts). Not all that different than we face today. We ultimately overcame this threat by our own bravery and ingenuity, particularly our development of electronics that helped us find and sink U-boats." He believes in the study of history study history so it is not repeated. "I absolutely believe we can learn from history. Knowledge is power," he said. "There are similarities in our past to conditions today, and by learning more we get ideas for solutions." Tougias -- who graduated from Longmeadow High School -- hopes the story will garner interest from movie studios and producers like "The Finest Hours" did. "People love an inspirational story with surprises," he said. To watch a five-minute video of Sonny describing how he escaped the sinking ship after the torpedoes hit it, go to michaeltougias.com "So Close To Home" is available from Pegasus Books. The 352-page hardcover retails for $27.95. Arunah Hill, Cummington Arunah Hill in Cummington is one of the many places in Western Massachusetts where summer stargazing events will be held. (ARUNAH HILL) By AMANDA JERMYN Special to The Republican Summertime, and the living is easy. Stargazing is easy, too, as the warm nights are upon us. While the starry skies are yours to enjoy on any clear night, there are also a number of organized stargazing activities in the area throughout the summer. When skies are clear, the Amherst Area Amateur Astronomers Association hosts free programs during the summer, including solar observing on Saturdays at 1 p.m. at Mount Pollux in Amherst, night sky observing on Saturdays at 9 p.m. at the Amherst College Wilder Observatory and observing on Sundays at sunset at Mount Pollux. For more information on these and other events, visit the association's website, astronomyassociation.org. The 34th annual Connecticut River Valley Astronomer's Conjunction runs from July 8 through 10 at Northfield Mountain Recreation and Environmental Center in Northfield. The keynote speaker is science journalist and physicist Marcia Bartusiak who will speak on "Black Hole: How an idea hated by Einstein was finally proven by a gravity-wave song." Bartusiak is a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the author of six books, including "Einstein's Unfinished Symphony" and "Black Hole: How an idea abandoned by Newtonians, hated by Einstein, and gambled on by Hawking became loved." Other events include a talk by Ron Woodland and Rich Sanderson on "The Solar Eclipse Experience" and a presentation by NASA ambassador Jim Zebrowski on "The Real Martian: Earth explores the Red Planet." Tim Connolly will talk about "Smartphone Apps for Stargazing" and Jack Megas will present "Star Light, Star Bright: A Survey of the 20 Brightest Stars." Other activities include solar and nighttime viewing through telescopes, a swap table, camping at Barton's Cove on the Connecticut River, and an outdoor buffet dinner. For more information visit the website, philharrington.net/astroconjunction or send email to Richard Sanderson at rsanderson@springfieldmuseums.org. This year, Stellafane, the 81st convention of amateur telescope makers, will be held from Aug. 4 through 7 on Breezy Hill in Springfield, Vermont. This annual gathering gives amateur telescope makers the opportunity to show off their creations and teach one another about telescope making. The keynote speaker will be Fred Espenak, a NASA astrophysicist known as "Mr. Eclipse." Espenak will highlight all aspects of the total eclipse of the sun that will cover a large swath of North America on Aug. 21, 2017. As an expert astrophotographer, he will also discuss techniques to capture this event. Kristine Larsen, professor of geological sciences at Central Connecticut State University will deliver the Shadowgram address. Other talks include "Why Asteroid Light Curves," "Deep Sky Imaging with Small Scopes" and "Science with your DSLR Camera." A key feature of the Stellafane convention is the telescope competition, which gives amateur telescope makers a chance to compete for awards. In addition, there will be astronomy activities for children and teens. For more information visit the convention website, stellafane.org. You may also want to consider attending the Rockland Astronomy Club's Summer Star Party, organized by the Northeast Astronomy Forum, at the Peppermint Park Camping Resort in Plainfield. Events are open to the public and run from July 29 through Aug. 7. Come for a night or stay for all 10 days. Activities include talks, dinners, demonstrations and stargazing, with telescopes available for dark sky observing. For more information, visit the website, rocklandastronomy.com/ssp.html. On Aug. 12 at 7:30 p.m., join the Amherst Area Amateur Astronomers Association at the Amherst College Planetarium for a talk by Adam Jermyn on "How Stars change when they are heated externally by Pulsar Companion Stars." Jermyn is a Hertz Fellow, National Science Foundation Fellow, Goldwater Scholar and Marshall Scholar currently pursuing a Ph.D. in astrophysics at the Institute of Astronomy at the University of Cambridge. While an undergraduate at the California Institute of Technology he was the recipient of numerous research awards. The talk is free and open to the public. Also, on Aug. 27, the Amherst Area Amateur Astronomers Association, together with the state Department of Conservation and Recreation, will host a free public star party at the summit of Mount Greylock, and another at the same venue on Sept. 10. Both events run from 5:30 to 11:30 p.m., weather permitting. For more information contact Crystal Mengele by email to cmengele@hotmail.com or visit the Amherst Area Amateur Astronomy Association's Facebook page. Another stargazing highlight is Arunah Hill Days at the Arunah Hill Natural Science Center in Cummington from Sept. 2 through 4. This family-oriented weekend includes stargazing, nature walks, GPS treasure hunts, rocket building and launching, and science education. Several large telescopes will be available for nighttime viewing, and experienced amateur astronomers will conduct constellation orientation talks. Keynote speaker, Sarah Zuraw, will talk on "Discovering Gravity Waves." Zuraw is a graduate student in astrophysics at the University of Massachusetts and is part of the UMass LIGO team involved in the groundbreaking detection of gravity waves. All events are free and open to the public. For more information visit the website, arunah.org, or contact Ed Faits by email to efaits@comcast.net. Happy stargazing, and enjoy the wonders of the night sky! Amanda Jermyn, of Longmeadow, is vice president of the Springfield Stars Club. For more information, visit the club's website, reflector.org, like them on Facebook or call (800) 336-9054. Raekwon Brown Raekwon Brown (GoFundMe.com) BOSTON -- Boston Police Homicide investigators arrested two men in connection to the fatal shooting of Raekwon Brown, a 17-year-old who was gunned down near Jeremiah Burke High School in Dorchester earlier this month. Jonathan Aguasvivas, 23, of Roxbury and Benzy Bain, 24, of Mattapan, were arrested Wednesday on warrants charging them both with murder, Boston Police said. Authorities said more charges could be filed. Police were called to the area of 46 Washington St. on June 8 around 1:15 p.m. after receiving reports that people had been shot. "On arrival, officers learned of four victims suffering from gunshot wounds," police said. Brown died at the scene. Two other victims, ages 17 and 16, were taken to a local hospital for treatment. Their injuries were non-life threatening. A fourth victim, a 60-year-old woman, was treated at the scene for a non-life threatening injury. Investigators said camera footage and other evidence contributed to the arrests. "When a young man finishing up his junior year of high school gets gunned down in broad daylight, finding those responsible for such a senseless tragedy is of the highest priority to the men and women of the Boston Police Department," Boston Police Commissioner William Evans said. "Clearly, those responsible for the shooting cared little about who they hurt, harmed or injured while displaying an absolute disregard for the safety and well-being of every person living or working in that neighborhood." Evans hoped the arrests give Raekwon's family some measure of comfort and solace. Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel Conley said the arrests mark a step toward justice for the young man's family. "Every life is precious, but a young life like Raekwon's carries promise that no one has the right to extinguish," Conley said. Charles River on Google Maps Street View A view of the Charles River and the North Bank Bridge. (Google Maps) BOSTON - Lenny Quintero-Flores, the man accused of pushing his friend Mitchell Harrison off a dock and into the Charles River, appeared in court on Wednesday, hours after Harrison died at a hospital. Quintero-Flores, a 27-year-old Malden man, was arraigned on a manslaughter charge stemming from the Tuesday evening incident. Harrison was a 26-year-old Watertown resident. Lenny Quintero-Flores says friend he's accused of pushing in the Charles River was his best friend and he's "sorry" pic.twitter.com/75owFuEo5j Anna Meiler (@AnnaMeiler) June 22, 2016 Quintero-Flores, who wore a "Sorry For Raging" t-shirt during his court appearance, apologized, called Harrison "my best friend" and said he accidentally pushed him into the water while "playing around," according to the Boston Globe. The Massachusetts State Police said in a release that the "men had reportedly been drinking alcohol on the dock before the victim, while either sleeping or passed out, was pushed into the water by the suspect shortly before 5 pm. He was pulled from the water at around 5:20 pm." Bail for Quintero-Flores was set at $25,000, according to Suffolk District Attorney Dan Conley's office. His next court date is July 22. Charles River on Google Maps Street View A view of Charles River from the Dr. Paul Dudley White Bike Path. (Google Maps) The victim allegedly pushed into the Charles River on Tuesday has been identified as Mitchell Harrison, a 26-year-old man from Watertown, according to authorities. Lenny Quintero-Flores, a 27-year-old man from Malden, is set to be arraigned on a manslaughter charge in Charlestown Municipal Court on Wednesday. He allegedly pushed Harrison "as Harrison was sleeping or intoxicated on a dock," according to Suffolk County District Attorney Dan Conley's office. The dock was near the Massachusetts Avenue bridge. The two men were acquaintances, according to the Massachusetts State Police. "The men had reportedly been drinking alcohol on the dock before the victim, while either sleeping or passed out, was pushed into the water by the suspect shortly before 5 pm," the State Police said in a release. "He was pulled from the water at around 5:20 pm." First responders, including the State Police Marine Unit and Boston Fire Department divers, pulled Harrison from the water but he died at Brigham and Women's Hospital while there overnight, Conley's office and the State Police said. According to the State Police, Quintero-Flores is being held at the Leverett Circle Barracks "in lieu of $100,000 bail." BOSTON - The Massachusetts Department of Transportation says the installation of vertical metal gantries, part of its push toward all-electronic tolling, starts late tonight in the Sumner and Callahan tunnels. The work is set to continue during "off-peak hours" over the course of the next several days, the department said in a release. The new tolling infrastructure is set to go live in October. New metal gantries have been built up and down the Massachusetts Turnpike. The twin tunnels go under Boston Harbor. The Sumner and Callahan tunnels will be tolled in both directions, instead of the current fare structure where a car traveling westbound with a E-ZPass transponder is hit with a $3.00 charge. West and eastbound drivers will be charged $1.50 each way when all-electronic tolling is switched on, in order to keep the "revenue-neutral" pledge made by state transportation officials. "Qualified drivers from East Boston, the North End and South Boston that have an E-Z Pass transponder will pay 20-cents as they enter and as they exit the tunnels," the department said in a release about the infrastructure work. The gantries are meant to replace the toll plazas, which will be reconfigured after all-electronic tolling goes live. New Mass. Pike all-electronic tolling: How it works State transportation officials say the move to all-electronic tolling will reduce congestion, since drivers won't have to slow down as they do when going through the toll plazas. Earlier this month, WBZ reported that Massachusetts Department of Transportation Highway Administrator Tom Tinlin apologized for failing to remind drivers the state would start tolling both the northbound and southbound sides of the Tobin Bridge, instead of just the southbound side. Gov. Charlie Baker, speaking with reporters before Tinlin's apology, noted that the state had started conversations about two-way tolling in 2013 and said he felt it was hard to come up with a sensible argument to toll in only one direction. Chattanooga firefighters were dispatched to a possible fire in a condominium shortly before 9 a.m. on Wednesday at 949 Ashland Terrace. The first firefighters to arrive on the scene came from Station 16. Captain Brent Arnold said no smoke was visible when they arrived, but when they went around to the back of the condo and opened the kitchen door, thick, black smoke poured out, confirming they had a real fire. As additional fire companies began to arrive on the scene, firefighters took in a hand-held hoseline and had the fire out in five to ten minutes. The rest of the condo had some smoke and water damage. The woman who lived there told firefighters that she put a kettle on a hotplate to warm up for tea. When she returned to the kitchen, the stove area where the hotplate was located was on fire. The woman got out of the condo without injury and called 911. Unfortunately, the same could not be said for one of her cats. Battalion Chief Don Bowman said one of her two cats died in the fire, most likely from smoke inhalation. Her other cat is missing. The cause of the fire will be ruled accidental, from unattended cooking. Volunteers with the American Red Cross of Southeast Tennessee were called in to provide assistance to the victim. Chattanooga police, Hamilton County EMS and EPB also provided assistance on the scene. The section of Ashland Terrace in front of St. Jude Catholic School was closed during the firefighting operation. At around 11 a.m., the street was being re-opened to traffic. A Hamilton County woman is charged with fraudulently obtaining TennCare benefits by not telling the truth on documents that qualified her for the states healthcare insurance program.The Office of Inspector General, with the assistance of the Hamilton County Sheriffs Office, announced Wednesday the arrest of Tami P. Brouillard, 56, of Chattanooga. She is charged with TennCare fraud and theft of services over $10,000. An indictment accuses her of claiming her minor children lived in her household, although they did not, which made her eligible for TennCare.People who commit TennCare fraud are taking something theyre not entitled to, and theyre taking it from all the taxpayers of Tennessee, Inspector General Manny Tyndall said.When you lie, cheat, or steal to obtain TennCare benefits, you will get caught.TennCare fraud is a Class E felony carrying a sentence of up to two years in prison. District Attorney General Neal Pinkston is prosecuting.The OIG, which is separate from TennCare, began full operation in February 2005 and has investigated cases leading to more than $3 million being repaid to TennCare, with a total estimated cost avoidance of more than $163.6 million for TennCare, according to latest figures. To date, 2,658 people have been charged with TennCare fraud.Anyone can report suspected TennCare fraud by calling 1-800-433-3982 toll-free from anywhere in Tennessee, or visit the website and follow prompts that read Report TennCare Fraud. Are you looking to jump-start your career and gain experience with a world-class technology company? Are you looking to gain knowledge and skills that will equip you for rapid career growth? If so, this might be the right job for you. You probably know FICO from our rich history as the credit score company. You may not know that we are also a global leader in technologies that empower some of the worlds largest institutions like BMW, Southwest Airlines, and Citigroup transform their business through better and more precise business decisions using Big Data Analytics. The Sales Development Rep plays a strategic role in the companys rapid growth by uncovering opportunities with the next premier customers for FICOs flagship cloud software products. https://fico.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/External (Search for Bozeman) Wed appreciate it if youd mention that you found these opportunities on MATR.net Thank you Dans un courrier envoye a presse en seconde partie de la journee du 17 juillet 2022, les responsables de la concasseuse ont exprime leurs desarrois et leurs condoleances a la famille de Hossain Jakir, un employe fidele qui est mort pendant la soiree du 16 au 17 juillet 2022 quand sa tractopelle est tombe dans la boue et le tuant ensuite. Cest un moment tres dur pour toute la famille de Beemanique Stone Crusher Ltd. Nous presentons nos sinceres condoleances a la famille de Hossain Jakir, age de 42 ans, qui travaillait avec nous depuis plusieurs annees. Nous avons pris en charge lorganisation des rites funeraires du defunt et avons entame des demarches pour le rapatriement. Nous sommes en contact avec la famille de M. Jakir. Ce lundi sera decrete jour de deuil pour toute lentreprise et nous serons ensemble pour rendre un dernier hommage a cet employe exemplaire. En ce qui concerne laccident, nous collaborons avec les autorites concernees et avons initie une enquete interne pour en determiner les causes exactes. La securite et le bien-etre de nos employes ont toujours ete au cur de nos valeurs. Le Board of Racing Stewards du MTC Sports and Leisure Limited, compose de S. de Chalain (Chair), J. Keevy, P. Kalleechurn et A. Rousset, a rendu public le Racing Stewards Report de la sixieme journee hippique de 2021. Partager et informez vous aussi...... 0 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn Articles similaires Two lawsuits filed in behalf of a family of four as well as an official at Dalton State College who suffered horrific deaths near the Ooltewah exit of I-75 last June 25 are asking that huge damages be paid. The lawsuits filed in Hamilton County Circuit Court, in addition to suing the truck driver and trucking firm, also are filed against an additional trucking firm as well as those involved in a construction project that halted traffic. One suit is filed in behalf of Tiffany Watts and her mother Sandra Anderson. Another is for the children of Ms. Watts, Kelsie and Savannah Garrigues. Two others were killed when truck driver Benjamin Brewer slammed into the rear of a line of vehicles, including Jason Ramos, director of residence life at Dalton State College. Ms. Watts, who was driving, died at the scene after being ejected from the vehicle. The car caught fire and Ms. Anderson and the girls died in the vehicle before they could be rescued. Chattanooga attorney Morgan G. Adams is asking $50 million each for the lives of the two girls, who had just been picked up after flying in from California to spend the summer in Tennessee. He is asking another $10 million in behalf of their father, Nicholas Garrigues. Attorneys James Simpson and Kirk Caraway of Memphis and Tim Dollar and Jeff Burns of Kansas City, Mo., are asking a total of $134 million in connection with the deaths of Ms. Watts and Ms. Anderson. That includes $12.5 million for the estate of Ms. Watts, $14.5 million for Rick Watts and next of kin, $12.5 million for the estate of Ms. Anderson and $14.5 million for Terry Spoon and next of kin, plus $20 million in punitive damages each for the two estates and the next of kin of each. A suit filed by Patricia Ramos, mother of Jason Ramos, asks a total of $115 million. It was filed by attorney Andrew Young of Cleveland, Ohio, and attorney Matthew Wright of Franklin, Tn. Attorneys in the cases apparently are working closely together as the wording is very similar in the complaints and the defendants are the same. All the suits say current limitations on compensatory payouts in Tennessee are unconstitutional and should be lifted. Defendants include Brewer and the Kentucky trucking firm he was driving for, Cool Runnings Express, as well as Cool Runnings operators Billy and Cretty Sizemore. The suits say Cool Runnings was making a food delivery for Marten Transport and it is also liable. Also sued are Talley Construction, Superior Traffic Control of Memphis and Martin's Peterbilt of East Kentucky, which allegedly did not correctly repair the truck. Plaintiffs in the Watts/Anderson case are Rick Watts, husband of Ms. Watts, and Terry Spoon, brother of Ms. Anderson. Other lawsuits filed in the case have wound up in Chattanooga Federal Court. The suits say Marten Transport contacted Cool Runnings to make a food delivery from Horse Cave, Ky., to Haines City, Fla. The suits say Brewer left on June 22, 2015, though he advised there was a problem with the brakes. He was directed to take the vehicle to Martin's Peterbilt in London, Ky., to have the brakes fixed. The vehicle had to be returned to Martin's Peterbilt for a second repair - on the fuel delivery system - prior to Brewer starting the trip from Kentucky, it was stated. Brewer, who was said to be traveling at 77 mph at the time of the crash, later said that he tried to stop, but his brakes failed. The suits say Brewer was already far behind his original delivery schedule, "but Marten failed and refused to reschedule the delivery." They say on the morning of June 24 that Brewer sideswiped another vehicle in Florida after he had been "on duty" for 45 hours straight. It says he started back toward Kentucky at 4:30 a.m. on June 25 after the vehicle was repaired. At the time of the crash, Brewer was on meth and suffering from sleep deprivation, it was stated. I was just reading the Chattanoogan.com when I noticed the poll they had up. Should it be illegal for private citizens to possess assault rifles? They already are illegal, for the most part. They are very highly regulated by the BATFE under the National Firearms Act and one must jump through extensive hoops, be on waiting list for months, pay $200 for a tax stamp on top of the more than $25,000 price tag that goes along with those types of firearms (because they are so scarce) in order to purchase one. In which case the federal government knows exactly who bought it, puts them on list (you liberals should be happy about that), knows where they live and that person cannot sell that item (lawfully) to another individual without involving a the federal government again through that same long and tedious process. Now I understand that the poll could be asking if the laws need to be changed to allow private citizens to be able to buy assault rifles more easily, but I am going to go out on a limb here and say the editor at the Chattanoogan is misinformed, as is most of the general public, about what makes a rifle an assault rifle. In order for a firearm to meet the classification of assault rifle it must meet three standards. 1. It must have a detachable box magazine. (The little thingy that holds the ammunition and too many ignorant people call a clip.) 2. It must fire an intermediate cartridge with an effective range of 300 meters. Now pay attention because this last one is very important to most of you that call all black rifles assault rifles. 3. It must be capable of select fire. That means there is a switch/lever that can take the rifle from semi-automatic to fully automatic. Semi-automatic means that for every pull of the trigger, only one round of ammunition will discharge. Full automatic, or as the BATFE refers to them as machine guns, when the trigger is pulled will discharge continuously until one of two things happens, the trigger is released or the rifle runs out of ammunition. Please read and reread until you reach full comprehension. An AR-15 is not an assault rifle and the AR in AR-15 does not stand for assault rifle. It stands for Armalite Rifle, the company that developed it. It was original developed for the military as the M-16 (which was capable of select fire) and later, due to popularity with those that used it during their service, thank you to all who did, adapted it for civilian use as the AR-15 (not capable of select fire and therefore not an assault rifle). Please, educate yourselves and dont let media buzz words drive your emotions into false support of new laws that may already exist. John Masters Chattanooga * * * Mr Masters your points are very well taken. Let me add the following: According to a Pew Research Study released in November of 2015 and reported on NPR on Nov. 23, 2015, only one in five Americans trust their government all or most of the time. In a CNN/ORC poll conducted after the San Bernadino terrorist murders, 60 percent responding disapproved of the way President Obama was handling terrorism and 81 percent said they believed terrorists associated with ISIS are in the country and could launch a major attack here. Given those are real, not imaginary, fears and a rejection of a failed policy by President Obama to keep average Americans safe, for Democrats to want to disarm citizens is not only ill timed, but moonstruck. Americans deserve an honest discussion about terrorism and not false arguments full of deceptive schemes to disarm citizens already untrusting of their government. Thank you, Mr. Masters, for your clarifications. I seriously doubt, however, the usual suspects who croon the leftist mantra will change their tune. Ralph Miller * * * Mr. Masters is entirely correct about what a true "assault rifle" is. Most people who know, including myself, don't even like the media made up label "assault rifle". An AR-15 is simply a semi-automatic rifle that may or may not resemble a military selective fire automatic rifle. The term assault rifle has been used so long by the media and liberals like Clinton and others that people that don't know actually think AR does indeed stand for 'assault rifle". Of course, we have to ban those scary looking black guns. Here's a chance for our liberal friends to educate themselves. Google Ruger Mini 14. Just an ordinary looking rifle, right? Except it has the exact same fire control system as the evil, scary looking black gun and shoots the exact same cartridge (.223) at the exact same rate of fire.....one shot per each pull of the trigger. It can even be configured to hold the same number of rounds. Yet nobody is clamoring for a ban on this rifle only because it simply doesn't look as scary as the so called "AR" rifle. It's all driven by hand wringing hysterics and emotion. I declined to participate in the flawed poll because, as Mr. Masters correctly pointed out, for all intents and purposes it is already illegal for an ordinary citizen to own a true "assault rifle". Dennis Wooden * * * The semantics of what you call these weapons is aside from the point. All your hair-splitting over stats and appearance is irrelevant. No should be able to own anything that delivers that much death, that quickly. I don't care if you call it an assault rifle, an AR-15, or a boom boom magic time fun stick. Your hobby is not worth human lives. Period. Ray Ingraham * * * I want to discuss what we call assault rifles or weapons for mass killing. First, let me give you some credentials before my opinion. As a young man I spent two years in Vietnam. I was an infantry sergeant. I was in the jungle and I dont mean some rear echelon at a base camp. I shot at the enemy and the enemy shot at me, at me individually, personally. My primary weapon was the M-16 assault rifle. I saw the gruesome damage to human flash that high-powered military ammunition can do. A previous writer points out that fully automatic weapons (like the M-16) are difficult to obtain under our current laws. But lets remember the identical semi-automatic version of that same military weapon can be easily and inexpensively obtained. I want to tell you that such weapons are just as deadly. During my training and borne out by experience, a modern military rifle is much more effective while in semi-automatic operation. I mean for killing people. (Its difficult to aim a rifle while in fully automatic operation and it exhausts ammunition very quickly.) So to imply that restricting modern military rifles to semi-automatic operation makes them safer and appropriate for civilian use is ludicrous. Military rifles and their ammunition were not developed for home defense, or hunting or target shooting. They were developed to do one thing, and one thing only, kill people, many people as fast as possible. As the many mass killings we have in the U.S. prove, semi-automatic knock-offs of military rifles do a very good job. I mean at killing people. Gun aficionados nitpick about terms. The public and media have seized on the term assault rifle to mean modern military rifles including the widely popular semi-automatic version of these same weapons. So we all know what we mean by assault rifles, we mean a weapon for mass killing of people. Its the weapon that every Tom, Dick and G.I. Joe wants to have around the house. Its the same weapon that U.S. companies make so much money from. Its the same weapon that the N.R.A. hypes as a sporting rifle. The U.S. is the only first world country that guarantees public access to such deadly weapons. Sadly there are deranged individuals in this world, but in the U.S. they can easily go on a killing spree enabled by these weapons. Lets have some effective gun control laws and get rid of weapons for mass killing. Bill Hurst * * * Guns, guns and more guns. That seems to be the wish list for Wayne of the NRA leadership. Some 300 million guns in the hands of citizens is a number I have heard many times. But before I ask why such foolishness I want to share a bit of background. I was trained on gun safety in high school by NRA instructors. Most of us took the course because most of us hunted. Rural area of home had lots of White tail deer, pheasant, rabbit and squirrel and the best Northern Pike, Walleye fishing in the state. The shotgun was the only state-approved weapon for deer. Shells were not buck shot but a lead slug. Squirrel, 210 gauge shotgun and 12-16 gauge for rabbit, pheasant etc. We didn't need anything else.. My father- in- law had a small 38 pistol that was taken on fishing trips to Canada for Muskie. Those fish can get very large and very difficult to land one and they have lots of sharp teeth. The pistol was to land the fish safely, not alive, brought into the boat. The country has gone far beyond that pastoral scene and for reasons that are becoming more and more bizarre so many guns keep coming. There was an argument from an obvious gun owner and zealot for gun rights explaining the difference between semi and fully automatic weapons. The argument was that one can pull the trigger once and the bullets empty out quickly for the automatic, not allowed in this country. The semi auto the trigger must be pulled for shell. The young man in Connecticut that killed all those small children..... The guy in Orlando killed many more, some 49. The argument for owning that AR-15 just falls flat..The AR is a gun sold to look like a military weapon. It is not a hunting rifle. Pulling the trigger each time is still killing. Let me move a bit to the absurd. Caveman had no weapons like the AR-15. Instead they used stealth, sticks, stones and a large club to feed the family. Took a lot of work to hunt down and not be the hunted to kill so that one could eat. Supposing, taking the absurd even further, that we had 300 million clubs, sticks and stones. The guy in Orlando would not have been able to kill 49; the young man that killed all those children, etc. My point is this .. We have little need for 300 millions guns. The idea of the well-written militia of armed men and women to thwart whatever evil might threaten had some merit at the time the 2nd Amendment was written, but now? I have a pistol in my home. It is not kept loaded. It has an eight-shot clip in a separate zippered area of the gun bag. I keep the gun in a cabinet. In the event of an intruder... knocking down the door.... he, gun in hand demanding money... What do I do? Oh, I know... "wait just a moment Mmr. burglar, I will get the money..." but secretly I want to get my pistol; put the clip in place; load; safety off... confront the burglar... Oh, I know, the Wayne mantra. . "A good guy with a gun..." . Absurd on the surface and when fact is presented.. they stammer and talk louder. Donald (the mouth) Trump uttered another one of those NRA messages of more guns... DT said that while the shooter was spraying bullets in the bar in Orlando the good guy with a gun would just have to pull his gun from his holster under his shirt and start shooting.. In the midst of chaos, the inexperienced and holder of gun permit, also scared, shoots in the direction of the shooter, some 20 feet away.. Guess what happened? He missed and instead added to the total of dead. 20 feet is long way to shoot a short barrel pistol with accuracy.. Ditto for the movie theatre massacre; the school shooting incident, more then one. The only people that MIGHT have a chance of hitting the shooter is an experienced cop who logs hundreds of hours shooting for practice. The average gun owner does not have that experience. There is overwhelming support for background checks and universal background checks in all states, not just a few that comply with loose legislation. There is overwhelming support for no guns if on terror watch list. Am I going too far? Just those two would tighten somewhat the ability, soooo easy, to get a gun.. The ease of purchase is one of the reasons why we have 300 million in this country. I have no cause for the collector or the pure hunter to have, store and use his weapons. Target practice is fun. Shooting deer, rabbit and pheasant used to be fun because of the challenges.. I never developed a taste for venison but knew people that did. Ditto for squirrel, rabbit. Pheasant can be fixed and be a wonderful meal. Behind the wood stove of my youth was an array of loaded guns. A single shot 22 cal., a level action rifle, think 38cal., a double barrel 12 gauge. All were loaded. Us kids knew they were behind the stove. We were not allowed to touch unless an adult was with us. The 22 cal. single shot was for woodchuck... Better be good. That Woodchuck puts his head and sometimes his entire body where one can see and from a good distance, one shot, hit the woodchuck. Some folks in the town ate woodchuck. Our concern was a cow stepping in the hole and breaking a leg. That 22 cal. came in handy one day when, while collecting eggs, a skunk was also collecting eggs. The skunk, so busy and upwind from me didn't see nor hear me.. I scurried out of the coop and got the 22 cal. single shot.. Oh, I got the skunk alright but the skunk got me and all the chickens; the coop and wide area surrounding. The skunk smell, when fresh, is powerful one. My heroic tactic was soon met with humiliation..Clothes off, leave them by the creek, walk back to the house. "Don't you ever touch that gun again, now get in that tub and rinse off with tomato juice." Robert Brooks * * * Gun enthusiast and the NRA would have you believe that in all of the mass shootings that have occurred in the last few years, that if only the "good guys" had guns, they would take out the "bad guy", as if they were being denied or oppressed from being gun-toting good guys. There is nothing keeping the "good guys" from having guns, except that they most likely don't want guns. There are no laws preventing this if they meet all of the requirements, which apparently are few and not too hard to meet. This is not the wild west and we are not cowboys and Indians. I am sick of the nitpicking and word play of what is and what is not technically an assault rifle. We all know what they are talking about and most of these weapons were never intended to be sold to Joe Bob to shoot at squirrels or beer cans. I have hunted all my life and own a rifle and a shotgun and they stay locked away. There has never been anyone threatening to take away my guns or anyone else's. I will never strap a pistol on my hip unless I join the police force or go into the military and I don't want see other people walking around with one either. For the record, if you visit my home or my business, you are welcome to leave your gun at home or in your car. Thing is, we have one of, if not the highest, gun-ownership in the world and the highest mass shooting rate in the world - that is pretty easy to work out. More guns are not the answer. We need tougher laws to make it harder to get and own a gun, just like every other modern nation in the world, not easier. When people are being murdered at such high rates, I stop caring about second amendment rights. I care more about human rights and the right to live and feel safe. The NRA and the gun lobby owns Congress. This needs to stop. John Fricke * * * I love guns. To me, the most beautiful are the old over-under shotguns that have finely etched artwork all over and are attached to an incredibly fine looking stock made out of burled walnut or mahogany or whatever. I get all warm and fuzzy over Brownings, Bennellis, Colts, Winchesters, etc. To be honest, I've handled an AR-15 made by Colt and it is a fine piece of equipment. Very well made. The one I shot had zero intention of jamming or messing up in any way. I think it's a good looking gun and my paint ball gun looks just like one. They are extremely accurate and, from what I've read, reliable. And like the guy said, it shoots a .223 round which is cheap ammo that has a pile of muzzle velocity. If you hold a .223 round in your hand and look at the bullet, you can see that it's no bigger than a .22 long rifle. It just has a lot more gunpowder behind it. I had a bolt action varmint rifle made by CZ that shot .223's and it was a blast to target shoot with. I was told that you can see just what muzzle velocity means by getting a gallon milk jug and filling it up about 80 percent with water and then the rest of the way with a loud color dye like Volunteer orange or Georgia red or Auburn puke. I chose Alabama crimson. Then, I propped it up on a log or something in front of a dead winter grassy earthen embankment. Then I walked about 50 yards back and took aim. When I pulled the trigger, the red gallon literally exploded. It vaporized. Seriously. What was a full Bi-Lo gallon jug instantly became a five foot square mist of crimson all over the bank. The jug became 50 or 60 little pieces. If you do that with a .22 long rifle, you'll get two little holes with water leaking out- one where it went in and one in back. When I heard about the Orlando gay bar I thought of people I know and love who are gay and Sandy Hook and that little experiment of mine. I was 50 yards out and these maniacs were point blank. At 10 or 20 feet and decently aimed, nobody had a chance and those who survived are in for a God-awful struggle. Both of the monsters carried multiple fully loaded large capacity magazines. Again, I love guns. I will 'til I die. But why, gun loving brothers and sisters, do I need a magazine that holds more than five cartridges that push bullets out of a barrel at 3,200 feet per second? Why won't Ruger make large capacity magazines for their .223 shooting Mini-14? You have to get those on the after market. Is there a reason for that? And by the way, if you put a mini-14 next to an M1 Carbine, the military assault rifle of WWII, you'll see they look a lot alike. My wish is that many many years ago they'd had the foresight to make large capacity magazines as illegal as machine guns so we could have been policing them like we police machine guns now. Got to figure that out. Get the magazines out of civilians hands. Semi-autos have simply gotten too good. That's not gun control. Savage Glascock, Sr. * * * Mr. Fricke, When you say things like this, When people are being murdered at such high rates, I stop caring about second amendment rights. I care more about human rights and the right to live and feel safe. Then you sir, deserve neither the right nor the freedom guaranteed by our constitution. Andy Bates Dayton * * * I will respond to Mr. Glascock's question as to why Ruger does not have large capacity magazines for their Mini-14. If you look back to the Federal Assault Weapons Ban of 1994, you will notice that William Ruger was pushing for a restriction on magazine capacity. That's odd. Why would a gun manufacturer want to limit his product? Turns out, Mr. Ruger was trying to compete with the up and coming Glock firearm, who's double stack (two wide) magazine, allowed for higher capacity. The Glock was stealing his market share, so he turned to our lawmakers to make the competition's guns illegal on a technicality. Once illegal, it became desirable and when it expired in 2004, the flood gates opened. Is this a case of the outlaw of an item creating a demand? Tim Giordano The Chattanooga Radio Control Club will be hosting the Siskin Children's Institute Airshow on Saturday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. This is a fundraising event to benefit the Siskin Children's Institute showcasing all types of radio controlled model aircraft. It will be held at the Chattanooga Radio Control Club at 4296 Old Woodland Dr. in Ooltewah. Attendees will see Giant Scale Aerobatic Airplanes, Jet Powered Airplanes, Military Aircraft, 3D Aerobatic Helicopters, and Multirotor/Drones. Attendees will have the opportunity to experience Model Aviation via buddy-box flight training and the Academy of Model Aviation simulator experience. Event admission is $5 per person, or $10 per car/truckload. Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts may attend for free if they wear something scouting related. Participants are asked to wear sunscreen and bring chairs. Visit www.crccflyers.org for more information. The CBS Evening News (June 21, story 8, 2:35, Pelley) reported that the Department of Housing, which provides rental subsidies to millions of families across the US, is aware of lead in homes that it rents to the poor, but it has a policy of waiting until a child is actually poisoned by the lead before any repairs are required or moves approved. More than 2.5 million HUD-subsidized homes have hazardous levels of lead, but HUDs threshold is four times higher than what the CDC recommends. HUD has proposed changing its standard to match the tougher CDC position, but regulatory review takes a long time. Yeah, lets wait until children have irreversible developmental disabilities before we do anything to prevent the disability from happening in the first place. William G. Colvin f you're looking for a growth industry, check out Tennessees food and agricultural exports: The number of jobs supported by agricultural exports has been trending upward since the 1990s. More than one million American jobs are supported by agricultural exports, including 14,400 jobs in Tennessee. Thats a substantial part of the estimated 11.5 million jobs supported by exports all across the country. Agricultural exports help support rural communities across the country, with each dollar of exports stimulating another $1.27 in business activity. Our states agricultural exports support jobs in transportation, processing, packaging and many more areas; roughly 80 percent of these jobs are in non-farm sectors. So while the benefits of trade for Tennessees rural farmers and ranchers are clear, there are also positive impacts rippling throughout the entire job market stimulating our national economy. Here in Tennessee, were accustomed to producing the best agricultural goods. Our producers keep Americans fed and clothed while contributing to the food security for nations across the globe. Their hard work is a symbol of where we come from, a reflection of our shared values, and an economic driver for our states economy. For the U.S. economy as a whole, agricultural exports represent a consistent success story through good times and challenges. Agricultural exports have grown much faster over the past decade than even manufacturing exports. In fact, over the past seven years, U.S. farmers and ranchers are responsible for exporting $1 trillion in food and agricultural goods to countries around the world. At USDA, were working aggressively to maintain this historic momentum by expanding foreign markets to help drive demand for American-grown goods. Were leading more trade missions and generating more sales as a result than ever before. We have saved U.S. businesses billions of dollars by removing unfair barriers to trade. In 2015 alone, USDA resolved more than 150 trade-related issues involving U.S. agricultural exports valued at $2.4 billion. And weve worked to expand trade relations with many of the worlds fastest-growing nations. More simply, as the rest of the world continues to become more developed and populations grow, so does the demand for American agricultural exports. That is why the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement is so important to Tennessee. The TPP is a 21st century trade agreement that helps to level the playing field for American businesses while ensuring the highest labor and environmental standards. U.S. trade with the 11 TPP countries accounted for 42 percent of U.S. agricultural exports in 2014, contributing $63 billion to the U.S. economy. Easier access to these markets with fewer taxes on our goods allows for even the smallest-scale producers to expand their reach. According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, ratifying the TPP will boost annual net farm income in the United States by $4.4 billion. The TPP also removes 3,900 taxes on U.S. agricultural goods, such as soybeans, cotton, or wheat grown right here. Failure by Congress to pass the agreement, however, costs the U.S. economy a permanent loss of $94 billion each year. With TPP, local products are able to compete on a more level playing field, reaching high-demand markets both at home and abroad. And, most important, TPP provides the United States an opportunity to help write the global rules on trade rather than nations like China. While China moves forward with its own trade deals that dont reflect our interests and our values, TPP promises to make a lasting contribution to the American economy by giving more Americans a fair shot, more higher-paying jobs, and households with paychecks that go further. Strong trade deals like TPP that meet our standards, reduce taxes and level the playing field for our businesses can power Tennessees economy for decades to come. Lets hope Congress gets the message. Rural Development State Director Bobby Goode Farm Service Agency State Executive Director Gene Davidson by Aaron Baar , June 21, 2016 Look out world -- Sears is making its way into the connected home. Extending its Kenmore and Craftsman brands, Sears Holdings sees an opportunity to take these trusted names into the new frontier of the Internet of Things, offering the convenience and peace of mind of connectivity. As we look at these brands, we think were well positioned in the connected home space, Tom Park, president of Kenmore, Craftsman and Die Hard brands, tells Marketing Daily. If we can provide connected products [that offer] peace of mind at a convenient price, we can own that. Among the products the company is launching is a line of Kenmore television sets, moving the brand beyond the appliance category into consumer electronics. The company will begin marketing its two televisions this July, laying the groundwork to launch connected sets later this year, Park says. advertisement advertisement It recognizes [Kenmores] brand equity and capitalizes on that, Park says. The Kenmore brand youve had in your kitchen all these years is coming to your living room. The company is also adding smart capabilities to many of its appliance products, such as refrigerators and water heaters (and launching a smart thermostat line), that will detect when something may be in need of repair, automatically contacting the home service division to solve the problem, Park says. Connecting to our home services department before theres a problem is a definite value proposition, he says. Beyond Kenmore, the company is launching a smart garage door opener and Bluetooth-enabled tool storage units under its Craftsman brand. Those extensions are designed to offer the peace-of-mind already held by the Craftsman-branded tools, Park says. Moving forward, Sears will continue to look at the opportunities to add connectivity to all its brands, where they can add value or peace-of-mind, Park says. (The company is also launching a line of Die Hard-branded tires, but no connected home products under that line as yet.) Were committed to our vision that with the Internet of Things, the possibilities are endless. But it has to be the right proposition, Park says. Were going to be looking at every product and see whether it fits. 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 Richard Whitman , Columnist, June 21, 2016 We really shouldn't be surprised at anything Donald Trump says or does. He seemingly bankrupts everything he touches and he refuses to share his tax returns. So it should come as no surprise that a recent SEC filing by the Donald Trump campaign revealed three payments of $10,000 to a Londonderry, New Hampshire company called Draper Sterling. Yes, you read that right. The Donald Trump campaign paid $30,000 (or $35,000 depending upon the source) to a company named very closely to Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce, the fictitious ad agency featured in the AMC show "Mad Men." But where did the money actually go? A little digging by ThinkProgess editor Judd Legum found that the address of this Draper Sterling -- a residential home on 18 Crosby Lane in Londonderry, NH -- is very close to the New Hampshire address of recently fired campaign manager Corey Lewandowski. But a little more digging reveals the New Hampshire-based Draper Sterling is actually an LLC and, apparently, real. The firm is said to have been registered in March, and the SEC filing lists the purpose of payment to this firm as "Web advertising." advertisement advertisement The Draper Sterling entity was formed as a Delaware corporation on December 2, 2015. On February 14, a man named Jon Adkins registered the firm in New Hampshire with formal creation on March 25. In addition to the payments to Draper Sterling, the Trump campaign made a payment of $3,000 for consulting to Adkins and a payment of $3,000 for consulting to a man named Paul Holzer whose address is, interestingly, also 18 Crosby Lane. Adkins and Holzer work together at a firm called Xeno Therapeutics, a Boston firm which makes technology that helps burn victims. The Huffington Postreports there is no phone number listed for the firm and its Web site was taken down shortly after a story was published about Draper Sterling. It gets even messier. Holzer is involved in a super PAC called Patriots for America, which is supporting the Missouri gubernatorial race run by his brother Adam McLain. ThinkProgresshighlighted a complaint made to the PAC that it owes $54,234 to, yes, Draper Sterling. If you try to reach Patriots for America, the phone numbers lead to the voicemail for a cafe called Grace Grantham, a New Hampshire business registered to Adkins. ThinkProgress attempted to get a few more details from McLain. They were unsuccessful. Asked about his connection to Draper Sterling and what services it provided to his super PAC, McLain said he had no comment. Asked whether Graces Grantham Cafe was a real cafe that has opened, McLain said he had no comment. Asked whether Paul Holzer was his brother, McLain also said he had no comment. McLain said he didnt find the questions relevant. Politics as usual, right? Needless to say, the Trump camp is not commenting on this. 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. What you need in that fragmented world is a big idea that holds everything together, Hegarty said. Of course, people talk about media neutrality Oh, Im media neutral, said the Bartle Bogle Hegarty founder. 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, he stressed. As for mediums, cinema is 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 Tanya Gazdik , June 21, 2016 Toyota is celebrating the 50th anniverary of the Toyota Corolla by entering an iconic first-generation 1970 sedan into The Great Race. The car is being driven by X Games Athlete Jamie Bestwick. The long-distance endurance competition started in Northern California June 19 and ends in Moline, Illinois on June 26. Toyota is one of the national sponsors of the event. More than 130 vintage cars take part in the road rally. This is Toyotas first-ever entry. Bestwick is a 13-time X Games gold medal winner in BMX Vert and SCORE Baja 1000 veteran. The automaker is posting daily video updates at www.racer.com/GreatRace and www.youtube.com/TheRacerChannel. advertisement advertisement The Corolla will feature a vintage early 1970s racing livery and the Toyota Great Race team will sport period racing uniforms, a fitting homage to the brands rich motorsports heritage. The Toyota Corolla itself remains true to its original 1970 specifications -- a testament to its capabilities and Toyotas core values of quality, durability and reliability, says John Myers, Toyota vehicle marketing and communications national manager. When Toyota first introduced Corolla in 1966, it became a worldwide overnight success not just because of its quality and style, but also because it allowed so many to pursue their personal adventures and create memories in their car, Myers says in a release. The Great Race provides a perfect opportunity to celebrate the spirit of Corolla, the worlds all-time best-selling car and still one of the top-sellers in the U.S., while also recognizing Toyotas racing heritage and having some fun along the way. The event, which features classic vehicles dating back to 1916, follows the historic Lincoln Highway through Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, South Dakota and Iowa. The winning rally team will receive a large eagle trophy and a check for $50,000. Each driver and navigator team, including Bestwick and his navigator Laurence Foster, will receive a set of course instructions at the beginning of the day that indicate every turn, speed change, stop, and start that the team must make throughout the day, leading to a series of checkpoints laid out between the start and finish lines of the race. The team will be joined by a variety of guest navigators along the route, including off-road racing champion BJ Baldwin, world-class snowboarders Amy Purdy, Elena Hight and Louie Vito, professional BMX rider Drew Bezanson, musician Mike Eldred, motocross racer Andy Bell and motorcycle racer and designer Roland Sands. by Sarah Mahoney @mahoney_sarah, June 22, 2016 Lululemon just turned in very impressive quarterly results, andcompared to other retailersis currently a shining star both on Wall Street and the worlds yoga mats. But that hasnt stopped founder and former CEO Chip Wilson from coming after it with not-so-Namaste criticism, attacking its old school board of directors. In a presentation to investors today, CFO Stuart C. Haselden added a little more luster to Lulus performance. Earlier this month, the Vancouver-based company reported a 17% jump in revenues to $495.5 million, from $423.5 million in the first quarter of the last fiscal year, a 6% gain in comparable sales, and a 3% rise in comparable-store sales. E-commerce advanced 18%. advertisement advertisement Speaking at the Jeffries 2016 Consumer Conference, which was webcast, he specifically singled out the marketing success of its Align crop pants, introduced in April. When we focus on innovation, we win, he says. When we innovate in fabrics and construction, we can distinguish ourselves in the marketplace. Pants have been delivering double-digit comps since the third quarter. Smarter digital marketing has been part of the success. The Align crop video, released in April on Instagram, gave us the best results weve ever had, with some 300,000 views. This was the first time we synched brand marketing with a product introduction, and we are looking at more ways to leverage brand marketing around these events. He also elaborated on the companys strategy to focus not on store expansion, but on increasing square footage in its best-performing units. In the Boston store in Prudential Center, for example, a 30% gain in size has led to double-digit comparable store sales. (It plans seven more such expansions.) And Haselden reiterated the retailers intentions to double sales and more than double profits within the next five years, including more than doubling its mens clothing, as it continues to expand internationally. While that may be enough to push it to the top of many analysts buy listby some measures, it has outperformed companies like Under Armour and Nikeits getting nothing but shade from Wilson, who issued an open letter to shareholders earlier this month, calling for a shakeup in its board of directors and a strategy with urgency. Wilson still owns about 14% of the company By his way of thinking, Lululemon, which many say more or less invented the athleisure market, should be eating Under Armours lunch. A few weeks later, Wilson jousted with Mad Moneys Jim Cramer on CNBC, who kept goading him to admit that, in fact, Lululemon isnt just doing well, its doing better than almost any other publicly traded retailer. Wilson, whose departure from the company he founded was sparked by the epic Lets-Make-See-Through-Yoga-Pants-Then-Blame-Women-For-Being-Fat Affair of 2013, was having none of it. By now, Lululemon should have been seven years ahead of everyone in the market, and be worth double the value of Under Armour. It should have owned womens bras by now, and be selling as many as Victorias Secret. by Sara Guaglione , June 22, 2016 Quintype, a data-driven publishing platform, has announced they are partnering with BloombergQuint, the joint venture between Bloomberg Media and Quintillion Media. The partnership aims to bring business and financial news -- specifically live news events across India -- on broadcast, digital and mobile platforms to the region. The man behind the partnership is media entrepreneur Raghav Bahl, often referred to as the Indian Rupert Murdoch. Quintillion Media is Bahls digital news venture. Bahl is also the investor behind Quintype, which was founded in 2014 by Amit Rathore. Publishing digital content is a shot in the dark without assistance and insight from big data, stated Bahl, who is also the creator of Indian media conglomerate Network 18. advertisement advertisement While Bloomberg currently uses a WordPress-based system for their online media properties, Quintypes Software as a Service (SaaS) platform for BloombergQuint includes a new cardified CMS, mobile-first Web and apps, a new semantic analytics engine, a built-in personalization engine, email marketing and push notification tools, according to Rathore. Rathore told Publishers Daily that the tools on functions on Quintype's platform can help bring BloombergQuint closer to their ambitious goals in content velocity, user growth and monetization." Old technologies are not well suited to the world of new media, and the changed audience and monetization landscape, he said. Rathore added that Quintypes native ad solutions will also play a big role in helping BloombergQuint achieve their revenue goals. He also stressed the importance of Quintypes platform built specifically with mobile in mind and how this can help BloombergQuint reach business audiences on social networks through their smartphones. Rathore told PD that technology now plays a fundamental role in publishers media strategies. Whats become clear over the past few years is that while content continues to be important, the power of algorithms, AI-powered social amplification, real-time A/B testing, and real-time automation across a variety of functions is critical to achieving the kind of audience scale that is needed to scale up, he said. "Tech-savvy publishers like Buzzfeed and Vox, for example, have dedicated significant resources to build in-house technology for their own platforms. Every business is a technology business today, but not every publisher can build such technology by themselves, he said. The Tiffanie Robinson School Board Campaign is hosting a barbecue and meet and greet in Alton Park this weekend. The campaign welcomes the Alton Park community and surrounding neighborhoods to meet the candidate and share how they want to improve their schools. Ms. Robinson says she is excited about this event because it is an opportunity to hear the concerns of the Alton Park community and get to know the families in the area. The event will be held at the home of Tracy Fears at 220 Water St., and the barbecue will take place from 12-1:30 on Saturday. by Gavin O'Malley , Staff Writer @mp_gavin, June 22, 2016 Wendy Clark, CEO of DDB North America, just proposed a challenge to the brand leaders gathered in Cannes: Stop making more ads, and, instead, start making more good ads. Good work is interesting, compelling, [and] share-worthy, Clark told a packed house at Lumiere Theatre on Tuesday. It makes people react it makes people feel something, she said. Use a definition like that to define what good work is. Unfortunately, as the market has expanded, we have too many clients and too many agencies that have simply and quite mindlessly pursued a goal of just more, Clark lamented. That has made for a quantity game of content. On average, in fact, U.S. consumers are now exposed to 6,000 brand images every day. If thats the case, more cannot be a strategy, Clark insisted. Quite frankly, many if not most brands have become rude and annoying. Clients too often are force-fitting themselves into a conversation, commented Clark. They are inviting themselves into a conversation where they dont belong; where theres nothing material that they can contribute; where its not useful; where its not interesting; where its not compelling; where its not share-worthy and that ultimately becomes annoying. So? So, the goal for all of us the standard we have to hold ourselves accountable to is more good, Clark concluded. Not just more, [but] more good. by Ben Frederick @mp_benfred, June 22, 2016 Mobile advertising platform Verve announced the acquisition of a Denver-based startup called Roximity this week, which runs a beacon network in the US. Verve recently raised $30 million in debt financing and has reportedly used some of that money to pay for the acquisition, though the terms of the deal havent been released. Verve utilizes location data to provide analytics to various apps and sells ads for publishers on its platform as well. With the purchase of a beacon network, the company will be able to get more concrete data about the relation of mobile ads to in-store visitsand hopefully add more data points to the problems with mobile attribution that many publishers, brands and advertisers still have. Roximitys network is opt-in and anonymized, for consumer privacy. advertisement advertisement Many brands are experimenting with beacons in various pilot and beta programs, but the major problem is scaling the hardware and software to every unique branch of a franchise. Some think of beacons as a way to augment the in-store purchase process. Others think of them as data collection points to identify cohorts to serve ads at a later date. The two approaches arent mutually exclusive, but require different implementations of the various aspects of mobile marketing, like push notifications, timing and specific content. The hardest part by far is getting users to opt in and quelling privacy concerns. by Larissa Faw , June 22, 2016 Every day Buzzfeed publishes more than 600 pieces of content and while many believe science determines whether the platform writes about crazy cats or the funniest Bernie Sanders quotes, intuition still plays a massive role in its coverage, says Buzzfeed's CMO Frank Cooper during a presentation hosted by OMD during Cannes Lions. It is this balance between art and science that is the Holy Grail for creatives, panelists said at the OMD Oasis at Cannes Lions. Cooper was joined by Matthew Luhn, story supervisor, Pixar; Konrad Feldman, CEO, Quantcast; and Wendy Clark, CEO, DDB North America with moderator Omnicom's Claudia Cahill to discuss how data informs the emotional connection to deliver effective creative and storytelling. It is common knowledge that the marriage between data and creativity is disrupting the industry. In order to adjust to this new form of communication, DDB North America is evolving its creative model, says Clark. Today's business is about immediacy, she says. "Our teams have to be structured around speed." As a result, the agency is introducing a 24-7 content unit specifically to oversee one client. "They are open 24 hours and want to be engaged with their customers 24 hours," says Clark. advertisement advertisement Yet, this always-on business model pushes up against money. Clients may need 24-7 service, but they also seek lower fees. Meanwhile, there is no lack of data, so the challenge is to do something intelligent with that information. "The ultimate blend of art and science," says Clark. Quantcast's Feldman Konrad cautions, "Too much data is not effectively being used." One of the more effective strategies is to use data to understand how expectations match up against reality, he says. For instance, Quantcast recently worked with a company selling a drug aimed at older men. The tech company's research showed website visitors were skewing young and female. It turns out this younger audience served as caregivers and were concerned about their dads. Pixar is well-known for its creativity, yet its artists don't work organically without science. They may be 'artistes' but they still work with budgets within a big business. As such, data informs specific nuances that organize its storytelling throughout the entire project. "You guys don't get to see the 20 bad versions," says Luhn. "It is a trial and error process." From the start, directors pitch three different story ideas and executives pick the best concept using data that identifies, among other factors, which concept will sell the most toys. Data helps provide critical feedback to shorten the project's development. "Creating story is all about elimination," says Luhn. "If I had three ideas that I thought were awesome and if I could get in front of as many audiences as possible and they could tell me what they like best. Saves me time and grief for what the public may not want." Still, it is essential not to lean too much into the data. Disney, for instance, wanted to shut down Toy Story because they didn't think Woody was a good character due to focus group data that showed that people thought he was a jerk. Data saved the franchise by showing that people actually loved the quirky character. Science also helped Pixar deliver a stronger emotional connection with its characters. The studio worked with researchers to analyze human behavior that the animators then incorporated into characters. For instance, people look up when they remember images. If someone asks what they did last night, they will gaze upward, says Luhn. Pupils stay focused directly ahead when people remember audio and when someone asks how a person feels, they will look down. Eyes turn right when telling the truth and left when lying. "We connect with facial expressions," says Luhn which is why Pixar incorporates the micro and macro expressions into its characters. "Because when audiences watch whether it is a truck, toy, or rat, they are going to connect with them. It's in our DNA, we connect with our facial expressions." Although previous research has demonstrated the benefits of exclusive breast-feeding for early child health, the long-term benefits for child development have not been clear. Now, a new study suggests longer durations of exclusive breast-feeding are associated with fewer conduct disorders in later childhood. Share on Pinterest Babies who are EBF for the first 6 months are less likely to have conduct disorders by ages 7-11, according to the new study. The study, published in the journal PLOS Medicine, was funded by the Canadian government through Grand Challenges Canada, an organization aimed at improving global health. The researchers led by Dr. Ruth M. Bland, at the Africa Centre for Population Health in South Africa studied over 1,500 children, 900 of whom were involved in an early infant feeding study. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommend exclusive breast-feeding (EBF) for the first 6 months of life , at which point solid foods can be introduced to complement breast-feeding for up to 2 years. Breast milk provides infants with all the nutrients they need to grow. In addition, it contains antibodies that help protect babies from childhood illnesses such as diarrhea and pneumonia. According to the WHO, adolescents and adults who were breastfed as babies are less likely to be obese or have type 2 diabetes. In addition, they are more likely to perform better on tests assessing intelligence. However, the organization notes that less than 40 percent of infants under the age of 6 months are EBF globally. Male family physicians, or general practitioners, may be overlooking the risk of cardiovascular disease in female patient because they more often see it as a mans issue, according to new research published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology. Share on Pinterest Women, too, may be at risk of heart disease. Heart disease is a leading cause of death in the United States. Since the 1980s, developed countries have seen a fall in the number of deaths from cardiovascular disease (CVD). Around 50 percent of this improvement is thought to be because of preventive action. In men, the rates of mortality from CVD have dropped more than they have in women. There is also evidence that men receive better cardiovascular care after experiencing a cardiovascular problem, as well as better secondary prevention. Dr. Raphaelle Delpech, a general practitioner (GP) at Paris XI University and INSERM U1018 in Paris, France, and colleagues hypothesized that men might also be receiving better primary care than women. Risk factors key to primary prevention Primary prevention starts with an assessment of a patients risk factors. The team looked at 52 primary care physicians and 2,262 patients. They wanted to know whether the gender of the physician and the patient would make a difference to the risk assessment. Fast facts about heart disease In 2013, 611,105 people died of heart disease in the U.S. people died of heart disease in the U.S. This represents 23.5 percent of all deaths There were 1.6 male deaths from heart disease for every female. Learn more heart disease The physicians and patients provided information about personal details in a survey. Information provided by the physicians included their age, gender, and working hours. Patients also answered questions about their educational level and health insurance. Using medical files, the team gathered information about patients gender, age, any history of diabetes, and CVD risk factors. These included a personal and family history of CVD, tobacco use, fasting blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol. To calculate the risk of CVD, the details of a patients risk factors can be applied to an existing, validated scale. The team used two scales, the French scale and the SCORE scale. The French scale classifies the risk of CVD as low, moderate, or high, depending on the number of risk factors that the patient has. The SCORE scale uses the patients risk factors to predict the likelihood of them experiencing a cardiovascular event within the next 10 years. 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. Editor's Note: 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." MyCognition, a leading cognitive assessment and training company, has announced it is launching a ground-breaking clinical trial, addressing the cognitive impact of Parkinson's disease, led by Professor Bas Bloem, Medical Director, Parkinson Center Nijmegen, and Dr Mark L. Kuijf, Neurologist at Maastricht University Medical Centre, who are both recognised experts in neurological disorders. Around 127,000 people in the UK have Parkinson's which is an incurable neurological condition that affects the brain and other parts of the nervous system. While the main symptoms of the disease relate to the body's movements - where the majority of research projects have been focused to-date - it is estimated that at least a third of patients also suffer from cognitive impairments1 which can significantly impact their quality of life. This Parkinson's trial is the first to focus on the disease's cognitive impact using a scientifically designed video game as a non-invasive medical device. The trial will use MyCognition's cognitive measurement tool, MyCQ, to assess participants' cognitive function. The resultant data from MyCQ then personalises the online programme, focusing the training on improving each individual patient's cognitive areas of greatest need. At the same time, the video game also offers holistic training across the five key cognitive domains (working memory, episodic memory, processing speed, executive function, and attention). A unique element in this new study is the personalised approach as the cognitive domains that are hampered most will be targeted specifically by the video game. MyCQ, developed with support from the University of Cambridge by a leading group of cognition experts, combines over 200 years of neuropsychiatric research in a self-administered 30-minute assessment, so it can be safely and easily used by patients in the comfort of their own homes. The engaging training programme, which adapts to individuals based on their MyCQ score, was produced by BAFTA-winning, videogame studio Preloaded. A pilot study involving 40 participants will begin the trial, with the aim of extending this to 222 patients in total. The patients will be recruited from the 1,500 Parkinson's patients based in and around the cities of Nijmegen, Maastricht, and Heerlen in the Netherlands where the collaborating universities and medical institutions are based. The researchers are expecting to be able to release the first results of this clinical trial in 2017. Cognition is the ability to plan and organise, problem solve, remember, focus, and respond with speed and accuracy. It has an impact on all aspects of people's lives, including their ability to learn, cope with everyday situations, and on their mental wellbeing. Cognitive changes can affect Parkinson's patients' quality of life more than the physical effects of their disease such as tremors and rigidity2. Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common chronic neurodegenerative disorder in older populations after Alzheimer's. In the UK alone, one in every 500 residents has Parkinson's, (around 127,000 individuals)3. In the Netherlands there are around 55,000 individuals with PD4, and globally a staggering 7-10 million people are affected by the disease. In addition to the emotional suffering caused, the annual cost of the disease to the UK economy is around 2 billion5, and with an ageing population these numbers are expected to rise further over the coming years. Few, truly innovative interventions have come to market in recent years. The mainstay medicine is still L-dopa, which was first discovered in the 1950's6. Professor Bas Bloem, Medical Director at the Parkinson Centre Nijmegen, commented: "It is well known that Parkinson's patients often experience great difficulties with their cognition, but to date there is no effective treatment for this. The majority of research projects into potential treatments still focus on the motor impact of the disease. That is why I am so excited about this new clinical trial that we are now undertaking using MyCognition's cognitive training programme. This new approach offers people with Parkinson's hope that a new non-invasive treatment could be effective in addressing the cognitive effects of the disease and significantly improving their quality of life." Dr Beckie Port, Senior Research Communications Officer at Parkinson's UK said: "We still have a long way to go to understand why thinking and memory problems happen in Parkinson's, but we know that keeping your memory and thinking as active as possible is important." "The individualised nature of this brain-training programme is likely to bring more benefit than a 'one size fits all' treatment as no two people with Parkinson's experience the condition in exactly the same way. Research such as this has the potential to help people with Parkinson's stay as independent as possible when going about their day-to-day life and allow greater control over their condition. If successful we look forward to seeing this training programme implemented more widely." Keiron Sparrowhawk, founder and chief executive of MyCognition, commented: "Part of MyCognition's mission from the outset has been to help individuals with cognitive deficits as a result of diseases including Parkinson's. So we are delighted to be working with Professor Bloem and his team at Maastricht and Radboud Universities to carry out this groundbreaking clinical trial, which we hope will enable us to help change the lives of patients by improving their cognitive health through the use of a non-invasive, online training programme." Brent Cliveden, VP US operations and UK Operations Director & Chief Clinical Scientist of MyCognition, said: "To date few clinical trials have focused on the cognitive effects of Parkinson's. By collaborating with leading medical centers like those in Maastricht and Nijmegen to combine our resources and expertise, we believe there is an opportunity not only to expand our knowledge about the cognitive effects of Parkinson's disease but also to help alleviate its impact. This pioneering clinical trial holds the potential to revolutionise the way Parkinson's patients manage the cognitive effects of their disease by introducing a self-administered cognitive measurement and training game, which can be used from the comfort of their own home." This trial is in addition to MyCognition's increasing activity across a range of cognitive disorders, making it a leading global force in clinical video game technology. Early evidence in a separate MyCognition pilot study in a mixed psychiatric population was positive, with patients improving significantly in verbal memory performance and showing a trend in improved visual memory performance. Further studies that are planned or underway include PTSD in children, eating disorders in adolescents, sleep trials, and cognitive deficit caused by cancer7. The Parkinson Centre Nijmegen (ParC) was recognised in 2005 as National Parkinson Foundation centre of excellence for Parkinson's disease during Professor Bloem's tenure as Director. Professor Bloem co-developed the regional ParkinsonNet concept, which in 2006 received an award for the best health care innovation in the Netherlands. His research interest includes projects evaluating the development of innovative Parkinson therapies, including the implementation and evaluation of complex changes in health care. Pluristem Therapeutics Inc., a leading developer of placenta-based cell therapy products, has reported positive data from preclinical studies of its PLX-PAD cells in the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. The studies were conducted in conjunction with ADI, the Association Duchenne Israel, whose members are parents of children with Duchenne. They are committed to helping to find a cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy through research, clinical trials, and advocacy. Duchenne muscular dystrophy is the most common neuromuscular disorder, and affects roughly one in 3,500 boys. The disease causes progressive muscle weakness, and leads to severe disability and death. There is currently no cure. Following Pluristem's announcement of positive results from a Phase II clinical trial of PLX-PAD as a treatment for muscle injury, the Association Duchenne Israel approached Pluristem with a request to study PLX-PAD cells in Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Pluristem donated PLX-PAD cells for the preclinical studies, and the association supported the research in cooperation with Science in Action Ltd. The studies demonstrated that, in a mouse model of muscular dystrophy, PLX-PAD cells reduced creatine phosphokinase (CPK), a marker of muscle degeneration or injury, by approximately 50% as compared to placebo. CPK levels were measured via a blood sample taken 5 days after each intramuscular PLX-PAD injection made at day 15 and day 29 of the study. Histological analyses of quadriceps and diaphragm muscles show PLX-PAD reduced levels of inflammation and necrosis, a type of cell death, and induced regeneration of muscle tissue. Hila Krupsky, CEO of ADI, the Association Duchenne Israel, stated, "These preclinical data suggest that PLX-PAD cells could possibly be a breakthrough therapy to help treat symptoms of Duchenne muscular dystrophy. We are thankful for Pluristem's donation of PLX-PAD and are eager to continue studying the cells since new therapeutic approaches are needed to manage this disease, save children's lives, and give them hope and a chance for the future." "Because PLX-PAD cells have already displayed efficacy in muscle regeneration in a Phase II muscle injury study, we believe our cell therapy may potentially be beneficial in Duchenne muscular dystrophy in human clinical trials," said Pluristem Chairman and CEO Zami Aberman. "We admire the commitment of the Association Duchenne Israel to find a cure for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and we will work closely with them in an effort to develop a treatment for the children around the world who suffer from this disease." 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. Study uses GPS to find Canadian youth are influenced by their exposure to junk food outlets. 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." Article: Using GPS and activity tracking to reveal the influence of adolescents' food environment exposure on junk food purchasing, Richard C. Sadler, Andrew F. Clark, Piotr Wilk, Colleen O'Connor, Jason A. Gilliland, Canadian Journal of Public Health, doi: 10.17269/cjph.107.5346, Vol 107 (2016). 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. Rep. Tom Graves on Wednesday voted for and the House Appropriations Committee passed the fiscal year 2017 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, which funds the Department of Homeland Security. From Boston to San Bernardino and Chattanooga to Orlando, its clear that the war against militant Islamic terrorism is evolving, said Rep. Graves. Importantly, the bill addresses lone wolf terrorists, isolated individuals who decide to attack our communities outside the command structure of terrorist organizations, such as the Islamic State. This bill helps law enforcement and security personnel defend the homeland and find lone wolves before the attack, while strengthening border security, immigration enforcement and cyber security. The bills highlights include: Increasing funding for Customs and Border Protection by $158 million, putting more agents on the border and improving technology; Increasing funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement by $72 million, supporting dozens of new officers; Providing resources for the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Brunswick, Ga., including its work to test and evaluate active shooter response technologies; Increasing funding to detect and prevent cyberattacks by $120.5 million; And prohibiting the Obama administration from transferring detainees held at Guantanamo Bay to the U.S. TORONTO , Oct. 25, 2022 /CNW/ - Most parents wish the world for their children on their birthday. But what if you were to instead wish for their survival? The David Foster Foundation shares a unique, heartfelt story of Evanne, a two-time ... Advertisement "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.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.Source: AFP Advertisement Govt set to ban potassium bromate as food additive; CSE report on bread http://www.fssai.gov.in/Portals/0/Pdf/20%20Govt%20set%20to%20ban%20potassium%20bromate%20as%20food%20additive%20;%20CSE%20report%20on%20bread.pdf Toxicity and Carcinogenicity of Potassium Bromate-A New Renal Carcinogen http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1567851/pdf/envhper00420-0290.pdf Potassium bromate is a category 2B carcinogen (cancer-causing agent) and is therefore banned for use as a food additive in many countries. Potassium iodate, on the other hand, has potential effects on the thyroid and may trigger disorders of the gland. The presence of these two chemicals in the samples was verified by authorities to ensure the results.Bread manufacturers use potassium bromate and iodate in bread as maturing agents and dough conditioners due to its oxidizing properties. The typical white color of bread is due to potassium bromate as this chemical bleaches the flour and creates bubbles which make the dough rise and become soft and spongy.Potassium bromate was one of the 1100 food additives permissible for use in the Indian food industry. It was allowed at 50 parts per million for bread (maximum) and 20 parts per million for other bakery purposes.Potassium bromate converts to another compound, potassium bromide, if it is subjected to an appropriate temperature for an appropriate length of time while baking. Failure to do either may result in the presence of potassium bromate in much higher concentrations in the final product.A team of researchers from Japan published a study in the year 1982 that revealed that potassium bromate causes cancers of the thyroid, kidney and other organs in rats.A review published in thein the year 1990 assessed the study conducted to evaluate the effect of single administration of potassium bromate in groups of five male and five female each of F344 rats, B6C3F1 mice and Syrian golden hamsters. In all the species administered with high-doses, two-thirds of the animals died within 3 hours while the rest died within the ensuing 48 hours.In 1999, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) labeled potassium bromate as a potential carcinogenic agent.Potassium bromate exhibits oxidizing property which is the reason for its use in bread industry. The same property is responsible for its role as a carcinogen as well as in promoting the formation of active oxygen radicals.It was banned for use as a food additive in the European Union and the United Kingdom as early as 1990. Other countries like Australia, Brazil, China, Columbia, Nigeria, New Zealand, and Sri Lanka soon followed suit.USA and India are the only two prominent nations that had not banned its use.In 2007, China withdrew the whole batch of potato chips from its stores across the country when they were found to contain potassium bromate. These chips had been imported from the USA.''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 commented.This has impacted bread manufacturers and companies that operate the chains of multinational restaurants in India. A body of bread manufacturers agreed to stop the use of the chemical in bread production. The All India Bread Manufacturers' Association has urged the FSSAI to verify the CSE report's findings and confirm whether most breads actually contain the chemicals or not.A large proportion of the country's population consumes bread. This is especially true for the youths as multinational fast food joints like Domino's, McDonald's and Dunkin Donuts are quite popular among them. The ban is significant in preventing a routine exposure of this population to cancer-causing agents.''The Authority's quick response to what we found in our study re-establishes our stand that public health must remain a priority,'' Chandra Bhushan, Deputy Director General of CSE said.Source: Medindia 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 "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)," said Muka.Data were collected from 62 randomized controlled trials of plant-based alternative therapies and their effects on hot flashes, night sweats, and vaginal dryness. Out of 62 reviews, 36 addressed phytoestrogens - estrogenlike molecules from plants such as soy or red clover, 16 tested black cohosh and 10 tested other medicinal herbs.The trials totally included more than 6,600 women between the ages of 18 and 75 years. The participants were followed for between four weeks and two years.Phytoestrogens are associated with fewer hot flashes during the day and less vaginal dryness. However, it did not influence night sweats.Some clinical trials linked black cohosh to lessen the overall symptoms of menopause score but not specifically to fewer hot flashes or night sweats. Chinese medicinal herbs did not reduce the menopausal symptoms.Hormonal replacement therapy is effective for menopausal symptoms in the early postmenopause, said Muka. But, it may not be an option for women at increased risk of breast cancer.Phytoestrogens in soy can act like estrogen in the body. "This may explain the aggregate beneficial effects on menopausal symptoms we found for phytoestrogens," said Muka."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.A physician should be consulted before taking them as they may have some medication interactions. "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.The study is published inSource: Medindia Advertisement "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," he said.Naqvi said that he himself has been practicing Yoga for the last several years and it provides benefit to people of all age groups."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.Source: IANS The Tennessee Republican Party and the Polk County Kiwanis Club are among those rapping a Make America White Again billboard erected briefly in Polk County by 3rd District Congressional candidate Rick Tyler. The Ocoee Kiwanis Club said it will no longer hold its weekly meetings at the Ocoee restaurant owned by the Independent candidate. The billboard was taken down after the backlash erupted. GOP Chairman Ryan Haynes said, "There's no room for this type of hateful display in our political discourse. Racism should be rejected in all its heinous forms in the Third Congressional District and around the country." The Kiwanis president said, "Due to recent statements and overtly racist billboards by the principal owner of the Whitewater Grill in Ocoee and himself a declared Independent candidate for Congress, the Kiwanis Club of Ocoee will never meet there again. We are a civic club of inclusion and not exclusion and find these statements repugnant. As a citizen of Polk County, I, Chris Newton, will never personally be back to this establishment. "We will be locating a new meeting venue in the coming days." The candidate said he was not a racist, but he said he wanted to take America back to "Leave It To Beaver" and ""Ozzie and Harriet" days where the country did not face so many vexing problems. On June 19, 2016, Palestinian writer Majdi 'Abd Al-Wahhab wrote an article on the Elaph website titled "Each Extremist Serves and Feeds the Other - from the Mufti to the Village Leagues," in which he showed how the Jewish and Palestinian extremists play into each other's hands and ensure each other's survival. The following is a translation of the article: "A couple of days ago, I was speaking to a fellow journalist about the Orlando shooting and its impact on Muslims in the West and on the U.S. elections. Many Arab writers contend that the one who benefitted most from the shooting was the American [presidential] candidate [Donald] Trump, and this confirms the theory that extremists serve one another. My friend tried to convince me of this claim by citing two examples from the Palestinian reality... "The first incident occurred in 1939 during the Saint James conference, a round-table [conference] in London that was Britain's last attempt to resolve the Jewish-Arab conflict. According to the story, the Mufti [of Jerusalem], Hajj Amin Al-Husseini, who at the time was [living] in exile in Lebanon, issued a decree banning the Palestinians from attending the conference on the grounds that he [the Mufti] was their sole legitimate representative. Haim Margaliot-Kalvarisky, who was a prominent figure in [the administration of] the Jewish Agency and [later] in the Israeli left... came to Ben Gurion with the good news - as he saw it - that there were groups of Palestinians from Ramallah and Nablus who were willing to take part in the conference in spite of the Mufti's [decree]. Ben Gurion answered dryly: 'There is no need for that, because the Mufti serves our interests better.' "The second incident occurred more recently, in the time of the West Bank Village Leagues,[1] whose establishment was [approved] by [then Israeli defense minister] Ezer Weizman [in 1978], and which were violently opposed by [both] the Palestinians and the Jews, in particular the settlers. According to the story, attorney Elyakim Haetzni, one of the heads of the settlement [movement] who lives in Kiryat Arba and was one of the Village Leagues' most bitter enemies, approached Ariel Sharon in 1982. [Sharon], who was defense minister [at the time], needed the support of the settlers, having lost his popularity due to the Sabra and Shatila massacre. Haetzni demanded that Sharon dissolve the Village Leagues, explaining: "Of Arafat I am not afraid [because] with him we will never talk. But I am afraid of Mustafa Dudin [of the Village Leagues] because we will have to make concessions to him.' "These two stories certainly clarify the theory that extremists serve one another. In the first story, Ben Gurion thought that the extremist Mufti Al-Hajj Amin Al-Husseini served the interests of the Jews better than the moderate Palestinians, and in the second story, Elyakim Haetzni believed that the moderate Palestinians were a greater danger to his [settlement] enterprise than the extremist Arafat. Dear reader, do not believe that one extremist will eliminate his rival, the extremist [on the other side. On the contrary,] each of them ensures the survival of the other."[2] Endnotes: Special sgents from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation have obtained indictments for a man accused of firing a weapon at police officers earlier this year. On March 8, at the request of 9th District Attorney General Russell Johnson, TBI agents began investigating the circumstances of an officer-involved shooting involving the Harriman Police Department. During the course of the investigation, agents developed information that two officers encountered Nathan Manis during the course of responding to a disturbance call, during which Manis produced a handgun and fired upon the officers. On Tuesday The officers returned fire, striking Manis once., the Roane County Grand Jury returned indictments, charging Manis, 26, of Harriman, with two counts of aggravated assault and two counts of reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon. On Wednesday afternoon, agents served Manis, who remains in the custody of the Roane County Jail on unrelated charges. State Transportation Department To Stop Construction Due To Budget Impasse By Stephen Gossett in News on Jun 21, 2016 9:41PM Getty Images / Photo: Joseph Raedle The Illinois Department of Transportation will suspend construction beginning June 30 due to the ongoing state budget impasse, according to statement shared with Chicagoist by IDOT Public Information Officer Gianna Urgo. The full release, with decidedly pro-stopgap language, is below: "We have started to inform our industry partners that all of our projects in both construction and engineering phases will be shutting down starting June 30 due to the majority party in the legislature's failure to pass a balanced budget. The conversation about how individual projects will wind down is continuing. The stopgap proposal is a fiscally responsible solution proposed by the Republican leaders that can be voted on today. There will be no interruption in our projects and programs if the General Assembly returns to Springfield and passes HB 6585/SB 3435." Gov. Bruce Rauner on Monday said the impasse has entered "absolute crisis phase." We'll see if he and Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan actually do meet Wednesday, as they often threat but rarely do. This post will be updated accordingly. City Council Passes New, Fairly Chill Airbnb Regulations, And Airbnb Likes Them By Mae Rice in News on Jun 22, 2016 8:31PM Airbnb It's official: Airbnb rentals will face new regulations in Chicago. On Wednesday, City Council approved a long-discussed regulatory ordinance for home-sharing through Airbnb and its ilk. It sounds like a potential nightmare for Airbnb, and they've actively protested this ordinance beforebut today, Airbnb is jazzed. Were excited to see Chicago join the ranks of leading global cities that have worked to protect the right of everyday people to share their homes to make some extra money," said Will Burns, Airbnb's Senior Advisor and Midwest Director of Policy, in a statement. "We are particularly excited that, under the leadership of the mayor and aldermen, the tax revenue generated from our community will go to helping to fund the City's homelessness program." This change of tune can be attributed, in part, to a change in ordinance. Under the ordinance passed Wednesday, there's no cap on how many nights per year hosts can rent out their homes, according to Airbnb. Hosts just need to pay the city $60money that will be used to enforce this ordinance, the Tribune reportsand register with the city, according to Airbnb. (Under a previous version of the ordinance, homes rented out more than 90 days a year would have had to be registered as commercial properties, as we noted in May.) As Burns said, the ordinance also applies a 4 percent tax applied to homesharing transactions, which will help fund services for homeless Chicagoans. The ordinance is most restrictive about how widespread Airbnb rentals can be in a given building. In buildings of five or fewer unit, only one unit can be rented out at a time; in larger buildings, either six or 25 percent of units can be rented out through Airbnbwhichever comes first. If a precinct deems Airbnb a particular problem, residents can also move to ban it from their precincts altogether, but doing so will be a fairly complicated process. Airbnb has lobbied heavily to shape the ordinance into its current, friendly state, the Tribune reports. Some of that lobbying has been public facing: the Internet Association, a group Airbnb is a member of, released video ads against these regulations earlier this month. Just two days ago, Ashton Kutcher (an Airbnb investor) took to Facebook to say the regulatory ordinance would "negatively impact" Airbnb hosts. Photos: First Zebra Baby Born At Lincoln Park Zoo Since 2012 By Mae Rice in Arts & Entertainment on Jun 22, 2016 5:25PM Photo by Todd Rosenberg / Lincoln Park Zoo Over Father's Day weekend, a zebra at the Lincoln Park ZooWebster, age 5became a father himself. On Saturday, nine-year-old Adia (also a zebra) gave birth to her third child, and Webster's first, a female zebra foal. The foal is the first one that's been born at Lincoln Park Zoo since 2012, and she's an important addition to the waning Grevy's zebra population. Grevy's zebras, which are native to eastern Africa, are endangered due to hunting and habitat loss. There are only about 2,000 Grevy's zebras left, according to the African Wildlife Foundation. The baby is as yet unnamedwhich means that she, too, could be named Alexander Camelton. Not as punny when it's a zebra, but we're still here for it. Here's one more adorable photo of the newborn zebra for the road. It looks like she's putting a lot of thought into how standing up works, and we relate: 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. 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 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 Sandford 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. Sandford 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 Sandford didn't say much and seemed "strange." Donovan didn't elaborate on what made Sandford 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. Sandford'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. Sandford 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. Aldermen Pass Bill To Make Chicago's Insane Towing Companies Record Video By Mae Rice in News on Jun 22, 2016 7:00PM A Chicago car getting towed in a snowstorm (photo via Paul Kehrer on Flickr) Updated 2:20 p.m.: The ordinance passed the City Council Wednesday afternoon unanimously. Towing in Chicago is notoriously shady. Lincoln Park Towing is basically Voldemort and could lose its license any day now; United Road Towing was raided by the FBI but somehow still lands city contracts. A new ordinance, up for approval in City Council on Wednesday, aims to make towing in the City of Big Shoulders and Hella Rogue Tow Trucks a bit less rogue. The ordinance, widely termed a "Towing Bill of Rights," has been spearheaded by Ald. Ameya Pawar (47th). Its goal is to "ensure that there is proper consumer protection" when it comes to towing, Pawar told the Tribune. Under the ordinance, tow trucks would have to have video cameras (with audio) on their front and rear ends, documenting tows as they happen. The footage also have to be made available, for free, to the city and car owners. (This requirement piggybacks on an existing rule that tow trucks must photograph every tow, according to the Tribune.) Towing companies would also have to give Chicago police a list of the parking lots they work with, specifying whether they tow from each lot on request or patrol it at their own discretion. "Tow truck companies need to exist," Pawar told the Sun-Times. "They just need to learn how to behave." This is likely an allusion to consumer claims that Lincoln Park Towing employees lie, drive unsafely, and once knocked a guy off a 16-foot ladder, breaking his leg. Many of these complaints are documented in a Change.org petition to suspend Lincoln Park Towing's license, which has 3,000+ signatures. Marine Corps pilots are getting a chance to see how the ground-pounders live in a new immersive program designed to bring the air and ground elements of the Corps' fighting machine closer for better collaboration. Called the aviator immersion program, the initiative aims to have one pilot from each squadron within Camp Pendleton, California's Marine Aircraft Group 39 "embedded" with an infantry battalion at any given time. This month, the officials announced that Capt. Jason Grimes had become the first Marine pilot to complete the program after spending two months in training with 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, also out of Pendleton. The idea for the program originated with Col. Michael Borgschulte, commanding officer of MAG-39. It echoes thinking by previous Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Joseph Dunford and the current commandant, Gen. Robert Neller, who have both discussed their desire to see ground combat units coordinate more closely with air elements and take better advantage of the benefits of cutting-edge aviation platforms such at the MV-22B Osprey and the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter. "We're nowhere near capable of fully realizing or leveraging the kinetic and non-kinetic capabilities of [the F-35]," Dunford told a Marine audience in May 2015. Grimes, an AH-1Z Cobra pilot with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 369, said he spent his two months on the ground with 2/5 observing, learning, and acting as an informal forward air controller with the unit. He spent 19 days participating in grueling field training at the Marines' Mountain Warfare Training Center in Bridgeport, California, and another 11 days in Marine Corps Combat Readiness Evaluation and Fire Support Coordination exercises. In a phone interview, Grimes told Military.com he was suprised to learn how much time infantry units spent in the field. "We get so involved in our flight training we're a little bit removed from that," he said. " I've never seen a working battalion and how they operate." During his time at the unit, Grimes also taught classes about the capabilities of the AH-1Z Cobra and what it can offer to Marines on the ground, emphasizing features such as the built-in sensors the aircraft carries and its significant payload. "A lot of people don't understand the new capabilities it has," Grimes said. "If [infantry units] know what our sensors are or what our loadout can be, they can specifically request things from us. We can find targets or points of interest for them." Since he returned to his own unit at the end of April, Grimes said he has made more of an effort to collaborate and communicate with infantry officers. "If I'm building a scenario, I'm talking to the platoon commanders and company commanders I worked with to build a better scenario for what they would do," he said. The experience also stoked his interest in returning to the role of forward air controller at an infantry unit at some future point in his career, he said. A spokeswoman for 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, 2nd Lt. Casey Littesy, said the aviation and ground units will also collaborate on "[Marine Air-Ground Task Force] integration exercises, executing long-range raid training, simulated tactical recovery of aircraft and personnel (TRAP) missions, and other training scenarios that complement their operational goals. In another line of effort connected with the program, Littesy said, air and ground units air coordinating simulation training, so that air and ground units are encountering the same targets, threats and objectives in their simulators. The aviator immersion program is set to continue indefinitely with units from MAG-39 and 5th Marine Regiment, with a pilot from Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 169 set to report to 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines in July. -- Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@monster.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck. Related Video: President Obama will award retired Army Lt. Col. Charles Kettles the nations highest award for heroism for saving 44 American soldiers during a May 15, 1967 enemy ambush in the Vietnam War. On Monday, July 18, 2016, Kettles is scheduled to receive the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry for his actions while serving as a flight commander assigned to 176th Aviation Company (Airmobile) (Light), 14th Combat Aviation Battalion, Americal Division. "Then-Major Kettles distinguished himself in combat operations near Duc Pho, Republic of Vietnam, on May 15, 1967," according to a June 21 White House press release. "He led a platoon of UH-1Ds to provide support to the 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, during an ambush by a battalion-sized enemy force." After leading several trips to the hot landing zone and evacuating the wounded, he returned, without additional aerial support, to rescue a squad-sized element of stranded soldiers pinned down by enemy fire. Kettles is credited with saving the lives of 40 soldiers and four of his own crew members, according to the press release. Kettles was born in Ypsilanti, Michigan on Jan. 9, 1930. He was drafted into the Army at age 21 while enrolled in Michigan State Normal College (now Eastern Michigan University) where he studied engineering. Upon completion of basic training at Camp Breckinridge, Kentucky, Kettles attended Officer Candidate School at Fort Knox, Kentucky, and earned his commission as an armor officer in the U.S. Army Reserve, Feb. 28, 1953. Kettles graduated from the Army Aviation School in 1954, before serving active duty tours in Korea, Japan and Thailand. Kettles volunteered for active duty in 1963. He attended Helicopter Transition Training at Fort Wolters, Texas in 1964. During a tour in France the following year, Kettles was cross-trained to fly the famed UH-1D "Huey." In 1966. Kettles was assigned as a flight commander with the 176th Assault Helicopter Company, 14th Combat Aviation Battalion, and deployed to Vietnam from February through November 1967. His second tour of duty in Vietnam lasted from October 1969, through October 1970. In 1970, Kettles went to Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas, where he served as an aviation team chief and readiness coordinator supporting the Army Reserve. He remained in San Antonio until his retirement from the Army in 1978. Kettles has numerous awards and decorations including the Distinguished Service Cross, the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Bronze Star Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster, Air Medal with Numeral "27," and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with bronze star. After leaving active duty, Kettles established a Ford dealership in Dewitt, Michigan, and continued his service with the Army Reserve as a member of the 4th Battalion, 20th Field Artillery. Kettles completed his bachelors degree at Our Lady of the Lake University, San Antonio, Texas, and earned his masters degree at Eastern Michigan University, College of Technology, in commercial construction. He went on to develop the Aviation Management Program at the College of Technology and taught both disciplines. He later worked for Chrysler Pentastar Aviation until his retirement in 1993. Kettles currently lives in Ypsilanti, Michigan, with his wife Ann. -- Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com Related video: 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. 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 and rust 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. 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. "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 30 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. It's 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." You are here: Home An Airbus A350 is pictured in Schoenefeld, Germany. [File photo] 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. Depending on your PT test, the order of swimming may best be determined by where it is in the order of events of that test. This article originally appeared on Task & Purpose, a digital news and culture publication dedicated to military and veterans issues. Here are 10 findings from a decade's worth of research on veterans' transitions. Over the last 15 years, Iraq and Afghanistan veterans have been studied and dissected from innumerable angles. No group has spent more time studying their needs, habits, challenges and strengths than the nonprofit RAND Corporation, which focuses on developing public policy solutions to complex national problems. RAND has released a new report Ten Frequently Asked Questions About Veterans Transitions that sifts through a wealth of studies it conducted over the last decade to highlight findings about veterans transition and reintegration. Thanks to RANDs commitment to ask the right questions and exhaustively examine available data, the 10 findings, summarized below, remain valuable for current policy discussions. 1. Veterans succeed in the civilian workforce. Unemployment and labor force participation rates among post-9/11 veterans have remained on par with the comparable civilian population. While veterans ages 1824 do face more hurdles than comparable civilians immediately after leaving the military, the gap only exists for a short period of time. Overall, post-9/11 veterans are actually more likely to be employed full time than their civilian counterparts. 2. Service members and veterans earn more than civilians. Despite a common view inside and outside the military that service members make financial sacrifices, both current service members and veterans earn more than demographically comparable civilians. The earnings premium increases over the time of service and continues to exist upon separation, except for service members who do not complete their initial service commitment 3. Reservist deployments cause a spike in unemployment benefit claims. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan required the mobilization of large numbers of reservists for extended periods. This resulted in a sharp rise in claims for unemployment compensation for former service members. The caseload spike was largely caused by these reservist mobilizations, which broadened the eligibility pool and increased the number of claims. 4. Disabled vets are generally compensated for lost earnings. Mental and physical disabilities can be extraordinarily costly to veterans, reducing their earnings potential, increasing their healthcare costs and saddling them with a host of other burdens. On average, disabled veterans receive support that more than equals their lost earnings. Yet not all groups are as effectively compensated. Complicating the situation, RAND found that generous disability payments could create incentives for some veterans to not return to work. 5. Employer tax credits positively impact disabled veterans. The creation of tax credits that incentivized employers to hire disabled veterans led to an increase in hiring and aggregate earnings during a period of temporarily increased veteran unemployment. The tax credits, in the years studied, cost approximately $600 million while increasing disabled veterans overall income by more than $1 billion. 6. Not all veteran employment initiatives are created equal. RAND looked at a number of public and private sector programs to help veterans find jobs, and found large variations on their abilities to create and measure impact for veteran job-seekers. Good intentions only matter so much; execution is key in reaching veterans and facilitating their connections with potential employers. 7. Veterans like for-profit schools, but dont always benefit. For-profit schools have been popular with veterans because they are seen as being adult-oriented, career-focused, and flexible. Veterans also like the practical focus of the curriculums and the convenience of online courses and multiple campus locations. Yet as we have seen through recent news reports, for-profit schools are often bad choices for veterans. RAND found that for-profits deceptive practice, high dropout rates, and lower post graduation employment rates can diminish their effectiveness while costing the government more than not-for-profit institutions. 8. Mental health problems can be treated more cost effectively. Productivity losses from PTSD and serious depression cost the U.S. billions annually; despite efforts to provide more effective treatments, there are two problems to still confront. Many afflicted veterans do not receive adequate help from medical or mental health experts, while others do not seek help because of the enduring stigmas about about mental health issues. Adoption of evidence-based treatments could save more than $1,000 per returning veteran by increasing productivity and reducing suicides. 9. Military hasnt effectively pursued suicide prevention research. Despite rising more than 50% since 9/11, the military suicide rate (distinct from the veteran suicide rate) has remained lower than that of the comparable civilian population. The Department of Defense spends billions on prevention research, but much of the funding was focused on reinforcing the value of proven treatments, and not exploring new or untested treatments to expand treatment options. DoD efforts also suffered from a research-to-practice gap, often failing to respond when new evidence emerges, or to share and implement best practices. 10. More research is needed to better serve veterans. Researchers would benefit from mapping veterans employment paths in order to develop a better understanding of how veterans experience and military skills can apply to the civilian workplace. They should also study veterans educational outcomes to determine how veterans are faring and what their returns from education are. Finally, RAND calls for the creation of a new longitudinal study of veterans that follows a cohort through every phase of their life post-military to create a comprehensive system of data on the veteran experience. This article originally appeared at Task & Purpose. Follow Task & Purpose on Twitter. More articles from Task & Purpose: A man has spent 45 hours in one go running 222.48 kilometers around Beijing's 6th Ring Road, becoming the second person ever to do so, Beijing Youth Daily reported. Liu Zhongjie receives emergent treatment during the long-distance jogging around Beijing's 6th Ring Road. [Photo/ Beijing Youth Daily] Liu Zhongjie, 30, a Chongqing native who works in Beijing, said he hatched the plan in early May and denied that he was copying 22-year-old jogger A Jin, who, according to news circulated online in late May, became the first person to run along the 6th Ring Road, in about 44 hours. "It might have been mere coincidence," said Liu. Liu prepared well for his journey, including attempting to contact A Jin for advice. Liu updated his WeChat Moments, a popular social networking site, before setting out at 10:09 p.m. on June 17, saying: "Doing things you like, you'll also meet people you like." Liu said he was still single, and themed his running adventure "For belief and for her." "Of course, I also hope to meet my sweetheart," he said. Liu said he received support from fellow joggers, and took breaks totaling about three hours. After 45 hours and 10 minutes, he finally completed the journey at 7:27 p.m. on June 19. Commenting on the one-hour gap between his time and A Jin's record, Liu said: "I ran to challenge my endurance, not to compete with anyone." Liu said jogging had become part of his daily life, as he was born in the countryside and used to walk about eight kilometers to school. Liu also said he would run in patterns on special days, such as on May 12 to commemorate victims of the 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake. YPSILANTI, MI -- A small portion of Eastern Michigan University's students will pay a lot less in tuition and fees this fall after the university's Board of Regents passed a recommendation that all out-of-state undergrads be charged the in-state rate. Eastern Michigan University officials are hoping that its student population will grow as a result of the new policy that was passed along with a 4.1 percent tuition increase during the Tuesday, June 21, Board of Regents meeting. Beginning this fall, out-of-state freshman undergraduates taking 30 credits this year will pay $11,209 in tuition and mandatory fees. According to tuition figures for 2015-16, out-of-state students paid $576 more per credit hour than in-state students. EMU Interim President Don Loppnow said those out-of-state students represent a small portion of the undergraduate population, considering Michigan and Ohio residents made up 94.6 percent of the university's fall 2015 enrollment. "Most of the out-of-state students we get tend to be either student-athletes who are already on scholarship to some extent and, on occasion, students who are recruited to come to our outstanding programs who are outstanding students, so they're also on scholarships," Loppnow said. EMU is looking to expand its reach in other parts of the Midwest through the new policy, growing its out-of-state enrollment in areas other than Ohio. For decades, EMU has offered in-state tuition rates to all students from Ohio, as part of an agreement with the Ohio Board of Regents, Loppnow said. Last fall, 1,012 of EMU's 1,933 out-of-state undergrads came from Ohio, leaving just 921 students from outside of those two states. Of that group, 238 are student-athletes receiving some type of scholarship aid. Loppnow said EMU's enrollment management team is working on a strategy to identify interested out-of-state students. "Obviously, there are major population areas in the Midwest that would be our primary targets," he said. "We are hopeful for a significant increase, but time will tell." If EMU can get non-residents to enroll, the implications after graduation could be significant, Vice President for Communications Walter Kraft said. "For us, it's an opportunity to reach more broadly to other regions in the Midwest that we believe will be attracted to Eastern Michigan," Kraft said. "At the same time, we know that 70-plus percent of the people who graduate from Eastern Michigan University stay in Michigan. "So if we're able to bring people in from Pennsylvania, Indiana and other regions into Michigan and expand our base of enrollment, we're also going to be bringing new opportunities for people here in Michigan and expand employment and growth here in our state," he added. Martin Slagter covers higher education for The Ann Arbor News. Reach him at mslagter@mlive.com or on Twitter. UPDATE:New Hampshire AD to issue report on Ann Arbor teen's shooting death ANN ARBOR, MI - An Ann Arbor teen was shot and killed by police in New Hampshire Tuesday, June 21, according to a report by the New Hampshire Union Leader. Lane Lesko, 19, of Ann Arbor was shot after a police pursuit about 10:23 a.m. Tuesday on Route 136 in Peterborough, New Hampshire, the Union Leader reported. He eventually stopped during the pursuit - likely after a crash - got out of the vehicle and was shot after a brief confrontation, according to the report. He was reported missing on Sunday from a Umbagog Lake State Park campsite on the Maine/New Hampshire border that he was visiting as part of an adolescent treatment program, according to previous media reports. He was believed to be involved with the theft of a canoe, pontoon boat and a truck, the Union Leader previously reported. The canoe and pontoon boat were located. Lesko was scheduled for a January 2017 sentencing on multiple charges in Michigan. In May 2015, he stole a Dodge Charger from the Cueter Chrysler dealership, 2448 Washtenaw Ave. in Ypsilanti Township, after he claimed he was an FBI agent, police said. He then crashed the car in the Toledo, Ohio, area, and presented himself as an FBI agent to authorities, police said. He was then accused of breaking into a neighbor's Ann Arbor home while out on bond in July 2015. Lesko pleaded guilty to unlawfully driving away a vehicle, first degree home invasion, lying to a police officer and false pretenses less than $200 in January. Washtenaw County Trial Court Judge Darlene O'Brien delayed his sentence a year, so he could complete mental health and substance use treatment. Darcie Moran covers cops and courts for MLive and The Ann Arbor News. Email her at dmoran@mlive.com or follow her on Twitter @darciegmoran. ANN ARBOR, MI - Police were called to the scene of a rollover crash on Huron River Drive near M-14 in Ann Arbor on Tuesday evening. The crash was reported about 6:45 p.m. June 21 at North Main Street and Huron River Drive, said Sgt. Craig Flocken. Ann Arbor police Officer Brandon Knobelsdorf said the driver of a maroon van was headed westbound on West Huron River Drive and crossing over North Main Street when a silver sedan exited westbound M-14, decelerated and smashed into the passenger side of the van. The impact from the crash flipped the van on its side and blocked the connector to West Huron River Drive, he said. Knobelsdorf said this kind of crash is a common occurrence at the West Huron River Drive and Main Street connection. "Drivers try to cut across through the loop to get on," Knobelsdorf said. "You got to think this is 45 mph they're decelerating off the expressway, and if you're just starting up (from the connector), you have to cross two lanes of traffic. Getting hit 45 mph is a pretty bad crash." Officers were directing traffic, but the crash's proximity to the highway was causing some backups, Flocken said shortly after the crash. One person was reported to be in stable condition at the scene, said Chad French of Huron Valley Ambulance. However, Knobelsdorf confirmed that no one was transported to the hospital. Staff reporter Ben Solis contributed to this story. Darcie Moran covers cops and courts for MLive and The Ann Arbor News. Email her at dmoran@mlive.com or follow her on Twitter @darciegmoran. Brighton Rec area.png HAMBURG TOWNSHIP, MI -- The 43-year-old Hamburg Township man who died of knife wounds in Brighton State Recreation Area may have committed suicide, police say. The man went missing Friday, June 17, while camping in the park; the Brighton Area Fire Department found his body the next afternoon in a wooded area. Hamburg Township Police Chief Rick Duffany said there's a good chance the man committed suicide, although his death remains under investigation. The medical examiner determined he died of knife wounds. The investigation is waiting on DNA testing and a toxicology report, Duffany said. Because it's a possible suicide, Duffany said the department is not releasing the man's name. The man's mother told the Livingston Daily her son loved his children and the outdoors. In a letter, his family thanked first responders for their search efforts, the Daily reported. Lindsay Knake is a cops and courts reporter for The Ann Arbor News. Follow her on twitter or contact her at 989-372-2498 or lknake@mlive.com. U-M hospital .jpg A University of Michigan study showed that the proportion of patients who lacked insurance dropped by nearly 4 percentage points, and the proportion covered by Medicaid rose more than 6 points after the Healthy Michigan Plan launch in April 2014. MLive file photo ANN ARBOR, MI -- A new University of Michigan study found a fast, sustained drop in uninsured patients, while Medicaid-covered patients rose within three months of the launch of the Healthy Michigan Plan. The study showed that the proportion of patients who lacked insurance dropped by nearly 4 percentage points, and the proportion covered by Medicaid rose more than 6 points after the Healthy Michigan Plan launch in April 2014. The new findings, reported in Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) by a team from the U-M 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 also were the first to look specifically at whether all 130 Michigan hospitals across a Medicaid expansion state experienced the shift in insurance coverage for their patients. 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 found. 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. "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," said Matthew M. Davis, 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, regardless of the insurance status of the patient. The data did 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. Davis and the study's senior author, IHPI Director John Z. Ayanian, also are 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 look at what being covered under the Health Michigan Plan means for the financial health of individuals - not just hospitals. "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." In addition to Davis and Ayanian, the study was co-authored by Achamyeleh Gebremariam, a data analyst with the U-M Department of Pediatrics. The study was funded through U-M resources. Martin Slagter covers higher education for The Ann Arbor News. Reach him at mslagter@mlive.com or on Twitter. Covenant MMR.jpg Days after a federal jury awarded her more than $500,000 for wrongful termination, an ex-Covenant Medical Center employee was fired from her job with Mobile Medical Response. (MLive File) BAY CITY, MI -- Days after a federal jury awarded her more than $500,000 for wrongful termination, an ex-Covenant Medical Center employee was dismissed from her job. The jury in U.S. District Court in downtown Bay City Friday, June 17, found the Saginaw hospital in violation of the Family and Medical Leave Act and the Michigan Persons with Disabilities Civil Rights Act for the November 2014 firing of Amanda Perry. A Covenant spokesman said the hospital plans to file an appeal. Tuesday, June 21, after The Bay City Times/MLive published a story on the verdict, Perry was terminated from her employment with Mobile Medical Response, where she worked in the billing department. MMR is a joint venture between Covenant Healthcare and St. Mary's of Michigan. Perry, 41, had the job through Aerotek Employment Agency. "They had no reason to fire her," said Victor Mastromarco Jr., Perry's attorney. "They did this without giving her a reason. The timing is considered evidence of retaliation." Mastromarco said he planned to file a new lawsuit Wednesday, June 22, arguing that MMR, jointly owned by the hospital, retaliated against Perry, as protected under Family and Medical Leave Act and the Civil Rights Disability Act. Larry Daly, a spokesperson for Covenant, said Covenant is "not involved with operations of MMR." "They have their own management team and make their own decisions," he said. MMR spokesperson Lynn Schutter called the timing of Perry's dismissal from MMR "purely coincidental." "We had made a predetermined decision to restructure and eliminate all of our contract employees," Schutter said. "That decision was made several months ago." Schutter said she did not know if Perry was working under an expired contract with Aerotek. She added "a handful" of other contract employees were dismissed before Perry and before the lawsuit with Covenant made headlines. "We had no work issues with her," Schutter said. "This is a matter of us starting to manage our expenses more frugally." Perry confirmed to The Times Wednesday that another contract employee was let go from MMR Thursday, June 16. She said she talked with her representative at Aerotek on Monday and was told her job was safe. "I was feeling OK about everything going into work on Tuesday," Perry said. "I'm guessing they read about the lawsuit and didn't like what they read." Perry had worked for MMR since October 2015. Perry, who had a history of psychiatric diagnoses, began working as a biller at Covenant's Visiting Nursing Association Department in 2010, according to the lawsuit filed in federal court. In August 2012, she was promoted to "office coordinator" for Covenant's physicians' offices in Frankenmuth and Bridgeport. She later was moved to Covenant's offices in Bay City and Freeland. In November 2014, she was terminated after receiving three disciplines after Covenant officials accused her of asking a co-worker to provide a false appeal statement. Her firing came after taking time off from work to deal with her medical condition. BAY CITY, MI -- A contingent of young adults from Bay City next month are making a 4,500-mile trip to the center of their religious roots. Youth members from Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish, which includes St. Stanislaus Kostka church and St. Hyacinth church, join 45 pilgrims from the Saginaw Diocese and Bishop Jospeh R. Cistone for a trip to Krakow, Poland, where they, along with 2-3 million Catholics, will attend World Youth Day with Pope Francis. For the estimated 39,000 Americans traveling to Poland for the gathering, it's an opportunity of a lifetime -- to break bread with young Catholics from around the globe. But for Bay City residents Monica Dorion, Nick Grocholski and Julia Weller, it almost feels like a homecoming. "It really is full circle," said Grocholski, 24. "I grew up in the South End, I attended St. Stan's, my dad -- a Grocholski -- married my mom, a Peplinski, so I'm Polish on both sides. It's extra special for us." "A lot of us have grown up in Bay City's Polish culture," said Dorion, 25. "To be able to go to World Youth Day in Poland is really cool." Seven of the Bay City residents traveling to Poland next month received traveling and cultural tips this week, in addition to brushing up on basic Polish phrases and prayers. Deacon Stanley Kuczynski, a Poland native who has worked in Bay City for the past 28 years, has been helping the young adults prepare for their journey. He warned the students that it's not uncommon for protesters to openly be against the Catholic church, as communism ruled the country for 50 years. "Don't think that after 1989, when freedom came back, that all of the communists moved away from Poland," he said. "There's still a strong political wing that exists today. It's getting better, but there is a struggle that is ongoing today." Even so, Poland is deeply religious, said Mark Graveline, director of youth ministry for the Diocese of Saginaw. Graveline traveled to Poland in February to prepare for this summer's trip. "On a random Monday, I walked into a church to visit it and saw all of these young people packed inside," he said. "I asked one of them what they were doing there, or if there was a Mass, and they said they were just there praying. It's amazing to see so many young people embrace the Catholic culture." In addition to exploring Krakow, the homeland of Pope John Paul II, the young adults are also traveling to the Auschwitz concentration camp. It'll be the trek to the town of Czestochowa, though, after which their parish is named, with the deepest meaning for the Bay City people traveling to Poland. The path to Czestochowa is part of a journey in the "footsteps" of John Paul II, who initiated the first World Youth Day more than 40 years ago. "Our roots are there," Kuczynski said. "It's going to be a beautiful experience for our pilgrims." A replica of an icon depicting the Virgin Mary hangs on the wall at St. Stanislaus Church at 1503 Kosciuszko Ave. in June 20, 2016. The Lady of Czestochowa, also known as the Black Madonna of Czestochowa, is an icon of the Virgin Mary housed at the Jasna Gora Monastery in Czestochowa, Poland. A replica is also on display inside St. Stanislaus Kostka church. The Black Madonna is credited with saving the monastery of Jasna Gora, according to a description on the parish's website. Weller, 19, who is studying social work at Delta College, said she's ready to be immersed with Catholics from around the world for the two-week trip. "You always hear about the church being something bigger, but all of us grew up in smaller parishes," she said. "To see millions of other people express their beliefs in one place is going to be very encouraging." Next month's trip will mark the first time Bishop Cistone has taken part in World Youth Day festivities. "They will experience the global Church in a more personal way; praying, worshiping and celebrating with youth like themselves who are on fire for their faith," he said. "Our Holy Father, Pope Francis, will be present during the week and there will be tremendous learning opportunities about the joyful gifts of our faith. I hope they return with renewed energy and enthusiasm to be our local disciples who will continue to make Christ present in this world." 20141001_165642.jpg Members of the Delta College Military Association pose for a photo with Bethany Alford, coordinator for Veteran Services at the college, far left. (Courtesy Photo/Delta College) FRANKENLUST TWP, MI -- Veterans soon will have a better place to socialize and handle paperwork at Delta College. Delta College was awarded a $7,000 grant from Student Veterans of America in the form of gift cards to Home Depot for the renovation of a campus space for vets, the college has announced. The college teaches nearly 300 students who are using military educational benefits, and these vets can expect a "one-stop-shop" for relaxing, socializing, studying, applying for benefits and completing the GI bill process, according to a statement from the college. Delta College president Jean Goodnow poses with members of the Delta College Military Association. (Courtesy Photo/Delta College) Veterans services at Delta are split into two offices distant from each other. Merging them into the same space, and renovating that space, just makes sense, said Beth Alford, coordinator of Veteran Services at the college. "Veteran centers on college campuses have a huge, positive impact on student veteran success," Alford said in a statement. "Since many veterans commute to school, have jobs or juggle other responsibilities, having a place on campus to connect to other veterans and resources can be invaluable." A bulk of the funds will go toward furnishing the veterans lounge with couches and computer work stations. BAY CITY, MI -- After learning a motorcyclist he'd allegedly crashed into had died, a stranger tossed his borrowed cigarette to the ground, then took off from the scene, according to witnesses. The witnesses provided this account consistently during the June 21 preliminary examination of 32-year-old Todd F. Maher. Maher is charged with single counts of failure to stop at the scene of an accident involving death, failure to stop at the scene of an accident involving serious injury, receiving and concealing a stolen vehicle and driving on a suspended license, second offense. The first two charges are punishable by 15-year and five-year prison stints, respectively. Called to the witness stand by Bay County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Nancy E. Borushko, Cindy Tacey testified that the night of Sept. 17, she was at her home near the intersection of South Euclid Road and East Stark Street in Frankenlust Township when she heard "a very loud noise." She said it sounded "like an airplane hitting a building maybe." Tacey ran outside and saw a truck, a motorcycle, and a man lying in the gravel. A few other neighbors also came outside, she said. Police later identified the motorcyclist as 58-year-old Calvin M. LaForest. "There was someone in the (truck's) driver's seat, (who) slid over to the passenger side of the vehicle, opened the door, came over to the back of the vehicle, and up to the person that was in the accident," Tacey said. "He stood over the body for a time, but I'm not sure how long." By the time police arrived, the man who had been in the truck was gone. Tacey did not hear him say anything before he disappeared, she said. Calvin M. LaForest After Tacey stepped down, Borushko called her granddaughter, Justise Herrington, to the stand. She said she was at her grandparents' watching TV on Sept. 17. "We heard a loud thud outside and we all went up and looked out the window and saw a person lying on the ground by a motorcycle," she said, adding that she, too, went outside shortly thereafter. She saw a man emerge from a truck and approach LaForest. "He looked at the person on the ground and he kind of just stood around for a while and then he asked someone for a cigarette at one point in time," she testified. "Then he sat on the ground." A neighbor, who she said was a nurse, tended to the injured LaForest and indicated there wasn't a pulse, Herrington said. "As he was pronounced dead, (the man from the truck) threw the cigarette on the ground ... and I seen him take off in the road, running around," Herrington said. Witness Christopher Strait testified he also heard a loud bang and ran out of his house along with his ex-fiancee, who is a registered nurse. On seeing the motorcycle on the ground and LaForest beside it, Strait's ex-fiancee went about tending to him, he said. "I was talking to a gentleman at the time who wanted a cigarette," Strait said. "I offered him a cigarette. He was standing on my right-hand side, standing right next to me." The motorcyclist "was alive at that time but ended up passing away in her hands," Strait said. Michigan State Police Trooper Darrell Wynkoop testified he was the first officer on the scene. "When I first got on scene, I noticed a red Ford truck in the intersection," he said. "When I got out of the car, I also noticed a motorcycle in front of the truck and a man lying face down on the ground, with a pool of blood near his head." As he and his partner attempted to administer first aid, a woman approached him, identified herself as a nurse, and said LaForest didn't have a pulse. A few moments later, paramedics responded and took over rendering aid to LaForest, Wynkoop testified. Wynkoop interviewed witnesses gathered at the scene, but was unable to locate the driver of the truck, he said. LaForest was pronounced dead. He had been wearing a helmet. Police have said he had been traveling north on South Euclid Road when the Ford pickup turned north from East Stark Street, ran a stop sign, and struck him. Police have said Maher did not own the truck involved in the crash. The day's hearing ended with Borushko seeking the remainder of it be rescheduled, as she plans to call a crash reconstructionist who was unavailable. Bay County District Judge Timothy J. Kelly set Maher's case to continue at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, June 24. Maher is represented by Bay City attorney Aaron A. Hetherington. Special 1st Lt. David Kaiser told The Times in October that investigators had their suspect identified and interviewed him, but he requested an attorney. Police then needed to await lab analysis of DNA before charges could be issued. Authorities issued a warrant for Maher's arrest on Wednesday, May 18. Police arrested him at his Bay City home the same day. In October 2013, Maher pleaded guilty to one count of driving impaired, second offense, in exchange for prosecutors' dismissal of charges of driving on a suspended license and operating while intoxicated, second offense. He received a probation sentence, but pleaded guilty to violating it in November 2014. A bench warrant was issued for his arrest in March 2015 -- after the crash that killed LaForest -- and he was arraigned on a probation violation on April 28. A judge ordered him to pay his outstanding fines or serve 29 days in jail. Court records indicate he has paid $1,807 and still owes $45. Maher is held in the Bay County Jail on a $300,000 cash-surety bond. DETROIT, MI -- The Wayne County Medical Examiner's office confirmed the identity of a woman found dead with no clothes on Tuesday near Interstate 94 and Chandler Park in Detroit Tuesday. She is 29-year-old Kayla Kristine Yaroch, who died of multiple injures. The manner was ruled "accidental." Detroit police media relations personnel on Wednesday said they did not have any further details to release regarding what led to the woman's death. Detroit Police Capt. Mark Bliss told WDIV-TV, Channel 4, it appears Yaroch was hit or dragged by a car, and that some of her clothing was located near her body. Yaroch was discovered near Malcolm and Hern streets. She had open warrants for entering a vacant building, narcotics and prostitution charges at the time of her death, according to Wayne County 36th District Court records. Matty Moroun's Detroit International Bridge Company had its request to build a new bridge to Harsen's Island denied this week. Moroun owns the Ambassador Bridge connecting Detroit and Windsor, Ontario. He's been battling for years to build a second span alongside the first. And his bridge company also recently relaunched a bid to build another crossing that would connect Michigan's mainland to Harsen's Island. But the state Department of Environmental Quality issued a rejection letter June 20, citing a lack of public support, insufficient public or private need, potential negative impact on wetlands and natural habitat and the existence of a feasible alternative. The plan for a span crossing over the north channel of the St. Clair River also called for construction of 10 piers and the use of .35 acres of "river bottom-land," according to the DEQ. Proposed map of Harsens Island Bridge. Courtesy of Clay Township The DEQ rejected a similar effort in 2007. When the company resubmitted plans for a bridge, Clay Township Supervisor Artie Bryson in January said he'd been "inundated" with calls and emails from concerned residents. "As was the case during the review of the previous proposal in 2007, the majority of public comments that the DEQ received were opposed to the construction of a bridge that would connect the mainland to Harsens Island," the DEQ wrote to Dan Stamper of the Detroit International Bridge Company. "Many of the objecting comments state that the the existing ferry service was a sufficient means of travel to and from Harsens Island." MLive left a voicemail message for Stamper offering him an opportunity to comment. Currently there are only two ways to access Harsens Island: A personal watercraft, or the ferry, which is owned by Artie Bryson's brother, David Bryson. Moroun's company is currently pursuing another controversial bridge project in Detroit, where it hopes to build a second bridge parallel to the aging Ambassador Bridge. Moroun, who owns CenTra Inc., a family of trucking companies, is facing resistance from the Michigan and Canadian governments. Michigan's competing Gordie Howe International Bridge, expected to cost $2.1 billion, will also connect Detroit and Windsor and is expected to open in 2020. Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne declined to offer her opinion on Moroun's proposed bridge when she and Gov. Rick Snyder held a press conference in Detroit last week. 18666146-standard.jpg (MLive | File Photo) DETROIT -- While Kathryn Bigelow's film based on the 1967 Detroit Riots remains unnamed, it appears the crime drama has found one of its leads. The Hollywood Reporter reports John Boyega, of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," has been cast in the movie reportedly set to shoot in Detroit and Boston this summer. Bigelow last directed 2012's "Zero Dark Thirty," which was based on the decade-long hunt for Osama bin Laden. The movie was nominated for five Academy Awards. She was the first woman to win an Academy Award for Best Director for 2009's "The Hurt Locker." Boyega confirmed his involvement in a Tweet. "Details of the project are unknown, but the story is set against the backdrop of Detroit's devastating riots that took place over five summer days in 1967," the Hollywood Reporter reports, "with the film seeking to explore the systemic racism in the city. The roll call is described as an ensemble piece." Boyega, 24, is known for portraying Finn in the latest "Star Wars" installment. While the movie remains without a studio, its creative team is eyeing a 2017 release to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the Detroit riots, according to the report. Flash Chinese President Xi Jinping toured the Uzbek city of Bukhara, which he called a "shinning pearl on the ancient Silk Road" on Tuesday after arriving here for a state visit. Chinese President Xi Jinping (C,front) and his wife Peng Liyuan visit a carpet and silk workshop in the old city of Bukhara as accompanied by Uzbek Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyoev, in Bukhara, Uzbekistan, June 21, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua] Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, accompanied by Uzbek Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyoyev, took a detailed tour of the UNESCO World Heritage Site in central-southern Uzbekistan with great interest. The Historic Center of Bukhara, situated on the Silk Road, is more than 2,000 years old. It is one of the best examples of well preserved Islamic cities of Central Asia with an urban fabric that has remained largely intact. Standing on the Ark fortress of Bukhara, Mirziyoyev told Xi history of the city during its prime time on the Silk Road trade corridor. "The kids in the city were playing with golden coins, in stead of playing with stones like kids elsewhere," the prime minister said. Now a city culture museum, the Ark fortress, once residence of Bukhara's ancient rulers, hosts a series of antiques and relics including manual scripts of the Koran, art crafts, ancient coins and old weaponry that witnessed the stretching history of the city. Bukhara was long an important economic and cultural center in Central Asia and served as a major center of Islamic culture for many centuries. Xi and Peng then visited the Samanid Mausoleum and the Poi Kalyan ensemble, which consists of Kalyan Minaret, Kalyan Mosque and Miri Arab Madrasah. After asking detailed questions on the history and traditions of Bukhara, the Chinese president said the tour gave him more profound understanding of the deep-rooted historical connections between China and Uzbekistan. Hailing Bukhara as the "shinning pearl on the ancient Silk Road," Xi said the tour will help China and Uzbekistan carry forward the Silk Road spirit, boost the friendship between their two peoples, and jointly promote the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative. Bukhara was the first stop of Xi's state visit to the Central Asian country. The Chinese president then traveled to the Uzbek capital Tashkent, where he will hold talks with President Islam Karimov on bilateral relations and major international and regional issues. In Tashkent, Xi will also attend the 16th meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Council of Heads of State on June 23 and 24. Uzbekistan is the third and final stop of Xi's three-nation tour, which has taken him to Serbia and Poland. Anibal Sanchez Anibal Sanchez is rejoining the Detroit Tigers starting rotation after six relief appearances. (AP File Photo) DETROIT - Anibal Sanchez pitched well enough in six relief appearances to regain a spot in the Detroit Tigers starting rotation and Daniel Norris will be recalled from Triple A Toledo to join him, at least for one game. Manager Brad Ausmus said after Tuesday's 4-2 victory over Seattle that Sanchez, who was banished to the bullpen June 1, will start Saturday against the Cleveland Indians at Comerica Park. Norris will be called up to start Thursday's series finale against the Mariners in place of Matt Boyd, was sent to Toledo after getting shelled Saturday in a 16-5 loss at Kansas City. Ausmus said Mike Pelfrey's next start has been moved from Saturday to next Tuesday. That means rookie Michael Fulmer will miss a start next week. So what's the reasoning behind all the moves? Ausmus wouldn't go into it. But Fulmer, who is scheduled to start Wednesday vs. the Mariners, is getting skipped in the rotation next week to limit his innings and extend his time between starts. He's already pitched 59.1 innings this season and the Tigers don't want to take any chances with their prized rookie, who has a 7-2 record, 2.43 ERA and 1.180 WHIP. Norris is being recalled after going 4-6 with a 4.68 ERA, 1.509 WHIP and 63 strikeouts over 57.2 innings during 11 starts for Toledo. He's coming off his best start, a 2-0 victory over Rochester, when he allowed six hits and two walks while striking out eight in seven innings. "It wasn't just his start," Ausmus said. "He's pitched well lately. His last start was his best. There's a number of factors that go into it I don't want to discuss that right now." Sanchez has allowed two earned runs in 9.2 innings during his six relief appearances. He has a 1.86 ERA, 1.222 WHIP and six strikeouts since leaving the rotation. "He's pitched better," Ausmus said before again refusing to go into more detail. "I don't really, at this point, want to get into all the reasons we're taking this route. We can discuss it at a later date." General manager Al Aliva, however, did indicate the shakeup in the rotation was to give Fulmer a rest, saying "this is part of it, yes." -- Download the Detroit Tigers on MLive app for iPhone and Android. -- Follow MLive Sports on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. DETROIT - Mike Aviles hit the ball barely 50 feet in the eighth inning Tuesday night. But that was far enough for the Detroit Tigers. Aviles' dribbler down the first base line allowed pinch-runner Andrew Romine to race home from third and score the winning run in a 4-2 victory over the Seattle Mariners at Comerica Park. Aviles ended up beating the throw to first to load the bases and allow the Tigers to add an insurance run when Nick Castellanos scored on a sacrifice fly by James McCann. Bruce Rondon (1-0) got the victory after facing three batters in the eighth, when he relieved Justin Verlander. He walked one before getting out of the inning on a double play. Francisco Rodriguez pitched the ninth for his 20th save as the Tigers (36-35) won their second straight. THREE STARS Nick Castellanos -- The Tigers third baseman singled home Detroit's first run and his double in the eighth inning sent Victor Martinez to third with what turned out to be the winning run after Romine pinch ran. Justin Verlander -- Seeking his fourth win as many starts for the Tigers, Verlander pitched a gem before leaving after seven innings with the score tied 2-2. He allowed six hits, two earned runs, walked one and struck out five. Kyle Seager -- The Mariners third baseman homered for the second straight night, giving Seattle a 2-0 lead in the sixth when he sent a 3-2 pitch deep into the seats in right field. It was his 15th homer of the year. GAME NOTES * The Tigers pulled within 2-1 in the sixth, when Cameron Maybin led off with a single and scored on another single by Castellanos. * The Tigers tied it in the seventh when Jose Iglesias singled with two outs, moved to third on a wild pitch and came home on Ian Kinsler's single into the corner in right field. * Verlander got out of a jam in the third, when Ketel Marte led off with a double and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Norichika Aoki. But Verlander ended the inning by fanning Leonys Martin and Seth Smith, the latter after looking at an 80 mph curveball. * Justin Upton extended his hitting streak to 11 games when he singled up the middle in the second inning. That's his longest streak since he hit safely in 13 straight games in August 2013 while with the Braves. * After throwing a total of 46 pitches in the first four innings, Verlander needed 22 to get out of the fifth. * Marte entered the series batting .263. But he boosted his average to .282 after going 4-for-5 in Monday's 12-inning loss and then singling in his first two at-bats vs. Verlander. He grounded out to shortstop in his third at-bat before singling with two outs in the ninth. * According to an article by the Detroit Free Press' Anthony Fenech, Anibal Sanchez will return to the Tigers' starting rotation Saturday vs. Cleveland. Sanchez was sent to the bullpen three weeks ago after struggling as a starter. TWITTER TALK #Tigers Justin Verlander might be in the Cy Young mix by year's end, if he's not already. Never thought he'd win another one. Tony Paul (@TonyPaul1984) June 22, 2016 -- Download the Detroit Tigers on MLive app for iPhone and Android. -- Follow MLive Sports on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Rising trade and more foreign investment could be on the way, says the World Bank, but warns that careful steps are required to ensure they provide inclusive growth and reinforce rather than undermine the countrys peace process. On June 20, the World Bank presented its Diagnostic Trade Integration Study for Myanmar to government officials. Vice President U Myint Swe said the study was important, providing advice on what industries face hindrances, what kind of technology is needed and what policies need to be changed. The government is aiming for sustained growth of 7.7 percent a year, which would double the countrys GDP in about a decade, the World Bank said. This is not out of reach, but will require trade policy reforms and a focus on sustainability, poverty reduction and equal opportunities, according to the report. Although rising trade and an influx of foreign investment are targets, they can also aggravate existing disparities, the World Bank said. Faster growth is no guarantee of peace, and economic improvements that benefit only large natural-resource investors could corrode the countrys democratic transition, it said. There is little detail on how the government plans to bring in the ethnic armed groups that refused to sign the 2015 nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) under the previous administration. However, two powerful ethnic armed groups based in the Wa and Mongla autonomous zones have reportedly accepted invitations to participate in the peace process, according to a member of the government negotiating team. When it comes to rolling out trade and infrastructure projects in ceasefire areas, the World Bank advised the new government to make sure that its development strategy does not move ahead of the peace process. This could include only building trade-related infrastructure in ceasefire areas once the parties involved have agreed on a protocol for military and ethnic armed-group activity, which would comply with the NCA and bilateral ceasefire agreements. The government should also consider postponing trade-related activities and infrastructure development in areas close to conflict like Lashio-Muse, Lashio-Chinshwehaw and throughout Kachin State, the report said. Over the longer term, the government could promote labour-intensive economic activity in conflict areas, as well as address the acute need for investment in basic education, it added. Away from conflict areas there are other inequalities that an increase in trade could exacerbate, including in employment, skill levels, and wages between men and women, according to the World Bank. Inclusive growth is key, and the report suggests ways in which natural resources revenue could be better shared. A small export tax on jade would raise revenue without any offsetting economic loss because of Myanmars dominance of the world market, according to the report. The revenue could then be used with the advice of local communities to fund development programs, vocational training, poverty reduction and health programs. A report from NGO Global Witness published last year valued the countrys jade trade at US$31 billion for 2014, but said it was controlled by networks of military officials and their business allies. The World Bank has also suggested that the Secretariat for the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) could work with the Myanmar Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation to make clear the identity of key players in the mining industry, and how licences and concessions were allocated. The EITI a global standard for natural resource management with 51 countries signed up recently published its first Myanmar report. That document cast fresh light onto the huge proceeds from extractive industries that state-owned enterprises control. But the terms of the licences and contracts were not disclosed. And although the names of the legal owners of licences were published in many cases, they are often not who ultimately profits. On the issue of how to boost trade in the first place, the World Bank has laid out a limited set of policy priorities. The first is establishing lighthouses that showcase the positive impact of reforms on trade. These reforms would lower the costs to trade through steps such as automating customs procedures and lifting import restrictions on foreign firms. The second step is building institutional capacity in areas like data collection, risk management and the financial sector. The final step is addressing more complex reforms, like integrated logistics infrastructure. At the presentation in Nay Pyi Taw, U Than Myint, minister for commerce, said Myanmar faced a series of hurdles in raising trade, from a lack of infrastructure to weak policy coordination among government departments. And although the public has given the government its support, fulfilling the hopes it has placed in the new administration was also a challenge, he said. Officials from firms planning to launch their shares on the Yangon Stock Exchange have not been dissuaded by price fluctuations on the countrys new bourse, and are pushing on with the listing process. First Myanmar Investments (FMI) and Myanmar Thilawa SEZ Holdings (MTSH) are the only two firms listed on the exchange, and both have watched their share price fall back below the listing price since launching earlier this year. FMI launched its shares at K26,000 in March. The shares peaked at K41,000 that same month, but have spent much of June dipping below the listing price. MTSH started out at K50,000 in May and peaked at K70,000 that month. Those shares closed below the listing price for the first time on June 16, although they had recovered to K53,000 by yesterdays close. Officials at firms preparing to join FMI and MTSH appeared unconcerned. These are market fluctuations that depend on supply and demand, said U Myint Zaw, director of First Private Bank, when asked if the prices moves made him worried about his firms reception. First Private Bank has just finished its prospectus, which it will submit to regulators, and is discussing the listing with securities companies, he said. U Myint Win, managing director of Myanmar Citizens Bank, is hoping to see his firm list in July. When asked if the price fluctuations on the YSX were a cause for concern, U Myint Win simply said they were normal and declined to comment further. Myanmar Agribusiness Public Corporation (MAPCO) is eyeing August or September for its listing. U Thura, head of investor relations of MAPCO, said the firm was explaining to existing OTC share holders not to treat investment as gambling. Were also explaining our companys business and important information like debt-to-equity ratios, profitability and liquidity, he said. The YSX got a lot of attention in the early days, but trading has slowed and it seems like people follow the herd. They need more knowledge and experience. Financial industry officials have expressed concern that ordinary retail investors are poorly equipped to use this kind of data to analyse share prices. MAPCO managing director U Ye Min Aung said the countrys stock market needs institutional investors in order to become more efficient. U Zaw Lin Aung, director of Kanbawza Stirling Coleman Securities, said that most YSX investors were relying on market sentiment. They buy on greed and sell out on fear, he said, but added that eventually investors would learn that following the herd was not a sound tactic. When they gain appropriate knowledge and awareness the market will become more normal and efficient, he said. Concerns have also risen about the possibility of market manipulation, after the YSX issued a warning against such behaviour earlier this month. A series of large orders were placed for shares in Myanmar Thilawa SEZ Holdings (MTSH) and cancelled just minutes before the matching time. Manipulation made the market more lively and drew peoples attention to the YSX, said U Thaung Han, managing director of CB Securities. But it also prevented people from being to rely on long-term stability. From July 1, the government will begin offering online registration for the tourism industry. Hotels, tour companies, guides and tourist transportation businesses can obtain an e-licence, which the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism hopes will expedite approvals and encourage prospective entrants to the fast-growing industry. It will support applicants to get [a licence] faster and more easily within a short time, which is the main intention of e-government. We will try to issue tourism information cards for tourists as well, said U Thint Thwin, director general of the ministry. The tourism information cards would provide visitors with data about Myanmars tourism industry such as airline schedules, bus options and other modes of transportation, as well as a list of restaurants and other advice, he said. The ministry is still collecting data for the card. We are also negotiating with communications experts from MPT, Ooredoo, Telenor and Vietnams Viettel to provide the system electronically, he added. Currently, the hotels and tourism ministry issues four kinds of licences: A hotel licence costs between K200,000 (US$170) and K1.9 million, depending on the number of rooms; a tour company licence runs K400,000; a tour guide licence goes for K50,000; and a licence to provide transportation for tourists costs between K50,000 and K500,000 depending on the vehicle, according to information provided by the ministry. Licence holders must reapply every two years, said U Myo Win Nyunt, director of the ministry. Tour operators have reacted positively to the announcement of the e-licence scheme. The e-licence will reduce tax corruption and the application process will be more convenient and easy. It will increase the number of new tourism companies, U Aung Cho Win, director of the Marcopolo Travels & Tours company, told The Myanmar Times. In previous years, tourism entrepreneurs applying for permits have had to go to the ministrys offices in Yangon or Nay Pyi Taw, a costly and sometimes laborious hurdle, said U Zaw Win Cho, former chair of the Bagan Guide Association. If we can apply for a licence online, that will save time and money. Were happy about that, he said. Nationwide, as of May, the hotels and tourism ministry had issued 1351 licences for hotels, 2130 for tour companies, 6309 for tour guides and 536 for tourists transportation vehicles. Foreign arrivals to Myanmar have grown dramatically since the former junta ceded power in 2011. That year, the country clocked just 800,000 arrivals. Last year the number reached nearly 4.7 million, though some argue that many of those arrivals are not conventional tourists but rather businesspeople or Thais making only short trips across the two countries shared border. Amid continued lobbying from China to restart the controversial Myitsone dam, the development company behind the project released excerpts of the contract agreement over the weekend. In a Myanmar-language statement disseminated through Chinese state mouthpiece Xinhua, China Power Investment Corporation listed a series of alleged benefits for the local people, a bid to sway public opinion in favour of resuming the US$3.6 billion hydropower project. In 2011, then-president U Thein Sein angered the Chinese, but delighted local residents, by ordering the suspension of work on the dam in Kachin State, one of a number of large and controversial projects China is pursuing in Myanmar. Local residents have vehemently protested the project for fear that it will cause degradation to a confluence both historically and environmentally integral to Kachin. The state government earlier this month told the Chinese ambassador that the project wont be restarted unless the local people agree to back it, while State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has repeatedly said no decision can be made without reviewing the contract. The company appeared to be making an attempt to address both concerns with the Xinhua statement, which dealt with various issues, including transparency, legal compliance, details of profit-sharing and electricity-sharing, electricity sales, environmental impact, the impact of the proposed reservoir on communities downstream, social responsibility, resettlement, social impact, safety, and social welfare. The statement also threatened legal action against local protesters and unnamed news sources for allegedly defaming the hydropower project. As for spreading rumours, making false charges and defaming in defiance of the facts, which is being done by a small number of media outlets and organisations, the company will safeguard its legitimate rights and interests by legal means, and we are expecting that the public and media are able to distinguish between truth and falsehood, the statement said. The Kachin State-based organisation Mungchying Rawt Jat (MRJ), which has objected to the dam, denounced the company statement as meaningless. MRJ member Daw Ja Hkaung said the organisations opposition did not constitute defamation. Everybody knows its a bad project. They know the disadvantages. This is not defamation, she said. In 2009, Myanmar and China concluded a hydropower cooperation framework agreement, in which both parties supported the CPIs investment and development. The Myanmar government, CPI Yunnan International Power Investment Company (CPIYN) and Asia World Company entered into a joint venture agreement to develop the dam. CPI also said that then-prime minister General Soe Win had been the one to invite them in 2006 to invest in Myanmars development by building the dam. During the negotiation process, more than 10 [Myanmar] ministries participated in the negotiations and reviews, said the companys statement. It went on to say that according to the details in the contract, During the project construction and concession operation period, the Myanmar government will obtain a direct economic benefit of US$54 billion by means of taxes, free power and share dividends, while the investor will obtain about $35 billion. The contract further specifies that the electricity ministry will benefit from project development by holding 15 percent of the shares, CPI said. Much of the controversy over the project, and the public resistance to it, stems from the fact that 90pc of the electricity generated would be transmitted to China. However, one environmental conservation organisation said the money was no substitute for the preservation of the Ayeyarwady River. Daw Dewi Thant Sin of Myanmar Green Network said, The Chinese have resumed their pressure on the government. But local residents already objected when the Chinese ambassador visited, she said. On June 3, Chinese ambassador Hong Liang was greeted by protesters in the Kachin capital, Myitkyina. Activists say the proposed reservoir could affect water quality downstream, cause sea water intrusion at the estuary and even increase earthquake risk in a geologically unstable zone. Tian Shanting, cultural counsellor with the Chinese embassy, told The Myanmar Times that the Myitsone dam would be able to resist natural disasters, a claim challenged by local geologists, as well as relieve water scarcity during the dry season. U Thein Sein suspended the project after CPI relocated thousands of villagers beyond the 766 square kilometres to be inundated. But conflict between ethnic Kachin and the military was reportedly exacerbated in 2010 after work began on the project, and clashes in 2011 ended a nearly two-decade ceasefire agreement. Environmentalists are also demanding the release of the full details of the Myitsone agreement, and not just excerpts. U Zaw Htay, a spokesperson for the Presidents Office, said no decision had been taken on the release of the documents, and that consideration was still continuing. The National League for Democracy government is coming under heavy pressure from both sides as it mulls a decision on whether or not to resume the project. While Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has argued that it suffers from a lack of planning, she has more recently hedged on questions about the hydropower dam project. After her April meeting with the Chinese foreign minister she told reporters she had not yet read the contract, and so could not say anything definitively. A University student was shot dead by a government soldier during a quarrel in Myitkyina, Kachin State, on the evening of June 20. Nineteen-year-old Maung Gum Seng Aung, a first-year student at the citys Computer University, died on the spot, according to an official from the Myitkyina Police Force. Police Colonel Myo Thura Naung said that the incident began when two young couples on motorbikes asked for help from two government soldiers who were guarding Bala Min Htin Bridge in Myitkyina. The couples said they sought protection from eight locals who had been bullying them. The group of eight attacked the two soldiers before the shooting occurred, Pol Col Myo Thura Naung said. According to police records, during the melee Maung Gum Seng Aung tried to grab a firearm out of the hands of one of the soldiers, Ko Maung Maung, who then opened fire. Maung Gum Seng Aung was struck by a bullet in the left collarbone and died at the scene. Pol Col Myo Thura Naung declined to provide additional details or specify how many shots had been fired because he had not yet seen the autopsy report. Ko Salai, a reporter for Myitkyina Journal, said that yesterday a group of students and friends carried Maung Gum Seng Aungs body on their shoulders from the mortuary to his house. Many of them carried signs and shouted slogans calling for justice. I heard that other people who were involved in the case have disappeared, Ko Salai said. Police said they have questioned the two soldiers from Hta Pa Ya 727 Army Battalion, and are still investigating. U Zaw Myat, a pastor who lives in the same house as Maung Gum Seng Aung, said the victim was polite and had good manners. I would like to ask the police for justice in this case. Maung Gum Seng Aungs parents should know what really happened to their son. Two bilateral agreements are anticipated to be on the table when State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi visits Thailand later this week. According to the Thai foreign ministry, one memorandum of understanding concerns migrant workers while the other addresses a border crossing agreement. The discussions will mainly focus on the issues of mutual interest in particular, labour cooperation, development cooperation and connectivity, said the foreign ministrys June 20 statement. On the first day of her visit, June 23, the state counsellor, who also serves as foreign minister, will meet with migrant workers in Mahachai, a southern seaside town densely populated by Myanmar migrant workers. Civil society groups in Thailand said they are preparing to hold a question-and-answer session with her. Plans are also in the works for her to visit some of the tens of thousands of Myanmar refugees residing in camps along the Thai border. Sai San Myint, a member of a Chiang Mai-based social welfare association for Myanmar nationals in Thailand, said he was hopeful that the state counsellors visit would lead to guarantees of greater protections for her citizens living in the kingdom, which some estimates put at upward of 3 million. According to the Bangkok Post, the MoU on migrant workers will include a provision on reducing the work break period from three years to 30 days. Under the current arrangement, registered Myanmar migrant workers must return to their home country after four years of work in Thailand, and then have to spend three years in Myanmar before they can work again in Thailand. The lengthy duration of the break has been said to discourage migrant workers from returning to Myanmar, leading many to instead become illegal immigrants. In February, after officials from the two countries met, Thailand began re-issuing temporary pink cards to undocumented migrant workers and those whose passports and work visas were sent to expire. The pink cards validity was extended for two years with another possible two-year renewal, giving applicants time to obtain more permanent legal documents from their country of origin. Migrant rights groups have long criticised the capricious documentation arrangements between the two countries, with workers facing an ever-changing array of documents, requirements and registration periods. They have said the pink cards leave workers vulnerable to arbitrary deportation, arrest or extortion by police. The Bangkok Post also reported that part of the MoU to be signed will seek to set up a panel to control costs involved in the migrant worker scheme, such as registration fees and related expenses, which can prove prohibitively high for the labourers, some of whom opt to forgo legal channels to employment. Though optimistic about the outcomes of Daw Aung San Suu Kyis trip, Thailand-based rights groups emphasised that any deals reached offer concrete benefits to workers on the ground. We have seen so many migrant workers arrested as scapegoats by Thailand authorities. Myanmar migrant workers have been shouldering burdens and injustices for many years in Thailand. An end to this dire situation should begin with her visit, said U Kyaw Thaung, the director of the Myanmar Association in Thailand. He suggested that the state counsellor push to remove overseas job agencies from the migrant worker equation, given the reputation many have earned as exploitative, with some described as human trafficking syndicates. The MoU should be a government-to-government deal in carrying out the plans, and brokers and agencies on both sides should be strictly prohibited if we want to see migrant workers not being trafficked by those profit-seekers, U Kyaw Thaung said. Also likely to hang over discussions this week is the case of two migrant workers found guilty by a Thai court last year of a double murder on the island of Koh Tao. During her visit, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will meet legal aids to the case of Ko Zaw Linn and Ko Wai Phyo, the two workers appealing a death penalty verdict but whom many in Myanmar believe were scapegoated. U Aung Myo Thant, a lawyer helping with the case, said those involved in the legal defence intended to discuss the matter when they meet with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. The case is not on the agenda, but when she meets with Myanmar diplomatic officials and their families, we will bring up the case, he said of the two mens convictions in a high-profile trial that was dogged by accusations of malfeasance by Thai law enforcement. Labour officials have asked the International Labour Organisation to set up a full country office in Myanmar. At the 105th International Labour Conference held in Geneva from May 30 to June 10, the Confederation of Trade Unions of Myanmar and the labour ministry made the request, together with employee representatives, said U Maung Maung, chair of the CTUM. Currently, ILO runs a liaison office in Myanmar, but U Maung Maung said the current operations are not sufficient to deal with labour issues as the country tries to address forced and child labour. He added that full ILO country offices had helped bolster labour rights in the manufacturing sectors of Thailand and the Philippines. This year, I, the minister for labour and an employee representative together asked for the opening of an ILO country office in Myanmar. I think it will happen next year, he said at a press event at the Myanmar Seamens Federation on June 17. Out of about 21 million workers in Myanmar, only some 300,000 are members of labour unions and an ILO office could help to establish more unions, he said. Our country is now opening up and we have more rights to organise labour unions, but it is not yet enough. An ILO office can help with that, the CTUM chair said. ILO did not return a request for comment, but U Myo Aung, permanent secretary for the Ministry of Labour who also attended the meeting in Switzerland, said that they had accepted the proposal and would consider it. Myanmar has changed to a democratic country. So, we shouldnt have just a liaison office and we asked for a country office instead, he said. Nearly 600 workers marched on Paleik in Singaing township yesterday, demanding the state reconsider an agreement that transferred a state-owned factory to the private sector. Workers from Mandalay Regions Panda textile and garment factory, who have been staging sit-in protests since June 3, say the new company is not holding up its end of the bargain on issues of worker accommodations, wages, and days off. After the factory moved to the private sector, the lives of our former civil servants have gotten worse in every way, said Ma Zar Chi Win, the leader of workers. The company is breaching the contract in many ways. We have to protest to get back our contracts. We are demanding the current government correct the errors of the previous government. The factory was formerly run by the Ministry of Industry as No 2 Textile and Garment Factory. Panda took it over under a 30-year lease, with an agreement to keep employing former civil servants after the privatisation. Workers claim Panda is breaching the employment contract over issues relating to days off and theyre calling on the Ministry of Industry to uphold lifetime contracts for all the former public workers. Mandalay Regions Department of Labour is suing the factory. The trial is scheduled to start on June 23, Ma Zar Chi Win said. We will keep on demanding that the company honour the employment contract signed when the factory was privatised, she said. Translation by Thiri Min Htun An international rule of law NGO has recommended more than a dozen concrete steps for the government to reform its ailing courts and revamp the rule of law. The 14-point agenda was published by the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) on June 20 amid hopes that the National League for Democracy-led government will restore independence to its judicial system. Decades of authoritarian rule weakened Myanmars judiciary and compromised the independence of its legal system. The World Justice Project rated Myanmar 91 out of 102 countries in its annual Rule of Law Index last year. To start amending the corruption-rife sector, ICJ said independent judges and lawyers, reforming the Union Attorney Generals Office, and improving land and investment laws all need to be high on the priority list. ICJs international legal adviser for Myanmar, Vani Sathisan, told The Myanmar Times that it is high time for the government to impose stringent policies in line with international standards to ensure there is zero interference in judicial decisions. She said it is also vital for the government to commit resources to improve the legal education system. The new government must not repeat the old regimes mistakes, she added. While Myanmar once had a legal system admired throughout the region, it languished under military rule. Legal studies steadily declined after the government responded to the 1988 student-led uprising by shuttering the University of Yangon, which included the countrys premier law school. Even after it re-opened, no lawyers were trained there until 2014. Other recommendations from ICJ include boosting human rights by developing a nondiscriminatory citizenship plan. According to Ms Sathisan, if the government wants to fulfill its human rights obligations, it will improve its treatment of Muslim Rohingya who live in deplorable conditions in camps, as well as in isolated communities throughout Rakhine State. She slammed the previous government for failing to arrest or prosecute those responsible for violence against the Rohingya. The current government has a moral and political obligation to stop the systematic, wide-ranging discriminatory violence, she said. She also urged the present government to repeal the 1982 Citizenship Law or amend it according to recommendations from the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar and grant the Rohingya full citizenship and accompanying rights. The NLD has a tremendous opportunity and obligation to reverse years of official rejection and neglect, Sam Zarifi, ICJs Asia director, said in a press release. Myanmars severe human rights problems cant be solved immediately, or even for years to come, but its crucial for the new government to announce its strategy and show its commitment to improving the lives and livelihoods of all people in Myanmar. The visit this week by Nobel Peace Prize laureate and democracy icon Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will certainly brighten the spirits of the sombre Thai people and could also lift the profile of the Thai junta and Myanmars top leader. Yet we shouldnt romanticise too much about The Lady and her capacity as the political realities in Myanmar and Thailand remain daunting. Besides, she is no longer a secular saint but a fully fledged politician. Daw Aung San Suu Kyis three-day visit will include a stop in Mahachai, the seafood hub where she made a rousing speech to thousands of Myanmar labourers four years ago on one of her first trips abroad after years of house arrest. At least 3 million Myanmar migrants work in Thailand, both legally and illegally. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi would like to see many of them return home and contribute to her countrys economy to the dismay of Thai employers who rely heavily on the workforce from next door. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is expected to thank Thailand for embracing the migrants and to remind the government to take care of their welfare, wages and human rights. She needs to let them know she cares, since they played a significant role in persuading relatives back home to vote for change and install the National League for Democracy government last November. Thai democracy lovers and the Myanmar exile community are also curious about what Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will say about human rights in general. Having spoken out for years in support of students, politicians, ethnic groups and others persecuted by the Myanmar military, will she have a good word for those opposing the military strongmen running Thailand? Expect a few vague words of consolation to Thai people about working toward full democracy. Also on her agenda are better border regulation to tackle illicit drugs and human trafficking, and cooperation to develop economic zones in border areas. Thailand has prepared an amendment to a 2003 labour agreement that specified only employment, to include rule of law and other protection aspects. The changes should make recruitment faster and more transparent for employers and more convenient and affordable for Myanmar migrant workers. More effort is also expected to breathe life into the Dawei megaproject. Myanmar wants Japan to invest more in infrastructure there, but Japan wants to see its Thilawa port near Yangon up and running first even though Dawei will substantially benefit Japanese investment in Thailand and the region. Progress on Dawei could be linked to a solution to the long-running refugee problem. However, this can only materialise if the Myanmar government and armed ethnic groups as well as the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) are part of the solution. It would be a noble gesture for the leaders of the two countries to propose a pilot project for the voluntary return of refugees to Dawei, where they could contribute to, and benefit from, economic development. The roads to Dawei are the stronghold of the Karen National Union. If a political solution is found, some returnees from camps in Ratchaburi and Kanchanburi could be assisted to return to Myitta in Tanintharyi Region, 70 kilometres (43 miles) from the Thai border. But the KNU says any return must be accorded with safety and dignity, which includes the clearing of landmines among other conditions. Its a complicated problem as the refugees have been away from their homes for two or three decades and a lot has changed. Activists say as many as 3000 villages have been destroyed or abandoned due to the actions of armed groups and the Myanmar military. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has so far been vague about ethnic issues. She has announced a new round of peace talks but the ethnic groups feel she has given too many concessions to the military, whose goodwill she needs to maintain. So as a pragmatic politician Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will also avoid discussing issues unpopular among domestic constituents, such as the fate of the long-persecuted Rohingya, with Thailand. The Thai side probably wasnt going to mention it anyway. Also expect silence on Thanlwin River dam projects, in which both Thai and Chinese players are involved, and which ethnic groups oppose. Continuing such projects at a time of peace-building would be an opportunistic and exploitative act, they have said. In short, the political realities on both sides suggest that in the end, the meeting with The Lady could be just one more photo opportunity for Thailands premier to add to his collection. Bangkok Post Achara Ashayagachat is a senior reporter on socio-political issues for the Bangkok Post. Vera hitmaker, D-Black born Desmond Blackmore, has bemoaned the significant dip in music sales due to the role of the internet. He made this known to TV host, Nii Kpakpo Thompson on Viasat 1. Music doesnt sell anymore because we are in a digital age, everybody can download on their phones, he noted with concern. D-Black is not the only Ghanaian musician to lament the declining performance of music sales. Hiplife act, Itz Tiffany, made similar observations on Drive Time on Joy FM only weeks ago. She mentioned that only a handful of artists will end up on big shows, and as the country still does not have a tidy royalty system for the creative arts, it makes it hard for musicians to make adequate returns. Indeed, this predicament is not limited to local artists as the world over, musicians are complaining about poor album sales due to the internet revolution. Meanwhile, D-Black also revealed to Mr Thompson that his new album will be out this July; I feel like its time to put out a new body of work. In July, I will put out a new album. Its a 20 track album and there are lots of features The multiple-award-winning hip-hop act, as well as head of music, labels Black Avenue Music, which is also home to talented producer DJ Breezy. President John Dramani Mahama says starting July 1, 2016, Ghanaians will heave a sigh of relief when the current electricity tariff is adjusted. He asked Ghanaians to exercise some patience saying Because the electricity bill is done on monthly cycles, they have to start on the first of the month with a new billing cycle. President Mahama disclosed this to scores of party faithful when he visited Madina, a suburb of Accra as part of his Accounting to the people tour of the Greater Accra Region. He had to cut the tour short following the death of his mother on June 14, but had to resume it Tuesday, June 21. Mahamas promise came barely an hour after residents of Nungua, Teshie and La hit the street demonstrating over what they described as Killer Mahama tariffs. They claim their electricity bills are more expensive than their rent. Ghanaians are very cross with current tariff regime which they say is contributing to the general hardship in the country. Speaking to the crowd, the President stated the government is not insensitive to the plight of Ghanaians, especially what is going on about the brouhaha of electricity adding We will do our best to give them some relief. He blamed the increment in the electricity tariffs to the low level of the water in the hydro dams, noting hydro is the cheapest source of power, and now all the power we are producing is either with gas or crude oil, and these are more expensive than hydro. He averred government will re-adjust the tariffs after it has put in place a cheaper hydro power to reflect the cheaper power. On the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), the President said he has given the management of the company the opportunity to implement their own solutions to change the current billing regime. Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Austin Brako-Powers | Email: [email protected] The governing National Democratic Congress has directed all of its candidates [Presidential and Parliamentary] not to participate in any debate organized by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) ahead of the November polls. A statement signed by the partys General Secretary, Johnson Aseidu Nketiah stated that the decision was taken by the NDCs Funcational Executive Committee. The National Democratic Congress (NDC), has, at its Functional Executive Committee (FEC), Meeting on Tuesday, June 21, 2016, decided not to participate in any debate to be organized by the Institute Of Economic Affairs (IEA), as far as it is related to the 2016 General Election, the statement added. Asiedu Nketia also charged all NDC party structures to comply with the directive. The NDC have not been happy with the IEA's decision to hold a separate debate for flagbearers for the two leading political parties, NPP and NDC as well as what they term as IEAs lack of consultation ahead of its debates. The IEA had earlier said the NDC's non- participation will not affect their plans in any way, however, Executive Director at the institute, Jean Mensah while speaking to journalists in Accra after PNC's Dr. Edward Mahama took his turn at the Evening Encounter Series on Tuesday, said the platform is still open to all candidates. We would like to take the opportunity to invite all the presidential candidates. I think this is an independent credible platform and the nation and the electorates are eager to hear from all the presidential candidates and we would like to encourage all of them to mount this platform to present their vision on this independent and credible platform, to answer questions from a broad section of the electorates. We hope that in the coming weeks we will hear from all of them, she added. By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana Follow @AlloteyGodwin The Flagbearer of the People's National Convention (PNC), Dr. Edward Mahama, has said although he loves homosexuals and will not discriminate against them as a Christian, as a medical practitioner, he considers their act unhealthy. Dr. Edward Mahama, who took his turn on Tuesday at the Institute of Economic Affairs' (IEA) Evening Encounter, made the comment in response to a question on what he makes of Ghana's back and forth argument on homosexuality. Apostle Samuel Yaw Antwi, General Secretary for the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council, specifically asked Dr. Mahama about his take on the rights of homosexuals in the country. As a Christian I think homosexuality is condemned by the Bible, but I think also as a Christian, Christ said we should love our neighbour as we love ourselves so I love them. I may disagree with them and their lifestyle. I have a very close friend whose son was a homosexual and I always looked at him and loved him inside me but the fact that he was doing the wrong thing for himself. As you know being a pastor, Paul says that when we commit sexual sin is against our own body first. There are scientific basis which others may disagree with. So basically it is not a very healthy sexual practice. And I tell lesbians and gays who come to me that it is not a very healthy sexual practice. If you enjoy it, do it, but you are taking the risk. What I am saying is that, it's their right to do what they like with their body but I don't endorse it and I think it's wrong which is why I educate them. And that's all I can do because I am not going to think for somebody. Dr. Edward Nasigri Mahama at the IEA Evening Encounter Series. I'll be responsible if elected Edward Mahama Dr. Mahama, who spoke on several issues ranging from education, health, economy unemployment and corruption among others, said the PNDC remains the best alternative to turn around the fortunes of the country. He explained that his desire to become President is borne out of his ability to take personal responsibility for his actions and contempt for wrongdoing in Ghana. Dr. Mahama bemoaned the extent to which Ghana's weak systems have failed to address the canker of corruption, explaining that, unlike other countries where some Presidents had to step down for being involved in one corrupt practice or the other, the situation is totally different in Ghana. We have a system where those who loot are held in high esteem. A former Prime Minister of Latvia resigned when the roof of a Supermarket collapsed, killing 54 people. He said he took political and moral responsibility for the disaster. In Germany, Christian Wulff resigned from high office of President in 2009, put on trial for corruption because his friend was alleged to have paid for his hotel room and his food valued at 700 euros. In the United States of America, President Nixon stepped aside from high office of US President after the Watergate scandal. It is this kind of taking personal responsibility and abhorring wrongdoing that I am offering myself as President of Ghana, Edward Mahama explained. Ghana can rise again Mr. Mahama was however quick to add that, the PNC is devising a detailed manifesto which contains solutions that will address corruption and ensure growth and sustainable development of the country. He stated that, the country can rise again if Ghanaians will make a decision to go for the PNC in the November polls. Working together, Ghana can rise again. Let's go for the PNC. We have a unique and inspiring preposition to transform the fortunes of this country. The new beginnings, the new deal, the new force. By: Ebenezer Afanyi Dadzie/citifmonline.com/Ghana Follow @AfanyiDadzie Nairobi (AFP) - On a wet Thursday night in early May, a well-known businessman and government critic was found dead in his armoured blue Mercedes by a busy road on the outskirts of Nairobi, five bullet holes in his chest, neck and arm. Kenya's long history of state violence meant the murder of Jacob Juma, who was in his mid-forties, was quickly viewed as a political assassination. His death dominated the country's newspapers as amateur sleuths picked holes in the police narrative of a business deal gone wrong, and opposition politicians cried foul. It was a tricky case, the country's senior detective Muhoro Ndegwa told journalists, with no witnesses and no weapon. He promised his team would do their best, but in the six weeks since his death no arrests have been made. The arc of Juma's life was unusual at first, and then unique: Kenya's pervasive tribal patronage helped a poor but smart rural kid make the political connections necessary to get rich on ill-gotten government contracts. But after he was cut out of a potentially lucrative mining deal he became a relentless anti-corruption activist and government critic leading many to see politics behind his death. Juma was "a scoundrel that bitterness turned into an asset for those fighting corruption," says John Githongo, a renowned anti-corruption campaigner. "He became a fount of confidential treasury documents, information, history and gossip," he says. Elections trigger spikes in corruption and the country is already getting set for next year's vote: there are regular, sometimes deadly, street protests against an election commission the opposition says is biased; MPs on both sides have been investigated for hate speech and inciting violence; and graft is accelerating as politicians seek to fund either their campaigns or their retirements. Juma's murder is being seen as the curtain raiser to a potentially violent election season. Diplomats are already muttering about "a repeat of 2007" when more than 1,100 people died in election-related tribal violence. - Rags to riches, ally to enemy - Juma won a place at a Nairobi polytechnic in 1989 and quickly impressed businessman and politician Cyrus Jirongo, who hails from the same part of the country and became his patron. "You could tell this was somebody who was going to get somewhere," recalls Jirongo. "He was very poorly dressed but he had a lot of confidence. That confidence alone would make you think that, surely, he was worth your money." Jirongo housed Juma with his nieces and nephews, paid Juma's college fees and introduced him to the twinned worlds of politics and business. Juma made friends with allies and relatives of then-president Daniel Arap Moi (on whose 1992 election campaign Jirongo worked) and founded his business empire on those first government contracts, re-surfacing rural dirt roads. He grew into his wealth, adopting the flashy style of the newly rich with designer suits, smart cars, gaudy property and sparkly watches. Jirongo approved: "Above all, he wanted the world to know he had succeeded, he'd beaten the poverty he'd come from." During this time Juma got to know William Ruto, a fellow hustler but one with big political ambitions. Accusations that he orchestrated violence in the wake of the 2007 election, and subsequent crimes against humanity charges at the International Criminal Court, did not derail Ruto's career and in 2013 he became deputy president. Juma wasn't a supporter but, friends say, believed his relationship might help him secure control of the Mrima Hill niobium and rare earth mine in Kwale on Kenya's coast. Instead his licence was cancelled. "He refused to cut government figures in on the deal," says one close friend. "That mining deal was the turning point." Juma was left bitter, angry and dangerous. "After that he dedicated himself to doing nothing else but exposing the regime," says the friend. - 'This was a hit squad' - Juma played a central role in revealing at least two major corruption scandals, including one in which the government has been unable to explain how it spent $2.75 billion (2.6 billion euros) raised through a 2014 Eurobond issue. He took his combative persona to Twitter - once using the social media site to accuse Ruto of ordering his death - and feeling corruption had done him out of his biggest-ever business deal, it was corruption he focused on. Githongo and others regard the current government as perhaps the most corrupt in Kenya's history. Foreign businessmen routinely complain that a 30 percent skimming off the top of contracts has become standard. One foreign executive described the increasing corruption and extortion ahead of next year's election as a "smash and grab" while a prominent Kenyan businessman described it as "a shakedown". "It is very difficult to do business with the Kenya government if you are not willing to pay right from the top to the bottom," says Jirongo. Allies of Juma have openly accused the state of his murder. "The inspector-general (of police) knows who killed Jacob Juma. This was a hit squad and it is known," opposition leader Raila Odinga said at a memorial service in Nairobi. Ruto denies involvement and has threatened legal action against those who repeat allegations that he was behind the killing. For Juma's wealthy and influential friends in Kenya's business community, aggrieved at the levels of corruption and eager for an end to a government they feel has betrayed them, his death is a message. "It's a warning to all of us: You stay in the corner we give you or we will deal with you, ruthlessly." There is no doubt that the advent of Information Communication Technology (ICT) has accelerated the transformation and development of the world. Ghana, realising the potential of ICT as a tool and enabler for development started the process of developing an ICT policy in 1998. However, the policy, ICT for Accelerated Development (ICT4AD) was finally adopted around 2003.This policy gave birth to some important agencies which will act as active drivers of the ICT agenda. Flowing out of this a few years later, the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications (GIFEC), was established with themandate of providing Universal Access to Electronic Communications to promote social and economic development. It was originally set up as Ghana Investment Fund for Telecommunications (GIFTEL). Last two weeks, GIFEC celebrate 10 years of its existence under the theme: Ten Years of making Electronic Communications Accessible to the Nation. A number of activities were put together to commemorate the landmark occasion. One of the activities which GIFEC undertook during the celebration and which caught my attention was an eye screening exercise for commercial drivers. I was personally interested in this eye test because in my last two articles which focused on trotro drivers, I wrote about the mystery around the commercial drivers apparent immunity to eye problems. My take on that issue was that it was strange that whilst a lot of private drivers wore glasses, it was very rare to see commercial drivers in glasses. GIFECs exercise proved my assumptions right I am reliably informed thatthe Eye Test for commercial drivers revealed that many of them had eye problems indeed it was worse than they thought. This issue has to be taken very seriously. Isnt it strange that commercial drivers (both trotro and tax) in Ghana hardly wear glasses?Could some of the accidents on our roads be attributed to poor vision of the drivers? Having been associated with the telecom sector for several years, I know that legally, Telcos are mandated to contribute one percent of their annual revenue into GIFECs fund for their operations. The contributions of the Telcosremains a key source of funding for GIFEC. I believe there are other sources which I am not aware of. As GIFEC celebrates10 yearsof its existence, it is important to recount some of their achievements. GIFECs activitiesare quiet many but I will highlight only a few which they undertake to promote Universal Access to Communications Programme. Some of the initiatives include Cyber Laboratory Programmes; Universal Access to Telephony; ICT for Livelihood; ICT Education, Awareness & Content and Broadcasting. According to GIFEC they have set up Cyber Laboratory Programmes to support full-service broadband connectivity, services and facilities to designated unserved and underserved communities. Under these are Institutional Support initiatives through which GIFEC provides computers and accessories with full functionality as well as internet connectivity (broadband) services. Some of the beneficiaries are: Passport Office, Midwifery and Nursing Council, NADMO, NCCE, National House of Chiefs and EOCO. I hope that these interventions by GIFEC have improved the operations of the recipient institutions. Providing support to an institution is good, using it appropriately would make things better and I hope the institutions are getting better with these interventions. The Community Information Center is another means by which GIFEC provides computers, accessories and financial support to communities. The CIC concept is a hybrid profit-making tele centre and non-profit community resource centre established to provide business services and community development information to remote communities. Out of 173 CICs built so far, 136 have been equipped with the support of GIFEC. Again, we need to see the impact these interventions are making. ICTs are to empower people and make them more efficient. Among the activities initiated by GIFEC, I am very excited about the Schools Connectivity Programme because of the opportunity it provides to the youth. This programme involves the provision of high speed computers, scanners, printers, projectors and servers to educational institutions. It is therefore refreshing to note that GIFEC has done so much in this sector. Available statistics shows that 82 Nursing Training Schools; 24 Community Development Institutions; 3 OIC Institutions; 9 Farming Institutions; 26 Technical Institutions; 37 National Vocational Training Institutes; 38 Colleges of Education; 13 Schools for the Deaf and 20 Integrated Community Centre for Employable Skills (ICCES) have received support from GIFEC. GIFEC says it has distributed 20,000 Laptops to 200 Junior Secondary schools.These interventions are remarkable.Again,we have to think beyond the provision of computers to the provision of employable skills, development of creative abilities and the application of the knowledge they are receiving. We need the youth to take giant steps in the development of businesses in the ICT sector. I also got to learn through my research that key security institutions such as the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana Army, Ghana Fire Service, Ghana Immigrations Service and Ghana Prisons Service have all benefited from the GIFEC. Again, I was touched to see Prisonsinmates using computers to learn. I know quite a number of organisations who have provided computers to prisons including the MTN Ghana Foundation. One of the core mandates of GIFEC is to provide internet point of presence and basic telephony services to bridge the digital gap between the served, underserved and unserved communities in Ghana. According to GIFEC, it has built 51 telephony sites and 300 points of presence. It also intends to distribute about 2,000 mobile phones this year in a bid to provide data enabled handsets to communities to help them access voice and data services. Another initiative taken by GIFEC which I find commendable is the establishment of The National Emergency Call Centre. I think the center has been under promoted and we need GIFEC to take steps to educate people about the benefits of the center. In as much as we celebrate GIFEC, we still need to find out what the real impact of all these interventions are. For example, how have the provision of computers helped schools, students and institutions like the Passport office. Secondly we also need to know if GIFEC has made the best use of the resources they have been given. I hope there is regular monitoring and evaluation of the projects. I have heard people criticise GIFEC for not doing enough with regards to the Rural Telephony Project. Recently, I heard a popular radio morning show host bashing Telcos for not providing access to some communities in remote areas. What they had failed to do was to ask how GIFEC can assist in this regard. Some of the Telcos have a strong presence in the rural areas. However they can reach more places at a faster pace if GIFEC also provides the needed resources to help them connect the underserved communities. I do not intend to take anything away from the numerous successes GIFEC has recorded; there is evidence that they are supporting a lot of institutions. If I were the Administrator of the Ghana Investment Fund for Electronic Communications, I will be encouraged by what has been achieved but the excitement will drive me to find more innovative and efficient ways of delivering of providing Universal Access to Basic Telephony to the unserved and underserved communities in the country. Mr. Norbert Akolbila, Founder and Executive Director of Movement for Natural Regeneration (MONAR), a Bolgatanga-based environmental NGO has called on the government to adopt, as a matter of policy, Farmer-managed natural regeneration (FMNR) as a cost-effective and people-centredapproach to combating the threat of desertification in the country. He said it has become clear that the conventional measures of controlling environmental degradation, such as planting of nursed tree seedlings have failed to address the problem comprehensively, particularly in the three northern regions where the scarcity of water during prolonged dry seasons has often resulted in the failure of tree planting projects. On the other hand FMNR has been highly successful as a less expensive land rehabilitation approach because it is locally-led and implemented, and easy to adopt because it uses local skills and resources. FMNR thus come in handy to complement the tree planting effort with is its attendant challenges he said. This was contained in a commemorative message MONAR issued in Bolgatanga to mark World Day to Combat Desertification (WDCD). Mr. Akolbila said it was long overdue for the government and development partners to start re-thinking on drought and desertification control strategies in view of current climate change realities, by embracing feasible agro-forestry techniques such as FMNR, which is sensitive to the livelihood needs and priorities of local communities. He noted that it was for this reason that MONAR identifies itself with the theme for this years World Day to Combat desertification, which is Inclusive cooperation for achieving Land Degradation Neutrality. The MONAR Director said the theme for the event was appropriate and timely because of the importance of inclusive cooperation among government, development partners and local communities in efforts to combat desertification as one of the greatest environmental threats of our times. We at MONAR are happy that the global community has realised the importance of inclusiveness in efforts to tackle the complex problem of land degradation and desertification, which has become a major food security threat worldwide. From experience, MONAR has long realised that the best way to tackle environmental degradation is to work from the bottom-up by rallying the support of community stakeholders in re-greening initiatives. Our approach in teaching tree and land regeneration techniques to communities is to get inclusive community participation and buy-in of the local people regarding the practical benefits of tree regeneration from the onset. The more community people are informed about and involved in the regeneration and land restoration process, the more likely that the initiatives will succeed. Without community involvement, an FMNR or any land management project may never take-off the ground or risked being short-lived , the FMNR expert stressed. Mr. Akolbila, formerly of World Vision Ghana, learned about this innovative agro-forestry technique when he worked with FMNR pioneer Tony Rinaudo of World Vision Australia to introduce the practice in the Talensi District of the Upper East Region in 2009. If FMNR has been used successfully to restore highly degraded communal and farmlands that were considered unproductive in the Talensi area, why not elsewhere in Ghana and West Africa. It only needs the commitment of all stakeholders working together in an enabling policy environment to scale up the practice beyond project intervention areas , he pointed out. Farmer-managed natural regeneration (FMNR) was initiated in the mid-1980s in Niger by Tony Rinaudo as a simple and low cost agro-forestry technique where farmers and community people are encouraged to systematically manage and protect the regeneration of native tree seedlings and shrubs on farms and communal lands. Ever since, more than one million rural households in Niger have used FMNR to protect and manage trees across five million hectares (12.3 million acres) in the densely populated parts of Maradi and Zinder in southern Niger. These trees helped increase cereal production by 500,000 tons (enough to feed 2.5 million people) a year and raised incomes by two to three times from sale of products like edible leaves and honey. Currently, FMNR has been widely embraced by governments and non-governmental agencies in many countries around the world. The MONAR Executive Director commended the United Nations for instituting the WDCD in 1995 to increase public awareness on the issue and to remind people that desertification can be effectively tackled through strengthened community participation and co-operation at all levels. He urged government as a signatory to the UN Convention to Combat Desertificationto redouble efforts towards adopting feasible and proactive policies to combat the threat of drought and desertification. It is estimated that about 35% of Ghanas land area is prone to desertification, particularly in the Guinea and Sudan savannah dry areas of the Northern, Upper East and Upper West regions, with the Upper East Region being the worst affected. The effects of drought and desertification on rural livelihoods in the three northern regions are enormous as rural communities increasingly experience lower crop and livestock productivity, which further deepens poverty. Drought and desertification also puts increasing pressure on urban areas as people migrate there from rural areas in search of jobs. Women Fellowship Wing of Global Peace Christian Centre (GPCC) has donated items worth GHC11, 000 to the female division of the Nsawam Medium Security Prison. The items included lawn mower, rice bags ,beans, gari , bread, tooth paste, tooth brushes, bread, toilet rolls, soap, sanitary products , ladies underwear, soft drinks and inspirational books. Lady Rev. Mrs Perpetual Ampomah Boateng, the leader of the group who presented the items on behalf of the women in a show of love and care for female inmates at the prison. She said the gesture was in line with Jesus demand on Christians to give to the poor, visit the sick and prisoners among others, as recorded in Matthew 25:36. And also, to share the word of God with them. However, she seized the opportunity to thank the husband Very Rev.Henry Ampomah-Boateng, the Founder of Global Peace Christian Centre (GPCC) for his unwavering support. Chief Superintendent of Prisons Sophia Osei Bonsu, who received the items with joy on behalf of the inmates, expressed profound gratitude to Global Peace Christian Centre for embarking on such benevolent exercise. In fact, this gesture has really touched our hearts. To be candid, we are extremely elated. We have made several appeals to philanthropists to come to our aid with lawn mower as at now, we have not heard from them. But today, Global Peace Christian Centre Womens Fellowship, you have responded to our need. God richly bless you, she expressed joy. This she said, the items donated will go a long way to enhance service delivery and also compliment the effort of the government. Adding that, that the donation would be used for its intended purpose. However, she expressed worry about the re-integration of the inmates into the society. This she hinted that, society do neglect them when they are freed. According to her, the stigmatization always lures them to perpetrate crimes worse than ever. . She therefore entreated families , faith- based organizations to help discourage stigmatization and rather accept them as a family. She also seized the opportunity to appeal to Philanthropists , faith based organizations and other institutions to come to their aid to assist them revamp their vocational sector in order to equip the inmates with the relevant training that will make them to become economically independent when they are freed. Rev Paulina Simpson, of Global Peace Christian Centre in a brief church service encouraged the inmates not to give up in life but to keep their dreams and aspirations high. Basing her preaching on the the story of Joseph in the Bible who was imprisoned for no crime committed,forgotten by men in prison but in Gods own time, he was remembered and promoted as well. Just as Joseph was promoted from a prisoner to become a prime minister, so shall your story be in Jesus name if only you believe, she inspired them. Some of the inmates who spoke on anonymity expressed joy and happiness. Exceeding joy and happiness has engulfed our hearts. We felt like God has visited us today. In fact, this lawn mower has been our pressing need. More so, the preaching has revitalised our mortal bodies, they expressed joy. The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will be implementing the second phase of one of its flagship Projects in the Agriculture Sector called: Project for Sustainable Development of Rainfed Lowland Rice Production in the Republic of Ghana. This was made known at two separate workshops organized in Kumasi and Tamale to inform beneficiaries about the contents of the new phase of the Project. The participants of the workshop included the Rice Liaison Officer from the Directorate of Crop Services (DCS), Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), MoFA Ashanti and Northern Regional Directors of Agriculture, staff from the two Regional Coordinating Councils and District Agriculture Departments of beneficiary districts, farmers, Project Experts and representatives from JICA. Together with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), JICA implemented the first phase of the Project from 2009 to 2014 in five districts in Ashanti region and four districts in the Northern Region. These districts include: Asante Akim North, Asante Akim Central, Atwima Mponua, Ahafo Ano North and Adansi South in the Ashanti Region. Those in the Northern region are Tamale Metropolitan, East Gonja, West Mamprusi and Sagnerigu districts. In a speech to highlight the successes of the first phase, Mr. Kosuke Nagino, Project Formulation Advisor at JICA Ghana Office indicated that at the end of the first phase, on the average, rice yields in the target areas doubled. Invariably, the increased yields were; six tonnes per hectare from a baseline of three tonnes per hectare in the Ashanti Region and four tonnes per hectare from two tonnes per hectare in the Northern Region. This translated into increase in farmers incomes and improved standards of living of beneficiary households. Thus, the Project goal of increasing the productivity and profitability of rice farming in rainfed lowland ecologies in the target areas was achieved. Qualitatively, the Project was able to develop a Rice Extension Guideline that contains rice cultivation and extension techniques that also served as a basis for the development of beneficiary District Rice Extension Plans. Mr. Kwaku Minka Fordjour, Ashanti Regional Director of Agriculture, noted that: The Project has made an immense impact on the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in the target areas. This was reiterated by the Northern Regional Director of Agriculture, Mr. William Boakye Acheampong at the Tamale Workshop. A farmer present at the Kumasi workshop testified that as a result of the increase in his income level, he has been able to send his children to school and plans of acquiring a tractor to expand his farm. As a result of the outstanding impact of the first phase, MoFA requested JICA to extend this support to new districts within the same regions with the view of disseminating the Rice Extension Guidelines. Accordingly, JICA agreed and will be extending these Guidelines to 20 and 15 MMDAs in the Ashanti and Northern regions respectively. The new phase will commence this year and end in 2021. On his part, the Rice Liaison Officer representing the Director of DCS, MoFA, Mr. Al-Hassan Imoro indicated that: MoFA is also committed to ensuring that the next phase is successfully implemented. Under the new phase, JICA will provide technical guidance in the dissemination of the extension guidelines to the new districts whereas MoFA will be responsible for guiding the Regional and District Agriculture Departments in the implementation of rice extension activities. On her part, the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development will also assist the MMDAs in mainstreaming the project activities in their planning and budgeting. Ghana and Atletico Madrid's rising star Thomas Partey has revealed that his dad was so passionate about his career to the point that he had to sell some of his belongings to enable him make his first trip to Europe. The now trump card of Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone revealed in an emotional interview that he was lucky to have a dad who was very particular about how his career developed. 'My dad did not tell me this but I heard him say to a friend that he had to sell some of his stuff when I was first going to Europe,' Partey told Citi-FM based in Accra-Ghana 'The white men who were sending me there did their part but I think he also had to sort out some issues but that is it.' Partey played in 13 league games for Atletico Madrid in the league and scored two goals including a driving one against Levante that earned his side all three points. He also recently made his international debut for the Black Stars in a game against Mauritius. By Rahman Osman Follow on twitter @iamrahmanosman Music is extremely important to human beings. It helps to set or change peoples moods. And a persons mood largely determines how he or she will behave. Experts in marketing know this, so when you enter a shop, you may find that they are playing music to you that, they hope, will make you relax and thereby loosen your purse strings. Conversely, the music may be so irritating to you that you leave the shop earlier than you had intended to! Similarly, when you enter a chapel, organ music may greet you and help you to concentrate on the serious business of communicating with invisible forces. Or it may depress you and recall to your mind, things better forgotten such as the loss of a beloved person. Some airports used to play what was at one stage called Muzak music that was deliberately neutral, so as to take the travellers mind off the potential hazards of the journey ahead of him or her. Telephone companies are among the biggest consumers of market research conducted on human behaviour. Some of these companies therefore use subliminal messages to sell products to their customers. For instance, they can demand that one calls their messaging service without telling one what message one is supposed to receive when one does do so. If one is abroad and one calls a messaging service, in the hope that its an important message, especially one regarding matters you might not have been able to deal with before your departure, one may be charged for the call. But then, what often happens is that one discovers that the message is only an invitation from the phone company itself to do this or that, at an advantage to oneself that one has not sought to obtain! It means one pays in order to be sold something! Is that fair? In some countries, such practices are not allowed. The telecommunications regulators are so alive to the sharp practices indulged in by some companies that they constantly monitor the operations of the companies, in order to detect and put a stop to such practices. In the European Union, for instance, phone companies have been ordered, among other regulatory fiats, to reduce their so-called roaming charges because not only are these charges too high but also, their existence cannot be justified on commercial grounds, given the degree of integration of telecommunications facilities that exists in the Union. Globalization of operations means that, in fact, this degree of integration also exists in other pats of the world, as well, but, of course, if the regulators of operations in those regions do not care to protect the public adequately, then the advantages enjoyed by other regions will not devolve to the regions with a crappy form of regulation. Trans-national companies that carry out operations across borders know exactly how to maximise their profits and they always bless weak regulators. Or bribe them if possible. It is small signs that tell us whether our regulators are working well or not. The small sign I have noticed about the Ghana telecom scene that indicates that the regulatory system is not robust enough is this: I have just telephoned a number, and instead of hearing a normal ringing tone, I got an excited, high-pitched voice which asked me to choose whether to accept a tune by pressing a button! Now, the tune that was played into my ears was atrocious to me. It was such a shock to my system that I instinctively pulled the instrument away from my ear. Is this still going on in Ghana? Why? I hated the tune! Yet it had been played to me without my permission! And I hated, even more, the idea that the phone company was allowed to do this to customers, who were obliged to listen to the companys terrible song-message by force! In other words, we have become sitting ducks. Yet we have set up a body that is supposed to provide us with consumer protection. Apart from the invasion of our privacy that this system denotes, the regulators ought to know that interfering with the communications of telephone users in this manner is bad for a countrys business generally. I am calling someone; the telephone company does not know the sort of business I want to conduct with the person I am calling; indeed, that is none of its business. Yet it is playing me music that may affect the mood with which I shall approach the person at the other end of the phone! If what I consider to be atrocious music had been chosen by the person I am trying to communicate with, my opinion of that person would have been adversely affected by his or her taste in music! What? He/she likes this noise that is supposed to be music? And, of course, I would try not to call that person again in order not to hear again, that noise that passes for music. Which means that the person is paying a phone company to destroy his/her chances of doing any business with me. Yet that persons taxes are used to pay the regulators who allow companies that are destroying his/her business, to continue to exist. Now, of course, other members of the public may like the music offered by the phone company when one calls its customers. That is their choice. Their choice, however, is not my choice, and it may not be the choice of other customers. The phone company therefore has no right to inflict the music on us and affect our mood in a manner that it cannot pre-determine. And it is for the regulator to rule that the phone company cannot invade the moods of its customers in this way. The reason why this is going on is that some some phone companies are notoriously arrogant and do not care a fig about the interests of the customers who pay to keep them in business. What recently happened in Nigeria is instructive: there, a company was so negligent over steps the Government required it to take in order not to jeopardise the security of the state that the company was fined an enormous amount of money. The Nigerian case happened because the Nigerian regulator was up to its task. Are our regulators up to their task? I dont see how it can be, if customers like me are reduced to making a call only when we are forced to do so for fear of being played some sakabo music. Phones are meant to enhance our enjoyment of life. But in Ghana, some of the companies are allowed to annoy us, in the course of our carrying out ordinary communications. By the way, this is not the first article I have written about this noisome practice! That I have been forced to do so again shows exactly how impervious to consumer reaction some of the phone companies are. By: Cameron Duodu OccupyGhana has been following the story broken by award-winning journalist, Manasseh Awuni Azure and JoyFM, of the alleged donation of a Ford Expedition vehicle to the President by one Djibril Kanazoe, a Burkinabe private contractor. OccupyGhana has also studied closely, the reactions, rebuttals and explanations offered and given, and has concluded that there is a lot to be concerned about. These are matters that should not be treated lightly. It is not for nothing that ours is probably the only Constitution to mention "Corruption" by name and in Article 35(8), impose a mandatory and imperative duty on the state to "take steps to eradicate corrupt practices. Article 69(1)(b)(i) which provides The President shall be removed from office if he is found, in accordance with the provisions of this articleto have conducted himself in a mannerwhich brings or is likely to bring the high office of President into disrepute, ridicule or contempt gives us clear cause to be worried about any conduct in violation of same. It is on the basis of the foregoing that OcccupyGhana wishes to make three key points: First, we unreservedly congratulate Manasseh Awuni Azure for a great job done. This is still an unfolding story with a few still moving parts. However, we are impressed with the work and effort that Manasseh has put into this project and the courage it has taken to publish this story. We believe that Ghana owes Manasseh and JoyFM a great debt of gratitude for this work. Second, the facts that we have studied strongly suggest possible breaches of our criminal laws on corruption. Those facts show that a public official (the President) has received a gift. That alone does not constitute a criminal offence. However, if it is also established that there was an agreement or offer by which the conduct of the President, in respect of his duties as a public officer, would be or was influenced by this gift, then the offence of corruption would have been committed, both by him and by Djibril Kanazoe. As at now, we do not have sufficient grounds to state emphatically that the offence of corruption has been committed. But the known facts are disturbing. The unknown facts may be frightening or benign. It is in the light of these we demand a full-scale police investigation into this matter. If the investigations establish that there are sufficient grounds to initiate prosecution (within the rules laid down by our Constitution and criminal laws), then the law ought to be allowed to take its course to the fullest extent possible. Third, we are convinced that at the very least, a clear case of Conflict of Interest and by it, a breach of Article 284 of the Constitution, has been established. Article 284 expressly forbids public officers from putting themselves in a position where their personal interests either conflict or are "likely to conflict" with the performance of their official functions. Thus, what is prohibited is even the mere likelihood of a conflict. That would mean that the Article is breached even if there is no direct conflict, but just a probability, chance, prospect, possibility or risk of a Conflict of Interest. We observe also that the code of conduct for ministers and appointees in section 1.4.1 (b) rightly requires ministers and appointees to avoid such "appearances" which it says "are as important as an actual conflict of interest situations." While we believe that there is no real ambiguity or uncertainty on the issue of Conflict of Interest, we nevertheless believe that it is important for all the facts to come out. That is why we are convinced that the breach of Article 284 should trigger a formal investigation into this matter by the Commissioner for Human Rights and Administrative Justice under Article 287 of the Constitution. We, however, recognise, sadly, that CHRAJ currently has no substantive head and therefore suffers from a leadership vacuum that can act effectively and decisively on this matter. The failure to appoint a substantive head of that institution is unpardonable. We, therefore, demand a multi-party investigation instituted by Parliament to inquire into this matter. We conclude by putting to sleep, the laughable claim that there have been no breaches of our laws because the vehicle was allegedly put in the President's pool of official cars. A wrong is not made right by the use to which the wrongly acquired asset it put. The Office of the President of this dear country is one of trust. Any and every occupant of it owes a fiduciary duty to the people of Ghana. As a fiduciary, that person is under a duty, created by his election to that high office and by law, to act primarily for the benefit of Ghanaians who have reposed trust and confidence in him, and are entitled to demand of and from him, the exercise of a corresponding degree of fairness and good faith. The saying that "Caesar's wife must be beyond reproach" is apposite here. It is ironic that the Supreme Court quoted this axiom in its recent judgment relating to the judicial bribery scandal. We note that in the wake of that scandal President Mahama was outstanding in ensuring that the law was followed to the letter and that judges were dismissed only after they were found culpable after being investigated and given a hearing. The circumstances and treatment of the inappropriate conduct of those judges cannot be different from what we face now with respect to the President. Yours in the service of occupying hearts and minds for God and Country OccupyGhana President John Dramani Mahama 22.06.2016 LISTEN It is quite interesting that a glaring case of presidential payola scam that allegedly occurred in July 2012, or thereabouts, is now coming to light, with barely five months to Election 2016 (See Ford Gift Controversy: Apology Will Be Helpful Lecturer MyJoyOnline.com / Ghanaweb.com 6/17/16). You see, you can always count on the reprobate movers and shakers of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to cover their tracks for one another; and this clearly appears to have been the case. Unfortunately, these rascally opportunists seem to have forgotten that evergreen maxim about those who would recklessly presume to play fast-and-loose with the truth. I am here, of course, unmistakably alluding to the globally renowned maxim which runs as follows: Truth suppressed shall rise up again! The seminal observer of this universal law of karma might just as well have poignantly added the following: Truth can simply not be suppressed nor conveniently contorted. And it is precisely for this reason why this otherwise covert act of gross ethical misconduct is now coming to light. The timing of this breaking scandal we have not forgotten the equally scandalous Presidential Diary Affair, by the way is simply perfect for the electioneering campaign strategy of Ghanas main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), although this one particular epic act of moral corruption alone will not in of itself readily facilitate the electoral defeat or the political erasure or wipeout of the Mahama-led government of the National Democratic Congress. The Akufo-Addo Group will have to assemble a more comprehensive and pragmatic policy agenda to do the trick. And so far, the front-bench members of the 2016 Akufo-Addo Presidential-Election Campaign Team seem to be curiously and quizzically pussyfooting. The least bit of their worries ought to be the fear of whether the Beijing-oriented Mosquito Mafia would shamelessly steal their campaign platform or manifesto. Ultimately, it is what one does with such policy bullet points, in terms of a government in powers ability to realize them, that matters. And so far, the NDC Abongo Boys have more than amply demonstrated beyond any shadow of a doubt that when it comes to the very adult business of policy implementation, they are still the cardboard parakeets that they have always been known to be. What annoys me most about the lame suggestion by Dr. Eric Asare Bossman is the patently cynical implication that the mere issuance of an apology by the jolly recipient of Contractor Gibril Kanazoes Ford Expedition payola would quickly paper off this inexcusable national contretemps, almost as if it never happened. This sort of morbidly soft-headed advice is nothing short of the criminally absurd. And on the latter score ought to be promptly pointed out that the now-President John Dramani Mahama was part of that exuberant generation of college-going revolutionary upstarts that screamed hoarsely for more blood to be spilled on the streets of Accra, and elsewhere in the country, in the wake of the untenably barbaric summary execution of the likes of Air-Vice Marshall Yaw Boakye and Commander Utuka by firing at the globally infamous Teshie Military Range. And the sole capital crime of Air-Vice Marshall Boakye, as also the cases of Commander Utuka and Maj.-Gen. Amedume, if memory serves yours truly accurately, was that these by no means perfect leaders ought to have known better than to have borrowed $50,000, apiece actually the amount involved was much closer to GH 50,000 of housing loans in their official capacity as military rulers and criminally failed to pay back these bank loans on schedule! In the case of President Mahama, the bribery gift of the $100,000-priced Ford Expedition (luxury van?) was likely demanded and received in camera; and had the giver not squealed to Mr. Manasseh Azure Awuni, the fast-rising investigative journalist, about the same, Little Dramani would still be strolling jauntily about, swagger-gaited, smugly demanding of the British reporter who allegedly called him up on his political integrity, precisely what cut-off point he meant when Mr. John Bull demanded to know whether the Ghanaian leader had ever accepted a payola in his official capacity as a politician. In retrospect, it well appears that Mr. John Bull knew something fishy about their pathologically crooked leader that most Ghanaian citizens had absolutely no inkling about. Now, lets get to brass-tacks. And it is that had the Ford Expedition gift been presented to President Mahama way before the Burkinabe giver, Mr. Gibril Kanazoe, was awarded the reported $650,000 contract to build a fence-wall around Ghanas embassy building in Ouagadougou, the Burkinabe capital, there would be absolutely no bone to pick with the Chief Resident of the Flagstaff House and his Abongo Boys. It is more likely, however, that the gift was in appreciation of the awarding to Mr. Kanazoe of the significantly more handsome eastern-corridor highway construction reportedly valued at some GH 82 million. We have since learned of Mr. Kanazoes backing out of the latter contractual award. At the very least Parliament ought to censure President Mahama. In my opinion, the best impeachment package for Little Dramani will be his thorough and epic defeat in the November polls. And Mrs. Charlotte Kesson-Smith Osei, Ghanas Electoral Commissioner, had better play by the rules as clearly stipulated by the countrys 1992 Republican Constitution, and peremptorily interpreted and eloquently communicated by the Wood-presided Supreme Court. *Visit my blog at: kwameokoampaahoofe.wordpress.com Ghanaffairs Sorry, we can't find the content you're looking for at this URL. 22.06.2016 LISTEN Mohammed Ali. The king of ring. The greatest. His janaza (Muslim funeral) was an excellent example of inter - faith harmony. Quran, Bible, Torah, Vedah, and all other holy scriptures were recited. Muslims Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Ahmadis, Bahais, Ismailis, Agnostics and people of all the faiths, the believers were in his janaza. this funeral service tonk the shape of heavenly atmosphere. Peace and solidarity. Togetherness. Love. Humanity. The very essence or religion. The best wealth of any believer -harmony, was very much. There at the janazah of Mohammed Ali the greatest. We all bade farewell to this greatest on the holy month of Ramadan. Now he will rest in eternal peace, in heaven, with Christian, Jews, Hindu, Buddhists and neighbors from all other faiths. When the entire world was feeling delighted seeing the excellent example of inter - faith harmony at the janazah of Mohammed Ali, when we all had the hope, let religious hatred, the nasty culture of jihad, killing innocent people in the name of religion - disappear for good from this world, a pervert, a rogue Afghan, a Muslim (unfortunately again) Omar Mateen was preparing all of his guns to visit LGBT club Pulse, where he had been a regular goer, with poison in his mind, of, killing innocent people. Omar Mateen's second wife, knew her husband was a bi - sexual and drove him to pulse in Orlando, with guns, to kill people, in the name of jihad. What made Mohammed Ali and Omar Matteen totally different when both were Muslims? Ali promoted the culture of peace, inter - faith harmony, love for the entire mankind, which is the true teachings of Islam. On the other hand, Omar Mateen was following the culture of hatred, being driven by false interpretation of Quran (mostly promoted by rogue Mullahs in Iran and elsewhere), which says - "Jews and Christians and those non - muslims are enemies of Allah. So kill them, wherever you find." For decades, enemies of peace had been actively spreading the venom of religious hatred. In the Jews, Christians and non- Muslims, in the name of 'Holy War' (Jihad). Unfortunately, many Muslim nations and societies are falling prey of such culture of hatred. A number of Muslim nation, though pronouncing to be 'moderates' or even 'seculars', promote the theory of terming the State of Israel and the West as 'enemies of Allah'. Such bad practice, continuous propaganda even get state patronization. Israel and West bashing has become a common practice in several Muslim countries, which are under huge influence of Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas etc. Who can stop this wrong and dangerous trend? In Muslim societies, it begins with declaring Jews and Christians as 'enemies of Allah', then the seeds of hatred keep growing. Muslims are taught - West is the enemy of Islam, Israel is the worst enemy of Muslims. Muslims being greatly misled by these dangerous 'teachings', ultimately transform into devils from humans. They start seeking blood of stand up, and say - 'ENOUGH' to Jihad, to culture of hatred. To killing innocent people in the name of Islam? Who will stand up? Where is that voice? Where is that Hero Isn't there a single Muslim in Bangladesh to stand- up and say - NO to anti - Semitism? To culture of Death? To demonization of Jews and Christians and people of other faiths? Unfortunately and sadly, a real HERO did stand - up. He loudly denounced anti - Semitism. He boldly said NO to jihad and culture of hatred. He fought and he will continue to fight, a crucial battle, alone! Just ALONE, Bangladesh has sent him to prison. For this 'crime'. He is serving 9 - years rigorous imprisonment since 2012. For the 'crime' of confronting the 'crime' of promoting inter - faith harmony. He still is in prison. What is his name? Better Google and know this hero. The opposition New Patriotic Party has demanded a bipartisan probe into the Ford gift received by President John Mahama from a foreign contractor. The Ford Expedition vehicle which was given to the president in 2012 by a Burkinabe contractor, Djibril Kanazoe, has raised questions about a possible conflict of interest. Communications Minister, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah has said, the gift has been in a pool at the Presidency. He maintained the vehicle had nothing to do with two contracts won by the contractor - a $650,000 wall and a 28-kilometre road. The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) says it has begun a detailed assessment of two petitions brought before it accusing the president of conflict of interest on the matter. In an interview with Joy News Tuesday, its Deputy Commissioner, Joseph Whittal promised the public it would not allow any political pressure to interfere with its investigations. I will like to assure Ghanaians that the Commission will live up to its constitutional responsibility in ensuring that thorough investigation is done and we will not sacrifice the thoroughness of the outcome of the investigation on the altar of the issues that may border on elections. But the NPP is not convinced. The partys Acting Chairman, Freddie Blay at a press conference in Accra Wednesday, June 22, 2016 said the president must show humility and admit he is wrong. The president, according to him, should not hide behind government communicators to further insult the intelligence of Ghanaians and all who are rightfully disappointed by this gratuitous damage to the dignity of his office and the country. The cost of building that Ouagadougou wall must be probed; the issues surrounding the Ford Expedition must also be probed. All other contracts awarded to Mr Kanazoe, the presidents friend, we insist must be probed. The NPP believes, president Mahama by accepting the gift displayed an extraordinarily poor judgment and indiscretion "unbecoming of the elevated office he occupies. "We are therefore calling for a parliamentary probe for the House to exercise its vested investigative power or act in pursuant to Article 2789 (C) to cause a bipartisan inquiry to be appointed to probe into this serious matter." The President of the Republic stands accused of bribery, abuse of office and conflict of interest," he added. Mr Blay noted that the circumstantial evidence linking the president to the contractor and the contract to the gift provides enough grounds for Ghanaians to get a full public enquiry into the matter. Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | NSA Mrs. Linda Akwele Ocloo 22.06.2016 LISTEN The United Cadres' Front of Ghana (UCF-GHANA) congratulates the newly elected Parliamentary Candidate for Shai Osu-Doku for her success in last Saturday's primary. We are particularly impressed by the number of votes Mrs. Linda Akwele Ocloo garnered to secure her candidature as well as succeeding her husband, William Ocloo, who died in an accident. However, we feel disappointed at her post-victory utterances on her main contender, Dr. Michael Kpessah Whyte, which we feel have the tendency of creating serious cracks for the Party in the constituency. Politics is competitive in nature and there must always be winners and losers who must do everything possible to flow together - especially when they are coming from the same political family. The winner-candidate told the media that some supporters of Dr. Whyte allegedly attacked her/supporters which to her makes it impossible to work with the defeated opponent. If that is true, we unreservedly condemn such actions but wish to stress that since politics is about numbers, the elected candidate has to rethink her stance and seek reconciliation with Dr. Kpessah Whyte in order to maintain the seat. She also alleges that her opponent has not called to congratulate her and if that is also true then it is very unfortunate and we urge him to do the honourable thing by congratulating her. Mrs. Linda Ocloo, is already aware that her competitor lost with a vote count of 3,372. This is no mean figure in a constituency because in the last Parliamentary elections, the Tema East NDC Candidate lost by painfully - three (3) votes. And we must be mindful that what happened last Saturday is strictly a family affair - not national elections. She certainly needs Dr. Whyte's 3,372 votes and more of his supporters (who may not have registered with the Party), in the Parliamentary Elections - come November 7. The new candidate, therefore, needs the support of the losing candidate in order to maintain the seat for the NDC. It behooves her to do everything possible to bring everybody in the constituency aboard in order to win convincingly in the coming Parliamentary election. Per this statement as well, we wish to caution some radio stations which political programmes seek to promote the NDC, but is rather helping to draw off floating voters. We agree that we have varied political ideologies and philosophies which call for deeper propagation in order to court support from the electorate. Such approaches, we caution, must be done with utmost decorum in order not to scare the not-too partisan electorate who will be looking for a party that has a peaceful disposition to vote for. Of late, however, a particular radio station which has been doing well in exposing a lot of negative developments in the socio-political settings of this country, is departing from its valued stature and engaging in acts that is likely to scare un-decided voters. Currently, the station has taken a different course where too much insults are allowed in the studio to the chagrin of its loving patrons, including the UCF-GHANA; and it is our humble plea that such stations, much as they are doing good for the NDC - should also be mindful of the harm that certain actions of theirs could hamper the fortunes of the Party in the end. We believe that they can do programmes to promote the NDC but they should be weaned from insults, innuendos and personalization of issues. It equally goes to all NDC communicators to be cautious and temperate in their engagements because the electorate have been following the hate-utterances of our main opponent, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) for which they know is causing insecurity. There is the need for the NDC to take advantage of the violent posturing of the NPP by not making the mistakes it has made so far - in order to win the floating voters to our side. Let us endeavour to discuss issues - NOT PERSONALITIES. It is the UCF-GHANA's wish that this advice is taken in good faith and the necessary amends, made. Signed Camillus Maalneriba-Tia Sakzeesi (For: Interim Management Committee) Contact: 0266223333 and 0248433700. President John Dramani Mahama 22.06.2016 LISTEN Angry residents of three adjoining towns in Accra Nungua, Teshie and La yesterday took to the streets to protest the unbearable electricity tariffs they are paying, in the midst of the current harsh economic realities they are enduring under the Mahama-led National Democratic Congress administration. At the same time they were protesting, the next adjoining town, Osu, was also holding a press conference accusing the officials of the Mahama government of working with an imposter chief to loot their lands. The protestors from Nungua, Teshie and La, who demonstrated through the major streets of the three communities, later converged at the Teshie Salem Cluster of Schools where various speakers, including the New Patriotic Party parliamentary candidates for Krowor, Ledzukuku and La Dadekotopon, Elizabeth Afoley Quaye, Bernard Okoe Boye and Vincent Sowah Odotei respectively, addressed the crowd. According to most of the angry residents who were clad in red and black apparel, and carrying various placards depicting their anger at government, said the high electricity bills were collapsing their businesses and making life unbearable for them. Speaking to the Daily Statesman, leader of the group, Nicholas Borlarbi, said the residents in the three communities had to come out this time to show their dissatisfaction with the manner in which the NDC government was making life unbearable for them. We are virtually using all our savings to pay for electricity. At first, an amount of GHc50 could sustain an average home for a month but now when you buy GHc50, it lasts for just three days. Residents in these three communities are predominantly fisher folks and are not in possession of any heavy or sophisticated gadgets to pay such huge amount for electricity, Nicholas Borlabi indicated. He explained that the demonstration was non-partisan since the issue was affecting everybody in the three communities, irrespective of which political party one belongs to. I can tell you on authority that people from the various political parties took part in the demonstration. The CPP, PNC, PP, NDC and NPP were all here. This situation affects everyone. We are suffering, he added. He further lamented that the positioning of the prepaid meters outside their homes is a major inconvenience, explaining that it is very risky for residents to load the metres with credits during the night due to the activities of armed robbers in the area. We are also pleading with 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, one protestor complained. Meanwhile, President John Dramani Mahama has given indication that, effective July 1, Ghanaians will start experiencing some relief in electricity bills. According to him, ECG is set to implement a new billing cycle which will address concerns of overbilling. He disclosed this at the Madina market yesterday while on his accounting to the people tour of the Greater Accra region. Because the electricity billing is done in monthly cycles, they have to start on the first of a month with the billing cycle. So I have asked Ghanaians to exercise patience, from first July theyd start the new billing cycle and Im sure that a lot of us will see some relief in the electricity bills, he assured. He added: Ive explained that the bills went so high because the waters in our hydro dams are low and hydro is the cheapest source of power. Now all the power we are to produce is either with gas or with crude oil and these are more expensive that hydro. But we are praying that this year the rains would be good so that the dams would recover. As we put in cheaper hydro power we will adjust the tariff to reflect the cheaper power we are getting. So I would ask Ghanaians to exercise patience; government is sensitive to what is going on and wed do our best to give them some relief. Nii Osah Mills , Minister of Lands and Natural Resources 22.06.2016 LISTEN The kingmakers of the Osu Stool, Osu Dzaase, are up in arms against the Mahama-led National Democratic Congress government, accusing it of being in bed with an imposter chief who has allegedly become a conduit for some unscrupulous government officials to grab their lands. According to the aggrieved chiefs, government has decided to ignore the legitimate and substantive chief, Nii Nortey Owuo III, who was enstooled in 1984, and rather dealing with Nii Okwei Kinka Dowuona VI, who they describe as an imposter. While cautioning President John Mahama to reconsider his relationship with the embattled chief, they have also asked him to ensure that appointees of his government dissociate themselves from dealing with chief because he is illegitimate and therefore working with him will not benefit them in the long term. They are also warning the Mahama government that under no circumstance should it consider releasing any Osu Stool land or property to the imposter Kinka Dowuona has grown so arrogant and has cultivated a new craze of name dropping. Now he claims that he, Kinka, has the President of the Republic of Ghana in his pocket and so no one can touch him. He is able to go in and out of the Flagstaff House at will flaunting his authority around. As for state institutions, all he needs is to open his mouth and drop a few names and all his wishes are granted, they alleged. Addressing a press conference yesterday, Nii Noi Osikan Kpeneku, Shippi Dudor of Osu Ashante, explained that the Mankralo of Osu, Nii Ako Nortei IV, who is not part of the kingmakers, appointed Nii Kinka as the chief through the support of some government officials in 2011. Present at the press conference included Nii Nortey Adumuah IV, Osiahene of Osu Stool; Nii Odartey Sro III, Atofotse of Osu Stool; Nii Adukwei Hammond, Acting Dzaasetse of Kinkawe; Nii Nortey Omantuo VI, Osu Ashante Dzaasetse; Nii Aniefi IV, Osu Alata Dzaasetse; and Nii Torgbor Abremse III, Head and Shippi of Osu Anorhor. Nii Noi Osikan Kpeneku explained that at the time Nii Kinka Dowuona was appointed the chief in 2011, the Supreme Court had ruled that the Osu Stool was not vacant, adding that in spite of the ruling, the Mankralo went ahead to install him through the connivance of state officials. It is rather strange and pathetic for the Mankralo of Osu, Nii Ako Nortei IV, to disown Nii Nortey Owuo III, the legitimate and substantive Osu Mantse as having been destooled, without any evidence or proof of any ceremony for destoolment and yet proceeded out of his own selfish interest and greed to wrongfully appoint his own Osu Mantse with the shameless support of some unscrupulous state officials, he added. According to him, the black stool which is the symbol of authority that qualifies one to be Osu Mantse is still in the custody of Nii Nortey Owuo III, who remains alive and undestooled. He asked: So one will ask which Stool is Kinka Dowuona VI sitting on or swore his allegiance to? Nii Noi Osikan added: It is important to point out that Kinka Dowuona is a creature of statute; an appointee of Government, and of the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs, Dodowa, and of the National House of Chiefs, Kumasi. He has not been made Osu Mantse by any kingmaker or by Osu custom and tradition. If he had followed the traditional route, Kinka would have waited until the Osu stool presently occupied by Nii Nortey Owuo III became vacant. Now he is hanging; thinking that making a lot of money by foul means is all that matters because then it affords him luxury to bribe and connive with some unscrupulous state officials to loot properties that rightfully belong to the indigenes of Osu and the Stool for that matter. The Osu kingmakers cautioned individuals, groups, state operatives and estate developers who are busily transacting business with Nii Kinka Dowuona and the Osu Mankralo to desist and advise themselves, adding: it wont be long before the chickens come home to roost. Mrs Akufo-Addo and husband, Nana Addo 22.06.2016 LISTEN Wife of the New Patriotic Party flagbearer, Rebecca Akufo-Addo, has tasked Ghanaians to vote for Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in the November polls due to his incorruptible track record. According to her, Nana Addo is not seeking power to amass wealth for his personal interest but rather to serve Ghanaians in truth and improve their lives. Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo added that Ghana needs a competent and reliable leader like Nana Addo who can save the nation from the hands of the NDC government. She made the call during a visit to the Odododiodio constituency in the Greater Accra region. She was accompanied by the NPP parliamentary candidate for the area, Nii Lante Bannerman, and some constituency executives of the party. Mrs. Rebecca interacted with doctors, nurses and patients of the Usher Polyclinic, where the administrator of the facility pleaded with her not to disregard the polyclinic when the NPP comes into power. She assured the staff that an Akufo-Addo-led government would improve conditions of the health sector by reviving the free maternal health care and National Health Insurance Scheme. She added that the positive change being championed by the NPP would greatly affect polyclinics due to the major roles they play in the health sector. You need to remember that Nana Akufo-Addo is not coming for his children but he is coming to help Ghanaians and improve their lives as well, she stated. She later donated items such as soaps, detergents and cloths to the polyclinic. By Mohammed Awal [[email protected]] The Youth League of the Convention People's Party (CPP) has entreated the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to investigate President John Dramani Mahama for accepting a gift from a Burkinabe contractor, an act it says contravenes the 1992 constitution. According to the leader of the Youth League, Commander Hardi Yakubu, in a petition Monday, the President's receipt of the said gift was a clear case of conflict of interest and that a formal investigation should be instituted to dig deeper. Joy News' investigation last week revealed that in 2012, a Burkina Faso-based contractor, Mr. Djibril Kanazoe, magnanimously dashed President Mahama a brand new Ford Expedition, 2010 model, with engine number E173A1905101 and Chassis number 1FMJUIJ58aEB748, and in the same year, earned two juicy contracts from the government. The contracts won by Mr. Kanazoe as a result of his magnanimity include; the fencing of the Ghana Embassy wall in Burkina Faso at an unbelievable cost of $650,000 and also the construction of part of the Eastern Corridor Road Project. Reacting to the expose' initiated by Joy News' Manasseh AzuriAwuni, the government through its communication outlet confirmed President Mahama's receipt of the benevolence from Mr. Kanazoe and added that, it had been donated to the pool of luxurious vehicles at the presidency. The government, however, denied the act as passing for bribery or conflict of interest. The inference of conflict of interest is, therefore, absolutely false and untenable, Dr. Omane Boamah said Wednesday, in a statement signed and released in Accra. But, the CPP Youth League disagreed, arguing that understanding the said gift was given to and taken by H.E John Mahama whilst in office as President and that the said giver, Mr. Djibril Kanazoe, a contractor of Burkinabe origin represents a commercial interest. Explaining what the petition was about, the National Youth Organiser of the CPP, Enersto Yeboah said: We want CHRAJ to conduct an independent investigation into the matter involving the bribery or the gift given to our president. We want to find out from CHRAJ whether the gift in question played an influencing role in ensuring that the public procurement act was breached and the final relief we are seeking is for CHRAJ to tell us what a gift is and what public officials can receive as gift and what they must reject when the question arises, he added. This development appears to have dented President Mahama's unwavering claim of incorruptibility, especially when about a month ago, he was clear and bold in his words to a British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) journalist, when he attended a corruption summit in London that, he had never received a bribe. No, I haven't taken a bribe, President Mahama told the BBC journalist adding that: Any human being in the world would have encountered corruption one way or the other, either being offered a bribe or a bribe being demanded from you. What you need to do is to put yourself in a position to (resist it). Ivor Greenstreet, the CPP's presidential candidate, in a posture that contradicts his party's said nothing was wrong with President Mahama receiving a gift from the Burkinabe contractor. According to him, it was ridiculous to suggest that mere acceptance of gift by President Mahama could lead to impeachment. I don't have a feeling that there is a breach of protocol or conflict of interest, he told Francis Abban in an interview on Joy News channel last week. Linda Ofori Kwafo, Executive Director of the Ghana Integrity Initiative held different view stating that President Mahama's acceptance of the said gift was a clear manifestation of conflict of interest. Mahama knows what gift to accept and not to accept, she explained. Citing Article 284 of the 1992 constitution, detailing the code of conduct for public officers, the CPP Youth League said that 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, thus the need for CHRAJ to wade into the matter. 22.06.2016 LISTEN From Issah Alhassan, Kumasi THE MAYOR of Kumasi, Mr. Kojo Bonsu has reportedly incurred the wrath of authorities at the Manhyia Palace, following a letter he wrote, questioning the legitimacy of a representative of the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, in the process involving the ongoing Kejetia/Central Market Redevelopment Project. The Manhyia Palace is not enthused about the approach being adopted by the Kumasi Mayor with respect to the funding, as well as the distribution of some completed stores for which reason the traditional authority has raised objections, culminating in the controversial letter, which has further muddied the waters. The said letter, dated June 13, 2016, authored by the Mayor himself and addressed to the representative of the Asantehene on a committee set up by the Asanteman Council to oversee arrangements for soliciting of additional funds towards some aspects of the project, Nana Agyenim Boateng, who doubles as Chief of Amoaman, denied knowledge of the existence of any representative of the Asantehene, a development that had reportedly incensed the traditional authority. Nana Agyenim Boateng has told The Chronicle in a telephone interview that he will not publicly comment on the matter until he has formally briefed The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, on whose authority he derived his powers, on the matters arising, though he has confirmed receiving a copy of the letter challenging his locus. Details of the letter, however, became public knowledge when some members of the assembly, led by the former Presiding Member, Nana Kofi Senyah, held a press conference on Monday, this week, to express its displeasure at arrangements concerning the distribution of about 2,000 stores to potential traders. The Concerned Assembly Members have alleged that the KMA Chief Executive Officer has unilaterally changed the initial agreement concerning the allocation of the stores upon completion and are, therefore, demanding his immediate resignation. According to the Assembly members, Mr. Kojo Bonsu, together with his Spokesperson, Sammy Gyamfi, is asking traders and market women to make an upfront payment of GHC 25,000 before being allocated a store, contrarily to a recommendation made by the Committee, ordering the KMA to charge just GHC 1,500 as downward payment and stagger the rest of the amount over a period of time. The aggrieved members also want the KMA Boss to be sanctioned for allegedly showing gross and total disrespect to the Manhyia Palace and Asanteman Council, which is the heart and soul of the Asante Kingdom. FACTS OF THE ISSUE According to information gathered by The Chronicle, prior to the dissolution of the old assembly, The Asanteman Council, chaired by Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, set up a committee to oversee concerns raised by traders who initially opposed the project on basis that they may lose ownership of their stores upon completion. As part of the composition of the Committee, The Asantehene appointed Nana Agyenim Boateng, The Chief of Amoaman, to act as his representative and liaise between the assembly and the Manhyia Palace, as far as the redevelopment of the Kejetia and Central Market was concerned. The Committee, amongst others, was asked to do all arrangements with respect to how the stores upon completion, will be allocated in order to ensure that the traders who once occupied the place, would have access to them. Additionally, the Committee was also expected to mobilise additional funding for the completion of some aspects of the project as the initial amount earmarked for the first phase, which totalled about 198 Million Dollars had been exhausted without completion. However, confusion was said to have arisen after the KMA Boss decided to change the initial arrangements concerning the allocation of the completed stores numbering about 2,000. According to information, some members of the Committee, particularly Nana Agyenim Boateng, raised objection to the decision by the Mayor as it ran contrarily to the one agreed earlier at the commencement of the project. Though Nana Agyenim Boateng will not disclose any details of his interactions with the Mayor concerning the project, The Chronicle is informed of some efforts which were being made by the Chief to solicit funds for some aspects of the project. It was for this reason that Mr. Kojo Bonsu, in his personal capacity, wrote a letter to Nana Agyenim Boateng asking him to provide appropriate evidence of his claim so that the assembly could update its record. The opening part of the letter, titled CLARIFICATION OF ISSUES REGARDING THE ONGOING KEJETIA/CENTRAL MARKET REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT reads: You have made a number of representations to the effect that you are the representative/liaison of Manhyia Palace and for that matter Nananom on the ongoing Kejetia/Central Market Redevelopment Project. Unfortunately, the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly has no formal notification of your said status on the Kejetia project. The letter further added Regarding the steps you have taken to solicit funds for some aspects of the project, we would also be grateful if you could update us on such a role and how you are to be reimbursed. But details of the letter, The Chronicle gathered, has raised serious anger amongst some members of the traditional authority as some of them see it as an attempt by the Kumasi Mayor to subvert the authority of Nananom. Nana Agyenim Boateng, who sounded a bit disturbed during the interview, declined to make any further pronouncement until he has briefed the Asantehene on the matter. I am a staff of the Produce Buying Company (PBC) but I am also the Chief of the Amoaman Community, by virtue of my position as a traditional ruler, my King Otumfuo Osei Tutu II appointed me to represent him and to chair the Committee. So for now I will reserve any comment until I have shown him the letter and sought his advice, Nana Agyenim Boateng noted. THE ASSEMBLYMEMBERS BEEF But the aggrieved Assembly members are protesting the fact that they have been kept in the dark by the MCE, especially as far as the fixing of the fees and other arrangements were concerned. According to them, Mr. Kojo Bonsu ought to have written formally to inform the house about ongoing progress and fresh arrangements concerning the project since it was the duty of the assembly to supervise the process. The spokesperson for the group, Nana Kofi Senyah, pointed out that the Mayor has taken the advantage of the fact that the assembly does not have a Presiding Member and for this reason most decisions were unilaterally being taken by him. They, however, contend that major issues like the funding for such big project which involves huge amounts ought to be deferred and brought to the house for deliberation. The angry members are, therefore, calling on the Kumasi Mayor to with immediate effect exit the position, threatening that they would be forced to impeach him if he fails to do so. RESPONSE BY THE KMA Meanwhile, the Public Relations Officer of the KMA, Mr. Godwin Okumah Nyame, has declined to respond to the allegations being made by the Assembly members, stressing that the assembly will formally hold a press conference at a later date to respond to the issues raised. Nana Akufo-Addo - NPP Presidential Candidate 22.06.2016 LISTEN It is very interesting how political seasons throw up all manner of instant change managers. Many NPP zealots are as usual, beside themselves with joy because their Presidential candidate Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo has promised to deliver one factory in each of the 216 districts of the country, if he is elected President of Ghana. The euphoria in that party is akin to Nana Akufo-Addos offer of providing free education to every Ghanaian at the Senior High School (SHS) level in the run-up to the 2012 elections. In that state of excitement, market women wore Senior High School Uniforms to parade markets and streets to endorse Nana Addos free SHS which in their estimation will curtail their burden on school fees. Akufo-Addos dearth at the presidency in 2012 momentarily shut the door on the so-called free SHS propaganda show-piece. It is now close to four years, and the loudness with which Akufo-Addo trumpeted the free SHS idea has become dead silence as if there is nothing really wrong with our educational system. In our estimation that free SHS slogan was at best political rhetoric by Nana Akufo-Addo to make a political statement in the 2012 election year. Indeed we of the PPP knew how untenable the Nana Akufo-Addo proposition was and therefore offered our candid opinion on how free SHS cannot flourish under an educational environment, which Primary and Junior High School levels were and are still totally rotten. How can a child benefit from free SHS if they cannot afford JHS education? It is another election year and Nana Akufo-Addo is at what he knows best; promising heaven, when indeed his own disposition and track-record do not in any way measure up to the grandiose dream of offering nationwide factories as President. Apart from working in the office of I want to be President, what else can Akufo-Addo offer in concrete terms to support such a claim? Indeed if we are looking for someone with demonstrable talents to lead Ghana from her unemployment quagmire, then certainly that cannot be Nana Akufo-Addo. We agree everyone and his God-given talents and none can dispute Akufo-Addos pedigree in law; just as someone else may pride himself as a Communications expert of some sort. We are not the least suggesting that a lawyer cannot lead this country. Far from that! But if we all agree that one issue that is bugging us as a nation is job creation, then we need not look beyond Dr Papa Kwesi Nduom, the man who has within a spate of eight years created over five thousand jobs in Ghana, Cote dIvoire, Togo, Liberia, Burkina Faso, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. No one seems to be asking Nana Akufo-Addo how he intends creating these jobs. Perhaps like his carbon copy tactics where he has virtually usurped every Nduom idea like the Separation of the Attorney Generals Department from the Ministry of Justice and election of MMDCEs, Akufo-Addo is waiting to hear Dr Nduoms take on job creation, and presto, he will make it his own. If that is the case, Nana Addo should listen to the generous Nduom: I will use the State and its purchasing power to facilitate for the private sector to invest and set up factories. ---Signed--- Paa Kow Ackon Director of Communication File Photo 22.06.2016 LISTEN Manasseh Azure Awuni and Joy FMs apparent decision to subject President John Dramani Mahama and his government to harsh criticisms and malicious attacks meant to ruin his reputation and cause him a denial of a second term presidency in favour of the opposition New Patriotic Partys (NPP) candidate, Dr Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, suffered a major blow last week when the onetime journalist of the year together with the Multimedia radio station, woefully failed in their hatchet job to smear the President with the crimes of conflict of interest, bribery and corruption, in a bid to push further their apparent regime change agenda. The New Patriotic Party (NPP) and its appendages, which had begun having premature ejaculation over the wild allegation and went overdrive in declaring the President unfit for the high of the land, when Joy FM broke the unworthy news, are now stranded. It has become crystal clear that they were simply chasing a mirage and can no longer clutch onto the so-called expose and brand President Mahama as a corrupt leader. In a wild allegation following an amateurish investigation, Manasseh Azure and Joy FM claimed President Mahama had received a bribe of a Ford Expedition SUV from a Burkinabe contractor four years ago. The NPP and its apparatchiks have latched onto the story and pushing the argument of conflict of interest, bribery and corruption against the President. The weak allegation however has no leg to stand on after government, through the Communications Minister, made the facts available to the public, leaving the desperate opposition party totally disappointed. The Communications Director of the NPP, Nana Akomea has reportedly issued an official directive to NPP communicators to hold onto the story as told by Manasseh, who he showered praises on whilst expressing optimism that very soon, the party was going to get the support of pro-NPP pressure groups like Rev. Opunis Christian Council of Ghana, Alliance For Accountable Governance (AFAG) and OccupyGhana. Senior journalist like Mr. Kwesi Pratt, the Managing Editor of The Insight newspaper, and Mr Abdul Malik Kweku Baako, Editor-In-Chief of the New Crusading Guide and friend of the NPP, have however discounted the story as lacking merit and that the President did no wrong. Whilst Mr Baako believes the story is a good one but was wrongly packaged it wrongly targeted the President as being corrupt, Mr Kwesi Pratt is convinced the story completely lacked merit. He asked who takes a bribe and properly documents it as the said vehicle gift to the President has been documented. It also became revealing when Manasseh and Joy FM decided to exaggerate the price of the said vehicle. The story indicated that the vehicle as at 2012 cost $100,000, when a brand new 2017 Ford Expedition model is $66,000. Anti-corruption crusader and leading member of the NPP, Hon. P. C. Appiah Ofori, who accused the Kufuor government of bribing NPP Members of Parliament (MPs) with $5,000 each to okay the sale of Ghana telecom to Vodafone, also opined that President Mahama is innocent of the crime Manasseh and Joy FM are accusing him of. Hon. P. C. Appiah Ofori is on record to have said recently that President Mahama is not corrupt. The Convention Peoples' Party (CPP's) flagbearer Ivor Kobina Greenstreet says he sees nothing wrong with the issue being raised. He was reacting to legal practitioner Kwame Boateng Acheampong and Prof Ken Attafuah who have condemned the President for accepting gift. I dont have a feeling that there is a breach of protocol or conflict of interest, he explained on Pulse in an interview with Francis Abban on Joy News channel on Thursday. He dismissed talks about impeaching President John Mahama describing it as ridiculous after the two lawyers argued that the president has breached Article 284 of the Constitution. The communication minister, Dr Omane Boamah has however in a statement, 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 Ministry of Communications has noted the contents of a programme aired on JoyFM this morning. The programme sought to link a vehicle presented to the President in 2012 to two contracts awarded to a Burkinabe-owned construction firm. The said vehicle, which was placed in the vehicle pool at the Presidency as per established convention had nothing to do with the award of the contracts. The inference of conflict of interest is therefore absolutely false and untenable, the statement pointed out. The NPP went into frenzy when President Mahama stated categorically on BBC recently that he has never taken a bribe. The party, according to information available to The Catalyst, has since embroiled itself in strenuous efforts of fishing for information that could pinpoint the President to bribery and corruption. If you are an avid reader of my writings, then you probably know that Donald J. Trump is one of my topmost role models. In fact, I usually quote his words of wisdom in my articles, and I unequivocally assert that he is my great mentor as a budding entrepreneur. Hey, I am an avowed Pan-Africanist to the bone, yet I do not hate Donald Trump, the man perceived as an uncompromising racist. Let Donald Trump constantly speak ill of blacks; I still yearn to work with him in writing circles even as a black African writer. Why? Donald J. Trump may exude the attitude of white supremacy, but he is a fine gentleman whose incredible success story inspires me a lot. Besides, I really admire the Real Donald because he is a maverick just like me. Unfortunately, a chunk of the black race actually detest the personality of Donald J. Trump, describing him as an obstinate racist who undermines the dignity of blacks and insults the intelligence of black people. I just had a conversation with Winnie, a lady friend of mine, and I critically remarked that Donald J. Trump is my man. She furiously said, "That guy is a racist; I hate him. He is not real and blunt...He comes out to talk about blacks with such arrogance..." Well, Donald Trump stated in his book 'Think Like a Champion' that, "One reason people like me is because I'm blunt. One reason people don't like me is because I'm blunt. But one reason I'm successful is that I can cut through nonsense quickly and get to the core of things." Moreover, until the black race perceive Donald J. Trump as an intellectually objective person whose sincere comments about blacks are gospel truths, we will make no headway in our struggle for absolute economic freedom. For Christ's sake, this man is an American business mogul who cannot fathom out why Africa still wallows in despair in the midst of abundant and precious mineral resources. He is shocked to see corrupt African leaders engineering Africa's sufferings of epic proportions. Donald proclaims the hard and painful truths about blacks which we all need to be ashamed of rather than lambasting him for. Enough of the sheer hypocrisy, black folks! Now let me declare why I love everything about Donald J. Trump. He is a prolific author with impeccable writing skills. His powerful book "Think Like a Champion" actually enlightened me on business success and wealth creation. Trump's business credentials are simply unparalleled. No wonder he has built an industrial conglomerate which has made him a billionaire worth over $4 billion. As an astute politician, Trump advocates for visionary, pragmatic and disciplinary leadership which he exemplifies in the world of business. And I wish him good luck in his US presidential candidacy. Yes, Donald J. Trump is not a perfect individual, but I really love him for who he is no matter his shortcomings. God bless Donald Trump! Source: sirarticle.blogspot.com 22.06.2016 LISTEN Carnegie Mellon Universitys commitment to educating Africas next generation of technology leaders and entrepreneurs received a boost today with a $10.8 millioncommitment from The MasterCard Foundation. This new partnership, which will be established at Carnegie Mellon Universitys College of Engineering program in Kigali, Rwanda, will benefit 125 academically talented but economically disadvantaged students from Sub-Saharan Africa as part of The MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program. Carnegie Mellon University will join a global network of 23 Scholars Program partners, comprising educational institutions that are committed to developing Africas young leaders. These Scholars will go on to use their knowledge and skills to lead change in their communities and contribute to meaningful transformation across the continent. Since 2011, Carnegie Mellon University in Rwanda has contributed to enhancing the quality of the engineering workforce in Africa. This effort has addressed the critical shortage of information and communication technology (ICT) skills required for Africa to compete in the Fourth Industrial Revolution where physical, cyber and biological systems converge through information, computing and communication technologies to transform the lives and livelihoods of citizens around the world in unprecedented ways. The talented graduates of Carnegie Mellon in Rwanda play a strategic role in Africas trajectory, leveraging ICT to digitally leapfrog socio-economic development across the continent. With transformative support from The MasterCard Foundation, Carnegie Mellon will be able to multiply its impact on higher education and the ICT sector in Africa, as part of the Rwanda Governments vision to create a Regional Center of Excellence in ICT and to serve as a technological hub for the region. We are excited to partner with Carnegie Mellon University in Rwanda, an exceptional institution committed to training the next generation of African engineers, innovators and entrepreneurs to meet pressing global challenges, said Reeta Roy, President and CEO of The MasterCard Foundation. Investment in STEM education is pivotal to Africas future and will ensure that African nations have the opportunity to identify, develop and deploy their wealth of talent. By offering globally recognized degree programs in ICT to 125 students from lower-income families in Africa, Carnegie Mellon will have impact in three ways: first, this Program will dramatically expand future career options for each of the Scholars; second, it will be an essential educational and research resource underpinning growth and development of the technology sector in Africa; and third, alumni and faculty will benefit from Carnegie Mellons resources for supporting entrepreneurship and innovation. The MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program at Carnegie Mellon University in Rwanda will attract a diverse mix of Scholars from Rwanda and the rest of Sub-Saharan Africa, with a priority on increasing the enrollment of women. With this generous support from The MasterCard Foundation, we can multiply the impact of our program in Rwanda and educate a new cohort of exceptional engineers who will become catalysts for Africas digital transformation, said CMU President Subra Suresh. CMU shares the Foundations commitment to elevating intellectual and economic vitality around the globe, especially in developing regions. Students attending Carnegie Mellon in Rwanda receive a world-class education that enables them to become leaders in Africas growing innovation ecosystem. The MasterCard Foundation Scholars Program will provide holistic student support, including comprehensive scholarships, leadership development, volunteerism and industry-driven career services developing highly skilled, transformative leaders to catalyze Africas digital transformation. The Program will start in Fall 2016 and conclude in 2023, underscoring the importance of establishing long-term education programs in Africa. Research underway at Carnegie Mellon in Rwanda also takes a long-term approach. The faculty understand that to address Africas technology needs, students require time to analyze and solve problems in the context in which they occur. Research at Carnegie Mellon explores critical topics relevant to Africa: wireless networking, mobile applications, energy systems, cyber security, agriculture, financial services and telecommunications. The partnership announcement was made on June 20th during Carnegie Mellon Universitys graduation ceremony, when 24 students received masters degrees in Information Technology and Electrical and Computer Engineering. CMU President Suresh, and Dr. Jendayi Frazer, a member of the Board of Directors of The MasterCard Foundation, attended the graduation ceremony. To date, the program has graduated 70 students hailing from Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda and the United States. The vast majority of these graduates are working in their home countries, making an impact in the private sector, government and academia, and the rest are pursuing the creation of startup companies as well as doctoral programs. 22.06.2016 LISTEN Coping with religious pluralism and human diversity is the bane of the new world order. In Tunisia, something unanticipated happened. Just like that, Tunisians woke up from sleep in February 2013 to witness the assassination of a well-known political opposition leader, Chokri Belaid, outside his home. His death among other issues raised a red flag and shined light onto the post-revolution Arab world affecting all aspects of the Arab modernism. Belaids death was also fingered not to be unconnected to the role he played in making sure that the undemocratic regime of Zine Abidine Ben Ali went down in January 2011. Some observers said that it was for Belaids contrary belief-system with reformists that led to his surprising murder. Conflicts within Ali had ruled Tunisia for nearly a quarter century. While that regime lasted, some of the religious leaders wanted a Tunisia where moderate Islam and religious pluralism would be practiced. This thinking to be inclusive, however, was to the chagrin of many. There was a Tunisia where some Islamic groups used intimidation and violence to go after their Islamic aims and objectives. Others did not adopt aggression as a way to address their interests in the same Muslim country. The worlds do certainly understand that some Islamic fundamentalists adopt a very narrow thinking dynamics in the context of Islamic cultural diversity. Arab societies clash within themselves in carving out decisions and roles women can play in politics and society. Be it in educational policy or else, the status of non-Muslims and their roles is considerably appraised differently. There has always been turmoil in the Arab world when it comes to Islams place in politics, as indeed, the principles of Islamic religious faith always play a compelling role among the Arabs. For example, the Egypts ruling Muslim Brotherhood has been always accused by other Muslims as being too far in committing to the ancient sharia-law. The National Interest of February 20 2013 gave an article captioned "Tunisia and the Clash within Civilizations", in which Rajan Menon wrote that "The killing of an opposition leader highlights thunderous struggles within the Arab world. Thus the struggle over religions place in politics has divided, rather than united, Muslims in North Africa and the Middle East. Menon argues that the division tends to be portrayed as a quarrel between secularists and Islamists. Menon further adds that This is a mistake, for the former camp includes observant Muslims who, nonetheless, want to keep their faith and politics apart. In like manner, Christians and Islamic sects, such as the Sufis, take their religion seriously but do not want it to define their political life, or for it to be defined by zealots claiming to be true Muslims. Power and interest cause conflicts What that meant was that power and interest continue to play an innermost function in the affairs of mankind, no matter the society involved. Empires, monarchical governments and peoples identifying themselves with nationalism and fascism were seen as fad in the 18th and 19 centuries in Europe and America respectively. However, later in France and expanded in the 20th century, the Russian Revolution was part of that ideology that has crossed the bridge of complex religiosity and governance. The root cause of religious intolerance seemed to be driven with fundamentalist cultures and traditions to the centre, where sordid roles were played out. The activities of the 21st century, one must note, are gulped in cultural divergences. Today, the world is not only experiencing a Clash Of Civilisations (COC), but also a systemic Clash Within Civilisations. Take for instance, the Islamic communities exist in the European and Western communities yet the communities have not lived in a synchronized accepted ethical value with others. The argument is centred on the clash within civilizations with the Christian west claiming superiority over the Muslim Arab world. Clash within a civilization Menon as we saw earlier observed that in Syria the clash within a civilization has assumed a deadly form. The civil war pits an Alawite-dominated state against insurgents, whose most pious members see Alawites not as fellow Muslims, but as apostates. Basically, Bashars regime has been able to survive not only because it has more and better weapons than its foes but also because other Muslims (Sunnis urban professional, Kurds, and Druze) and Syrias various Christian denominations have either stayed neutral or backed the government despite their misgivings for fear that its fall will lead to the rise of a doctrinaire Sunni regime. The armed opposition is, in the main, are the Sunnis who have roots in the rural areas. Many groups within it are animated by the goal of establishing an Islamic state given their fundamentalist approach to governance. Political interest Apparently, in the absence of peace, the communities intertwine with each other when interest is the middle focus in the area of politics. Still within each of the worlds, coherence is not full stop among the people. There are cases of fundamentalism with diverse groups on crusades for their particular world mission to accept an ideology, or eschew it. Against that backdrop, the West is doing everything humanly and spiritually possible to convert the Arabs to a settled lifestyle though the Arabs had their aboriginality in nomadic tenets. America stood as a target in the fight for human rights and spreading of democracy. In consequence, the September 11, 2001 bombing of the World Trade Centre in the USA and the recurring Islamic terrorist attacks have become a global terror network and threat to safety and peace. The very terrorist attack on USA signaled the beginning of what may be called Hot War between the two camps. A quest to control not only the value-systems of the Arabs but also their foreign policies has compelled the West to wage a dangerous war against Iraq in 2003, which ended in 2011. Misinformation within civilisations The West misinformed the world into believing that Saddam Hussein, who was then the President of Iraq, was in possession of nuclear weapons, capable of consuming the world. There were also such wars in Afghanistan, Algeria, Chechnya, Bosnia, and a host of other Arab countries. There was the Western sponsored revolution in Libya christened the Arab Spring. It saw to the ousting of Muammar Gaddafi (a maximum ruler of Libya for over four decades) and subsequently his death. Western and European countries, namely the United Kingdom and the United States of America, have implanted in their citizens a consciousness that always make them see any Arab as an outlaw, a risk element. The making of the Hot War Students of political history knew that political scientist Samuel P. Huntington in a 1992 lecture at the American Enterprise Institute, saw war brewing in the post-Cold War world, but did not find the right title for it, except what he described as "The Clash of Civilizations(COC)". On the other hand, the Arabs as have been shown through highlighting of their ideology woven in Islamic creeds want to overcome and take over the West. The world has seen that after the death of Islamic faith founder, Mohammed in 632 A. D., the Islamic Jihadists had by 732 A. D., taken over Arabia, Syria, the Holy Land, North Africa, Spain, and the middle of France. In the lecture mentioned earlier, Huntington forewarned the world that the belief-systems, cultural and traditional appellations of different races would be the elementary source of conflicts in the post-Cold War. Clash of powers While the world leaders continue to justify the carnage of the West in Iraq and other Arab worlds, the Arabs continue to send disbelieve of the war through gunshots and missiles the world is seeing and hearing today. The Arabs continue to flaw the invasion of Iraq, saying that it infringed on their fundamental human rights to live, as a people and race. Injuxtaposing that view point, it appears common sense reason would agree that from when Huntington formulated his COC theory and subsequently publishing a book on it in 1996, the West invariably was selling a wholesale mischief for a decade against the Arabs for the inglorious job it did in Iraq in 2003. It is evident that the search for imperial ambitions by the West led to the Arab Spring Phenomenon or Uprising, being the clash of powers with al Qaeda terror group. The worst thing that is occurring is the subjugation of the so-called Third World not to veto opinions of the Big-5 countries at the United Nations (UN), namely China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. And these countries when invariably sidelined at the UN have grudges against the Big-5. Conceptions and misconceptions The Hot War can be seen as the propagation of the European and Western hegemony. It is so given their rapacious movements to enthrall the rest of the world. Such propagation of power and dominance of the Arab circle may be described and called neo-colonialism. The Hot War notion is being brewed by the self-seeking interest of the West against the underpinned Arab worlds, including African and Asian regions. The irony is that the modern day egoistical interest groups have made the West and Arabs to forget that they share in the same conservative faith of Abrahamic civilisation. The modernisation is what has kept the two sides to always lock their horns in many unending conflicts. The relationship between civilisation and violence is causing the world physical and mental injuries as well as social discrimination. All of this is occasioned by the incessant quest for economic, ideological and political power. It is, however, sad to understand how the West has shown its oversight and then goes on to display civilisation as a pattern of supremacy of technological and political power blocks for order and disorder as the case may be. Innovation It has become imperative that the world policy makers must have a rethink in dishing out imagined falsehood, while in the pursuit of gluttonous policies on the scale of political reasons. The truth is that many policies in the world today have culminated into a directionless Hot War, unlike in the days when the Cold War was simply between Capitalism and Communism. It is fearsome that the Hot War is not limited to religious differences between the Arab world and the western hemisphere. It is also powerfully evident in men and women, family and children around gender rights and power struggles for control. There should be a clear cut meaning and application of control and choices in the definition between violence and civilisation in the 21stcentury. Odimegwu Onwumere is a Rivers State based poet, writer and consultant and winner, in the digital category, Nordica Media Merit Awards 2016. Tel: +2348057778358. Email: [email protected] Accra, June 22, GNA - The Reverend Seth Mensah, Acting Resident Pastor of Jesus Generation Ministries, has called on politicians to demonstrate a high level of tolerance to ensure that there is always peace in the country. He said as the nation prepares for another era of democratic dispensation, there is the need for politicians to lead the crusade for peaceful election. Rev Mensah, who made the call when speaking to Ghana News Agency in an Accra, said Ghanaians acknowledge the desire for politicians to serve their nation but then they should know that Ghana is for all of us. Rev Mensah it is sad when politicians are at each other's throat whenever they mount political platforms or speaking on the airwaves. He advised them to refrain from using the youth as agents to cause chaos. He urged the youth to resist the temptation of being used by disgruntled politicians to achieve their political ambition since they would not be spared when caught. Rev Mensah the Ministries is organising outreach programmes in the communities to ensure peace before, during and after the November 7 elections. He urged religious leaders to desist from predicting the results of the election since it would lead to political unrest. Rev Mensah appealed to the Inspector-General of Police to reconsider the decision of blocking social media platform on the day of the election since he said would not be in the interest of Ghanaians. He took the opportunity to appeal to fathers not to shirk their responsibilities but should strive to take active interest in the education of their wards. GNA A former President of Ghana, Jerry John Rawlings, has disclosed that he did not enjoy being in office, but had to stay on to help stabilise the country. The founder of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) who marks his 69th birthday today, Wednesday June 22, told Morning Starr host Nii Arday Clegg that being a president was a very demanding job which he does not miss anymore. ...It was a very tasking situation for all of us...some of us didnt enjoy being in office...but we had to work hard and after 10 years of that kind of work during the revolution period you want to break along but you are forced to come back because you can see foolish promises are being made in the air so you stay on to help consolidate, the former president said on Starr 103.5FM. Peaceful elections The former military ruler also said Ghana has made progress with infrastructural developments but majority of Ghanaians still find themselves in hardships. According to him, it is his hope that the living conditions of Ghanaians will improve in the coming months so people can have a little respite. He also urged Ghanaians to ensure that the November 7 presidential and parliamentary elections are conducted in a peaceful atmosphere. Flight Lieutenant, Jerry John Rawlings ( RTD.) was born 22 June 1947. He was Head of State and 1st President of Ghana of the 4th Republic from 1993 to 2001. He is married to Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings and they have three daughters namely Ezanetor Rawlings, Yaa Asantewaa Rawlings, Amina Rawlings and a son, Kimathi Rawlings. In October, 2013, he received an Honorary degree, Doctorate of Letters from the University for Development studies. business Thomas Cook soars 10% as arm Quess Corp announces Rs 400-cr IPO Subrata Nag, CFO of Quess Corp says the company has an amazing track-record in inorganic growth, adding IPO funds will be used for capex, acquisitions, repayment of debt. you are here: business Petronet LNG may test Rs 310-315, says Amit Gupta Amit Gupta of ICICIdirect is of the view that Petronet LNG may test Rs 310-315. June 22, 2016 Open Thread 2016-22 News & views ... Posted by b on June 22, 2016 at 18:23 UTC | Permalink Comments next page South County residents and public safety officers paid their respects to fallen San Jose Police Officer Michael Katherman June 21 by gathering on U.S. 101 overpasses as his funeral procession traveled through the area. Funeral services for Katherman, who died June 14 in a traffic accident while on duty with SJPD, took place at SAP Center in San Jose June 21. He was 34 years old, and left behind his wife April and sons Josh, 10 and Jason, 8. April teaches at Pacific Point Christian School in Gilroy. After the funeral, his remains were escorted by hundreds of police officers from throughout the state to the Gavilan Hills Memorial Cemetery in Gilroy. Leading the procession were dozens of Kathermans fellow motorcycle officers. On the East Dunne Avenue overpass, two Morgan Hill Fire Department officers stood atop an engine and saluted the procession as it passed. Residents waved American flags as they lined up along the edge of the overpass, peering through the fence facing the southbound traffic as it passed underneath them. Were here to show our respects, said Morgan Hill resident Cindy Chapman, who brought her grandsons Jonah Roush and Devin McCusker to the procession. We know that officers give their lives for us every day. On the Burnett Avenue overpass about the same time, Dave Carney and his wife Monica showed their support for Katherman and his colleagues. Dave Carney lost his leg 16 years after being hit by a drunk driver while he was riding his motorcycle. He makes an effort to support law enforcement whenever he can as a thank you. Kathermans remains were buried in a private service at 2:30 p.m. June 21 in Gilroy. Sharp price drops are a distinct possibility in the event of a housing collapse similar to what the United States experienced nearly a decade ago, according to a recent analysis by Moodys Investors Service. In Barbara Shecters report for the Financial Post, Moodys warned that the systemic vulnerabilities inherent in the Canadian mortgage system would induce a strong downward pressure on prices that would lead to nearly $12 billion in losses should the country plunge into a U.S.-style financial crisis. Moodys noted that the Canadian systems level of exposure to risk stems from the fact that nearly nine-tenths of the countrys mortgage holders loan from banks or co-operatives. Complicating matters is that Canadas six biggest banks currently hold around 75 per cent of outstanding mortgage debt. While the ratings agency stated that these institutions will not suffer a catastrophic impact from such a downturn, house prices could decline by 25 per cent nationwide and fully 35 per cent in the hottest markets due to the resulting aftershocks on borrowers purchasing power. In the event of a housing downturn, [the] riskier loans could exacerbate price declines, Moodys said, adding that a vicious cycle of defaults and mass selling would feed into the rapid fall in prices. When those houses are sold in foreclosure, prices of nearby properties fall. A close analogy would be a tinder box, Moodys assistant vice president Jason Mercer said. Over the past few quarters, various observers have voiced their concerns over the Canadian housing market, saying that the sustained dynamism and growth mask the overvalued, overheated, and overburdened nature of the sector, especially in Vancouver and Toronto. The former registrar for mortgages in Ontario weighs in on the recent panel study calling for more stringent syndicated mortgage regulation. I had that debate years ago with the OSC when they decided syndicated mortgages were not a part of their operation, William Vasiliou, former the assistant superintendent of financial institutions and registrar under the mortgage brokers act in Ontario, told MortgageBrokerNews.ca. I think its a good idea. There needs to be more above-board disclosure. I had discussed that back in the 80s. An independent panel of experts published a report, which was made available to the public Tuesday, arguing syndicated mortgages should 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, the report, entitled Review of the Mandates of the Financial Services Commission of Ontario, Financial Services Tribunal, and the Deposit Insurance Corporation of Ontario, said. And Vasiliou -- who is retired but continues to work as a forensic analyst for financial services cases, included those concerning syndicated mortgages -- agrees. I believe that will be the case [and more disclosure will be required]. I think its going to be the regulatory body responsible for mortgage brokers, he said. I would think the securities commission has the responsibility to oversee them. Theyre still a security like any other security. But I think theyd have to work conjointly with the financial services [regulatory] authority. Thepanel which comprise 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 also recommended an independent regulator be established, to be called the Financial Services Regulatory Authority. The panel recommended the FSRA should address individuals sanctioned by one regulator, who then go on to engage in activities under another. We emphasize the need for FSRA to find ways to proactively consider actions and regulatory approaches taken by other regulators to similar or overlapping matters, the panel said. For example, where a securities salesperson has been subject to an order effectively barring them from regulated activities by a securities regulator, FSRA should have a duty to consider whether that person should be permitted to continue selling segregated funds or syndicated mortgages. And Vasioliou agrees. You shouldnt be allowed to jump from one regulatory body to another after youve been sanctioned, he said. Independent filmmaker Charlie Minn will screen his latest film, Mexicos Bravest Man, this weekend in Odessa in another show at the Ector Theatre, slated to close this summer. The documentary tells the story of the former Ciudad Juarez police chief Julian Leyzaola, who survived eight assassination attempts. The film shows surveillance video capturing the eighth attempt, which came on May 8, 2015. Leyzaola was shot three times outside a money exchange business in Juarez by a man who walks up to his parked SUV. He is paralyzed today. Minn credits Leyzaola with bringing down the murder rate in Ciudad Juarez during a drug war between rival cartels that claimed more than 11,000 lives. Heres the story of true heroism, true guts, from a guy who as far as I know is the only one whos ever stood up to the drug cartels, Minn said. But a lot of people are curious whether or not his policies were in line with the law. Again, hes a Mexican police officer. That comes with an image of corruption. Leyzaola was the former police chief of Tijuana before he was recruited to lead the department in Juarez. Allegations of human rights abuses shadowed Leyzaola, and Minn said he explored those too in his film. At the time of the most recent assassination attempt, Leyzaola was running a private security company. The documentary is Minns 20th in six years, and many of them with drug violence in Mexico. But the filmmaker calls Mexicos Bravest Man his most passionate work. Minn debuted the film in February in El Paso. He said Leyzaola attended another screening in San Diego. I think anyone should study this man, just from a guts point of view, Minn said. This is the ultimate no nonsense guy who literally instilled fear in his own police department. This is truly a movie about the Mexican police. I think the Mexican police, as dangerous, as hated as they are, still carry this aura of fascination. Mexicos Bravest Man will play at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Tickets are $10. Minn will attend and take questions from the audience. The Ector Theatres artistic director, Don Stice, had scheduled the final series of events for the theater in May so the city could begin preparing the site for a downtown hotel and convention center estimated to cost some $77 million and incorporate the theater. City officials are still working out specific plans for how to renovate the Ector Theatre say the theater might not reopen for two years. In recent weeks, crews removed some asbestos found in the facility. But Stice said city officials originally told him not to book shows after June, but approved showing Minns most recent film at the venue. Any chance for people to use that building again before it shuts down for two years is good, Stice said. Im glad its being used. WASHINGTON (AP) An experimental vaccine for the Zika virus is due to begin human testing in coming weeks, after getting the green light from U.S. health officials. Inovio Pharmaceuticals said Monday it received clearance from the Food and Drug Administration to begin early-stage safety tests of its DNA-based vaccine against the mosquito-borne virus. That puts the company ahead of researchers at the National Institutes of Health, who have said they expect to begin testing their own DNA-based Zika vaccine by early fall. Inovios vaccine is intended to prime the immune system to fight Zika by introducing genetically-engineered material that mimics the virus. Inovio reports that animals tested with the vaccine developed antibodies and immune-system cells that attack Zika. The NIH is working to develop a Zika vaccine by swapping out the genetic material from its experimental West Nile virus vaccine. Inovio and its partner, GeneOne Life Science, plan to begin a 40-person study to determine the safest dose of the vaccine in coming weeks. Company officials said they expect results from the vaccine study by the end of 2016. There are currently no licensed drugs or vaccines for Zika. Ultimately, confirming the safety and effectiveness of any Zika virus will require large studies, and how fast those could be done depends in part on whether Zika still is spreading widely in 2017. Zika is spread mainly through the bite of a tropical mosquito, Aedes aegypti. It 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. Zika has become epidemic in Latin America and the Caribbean since last fall. Officials arent expecting big outbreaks in the continental U.S., but some cases are likely as temperatures rise and mosquitoes spread. Shares of Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania-based Inovio jumped 29 cents, or 2.8 percent, to $10.76 in midday trading Monday. Its been a turbulent two years for the Anders family. Codi Anders husband, Mike, was diagnosed with melanoma cancer in 2014 and died less than a year later, leaving behind two children now ages 4 and 7. At the same time, Anders father, Rex, was at the end of an almost 10-year battle with leukemia. Anders found out he had cancer in 2006, and after eight years of failed treatments, Dr. Paul Shaughnessy, the medical director at the Methodist Hospital, said a transplant was his only hope. Four matches all on the National Marrow Donor Registry either experienced complications or disappeared before going through the procedure needed to save his life. I fought leukemia for 10 years, I used every treatment they threw at me and finally they just said it wasnt enough, Anders said. It was just a long process. Youre away from your family, your friends you pray to God a lot and just hope you get through this. Right after Codi Anders lost her husband, Shaughnessy told her father that he had a match who was ready to start the process right away. The Anders family was ecstatic. We just prayed (the donor) wouldnt change her mind, Rexs wife, Jeni, said. Were a strong family, you know, weve had to go through a lot to get to this point. Anders, who is from Thorndale in Central Texas, had the life-saving transplant surgery in November of that year and was declared cancer-free. He felt connected to the woman who gave her stem cells and saved his life, but couldnt reach out to her for a year because of transplant regulations. On Friday, two days before Fathers Day, Rex and his family finally got to meet Stefanie Hightower, a 27-year-old Alabama native whom they now consider their unofficial third daughter. The reunion took place at the Methodist Hospitals Adult Blood and Marrow Stem Cell Transplant Clinic. Rex Anders hadnt planned anything to say to Hightower ahead of time, but handed her a bouquet of flowers and embraced her for more than a minute while his daughters wiped away tears. Shes actually an angel in heaven to me, he said. Shes given me a second chance in life to get to see my daughters grow up. Hightower was married a year after her donation, and decided to make the trip from Anniston, Alabama, to San Antonio with her husband as a honeymoon trip. She initially signed up to be a donor in 2008, after losing a friend and her grandmother to cancer. It kind of kick-started me into trying to figure out how to help more, Hightower said. But then she put it out of her mind, until someone called her from the registry in 2014. I was shocked. Unlike a traditional bone marrow transplant, doctors extracted the stem cells for Rex Anders from the blood surrounding Hightowers marrow. Shaughnessy said the process is relatively easier than a traditional bone marrow transplant. But the possible side effects, including nausea and vomiting, plus several injections and a day hooked up to a machine, mean it might not be so simple for the donor. The doctor said if she hadnt gone through with it, Rex Anders cancer would have been terminal. He had failed all standard treatments, in fact, we were moving on to experimental treatments to try to keep it under control even that was failing, Shaughnessy said. So his one chance was the bone marrow transplant. (Without it), it is quite possible he would not be alive right now. How far have you gone for science? Andrea Baccarini scaled Pico Mountain, a dormant volcano in the Azores, in the name of good research. Well, clean and clear research. He explains why in this guest blog. Descending the flank of Pico Mountainin the middle of the night, in the midst of a storm with rain, strong wind, and fog, all with a twisted anklemy main thought was "Why did I decide to work on this crazy project?" The thought weighed on me heavier than my 55-pound backpack. And it was valid. Why did I choose to climb a mountain to characterize a bunch of remote aerosol particles? To answer that, I have to introduce myself. I am an Italian student who recently obtained a masters degree in experimental physics from the University of Trento. The project, my masters thesis, focused on the vertical characterization of aerosol properties across the flank of the Pico Mountain in the Azores. In other words, I wanted to understand how particles in the air change their properties with height and in which way this influences their interaction with sunlight. Pico is the place to do just that. Field Campaign Pico is a stratovolcano in the Azores, it is 2,350 meters (7,710 ft.) tall and offers a unique location to investigate how aging and cloud processing modify aerosol properties. A climatological and environmental station, Pico Mountain Observatory (PMO), was installed by the late Michigan Tech professor Richard Honrath and by professor Paulo Fialho from the university of the Azores in 2001 to investigate long range transport of trace gases. Moreover, over the last four years, Claudio and Lynn Mazzoleni performed extensive measurements of aerosol properties exploiting the uniqueness of the site. I joined them during the 2015 field season for two months. This was what I had to hike with. Baccarini's backpack, full of atmospheric measurement tools, weighed about 35 pounds most days. And the hiking is worth it: Pico is a unique place to study aerosols. Aerosols are tiny particles suspended in the atmosphere that interact with incoming solar radiation and outgoing infrared. These interactions affect the overall radiative budget contributing to climate change. Aerosol properties are still largely unknown and a large effort is being carried out by the scientific community to obtain a better understanding of their properties and to create climate models to account for their effects. Hiking to the Top of the World I met Claudio thanks to a talk that he gave to students of Dino Zardi, professor of atmospheric physics at the University of Trento. A significant part of the talk was devoted to the description of Pico and I was immediately impressed by the description of this location. I was attracted by the unique position of this site and fascinated by the idea that the station could be reached only after a seriously long hike. At the same time I was intrigued by the idea of performing new measurements and the possibility to put my own little brick on the big wall of aerosol knowledge, that is actually under construction. From the window of the plane landing on the island, I immediately noticed the top of Pico Mountain, a quasi perfect cone emerging from the ocean and dominating the surrounding land. Pico is different from all the mountains that I am used to, it is different for its shape, for its darker color and in particular for its complete isolation. The sun sets over the Atlantic Ocean, seen high above on Pico Mountain. "Straddling the top of the world, one foot in China and the other in Nepal, I cleared the ice from my oxygen mask, hunched a shoulder against the wind, and stared absently down at the vastness of Tibet. I understood on some dim, detached level that the sweep of earth beneath my feet was a spectacular sight..."Jon Krakauer, Into Thin Air I understood that feeling on top of Pico. Reaching Pico's summit, looking at a horizon made only of water and air while realizing how vast the surrounding ocean is, stimulates feelings that are probably similar to those created by the view from the top of Mount Everest. The isolation and the elevation were two of the main reasons the PMO was established here, in fact the station typically lays above the atmospheric Boundary Layer (we'll shorten to BL), the part of the atmosphere that is directly influenced by the presence of the surface. The separation enables us to measure gases and aerosols in the Free Troposphere (FT). These gases and aerosols can be transported over long distances and here, in the Azores, we frequently measured air masses coming from North America. Making Sense of the Atmosphere One of the main goals of my thesis was to investigate two circumstances. One, whether the station effectively lays above the BL. And, two, to figure out when and under which conditions boundary layer aerosols rather than FT particles are measured at the station. The answer to the first question is that, during the summer, in 100 percent of the cases, the station was found to lay well above the boundary layer. The second question is trickier and any general conclusion would be questionable since a variety of different processes may arise. The BL is not an impenetrable barrier. For example, a buoyant push off the mountain could drive low BL particles up into the FT or particles could subside down. Pico Mountain GPS Hiking Routes With the backpack profiles, it was possible to identify 13 vertical maps with a well-defined transition between the FT and the BL. We found that in 70 percent of cases the average size of the particles in these two regions of the atmosphere was different. In the 2014, aerosols were found to be smaller in the BL while in the 2015 the opposite trend was found. This suggests that a separation between the two layers effectively exists. By looking at the average size of the particles we identified four possible cases of mixing between FT and BL air. Two of these events were probably intrusions of air masses from the FT into the BL; in one case air from the BL was probably lifted to the FT. Why Pico Matters This is what it boils down to: We study the air we breathe and the changing climate at Pico. Better knowledge of the vertical distribution of aerosol properties can improve the accuracy of the radiative transfer models and consequently reduce uncertainties related with future climate prediction. The Azores position is representative of North Atlantic Ocean mid-latitudes, a wide region where only a couple of sites dedicated to aerosol studies exist. With these ongoing measurements pieced together at PMO, it's possible to fill a big gap in climate models. We can advance toward a more complete characterization of aerosol properties over this wide area. Keep in mind, my results are preliminary, and a lot of work is still required, but they're a first step. Also, irrespective of aerosol impact on climate, backpack profiles together with measurements at PMO offer valuable insights into aerosol physics. How does atmospheric circulation affect aerosol transport? What are their interactions with the clouds? And how do they evolve after moving for several days into the FT? Lines in the Clouds A noticeable example that falls into the first category is the formation of a thin layer of aerosol in the FT just above the clouds. These layers appear as a sharp dark line at the horizon and we frequently observed them during the field campaign. These layers are probably made by aerosols produced and then transported over long distances that reside in the FT for long periods of time since there is no turbulence to dissipate them. Stratified clouds sit above Pico Mountain. Usually, there is just one of these layers. But on June 26, 2015, we observed a triple layer. They were plainly visible and the instrument inside my backpack also picked up on them. In particular the particle concentration data clearly shows the presence of two layers and probably a third layer that was not measured only because it was laying above the top of Pico mountain. Coming Down Off the Mountain So, why did I decide to work on this crazy project? To me, the answer is as clear as the view from atop Pico on a sunny day. I chose this project for its importance and the uniqueness of the research that can be done here, for the breathtaking location and, a posteriori, I would say for the people. In fact, due to the experience on Pico, I had the opportunity to collaborate with an international team of scientists and to grow from a scientific point of view. In particular living and working in close contact with Claudio and Lynn Mazzoleni made me learn a lot of new things. They have been wonderful hosts and I sincerely want to thank them for caring so much about me and my future career as a scientist. And now what is the future of the project? Claudio and Kaelan (a student from Michigan Tech) climbed Pico recently to open the station for the new season. And, hopefully, Kaelan will be able to continue with backpack profiles, adding a third year of data to our records. Concerning my future, I will apply for a PhD in Italy at CNR in Bologna with a project that will be based on the creation of a network between PMO and another mountaintop monitoring station, Monte Cimone, in Italy. A lot of questions are still open and we want to address them and to keep PMO operative, so stay tuned. Pico Mountain stratified clouds sit above Pico Mountain Pico Mountain Observatory Rising high above the Azores, the dormant volcano Pico Mountain offers atmospheric observations free from the ocean's direct influence. Particles, pollutants, and chemical signatures pass through, collected by the station. Researchers use the data to study wildfires, climate change, pollution, and other worldwide phenomena. Learn more: www.pico-mt.mtu.edu About the Researchers Claudio Mazzoleni, Lynn Mazzoleni, Andrea Baccarini Research Interests: Andrea: Experimental and atmospheric physics Lynn: Atmospheric chemistry, air pollution, climate change Claudio: Aerosol physics and climate change Michigan Technological University is a public research university founded in 1885 in Houghton, Michigan, and is home to more than 7,000 students from 55 countries around the world. Consistently ranked among the best universities in the country for return on investment, Michigans flagship technological university offers more than 120 undergraduate and graduate degree programs in science and technology, engineering, computing, forestry, business and economics, health professions, humanities, mathematics, social sciences, and the arts. The rural campus is situated just miles from Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, offering year-round opportunities for outdoor adventure. The only Christian home for the aged in Hohhot known as "Eden" officially opens for the seniors who need a new home. Co-founded by the provincial CCC&TSPM and a brother, the nursing home has 100 beds with a construction area of more than 2000 square meters, covering about 33 mu. All the buildings here are bungalow-type buildings. In each bungalow, there are double, triple and quadruple rooms with the average net area ranging from 25 to 40 square meters and they are equipped with their own bathroom, furniture and appliances. The home also has public facilities including a canteen, restaurant, church, multi-room, activity room, laundry room and bathroom. "Eden" says that all the indoor and outdoor facilities and structures are designed to be obstacle-free. Moreover, it ensures that it can cater to the life and care plans needed by seniors, especially those with specific conditions. The residents here can attend morning services, a weekly regular meeting and Sunday service. "Our staff are basically brothers and sisters with Christ's love inside them. Our principle is to serve everyone with Christ's love." said Sister Feng who works in the home. Meanwhile, she hopes for more prayers for the home and the development of the chapel inside it. Currently, two elderly people are living in the nursing home. Feng tells CCD that a cute grandpa who stays in the home at 87 with good health said he would pray to the Lord when he missed his children yesterday after attending a service in the chapel. The elderly home also opens its services to the society. We have independently selected these offers and products because we love them and we think you might like them at these prices. E! has affiliate relationships, so we may earn a commission if you buy something through our links. Items are Local and regional partners in a new collaborative effort, led by University of Wisconsin-Stout, the Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, are ready to harness their resources to improve water quality in the Red Cedar River watershed. The DNR recently awarded a $200,000 lake protection grant to the project, and the Army Corps has committed $300,000 in water quality assessment funding from 2016 through 2018 to identify solutions and implement them to help reduce toxic blue-green algae blooms in the nearly 1,900-square mile watershed across 10 west-central Wisconsin counties. The project, called the Red Cedar River Water Quality Partnership, includes other government agencies and organizations that have been working on the problem for more than 25 years. The impact of the toxic algae blooms that turn the water green stretches from lakes Tainter and Menomin in Menomonie to the Chetek chain of lakes in Barron County and to the headwaters of the Red Cedar River on Big Chetac Lake near Birchwood. The significance of the new effort is threefold: The sizable amount of funding, the sheer number of groups on board and the decision to include social impact as part of the research process to identify solutions. Nels Paulson, an associate professor of sociology at UW-Stout, has co-led three summers of undergraduate research through the separately funded LAKES REU research experience for undergraduates, www.uwstout.edu/lakes. He said the most significant aspect of RCRWQP is likely the expanded social science research. LAKES students have documented how poor water quality affects recreation, tourism, real estate and, therefore, the economy and quality of life in the affected areas. LAKES already has shown that improved water quality would boost the Menomonie area economy by $36.6 million a year, conservatively. The new funding will help complete a full social science analysis of the problem. The DNR and Army Corps have been wanting to integrate more social science into water quality research projects. With this knowledge, we can help empower the community to clean up the watershed, Paulson said. When organizations get together, thats how you get more research done. Were expanding on the research efforts were doing and want to be a pilot for how to do this across the state in the future. Ive been told that nothing like this has ever been done before, Paulson added. Patrick Buzz Sorge, lake grants coordinator for the DNRs west-central region, agrees. Im extremely excited about this and the potential outcome, he said. Seeking answers in social science Sorge credits LAKES for revealing the scope of the problem beyond its root cause, which is excessive phosphorous in the watersheds streams, rivers and lakes. The biophysical chemistry is the what so to speak. Weve got a lot of what out there. The social science will be the how do we get this done, and the how is really important, Sorge said. It was really the LAKES REU students who gave us these insights. Weve got to change the paradigm to solve these water quality problems. By allowing all this to happen in one major project is outstanding, and to have one of our state university institutions practice the Wisconsin Idea also is very rewarding, he added. The purpose of the social science assessment is to identify the major attitudinal, normative, economic and cultural factors that shape land use decisions and community incentives and policies, according to Paulson and Sorge. By distinguishing such variables the local townships, cities and counties can move forward with ways to grow their community capacity for changing land use norms and practices and improve water resources and quality of life in the Red Cedar basin, Paulson said. Paulson, Sorge and the Army Corps dont expect the decades-old water quality problems to magically be solved in the next three years, but RCRWQP can build the foundation for change in the near future. This is foundational work that hopefully will allow the rest of the work to move forward at a quicker and more appropriate scale. This doesnt work if we get 30 to 50 percent of pollution sources under control. We need to be 70 to 90 percent. Then youll see lakes Tainter and Menomin look much different in August, Sorge said. RCRWQP will get underway this summer through more LAKES research and with the hiring of a research coordinator. The Army Corps $300,000 commitment will provide modeling and water quality monitoring tools and some staff support for the project, said Nate Campbell, a biologist and project manager for the Army Corps St. Paul district. The Army Corps will work directly with UW-Stout biology instructor Bill James, a former Army Corps employee, and other professors. The hard science of water testing needs to tie in with social science research to really get things done in a watershed, Campbell said. Were really excited to be involved. Its rare to see so many groups working together. With UW-Stouts work in outreach, we saw this as a cool opportunity to get involved with something thats been on the forefront of where water assessment is going, Campbell said. A collaborative effort Along with Paulson and James, support from UW-Stout includes; Chris Ferguson, economics; Tina Lee, anthropology; the Discovery Center; Research Services; and others. Along with UW-Stout, the DNR and the Army Corps, other entities and groups involved in RCRWQP include: UW-Extension, Dunn County, Barron County, City of Menomonie, West Central Wisconsin Regional Planning Commission, Natural Resource Conservation Service, Tainter/Menomin Lake Improvement Association, Red Cedar Lakes Association, Chetek Lakes Protection Association, Big Chetac and Birch Lakes Association, Desair Lake Restoration, 3M Corp., West Wisconsin Land Trust and Farmers Union. The watershed includes about 40,000 acres of open water and 4,900 miles of waterways, according to the RCRWQP plan, A River Runs Through Us: A Water Quality Strategy for the Land and Waters of the Red Cedar River Basin. The plan can be seen at http://naturalresources.uwex.edu/redcedar/publications.html. The Red Cedar basin is an outstanding place to live. Improving water quality and quality of life thats the end game, Sorge said. Speaker is totally wrong in his ... No one had any inkling this was happening, Michael Blumenfeld told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. We are just scratching our heads. Why would you do this? Mr. Blumenfeld spoke for the Wisconsin Family Care Association in early spring of 2015. The frail elderly, disabled, and their families learned the governor sought to privatize the successful Family Care and IRIS programs, handing them over to a few large insurance companies. The birth of this idea happened in secret. The Department of Health Services (DHS) Secretary charged with shepherding the plan through the legislative process acknowledged to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that she learned of the proposal only when the governors budget was released. Evidently her staff also knew nothing of the plan. None of them knew anything about this, said Barbara Beckert of Disability Rights Wisconsin. They are in a state of shock. In December 2014, the governors office invited advocacy groups to a meeting to discuss what they would like to see happen with the programs. Jason Endres and his spouse Julie of Eau Claire attended that meeting. We were never listened to, Jason said. The governor did a complete 180 when the budget came out. Later an email circulated around the Capitol revealing that the governors office directed the nonpartisan Legislative Reference Bureau to write budget language dismantling Family Care and IRIS programs. Governor Walker sidestepped the public agency budget process entirely. He ignored the advocacy/agency councils set up to design changes to long-term care programs. His proposal would upend a critical safety net for almost 60,000 of our states most vulnerable citizens without their consultation. According to an analysis done by the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau, The administration did not solicit the recommendations of the Long-Term Care Advisory Council before or during the development of the Family Care/IRIS 2.0 proposal. The Council had requested meetings, but was not granted input. Days after the budget came out, Jason, Julie along with other IRIS recipients and their families started the Save IRIS citizen advocacy effort to inform people about the proposed changes to their critical programs. Thousands of people from around the state participated in two disability awareness days and a SAVE IRIS rally at the Capitol. During the spring of 2015, hundreds came to testify during the public budget process. More than 200 statewide and local organizations jointly passed a resolution against the governors plan. Then the Joint Finance Committee met to vote. Jason related what he saw: During the Executive Session they all talked about it. Talk [for the governors proposal] didnt go all that great as far as getting rid of it. All of a sudden [Assembly Speaker] Robin Vos walked in the room. And the mood changed. The Republicans went into a little meeting room within the Joint Finance Committee room. Then they all came back out and everything had changed. Now they were going to get rid of IRIS. Not five minutes later they voted to get rid of IRIS ... I was infuriated. For Jason, Julie, and thousands like them, IRIS means a sense of pride about determining for themselves how and whom assists them with daily care most of us can do ourselves. The programs help people stay and function in the community like everybody else. After the final budget vote, the DHS Secretary scheduled meetings essentially to tell advocates to get on-board. Jason told me about an IRIS recipient who was ousted from the table and read the riot act because she refused to support the administrations plan. Jason then learned of a mysterious meeting in the governors office between representatives of big insurance companies expected to benefit from the governors plan, DHS officials, and Republican budget committee members. Thursday night DHS Secretary Rhodes withdrew the plan. This gave us a huge uplift, said Jason. Julie added, This is a major victory! For over a year, our disabled and elderly struggled with the stress of uncertainty. Home care workers were also affected. Many left for other jobs, which created a huge shortage of workers for the disabled who need help for basic functions. The unconscionable actions by the governor and his legislative allies caused chaos in so many lives. However, a fighting spirit brought about the death of their very ill-conceived idea. WATERTOWN, Wis. Wisconsin Republicans need to get behind presumptive presidential nominee Donald Trump for the sake of candidates down the ballot, the state Senate's top Republican said Tuesday. "The idea that theres people out there saying 'abandon the presidential race and the Trump campaign' in an effort to somehow pull something together, its not going to work. Its just not going to work," Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, told reporters. Fitzgerald said he took his cue to support Trump as the party's likely nominee from Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus. He acknowledged that "things have not necessarily come together the way I would hope they would have" since then, but said the big picture state legislative and congressional races is too important for the party to remain fractured. Campaign infrastructure is a top-down operation, Fitzgerald said. Republican delegates who are considering "voting their conscience" at the convention in July need to think "beyond the presidential" election and consider other candidates on the ballot, like U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson. "It's the same mechanism that gets both of them elected," he said. Fitzgerald said there are concerns among Republicans with Trump's "volatility," but argued Democrats also face a challenge with Hillary Clinton as their presumptive nominee. A Marquette University Law School poll released last week showed Hillary Clinton with 42 percent and Donald Trump with 35 percent support among registered voters in Wisconsin. But both candidates are underwater in favorability ratings. Sixty-four percent of voters have an unfavorable view of Trump while 26 percent have a favorable view. Clinton is viewed unfavorably by 58 percent and favorably by 37 percent. "We've had weak presidential candidates in the past, which certainly didnt help us down-ticket, but at this point, weve still got some time and were still four weeks from the convention," Fitzgerald said. "So theres still time to pull things together, and I think we will do that. But at this point, the idea of just abandoning the whole Trump campaign, it just doesnt make any sense to me." Speaking to reporters at the same event in Watertown, Gov. Scott Walker said House Speaker Paul Ryan's encouragement for Republican delegates to vote their conscience in Cleveland is "legitimate." "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. CAL Fire Wildfires, June 21, 2016 View Photos Update: 6:32p.m.: At 6:28 p.m. CAL Fire reports 100 percent containment on the Camanche Fire in Amador County. Original Post 3:26 p.m.: Sonora, CA Statewide, CAL Fire reports over 4,700 firefighters are battling six active wildfires, including one in Amador County. The Camanche Fire, located between Camanche Reservoir and Ione remains at 210 acres and 95 percent contained. Meanwhile, thousands of acres are burning mostly in the south. There is also a forest fire blazing near the California-Oregon border. In Central California, the Sherpa Fire in Santa Barbara County, now estimated at almost 8,000 acres, has reached 70 percent containment. In Los Angeles, two incidents the Fish and Reservoir fires that both ignited Monday combined earlier today. Now known as the San Gabriel Complex Fire, at last check, a total of 5,400 acres are involved with zero containment and evacuations underway. According to the National Weather Service elevated fire risk due to hot dry air and wind conditions is plaguing the region. More evacuations being ordered in San Diego, where the Border Fire, now at 7,500 acres, is considered to be five percent contained. In Northern California, CAL Fire reports that it is also assisting the Forest Service with the Pony Fire on the Klamath National Forest, south of Happy Camp. At last estimation it was described as almost 2,900 acres with 60 percent containment. UPDATE: On Saturday June 25, the U.S. Coast Guard confirmed that the two bodies they had found earlier in the week were Ace and Rebecca Kimberly. They have ended their search and rescue mission. Florida Fish and Wildlife will now take over the investigation. --- The Coast Guard has discovered a body in the search for a father and his three teen children aboard a missing 29-foot sailboat near Englewood. The body was found within the search area. No other details were released. Father and his three teen children missing on sailboat in Gulf of Mexico off Sanibel Island Body found in search area; not identitifed yet; search launched Tuesday Coast Guard found debris field about 30 miles off Sanibel Island Coast Guard officials said during a news conference on Wednesday that a debris field has been located about 30 miles off Sanibel Island. Among the items found were six life vests, water bottles, a tarp, a propane tank and a basketball. Also located; two kayaks that were attached to the back of the boat. Coast Guard officials said Ace Kimberly, 45, his sons, 13-year-old Roger, 15-year-old Donny and 17-year-old daughter Rebecca were last heard from Sunday morning. Finding the kayak(s) and life jackets signals that we are in a dire situation, said Captain Greg Case, Commander of Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg. We are continuing to keep in very close contact with the family and keep them updated on all developments during this difficult time. Locating the debris inside of our search field indicates that we are in the right area, and we are aggressively searching for Ace, Becky, Donny and Roger. Coast Guard Capt. Gregory Case said a search is ongoing for the missing on sailboat in Gulf of Mexico near Englewood. On Tuesday, Coast Guard officials in St. Petersburg received a report from a concerned family member of the missing sailors stating the family left Sarasota at 7 a.m. Sunday en route to Fort Myers to repair the sailboat. "So the vessel was not in the best of shape," Case said. Later Sunday, Kimberly called his brother and stated the sailboat was in a storm, in 6-foot seas and that he was attempting to survive with his children offshore of Englewood. The Coast Guard launched searches by air and boat from Fort Myers on Tuesday to find the sailboat. Coast Guard officials are fanning out from the debris site, using computer models to determine where the family may have drifted. We're continuing the search," said Case. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families. We know this is a difficult time for them and we are doing everything we can and throwing everything we have at this search at this time." Case says Kimberly's brother alerted the agency on Tuesday. The Coast Guard asks mariners to keep a sharp lookout and contact Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg at (727) 824-7506 with any information. United States Attorney General Lorretta Lynch promised the support of the Department of Justice Tuesday in her visit to Orlando. U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch toured Orlando Pulse areas Justice Dept. making $1 million in funds available Lynch says investigation into what FBI knew about Mateen is ongoing Lynch toured Orlando just 10 days after the Pulse nightclub attack that killed 49 people. In the morning, she met with investigators at the FBI headquarters in Maitland to be debriefed on the investigation. Then, with victims families and first responders in Orlando. There is no doubt that this was a shattering attack on our nation, on our people and on our most fundamental ideals," she said. In a news conference Tuesday, the 83rd Attorney General of the U.S. spoke about the deadly massacre, sharing her condolences and support. The message of Orlando that I have seen today, and what the American people have seen in the wake of this horrific assault, is a message of determination, to remove hatred and intolerance from our midst," Lynch said. The attorney general noted the Department of Justice is making available $1 million in funds, for which the state can apply, to cover costs such as overtime for state and local responders. The DOJ is also providing counseling for victims and first responders. Lynch said they simply hope to help the community heal. This Department of Justice and your country stands with you in the light. We stand with you to say that the good in this world far outweighs the evil," she said. One of the attorney general's last stops was the scene of the crime, seeing with her own eyes the aftermath of the carnage, when Omar Mateen shot and killed 49 victims. According to the FBI, Mateen was self-radicalized, not directed by any one foreign terror group. Lynch, too, spoke about battling homegrown terrorism, noting that while its a challenge, it's one that they continue to investigate. And try to identify individuals who are expressing certain views that might lead them to violence, and try to determine when and are they looking to act on that," she said. "We also are asking people who know individuals to alert us to concerns they may have. Lynch would not answer questions regarding the notion that the FBI missed crucial warning signs, following Mateen's appearance on the terror watch list twice. She said that, along with the killer's motive for carrying out the attack, is part of the ongoing investigation. Mayor Clint Johnson says every one of DeBary's nearly 20,000 residents should be armed. DeBary mayor proposes every resident get a concealed weapons license Resident reaction is mixed Mayor Clint Johnson says he will bring up the proposal at the next meeting "The easiest way to be safe is to be armed, and I'm calling on all residents to arm themselves," Johnson said. "After the Orlando shooting I've been thinking about it a lot and I don't want DeBary to be victims." Pulse nightclub in Orlando is where a gunman shot and killed 49 patrons, and wounded 53 others. Mayor Johnson says Debary would be one of the safest cities in Florida if his proposal passes. It's a proposal which also includes taxpayer dollars. "I want people in this city to go to the gun shop, receive training, get a concealed weapons license and actually put some tax dollars towards that purpose," said Mayor Johnson. We reached out to Volusia County's top cop, Sheriff Ben Johnson to see how he felt about it, but the sheriff is out of town and could not comment. We then asked homeowners how they feel about the mayor's latest proposal. "I think that's ridiculous. Why do I have to arm myself? said LeeAnne Balk, who disagrees with the proposal. That's a little ridiculous," said DeBary resident Allen Styer who agrees with gun ownership, but not arming every resident. "Well I think it shows a little paranoia on his part, maybe," said Robert Bradley. One person did agree with the proposal but did not want to comment on camera. Mayor Johnson says he will bring up the proposal to arm every DeBary resident during an upcoming city council meeting. Mayor Johnson says he envisions the day when every Debary resident attending a city council meeting will be armed during the meeting. Who's going to come to a place where everybody's ready to defend themselves? It be stupid," Johnson said. 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. A man was airlifted to a hospital after he was attacked by an alligator in Sumter County. The 58-year-old man was attacked by the gator while along County Road 311 in Bushnell Tuesday evening. The 8 to 9 foot gator injured the man's right leg. He was airlifted to Ocala Regional. No word on his condition. Florida Fish and Wildlife confirms the gator was captured and euthanized. No word on what happened that led to the attack. Officials have not released the man's name. For the first time in over a week, people can step onto the sidewalk in front of Pulse nightclub. They are taking the opportunity to finally memorialize the 49 victims at the site of their death. Orange Avenue, the businesses and the area around Pulse reopened Tuesday A memorial grew by Pulse almost immediately The surrounding neighborhood is decorated with memorials to the victims Throughout the day people gathered on the sidewalk. Many people came to have a moment of reflection. The place is no longer an active crime scene, but a thriving memorial to the victims. There were many flowers and candles. Some wrote the names of the victims in chalk and surrounded them with messages of hope and love. This was senseless and who knows what caused it or why," Alexa Oropesa said. "I just hope nothing like this ever happens again anywhere in the world. Some stopped to look through the privacy mesh. Others placed flowers at a makeshift memorial and signed poster board. This is our neighborhood," Lorraine Kessler said. "This is my home. No one should have to go through this. Im here to support not just the LGBT community, Im here to support everyone. This neighborhood is now decorated with many memorials paying tribute to the victims. People want big kitchens, but arent really interested in having people over https://t.co/yJB2hNqG7N pic.twitter.com/ic8ZELG54z Digital Trends (@DigitalTrends) June 22, 2016 Hundreds of people also gathered in the SoDo Shopping Center Tuesday, just a short distance away from the Pulse nightclub. There was music, prayer and messages of love overpowering hate. Therapy dogs joined the crowd to help bring comfort those some grieving the 49 victims. While the road in front of Pulse is back open, the nightclub wont be for some time. But the owners say they will be back better than ever and have plans to rebuild. It's late morning and John Lucas already has worked several hours mowing lawns in summer temperatures in southern Brevard County. Former NASCAR driver Mike Wallace was attacked last week in NC People are posting hateful messages on Palm Bay landscaper's Facebook page Palm Bay's John Lucas says he is not connected to NC incident But it's the heat his company, Lucas Lawn and Landscaping, has taken online over the past two days that is really making him sweat. "Some people said, 'You're a piece of crap company, and some had more choice words," Lucas said. Those words and comments have come full throttle on his lawn care business' Facebook page in the days since former NASCAR driver Mike Wallace and his daughter were brutally attacked after a concert in North Carolina. The problem is, its a case of mistaken identity. Some people think John Lucas is the Lucas accused of the Wallace attack. That Lucas also is affiliated with a landscaping company. "There are a lot of Lucases and I want people to know we are the good guys out here," he said. Wallace and his adult daughter were assaulted by three men Friday night as they walked out of a Rascal Flatts concert in Charlotte. Wallace was badly beaten and his daughter was hurt as she tried to protect her father. Two of the suspects are affiliated with a Lucas Landscaping and are from a nearby town, hundreds of miles away from Palm Bay but they're as close as a click on social media. Palm Bay's Lucas is now trying to shield his reputation, his family of five and is hoping his customers will stick with him. Lucas even deactivated the company's Facebook page temporarily. "I'd like to have my name back, my business back. I haven't beaten up anybody, and I don't plan to," Lucas said. Lucas says he's spoken to several other landscape companies in the area and around the country who are dealing with the same issue. A 69-year-old Villages man is facing several felony charges after deputies say he fired 33 rounds from a semiautomatic handgun Monday night into the residence of a female neighbor of whom he'd become infatuated. Villages man fired 33 rounds into neighbor's home He was intoxicated and infatuated with his neighbor, deputies say No one was at the home during the shooting Howard Sparber faces multiple felony charges Sumter County deputies were called to the 2500 block of Landale Loop in The Villages just before 8:30 p.m. Monday. They said Howard Sparber, 69, was intoxicated and shot into the neighbor's home in an attempt to get in. The rounds entered the storm door, front door and continued through the foyer and into the kitchen. The neighbor's home incurred about $3,000 in damages, deputies said. The residents were not home at the time. During the shooting, neighbors heard the shots and confronted Sparber, who was holding a Sig Sauer 9mm semi-automatic handgun, deputies said. The female neighbor said Sparber has been harassing her since November 2015 with sexual propositions and had previously pointed a firearm at her. Sparber is being held in the Sumter County Detention Center with no bond on charges of armed burglary, aggravated stalking, shooting into a dwelling and criminal mischief. Orange County and state leaders urged residents to visit businesses near the Pulse nightclub Wednesday in a show of support. Officials visited businesses closed because of Pulse shooting Roadblock along Orange Avenue removed; shops were able to reopen Affected businesses can apply for special no-interest loans Gov. Rick Scott and Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs stopped at the Rajin Cajun Bike Shop, where they asked residents to come out and support the businesses that are now struggling to pay bills because their stores were blocked by the Pulse shooting investigation. Earl Kurtzs detailing business is the closest to the nightclub, "and for something like that to happen right next door to my business, its still sinking in, he said. The harsh reality of the June 12 tragedy hit Kurtz and other entrepreneurs hard when they realized their cash registers were silent and no cash flowed in as the days of being closed after the attack started piling up. We were losing quite a bit. Fathers Day week is (normally) one of the busiest weeks for us the whole year, Kurtz said. Shirley Bronovitsky, whose business is just across the street from Kurtzs, is fearful customers won't return. It's that uncertainty that prompted her and other business owners to turn down small business loans, afraid they may not be able to pay them back. I dont know what were going to do about payroll or anything, said Bronovitsky, who owns Rajin Cajun. On Tuesday, the roadblock that was set up along Orange Avenue was removed. "As a community, we need to come together to support these businesses because they were significantly impacted," Scott said, "because over those 10 days, basically all of them had no business." The eight businesses directly impacted because of road closures are eligible for a special no-interest loan. The loan, called the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program, allows business owners to borrow anywhere between $1,000 and $25,000. However, the no interest repayment term limit is 180 days. Scott said the State of Florida is reapplying for the federal government to declare a state of emergency. That initial request, made last week, was denied. If approved, it could bring in $50 million to Florida. Meanwhile, the business owners continue to hope they can recoup some of their losses. There were times Kurtz felt like he was trending on delicate waters. Although he was concerned about victims of the attacks and their families, he was also worried about his own employees and their families. This is a tragedy, an act of terrorism. You know, we have families to feed. My employees do, too, Kurtz said. Here's our weather outlook for the rest of the week: Hazy, hot and humid Highs in the low 90s Risk of dangerous rip currents Overnight will be partly cloudy to mostly clear with seasonable temperatures falling into the low 70s. Our extended forecast looks more summer-like, with daily heat and humidity, along with scattered rain chances. WEATHER ON THE GO: Download the News 13+ app and get StormTracker 13 & Safety Net alerts wherever you are. GET WEATHER ALERTS: Sign up to receive weather text alerts from News 13. Were locked in a large area of high pressure, with dry air pushing back at moisture trying to move up from the south. This moisture will eventually win out, causing dew points to climb back into the middle and upper 70s causing it to feel much more humid going into our weekend. The moisture increase will also lead to a 20 percent rain chance across the area Thursday, then a 30-40 percent chance Friday into next week as the sea breezes develop each day. We heat back into the low to mid 90s through our extended stretch. High rip current threat we have had lately will begin to ease off Thursday, but surfing returns to a poor to fair condition. May see waist high sets at the best breaks. Ultraviolet Index is still dangerously high. Be sure to check out News 13's Hurricane Center. It has all the information you need, from storm-tracking and interactive maps to emergency procedures. StormTracker 13 Radar View LIVE Interactive StormTracker 13 Radar Map We want your pictures! Show us what the weather looks like in your neighborhood. Your photo could end up on News 13 and mynews13.com/weatherpics. Port Canaveral is the only place in the world where used rocket boosters are returning, but it could soon come with a cost for SpaceX. SpaceX could have to pay as much as $15,000 per booster return Port Canaveral leaders said wharfs generate revenue SpaceX, Port Canaveral leaders to negotiate the fees After each SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket soars into orbit, the first-stage booster by design lands on an autonomous drone ship positioned hundreds of miles off the Brevard County coast in the Atlantic Ocean. A few days later, the ship returns to Port Canaveral with a large piece of space hardware upright on its deck. So far, SpaceX has brought back three first-stage boosters after successful barge landings. Port leaders consider the reusable rockets to be cargo. The ship and booster come into the port like any other cargo ship, and port leaders said fees for using the wharfs is how the port generates revenue. "Any product that comes across our dock, we are obligated to charge for," Port Canaveral CEO John Murray said. "That rate is often times negotiated." Murray and his staff recently proposed charging SpaceX $15,000 each time the company brings a rocket booster back to port. That's $500 per ton for a 30-ton used booster. The price is based on other ports' fees for comparable weight in what Murray described as a unique situation. "You can't just go out and say, 'Who's got a similar charge for used rockets?'" Murray said. The price, however, is something SpaceX isn't too happy about. "The proposed wharfage fee is 14 times higher than what any other business is being charged for using (Port Canaveral) facilities," said John Taylor, a spokesman for SpaceX. "Port Canaveral is an important partner in our recovery operations, but we expect fees to be fair and reflect our actual use of the port." Port Canaveral commissioners took the item off the meeting agenda Wednesday, June 22. Murray said he is meeting with SpaceX representatives to find some common ground. Cargo rates at Port Canaveral run between $28 and $35 per ton depending on vessel length. The next SpaceX launch from Brevard County a cargo run to the International Space Station is set for the early morning hours of July 18. The current owner of Plainviews historic Granada Theatre will soon become the new owner of another classic neon marquee as it was released Darryl Holland has purchased Lubbocks Cactus Theater. On Wednesday, owner Don Caldwell, 71, announced he was selling the Cactus Theater to Holland. The amount of the purchase was not disclosed. In 2012, Holland purchased and started renovating Plainviews Granada Theatre located on Broadway. Since then, Holland has held a number of concerts at the Granada in an effort to raise the money to complete the renovations of the theatre which opened in 1929. Unable to host anymore shows at the Plainview theatre until renovations to safety equipment were made, Holland set up two fundraising concerts, featuring the all-star band the Time Jumpers, in mid-July at Amarillos Globe-News Center and the Lubbock Memorial Civic Center to benefit the Granada. But in the meantime, Holland was working to expand his classic venue grab with the purchase of the Cactus Theater, located on Buddy Holly Avenue in the heart of Lubbock Depot District. We are very excited for the new era of the Cactus Theater, said Caldwell in a special press conference on Wednesday. Caldwell said his promotions business will continue to book acts for the Cactus Theater. The Cactus Theater was constructed in Lubbock in 1937 and has featured big name acts and spotlighted an endless amount of local talents. Holland later made the Granada Theater a non-profit project making Holland the executive director of the Granada. Holland said he will continue to promote local acts at the Cactus, but also wants to bring more big name acts to the Cactus stage and make the Cactus a nationally known name. Holland said he would also like to complete some remodeling at the Cactus, including changing the lobby and ticket booths and reworking the stage area. Holland will become the official owner of the Cactus on July 1. The kids were high-flying and ledge grindin' Tuesday as skaters from across West Texas made the trip to Plainview for the first-ever Desert Throwdown skateboard competition. "Plainview is a middle location for skaters from Amarillo and Lubbock and Midland. So we thought we could all converge here. And it's a brand new park," said Nicholas Hernandez, store manager for Lubbock's Zumiez store, a retail skateboard shop. Zumiez managers from Lubbock, Amarillo and Midland teamed up with skate organizations Lubbock Skateboarding and Broadway Skate to throw the skateboard event at Plainview Skateboard Park. The event ran in conjunction with National Go Skateboarding Day, which was June 21. Organizers said they contacted Phyllis Wall, who helped facilitate the creation of the skate park, to get the Plainview event off the ground. "She gave us all the contact info we needed. The City of Plainview was very cooperative as well. They've been really good to us. They were all for us putting the event together. They were very facilitating as far as what we've been given," added Hernandez. "And this park is great. It's better than any of the parks in West Texas, so that's one of the bigger reasons we wanted to hold it here, it is just a really great facility." More than 60 skaters from Plainview and the surrounding area participated in the skateboarding competition Tuesday, a great turnout for organizers. "In the last like six years, I've held probably 50 contests in all of West Texas and this is one of the best turnouts we've ever had," said Tony Maples of Broadway Skate. "We have people from Midland, people from Amarillo, people from New Mexico, people from all over West Texas and surrounding areas, so we're really happy with the turnout." Plainview skaters such as Byron Washington, 24, were ecstatic that Plainview was holding one of the first significant competitions at the park. "It's going to be a good one," Washington said during warmups. Washington said he has skated for seven years and skates the Plainview skate park every day. Skaters competed in either beginner or advanced divisions for the chance to win prizes. "In total, we have several thousands of dollars' worth of prizes that have been donated. And this is a free event," Maples said. Zumiez said their mission is to organize events like the Desert Throwdown as a way to give back to the community and promote skating. "It's all about giving back to our local community," said Eric Cessler, Zumiez district manager. Cessler made the trip all the way from Fort Worth to help with the competition. "For these West Texas stores, there's not really a lot of opportunities to get involved in the local community. We want to make sure our customer base knows we are here to give back and create some fun things." Check out Thursday's edition of the Herald for complete skate results of the day. Summer is upon us, a time for pool parties and trips to the beach. But this time of the year is of particular significance for the Muslim population. June 5 through July 5 marks Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar in which Muslims fast to commemorate their belief in the first revelation of the Quran to Muhammad. This article was originally published on June 25, 2015. The Lone Star State's over 260,000 square miles of wide open spaces mean getaways to spooky Texas haunts can be found anywhere. This fall, take a getaway off the beaten path by visiting some of the remaining ghost towns around Texas. While their inhabitants are long gone, monuments and enriching history at these sites still remain. Terlingua Courtesy of Big Bend Holiday Hotel Located near Big Bend, Terlingua is one of Texas' most famous ghost towns. The town was home to Indians first, then Spanish and Americans followed. Howard Perry from Portland, Maine, began his Chisos Mining Company and the town boomed in the early 1900s. Though, when the mineral price fell after World War 2, the city seized. Lobo Courtesy/Claus Moerchen, GhostTowns.com Considered a modern ghost town, Lobo was mostly abandoned in the late 1960s. Cotton farming was the principle crop, but when the cost of agriculture became too expensive, the town went into a rapid decline after World War 2. in 1991, the city east of El Paso, was completely abandoned. Glenrio Courtesy/Open Road Productions Staddling the Texas and New Mexico border, Glenrio was once a booming town along the famous Route 66. The town was established in 1903, and grew by the years until Interstate 40 was built in the 1950s. By 1985, only two residents remained in the town that once hosted thousands of travelers. Also, John Steinbecks "The Grapes of Wrath" was filmed in Glenrio for three weeks. Abandoned buildings, such as the gas station pictured above, still remain in its location in northwest Deaf Smith County. Sherwood Whiskey Texas Located in Irion County, southwest of San Angelo, Sherwood is now a small rural community but used to be the county seat. When Mertzon was named the new county seat, Sherwood's courthouse (pictured) was abandoned in 1939. Indianola Joe Holley/Staff Once envisioned as a competitor to Galveston and New Orleans, Indianola now is more of a ghost town. The town was founded in 1844 and was known as a port city. Population grew to over 2,000 by 1860. Though, two devastating hurricanes hit in 1875 and 1886, leaving the town in ruins. Barstow Courtesy/Steve, GhostTowns.com Near Pecos, George E. Barstow founded the town under his namesake in the 1890s. In 1900, the city had a population of over 1000, and boomed with its successful farming industry. Though, in 1904, the Pecos Dam broke, damaging all fruit and vegetable crops. With severe droughts following, the population dwindled. By 1930, the town's population was cut in half. Hasell Wichita Falls Times Record News In this July 25, 2014 photo, Bud Gossett looks for artifacts near a washing machine, foreground, a remain from the town of Hasell. The town was submerged under Lake Arrowhead for nearly 60 years, but was exposed due to the drought. Halsell was established in 1900 and oil was discovered in the 1930s and 1940s. Though, the town was inundated when Lake Arrowhead was built. The Grove TOM REEL/File Moody Anderson stands in the street running through his "ghost town", a place called The Grove which is just outside of Temple, Texas. The Grove was established in the early 1870s and was economically based on farming and stock raising. In the 1940s, population began to decline due to agriculture consolidation and a bypassing highway. Now, visitors can see new commercial buildings and a restored Main street. Independence Courtesy/Mike Woodfin, GhostTowns.com Four columns are all that remain at the former Baylor College in the ghost town of Independence. Also referred to as Coles Settlement, the town once housed Sam Houston and established Baylor University. When the city began to decline, Baylor then moved to its current location in Waco. Railroad tracks built bypassing the town led to the town's demise. Bluffton AP Old Bluffton was abandoned when Buchanan Dam was constructed in 1937, forcing water to cover the town and its pecan orchards and cornfields. In this Oct. 5, 2011 photo, a child's grave site, normally at least 20 to 30 feet underwater, has joined other remnants of old Bluffton, Texas, resurfacing on the now dry, sandy lake near Bluffton. Belle Plain Texas Escapes Remains of houses and a college are the only thing left of Belle Plain, a West Texas town built in in the 1870s. The town boomed with mercantile stores, a newspaper, professional services and the local college. Belle Plain College was one of the first higher learning institutions in West Texas. A severe drought in 1886 halted growth in the once promising town. Carlton Courtesy/Bobby and Speedy Drake, GhostTowns.com The ghost town south of Stephenville thrived in 1910. Along stage and freight routes, the town was known for its cotton production. Though, the population dwindled throughout the 20th Century. In 2000, about 50 residents remained with many abandoned buildings, including the Church of Christ pictured above. Puducah Joe Holley/Houston Chronicle It's been a long time since Paducah's Palace Theater showed a first-run movie. Drive through Paducah, in northwest Texas, and what you see is a dying town. The 1930s-era Cottle County Courthouse is hemmed in on all sides by abandoned brick buildings, several of them collapsed in on themselves. It wasn't that long ago that the once-sturdy structures housed thriving cafes, drug stores, a couple of department stores, a variety store, hardware stores, a large hotel. Provided by Seph Lawless Courtesy Seph Lawless Courtesy Seph Lawless Provided by Seph Lawless Provided by Seph Lawless Courtesy photo/Seph Lawless Bob McMillan Noel Kerns Noel Kerns 2016/Jonathan Danko Kielkowski/White Press 2016/Jonathan Danko Kielkowski/White Press Shawn Clover/shawnclover.com Shawn Clover/www.shawnclover.com Shawn Clover/shawnclover.com Johnny Joo / Columbia Pictures rsalinas@mysa.com Twitter: @RebeccaLSalinas Marfa. Tough to get to. Tougher to explain. But once you get here, you get it. West of San Antonio is a Texas destination many talk about. Visitors trek to the Lone Star State from such foreign countries as Italy and Germany for a glimpse of this mysterious, artsy place beloved by celebrities, creatives and adventure-seekers alike. Marfa is nestled in the Texas Mountains and is a locale you must experience for yourself. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate DANBURY A church bell rang 49 times high above the citys streets on Tuesday night, in memory of those tragically killed in Orlando. More than 150 people filled the white pews at an interfaith vigil at the First Congregational Church of Danbury. Organizers said the event sought to support the LGBTQ community targeted by the attack at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Fla., to honor those killed there on June 12, to reaffirm support for the Muslim community and to decry hate and violence. By the end of this evening, we hope to have increased the light of love in each of you, said the Rev. Pat Kriss, the pastor at the First Congregational Church. Unfortunately, darkness has touched this church before ... less than four years ago, when I stood on this exact same spot and I laid to rest Lauren Rousseau. Rousseau was one of the victims of the 2012 mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, which took the lives of 20 children and six adult staff members. I stood here that morning before the funeral began, watching the bomb-sniffing dogs go through the sanctuary, and I knew at that moment our world had changed, Kriss said. The vigil on Tuesday night was filled with an array of speakers, prayer, songs and several calls to action including to spread the message of less fear, less hate, more love. After the name of each victim in the Orlando massacre was read, the church bell rang. In addition to the 49 people slain, 53 were injured during the massacre at Pulse. In a 911 call from the club, the gunman, Omar Mateen, pledged solidarity with the Islamic State group. Mateen was killed in a shootout with police. Shazeeda Khan, from the Baitul Mukarram Masjid of Greater Danbury, told the vigil audience that Islam does not justify or condone such atrocities. Their actions are a betrayal of the values of Islam, Khan said. Further, they generate hate toward Islam (and) provoke retaliation against Muslims. Later on, Conor Pfeifer, the director of operations at the Triangle Community Center, a Norwalk organization that serves the needs of the LGBTQ community in Fairfield County, spoke about what can be done to prevent another tragedy like Orlando. There is no denying gun violence has taken so many lives right down the road in Newtown many of us know survivors, even those who were killed, and the bereaved, Pfeifer said. But there is a solution all of us can do. We know that what happened in Orlando was built on the foundation of decades, centuries even, of homophobia, transphobia, racism ... what we can do is meet people with affirmation and to meet them with love, he said. Affirmation and acceptance are human rights. Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton also spoke at the vigil, as did Mackenzie Demac, from the office of U.S. Rep. Elizabeth Esty, D-Conn. The vigil was hosted by the First Congregational Church, the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Danbury and the Association of Religious Communities. It came a day after the U.S. Senate voted down four gun-control amendments, which followed a 15-hour filibuster last week by Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn. Also on Monday, the Supreme Court turned down a Connecticut gun-rights groups appeal to overturn the states strict laws barring sale of military-style semi-automatic rifles. Sandy Hook survivors also went to state Superior Court in Bridgeport on Monday for their lawsuit against the makers of the Bushmaster semi-automatic rifle used by Adam Lanza in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings. The Associated Press contributed to this article. STAMFORD The citys Zoning Board approved on Monday a site plan for a five-story LCB Senior Living complex at 1567 Summer St. Ted Doyle, an LCB spokesman, said the 104-unit facility will offer assisted living and memory-care services. The company hopes to break ground at the Summer Street site near Scalzi Park by Nov. 1, with a tentative completion date sometime in early 2018. We have wanted to be in Western Connecticut for a long time, Doyle said. Stamford had all of the things we look for when setting up a senior living community nice parks, good social scene, close to the water. LCB has 17 other facilities in New England, including an 80-unit property in South Windsor and a 74-unit facility in Avon. The Stamford facility will be the largest LCB Senior Living complex in Connecticut. nora.naughton@scni.com; twitter.com/noranaughton 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. Spencer Platt / Getty Image/Getty Image A 26-year-old man was in critical condition after getting stabbed early Wednesday morning in San Franciscos Tenderloin neighborhood, officials said. Police investigating the incident said the victim was attacked about 4:30 a.m. near the corner of Golden Gate Avenue and Jones Street, but it was unclear if he was in his car or on the street when he was assaulted. Santa Cruz Police Department / Santa Cruz Police Department A 47-year-old man was arrested by Santa Cruz police after sexually assaulting a young girl and trying to hide video evidence of the abuse after her mother discovered the footage, authorities said Tuesday. Timothy Ritchison was arrested Friday morning at his home in El Dorado (El Dorado County) after he allegedly broke into the car of the victims mother around 7:45 p.m. on Thursday, according to Santa Cruz police spokeswoman Joyce Blaschke. Kevin OLeary, a.k.a. Mr. Wonderful, has struggled with dyslexia ever since he can recall. But he's not the only Shark on Shark Tank with the learning difference: both Barbara Corcoran and Daymond John were diagnosed with it, too. However, all three credit much of their success to learning to overcome the challenges of dyslexia. Personally, the way to look at dyslexia is as a unique power instead of an affliction, O'Leary recently told Entrepreneur on the Culver City, Calif. Shark Tank set. Very few people have the abilities that dyslexics have. If you look down the road, as they grow, what happens to dyslexic men and women is they become very successful in business. This is because dyslexia gives you some really unique perspectives and abilities that Id call superpowers. Related: Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary Says Married Entrepreneurs Must Do This or Risk Divorce In his book Cold Hard Truth, the multi-millionaire financial guru writes that back in his home country of Canada in the 1960s, his educational therapists helped him restore his shattered self-confidence in an unorthodox way, especially at the time. Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary, aka "Mr. Wonderful," discusses how #dyslexia is a "superpower" for him in business, not an "affliction." #sharktank #successstories A photo posted by Kim Lachance Shandrow (@lashandrow) on Jun 21, 2016 at 10:49am PDT You have the ability to read backwards, read in a mirror, read upside down. Can any of your classmates do that? O'Leary says they asked him. And that actually got me back the only thing I really needed, which was my confidence, he says. To this day, the 61-year-old mutual funds magnate still believes overcoming his childhood struggle continues to pay dividends in business. OLeary points to David Neeleman, the founder and former CEO of JetBlue airlines, as an example of a fellow successful entrepreneur who turned what many view as an obstacle into an opportunity. He is one of many, many business leaders who are dyslexic and who succeeded beyond their wildest dreams, as I have as well. Related: How a Bullied, Dyslexic 16-Year-Old Entrepreneur Fought Back and Found His Way Neeleman, who has ADHD as well, also encourages dyslexic individuals to leverage their learning difference as an asset in their professional pursuits. I did and Im pretty happy with my outcome, OLeary tells us. You have to put it in your own mind that this is not an affliction that will negatively impact your future. It shouldnt in any way diminish your self-esteem or be considered something that is going to hurt your chances to be successful at work or in life. "Dyslexia just doesnt do that and theres no evidence in history that it does," O'Leary continues. "Its just that it affects math and reading scores early on, and so what? Thats something you can get around. Never give up and never let dyslexia hold you back. Its a gift. The acute ability to focus on the task at hand is one of the many ways OLeary says he believes the learning disorder benefits affected entrepreneurs. For entrepreneurs, that turns out to be 80 percent of the battle," he says, "staying focused in challenging times and on the tasks youre trying to achieve in business is very important, and that is actually how you get over dyslexia. Forcing yourself to focus over and over again. For more of OLearys success tips, check out Shark Tanks season eight premiere this fall on your local ABC station. The exact date and time it will air is yet to be announced. Related: Copyright 2016 Entrepreneur.com Inc., All rights reserved This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Even with Pastor Joel Osteen of Lakewood Church - the largest protestant congregation in the country - testifying against them, four men from a small church were found not guilty of creating a disturbance last year when they repeatedly tried to shout Osteen down during a Sunday service. "God is on our side," said one of the men, 27-year-old Kevin Fessler, after the verdict. "We praise God." Fessler along with Mark DeRouville, 26; Matthew Martinez, 28; and Randall Valdez, 29 were acquitted by a jury after a two day trial on charges of criminal trespass and creating a disturbance. Two other men, Jacob Gardner, 27, and Richard Trudeau, 32, have yet to be tried in the case. All of the men have admitted they stood up, one by one, and shouted that Osteen is a "false prophet" and that members of Lakewood would be damned if they followed him. In court Wednesday, Osteen said the men would not have left if they hadn't been taken out by security. "I think they were passionate about what they believe," Osteen testified in the trial of four of the men in Harris County court. "And they weren't going anywhere." But jurors apparently believed the arguments of defense attorneys Brad Loper and Jon Stephenson who said the men were simply trying to get their message out and left when they were asked to leave. "Let's not criminalize speech," Loper said in closings. Prosecutor Chelsi Honeycutt left court without commenting, as did the jury. All of the men, who are members of a small church in the East Texas town of Wells, were arrested on June 28, 2015 after shouting at Osteen from the audience. During an hour of testimony, Osteen carefully chose his words, sounding more like a forgiving man of faith than an angry business owner. "Not everyone agrees with us," he said. "Not everyone interprets the scriptures the same way." Although security was especially tight for Osteen's appearance, including several tactical officers from the county's Emergency Response Team and additional sheriff's deputies, County Court-at-Law Judge Bill Harmon allowed the pastor to come in and leave through the back door and wait in the judge's chambers, according to testimony. After Osteen's testimony, lawyers for the four men successfully persuaded Harmon to dismiss the trespassing charge against three of the men. Prosecutors dropped the charge for the fourth man, meaning all four faced only a misdemeanor of disturbing a public meeting. If convicted, the maximum sentence was six months in jail. In addition to widespread media attention, the trial also brought out people from Wells who hoped to see the men convicted. "I wanted to see them in handcuffs," said Patty Grove, a resident of Wells who disagrees with the teachings of the Church of Wells "I wanted to see them wearing orange." 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. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate Dallas police are looking for a man who punched a Burger King employee after he was dissatisfied with the milkshake she made him, according to media reports. RELATED: San Antonio restaurant inspections: June 17, 2016 In security footage obtained by CBS DFW, a man is seen throwing a milkshake and chair behind the counter of the burger joint, before hopping over and punching Alejandra Estrada, a restaurant employee. "He hit me in my face, and he called me names," Estrada, who is 60 years old, told the Dallas station. RELATED: 21 ways to infuriate a Texan with one sentence She said the man complained about the milkshake and then started asking for coffee. He began to yell when she told him there was no coffee. The man hopped the counter, and chased Estrada into a small office and punched her in the face, according to the video. "He said, 'I'm going to kill you.' Oh my God. I tried to close the door, but the door doesn't (close)," she told CBS. RELATED: Where to get the best Mexican food in San Antonio, according to Readers' Choice Dallas police are investigating the incident as an assault. kbradshaw@express-news.net Twitter: @kbrad5 This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate After 49 people were killed at a gay nightclub in Orlando last week, a Sacramento pastor faced harsh criticism after he praised the gunman for his actions and now, a Fort Worth man has stood up for the California church leader, saying everyone who died was a pervert. In a video posted to YouTube, which has been removed for violating the company's policy on hate speech, Jimenez says it was a tragedy that more people weren't killed. "People say, 'Well, aren't you sad that 50 sodomites died?' Here's the problem with that, it's like the equivalent of asking me, 'Well, aren't you sad that 50 pedophiles were killed today?'" Pastor Roger Jimenez said during a Sunday sermon at his church. "No, I think that's great. I think that helps society. I think that Orlando, Florida is a little safer tonight." RELATED: Nearly 100 same-sex couples marry at Bexar County Courthouse after historic Supreme Court ruling Pastor Donnie Romero of the Stedfast Baptist Church in Fort Worth took a moment to stick up for Jimenez during a sermon posted to YouTube June 16. "I agree 100 percent with Pastor Roger Jimenez," Romero says in the video."These 50 sodomites are all perverts and pedophiles and they are the scum of the earth and the earth is a little bit better place now." Romero goes on to say that he plans to pray to God that more "queers in the intensive care and ICU" die so they no longer have an opportunity to go out and hurt children. He said "God will finish the job" the Orlando shooter "started." RELATED: Mayor Ivy Taylor facing backlash from LGBT community ahead of Orlando vigil appearance The pastor told FOX 4 in Dallas the word of God is currently under attack, and he had to "support men that have the backbone to say what the bible says," which can be hard to do, he said. Romero claims every gay person is a "child molestor" and "predator." "They're evil people," he said. RELATED: Open Carry Texas offers escort for LGBT events, says armed patrons could've stopped Orlando massacre When asked what he would say to the families of the 49 victims, Romero said he feels bad for them, not because their children were killed, but because their child ended up being a "sodomite." "Their families are now safer because they're not around to hurt their children," he said. kbradshaw@express-news.net Twitter: @kbrad5 An independent candidate in the race for Tennessee's 3rd congressional district seat put up a "Make America White Again" campaign sign off Highway 411 near Benton, according to media reports. RELATED: 'I'm with racist!': Brutal New York Daily News cover mocks Paul Ryan for standing by Donald Trump This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate McAllen police arrested a 19-year-old man for allegedly recording two 16-year-old students having sex, according to media reports. Alexis Mireles was arrested on June 17 for possession of child pornography, a third-degree felony, after a woman told the McAllen Police Department in January that two men had sex with her daughter and recorded the incident on a phone, according to valleycentral.com. RELATED: San Antonio man already serving 135 years for child porn gets life sentences for sex assault of two children Investigators with the Edinburg school district obtained the video and contacted McAllen police. The McAllen Police Department did not immediately respond for comment. RELATED: Stockdale woman accused of producing child pornography with husband pleads not guilty The 16-year-old girl in the video told investigators she had sex with a 16-year-old boy and Mireles. Mireles recorded the two 16-year-olds while having sex, according to valleycentral.com. The girl asked Mireles to stop recording and delete the video. A few days later, the girl was approached by people at her high school about her supposed sex tape. RELATED: Texas Attorney General: Man arrested on 6 counts of child pornography possession Mireles did not delete the video and police found it along with six photos of the two 16-year-olds having sex on his phone. Mireles remained at the Hidalgo County Jail as of Monday on $40,000 bond. kbradshaw@express-news.net Twitter: @kbrad5 This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SAN ANTONIO A man who allegedly stalked a Texas A&M San Antonio professor for four months and made threats against the school was arrested Monday. San Antonio police arrested 32 year-old Juan Soto at 10 a.m. on a stalking charge, according to Bexar County Jail records. Soto allegedly had been behaving "aggressively and agitatedly" since February. He walked into the office of a professor on Monday and claimed to know where she was parking, despite the fact that she bought a new car and started parking in a more crowded lot on campus to avoid him. The university believes that Soto has been watching the professor, as he has made "veiled threats" to her in the past and then apologized. Soto showed up at an executive-level meeting on campus June 16 and distributed literature, later telling the victim that the meeting almost became a "bloodbath." Authorities have not said what kind of literature he was handing out. In another meeting, Soto also said that he knows "why people blow themselves up into bits and pieces," according to the warrant. Soto allegedly refers to the university as the 'temple" and identified the professor as "the high priestess," to whom he has sent "stacks of emails" he called a Manifesto. The university is not commenting on the investigation, but issued a statement on Tuesday, assuring students that the campus is secure and that Soto was taken into custody without incident. llepro@express-news.net A mySA reader captured a driver of a H-E-B truck spinning its wheels in rush hour traffic about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday near U.S. Highway 281 and Loop 1604. The truck was hung up on the U.S. Highway 281 access road that leads into San Pedro Avenue and the incident backed up traffic for miles, according to Sheila Stahl. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate After pleading guilty to a child injury charge, Crystal Williams sat motionless Wednesday as her 5-year-old stepsons maternal grandmother sobbed on the witness stand. Both were reacting to a display of photos of the boy, smiling, laughing and then malnourished and dead. A jury will decide Williams punishment as the first of three defendants who were accused of beating and starving Josiah Williams, who died in their care in 2012. Friends and family in the courtroom audience cooed and laughed when they saw photos of Josiah projected on a screen, showing him with a buoyant smile, dressed as a float for Fiesta and as the Sheriff Woody character from the movie, Toy Story. He brought sunshine into the room, said the grandmother, Patty Ojeda-Quintero, who testified she kept Josiah for several months and then was prevented by Crystal Williams from seeing the child. He was the class clown. He didnt want to see anyone cry. But then, as she was shown more gruesome photos, she covered her face and wept, as did several in the audience. Besides accusing her of failing to provide medical care for the boy, the indictment of Crystal Williams also contained a paragraph accusing her of causing serious bodily injury by starving him. But in a convoluted agreement that took much of the afternoon for state District Judge Ron Rangel and the attorneys to hammer out, Williams pleaded guilty to injury to a child, admitting she failed to get the boy medical care, but did not admit the other element, failing to provide proper nourishment to Josiah. Prosecutor Stephanie Boyd began presenting evidence she said will cover both elements of the charge. She and defense attorney Ray Martinez said the starvation accusation has not been dropped, though the jurys job will not include determining guilt or innocence of that element. The agreement was not a traditional plea deal, they said. The jury can give Williams from five to 99 years in prison. Boyd told jurors she would ask them for the maximum. Williams was 27 at the time of her arrest shortly after Josiah died on Dec. 27, 2012. Police were called to their house in the 3900 block of Gayle Avenue because Josiah wasn't breathing. Investigators said he was malnourished, had two black eyes, bruises and cuts all over his body, tears behind his ears and gashes inside his lips, according to an arrest warrant affidavit. The charge was never upgraded to murder because the punishment range is the same, a prosecutor said Wednesday. Josiahs father, Charleston Williams, then 25 and step grandmother, Gloria Proo, then 48, also were arrested on a felony charge of injury to a child and are awaiting trial. Josiahs grandmother said shortly after the arrests that the child had been healthy when she cared for him. His father and stepmother took over his care six months before he died, according to the arrest affidavit. A family friend and his wife told police they had noticed during a visit that the boy was thin and frightened and severely punished. The man, Lawrence Walker, a supervisor at Wal-Mart, said he tried several times to reach out to help, only to be rebuffed by Josiahs guardians weeks before he died. He appeared to be underweight and had yellowish, jaundiced skin, Walker testified Wednesday. Two other children who lived with the couple, ages 8 and 2, appeared well treated and were taken into state custody at the time of the arrest. Police reported finding holes in a closet wall that appeared to be the size and circumference of a child's head. There also was blood inside the closet. Ojeda-Quintero has said her grandson thrived when he lived with her, was taller than other kids in his preschool class and loved to play outside. Her daughter, Josiah's biological mother, Carlotta Balleza, then 24, had given Ojeda-Quintero the authority to care for Josiah after she was arrested on a probation violation for a previous drug charge. On June 29, 2012, Charleston and Crystal Williams took Josiah for a weekend visit but the couples attorney told her they were entitled to a monthlong visit, and they then broke off all contact with her, Ojeda-Quintero has said. That fall, Ojeda-Quintero has said, Crystal Williams called to say she and her husband had been awarded temporary custody of Josiah. Charleston Williams called the grandmother Dec. 27 to say the boy was dead, she said. Crystal Williams had been free on bond. Because she pleaded guilty, Rangel agreed with prosecutors who asked that she be remanded to jail during the punishment phase of the trial. A man accused of fatally shooting another man inside his home was arrested Monday evening on the East Side. Jerry Milton Smith, 63, faces a charge of murder in connection with the death of Fred Henderson, 40, who was found shot to death in his home in the 4300 block of Seabrook Drive, according to the San Antonio Police Department. Smith is being held in the Bexar County Jail in lieu of a $150,000 bail. SAN ANTONIO Police said an argument over a woman at a Northeast Side bar may have led to a double stabbing on Wednesday morning. Police responding to a call for a cutting in the 5100 block of Gibbs Sprawl around 2:17 a.m. found two victims with critical injuries when they arrived. A murder warrant has been issued for a second suspect in the fatal shooting of a North Side store clerk on June 7. DAnthony Carter, 18, is wanted in connection with the death of Zachary Benavidez, who died a day after he was shot at the Diamond Food Mart in the 2347 Vance Jackson Road, according to the San Antonio Police Department. This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate SAN ANTONIO San Antonio is on pace to see its deadliest year since at least 2011 as homicides continue to stack up across the city. According to San Antonio Police Department records, 66 people have died in homicides in the Alamo City so far in 2016, an increase of 29 percent from this time last year and only 28 fewer than the 94 recorded in all of 2015. According to SAPD Uniform Crime Reports, the highest number of homicides reported in the city by the end of June over the last five years came in 2015 when 51 were reported. In 2014, there were 43, 27 in 2013, 48 in 2012 and 41 in 2011. Some of the most recent homicides in the city came just last week as a result of apparent domestic violence. RELATED: One dead, one arrested after fatal East Side shooting SAPD spokesman Sgt. Jesse Salame said officers received a call for a shooting at a home in the 2500 block of Schley Avenue around 5:30 a.m. on June 17 and arrived to find a man and woman dead in the driveway. He said 44-year-old Robert Alcoser, shot and killed Rose Rodriguez, with whom he had a prior romantic relationship, then turned the gun on himself. Fewer than 12 hours before that incident, a man stabbed his pregnant girlfriend to death at an apartment in the 3200 block of Nacogdoches Road. The suspect in that case, Charles Haltom, was arrested shortly after the slaying and charged with murder. While briefing media on both incidents on June 17, SAPD Chief William McManus said that there is no pattern or connection linking the more than 20 homicides that have been reported since the beginning of May. RELATED: Man killed in early morning shooting at East Side home was 26, gunman still on the loose Most of (them are) random incidents, he said. It is not an issue of how many police officers you have. Many of these murders occur indoors (and are) difficult or impossible to prevent. The trend nationally is violent crime is up, and San Antonio is not an exception to that trend. Two cities in Texas, Dallas and Houston, recorded more murders in 2015 than San Antonio, according to the FBIs preliminary Uniform Crime Report for 2015. The report said Dallas, with a population of nearly 1.3 million, compared to San Antonios approximate 1.4 million, had 69 murders. Houston, with a population around 2.2 million, had 144. FBI statistics only account for incidents defined as murders, rather than homicides, which can be justifiable under the law, however, San Antonio reported 51 murders in 2015, the same as the number of homicides reported in SAPD records for that year. According to the report, murder increased by 6.2 percent from 2014 through the first six months of 2015 nationwide as well. Salame said that the department is doing everything it can to place more officers in areas with high criminal activity, but there is really no way of knowing where or when homicides will happen. Its just a violent time across the whole country, he said. I wish we could figure out what is causing people to be so violent toward each other lately. While predicting violent crime is difficult, Salame said that the department has succeeded in catching and prosecuting those responsible. He said that of the 21 homicides reported since May, only 2 have not been cleared by investigators, and that detectives have worked long hours to make sure suspects are taken in. According to the department, investigators have cleared 78 percent of all homicides reported in 2016. Among those arrested on charges related to homicides were Jonathan Campos, 22, Frank Gomez, 28, Peter Louis Gonzalez, 22, and Manuel Watson, 22. All four face capital murder charges for their alleged role in the death of 7-year-old Iris Rodriguez, who was gunned down while walking with her family on the West Side on June 1. READ MORE: SAPD arrests 4th suspect in 7-year-old Iris Rodriguez's death On the same night, 5-year-old Ana Garza was shot in the head on the other side of town as she slept in her bed. She too died from her injuries. Police arrested the first suspect in that case, Murjan Issack Abdi, shortly after the shooting. Within a week, officers arrested 18-year-old Abdi Abdi. Police said both have been charged with capital murder. READ MORE: Second suspect arrested in shooting death of 5-year-old girl in San Antonio Salame, who spent around 8 years as a homicide detective with SAPD, said that detectives often work three or four days straight to make sure they can put a lid on an investigation into a killing. When it comes to homicide cases in particular, you work it until you cant anymore, he said. Thats the length we go to solve these cases It is concerning to see this spike, but I am proud and happy to say that all in all, we are a safe city. The people who are committing these crimes are being arrested and we are putting them in jail. The Bexar County Sheriff's Office has seen 9 homicides cases so far in 2016, one of which investigators determined to be an accident, according to BCSO spokesman James Keith. By this time last year, BCSO had seen eight homicides as well. Their total number for the year in 2015 was 14. mdwilson@express-news.net Twitter: @MDWilsonSA George Clifton Briley, an expert in industrial refrigeration who worked for companies such as Refrigeration Engineering Corporation and Lewis Refrigeration before starting his own company in San Antonio, died June 17 at 90. Raised on a small farm in Louisiana, Briley enlisted in the military after graduating from high school, serving as a combat engineer across Europe and during the Battle of the Bulge. Discharged in 1946, Briley enrolled at what was then Louisiana Polytechnic University, studying electrical engineering and graduating in 1949. Nobody in his family went to college, but he felt that it was the thing to do, his daughter Melissa Mieras said. He wanted to get out of that small town and see the world. Graduating summa cum laude, Briley was recruited by the York Corporation in Pennsylvania to go through an engineering training program. It was there he met his future wife, who had graduated from college with a teaching degree. She also was the first in her family to attain a higher education. They were from two different parts of the country, but had similar experiences, Mieras said. He was from rural Louisiana and she from a small town in Pennsylvania; they both wanted to get out and be more worldly. More Information George Clifton Briley Born: 1925, Haynesville, Louisiana Died: June 17, 2016, San Antonio Preceded by: Parents George and Estelle Briley; a brother. Survived by: Wife Phyllis Briley; son John Briley and daughter-in-law Rebecca; daughter Melissa Mieras and son-in-law Tom; five grandchildren. Services: Funeral was Wednesday. See More Collapse Marrying in 1950, the couple moved to Houston for Brileys career. She felt they had moved to the wild, wild West, Mieras said. Leaving York in 1961, Briley took a position in Pennsylvania, but soon returned to Texas, becoming a vice president with Lewis Refrigeration Company for the next 14 years. He did a lot of traveling for business, his daughter said. He was gone about half the time, but when he was home, he was a full-time dad and husband. Supportive rather than strict, Briley urged his children to learn from their mistakes. He provided a good example for us, Mieras said. Moving to Washington state after their children graduated from high school, Briley and his wife pined for Texas, returning to live in San Antonio, where he worked for Refrigeration Engineering Corporation before launching his own business, Technicold Services, Inc., in 1990. Considered an expert in his field, colleagues often said Briley developed the bible for the industrial refrigeration industry. He also, along with colleagues, held at least four U.S. patents for inventions such as a fluidized freezing method, slush ice maker and others. Briley worked until he was 79, and even then only stopped because of health issues. He was a rock star in the industry, his daughter said. mheidbrink@express-news.net STAMFORD A city dental practice owner has been accused of using the records of a retired dentist from the same office to bill insurance companies for more than 10 years for work that was never performed. Elena Ilizarov, 43, of Stamford, has been charged with wire fraud for billing more than $1.1 million in fraudulent charges, according to Deirdre Daly, U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut. Ilizarov, who faces up to 20 years in jail if convicted, was released Tuesday after posting a $500,000 court appearance bond. According to the federal complaint, Ilizarov fraudulently obtained the retired dentists records starting in 2005 and used the information to bill insurance companies through her practice, Advanced Dentistry, which has an office at 999 Summer St. This alleged scheme victimized a retired dentist who had his identity stolen, as well as multiple insurance companies that paid more than a million dollars in fraudulent claims, Daly said. Health care insurance fraud schemes ultimately increase health care costs for all of us. Daly said the announcement of the arrest was part of a national health care fraud takedown. An unprecedented nationwide sweep led by the Medicare Fraud Strike Force in 36 federal districts, resulted in criminal and civil charges against 300 people, including 61 doctors, nurses and other licensed medical professionals for schemes that resulted in $900 million in false billings, U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch said Wednesday. As this takedown should make clear, health care fraud is not an abstract violation or benign offense it is a serious crime, Lynch said. The wrongdoers that we pursue in these operations seek to use public funds for private enrichment. They target real people many of them in need of significant medical care. They promise effective cures and therapies, but they provide none. Above all, they abuse basic bonds of trust between doctor and patient; between pharmacist and doctor; between taxpayer and government and pervert them to their own ends. jnickerson@scni.com; Express-News file photo GrayStreet Partners has bought the former site of the San Antonio Childrens Museum on East Houston Street, adding to its long list of properties on the historic thoroughfare. The developer bought the 0.26-acre property last week from the childrens museum, which occupied its two-story building from 1995 to 2015, when it moved to 2800 Broadway and became the DoSeum. The property was assessed at $3.3 million this year. The pink Preston Hollow mansion formerly owned by Mary Kay Inc. founder Mary Kay Ash recently sold to an unnamed Dallas buyer for $1.9 million, according to media reports. The Dallas Business Journal reports the 12,115-square-foot home located at 8915 Douglas Ave. in Old Preston Hollow sold for the relatively modest price after being lowered several times from its original listing of $5.7 million. ABC 13 Eyewitness News reported that the women who drove a car that collided with a Pearland Police Officer in Texas was charged with intoxication manslaughter. About the Intoxicated Crash Amber Willemsen, who is 38 years old and used to be an assistant principal at an elementary school, killed an officer, Endy Ekpanya, after colliding with his patrol car early on Sunday morning. Police say that Willemsen was intoxicated at the time of the accident, and is now being charged with intoxication manslaughter. When Willemsens silver sedan crashed into the police cruiser, it crushed the drivers side of the officers vehicle. Officer Ekpanya was unresponsive when he was extracted from his car, and he later died while being transported by a medical helicopter. Willemsen was taken to the hospital with minor injuries, and once she is released she will be booked into the county jail. According to the Harris County court records, Willemsen was out on bond for a charge for possession of methamphetamine. Additionally, she received probation in 2012 for driving while intoxicated. Information about Intoxicated Driving All information is provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA): In 2014, 9,967 people were killed in alcohol-impaired driving crashes, which was 31% of all traffic-related deaths in the U.S. Also in the same year, over 1.1 million drivers were arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or narcotics. Additionally, there were 1,446 alcohol-impaired driving fatalities in Texas in 2014, which was the highest number recorded by any state in the country. Contact an Experienced Auto Accident Attorney Thomas J. Henry Injury Attorneys is a personal injury law firm with offices in Corpus Christi, Texas, San Antonio, Texas and Houston, Texas representing accident victims nationwide. Our attorneys are available to respond to auto accidents at any hour, day or night. Our lawyers understand that the immediate acquisition, or acquiring, of evidence is paramount to understanding how the accident occurred. Remember, your choice does matter. Contact our offices- we are available 24/7, nights and weekends. Editors Note: This content is made possible by Thomas J. Henry. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of The San Antonio Express-News' or mySanAntonio.com's editorial staff. Learn more about our advertising products at www.hearstmediasanantonio.com. ARSAL, Lebanon In a remote corner of Lebanon near the border with Syria, Lebanese troops have been quietly making steady progress, fighting against Islamic extremists holed up in the rugged mountains. It is a fight less visible than the U.S.-led war against the Islamic State group in Syria, Iraq and Libya. But hardly a day passes without army artillery stationed on the edge of this restive eastern Lebanese town pounding nearby militant positions. Aided directly by the United States and Britain and indirectly by the Syrian army and its Lebanese militant Hezbollah allies working on the other side of the border the under-equipped Lebanese military has registered steady successes against the militants. In recent months, Lebanese armed forces have clawed back significant territory once held by the Islamic State and al Qaedas branch in Syria, known as the Al-Nusra Front, and have killed and detained hundreds of extremists, forcing many others to flee. According to the army, the militants still hold about 19 square miles of land in the border area, compared with 20 times this size in the months after Syrias conflict began. On a tour of the area with the army this week, reporters saw army positions set up every few hundred yards. Tanks and armored personnel carriers with heavy machine guns could be seen pointing toward the extremists positions. Most of the activity is around the border town of Arsal, which the militants briefly took over in August 2014. After five days of deadly fighting, the military pushed them out to the towns outskirts and into the surrounding mountains and has been battling them ever since. Nearly 5,000 troops are now deployed in and around Arsal. They keep a close eye on any suspicious activity by the extremists who avoid movement during the day. Giant observation towers as well as many fortifications have been erected. U.S.-provided drones feed information to the army command near Beirut. Dozens of Lebanese troops have been killed or wounded over the months of fighting. The Lebanese military, generally seen as a unifying force in a country divided along political and sectarian lines, has received support and military assistance from the West. Eager to support the army as opposed to the better equipped Iranian-backed Hezbollah, the U.S. and Britain have supplied the military with helicopters, antitank missiles, artillery and radars, as well as training. The American Embassy says the U.S. has provided Lebanon over $1.4 billion in security assistance since 2005. The American assistance has been the most serious and most effective, said Hisham Jaber, a retired army general who heads the Middle East Center for Studies and Political Research in Beirut. 1 Wildlife rangers: A group of American military veterans with experience in Iraq and Afghanistan plans to train rangers in some private wildlife areas in South Africa, where poachers have killed large numbers of rhinos for their horns. The small conservation group called Vetpaw previously operated in Tanzania, which ordered the group to leave last year, partly because of a video in which a member talked about killing poachers. The training will include marksmanship, field medicine and maneuvering at night. 2 Syria setback: The Islamic State group has retaken large areas in the northern Syrian province of Raqqa that the extremists recently lost to government troops, opposition activists and the groups news agency reported Tuesday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, based in Britain, said government forces have lost all the territory they gained in Raqqa province since launching their offensive on June 2. Syrian troops have been on the offensive for nearly three weeks and approached to within 4 miles of the Tabqa air base near Raqqa city, the de facto capital of the Islamic States self-declared caliphate. The Observatory said Syrian troops have been pushed back now to about 25 miles from Tabqa. Posted on 06/22/2016, 11:00 am, by the City of Steinbach The City of Steinbach 2016 property tax statements have been mailed out to local property owners and are due by September 30th of this year. The City notes that tax statements are mailed to the current property owners at time of printing and it is the responsibility of the property owner to obtain a copy should they have recently purchased a property and not received a tax statement. Tax bills issued this year total about $29.3 million. Approximately 47 percent of the collections fund municipal programs including the Citys summer beautification program, street maintenance and snow clearing functions. It will also go towards a variety of Steinbach projects, including: new washroom and change room facilities at the Steinbach Soccer Park asphalt resurfacing of Coral Crescent, Rose Street, and Lilac Bay reconstruction of Barkman Avenue intersection construction at Acres Drive and Penfeld Drive sidewalk construction on Giesbrecht Street and Lilac Bay City Hall expansion asphalt surfacing of Old Tom Road construction of a new community plaza in front of the T.G. Smith Arena Elmdale Avenue streetscaping The remaining 53 percent of the annual tax levy is forwarded to the Province of Manitoba and the Hanover School Division to fund various school system projects and programs. Comparatively, Steinbach continues to be among the lowest property tax rates in the province. If you have not received a copy of your tax statement by the end of June, or if your mailing address has changed recently, you are asked to contact City Hall at 204-326-9877 or email taxes@steinbach.ca. PHILADELPHIA Wendys and McDonalds are testing self-service ordering kiosks across the United States, but both QSRs maintain that there is no connection to movements looking to increase the minimum wage for fast-food workers. Its not specifically tied to raising the minimum wage, Wendys spokesman Bob Bertini told PhillVoice.com. This is primarily driven by consumer demand. Customers, particularly young customers, like to be in control. Theyre used to doing iPhones and tablets so they like the convenience of using kiosks. And it does help to mitigate some costs. A spokeswoman for McDonalds told the news source that the kiosk tests are about the customer experience, not labor. An assumption that their use is related to wage or staffing levels is not the case at McDonalds, said Lisa McComb of McDonalds. Staff perform many functions in our restaurants beyond taking the orders, and in those restaurants testing kiosks, there is the ability for some staff to spend more time on hospitality, customer service and other functions. For example, in some restaurants were also testing table service, so that might be a function of an employees role. I cant speak to whether or not there is any savings related to the use of kiosks, she continued. Our lens is all around customer feedback, and whether or not customers like them. Bertini commented that Wendys self-service kiosk test program began early this year at a handful of Ohio locations, while McDonalds is testing kiosks in some of its remodeled locations nationwide. At this point were gathering feedback from customers on their experience with the kiosks, so theres no specific next step per se, McComb told the new source. Meanwhile, the leader of a local Philadelphia effort to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour for fast-food workers says she doesnt consider self-ordering technology to be a threat to employment. We focus on customer service, Shymara Jones of Fight for 15 told the news source, adding that she sees one real downside to the kiosks: Customers want to see a warm smile. Thats not something these automated services can do. Yves here. Even those economists that think Brexit is a disastrous idea differ on how severe the downside would be. Note that more recent polls give Remain a slight edge, and bookies, who were more accurate on the Scottish referendum that the pollsters, are very confident Remain will prevail. But the Financial Times show 44 to 44, meaning 12% still not decided. My contacts think the undecideds will break heavily towards voting for the status quo. Well see soon enough. By Lynn Parramore, Senior Research Analyst, Institute for New Economic Thinking. Originally published at the Institute for New Economic Thinking website As uncertainty and tension mount with a divided British electorate due to vote on June 23 over whether to leave the European Union (EU), economists within the Institute for New Economic Thinkings networks hold a range of different views on the consequences of a Brexit. Some predict a British vote to leave the EU would bring nothing short of a global crisis, while others see cause for concern but dont predict catastrophe. And there are those who argue that a vote to remain in the 28-member bloc will consolidate the authority of anti-democratic elites and may not offer the prospect of alleviating the grievances of many ordinary citizens. Then theres the question of the credibility of economists in the minds of the voting public, given their failed track record of forecasting despite the dire warnings of economists about the consequences of leaving the EU, polls show the leave campaign as being in the lead going into the final week before the vote. Economist Anatole Kaletsky, former Chairman of the Institute for New Economic Thinking and currently a member of its governing board, warns that Britains exit from the EU will likely produce dire consequences for the world economy on a scale well beyond what the countrys 2.4 percent share of global GDP might suggest. By ignoring the counsel of business leaders, mainstream politicians, and expert economists, he warns, voters may endanger the gradual restoration of prosperity by upending the status quo. Kalestky expresses concern that if the U.K. goes its own way, financial markets will amplify economic anxiety, breeding more anti-establishment anger and fueling still-higher expectations of political revolt. He predicts that the result could be another global crisis. David Vines, Professor of Economics and Fellow of Balliol College, University of Oxford, also concludes that a Brexit would be calamitous. He notes that it would potentially exclude the U.K. from the continents single market and raise the prospect of aggressive pressure from the rest of Europe to remove the center of the European financial system from London to Frankfurt. Vines adds that many productive firms in the U.K. may lose out from diminished integration with Europe, citing recent reports of Rolls-Royce suspending judgment on investment decisions. Vines further points out that the university system would lose 40 percent of the funding for research and notes that along with finance, academic research is a comparative advantage of the U.K., and the funding and collaboration with researchers in Europe that EU membership is of very great value and could be lost. He also has grave concerns about political turmoil and lack of leadership that could result from a Brexit vote. According to Vines, Europe may also face serious negative consequences if the leave camp wins, emphasizing that Britains presence within the EU is extremely important for shaping the future of the union and balancing its competing tendencies. The German passion for implementing rules is particularly damaging, he warns, as is the French determination to centralize power in Brussels. He fears that the absence of a British engagement may lead to bad outcomes. In the run up to the Napoleonic Wars Britain was preoccupied with its empire; immediately before the first World War Britain was preoccupied with Northern Ireland. Look what happened then, he said. Less alarmed is Malcolm Sawyer, Professor of Economics at the University of Leeds, who sees the narrow economic effects of a Brexit as negative but not catastrophic. He sees the worst effects arising from the change in trade relations between the U.K. and the EU if Britain leaves the single market. However, he believes estimates emanating from government and research organizations of economic losses amounting to as much as 4 or 5 percent of GDP may be overly alarmist. Sawyer notes that on Monday, Paul Krugman put the potential loss at 2 percent in the New York Times. In the short term, Sawyer observes, Id expect there would be some losses through uncertainty and the postponement of investment, and a possible large exchange rate fall (bearing in mind that UK now has a 7 percent of GDP current account deficit). In Sawyers view, those who stand to lose from a Brexit include educated workers in the U.K. who currently gain from the ability to work abroad and interact on the international level. He warns that if the political right comes into power as a result of a Brexit victory, attacks on workers rights (under the heading of de-regulation) are highly likely and notes that the political right would probably be more pro-austerity and more in favor of privatization of the National Health Service. In that case, Sawyer notes that the biggest losers might in fact be working class voters the very people who tend to support the leave campaign. Not all economic experts favor remaining in the EU, however. Steve Keen, Head of the School of Economics, Politics & History at Kingston University, London, thinks that Britain would be better off outside of the union. My perspective is to some degree more political than economic, notes Keen. Courtesy largely of the Euro, the EU is a failed institution that is achieving the opposite of its aims to unify and strengthen Europe. As Keen sees it, the EUs most influential treaties, such as Maastricht and Lisbon, have been used to subvert democratic governments and to impose the will of Ordoliberal bureaucrats upon electorates that are attempting to end Neoliberalism. [Ordoliberal refers to a German strain of liberalism that emphasizes maximizing the potential of the free market to solve economic problems.]. Keen observes that a remain vote will strengthen the power of this anti-democratic elite and do nothing to tame the forces of racist nationalism that have arisen in reaction to their failed economic policies. Keen will be voting for the U.K. to leave the EU. For her part, Shelia Dow, Emeritus Professor of Economics at the University of Stirling, remarks that when it comes to predictions, economists have not always played the most helpful role in the Brexit debate. She is not surprised that economists forecasts of the likely effects of Brexit are being widely discounted, because model-based forecasts are typically presented as definitive without any acknowledgement of their limitations, and often turn out to be wrong. These limitations are severe when analyzing constitutional change, which involves complex, unpredictable structural change, observes Dow. Economic arguments, of course, can and should be made about likely outcomes, building narratives drawing on analysis of history, institutions, etc., as well as theory and data. But there needs to be more modesty, not least about quantification. If a Brexit occurs, liberals in the U.K. may have nobody to blame but themselves. Businessman Clive Cowdery, majority owner of Prospect Magazine and a member of the Institutes Global Partners Council, describes the possibility of leaving the EU as a black eye for us liberals, a self-inflicted wound resulting from a failure to address the concerns of ordinary people who have understandable fears and legit grievances. By Amir Sufi, the Bruce Lindsay Professor of Economics and Public Policy at Chicago Booth and a co-author of House of Debt. Twitter: @profsufi. Originally published at Capital Ideas; cross posed from Evonomics. The historian Joseph J. Ellis describes the early days of the United States as a decade-long shouting match characterized by shrill, accusatory rhetoric, flamboyant displays of ideological intransigence, intense personal rivalry, and hyperbolic claims of imminent catastrophe. In more recent times, the Vietnam War and Watergate deeply divided the country, and the administrations of Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush were marked by sharp partisan conflict. But while political polarization has been all-American since the start of the US, its current upswing threatens to make it the worst in history. Sharp divisions between Republicans and Democrats have created gridlock in Washington, DC, between the president and Congress and within Congress itself. The political scientists Christopher Hare, now at University of California, Davis, and Keith T. Poole of the University of Georgia write that the level of polarization in Congress is now the highest since the end of the Civil War. The latest manifestation of this polarization has been the presidential primary race, defined by the emergence of real-estate magnate and reality-TV star Donald J. Trump on the right, and Senator Bernie Sanders on the left. Both Trump and Sanders espouse positions that only recently would have been way out of the mainstreamsuch as deporting 11 million undocumented immigrants (Trump) and providing free public college tuition for all (Sanders). The strong, durable support both candidates receive illustrates how polarized US politics has become. Research Ive conducted with Atif Mian of Princeton University and Francesco Trebbi of the University of British Columbia suggests a reason politics has come to this: an increase in polarization after banking and financial crises is common and predictable. How Financial Crises Cause Polarization In the US, decisions made during the 200710 financial crisis to rescue Wall Street fueled public anger that still resonates with voters of both parties. The aftermath of the crisiswhich included erasure of trillions of dollars of housing wealth and continued income stagnation for the working and middle classes while the wealthy benefited from rising asset priceshas provided fertile ground for even more partisanship and polarization. The 20082009 economic collapse and its aftermath, writes New York Times opinion columnist Thomas Byrne Edsall in his 2012 book The Age of Austerity, have converged to generate a dog-eat-dog political competition over diminishing resources. This polarization, our evidence indicates, is a product of the banking crisis. We used the American National Election Study (ANES) Time Series Cumulative Data File to follow respondents self-reported liberal-conservative scores from 1948 to 2008, and then brought the file more up to date by adding data from the 2012 ANES Time Series Study, as well as data (from Poole and New York Universitys Howard Rosenthal) that estimates legislators positions on the basis of their roll-call voting records. Combined with a comprehensive data set (covering 1800 to 2008) on global financial crises assembled by Carmen Reinhart and Kenneth S. Rogoff of Harvard University, these findings led us to some general conclusions about the impact of financial crises on political polarization. Polarization in Congress has increased steadily over the past four decades, but our research suggests that it rose more sharply after banking crises and market crashes. And this pattern extends beyond the US: after financial crises, polarization among voters was common across all 70 countries sampled in the Reinhart-Rogoff data set. We also took data from about 250,000 individual interviews from 60 countries, in which respondents described their political ideologies, and we matched that with Reinhart and Rogoffs pre- and postcrisis indicators to construct a picture of peoples ideological tendencies five years before and after financial crises. Our conclusion: financial crises tend to radicalize electorates. After a banking, currency, or debt crisis, our data indicate, the share of centrists or moderates in a country went down, while the share of left- or right-wing radicals went up in most cases. What does this do to political decision making? Not surprisingly, we find, after almost any financial crisis, ruling governments became substantially weaker, while opposition coalitions grew stronger. This increased overall political partisanship and fragmentation, often leading to gridlock and ineffectual policy making, just when bold moves and major financial reforms might have been particularly beneficial. Its a catch-22 that could in turn lead to further disaffection and polarization among the electorate, prolonging the impact of a crisis. It takes a charismatic leader to break the stalemate, someone who can implement good policies and manage the polarization. President Franklin D. Roosevelt was one such leader. Using fireside chats and a lot of effort, he managed to form a coalition large enough to pass legislation that helped pull the US out of the Great Depression. The Debtor-Creditor Relationship is Crucial Princetons Nolan McCarty, University of Georgias Poole, and NYUs Rosenthal attribute the polarization after financial crises to increased income inequality, which leads to conflict between the haves and have-nots. That explanation has merit. My colleagues and I focused especially on the nature of the debtor-creditor relationship, which after a crisis can become a political tug-of-war. Every banking crisis is associated with excessive lending. In his masterpiece Manias, Panics, and Crashes: A History of Financial Crises, the great economic historian Charles P. Kindleberger finds that asset price bubbles depend on the growth of credit. As the bubble develops, borrowers who are less and less creditworthy take on more and more debt. To simplify greatly, this is what happened in the US housing bubble of the 2000s. Between 2000 and 2007, US household debt doubled to $14 trillion, and the household debt-to-income ratio skyrocketed from 1.4 to 2.1, an increase matched only in the early years of the Great Depression. As Atif Mian and I documented in our 2014 book House of Debt, there was a big expansion in lending to marginal borrowers during this period. Astonishingly, mortgage-credit growth for home purchases and income growth became negativelycorrelated as the bubble developed, and many borrowerseven those in the middle classused the rising value of their homes to extract equity and to finance consumption. Unfortunately, a financial system that thrives on massive use of debt by households concentrates risk squarely on debtors, who bear the brunt of any losses. So, when the housing bubble turned into a bust, the most-marginal homeowners took the biggest hit. In any debt contract, someone has to take the loss associated with a decline in the assets value. It becomes a zero-sum game between lender and borrower, and this time the political battle became especially heated because the losses were so big. The Great Recession wiped out 8 million jobs and some $2 trillion in income by 2012. House prices fell by $5.5 trillion, and more than 4 million homes faced foreclosureabout 5 percent of all mortgages in 2009. Marginal borrowers, who had little net worth beyond their home, were virtually wiped out. Consumption, which was overheated during the boom, collapsed. Yet when the housing bust turned into a financial crisis, policy makers first instinct was to save the lendersi.e., the banksout of fear of contagion. Thus were AIG, Fannie Mae, and Freddie Mac effectively taken over by the government under the aegis of the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), passed and signed in 2008. Big mortgage lenders, including Wachovia, Washington Mutual, and Countrywide Financial, were bought by other large banks whose liquidity was essentially guaranteed by the US Treasury or the Federal Reserve. Even two big investment banks, Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, were quickly converted into commercial banks so they could be rescued by the Treasury and the Fed. Distressed homeowners got little relief from TARP or from subsequent legislation and settlements with big banks. Yet the mere hint that they might was enough to set off CNBC on-air personality Rick Santelli, who in early 2009 asked on the floor of the Chicago Board of Trade whether we really want to subsidize the losers mortgages. President Obama, are you listening? Santelli fumed. Were thinking of having a Chicago Tea Party in July. And so the Tea Party was born out of anger that debtors would get special breaks at a time when creditors already had gotten plenty. The Tea Party movement got even stronger during the battle over the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (better known as Obamacare) in 2009 and 2010, and its central issue became rapid expansion of government debt, but its initial impulse was to unite against any breaks for debtors in the wreckage of the financial crisis. The movement had a huge impact, engineering a big Republican takeover of the House of Representatives in 2010 and laying the groundwork for the epic battle over the debt limit in the summer of 2011 that took the country to the brink of default, cost the US its AAA rating from Standard and Poors, and led to massive mandatory spending cuts to domestic and military programs. Just weeks later, demonstrators occupied a park in lower Manhattan, protesting income inequality, foreclosures, Wall Street corruption, and the power of money in politics. With their soon-to-be-famous slogan We are the 99 percent, the Occupy Wall Street (OWS) movement spread quickly across the country. Though the Occupy movement probably had less direct political impact than the Tea Party did, the two movements uncannily illustrate the debtor-creditor split after financial crises, with the Tea Party siding against debtors and the Occupy movement with them. Debtors and Creditors Fight Over Greece In Europe, too, the political battle was joined along creditor-debtor lines. The increase in household debt from 2000 to 2007, and the subsequent decline in consumption after the recession began, was greater in Ireland, Denmark, Norway, the United Kingdom, Spain, and the Netherlands than in the US. The economic crisis quickly morphed into a sovereign-debt crisis as governments of the eurozone spent an estimated 500 billion, or 5 percent of GDP, by the end of 2013 to rescue the banks. Meanwhile, the recession decimated government tax revenues, throwing weaker economies deeper into debt. Governments of countries hit hardest by the recession got into deep trouble with nervous creditors who worried they would never be repaid. Greeces debt problems were especially severe. Almost from the time it adopted the euro in 2001, its deficits exceeded the mandated target of 3 percent of GDP. Only after the financial crisis and Great Recession was the extent of its trouble revealedtotal debt of 300 billion, the highest in its modern history, reaching 113 percent of GDP in 2009 as its budget deficit hit 12.7 percent of GDP. Bond yields soared as rating agencies downgraded Greek debt to junk status. Thus began more than five years of intermittent crises in which Greece had to renegotiate its debt several times, threatening the very existence of the euro. Greeces banks collapsed and unemployment soared to nearly 26 percent in 2015, unleashing a firestorm of political polarization both inside the country and across the eurozone. As a creditor nation, Germany (whose total exposure to a Greek default and exit from the euro could range from 61.5 billion to 84.5 billion, according to Der Spiegel) took the hardest line in debt negotiations, led by the strong-willed Chancellor Angela Merkel. Politicians in Germany directed their anger toward Greeks instead of toward the German banks that made poor lending decisions. In a YouGov poll taken in July 2015, more than 60 percent of Germans (and 74 percent of Finns) said Greece should be held to the original terms of its loans, with no more bailouts. (The less-exposed public in France and Britain were more sympathetic to Greece and more open to renegotiating the terms of the loans, according to YouGov.) Greek voters, by contrast, took a classic debtors stance and in 2015 elected the left-wing Syriza party, whose leader, Alexis Tsipras, called for repudiating some of Greeces debt, reversing mandated spending cuts, and even leaving the euro. As prime minister, Tsipras eventually capitulated and a deal was struck last July, but the political polarization has only deepened. The violently anti-immigrant, anti-EU, neo-Nazi Golden Dawn got 7 percent of the votes in last Septembers general election, even though its leaders are facing criminal charges. This extreme polarization is in line with our conclusions and those of a subsequent paper by three German scholars who studied 800 elections in 20 countries between 1870 and 2014. Manuel Funke of the Free University Berlin, Moritz Schularick of the University of Bonn, and Christoph Trebesch of the University of Munich identified the extreme right (think Golden Dawn, or the National Front in France) as the principal political beneficiary of postcrisis partisanship. Voters seem to be systematically lured by the political rhetoric of the far right, with its frequently nationalistic or xenophobic tendencies, they write. Overall, they conclude, the political effects [of banking and financial crises] are particularly disruptive. Thats certainly true here in the US as well, where Trumps presidential campaign in particular exploits an underlying angst that the government is representing well-organized special interests at the general publics expense. Ironically, much of the support for the Sanders campaign also reflects the same angst. This, rather than the classic debtor-creditor conflict that emerged with the Tea Party and the Occupy movement, is behind much of their backing. But the candidacies thrive in a hyperpartisan political environment that is the financial crisiss true legacy. Trump and Sanders may be the indirect by-products of that crisis, but they are nonetheless its legitimate heirs. See original post for references Julie Glenn Columnist SHARE You can get your hands on the same value-priced, award winning wine described by Decanter wine judges as "an absolute crowd pleaser," and "beautifully executed, full of energy with a great price point." You can get your hands on the same value-priced, award winning wine described by Decanter wine judges as "an absolute crowd pleaser," and "beautifully executed, full of energy with a great price point." Pictured are two bottles by Santa Alicia. "$6 wine named 'Best Wine in the World' by experts." If anyone knows you love wine, you likely received this headline in your inbox last week. I was informed by my cousin in California who sent me a photo of a news crawl announcing the cheapie that won. "Have you heard of this wine?" she asked. No. I hadn't. But I was going to find out not only what wine this is but who are these "experts?" My skepticism naturally hit Defcon 5. But as it turns out, those "experts" are the real deal. 240 of them, to be exact. They're wine critics culled from around the world to judge Decanter's World Wine Awards, which announced its winners last week. Decanter is a well-regarded British wine magazine along the lines of America's Wine Spectator or Wine Enthusiast. 16,000 wines entered the competition in which each wine was given 4 minutes of evaluation by some of the best palates in the business. And they picked a $6 Malbec from Chile's Central Valley as the best single-varietal wine priced under $20. So, while it's the best in its category and won a "best in show" medal, the headline "best wine in the world" may have been a stretch. Still, a 95 point wine anywhere south of $10 is intriguing so further investigation was required. The name of the wine: Asda's "La Moneda Reserva Malbec" rings no bells because it's a private-label wine made specifically for Asda, a grocery store chain in the U.K. which is a subsidiary of Walmart. So it's only available at Asda stores, of which we have none here in Florida (or the U.S. for that matter) and my visions of stockpiled award-winning wine began to fade. But wait. If a winery in the Central Valley in Chile is making a private-label wine, they're probably making more than one private label and might even have their own label. Years ago, when I sold wine for a distributor, I remember working with a Chilean winery called Santa Alicia that did private labels for big clients and I'd even worked out some of these deals for hotels along the coast. Maybe that winery did this Malbec too? I found an image of the winning bottle, and the label looked familiar. Just like one available through Santa Alicia's private label program. They made good wine and I could see it winning awards. Actually, it had won several smaller awards, so I tracked it down. My hunch was correct. According to Gerald Cogen of importer Select Brands International Inc., the Malbec in Asda's La Moneda Reserva is the same as the Malbec you'll find in bottles of Santa Alicia. That's right. Even though the British supermarket bottle isn't available here, I remember liking it and thinking it was a great value, but I never saw it selling for $6. According toyou can get your hands on the same value-priced, award winning wine described by Decanter wine judges as "an absolute crowd pleaser," and "beautifully executed, full of energy with a great price point." Asda's wine buying manager, regular price for the wine is $8 and it's been on "rollback" to the price of $6.29. The Santa Alicia line is available at a number of local retailers and I've never seen it selling for more than $12 a bottle. Of course at this price a volume buy may be in order to save a percentage per bottle. Most retailers offer a discount when you buy 6 bottles or a case. If you want to try a glass before you buy, it's being poured at Fort Myers Brewing Company by the glass. The Decanter judges describe the wine as having an "excellent freshness," and talked about its flavors of, "freshly crushed black fruit, creamy vanilla yogurt, and pepper spice," with "succulent juicy berries on the palate." I welcome comments and questions at juliewriteswine@gmail.com. You can see more of my writing at www.julieglenn.com, and can connect with me on Facebook and on Twitter @juliewriteswine. Kool-Aid Man is among the balloons in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York, N.Y. Doris Reynolds Let's Talk Food Doris Reynolds is the author of When Peacocks Were Roasted and Mullet was Fried and a four-part DVD, A Walk Down Memory Lane with Doris Reynolds. They are for sale in the lobby of the Naples Daily News. SHARE Only in America! Where else could an 11-year-old Nebraska farm boy become an entrepreneur and ultimately produce a product that gained him fame and fortune? This unlikely success came about not by the invention of the automobile, computers, airplanes or any other modern convenience. Edwin E. Perkins became a millionaire and his creative drink, Kool-Aid, remains a part of American culture more than a century later. In 1900, when Perkins was 11 he was drawn to a magazine advertisement that read: "Be a manufacturer Mixer's Guide tells you how. Write today." When the materials arrived, he turned the family kitchen into an experimental laboratory, creating flavoring extracts and perfumes. Not satisfied with just a hobby, the enterprising young man decided to extend his activities into making enough money to go into manufacturing his products. He bought a small hand press and a few fonts of type and became the only printer in the village of Hendley, Nebraska. In 1914, when he was 25, Perkins combined his fledging manufacturing and printing business to create a mail-order business known as Perkins Products Co. Through magazine ads and a crew of young sales people, he sold perfume, calling cards and eventually a soft drink syrup called Fruit Smack. Since the syrup was sold through the mail, it was inconvenient and expensive. Perkins simply transformed Fruit Smack into a powder, and Kool-Aid was born. In 1920, the now burgeoning company moved to Hastings, Nebraska, where there was better access to railroads and highways. From these headquarters, the company soon offered more than 125 products. By 1928, the new soft drink mix was so profitable that Perkins soon abandoned all other ventures and focused exclusively on Kool-Aid. Until 1933, Kool-Aid sold for 10 cents a package. Now headquartered in Chicago, Perkins was able to reduce the cost from 10 cents to 5 cents and this price held for more than 30 years. In 2002, Kool-Aid celebrated its 75th anniversary with the opening of the Kool-Aid exhibition at the Hastings, Nebraska, Museum of Natural and Cultural History. Here one may view all the costumes donned by the Kool-Aid Man, the product's spokesperson. Other fascinating displays concentrate on such byproducts as Kool-Aid bubblegum, ice cream mix and newly introduced Kool-Aid Jammers, the first pouch drink with a clear back so kids can watch the drink disappear sip by sip. Over the years, those marketing geniuses on the Kool-Aid team have come up with some unusual names for the drink. Consider: Rock-A-Dile Red, Sharkleberry Fin, Great Bluedini, Purplesaurus Rex and Pink Swimmingo. However, since 1969, Tropical Punch has been the most favored flavor among the 20 that are on the market. It has been more than 90 years that Edwin Perkins began his journey down the road to success. He would be thrilled to know that 620 million gallons of Kool-Aid are consumed annually. During the long, hot summer more than 26 gallons are consumed every second. No doubt he'd love Kool-Aid Man, the brilliant representative of the drink whose celebrity footprint is preserved for posterity at Mann's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. The governor of Nebraska has granted him honorary citizenship and he is a hero to hundreds of thousands of kids who sell Kool-Aid at stands throughout the country. Although Kool-Aid is not one of the products to go "upscale," still here is a recipe that will bring the drink a more sophisticated flavor: MANGO MANIA Ingredients 1 envelope Kool-Aid Lemonade flavor unsweetened soft drink mix 1 envelope Kool-Aid Mandarina-Tangerine flavor unsweetened drink mix 2-1/2 cups sugar 8 cups (2 quarts) cold water 1-1/4 cups mango nectar Ice cubes Directions 1 Place soft drink mixes and sugar in large plastic or glass pitcher. 2 Add water and mango nectar; stir to dissolve. 3 Serve over ice. Makes 11 (1 cup) servings. ASK DORIS Q: I am having a birthday party for my mother and would like a recipe for creme brulee, her favorite dessert. Laura Phillips, Estero A: This is the perfect ending for any celebration. CREME BRULEE Serves 4 to 6. Ingredients 6 eggs, room temperature cup sugar 2 cups heavy cream, scalded 1 cup milk 2 teaspoons vanilla extract cup packed brown sugar Directions 1 Beat the egg yolks and granulated sugar in a bowl until thick and light. 2 Gradually add the milk and cream. 3 Then add the vanilla. 4 Strain into a 9-inch ring mold. 5 Place in a pan of hot water. 6 Bake in a preheated 325-degree oven 30 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. 7 Cool and then chill. 8 Just before serving, spread the brown sugar over the custard. Place the dish on a wet board over cracked ice. Place under a hot broiler until the sugar melts completely but be sure to watch constantly. May be served hot or cold. Doris Reynolds is the author of "When Peacocks Were Roasted and Mullet Was Fried" and a four-part DVD, "A Walk Down Memory Lane with Doris Reynolds." They are for sale in the lobby of the Naples Daily News with all proceeds going to the Doris Reynolds-Naples Daily News Scholarship Fund. Contact Doris Reynolds at foodlvr25@aol.com Brent Batten Naples' ranking high on the list of income inequality tends to shock sensibilities and send people searching for solutions to the problem. But the solutions are often misguided and the problem itself misidentified. A report by the Economic Policy Institute published this week says the Naples-Marco Island-Immokalee area ranks third in the nation in income inequality, with the top 1 percent making 73 times the average income of those in the bottom 99 percent. That income inequality is greater here than almost anywhere else in the country will lead some to believe an injustice is being perpetrated and condoned. The very proposition of income inequality suggests on some level that incomes ought to be equal, a notion that ignores realities such as disparate abilities and productivity. The magnitude of Southwest Florida's income inequality can be traced to the staggering amount of wealth migrating to this region. IRS data confirms that Collier County is the destination of choice for thousands of high earners leaving states like Illinois and Maryland. The state's lack of an income tax is one reason. Collier County's quality of life is another. But an influx of the well-to-do does not represent a problem, at least not in terms of income inequality. Imagine if you will a community of 100 people. The top earner in the group makes $100,000 a year. Everyone else averages $50,000 a year. Thus the top 1 percent makes two times as much as the bottom 99 percent. One day a person who makes $1 million a year moves in. Suddenly the ratio goes from 2 to 1 to 20 to 1, a tenfold increase. But the people in the bottom 99 percent aren't any poorer. The wealthy person newly in their midst didn't take anything from them. In fact, he may patronize businesses, pay taxes and donate to charities that will benefit all of them. Kicking the millionaire out of town would address income inequality but it wouldn't help anyone. Similarly, Collier County and Lee County have seen many millionaires take up residence over the past few decades. But unless they are stealing from the 99 percent, they've done nothing wrong. The political left's toolbox of government solutions to income inequality includes blunt objects such as a cap on executive salaries. As much as it may gall Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, it still is not illegal to be successful in America. No one forces companies to pay exorbitant salaries to people they believe can help them thrive. It is mistaken to believe there is a fixed amount of wealth and that if one person has more, it must mean someone else has less. Wealth can be created in infinite quantities through better ideas and more productive methods. Higher taxes on the rich with the wealth transferred to the poor are another favorite _ if not effective _ solution proposed to address income inequality. Such taxes tend to stifle the innovation and risk-taking that leads to wealth creation. Whatever problems stem from income inequality are found at the low end of the spectrum. And even there, the target is often missed. It is interesting to note that the average income of the bottom 99 percent in Collier County, $57,258, is well above the average of the bottom 99 percent in the rest of the country, $45,567. The bottom 99 percent includes, by definition, thousands of people in the 90th, 80th and even the 70th income percentiles. They are not the people we need be concerned about. Those at the bottom are the ones who need help and the government is indeed in a position to help them. But again the tool most often reached for out of that left-leaning toolbox isn't the appropriate one. The government can't just wave a magic wand and impart new skills and productivity on the unskilled and less productive. But that is precisely what it purports to do when it arbitrarily increases the minimum wage. When you increase the cost of something, people buy less of it. This law of economics is no more malleable than the law of gravity. Labor is something employers purchase, just like supplies and insurance. Artificially raising the price of it only guarantees they'll buy less, meaning less work for those on the first rung of the employment ladder. The best thing the government can do to help those people is to provide the opportunity for a quality education. From preschool children to adult and vocational education, teaching new skills to those who have none is the surest way to increase their earning potential. A raft of ancillary services such as day care and nutrition go hand-in-hand and are often provided by charities, which in turn, find donors among the 1 percent. Another tool the government could use to help low-wage earners in Southwest Florida is an effective immigration policy including competent border enforcement. The first victim of the illegal immigrant is the legal immigrant. An endless supply of unskilled workers guarantees that labor prices will remain low. Businesses and even consumers may enjoy the low prices afforded to them by cheap labor, but an ever-diminishing pay scale based on an endless influx of workers willing to do the job for less leads to the sort of poverty that is the worst manifestation of income inequality. Unequal incomes are a fact of life. Crushing poverty at the bottom of the scale need not be. (Connect with Brent Batten at brent.batten@naplesnews.com, on Twitter@NDN_BrentBatten and at facebook.com/ndnbrentbatten) Tim Aten/staff (4) Lima Restaurant and Pisco Bar opened in May in the retail center on the northwest corner of Collier Boulevard and Golden Gate Parkway in Golden Gate. The young couple that owns and operates Lima Restaurant and Pisco Bar is going places. In fact, their new Peruvian restaurant on the edge of Golden Gate is proof that they've already been places. They invite Neapolitans to tag along with them and try new things. "We wanted to bring this to Naples because I think Naples is ready already for this kind of exposure. I wanted to bring Lima here," said Dario Gonzalez-Zuniga, who creates magic in the kitchen, while his wife, Amanda, follows suit at the bar. The couple launched Lima on May 16 in the former longtime space of Antonia's Italian restaurant in the retail strip anchored by Sunshine Ace Hardware on the corner of Collier Boulevard and Golden Gate Parkway. Although Naples was introduced to Peruvian cuisine years ago including the original Inca's Kitchen nearby, just north of the new Lima Restaurant the Gonzalez-Zunigas have really created something special here. Perhaps it's the lived-in ambiance of the space, the originality of the pisco bar, the fresh food that both celebrates and breaks traditions, or the friendly personalities of its owners. It's really a package deal. "We've had a lot of repeat business even though we've only been open for the four weeks," Amanda Gonzalez-Zuniga said. "Even earlier tonight we had a couple that was in here last night. They had the same dish that they had last night because they just loved it so much." The lunch menu is "El Mercado," traditional Peruvian dishes. The dinner menu showcases the chef's creations, his twists on Peruvian classics. The chef is remarkably comfortable and confident sharing what he has experimented with and learned, starting from Le Cordon Bleu in his native Peru, where he studied and graduated. Somewhere along the way, perhaps working as a chef in different regions, such as Ottawa, Canada, and Atlanta, Georgia, Gonzalez-Zuniga honed his Peruvian avant-garde style. It complements the traditional Peruvian food he obviously knows and loves. The chef likes to control all the ingredients, making his own bread, pastas and even butters regular, red wine and beurre noisette, a browned butter with a nutty flavor. "Everything that I can make, I make it," he said. "We make our own dulce de leche. We don't buy it from a can. It's a lot of work, but it's satisfaction, too." Many bars and kitchens don't take advantage of creating different tastes with infusions, Gonzalez-Zuniga said. "We want to change that," he said. "You can play so much with cocktails and bitters and infusions. You can infuse pretty much everything. There's a lot of creativity there." "That means I work in pastry, baking and cuisine and I went to Cordon Bleu for both. I always wanted to have my place so I can actually do." Shrimp ravioli is one of the restaurant's most popular dishes. The entree is made with homemade pasta, of course, with a sun-dried red chili cream sauce and confit cherry tomatoes. Lima's requisite ceviche offerings include a unique flight of tiger milk, featuring all three samples of the lime-based Peruvian marinade spiked with cilantro: the classic leches de tigre, another with a yellow pepper chili or aji amarillo, and one with the spicy rocoto pepper. Ceviche is made to order, so diners can order it mild, medium or spicy. The flight comes with snack samples of sweet potatoes glazed in orange juice and Peruvian corn prepared two ways: fried cancha, sort of like corn nuts; and freshly boiled, which resembles hominy. "This flight is part of our tapas menu for the bar and it's pretty popular," said Amanda Gonzalez-Zuniga. "It's fun!" What really puts Lima over the top is its pisco bar, which features more than 20 infused varieties of pisco, a Peruvian spirit made by distilling grapes. "Pisco is kind of, I would say it's like a secret agent liquor. It's like hidden. It doesn't taste very strong. When it's mixed in with other things, it's so smooth you can barely taste that you're drinking alcohol, which makes it dangerous fun and dangerous," Amanda Gonzalez-Zuniga said with a laugh. Blueberry is probably the most popular flavor, but pisco is infused in-house with flavors such as amarillo, basil, citrus, coffee, mint, and aji limo. Large glass jars of the colorful varieties line the back of the bar with tags to denote infused flavors. "We have apricot that takes like a month to release the flavor, same as raisins. We also have camomile over here that takes like a week. Herbs like rosemary take only three days. Strawberries, it takes four days, so everything is different. Everything is very different," Dario Gonzalez-Zuniga said. Before infusing, the pisco bar starts with Pisco 100, so named because it is 100 percent Peruvian. "The reason we choose Pisco 100 is because they press the grapes with their feet. It's traditional. It's very artisanal," he said. What results is a clear alcohol distilled from the first press of grapes. "So, it's the best of the best," Gonzalez-Zuniga said. "To make one bottle of pisco, it takes like 17 pounds of grapes more or less." Pisco is so popular at the new restaurant that other spirits are rarely ordered. "Some people drink them as they are or you can have them made into a pisco sour," Amanda Gonzalez-Zuniga said. "Pisco sour is the cocktail, the national cocktail of Peru. It's the most popular drink that we sell here." Pisco sours can be made the classic way or with any of the infused piscos on hand. The pisco bar prepares only handcrafted cocktails. Instead of making pisco sours in batches, each is made by hand. "What we do is we squeeze each lime to order so we can get the freshest of the fresh," Dario Gonzalez-Zuniga said. Lima also serves chicha morada, a refreshing, sweet drink made with purple corn, pineapple, apple, cloves and cinnamon. The corn gives it a purple color. "Most restaurants just buy (chicha) in bottles. We make it from scratch," he said. Last Sunday, Lima launched its breakfast, "Desayuno Lurin," a traditional Peruvian breakfast featuring fried pork chicharron, fresh baked bread and tamales made in-house, fresh juice made to order, and organic Peruvian coffee. This breakfast is served 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Sunday. Lima Restaurant and Pisco Bar, 11681 Collier Blvd., is open for lunch 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sundays with an extended lunch menu. Dinner is 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. For information, call 239-280-0167, or go to lima-restaurant.com. Know more For the latest in local restaurants coming and going, see Tim Aten's "In the Know" columns archived at naplesnews.com/intheknow, and on Facebook at facebook.com/timaten.intheknow. By Daily News Staff Update: Daniel Haizlip has been linked to a fifth auto burglary. He was charged Wednesday with burglary and grand theft in connection to a break-in at 1785 Davis Boulevard. ______ An East Naples man arrested Sunday after a Naples fireman said he found him burglarizing his car has been connected to at least three other auto burglaries. Daniel Haizlip, 20, of the 1400 block of Green Valley Circle, was charged Monday with burglary and grand theft in connection to a break-in on Osprey Avenue. On Tuesday he also was charged with burglary and grand theft in connection with a break-in on River Point Drive and burglary and petty theft in connection to a break-in on Pelican Avenue. Police were investigating a string of seven auto burglaries Sunday morning when they received a call about a man, later identified Haizlip, who was caught stealing from Naples fireman Garrett Ocana's Hyundai Elantra and was being detained outside the fire station near City Hall, reports said. Its unclear if Haizlip has been connected to the other four break-ins. In all, more than $11,500 in valuables was reported stolen Sunday from the seven car burglaries. SHARE By Daily News Staff A Marco Island man has been indicted on two charges of theft involving Social Security and Medicare benefits, one of 15 people in the Middle District of Florida caught up in a nationwide crackdown on health care fraud. Federal prosecutors with the U.S. attorney's office in Tampa accuse Louis William Rimondi, IV, 47, of concealing that he had returned to work while continuing to collect Social Security disability and Medicare benefits valued at nearly $122,000. From January 2010 through February 2016, he collected $101,466 in Social Security disability benefits and another $20,467 in Medicare benefits that he was not entitled to after returning to work, according to the federal agency. Authorities in 36 federal districts and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced Wednesday the nation's largest crackdown on health care fraud of 301 individuals, including 61 doctors and other medical professionals, involving $900 million in false billings. Medicare fraud control units in 23 states participated. Murder suspects Curtis Wayne Wright, left, and Mark Sievers appear in the a Lee County courtroom Friday, June 17, 2016, during a custody hearing in Fort Myers. (Sarah Coward/News-Press) SHARE Jimmy Rodgers By Melissa Montoya, The News-Press The husband of Dr. Teresa Sievers and an alleged co-conspirator in her killing will face the death penalty if convicted on first-degree murder charges. Mark Sievers and Jimmy Rodgers were indicted in May. On Wednesday the state attorneys office announced it has filed notices of intent to seek the death penalty. Antonio Faga, Mark Sievers attorney, said he was disappointed by the decision. A second attorney, Michael Mummert, was at the Lee County Jail on Wednesday to tell Mark Sievers of the prosecutions decision, Faga said. We are not surprised that the state has taken this position, however we feel it is not an accurate position based upon the fact Mr. Sievers is innocent, Faga said. Attempts to reach Rodgers public defender, Kathleen Marie Fitzgeorge, were unsuccessful Wednesday. Mark Sievers, 48, was arrested in February, about six months after the arrests of his friend, 46-year-old Curtis Wayne Wright, and Rodgers, 26, were announced. Investigators believe Mark Sievers coordinated with Wright to kill Teresa Sievers at the couples home in Bonita Springs last June. Wright then enlisted the help of Rodgers to commit the crime. Teresa Sievers was a well-known doctor in the community. She was found bludgeoned to death her home not long after she had returned from a family trip to Connecticut. Mark Sievers and her two children stayed behind while Teresa Sievers returned for work. Wright pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and has agreed to help prosecutors in Mark Sievers case. He was sentenced to 25 years. Prosecutors will have to prove the death of Teresa Sievers was committed for financial gain, heinous, atrocious, cruel and premeditated, said David Brener. Brener, a defense attorney, has defended 24 death penalty cases, he said. Automatically, when the prosecution decides to seek the death penalty, the whole complexion of the case changes, said Brener, who is not involved in the Sievers case. The next step, Brener said, is for defense attorneys to file a motion asking prosecutors to justify asking for the death penalty. Brener said Sievers and Rodgers attorneys will need to present mitigating factors in the case to determine whether a death sentence is appropriate. Mitigating factors could include Mark Sievers personal history, background and lack of criminal priors. In Florida a life sentence is truly a life sentence and the defendant will never leave prison except in a pine box, Brener said. Twelve jurors sit on a first-degree murder case. Six jurors sit on a second-degree murder case. The Legislature enacted changes to Floridas death penalty system after its constitutionality was questioned by the U.S. Supreme Court. A judge decided whether the imposition of the death penalty was just, but now the jury makes the fact-findings necessary for the imposition of the death penalty, Brener said. The higher courts have held that that decision has to be made by the jury, not the judge, because it violated the right to the jury trial, Brener said. Instead of seven jurors, now 10 of them have to agree to recommend the death penalty, he added. The judge makes the ultimate sentencing decision. Mark Sievers attorney Faga, who is not death penalty-certified, said this decision adds a level of complexity to the defense. Faga said he will need to hire a mitigation specialist to lessen the prosecutions argument for the death penalty. His firm will utilize additional experts and investigators to prepare for the trial, he said. My suspicion is given the manner of death the blunt-force trauma I would have been surprised if they hadnt sought the death penalty in this case, Brener said. One of the most important factors I think prosecutors use to seek death is the nature of the crime itself. Brener said as soon as Wright took the plea deal, he suspected prosecutors would seek the death penalty on the others. He was likely informed by his counsel that the death penalty is coming and if you dont turn state evidence youre going to face it too, Brener said. The decision to seek the death penalty is not made lightly. Theres a lot of factors you have to go into, said Joe DAlessandro, a state attorney for the 20th Judicial Circuit for 35 years. Does it serve justice? How cruel was the crime? Is this something society demands? DAlessandro said the victims in the case needs to be considered. And thats what we do. We didnt take it nonchalantly, DAlessandro said. Nobody does; thats a bid decision. Every state attorney basically plays God with it. And you better be able to make the right decision. Staff writers Ben Brasch and Michael Braun contributed to this story. SHARE By Thyrie Bland, The News-Press Florida Gulf Coast University is slated to receive $17.8 million in performance-based funding, the most FGCU has received since the state started doling out money to public universities based on an evaluation system. FGCU received $8.1 million in funding for the 2014-15 fiscal year and $13.1 million for the 2015-16 fiscal year. The $17.8 million, if approved, will be for the upcoming 2016-17 fiscal year. The Florida Board of Governors started meeting in Orlando on Tuesday for three days of meetings. The board will discuss how much money FGCU and 10 other state universities will receive in funding during its Budget and Finance Committee on Wednesday. The board will vote on the universities' funding during its regular meeting Thursday. "Frankly, first, I would want to see what the Board of Governors does before I would have any kind of a comment on it because I don't want to presume they are going to approve what's there," said Dudley Goodlette, FGCU board chairman. The 11 universities are sharing $500 million in funding. Of the money, $225 million is from the state and $275 million is from the schools. The schools that performed the worst University of North Florida, University of West Florida and New College of Florida are not getting a portion of the $225 million. The three low-performing schools will get the least amount of performance-based funding. FGCU is getting the fourth lowest amount. The performance-based funding program uses 10 metrics to determine how Florida's public universities are performing. The categories include six-year graduation rates, the median wages of graduates with bachelors degree who are employed full-time in Florida and average cost per bachelors degree. The program uses a 100-point scoring system. FGCU scored 67 points and finished in seventh place out of 11 schools. The FGCU board was disappointed in how the school performed in some of the performance-based funding program categories. FGCU did poorly in three: average cost per bachelor's degree, six-year graduation rate and academic progress rate. The university didn't receive any points in the graduation rate category, making it the area the school performed the worst. FGCU's six-year graduation rate fell from 49 percent in 2014 to 43 percent in 2015. "Our view on the performance metrics is we would have liked to have done better, but were are in the money if you will," Goodlette said. "We weren't one of these three institutions that had zero new allocation as I recall." FGCU presented its 2016 Work Plan to the Board of Governors on Tuesday. The plan outlines some university goals. Among the things FGCU plans to focus on in the future is its four-year graduation rate. The rate is 21 percent. FGCU's goal is to raise the rate to 30 percent by 2020. The four-year graduation rate is not among Florida's performance-based funding metrics. FGCU hopes to raise its six-year graduation rate to 53 percent by 2020. "This work plan really is focused on getting better in these metrics," FGCU President Wilson Bradshaw said. "Just being in the money is not good enough for FGCU. We want to be better in all that we do and that's what this work plan is focused on." Donna Ward and Glenn Johnson SHARE Donna Ward Glenn Johnson By Maryann Batlle of the Naples Daily News A Lee Circuit Court judge gave Lee County 48 hours to return two fired employees to their jobs at domestic animal services. Lee County said in a statement Wednesday that it will comply with Judge Elizabeth Krier's order by placing Donna Ward, former DAS director, and Glenn Johnson, former DAS operations manager, "on immediate paid administrative leave." Brian Calciano, Ward and Johnson's lawyer, was not immediately available for comment. Ward and Johnson sued Lee County in November 2014. They argue that Lee County Manager Roger Desjarlais and Assistant County Manager Christine Brady pushed them out as punishment for blowing the whistle on workplace retaliation and the county's interference on a high-profile animal cruelty case. Lee County axed Ward and Johnson within two weeks of their sending Lee County commissioners separate written complaints of a toxic work environment. Johnson and Ward's complaint and court testimony from Desjarlais points to the Robin Speronis animal cruelty case as evidence of the fault line between the former employees and Desjarlais' county administration. Speronis, known for her fights with the city of Cape Coral over her off-the-grid lifestyle, served about a month in jail after DAS took her two dogs away and accused her of cruelty. Ward and Johnson contend Brady interfered in the state attorney investigation by forcing DAS to return Speronis' dog Faith, which had a skin condition and was being held as evidence in the cruelty case. The state attorney's office later dropped the charge against Speronis. Last September, Michael Colombo, an assistant state attorney, testified in court that Lee County requested the case be tossed. Colombo said he thought "someone high up at the county" convinced the veterinarian working at DAS, Nicole Ferguson whose testimony was considered crucial in the case against Speronis to change her story. Ferguson has denied she was under any pressure from Lee County administration. Two years after their firings, Ward and Johnson remain unemployed, according to their lawyer. Krier has twice commanded Lee County to temporarily reinstate them at DAS while their case makes its way through court. According to Krier's initial order that was filed last November, a jury should have the chance to decide whether Lee County fired Ward and Johnson for speaking out against Brady and the county's handling of the Speronis case. Lee County appealed Krier's order and lost. The county has since asked for a rehearing of that appeal, which it argues should have further delayed Krier's command Wednesday to reinstate the fired DAS employees. Ward and Johnson's whistleblower case is scheduled for trial on Sept. 20. _Staff writer Patrick Riley contributed to this report Courtesy of Land Architects Inc. SHARE By Patrick Riley of the Naples Daily News A proposed gated community in Estero's village center area received the backing of the village's planning and zoning board Tuesday. The six-member board unanimously voted to recommend approval with conditions for six four-story residential buildings on nearly 17 acres at the southeast corner of Corkscrew Road and Via Coconut Point. Board member Anthony Gargano was absent and did not vote. A request to rezone the property will next come before the village council for final approval with a first reading on June 29 and a public hearing on July 13, said Mary Gibbs, the village's director of community development. The project called Genova would include 205 residential units, a clubhouse, fitness center, resort pool, indoor lap pool and bocce court. "We think the design is precedent-setting," said developer Jim Wallace, managing partner of Genova Partners LLC. "It will make a statement for the village center." Tuesday's vote came after the board decided in May to delay consideration of Genova's requests while the village is still creating development rules for its village center area. The proposed village center which extends from just north of Corkscrew Road down to Coconut Road on the west side of U.S. 41 is the future heart of Estero and has been in the works since the village incorporated at the end of 2014. Village councilors, staff and residents have debated the proposed village center plan for months, drawing ire from developers who say the village is causing delays on their projects. Wallace told the planning and zoning board in May that 62 of his Genova condos already have sold. But with the village council still reviewing its plans for the village center and no construction approvals for Genova yet, some of the proposed community's future residents say they are left in limbo. Estero's village council is expected to vote on a development plan for the area Wednesday to finalize its guidelines for the proposed walkable, connected, mixed-use downtown. The project, Wallace said Tuesday, would fit into the village's downtown vision with public green space, outdoor seating and other pedestrian-friendly features. Included in Wallace's proposal is a third of a mile of public pedestrian greenway along Corkscrew Road and Via Coconut Point, public lakeside sitting areas and a pocket park along Via Coconut Point with a paver plaza and park benches. The seven pedestrian gates along the community's edge would connect residents to the surrounding roads and Estero Community Park and encourage people to walk instead of drive, Wallace said. "We want to make it convenient for people to walk," he said. - - - Daily News multimedia journalist Maryann Batlle contributed to this report. A group gathers at a seaside vigil to spell the word "Love" in honor of the victims and survivors of the Orlando mass shooting on June 21, 2016 in Naples, Florida. (Photo courtesy Marc Minisci) SHARE Susanna Tocco sits with other participants in the sand at a seaside vigil for the victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando by the Naples pier on June 21, 2016. Attendants created a human chain in the sand spelling out "Love." (Nicole Raucheisen/Staff) Morgan Tocco, 10, of Naples, draws the LGBT flag in the sand at a seaside vigil for the victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando on June 21, 2016. Morgan hoped her drawing would attract some people from the beach to participate in the event. (Nicole Raucheisen/Staff) Morgan Tocco, 10, of Naples, proudly holds the LGBT flag at a seaside vigil for the victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando by the Naples pier on June 21, 2016. Attendants created a human chain in the sand spelling out "Love." (Nicole Raucheisen/Staff) Morgan Tocco, 10, of Naples, draws the LGBT flag in the sand at a seaside vigil for the victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando by the Naples pier on June 21, 2016. Morgan hoped her drawing would attract some people from the beach to participate in the event. (Nicole Raucheisen/Staff) Related Photos PHOTOS: Love is Love Vigil for Orlando Shooting By Alexi C. Cardona of the Naples Daily News On the beach south of the Naples pier, 10-year-old Morgan Tocco ran around waving a rainbow flag. A red heart is painted on her right cheek. Her mother, Susanna Tocco, holds up a poster Morgan made. It reads "Orlando Strong" in bold black letters. Below the words is a hand-drawn rainbow. About 60 people gathered at the beach south of the pier Wednesday evening to honor the lives of the 49 people killed in the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, the deadliest shooting by a single gunman in United States history, on June 12. Susanne Tocco was born in Orlando and grew up a few blocks from the club. She has lived in Naples for about 14 years. She was coming home from a Girl Scouts event in Epcot when she learned about the shooting. "It was so hard to drive away from something like that when all you wanted to do was run toward it to help people and hug your family and friends," she said. The people who gathered at the beach formed a human chain in the sand to spell out the word "Love." Organizers had hoped enough people would turn out to spell "Love is love," but there wasn't enough of a crowd. "I believe the good that sending love and positive vibes to people will do for them," said Naples resident Heather Gibbs. "There's strength in numbers. When people go through something like this, the world can shine on them their love light." A drone hovered overhead and photographed the formation. Naples resident Karen Coney Coplin and her daughter Tabitha, 16, organized the gathering. "My family and I were heartsick over the news," Coplin said. "What a huge loss of human life, love and potential. My daughters saw many cities across the U.S. were gathering in support of the families of those killed in the tragedy. They wanted to do something similar in Naples." Bambusa, Collier County's only gay bar, held a fundraiser and vigil for the shooting victims and their families last week. "When something this big happens, you feel helpless," said Naples resident Melanie Farmer. "You want to help but sometimes don't know how. I can't be in Orlando, but I can be here with like-minded people sharing love." Some rain cut the beach gathering short, but those who went hope Orlando feels their love and support. Julio Acevedo, 27, went to the vigil with his sister and friend. Acevedo teaches his sister, Jovanna, tolerance and acceptance of others. At 13 years old, Jovanna stands up for what she believes in and defends her friends at school when they're bullied. "There's a boy who hangs out with girls at school, and he gets teased and called gay," she said. "Why? I tell kids that doesn't matter, that he's a very nice boy. Isn't this America, a free country? People should live how they want to live." Acevedo smiles at his sister when she talks. "She's very accepting of people, and I want her to be," he said. "I tell her that we have to stand up for what we believe in and not be afraid of what other people might do. Being afraid is letting people win. Love is love." RELATED STORIES/PHOTOS: Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., speaks to media outside his office on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, June 22, 2016. Former Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio announced he will run for re-election to the Senate from Florida, reversing his retirement plans under pressure from GOP leaders determined to hang onto his seat and Senate control. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) SHARE By Ledyard King, USA Today WASHINGTON Sen. Marco Rubio's decision to reverse course and run for re-election is good news for the GOP but maybe not such good news for Rubio himself. His pivot, announced Wednesday, gives Republicans their best shot at keeping Florida's Senate seat, and could be key to their hopes of retaining control of the Senate next year. It means GOP leaders probably won't have to pour millions of dollars into the Senate race, freeing up resources for races in other battleground states. And it helps soften the serious image problem that presumptive GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump has with Hispanics including those in the nation's most important presidential swing state. But Rubio's decision poses big risks for his own political future. He's expected to be a White House candidate in 2020 or 2024, but he would be political toast if he loses this year's re-election bid after getting trounced in the March 15 Florida presidential primary to Trump. And if he wins re-election, he'll cast dozens of more controversial votes over the next few years that his opponents in a future presidential race could use for campaign fodder. It's not clear voters will overlook Rubio's decision to break his no-re-election pledge, all the Senate votes he missed while running for president, and his previous comments expressing frustration with the Senate's slow pace. He said he feels compelled to run now largely from a sense of public service and to act as a "check and balance on the excesses of a president." Even with Rubio in the race, the contest remains a toss-up, according to one key handicapper. "He has solid name identification, an organization, and about $3.3 million in his presidential campaign account that can be used on a Senate bid," Jennifer Duffy of the Cook Political Report wrote on the group's website. "However, that does not mean that Rubio will glide to victory in the general election. His 11-month presidential bid resulted in chronic absenteeism both from his Senate duties and from his constituents in Florida. He also has a voting record that Democrats will mine for fodder." In an interview with CNN hours after his announcement Wednesday, Rubio seemed to acknowledge that a re-election run might endanger his potential presidential aspirations. "If my plan was to run for president in 2020, jumping into a race like this with all the political risks associated with it would not be the decision one would make," he said. He said he's "fully prepared to have the U.S. Senate be the last political job that I ever have," but he also he refused to shut the door on a future presidential run. His rivals in the Senate race already are seizing on that to brand him as untrustworthy. "Marco Rubio's spent a lot of time in Washington, so it's not surprising that he's lost touch with the values of the people of Florida," said Chris Hartline, spokesman for Republican businessman Carlos Beruff's campaign. "But the fact that he won't even commit to doing the full job he's asking the people of Florida to hire him to do shows just how much Marco Rubio has become Washington's candidate." Beruff, a Manatee County developer who's reportedly willing to spend as much as $20 million of his own fortune on the race, poses the most significant obstacle to Rubio's nomination path, now that three would-be rivals Rep. Ron DeSantis, Rep. David Jolly, and Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera have dropped out. Still, two separate polls released over the past week show Rubio with a commanding lead in the GOP primary race. If he wins, Rubio will face a tough battle in November from Democrats eager to attack his record on guns in the wake of the June 12 mass shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando. Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Jupiter, one of the Democrats running for Rubio's seat, already plans to spotlight his votes this week against strict gun-control measures. "This is going to be one of the defining issues of this Senate race and a lot of races around the country," Murphy said. Another Democratic congressman, Rep, Alan Grayson of Orlando, also is running for the Senate seat. Republicans running statewide in Florida have a tougher time in presidential election years given increased turnout among young voters, minorities and other traditional Democratic constituencies. That helps explain why GOP leaders in Washington were pressuring Rubio for weeks to get in the race. They warned that the seat would almost certainly flip in November unless he jumped back in. "I think Marco, name-ID wise (and) ability to raise money is very well positioned," South Dakota Sen. John Thune, the third-ranking Republican in the Senate, said the day before Rubio's announcement. "It's going to be a heavy lift to win that seat if he doesn't run. Nobody in the (GOP) field can start at the point that Marco starts in. It's going to be expensive either way but he can raise it." Rubio spent $21.6 million to win the open seat in 2010. Analysts say it could require $30 million this time. And that doesn't include the money that super PACs and other outside groups are expected to spend. Within hours of Rubio's announcement, the free-market Club for Growth PAC pledged to support Rubio, while the League of Conservation Voters blasted what it called his anti-environmental agenda. But Rubio's biggest hurdle could be Trump. The real estate mogul's controversial statements his pledge to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, his support for forced deportations of undocumented immigrants, his recent criticism of the Mexican-American judge presiding over a lawsuit against the former Trump University could depress Hispanic turnout for GOP candidates in November, which would hurt Rubio. Rubio said he doesn't plan on campaigning with Trump, even in Florida. "I think the difference between us on some key issues is so significant that I just don't plan to campaign (with him)," Rubio told CNN. "I've got to run my own race. I have my own identity." -- Contributing: lking@gannett.com; Twitter: @ledgeking SHARE Dwight Kehoe, Naples Full disclosure This is in response to a recent letter by Mike Mueller of Marco Island. He stated that he is in full support of Habitat for Humanity and especially the Whitaker Road project. In fact, the letter sounded like a Habitat for Humanity advertisement. So I took a look at the Habitat board of directors roster and lo and behold, there is a Michael Mueller of Marco Island on the Habitat for Humanity board. In fact, he is a voting member and the secretary. But did he disclose that information? No! He wrote as though he was a neighbor of the proposed Whitaker Road development rather than a Marco Island resident. Let's all search Marco Island and find a Habitat for Humanity community of 150-plus homes on the same plot of land. Not in his backyard. In January, Habitat's donor relations office made a presentation before more than 100 people at a site not more than a mile from the Whitaker Road development, and didn't mention those plans. Speak about full disclosure! Another letter praised the accomplishments of some residents of Habitat homes. While kudos are deserved, a stable family unit is more conducive to academic success than the structure they live in. Successful people understand that the appearance of the home and the community adds to the home's value and respect for them. Seriously, Habitat for Humanity, do you think the residents of East Naples are that gullible? We will be heard from again at the next neighborhood meeting and at the Collier County Planning Commission. Dermatologist Cyndi Yag-Howard, M.D., F.A.A.D., owner of Yag-Howard Dermatology Center in Naples, gave testimony on June 14 to the policymaking body of the nations largest medical organization during its annual meeting in Chicago. Speaking as a delegate from the American Academy of Dermatology, her amendment to a resolution before the American Medical Associations House of Delegates encouraged the AMA to work with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to minimize administrative barriers that discourage or prevent non-VA physicians without compensation from volunteering their time to care for our nations veterans. The administrative barriers to providing care are overwhelming and prohibitive, she said. Yag-Howard recounted her frustration in trying to volunteer at an advanced dermatologic surgery clinic at the James A. Haley Veterans Hospital in Tampa, that was located 2.5 hours away from her home. I had to take two tests, get fingerprinted, have a physical exam, get bloodwork, go through a final vetting process, and travel back and forth from Naples to Tampa multiple times before -- one year later -- I could see my first patient, Yag-Howard said, noting that the clinic had to close until some future date because the volunteer faculty physician had a difficult time overcoming all of the administrative barriers. The Delegates unanimously approved the amendment to the resolution, which focused on ways to get more physicians leading VA care teams to give veterans the best care possible. I just want to give back to veterans for their service in whatever way I can, but having to meet hurdle after hurdle was disheartening for me and continues to be for many other non-VA physicians who are also trying to volunteer. Cyndi Yag-Howard, M.D., F.A.A.D., has been in business for 18 years and is the owner and operator of Yag-Howard Dermatology Center located at 1000 Goodlette-Frank Road in Naples, offering a full range of cosmetic and medical treatments for men and women. Dr. Yag-Howard is a highly regarded, board-certified dermatologist and dermatologic surgeon specializing in facial aesthetics and skin-cancer surgery. She lectures nationally on surgical techniques for best cosmetic outcomes and techniques that combine art with medicine. As a thought leader in her field, Dr. Yag-Howard was included in the Distinctive Women of 2016 in Southwest Florida by Distinctive Women, an international publication serving Canada and the U.S. The women were honored for the positive impact they are making in their respective communities, as well their commitment to succeed and change the world. For more information about the Center, call 239-529-3376. Online at yhderm.com. Legal Aid Service of Collier Countys Managing Attorney, Carol A. OCallaghan, Esquire, has been named by the Collier County Womens Bar Association (CCWBA) as Woman Lawyer of the Year. Ms. OCallaghan received this award at a ceremony conducted on June 22, 2016 at the offices of Northern Trust in Park Shore. Ms. OCallaghan joined Legal Aid as a Staff Attorney in 2005, and was promoted to Managing Attorney in 2010, supervising 25 employees and managing the Naples and Immokalee offices for this private, non-profit law firm. Legal Aid provides free legal services to eligible low-income clients on civil legal cases for residents of Collier County. Last year, Legal Aid served over 3,600 Collier County residents in need on civil legal matters affecting their health, safety, or minimum economic support. The prestigious Woman Lawyer of the Year award is presented annually by the CCWBA to a female lawyer who has excelled in her career, overcome traditional stereotypes associated with women, promoted the status of women within the profession, and/or promoted the status of women in the State of Florida. Carol was born in Ireland, and is a graduate of Naples High School. She obtained a B.A. in Anthropology from the University of Florida in 1996, and went on to secure her Masters Degree from the same University in 1999. Ms. OCallaghan graduated from the Fredric G. Levin College of Law at the University of Florida in 2003. She served as a Professional Development Executive for the Law Society of Ireland from 2004-2005 before joining Legal Aid Service of Collier County. Active in the local legal community, Ms. OCallaghan is the Past President of the Collier County Womens Bar Association. She is also a Past President of the Young Lawyers Section of the Collier County Bar Association. Ms. OCallaghan was selected into the 2015 Class of Leaders in the Law last June by the Florida Association of Women Lawyers. Carol is so deserving of this award, states Margaret McMorrow, Esq., the Incoming President of the Board of Directors for Legal Aid Service of Broward County (LASBC), of which Legal Aid Service of Collier County is a Division. Her passion for the law, and her ability and desire to use her legal skills to assist families in need and to make a difference in our community shows in everything she does not just at work but in her everyday life as well. Tony Karrat, the Executive Director of LASBC and Legal Aid Service of Collier County, has seen the rapid growth of the Collier County operation during the period of time that Ms. OCallaghan has served as Managing Attorney. During her tenure running the Collier operation, the number of clients served by Legal Aid grew more than 60% since 2012, necessitating the move to Legal Aids new, 12,000 square foot office in Naples located at 4436 Tamiami Trail East. Carol is creative, fearless in accepting new challenges, a skilled manager and totally committed to ensuring that the office and staff are always focused on providing the highest quality service to Colliers most vulnerable residents, states Mr. Karrat. Carols actions speak volumes about the ability of a female to successfully manage one of the larger law firms in Collier County. Each new challenge is met by applying skill and determination without regard to gender. Thats what a role model does. Encore Bank is pleased to announce that 30-year banking veteran William Blevins has been promoted to Executive Vice President. Blevins joined Encore Bank in 2011 as Lee County Market Executive, Senior Vice President and Senior Lending Officer, leading the banks commercial lending team in Lee, Collier and Charlotte Counties. During Blevins five years of service at Encore Bank, the high-performing community bank has had double digit loan growth by helping businesses get the financing they need to expand and prosper and consistently achieved or exceeded objectives for financial stability. Encore Bank recently received the latest of several 5-Star ratings for financial strength by BauerFinancial, Inc., indicating that the institution has shown strong financial performance, has a sound capital ratio, a history of positive regulatory reviews, and has kept any delinquent loans in check. Prior to his extensive banking experience, Blevins graduated from West Virginia University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Management and Economics and received his M.B.A. in Finance and Accounting from Louisiana State University. He holds a Certified Cash Management designation from the Association for Financial Professionals and has earned his series 7, and 63 licenses. He has worked with a wide range of clients from $1 million in sales to $200 million in sales by providing solutions with credit, deposit, investments, financial planning, leasing, retirement services and treasury services. Encore Bank CEO Tom Ray said, Bills leadership inspires our team every day to set a new standard for community banking. Hes an asset to the bank, but even more so to our customers. His charitable work involves past roles as Chairman of the Salvation Army Advisory Board, past Chairman of Lee County Red Cross, past President of Southwest Florida Regional Development Corporation, past United Way Board Member, United Way Allocation Team Leader, and Junior Achievement Volunteer. Encore Bank has six convenient locations, including two branches in Naples at 3003 Tamiami Trail North and 2370 Vanderbilt Beach Road, Bonita Springs at 4450 Bonita Beach Road, Fort Myers at 7920 Summerlin Lakes Dr., Port Charlotte at 2120 Kings Highway, and Sun City Center at 1653 Sun City Center Plaza. For more information, call 239.919.5888 or 239.594.3177 in Naples, 239.495.0243 in Bonita Springs, 239-278-5505 in Fort Myers, 941-258-3055 in Port Charlotte, or 813-634-8001 in Sun City Center, or visit www.encorebank.com. Announcing a special appearance by the son of Calypso Legend, The Roaring Lion, at the Holocaust Museum & Education Center of SWFL Thursday, June 30th at 7:00pm. The son of famous Calypso Music legend The Roaring Lion will speak at the Holocaust Museum & Education Center of Southwest Florida as part of the Museums new exhibit, Calypso: Wartime Through Song . Aki de Leon will discuss the history of Calypso music, its connections for World War II and his father Rafael de Leons contributions to the genre. Known for his impeccable fashion sense, the elder de Leon was formally trained in music, and thus was able to experiment in the Calypso genre. One of his songs, Ugly Woman became the first Calypso song to be featured in a film. Many Calypso performers adapted bold stage names as part of their acts. After famous U.S. star Rudy Vallee heard the songs of The Roaring Lion and another Calypsonian, "Atilla the Hun", they were invited to performed on Vallee's and other popular U.S. radio shows of the day. This exposure to American audiences helped to popularize Calypso music in the United States. The Roaring Lion and Atilla recounted their radio broadcast experience in the song "Guests of Rudy Vallee". During WWII, Calypso songs functioned as a sort of alternate news channel, providing radio listeners and concert-goers with sharp political and social commentary on wartime news of the day. One of The Roaring Lions songs during this time was The Invasion of Poland, not your typical Calypso theme! The islands of the Bahamas and Caribbean werent as far removed from the battlefront as you would think. The area was an important strategic location, desired by both the Allied and the Axis powers. In addition to being known for its oil production and reserves, the region also provided crucial access to the Panama Canal for shipping wartime supplies. The impact on island life of the Allied bases in the Caribbean, and the ever-present threat of Axis harassment and invasion, were also subjects for Calypso songs. Calypsonians also entertained the troops in wartime USO shows. Mr. de Leons presentation is open to the public and free of charge. Reservations are requested. For more information, please e-mail Danielle@HolocaustMuseumSWFL.org, or contact the Museum at 239-263-9200. Tanaiste Frances Fitzgerald described the contents of the HIQA report on South Tipperary General Hospitalreleased last week as extremely disturbing. She told the Dail that there are legitimate infrastructure and capacity issues regarding demand at South Tipperary General Hospital. She was responding on Thursday last in the Dail to a statement made about the hospital by Deputy Mattie McGrath. The following day the situation at the hospital was raised by Deputy Seamus Healy who said Minister for Health Simon Harris had confirmed to him that he would visit the hospital in the next few weeks. In the HIQA report, South Tipperary General Hospital was accused of putting patients at high risk because of unacceptable practices and overcrowding. The hospital had patients on trolleys in a reception area which inspectors say did not provide an acceptable level of safety, privacy or dignity for patients. The Health Information and Quality Authority compiled a number of reports on the hospital following three inspections carried out over March and April. HIQA inspectors carried out an unannounced inspection on the morning of 2 March and saw five in-patients being looked after in a non-clinical reception area and corridor. The inspectors said these patients did not have proper access to oxygen ports, monitoring equipment or other facilities. The inspectors were so disturbed by what they saw that they immediately called off their inspection until the safety of patients was addressed. Hospital management acknowledged overcrowding was an issue but immediate action was taken, with patients on wards fit to be sent home being discharged at lunchtime. The patients on the corridors were then moved to wards. Follow up inspections did not find a repeat of the problem. On another inspection, on 16 March, HIQA inspectors found a number of risks relating to infection prevention and hygiene, with very poor cleaning of equipment and around some patient areas. Rubbish bins were stained, dusty and rusty on some of the surgical wards and the standard of hygiene in some of the toilets was particularly poor. The paediatric ward was also not clean in places to acceptable standards. The inspectors went back six weeks later and found the situation had improved considerably but that further improvement in cleaning, management and maintenance was still required. Overall HIQA found the hospital is working towards compliance with national standards and is committed to improving standards. Tanaiste Fitzgerald told the Dail that an extra 500 million had been allocated to the Department of Health She said the Minister has said he plans to focus on the issue of capital investment in hospitals that need infrastructural development and he now has the resources to begin to do that. There will be a capital review,, in the near future, and the issues he raises can be considered then. said the Tanaiste. In response, Deputy McGrath said staff and management at the hospital are overworked and totally overstretched. He said it was truly disturbing to have it confirmed that the total number of patients on trolleys in South Tipperary General Hospital this year has increased to 552, 319 more than this time last year. Deputy McGrath said step down beds had been promised in Cashel and pressure on capacity at the hospital was exacerbated by the closure of St.Michaels psychiatric unit. Deputy Seamus Healy told the Dail that South Tipperary General was working well in excess of capacity but it was under-resourced, underfunded and understaffed. The hospital was bursting at its seams and staff were working above and beyond the call of duty on a daily basis and, indeed, on hourly basis. He accepted what HIQA has said but he maintained it arose because of underfunding and under-resourcing of the hospital. We need urgent and immediate action to ensure a quality hospital service for the people of Tipperary, he insisted. Wholesale lenders hope the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's upcoming clarifications to the TILA-RESPA integrated disclosure rules will resolve lingering compliance concerns specific to the third-party origination channel. Mortgage brokers remain perplexed over how to strike a balance between helping borrowers shop for the best deal on a loan and maintaining compliance with TRID. Specifically, how do brokers and wholesalers meet the delivery deadline and accuracy requirements for the Loan Estimate and Closing Disclosure when a loan application is resubmitted to a new lender? "If they need to change lenders, what happens? There is not much clarity around that," said Kara Lamphere, chief compliance officer for Mid America Mortgage in Addison, Texas, a suburb of Dallas. Borrowers must receive the upfront LE disclosure within three business days of providing a broker with the six pieces of information that constitute a loan application. In most cases, the clock doesn't stop ticking if an application is transferred to a new lender. And since closing costs vary between lenders, brokers can easily find themselves trying to reconcile a Loan Estimate that was created with a different wholesaler's closing costs in mind. To be sure, lenders can cure fee increases that fall outside of tolerances, but it's a cost they'd prefer not to incur. And while the CFPB does allow lenders to redisclose the Loan Estimate, it's only in the event of specific "changed circumstances." Wholesalers and brokers alike remain concerned that the CFPB's current guidelines don't adequately address the multitude of unique scenarios that can play out in a TPO transaction. For example, do the redisclosure rules treat an LE issued by a broker differently than one issued by a wholesaler? What if the loan is submitted to a new lender because the first application was denied, as opposed to withdrawing the application before it gets that far? What if the broker can simply get the borrower a better deal by switching lenders? These questions will become more pressing as the number of brokers working in the industry continues to increase. Headcounts plummeted during the housing crisis, but the sector is experiencing a bit of a renaissance and has grown 37% since 2011, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Brokers are very heavily regulated, so we need more guidance to know what exactly we're responsible for when we're delivering the LE," said Irene Amato, president of A.S.A.P. Mortgage Corp., a brokerage in Cortlandt Manor, N.Y. "You have to understand, mortgage brokers are small businesses," she added. "If the large lenders didn't know how to handle it and they hired teams to figure it out and they still don't have it right, how are we, as brokers, going to take on that responsibility?" TRID lacks specificity around brokers' role in the wholesale channel is in part because it's creditors that are responsible for the compliance, as well as the CFPB's desire to hold all types of lenders to the same requirements. "What the CFPB said to the lender is 'you're in charge,'" said Mike Vitali, compliance officer at Trevose, Pa., software developer LoanLogics. Before TRID took effect, the CFPB considered a suggestion to start the clock ticking on the LE deadline after the lender, rather than the broker, received the application. But the bureau decided against doing this due to the concern that this would mean consumers who worked with brokers would wait longer to receive an LE, putting them at a disadvantage to consumers who submit loan applications directly to creditors. But is all this consternation in line with the spirit of TRID? Brokers are supposed to help borrowers find the best deal among multiple lenders, while TRID was designed to make it easier for consumers to comparison shop. With these goals seemingly aligned, it raises the question whether the CFPB intended to limit brokers' ability to transfer a loan application. "I think the CFPB wanted to promulgate shopping," said Lamphere. Application transfers may not be necessary in the day-to-day loan-shopping process if brokers and wholesalers have enough knowledge of each other and automation to quickly match loans with borrowers. But extenuating circumstances do exist where it is necessary. "When the lender does the LE that means that the loan is going directly to that company. Whereas when we, the brokers, do the LE, we have the opportunity to say where we want to place the loan," said Lou Borsellino, president of Paramount Capital Services, a brokerage in Brewster, N.Y. If the CFPB's proposed clarification establishes that brokered applications can be considered "new" after they are withdrawn from one lender and submitted to another, or that a new LE is permitted in that circumstance, wholesalers also would find helpful to know whether they would need to be aware of the transfer and document it or not. "Does the new lender have to have proof the borrower withdrew from the previous lender? What is enough proof?" Lamphere asked. The bureau has been considering input from stakeholders ahead of the proposed clarification and will consider additional feedback after it is released in July, according to CFPB spokesman Samuel Gilford. While some wholesalers still have questions about TRID because of the lack of formal guidance, others said they are comfortable with the informal direction they've received from the bureau. "I think it's easy to be a bandwagon person and everyone kind of complains about it [TRID]. We are not doing that. We actually think they've [the CFPB has] done a great job," said Mat Ishbia, president and chief executive of United Wholesale Mortgage in Troy, Mich. "Could there have been details that were easier to understand? Absolutely, there could have been, but they give those clarifications to us at least and we feel good about it." 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. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed President Peter Maurer of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to NATO Headquarters on Wednesday (22 June 2016). The leaders discussed developments in the cooperation and in the dialogue on humanitarian issues between NATO and the ICRC. President Maurer also participated in a meeting of the North Atlantic Council. During their meeting, the Secretary General thanked the ICRC for its important work in conflict zones around the globe. He underscored the importance of a continuous dialogue on humanitarian and operational issues between NATO and the ICRC, as well as the benefits of ICRC participation in NATO exercises and training events. In December 2015, NATO pledged to strengthen training on international humanitarian law at the 32nd International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent. The Secretary General and President Maurer also discussed the humanitarian and security situation in Afghanistan and Ukraine, as well as the challenges emanating from instability in the Middle East and North Africa. Addressing the North Atlantic Council, President Maurer outlined the ICRCs key operational challenges in accessing vulnerable populations and its efforts to enhance compliance with International Humanitarian Law. NATO and the ICRC have a longstanding relationship guided by a Memorandum of Understanding. The agreement outlines how the two organisations consult on humanitarian issues, and sets out how issues of international humanitarian law are covered in NATO military training and exercises. Maximum allowed levels of glyphosate on the increase in the U.S. Industry influence on regulatory agencies The Great Invention: The Story of GDP and the Making (and Unmaking) of the Modern World Ehsan Masood Pegasus: 2016. 9781681771373 | ISBN: 978-1-6817-7137-3 Since its invention during the Second World War as a thermometer of economic health, gross domestic product (GDP) has become a familiar incantation in claims and counter-claims about the well-being of nations. Some environmentalists and feminists were early critics, but until recent decades, few others questioned it. Now, campaigners ranging from left-wing Nobel-prizewinning economist Joseph Stiglitz to the free-market Economist magazine want to replace GDP with direct measurement of human well-being. The technology industry has joined them, bemoaning the failure of GDP to account properly for digital technologies, including free online services, because the relevant statistics are not collected or do not fit easily into existing categories. There is even a mini-boom in books about economic statistics. A decisive coalition is shaping up in favour of moving away from GDP. The question is what to use instead. The act of measuring economies would ultimately determine how economies would be managed. In The Great Invention, Ehsan Masood, editor of policy periodicals Research Europe and Research Fortnight, argues for an improved GDP. Into this single metric for economic-activity indicators defined as the monetary value of all goods and services produced in a country he would combine environmental impacts and human well-being. His book traces the history of GDP since its creation, as well as the calls for alternatives, mainly from environmentalists. Masood agrees with the sentiment of suggestions to use 'dashboards' that incorporate other economic data and supplementary indicators, but he concludes that GDP matters. As he writes of countries that adopted it: The act of measuring their economies would ultimately determine how their economies would be managed. And it matters despite, or because of, its flaws. GDP is too entrenched to be successfully replaced, he finds; instead, it needs radical reform. Formative factors GDP began, as Masood notes, as an aggregate measure when the need arose for governments to manage economies during the Depression in the 1930s and the Second World War. Pioneers of the statistics involved, such as US economist and Nobel laureate Simon Kuznets, intended to create a metric to meaningfully capture a society's economic welfare. There were other formative factors at work. One was the need to avoid suggesting that the war effort was reducing welfare. Another was the thinking of influential British economist John Maynard Keynes, as set out in his 1936 The General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money. Keynes theorized that raising aggregate demand or total spending in the economy through government expenditure can avoid the sort of mass unemployment that was seen in the Depression by stimulating growth and improving stability. He and his supporters were determined to make the new metric serve that government role by defining federal spending as a key component of the equation, along with consumer spending and investment. Thus, GDP was born as a transatlantic effort, led by Keynes's assistants in the UK treasury, Richard Stone and James Meade. By the end of the 1940s, it was standardized through the United Nations, and the same international process is in place today. Masood covers decades of challenges to GDP conventions that make for a fascinating institutional and human story. Those seeking an alternative included UN official Maurice Strong, a key figure in the 1972 UN Conference on the Human Environment and the 1992 Earth Summit. Other critics were Italian industrialist Aurelio Peccei and British civil servant Alexander King, who together established think tank the Club of Rome and published the influential report The Limits To Growth (Universe, 1972). Environmentalists, and the officials whom they influenced, were swift to point out that GDP doesn't take into account how natural assets are depleted to generate current income and consumption. Several proposals for new models have underlined the need to account for the environment; Masood (an erstwhile Nature journalist) praises a 1997 paper on these proposals co-authored by economist Robert Costanza (R. Costanza et al. Nature 387, 253260; 1997). Economists James Tobin and William Nordhaus also took into account environmental costs and the value of work in the home in their 1972 proposal for a metric called the Measure of Economic Welfare. Another challenge to convention came from Mahbub Ul Haq and Amartya Sen, who in 1990 created the now widely used UN Human Development Index (HDI), which includes factors such as life expectancy and education. More social scientists are now exploring the definition and use of economic statistics. There is also policy interest alongside the scholarly debate. In 2008, then-French president Nicolas Sarkozy set up a commission led by Sen, Stiglitz and fellow economist Jean-Paul Fitoussi to investigate the measurement of economic well-being. And UK economist Charles Bean's 2016 Independent Review of UK Economic Statistics (see go.nature.com/1tvadaj) raises fundamental questions about GDP's viability in a modern economy, for example concerning its mismeasurement of digital activity. One or many GDP is so tightly woven into the economic fabric that anything more complicated than a single number will put politicians and the media off. The balance of opinion in economics currently favours supplementing GDP with a dashboard that incorporates measures of environmental impacts, health and social indicators, as Costanza neatly summarized in his 1997 article (see also R. Costanza et al. Nature 505, 283285; 2014). Economists are taking considerable interest in the measurement debate, although oddly, Masood claims that the profession is ignoring the issue. His own call for a nuanced metric that factors in natural capital and human well-being sticks to one indicator. He thinks that GDP is so tightly woven into the economic fabric that anything more complicated than a single number will put politicians and the media off. The solution, as he sees it, is to value the things that matter and then incorporate this value into the GDP accounts. But single-indicator alternatives to GDP have a serious drawback. They hide relative valuations of their components, whereas GDP makes these explicit because it uses market prices. For instance, Martin Ravallion, former director of research at the World Bank, notes that the HDI implicitly values poor lives much less than rich ones. Because income and human life expectancy are combined into one index, there is an implied value of just US$0.51 for an extra year of life in Zimbabwe, compared to several thousand dollars in rich countries (see M. Ravallion Troubling Tradeoffs in the Human Development Index http://doi.org/d8d2cr; World Bank, 2010). This flaw could be corrected, but the point is that any single index internalizes such trade-offs. The debate over whether to use a dashboard or a single indicator is unresolved. Interest among economists, other social scientists and environmentalists has climbed in recent years, but there is much to research and discuss on how best to measure economic welfare, taking into account sustainability and the quality of life, before a new international standard is defined and adopted. NASA's New Horizons mission helped scientists identify the icy moons and the icy surface of Pluto. A new downlinked spectral observation of Pluto's moon Nix, from New Horizons, shows evidence that the moon's surface is also covered with water ice, just like another Pluto satellite, Hydra. Scientists believe that with the latest data will provide further clues of Pluto's satellite system. New Horizons compositional spectral imager LEISA aboard the spacecraft contrasts Pluto's four small outer moons Styx, Nix, Kerberos and Hydra. From the data, it was observed that Nix' surface is made up of coarse-grained and pure water ice. "Pluto's small satellites probably all formed out of the cloud of debris created by the impact of a small planet onto a young Pluto," NASA project scientist Hal Weaver said in a press release. The scientists also suggest that the water ice covering Pluto's moons could be made of similar materials due to the strong signature water-ice absorption pattern observed on all the surfaces of the three satellites. Although samples weren't collected from moons Styx and Kerberos, NASA said that the reflectivity suggests that they too are covered with water-ice surfaces. The only difference on the surface of the moons is the depths of water ice absorptions. What baffles the scientists is the fact that Nix and Hydra have different ice textures despite the similarity in conditions and in size. Also, the reflectivity and visible wavelength of Hydra is higher than that of Nix, based on the data obtained by new Horizons Pluto flyby. The high-resolution images were captured by LEISA aboard the New Horizons spacecraft from a range of 37,000 miles resulting to 2.3 miles per pixel resolution, according to Phys.org. Aside from Pluto's icy moons, the New Horizons flyby in 2015 also resulted in fascinating findings including the discovery of Pluto's "beating" heart. The flyby also resulted to the most detailed image of the dwarf planet. After observed record-breaking temperature rise and melting records for the year 2015 in northwest Greenland, recent studies show the very first evidence linking the melting in Greenland to the expected effects and the confirmation of the phenomenon called the Arctic amplification. A recent study published in Nature Communications reveals that the 2015 meting and temperature rise record in Greenland was the result of the phenomenon called the Arctic amplification. This phenomenon describes the faster warming of the Artic in comparison to the rest of the Northern Hemisphere while sea ice continues to disappear. Due to increasing global temperatures, Arctic sea ice melts to dark open water, which absorbs solar radiation faster than the rest of the globe and would eventually warm the Artic more. Arctic amplification, though well-documented, is continually being challenged and disputed by scientists, and this discovery supports the theory of the phenomenon. A branch of this theory implies that the decreasing difference in temperature between the mid-latitudes and the Arctic will eventually lead to the decelerating of the jet stream that encircles the northern latitudes. This jet stream normally separates ice-cold polar air from the warmer, Southern air. The interruption of the jet stream, such as that seen on the coast of Greenland, would then allow moist, warmer air to seep farther north, warming up the Earth. The interruption of the jet stream in Greenland is so vital and alarming to the scientists involved in climate change and sea level rise monitoring because of the massiveness of the Greenland ice sheet. If this ice sheet, the second largest of the world next to Antartica, were to melt, global sea level would rise up to seven meters. It is, therefore, vital for the researchers on sea level rise to understand the factors of the melting ice, the rapidness and extent to how much sea level would rise in the future and how the freshwater run-off from Greenland's melting ice caps would affect ocean ecology and circulation. Whether the patterns observed in the previous year will continue on remains unknown. According to the study's lead author Marco Tedesco, scientist at NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies and research professor at Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, the conditions observed in the past "are not necessarily those of the future. We are going into uncharted territory if humans change the forcing." There's fire in space and it's not CGI or a computer game, NASA intentionally lit a working spacecraft to study how fire behaves in space. The spacecraft undocked from the International Space Station (ISS) before being an instrument to NASA's fire experiment. A few days after Cygnus cargo vehicle burned in space, NASA completed its data gathering and was able to release the footage of the largest man-induced fire in space. The #Saffire-I sample ignites! Preliminary data indicates the sample burned for about 8 minutes. #NASAglenn pic.twitter.com/m4vL0Lid05 NASA Glenn Research (@NASAglenn) June 16, 2016 NASA initiated the Spacecraft Fire Experiment or SAFFIRE-1 on June 14 when the Cygnus cargo spacecraft left the International Space Station (ISS). The experiment will aid the agency in studying how fire behaves in microgravity and is believed to be beneficial for the safety of space crew on missions beyond the confines of the Earth. "Fire safety will be a critical element as NASA progresses on the journey to Mars and begins to investigate deep space habitats for long duration missions," a NASA official said in a press release. But after the successful burning of the spacecraft mid-flight, it took some time before NASA can collect data from the experiment. The agency also recently released the footage of the experiment after data gathering. The sample burned for approximately eight minutes, according to a report by NASA Glen Research Center. From the camera aboard the now obliterated spacecraft, smoke trails were visible. The flow is uniform based on the observation by the side-by-side cameras installed inside the Cygnus spacecraft. This experiment is crucial to NASA since the agency and the rest of the private commercial space service companies are planning to send people to deeper parts of the universe. How fire behaves in outer space is important, in terms of safety, for the future deep space explorations. But before the experiment was given a green light, scientists faced the predicament in choosing which spacecraft to burn in order to create the largest fire in space. "We tried for years to find a vehicle and a circumstance where this would work and initially we would get a 'not on my spacecraft' reaction," David Urban, lead investigator for the Saffire project said in an interview. It was then decided to use Orbital ATK Cygnus, which is also scheduled to burn upon re-entry on Earth. The fire was conducted by using a 3-foot-long cotton-fiberglass material enclosed within the spacecraft. Experts from NASA said that the success of the first of three experiments will lead to larger combustion tests to be conducted in the future. The next two fire experiments will focus on oxygen flammability and the behavior of even larger fires in space. Chameleons are a species that have long mystified humans. Unlike regular lizards, they have special features including parrot-like feet, eyes that can look at different directions at the same time and camouflaging ability that allows them to blend into the background. And now the scientists discovered another neat little trick of chameleons: saliva that is 400 times stickier than human saliva. An efficient hunter, people have long believed that chameleons change color to hunt preys before it was revealed that their color-changing camouflage is just meant to reflect their mood. So if color changing isn't really the chameleon's secret hunting weapon--what is? Well, it's at the tip of their tongue. Although it has been known for years that chameleons have sticky tongues that they use when hunting, the study marks the first time the mechanical properties of the mucus is measured. According to Daily Nation, the viscosity, or thickness, of chameleon spit had never before been measured, except by the paper. In other words, the paper has provided an answer as to how and why chameleons are able to hold on to prey while swiftly drawing it in its mouth at such high speed. According to a paper published in the journal Nature Physics, the tongue of the chameleon has a mucus which has the same viscosity as honey. Once it sticks out its tongue to catch its prey, the tongue captures it viciously and retracts in highspeed, bringing it to its mouth. By measuring the viscosity of the mucus on their tongue, they have found out that it is sticky enough to capture a prey up to a third of their body weight. "The factor that limits the size of the prey is probably the size of the mouth of the chameleon," Pascal Damman, a physicist at the University of Mons in Belgium told the Christian Science Monitor.. Unlike other reptiles whose feeding strategy is to chase the prey, chameleons sit and wait. Once the prey is in sight, they use their deadly tongue, which is not only sticky, but can stretch twice their body length. As to how the chameleons are able to loosen the tie once the prey is on their mouth, the researchers said they can only hypothesize that between the feeding stage, a non-sticky saliva is used so they can eat and swallow the prey. The Great Pyramid of Giza, one of the seven wonders of the world, is a bit lopsided, scientists said. Researchers from the U.S.-based Glen Dash Research Foundation and the Ancient Egypt Research Associates (AERA) scanning and mapping the Giza pyramids found the structural error in The Great Pyramid of Giza, known to be one of the world's most majestic and well-built ancient structures. According to scientists, the west side of the pyramid is slightly longer than the east side, creating a base that is not perfectly square. This discovery sheds light to some of the methods used by the ancient Egyptians in constructing these pyramids. Pyramids used to be encased in white limestone back when they were first constructed 4,500 years ago. Over the years, the limestone outer layers were stripped off and the result is the pyramid form we are seeing today. "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," Glen Dash, head of the Glen Dash Research Foundation, said in a report published on Science Alert. Without the outer layer, the researchers used a new measuring technique that involved finding any surviving remnants in the casing to see where the original edges had been. The researchers then plotted these points on a grid and calculated the lengths of each side. The scientists found that the west side was 5.55 inches longer than the east side, making the structure look slightly tilted to one side. "We can only speculate as to how the Egyptians could have laid out these lines with such precision using only the tools they had," Dash said. According to Dash, the Egyptian builders would have likely laid out the pyramid's design on a grid and applied it to the ground during construction. However, they said that more research needs to be done to figure out how this could have worked. More discoveries were being made about ancient Egyptians. Just recently, researchers from Italy discovered that Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun's dagger was made of iron taken from a meteorite. Jupiter is ready to reveal its best-kept secrets. In the Juno Mission trailer released by NASA, Jupiter was regarded as the "biggest and baddest" planet in the Solar System. Juno is about to face the harshest conditions within Jupiter's atmosphere known for its radiation and other mysterious factors that the spacecraft will have to withstand in order to fulfill its mission of observing and understanding the planet's composition. For science! On July 4, I'll risk getting closer to #Jupiter than any spacecraft ever before https://t.co/RPUGD5Zhrw pic.twitter.com/t3kHBy2mqk NASA's Juno Mission (@NASAJuno) June 16, 2016 The Juno spacecraft launched in 2011 will arrive at Jupiter's atmosphere on July 4. But after successfully completing its long-haul flight to the planet, Juno's predicament doesn't stop there. Jupiter's environment is known to be vicious and experts are worried if Juno can withstand it. "It's a monster, it's unforgiving, it's relentless," a NASA official said in the Juno Mission trailer video released by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. "It's spinning around so fast, its gravity is like a giant slingshot slinging rocks, dust... anything that gets close to it becomes its weapon," the NASA official added. 15 days till #Jupiter. This July 4th, I'll enter orbit around the gas giant. Mission trailer https://t.co/v1mqFmX3AR pic.twitter.com/sZrjg6R4Qj NASA's Juno Mission (@NASAJuno) June 18, 2016 Juno's attempt, if successful will be the closest a spacecraft had gone near Jupiter. But according to experts, it will all be worth it, since Jupiter's secrets are worth the shot. It is believed that the planet is home to water content, helium, methane, hydrogen and ammonia. But the experts fear that the "biggest and baddest" planet in the Solar System also possesses the biggest and baddest radiation there is. The magnetic field of Jupiter is also expected to be massive. Juno's role in studying Jupiter plays a big role in the understanding of the Universe. According to NASA, to understand how the Solar System was formed, mankind needs to understand first how Jupiter was formed. "Underneath its dense cloud cover, Jupiter safeguards secrets to the fundamental processes and conditions that governed our solar system during its formation" a NASA official said in a press release. If Juno survives the cruel environment of Jupiter, the $1.3 billion spacecraft will orbit the planet for 20 months, according to Popular Science. Juno will have to complete 37 orbits around the planet to beam back pivotal findings to Earth. The mission will finish by February 2018, providing that the spacecraft survives the harsh environment in Jupiter upon its entry into the planet's atmosphere in July. The controversial 10-day dog meat festival has begun in China's southern city of Yulin. This year, about 10,000 dogs and cats are expected to be butchered amid extensive opposition from animal rights activists from all over the world. A report from Global Times said ahead of the dog meat festival, restaurants in Yulin covered and hid "dog" signages on their restaurants to avoid trouble and being mobbed by protesters. "They know it is something disgraceful, so they try to cover the name," Wang Xiaojun, senior communications manager at international animal rights group World Animal Protection, told the Global Times on Sunday. The extreme weather conditions are making abrupt changes to the water level of the Dead Sea, reducing three feet a year to be exact, BBC reported. The article reported that in 1972, British engineers scratched initials on a rock to the mark the level of the water. Years later, the marks were left high and dry. "The sea was right here when I was 18 years old, so it's not like we're talking about 500 or a 1000 years ago," Nir Vanger, who runs the business side of Ein Gedi's tourist operations, told BBC. Although the Dead Sea cannot be totally dry, the drying of the salt lake has caused sinkholes to appear on the towns nearby. Aside from evaporation due to high temperatures, over exploitation of the lake water is also the reason behind the water level drop. According to the Daily Mail, environmental group EcoPeace Middle East estimates around 3,000 sinkholes beside the Dead Sea. These sinkholes have economical impacts on the tourism of Israel and Jordan. Warning signs have been placed to underline the risk of the open pits that have been appearing as a result of the sea's shrinkage. Furthermore, the roads and infrastructure that run alongside the Dead Sea are also threatened by the sinkholes. Aside from affecting tourism, the situation has deeply affected the people living in the area, as the place has been deemed significant to their belief and culture. Here are some interesting facts about the Dead Sea. The Dead Sea isn't actually a sea, but a saltwater lake. Sitting nearly 1,300 feet below sea level, the Dead Sea is the lowest inland area in the world. It has a salinity of almost 33 percent, making it the saltiest body of water on earth. It is roughly 8.6 times saltier than the ocean. Because of its high salinity, people can easily float in its water. The Dead Sea is filled with minerals including calcium, iodine, saline, potassium and bromide, making it an ideal site for research. And finally, it is named the Dead Sea because no life can flourish in it because of its extreme conditions. There's a new discovery about Saturn's most intriguing moon, Enceladus. Researchers have revealed that there's a global ocean lying a few kilometers beneath its icy surface. The study from Charles University in Prague and the Royal Observatory of Belgium published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters used data from NASA's Cassini spacecraft to create a new model that reconciles contradictory information about Encedalus, revealing that the moon's south pole may have an icy shell that's only a few kilometers thick. The particular thinness of the icy shell suggests that Encedalus' interior is hot, creating a possibility that an ocean may exist on its surface. According to Science Daily, previous flybys of the Cassini Spacecraft estimated the thickness of the icy shell from 30 to 40 kilometers. However, in 2015, an oscillation in the moon's rotation showed a much thinner icy shell than estimated at around 20 kilometers. The researchers' model shows that Enceladus is covered with an elastic icy shell and a rocky core of about 185 kilometers. The model also shows that the thickness of its elastic icy shell varies in location. In the moon's south pole, the ice is only 5 kilometers thick, and underneath it is an internal ocean that's approximately 45 kilometers deep. The said ocean makes up 40 percent of the moon's surface with a salt content that's similar to the oceans on Earth. The newly created model further supports the idea that Enceladus produces strong heat from hydrothermal vents on the ocean floor. Complex organic molecules have also been detected in Enceladus' jets, which suggest the emergence of new life forms. Because of the thinness of ice and the conditions of the moon, future explorations will also be possible. I think its a very nice piece of work. On the one hand, you have the gravity and topography, and on the other hand you have the librations. Theyre using both those pieces of data, which hasnt been done before," Francis Nimmo, a planetary scientist at the University of California Santa Cruz, told the AGU Blogosphere. About 300 people in more than half the states have been charged in the largest crackdown to date on health care fraud, federal authorities announced Wednesday. According to the Departments of Justice and Health and Human Services, those arrested account for more than $900 million in false billings to Medicare and Medicaid, NBC News reported. The crackdown ensnared 60 licensed medical professionals, including 30 doctors, officials said. The billings were for treatments or services deemed medically unnecessary or for services that were never provided at all, including home care, medical equipment and phony prescriptions. A growing group of Bay Area legal professionals are publicly opposing the so-called recall efforts aimed at Judge Aaron Persky. The grass roots effort is spearheaded by Sajid A. Khan, a Santa Clara County public defender. As NBC Bay Area has been reporting, Persky has been the target of several recall movements after he sentenced former Stanford swimmer Brock Turner to six months in jail for two sexual assault convictions in late May. Turner was arrested, in 2015, after he was caught on top of an unconscious half-naked woman, near a campus party. At the trial, the alleged victim wrote a letter read in court that went viral talking about how much the assault had impacted her life. The national women's advocacy group UltraViolet launched an online petition drive to get Persky removed and supported other efforts to collect about one million signatures. The groups accuse Persky of "being more concerned with 'rapists' than 'survivors.'" Persky has not commented. UltraViolet turned the petitions into the California Commission on Judicial Oversight in hopes of getting Persky removed. Khan's group started an online petition of its own to support Persky and has gathered more than 200-signatures, including other public defenders and local attorneys. Khan reached out to NBC Bay Area after UltraViolet put up a billboard on Highway 92 calling for Persky to be taken off the bench. "Judge Persky followed the recommendations of the probation department and has a reputation for being fair in sentencing," Khan said. "It's not good for judges to be concerned about public opinion or threats of recall when making their decisions. "Our petition or letter is designed to offer some counter perspective to those calling for his removal." The Persky controversy also led the Santa Clara County District Attorney's office to call for the court to pull him off another sexual assault case. The DA has also called a news conference on the Persky matter for Wednesday morning. Angry neighbors of San Francisco's Ocean Beach are accusing the feds of trashing the beach - by removing garbage cans. In October, the National Park Service removed all garbage cans from about half of a 3-mile stretch of the beach in an experimental move that officials thought might motivate beach-goers to take their trash with them. Its not working, neighbors say. "If youre here at 7 a.m., it looks like Tijuana," resident Mike Martinovich said. "Its the worst run beach in California, right here." Martinovich has lived his whole life a few blocks from Ocean Beach and has been documenting the garbage. The summer season has always been bad, he said - even with the trash cans. Now, it it has become worse, said another longtime resident, Jennifer Murphy. "This is an urban area; this is a heavily utilized beach," she said. "I dont see the garbage cans being taken out of Crissy Field." The park service said maintenence crews have been reporting that the experiment is working. "They found that actually theres less trash than there had been during the period that trash cans were in that area," said Howard Levitt, a park service spokesman. "It may seem counterintuitive, but thats the experience with it." At Baker Beach, near the affluent Seacliff neighborhood, the park service covered trash cans, and one resident said trying to get people to take their trash home is silly. "Nowadays, people are so lazy they dont do that," said Amanda Gabaldon. "Youre lucky to get them to walk to a trash can, let alone take it with them." Despite the complaints, the park service plans to keep the stretch of Ocean Beach without trash cans through the summer, a move Levitt said will be reversed if reports from maintanence crews indicate it isnt working. Orlando gunman Omar Mateen purchased tickets for his family to travel to the San Francisco Bay Area two days before he went on a deadly rampage at the Pulse nightclub in Florida Federal officials confirmed to NBC News Tuesday that Mateen purchased three tickets for himself, his wife, Noor Zahi Salman and their son to visit his mother-in-law, who lives in the Bay Area suburb of Rodeo, California on July 14. But on June 12, he killed 49 people and injured dozens in what is the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history. Two officials told NBC News that after the shooting, Salman called the airline and sought a refund for the trip to San Francisco. Salman allegedly told the airline that, because her husband had died, they would no longer be making the trip. Salmans mother, Ekbal Zahi Salman, recently had an operation and was not getting better; the family was planning on spending an extend period of time with her, NBC News reported. The tickets were purchased Friday, June 10, and the family would have stayed in the Bay Area for two weeks, according to NBC News. Its not clear why Mateen would have purchased tickets for the trip if he had been planning the shooting at the Pulse nightclub, in which he ended up dying. [[383942051, C]] A source close to Noor Salman said she was not successful in trying to refund the tickets, which she attempted to do after being meeting with FBI investigators, and notifying them about the travel and her plans to try and refund the tickets, NBC News reports. Salman told the FBI she was with Mateen, when he bought ammunition and a holster, several officials familiar with the case have told NBC News. She also apparently told the FBI she once drove him to Pulse nightclub, because he wanted to check it out. Salman, who told the FBI she tried to talk her husband out of the shooting, is not facing any charges at this time for failing to report her husband to law enforcement. She continues to cooperate with the investigation. A source close to the family told NBC News Mateen sent his wife a text message during the rampage, asking her, "Do you see what's happening?" After swapping texts, she tried to call him. A source close to the family said Mateen sent his wife a text message during the rampage, asking her, "Do you see what's happening?" After swapping texts, she tried to call him. Her mothers neighbors in Rodeo, 45 minutes from San Francisco, have told NBC Bay Area that Salman was the daughter of Ekbal Zahi and Bassam Abdallah Salman, who died of a heart attack several years ago. The couple has three other daughters the youngest is 14. Salman's mother still lives at the home with her youngest but has not spoken out publicly about the shooting. According to neighbors, Salman attended John Swett High School in nearby Crockett, California. Salman married Mateen, neighbors said, and moved to Florida about five years ago. Rodeo neighbor Sarwan Kaur said Mateen apparently wouldn't let Noor Salman's mother visit her in Florida. "Like, even when she was in the hospital, her husband wouldn't let her come see her own mother," Simrat Chahal said on behalf of his grandmother, Kaur. NBC News and Pete Williams contributed to this report. A U.S. pipeline safety agency engineer testified Tuesday that the agency's website offers specific instructions about what utilities should do to inspect pipes following pressure surges, something prosecutors say the utility failed to mind so as to maximize profits. The federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration website offers guidance on overpressurization events on gas pipelines, said Steve Nanney, who left private industry to become a regulator. Nanney told the jury who will decide the 13-count case against the utility for pipeline safety and obstruction charges that a section of the Frequently Asked Questions part of the web page was clear: Any pressure increase above specified historic levels triggered inspections for damage such a surge might inflict. "Everyone can see the answer to that?" federal prosecutor Jeff Schenk asked Nanney on the stand. "Yes," Nanney replied. Prosecutors contend the company ignored pressure overages, preferring to inspect its lines with a method capable of finding only rust, not cracking or other damage that could be caused when pressure surged above normal levels. The company deliberately took the wrong path, violating pipeline safety laws, they say. Defense attorney Steve Bauer pointed out that the regulatory scheme allowed engineers to use their judgment on other matters, something Nanney agreed on. He then asked Nanney if the instructions in the Frequently Asked Questions advice amounted to "your agencies viewpoint on the law?" "Correct," Nanney replied. Before Nanney took the stand, Judge Thelton Henderson issued instructions to the jury he said were intended to correct the law. PG&E's lawyer said the company had to destroy records to violate the law, but Henderson told the panel that statement was not true. Testimony continues Wednesday. President Barack Obama will arrive in the Bay Area on Thursday to participate in the 2016 Global Entrepreneurship Summit at Stanford University, which kicked off this morning and lasts through Friday. The summit, now in its seventh year, gathers government leaders, entrepreneurs, business leaders and investors for three days of speeches and programs. This is the second year that the United States has hosted the event. It hosted the inaugural event in 2010 and subsequent summits have been held in Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, Morocco and Kenya. The U.S. has invited more than 700 entrepreneurs from 170 countries and territories and 300 investors to participate. More than 400 journalists are expected to attend, according to organizers. Obama will arrive on Air Force One at Moffett Federal Airfield in Mountain View on Thursday afternoon and spend the night in the San Jose area before his speech on Friday morning. He will depart from Moffett Field on Friday afternoon. In addition to Obama, other government officials scheduled to speak include Secretary of State John Kerry and Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker. Business leaders scheduled to speak at the event include Uber CEO Travis Kalanick, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky, Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. While the summit is closed to the public, portions of it are being livestreamed at http://www.ges2016.org/live/. A 44-year-old man was sentenced Wednesday to nine years in state prison for his felony child abuse conviction for burning his 2-year-old son's hands in boiling water at a home in San Leandro in 2011. Prosecutors said Dante Roberson's boy suffered burns to both of his hands while he was under Roberson's care during his scheduled monthly visit at a home in the 2300 block of Jamaica Way west of Doolittle Drive on Sept. 15, 2011. The boy's mother, who has custody of the boy, wasn't at home when the incident occurred. Prosecutors said Roberson didn't return the boy to his mother for about two hours after the injuries occurred even though he was in extreme distress. Once the mother saw the boy's injuries, she took him to San Leandro Hospital for treatment but his burns were so severe that the child was transferred to the burn center at Saint Francis Memorial Hospital in San Francisco to get treatment, prosecutors said. A child abuse expert testified at Roberson's trial last fall that the boy's injuries weren't consistent with an accident and were the result of forcible submersion, according to prosecutors. Roberson, who also was convicted of an enhancement that he inflicted great bodily injury on his son, faced up to 12 years in state prison but Alameda County Superior Court Judge Stuart Hing decided that a nine-year term would be appropriate. Roberson originally was scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 1, but Hing said at a hearing that day that he wanted to get more information before deciding whether to send Roberson to prison or place him on probation. The judge sent Roberson to a state Department of Corrections facility to be evaluated. In asking that Roberson be sentenced to prison, the boy's mother Lakesha Harrison said at the Feb. 1 hearing that the boy has had to undergo multiple reconstructive surgeries to repair his hands and faces more surgeries this summer. Harrison said her son is "emotionally, physically and psychologically scarred" by what happened to him, suffers from nightmares and panic attacks, and is undergoing therapy. She also said that her son "wants an apology from his dad for his injuries" and wonders "if the judge can make him say he's sorry." Roberson said at the Feb. 1 hearing that he didn't realize how badly his son was injured until he saw pictures of him afterward and recalled "how emotional the pictures were when I first saw them." "I'm sorry he got injured in this accident," he said. "If I could go back in time to that day I never would have left him." Roberson, who has two other children with two other mothers, said, "I love my son and I love all of them the same." A former Stanford swimmer's six-month sentence for sexual assault sparked nationwide outrage this month, and it's now the driving force behind new legislation that would set a mandatory minimum sentence for convicted rapists of unconscious victims. The proposal, for a three-year minimum sentence, is being supported by Santa Clara County's top prosecutor, District Attorney Jeff Rosen, whose criticism of the sentence helped spur the outcry. Rosen is a sponsor of Assembly Bill 2888, which was introduced Tuesday by Assemblymen Evan Low, D-Campbell, and Bill Dodd, D-Napa, and co-sponsored by state Sen. Jerry Hill, D-San Mateo. Rosen made the announcement on the steps of the same Palo Alto courthouse where Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Aaron Persky sentenced Brock Turner to six months in jail for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman outside a Stanford campus party in 2015. Standing next to him was Deputy District Attorney Alaleh Kianerci, the prosecutor in the case. Turner will end up serving three months, having faced a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison. Online county jail records show he is scheduled for release on Sept. 2. That sentence ignited a nationwide firestorm and calls to recall the judge. Over a million people have signed a petition pushing for a state judicial commission to take action. "We need to change the law to protect the next Emily Doe from the next Brock Turner," Rosen said. "Let's give the next campus sexual assault victim no reason to fear that her attacker will end up walking around free after spending less time in jail than it takes to finish a single college semester," he said. On June 2, Persky declared that there were "unusual circumstances" in the case and sentenced Turner to six months in jail for his sexual assault convictions. The victim read a 12-page letter to the judge that documented her anguish; it went viral after it was posted online, and in a historic move, was even read aloud by congressional leaders on the floor of the U.S. House. In the letter, she identifies herself simply as "Emily Doe." "We've read her letter, now let's give her back something beyond worldwide sympathy and anger," Rosen said. Currently, state law allows a defendant convicted of sexual assault on an unconscious victim to be eligible for probation. The proposed legislation would require a state prison sentence regardless of the victim's awareness of the act, Rosen said. "This means that a judge can't look at relative youth, nominal criminal history and means characteristics shared by many college students as mitigating factors and give probation," Rosen said. He said the bill would make the sentence for sexual assault on an unconscious victim the same as for a conscious victim: three to eight years in prison. "Sexually assaulting an unconscious woman is as serious as sexually assaulting a conscious person," Rosen said. "There should be no distinction between those because rape is rape. The trauma to the victim, whether conscious or unconscious, is often life-long." Deputy Public Defender Sajid Khan, however, is opposed to increasing the minimum sentencing for all sexual predators. He counted himself among more than a dozen public defenders who are concerned that stricter sentencing guidelines will lead to mass incarceration. "Were limiting judicial discretion and their ability to take into account individualized circumstances into sentencing," Khan said. "We want a more holistic analysis of each case." Rosen also responded to questions from reporters on a petition to recall Persky, reiterating his belief that while Turner's six-month sentence was wrong, the judge had every right to issue the punishment. Ultraviolet, an advocacy group against sexism and supportive of women's rights, initiated a campaign calling for the state Commission on Judicial Performance to remove Persky from the bench. Nearly a million people have signed the petition, which was sent to the commission's office in San Francisco earlier this month. Another petition seeking Persky's removal, on change.org, has about 1.25 million signatures. In a statement Wednesday, Ultraviolet co-founder Nita Chaudhary said the group agrees with Rosen's stance on the sentence, but doesn't support his proposal for rapists to receive mandatory prison sentences. "We agree ... that Judge Persky's sentencing of Brock Turner is an outrage, and that too often rapists spend little to no time in jail for their crimes. However, his proposal of mandatory minimum sentencing for rapists is not only bad policy generally, but also the wrong solution for this case," Chaudhary said in the statement. She continued: "Rosen's proposal also does nothing to hold Judge Persky - a man who chose to protect a privileged white athlete and rapist over the survivor of his crimes - accountable for his decision. "While it is long past time that our justice system take the crime of rape seriously, we need judges who focus on finding justice for rape survivors, not the re-hashing of bad policies that rig the system against poor people and people of color," she said. A hearing in Sacramento next week will focus on Rosen's proposed law. Meanwhile, Assemblywoman Nora Campos of San Jose is expected to introduction legislation that would require sexual predators to serve their entire sentence and eliminate their eligibility for early release. The Castro is dressing up for SF Pride this weekend and a good part of the wardrobe will be a special tribute to the victims of the Orlando shooting. Members of the LGBTQ community say SF Pride is more important than ever on the heels of a terrorist attack that killed 49 people at a gay nightclub in Florida. Richard Sizemore decided last week to form an SF Pride Orlando memorial contingent for this weekend's parade. Volunteers are signing up to carry 49 memorial boards adorned with the faces and names of the Orlando victims. "It's gonna be a very heavy Pride; I just feel like there's this tension hanging in the air, and sadness," Sizemore said. Elsewhere, Ray Tilton, of Santa Rosa, also is turning his grief into action, organizing the LGBTQ United March Against Gun Violence in Washington, D.C. The group is waiting for permit approval for an October event, he said. "I just felt we've gotta do something," Tilton said. SF Pride events begin Saturday with a free festival at San Francisco's Civic Center Plaza then culminate with the 46th annual SF LGBT Pride Parade on Sunday. Security already is being stepped up at LGBTQ bars and clubs this week, and SF Pride organizers recently announced increased security measures for the weekend celebration, including screening and metal detectors at all points of entry. There will be a signicant police presence at all activities, with both uniformed and plain-clothes officers on duty, according to the SF Pride website. Rebellious Democrats staged an extraordinary round-the-clock sit-in on the House floor Wednesday to demand votes on gun-control bills, shouting down Speaker Paul Ryan when he attempted to restore order as their protest stretched into the night. The stunning and unruly scene was broadcast live to the world from Democrats' cell phones, feeds picked up by C-SPAN after Republicans shut down the network's cameras. The sit-in was well into its 10th hour, with Democrats camped out on the floor stopping legislative business in the House, when Ryan stepped to the podium to gavel the House into session and hold votes on routine business. Angry Democrats chanted "No bill, no break!" and waved pieces of paper with the names of gun victims, continuing their protest in the well of the House even as lawmakers voted on a previously scheduled and unrelated measure to overturn a veto by President Barack Obama. Ryan attempted to ignore the outbursts and announce the business of the day, pounding down his gavel over shouting. "Shame! Shame! Shame!" Democrats yelled, but Ryan left the lectern and the voting continued. Then Democrats began singing "We Shall Overcome," still holding up the names of gun victims. The scene presented a radical, almost shocking departure from the normal orderly conduct of the House. As the night stretched on Republicans signaled plans to push through a bill to deal with the Zika outbreak and then adjourn until after July 4 to shut Democrats down, a plan Democrats furiously denounced as "cowardly". Republicans hoped to present themselves as soberly attending to business and Democrats as disruptive. Democrats said they would stay until Republicans yielded to their demands to hold votes on bills to strengthen background checks and prevent people on the no fly list from getting guns in the wake of last week's massacre in Orlando, Florida. "Are they more afraid than the children at Sandy Hook?" asked Rep. Mike Thompson, D-Calif., referring to the 2012 shooting that killed 26 people, including 20 elementary school children, in Newtown, Connecticut. "What is so scary about having a vote?" Rep. John Lewis, a veteran civil rights leader, asked what Congress has done, then answered his own question: "Nothing. We have turned a deaf ear to the blood of innocents. We are blind to a crisis. Where is our courage?" Ryan dismissed the protest as "nothing more than a publicity stunt," and in an interview with CNN, made clear there would be no vote. "We're not going to take away a citizen's constitutional rights without due process," he said. The protest began around 11:30 a.m., interrupted briefly when Rep. Ted Poe, R-Texas, tried to start the House's work at noon. The customary prayer and Pledge of Allegiance went ahead, but Poe was forced to recess the House when dozens of Democrats refused to leave the well. By evening, 168 House Democrats out of 188 and 34 Senate Democrats joined the protest, according to the House minority leader's office. One after another, they spoke of the need for gun control and talked of constituents who had been killed. Scattered around the House floor were signs reading "Disarm Hate." Visitors watched from the galleries. A crowd of several hundred gun control advocates gathered outside the Capitol and cheered as Democrats addressed them. Congress remains gridlocked over gun control, a divide even more pronounced in a presidential election year. The sit-in had the feel of a 1960s-style protest, as some lawmakers sat on the floor, others in their seats. Republicans had staged a similar protest in 2008. Democrats controlling the House at the time turned off the cameras amid a GOP push for a vote to expand oil and gas drilling. Republicans occupied the floor, delivering speeches after then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi sent the House on its August recess. Pelosi ordered the cameras turned off. Republicans ultimately forced the drilling provision to be attached to a stopgap spending bill. C-SPAN, a cable and satellite network that provides continual coverage of House and Senate floor proceedings, does not control the cameras. They're run on authorization by legislative leaders. Although the cameras were turned off Wednesday, lawmakers relied on social media to transmit video, using Facebook, Twitter and Periscope. C-SPAN broadcast live video streamed on Periscope and Facebook from lawmakers' accounts. Democrats posted the Capitol's main telephone number, which was overwhelmed, and urged constituents to call and request a vote. They also encouraged tweeting under the hashtag #NoBillNoBreak. Democratic senators joining the protest included Minority Leader Harry Reid, Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Chris Murphy, D-Conn., who had waged a nearly 15-hour filibuster last week to force votes in the Senate on gun legislation. Those votes failed Monday night. The Chicago Teachers Union demonstrated downtown Wednesday demanding a long-term funding solution for public education. Union members said more funding cuts were not acceptable and blamed politicians from City Hall to Springfield. Its been a litany of one cut after another, CTU Vice President Jesse Sharkey said. CPS responded to the protest Wednesday, placing blame on Gov. Bruce Rauner for the districts financial woes. The CTU leadership could not be more counterproductive at a time when our students desperately need equal funding from the state, CPS spokeswoman Emily Bittner said in a statement. Instead of holding Governor Rauner accountable for his abject failure to fully and equitably fund education, the CTU leadership is trying to triple tax Chicago taxpayers. "Since the General Assembly has come so far in advancing education funding reform, now is not the time for the CTU leadership to let Governor Rauner off the hook, Bittner added. Meanwhile, Rauner wrote an op-ed for the Daily Herald Wednesday claiming suburban and downstate taxpayers shouldnt pay for Chicagos mess. In the piece, Rauner said he pushed an education funding bill to fully fund schools and blamed Democrats for not enacting it before the end of the spring legislative session last month. Rauner also pushed his education stopgap in the article, claiming it would increase the states school funding by $240 million. Again, the governor blamed Democrats for not enacting the legislation. Democrats want to force suburban and downstate taxpayers to bailout CPS from years of financial mismanagement and declining student enrollment - to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars, Rauner said in the editorial. Rauner noted that CPS was receiving less money through the states school funding formula because enrollment has dropped. Nevertheless, he also called for changes to the formula, but claimed there was not a consensus on the matter within the General Assembly. Rauner claimed some Democrats were holding up school funding in order to force a change in the formula. To hold districts hostage in an attempt to sneak in a new school funding formula that will disproportionately send more money to CPS will not solve our inequitable funding formula for the long term, Rauner added. On Wednesday, CPS announced a plan to file an unfair labor practice charge against the union on behalf of the teachers who didnt participate in the April 1 strike. CPS holds that the strike was illegal and that teachers shouldnt be expelled from the union for reporting to work. Teachers came to work on April 1 because their calling is educating their students, CPS CEO Forrest Claypool said in a statement. These dedicated professionals should not be expelled for exercising their right to refuse participation in an illegal strike - especially when they came to school to put their students first. The unfair labor practice charge is based on the right of education personnel to refuse to engage in an illegal strike, under the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act. Thousands of teachers demonstrated for the one-day strike in April against inaction in the city and Springfield, as well as the fallout from the states lingering budget impasse. April 1 was about long-term progressive revenue for our schools, CTU spokeswoman Stephanie Gadlin said in a statement. Educators chose to strike to illustrate the lack of political will in city hall, the Illinois General Assembly and the governors mansion to stand up for 300,000-plus school children. An ordinance regulating the proposed plaza next to Wrigley Field was approved by the Chicago City Council Committee on License and Consumer Protection Tuesday, although the Cubs claim the measure limits the area's potential. Under the plan, the Cubs will now be allowed to operate the plaza next to the stadium. The ordinance restricts hours of operation and alcohol sales on the plaza. Mayor Rahm Emanuel lauded the ordinances passage Tuesday. This is a significant step forward on a reasonable agreement that will allow the Cubs to offer new opportunities to their fans, while maintaining a high quality of life for those who live in the neighborhood, Emanuel said in a statement. This is further proof of the progress that is possible when you choose compromise over combat and the City of Chicago will be better off as a result of all sides coming together. According to the Chicago Tribune, Cubs executive Mike Lufrano told officials before the vote that the ordinance "places limits which will lessen the promise of this plaza." Lufrano also said the team envisions a family friendly plaza and hoped the ordinance would remain a work-in-progress. Under the plan, beer and wine would be sold until one hour after day games end and until the end of night games. If there is a rain delay, sales would be cut off by 11p.m, the Tribune reported. Additionally, the Cubs would be allowed to hold up to 12 other events in the plaza, including five large concerts. Alcohol sales would be cut off one hour before the end of events, which would run no later than 10 p.m. from Sunday to Thursday and 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. The plaza would only be open to ticket holders for games and events and would be required to close 45 minutes after the end of a game or event. To be considerate of parents and children during the school year, there is a provision in the legislation that prohibits the team from holding concerts at the stadium from Labor Day to June 15. Other events between Sunday and Thursday during that time are required to end by 9 p.m. According to the Tribune, Cubs spokesman Julian Greene brought up the possibility of legal action after the vote, claiming the concert ban might violate the city's 2013 agreement with the Ricketts family, who own the team. The agreement launched the family's $750 million renovation of Wrigley Field and its surrounding area. Ald. Tom Tunney, who first introduced an ordinance for the plaza in 2013, unveiled the updated plan earlier this month. The Cubs called some rules unfair, namely the caveat that only allows ticketed patrons in the plaza during games. The team originally envisioned a plaza that could possibly available 365 days a year. On Tuesday, Tunney said the revised plan includes input from the mayor, the neighborhood and the team. If passed, the ordinance would lapse in three years. What one mother said first seemed like an adorable photo of her young preschooler being mischievous, quickly turned into a wake-up call for many. Stacey Wehrman Feeley took a photo of her 3-year-old daughter standing on a toilet at first because she thought it was funny, she wrote in a now-viral Facebook post. The photo shows the little girl in a bright dress standing on a toilet with her arm against the wall. The moment she told me what she was doing I broke down, Feeley wrote. 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 [sic] of what I thought my three-year-old possessed was gone. The Michigan mom went on to talk about how the photo speaks to the issue of gun control currently sweeping the nation. Politicians - take a look, she wrote. "This is your child, your children, your grandchildren, your great grand children [sic] 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. The post has since been shared more than 22,800 times and received nearly as many likes. Just over a week after the massacre at an Orlando nightclub, gun control has been at the forefront of a national debate. Most recently, a divided Senate voted down four gun control measures proposed from both sides. 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. 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, Feeley wrote. A Chicago police officer is credited with saving several lives after she ran into a burning building Tuesday to get several residents and their pets out safely. Officer Jennifer Jacobucci, a 10-year veteran of the Chicago Police Department, was traveling on the expressway finishing up her shift around 11:30 a.m. when she noticed massive flames shooting out of a home in the citys Logan Square neighborhood. She immediately drove off the expressway and to the home quickly being overtaken by the blaze. As I approached, the building was totally engulfed in flames, she said. She immediately ran inside and was able to help four residents and three pets get out safely. For me, I wouldnt want my family to go through that so I wanted to make sure they got out safe, she said. Residents say Jacobucci went from room to room, helping them exit unscathed. Joe Galindo said hi 17-year-old Australian Shepherd was among the animals rescued Tuesday. Im very thankful for her to save my dog, he said. It wasnt until after Jacobucci got out and saw the destruction she realized how horribly the blaze could have ended. We're all police officers, she said. Doesn't matter where stuff is happening in the city, if you see something going on I would that hope everybody would step up to plate and do what we need to do. Fire officials said the extra-alarm fire was put out around 12:45 p.m. and had been caused by unsupervised cooking on a back porch. A firefighter suffered a minor injury to her hand while battling the blaze, but no other injuries were reported. One family dog living in the building did not survive, authorities said. As summer begins, the potential for severe storms and tornados becomes more common. Whether you live in a house or a high-rise, it is important to make a decision about where you and your family should seek shelter in severe weather. The National Weather Service (NWS) in Chicago has several tips on how to stay safe during an emergency weather situation. 1. Create a plan ahead of time where your family will seek shelter when a tornado warning is issued. 2. If you are living in a high-rise building, you do not have to get into a basement if there is limited time before the tornado reaches your location. Identify a small interior room in order to maximize the number of walls and minimize the number of windows between you and the outside. 3. Get under a heavy table or work bench if a small interior room is not available to you. 4. Go underneath a stairwell if there are no other safe options. The stairwell provides stability and concrete walls as protection. 5. Avoid long corridors with windows and large openings. If the walls and roof are taken out by extreme winds, it will collapse and the broken glass will fly down the corridors. 6. Do not open windows as it will give wind a way into the building. 7. If you are in a location with a lot of glass, find something, whether a piece of clothing or firm object to cover your head. 8. Crouch as low as possible to avoid debris from hitting you. 9. Bring a flashlight in case the power goes out. 10. Do not rely on sirens. They are directed to those outdoors and if the wind is blowing in the opposite direction, the sound waves wont get to you. A weather radio can notify you in the event of a tornado as well as wireless emergency alerts on your phone. Having multiple ways to get warnings is helpful in case power is lost. According to meteorologist Jamie Enderlen at the NWS Chicago, there are 13 minutes between when the NWS issues a warning and when a tornado hits. Execute your plan into action immediately and seek safety as soon as a warning is issued. An attorney has filed notices on behalf of two men who allege police used excessive force while arresting them earlier this month. Attorney Corey Brinson says his clients, Emilio Diaz and Ricardo Perez were physically beaten and mentally traumatized during the arrest by Hartford and West Hartford officers on June 4. On that night, Hartford police began chasing a driver in a stolen car. The chase continued through several residential streets, before coming to an end on Flatbush Avenue in West Hartford, according to police. A dashcam mounted in a West Hartford police cruiser appears to show Hartford officers kicking and stomping one of the suspects, who was in handcuffs at the time, police said. The Hartford Police Department launched an internal investigation into the incident the following day after the suspects' faces appeared bruised and cut in their mug shots and raised concerns in the department. Police also asked the Chief State's Attorney's Office to investigate. In letters to Hartford and West Hartford last week, Brinson notified both municipalities of his intent to sue to "recover for the losses" caused by the actions of the officers. Hartford and West Hartford would not comment on the pending lawsuit. Donald Trump launched a broad rebuke of his presidential rival Hillary Clinton Wednesday, accusing her of being "a world class liar" who personally profited from her tenure at the State Department. "She gets rich making you poor," Trump said. Seeking to steady his campaign after a difficult stretch, the presumptive Republican nominee cast himself as the White House candidate best positioned to address Americans' economic interests. "This election will decide whether we're ruled by the people or the politicians," Trump said during an address at his hotel in New York's SoHo neighborhood. He made his arguments in a pointed yet measured tone, less loud and strident than has been typical in most previous campaign speeches. The speech marked an opening salvo against Clinton, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, in the general election campaign. It came as the real estate mogul faced growing questions about his readiness not just for the presidency, but for the campaign he will need to run to get there. Trump made a direct appeal to supporters of Clinton's primary rival Bernie Sanders, urging them to help him fix a "rigged system." He also argued his trade and immigration policies would be more beneficial than Clinton's for blacks and Hispanics, two groups that have overwhelmingly voted for Democrats in recent presidential elections. Still, the central goal of Trump's speech appeared to be uniting the Republican Party and appealing to people who may be skeptical of him but vigorously oppose Clinton. He unleashed a grab bag of Republicans' favorite criticisms of Clinton, including her use of a private email server while she was secretary of state, her response to the deadly 2012 attacks on Americans in Benghazi, Libya, and accusations that she and former President Bill Clinton profited from their family foundation. "Hillary Clinton may be the most corrupt person ever to seek the presidency," Trump said. The Republican candidate also argued that Clinton's opposition to a massive Asia-Pacific trade pact was an example of her political opportunism, noting that she had worked on the agreement while at the State Department and has previously backed free trade accords. And he took aim at her immigration policies, saying her call for providing those in the U.S. illegally with a path to citizenship amounted to "mass amnesty." Trump's remarks came one day after Clinton launched her own blistering attacks on her White House rival. She moved to undercut Trump's argument that his business record would help him create jobs as president, arguing instead that he had been "reckless" with his companies and "shouldn't have his hands on our economy." The only thing Donald Trump offered today was more hypocritical lies and nutty conspiracy theories," Clinton said in a response on Wednesday. "This is more distraction from a candidate that cannot answer or dispute any of yesterdays criticism of his business record." Trump also tried to turn Clinton's strengths into negatives. He spent much of his speech trying to undercut her foreign policy record, highlighting her early support of the 2003 invasion of Iraq, which she now says was a mistake, and linking the policies she promoted at the State Department to the rise of the Islamic State terror group. "The Hillary Clinton foreign policy has cost America thousands of lives and trillions of dollars and trillions of dollars and unleashed ISIS across the world," Trump said. Trump's speech came on the heels of his firing Monday of campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, a controversial figure who was seen as an impediment to efforts to build out a more robust campaign organization. A new fundraising report released hours after Lewandowski's firing underscored how much ground Trump has to make up: he started June with just $1.3 million in the bank. Trump allies cast Lewandowski's firing this week as the start of a new phase for the campaign. Paul Manafort, the campaign chairman and Lewandowski's internal rival, signaled on a conference call with aides that a rapid staffing expansion would be coming soon. Tennessee Republican Sen. Bob Corker, who has been seen as a potential vice presidential pick, said he was "pretty excited" to learn of the changes. "I think that what appears to be occurring over the last 24 hours is a movement in a direction that I think could be very, very positive," Corker said. NBC 5 invites you to make plans now to celebrate our nations independence on and along the Trinity River at Fort Worths Fourth! The family-friendly festival will take place July 4th at Panther Island Pavilion. As always, general admission is free along with tubing and an entire kids zone. A favorite addition from last year, the event will bring back the option for event patrons to experience the festival in style with VIP tickets. VIP tickets are on sale now and amenities include: prime fireworks and water show views, reserved seating, a shaded lounge area, private bathrooms and a cash bar, VIP parking and more. The free kid zone will include pony rides, face painting, bounce houses, interactive exhibits, zip lines, levee slide, water slides and more. The celebration will take place all afternoon with family activities, tubing, water shows plus live music from Texas Country artist Gary P. Nunn and high-energy cover band, Party Machine. Tickets to the VIP area will cost $40 and seating is limited. Tickets sold out quickly last year, we encourage purchasing tickets online in advance. Tickets can be purchased at FortWorthsFourth.com. Food, soda, water and beer will be for purchase on site. Gates open at 2:00 p.m., live music will be from 6:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. and the largest fireworks show on the Fourth of July in North Texas will begin at approximately 10:00 p.m. Fort Worths Fourth is made possible thanks to presenting sponsors Tarrant Regional Water District, Andrews Distributing and Lockheed Martin. As well as supporting sponsors Tarrant County College, City of Fort Worth, Oncor, Streams & Valleys, Inc., NBC 5, 95.9 The Ranch, 92.1 Hank FM, Telemundo 39 and the Star-Telegram. The festival is produced by the Trinity River Vision Authority. Fort Worth's Fourth 2016 Monday, July 4 2 p.m. Gates Open 6 p.m. Live Music 10 p.m. Fireworks Panther Island Pavilion Banks of the Trinity River 395 Purcey Street Downtown Fort Worth, TX 76102 www.FortWorthsFourth.com Advertising sponsored in part by: What to Know Police are warning DFW residents about a scam. It's called "virtual kidnapping." Scammers will do whatever it takes to try and get you to wire them money over the phone. Cedar Hill police are warning North Texas residents about a kidnapping scam but it's one that doesnt actually involve any stolen children. "Virtual kidnapping" is the term police use in reference to a con where scammers use fear and threats over the phone to force people into wiring them money. Just Tuesday afternoon Cedar Hill police said a case of virtual kidnapping was nearly a success for one scammer. Police described a resident who received a phone call from a man who claimed he had his daughter held at gunpoint. The man threatened to kill his daughter if he didn't leave the house to go to a bank in the next 30 seconds and wire him money. The resident left his house immediately, police said. Luckily, the resident's wife was home and she went to check their daughter's bedroom where she found her safe and sound. The scammers hung up after being caught in the act by the resident, police said. This is a type of scam "in which no real physical harm or danger exists but scammers use time and intimidation tactics to force their victims into wiring them money," Cedar Hill police said in a statement. Police added that the scam has been around for quite a while, and they warn anyone who thinks they may have been scammed to contact police as soon as possible. Here is some more information from the Cedar Hill Police Department about virtual kidnapping: The scammers may know your name and the name of a loved one who's being threatened. They may even know the area where you are and they'll prove it by telling you what exit to take or even the exact bank to go to. They will do everything they can to keep you on the phone. In many cases, they get this information from social media profiles which are open for public viewing. Be sure to check your privacy settings on all of your social media accounts. A former American Airlines operations manager who learned of the first Sept. 11 hijacking before the jet struck the World Trade Center is set to plead guilty to a federal interstate child-sex charge in Pittsburgh. Frank Walker, the attorney for 55-year-old Ray Howland, confirmed his client will plead guilty Wednesday afternoon. Howland, of Arlington, was arrested near Pittsburgh International Airport last June by an undercover state attorney general's agent who posed as a woman with a 10-year-old daughter. Howland used an iPad and a cellphone to send explicit messages after posting online that he was "looking for a family or a couple of girls" for sex while in town on business, Walker said the plea deal includes an agreed-upon 10-year prison sentence. He says Howland has undergone counseling and has his family's support. Authorities said one person was injured in a crash involving a Dallas police officer Wednesday morning. [[383922691,C]] Dallas police said officer and another vehicle involved in the crash near the intersection of Marsh Lane and West Northwest Highway at about 5 a.m. Dallas Fire-Rescue officials said one person involved in the crash was transported to a hospital. There is no word yet if the officer was transported. No further details have yet been released. An unattended bag found near a Terminal D ticketing desk Wednesday at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport was not dangerous, airport officials say. The bag was reported near the check-in area for Korean and Emirates airlines, in the south ticketing hall of the international terminal at about 10 a.m., according to travelers who spoke with NBC 5. DFW DPS responding to an unattended bag at a Terminal D ticket counter. Customers have been moved from the area. D22 & D30 checkpoints open. DFW Airport (@DFWAirport) June 22, 2016 Passengers in the terminal told NBC 5 that security cleared everyone from the area and brought in dogs to investigate the bag. Airport officials said shortly before noon that "the investigation of the unattended bag didn't reveal anything of concern." Departure entrance closed at @DFWAirport terminal D, because of security concern, command post set up. #NBCDFWNow pic.twitter.com/W4wLyEByiV Alice Barr (@AliceBarrNBC) June 22, 2016 "The situation in Terminal D is all clear and operations are returning to normal," airport officials said in a statement. "Customers have been allowed back into the south ticketing hall and all areas of Terminal D, and check-in and security checkpoint operations are resuming." While the bag was investigated, the south hall and D18 security checkpoint were closed and travelers were diverted to security checkpoints at D22 and D30, which remained open and operational. News about 10 pregnant women in Dallas County who preliminary tested positive for the Zika virus has many North Texas families concerned. Pregnant women are calling their doctors and looking for guidance. "Those are issues we are facing in our office these days and phone calls that we're receiving," said Dr. Ashley Zink, a maternal fetal medicine specialist. "The recommendations are evolving." Veronica Riojas had a routine visit with her doctor at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Plano on Tuesday. Her baby is due next week. "I had a mosquito bite and I showed it to my doctor. Thankfully, he reassured me it was OK," said Riojas. "I asked him three or four times." Riojas postponed a trip to Mexico and has taken extra precautions. "My dad got a big fog spray and did my whole backyard. We don't have any standing water. We got rid of our fountains," Riojas said. "I'm not outside as much. I have bug spray and I don't go anywhere." Dr. Richard Kaye will deliver Riojas' baby. "We're in Texas in the summer. It has been raining here. People are going to get bites. Until we get mosquitoes here with the Zika virus, they (pregnant women) should just consider those bites," said Kaye. "The primary question I get relates to travel, and I've had patients with travel plans to go to Mexico. Some have canceled and some have not." "It's a risk you can't recover from. There's not treatment for it. It is too high of a risk to take. Don't go," Kaye added. The city of White Settlement is set to reopen its troubled water park months after it was shut down. As NBC DFW reported in April, news that the Hawaiian Falls park was closing came as a shock to the 150 employees signed up to work there this summer. The city ended its operations agreement with Hawaiian Falls because the park was late with the rent. "They were supposed to pay us $600,000 last October and another $300,000 this April," City Manager Jim Ryan told NBC DFW last spring. "We have been working around the clock to make the park better than it's ever been," said Ryan. "The Park was in shambles when Hawaiian Falls left, but our city employees and staff mobilized to do six months of work in 60 days." The city is giving away a limited number of free tickets on opening day, which is set for Friday, July 1. Park hours are 11 a.m. through 8 p.m. until Aug. 21, when it will be open on weekends-only through Labor Day. A new food operator was hired to improve food quality and service in all four concession areas of the park, and overall pricing on admission, food and beverages will be lower than in previous years. Alcohol is banned from the park, but visitors can bring in their own outside food and drink in a small cooler. 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. 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. The last Democratic primary is done, President Obama, Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Oprah have all endorsed Hillary Clinton, and Sen. Bernie Sanders is increasingly out of the limelight. With the country now focused on the race between Clinton and Republican Donald Trump, how much bargaining power does Sanders still have? Can the Democratic socialist from Vermont push the Democratic party any further toward the left? "People are paying less attention to him with each passing day," said Seth Masket, an associate professor of political science at the University of Denver. "Without contests, without media attention, he doesn't have anything. He has every incentive to try and make some sort of deal pretty quickly." Sanders still has not ended his campaign two weeks after Clinton became the Democrats' presumptive nominee, the first woman to do so for either major party. But in a C-SPAN interview on Wednesday, Sanders conceded, "It doesn't appear that I'm going to be the nominee." He will address his supporters about what comes next for his campaign in a speech in New York on Thursday called "Where We Go From Here." "Real change never takes place from the top on down or in the living rooms of wealthy campaign contributors," he said last week when he talked about continuing to press for economic and social justice. "It always occurs from the bottom on up when tens of millions of people say loudly and clearly, 'Enough is enough,' and they become engaged it the fight for justice." Leah Wright Rigueur, an assistant professor at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government, said it continued to be important for Democrats to get the support of Sanders and his backers. He will campaign energetically against Trump, she said. Clinton met with Sanders last week and in an interview with USA Today the former secretary of state appeared to acknowledge Sanders' success in the primaries when talking about "progressive" Democrats being vetted as vice presidential candidates. Sanders said on C-SPAN that it would be a terrible mistake for Clinton to pick someone with roots in Wall Street. The Vermont senator could force fights at the convention over positions where he differs with Clinton -- over the U.S. relationship with Israel, whose prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, he has criticized, and the Glass-Steagall Act's banking regulations, which he would reinstate. He has called for imposing a ban on fracking and for federally administered single-payer health care, neither of which Clinton supports. He would raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour -- Clinton has said she backs $12 an hour though would encourage some states and cities to go higher. And Sanders opposes the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a trade deal Clinton championed while it was being negotiated but now is against. Sanders has already won an unprecedented say over the party's platform. He was awarded almost as many members on the committee writing the platform as Clinton, five to her six of the 15, and among his picks are James Zogby, an advocate for a more even-handed approach to Palestinian rights, and Cornell West, who challenged former Attorney General Eric Holder on why no banks were held accountable for the economic collapse in 2008. "His delegates to the platform committee are going to put forward a radical vision of what they imagine the Democratic Party to be," Rigueur said. "And so what happens after that is the hammering out of the platform." But presidents are not bound by a party's platform and most voters know little about them, said Keena Lipsitz, an associate professor at Queens College in New York City. Activists use them when they try to win over lawmakers and they can show how a party has evolved over time, but ordinary people care little about what's in them. "They dont really matter," she said. John Hudak, a senior fellow in governance studies at the Brookings Institution, said that although Sanders' performance in the primaries gave him some power to seek changes, he needed to be careful not to overplay his hand. "He is not going to get everything he wants because at the end of the day he did not win the nomination," Hudak said. "The longer that he holds out on endorsement and a sign of party unity, the less eager Democrats will be to meet whatever demands he has." House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi told reporters on Wednesday that she hoped Sanders would endorse Clinton before the convention. Sanders knows what is at stake in November, she said. "Two words: 'Donald Trump.'" Sanders persists in calling for a fundamental transformation of the Democratic Party. He wants a change in its leadership, primaries open not just to registered Democrats, same-day registration and the elimination of super delegates, the party officials and leaders who are free to vote for any candidate at the national convention at the end of July in Philadelphia. Sanders wants the chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee, Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, to be replaced. In the USA Today interview, Clinton noted that she did not choose Wasserman Schultz but also praised the congresswoman's commitment to defeating Trump. Masket said that he thought that the party would resist open primaries, which could enable voters other than Democrats to pick the nominee. Sanders might win a commitment for a task force to study the nominating process, maybe with Sanders as the chairman, he said. The national party has traditionally given state parties latitude about how to conduct their primaries. "It's not as if and it's important for Sanders supporters to understand this the DNC can wave a magic wand and change every nominating contest in the United States overnight," Hudak said. That said the Democratic Party could prompt nationwide changes if it wanted to, Masket said. The national committee protects Iowa's and New Hampshire's first in the nation voting status, for example. Eliminating super delegates could also be a sticking point, especially considering Trump's success in the Republican primaries. The Republican Party does not have super delegates. "It's sort of a tough sell for Sanders because in one sense there's a lot of skepticism of super delegates in the Democratic Party but if you look at what Republicans are doing this year, I imagine they wish to God that they had super delegates," Hudak said. "So I think the irony might be that if anything undermines Sanders desire to get rid of Democratic super delegates, it's the Republican nominee who is standing in the way." The Vermont senator should focus on building his movement, supporting candidates who share his views, finding a position that would allow him to further his goals, Lipsitz said. Were Democrats to regain control of the Senate, she could imagine him head of its budget committee. "Ultimately what matters is what Bernie Sanders does with all the excitement he's created and all these people who are following him," she said. "He needs to somehow turn that into something thats more long term." Only about half of his supporters plan to vote for Clinton in the national election, according to a Bloomberg poll of likely voters conducted earlier this month. Some of his supporters plan to demonstrate in his favor at the convention in Philadelphia from July 25 to 28. A group called Occupy DNC Convention, whose goal is to swing super delegates in Sanders' favor, has more than 28,000 members on Facebook. And more than a dozen former staff members from his campaign already have joined NextGen Climate, the group founded by billionaire environmentalist Tom Steyer to build political power to fight climate change. The question now for Sanders is whether he becomes an integral part of the Democrats' strategy, Rigueur said. "Given how exciting this primary season has been, I don't think Bernie Sanders is going to walk off into the sunset and disappear," she said. After an 80-year-old woman fought off a man who beat her and attempted to sexually assault her in her Hollywood apartment, Los Angeles police Wednesday were seeking the public's help in identifying the man accused in the attack. The man entered the womans apartment building about 4 a.m. Saturday at the Hollywood Knickerbocker Apartments near the Pantages Theatre, the Los Angeles Police Department said. The accused attacker was caught on surveillance video pressing buttons on the call box until somebody buzzed him in. Somehow, the man made it past a security guard in the lobby of the senior subsidized housing complex. He knocked on the victim's door and pushed his way in when she opened it, police said. The woman lives alone. He then beat her and tried to sexually assault her, LAPD said. "He attempted to sexually assault her and she fought back - he became aggressive and significantly beat her up," LAPD Captain Matt Blake said. The man eventually ran away, and the woman managed to get help at a neighbor's apartment. She was critically injured, police said. The attack was random and the woman had never seen the attacker before, LAPD Captain William Hayes said. The break-in had residents on edge as police posted a flier on the door, warning seniors of the attack. "Oh, that's indefensible," Philip Park, a resident at the apartment building, said. "He's the scum of the earth." Detectives with the Robbery-Homicide Division described the man as a 25-year-old, 6-feet tall and weighing 220 pounds. Anyone who spots him is encouraged to call LAPD at at (213) 486-6910. Summertime, above all seasons, handily taps into our longing for the simpler pleasures of youth. That might be a cooling sprinkler with an oscillating head, or a late-night campout in the yard, or a trip down to the stand on the corner, the one swirling softserve into crunchy cones. Finding that summery softserve dream, with a side of swanky nowness, is about to be a reality 'round Silver Lake, and a very money-saving reality at that. For on Thursday, June 23 Magpies Softserve will be giving away "treats on the house!" in celebration of their grand opening. Oh yeah. Free softserve. Summer really must be here. And, yes, we did throw down "swanky nowness," which means that the flavors of ye olde aren't really what Magpies is all about. You'll definitely find spins on chocolate and vanilla in the form of Malted Milk Chocolate and Sweetened Cream, of course. But look for au courant flavors like Green Tea Brown Rice, Yuzu Honey, Thai Iced Tea, Horchata, and Cuban Espresso. To top off all of the lickable loveliness? Look for Salted Caramel Sauce, Toffee Rice Krispies, Graham Cracker Streusel, and more. Chefs Warren and Rose Schwartz first had the idea of an old-school softservery while visiting Palm Desert, which is, of course, a primo, good-golly-it's-hot place to enjoy such a cool-down dessert. If you can't make June 23's gooey giveaway, you can still pop in and buy a cone, the better to see the leaps and bounds softserve has made since your youth. Find Magpies near the corner of Hyperion and Griffith Park, and visit any day of the week but Monday. Now, your softserve summer dreams are taken care of; where to buy an oscillating sprinkler, plus a puptent for a backyard campout. A frequent City Hall gadfly brought a box cutter to a Public Safety Committee hearing at City Hall Tuesday, a councilman confirmed. Councilman Mitch Englander, who chairs the committee, said he ordered the gadfly who goes by the name "Herman," and sometimes "Batman" in reference to the mask he sometimes wears to be removed from the meeting after he refused to stop dancing in the aisles while holding a doll adorned in a Ku Klux Klan outfit. Council aides said the gadfly's full name is Armando Herman. Los Angeles Police Department officers who were escorting Herman from the meeting noticed "a sharp object protruding from his pants" that turned out to be a box cutter, Englander said. Englander told City News Service he is not sure if Herman walked through City Hall's metal detectors to get into the building, but said it is "very concerning" when weapons are brought into a government building, given recent incidences in San Bernardino and other places. Police spokeswoman Liliana Preciado said a box cutter is not considered a weapon, and police did not arrest Herman. Englander acknowledged City Hall's metal detectors are "old," but added "that doesn't mean they're not functioning." He noted that an "updated security plan" was recently approved, but declined to discuss the plan. He said it included equipment replacement, but did not specify what would be replaced. While KKK garb and imagery are often allowed at City Council meetings under free speech and public meeting laws, council members in recent weeks have pushed back on speakers who employ such references. Englander said signs and props that serve as distractions are not allowed at meetings, which prompted him to dismiss Herman from this morning's committee hearing after his use of the KKK-style doll. Wayne Spindler, another gadfly, was arrested last month on suspicion of making criminal threats. Spindler had allegedly submitted a comment card at a meeting chaired by Council President Herb Wesson that was covered in pictures of a man hanging from a noose and a caricature of a KKK member carrying a sign that says "Herb=(N-word).'' No charges have been announced against Spindler. Wesson has since obtained a temporary restraining order that requires Spindler to stay a certain distance away from him, but still allows Spindler to attend and speak at public meetings. A group of "highly-prolific" burglars are in custody in connection with a string of crimes including "knock-knock" home burglaries across Los Angeles County and a violent home-invasion robbery in Duarte, sheriff's officials said Wednesday. On March 4, four men pulled into the driveway of a Duarte home in a luxury SUV. One of them got into a struggle with the homeowner in the carport, while the three other men forced their way into the home, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said in a news release. Inside, the men punched and kicked the homeowner's wife as she tried to fight them off, detectives said. The men grabbed the couple's belongings from a bedroom and began to take off. A driver who had stopped in front of the home when he noticed what was going was nearly carjacked by one of the robbers. Surveillance video and witness accounts helped detectives identify the robbers and their SUV. In addition to the home-invasion robbery, the men were believed to be responsible for two burglaries and two attempted burglaries that same day. The men were identified as Los Angeles residents Ronald Wayne Johnson and Dion Andre Smith, both 24, and Timothy Dwayne Johnson, 29. The suspects are believed to be involved in numerous other residential burglaries in Los Angeles, Arcadia, Downey, Burbank, Glendale, Pasadena and Glendora, detectives said. "All three suspects are experienced, calculating and violent criminals, and documented South Los Angeles-area criminal street gang members," the sheriff's department said in the news release. The fourth man has yet to be charged, deputies said. Timothy Johnson, who is not related to Ronald Johnson, was already serving a four-year prison term in a Pasadena burglary and police pursuit case that led to his arrest four four days after the Duarte home-invasion. He faces additional charges including robbery, attempted carjacking and residential burglary, plus a criminal street terrorism act enhancement. If convicted, he will face a maximum prison sentence of more than 180 years. On June 14, Ronald Johnson was arrested at Los Angeles Airport Courthouse, where he was appearing on another residential burglary charge from a recent arrest by Beverly Hills police, detectives said. He faces 13 new charges including burglary and robbery, along with a criminal street terrorism act enhancement. If convincted, he could receive a maximum sentence of more than 200 years. He is being held in lieu of $1.42 million bail. On March 18, Smith was arrested. Charges filed against him include robbery, attempted carjacking and residential burglary, plus a criminal street terrorism act enhancement. He faces a maximum prison sentence of more than 165 years if convicted. He is being held on $1.04 million bail. Sheriff Jim McDonnell advises homeowners not to ignore a suspicious knock at the door. "If you hear a knock don't just stay quiet inside the house," McDonnell said. "Acknowledge it, let them know you're there and you're not interested in whatever it is they're selling." Two Southern California men were convicted Tuesday of federal charges for attempting to aid the Islamic State terrorist group. Nader Salem Elhuzayel and Muhanad Elfatih M.A. Badawi who are both 25 years old were convicted of conspiring to aid a foreign terrorist organization. Elhuzayel was also convicted of bank fraud while Badawi was convicted of aiding and abetting an attempt to provide support for terrorists, as well as financial aid fraud. Badawi's mother cried as the verdicts were announced. She declined to comment later. Jurors deliberated for just over an hour before reaching verdicts Tuesday morning. During the trial, prosecutors characterized the Orange County men as obsessively praising Islamic militants in Iraq and Syria on social media as they shared photos of beheadings of "unbelievers." Badawi's attorney, Kate Corrigan, conceded that her client engaged in a great deal of "un-American" and at times "repulsive" speech, but said Badawi "was a lot of talk and absolutely no action." She claimed her client was duped by a dishonest Elhuzayel about what he intended to do with money Badawi loaned him. Elhuzayel's attorney, meanwhile, argued that his client should be acquitted on the legal technicality that the United States did not recognize the Islamic State as a terrorist organization at the time of the defendant's arrest. Elhuzayel used the ISIS flag as his profile picture on a Facebook account, according to prosecutors, who said Badawi in October 2014 made a video of Elhuzayel swearing allegiance to the leader of ISIS, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, and pledging to travel to Syria to be an ISIS fighter. In March 2015, Badawi received a $2,865 Pell grant, which prosecutors said he used two months later to purchase a one-way airline ticket for Elhuzayel from Los Angeles International Airport to Tel Aviv, Israel, with a six-hour layover in Istanbul. Elhuzayel, who operated a scheme to rip off banks by depositing stolen checks into his personal accounts and then withdrawing cash from automated teller machines, was arrested at the airport. Assistant U.S. Attorney Deirdre Eliot told jurors the two would post provocative comments on social media, such as Badawi saying, "Either you're with (al-Baghdadi) or you're with Barack Obama." Elhuzayel posted at one point, 'May God grant us 72 virgins" for martyring themselves, Eliot said. Elhuzayel's attorney, Pal Lengyel-Leahu, characterized his client's social media activity as "cheerleading," which would be protected free speech "even if it makes you cringe." He likened it to "picking sides'' between the Yankees and Red Sox. Elhuzayel is an Israeli citizen and was flying there to marry a woman he had met online, Lengyel-Leahu said. His baggage was checked through to Israel, the attorney said. Lengyel-Leahu told reporters after the verdicts that his client would have run into trouble if he tried to enter the Islamic State with an Israeli citizen's ID and passport, indicating he was traveling to get married, not aid terrorists. Badawi's attorney said his "misguided friendship" led him to give Elhuzayel his Pell Grant money to buy the plane ticket. Badawi, at 6-foot-4 and about 125 pounds, is in no physical shape to be an Islamic State fighter, Corrigan said, joking, "I could take him." Badawi had no idea his friend was allegedly stealing money in the check-cashing scheme, Corrigan said. Badawi made headlines in December when he lost so much weight while in custody that U.S. District Judge David O. Carter issued an order to force-feed him. At one hearing, Carter even reached into his pocket to buy peanut butter, bread and other groceries for Badawi at a local store so he could have something to eat in court and avoid the force-feeding. Elhuzayel, who is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 19, could face hundreds of years in prison. Prosecutors have also filed an assets forfeiture action against the defendant, meaning he could have to pay up to $5,000 to the government, his attorney said. Badawi, who is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 26, faces up to 35 years behind bars. The mass shooting of 49 victims in Orlando in which the killer called 911 pledging allegiance to the Islamic State prompted Carter to question jurors again about their ability to remain neutral as evidence was being presented. One woman said she could no longer serve on the jury, so she was excused, Corrigan said. Corrigan said the verdicts should give "a clear signal to all young people" to watch what they say on social media. "Ultimately, it was their Twitter feeds, Facebook posts, texts and calls that took these young men down," Corrigan told reporters. Badawi's family fled the genocide in Darfur and were "educated, hardworking folks," Corrigan said, adding her client is "gentle" and soft-spoken and that his friend, Elhuzayel, led him astray. If Badawi hadn't have used his Pell grant money to buy the ticket for his friend, he might not have ended up in court, Corrigan said. "He made a critical error," she said. Corrigan characterized Elhuzayel as "stupid" and a "gutless wonder," and she ridiculed his attorney's argument that the government had not yet recognized ISIS as a terrorist organization. Badawi faces an even greater threat than prison if he is deported as expected, Corrigan said. She said that could amount to a "death sentence" for her client. Joining together, in song, has long been a way to heal, to raise hope, and to honor the memory of those who have gone. The Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles responded to the shooting at Pulse nightclub in Orlando with an emotional appearance at a Los Angeles City Hall gathering on Monday, June 13. The spirit of "Gentle Angry People" imbued the large crowd, with the chorus hewing close to the idea that the victims will remain at the forefront of people's hearts and minds. The honoring of their legacy and lives will continue at Saturday, June 25 and Sunday, June 26 when the Mano a Mano, a gay men's chorus from Cuba, joins the Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles on stage at the Alex Theatre in Glendale. Pulse Victims Fund will receive a portion of the proceeds from both shows. "Oye Mi Canto From LA to Havana" will dovetail with "the GMCLA's mission of changing hearts and minds through the power of music." Rhythms described as "muy caliente!" and soaring ballads with roots in Cuban tradition are on the stirring setlist. Look for a few "modern American pop songs reinvented with a Latin twist" that will also keep the energy strong. It's a joint concert that can be enjoyed twice, on the evening of the 25th and at the matinee the following day. If you can't make the show, or you can but want to donate an additional sum to the Pulse Victims Fund, you can do so through the fund's GoFundMe page. A teenager who had a role in a leaf blower prank that sent moviegoers into a panic at a Newport Beach theater last summer was sentenced Tuesday to 100 hours of community service and three years of probation. Colin Hunter Davis, 19, pleaded guilty to participating in an unlawful assembly, disturbing the peace and trespassing with the intent to interfere with business all misdemeanors. Police also questioned a 16-year-old boy, a 16-year-old girl and a 17-year-old boy in connection with the Aug. 8 prank at the Edwards Big Newport 6 theater, but it was not immediately known if the teens were named in a juvenile petition. During a screening of "The Gift," a psychological thriller, one of them entered the theater through an emergency door, holding a leaf-blower over his head, police said in a news release. He yelled, shook the leaf-blower, revved its engine to "create a loud and disturbing noise," and left through an emergency exit. The audience panicked and scrambled for the exits, causing three people to sustain minor injuries. One theatergoer suffered a broken toe, according to prosecutors. The prank came after a massacre that claimed 12 lives and wounded 70 during a midnight screening of a Batman movie in Colorado in 2012. City News Service contributed to this report. A North Texas man fatally shot his wife and her twin sister in a case of domestic violence Monday night, McKinney police say. [[383713921,R]] McKinney police said they found 49-year-old Karen Bigham and Kathy Boobar dead inside a house on the 2800 block of High Pointe Boulevard about 5:20 p.m. "All they seem to do was give, give, give," said Tim Boobar, Kathy's husband. "Both of them were very active in the community." Their giving spirits and celebrating their lives are what Boobar says family wants to focus on right now. "We have hope that we'll see them again one day in Heaven, and we know that we might not understand why they had to leave us so soon, but we're going to cherish the time that we had with them," said Carly Boobar, Kathy's daughter. "Look back at all the fun memories and laughs and smiles and all the good times we had together." Karen Bigham was very active in her children's lives and ran a salon out of her home. Kathy Boobar was President of a Dallas investment firm and active in the Collin County Junior League and Womens Auxiliary to Childrens Medical Plano. "We just want everybody to know what giving people they were and how much they gave both to their families, as well as, their community," Tim Boobar said. An arrest affidavit obtained Tuesday reveals more about what led to their deaths. Bigham's estranged husband, 50-year-old Kelley Eugene Bigham, of McKinney, was detained in Rains County, east of Dallas, and charged with murder, according to McKinney Police Officer Sabrina Boston. [[383722401,C]] Bigham's bond is set at $1.5 million. No attorney information for Bigham is available. The couple's college-age daughter, Kylie, ran to a nearby house to ask for help as the shooting happened, neighbors said. According to the arrest affidavit, Kylie told police her mother told her she was divorcing her father and that he threatened to kill her on June 15 while holding a gun. Kylie told police her mother asked her to come to her house on Monday while her father was there to pick up some belongings, the affidavit said. Kylie said she was there with her young son and her mother and was doing her aunt's hair in a room of the home used as an in-home salon. In the affidavit, police said Kylie reported being in the kitchen with her father when he abruptly pulled out a handgun and told her she needed to leave. Kylie said she grabbed her son and ran out of the rear door as she saw her father enter the salon, according to the affidavit. She said she heard her mother yell for 911 to be called shortly before hearing two gunshots and a woman's scream. Kylie later told police that after the shooting, her father texted her a message that said, "I'm sorry," according to the affidavit. You can read Bigham's full arrest warrant here. NBC 5's Frank Heinz and Jocelyn Lockwood contributed to this report. What to Know Coast Guard officials are still searching for a Florida man and his three kids who still have not returned to shore or been heard from. A body found by Coast Guard crews has been identified by family members as one of three missing children who were last heard from on Sunday when they set sail with their father in the Gulf of Mexico. The children's aunt, Sadie Dilts, told NBC News via telephone the body was that of 17-year-old Rebecca Kimberly. Dilts said that the teen's mother was notified that the body was found 44 miles off the Florida coast wearing a life vest. The Coast Guard is expected to hold a 10 a.m. press conference to give more details. The body was spotted by a Coast Guard helicopter at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Case said, and sent to local authorities to be identified. Earlier in the day, six life jackets, four water bottles and at least one tennis shoe were found. A yellow kayak and a green kayak were also discovered Wednesday afternoon, authorities said. Case said an aircraft spotted the field of debris "a dire finding" 33 miles off the coast of Sanibel. A basketball, tarp and propane tank were also found, but the family members and their 29-foot sailboat remain missing. #USCG search-and-rescue crews continue to search for missing family west of Sanibel Island, FL. pic.twitter.com/0LLfphBwGJ USCGSoutheast (@USCGSoutheast) June 22, 2016 Case identified the father as 45-year-old Ace Kimberly, who has lived on the boat for about a year with his three children, including sons Roger, 13, and Donald, 15. The boat, which was anchored in Sarasota, departed Sunday morning for Fort Myers. The cities are about 60 miles apart. The family had planned to meet Kimberly's brother and make repairs to the sailboat, according to the Coast Guard. Kimberly told his brother Sunday afternoon "he was experiencing rough seas and thunderstorms and that he was worried and wanted his brother on land to send him some weather reports and that's the last that he heard from him," Case said. "The vessel was not in the best of shape." That afternoon, Kimberly called his brother to say the boat had been caught in squalls and 6-foot surf. He said he was "attempting to survive with his children" off the coast of Englewood, according to the Coast Guard. His brother contacted the Coast Guard on Tuesday to report them missing, Case said, adding that no distress call was placed. The Coast Guard activated its Maritime Emergency Response Team out of Fort Myers and continues to search the area by land and sea. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Charlotte County Sheriff's Office and Lee County Sheriff's Office are assisting in the search. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family," Case said. "I know this is a super difficult time for them, and we are doing everything we can and throwing everything we have at this search." Kimberly's brother said the boat had been towing two kayaks and had at least seven life jackets on board, according to Case. Anyone who enters the Gulf of Mexico is asked to keep a lookout and contact Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg at 727-824-7506 with any information. Ari Mason contributed to this report. Broward Sheriff's Office officials are investigating a shooting in Oakland Park that claimed the life of one victim. Authorities responded to a reports of shots fired at a vehicle near West Cypress Creek Road and I-95 in Oakland Park around 4 a.m. Wednesday. Christopher Washington, who was near the scene during the time of the shooting, said he heard a loud explosion and thought it was a crash. Washington added that he saw people standing in he middle of the road when they suddenly dashed away from scene. "I heard a big explosion last night and then minutes later people were running from the scene and I dont know exactly what happened but it was a big explosion," Washington said. Deputies say two people were taken to Broward Health North. One victim was pronounced dead at the hospital. Friends identified the victim as 24-year-old Leonard Hankins. The driver of the vehicle lost control and drove into a ditch near West Cypress Creek Road. The incident had traffic closed down in both directions. Authorities said the shooting could have resulted from an incident at a bar where the people in the car had been. Anyone with information is asked to call Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS. What to Know Passengers on a Delta Airlines flight bound for Miami International Airport experienced a slight delay after a potential threat. Passengers on a Delta Airlines flight bound for Miami International Airport experienced a slight delay while a potential threat was investigated. Flight 2057 was scheduled to leave New York Citys LaGuardia Airport around 7:50 PM Tuesday, but was delayed while authorities determined whether a threat made was credible. "The police officer said something about a bomb threat and they weren't sure," passenger Lety Perez said. "They don't think it was something accurate but they still have to check the whole plane and everything. After determining all was safe, the flight took off and arrived in Miami shortly after midnight, about an hour after its scheduled landing time. Delta Airlines releases a statement, saying in part that "as a precautionary measure, a security sweep of the aircraft was conducted. No security issue was identified and the aircraft was cleared to return to service." The FBI have arrested a woman who robbed a Fort Lauderdale bank Tuesday afternoon and a Miramar bank earlier this month. The FBI announnced that Ashley Cambridge, 27, was arrested for her alleged involvement in multiple bank robberies. The robbery happened around 1:15 p.m. on Tuesday at the Suntrust Bank at 501 E. Las Olas Boulevard, officials said. The first robbery occurred a Spacecoast Bank branch in Miramar on June 16. Authorities say she fled with money but the amount wasn't released. There were customers in the bank at the time but no one was injured. Authorities have arrested a karate instructor they say solicited an 11-year-old boy for sex. Orlando police tell news outlets that authorities arrested 21-year-old Stephannie Figueroa last week on charges including attempted lewd or lascivious conduct, solicitation of a minor via computer and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Police say the boy's mother contacted officials after finding inappropriate text messages including nude images from Figueroa on her son's phone. Figueroa was booked at Orange County Jail. It's unclear if she has an attorney. A contest to give away a semi-automatic rifle is still on despite the original post being taken down by Facebook. Greg Evers, who's running in the Republican primary for the open seat in Florida's 1st Congressional District, announced Monday he's giving away a "Homeland Defender" AR-15 rifle on July 4. But Monday night, Facebook pulled a post about the contest showing the rifle for "promoting graphic violence." The Evers campaign says someone based in California reported the post. Campaign spokesman Brian Burgess said they had anticipated someone would object and that all contest entries have been saved. Anyone in Evers' district can still enter by liking Evers' Facebook page or by liking and sharing one of Evers' posts. Burgess said the original post had more than 1,100 likes and nearly 900 shares. Evers announced the giveaway barely a week after a shooting at a gay nightclub killed 49 people in Orlando, which is about a five-hour 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 Authorities are investigating a bizarre burglary at a Tamarac home where a pair of suspect stole an empty wine bottle. The burglary happened the night on May 18 at a home in the 8400 block of Northwest 80th Court, Broward Sheriff's Office officials said Tuesday. The home's surveillance cameras were rolling when the suspects smashed a rear sliding glass door to get inside and remove the empty bottle from the wine rack. Both suspects left the home and put the bottle on the pool deck before fleeing the home. Authorities described the suspects as white males. Anyone with information is asked to call Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS. 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. A Tampa youth pastor is facing sexual battery charges after authorities say he had sex with an underage girl. The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office reports in a news release that 26-year-old Samuel Sutter was arrested Saturday and charged with five counts of lewd and lascivious behavior with a victim aged 12 to 16 and five counts of sexual battery. Authorities say Sutter began a relationship in October with a girl who attended Openwater Church, and the relationship escalated into numerous sexual encounters at Sutter's home and twice in the church's bathroom. The release says the girl's mother called police after she found evidence of the relationship and confronted her daughter about it. Sutter remained jailed Monday on $100,000 bail. Jail records didn't list an attorney. Miami-Dade Police are looking for a woman who they say was caught on camera robbing a Westchester drug store last week. The robbery happened at the Walgreens at 8665 Bird Road on June 13 when the suspect entered the store and picked up several items, police said. When the woman approached the cashier as if to pay and the cashier opened the register, the woman put her hand inside her jacket and implied she had a weapon, police said. The woman demanded the cashier give her all the money in the register, then fled the store on foot with just over $1,000, police said. Police described the suspect as a black female, 30-35 years old, with a heavy build. Anyone with information is asked to call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Three people were arrested with multiple loaded guns, knives and ballistic vests at the Holland Tunnel Tuesday when police stopped them for driving with a cracked windshield, authorities tell NBC 4 New York. John Cramsey, 50, and Dean Smith, 53, both of Zionsville, Pennsylvania, and Kimberly Arendt, 29, of Lehighton, were stopped on the New Jersey side of the tunnel around 8 a.m., authorities said. A search of their vehicle -- a brightly colored Dodge utility vehicle with logo decals for Tonka, Monster energy drinks and another one that read "Higher Ground Tactical", apparently a gun range and shop in Emmaus, Pennsylvania -- revealed the weapons cache. The guns seized included long-range weapons as well as handguns. A camouflage helmet with what appeared to be night goggles was also recovered. The Feast/Collin Flatt 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. A Colorado man is accused of pouring gas on his girlfriend and setting her ablaze in front of her two young sons. Court records say the victim sustained burns on 60 percent of her body and is hospitalized in serious condition. KUSAs Anastasiya Bolton reports. Drugs were in the vehicle along with the guns, according to one law enforcement official. 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, The Associated Press reported. 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 truck, which had a picture of the U.S. Constitution and the Second Amendment on the side and sported an arrow as an antenna, was impounded after the stop. It's not clear if the truck was owned by Higher Ground Tactical. NBC 4 New York has reached out to the company for comment. The investigation is ongoing. [NATL] Top News Photos: Pope Visits Japan, and More Hillary Clinton pushed back against Donald Trump's questions about her religion and her competence Wednesday, casting him as a candidate with not much else to say about how he'd lead the nation. Over two consecutive days, Trump has sought to focus his struggling campaign on Clinton, as Republican leaders have demanded. On Tuesday, in a video clip of his remarks, Trump appeared to suggest the public doesn't know "anything about Hillary in terms of religion." Clinton, who has spoken and written about her faith, on Wednesday retorted with a quote from John Wesley, the founder of Methodism. "As we Methodists like to say: do all the good you can for all the people you can in all the ways you can." Clinton also went after Trump for remarks in which he accused her of being "a world class liar" who personally profited from her tenure at the State Department. "She gets rich making you poor," Trump said hours earlier during an address in New York. "Think about it. He's going after me personally because he has no answers on the substance," Clinton told supporters at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds in Raleigh. "So all he can try to do is try to distract us. That's why he's attacking my faith. Sigh." Both presumptive presidential nominees are attempting to unite their fractured parties ahead of the nominating conventions. As Trump works to right his campaign from weeks of turmoil and poor fund-raising, Clinton was addressing her own challenge: drawing the supporters of Sen. Bernie Sanders. She's vanquished him in the critical hunt for enough delegates to clinch the Democratic presidential nomination, but Sanders has not endorsed Clinton. On Wednesday, he allowed that it's apparent he will not be the party's nominee. On Capitol Hill, Democrats nudged Sanders to go further. "I know he knows what's at stake," said House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi of California. "Two words: Donald Trump." Added Rep. James Clyburn of South Carolina, "I would love to see Mr. Sanders endorse. Go all in." Clinton, assured of her party's presidential nomination, paired her response to Trump with a populist pitch aimed at white, working class voters who backed Sanders and are now being courted by Trump. The nation, she said, needs an economy that, "works for everyone not just for the rich or the well-connected." She also castigated Trump's "reckless ideas that will run up our debt and cause another economic crash. I'm here today to offer an alternative." Noting his famous catch-phrase from NBC's "The Apprentice" "You're fired!" Clinton said if elected president, "I'm going to make sure you hear, 'You're hired!" The former secretary of state said she would push an array of economic policies aimed at creating better-paying jobs building roads and bridges, offering debt-free college to students and helping those with massive college debt. She also vowed to pressure companies to share their profits with workers and curb the influence of Wall Street. Earlier, Clinton received a rousing reception from House Democrats in her first stop on Capitol Hill since clinching the Democratic nomination. Greeted by chants of "Hillary, Hillary," Clinton promised to use her massive campaign infrastructure to help Democrats win congressional races as part of what she called a "50 state strategy." "She said: 'I know the difference between having the House and not having the House, and I want the House," recalled Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Wash. Clinton's and Sanders' campaigns are discussing ways of addressing key economic issues in the Democratic platform which will be approved at the Philadelphia convention, including trade, providing free college tuition and cutting student debt and expanding Medicare and Social Security. Democrats said there was little discussion of Sanders or Trump in the meeting, which was more like a pep rally for Clinton's campaign. At one point, the members ribbed Rep. Xavier Becerra who's been mentioned as a possible running mate when he poured Clinton a glass of water. Becerra later said that he is not currently being vetted as a potential running mate. Other potential contenders include Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, who will campaign with Clinton on Monday in Cincinnati, Ohio, Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro. The defense attorney for a woman accused of fatally sabotaging her fiance's kayak on the Hudson River says his client may have miscarried during an 11-hour interrogation. Angelika Graswald's attorney, Richard Portale, also said during a pretrial hearing that his client -- a Latvian immigrant -- asked investigators "Who's Miranda?" hours after being read her Miranda warning, which informs suspects that they can say nothing about a crime and obtain a lawyer. State police Investigator Donald DeQuarto said in the hearing on whether Graswald's interrogation could be used during the trial that he he believed Graswald understood her rights when she admitted to removing the drain plug of Vincent Viafore's kayak in April 2015. DeQuarto says she also admitted to tampering with his paddle. Viafore drowned after his kayak capsized. According to the New York Times, DeQuarto also testified that Graswold had suggested she may have been pregnant during the interrogation and that two hours in, she mentioned she might've had a miscarriage. Graswald has pleaded not guilty to the crime. The dangerous clinging jellyfish that began to invade Barnegat Bay in New Jersey a few weeks ago are now multiplying like rabbits in the Shrewsbury River. Researchers went to Monmouth Beach Tuesday to collect dozens of the jellyfish that have been collected floating freely in the town's lagoons in the past three days. NBC 4 New York was the first to report the discovery of the invasive species in Monmouth Beach and Oceanport earlier this month. The swimmer who was stung in Oceanport landed in the hospital for two days after being stung by what he thinks was one of the jellyfish. The sudden population explosion is not encouraging for the Jersey Shore. "I'm not going into the river for the rest of the summer," said Emily Sgro. While the invasive creature is turning up in the back bays of New Jersey, the creature has not been found on the ocean beaches. Elmo, Elsa and other costumed characters are getting boxed in at Times Square. New rules went into effect Tuesday that restrict street performers to designated painted rectangles on the pedestrian plaza. The boundaries apply to anyone who is performing a service where there can be an exchange of money, including the costumed characters who for pose for pictures for tips and vendors selling tickets to bus tours or comedy shows. Those caught out of bounds could be arrested and face a fine of up to $500 or jail time. The color-coded zones are meant to rein in pushy panhandlers who have flooded the area, in some cases harassing passers-by and leading to assaults and arrests. Carmen Peles, from New Jersey, was dressed up as Elsa from "Frozen" and said she was already feeling locked up. "Everybody agrees, we feel like we are in a jail," she said. "You spend an hour in a box and see how you feel." Police Capt. Robert O'Hare, who heads a special Times Square unit, was out on patrol accompanied by police department lawyers as the new rules took effect. "We're not looking to hurt people here," O'Hare said. "If there's someone who's confused, we're here for clarification as well as enforcement." Sandy Kane, the Naked Cowgirl, lives in Manhattan. She has been playing guitar while wearing only pasties and underwear for nine years and thinks the rules are unfair. There are really only a few troublemakers and "the police should do their job and arrest them and leave the rest of us alone," she said. Michelle Wallin was visiting from Minneapolis and enthusiastically took a picture of her son with Elmo. As soon as the picture was snapped, Elmo pulled out a small laminated card that just said "Tips!" and presented it to Wallin, who retrieved a few coins from her purse and dropped them in the furry outstretched hand. "I think (the designated squares) are a great idea, especially when you have kids," said Wallin. "You get the choice of whether or not you want to engage." Around lunchtime, Titus Gandy, a protege of the famous Naked Cowboy, stood alone in one of the teal squares wearing only underwear, boots and a cowboy hat. He says he doubts his bottom line will suffer. "Nothing can affect my business unless they tell me I have to go home," said Gandy. New York's governor demanded an investigation Tuesday into allegations that a lane in one of the traffic-clogged tunnels connecting Manhattan to New Jersey was shut down as a special favor to a politically connected businessman accused of paying bribes to police commanders. Gov. Andrew Cuomo directed the inspector generals for both the state and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to conduct investigations to figure out what role, if any, the Port Authority played in allowing the closure at the Lincoln Tunnel. "If members of the Port Authority or PAPD (Port Authority Police Department) participated in any fashion - through purpose or neglect - the State will deliver immediate and severe consequences," Cuomo said in a letter Tuesday. "We will simply not allow Port Authority facilities to be chips in some nefarious pattern of deceit." The closure was revealed Monday in a federal criminal complaint that charged the fundraising businessman, Jeremy Reichberg, and two high-ranking New York Police Department officers with conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud. They have all denied wrongdoing. U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said the officers accepted free flights, prostitutes, expensive meals and other bribes in exchange for "a private police force for themselves and their friends." Court documents said a cooperating witness told the FBI that Reichberg "using his connections in local law enforcement agencies was able to arrange for the closure of a lane in the Lincoln Tunnel and a police escort down that lane for a businessman visiting the United States." The court papers did not identify the businessman who was being escorted and did not disclose when the closure occurred. "If this is true, it is deeply troubling," Cuomo said. Spokesmen for the New York Investigator General and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey did not immediately respond to requests for comment Tuesday. When asked to comment Monday on the lane closure and other allegations, Reichberg's lawyer, Susan Necheles, said her client "did not commit a crime." She said his "only mistake" 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." A former Port Authority of New York and New Jersey official and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's former deputy chief of staff face federal charges in connection with the 2013 lane closures of the George Washington Bridge. The scheme was alleged payback when a Democratic mayor didn't endorse Republican Christie's re-election bid. One defendant has pleaded guilty in the case; two others still face numerous charges. Christie has denied any involvement and not been charged. Five people were injured after two cars collided in Westchester, police said. A BMW and Toyota slammed into each other in New Rochelle just after 9:30 p.m. Tuesday. The crash was in a residential area near Lincoln Avenue and Wood Place. Two people were rushed to Jacobi Medical Center in critical condition and two others were taken to Westchester Medical Center in serious but stable condition. A fifth person was taken to Montefiore Medical Center. All of the victims were said to be in their early 20s. The driver of the Toyota had a broken leg. A passenger in that car had numerous injuries and was semi-conscious when first responders arrived. A third passenger was unconscious, police said. The BMW's driver was uninjured, but a passenger suffered injuries to his or her hand and leg. Police were investigating what caused the crash Wednesday morning. The drivers of both cars were cooperating with police. There were also several witnesses at the scene. The trio stopped at the Holland Tunnel with a trove of weapons and tactical gear pleaded not guilty in court Wednesday, a day after they allegedly posted to Facebook that they were heading to New York City to "do an extraction" of a girl involved with drugs. John Cramsey, 50, and Dean Smith, 53, both of Zionsville, Pennsylvania, and Kimberly Arendt, 29, of Lehighton, each face multiple weapons charges, including unlawful possession of a shotgun and handgun, possession of high capacity magazines and transportation of an assault rifle.[[384197261, C]] The trio appeared in the Hudson County Courthouse in Jersey City, where they made their first appearance since their colorful Dodge was stopped on the New Jersey side of the tunnel for a cracked windshield around 8 a.m. Tuesday, authorities said. Lawyers for the suspects said the search that uncovered the weapons was illegal and that they planned to challenge the seizure. The three suspects are each being held on $75,000 bail. Police found a weapons cache inside the truck, which was emblazoned with a photo of the U.S. Constitution and second amendment along with multiple decals that said Higher Ground Tactical -- an Emmaus, Pennsylvania, gun range and shop reportedly owned by Cramsey. The guns seized included long-range weapons as well as handguns. A camouflage helmet with what appeared to be night goggles was also recovered. The Port Authority and other law enforcement officials said that the trio were gun enthusiasts who had no link terrorism. The Feast/Collin Flatt Cramsey wrote on Smith's Facebook page early Tuesday 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, The Associated Press reported. Smith replied, "I'm there." The Morning Call of Allentown reported that Cramsey allegedly posted to Facebook shortly before his arrest that he was 11 miles outside Brooklyn and that the girl was scared to come home after "she woke to find her friend's body next to her in the same bed were [sic] her friend died from another heroin overdose." One of the suspects allegedly later told investigators that they were heading to Brooklyn to "rescue" the girl before they were stopped, officials said. It was unclear what, if anything, the weapons had to do with their plans, but an ammo box that was seized by police had a sticker that read "shoot your local heroin dealer." Three people were arrested with multiple loaded guns, knives and ballistic vests at the Holland Tunnel Tuesday when police stopped them for driving with a cracked windshield, authorities tell NBC 4 New York. Ida Siegal reports. 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. Higher Ground Tactical declined to comment to NBC 4 New York. [NATL] Top News Photos: Pope Visits Japan, and More A New Jersey black bear that walks upright on its two hind legs and has become a social media darling has re-emerged and has been captured on video months after its last sighting. The bipedal bear nicknamed Pedals was spotted in the town of Oak Ridge, NJ.com reported Wednesday. The bear appeared to be in relatively good health and was moving briskly in a video posted to Facebook featuring the bear. The man who posted the video wrote that he spotted the bear Monday. Pedals apparently has an injured leg or paw that doesn't allow it to walk comfortably on all fours, according to experts. Prior to the latest video, there had been no reported recent sightings and officials asked the public for help in locating the bear. Lawrence Hajna, spokesman for the state Department of Environmental Protection, said officials expect the bear to make it through next winter. "The bear has an indomitable spirit," Hajna said. [NATL] Unbelievable Animal Stories: Dog Befriends Abandoned Baby Giraffe The bear first gained fame after it was spotted ambling around neighborhoods and was caught on videos that were posted on social media and shown on national television. Last year, supporters pushed for Pedals to be moved to a sanctuary in New York state, but New Jersey officials have said they won't allow the bear to be captured and transferred to the facility. Hajna said at the time that the bear would do better in its natural habitat and the agency would step in if its condition deteriorated. Two motorcycles collided while traveling on the Taconic Parkway in the Hudson Valley Wednesday afternoon, prompting authorities to shut down the southbound lanes of the highway, according to the New York State Police. Investigators crowded the scene near Bryant Pond Road in Putnam Valley shortly after the 1:30 p.m. accident; one of the motorcyclists was airlifted to a hospital with life-threatening injuries, authorities said. Commuters are asked to detour from the Taconic State Parkway to Peekskill Hollow Road to Bryant Pond Road to Barger Street, onto US Hwy 6, and return to the southbound lanes of the Taconic State Parkway. After one day, Elmo says the new blue activity zones in Times Square make him "feel like a caged animal." Luis Martinez, the Elmo impersonator and New Jersey native, said, I came here because it felt free, it felt good. But now that he is restricted in eight painted zones, he has one clear thought: they suck. The so-called Designated Activity Zones went into effect Tuesday. Costumed characters and street performers are only allowed to ask tourists for money in those zones, and movement outside the zones results in tickets and jail time. Some characters are happier about the zones than others. Robert Burck, also known as the Naked Cowboy, said Wednesday that the blue-area zones are the greatest thing that ever happened. https://www.instagram.com/p/BG-EMy3QwYN The 45-year-old Burck has been working in Times Square for 18 years. Burck says he makes more money in less time with the zones, and is able to stay in one place while people come up to him. Theres rules everywhere, not a big deal, Burck said. Just dont step out of the box. But Laura Suarez, a Gray Line City Sightseeing worker, said the zones are inhibiting. "We cant move around and do our thing, she said. Suarez says some tourists do not know about the zones and we cant go up to them. Suarez explains she gets paid for commission on tickets sold, and the new restrictions do not allow her to engage with people and explain the bus tours -- unless they talk to her first. She says she will respect the laws because she does not want to cause any problems. Tourist Lynn Conley, from Lakewood, New Jersey, likes the change. She said the "characters harass people" and she plans to stay away from the zones. A Springfield, Massachusetts, zoo remained closed on Wednesday as employees continued working to return an escaped monkey to its enclosure. Dizzy, a Guenon monkey, escaped while a staff member was caring for and cleaning out the monkey's enclosure at the Forest Park Zoo on Tuesday. Officials say it could be days before they get him back in the enclosure after someone threw something at the monkey, scaring him off. For safety reasons, the zoo was temporarily closed. It will remain closed until further notice. Dizzy got out when a zoo staff member exited the enclosure to answer a guest's question and the monkey manually twisted the door knob and let himself out. The zoo said this has never happened before. Zoo officials said they have located Dizzy inside the zoo and are working to return him to his enclosure. But the zoo has asked that the public and news media not approach the animal. "Dizzy Update: we are so very close to returning Dizzy to his home! There have been some misunderstandings, please note that the zoo has been closed all day and will continue to remain closed until further notice. We are inside Forest Park, but the park is run by city officials and we are not in a position to close the park. However, we are asking for the continued cooperation of the media and the public and to please stay back, do not come to the park if you do not need to, and if you are here and happened to see Dizzy, do not approach. We thank you for your help." the zoo said on Facebook on Wednesday afternoon. Dizzy weighs approximately 12 pounds and zoo staff said he poses no harm to the public. One year ago, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio announced his bid for the Republican presidential nomination while promising to not seek re-election. After failing in his run for the White House, the Florida senator is now reversing his stance and announcing that he will indeed run for a second term. The news was initially reported by the Washington Post and confirmed by NBC News. Rubio was elected in 2010 as part of the Tea Party movement that put several Republicans into both chambers of Congress. After dropping out of the running for the GOP nomination, Rubio was approached by Senate leadership in an effort to convince him to reconsider his initial pledge. Republicans who had announced they would run for the office said they would drop out if Rubio did run, including U.S. Rep. David Jolly and Lt. Gov.Carlos Lopez-Cantera. Several potential opponents on both sides of the aisle came out against Rubio for not keeping his promise to stay out of the race. Businessman and GOP candidate Carlos Beruff said that Rubio is more worried about keeping the job than doing the job, while U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy, a Democrat, said Rubio is treating Floridians like "a consolation prize. Rubio released a statement admitting that he changed his mind and said he has no problem with potential opponents using it against him, saying "I have never claimed to be perfect." Rubio went on to say that he is running because he feels Washington needs "principled, persuasive leaders" no matter who is elected President. Recent polls show Rubio easily winning the Republican primary despite his late decision, while being a slight favorite against both Democratic contenders. "Keeping Floridas US Senate seat Republican is a top priority for our party and for hardworking Floridians who reject Democrats policies of ineffective government that put Washington first. That is why we welcome Senator Rubios decision to run for reelection," Republican Party of Florida Chairman Blaise Ingoglia said in a statement. "From the chambers of the Florida House to the U.S. Senate, Marco Rubio has proven himself as bold leader who is focused on real solutions to the issues facing Floridians across the state and to the nation." The current presidential race embodies the cliche "truth is stranger than fiction" even when that fiction includes the latest, wildest and strongest run yet of "Veep." The fifth season of TV's best comedy ends Sunday with president-via-resignation Selina Meyer facing ouster from office after a tie election and subsequent back-room backstabbing by her own veep, who stands to succeed her (and wants her to return to the No. 2 spot). The HBO show, starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus, offered another sitcom master class this go-around as hilariously foul-mouthed Selina's single-minded quest to become the first woman elected president appeared cursed. There's nothing cliched, though, about the program, which put its own comic twist on old political sayings, among them: All Politics is Local Selina pinned her presidential hopes on gangly, ruthless and idiotic political operative Jonah Ryan (Timothy Simons), who her minions put up as a congressional candidate in his New Hampshire home district, hoping to sway the state to her. Jonah, who stomped over his former second grade teacher to win, of course, screwed up when Selina needed him most. But he outdid Selina by one measure: making the most obscene utterance yet on "Veep" in front of a class of grade-schoolers. Politics Make Strange Bedfellows Selina went all the way with her treacherous vice president, Tom James (Hugh Laurie) likening the act (in coarse terms) to his attempt to snatch away the presidency. She previously bedded a Wall Street titan (John Slattery) who was advising her presidential opponent and whose firm she shafted out of a bailout. Meanwhile, Selina's hapless daughter, Catherine (Sarah Sutherland), exposed her mother's dalliances (and power obsession) with a documentary. The attention-starved first daughter also found love: with a Selina look-alike Secret Service agent (Clea DuVall). The Buck Stops Here After a damaging news story in which an unnamed staffer calls Selina a very, very bad word, the president orders an internal investigation. Everyone denies guilt, but it turns out they all said it at one time or another except for Selinas naive and loyal bagman Gary (Tony Hale), who fears hes going to be fired for calling her a crone. Selina, who casts blame constantly, leads by example. She set up an unpopular (Diedrich Bader) staffer to take the fall and prison time for a scandal. He came back, of course, to haunt her at election time. Speak Softly and Carry a Big Stick A recurring "Veep" delight has been Selina whispering insults through her forced smile during public events and private diplomatic sessions. This seasons best case-in-point: when she charmed, then bullied a folksy rep (Stephnie Weir) into supporting her reaming out the lawmaker with foul language before making her give in with a cheery: "Okeydokey, Annie Oakley!" It Ain't Over Til It's Over Yogi Berra's famous saying, long ago co-opted by all spheres of competition, seems appropriate as the "Veep" season heads to its final installment. Whenever it looks like there's no hope, Selina finds new ways to defy conventional wisdom and wring much-needed laughs out of presidential politics. Jere Hester is Director of News Products and Projects at the City University of New York Graduate School of Journalism. He is also the author of "Raising a Beatle Baby: How John, Paul, George and Ringo Helped us Come Together as a Family." Follow him on Twitter. The first case of the Zika Virus in Chester County was confirmed on Tuesday. The Chester County Health Department released a statement notifiying residents of the case, involving a woman who had recently traveled to an area affected by mosquitos that carry the virus. The woman was not hospitalized and has since recovered. An alert was issued to all county heath care providers to remind them of the importance of following the testing and risk reduction guidance. Chester County Health Department Director, Jeanne Casner, reminds citizens that chances of contracting Zika in Chester County is minimal. Zika Virus is mainly transmitted though the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito, which are found primarily in warmer climates. The virus poses a larger risk to pregnant women, as the virus is shown to have a connection to birth defects. To date, 23 cases of travel-associated Zika cases have been confirmed in Pennsylvania, but the health department said no locally-acquired cases. For more information on the Zika Virus, residents can visit the Chester County Health Department website or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's website. A man who threatened to kill his girlfriend escaped from a work-release program about 50 miles north of Philadelphia, said auhotirites. Police in Norristown said 25-year-old Aaron Creekmore escaped a work-release facility in Easton Monday. The program is run by the Northampton County Department of Corrections. Creekmore previously threatened to kill his Norristown girlfriend, said police. The (Easton) Express-Times reports he was arrested last month in Montgomery County on simple assault and harassment charges after authorities said he choked his girlfriend, who is the mother of his children. [[383916331, C]] Creekmore was serving a six-month sentence for civil contempt in a domestic-relations case. It wasn't immediately known if the Montgomery County charges led to the civil-contempt charge in Northampton County. Police asked anyone who spots Creekmore to call 911. You can also leave an anonymous tip with Norristown police by emailing npdtips@norristown.org or calling 610-278-TIPS Republican Gov. Chris Christie on Tuesday proposed redistributing billions of dollars in educational aid from the poorest districts to hundreds of other schools, calling the current funding formula "immoral" and a factor in the state's highest-in-the nation property taxes. Christie, a high-profile adviser to presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, focused on a classic New Jersey boogeyman high property taxes, which the nonpartisan Tax Foundation rates as the country's highest and a long-simmering frustration that the state's school funding unfairly helps some residents while burdening others, with little to show for it. Christie wants to scrap a state formula that goes back to a 1985 state Supreme Court ruling requiring that 31 mostly urban, poorer school districts get a "thorough and efficient" education because, he says, results show the plan isn't working. The proposal drew opposition from Democrats and praise from Republicans. New Jersey distributes about $9.1 billion to schools, which get much of their funding from property taxes. More than $5 billion goes to the poorer school districts, with about $4 billion going to 546 remaining districts, according to Christie. Under his plan, each district would get $6,599 of state aid per student. That's a change from the current formula that applies to pupils in cities like Asbury Park, Camden, Newark and Trenton, where per-pupil funding is nearly $21,000. "That is an unacceptable, immoral waste of the hard-earned money of the people of New Jersey," Christie said during remarks at Hillsborough High School, one of the schools that would benefit under his proposal. The proposal could run into a brick wall, though, in the Democrat-led Legislature. Democratic Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto called the idea "unconstitutional" and "harmful," while Democratic Assembly budget chairman Gary Schaer called the idea "radical." "We're not just creating winners here. There are significant losers," Schaer said. "To suggest every child is the same is just not the case. To suggest every community is the same is just not the case." Republicans rushed to applaud Christie's proposal. "Nothing is more fair than treating students equally no matter where they live," said Assembly Minority Leader Jon Bramnick. But it's not that black-and-white, says the group that brought the case before New Jersey courts that resulted in the current funding formula. The plan is contrary to the Legislature's wishes and unconstitutional, Education Law Center executive director David Sciarra said. Christie's concentration on school funding and property taxes comes as polls show record-low approval ratings in New Jersey and as Trump, who named Christie to lead his White House transition team, endures a rough patch, including the firing of his campaign manager and a low monthly fundraising report. Christie did not take questions Tuesday. His proposal comes as the fiscal year near a close and his proposed roughly $35 billion 2017 budget still pending. Lawmakers are also hashing out a plan to fund road and bridge work, which is paid for through a fund that runs out of borrowing authority on July 1. It's also Christie's final year and a half as governor. "I have 18 months left in office, and I will not permit these fundamental truths to not be spoken and acted upon," Christie said. A brush fire that started in the range area of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst led to the evacuation of homes in Pemberton Townships Browns Mills community Wednesday afternoon. The fire started on the ranges of Joint Base MDL and spread to the Browns Mills area off Pemberton Browns Mills Road. Officials evacuated a small number of isolated homes in the area as a precaution. Although the fire is still on the MDL range area, the decision to evacuate the homes was a precautionary measure taken by officials to ensure the safety of everyone in the area, a spokesperson for the base wrote. Joint Base officials are currently working closely with the New Jersey State Forest Service and the Burlington County Fire Department to contain and extinguish the fire. As of 6:30 p.m., officials had an estimated 25 percent containment on 40 acres. No injuries have been reported and so far there are no reports of structural damage. Pemberton, Browns Mills and Livingston roads are all closed as firefighters continue to fight the flames. There were no mass shootings in Australia in the 20 years since the country enacted gun law reforms, according to a study, NBC News reported. Researchers at the University of Sydney conducting the study said they cant prove the measures caused the fall in gun-related deaths, but say they are worth discussing. Australia banned certain weapons in 1997, forcing owners to sell nearly 660,000 back to the government, according to the researchers. Another study showed that gun-related homicides dropped 7.5 percent per year following the reforms. The University of Sydney study was done to mark the 20th anniversary of the Australian law. It also coincides with a push in U.S. Congress to enact some reforms after the deadly mass shooting in Orlando in which 49 people were killed. Two local congressmen who are taking part in a sit-in on the House floor are speaking out about the protest and continued push for gun control in the wake of last week's mass shooting in Orlando. Rep. Bob Brady of Pennsylvania and Rep. Donald Norcross of New Jersey are among the 168 House Democrats who sat down and occupied the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives Wednesday. The democrats are demanding a vote on measures to expand background checks and block gun purchases by suspected terrorists. The lawmakers chanted, No bill, no break, and called on speaker Paul Ryan to keep the House in session through a scheduled recess next week to debate and vote on gun legislation. The protest is being staged in the wake of a shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando that led to the deaths of 49 people. On Monday four gun control measures were voted down in the Senate on largely party line votes. Here we are waking up this morning and obviously having been back in the district the last few days and listening to our constituents who are absolutely outraged over the lack of progress in congress, particularly after the murders in Orlando, Congressman Norcross told NBC10. They just cant understand why we cant get something done. The protest is being led by Rep. John Lewis of Georgia who was also a prominent figure during the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s. A group of individuals very simply got together to say enough is enough, said Norcross. Were going to try to force this vote and this is where we are today. Norcross described the type of measures the House Democrats wanted to enforce. There are 32,000 people a year who are killed by guns in this country, he said. Unacceptable by any measure. If youre on a terrorist watch list you should not be allowed to purchase a gun. Simple background checks to make sure that those people who are convicted felons or have other criminal backgrounds arent allowed to buy guns. Thats a success but this is just a step in the direction of making sure we cut down on those 32,000 people a year who are being butchered. Congressman Brady said theyre not pushing to take away weapons from responsible gun owners but simply want more extensive background checks. Were not trying to take anybodys gun away, Brady said. Just an extensive background check. People have been killed and what do we do? A moment of silence? Thats not good enough. We cant keep telling people that we cant try to do something to control this gun violence and when it happens were going to give you a moment of silence. Were just asking for some more. Brady urged Republican lawmakers to help them in pushing for the gun control measures. Its a Republican bill, Brady said. Put it on the floor and lets put a vote on it. Lets see what happens. They dont have the conscience to vote? Im sure the Republicans have the conscience to take the NRA money! Lets put a vote on the floor. Thats all were asking for. Brady said the protest will continue until they see some type of action. I dont know what theyre going to do or what they can do but whatever it is, were committed to staying on the floor until we get some kind of bill or some kind of commitment to put on the bill on the floor that we can vote on," he said. CLICK HERE for continued coverage of the sit-in. The littoral combat ship USS Coronado has departed for the first time from San Diego on an independent deployment to the Western Pacific. The USS Coronado is designed to operate near the shore and around shallow water to counter mines, submarines and fast surface craft threats. USS Coronado along with 70 sailors and crew members will participate in the Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC) which provides a unique training opportunity that helps participants foster and sustain cooperative relationships that are critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world's oceans. "This ship will play a critical role in the fleet and in our nation's defense, said Vice Adm. Nora Tyson, U.S. Third Fleet commander. RIMPAC provides a good opportunity for our partner navies to work with the ship and see how it can contribute to collective regional security." Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron Two Three (HSC-23) deployed with the ship along with the MQ-8 Fire Scout, an autonomous helicopter that works for surveillance and tracking off of the naval vessel. A proposed budget for a yoga curriculum in the Encinitas Union School District was passed during a board meeting Tuesday. The superintendent of the school district proposed a $500,000 budget to fund the program which would include paying for yoga instructors in the enrichment teacher program. During a meeting Tuesday, board memebers votes 4 to 1 to set aside $800,000 to pay for enrichment program instruction which includes yoga. The money for the program would come out of a general fund. But not everybody was on board with the idea. Approximately 40 to 50 demonstrators gathered outside of the district offices on Rancho Santa Fe Road before the meeting began. "It can be an enrichment but it doesn't need to be the crux of our curiculum," parent Sarah Mackay said. Parents say its unfair the district has asked them to help raise money for science, music and physical education but wants to spend district tax dollars for a yoga curriculum. "The district needs to be focused on the best interest of the kids and focus on, in school hours, on academics and that needs to be first, said parent Rebecca Thompson. But some parents and students told NBC 7, they are for the program. "I wanted them to know that it is a good program to have and it is good for kids," 4th grader Georgia Sporrer said. The Yoga class requirement will now be reduced from two classes a week to just one. That gives each school the opportunity to choose another day of yoga or some other wellnes program. A three-year grant that originally funded the program recenty expired. Two years ago, the district was sued over the program. But in April 2015, an appeals court ruled that teaching yoga does not represent an attempt at illegal religious indoctrination. On the districts web site, the board states the program received an 83 percent approval rating among participants and it has proven to be beneficial to students. The Border Fire is now 10 percent contained as more than 1,500 firefighters continue to fight to bring it under control. 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. The fire broke out Sunday morning around 11:30 a.m. near Highway 94 and Highway 188, north of Tecate, Mexico, and west of Campo. The community of Potrero was the first to evacuate Sunday afternoon when officials issued the mandatory order. Since then, mandatory evacuations were also ordered for Forest Gate, Star Ranch, Cowboy Ranch, Dog Patch and Canyon City. [G] Border Fire Scorches 7,609 Acres East of San Diego On Tuesday around 1:30 p.m., Cal Fire reported the fire was moving to the north and northeast and threatening 800 structures. The evacuation orders were extended to people living in a two-mile radius around Lake Morena Drive and Oak Drive west of Buckman Springs Road. Sheriffs Deputies went house to house in Lake Morena Village on Tuesday afternoon, informing residents to pack up their things and head for safer locations. They tied yellow caution tape around street signs and mailboxes in areas where people had already been notified. Some homeowners told NBC 7 they are choosing to stay in their homes until the fire is close. Until I start seeing the flames, then I'll start packing up, Lisa Murphy said. "We've all lived in the neighborhood for a long time in this community. We know the drill and how it goes with the wildfires." But others packed up their valuables and headed to safer ground. A little bit worried, said resident Aaron G. I think the fire departments got it under control but figured we'd do what they asked us to do and be safe. Mountain Health located at 31115 CA-94 in Campo has opened up their community center for displaced residents. 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. You can find information on shelters here. The San Diego Humane Society also set up pet shelters for companion pets and livestock. Large animal shelters were available at the Boulevard Customs and Border Protection station on 2463 Ribbonwood Rd. in Boulevard and Circle T Ranch at 24215 Viejas Grade Rd in Descanso. But as of 8 p.m., the Circle T Ranch had reached maximum capacity. You can find more information here. The attorney for a Coronado-based Navy SEAL accused of a homicide in Santa Monica says the Navy officer was attempting to stop the victim from taking pictures of girls. Theo Andrew Krah, 28, was arrested near his home in San Diego last Monday and charged with the homicide of Kris Anderson. NBC 7 spoke with Attorney Anthony Salerno on Monday. Salerno alleges Krah was at the Santa Monica Pier on June 11 and saw Anderson taking pictures of possibly young girls. He says Krah and Anderson got into a struggle but no one was injured or arrested. He has not been identified by witnesses as being the person that was even there who allegedly assaulted this person, Salerno said. According to Salerno, Krah noticed Anderson taking the pictures and confronted him about them. He demanded to see the pictures but the man did not want to show him. I want to know whats in that phone because I strongly believe that if youre out as an old guy, taking pictures of underage girls in bathing suits, it doesnt take Sherlock Holmes to figure out what else that guy mightve been up to and what he intended to do, Salerno said. He alleges that Krah did not get into a fight with Anderson but just held him down until police arrived. If you saw someone taking pictures of underage people, youd hope that someone would have the character and the courage to confront him, he said. Salerno claims that it wasn't until about an hour later that Anderson was found suffering from head trauma and a stab wound. Santa Monica police said they arrested Krah on June 13 for homicide. Krah is being held on a $2 million bail. Salerno says he trying to get hold of the victims camera to show what Anderson was doing before his death. Krah is due in court July 13. A man was arrested on Monday evening in Campo, California, after discharging a shotgun when an animal control officer responded to an emu in distress outside his home, sheriffs officials said. Sean Michael Shepherd, 31, was taken into custody on suspicion of negligent discharge of a firearm and felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. He was being held on $30,000 bail on Tuesday evening. It wasn't immediately clear if he has an attorney. Sheriffs deputies said the bizarre situation surfaced about 6 p.m. Monday in the 28000 block of State Route 94. An animal control officer on patrol spotted an injured emu. As he approached the animal, a man came out of his home and exchanged heated words with the officer, deputies said. The emu doesn't belong to the suspect, but is his neighbor's animal, officials said. Thats when the man went inside and returned with a shotgun, firing it into the air, deputies said. No one was hurt. The emu ran away and disappeared, according to authorities. The animals feathers were apparently burnt. While it wasn't clear what caused the emu's injuries, the incident happened in the area of the Border Fire, which has spanned 7,500 acres near Potrero and caused some injuries to animals. A Chicago graduate student posing for a picture fell to her death at a popular tourist destination along the coast of San Diego Sunday evening, according to police. Police say 25-year-old Anna Bachman fell between 40 and 50 feet down the coastal cliffs known as Sunset Cliffs west of downtown. Police, firefighters and lifeguards responded to a cliff rescue on Ladera Street and Sunset Cliffs Boulevard around 5:30 p.m. Bystanders, including two nurses, rushed down the cliffs and performed CPR, but were unable to revive Bachman. Bachman is from Cotati in Sonoma County but was working on her masters degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She was in San Diego visiting her sister, who was with her at the time of the fall. At this time, police do not believe alcohol was involved. "All indications are this was just a terrible, tragic accident," San Diego Police Lt. Paul Phillips said. Police shut down streets in the area as crews retrieved the body. Crisis counselors were also called for the victim's sister and for people who witnessed the horrific accident. Sunset Cliffs is a dangerous stretch of jagged coastline known to attract tourists and locals alike. The stretch of cliffs bordering the ocean in San Diego's Point Loma neighborhood is a popular spot for recreation and watching the sunset. Resident Alycia Van Dover says people don't understand how dangerous the cliffs can be. "I haven't see anyone fall off a cliff, but I have seen people get way too close," Van Dover said. "My worry is they're ignorant about how the cliffs work. Some of them are overhangs and if you get too close, you don't want it to erode underneath you," she added. Phillips emphasized the need for caution when visiting the cliffs. "You never know if there is some moisture on the rocks or what the case may be, but you've got to be careful," he said. Bachman was seeking a Masters Degree in Urban Planning at University of Illinois at Chicago, according to school officials. Jerry Frederick was helping a friend paint his house in Potrero, California, when he first saw the smoke Sunday afternoon. "I seen the smoke start up," Frederick said Tuesday from a Red Cross shelter in unincorporated El Cajon. "A couple more hours, and next thing I know, the Sheriff's coming in saying, 'you got to evacuate.'" Frederick was one of hundreds told to leave their homes as the so-called Border Fire, which started as a two acre blaze at 11 a.m. Sunday, quickly grew hundreds of acres large in the face of record-breaking heat and strong winds. A few hours after the blaze first started, it burned 7,500 acres, prompting a mandatory evacuation notice for residents of Potrero. At first, Frederick evacuated to Campo, where the first evacuee shelter was set up. A day later, evacuees moved to several different shelters as the fire spread before ending up Tuesday at the Red Cross shelter at Los Coches Creek Middle School. At noon Tuesday, the fire was 5 percent contained. Frederick said he still isn't sure if his home went up in flames. In his rush to leave, he did not stop home -- he brought nothing with him. "I have what I have. My clothes on, and thats it," he said. "Left the paintbrush in the paint cans and hauled out." He worries his home won't be there when the fire is contained and the evacuation order lifted. "It's stressful," Frederick said. "I wanna go home, but I dont even know if I got a home to go to." He said he worries about his roommate, Buster, who he believes may have had difficulty getting out of the house. He has yet to hear from him. As he drove out and away from Potrero, Frederick described some of what he saw. "All I seen is smoke, smoke, and black smoke, and getting worse and worse," he said. Cal Fire officials said steep terrain, dry vegetation due to the drought, winds, and hot temperatures have made the fire difficult to contain. Frederick praised the firefighters working day in and day out to contain the fire. "I'm amazed with them, working in that heat," Frederick said. "It amazes me that they can even survive. It's not an easy fight." He said he hopes everyone can go home soon. For the latest updates on the fire, click here. 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. A Maryland mother sharing a bed with her 7-year-old son awoke to his screams as a person attempted to kidnap the child through a window early Tuesday morning. Police in Prince George's County, Maryland are still searching for a person who tried to snatch the child while he slept at about 4 a.m. at a home in the 5900 block of L Street in Fairmount Heights. "It's real sad," said the boy's father, who asked not to be named. "You see it on TV all the time, but you don't feel it until it hits home." Police dusted the bedroom windowsill for fingerprints, but they have only a vague description of the suspect. Officers spent Tuesday afternoon knocking on neighbors' doors to try to uncover more information. "Children in our community are always vulnerable," said Officer Tyler Hunter. "When the child is the victim of any crime it's frightening." "Somebody's always doing something to children," said Sherry Allen, who lives in the area. She said she worries about children getting abducted from the library or from being outside without adult supervision. Police have also posted a sign in the area to urge residents to call the Prince George's County station with tips. The boy's father said he hopes police are able to identify a suspect in the case. "I would like to see some justice," he said. Two people have been arrested after a brawl involving rival motorcycle clubs outside a bar in Worcester, Massachusetts, last month. Jake Doherty, 32, of 84 Sears Island Dr., Worcester, and Michael Blair, 37, of 1039 Main St., Worcester, are each charged with one count of armed robbery, two counts of aggravated assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon (flashlight) and one count of aggravated assault and battery. The charges stem from an incident on the evening of May 8 at Suney's Pub at 216 Chandler St. Worcester Police were called to the bar at 7:20 p.m. for a reported assault, and upon their arrival they found two men - ages 25 and 54 - suffering from head injuries. They were treated by EMTs and taken to a local hospital. The younger victim said he was standing outside Suney's Pub when he was accosted by several men, who began to punch him and strike him with a large flashlight. The older victim was inside the pub and went outside to help, at which point he was attacked by the same group of men. He told police he was also struck on the head with the flashlight and punched numerous times. Witnesses told police there were approximately seven men attacking the two victims. In addition to being assaulted, the victims said their jackets and a cell phone were stolen from them. The victims were uncooperative when asked about the motive for the attack and the identities of the suspects. But investigators were able to obtain information that the two groups belong to rival motorcycle clubs. Both clubs had been having issues on social media and physical confrontations when they encounter each other. Police said the investigation is ongoing, and they are attempting to identify the other suspects. Anyone with information can call 508-799-8651 or send an anonymous text to 274637 (TIPWPD) or go to worcesterma.gov/police. Two men have been arrested and police say additional charges are possible in the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Raekwon Brown and non-fatal shootings of three bystanders earlier this month near a school in Boston's Dorchester neighborhood. Jonathan Aguasvivas, 23, of Roxbury, and Benzy Bain, 24, of Mattapan were arrested Wednesday in connection with Brown's fatal shooting on June 8 near the Jeremiah E. Burke School. Two other teens - ages 16 and 17 - and a 67-year-old woman also suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the shooting. Police said at the time that the shooting was believed to be gang related. Both Aguasvivas and Bain, represented by attorneys James Greenberg and Brian Kelley respectively, were held without bail by Judge Serge Georges at the prosecution's request during their arraignment at Dorchester Municipal Court Wednesday afternoon. Details of their involvement during the arraignment were kept spare because of the ongoing investigation; however, investigators said camera footage and other digital evidence, along with witness statements, helped contribute to the arrests. Last year, Aguasvivas was a passenger in a car whose driver shot Boston Police Officer John Moynihan in the face. He was arrested at the scene on outstanding warrants. The driver, Angelo West, was shot and killed by police. Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel Conley and Boston Police Commissioner William Evans said the investigation remains active and more charges could be forthcoming. "These arrests mark a step toward justice for Raekwon's family, but it is not the last step," Conley said in a statement. "We will not rest until those responsible for this homicide have been held to account for it." Evans added that he hopes the arrests bring "some small measure of comfort and solace" to Brown's family. But family members said Wednesday that nothing can numb the pain of their loss. "Our house is empty. Our hearts are broken," said Latasha Allen, Brown's sister. "It's still not justice because it is not bringing Raekwon back." "It's never going to feel comfortable. We're always going to be hurting. We're always going to be sad," added Patrice Velol, another of Brown's sisters. "We're always going to miss him and at the end of the day that's not going to bring him back. We're hoping to have justice but the question is why. He was 17." Anyone with additional information can call Boston Police at 617-343-4470 or submit a tip anonymously by calling the CrimeStoppers Tip Line at 1-800-494TIPS or by testing the word "TIP" to CRIME (27463). Burlington, Vermont, police say a fifth person is facing murder charges for the beating death of a man at a homeless encampment in the Vermont city. Police say 29-year-old Amber Dennis was arrested Monday and charged with second-degree murder for her role in the assault, which led to the death of Amos Beede. She's being held on $100,000 bail and is due to appear in court Tuesday. It's unclear if she has a lawyer. Police say Dennis was living in the encampment when Beede was assaulted May 22. He died six days later. Four other suspects who fled Vermont after the assault are being brought back to Vermont from San Diego to face murder charges. Investigators say Beede was attacked as part of a dispute within the homeless encampment. Police say the body of a 23-year-old Scarborough, Maine, man has been recovered from Portland Harbor. Police believe the man to be Matthew Foster, who was last seen on June 10. The Portland Fire Department recovered the body, which is going to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner to determine the cause of death. Witnesses saw the body in the water between Union Wharf and Widgery Wharf. Authorities used sonar to assist divers in trying to find Foster during a search last week. The search was suspended on Friday. A Maine police officer has been arrested for allegedly sending obscene material to an individual who he believed to be a 14-year-old girl. Garrett G. Brosnan, 25, of Bath - a police officer in Brunswick - was arrested Tuesday and charged with attempting to transfer obscene material to a minor, according to U.S. Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II. Authorities say their investigation began when the family of a 13-year-old girl in Flagstaff, Arizona, reported she had an intense, 5-day conversation with a man online that turned sexual. Federal agents took over and tracked down the IP address, and eventually zeroed in on Officer Brosnan. The agent created a fake online account to pose as a 14-year-old girl and messaged Brosnan. Court documents detail explicit conversations and images Brosnan allegedly sent earlier this month. Brunswick Police Chief Richard Rizzo says Brosnan has been placed on administrative leave pending the department's internal investigation. "The allegations, if true, are extremely concerning, disappointing, and are not in accordance with the high moral standards that I expect of my officers," Rizzo said in a statement. Chief Rizzo says Brosnan, who has served on the force for three years, passed a thorough background check and has never been disciplined before. He adds that Brosnan's fellow officers feel betrayed. He's due in U.S. District Court in in Portland on Wednesday. It's not clear if he has an attorney. A man who was allegedly pushed into the Charles River has died and the man accused of pushing him in is expected in court Wednesday for a charge of manslaughter. Massachusetts State Police arrested 27-year-old Lenny Quintero-Flores, of Malden, Tuesday. Investigators say the two men were drinking alcohol on a dock and the victim was sleeping or passed out when Quintero-Flores allegedly pushed the victim, 26-year-old Mitchell Harrison of Watertown, into the water intentionally. necn Harrison was rescued from the water and was transported to Brigham and Women's Hospital, where he later died. Lenny Quintero-Flores says victim was his best friend, they were just playing around @NECN pic.twitter.com/TX4yeAvqyf Monica Madeja (@MonicaReports) June 22, 2016 Quintero-Flores is expected to face a judge in Charlestown District Court. He is currently being held in lieu of $100,000 bail. It is not clear if he has an attorney. A sailor from Massachusetts died overseas from a non-combat related injury, according to the Department of Defense. Petty Officer 2nd Class Andrew J. Clement, 38, died Tuesday while deployed to Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti. The Pentagon says officials are still investigating his death. Defense officials say Clement was a mobilized Navy reservist who was assigned to the Navy Reserve Unit Tactical Air Control Squadron 22 in Quincy that was deployed to Camp Lemonnier. Clement lived in Peabody when he entered the Navy, but was a resident of Topsfield at the time of his death. Rev Nigel Fox, who has served as a Methodist Minister for 15 years in Norwich, shares an open invitation to pray for the nation at a crucial moment. Rev Nigel Fox, who has served as a Methodist Minister for 15 years in Norwich, shares an open invitation to pray for the nation at a crucial moment. Norwich church seeks musicians Kingdom Ambassadors International Church is appealing for instrumentlists, keyboardists and guitarists to be part of their worship experience. Read more Please keep Rishi in your prayers Andy Bryant urges us to pray for our political leaders, especially the new Prime Minister, and avoid unhelpful judgementalism. Read more Dereham churches help people to help themselves A group of churches in Dereham have launched an ambitious project which aims to meet needs in the town, including the provision of food and skills training. Read more Emilys art boosts growing Yarmouth foodbank A pupil at a primary school in Bradwell has been selling her pictures in order to raise money for the Yarmouth and Magdalen Foodbank, which is expanding its capacity and is seeking more volunteers. Read more Patrick Regan helps Norwich to bounce forwards On Saturday St Stephens in Norwich hosted Bouncing Forwards as part of a national tour by the mental health charity Kintsugi Hope. Read more Painting and biblical feasting in Overstrand There will be opportunities to improve your painting skills and indulge in some biblical feasting next month at the Pleasaunce in Overstrand in North Norfolk. Read more Latest Norfolk Christian community events Events of interest to the Norwich and Norfolk Christian community happening over the next few weeks are listed. Read more National award for Dereham Christian bookshop The Green Pastures Christian bookshop in Dereham has won a national award for providing boxes of Christian books to 21 local schools. Read more Norma's care home jigsaw challenge complete A resident at Norwich-based care home Corton House has completed an incredible 70 jigsaw puzzles in celebration of the homes 70th anniversary this year. Read more Norwich charity's appeal to support Palestinian students A Norwich educational charity, set up in memory of a Norwich Anglican priest, to support students from a Palestinian refugee camp, is inviting people to support its Christmas appeal to be launched on November 29. Read more Norfolk drug and alcohol charity pays tribute to its founder Andy Sexton, CEO of the Matthew Project, introduces a series of tributes from the charity to its founder, Peter Farley. Read more Cliff look alike at Cromer Church breakfast Cliff Richard tribute performer Will Chandler will be the speaker at a special Mens Breakfast at Cromer Parish Hall next month, and all men are welcome to come along. Read more Heartsease Lane Methodist church to close As part of a reorganisation of the Norwich Methodist Circuit, Heartsease Lane Methodist Church will be closing towards the end of the year. Read more Free Julian of Norwich reflection and prayer day The Friends of Julian of Norwich present a free Quiet Half-Day with Robert Fruehwirth, author and former Priest Director of the Julian Centre, on Saturday November 12, 10.30am-2pm. Read more What it means for us to repent Nigel Fox believes that now is the time for a tide of repentance, and shares his thoughts about what that actually means for our society. Read more Christmas card shop opens in Norwich church Thousands of Christmas cards from around 30 local Norfolk charities have gone on sale today (October 19) at the Original Norwich Charity Christmas Card Shop inside St Peter Mancroft church in Norwich city centre. Read more Revelation Christian Resource Centre and Cafe Revelation in Norwich is a Christian resource centre, offering a bookshop, a meeting place and a welcoming refuge for refreshment open to visitors of any faith or none. Read more Earlier this month I wrote a post asking the question: Who speaks for multi-vendor environments? Since then, Ive had a few vendors reach out to me about their solutions that could indeed meet the needs of a vendor-agnostic data center. One of the most interesting, Apstra, came out of stealth mode this week and has a solution thats certainly up to the challenge that I laid out in my blog. Apstras solution automates the data center operations across the lifecycle of the networkfrom the design/build phase through deployment/operate. The Apstra Operating System (AOS) takes an integrated approach to managing the data center that starts with business intent and is fed into a closed loop system. The data center operator then selects a pre-configured, and a validated template applies any constraints to it, which creates a blueprint for deployment. + Also on Network World: Where does SDN make sense? + AOS uses this blueprint to deploy a configuration to the physical network, which gathers telemetry and enforces intent, ensuring the deployment is in line with business requirements. AOS can be thought of as a soup to nuts management system that fully automates data center operations. Key benefits of the Apstra solution: Operational simplicity and network agility. Apstra offers templates that are turnkey in nature and built with DevOps in mind. The inputs to the solution are based on business intent, so it addresses the needs of the organization and not just technology requirements. The solution addresses the needs of the entire network lifecycle, including day 0, 1 and 2+. Apstra offers templates that are turnkey in nature and built with DevOps in mind. The inputs to the solution are based on business intent, so it addresses the needs of the organization and not just technology requirements. The solution addresses the needs of the entire network lifecycle, including day 0, 1 and 2+. Greater control and visibility. Apstra offers real-time, high-resolution telemetry information. The telemetry enables intent-based anomaly detection to give data center operations the ability to move to a proactive management model. Also, the rich information enables the solution to continuously validate configurations and network topology. Apstra offers real-time, high-resolution telemetry information. The telemetry enables intent-based anomaly detection to give data center operations the ability to move to a proactive management model. Also, the rich information enables the solution to continuously validate configurations and network topology. Hardware-agnostic solution. Apstras strength lies in the fact that it is a hardware-agnostic data center management tool. AOS treats every network device as a simple component with assigned roles. The solution has all the necessary drivers for supported hardware and is able to gather telemetry information directly from the network devices. Supported hardware includes: Arista Broadcom-based hardware Cisco Cumulus Dell HP Juniper Linux-based hardware Open Compute Project Solutions Open Switch Apstras strength lies in the fact that it is a hardware-agnostic data center management tool. AOS treats every network device as a simple component with assigned roles. The solution has all the necessary drivers for supported hardware and is able to gather telemetry information directly from the network devices. Supported hardware includes: Community-based innovation: If executed on correctly, this capability can give Apstra a huge leg up on the competition. Apstra has opened its platform up and made it accessible to developers. The community of developers can build new templates, integrate into third-party systems and create drivers to other legacy network devices, creating value above and beyond what Apstra has built. Also, the telemetry and state streaming has been made available to analyze the data and gather insights that could not have been realized before. The power of the community can grow the value of the solution exponentially. Apstra Apstras solution is unique in the networking industry and enables data center operations to align with the goals of the CIO and the business. The vendor-agnostic, agile, intent-based platform can deliver on the vision of SDN without the associated risks. This is certainly a big undertaking, but Apstra has a strong management team (pictured at the top of the page). Mansour Karam (middle) has spent the last decade focusing on the needs of the CIO and making the engineer more agile through his roles at Arista where he worked with the first customers to define the companys user requirements. He also spent time at Big Switch Networks and their early attempts at SDN. David Cheriton (right) is the distributed systems expert. He is also a Google and VMware investor, as well as co-founder of both Arista and Granite. He understands the need for extensibility and has given the Apstra team a similar funding structure as Arista, helping the company attract a top-notch engineering team. Sasha Ratkovic (left) is an abstraction expert and Distinguished Engineer from Juniper who was the first to present group policies to OpenStack back in 2012. Theres a clear need for an end-to-end, vendor agnostic management tool. Apstras platform simplifies operations, brings a higher level of visibility, masks complexity and enables multi-vendor data center. It will help move SDN from vision to reality. Data science is a hot new industry, but what skills and background do you need to break into the field? Essentially, data science, data engineering and data analytics are broad -- and sometimes ambiguous -- terms that describe a litany of skills and job titles in the world of data analytics. "The title of 'data scientist' is broadly applied within different organizations, making it difficult to provide a complete and noncontroversial list of required skills. At a high level, a data scientist needs a mastery of the tools and techniques to access, transform, analyze and leverage the data of their organization," says Kyle Polich, principal data scientist at DataScience. If your company is looking to hire data scientists or analysts, it's important to know what you're hiring for. Data jobs often encompass a lot more than just data; there are people specifically dedicated to each stage of the process from collecting, to warehousing, to analyzing and to using that data to transform the business. Ultimately, a good data strategy relies on a number of qualified individuals who can write algorithms, manage and collate data, interpret the data and communicate it to key stake holders. Data warehousing Warehousing data is a task in and of itself, because the more data you have, the more servers, hardware and third-party services you will need to store it. However, data warehousing skills include more than just the ability to capture and store data, it's also about interpreting the data and possibly even making critical decisions and tough choices to make sure data retrieval and analysis can remain cost-effective, according to Polich. "Data warehousing roles, which focus on Extract, Transform and Load (ETL) and data ingestion, are generally distinct from data science roles. The former focus on capturing, storing, and pre-processing the data while the latter focus on extracting insight from the data," says Sham Mustafa, CEO of Correlation One, a company that is focused on matching data scientists and hiring companies. Ashish Thusoo, co-founder & CEO, Qubole, a cloud-scaling data processing company, has worked in data science roles throughout his career. For him, one of the most important skills around data warehousing includes "understanding the capabilities and limitations of the technology." Beyond that, he says it's crucial that employees working in this area also understand how to translate business requests into SQL queries, so that data can be quickly retrieved when it's needed. Essentially, hiring the right person for data warehousing will mean finding a candidate who can strike a comfortable balance between understanding how to capture and store data and how to meaningfully interpret it, rather than being completely focused on one or the other. "They do not necessarily have to be experts in the subject, or know how to create, run and maintain the warehouse independently, but they need to know how to inspect them and query efficiently to get their results," says Thusoo. [ Related story: CEOs force CIOs, CMOs into digital transformation bunker ] Data collection Data collection is an enormous undertaking, especially considering that companies tend to collect far more data than they can actually use or need. Before you can hire the right employees to help with data collection, you actually need to know what data you want to collect, says Mustafa. But the biggest problems in data collection arise when businesses are faced with the "four V's of big data: volume, variety, velocity and veracity," says Polich. And one person can't deal with all four. For example, figuring out a strategy to deal with the velocity and volumes of data is typically an area for data engineers, rather than data scientists or data analysts says Mustafa. And before you can even determine what skills you need for data collection, it's important to first consider your audience and customer base. Polich gives the example of a bank, which can't withstand any down time or lag in data retrieval, so companies need to hire accordingly. That might mean hiring people who have worked in similar high-stress environments, where certain aspects of data matter more than in other industries. Alternatively, he also gives the example of a social media network, which can probably withstand a minimal amount of lag or inconsistency in data retrieval, especially if it results in cost-savings. That might mean you can hire someone with other skills that are important to your business or someone more accustomed to working in agile and innovative environments. Taking time to consider how your businesses can use data and what data you actually need to collect will help you hire the right person for the job. Thusoo says he looks for workers who understand the intricacies of data collection, and everything that can go wrong with or taint data. "There is an old saying in computing, 'Garbage in, garbage out'. More than anything else, this applies to data. Your resume should not only show that you have worked with systems that are involved in this process, but also that you are adept at finding data quality issues and resolving them." [ Related story: How digital transformation is disrupting IT outsourcing ] Data analysis Having data is great, but if you can't understand what it means for your company, then it's ultimately a waste of resources. In the past, Thusoo says that it was important to find data analysts with skills in SQL and statistical and modeling tools like SAS and SPSS. But now, he says, as programming becomes more ubiquitous in the industry, and easier to learn, companies will want to look for other skills. "Companies building modern data science capabilities should look for employees with programming abilities in Python, deep learning libraries and who can work with big data tools and infrastructure such as Spark, Hadoop and Hive apart from the traditional tools such as SQL," says Thusoo. Part of hiring the right person to assist in data analysis also includes determining how high-level you want your data analysis. For example, Mustafa says for companies interested in a high-level interpretation, one that looks at user activity and engagement, or to predict trends, you might want someone with a broader knowledge of data science. However, for businesses that want to hone in on large amounts of data, or focus on predictions, you'll want to hire people with more specific skills. Mustafa says candidates with knowledge of optimization theory and machine learning will help build sound prediction models. Meanwhile, businesses that are tackling large amounts of data, you'll want people well versed in tools like Hadoop and Apache Spark. Data transformation The impact of data on businesses has been huge, and it's ushered in the age of digital transformation, and companies are scrambling to keep up with the rapid pace of technology. Part of that digital transformation revolves around data and properly integrating it into the day-to-day business. It's something that requires not only a solid foundation in technology, but also a deep understanding of the business side of the company. Transformation is about how data can help shape the future of the business and keep the company modern and innovative. That means, you'll want to hire people who can show their ability to assess a complex data situation, oftentimes from multiple sources, and determine important, says Thusoo. "Moreover, a data scientist must be able to visualize data in an informationally compact way. Visualization skill is the key to telling a story with data, which is the single most important skill for a data scientist. Telling a story with data, or communicating what the data is saying, is how data scientists ultimately add value for their employers," says Mustafa. [ Related story: Businesses lack a streamlined approach to digital transformation ] Soft skills While most of the skills mentioned are, for the most part, technical, it's important not to overlook soft skills. The people you hire who are tasked with collecting, housing and interpreting that data are also going to be responsible for communicating it effectively to business executives. You'll want to hire someone with strong communication skills to help balance out the more technical side, especially as big data is an emerging trend in businesses -- not everyone in the company will be up to speed. You want people with the right technical skills, of course, but it's just as important to make sure you have employees that are willing to challenge the status quo in data, and push boundaries. "Companies need to hire new team members based not just on their skillset and tool knowledge, but on their dedication to staying on top of the field. A candidate who is a good match should be familiar with the tools that are currently employed in the organization, but also bring something innovative to the table," says Polich. Related Video This story, "How to hire for the right big data skill set " was originally published by CIO . And then there was one. Out of the seven finalists in the U.S. Department of Transportations Smart City Challenge, Columbus, Ohio, emerged the winner this week. The city will receive $50 million in grants from the DOT and Vulcan Inc. to implement its smart city plan. Columbus will also receive about $90 million in local matching funds, including $19 million in public money. That gives the city a total of $140 million to upgrade its transportation network. This grant, combined with its public-private investment, will help reshape the transportation sector in central Ohio for decades to come, U.S. Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) said in a statement. It will help meet the transportation needs of Ohioans who live in the low-income neighborhoods in and around Columbus to ensure they can get to their job, or receive a good education. Columbus beat Austin, Texas; Denver; Kansas City, Missouri; Pittsburgh; Portland, Oregon; and San Francisco in the final round for the prize. Seventy-eight cities total participated in the challenge. Also of note, in 2015, Columbus won the Intelligent Community of the Year award from the Intelligent Community Forum (ICF). Columbus smart city initiatives With two smart city awards under its belt, what is Columbus doing that makes it stand out among other cities? It could be its focus on improving access to jobs, training and healthcare for low-income residents via shared cars and autonomous buses. People in poorer communities are being left out, the city says. In its Smart City Challenge application, the city said it wants to tie together all of its neighborhoods to connect people to jobs, training opportunities, higher education and healthcare. It also wants to design safer streets, ensure all residents have access to quality and affordable transportation, and reduce consumption and emissions. Improving access to jobs, the efficient movement of goods and increased access to services is critical to the sustained growth and prosperity of the Columbus region, said Mayor Andrew J. Ginther in the citys application. "Columbus neighborhoods, new Americans, disadvantaged residents and visitors to the region will all benefit from a smarter, safer and more accessible community. Columbuss initiatives include: A self-driving fixed-route transit line in Easton, one of Ohios largest job centers. Self-driving electric vehicles will circulate on a fixed route from the existing Easton Transit station and include residential, commercial and retail facilities in the Easton office/shopping park and Port Columbus areas of the city. Smart corridors to improve transit service and efficiently. This may include traffic information boards and electronic signs warning of incidents and providing detours. Expanded usage of electric and smart vehicles. Real-time information about traffic and parking conditions and transit options to minimize traffic issues associated with major events or incidents. A smart card and app that allows people to pay for bus fares, as well as ride- and car-sharing services. Columbus also may have had an advantage because it is seen as representative of typical U.S. cities and makes it more likely to be emulated by other cities. It has a mix of worker typeswhite collar, blue collar and older workersand it has a diverse population. Because of that, many companies and brands consider Columbus the test marketing capital of the world, Ginther said in a Washington Post blog post. Now the city wants to be the place other cities turn to when they begin implementing smart city initiatives. As it says in its video for the challenge: Kennet pupil seeking sponsorship to Ecuador A THATCHAM schoolgirl has been fundraising to help people in Ecuador. Kennet School pupil Jemima Unsworth is part of a group of pupils and teachers heading off on the expedition arranged by the school and Camps International. The organisation takes pupils to Africa, Asia and South America, where they help in disadvantaged communities. I have always found other cultures so interesting, Miss Unsworth said. There are so many places we can explore and go to. We are so privileged and we have so much that we take for granted on a daily basis. A 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck the country in April and at least 661 people were killed and more than 27,000 were injured, leading to state of emergency being declared. Miss Unsworth said that the earthquake had made her want to help even more. Miss Unsworth needs to raise 4,000 for the expedition, which sets off in July next year, and has raised 1,700 through a series of events. I wanted to start fundraising as soon as possible, she said. My mum is quite a keen baker so we started cooking brownies and as its a trip to Ecuador we used Fair Trade ingredients. The brownies went down a treat with friends, family and Kennet teachers, raising 200. Miss Unsworth has also secured a part-time job, raised funds through a car boot sale and has booked a stall at the Christmas Market. And the Year 11 pupil has been doing all this while sitting her GCSEs. However, she is looking for businesses to sponsor her and who would be willing to have their logo printed on a T shirt. She said, Im just trying my best to earn as much money as possible. Im getting a lot of help from my family and friends. Its a long road ahead but Im happy with the progress Ive made in only a few months. To sponsor or contribute, contact jemimaunsworth@gmail.com Spooky events, stomp grapes and the return of the Kings this weekend Its the spookiest time of the year, and there are a few events happening this weekend in Newport County to mark the occasion. Columnist Tom Kacich is a columnist and the author of Tom's Mailbag at The News-Gazette. His column appears Sundays. His email is tkacich@news-gazette.com, and you can follow him on Twitter (@tkacich). One of Editor & Publishers 10 That Do It Right 2021 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. Source: Canadian Medical Association Journal When people seek information on health-related symptoms, many turn to the internet, and Google in particular, as the first stop. Now, when consumers access Google's mobile search for information about certain symptoms, they will get facts on relevant related medical conditions up front on their smartphone or other mobile device. For example, a symptom search even one using common language free of medical terminology like "my tummy hurts" or "nose blocked" will show a list of related conditions. For individual symptoms like "headache," searchers will see overview information as well as have the ability to view self-treatment options and suggestions of when to seek help from a healthcare professional. To ensure quality and accuracy, teams of doctors, including expert clinicians at Mayo Clinic, have written or reviewed individual symptom information and evaluated related conditions. The goal of this new symptom search feature is to help searchers explore and navigate health conditions related to symptoms, get basic answers quickly and lead to more in-depth research on the web or contacting a health care professional. Google will navigate searchers to information about symptoms and treatments. For many common conditions, this will include key overview information provided by Mayo Clinic. This can include details about how common a condition is, risk factors associated with the condition, self-treatment options and guidance on when to seek medical care. "At Mayo Clinic, we constantly seek to discover and share medical knowledge for the benefit of everyone," says Sandhya Pruthi, M.D., chief medical editor, Mayo Clinic Global Business Solutions. "Providing reliable and accessible health information at the digital consumers' initial point of need such as through Google search is a natural extension of Mayo Clinic and our health information website, MayoClinic.org." Google reviewed health conditions mentioned in online search results and checked them against medical information it compiled from physicians. Google worked with teams of physicians to review individual symptom information, and expert clinicians at Mayo Clinic evaluated related conditions for a representative sample of searches to help improve Google's lists. "Mayo Clinic has the opportunity to share useful and concise information with consumers," says Dr. Pruthi. "Google symptom search should be viewed as a more efficient exploration tool for individuals needing accurate health information, and as they seek more in-depth knowledge, they can quickly connect to trusted health information sources like MayoClinic.org." The information is not intended to be medical advice or a diagnostic tool, and it is presented for informational purposes only. According to Dr. Pruthi, cases may vary in severity from person to person, and there are bound to be exceptions. She adds, consumers searching new symptoms and other health information should consult a health care professional if they have a medical concern or seek emergency medical care for more serious symptoms. By Eleanor McDermid Researchers have screened over 1000 plasma proteins to develop a predictive score in patients with stable coronary heart disease (CHD). As reported in JAMA, the researchers screened plasma samples from 938 participants of the Heart and Soul study using aptamers, which are made of modified DNA and bind specific proteins, so they essentially function as synthetic antibodies. From this, Peter Ganz (University of California-San Francisco, USA) and team identified nine proteins that were prognostic for myocardial infarction, stroke, heart failure and all-cause death over the 4 years after a sample was taken. The nine proteins were angiopoietin-2, matrix metalloproteinase-12, chemokine ligand 18, complement 7, 1-antichymotrypsin complex, angiopoietin-related protein 4, troponin I, growth differentiation factor 11/8 and 2-antiplasmin. When the researchers adjusted for the variables in the Framingham risk prediction model (refit in the Heart and Soul cohort), the nine-protein model remained predictive of cardiovascular events, "suggesting that the 9 proteins contained prognostic information that was at least partly independent of traditional risk factors." However, the nine-protein model had only modest discriminative accuracy, with a C-statistic of 0.74 (where 1.0 is perfect discrimination) in the derivation cohort and 0.70 in a validation cohort of 971 participants of the HUNT3 study. Discriminative accuracy was greater than for the refit Framingham model alone, but combining the two models improved the C-statistic only slightly, to 0.75 and 0.71 in the derivation and validation cohorts, respectively. Lab Diagnostics & Automation eBook Compilation of the top interviews, articles, and news in the last year. Download a copy today However, editorialist Marc Sabatine (Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA) suggests that "this modest accuracy should not necessarily dampen enthusiasm for their results." Although a diagnostic test demands high accuracy, the usefulness of a predictive test is based more on its ability to categorise patients according to their risk level, he says. The 4-year event rate predicted by the protein score was within 2 percentage points of the observed rate in the validation cohort. And when participants were divided into deciles according to protein risk score, the expected and observed event rates for each decile were within 5 percentage points of each other. Expected rates rose from 7.8% in the first to 59.2% in the 10th decile. "These data would be important to physicians and patients alike", says Sabatine, but he suggests that the score be tested on samples from patients who underwent active treatment in a clinical trial. "Although more accurate risk prediction is always welcome, clinicians more readily embrace measuring a prognostic biomarker or calculating a risk score if the results could alter therapeutic decision making." Licensed from medwireNews with permission from Springer Healthcare Ltd. Springer Healthcare Ltd. All rights reserved. Neither of these parties endorse or recommend any commercial products, services, or equipment. By Eleanor McDermid Patients treated for hypercholesterolaemia in clinical practice may not derive additional benefit from very intensive statin treatment, say researchers. In their retrospective analysis, patients who achieved a low-density-lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol level of 70 mg/dL or lower had no better cardiovascular outcomes than those who achieved levels between 70 and 100 mg/dL. "Our results do not provide support for a blanket principle that lower [LDL cholesterol] is better for all patients in secondary prevention", writes the team. The findings, which appear in JAMA Internal Medicine, are based on the LDL cholesterol levels achieved after 1 year of statin treatment by 31,619 Israeli patients with ischaemic heart disease and at least 80% medication adherence. Lab Diagnostics & Automation eBook Compilation of the top interviews, articles, and news in the last year. Download a copy today During an average 1.6 years of follow-up, the major adverse cardiovascular event (MACE) rate was 78.1 per 1000 person-years among the 29% of patients who achieved LDL cholesterol levels of 70 mg/dL or below. And the rate among the 53% of patients who achieved levels between 70 and 100 mg/dL was 71.0 per 1000 person-years, with no significant difference between the two groups after accounting for confounders. However, people who achieved these moderate LDL cholesterol levels were a significant 11% less likely to have a MACE than patients who failed to achieve even that target. The rate among the 18% of patients whose LDL cholesterol levels remained above 100 mg/dL was 81.3 per 1000 person-years. Indeed, the lowest MACE risk was observed in patients with achieved levels of around 90 mg/dL, with the risk rising steeply from 100 mg/dL. The average age of the patients was around 67 years, which researcher Morton Leibowitz (Clalit Health Services, Tel Aviv, Israel) and colleagues say is generally older than the age of patients in randomised clinical trials. In addition, they say that the trials from which the low LDL cholesterol targets emerged did not address "the extent of comorbidities or polypharmacy" among their patients, "which are factors that increasingly affect therapeutic decisions facing physicians." When the researchers repeated their analysis in 54,884 patients with at least 50% statin adherence, the findings were broadly similar except that the group with the lowest achieved LDL cholesterol levels had a slightly but significantly increased risk of MACE, relative to the moderate levels group. They therefore conclude that clinical trial evidence in support of very low LDL cholesterol targets "is not yet definitive for everyday community-based practice." Source: JAMA Intern Med 2016; Advance online publication Licensed from medwireNews with permission from Springer Healthcare Ltd. Springer Healthcare Ltd. All rights reserved. Neither of these parties endorse or recommend any commercial products, services, or equipment. The 2016 season of Honda One Make Race will also have a women's edition. (Photo: Honda Motorcycles and Scooters) Honda One Make Race 2016 Calendar Round Race Track Date 1 Kari Motor Speedway, Coimbatore 24th -26th June 2 Madras Motor Race Track, Chennai 8th -10th July 3 Madras Motor Race Track, Chennai 12th -14th August 4 Madras Motor Race Track, Chennai 2nd -4th September 5 Buddh International Circuit, G.Noida 30th Sep-2nd October Honda One Make Race, currently in its ninth edition, will commence from June 24 onwards. The company has also announced the schedule for this years event.The biggest highlight this year though, will be the first-ever full-fledged season of the Honda All Women Race. In a step towards encouraging more women participation, Honda had conducted the first-ever All Women Race during the Round 5 of 2015 season. Building on the success, 10 women riders will compete in the First Round of the Honda exclusive women racing event. The woman riders have been trained at the Honda Ten10 Racing Academy.Honda also unveiled new race-prepped racing versions of CBR 250R and CBR 150R. Developed with technical know-how provided by Hondas Indian R&D team, both the motorcycles are set to scorch the Kari Motor Speedway, beginning this weekend. The new racing version of the CBR 250R gets an upgraded Honda racing kit, including wiring harness with remapping option, advanced racing body cowl kit & equipped with endurance exhaust. The new CBR 150R gets a reprogrammed ECU & Endurance exhaust.Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. (HMSI) has also announced a helpline number 0124-6712863, through which any rider who wishes to take up motorsport professionally, can reach out to the Honda Racing Team. The deserving candidates will then be given training on the nuances of two-wheeler racing at the Honda Ten10 Racing Academy. Honda will also provide all technical support as well race-prepped motorcycles to all the aspirants. New Delhi: The government on Wednesday approved Rs 10,000 crore 'Fund of Funds for Startups' to support them with an aim to generate employment for 18 lakh persons. "The fund is expected to generate employment for 18 lakh persons on full deployment...A corpus of Rs 10,000 crore could potentially be the nucleus for catalysing Rs 60,000 crore of equity investment and twice as much debt investment," an official statement said. The decision was taken in the Union Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "The Cabinet has approved the establishment of 'Fund of Funds for Startups' (FFS) at Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) for contribution to various Alternative Investment Funds (AIF), registered with SEBI which would extend funding support to startups," it said. This is in line with the 'Startup India Action Plan' unveiled by the government in January. The corpus shall be built up over the 14th and 15th Finance Commission cycles, subject to progress of the scheme and availability of funds, it said. "This would provide a stable and predictable source of funding for startup enterprises and thereby facilitate large scale job creation," it added. An amount of Rs 500 crore has already been provided to the corpus of FFS in 2015-16 and Rs 600 crore earmarked in the 2016-17. Further provisions will be made as grant assistance through gross budgetary Support by Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) which will monitor and review performance in line with the 'Start up India Action Plan', it said. Further, the statement said the expertise of SIDBI would be utilised to manage the day-to-day operations of the fund. The monitoring and review of performance would be linked to the implementation of the action plan to enable execution as per timelines and milestones. The move assumes significance as startups face several challenges such as limited availability of domestic risk capital, constraints of conventional bank finance, information asymmetry and lack of hand holding support from credible agencies. A majority of successful startups have been funded by foreign venture funds and many of them are locating outside the country to receive such funding, it said. "A dedicated fund for carrying out 'Fund of Funds' operations would address these issues and enable flow of assistance to innovative startups through their journey to becoming full fledged business entities," it added. This would encompass support at seed stage, early stage and growth stage, it said. New Delhi: On the eve of the crucial 'Brexit' referendum, both the government and the RBI said they are ready whatever the outcome. The finance ministry said on Wednesday the country has sufficient foreign exchange reserves to handle any impact. RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan said the central bank will infuse whatever liquidity is needed into the Indian market to keep it "well behaved". Brexit refers to the exit of United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union (EU). The UK will on Thursday vote to decide whether to remain in the 28-nation EU or to leave. On Tuesday, even US Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen warned that Britain's exit from the EU would have significant economic repercussions. India's economic affairs honchos are a tad more positive. "Current indications are that perhaps Brexit won't happen. In the event of Brexit happening, let me say very categorically that we are prepared to deal with all eventualities and I am saying so on the basis of three specific factors," said economic affairs secretary Shaktikanta Das. The three factors: An adequate foreign exchange reserve of $360 billion, the fact that India continues to be an attractive FDI destination globally and that India's trade will likely be impacted only minimally. "So all these things put together ... if there is any currency volatility, we should be able to deal with that," he said. India has a significant trade volume with the UK as well as with the EU. It also receives large investments from Europe. When asked about the possible impact of the key referndum on India, Raghuram Rajan said, "We are watching the situation and we will infuse whatever liquidity is needed to keep markets reasonably well behaved." Naughty Cat worries we'll be on the outside looking in, missing influence we once had #CatsAgainstBrexit pic.twitter.com/v1bibhc1Y9 Nicola Blackwood (@nicolablackwood) June 20, 2016 Honestly I think cats would vote out, but then immediately miaow loudly to get back in again. #CatsAgainstBrexit pic.twitter.com/5KtFfWVB9g Louise Johnson (@LouiseJJohnson) June 20, 2016 #CatsAgainstBrexit Because workers rights are protected by remaining inside the #eu pic.twitter.com/o42kWK9Jmq April PrestIN (@OldmoatLibDem) June 20, 2016 Oscar is shocked and offended by the anti-EU myths he's seen online #CatsAgainstBrexit pic.twitter.com/Z2Or3513PQ lara (@creepygrrl) June 20, 2016 Daphne is worried about trade restrictions on catnip #CatsAgainstBrexit pic.twitter.com/RSJO4O27tj Kate Bevan (@katebevan) June 20, 2016 Emily's grandmother is Turkish. Here's what she thinks of your racist billboards #CatsAgainstBrexit pic.twitter.com/CeQaakHuvH martyn #VoteRemain (@martynhett) June 20, 2016 Bea and Minnie are in full solidarity with their cosmopolitan counterparts across the pond. #CatsAgainstBrexit pic.twitter.com/PzpQxikpAo Alex Ross (@alexrossmusic) June 20, 2016 Hunters face on hearing yet another repeat of the bare-faced 350m lie #CatsAgainstBrexit pic.twitter.com/od237v1TUp Tom Royal (@tomroyal) June 20, 2016 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."My cat is praying for #Brexit #CatsForBrexit," tweeted Maria Caulfield , a member of parliament for Lewes, along with an image of a cat covering its face with its paws.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 GF Davies , with a photo of two cats standing in a doorway.Several others and their cats posted their thoughts against Brexit on Twitter.The probability of a Brexit by 2017 was at 26 percent Tuesday, according to the online betting platform PredictIt.(With inputs from Reuters) Just two weeks ago, a Manipal University student bagged the second prize at an all-India competition for his innovative design for a waterless, odorless toilet. for the Indian Railways. This time, another student, Vishnupriya Viswanathan, has made not just her university, but also the country proud.The sixth semester student of the Faculty of Architecture(FOA), Manipal university, won the first prize in the 18th Annual Berkeley Prize Essay Competition under the International Undergraduate Prize for Architectural Design Excellence, endorsed by Department of Architecture, University of California, Berkeley, USA.(Photo: Vishnupriya Vishwanathan/Facebook)The topic was Architects Confronting Homelessness and it was to be written in two parts : Who is doing what in your community to confront the issue of the men, women, young people and children without shelter; and, as both an individual and as a professional, how do you see yourself assisting in providing shelter to those in need?Being from Chennai, Vishnupriya based her essay on a script taken from the lives of hapless children under the care of Karunalaya, a social service organization run by Dr Paul Sunder Singh. Karunalaya transforms the lives of the ill-fated children of Chennais beaches, streets, railways stations, bus stops and harbour. Its two shelters house 36 boys and 29 girls.Vishnupriya's 2500-word essay titled, Paving Better Paths for Little Feet won the first prize and $6000 in cash.It means a lot to me, says Vishnupriya, who is keen to pursue a post-graduation in Architecture Criticism in the US or the UK after completing her graduation at FOA.I was always interested in writing and this is going to be a big boost, she says, adding, I want to be in architecture journalism and that is why I took part in the essay to see for myself how best I can do it. I am surprised at the result.Vishnupriya believes the Berkeley Prize essay competition has helped her become more aware of the living conditions of the underprivileged sections all over the world. It has given her the vista to realise how her contribution can affect them.Prof Nishant Manapure, Director FOA, who was all praise for his students, said, Being the biggest competition of the kind for architecture students, it is a great achievement. We are proud of her. Vishnu is one of the bright students and we are extremely thrilled at her achievement. She has brought laurels not only to the Manipal University, but also to the country, he said.Her aim is to create a difference in society for the betterment of the lives of the under-privileged and the differently-abled. She wishes to do this as an architect, writer and an active citizen to create spaces that are sustainable and universally accessible.Reading is Vishu's greatest passion, and she also harbours a keen interest for travelling and learning new languages and practices. With its naturally extreme temperatures, Arctic is probably one of the most beautiful places on Earth. Its beauty is truly overwhelming. Its white floating ice, the silence and flawless surrounding, makes the place a unique world in itself. An extraordinarily beautiful world which people want to protect.And with this sole purpose in mind, acclaimed Italian composer and pianist Ludovico Einaudi chose to perform on a small floating platform in the Arctic Ocean off the coast of Norway, surrounded by ice. And for the occasion, Einaudi wrote an original composition, Elegy for the Arctic. Through his music Einaudi wanted to raise awareness about the real danger to the Arctic - the early melting of glaciers, which could have serious implication in the future.The Arctic Ocean is the least protected sea in the world, its high seas currently have no legal safeguards, Greenpeace wrote on releasing the video of Einaudis performance. As the ice cover decreases with rising temperatures, this unique area is losing its frozen shield, leaving it exposed to reckless exploitation, destructive fishing trawlers and risky oil drilling.The pianist's performance was part of a campaign by the organisation Greenpeace to convince world leaders to come together to protect the Arctic.This video of Einaudi playing his grand piano with ice crumbling in the backdrop of the Wahlenbergbreen glacierin Svalbard, Norway, will leave you stumped. My thoughts & prayers are with those who lost their near & dear ones due to the lightning. May the injured recover quickly: PM @narendramodi PMO India (@PMOIndia) June 22, 2016 Deeply anguished by loss of lives due to lightning in parts of UP, Bihar, Jharkhand & other parts of the nation over the last few days: PM PMO India (@PMOIndia) June 22, 2016 At least 56 people were killed in lightning strikes at separate places of Bihar's Aurangabad district over the last 24 hours.Lightning storms hit many parts of the state along with heavy rains. Police sources said eight people were critically injured and the death toll may increase.In Darmikala village, a man and his son became victims of the lightning strike while they were returning home from their field. Two more people were killed in Aarai and Pansa villages.Principal Secretary of Disaster Management in Bihar Vyas Ji, said, "Most of them victims used to live in mud houses. Our officers are there on the spot and assist the victims."Government officials said the families of the victims would get Rs four lakh each as compensation for death in natural calamity.Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi while expressing his condolences, tweeted, "Deeply anguished by loss of lives due to lightning in parts of UP, Bihar, Jharkhand & other parts of the nation over the last few days.""My thoughts & prayers are with those who lost their near & dear ones due to the lightning. May the injured recover quickly," his tweet reads. New Delhi: BJP's East Delhi Member of Parliament 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 Member of Parliament was involved in the murder of a New Delhi Municipal Council estate officer MM 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 in New Delhi. "On International Yoga Day 2016 on Tuesday, participated in a Yoga Session with all karyakartas, here at the venue of my Anshan," he tweeted. BJP's Delhi unit President Satish Upadhyay, Member of Parliament Pravesh Verma and several other leaders joined the hunger strike led by Girri. Khan was shot dead in Jamia Nagar in New Delhi 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. Beijing: China on Wednesday continued to make ambivalent statements on India's bid for NSG membership amid clear indications that it was unrelenting in its opposition. Clubbing India and Pakistan once again, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said members of the 48-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group have had three round of unofficial discussions on the membership of the two countries. China is seeking to equate India with its impeccable non-proliferation record with that of Pakistan for which it is batting. But Beijing maintained that the entry of the two countries was not on the agenda of the two-day NSG plenary in the South Korean capital Seoul starting tomorrow. India's Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar will be in Seoul but a breakthrough on India's entry is unlikely. Pakistan on Tuesday claimed that it had successfully blocked India's bid for NSG membership, and China's clubbing of the two countries is seen as a ploy to block New Delhi. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying also underlined the differences within NSG members, saying "parties are yet to see eye-to-eye on this issue". On it's part Beijing will play a constructive role in the discussions, she said. The NSG works under the principle of unanimity and even one country's vote against India will scuttle its bid. New Delhi: Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar on Wednesday headed for Seoul ahead of the crucial Nuclear Suppliers Group Plenary from Thursday, where India is hoping to clinch membership which is strongly opposed by China and some other countries. Jaishankhar, who was closely monitoring the goings-on during the officials' level meet of the 48-nation grouping which started on Monday, left for the South Korean capital to lobby with members to boost India's prospects of getting membership. 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. However, China continues to stonewall India's bid for Nuclear Suppliers Group membership with the members divided over the entry of a non-NPT signatory country like India. The Nuclear Suppliers Group works under the principle of unanimity and even one country's vote against India will scuttle its bid. 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 Nuclear Suppliers Group. 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. India has asserted that being a signatory to the NPT was not essential for joining the Nuclear Supplies Group as there has been a precedent in this regard, citing the case of France. India is seeking membership of Nuclear Supplies Group to enable it to trade in and export nuclear technology. The access to the Nuclear Supplies Group, 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 nuclear programme by 2030. The Nuclear Supplies Group 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. Hyderabad: Guntur District Collector Kantilal Dande ordered a probe into caste status of research scholar Rohith Vemula who committed suicide in the University of Hyderabad in January. Dande said, "We will soon conduct a comprehensive inquiry to find the actual community status of Rohith Vemula." Earlier, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes had certified that Rohith belonged to the Mala community, which comes under Scheduled Castes category in Andhra Pradesh. It was learnt that the University Grants Commission (UGC) too has sought a report from the Tahsildar, Guntur, on the issue. Rohith was one of the five Dalit scholars who was expelled by the University of Hyderabad in August 2015 for allegedly attacking a student activist belonging to Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). He was doing his PhD in science technology and society studies for the past two years. On January 17, Rohith managed to enter the NRS hostel, locked himself and hanged himself reportedly after being depressed over his expulsion from the university. A man in Hassan district of Karnataka was stabbed brutally at a crowded bus stop on Tuesday evening after he objected to a man allegedly staring at his girlfriend. Several onlookers filmed the entire attack on their cellphones but nobody came forward to help the man apart from his friends. 5 persons have been arrested and a case has been registered against the accused. Here is what is making news on a Tuesday morning All-women combat group in Metro trains The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) gave a new form of security to women on International Yoga Day in the form of a new combat group for Delhi Metro. The step was taken after multiple cases of molestation were registered at Metro police stations. The all-women combat group has been especially trained to fight in narrow enclosures, like Metro trains, with multiple opponents using a combination of Pekiti-Tirsia Kali, a Filipino martial art, as reported in The Times of India. NSG: US standing by India, publicly and privately The Obama administration on Monday again put its weight behind India's admission to the Nuclear Suppliers Group, calling on member sates to support New Delhi's application even as China, the main hurdle, appeared to soften its position. The administration used both its White House and state department pulpits to voice its support for India's membership as the 48-country cartel began its plenary session in Seoul. "India is ready for membership. And the United States calls on participating governments to support India's application," President Barack Obama's spokesman Josh Earnest said at his daily briefing. Read full article in The Times of India. Scrap railway budget: Niti Aayog panel The British-era practice of presenting a separate railway budget may be discarded by the Narendra Modi government after a high-powered panel headed by Niti Aayog member Bibek Debroy recommended that the annual exercise should be scrapped. Niti Aayog was mandated by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) to work out a detailed plan for integration of rail budget with the general budget. Debroy had made similar recommendations in a report on restructuring of railways. But only some of the proposals were implemented, as per a news report in The Times of India. Story of lion cub, its ticking teddy bear ends in tears A Lion cub cuddles up to a teddy bear in a crib, a ticking clock inside the soft toy imitating the heartbeat of the mother who abandoned him. At the Machia Safari Park in Jodhpur, it was as if a fairy tale had just turned real. Until the wake-up call came just five days later, as reported in The Indian Express. On Sunday, the two-week-old cub succumbed to the punishing summer heat and weak immunity. "On June 14, he fell ill. We tried to revive him by putting him inside a crib with a teddy bear. We even put a ticking clock inside the toy to simulate heartbeat," said Sharavan Singh Rathore, wildlife veterinary doctor at the park. He was building dream home, just like he saw in Kabul: Brother of Indian killed in Afghanistan terror attack Mounds of sand fill up three rooms of a bungalow that has yellow French windows. On its red roof is a black clay mask to ward off evil spirits. The sand would have soon made way for black tiles on the floor. But the incomplete construction now stands next to Govind Singh Thapa's (48) house in Bhuttuwala area of Dehradun as a reminder of his unfulfilled dream and his untimely death. The news of the death of Govind Singh and Ganesh Thapa (51), both ex-servicemen from Dehradun, in a terror attack by a suicide bomber in Kabul on Monday shattered their wives living over 1,200 km away. One expressed it with unstoppable tears, the other with unbreakable silence. Read full article in The Indian Express. Protest at Noida hospital: 'Ultrasound showed twins, woman gave birth to one child' Dramatic scenes were witnessed at B R Ambedkar Multi Speciality Hospital in Noida Monday after a woman, whose ultrasound reports had shown she was pregnant with twins, gave birth to only one child, prompting her family to protest at the hospital. "We admitted her to the hospital on Sunday afternoon. The doctors had said a surgery would be required because the babies cannot be delivered normally," said Devendra Kumar, the brother-in-law of 25-year-old Sangeeta Devi, as repprted in The Indian Express. Will bring tapping to SC notice, make it part of Essar leaks case: Prashant Bhushan The recent revelations regarding alleged tapping of VVIPs by an ex-Essar employee should be made part of ongoing proceedings in the Essar leaks case in the Supreme Court. The latter relates to emails "leaked" by a whistleblower that show an alleged nexus between the company and politicians, bureaucrats and journalists. Calling for this, the petitioner in the Essar leaks case, Prashant Bhushan, Supreme Court lawyer whose Centre for Public Interest Litigation (CPIL) has filed a PIL in the matter, said Tuesday that reports of alleged phone-tapping done by Albasit Khan, as first reported in The Indian Express, were "groundbreaking." Hindus in Pakistan protest sale of Om-inscribed shoes Hindus in Pakistan's Sindh province are protesting the sale of shoes inscribed with sacred religious symbol 'Om' and described the actions of shopkeepers selling them as "unfortunate" and "blasphemous", as per a news report in the Hindustan Times. The patron-in-chief of the Pakistan Hindu Council (PHC), Ramesh Kumar Vankwani, said that they have lodged protests with the Sindh government and local authorities in Tando Adam Khan after the sale of such shoes was brought to the notice of his community. 'Made in India' F-16s on radar, thanks to FDI American military manufacturer Lockheed Martin could soon be producing F-16 fighters in an assembly line based in India, taking advantage of the new liberalised FDI conditions announced by the government on Monday. If the legendary American fighter is deployed with the Indian Air Force after local production, it would signal a historic shift in India's military posture that could dramatically affect the country's relations with China, Pakistan and other nations. It could also draw much criticism to the fact that India was inducting a fighter that first took to the skies more than 40 years ago, as per a news report in The Hindu. Why Amazon, Flipkart, Snapdeal and ShopClues fight and cant stand united against offline retailers and government rules India's ecommerce blue chips are disunited and fractious, even when confronted with a constricting set of central government rules - the April-announced policy on etailers and marketplaces - and various state-level taxation threats, as per a news report in The Economic Times. Amazon, Flipkart, Snapdeal, ShopClues and others face a determined and united brick-and-mortar retailers' group, Retailers Association of India (RAI), but the stars of ecommerce can't lobby the government with one voice. And the impact of this on the etailing business is at best uncertain. PM Narendra Modi's dream project 'Startup India' to be revamped to woo more participants Five months after its launch by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government's Startup India initiative is due for an overhaul to improve participation. The government recently held a review after fewer-than expected startups applied for recognition and only one made the final cut for the incentives that are available under the programme. Subsequently, the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) chalked out a strategy to upgrade the action plan and get more enterprises to take part, said a senior official. About 200 companies had applied for recognition, of which, 30 were shortlisted for consideration last month by the inter-ministerial board formed by DIPP, as per a news report in The Economic Times. Nagpur: A woman sub-inspector attached to Ambazari Police Station here was caught red-handed accepting a bribe of Rs 20,000 from an accused in a domestic violence case, the Anti-Corruption Bureau said on Wednesday. According to the ACB, the policewoman - Archana Laxmanrao Waghmare (33) - demanded a bribe of Rs 50,000 from accused Hardeep Singh Arora, who is facing a domestic violence case. Waghmare demanded the sum to offer a positive opinion in hearing on confirmation of bail before the Bombay High Court, Nagpur bench. Arora and his family had been booked for torture and harassment on a complaint by his wife. The High Court had granted Arora ad-interim bail and fixed hearing for the confirmation later this week. Fed up by the constant demands, Arora approached the ACB and offered her the initial installment amount as per the trap set by the agency. She was nabbed on Tuesday while accepting the amount in the presence of witnesses at an eatery within the jurisdiction of her police station, the ACB said in a release. The woman policeman demanded a bribe of Rs 50,000 from the accused facing a domestic violence case. New Delhi: 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 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 said 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. The government is not worried about the serious charges raised by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Subramanian Swamy against Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian, sources said on Wednesday. All attacks were welcome, there is nothing to worry, a source in the government told Network 18. Clearly backing the CEA, sources said the government took a very considered view at the time of appointing Arvind Subramanian. In a series of tweets attacking the Chief Economic Adviser, who is an NRI, Swamy said, "Who said to US Cong on 13/3/13 the US should act against India to defend US Pharmaceuticals interests? Arvind Subramanian MoF !! Sack him!!!," he tweeted. "Now PTs (Patriotic Tweeples) can understand why our core economic sectors could not perform last two years. Trojan horses galore in MoF/Fin Institutions." "Was AS (Arvind Subramanian) deposing before US Cong Committee against India as a US citizen or Indian? Does any PT know?," he asked. Swamy's attack comes in the wake of reports of Arvind Subramanian being among the probable successors of Rajan as the country's central bank chief. Swamy had earlier launched a scathing attack on Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan, saying he is 'unfit' for the job and is 'mentally not fully Indian'. Ending all speculations, Rajan announced last week that he will return to academics after his current tenure as RBI Governor ends on September 4. Incidentally, both Rajan and Arvind Subramanian have worked at the IMF. While Rajan was a UPA appointee, Arvind Subramanian was appointed by the Narendra Modi government. Dr Subramanian Swamy is a master of irony. In the early 1970's, the young Harvard-educated Swamy was dismissed by the then prime minister Indira Gandhi as a Santa Claus with unrealistic ideas. As a Jan Sangh member of the Rajya Sabha, he had fiercely advocated an open economy criticising Indira Gandhis government-controlled socialist form of governance. He was even accused of promoting American capitalist interests in India. Much water has flown under the River Yamuna since the 1970s. The same Swamy is now describing US-educated Indian financial experts as American stooges sent to destroy Indian economy. First training his guns on Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan, he said the former IMF chief economist was not 'fully-mentally Indian'. Swamy made several such attacks on Rajan, who last week informed the RBI that he was not seeking a second term. After taking care of Rajan, Swamy has now trained his guns on Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian, another US-educated economist. In his tweets, the senior BJP leader attacked Subramanian, demanding his removal. He said, Subramanian used to work for the US. He must be having a Green card. He told the US Congress that US should act against India to defend the US pharmaceuticals' interests. Reacting to Swamys comments on Subramanian, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh said he was eyeing the Finance Ministers chair and making such statements to realise his dream. However, Swamy defended his remarks saying that he was speaking in the interests of the nation. In the last six months, maverick mathematician Swamy has embarrassed his own party's government by openly attacking Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar and Lieutenant Governor of Delhi Najeeb Jung. After the bungling in the Supreme Court over the government's stand on bringing back the Kohinoor Diamond, Swamy tweeted that both the Attorney General and Solicitor General should be removed from their posts. A few days later he pounced on Najeeb Jung calling him a Congress stooge. A few years ago, Wikileaks tweeted that Swamy was giving political intelligence on Indira Gandhis election strategy to the US. When the Congress made it a big issue, Swamy hit back demanding an apology. Finally, Congress spokesperson Sanjay Jha said sorry for calling Swamy a CIA agent. A victorious Swamy confirmed this on Twitter and wrote, "My legal eagles Supriya Manan, Ishkaran Bhandari and my wife Dr. Roxna Swamy inform me that Sanjay Jha has sent an email letter." Swamy, who completed his PhD in Economics at 24 from Harvard University was a vocal votary of free markets during the licence permit system that exited in the country till the 1990s. He published a Swadeshi Plan as an alternative to the Five Year Plan. He advocated a market economy with self-reliance for India, "in which full employment, minimum sustaining consumption, and defence expenditure of the nation be integrated with development planning to generate a 10 percent growth rate." Since the 1970s, he has also been demanding that India should have a close strategic relationship with USA, Israel and China. The videshi-educated lone ranger Swamy has now transformed himself into one of the most vocal supporters of Swadeshi. The BJP which has appointed him to the Rajya Sabha after dillydallying for years knows that it has to live with him. Because Swamy is a reality in Indian politics, with few friends and a lot of foes. New Delhi: Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday dismissed Subramanian Swamy's attack on Chief Economic Adviser Arvind Subramanian and strongly defended him saying the government has full confidence in him and his advice is of "great value" to it. "Government has full confidence in the CEA, he has provided valuable insights from time to time. The party does not endorse Swamy's view," Jaitley said. In a series of tweets attacking the Chief Economic Adviser, who is an NRI, Swamy said, "Who said to US Cong on 13/3/13 the US should act against India to defend US Pharmaceuticals interests? Arvind Subramanian MoF !! Sack him!!!," he tweeted. "Now PTs (Patriotic Tweeples) can understand why our core economic sectors could not perform last two years. Trojan horses galore in MoF/Fin Institutions." "Was AS (Arvind Subramanian) deposing before US Cong Committee against India as a US citizen or Indian? Does any PT know?," he asked. Swamy's attack comes in the wake of reports of Arvind Subramanian being among the probable successors of Rajan as the country's central bank chief. Swamy had earlier launched a scathing attack on Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan, saying he is 'unfit' for the job and is 'mentally not fully Indian'. Ending all speculations, Rajan announced last week that he will return to academics after his current tenure as RBI Governor ends on September 4. Incidentally, both Rajan and Arvind Subramanian have worked at the IMF. While Rajan was a UPA appointee, Arvind Subramanian was appointed by the Narendra Modi government. Whats Cool The Huawei Honor 5C features a rear fingerprint sensor. It comes with a 13 megapixel rear camera with LED flash and an 8 megapixel front snapper. Whats Not So Cool The speaker is placed at the bottom of the Honor 5C. Verdict Launched in China earlier this year, Huaweis sub-brand Honor has brought its Honor 5C budget smartphone to India. At Rs 10,999, we find out if the Honor 5C holds true to its aim of focusing on battery, photography, and core technology.First thing to notice about the Honor 5C is its ergonomic design. At 5.2-inches, the unibody phone is not only comfortable to hold but the metallic design adds to its charm. The full HD (1920x1080p) display is bright and responsive under varied light conditions.The Huawei Fingerprint 2.0 sensor placed right under the rear camera has been built to enroll fingerprints in just 6 attempts, which is one of the lowest number of attempts required to set up biometric authentication.The phone packs a 13 megapixel rear camera along with an 8 megapixel front camera. The best part about the camera app is that it comes with a lot of customisation options. There is a Pro Mode even for shooting videos. This ensures that no matter what the subject is, with a little tweak of settings, you can get professional looking results.The phone comes only in one storage choice of 16 GB which is expandable up to 128 GB via microSD card. But it comes with a hybrid slot, which basically means you can either operate a second SIM or expand the storage. Also, out of the on-board storage only about 10.39 GB is available to user.With a 3000mAh battery, the Honor 5C survives a day of average use but given that it doesnt support fast charging, it takes a little over two hours to reach from 0 to full.Highlight of the Honor 5C is the Kirin 650 64 bit octa-core chipset (four 2.0GHz+ four 1.7GHz) coupled with LPDDR3 2 GB of RAM. The 16nm processor is touted to bring more efficiency to the device at relatively lower battery consumption. Huawei says that the newest chipset leads to a cooler device. But we did notice that the Honor 5C got a little warm. We also think that the metal design also works as a catalyst for all that heat.Mono speaker, placed in the bottom of the device, offers clear output but is not exceptionally loud. So, it is safer to not call it a music phone.Huawei says that the new type of processor is VoLTE ready, but this budget smartphone doesnt support the function yet.In the same price bracket, the Honor 5C competes with the likes of Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 Motorola Moto G4 and the new Asus Zenfone Max . The differentiating feature between the devices remains the chipset and the expandable storage option.The Honor 5C is a good deal only if the consumer version (as promised by Huawei) gets rid of the heating problem. The phone is easy to use, offers expandable storage option, and gives you a host of camera customisation options. At Rs 10,999, the Honor 5C is just like another budget device in the already flooded market but one that doesnt come with any frills like USB Type-C, a bumper battery, or a huge size. Jakarta: 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. 3 things about this photo of Zuck: Camera covered with tape Mic jack covered with tape Email client is Thunderbird pic.twitter.com/vdQlF7RjQt Chris Olson (@topherolson) June 21, 2016 It seems the recent breach of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg's other social media accounts has left him a little paranoid.In a latest photograph posted on Facebook, Zuckerberg is holding an Instagram frame celebrating the 500 million monthly users benchmark. The interesting bit here isn't reaching the milestone but the billionaire CEO's laptop that has its webcam and mic jack taped up.Soon after he shared his photo on Facebook, one observant Twitter user pointed out the extra security step taken by Zuckerberg.The Facebook boss has insisted in his previous videos, where he is showing around the Facebook headquarters, that the company believes in an open culture and hence there were open work stations and all-glass conference rooms.However, in times of increased risk of cyber attacks especially targeted at high-profile people, this seems like a wise decision to protect privacy. Beijing: In an apparent climb down, China on Wednesday said it will play a "constructive" role in the discussions on India's bid for membership of the 48-member NSG but at the same maintained that the issue was not on the agenda of the NSG meeting in Seoul. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said that NSG members had three rounds of unofficial discussions on the entry of India and Pakistan into the grouping. "China hopes to discuss further this issue and will play a constructive role in the discussions," she said. "Although parties are yet to see eye-to-eye on this issue, such discussions help them better understand each other," she said. At the same time, Hua said the entry of India and Pakistan is not on the agenda of the NSG grouping's meeting in Seoul. "Deliberation on the entry of specific countries is on the agenda of the Seoul Plenary meeting. However, it is worth noting that the NSG Plenary meeting in Seoul is only to deliberate on the entry of members who signed the NPT," she said. "As for the entry of non-NPT countries, the group has never put that on its meeting agenda. Based on what we have at hand, the agenda of this year's Seoul Plenary Meeting circulated by the Chair does not include this issue either," she said. The NSG has never put the entry application of the non-NPT (Non-Proliferation Treaty) countries on its agenda, so it makes no sense to say that discussions are blocked, Hua said. "It is true that all parties attach great importance to the entry of non-NPT countries," she said. The Chinese Foreign Ministry has been singing 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. China had on Tuesday 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. The US, which has been supporting India's NSG bid, has said New Delhi is "ready" for NSG membership and asked participating governments to support its application at the plenary session of NSG in Seoul. GamesRadar+ is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Heres why you can trust us. Is the Marvel Universe any different after AXE: Judgment Day than before? Didn't read AXE: Judgment Day? Here's everything you missed (or didn't) with its final issue now on sale Celebrating Andall, Rodney and Tanker Titled Mayeya 2016, the music festival from June 24 - 26 will mark the close of the 2015/2016 performance season for Esdelle and her ensemble - a season which unfolded into a successful showcase produced by her own management company, Ethnic Jazz Club. In many ways the music that we compose and perform charts the African experience in the Americas. Mayeya, therefore, is about heritage, continuity, history and connection, said a media release. The mini concerts will be hosted at the Jazz Studio on Cornelio Street in Woodbrook a dwelling house which Esdelle has converted into an intimate and endearing performance space. Since there are seating limitations, two performances will be staged on each evening. It is not the first time that Esdelle has presented composer and arranger Rodney in concert; and she vows to continue once he is willing and able to do live performances. Rodney played a pivotal role in the developmental stages of the music hybrid, pan jazz, and in 1972, composed and produced the first ever solo album by a local pan player titled Friends and Countrymen. The album served to establish Rodney as one of Trinbagos finest musical minds, rendering him a much sought-after arranger and propelling him to Panorama victory on several occasions, the release said. Earl Rodney is an active, living maestro and elder whose artistry we hardly ever get to enjoy live. As long as he is able to, and wants to play, I will honour the privilege to present him in concert to people who want to listen to great music, Esdelle said. In the 1990s Andr? Tanker and his group Contraband provided a welcome learning ground for the then youthful Esdelle, fresh out of Berklee College in Boston and yearning for meaningful outlets for her own emerging expression. Last year Moyenne performed their interpretations of the Bim film score, originally composed by Tanker for the 1974 movie. The shows were well-received by the still sizeable Tanker fan base, and the group knew then that they were on to something worth sharing repeatedly. While growing up, it was Andalls distinctive voice that spoke to Esdelle through her soul-stirring songs and chants to the Orisha deities. Her fellow Moyenne members Douglas Redon (bass), Glenford Sobers (pans) and Darren Sheppard (drums) felt no differently and the idea for Mayeya 2016 was birthed in celebration of three music icons. Joining Moyenne for the three-day concert series are special guests Natasha Joseph (pans), calypsonian Stacey Sobers (vocals), Michelle Marfan (flute) and Gary Haywood (African drums). Double second pannist Joshema McIntosh and drummer Kyle Noel will add their considerable talents to Rodneys set. On the final night of performances, patrons can look forward to hearing Esdelles award-winning arrangement of Black Stalins Kaiso Gone Dread from his Caribbean Man album (1979) arranged by Rodney. Proceeds from the first show on June 24 go towards Bishop Anstey Old Hilarians Student Health Intervention Programme. Mayeya 2016 June 24: The Music of Ella; 7.30 pm and 9 pm. June 25: Earl Rodney in concert; 7.30 pm and 9 pm June 26: The Music of Andr?, Ella and Earl; 6 pm and 8 pm For more details, check the Facebook page or e-mail: ethnicjazzclub@ gmail.com 21 days jail for bomb threat Glen Dalrymple of Sangre Grande, appeared before an Arima Magistrate yesterday charged with misusing a phone to convey knowingly false information which caused uneccessary anxiety and inconvenience. Dalrymple, 42, a father of three pleaded guilty before Magistrate Indar Jagroo. Sgt Ishmael Pitt of the Arima Police Station read the charges aloud before the court. Dalrymples attorney Adrian Thompson urged the Magistrate to show leniency, explaining that his client had cooperated with the authorities throughout their investigation, adding that his client is a father of three aged seven, 17 and 19, and was remorseful of his actions. However, Magistrate Jagroo sentenced Dalrymple to serve 21 days imprisonment with hard labour. He explained that due to the magnitude of the situation, and extent of the disturbance caused by the call, he could not understand why someone would do such a thing. This gentlemans action caused such a stir in Trinidad and Tobago, I cannot come to terms with how one can do such a thing, when terrorist activities are now a global concern. To cause such a state of affairs in this time or any other time is incomprehensible, Magistrate Jagroo said. After the hearing, Dalrymples relatives told Newsday they were dissatisfied with the ruling with one relative claiming Dalrymple was coerced into entering a guilty plea by police. According to the charge, Dalrymple who worked as a driver with WASA, made a call to the Police E999 centre shortly before midday on Corpus Christi (May 26), in which he claimed that terrorist group ISIS, had intended to carry out attacks on Trincity Mall that day. The mall was evacuated and a search carried out, but no explosive device was found. Dalrymple was arrested by officers of the Northern Division last week Thursday following an intense investigation. Weve started preliminary talk with Sandals Speaking after the Budget presentation at the Assembly Legislature, THA Chief Secretary Orville London said information in the public domain is untrue, noting that even at this time, it is still not safe to say Sandals is coming. What we have done is started a conversation... that is all. I think people have a right to protect what they perceive as their interests, but I think they have to do so based on facts. We have started a conversation and basically, the conversation is in its initial stages. It would be presumptuous of me to make statements about the details because all that has happened is just a conversation. Interest has been expressed, very keen interest on both sides and therefore that interest has sparked a conversation, London said. He noted that anyone who understands the process of development, would recognise that there are different stages. Questioned about contradicting the Prime Ministers revelation, London said the Prime Minister never mentioned no mans land. Were talking about 600 acres, which is what this whole process is all about and what this whole project is all about. I think the discussion that is going on is as though this is about No Mans Land. This project is about 600acres of real property, no mans land is about three or four acres and this Assembly has always said that No Mans Land will remain public space, London said. Meanwhile, during his fiscal 2017 budget package delivery, Finance Secretary Joel Jack said that within the next three years, Tobagos room stock would be increased with the introduction of Sandals. Questioned immediately after the presentation, Jack said nothing has been signed. Following the meeting of the Sandals group with the THA executive council two weeks ago, nothing has been signed or cemented as yet but it is more than likely and we do look forward to it. You might recall in my 2014 budget presentation, I intimated that there was a gap of 1500 and 2000 rooms on the island and the problem that were having with airlift is that we do not have the rooms to satisfy the airlift load and if you look at what transpired in the Grenada situation and in Barbados with the introduction of Sandals. I recall during in 1999-2003 period when I was in Grenada, everyone was up in arms about sandals coming to the island but now Sandals has one of the best hotels in Grenada, whereas in the past the Grenadian government had to look for $56,000US monthly to support the airlift and to ensure the continuous airlift to the island. Now with Sandals coming in, what you have is a more dynamic and robust tourism industry. We have had the Tourism stakeholders indicating that we need more high quality rooms and now we are looking to have one of the most successful Caribbean brands in Tobago. More criticism than praise for Budget Chairman of the Tobago Forwards Hewlett Waldron described the $5.3B budget as an echo. I felt like I was hearing an echo from ten years ago. It is a total rehash of everything that was said in the past. There are no new activities or initiatives. All these things were said ten years ago. I am even more disappointed as most of the blame was placed on the last government... the Kamla Persad-Bissessar government and the fact is, the tenure of this Chief Secretary goes back as far as fifteen years. So what has really happened beyond the last five years? That is why I am disappointed, Waldron said. Meanwhile, Chairman of the Tobago Division of the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce Demi John Cruickshank described the presentation as, wishful thinking. You looking at a five point something billion dollar budget in an economy that is retracting, so I am not too sure how the Secretary of Finance expects funding to be raised. The Secretary said 55 percent of the workforce is now employed by the THA and 45 by the private sector. I am concerned as to where he got that information and I want the Secretary or more so the Assembly to provide us with where they get those figures. Vice Chairman of the Chamber Jason Arthur said, this budget had two parts; what they previously did and what they intend to do. With respect to the previous part, in terms of what they did my problem is that I dont know what success looks like, none of the numbers are pegged to anything. Daniel Nicholson said he was highly impressed with the budget. I look forward to seeing this executive carry out the promises made and that the funds will be allowed and granted to the Assembly to carry out these functions. Senator: Nothing wrong with frozen chicken Earlier in the sitting yesterday, Trade and Industry Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon spoke about that matter as she responded to a question by Opposition Senator Wade Mark. During his contribution to debate on the Family and Children Division Bill 2016, Mahabir said he checked the website of the US Department of Agriculture and found that frozen chicken parts, may only have a little freezer burn. He added, We have to be very careful as we need our institutions to make these statements... not vested interested groups. The senator claimed these groups would, make a lot of money if we ban the importation of chicken. The senator said this spoke to the wider issues of the need to build our institutions such as the Chemistry, Food and Drug Division which should be able to make pronouncements on matters such as this. Mom of 7: Help me find a home Presently, they are staying with a former co-worker of Huntes. We were set to get married on May 1. Just before the wedding date, we moved in with his family, Hunte said. This is the first time he tried to hit me. I had to take the kids and leave in a hasty manner and most of our stuff was left behind. When I tried to make contact to get my things at least secured, I was told that they were already put out, so were starting over from scratch. Hunte is appealing to the public to assist her in finding housing and clothing for her children. She said that above all else, they need a place to live. I am currently unemployed, because in the previous relationship, we had our own business. It is a registered partnership and hes the one with the skills. I did the administrative and marketing aspect of the business. I have administrative skills. I have CXC and ALevels. I need help so I can take care of my children. Hunte has already received some help from Councillor Martin Terry Rondon, Chairman of the Sangre Grande Regional Corporation in the form of a temporary food card, some clothing and some food stuff. However, more help is needed. Rondon told Newsday I got a call from the Church of the Open Bible in Bon Air. A lady called and told me about the situation this woman and her children are in. I went across and saw the situation, and I took them to my office in Sangre Grande where I took them to Social Services where they got a temporary food card, and I gave them some clothing and foodstuff. So Im appealing to anybody to help this lady who is a victim of domestic violence. Huntes children range in ages between one to ten-yearsold. Anyone interested in helping may contact Rondon at 668-3969. Thanks to FDA, Women Will Be Told of Their Breast Density (Newser) A man who created a revenge website to "destroy" his ex-wife is now in custody and facing charges of criminal harassment. His ex says her only hope is that he'll be held long enough to give her time to change her identity and "disappear" before he is freed, reports the National Post. Vancouver resident Patrick Fox, also known by his birth name Richard Riess, was arrested by US border patrol agents in Washington state after trying to cross into the US illegally. He has since been deported to Canada, where he is facing weapons charges in addition to the harassment charges. Previously, he told the CBC that he'd keep his website up and running until ex-wife Desiree Capuano is dead or "destitute and homeless." Capuano lives in Arizona with their teenage son, and says she's lost job opportunities and is "more scared now than I've ever been in my entire life." The revenge site, which is still live, harasses and defames Capuano, accusing her of being a stripper, a drug addict, an unfit mother, a white supremacist, and more. Fox also posted emails between himself and his teenage son that include him writing that he'd have "no qualms" killing Capuano if it were legal to do so. A judge in Arizona has upheld Capuano's protection order against Fox, calling his actions "domestic abuse." Fox emailed Capuano when the site went up last year, writing that he would "do everything in my power and capabilities to make your life as miserable as possible ... to the point that you ultimately commit suicide." Fox is in custody awaiting a bail hearing in Vancouver. Says Capuano: The only chance I have of having a normal life is to disappear." (This man got 18 years for running a massive revenge porn site.) (Newser) Early Saturday evening, just weeks before her July 30 wedding, college counselor Amanda Strous was pulled from her fiery apartment in Charlotte, NC. The fire, says Strous' dad, was a cover-up to hide her murder. Police say that a man who lives in the same complex confessed to the killing the 27-year-old when they found him near Las Vegas two days later. Mathew Thomas Benner, 28, works for an air traffic control software company; his brother, Christopher Benner, who is an attorney in Las Vegas, is refusing to comment beyond telling the Charlotte Observer that he is "addressing legal matters" for his brother. Police have not yet announced a motive in the murder but say Benner will be charged with murder and first-degree arson. Strous' father tells People that Benner lived above Strous, who was home alone the night of the murder writing bridal shower thank-you cards. Her mother tells the Observer, "This was the only weekend that she was alone," as her roommate was attending an out-of-state wedding and her fiance, whom she met in college in 2008, was at a pre-wedding guys' weekend in Maryland. More than 300 people attended a candlelit vigil in her home town of York, Pa., on Tuesday, and a GoFundMe page had raised nearly $28,000 as of this writing to "give Amanda's family, fiance, and friends the tools/resources they need to begin overcoming this awfulness." "My daughter was in love and [as a dad] that's great," her father says. "She was full of life." Authorities found Benner via his cell phone's GPS. He confessed, but no further details have been released. (This groom was killed hours after his wedding.) (Newser) New York City is on track to become the nation's first city to require free tampons and sanitary pads in public schools, homeless shelters, and jails after lawmakers approved the idea Tuesday amid a national discussion of the costs of having a period, the AP reports. The proposal marks a new direction in activists' push to dismantle what they see as unfair financial barriers between women and needed sanitary products. New York state lawmakers voted last month to become the sixth state to eliminate sales tax on the items. It would make pads and tampons free in restrooms that serve 300,000 schoolgirls, it would guarantee the products' availability to 23,000 women in homeless shelters, and it would add the force of law to jail standards about sanitary supplies. Supporters say New York would lead cities by having a law, rather than more changeable policies, in a wide range of locales. "They're as necessary as toilet paper," so they ought to be just as freely accessible, says Julissa Ferreras-Copeland, the councilwoman who proposed the law. Once dispensers are installed, the proposal is expected to cost about $2.5 million annually. Advocates say the measure also would make the free sanitary supplies more readily available by putting them in restrooms, instead of nurses' offices, in schools with female students in sixth grade and up. Girls who need pads or tampons now have to scramble to try to get to the nurse and then the restroom in breaks between classes, says Lineyah Mitchell, a graduating senior at Brooklyn Technical High School. (Read more tampon stories.) (Newser) It was announced in April that abolitionist Harriet Tubman would be replacing Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill, but at least one Iowa lawmaker says it's "racist" and "sexist" to even consider adding a woman of color to US currency. "It's not about Harriet Tubman, it's about keeping the picture on the $20," Rep. Steve King said Tuesday while pointing to a pic of Andrew Jackson on a $20 bill he pulled out of his pocket, per Politico. "I am a conservative, I like to keep what we have." He also came to Jackson's defense, noting he was "in fine and good standing" as president, per the Omaha World-Herald, and adding that putting Tubman on the bill was nothing more than a "divisive proposal" on the part of Obama & Co.; he called his own status-quo solution "unifying." Kingwho filed an amendment that would have prohibited the Treasury Department from spending money to revamp US paper currency or coins, per CNNisn't alone in his anti-Tubman stance: Donald Trump has also blasted the icon switcheroo, calling it "pure political correctness" and maintaining Tubman should be relegated to the $2 bill instead. But the Republican-dominated House Rules Committee smacked down King's amendment Tuesday evening, deciding it woudn't be subject to a votea move Politico says shows a GOP "desire to avoid controversial votes in an election year." Meanwhile, Kim Weaver, King's Democratic competitor in Iowa, called his attempt a "headline-grabbing piece of stunt legislation." (Read more Harriet Tubman stories.) (Newser) Some 35 years after police targeted gay men in a series of raids on bathhouses, Torontos gay community will finally get an apology. Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders is expected to deliver an official apology Wednesday for the Feb. 5, 1981, raids on four bathhousesknown as Operation Soapduring which 160 officers armed with crowbars and sledgehammers arrested 286 men on charges of indecency and prostitution, reports CTV News. About 90% of charges were dropped, but not before closeted men had their names and photos broadcast around the country. Many lost relationships and jobs as a result, a LGBT researcher tells the Globe and Mail. "It was incredibly scary," one man tells the CBC. "We thought this was a safe place just like the LGBT people in Orlando thought that they were in safe place." But "in a way, it was our Stonewall moment in Canada, and really, the beginning of the major push for equality of LGBT rights." Thousands protested the next day, leading author Margaret Atwood and others to speak out in support of the gay community. The city's first Pride event came that June, per the CBC. Toronto police are also expected to apologize for a 2000 raid on a womens bathhouse event, which saw male officers encounter nude women, reports the Toronto Star. While many say the apologies will be a step in the right direction, others say the focus should be on eradicating what some view as homophobic legislation. (Read more LGBT stories.) (Newser) If you used Ticketmaster between 1999 and 2013, you could be eligible for up to 17 vouchers for free concertsbut there's a strong chance you'll have to settle for a band you don't like that's playing in a distant city. Fans were outraged Tuesday when Ticketmaster, which is giving away the vouchers as part of a class-action lawsuit, released a list of eligible concerts that heavily featured '90s acts like the Barenaked Ladies, failed to include A-list acts in many areas, left out the better venues in some cities, and omitted 31 states entirely, the New York Daily News reports. Users can check here to see if they received vouchers. The company is also giving out vouchers for a $2.25 discount on any ticket or a $5 discount on UPS delivery, the New York Times reports. As part of the settlement in the $400 million class-action lawsuit brought over excessive fees, Ticketmaster must give out $42 million in vouchers. An estimated 57 million people are eligible, meaning many will never get to use the vouchers, the Times notes. Amid reported IT glitches, fans took to social media to mock the scheme. "The good news is we all have free Ticketmaster vouchers," tweeted Jessica Roy. "The bad news is they're only valid for concerts you wouldn't even go to for free." "These Ticketmaster vouchers are like finding money in your couch cushions, then realizing it's foreign currency from a failed state," tweeted Brian Beutler. Ticketmaster says it's going to continue adding new concerts to the list. Mashable has rounded up some of the better options. (Read more Ticketmaster stories.) (Newser) The Antikythera shipwreck is a gift that keeps on giving. First discovered in 1900 by sponge divers and dating to about 65BC, it has been explored multiple times in the decades since, including in 1976 when Jacques-Yves Cousteau and his crew surfaced with almost 300 objects, including human remains. Now a May 22-June 11 return to the shipwreck off the Greek island of Antikythera in the Aegean Sea has yielded 60 new artifacts, including a gold ring, luxury glassware, and a bronze spear that would have been part of a statue. The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, which led the effort with the Hellenic Ministry of Culture, also flags one particularly unusual item that may have served to protect the ship from pirates. The lead and iron artifact weighs about 220 pounds and is believed to be what's known as a "dolphin," reports the Huffington Post. The idea is that it would be dropped from high up on the mast onto an enemy ship's deck. "Our new technologies extend capabilities for marine science," marine archaeologist Brendan Foley says, technologies that in this instance included using an autonomous robot to detail 2.6 acres of the site in advance of the dive. The AP reports none of the latest finds are linked to the shipwreck's best-known artifact, the Antikythera Mechanism, which the Atlantic calls "one of the most intriguing objects in the history of technology" and Gizmodo describes as a "freakishly advanced" analog computer more than 1,000 years ahead of its time. After 12 years of work, some 3,500 characters of text found on the bronze remnantsas delicate as phyllo dough, says Foleyhave been deciphered. The team that read the text earlier this month likened the Mechanism to "a textbook of astronomy ... something that you would use to teach about the cosmos and our place in the cosmos." More on that here. (Read more shipwreck stories.) (Newser) The mystery that was Omar Mateen is still unraveling more than 10 days after the Orlando nightclub massacre. In a Univision interview that aired Tuesday night, a man who gave his name as Miguel came forward claiming to be Mateen's lover, CBS News reports. He said he met Mateen on the gay dating app Grindr and that they met in an Orlando hotel 15 or 20 times over the course of a two-month relationship. He said Mateen was in an arranged marriage and his wife knew he was gay. Miguel said Mateen carried out the shooting rampage after discovering that a Puerto Rican man he dated was HIV-positive. "He [hates] gay Puerto Ricans for all the stuff he did to him," Miguel told interviewer Maria Elena Salinas. "I believe this crazy horrible thing he did was for revenge." A law enforcement official declined to confirm or deny to CBS that the FBI had spoken to Miguel, but he said Mateen was a frequent user of dating sites and authorities have interviewed both men and women who say they had relationships with him. In another twist, a federal official tells NBC News that two days before the June 12 attack, Mateen bought plane tickets for his family, apparently including himself, to visit California, where his ailing mother-in-law lives, on June 14. Investigators say that on the night of the attack, Mateen first visited the Pulse nightclub around midnight and left soon afterward. They are trying to figure out what he was doing between then and 2am, when he returned to carry out the massacre. (Mateen spent $9,000 on jewelry days before the attack.) (Newser) A disturbing video getting attention on social media shows a row of eight Chinese bank employees on a stage being told to "get their butts ready" then spankedhardin front of their colleagues for "not exceeding themselves." The employees had been in a "Breakthrough in Performance" training class, and a man with a microphone asked them each to explain why they ranked lowest in the class, the South China Morning Post reports. After they all gave reasons like "failing to make a personal breakthrough," he whacked each of them on the behind with a thick stick four times. (After the third time, when one woman tried to cover herself with her hands, he yelled, "Take off your hand!") After the 75-second video, taken by someone in the audience, appeared online Monday and went viral, the president and another executive from the bank were suspended. Shanxi Rural Credit Cooperatives Union confirmed the video was taken during Zhangze Rural Commercial Bank's training on Saturday. NPR, citing People's Daily, says at least 200 people were in the audience. An anonymous staff member says that another punishment involved 16 employees whose heads were forcibly shaved. The man doing the spanking was a trainer, not a bank executive, and reportedly charges more than $15,000 per day for his classes. He has publicly apologized, though he insists spanking is "one of the most effective ways to raise consciousness." (Read more strange stuff stories.) (Newser) Federal prosecutors are investigating whether a Department of Homeland Security employee with top-secret clearance was planning an attack at the agency's Washington headquarters when he entered the building with a gun, a knife, an infrared camera, pepper spray, and handcuffs. Jonathan Wienke, an analyst in the Office of Intelligence and Analysis, allegedly carried the weapons into the building on the morning of June 9, the AP reports. Court documents filed by the federal government state that investigators have probable cause to believe Wienke "was conspiring with another to commit workplace violence" and "may have been conspiring or planning to commit violence against senior DHS officials in the building." A DHS spokesman says Wienke has been placed on administrative leave. The federal government searched his home in Martinsburg, W. Va. In the affidavit for the search warrant, Department of Homeland Security Special Agent Eric Mann listed the potential crimes as an attempt and conspiracy to assassinate, kidnap, or assault a member of the executive branch of the government, false impersonation of a federal officer, and possession of a firearm in a federal facility. It's unclear in the documents what officers found in his home, or whether prosecutors intend to pursue additional charges. Wienke was charged on June 10 with carrying a pistol without a license and was released on June 13 pending further court proceedings, authorities say. (Read more Department of Homeland Security stories.) (Newser) North Korea is not only continuing to defy international warnings to stop testing ballistic missiles, it's starting to get pretty good at launching them. Relatively speaking, anyway: Pyongyang launched two intermediate-range Musudan missiles in the direction of Japan on Wednesday, reports the BBC. The first one flopped almost immediately, just like four previous launches. But the second one reached an altitude of about 620 miles before plunging into the sea, raising concern in both South Korea and Japan, reports Reuters. The missile also covered about 250 miles, getting more than halfway to Japan's coast. The BBC notes the missile's range is much further; it's unclear whether it fell short due to failure or was intentionally kept from reaching Japan. "This is a very important milestone because the previous launches had blown up either very shortly after launch or possibly even right at launch," an analyst at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in California tells the Voice of America. "So this is a real sign of progress." Japan's defense chief put it more succinctly: "The threat to Japan is intensifying." South Korea and the US are still assessing the test, but South Korean President Park Geun-hye denounced the "reckless provocation." UN resolutions forbid the North from working on ballistic missile technology, notes the BBC, but the launches suggest that Pyongyang is having little trouble obtaining the technology and the know-how. (Read more North Korea stories.) We use cookies. By Clicking "OK" or any content on this site, you agree to allow cookies to be placed. Read more in our privacy policy (Newser) Less than a week after Sen. Chris Murphy's filibuster for gun control on the Senate floor (and two days after the Senate voted down a series of gun control measures), another power move, this time by House Democrats: a sit-in protest Wednesday, per the AP. With Georgia Rep. John Lewis leading the way, an initial group of 30 or so Democrats marched into the House chambers shortly before noon, Politico reports, first calling for a vote to expand background checks and ban firearms purchases by suspected terrorists, then "occupying" the floor. "We have been too quiet for too long," Lewis said. "There comes a time when you have to say something. This is the time." (His speech is here.) The group also demanded that Speaker Paul Ryan nix next week's recess and make the House debate and vote on gun control measures, chanting, "No bill, no break" (which also quickly became a Twitter hashtag). Confusion seemed to follow, with one GOP lawmaker shutting off the microphones and declaring the House to be in recess, while a Ryan spokesman said, "The House cannot operate without members following the rules of the institution, so the House has recessed subject to the call of the chair." Hillary Clinton gave a thumbs-up to the gun control goings-on, retweeting an Igor Volsky tweet imploring people to "stop watching Trump" rip into Clinton during a Wednesday morning speech. Meanwhile, in an added bit of drama to the day's events, some Democrats accused GOPers of shutting off House cameras broadcasting the sit-in, Jezebel reports, with C-SPAN itself tweeting shortly before noon, "C-SPAN has no control over the US House TV cameras" (though it did tweet a short video showcasing tweets from Congress members during the protest). As of this writing, the House cameras were still not on, as noted by Vox, and the House was said to be in recess until Ryan deems otherwise. (Read more gun control stories.) (Newser) Sex scandals are nothing new to politics, but GQ digs in to one more unusual than most that rocked Alabama politics earlier this year. It involves the state's grandfatherly 73-year-old governor, Robert Bentley, and his relationship with Rebekeh Mason, an aide 30 years his junior. Bentley remains in office, though he had to publicly apologize after a recording surfaced of him saying things to Mason such as, (When) I put my arms around you, and I put my hands on your breasts, and I put my hands on you and pull you in real close, hey, I love that, too. Writer Jason Zengerle provides the back story of the affair, including its innocent origins: Bentley first hired Mason because they were members of the same church and the former news anchor and her husband were struggling financially. She would eventually become his press secretary and then a top adviser, as whispers grew. Other aides were worried because Bentley was new to this kind of attentionhe was "an awkward man with a heart-rending comb-over who'd married young and come late to his lofty position," writes Zengerle. Perhaps the most suspicious was Bentley's wife, Dianne, who noticed a shift in her husband's behavior. He started dressing flashier, treating her curtly, and blocking out chunks of his day for unspecified purposes. He even texted her rose emojis, which was out of character, causing her to suspect he meant them for someone else. That led her to leave behind her iPhone in record mode one day when she left their weekend home for a walkand it quickly picked up Bentley calling Mason. The scandal intensified from there as the seemingly lovestruck governor refused to ditch Mason, until the affair (they both deny it was physical) became public. He's divorced now, and Mason resigned from her post. Click for the full, messy story, which includes, yes, burner phones. (Read more Robert Bentley stories.) (Newser) A Polk County, Tenn., restaurant owner running for a congressional seat is outraging neighbors and the internet with an exceptionally racist campaign billboard, WTVC reports. I am so enraged I can barely express myself without copious amounts of profanity," Amy Hines Woody captioned her photo of the billboard on Facebook in a post that has apparently since been taken down. The billboard, which reads "Make America White Again," was erected near her home by Rick Tyler. Tyler, who says he's inspired by Donald Trump, is running a campaign of explicit white nationalism," according to Gawker. On his campaign website (which is also down; cached version here), Tyler says Trump has loosened up the overall spectrum of political discourse. He goes on to claim the white American super majority," needed to fight tyranny, is being destroyed. While the "Make America White Again" billboard was removed Tuesday, Tyler is asking for donations to fund his other billboard ideas, including ones that read "Stop the Muslim invasion" and Mamas, dont let your babies grow up to be miscegenators. Tyler, who is running as an Independent and got a whopping 0.4% of the vote when he previously ran in 2014, has no realistic shot at winning. Therefore, Gawker states that his candidacy is probably best read as an example of that which Donald Trump hath wrought. Meanwhile, calls for a boycott of Tyler's business, the Whitewater Grille, are coming from former customers and the Kiwanis of Ocoee, which calls his billboard "repugnant." (Read more racism stories.) (Newser) A pedestrian walking down a busy commercial strip of a New Orleans suburb in the middle of the afternoon shot a sheriff's deputy multiple times, killing him, after being stopped by the officer Wednesday, an official said. Col. John Fortunato, a Jefferson Parish Sheriff's spokesperson, announced the officer's death as police flooded a nearby neighborhood, searching for the suspect by helicopter and combing the area with dogs. The deputy, who was not identified, was pronounced dead after being rushed to a New Orleans hospital, the AP reports. The reason the pedestrian was stopped was not immediately available, and it was unclear what prompted the shooting. Fortunato described the deputy as a member of a street crimes unit. "The normal operational tour of duty for these guys who work in street crimes is to drive around certain neighborhoods that we know are high-crime areas and make pedestrian stops and make vehicle stops as well," Fortunato said. The shooting happened on Manhattan Boulevard near its intersection with Lapalco Boulevard, both heavily traveled thoroughfares in the area known as the West Bank, across the Mississippi River from New Orleans. It was the year's second shooting of a Jefferson officer. (Read more police shooting stories.) New Delhi: Ever since Abhishek Varman announced his upcoming project Shiddat, there have been a lot of buzz in E-world for it. If latest reports are to be believed then the 2-States director has approached Madhuri Dixit Nene for one of the key roles. The period drama, which was earlier titled as 'Kalank', features a love triangle between Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan and Arjun Kapoor. According to the buzz, Madhuri Dixit has been roped in for the role of Alia Bhatt's mother in the film. If she accepts the offer, then this will be the first time when she will play on-screen mother. Earlier, she had refused to don the character of Sonam Kapoors on screen mother. Mrs Nene had returned to silver screen with Gulaab Gang and was also featured in an item number (Ghagra) for Karan Johars Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani. For all the Latest Entertainment News, Bollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday posted a series of tweets on his Twitter handle to congratulate the scientists after the successful launch of 20 satellites in a go. ISRO created history on Wednesday as its workhorse PSLV-C34 successfully injected 20 satellites into the orbit. 20 satellites in a go! @isro continues to break new barriers. Hearty congratulations to our scientists on the monumental accomplishment, tweeted the prime minister. Our space programme has time and again shown the transformative potential of science & technology in people's lives. Over the years we developed expertise & capability to help other nations in their space initiatives. This is the skill of our scientists. PM Modi also hailed the students from Pune and Chennai institutes for their contribution in the making of the satellites. Saw with immense joy that students from institutions in Pune & Chennai played a role in the making of satellites. This touched me. As a common citizen, was totally immersed in happiness to see our youngsters excelling & taking so much interest in science. Witnessed with immense pride and delight the brilliant moments on TV & took photos for my Instagram account. pic.twitter.com/lfGSkCUmjk Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) June 22, 2016 For all the Latest Science News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: With ISROs historic launch of no less than 20 satellites in single mission, India has joined a select elite group of nations US, Russia, Japan and Europe. India has developed its own global navigation satellite system called the Indian Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS). Once it gets operational, India will join the select group of nations owing such system. IRNSS is similar to US GPS (global positioning system), Russias Glonass and Europes Galileo. GPS and Glonass are fully functional, while Chinese and the Japanese systems offer regional coverage. Galileo is yet not operational. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: After facing censorship issues in India, 'Udta Punjab' now faces troubles with release in Pakistan. Neighbouring nation's censor board has approved release of the film after suggesting 100 cuts to remove "objectionable and anti-Pakistan" content. 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 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, 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 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. For all the Latest Entertainment News, Bollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Washington: In a most melodious way possible to raise awareness about the real threat to the Arctic, famous pianist Ludovico Einaudi played a breath-taking composition while floating in the Arctic Ocean off the coast of Norway. The video shows him performing on a small platform that floats in the Arctic. Greenpeace, a global environmental activist organisation, had launched a campaign to convince the world leaders to protect the Arctic. Einaudis performance was part of this campaign. Elegy for the Arctic is the original composition by Einaudi, specially written for the campaign. In a mesmerising scene, the pianist plays a piano even as pieces of a sprawling Wahlenbergbreen glacier crumble nearby. The Arctic has been melting faster than expected and scientists have been cautioning that this could lead to disastrous consequences for wildlife as well as human beings in the future. "The Arctic ocean is the least protected sea in the world, its high seas currently have no legal safeguards," Greenpeace wrote in releasing the video of Einaudi's performance. "As the ice cover decreases with rising temperatures, this unique area is losing its frozen shield, leaving it exposed to reckless exploitation, destructive fishing trawlers and risky oil drilling." For all the Latest Viral News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Beijing: In an apparent climb down, China today said it will play a constructive role in the discussions on Indias bid for membership of the 48-member NSG but at the same time maintained that the issue was not on the agenda of the NSG meeting in Seoul. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said that NSG members had three rounds of unofficial discussions on the entry of India and Pakistan into the grouping. Here are the 10 developments: 1. The Chinese Foreign Ministry has been singing 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. 2. China yesterday 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. 3. The US, which has been supporting Indias NSG bid, has said New Delhi is ready for NSG membership and asked participating governments to support its application at the plenary session of NSG in Seoul. 4. 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. 5. 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. 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. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi : Debris that was found earlier this month in an Australian island does not belong to the missing MH370 plane, investigators said on Wednesday. A piece of debris had washed up on a remote island off Australias coast, resembled part of a plane which raised the hopes of it belonging to the missing flight MH370. But Australian Transport Safety Bureau which is running the search for the ill-fated flight MH 370 after examining the debris reported that it did not belong to the plane that had vanished on March 8, 2014 carrying 239 people after flying off course from Kuala Lumpur to Malaysia. Information received from the manufacturer indicates the item is not consistent with the manufacturing specifications of a Boeing commercial aircraft, the bureau said in a statement. Authorities say that the plane crashed in Indian ocean but despite extensive search nothing substantial came out. So far 105,000 square kilometres of the designated 120,000-square-kilometre seafloor search zone has been covered without success. Though China, Malaysia and Australia have jointly said that the search will be abandoned if nothing come out of it. These are the countries that most of the passengers came from. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Director Abhishek Chaubey says there is an immense sense of relief to see his film Udta Punjab in theatres on time and intact, something which looked impossible while they were at loggerheads with the censor board. Chaubey, who wanted to make an anti-drug movie, said the CBFCs version of his film was so different that he even thought of removing his name from the credits. I am just happy and relieved that we could relese the film on June 17 considering all that happened. The version that was cut was so different that I thought if this is the film that is going to come out then should I even give my name to it? Chaubey told PTI in an interview. The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) had demanded 89 cuts from the drug drama that is set in Pujab. The producers had to finally move the Bombay High Court where it was cleared with just one cut and a revised disclaimer. Despite the courts verdict, we were not sure till the afternoon of June 15 whether our film was going to release on time or not. Things were being thrown at us and we were just responding to it. We went through lots of ups and downs. I really want to leave that behind me and I hope that it never happens to any of my films or anyones film. The censor battle is not the only worry that Chaubey had to deal with. The movie leaked online just a day before its release. It was really disheartening because it was not the final film. It needs to be experienced with the final sound and everything. We worked so hard on the film and some people will not even see the real film. It has also affected our numbers. It is very heartbreaking. I hope the person responsible for it is brought to book. Such was the uncertainty around the release of the film that Chaubey did not even think about the post-release reaction of the audience that normally leaves filmmakers sleepless. I was not thinking about how the audience is going to react to the film. It just did not occur to me. From what I hear, people have really liked the film and have responded to it and thats very satisfying. I worked on the movie for three year. I just want to go on a holiday now. For all the Latest Entertainment News, Bollywood News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: In an appreciable move, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) banned the use of potassium bromate across the country, in its latest notice issued on June 20, 2016, for operationalization of standards for food additives. The ban on the use of potassium bromate as a food additive will reduce risk from cancer-causing chemicals and safeguard public health, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said and also sought a ban on potassium iodate, another chemical used as a flour treatment agent in bread-making. The Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has banned the use of potassium bromate as a food additive following a study by CSE which had found its presence in bread as causing cancer. The national food regulator however, referred potassium iodate, also claimed to be carcinogenic used as a food additiveto a scientific panel. We are happy to know that the FSSAI has banned the use of potassium bromate. Our study on bread last month raised this issue and FSSAI had announced to ban it soon. We welcome the prompt action. The chemical was banned in most parts of the world but allowed in India until now. The new law will reduce public health risk from a possible cancer-causing chemical, said Chandra Bhushan, deputy director general, CSE. We had also recommended a ban on the use of potassium iodate as a flour treatment agent in bread-making. The industry has already declared not to use both these chemicals in public interest. We hope that the FSSAI soon prohibits use of potassium iodate as well, added Bhushan. The CSE study in May had highlighted the use and presence of residues of potassium bromate or potassium iodate in bread-making in India. The study said these chemicals have been banned in several countries worldwide due to their possible adverse health effects. Potassium bromate is a known possible cancer-causing chemical while the use of potassium iodate in bread can lead to excess iodine intake which could be linked to certain thyroid-related diseases, the CSE study had said. Subsequently, the All India Bread Manufacturers Association representing the organized industry had declared its intention to withdraw the use of potassium bromate and potassium iodate in bread-making. Some of the points to ponder, CSE says: The move will significantly reduce risk and safeguard public health The potassium bromate is a possible human carcinogen used in bread-making in India, but banned in most parts of the world FSSAI should also ban use of potassium iodate in bread-making at the earliest For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Islamabad: Pakistans National Security Adviser Nasser Janjua has alleged that Americas efforts to include India in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) was part of a greater design to contain China and prevent the resurgence of Russia. Its (part of) a greater design, Janjua said at a seminar on Pakistans case for NSG membership yesterday. Janjua said the current move by the US to induct India into the 48-nation exclusive nuclear club should be seen in the context of global power politics trends. He then listed contain China, prevent the resurgence of Russia and keep the Muslim world in a controlled chaos as some of the leading trends in the current global power politics, The Express Tribune reported. The paper reported that it is unprecedented that a top Pakistani official publicly made such a candid statement about a sensitive issue. Talking about the implications of these developments, Janjua cautioned that American policies would ultimately bring Pakistan even closer to China. Pakistan is upset at the US decision to aggressively campaign for India while ignoring Islamabads aspirations to become an NSG member, the paper said. Last month, Pakistan formally applied for NSG membership, setting the stage for a showdown with India at the elite groupings plenary session Seoul. The campaign for Indias membership into the group is seen as carrying the risk of antagonising Pakistan as well as China, which could veto any Indias application, the paper said.Pakistan fears that the induction of India into the NSG would disturb strategic balance and trigger a new arms race in South Asia, according to the paper. Meanwhile, Pakistans former permanent representative at the UN in Geneva Zamir Akram said that Pakistan was only opposed to exclusive membership of the NSG for India.He was speaking at a seminar organised yesterday by the Strategic Vision Institute (SVI), a think-tank, in Islamabad. Dawn reported that Akrams comments follow remarks by Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj that India does not object to any country, including Pakistan, joining the NSG on merit. Pakistan supports the evolution of criteria that can be applied across the board, Akram said.The Indian and Pakistani comments suggest that their respective campaigns for NSG entry had boiled down to merit versus criteria, the paper said. Akram warned about the likely implications of a scenario in which India alone was admitted into the NSG, include dimming of future prospects for Pakistans entry into the club and likely growth in Indias nuclear arsenal. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Clearing all doubts over its stance on Indias entry into NSG, France today strongly backed New Delhis case, saying it will bolster global efforts against nuclear proliferation and asking the members states to take a positive decision in the Seoul plenary meeting. A key member of the 48-nation grouping, France also asserted that Indias participation in nuclear control regimes will help better regulate the export of sensitive goods, whether they are nuclear, chemical, biological, ballistic or conventional materials and technologies. France considers that Indias entry into the four multilateral export control regimes (NSG, MTCR, The Australia Group, The Wassenaar Arrangement) will bolster international efforts for combating proliferation. Indias participation in these bodies will help better regulate the export of sensitive goods, whether they are nuclear, chemical, biological, ballistic or conventional materials or technologies. In line with its active and long-standing support to Indias entry to the NSG as a full-fledged member, France calls on its members, who are meeting on 23 June in Seoul, to take a positive decision, the French Foreign Ministry said in a statement. The Ministry also mentioned that strategic partners since 1998, France and India share common goals regarding the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems. These goals were reaffirmed during the visit of the President of the French Republic to India, from 24 to 26 January 2016, it added. The French President was the Chief Guest at the Republic Day celebrations here. Yesterday, the US White House had in a statement said India was ready for NSG membership and asked participating governments to support Indias application at the plenary session of NSG in Seoul starting tomorrow. 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. 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. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: For the first time in 4 million years, the Earth passed another unfortunate milestone when carbon dioxide levels surpassed 400 parts per million (ppm) at the South Pole, according to US scientists. Carbon dioxide levels in the Earth's atmosphere have hit the highest point in human history, scientists have announced. The researchers said that the South Pole has shown the same, relentless upward trend in carbon dioxide (CO2) as the rest of world, but its remote location means it is the last to register the impacts of increasing emissions from fossil fuel consumption, the primary driver of greenhouse gas pollution. Besides, scientists say it's highly unlikely that levels will go back under this point in our lifetime. Crossing the 400 ppm boundary was predicted but it serves as a reminder of the growing threat from climate change. The far southern hemisphere was the last place on earth where CO2 had not yet reached this mark, said Pieter Tans, the lead scientist of US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)s Global Greenhouse Gas Reference Network. Global CO2 levels will not return to values below 400 ppm in our lifetimes, and almost certainly for much longer, said Tans. Over the course of the year, CO2 levels rise during fall and winter and decline during the Northern Hemispheres summer as terrestrial plants consume CO2 during photosynthesis. However, plants only capture a fraction of annual CO2 emissions, so for every year since observations began in 1958, there has been more CO2 in the atmosphere than the year before. Last years global CO2 average reached 399 ppm, meaning that the global average in 2016 will almost certainly surpass 400 ppm. The only question is whether the lowest month for 2016 will also remain above 400 metres, researchers said. The annual rate of increase appears to be accelerating. The annual growth rate of atmospheric carbon dioxide measured at NOAAs Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii jumped 3.05 ppm during 2015, the largest year-to-year increase in 56 years of monitoring. Part of last years jump was attributable to El Nino, the cyclical Pacific Ocean warming that produces extreme weather across the globe, causing terrestrial ecosystems to lose stored CO2 through wildfire, drought and heat waves. Last year was the fourth consecutive year that CO2 grew more than 2 ppm which set another record. This year promises to be the fifth. We know from abundant and solid evidence that the CO2 increase is caused entirely by human activities, Tans said. Since emissions from fossil fuel burning have been at a record high during the last several years, the rate of CO2 increase has also been at a record high. And we know some of it will remain in the atmosphere for thousands of years, he said. (With inputs from PTI) For all the Latest Science News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New York: Billionaire Republican candidate for president Donald Trump went on a blistering offensive against Hillary Clinton today, calling her disqualified to run for president and savaging her record on trade, foreign policy, human rights and immigration. Trump who has denounced Clintons USD 42 million war chest as blood money, sharpened his attacks on the polarizing Democratic nominee after disastrous headlines have fueled speculation that his controversial campaign is unravelling. Hillary Clinton may be the most corrupt person ever to seek the presidency, he said in a speech at Trump SoHo, his five-star hotel in Manhattan to shouts of Trump, Trump, Trump from supporters. He said the stakes in the November general election could not be higher, presenting himself as an innovative thinker who could get things done and protect voters from an economic and political system rigged against them by career politicians, Clinton included. Trump attacked Clinton as a world-class liar who had perfected the politics of personal profit and theft and lacked the judgment to be Americas first woman commander-in-chief. She ran the State Department like her own personal hedge funddoing favours for repressive regimes, and many others, in exchange for cash, he alleged of her tenure as Americas top diplomat. He alleged that her disgraceful foreign policy had cost America thousands of lives and trillions and trillions of dollars in reference to her support for the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq. In just four years, secretary Clinton managed to almost single-handedly destabilise the entire Middle East, he added, calling the Islamic State extremist group a threat because of her decisions. On economics, he assaulted her support for trade deals, saying they had wrought total devastation for working Americans and cost the country nearly a third of its manufacturing jobs. Americas trade deficit with China had soared by 40 percent while she was secretary of state, he said: Hillary Clinton gave China millions of jobs and in exchange Hillary Clinton got rich. Trump claimed that Clinton and her husband, former president Bill Clinton, had made $153 million in speeches to lobbyists, foreign governments and CEOs since 2001 and castigated her for refusing to release the transcripts of her closed-door speeches to Wall Street. He also claimed that her familys Clinton Foundation had taken millions from countries in the Middle East that abuse women and members of the LGBT community. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps.